The Audio Explorer

People who take joy in hating all things Apple, iTunes and iPod have one less gripe. After reaching a new agreement with the major record labels Apple announced that it will no longer embed copy protection into any of its songs. Not only does that mean that it will become easier to move iTunes libraries between computers but non-iPod devices will now be able to play files purchased from the iTunes store. Starting today 8 million songs will be offered DRM-free, the transition is expected to be finished in approximately 3 to 4 months. Apple has also decided to allow the record companies to have different pricing strategies for different artists. Tracks will sell for $0.69, $0.99, or $1.29 in the United States. Now if only they would allow iTunes and the iPod to play FLAC files, sell lossless files in the iTunes store, and/or high resolution files they’d really be on to something. The major unanswered question is what about all of those previously sold DRM-encumbered files already? Will customers be able to upgrade to the real deal for little or no money?

The resurgence of vinyl isn't just happening in America. From all appearances it's a global phanomon. The sale of 7" 45 RPM singles in England broke an estimated 1 million units last year, up from an all-time low in 2001 of 180,000 units. What makes that number all the more impressive is that the collection of data used for these estimates don't take small mom-and-pop stores into account. It's still a long way from 1979's peak of 89 million, but it's a start. Rough Trade East's owner Nigel House consisly states, "Obviously, you make more money selling a CD, but there's nothing like seven-inch singles, especially for the music aficionados. They're tactile, they have fantastic sleeves, they sound great, they're concise. Pure pop."

Click on the picture below to watch the video and read the article:

Is heavy, riff based Rock back in style? If the likes of The White Stripes, Wolfmother, Secret Machines, and The Black Keys have anything to say about it the answer is a rousing “Hell Yes!” “Attack and Release” was originally planed as a collaboration between Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney (or The Black Keys as they are collectively known), Ike Turner and producer Danger Mouse. However with the passing of Ike Turner this became impossible and so it became a Black Keys project. Recorded in just 14 days the album has a strong DIY feel from the water color and pencil cover to the hand built recording console that was used during the sessions.

Side A: “All You Ever Wanted” starts off at a medium simmer but mid way through the song the organ enters and it rivals the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in terms of sheer surprise. “I Got Mine” is a stylistic cross pollination of The White Stripes and Robert Johnson, with an unexpected left turn that heads straight for psychedelia and ends with the gentle hum of the guitarist’s tube amp. The third song on the album, “Strange Times” literally stomps. Being propelled by a big bass drum sound and hand claps. The lead melodic instrument of “Psychotic Girl” is an odd lurching bass guitar riff with flourishes of honky tonk piano and banjo. All of this with the addition of the creepy backing vocals are enough to make anyone remember a crazy ex or two. Is she at the front door? Is she going to stab me in the hand with a pencil again? How up to date is my restraining order anyway? All questions this song brought to my mind. Following hot on the heals of “Psychotic Girl” is “Lies,” a master stroke. Once one starts thinking about that crazy ex pondering all of the out there things she used to say is a natural progression. Of course the creepy soundscape is extended throughout this song as well, even more effectively than the previous number.

Side B: At the beginning of “Same Old Thing” the tape machine can be heard getting up to speed adding to the audio-vérité feel present throughout the album. The lyric “No matter where you been/Those people try to do you in/Every day till dawn/There’s some thieving’ going on.” are worthy of being part of any blues standard. The heavy groove and flute have a Black Sabbath meets Jethro Tull feel. “So He Won’t Break” has the best groove on the record. It is the sound of pure seduction aided by a xylophone. The guitar solo is an affectionate nod to Neil Young. “It Doesn’t Mean a Thing” is the perfect song to close the album. While calling it epic would be a bit of a stretch its obvious that it’s slower tempo and vocals were meant to invite the listener to follow it’s story of loss and regret. Both the organ and the backing vocals add a sympathetic touch to the song.

The pressing is extremely quiet and utilized the half speed mastering technique. Included with the record is a copy of the album on CD, at $18 the package is a bargain. Other artists should take note, it’s a nice touch for many reasons. It makes importing into iTunes a snap, listening to it in the car easy, it aids in the comparison of vinyl vs. CD for those on the fence, and it comes in handy for loaning to friends who are curious about the band. After spending the last several years servicing other people’s turntables it’s doubtful that I’ll ever lend out my records. The number of people who feel that it’s appropriate to put spare change on top of their tone arms in order to make sure that it tracks or are completely missing the diamond of their stylus is just plain alarming. Records, like girlfriends and wives are not for lending. Use the CD to help spread the word, cherish and hoard the record.

