In Praise of the Sony PCM-F1

December 31, 2012• Digital

Steven Stone looks at the first commercially-available PCM recorder, the Sony F-1, and its place in audio history.

New CD Releases for 12-28-12

December 28, 2012• Audiophile Music

For the last new CD list for 2012 Steven Stone has some power-pop, bluegrass, jazz, and even a singer-songwriter...enjoy...

Toy Trains and Hi-End Audio

December 27, 2012• Audiophile • 4 Comments

Roger Skoff looks at the similarities between electric train sets of yesteryear and the hi-end industry of today......

Why You Need a Variac

December 26, 2012• Amps • 21 Comments

Steven Stone reveals one of his essential audio tools, and how he uses it to make things better…

Zappa’s Hot Rats 2012: In With The Old, Out With The New

December 25, 2012• Audiophile Music • 3 Comments

Mark Smotroff compares the newest re-release of Hot Rats with the Rykodisc release. In this case, newer is better......

Super-Disc Lists Are Irrelevant

December 24, 2012• Audiophile Music • One Comment

Steven Stone looks at the concept of the "Super-disc List" and finds it to be less useful than a warped record......

Three More Great Albums from 2004

December 21, 2012• Audiophile Music

Here are three CDs that Steven Stone thinks should be in the collection of any roots, rock, or folk fan.

If Capacitors Have a Sound, Why Not Cables?

December 20, 2012• Amps • 11 Comments

Roger Skoff Looks at Capacitors and Cables and their Shared Technologies... ...

Software Rules Hardware

December 19, 2012• Audiophile Music • 8 Comments

How important is the source material in sound reproduction? Steven Stone believes it's more important than any piece of hardware......

Zeppelin 02 Blu-ray: All The Stars Align

December 18, 2012• Audiophile Music • 6 Comments

Mark Smotroff looks at Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin’s live concert disc.

Audiophiles Love Lists

December 17, 2012• News

Riddle me this...why do Audiophiles love "Best" lists? Steven Stone looks at the concept of "Best of Show" and explains why it matters... ...

New CD & BluRay Releases for 12-14-2012

December 14, 2012• Audiophile Music

Ok, it is the holiday season, even Scrooge Stone finds a couple of seasonal discs that will fit in with the mistletoe and rum punch......

The Great Capacitor Mystery

December 13, 2012• Amps • 3 Comments

Roger Skoff looks at capacitors and finds a mystery – where does a capacitive charge go when a capacitor is disassembled?

Risk, Loss, and Earphones

December 12, 2012• Headphone + Accessory Reviews

Portable earphones have main disadvantage over home-based earphones - they get lost and stolen a lot more often......

Getting Your Beatles Surround Fix

December 11, 2012• Audiophile Music • 3 Comments

Want to hear the Beatles in surround? Mark Smotroff has some discs for you......

Is A Generation Going Deaf?

December 10, 2012• News

Steven Stone wonders about the future of full-frequncy hearing for future generations. What if you whisper and no one can hear you?

Three CD Reviews from 2004

December 7, 2012• Audiophile Music

Steven Stone revisits great albums from Kenny and Amanda Smith, Darol Anger and the American Fiddle Ensemble, and David Grisman and Jerry...

Blind Squirrels and Acorns

December 5, 2012• Amps • 9 Comments

Some vintage audio components are the stuff dreams are made of...others, not so much....

Partridge & Blegvad’s Gonwards Reveals Rich Rewards

December 4, 2012• Audiophile Music • One Comment

Mark Smotroff looks at the latest from Andy Partridge and Peter Blegvad.

So, Are You Into Automotive Audio, Too?

December 3, 2012• Audiophile • 4 Comments

Steven Stone was wondering how many readers are as into their car stereos as they are into home and portable audio, so he created a 1...

Month: December 2012