November - December 2018
Audio Discourse
Robinson's Positive Feedback Brutus Awards for 2018, Part the...
Continuing... ZYX UNIverse Optimum X MC What a year for phono cartridges 2018 has been. I've already extolled the seductive charms of the Air Tight...
Robinson's Positive Feedback Brutus Awards for 2018, Part the...
van den Hul Colibri Signature Stradivarius (the second coming!) Late in 2017, Randy Forman…he of Finest Fidelity distribution fame, and a jolly good...
Robinson's Positive Feedback Brutus Awards for 2018, Part the...
Unbelievably enough, it's the end of the year 2018…already! I know that I say this every year, but every year it's worse and worse; time whizzes by...
Impressions: The LAOC Audio Society 25th Anniversary Gala...
Last weekend I traveled to Buena Park, CA, to attend the 25th Anniversary Gala Weekend for the Los Angeles and Orange County (LAOC) Audio Society. Some...
The Acoustic Revive Chronicles, Chapter 14: The Absolute Power...
I first became aware of Mr. Ken Ishiguro's Acoustic Revive products in 2007 when they were recommended to me by Mr. Yoshi Hontani (The MuSon Project,...
Christmas Music (Part 4), ORA Singers: "The Mystery of
ORA Singers: The Mystery of Christmas. Music of Allain, Anonymous, Byrd, Hall, Hyde, Lauridsen, Macmillan, McDowall, Peacock, Rowarth, Rutter,...
The New Apartment Lounge: Mighty Midgets - The Gravity Defying...
Great First Impressions I'll never forget the look on Greg Weaver's face the moment he and I got to hear (at the AXPONA 2018 high end show) what Studio...
25 Music Releases That Ended Up Making Me Smile
So, yeah… I buy a lot of music every year and little if any of it will ever be mistaken for that of the typical audiophile genres: jazz, female...
The Beginner's Guide to Vinyl
The Beginner's Guide to Vinyl: How to Build, Maintain, and Experience a Music Collection in Analog, by Jenna Miles. ISBN-10: 1440598967. ISBN-13:...
Impressions: The Ayon Audio HA-3 SET Headphone Amplifier and...
High-end headphones and Personal Fi. I've evaluated a goodly handful of 'phones and headphone amps over many years, with some excellent results. Some...
The New Apartment Lounge: It's an Analogue World Part 1 - The...
When Less Offers More In Issue 96 (this review has taken far too long, about which more in Part 2), I previewed several knockout products that had...
Old Ears, New Tracks: Volume One
The premise is simple enough: I key in on seven albums that are brand new to me. They could have been released at any point and time throughout...
The 15th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for
Beginning at the end of 2003, PF established its first annual awards for fine audio. The Brutus Award was established for the best that David...
R+C+L, Part 2: Roger Skoff Writes More About Cables and What...
Roger Skoff at the LAOC Audio Society Gala Banquet, 2018: a portrait by David W. Robinson In Part 1 of this two-part article, I pointed out that we...
RMAF 2018 - Why We Listen: Music Changes Lives
At Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2018, I was asked to participate in a panel titled Why We Listen: Music Changes Lives. I didn't realize what they meant is...
Audio Gangsters: I’m With The Mob
It seems like such a long time ago since I last dropped in and shared my audio adventures with you guys. Well, I got a good one for ya in this episode...
RMAF 2018 - Creating the Future of the High-End
The following video is from RMAF 2018 where we discussed ways to increase the diversity in the audiophile community. Not only shows, but consumers as...
R+C+L, Part 1
Roger Skoff writes about the ongoing war over cables and what really matters Roger Skoff at the LAOC Audio Society Gala Banquet, 2018: a portrait by...
From an Editor’s Notebook: Glances in the Rearview Mirror
Ye Olde Editor, late summer 2018: a portrait by John Robinson A late-year glance backwards. Memory, music, people, associations… "No sooner had the...
What the Hell - Issue 100 of Positive Feedback
Okay so the article below is from way back in June 2002 when David Robinson and his wife Lila Ritsema, Carol Clark and I (Dave Clark) decided to merge...
The Higher End: The Arrival of Issue 100 and Year 30
Ye Olde Editor: a portrait by John Robinson Numbers. I don't usually get too hung up on round numbers and anniversary metrics…they happen all the...
