Articles by Rafe Arnott

The high price of Vinyl: Electric Recording Co. releases Music for Viola & Cello at $385 USD

August 17, 2017

Paying £300 ($385 USD) for an LP is just not raising eyebrows the same way it might have even just a year or two ago. Rare vinyl prices, or limited-edition pressings are going through the roof, and even the less-rare recordings of rock’s [...]

Devialet unveils partnership for TV audio hardware with UK giant Sky

August 15, 2017

The French wunderkind of advancing digital amplification is at it again. Devialet is getting into television audio in a big way. Having smashed into the audiophile world head-on, this time they are targeting the cocoon generation who like to stay [...]

DVL Audio Album of the Month for August – Julius Lester

August 13, 2017

This is the second in a monthly series of album reviews I will be doing for DVL Audio here in Canada. I’ll be heading out to a local record store in Vancouver, digging through the bins, and coming up with an intriguing LP to discuss here on [...]

Audio Note UK factory tours and Life in the fast lane with Peter Qvortrup

August 12, 2017

Coffee. Champagne. Coffee. Russian liqueur. Coffee. Tequila. Coffee. Whiskey. Coffee. Red wine. Coffee… I lost track of the actual number of drinks, and coffees I had during my first day visiting Peter Qvortrup of Audio Note UK at his home in [...]

Review updates: Harbeth, DeVore, Totem, Pass Labs, totaldac, AudioQuest, Pro-Ject, PS Audio… coming from Rafe

August 9, 2017

2017 is rocketing past us, and with the summer at its zenith I thought it was time for a quick update on what’s happening with me up north here on the Best Coast in Vancouver. I’ve moved into a new place that is much larger than my [...]

LA Audio Show 2017: Rafe’s wrap up on California

August 4, 2017

While this may have been the inaugural Los Angeles Audio Show, it had an air of familiarity about it that made for an easygoing experience. Everything seemed to run like a well-oiled machine, and the venue – the Sheraton Gateway Hotel – had [...]

Burwell & Sons showcase Plain Jane, unveil new active and passive loudspeakers at California Audio Show

July 27, 2017

If you’ve hit a recent audio show, chances are you’ve had an opportunity to hear Burwell & Sons loudspeakers. The bespoke, vintage Altec driver designs are beautiful to look at, and convey true tone, timbre, and “in the [...]

LA Audio Show 2017 Video: The High End Zone, Perfect8 Technologies, Ypsilon Electronics

July 22, 2017

Through the Looking Glass. This is the Lewis Carroll sequel to the much more famous Alice in Wonderland. In it Alice again acquires entry to a magical world, this time by climbing through a mirror. The title instantly sprang to mind after [...]

AudioQuest shipping Beetle Optical DAC with Asynchronous USB/Bluetooth

July 21, 2017

AudioQuest has the Beetle DAC page live on it’s website, and is taking orders, and shipping them out… which means… WELCOME TO THE FUTURE. For those not in the know the Beetle is capable of delivering uncompressed music via optical [...]

Rega launches all-new Planar 6 with Neo PSU, Ania moving-coil cartridge

July 19, 2017

UK high fidelity manufacturer, and turntable-design legend Rega has just released an update to it’s highly-capable RP6, and following the form of the last couple years with other turntable upgrades in the line, it is transitioning to the [...]