February 19, 2012

  • Shunyata Lyra, Part 3

    35 years ago, I wasn't quite 5, but I was already growing tired of TV and cartoons.  For better or for worse, I then discovered FM radio.  Unlike other parts of the country, the Bay Area's radio stations were dominated by what we now call "classic rock."  And that is when I was turned on to Fleetwood Mac.  Unbeknown to me, Fleetwood Mac had just released Rumours, and that is why "Go Your Own Way" was on constant rotation.  Later in 1977, Rumours' "Don't Stop," "Dreams," and "You Make Loving Fun" would also receive heavy airplay.  To me, San Francisco and Fleetwood Mac went hand in hand.  I would later learn that much of Rumours was recorded right here in Sausalito's Record Plant Studios.

    In 1977, did I know about speaker cables?  Nope.  All I knew were all-in-one stereos and boomboxes.  I did see some of those all-in-one jobbies have screw terminals.  And speaker cables were simply called "wires."

    In 2004-6, I had the excellent Shunyata Orion speaker cable.  Here in the East Bay, especially when it's dry (which is all the time), I like to play classic rock, including Fleetwood Mac.  In the mid-00s, all that classic rock made my San Leandro home seem like it was the 70s all over again. 

    I no longer have the Orion, but I am borrowing its little brother, the Lyra.  So on it goes to the left speaker.

    When we moved back into this house in late 2004, the first speaker I hooked up was the Totem Forest.  I no longer have the Forest, but I am using the Forest's cousin, The One.

    Screeeeeeeeeeech!  Because of my amps' lousy binding posts, I am not able to use the spade-equipped Lyra.  The opening is simply too narrow to slip in a spade lug.  Furthermore, the angle of entry makes it impossible to route a full-sized speaker cable.  Sexually inexperienced and/or frustrated males know all about this.  I don't want to damage the borrowed Lyra, so I'm not going to try to force it into my amps' binding posts.

    Sorry for the disappointment.  Hey, don't call me the cockblocker.  But again, as I've written many times, spades and the posts designed to accept them suck.  Where possible, go with bananas.           

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