Digital
The EVO has landed
Showed up this weekend, but due to circumstance which completely got away from my control, I haven’t been able to do much with it. Got it wired in, using the wall-wart power supply, a loaner […]
Year: 2010
Analog
Turntable 101
There are a lot of industry folks current wringing hands and gnashing teeth over the state of the audio marketplace. The only new customers are old. Apple’s iPod & iTunes are killing the hifi. Kids […]
Loudspeakers
Joseph Audio Pulsar Loudspeakers [updated]
Mini-Pearl! I just spent yet another day with Joseph Audio’s “Mini-Pearl” (thank you, Steven Stone), the Pulsar. Another very satisfying day. If you haven’t seen Stone’s review of the Pulsar, I recommend it. Being a […]
Analog
A new cartridge on the horizon
If I were Croesus, I would certainly still have problems. But one of the problems I wouldn’t have is prioritizing upgrades. This annoying/handy little exercise has led me to believe that the first analog upgrade […]
Digital
A Digital Savior?
As I might have mentioned, I have a not-quite decrepit 2003 Apple Power Mac G5. It’s a big, aluminum beast. I’ve got the OS running off a small 30GB SSD drive and everything of interest […]
Publishers Desk
Analog
Going vinyl
When I was a kid, my big brother used to sell me his LPs. Not so much that I could have them and keep them — he’d do that, of course, as he had the […]
Digital
USB to S/PDIF: Trouble in Paradise
My reference DAC is an Alpha from Berkeley Audio Designs. This is a great DAC, but I have a problem: my “transport” is a computer, not a CD player. So, I need some way to […]
Cables & Power
Thoughts about The Cable Hypothesis
I’ve been using a full Blue Jeans Cable “loom” now for the last seven months. During that time, I have not once wanted for a “better cable” — in fact, I went and bought more […]
Loudspeakers
Joseph Audio Pearl 2 Loudspeakers
My New Reference Let me apologize in advance. This review is unapologetically enthusiastic and may be laced with an absurd amount of superlatives. I tried to tone it down, but I can’t really seem to […]
Publishers Desk
The Future Of The High End, or, What’s Wrong With Today’s Youth
One of the talks I wished I hadn’t gone to at RMAF this year was the discussion hosted by Steven Stone. The title of the talk was “Are We There Yet: Past, Present, & Future […]
RMAF 2010
A First-Timer Hits RMAF 2010
Notes to self: First, if I ever get lucky enough to escape for another trip to RMAF, go early and stay late. Day One is a bewildering zoo but Day Three is (by contrast at […]
Tweaks
Got Power Conditioning? First Steps With Alan Maher Designs
I haven’t the time to sort out exactly how this ought to go, but one of the things I’ve been asked a lot is: “If I want to get started with AMD Power, where do […]
CAF 2010
New Show! Capital Audio Fest 2010
Through an odd series of coincidences (mainly, my wife going out of town), I was able to attend all 3 days of the Capital Audio Fest back in June. Here’s the link: http://www.capitalaudiofest.com/ The venue, […]
Cables & Power
The Ultimate In Audiophile Cabling: Blue Jeans Cables
So, I needed some temporary cables until I made some decisions about a new cable loom to better fit my rig and in the middle of all that, I decided I needed to rethink my […]
Analog
Pro-Ject 9.1 Turntable
What, me, vinyl? I’ll man up and just flat out admit it: I bought this turntable on a lark. I’ve been an audiophile for years and years. Ok, for about 4 years, which technically, is […]
Digital
Shootout: Berkeley Alpha & Cullen-Modded PS Audio Digital Link III
I recall a day not very long ago when I was secure in my smug superiority, with my hot-rodded PS Audio DAC taking on all comers. Lavry? Ha! Ayre? Double-ha! Alpha? Ha … err … […]
Digital
Analog Research Technologies (AR-T) Legato USB-S/PDIF Converter
Everyone has one of those moments, I think, when they just do something and almost immediately wonder WTF they were thinking. I wish I could say that this is unfamiliar to me, or at least, […]
Digital
Gill Audio Elise DAC, Berkeley Audio Alpha and the dreaded PS Audio DLIII “killer DAC”
I’m on a Quest to upgrade my PS Audio Digital Link III DAC. I say “Quest”, because I’ve tried three great DACs so far (Ayre, Lavry DA11, and now, a Gill Audio Elise) and all […]