The J. Sikora company was established in 2007. That's when its first turntable, the standard, was presented. It took as many as seven years to prepare the next model. When it came to it it was the top-of-the-line reference, which was introduced in 2014. In 2018 the company revealed its first tonearm, the KV12, and... Read More »
It's that time of year again and the Capital Audiofest has come around and an awful lot of people went to it. An awful lot of people; it was just packed in the hallways and some of the more popular demo rooms were pretty solid. I went, but because it was so big and so... Read More »
The Audio Engineering Society has a big event every year that alternates between the east and west coasts of the US. What makes it interesting is that it's both a big trade show upstairs and an academic conference with papers downstairs. This makes it much more interesting than most audio events because it brings in... Read More »
Here we are at the end of 2023 and again, not a lot has passed through our doors for review. Why? Neither of us are just not interested in reviewing whatever. We were years ago, but now after reviewing some 35+ years... yeah, no thanks. Been there, done that, and just don't have the interest... Read More »
Network Acoustics is probably best known for their ENO Ethernet Filter (HERE), but they also offer a line of Ethernet and digital cables as well as an assortment of other products to make your network streaming all that much better. And as you will see, a whole lot better. Case in point, their statement muon... Read More »
EXCLUSIVE! FREE HI-RES DOWNLOAD! 24-bit/88.2kHz Christmas Jazz Vespers jazz-quintet track "What Child Is This?" recorded location-live by John Marks. From the Editor: Our good friend John Marks got in touch about a "Christmas Jazz Vespers" concert he had recently recorded location-live in the spacious Third Meeting House (1775) of the First Baptist Church in America (gathered... Read More »
Cartografía del Mar (Maps of the Sea), André Cebrián, Pedro Mateo Gonzalez. Eudora Records 2023 (Pure DSD256, Stereo, MCh) HERE I am in love with this stunningly great Pure DSD256 recording from Gonzalo Noqué at Eudora Records! Gonzalo has made some excellent Pure DSD256 recordings over the past several years, but this is perhaps his... Read More »
High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT) has been very busy these past few months with some excellent new releases of some of the best recordings from both classical music and jazz. I previously shared my thoughts about their DSD256/DXD reissue of Reiner's performance of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije and Stravinsky's Song of the Nightingale (reviewed HERE) which I... Read More »
Hi-Res Streamer Expanded to Canada, Named Billboard International Power Player, Signed Top-Tier Partnerships, and more. Since ushering in the Hi-Res streaming revolution, Qobuz has maintained the top spot as the music lovers’ service of choice - and in 2023, it reached more of that music-loving audience, by far, than ever before. Qobuz finally launched in... Read More »
New high-end StellarGold Series components combine technological innovation with superb sound and unmatched ease of use Boulder, Colorado, December 18, 2023 – In a significant expansion of its acclaimed Stellar Series lineup, PS Audio today announced the introduction of its StellarGold preamplifier and StellarGold DAC. The two new high-end audio components incorporate a host of PS Audio’s latest technological innovations, along with... Read More »
David W. Robinson in Jerusalem, 2022 (portrait by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Editor himself) The Furutech Lineflux XLR NCF The Furutech Lineflux NCF XLR interconnect (image courtesy of Furutech) Furutech. A front-rank, top o' the heap high-end audio headquartered in Japan. I've followed their products for many years now, and for very... Read More »
This isn't the first time that I've expressed my love for sampler LPs, and it probably won't be the last. Some of them sound awful, but the ones that sound great are a pleasure to own. One of the main reasons I love samplers is because they provide me the opportunity to hear songs and... Read More »
Welcome to Ho, Ho, Ho, mistletoe, and all that jazz once again! Craft Recordings brings us another selection of Christmas albums this year, and they're certain to brighten any holiday celebration. Included among Craft's offerings is an expanded reissue version of the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas, available as Super Deluxe Edition CD/BluRay sets and... Read More »
