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. The BeastClass A is the amplifier topology everyone respects and almost nobody gets to have because it's expensive, can be hot, and, well, most amps don't offer... The Beast
  2. Concert halls and living roomsTerri and I go to live concerts as often as we can—primarily for the music—though there's a side benefit. Live music recalibrates my ears. It reminds... Concert halls and living rooms
  3. Back in the dayBack in the early days of PS Audio, we were all vinyl freaks. Every last one of us. Records were not just the reference — they... Back in the day
  4. GIGO"Garbage in, garbage out" gets repeated so often in audio circles it's become furniture. And it's true — I'm not here to argue otherwise. But there's... GIGO
  5. Details matterThere's a trap in high-end audio, and I've watched smart, experienced listeners fall into it repeatedly. They chase detail at the expense of realism. A system... Details matter
  6. PerfectionI remember the first time clearly. Mastering engineer and one of the founders of DSD, Gus Skinas, sat me down and played me two recordings: one... Perfection
  7. Mono?Stereo is so deeply embedded in how we think about audio that questioning it feels almost heretical. But that doesn't stop my brain from considering alternative... Mono?
  8. Raising hacklesIf you want to generate controversy at an audio gathering, just say you have no doubt that power cords make a sonic difference. Most audiophiles will... Raising hackles
  9. Gear or recording?We spend a lot of time obsessing over gear—and rightfully so. But how many of us have sat in front of six-figure rigs in treated rooms... Gear or recording?
  10. Put them where?I've seen people spend ten thousand dollars on a pair of speakers and then plop them against the wall next to the TV. It makes me... Put them where?
  11. That vinyl soundPeople love to argue about whether vinyl sounds "better" than digital. I think that misses the point entirely. Vinyl doesn't sound better or worse. It sounds... That vinyl sound
  12. The Magic of First WattThere's a saying among amplifier designers that the first watt is the most important one.  That's mostly true. Think about it this way. Most of your... The Magic of First Watt
  13. Worth it?Are million-dollar loudspeakers and four-hundred-thousand-dollar amplifiers worth the price? Depends. First, let's acknowledge reality: the law of diminishing returns applies ferociously in audio. The difference between... Worth it?