The dictionary defines the word paradox as a statement or proposition that, despite sound reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory. Such is the nature of audio transparency. Invisible sound. A seeming paradox. On the one hand, we can never hope to see sound. So the idea that some sound appears […]
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I really dislike labels as they apply to people. I have spent much of my adult life working hard at removing them from my lexicon. Labels encourage us to place complex people in simplistic organized little boxes. That hardly allows for diversity or nuance. Yet, today’s crowd seems ever more eager to assign labels to […]
I remember the first time I heard the improvements brought by an upgraded fuse. It was a few years ago and our German distributor, Jurgen, was visiting. We were in the middle of a listening session and he asked if I might be up for an experiment. Of course! He pulled the top off the […]
Power amplifiers come in classes determined by their design. Their classifications are listed by simple letters of the alphabet, but underlying that simplicity is a whole lot of complexity. For example, amp classes as determined by their bias and turn-on cycle include A, AB, B, and C. The differences in this class of amps is […]
It is fascinating to me the myriad of seemingly endless variations designers apply to sound reproduction equipment. Take the rarely seen today bipole loudspeaker. The last mass-produced version I remember was by the Canadian company, Mirage. Let’s start with a smidge of reference. Most loudspeakers are monopoles: sound comes out of one plane of the […]
Is it price, parts quality, brands, or designers that makes some audio products sound better than others? Learn the truth behind how manufacturers decide what products are going to cost.
When our eyes are assaulted with a bright flash of glare we put our hands up to shield ourselves. It’s not a whole lot different with audio. A biting dose of glare makes me cringe and reach for the volume control. Glare is that overly bright sound that rides atop the music. It has any […]
Paul McGowan. As I get more familiar with the new music system a couple of thoughts occur to me about what it is that gets me excited about what I am hearing and experiencing. I think the magnification and separation of elements within the recording have to stand out above many others. I am fortunate […]
We’re all a bit worried about being criticized. What if those we respect don’t agree with us or have differing opinions? What would happen if you played for someone your favorite track on your perfect setup and they were unimpressed? Or worse, pointed out problems? We all love it when our friends and family swoon […]
One of the risks of trying new things and moving in different directions is the threat of ridicule. It’s scary stepping out on the ledge in search of new results. Safer, I think to stay with what’s accepted. Normal. But, what is normal? My friend, Seth coined a phrase for normal that I really like. The regular kind. Most of […]
Last week was the AXPONA high-end audio show in Schaumburg, a suburb of Chicago. PS Audio was there as well as hundreds of other manufacturers. As always, I had my trusty video camera at the ready and produced a 17-minute video tour with interviews of manufacturers and views of the show and rooms. Here’s where […]
If I believe something to be correct it’s easy for me to jump to a conclusion that matches that belief. On the other hand, if an observation doesn’t match my belief, I don’t jump anywhere near as high or quickly. In fact, it takes a great deal of energy to jump in the opposite direction. […]
Perhaps the most difficult technology to wrap one’s head around is digital. Analog? Not so much. Consider that it’s not that hard to understand how the quality of a tape head or a phono cartridge has a direct and obvious impact on sound quality. It has to. Digital is a whole different can of worms. […]
It’s likely no coincidence that my favorite headphones are from Audeze. They are based on the same planar magnetic technology behind PS Audio’s speakers. I’ve tried a number of their headphones but currently, in the mix room at Octave Records, I am enjoying a pair of their LCDMX4 which they tout as being best for mixing and […]
Setting up a subwoofer in a high-end system can be darned tricky. Is there an easy and quick way to get it right, first time, every time? You bet there is and leave it to Paul to explain how Watch Now
If you have a combination of old and new equipment is it possible to mix and match for best performance and synergy? Or, should you stick with one manufacturer’s vision of what’s best? Watch Now
Is it ethical to spend time at your local stereo dealer and then buy online at a lower price? This question is at the core of the situation dealers and customers find themselves in today and you might be surprised at Paul’s answer. Watch Now
When playing high-resolution PCM files the defacto industry standard seems to be 192kHz, 24 bit. Right? I mean, given a choice between the next candidate, 176.4kHz, we automatically choose 192kHz. Why would we do this? Perhaps human nature. We assume higher is better. But, in fact, there’s reasonable evidence that in many cases, 176kHz is […]
One of the delights of Apple products is their packaging. Easy to open, clean, simple, and elegant with a promise of more joy to come with the product itself. If the packaging is a joy think how nice what’s inside must be. What’s worth talking about is just how far removed they are from everyone […]
If you’re looking for the best sonic solution for streaming music it matters how that music gets delivered. For example, if you’re connecting with USB then the computer matters: faster, quieter, better built will sound better. And the USB cable matters. And then there’s the requirement of an interface buffer to maximize sonics (the Matrix works great). […]
As diehard advocates of DSD as the ultimate capture technology, we are in the infinitesimal minority. We find ourselves here on the wild frontier for one reason and one reason alone. DSD sounds remarkably better than any other capture method (including analog). So the question continues to pop up. If DSD is so darn good […]
Low distortion? Check. DC to light frequency response? Check. Noise low enough that only the dead can hear it? Check. Even after all the checkboxes have been filled out and the final audio product has passed all the tests, what remains may or may not sound great. That’s because we haven’t yet figured out the […]
When companies manufacture products for different country’s voltages what compromises are being made?