because Marantz matters ♫ my friend Ken Ishiwata (a personal tribute)
"What I always tell people is the following: whatever product you listen to, regardless of cost, if your emotion is moved by your favourite music when you put it on, then this product or system has a value to you. But if that does not happen—even if the product is very expensive—then it has no value to you." Ken Ishiwata of Marantz KI's essential quote and why I'm celebrating my good friend and his work without shame. Greetings everyone, I've a Dutch name Wilhelm, this is the 9th year of my friendship with Ken; although I've long left New Zealand distributor for Marantz' employment I'm inspired to celebrate Ken's 30th Anniversary milestone in form of an online project during my leisure time. My leisure time project; it's ongoing and taking a long while because I'm not a professional web designer... Last Christmas I distilled the essence of what I know into a graphical Advent Calendar for Ken's amusement. And for Ken's birthday last month I added additional graphics of Saul B. Marantz' "models"—releasing a Facebook "Page" to celebrate. Spurred by Ken's email yesterday morning that his Marantz KI Pearl set is now available—I would like to complement that by further releasing the reach of my own humble little graphical celebration; it is a friend's tribute rather than a fan's tribute ["fan" is too close to "fanatic"—it's actually not in me to be a "fan" as I'm very critically choosy] I think it's because I've just registered I'm experiencing difficulties adding my Avatar or a representative graphic; the URL link in my "Bio/About Me" is an universal invitation to view my Album of 27 graphics (which has further fundamental KI quotes)—viewable to all—it doesn't matter if you are a member of Facebook or not. Best regards, Will I may as well print link here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122360&l=8000269a6e&id=102198536074
(curse the firewall...)
Thank you Clare & John! And happy new week!!
I was going to insert a smiley but it's 23:00 NZST and I've been writing to friends all night in what my they jokingly call "[my] inimitable way" - long story short, I'm finding the emoticons somewhat "Wonderland-like" right now. And as you know Ken the exclamation mark are reassuringly endearing?
I'm actually still a little shy and new to "forums" and had actually bookmarked my post without realising I should click to find responses... And now I've began the ellipsis (another endearment =)
Thank you very much for seeing the sincerity of an earnest friend's play on PhotoShop (I'm no longer the Tetris Champ I once was). I must confess that putting a Santa hat on Ken was very cheeky of me... Well, Ken is a dear friend and I released those personal Christmas+Birthday graphics for interested folk - for there's humanity in the High Fidelity quest besides specifications and technology; just as the quest for the Holy Grail was about chivalry and about honourable deeds of people as well as of weaponry and the Grail itself. Pardon, Proust's prose dreamily influencing my thoughts...
Most importantly, I'm not a fan of Marantz nor of Ken. Because I'm Ken's friend I am more critical and blunt with my feedback than any fan. To me any maestro's 'master-work' matters and deserves respectful consideration; and Ken cares most that people enjoy their music; whatever playback equipment that can release their "emotions" are trumps - regardless of brand, price, looks.
Thus, for us enthusiasts it is an issue of 'the evolution of technology with aesthetics' - the 'constructive discourse' between the deeds of one and the needs of another!? A conversation between friends is how I'd like that and indeed any relationship to be foremost.
Pardon again, my late Mother said I'm an impish poet...
p.s. my best regards to Andrew Everard
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That's some tribute, Wilhelm! I've made the link live for you.
Group PR Manager - Computers Unlimited;
Former Group Editor of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision and Whathifi.com
Twitter: @ClareNewsome