November - December 2017 Archives - Positive Feedback

Ars-Sonum Filarmonia SK Integrated Amplifier

John Marks — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 23:09:00 +0000

John Marks essays the Ars-Sonum Filarmonia integrated in this article. In doing so, he's revisiting...he had given a very favorable evaluation of an earlier iteration of the Filarmonia some ten years ago, while writing for Stereophile. An offer to Positive Feedback by long-time audio friend Rich Brkich of Signature Sound provided John with the opportunity to hear... Read More »

The post Ars-Sonum Filarmonia SK Integrated Amplifier appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Redcloud - PS Audio's New DirectStream Operating System

Gary L Beard — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 20:52:25 +0000

Named for Redcloud, a 14,035' high peak in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, PS Audio's latest firmware update for the DirectStream Digital to Analog Converters, was officially released December 8th, 2017. Redcloud is PS Audio engineer Ted Smith's next evolutionary step in code development for the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) used in the DirectStream series... Read More »

The post Redcloud - PS Audio's New DirectStream Operating System appeared first on Positive Feedback.

A Look Back at Bill Conrad and Lew Johnson's 40 Years in High-End Audio, Part 2: "It Just Sounds Right"

Myles B. Astor — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 18:19:59 +0000

Lew Johnson (left) and Bill Conrad (right) with the ACT2 preamplifer at a CES many years ago! This is the story of Bill Conrad and Lew Johnson of conrad-johnson. The always introspective Bill and the ever-affable Lew. Two audiophiles who in their personal quest for audio nirvana came together and successfully parlayed their unbridled passion... Read More »

The post A Look Back at Bill Conrad and Lew Johnson's 40 Years in High-End Audio, Part 2: "It Just Sounds Right" appeared first on Positive Feedback.

conrad-johnson 40th Anniversary ART300 Monoblock Tube Amplifiers, Part 1: Forty Years and Still Going Strong

Myles B. Astor — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 18:03:28 +0000

When conrad-johnson releases a statement product, everybody listens. Particularly when the new 40th anniversary ART300 amplifiers are the team of Bill Conrad, Jeff Fischel and Lew Johnson's first crack at an amplifier design incorporating the newly designed Tungsol KT-150 output tubes. Make no mistake. The new 40th Anniversary ART300 monoblock amplifiers aren't the conrad-johnson Premier... Read More »

The post conrad-johnson 40th Anniversary ART300 Monoblock Tube Amplifiers, Part 1: Forty Years and Still Going Strong appeared first on Positive Feedback.

YG Acoustics Sonja Series 2 Loudspeaker Launch

Marshall Nack — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 00:32:19 +0000

Last weekend Lynn and I attended the launch of the YG Acoustics Sonja Series 2 Loudspeaker. The event followed the format of recent product unveilings hosted by GTT Audio in New Jersey. Each press attendee was invited to a personal listening session with Bill Parish and Dick Diamond, the YG Director of Sales & Marketing,... Read More »

The post YG Acoustics Sonja Series 2 Loudspeaker Launch appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Zesto Audio Andros Allasso Step Up Transformer

Robert H. Levi — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 22:41:11 +0000

The Zesto Audio Andros Allasso Step Up Transformer Once upon a time, full-featured preamplifiers like the ARC SP-3 ruled the audio scene and contained a phono stage. Phono cartridges were high output MM or MI, and so the preamps of the day had only about 40 dBs of gain, max. Then along came the low output... Read More »

The post Zesto Audio Andros Allasso Step Up Transformer appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Pear Audio Blue - Little John/Cornet 1 Turntable/Tonearm, Part 1…

David Williamson — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 01:16:35 +0000

Where does the line between a project and a hobby lie? When does a review transition from an assignment to an obsession? Pear Audio Blue Little John Turntable in Red (image courtesy of Pear Audio Blue) Have you ever had a piece of audio equipment you just didn't want to leave alone? The kind of... Read More »

The post Pear Audio Blue - Little John/Cornet 1 Turntable/Tonearm, Part 1… appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Vermouth Audio Little Luccas MkII Limited Edition Loudspeakers

Al Chieng — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 19:43:35 +0000

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 »

The post Vermouth Audio Little Luccas MkII Limited Edition Loudspeakers appeared first on Positive Feedback.

The Year 2017 - What the Heck Happened?

Dave Clark — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 23:52:16 +0000

Alright, so as 2017 winds down I am left with a feeling of, "Where did it all go?" Not just as in all things audio, but also as in well… yeah, that went quicker than I thought—but then most years do as one gets older; time is fleeting. What the heck happened? Along with that,... Read More »

The post The Year 2017 - What the Heck Happened? appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Audio Ramblings - The SOtM SMS-200ultra, tx-USBultra, and sPS-500... a Magical Trio.

Dave Clark — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:35:55 +0000

SOtM, a Korean company, had caught my attention at a number of shows with their way cool looking and affordably priced products that allow one to get their files from A to B. SOtM offers three lines of products: the Ultimate, the Advanced I, the Advanced II, along with a good number of accessories. You... Read More »

The post Audio Ramblings - The SOtM SMS-200ultra, tx-USBultra, and sPS-500... a Magical Trio. appeared first on Positive Feedback.

