Ken Micallef

Capital AudioFest 2022

The Vinyl Revivers/Black Ice/Klipsch/Ortofon/Pro-Ject/Audio Desk System

Ken Micallef Nov 12, 2022

Black Ice amplification joined with Klipsch speakers and a Pro-Ject turntable to create a high-octane rig that played contemporary pop, rock, and blues like Stevie Ray Vaughan riffing with '90s German techno.

Capital AudioFest 2022

Songer Audio/Whammerdyne Audio

Ken Micallef Nov 12, 2022

Two relative newcomers from Oregon made me ponder the question: Does West Coast-based audio differ from its East-Coast brethren? That's definitely the case with East- vs West-Coast jazz and hip-hop. I don't know the answer. What say you?

Capital AudioFest 2022

Alta Audio/Infigo Audio

Ken Micallef Nov 12, 2022

I scrambled into the room shared by Infigo Audio and Alta Audio where Alta Audio's Michael Levy was introducing his new Titanium Hestia II floorstanders ($37,500/pair). I always dig Hans Looman's Infigo amplifiers; Hans always plays cool and unusual music, and his amps are small beasts of potent power, snap-crackling dynamics, and surprisingly large, super-scaled soundstages.

Capital AudioFest 2022

Bache Audio & Alexus Audio from Brooklyn

Ken Micallef Nov 12, 2022

I have to admit, at past shows, Bache Audio's Greg Belman has urged me to visit his and Alex Choren's shared Alexus Audio room, and I've begged off, "too busy" the usual lame excuse. But this time I didn't and damn! I was glad I made it into this small oasis of good music and excellent high-fidelity reproduction.

Capital AudioFest 2022

Distinctive Stereo/Genesis/Element/Merrill/VPI/Aurender/AudioQuest

Ken Micallef Nov 11, 2022

The Distinctive Stereo/Genesis Advanced Technologies/Merrill Audio Advanced Technology room celebrated Genesis's 30th anniversary with the debut of the Genesis Tribute Loudspeakers ($125,000/pair), in honor of Genesis founder, the late Arnie Nudell, "advanced with the latest innovations in materials and technology by current designer, Gary Leonard Koh," stated a press release.

Capital AudioFest 2022

VAC/Von Schweikert/Kronos/Esoteric/Aurender/Hana/Ultra Q

Ken Micallef Nov 11, 2022

When I walked into the Potomac room, a large VAC/Von Schweikert system was playing vintage Steely Dan tunes (Gaucho era) via vinyl into the sprawling spacewhat's not to love? While one exhibitor poked me in the ribs for criticizing their choice of Michael Jackson's Thriller at last year's event, the Yacht Rock flowing out of the mighty Potomac room suited me perfectly. And it sounded fantastic.

Capital AudioFest 2022

Capital Audiofest 2022, Rockville, Maryland Starts Today

Ken Micallef Nov 11, 2022

Presenting dozens of new exhibitors, 40 more rooms, and 30 more accessories booths than in 2021, Capital Audiofest 2022 is up and running like a fire-starter. Owner/organizer/promoter Gary Gill is sporting a new, literally letting-his-hair-down cut, and over an aromatic cigar he excitedly regaled me with news.

Integrated Amp Reviews

Western Electric Type No.91E integrated amplifier

Ken Micallef Oct 21, 2022

During my 30-odd years inhabiting New York City's Greenwich Village, I've seen many things come and go. Today's Village buzzes, blasts, and bellows in every direction, change itself the only constant.

Revinylized!

Revinylization #34: The Reintroduction of Candid Records

Ken Micallef Oct 04, 2022

As an aspiring teenage illustrator, I was fascinated by the work of outlaw cartoonist Robert Crumb. His beautifully drawn images offered escape from the redneck southern city where I grew up. I was especially enchanted by Crumb's caricatures of blues and jazz musicians, which were assembled in his "Heroes of the Blues" and "Early Jazz Greats" trading-card collections.

Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

Tannoy Stirling Prestige Gold Reference loudspeaker

Ken Micallef Sep 30, 2022

Founded in 1926 by Guy R. Fountain in London as the Tulsemere Manufacturing Company, Tannoya portmanteau (footnote 1) of "tantalum" and "alloy," after a tantalum-lead alloy used in rectifierstook on its current commercial identity in 1928. Through the war years and beyond, the company specialized in public-address (PA) systems. Indeed, today, "tannoy" is a widely recognized generic term for a PA system in the UK; there's an entry for "tannoy" in the Oxford English Dictionary.