Archive for 'Tag Archives: 'music''
Donate music?
There are hundreds of ways musicians and authors can make a great living being rewarded for their efforts in a world where music and literature are openly and freely shared. Here's just one. I [...]
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. [...]
10 Things Happening in Music Right Now
Appreciation for detail is a major prerequisite for an interest in HiFi audio. I like to think that we appreciate the details because we appreciate music. We build our systems and components, and engineer our recordings [...]
Vitamins?
Vitamins for the ears? You bet but here's something else to think about. [...]
Mastering or media?
Michael Fremer loves vinyl played back on his digital audio player. Filter or something else? [...]
Teaching art
Designing something can be accomplished by a lot of people but connecting with people's emotions is something unique [...]
Isolation
Isolation is a key component in the quest for better sound. [...]
Stressing out
Preamps and sources get stressed out easily, so give them a break whenever you can. [...]
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. [...]
Gone Too Soon: Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown was one of the best trumpet players to ever grace the stage and his life ended tragically and too soon. Here's the amazing story. [...]
Obsession
Sometimes our obsessions get the best of us and it's time to take a break. [...]
Direct shot
Music is an emotional experience when we're "into it" and an analytical experience when we're just "listening". [...]
Fatigue
Do you suffer from listener fatigue with your system? Here's some things to look out for. [...]
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. [...]
Enhance the senses
Enhancing your own senses can lead to a better listening experience [...]
If it sounded good once….
I pulled out a 30 year old piece of kit and was surprised just how good it was. [...]
Break in
Break in of equipment is a hot topic, Paul gives his opinion on the subject in perhaps a surprising way. [...]
Woodstock a fresh perspective
We've just past the 42nd anniversary of Woodstock, the giant music festival in New York - when rock music was at its heyday. That got Charles Albert thinking and his comments and evaluations of the [...]
Foreign networks
Home networking is getting easier everyday. We should embrace this change rather than fret over it. [...]
Tune-up with Pink Floyd
Tune-up your home theater system with Pink Floyd? You bet, and Joe Adams tells us how in this, part 1, of his series on home theater. [...]
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. [...]
Getting centered
System setup is critical to the best performance. Here's how to put the magic into your phantom center channel. [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
Where’s the music supposed to be?
It's a surprise to many that the sound of your system should come from behind the loudspeakers. [...]
Your Dirty Dozen
When you audition something new are you prepared? Here's an interesting idea for you. [...]
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. [...]
The rule of thirds
The rule of thirds is the perfect starting point for system setup. [...]
Disappearing act
Loudspeakers should be heard but not "seen" because we expect them to disappear from the room. [...]
Broccoli and opera
Expanding your musical horizons so you can enjoy more is always challenging but worth it. [...]
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. [...]
What is an Audiophile?
Remember the term Lunatic Fringe? Why would that be attached to someone who wants better sound? [...]
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 ..... [...]
It’s just wire
This wire adds too much top end to the music! I choose instead a cable that is gentle on the top and brings out the bottom end....what's all that mean? [...]
Remarkable noise
If you've heard the phenomena of noise separated from the music, you'll get this right away. [...]
Jazz – what the heck is it?
Not into Jazz yet? Keith Copeland walks us through the history as we start our journey into a great musical art form. [...]
The quest for the objective ear
If people the world over can find faith in that which they cannot taste, smell, or hear, why can’t we believe in the thoroughly subjective musical experience? [...]
The power of one
You'd be surprised at just how much of an impact you can make with one little word or demo. [...]
Classic Rock Corner
What is it that makes a piece of rock music "Classic"? What is it that can make a bar full of complete strangers start to bob their heads in unison and sing along upon hearing the [...]
The tiniest details
If something sounds great today, how does it sound tomorrow? Is the variability you or the equipment? [...]
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 [...]
Vinyl Vs. CD
Vinyl or CD? Why does vinyl sound more dynamic than CD's? Take a look inside to discover. [...]
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? [...]
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. [...]
Ask the tough questions
Head in the sand or asking the tough questions over and over again? [...]
eLyric features
As close to 10,000 copies of this free UPnP server program are in the field, we wanted to post the operating instructions so you can see all the features and cool things eLyric does for you. [...]
