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. Audio gamblingWriting software is a lot like gambling. You study the situation, develop a strategy you believe in, put in the work, and then push your chips... Audio gambling
  2. FireworksI am writing this note near the end of June, but I thought I'd save it for the 4th of July—a day of fireworks—because that's what... Fireworks
  3. Life and codePicture the simplest program imaginable: a square that toggles black to white and back. Two states. You can test both, prove it perfect, and walk away.... Life and code
  4. ComplexityI've spent more than fifty years building audio equipment, and the last stretch of months pouring myself into Maestro, the music software I've been quietly obsessed... Complexity
  5. EllaOf course, the greatest and most revered Ella in the world is Ella Fitzgerald...amazing even to this day. Which is one of the reasons I chose... Ella
  6. Expensive mistakesThe most expensive way to build an audio system is to ignore synergy. I've watched people spend serious money on components that don't work well together... Expensive mistakes
  7. Recording arsenalsReference discs and playlists should be an important part of your arsenal. Without reference materials you'll never be able to set a standard for evaluating everything... Recording arsenals
  8. Listening and learningThe albums we know best teach us the most about our systems. I have records I've listened to hundreds of times. Not because I couldn't find... Listening and learning
  9. GroovyA vinyl record is a physical imprint of sound. Not an approximation. Not a code like digital. The actual shape of the sound wave — compressed... Groovy
  10. Magical momentsMagic happens when you least expect it. Not a gradual appreciation. Not a slow dawning. One moment, in someone's living room or a hi-fi shop or... Magical moments
  11. Tired?Some systems make you want to stay. Others make you reach for the volume control. Listening fatigue.  The most common cause is distortion, but not the... Tired?
  12. The sounds of silenceThe quiet parts of the music are as important as their counterpart. We spend a lot of our attention chasing the loud moments — the crescendo,... The sounds of silence
  13. Future proof?Imagine you're an archaeologist a hundred years from now, holding a hard drive you've just excavated from the ruins of a data center. You have no... Future proof?