Ye Olde Editor presenting the first LAOC AS MUSE Award to Abey Fonn…in ink outline, no less! (Photograph by unknown; image processing by yours truly) The weekend of December 2-3, 2023, saw the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society (LAOC AS) hold its 30th Anniversary Gala celebration. Following is a collection of photographs that... Read More »
Chicago, IL 12/12/2023 – Music Hall, the well-known audio brand recognized for offering high-quality yet affordable audio components and turntables, announces a change in ownership. Turntable USA, a new venture led by industry veterans James Davis, Norbert Schmied, and Jonathan Derda, has acquired the Music Hall brand. This transition secures Music Hall's mission started by... Read More »
Prokofiev Lieutenant Kije, Stravinsky Song of the Nightingale, Fritz Reiner, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. HDTT 1958 2023 (DSD256, DXD) HERE One of the glories of the RCA Living Stereo catalog now in glorious sonics from HDTT. These recordings of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije (1957) and Stravinsky's Song of a Nightingale (1956) performed by Fritz Reiner and the... Read More »
Beginning at the end of 2003, PF established its first annual awards for fine audio. The Brutus Award was established for the best that David Robinson and Dave and Carol Clark had heard in their own listening rooms during that year. You can think of it as our equivalent of an "Editors' Choice" award. The Gizmo Award,... Read More »
There are many reasons to collect records, and the best and most common reason is for the music. However, if you also care about sound, and you own a high end audio system, the sound can be, as it is to me, just as important. You can also collect LPs like people collect stamps and... Read More »
Uncompromising Top of the Line Performance Extraordinary Value E3’s striking black and blue design aesthetic, ergonomic shape, and Gorilla Glass 3 clad cups are just a taste of the the exciting upgrades to our midrange lineup. E3 is a closed-back headphone that delivers DCA’s signature open-back listening experience with all the benefits of closed-cup isolation.... Read More »
New proprietary 12-inch driver, optimized motor mechanics and a 300W Class AB amplifier combine to deliver exceptional levels of performance for audiophile music and film devotees. Las Vegas, NV, November 28, 2023 – World renowned for its signature high output, low-distortion audio engineering and trusted by musicians, studios, live sound engineers and audiophiles over five decades, The Acoustic... Read More »
A revolutionizing streaming DAC unit with unprecedented musical authenticity and aesthetic proficiency Aavik is excited to announce the launch the Aavik SD-880, the newest member of the flagship 880 series, our first ever streaming DAC. A further result of the unique collaboration of Michael Børresen's outstanding audio engineering skills and Flemming Erik Rasmussen's exceptional artistic... Read More »
SONORE is excited to announce the new Optical Rendu V.3 and the new Signature Rendu SE V.3 are now available! Both include an upgraded ethernet switch chip, which yields even less phase noise compared to our record performing V.2 line (Signature Rendu yields -155db peak noise @ 80Hz). Both maintain incredible noise isolation, creating a... Read More »
A portrait of Dean Waters at Pacific Audio Fest 2023 (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) In November of 2023 Chandos Records released their seventh album in their Music in Exile series. Each album in this series of recordings focuses on a different composer who was forced to flee their homeland to avoid... Read More »
Roger Skoff tells it like it is, and why When I recently Googled the question, "What is the best HiFi system in the world," I found that American Songwriter magazine had published the following (HERE). Quick Summary of the Best Home Stereo Systems Denon D-M41 (Best Overall) Bose Wave SoundTouch Music System IV (Best Compact Home Stereo... Read More »
Graphite Audio is a young Polish brand, established in 2020 after many years of work on successive anti-vibration solutions. Its founder and designer is Szymon Rutkowski. The company offers isolation platforms, cones, speaker spike bases and cable isolation stands. This is a premiere test of the Classic 100 Ultra platform. The High End Exhibition in... Read More »
