November 12th, 2020 — Clarus® is excited to announce the release of CODA, a new USB DAC with Headphone Amplifier that includes an MQA renderer. The CODA features the latest in USB-DAC technology that provides ultra-low distortion, more detail, greater dynamics, and a bigger sound stage. Designed to be used with a smartphone, tablet or computer, the CODA... Read More »
MQA Users have Doubled Since 2019 on TIDAL TIDAL HiFi Users Now Stream 40% More Tracks in Master Quality than Last Year November 12, 2020 (New York, NY) – Today, global music and entertainment streaming platform, TIDAL, added millions of tracks in MQA from Warner Music Group to its Masters catalog. TIDAL, in partnership with... Read More »
Sacred Trance Music from Taos Mountain, Habib Chishti, Michael Rosell, Salman Hanuman Lee, Shawnina Good Road Woman. Yarlung Records 2020 (EP) (Pure DSD256, Stereo, MCh) HERE Go to your quiet place, turn out the lights, transport to the original recording session with these musicians. The sound quality is that good—immersive, translucent, and transcending. And the... Read More »
Craft Recordings continues their 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of Creedence Clearwater Revival with this new LP reissue of their seminal album, Cosmo's Factory. Starting in July 1970, Cosmo's Factory quickly rose to the top of the US Billboard album charts and was propelled to quadruple platinum status in the US alone on the... Read More »
Upgrades include sonic improvements and new gain control functionality Price of base model remains the same Takoma Park, MD: Linear Tube Audio, the only manufacturer of amplifiers based on David Berning’s patented ZOTL circuit design, today announced a series of upgrades to their award-winning flagship MicroZOTL Preamplifier. The upgrades bring sonic improvements and increased functionality,... Read More »
Roger Skoff writes about how systems really work, and why that can be a problem Roger Skoff (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) Many years ago, upon learning that my sister had no home music source other than her television set and a table radio, I decided to buy her a stereo system.... Read More »
Once again, our great friend and music lover, John Marks, Editor of The Tannhauser Gate, has favored us with his reflections...this time on the Moonriver Audio Model 404. As usual, John writes with great knowledge and discernment on the audio virtues of this integrated amplifier. Read, and learn! Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye Olde Editor... Read More »
Announced in September, the new Krane tonearm for Linn Majik LP12 has been given a shipping date of 23rd November. From this date, all new Majik LP12 turntables will ship with the new higher performance arm fitted as standard. The new Krane tonearm boosts the performance of Linn’s entry level vinyl source in line with... Read More »
An all-new design, state-of-the-art specifications and a sound that soars – iFi’s NEO iDSD hi-res DAC/headphone amp is every music lover’s perfect housemate Southport, England – Since its inception in 2012, iFi has been at the forefront of DAC technology for home and portable use, delivering exemplary sound with digital music sources both online and offline.... Read More »
From Heaven on Earth - Lute Music from Kremsmunster Abbey, Hubert Hoffmann. Challenge Classics | Northstar Recording (DXD) (HERE) A beautiful and sensitive recording of some exquisite compositions recently discovered in the library of the Benedictine Abbey of Kremsmünster in Upper Austria. Hubert Hoffman is clearly a master of the 11-string lute, as heard here... Read More »
Or what do the audiophiles sit on "First of all, audiophile doesn't listen to. He assesses." source: Bartek Chaciński, Wyż nisz, Kraków 2010 ⌋ Preparing the 3-part mini-series entitled. MICROTUNNING I focused on three elements of audio systems: 1 LOUDSPEAKERS, 2 ELECTRONCS and 3 CABLES. Already back then one of our Readers pointed out to... Read More »
Positive Feedback is an American audio magazine. From 1990 to 2002 it had been printed, but then it started to be published online only; it is one of the oldest and largest online audio magazines in the world. We are talking to one of its founders, Dave Clark. Dave and Carol Clark in their listening... Read More »
2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the formation of progressive / hardcore / metalcore band Between the Buried and Me, and Craft Recordings continues to celebrate this watershed moment with remix / remasters of the band's entire catalog. Now up: BTBAM's third studio album, 2005's milestone release Alaska, which gives us the band featuring their... Read More »
This article, as reviewed by Larry Cox, Carol Clark, and Victor Chavira 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. Of the three integrated amps... Read More »
Robert Schryer and Dave Mallette report: A Story about Speakers, People, and Hope. Read about it HERE
Puidoux: October 2020. The dilemma that faces any supplier of music software is knowing what features to include in the next version. The inclusion of a Dolby Atmos workflow on the latest version of Pyramix was an easy decision to make. The first point was that Pyramix users were being asked to provide Dolby Atmos content... Read More »
Jane Ira Bloom: Wild Lines - Improvising on Emily Dickinson. Anderson Audio (2017, Audiophile Edition 2020 (DXD) HERE Jane Ira Bloom is an acknowledged jazz master on the soprano saxophone. She has built a following bridging modern and experimental jazz. In Wild Lines she has created a fresh and unpretentious exploration of the intersection of... Read More »
Five Easy Pieces: Focal and Naim Offer Premium Music Systems at Special Prices October 27, 2020 - With a combined 88 years of handcrafted audio expertise, Focal and Naim understand how to create the very best music systems. Now they are making them even easier to enjoy, with specially matched and priced systems that pair... Read More »
Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 and Op. 3, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. Pentatone (Three Albums 2019, 2020 (DXD) [HERE] This is big, bold, exciting Handel. None of your timid tinkly stuff. This music has drive! It has bass! It is energetic! Just have fun with it. Yes, that was my first reaction listening to... Read More »