Of course the record has a much wider and deeper soundstage than the CD, no surprise there. What was surprising was how much better the bass was, not just in a tonal sense but dynamically as well. On a few of the songs the low-fi aesthetic goes a bit too far, by adding needless effects to the vocals. That slight misstep wasn’t enough to mar the overall presentation, it just seemed like an unnecessary indulgence.

What are any of the songs about? For the most part who cares? This isn’t a record about lyrics. It’s about the sound, the feel, and the groove. An atmospheric tour de force. While moments on the album remind me of this band or that , overall the album doesn’t remind me of anything else. The Black Keys are very much themselves, creating their own art. With little regard for how it will be received. Seemingly unaffected by corporate interests and focus groups. Something all too rare today.

Sound ***
Performance *** and 1/2

To Whom it may concern-

For nearly a decade I've been selling audio/video products. During this time I've become very good at explaining complex technologies to the everyday person. Working with cutting-edge home theater systems has also helped me to hone my strong problem solving and analytical skills. My communication skills are also first rate, both verbal and written.

While at Audio Consultants I was responsible for stock levels at my store and communicating my store’s needs to our central location. Determining what products were to be put on display was also an area that fell under my jurisdiction. My input was regularly sought about what products should be stocked for our company and what levels my individual store required. I was also responsible for working with manufacturers and various other repair facilities to get customer repairs completed in a timely fashion. These duties were in addition to my responsibilities as a sales person.

During my time at Allnet (now known as AVAD) distribution I worked selling audio and video gear to custom installers. Many times they asked for my advice to help them find a solution for one of their customer’s needs. I was able to perform this task not only because of my sales abilities, but also because I understood the products that I was selling. Also while at Allnet I was in constant contact with various manufacturers to check on delivery times and back order situations in an effort to serve our customers better. I was also involved in the training of many new employees.

When employed with Ovation Audio/Video my influence with the buying department was used to make sure that my store not only had the proper products on display, but that adequate stocking levels were maintained. Many times the buyers would ask me to help evaluate products from perspective vendors. I also helped to slim down the number of SKU’s from Monster Cable, while not negatively effecting our company’s sales. In fact because of the smaller number of SKU’s we were able to stock the ones that we used on a regular basis much more deeply. In addition many of my co-workers considered me a resource when it came to cutting edge technology. Many times asking for my help with their projects, or asking me to help by answering customer questions that they could not answer.

A major part of my employment at Great Sounds was to assist them in entering the home audio/video market. The company had been successful with respect to car audio for many, many years but many employees lacked some of the technical expertise for home theater. While there I helped to educate the part time employees on the finer points of home theater and video. During my tenure with Great Sounds we also pioneered HD TV in the Muncie market.

While attending College at Ball State University I worked as a tutor for over three years. This work experience sharpened my presentation skills and made me extremely comfortable talking to various sized groups of people. Also while a student I held numerous positions in student government. All of these skills would be a perfect fit for your company.

Currently I am seeking a position in sales or in purchasing, with or without travel. Relocation is also a possibility for the right opportunity. I am always interested in learning new skills, both audio and non-audio related.

Account Manager Electrograph

Stereophile's analog guru Michael Fremer recently participated in a round table discussion on the importance of quality sound. The other members on the panel included an audio engineer, a producer, a mastering engineer, an audio critic, and a music lover.

Perhaps the most insightful quote of the 2 1/2 hour discussion was from Mr. Fremer, "For Whatever the defects of a record are there's soething about what's in there that makes it emotionally nourishing."

One of the panel members related an interest antidote about how although humans can only hear from 20Hz in the bass frequencies to 20,000 Hz in the high frequencies that we can perceive frequencies much further up than the accepted 20kHz. Click on the picture of Mr. Fremer after you have grabbed the potato chips and the beverage of your choice.

Boxed sets are so much more than just the music that they contain. They are testaments of passion and respect reserved for historically important topics. The 240 page book contains many exclusive photos and interviews. Warner Bros. has released two versions of this collection. One version of the boxed set contains a USB drive in the shape of the Warner Bros. logo and contains 320 songs. It is not immediately obvious what file format or resolution has been used to encode these files. The other version contains 10 CDs which have 199 songs. Would it have killed them to have shoe-horned in one more song?

Hidden on Chicago’s FM dial is one of the most eclectic stations in the country. Driving with the windows down on a forgotten Saturday afternoon WXRT played the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven”, Muddy Waters’ “I’m a Man”, and Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls” back to back to back. How many radio stations would play these three songs in the same year, let alone as part of the same set? XRT displays the same passion and courage when championing new talent. They freely lend their support to Guster and many other under-exposed artists. If you’re thinking about being jealous, don’t. Through the miracles of the internet it’s now available world wide, make sure to send Al Gore a nice thank you note written on a palm leaf using soy ink, delivered by Pony Express. Maybe he’ll read it while riding on a private jet to one of his $175,000 speaking engagements. (Remember do as he says, NOT as he does and Mother Earth will be just fine).

