Audio Skies Michael Vamos - YG Acoustics, JMF Audio, Ideon at Capital Audiofest 2025
The Listening Room and Fidelity Imports - Diptyque DP-160 Mk.2 at Capital Audiofest 2025
Fidelity Imports Audia Flight and Perlisten System
Fidelity Imports Wilson Benesch and Audia Flight System at Capital Audiofest 2025
J Sikora Aspire, Innuos Stream 3, Aurender N50, Gryphon Antileon Revelation, Command Performance AV
Bella Sound Kalalau Preamplifier: Interview with Mike Vice
BorderPatrol Zola DAC – Gary Dews at Capital Audiofest 2025
Audio Note UK TT3 Reference Turntable Debut at Capital Audiofest 2025
Kevin Hayes of VAC at Capital Audiofest 2025
2WA Group debuts Aequo Ensium at Capital Audiofest 2025
Capital Audiofest 2025 lobby marketplace walk through day one
Lucca Chesky Introduces the LC2 Loudspeaker at Capital Audiofest 2025
Capital Audiofest 2025 Gary Gill interview
Sponsored: Pulsar 121
Acora and VAC together at Capital Audiofest 2025
Scott Walker Audio & Synergistic Research at Capital Audiofest 2025: Atmosphere LogiQ debut
Sponsored: Symphonia
Sponsored: Symphonia Colors

LATEST ADDITIONS

Audio Research Reference 6SE line preamplifier

"As long as you're happy."

That's the line long uttered by the most dreaded members of my family, and their friends, whenever they tried to pry into my personal affairs. Often the last word, "happy," was uttered with a downward cadence and accompanied by a shrug.

Then came the kicker. "You are happy, aren't you?" said with eyes boring into my soul. "Well, as long as you're happy."

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Channel D Pure Vinyl 5 & Seta L phono preamplifier

Ever since I stopped using my Audio Research SP10 preamplifier in the early 1990s—its eight phono-stage tubes used to get too noisy too quickly—I tried a variety of standalone phono preamplifiers. Seeing the most service through the 1990s and 2000s were, first, a Mod Squad Phono Drive EPS, then a Linn Linto, both of which I purchased. But when I measured Channel D's Seta Model L, which Michael Fremer reviewed in the August 2010 issue, the Linto was pushed to one side. The battery-powered Seta L (footnote 1) had the lowest noise and distortion I had encountered in a phono preamplifier, and I eventually bought the sample I had been sent for a follow-up review in 2013.
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Revinylization #11: James Booker, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Joan Armatrading

Last month, I received so few vinyl reissues that I had to invite a guest writer—jazz critic and political commentator Fred Kaplan—to fill in. Fred had managed to grab an early copy of the excellent Analogue Productions 45rpm reissue of Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival. I didn't get mine until a week or so after his review was submitted.

This month, I have a tall stack to choose from, so I'll mention several.

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Alta Audio Alyssa loudspeaker

It was a "Wow!" audio moment I'll never forget. It happened just after Ladies Who Lunch, our regular Friday afternoon lunch-n-chat for audio poobahs at the Grand Sichuan restaurant in Chelsea. It was dark at 4 o'clock, and the first snow of winter looked enchanting under the 24th Street streetlamps. Audiophiliac Steve Guttenberg and I were accompanying our turntable setter–upper friend Michael Trei to Bob Visintainer's Rhapsody Music and Cinema, where Trei was scheduled to install a Lyra Etna SL cartridge on a TechDAS Air Force III turntable. I tagged along to chatter with Bob and listen with Steve to Alta Audio's tall, open-baffle Titanium Hestia loudspeakers. Rumor had it that this was a happening system.
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Marten Oscar Duo loudspeaker

At High End Mässan 2015—Stockholm, Sweden's big audio show—Marten planned to show off its finest loudspeaker to the hometown crowd. Marten took the hotel's largest demo room, located at the prime location at the top of the stairs, at the entry point to the 2nd floor exhibition space. There, Marten set up a super system (see photo below) featuring the Coltrane Supreme 2 loudspeaker, a towering monolith probably intended more for Asian consumption than for Swedes to bring home to their modest digs. In preshow demos, the Coltranes filled the large room with impressively transparent and effortless sound that was sure to impress show attendees.
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Recording of November 2020: What's Next Vivaldi?

What's Next Vivaldi?
Antonio Vivaldi and others
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin; Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini, cond. and flute.
Alpha 624 (Auditioned as 24/192 WAV). 2020. Jean-Daniel Noir, prod., edit., master.
Performance *****
Sonics ****

Forget almost everything you know about Vivaldi performance practice, authentic and otherwise, and shush all "shoulds." Banish from your mind any thoughts that all Vivaldi sounds the same. Prepare your ears to hear Vivaldi as you've never heard him before.

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