I got a call around 2:00 from the guy who did the recaps for me. He said the package tracking indicated they were out for delivery. I went downstairs to check the front stoop where I found two big boxes full of Fishers waiting for me. (Also inside was the equivalent of three garbage bags worth of styrofoam peanuts with enough static charge to make them stick to everything - mostly me.) Everything appears to have survived intact.
I had just returned from an expedition up to my attic to sort out a little coax mystery that the last cable guy created. It would appear he disconnected all of the old, disused "B" channel runs that I had appropriated to distribute the FM signal from the big yagi in the attic. I'm back in business now.
I bolted the 30-A back into the 560 cabinet and hooked everything up. There was a tiny amount of hum which I believe is due to the long input cable run. Otherwise the 30-A seems to function quite nicely. Since the R-30-S isn't equipped for multiplex and their is a disappointing lack of multicasting in the DC metro area (for which, I realize, I would need another tuner anyway), I used the audio out from the cable box to test its stereo functionality. Yeah, I know, but it was handy.
Despite the asymmetrical speaker configuration, I think it sounds surprisingly good. It's much better than I expected. Controlling the volume is a bit cumbersome since the master volume on the R-30-S does not seem to affect the channels equally. Once I had set the balance using the level set on the 30-A I had to leave it at that volume. I think I can solve that somewhat by using sources with an output level control.
I also need to devise a master power switch since I don't think I want to use the switched outlet on the R-30-S to control the 30-A. That would double the amount of current running through the power switch on the R-30-S, wouldn't it? Plus I want some positive indication in the way of a power light to let me know when the 30-A is powered up so I don't leave it running inadvertently.
After listening to various music programs that happened to be on - Let It Bleed/Later with Jools Holland - I started exploring some of the music channels my cable service provides which I never listen to. It all sounded equally good to me: Swing, Easy Listening, Classical, Classic R&B, Golden Oldies, 70's Rock, Jazz . . . Even regular TV shows were significantly enhanced with the room filling sounds of this primitive stereophonic Fisher from 1959. But most impressive was the fact that my wife, who is feeling a little under the weather and would probably be easily annoyed, didn't ask me to turn it down.
About the only thing missing is about a 1/2 ton of silver icicles strewn on the tree.
I grew up with icicles and miss them terribly! 4 or 5 packages would have been about right for this little tree. I would have spent several hours combing them into place and making sure they hung vertically, too. If we didn't have cats we would certainly have icicles - but I'll take our cats.