Guster’s “Ganging Up on The Sun” is a meticulously recorded and mixed, ambitious pop album lovingly crafted to induce toe tapping. By the second or third listen the album already sounds familiar, like an old favorite. Except of course it isn’t, it’s a brand new favorite. ”Satellite” has such a perfectly written melody it feels familiar after the first listen. The day after the first spin odds are good that you’ll be humming this one. “Manifest Destiny” combines romance, revolution, and the yearning for a new beginning. ”You and I could quit this scene/Build a town and then secede/Like Adam and Eve.” The pop arrangement stops the song from sounding holier-than-thou and assures that the band’s brand of wide-eyed optimism comes through unscathed. ”One Man Wrecking Machine” has a similar theme, a need for a simpler time. The tune expresses a desire to return to the simpler times of High School via a homemade time machine. The spacey beginning and ending are a nice garnish. The song contains the oddly poetic and yet apathetic line, “I’m going to see the homecoming queen/Take her to the Christmas dance/Maybe now I’ll get in her pants, whatever.” Except for a lack of money and having to follow far too many arbitrary rules I share certain sympathy with the sentiment.

Start with ingredients that include banjo and a shuffling drum rhythm. Stir in a dollop of twang in the form of a guitar solo and “The Captain” has a surprising country flavor. ”The New Underground” is a straight-ahead rocker reminiscent of The Clash in its guitar tone and angry staccato chords. ”Ruby Falls” is a beautiful song that begins with an intimate vocal nestled in soft sheets of arpeggio guitar cords and a bed of organ. A muted trumpet provides a mysterious coda. It would be a tragedy if this song didn’t become a centerpiece of their concerts. This song taps into whatever instinct forces audiences to simultaneously break out their lighters and slowly wave them to and fro. It would be the perfect song to use to leave the stage and say “goodnight,” then of course return for some really rocking encores. ”C’mon” is a call to arms to abandon the tendency of people in their late 20’s and early 30’s to “sell out.” Maracas and tambourine take turns giving the song a nice pacing and the appearance of mandolin is a nice flourish. ”Hang On” has an anthemic, life affirming feel and matching lyrics. Not in the cheesy 1990’s Elton John way, but in the “Hey life ain’t so bad. Everything is going to be ok after all” vein. Imagine Tears For Fears meeting the Beatles in the modern day and you’re there. In short it’s the perfect song to end the album on an emotional high note.

I’ll admit it, I’m a bonus track slut and I don’t care who knows! Live stuff, unreleased songs, b-sides, alternate takes, demos; bring them on. The pure joy of having something that most people don’t even know exists is exhilarating. I like to think of myself as John Cusack’s character from the film “High Fidelity” but truth be told I’m more of a cross between Jack Black and the really awkward one. The spiritedly performed four demos on the fourth side would have been deemed ”good enough” by most bands and record labels to have been unapologetically released as finished product, even though they sound a bit “digital” and lack depth. But that wasn’t allowed to happen here. Bottom line, we have them and the poor bastards who buy the CD don’t.

Every song is too short, only one song totals more than five minutes. In the spirit of a great appetizer they tease, leaving me wanting more, more, more. The album, much like Jennifer Lopez, has a healthy bottom end that is to be admired. Unlike Ms. Lopez it also has musical substance. Every spin rewards the listener with previously unnoticed nuances that add to the experience. With a near perfect distribution of introspective, poppy, and more rockers it’s clear that a great deal of thought went into the running order of the album. This is the type of music that will be appreciated by its owner more and more as the years pass. It’s hard to say what my tastes will be in ten years time, but chances are good that I’ll still be spinning this disc on occasion. Is there any higher compliment?

It’s always surprising that customers expect the price of speakers and electronics to defy inflation and continually drop in price. They may have been willing to spend $500 for a Sansui in the mid 1970’s but now they want a unit that has three times the wattage, five additional channels of amplification, video swithiching (or even scaling), and surround decoding for the same money. That’s particularly interesting when one considers that the cost of that $500 Sansui would be approximately $2,500 in today’s dollars. Unfortunately, the audio video industry is thought of in the same way as the computer industry. The costs associated with building audio products don’t follow the same rules as computer processors and hard drives that is set forth in Moore’s law. Moore’s law, which was developed to predict the advancement of computer technology states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every 24 months. This increase in productivity leads to a decrease in cost for computers, but not audio. So what’s a manufacturer to do when customers are looking for prices to drop as their costs rise? For many manufacturers the answer was simple? Go to China.

