Today's Fresh Catch - The Mhdt Labs Stockholm V2 USB DAC
As I mentioned in my last post on upcoming reviews, the Fab Four of Mhdt Labs: Mouse, Horse, Dog, and Tiger, sent me their Stockholm V2 USB DAC to review for Positive Feedback Online. As you know, I've reviewed both the Mhdt Labs Paradisea+ and Havana for Positive Feedback Online, and I've really liked what I've heard. You... Read More »
Upcoming Reviews at Positive Feedback Online
Happy Sunday everyone! 😀 Here's what's in my current review queue and what you can expect to see reviewed at Positive Feedback Online in the future. Next in the queue is the ASR Basis Exclusive phono equalizer that is the matching equalizer for the ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier just reviewed at Positive... Read More »
The ASR Basis Exclusive Phono Equalizer
This Saturday morning I was up at 4:30 AM getting ready to start the review process for the ASR Basis Exclusive phono equalizer. Now that's dedication! Reviewing is a long process of equipment setup, comparative listening to other components, listening for enjoyment, shooting photos, and writing (and re-writing) articles. I repeat the process until I... Read More »
Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Civil Wars, and Patsy Cline
I'm gearing up to start the Positive Feedback Online review of the ASR Basis Exclusive phono equalizer over the weekend, but just for kicks tonight I installed my Fi 300B mono amps, Leben RS-100U line stage, and the New Valve Order SPA one phono equalizer for a little vacuum tube listening session. What a sweet... Read More »
A Quest for the Third Order
If you read the review I wrote for Positive Feedback Online about the remarkable ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier designed by Friedrich Schaefer in Herborn, Germany, you know that in that article I discussed how high-performance audio breaks naturally into three groups of performance attributes that relate to their overall performance level, or... Read More »
Live at PFO: The ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue Amplifier
The ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier review just went live at Positive Feedback Online here. What an amazing amplifier the ASR is, and it truly is in another league musically from anything I've ever experienced. See below for some snippets from the review. "Friedrich's design goal for the Emitter amplifiers was to combine... Read More »
Pete Riggle Checking In: deHavilland Model 222 Preamplifier Now Available with Phono Stage
A while back, fellow audio enthusiast Pete Riggle of VTAF fame brought over a one-off deHavilland / Chaffee Engineering Model 222 tape-head amplifier that Kara Chaffee had added a phono section to specially for Pete. Here's Pete's description of it during a little phono stage shootout he did: "The first of these phono stages is the... Read More »
Back Home From Sicily - Part 2
I'm jet lagged after returning from Sicily, and still waking up at 1:30 AM to start the day, so I figured I'd make good use of the time and start another blog post. In Part 1 I left off with describing the eruption of nearby Mount Etna and the Old World Elegance of Taormina. Below is a... Read More »
Back Home From Sicily and Checking In - Part 1
I just got back home after a ten-day visit to the Mediterranean island of Sicily, located off the ‘toe’ of the ‘boot’ of Italy. As an autonomous region of Italy, Sicily is proudly independent, and has a rich history that places human activity there from 8000 BC on. Sicily is a gateway between North Africa... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Acoustic Revive RR-777 Schumann Generator
If you read my 6Moons review of the original Acoustic Revive RR-77 Schumann generator you're familiar with its rather remarkable effect on the listening experience (shown below in my listening room). If you haven't yet read my RR-77 article at 6Moons let me offer a quote to explain it's operation: "The Acoustic Revive RR-77 ultra-low... Read More »
The Big History of Musicality - Coming Full Circle - Part 1
If you read the post I made about Jim Smith's upcoming Through the Sound Barrier offerings that are intended to teach Hi-Fi enthusiasts and music lovers how to achieve maximum musicality from their Hi-Fi rigs, you know I couldn't be more excited. After all, the whole reason Jeff's Place exists is for that very reason - to... Read More »
Breaking the Sound Barrier with the ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue Amplifier - My New Benchmark!
I've been listening to music with the ASR Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier for a while now, while steadily working towards its turn in my review queue. It's been a wonderful experience listening to music with the Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue as it really sings with my Tannoy Westminster Royal loudspeakers, just as it did with... Read More »
Breaking News: Through the Sound Barrier with Jim Smith!
