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For vocal lovers, regardless of the specific genre they favor, few thrills are as great as encountering a young artist whose fresh voice radiates health, confidence, and optimism. To hear such a voice intelligently deployed in a wide-ranging recital of extremely beautiful, rarely programmed French songs—each a gem in its own right—compounds the sense of discovery andjoy.

With thanks to…

We were tired but fulfilled, sitting at the old bar, admiring the albums we'd come away with from a long day of hunting at the Princeton Record Exchange. One by one, I pulled the…

Analog sources: J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme turntable with KV9 tonearm and Aidas MC Tru Stone Gold Web cartridge; Benny Audio Odyssey turntable with Benz Micro Gullwing MC cartridge.
Preamplifiers: Ampsandsound Yosemite, Rogue RP7, line. Tavish Audio Design Adagio, Manley Chinook, Allnic H-5500, phono.
Power amplifiers: Air Tight ATM-1 2024 Edition, Rogue Audio Stereo 100.
Integrated amplifiers: Riviera Labs Levante, Unison Research S6 Black Edition.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity Super Nine, Voxativ Ampeggio 2024.
Cables: Interconnects…

Description: Hybrid solid state/tubed class-AB power amplifier. Tube complement: 8 EL34/6CA7 (4 per channel). Analog inputs: One pair single-ended on RCA, one pair balanced on XLR, through a buffer. Outputs: L/R loudspeaker binding posts, optimized for a 5 ohm load. Frequency range: 20Hz–40kHz. Output power: 65Wpc into 5 ohms (16.1dBW). Input impedance: 30k ohms. Output impedance: <1 ohm. Voltage gain: 30dB. S/N ratio: 65dB. Power consumption: 130W.
Dimensions: 18" (457mm) W × 20" (508mm) D × 8" (203mm) H. Weight: 65lb (29.5kg).
Finishes: Aluminum,…

Billy Hart's quartet started in 2004. In 20+ years, it has quietly become one of the best small ensembles in jazz. It has taken Hart almost all his 85 years to be recognized as a national treasure. He is a master of a drum language he invented, one that knows a thousand ways to swing.

An unusual aspect of this quartet is…

In these days of industry transformation, acquiring a brick-and-mortar hi-fi store is not for the faint of heart. That's just what 41-year-old Brandon Bartee did in August 2025. Bartee acquired Audio Concepts from Mark Ashworth, who was celebrating the store's 40th anniversary, all 40 years under his ownership. Ashworth has been consulting for the store since the acquisition and will continue to do so for another few more months.

Audio Concepts has been in the same location in North…

Large-ensemble jazz was once the dominant format in the art form. Today it is a niche. Big jazz bands now survive mostly as labors of love. Current examples of beloved big bands include the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, and Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project. There is another…

Legendary Stax guitarist/producer Steve Cropper hated when deejays talked over song intros. He decided to do something about it for the countless hit singles cut at the label's Memphis studio in the 1960s. As a result of his efforts, Cropper—who passed away on December 3, 2025, at age 84—became known as "The Intro Guy," a sobriquet he was proud to honor. "I got to hang out at a lot of radio stations, but I never really wanted to be a disc jockey,"

Cropper told me from his Nashville home during a phone interview in May 2018. "The work they did…