Deep Listening

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.

Pure Power

For the last couple of years PS audio has been making some of the most exciting and innovative power conditioning products on the market. In the video below PS audio's founder Paul McGowan takes us on a tour of their Power Plant Premier.



I had a Power Plant Premier in my system for a month recently. The drop in the noise floor was unbelievable. The recording that sticks most in my mind was Paul McCartney's "Unplugged." The tonal shifts in his voice as he would move his head to talk to either the audience or the band were always audible, however with the Power Plant Premier the changes were astounding. Sound staging depth was also dramatically increased throughout the album. One detail that I had never noticed before nor have I heard since was the sound of McCartney shifting his feet between songs. Micro dynamics also became much more evident.

PS audio is currently offering a free DVD entitled "Coal to Coltrane: a Brief History of Power." Anybody that is interested in high end audio should request a copy. It's full of insight and anecdotes from Wes Phillips, Michael Fremmer, Robert Harley, and many more. The documentary not only demonstrates the basic principles of electricity it also explains how and why we have the electrical system that we do today. The program isn't a fluff piece selling merely PS audio's products, in fact it rarely mentions their wares. It could easily be shown on PBS, it's that educational and historically informed.