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On a recent visit to Bleeker Records in NYC, I asked the Owner how LP sales were doing. "Fine, but it is CDs that are really hot". I did my best Labrador Retriever head tilt and quipped "Really?" That was the best I could come up with in the moment, as I was a really... Read More »

An importer/distributor I know has taken to calling me "the stalwart reviewer." At first we both laughed, although I wasn't sure what he meant. On reflection, I decided I should be flattered. One of the benefits of longevity is you get the long view, the evolutionary perspective, which can be especially satisfying when a brand's... Read More »

Tchaikovsky, Symphonies 1, 2, and 5. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Vasily Petrenko. Onyx 4150 (2 CD's) Vasily Petrenko found the poetry in Shostakovich—what will he find in Tchaikovsky? Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 are my favorite of the six and we seldom hear them: Winter Dreams and the Little Russian. People of my generation know... Read More »

It happened only once before that High Fidelity tested the same product twice. It was the Nagra's PL-P preamplifier, that was firstly reviewed in our issue No. 19 (November  2005), and later in issue No 50 (November 2008). If memory serves it has never happened again within the whole 12 years history of High Fidelity. The... Read More »

"That is a…a…a power cord?" It's a guilty pleasure witnessing visitors' disbelief when I show them a Stage III Concepts cable. Even seasoned audiophiles are predictably wide-eyed. The uncommon (unnatural?) girth and nonpareil build quality of the cables make other brands appear malnourished. And then there's the top-of-the-line Leviathan Power Cord, the "Sea Monster," surely... Read More »

The impact of computers as a source for high quality musical enjoyment cannot be underestimated. Computers allow listeners to store and stream massive amounts of musical data from the convenience of a laptop or other device in a manner that no other platform could before. Getting the most musical sound out of all those files... Read More »

Like most audiophiles who are into jazz, I tend to reach way back into history for my sonic fixes. I'm talking late '50s and early '60s, of course, and maybe a few Three Blind Mice titles from the mid-'70s just to mix things up. The idea of choosing a modern jazz piece as a reference,... Read More »

"I can cable an entire audiophile system for $1000" This was back in May of last year, and I was on the phone with Steven Huang of Audio Sensibility Cables, based in Toronto, Canada. I'm an old-school audio cheapskate, and had just remarked on how well one of Steve's very affordable phono cables had performed... Read More »

Apparently, I left a few readers in the lurch by closing my LampizatOr Euforia review saying I'd discovered a difference making change and that I'd follow-up the review, but was too lazy to rewrite it before posting. I've been overwhelmed at work, have 90 year old parents who suddenly need attention, a busy eleven year... Read More »

My girlfriend had surprised me with the Audioengine P4 as a birthday present. I've had them for a couple of years now, and I have to say, it's one of the best gifts I've ever received. A little about myself, I have a huge appreciation for all sorts of genres when it comes to music.... Read More »

When listening to this album, I found it difficult to do so with a strict, examining state of mind. I wanted to capture all of the technicalities and mechanical bits within each song, so that I could later articulate what those ingredients did to either help or hurt the album. I wanted to listen to... Read More »

I was introduced to various Marigo Labs wire products back in the early 1990s. Ron Hedrich, owner and chief designer, was just minutes away in the north shore suburbs of Chicago. Later, Ron moved body and and soul to the great northwest in Washougal, Washington. Ron continues to design and manufacture some of the most innovative... Read More »

Introduction to Part Two Having described the sound of the ZeroUno in the foreground in the first part of this review, I will in this second part of my report consider the technical details of the DAC. During the time I have worked with the ZeroUno, I had the opportunity to talk with Mario Canever... Read More »

Gee, what happened to the time? Yeah, that construct or concept that continually moves forward. Not only forward in the sense of progress (for some for sure, and for others… uh, 2016 people) but also in the sense of "where did it go?" I received the Mytek Manhattan ($4995) something like… last summer, and after... Read More »

One of the advantages of writing about LPs and turntables for the last 18 years is that sometimes records just show up in my mailbox without warning or reasonable explanation. I know nothing about Chicago's Milk Factory Productions, and even less about The 3.5.7 Ensemble, but my intuition tells me that the same intrepid individual... Read More »

In early February I picked up a large wooden box in the office of HiFi Statement. With the active support of Dirk Sommer, we both lifted the crate into the trunk of my car. After arriving at home and unpacking everything carefully, it stood before me:  The ZeroUno DAC, which actually looks like a small... Read More »

I had hoped that testing the Verity Sarastro IIS would be fun rather than hard work, but I would never have expected this premium speaker to also reveal some interesting things about the acoustics of my listening room. The Verity's provide listening pleasure and insight From a purely aesthetic standpoint, taking delivery of the Sarastros... Read More »

About four years ago, the Mytek 192-DSD-DAC impressed me with its sound in a way that caused me to abstain from purchasing expensive D/A converters for quite a while. This is not bad at all in times of rapid new developments. After a venture into high-end territory, these digital experts with roots in the pro... Read More »

There are times when High End audio puts me in mind of the ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus. Condemned to an eternity of boulder rolling, he slowly pushed it uphill. Then, when the pinnacle was in sight, he watched helplessly, as it rolled back down and the cycle would begin anew. The ending is foretold:... Read More »