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Steven Stone rounds up three ultra-budget audio components—the Fosi ZD3 DAC, iFi Zen Phono 3, and FX Audio R07Plus—that rival gear costing far more. After blind tests and strategic upgrades, Stone finds the ZD3 indistinguishable from elite DACs, the Zen Phono nearly noise-free, and the R07Plus a neutral powerhouse across headphones.
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On March 30, 1967, The Beatles strolled into Michael Cooper’s photographic studio at 4 Chelsea Manor Studios, London, prepared to turn the music world’s expectations on their head. Or maybe they were just bored. After all, if you’re already the most famous band on the planet, why not have a little fun with it? The…
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Save your souls!… Black Sabbath leads the way in this latest history lesson in the roots of hard rock and heavy metal.
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Happy New Year everyone! On deck are some recent releases, peppered with a couple of disappointments. After all, not all of our music purchases (vinyl or otherwise) are perfect!
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Claude Lemaire thinks Led Zeppelin is so seminal to hard rock, he chooses them twice for Episode 3. King Crimson also makes the cut.
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Can pop music compete with classical’s sonic precision? Jonson Lee delves into recording techniques that make classical music a benchmark for audiophiles seeking pure sound.
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It was December 14, 1969, a cold Sunday night, but the stage at CBS Studio 50 was sizzling with energy. The Ed Sullivan Show, a revered institution in American television, had introduced countless icons to the world—The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The Supremes. That evening, five brothers from Gary, Indiana, became the latest in that storied…
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Welcome to the November Vinyl Beat! This month at Casa Rudy we’re enjoying a couple of Doobies, being overrun by Rhinos, wearing a Tutu, adding some salsa to life’s recipe, and operating under an assumed identity.
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In the glittering circus of pop music, where smoke, mirrors, and synthesized beats reign supreme, few scandals hit harder—or landed messier—than the Milli Vanilli debacle of 1990. This wasn’t just a little hiccup in the pop machine. This was a full-on implosion, a moment when the flashy veneer of the music industry was peeled back,…
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On October 31, 1975, Queen unleashed a track that would transform rock music and forge its own genre: Bohemian Rhapsody. This was more than a song; it was a production, a revolution, and maybe even a bit of madness. Mercury, Queen’s fearless frontman, had begun to sketch ideas for Bohemian Rhapsody as early as 1968,…
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Bowers & Wilkins speakers paired with Marantz amps created a cozy, living room-like atmosphere, while the 702 S3 Signature speakers and Marantz M1 dazzled with sleek design and rich sound.
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In the pantheon of rock and pop gods, few names resonate as powerfully as Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. Now imagine, if you will, the sheer cosmic magnitude of these two titans crossing paths, not on a stage, but in the intimate confines of a recording studio. Yes, it happened. Freddie Mercury, the flamboyant frontman…
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The Sinister Symphony of the Aztec Death Whistle In the pantheon of historical artifacts that both fascinate and frighten, few can match the eerie allure of the Aztec death whistle. Often misunderstood and underestimated, this small, skull-shaped instrument was a marvel of ancient sound engineering, capable of emitting a scream that could freeze the blood…
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June 25 holds a special place in music history, marking both the release of an iconic album and the passing of a legendary artist. On this date in 1984, Prince released his groundbreaking album “Purple Rain,” a record that would redefine his career and solidify his place in the pantheon of music greats. Little did…
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George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh was an unqualified success, and the first-ever pop concert for charity.