Is the cheap Hi-Fi equipment coming from China a good or a bad thing for customers, companies, and the industry in general? That kind of question is impossible to answer in one word for anyone who is informed on the subject. David Wilson of Wilson Audio had some interesting things to say on the subject in a video that has been previously posted here. Compared to Wilson Audio’s approach of cost-no-object speaker building NHT has always been know as a company that wants to give it’s customers outrageous value for the money. Not surprisingly Chris Byrne (one of NHT’s founders) views on the subject have more nuance in them than Mr Wilson. Mr. Byrne, who isn’t against the manufacturer of goods in China does however see this trend of unbelievably cheap Chinese labor coming to an end. While he feels this means an increase in the cost for goods he also sees the potential to create local jobs and industry as well as reduce planned obsolescence. Another positive outcome would be a reduction in electronic waste. Please read his essay here.

Unfortunately, when the mass-media covers the vinyl resurgence it usually casts it as some kind sort of kitschy nostalgia item. With an introduction that goes something like, “Remember those 12” black disks that you used to listen to that are collecting dust in your attic or basement? Some people still listen to them. Aren’t they wacky for putting up with hisses and pops?”

The cynical hacks that usually write for The New York Times must all be on vacation because someone over there took the time to interview manufacturers of high end turntables (Sumiko and Walker), discuss the differences between direct drive and belt drive, and the importance of proper cartridge alignment. To top it all off no one is made to look like a kook or a crackpot. Be careful New York Times you might lose the scorn of audiophiles everywhere for your audio coverage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/technology/techspecial2/02table.html?_r=3&ref=techspecial2&pagewanted=all

Originally written for bigblackdisk.ning.com

August 15, 2008 – 9:50 pm


A couple of days ago my beloved 60gig iPod photo died. She had been ill for some time, occasionally slipping into a coma without warning or provocation. Services will be held at the Fagan-Miller funeral home in Highland, Indiana on Saturday August 23, 2008 from 1 to 5pm. Owing to incompetent emergency surgery it will be a closed casket ceremony.* She leaves behind a car adapter, USB charger, and a pair of ear buds. Send money in lieu of flowers Please bow your head and join me in a moment of silence.
In all seriousness shouldn’t a $400 piece of electronics last longer than two and a half years? Apple, who cast themselves as a customer service oriented “green” company offered me three options:
1. Turn in my departed friend and receive a 10% discount on a new unit of my choice.
2. Buy a “B” stock of the same model that offered no real world savings considering that the newer ones with more capacity would be less money new!
3. Send it to a third-party company for repair. Apple’s name is on the product but they couldn’t be bothered to service it for their customer.
Thanks Apple, don’t do me any favors or anything. Now imagine if I had a problem with a $500 turntable from a Project, Music Hall, or Rega. They would be more than glad to service it, even 10 years hence. Just another item on the check list of why digital isn’t “Perfect sound forever.”

R.I.P October 1, 2005 to August 11, 2008 Alan’s iPod

*My council has advised me to decline any requests for further information because of an ongoing police investigation.

Monster power conditioners use MOVs, which have a relatively limited lifespan. After the MOVs are gone MANY times the units continue to pass current to the equipment meaning that the next surge could destroy the connected gear. The Monster units do have a light to indicate that they are no longer protecting the equipment but who wants to depend on a light that they can forget to check?

Panamax uses an avalanche diode that acts almost like a flood gate. It opens when voltage is above or below a safe area, then starts testing the voltage. After the voltage is back within the normal range for 7 seconds Panamax units allow the equipment to receive electricity again. When an avalanche diodes fails they are stuck in the "open" position 99.9% of the time. Meaning that the equipment receives NO electricity so the user knows that the power conditioner needs to be replaced.

Panamax specifies that MOVs are 1000 times slower then their avalanche diodes. At trainings Panamax regularly does a demonstration where they hook up a Panamax and a Monster into a device that can create spikes, then into each unit they plug an illuminated lamp. Both units are then hit with a 150 volt spike. In the 10 or so demos that I’ve attended I’ve noticed two things. First before clamping down the lamp plugged into the Monster grows momentarily brighter. A sign that is letting the beginning of the surge through before clamping down. Hence the potencial for damage to connected equipment. No increase in the brightness of the lamp plugged into the Panamax is observable. Second, I’ve NEVER seen a Monster live past the third “hit”. Twice they began to smoke, once a small fire began. The Panamax products have lived through 10-15 hits before they go on with the presentation, they don’t fail mind you the presentation just moves on because they’ve proved their point.

