Electrocompaniet + Ø Audio at High End Munich 2025

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Silbatone's Western Electric System at High End Munich 2025

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KLH Model 7 Loudspeaker Debuts at High End Munich 2025

ELAC's Andrew Jones Talks Loudspeakers | Stereophile

LATEST ADDITIONS

The Fifth Element

The Fifth Element #87

John Marks Oct 10, 2014

"The Guitars of Rachel Rosenkrantz" is perhaps not quite as evocative a title as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Nevertheless, there are parallels. I met the young, French luthier through mutual friends, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that she is very serious about her art, and rather obsessive about her craft. Rosenkrantz studied art, architecture, and industrial design, and worked for some years designing commercial lighting fixtures and furniture. However, she let go of that career to start over from scratch as an apprentice to Daniel Collins, a builder of classical guitars. She recently opened her own custom shop, Atelier Rosenkrantz, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, sharing space with jazz-guitar builder Matt d'Ambrosio.

Robert Baird

Tony and Gaga

Robert Baird Oct 10, 2014

Streaming has taken over the world. Not so fast, at least to Sony’s way of thinking.

Analog Corner Phono Cartridge Reviews

Analog Corner #230: Transfiguration Proteus MC phono cartridge

Michael Fremer Oct 08, 2014

I've lost track of how many Transfiguration cartridges I've reviewed over the years. In all that time I've never met their designer, Immutable Music's Seiji Yoshioka, but every year he sends me an exceptionally tasteful holiday greeting card. I've never reciprocated. The truth isn't always pretty.

The Transfiguration cartridges I've reviewed, too, have always conveyed a midrange musical truth that hasn't been flashy or pretty. But it's always been honest and convincing, particularly of the reality of voices. If you said that the Transfigurations lacked character, you wouldn't be wrongunless you intended it as a criticism.

Music and Recording Features

Rarities and Reissues: Blue Note Records Turns 75

Robert Baird Oct 08, 2014

Fifty-four years after it was recorded, Hank Mobley's immortal Soul Station has become a tale of two LPs.

One, the original pressing (mono or stereo), is an artifact, an insanely valuable antique, the object of fevered jazz collectors the world over.

The other is a fresh vinyl reissue, cut from a high-resolution digital remastering of the original master tapes, that's meant to bring in younger listeners, or those interested enough in the music that they'll pay $19.95 for a new LP.

News RMAF 2014

The Great Rocky Mountain Audio Fest Starts Friday

Jason Victor Serinus Oct 06, 2014

Could it only be the 11th time the annual Rocky Mountain Audio Fest has welcomed thousands of audiophiles to Denver? The three-day gathering, which takes place Friday, October 10Sunday, October 12 at its comfortable location, the Marriott Denver Tech Center, has become such an essential part of the international audio scene that it feels like it's been here forever.

Fred Kaplan

The New Standard (and Joe Ferla's last thing)

Fred Kaplan Oct 06, 2014

Joe Ferla is the preeminent jazz recording engineer of our timeor, I should say, was, as he recently decided to retire from the profession, after more than 42 years and nearly 400 albums, to run his attention to playing guitar. (I haven't heard him do that, but I hope he's good.) His last-released album, The New Standard, is out on CD and double-LP on the Rare Noise Records label, and it stands not only as another specimen of superlative sonics but also Ferla's return to analog.

Digital Processor Reviews Headphone Reviews

Meridian Audio Prime D/A headphone amplifier

John Atkinson Oct 05, 2014

A reader recently asked if I preferred listening to loudspeakers or to headphones. There is no easy answer: Although I do most of my music listening through speakers, about 10% of that listening, for various reasons, takes place in the privacy of my headphones. I have also found that, since I purchased the Audeze LCD-X headphones following my review of them last March, I now tend to watch movies on my MacBook Pro, with the soundtrack reproduced by these headphones plugged into an AudioQuest DragonFly or whatever D/A headphone amplifier has been passing through my test lab. So when Meridian's PR person, Sue Toscano, asked me last Christmas if I'd be interested in reviewing the English company's new Prime D/A headphone amplifier ($2000) with its optional Prime Power Supply ($1295), it took me less than a New York minute to say "Yes."

News

Denver Retailer Soundings to have Open House Before and During RMAF

Stereophile Staff Oct 05, 2014

Audiophiles who need something to do before RMAF begins on Friday October 10 should check out Soundings Fine Audio and Video. Situated just two blocks from the Marriott DTC, the Denver retailer is having a party Friday night, and all showgoers are invited. They are also invited to come take a listen throughout the week!

Subwoofer Reviews

MartinLogan BalancedForce 212 subwoofer

Jon Iverson Oct 04, 2014

I like big bass, but I cannot lie
Tubby thumpers need not apply
And when a speaker drops in with itty-bitty bass
It puts a frown upon my face
I get bummed . . .
Sir BassaLot, first audiophile rapper, 1992

Some folks put a pair of bookshelf speakers on stands in their room and are happy as clams. I imagine that they imagine the missing bass and never give it another thought. Not me, and perhaps not you. Some of us want to hear it and feel it, just as we would real instruments. We want sex in the room.

Headphone Reviews InnerFidelity

Like a Boss: The Philips Fidelio X2

Tyll Hertsens Oct 03, 2014

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

While the X2 shares a lot in common with the X1 at first glance, deeper investigation reveals significant changes and real improvements with this new release. The X2 is an excellent headphone...yes, even for audiophiles...maybe especially for audiophiles. For the first time, in a long time, I think we've got a headphone to rival the Sennheiser HD 600 in the mid-priced open headphone category. Yes, I think it's that good.