May - June 2019
Audio Discourse
A Technique - Fine Tuning, Part 3
Time for cables Cables are one of the elements that constitute an audio system. It is neither more, nor less important than the remaining ones, but it...
The New Apartment Lounge: Two Memorable Winter Road Trips
Back to the Midwest-SR In late January 2019, over the MLK holiday weekend no less, I ventured north by northwest from Florida to the wilds of exurban...
Impressions: My Photographic Portraits from AXPONA 2019
To close out my reflections on AXPONA 2019, I am publishing my photographic portraits from AXPONA 2019…the faces and moments seen, and created. Many...
Impressions: My Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019 - Part the...
Here is the final installment of my Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019. A major event; a major set of articles reflecting upon the awards that I...
Impressions: My Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019 - Part the...
Continuing my long march through AXPONA 2019, here's Part the Fourth of my Audio Oasis! Awards. The Audio Company/Von Schweikert Audio/Valve...
What isn't Black? Roger Skoff Writes about the Real Sound of...
How many times have you read a review of some recording, some system, or some individual piece of gear that said something like this? "The orchestra...
Impressions: My Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019 - Part the...
Continuing my Audio Oasis! Awards, reflections on AXPONA 2019, and my photographs... Merging Technologies/Evolution Acoustics/Wave...
Toes in My Head, er Sand - MrSpeakers' Aeon Flow Headphones,...
This note reflects, essentially, my first toe in the water of a higher end headphone setup, at least as a reviewer. I've heard high end speaker systems...
Video Interviews from Munich 2019, Part 2: NativeDSD.com Talks...
Continuing their video interview series from Munich 2019, the good folks at NativeDSD share more of their conversations with people from that event....
Leaving Class A - 2019 Redux: A Biased Opinion from Nelson Pass
In spite of the improvements in efficient Class D switchers, watt-sucking Class A power amplifiers continue to attract high-end audiophiles. The breed...
Impressions: My Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019 - Part the...
Continuing with my Audio Oasis! Awards series from AXPONA 2019... Synergistic Research/Scott Walker Audio In the Synergistic Research/Scott Walker room...
In Audio - as in Life - the More Things Change, the More They...
I've just gotten in and installed a really cool review unit from ADD Powr (which stands for Algorithm Digital Defined Power), the Sorcer X2, which...
Video Interviews from Munich 2019, Part 1: NativeDSD.com Talks...
Our good friends at the well-known DSD downloading site, NativeDSD.com, attended Munich 2019. During that time, they did a handful of video interviews...
Impressions: My Audio Oasis! Awards from AXPONA 2019 - Part...
With assistance on room lists from PF Senior Editor Myles Astor David W. Robinson, Munich 2018 (photograph by Wojtek Pacula) A glance backwards, and...
Audio Rambligs - Our Journey Ends with the Montrose Turntable...
So where to begin? I dunno… how about at the beginning? Okay so my first turntable was an AR-XA with the Shure VR-15 cartridge. This combo spun vinyl...
Shadow Vector Emerges from the Shadows
Herb Reichert (left) and Lynn Olson at RMAF 2015: a moment (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) Although some of you may know me as...
Rita Payés and Elisabeth Roma: "A Rita" [Updated]
Here's an opportunity to celebrate excellence in various disciplines, and the greatness of the human spirit! Every now and then I stumble upon a...
A Simple Subwoofer Setup: Get Rid of the Guessing and Bring in...
Happy Little Accidents Bob Ross (1942-1995) was the loving host of the 1980's TV show The Joy of Painting. He enjoyed the peace, serenity, and most...
A Very Persuasive Identification of the "Hidden Theme" of...
I am very grateful to Stereophile's John Atkinson for alerting me to an extraordinarily well-thought-out and, to me at least, persuasive...
Audio Ramblings and the Matrix Cables from Black Cat Cable
Okay, so let's cut to the chase, the Black Cat Matrix line of cables (specifically the 3202 interconnects, 3232 speaker cables, and the DIGIT USB) are...
