Photo courtesy of David Solomon of Qobuz.
The time has come for me to pack it in and walk away from high-end audio and music journalism.
My decision follows a prolonged period of deep contemplation of personal and family health concerns, growing familial commitments, the increasingly graying demographic within the audiophile community – myself included – and my general malaise with regard to generating new review content. I still feel like I’m capable of my best, most relevant writing, but I've also been gripped for months on end by near-paralysis regarding potential hardware or music reviews. Recent disturbing and concerning headlines from prominent manufacturers in the high end have me seriously rethinking my future from the hardware side. And long-standing connections in the recording industry that have recently (and unfortunately) been severed has also given me pause to reconsider my relationships with record labels. All of this and the fact that I've been quite nearly mute for nine months has indeed weighed heavily on me.
I want to thank David Robinson for giving me a chance; it seems like eons ago when I made my first submission for Positive Feedback, and that opened the door for additional opportunities with Audiophile Audition, Copper Magazine, Stereophile, and PMA (Power of Music and Audio) Magazine. I look back on my body of work with a fairly immense level of pride; I wanted from the outset to present a fresh, less stodgy, more anecdotal approach to music and hardware reviews, and I mostly feel that I accomplished that with a certain degree of panache. Of course, there were missteps along the way; the occasional faux pas experienced in dealing with manufacturers, and a handful of informational inaccuracies gathered from internet outlets that seemed to be factual, but were proven to be less so. Apologies to all for any shortcomings of mine that might have colored their perception of my ability to effectively communicate the performance capabilities or level of enjoyment I received from their products or music offerings.
I have reveled in high-end audio show experiences over the years, and I particularly enjoyed spirited discussions of all things audio there with manufacturers, representatives, and fellow audio scribes. The input from a host of well-connected personalities behind the scenes has often been a daily part of my process as journalist and reviewer, and their expertise has been essential in shaping my insights about high-end audio and my written submissions for PF and elsewhere. That includes audio luminaries like David Robinson, Dave and Carol Clark, Bill Leebens, Rob Schryer, Sue Toscano, Frank Doris, and a special shout-out to the late John Sunier. In the music world, the willing assistance of the likes of Abey Fonn (Impex Records), Bridget Davis (Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs), Jacob Kossak (Craft Recordings), Miranda Alston (Warner Music Group), Taylor Perry (Shore Fire Media), and Maria Malta (Maria Malta Media) has been incalculable. And manufacturers like Mark Schifter (Vera-Fi Audio), Nelson Wu (Ray Tubes), Norman Varney (AV RoomService), Rob Fritz (Audio Art Cable), Dalibor Kasac and Robert Devcic (Euphony Audio), and Greg Roberts (Volti Audio) have become more than just audio contacts; I regard them all as good friends, and I will truly miss interacting with them on a regular basis.
Just to give a little more clarity about my current state of near-catatonia: I started composing this article in early June, and very quickly wrote the opening sentence at the outset. Then sat for almost an entire day, unable to add anything to it. Weekly, I revisited it multiple times, often opening the document then struggling to write a single word – and this went on for weeks (months?) on end! In the May/June, July/August, and September/October 2025 editions of Positive Feedback, I had no fewer than 32 hardware evaluations, music reviews, and articles of general audio discourse on the magazine’s main page. Fast forward to the time that has passed from then until now, and that number dwindles by 60 percent to only 12 evaluations and reviews in an equivalent period. To say that I’ve been rendered nearly mute of late is a complete understatement!
There are a few personalities among those already noted I want to thank for going above and beyond. Dr. David Robinson: Your clarity in my moments of extreme doubt were essential in helping me move beyond perceived conundrums to craft what I felt were among my best reviews and evaluations. Dave and Carol Clark: We often sparred (argued?) about fine points of grammar, but over the years, you both provided levels of technical expertise, moral support, and congenial friendship across the miles that I will always cherish – even though we never met in person, I feel that you two are among my closest confidants and friends, and all of that is a direct reflection on the quality of my work for Positive Feedback. Bill Leebens: You were the one guy in high-end audio with the deep industry connections to help a guy get ahead and get his work noticed, and I’m forever in your debt. Sue Toscano: For consistently creating opportunities to entice me to drag myself to audio shows, helping immerse me in the culture of the high end, all while continually being one of the most unfailingly kind and caring individuals on the planet – I’ll miss you as much as anyone in the business!
Abey Fonn: For continually plying me with a nearly non-stop stream of amazingly well-produced, well-crafted and annotated LPs, CDs, and SACDs, all unquestionably among the very finest available. And how uncanny it generally was that they frequently tended to be albums by artists that I already had a deep connection with; our long conversations about the circumstances surrounding their restoration and reissue made me feel like an integral part of the record production process. Bridget Citro Davis: I'll forever be in your debt for your willingness to restore what had been a fading connection with Mobile Fidelity. And for supplying beautifully crafted LPs and SACDs that easily bettered any previous reissues or catalog album versions, and you never flinched at a single request. I’ll miss your razor-sharp insights on the industry most of all, and it's been an incredible pleasure to connect with one of the true multi-faceted giants of high-end audio. Miranda Alston: Your trust in sending me quite nearly everything from Warner I ever asked for – and then some – inspired me to crank out reviews for nearly all of them. Jacob Kossak: I'll always cherish the opportunity to share my love of so many of the classic reissues Craft Recordings brought to fruition across a plethora of genres.
Frank Doris: There may have been points along my tenure with Copper Magazine where we nearly drove each other crazy, but your keen attention to sentence and paragraph structure was essential in helping me to become a much better writer; that has been made manifest in my ongoing work at Positive Feedback. Rob Schryer: For your incredible kindness, continually uplifting support, and for giving me an open door of worthy opportunities with PMA Magazine. And last but not least, Mark Schifter: Your superbly engineered gear enlightened me to what was possible in reasonably priced high-end audio, and your clean power equipment continues to raise my ongoing audiophile experience to another level of goodness – Godspeed in your recovery from your recent illness.
I’ve said this repeatedly over the last several months: If I were only 40 years old at this point – and knowing what (and who!) I know now – I’d find a way to get beyond my current creative impasse and perhaps strike out on my own. Or at least continue with the status quo; but deep inside, I feel I’m beyond the point of no return. I may not be a complete stranger here; as things shake out in my personal situation, I might get my second wind and make the occasional submission to the magazine. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my tenure here at Positive Feedback, and I’m eternally grateful to everyone who helped make the last quarter-century possible. As the French say, au revoir – or “until we meet again!”
Tom
All photos courtesy of the author and David Solomon.
