Paul's Posts

In response to yesterday’s post, Steven responded: “If you take a recording and transfer it (a) bit perfect digitally or (b) by cutting a groove in a bit of plastic, running... Read more...

Vinyl Masters

I’ve often spouted off about why vinyl sounds so different than any other medium. In those gushing (isn’t that what happens at the output of a spout?) I have said... Read more...

The bypass cap

Capacitors are interesting components. They serve as frequency dividers, energy storage units, and DC blockers (among other things). I've written before about my experience so many years ago learning about... Read more...

Here's a simple test

Whenever the subject of filling in missing low frequencies comes up I am often asked how do you know what's missing? Certainly one can perform a series of measurements at... Read more...

How much are we willing to miss?

There are very few systems that are truly full range. The shortcomings of rooms and speakers often preclude simple setups from delivering all there is on a disc. Take Music... Read more...

Stereo fascination

When I was growing up my father's home-built stereo system—the envy of our neighbors and relatives—was monophonic. To fill our living room with sound there were two sets of parallel-wired... Read more...

No Going Back

I don’t know about you but for me, once I’ve heard a great high-end audio system there’s no going back. And it’s not just high-end audio systems that reset standards.... Read more...

Micro And Macro

While it might feel counterintuitive, it is often helpful to zoom in for a micro view in order to perfect the macro view: focusing closely on the smallest details of... Read more...

Fix It In Pre

My wife Terri is working on getting a sign made for Octave Studios that reads like today’s post’s headline. Fix it in pre: a takeoff on the infamous fix it in post. We... Read more...

Less Than Obvious Choices

Now that we’ve moved the main PS Audio reference system from Music Room Two to Music Room Three we have a new challenge at hand. Where formerly the problems in... Read more...

Reaching equilibrium

If I am to enjoy a morning breakfast of blueberries, yogurt, and granola there has to be a proper balance between the flavors. My preference in berries runs towards the... Read more...

Are we crazy?

I have been asked so many times whether or not I am crazy that those questions not only roll off my back like water and ducks, but I have become... Read more...

THD

Ever wonder why harmonic distortion figures include the word total? Surely we don't benefit from knowing partial harmonic distortion. Or do we? Harmonic distortion happens when higher frequencies that are... Read more...

The best of two worlds

Two of the most valuable tools we have at Octave Records are a pair of Audeze headphones and the FR30 loudspeakers. Putting the headphones on while setting up a recording... Read more...

See through music

When you are watching a live show you can see the musicians and hear their individual instruments. The visuals add clarity to what you are hearing. Listening on your stereo... Read more...

Plasticity

What a great word. noun:1. The quality of being easily shaped or moulded.2. The adaptability of an organism to changes in its environment or differences between its various habitats. Plasticity very... Read more...

The Woody

Yeah, I know what you thought upon reading that headline... :) No, this post is about materials and perceptions. When I was growing up the cool-guy-car surfers always wanted to... Read more...

Moving to the edges

It might not make much sense when we see an amplifier's frequency range specified as 10Hz to 60kHz. After all, this kind of extreme frequency range is unusable to humans.... Read more...

Total absorption

One of my YouTube viewers writes: "Paul, love almost all your videos. but. I think TOTAL ABSORTION behind the speakers is crucial. Reflection behind the speakers is just noise. PERIOD.... Read more...

Lowering our guard

We learn from very early on to protect ourselves from pain and unpleasantness. If something is too loud we cover our ears and move away. On a more moderate scale,... Read more...

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