September - October 2021 Archives - Positive Feedback

Ethernet Cables from AudioQuest - Pearl, Carbon, and Diamond

Marshall Nack — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:14:27 +0000

Something strange happened recently that caused me to rethink the testing paradigm used by reviewers. I was multitasking, putting some low-priced music streaming gear through its paces, while checking out a sampling of AudioQuest Ethernet cables. I began with AQ's bottom-of-the-line Pearl ($49.95/1.5m), then swapped to the top-of-the-line Diamond ($1599.95/1.5m), when it struck me. For... Read More »

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The ampsandsound Bryce Monos

Sam Rosen — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 18:26:43 +0000

Justin Weber, the owner of ampsandsound, has been on a roll lately. 2021 has been a big year for him. He introduced two new headphone amplifiers (The Rockwell, and the Agartha), had two of his products put on the 2021 Stereophile recommended component list, and introduced a new set of mono block speaker amplifiers known... Read More »

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Aavik Acoustics RIAA R-180 Phono Preamplifier

Editors at Positive Feedback — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 17:59:43 +0000

Excellent transparency and musicality deliver musical bliss. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Tom Lyle shares his thoughts on the Aavik Acoustics RIAA R-180 Phono Preamplifier. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief In July of 2021, I reviewed Aavik Acoustics's I-180 integrated amplifier, D-180 DAC, and S-180 streamer... Read More »

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Wells Audio Innamorata II Amplifier and Commander Line Stage Preamplifier

Tom Gibbs — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 19:14:00 +0000

Prologue I've had the Magneplanar LRS loudspeakers in my daily-listening system for over two years now; every time I swap them out for something else, they invariably seem to find their way back in. And that's despite being devilishly difficult loudspeakers to drive; their 2.8 ohm impedance (almost constant across the entire audio spectrum) presents... Read More »

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From an Editor’s Notebook: Twain, Tobacco, and Reviewing

David W. Robinson — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 23:25:29 +0000

Ye Olde Editor in a tobacco moment (photograph by John Robinson) These thoughts are short and to the point. High-end audio is filled with reviews (many of those should read "reviews"), arguments, and endless debates about reference standards, ratings, lists, best-ofs, and so on…endlessly. There are über, no-holds-barred components/systems, at (usually) astronomical prices. Then again,... Read More »

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Kirmuss Audio Advances Record Restoration and Introduces the Adrenaline Speaker Cable

Robert H. Levi — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 01:05:29 +0000

An important announcement! The energetic and brilliant Charles Kirmuss has no grass growing under his feet as he announces changes in usage of his superb KA-RC-1 Ultrasonic Record Restoration System and newly developed and very high value speaker cables for audiophile systems. I inquired about the cleaning process since there is so much buzz associated... Read More »

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The PureAudioProject Duet 15 Prelude Loudspeakers

Gary L Beard — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 20:18:29 +0000

Unless you have been living under a turntable weight, you are likely aware of PureAudioProject. Founded in 2013 by Ze'ev Schlik, the collaborative PureAudioProject (PAP) offers a line of highly regarded modular open baffle loudspeakers using interchangeable upgradable frame structures, drivers, and crossovers. In addition to the modular speakers, PAP has expanded its product line,... Read More »

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Weak Links and Sorting Eggs

Roger Skoff — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:24:02 +0000

Roger Skoff writes about the best way to approach improving your system Just in case you'd forgotten, Roger Skoff is the former Owner/Designer of XLO Cables, and currently occupies the same position with his new company, RSX Technologies. Just about everybody knows the old saying about a chain being no stronger than its weakest link.... Read More »

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Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 28

Claude Lemaire — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 21:36:57 +0000

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 176. Blood, Sweat & Tears, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Columbia – CS 9720 (1968), MoFi ‎– UD1S 2-016 Box (2021), (2x45 rpm), #004348 of 6000. Genre: rock- jazz, jazz passages, jazz rock fusion, groovy soul rock, art rock, psychedelic flirtings, blues, ballad, fanfare, classical. Quick. What is... Read More »

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Thoughts on the Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC and an Interview with Mike Moffat on the Yggy, Tubes, Measurements, and More

Juan C. Ayllon — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 21:21:35 +0000

Mike Moffat still photo sourced from Schiit Audio video VALENCIA, CA—Mike Moffat, 73, is co-founder of the wildly successful Schiit Audio, which turned home audio on its ear with its affordable direct sales model. With manufacturing plants in California and Corpus Christi, TX, Schiit makes electronics ranging from $100 Digital to Analog Converters (DACs) and... Read More »

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AURALiC Sirius G2.1 and Aries G2.1

Sam Rosen — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 17:49:41 +0000

These days it seems like many high end manufacturers are building all in one digital front ends. What I mean by that is one box that consists of both the DAC and Streamer. On paper this approach makes a lot of sense. With the rise of Roon and HD digital music services, many audiophiles are... Read More »

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iFi's Stellar Nova and SupaNova Power Cords

Bruce Kinch — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 21:50:23 +0000

