By Juan C. Ayllon Spring has sprung, and July is jumping, and when my wife gets home, we feel like...binge watching---TV, that is! It's good to laugh, isn't it? In light of the incomprehensible shootings in nearby Highland Park three days ago on the Fourth of July, even as we mourn, it's good to periodically distract, laugh and savor the good things in life before resuming the struggle to right wrongs and tackle hard issues in our troubled society. theTeaching is Reaching I had a rugged year teaching middle school art in Racine, Wisconsin, where I taught some very challenging students. To be fair, many were very nice, but far too many suffered trauma of some form or another and took their issues out on staff and fellow students. Add to that a daily, three hour round trip, and I decided to find something closer to home (my next year's assignment is under half an hour's drive). My heart goes out to the staff I left behind. The next day following my exit from Racine, I began a summer school gig teaching STEM and Robotics at an elementary school in a nearby suburb that has been fun and rewarding. And busy! Family Time Belle and I have also been busy visiting with family, adult children and five grandchildren. Recently, we enjoyed picking strawberries and raspberries at a farm with some of the kids and grandkids. That was a hoot! I got to catch up with my brother, Luis, and his wife, Lisa, at my mother's on the Fourth of July, which was an all too rare get together! And to think, in several weeks, Belle and I will celebrate our eleventh wedding anniversary! That's amazing. I'm not sure how we'll toast the occasion. Maybe another trip to Beelow's Steakhouse? We'll see... So, here I am in July, and finally my recent review of the Usher Audio ML-801 loudspeakers went live yesterday (Google my name and Usher ML-801 to find it). A thorough piece on these magnesium alloyed tweeter and midrange driver thoroughbreds, it felt gratifying to complete the project. Suffice it to say that the ML-801s are extremely nice; featuring shimmery highs, an almost tactile and vivid midrange, and a robust deep presentation, a friend in the industry observed that they easily performed like $30,000 speakers, except they don't carry the expensive brand name. He added that if you opened up a pair of ML-801s and a $30,000 pair, they'd look remarkably the same. In audio, pricing isn't always commensurate with quality. Now, I could have been very happy owning the Usher ML-801s, however, I ultimately elected to purchase the Usher ML-802s, which are several inches taller and come with two, not one, eight inch carbon fiber woofers to complement the magnesium implementation. Not only do they produce more bass, but they also possess a subtle tonal difference that I really like. My guess is that this likely is because the 802 employs a slightly larger cabinet than the 801. Picture two late star vocalists from the 80s: the large framed Luther Van Dross crooning alongside the more petite Al Jarreau. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. Scratch that! But, you get the idea.
Either way, I am thrilled to have them and, after they've burned in sufficiently, I will begin reviewing them for Prairie Audio Man Cave. Upcoming Reviews and Interviews Coming up soon on the roster are some AV Room Service Equipment Vibration Protector pads for the turntable, a review of the Pass Labs XP-17 phono stage, Usher R-1.5 amplifier, Straight Wire Crescendo 3 speaker cables, Triangle Art RA Ultimate Power Conditioner, and the WK Audio The Fog power cable. I also have several interviews -- two which simply need transcribing, and another two which I think you'll enjoy (two will be at another site and two right here at Prairie Audio). And then, of course, I am still planning on visiting the Taliesin Wisconsin campus of Frank Lloyd Wright this summer. Chances are that will take place later this month. Wow, time is flying! Anyways, I need to get moving out the door for a walk with Liam, our beloved Goldendoodle, while Belle works late tonight. Have a great weekend!
2 Comments
Dan Starr
7/9/2022 05:05:01 pm
Juan, this in response to your most recent positive feedback review. I wanted my words to you to be more private, so I chose to share here. Hope you don’t mind.
Reply
Juan C Ayllon
9/12/2022 11:13:02 am
Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it and look forward to chatting.
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Juan C. AyllonA writer, artist, educator and owner of Prairie Audio Man Cave, he lives with his wife, Isabel (AKA Belle), and their Goldendoodle, Liam, enjoys listening to high fidelity music and all things hi-fi at their home in the greater Chicagoland area.. Archives
March 2024
Categories |