Nobsound MS-10D Tube Amplifier review

Audiophiles saving up for mega-buck systems are always looking for insanely good buys in audio… because apparently there’s no middle-ground between $60 and $3000.
I’ve seen several decades of recommendations for "giant-killer" disk players (Radio Shack’s CD-3400 and the Sony PlayStation), phono cartridges (Grado ZTE+1) and reel decks (Sony TC-155).
These days, Audio-Technica’s AT-LP60 turntable, Dayton Audio speakers and the small, Lepai class-D integrated amps get the nod: they all list for under $100 and get great reviews (although I find the A-T ‘table is far too flimsy; the extra money for a U-Turn Orbit or A-T’s own AT-LP120USB is well spent).
I’ve only listed new gear, of course… no one wants a used Sony PlayStation or TC-155 anymore. But there are great buys to be found with a used NAD 3020B integrated amp or Dynaco PAS-3X.
I’m purposely mentioning the Dynaco because for many years, I had Dynaco-based gear in my second system.  First, it was a Dynaco PAS-3X preamp and Stereo 120 power amp with a Heathkit AJ-12 tuner. The preamp was tubed, the rest was solid state, and I bought the whole mess for $10 at a garage sale on the same day I got up the courage to ask out the cute waitress at Bob’s Big Boy.  The tuner turned out to have major drift issues and was unimpressive; same goes for the waitress.  The Dynaco gear sounded okay, but no better than the Harman/Kardon HK670 receiver I owned at the time (bought used with a Rotel RP-2400 turntable at another garage sale for $40).  The Stereo 120 also liked to cut out a lot (also like the waitress), so I traded it towards a McIntosh 752, and sold the PAS-3X.  A few years later, I got another PAS-3X, a Stereo 70 and an FM-3; all tubed.  I liked the sound but, again, it wasn’t a world of difference from what I had then: a Marantz 1070 integrated (used as a preamp) and McIntosh 752 combo.  I also was nervous about the occasional pops and hisses from the power amp (a common occurrence as tubes die, apparently).  For those interested in the FM-3, by the way, it needed a new rectifier tube (which haven’t been made for decades), so I never got around to firing that up.
At one point, I used the Dynaco preamp with the McIntosh: apparently, vintage gear works best when a tube preamp mates with a solid-state power amp.  However, the scratchy connections on the Dynaco bothered me and I gave up.  (As someone who mostly bought used, I was always concerned that a given piece of equipment was about to have a major malfunction.)
I avoided tubes for about 10 years (buying new, solid-state gear) until the Nobsound integrated amp started getting some buzz online.  The early reviews complained of either poor quality control (no longer an issue, it seems) or the tubes being used solely for visual effect (not true).
I plugged it into my system and was startled by how much more body and life the sound had.  The tube “warmth” everyone talks about was finally apparent to my ears.  Vinyl (pretty much my only source) sounded much more alive and lifelike.  It’s the kind of thing that vinyl-haters claim doesn’t exist, and that it’s psychosomatic.  Whatever the reason it sounds and feels better, it does.
The system includes a Garrard 401 with SME 3009 arm and Stanton 681mkIII-S cartridge into a Technics SU-C01 preamp and McIntosh MC2505 power amp, feeding a pair of JBL 4410’s.  The Nobsound was used in place of the McIntosh, fed by the Technics preamp’s tape outputs (in effect, using the Technics as a phono preamp).
My first extended listening was on side one of “The Notorious Byrd Brothers,” during which I heard instrumental parts which I had previously never heard (xylophones and percussion mostly).  Switching to the recent mono reissue of The Rolling Stones’ “Aftermath” (UK edition), I was struck by how sinewy the bass sounded on “Under My Thumb.”  It felt like it was 1,000 feet tall!
After a bit, I put on Charles Earland's "Living Black": the brass attacked with bite on "Killer Joe" and I could hear the room noise much better than before (this is a live album, but you wouldn't know it since much of the crowd is mixed out of recording).  For some reason, I also decided to put on a few 45s, including "Loser" by Beck and "Le Freak" by Chic, both of which had far more bass and presence than before.  None of these pressings have significant inner-groove distortion, which usually turns to hash on solid state gear.
I should mention at this point that the Technics preamp (like most preamps I’ve used) has a loudness button, something which I find vitally important given the quirks of my system and source material.  The Nobsound has no such button, but offers such a wide range in the bass and treble controls that I didn’t need any other compensation.  I’ve never understood audiophiles who eschew tone controls; the assertion is that only perfectly recorded source material is worth listening to.  (Usually, I find the opposite to be true).
My only criticism of the Nobsound is the lack of a mono button or balance control.  For under $200, this first leap into tube territory may be all you need until you can afford to be one of those audiophiles who no longer looks for bargains.

