Round Earth Points 1.0

Posted by: Mike Sae on 17 January 2002

In homage to the J.Petrik's FEP scale, may I present the Round Earth Points scale:

Sources:

Is SACD your main source? Add 100 points

Do you use an off board DAC? Add 20 points

Is a tuner your *main* source? Deduct 30 points.

Is a turntable your *only* source? Subtract 30 points for missing out on all that exciting new technology.

Does it weigh more than 15 kilos? Add 5 points

50 kilos? Add 20

Are you unable to convert pounds to kilos? Add 15 points.

Is your turntable made in the UK? If yes subtract 20 points

Electronics:

Does your amp cost more than your source? Add 25 points

Does your amp generate >150 watts @ 8 ohm? Add 10 points

Add 30 for each tubed component, 40 of it’s a CDP.

Does your tube amp generate <10 watts? If yes, add 20

Does your preamp have a phase switch? If yes, add 30

Are any of your RCA jacks gold plated? Add 10 points

Add 10 for each fascia in brushed aluminium, champagne or chrome. Add an additional 10 for each casing in said finishes

Deduct 25 for each component in black.

Speakers:

Do your speakers cost more than your source? If yes, add 50. If no, subtract 50.

Are your speakers ported? If yes, add 15 points.

Are your speakers floorstanding? If yes, add 10 points for wanting bass. If no, deduct 10 points.

Are your speakers >93 db? If yes, add 25 points

What are the speaker cones made of? Add 35 for Kevlar, 15 for polypropylene, carbon fibre, or aluminum. Deduct 20 for paper or Bextrene.

Do you use a subwoofer? If yes, add 20 points. Add 50 points for each additional subwoofer.

Add 5 points for each 5 degrees of speaker toe-in
If speakers are poiting straight out, deduct 20 points.

Accessories:

Is your remote hewn from a solid billet of aluminum? If yes, add 10 points

Do your speaker cables cost more than your source? If yes, add 100 points
Do they employ network boxes? If yes, add an additional 50 points

Do your interconnects cost more than your source? If yes, add 100
Do they employ networks? Add an additional 50
Are they RCAs? Add an additional 100

Deduct 100 for using the stock interconnects.

Do you use a PLC? If yes, add 100 points

Add 15 points for each squidgy footer

Add 5 points for each cone.

Add 35 for each air bladder/ colostomy bag.

Add 25 if your rack contains marble

Subtract 20 points if your rack employs glass shelves.

If you recognized satirical quality of the previous question, deduct 30 points instead.

Add 10 points for each album you own by the following artists: Patricia Barber, Holly Cole, Keb Mo, Mike Oldfield, post-Police Sting, Diana Krall, The Eagles.

Subtract 15 points for each album you own by the following artists: XTC, King Crimson, Ken Boothe, Leftfield, Photek, Aphex Twin, Phish, Gang of Four.

[This message was edited by Mike Sae on FRIDAY 18 January 2002 at 18:01.]

[This message was edited by Mike Sae on FRIDAY 18 January 2002 at 22:09.]

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by David Stewart

quote:
I had -350 before the music. Eagles, Brubeck, Sting, but no Krall, etc.
Final tally is -315..thanks King Crimson.

Thats not a bad selection for a six year old!!!!

David S

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by sonofcolin

Lots of black boxes and most of Aphex, Leftfield and Photek collection.

Nice!

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by JohanR

As I remember it King Crimson was used for HiFi demoing in the 1970:s together with Eagles and, of course, Dark side of the moon (more alarm clocks and less annoying music).
On the other hand, Flat Earth and Round Earth wasn't invented then. It was more "Old Earth" in those days, 0,0001 Thd must be better than 0,001 and discussions on wich frequency the rumble filter should work at!

/JohanR

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Alex S.

quote:
It's almost inevitable that older forum members will have early Brubeck, Oldfield and Eagles

I want bonus points for having sold all this crap, at least twice in some cases, and never having owned any of it on CD.

Alex

BTW Anyone want my Milli Vanilli?

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by jcc

quote:
Thats not a bad selection for a six year old!!!!

Let's add one more category: -100 if you're less than 10 years old!!!!

Birthdate on profile is my daughter's. I have to add 40 (years) to that...arrrrghhhh

jim

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Pete, Mad Bad and Dangerous to Know

Hi,

I got to -230 I seemed to loose what I gained with the music -50 and +60 do you count Video DVD etc in the black box count? and screen size? number of rugs on your wall?

pete MB&D

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike in CO

I'm in a similar situation as Tony, owning a few older Brubecks, (and enjoying them). Otherwise I might have hit -500. I think inclusion of him as an REP factor could be challenged.

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Hanson

I have -575! Of course, that's heavily helped by my 18 XTC albums.

BTW, if I can count only the Sting albums that I wanted and can exclude my wife's favourites, then I would drop another 30 points.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

[This message was edited by Mike Hanson on FRIDAY 18 January 2002 at 18:42.]

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Joe Petrik

Bugger, only -370. The salt in that wound is -=>Mike<=- getting an even lower REP score.

What is the world coming to?

Joe

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Craig B

I have just noticed that Mr. Saelieng has included what is possibly the most Naimworthy of all Jazz artists.

Last fall I picked up an absolutely mint original copy of 'Take Five' for Canadian five bucks (~ 2GBP and dick all American) at a garage sale round the corner from my sister's place. I still can't believe my luck. I have been offered over $US 500. for it by one pompous REP'er, but will not sell on principal.

The track 'Time Out' represents the epitome of pace, rhythm and timing. Brubeck is a genius! If you don't get it then we must be from different planets.

