On March 1st, Craft Recordings is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the eponymous debut record from folk/punk pioneers Violent Femmes with a new box set, Violent Femmes: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Craft is offering expanded reissues of the band's groundbreaking first album with multi-disc box sets available in a variety of formats. My supplied review... Read More »
Craft Recordings celebrates the 30th anniversary of southern alternative rockers Collective Soul with their reissue of the band's 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994-2001, available for the first time in the LP format. The Stockbridge, Georgia band's debut album, 1994's Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, was a surprise hit that took them from absolute... Read More »
Romanel, Switzerland – 23 February 2024. The Swiss company announces the introduction of a new turntable. The Reference turntable joins the limited edition Reference Anniversary turntable in Nagra’s flagship Reference line of products. In 1951, our founder Stefan Kudelski invented the first portable recorder, simply called the Nagra I. Nagra comes from a Polish word... Read More »
As part of our commitment to providing a true hi-fi experience, we are excited to announce a series of in-person events featuring the Model 60 at leading dealers across the United States and Canada in the coming months. In the age of online shopping and YouTube gear reviews, we would like to emphasize the importance... Read More »
This article is republished from Copper Magazine, edited by Frank Doris, and was written by him. Frank is also a Senior Associate Editor here at Positive Feedback, where he is a valued member of our editorial community. Enjoy! I first heard about the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, aka the Slambovians, a few years ago, from the guys... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor, before the tsunami... Personal tsunami, 2023. Such a strange year for me, one that threw me for a loop right in the midst of the two main audio show that I attended: AXPONA 2023 and Pacific Audio Fest 2023. Normally, I'm able to issue my considered judgements and Audio Oasis! Awards within... Read More »
Intro - Some New Toys at Stu's It's been a while. Over two years by my reckoning. There's been a lot going on in my world, but hidden away, deep in my audio bunker, I've been doing a lot of modifying, tweaking, and after doing much careful listening, I've even picked up a few new... Read More »
It's time for a confession: I enjoy the album Calcutta! (Dot DLP 25359) by Lawrence Welk (1903-1992). Honestly, there's an awful lot to like on this LP. It has incredible sound, incredible musicianship, and memorable tunes that'll make your body move. The stereo imagery is on a par with the best of Martin Denny's exotica... Read More »
13th Annual AXPONA will feature All-Star Musicians, Industry Experts, and Guest Appearances Schaumburg, IL (February 15, 2024) -- AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) returns to the Schaumburg Convention Center, April 12-14, 2024 with three jam-packed days of incredible sound, technology, seminars, live music and the very latest products in the industry. One of AXPONA’s most... Read More »
Cardas Audio is in Tampa to escape Winter weather on the Oregon Coast. And also to attend the Florida International Audio Expo! Hello audio friends! It's 70º F with clouds. Tampa locals call this "Winter weather". As Oregonians, it feels like Summer! We love an excuse to come to Florida in February - And the Florida International Audio Expo is the... Read More »
About the fact that what is simple is better than what is complex. But also about the fact that thoughtless simplifying is a mistake. Listening to music should be a simple matter. It is, after all, about one of the basic ways of spending free time that humans have indulged in for a very long... Read More »
A great new listening experience for this well loved performance, perhaps the greatest performance of Mahler's Third Symphony in the catalog. Mahler Symphony No. 3, R. Strauss Death And Transfiguration, Jascha Horenstein LSO, recorded by Jerry Bruck. HDTT 1970 2024 (24/192k 4.0 Surround and Stereo) HERE We all know this famous Horenstein Mahler Third Symphony... Read More »
Montreal, Canada — February 13, 2024 — Focal Naim America, a leading North American importer and distributor of premium consumer and professional electronics brands, has released five new genre-specific HD audio playlists for R&B, Hip Hop/Rap, EDM, and Rock. The playlists are available to Focal HI-FI and Pro Audio dealers, the Press Corps, and current and prospective customers. Whether in a... Read More »
Qobuz Marks Half a Decade in the US Leading Hi-Res Audio Streaming Into the Mainstream With Unbeatable Sound Quality and Commitment to Music Lovers Since Qobuz launched as the US' first Hi-Res streaming and download service on Valentine's Day 2019 – five years ago today – it has presented unbeatable sound quality and commitment to... Read More »
For those of you attending the Florida International Audio Show on February 16-18, 2024, Joe Parvey's House of Stereo is issuing a special invitation. The House of Stereo has a suite of rooms on the 7th floor, with a number of excellent product lines. Please come up and see their multiple show rooms, and hear... Read More »
Tampa, Florida—February 9, 2024—The Florida International Audio Expo takes place Friday–Sunday, February 16–18, 2024, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore hotel. Qobuz returns as the show’s official streaming service. David Solomon, Chief Hi-Res Evangelist for Qobuz USA, will host his famous Flash DJ sessions throughout the show. Attendees will have the opportunity... Read More »
My fascination with and appreciation of Beethoven's work began even before my relatively formal introduction to his vast body of work and influence on Western music which came in junior high school, where I not only had Miss Bloom's music class once a week throughout the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades, but also sat in... Read More »
EF500 and EF499 Put HIFIMAN Design and Performance Within Reach of Music-lovers at Every Level BELLMORE, NY, February 6, 2024 – HIFIMAN, the leader in high fidelity personal audio, today introduced two additions to its growing lineup of high-performance desktop headphone DAC/amplifiers: EF500 and EF499. Both the EF500 and EF499 (SRP: $459 and $299, respectively) bring true audiophile-grade performance to sleek,... Read More »
