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ALBARRY: Howard Popeck speaks at length to people with interesting things to say: Albarry Music’s main man Mr. Neil Burnett. An Albarry valve amp perhaps?

From the archives Preliminary notes. Neil’s a busy guy and has kindly agreed to us sending him clusters of three questions on a regular basis while bearing in mind that he’ll squeeze his responses in as and when his schedule permits. There are many things we’d like to ask this designer of fine amplification and […]

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ON or OFF: How often do we have to turn off our equipment?

Dear Colin, power supply question. How often do we have to turn off our equipment such as power amp, pre amp. cd player , power conditioner ……? Can we leave them on for days while listening on and off or do we have to turn them off after every session of listening? As a general […]

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Howard Popeck speaks at length to people with interesting things to say: Metaxas & Sons SOLITAIRE 2016 amplifier – Redefining what an amplifier can look like in Hi-End Audio

First published in early 2016 Howard Popeck: Hi Kostas. Unusual design, to say the least. What’s led to this? Kostas Metaxas: Hi Howard. After 40 years of creating audio equipment, the last thing that I wanted to produce was “another box with transistors on a heatsink”. I was dreaming of the most spectacular architecture, design […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Transformer noise through speakers … when switched off!

Dear Colin, step up transformer noise. I purchased an amp from Europe that needs 240v [ I am on north American voltage].. I bought a step up/step down transformer to equalize the voltage. it works, but the transformer produces noise through the speakers, even when the amp is turned off. the transformer I bought was […]

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SOLEDGE: Howard Popeck speaks at length to people with interesting things to say: Mr. Raphaël Bini, the driving force behind French audio maker Soledge High End Wireless Audio System.

Hello Raphaël. How did your interest in music reproduction start? Well, I suppose everything starts with music listening during as a youth, with a father playing music, either on a piano or guitar, or on his HiFi system. Then, my father being an electrician and repairing TV sets, meant that I grew up with electronic […]

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IMPEDANCE: How to measure it?

Dear Colin, Zero autoformers; how to measure impedance please? I got a pair of Speltz zero autoformers recently but when I measure the total impedance, my multimeter sees only 0.4-0.6 ohm no matter what I do. It seems the multimeter could only read the DC resistance from the autoformer itself but not the total impedance […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Audiophile industry heroes

Hi Colin. Who if any are your audio designers heroes and why? Thanks. Nigel Beethoven (no jokes please) Hello Nigel. Heroes is a bad thing to have as it puts normal humans on a dais and yet they are human. But the gents and ladies in this complex industry that I put up with; the […]

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Howard Popeck speaks at length to people with interesting things to say: Mr. Dominique Mafrand, the driving force behind French audio maker l’enceintebleue

Hello Dominique. How did your interest in music reproduction start? It began when I was very young. One of my four brothers studied electronics at school and found a job in a French company called Ferisol manufacturing professional electronics equipment for the industry. It was back in 1960/1965. It was the beginning of pop music […]

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HIROYASU KONDO: Founder of Audio Note Japan, and a legendary figure in his own time—took …..

Our interview with Hiroyasu Kondo—founder of Audio Note Japan, and a legendary figure in his own time—took place during HI-FI ’96 last June at the Waldorf=Astoria. It seemed very natural; the crowd at the Show was very internationalist. Herb Reichert of Audio Note New York found us a quiet corner after lunch, and we sat […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Is material now the limiting factor perhaps?

Hello Colin. From reading your very cogent and helpful answers to those questions here I appreciate that you take the design of power supplies very seriously. I’m writing here out of ignorance of the design process and indeed materials used but I wonder if it’s coming to the point where the next set of advances […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Why sell an under-optimized item that can be easily improved upon by the owner or a modder?

Dear Colin, If audiophile grade feet, power cords, and fuses can really improve sound quality, why don’t high end designers/manufacturers just incorporate these audiophile grade components at the time of build? Why sell an under-optimized item that can be easily improved upon by the owner or a modder? I guess you don’t do that at […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Marketing as an influence on audiophile design?

Hi Colin. To what extent – if any – does marketing influence your designs? It has ….. for a few things. I’ve not really taken much notice of marketing and to be honest, if an audio business is run by money grabbing twits like those I’ve met in the past then … no thanks. I […]

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The Single-Ended Amplifier: Cary’s Dennis Had

Robert Harley (Stereophile magazine) writes:  Cary Audio Design founder Dennis Had is largely responsible for popularizing single-ended amplifiers in America. Since appearing on the scene in 1989, Cary Audio Design has forged its own niche in the high-end audio industry. I spoke with Dennis Had about how he got started building amplifiers, and why he’s […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN / ELSDON – WONFOR: Boutique brand, or mass-market?

Hi Colin. First. Congratulations on rising phoenix-like from a difficult time with difficult people! From what I have read my impression is that you are intent on keeping Elsdon Wonfor Audio small; a boutique-brand if you will. However for the sake of conversation, or curiosity or whatever, if you wanted to, could the company be […]

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SONUS FABER: Interview with Sonus Faber Livio Cucuzza

Mono & Stereo exclusive interview with Sonus Faber main designer Livio Cucuzza. An open view into his and company approach to design not only regarding Sonus Faber speakers, but also Audio Research and Waida. We looked into what is 21st century is going to bring for company and customers. How did all started for you at […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Equipment break-in. Fact or fiction or a combination of both?

Hi guys. Is there or will there be an ‘official’ Elsdon Wonfor Audio policy on this. Here’s my view. I’m an adherent to the psychological theory of so-called break-in; it’s simply one’s brain adjusting to a new piece of audio equipment. I also like to compare it to the ancient therapy of acupuncture; break-in apparently […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Ideas are stolen everyday by people that could not imagine nor design anything new

Dear Colin, Can you tell us a little – or a lot if you wish – about the Integrated Amp design you are most proud and why please? The Claymore come to mind – the Inca Tech Claymore – it was designed on a whim for a US based company that never came back to […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: External power supplies

Hello Colin. I seem to have read somewhere that you feel that external power supplies for audiophile equipment Is really an irrelevance if the original power supply design has been correctly implemented. Have I got that right? If not, can you put your views to us? Thanks in advance, Nigel Okay, I did say that […]

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CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN: Sources used in product development?

Hello Colin What sources and speakers does you use in development and why please? Thanks. Mike Hi Mike, Now that is a tricky question I like my old Ruark Sabres, they are old friends made for me by my old friend. I also use Spendors, and borrow others makes depending on what I am designing.I […]

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CHRIS CONNAKER / computeraudiophile.com : News

Laurence A. Borden writes: LB: Chris, welcome to Dagogo. Please begin by telling us about your background, and what lead you to embrace computer-based audio and to start computeraudiophile.com. Chris Connaker: I have been an audiophile for as long as I can remember. In 1982, after talking my second grade teacher Mrs. Van de Weigh […]

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DAVID MANLEY: Tubes, Logic, and Audiophile Sound

Robert Harley (Stereophile Magazine) writes: As founder of California-based Vacuum Tube Logic of America, David Manley is at the forefront of the current renaissance in vacuum-tube audio equipment. In addition to manufacturing some highly regarded audiophile components, VTL has introduced a line of tubed professional equipment that is finding its way into recording studios. David […]

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GARY CHRISTIE: From Infinity to Artison

Thomas J. Norton (Stereophile mag) writes: When Cary Christie, Arnie Nudell, and John Ulrick founded Infinity Systems more than 25 years ago, high-end audio as we know it today didn’t exist. Hi-fi was audio, though the reverse wasn’t necessarily true.Through the growth years, Infinity became a major force in the High End. Cary Christie is […]

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