Paul's Posts

Point of first reflection
Point of first reflection
In yesterday's post, I wrote about acoustically treating the room. I had used a term unfamiliar to some. The point of first reflection. This is the point along the room's... Read more...
Acoustic treatments
Acoustic treatments
It is ironic that the best acoustic treatment I know of is made from ordinary stuff. Books. Albums. We go to great expense and long lengths to acoustically treat our... Read more...
Reconnecting
Reconnecting
As of late, I am receiving in my inbox a surprising and delightful increase of messages and heartfelt letters of thanks for our HiFi Family. Thanks for reinvigorating people's interest... Read more...
Status Roles
Status Roles
I am aware it makes some of us a bit uncomfortable to admit we use our system’s status as our calling card, but I’d like to suggest it’s fine. There’s... Read more...
Over Etched
Over Etched
I love this term (though I don’t appreciate its sonic impacts). It’s used to describe an unnatural emphasis on some higher frequencies some of the time. It is typically associated... Read more...
Where Have All The Experts Gone?
Where Have All The Experts Gone?
As our industry morphs from its heyday of local experts to a more globally connected version, we see a shift that affects us all. I remember well the differing areas... Read more...
Ancient Extremes
Ancient Extremes
I find it ironic that at the end of our audio chain lies some really ancient technology based primarily on magnetism. Loudspeakers, with few exceptions, are moving coils of wire... Read more...
In The Center
In The Center
When I look at the wonderful collection of system photos from our HiFi Family photo album, the one thing I notice is that most people place their electronics stack between the... Read more...
Measuring Mood
Measuring Mood
I don’t know about you but I am pretty clear that for me, my mood impacts my connection to music. And while it’s true music can change my mood, it’s... Read more...
Moving lines
Moving lines
As we’re growing up it’s our job as children to test limits. How far can I go before my fingers get burned or I get caught? As a parent, I... Read more...
Augustus
Augustus
When Octave’s executive producer, Jessica Carson came to us pitching the idea of recording the indie rock and roll band Augustus she wanted to make sure our audience would like... Read more...
Adaptation
Adaptation
How easily we adapt to our environments. If it’s too cold we put on a sweater, too hot and we find shade, listen to music through bandwidth-limited earbuds, and before... Read more...
Revealing Systems
Revealing Systems
I am constantly on the hunt for a more revealing audio experience. When designing a new product or listening to a new Octave release, the closer I can get to... Read more...
Once Bitten…
Once Bitten…
…twice shy. It’s hard to have experienced something unpleasant and overcome that hesitation. I know plenty of folks having once had a bad experience listening to a particular system or... Read more...
The Straw Man Game
The Straw Man Game
Wikipedia defines a straw man as, "… a form of argument and an informal fallacy of having the impression of refuting an argument, whereas the real subject of the argument... Read more...
Patience and persistence
Patience and persistence
Patience is a virtue but it's persistence that pays off. Thus starts a note from Chuck Chylinski from Omaha. He writes: I just wanted drop you a note of thanks... Read more...
Fear of the new
Fear of the new
People that embrace change are often called Early Adopters. They are a rare breed. Early adopters are the ones not only willing to take a chance on new products and... Read more...
Secret wishes
Secret wishes
If we're to be honest with ourselves (itself a frightening thought), wouldn't each of us secretly hope to find that miracle product? The one that magically transforms our audio system... Read more...
Are libraries obsolete?
Are libraries obsolete?
For years I have been hearing about how our musical libraries are vanishing, yet to this day I have never met a fellow audiophile without one. Perhaps it's my limited... Read more...
Choosing your tradeoffs
Choosing your tradeoffs
In high-end audio as in engineering, it's all a matter of managing tradeoffs. There are no perfect solutions. I think when evaluating acceptable tradeoffs one must make a shortlist of... Read more...
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