November - December 2021 Archives - Positive Feedback

Sonus faber Olympica Nova III Loudspeakers

Malcolm J. Gomes — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 19:12:02 +0000

For over a decade now, I have auditioned many models of Sonus faber loudspeakers at several audio shows in North America. Although in every case they sounded marvelous, I have always wondered to myself; if they can sound so good when performing at audio show where, more often than not, the room acoustics are anything... Read More »

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From an Editor’s Notebook: The 2021 LAOC Audio Society Gala

David W. Robinson — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 18:08:28 +0000

Dr. David W. Robinson, in contemplation with cigar. Happy Valley, Summer, 2021. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Robinson) One of the high-end audio events that I attend every year is the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society's Gala. Held for years now at the Holiday Inn at Buena Park, CA, the LAOCAS's... Read More »

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Sonus faber Lumina V Loudspeakers

Michael Zisserson — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 19:40:31 +0000

It was 1996. A young man rolled up into a now defunct Tweeter Etc. audio shop. Despite the wide-leg skater jeans, chain wallet, Caesar cut, rock t-shirt, and an oversized flannel lazily draped upon the coat hanger shoulders of this adolescent who just had a growth spurt, this apparent trouble with no money was on... Read More »

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A Seasonal Confection to Stress Test Your Audio System

Rushton Paul — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 22:04:35 +0000

A fun seasonal confection—Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is played solo on a 5 1/2 octave celesta. This little gem will stress test your audio system's capabilities, and put a smile on your face if your system is up to playing it. Tchaikovsky, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Celia Garcia-Garcia. EP (DXD,... Read More »

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Paying for Nothing

Roger Skoff — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 20:46:02 +0000

Roger Skoff writes about why it costs so much to get less Roger Skoff is the former CEO and Lead Designer for XLO Cables. Nowadays, he captains RSX Technologies, a new high-end cable company in southern California. Words are cheap. If you just want to hear the words of a song, even a kid's "crystal... Read More »

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Adele, 30

Michael Mercer — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 18:16:31 +0000

Adele, 30 Bravery Through Vulnerability Adele's a global superstar. The anticipation for new releases from the reclusive singer/songwriter is always a palpable worldwide event. But super stardom comes with a heavy price, especially when you're often compared to the greats like Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston. Speaking of heavy; the constant criticism thrown at... Read More »

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Lindemann Limetree Network II Music Streamer

Editors at Positive Feedback — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 17:46:07 +0000

North America Premiere Review! An island in the stream. Review By Paul Schumann With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Paul Schumann shares his thoughts on the Lindemann Limetree Network II Music Streamer. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief Streaming is the last frontier of high-end audio, or so I've been told.... Read More »

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The Bach Goldberg Variations for String Trio - A Singular Delight

Rushton Paul — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 18:28:31 +0000

Bach's Goldberg Variations performed by string trio is a singular delight. This performance by members of the CamerataRCO is one that I rank among the best, most enjoyable, performances of this work that I know. With the significant bonus of outstanding sonics in this beautifully captured recording by Bert van der Wolf, Northstar Recording, I... Read More »

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The Remarkable Mari Eriksmoen in Arias from Handel and Mozart

Rushton Paul — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 20:41:59 +0000

Norwegian soprano Mari Eriksmoen is remarkable. Her clear, agile soprano and light vibrato deliver perfectly in this collection of Mozart and Handel Arias. Highly recommended. Mozart and Handel: Arias and Overtures, Mari Eriksmoen, Jan Willem de Vriend, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. Challenge Classics | Northstar Recording 2020 (DXD) HERE This is my first occasion listening to... Read More »

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A Schubert Symphony Cycle to Savor - Jan Willem de Vriend

Rushton Paul — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:49:24 +0000

Jan Willem de Vriend and the Residentie Orkest The Hague give us a symphony cycle to savor, the symphonies of Franz Schubert in glorious high resolution audio. This is a great cycle of the complete symphonies, with one more volume to come. Highly recommended. Schubert, The Complete Symphonies, Volumes 1-3, Jan Willem de Vriend, Residentie... Read More »

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The 18th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2021

Editors at Positive Feedback — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 02:11:09 +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 and Carol 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,... Read More »

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The New Rotel RA1572 MKII Receiver

Ron Nagle — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 19:32:46 +0000

As I look back, it has been a number of years since I have evaluated a Rotel Audio component. "The Rotel corporation grew from the efforts of one family's love of music." The company was launched some 60 years ago in, 1961. Today Rotel has launched an assault on the high end with their top-of-the-line... Read More »

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The Sound of Jazz - From the Rehearsal for the December 8, 1957 Broadcast

Rushton Paul — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:24:08 +0000

The Sound of Jazz - Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Jimmie Guiffre, Red Allen, Jo Jones, Mal Waldron (from the rehearsal for the Live from CBS Studio 58, NYC, broadcast December 8, 1957 (DXD, HDTT Redux) HERE The Sound of Jazz was a one-hour program that aired on CBS Sunday, December 8, 1957 at 5 p.m.... Read More »

