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I've had the "Dirty Weekend" version of the Zu Audio Omens for almost five years now; retailing for right at $1K USD, they're the least expensive way to taste the Zu experience. Zu has a very liberal upgrade and trade-in policy; they're constantly improving the technology of the drivers and cabinets they employ. The "Dirty... Read More »

Okay so the article below is from way back in June 2002 when David Robinson and his wife Lila Ritsema, Carol Clark and I (Dave Clark) decided to merge our two print publications into one web publication, well for the first two years or so, so sorta two. This article ran not only in the last... Read More »

This article, as reviewed by Victor Chavira, Dave Clark, and Larry Cox, originally ran when audioMusings was in print. Issue 3. 1998 I always welcome the opportunity to listen to speakers other than my. own. Usually, the experience confirms my wisdom in choosing Magneplanars. No matter the strengths of a particular speaker, I always return gratefully to... Read More »

Bob James. If you had told me years ago that Bob James of 70s "light" jazz fame was still recording new music in 2018, I'd probably have nodded and said, sure, though I would have wagered that the music would likely be silly place holder stuff, pay the bills sort of at thing. Turns out... Read More »

I have a dark secret that I have been hiding from you for many months now, dear readers. My Linn LP-12 Sondek turntable has been collecting dust back in my tiny apartment over in my city of oblast significance and now I fear I have become yet another victim of that dreaded disease known all over the world as “streaming fever.” For years I have resisted the taut and supple promises foisted upon the masses by all of the competing digital formats but thanks to Part-Time Audiophile’s Scot Hull I have been introduced to something called Roon.

When I speak about record collecting with the under thirty-five crowd, initially many of them see vinyl as a low-fi medium, much like cassette tapes, and 8-tracks. This impression was created by dusty hand-me-down turntables, and record collections of which most have unkempt and dirty grooves. Along with many of the new records purchased during the “2008 vinyl resurgence” being played on these un-serviced thrift-store turntables, many more will find their way to the affordable shopping-mall Crosley suitcase models.

Ye Olde Editor:  a portrait by John Robinson Numbers. I don't usually get too hung up on round numbers and anniversary metrics…they happen all the time. But as we get ready to launch our next issue and go into 2019, I wanted to stand up, take a stretch, and note two things that are at... Read More »

I saw a lot of those Cardas Audio blue cables from their Clear and Clear Beyond line at the show. I have a theory on why this is…1. they sound damn good meaning they let a lot of the music through, and 2. Angela and Josh are very friendly and easy to do business with. It seems that at every show that Angela and Josh are there with their outsized personalities. Some of the nicest people in the audio business,

If you read Parts 1 and 2 of my Soundsmith review series in Positive Feedback Issue 98, where I wrote about the new Carmen Mk II (HERE) and new Zephyr Mk III (HERE) phonograph cartridges, you know that I found Peter Ledermann's designs to be among the most musically satisfying phonograph cartridges I have ever... Read More »

The Virginia-Class Referenceαε isoBASE™ is Silent Running Audio's (SRA) statement platform for vibration abatement, isolation and sound reinforcement in audio source and electronic components. SRA CEO Kevin Tellekamp describes it as "the culmination of what we've learned over 30 years in the design and manufacture of vibration and acoustical solutions for the aerospace, military, electronics... Read More »

A turntable is an area of engineering art balancing on the border between mechanics and electronics. This time, we will take a closer look at the product unique even among the best turntables: TechDAS Air Force III Premium Turntable Heavy, massive, compact, with a platter moving around on a thin film of air, with a vacuum... Read More »

The Positive Feedback 100th Issue Milestone calls for a Musical Celebration in DSD! 100th PF Issue 100 DSD Albums 100 Hours | 20% OFF First of all, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to our friend David W. Robinson of Positive Feedback, what an achievement—one hundred issues! David has been a NativeDSD supporter... Read More »

Yarlung Records, YAR77215, gold substrate CD pressed in Germany. Also available in Single, Double, and Quad DSD download formats, stereo/multichannel Organ Builder and Technician: Manuel Rosales  Recording Engineers: Bob Attiyeh & Arian Jansen  Microphone Technician: David Bock Vacuum Tube Microphones: Ancona Audio Microphone Preamplification: Elliot Midwood  Stereo Mastering Engineers: Steve Hoffman & Bob Attiyeh Surround Sound Mastering... Read More »

How times have changed! Just a decade ago tape enthusiasts literally grabbed any title they could get their hands on just to have something, anything, to play on their machines. Many of those tapes, in retrospect, were pretty darn bad. Jump ahead a decade and there is such a glut of tapes on the market... Read More »

Trio Archè, BOSSI Piano Trios. Marco Enrico Bossi (1861-1925). BOSSI Piano Trios No. 1 in D minor, Op. 107; No. 2 in D, Op. 123. Brilliant Classics 95581. TT: 66.29.  The music of those nineteenth-century Italian composers who didn't write operas is generally well-crafted and colorful. Yet, despite the occasional attempt to stoke interest—a collection of music... Read More »

For some time, I've desired to experience a true horn-loaded speaker. But it wasn't until Volti Audio a.k.a, Greg Roberts, introduced the Rival that I considered requesting a review. I had heard Mr. Roberts' beautiful horn speakers several times, and they had always impressed me. But it was this smaller footprint Rival hybrid horn speaker... Read More »

Part 1 - The Review You know, it's not every day you get the opportunity to review something as legendary as the ESS speaker. It reminded me of my journey with Jantzen speakers long ago, it can be a tad intimidating as there is just so much rich history about the brand that you want... Read More »

What a treat! To have A. J. van den Hul, the Maestro, personally build a cartridge for review... a cartridge with a treated lacquer finish done three times over many months for proper drying. The lacquer is the precise replica of the lacquer used on the historic Strads, as in violins not cartridges, and flavors the music just... Read More »

The three available finishes of the absolute:  copper, black, and silver (image courtesy of Manley) Let us just cut to the chase! I have reviewed countless headphone amplifiers and the Absolute is absolutely the most elegantly designed, intensely musical, and extremely flexible of them all! Add in the superb remote and it’s game over. Provided with... Read More »