John Hoffman, Author at Positive Feedback

Audiomods 12" Series Six Tonearm

John Hoffman — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 20:44:50 +0000

In 2020 Jeff Spalls introduced the Audiomods Series Six tonearm, providing many analog hobbyists with an opportunity to experience excellent yet affordable analog playback. Shortly after the Series Six's introduction, two significant events altered the audio landscape for many of us. First, the Ichikawa Jewel Company LTD shuttered its doors, leading to the loss of... Read More »

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CleanerVinyl Ultrasonic Record Cleaner

John Hoffman — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 17:53:47 +0000

Playing vinyl is some of the most fun you can have in this hobby. Sliding a record out of its sleeve and setting it on the platter, throwing a switch and watching a turntable to come up to speed, cueing down a tonearm and hearing that satisfying sound of when the stylus contacts the record.... Read More »

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Cen.Grand DSDAC1.0

John Hoffman — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 20:37:05 +0000

Digital playback technology is now commonly viewed as a mature field, where groundbreaking discoveries have already occurred, and the consumer can expect a higher level of performance, more features, and a lower price tag as the industry moves forward. After all, the first digital PCM recording was created in 1971 by NHK, and Sony and... Read More »

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IsoAcoustics Gaia I Footers

John Hoffman — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 16:30:15 +0000

Advanced Audio in Tacoma, Washington was the first high end audio shop I ever walked into. There I was introduced to the Linn LP 12 turntable, Vandersteen speakers, Meitner amplification, and several other iconic pieces. One day the shop owner had a pair of Martin Logan CLS speakers set up in the main listening room,... Read More »

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Auris Audio Bayadere 3 Turntable

John Hoffman — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 19:44:33 +0000

Like many of you I have thoroughly immersed myself into the world of audio, and this passion has been with me since I was a young man. I remember my first humble audio system that was paid for by countless hours mowing lawns and working other various odd jobs in the neighborhood. Looking back at... Read More »

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Charisma Audio Charm Phono Cartridge

John Hoffman — Mon, 01 May 2023 16:36:45 +0000

Consider the enigma that is the conical stylus, which is essentially the starting point for the earliest cartridges. While this stylus shape is widely used on modern entry level cartridges, curiously, it can also be found on a few select moving coil designs. Not all conical styli are created the same, as many are bonded... Read More »

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Musician Audio Knight 1 Loudspeakers

John Hoffman — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 17:38:58 +0000

An electric bass sets the rhythm and is instantly recognizable as the snap of a snare drum and the splash of a single cymbal resonates in the background. The lights are turned down in my listening room and Stevie Nicks voice is dark, haunting, and otherworldly. Though this is a classic song, the lyrics remain... Read More »

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Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 DAC/Streamer

John Hoffman — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 17:43:56 +0000

The world of digital audio progresses through a perpetual cycle of change, with a continual improvement process occurring that allows a listener to experience a degree of sonic excellence that was only hinted at when the compact disc was first introduced. In some cases these changes are driven by increasing sophistication of chip sets or... Read More »

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Charisma Audio's Eco Cartridge

John Hoffman — Thu, 05 May 2022 17:24:44 +0000

Charisma Audio is a Canadian importer and distributor of a number of high performance audio lines, and over time have crafted a remarkable series of moving coil cartridges that have gathered praises and accolades over the last several years. The Charisma series of cartridges may not possess the instant brand recognition of Koetsu or Shelter,... Read More »

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Musician Audio's Draco DAC

John Hoffman — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 17:09:11 +0000

In the realm of digital to analog converters there has been an ongoing trend of increasingly advanced circuitry, the addition of layer upon layer of "lifestyle" convenience features, and the promise of higher sound quality at increasingly lower prices. Certainly this sounds like the best of times for the cost conscious audiophile, but is that... Read More »

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Audio-Technica OC9XSH Cartridge

John Hoffman — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 18:01:31 +0000

In the 20th century the Japanese manufacturing sector gained recognition for the ability to improve products through a continuous refinement of the manufacturing process. In the early 1990s I attended Eastern Washington University as a business student and I was introduced to the concept of the Deming Cycle. This process was showcased by a profile... Read More »

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Musician Monoceros Preamplifier

John Hoffman — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 22:50:02 +0000

Thick aluminum casing, a dark anodized finish, microprocessor-controlled functions, and mysterious red lights on the faceplate could describe the latest generation of Cylon Centurion from the Battlestar Galactica science fiction series, or the newly released Monoceros preamplifier from Musician Audio. While Cylons are a Hollywood creation, this preamplifier (linestage) is the real deal, and is... Read More »

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Violectric HPA V550 PRO Headphone Amplifier

