Author Archives: Julie Mullins

Even if Darren Myers’s identify is not acquainted, you continue to could have heard—or not less than heard about—hi-fi elements he designed, together with the PS Audio Stellar phono preamp, which garnered Stereophile‘s Analog Product of the Year Award in 2020.

After engaged on tasks for Classé and Bowers & Wilkins, Myers was employed by PS Audio, the place he ended his tenure as senior analog design engineer. Myers just lately joined Parasound (footnote 1) following the corporate’s acquisition by David Sheriff.

Not all audio design engineers are themselves audiophiles, not even within the hi-fi area. But Myers is. He’s keen about each engineering and music, in roughly equal measure. His expertise as a music lover and client of perfectionist audio has influenced his design work. He’s into traditional analog design approaches, however he is additionally a contemporary thinker, clearly a part of a brand new era of hi-fi lovers and designers. At PS Audio, he was the brains behind a number of very well-reviewed class-D designs (footnote 2).

Myers’s listening experiences got here into play within the PS Audio Stellar phono preamplifier’s design, for instance. The Stellar, he informed me in an interview, was “a venture through which I felt each my tech design and audiophile sides would meet.” He had owned different phono preamps and considered how he may enhance them. He purchased a number of phono preamps to hearken to and consider. “I wished to beat the competitors,” he informed me.

There weren’t many audiophiles in Greenville, North Carolina, the place he grew up, however when he was a teen, he heard a system owned by a buddy of his father that included Wilson Watt Puppy 5s and Audio Research Reference electronics “with tons of 6550s in them,” a PH3 phono stage, a Linn LP12 turntable, and Transparent cables. “I’d by no means seen or heard something like that earlier than,” he mentioned. “I used to be simply blown away.” He particularly remembers listening to Hendrix’s Woodstock efficiency. He started shopping for Stereophile, saved up for a Sony encompass sound system, and received into SACDs. This was round 2004; it was, he says, a reasonably good time to get began. “SACD wasn’t lifeless but,” he informed me. “I began watching stuff I could not afford.”

His journey continued in school. He mixed his ardour along with his research, incomes {an electrical} engineering diploma from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He purchased a correct hi-fi system and began experimenting, switching out amplifiers to listen to how completely different they sounded: “I’d simply rotate stuff on Audiogon and see what it was like.”

He additionally began designing his personal gear, together with a 6SN7-based preamplifier “that was so overbuilt,” he mentioned with fun. “I used energy amp transformers for the preamp. That was my first enterprise into doing one thing that was utterly my very own design.”

He admired designs from Audio Research and Conrad-Johnson and as we speak cites them as early influences. In time, he began to mess around with op-amps. “Then I began entering into the precise designers and studying what was completely different to each design,” he mentioned. Among the designers whose work he studied had been Nelson Pass and John Curl.

In one sense, his profession has come full circle: At Parasound, Myers is working with Curl. “I’m right here to assist John on the JC line—to additional flesh out his gear and take his circuits and make them actuality—and extra merchandise shifting ahead.”

Following the current acquisition of Parasound, “Some are nervous about JC being pressured out,” Myers informed me. “But the alternative is true: We’ll be showcasing much more of his designs.”

Myers informed me that at this level in his profession, he is much less involved in designing cost-no-object gear than he’s in making high-quality gear inexpensive. “I need to proceed to create stuff extra individuals can afford however [that] gives extra of what higher-priced stuff has,” he mentioned. “My reference is the actually high-end gear.” His aim is to get as shut as doable to that top-tier expertise however at decrease price. “It’s about choosing the right compromises,” he informed me. “Do all these compromises result in a really clear and targeted outcome?”

The artistic a part of our interest should not be reserved for designers and recording engineers. Myers believes that audiophiles, too, can be taught from their experiences on their journeys to refine their techniques. An expertise, he notes, is extra highly effective than another person’s opinion.

It’s additionally, arguably, extra highly effective than measurements. “Our aim is to make one thing sound actually good. I’ve all the time treasured a way of engagement and realism. Measurements are a instrument to get you there. We’re continuously refining how we measure issues.”

Indeed, one among his favourite matters is how measurements correlate—or do not correlate—with what we hear. “It’s an ongoing studying course of—studying tips on how to hear higher and studying tips on how to correlate measurements with what we hear,” he mentioned.

Myers says he is realized his largest classes when his listening does not correlate with what ideas and measurements lead him to count on. “I need to discover out why that’s. Those are deep-rooted classes you may’t open a textbook for. They’re troublesome classes to be taught, not surface-level or intuitive options.” That’s one other means his first-hand expertise as an audiophile has served him properly.

It’s okay for hi-fi customers to not care about measurements. “I’ll make the argument that prospects do not measure the elements, however engineers who’re involved in audio do,” Myers mentioned. “It’s controversial, and other people query it,” however “you must be taught and expertise issues for your self.”

Hi-fi, in any case, “is supposed to be loved and listened to.”

---

Footnote 1: See Industry Update within the May 2023 situation of Stereophile.

Footnote 2: See, for instance, Michael Fremer’s overview of the Stellar M1200 monoblock amplifier.

