New Valve Order News: The ISA-2 Integrated Amplifier and the P-2 Power Amplifier
As you know, I've been extremely impressed with the New Valve Order SPA-II phono equalizer I reviewed in and Issue 57 of Positive Feedback Online (and use as my reference for a stand-alone phono equalizer), and the SPA One phono preamplifier that I reviewed in Issue 69 of Positive Feedback Online. Andreas Hadjiminas, working out of... Read More »
The Vintage Beat: A Forgotten Voice from the American Recording Studio
If you read my SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier review in Issue 78 of Positive Feedback Online, you know how impressed I am with the audio designs of Mr. Shirokazu Yazaki in Tokyo, Japan. (second from the left in the photograph below) It is my opinion that Yazaki-san is one of those rare gifted listeners/designers with an... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Family Values & Louis Armstrong!
I like to have my Mom & Dad over on weekends for dinner so we can reminisce, enjoy some good food, listen to music, and just have some fun times together. Mom & Dad are in their 90s, and I'm not all that young anymore either, but we like to enjoy the time we have left.... Read More »
Follow-up: The SPEC RSP-901EX Real Sound Processors on the Duelund-Westminster Royal SE Loudspeakers
In the Issue 78 Positive Feedback Online review of the SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier and the SPEC RSP-901EX Real Sound Processors, I only reviewed the Real Sound Processors on my Harbeth Super HL5 loudspeakers. If you read the review, you know I was very impressed with what the Real Sound Processors did for my Harbeth Super HL5s:... Read More »
The SPEC 'Real Sound Amplifier' and 'Real Sound Processors' Review is Now Live at Positive Feedback Online!
The SPEC 'Real Sound Amplifier' and 'Real Sound Processors' review is now live at Positive Feedback Online, and you can read it here. As I mentioned in my earlier post, it's a long 'feature-style' article with thirty pages of text and 65 photographs. I hope you enjoy the review. The SPEC 'Real Sound Amplifier' and 'Real... Read More »
Jeff Checking In: Update on the SPEC Review & The Garrard Project 2015
I'm working hard writing the SPEC Review. I've got all my listening impressions written up for my Leben CS-600 & Harbeth Super HL5 loudspeaker based system (above), and I'm sure a lot of you are wondering how the SPEC Real Sound Amplifier compares to the Leben CS-600. I'm now working on writing up my impressions for... Read More »
Happy 90th Birthday, Mom!
Happy 90th Birthday, Mom! We (Dad, Mom, and me) had a terrific 90th birthday celebration for Mom yesterday here at Jeff's Place. For dinner I played chef and cooked mesquite grilled filet mignon, Beurre Monté lobster tails, baked potatoes with trimmings, carrots, and champagne to drink. Birthday cake and Portland's Stumptown fresh roasted coffee for dessert.... Read More »
Review: The SPEC RSA-M3 EX 'Real Sound Amplifier'
The SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier from Japan By Jeff Day Most regular readers of Positive Feedback Online know of my long-time passion for vacuum tube electronics. I’ve enjoyed the musical prowess and sonic chops of contemporary artisan-designed single-ended amplifiers with various output tubes, like the EL84, 45, 2A3, 300B, F2a, and... Read More »
Siedy Checking In From The Netherlands: Chaos!
It's always a pleasure to hear from Siedy in the Netherlands. If you've been following along the conversations here at Jeff's Place you'll recognize Siedy as the gentleman responsible for me becoming aware of the powerful and musical ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier that was developed by Mr.Friedrich Schaefer in Germany. Siedy used the... Read More »
Update on the Garrard Project 2015: It's almost ready!
Christopher Thornton at Artisan Fidelity has just finished fitting all the components to the plinth he created for the Garrard Project 2015, and sent me some photos of it to drool over - it's a beauty! (you can click on each of the photos for a larger view) That's Christopher's Macassar Ebony plinth with Stillpoints Ultra... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The SPEC RSP-901EX 'Real Sound Processor'
Today's Fresh Catch is the SPEC RSP-901EX Real Sound Processor. On my way home from the laboratory last night I picked up a parcel from the post office containing the SPEC RSP-901EX Real Sound Processor that is designed to reduce the fluctuations of a loudspeaker’s impedance over the frequency spectrum, while absorbing the return current from the speaker... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier from Japan!
