Robert S. Youman, Author at Positive Feedback

Rhino Opens the Vault and We are the Big Winners! Two Fantastic Vinyl Box Sets from Dire Straits and Lindsey Buckingham

Robert S. Youman — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 15:36:41 +0000

Dire Straits Live 1978-1992 Let me get right to the point! The sound quality of each and every reissue in this box set is absolutely magnificent! There are many reasons, but three are extremely important. All of the vinyl was mastered by Andy Walter at Abbey Road and cut by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman... Read More »

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The Legacy Continues – The Valve Amplification Company (VAC) Renaissance SE Phono Stage

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:36:19 +0000

Over the last two years, I have been on a determined mission to find a standalone phono stage for my system. I have been experimenting with both solid state and tube phono stages at several different price points. I have posted a few reviews, but not for everything that has entered my listening room. The... Read More »

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The New IMPEX Patricia Barber Companion 1Step - A Majestic Testament And Tribute To A Wonderful Chicago Tradition

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:23:04 +0000

Throughout my teenage and adult years in the Chicago area, I had the great fortune to experience some of the biggest and brightest of all the rock, blues and jazz superstars as they passed through The Windy City. The venues included some amazing large settings like Soldier Field, The International Amphitheatre, The United Center, The... Read More »

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Three New Audiophile LP Reissues that Really Deliver! Iconic Albums from The Cars, CSNY and Joni Mitchell

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 18:02:14 +0000

The Cars, Candy-O. Rhino High Fidelity Series (33 RPM) The Cars first album entitled The Cars, was released in 1977 on the Reprise label and was a huge success, with a long list of hit singles and a tremendous amount of attention by the press. Their second album entitled Candy-O was released in 1978, also... Read More »

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The New IMPEX Records Getz/Gilberto 1Step. Has IMPEX Now Produced the Definitive Pressing?

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:51:37 +0000

I have been waiting with great anticipation for the new IMPEX 1Step Getz/Gilberto reissue to arrive, but that was no problem. I have learned long ago that patience more than pays off when it comes to IMPEX Records. This label never fails to amaze and delight! The excitement began to build after I experienced the... Read More »

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A Six Pack Of Superb LP Releases From Analogue Productions, Mofi, Rhino High Fidelity, And Sam Records

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 18:38:10 +0000

Dire Straits, On Every Street. Mofi (45 RPM) Highly underrated and one of my favorite Dire Straits studio albums, On Every Street was released in 1991 on the Vertigo label in Europe and on the Warner Brothers label in the USA. "Calling Elvis," "Planet of New Orleans," and "How Long" are three tracks that belong... Read More »

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Another Bench Mark from IMPEX Records. The New 1STEP 35th Anniversary Reissue for Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat

Robert S. Youman — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:19:25 +0000

It's been five years since I organized and posted a shootout on this title. Click HERE if you would like to read that article. After several requests from readers for a comparison, three of my audiophile buddies joined me for a wonderful two nights of fun. This kind of thing might sound a little over... Read More »

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The Simaudio Moon 810LP Phono Preamplifier - A Flagship Offering that Checks all the Boxes and More

Robert S. Youman — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 19:24:15 +0000

As I continue to re-evaluate my system, I have been auditioning various standalone tube phono preamplifiers. I am a big fan of utilizing tubes in the front end of my system when paired with solid-state preamplifiers and/or amplifiers. The unwritten rule claimed by many audiophiles is that there must be tubes somewhere in the system... Read More »

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Hello Holidays! New Vinyl from Van, Miles, Carly, Joni, and John Prine

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 15:20:23 +0000

Van Morrison His Band And The Street Choir (Rhino High Fidelity Series) Released in 1970 on the Warner Bros. label, Van Morrison His Band And The Street Choir was recorded at the infamous A&R Studios in New York City earlier that year. As an interesting aside, the original title for this album was Virgo's Fool,... Read More »

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The Aavik I-880 Integrated Amplifier - A New Flagship For Audio Group Denmark

Robert S. Youman — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 17:14:21 +0000

Audio Group Denmark (AGD) is on a roll. If you take a look at some of the major high end show accounts for 2022 and 2023, the Audio Group Denmark rooms have been consistently reported as an important highlight at the show and always with a high buzz factor (and with good reason). Hard copy... Read More »

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For Your Consideration - The Flagship Synergistic Research Galileo Discovery USB Digital Cable

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:48:53 +0000

I have reviewed several brands of cables over the years, but more often than not, I always seem to come back to the Synergistic Research lineup for its superb sound and performance. When offered the opportunity to review some of their newer flagship digital cables, the timing could not be better. I discussed several options... Read More »

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My High End Audio Trip to Sarasota, Florida – Follow the Yellow Brick Road to VAC and Suncoast Audio!

