Might this be the easiest review I have ever written? I'll cut to the chase and claim that the Record Doctor record clamp is a "no brainer" essential accessory for vinyl enthusiasts. Numerous similar products have been available for years, but I have never felt motivated to experiment with admirable performance of my Pioneer PLX1000... Read More »
My appreciation for ribbons goes back to my earliest days with high end audio. As a university student, I rode public transportation across the city with my CD wallet in hand to visit fine audio shops on the west side in order to listen to Magnepans and Apogees. Their incredibly spacious and transparent sound left... Read More »
Six months ago, I was an infrequent headphone user. At best I listened to an old set of ear buds with balance armatures while riding the elliptical during one my very infrequent visits to the gym. Did I possess a decent pair of closed-back circumaural headphones? Check. Had I attended headphone shows and been exposed... Read More »
My power conditioner is an EQUI=CORE 300 by Core Power Technologies. Some time ago, the company's assets were acquired and renamed Core Power Technologies A/V by web-based audio retailer Underwood HiFi of Hawaii. Underwood HiFi also designs and performs upgrades to components. The device under evaluation is a USB jitter reducer / power conditioner called... Read More »
If you have the good fortune to have a smart TV connected to your stereo and are a fan of the genre, then I encourage you to participate in this Latin Jazz listening party. These are not cell phone audience recordings, but professional productions with good sound. Grab a favorite beverage, a dance partner hopefully,... Read More »
One of the few benefits of quarantine has been an abundance of time for listening to music. As resident Latin music specialist, I offer the following recommendations for your enjoyment. Buenos Hermanos was Ibrahim Ferrer's 2003 follow up to Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer released in 1999. Both recordings are from World Circuit.... Read More »
Now celebrating its 3rd year of operation, Stereo Brewing is an independent craft brewery located in Placentia, California. Master brewer-owner Rick Smets created Stereo Brewing as his crowning achievement for the things he is passionate about, great music and great beer. Given that his values dovetail perfectly with many at Positive Feedback and never lacking... Read More »
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 decades ago sitting next to the Air Tight Acoustic Masterpiece M-101 integrated amplifier (audioMusings Issue 6, 1998 HERE). The infant is now a grown man and moved on to pursue his... Read More »
Click over to Tekton Design's website and one could infer that I have quit my job, given away all possessions, and joined the church of Tekton in Utah. Of course, I did none of the aforementioned but, with its 99dB of sensitivity, Tekton Design's towering Double Impacts revealed an alternate path to aural enlightenment for... Read More »
This article will be a departure from my normal format for reviewing audio components. The Tekton Design Double Impact speakers came to me by way of Steve Lefkowicz's personal pair. Steve and Rosina put the word out that they needed space in their living room to accommodate the holidays. Since we are only separated by... Read More »
Image courtesy of Tweek Geek Power conditioners are an essential part of a high fidelity audio system. The reproduction of musical sounds in our homes begins with AC power. Unfortunately, AC power is susceptible to all manner of electrical contamination that impedes audio components from sounding their best. Even dedicated sound rooms with independent wiring... Read More »
No other audio component takes as much abuse as in ear monitor headphones. My vintage balanced armature Klipsch earbuds have been stepped on, wash and dried, lost and recovered, twisted, pulled, and shoved into the pockets of jeans and sweaty gym bags. My classic Grado SR60 had their cable sliced through because I was wearing... Read More »
These are exciting times for users of integrated amplifiers. Never before have so many features and efficient power been squeezed into a single box. Over the course of thirty years, I have been privileged to own or listen to several exemplary models. In time, I believe that the AURALiC POLARIS will be considered by many... Read More »
LP Gear is an online vendor of analogue products and accessories based in Nevada. After spending few moments browsing their vast array of offerings, I began to think of LP Gear as the Amazon of vinyl. Unlike other on-line analogue vendors, however, LP Gear has researched, developed, and marketed their own brand of products beginning... Read More »
I value ground trembling sensation of well-executed extreme low frequency as much as any audio nut. For the majority of my listening, though, extreme low frequency is not essential to musical satisfaction. However, lately I have developed a latent appreciation for electronic dance/ambient influenced music. Needless to say, my KEF LS50 speakers, overachievers that they... Read More »
One day while browsing at the local Fry's Electronics superstore I noticed the mindboggling variety facing headphone customers. An entire aisle display was stocked full of headphones of every size, shape, and color. How does a brand set itself apart for consumer dollars in such a populous market? Puro Sound Labs' answer is health and... Read More »
The impact of computers as a source for high quality musical enjoyment cannot be underestimated. Computers allow listeners to store and stream massive amounts of musical data from the convenience of a laptop or other device in a manner that no other platform could before. Getting the most musical sound out of all those files... Read More »
Usually, I come to a review with foreknowledge about a product and a set of basic expectations. In this case, I had no first hand prior exposure to Furutech or experience with high-end power receptacles. A very long time ago, before cell phones and audio websites, I replaced the original duplex of my typical post-war... Read More »
Analysis Plus was established in 1993 with a unique perspective in the cable market. Proprietary computer modeling had shown that hollow oval shaped conductors performed better than any other form or geometry. Think of the shape of a new pair of socks in their flat packaging and you'll understand hollow ovals. Currently, Analysis Plus makes... Read More »