David Letterman, Jack Paar, Desi Arnaz and the Emmys

In its early years, Late Night With David Letterman did an unusually good job of booking showbiz legends... Bob Hope, George Burns, Milton Berle, Jack Paar, Henry Morgan, Sammy Davis Jr., Don Rickles, Jerry Lewis, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson and Desi Arnaz had all appeared with Dave by 1985.  In the clip below, Arnaz makes his one and only appearance (May 23, 1983), and they get a special visitor (who had not yet guested with Dave at that point) around the 9:05 mark.


This was possible because in those days, Dave taped in Studio 6A while the local NBC station's "Live at 5" newscast would be happening across the hall, in 6B.  Dave would often go over and interrupt WNBC (likely pre-planned somewhat) including a famous incident in 1987 with Harvey Pekar (in which the artist is solely focused on Al Roker, who had once been at WKYC in Cleveland, Pekar's hometown).
For the record, Conan O'Brien also did his show in 6A, while Paar, Carson and now Jimmy Fallon used 6B.  (And just to move even further off-course, here's Don Rickles on "Live at 5" in 1985; a classic).
Getting back to Arnaz, it's interesting that Dave basically turns the whole show over to one guest -- something you would think wouldn't happen given that critics said Dave's interview skills were still developing (although he does just fine).  This happened with a number of the above-mentioned guests.  Arnaz seems relaxed and confident, just as he did when hosting SNL in 1976.  However, the physical deterioration is very apparent from 1976 to 1983.
Fast forwarding to September, 1986, Dave co-hosted the Emmys that year with Shelley Long.  Not only did he and Paul make a week-long runner out of Dave's discomfort with the whole thing, but he also appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," got in some mild jabs at Lucille Ball, and then generated some comedy from the whole thing afterward.  YouTube user Don Giller -- who posted the Arnaz clip above -- is a saint, and has put together a half-hour encapsulation of Dave and the '86 Emmys.  It's brilliantly edited, and a much better use of 34 minutes than, say, watching an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" and then teasing animals for 4 minutes.


One thing I noticed here is that Dave says to Brandon [Tartikoff], "we won't be third for much longer." I believe NBC was already in second place at this point.  It was just before the third season of "The Cosby Show," which had already paid huge dividends for the network on Thursday nights, as well as attracting talent to the network in general.  (If you're keeping track, here's the hit shows that were on NBC primetime that fall: Family Ties, The Hogan Family (aka Valerie in 86-87), ALF, Matlock, Highway to Heaven, Night Court, Cheers, L.A. Law, Miami Vice, The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, 227, Amen, Hunter, two movie nights and the lower-rated but demographically amazing Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere).
Dave actually did a decent job of hosting that year, and fortunately did not point to the show as a career-defining failure (as he would with the Oscars a decade later).
For good measure, this is the open of the 1986 Emmys, with a cast of stars from the past.  Over on his "News From ME" blog, writer Mark Evanier has several exhaustive, interesting posts devoted to this production (and the glaring mistake you'll see at 1:40).

KBT: Farinacci's and Tomorrow In Review

Another edition of #KBT finds Mr. Dave from Farinacci's Pizza visiting with a non-pizza surprise, plus a look at tomorrow's headlines from The Chicago Chronicle.

