Gramophone Dreams #48: The Venus Tube, Western Electric's 300B

Gramophone Dreams #48: The Venus Tube, Western Electric's 300B

I would now be a prosperous gentleman had I been a clever fellow during the 1980s and held on to some of those Western Electric 300B vacuum tubes I used to buy for nothing and toss around casually (footnote 1). Unfortunately, I have no talent for acquisition or hoarding.

Analog Corner #284: Air Tight PC-1 coda phono cartridge, Zesto Andros Allasso step-up transformer

Analog Corner #284: Air Tight PC-1 coda phono cartridge, Zesto Andros Allasso step-up transformer

Something's definitely happening at the house of Yoshio Matsudaira. The legendary gentleman, whom I've never met or corresponded with, manufactures cartridges for his own brand, My Sonic Lab, as well as for others, including Air Tight. Over the past few weeks, more than a few readers have asked me to review or at least listen to the latest My Sonic Lab cartridge, the Platinum Signature.

Wilson Audio Specialties Chronosonic XVX loudspeaker

Wilson Audio Specialties Chronosonic XVX loudspeaker

Brand-fan excitement ran high among consumers and reviewers alike when Wilson Audio Specialties announced that it would roll out a nonfunctioning prototype of the Chronosonic XVX at the 2019 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF). The Chronosonic XVX was rumored to be a replacement for the $210,000/pair Alexandria XLF, offering performance similar to that of the $850,000 WAMM Master Chronosonic system (including two Master Subsonics and a controller) at a less breathtaking price. (You won't catch me writing "affordable" here.) The static unveiling at RMAF intensified anticipation.
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