Archive for 'Tag Archives: 'audio''
The Audion
This is the first post in our series on Tubes vs. Transistors. I’ll do my best to keep this fun, informative, not uber technical and to the point so we can all have something to look [...]
Opening up an age old debate
Several of you have written me suggesting the issue we’ve been discussing on purity has more to do with the playback equipment than the way it was recorded. I think it’s more complicated than that. There [...]
Bottom Five
Lawrence Schenbeck talks about his favorite music by his least-favorite composers. Some surprising choices, both ways. [...]
Schubert. Innigkeit. Discuss.
Lawrence Schenbeck welcomes in the new year with new recordings of Franz Schubert's timeless music and thoughts about his harmonic innovation. [...]
‘Tis the (Choral) Season
Lawrence Schenbeck recommends new choral recordings that would make nice gifts, with asides on record packaging and choral music's place in American life. [...]
Is it pure?
Is our goal in high-end audio to get as close to the original recording, or is it something else? [...]
Chasing the dragon
Chasing The Dragon is another in depth look at multi-channel audio by Joe Adams. With 4 Martin Logan CLX and ML Stage for the center channel, this system has the potential to really show off [...]
Golden ears
Most people believe they can't hear the differences between a low end system and a high end system - and of course that's wrong. [...]
Teaching art
Designing something can be accomplished by a lot of people but connecting with people's emotions is something unique [...]
Endless loop
Audio used to be hardware centric, not it's mostly software based. This powerful shift in the industry will bring wonderful changes. [...]
Isolation
Isolation is a key component in the quest for better sound. [...]
Measurements that matter
When you measure something, it's important to understand the underlying causes of what you're measuring to make any sense of it. [...]
Zero calories
Do we really need to know something is 10 times lower in distortions we cannot possible hear? [...]
Thimk different
Focusing design efforts on making what everyone else is already doing better is a dead end street in many cases [...]
An Ives Geography
Lawrence Schenbeck explores New England and Noo Yawk City with "maverick" composer Charles Ives. [...]
Power of cables
When we talk about wireless we don't really mean it because we're leaving out one of the most important wires of them all! [...]
No Band Aids here!
AC regeneration and power conditioning are two completely different and unrelated topics. One rebuilds and generates new, the other a simple Band Aid. [...]
Up against the wall!
Why do we have to continue placing speakers into the middle of the room? Isn't there someone that can design a different course? [...]
The sweet spot
How do you get a wider sweet spot? By giiving something else up. [...]
Direct shot
Music is an emotional experience when we're "into it" and an analytical experience when we're just "listening". [...]
Audio shows
Local audio fairs are growing in number, but is this the answer to great access to equipment to demo? [...]
Fatigue
Do you suffer from listener fatigue with your system? Here's some things to look out for. [...]
A new day
The last in a three part series of how we might resurrect the local high-end audio dealer and what it would take. [...]
Maybe Frito Bandito?
I promised yesterday to get into specifics about the idea I put forth of manufacturers adopting the Wal Mart approach of not owning inventory as way to get local “audio experts” to become high-end retailers. Reader [...]
Wal Mart?
Here's the start of an idea we are kicking around about how to get high-end dealers back into our communities. [...]
An idea
High end audio dealers are getting fewer and fewer, is there a new model we might look at to fix this? [...]
Audiostream launches
There's a new online magazine on the horizon called Audiostream by the folks at Stereophile. It covers all things computer and audio related. [...]
Increased depth
How does one increase depth of soundstage in a system? [...]
Enhance the senses
Enhancing your own senses can lead to a better listening experience [...]
Break in
Break in of equipment is a hot topic, Paul gives his opinion on the subject in perhaps a surprising way. [...]
Foreign networks
Home networking is getting easier everyday. We should embrace this change rather than fret over it. [...]
Getting all your system has III
French Audiophile Florent Duchateau finishes the last article in his three part series on getting the most out of your system without spending any money. [...]
Subwoofers are essential
Subwoofers are an essential element in any system if you want the total experience available on the music. [...]
Audio mindset
Commitment to the ritual of audio focuses our attention but we can make a slight tweak to the mindset to get the same results if we want to. [...]
Tone controls
How come tone control haven't yet made their appearance again in high-end? [...]
Classical Corner: Mahler 101
Gustav Mahler is featured in this month's Classical Corner. A fascinating look at a modern composer that you'll enjoy. [...]
Changing stripes
Have people changed and does that spell a decline in the high-end? [...]
What’s wrong with the status quo?
High-end never lost its appeal, but it certainly has lost its footing. [...]
The Man Cave
Is interest in high-end audio declining or is it a rejection of the dedicated audio sanctuary? [...]
