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This article, by Bruce Kinch, originally ran when Positive Feedback was in print - Vol. 6, No. 5, 1997. An Introduction The name at the head of this article is probably unfamiliar, as this is my first contribution to Positive Feedback, so perhaps I should include a few words about myself. I started patching together audio... Read More »

The Editors Series Numbers show how much the world of hobbyist magazines has changed. In a book entitled EISA. Looking Back, Moving Forward published in 2007, which was to add splendor to the 25th anniversary of the EISA reward, we read that the German Stereo magazine had an impressive circulation of 70,000 at that time... Read More »

Back in the early days of digital-to-analog conversion, I bought one of the first commercially available (for consumers) DACs, a Threshold. I felt the results it yielded were pretty impressive, lifting CD playback to a much more enjoyable and listenable level. My predominantly analog system at that time included electronics by Classe, Magneplanar speakers, dual... Read More »

Few audio companies can lay claim to as rich and storied a legacy as that possessed by JansZen Loudspeaker Ltd. Arthur A. Janszen is credited with the invention of the first practical electrostatic loudspeaker, and in 1954, was awarded a patent for his design. Over the course of the next three decades, Janszen developed numerous... Read More »

So yeah… been a crazy year. Not as much reviewed as we had hoped for, but yes… a few items did pass through our doorway and into our system getting us all warm and fuzzy. For Carol and I, well, we like things we review to be not too pricey… more about reasonable and not... Read More »

Analysis Plus was established in 1993 with a unique perspective in the cable market. Proprietary computer modeling had shown that hollow oval shaped conductors performed better than any other form or geometry. Think of the shape of a new pair of socks in their flat packaging and you'll understand hollow ovals. Currently, Analysis Plus makes... Read More »

Audio cables seem to induce more fractious behaviour among audiophiles than virtually any other component of the hifi chain. The two camps comprise the hardcore objectivist, who demands rigorous scientific evidence and the subjectivist who is merely happy to report what they hear. I don't wish to dwell on this age-old debate; instead I wish... Read More »

So there I was checking my email, and I saw that I had a message from Dave Clark asking if I was interested in reviewing some Mojo Audio gear. As I read down the email, I could see that Benjamin Zwickel has personally asked for me to review his digital gear. The first thought that... Read More »

[Here's the final installment of my Brutus Awards for 2015. It covers software, music, and our special PF Lifetime Achievement Award (posthumous) for my dear friend, Bobby Palkovic. This has been a ton of writing to complete the Brutus Awards this year; I hope that you find them to be helpful as you continue in your own... Read More »

Schubert Quintet LIve!  A Live Recording of the Schubert's cello quintet by the Brentano Quartet with Michael Kammen. Azica Records. ACD 17304.  Whenever I forget what suavity is, I listen to the Brentano Quartet to remind myself. The Brentanos employ suavity to evoke the 'classic' quality of Mozart, Beethoven, and here, Schubert. They are not... Read More »

[Here's the second part of my Brutus Awards for 2015. Part three will appear within the next day or so.] Cables TARA Labs Zero Evolution interconnects and Omega Evolution speaker cables and AC power cables The TARA Labs Omega Evolution speaker cable, in tandem with the Audionet MAX monoblock amplifier. (Photograph by David W. Robinson)... Read More »

The saga, or journey, continues with my Auralic Aries adventures. In my last Ramblings (HERE) I shared my experiences with upping the Aires' performance quite a bit via the Certon C4 Integrita NAS, the HDPLEX linear power supply for the Neatgear switch and WiFi units, various tweeks and gadgets (for example the RLI-1 LAN Isolator... Read More »

Gather around, audiosports fans! It's that time of year again…Positive Feedback's Brutus Awards season. At the end of each year, my unindicted co-conspirator Dave Clark and I give our Positive Feedback awards. These are our annual "best stuff we heard this year" plaudits. No padding, crap, junk food, or meaningless drivel here: Just the righteous... Read More »

Spatial sound has developed mainly thanks to the cinema. The first stereophonic system was Fantasound, created by Walt Disney's engineers to be used in Fantasia—an animated film from the year 1940. At that time, the term "stereophonic" was not synonymous with "two-channel"—sound was recorded on three tracks, based on research carried out by Graham Bell... Read More »

I didn't expect Geoff Merrigan, Tellurium Q's CEO, to offer a new flagship model so quickly after the release of the Ultra Silver. It was/is an excellent cable and it came from a company that has quite a stable portfolio, that does not have to use any and every novelty that comes to the market.... Read More »

These are interesting pieces to have to write about in my first for Positive Feedback. When I picked them up, Dave, who hadn't heard them, said something like, "You may not like them and if so, then just don't write about them."  But I didn't think that; I wasn't expecting miracles, but I nearly got... Read More »

People. What makes shows such fun. Couldn't, didn't get enough, but here are few of our many friends that make attending shows such a great time...

Astell & Kern. GamuT, Audio Skies, Pear Audio Blue, Lucky Dog Audio.    GTT Audio, Audionet, Kronos, Kubala Sosna, YG Acoustics. Kii Audio, Audionet, GTT Audio. PranaFidelity, Kuzma, Luxman, Kubala Sosna, Kouldb Tape. Kuzma Stabi-Reference 2 turntable, Technics RS 1500 reel to reel, Luxman D-06u SACD/CD player, PranaFidelity purna/ma amplifier $8950, PranaFidelity purna/ca preamplifier, PranaFidelity Vayu/fs... Read More »

Miles Stratton is a dedicated PC Gamer. He's also the son of Russ Stratton, (VP of Audio/Video Systems at the Los Angeles & Orange County Audio Society) and a dear friend of mine. Russ is also a diehard audiophile and fellow music addict.