Lyra Kleos SL Moving-Coil Cartridge
- Written by: Jonathan Gorse
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Swordsmiths, samurai, and a little magic
You may be surprised to hear that moving-coil cartridges can trace their origins all the way back to 1946, when Ortofon developed a prototype. Since its commercial launch in 1948, the moving coil (MC) has become firmly established as the ne plus ultra for vinyl replay. The MC market is well served, with major manufacturers like Ortofon and Audio-Technica offering a wide variety of designs ranging in price from $200 to over $1000 (all prices in USD). Despite the scale of such firms and their impressive performance engineering capabilities, there’s another sector of the market that remains primarily the domain of smaller, niche operators.
iSonic P4875(II) Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine—Cleanliness is Next to . . . Fussiness
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: For the Record
It’s a cruel joke. It’s the gods laughing at us. The lovers of LPs—I hesitate to call us record collectors—are the most tightly wound subcategory of audiophiles. We fuss and obsess over the tiniest variations in cartridge alignment, hundredths of a gram in tracking force, single degrees of VTA. And the irony of it is we’re subject to—at the mercy of—the smallest, invisible particles of dirt lodged into record grooves. We can clearly hear dirt and contaminants that we can’t even see.
Roxy Music: "Stranded"
- Written by: Joseph Taylor
- Category: Recording of the Month
Virgin Records/UMC RMLP 3
Format: LP
Musical Performance: ****
Sound Quality: ****
Overall Enjoyment: ****
Stranded was Roxy Music’s third album in less than 18 months. Its second album, For Your Pleasure, had been released just eight months earlier, in March 1973. Brian Eno, a cofounder of the group, left soon after For Your Pleasure, to be replaced by Eddie Jobson on keyboards, synthesizers, and violin. Bassist John Gustafson also joined the group, and the lineup on Stranded, which included Bryan Ferry on vocals, Phil Manzanera on guitar, Andy Mackay on sax, and Paul Thompson on drums, would remain fixed for two more albums.
Rising Hi-Fi Star from Greece—Pilium's High-End Hi-Fi Electronics on "SoundStage! Talks"
- Written by: Administrator
- Category: Videos
In this SoundStage! Talks episode, Konstantinos Pilios—the CEO of Pilium Audio, which is based in Athens, Greece—talks with SoundStage! editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz. Find out how this young Greek company has risen to such prominence in the ultra high end. Learn about Pilium’s existing product line, and what’s coming to market soon. Also, how does the exercise industry figure into Pilium’s history? Watch to find out!
Perlisten Audio: Like a Bolt from the Blue
- Written by: Hans Wetzel
- Category: In Good Company
This profile of Perlisten CEO Dan Roemer is intended as a precursor to the review of Perlisten’s R7t loudspeaker, which will be published on July 15.
Munich High End 2022: The Cream of Analogue
- Written by: Jonathan Gorse
- Category: Opinion
Make no mistake, Munich’s High End is no ordinary hi-fi show—the scale is so jaw-dropping that you need to recalibrate your senses. The show comprised three vast exhibition floors, each seemingly the size of a major indoor concert arena, housing 550 exhibition rooms and 1500 brands. It was an awe-inspiring demonstration of the scale, richness, and power of the global audio industry. Everyone from the exhibitors to the visitors seemed to be revelling in the experience—in short, this show is to audio what Le Mans is to motor racing.
Dynaudio Confidence 60 Loudspeakers
- Written by: Aron Garrecht
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Dynaudio has been designing and building loudspeakers for more than 40 years. In that time, the company has contributed some fairly significant products, like the Consequence loudspeaker back in 1983, the Evidence Master in 1989, the Confidence C1 Signature in 2011, and of course, the Special Forty in 2017.
Savak: "Human Error / Human Delight"
- Written by: Joseph Taylor
- Category: Recording of the Month
Ernest Jenning Record Co. EJRC181, Geenger Records GNGR108, Peculiar Works PW009
Format: LP
Musical Performance: ****
Sound Quality: ****
Overall Enjoyment: ****
Brooklyn-based indie band Savak has released five albums since 2016, including its newest, Human Error / Human Delight. The album was developed and recorded during the pandemic, and the band wrote and arranged the songs on Zoom. Currently, Savak consists of Sohrab Habibion and Michael Jaworski on guitars and vocals, with Matt Schulz on drums, so the trio pulled in a number of bass players to fill out the band.
The Incredible Transparency of the Vivid Audio G1 Spirit Loudspeakers
- Written by: Jeff Fritz
- Category: Opinion
You may be wondering why I’m once again writing about Vivid Audio’s flagship loudspeaker, the G1 Spirit. That’s a good question. And there’s more than one answer.
A New Feature on "SoundStage! Ultra": Reference Systems
- Written by: Jeff Fritz
- Category: Opinion
On April 15, just two weeks ago, we launched a brand-new feature on this site: Reference Systems. I’ll tell you all about that, but first, let’s recap what’s been available on SoundStage! Ultra.
Near the top of the SoundStage! Ultra homepage, you’ll find the regular tabs that are always present in the menu:
- Gryphon Audio Designs Apex Stereo Amplifier
- The Art of the Box: DS Audio and EMM Labs
- Colin Hay: "I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself"
- The Ultra Jeff Fritz Reference System
- My Reference Audio System
- Focal Scala Utopia Evo Loudspeakers
- Joe Pass: "For Django"
- The Genesis and History of the Legendary Michell GyroDec Turntable—Dawn of a New Era
- The Reference Audio System
- Audiovector R 6 Avantgarde Loudspeakers
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