From what Panamax says other surge devices using MOVs will act in a similar manner. If you are considering things up market from the Panamax products Transparent Audio’s power conditioners also use avalanche diodes and offer some of the best power conditioning that I’ve ever heard. PS audio’s new power conditioners use something in addition to an MOV. They claim that these two devices in tandem are better than an avalanche diode. They may be, for me I look at how these devices work in the long term (ie years) and their products are just too new for there to be a body of empirical evidence out there, one way or the other.

For my own use I've used the original version of Panamax's MAX-5510 for about 4 years in my high-end two channel system. For my computer, TV, and AV receiver I use one of their cheaper units.

At roughly 3.3 million albums Paul Mawhinney has one of the largest music collections in the world. Library of Congress estimates believe that less than 20% of the music contained in his archive is available on Compact Disc. The collection may be worth as much as $50 million, his asking price is a mere $3 million. Check out the site specifically designed to help sell it.

http://marklev.com/ A fan site with pictures, schematics, literature, and dating for most Mark Levinson products.

http://www.arcdb.ws/ A fan site for Audio Research with specs, dating, and original pricing. So complete and accurate that Audio Research has a link to it on their official site.

http://www.6moons.com/news/news.html Frequently updated with the new releases of more obscure high end audio companies. Great photos.

http://desirableaudio.blogspot.com/ High end audio from the perspective of some very passionate individuals in the Far East. They seem to be really into the resonance tuning of their rooms with stuff like Shun Mook and the like.

http://www.audiojunkies.com/blog/ Mostly mid-fi and car audio. They also enjoy laughing at the excesses of high end. Occasionally they have some funny stuff.

http://news.cnet.com/audiophiliac/?tag=blgs.list Steve Guttenberg's blog which an interesting mix of high end and mid fi, and some wacky stuff.

http://bigblackdisk.ning.com/ Social network for vinyl lovers. Reviews of new releases from current bands.

http://www.fmtunerinfo.com/ THE source of technical information on analog and quartz lock loop FM tuners.

http://www.classicsansui.net/ Great info on classic Sansui equipment including pictures, schematics, vintage literature, and much more.

http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/mindex.html Very informative site about classic Marantz gear which includes specs, vintage literature, and some behind the scenes stories.

http://www.stereophile.com/images/masterindex/ Want to know if and in what issue a component was reviewed? This index is an incredibly useful tool to find out. If only it had links to the reviews contained in the on line archives.

. . . and of course Wes and Stephen's Stereophile blogs are lots of fun too!

Don't get all up in arms he only uses records that are already to damaged to be playable. Check out his website here.

Below is a short video on the making of the recent "Mothership" and "The Song Remains the Same" records.

Today marks the 28th year since the death of John Bonham and the end of Led Zeppelin. John was a family man who hated touring and the rock star lifestyle. He preferred to go to the local pub and talk to farmers about how every body's crops were doing. He didn't just own a farm, when he wasn't recording or touring he worked his farm. He was as proud of his prize winning cows as of his gold records. There are many stories about his angry outbursts but for the most part he was depressed about being away from his family. Everyone who knew him described him as a warm and giving person.

Led Zeppelin had one of the most varied list of influences imaginable. Bonham and Jones were into Soul, R&B, and Jazz. Plant loved Blues, West coast psychedelia, pop, and Indian Music. Page was fascinated by Blues, Early Rock N' Roll, Folk music, and world music. When people call them the first Heavy Metal band that's an insult. No heavy metal band has their knowledge of music history or their ability to play just about any type of music they decided to attempt. How many band could play blues, folk, hard rock, punk, reggae, country, and pop? Add to all of those the songs that simply defy categorization.

In interviews both in 1980 and since every band member has admitted that they felt that the band was stagnating and they were hungry to explore new directions and conquer new territory. Were they on the verge of another great period or were they about to head down a creative dead end? If their track record was any indication another great success was in their future. They were always risk takers. Even ending the band was a brave move. They had to know that none of them would ever achieve that level of success as individuals. Led Zeppelin is perhaps unique, with the exception of The Beatles in the fact that they decided to end it and go out on top. A wise move as no one would have been able to fill Mr.Bonham's drum stool. They never won a Grammy during the band's existence, they have since been honored with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Sadly many people haven't heard of Les Paul. In addition to being a great guitarist he is a great innovator and even an inventor. He invented the solid body electric guitar, thus greatly reducing the problem of feedback on stage. He also invented the idea of over-dubbing allowing one musician to record many parts for a single work. Not to mention his innovation of synchronizing a number of recording machines to allow for multi-track recording, thus making mixing after the performance possible. Modern recordings simply couldn't exist without his vision.

Have you ever wondered what review's systems look like? Below are pictures of Robert E. Greene from "The Absolute Sound" two systems.

