Wally Russell's decadent dream board thread of opulent lavish luxury

[BaldingSoHard]

Dope thread.

 

[BaldingSoHard]

The interior of a Mercedes S-Class

Tell me this is custom...

 

[Knuckles Red]

Cool thread, OP. Reminds me of that old VH1 show, The Fabulous Life Of.

 

[Mess World]

Cool thread, OP. Reminds me of that old VH1 show, The Fabulous Life Of.

Reminds me off that show duck tales

 

[Mac Casper]

Tell me this is custom...

It comes stock with ambient lighting

Reminds me off that show duck tales

Next up - we've already got at $55,000 set of headphones. You're gonna wanna hear some vinyl right?

$79,500 and you can get the Techdas Air Force One

TechDAS Air Force One
text and images by Wojciech Pacuła and TechDAS, translation by Andrzej Dziadowiec

Stereo Sound is an A5 sized quarterly magazine (issue No. 189, 2014 Winter, 520 pages) that has been published in Japan for over 40 years and is considered in the land of the samurai and Sony to be the final and absolute authority on audio. The language of publication is still somewhat of a challenge to me—I may know five or so Japanese words by now—yet I have read many of its reviews in their English translation. Such "cheat sheets" are released by the representatives (agents) of Japanese manufacturers.

The reviews are nothing like those we know from European and American audio magazines. The main featured products are reviewed and discussed a few times in various sections of a given issue. The main presentation is a record of an in-depth discussion held in the "Stereo Sound" editorial office by all its editors and based on their auditions carried out in the editorial listening room or at home. These auditions are carried out in turns by two editors at a time, sitting one behind the other. Each product has a lead editor. The conclusions of this discussion are then detailed in subsequent product descriptions, mostly technical.

Stereo Sound is an extreme example of an audio magazine. If you think Stereophile and The Absolute Sound to be high-end, the Japanese magazine would need to be placed in the stratosphere, as even calling it top high-end would not quite do justice to what is published there. Of course, it features relatively inexpensive components, too, but these are rare occurrences rather than the norm. And what attracts the readers are the flagship products.

The more so that they have a lot to choose from, being presented with the true crème de la crème of the audio world. This is guaranteed by Japanese audio distributors who are also advertisers in the magazine. For years, one of the biggest has been Stella Inc. whose portfolio includes such premier brands as Constellation, Devialet, Einstein, Brinkmann, Vivid Audio, Tidal, Wilson Benesch, HRS, Argento and TechDAS. The last one is particularly interesting as it is a brand founded and run by Stella Inc. which, in my strong belief, has designed the best turntable in the world.

Only a year ago, TechDAS was a virtually unknown name for the vast majority of non-Japanese people. Very "technical" and "angular", it was immediately linked to the name that is, in turn, known to everyone—Air Force One. The name of the U.S. president's airplane was used to designate a turntable that was to become the "first among the first." An ambitious goal, especially given that it was the first such product from TechDAS; actually its first product ever. Every new manufacturer usually needs to pay its dues before reaching a level where skills and knowledge are complemented by experience that, combined, turn audio components into something more than a bag of electronics in a metal box. To quote Jeff Rowland, "it takes years to understand the complex relationship between component parts and the end design. Audio design is an art form that requires a lifetime to master. There are no shortcuts." How very true, indeed.

Any concerns we might have about the Air Force One, or AFO for short, are dispelled as soon as we look behind the curtain to see who is behind all this, tinkering, soldering and putting it together. The man perched over the table is Mr. Hideaki Nishikawa. Hideaki-san began his professional career in 1966 when he joined Stax to work there for the next ten years, developing electrostatic headphones. Then he designed turntable tonearms for the next few audio manufacturers that were fortunate enough to employ him. His main pride is the Black Widow, which he designed for Infinity. He eventually joined Micro-Seiki as Technical Department Manager. Soon he became the Sound Business Director, so he was the person responsible for shaping the acoustic imprint of products from this Japanese company. Summing up the 12 years he spent there, he cites the SX-8000II turntable with air bearing and vacuum hold-down system as his statement product (Ken Kessler, "TechDAS Air Force One", Hi-Fi News & Record Review, March 2013, p. 25). The Air Force One is a compilation of all the best design solutions from the SX-8000II, using the latest material processing technology and virtually unrestricted research budget. Stella owners "only" wanted him to design his best turntable ever.

Micro-Seiki is a legend that has the status of a "cult" company. It has its own fan clubs and dedicated websites, such as www.micro-seiki.nl (Dutch website in English). Its more expensive turntables very rarely appear on the secondary market and if they do they fetch exorbitant prices. The Air Force One is nothing but cheap, either. Looking at its design, however, it is not difficult to understand why. This is not another "audiophile" product that mainly appeals to us with a brand reputation (which is new here) or design solutions with difficult-to-pronounce names that are hard to find in scientific literature (because they do not exist, and their names are pure PR gimmick). Its quality is guaranteed by the authority of Mr. Nishikawa, while the solutions applied are solid hi-tech engineering.

