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I've been doing this for a long time, playing with audio gear since early 1970s. But it was heading to Rochester, NY for college in 1975 where I was finally in a city with several high quality audio shops and people I could hang out with who owned nice (dare I say high-end) audio systems.... Read More »

Little in Name Only After a number of reviews of products from Indonesian company Vermouth Audio it was time to sample where it all began. The company's founder, Hendry Ramli, started the company on loudspeakers, so I was excited to finally listen to a pair. Enter the Little Luccas MkII Limited Edition (with what Hendry... Read More »

"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Andy Warhol didn't foresee the internet, but he sure nailed a defining characteristic of how we live today. You could make a case that master clocks for digital audio had their 15 minutes when they were featured on audio magazine covers—sort of like MQA digital... Read More »

Dave Stryker's Strykin' Ahead on CD and LP. (Strikezone 8815, CD $15, LP $25 www.davestryker.com) The other night, while driving home one evening between Syracuse and Rochester, I happened upon a program called Cool Jazz Countdown on the local NPR station. The format of the show was clearly modeled on Casey Kasem's original Top 40 Countdown—if Casey... Read More »

The man knows his business. Truly, the Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage is a stunning bargain, and the partnering Gold Note Mediterraneo turntable is an absolute delight. Positive Feedback Editor Dave Clark's laudatory review of the Gold Note PH-10 (HERE) and equally favorable column on the Gold Note Mediterraneo turntable (HERE) could have made life... Read More »

I am very excited about this review. I have been a big fan of the van den Hul (vdH) product line for many years. That includes cartridges, cable, electronics and accessories. A.J. van den Hul is clearly an industry icon. His company has been operating since 1980 and his legacy continues to grow and shine... Read More »

Just when you think an audiophile's life cannot get any better, along comes the most astounding mono cartridge devised by man. From the master of cartridge masters, John Grado, comes a major development. Grado has transformed the stereo version of his Epoch Cartridge into a mono wonder as part of Grado Lineage Series Cartridges. All materials... Read More »

Ever since I discovered that all USB cables were very different musically, and needed to be selected with maximum care, I have been searching for the top USB wire for my digital server. Among the USB cables that I have tried, I have been most pleased with the WyWire USB, the Kubala-Sosna Emotion USB, and... Read More »

Located between the Emotion and Elation! series of Kubala-Sosna Research cables comes the brand new Sensation Interconnects. A pricing of $5600 per meter does not exactly fall halfway between their $3000 and $6000 per meter cost, respectively, but musically the Sensations eclipse the best of the best I have heard to date. And, as a... Read More »

The Ghosts in the Machine "Remember when we used to talk about hearing the inner voices?" Lynn whispered. "How listening to the system was like looking at the score?" I knew what she was talking about. "That was a long time ago." LN: "Well, those inner voices are back…and with dimension." We were spinning Capriccio... Read More »

Denny Zeitlin & George Marsh's Expedition. (Sunnyside Communication SSC1487, CD $12.98, http://sunnysidezone.com/album/expedition) The first time I listened to Expedition from pianist Denny Zeitlin and percussionist George Marsh, I didn't think of it as a collection of improvisations between two longtime collaborators. I imagined a more traditional jazz ensemble, one with a traditional rhythm section, even though... Read More »

Lyn Stanley's The Moonlight Sessions, Vol. 2 (A.T. Music LLC 3106, 2-LP set $125, CD/SACD $29.98, http://www.lynstanley.com) "Other than that, I think her voice is incredibly sexy and inviting. It's much closer to London than too-cool-for-school Krall and for that reason I'll be more than happy to bring this to all future trade shows. Unless, of... Read More »

Plug-In Speaker Bullets (Crystal Series) The very cool looking Bybee Bullets, handmade to perfection of aluminum, gold, and other special metals, are Jack Bybee's best efforts and thinking in decades. Easy to install by just attaching the wire spade to the bullet, the integrated banana plug then fits securely into the speaker post. Jack Bybee... Read More »

Triode Wire Labs' Cables Come to the Tune Saloon! All right, you caught me. Triode Wire Labs is already a Star. Their products have been favorably reviewed by numerous respected audio publications, including several appearing in the cyber-pages of Positive Feedback. I never expected to write about them too, but it seemed that every time I attended an... Read More »

Grandissimi Gravita. Violin Sonatas by Vivaldi, Tartini, Veracini, Pisendel. Rachel Podger, violin; Brecon Baroque. Channel Classics SACD. CCSSA 39217. Snow showers!  On November 13. In Western Massachusetts! And unexpectedly this album of baroque violin sonatas sounds warm and comforting that last week seemed a bit indifferent. I've learned not to underestimate the role meteorological (and... Read More »

German loudspeaker manufacturer Audio Physic celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015.  In the world of high-end audio, 30 years is quite an achievement. Equally laudable, Audio Physic's initial loudspeaker, the Tempo, has been in continuous production since 1986, albeit in numerous evolutionary incarnations. The latest version of the Tempo, the Tempo plus, embodies everything that Audio... Read More »

I do not know if you remember our interview with Daniel Břeizina, the editor-in-chief of the Czech portal HiFi-Voice.com, published in the previous High Fidelity edition (No. 159, read HERE). Just in case, let me remind you that when he was asked for advice for a beginner music lover and audiophile, he said that it... Read More »

For many years, Per Madsen in San Francisco made elegantly designed modular record racks which were prized by record collectors and audiophiles. With oak LP modules as well as modules for CDs and cassettes, many thousands of his Rackit modules were sold over the years. But then, in 2008, Mr. Madsen decided to retire and... Read More »

Angela Gheorghiu, soprano; *Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi/Anton Coppola; +Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Antonio Pappano. EMI Classics 50999 9 65938 2 0. TT: 73.35 Madama Butterfly: Un bel dì vedremo; Tu, tu, piccolo Iddio (with Roberto Alagna, tenor). Edgar: Addio, mio dolce amor*; Nel... Read More »