Harbeth speakers on make shift stands, Bryston amp setting on the floor, components stacked on top of one another and a turntable that's on a flimsy looking stand. This can't be the recipe for great sound. Sadly this isn't a joke.

Looks to be a Bryston Preamp sitting on top of a Sunfire amp (a H-U-G-E, HUGE no-no because the power supply of the amp MUST be radiating noise into the preamp which contains delicate signals) hooked up to a cheap direct drive turntable and a cheap looking CD player all setting on a fire place mantle.

None of this is to say that those systems can't sound great but the chances are very, very slim. Now, for a few pictures of MY system from a couple of years ago. While not perfect the set up is much closer to what the majority of the audiophile community would consider ideal. Lacking a digital camera this is the best photo that I can provide.

Today it was announced that founding member of Pink Floyd, Richard Wright passed away after a short battle with cancer. While he didn’t have many song writing credits after "Dark Side of the Moon" or many appearances as the lead singer his contributions behind the keyboards defined the Pink Floyd sound. It's absence from their album "The Final Cut" insured that album's failure as a "Pink Floyd Album" and guaranteed that it would forever be seen as a "unofficial Roger Waters solo album." With only a small guest appearance on "A Momentary Laps of Reason" he couldn’t stop that LP from being anything more than a David Gilmour solo album that had Mick Manson doing a bit of drumming. His full return for the "Division Bell" album revitalized the sound for a new phase of the band that was far too short. It is impossible to imagine a singer more perfect for harmonizing with and complimenting David Gilmour's voice so seamlessly. The song Echoes from The Floyd's highly underrated Meddle is a prime example. His 1978 solo album, "Wet Dream" which is unjustly out of print is a wonderful collection of songs well worth the trouble of seeking it out. Mr. Wright's family released only a short statement and asks for privacy.

"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines.
Hanging on in quiet desparation is the English way.
The time has gone, the song is over, thought I’d something more to say . . ."

Acoustic music is better at diagnosing the sonics of a component simply because the listener has had a chance to hear it in real life. I've always felt that if a component could reproduce the tonality of acoustic instruments accurately, their reproduction of the tonality of electronic instruments must inherently be accurate. However, I would agree that if a trained listener had heard a recording of non-acoustic instruments on a system that is known to be extremely accurate because of it's performance with recordings of acoustic instruments in real space enough times that they could then use that recording with some authority.

Don’t get me wrong it isn’t a bias against rock and pop, or a preference for jazz and classical. It is perfectly acceptable to use acoustic rock as a reference. Drum kits on rock and pop are, as long as they acoustic also a perfectly acceptable instrument to use for evaluation purposes.

While the sound of an electric guitar MIGHT be as complex as a flute, acoustic guitar, or grand piano it is unknowable. By that I mean that unless you were in the recording studio with the guitar player on the day of the original session your understanding of the sound of that guitar can only be in the broadest of terms, not exact terms. There are just too many variables that affect the tone of the guitar. The list of factors that I can think of off of the top of my head are:

1. The Guitar (make, model, and year)
2. The switch positions on said guitar
3. The nob settings of said guitar
4. Custom modifications to the guitar (if any)
5. The foot pedals (not only type but brand)
6. The nob positions on those pedals
7. Any customization of those pedals (if applicable)
8. The Guitar amp (make, model, and age)
9. The setting of knobs and switches on said amp
10. Any customization of the amp (if there are any)
11. Recording mic (model and type)
12. Mic position
13. Tweaks of the mic (if any)
14. Room position of mic
15. Room acoustics
16. String choice on guitar
17. Choice of guitar pick
18. Tube type in guitar amp (if applicable)

Now lets look at the variables for recording a flute:

1. The flute (make model, and year)
2. Recording mic (model and type)
3. Mic position
4. Tweaks of the mic (if any)
5. Room position of mic
6. Room acoustics

Because there are so many variables in the way an electric guitar CAN sound it is completely unsuitable as a reference to determine the accuracy of reproduction. So if a piece of audio gear slightly changes the tonality of electric guitar it’s tough to know because the slightly inaccurate reproduction is still somewhere on the continuum of what an electric guitar MIGHT sound like. It’s pretty obvious that the chance KNOWING in exact terms how a particular performance on electric guitar is supposed to sound is an impossibility. While KNOWING how a flute is supposed to sound in absolute terms, though difficult is possible.

The average audiophile's HEARING isn't any better than the average person. However, our LISTENING abilities are much more refined. Our brains have become extremely practiced at analyzing the data that interests us. Hearing is a physical action. Listening is a cognitive, analytical action. Like when we were kids and our parents said, "You don't listen." They were right we heard that they were speaking to us but we didn't bother to remember what they said. We just didn't think that it could be important.

Just a quick thought.

