Paul's Posts

There's no getting around it. We're all somewhat obsessed with our status. Where do we fit into the pecking order? Some of us identify as dedicated individualists: our collection of... Read more...

Performance leaps

At the heart and center of all our HiFi systems is the preamplifier. At least for some of us. The preamp is where all our sources connect, where every signal... Read more...

What if...

On the subject of integrateds vs. separates, what would happen if you took an entire system's worth of separates from the same company and put them all into one box?... Read more...

Pulling apart integrateds

Most of us have separates, though a surprising number rely instead upon the integrated approach. And integrateds have their charms. For one thing, if the unit's designer focuses their efforts... Read more...

Parallel DACs

In the crucial months between July 10 and October 31, 1940, during the Battle of Britain, radar operators were glued to their screens, straining to distinguish enemy aircraft from mere... Read more...

Ripped vs. live

A lot of questions swirl around the notion that a ripped CD sounds different than one played live. If the bits are identical, how could that possibly be true? I... Read more...

The reward

In any endeavor or project the greatest reward is to hit the mark. To do what you set out to do. The bigger and more ambitious the project the greater... Read more...

Clarity

Here's a short riff on clarity and how it is achieved in a high end audio system. One school of thought is the do no harm approach. That the lower the... Read more...

Knowing what's possible

I recently received a heartfelt note from Mark, one of our HiFi Family members thanking me for my obsession with 3D imaging. He writes: "Thanks again Paul - it was your... Read more...

Musicality

We're happiest when our systems sound musical—less HiFi'ish. Which reminds me of our goal to have the system itself disappear. Not just the speakers, but the whole kit and caboodle. Quite... Read more...

Formats and recordings

I hope we can agree that a great recording on a CD can blow the socks off a poor recording on a high resolution capture like DSD256. Which brings us... Read more...

Loudness as a tweak

For each track in your collection there's an ideal volume. A sweet spot in level where the system shines and the music is perfect. That sweet spot varies across systems, rooms, tracks,... Read more...

The irritation problem

In yesterday's post about critical listening I suggested that was a needed skill to get us in a good enough place to where we can relax and enjoy the music.... Read more...

Critical listening

One of the great rewards of having everything in the system dialed in is the chance to relax and enjoy the music. No longer is it important to pay attention... Read more...

Compatibility, convention, and breadcrumbs

The good news of sticking with tried and true convention is it plays nice with everything. The bad news is it plays nice with everything. What's that mean? In a... Read more...

The treasure hunt

No one just grabs a shovel and starts digging in the hopes of finding buried treasure. You would wind up with a lot of empty holes and a serious set of... Read more...

Short and sweet

Ran across a short forum post a few days ago and had to share. "Best review yet: connected the AirLens, starting playing, wife walks into room and says “that sounds... Read more...

A bit of wisdom

Stephen, one of our HiFi Family members, sent the following to me after reading yesterday's post about Artificial Intelligence. "May I call your attention to a set of rules Douglas Adams came... Read more...

AI

When a new technology comes around, especially one we struggle to understand, there's always a bit of hand wringing and doom predicting. How many of us remember the introduction of... Read more...

Artificial sound

When we're inside a concert hall we experience not just the on stage performance but also the room we're in. Taken a bit further the same can be true for... Read more...

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