Paul McGowan writes: The term “listener fatigue” is something we’re all familiar with and something none of us want. What is listener fatigue, why does it occur and what is it we can do about it? What’s interesting to me about this subject is there are no measurements, no rules, no clear answers to the […]
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Paul McGowan writes: There are two primary types of reflections in a loudspeaker based stereo system: those that are created from the loudspeakers and those captured on the recording. To get proper imaging in your system you don’t need both, as any good set of headphones would demonstrate, but since most of us have loudspeakers […]
Paul McGowan writes: My friend and fellow audio designer Jeff Rowland came by to say hi the other day. Jeff’s always a welcome guest as he and I manage to nearly always be on parallel paths when it comes to product designs. I found Jeff and friend Tim Jerome in our listening room playing music […]
In our search for sonic truth, there comes a point where the systems get so good their “truth” is more about our personal preference. In fact, personal preferences often trump truth. We know we’ve gotten closer to the truth when it matches what we believe to be the musical truth. Of course, no one knows what musical truth is. […]
Paul McGowan writes: As a follow up to yesterday’s post Just because, a few readers wrote to me defending both sides of their worldview of how things work. The objectivists reiterated “observations are not accepted fact until you can measure them” and the Observationalists wrote to say “if I can repeatedly observe the same thing […]
Paul McGowan writes: When I sit in the sound room for critical listening of course I always grab the “hot seat” because certainly in my system, that’s the place where the best imaging and tonal balance take place – and not just by a little bit – it’s seriously better than any other seat in […]
It seems like a simple potentiometer in a box would be the cleanest and best sounding preamplifier on the planet. So why aren’t they more popular and what’s PS Audio doing about them? Watch Now
Paul McGowan: In the January 2012 edition of TAS Robert Harley wrote a great article entitled the Price of Progress wherein he details the steady decline of recording quality after the late 1970′s. This really brings to light one of the conundrums Audiophiles face: play it like it is – warts and all – or […]
Paul McGowan writes: It’s not something attainable in a product – I have no desire to work on achieving it – it is a fool’s errand. I bring this to your attention because of all the kind notes people have been sending me about the new power amplifier and my quest to “perfect it”. I […]
Paul McGowan …. We love our symmetry. I’ve watched with fascination as people line up tableware, straighten wall mounted pictures, even get plastic surgery in the name of perfection. When it comes to setting up a stereo system symmetry gets us in trouble. This is a really hard one to battle because our tendency—my tendency—is […]
Computers delivering music to DACs sound different. Some are better, many are worse, some downright awful. So if bits are bits, how can this be true? Is there a good USB solution to feed a DAC? Watch Now
Paul McGowan: One of the most difficult to reproduce bits of music is massed strings, whether they be cellos, violas, or violins. It takes a complete and near perfect chain to get these right and they represent to me the biggest challenge and what I always turn to for the “final test” when designing product. […]
Paul McGowan writes: A fellow manufacturer dropped me a note recently in response to one of my posts regarding the declining acceptance of high-end audio in the home. He writes: “Audio-as-a-destination-activity is the enemy of the rest of the household. It takes both money and the listener away from the family. Home Theater is a […]
Paul McGowan: One of the more satisfying affirmations happens when two or more unrelated people make the same sonic observation. We send out an update and emailed observations roll in. “What happened to the bottom end?” Or, “The top end just opened up.” For better or for worse, it is fascinating that so many unrelated […]
Paul McGowan … I was reminded by one of our commenters to these posts about an era in audio I think of as the flavor of the month. It was a period of time in the 1970′s and early 1980′s that found loudspeaker and audio electronic manufacturers designing products that were not especially true to […]
Paul McGowan writes: Here’s another thought on the continuing discussion of why a preamp matters in the chain. Perhaps it’s the DAC’s volume control itself. One thing is obvious. A DAC without an integral volume control cannot be used without a preamplifier; either separate or integrated. Thus, when we think of why preamps matter with […]