Arturo Delmoni Analog Master Tape to Direct Stream Digital...
Photo credit: Geoff Zagarola of La Naranja eBay auctions. I find it hard to believe that 2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the recording session for...
Hardware Reviews
GROM Audio Bluetooth/USB Car Kit
Based in Silicon Valley, GROM Audio is a company that specializes in high quality, in-car audio integration systems. As one of the leading industry...
Audio-Technica AT-VM95C Phono Cartridge
The AT-VM95C is a cheap cartridge. Not merely affordable, not budget-friendly, but downright cheap. It's $34. I took two people to Starbucks the other...
German Physiks HRS-130 Loudspeakers
One of my fondest memories as a teen was poring over the pages of the Tech Hifi catalog. Located on Route 35 in Eatontown, NJ, it was the closet thing...
Critical Mass Systems CenterStage2 Footer: Unparalleled...
The new 1.5-inch tall Critical Mass Systems CenterStage2 footer packaged with two different thickness of shims, provided to assure the best possible...
The Gingko ARCH Platform and Acoustic Resonance...
After I had such a positive experience with the Gingko ARCHs vibration control devices, Vinh Vu of Gingko asked me if I'd like to listen to the latest...
McGary SA-1 Vacuum Tube Stereo Amplifier
Okay everyone! Time for the obvious disclosure! How could I not want to review an amplifier that emblazons my name right on the front of the amp in...
World Premiere Review: Andros Deluxe Vacuum Tube Phono Stage...
With six Zesto creations under my reviewing belt, I believe I have a good idea what each do well, and how each ranks in the high-end audiophile...
Luxman LX-380 Integrated
The image above is presented as proof of my credentials for reviewing vacuum tube integrated amplifiers. The photo of my younger son was taken two...
ESS 422H Headphones – A Quick Take
David Williamson, with additional comments from David W. Robinson Some days it's tough being the source for headphone recommendations among my friend...
Second Report: The MAG-LEV ML1 Levitating Turntable
It's time for an update on the MAG-LEV ML1 levitating turntable. You'll find my world premiere review HERE. After four months in heavy use and with my...
The Bergmann Audio Odin Linear Tracking Tonearm
The Odin currently marks Bergmann's flagship in their range of air bearing tonearms. Head of company Johnnie Bergmann did not design it specifically...
Improved Digital Conversion the CH Precision HD Upgrade
What's New? I've calculated that every time I leave my apartment, it costs me $50 on average. In an odd way, that makes me feel patriotic, like I'm...
Magnum Dynalab MD 109 SE FM Tuner
A tuner can deliver to the ardent music lover a huge selection of live and recorded music from a myriad of musical genres and can be educational and...
AGD Production Vivace GaNTube Monoblock Amplifiers
I hear this term thrown around loosely... "disruptive product," sometimes appropriately used... however in this case, we have a winner. I've been on a...
Zu Omen Tweeter and Capacitor Upgrade - A Stunning Improvement...
I've had the "Dirty Weekend" version of the Zu Audio Omens for almost five years now; retailing for right at $1K USD, they're the least expensive way...
Peter Ledermann is the Artisan Smithy of Sound, Part 3: The...
If you read Parts 1 and 2 of my Soundsmith review series in Positive Feedback Issue 98, where I wrote about the new Carmen Mk II (HERE) and new Zephyr...
Silent Running Audio – Virginia-Class Reference
The Virginia-Class Referenceαε isoBASE™ is Silent Running Audio's (SRA) statement platform for vibration abatement, isolation and sound...
The Volti Rival Loudspeakers - Horns for the Common Room
For some time, I've desired to experience a true horn-loaded speaker. But it wasn't until Volti Audio a.k.a, Greg Roberts, introduced the Rival that I...
ESS Laboratories 12" AMT Series Loudspeakers
Part 1 - The Review You know, it's not every day you get the opportunity to review something as legendary as the ESS speaker. It reminded me of my...
The Crimson Stradivarius Cartridge - From the Hands of A.J. van...
What a treat! To have A. J. van den Hul, the Maestro, personally build a cartridge for review... a cartridge with a treated lacquer finish done three...
Manley Absolute Headphone Amplifier - Premiere Review (Updated...
The three available finishes of the absolute: copper, black, and silver (image courtesy of Manley) Let us just cut to the chase! I have reviewed...