Nerding Out for Music Sounds: 78rpm Bonanza with Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Fats Domino

A look at the few 78rpm disks I have -- all 50s rock and roll (and some that aren't from America!).

WKRP in Cincinnati DVD music changes

As a Christmas gift to all of you who received the WKRP in Cincinnati boxed set in years past, here -- finally -- is a list of all the music that was replaced on the Shout! Factory "complete series" DVDs.  One of the myths about this show is that the music was changed after the initial CBS run. Not true: I have syndicated copies from the early 1990s in which most -- but not all -- of the music is unchanged.  The first time they made major replacements was for the 2007 Season 1 box, which is now out of print.
The new DVD set has 90 percent of the music unchanged.  Looks like the main sticks-in-the-mud now are the Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Time-Warner company (the Warner Bros., Atlantic, Elektra, Reprise labels)... those three entities account for most of the songs that Shout! couldn't get cleared.

Season 1
PREACHER: this was the third episode produced, but the last to air that season
I'm Down, The Beatles

HOLD UP: one other change in this episode was done just before the original airing. The dialogue is reversed or dubbed whenever Hamilton Camp's character mentions brand names.
Atomic Punk, Van Halen
Back In the U.S.A., Linda Ronstadt

TURKEYS AWAY
Dogs, Pink Floyd... a great scene, which you can view here

GOODBYE JOHNNY
Surfin' USA, Beach Boys... this uses a soundalike on my syndicated copy

THE CONTEST NOBODY COULD WIN
Lotta Love, Nicolette Larson


Season 2
FOR LOVE OR MONEY, PT 1
Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor), Robert Palmer
Rise, Herb Alpert

MIKE FRIGHT
Who Listens To The Radio?, The Sports
Rock And Roll Music, Chuck Berry

THE PATTER OF LITTLE FEET
Sing A Happy Song, The O'Jays
Thank Heaven For Little Girls, Maurice Chevalier

BABY IF YOU'VE EVER WONDERED
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Michael Jackson

SPARKY
Survival, Bob Marley & The Wailers

A FAMILY AFFAIR
Foxy Lady, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

IN CONCERT
Sympathy For The Devil, The Rolling Stones

THE DOCTOR'S DAUGHTER
The Long Run, The Eagles... watch the turntable when this song plays near the end; it's clearly been left on 78 speed, instead of 33

MOST IMPROVED STATION
61 Clay, Ron Nagle

Season 3
THE AIRPLANE SHOW: I barely recall any music in this episode
Whip It, Devo
Military Percussion One, Chris Karan
Space Truckin', Deep Purple
You Light Up My Life, Debbie Boone
Gimme Some Slack, The Cars

REAL FAMILIES: I barely recall any music in this episode, either
Once In a Lifetime, Talking Heads
She's So Cold, Rolling Stones

THE BABY
Could I Be Dreamin', Pointer Sisters

A MILE IN MY SHOES
Get Off My Cloud, Rolling Stones

BAH HUMBUG
Wanted, Perry Como

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Get Away, Ry Cooder

FROG STORY
Gone Dead Train, Randy Newman

VENUS AND THE MAN: With this episode, John Lennon's portrait from The White Album is prominently displayed in the music library; this episode was the first one produced after Lennon's murder on Dec. 8
Looking For Love, Candi Staton
Remember, John Lennon

DR. FEVER AND MR. TIDE
Sympathy For The Devil, The Rolling Stones... this is a very obvious dub job, done early in the syndicated run, and it makes Gary Sandy look silly while he's singing along.
Le Freak, Chic

SECRETS OF DAYTON HEIGHTS
I've Found A New Baby, Benny Goodman & His Orchestra

OUT TO LUNCH
Here Comes The Sun, The Beatles
I Will Follow, U2
Jive Talkin', Bee Gees... this is a very good soundalike with the lyrics "Talk talk talk the night away."

