January - February 2020 Archives - Positive Feedback

The Zesto Audio Leto Ultra Preamplifier: Premiere!

Robert H. Levi — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 22:33:06 +0000

I am an imaging junkie. Musical images, properly recorded, must have realistic tonality, unwavering stability, a rounded aspect, and—whether vocal or instrumental—must be room-present. Dr. John Coolege, a writer for TAS once exclaimed, "The music has blood in it." Zesto Audio's new Leto Ultra preamplifier is bloody wonderful, and USA made! George Counnas, the award-winning... Read More »

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PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier

John Hoffman — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 19:20:58 +0000

The savvy audiophile is keenly aware of the weakest link of the chain theory when it comes to our hobby. The arena of vinyl playback is one place where this event is illuminated with the brightest of lights. Vinyl hobbyists will debate cartridge types, turntable drive formats, and the methodology for cleaning vinyl, however all... Read More »

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Qobuz and the Hard Drive

Marshall Nack — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 18:09:33 +0000

It's not news that streaming has gobbled up 75% of the USA consumer music market, as reported recently by the RIAA, simply how fast it happened. This is the most exciting development in the High-End right now. The urge to jump quickly to the new thing is very tempting. My prudent advice for anyone considering... Read More »

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Hemiolia Records Master Tapes

Danny Kaey — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 18:44:29 +0000

"Hey Danny, are you familiar with Hemiolia Records?" asked Kerry St. James, YG's formidably friendly European sales director late last year. "No," I replied. "Well, you should and I'll put you in touch with them, I know you love tape and they have some really cool stuff out that I think you'll dig." Fast forward... Read More »

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Grado Labs Lineage Series: The Flagship Grado Epoch3 Phono Cartridge

Robert H. Levi — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 00:00:38 +0000

We live in exciting times for phono reproduction, a new golden age for LPs from manufacture to playback. The key lesson learned since the production of full-range stereo LP recordings in 1958, some taped in stereo as early as 1954 and released in 1958, is this: the weakest part of the chain is playback in... Read More »

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Pushing the Envelope: The AudioQuest Dragon Power Cable and Dragon ZERO Loudspeaker Cables

Robert H. Levi — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 20:45:26 +0000

AudioQuest's founder, William Low, and Senior Director of Engineering, Garth Powell, have once again co-developed the next generation of AudioQuest audiophile cost-is-no-object power cables and speaker cables. Interconnects are in development and will be available this fall. They are designed to be the best in the world of connectivity—full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes! I... Read More »

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KEF R3 Bookshelf Loudspeakers Do Small Big

Michael Corsentino — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 19:37:55 +0000

"Let's get small, real small!" - Steve Martin, 1977. KEF's new R3 stand mount speakers, the smallest of their recently introduced, redesigned mid-priced R series are a case study in good things coming in small packages. The new R series is comprised of the R11, 7, and 5 floor standers, R3 bookshelf, R2c center, and... Read More »

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The Florida Audio Expo, Part 4

Tom Gibbs — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 18:31:36 +0000

Here's the last installment of my show coverage for the Florida Audio Expo. You can see Part 1 HERE, Part 2 HERE, and Part 3 HERE. An absolute semi-truckload of VAC, Esoteric, and Kronos equipment was on display in this monstrous room! The room was filled with people, who where absolutely digging the sound coming... Read More »

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The Florida Audio Expo, Part 3

Tom Gibbs — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 19:10:49 +0000

Here's the current installment of my ongoing show coverage for the Florida Audio Expo. You can see Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE. Jerry Stoeckigt elaborates on the Eikon Audio Image 1 System specifics. Eikon Audio/Aurrender The $25K Eikon Image 1 System is the brainchild of Gayle Sanders of Martin Logan fame. In no... Read More »

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Pro-Ject X2 Vinyl LP Turntable

Editors at Positive Feedback — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 19:06:37 +0000

Easy to set up and very easy to use. You will not be disappointed. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music. Tom Lyle shares his thoughts about Pro-Ject X2 Vinyl LP Turntable. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief As the technology advances, it's only natural for any decent audio... Read More »

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The Florida Audio Expo, Part 2

Tom Gibbs — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 18:15:59 +0000

I didn't attend the 2019 Florida Audio Expo, but was told many times over that there were nearly double the number of rooms this year over 2019. There were 65 manufacturer and dealer rooms displaying this year, along with one hallway display. And show organizer Sue Toscano corrected the overgenerous estimates I'd been given from... Read More »

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The Florida Audio Expo, Part 1

Tom Gibbs — Sun, 09 Feb 2020 18:26:29 +0000

The Florida Audio Expo is currently underway, February 7-9, 2020, at the Embassy Suites Hotel located near the airport in Tampa, Florida. Though the show didn't actually start until Friday morning, there was a meet and greet in the main lobby that took place on Thursday evening, February 6. My wife Beth and I arrived... Read More »

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64 Audio Tia Fourte & U18t In-Ear Monitors

