Jakob Bro: "Bay of Rainbows"
- Written by: Joseph Taylor
- Category: Recording of the Month
ECM 2618 6775896 (LP), ECM 2618 B0029060-02 (CD)
Format: LP, CD
Musical Performance: ***½
Sound Quality: ****
Overall Enjoyment: ****
Danish jazz guitarist Jakob Bro has recorded 15 albums as a leader since 2003, and has played as a sideman on nearly as many. He’s appeared on work by formidable players, including Paul Motian and Tomasz Stańko; other jazz greats, among them Lee Konitz, have appeared on sessions he’s led. Nor is Bro intimidated by playing with other guitarists -- Bill Frisell has appeared on three of his discs. Bro’s playing has clearly been influenced by Frisell and by Pat Metheny, two strong voices in jazz guitar, but that hasn’t kept him from developing an immediately recognizable style as both player and composer.
Shunyata Research Hydra Typhon QR Power Distributor
- Written by: Howard Kneller
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Aware of my interest in master word clocks, Scott Sefton, Esoteric’s marketing specialist for the Americas, recently e-mailed me to ask if I planned to audition the Sigma Clock-50, a new clock cable from Shunyata Research, based in Poulsbo, Washington. Most audiophile clock cables are specified at 75 ohms; the Shunyata cable is interesting due to its 50-ohm specification. Copied on Sefton’s e-mail was Grant Samuelsen, Shunyata’s director of marketing and sales, whom I’d not spoken to in years. When Samuelsen received the e-mail, he contacted me directly.
Upping My Game with AVM, But First . . .
- Written by: Jeff Fritz
- Category: Opinion
In December 2017 I wrote the most recent installment of “Jeff’s Getting a New Stereo System,” in which I established an upper limit of $10,000 for a digital source for my new audio rig. The month before that, I’d pegged the total projected system price at no more than $81,900 retail. This figure stands in stark contrast to the $350,000 retail cost of my last audio system, based on Magico Q7 Mk.II loudspeakers and Soulution 7-series electronics, all housed in my custom Music Vault listening room. The response of readers to my downsizing has been overwhelmingly positive. Laurence, of Canada, wrote in a letter, “The series of articles you’ve written regarding your change in direction with respect to audio has been very insightful and interesting. Far more so than [The World’s Best Audio System] could ever be.” He summarized what many others have expressed: “I’m guilty of letting myself get caught up in the vortex of collecting the most expensive gear I could afford. However, in the past couple of years I’ve been divesting myself of it all. Somehow it feels a bit easier to enjoy the music.” Touché.
Burmester Ambience BA71 Loudspeakers
- Written by: Aron Garrecht
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
If I were to freely associate on the stimulus “Burmester,” my immediate response would probably be “amplifier.” After that I might say “Dieter,” followed by “chrome” and then, probably, “quality.” What wouldn’t come to mind, at least not right away, is “loudspeakers.”
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band: "Safe As Milk"
- Written by: Joseph Taylor
- Category: Recording of the Month
Sundazed LP 5460
Format: LP
Musical Performance: ****
Sound Quality: ***½
Overall Enjoyment: ****
Don Van Vliet was born Don Glen Vliet in 1941 in Glendale, California, a city just outside of Los Angeles. He showed artistic talent at a young age, and had an opportunity to study art in Europe at age 13, but his father did not give his consent. He met Frank Zappa in high school in Lancaster, California, and the two bonded over their interest in blues and R&B. By 1964, Vliet was performing as Captain Beefheart in bands around southern California.
GIK Acoustics 2A Alpha Diffusor/Absorber Acoustic Panel
- Written by: Howard Kneller
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
At the start of each episode of the original Star Trek TV series, William Shatner intoned “Space -- the final frontier.” For audiophiles, however, the final frontier may be the conquering of a space far smaller: the listening room. Typically the last variable to be addressed when assembling a sound system, room treatments are often greatly misunderstood in terms of their cost, effectiveness, and ease of installation.
A Visit from Well Pleased Audio Vida
- Written by: Jeff Fritz
- Category: Opinion
It was a simple proposition. Mark Sossa of Well Pleased Audio Vida, of Tysons Corner, Virginia, wanted to drive down to North Carolina and set up some of his best gear in my new listening room. Sossa is a distributor of nine brands of high-end audio gear: Aqua Acoustic Quality, Innuos, Linnenberg, QLN, Qualiton, Rethm, SGR, Gigawatt, and Swisscables. His plan wasn’t to haul products from all of those brands to my home -- just a few select pieces he’s especially proud of. That sounded like a good plan to me. I’m an audiophile -- of course I like to hear new stuff. Plus, I figured it would give me a great opportunity to hear a second system in my new room, which would surely help me wrap my ears around the sonic signature of my new space.
Linnenberg Elektronik Telemann DAC-Preamplifier
- Written by: Jeff Fritz
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
I figured Mark Sossa didn’t really know what he was doing. Sossa is, after all, a young guy (in audiophile terms), lacking the decades of experience of most of us audiophiles -- we’re generally older dudes, and Mark is in his mid 30s. His idea was to bring down a collection of gear he represents through his distribution company -- Well Pleased Audio Vida, of Tysons Corner, Virginia -- and install it in my brand-new listening room. (You can read about that daylong adventure in my “Opinion” column in this month’s SoundStage! Ultra.)
The Magic Numbers: "Outsiders"
- Written by: Joseph Taylor
- Category: Recording of the Month
Role Play RPRV03 (CD), Park the Van PTV-LP70 (LP)
Formats: CD and LP
Musical Performance: ****
Sound Quality: ***½
Overall Enjoyment: ***½
The Magic Numbers have released five albums, and while this British quartet comprising two brother-sister pairs has kept great harmonies and solid pop melodies at the center of their sound, they’ve also worked to keep things fresh. Their first two records, The Magic Numbers (2005) and Those the Brokes (2006), were straightforward in execution, letting the vocals and songs speak for themselves. The Runaway (2010) added string arrangements and a bit more instrumental complexity, and Alias (2014) worked in the occasional distorted guitar and sound effect.
Top Wing Blue Dragon Phono Cartridge
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
I’ve spent the last decade or so watching some audiophiles of my acquaintance twist themselves inside out trying to rationalize spending a fortune they don’t really have on things they don’t really need. I used to be like that, but thank all that’s holy, I grew out of it.
- Jeff’s New Room
- Simaudio Moon 888 Mono Amplifiers
- Controlling Resonance Control
- Billy Squier: "Don't Say No"
- Synergistic Research SR25 Limited Edition Power Cord
- Five Things High-End Manufacturers Could Do to Improve Their Press Releases
- Balanced Audio Technology VK-53SE Preamplifier
- The Steve Miller Band: "Sailor"
- Sumiko Reference Starling Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge
- Trying Not to Be That Guy
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