2nd Edition
Why They Scorn Us--and Why We Should Care
Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Reddit? Social media has done much to bring together people of every interest imaginable to share their fascinations, desires, and, occasionally, delusions.
Recording of September 2015: The Thompson Fields
The world's leading figure in orchestral jazz has not released a jazz recording in eight years. In her liner notes, Maria Schneider says, "This album was funded by my ArtistShare fan base. Making a recording like this is becoming increasingly difficult and would now be impossible without the generous support of my many participants."
From the JGH Archives: Formula 4 tonearm
Not the easiest tonearm to set up (let your dealer do it if you aren't overly skilled at such things), this English-designed and Japanese-made device is the best pivoted tonearm we have tested to date, and at a very reasonable price at that.
The 2015 Capital Audio Fest Starts Friday
Herb Reichert and Art Dudley will be reporting live starting August 28 from the Hilton Rockville in Rockville, MD.
London Calling
I swear I did not plan it, and it wasn’t obvious on the Google maps I pored over before we left but the back door of the fabulous Soho Hotel spilled right out onto Wardour Street, which was a block from Berwick Street, famous for its cluster, or more like the best cluster of independent record shops in London.
In The Land of Aztec Camera, Teenage Fanclub, and Orange Juice
Call me naïve but I expected to arrive in the UK on a recent expedition to buy vinyl, er. . . I mean to have a relaxing vacation with my wife... and find great stuff that cannot be found in the States, not to mention tons of vintage goodies.
Wilson Benesch Square One Series 2 loudspeaker
For many years, I've been a fan of the loudspeakers made by the British audio company Wilson Benesch. Their speakers definitely have their own personality.
The 2015 California Audio Show: Not Just Another Show
The California Audio Show may have been smaller than in years past, but its proportion of excellent sounding systems--6 out of 32 or so, if you count exhibit rooms that had more than one system in play--was quite high.
Miles Davis at Newport, 1955–1975
News of yet another boxed-set of previously unissued Miles recordings never fails to zap the juices of anticipatory pleasure--and Sony's vaults, in particular, hold a lot of them. The latest, The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4: Miles Davis at Newport, 1955–1975 (Columbia Legacy), contains four CDs chronicling eight sessions from his appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival.
1st Edition
From the JGH Archives: The Silent Minority
Until about nine months ago, FM radio station WFLN, Philadelphia, was just another one of that dying breed: the classical FM station. Like its counterparts in the few remaining classical-radio cities, it provides the major part of the high-fidelity listener's radio diet, and also like most similar classical stations, its fidelity was nothing to brag about.
From the JGH Archives: Advent 300 receiver
This receiver includes a rather respectable little tuner, almost comparable to the Dyna FM-5 in performance, a 15Wpc power amplifier of passable quality, and a preamplifier section that in some ways gives some of the costliest preamps a run for their money.
Welcome, Intervention Records
There's a new audiophile-quality vinyl reissue endeavor on the scene: Intervention Records (IR). Dedicated to reissuing recordings that are "entirely new to the vinyl reissue market, particularly titles that never saw a vinyl release at all or only saw very limited release."
The California Audio Show Starts Friday
The sixth annual California Audio Show kicks off this Friday, August 14, 10am, at the Westin Hotel in Millbrae and Stereophile will be on hand with live coverage starting this weekend.
A Visit to the Magico Factory
Ever since 2013, when Alon Wolf's California-based Magico loudspeaker company consolidated its original 5000 sq. ft. Berkeley headquarters and 5000 sq. ft. San Jose warehouse into a single 20,000 ft. facility in Hayward, people have been telling me that I had to experience the company's "incredible" listening room.
A Visit To Abbey Road Studios
Call me a hopeless romantic but I could not get “Penny Lane” out of my head as I sat in the back of a black cab whizzing across a remarkably deserted London early one morning a couple weeks ago. “On the corner is a banker with a motorcar…” I was on a pilgrimage.
You're Surrounded & Chesky Records Special Deal For Stereophile Readers
From now until September 7, 2015, readers of this website will get a 25% discount on the new 24-bit high resolution You're Surrounded album and/or anything in Chesky's hi-res catalog on HDTracks.com.
Gramophone Dreams #5
I believe in historical consensus. I believe in hi-fi gear that reveals its quality slowly and holds it value over time, irrespective of technology. I have never bought into the superiority of one technology over another.
Simaudio Moon Evolution 860A power amplifier
In the May 2015 issue, I fairly raved about Simaudio's Moon Evolution 740P line-stage preamplifier, and now here I am confronting its Moon Evolution 860A power amp.
Rega Research DAC-R D/A processor
I've spent the last month recording songs for a pal's upcoming album. His act consists of powerful female and male singers, acoustic and electric bass, and acoustic guitars and mandolin.
Source Stereophile
