Table of Contents
Audio Discourse
Katz and Stax!
Stax Maturity I’ve been a proud owner of Stax Earspeakers (SR-3 and SR-5) since the year 1972, when I began doing remote recording with Stax phones...
After 25 years, I'm Retiring from Positive Feedback and the...
Photo courtesy of David Solomon of Qobuz. The time has come for me to pack it in and walk away from high-end audio and music journalism. My decision...
Hi-Fi? What’s That?
Roger Skoff writes about saving our hobby Do us both a favor; the next several times you get the chance, ask anybody you come across who isn’t an...
Brief Postcard From Portland: Another Addition To My Audiophile...
David W. Robinson at work. Near Icocle Creek, Leavenworth, WA, 2012. Photograph by Lila Ritsema. Drawing below by Dan Zimmerman. Yes, it’s time. ...
Postcard from Portland: HiFi Five YouTube Session 40
For those of you who would like to get a broader and deeper sense of the Positive Feedback philosophy of community and creativity, I discuss the need...
In Search of the Lost Kor: A Twenty-year Odyssey Comes Full...
As I approach my upcoming retirement from Positive Feedback (and audio journalism!), I’m revisiting my very first submission for the magazine. I’d...
Hardware Reviews
Écoute Audio TH2 Headphones Review
In my time reviewing closed-back headphones, I’ve found that it usually leads to a smaller and more condensed soundstage; I was astounded when I...
The Jadis DA88 Signature Integrated Amplifier
Image courtesy of Jadis I have an amazing memory of my first experience with Jadis which proved to be mind-bending. While I was visiting Seoul, Korea...
Chord Company PhonoARAY® Turntable Grounding Device + Chord...
At times, life can be both difficult and confusing. Like when your significant other hires a Fung Shei consultant to maximize the “Chi” in your...
The Audio Note (UK) Ongaku 211 SET Integrated Amplifier: The Age...
Greetings friends, I hope you are well! Today’s feature article is about the incredible Audio Note (UK) Ongaku 211 single-ended-triode (SET)...
GRADO Labs Signature S550 Headphones Review
I discovered in my career that if companies are to survive, they must continuously reinvent themselves. This applies to Audio as it does to...
Audio Desk Systeme’s Premium “Silent Core One” Vinyl...
If you’re unfamiliar with my work, you should know that I am an unapologetic vinyl devotee. Since my initial record-playing days in the early 1960s,...
Interviews
Interview with Gerhard Hirt of Ayon Audio
This Interview ran in 2013 Jürgen Saile Mr. Hirt, Ayon is well established internationally. Can you tell us something about the development of the...
Norman Varney Interviews Roger Skoff, a YouTube video
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...
The Editors № 37 - Andrew Simpson, Managing Editor Audiograde
The Editors is a series of interviews with editors of audio magazines from all over the world—both printed ones, as well as online magazines and...
Norman Varney Interviews Roger Skoff, a YouTube video
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...
Talking With Triad Magnetics: Demystifying the Science Behind...
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...
An Interview with ATC Loudspeaker's U.S. Distributor, Lone...
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...
Music - SuperSonic Recordings
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 42
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 246. ABC, "The Look of Love (USA remix-dub version)"/ "The Look of Love (part 3...
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 41
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 241. Shelly Manne & His Men – At the Blackhawk Vol.1. Contemporary Records –...
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 40
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 236. Charlie Mingus, Blues & Roots. Atlantic – SD 1305 (1960), 33 1/3 rpm,...
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 39
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 231. André Hodeir, American Jazzmen Play André Hodeir's Essais. Savoy Records –...
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 38
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 226. Prince, Dirty Mind. Warner Bothers Records – BSK 3478 (1980), 33 1/3 rpm....
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 37
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 221. Billie Holiday, Songs For Distingué Lovers. Verve Records – MG VS-6021...
Music Reviews
…and Steve says...Listening to All My Records, Part 10
For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part one here. Sorry for the delay in getting this installment...
MoFi Doobie Brothers: *The Captain and Me* on Mobile Fidelity...
Just about six months after the release of The Doobie Brothers’ Toulouse Street, they began working on The Captain and Me, again with producer Ted...
Recent Finds No. 79 Catching up with Bert van der Wolf
As I've said in the past, if Bert has recorded it, I want to hear it. And my enthusiasm for the excellence of his recordings continues unabated. But,...
Mr. Records: The Association, “Along Comes Mary”
This review of The Association’s debut album, And Then...Along Comes The Association (Valiant VLS 25002), has been a long time coming. Why did I take...
