people Archives - Positive Feedback

Norman Varney Interviews Roger Skoff, a YouTube video

Roger Skoff — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 15:41:20 +0000

Roger Skoff at the 2024 LAOC Gala (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) For this month's column, Roger has departed from his usual essay format. Instead, he is sharing a YouTube video in which Norman Varney of AV Room Service interviews him about audio cables. You'll find the interview at: Mic Check Ep:... Read More »

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Impressions: AXPONA 2025, Part the Last...Select Portraits

David W. Robinson — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 03:34:27 +0000

And now, a few portraits that I made while at AXPONA 2025. It's the people that are most important things in all of life...including high-end audio. A shared passion for music, the audio arts, and the close friends that we make ought to be the highest pleasure in our world. Welcome to the gallery; let... Read More »

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Talking With Triad Magnetics: Demystifying the Science Behind Audio Transformers

Frank Doris — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:38:05 +0000

Bill Dull and Randy Eller at the 2025 NAMM show. Triad Magnetics is one of the world's foremost manufacturers of transformers for audio, musical instrument, and industrial applications. Founded in 1943, Triad is based in Perris, California and offers thousands of off-the-shelf transformers, as well as the ability to create custom designs. Guitar amplifier buffs know... Read More »

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Impressions: AXPONA 2025, Part The First...My Audio Oasis! Awards

David W. Robinson — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 22:43:07 +0000

Ye Olde Editor: a Fantasy. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by yours truly.) AXPONA time again... Another year, another AXPONA. The biggest high-end audio show in the USA had its latest iteration on April 11-13 at the Renaissance Schamburg Hotel in Schamburg, IL. According to the AXPONA management team, "10,000+ attendees and 700+ brands... Read More »

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An Interview with ATC Loudspeaker's U.S. Distributor, Lone Mountain Audio's Brad Lunde

Juan C. Ayllon — Thu, 01 May 2025 17:09:44 +0000

Brad Lunde, at right, talks with a photographer based out of Los Angeles the ATC suite at this year's AXPONA (photo by Juan C. Ayllon) Brad Lunde is in Room 1534 at Audio Expo North America (AXPONA) held at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel to expedite the introduction of ATC's brand new SCM20 ASL h, a... Read More »

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Hisao Natsume and Sakuraphon - An Interview and Record Label

Wojciech Pacuła — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 17:44:46 +0000

Is music recorded on shellac discs lost to us, unless we have the right turntable? Mr. Hisao Natsume, founder of Sakuraphon, has an answer to this—transfer to CDs. We are telling you about his record label, his life and shellac records. Sakuraphon CD – Japanese producer of reissues of historical piano recordings with high-fidelity transfer,... Read More »

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Jamie Howarth of Plangent Processes: Making Recordings Sound Better, Part 2

Frank Doris — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 23:29:07 +0000

This is the latest installment of re-published articles from our good audiobud, Frank Doris, Editor of Copper magazine, the journal of Paul McGowan's company PS Audio. Paul has kindly given Frank Doris permission to re-publish here at Positive Feedback, and some of Frank's valued articles appear here occasionally, courtesy of them both. This is Part 2 of a three-part interview with Jamie... Read More »

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Jamie Howarth of Plangent Processes: Making Recordings Sound Better, Part 1

Frank Doris — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 17:05:51 +0000

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High-End Audio Luminary Michael Fremer Produces His First Record Album

Frank Doris — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 23:10:21 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: AXPONA 2024, Part the First…Show Overview & Photo-Essay

David W. Robinson — Sat, 04 May 2024 18:31:40 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: The Pacific Audio Fest 2023, Part the Third & Last

David W. Robinson — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 23:51:51 +0000

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 »

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Creating a Musical World With the Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Frank Doris — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 23:52:55 +0000

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 »

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the audio analyst© Episode 160: Vienna - Chasing Beethoven

Greg Weaver — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:04:31 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: Portraits from AXPONA 2023, a Gallery

David W. Robinson — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:45:53 +0000

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 »

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"Christmas Jazz Vespers" Jazz-Quintet Track "What Child Is This?" Recorded by John Marks: Free Download!

John Marks — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 23:59:38 +0000

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 »

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The 2023 30th Anniversary Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society: A Photo Essay

David W. Robinson — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 21:35:47 +0000

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 »

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A World of Wilco, Part 2: The Deep Dive

Wayne Goins — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:26:44 +0000

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 »

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YouTube Link: George Moraitis Interviews Mark Dohmann of Dohmann Audio

David W. Robinson — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 01:20:16 +0000

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 »

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My High End Audio Trip to Sarasota, Florida – Follow the Yellow Brick Road to VAC and Suncoast Audio!

Robert S. Youman — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 15:58:24 +0000

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 »

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In Memoriam: The Passing of Brian Hartsell

David W. Robinson — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 22:01:26 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: the Pacific Audio Fest 2023, a Photo-Essay - Part the First

David W. Robinson — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 02:34:29 +0000

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 »

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The Passing of Jonathan Tinn: a Photo-Essay in Melancholy

David W. Robinson — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 01:36:43 +0000

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 »

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Remembering Copper's Dan Schwartz: A Friendship That Went Deep

Frank Doris — Fri, 26 May 2023 20:44:27 +0000

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 »

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Impressions: AXPONA 2023, a Photo-Essay & Intro to the Extro

David W. Robinson — Tue, 23 May 2023 21:37:37 +0000

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 »

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Clash of the Analog Titans: Impex Records' 1STEP Nightclub LP Takes on All Challengers!

Myles B. Astor — Tue, 02 May 2023 15:37:51 +0000

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 »

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