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 »
Today's Fresh Catch: Sablon Audio Panatela Speaker Cables - Tannoy Dual-Concentric Special Edition Cable Set
Mark Coles has developed a Panatela Tannoy Concentric Special Edition speaker cable set optimized for Tannoy loudspeakers using dual-concentric drivers that sounds very impressive indeed. If you look closely at the photos you'll notice there's 5 binding posts per Tannoy loudspeaker: two binding posts for the low-frequency section, two binding posts for the high-frequency section, and... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: From Germany with Love - The ASR Audiosysteme Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue amplifier by Friedrich Schaefer
Quite a number of you have been telling me how much you like the ASR Audiosysteme electronics with your Tannoys. I can see why you are so impressed, as I just unboxed the ASR Audiosysteme Emitter II Exclusive Version Blue four-chassis integrated amplifier by Friedrich Schaefer. The Blue was quite a chore to unpack with it's... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Tannoy Kingdom Royal loudspeakers - Updates 1 & 2! The unboxing party & 1st listening impressions.
The Tannoy Kingdom Royal loudspeakers I will be writing about for Positive Feedback Online arrived from Scotland today, 4 days early! Update # 1: Over the weekend I was able to get some friends together to help me get them unboxed, and it was quite a show! Chad and I were getting ready to roll the... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Shuguang Preferred Series 274B - Update! Warning!
My Sophia Electric 91-01 300B mono amplifiers are sounding like a vintage dream this morning: rich, warm, colorful, and extremely musical while listening to the Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto Getz/Gilberto album reissued on 45 by Analogue Productions. Certainly a great part of the splendor I'm hearing is contributed by the Sophia Electric Royal Princess... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Sophia Electric Princess™ Carbon Plate 300B Vacuum Tube
Sue at Sophia Electric mentioned that she thought the Princess™ Carbon Plate 300B Vacuum Tube ($600 USD per matched pair) would really complement the coaxial drivers in my Tannoy Westminster Royal SE loudspeakers, and asked if I would like to borrow a pair to listen to. You bet I would - thanks Sue! 🙂 It also... Read More »
Fotografie: Wandering through Holland
While I was looking at Danny Bar's superb photos it occurred to me what a lousy job I've been doing at posting my own photos over the last few years. I've taken thousands of photos all over the world but it seems like I'm always running so short on time that I don't get my... Read More »
Fotografie: Danny Bar Checking In From Greece
Danny Bar has been traveling in Greece and snapping photos with his Leica M9 camera with Leica Summilux-M 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH lens combination, and has captured some wonderful black & white images that really reflect the mood of what it's like to be in Greece right now. Enjoy! Many thanks, Danny, for sharing your fantastic... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Vintage JAN grade 5Z3PA Rectifiers
When I reviewed the Sophia Electric Model 91-01 300B mono amplifiers for Positive Feedback Online back in January 2011 - which I purchased after the review - they came with NOS vintage Chinese JAN grade 5Z3PA rectifiers (which you can generally substitute for 5U4G and 274B rectifiers). I am just now realizing how good these rectifiers are... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Tempo Electric Big Twist Aurum Ag Interconnects
Ok, I just got home from the office, and there was a package waiting for me from Joseph Levy, the owner of Tempo Electric. Just so you know, Joseph Levy has particularly good taste in audio, and Joseph is more than a little fond of the audio electronic designs of the late Dr. Arthur Z. Loesch... Read More »
Fi 300B Mono Amplifiers: Up Close & Personal
Here's some closeup photos of the Fi 300B mono amplifiers that some of you have been wanting to see. (Click on the photos a couple of times for larger versions) A full complement of ST bottle shapes is sure a treat for the eyes! Not to mention the Heart of Muse Black Gate capacitors and... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: the audioharma Cable Cooker! (Updated 8/7/12)
My friend Stephaen Harrell (6Moons reviewer) loaned me his Hagerman ‘Fry Baby’ cable conditioning device a while back, and I was rather astonished at the performance increase that comes from giving cables a good fry. That combined with Mark Coles dedicated conditioning of every Sablon Audio cable that he makes, using one of Alan Kafton’s audioharma... Read More »
An On-line Vacuum Tube Reference & A Little Tube Rolling in the Fi 300B Monos - Updated August 10, 2012
Happy Friday everyone! After drinking a couple cups of coffee this morning, I decided to warm up the Hi-Fi rig and do a little tube rolling in the Fi 300B mono amplifiers, which is a great way to have little fun on a Friday morning! My Fi 300B monos came with Sovtek 5AR4 rectifiers (far... Read More »
Checking in and catching up ...
It's Sunday morning here at Jeff's Place, with the morning sun streaming in through the East windows, while I'm drinking a fine cup of coffee, and listening to an old Analogue Productions test pressing of Bill Evan's Waltz for Debbie that is just blowing my mind. Those Analogue Productions test pressings are freaky good, and... Read More »
Road Trip: Pete's Place
After I outed Pete Riggle's new Out Our Way audio diary webpage on his VTAF/Woody web site in my July 6th post, I sent Pete a message saying: "If you have time, I think it'd be fun to hear your system (it's been ages!), shoot some photos, hear what you've been up to lately, and if it's... Read More »
