Here is an audiophile's dream—an exploration of superb performances remastered in Pure DSD from the original DSD tracking channels. Tom Peeters, founder and recording engineer of Cobra Records has gone into his archives to find his original DSD64 tracking channels from albums released between 2007-2014 and remastered selected tracks in Pure DSD256 for this Producer's... Read More »
Gordon Lightfoot, as a young Church Singer. Courtesy The United Church Observer/Broadview magazine. Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. (1938-2023) was a Canadian-born singer-songwriter. By 1965, Lightfoot's songs had been recorded by, among others, Peter, Paul & Mary; Ian & Silvia; the Kingston Trio; Elvis Presley; Bob Dylan; Chad & Jeremy; George Hamilton; the Clancy Brothers; Marty... Read More »
When I moved to the Charleston, South Carolina area three years ago, I figured out something very quickly: the Low Country is a veritable wasteland when it comes to high-end audio—there's nothing here. And I mean nothing, other than a few pieces of mostly mid-fi gear at an occasional Best Buy location. I only thought... Read More »
Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (1975, Swan Song Records) is undeniably the band's magnum opus, and quite possibly the most comprehensive statement of who Led Zeppelin were and how they evolved into the world's greatest rock ‘n' roll band. Fans obviously agreed by voting with their wallets, taking the album to 17x platinum in the US... Read More »
Tampa, Florida—Sept. 2025—For its eighth annual show, the Florida International Audio Expo returns February 20–22, 2026, to the Sheraton Tampa Brandon Hotel. Attendees from around the globe will converge in Tampa to explore more than 100 exhibit spaces, learn from industry leaders in seminars, and enjoy live music throughout the weekend. “The opportunity to audition... Read More »
New York, NY — September 18, 2025 — Orchard Audio, in collaboration with Soundfield Audio, is proud to announce the debut of a revolutionary new product at the NYC International Audio Show: a 4-channel, 1200 watt plate amplifier with integrated DSP. A plate amplifier is essentially a self-contained power amp module, typically mounted directly onto... Read More »
17th September 2025: Englewood, Colorado – Monarch Systems Ltd. distributor of B.audio in the US and Canada announces the release of a new phono stage module from French manufacturer, B.audio. NEW PHONO MODULE French high-end audio electronics specialist and manufacturer B.audio introduce their new optional phono stage module. The module offers users the ability to... Read More »
– Mullins and his ensemble offer reimagined takes on traditional works, and new compositions, in dynamic Pure DSD high-resolution sound – September 17, 2025 – Gratitude by master guitarist Steve Mullins and his band Rim of the Well is the latest release from Octave Records and its blend of flamenco, Balkan, African, Latin and musical... Read More »
In mid-1989, guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Bernard Sumner of New Order approached his bandmates with the idea of adding programmed synths to their new music. Neither Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, or Gillian Gilbert were particularly receptive to the idea, as they were all deeply involved in ongoing side projects at the time. Undeterred by their... Read More »
Newly Remastered by Bernie Grundman from the Original Master Tapes and Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Using Clarity Vinyl® Includes 16-Page Booklet with Session Notes and Essay by Brad Tolinski (Guitar World Magazine) Stereo release limited to 4,500 copies; Mono limited to 2,500 copies "The Axis UHQR cut is amazing — full bodied, detailed, powerful... Read More »
Greetings friends, I hope you are well. Today's feature article here at Positive Feedback is about the exotic Level Five Audio Note (UK) M8 RIAA phono preamplifier and AN-S8 step-up transformer combination. Level Five Audio Note (UK) M8 RIAA phono preamplifier. Level Five Audio Note (UK) AN-S8/L step-up transformer. Audio Note (UK) is one of... Read More »
San Diego, CA — écoute audio today announced that Andy Regan, a veteran of more than three decades in the headphone industry, has joined the company as President and Co-Founder. Regan departs his role as President of Dan Clark Audio to take on this new leadership position. “Joining écoute audio feels just right,” said Regan. “I have always been... Read More »
