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Before we explore the exceptional performance and remarkable value that the moderately priced Mobile Fidelity MasterPhono Phonostage represents, the historian in me wants to make sure you understand why it is so noteworthy. Since Mobile Fidelity's humble beginnings as an independently owned audiophile recording company by recording engineer Brad Miller in March of 1958, it... Read More »

Bob Katz at work wearing the Audeze CRBN 2 Headphones, a portrait. (Photograph by Mary Kent.) Introduction Today I'm reviewing two remarkable products, both of which represent a new audio paradigm and a veritable redefinition of the state of the art! I know, this is an old audio cliché, but in this case I think... Read More »

Impex Records continues to honor the legacy of celebrated guitarist Al Di Meola with a new 180 gram LP reissue of his 1977 jazz fusion classic, Elegant Gypsy. The album sold a half-million units in the year of its release, peaking at the number 5 position on Billboard's jazz album charts while earning Guitar Player... Read More »

Over a decade ago, the late John Sunier of Audiophile Audition called me with a hardware review offer for the original AURALiC Aries streamer. I was clueless as to what a streamer was or what it was supposed to do, John was unable to offer any explanation of its function to me, and I only... Read More »

Over the years I've worked on refining the sound in my listening room by both upgrading/changing components and adding room treatments. Not sure why, but the whole room treatment project always seemed like a separate component of the system. Corner treatments, absorptive panels, diffusers, and Argent Room Lenses, in addition to the occasional component and... Read More »

I recently met a good friend for dinner and we got to talk about all things audio. It was there that he pondered an earth-shaking scenario to me. He told me that he was considering selling off his vinyl collection and rig to go all digital. It took me a moment to get my jaw off... Read More »

Craft Recordings continues to drop great late-year releases, and I have four more here you'll definitely want to check out! These albums criss-cross the genres of classic jazz, alternative pop, post-grunge hard rock, and jazz fusion, and feature reissues of rare, long out-of-print, and hard-to-find classic and noteworthy LPs. Including a new Miles Davis compilation... Read More »

The history behind the band Mercy, from Tampa, Florida, is one of the more complicated rock and roll stories that I've tried to understand. On its surface, Mercy's story is a simple tale of a one-off single that nearly topped the charts, the release of the band's only album, and the band's eventual breakup. Mercy... Read More »

Rhino Entertainment has just released four sprawling, color-coordinated, exclusive 16-LP box sets for Harry Potter: Original Motion Picture Soundtracks I-VII. The comprehensive box sets feature distinctive, brightly colored slipcovers with individualized artwork for each of the four Hogwarts houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Each set of 16 LPs are also color-coordinated with red vinyl... Read More »

A portrait of EveAnna Manley of Manley Laboratories, Denver, CO, 2019 (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) Manley Labs is a phenomenon located in Chino, California and topped by the amazing award- winning EveAnna Manley. She operates a giant facility that produces from scratch high-end audio products and professional gear, even extraordinary microphones. John... Read More »

Backstory By accident, I recently blew a fuse in a Synergistic Research Galileo SX Ground Block. I won’t get into all the details, but let’s just say that my own human error was very much the problem. At that point in time, the original Synergistic Research Orange fuse was still being utilized in the Ground... Read More »

Rhino Entertainment has another eclectic and impressive slate of limited-edition LPs available for Record Store Day Black Friday coming on November 29th. Once again, Rhino's offering of 21 rarities, enhanced, and specialty releases are only a few of the hundreds of exciting albums that will be available from both online sources and at independent record... Read More »

Craft Recordings has announced a striking offering of limited-edition LPs for the upcoming Black Friday celebration of Record Store Day 2024 on November 29th. Once again, Craft is presenting a diverse selection of rarities and specialty releases that will be among the hundreds of ultra-desirable LPs available online and at independent record stores everywhere. For... Read More »

Early this year, I flim-flammed Vera-Fi Audio main man Mark Schifter into sending me one of his new Vanguard Caldera 10 subwoofers. I was desperately in need of ultra-low bass following the untimely demise of my beloved REL T9, which had been a true and faithful servant for a dozen years. I honestly had no... Read More »

When I wrote about The Blue Things I expressed my general distaste for cult bands and cult singers. And the reason is because mediocre cult bands cast huge shadows over great bands and singers who deserve our attention, like the above-mentioned The Blue Things. However, there are cult musicians who deserve their cult status. Emitt... Read More »

It was at the 2023 Munich High End Show that I discovered some truly remarkable loudspeakers, the Lorenzo Audio Labs LM1 from Spain. They were music to my ears; the speakers rendered music effortlessly with detail, transparency, nuance, and realism, making it seem like I was listening to live music.  I was surprised and very... Read More »

First, Some Personal Backstory And Perspective Please be patient with me as I step you through some personal backstory. When IMPEX released the 33 RPM reissue for Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra in late 2020, it was somewhat of an inspiration for me. I always enjoyed Frank as my father was a big fan... Read More »

By far, the most common blind spot that most audiophiles I have met and chatted with seem to have, is the lack of awareness of the importance of the quality of power that they feed into their audio system. I have encountered audiophiles that have spent high six figure amounts on their system but have... Read More »

In 2020 Jeff Spalls introduced the Audiomods Series Six tonearm, providing many analog hobbyists with an opportunity to experience excellent yet affordable analog playback. Shortly after the Series Six's introduction, two significant events altered the audio landscape for many of us. First, the Ichikawa Jewel Company LTD shuttered its doors, leading to the loss of... Read More »