Roger Skoff writes about why throwing money at, it isn't always the best way to solve a problem Many years ago, when I was just starting XLO, a top (and very wealthy) American neurosurgeon with a state‑of‑the‑art, viciously expensive system (actually, three of them, but we'll only be talking here about the one in his... Read More »
In this issue, we have some exquisite new albums at NativeDSD, led by a new Pure DSD256 release from Cobra Records with a fascinating program for solo piano. And two new releases from the creative artists partnering with Brendon Heinst at TRPTK, and more. I hope you will find something to further explore. Flowers We... Read More »
The launch blends Japanese craftsmanship and American design for uncompromising analog performance MAPLE GROVE, MN (January 28, 2026) – Sumiko, a leader in analog audio innovation, today announced the launch of the Oriole Phono Cartridge, a new benchmark in high-performance sound positioned between the company’s acclaimed Songbird and Starling models. Crafted in Japan, the Oriole Phono Cartridge delivers elevated musical detail and dynamic accuracy through a... Read More »
A new chapter rooted in legacy, precision and musical truth Romanel, Switzerland – 26 January 2026 Audio Technology Switzerland, the Swiss reference in professional and high-end audio electronics, announces the launch of Series II, a new product family that bridges the gap between its Classic and HD ranges. The first model in this new line,... Read More »
"The album was meticulously recorded with the best technology of its day and has always sounded good, but it has never sounded this good on vinyl," wrote Jeff Elbel of Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Ultra Disc One-Step reissue of Stevie Nicks' Bella Donna record. "This prestige-format release benefits from the label's best mastering and highest-tier pressing process.... Read More »
Preamplifier – "Yes" or "no"? The 152nd meeting of the Krakow Sonic Society was devoted to a problem faced by many audiophiles—at some stage, almost all of them. It concerns the line preamplifier. Is it necessary or not? Does it improve the sound or degrades its quality? And above all, is it worth paying so... Read More »
Photo credit Bricasti Design. Bricasti Design, Ltd. was founded as a pro-audio company, specializing in reverberation units. Bricasti's principals formerly worked at Lexicon, which, at the time, was a Harmon International subsidiary. Reverbs are used not only in the recording process. Reverbs are also used in live-performance PA systems. Example, singer/guitarist John Mayer, when he... Read More »
Yes, you know by now that I keep track of Bert van der Wolf's recording projects. I've been holding my reviews of the two releases below because I keep hoping to add yet a third release along with them—wishfully the first release from Bert's new High Street Studio recording studio, HERE. But, alas, while Bert's... Read More »
Building on flagship SVS 17-Ultra R|Evolution Series technologies that reshaped the industry, the 3000 R|Evolution is the sweet spot of SVS subwoofers, delivering unrivaled output, extension, and transient response, setting all benchmarks for performance in its class and well beyond. Youngstown, OH – January 20, 2026 - SVS, a leading manufacturer of high-performance home audio... Read More »
One of my all-time favorite violinists is Arturo Delmoni, who has recorded far too infrequently. Here we have an opportunity to hear him performing in a superb reissue of his recording Music for Violin and Guitar. Originally released by Athena Records in 1993, this reissue is a significant sonic improvement over the original CD-only version... Read More »
Greetings friends, I hope you are well! Imagine with me for a moment that Blue Note Records set up a special concert event at Jazz Alley in Seattle featuring a premier jazz artist. The concert would be recorded directly to 2-track tape in real time, in front of the live audience, by Blue Note's crack... Read More »
One one the finest voices from the golden age of country music belonged to Faron Young (1932-1996). During the fifties, the handsome singer had a unique tenor voice with an agility similar to that of Elvis Presley. He came from Shreveport, Alabama, and went by the monikers The Hillbilly Heartthrob and The Singing Sheriff. With... Read More »