Even if Darren Myers’s identify is not acquainted, you continue to could have heard—or not less than heard about—hi-fi elements he designed, together with the PS Audio Stellar phono preamp, which garnered Stereophile‘s Analog Product of the Year Award in 2020.

After engaged on tasks for Classé and Bowers & Wilkins, Myers was employed by PS Audio, the place he ended his tenure as senior analog design engineer. Myers not too long ago joined Parasound (footnote 1) following the corporate’s acquisition by David Sheriff.

Not all audio design engineers are themselves audiophiles, not even within the hi-fi house. But Myers is. He’s captivated with each engineering and music, in roughly equal measure. His expertise as a music lover and shopper of perfectionist audio has influenced his design work. He’s into traditional analog design approaches, however he is additionally a contemporary thinker, clearly a part of a brand new era of hi-fi lovers and designers. At PS Audio, he was the brains behind a number of very well-reviewed class-D designs (footnote 2).

Myers’s listening experiences got here into play within the PS Audio Stellar phono preamplifier’s design, for instance. The Stellar, he instructed me in an interview, was “a undertaking during which I felt each my tech design and audiophile sides would meet.” He had owned different phono preamps and thought of how he may enhance them. He purchased a number of phono preamps to take heed to and consider. “I wished to beat the competitors,” he instructed me.

There weren’t many audiophiles in Greenville, North Carolina, the place he grew up, however when he was a youngster, he heard a system owned by a pal of his father that included Wilson Watt Puppy 5s and Audio Research Reference electronics “with tons of 6550s in them,” a PH3 phono stage, a Linn LP12 turntable, and Transparent cables. “I’d by no means seen or heard something like that earlier than,” he mentioned. “I used to be simply blown away.” He particularly remembers listening to Hendrix’s Woodstock efficiency. He started shopping for Stereophile, saved up for a Sony encompass sound system, and acquired into SACDs. This was round 2004; it was, he says, a fairly good time to get began. “SACD wasn’t lifeless but,” he instructed me. “I began gazing stuff I could not afford.”

His journey continued in faculty. He mixed his ardour along with his research, incomes {an electrical} engineering diploma from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He purchased a correct hi-fi system and began experimenting, switching out amplifiers to listen to how totally different they sounded: “I’d simply rotate stuff on Audiogon and see what it was like.”

He additionally began designing his personal tools, together with a 6SN7-based preamplifier “that was so overbuilt,” he mentioned with fun. “I used energy amp transformers for the preamp. That was my first enterprise into doing one thing that was fully my very own design.”

He admired designs from Audio Research and Conrad-Johnson and at the moment cites them as early influences. In time, he began to mess around with op-amps. “Then I began entering into the precise designers and studying what was totally different to each design,” he mentioned. Among the designers whose work he studied have been Nelson Pass and John Curl.

In one sense, his profession has come full circle: At Parasound, Myers is working with Curl. “I’m right here to help John on the JC line—to additional flesh out his gear and take his circuits and make them actuality—and extra merchandise shifting ahead.”

Following the current acquisition of Parasound, “Some are anxious about JC being compelled out,” Myers instructed me. “But the other is true: We’ll be showcasing much more of his designs.”

Myers instructed me that at this level in his profession, he is much less excited by designing cost-no-object tools than he’s in making high-quality tools inexpensive. “I need to proceed to create stuff extra individuals can afford however [that] provides extra of what higher-priced stuff has,” he mentioned. “My reference is the actually high-end gear.” His purpose is to get as shut as doable to that top-tier expertise however at decrease price. “It’s about selecting the correct compromises,” he instructed me. “Do all these compromises result in a really clear and targeted outcome?”

The artistic a part of our interest should not be reserved for designers and recording engineers. Myers believes that audiophiles, too, can be taught from their experiences on their journeys to refine their methods. An expertise, he notes, is extra highly effective than another person’s opinion.

It’s additionally, arguably, extra highly effective than measurements. “Our purpose is to make one thing sound actually good. I’ve all the time treasured a way of engagement and realism. Measurements are a software to get you there. We’re continuously refining how we measure issues.”

Indeed, one in every of his favourite subjects is how measurements correlate—or do not correlate—with what we hear. “It’s an ongoing studying course of—studying how one can hear higher and studying how one can correlate measurements with what we hear,” he mentioned.

Myers says he is realized his largest classes when his listening would not correlate with what ideas and measurements lead him to count on. “I need to discover out why that’s. Those are deep-rooted classes you may’t open a textbook for. They’re troublesome classes to be taught, not surface-level or intuitive options.” That’s one other approach his first-hand expertise as an audiophile has served him properly.

It’s okay for hi-fi shoppers to not care about measurements. “I’ll make the argument that clients do not measure the elements, however engineers who’re excited by audio do,” Myers mentioned. “It’s controversial, and folks query it,” however “it’s important to be taught and expertise issues for your self.”

Hi-fi, in spite of everything, “is supposed to be loved and listened to.”

---

Footnote 1: See Industry Update within the May 2023 difficulty of Stereophile.

