In house for more than a month now stands a gorgeous work of art, the Ikarus integrated amplifier, designed by Kostas Metaxas. Not the best match for my rather big speakers but an amplifier that is bound to make some heads turn with both the looks and the sound capabilities. You will be reading more about this amp soon. Had
Read moreWhile discussing audio equipment with a close friend, we both agreed that many audiophiles end up using their music as the excuse for buying better and better equipment. In my point of view, your gear should serve as the best possible path for conveying your recorded music. I admit having spent quite enough in my analog rig, but only because my
Read moreby Eric Franklin Shook What we know… Nielsen Music show sales down significantly in all formats except for vinyl, which still surges. Audio streaming surpassed video streaming for the first time ever in 2016. As of last month, 2016 vinyl sales are up 1 2% over last year. The idea that vinyl is post peak, dying, or having jumped
Read moreBy Ken Micallef Though their music is largely forgotten and unknown to anyone under 30, Simon & Garfunkel created some of the greatest pop music of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their classic albums – Sounds of Silence, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme, Bookends, Bridge Over Troubled Water – portrayed a bittersweet vision of America, told in jewel-like songs
Read moreBy Ken Micallef Manufactured in Germany at PALLAS and branded with a “180g Audiophile High Quality Pressing” sticker on every jacket, ECM’s current vinyl releases align with label boss/producer Manfred Eicher’s long-standing commitment to expressive, experimental, left-of-center jazz. Unlike most labels that release jazz titles, ECM presses a goodly number of its new stock on vinyl, which holds true for
Read moreby Paul Ashby The holidays: a time to reflect with family, enjoy cozy nights indoors with blustery weather beating at the door, imbibe festive drink and hearty seasonal fare, celebrate surviving yet another year, endure exploitative ads and other craven commercialization, and fight insane traffic and all manner of undue sensory bombardment. ‘Tis the season! But where can one turn
Read moreI’m fairly certain it’s common knowledge by now that I spent about a decade in college. In my defense, a good chunk of that time was spent in graduate school. Find me at the bar at the next audio show and you’ll undoubtedly catch a note a wistfulness folded in with all the wild gesticulations. You see, I have a lovely pair
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