This is a guest article by reader David Fisher It seems like each new popular musical genre initially gets labeled "the devil's music." In the 1920s, the swinging rhythms of jazz were considered taboo in some corners of polite society. Later, subtle to blatantly risqué lyrics earned Delta blues that "devil's music" moniker. Then along... Read More »
In Partnership with Rhino Records This Series Kicks Off The Label’s Year-Long Anniversary Celebration, With More Announcements To Come Subscribe Here Via Email Analogue Productions is proud to unveil a new partnership with Rhino Records for 2026 and beyond: The Acoustic Sounds 40th Anniversary Series. Building on the success of the Analogue Productions Atlantic 75 Series,... Read More »
Bob Witrak, founder and mastering engineer for High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT), continues to astound me with the quality of his releases. Those of us who value recordings from the "golden age of stereo," and who are obsessive compulsive about obtaining the best sound quality possible, owe Bob a great debt of gratitude for his... Read More »
Devo, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (Rhino High Fidelity) No need to set the stage. This new Devo reissue from Rhino High Fidelity is spectacular! As good as the 1978 original pressing sounds, there is no comparison. And the OG does sound excellent! With this release, Rhino continues to set the... Read More »
Branson West, MO, January 8, 2026 – EnKlein, a leader in high-fidelity audio innovations,today announced the release of The Sovereign, its flagship power and grounding solution. Representing over two years of meticulous development, The Sovereign sets a new standard in audio performance by delivering a stable, shared ground reference that enhances system coherence, clarity, and... Read More »
Christoph Croisé, Lullabies. Christoph Croisé, cello; Ana Bakradze and Oxana Shevchenko, piano. AVIE 2779 (digital EP). TT: ~21.20. Lullabies, Op. 18, Lullaby for Béatrice; Lullaby for Almuth; Lullaby for Reni; Lullaby for Maria. Cello Sonata, II. Lullaby for Arthur. As my review of Silvestrov's Postludium No. 3, way back in Issue 132, suggests, I'm a sucker for... Read More »
In the world of music streaming, packet accuracy alone doesn’t guarantee great soundquality. Real-time streaming demands stable timing and minimal interference—this is where the KECES Ewave Audio Grade Switch makes all the difference. How does Ewave achieve this? 1. Independent Power Design Separate power supplies for chip, OCXO, input, output, and MCU minimize interference and... Read More »
For those readers new to this column, please read the introductory comments in Part one HERE. As I mentioned in Part 2 of this series (HERE) in the late 1980s I had an early mid-life crisis. For a variety of reasons, but partly due to being despondent over the poor sound quality of early CD... Read More »
Roger Skoff at the 2024 LAOC Gala (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) For this month's column, Roger has departed from his usual essay format. Instead, he is sharing a YouTube video in which Norman Varney of AV Room Service interviews him about audio cables. You'll find the interview at: Mic Check Ep:... Read More »
This article by Greg Weaver originally ran in 2005, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going to see some articles from our early days of going online. More Musical Magic Albert Von Schweikert has done it yet again! I guess it should... Read More »
Kirkland, WA – Following on its entry-level trickle-down technology Series 7 loudspeakers, Genesis Advanced Technologies is proud to announce the entry-level, trickle-down technology Simplicity Phono. “I originally designed this for my buddy, Mat Weisfeld at the American turntable company VPI Industries,” said Gary Leonard Koh, Chief Designer and CEO of Genesis Advanced Technologies. “However, at... Read More »
You've come a long way baby! First it was AXPONA turning 15; seven months later it's Capital Audiofest‘s turn. The last fifteen years seem to have just flown by. From CAF's very humble beginnings at the historic Glen View Mansion (Rockville, MD) in 2010 to the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Rockville, MD) in 2011 to a... Read More »
R.E.M., Chronic Town & Murmer. The Definitive Sound Series. One-Step (33 RPM) The Definitive Sound Series (DSS) is absolutely killing it! This twofer One-Step reissue, which includes R.E.M.'s first EP Chronic Town and first LP Murmer, were both originally released on the IRS label in 1982 and 1983 respectfully. For this One-Step, both pressings are... Read More »
