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. Louder and softerMusic without dynamics is like speech without inflection, while music with dynamics is one of the more exhilarating experiences one can find. Really. Dynamics are the... Louder and softer
  2. Transparency and veilsTransparency is the difference between listening to sound and listening through sound. When a system is transparent, it feels like a clear window onto the recording.... Transparency and veils
  3. Soundstage illusionThe greatest illusion in audio is making two speakers disappear. Soundstage is the perception that music is unfolding in front of you in three-dimensional space, rather... Soundstage illusion
  4. Texture and GrainEvery recording has texture, and every system either reveals it or obscures it. Texture in music is that fine layer of information that tells us whether... Texture and Grain
  5. DimesnionalityStereo is more than left and right—it’s a three-dimensional window. When we describe dimensionality, we’re talking about sound that has width, depth, and height. It’s the... Dimesnionality
  6. Ambience and spaceAmbience is the fingerprint of the room where music was recorded. When you listen to a great live recording, you don’t just hear the instruments—you hear... Ambience and space
  7. The sound of airAir is the space above, around, and inside the music. When we talk about “air,” we mean the highest treble frequencies that give sound openness and... The sound of air
  8. Tonality and truthEvery recording has a tonal balance, and every system shifts it. When we audiophiles talk about tonality, we’re pointing to the overall balance of bass, midrange,... Tonality and truth
  9. The language of soundWords are a poor substitute for what we hear. Trying to capture sound in language is like painting a sunset with two colors. No matter how... The language of sound
  10. The magic trickA great system should vanish. The first time I heard a properly set-up high-end system, I was stunned not by how it sounded but by what... The magic trick
  11. AI and audioThere's a lot of fear and anxiety around artificial intelligence. I see it every day, and it reminds me of our constant fears of change: how... AI and audio
  12. Never endingSystem setup is never truly finished. I’ve lost count of the times I thought I had a room “perfect,” only to discover something new weeks or... Never ending
  13. Forgotten surfacesWe count the walls but rarely the floor or ceiling. Most audiophiles, when tuning their rooms, focus on the obvious: side walls and the rear wall... Forgotten surfaces