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Light In The Attic Records (LITA) is a record label based in Seattle that has a certain knack for the unconventional, and has specialized over the last couple of decades in reissuing obscure, underrepresented, and sometimes virtually unknown artists. With the intent of bringing that unknown gem of an album, or perhaps a lesser-known artists'... Read More »

In December of 2020, Clarus Cable released the Coda DAC/headphone amplifier ($300), giving the audiophile on-the-go a new and elevated option for taking music everywhere. Utilizing the ESS Professional Series SABRE DAC, the CODA plugs directly into your laptop via USB-A, and features a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other end. Inside the solidly-constructed device... Read More »

Craft Recordings completes their 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of Creedence Clearwater Revival with new LP reissues of the band's final two albums, Pendulum and Mardi Gras. 1970's Pendulum—which was CCR's second album release that year (Cosmo's Factory streeted only months earlier in July)—was recorded in a month in November, and was released only... Read More »

Advocacy for Neutrality Last year I came across several articles on high-end sites purporting to address, What is good sound? Most veered off to the vague and vapid, concluding, whatever floats your boat is good. Has it come to this? I know long-established standards smacking of elitism and privilege are under siege and youthful disruption... Read More »

I've long been a fan of both Tube amplifiers and Class D amplifiers, and here, finally, I get to check out their love child. Is it an illicit union, a chimera, or something completely new and wondrous to hear? I think a little history is in order. I was solidly in the solid-state camp long... Read More »

I was really impressed by the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier that I wrote about in Positive Feedback Issue 111 (HERE), and I have been looking forward to telling you about my time with its intended phono preamplifier partner, the Pass Labs XP-17. Given that Nelson Pass and Wayne Colburn both use Tannoy 15-inch dual... Read More »

I've talked here at intervals over the last couple of years about a variety of system enhancements I've employed at my home with the goal of improving system performance, reducing noise, and increasing my ability to see through more clearly to the music I enjoy. It's really shocking how seemingly simple fixes like vibration reduction... Read More »

the art of listening… for art's sake – the art of listening to music including hi-res audio, MQA, DSD and 5.1 surround sound A recent product from Starke Sound in Gardena, California is called VLOT. I still don't know what the VLOT acronym is supposed to stand for. So I'll take a stab at it, ummm….Verisimilar Layered Orthogonal Trajectories... Read More »

Years ago as news editor for the Cyber Boxing Zone, I witnessed the special veneration that insiders held for the late Emanuel Steward, a boxing trainer who headed Detroit's famous Kronk Gym and transformed the careers of world champions like Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, and Tommy Hearns. Then after signing into my first AXPONA show... Read More »

World Premiere Review! It sounds like music. Review By Dr. Matt Clott With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music. Dr. Matt Clott shares his thoughts on the Mojo Mystique EVO B4B 21 DAC. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief Mojo Audio, located in Albuquerque, NM, is the brainchild and passion of Benjamin Zwickel,... Read More »

I have a great deal of respect for isolation devices, though certain caveats should always be considered. I have reviewed and/or owned some of the most simple to the most sophisticated. This includes designs from Butcher Block Acoustics, Solidsteel, Adona, Sound Anchors, Silent Running Audio, Harmonic Resolution Systems, Rix Rax, Critical Mass, and Grand Prix.... Read More »

The art of listening for art's sake - the art of listening to music, including hi-res audio, MQA, DSD, and 5.1 surround sound In an unconventional approach from the tech learning and evaluation methods I've all but trained myself to follow since the 80s, I hooked up the iFi Zen Phono preamp without looking at... Read More »

Regular readers will be familiar with AGD from Michael Zisserson's previous review on this unit, I seriously recommend it for the deep technical info. You can find it HERE. I will try to stay away from pulling too much of Michael's work into my analysis of the amplifiers, for the sake of brevity and not... Read More »

At the turn of the twentieth century, Igor Stravinsky rocked the classical firmament with scores such as Song of the Nightingale. One hundred years later, the work is still so fresh as to pull you up short, mouth agape, wondering, "Where did that come from?" I always go back to the Fritz Reiner / Chicago... Read More »

I wrote enthusiastically about Just Listen Records a couple months ago (HERE). We were impressed by what this label was accomplishing, and we've been enjoying more of their deliciously well-recording acoustic music releases since then. They continue delivering innovative music from very talented artists, recorded in live single takes, with exceptionally natural, high resolution sound.... Read More »

Reports From The Low Country, Rick Stotijn (double bass), Channel Classics (2019 DSD256, DXD) (HERE) When a master plays, the double bass is one of the most amazing instruments. And so it is in this 2019 recording by bassist Rick Stotijn. Focusing on compositions by Dutch composers from the past 50 years, Stotijn brings his... Read More »

Patricia Barber remains one of my favorite contemporary jazz artists—both in the studio and live. Yes, her recordings are renowned for their sound quality and unique, if not eclectic arrangements, but she is much more than that. I lived in the Chicago area for many years and often found my way to her weekly Monday... Read More »

Droplets II, Christiaan Richter, TRPTK (2020 DXD) (HERE) Live from Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Hall, it's an ear-opening extravaganza with a single percussionist and his 13" Chinese gong. But what a show! Watch out for the dynamics on this EP. Things start very softly, but progress to shattering volumes in the course of the twelve minutes of... Read More »

If you listen via headphones or earbuds, you need some good binaural recordings in your music library. Binaural listening is the only way we get to hear true imaging and instrument positions via headphones. Stereo recordings, no matter how good, simply don't provide the same realism over headphones that properly made binaural recordings deliver. (In... Read More »