Design focus included the following criteria:

• Elimination of all unnecessary vibration and resonance

• Absolute rotational accuracy and concentricity

• Maximum quietness operation,

• Immunity from external vibration

• Mounting flexibility for all types of tonearm

• User friendliness and an elegant beauty

• A choice of platter material and type

• Silent, ripple free air pumps

The turntable sound is incredibly deep. That's the thing that throws us off as it can't be compared to anything else. Even a mediocre performance (live sound), from a back seat in the audience and with substandard acoustics, allow communication with the performer. However, such event is flawed and not quite satisfying in our reception. Often simply off-putting. Only the best experiences with live instruments, in other words a top instrument and top performer in top acoustics, can give something similar to what the AFO offers with any record. Let me repeat, any record. I will come back to that later.

A

Conclusion

For over two years I've been trying to arrange an interview with an audio journalist from Japan. Little did I know in January 2012, when I started a series of interviews with audio journalists from all over the world, that it would be so difficult to get through to people from Japan (my first interview in "The Editors" series was with Srajan Ebaen, chief editor of 6moons.com and can be found HERE). For two years I've been hoping to make a breakthrough, with the help of my friends from Japan, including audio distributors and representatives of Japanese companies. However, trying to set up an interview for me with one of audio journalists they have been either politely declined or told "maybe someday". At the High End 2013 in Munich I accidentally bumped into Mr. Takahito Miura, a journalist for Stereo Soundand didn't let him go until he promised to think about giving an interview. With all due respect, he is still thinking. A possible explanation for this attitude can be found in the history of Japan as a country that has been closed to foreigners, self-sufficient culturally and focused mainly on its internal market. Audio journalists are considered demigods and they feel comfortable in that role. No wonder they have absolutely no need to go out of their own camp.

Listening to the Air Force One turntable, I can perfectly understand why. They simply know that their country boasts spectacular audio equipment. Maybe not everything, as for example they usually buy their speakers in Europe or the U.S., but most of their audio gear is flawless. TechDAS has designed a fantastic turntable. Not "perfect" or "ideal" as these are boundary terms that leave no room for improvement. I am convinced that sooner or later there will be something even better than the AFO even though I don't see any competitor for the here and now. Regardless of audio format and medium, the Japanese turntable offers the kind of sound quality that makes everything else look like a bad joke that deserves to be instantly forgotten.

$79,500 TechDAS State-of-the-Art turntable packs in the latest electronics and machining technology - Bornrich

TechDAS Air Force One

 

[Mac Casper]

Building up a nice little collection huh? . . well you're gonna need someone to protect that stuff while you're not around



. . Meet Sara

Sara is a German Shepherd


but not just any German Shepherd. In fact, Sara will run you back $14,000 and that's just off her pedigree. She's gonna need training


Why so much you might ask?

Well Sara is the daughter of Omen vom Raudhaus

World Champion 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Omen is the son of Remo vom Fichtenschlag who is also a multi-year champion

 

[lotteryplaya]

Powerball has millions of people dreaming like this thread. Your mansions will be full of these toys.

 

[alpo]

Bump

 

[Mac Casper]

*set your surround systems to high volume*



We'll be getting a look at this in March at the Geneva Convention where it will be debuted

the expected base price is $2.2 - $2.4 million

This is the Bugatti Gran Turismo . . I'm hoping the design team lends it's work to the Chiron because this is a nice car to aspire to

We're looking at 1500 horsepower and a top speed of 290 . . which means a significant advancement in tire technology

Here's an actual spy shot of a test vehicle

as you can imagine, it sounded like God was rolling by

Here are some artist renderings

The Bugatti Chiron is on the way, but what do we know about the Veyron's successor? Just how fast will it go and how much will it cost?

Given the fact the Bugatti Veyron is one of the world's fastest production cars and one of the craziest-looking, it's hardly surprising it has gained worldwide notoriety and legions of fans.

So what the hell do you replace it with? Something faster and even crazier looking, we would assume. The official launch is two months away but we decided to round-up the most likely rumours garnered from various 'leaks' and 'sources'.

Has it actually been confirmed?
A Bugatti Happy New Year video called 'Breaking New Dimensions' ends with the word Chiron so the Veyron's successor is definitely a thing. Shame you never actually get to see it.

