With set screw and solder contacts … “I salute Furutech’s engineers for the grind of overhauling the legacy XLR plug and endowing it with their proprietary Nano Crystal² Formula. Isn’t it amazing that solely for our playback entertainment, their engineers would labour over creating a better connector? I do believe that they did just that, exactly.... Read More »
Gasoline Lollipops combine an open, acoustically-based sound with ferocious electric playing on this DSD and SACD premium gold disc set Boulder, Colorado, July 22, 2022 – Octave Records has released Nightmares by country-Americana-rock band Gasoline Lollipops, a record that weaves roots music influences, intimate confessional songwriting and the raw power of rock and roll into a deeply moving album.... Read More »
Eric Vloeimans' music-making has captured me. I admit it happily. His innovative, cheerful explorations are refreshing, fun, interesting, and challenging, all at a go. No ruts here, no plodding along roads well-traveled by others. Listening to one of his albums is like finding fresh horizons. Oliver's Cinema, Eric Vloeimans, Tuur Florizoone, Jörg Brinkmann. Buzz, Northstar... Read More »
Dirk Sommer, Birgit Hammer (photography). This review is quite unusual: Audioquest's "LowZ/Noise-Dissipation" mains power technology, implemented in cables and power conditioners, which has recently received the Statement in High Fidelity award, has to show in the CSM mastering studio whether it has there just as positive an influence on the sound as in a HiFi... Read More »
The New Name Establishes Brand Cohesion, Aligning the Distribution Business of McIntosh Group MAPLE GROVE, MN (JULY 18, 2022) -- McIntosh Group Inc. is proud to announce a change in brand name of its US Distributor, Sumiko Audio, to Fine Sounds Americas. The name change is a rebranding effort designed to mirror the growth and... Read More »
Wednesday, July 20th, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern The Audiophile Society will conduct this meeting anywhere you want to be. Please join us this month for an enlightening presentation by Norman Varney that we’re calling, “Noise and Vibration from an Audiophile’s Perspective.” Mr. Varney is the Principal Consultant for A/V RoomService, Ltd. Prior to AVRS... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor, 2022: a portrait in Ink Outline (photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde himself). A Study in Synergy There's that word again. As defined online by Oxford Languages, synergy is "the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater... Read More »
In the mid-seventies, Al Di Meola was a young, hotshot jazz fusion guitarist with Chick Corea and Return to Forever. But he'd also developed a deep understanding of Latin music, and had a special love for flamenco guitar. During a European tour with RTF, Di Meola heard of a legendary Spanish flamenco guitarist, Paco De... Read More »
Saturday Night In San Francisco, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco DeLucia (IMPEX Records - 33 RPM) This is an outstanding release that should be a strong consideration for all vinyl fans and record collectors—regardless of your favorite genre! From a performance, recording and production perspective, when you put together a team from IMPEX Records,... Read More »
Greetings friends, I hope you are doing well! Today's article is about the new Audio Note (UK) Meishu Phono Silver Tonmeister 300B single-ended-triode (SET) integrated amplifier (MSRP $19,300.00 USD, website link HERE). Long time readers know I have a special fondness for high-performance integrated amplifiers, as they represent what I consider to be the value... Read More »
By Harold Tichenor Harold Tichenor: a portrait. (Photograph by Matt Tichenor.) I encountered Harold Tichenor recently, while looking for a particular box set of the complete Solti Wagner Ring on Decca [recorded in 1958-1959] and issued in 1970, over at discogs.com. Since that time, we have gotten to know each other a bit, and I... Read More »
Qobuz Partners with International Anthem for Public Records (BK) Show Series + Exclusive Live Releases Next showcase will be July 16th: Anteloper + HXH Poster created by Mark Rice Qobuz, the music lovers’ Hi-Res streaming and download platform, is partnering with the Chicago-based independent record label International Anthem for a curated series of four album... Read More »
