I have been into music seriously since I was 5 years old and heard Joan Jett sing about how she loves rock 'n' roll on the radio. I have been hooked ever since. HI-FI seems to be a logical second step after developing a love for music. Sounds puritanical but it's what I think.
“The computer audio revolution marches forward… and I’ve got my marching boots on,” writes Thad Aerts as he continues his investigation into computer-based audio. Three mid-line USB cables from AudioQuest provide the basis for another round of extensive comparisons into USB cabling… but with an interesting footnote. And what does this have to do with beer? Read on….
“Being a relatively entrant (one year) into the computer audio game, it’s all new to me and am fascinated by each new, little discovery. I had yet to compare USB cables…” writes Thad Aerts in his own evaluation of the sonic effects of the VUE Cables VU-1 USB cable.
Thad Aerts dives into the world of computer audio and evaluates the “v1.2” update to the AudioQuest DragonFly DAC/headphone amp. “Recommending the DragonFly is an absolute no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. I would readily recommend it to folks not well versed in the world of audiophile jargon as well… buy one.”
No tubes, no transistors, no bells, no whistles and no power cords because there’s no power. If less is more, than this is a whole lot of less, er… or more. Thad Aerts delves into Luminous Audio’s new and improved offering to the passive preamp world with their Axiom II, and concludes, “I highly recommend the single-input Axiom II.”
“The last two pairs of speakers that I reviewed are tube-friendly designs. So tube-friendly, in fact, that their designers would go so far as to suggest that it be preferable to drive their speakers with just one, solitary tube per speaker.” Thad Aerts goes in search of more “oomph” than SET, and discovers the Eastern Electric M88 integrated amplifier.
“This review has been a long, long, long time in the making,” writes Thad Aerts of this review of the Sonist Concerto 3 loudspeaker. While designed for use with single-ended triode (SET) amplifiers, Thad exercises it with the AMC hybrid push-pull amplifier. “They have the ability to seduce you away from what you are doing and get you to sit down in front of them to listen to music.”
“It is, hands down, the best tonearm I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing…. This tonearm is one of the few that are handmade specifically to meet the requirements of the cartridge that will be attached to them.” Thad Aerts continues his review of the Pete Riggle Engineering “The Woody” tonearm, with an update on the Anti-Skate Measurement System, and his listening impressions.
In part one of his review, Thad Aerts discusses the design concepts and installation of Pete Riggle’s Stringtheory “Woody” tonearm. These attractive and cleverly simple tonearms are handmade specifically for each owner’s cartridge, and feature vertical tracking angle and azimuth adjustments as a record plays.