Get if off the REP list Mike(!), or we will start pinging yer setup site with very large packets! I currently have administrative control of over 1000 PC's. If they don't all crash 'we' will be attacking at dawn this coming Monday 9:00 AM Tijuana Time! Collateral damage is expected to be high. You have been warned!

The rest of you (with good taste in Jazz) prepare to recalculate yer REPs.

Craig

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Hanson

Hey, I didn't create the test, and I agree with your summation of Brubeck. Besides, if Brubeck is changed to a FEH (Flat Earth Hero), then my score will drop another fifty points.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Keith Mattox

I'm counting my albums from memory from work. My King Crimson collection saved me

What the hell's so Round Earth about Brubeck? And Holly Cole for that matter?

What's so Flat Earth about King Crimson?

Nice start, but needs tweaking. I look forward to REP v. 2.0, perhaps you can sneak out a beta release first.

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike in CO

I propose a rule where if you own Brubeck, Sting, Krall, or other music that seems to sit upon the earth-shape fence, then the decision shall be made by how you use the music. If you use it only as a demo piece, that's REPs. If you understand or get something from it emotionally, that's FEPs. I know one person who plays 'Time Out' not because he gets the music, but because it can make his system do really cool imaging things. A decidedly flat-earth record (IMHO), used in a decidedly round-earth way. There are, of course, absolutes, where you can say if someone is getting something emotional, they may need to seek professional help. (Leo Sayer, for example).

And what about the terms "hi-fi" vs "stereo"?

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Dr. Exotica

I would like to see the scale modified as follows:

For each instance of the following in your collection:

SACD +10
CD +1
Stereo LP -2
Mono LP -10
Mono 78s -25

I am still having a problem figuring out how to value 8-track tapes confused

This modification is the only way one of us will defeat Mike Hanson

Erik

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Craig B

Get with the program slacker! There is a new Canadian Mike on the block although he doesn't point at himself (at least not on-line).

Just to catch you up, he (the other Mike, let's call him Mike S.) started this thread and is about to get his server shut down for disin' Brubeck.

Nice to see you back in the fold, BTW. Have you been keeping the Royd folk entertained?

Craig
P.S. Have you spoken with Terry lately?

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Keith Mattox

quote:
I am still having a problem figuring out how to value 8-track tapes

NOTEP - Not Of This Earth Points

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Tony L

quote:
The rest of you (with good taste in Jazz) prepare to recalculate yer REPs.

Yeah, I've got 105 points riding on the good Mr Brubeck.

Tony.

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Hanson

quote:
This modification is the only way one of us will defeat Mike Hanson

Actually, I've got about 500 LPs, although I'm not sure if any of them are mono. I don't have any SACDs. So your proposed changes may not successfully dislodge me from my winner's podium.

quote:
Nice to see you back in the fold

I've never been gone; I've just been uninterested in joining most of the discussions. I'm was entirely sick of wading through the detritus spewed out by Stallion and Toy, and I couldn't be bothered to get involved. I have a feeling they've driven away many of the good members. (As I anticipate their inevitable response(s), I've got shades of Carly Simon's "You're so vain…" running through my head.)

quote:
Have you been keeping the Royd folk entertained? …. Have you spoken with Terry lately?

I get a chance to listen to the new RR1 and RR2 now and then, but I've been too busy to be a real shop-hound. Besides, I'm so happy with my system right now, that I can't be bothered to research new stuff. I've also been occupied getting my home studio up and running, and making lots of music of my own (embarrassing though it may me).

The last time I spoke to Terry (I assume you mean Richardson) was after the Toronto show. We had a nice long talk about retailers in the area, and he was trying to convince me that I should start selling kit out of my basement.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Sae

When I first heard Time Out, it struck me as real tinkly, uppity stuff (his tunes are used in LExus commercials). Plus, I had have an aversion to the piano, as I was tormented by piano lessons as a child.

I'm listening to some Brubeck right now, and it's not as awful as I remeber it.

Luckily, 4000 minutes hasn't passed yet, so the scale's been tweaked hehe

The scary thing is people in places rounder than this could possibly score in the 1000s.

PS what the hell is Bextrene? I thought old Linn drivers were made of doped paper, like all good drivers should

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Sae

P.S. does anyone know what vintage this is?

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by jcc

My guess is from the late 60's/early 70's.

jim

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike in CO

Not scientific or guaranteed, but based on the two code numbers (the original CS and XSM on the label), it's a reissue of some vintage. The label style looks similar to some other LPs I have from the early 70s. Print quality on the label looks pretty high, too, which might make it a little later (74-75, maybe?).

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Dr. Exotica

Mike Hanson sez:

quote:

Quote: "This modification is the only way one of us will defeat Mike Hanson"
Actually, I've got about 500 LPs, although I'm not sure if any of them are mono. I don't have _any_ SACDs. So your proposed changes may not successfully dislodge me from my winner's podium.

How many old Xavier Cugat 78's do you have? This is the real question. Those 78's would be worth -25 a pop. A force multiplier of unprecedented scale.

Only 500 LPs? Sheesh. I thought you considered yourself flat earth

Erik

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Craig B

Mike H,

You really have become a bit rusty at this.

quote:
This modification is the only way one of us will defeat Mike Hanson

was posted by Erik/Dr. Exotica.

Though I do beleive that the good Dr. had you pegged until you countered with your LP inventory count. P3/DV10x4 Report?

Craig

Posted on: 18 January 2002 by Mike Hanson

quote:
Only 500 LPs? Sheesh. I thought you considered yourself flat earth

Actually, I've always considered myself to be a middle earth kind of guy. As it is, I've got about 250 FEPs (can't recall the exact number), and -575 REPs, so I must be on the flat side of middle. confused

-=> Mike Hanson <=-