by Josh Emmons My tastes in music are discouragingly popular. I crave ABA structures, uplifting hooks, and transportive bridges. I am inspired by key changes. My first cassette tape was Different Light. My first CD? […]
It’s not often that seeing a vendor at an audio show warms my heart, but seeing that Grant Fidelity is still kicking makes me incredibly happy. Watching Rachel Grant bounce her company back onto the […]
I’ve been hanging out in Gingko Audio rooms at shows since about 2006, and I’ve heard at least umpteen-dozen of their show setups since then. I almost always dig them. I dug them back when […]
Scot Hull likes to accuse me of being too negative. I keep trying to tell him that I’m not negative, it’s just that people keep shoving half-empty glasses at me. He tells me that I […]
Not everything at an audio show has to sound good. That makes sense. If we were honest with each other, we’d admit that this “it’s all about the music” line of bull we peddle each […]
by Josh Emmons Here’s the thing, Gibson and I got off on the wrong foot. I have many more fingers in the guitar world than the audio enthusiast one. And there is, perhaps, no guitar […]
I’ve started to worry that I’m becoming one of those guys who plays favorites with a brand. It’s not about the ad money, because Audio Note sure as heck doesn’t advertise. It’s not about the […]
Let’s just say that New Hampshire’s Fidelis Home Audio shared a room with the legend, Vinnie Rossi. I wanted to start out with that third-grade book report opening to throw you folks off the scent. […]
by Josh Emmons I’m sitting in the Essential Audio room, notepad open, pen in hand. Eyes unfocused, listening intently. But writing nothing. And I should be writing something. It’s my job to write something. But […]
ModWright, Daedalus, and WyWires have become something close to the Three Stooges over the last few years. They keep hanging out with each other, they keep showing minor variations on a theme, and they keep […]
Let me start by reminding you that I have a Tannoy problem. I like to tell myself I manage it pretty well. I should probably go to meetings, really. The biggest problem with being a […]
by Josh Emmons I’m a Mac guy. It’s not a lifestyle thing for me or anything, but when browsing consumer electronics, I’m drawn to aluminum and glass. Clean edges. Sharp, minimal design. Knowing this about […]
Let’s be clear: Jeff Catalano is banned — BANNED! — from getting mentioned for “best in show” for at least a year. We’re just going to have to give him a Grand Master Lifetime Achievement […]
My number one, must see stop on the tour was the basement room shared by KEF and Parasound. I wasn’t curious about the Reference line (I tend to agree with Kirsten’s impressions), and I didn’t […]
Doug White of The Voice That Is built a gorgeous system around the TIDAL Contriva GS speakers ($69,690 as shown), easily the best looking speakers at the show. Note that this speaker is also a complete reworking […]
by Joshua Emmons I listen to headphones mostly because I live in an apartment with absurdly thin floors and anxious neighbors. Still, by my reasoning, it’s easier to get good sound out of tiny drivers […]
by Joshua Emmons So many things about the Mo-Fi Blue seem obvious in hindsight. For example, instead of hanging headphones from hooks, maybe they should stand on their own? And, I mean, powered speakers and […]
It’s hard not to be a big fan of what Emerald Physics is trying to do. Big coaxes? Big woofers? An amp on every driver? Digital crossovers customized to work in your specific room? Open […]
By John Stancavage Every year there seems to be no lack of new ideas in the high-end audio industry. Many, though, are variations on a theme or sketchy tweaks. Rarely is a product truly reimagined […]
It’s not all that often you get to throw around a phrase like “surprisingly rewarding,” but Goerner Communication’s exhibit in one of the small rooms on the fifth floor was, in every way, surprisingly rewarding. […]
Copyright PT Audio 2009-2023