Writing is an activity that has always brought me much enjoyment. From High School through College each of my English teachers encouraged me to make it my profession. There have always two major obstacles. First, my skepticism about how an individual can making a good living as a professional writer (The bohemian lifestyle holds no romance for this rampant consumer) and second the creative muse only seems to visit me when there is an assignment, preferably one with a deadline. Douglas Adams once declared, " I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." But for me there is a strong internal drive to meet my obligations at all costs that trumps my natural laziness.

Recently an opportunity has presented itself to write about topics for which I have no shortage of opinions. Bigblackdisk.com is focused on supporting Mom and Pop record stores, Indie Rock, Hi-Fi, and vinyl records. If there is someone that you know would enjoy my writing or has an interest in those topics please forward this email to them. The site goes live on August 15th and I hope that all of you will join me. Feel free to leave comments good and bad. If you want me to know which comments are yours simply post with your first name and last initial. As a preview to entice everyone to check it out I’ve included the introductions to my first four reviews. You’ll have to stop by on August 15th to read the rest, just call me a tease. ;-)

Black Keys-"Attack & Release"

Is heavy, riff based Rock back in style? If the likes of The White Stripes, Wolfmother, Secret Machines, and The Black Keys have anything to say about it the answer is a rousing “Hell Yes!” Recorded in just 14 days, the Black Keys’ “Attack & Release” has a strong DIY feel from the water color and pencil cover to the hand built recording console that was used during the sessions.

The pressing is an extremely quiet and utilized the half speed mastering technique. Included with the record is a copy of the album on CD, at $18 the package is a bargain. Other artists should take note, it’s a nice touch for many reasons. It makes importing into iTunes a snap, listening to it in the car easy, it aids in the comparison of vinyl vs. CD for those on the fence, and it comes in handy for loaning to friends who are curious about the band. After spending the last several years servicing other people’s turntables it’s doubtful that I’ll ever lend out my records. The number of people who feel that it’s appropriate to put spare change on top of their tone arms in order to make sure that it tracks or are completely missing the diamond of their stylus is just plain alarming. Records, like girlfriends and wives are not for lending. Use the CD to help spread the word, cherish and hoard the record.

Jeffery Lewis-"12 Crass Songs"

It was once remarked in my presence that if an old painting was put into a new frame it forced the view to re-evaluate the work from another perspective. That's exactly what Jeffery Lewis' "12 Crass Songs" sets out to do. Jeffrey Lewis re-interprets 12 songs by punk band Crass as folk tunes. It's not such a strange idea as it first seems, in some ways punk and folk are closely related. Both genres are democratic musical forms. Anyone can form a punk band or become a folk troubadour. Being able to play an instrument competently , follow a melody, or in anyway sing are strictly speaking optional. All one really needs is a quick fire vocal delivery that's almost fast enough to slip by the standard left wing observations as being profound. A skill perfected by Bob Dylan.

Guster-"Ganging Up on the Sun"

Hidden on Chicago's FM dial is one of the most eclectic stations in the country. Driving with the windows down on a forgotten Saturday afternoon WXRT played the Cure's "Just Like Heaven", Muddy Waters' "I'm a Man", and Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" back to back to back. How many radio stations would play these three songs in the same year, let alone as part of the same set? XRT displays the same passion and courage when championing new talent. They freely lend their support to Guster and many other under-exposed artists. If you're thinking about being jealous, don't. Through the miracles of the internet it's now available world wide, make sure to send Al Gore a nice thank you note written on a palm leaf using soy ink, delivered by Pony Express. Maybe he'll read it while riding on a private jet to one of his $175,000 speaking engagements. Remember do as he says, NOT as he does and Mother Earth will be just fine.

Guster's "Ganging Up on The Sun" is a meticulously recorded and mixed, ambitious pop album lovingly crafted to induce toe tapping. By the second or third listen the album already sounds familiar, like an old favorite. Except of course it isn't, it's a brand new favorite. . .


Mark Knopfler-"Shangri-La"

Mark Knopfler is such a fluid, tasteful, and literate guitarist that he makes it sound easy. This more than anything else accounts him being one of the most under-rated guitarists plying his trade today. He never uses his well formed technical abilities to needlessly dazzle, his gifts are only utilized to serve the song. Not only is Mr. Knopfler an instrumental virtuoso, he is also a compelling song writer. Imagine the pick of Stevie Ray Vaughn and the pen of Pete Townshend and the level of Mr. Knopfler's talents come into focus. Not only is he a great talent, but his modesty allows him to be surrounded by performers of similar talent. Just so my biases are clear to all I wrote the above before compressed carbon met this helping of dead dinosaur for the first time. So I guess that you could say that I'm predisposed to like the disc.

