September - October 2020 Archives - Positive Feedback

Wave High Fidelity Storm Reference BNC Cables

Sam Rosen — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 18:35:32 +0000

Wave Storm Reference BNC Cables and the Chord Dave I have heard many cables I have liked over the years, and have endorsed several of them throughout my time writing for Positive Feedback. However, I would never have called any of them essential. My recommendations were always wrapped within circumstances; if you have a system... Read More »

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Grado GT220 Bluetooth Wireless IEM Universal Fit Headphones

Robert H. Levi — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 21:41:49 +0000

Finally! Bluetooth IEM monitors that present real music in real space without wires! Grado has done it and I am mightily impressed. Surpassing the performance of all other Bluetooth IEMs I have heard or auditioned, the new awesome GT220 Headphones are more authoritative, realistic, smoother, offer a more extended top and bottom end, and present... Read More »

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A Triumphant New LP Reissue: John Coltrane Quartet - Ballads

Robert S. Youman — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:03:09 +0000

Ballads is considered by many as an essential addition to any John Coltrane collection. First released on the Impulse label in mono and then later in stereo, it has continued to cause both consternation and praise by both critics and fans. This new 33 RPM stereo reissue is another wonderful addition to the Acoustic Sounds... Read More »

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Synergistic Research Tranquility Pod

Malcolm J. Gomes — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:19:59 +0000

It is hard to imagine any human inhabitant of planet Earth whose life has not been negatively impacted by the current Covid-19 pandemic. However, amidst this dark cloud there are a few silver linings. One of them is the way it has impacted the listening habits of audiophiles. The feedback that I have received from... Read More »

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An Interview with NativeDSD's Mastering Engineer Tom Caulfield

Rushton Paul — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 19:56:06 +0000

Tom Caulfield is NativeDSD's mastering engineer and an accomplished DSD multi-channel recording engineer. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Tom over the past several months via a series of email conversations as he's tried to help me understand the ins and outs of some of the digital technology with which he works every... Read More »

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The Pass Labs XP-12 Line-Level Preamplifier: A Musical Masterpiece!

Jeff Day — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:35:30 +0000

I have been looking forward to telling you about the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier, as I've found the XP-12 to make for an excellent match to the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier (reviewed HERE), as well the First Watt SIT-3 single-ended stereo amplifier (reviewed HERE), which are my current benchmarks for relatively... Read More »

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Audience frontRow powerChords

Marshall Nack — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 17:53:23 +0000

One of the unsung perks of reviewing high-end gear is getting to travel without the discomfort of leaving home. When something new arrives, often even before the piece has settled in, I'll sit down for a taste and get the strong impression that the acoustic is unfamiliar, like maybe I've gone visiting another dude with... Read More »

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KECES S300 Power Amplifier and S3 Preamplifier

Michael Zisserson — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 17:43:02 +0000

"Holistic." "Quiet." "Transparent." Those words are my attempt to summarize the KECES S3 Preamplifier/S300 Combo: A delightful possibility for those who need a simple solution for a powerful, high fidelity system, with excellent headphone performance. As with the KECES E40 integrated amplifier (HERE), the minimalist nature of the Taiwan-born S3, and S300, fits into the... Read More »

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ZMF Vérité Closed Headphones

Sam Rosen — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 20:18:37 +0000

ZMF Vérité Closed, ZMF Wooden Case, Cable Bag, and Warrantee Card ZMF has become one of the most well-known names in the head-fi community, producing headphones that sound incredibly good, and perform well above their price tag. They have excellent design that relies on exotic wood finishes, and a passionate team led by Zach and... Read More »

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iFi iPhono 3 Black Label Phono Stage

Steve Lefkowicz — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 23:34:33 +0000

I've had the same Linn LP12 turntable in my system for thirty-six years. Regular maintenance has kept it in tip-top condition. Of course it has had a few different cartridges over that time, but with one exception it is the same now as when I bought it in 1984. That one exception being replacing the... Read More »

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In Search of a Perfect Song, Part 9

Carol Clark — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 22:20:13 +0000

These Perfect Song articles have moved beyond my original intent: So, what is a perfect song? In my opinion, a perfect song touches you on many different levels. It goes beyond simply how it sounds into the more ethereal boundaries of how it makes you feel. It is a melding of music, lyrics, vocals, and... Read More »

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TRPTK: Intersection of Passion, Skill, and Excellence

Rushton Paul — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 19:32:47 +0000

The more I listen to the recordings created by Brendon Heinst and his team, the more enchanted I become. TRPTK has easily become a favorite music label in this household because of the highly varied and non-traditional repertoire, extraordinarily good artists (whom we may not know by name but are very deserving of our attention),... Read More »

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Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier and X250.8 Power Amplifier