David W. Robinson in Jerusalem, Israel, 2022: a portrait. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Editor.) Incoming! Another sui generis design is here. Time to be knocked out...again. The Systematist, 2017. Drawing by Dan Zimmerman. There is no doubt, I think. Leaving aside the main body of human beings on planet earth, much... Read More »
Today's issue is an eclectic mix, and I think delightfully so. From an outstanding new release by The Hague String Trio of modern music composed in the 1920s, to even more challenging modern music of the past 30 years with the Rudersdal Chamber Players, to music of the 18th Century on clavichord (of all things),... Read More »
If you had told me a few weeks ago, that a few weeks later, a Theatrical-Release Trailer running on YouTube would not only have me in tears, but that it also bids fair to be one of the greatest "Classical-Music Movies" ever, I would have scoffed. That movie is The Choral, starring Ralph Fiennes. Written... Read More »
I often have a hard time suppressing my level of excitement when I see upcoming new releases from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, but that pegged off the scale when I saw they were reissuing the debut album from prog rock legends Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). The excitement meter reading nearly doubled when I came... Read More »
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab continues their survey of Miles Davis' catalog of albums with an Original Master Recording reissue of his 1975 live album Agharta, now available as a 33 rpm, 180 gram 2-LP set. Easily the most dissonant album of Miles' entire catalog, Agharta's dense, sprawling compositions challenged listeners and divided fans—even those who'd... Read More »
Herford, September 9, 2025 T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG today announced the long-awaited upgrade program for its MP 3100 HV reference multi-source SACD player, following on from the MP 2000 RMKII and MP 2500 R. Owners now have the opportunity to schedule appointments to upgrade their devices to the state-of-the-art third-generation T+A streaming architecture... Read More »
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab honors the 50th anniversary of Heart's Dreamboat Annie with a deluxe 45 rpm, 180 gram LP reissue of the band's classic debut. Initially only available in their native Canada, Dreamboat Annie at first failed to gain much traction—at least until the album's second single "Magic Man" hit the Montreal airwaves. It... Read More »
We have a virtual cornucopia of excellence from NativeDSD for this edition of Recent Finds. Following the release of Eudora's outstanding Pure DSD256 album of Mozart's piano music for four hands, Review HERE, now we have a superb Mozart Requiem from Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Orchestra, delightful Handel and Bach secular oratorios from Florilegium... Read More »
When two masters play side-by-side, magic happens. So it is with this excellent new recording from pianists extraordinaire Josep Colom and Javier Laso. Mozart & Schubert Four Hand Piano Works, Josep Colom and Javier Laso. Eudora Records 2025 (Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed, Stereo, MCh) Edit Master Sourced HERE I have long admired the playing of both... Read More »
Roger Skoff writes about getting the best boom for your buck... Many a long year ago, even before HiFi prices got to the stratospheric levels they're at now, a friend of mine—a music lover, not yet, but willing to become, a HiFi Crazy—went into his local HiFi shop to see about buying a system. He... Read More »
If you're a vinyl-spinning audiophile and you love great guitarists, you should listen to Chet Atkins (1924-2001). Heck, even if you don't spin vinyl you should listen to Chet Atkins. The soft-spoken man from Luttrell, Tennessee, was also known by the nicknames Mr. Guitar and The Country Gentleman. His guitar tone was sweet like honey,... Read More »
We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new milestone in analog playback: the Luxman E-07 Phono Amplifier. This exceptional new product is set to redefine the standards of performance and sound quality in phono amplification. The E-07 is an all-solid-state phono equalizer amplifier that leverages Luxman's extensive experience and expertise in the... Read More »
