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November 21, 1955, wasn’t just another Monday. For Elvis Presley, it was the day a $35,000 contract (equivalent to $400,000 in 2024) pulled him out of a regional spotlight and thrust him onto the global stage. RCA Records, sensing that the young singer from Tupelo, Mississippi, was more than just a passing trend, purchased his…
Eighty-four years ago, Disney released Fantasia, and the world would never look at animated films—or hear classical music—the same way again. November 13, 1940, marked the debut of a cinematic experiment so ambitious it might’ve seemed crazy at the time. A cartoon? Sure. But a cartoon with no dialogue, featuring Bach, Beethoven, and Stravinsky? This…
In the cold, metallic Liverpool air of November 9, 1961, a moment was brewing in the dank, sweaty underbelly of The Cavern Club that would soon send shockwaves across the music world.
Berlin, a city renowned for its vibrant music scene and cultural diversity, has embraced the audiophile movement with several venues dedicated to high-fidelity sound experiences. Here, we explore five of the city’s premier hi-fi havens: Anima, Bar Neiro, Rhinoçéros, Unkompress, and Bankert Vinyl Café. 1. Anima Location: Friedrichshain (East Side Gallery area)Features: Combines high-quality sound…
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…
“What I’m going to say now with 100% certainty is that I had never heard these two recordings sound better than they did in that room.”
I’ve listened to many audio setups over the years but I only recently heard a “cost-no-object” system. It happened in the Focal-Naim showroom at Montreal Audiofest 2024. Its cost? Close to $1 million dollars if you include cables and acoustic treatment. My verdict? Mind-blowingly good, and I’m not someone who would naturally equate higher price…
Feng-Shui Hi-Fi Debuts Cutting-Edge Audio Tech: Because Chi is the New High Fidelity Ever paused your favorite track to consider if your speakers might prefer facing the door rather than your sofa? Or if your subwoofer wants to align with the room’s energy flow? Welcome to the world of Feng-Shui Hi-Fi, where the traditional audio…
As we mark the bicentennial anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, imagine the scene: a packed theater in Vienna, the audience on edge, and Beethoven himself, nearly deaf, standing tall on stage. This wasn’t just another symphonic debut; it was the musical equivalent of a revolution. Premiering on May 7, 1824, the Ninth…
Impressions of South Korea’s thriving audio show, along with a handful of Best-of-Show rooms.
Click here to jump to the highlights and special releases of the 2024 edition. On April 20th, vinyl enthusiasts and music aficionados around the globe unite for a celebration that spins beyond just a routine shopping spree—it’s Record Store Day, the annual event that’s been putting the needle back on the beloved grooves of vinyl…
Seldom does an LP’s visual presentation rival the artistry of its music. Having seen the orchestra this past weekend at the Maison Symphonique in Montréal, where the album was recorded, I can attest that the quality of the recording matches the live presentation. In fact, the only thing that’s missing from the album is the…
In the annals of music history, few moments shimmer with the kind of star-studded, genre-blending brilliance as the day when the future King of Pop met the Reggae Revolutionary. Picture this: a sunny day in Kingston, Jamaica, 1975, a setting so ripe for a musical crossover, it could have been scripted in Hollywood. Yet, this…
Hi, my name is Pierre and I’m a compulsive record collector… That’s probably how I’d introduce myself if I belonged to a support group for hard-core record collectors. But fear not, my condition isn’t painful—it brings me immense joy, and I’m eager to share my passion for classical music in the pages of PMA Magazine.…
John Bowers, Visionary of Sound In the quaint town of Worthing, West Sussex, a story of a remarkable individual began to unfold, a story that would eventually redefine the world of audio technology. John Bowers, the founder of Bowers & Wilkins, was born into a world where technology was rapidly evolving, yet the true potential…