Have you ever wondered why there are so many different sample rates and why? The compact disc samples at 44.1kHz/16 bits. But then there’s these other rates like 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz. Wow, that’s a lot and the spacing doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. How did we get to these numbers […]
AUDIO The Insider
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PS Audio’s Senior Analog Design Engineer Darren Myers and The Music Room Testing Technician Duncan Taylor discuss all things hifi audio, covering such audiophile topics as speakers, amplifiers, DACs, preamplifiers, vinyl, cables, music, stereo soundstages, tweaks, adjustments and much more. https://the-hifi-podcast-with-darren-and-duncan.simplecast.com/
Michael Vronsky asks: Neil; Do you think the market for audiophile quality is diminishing, or static or expanding? If I believe the reports I read it’s been diminishing under the onslaught of alternative ways of spending money on home entertainment like home cinema and video games etc. I think there is a very serious core […]
PAUL McGOWAN / PS AUDIO One of the great joys of having our own state-of-the-art recording studio includes the ability to record and release the kinds of recordings rarely ever done. Recordings that are specific to those of us interested in High-End audio. When I first proposed the idea of launching a new series that […]
Anton Spice writes: An electron microscope captures the moment stylus meets groove in slow-motion. The good folk behind Youtube channel Applied Science have shared an incredible new video of a stylus riding the grooves of a vinyl record in ultra-slow motion using an electron microscope. Cutting off small sections of an LP to fit the […]
The RIAA curve is a rather dramatic equalization network applied to record albums and 45s over the last half-century. Why is it there, what does it do, and when can we expect it to be retired? Watch Now
PS AUDIO / Paul McGowan In just about every commercial recording studio in the world, (and most every recording you hear) the practice of EQ’ing is commonplace: correcting problems like unwanted background noise, microphone imbalances, and other anomalies that affect the clarity and quality of sound. Unfortunately, like ketchup, salt, pepper, and other condiments, it […]
Geoffrey ….. When it comes to listening to what you’ve designed, do you worry that you can find yourself liking something which is actually wrong? How do you keep yourself on track? In the context of tonearms it’s difficult to imagine what I could do to make it sound ‘wrong’. This part of the system […]
For some strange reason, I have been thinking about the strain gauge phono cartridge. And, here’s the weird thing. I have never heard one. What’s interesting to me about this strange beast is how different it is from your conventional phono cartridge. I am always fascinated by truly different. Most phono cartridges are generators. They […]
When I wrote about my memories of the strain gauge cartridge it was presented as mere ramblings. Since that post, there’s been a swirl of controversy and questions. Who knew? One question, in particular, revolved around the cartridge’s supposed disregard for the need of the RIAA curve. Several among you, including my friend Richard Murrison, questioned the […]
PS AUDIO / Paul McGowan: Musical timbre is the term we use to describe the sonic qualities that distinguish one instrument or voice from another. It’s a complex and subjective quality that includes the harmonic content (the collection of overtones), the attack and decay of the sound, and the envelope of the sound (the pattern […]
In my first article, I wrote about those wizened beings who occasionally materialise from the ether, intent on stretching the boundaries of plausibility with their over-active imaginations. These people would have us believe that a generous sprinkling of their particular flavour of fairy dust on your hi-fi will transport it to the realms of godliness. […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO When we think of the analog sound we’re inevitably referencing a reproduction. This is because we experience analog sound through our stereo systems which, of course, are reproduction playback systems. And every analog reproduction is either captured on vinyl or magnetic tape. This of course means everything we associate with […]
The trouble with being an engineer is that one is born with a natural tendency to look at the world through critical eyes and consider how differently you might have designed the things around you had been have been given the job. But then, if ever you feel inclined to prompt such a discussion, most […]
PS AUDIO / Paul McGowan Peering down inside of a BHK preamp the other day, I was rewarded with the warm rosy glow of its vacuum tubes. And I was reminded how similar a vacuum tube is to a lightbulb (I know. I am weird). Both vacuum tubes and lightbulbs have glass envelopes that keep […]
I get asked this question all the time, and perhaps one more attempt at an explanation will help. Voltage is what determines loudness. Let me explain. Let’s imagine we have a stereo power amplifier delivering 10v at its output. Now, add two loudspeakers, each with identical sensitivity (meaning that for a given voltage, they will […]
PS AUDIO / Paul McGowan I think one of the very basic problems with people’s opinions on class D amps is the hierarchy of labeling – I mean, as a child if you get an “A” in school you’re pretty happy; get a “D” or an “F” and you’ll probably be having a conversation with […]
THE PUBLISHERS DO NOT VOUCH FOR ANY CONTENTS HERE.THE LISTING YOU ARE ABOUT TO VISIT MAY BE A SCAM. PLEASE BE CAREFUL —//— DITTON 66 … https://www.ukaudiomart.com/details/649908435-celestion-ditton-66/ DITTON 66 … https://www.gumtree.com/p/speakers/celestion-ditton-66-speakers-classic-vintage-design/1451655338 SL600 SI … https://www.gumtree.com/p/speakers/celestion-sl600-si-speakers-matched-pair-with-stands-/1451732987 5000 … https://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/moreinfo.php?prod_title=Celestion_5000&p=standspeaker&prod_id=93868&offset= A1 … https://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/moreinfo.php?prod_title=Celestion_A1&p=standspeaker&prod_id=109044&offset= C3 … https://www.gumtree.com/p/home-cinema/celestion-c3-speakers-/1450899652 DITTON 15XR … https://www.gumtree.com/p/speakers/celestion-ditton-15-xr-speakers/1443190517 V30 DRIVER … https://www.marktplaats.nl/v/audio-tv-en-foto/luidsprekers/m1847901359-celestion-v-30-speaker-16-ohm CS4 … https://www.marktplaats.nl/v/audio-tv-en-foto/luidsprekers/m1846386165-celestion-cs-4 […]
Paul McGowan writes: So, whatever happened to tone controls? You know, the bass and treble boost/cut controls that used to adorn just about every 1950 and 1960′s era preamplifier? They fell out of fashion in the 1970′s because purists didn’t want them. The analog audio path must be absolutely pure. They fell back into fashion […]
Q: Hello Colin. The unit in question is a Lafayette 4 channel decoder. When turning off my system, there is a popping noise from the rear speakers unless I turn the volume down on the decoder first (I’m only using the rear outputs). I’d like to eliminate the problem. I’ve searched bypass capacitor and coupling […]
Hi Colin, Pls can you help me? Can I safely run a USA spec amp designed for 110v 60Hz in the UK on 240v 50Hz, with a step down transformer (but it will still be 50Hz). So many conflicting views across the web. I think a lot of people believe it can work ok the […]
I like to imagine the art of compression is like the proper setup of a subwoofer. Properly done you shouldn’t notice it is there. Unfortunately, that’s not the norm. So many of today’s recordings have enough compression on the voice that we hear it: the singer gets loud but the sound level does not. Another […]