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James Gaffigan and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra deliver a very fine Prokofiev symphonies cycle. Collectively, these performances present a consistent and insightful look into Prokofiev's symphonic music, all exceedingly well executed. And all are recorded in the finest, most natural, sound quality one can find. The Symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev, James Gaffigan, Netherlands Radio... Read More »

The brilliant late audiophile, J. Gordon Holt, once wrote that if the purchaser of a fine system was torn between buying a great pair of speakers or a great amp, one should choose a great amp and a good pair of speakers that fit your basic needs. He commented that he had heard numerous systems... Read More »

A thoroughly engaging and well-spent hour with this delightfully articulate guitarist. Enno Voorhorst is a master of subtle grace, dynamic drive, and brilliant technique. But, he never allows his huge technique to overshadow his musically compelling communication of nuance and emotion. 840 - Enno Voorhorst, guitar. Cobra Records 2022 (Pure DSD256). HERE In this album,... Read More »

When the Monet power cables from Crystal Cable were offered for review, first thing I went online for a look-see. The photos suggested a slimmed down cable with no surplus parts, nothing more than the elemental hardware required for the task at hand. The Monet is the thinnest power cables in the new Art series... Read More »

Few musical cycles are as compelling as is Rachel Podger's and Gary Cooper's cycle of the complete sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart on Channel Classics. With the plethora of new recordings, we sometimes lose sight of great recordings from the recent past. I thought it would be useful to revisit these and perhaps... Read More »

Wow! It's been a while. If you are interested in Pure Audio Project or never heard of it, I suggest you read my older review of the Trio 15 speaker system HERE. That was written back in 2019. I loved that setup; a very open / wide soundstage with the pleasantness and tonality that open... Read More »

Can you like a work of music without understanding it? Indeed, yes. I don't claim to yet understand what Maya Fridman and Maarten van Veen have created in Nuït, their new release from TRPTK. But I do like it, and I plan to continue listening to come to grips with it. It is a wonderful... Read More »

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 »

World Premiere Review! I strongly suspected when listening to the first song with the Musiko that I would buy it. Review By Rick Becker With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Rick Becker shares his thoughts on the Charisma Audio Musiko Turntable. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief The Charisma Audio Musiko... Read More »

An audio reviewer's mandate is to seek out the new, the innovative, the cutting-edge, and to write about it, preferably while it's still new and innovative and cutting-edge. As a scribe for Positive Feedback, I've certainly done my share of chasing the newest and most revolutionary products for evaluation. But, in assembling my reference system... Read More »

Classical ensemble Calefax Reed Quintet yields once again to the temptation for extemporaneous performance in this collaboration with improvising trumpeter and composer Eric Vloeimans—to extraordinarily satisfying results. On The Spot, Eric Vloeimans, Calefax Reed Quintet. Buzz | Northstar Recording 2014 (DXD) HERE I'm not sure what I expected when I started playing this album, but... Read More »

Chamber songs and duets. Corina Feldkamp, soprano; Anna Tonna, mezzo-soprano; Isabel Dobarro, pianist. Cezanne CZ 090. TT: 52.21 Caña española. El corazón triste. Canción española. Seguidillas de los oficialitos. Fandango. Mi numen parlero. Mazourka de Blagoïska. Stanzas for music. Amor con sue promesse. Occhi miei. Come fan' le ragazze. Saluto. Dimmelo caro ben. Le moissonneur. Scène de... Read More »

In 2019 I reviewed the Paradox Pulse Signature 70 MC Phono Preamp. I was so engrossed with it that I actually bought one along with the Paradox Pulse Guard R SMR Cartridge that I also reviewed around the same time. In the subsequent two years since my purchase Terence Robinson has upgraded both pieces with... Read More »

With delicate precision, Susana Gómez Vázquez illuminates these piano pieces with a scintillating beauty, each carefully shaped and presented like jewels on velvet cushions. Both the performances and the recorded sound quality, in Pure DSD256, are a treasure. Ad Illam - Music of Chopin, Piazzolla, Ginastera for Piano, Susana Gómez Vázquez. Eudora Records 2021 (Pure... Read More »

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 »

Here is an excursion through the Spanish inflected music of southern Europe with a few side ventures to Brazil. It’s a feast for the ears and the heart, with music of Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, Paule Maurice, Jean Françaix, Heitor Villa‑Lobos, Maurice Ravel, Darius Milhaud, and Kurt Weill. All musicians influenced by the rhythms... Read More »

Audio Note is a company founded in 1976 (company site says October 1979) in Japan by Hiroyasu Kondo. The first products hit the world markets in 1989. In 1997, the company split into two parts, Kondo Labs, focused on the Asian market, and Audio Note UK, responsible for Europe and the rest of the world.... Read More »

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 »

Last year I spent quality time with the Armónico cable from Fono Acustica. The wires left a lingering impression of intense musicality, along with a desire to audition more of their products, including the top-of-the-line Virtuoso model. Felix Avalos, the proprietor of Fono Acustica, teased me along with, "The Virtuoso is a whole different cable... Read More »