Most of you know about the high regard I have for Jim Smith. Jim has a stellar reputation for his good taste in all things high-fidelity, for his expertise in Hi-Fi system setup & voicing, as well as for being an honest and solid guy. Jim Smith has been in the Hi-Fi business for over... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Acoustic Revive RL-30 Mark III Demagnetizer
Today's Fresh Catch is the impressive Acoustic Revive RL-30 Mark III Demagnetizer. The RL-30 Mark III Demagnetizer is designed Mr. Ken Ishiguro primarily for analog records, but he says you can also demagnetize cables and multiple CDs/DVDs/Blu-Ray discs in it as well. Like a number of the Acoustic Revive products the RL-30 Mark III Demagnetizer also utilizes... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The New Valve Order 'SPA one' Phono Equalizer
I'm listening to Egberto Gismonti's LP Sol Do Meio Dia right now, using the New Valve Order SPA one phono equalizer created by Andreas Hadjiminas, working out of Nicosia, Cyprus. Andreas does his artistic expression in vacuum tubes, and man, he is one of the gods of ancient times come to visit us again! The SPA... Read More »
Don Garber Checking In: The Fi 46 Mono Amplifiers
Don Garber never ceases to amaze me. He's an artist. He's an American cultural treasure for his Fi high-fidelity audio designs. Don's also just a neat guy. It's no wonder Don's Fi designs are in such demand that he has over a year's worth of orders at any given time. Buying a Fi from Don... Read More »
Jim Smith Checking In: Supertweeters and Tannoys
It is always a pleasure to hear from Jim Smith. As I said in the article I wrote for Positive Feedback Online in Issue 59 about Jim's Get Better Sound reference 3 DVD set, "I suspect nearly everyone reading this article will already know about Jim Smith's expertise in Hi-Fi system setup and voicing, as his reputation has... Read More »
The 9th Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards for 2012 - The Best of the Best!
The 9th Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards for 2012 is now live here. Here's a quick excerpt: "I always cringe a little bit when the esteemed Positive Feedback Online Editors Dave Clark and David Robinson send out the call for the Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards, as it means that it is once again... Read More »
Pambos Checking In From Cyprus: Tannoy Westminster Royal SE Crossover Upgrades - Updated
There's a lot of interest in upgrading the crossovers on Tannoy Westminster Royals, both the HE and SE versions. The word is that upgraded crossovers can deliver amazing improvements in the performance of Westminster Royals of any version. Back in March of 2012 David King shared his Westminster Royal crossover upgrades with us, and told us... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Acoustic Revive Single Core Interconnects
Today's Fresh Catch are the Acoustic Revive Single Core Interconnects. Some of you might remember that I wrote about the Single Core interconnects back in Issue 49 of Positive Feedback Online in their 1-meter length. I've been wanting to find a really nice interconnect that works well in long lengths so I could put my equipment rack on the... Read More »
Checking In: Siedy on ViaBlue and Robert on Simon's DIY Westminster Build
I can't believe how behind on posts I am! I have a bunch of things I want to tell you about, but the time has just been getting away from me. Where does it go!? Before I get into some Fresh Catchs and such I want to share a couple of messages that I received... Read More »
Live at Positive Feedback Online: Sophia Electric 300B 'Tube Tasting'
My little Sophia Electric 300B Vacuum Tube Tasting Extravaganza of the Royal Princess™ 300B, Princess™ Carbon Plate 300B, Princess™ Mesh Plate 300B, and Globe Mesh Plate 300B just went live at Positive Feedback Online for Issue 64 here. I hope you enjoy it - cheers!
The Acoustic Revive Chronicles are Alive!
