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My Audio Oasis! Awards for AXPONA 2023:  Chunklet the First


E-in-C Robinson enjoying cigars rooftop-style near the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). Tiberias, Israel, 2022. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by the elder Robinson.) As I have been doing for many years now at audio shows, my response to the good stuff is to issue my Positive Feedback Audio Oasis! Awards. What are they?... Read More »


Contemplations On the Current State of High-End Audio Trade Shows


Norman Varney of AV RoomService Ltd. has joined Positive Feedback as a Senior Technical Editor as of Issue 113. His expertise in his field of audio acoustics and experience in the field makes him a helpful voice in our creative community for the audio arts. As has been our wont from the beginning of PF,... Read More »


Three Good Ideas for Beating Hi-Fi Inflation


Roger Skoff writes about dealing with something that affects us all  There's no denying that inflation is real. When Eater magazine recently described a $23 Brooklyn hamburger as "controversial" and the thing they said was controversial about it was not its price but the mustard, catsup, and maple syrup sauce used on it (HERE), it... Read More »


Remembering Copper's Dan Schwartz: A Friendship That Went Deep


Reprinted with permission by the author and Copper Magazine. Dan was also a contributor and good friend here at Positive Feedback. I and his friends knew the day would come, but when it did, it was no less of a shock. Copper contributor, bassist extraordinaire, and audiophile Dan Schwartz passed away on May 16, 2023 at age... Read More »


Confessions of a Setup Man 11: Can a System be too Good?


PF Senior Associate Editor shares with us one of his columns from PS Audio's Copper Magazine, Issue 127, December of 2020. He raises excellent issues here, ones that the readers of PF may well benefit from. Enjoy! Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief As audiophiles, we are on what can sometimes seem a never-ending quest for better sound... Read More »


Impressions:  AXPONA 2023, a Photo-Essay & Intro to the Extro


Ye Olde Editor at work at AXPONA 2023, in ink outline (photograph by Bill Parish; image processing by Robinson) The years of the plague… It’s no feat of insight to say that the coming of COVID during 2020, 2021, and 2022 was a time that hit high-end audio shows with significant force. One after another,... Read More »


A Rumination Upon Audio Research, VW's Phæton, and Subaru vs. SAAB


I must confess that I love Alternate History books, the more plausible the better. But I will fall for the occasional "Time Machine from the Future" yarn. In addition to writing about audio, I also was an automotive journalist. I was accredited to Mercedes-Benz USA by the U.S. Mercedes Club. I also wrote for Robert... Read More »


Impressions:  The ModWright Analog Bridge...a Rave!


Robinson with cigar. Munich, 2018 (photograph by Bill Parish; ink outline image processing by Robinson) Last summer at the first Pacific Audio Fest, I heard a product that I really liked, first take and all. While in the ModWright/Seattle HiFi/Cardas Audio/Revel/SME/Ortofon/Solidsteel room, I got to hear Dan Wright's newest design. This was his new ModWright... Read More »


When Does the Game Actually Change?


Roger Skoff writes about incremental improvements and value Is there anyone out there who doesn't know that, in addition to writing these articles, I also own a cable company? (RSX Technologies, for those who don't.) Positive Feedback, and I, and every other publication that I've ever written for, have all gone to great lengths to... Read More »


and Steve says… Regarding Dropping of Jaws, Smacking of Gobs, and Whether Experience Matters


This won't be about what you think it will be about. It won't be the typical audio rant about typical audio topics; no arguments about digital vs analog or tube vs solid-state or what music constitutes a worthy effort for a high end system. It will be something a little different. But first, I've noticed... Read More »


The Akasa Turing FX - a Great Silent Bang for Buck and Your Intel NUC Server!


Several years ago, I sold a very nice, expensive, music server to free up funds for better speakers, and sought a more cost effective one to manage and serve my digital recordings, streamed high res services like Qobuz and quality internet radio stations. It wasn't long until I discovered the Intel NUC. Dialing it in... Read More »


The Mactone XX-440 Line Preamplifier and MH-120 Stereo Amplifier: Adventures in Max-tone!


Founded in 1964, and for 59 years now, Mactone has continuously manufactured high-fidelity vacuum tube audio components, longer than any other company in Japan. Steve Mishoe (In Living Stereo) started importing Mactone audio components to North America in late 2018, after visiting the Matsumoto family—who owns and operates Mactone—in Japan. Steve recently contacted me and... Read More »


Who Made That?


Roger Skoff writes about the things we buy Did you know that if you drive a Mercedes-Benz, or a Toyota there's a good possibility that your car wasn't made in either Germany or Japan? It's true; to avoid taxes and duties, to save shipping costs, or even to ensure greater safety, higher quality, lower cost,... Read More »


Impressions: Additional Robinson Brutus Awards, Time-Shifted into 2023


Time shift!  Sometimes things stay on track; sometimes they don't. My Brutus Awards for last year fell into that category. There were so many great products that were submitted that it was impossible for me to completely clear them out in 2022.  I have therefore shifted them to the first quarter of 2023, and re-dated... Read More »


Impressions: Vivid Audio at GTT Audio, a Photo-Essay…and Another Mountaintop Experience


Robinson in Jerusalem, 2022, contemplating on the Via Dolorosa. (Photograph and image processing by John Robinson.) Every now and then I make a trip to visit my very good audiobud Bill Parish over in Long Valley, New Jersey. Bill owns GTT Audio and has an exceptional line of high-end audio brands, each of which sets... Read More »


YouTube Video from Greg Weaver: GTT Audio Launches Vivid Audio Distribution with a Major Event!


David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Positive Feedback, with Greg Weaver of the audio analyst and a Senior Associate Editor at Positive Feedback in New Jersey for the GTT Audio Vivid Audio launch event. (Photograph by Bill Parish; image processing by David W. Robinson.) The first weekend in March saw a substantial press event hosted by GTT Audio... Read More »


Boxing Match: Bargain Headphone Amplifier vs. Audiophile Classic


Headphone stuff comes up in my email feed all the time! Last week I received a notice from online bargain store Monoprice that an "audiophile" headphone amplifier, normally priced at $129.99, is on special for $67.99—the Monoprice Monolith Series Liquid Spark. Oh, come on! An "audiophile-quality" headphone amp at a bargain-basement price? This put me... Read More »


Nothing Isn't Possible


Roger Skoff's new article is, hopefully, less ambiguous than its title. In a recent comment on one of my articles for this publication, a reader named Michael wrote in to say that he was clearly able to hear differences between some kinds of cables (specifically AC power cords and speaker cables ) but not between... Read More »


Audio Ramblings and the Telos GNR 5.1 Plus+ Active Grounding Box


Telos has been around for quite some time. I reviewed their active grounding unit in 2016 after hearing it being demoed ion the Positive Feedback Hospitality room at THE SHOW.  Impressed by what it did to the music being played, I ended up buying the demo unit and we have been living happily ever after.... Read More »


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