#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: Albums of the Year
Here they are: my favorite albums of the year—all 215 of them. And still I know I’m forgetting something important. What is it? What am I missing?
Year: 2018
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Witch Prophet
Witch. Prophet. Healer. So says Ayo Leilani’s Bandcamp page, otherwise known as Witch Prophet. The Golden Octave is her debut album but it bears no resemblance to one because The Golden Octave is mature beyond its years, slipping into some big shoes ever so comfortably.
HiFi Reviews
Review: Alta Audio Io Speakers
Proper care and feeding. We all need it and loudspeakers are no different.
Music News
Warp Boxing Day Sale – 50% off all digital formats!
Are you a WARP fan? I am as their roster includes Aphex Twin, Oneohtrix Point Never, Boards Of Canada, Clark, Autechre, Flying Lotus and many more. Bleep & WARP are offering 50% off, that’s nearly 1/2 price!, digital downloads from the WARP catalog for Boxing […]
HiFi
Why A NAS With RAID Is Cool
A Synology 412+ Network Attached Storage device (NAS) holds all of the my file-based music, i.e. all of the downloads I’ve purchased and all the CDs I’ve purchased and ripped. Like any library, that represents a significant investment in $ and time. The 412+ has […]
HiFi News
Are You Going To CES?
According to the CES Floor Plan for the Venetian Hotel, where “High-End HiFi” lives during CES, there are 12 hifi companies exhibiting. In total. Am I going to CES? Why would I?
HiFi News
Happy Holidays and A Nice (new) HiFi Ad
Here’s the text that goes along with the image: Can’t bear to send your old stand-alone speakers to the Island of Misfit Toys? Connect:Amp allows you to incorporate your favorite bookshelf or floor-standing speakers into the Sonos experience. Stream music or use line-in to connect […]
In Barn for Review
In Barn: Dali Callisto 6 C
Dali Callisto 6 C Wireless Active Speakers ($5,750/system).
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: December 21, 2018
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream.com columnist, will browse through the many exciting albums released that day and select 15 worth a closer listen.
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: La Luz
“And you’ll never hear surf music again” Jimi Hendrix from “Third Stone From the Sun”. Every regular reader knows I adore Jimi but in this case I’ll have to disagree. La Luz is Shana Cleveland (guitar), Marian Li Pino (drums), Alice Sandahl (keyboard) and Lena […]
HiFi News
In The Works: Review BorderPatrol DAC SE or Can a HiFI Be Good or Evil
Does this DAC look like a seductress? That’s the scenario Jon Iverson paints in his review and follow up (and follow up ASWI) about the BorderPatrol DAC SE. In John Atkinson’s recent As We See It, he also muses on the Border Patrol DAC SE […]
HiFi Reviews
Review: ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
Are sins of omission really sins when it comes to hifi? The correct answer is “No”. I’ve been playing with the ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2 speakers for months, on and off, with a variety of amplifiers and they are a delight to listen through.
Art&Culture
Happy Birthday Paul Klee
Twittering Machines took its name from the Paul Klee work “Twittering Machine” (Die Zwitscher-Maschine), from 1929. Today is the anniversary of Mr. Klee’s birth, December 18, 1879, so an appreciation is in order. Enjoy!
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: December 14, 2018
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream.com columnist, will browse through the many exciting albums released that day and select 15 worth a closer listen. La Caminadora by Orkesta Mendoza Orquesta Mendoza: La Caninadora (Glitterbeat Records) Lunar Ascension by […]
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Adrianne Lenker
Beauty can be elusive, so says Captain Obvious. In music, our mood can swing and sway beauty so much so it becomes a pendulum-like target. At least for me.
HiFi Reviews
Review: NAD D 3020 V2 Stereo integrated amplifier with built-in DAC and Bluetooth
I owned an original NAD 3020 back in 1980 and I loved, loved, loved it. Everything about it including its $135 price tag. The new NAD D 3020 V2 clocks in at $399 which, when adjusted for inflation, costs the same as the original (give […]
Music News
Bandcamp’s Best Albums of 2018
Are you starved for new music? While there are lots of lists floating around this time of year, I’m really enjoying Bandcamp’s “Best” 100 albums of 2018 because I’m finding lots (and lots) of music that’s new to me.That’s the kind of list I like!
