July - August 2014
Audio Discourse
The UFO-DSD Special Edition Has Landed
During The Show in Newport Beach in May, I was walking in the parking lot between the two hotels that host the event when I spotted Cookie...
The Neoteric Listener and the Schiit Lyr2, Bifrost Uber DAC, and...
Thank goodness for Michael Mercer. While other Positive Feedback writers cover headphones, DACs, and amps (Warren Chi, Bob Levi, and our...
The Absolute Sound's Illustrated History of High-End Audio,...
When I saw the promotional material announcing this book project from The Absolute Sound and learned that it was first going to be available in...
Impressions: The PS Audio DirectStream DSD DAC
Some things take a long time to write. Some things come easy. And not everything is War and Peace. So this is not going to be a...
The Big 7, and a Chat with the Lampizator
Lukasz Fikus of Lampizator One of the newer companies making Digital to Analog Converters (DACs) in the audio world is Lampizator. The name comes from...
Duelund Coherent Audio from Denmark: The Duelund-WRSE Project,...
The Duelund Coherent Audio/Tannoy Westminster Royal Special Edition Project article I wrote for Issue 70 of Positive Feedback was the most fun I've...
Astell&Kern AK240 - Impressions of the DAP King
Admittedly I wasn't interested in high resolution files until I could bring that music with me. Having amazing-sounding music stuck on my...
Impressions: Notes on the Astell&Kern AK240 DSD...
The amazing Astell&Kern AK240… native DSD in the palm of my hand! The DSD revolution continues… Just about everywhere you turn in the...
HiFi Supreme and Audio Horizons' "Platinum Reference More Than A...
It started with a dare. A good friend of mine has always been very respectful and complimentary of my current system. I have to give him much of the...
e-Onkyo Music Releases New Album by The DSD Trio
The e-Onkyo Music web site (see link below) continues its support of newly Direct Stream Digital (DSD) music in download form with today’s...
The AK240 and JH Audio Roxanne's Rock My World
AK240 Astell&Kern is a company that is advancing high fidelity playback and while introducing new and exciting—innovative products—for...
Headphones as Heard From an Engineer's Perspective
QUESTION: "What cans do you like to listen to? What do you hear as differences between speakers and headphones in terms of how they present...
Musings on Building a Digital Music Server: The Ayre QB-9DSD and...
"And you may ask yourself How do I work this? And you may ask yourself Where is that large automobile?" —"Once in Lifetime"...
Skoff Goes Blind!
Roger Skoff, for the first time ever, actually advocates blind testing! Any of you, who have followed my writings, either here or in other...
Announcing the New Series 3 Loudspeaker from Bamberg Audio! The...
As an Indiana native and dyed-in-the-wool audio nut, I am proud to introduce a new product from Indiana speaker manufacturer Bamberg Audio. Located in...
Hardware Reviews
Red Dragon Audio M500 and M1000 MkII Amplifiers
Here We Go Again Over many years I've endured hope and disappointment in the service of auditioning and evaluating loud speakers of virtually every...
Grado PS1000e Headphones
Grado has done it again! I liked the original PS 1000 Headphones at $1695 when I first heard them. I am overwhelmed by the new and super-improved...
Primaluna Dialogue Premium Preamplifier - The Real Deal
Driving North The road from San Diego to Upland, east of Los Angeles, is both circuitous and a relief from decades of treks straight north up Route 5...
Avanti Audio Allegro Cables - Big League, Top Flight, No BS...
I Never Said This Before Imagine the first time your youthful lust for innocent attachment to a mate of some sort, form or beguiling presence clocked...
Ypsilon PST 100MKII Preamplifier
Before I slip on the green eyeshade, I want to compliment the Ypsilon PST 100 Preamp on the sheer creature comfort of its musical presentation. I had...
Manley Chinook Phono Preamplifier
After reviewing several pieces of high-end audio gear lately that arrived at my house in plain cardboard boxes, marginally adequate packing materials...
CH Precision C1, D1, and X1 - The Ultimate Digital Source?
C1 Preamp/DAC "I know who that is—that's the trumpet/piano duo we heard at the Kitano Hotel that night." Spot on, George. The date...
Tiglon Magnesium Cables
TiGLON is not a household name here in the states but if Phillip Holmes has anything to say about it they will be before long. Phillip is the principle...
Kiseki PurpleHeart MC Phono Cartridge
A legendary cartridge with a pedigree that spans three continents returns to the marketplace and to audiophiles everywhere, thanks to some fantastic...
Sota LP RCM Record Cleaning Machine
I've said it before and I'll say it again—you need a record cleaning machine if you're going to get serious about LPs. The tip of...
