2019 has been an outstanding audio and music year for me, and I thought a retrospective of its high points would be fun to reflect back upon and share with you, as 2020 is already knocking on the door and demanding attention.
In 2019 there were all those little adventures and discoveries I wrote about for you here in my posts at Jeff's Place, and then there's the feature audio reviews I wrote for Positive Feedback.
Speaking of Positive Feedback, the biggest news of my year was that Jeff's Place moved to its new home here at Positive Feedback, which was definitely a high point for 2019!
It has been a real pleasure to be here at Positive Feedback, and Editors Dave and David are a true pleasure to work with. Editors Dave and David give me a wide scope of freedom of action and thought to write about music, hi-fi, and other stuff, which I really appreciate.
The 16th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2019
Oh, that reminds me, I forgot to tell you back when the 16th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2019 went live to readers, so I wanted to tell you that now so you can read it HERE if you so desire. My apologies for being tardy on that one!
My contribution to the 16th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2019 was also a nice overview of my year in writing feature audio reviews for Positive Feedback.
In January of 2019 I wrote The Acoustic Revive Chronicles, Chapter 14: The Absolute Power Cables, The RCA Absolute FM Interconnects, and the PC-TripleC/EX Headshell Leads feature article, and like usual, the Acoustic Revive products were absolutely superb (and very expensive).
Acoustic Revive Absolute Power Cable
In April of 2019 I wrote Three Simple and Cost Effective Hot-Rod Mods for the Classic Thorens TD-124 Turntable! feature article. These simple and cost effective additions to my Thorens TD-124 transformed its performance. I can enthusiastically recommend the Woodsong Audio platter adapter, the SPEC AP-UD1 Analog Disc Sheet (turntable mat), and the combination of the Hanze HiFi spring motor isolation kit & AudioSilente MKII suspension rods upgrade kit. This combination of modifications for my TD-124 brought a very welcome "next level" of performance from my Artisan Fidelity Thorens TD-124 Statement turntable, and the fact that they were so easy to do, and relatively affordable, was icing on the cake.
Thorens TD-124 turntable with hot-rod modifications.
In July of 2019 I wrote The Hanze HiFi HAT Turntable Power Supply feature article. The Hanze HiFi HAT turntable power supply regenerates the AC supply in order to provide clean AC power to a turntable's motor, and allows the adjustment of the voltage going to the motor to achieve the lowest level of vibration, which greatly improves the performance of a phonograph cartridge.
Hanze HiFI HAT turntable power supply.
In October of 2019 I wrote The Duelund-Altec Project – Dare to Dream! feature article, which turned out to be much more than just an article about hi-fi for me, it was truly a life changing experience in music and audio terms.
Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers based on a Hiraga-style Altec crossover circuit.
The addition of Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers based on a Hiraga-style Altec crossover circuit to my pair of vintage Altec loudspeakers that were custom built for conductor Leopold Stokowski in the 1960s - the "Stokowski" Altec's as I like to call them - completely reset what I thought was possible from loudspeaker performance.
Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossover in a "Stokowski" Altec loudspeaker.
Never have I encountered loudspeakers that created the sense of excitement, realism, and the depth of emotional involvement of live music being played right in front of me the way the "Stokowski" Altec's with their Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers do.
In my over six decades of listening to music, from my childhood until now, nothing has ever impressed me as much as the "Stokowski" Altec's with their Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers in their ability to convey the music listening experience, they are simply extraordinary.
The "Stokowski" Altec's with their Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers have displaced my Tannoy Westminster Royal SE's as my primary music listening loudspeakers, which until now was something that I never thought would be possible.
The "Stokowski" Altec's with Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers.
In November of 2019 I wrote the Pass Labs XA25 Class A Stereo Amplifier feature article. I've enjoyed Pass Labs amplifiers since way back when, when I bought a Pass Labs Aleph 3 power amplifier. Like the Nelson Pass First Watt SIT-3 power amplifier that I wrote about last year, the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier is one impressive amplifier.