Today's Fresh Catch is the SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier from Japan - it is a beauty! I picked up the SPEC RSA-M3 EX Real Sound Amplifier from FedEx on my way home from the laboratory last night, and was immediately impressed upon unpacking it. For one thing, the packaging was absolutely superb, being nicely... Read More »
A jazzy Sunday morning at Jeff's Place: Peterson and Ellington
Weekends are when I catch up on Jeff's Place, do a little hi-fi writing, and get in a little more music listening than I can on weekdays. This Sunday morning it's a jazz fix of Oscar Peterson and Duke Ellington, along with some fresh coffee and Eggs Benedict for breakfast. (By the way, nearly all of... Read More »
'The Vintage McIntosh Experience' is Live at Positive Feedback Online
'The Vintage McIntosh Experience' is now live at Positive Feedback Online! You can read it here. In the text below I added a couple of additional comments that didn't appear in the original article at Positive Feedback Online. I tried to make the additions clearly visible so you don't have to look too hard for them. The Vintage... Read More »
Jeff Checking In: Music, McIntosh, The Garrard Project 2015
It's been a crazy & busy holiday season for me, but now things are starting to settle down a bit. Yours truly came down with the flu this week, so while nursing myself back to health I've had plenty of time to think about all things hi-fi, and wanted to give you a little bit... Read More »
Positive Feedback Online Writers Choice Awards for 2014!
The complete Positive Feedback Online Writers Choice Awards for 2014 just went live a little bit ago here. My contributions to the awards are below. Jeff Day's Awards for 2014 It is always an exciting time of year when the Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards roll around, because I get to tell you about... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: McIntosh by Ken Kessler
I just bought a copy of Ken Kessler's McIntosh history book direct from McIntosh for $150 USD. It is a big, beautifully done, coffee table style book written by Ken Kessler in 2006. There's lots of good content for Mac fans including chapters about McIntosh's roots, vacuum tube designs, the use of McIntosh in live &... Read More »
The Acoustic Revive Chronicles: The Eleventh House!
Yoshi San had some late breaking information to share with me about some advanced materials that are incorporated into the PC-TripleC interconnects for noise suppression, that I wasn't able to include in the article for Positive Feedback Online, but I have included below. Enjoy! The Acoustic Revive Chronicles: The Eleventh House! By Jeff Day As... Read More »
Frank Rodgers Checking In: State of the Duelund-WRSE System Report
It's always a treat to hear from Frank, and Frank's system is looking awesome! Hi Jeff, The Tannoy/Duelund story has been quiet so I thought it was time to bring you my new and perhaps final musical experience resting place. A few weeks ago you reported on “Howard Checking in from the U.K.” about his Tannoy/Duelund... Read More »
The Acoustic Revive Chronicles: The Eleventh House!
The Acoustic Revive Chronicles: The Eleventh House! is now live at Positive Feedback Online. There's lots of good things to read about in the latest installment of the Acoustic Revive Chronicles - enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!
The Garrard Project 2015: Classic Garrard 301 & Artisan Fidelity Plinth
These are exciting times for yours truly here at Jeff's Place, and I'm almost beside myself with anticipation about the kickoff of The Garrard Project 2015. 🙂 I’ve always enjoyed Garrard 301 turntables, and I really enjoyed writing the original ‘Garrard Project’ (1, 2, 3) for the Six Moons audio website back in the 2004-2006 timeframe. The... Read More »
New Valve Order SPA One Special Edition & SPA-II/2 Special Edition
If you've been following my reviews (1 & 2), you know that the NVO SPA phono equalizers designed by Andreas Hadjiminas, working out of Nicosia, Cyprus, are my favorite phono equalizers. I just heard from Panikos Kontemeniotis, who exports NVO for Andreas, that there are now special edition versions of the New Valve Order SPA One (below)... Read More »
The Garrard Project 2015
I remember Srajan over at Six Moons telling me way back when that The Garrard Project series of articles (1, 2, 3) I wrote starting in 2004 were the most read articles in Six Moons history. I was surprised to hear that, but quite pleased of course! Since then, it seems that vintage Garrard - as... Read More »
A Time To Be Thankful!
