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 »
Maya Fridman's album, Reið (translated as "Journey"), is an album of such emotional complexity and depth of meaning that it requires multiple listening sessions to begin to absorb. I've long savored its complexity and the soundscapes Maya creates within it. The album is tremendously rewarding; it compels one's full attention. REIÐ, Maya Fridman. TRPTK 2019... Read More »
As I've commented before, Bob Witrak's High Definition Tape Transfers catalog is like walking into a treasure house of wonderful recordings, some classics, some little known, some new. I regularly discover recordings that I'm delighted to add to my music library. Unfortunately, a separate article on each recording I would recommend is just not practical.... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor, a moment. Happy Valley, OR, 2018 (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by YOE) Continuing my brief notes on Gold Note from last month, and progressing onwards in their designs, here's the June installment of what's up with this impressive audio company. Combining audio-technical achievements with a fine sense of design aesthetics,... Read More »
"See Joe...no problem! Sell the kid...get the upgrade!"
Wayne Jones at NAMM 2022 I was interested in the audiophile community's resistance to pro audio gear, used in top studios around the world. The music we listen to on our home systems was created using tools that are available to everyone, and often sport sophisticated and modern features to carefully provide shockingly accurate reproduction... Read More »
For the Qobuz play list for Focal Powered by Naim Houston - Listen to the playlist Focal/Naim - Houston by Qobuz USA on Qobuz June 7, 2022 - As the Focal Powered by Naim network continues its global rollout, the two leading audio and electronics brands have teamed up with Qobuz to create a bespoke in-store musical sound... Read More »
Global leader in high-end audio products to move manufacturing facility and showroom from New York to Florida MIAMI (May 19, 2022) – Recognized the world over for designing and manufacturing high-end audio products that deliver “astonishing performance,” LAMM Industries, Inc. today officially announced that the company is moving its design and manufacturing facility and customer... Read More »
June 9, 2022 - The VerVent Audio Group, which unites the Focal and Naim brands, announces the opening of new brand spaces in Barrie, near Toronto, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. They open in reference audio stores, whose managers are key partners of the group. Focal Powered by Naim Barrie takes place in the EQ Audio Video store,... Read More »
Released in 2019 the 1st SETO-HORI model received widespread global recognition. The new name for this continued legendary product will be the "SETO-HORI REMODEL," which emphasizes integration of the cartridge with the headshell for a true precise sound. The headshell and cartridge's center of gravity, which are machined from aluminum and copper alloy ingots, are... Read More »
It used to be that great things were invented by one great man. Edison, Morse, Tesla, Bell, McCormick, Whitney, Fulton, and countless others all—at least until they became established—worked alone, or with just an assistant or two, to bring their wonders to the world. In most fields, that no longer seems possible. Maybe it's because,... Read More »
A superb reissue of Mingus' The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady from HDTT in DSD256 that retains all the natural rawness and energy that makes this album special. This is a must have acquisition for any jazz library. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus. HDTT 1963, 2022 (DSD256, DXD) HERE... Read More »
James Gaffigan and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra deliver a very fine Prokofiev symphonies cycle. Collectively, these performances present a consistent and insightful look into Prokofiev's symphonic music, all exceedingly well executed. And all are recorded in the finest, most natural, sound quality one can find. The Symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev, James Gaffigan, Netherlands Radio... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor, contemplating on a high deck in Tiberias, Sea of Galilee, Israel, 2022. (Portrait by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Etc.) Just yesterday Positive Feedback posted notice of the launch of an audiophile standards group: the Association of International Audiophile Publications. The formation of this new high-end audio association took most of... Read More »
(Happy Valley, OR, June 4, 2022) The founding members wish to announce the launch of the Association of International Audiophile Publications (AIAP). The AIAP is composed initially of ten audiophile publications from around the world, all dedicated to a set of ethical and professional standards. These have been organized as a Statement of Principles, which... Read More »
World music meets bluegrass, country and Americana with virtuoso guitar and fiddle on this superb-sounding DSD and SACD premium gold disc. Boulder, Colorado, June 3, 2022 – Octave Records announces the release of Everlasting Dance by TIERRO Band with Bridget Law, a rich “Gypsy Grass” tapestry of sonic elegance that combines world music, bluegrass, country,... Read More »
Award-winning DAC/amp updated with features prioritizing flexibility and premium sound quality Chicago, IL — June 1, 2022 — CEntrance, boutique manufacturer of premium recording and audio playback solutions, today announced the launch of the DACmini™ 2, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier. This sleek, stylish, and sophisticated-looking desktop model is designed to conveniently stack... Read More »
The AMP-23R Integrated Amplifier is the result of years of expertise and effort inspired by the previous generation technology used in Bakoon Products HiFi components. It is the next in line after the Bakoon AMP-13R with a nearly identical physical size and footprint. This newly developed amplifier comes with a fully integrated and advanced circuitry,... Read More »
A thoroughly engaging and well-spent hour with this delightfully articulate guitarist. Enno Voorhorst is a master of subtle grace, dynamic drive, and brilliant technique. But, he never allows his huge technique to overshadow his musically compelling communication of nuance and emotion. 840 - Enno Voorhorst, guitar. Cobra Records 2022 (Pure DSD256). HERE In this album,... Read More »
