Liszt, Les Préludes; Mephisto Waltz; Orpheus; Mazeppa. Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra/Paul Paray. Festival Classique FC 416 (LP). TT: 51.54 My "retrospective" reviews have usually covered compact discs of—ahem—a certain vintage. But I know some audiophiles still favor vinyl over digital formats—I've never given up my own vinyl, though, with age, I'm looking to pare down the sprawling... Read More »
Greg Weaver checking out...Greg Weaver! AXPONA 2023 was as stirring a success as portended! Here is a link to my promotional episode highlighting the then upcoming 2023 Audio eXPo North America event. https://youtu.be/39Xda-_nCao Now that it is in the books, I can't believe how many of you stopped me in the halls to say hello... Read More »
You may have seen that NativeDSD recently decided to expand its catalog offerings to now offer albums originally recorded in PCM 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz rates in addition to the DSD/DXD recordings they have always featured. See the announcement HERE. So, after a month under the new policy, I've been watching to see what... Read More »
Bob Witrak's High Definition Tape Transfer (HDTT) has long been known for its excellent transfers from analog reel-to-reel tape. Both Dr. David and I have written many articles about Bob's very fine digital releases of vintage classical and jazz recordings, many of which sound better than the digital reissues from the major labels. And now... Read More »
Chicago based conductor and arranger David Carroll (1913 - 2008) made a lot of records for Chicago based Mercury Records. As he also held an executive producer position at Mercury, I suspect that some of his LPs, EPs, and singles were arranged and conducted by somebody else. Also, if you shopped for vintage LPs during... Read More »
Or about computer sound recording systems. Pt. 3 : MUSIC (II) It all started in January 1971 with the world's first LP with digitally recorded material. In a long chain of successive recorders - among Denon Digital, Soundstream, 3M, ProDigi, DASH, ADAT, RADAR - DAW, or Digital Audio Workstation, is the latest development. And this is... Read More »
This article by Gary Beard originally ran in Issue 10, October/November 2003, 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. Eminent Technology Eminent Technology's computer speaker system, the LFT-11 Planar Magnetic Multimedia... Read More »
This won't be about what you think it will be about. It won't be the typical audio rant about typical audio topics; no arguments about digital vs analog or tube vs solid-state or what music constitutes a worthy effort for a high end system. It will be something a little different. But first, I've noticed... Read More »
Qobuz Deputy CEO Georges Fornay (Courtesy of Qobuz) Georges Fornay, Deputy CEO of Qobuz, has been named to Billboard’s 2023 International Power Players List. Check him out on the list HERE. Under Fornay, who was appointed head of the France-based high-quality music streaming and download platform in 2020, Qobuz has led the market in sound... Read More »
A small crowd murmurs and looks on as two sturdy men in navy company polos and slacks gingerly lift, rock, and place a pair of nineteen thousand dollar futuristic gleaming pearl white speakers into optimal audio positioning while their CEO, Paul McGowan, is off to the side chatting with a prospective buyer. Although the weather... Read More »
Glasgow, Scotland. Linn today officially launches to the world their all-new flagship loudspeaker – 360 – featuring new cabinet, new drive units, new electronics, new everything. Audibly invisible. Visibly remarkable. 360 is audibly invisible. It produces a performance with unprecedented clarity and realism, that’s entirely absent of sonic colouration. Incorporating innovative drive unit and amplifier technologies,... Read More »
Craft Recordings is bringing an impressive slate of limited-edition LPs to stores for 2023's first celebration of Record Store Day (RSD), which takes place on Saturday, April 22. Craft's noteworthy offering of rarities and specialty releases are just a smattering among the hundreds of records from a multitude of record labels. Craft's seven releases include... Read More »
What a wonderful weekend at AXPONA 2023! The weather was quite lovely for this time of the year in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs—sunny and in the 70s and 80s. There was a certain sense of excitement and energy in the air, even beyond last year's 2022 event as 2021 was cancelled to due to... Read More »
