Reprinted with permission from Copper magazine. Michael Fremer needs little introduction to Copperreaders. He's been a stalwart of the high-end audio industry for decades, and is currently the editor of The Tracking Angleand editor at large at The Absolute Sound. He has been a champion of vinyl since long before the days in the early 1980s when the "Perfect... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor, AXPONA 2024 (photograph by Bill Parish; image processing by David W. Robinson) Another year, another trip around the Sun, another AXPONA. Apart from the COVID years, I have been attending AXPONA since Mark Freed first invited me personally to do so in late 2014. 2015 was my first show. So, I've been... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor with cigar and match, 2021 (photograph and image processing by John Robinson) Here's the last set of my Audio Oasis! Awards from PAF 2023, together with the final set of photographs. Focal-Naim The Naim-Focal room I'll admit it: I was very impressed by the Focal-Naim space. Departing from the usual emphasis on... Read More »
This article is republished from Copper Magazine, edited by Frank Doris, and was written by him. Frank is also a Senior Associate Editor here at Positive Feedback, where he is a valued member of our editorial community. Enjoy! I first heard about the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, aka the Slambovians, a few years ago, from the guys... Read More »
My fascination with and appreciation of Beethoven's work began even before my relatively formal introduction to his vast body of work and influence on Western music which came in junior high school, where I not only had Miss Bloom's music class once a week throughout the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades, but also sat in... Read More »
As I explained many months ago last May in Issue 127, my 2023 show impressions for both AXPONA and Pacific Audio Fest were derailed and terribly delayed by death...family and close friends...disease, and depressive moments. Top it off with too much work and some travel, and, well here I am. But I'm working on finishing... Read More »
EXCLUSIVE! FREE HI-RES DOWNLOAD! 24-bit/88.2kHz Christmas Jazz Vespers jazz-quintet track "What Child Is This?" recorded location-live by John Marks. From the Editor: Our good friend John Marks got in touch about a "Christmas Jazz Vespers" concert he had recently recorded location-live in the spacious Third Meeting House (1775) of the First Baptist Church in America (gathered... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor presenting the first LAOC AS MUSE Award to Abey Fonn…in ink outline, no less! (Photograph by unknown; image processing by yours truly) The weekend of December 2-3, 2023, saw the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society (LAOC AS) hold its 30th Anniversary Gala celebration. Following is a collection of photographs that... Read More »
In the last episode, I shared my rabbit-hole experience with Jeff Tweedy and the Wilco band when I first experienced the music as I streamed Episode 5 in the first season of Hulu's hit show, "The Bear." In this issue of PF, I'll share info on several items I've accumulated and knowledge about the band... Read More »
A Positive Feedback YouTube share from Döhmann Audio... Mark Döhmann of Döhmann Audio is widely seen and appreciated in high-end audio as a very gifted turntable designer. Well known from his days producing the Continuum Caliburn and Criterion turntables, Mark is a first-rank turntable designer who has been a master artisan since the early 1980s. Now... Read More »
A Trip To Remember What an adventure! Despite the stifling heat in the 90s, and the intense humidity that would never let up, my recent trip to Sarasota (Florida) was one of my most favorites ever. How could it not be with such gracious hosts like Kevin Hayes and his lovely wife Darlene Monteiro-Hayes at... Read More »
Brian Hartsell in the Atrium at RMAF 2005…back when you could smoke there! Brian Hartsell has passed away. Another good audio man gone. Apparently, he died on Friday, August 4, 2023, while in hospice care. My audiobud Nick Despotopoulos got in touch with me earlier this week to let me know. (Thanks, Nick!) His life... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor with the rare La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull Cigar: a moment of contemplation. Happy Valley, OR, 2018. (Photograph by John Robinson.) The Pacific Audio Fest 2023. June 23-25 of 2023 in Seattle (SeaTac) WA. The Great Northwest. In a nutshell: What a blast! World's largest fine audio show. No. World's smallest fine... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor on the Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel, 2022 (photograph by John Robinson) Friendships are the only unregulated relationships. There are legal requirements for marriages, the having of children, and the treatment thereof. Business relationships and financial institutions are subject to laws, claims, suits, and the legal system of this country. Relationships with the... Read More »
Reprinted with permission by the author and Copper Magazine. Dan was also a contributor and good friend here at Positive Feedback. I and his friends knew the day would come, but when it did, it was no less of a shock. Copper contributor, bassist extraordinaire, and audiophile Dan Schwartz passed away on May 16, 2023 at age... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor at work at AXPONA 2023, in ink outline (photograph by Bill Parish; image processing by Robinson) The years of the plague… It’s no feat of insight to say that the coming of COVID during 2020, 2021, and 2022 was a time that hit high-end audio shows with significant force. One after another,... Read More »
Abey Fonn, President of Impex Records, always likes a good challenge. But Impex Records' latest project required Abey to dip deep into her bag of tricks to come up with the ultimate vinyl version of Patricia Barber's Nightclub. Nightclub was Barber's sixth, not to mention, one of her best-selling albums with sales peaking at 200,000... Read More »
Robinson in Jerusalem, 2022, contemplating on the Via Dolorosa. (Photograph and image processing by John Robinson.) Every now and then I make a trip to visit my very good audiobud Bill Parish over in Long Valley, New Jersey. Bill owns GTT Audio and has an exceptional line of high-end audio brands, each of which sets... Read More »
This is a brilliant new release by pianist Katelyn Bouska, recorded and mastered in Pure DSD256 by Bob Attiyeh of Yarlung Records. But what makes this recording truly special are the musical works selected and the stories of the composers, all women who were at the cutting edge of the contemporary music scenes in their... Read More »