Astell&Kern, a global leader in high-resolution audio products and accessories, announces the PD10 Black, a new color option for the popular PD10 DAP released in May 2025. The PD10 Black will be featured at CanJam SoCal September 13 – 14, 2025 and be available at authorized Astell&Kern dealers in the US for $2,410 and worldwide... Read More »
The Fenby Legacy: Music of Delius. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Eric Fenby. Unicorn-Kanchana DKP (CD) 9008/9 (2 CDs; recorded 1981-3). Songs of Farewell (The Ambrosian Singers). Idyll (Felicity Lott, s; Thomas Allen, b). Fantastic Dance. A Song of Summer. Cynara (Allen, b). Irmelin: Prelude. A Late Lark (Anthony Rolfe Johnson, t). La Calinda. Caprice and Elegy (Julian... Read More »
Engineered for enthusiasts who demand the best, the UDP900MKII & UDP800MKII deliver reference-level playback across every format with precision-tuned updates inside and out DENVER, CO – CEDIA EXPO 2025 – BOOTH #4137 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 – Magnetar, a leading provider of premium media players and reference-grade disc playback hardware for audiophiles and cinephiles who... Read More »
Introducing the Umami Black MC cartridge $11,500 The HANA-Umami Black continues the brand’s legacy of “Brilliant and Gorgeous” sound. Master cartridge designer Masao Okada-san of Excel Sound celebrates over 5 decades of innovation and excellence with his new masterpiece, featuring a diamond cantilever and new “OKD” High-Efficiency Moving Coil Generator. The Umami Black is much more than... Read More »
Rhino Entertainment and Warner are celebrating the 75th anniversary of iconic label Elektra Records with twenty limited edition LP reissues and releases as part of the Elektra 75 Vinyl Collection. Albums in the series include a mix of 140 and 180 gram LPs, with many of them pressed on really cool colored-vinyl! The Elektra 75... Read More »
Wilco, A.M. (Rhino High Fidelity) I am a Chicago guy, and I have been a long term loyal fan of Wilco since the very beginning of the band. Wilco was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of the alternative country group Uncle Tupelo, after Jay Farrar's departure that same year to form Son Volt.... Read More »
This article by Robert Levi originally ran in 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. I've always liked tube amps. That said, there are a lot of things about tube... Read More »
Every now and then, something really special comes our way. And today it has. A new release from HDTT of Miles Davis' album, Milestones, in a gorgeous, sonically luscious Pure DSD256 transfer. I hope you will forgive this fresh new article after so many others right in a row. But I wanted you to hear... Read More »
Craft Recordings has just released the latest installment in the Original Jazz Classics (OJC) reboot series, featuring four new titles that are scattered across the Prestige and Riverside labels. Including guitarist Kenny Burrell's fourth Prestige LP, 1957's Kenny Burrell; the 1958 Prestige blowing session Wheelin' and Dealin', which features the horns of Frank Wess, John... Read More »
This issue brings discussion of two new releases, and four that are included on my Pure DSD256 from Analog Tape: My Top of the Pile list but not previously reviewed. So, time to tell you more about these. Milhaud, La Création Du Monde, Suite Provençale, Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra. HDTT 2025 1960-1961 (DSD256, DXD)... Read More »
Effective immediately, Garrard products will be distributed throughout the US & Canada by Monarch Systems Ltd. 1 September, 2025: Englewood, Colorado – Monarch Systems Ltd. is happy to announce our appointment as the official North American distribution partner of Garrard, manufacturer of specialty turntables. The Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company was originally formed in 1915... Read More »
NativeDSD's catalog continues to expand, with new artists and new labels. As I've written before, I enjoy recommending new albums from NativeDSD because I trust that the sound quality will be very high, regardless of the format or original recording resolution. Too many times I've been disappointed by the sound quality found elsewhere, even from... Read More »
Musing here... As I listen the the HDTT release of Sonny Rollins' Way Out West in the DXD mastering of the tape transfer HERE, I was prompted to think about what different listening experiences there are between media. Listening to vinyl (which I did for decades) is one experience, listening to reel-to-reel tape another. And now, listening to ultra-high... Read More »