The Pass Labs XA Class A stereo power amplifier (photo courtesy of Pass Labs)
The Pass Labs XA25 Class A 25 watt per channel stereo amplifier sounds great, is extremely well built, is reliable, is inexpensive to maintain (no costs beyond the AC it consumes), is relatively affordable at $4900 USD, represents a huge performance value for its price, and it is a powerful and compact amplifier that is able to easily drive a wide variety of loudspeakers, from my sensitive vintage Altec's to much less sensitive contemporary designs.
The First Watt SIT-3 stereo power amplifier.
I would like to thank Nelson Pass, the good folks at Pass Labs, and Bryan Stanton, for allowing me to hang onto the First Watt SIT-3 and Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifiers as long-term loans to use as reference amplifiers - thank you so much!
My three Writer's Choice Awardees for 2019 from the five feature audio reviews I wrote for Positive Feedback were Ken Ishiguro (Acoustic Revive, The Acoustic Revive Chronicles, Chapter 14: The Absolute Power Cables, The RCA Absolute FM Interconnects, and the PC-TripleC/EX Headshell Leads), Frederik Carøe (Duelund Coherent Audio, The Duelund-Altec Project – Dare to Dream!), and Nelson Pass (Pass Labs, Pass Labs XA25 Class A Stereo Amplifier - "The Little Engine That Could").
Please join me in congratulating Ken, Frederik, and Nelson, on their 2019 Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards. Thank you, Ken, Frederik, and Nelson, for continuing to push the limits of what is possible in the audio arts!
Please check out the full 16th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards article for 2019 HERE.
As I mentioned earlier, in 2019 there were all kinds of little adventures and discoveries that I wrote about for you here in my posts at Jeff's Place.
Today's Fresh Catch
Let me first tell you about the new arrivals of 2019 that were featured in my Today's Fresh Catch posts:
- In February of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: Marinco AC Plugs for a DIY 600V Duelund DCA12GA Power Cable Project! post.
- In May of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: Bespoke Terminal Strips from Santos Oropel, and a cool Altec adventure! post.
- In June of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: The HAT Turntable Power Supply from Jaap Pees! post.
- In July of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: The Pass Labs XA25 Power Amplifier! post.
- In September of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: A Duelund Coherent Audio world's first just announced! post about the new Duelund DCA16GA interconnects, featuring the Duelund plastic-free RCA connectors and new Duelund "Dual" DCA16GA tinned-copper wire.
- In October 0f 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: Amy's Amplifier - The Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature Integrated Amplifier post.
- In October of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: The New Leben HiFi Stereo Company CS600X Integrated Amplifier! post.
- In November of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: The New 600V Duelund DCA16GA Tinned-Copper Wire! post.
- In November of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: Yazaki-san's Ultimate Ruby Mica Capacitor Mod for the SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier! post.
- In November of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: The Great Plains Audio 802-16G Series II & 416-16B Drivers post.
- In December of 2019 was the Today's Fresh Catch: Sophia Electric 12AU7 and EL34-ST! post.
That's a pretty wonderful list of Fresh Catches for 2019.
Santos' beautiful and high-performing bespoke terminal strips.
The bespoke terminal strips from Santos Oropel were incorporated into the Duelund-Altec Project's Duelund CAST tinned-copper crossovers and added a particularly classy touch to the point-to-point Duelund DCA16GA tinned-copper wiring of the crossovers with their gold-plated hardware and logical layout.
Hanze Hi-Fi HAT turntable power supply.
The Hanze Hi-Fi HAT turntable power supply and Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier feature reviews were published at Positive Feedback in 2019.
Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier.
Duelund plastic free RCA DCA16GA interconnects.
The new Duelund RCA interconnects composed of the new Duelund plastic-free RCA's and new Duelund "Dual" DCA16GA tinned-copper cables quickly became my favorite interconnects for my primary music system upon their arrival with the Duelund-ized "Stokowski" Altec's (used in the Mhdt Havana USB DAC to the Audio Note UK Oto Phono Signature Integrated Amplifier position at the moment).
SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier with Yazaki-san's Ultimate Ruby Mica capacitors.
Yazaki-san sent a pair of the Ultimate Ruby Mica capacitor's for to me to try as a mod for the SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier. The difference was really easy to hear (i.e. big in magnitude), and there was a definite improvement in both musicality and audiophile-style sonics due to the addition of the Ultimate Ruby Mica capacitors. Transparency and resolution improved rather dramatically, imaging became more solid, and tonally everything sounded more natural and real. The Ultimate Ruby Mica capacitors were an all around improvement in pretty much every aspect of the musicality and sonics SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier. Here are the Part 1 and Part 2 reports.
Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier!
Long-time readers know I really love quality integrated amplifiers. I know most hi-fi nuts go crazy for separates, but I am really enamored with integrated amplifiers for their excellent performance, great value for the money, and relative simplicity.
I truly believe that most music lovers would be better off with a quality integrated amplifier and a good set of loudspeakers than separate audio amplification components.
The new Leben CS600X integrated amplifier!
The arrival of the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature and the Leben Hi-Fi Company CS600X integrated vacuum tubes amplifiers for review here at Jeff's Place have stoked the fires of my love for integrated amplifiers! I'll be telling you all about them in 2020 as I continue to blog about them, and of course in their upcoming feature reviews at Positive Feedback.
GPA drivers family photo!
The arrival of the Great Plains Audio 802-16G Series II & 416-16B drivers is exciting, so expect to see lots of blogging about them here at Jeff's Place, and a feature review for Positive Feedback about them in 2020.
Sophia Electric 12AU7
I've been writing about Sue and Richard's Sophia Electric vacuum tubes for ages now, and the reason is they have always delivered superb performance.
A quad of Sophia Electric EL34-ST's for the CS-600X.
Sue recently sent me a pair of their premium Sophia Electric 12AU7 vacuum tubes, and a quad of their premium EL34-ST vacuum tubes, to try in the new Leben CS-600X that is in for review. Expect to read a lot more about these premium tubes in the Leben CS-600X in 2020!
Two Hundred and Eight Posts at Jeff's Place in 2019!
If I added up the numbers right - I think I did - I published a total of two hundred and eight posts here at Jeff's Place in 2019. That is astonishing, and I had no idea I published that many posts!
Adventures with Yazaki-san continued in 2019!
I can't take credit for writing all of those Jeff's Place posts in 2019, however, as our friend Yazaki-san also wrote three excellent posts for Jeff's Place:
- In January of 2019 Yazaki-san wrote his Adventures in Real Sound with Yazaki-san: Alan-san’s & Harald-san's GEC PX25 monaural SET’s - Part 3! post.
- In May of 2019 Yazaki-san wrote his Adventures in Real Sound with Yazaki-san: Alan-san’s GEC PX25A (DA30) Monaural SET’s - Part 4! post.
- In November of 2019 Yazaki-san wrote his A Guest Article from Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki: “My Adventure With My Old Marantz Model 7” Part 8 post.
I truly appreciate and enjoy reading Yazaki-san's articles, they are always full of fascinating insights and wisdom, and I know you feel the same way.
Ishimi-san (left), Jeff-san (center), and Yazaki-san (right).
Thank you so much, Yazaki-san, for taking time to write your articles for us here at Jeff's Place - we really appreciate you!
I think I'll stop here for now. I've got so much more to share with you that its best to continue this story in Part 2, where I will tell you all about my most memorable events of 2019, my visits with cool audio people and music lovers in 2019, the ongoing "hot topics" of 2019, my key audio insights from 2019, my favorite music discoveries in 2019, my 2020 New Year's Resolutions, what's coming up at Jeff's Place in 2020, and other cool stuff!
Stay tuned, there is much more to come in my 2019 in retrospect, my 2020 New Year's Resolutions, the year ahead, and other stuff! Part 2!
As always, thanks for stopping by, and may the tone be with you!