John Hoffman — Sat, 01 May 2021 16:07:07 +0000

Headphones and the personal audio scene are a healthy and vibrant niche in our hobby, with a growth curve that has exponentially accelerated over the past decade. The selection of headphones, headphone amplifiers, and specialty cabling manufacturers is impressive, with a width and breadth of companies that is on par with any other sector in... Read More »

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SOTA Escape Turntable

John Hoffman — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 18:43:17 +0000

Within the audio hobby, there is an imaginary divide between companies that produce high-end components and others that create products meant to fill consumer demand at a price point. This demarcation line can be difficult to cross over, as companies may not possess the skills, focus, or resources needed to develop products that appeal to... Read More »

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Focal Stellia Headphones

John Hoffman — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 20:00:49 +0000

As a lifelong two-channel audio listener I had my doubts that I could appreciate listening to music through headphones. A good friend of mine extolls the benefits of the personal listening experience, but I never could come around to seeing his point of view. Sure, I have inexpensive ear buds and in ear monitors for... Read More »

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TLP Audio TF130 Power Conditioner

John Hoffman — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:37:03 +0000

High performance audio components have a variety of needs to reach their full potential, and one of the most critical requirements is being fed the cleanest AC current as possible. A typical audio system can sound quite respectable with a direct feed of AC current from the wall, however hobbyists that are striving to cross... Read More »

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Audiomod Series Six Tonearm

John Hoffman — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 19:49:11 +0000

Unless you have lived on a desert island for the last five years or so, it is unavoidable to notice that vinyl playback systems have stormed back from the abyss. Vintage turntables have become relevant, there are new cartridge manufacturers, ultrasonic record cleaning is a hot topic of discussion, and you can even go into... Read More »

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PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier

John Hoffman — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 19:20:58 +0000

The savvy audiophile is keenly aware of the weakest link of the chain theory when it comes to our hobby. The arena of vinyl playback is one place where this event is illuminated with the brightest of lights. Vinyl hobbyists will debate cartridge types, turntable drive formats, and the methodology for cleaning vinyl, however all... Read More »

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SOTA Cosmos Eclipse Turntable

John Hoffman — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 18:13:51 +0000

Some of the fondest memories I have of growing up is fishing with my father on the waters of the Puget Sound. Those outings left an indelible mark on me, and will stay with me for the rest of my life. The time for fishing trips with dad has passed, and are no more. Perhaps... Read More »

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Tara Labs RSC Air Evolution Interconnects

John Hoffman — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 18:59:41 +0000

I am staring out my window this afternoon, watching the snow fall and lay a blanket of shimmering white across my lawn, and touching every corner of our residential cul-de-sac. I sit here, marveling about how quiet my little corner of the city has become. You hear no cars, the neighbors are tucked in their... Read More »

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Wireworld Eclipse 8 Loudspeaker Cables

John Hoffman — Mon, 31 Dec 2018 23:38:55 +0000

When I have conversations with my friends about Wireworld, the level of recognition is almost universal as this is one of the early companies that pioneered the field of high-performance component cabling. Yet if you dig a bit deeper and ask what they know, you often find that many hobbyists do not have an in-depth... Read More »

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JICO Seto Hori Cartridge

John Hoffman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:55:30 +0000

The Nippon Precision Jewel Industry CO LTD is typically referred to as JICO, a company many analog hobbyists are familiar with. JICO has a long and distinguished pedigree in the field of manufacturing, as it began producing steel sewing needles for the kimono industry 140 years ago, and diamond tipped phono cartridge styli in 1964.... Read More »

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Analysis Plus Silver Apex Cables

John Hoffman — Sat, 08 Sep 2018 20:53:57 +0000

Analysis Plus is essentially an engineering firm that has chosen audio manufacturing as one of the areas to focus their resources. What I find interesting is that the fundamental concepts and design geometry that Mark Markel had identified years ago has remained essentially unchanged within their product line. In today's popular culture, a large cross-section... Read More »

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Ortofon Cadenza Blue Cartridge

John Hoffman — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 15:47:33 +0000

Over the years a wide array of cartridges have passed through my reference system. While I cannot claim to have had serious relationships with designs from every cartridge manufacturer in our hobby, I have listened extensively to products from Dynavector, Shelter, Sumiko, Koetsu, Transfiguration, Benz Micro, and more than a handful of others. Over the... Read More »

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Holt Hill Audio Cionnsaile Monitors

John Hoffman — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 17:55:39 +0000

As the science of astronomy moves forward, many of the ideas about how the universe has formed continues to evolve. The accepted theory used to be that galaxies formed from gas clouds and star clusters coming together. Over time gravity gathered enough material together to form the various galaxies in the universe. Only lately has... Read More »

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