Quill

PINSH: Were Howard Popeck’s ears ‘flat?’ He didn’t know; didn’t care and neither did they. However ………

May I take you back with me to 2005? Oh go on – let me. It wasn’t all bad; did you know that? I’m going to tell you a true story. It has a moral of sorts and yes it relates to editorial arrogance, blindness and in a very small way a bit of redemption […]

Read More

THE ESSENCE OF SOUND: An interview with an audiophile

HONG KONG – Audiophiles are a fastidious bunch.  They’re audio perfectionists who are constantly on the prowl for the latest gear to appease their ears.  What sounds “fine” to one person, sounds like fingernails down chalkboards to an audiophile. But there are few audiophiles who could claim they have a way to enjoy high quality […]

Read More

CONVERSATIONS WITH COLIN / SANSUI: Capacitor replacement in vintage units

  Q: I know vintage gear isn’t your business of course but, hey, I trust your expertise and so I wonder if you can help with a component issue please? I’m doing a Sansui restoration and the main caps are Nichicon & Elna. There are many differing capacitor ranges, do you have any specific recommendations? […]

Read More

ARCAM: FMJ A19 test review

FOR Big, room-filling sound Open, dynamic and cohesive Subtle and revealing detail Deep and authoritative sound Remarkable composure and control Good build and connections AGAINST Requires careful system matching Its strengths might not be immediately apparent The Arcam FMJ A19 is a new integrated stereo amplifier that joins the ranks of Arcam’s high-end FMJ series – and […]

Read More

MANA ACOUSTICS / JOHN WATSON: Howard Popeck speaks at length to people with interesting things to say: Mana Acoustics’ John Watson – the complete interview

How did your interest in music reproduction start John? I guess I was always into music from a very early age. My Father was an electrical and mechanical engineer and used to build his own Hi-Fi back in the Fifties, so music played a big part in my formative years. You’re probably best known, even […]

Read More

STAX: The SR3 & SRD-5 … and more?

Hi Howard. Just found HFA;  full of useful stuff. I am interested in the differences between the electret and mains powered energisers. I have a pair of Stax headphones labelled “New” SR3 which originally (when I bought them in 1975) came with an SRD-5 energiser. The SRD-5 (which is mains powered) was changed for an […]

Read More

MAINS: Does a separate mains spur for hifi make a difference?

I’m contemplating installing a separate mains spur for my hifi. I’ve avoided doing it because it’ll be quite a hassle due to the layout of my house. I’ve been thinking of adding a spur to my Consumer Unit of 10mm2 mains cable to an unswitched single socket. For me, this will be a fairly expensive […]

Read More

BOWERS and WILKINS: News 02

CHRIS HALL: When B&W launched the Px7 S2 noise-cancelling headphones in June 2022, it teased that there would be something even better coming later in the year – its flagship headphones, and most advanced model yet, the Px8. Ahead of the official launch, we got a sneak peek at these impressive over ears, and a quick listen […]

Read More

ELAC: News

ELAC, a leading global provider of high-performance speakers and electronics, has announced the launch of its Miracord 80 Turntable.  Continuing its tradition of building world-class turntables that started in 1948, the Miracord 80, which was previewed at The High End Munich, is the brand’s latest range-topping vinyl source.  The high-mass belt-driven turntable features a 10” […]

Read More

SONUS FABER: News

The seven-strong speaker collection, which includes a stand-mount, three floorstanders, two centre channels, plus an on-wall model, is the second iteration of Sonus faber’s original Olympica collection and pays homage to the debut models, while adding innovative trickle-down technologies, including new drivers, crossovers and internal volume tuning, plus updated cabinets and a renewed exterior design.  Olympica […]

Read More

THE $35 RESISTOR: I am well aware people in our HiFi Family think were nuts. And, that’s ok. Better nuts than boring.

When people ask me if parts of identical value but different construction sound unlike one another I kind of scratch my head. In my world, parts in the signal path all sound different. It’s like asking me if chocolate and vanilla taste different. The answer seems so obvious. But then I climb out of my […]

Read More

Sonus faber Lumina:News

Iconic Italian loudspeaker manufacturer Sonus faber has expanded its award-winning Lumina range to include a new flagship floorstander, the Lumina V, and a powerful yet compact standmount speaker, the Lumina II. Both models feature the same legendary handmade-in-Italy craftsmanship, artisan design and natural sound quality as Sonus faber’s more exclusive ranges, while offering the extraordinary […]

Read More