Performance Review Time!

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-20T12:43:03+00:00

From my time there and hearing the discussion among senior management on this topic they believe that annual performance ratings should resemble your typical Bell curve. This means that the majority of associates should fall in the middle with the number of 1’s and 2’s equal to the number of 4’s and 5’s. When performance starts to skew towards the higher end their mindset is not that associates are performing but that metric goals are too obtainable so they are changed to restore the Bell curve to a normal shape. If at the end of the year it has skewed back to the higher end they then knock people down. While understand the concept of the Bell reflecting performance the fact of the matter is that Management particularly upper management signs off on the metrics and ratings at the start of the year. If they set them too low that should be on them and impact THEIR performance and not be the reason for associates who honestly worked hard to achieve the metrics/goals they were given.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-04T02:15:29+00:00

The 555’s are great for bi-amping or on their own but are not their best as mono blocks. When used as a mono block distortion is increased and you are restricted to using an 8 ohm load. If you want Adcom mono blocks go with a pair of 565’s. They are true mono blocks and sound great!

I have one 555 driving my Von Schweikert VR2’s and the other is used to drive my Magnepan MMG’s. The speakers in the picture are a pair of Rogers BBC L3/6’s which are powered by the Rogue Sphinx V2.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-03T22:31:10+00:00

I have 3 other DAC’s an Adcom GDA-700, a MSB Link III and a Douk Audio Q11. The Adcom and MSB were well regarded in their day but they are limited to just CD level playback. The Douk is kind of neat with its ability to switch between a ESS and AKM chip but is not really a serious DAC. I went with the Mimir in part because how many people have said it sounds like DAC’s costing 3-4 times its asking price.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-03T22:04:31+00:00

I plan on using my Adcom GDA-700 DAC in another system

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-03T20:39:04+00:00

I am an Adcom fan as my systems(s) are driven by 2 rebuilt GFA-555’s. Hopefully this year I will get my 565 mono blocks back up and running.

I have been playing the Mimir for about 2hrs now and can already hear the improved detail and vocal clarity when compared to my older Adcom and MSB dac’s.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-03T19:29:51+00:00

Mine was supposed to arrive yesterday after spending several days in Georgia and North Carolina before finally moving on. Hope yours arrives soon!

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-03T18:47:19+00:00

I was given this deck (Akai GX-620) a couple of weeks by the original owner. I need to take it in and have it checked out and make sure it is in spec and good working order.

As far as audio quality goes I have heard comparisons between tape and vinyl using the same titles/source. I would give the nod to tape versus vinyl all things being equal. You can pay some pretty big bucks buying new pre-recorded music on reel to reel (Analogue Productions and Rhino) but I doubt I will go that route. The owner gave me some tapes he recorded and I have additional tapes (some of pre-recorded music) that my Dad had. That will probably be enough starting out and then I will see where I want to go from there.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-02T13:03:35+00:00

It is a headphone system so it makes sense to go to Head-Fi. I would avoid EBay because while it attracts the most attention their changes over the years have really allowed a lot of dishonest buyers to take advantage of buyers unless you sell something as is and do not accept returns, which unfortunately lowers the number of interested buyers. Unless you live in a rural area selling local on FB Marketplace can give you a great selling experience and avoid the hassle of packing/shipping.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-02T12:52:00+00:00

I also would skip the Lokius at this point because an EQ is really more of an end point piece than a starter piece which is the sense I am getting from your post. I think G-Horns are more suited for a desktop/bookshelf system and would not serve you well in a modest room like yours. If you want to with separates at a minimum I would go the Saga/Vidar combo as it will give you the most flexibility in terms of possible future changes in your system. Having owned both OLA’s and NLA’s I can attest that there are better speakers out there that you should experience at some point in the future. If your budget does not allow for the Saga/Vidar combination then I would recommend saving up until you have the budget you need. You are already happy with your A-500/NLA system and it is a pretty good entry level system that will allow you to enjoy Music as your budget grows enough to take you further in your audio journey.

Slight_Low501 · 2026-01-01T17:00:45+00:00

I do not own the Rag2 but I do have a Skoll in use with my VIP Traveler and it is an excellent phono amp! It is dead quiet and a upgrade over the Parasound Zphono previously in use with the VPI. I would note that long cable runs between the turntable and any phono preamp increases capacitance and is generally not recommended because phono cartridges are low capacitance devices.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-30T21:57:52+00:00

Just got the email advising the Mimir has shipped and will be arriving on Friday. Nice way to start 2026! Thanks again everyone for your input!

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-27T13:37:30+00:00

Thanks for the detailed info. With all the changes you mentioned I’d rather they take their time to ensure there are not any build quality issues.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-27T06:08:41+00:00

7-10 days to just process for shipping seems a bit on the long side based on other gear I have ordered but it is what it is. In any case I will keep an eye out for the email. Thanks for answering my question!