The Outsider Sound That Will Save Pop Music
Classical music may be the “highest” genre -speaking in terms of music as an art form- but Pop, accessible to all, with a simple, easily digested structure uniquely conducive to the concise and pleasurable expression of [...]
It does something?
A power conditioner that actually does something? What a novel concept! [...]
Lost in the desert
Here at the CEDIA show I feel like I am walking through a foreign land. [...]
Sound and the brain
Can we convince the ear/brain that we are in a real concert hall? Here's a great article about how it's being handled. [...]
Push, pull or drag
When it comes to implementing new technology, are high-end companies pushing it? Or are they being pulled or even dragged into using it? [...]
Broccoli and opera
Expanding your musical horizons so you can enjoy more is always challenging but worth it. [...]
Window dressing
It's weird that prototypes sound better than fully finished production units in beautiful chassis [...]
Have you ever noticed?
Have you ever noticed how much better your car runs after you wash it? This isn't something unique to just you. [...]
Classical Corner: Baroque Orchestral Suites
Dance fever is nothing new. Lawrence Schenbeck discusses great Baroque dance music in new and old recordings of Bach, Rameau, and Handel by Jordi Savall, Frederick Fennell, Charles Mackerras, and others. [...]
Numbers and tastes
Numbers always tell the truth if they are in context - but without a reference, they can mislead us badly. [...]
Why simple is better
Crossovers for speakers range from the simple to the overly complex, breaking the sound apart in ever smaller parts. Brad Paulson expounds on his views about it. [...]
It’s just wire…the last
Once you understand cables can only subtract, not add, the next step is to take advantage of their weakness. [...]
It’s just wire…again
Wire has no ability to add anything to the music. So when we say it adds bass or brightness, what we really mean ..... [...]
Remarkable noise
If you've heard the phenomena of noise separated from the music, you'll get this right away. [...]
Guilty pleasures
I've been asked to hide the cost of high-end gear from family members more than once. The secret's safe with me. [...]
The magic of high-end audio
Nothing gets me more excited than to show someone the system, especially if they've never heard a high-end one. [...]
The power of one
You'd be surprised at just how much of an impact you can make with one little word or demo. [...]
The Quiet Revolution
We are right in the middle of one of the greatest revolutions in audio ever and some have hardly noticed. [...]
Don’t believe everything you think
CD vs. SACD debates rage on but most of us don't realize these two formats have more in common than not. [...]
Steve Tibbetts’ “Complex Little Cathedrals”
What album would work best with a lazy Sunday morning with coffee and the paper? A long drive in the country? While preparing for a hectic commute? Reining in focus in order to study? Winding down after [...]
Classical Corner Mystery Composers
Lawrence Schenbeck introduces three "Mystery Composers" whose music should be more widely enjoyed. [...]
The bit game
32 bit is certainly better than 16 bit. Or is it? We examine bit depth and what it means. [...]
Don’t forget the dealer
High-end audio dealers play a big role in helping people decide what to buy, but they are a shrinking category. Why? [...]
Audio vanity
How much are we paying for a beautiful chassis and is that money well spent? I can recall long ago, in the first few years of our existence, that Stan (The “S” in PS) was of [...]
The lens of microphones
Everything you listen to is most likely colored by a microphone so "real" is truly subjective. [...]
The ear’s adaptability
How we evaluate live vs. recorded is anything but an exact science and can never get close to real. [...]
Power as the foundation
There are many thoughts on the right approach to building a proper foundation for your system. This article argues it should be power. [...]
Ask the tough questions
Head in the sand or asking the tough questions over and over again? [...]
Personal filters
We selectively hear and see what we want to and many times this gets in the way of designing and reviewing audio products. [...]
Bad vibes
Snake oil or real? Aftermarket vibration controls are the real deal. [...]
Nelson’s my hero
From Pass to Sarmento, it's the people hand crafting our high-end products that matter [...]
Classical Corner Beethoven
For years, the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young carried around an old recording of “Singin’ the Blues” made by Frankie Trumbauer and his band in 1927. When he was asked why, Young said “ the [...]
eLyric gets new features
eLyric, the free UPnP server program from PS Audio has been upgraded to include the ability to add playlists and radio stations. eLyric was launched earlier this year, as a free UPnP server program that enables [...]
Cars and audio mags
Car ads in audio magazines? What's the world coming to? [...]
The resurgence is near
Lots of hand wringing about the high-end. I have a different view. [...]
Breaking the rules
Following the rules is safe but boring. It's true in life and in design. [...]