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:43:44 +0000

Impressive sound quality that we've come to expect from Pass Labs. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music. Tom Lyle shares his thoughts on the Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier and X250.8 Power Amplifier. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief For quite some time I've been using a Pass... Read More »

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TLP Audio TF130 Power Conditioner

John Hoffman — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:37:03 +0000

High performance audio components have a variety of needs to reach their full potential, and one of the most critical requirements is being fed the cleanest AC current as possible. A typical audio system can sound quite respectable with a direct feed of AC current from the wall, however hobbyists that are striving to cross... Read More »

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Bunking Cable Lifters: Roger Skoff Writes About the Other Side of the Discussion

Roger Skoff — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 19:35:15 +0000

One of the audiophile "tweaks" most often criticized on the internet and in back-room bull sessions is the use of cable lifters to improve system sound. In fact, other than cables, themselves, which are a perennial source of audiophile controversy, there's hardly anything I can think of that gets more consistently negative commentary, with or... Read More »

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USBe Perfect

Victor Chavira — Sun, 04 Oct 2020 20:12:29 +0000

My power conditioner is an EQUI=CORE 300 by Core Power Technologies. Some time ago, the company's assets were acquired and renamed Core Power Technologies A/V by web-based audio retailer Underwood HiFi of Hawaii. Underwood HiFi also designs and performs upgrades to components. The device under evaluation is a USB jitter reducer / power conditioner called... Read More »

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Impressions: The Vinnie Rossi L2i SE Integrated Amplifier

David W. Robinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:10:13 +0000

The Vinnie Rossi L2i SE Integrated Preamp with DAC and Pono Section (image courtesy of Vinnie Rossi Audio) Ye Olde Editor, in situ (portrait by John Robinson; image processing by David W. Robinson) Mark Sossa is a very discerning man, and a successful US distributor offine audio with his company, Well Pleased A/V. He knows... Read More »

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Vince Guaraldi: Peanuts Portraits (70th Anniversary LP Edition)

Tom Gibbs — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:08:50 +0000

If you're a baby boomer (OK, Boomer!) or one of their children, you no doubt have a strong familiarity of the works of jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi. Or at least, you know him through osmosis, via his compositions for the many Charlie Brown and Peanuts television specials and movies that have aired almost incessantly since... Read More »

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AudioQuest Fog Lifters

Marshall Nack — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 16:52:52 +0000

If you believe in RFI—no, let me start over. If you believe in science (since RFI is a measurable phenomenon), most likely you are doing something to address RFI. We have all been advised to get those darn wires off the floor. A dozen companies will be happy to sell you specialized lifts at prices... Read More »

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Synergistic Research UEF Record Weight

Malcolm J. Gomes — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 18:18:44 +0000

A fairly common thread that runs through most audiophiles who are partial to vinyl rather than digital, is their penchant for tweaking. In contrast to digital domain, where there is a limited scope to tweak the sound, in the analog domain, a cornucopia of tweaking opportunities abound, and many analog buffs revel in them. ... Read More »

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Equinox Balance Acts – Listening to Vinyl

David Elias — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 20:37:38 +0000

The year continues to be a trial for us all in balance and direction. I hope you are making the transitions needed or wanted in the most healthy and happy ways. September 22nd marks a nice day in our planet's orbit to feel less wobbly and angular and more direct and equally distributed. Happy Equinox... Read More »

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Time Stands Still - Neil Peart's Heady Metal

Chip Stern — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 20:24:09 +0000

Freeze this moment a little bit longer Neil Peart GHOSTS…In keeping with my apparent predilection—as an obsessive chronicler of fructifying high end sonics and spiritually inspiring music—to focus my attentions on the fallen, and finally having access to a working computer (again, my long time PC vapor locked on me in pre-pandemic January), Radio Free... Read More »

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Just Listen: There’s Something Special Going On

Rushton Paul — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 18:30:43 +0000

To my ears, the Dutch label Just Listen Records is today capturing much of what is best about live, or nearly live, recordings in their direct-to-DSD256 productions. And occasionally live-to-DXD if needed by the recording and venue. In my days collecting vinyl, I always enjoyed direct-to-disc recordings...when they were well done. And not all were.... Read More »

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Preferences in Reproduction

Scott Dorsey — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 17:42:50 +0000

I think it's fairly well-known in the high-end community that people tend to like what they like, and they tend to like different sounding systems. Many people like severely colored systems, but they like their kind of severely colored system and they don't like the kind of system their friend likes. Horn speaker people like... Read More »

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Does a 1956 Recording Really Belong in a High Res Music Library?

Rushton Paul — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:32:49 +0000

When Dr. David, Ye Olde Editor at PF, invited me to write some music reviews with a principal focus on DXD and DSD256, I don't think he expected I might start with these particular albums from High Definition Tape Transfers. But, honestly, I just have to start with these wonderful recordings from the earliest days... Read More »

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