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Reporting from High End Munich 2022, Gilles Laferrière reflects on dream systems, surprising entry-level performance, and passionate interviews—while urging exhibitors to ditch the arrogance and set up their rooms right.
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Québec Acoustique’s William Desjardins proves the audiophile flame burns bright in the next generation, curating a $10K system with astonishing synergy, warmth, and realism that outshines setups costing twice as much.
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Three SPDIF cables from AudioQuest, Kimber, and Audience face off—each delivering distinct sonic strengths—while the old-school Auric Illuminator CD treatment surprisingly proves its worth, boosting clarity, ambiance, and realism across multiple discs.
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The company’s first cartridge in 40 years BALLSTON SPA, New York, March 2022 – Not since the original LMC-1 of 1981 and 1982 follow-up model LMC-2 has Luxman offered a phono cartridge. That 40-year absence ends now with the introduction of the LMC-5 moving coil cartridge. “This new reference class MC cartridge is the result…
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In Part 3, Gilles challenges cable skeptics by arguing that blind tests favor short-term memory and ignore the nuanced, experience-driven perception stored in our long-term auditory memory—where true cable differences reveal themselves.
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Ivan Doroschuk of Men Without Hats reflects on his synth-pop revival, embracing ‘80s nostalgia and global tours with humility and humor, performing “The Safety Dance” not once but thrice per show—for three generations of fans.
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Rob Schryer’s new column “The Cable Guru” kicks off with a spirited manifesto from its self-appointed guru, championing the subjective truths of hi-fi cabling, cable break-in, and the sacred art of system synergy.
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PMA’s Robert Schryer confesses to abandoning separates for the Grandinote Shinai integrated amp, declaring it the most human-sounding gear he’s owned—and the cornerstone of a system that finally silenced the upgrade itch.
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After years of AB tests and blind comparisons, Jonson Lee finds that while 24-bit playback offers little audible advantage over 16-bit, high-res still matters—mainly due to improved recording techniques and mastering quality.
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After dismissing high-end audio cables as snake oil, a $900 silver phono cable blew Gilles Laferrière away—revealing clearer detail, richer timbres, and vast soundstage. Key factors? Room acoustics, speaker placement, and clean power made the difference.
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The Denafrips Pontus II DAC rekindled Mario St-Laurent’s love for digital audio with its smooth, analog-like warmth and emotional depth. After extensive burn-in, it revealed exceptional clarity, imaging, and musicality, effortlessly blending detail with natural sound.
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Gilles recounts 50 years of audiophile growth, from teenage gear rivalries to embracing once-dismissed tweaks, reminding readers that real learning in hi-fi comes not from specs or forums—but from listening with open ears.
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Dragged along to T.H.E. Show by chance, Jonson Lee’s wife — a professional pianist — helped crown Heavenly Soundworks’ active speakers as the event’s best, praising their astonishing clarity and bass, all powered by just a $500 streamer.
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The human voice is an amazing thing. I can think of no other instrument that moves our emotions and soul as powerfully. The examples are endless: Freddie Mercury, Beyoncé, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby McFerrin, Luciano Pavarotti, Ariana Grande… Just take your pick. And it’s not just singers’ voices that we respond strongly to. How about the…
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I am not an audiophile, or an expert on music. I don’t like being labelled. But I do love most musical genres. I fell in love with music when I was nine. “That’s a young age to fall in love for the first time!” I hear some of you saying. It is. But by nine…
