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. EarsNo two people hear the same music from the same system, because no two people have the same ears. This is one of those facts that... Ears
  2. Too much oxygenOxidation is the silent thief of audio performance, and it is robbing you right now whether you know it or not. Every metal contact in your... Too much oxygen
  3. The masterThe same digital recording can sound dramatically different depending on who handles the mastering. A HiFi Family member wrote to me recently about a cheap promotional... The master
  4. The mighty CDSample rate is not a measure of how good a recording sounds. This one catches people off guard, but I have heard it so many times... The mighty CD
  5. StreamsA stream is only as good as the weakest link between the server and your DAC. I remember the first time I played a downloaded high-resolution... Streams
  6. GeometryThe geometry of a cable matters more than most folks realize, and less than cable manufacturers want you to believe. Stan and I spent a good... Geometry
  7. Shape mattersEvery loudspeaker driver is a compromise between physics and the art of what sounds right. I have been staring at speaker cones and films for over... Shape matters
  8. Solar Power and Your Audio SystemThe electricity feeding your audio system matters every bit as much as the components themselves. I know you're probably getting tired of this old broken record... Solar Power and Your Audio System
  9. Disappearing actThe highest compliment you can pay a loudspeaker is to say you can't locate it. That the music simply exists in the room, with no audible... Disappearing act
  10. Power!In early 1997 I had a puzzle that wouldn't leave me alone. My stereo sounded different depending on when I listened. Late at night, everything opened... Power!
  11. Woof!There's a moment in certain recordings — a pipe organ hitting a low pedal note, a kick drum on a well-recorded track, the opening of Also... Woof!
  12. FlatHere's a number worth sitting with: ±3dB. In the world of amplifiers, that spec would be a scandal — a laughingstock. You'd return the thing (or... Flat
  13. The pianoIt was 1978. A small jazz club in San Luis Obispo, California. A pianist — I genuinely wish I could remember his name — playing solo.... The piano