September - October 2018 Archives - Positive Feedback

JICO Seto Hori Cartridge

John Hoffman — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:55:30 +0000

The Nippon Precision Jewel Industry CO LTD is typically referred to as JICO, a company many analog hobbyists are familiar with. JICO has a long and distinguished pedigree in the field of manufacturing, as it began producing steel sewing needles for the kimono industry 140 years ago, and diamond tipped phono cartridge styli in 1964.... Read More »

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MAG-LEV Audio ML1 Levitating Turntable: U.S. Premiere Review [UPDATED]

Robert H. Levi — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 22:04:18 +0000

Disruptor! The MAG-LEV Audio ML1 Levitating turntable is a disruptor! Are you surprised? I own one of six Paravicini magnetic drive turntables in America. It does not levitate, but it is quiet and astonishingly open and life-like. ML1 as delivered: Signal to noise ratio -73dB! Way better than your turntable? Why? It has no motor!... Read More »

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RMAF 2018 Photo Essay Part 4

Carol Clark — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 21:28:35 +0000

Continuing on with our coverage... In this report, all photos by Dave Clark, words by Carol Clark, except those in parentheses, which are by Dave Clark who will do his best to be nice. Wavelength Audio, Vaughn Loudspeakers. Vaughn, plasma tweeter loudspeakers. Also in the Wavelength Audio and Vaughn room. On Saturday, Dave moderated a... Read More »

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AVM Evolution A5.2 Integrated Amplifier

Gary L Beard — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 15:36:44 +0000

Introduction to the AVM I love audio components that offer a lot for the money. The Evolution A5.2 Integrated Amplifier is just such piece of audio gear. Built by German audio manufacturer, AVM, the A5.2 is a part of AVM's extensive Evolution line of high fidelity components. AVM has been building HiFi gear since 1986,... Read More »

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RMAF 2018 Photo Essay Part 3

Carol Clark — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 20:54:27 +0000

Continuing on with our coverage... In this report, all photos by Dave Clark, words by Carol Clark, except those in parentheses, which are by Dave Clark who will do his best to be nice. Auralic with YG Acoustic loudspeakers. (Loved the sound here.) Auralic Leo GX. Auralic Aries G2. Ryan Speakers with Cardas Audio and... Read More »

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RMAF 2018 Photo Essay Part 2

Carol Clark — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 19:21:02 +0000

Continuing on with our coverage... In this report, all photos by Dave Clark, words by Carol Clark, except those in parentheses, which are by Dave Clark who will do his best to be nice. Nordost, CH Precision, YG Acoustics, VPI Industries, and dCS. Philip O'Hanlon with On a Higher Note once again had a fabulous sounding... Read More »

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RMAF 2018 Photo Essay Part 1

Carol Clark — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 18:16:37 +0000

The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest celebrated its fifteenth year this October in Denver! At the press and exhibitor mixer on Thursday night, Marjorie Baumert announced that next year the show is moving. The new location, The Gaylord Rockies, is closer to the airport and features 1500 rooms, eight restaurants, and many other amenities. For 2019,... Read More »

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The DENAFRIPS Pontus DAC

John Zurek — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 17:21:20 +0000

I remember my first high-end digital player, a California Audio Labs DX-1. Looking forward to perfect sound forever, I tried to sell myself on the virtues of that CD player. Listening through my (then) Martin Logan Aerius speakers and Classe amp, I could never shake the feeling that the DX-1's sonic signature was contributing to... Read More »

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Notes of an Amateur: Pärt, Beethoven, Henze, and Blue Violet Duo

Bob Neill — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:07:29 +0000

Arvo Pärt. Mullova - Järvi. Onyx 4201. Darf ich..., Fratres, Passacaglia, Tabula rosa, I Ludus, II Silentium, Spiegel im Speigel] I have never been drawn to the extremely popular and to be fair much admired Estonian contemporary composer, Arvo Pärt. I have found his music an example of the dictum that less may be less. It... Read More »

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Synergistic Research Galileo SX Cables - A Suspension of Disbelief

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 15:26:01 +0000

Let's keep it simple and direct. The new Synergistic Research Galileo SX cables are the finest cables that I have used in my system. Over the last two years, I have reviewed or personally auditioned flagship cables from many of the elite well established major brands and also from several new innovative upstarts. Not everything... Read More »

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Impressions: The exaSound PlayPoint DM Network Audio Server and DAC

David W. Robinson — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 15:39:13 +0000

Ye Olde Editor with pipe weed. Portrait by John Robinson. This seems to be a season for culminating projects. Given that autumn is upon us now, I reckon that the time matches the season, and the mood matches the moment. Having finished my summing up of the Audionet STERN and HEISENBERG reference products, it is... Read More »

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The exaSound PlayPoint DM - Designer's Notes

Editors at Positive Feedback — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 15:11:41 +0000

George Klissarov and David W. Robinson George Klissarov, AXPONA 2017 exaSound's new flagship device, the PlayPoint DM Dual-Mono D/A Converter and Network Audio Server, is the high point of my life-long obsession with audio and eight years of research, design, and the making of DACs and streamers. We entered the audiophile market with the introduction... Read More »

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Indra and Sakra Interconnects from STEALTH Audio

