July - August 2023
Audio Discourse
A World of Wilco: Bearing Witness to Jeff Tweedy's Music
Wayne Goins in watercolor (image processing by David W. Robinson) Jeff Tweedy and his world of Wilco music has entered my space, and I'm pretty damn...
In Memoriam: The Passing of Brian Hartsell
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,...
In Unity There Is… We May Never Find Out
Roger Skoff picks up the cry for a new HiFi Industry Association Do you remember electric trains? Practically every family who had kids owned one....
Confessions of a Record Collector, Part One
I wonder if a lot of Copper and Positive Feedback readers are record collectors. Well, I suppose that's like asking if dogs like bones. Record...
Neurochrome Purifi 1ET400A / Hypex NC500 Input Buffer
Hi Folks! Not in your typical fashion here but I have a quick review based on a module meant for the DIY folks. See, I've been on a journey to build my...
A Cartoon by Bruce Walker
From the PF paper 'n ink archives: A cartoon by Bruce Walker, drawn in 1993 Pianist Envy: 'Oh, how I wish that I could play like that!'
Whizbang 9: An Unbelievable Review of an Absolutely Incredible...
Roger Skoff writes about the very latest hot setup "The Whizbang 9 High-End audio preamp is a remarkable piece of audio equipment that aims to deliver...
The Passing of Jonathan Tinn: a Photo-Essay in Melancholy
Ye Olde Editor on the Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel, 2022 (photograph by John Robinson) Friendships are the only unregulated relationships. There are...
Hardware Reviews
Zu Undertone MK II Subwoofer
I think those who have read my past reviews will see that there are some brands that I keep coming back to. The brands that I really like and come back...
Clarisys Audio Minuet Loudspeakers
I can't believe it! They are finally here. From people that know me, you shouldn't be surprised that I have another ribbon speaker in my listening...
KECES S300+ Stereo Amplifier
Dean Waters on the hardware: First contact with the KECES S300+ Stereo Amplifier I've been given the wonderful opportunity to listen to and evaluate...
Core Power EQUI=CORE 1800 MK3
Power conditioning is one of those topics that is considered a little divisive within the audiophile community. There are some who say power...
The Pass Labs XP-12 Preamplifier - an Indispensable Instrument...
I am amazed how my role as an audiophile and audio reviewer informs my volunteer work running the Behringer X32 mixing console at church—and vice...
Auris Audio Bayadere 3 Turntable
Like many of you I have thoroughly immersed myself into the world of audio, and this passion has been with me since I was a young man. I remember my...
Adventures with Desert Island Cables: the Da Vinci Interconnect...
We had a pair of Row K center tickets for the Dover String Quartet at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. Everyone knows that's the eleventh row, but...
Audio-Technica AT-OC9XEB Moving Coil Phono Cartridge
Audio-Technica's least expensive moving magnet cartridge, the AT-VM95C, is a thoroughly entertaining product. While far from the last word in anything,...
Playback Designs' USB-X4 Interface - A Further Step in...
Ann and I are always interested in steps we can take to bring our listening to life. For us, this often means seeking greater clarity, greater...
Home Audio Fidelity Crosstalk and Convolution Filters - Oui ou...
This past spring, I heard about a new DSP (Digital Signal Processing) software from my audio friend, Jeff, via an email blast to fellow aficionados...
The Analog Ethos Legendarium 2a3 Stereo Amplifier
Sometimes you listen to a piece of equipment, and its performance gives you pause. Sometimes that pause is a good thing because what you're listening...
Music - SuperSonic Recordings
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
Doc Watson, Southbound
I've been pondering over whether I should even write about this album, since conflicts of interest are rarely a good thing. After weeks of beating my...
Black Sabbath Hand of Doom 1970 - 1978 Picture Disc LP Box Set...
Rhino Entertainment is releasing Black Sabbath Hand of Doom 1970 - 1978, which is an eight LP, picture disc boxed set that includes all eight Black...
Woody Shaw's Blackstone Legacy, the latest Jazz Dispensary Top...
Jazz Dispensary is Craft Recordings' specialty label that unearths rarities from the multitude of riches found in Concord Music's jazz, funk, soul, and...
Craft Recordings' Original Jazz Classics Reboot Continues with...
Craft Recordings continues their exciting Original Jazz Classics reissue series with the next title in the second batch of releases, pianist Mal...
My Dillards Adventure
I am grateful for the existence of bluegrass and for The Dillards, because they introduced me to the exciting world of bluegrass music. Let me state...
Rhino Quadio High Res Blu-ray Releases from Black Sabbath, Alice...
I came of age in the mid-seventies, when owning a quadraphonic sound system was being marketed as the ne plus ultra of the HiFi audio experience. I'll...
Notes on Recent Finds, No. 10 - More Great Ones from HDTT
High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT) continues delivering reissues of iconic vintage albums in high resolution sonics that are simply "to die for" ...
Catching Up with Steinway's (Classical and Jazz) No-Cost...
When it comes to supporting their Steinway Artists (by which Steinway & Sons actually means pianists; when Steinway says "artists," they don't mean...
Notes on Recent Finds, No. 9 - Endless Bounty from NativeDSD
Continuing the conversation about what I've found recently that you might also be interested in checking out. Starting off with two very excellent...
Long Out-of-Print R.E.M. Albums Now Available on 180 gram LPs...
I grew up about thirty minutes outside of Athens, Georgia, where I was a college student in the late 70s. And was very much in touch with Athens'...