Footnote 2: See, for instance, Michael Fremer’s evaluate of the Stellar M1200 monoblock amplifier.

Several conventional hi-fi dealerships have shuttered in recent times: NYC’s Lyric Hi-Fi and Chicago’s Audio Consultants are outstanding examples. A couple of new brick-and-mortar retailers have opened, nevertheless it’s uncommon to see a next-generation proprietor breathe new life right into a long-established dealership. Christopher Brewer (above) is doing precisely that with New England Hi-Fi.

New England Hi-Fi was based because the New England Music Company by Derek R. Burt (footnote 1), in 1965—on the early aspect of hi-fi’s heyday. Back then, the shop carried the 1965 KLH line and different pioneering merchandise, with a self-proclaimed emphasis on customer support. Founded in downtown Portland, Maine, the dealership moved to Scarborough in 1984 after which to South Portland, in a nook house throughout from the Maine Mall.

Before he turned the proprietor, Brewer was an worker. Before he was an worker, he was a buyer. While he was a buyer, he labored at Circuit City, making, he says, $8/hour. Circuit City, which was situated simply down Maine Mall Road from New England Hi-Fi, is lengthy gone: The chain went bankrupt in 2009. Good riddance, Brewer says. “I feel I can safely confess that I spent loads of my time within the audio division there advising prospects to go to New England Hi-Fi.”

Brewer, 41, took over New England Hi-Fi when Andy Keniston, the earlier proprietor, retired. Brewer moved the shop to a brand new location, within the Mill Creek space of South Portland. “I wished to be in a busier, ‘up and coming’ space,” Brewer stated. “A complete restart appeared like one of the simplest ways to make the modifications I wished.”

I wasn’t round in 1965, and neither was Chris Brewer, nevertheless it’s all however sure that prospects have modified for the reason that unique retailer’s Mad Men–period founding. Brewer sees a variety of shoppers: women and men, young and old, hobbyists and “one-and-done.” He describes his prospects as “loyal.” Their loyalty is probably going attributable to his retailer’s essential ethos, which, he instructed me, is to deal with prospects (and workers) pretty.

It was not unusual for these old-school high-end dealerships to be snooty; we’ve all heard tales of casually dressed prospects being ignored, snubbed, or insulted, solely to take their hi-fi cash elsewhere (footnote 2). Brewer advises different sellers, “Don’t disgrace anybody for not being as dedicated or high-budgeted as the perfect.”

Brewer maintains one side of old-world service: tools service and restore. That’s no simple feat as of late: Such abilities are more and more uncommon. “It’s primarily unattainable to seek out somebody certified to restore hi-fi,” he stated. “I used to be very lucky to have a longtime pal with some ability—and to have had a 20-year–previous wunderkind come by my door someday.”

Brewer’s prior hi-fi gross sales expertise informs his number of parts to promote. His go-to phrase is “affordable”: affordable construct high quality, affordable design, affordable reliability, affordable efficiency in relation to cost; ie, worth. He is prepared to take probabilities on new manufacturers; generally they show in style, generally not. “We promote loads of reasonably priced gear on this market, however we can’t promote dangerous gear.” “Bad gear,” he clarified, might imply an unjustifiable worth, a dead-end design flaw, glitchy software program, deceptive specs—or it might simply imply dangerous sound.

New England Hi-Fi carries principally new tools, however the retailer shares and sells choose classic gear, together with objects that may have been bought within the retailer’s prior incarnation, comparable to a pair of previous Klipsch audio system seen there just lately.

Brewer faces challenges hi-fi shops did not face in earlier a long time. Back then, retailers had protected territories. Today, native retailers compete with bigger on-line retailers; it is even tough for a small native supplier to acquire and keep product as a result of greater sellers get precedence. That’s why a loyal buyer base is important for survival. “It’s exhausting, and I can not blame folks for the comfort [of buying online], however I wish to suppose we stay in a spot that values native enterprise and neighborhood.” So he focuses on creating relationships together with his prospects. That means providing reasonably priced tools alongside higher-end tools. “Hi-fi must be accessible, and the truth that it typically isn’t, whether or not by worth or pretense, is simply too dangerous,” he stated. “I suppose we’re hi-fi socialists.”

Brewer appears lifelike, with toes planted firmly on the bottom. He’s a scholar of what works in his market and what does not. He has discovered, for instance, that even together with customized installs, encompass sound is on the decline. New England Hi-Fi’s concentrate on the lower- and midpriced elements of the market runs counter to opinions I’ve heard from another sources in column after column over the previous few years—although opinions have admittedly been combined. “There are loads of firms providing efficiency that is reasonably priced, however loads of sellers wish to depart that to the large bins and lean into the upper finish. I completely get it, and I’m positive that is nice in some markets….It’s simply not what works right here. I feel the longer term is in mid-fi and in incomes the help of our communities.”

Dealership proprietors should perceive and serve the markets they’re situated in whereas operating companies they will consider in. “The hole between high-end costs and entry stage is completely monumental,” Brewer instructed me. “The aspirational turned the unattainable.” That finally may not profit the trade as a result of it pushes some folks away, so to Brewer it makes little sense.