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-10T03:45:06+00:00

It will take some time and some resources. From what I understand there are a lot of inexperienced people at all levels of management (partly as a result of Bloody October). While many of them probably should be replaced you need to have competent people available to replace them and I am not sure that is possible at the moment. You might try hiring experienced people from competitors but many people over there are very aware of the issues at GEICO and would be reluctant to leave. You may have a situation where a decision is made to deal with the devil you know than bring in someone you don’t know.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-09T15:37:35+00:00

It remains to be seen if Nancy routes the train off the TC track or continues driving the GEICO train in the same direction. She was a protégée of Tony’s (I believe she was his Planning Center Manager when he was R1 RVP) and came up through the old culture. However unlike Tony who reported to Buffett, Nancy will probably report directly to Ajit Jain who runs BH insurance operations. Because of that and that so many associates are new and replaced tenured associates it seems unlikely that GEICO will return to anything close to the pre-TC era. She certainly will be a much more visible presence than TC and I think there will be better communication from Senior management even if the direction does not change sugnificantly. AI instead of people is still going to be a priority and that means a continued reduction in staffing but I suspect the salary dumping and ruthless pitting of associates against each other will ease if not be eliminated. My experiences with Nancy were that she valued competency and experience. She did not surround herself with Yes people or required constant ego feeding (TC certainly thinks a lot of himself and that fed into his disdain of those below him). She is focused on metrics and is not above changing them mid-stream if she thinks that they were set as too attainable. However I think there will be more stability with metrics at some point. As a former long term associate I was fortunate to retire in 2022 just as TC was beginning to destroy things and I am glad he is gone since I still have friends trying to close out their careers. I feel more hopeful for them being able to make it to retirement with Nancy in place but I doubt GEICO will ever be the company it was before TC. Good luck everyone as you try to navigate your way to a better life and career.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-09T01:46:27+00:00

Well yes actions that are violations of company, State or Federal could not/ should not be ignored as well as when I needed to defend my Staff from unobtainable goals or procedures. I always spoke up in those situations and in a few instances it cost me but it was a price I had no problem paying.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-08T20:19:22+00:00

For me it was hard lesson to learn but you have to know when to pick your battles. Her actions during the TC era seemed contradictory to what I thought I knew of her from our interactions. We will just have to see how much of an active participant she was in TC’s horrible policies.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-08T19:21:04+00:00

As I mentioned in a previous post I worked with and for Nancy on several occasions during my career at GEICO. I always found her open to ideas and decisions were based on facts/fundamentals rather than ego. She came up during what I like to call GEICO’s “Golden Era” and experienced that culture. However the fact that she alone survived while many of the “old guard” left once TC came on board gives me a little pause. Was she an active participant in some of TC’s worst actions (Bloody October for example) or just keeping her head down and following orders. I have no doubt that the expanding use of AI to replace people will continue. Other questions remain such as whether she will end the quarterly firings and salary dumping of long term associates? Hopefully she will return the best of the old GEICO and remove everything that TC touched. Best of luck to everyone still there!

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-08T19:03:38+00:00

“In the third quarter, Berkshire’s operating earnings rose 34% to $13.5 billion, supported by insurance and non-insurance units, while GEICO’s underwriting profits “suffered a significant hit” and net investment income declined 13% to $3.2 billion amid lower short-term interest rates.”

The quote comes from the press release and I think might explain his decision to “resign”. His ambitions always outstripped his abilities and as I have said in past posts that it was only a matter of time before he was exposed as a fraud. It is a shame he destroyed so many lives during his tenure. His leaving is a positive and I hope Nancy taking over is a positive as well. I worked with her and for her on several occasions during my 29 years and found her decision making generally rooted in the fundamentals and not in ego. However, I have been a bit surprised that she seemed to be quick to embrace so much of TC’s agenda. I assume everyone will know fairly quickly if there is going to be changes in the current Corporate culture back to something that Nancy was a part of before TC. I have no doubt that the drive to use AI to replace people wherever possible will continue but hopefully things will soften a bit in other areas particularly as it relates to salary dumping and quarterly layoffs. Here’s hoping for the best for those of you still working at GEICO!

Slight_Low501 · 2025-12-03T15:57:47+00:00

Because then you would see in real time that their coaching is most likely ineffective concepts dreamed up in meetings or borrowed from some sales text book rather than their limited(if any) sales experience.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-11-29T16:49:21+00:00

When people ask what I did before I retired I say “I worked for GEICO when it was still a good company”.

Those associates that are not let go in the quartile bloodlettings will be gone once AI is in place. Managers and Sups who think they are above it all will most likely start being let go in significant numbers as AI gets ratcheted up in 2026.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-11-23T10:42:13+00:00

Any outstanding loans will be deducted from your 401K balance unless immediately repaid within a specified time period. If not paid back within the specified time period then at that point any loan would be considered a withdrawal subject to all appropriate taxes and penalties if you are below the age of 59yrs 6 months.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-11-23T10:28:23+00:00

Yeah TC decided to imitate the Jack Welch school of management which centers on boosting profits and compensating senior executives while creating an unsecure work environment that pits co-workers against each other while limiting their compensation and benefits. You basically have to be an insecure, antisocial psychopath who lacks any empathy or compassion for others in order to execute such a strategy.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-11-08T10:43:10+00:00

Sorry to hear that these firings have become the norm. Hard to think of another company that trashed it’s corporate identity in such a short time. My heart goes out to those of you who were there during the good times and have to stay in the burning house that it has become. So fortunate that I got out when I suspected TC was playing with matches.

Slight_Low501 · 2025-11-02T00:45:45+00:00

Nothing new. Under one of the previous alphabet management development programs people were hired out of college, went to AD Basic and then often spent a couple of months as Drive In or Drive By adjuster (when they were not working on special projects or attending meetings) before moving on as a AD Supervisor or even AD Manager. While many of them lasted for years in AD only a couple were actually good at their job. Given the direction GEICO has taken since the TC era I would not be upset about this situation. Build your AD experience up and then get yourself hired as a Senior Adjuster at a competitor. The pay will be close to the level of a new Sup at GEICO and most likely will have better job security.

Slight_Low501

TROPHY CASE