Craft Recordings' Original Jazz Classics Reboot Continues with...
Craft Recordings is continuing their much anticipated Original Jazz Classics imprint reboot with the second batch of releases in the series, starting...
Follow-up: Barbra Streisand Live at the Bon Soir, Now Available...
My original review for Barbra Streisand Live at the Bon Soir chronicled Impex Records' excellent SACD release and can be read HERE. As extraordinarily...
New Telarc Reissues on 180 gram LP from Craft Recordings
At the point in 1978 when I bought my first real stereo setup, I was browsing about Stereo Village in Buckhead (a northern Atlanta suburb), when I...
Recordings from Frans de Rond and Sound Liaison
I've mentioned recording engineer Frans de Rond and the excellent recordings he makes for Sound Liaison multiple times over these past four years. Not...
A New And Unexpected Gem From IMPEX Records - Barbra Streisand,...
Barbra Streisand, Live At The Bon Soir. Impex Records Growing up and even as an adult, I always seemed to be surrounded by passionate Barbra Streisand...
Eddy Arnold's Wanderin
I'm not sure how country music legend Eddy Arnold (1918 - 2008) would be accepted by today's music listeners. One thing that I can say with certainty...
Bach O Jesu Christ
Bach, O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 118; WERT: Egressus Jesus a 7 (arr. Praetorius). Choristers of New College, Oxford; Fretwork; Taverner...
Folk Song ‘65
Way back in the 50s a phenomenon known as the folk sampler LP existed. The company best known for making folk sampler LPs was Elektra. Other companies,...
Notes on Recent Finds, No. 8 - HDTT on a Roll
Let's talk about new releases from High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT)—they've been on a roll with great reissues of vintage recordings these last...
The Wait Is Over! Two Little Feat Classics From Rhino – Dixie...
Like many, I am a huge Little Feat fan. Despite all of the passion, I have been very patient. It's been quite some time since the last release of...
The Magic of Bert van der Wolf
"Life is a magical mystery; Bert has no part in any of that…" - Bert van der Wolf Producer, recording and mastering engineer Bert van der Wolf,...
Warren Zevon's Excitable Boy Reissued by Mobile Fidelity
Mobile Fidelity set off quite a fire storm a year ago when it suddenly became public knowledge that they'd been using a DSD step in many of their LP...
Our Friends at HIFI Statement
dCS Vivaldi Master Clock, Upsampler und APEX DAC
Das dCS-Trio aus Master Clock, Upsampler und APEX D/A-Wandler beeindruckt durch sein Äußeres, noch mehr aber durch die eigenständigen technischen.... . . Read More »
Our Friends at High Fidelity
Krakow Sonic Society Meeting 140 - Crystal Cable Monet, Van...
Crystal Cable's three top cables: Monet, Van Gogh and Da Vinci: what's the difference, and how they help to the music. Gabi Van Der Kleij-Rynveld and...
Acoustic Revive CS-3K AC Power Filter
PREMIERE Acoustic Revive is a Japanese company founded in 1997 and run by Mr. Ken Ishiguro. It specializes in audio cables, anti-vibration products,...
John Coltrane, Blue Train Remaster 2022 Part 3 Sound
Everything you want to know about behind-the-scenes of the recording process of Blue Train’s and which of the digital reissues of this jazz...
John Coltrane, Blue Train Remaster 2022 Part 2 Releases
Everything you want to know about behind-the-scenes of the recording process of Blue Train album and which of the digital reissues of this jazz...
SPEC Designer Audio RSA-BW7 EX Integrated Amplifier
SPEC Corporation is a Japanese company founded in 2010 by Mr. Shuzou Ishimi and Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki, the former chief engineer of TEAC and Pioneer and...
Show Reports
Lone Star Audio Fest 2023
Lone Star Audio Fest held in Dallas, Texas, the weekend of June 2-4, 2023, was a big success. LSAF had been on hiatus since 2019, so it was with some...
Pacific Audio Fest 2023, Part Two
Continuing on with our coverage. Angel City Audio, EverSolo, Melody, Motet Distribution. Good sounding room. Hugh Nguyen, ACA. A truly loving guy!...
Pacific Audio Fest 2023, Part One
Pacific Audio Fest, Doubletree Hilton adjacent to SeaTac Airport. Great weather, nice flight via Alaska Airlines, wonderful room. This is like our 50th...
2023 Pacific Audio Fest
The following show report was written by John Hughes. John is a long time friend and offered to share his perspective of the Pacific Audio Fest. A...
Impressions: the Pacific Audio Fest 2023, a Photo-Essay –...
David W. Robinson and Leif Swanson: a Fantasy. Music and fine audio weren't the only things happening at PAF 2023, though. A group of us also...
Impressions: the Pacific Audio Fest 2023, a Photo-Essay - Part...
Ye Olde Editor with the rare La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull Cigar: a moment of contemplation. Happy Valley, OR, 2018. (Photograph by John...
THE Show Costa Mesa 2023 - Part 1
I was certainly looking forward to attending THE Show. Their move to the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa, CA meant I'd only have a short...
A Personal Introduction with Thoughts and Musings from the 2023...
An introduction Greetings everyone! Dean Waters with cigar: a study. SeaTac, WA, 2023 (Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) My name...
Mr. Record Visits THE Show 2023
I love audio shows, but I didn't always love them, so before I talk about this particular show I'd like to share a little bit of my personal history...
