The difference between the journalist and the novelist is the deadline… An award given as a story. For quite a while now I have given the rarest of my recognitions – my PF Lifetime Achievement Awards. As I wrote in 2017: “Finally, we have a PF Lifetime Achievement Award, wherein I honor persons who have produced... Read More »
In this Recent Finds I'm pleased to share with you two marvelous new recordings by Jared Sacks, one a Pure DSD256 recording of Brahms solo piano music with my favorite pianist, Anna Fedorova. Also included are two excellent opera recordings: Mozart's Don Giovanni and Barber's Vanessa, each in outstanding sonics. Plus more... Brahms, Intermezzi... Read More »
More very brief stuff, here. Another new word for my audiophile lexicon: Argumentarian. You know who you are. Selah... Dr. David
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf Viola Davis, narrator; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Gustavo Dudamel Deutsche Grammophon 4868159 (EP, WAV download only) I really ought to listen to Peter and the Wolf more often. It's tagged, unfairly, as a children's piece, but, performed with a modicum of sophistication, it's charmingly entertaining. Here in New York, the Philharmonic... Read More »
Bob Witrak continues to mine the archives for classic recordings to reissue – often in sound that is better than I ever imagined these recordings could deliver. Here are some recent releases that bring back warm memories but, more importantly, are wonderful additions to my digital music library today. Enjoy. Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5... Read More »
Unlike last year when I rushed through the show in about four hours, this year I made sure I attended for two full days. On Friday I expected the crowds would be smaller, making it easier to get photos and maybe get some time playing my records as I know when a room is crowded,... Read More »
Our inimitable editor-in-chief, Dr. David, charged me with focusing on DSD256 and DXD recordings. I mostly follow that brief. And today, I have an abundance of outstanding ultra-high resolution recordings to share: six Pure DSD256 recordings and two DXD 32-bit recordings. Their sound quality gratifies my search over decades for the most discerning playback systems... Read More »
If you enjoy pop vocal records from the sixties, you might be familiar with the name Ernie Freeman (1922-1981). Freeman wrote the arrangements for Frank Sinatra’s 1966 album That’s Life (Reprise FS-1020) and Dean Martin's 1963 album Everybody Loves Somebody (Reprise RS-6130). He was also the pianist on the 1962 album Roots (Reprise R9-6057) by... Read More »
A New Solution to Understanding What Your Digital Audio System Is Doing With the Data Stream - Part 3 A few weeks ago we reposted Ferenc Koscsó's article introducing a minimalist, bit-perfect music player, written in C, with a single purpose: to deliver the music file data stream to the DAC by the shortest, most... Read More »
Very brief stuff, here. A new word for my audiophile lexicon. X/Z/Alpha bemuseick. Selah. Dr. David
Bert van der Wolf's lifelong dream of creating a dedicated recording venue with superb natural acoustics and attached mastering studio finally became a reality with the purchase and restoration of a nineteenth-century church in Heerewaarden. Following extensive acoustic renovations, the first recordings took place in late 2025. I've followed this remarkable project since Bert first... Read More »
Roger Skoff writes about the impossible dream Back in the 1950s and early ’60s, when I and our hobby were both very young, the whole subject of hi-fi seemed much simpler. Julian Hirsch – the most highly regarded audio reviewer of his time, with, eventually, more than 4000 tests to his credit – specifically stated... Read More »
The following is a repost of an article by the exceptionally talented recording and mastering engineer Frans de Rond, originally published on the blog of his Sound Liaison recording label. You can find the original article HERE. Frans recently included this article in his newsletter. As I read it, I found myself nodding, smiling, and... Read More »
Black Cat Cable Unveils the Graceline III Wagner Cable, Redefining Premium Audio Performance CUMMING, GA — August 1, 2026 — Black Cat Cable announces the launch of the Graceline III Wagner cable, the latest addition to the company's premium high-fidelity audio lineup. Graceline III Wagner is the first new cable to be introduced by Black... Read More »
Well organized and rather compact compared to sprawling shows in other cities, I really enjoyed auditioning the systems and meeting my friends in the industry. The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society was present in the Society room and nibbled on the treats provided by the hotel. I visited there for a while then struck out to hear... Read More »
I’ve written a lot of show reports, to the point where I was starting to repeat myself in some of the advice I was giving. So, I thought I’d write a separate article where I summarize my tips on attending audio shows. Part One: General Tips Rule number one: wear comfortable shoes! If you don’t,... Read More »
My first Chris Isaak concert was with my wife and several friends at the North Shore Center in Skokie Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It was a December 2011 concert and Isaak played a few Christmas songs along with many of his fan favorites. He came out in a Santa Claus outfit and quickly had... Read More »
For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part one here. There’s an old stereotype out there that audiophiles don’t really like music, but rather just like playing with equipment. There’s even a “quote” that constantly surfaces, wrongly attributed to Alan Parsons (who never actually said it) that ‘Audiophiles don’t... Read More »
Most This article is part of an ongoing series examining electromagnetic field theory and its application to high-fidelity audio reproduction. The engineering framework described here has been developed, tested, and refined over thirty-four years of product development at Synergistic Research – and has been the subject of extensive public discussion on my personal Facebook page,... Read More »
