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Veteran music editor Robert Baird reflects on high-end audio’s tribalism, from gear vs. music purists to loudness wars and streaming woes, vowing to spotlight artists who value both sonic integrity and musical impact.
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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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Faced with underwhelming SACD and BD playback, Tom Gibbs ditches discs for a digital setup that rips and streams native DSD—revealing astonishing sound quality and a future where optical drives are obsolete.
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As Apple, Amazon, and Spotify shift to lossless audio, smaller services like Tidal and Qobuz may face extinction. Mario St-Laurent warns this seismic change risks squeezing out artist royalties and playback freedom in favor of big-tech ecosystems.
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Nearfield listening reveals hidden stereo depth and clarity by minimizing room interference—a technique once limited to studio engineers but now common among desktop audiophiles using compact speakers near their screens.
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Recalling his journey from AM radio to Julian Hirsch-era Stereo Review, Tom Gibbs charts how flashy gear and measurements gave way to the deeper truth: great sound comes from system synergy, not specs alone.
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Jay Jay French recalls funding his first hi-fi with pot money, trashes a Dylan concert, and champions budget gear that “sniffs cocaine like it’s Jaws”—all while slowly, skeptically courting jazz.
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After decades of lo-fi compromises, improved gear and high-res streaming from Tidal to Qobuz signal a turning point—finally letting listeners hear the full artistry behind recordings, not just a compressed shadow of it.
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A T-800 might settle for bad sound, but as this witty essay makes clear, music is meant to stir human emotion—not metallic circuits. Good audio connects us; bad audio shuts us down.
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From du Pré’s iconic Elgar to Stravinsky’s riotous Rite of Spring, this list highlights five stunning classical recordings—each a sonic and emotional powerhouse, perfectly suited for seasoned collectors or curious newcomers alike.
