Articles by John Stancavage

About John Stancavage (149 Articles)

Writer and reviewer for Part-Time Audiophile

LA Audio Show 2017: Rethm, Audio Hungary, Aqua create pleasing sound at attractive price

July 24, 2017

Looking at price tags at audio shows quickly can start your head spinning. Yes, this hobby is called the high-end, but really? That’s why I always enjoy finding rooms where the rig sounds great, but might not require a second mortgage. One of [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Nola Gold 2s play music like ringing a bell

July 23, 2017

Nola speakers don’t look like anything else. In my experience, hearing hundreds of different transducers at shows each year, they don’t sound like anything else, either. Visually, putting Nolas in your room is something like installing a pair of [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Nothing baffling about performance of Emerald Physics speakers

July 21, 2017

There always are a number of mini-trends going on at any one time in the high-end. Lately, some of those have includes tape decks, vibration-control devices and integrated amps. Among speaker manufacturers, the open-baffle concept has been on the [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Nordost’s new QKore devices help you stay grounded

July 20, 2017

You have to hand it to Nordost. While many audiophiles are still hotly debating the degree to which wire and various tweaks can improve a system’s sound, the Massachusetts-based company just keeps doing straightforward A/B tests at each major [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: MoFi masters the art of audiophile pressings

July 18, 2017

Glancing at the deep stacks of vinyl albums in the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab room at the Los Angeles Audio Show, I could only think of two things: When do these guys go on lunch break, and how fast could I get a dolly up here? Indeed, seeing [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: McIntosh in a World of its Own

July 16, 2017

World of McIntosh is a brand name developed in 2015 by the longtime manufacturer’s parent company, Fine Sounds Group. Audiophiles who haven’t been paying close attention may be surprised to learn just how big that world is. McIntosh, which was [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Gene Rubin, Harbeth 30.1 make music, magic

July 15, 2017

Attending the three biggest U.S. high-end shows last year, I got to hear a lot of speakers. Many were new, exotic, state-of-the-art designs, driven by megabuck equipment. A fair number of those produced impressive sound. Yet, as the year drew to a [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: German Physiks, Merrill, VPI create aural hologram

July 14, 2017

The high-end seems to have a variety of holy grails. One of them is building a speaker that radiates in more than one direction to widen the sweet spot, but still delivers precise stereo imaging and focused vocals. A number of designers and [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Volti’s ‘compact’ Rival speaks with big voice

July 13, 2017

I had to chuckle a little to myself when Volti Audio rolled out what it described as its “compact” loudspeaker at the Los Angeles Audio Show. Calling the new model small, however is kind of like describing a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan as [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Magico, VAC provide head-soothing sound

July 11, 2017

Toward the end of three hectic days covering the Los Angeles Audio Show, I was coming down with a nasty migraine as I entered the large Scott Walker Audio room at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Valve Amplification Co. CEO Kevin Hayes was standing just [...]