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. SpecsIt’s tempting to judge gear by specifications alone. Low distortion, wide bandwidth, ruler-flat frequency response are great goals for an amp but some of the best... Specs
  2. PhantomsStereo is more than just two channels. There’s a third image—a phantom center—where voices, solos, and main instruments lock firmly in place between the speakers. Without... Phantoms
  3. EqualityNot all watts are created equal. Class A amplification is often described as smooth, rich, and natural. The reason is simple: the output devices never switch... Equality
  4. The keyThe best systems don’t sound like systems. And that's the key. If everything’s right you stop hearing speakers and electronics and start hearing performance. The illusion... The key
  5. PowerBefore your system sees a note, it sees the power line. Everything you hear comes from power. Whether it’s spinning a platter, driving an amp, or... Power
  6. Accurate or engaging?I’ve heard systems that measured beautifully yet left me cold: no air, little drive, no sense of the musicians reaching out. Sometimes, that’s the difference between... Accurate or engaging?
  7. Losing musicThe wrong cables don’t just lose signal—they lose music. What? Copper is copper, right? Like everything in engineering, materials certainly matter, but it's how you put... Losing music
  8. Break inSome components need time to sound right—and others just need us to adjust. We’ve all heard our share of skepticism about break-in, but let me assure... Break in
  9. BelievabilityNatural sound isn’t about warmth or brightness—it’s about believability. When people describe a system as sounding natural, they often mean it doesn’t draw attention to itself.... Believability
  10. Room to listenYesterday we discussed elephants and rooms. Perhaps it makes sense to keep on that path. Rooms control sound—peaks, dips, and nulls form based on size, shape,... Room to listen
  11. The elephantWe all know the old saying about elephants and rooms, but sometimes that is the room itself. Sound doesn’t just travel in a straight line from... The elephant
  12. FoundationsGreat bass isn’t about boom—it’s about foundation. Too many systems try to impress with midbass punch while ignoring what lies below. But the real magic happens... Foundations
  13. TrianglesSpeaker placement is geometry, not guesswork. If you want your speakers to disappear and the music to appear in three dimensions, start by forming an equilateral... Triangles