Furutech NCF Booster Products
Makeshift towers of stacked maple or walnut wood flooring samples support the wires to my amps Take a look at my gallery of homemade cable supports....
Interviews
Q & A with Aaron Diehl
Aaron Diehl's 2013 CD The Bespoke Man's Narrative, his début on Mack Avenue Records, fell like a thunderclap upon the jazz landscape, reaching No....
Music Reviews
ORG Music's Reissue of Shirley Horn's Softly
ORGM-1030, LP $24, available at https://orgmusic.merchnow.com/products/v2/276626/softly-black-vinyl This one threw me for a loop, as my mom likes to...
Light Eternal, The Choral Music of Morten Lauridsen (Trailer)
John Marks' latest recommendation from his The Tannhauser Gate blog site follows. As always, his recommendations are worth noting. David W. Robinson,...
ORG's Reissue of Dave Brubeck's Time In
ORG Music, ORGM 1040, LP $27.99, available everywhere For a guy who has owned umpteen copies of Time Out over the years, everything from an early...
Issac Hayes, Shaft
Ratings Global Appreciation: 9.5 - Music: A - Recording: 9.5 - Mastering: 9.5 - Lacquer Cutting: 9.5 - Pressing: 9.5 - Packaging: fairly good gatefold...
Bob James Trio, Espresso
Bob James. If you had told me years ago that Bob James of 70s "light" jazz fame was still recording new music in 2018, I'd probably have nodded and...
Reference CD Alert! Jung-A Lee, A Private Organ Recital in Walt...
Yarlung Records, YAR77215, gold substrate CD pressed in Germany. Also available in Single, Double, and Quad DSD download formats, stereo/multichannel...
The Reel Deal: A Trip Around the World of Tape
How times have changed! Just a decade ago tape enthusiasts literally grabbed any title they could get their hands on just to have something, anything,...
Trio Archè BOSSI Piano Trios
Trio Archè, BOSSI Piano Trios. Marco Enrico Bossi (1861-1925). BOSSI Piano Trios No. 1 in D minor, Op. 107; No. 2 in D, Op. 123. Brilliant Classics...
Sunny War, With the Sun
Sunny War, With the Sun. ORG Music ORGM-1041, LP $15.89 at Amazon.com. I have this really bad habit of judging albums by their covers. Something gets...
New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print
The Audiophobe File: A Safe Place To Scream!
This article by Laura Lovell ran when Positive Feedback was in print. Volume 9, No. 1, Fall 2000 I WANT MY OWN DAMN LISTENING ROOM!!!! So screeches...
Odeon 17 Loudspeakers
This article, as reviewed by Victor Chavira, Dave Clark, and Larry Cox, originally ran when audioMusings was in print. Issue 3. 1998 I always welcome...
Our Friends at HIFI Statement
Genuin Audio Tars Music Server
Keine Frage, Digital-Audio ist technisch hoch komplex. Mir scheint, dass wir gerade deshalb mitunter den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht mehr sehen..... . . Read More »
Our Friends at High Fidelity
TechDAS Air Force III Premium Turntable
A turntable is an area of engineering art balancing on the border between mechanics and electronics. This time, we will take a closer look at the...
Our Friends at Part-Time Audiophile
The Far Corners: The EmoStream Music Server
I have a dark secret that I have been hiding from you for many months now, dear readers. My Linn LP-12 Sondek turntable has been collecting dust back.... . . Read More »
VPI Player Review | The Millennial Audiophile
When I speak about record collecting with the under thirty-five crowd, initially many of them see vinyl as a low-fi medium, much like cassette tapes,.... . . Read More »
RMAF 2018: Cardas Audio Excels with Joseph and Doshi
I saw a lot of those Cardas Audio blue cables from their Clear and Clear Beyond line at the show. I have a theory on why this is…1. they sound damn.... . . Read More »
Show Reports
Toronto Audio Fest 2018 Show Report
The people behind Toronto Audio Fest (TAF) are Sarah Tremblay, Michel Plante and Ben Scarcelli. Sarah and Michel are the ones that organizes the...
RMAF 2018 Photo Essay Part 5
Continuing on with our coverage... In this report, all photos by Dave Clark, words by Carol Clark, except those in parentheses, which are by Dave Clark...
