Britten's Children
Here's a fascinating review of John Bridcut's <I>Britten's Children</I>, a book that traces Benjamin Britten's fascination with a succession of young boys and that obsession's role in the creation of so much of his glorious music.
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Can Do!
How to make your own headphones. They may not be an audio upgrade from the ubiquitous three-buck upchuck earbuds available from your friendly flight attendant, but I love this guy's roll-your-own attitude.
Does your system sound the same all the time, or does it sound better at some times than others?
Reader Mike Agee says that at one time his system exhibited a "moodiness" where the sound would vary from day to day. Does your system sound the same all the time, or does it sound better at some times than others?
Grown Together
"Oh, you're still here," Elizabeth said, on her way out.
Ancient Bosnian Pyramid Update
It ain't over until the fat NGO sings?
Focal Electra 1007 Be loudspeaker
Back at the end of September 2005, I dropped by Jonathan and Kathleen Scull's Chelsea loft after work. I can't remember why; I think I was returning some gear. But we had also just finished shipping the <I>2006 Stereophile Buyer's Guide</I> to the printer that day, and it was possible that I needed some high-quality musical R'n'R. Sitting in Jonathan's listening seat—the legendary <A HREF="http://forum.stereophile.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/450/password… Chair</A>"—and enjoying the sound of his system, I flashed on the days when he worked for <I>Stereophile</I> full-time and I occasionally used to pop round to his place, just two blocks away from what was then our office, on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. Whatever components Jonathan was writing about, a consistent factor in the always superb sound of his system was the presence of the pair of <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/273">JMlab Utopia</A> loudspeakers that he had reviewed in the April 1998 issue of <I>Stereophile</I>. The Utopias delivered a seamless, full-range presentation that served Jonathan's eclectic taste in music while also allowing him to easily hear the effects, good or bad, of the various tweaks he was always trying.
Snell Acoustics LCR7 XL loudspeaker
When someone is described as having "written the book" on a subject, it is generally taken as a figure of speech. But veteran speaker designer Joseph D'Appolito, PhD, quite literally "wrote the book." His <I>Testing Loudspeakers</I> (Audio Amateur Press, 1998) is an invaluable resource for those of us who, lacking any talent for designing speakers ourselves, nevertheless find the subject of speaker performance endlessly fascinating. So when Snell's PR consultant, Bryan Stanton, contacted me a while back about reviewing the LCR7, the first design D'Appolito had seen through from start to finish for the Massachusetts-based company since he had replaced David Smith as Snell's chief engineer, I suffered from more than a little anxiety.
What's Real?
I couldn't believe it. Something was off.
Recording of June 2006: Mercernary
<B>DR. JOHN: <I>Mercernary</I></B><BR>
Blue Note 3 54541 2 (CD). 2006. Dr. John, prod.; Mark Bingham, eng. AAD? TT: 49:45<BR>
Performance <B>****½</B><BR>
Sonics <B>****½</B>
What's a Cello Sound Like?
Kandinsky said it's "the deepest blue of all the instruments." More on synaesthesia.