November - December 2015 Archives - Positive Feedback

The Goldman Record Cleaning System

Editors at Positive Feedback — Mon, 08 May 2017 20:09:08 +0000

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 »

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Interview with Michael Lang, Editor of Stereo Magazine

Wojciech Pacuła — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:34:49 +0000

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 »

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Fidelizer Pro 6.12: Optimizing Your PC's Core Audio Processes for Improved Playback Fidelity

Tom Gibbs — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 03:03:42 +0000

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 »

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JansZen zA1.1 Loudspeaker

John Acton — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 23:35:10 +0000

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 »

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Our Brutus Awards for 2015 - New Additions

Dave Clark — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 02:50:22 +0000

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 »

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Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cable

Victor Chavira — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 00:20:19 +0000

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 »

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Sablon Audio Cable Loom

Bill Malcolm — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 00:02:59 +0000

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 »

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Mojo Audio – A Glimpse of the PCM Promised Land

Mark Pearson — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 23:41:06 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: Robinson's Brutus Awards for 2015, Part 3

David W. Robinson — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 02:33:12 +0000

[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 »

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Notes of an Amateur: Brentanos Play Schubert ‘Live.’ Peter Boyer. Wolpe, Sessions. Joan Tower.

Bob Neill — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 00:17:16 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: Robinson’s Brutus Awards for 2015, Part 2

David W. Robinson — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 10:03:32 +0000

[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 »

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Audio Ramblings - The Auralic Aries and SBooster Linear Power Supply

Dave Clark — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 01:33:40 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: Robinson’s Brutus Awards for 2015, Part 1

David W. Robinson — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 01:36:25 +0000

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 »

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The SST Thoebe II and Son of Ampzilla

Dan Schwartz — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 05:42:02 +0000

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 »

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RMAF 2015 - Part 4

Carol Clark — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 02:59:58 +0000

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...

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RMAF 2015 - Part 3

Carol Clark — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 02:51:48 +0000

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 »

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Bass for Miles Part I

Occupy HiFi — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 21:59:24 +0000

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.

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Pass Laboratories XP-25 Phono Preamplifier

Robert S. Youman — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:54:59 +0000

Pass Labs is on a roll. The new Xs lineup that includes the Xs Preamplifier ($38,000) and Xs-300 Monoblock Amplifiers ($85,000) has been receiving rave reviews worldwide. Definitely considered state of the art contenders by even the most discerning critics. Bottom line, my short time with them in my system was a revelation. Now we... Read More »

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The Audio Circular No. 17: Learning (the) Vinyl Rules, Phase Three... Lyra Delos MC Phono Cartridge

Gary L Beard — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:40:39 +0000

Phase Three: The Search is Over! This is final installment of my three-part series on upgrading my turntable. I've made low budget isolation tweaks, added fabulous accessories, and modified the tonearm wiring and the counterweight. The last piece of the musical puzzle was adding a new phono cartridge. While I let the cartridge choice out of the bag... Read More »

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Impressions: In which Dr. David invites Synergistic Research to visit, and gets GOB SMACKED!

David W. Robinson — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 16:53:11 +0000

I like surprises. I especially like them when they bushwhack me. You know…when I'm not looking and all. This doesn't happen in audioville very often. Usually there's a reasonable expectation of the quality of what I'm going to hear when products come in for review. Most of my review projects are by invitation; I generally... Read More »

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New York Audio Show 2015

Ken Micallef — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 23:41:43 +0000

Westchester, New York, November 6, 7 & 8 Roaming the sparsely populated halls of the Rye Brook Westchester Hilton during opening day of "New York Audio Show 15," the event looked to be a bust. Instead of the usual throng of audiophile fiends blocking access to popular rooms, one could stroll the show's two floors,... Read More »

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Lampizator Golden Gate DAC

Bill Malcolm — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:38:05 +0000

Now, more than ever, the audiophile world is awash with digital to analogue converters. Not a day seems to pass by without entry to the market of yet another shiny box sporting the latest chipset and the ability to decipher the Enigma code. Sarcasm notwithstanding, the audiophile kingdom has a plethora of choice at its... Read More »

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At the Kipnis Studios (KSS)™: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Listening Room.

Jeremy Kipnis — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 08:12:39 +0000

Audiophiles are often use to trying many different methods and ways of thinking to improve the sound of their playback systems. One can find countless varieties of tweaks, accessories, and approaches to produce even small changes in the audibility of our favorite music and sound recordings. But one of the least understood of these is... Read More »

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Angel City Audio Seraphim Loudspeaker

Pete Davey — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 23:25:21 +0000

A few times a year there comes a revolutionary product from a vendor. Sometimes it's a well known vendor with the usual high-dollar offerings. With those, it's usually an automatic—"well, they have the money since their products are not cheap" so the logic is maybe they didn't skimp on R&D? But when the underdogs come... Read More »

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Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB Turntable

Ed Kobesky — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 07:14:57 +0000

The only thing "entry level" about Audio-Technica's new AT-LP1240-USB is the price. MSRP is $530, and the street price is closer to $450. It's easily competitive with any source I can think of for that money—analog or digital—and it runs rings around some of them. Sorry if that's vague, but I wanted to let you know upfront that this... Read More »

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