Hendrik Andriessen (1892-1981) is not so nearly as well known outside his home country of The Netherlands as he should be. His was a towering musical intellect, ever inventive, ever challenging. These chamber works composed early his career (in the 1930s) are a treasure. Hendrik Andriessen Works for Cello, Violin & Piano, Amsterdam Bridge Ensemble.... Read More »
Experience the Purity of Sound and Song from Italy's Hidden Gem Coming August 12th, 2022 Argentinian-born and Italy based vocalist and violist de gamba Luciana Elizondo partners with The Audiophile Society on her latest release, Cantos De Amor Y De Ausencia (Songs of Love and Absence). One of the premier viol players in the world, Luciana has played... Read More »
Complementary product lines strengthens group offering Berlin: July 5 2022 - German studio specialist Neumann.Berlin and Swiss company Merging Technologies - one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-resolution digital audio recording systems – will now be working together under the umbrella of the Sennheiser group. Sennheiser has taken over the shares of Merging technology entirely.... Read More »
David W. Robinson making the photograph "Departure." Happy Valley, OR, 2022 (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Editor) Pushing ahead with my brief notes on Gold Note from last month, and progressing onwards in my discovery of their company, this month I'll share a couple of very brief videos that they've produced... Read More »
"Complete Works for Violin and Orchestra. "Jennifer Koh, violin; Odense Symphony/Alexander Vedernikov. Cedille CDR 90000 166. TT: 74.20. Sérénade mélancolique, Op. 26. Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 35. Souvenir d'un lieu cher, Op. 42 (orch. Glazunov). Downloads/Streaming: amazon.com; cedillerecords.com; deezer.com; music.apple.com; pandora.app.link; qobuz.com; tidal.com I'm surprised we didn't see more of this sort of compendium... Read More »
Dr. David W. Robinson: a moment. Vancouver, WA, 2022. (Photograph by Colt Milton; image processing by Robinson) Every now and then in a blue moon it happens. A quick blast about a design that really rocks me, and is reasonably straightforward to bring to your attention. (That's rare; most require a lot of work to... Read More »
I've long enjoyed The Baltimore Consort's many recordings on CD for the Dorian label. It is such a delight to find that they continue to record new albums for Sono Luminus, now in high resolution. Lively, fun, music performed on gut strings and natural woods, what a joy to hear. The Baltimore Consort - The... Read More »
This recording by La Sfera Armoniosa of several works by the less-than-well-known composer, Willem de Fesch, is a treasure. The music is fully comparable to the best output from the Baroque. It is sophisticated, it shimmers. It is at least as colorful, playful, and inventive as that of his contemporaries. And it is beautifully performed... Read More »
This article by Sasha Matson originally ran in Issue 5, February/March 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. It is to my fellow fence sitters that I speak. The time... Read More »
I'm not a skier. It's not that I don't know how—I've actually taken a total of three "dry land" ski courses so, if I were to try, I might not crash too often before I actually got the hang of it. I've never tried, though. The cost in time, money, on-site instruction, and unlikely-but-possible injury... Read More »
Goldmund, the prestigious Swiss audio manufacturer, presents and inaugurates its brand new wireless active speakers. After two years of silence due to the pandemic, the leading manufacturer of high-end audio equipment is stepping up to the plate. At the High End Munich, the world's largest audio trade fair held in May, Goldmund presented a preview... Read More »
Waltz for Debby is one of the great jazz albums. And we've had a lot of reissues. But, none of the digital reissues match the sound of this terrific Pure DSD256 release from HDTT. If this is one of your favorite albums, as it is mine, you should run, not walk, to get this new... Read More »
The New Products Emulate Rotel’s Legacy and Passion, Honoring the Heritage of the Family Owned Audio Brand. TOKYO, JAPAN (JUNE 22, 2022) – Rotel is proud to announce the RA-6000 Integrated Amplifier and DT-6000 DAC Transport to celebrate 60 years as a Japanese family owned and operated audio business. The “Diamond Series” models earn their... Read More »