As many of you know, I really love the Acoustic Revive audio accessories designed and manufactured by Mr. Ken Ishiguro from Japan. If you look closely at the photos I post here at Jeff's Place you'll see Acoustic Revive accessories everywhere. That's because they work great! I've spent more time writing about Acoustic Revive products... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Morning Coffee with Norah Jones
There's nothing quite as luxurious for me as getting up on a day off, fixing a nice cup of coffee, and then settling in for a little listening session of some good LPs playing over the Westminster Royal SE loudspeakers. Today was particularly nice with Dr. Friedrich Schaefer's hand-crafted ASR Basis Exclusive phono stage and Emitter II... Read More »
Upcoming Reviews and Feature Articles at Positive Feedback Online
I've been busy reviewing Hi-Fi gear of late, and I'm entering into an even busier time on the review front in the coming months. As I schedule my reviews out into the future I do it on the basis of the order I receive things in, so the list below could change a little for... Read More »
Danny Bar Checking in with the Leica M9 & New Leica M Monochrom
Leica makes wonderful rangefinder cameras. I have been a fan of the Leica 'M' approach ever since I bought my first Leica, the Leica MP film camera. The MP's 'mechanical perfection' combined with a Leica Summicron 35 mm f/2 ASPH lens treated me to many wonderful photographs. I replaced my Leica MP with the full-frame digital Leica... Read More »
Charity Auction Hurricane Sandy - Sablon Audio Gran Corona
I got a nice message from designer extraordinaire Mark Coles of Sablon Audio fame: Hi Jeff, I've listed a Gran Corona on audiogon in a charitable auction to raise funds for the Red Cross Sandy appeal - would you mind bringing this to the attention of your blog followers? http://app.audiogon.com/listings/ac-cables-charity-auction-hurricane-sandy-sablon-audio-gran-corona-2012-11-04-power-uk Cheers, Mark Many thanks to... Read More »
Tannoy Kingdom Royal Review Live at Positive Feedback Online!
The review on Tannoy's flagship Kingdom Royal is now live at Positive Feedback Online here. I really enjoyed my time with the magnificent Kingdom Royal loudspeakers during the review period. Here's a few snippets from the review: "Tannoy's goal for the Kingdom Royal project was to develop a new high-resolution statement loudspeaker that would be... Read More »
Something Old, Something New, Something Blue
The Kingdom Royal review (something new) is now complete and is with the very cool Editors Dave and David at Positive Feedback Online for publication in the November issue, which will go live this coming week. The Kingdom Royals have officially become my favorite dynamic loudspeakers, with a luxurious and sophisticated way of presenting the... Read More »
Checking in ... a Royal Review Coming Soon!
Hello my friends, it's been crazy busy here at Jeff's Place, both on the day job, and with all the cool & fun Hi-Fi gear that has been coming through to visit. I'll be catching up on e-mails and comments shortly, as I've gotten a bit behind on that front, so hang in there and... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: ASR Audio Systems by Dr. Friedrich Schaefer - the ASR Basis Exclusive Phono Stage - More Updates!
Today's Fresh Catch is the ASR Audio Systems Basis Exclusive Phono Stage designed by Dr. Friedrich Schaefer. which I'll be reviewing for Positive Feedback Online. The Basis Exclusive was supposed to arrive at the same time as the Emitter II but a FedEx shipping game of 'hide & seek' took place that had Dr. Schaefer, Zed (US... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Mercury Living Presence - Copland: Appalachian Spring/Billy The Kid
If you've read the Sablon Audio Panatela Special Edition Component Speaker Cable review at Positive Feedback Online you know how much I've been enjoying listening to music on the combination of an EMT TSD-15 phono cartridge, VPI Classic 'table, New Valve Order SPA-II phono stage, Sablon Audio Panatela interconnects & speaker cables, ASR Audiosysteme Emitter II Exclusive Version... Read More »
Sablon Audio Panatela Special Edition Component Speaker Cable Review Live at PFO!
The Positive Feedback Online review of the Sablon Audio Panatela Special Edition Component Speaker Cables has just gone live here. Mark Coles of Sablon Audio has really outdone himself with his new custom tailored Panatela loudspeaker cables. The Special Edition version of the Panatela speaker cables tailors performance to a particular loudspeaker in order to... Read More »
Coffee This Morning with Lucinda Williams
After I got up this morning, and puttered around for a while, I made some really fine coffee and sat down to spend some time with Lucinda Williams. I really like Lucinda Williams' album World Without Tears and the way it explores the dark side of human emotions. She sings about lost love, depression, lost... Read More »
The Tannoy Kingdom Royal In the Making
When I asked some background questions about the Kingdom Royal during its design process, Dr. Paul Mills referred me to a file that chronicled the development of the Kingdom Royal. It's an interesting history, and I thought you would enjoy reading it. Here's the link to the article: Kingdom Royal in the making. As both the... Read More »
Live at Positive Feedback Online! The Tempo Electric Aurum Ag Big Twist Interconnects
The Tempo Electric Aurum Ag Big Twist interconnects review just went live at Positive Feedback Online here. Here's a snippet from the review: "The Aurum Ag Big Twist interconnects are a purist design incorporating 28 gauge 24-Carat gold signal wire and 4N 30 gauge silver wire for the return. They're wrapped in 8 gauge Teflon... Read More »
