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But let’s forget about equipment reports for a second and turn the…

Each time I approach a new recording, the music always comes first. In that spirit, with thoughts of savoring the abundant beauties in six of the eight Sonatas for Violin Solo that Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber dedicated to Maximilian Gandolf Graf von Kuenburg, the Archbishop of Salzburg, in 1681, I cued up Channel Classics' latest offering, Just Biber.…

Anne Sofie von Otter is still recording? When I learned that the great Swedish mezzo, whose celebrated discography dates back 40 years, was 69 when she entered the Traumton Studio in Berlin to record Berlin! Berlin! Berlin!, I was less than optimistic about what I might hear. Imagine my surprise when I discovered, instead of…

Pur ti miro presents a certifiably off-the-beaten-track crosscultural instrumental exploration that may strike some audiophiles as a bit weird, at least at first. Yet once you transcend tried-and-true expectations and allow what you hear to (in words immortalized by Grace Slick) "feed your head," you will likely find the timbral contrasts, colors, and expressive power…

Why award Recording of the Month to a project whose vocal soloists, though thoroughly committed, are in some respects less than ideal? Because the orchestra and conducting in this Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth), one of the greatest works of music in the late German romantic idiom, shed such light on Mahler's achievement as…

At T.H.E. Show Newport, Censullo presented a system of Rosso Fiorentino Voltera loudspeakers ($12,995/pair), Dr. Feickert Analogue Firebird turntable ($12,995) with DFA 12.0 tonearm ($1495), Abbingdon Music Research CD-77 CD player ($10,995) used as a transport into the AMR DP-777 DAC ($4995), and an AMR AM-77 integrated amplifier ($9995). Censullo had two phono preamps on hand: An AMR PH-77 ($11,995) and the Monk Audio phono preamp ($2995). Digital files were served via the…

Jason asked if I would send him a flash drive carrying a few demo tracks that he might use to audition systems at the show&#151a fun idea, however one that I can’t successfully realize: At this time, I have no real library of high-resolution (or even CD-quality) digital…

Gryphon Apex Stereo power amplifier ($99,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer in August 2022, Vol.45 No.8 Review)

Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Ayre Acoustics Ex-8 2.0 Integrated Hub ($6750–$8850; reviewed by Ken Micallef and John Atkinson in November & December 2021, Vol.44 Nos.11 & 12 review)
Gryphon Commander preamplifier ($63,000; reviewed by Michael Fremer in July 2022, Vol.45 No.7 review)
Luxman M-10x power amplifier ($19,995; reviewed by John Atkinson in May 2022, Vol.45 No.5 review)
Rotel Michi S5 power…

Fozgometer V2 ($400; reviewed by Michael Fremer in May 2022, Vol.45 No.5 review)

Finalists (in alphabetical order)
AudioPraise VanityPro HDMI audio extractor ($1595; reviewed by Kal Rubinson in May 2022, Vol.45 No.5 review)
AudioQuest Dragon interconnect (XLR $11,900/1m pair, RCA $9500/1m pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer in September 2022, Vol.45 No.9 review)
AudioQuest Dragon Zero speaker cable ($27,500/8' pair; reviewed by Michael Fremer in September 2022, Vol.45 No.9 review)
Nordost QNet network switch ($3199.99; reviewed by…

And this Sunday, just when I thought I was done being dragged, I get this mad call from an out-of-breath Jason Victor Serinus, saying, "Herb! Get your ass up to room 1125 (the Parasound-Tekton room). The sound is amazing, and you must listen to this speaker. Hurry up!"

I arrived…