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LATEST ADDITIONS

Aural Robert

Sly Stone, a Great, Recent Musical Loss

Robert Baird Aug 26, 2025

Super fans who dig deeper into a favorite artist's recording catalog eventually come to the crossroads of performance versus sonics. In the case of Sly Stone, who died this past June at age 82, that question has new relevance with the release on CD and vinyl of a "new" Sly and the Family Stone record, The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967.

Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Volti Audio Lucera loudspeaker

Ken Micallef Aug 22, 2025

This past May, I stormed the halls of the international audio orgy High End Munich. My scorched-earth tour covered countless rooms, in pursuit of the holy grail of music playback. Among the finalists, a clear pattern emerged: With a few exceptions, my favorite rooms used horn-loaded speakers.

Digital Processor Reviews

Ideon Audio eos D/A processor

Herb Reichert Aug 21, 2025

This review started with a gentle handoff. My ol' pal Walter Swanbon of Fidelis Distribution stopped by Brooklyn to take away the $10,000 Limited Edition Falcon LS3/5a loudspeakers and drop off the $10,000 eos DAC by Ideon. As he was getting in his car, I yelled, "Walter! I'm warning you! If that thing's not plug'n'play, I'll put it right there on that curb."

Phono Preamp Reviews Spin Doctor Turntable Reviews

Spin Doctor #28: Kuzma and Westminster Lab

Michael Trei Aug 20, 2025

Forty years ago, when I was a much younger man, I was a strong dude. I recall one day in 1986, soon after I started working at Sound by Singer, when Krell cofounder Dan D'Agostino drove down from his factory in Connecticut to deliver a load of amplifiers and preamps for us to sell. As the new guy, I was expected to do the grunt work.

Re-Tales

Re-Tales #57: Boutique Audio Gallery, an Oasis in Canada

Julie Mullins Aug 19, 2025

You can call Boutique Audio Gallery's Jason Melman anytime you like—just don't call him "dealer." "The two words I hate are 'dealer' and 'store'," he told me during an interview at an event he hosted at the—um, gallery he opened in March 2024. "It's just a relaxing place where people can come and listen to music."

News

Audio Advice Acquires The Sound Room

Mark Henninger Aug 17, 2025

On August 14, 2025, Audio Advice announced it has acquired The Sound Room, a St. Louis–based audio, video, and home‑automation firm founded in 1983 by David Young. The move adds a St. Louis location to the company's footprint.

Audacious Audio Media Server Reviews

Innuos Nazaré server/streamer

Jason Victor Serinus Aug 15, 2025

In ancient times, when I first ventured beyond playing files stored on a USB stick or NAS to streaming from Tidal and Qobuz, I ran a USB cable between a MacBook Pro and my DAC. For playback software, I alternated between Amarra, Audirvana, and—sometimes with a dCS DAC—dCS Mosaic.

New Products News

Velodyne Names Playback Distribution Exclusive U.S. Distributor

Mark Henninger Aug 15, 2025

Velodyne Acoustics has appointed Playback Distribution as its exclusive U.S. distributor, with the partnership debuting at CEDIA 2025. Velodyne says the agreement renews its commitment to the U.S. market and is intended to provide integrators and dealers with consistent access to its subwoofer line.

EISA Awards

EISA Hi-Fi Awards 2025-2026

Stereophile Staff Aug 14, 2025

EISA, or the Expert Imaging and Sound Association, is an organization representing 53 of the most respected special interest publications and websites from 26 countries that cover Hi-Fi, Home Theater, Photography, Mobile Devices, and In-Car Electronics. Every year EISA's Expert Group members, including editors from this publication, test a very wide range of new products from their field of expertise before comparing results and voting to decide on the cream of every product category.

Recording of the Month

Recording of September 2025: A Tribute to the King Of Zydeco

Robert Baird Aug 14, 2025

Various Artists: A Tribute to the King Of Zydeco
Valcour Records. VAL-LP 0058 (LP). 2025. Steve Berlin, Joel Savoy, prods.; Justin Tockett, Tony Daigle, Mike Napolitano, Matt Clifford, many others, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics ****