From the desk of Paul McGowan

Paul's Posts

Notes on music, gear, and the long pursuit of better sound. New most mornings.

Paul's Posts

More from Paul

  1. Choosing the right knobWhen the preamp and the DAC both have volume controls, only one of them should actually be doing the work. This question comes up more often... Choosing the right knob
  2. Bad sourcesHigh-end audio means nothing if the recording is bad. Everything our gear does, it does in service of what's on the master. We spend a lot... Bad sources
  3. Just because it's served on a silver platter...Not every SACD lives up to the silver disc on the cover. The format gives the recording a bigger window — but only the recording itself... Just because it's served on a silver platter...
  4. The loudness warsInconsistent audio levels on podcasts and streamed content are maddening.  And worse? Commercials that are louder than the content. Whatever marketing genius that dreamed that scam... The loudness wars
  5. InsuranceIf you're unable to take care of your system's power through a Power Plant AC regenerator, then plugging straight into the wall often sounds best. Then... Insurance
  6. Spin cycleIs 45 RPM Really Better? 45 RPM gives the cutting engineer more room to work with — and a 33 LP gives the listener more music.... Spin cycle
  7. The same but differentTwo DACs using the same off-the-shelf chip can sound completely different and... two DACs using completely different chips can sound nearly identical.  The DAC chip (or... The same but different
  8. Pure blissThere's a comforting piece of audiophile folklore that says most amplifiers run in pure Class A at low listening levels.  It's rarely true. A pure Class... Pure bliss
  9. Applause pleaseTwo amplifiers can drive the same speakers in the same room and produce wildly different soundstages. The difference isn't power. It's character. Anyone who's auditioned a... Applause please
  10. Look upLike obedient audiophiles, we obsess over side walls yet almost always forget the ceiling exists. Sound doesn't share our priorities. Ceiling acoustics matter as much as... Look up
  11. In or out?A recording captures the precise back-and-forth motion of air at the microphone. The loudspeaker should precisely reproduce that back-and-forth motion. But what happens if you reverse... In or out?
  12. Ihe Inside scoopI trust that a great speaker cable feeds your loudspeaker.  That said, do you ever think about the cable inside? Once connected to the amplifier, the... Ihe Inside scoop
  13. Audio warriors?For years, recording and mastering engineers have crushed the dynamic range out of music. Can AI put any of it back? The loudness wars have been... Audio warriors?