#stereophiles

[audiovenue]

Luxman D-07X CD player/ DAC, on demonstration now at Audio Venue. . . #luxman #audio ##luxmancdplayer #hifisystem #stereophile #musical #hifiberkshire #luxmancd #luxmand07x #d07x #hifiwestlondon #hifiealing #audiovenue #hifi #audiophiles #stereophiles #magico #hifishop #wellfloat #ealing #maidenhead #audiovenue #w5 . . @luxman.japan (at Audio Venue) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpj7SdcIyti/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thedaily-beer]

AleSmith Stereophile Hazy DIPA (Picked up at Windmill Farms). A 3 of 4. Lots of bright tropical fruit and citrus in the nose, and a nice, sticky lacing that sticks around for a while. Thicker, creamy body that’s quite nicely balanced, and finishes clean with a medium bitterness. Doesn’t really stand out of the pack, but is quite good.

[jorgenguldmann]

LO-FI towards HI-FI, while maintaining a budget

[fatpunkstudio]

Limited edition @bangolufsen Beosound A9 “Koi” cover takes Fat Punk Studio’s iconic design into a new musical dimension. Azzure tones and crisp white create a beguiling, graphical allure. This bold signature look will add a luxurious touch to any interior. DM us about this cover. Discover the Art of Living collection via link below.

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[kalliebolander]

Directly heated triodes (DHT) are famous for their lively sound, especially in single ended amplifiers. #300b #singleended #dht #tubeamps #tubeamplifier #point2point #marsamps #diytubeamp #diytube #stereophile #handwired #stereotubeamp #madeinsouthafrica https://www.instagram.com/p/CrIXzltKDNn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[donotdestroy]

Listening | Stereophile     

RIP Art Dudley

[rescue-ram]

Trapper: 2, 6, 12, 23

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

Augh... Okay, so something I like about all iterations of Trapper is that he is not always saying what he's feeling- he's often holding something back, but you can tell, and you want to find out. I think the Doylist explanation for that in the TV show is Wayne Rogers doing a lot of acting without a lot of lines lol, but whatever little story he's making up in his head for "what's my motivation" legitimately comes through at multiple key points IMO!

Like for example of what I mean, I love his first and last scenes in the movie- there's this hidden delight when he recognizes Hawkeye that shows he recognized him but doesn't want to say anything, and then at the end his words are pissed off but you csn tell he's sad- even though he's physically restrained in both scenes there's a lot of emotion. And in the show, I looooove the little facial journeys Wayne takes Trapper on that really heighten his reactions or line delivery. I love the contrast between his rough edges and sarcasm and his gentleness and willingness to do the right thing when he can. He's my baby boyyy.

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

🤔 I honestly feel like we have a similar sense of humor. IDK how to put it into words but I relate strongly to his vibe.

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

So many kcjckc. Plus I feel like I've incorporated most of them into a fic at one point or another kxkcn.

STRONGLY believe he's a middle child from a poor Irish Catholic family

I like the idea that he's a bit of a "best little boy in the world" and from an early age was determined to do whatever he had to to get out of the neighborhood. I think he worked hard and excelled at school and sports and got lucky with scholarships, and doesn't actually get along very well with his brothers because they think he thinks he's better than them (and secretly he does just a little bit.)

I think his dad died when he was very young and he doesn't have many fond memories of him because he never talks about him.

I think in civilian life he hasn't actually been cool since he was 21, but he knows how to play act that role and gets a kick out of getting to be cool again in camp

Absolutely baseless headcanon but I think he's a total radiohead and stereophile. Loves jazz and blues, and loves rock n roll when that genre emerges.

23. Favorite picture of this character?

ME TRYING TO PIC JUST ONE (⁠´⁠°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥⁠ω⁠°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥⁠｀⁠)

BARK BARK BARK

[audio-luddite]

Audio Demi-gods and Hi-Fi.

At least one personality I check out does not like the term Audiophile. There is a definite sneer to his use of that word. He uses Hi-Fi often.

I like that term. High Fidelity means exactly that. A high degree of accuracy and precision in reproducing music signals. It avoids the conceit of being an audiophile as well as reduces the weight of opinion. Another way to think about that is it is for the "testing people".

The idea of accuracy is codified by low distortion and noise, not by liking the sound. It was that the early designers were pursuing. Not a particular voice. The voice was on the recording.

