Mullet System – it really doesn’t matter much, does it?
Posted by: Rico on 12 August 2001
Not so right. I delivered my ailing CDX&XPS for some TLC at Naim last week. Never mind, I thought, “at least I have the tuner, and the Nak (although I currently have no tapes) for entertainment. I also noted that I was perilously close to breaking my self-imposed rule, established on acquiring the DVD player last year: “no you won’t play any bloody CD’s on it!”.
And so, tiring of Radio 2, annoyed with the worsening signal on XFM, and having ditched OnDigital (bloody rubbish in all ways – why do they think re-branding will fool all of the other punters in the market?)... so no more MTV to laugh at… I placed a CD in the drawer of my Pioneer DV636. And listened, for the music, and was not disappointed. For a couple of days, anyway.
Let me make one thing clear – this is not a post directed to pointing out the strengths of a circa £4500 CD player versus a mid-budget DVD player designed with CD’s a secondary function. Nor is it a rave on the CDX/XPS, and a lament on having unplugged it. I would simply like to describe what it is to reduce myself to mullet status, without even growing my hair again.
Because it is, indeed, a reduction. A very large reduction indeed. Reduction in all of the music hooks and jangles that would distract me lest I had the cheek to attempt reading the newspaper, or a book, while the music was issuing forth from the SBL’s. Strange, listening this morning to Aliens ate my buick it sounded rather like a poor digital transfer compared to (say) an LP12, circa 1990. Thin, with rather digitised bass. Ok, so the bass is syth-bass… but it’s meaty and palpable on a strong front end. Thomas Dolby sounds a little bored and resigned to sitting on the shelf, rather than shouting of her Ferrari in this incarnation of the system Chez Rico. Gone is all of the richness, involvement, layers, ryhmic intensity to my music of choice.
So what does all this mean? Friends, forum readers, sparring partners. You should avoid the mullet at all costs – even if fashion declares it trendy again. Music is not possible with a crappy front end, and no amount of 82/SuperCap/140/SBL’s will make up for this, - even 135’s will not put the music back in my system. It would take an LP12, CDSI/II or similar strength source. Nothing else will do.
SO there you have it. Mullets are out. There is only one caveat – viewed as a “whole amplifier”, the 72/Hi/250 is a very fine amp – so if you already have one, don’t be worried! It’s only when choosing where to go from there, or buying from scratch, that alternatives such as 102/Napsc/150 should be given an ear.
Rico - let them eat Kans... the girlie wusses.
PS - I haven't tried on the Mana yet, lacking a 6 metre scart cable to continue televisual entertainment... perhaps I should give this a go, and get back to ya'll.
Steve B
I note the title, and am truely touched, Vuk. If only I had pictures of my friend's former 350ci Toyota Landcruiser to post... not in the interests of art, but just to see if anyone's mouths would open to the degree of air under the front wheel.... ooops, you'll all think I sport a mullet now too! And speaking of 4WD, Cliff are you any closer to regretting the abandonment of an ex-MOD landrover and matching camo in favour of the TT as golf transport? : )
Mullet System is indeed a term coined by my erudite friend Mr Vuksanovic, and refers to a system about as far away as one can get from the "Source First" way of system building. To explain, a system with mediocre source, good amplification, and fab speakers fits the "Mullet" tag - that is, it's short on top and way long at the back.
If anyone needs direction or explaination on the merits of Source First, please ask here. 
Oh, and in response to the inquiry as to the health of my CDX - she's just a little tired, skipping a little; a trip to the doctors seemed a wise precaution with the prospect of a little travel. As ex-dem, and an early-production player, she has a fair few 'miles' under her belt. Nothing serious.
Rico - let them eat Kans... the girlie wusses.
PS - (maaaaan) - Even the IROC gets a mention in "Teenage Dirtbag", so does that make it good or bad, ignoring the white trash connotations? Discuss.
[This message was edited by Rico on TUESDAY 14 August 2001 at 00:25.]
all those with anything more than a pre/power (espcially a supercap), or active, or a prefix, will be intstructed to announce their systems as CD-3/Nait-3/Intro's... LP12's will be tolerated, but only if they are not bought in to flat-earth discussions...
...and all this despite many of the said owners having lived with many permutations of the "lesser" kit, and working (in many ways) so hard to build a seriously great system!
Rico - Save the Kans!
[LP12-Nirvana/CD3-Nait2-Kans-Morris 1100-Raleigh Olympus Bicycle]
Rico - Save the Kans!
quote:
Or is it more appropriate to follow your hairdresser's recommendation on a good shampoo?
My hairshirt-designer recommends a good mullet-shampoo like Head and Shoulders 
Andrew
Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;
quote:
for the next stage ('scuse the pun) of audio pleasure you could go round the house and turn off anything with one of those nasty digital clocks in it
Are you talking alarm clocks, microwaves, VCRs, etc., or is a particular type of alarm clock?
BTW, are halogen lights as bad as fluorescent? I'm mulling over what type of fixture will replace the atrocity that the previous owner left in my listening room. I assume that a regular incandescent bulb is fine, or is there something better (other than candles )?
-=> Mike Hanson <=-