search
High fidelity took a giant step forward in 1956 with Peter Walker's introduction of the Quad ESL. Walker's research efforts had been motivated by his firm belief in the superiority of the electrostatic dipole over the box loudspeaker, but actually to take the economic plunge and market such a speaker was surely an act of bravery. After all, those were the pre-stereo, pre-audiophile days of the mid '50s, and the public's tastes and expectations were relatively unsophisticated. The average front end was abominable by today's standards, so that making definitive assessments of loudspeaker…
It is well known that the direction of a broad-band soundsource is largely determined by interaural cues associated with the earlier-arriving direct sound to the neglect of later-arriving reflections. This is precisely the precedence effect. (Note that the precedence effect does not preclude the perception of two separate but simultaneous auditory events from a pair of loudspeakers if the spectral content of the left and right signals is greatly different.) Experimental evidence supports the notion that the time course of the precedence effect spans two "windows." Following the abrupt…
I am a student of DACs. To me they are like phono cartridges—each sounding quite different from the other—and I just need to know which I like most.
A close friend of mine uses the top MSB DAC, and his system seems so natural and relaxed and consistently alive. His system is always full of deep, wide-space magic. So I was not surprised when the first room I encountered—the MSB room—felt like it would probably end up being the best sound at the show. I was impressed with every second of what was presented.
The room was dark and shadowy; the soundstage was deeeep, and filled with…
Saturday October 14, Gig Harbor Audio (3019 Judson Street, Suite D, Gig Harbor, WA 98335), from 1–3pm, and Suncoast Audio (7353 International Place, Unit 309, Sarasota, FL 34240), from 12–4pm, are presenting audiophile events.
At the Gig Harbor event, Gary L. Koh from Genesis Loudspeakers will playing the Anne Bisson Trio's Four Seasons in Jazz—Live at Bernie's direct-to-disc album from start to finish. This landmark live recording was the inspiration of Gary Koh and Wuti Larnroongroj of Brilliance Music (Thailand). The 2LP set features jazz pianist/vocalist Anne Bisson and her trio…
Many systems at RMAF 2017, including some such as MSB's, that were shoehorned into cramped quarters, produced sound that astounded and even mesmerized. But when unquestionably fine components were given sufficient room to strut their stuff, as happened when the new Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 loudspeaker ($58,000/pair) was mated with Constellation Audio electronics, the results were often magical.
While it's often associated with classical music, the Alexia 2 drew strong, downright nasty bass from a Stevie Ray Vaughan LP. Although someone complained to me on the last day of the show that…
Each year, in honor and remembrance of her late husband and RMAF founder, Al Stiefel, Marjorie Baumert donates one exhibit room to support "
a new manufacturer with an innovative product, or one who simply needs a little help." This year, The Colorado Audio Society selected JWM Acoustics of Austin, Texas to be the ninth recipient of The Al Stiefel Legacy Room.
JWM also exhibited at RMAF 2016, when there were fewer RMAF rooms to cover, so at that time I was able to linger, for a full half-hour, in JWM's warm bath of good music, fine sound, and the extremely enjoyable company of Joshua…
When the Greek poet Hesiod and Roman comic dramatist Plautus wrote about moderation in all things, I'm not sure they had in mind RMAF's Saturday morning seminar, "High Resolution Audio: Have files Eclipsed Physical Media?" Nor, in fact, did I, until, just 10 days before the event, I discovered that my offer to participate had been transformed without my knowledge into serving as seminar moderator.
"Moderation in all things, especially moderation" may read like one of Ralph Waldo Emerson's more pithy sayings, but it unfortunately fails to address situations where the moderator feels as…
"Oh my god, Justin Timberlake? That room's next." I thought to myself.
JT's album, The 20/20 Experience—which, coincidentally or not, came out when I was 20!—radiated grooviness out of one of the many rooms sponsored by Denver retailer ListenUp, from an LP spinning on a VPI Prime Signature Rosewood turntable ($6799), through a Simaudio Moon 610LP phono stage ($7500) and 600i V2 integrated amplifier ($9000), and Bowers & Wilkins 802 D3 loudspeakers. Afterward, we listened to a very neutral sounding "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire, then a rowdy yet well contained "Be My Yoko Ono" by…
For the first time in their three-year history, the Rocky Mountain International HiFi Press Awards (RIHPA) came into their own. Well-organized and presented, with winners that, in almost all instances, made sense, these were awards of substance, and worthy of your attention.
The RIHPA were first conceived by Ingo Schulz, publisher of Germany's Fidelity magazine, who discussed the concept with RMAF's Marjorie Baumert. Baumert then suggested they speak (and subsequently team up) with Roy Gregory, European editor of TheAudioBeat.com and founding editor of Hi-Fi Plus, to move the awards…
Legendary Japanese electrostatic headphone manufacturer Stax, Ltd. was demonstrating a new—and very upscale looking—"Vacuum Tube Input Driver Unit For Earspeakers" (ie, an amplifier) for their highly esteemed SR-009 Earspeakers ($5250). It is called the SRM-T8000 and costs $6000—which is a considerable price leap from the Stax SRM-007tII amp ($2400) I compared it to. During my brief audition, this new, 6922 tube-equipped Stax amplifier played smother, slightly fuller, a little lusher, and, less electrostatically than the SRM-007tII.
I thought the sound character of the Stax SR…