TILL DEBT DO US PART
We Just Disagree, Dave Mason

Season 4
AN EXPLOSIVE AFFAIR
Celebration, Kool & The Gang

THE UNION
Start Me Up, The Rolling Stones

YOU CAN'T GO OUT OF TOWN AGAIN
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones

PILLS
The Old Songs, Barry Manilow... within the show, this is not on WKRP's playlist, but part of a syndicated show

JENNIFER AND JOHNNY'S CHARITY
Come Together, Beatles

CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
Take My Heart, Kool & the Gang

THE CREATION OF VENUS: this episode is the backstory of much of the pilot; I always thought someone should edit all of this together, along with the re-created scenes from "Mama's Review" with Carol Bruce playing Mother Carlson. Interesting that the only song this episode has in common with the pilot is "Queen of the Forest" by Ted Nugent... the first song played after the format change.
Wavelength, Van Morrison

RIP Jack Benny (A Tribute to Jack Benny/A Love Letter to Jack Benny), 1894-1974

The worst belated Christmas gift ever... a eulogy for Jack Benny, who died December 26, 1974.  This is a CBS News rememberance which aired three days later:



That CBS News special obviously concentrates on his CBS years (1949-64).  You can also watch the special, "A Love Letter to Jack Benny" (which aired Feb. 5, 1981), hosted by George Burns, Johnny Carson and Bob Hope, for his NBC years (1964-74, when he was mostly doing specials).  I do not believe it covers his time on NBC Radio (1932-48, except for a few months at CBS).

For good measure, read my post about Benny's "Si, Sy, So" routine with Mel Blanc and Johnny Carson.

I have added this table to keep track of when you could have seen (and heard) Mr. Benjamin Kubelsky...

NBC Radio: 05/02/32-12/26/48 (except 10/30/32-1/26/33 on CBS)

CBS Radio: 01/02/49-05/22/55
CBS-TV: 10/28/50-4/21/64

NBC-TV: 9/25/64-4/16/65, followed by specials through January, 1974

The Beatles Christmas Records

{UPDATE 12/14/17... here's my review of the new, official Beatles Christmas Record boxed set}

If you’ve heard “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” only NINE-thousand times this month, consider yourself lucky.  And if you’re looking for some other yuletide records by The Beatles, you may want to dig up their seven fan club messages.
In 50+ years, the band has released thousands of songs as a band and solo.  But only a handful have any sort of holiday connection: John’s “Happy Xmas,” Paul’s “Wonderful Christmastime”/“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reggae” as well as his 2012 take on “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)” and Ringo’s “I Wanna Be Santa Claus” LP.  George also put out “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” in 1974, which is more New Year’s than holiday themed; and I’m not going to count his songs that may have significance on Indian holidays.
The Beatles’ Christmas Carol begins in 1963.  That January, their second single “Please Please Me,” became a huge British hit.  Things snowballed from there, and by December, they were a showbiz juggernaut throughout Europe.  On Christmas Day, the #1 record in England was “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”  (The British consider it especially prestigious to have a Christmas #1 – a feat the Beatles would accomplish a record 4 times.)
On October 17, 1963 – following a session for “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – The Beatles recorded some ad-libbed versions of holiday tunes, and a few scripted lines from their PR man, Tony Barrow.  The result was labeled “Sincere Good Wishes for Christmas and the New Year” and was sent out on a plastic flexi-disc to members of their fan club.

The Beatles’ first Christmas Record was sent to British fan club members in 1963.
Moving ahead to 1964 – the Beatles spent that year conquering America and much of the rest of the world.  That fall, on October 26 – after the final session for their fourth LP, “Beatles for Sale” -- they recorded another Christmas record for their fans… and they titled it “Another Beatles Christmas Record.”

The 1964 Christmas message was sent out to their British fans in mid-December, just before notching another Christmas #1 in England with “I Feel Fine.”
In America, fans got an edited version of the 1963 Christmas message.  That recording was also briefly available in 2010 as a downloadable prize in “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game.
But back to the ‘60s, 1965 another year of huge success for the Beatles.  They had three #1 hits that year in England, the last of which was the Christmas #1 “Day Tripper.”  In America, “Yesterday” was the last of five Number Ones.  That tune figured heavily in the 1965 Christmas message, which was recorded on November 8, after a session for the George Harrison song “Think For Yourself.”