Marshall Nack — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 20:36:43 +0000

Indra Redux Back in the Precambrian Era of audio (circa 2003), STEALTH Audio introduced an interconnect that disrupted the cable industry. The Indra had many ground-breaking features, not least its MSRP of $5750/meter, a startling number at the time. (Little did we know what was to come on that front.) But one element in particular... Read More »

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Impressions: The Audionet STERN Preamp and HEISENBERG Monoblock Amp, Finale

David W. Robinson — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 00:12:00 +0000

Ye Olde Editor: a portrait by John Robinson Audionet's STERN and HEISENBERG: Back to the mountaintop again! Fair warning: This is yet another one of my evaluations that is not going to be a typical "review." No, not with these designs. This is going to be more of a culminating mediation on my experiences with... Read More »

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The Pass H2 Harmonic Generator

Nelson Pass — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 23:00:39 +0000

Nelson Pass: a portrait. Sea Ranch, CA, 2018. Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson. Introduction – Why do we care about 2nd harmonic? Historically, audio amplification has been about the elimination of all forms of distortion. Early on, the premise has been that low distortion is one of the keys to audio quality... Read More »

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Sarah Reich, New Change

Marc Phillips — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 22:54:20 +0000

Sarah Reich, New Change. Tap Music Productions B07FTXR22W, CD $9.49 from Amazon.com "I want to be the first tap dancer to win a Grammy Award!" Okay yeah, it's nice to have dreams, kid—wait a minute, did you say tap dancing? A Grammy Award? When you think of tap dancing as an art form, do you think about... Read More »

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Wolfsong Audio to the Rescue!

Tom Gibbs — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 16:06:44 +0000

A couple of weeks back, I arose on an otherwise unremarkable Sunday morning, had my coffee and checked my losing lottery numbers. I then proceeded downstairs to remove and replace the Hana EL cartridge that's been the recent mainstay of my analog playback system. The Hana SL (with its Shibata stylus) had recently arrived from... Read More »

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An Unknown Quantity: My Loudspeakers

Michael Zisserson — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 16:30:03 +0000

In a discussion with Managing Editor Dave Clark in regards to what may be slated for review, it was noted that my loudspeakers may prove difficult for the readership to connect with since I design, build, test, and measure my own. Crossover design is a particular fascination of mine. Dave then challenged me to write... Read More »

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From an Editor’s Notebook: Linn Returns to the USA!

David W. Robinson — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 15:15:23 +0000

I just back from a quick (two day) trip to Chicago, courtesy of the good folks at Linn in Scotland. On Tuesday, September 18, a very limited number of audio press representatives received an important briefing about new developments at the company. In addition to myself, my longtime audiobud Greg Weaver of The Absolute Sound... Read More »

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Wax Rax RC-2 Vinyl Record Cart

Michael Corsentino — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 15:34:12 +0000

The larger your record collection, the more likely many of your favorite albums will remain buried, waiting years or possibly decades for another chance to grace your turntable again. With hundreds, or even thousands of records squirreled away on shelf after shelf, it's easier than ever to forget about all the hidden gems you own,... Read More »

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Impressions: Xact Audio's The Beat MagDrive™ Turntable with the Schröder Linear-Tracking Tonearm

David W. Robinson — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:20:49 +0000

The Beat MagDrive™ Turntable with Schröder Linear-Tracking (LT) Tonearm Ye Olde Editor, in medias puffus (photograph by John Robinson) Me, I call it "Big Red." Here was a real mountaintop moment for me with turntables earlier this year. It came in two parts: First, getting to meet Steve Dobbins, the creative master turntable craftsman at... Read More »

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The Schröder LT Tonearm Story

Editors at Positive Feedback — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:19:51 +0000

Steve Dobbins of Xact Audio and Dr. David W. Robinson I asked Steve Dobbins to give the background story of the design of the remarkable Schröder LT tonearm for his The Beat reference turntable, which I have reviewed elsewhere in this issue. He sent along the following comments for your benefit. Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye... Read More »

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How I Got Into Turntables – and Turntables Got Into Me!

Editors at Positive Feedback — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:18:34 +0000

Dr. David W. Robinson and Steve Dobbins This sidebar article is by Steve Dobbins of Xact Audio, the designer of The Beat turntable that I've reviewed else in this issue. I asked Steve to provide the tale of how he ended up doing what he does in the wild world of turntables. He has generously sent... Read More »

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Still Audio EL84 Integrated Amplifier: Affordable Handcrafted Exotica!

Jeff Day — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 16:07:02 +0000

When Mark Still contacted me in June about reviewing his handcrafted Still Audio EL84 integrated amplifier (below) I was immediately intrigued, particularly when Mark urged me to give it a try with my pair of vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers, whose visceral musicality I adore. I was impressed with Mark's chassis design for his Still... Read More »

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Ferguson Hill FH007 Loudspeaker System and FH008 Subwoofer

Smit Patel — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:36:50 +0000

Ferguson Hill are a niche British designed loudspeaker company who have garnered notable interest for their innovative and striking horn-loaded speakers and Hi-Fi components. Headed by Tim Hill, a former aeronautical engineer, the company first set the scene with their £17,000 artisan FH001 full-size speaker system. Through research and more innovation, the company was able... Read More »

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