“This passion and trade is clearly in an general decline from the place it was, so do not gatekeep it in opposition to anybody who desires in,” he advises. A dealership’s success—and the hi-fi trade’s well being if not survival—will depend on it.

---

Footnote 1: For extra, see newenglandhifi.com/our-history.

Footnote 2: See Twisted Sister guitarist and former hi-fi salesman Jay Jay French’s account of working at Lyric right here.

Several conventional hi-fi dealerships have shuttered lately: NYC’s Lyric Hi-Fi and Chicago’s Audio Consultants are distinguished examples. Just a few new brick-and-mortar outlets have opened, however it’s uncommon to see a next-generation proprietor breathe new life right into a long-established dealership. Christopher Brewer (above) is doing precisely that with New England Hi-Fi.

New England Hi-Fi was based because the New England Music Company by Derek R. Burt (footnote 1), in 1965—on the early aspect of hi-fi’s heyday. Back then, the shop carried the 1965 KLH line and different pioneering merchandise, with a self-proclaimed emphasis on customer support. Founded in downtown Portland, Maine, the dealership moved to Scarborough in 1984 after which to South Portland, in a nook area throughout from the Maine Mall.

Before he grew to become the proprietor, Brewer was an worker. Before he was an worker, he was a buyer. While he was a buyer, he labored at Circuit City, making, he says, $8/hour. Circuit City, which was situated simply down Maine Mall Road from New England Hi-Fi, is lengthy gone: The chain went bankrupt in 2009. Good riddance, Brewer says. “I believe I can safely confess that I spent a number of my time within the audio division there advising prospects to go to New England Hi-Fi.”

Brewer, 41, took over New England Hi-Fi when Andy Keniston, the earlier proprietor, retired. Brewer moved the shop to a brand new location, within the Mill Creek space of South Portland. “I wished to be in a busier, ‘up and coming’ space,” Brewer mentioned. “A complete restart appeared like one of the best ways to make the adjustments I wished.”

I wasn’t round in 1965, and neither was Chris Brewer, however it’s all however sure that prospects have modified for the reason that authentic retailer’s Mad Men–period founding. Brewer sees a variety of shoppers: women and men, young and old, hobbyists and “one-and-done.” He describes his prospects as “loyal.” Their loyalty is probably going attributable to his retailer’s most important ethos, which, he instructed me, is to deal with prospects (and workers) pretty.

It was not unusual for these old-school high-end dealerships to be snooty; we now have all heard tales of casually dressed prospects being ignored, snubbed, or insulted, solely to take their hi-fi cash elsewhere (footnote 2). Brewer advises different sellers, “Don’t disgrace anybody for not being as dedicated or high-budgeted as the best.”

Brewer maintains one side of old-world service: gear service and restore. That’s no simple feat today: Such expertise are more and more uncommon. “It’s basically not possible to seek out somebody certified to restore hi-fi,” he mentioned. “I used to be very lucky to have a longtime good friend with some ability—and to have had a 20-year–previous wunderkind come via my door in the future.”

Brewer’s prior hi-fi gross sales expertise informs his choice of parts to promote. His go-to phrase is “cheap”: cheap construct high quality, cheap design, cheap reliability, cheap efficiency in relation to cost; ie, worth. He is prepared to take probabilities on new manufacturers; generally they show widespread, generally not. “We promote a number of inexpensive gear on this market, however we can’t promote dangerous gear.” “Bad gear,” he clarified, might imply an unjustifiable value, a dead-end design flaw, glitchy software program, deceptive specs—or it might simply imply dangerous sound.

New England Hi-Fi carries largely new gear, however the retailer shares and sells choose classic gear, together with objects which may have been bought within the retailer’s prior incarnation, reminiscent of a pair of previous Klipsch audio system seen there just lately.

Brewer faces challenges hi-fi shops did not face in earlier a long time. Back then, retailers had protected territories. Today, native retailers compete with bigger on-line retailers; it is even tough for a small native vendor to acquire and keep product as a result of greater sellers get precedence. That’s why a loyal buyer base is important for survival. “It’s exhausting, and I am unable to blame individuals for the comfort [of buying online], however I wish to assume we dwell in a spot that values native enterprise and group.” So he focuses on creating relationships along with his prospects. That means providing inexpensive gear alongside higher-end gear. “Hi-fi ought to be accessible, and the truth that it typically isn’t, whether or not by value or pretense, is just too dangerous,” he mentioned. “I suppose we’re hi-fi socialists.”

Brewer appears practical, with ft planted firmly on the bottom. He’s a scholar of what works in his market and what would not. He has discovered, for instance, that even together with customized installs, encompass sound is on the decline. New England Hi-Fi’s concentrate on the lower- and midpriced elements of the market runs counter to opinions I’ve heard from another sources in column after column over the previous few years—although opinions have admittedly been blended. “There are loads of corporations providing efficiency that is inexpensive, however a number of sellers wish to go away that to the large containers and lean into the upper finish. I completely get it, and I’m positive that is nice in some markets….It’s simply not what works right here. I believe the long run is in mid-fi and in incomes the help of our communities.”

Dealership proprietors should perceive and serve the markets they’re situated in whereas operating companies they will consider in. “The hole between high-end costs and entry stage is completely monumental,” Brewer instructed me. “The aspirational grew to become the not possible.” That finally won’t profit the business as a result of it pushes some individuals away, so to Brewer it makes little sense.

“This passion and business is clearly in an general decline from the place it was, so do not gatekeep it towards anybody who desires in,” he advises. A dealership’s success—and the hi-fi business’s well being if not survival—depends upon it.

---

Footnote 1: For extra, see newenglandhifi.com/our-history.

Footnote 2: See Twisted Sister guitarist and former hi-fi salesman Jay Jay French’s account of working at Lyric right here.

Several conventional hi-fi dealerships have shuttered lately: NYC’s Lyric Hi-Fi and Chicago’s Audio Consultants are distinguished examples. A couple of new brick-and-mortar retailers have opened, nevertheless it’s uncommon to see a next-generation proprietor breathe new life right into a long-established dealership. Christopher Brewer (above) is doing precisely that with New England Hi-Fi.

New England Hi-Fi was based because the New England Music Company by Derek R. Burt (footnote 1), in 1965—on the early facet of hi-fi’s heyday. Back then, the shop carried the 1965 KLH line and different pioneering merchandise, with a self-proclaimed emphasis on customer support. Founded in downtown Portland, Maine, the dealership moved to Scarborough in 1984 after which to South Portland, in a nook house throughout from the Maine Mall.

Before he grew to become the proprietor, Brewer was an worker. Before he was an worker, he was a buyer. While he was a buyer, he labored at Circuit City, making, he says, $8/hour. Circuit City, which was positioned simply down Maine Mall Road from New England Hi-Fi, is lengthy gone: The chain went bankrupt in 2009. Good riddance, Brewer says. “I believe I can safely confess that I spent plenty of my time within the audio division there advising prospects to go to New England Hi-Fi.”

Brewer, 41, took over New England Hi-Fi when Andy Keniston, the earlier proprietor, retired. Brewer moved the shop to a brand new location, within the Mill Creek space of South Portland. “I needed to be in a busier, ‘up and coming’ space,” Brewer stated. “A complete restart appeared like the easiest way to make the modifications I needed.”

I wasn’t round in 1965, and neither was Chris Brewer, nevertheless it’s all however sure that prospects have modified because the unique retailer’s Mad Men–period founding. Brewer sees a variety of shoppers: women and men, young and old, hobbyists and “one-and-done.” He describes his prospects as “loyal.” Their loyalty is probably going attributable to his retailer’s most important ethos, which, he advised me, is to deal with prospects (and staff) pretty.

It was not unusual for these old-school high-end dealerships to be snooty; now we have all heard tales of casually dressed prospects being ignored, snubbed, or insulted, solely to take their hi-fi cash elsewhere (footnote 2). Brewer advises different sellers, “Don’t disgrace anybody for not being as dedicated or high-budgeted as the best.”

Brewer maintains one side of old-world service: gear service and restore. That’s no simple feat today: Such expertise are more and more uncommon. “It’s primarily not possible to search out somebody certified to restore hi-fi,” he stated. “I used to be very lucky to have a longtime buddy with some ability—and to have had a 20-year–outdated wunderkind come by means of my door someday.”

Brewer’s prior hi-fi gross sales expertise informs his number of parts to promote. His go-to phrase is “affordable”: affordable construct high quality, affordable design, affordable reliability, affordable efficiency in relation to cost; ie, worth. He is prepared to take possibilities on new manufacturers; typically they show fashionable, typically not. “We promote plenty of inexpensive gear on this market, however we cannot promote unhealthy gear.” “Bad gear,” he clarified, might imply an unjustifiable value, a dead-end design flaw, glitchy software program, deceptive specs—or it might simply imply unhealthy sound.

New England Hi-Fi carries largely new gear, however the retailer shares and sells choose classic gear, together with gadgets which may have been bought within the retailer’s prior incarnation, reminiscent of a pair of outdated Klipsch audio system seen there lately.

Brewer faces challenges hi-fi shops did not face in earlier many years. Back then, retailers had protected territories. Today, native retailers compete with bigger on-line retailers; it is even troublesome for a small native vendor to acquire and preserve product as a result of greater sellers get precedence. That’s why a loyal buyer base is crucial for survival. “It’s onerous, and I can not blame individuals for the comfort [of buying online], however I wish to suppose we reside in a spot that values native enterprise and neighborhood.” So he focuses on creating relationships along with his prospects. That means providing inexpensive gear alongside higher-end gear. “Hi-fi ought to be accessible, and the truth that it usually just isn’t, whether or not by value or pretense, is just too unhealthy,” he stated. “I suppose we’re hi-fi socialists.”

