HiFi Thoughts
McGill Study Suggests We Don’t Just Listen to Music, We Become It (w/Video!)
Our brains and bodies physically resonate along with music, according to an international study co-authored by McGill psychologist Caroline Palmer.
Month: May 2025
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: May 23, 2025
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream 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: BIG|BRAVE | OST
Sometimes, finding music that fits the mood turns into a quest for alteration.
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: My Show Report
Let’s begin with the obvious—HIGH END Munich is full of people, about 22,000 according to their published numbers. All kinds of people and that’s why there’s all kinds of gear as tastes vary as widely as people’s appearance.
HiFi News
HIGH END Munich 2025: Welcome, Qobuz Connect!
Here’s some big news from the big show—Qobuz Connect is here!
Album of the Week
Album of the Week: Japanese Breakfast | For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
As someone looking into the rear view at middle age*, enjoying Michelle Zauner’s latest treat feels nearly naughty.
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: VTL to Launch Their Flagship Lohengrin Amplifier
It’s not every day that VTL releases a new product, something I appreciate and even admire.
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: Octave to Unveil the Jubilee Class A Mono Amplifier
Want to know a secret?
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: May 9, 2025
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream 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: Amor Muere | A time to love, a time to die
How’d I miss this?
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: A Complete totaldac System
Me and totaldacs, or is it totaldacs and I, have a long history dating back more than 12 years and I’ve owned one totaldac or another for 10 of ’em.
HiFi News
dCS Unveils the Lina DAC X Network Music Player
You can think of the new dCS Lina DAC X as a full width Lina Network DAC with its own volume control. Just add amplifier & speakers.
HiFi News
HARMAN Buys Sound United (and Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz…)
It’s getting awfully crowded under that HARMAN umbrella.
In Barn for Review
In Barn for Review: Wattson Audio Madison Amplifier & Madison LE Streaming DAC
Are two Wattsons better than one?
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: Meet IsoAcoustics’ New GAIA Neo and GAIA Titan Neo Isolation Feet
I’ve had a pair of IsoAcoustics ISO stands under my ADAM A3X active speakers on my desktop for about 13 years. 13 lucky years.
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: Audiovector to Introduce the Flagship R 10 Arreté Loudspeakers
Meet the Audiovector R 10 Arreté—13 drivers per side, 21-53 kHz, 90dB 1W/M.
HIGH END Munich 2025
HIGH END Munich 2025: A Week Away!
I barely finished folding my socks after Axpona but back in the bag they go!
#NewMusicFriday
#NewMusicFriday: May 2, 2025
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream 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: Whitney Johnson & Lia Kohl | For Translucence
“What kind of music do you like?
HiFi Reviews
Review: Bel Canto Design Black ACI 600 Integrated Amplifier
I’d like us to think about the Bel Canto Black ACI 600 in architectural terms.