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Audio Rags
I used to love to tear open the latest issue of Stereophile, TAS, Hi-Fi News or whichever magazine landed in my mailbox. That zeal has been virtually lost because there’s so much playing in the vinyl sandbox and unobtainium componentry. The July 2026 Stereophile is a case in point. Vinyl Sandbox The first columnist finally gets to the point of discussing a…
My Method For Listening
I put a CD in Atoll’s CD200, $2950, and hit play. Atoll is a family owned company in France. The Atoll products are built under their own roof with a three year warranty. If you read the hi-fi mags you’ll mostly see vinyl and streaming fans. Vinyl is disqualifying for me due to the noise, hum/rumble and irregular speed. It just doesn’t…
No China
In the spring of 2025 I was on the phone with one of the guys at Magnepan. They proudly build speakers with great expertise in Minnesota. Magnepan was created (1969) by an innovative American, Jim Winey, who was an engineer at 3M. In this conversation we were discussing different amplifiers. I told him I recommend great amps from Bryston (Canada) and Atoll…
Isotek
Isotek is an English company, specializing in Power Conditioners and Power Cables that they manufacture in Europe, not China like the other guys. The goal of Isotek is not to just provide surge protection, but to provide IMPROVED SOUND for your hi-fi or AV system. There are two main sources of noise that muddle up your AC. *Differential Mains noise is debris…
Best Bang For Your Buck Integrated Amp
Atoll IN200, $2900 (120×2) Which integrated amp is the best buy of them all? *It has to be built well so that it’s reliable. That means it can’t be built in China. *It needs to sound warm/full/smooth- not thin/harsh. *It has to be able to drive modest to fabulous speakers well so you don’t outgrow it quickly. *It needs to be flexible…
Where Do The Children Play?
In the fall of 1970 Cat Stevens came out with an incredible album, “Tea For The Tillerman.” Many of us who were burgeoning audiophiles were inspired to pursue better audio gear by the song “Where Do The Children Play?” The acoustic guitar intro is sparse and full of character. It lasts about 30 seconds. It’s unadorned and builds to… just where- we’re…
Planning Your Hi-Fi System
Let’s start this discussion from square one. You own NO audio gear but you’re excited to build a system. Where do you start? The first step is to search within your own cavernous brain to understand what will please YOU. Let’s work on that. For me, music is all about singers and acoustic instruments. Since I’m a classical piano hound, the piano…