#Compact Disc, #complementary therapy, #fountain pens, inks and paper, #Frail Autumn,, #GarageBand,, #meanderings, #music, #Pioneer SA500 amplifier, #playing vinyl music, #reading books, #Retirement Projects, #songwriting, #vinyl records, Pioneer PL-12D turntable

The Den (The ‘Bolt Hole’ Media Room).

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The Den.

Sony APM 22ES Speakers.

Analogue and new speakers.

A week ago it was nice to be gifted two Sony speakers for the Pioneer vinyl record turntable and amplifier system. Build around 1986, they are the APM (Accurate Pistonic Motion) 22ES model, a two-way bass-reflex bookshelf system. Very heavy at 15 kg or 30-33 lb in weight. The speakers are iconically flat and square with honeycomb, aluminium woofer and tweeter drivers.

Basically, they are designed with these flat square diaphragms, seen in the photographs, rather than traditional cones. It would be long-winded to type technicalities, but this design has positives.

Firstly, the design eliminates resonant modes. Normal cone speakers act differently in various room sizes and music heard can change quite significantly. Also, with cone speakers, you can position yourself in a different space in a room and get different sound frequency quality. So the APM system has a nicer listening experience.

Secondly, these Sony speakers also eliminate phase distortion. Very in depth technically, but in essence, unequal time delays can happen with different frequencies with cone speakers. In truth, this is hardly heard as a distinct flaw in an ordinary room environment. But sensitivity in certain situations can distort sound.

What can I offer with these speakers and the difference found in comparison with my previous cone speakers. If I am downstairs in the kitchen, the music can be heard from upstairs a lot more distinctly. Before, the music upstairs was ‘muffled’.

In ‘The Den’ listening. I have them housed on two 80 cm/31.5 inch tall stands. The speakers are 51.5 cm high. So a nice height to shove sound around the room and give a decent and comfortable listening experience. Before the stands arrived, the left speaker sat on top of my bass amp and the right speaker was on the floor. The right speaker couldn’t be heard distinctly at all.

I suppose this room, The Den, is a zone for simply relaxing. Various media is available to access for cocooning oneself and escaping.

Found this duo band recently.
Definitely a current favourite.

Ambience for mood with light is soft table lamp light, candle flame or, during summer, a sun filled room. Candle awaiting to be lit at Christmas is the wonderful St. Eval Winter Thyme. Green and Gold visual ambience and a must for seasonal vibe. I have had these for the past two Christmas’s now.

Ambience for sound is vinyl record playing, CD playing or from the iPod 7th Generation X song list played through the CD player. Visually, there are DVDs of movies to watch through the Apple M2 home studio computer.

Therapeutically, a number of Complementary Therapies can be used like aromatherapy, journalling, meditation, yoga, reading books, using singing bowls, listening to Solfeggio tuning fork healing/calming frequencies, etc.

The Mac M2 home recording ‘studio’.

Hobbies and interests are very much done in this room too. Songwriting, recording songs written on to the GarageBand App, making traveller notebook journal covers, watercolour art, Pyrography, etc.

In looking at holistic values? It is a bolt hole to enter and experience eclectic choice.

And don’t we all need a bolt hole at times!

Thumbnails can be enlarged by tapping on an image. Once one is enlarged, side scrolling can be done to see the others enlarged in this Gallery below.

All the above photographs are of The Den.

18 thoughts on “The Den (The ‘Bolt Hole’ Media Room).”

    1. Thanks Bryan. It has been a long time setting up this room over the last few years in respect of getting the technical studio considerations done. Also. If it were larger as a room it wouldn’t feel as cocoon like. The iPad camera is fairly good for these type of photographs. As soon as light disappears, as per nighttime, the results are very grainy.

      Cheers. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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    1. I have only just heard of them cookie. I have listened to this ‘once twice melody’ double album three times now. And it’s getting better and better. Their B sides and Rarities vinyl album arrived this morning. A longer view of song style changes from early 2008 and onwards. I have a few new bands I love currently that are arriving onto the radar.

      The Den is a nice cocoon vibe really cookie. You can lose time in there by just diving into realising a relaxed state. But mostly by recording the songs.

      And you know how that feels cookie. I can guess you lose yourself within the dreamy, calm state that is involved in capturing your songs. It certainly sounds like you do when listening to your songs. Singing and playing guitar is one fantastic spiritual therapy. Especially when they are your own songs you are expressing. It is easy to simply enjoy the whole process isn’t it.

      Good to hear from you again cookie. All the best. 💫✨

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    1. Thanks so much. I’ve been channeling song ideas in there today. A bit too relaxed though and the vibe was a bit too laid back. So not much sounded that inspiring. The last two days has been sunny. So it has a good feel to the room with the sunlight seeping in. Cheers Destiny. 🙏🏽🕉️

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    1. I have the Tascam model 12 mixing desk and need to start to learn now how to use it Sheila. I bought it as it is small enough to take out with the VeeDub and possible to record onto an SD card. Then bring captures back and load it to the Mac for polishing up. Even capture filmed activity too and get it on iMovie too on the Mac.