Sony Music is celebrating the 50th anniversary reissue of Pink Floyd's landmark 1975 album Wish You Were Here with a multitude of sets repackaged as Wish You Were Here 50. Among the available formats are three-LP sets, a 2-compact disc set, a standalone Bluray disc, and high-resolution digital downloads. The crème de la crème version is... Read More »
October, 2025 Friday 17 – Sunday 19 As I was driving towards the Toronto Airport Westin hotel on Saturday 18 October morning, my mind was wandering and I was thinking that mid-October 2025 feels like a surreal time in history. Everyone is venomously angry about anything and everything. Reasonable and rational discourse has been completely... Read More »
With the exception of a few songs by The Ramones, I dislike punk rock. However, I love punk-like songs from the sixties, the music that some experts now call proto-punk. Examples include The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" and "All The Day and All of the Night," The Who's "My Generation," and The Sonics' "The... Read More »
Orange, CA - December 2025 - ELAC, a global leader in high-fidelity audio solutions, proudly announces the launch of the ELAC NAVA100, a portable Bluetooth speaker that brings 100 years of sound innovation into a compact, modern form. Designed for music lovers on the move, the NAVA100 delivers premium ELAC sound in a beautifully crafted, take-anywhere design.... Read More »
Producer's Choice, Vol. 2. Cobra Records 2025 (Pure DSD256-Direct Mixed, Stereo) Edit Master Sourced (To be released December 12 at NativeDSD) Cobra Records' 25th Anniversary celebration continues with the release of Producer's Choice, Volume 2. And it is phenomenal. Earlier this year, I wrote with enthusiasm about the release of Volume 1 which included selected... Read More »
Saturday, December 13th | 6:30–9:30 P.M. | Skokie, Illinois Musical Artisans is pleased to announce its annual Fall Event, taking place on Saturday, December 13th, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The evening will feature five significant product introductions and presentations from three distinguished guests: Robert Auer of Auer Acoustics, Timo Engström of Engström Audio, and... Read More »
A flagship-level USB DAC, A New IEM collaboration with VOLK Audio, and ACTIVO’s latest in-ear monitors highlight the year’s finale Astell&Kern, a global leader in high-resolution audio players and accessories, announces the debut of three new products created to elevate listening across every category: STELLA, a flagship in-ear monitor developed in collaboration with VOLK Audio... Read More »
Crafted in Denmark, Engineered for Musical Truth Aavik proudly introduces the new R-x88 phono stage series, a culmination of decades of engineering innovation and musical passion. Drawing inspiration from the acclaimed Aavik R-880 reference model, this series brings reference-level analog performance to a broader audience — designed for both Moving Coil (MC) and DS Audio... Read More »
Among Craft Recordings' late-season jazz releases are seven new titles in the Original Jazz Classic reboot series, along with an exceptional new Bill Evans Trio box set that highlights the complete studio recordings of his classic first trio. The OJCs feature three 1957 releases on the Savoy label, including reedman Yusef Lateef's Jazz Mood, saxophonist... Read More »
JPLAY, the premier software for audiophiles seeking ultimate sound quality, has released a new version of its music playback application, bringing one of the most requested features to users worldwide: full support for Apple CarPlay. This significant addition allows JPLAY users to enjoy a safer, more seamless, and more intuitive music experience directly from their car’s... Read More »
December 1, 2025 – Succasunna, New Jersey – Orchard Audio is proud to announce that the company’s PecanPi+ Streamer Premium now supports Qobuz Connect, bringing seamless high-resolution streaming through native Qobuz app control. With Qobuz Connect integration, users can now stream directly from the Qobuz app to the PecanPi+ Streamer Premium—no additional software or configuration... Read More »
The Genesis of a Group This one is brief and to the point. Fine audio at its best is a passion for fine recordings of music by great artists. If that's not true of your relationship to audio, then you'll have to examine yourself to see if your love is for gear first, with no particular... Read More »
