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A fairly common thread that runs through most audiophiles who are partial to vinyl rather than digital, is their penchant for tweaking. In contrast to digital domain, where there is a limited scope to tweak the sound, in the analog domain, a cornucopia of tweaking opportunities abound, and many analog buffs revel in them.   ... Read More »

Ye Olde Editor with an exceptional La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull (portrait by John Robinson) Oregon and trees…they go together. The forests of the Pacific Northwest are a joy to the soul and a medicine for melancholy, and are not to be misused or simply "consumed" to make "wood products." The back of my hand... Read More »

I have come across a few skeptics in the audiophile community who subscribe to the notion that footers do not make much of a difference to the performance of audio gear. To them, I love relating details of a historical sporting event where footers, or in this instance, shoes, made all the difference to the... Read More »

As a new owner of Magnepan 3.7i I've discovered quite a few things about these much loved and storied planar magnetic speakers. Hearing them at shows and showrooms is one thing, but listening to them create their magic in your own home is where the rubber truly meets the road. I'm happy to report that... Read More »

(Tw)eek! It’s a Useful Product: The Block Audio C-Lock! Block audio is new to me, but if websites are worth a thousand words, then this audio manufacturer from the Czech Republic is well worth getting to know. Perhaps someday I'll be writing about one of Block's active components, but today, I'm writing about a new... Read More »

Static electricity, the dreaded bane of vinyl lovers the world over. It doesn't matter were you live or what climate you find yourself in, static electricity is an issue for anyone spinning records. There are essentially three culprits contributing to the progressive build up of static during vinyl playback: the first is the simple act... Read More »

Garbage in, garbage out—health-conscious individuals focused on nutrition will nod their heads knowingly. This same aphorism applies to high-end audio, where electrically-powered components draw their sustenance from AC power. Audiophiles often go to great lengths to optimize the power flow to their systems, employing dedicated lines, power conditioners, upgraded power cords, and upgraded fuses. Aftermarket... Read More »

By far, the cheapest items in Nordost's line of QRT Audio Enhancers are the QVIBE2 AC Line Harmonizer (MSRP $349.99) and QKOIL1 AC Enhancer (MSRP $249.99). While the cost may be modest, the performance gains claimed in the product descriptions are not. If they even came close, this pair of tweaks would be a godsend... Read More »

You don't have to be an economist to appreciate that much of Western Civilization is the result of the perennial tug-of-war between progress and profit, the towline under tension too often being…quality. The once well-beaten path to Emerson's maker-of-a-better-mousetrap has long since grown over, the production of an adequate device for the purpose of trapping... Read More »

So how many of you reading this are getting so tired of the same old "staying at home, and man do I need to mix things up?" state of mind? Well, count us in. As I write this Carol and I have been staying home and not going out, other than around the neighborhood for... Read More »

One great satisfaction as a reviewer and eternal romantic is when one discovers something new that significantly enhances the emotional connection to one's music. This can have even a greater impact when that something is simple and easy to implement. No unpacking and backbreaking transport to the listening room. No re-arrangement of racks. No additional... Read More »

IntegrityHiFi - The Steel Trinity! Tru-Lift, Tru-Sweep, and Tru-Kleen. They say good things and bad things come in threes. What is it about that number? Well historically the number three has come to represent the holy trinity in many religions. It is also called the number of man, because the human being is comprised of a body, a... Read More »

I had not yet drunk the Kool-Aid—I was more of a doubting Thomas—when the package arrived. My West Coast editor advised me, "Just swap out the one you have, plug this one in, give it the requisite 50 hours, and then take a sip," or something to that effect.  In the box was a new... Read More »

Nordost is a company that was set up in 1991 by Joe Reynolds. It specializes in manufacturing audio cables. Apart from cables, the company also offers products from the QRT series used to supply power to devices and eliminate RF, as well as electromagnetic interference. "A power supply seems to be one of the most... Read More »

In a high performance / high resolution audio system everything matters. Every link in the chain needs to be optimized to the greatest extent possible, including cabling and connections. Good power and signal connections require quality connectors. n my experience, connector quality is a significant contributor to good cable performance. Connection points can be sources... Read More »

The telltale sign that everything was right—better-than-right—appeared when I set my CH Precision M1.1 monoblocks to produce a flat response, meaning bass, mids, and treble were output in equal measure, just as they were designed to do at the factory. Previously, I had found it necessary to boost the mids (or lower the treble) to... Read More »

Back in July 2019, after completing the original review of the SVS SB-3000 subwoofer (HERE), I took the subs out of my system. It took just minutes to determine there was no way I was going to send them back to the SVS folks in Ohio. They transformed my system into something special, and I... Read More »

I do endless cable comparisons. Along the way, I learned it was not a good idea to leave unused cables dangling from the preamp. We all know the cable then acts like an antennae to attract air-borne electrical gremlins. So I developed a routine: before sitting down for serious note taking (although not always for... Read More »

So this is the time of year for returning unwanted gifts, breaking resolutions, and picking up a few Steel Band CDs in the Caribbean. It's also a time to reflect on past accomplishments and give credit where credit is due. I'm a very part-time reviewer here, and didn't offer up any PF Writers Choice awards... Read More »