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Hatis Noit
I want to show you something
HiFi
Twittering Machines 2018 Product of the Year
Bucking trends in and of itself can produce nonsensical results. On the other hand, there are times when it’s the perfect time to buck. With that being said, I am very pleased to announce the Twittering Machines 2018 Product of the Year:
Album of the Week
Michael Lavorgna’s 2018 Albums of the Year
As the title says, these are the albums from 2018 that I enjoyed mostest. While I make no claims as to “best” outside of these Barn doors, you may enjoy some of them too, especially if there’s something new to you. Enjoy!
#NewMusicFriday
Weird New Pop, v.12
Today’s special edition of #NewMusicFriday features a Playlist of some favorites from 2018.
Art&Culture
Twittering Machines 2018 Holiday Gift Guide
This year was an interesting and amazing year. Let’s hope they all are. Mine was split roughly in half, work-wise, and I couldn’t be happier about where I’ve landed—TM is becoming the site I always wanted to see and I thank you, yes you, for […]
HiFi News
News: Qobuz Prepares for US Launch, Announces Pricing Plan
While there’s no set date for the US Qobuz launch, it “will be announced soon”. Soon is good! We do however, have the Pricing Plan!
HiFi Reviews
Review: Micromega M-150 All-In-One Integrated Amplifier
My great-grandmother on my father’s mother’s side loved Chiclets, especially the red ones. She didn’t speak much English, dressed only in black after her husband passed, and perpetually rolled rosaries between her thumb and fingers, the speed of the passing beads based on what was […]
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Asian Women on the Telephone
I first wrote about, and recommended, Asian Women on the Telephone (AWOTT) back in 2013. Here’s what I said:
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: November 23, 2018
I am thankful for you.
Classic Albums
The Blues Are Dead: Long Live The Blues
According to me, The Blues was a musical genre that encompassed many styles of roots music beginning in the late 1800s, ending in the 1950s. Anyone who started playing ‘the blues’ after the 1950s, especially twelve-bar blues and extra-especially if they’re from England, isn’t playing […]
Art&Culture
Review: Google Chromecast Ultra or What Happens When A Stream Runs Dry?
I purchased the Google Chromecast Ultra for one reason—to stream movies from FilmStruck.
HiFi
Lovely Music: Hosted by Joe Whip
It’s been awhile since my last installment [on AudioStream] as I have been busy with life but thought it was time for another go round with some stellar music. Some mainstream and some a bit edgy but worth your time.
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: November 16, 2018
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream.com columnist, will browse through the many exciting albums released that day and select 15 worth a closer listen.
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Ambrose Akinmusire
Sometimes when I drive, magical things happen. 23 or so years ago Cathy and I were driving from the Maui airport to our hotel, on our honeymoon, and I tuned into a radio interview with Terence McKenna. This was my introduction to him and his […]
In Barn for Review
In Barn: Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier & L2 Signature Monoblocks
Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (starts at $14,995), L2 Signature Monoblocks ($14,995). The review unit L2 Signature Preamplier includes the optional DAC (+$3,495) and Phonostage (+$3,495).
HiFi Reviews
Review: HoloAudio Azure Headphone Amplifier
What kind of idea are you? The Analyst? Are you the detail hound looking to plumb the depths of your favorite recordings? Or maybe the Sensualist? You’re looking for a dynamic, captivating and more physical listening experience? While no one is any one thing and […]
New York Audio Show 2018
NY Audio Show 2018: The Wrap
There are things I like about the NY Audio Show and there are things I do not like about the NY Audio Show. Let’s start with the bad.
New York Audio Show 2018
NY Audio Show 2018: The Rooms (Part 2)
I’m presenting my NY Audio Show coverage in the order I moved around the show—namely, I started at the top, Floor 9, and worked my way down. See Part 1 for the beginning. Enjoy!