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Indulging in Orchestral Extravagance with Chausson and Franck on RCA

Rushton Paul — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:19:42 +0000

Occasionally there are evenings where simply wallowing in aural excess is permitted. Tonight was one of those evenings as I pulled out this HDDT PureDSD transfer of two glorious performances from Charles Munch and his Bostonians, one of the greatest orchestras in the United States. It is from this Munch era in Boston that we... Read More »

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Andy Duncanson and the High Cross Sound - A Taste of More to Come

Rushton Paul — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 23:36:07 +0000

Andy Duncanson and the High Cross Sound - International Phonograph, Inc., High Definition Tape Transfers, 2021. (from analog tape to DSD256, a PureDSD transfer) HERE This is Chicago Blues recorded on 26 May 2021 at High Cross Sound. Guitarist/vocalist Andy Duncanson is a regular live performer from the Champaign/Urbana area south of Chicago. He travels... Read More »

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Ragazze Quartet's Superb Set of Bartók's String Quartets

Rushton Paul — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 23:33:33 +0000

With compelling musicianship, the Ragazze Quartet deliver a superb cycle of Bartók's String Quartets. The Ragazze capture the full range of emotional content in these six quartets with vibrant, intelligent performances that rise to the top ranks of the great performances we've known over the decades. And the sound quality from Channel Classics is superb.... Read More »

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ZELLATON Plural Evo Loudspeakers: Coming Full Circle

Myles B. Astor — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 16:51:56 +0000

Far too much time has passed since my last Positive Feedback review. This unintentional hiatus was traceable to the Covid-19 pandemic (and resulting work changes) coupled with an unexpected move to new digs early this year. For the record. Heidi and I weren't in the market for a new place but pandemic pricing on Manhattan... Read More »

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The Euphony Audio Summus Endpoint - How Do You Improve Upon Digital Perfection?

Tom Gibbs — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 17:41:02 +0000

The Euphony Summus Server and Endpoint, alongside the PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC and the Gustard X16 DAC. From late 2019 into 2020, my personal life was an absolute shambles, mostly due to a seemingly never-ending series of health crises that quite nearly took me down with them. The only really positive thing (besides... Read More »

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The Forest in April with Maya Fridman from TRPTK

Rushton Paul — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 20:34:37 +0000

TRPTK delivers to us another amazing recording with Maya Fridman, a cellist whose musical sensibilities and skill never cease to enthrall me, performing two outstanding works for cello and orchestra by Jan-Peter De Graaff. The works are challenging and the performances by Maya Fridman are compelling. If you are at all sympathetic to contemporary music,... Read More »

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From the Golden Age of Decca Stereo: The Recordings Engineered by Roy Wallace at HDTT

Rushton Paul — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:26:42 +0000

For anyone who values the early Decca sound, High Definition Tape Transfers is a treasure trove of music to explore. Here I'd like to share with you some of the outstanding recordings made by Decca's recording engineer Roy Wallace between 1956 and 1961. My hope is to give you a start to your own explorations... Read More »

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An Impressive Breakthrough In Streaming Performance - The Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF

Robert S. Youman — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:37:25 +0000

As mentioned in some of my recent reviews, I have really settled in on the basic building blocks in my current system. Click on my name above in red for a complete list and description. Even during the lockdown, I never thought twice about making any major changes. This despite plenty of time reading about... Read More »

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Capitol Audiofest 2021 - The World Begins to Re-Open

Scott Dorsey — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 19:11:31 +0000

I wasn't intending on going to the Capitol Audiofest this year at all, what with so many things still being shut down due to the virus and all. I was enroute from Philadelphia where I was doing some work, down to my home in Tidewater Virginia and decided to stop off briefly and see what... Read More »

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Brahms Symphony No. 3 by Ivan Fischer on Channel Classics

Rushton Paul — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 19:06:13 +0000

This Brahms Third recording takes pride of place above all others in my collection. Here is a superb interpretation, excellent performance, and outstanding sound quality all in a single package from Iván Fischer, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and Channel Classics. Brahms Symphony No. 3 and Serenade No. 2, Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Channel Classics... Read More »

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RADAR - The First Fully Functional HDD Non-linear Recording System

Wojciech Pacuła — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 18:47:40 +0000

Part 1: TECHNOLOGY Or why a recording is not a document and what does it mean DIGITAL SOUND RECORDING – method of preserving sound in which audio signals are transformed into a series of pulses that correspond to patterns of binary digits (i.e., 0's and 1's) and are recorded as such on the surface of... Read More »

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Composer Maarten ter Horst, the Helikon String Quartet, and Cobra Records

Rushton Paul — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 19:07:23 +0000

Pure Joy! Three world premier recordings from a contemporary composer with much to say, performed by a string quartet in their own recording debut whose style shows they will be going places, and stellar audio engineering once again by Tom Peeters on Cobra Records. Enthusiastically recommended all around. Introspect: String Quartets No. 1 & 2... Read More »

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