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Hey Kids! It's 2021, and with no more pressure to have the US BeBest, let's all go play with the USBe Perfect! When the call came in, Georgia area code—caller unknown, I let it go straight to voicemail. Finally weeding out spam calls, I found—tucked between a Police Defense Fund plea and a faux breast... Read More »

Part 2 (Part 1 can be found HERE) I originally titled this discussion as "Don't Pass, Go!" I meant, don't pass on the XA30.8, go! I didn't expect I'd disappear, but... this past year has been difficult for all of us. Covid-19 put a kink in things for all of us, I added to my... Read More »

Two more titles from the "Polish Jazz" series in the new releases of Warner Music Poland: Young Power, Young Power. Polish Jazz vol. 72 Jaroslaw Smietana Sounds & Colours. Polish Jazz vol. 73 The "Polish Jazz" series is one of the national treasure of Polish culture—and I say it with full conviction. As part of it, selected,... Read More »

Citizen Cope, The Pull of Niagara Falls  Music has become so overproduced that even the most natural of things, the sound of a human voice, is often so auto tuned away from the real thing that it ends up sounding like a futuristic robotic-like facsimile of itself, and since it's digitally rendered—it sounds like a... Read More »

Headphones and the personal audio scene are a healthy and vibrant niche in our hobby, with a growth curve that has exponentially accelerated over the past decade. The selection of headphones, headphone amplifiers, and specialty cabling manufacturers is impressive, with a width and breadth of companies that is on par with any other sector in... Read More »

Anyone who's followed my love of great recordings and exceptional productions knows that I value the work of Cookie Marenco and company very highly. Cookie is a real professional who has worked in the industry for decades now, and the artists associated with Blue Coast Records are first-rank, all. Recently I downloaded the DSD256 version... Read More »

Ambient music, like all other genres, has no rules. There may be, however, at least one tenant that many ambient artists collectively follow, or at least strive for, and that's the avoidance of sounding monotonous. This sounds obvious, but painting musically wide-open earthy and outer spacey landscapes is far from simple, even when they seem... Read More »

If there was a robust market for high-end audio cables back in 1983, I wasn't aware of it, but that's when Siltech joined the fray. In 2018, they commemorated 35 years with a limited edition series. It's now 38 years! That's a long time in any business. The 35 Year Anniversary series is comprised of... Read More »

ZaZen is a Zen Buddhist practice for individuals to achieve some peace, however temporary. I am familiar enough with Zen practices to know that I have little to say that is true of it, but allow me to say that the peace does not come easily, and certainly not automatically. One of the results practitioners... Read More »

"Hello beautiful" is what I found myself thinking, as I unpacked the Xavian Ambra Esclusiva speakers from their carton. I am a fan of immaculately crafted furniture, and if any loudspeaker can claim to have cabinets that qualify as finely crafted furniture, the Ambra Esclusivas surely can. After having reviewed hundreds of speakers with cabinets... Read More »

Complete Peter Serkin. Sony 19439713872. 30 CD's. If Serkin is one of your very favorite pianists, as he is one of  mine, then this is a treasure trove for you. Thirty CDs for under $100. Includes both solo recordings and work with TASHI. Steal of the year. \ Joseph Haydn, String Quartets, Op. 76, 4-6. Chiaroscuro... Read More »

Schubert's Winterreise, one of the greatest song cycles written, is most often heard with piano and voice. The Ragazze Quartet treats us to a performance arranged for string quartet—and it works marvelously! The Ragazze and baritone Martijn Cornet give us a performance filled with nuance, emotional impact, and synergistic musicianship. Jared Sacks has outdone himself... Read More »

With Audience's frontRow powerChord. Reacquaint yourself with the art of deep listening. Review By Dr. Michael Bump With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music Dr. Michael Bump shares his thoughts on the Audience adeptResponse aR6-T4 Passive Power Conditioner and the frontRow powerChord. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief I recently came across an article... Read More »

Might this be the easiest review I have ever written? I'll cut to the chase and claim that the Record Doctor record clamp is a "no brainer" essential accessory for vinyl enthusiasts. Numerous similar products have been available for years, but I have never felt motivated to experiment with admirable performance of my Pioneer PLX1000... Read More »

Travis, Good Feeling. 120 gram, black vinyl LP: $21.99 MSRP. Available from Craft Recordings. It's been said that everyone who listened to the Velvet Underground's first album started a band. The same can almost be said for Travis' first album, Good Feeling, which was massively influential on an entire generation of UK bands, especially the likes... Read More »

A System For All Seasons It seems like a lifetime ago I reviewed the Karan Acoustics KAS 450 stereo amplifier. My conclusion was "This is an amplifier I could live with for the long haul," and was planning on adding it to my system. If not for a train wreck of an experience with a... Read More »

James Blake, Covers Standing out from the noise in popular music is no easy feat. It takes more than a strong voice to stick out from the crowd these days, with so many choices at our fingertips. From the genre blurring and warbly bass bending "Limit to Your Love," to the hauntingly ethereal landscapes of The... Read More »

For many of us, it has been a process. Maybe a long and challenging process, but one with plenty of rewards and satisfaction. Can we call it a hobby, an infatuation, or is it something in between? Regardless, over time, we have learned that passion and new discovery can be a never ending joy. You... Read More »

It's rare that one gets to experience a true tour de force, but that is what I've enjoyed the past several months with the Van Baerle Trio's traversal of Beethoven's complete works for piano trio—a marvelous journey through some of the greatest music ever written. I've long held the Beaux Arts Trio in highest regard... Read More »