This last week was Thanksgiving Holiday week in the USA, where we commemorate the 1621 celebration of thanksgiving at Plymouth, Massachusetts, where early settlers & Native Americans shared a feast of thanksgiving for the good harvest that ensured their survival (depicted in the Brownscombe painting below from Wikipedia). Back then a good harvest meant you survived through the winter months, and to quote Mfu's... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Bing Crosby
I was just listening to NPR's piece on Bing Crosby on my vintage Mac MX110Z's FM tuner, watching the snow fall outside my window, and thinking that it would be a great time to listen to White Christmas from the copy of the Bing Sings box set that Cindy got for me a couple of years ago.... Read More »
James Checking In: Tannoy Canterbury SEs
I absolutely love it when you take time to write me and tell me about your hi-fi. I got a message from James telling me about his Tannoy Canterbury SE based system, and I thought James' hi-fi was so nicely done I wanted to share it with all of you! Beautiful! Hi Jeff, Attached is a photo of my Canterbury... Read More »
The Absolute Sound: Camerata Musica presents Byron Schenkman & Friends
You just can't beat unamplified live chamber music in a cozy intimate acoustic like the Camerata Musica series of concerts to remind you of what enjoying music is all about. After Cindy told me about the Camerata Musica concerts (thank you Cindy!), I immediately became a sponsoring patron, and we have been going to every concert this year, and... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: McKinnon Mac Rack
McKinnon Furniture in Seattle is one of my favorite stores for buying hand-made furniture & equipment stands and cabinets in the entire world. All of the furniture is made the old fashioned way, from scratch, beautifully conceived, and they'll do custom designs and let you pick the wood. I've needed a new equipment rack for quite... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: A Vintage McIntosh MC225 Stereo Amplifier from Yves Beauvais at Vintage Vacuum Audio
The comment from Hans' this morning asking about news on the vintage McIntosh article I've been wanting to write for Positive Feedback Online couldn't have been more timely. You see, I've been looking for a McIntosh MC225 stereo amplifier for a year or so, with no luck (that's the cover of an owners manual below).... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Acoustic Revive!
Today's Fresh Catch includes the Acoustic Revive RR-888 Ultra Low-Frequency Pulse Generator, and the remarkable Acoustic Revive PC-TripleC interconnect cables. As many of you know, over the years I’ve written a lot about the innovative Acoustic Revive audio accessories manufactured by the brilliant Mr. Ken Ishiguro in Japan. In fact, I've spent more time writing about... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Mono Mania Continues with Bags Groove & Mobley's 2nd Message
My foray into the mono Analogue Productions limited numbered edition Prestige mono series continues to delight me with the Bags Groove and Mobley's Second Message LPs. Miles Davis' Bags Groove was recorded in 1954 in Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, New Jersey, studio. The title tracks were recorded the day before Christmas, but the present of the album... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Soultrane and Lush Life in mono by Analogue Productions
I love jazz. While I really enjoy listening to a lot of different musical styles, jazz was my first musical love, and it remains my first choice to unwind with a little music listening after a long day. So I want to offer kudos to Analogue Productions - my favorite jazz reissue record label - for... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Rollins Plays for Bird (mono)
I always get a little bit excited when I get an email from Acoustic Sounds announcing their latest vinyl arrivals, and I'm way behind on telling you about some of the great albums I've come across lately. With all the attention being paid to new vinyl releases in (re)mastering and cutting, and the advent of full... Read More »
Chad’s Second Annual ‘Seattle Through The Back Door’ Bicycle Tour
Last week was my second annual 'Seattle Through the Back Door' bicycle tour with my buddy Chad (below), so I thought I'd share a few of the highlights with you. In case you're wondering about the title, it's a tip of the hat to one of my favorite Europe tour providers, Rick Steves, who's based in Edmonds,... Read More »
Howard Checking in from the UK: Duelund Silver WRSE Internal High-Frequency Crossover
Howard sent me a quick email and photo of the superb internal Duelund high-frequency crossover he developed for his Tannoy Westminster Royal SE loudspeakers. Jeff, I have been following your articles on the Duelund mods to your Westminster Royals over last 6 months. Really excellent work – congratulations. I have carried out - maybe - the final... Read More »
The Absolute Sound: Camerata Musica presents the Brasil Guitar Duo!
Last night I thoroughly enjoyed listening to São Paulo's Brasil Guitar Duo - João Luiz (left) and Douglas Lora (right) - playing unamplified classical guitars in a small, intimate, auditorium setting in Richland, Washington. (photo below courtesy of the Brasil Guitar Duo website) The Brasil Guitar Duo was presented by Camerata Musica as the kick-off for their 2014-2015 chamber music concert season. I was... Read More »
