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. We gotta fix it!The power coming out of your wall is not the power your HiFi system wants. Most people assume that once electricity reaches their house, it's good... We gotta fix it!
  2. The magic of vinylVinyl records aren’t perfect, but their imperfections are part of the magic. One of the reasons is crosstalk. A phono cartridge, by design, allows a bit... The magic of vinyl
  3. ThanksOver the past few weeks we’ve taken quite a journey together. We began with the language of sound, exploring how we as audiophiles describe what we... Thanks
  4. The loudspeaker truthNo component in the audio chain has a greater influence on what we hear than the loudspeaker. Electronics may shape, refine, and control the signal, but... The loudspeaker truth
  5. Why less isn't always moreWe often repeat the mantra that less in the signal path is more. On the surface, it makes perfect sense. Every component, every connection, every circuit... Why less isn't always more
  6. SynergyAs audiophiles, we sometimes get caught up in evaluating components in isolation. A new DAC, a different amplifier, a better pair of cables—we judge each piece... Synergy
  7. The fragility of imagingFor many of us, imaging is the quality that keeps us glued to the listening chair. It’s the ability of a system to place voices and... The fragility of imaging
  8. CrosstalkAs audiophiles, we spend much of our time listening for space—how wide, how deep, and how convincing a stereo image can be. One of the factors... Crosstalk
  9. It's absolute!As audiophiles, we go to extraordinary lengths to preserve the integrity of the musical signal, and one of the more subtle but fascinating areas of debate... It's absolute!
  10. Balanced vs. single endedNoise is the enemy of fidelity, and how we move signals from one component to another has a major effect on how much noise we let... Balanced vs. single ended
  11. CapacitorsEvery component in an audio circuit leaves its mark, and few have been debated as much as capacitors. For decades, they were a necessary part of... Capacitors
  12. ClippingIn the early days of audio, clipping used to be one of the most damaging problems in audio, and it’s also one of the easiest to... Clipping
  13. The damping factor mythNumbers can look impressive, but they don’t always mean what we think they do. Audiophiles are often drawn to specifications because they seem like objective markers... The damping factor myth