In the 1950s to 1970s the hobby was about Hi-Fi.

The early designers of Hi-Fi audio equipment were legends. They mentored a second generation that climbed even higher. But as things developed low test figures were relatively easy to get under lab conditions. Things got more complicated.

David Hafler founded the Dynaco and the Hafler brands. He designed the Tube amplifiers that still influence the hobby today by their relatively huge numbers out in the wild. Later he hired some of the second generation of brilliant designers for doing transistor designs.

Stewart Hegeman worked for many companies including Dynaco and Harman Kardon and was the designer of the still coveted Citation tube amps. He also designed speakers and tuners. His Citation II tube amp is probably the best classic (late 1950s) vacuum tube design out in the wild.

William Zane Johnson was Audio Research. He kept the Vacuum tube banner flying after it was abandoned by everyone else. His SP3 series preamps were the state of the art in the 1970s. His D76 amplifier series sealed his place in audio Olympus. He preferred the results, the voice, he got with tubes though as FET ideas became better he drifted.

Arguably it was WZJ who nurtured the culture of the audiophile. He got the hi-fi test numbers, but many people just preferred the sound he got. (Include me there)

Those guys were the big names.

The second generation was evolving. Bob Carver invented BIG transistor amps with Phase Linear by using gangs of the biggest transistors he could find. He was originally a numbers guy. Later he proved he could make one of his not expensive transistor amps sound exactly like an expensive high end amp by fiddling with components to create a voice.

James Bongiorno left his mark on the Dynaco 400, the big SAE amps, the Ampzilla, and several other products that had in common big power and amazing fidelity. Great numbers.

Nelson Pass worked for several companies and left a trail of products that some people buy just because he had a hand in it. He is still kicking around in the mountains of California doing interesting things with transistors. He became a champion of good distortion. If you like it, it is good. Numbers don't matter.

I think this maps a migration of taste from being accurate to having a voice you prefer. In the same way the job of reviewers drifted from running tests on a piece to listening and judging. Publications were founded specifically because of that. Stereophile was founded by J Gordon Holt for exactly that reason. Later "The Absolute Sound" was founded by Harry Pearson because he felt JGH was compromised by the need to advertise in his magazine. Opinions became paramount.

I do not want to simplify the Hi-Fi problem too much. Lab tests can show two devices give exactly the same results. Those two devices can then sound different. One side of the argument says this proves tests mean nothing. The other rightly claim the conditions are different. Once you know it is good choose by preference.

I am an engineer. I gotta know why.

I own two radically different amplifiers. One is a high power full complementary symmetry transistor amplifier with global negative feedback designed in the early 1970s and modified a bit. The other is a legitimate high end medium power ARC Tube amplifier with FETs and power vacuum tubes running as triodes. It too has negative feedback. It is absolutely stock. (Well except for some test point access)

They are both high end, and high fidelity. They actually sound similar in the most general sense. They are pretty accurate. But they also have subtle differences in voice and textures. I go on and on about the differences, I seldom emphasize how small these things are. That is because, yes I am an audiophile and I notice this stuff.

Audiophiles can get fooled by trickery and salesmanship. So it is not an extension or a refinement of Hi-Fi. It is not better than Hi-Fi. It is a different perspective. If it tests bad it is bad.

What was I actually trying to say?

PS***

I should note that obviously I am talking about the North American Hi-Fi world. That is what I know. Very few products came across that ocean. In the old days. Those I know about are from the UK. Quad speakers, and electronics. SME tone arms. Some turntables. Oh and that DECCA phono cartridge. All were niche items. Oh and very good.

[audiogold]

@jbl_synthesis 4309 passive monitors in store and on demo. As you’d expect, super tight with exceptional clarity. Amazing build quality. Great for studio, home or commercial install alike. They look pretty good too 👀 #jbl #jbl4309 #jblspeakers #jblmonitors #hornspeaker #classic #monitor #sexy #tight #blue #standmountspeakers #bookshelf #shelf #audiophile #clarity #music #musicproduction #volume #clear #bright #stereophile #stereo #audiogold (at Audio Gold) https://www.instagram.com/p/CocX4TwMqhW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[richardvarey]

