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Here's the last installment of my show coverage for the Florida Audio Expo. You can see Part 1 HERE, Part 2 HERE, and Part 3 HERE. An absolute semi-truckload of VAC, Esoteric, and Kronos equipment was on display in this monstrous room! The room was filled with people, who where absolutely digging the sound coming... Read More »

Here's the current installment of my ongoing show coverage for the Florida Audio Expo. You can see Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE. Jerry Stoeckigt elaborates on the Eikon Audio Image 1 System specifics. Eikon Audio/Aurrender The $25K Eikon Image 1 System is the brainchild of Gayle Sanders of Martin Logan fame. In no... Read More »

I didn't attend the 2019 Florida Audio Expo, but was told many times over that there were nearly double the number of rooms this year over 2019. There were 65 manufacturer and dealer rooms displaying this year, along with one hallway display. And show organizer Sue Toscano corrected the overgenerous estimates I'd been given from... Read More »

The Florida Audio Expo is currently underway, February 7-9, 2020, at the Embassy Suites Hotel located near the airport in Tampa, Florida. Though the show didn't actually start until Friday morning, there was a meet and greet in the main lobby that took place on Thursday evening, February 6. My wife Beth and I arrived... Read More »

When the opportunity came up to review the new Magneplanar LRS (Little Ribbon Speakers), even though I had thirty-plus years of experience with Maggies, I viewed the review possibility as something of a lark. Yes, there was a lot of buzz about the LRS, and yes, I was really pretty stoked to hear the latest... Read More »

Streaming digital media is the future of music playback; I've been playing about with it now for roughly five years, often with USB sources directly connected to my stereo. But it's become apparent to me over the last few years that Ethernet streaming with my Sonore UltraRendu is vastly superior to a direct USB connection.... Read More »

The new Magneplanar LRS Loudspeakers are touted by Magnepan in very much the same way as the MMGs were for years: the most inexpensive way you can get a taste of Magnepan's high-end offerings. I can't argue with that; at $650 per pair, they're a remarkable bargain—there's nothing else out there close to the price... Read More »

I've had a really good relationship with Norman Varney from AV RoomService for a couple of years now; his company manufactures a variety of products that are aimed at reducing airborne and other vibrational noises in your listening room. He also is heavily involved in custom listening and audiovisual room design and construction; his level... Read More »

The Magneplanar LRS with stock stands attached 1973: William Michael Albert Broad sat at his desk at the Worthing High School for Boys with a particularly nasty scowl on his face. He'd just been handed his report card for the term, on which his chemistry teacher had scrawled the word "idle" across the unusually low... Read More »

I've owned a number of decent headphones over the course of my life as an audiophile, and I always generally have a couple of pairs on hand. Mostly for listening when my wife, Beth, has control of the television and has landed on HGTV or some insanely sick horror flick that I could care less... Read More »

I've owned a pair of Zu Audio Omens—the Dirty Weekend (DW) variety—for over five years now. Zu builds high-efficiency loudspeakers that employ 10-inch full range drivers and compression tweeters, with many of their models approaching 97dB per 1 watt input. During operation, the 10-inch drivers, which are custom-manufactured for Zu by Eminence in Kentucky, run... Read More »

Since Adrian Lebena reached out to me three years ago with the offer to review Sonore's first product, the microRendu, a Sonore streamer has been in my system ever since. The microRendu was amazing—especially when paired with Sonore's Signature Linear Power Supply. It took my streaming experience—which previously had been restricted to bandwidth-limited and feature-limited... Read More »

Vibrations. They occur in every aspect of the listening room environment, whether that room is dedicated to the listening experience, or just happens to be your living room—or any other room where your audio equipment resides, for that matter. The problem is—even when you think you've taken the greatest precautions to prevent spurious vibrations from... Read More »

I've been detailing my experiences with my new home and new listening room over the last couple of years here at PF; a recent article in the last issue (HERE) chronicled my ongoing battles with a seemingly never-ending variety of sources of noise in the listening room. A room that, from the beginning, was designed... Read More »

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 failed assassination attempt on Don Corleone. They're also concerned with the whereabouts of Luca Brasi, the family's ruthless hit man. Tessio then brings in a brown paper wrapped package and places... Read More »

When I reviewed Audioengine's flagship HD6 speakers a few years back, I was absolutely smitten with their build quality and magnificent sound—especially with a hardwired connection to a good source. I so went on about the sound quality—finding it not at all unlike that of a good British mini-monitor—that, after the review, Brady Bargenquast of... Read More »

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 employs high-tech digital technology to enhance and condition either the dedicated electrical line servicing your audio equipment stack, or perhaps even your entire electrical system. The design is from Bill... Read More »

At my old place, I had a plethora of audio-related problems, not the least of which was with AC power. An early 80s house, it was reasonably well built, but almost everything in the home was contractor grade, and not everything employed the best construction practices. I first noticed I had an issue when my... Read More »

I love the new world of digital file streaming; I love the convenience of accessing your entire music library at the touch of a few tablet buttons, and I love the fact that digital-to-analog conversion has reached a state of near perfection that early digital only hinted at. And with so many outstanding tools at... Read More »