Buffalo, NY, February 6, 2024 -- Bluebird Music, distributor of high-performance audio products since 2000, is pleased to announce the availability of the new, state-of-the-art Weiss Helios DAC. Weiss Engineering has been a leader in digital audio technology for nearly 40 years; founder Daniel Weiss' contributions to the field were recognized with a Technical GRAMMY in 2021.... Read More »
As I explained many months ago last May in Issue 127, my 2023 show impressions for both AXPONA and Pacific Audio Fest were derailed and terribly delayed by death...family and close friends...disease, and depressive moments. Top it off with too much work and some travel, and, well here I am. But I'm working on finishing... Read More »
Roger Skoff, President of RSX Technologies, at the LAOC Audio Society Gala, December 2023 (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) Roger Skoff writes about the weirdest thing about our hobby On one of the larger Facebook audio groups, a question currently being asked is "Who is the biggest proliferator of audio BS?", and... Read More »
Bob Witrak of HDTT keeps mining the hills for superb vintage recordings on both tape and LP to release in high resolution digital. And new recordings from the master tapes, as well. It is amazing that the flow continues in virtually a never-ending flood of superb music. The skill with which Bob makes these transfers... Read More »
Børresen is proud to launch the Børresen X1 stand-mounted loudspeaker. This two-way loudspeaker is the smallest model in the X-series. The X1 marks the entry into the Børresen loudspeaker universe and is a testament to chief designer Michael Børresen's belief that "everyone deserves this kind of emotional musical moments". The X1, with its compact... Read More »
Naim Presents the CI SERIES A range of electronic products perfectly suited to power integrated audio setups for ultimate listening experiences ISE (Barcelona) – February 1 - The new CI Series range from Naim consists of three products designed to complement integrated setups, and CI Focal loudspeakers. With these innovations, the leading British brand in... Read More »
Ann Arbor, MI - February 1, 2024 MoFi Electronics, a manufacturer of acclaimed high-performance audio equipment, is pleased to announce the StudioDAC, a digital-to-analog converter created in collaboration with Mytek Audio engineer Michal Jurewicz. The StudioDAC offers an exceptional listening experience at a very attainable price point. Supporting DSD, DXD, and MQA audio formats, the MoFi StudioDAC allows users... Read More »
Dire Straits, On Every Street. Mofi (45 RPM) Highly underrated and one of my favorite Dire Straits studio albums, On Every Street was released in 1991 on the Vertigo label in Europe and on the Warner Brothers label in the USA. "Calling Elvis," "Planet of New Orleans," and "How Long" are three tracks that belong... Read More »
PREMIERE The Japanese company TiGLON was founded in 2008. Initially named Kryna Pro, it changed its name to TiGLON in 2010. Its founder and chief designer is Mr. Kentaro Okino. We are testing its latest product, an AC power cable with the illustrative name Azure Dragon. This is its WORLD PREMIERE. TiGLON celebrated its 15th... Read More »
Impex Records has just released a newly remastered LP reissue of Elephant Mountain, the 1969 RCA label neglected classic from folk-rock group The Youngbloods. Elephant Mountain came on the heels of the band's incredible success with the song that helped shape an entire generation, "Get Together." Apparently, getting this reissue together required the production team... Read More »
Experience the future, wrapped in tradition. "The New York Descargas": An Epochal Fusion of Afro Cuban Rhythms and 21st Century Classical Harmony! Dive deep into an unprecedented musical journey where the fervent beats of Afro Cuban music merge seamlessly with the sophisticated cadences of modern 21st Century classical harmony. The result? A breathtaking and innovative... Read More »
Dean Waters with cigar: a portrait at Pacific Audio Fest 2023 (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) The Vivid Audio Kaya 90 loudspeaker in one of its many custom colors (image courtesy of Vivid Audio) The smaller Kaya 45, again in a custom color (image courtesy of Vivid Audio) The Kaya product line... Read More »
The Dutch company Mola Mola was founded in 2012. Its founders were Bruno Putzeys and Jan-Peter van Amerongen; both knew each other from their work for Hypex. Their first products, a line preamplifier and a power amplifier with nCore modules operating in class D, were presented at the 2012 Munich High End Show. We test... Read More »
Mexican-Canadian pianist, vibes player, and band leader Jimmy Namaro (1913-1998) isn't the best known name in music. The only reason I know him is because I have an eagle eye for unusual records. Born in La Rosita, Mexico, in 1913, he became a Canadian citizen in 1945. He moved to the US in 1970. Information... Read More »
Thousand Oaks, CA, January 29, 2024 - Zesto Audio is proud to announce the launch of the new Andros Spirit Phonostage and to be one of the only manufacturers to offer a 100% all-tube analog phonostage at this price point. You will receive the same quality and sonic excellence that you would expect from any Zesto product,... Read More »
2-LP set includes the hits “The Downfall of Us All,” “Have Faith in Me,” and “If It Means a Lot to You,” plus 11 live and acoustic tracks Additionally, ADTR will perform Homesick in its entirety during a special performance at When We Were Young Click here to pre-order Los Angeles, CA (January 30, 2024)—Craft Recordings celebrates the 15th anniversary of A Day... Read More »
Marking the first availability of the soundtrack on vinyl Limited-edition Diamond Yellow marble vinyl available exclusively at VareseSarabande.com Click here to pre-order Los Angeles, CA (January 30, 2024) – Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings are excited to announce the first-ever vinyl release for Dave Grusin’s score to Neil Simon’s whodunit comedy Murder by Death. The original 22-track program will be released on a Translucent Clear pressing,... Read More »
Craft Recordings continues their Original Jazz Classics relaunch with three superb new reissues, featuring Tony Bennett and Bill Evans together on The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975, Fantasy); Tommy Flanagan and John Coltrane on The Cats (1957, New Jazz), and Yusef Lateef's Eastern Sounds (1961, Moodsville). The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album was the first of... Read More »
