Francisco Duran, Author at Positive Feedback

THE Show 2024 - A Quick Impression

Francisco Duran — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 16:27:24 +0000

To quote an old colloquialism, "I haven't been to an audio show in a minute." I have stayed away from them for various reasons the main one being Covid-19. But time marches on, and the lure of high-end audio is well… very alluring. I finally stuck my toe back in the water for the THE... Read More »

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Gingko Audio's Cloud22 Isolation Products

Francisco Duran — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:20:19 +0000

As many years as I have been in this hobby, within the last few I have become more and more intolerant of the exaggerated claims of expensive tweaks by some manufacturers. You can throw wire and cable into this debate, but that is a subject for another day. If one is trying to eke out... Read More »

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Record Doctor VI

Francisco Duran — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 21:08:24 +0000

If any audio product should be standard issue, the lowly record cleaner certainly qualifies for that status. If you play records, they need cleaning. If you buy new or used records, they need cleaning. Yes even new ones need a once over with a good old record cleaner. Of course I have talked to people... Read More »

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Vincent Audio SV-737 Integrated

Francisco Duran — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 20:38:22 +0000

As far back as I can remember, I have been wanting to listen to a Vincent Audio amp. My curiosity with tube Hybrid solid-state amps being the first reason. They say if you think about something long enough, you create what you are thinking about. The Vincent Audio SV-737 came to my door a few... Read More »

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Rotel Michi X3 Integrated Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:21:32 +0000

This has been one of the hardest reviews I have ever done because the Michi X3 integrated amplifier really surprised me. Out of the box and into my system it performed so well that I was at a loss for words. Not so much as in spectacular audiophile terms, but because it just went straight... Read More »

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iFi Audio GO blu - Another Perspective

Francisco Duran — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 17:29:26 +0000

Did you ever see an audio product that you thought you didn't need but once you looked into it you just had to have it? Such is the case with the iFi GO blu. As of late I have been rethinking my headphone/amp set up, and leaning more to adding an amp than a DAC.... Read More »

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Rotel A14 MKII Integrated Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 18:33:30 +0000

I can't remember the exact date, around the late eighties, nor the exact model, but I used to own a Rotel integrated amp in my fledgling days of High-End audio. It served me well. Admittedly, back then my audio concerns were mostly of function over form. Did it have enough inputs? Does it have a... Read More »

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Bakoon AMP-13R Integrated Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 20:53:28 +0000

Soon after I received the Soundkaos VOX 3f speakers for review, I was given the opportunity to listen to a very interesting amplifier along with these terrific speakers. Mr. Soo In Chae of Bakoon International Corp. asked me if I would like to listen to the Bakoon AMP-13R integrated amplifier (Gary Lea also has reviewed... Read More »

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Soundkaos VOX 3f Loudspeakers

Francisco Duran — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:02:11 +0000

It is an aardvark; it is a platypus. That was my first impression when I took the Soundkaos VOX 3f speakers out of their shipping crate. First, these are small speakers, but they are a 3-way, four driver design. The bandwidth is rated (-6dB) 35Hz-35kHz. There are 13cm Galm Audio woofer drivers on the side... Read More »

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KECES Ephono and Ephono Power

Francisco Duran — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 18:38:33 +0000

One of the great benefits of reviewing the KECES Ephono is that I have been playing so many records lately. But with the recent inclusion of the Sophia Electric Baby Magik Box installed into my digital rig, digital music has been a lot more palatable and fun to listen to. This fact has reduced my... Read More »

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Luxman LX-380 Integrated - A Second Take

Francisco Duran — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 16:30:59 +0000

As many of you know, Luxman has a long and proud tradition in the HiFi industry. Within that history, the HiFi press has bestowed accolades to many of their models over the years. Recently Victor Chavira and I at PF got a chance to review an integrated amplifier in their lineup, the LX-380 to be... Read More »

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NSMT A100 Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 16:10:35 +0000