How powerful is the Chiron?
A whopping 38hp! Just kidding. Various reports suggest it will be powered by an 8.0-litre W16 engine like in the Veyron, except it has been tuned to 1,500hp and torque of 1,107lb/ft. That's nearly double what you get in the frankly bonkers Ferrari F12tdf. Four turbos will feature, two of which will be electric, which basically means they can spin up more quickly for improved performance.

Not going to be a slouch, then?
Even with Captain Slow at the wheel, probably not. Some estimates believe it will crack 290mph (467kmh), nudging it dangerously close to the 300mph barrier. The old Veyron currently holds the production car speed world record (not the Hennessey Venom GT, if you want to be all official) of 269.86mph.

Have we seen any Bugatti Chiron pictures?
Only those who work at Bugatti or have some inside knowledge know what it looks like. Supposedly the letter 'C' in the Chiron text is a nod to the shape, and there are some artistic renders out there that could be on the money, but really the aesthetics are unknown. It's probably going to be similar to the Veyron, but you probably guessed that already.

How much will the Chiron cost?
Write down a ridiculous number on a bit of paper and you probably won't be far off. Current estimates suggest just 500 will be built, costing from at least US$2.2million (more like US$2.5million plus). So only oil barons and people with really rich parents need apply. Apparently 130 have been sold already (who needs to see the car when spending this much, eh?) and 100 will be built every year for five years.

When will the cold, hard facts become a reality?
Bugatti is expected to unveil the Chiron at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, which runs from the 3rd to the 13th of March. So really not long until all will hopefully be revealed.

Where does the Chiron get its name from?
A French chap called Louis Chiron, who became Bugatti's number one driver in the factory team. Before that, he was an army driver during the first world war, then a chauffeur and a dance partner at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. Here Chiron is said to have earned money from wealthy females who wanted to dance, allowing him to buy a Bugatti at the age of 26. Eventually he traded up to a Type 35 Grand Prix car and won lots of races, racing to the ripe old age of 60. His last race was in 1955 at Monaco.

 

[Mac Casper]

The Bugatti Chiron Is Named After A Nazi-Accusing Wife-Stealing (Maybe) Gigolo

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The upcoming 1,500 horsepower, $2.5 million Bugatti Chiron is named after one of Bugatti’s greatest racing drivers, a guy who possibly lost his best job racing there by banging his boss’ wife.

I’m talking about Louis Chiron.

Bugatti themselves are happy to cast the guy in a charming light. That makes sense. He was a charming man.


Bugatti’s newest press release calls him handsome, fast, gentlemanly, and befriended by the other drivers of his time. They even discuss how he got the nickname “The Old Fox,” when he beat his rival teams on a test day. It was later discovered he had secretly cheated by cutting the course.

But Bugatti does not talk about how the not-so-wealthy Chiron got his start in racing, or how he lost that job. For that we need to go the best authority on classic racing history on the Internet, the fantastically rigorous 8W.

8W is a bit more keen to shed some light on how the great Chiron paired his natural driving talent with his natural charm. Chiron was born in 1899 in Monaco and served with the French Army in World War I, the site reports.

He must have shown his natural talent as driver early because at an age of 19 he had already advanced to being chauffeur to Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, commander in chief of the Western Front.

In the early 1920s he was back home “working in the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo”, as you can read in the history books, a prudish way to announce the fact that the young and good-looking Monegasque, the embodiment of Gallic charm and grace, was now earning his living as a “dancing partner” for rich ladies.

“The embodiment of Gallic charm and grace!” That’s a fellow I want my hypercar named after, indeed.

So Chiron was a paid dance partner for wealthy women. An interesting gig if you can get it. Now, it’s not completely certain that Chiron was actually sleeping with these women for money. The guy never had kids, only married women older or younger than him, and reportedly quite liked fitness, which is all sort of 1920s code for him being gay.

Still, he definitely entertained ladies for money, as 8W notes:

The fact is that rich ladies in the old days in several cases were to play the part as “sponsors” for those racing drivers who weren’t fortunate to have been born with blue blood in their veins or have a millionaire as their father.

This sponsorship landed him his first steady seat in racing with the rich pharmaceutical company heir Alfred Hoffman. Hoffman sponsored Chiron, and Chiron bought the very first Bugatti Type 35B (later deemed the most successful race car of all time). Chiron’s success with his T35B got him an additional racing seat with Bugatti’s factory team, but after a while his Bugatti days were numbered.

8W explains how one woman was at the heart of the matter: Hoffman’s wife, the lovely Alice Hoffman-Trobeck.

Alfred Hoffman had a beautiful wife named Alice Hoffman-Trobeck but known to all just as “Baby.” Born in America with a Swedish father and German mother and living in central Europe she was bright-minded, urbane and fluent in several languages and proved later to be a great access to the Mercedes-Benz team as an interpreter and timekeeper.