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 [...]
The story of cover art
If you’ve ever fallen in love at first sight with an album, you owe a huge debt of gratitude to Alex Steinweiss, who died last week at the age of 94. Steinweiss has been called the [...]
The resurgence is near
Lots of hand wringing about the high-end. I have a different view. [...]
How much is music worth?
From Steve Jobs figuring out how to monetize piracy to $0.99 Lady Ga Ga albums on Amazon, the music turf war is just heating up. [...]
Closet Gearheads
Do you love music or the gear that reproduces it more? [...]
1/2 the answer
The internet formed the seeds of destruction for the music industry but they also contains the seeds of success. [...]
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 [...]
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! [...]
Too much noise
Some people can't buy anything or go anywhere without first finding out what the reviews say. Is that you? [...]
My hifi journey
Andy Stoneman gives us his blow-by-blow description of building his music system from the ground up - getting connected - a journey many of us can relate to and be envious of, all at the same [...]
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. [...]
Lawyers took over the music industry
First the MBAs stripped the music industry of its essence and then the lawyers came in and finished the job. Alan McGlade was right in the middle of it all and should know. [...]
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 [...]
Music Spins Me Right Round
Crank it up! Eddie Van Halen, Buffalo Springfield, Elvis Costello and Jazz great Oliver Nelson's new vinyl releases are reviewed in this edition of Josh Bizar's great column on vinyl and music that keeps us [...]
Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominoes (Eric Clapton) - 1970 Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs 96/24 High Definition Download / From HDtracks. Here's a great review on this new release of a classic band that [...]
Breaking down the network
A router is like a stereo receiver. If you want a better experience, you go for separates in your network. Aaron Gutin brings us up to speed with routers, networking and connecting to our [...]
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. [...]
Elton John in High Definition
There are now 5 Elton John 24/96kHz releases available for download and writer Gilbert Heatherwick is hearing things not found on the original vinyl pressings or the 44.1/16bit releases most of us have. [...]
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. [...]
MOG is it high-end?
There's a new streaming music service that's claiming to be "CD Quality" on-demand music streamed to your home for $10 a month. Great if it's true. PSTracks investigates the claim of high-end and find [...]
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 [...]
Reflections on Recording Vijay Iyer’s latest album
What's the recording process like when making a high-end album from scratch? Blue Coast Records engineer Cookie Marenco walks us through the process of making a high-end recording with artist Vijay Lyer. [...]
How Wall Street Destroyed the Music Industry
The music industry is a wreck and while most people blame iTunes and Napster, musician Dan Schwartz has a different view: exposing the real reasons for the collapse and it isn't who you might think [...]
Have a network and just don’t know it?
Just what is a network and do you have one at home? Chances are good you already do but you may not understand what it is or what it can do. The PSTracks staff [...]
Get 50% off HD Tracks download
It seems everyone wants to try a high resolution download. Here's a 50% off discount coupon you can use to join with everyone else and get some great music as well. The album is [...]
Home networking part 1
You just bought the best router on the market and you're all set. Really? Actually, what you have is the low end of what's possible for a home network and expert Aaron Gutin starts [...]
PSTracks Mobile ready
PSTracks is an online newspaper about the high end and it's available now as a special mobile viewing edition on Apple, Droid, Blackberry and other mobile devices. Check out this high-end viewing experience. [...]
Paul Simon – SO BEAUTIFUL OR SO WHAT
Paul Simon hasn't had an album released in five years, so what's the opinion on his latest release? Reviewer Gilbert Heatherwick reviews Paul Simon's latest release So beautiful or so what. See what he [...]
Downloads and serious music collecting
What's it like to go from years of collecting vinyl, moving on to collecting CD's and then transfer all that to a hard disc drive to make a new system? Gilbert Heatherwick walks us through [...]
Google’s Music Service
First there was iTunes which lives on your computer. The trend today is to get the media out of your storage and into the "cloud". Apple's rumored to be going this way and Google [...]
Ham fisted upsampling
Some downloaded music that claims to be high resolution isn't - yet customers are asked to pay a premium price for it. Is upsampling something really high resolution or is there more to it than [...]
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