I am so excited about this amplifier I don't know where to start. First and foremost is its surprising performance. Secondly is the price. For something so small and inexpensive, it seems only natural that expectation bias rears its ugly head. But that would be doing anyone with even a passing interest for this amplifier... Read More »

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NSMT M100 Loudspeakers

Francisco Duran — Sat, 01 Jul 2017 20:32:52 +0000

For many years my music has been enjoyed through small, two-way stand mounted speakers. Although ones listening room usually dictates the size of the speaker they purchase, my 12X20 foot den can accommodate speakers bigger than a stand mount monitor. And it has. My current speakers are floor standers and fit quite nicely in that... Read More »

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Sophia Electric Magik Box

Francisco Duran — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 19:58:03 +0000

Positive Feedback has reviewed a number of products from Sophia Electric. Way back in Issue 8 of audioMusings hardware reviews, I was fortunate enough to review their "Baby" tube amplifier. Recently, I reviewed their gorgeous Coke Bottle KT-88 ST tubes. The subject of this review is the Sophia Electric Magik Box. If any component in... Read More »

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Sophia Electric Coke Bottle KT88-ST Tubes

Francisco Duran — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 23:14:14 +0000

Since the modification to my solid-state Reference Marantz integrated amplifier more than a few years ago, my tube amplifiers have been gathering dust. My modified PM15S1 has been getting the lion's share of the musical stage at my house. But a recent upgrade of my Margules U280SC to 25th Anniversary Edition has changed all that.... Read More »

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Into the 'Looking Glass' - Wells Audio's AC Conditioner

Francisco Duran — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 07:42:10 +0000

Sometimes we come to the reality that a certain product in our system is not the be all and end all we thought it was. Take for instance the "built-in DAC". It is a great idea till that fast paced technology renders that chip obsolete. I have often thought that what I have my system plugged into was... Read More »

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Fritz Carrera BE Loudspeakers

Francisco Duran — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 17:23:09 +0000

The drivers on the new Fritz Carrera BE Loudspeakers have been used in one combination or another in more than a few speaker designs to varying degrees of success, and usually costing many times more than the new Fritz design. I say this because I have heard a number of these speakers. Most of these speakers... Read More »

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Wells Audio Majestic Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 01:18:49 +0000

I'm not going to tell you what I did on my summer vacation. (Maui) I'm not going to tell you what I got for Christmas. (Schiit Audio Vali 2). I am going to get right to the crux of the matter and tell you about the Wells Audio Majestic integrated amplifier. A few audio shows back,... Read More »

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Soundstring Cable Generation II Special Edition Cables

Francisco Duran — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 03:54:06 +0000

Talk about the proverbial can of worms. Recently Soundstring Cable Company's Len Miller asked if I would like to review two full complements of wire from their new line of cable. Whoa, that is a lot of cable. I have heard of hard core audio reviewers who refuse to do wire reviews. So either I... Read More »

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Fritz Speakers The Morel 6

Francisco Duran — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 20:08:38 +0000

Mama said not to believe rumors and hearsay. And in college we learned the meaning of illicit generalizations. So it was in regards to the sound and performance of Fritz Loudspeakers. A few years back I heard so much about these speakers from word of mouth, reviews, and good old internet buzz, before I even... Read More »

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Magenta FZ47DB Phono Amplifier

Francisco Duran — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 04:10:12 +0000

I was shocked, yes shocked to see albums, yes genuine vinyl, being sold at Fry's Electronics, Urban Outfitters and shock of all shocks, Barnes & Noble on a recent shopping excursion. In fact what initially pulled me into Urban Outfitters was that from the street, I saw albums and cheap record players prominently displayed in... Read More »

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Frankie Rat and The Art Pro Audio USB Phono Plus, Project Series Audiophile Computer Interface

Francisco Duran — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 17:41:35 +0000

Hi I would like to introduce myself to you. My name is Frankie Rat and I have an audio story for you. I hope you find it interesting so here goes. It's not easy living in the rat race. I get up real early in the morning, hop in my little rat rod slide down... Read More »

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