“The Beatles’ Third Christmas Record” was again sent to fans in Great Britain in mid-December, but not sent to American fans at all.  Over here, we simply got a holiday postcard from the band.  (In April, 1966, their fan club explained that the tape had arrived too late the previous winter to get the record out in time.)  None of these records, by the way, was actually a “vinyl record.”  Instead, they were what’s known as flexi-disks: thin plastic sheets onto which grooves were embossed and could be played back with decent-but-unspectacular fidelity.  These were frequently used for promotional purposes and spoken word messages.  (I remember seeing them on the back of cereal boxes when I was growing up.)  In the Beatles’ case, they would often be attached with a perforation inside of a cardboard jacket or mailer; Norman Mailer.
Moving ahead to the fall of 1966, on the day after Thanksgiving, The Beatles headed to the offices of their music publisher, Dick James, to record their annual Christmas message.  This was the first one to feature any of the Beatles playing an instrument – Paul on piano, in this case.  It was also the first one not to be recorded at Abbey Road Studios for some reason.  And, they changed up the formula a bit by creating a Pantomime-themed program of songs and sketches titled “Everywhere: It’s Christmas.”


Hopefully, British fans enjoyed “Pantomime: Everywhere It’s Christmas” in 1966, which came in a beautiful psychedelic sleeve (pictured above) designed by Paul McCartney.  Once again, American fans got only a holiday postcard.  And that would happen again in 1967, when The Beatles went all-out.  On the day after releasing “Hello Goodbye” – their final Christmas #1 in England – the band recorded a catchy tune entitled “Christmastime Is Here Again,” and interwove it around the concept of a series of acts auditioning to be on the BBC.


The 1967 Beatles’ Christmas disc, “Christmastime Is Here Again,” was the last one the group would record together.  By Christmas of 1968, the band had begun falling apart: the White Album sessions of that summer and fall had led to frayed tempers and even a temporary walk-out by Ringo.  The Beatles also launched Apple Records and its associated companies, which quickly turned from a utopian artist colony to a money-sucking source of frustration.
Amidst all that division, each Beatle recorded a separate contribution for the Christmas record -- usually at home -- and then everything was edited together by DJ Kenny Everett, a friend of the Beatles.  Clocking in at nearly 8 minutes, it’s the longest Beatles Christmas Record, and the first to feature guests: Yoko Ono and Tiny Tim.


“The Beatles’ 1968 Christmas Record” was released in England AND America in late December.  In 1969, they would continue the practice of recording separate segments and having them edited together by Kenny Everett.  The Beatles’ final Christmas record was sent out on December 19, 1969, in a sleeve designed by Ringo Starr and his son, Zak.


The 1969 record ends with Yoko interviewing John and The Beatles’ song “The End,” which marked “The End” of the 1960s, and of the Beatles’ Christmas Records.  In 1970, the band would release their final album, “Let It Be,” followed 6 months later by “The Beatles Christmas ALBUM.”
That beautifully packaged LP collected all seven fan club Christmas messages – reportedly copied from pristine flexi-disks that had been saved by their fan club secretary.  In the spring of 1971, the album was sent to fan club members in Great Britain, under the title “From Then To Us.”
Bootleg versions of those albums have been around for years, but the Christmas records have never gotten an official release – with one exception.
In 1995, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr reunited to record a backing track for an old John Lennon demo recording, called “Free As a Bird.”  It would be the first new Beatles single in 25 years.  And one of the bonus tracks on the CD single was a 3:03 version of the song “Christmastime Is Here Again” from 1967.
It’s a festive reminder of the seven flexi-disks that showcased The Beatles’ humor, blossoming personalities and increasing complexity as artists throughout the 1960s.  While most of their Christmas recordings are sketches or acapella ad-libs, “Christmastime Is Here Again” is the only proper Christmas song by The Beatles.

UPDATE: Here's my review of the 2017 boxed set of Christmas records: