Twittering Machines

News: Naim Mu-so Special Edition Champagne Finish

August 21, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

“Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends.” Anonymous (incorrectly attributed to Francis Bacon and Tom Waits). Naim Audio has dressed up its popular one-box Mu-so player in a limited edition (2,000 units) champagne anodised aluminium finish. I think it looks smashing.

Let’s Make Lovely Music Together

August 21, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Back in my AudioStream days, I ran a feature most Mondays titled “Lovely Recordings“. The premise was simple—reader’s wrote about some albums they loved. While “Lovely Recordings” was limited to CD-quality or better downloads, Lovely Music is not. Downloads, CDs, LPs, cassettes, etc. Anything goes.

In Barn: Quad VA-One

August 21, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Quad VA-One Integrated Amplifier/DAC ($1,595.00).

Question: The Best HiFi Ad Of All Time Is Nearly 40-Years Old. What Happened?

August 20, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

It’s iconic.

Milan Grygar: The Marriage of Art & Sound

August 17, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Sometimes you stumble upon a gift. The thing about stumbling, however, is you first have to be moving and to find a gift you have to have chosen a direction.

Album of the Week: Tirzah

August 17, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Slow, sultry, and spare go a long way toward keeping my listening genes happy. Devotion is the debut album from Tirzah released on Domino earlier this month and it keeps my Soul-O-Meter pegged at a constant 11.

RIP: Aretha Franklin

August 16, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

The Queen of Soul has passed. Aretha Louise Franklin, March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018. May she rest in peace while we are blessed with her music forever.

Classic Albums: Ron Carter – Where?

August 16, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

I know many of you already know you have to have Ron Carter’s Where? but what you may not know is you really need to have the Bonus Track Version. Let me tell you why.

In Barn: NAD D 3020 V2 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier

August 16, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

NAD D 3020 V2 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier ($399.00).

Halber Mensch: Einstürzende Neubauten + Sogo Ishii = Dystopia

August 15, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Einstürzende Neubauten released their 3rd full length album Halber Mensch (1/2 man) in 1985. They landed in Japan that same year on tour, hooked up with Japanese filmmaker Sogo Ishii in an abandoned warehouse, and together they made this perfect picture.

Progress Report: Ayre EX-8

August 14, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Do you like simple? I like simple. Let’s make a system hardware checklist: Ayre EX-8, DeVore Fidelity gibbon X, sonic Transporter i5 (Roon Core), NAS (music storage), iPad remote (Roon), and a router. Check.

The (last?) Lovable Audiophile

August 14, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

You have to go back to Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Diva from 1981 to find as lovable an audiophile as Jules. His infatuation with Diva Cynthia Hawkins, portrayed by none other than Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, leads him into the most madcap audiophile adventure ever put to film.

In Barn: Micromega M-150 All-In-One Integrated Amplifier

August 13, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Micromega M-150 All-In-One Integrated Amplifier ($7,499 silver or black anodized; $8,499 lacquer finishes).

A Carnatic Konnakol Riffing On Fibonacci

August 13, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if an Indian Carnatic master of Konnakol, the art of performing percussion syllables, were to make music based on the Fibonacci Sequence? Me neither but I am very happy that B.C. Manjunath did just that.

“I hope Jana is not lost to the audio world …”

August 13, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Hi Michael – welcome back – normal (and extended) service is resumed! I would like to thank you for all your helpful advice down the years on network streaming etc. and look forward to both your audio gear and musical recommendations – the Bartok is […]

“I am beginning to think of my hifi gear as ‘twittering machines'”…

August 13, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Also a welcome back from me. I am beginning to think of my hifi gear as “twittering machines” as well as all hifi reviewers, magazines and so on. Just to keep everything varied, I love your new layout – it makes discovery and surprise possible, […]

New(s)!: Meet the dCS Bartók Upsampling Network DAC

August 10, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

dCS, maker of some of the most engaging digital products I’ve heard, announced the birth of Bartók, an Upsampling Network DAC and the entry point in the dCS lineup when sorted by price (ascending). Bartók retails for $13,500 and/or $15,000 if you opt for the […]

Herb Reichert on His Art (video)

August 10, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

(“Untitled (house)”, 8” x 10” x 9”, wood, 2009) Did you know that writer Herb Reichert is an artist? Some of the people that fascinate me most are people who write and make art. The list isn’t very long and includes Henri Michaux and Antonin […]

Album of the Week: Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids

August 10, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Do you fall in love often? With music? I do and while it feels like a regular occurrence, I can fall for the wrong song. I fell in love with Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids’ An Angel Fell the very first time I listened through. […]

Question: What’s the Next Big Thing In HiFi?

August 9, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

What do you think the next big thing in hifi will be?

News: The Florida Audio Expo

August 9, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

This news just hit my desk: “Tampa, Florida—August 2018—The Florida Audio Expo is excited to announce its inaugural show. This show will be held on Friday February 8th through Sunday February 10th, 2019 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. ”

“So, yes, by all means, welcome back! But…”

August 9, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

So, yes, by all means, welcome back! But — egads, what a cluttered, scattershot, busy, messy interface! Poor signal to noise ratio. Still, I’ve registered & I’m gonna give you all a try. Thanks for taking feedback (which took some digging around to suss out) […]

Fania Records Lives On

August 8, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Concord Music, home to Stax and Rounder to name just two, announced last week they’ve purchased Fania Records from Código for an undisclosed sum.

In Barn: Chord Mojo

August 8, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Chord Mojo ($539.00).

Dear Sharp Objects: Please Don’t Go There

August 8, 2018 Michael Lavorgna

Cathy and I have been enjoying HBO’s series Sharp Objects. The acting is top notch, the creepy-level is high, and the suspense, while dragging a bit lately, is suspenseful. A regular whodunit and it’s anyone’s guess after Episode 5 of 8 who done it. I […]