Brewer appears lifelike, with ft planted firmly on the bottom. He’s a scholar of what works in his market and what does not. He has discovered, for instance, that even together with customized installs, encompass sound is on the decline. New England Hi-Fi’s deal with the lower- and midpriced elements of the market runs counter to opinions I’ve heard from another sources in column after column over the previous few years—although opinions have admittedly been blended. “There are loads of firms providing efficiency that is inexpensive, however plenty of sellers need to go away that to the massive containers and lean into the upper finish. I completely get it, and I’m certain that is nice in some markets….It’s simply not what works right here. I believe the long run is in mid-fi and in incomes the help of our communities.”

Dealership proprietors should perceive and serve the markets they’re positioned in whereas working companies they’ll imagine in. “The hole between high-end costs and entry stage is totally huge,” Brewer advised me. “The aspirational grew to become the not possible.” That in the end may not profit the trade as a result of it pushes some individuals away, so to Brewer it makes little sense.

“This passion and trade is clearly in an general decline from the place it was, so do not gatekeep it towards anybody who desires in,” he advises. A dealership’s success—and the hi-fi trade’s well being if not survival—depends upon it.

---

Footnote 1: For extra, see newenglandhifi.com/our-history.

Footnote 2: See Twisted Sister guitarist and former hi-fi salesman Jay Jay French’s account of working at Lyric right here.

Welcome again for Part 2 of my AXPONA 2023 report! As I famous in Part 1 final week, there have been 12 flooring of exhibitors, 200 listening rooms, and greater than 500 manufacturers represented on the present, in line with press info from AXPONA Show Director Liz Smith. Without additional ado, listed below are much more of the present’s analog-related highlights I wasn’t capable of get to in final week’s installment. (All pictures in each Parts 1 and a pair of are by the creator.)

KUZMA

I listened to simply a few tracks on a Kuzma Stabi S turntable ($5,749) setup with outboard energy provide in an Elite Audio Visual suite in Room 1533. Though that turntable mannequin (proven above) isn’t precisely new — it’s been in manufacturing for over 30 years — its small-footprint design is timeless in its minimalist cool.

The Stabi S turntable has a T-shaped brass cylindrical chassis for each type and performance. Kuzma claims it maintains “the essential mechanical relationship between the principle bearing and tonearm mount.” The Stabi S ’desk sat on a heavy-duty Kuzma platform, rendering it extra imperturbable — as much as 110dB, as Elite AV’s Scot Markwell famous.

The demo Stabi S’s Safir 9 tonearm ($22,250), a brand new model of which got here out in 2022, is alleged to be inflexible and weighty to reduce resonances whereas serving to with bass readability, Markwell added. It has a four-point bearing, and its tube is made out of lab-produced sapphire mono crystal that Kuzma reported has a ratio for hardness, vibration damping, and stiffness that approaches that of a diamond.

The arm is reportedly resonance-free as much as 5kHz, Markwell stated. A Kuzma CAR-50 cartridge ($7,995) was hooked up to the 9in tonearm’s finish. The Stabi S makes use of a flat belt on its stable aluminum platter with inside damping, together with an AC motor inside its personal separate heavy brass enclosure. There was additionally an outboard AC motor controller. The system additionally included a Plinius Koru phono stage ($3,450), a Manley Jumbo Shrimp preamp ($3,995), a Plinius SA-201 stereo energy amp ($6,545, although this mannequin is now not in manufacturing), and Chapman Audio T-7 floorstanding audio system ($17,995/pr).

Elite’s second room, which largely displayed loads of cables and power-related equipment, additionally confirmed a few analog equipment together with a BBC-style Keith Monks Prodigy Plus record-cleaning machine ($1,495; proven above) whose angular type issue appears directly retro and up to date in bamboo. Beside it sat a decidedly extra trendy machine: a Furutech Demag Alpha report album demagnetizer ($3,000, proven beneath).

Back over in the principle Elite AV suite, it turned a kind of uncommon events at this 12 months’s AXPONA the place I broke out considered one of my Yo La Tengo albums—particularly, their newest launch, February 2023’s This Stupid World, which stretches over 2LPs. This self-produced album accommodates a wide range of this indie-rock group’s stylistic forays. Here, the jangly guitar on “Fallout” and the mellower, extra downbeat fare as heard on the title observe — plus a short hearken to the fuzzed-up distortion-drenched wall of sound on “Sinatra Drive Breakdown” — had been all reproduced properly. (The Elite guys and a few attendees loved it, however it simply might need cleared some rooms elsewhere.) Having listened to it a number of instances on my house references methods, I got here away with the impression that This Stupid World sounded largely because it was supposed — i.e., the “dirtiness” of it got here by way of cleanly, and exactly.

SWEETVINYL

Speaking of the connection between analog and digital, SweetVinyl leverages superior applied sciences of the latter to profit playback of the previous. I recalled listening to in regards to the firm across the time their early merchandise launched — circa 2019, or thereabouts.