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:58:24 +0000

A Trip To Remember What an adventure! Despite the stifling heat in the 90s, and the intense humidity that would never let up, my recent trip to Sarasota (Florida) was one of my most favorites ever. How could it not be with such gracious hosts like Kevin Hayes and his lovely wife Darlene Monteiro-Hayes at... Read More »

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A New And Unexpected Gem From IMPEX Records - Barbra Streisand, Live At The Bon Soir

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:33:25 +0000

Barbra Streisand, Live At The Bon Soir. Impex Records Growing up and even as an adult, I always seemed to be surrounded by passionate Barbra Streisand fans. She was my father's favorite female vocalist and both my wife and my mother-in-law simply adored her. My mom and dad attended several concerts in Las Vegas, Chicago... Read More »

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The Wait Is Over! Two Little Feat Classics From Rhino – Dixie Chicken and Sailin’ Shoes (Deluxe Editions)

Robert S. Youman — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 16:16:52 +0000

Like many, I am a huge Little Feat fan. Despite all of the passion, I have been very patient. It's been quite some time since the last release of significant quality, but there have been several Little Feat audiophile LP reissues over the years. This is a band that still has a considerable following and... Read More »

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An Alluring Ménage of Superb LP Selections from Sam Records

Robert S. Youman — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 17:27:07 +0000

I continue to be delighted by the amazing titles coming out of Sam Records. If you have not heard the backstory by now, let me provide some additional insight. Sam Records is an independent one man operation founded in 2011 by Fred Thomas and located in Paris, France. His love and commitment to jazz and... Read More »

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The New Rhino High Fidelity Series - The Cars And John Coltrane Kick It Off in Grand Style!

Robert S. Youman — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 18:16:17 +0000

When it comes to audiophile quality reissues, there seems to be a myriad of options these days. My apologies up front, as I am sure that I will miss mentioning a few. We have the exquisite one step releases from Analogue Productions, Mofi , IMPEX, and Craft—many with 45 RPM pressings and with the most... Read More »

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The Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression Integrated Amplifier – An Engineering Marvel And A Musical Tour De Force

Robert S. Youman — Wed, 03 May 2023 16:25:39 +0000

There is something special about the Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems brand and legacy. For myself, every interaction has been first class from beginning to end. This not only includes the product and the performance, but even more important are the people that stand behind it. We of course have Petra and Dan D'Agostino, but... Read More »

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AXPONA 2023 - Several Highlights and a Few Observations

Robert S. Youman — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 15:59:16 +0000

What a wonderful weekend at AXPONA 2023! The weather was quite lovely for this time of the year in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs—sunny and in the 70s and 80s. There was a certain sense of excitement and energy in the air, even beyond last year's 2022 event as 2021 was cancelled to due to... Read More »

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Two Citadels of Sound and Performance – Exquisite New Vinyl Releases from Kirsten Edkins and Patricia Barber

Robert S. Youman — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 22:05:41 +0000

Kirsten Edkins, Shapes & Sounds, Cohearent Records (33 RPM LP) There are many talented people involved with this project, but let's start with Kevin Gray. As many might know, Kevin is universally renowned and respected for his skills as a Mastering Engineer. This includes reissues and new releases on virtually every label and every analog... Read More »

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The Boulder 866 Integrated Amplifier - A True Standard Of Excellence

Robert S. Youman — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 23:42:49 +0000

The journey continues. In pursuit of the finest in high end audio integrated amplifiers, last month I auditioned the Aavik I-580 from the Audio Group Denmark. You can check out the review HERE. The I-580 certainly deserved its position as the flagship integrated in the Aavik lineup, but it has just recently been upstaged by... Read More »

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From Ansuz! The Mainz8 D-TC Supreme Power Distributor, PowerSwitch D-TC Supreme Ethernet Switch, and the D-TC Supreme Cables

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:51:13 +0000

Introduction This review is a follow up to my earlier posting on the Aavik I-580 Integrated Amplifier. If interested, please click on the link here as it provides some very useful background information. Like the Aavik I-580, the Ansuz products discussed in this review are all part of the Audio Group Denmark portfolio. Audio Group... Read More »

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Say Yes To No! A Breakthrough Class D Design, The Aavik I-580 Integrated Amplifier

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:05:22 +0000

Now that Covid has settled down and the supply/demand challenges for components and parts have been shown some relief, it seems that I will have several opportunities to continue my review series for the latest and greatest in high end integrated amplifiers. Past reviews have included products from Pass Labs, D'Agostino, Devialet, T&A, Esoteric, Simaudio,... Read More »

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Three Exciting New LP Releases That Will Blow Your Hair Back!

Robert S. Youman — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 15:16:02 +0000

Saturday Night In San Francisco, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco DeLucia (IMPEX Records - 33 RPM) This is an outstanding release that should be a strong consideration for all vinyl fans and record collectors—regardless of your favorite genre! From a performance, recording and production perspective, when you put together a team from IMPEX Records,... Read More »

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Two New Audiophile LP Benchmarks: Eric Clapton Unplugged and Patricia Barber Higher

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 23 May 2022 15:33:19 +0000

Eric Clapton, Unplugged (Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab) This latest limited edition Mofi UltraDisc One-Step box set was cut by Krieg Wunderlich and pressed at RTI. You get your two 180 gram 45 RPM LPs on Supervinyl with all the usual packaging and perks, but I had to wonder if this pressing was really going to... Read More »

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AXPONA 2022 - My Six Favorite Rooms

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 19:34:12 +0000

AXPONA 2022 was a welcoming next step as we move forward as a high end audio community. Attendance was good, and it will only get better as things settle down and we all get more comfortable. It was wonderful to see old friends and to establish new friendships. After all, this isn't just about evaluating... Read More »

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