Raidho Acoustics D-3 Loudspeaker

Raidho Acoustics D-3 Loudspeaker

Anthony Kershaw
Loudspeakers, Star Component Award

Good things are supposed to come in threes, but sometimes, one or two of the three decide not to play nicely. This is especially true with unruly members of a ‘family’ of loudspeakers. Most speaker manufacturers, if well funded and have a good designer, will attempt to produce a line or family of speakers. The most vested among them will produce several families, at various price points. This makes good financial sense but is far more difficult than you would imagine, especially the ‘baby step’ from monitor to floor stander.

Why No One Will Ever Equal Frank Sinatra

Why No One Will Ever Equal Frank Sinatra

Harry Currie
Music, Miscellaneous

There are probably no entertainers of the 20th Century who have had as much written about them as Frank Sinatra. Countless newspaper and magazine articles from the 1940s to the present day, books by anyone and everyone over decades – right now there are over a hundred books on Sinatra being offered at Amazon.com; some good, some bad, some superficial, very few well written and introspective. But, it’s interesting to see how many people have an opinion about Frank Sinatra.

The Audia Flight Strumento n1 Stereo Preamplifier

The Audia Flight Strumento n1 Stereo Preamplifier

Anthony Kershaw
Preamplifiers

The Italians get a rough ride when it comes to high end audio. Flaky kit, manuals that have been edited by Basil Fawlty, iffy distribution, etc. Sure, it looks good, and often sounds divine, but will the company be here for the long haul? I just reviewed pair of Italian loudspeakers from Chario. They were superb, exquisitely designed and manufactured. That speaker went a long way to eliminating my prejudices (real or imagined) about Italian gear. Another manufacturer that added to the elimination of misconceptions is Audia Flight (AF).

Ortofon 2M Blue Phono Cartridge

Ortofon 2M Blue Phono Cartridge

Anthony Kershaw
Analog

Danish manufacturer Ortofon, highly regarded by audiophiles for fair value, wonderful sounding cartridges, has produced a ‘colour coded’ set called the Ortofon 2M magnetic cartridge system. Entry level Red is followed by the subject of this mini review, the Blue and up through Bronze, and finally Black. The Blue retails for a very reasonable $225

Monitor Audio Platinum PL200 Loudspeakers

Monitor Audio Platinum PL200 Loudspeakers

Karl Sigman
Loudspeakers

Speakers are, as my closest audiophile friends and colleagues always remind me, the most important component of any high-end audio system. But unlike, say, an interconnect cable or a DAC, or even an amplifier, speakers are not easy to slip into a New York City apartment unnoticed. More importantly, they usually come with certain serious constraints attached to them by others who live with you, such as one’s wife. Speakers are viewed like furniture: a curio cabinet, a dinner table or even a couch — they are not supposed to be (or allowed to be) visually intrusive in the general ambiance of your home.

The Tri-Planar Ultimate 12” Tonearm

The Tri-Planar Ultimate 12” Tonearm

Audiophilia Staff
Analog

Tri-Planar has been producing some of the world’s finest tonearms for the past fifty years. The late Herb Papier, the founder of the company, introduced the original Wheaton Tri-Planar arm at the 1981 Consumer Electronics Show, but he had been making tonearms for some twenty years for family and friends. It is not surprising how many high-end audio manufacturers are musicians, and Herb was no exception—he expressed his love of music as a trumpet player—and he turned his talents as a precision watchmaker to the manufacturing of tonearms.

Transfiguration Axia Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Transfiguration Axia Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Audiophilia Staff
Analog

The Axia replaces the Aria as entry level cartridge in the Transfiguration line. It features an aluminum body to control resonances in addition to a boron cantilever and Ogura diamond stylus. With a tracking force of 2.0 grams and an output of .38 mV, it should be easy for most phono stages to handle without a step up device. The balance of the Transfiguration line consists of the Phoenix at $4,250.00 and the top of the line Proteus at $6,000.00. According to the manufacturer, the Axia shares the basic sonic attributes of its higher priced companions.

The Vinyl Flat Record Flattener

The Vinyl Flat Record Flattener

Martin Appel
Accessories

For those of you who own record collections and spend hours enjoying the listening that records bring, it is no surprise how important proper care and handling of your precious vinyl is to maintaining performance. One of the major problems that raises its ugly head is record warp. One has to deal with the muddying effects warped records produce including throbbing, overblown bass, and, if really bad, miss-tracking.

Barenboim conducts Elgar Symphony No. 2

Barenboim conducts Elgar Symphony No. 2

Anthony Kershaw
Music

I think it’s in every Englishman’s DNA that the gene ‘Must love Elgar’ exists. I have it, but as an identical twin, it was halved and diluted at birth. Therefore, I love Elgar’s Violin Concerto, In The South, and the 1st Symphony. Froissart, the Cello Concerto and his oratorios I can do without (ever played The Music Makers?!).

Launching a high end audio Start Up

Launching a high end audio Start Up

Anthony Kershaw
Miscellaneous

The two most recent audio shows, Toronto and Denver were instructive both aurally and visually. Yes, the equipment was great and much of the sound. But, sometimes the ‘front of house’ and many times, the back was sorely lacking. In this day, audio sex sells. You have to get the educated listener coming and going.

In the Trenches: Wes Bender Studio NYC

In the Trenches: Wes Bender Studio NYC

Martin Appel
Miscellaneous

Before Martin gets started, I’d like to say thank you to him for rekindling this popular series on Audiophilia. It’s been the longtime opinion of Audiophilia that dealers have the most difficult task in our business — the very sharp tip of the high-end triangle of Manufacturers, Editorial and Dealers.

#audiophiliacamp2012

#audiophiliacamp2012

Audiophilia Staff
Miscellaneous

Last weekend was spent in the delightful company of Audiophilia writers and our wives. The destination for this annual ‘audiophiliacamp’ is Saugerties, NY, about ninety minutes up the Hudson from the city. Nestled in seven peaceful acres, Mike and MaryAnn Levy’s gorgeous home sits atop a bluff overlooking the Saugerties Lighthouse and the meandering Hudson River.

In the Trenches: Angie’s Audio Corner, Toronto

In the Trenches: Angie’s Audio Corner, Toronto

Anthony Kershaw
Miscellaneous

Angie Lisi is an audiophile force of nature. I’ve known her for almost twenty years and have not found many people who are more knowledgeable about our business. She is especially gifted in the ultra important art of system synergy. As such, many of her clients are repeat customers and treat her suggestions like the gold standard. She’s always available for customers, both audiophile ingenues and the most jaded, opinionated hard cases.

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