Paul's Posts

Everytime I start writing about three letter acronym devices like FETs and BJTs I am reminded of the fondness our chief engineer, Bob Stadtherr, has for the best recursive acronym of... Read more...

The guessing game

Interpolation is somewhat of an intimidating word. So too is upsampling. But, at the end of the day, both are just fancy terms for a way of making a digital... Read more...

When zero means something

We all agree zero means nothing, right? Have you ever noticed that in audio, we use zero as something? In a volume control or on a VU meter, 0dB means... Read more...

The great divide

In the 1960s, Acoustic Research (AR) faced tough competition from loudspeaker brands like JBL, Klipsch, and Altec Lansing, which dominated with large, visually impressive speakers known for powerful bass and... Read more...

Keys

Here's something I never thought would happen in my lifetime. No keys anymore. My home's front door opens with a code, the PS Audio Mothership opens with an electronic entry... Read more...

Physical media

I still love the idea of physical media but I am not certain why. With all the work we've done perfecting streaming through the AirLens, it isn't for sound quality... Read more...

What's wrong with feedback?

I often write about the evils of too much feedback in an audio circuit. But that's likely deceiving. Feedback on its own is a valuable tool. In the right hands... Read more...

Elbow grease over upgrade

Received the kindest note from a HiFi Family member. "Hi Paul I recently bought your book "the loudspeaker" and sacd and on my first try my jaw dropped! You don't... Read more...

Brand stories

My underpants are branded by Ralph Lauren. I don't know what to make of that. I simply purchased the ones that were on sale. And who the hell is Ralph... Read more...

Progress

If you look up the subject of today's post the dictionary defines it as: "Positive change, growth, or development in any specific field of knowledge or activity—a journey toward achieving... Read more...

The threat of new

New products and new ideas can go one of several ways: we can feel energized and excited, or retreating and threatened (and everything in between). In yesterday's post I shared... Read more...

Changing minds

We all know how hard it is to change one's mind on anything. But, why is that? Turns out to be something built in from our evolutionary past. Fitting in... Read more...

What's the point?

Do we need a point? Sometimes we do things like simply listen and enjoy the music. There's no point to it other than the sheer enjoyment of it. And, maybe... Read more...

In or out of house?

The Aspen loudspeakers are making quite a name for themselves. From sharing the stage with Magico, B and W, and Magnepan in The Absolute Sound's Greatest Bargain's in Loudspeakers, to gracing the covers of... Read more...

Dry vs. wet

What makes a recording sound dry or wet? Musician, Tony Furtado's Raleigh and Spencer, for example, is quite "wet". Have a listen to the opening of the piece where the drums... Read more...

Origins

Ever wonder why Mexicans love beer and their music often features tubas and brass instruments playing what sounds like polka music? An interesting question since the country we now know as... Read more...

What if?

Ever daydream about what ifs? What if I had this or that? The perfect streamer? Drop dead gorgeous loudspeakers? A DAC that made me swoon? Mine would include the perfect... Read more...

Emotions meter

How cool would that be? A metering system that connected with the goosebumps on our arm or the tears of joy forming in our eyes. I was at the studio... Read more...

Step by step

I know I've shared the story of how years ago we (and others) discovered the bypass cap—that small film capacitor placed in parallel with a big electrolytic. If you look inside... Read more...

Moving forward

I find myself happiest with forward movement. I'm ok on idle, but not for long. And I really don't like reverse. Perhaps this makes me a bit volatile because I... Read more...

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