If you aren’t conversant in their merchandise, SweetVinyl is primarily identified for his or her vinyl report tick-and-pop removing applied sciences and phono levels (a few of which is proven above), as demo’ed at AXPONA by founder Leo Hoarty, and Dan Eakins. This includes intaking and “reviewing” an extraordinarily transient pattern — 300ms, for instance — of the incoming musical sign from the turntable’s pickup, simply earlier than and after the undesirable sound. The microprocessor buffers and flips the digitized 24-bit/192kHz sign round, autocorrelating to search out the minute begin and cease instances of the clicking or pop. It’s neither a filter nor does it take away sound — as a substitute, it “masks” the undesirable noise by changing it with a computed, corrected waveform that shoulda/woulda been there.

Clicks and pops common solely about 20 to 30ms lengthy, they stated, noting that their expertise can deal with such interrupting sounds of as much as 100ms lengthy, nearly with out audible gaps within the music playback.

Users can regulate the diploma of correction on a dial from 1 to 10 — much like a spice stage — and 5 is normally good, Hoarty instructed me. He defined that it isn’t a linear parameter — slightly, it’s a matter of how arduous the sensor hunts for sudden vitality within the sign. The SweetVinyl engineers developed superior algorithms that may differentiate even tough devices with out shifting their tonal qualities, Hoarty stated, additional noting, “It can do difficult math and sustain with the music.” That requires loads of processing energy. Essentially, the strategy works within the time area to “lower out” (utilizing the beginning and cease instances of) clicks and pops, changing them with a corrected waveform that’s calculated by a posh algorithm in actual time — throughout playback.

One A/B demo I heard — with vs. with out their (tick-and-pop) noise-reduction tech utilized — whereas taking part in again a 78rpm LP of (because it was spelled on its field cowl, above) Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C minor on RCA Victor, was outstanding. Although this LP was in fairly good situation for its age, it was removed from flawless, with seen floor scratches and marks and audible ticks and pops.

With the SugarCube tech on, the LP performed again easily and sounded fairly seamless, freed from the ticks and pops heard with out it — and I didn’t discover any audible sign gaps both. But if the harm is simply too nice — e.g., scrapes, deep scratches, or skips — it may possibly’t “take away” these. I also needs to word that the 78rpm LP demo’s turntable setup used a Technics SL1200 with an Ortofon 2m 78 cartridge.

Of course, there’s an in-depth cell app or desktop app for the SweetVinyl gadgets, or management might be through a browser. Based on a short perusal, the interface regarded user-friendly and provided myriad use-case prospects for varied system part configurations, comparable to full analog bypass or bridging.

The demo system included a SugarCube SC-1 Mini/Phono Plus click-and-pop remover with built-in MM/MC phono stage, and an SC-2 Plus click-and-pop remover with floor noise discount (SVNR). The “Plus” designation provides recording capabilities. I feel I’ve the next SRPs proper: it’s $2,500 for the SC-2 Mini, and $3,250 will get you the Plus model. The SC-2 Plus as demo’ed is $4,000, whereas the SC-1 Mini/Phono is $2,250.

The elements now use 24/192 AKM chipsets for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. The setup had a second analog supply, a VPI-loaned VPI Scout turntable with a ten.5in VPI tonearm fitted with an Ortofon Quintet Black cartridge — and, once more, the earlier-noted Technics turntable was used for the 78rpm demo. Finally, a Rega Elicit-R built-in amp drove a pair of JansZen Passive Z1 ESL hybrid electrostatic audio system.

TECHNICS

Alma Music and Audio in Room 1443 (considered one of their two rooms; the opposite was 1440) featured some trendy, must-hear analog (and digital) of their setups, together with a Technics Reference Class SL-1000R turntable ($19,999, proven above) geared up with an Air Tight Opus 1 cartridge ($15,000).

The Technics SL-1000R turntable with outboard energy provide/pace adjustment controller was linked to a Technics SU-R1000 built-in amplifier ($9,999) — a Product of the Year 2022 Finalist for our sister website Stereophile, actually — with a classy onboard phono stage. The phono part provides seven EQ curves, that are reportedly made extra correct by hybrid analog-digital circuitry, and is tricked out with slick applied sciences for crosstalk removing and cartridge calibration. The cartridge optimizer “figures out” the right loading — you play the TSP (Time Stretched Pulse) sign on the included Calibration Record, and the optimizer measures the frequency traits picked up by the stylus and adjusts the impedance matching as wanted. Up to 3 cartridges’ settings might be saved and displayed on the entrance panel. All these features are user-selectable — or user-defeatable, if you happen to choose old-school methods. (Meanwhile, the earlier-noted Technics pace adjustment controller is proven beneath.)

The direct drive SL-1000R, the Reference mannequin, makes use of the corporate’s “coreless” direct-drive motor originating within the SL-1200G turntable, circa 2016. The more moderen SL-1000R mannequin that was on demo contained upgrades made to that prior design, together with the addition of two chrome steel weights to the underside of the chassis to extend rigidity and decrease vibration. The double-coil motor has coils on either side. In the replace, these coils have been offset by 60° on either side for extra rigidity, and diminished vibration and self-inductance, in line with info on the Technics website. In operation, this provides it ample torque to drive the heavy (7.9kg) aluminum die-cast platter with embedded tungsten weights and brass on the skin. A layer of rubber is hooked up beneath the platter to dampen vibrations. The finish outcomes of all this are reported to be super-stable rotation — to the tune of a 0.015% (or much less) wow and flutter spec.