Smit Patel — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 21:59:43 +0000

With just a decade of experience, 64 Audio have quickly grown to become a tour de force in the world of portable audio. Part of their ascension has stemmed from their firm desire to challenge traditional audio standards with innovations and ground-breaking technologies. The pinnacle of their knowledge has culminated in the Tubeless In-Ear Audio... Read More »

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SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer Follow-up

John Zurek — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 20:00:31 +0000

Back in July 2019, after completing the original review of the SVS SB-3000 subwoofer (HERE), I took the subs out of my system. It took just minutes to determine there was no way I was going to send them back to the SVS folks in Ohio. They transformed my system into something special, and I... Read More »

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Cardas RCA/XLR Caps

Marshall Nack — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 18:30:57 +0000

I do endless cable comparisons. Along the way, I learned it was not a good idea to leave unused cables dangling from the preamp. We all know the cable then acts like an antennae to attract air-borne electrical gremlins. So I developed a routine: before sitting down for serious note taking (although not always for... Read More »

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The New Apartment Lounge - The Audience AdeptResponse aR12-T4 Power Conditioner and frontRow powerChord

Maurice Jeffries — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 18:56:15 +0000

Removing the Wool A few months back, I received an out-of-the-blue text message from an old friend whom I've known for over 40 years. My friend messaged to express his dismay over what he saw as a serious lapse in judgement by his older brother, a life-long audiophile, accomplished amateur violinist, and highly successful business... Read More »

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MoFi's Monumental Monk

Claude Lemaire — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 23:08:24 +0000

The Thelonious Monk Quartet, Monk's Dream. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-011, Columbia 19075930421, Limited Edition, SuperVinyl, Box Set (2019, Sept.), # P001 of 6000. Originally released on Columbia – CS 8765 (1963, March). Ratings Global Appreciation: 9.9 Music: A+ (10) Recording: 9.6 Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 10 Pressing: 9.8 Packaging: Deluxe Category: jazz, mostly cool with... Read More »

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Moon Audio Silver Dragon Headphone Cable

Sam Rosen — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 18:36:00 +0000

Do cables make a difference? That is a question I get asked quite often, and it is a question that Audiophiles have debated since the beginning of time. I am not going to directly answer that question in this review because it does not matter to me. The way my headphone system is set up,... Read More »

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Cables, Footers, and Fuses

Bruce Kinch — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 19:53:18 +0000

So this is the time of year for returning unwanted gifts, breaking resolutions, and picking up a few Steel Band CDs in the Caribbean. It's also a time to reflect on past accomplishments and give credit where credit is due. I'm a very part-time reviewer here, and didn't offer up any PF Writers Choice awards... Read More »

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Furutech DeMagα LP Demagnetizer

Greg Weaver — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:29:54 +0000

What the Hell is That It's no secret that I like to tweak. In fact, I made a name for myself and built a huge following in my early writing career writing about such minutiae. My third paid audio writing gig (after folding the audio analyst© that I had founded in 1988), saw me at... Read More »

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RSX Technologies Beyond Power Cord

Robert H. Levi — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:53:45 +0000

New company, new product alert! Roger Skoff is back in the game, with a new company and new products. At 9AWG, the spellbinding Beyond Power Cord is the top of the RSX Technologies range, designed by the renowned Roger Skoff of XLO fame. Pricey, but a strong performer, it fits quite nicely in the audiophile... Read More »

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Gold Note DS-10 DAC/Preamp/Streamer

Gary Lea — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 18:05:07 +0000

Digital Streaming is a relatively new sound source for me. Call me old fashioned, curmudgeonly, resistant or even a snob, but I have been seriously engrossed in vinyl and transferring a bunch of it to reel to reel for over a year, so my streaming endeavors have been at a minimum comparatively speaking. I certainly... Read More »

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Impressions: My Brutus Awards for 2019, Part the Fourth and Final

David W. Robinson — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:30:46 +0000

Port and a Cigar at Night on a Deck. Happy Valley, OR, 2019 And now, on to the final chapter of my Positive Feedback Brutus Awards for 2019. Clarus Concerto AC Power Conditioner and Clarus Aqua High Current Power Cable A relative latecomer for 2019 Brutus Award consideration was the combination of the Clarus Concerto and... Read More »

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In Search of a Perfect Song, The Astell & Kern Edition

Carol Clark — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 17:37:06 +0000

By now, readers of this series have realized that it's a means for me to discuss songs I really like. In previous articles, these are songs that send a shiver down my spine, and I have outlined many times what I mean by that. I've also discussed the fact that these songs aren't "favorite" songs,... Read More »

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Meze Audio Rai Penta In-Ear Monitors

Smit Patel — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 19:59:50 +0000

Following the success of the impeccably designed and tonally agreeable Meze Empyrean headphones, the Meze Audio Rai Penta IEMs were established with the same decisive vision of a marriage of comfort, aesthetics, and sound. Culminating from three years of research and development, the Rai Pentas—as their name suggests—packs five drivers in a seamlessly hybrid topology.... Read More »

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