Paul's Posts

Progress happens in stages, some so small they are imperceptible, while others feel like leaps. Viewed over time, it is easy to see this familiar pattern of many small blips... Read more...

Looking in the wrong place

A friend of mine is asking me for advice. He wants to have "audiophile sound" in a situation where that won't be possible. It's kind of like asking what combination... Read more...

Bias

When it comes to keeping an analog circuit operating in its linear region, we need to have a certain amount of bias—making sure it is always on—running through it. Various... Read more...

Which one is best?

I am often asked to solve one of the greatest mysteries in high-end audio. Which way to go? If someone has only X funds to invest in a new power... Read more...

The futility paradox

You cannot change the mind of someone determined to prove themselves right. It's like trying to convince a person that chocolate tastes better than vanilla when they refuse to even... Read more...

Are you a Qobuz listener?

Qobuz is my favorite, go to streaming service. I prefer it to Tidal for sound quality reasons. One of our forum members, Craig, posted a wonderful set of Qobuz playlists... Read more...

Toolchain

Every craftsperson has a set of tools. Tools of the trade, tools to make the work go better. The right tool can sure make life easier. Years ago, when I started... Read more...

What's in a name?

I really bristle at the mention of bookshelf speakers. One could call our Aspen FR5s "bookshelf," but that would be a double injustice: First off, if you put them on... Read more...

Understanding balance

It is tempting to imagine turning up the shower's hot water gets us warmer, but it is not true. In fact, the hot water temperature in our homes shouldn't vary.... Read more...

Organic audio

Most of us are aware that consuming too many processed foods is bad for us. Eating what nature made as opposed to what comes out of a factory vat is... Read more...

The hustle

A friend of mine sent me a link from the Washington Post. I clicked it and was informed that while the article was a gift, they require me to sign up for... Read more...

The importance of the source

It's easy to think that everything following the source is where the magic happens, but that might be a bit misguided. Even the best systems only amplifies the good and bad... Read more...

The myth problem

"The only way to truly judge minute changes in circuitry is through double blind A/B testing." How did this myth of the double blind come into the popular culture and... Read more...

Torture test

When we run our standard tests for a circuit we send a single frequency tone through it, ignore the output of that tone, and look to see what shouldn't be... Read more...

Scale

It's not news that I am a passionate advocate for the use of subwoofers. I've been called everything from a bass freak to simply crazy—especially when I first took possession... Read more...

Heads or tails

If you're trying to win at a coin toss, there's no way to game the system. Regardless of whether you start with heads or tails, the outcome's always going to be... Read more...

Bits is bits

One of the promises of digital audio was its imperviousness to the vagaries of vinyl and tape. Unlike it's analog precursor, digital audio could be endlessly copied, transported over any... Read more...

Music or sound effects

We audiophiles are a pretty predictable bunch. Go to any audio trade show and you'll hear the same music coming out of the majority of the rooms. How many times... Read more...

Game changers

My ears perk up every time I hear someone use the term of today's headline. When we make an adjustment or replacement that's big enough to rename the game it's more... Read more...

Learning and dancing

Memorizing a complex set of dance moves does not make you a dancer anymore than familiarizing yourself with loudspeaker setup procedures makes your system sing. Learning the art of setup... Read more...

Purchase or Audition Locally