Kaiser Kawero Chiara Loudspeakers
English translation of original German text from HiFi Statement "Oh, those are cute!" I'm actually not used to hearing such statements...
Line Magnetic Audio LM-502CA Vacuum Tube DAC
I live in Greenwich Village, New York City, within easy walking distance of two fine audio emporiums: Stereo Exchange and In Living Stereo. These...
Symposium Acoustic Shelves Svelte and Segue Line of Platforms
The importance of resonance and vibration control in allowing a high end audio system to perform at its very best is beyond debate. There may some...
Magico S5 Loudspeakers - End of a Love Affair
This is a ground breaking review in more ways than one. To start with, this is the first Magico S5 speaker review using only analog recorded material....
Mr Speakers Alpha Dog Headphones
Thanks to the terrific exhibit called Headphonium at T.H.E. SHOW NEWPORT, I heard a remarkable pair of headphones that sounded and performed in all...
Audience The ONE Personal Reference Loudspeakers - John...
Plowing Back To Go Forward Long ago I spent considerable time with the Audience design team listening, on multiple occasions; to the development of a...
Lampizator Level 4 DAC - Smooth Operator
LampizatOr audio products are handmade in Poland and are the brain child of Lukasz Fikus. The LampizatOr website is interesting to say the least and it...
Red Dragon Audio M500 and M1000 MkII Amplifiers
Here We Go Again Over many years I've endured hope and disappointment in the service of auditioning and evaluating loud speakers of virtually every...
Interviews
David Robinson and David Elias on DSD... Interviewed by Steve...
Enjoy the Music.TV's interview with David W. Robinson of Positive Feedback magazine and singer/musician/songwriter David Elias. Hosted by...
Music Reviews
Classical Releases
Antonin Dvorak, Symphony No.8. Leos Janacek. Jenufa Symphonic Suite. Orchestra: Pittsburg Symphony. Conductor: Manfred Honeck. Reference Recordings...
Fhloston Paradigm, The Phoenix
I love it when an albums' sound is so fresh and mysterious it challenges my ability to classify it. My dear friend and editor Dave Clark...
Nothing but the Music - Emerson, Lake & Palmer, 7 Inch...
EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER, Island/Victor Entertainment VICP-78001 (1970/2014) TARKUS, Island/Victor Entertainment VICP-78002 (1971/2014) PICTURES AT...
Eno & Hyde, High Life
Eno & Hyde have never missed as far as I'm concerned. That's a true rarity. Actually, I can't think of any other cooperative artists...
The Future is Here - Audio Still Rules
Blu-ray recordings may be video, audio or most commonly video plus audio. If the video is a distraction turn it off though I would suggest watching the...
Notes of an Amateur: Zemetsov, Viola; Pacifica Quartet and...
Dana Zemetsov, Enigma. Works of Solo Viola. [Kreisler, Stravinsky, Hindemith, Kugel, Penderecki, JS Bach] Channel Classics CCSSA 35714. We come...
Notes of an Amateur: Ibragimova's Prokofiev; Lera Auerbach......
Prokofiev, Violin Sonatas. Five Melodies. Alina Ibragimova, violin; Steven Osborne, piano. Hyperion CDA 67514. I am reported in an ad on the Hyperion...
Plastikman, EX (Performed Live At The Guggenheim NYC)
There are few genres more polarizing than minimal electronic music. This is totally subjective; but I believe you have to experience this music in a...
Impressions: High Definition Tape Transfers' Double DSD Download...
Wow! I've been swimming in the new HDTT transfer to Double DSD of Duke Ellington's superb recording, Duke Ellington Indigos. The Duke has...
Our Friends at HIFI Statement
A review of the KRON's integrated tube amplifier (in German)
Bei Hybridverstärkern denkt der Audiophile als solcher irgendwie an: nicht Fisch und nicht Fleisch. Insbesondere die Hardcore Röhrenliebhaber haben.... . . Read More »
A review of AQUA ACOUSTICS QUALITY's cd-transport and DAC La...
Noch’ n Gedicht... oder besser gesagt, schon wieder ein DAC? Klar! Die Suche geht weiter, gibt es nicht Unmengen an D/A-Wandlern, die völlig.... . . Read More »
Read a portrait of MYTEK DIGITAL in Warsaw (in German)
Auch wenn aus unserem östlichen Nachbarland immer mehr bemerkenswerte Geräte kamen wie zuletzt die Franc Audio Accessories, die famosen Acient Audio.... . . Read More »
A review of the van den Hul's cartridge The Crimson (in German)
Das Crimson ist zwar nun schon seit über einem Jahr auf dem Markt – aber dennoch ist dieser Bericht hochaktuell. Aalt van den Hul, der.... . . Read More »
A review of the KORG's DAC DS-DAC 100 and the Audiogate...