Meeting expectations
There's nothing more disappointing than having your high expectations for something not met. We write about three examples of interest [...]
Getting all your system has II
In part II of this great How To article, Florent goes through specifics of how to tweak your system for best performance on the cheap. Here's what you do without spending any money on improvements [...]
My first time
I'll never forget it, Edgar Winter's Frankenstein out of the JBL's was so lifelike that my jaw dropped. I have never been the same. [...]
Turntables in the movies!
Ken Kessler finds a glimmer of hope for high-end audio while watching a remake of the Mechanic while in flight. Great how he finds something high end in everything he does! [...]
Cost of complexity
We love the changes in technology but have to recognize there's a lot more than just the technology that's changing. [...]
Best seat in the house
Is there an ultimate truth to what sounds correct in a live acoustic environment? [...]
Classical Corner Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers of all time. In this edition of Lawrence Schenbeck's Classical Corner, we learn about this composer and enjoy his music. [...]
What is the High-End?
We use the term "high-end" a lot but what does it actually mean? How do you define high-end? What separates high-end from the everyday when it comes to audio? We examine in detail [...]
Why I left TAS
Magazines about the high-end like Stereophile and TAS have been around for years but do they still live up to their promise? Here's an insider's viewpoint. [...]
Why High End Audio matters
Reader George Moneo contributes an emotion packed article on why High End Audio matters and we get an introduction into the magic of imaging. [...]
Classical Corner Stravinsky
In this second edition of Classical Corner, Lawrence covers the great Igor Stravinsky with musical excerpts and lots of help understanding the composer's methodology and work. A must read. [...]
TCP/IP vs USB Audio
OK, there's tons of debate about USB or Ethernet as a means of delivering audio. Which is better? Here's one man's opinion that has a lot of experience with both and is into the [...]
Wagner’s Ring for Audiophiles part 1
Richard Wagner's four-opera Ring Cycle is beloved of some, and anathema to others. Reviewer, music critic and Audiophile Jason Victor Serinus helps us appreciate Wagner and his mammoth creation in this two-part survey, complete with audio [...]
T.H.E. Show report
You've read tons of show reports but none like this. Brad Paulsen gives an insider's view of the T.H.E. Show and includes an overview of shows past. [...]
Classical Corner Mozart
Classical Corner: a new series on classical music that delves deep into what makes it work. A fascinating piece about Mozart and the language his music speaks includes musical examples. [...]
Getting all your system has
Does buying expensive high-end equipment or upgrades to existing equipment make for a high-end experience? No says author Florent Duchateau in the first of a series of articles on how to get the most from [...]
USB DACs – all mouth, no trousers
Many budget DACs don't sound quite right. Worse still, those of a USB-only standing are inherently impervious to consumer-level improvements. USB DACs: they're all mouth, no trousers. [...]
It spins me right round like a record baby
Great reviews of music on vinyl from Josh Bizar. Fleetwood MAC, Charles Mingus, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the new Pink Floyd release. This is vinyl at its best from someone who certainly knows. [...]
Welcome to PSTracks
There's a new kid on the block, PSTracks. This is the online newspaper dedicated to connecting the high-end together, both figuratively and electronically. Find out what we're all about by reading our charter. [...]
Moving from old to new
After 10 years of writing the PS Newsletter it's time for a change and not a small one. The Newsletter connected PS Audio customers together with the company. Now it's time to expand that [...]
Music industry turned upside down
If the music industry is in shambles, is anyone doing well? Absolutely. In this report we learn about the new paradigm of delivering music through independent labels and music lovers are the ones that [...]
The state of audio retailing today
Are high-end brick and mortar audio stores going away? If so, why? Ken Kessler delivers a scathing report on the state of audio retailing, why it is in this position and what retailers might [...]
New iPad and iPhone app released
Now there's a new Apple app for UPnP streaming audio that includes cover art and helps make the experience a real pleasure. PS Audio releases its latest UPnP controller that works with Linn, Olive, PS [...]
My last high-end system?
How many times have you said to yourself, "this is the last system I am ever going to own?" Reader Jack Bolton believes this latest system just might be "the one". Share his system [...]
Elyric gets a facelift
eLyric, the free UPnP server and music management software from PS Audio has a new interface that makes it a lot easier to edit and manage your music library. Download your free copy on June [...]
A bias right in the middle
True - which is ne of the reasons we use complimentary symmetry design
A bias right in the middle
But in a sense in your single ended example there is no real middle. I
Odd or even?
So that others can find it on the internet, read it for themselves and
Odd or even?
Why would you mention the individual's name in a post, which I believe
Odd or even?
I've heard this assertion for the longest time and I must say I can't