Bach. St. John Passion. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists. John Eliot Gardiner, Deutsche Gramophone 486 1822. 2 CDs, 1 Blue Ray DVD. Is John Eliot Gardiner’s Bach definitive or 'just' English? Fair question. For me, his take on Bach in the cantatas and masses is the standard. Watching the DVD and listening to the CD’s... Read More »
Sandim combines harmonically sophisticated contemporary jazz, Latin, and other musical influences on an exceptional DSD and SACD premium gold disc – Boulder, Colorado, June 22, 2022 – The new Octave Records release, Mini Brazilian Beasts by jazz pianist Carmen Sandim, is a musical and sonic treat. It weaves a boundless wave of piano melodies, sophisticated harmonic concepts, and the musical... Read More »
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (June 21, 2022) — Today, Klipsch® and Resonado Labs® announce a strategic partnership to develop a new line of Klipsch home audio solutions integrating Resonado technologies. Together, the companies aim to define the next era of audio by developing a line of products engineered to deliver the highest output possible in sleek and compact form factors.... Read More »
Dr. David enjoying a fine cigar on the deck of Louis Desjardins' home in Montreal, Canada, 2022. (Photograph by Bill Parish; image processing by Robinson) Just last weekend I returned from a three-day trip to Montreal, Canada. I was there to visit Louis Desjardins of Kronos, creator of the extraordinary Discovery Turntable system. This included... Read More »
June 21, 2022 – Focal, the respected French speaker brand, and Naim, the British audio electronics leader, are opening two brand-new brand spaces in the United States. Managed by Antonio Gaspard, the shop-in-shop in Miami opens in the CasaHiFi store. The second is a showroom dedicated entirely to Focal and Naim opening in Austin, the capital... Read More »
Hürth, Germany, June, 17th, 2022 – Effective Immediately, TIDAL-Audio GmbH is proud to announce the TIDAL Contros, a new digital controller. The TIDAL Contros is designed to be the perfect digital music content controller for TIDAL high-end systems. This is the first TIDAL masterpiece directly benefitting from the ultra-exclusive TIDAL for Bugatti project and its... Read More »
New site and exciting YouTube channel to bring outstanding reviews, articles, and interviews to global online audiences Wyckoff, NJ—June 16th, 2022—Veteran audio journalist and music writer/critic Michael Fremer will launch the website TrackingAngle.com, the new online home of the pioneering 90s-era print magazine The Tracking Angle that will cover vinyl records and all things analog. The site is... Read More »
Linn today announces the launch of exciting new Sondek LP12 upgrade components for existing owners, and a refresh of their Sondek LP12 packages: Arko – an all-new, original, gimballed tonearm. Kendo – an elite performance moving coil cartridge; designed to pair perfectly with Arko. Krane – Linn’s adept entry-level tonearm is now available to order... Read More »
What: HIIFIMAN Electronics, the leader in high fidelity personal audio, will feature a wide selection of its most recent introductions at CanJam Chicago 2022. The complete press kit is here. HIFIMAN will demo many of its latest products, including: EF400 Desktop DAC/Amp: Designed as both an homage to the acclaimed EF6 and a statement of modern audio technology, the... Read More »
Book your sleeping rooms now! https://book.passkey.com/go/audiofest22 Avoid the lines and buy your show tickets here: https://www.pacificaudiofest.com/copy-of-tickets-travel-1 Our PAF Merch page is up: Order your commemorative t-shirts & hoodies now. Quantities are limited and are a cool way to show your support. https://www.pacificaudiofest.com/copy-of-paf-merchandise PAF has its own Magic: Live music Friday and Saturday nights, NW regional... Read More »
Old Lyme, CT, June 15, 2022 – The Sennheiser MOMENTUM range continues to redefine the standard for sophisticated listening through superior sound. Now, the upcoming MOMENTUM 4 Wireless over-ear headphones raise the bar even higher, with best-in-class sound, advanced Adaptive Noise Cancellation and an all-new design offering exceptional comfort. The battery life is rated at an... Read More »
The New Product Continues the Brand’s History of Tuner Excellence Including the Iconic MR78 Binghamton, NY (June 15, 2022)– McIntosh is proud to announce the MR89 AM/FM Tuner. The high-end audio company worked diligently on a multitude of advancements to maximize radio listening, including adjustments to sensitivity, signal to noise ratio, harmonic distortion, channel selectivity,... Read More »