About half of the songs on Shangri-La have a common theme, but not to worry it avoids stepping over the line to become a pretentious concept album. The majority of songs are about the struggles of the working class and their exploitation at the hands of the Bourgeoisie. For me listening to an album about the plight of the working class on a system that costs more than many people make in a year is the source of a bit of chagrin. But if Mark Knopfler is comfortable making more on said album and associated tour than those same people make in a lifetime I guess I can soldier through my guilt.

Bose is a great marketing company that makes mediocre (at best) speakers. First of all, I believe that most would agree that they start their design from a flawed premise. They've always said that 7/8 of the sound we hear is reflected, as apposed to direct sound. This is why most of the drivers in a 901 face in odd directions. Ask anyone from Bose where this number comes from and they can't tell you. This is creating false space as apposed to recreating the space that is actually captured on the recording. Then you have their active equalizer that is there to compensate electronically by forcing drivers past their physical limits to get a "big" sound out of a small box. This MUST create distortion. This is only one of the products, the others are equally flawed.

Then you look at their tendency to sue people for the most goofy reasons. They sued CEDIA (Consumer Electronics Design and Installation Association), a trade association of which they are a member for the use of the word "Lifestyle" with respect to audio. Years ago they sued Thiel because they used that same model number. Which is just stupid because the whole idea copyrights is to avoid confusion in the market place. Who in the world is going to confuse Bose and Thiel? Especially when the speakers looked completely different and were designed from a completely different technical point of view?

The following is from Wikipedia, "In 1981 Bose unsuccessfully sued the magazine Consumer Reports for libel. Consumer Reports reported in a review that the sound from the system that they reviewed "tended to wander about the room." The District Court found that Consumer Reports "had published the false statement with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of its truth or falsity" when it changed what the original reviewer wrote about the speakers in his pre-publication draft. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's ruling on liability, and the United States Supreme Court affirmed in a 6-3 vote in the case Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., finding that the statement was made without actual malice, and therefore there was no liability for libel." I can't believe that they sued someone for a bad review!

Then you look at their draconian approaches in retail such as insisting that their products MUST NOT be set up where they can be actively demoed against other brands and their Secret Police tacts of demanding that managers fire sales people that say anything remotely negative about their brand ON THE SPOT or risk being cut off as a dealer. Neither of these things are myth, I've seen them happen!

Wilson Audio is one of the pillars of the High-end audio industry. The following video makes it clear that David Wilson, Wilson Audio’s guiding light has profound thoughts about a great number of topics involving the industry other than speaker design. The half hour video addresses such subjects as the difference between a product vs. a commodity, the financial transparency and solvency of Hi-Fi manufacturers, business models, fair pricing, real customers vs. customers of opportunity, perceived quality vs. real quality, De-localization, corporate social responsibility, labor rates, and shop efficiency. Click on the photo below to attend the lecture.

My Martin Logan CLS electrostatic speakers are now powered by the Audioquest AC15 power cords that I recently mentioned. Each was broken in by using them to power my Threshold Stasis S550e amplifier for 24 continuous hours. There is no contest between the Monster Cable PowerLine300 that I was previously using and these. The first thing to strike me is how much more quiet the backgrounds are with the AC15s in place. On Belle & Sebastian’s “It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career” the gentle hums and buzzes of the guitarist’s tube amp is clearly audible in the right channel as he waits for his turn to enter the song. The acoustic guitar also has more body behind the strings and the piano sounds fuller too. These cords have also made the soundstage more spacious, increased the shimmer around cymbals, and allowed music with lots of layers to really reveal itself much more effortlessly. They’ve also gotten rid of the extremely slight sibilance that female vocals could occasionally take on.

Gone is a slight muddiness on cello that I always noticed on Jacqueline Du Pre and the London Symphony's transcendent performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 conducted by Sir John Barbirolli. The unwelcome hardness of the dynamic peaks at the very beginning of the second movement have also been tamed and sound much more effortless.

The audible effects of power cords continue to amaze me. How much of these changes are due to the ferrite clamps, how much do the Wattgate connectors contribute, how much of it is just the better wire in the cable. It would be hard to know for sure but the overall effect is nothing short of jaw dropping!

My love affair with analog FM radio is well documented on the blog. However, the ability of internet radio to bring variety and diversity to everyone around the world is thrilling, even if the sound isn’t. Tivoli radio has been making some of the most compelling and innovative table radios for a couple of years running. Their new NetWorks radio clearly demonstrates that they have no intentions of slowing down. The NetWorks allows the user to listen to internet radio anywhere that there is a wired or wireless internet access. But it doesn’t stop there, this new addition to the Tivoli stable can also find music files on your PC and play those too. It also has a USB port to play songs off of portable media players.