LATEST ADDITIONS

Recording of March 2026: Easter Island Suite

Thomas Conrad Feb 12, 2026

John Vanore & Abstract Truth: Easter Island Suite
Vanore, trumpet, flugelhorn, compositions, arrangements; 27 others
Acoustical Concepts AC-160 (CD). 1989, 2012, 2024/2026. Vanore, prod.; Terry Hoffman, Richard King, John Senior, engs.

My Back Pages

Steve Cropper Played It

Mike Mettler Feb 11, 2026

Legendary Stax guitarist/producer Steve Cropper hated when deejays talked over song intros. He decided to do something about it for the countless hit singles cut at the label's Memphis studio in the 1960s. As a result of his efforts, Cropper—who passed away on December 3, 2025, at age 84—became known as "The Intro Guy," a sobriquet he was proud to honor.

Music and Recording Reviews

February 2026 Jazz Record Reviews

Thomas Conrad, Andrey Henkin Feb 10, 2026

Billy Hart: Multidirectional; John O'Gallagher: Ancestral; Thomas Strønen's Time Is A Blind Guide: Off Stillness; Peter McEachern Quintet: Streamin'.

Music and Recording Reviews

February 2026 Classical Record Reviews

Jason Victor Serinus, Stephen Francis Vasta Feb 10, 2026

M'a dit Amour, Julia Roset, soprano, Susan Manoff, piano; Ravel: Chamber Music, Nash Ensemble; Lalo | Bonis | Debussy | Ravel: Art Nouveau: French Chamber Music Around 1900, Trio Wanderer.

Music and Recording Reviews

February 2026 Rock/Pop Record Reviews

Robert Baird, Ray Chelstowski Feb 10, 2026

Salt Collective: A Brief History of Blindness; Geese: Getting Killed; Tame Impala: Deadbeat; Tortoise: Touch.

Audacious Audio Tube Power Amp Reviews

Doshi Audio Evolution Stereo power amplifier

Ken Micallef Feb 06, 2026

Nick Doshi is cautiously reserved when he talks about his amplifiers, preferring to let the products speak for themselves. At every show I've heard them at, from Chicago to DC to Munich, they have done exactly that: Every system I've heard featuring a Doshi amp has delivered great sound. When I pressed him as to why, he just smiled.

Gramophone Dreams Phono Preamp Reviews

Gramophone Dreams #105: The Hot Club of New York and the Kitsuné KTE LCR-1 MK5 phono stage

Herb Reichert Feb 05, 2026

Last night, I sat on a bright yellow velveteen sofa eating red beans and rice while listening for three hours to blues and jazz from rare 78rpm records. I walked out feeling gospel-level raised up, with a head full of dreams and cultural memories.

Aural Robert

Touched-up Beatles and Ringo in Color

Robert Baird Feb 04, 2026

Opinions vary, but like everything connected to The Beatles, charged arguments over Giles Martin's ongoing remastering of, and sonic tinkering with, the band's hallowed recording catalog are unending.

News

Octave Unveils the Jubilee Class A Mono Amplifier

Jason Victor Serinus Feb 03, 2026

Octave Audio of Karlsbad, Germany, a longtime manufacturer of tube electronics, presented the North American debut of its new Octave Jubilee Class A mono amplifier ($85,000/pair) at Definitive Audio, Bellevue (across the lake from Seattle) on January 29. The first stop in a three-city US tour by Andreas Hofmann, company president and designer, and John Quick, VP Sales & Marketing for Octave's US distributor, Dynaudio North America, the multi-day event included two back-to-back sessions followed by open houses.

My Back Pages

Traveling Through Time and Space

Thomas Conrad Feb 03, 2026

In the April 2024 issue of this magazine, a piece by Editor Jim Austin appeared in the "As We See It" space. It was titled "On assessing sonic illusions," and it has haunted me for more than a year. Jim's thesis was that a music recording is a "synthetic, whole-cloth creation ... a complete fabrication."