I’d already chosen my next review subject: a rock band from Chicago who thrived from the mid-sixties to the early seventies, but I got distracted by two new additions to my collection. So what could possibly distract me from great rock ‘n’ roll? Here’s the answer: Two Eddy Arnold (1918-2008) EPs from the early fifties!... Read More »
We all say, "There is no substitute for live music." This past spring, Ann and I treated ourselves to a generous helping of live orchestral music from one of our regional orchestras a few hours away. And yet, and yet... While the sound of live instruments cannot be fully replicated by even the finest audio... Read More »
A couple weeks ago we reposted Ferenc Koscsó's article introducing a minimalist, bit-perfect music player, written in C, with a single purpose: to deliver the music file data stream to the DAC by the shortest, most deterministic path, untouched, in its original form. His efforts offer an open-source, free to use, program for both the... Read More »
Transition and Strategic Review Crystal Claire to Provide Direct Oversight as Company Reviews Operations and Future Direction Toronto, ON — July 2, 2026 — Acora Acoustics today announced a leadership transition as the company begins a strategic and operational review of its business, structure, dealer relationships, customer support commitments, and future direction. Valerio Cora is... Read More »
Not far from Copenhagen! Note that I attended only a small fraction of the events out there, and I mostly attended the events that I thought would be personally interesting. If I missed something you thought was critical don't be surprised since I missed some things that I thought were critical too but I couldn't... Read More »
Our friend Ferenc Koscsó has been breaking down barriers yet again. Audiophile, recording engineer, and founder of My Reel Club in Budapest, Ferenc has always probed deeply to understand, and help others understand, what is actually happening with our digital audio systems. Two years ago, Ferenc graciously permitted Positive Feedback to repost his probing article... Read More »
Recently, while driving and tolerating my Las Vegas’ moldy oldies FM station KQLL, I heard an old favorite that I don’t hear too often. It was Rare Earth’s “Get Ready,” a song that I swear was custom-made for me. The deliciously grungy tone of the electric guitar is dangerously addicting, and what follows the guitar... Read More »
At Capital Audiofest 2025, a small book on a table in cable manufacturer M101’s exhibit caught my eye. Titled Passport to Sound, it’s a children’s book that explains the principles of audio components and systems by means of a treasure hunt that guides young listeners through the exhibits at an audio show. What a wonderful idea, I thought. For... Read More »
A debut that impressed, bringing together innovation, international appeal and the unifying power of music. With a brilliant Vienna premiere, the HIGH END Vienna 2026 has opened a new chapter in its success story. From 4 to 7 June, the Austria Center Vienna transformed into the international meeting point of the audio industry and provided... Read More »
For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part one here. I’ve known a lot of audiophiles and music lovers who are firmly into either analog or digital, and don’t fully embrace both. Obviously with this series, I’m putting myself in the “I love records” camp. That doesn’t mean I... Read More »
Southport, UK: iFi Audio are proud to unveil the successor to their highly popular, highly portable USB dongle DAC – the GO link 2 Max. The GO link 2 Max is a USB-C dongle that transforms your phone, laptop, or PC into a powerful high-resolution audio source – allowing it to reveal new layers of... Read More »
Roger Skoff writes about when a ripoff is really a ripoff I read recently in another publication that Asian manufacturers are now copying ultra‑High‑End brand audio products and selling them, just as one cited example, a US$95,000 amplifier for under US$1000. I think I was supposed to be outraged, but the article said that the... Read More »
The legendary component manufacturer, Audio Research Company, has returned to Seattle at Jaguar Audio. ARC has several newly redesigned tube and solid-state models, and more coming. These are some of the best-sounding components in ARC’s 56-year history. Jaguar is here to discuss which ARC models will work best in your system, and free fly-in setup... Read More »
"Jimi was like aliens had landed. No kidding," said Toto guitarist, Steve Lukather, who recorded with a who's who of artists like Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, and Eddie Van Halen. "I remember sitting in my bedroom listening to his Are You Experienced? album's 'Third Stone From The Sun.' My father walks in and sees the... Read More »
This article is drawn from an ongoing series of public discussions on electromagnetic field theory and audio cable design, conducted on my personal Facebook page over the past several weeks. The exchanges documented here are real – quoted directly from public comments – and represent a pattern I have observed consistently across hundreds of similar... Read More »
The Soulution brand was established in 2005 and is owned by Spemot AG, a company based in Dulliken that has specialized for 56 years in the production of motors and electromechanical components for industrial automation, as well as motors and actuators for the automotive industry (BMW, Volkswagen, SAAB). Cyril Hammer has served as the company's... Read More »
The Dutch Siltech company is one of the leading cable manufacturers. With its Triple Crown series, it has been setting high-end market standards for years, along with a handful of other manufacturers. In May 2024, however, it unveiled its new flagship Master Crown series – twice as expensive. The International Audio Holding Company, the owner... Read More »
Erftstadt, Germany, 26th of May 2026 – TIDAL Audio GmbH is proud to announce the TIDAL Piano Classic, a reinterpretation of the very first loudspeaker that started it all in 1999. The TIDAL Piano Classic is a reinterpretation of our very first product, a root back to our heritage - combined with the latest technologies,... Read More »
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