Recording label 2L and its well-respected producer and recording engineer Morten Lindberg are known for their surround-sound recordings, with multiple GRAMMY Awards and Nominations. If you have multichannel playback capability, and if music in the round is your thing, 2L's recordings are some of the best recordings in that style. I listen only to stereo... Read More »
April 19, 2023– Qobuz, the high-quality music streaming and download platform, is continuing its international expansion with its launch today in Canada. With Qobuz hitting the market, all Canadian music lovers who are looking for a unique music experience will now have access to a high-quality music service that’s a cut above the mainstream competition.... Read More »
The new Technics SU-GX70, a universal streaming amplifier, easily integrates into the home hi-fi system with the inclusion of an HDMI ARC port The color finish of the widely acclaimed Technics SL-1500C turntable is now available in a contemporary white finish NEWARK, N.J., April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Technics unveiled two new products for the first... Read More »
When I was twenty two I came to the conclusion that I actually like jazz, but I had a problem with jazz. The problem was I had yet to hear any jazz that stirred me enough that I'd want to purchase it. Rock and roll is all about hooks and when it's good you feel... Read More »
Jazz Dispensary is Craft Recordings' house label that mines from the riches of Concord Music's jazz, funk, soul, and fusion recordings from their Prestige, Fantasy, and Milestone imprints from the mid-60s through the mid-70s. While many of their releases are compilation mix-ups of classic grooves from the period, Jazz Dispensary's Top Shelf series highlights rarities... Read More »
NAMM Show 2023, Anaheim, CA: To celebrate its 25th Anniversary, specialist loudspeaker manufacturer Augspurger® Monitors will unveil its Duo15-Sub1801-TAD — an all-new high-performance, four-way large active loudspeaker featuring TAD Laboratories drivers with DSPtune controlled amplification - at The NAMM Show, 2023. Augspurger® Monitors 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Duo15-Sub1801-TAD system The 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Duo15-Sub1801-TAD... Read More »
NAMM Show 2023, Anaheim, CA: Premium loudspeaker manufacturer Augspurger® Monitors, announces its new MX65-Sub12 nearfield speaker at The NAMM Show 2023. This desktop sized speaker can be used as both a nearfield and main monitor when combined with the Augspurger® Monitors Sub12, and is available with a matching stand that sits between the sub and... Read More »
NEW! -- SME MODEL 60 TURNTABLE, NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT Meet Stuart McNeilis, CEO of SME, and hear the fabulous new Model 60 turntable - first time shown in USA. Also hear the wonderful entry-level Model 6 turntable both in Bluebird Suite 434. NEW! -- FEZZ AUDIO EVOLUTION SERIES AMPLIFIERS, USA DEBUT Hear the Fezz Audio... Read More »
Axxess is the fourth brand in the Audio Group Denmark family, side by side with Ansuz, Aavik and Børresen. The launch of Axxess embodies Audio Group Denmark founders Lars Kristensen and Michael Børresen's quest for authentic and emotional musical moments and their vision to share these kinds of precious moments with even more people. Axxess... Read More »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chicago, IL - April 14, 2023 MoFi Electronics introduces the Falcon Acoustics M10 loudspeaker to their product lineup. A high-quality 2-way monitor with a small footprint that produces a convincingly full-bodied sound, this new model is targeted at the audiophile while at an affordable price. The design goal of the M10 –... Read More »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chicago, IL - April 14, 2023 MoFi Distribution has been appointed the official USA distributor for Thales and X-quisite, two exceptional brands that exude Swiss precision manufacturing, innovation and luxury. Thales is a successful global entity known for their award winning turntables and tonearms, while X-quisite is the newest brainchild from audio... Read More »
Keyboardist/composer Amend and his group offer a compelling variety of large-group originals and standards, recorded in pure DSD 256 high-resolution audio. Boulder, Colorado, April 12, 2023 – Octave Records offers a richly-varied musical and sonic jazz excursion with its latest Pure DSD release, Bishop’s Lair by the Tom Amend Octet. Keyboardist and composer Tom Amend... Read More »