Ballads is considered by many as an essential addition to any John Coltrane collection. First released on the Impulse label in mono and then later in stereo, it has continued to cause both consternation and praise by both critics and fans. This new 33 RPM stereo reissue is another wonderful addition to the Acoustic Sounds... Read More »
McIntosh Announces MX100 A/V Processor and MI347 7-Channel Amplifier Streamlined, Rack Mountable McIntosh Home Theater Performance delivers an Edge-Of-Your-Seat Audio Experience Binghamton, NY – October 23, 2020 – McIntosh, the global leader in prestigious home entertainment and ultimate-quality audio for over 70 years, is proud to introduce two more exciting products: the MX100 A/V Processor... Read More »
Toronto ON - exaSound Audio Design, manufacturer of innovative, exceptional fidelity audio products, announces the new e62 and the new 8-channel e68 digital–to–analog converters. The exaSound’s e62 stereo DAC and the e68 multichannel DAC bring native DSD512 support to company's award winning compact product line. With truly balanced internals, a high power, high performance headphone... Read More »
The Raidho TD 4.2 Loudspeakers, with a Stillpoints Aperture first-reflection-point panel and stand, and a two-high stack of Ryan Tinsel Rack-It LP storage units. Black and white oil painting by Dan Zimmerman. (Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson...true of all listening room photographs in this essay.) PF Editor-in-Chief David W. Robinson at Munich... Read More »
Tom Caulfield is NativeDSD's mastering engineer and an accomplished DSD multi-channel recording engineer. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Tom over the past several months via a series of email conversations as he's tried to help me understand the ins and outs of some of the digital technology with which he works every... Read More »
I have been looking forward to telling you about the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier, as I've found the XP-12 to make for an excellent match to the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier (reviewed HERE), as well the First Watt SIT-3 single-ended stereo amplifier (reviewed HERE), which are my current benchmarks for relatively... Read More »
Two Affordable Active Monitors, Alpha AM3 and Alpha AM5, Built on Success of Highly Acclaimed Alpha Series PICKERING, ONTARIO, CANADA OCTOBER 14, 2020 -– PSB Speakers, long renowned for excellence in loudspeaker design, announced the immediate availability of two new affordable compact, powered speakers, the Alpha AM3 and Alpha AM5. The new models are founded... Read More »
London/Tokyo, 13 October 2020 – WOWOW, Japan’s leading premium pay TV broadcaster, livestreamed a musical performance in real time using MQA audio with HD video recently, firmly establishing WOWOW as the leader in sound quality for its live OTT (over the top) broadcasting. Virtuoso marimba player, Makoto Nakura, performed a selection of Bach repertoire in... Read More »
October 11, 2020 We are happy to announce the release of two fantastic projects the: new microRendu version 1.5 and the new Optical Module Deluxe. The new microRendu 1.5 now features improved power converters and capacitors, improved clock buffers and an improved USB A jack with a through hole mount. A more organic and revealing... Read More »
Sporting a host of enhancements both inside and out, one of the most highly acclaimed hi-res DAC/headphone amps on the planet just got even better – meet the micro iDSD Signature Southport, England – iFi audio, the acclaimed maker of audio devices for home and portable use, has redesigned one of its most popular products to... Read More »
New Bluetooth 5.0 Earbud Features High-end Output, Rugged Resistance to Dirt and Sweat BELLMORE, NY, October 6, 2020 – HIFIMAN, the leader in high fidelity personal audio, will soon deliver its second True Wireless® earbud that offers demonstrably improved sonics and exceptional Bluetooth reception that meets and exceeds expectations for the price. The new TWS800 ($299) is a full range... Read More »
Uncompromising Audio Engineering and Expert Craftsmanship create The Integrated Amplifier of Your Dreams Binghamton, NY – October 9, 2020 – McIntosh, the global leader in prestigious home entertainment and ultimate-quality audio for 70 years, is proud to introduce the MA12000 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier. The fully loaded, hybrid MA12000 Integrated Amplifier is a product of uncompromising... Read More »
These Perfect Song articles have moved beyond my original intent: So, what is a perfect song? In my opinion, a perfect song touches you on many different levels. It goes beyond simply how it sounds into the more ethereal boundaries of how it makes you feel. It is a melding of music, lyrics, vocals, and... Read More »
The more I listen to the recordings created by Brendon Heinst and his team, the more enchanted I become. TRPTK has easily become a favorite music label in this household because of the highly varied and non-traditional repertoire, extraordinarily good artists (whom we may not know by name but are very deserving of our attention),... Read More »
Lenbrook Americas Launches DALI OBERON C Wireless Hi-Fi Made Easy and Affordable Oberon C wireless active speakers and SOUND HUB COMPACT audio preamplifier couple simplicity of installation and operation with audiophile sound quality PICKERING, ONTARIO, CANADA, OCTOBER 6, 2020 – Lenbrook Americas today launched the DALI OBERON C Series, DALI’s most affordable smart speaker system,... Read More »
VPI’s stunning new Prime 21 turntables build upon the success of the award-winning Prime series to deliver a vastly improved performance and offer a super-simple set-up procedure. The Prime 21 and 21+ are designed for music lovers who demand high-end performance but do not want to have to learn hi-fi technician skills to get their... Read More »
October 6, 2020 – Salisbury, UK Naim Audio, the British hi-fi specialist with 47 years of audio expertise, has added extra functionality to its Control4 Media driver, giving CI professionals even more ways to integrate Naim’s award-winning range of music-streaming speakers and systems. The new features sit alongside Zone driver functionality, which allows installers to... Read More »
One of the audiophile "tweaks" most often criticized on the internet and in back-room bull sessions is the use of cable lifters to improve system sound. In fact, other than cables, themselves, which are a perennial source of audiophile controversy, there's hardly anything I can think of that gets more consistently negative commentary, with or... Read More »