      The Schmincke watercolours were a bargain, so went for them. I bought some nice brushes too. I love your art uploads. You do a great job of emulating Richard’s artwork. Christmas should bring some nice craft journeys. I can imagine yourself embracing such wintery themes too Sheila. 🙏🏽

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  5. That Tascam model 12 mixing desk is sweet, Gray! Yes, I never thought about it being small enough for the VeeDub, bit that would be exciting for you to take it out and about!

    I can’t wait to see what videos you will create, Gray! And thank you so much for your kindness about my sketches! You’re amazing.

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    1. There is a site on YouTube called ‘Sounds like Van Spirit’. A guy with a T25 VeeDub Bus records musicians as he travels. Buskers in the main. That is the type of vibe I would like. He is an engineer/producer. So he records the musicians and gives them a chance to be heard on the internet. Really lovely bloke.

      Myself and my old drummer buddy John chat often. I was speaking to him on the phone and he said it was a shame we did live closer to each other. To be honest, all my past friends as musicians live down that way. So I could easily travel down and do some recordings. But this cocoon nature to life wants to keep it local to here. Wakes is so beautiful, and the countryside vibe is amazing for chilling out and playing.

      I do keep an eye on sites Sheila. And do try to type comments to the people that have been there over the years, like yourself. A lot of illness has been a bit impactful over the last months though. Nothing serious. But enough to drain energy. A horrible tooth abscess, for example, that knocked me sideways with acidic gut response to the swallowed infective bacteria. The trapped acid located behind the sternum producing unbelievable pain. Felt like a heart attack! And had it happen twice in the same week. That leaves you exhausted for weeks on end. I don’t do ‘ill’. So am not a fan of feeling compromised health wise.

      Anyways. Sorry for the long responses. Going for a ‘manual pour over freshly ground coffee’ now. First one of the day.

      All the best Sheila. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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  6. I will check out, Sounds like Van Spirit on YT, Gray. Glad you found him and enjoy the busker vibe. Also great about keeping up with your drummer buddy. Same with Richard. He chats with his old bandmate drummer (who lives in Florida). Every once in a while anyway. Covid really knocked the whole “getting together “ attitude out of EVERYONE, in my opinion.

    I am so sorry to hear that tooth abscess thing went to your gut/sternum! I can’t imagine! It must have been awful. Hope it’s all resolved now, Gray. No wonder you had the energy drain! Ugh

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    1. It’s grand that Richard has his old connection. It starts by looking back on the good old days and then turns into a current news friendship. Not sure of Richard’s Circle of Friendships, but I count mine on the fingers of one hand. Maybe men do need the system we have over here. It’s called ‘Men in Sheds’. Guys get together to share thoughts and camaraderie. Otherwise loneliness becomes a depressive state of reality. Luckily, as an introvert, I can be quite comfortable. My few visits around the local town give ample opportunities to chat. Both with familiar face and strangers too. I don’t know why, but people seem to open up small conversations with me. And to be honest, I open conversations too at times. Yesterday shopping in town, a guy looked pretty dapper. I said to him, ‘You look pretty cool mate’. He smiled and said ‘So do you. Thanks’. And that was that. Positivity is an amazing thing to share Sheila.

      The tooth was removed and care had to be taken with a dry socket result. But all went well in the end. Both acid attacks were terrible. Never known pain like it. I knew the symptoms from nurse knowledge. Booth events knocked me sideways and I slept out the impacts for a couple of days on both events. Covid has also broken the body’s system too Sheila. Long term aches and pains are now the norm. And lethargic periods too. I reckon that event in 2019 and subsequent varieties of the virus has caused much harm. Probably the inoculations too.

      Anyways. Back to calm and serenity. Lovely state to focus upon.

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  7. Yes, Gray, Richard can count his buddies on one hand as well.

    I love that sheds idea for the gents there and socializing. Yes, Richard is depressed. Going out to eat at a bar/pub type restaurant was where he did most of his socializing. I went too, for many years with him when we both worked and didn’t cook as much at home. Now, I cook twice a day and clean on top of everything else I try to do. I find it all a challenge to keep up with. My daughter and son-in-law and our granddaughters are pretty much our social scene since moving next door to them 2.5 years ago. The winter depression sets in too.

    Now, I am sad. I am thankful this Moves Method program came along! I can keep my body fit and mood up just by the daily interactions online, though you are right that it doesn’t replace “in-person” friends. Though it has to for me since people are not as friendly anymore here (or even in Florida) since Covid.

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    1. We do live in a conundrum at times Sheila. I always imagine New England as a beautiful wintery bright place to live. I was watching a fountain pen enthusiast I follow on YouTube the other day. Such a nice man. Very flamboyant. He was visiting a book shop in New England. My gosh, it looked stunning.

