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Most times, equipment reviews begin smoothly, and progress from there. Occasionally, though, they start with a bit of thud. In this case, my review of the MayFly 201A loudspeakers began with a disheartening rattle. The shipper had apparently not been kind in their transit of the four boxes. Upon connecting the speakers, it was readily... Read More »

I was student-teaching at Whitney Young Magnet High School and waiting tables several nights a week at Reza's, an upscale Persian restaurant in Chicago's River North neighborhood. Now closed, in 1994 this posh eatery sat on the site of the former Berghoff's Brewery on Ontario Avenue just west of the Rte. 94 turnoff. Before the... Read More »

Here we have one of the world’s greatest French conductors and one of the world’s finest French orchestras (albeit located in the United States) playing the very essence of French music. And this particular album is perhaps one of the greatest Mercury Living Presence recordings. We've been fortunate to have some good vinyl reissues over... Read More »

Do cables make a difference? It is a question I get asked quite often, and it is a question that Audiophiles have debated since the beginning of time. I am not going to directly address that question in this review because for me it does not matter. The way my headphone system is setup, I... Read More »

Groundskeeping, Kenneth James Gibson. Meadows Heavy Recorders  Kenneth James Gibson is a true rarity. He's equally comfortable writing, arranging, recording & engineering (for other artists as well) and producing his own ambient and electronic music. He's a highly respected artist amongst his genres, peers and fans alike. His music has been featured in some of... Read More »

With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Greg Weaver shares his thoughts on the Dynamic Sounds Associates Phono III Preamplifier. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief Exceptional performance, and versatility to match. Review By Greg Weaver Illustrious Beginnings I first met Dr. Douglas Hurlburt, the incredible force behind Dynamic Sounds Associates, in... Read More »

In the brightly lit labs of the professional or the informal workshops of the DIYer, cable designers labor diligently, permuting materials, listening critically, then doing it again, ad infinitum. The process mandates a high degree of scientific rigor. With experience, the designer acquires an intimate understanding of their materials. They know when they tweak this... Read More »

Hannes Minnaar (b.1984) is a pianist to keep one's ears on. He is is consistently described by critics as able to convey musical essence in all its purity, and I've become convinced this is true. I first came to know him through his contributions with the Van Baerle Trio and I've very much enjoyed his... Read More »

J.S. BACH: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (arr. Samuel Adler); Sheep May Safely Graze; Wachet auf (both arr. Len Rhodes). LAURIDSEN: O magnum mysterium (arr. Grant Gershon and Morten Lauridsen). Anne Akiko Meyers, violin; Los Angeles Master Chorale/Grant Gershon (with Jaebon Huang, organ). Avie Records AV 2585 (WAV download, approx. 19 mins.) Last issue, I was... Read More »

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 »

While I was supremely enjoying the Audeze LCD-5 Headphones on my E.A.R. HP4 Tube Headphone Amplifier and the Manley Absolute Tube Headphone Amplifier, Audeze came up with the new Audeze MM-500 Headphones to review. They have a similar ergonomic feel and look, but are smaller and purposed quite differently. The LCD-5 is an assault on... Read More »

Does this album need any further introduction than it's title, Getz/Gilberto? Well, when it is reissued in the finest digital sound quality I've yet heard it deserves a bit of celebration! And HDTT deserves kudos for the exceptionally good work accomplished here. I have multiple digital reissues of this album, but this is now at... Read More »

Zu really impressed me this year. I have listened to their speakers in the past but, when I heard the Soul VI in my room I fell in love. So much so, that I bought them immediately after I completed my review. When I was working on that review, Phil, Zu's business advisor, told me... Read More »

Truly special recordings deserve to be heard and celebrated. Such a truly special album is the newly released Lost in Venice by Infermi d'Amore, from Eudora Records. On this album are alert, energetic, and beautifully played performances of works from three Venetian Baroque masters using instruments appropriate to the period. Complementing these delightful performances are... Read More »

Speaker isolators…for a turntable? Yes, according to the folks at IsoAcoustics, or at least their surprisingly comprehensive online product selector tool. I wasn't expecting to find my audiophile-unapproved, direct drive turntables in the drop-down box, but there they were. And at the top of their list showing recommended vibration control devices were the GAIA-III screw-on... Read More »

It's taken me more time (years) to get serious about a new rack than any other component I've ever bought. My room and system have been so cooperative that for the past few years I've spent more time listening and looking for new music rather than fret about components, cables, room treatments, or a rack.... Read More »

Relished by many for their low cost, high quality audio components and accessories, iFi is renowned for enhancing sound quality and eradicating distortion, noise, and hiss from equipment like headphones, speakers, audio devices, cell phones, and televisions with their products. And, at a price of $329, the GO bar is their flagship pocket totable USB... Read More »

Ukranian pianist Anna Fedorova is a remarkable talent. She is right in the top of my list for outstanding performers in recent years. I've written about her solo-piano and chamber music recordings with Channel Classics here, here, and here. But now she is expanding her recorded repertoire to include some of the most challenging pieces... Read More »

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 »