Golden Valley, MN, April 10, 2023: Bel Canto Design, manufacturers of cutting-edge audio products since 1991, will debut the new BLACK DAC system at AXPONA, April 14-16, 2023. Bel Canto components will be demonstrated in two rooms at the show: Room 402: The BLACK DAC system ($40,000) debuts in this room, actively demoed with the Bel Canto BLACK EX Dual... Read More »
JOIN US FOR A HIFI MEET AND GREET WITH SME TURNTABLES, WILSON AUDIO, D'AGOSTINO AT BETHESDA'S JS AUDIO You are invited to JS Audio for an evening of great music on one of the world's finest vinyl playback systems. The featured system is comprised of an SME Model 60 turntable, Wilson's XVX loudspeakers and D'Agostino... Read More »
Schaumburg, IL (April 13, 2023) – MoFi Electronics is set to launch its latest loudspeaker model, the SourcePoint 8, at the upcoming AXPONA event in Schaumburg, IL, USA from April 14-16. This bookshelf speaker, created by Chief Speaker Designer Andrew Jones, offers the same exceptional sound quality as its larger sibling, the SourcePoint 10, but... Read More »
New Stand Mount Speaker Featuring TAD’s Esoteric Technology Embodies the Legendary Company’s Design Philosophy Hanover MA – Iconic Japanese audio brand, Technical Audio Devices Laboratories (TADL) announces the official North American launch of its new Compact Evolution CE1TX stand mount speaker. TAD’s engineering team thoughtfully preserved cherished elements of the original model, the multi-award-winning Compact... Read More »
BALLSTON SPA, New York, April 05, 2023 – Vinyl fans have new reason to celebrate as Luxman America introduces the eagerly-anticipated PD-191A analog player. “So many music lovers have told me how much pleasure they get from the PD-171A,” said Jeff Sigmund, president. “This new player is more than a worthy successor. It breaks entirely... Read More »
The Norwegian classical music label, Lawo Classics, makes recordings I've come to quite enjoy. They find outstanding musicians and make recordings of exquisite sound quality. As I've been exploring their catalog (over 240 titles since 2008), I'm finding a deep treasure of wonderful performances in excellent DXD recorded sound quality. I'm always delighted to see... Read More »
The SR35 is the 4th player to be released in the Astell&Kern A&norma line of Digital Audio Players Quad-DAC (Quad/Dual Switching Mode) New Generation AMP Technology 2-Step Gain Mode NEW UI/UX - Crimson Theme Dual Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz) 20-hour continuous playtime Supports two-way Bluetooth and LDAC, aptX™ HD Roon Ready (First in A&norma series)... Read More »
April 2023: This month at AXPONA, Nordost is launching the QBASE Mark III. Since first being introduced to the market in 2009, the QBASE has been a sophisticated, yet straightforward AC Distribution Unit which provides the solid foundation audio components require, in order to improve upon any high-performing, two-channel system. Now, Nordost is further amplifying... Read More »
April 7, 2023: NativeDSD announced today that it is expanding its catalog to include albums originally recorded in PCM 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz rates in addition to the DSD/DXD recordings they have always featured. This change acknowledges the current reality that the majority of recording industry labels have standardized on lower sample rate PCM... Read More »
Aliso Viejo, California: ampsandsound is thrilled to announce our new Arch flagship Push-Pull amplifier. Following founder Justin Weber’s philosophy of quality above all else, the Arch Monoblocks are the finest example of ampsandsound’s work yet. The goal of the Arch is to showcase the fidelity and bandwidth that could be possible with a tube amplifier... Read More »
Boulder, Colorado, April 6, 2023 – At AXPONA 2023 PS Audio will be showcasing a wide variety of its high-end audio lineup including the award-winning flagship aspen FR30 loudspeaker, the new FR20 speaker, the exceptional PerfectWave DirectStream DAC MK2, the ultimate-performance BHK Signature Mono 600 power amplifiers and more. The speakers and components will be demonstrated using... Read More »
| Hello there, We are thrilled to announce the beginning of the cooperation in the US market with Fidelity Imports, the Gold Note exclusive distributor since April 1st. The official "debut" of the new, exciting path that we are undertaking together will take place during the Axpona Audio Show 2023. Come see us at Axpona,... Read More »
