Herb Reichert

Rogue Audio RH-5 preamplifier-headphone amplifier

Herb Reichert Oct 26, 2017

Every day in my bunker, I use one of a few high-quality headphone amplifiers to double as a line-level preamplifier-controller and operate as the quality-assurance reference for my ongoing audio experiments. I must choose this component carefully, because it determines the upper limit of my system's ability to reveal any subtle differences among components under review.

RMAF 2017

Herb's Rocky Mountain Coda

Herb Reichert Oct 15, 2017

Sunday afternoons at audio shows are when the good sound is just kicking in. The rooms' components have recovered from the trauma of travel and are starting to purr. Unfortunately, that's when the toys go back in the boxes. That is also when this humble reporter looks like he's been dragged behind a car.

And this Sunday, just when I thought I was done being dragged, I get this mad call from an out-of-breath Jason Victor Serinus, saying, "Herb! Get your ass up to room 1125 (the Parasound-Tekton room). The sound is amazing, and you must listen to this speaker. Hurry up!"

RMAF 2017

Herb's Final Three Rooms at the Denver Show

Herb Reichert Oct 15, 2017

Vana Ltd. had two rooms at RMAF. Both rooms had stereo systems set-up, but the first room I entered was filled by a hoard of standing, chattering people of all sexes. It looked like they were making big business deals so I decided to not eavesdrop or interrupt. However, the sound of music coming from the Vana room next door was inviting. I slipped in and was greeted warmly by Nancy Weiner and Audio Physic's Manfred Diestertich.

RMAF 2017

Sunday with Herb

Herb Reichert Oct 13, 2017

Last year, Vaughn Loudspeakers' flagship Plasma Signature towers ($20,000/pair), featuring eight midrange drivers in a bipolar configuration (four front and four rear), a 12" powered subwoofer, and their signature plasma tweeter, were my BIG best-in-show discovery

RMAF 2017

Herb's Denver Day Two, Part Two

Herb Reichert Oct 12, 2017

During my brief audition, this new, 6922 tube-equipped Stax amplifier played smother, slightly fuller, a little lusher, and, less electrostatically

RMAF 2017

Herb's RMAF Day Two

Herb Reichert Oct 11, 2017

Each year, in honor and remembrance of her late husband and RMAF founder, Al Stiefel, Marjorie Baumert donates one exhibit room to support "a new manufacturer with an innovative product, or one who simply needs a little help"

RMAF 2017

Day One in Denver, with Herb

Herb Reichert Oct 10, 2017

Dear reader, please stop for a second to imagine how I could go from the above-mentioned MSB room to the $500 setup without feeling pain.

RMAF 2017

RMAF 2017: Focal Press Breakfast

Herb Reichert Oct 07, 2017

At 8:30am on Friday, my 2017 RMAF began on a solemn note: a moment of silence for Focal's Gérard Chrétien, who passed on October 1st. Along with Jacques Mahul, Monsieur Chrétien was an important member of the Focal team since 1990.

Gramophone Dreams Turntable Reviews

Gramophone Dreams#18: AMG Giro turntable

Herb Reichert Oct 03, 2017

It's get-ting bet-ter all the time (it can't get no worse)John Lennon & Paul McCartney

Remasterings of recordings make me angrythey mess with my memories of the songs I love, especially songs from the 1960s that I played in my bedroom on a cheap Garrard turntable through Lafayette speakers. Like my first girlfriend, these songs permanently entered my psyche and modified my DNA.

Tube Power Amp Reviews

Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40 Mk.II power amplifier

Herb Reichert Sep 26, 2017

I have always been fascinated by audio power amplifiers. I even tried building about a hundred of them. My best friend in high school, Bill Brier, taught me the basics of soldering, wire management, and reading schematics. He loaned me his Dynaco Stereo 70, and gave me a hot-running, 20W, class-A transistor amp that he'd built on his mother's kitchen table. Bill took me to concerts, and taught me about classical and jazz music. He had perfect pitch, tuned pianos for money, played every instrument in the orchestra, and had memorized the complete keyboard works of J.S. Bach before he turned 16. And this stuff was all on the sidemainly, we built drag race cars together.