Zen

Zen


  • Mutine’s Pascal Ravachโ€”North America’s Audio Zen Iconoclast

    PMAโ€™s Michel Plante and Robert Schryer revisit Pascal Ravachโ€™s remarkable audio journey, which began with a childhood accident that severely affected his eyesight, continued through a European consulting career, and culminated in founding Montrealโ€™s Mutine, where Ravachโ€™s Zen-inspired listening rooms champion synergy, natural sound, and holistic system harmony.

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  • The Art of Listening

    Mutine’s Pascal Ravach shares his philosophy on how to listenโ€”and how to find a system that helps you achieve the ultimate connectionโ€”with music, but also with life.

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  • Steven Stoneโ€™s Super Budget Components: Fosi, iFi, FX Audio

    Steven Stone rounds up three ultra-budget audio componentsโ€”the Fosi ZD3 DAC, iFi Zen Phono 3, and FX Audio R07Plusโ€”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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  • The Shakuhachi: How a Zen Bamboo Flute Shaped Japanese Culture

    From courtly halls to Zen temples, the shakuhachi evolved from a Tang Dynasty import into a meditative tool and global musical icon, resonating with timeless beauty.

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  • Feng-Shui Hi-Fi’s Sound Revolution: Harmonizing Music & Chi

    Tao Tunes of Feng-Shui Hi-Fi redefines audio with chi-aligned speakers, Aqua Harmony systems, and sonic vortexes that allegedly birth micro-universesโ€”blending spiritual mysticism and absurdist tech into the wildest hi-fi revolution yet.

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  • How a Vinylphile Found His Groove, Part 1

    Mike Harkins dives deep into the tactile and sonic quirks of vinyl playback, exposing factory flaws, groove grime, and pressing imperfections that plague even โ€œaudiophileโ€ editionsโ€”yet still finds joy in the ritual and magic of spinning LPs.

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  • 3 Budget Audiophile Headphone Setups That Will Blow Your Mind!

    For audiophiles short on space or cash, a quality headphone system can rival speaker setups. This guide breaks down three stellar rigsโ€”ranging from $299 to $1098โ€”pairing top DAC/amp combos with acclaimed headphones.

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  • Treat your system (and you!) to Korean psychedelic music

    Audioguy CEO Jung-Hoon Choi champions the traditional Korean genre of sanjoโ€”a hypnotic, rhythmically accelerating solo formโ€”as the ultimate system test and spiritual reset, captured in stunning resolution on his labelโ€™s audiophile-grade recordings.

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  • The Cable Guru: On your mark, get set,โ€ฆ

    In this second โ€œCable Guruโ€ entry, the Guru explores mid-priced hi-fi cables from major manufacturers, emphasizing sound character over specs, system synergy, and the artful subjectivity that makes cable evaluation a unique audiophile pursuit.

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  • The Cable Guru: An Introduction

    Rob Schryer’s new column โ€œThe Cable Guruโ€ 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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  • Denafrips Pontus II DACโ€”why I bought it and kept it

    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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