      I confuse depression with anxiety issues at times. They interact massively. And both yourself and Richard have artistic minds. So there is a mix of creative ideas that ‘must’ be realised. But there are ambitious dreams still deep within the pursuits. I suppose I let the ambition and dreams float away now and have begun to focus on the simplicities of being so thankful for still having the interests that could find satisfaction in them appearing in front of the eyes or ears and adopt them as therapy instead.

      Your YouTube site is a sharing experience for others to adopt. That is what I like about YouTube. The fact that, even one person out there, can find something positive in our presentations. And with hand on heart, I would spook massively if something did go viral. As said, past experiences of opportunity was easy to refuse. Of course there will be stabs of ‘What if’s’ along the way. That comes with human nature. But there are probably many Buddhist quotes wagging their fingers at me for such thoughts.

      One of my nurse colleagues dropped by yesterday. She was reflecting on the same things. Other than her nursing, there is little more to focus on. But she is an avid walker and cyclist and sets off into the surrounding hills. I do believe that nature is a wonderful companion too.

      Thanks for your insights Sheila. Much appreciated. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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  8. Well, that was lovely, Gray! Wonderful that your nurse colleague stopped by! Worth a million! It’s one of the things that upset me when we still lived in Florida. No one came to visit us after a certain point (after Richard’s stroke). I eventually realized people were scared from dealing with COVID. Many still live in fear of it. We just knew either way, life goes on and we were not going to stop living just because we might catch something. In reality, we might catch something at any time! So, we invited people over. But no one came. So, your nurse colleague visit feels priceless to me.

    “still having the interests that could find satisfaction in them appearing in front of the eyes or ears and adopt them as therapy” sounds therapeutic to me! So lovely and true. Richard is today thinking along those lines too and said he might pay for ChatGPT and Suno again and just start writing songs again for the creativity of it! Ha! I knew he couldn’t stay away from it for long really!

    I don’t know what I would do if one of my YouTube videos went viral, but I would love to find out! Haha! I simply want to pay off a few things. I was out of debt when I retired, but have since burdened myself again. Ugh. And of course I want to help people. I have helped a few and it’s a rewarding feeling! Not in an ego way, but in a human way.

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    1. I have been reading your replies and answering each one straight away before moving on to the next one. So have kind of addressed some of your thoughts here too. So sorry if a repeat happens. My nurse colleague? She lives in the village my son lives in a few miles down the road. We talk of life in general and not the old days, which is nice. Her and Angie get on really well. Well, females are so much more prone to conversational ease aren’t they. Especially when they are Mothers.

      I have three other nurses who drop in, but far more seldom. When they visit, they too talk of current everyday life outside of nursing. I suppose my home is an escape from their realities of the nursing arena. Especially The Den. The VeeDub would be a bolt hole too for them I should imagine. My good friend Ken, who I worked with in Cardiac nursing, loves sitting in the VeeDub with a cup of coffee and having a chat. Ken is so busy and tired with his heavy nursing schedule that I don’t see him often now either.

      It is such a shame regarding your friends not visiting. I can understand your needs to have social continuity. And isolation limits were always easy to control after the initial chaos of it all. It took a while to rebalance into normalities again, despite the lifting of cautions, but it shouldn’t have denied visiting and returning to a structure of human interventions. Especially after all of us experiencing that loneliness in strict ‘Stay at Home’ ruling. Did we all feel isolation in a profound way. As Angie and myself continued working, we never truly experienced that emotional dilemma.

      Reminds me of Christmas Time where people are alone. And no one thinks to visit or offer them an invitation to visit their own homes. Strange people at times aren’t we …… as humans.

      Fingers crossed Richard can find success in his art form again. I can easily see how he truly lives for music and art. It’s his life. You yourself too are pursuing your dreams. In retirement I too have found that needs in these arenas are the essence of emotional balance.

      As I am typing this, Angie has just been jumping up and down! She has managed to book two seats for Ebenezer on the opening night. And it is in our local small cinema that is on the seafront. Hopefully we can get one of the big comfortable sofa options and settle back for a superb Johnny Depp performance. Excited now!

      And to finish. We just had a fantastic night at the Arts Centre too. A band called ‘Class of 79’ were original members from different punk and New Wave bands and were performing all their, and others’, past iconic hits. So good.

      Cheers Sheila. 🙏🏽🍁🍂

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  9. Ah, yes, Gray. You and Angie will have a grand time seeing Ebenezer! I know you enjoy Depp so much.

    Ken, coffee, and the VeeDub. Sounds magical. I’m not jealous because I don’t like coffee, but you paint very good pictures of enchanting visits. I am glad you get to do those kinds of visits with colleagues and friends, even if only occasionally. Breaks up the mundane. Cheers, Gray!

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    1. Really looking forward to Ebenezer. Looks very strange with the trailer releases. But extremely atmospheric. Focussing on the ghost element as Dicken’s intended.

      I like my friendships. We don’t meet for months, even years, and yet just pick up where we left off. Priceless. 🙏🏽

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