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Westchester, New York, November 6, 7 & 8 Roaming the sparsely populated halls of the Rye Brook Westchester Hilton during opening day of "New York Audio Show 15," the event looked to be a bust. Instead of the usual throng of audiophile fiends blocking access to popular rooms, one could stroll the show's two floors,... Read More »

Today, headphones are designed for DJs, hipsters, style mongers and those willing to spend $3k on high-end "Wearable Technology." The $399 Master & Dynamic MH 40 headphones stand in stark contrast to those business models. Not only are the MH 40s an example of a well conceived and smartly designed product that surpasses marketing hype,... Read More »

Reviewing phono cartridges, be they of the moving magnet, moving coil, or moving iron variety, involves that old "devil in the details." Depending on your tonearm and headshell you'll encounter varying degrees of difficulty when mounting a cartridge, maintaining composure at all times to insure that fingers, tweezers, blood, and sweat don't damage the cartridge's... Read More »

Tipping the register at $1095 and $1195, respectively, the Music Hall MMF-5.1SE and recently introduced Ikura turntables share certain design and implementation features in their equally attractive frames. Both share a dual-plinth design, the same Pro-Ject 9 tonearm, same motor, a "precision stainless steel main bearing sheathed in Teflon for noise-free operation (quoting the Music... Read More »

Did you know that the sweet jasmine plant is represented by 200 species native to tropical temperate regions of Eurasia, Australasia, and Oceania? Or that jasmine is widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of its flowers? I assume you know the latter if not the former. Originating in China, where fragrance, tradition, beauty, and orderliness are... Read More »

Mastered from the original 1970s era analog tapes and pressed in Germany on beautiful 180 gram vinyl (and also released on CD), ECM's Re:Solutions series brings to light recordings by vibraphonist Gary Burton, saxophonist Sam Rivers, bassist Miroslav Vitous, and the duo of guitarists John Abercrombie and Ralph Towner. Some of these recordings have been... Read More »

As I learned at the recent 2104 New York Audio Show, there is no lack of absurd loudspeaker designs executed with all sorts of wacky and expensive materials. While this year's blessed event was not as off-the-charts as prior shows in regard to loudspeakers that look like they were built by aliens with auditory requirements... Read More »

I live in Greenwich Village, New York City, within easy walking distance of two fine audio emporiums: Stereo Exchange and In Living Stereo. These vendors offer different gear and different purchasing experiences. Stereo Exchange, one of the oldest hi-fi shops in NYC, is outfitted with spacious, private listening rooms featuring such big audio players as... Read More »