The KECES has been striving to remove the ambient noise from audio, and to make you enjoy the pure and crystal-clear sound quality, just like live performance. The new stereo preamplifier S4 is the world’s first preamplifier which build in DS Audio’s equalizer. This new launched of preamplifier with build in DS audio EQ and... Read More »
Buffalo, NY, November 21, 2023 -- Bluebird Music, distributor of high-performance audio products since 2000, is pleased to announce the availability of the new Canton Reference Series loudspeakers. Canton is one of seven brands distributed by Bluebird, along with AVM (Audio Video Manufaktur) electronics, Jadis vacuum tube electronics, SME tonearms and turntables, Questyle personal audio products, Fezz Audio vacuum tube electronics, and Weiss DACs. Canton has been a leader in loudspeaker... Read More »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Chicago, IL - November 21, 2023 MoFi Distribution proudly introduces the new MoFi Electronics MasterDeck turntable, a reference grade product designed by master turntable maker Allen Perkins. Created by vinyl lovers for those with the desire to accurately reveal and experience the true music embedded deep in the groves of their vinyl LP collection. The MasterDeck... Read More »
Vacuum Swing Arm Allows for Simultaneous Cleaning of Two Sides of a Record; Powerful New Rotation Motor Turns the Record GRAND RAPIDS, MI, November 20, 2023 – Pangea Audio, a developer and manufacturer of high performance, high value audio accessories, announced today a new edition of its acclaimed Record Doctor vacuum record cleaning machines that simultaneously... Read More »
Greetings friends, I hope you are doing well! In August of 2019 the Shuguang Electron Tube Factory was shut down in preparation for a move to a new location. By March 2020 the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a worldwide pandemic, which would result in the shut down of most vacuum tube production still operating... Read More »
Craft Recordings has just released a new 25th Anniversary Edition of R.E.M.'s 1998 album Up, which was the iconic group's first outing as a trio in the aftermath of drummer Bill Berry's retirement from the band. My limited exposure to post-Bill Berry R.E.M. wasn't particularly favorable at the time of that string of albums' original... Read More »
Dr. Tom Davis has a longtime association with Positive Feedback. He was a very active contributor to the magazine back in the 1990s during our paper 'n ink days and a hale and hearty audio friend. He is now joining us once again, and I could not be more pleased! His writing is always worth... Read More »
As a child of the 60s, I heard some of the greatest rock and roll ever created, and the place I heard much of it was in the back seat of my mom's car. As I lived in Los Angeles, the number of AM radio stations that played rock and roll was vast, and therefore... Read More »
Craft Recordings is offering another exciting line-up of limited-edition LPs for the upcoming November 24th Black Friday celebration of Record Store Day (RSD). Craft's offering of rarities and specialty releases are just a handful among literally hundreds of cool records that will be available online and at your favorite independent record store. For Black Friday,... Read More »
20%* off on all home products, including: Focal Theva, Vestia, Kanta speakers All Focal Headphones Celestee - $639 sale price Clear Mg - $1,199 sale price Stellia - $2,399 sale price Utopia 2022 - $3,999 sale price ^10% off Focal Bathys - $629 sale price Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition - $3,039 sale price Naim... Read More »
Craft Recordings continues their impressive Original Jazz Classics reboot with a brilliant pair of live album reissues, featuring the Dave Brubeck Quartet's Jazz At Oberlin (1953, Fantasy Records) and the Bill Evans Trio's Sunday At The Village Vanguard (1961, Riverside Records). Dave Brubeck's Jazz At Oberlin showcases an earlier incarnation of the group that would... Read More »
Meze Audio is introducing Empyrean II – innovative open-back, planar magnetic headphones that mark the brand’s continuous pursuit of audio perfection. Building on the acclaim of the original Empyrean - already one of the most technologically advanced designs – this new generation emerges as a symphony of artistry, innovation and craftsmanship. (MSRP: $2,999) The Empyrean II will... Read More »