Four Audiophile Game Changers! New Vinyl For Donald Fagen, The...
Donald Fagen, Kamakiriad, MOFI Ultradisc One-Step (45 RPM) Kamakiriad was Donald Fagen’s second solo album and was originally released in 1993 on the...
Recent Finds No. 78 More Delicious Music from HDTT
Bob Witrak has been busy, and I've been listening—and enjoying! Again in this series of albums, Bob has accomplished something which I highly value...
New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print
In Search of the Perfect Song, the RMAF Edition
This article by Carol Clark originally ran in 2016, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going...
von Schweikert Audio VR-4jr Loudspeakers
This article by Greg Weaver originally ran in 2005, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going...
EAR 890 Amplifier
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...
Air Tight ATM-211 Amplifiers
This article by Marshall Nack originally ran in 2006, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also...
Audio Ramblings - Seasonings?! I Don't Need No Stinking...
This article by Dave Clark originally ran in 2006, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going...
Kharma Exquisite-Midi loudspeakers - Scaling Mt. Everest
This article by Marshall Nack originally ran in Issue 28, 2006, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are...
Our Friend the Audio Analyst
E267: High End Vienna 2020 - The Austria Center Vienna
Today, we take a walkthrough tour of the Austria Center Vienna, the fabulous new home of the High End Society’s annual international audio show, High.... . . Read More »
E266: MoFi Electronics UltraPhono Pro Phonostage
Today we’ll have a closer look at the new MoFi Electronics’ UltraPhono Pro phonostage, the latest entry in their phono preamplifier stable. This is...
E265: The Børresen M8 & Aavik M-880 Experience
This week, I share the more refined and revealing experience of listening to the premiere of the Børresen M8 Gold Signature loudspeakers, driven by.... . . Read More »
E264: Two AXPONA-Adjacent Product Launch Events
Today, we take a behind-the-scenes look at two loudspeaker launches, both held during AXPONA, but off-site. The Von Schweikert Audio Mercury launch at.... . . Read More »
E263: Game-Changing Arrivals from Kronos and Kubala-Sosna
Today, given the sea-change advances in performance that two recent arrivals have brought to my reference system, I’m pushing other AXPONA and.... . . Read More »
E262: AXPONA 2026 - Rooms 1627 and 1540
Today brings my second installment of coverage of the most exceptionally performing rooms I visited during the simply amazing 2026 AXPONA event, held.... . . Read More »
Our Friends at High Fidelity
Soulution 717 Amplifier
The Soulution brand was established in 2005 and is owned by Spemot AG, a company based in Dulliken that has specialized for 56 years in the production...
Siltech Master Crown Interconnects and Speaker Cables
The Dutch Siltech company is one of the leading cable manufacturers. With its Triple Crown series, it has been setting high-end market standards for...
R.E.D. A Few Words About How Audio is Changing
We deeply believe in "development" and "progress." Especially in audio. On the other hand, we know that newer is not always better and that old...
Spendor A4.2 Loudspeakers
Spendor is an English company specializing in the production of loudspeakers, founded in 1968 by Spencer Hughes Its first product designed for...
Wadax Studio Player
Wadax is a Spanish audio company founded in 2006 by Javier Guadalajara based on his father Angel Guadalajara's many years of research into music...
Acoustic Revive RTP-4EU Final AC Power Distributor
A Premiere Acoustic Revive is a Japanese company founded in 1997 and run by Mr. Ken Ishiguro. It specializes in connection cables and anti-vibration...
Show Reports
T.H.E. Show SoCal 2026
Unlike last year when I rushed through the show in about four hours, this year I made sure I attended for two full days. On Friday I expected the...
T.H.E SHOW LA, My Very Favorite Systems
Well organized and rather compact compared to sprawling shows in other cities, I really enjoyed auditioning the systems and meeting my friends in the...
AES European Conference - Copenhagen 2026
Not far from Copenhagen! Note that I attended only a small fraction of the events out there, and I mostly attended the events that I thought would be...
AXPONA 2026: Bring the Equipment and They Shall Come
Last year's big story was AXPONA 15th anniversary! This year's "Headline News" is hands down AXPONA's earth shattering attendance! A remarkable...
AXPONA 2026: Rooms with Aural Views: Here's My Favorite Eight!
Black velvet, acoustic-dampening curtains cover the surrounding walls of the darkened 12' x 15 'x 8' Chesky Audio hotel room packed with guests seated...
AXPONA 2026
AXPONA! The trade show where all the sounds and other spectaculars of the high-end audio community come together to listen, listen, and then listen...