My last foray in the fiefdom of iFi focused on fixing a pair of power problems that plague too many audio setups: ground loops and DC offset. The diminutive GND Defender and DC Blocker elegantly address that annoying rattle and hum—and at the most un-audio-extortionate prices. As I mentioned in that review HERE, the two... Read More »

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Rotel's RB 1582 MKII Amplifier and RC 1572 MKII Preamplifier

Gary Lea — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 19:01:42 +0000

I was first introduced to Rotel products back in the mid 70s when I bought my first Rotel turntable from the Stereo Buff in Springfield, MO. I was a poor college student, and they had very affordable prices. I ran that table through a Yamaha integrated amp along with a Aiwa cassette player and Genesis... Read More »

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Oracle Audio PH200 Mk III Phono Preamplifier

Editors at Positive Feedback — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 18:18:19 +0000

World Premiere Review! A quiet background, and extended response, making instruments sound real. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Tom Lyle shares his thoughts on the Oracle Audio PH200 Mk III Phono Preamplifier. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief I'll start this review of Oracle Audio Technologies' PH200... Read More »

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AirStream - Optimized Wireless Router from Fidelizer

Marshall Nack — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 02:35:21 +0000

Photo courtesy New York School of T'ai Chi Chuan Sundays at noon I take Qigong class, a Chinese discipline of standing postures and slow movements. Translated, it means "energy work," and is related to T'ai Chi Chuan. The aim is to help you achieve relaxation. Sounds easy, right? That's what you think. By the time you... Read More »

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Triangle Art M-100 Mono Amplifiers and L-200 Preamplifier

Gregory Petan — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 01:23:32 +0000

I first came across Triangle Art around 7 years ago while scrolling through a familiar webzine. It was fortuitous as I was getting back into vinyl after abandoning it decades ago, leaving behind my thoroughly thrashed Garrard that carried me valiantly through my childhood and teens. What caught my eye in that webzine's ad was... Read More »

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The Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Powered Loudspeakers

John Zurek — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 20:19:58 +0000

How's your consumer confidence these days? Mine could be better. Seems like the more I buy, the less I'm satisfied. Higher price and lower quality is starting to become the rule rather than the exception. I especially take umbrage with products that feature a description that seduces you into thinking they're great, and then disappoint... Read More »

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Impressions: From an Editor’s Notebook, Part 1...ADD-POWR Sorcer X4

David W. Robinson — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 09:43:05 +0000

David W. Robinson, a portrait in late August of 2021. (Photograph by John Robinson.) "We will serve no wine before its time." – Carlo Rossi It's time. I have a set of brief impressions about some of the audio gear that's made its way over here to Positive Feedback in 2021. The second year of... Read More »

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A Material Difference?

Roger Skoff — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 00:27:24 +0000

Roger Skoff writes about the stuff our stuff is made of... Many years ago, Goldmund, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of reference-quality audio products, offered individual "Cube" amplifiers to plug into and directly power each of the sections of its then US$80,000 (more like US$500K, today) Apologue speaker system. Among the talking points for these... Read More »

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Audiophiles as Artists - Chris Morris

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 16:28:46 +0000

Originally published in Issue 104. Twenty questions with an audiophile who is also an artist. For this Audiophiles as Artists, we feature Chris Morris. What's your background? I grew up on a farm in eastern Colorado. No town or major population to speak of, lots of time to myself and explore the world around me. It... Read More »

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Stereovox SEI-600 Interconnects

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 16:23:24 +0000

This article, as reviewed by David Robinson originally ran in Issue 3, October/November 2002, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going to see some articles from our early days of going online. Yowzah! Cables Again! The world of cable/interconnect reviewing is a... Read More »

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Flashback: California Audio Show 2018

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 16:14:24 +0000

Although some audio shows are finally back on this year, we are still mostly on hiatus. In the mean time, take a trip down Memory Lane with two reports on the California Audio Show, 2018, Oakland, CA. Read this report from Malachi Kenney: Come a little closer. I want to tell you a secret. Are... Read More »

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The New First Watt F8 Stereo Amplifier from Nelson Pass: Time Travel In a Black Box!

Jeff Day — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 19:17:19 +0000

Whether musing about the greater understanding the Belle II particle physics experiment at KEK may bring to questions around Standard Model predictions, dark matter, and the asymmetry of matter and antimatter in the universe, or the exciting themes of parallel universes, the multiverse, and time travel that we see imaginatively explored in science fiction, physics... Read More »

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PS Audio Stellar PowerPlant 3

Will Wright — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 17:04:30 +0000

There was hum in my system! It was the dreaded 60 cycle hum. So was it caused by a faulty power supply, or a power transformer too close to a high gain amplifier? No, more likely the progenitor of this problem was electromagnetic coupling somewhere in the cabling. Experimentation narrowed my search for the source... Read More »

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Circle Labs A200 Integrated Amplifier - Thank You

Michael Zisserson — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 20:53:02 +0000

Gratitude, or the expression thereof, is a universal struggle today. There is a lot going on, and we all are a little on edge, are we not? Billy Joel described it right in 1989 when he said so eloquently: "We didn't start the fire." Music is a great way to break the firefighting that goes... Read More »

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