New and Vintage Deals for the Discerning Audiophile
One of my earliest childhood memories is listening to Michael Jackson's Thriller on my parent's hifi system when I was around four years old. I don't remember what type of turntable they had, but I know they had Ohm speakers (perhaps model D2 based on pictures) and a Harman Kardon 430 receiver. We moved to... Continue Reading →
For the past few years I've been looking for an opportunity to audition some vintage gear from Counterpoint Electronic Systems. Counterpoint's chief designer, Michael Elliott, was well regarded, particularly for his tube designs, and many of the company's products garnered positive reviews prior to its bankruptcy and dissolution in the late 90s. So when this... Continue Reading →
Few brands trigger awe among audiophiles like Krell. Dan D'Agostino's spare-no-expense designs remain sought after 30+ years after their release, and for good reason: few designs can match the rich cohesiveness and dynamic range of a golden-age Krell (as distinguished from today's Krell, which never seems to have recaptured the magic after D'Agostino left). So... Continue Reading →
About 5 years ago, I bought on a Marantz 2265 off Craigslist for $300 from a seller in Park Slope, Brooklyn. That was an attractive price given how popular the vintage Marantz, blue-dial receivers had become (and remain today). I remember him bringing it down to my car and asking about my repair plans. He... Continue Reading →
Stereophile reviewer Jason Victor Serinus owns what appears to be a half-million-dollar-plus Hi-Fi system. It includes, among other things, a dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, a Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, a Vivaldi Master Clock, an Innuos Statement NextGen Music Service, a Dan D'Agostino Momentum HD preamp and Progression M550 monoblocks, Wilson Alexia V speakers, various Nordost cables,... Continue Reading →
One of the many benefits of my foray into DIY audio is that I've learned the prices of the components that go into many hi-fi components, including the high-quality capacitors, resistors, transistors, and transformers that form the heart of most amps and preamps. The truth is that even the highest quality components from the likes... Continue Reading →
I've written previously about my efforts to replace my beloved Logitech Squeezebox with a Raspberry Pi-based Logitech Media Server or Roon endpoint. But I recently started using a Roon feature that has changed how I listen to music, and I'll never go back to anything else. After subscribing to Roon last year, I played around... Continue Reading →
If you've read my review of the Nakamichi SR-2A, then you already know how I feel about Nelson Pass and his Stasis design. That low-powered receiver floored me, and it is still the best $100 that I've ever spent on a piece of stereo equipment. So when the opportunity came along to purchase a Nakamichi... Continue Reading →
I dedicated my last post to the joys of building a Raspberry Pi-based Squeezebox replacement, not least of which is that Logitech Media Server (LMS) is free and works well overall. Audiophiles with deeper pockets, however, have another great option: Roon Labs' music server software. Roon's software costs $9.99 per month (which does not include... Continue Reading →
The Logitech Squeezebox Touch was a life-changing device. I vividly recall seeing it on the cover of Stereophile, reading the review, and then purchasing one the same day for $300. That is still the best $300 I have ever spent on a piece of audio equipment. The Touch not only put my entire library of... Continue Reading →
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