Part-Time Audiophile

Announcements

Metaxas & Sins Partners with Reel Sound | Announcements

With the Munich High End show starting next week, it’ll be another chance for the intrepid PTA show coverage team to see these audio works of art from Metaxas & Sins in person. Thanks to [...]

DeVore and The Wand | Munich 2023

May 30, 2023 1

I was beckoned to the DeVore and The Wand room at High End 2023 by Simon Brown, who I haven’t seen in a few years. Simon Brown is, of course, the designer and builder of […]

Furutech’s NCF | Munich 2023

May 30, 2023 1

My first step into the world of grounding and lowering noise floors started with Furutech’s NCF products, which I’ve been using in my system for several years. Furutech has discovered something very special in its […]

VTL and Wilson and Nordost | Munich 2023

May 30, 2023 1

When I declared the VTL and Stenheim and Nordost room at AXPONA 2023 as one of my top rooms at the show, I felt like I’ve been ignoring Vacuum Tube Logic for way too long […]

AudioQuest and GoldenEar | Munich 2023

May 29, 2023 2

This is the first time I’ve visited the AudioQuest and GoldenEar rooms at an audio show and had Bill Low come and sit next to me and discuss what we were hearing. I’ve known Bill […]

Marten Mingus Septet | Munich 2023

May 29, 2023 1

At AXPONA in April, I was unexpectedly taken with the Marten Mingus Quintet loudspeakers in the Vana Ltd. room. They had such a relaxed and open sound, so much so that they sounded just a […]

MoFi Sourcepoint 8 | Munich 2023

May 29, 2023 1

After several attempts at various high-end audio shows, I’ve finally been able to sit down and listen to Andrew Jones’ Sourcepoint speakers for MoFi Electronics. The first time I went into the MoFi room, it […]

Piega and T+A | Munich 2023

May 28, 2023 1

During the Florida Audio Expo last February I waxed rhapsodic about the new EMT 928 II turntable in the MoFi Distribution room, only to be blindsided by a couple of readers who said “What about […]

Børresen M6 | Munich 2023

May 28, 2023 4

After reading all this coverage about High End 2023 in Munich, you might be wondering about my friends at Audio Group Denmark and what they had in store for the high-end audio industry. At AXPONA […]

Sonner and Moonriver and OePhi and Pachanko | Munich 2023

May 28, 2023 1

I’m probably going to visit Gunny from Sonner Audio any time he’s exhibiting at a high-end audio show. I always know I’m going to hear some unique and worthwhile music on a pair of stunning […]

CAD: Computer Audio Design | Munich 2023

May 28, 2023 1

There aren’t a lot of meet-cutes in high-end audio, but this CAD story might qualify. Back at the Florida Audio Expo last February, I met with PTA writer Matthew Partrick to go over my expectations […]

TIDAL for Bugatti Royale | Munich 2023

May 27, 2023 3

Let me preface my experience with the TIDAL for Bugatti Royale system by saying I know, I know–I hate it too when audio reviewers proclaim a new BEST SOUND EVER every month or so. The […]

Turntable Interlude | Munich 2023

May 27, 2023 1

We’re halfway through the Munich 2023 coverage, more or less, so I figured it’s a good time to feature a turntable interlude. This is one reason why the Munich show is so spectacular, because you […]

Burmester B18 Loudspeakers & 101 Integrated Amp | REVIEW

May 19, 2023 1

The Burmester B18 loudspeakers and 101 integrated amplifier are here in my listening room, and they’re definitely classing up the joint in a major way. It reminds me of Blind Melon’s “Galaxie” where the late […]

Audio Note UK AN-J/D Hemp Loudspeakers | REVIEW

May 14, 2023 3

I’ve been trying to listen to a pair of Audio Note UK AN-J/D loudspeakers for decades. Why? It’s a long, rambling story but I’ll tell it to you RIGHT NOW. It starts in 1981, in […]

The VAC Statement Components | REVIEW

May 12, 2023 7

The VAC Statement Components: Breathing Life into Recordings At the outset, I hope it is understood just how fortunate I consider myself to have the honor, trust, and privilege of being asked to bring you […]

Sonner Audio Allegro Unum Monitors | REVIEW

May 7, 2023 3

These were the Sonner Audio monitors I was supposed to get a couple of years ago, the pair that left me dumbstruck when I first heard them at the 2019 Capital Audiofest. I’d never heard […]

Clearaudio smart phono V2 | REVIEW

April 14, 2023 2

Sometimes big things come in small packages. I was on the hunt for modestly priced phono stages to sing with my new Rega P3 turntable. My current entry level separate phono stage is the Schiit […]

Les Davis Audio Vibration Control | REVIEW

April 9, 2023 2

Scot Hull and I have discussed my high-end audio past a couple of times, and how I used to be an importer and distributor but now I’m on the other side of the industry as […]

Garrett Hongo and The Perfect Sound | REVIEW

April 7, 2023 1

I was about ten pages into the new book from Garrett Hongo, The Perfect Sound, when I realized this was going to be unlike any other hi-fi book I’ve read. Sure, there are tips on […]

LSA Signature 80 Reference Monitor | REVIEW

April 2, 2023 1

A few years back, right at the onset of the unpleasant COVID-19 affair, I had the opportunity to spend time with a quite remarkable pair of speakers: the LSA Statement 20s, which were full- range […]

Zu DL-103 Mk. II Phono Cartridge | REVIEW

March 24, 2023 1

The Zu DL-103 Mk. II phono cartridge prompts a single question: Can magic be found in the ordinary? When Brian Hunter asked if I’d like to review the Zu DL-103 Mk. II cartridge I immediately […]

Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition | REVIEW

March 19, 2023 3

The Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition, along with the Focal Celestee headphones, is an attempt to ask myself an important question for 2023: to headphone or not to headphone? There was a point last year […]

Rethm Trishna Loudspeakers | REVIEW

March 17, 2023 3

Rethm, Pitch, Texture, the three muses of music. Can’t make it without them, can’t think too hard about them or the illusion fades away. But wait… Rethm? The quietly excellent Indian speaker company that’s been […]

Lab12 DAC1 Reference | REVIEW

March 12, 2023 5

It’s official. With the exception of my complete set of AudioQuest DragonFlies, I’ve now spent more time listening to the Lab12 DAC1 Reference than any other digital-to-analog converter. Does that portend good things for this […]

Far Corners

High End Society Munich 2023

Deep Cuts