Pete Riggle is 'out his way'!
Pete Riggle has been outed: The always amazing Pete Riggle (he is amazing!) Cc'd me on a message to vacuum tube electronics designer extraordinaire Kara Chaffee of deHavilland Electric Amplifier Company, in which he told Kara about his new audio diary webpage on the VTAF/Woody web site. Pete's most recent diary post briefly discusses listening to a one-off deHavilland Chaffee... Read More »
New Valve Order SPA-one Phono Equalizer
For those of you who have been keeping score, you know I've been really impressed with the New Valve Order SPA-II (Stereo Phono Amplifier-II) that I reviewed for Positive Feedback Online in Issue 57, and it has become my reference for the state-of-art in a phono equalizer. The SPA-II was created by the talented fine audio constructeur,... Read More »
Siedy Abee checking in from the Netherlands - Westminster Royal SEs!
I'd like you to meet Siedy Abee, a new friend checking in from the Netherlands. I always enjoy hearing from Hi-Fi friends about a system that they are really enjoying, and a new Hi-Fi friend with a pair of Westminster Royal SEs is a treat because we can share our tips & tricks regarding the... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Don Garber's Fi 300B Mono Amplifiers
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Don Garber is an American Master. Don’s Fi electronics delight enthusiasts around the world, not only for their wonderful musical performance, but also for their artisanal hand-crafted quality. Owning a Fi product is a direct-from-the-artist experience, electronic artwork of the highest order. I just unpacked a... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Sablon Audio's Panatela Speaker Cables
Mark Coles of Sablon Audio fame has been busy in his cable laboratory, crafting a truly wonderful new speaker cable design - the Panatela. If you look at the accompanying photo you'll see the 5-binding post arrangement my Westminster Royal SE uses. The West's use a bi-wire arrangement for connecting the Dual Concentric speaker unit... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Analogue Productions' Grateful Dead Reckoning Remaster
Analogue Productions has given the Grateful Dead's Reckoning album the deluxe remastering treatment. Reckoning was cut from the original analog master tapes at Analogue Productions' Quality Record Pressings on 200g vinyl by Kevin Gray. I'm listening to it right now and it is ridiculously well done live music with remastering to die for! If you... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Townes Van Zandt Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
By far, one of my favorite folk musicians is Townes Van Zandt. His songwriting, guitar playing, and vocals were remarkable. His recorded legacy isn't as good or as even as it deserved to be. His life was tragic and predictable: a bipolar disorder, a drug addiction, and alcoholism haunted him, but the beauty of his music shone through... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Very Tall - Oscar Peterson Trio with Milt Jackson
I just got home from traveling in Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and France for three weeks, which is why I've been a little thin on posts lately. As you would expect, by the time I got home from travel I was in great need of a vinyl fix, so I ordered up a batch... Read More »
More on the Leben CS-1000P Power Amplifier
Ever cool guy Yoshi Hontani released more information about the new Leben CS-1000P today. Yoshi San's message said, "A first production lot of 5 units have already been sold out and the next production lot of 10 units is scheduled at early June. (6 units have already been sold out as of today)." The new Leben... Read More »
Leben introduces a new amplifier: the CS-1000P
While the full details have not yet been released, Leben has announced that they will be offering a new amplifier: the CS-1000P, which is based on the KT120 vacuum tube (click on the photos for larger images). Stylistically, the CS-1000P power amplifier is on a chassis similar to the CS-660P, which in my opinion is... Read More »
Danny Bar: Checking in From Paris With Some Great Black & Whites!
Photographer Danny Bar is on the road again, and this time is checking in from Paris with some wonderful black & white photos. (Click on the images for larger versions.) Danny used his Leica M9 with the new Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens to capture these beautiful B&W images. I'm a big fan of the Leica... Read More »
An American Master: Don Garber of Fi
Don Garber is an American Master. Don's Fi electronics delight enthusiasts around the world, not only for their wonderful musical performance, but also for their artisanal hand-crafted quality. Owning a Fi product is a direct-from-the-artist experience, electronic artwork of the highest order. Most of you know how much I loved my Fi 2A3 mono amplifiers,... Read More »
Chet Baker: His Life and Music
I've been doing a late-night listening session to Barclay's Chet Baker Quartet after reading Jeroen De Valk's biography of Chet Baker, which reads like a harrowing murder mystery. Chet Baker was a brilliant jazz trumpet player that played by ear and couldn't read music, was a heroin addict, and in many ways, he was an innocent... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Speakers Corner Records New Releases
I continue to be impressed with the new releases from Speakers Corner Records. They sound like I want my Hi-Fi gear to sound: warm, a little bit dark, detailed & dimensional, with analogue ease & liquidity in full display, and with a high degree of emotional involvement & musical impact. The way the musical content... Read More »
Supplies of 6n3cE / 6P3S-E vacuum tubes drying up! May be last chance to get them before they're gone!