Three Simple and Cost Effective Hot-Rod Mods for the Classic...
I've always thought of the Thorens TD-124 as one of the most beautiful of the classic turntables, which for whatever reason, reminds me of being the...
Hardware Reviews
Audioengine 512 Portable Wireless Speaker
Austin, Texas based Audioengine recently introduced the 512 Portable Wireless Speaker. My thanks to them for sending a sample to review. The 512 is a...
Campfire Audio Solaris IEMs
Born out of curiosity and experimentation, the Campfire Audio brand have come a long way since the initial release of the well-received Jupiter, Orion,...
The New Apartment Lounge: Solid-State Joy with Parasound's New...
Don't Mess with Success Armed with a seemingly boundless reservoir of engineering creativity, a healthy dose of professional humility, and keen...
Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Satellite/Subwoofer System
Speakers for those who love music. Review By Matthew Clott With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy...
The Neoteric Listener - The Tweek Geek Dark Matter Stealth AC...
If you're all in when playing the game of high stakes audio, the Tweek Geek Dark Matter Stealth AC Power Conditioner is for you. Will you hear a...
Pneuance Audio Pneupod Pneumatic Isolation Feet
When James Brown urged everyone to "get on the good foot!" he could have just as easily been singing about Pneuance Audio's new Pneupod Pneumatic...
Paradox Pulse Guard R SMR Cartridge
Can You Build a Better Mousetrap? This is not so much a review of a new cartridge as it is about what happens when you take a tried and true cartridge...
The Neoteric Listener - The Gold Note IS-1000 Integrated...
Audio is all about good times. At least, it should be. Yes, I'm like everyone else in this silly hobby, poring over the mysteries of phono cable...
ModWright Instruments PH 9.0 Phono Stage: A New Paradigm in...
Honey, I Shrunk the Phono stage I've had the privilege of knowing Dan Wright for the past twenty years. Over that time, I've seen ModWright burgeon...
Master & Dynamic MW07 Wireless Earphones
New York based audio company Master & Dynamic are a vision of class, delivering beautiful and well-thought out products in their impressive line-up...
Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC
Headed by two industry veterans, Schiit Audio is a company that has taken the world of high-end personal audio by storm with their focus on value and...
Bricasti Design M25 Power Amplifier
This is the real deal. Or at least that was the knee-jerk emotion that flooded in during the first few notes from the Bricasti Design M25 power...
DS Audio ST-50 Stylus Cleaner; Keeping Your Stylus – and the...
There's a scene from The Godfather where Sonny, Michael, Tom Hagen, Tessio, and Clemenza are all sitting around, strategizing in the aftermath of the...
Audioengine A2+ Wireless Powered Speakers
When I reviewed Audioengine's flagship HD6 speakers a few years back, I was absolutely smitten with their build quality and magnificent...
1More Stylish True Wireless In-Ear Headphones
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to experience the Aerosmith: Deuces are Wild in-residence concert at the Park MGM hotel in Las Vegas. In addition...
STEALTH Audio Sakra V17 Limited Edition Interconnect
One must be very comfortable perambulating interior space to be an audio wire designer. You spend your time juggling a limited number of variables in...
Stein Music Stateline Phono 2 Signature with Power Supply
Stein Music of Germany has been known in these pages as the source for unique and exciting accessories that advance room treatment, amplifier...
Etsuro Urushi Bordeaux Moving Coil Phono Cartridge
Getting closer to the music etched into your LP's grooves. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback begins its content-sharing...
VPI 12-inch 3D Fatboy Tonearm: Thick Does the Trick - Part 2
First, a quick recap for readers who missed the initial installment of this two-part review. (HERE). Very early on in the course of the Fuuga review I...
FinkTeam Borg Loudspeakers
The enormous WM-4 FINKTEAM loudspeakers caused a lot of confusion among people during the High End 2018 exhibition in Munich. Looking at them and not...
Cardas Audio Clear Beyond Interconnects [Updated]
It’s here! Three decades in the making, and revisiting every electromechanical and musically natural design known to the House of Cardas, has led to...