The Time Reference Arrives: CH Precision T1 Time Reference Digital Clock

Marshall Nack — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 00:24:29 +0000

"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 »

The post The Time Reference Arrives: CH Precision T1 Time Reference Digital Clock appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 5

Claude Lemaire — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 17:58:51 +0000

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations. 41. Frank Sinatra, Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! Capitol Records – SW 1491 (1961), MoFi ‎– MFSL 1-407 (2012), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band swing, vocal jazz, traditional pop standards. As previously mentioned in the very first installment of this series, Frank Sinatra along with Nat King Cole remain... Read More »

The post Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 5 appeared first on Positive Feedback.

The New Apartment Lounge: Sutherland Engineering's Knock-out KC VIBE Phono Preamp

Maurice Jeffries — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 23:25:47 +0000

The Apartment Life For those curious about the name I've chosen for my new Positive Feedback column, the New Apartment Lounge, here's the story. Last spring, I moved into a new apartment, a bigger space than my former digs, but still on the small side. Shortly thereafter, I found a CD I had not listened... Read More »

The post The New Apartment Lounge: Sutherland Engineering's Knock-out KC VIBE Phono Preamp appeared first on Positive Feedback.

The Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage and Mediterraneo Turntable

Dean Seislove — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 17:06:33 +0000

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 »

The post The Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage and Mediterraneo Turntable appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Impressions: Robinson's Brutus Awards for 2017, Part the First

David W. Robinson — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:02:04 +0000

So soon! Another year, another time to announce my Brutus Awards for 2017. Every year seems to go by faster, and this year was no exception. As longtime readers know, I instituted the Positive Feedback Brutus Awards way back in the mists of time…yonder in 2003. And every year, for the new readers who have... Read More »

The post Impressions: Robinson's Brutus Awards for 2017, Part the First appeared first on Positive Feedback.

van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius Moving Coil Cartridge

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 02:52:44 +0000

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 »

The post van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius Moving Coil Cartridge appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Audio Ramblings - The Gold Note Mediterraneo Turntable, B 5.1 Arm, and Donatello MC Cartridge

Dave Clark — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 21:03:24 +0000

In my last Ramblings I wrote about the Gold Note PH-10 phonostage and in summary, loved what it did with our vinyl (reveiwed HERE) … in this Ramblings let me ramble a bit about the Mediterraneo turntable ($6973 with bundled B 5.1 arm) and the supplied Donatello MC cartridge ($1030). For the Mediterraneo turntable, from the Gold... Read More »

The post Audio Ramblings - The Gold Note Mediterraneo Turntable, B 5.1 Arm, and Donatello MC Cartridge appeared first on Positive Feedback.

The 14th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2017

Editors at Positive Feedback — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 18:38:51 +0000

Beginning at the end of 2003, PF established its first annual awards for fine audio. The Brutus Award was established for the best that David Robinson and Dave Clark had heard in their own listening rooms during that year. You can think of it as our equivalent of an "Editors' Choice" award. The Gizmo Award, on the... Read More »

The post The 14th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2017 appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Frederica von Stade: Canteloube, Songs of the Auvergne, Album 1

John Marks — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 18:29:08 +0000

Good friend John Marks of The Tannhauser Gate once again sallies forth to introduce us to another musical worthy: In this case, the ravishing operatic singer, Frederica von Stade. Her vocal mastery is a wonder to hear, as you'll experience in John's three sample tracks below. I have been aware of Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne for... Read More »

The post Frederica von Stade: Canteloube, Songs of the Auvergne, Album 1 appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Premier Review of the Grado Epoch Mono Cartridge

Robert H. Levi — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 17:51:40 +0000

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 »

The post Premier Review of the Grado Epoch Mono Cartridge appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Unique Innovation Technology Perfect Music Purifier USB Digital Cable

Robert H. Levi — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 17:00:46 +0000

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 »

The post Unique Innovation Technology Perfect Music Purifier USB Digital Cable appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Premier Review of the Kubala-Sosna Sensation Interconnects

Robert H. Levi — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 06:14:36 +0000

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 post Premier Review of the Kubala-Sosna Sensation Interconnects appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Brief Impressions: GTT Audio, Audionet, YG Acoustics, KRONOS, and Kubala-Sosna, a Return to the Mountaintop!

David W. Robinson — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 23:26:30 +0000

In which our hero meditates… The Audionet HEISENBERG Monoblock Amplifiers, bi-amped, with the YG Acoustics Sonja XV Loudspeakers and Kubala-Sosna Realization cables. In the fall of 2016 I reported on an extraordinary time that I had when I flew to Newark, NJ, and visited Bill Parish of GTT Audio for the launch of the brilliant... Read More »

The post Brief Impressions: GTT Audio, Audionet, YG Acoustics, KRONOS, and Kubala-Sosna, a Return to the Mountaintop! appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Two from Audio Consulting: The SWGLA Preamplifier and Silver Rock Toroidal Phono

Marshall Nack — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 16:33:17 +0000

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 »

The post Two from Audio Consulting: The SWGLA Preamplifier and Silver Rock Toroidal Phono appeared first on Positive Feedback.

Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh's Expedition

Marc Phillips — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 03:28:58 +0000

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 »

The post Denny Zeitlin and George Marsh's Expedition appeared first on Positive Feedback.