Those of you who have been following my posts know how much I've enjoyed using the 6n3cE tubes in my Leben CS-600 amplifier. Almost two years ago I posted about my experiences with this tube and recommended it to fellow Leben CS-600 owners. You can read that post here. I've been buying my tubes from... Read More »
Tweaks, Mods, and 'Tudes
Tweaks and mods can run the gamut from a simple vacuum tube or AC power cord swap, to changing equipment footers, to soldering in different capacitors or resistors in amplification components or loudspeakers, rewiring a component with your favorite wire, to altering a circuit design. I've enjoyed vintage projects, like the Garrard Project (1) (2)... Read More »
Danny Bar: Checking in from Vietnam and Georgia
Fellow photography enthusiast and world traveler, Danny Bar, sent me some absolutely awesome photos of his recent trip to Vietnam and Georgia, which really makes me want to get out on travel and shoot some photos. Danny shot all of the photos below using his Leica M9 and the new Leica Summilux 35/1.4 II ASPH. I... Read More »
David King's Tannoy Westminster Royal Modifications
Fellow Tannoy Westminster Royal enthusiast David King recently contacted me to tell me about his positive results when upgrading the internal wiring connectors, driver connecting plugs, binding posts, and speaker support system of his Tannoy Westminster Royal HE loudspeakers. David has written a paper detailing his modifications, and has graciously agreed to share what he... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Jazz Icons - Chet Baker Live in '64 & '79
These Jazz Icons series of DVDs by Reelin’ In The Years Productions are treasures! I'm watching/listening to the Chet Baker Live in '64 & '79 ($18 USD at Amazon.com) as I write this and it is blowing me away! You might notice that in the photo to the left that Chet is playing a flugelhorn... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Jazz Icons - Bill Evans Live '64-'75
I just became aware of the Jazz Icons series of DVDs by Reelin' In The Years Productions in collaboration with Mosaic Records, and I feel like I've stumbled across a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow! Here's a couple of quotes from the Jazz Icons website which I couldn't agree with more:... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: The Sablon Audio Panatela 2012 Interconnect
Today's Fresh Catch is Mark's new 2012 version of the Panatela interconnect. I've been listening to the Panatela 2012 for a little while now and I'm really impressed. As you know, I wrote about how the original version of the Panatela pretty much blew me away (PFO Issue 56), it's one heck of a great... Read More »
Sablon Audio Gran Corona AC Power Cord Review Now Live at PFO!
The review of the Sablon Audio Gran Corona AC power cord has just gone live at Positive Feedback Online here. Here's a couple of snippets from the review to entice you: "It is clear that the Sablon Audio Gran Corona AC power cord designed by Mark Coles is a tour de force in power cord... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Bill Evans Trio - in Helsinki 1970 on DVD - a wow!
Today’s Fresh Catch is the Bill Evans Trio’s in Helsinki 1970 on DVD. Like The Oslo Concerts DVD, you will not want to miss this DVD, which is available from Amazon.com for just $18.99 USD. Speaking of The Oslo Concerts be sure to read Laurie Verchomin's response to that post here for a link to... Read More »
Today's Fresh Catch: Bill Evans Trio - The Oslo Concerts on DVD
Today's Fresh Catch is the Bill Evans Trio's The Oslo Concerts DVD. After Jonathan posted recommending this performance I ordered the DVD from Amazon.com for $15.49 USD. After the DVD arrived I played it in my Music Lovers system: Harbeth Super HL5 loudspeakers (sitting on Skylan stands), Leben CS-600 integrated valve amplifier (using KT90 tubes... Read More »
Kondo Audio Note vs. New Valve Order SPA-II phono preamplifier slapdown!