GIK Acoustics 4A Alpha Panel and TriTrap
When it comes to room acoustics, size matters. The axiom that smaller listening rooms lead to larger acoustical challenges holds true in my experience....
PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube DAC - Premier Review
Digital Audio Converters (DAC), which take the carefully crafted digital signal and convert it to analog, mostly matured between five and ten years...
Kanto Audio YU4, YU4, and SUB8 Loudspeakers
If you have never heard of Kanto or their products don't feel bad. "Kanto was founded in January of 2007. The founders had a vision to build quality...
Interviews
Audiophiles as Artists - Joshua Miles
Twenty questions with an audiophile who is also an artist. For this premiere, we feature Joshua Miles of JWM Acoustics. What's your background? My...
Jeff's Place
A Duelund DCA tinned-copper cables comparison for the...
As you know if you've been reading along, I've been experimenting with different combinations of the Duelund DCA tinned-copper tone cables for the.... . . Read More »
Music - SuperSonic Recordings
Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 12
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 91. Deep Purple, Machine Head. Purple Records – TPSA 7504 IE 064 (UK) (1972),...
Music Reviews
Coltrane '58: The Prestige Years
What can I possibly say about John Coltrane that hasn't already been said? Every jazz lover worth their salt knows John Coltrane was a player and band...
Brief Impressions: Jan Kraybill, The Orchestral Organ
Reference Recordings RR-145, SACD and HDCD™ Price: $19.98; high-resolution download file, $24.98 While I don't do music reviews on a regular...
Yuko Mabuchi Plays Miles Davis [Updated]
Yuko Mabuchi Plays Miles Davis, Yarlung Records, YAR88171, multiple formats. Recorded live in the Brain and Creativity Institute’s Cammilleri Hall on...
Aquarelles - Miniatures for Piano
Vladigerov: Piano Music. Victoria Terekiev, piano. Da Vinci Classics C00134. TT: 69.01. Classique et romantique, Op. 34; Choumene, Op. 29;...
Wojtek Karolak and Adam Czerwiński, In a Sentimental Mood
Wojtek Karolak & Adam Czerwiński, In a Sentimental Mood. The album In a Sentimental Mood by leading jazzmen Wojtek Karolak and Adam...
Our Friends at High Fidelity
Black Cat Cable - 3232 Interconnects and 3202 Speaker Cables
It happens from time to time that a Japanese traveling in the world falls in love with a place or person and that's where he sets up his business. But...
Tentogra Oscar Turntable
"It's style over substance," I thought, seeing the Tentogra Oscar turntable for the first time. It was during the Audio Video Show 2017. "It's probably...
Our Friends at Part-Time Audiophile
Core Power Technologies Equi=Core 1800 | Mini-Review
Over the years, I have had the privilege of hearing some of the best power conditioners out there. My view on the topic is simple: a good power.... . . Read More »
Clearaudio Innovation Basic Turntable | Review
For us analogoholics, you can never have enough LPs or turntables to play them on! For the last few years, I have been blessed with the company of an.... . . Read More »
AudioQuest, Vandersteen, Channel D | AXPONA 2019
I just checked out the AudioQuest and Vandersteen room back at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest last fall, so walking into this room at AXPONA 2019 felt like.... . . Read More »
Show Reports
T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 4
Continuing our coverage of T.H.E. Show, photos by Dave Clark, words by me, additional words by Dave as noted. Arion Audio, The Apollo System...
T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 3
Continuing our coverage of T.H.E. Show, photos by Dave Clark, words by me, additional words by Dave as noted. Sanders Sound System. This room insisted,...
AES 2019 Dublin
This year's European AES show was in Dublin, which seemed a bit of an odd choice for a location because there is not a huge audio production community...
AXPONA 2019, Photo Essay Part 5
Continuing on with our coverage of AXPONA 2019. All images by Dave Clark, along with some added commentary. Pure Audio electronics Interesting...
