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The Persistence of Myth If you've followed this hobby long enough, you've no doubt heard the oft-repeated barb that "all audio cables sound the same." In my estimation there is no more misleading or unsubstantiated audio shibboleth, one embraced widely by legions of the "all components sound the same brigade," than this misguided trope. Sadly,... Read More »

Though more and more phono stages contain moving coil facilities, many do not. From McIntosh to Sony, preamps are available with only moving magnet amplification. Most preamps that have MC on board, have only one input. If you own two tables with MC cartridges on board, you have to plug and unplug to enjoy the... Read More »

I've had the honor of having experienced the PureAudioProject "Trio" system for a while now, and it is one of the most eye-opening experiences I have in a long time. I have reviewed lots of speaker systems as well as other ancillary systems, but none of them have captured the essence of the music like... Read More »

This time we got for a review the anti-vibration feet of the German company Finite Elemente, Ceraball and Cerabase Classic models. This brand is one of the precursors among specialized firms fighting against unwanted vibrations, which with these products returns to the market after a few years absence. We published an interview with the current... Read More »

Youth Fountain (formerly Bedroom Talk) is a 2-piece emotional pop-punk outfit from Vancouver. After a long time, the band has finally released their first full-length. And I'll be the first to say, it may have not been worth the wait. Letters to Our Former Selves is a collection of 12 songs, comprised of five new... Read More »

At my old place, I had a plethora of audio-related problems, not the least of which was with AC power. An early 80s house, it was reasonably well built, but almost everything in the home was contractor grade, and not everything employed the best construction practices. I first noticed I had an issue when my... Read More »

Just when you would figure John Grado would take some time off with his vivacious wife and spend time at their pied-à-terre in Paris, (if they have one, they should go there!), Grado's new and improved creations keep rolling in. With the improvements wrought by balanced armatures to IEM's and a few other engineering tweaks, the improved... Read More »

Sometimes I have no idea how I find music. It's a weird combination of factors that go into the discovery of new music. Sometimes I just have to be in the right place at the right time, in the right mindset. 花冷え。(Hanabie) is no exception to this case. The way I discovered this band, which... Read More »

It Even Makes Julienne Fries It was a golden age for Television, or perhaps commercials in the 1960s. The Ronco Veg-O-Matic hit the market, promising  to ease the life homemakers everywhere. This food slicer did it all; its catch-phrase, "It slices! It dices! It even makes julienne fries!" became the go-to reference for multi-function devices... Read More »

The Kuzma 4Point tonearm continues receiving praise from audiophiles for its precision construction, ease of adjustment, and contributions to achieving quality sound from vinyl records. Largely unmodified since its introduction in 2008, Franc Kuzma recently upgraded the bearings in his 4Point arms to achieve an even higher level of performance. Now, all 11-inch and 14-inch... Read More »

The leitmotif of all turntables from the Slovenian company Kuzma is "less is better." Have a look at its iconic, "tubular" Stabi S turntable, to understand what it means—it's just two brass tubes with a platter and an outboard motor. Also tonearms designed by this brand, no less famous than turntables, look like a study... Read More »

Analog Record Collection, Universal Music LLC  Stereo Sound SSAR-028~029 There are some albums that for some reason stay in use in the industry "permanently." We can hear them at many shows, we find in our friends' collections—well, usually even we have at least one version of such titles on our shelf. They are almost always... Read More »

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-008, Motown B0026761-01, Limited Edition, SuperVinyl, Box Set (2019, Jan.), # 6140 of 7500 Originally released on Tamla – TS-310 (1971, May) Category: soul, jazz and spiritual undertones Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm) Rating Global Appreciation: 9.9 Music: A+ (10) Recording: 9.5 Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.9... Read More »

Every day I play the ML1 is an adventure. It has its glitches, but is musical and quiet. At the price, it is miraculous indeed. (You can read Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE.) Currently, I use the latest version of this unique magnetically powered and suspended turntable: the ML1. This version, with tweaked firmware,... Read More »

Not long ago, I was chatting with George—not George Cardas, but with George Counnas, genius creator of Zesto Audio's celebrated electronics. I asked him if he had read my review of the Cardas Clear Beyond XL power cords. I predict a synergy between the two, like the BIA 120 and the XL and more. To my surprise,... Read More »

Tubes or Solid State? That question alone divides us audiophiles—at its most basic level it's telling a story about your preferences, as there is no doubt about the pros and cons of both technologies. I will say that solid state (Class D, especially) has come a long way, but there really is nothing more captivating... Read More »

"From my cold, dead hands!" - Charlton Heston, describing the only way anyone would be able  to take away his guns. I'll state right up front that after a month in my reference system that's exactly how I feel about the Zesto Andros Allasso step up transformer. In fact I was completely smitten with this little... Read More »

FAURÉ Orchestral works. Seattle Symphony/Ludovic Morlot. Seattle Symphony Media SSM1004.  TT: 70.29. Masques et bergamasques. Fantaisie for Flute (orch. Talmi; with Demarre McGill, flute). Pelléas et Mélisande: Suite. Berceuse for Violin and Orchestra (with Alexander Velinzon, violin). Élégie for Cello and Orchestra (with Efe Baltacigil, cello). Dolly (orch. Rabaud). Pavane (with Seattle Symphony Chorus). Full disclosure: I haven't... Read More »

I am staring out my window this afternoon, watching the snow fall and lay a blanket of shimmering white across my lawn, and touching every corner of our residential cul-de-sac. I sit here, marveling about how quiet my little corner of the city has become. You hear no cars, the neighbors are tucked in their... Read More »