I got a call from my brother... His car died. Needs engine transplant.

I gave him a pretty cherry 1993 GMC pick - up (74,000 miles). Cleaned it up, and it looks like new.

Merry Christmas Bro!

I owe him. He was always there for me... Plus, when I was a pimply faced younger brother, he took me out to see all the great musical acts since he is about 8 years older...

Byrds, Buffalo Springfield,Blind Faith, CREAM (after Bilnd Faith broke up) Beatles, Early Stones, Hendrix, Led Zep, Yarbirds, WHO, Burrito Bros. (after the Byrds broke up) --- to name a few... I simply would never have got the chance to see them without him bringing me along with his pals.

That spurred my love for music, which got me wrapped up in this crazy business!

Felt good to help him out.

Yes, it's the flutter free product [Link: rpginc.com] , there is also the Hemi W1 product [Link: rpginc.com] behind the fabric side panels as well as bass traps. The acoustic treatment of this room was pretty serious. You can certainly hear it in the results though.

Simon, Oh yeah I can imagine!

It is amazing how much of a difference a properly tuned theater can make.

I wish I had more opportunities to do them!

Doing a room like that adds about $30K + to the package (at Retail, anyway).

In order to sell those installs, you really have to have a similar demo facility.

Nice work, if you can get it though! Thanks for raising the bar for some of us out here!

And you say YOU owe HIM???

LOL! ;)

Ever heard "My dog ate the remote"? That was the client I visited today. This dog is something like yellow lab sized and overflowing with energy. The first time I visited, the dog he was ALL OVER ME in no time. Shouting by the Mrs. finally settled him to where he could be dragged out the kitchen back slider door. In just about the same instant, ANOTHER dog flew down the hallway from the bedrooms. I can't believe she has two of these...no, that one dog JETTED from the slider door to the other side of the house and in the master slider door in a matter of milliseconds...

Anyway, the dog chewed the original Onkyo remote to where it looked like it had been commissioned from the National Endowment for the Arts. Deep tooth marks everywhere. Showed her an MX850... budget too tight, she just got another OEM remote.

Today it is 3 remotes later... still lean, she got an MX350 with a few macros to make it easier.

Her friend was there, feeling sorry for her dog problems, paid for the service call and remote. She did ask me the following question: "Is there like some kind of insurance that you can get, just in case the dog eats it again?" (Trying to hold back my amusement...) "You know Tom, that dog is just so fast, she can't even catch him if he gets that remote!"

I saw it all with my own eyes. "The dog ate the remote" is not a legend at all.

Helped a friend on a Retro trim out... The house is all finished & occupied. Speaker wires were buried. He couldn't remember where he had them buried, and couldn't pull up the pics on his laptop.
Each area we tried toning out... got a tone from everywhere---couldn't pinpoint the locations worth a crap.
Still managed to get a few pair cut-in however.
My friend was buried in cables in the equipment closet, attempting to hook up a pretty big Elan system... Right in the middle of his trying to get things all hooked up, the homeowner (a retired engineer) started pestering him with rapid fire questions about tying his multiple computers into the system to do this and that and this etc.
I had to bail, leaving my friend there to try his best to try and stay focused on the job at hand - while the old engineer guy kept hammering away with computer nerd question after question.
I'll watch the local news tonight to make sure my friend didn't end up beating up the old engineering guy!

Maybe when the Dog "passes" the remote... you could have the homeowner take it into the store and see if they'll replace it???

Today and tomorrow I'm delivering "gift-wrapped" iPod (el cheapo ones), Docks to a few of my customers out there who have iPods but no docks.

No big deal... Rad-Shack had some on sale for like $19.95, so I bought a half dozen to give out to some customers I actually like & get along with!

Mr Stanley

I don't uppose by any chance those customer would have anywhere they could plug the ipod docks into do they ?

What a great idea give away a gift for 20 bucks that gets a few days work... bet they dont even see it coming...

Yeah, these are all basic type installs. Most of them are either using a Denon or Marantz receiver in their family - rooms to run a few pair of speakers and the usual family room surround set-up. There is composite out, so they can splash their iPod junk up on their over the fireplace Plasmas if they want.

The docks are being closed out at Rad-Shack now for $19.95 --- "ACCURIAN AMA-2336" with remote".

Heck, even if they don't work, it's a nice gesture right??? LOL!!!

I am also offering to plug-them in for them and show them the ins & outs... (Maybe I'll get something out of it... what the hell, I don't have anything going on right now anyway--- I am waiting on the go-ahead for a pretty big job - not sure if I'll get it now though... I think they are getting more bids)... 8>(

I figured I could spend the same $$ for a bottle of Wine, but the iPod docks have more staying power, and they can play non stop chris*** er, sorry, HOLIDAY music on their little iPods until it drives them all nuts!

put a little bit of soap on the remote, and Fido (Phydeaux if you're in Louisiana) will never chew it again

i finished the doc's beach house the other day... Four plasmas, a Blu Ray, phones, network, etc.

Then I finished his regular house- i actually got a Blose system to work on an MX-500.

If I ever meet the F*&^%$# MORON who designed the IR system on the lifestyle 35, I'm going to beat him the same way a ghetto thug bets a white boy who strays into the hood!!!

then, I went to a clinic and found out I have acute bronchitis, got prescribed some Zithromax, so maybe now this hacking cough I've had for three fkn weeks will go away!

In eight days, Mrs Ahl, Psycho Kitty, and I are moving to Vegas!

Finished up a job with Bose surround sound hooked up to a Yamaha with a 52" Sharp LCD.





Again, bad pic, taken from my phone.

Ali,
Nice job. I wish you would have used something other than Blose but thats another story. Keep up the good work.
Is the TV a little crooked or is that the angle of the shot?

I would say its the angle of the shot judging by the relationship of the edge of the screen to the door frame.......unless of course the doors pissed...