February 2026 Rock/Pop Record Reviews
Salt Collective: A Brief History of Blindness; Geese: Getting Killed; Tame Impala: Deadbeat; Tortoise: Touch.
Continue Reading »
LATEST ADDITIONS
Doshi Audio Evolution Stereo power amplifier
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.
Continue Reading »
Gramophone Dreams #105: The Hot Club of New York and the Kitsuné KTE LCR-1 MK5 phono stage
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.
Continue Reading »
Touched-up Beatles and Ringo in Color
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.
Continue Reading »
Octave Unveils the Jubilee Class A Mono Amplifier
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.
Traveling Through Time and Space
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."
Continue Reading »
Win a copy of the limited releases of the self-titled Fleetwood Mac and Rock A Little by Stevie Nicks
One winner will take home two extraordinary Mobile Fidelity audiophile pressings that showcase analog recording at its finest: Rock a Little by Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, each presented in strictly limited, reference-grade 45RPM editions. From the lavish, high-resolution textures of Rock a Little to the tape-like warmth, dynamics, and realism of Fleetwood Mac’s landmark 1975 release, this sweepstakes celebrates music made with ambition—and mastered for listeners who demand absolute fidelity. Enter for a chance to experience two iconic albums as they were always meant to be heard.
Continue Reading »
Revinylization #72: Rhino reissues The Replacements' Let It Be
Punk rock was never meant to grow old. For their first three studio efforts, The Replacements epitomized the punk ethos. Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash (1981), the EP Stink (1982), and Hootenanny (1983) are loud, bashy fun.
Continue Reading »
Kii Audio SEVEN active loudspeaker system
I reviewed the Kii THREE digital active loudspeaker in the September 2017 issue of Stereophile and was totally smitten. It was cutting edge in supporting analog and digital sources, direct-wired and network connections, and streaming.
Continue Reading »
EgglestonWorks Andra 5 loudspeaker
Big loudspeakers are where diligent hi-fi reviewers really earn their pay. Not only are they heavy and difficult to move, but they also require attention and patience to set up so that they sound their best in our listening spaces. They take time to understand and study. And they all sound quite different from each other.
Continue Reading »