I got a really intriguing note from a reader who owns both a Kondo Audio Note phono preamplifier and the New Valve Order SPA-II phono preamplifier. Let's just say this reader, whom I've met in person once upon a time, and who wishes to remain anonymous, owns some really, really, amazing Hi-Fi gear that we... Read More »
Long Term Report on the Tannoy Westminster Royal SE Loudspeakers
I've got a couple of articles I'm working on now for Positive Feedback Online, but soon as they're done I'm going to start writing a long-term report about what it's been like living with my Tannoy Westminster Royal Special Edition loudspeakers over the past year or so. It turns out that Jim Smith recently purchased... Read More »
A $10K 'David' Hi-Fi That Kicks Ass on $100K 'Goliath' Hi-Fi Systems
I just wrapped up a review for Positive Feedback Online about Jim Smith's Reference DVD Set of Get Better Sound on setting up high-performance audio & video systems that I mentioned in Today's Fresh Catch awhile back. The review just appeared in the January/February Issue 59 here. If you've been reading my writing for a... Read More »
Happy Holidays from Jeff!
It's Christmas Day is here in the Pacific Northwest, with New Year's Day just around the corner. Here's wishing all of my friends at Jeff's Place a very Merry Christmas and Hanukkah, and I hope your Holiday season is full of family & friends, love, light, great music, and peace!
8th Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards for 2011 & Other Stuff
In last year's 7th Annual Positive Feedback Online's Writers' Choice Awards for 2010 I managed to squeeze in an extra Award for a total of four: My first choice was a no-brainer, and it went to my all-time favorite loudspeaker, the incredible Tannoy Westminster Royal Special Edition. The Westminster is so good that I still... Read More »
Stereophile Class A Sightings
I had forgotten to mention it earlier, but in the October 2011 'Recommended Components' issue of Stereophile there's a couple of notable mentions: The EMT TSD 15 moving coil phono cartridge landed in 'Class A' by virtue of Art Dudley's earlier review of it. I have become increasingly impressed with my own EMT TSD 15... Read More »
Leben CS300 & RS30EQ Reviewed by Art Dudley in November 2011 Stereophile
I just got the November 2011 issue of Stereophile and all you fellow Leben CS300 & RS30EQ fans out there will be pleased to know that Art Dudley reviewed the pair and really liked them. In the November issue Art writes a mini-survey that compares three nice tube integrated amps: the aforementioned Leben gear, the... Read More »
Integrated 300B Stereo Amp Prototype by Don Garber - beautiful!
I thought you'd enjoying seeing this photo Don Garber (Fi) sent me of an integrated 300B stereo amplifier prototype that Don built "for Gideon Schwartz of Audio Arts which he's taking out to RMAF to pair with the Voxativ speakers. He has a team that's going to be producing it. How close to the original... Read More »
What's up?
As most of you probably know, Jim Smith's talent for the setup and voicing of Hi-Fi rigs is legendary. Right now I'm working on writing an article about Jim's new Get Better Sound Reference 3 DVD set on Hi-Fi setup procedures and strategies to help you get a system performing at it's best for your... Read More »
New Valve Order SPA-II Phono Stage Review Live at PFO
My review of the New Valve Order SPA-II phono preamplifier is now live at Positive Feedback Online here. Here's a couple of snippets from the review: "It's always a pleasure for me to introduce to the readers of Positive Feedback Online a talented fine audio constructeur, this time Andreas Hadjiminas, working out of Nicosia, Cyprus.... Read More »
Sophia Electric Royal Princess 300B Vacuum Tube Review Live at PFO
The review of the Sophia Electric Royal Princess 300B vacuum tube is now live in Positive Feedback Online's Issue 57 here. The Royal Princess 300B vacuum tube is a major achievement in my opinion, combining superb musicality and sonics into one package. I hope you enjoy the review, I really enjoyed writing it and providing... Read More »
'State of the System' Message
I've been having a lot of fun listening to music this weekend while making a few blog posts and doing some review writing. My Hi-Fi rig is sounding really good right now, and I thought you might like to see what's making it sound so good today. First up is my EMT TSD-15 MC cartridge... Read More »