Streaming library information sophistication

Jim Austin over at Stereophile continues the perpetuation of the ‘what we lose when we stream instead of spin plastic discs’ saga. He restates that dematerialising music listening lessens the experience. It does. Less equipment, effort, and expense (the stuff sold by the advertisers in the magazine). But less tactile connection to elaborated product. Think of all the graphic artists,…

[audiovenue]

Luxman D-07X CD player/ DAC, some of the finer details. . #luxman #audio ##luxmancdplayer #hifisystem #stereophile #musical #hifiberkshire #luxmancd #cdplayer #dac #luxmand07x #d07x #source #hifiwestlondon #hifiealing #audiovenue #hifi #audiophiles #stereophiles #magico #hifishop #wellfloat #ealing #maidenhead #audiovenue #w5 . . @luxman.japan . , Swipe left to see more (at Audio Venue) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpmeyrooCA-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[onedirectdeals]

Mytek Brooklyn Bridge II ROON CORE 4TB (Black) Streamer/DAC/Headphone Amp/Preamp

Price: Buy Now Last Updated: Brooklyn Bridge II (BB2) is a major redesign of our best selling original Brooklyn Bridge (BB1). The BB1 has been very successful, receiving the Stereophile Product of the Year and EISA award in 2019-2020 for its innovative, beautiful design and sound. The BB2 has the same award winning preamp and DAC circuits, but now also features a 90W linear power supply. In…

[acommonloon]

Nacamichi! A million years ago Jason Tabor asked if I wanted to stay up after work (midshift) to go to a new Stereo store just opened in San Angelo.

At that point I had a low-fi system I'd purchased with my first bank loan (we also bought furniture and a sewing machine.) I didn't actually know my system, with big Sound Source speakers, was low-fi but I'd come to admit (to myself) it was not impressing me.

I walked into that store that day, not at all cognizant of my ignorance about stereo sound. When I left, after having heard a Bob Carver rig played through some Polk Audio speakers, I was distressed. I'd experienced the lowest level of hifi that day but it was so far beyond what I had at home and equally beyond what I could could afford, I was despondent.

In the immediate aftermath, I subscribed to Stereophile Magazine and began to discover and crave the hifi experience. In the mid-eighties stereo stores with the new VHS players and CD players were the new thing. MTV was new and we watched it for hours every day.

To this day when I hear music from that era I'm transported to that exciting time.

Stereophile magazine reviewed not just high-end audio equipment but the highest of the high-end. Equipment priced in the mid-eighties that would still be out of my range today. But reading about devices such as the Nakamichi Dragon, that spun the cassette rather than the playback head, allowed me to dream.

Seeing this post took me back.

[lsvbne]

Vinyl lovers, you can now restore your collection to like-new condition with the VPI HW-16.5 professional record cleaning machine. In production for over 30 years, and winner of a Stereophile magazine award for Product of the Year, the HW 16.5 is considered the best and safest way to clean vinyl records. Full details on the HW 16.5 are available here, and you can download the User Manual for more info. The hire rate is $250 for a weekend, with the cleaning fluid provided. For more information please contact us on (07) 3552 7000 From the Archives - Feb 09 2012

[kalliebolander]

Mars line level preamp in the making. #tubeamps #tubeamplifier #marsamps #madeinsouthafrica #tube #stereophile https://www.instagram.com/p/CqpiVxfKO7W/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thewaysoundtravels]

(via Jazz Boom in the UK!)

“There’s no way to successfully quantify what makes a music scene take off, and the recent U.K. jazz movement is no exception; it wouldn’t be quite so magical if you could. However, it’s possible to observe — with a wide-lens view — some of the factors that made the soil so rich for growing something new”.

See below for more articles on the UK jazz scene

We Out Here: The Fast-Forward Evolution of British Jazz | All About Jazz

Why now is the perfect time to get into jazz | BBC

How jazz became the soundtrack of a modern, multicultural London | Redbull

The British jazz explosion: meet the musicians rewriting the rulebook | The Guardian

21 exhilarating records from the contemporary UK jazz scene | Redbull

London's jazz scene: A guide to the best artists and venues | The Evening Standard

Here we go again: Inside London’s latest jazz revolution | The Evening Standard

Blowing up: six of Britain’s new jazz musicians on making a living out of their passion | The Guardian

Dance, Don't Swing: the New Jazz Scene in London and the UK | Stereophile