Welcome to Audiophilia. We publish honest and accurate reviews of high end audio equipment and music.
The very fine British pianist Paul Lewis turns his gifted views on one of the cornerstones of the piano classical literature, Brahms' First Piano Concerto. The work is full of youthful ardour and genius. It was intended as a symphony, but Brahms thought it a little under the shadow of Beethoven. So, a concerto was produced.
Recently I had the pleasure of attending, here in New York City, a live early on rehearsal performance of the Beethoven Late String Quartet in B-flat Major Op. 130. (Sometimes referred to as String Quartet No. 13.) One of the members of the performance is a friend, Daniel Panner—a very fine violist, and the setting was intimate (no stage) with only about 15 people attending. It was delightful to be so close up without any amplification or microphones required, and to be able to meet and chat with the musicians right afterwards. No high-end audio system can compete with that.
I first heard Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang in a 2015 recording of Mozart Concertos. I quickly became hooked on her gorgeous tone and exquisite musicianship and have followed her career with interest ever since. Frang’s playing has an honesty and simplicity that allows everything she plays a fresh perspective, free of artifice and the histrionics that other, maybe more technically gifted players project into the music.
VPI Industries, well known for its extraordinary turntables, linked up with Steven Leung from VAS Audio to remake a modern and simplified version of the classic vintage H.H. Scott 299D integrated vacuum tube stereo amp (1964-1966). Enthusiastic as ever, Leung mentioned to me recently by phone that he had acquired several modified vintage Scott 299 models a while ago, and they sounded so nice to him and VPI that they decided to proceed with their own high-end modern version.
I knew that as soon as The Prodigal Son returned, at least in Elgarian terms, the Brit press would be gaga over the spoils. Daniel Barenboim, the Son, had a love affair with Elgar symphonies along with the excellent LPO, and the less excellent CBS, as recorder, back in the 70s and 80s. The press loved everything, even the recording quality. The recorded sound was awful. If you collect Columbia vinyl recordings of the time, especially from London and New York, you’ll know what I mean.
For many years, audiophiles who had space constraints, WAF or other issues, were forced to contend with small stand mount or 'bookshelf' speakers. These speakers often were capable of good sound and usually had a superior ability to float a very good soundstage. On the other hand, one had to imagine how much bass there was in a recording since lack of it was the major sacrifice.
At the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) 2015 I had the pleasure of listening to the newest Alta Audio loudspeaker, the Rhea. It greatly impressed me and many other attendees. Although only the second lowest in price in their line of five models which range from the Solo at $1,500 per pair weighing in at only 15 lbs each (a single driver model) to the Statement Towers at $250,000 per pair that weigh 485 lbs each and contain 11 drivers, the Rhea were clearly something very special at only $4,500 per pair.
The great German conductor Karl Böhm (1894/1981) came out of the war relatively unscathed. A couple of years banned, courtesy of the Allies' denazification project, and he was free and clear. Much like other German musicians used by the Nazis such as Strauss, Furtwängler and Karajan, Böhm dodged the proverbial bullet.
Devialet (pronounced: duv’-ē-a-lay) is the Parisian company that has created a Sonos-like stir in the audiophile world. Its ‘pizza box’ shaped, flagship product, the D200, is an amp, preamp, phono stage, DAC and WiFi card in one very thin, sexy chrome box. The audio press went wild over it. I heard one at length just recently and it casts a pretty spell on the music and is a top notch, one-stop shop. If that's what you’re after.
Thierry Fischer took over the reins of the Utah Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and since then has made a significant musical mark in the state. By many accounts, the orchestra had been in the doldrums for some time. Installing the Swiss conductor was a very popular decision and by the evidence on this new Reference Recording of Mahler’s 1st Symphony, the orchestra seems to be the beneficiary of an outstanding musician.
Phono stages are tricky things. They’re critical in the amplification of the very low signal output of cartridges. Better design and better parts equal better sound. You can buy phono stages, at least of the moving magnet cartridge variety for less than a hundred dollars at corner electronic stores. Hell, you can even get a quality NAD Electronics PP 2e Phono on Amazon for about $150.
Musically, this is a tall drink of water, but because it's a 45 rpm supercut it runs a TT of only 27 minutes. At $40, this timing may be difficult to swallow. Yet, this new LP from Linn Records is a shining gem and will work for both audiophiles and lovers of great Haydn performances.
Just because you love singing and have the money and profile to promote your product to the 'nth degree doesn't always make it musically viable. Failures are legion. Happily, musicality is the one thing that ‘Family Guy’ creator Seth MacFarlane has going for him, and in spades.
In recent years, the integrated amplifier has come of age and has become a contender as a serious audio component. Once considered a very compromised component, a number of companies have sought to change that perception. Toward that end, GamuT has been leading this trend and created the Di150 integrated amplifier, the subject of this review.
Totem Acoustic loudspeakers debuted on the high audio scene in 1987 and first gained notoriety with the wonderful and diminutive Model 1 Loudspeaker. I was very taken with its detailed and very dynamic sound, and was one of the main reasons I began to write about high end audio. It's been a pleasure to observe Totem's growth over the years into one of the few long-term success stories of our industry.
This review has been some time coming. I’ve always been a fan of Rega products — we’ve been reviewing and listening to Roy Gandy’s kit for many years but getting a review sample has been like capturing a golden unicorn. Our Canadian distributor was out of stock. Always out. ‘I’ll get back to you’. We were not getting the run around — the distributor is a wonderful guy and always accommodating. Simply, a very popular item.
I’m in Vivaldi mode. In preparation for some concerts featuring his fabulous Op. 10 Flute Concertos, I researched their provenance. Many of Vivaldi’s hundreds of concertos (including Op. 10) were written for the girls of the Ospedale della Pietà, a combination of orphanage, convent and hospital. I’ll be visiting the Ospedale, now the Metropole Hotel, in Venice in September.
Just a few years ago, the idea of a wireless headphone with quality sound and solid connectivity was a bit of a dream. The last couple of years have seen large steps taken with the connectivity, now using Bluetooth 4.0 and many (including the Momentum Wireless) supporting the aptX codec (improved sound when streaming over Bluetooth). All major and boutique manufacturers are coming out with wireless versions of their benchmark wired headphone.
Atlantic [55:57]
A Head Full of Dreams is Coldplay’s seventh and possibly final album. Lots of rumours. It follows the dreadfully sappy Ghost Stories [2012], written primarily in response to lead singer Chris Martin’s much publicized divorce from gobby actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
After reviewing the outstanding Master & Dynamic MH40 Headphones at a price of $399, little did I know that soon after I would be amazed yet again by this savvy and forward-looking New York City company.