As a racing enthusiast herself she began to travel to all the races as a timekeeper for Chiron and soon it became an open secret to all but her husband that her interest in that driver wasn’t just restricted to time keeping.

This relationship spanned perhaps Chiron’s most successful years: from 1929 to 1932. It was during this period that Chiron was able to help establish the very first Monaco Grand Prix, as well as rack up a number of wins across Europe. He even won the 1931 Monaco GP, becoming the only person from Monaco to win their home Grand Prix.

But an alleged affair with your boss’ wife can only go on for so long, as 8Wnotes:

Finally the Chiron-Alice bubble burst and an angry Hoffman sacked Chiron and replaced him with René Dreyfus. Alice’s marriage to Alfred Hoffman had been a joke for a considerable time so she decided to divorce her husband and instead join Chiron on his trips across Europe.

For those who think this kind of driver/team boss’ wife intrigue is restricted to the pre-war era: please wake up to the rumours that a similar situation was one of the reasons that a French driver even more famous than Chiron got sacked from a major F1 team more than 50 years later.

For those of you curious as to what that last line was about, 8W was referring to the abrupt firing four-time Formula 1 champion Alain Prost from Renault in 1983, but that’s a story for another day.

Chiron’s job with Bugatti’s factory team also ended in ‘32, but that was because Bugatti’s team manager was fed up with Chiron disobeying his strategy orders.

Stealing his boss’ wife was not the end to Chiron’s drama with women. In 1949, a few short years after the end of World War II, Chiron walked up to one of the greatest woman drivers of all time, Hellé Nice, and ruined her life forever.

12

Nice, pictured above in her own Bugatti Type 35, also had a sex-and-glamor start to her racing career. She had been a nude model, dancer, and acrobat (also working at casinos in Paris, just as Chiron had worked in Monaco) until a downhill skiing accident stopped her from dancing. That turned her and her love of fast cars into a surprisingly successful racing career, which ran well through the ‘30s and ‘40s.

It was at the Monte Carlo Rally of 1949 when Chiron met her and destroyed her. Before the rally started, the rally held a party for the women drivers in the event in Monaco, as Jacquo wrote in their profile of the nicknamed Bugatti Queen.





Bugatti Queen: In Search of a French Racing Legend
8 purchased by readers • Gawker Media may get a commission


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Amazon


At this party, Louis Chiron walked up to Nice and loudly proclaimed to the crowd that she had worked for the Gestapo during the War, that her presence was a disgrace, and that she should be barred from competition.

Chiron provided no proof, and Nice attempted to contact the rally’s organizer to refute the accusation, but the rally organizer was a friend of Chiron’s and provided no help. He claimed to be out of the country and unavailable.

This accusation killed Nice’s sponsorships (she had been the face of such companies as Lucky Strike) and her career. She tried and failed to run the Monte Carlo Rally again in 1951, and some years later her longtime lover and racing mechanic ran off with the last of her money. She died in poverty.

Chiron’s motives for accusing Nice are unclear. There was a different woman race car driver who did indeed work for the Gestapo, but there’s no evidence saying that Nice was involved with the Nazis.

So when the 2017 Bugatti Chiron supercar shows up on the roads, driven by the usual destructive playboys that always seem to sit behind the wheel of multimillion dollar vehicles, know where the name for the car came from. It might all make sense.

The “Old Fox,” indeed.
Click to expand...​

http://jalopnik.com/the-bugatti-chiron-is-named-after-a-nazi-accusing-wife-1745458799





update -

Chiron


$2.6 million

 

[Mac Casper]

We're back baby!

Just break the bank on your new 4K television?

How about a 98 inch 8K television? . . it'll set you back about $100,000

 

[Mac Casper]

Got your brand new Bugatti Chiron?

Gonna need a place to park it

How about the most expensive home in Los Angeles, $500 million will get you into the city's most valuable real estate

California Dreaming: Record $500 Million Tag on L.A. Home

 

[Mac Casper]

How about some music? The Steinway & Sons D-274 is one of the best grand pianos in the world. The regular model will set you back around $80,000

but this Steinway Alma Tadema version will cost you $1.2 million

Want to outfit it with Steinway & Son's automatic Bluetooth enabled playing system Spirio? That'll cost you another $110,000

 

[Mac Casper]

Into photography and film?

Canon? Nikon? Those are cool, but the Leica S will cost you $16,900

Now that you're on your way to capturing every precious moment of the greatest life ever, time to hire a videographer . . but you're gonna need your footage to be theater ready. Never know when you might want to sell the film of your story to a major studio

The Alexa SXT Studio Pro - $135,406

But to shoot in 8K, you're gonna need a Red camera
Red Weapon - $77,500

 

[Mac Casper]

Korth Custom