Keine Angst, in den Hörräumen der Kollegen und in meinem warten schon Plattenspieler, Tonabnehmer, gewichtige Mono-Endstufen und Lautsprecher auf.... . . Read More »
A review of the EINSTEIN's MC-cartridge The Pickup (in German)
Manche Tests sind das Resultat langer Planung, andere ergeben sich spontan. Zu letzteren zählt dieser. The Pickup war noch im SME V montiert, den.... . . Read More »
A review of THOMAS MAYER's tube amps 10Y (in German)
Thomas Mayer ist ein Hersteller, der bislang in der Highend Szene in Deutschland noch nicht so bekannt ist. International sieht die Sache wieder ganz.... . . Read More »
And enjoy a free download of a song in highres and DSD played by...
Nein, es geht hier nicht um irgendwelche Hifi-Klänge: Die britische Band heißt wirklich The New Mastersounds und groovt wie der Teufel: endlich mal.... . . Read More »
Our Friends at High Fidelity
An Interview with John Marks - "The Editors" series
Have a look at the pictures in John Marks' listening room. What do you see? What caught your attention? I was struck by the ubiquity of records and the...
Thrax Maximinus D/A Converter + Dionysos Preamplifier +...
Rumen Artarski is a hunk of a man. Tall, handsome and ramrod-straight. He could serve in Special Forces or join the Honor Guard. He could be a...
Albedo Aptica Loudspeakers
In a large, superbly designed and printed book titled The Absolute Sound's Illustrated History of High-End Audio dedicated to loudspeakers, we will...
Krakow Sonic Society, Meeting No. 93 - Audiodesksysteme Gläß,...
How the Kiss Gained its Polish The 93rd meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society has been arranged at the request of wykop.pl and related web portals. This...
Pylon Audio Pearl 25 Loudspeakers
Tonsil, a former giant and the largest manufacturer of drivers and loudspeakers in this part of Europe, located in the Polish town of Wrzesnia, has...
Thales TTT Compact Turntable, Levi-Base, and Simplicity Mk2...
The Air Force One turntable from the Japanese manufacturer TechDAS that I reviewed in March was a true revelation to me and its presence in my system...
The Aurender X100L - And Audio File Transport
TVLogic is a Korean manufacturer of audio components and UHD (Ultra High Definition) TV monitors. It just so happens that its research department is...
The Funk Firm Little Super Deck Turntable + F5 Arm
By calling his turntable Little Super Deck (LSD), Arthur Khoubessarian (you can see him on the head picture made during the High End 2014 show in...
75 YEARS | 10 YEARS
When I returned to Warsaw, I got a phone call from Franciszek Walicki asking for some photographs of Czesław, because he had just hired him for the...
Show Reports
Monterey Jazz @ 57 - Herbie Hancock: Lifting Our Spirits Once...
Last year, in May, the remarkable (truly without equal) Herbie Hancock gave the commencement address at Soka University, where I teach humanities and...
2014 Capital Audiofest
The Capital Audiofest is one of the few true high-end audio shows left in the world, and as the industry shrinks all of these shows become more and...
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Live
Nick Cave. The man. The legend. To those who know him, he needs little introduction. He has been steadily churning out his own brand of beautifully...
Newport THE Show 2014 - A Pictorial Essay of Sorts... Part 4
Bill Leebens. Jim Aud. EveAnna Manley. Knut Skogrand. Din Johnson of Ristretto Roasters. Andy Regan of Jerry Harvey Audio. Johan Coorg of KEF ESS Labs...
Newport THE Show 2014 - A Pictorial Essay of Sorts... Part 3
One of the Audio Skies's rooms featuring Larsen speakers, Pear Audio Analogue, and Gamut. Walker Aduio showing Slient Source Cables, Raidho...
T.H.E. Show Newport 2014
I realize that for many years I've opened my various show reports with a little rant of sorts, carrying on about things that bother me about the...
Newport THE Show 2014 - A Pictorial Essay of Sorts... Part 2
GIK Acoustics showed with Odyssey Audio. Devialet showed with Focal courtesy of Audio Plus Services. Sonic Studio demonstrating with Marten Logan and...
Newport THE Show 2014 - A Pictorial Essay of Sorts... Part 1
What a great time was experienced by anyone attending this year's event. Healthy attendance, crowded rooms, wonderful discussions (many heartfelt...
Impressions: Robinson's Audio Oasis! Awards for THE Show Newport...
Turning; turning back. 2014. Another year, another THE Show Newport Beach in the books. This has become a favorite audio event on my...
