Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO When we need to switch inputs on an analog preamplifier we use a switch. The kind of switch we use affects sound quality. For years we had only mechanical switches from which to choose. Standard switch contacts in those days were nickel or tin-plated while the more expensive and better-sounding […]
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PS AUDIO / Paul McGowan I remember thinking to myself; this is nothing short of magic. Kind of like the RIAA. Boost the heck out of the high frequencies and then run them through a low pass filter to make everything right again. In the process, hiss is lowered. Magic. What’s worth noting about this […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO We know that galvanic isolation can make a big difference in digital audio. Any owners of the new DirectStream MK2, with its ability to switch on and off the isolation of every input and output for best sound, can attest to the benefits of customizing levels of galvanic isolation. So, it […]
We asked around and from Singapore (thank you Mr. Tan) e received the following: Legendary Japanese producer of tonearms and pickups founded in 1964 by a former factory manager at Grace by the name of Osamu (Isamu) Ikeda, and introduced it’s first product in the form of the Fidelity Research FR-1 moving coil cartridge in […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO I have probably spent a total of 5 minutes on social media. Facebook, Instagram, Tick Tock, and whatever new connection program out there has zero interest for me. It feels like a potential blackhole vortex waiting to suck me in and chew up my time without any obvious benefit. The […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO Let me share an interesting experience. At Octave Records, we have built a state-of-the-art mix room with the best equipment we know to exist: FR30 loudspeakers, BHK monoblocks, BHK pre, DSMK2, Audioquest Dragon cables, a pair of custom 21″ subs. Fed from Octave masters, it sounds amazing. And in Music […]
It is comforting to believe that we use the best simply because it is the best. Tell that to Mark Levinson (the man) when he tried to force a change in the industry to the Lemo connector. Or remind anyone who uses on their test bench the superior BNC connector why that same connector does not grace the […]
Dear Colin, I’ve just picked up a Quad 405 ready for service. When I serviced my previous 405 I used the Dada kit which came with the necessary wire. Can you tell me please what size / gauge wire I should use to replace the existing power wires? Would this be suitable? http://www.rapidonline.com/design-te…0m-reels-62317 or could […]
Yesterday I turned on my Halo JC-1s for a little listening. As I walked over to drop a CD in the drawer I smelled a slight burning odor. When I looked back the lights were out on one amp. A check of the line fuse verified it had blown. Since the Owner’s Guide did not […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO Part of the joy and privilege of being involved in both the recording and playback chains is the chance to grow and learn: new methods in recordings of miking and capturing sound and, in the reproduction chain, new circuit topologies and silicon. Recently a fellow recording engineer working with the […]
For those of you scratching your head, a shorting plug is an RCA connector with its signal and ground wires shorted together. Here’s a picture of some fancy gold-plated versions. The idea is to stuff these shorting plugs into the unused inputs on a preamplifier. The goal is to make sure no noise gets into […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO In a recent post, Differing viewpoints, I reported that the difference between two identical systems—Octave’s mix room and PS Audio’s reference room—was big enough that I developed a new mixing routine of listening to both. I start with the closest, most intimate of the two systems—that of the mixroom—and move on to […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO For the nearly 50 years I’ve been involved with High-End Audio, it’s been better because of the shared experiences of others. Most all of what I’ve learned over the years has been through the help and suggestions of others. Even the times I have used my experience and knowledge to […]
OBJECTIVE Today folks, I want to shed some light on some of the mysteries regarding the mains supply into your equipment. I’m not, at the stage, going to be talking about mains regeneration as that’s the subject of another article, probably in March I want to 1.confound ignorance 2.help the buyer gain control of the […]
PAUL McGOWAN / PS AUDIO: The shape of my ears is different than those of yours. Yet, you and I hear the same things. How is that possible? I think of this in the same way I might imagine different microphones. Mine is a ribbon microphone, and perhaps yours is a condenser. Each has a […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO Jitter, also known as timing deviation, is the variation in the time interval between two consecutive digital audio samples. This timing deviation can cause easily heard distortion in high-end audio systems including a loss of clarity, definition, and detail in the music, as well as a smearing of transients. Jitter […]
Paul McGowan / PS AUDIO: I promised in yesterday’s post, The Art of HiFi, that I would continue part of the story of this recording’s creation. Couple of things first: I apologize for the slow website yesterday. Between the release of Copper Magazine and my post, the site bogged down to an interminable crawl that is […]
Paul McGowan … If you’ve done your system setup homework your chair sits at a comfortable distance from the loudspeakers. With the precision of a ruler, you’ve tweaked and adjusted the speaker’s position for best imaging. Though we call it the sweet spot, it’s certainly not the perfect spot. Within the boundaries of most rooms, the perfect […]
The potential impact of social media when applied to audio retailing is vast and far-reaching. It has the potential to revolutionize the way audio products are marketed, advertised, and sold. Companies can use social media as a platform to target potential customers and increase their brand visibility. For instance, audio companies can use social media […]
In a recent post we covered the fundamental differences between tubes and transistors and one of those we’re interested in is linearity. Tubes and transistors are only partially linear devices – which means they will not always faithfully reproduce a larger version of the input signal on their outputs. In our example yesterday we placed […]
PAUL McGOWAN / PS AUDIO I was recently asked an interesting question. Is it better to have the loudspeaker crossover inside or outside the loudspeaker? At first, the answer seemed rather simple. Inside, of course. Shorter wires, fewer binding posts, etc. Yet, in thinking about it, I can see at least one advantage to an […]
Ever notice how time flies when you’re having fun? Or engaged? Or smitten? If I am required to listen to not-so-great music I find myself checking the minutes left on the track. Put on a piece that not only sounds great but the music is clicking with my mood and time seems not to exist. […]
Originally published here in February 2006 Howard, is it true that way back you were the owner of the World’s first fully balanced vinyl replay system? Possibly the first; certainly one of the first three ….. so I’m told. I purchased the Brinkman 10.5 tonearm before I became a dealer, and paid £2,200 from the […]
PS AUDIO / PAUL McGOWAN How many times has it felt like technology has it out for you? Butt dialing someone right after their call, closing the page too soon and losing it, pressing delete, and then….. Half the time I walk into Music Room 3 to play the system it doesn’t work: the DAC’s […]