KALISTA

The Wynn Audio room displayed (and performed) an attention-grabbing, limited-edition Kalista DreamPlay Twenty-Twenty turntable (proven above) — commemorating that French model’s twentieth anniversary of their first Kalista product design initiatives. The Twenty-Twenty makes use of magnetic suspension, and its large brass platter weighs 16kg (greater than 35lbs).

The Twenty-Twenty’s hanging chassis is comprised of aluminum, acylate, and metal components, and the ’desk sits on height-adjustable, stainless-steel toes. There’s additionally an optionally available Kalista Classic Tripode Stand. Word is, this turntable offered properly sufficient to re-enter manufacturing (SRP, TBD). Finally, I’d like to notice that the Kalista vary is a part of the Métronome Technologie household.

MOFI ELECTRONICS

MoFi Electronics offered a “sneak preview” of their new Studio Silver shifting coil cartridge that’s anticipated to be in the marketplace by June for $995. It follows Spiral Groove’s Allen Perkins-voiced MoFi Ultra Gold MC cartridge, however MoFi Distribution PR/ advertising and marketing marketing consultant Lionel Goodfield instructed me through a follow-up e-mail that the forthcoming Studio Silver cartridge deploys a line contact stylus, versus the Ultra Gold’s nude Shibata-type stylus. The Studio Silver was proven on a Dr. Feickert Volare turntable with Origin Live Silver MkIV tonearm ($3,995, proven above), however sadly, I wasn’t in a position to take a look at that demo as a consequence of room overcrowding each instances I finished by, however I very a lot sit up for having an opportunity to listen to it quickly.

Brief sidenote: Not lengthy after I began engaged on writing out an outline of one other MoFi Distribution room demo, I’d discovered of Harry Belafonte’s passing on April 25. Venerable electronics designer Peter Madnick, who designed the MoFi Electronics GraspPhono phono stage ($4,999, proven above) that’s now in manufacturing, offered an enlightening “analog-versus-digital” demo that’s now much more poignant.

Madnick placed on “In the Evenin’ Mama,” from Harry Belafonte’s basic 1958 LP, Belafonte Sings the Blues, first on the room’s Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with the maker’s linear energy provide utilizing an EMT tonearm fitted with, in line with the room listing sheet, a My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent cartridge ($6,995), whose sign went through Cardas cables to the MoFi GraspPhono phono stage. Then he performed that very same observe again, through a 24/192 model streamed from Qobuz, on the HiFiRose RS-250 streamer ($2,499). On this classic lower, an early stereo recording captured in January 1958, the vinyl sounded extra pure in tonal stability (particularly bass) and soundstaging. Perhaps it appeared much less full than the digital possibility — and, sure, I do know it’s not honest to evaluate all digital vs. analog from only one observe — but it felt extra right in scale on this specific lower.

On one other analog word, MoFi Distribution is now distributing the Swiss analog marques Thales and X-quisite within the States.

TREEHAUS AUDIOLAB

Treehaus Audiolab Principal Rich Pinto offered an in depth system impressed by conventional classic Japanese approaches to audio — particularly old-school tube-based designs — and pure supplies. His Room 1418 demo setup’s analog supply (proven above) was a circa late-’70s/early ’80s Micro Seiki BL-91 turntable with Fidelity Research FR-64S tonearm with a low-output MC Hana Umami Red cartridge mounted to a Yamamoto HS-4 headshell. It had a singular handmade aluminum platter Pinto likes to name a “moon” platter, as a consequence of its floor stuffed with bored-out irregular, more-or-less round “divets.”

As you possibly can see, it appears like an artwork piece, however bears some acoustic perform to deal with resonances and damping, together with the platter mat. A Treehaus Audiolab MC step-up transformer ($3,000) accommodates the identical Urushi-coated (a sort of lacquer) and Showa Period silk-packed Finemet iron cores because the maker’s 300B tube amp. The SUP has three user-selectable ratios, and is outfitted with Cardas connectors.

The Treehaus Audiolab preamp ($16,000) is supplied with a Finemet TVC (transformer-based) quantity management, a straight heated 4P1L for amplification with filament biasing, Coleman regulators, and a custom-made output transformer. It comes with a separate, tube-rectified energy provide with 6CJ3 TV damper diodes — for quicker DC rectification, in line with Pinto. Built round Western Electric 300B tubes, the 300B amp’s structure was impressed by the work of designer Susumu Sakuma. It deploys an 801 driver tube interstage driving by way of the transformer to the 300B tube. Analog seven-point shows present filament voltages from Coleman present regulators. Another separate chassis homes the facility provide’s massive transformers.

Pinto prefers the inherent slight imperfections in pure supplies to the (relative) accuracy-as-goal coolness of extra high-tech trendy supplies. Ditto for tubes’ pleasing distortion. Sound by way of the open-baffle National Treasure audio system fabricated from live-edge Box Elder wooden was, properly, open — and freed-up with a form of rounded purity and ease. That stated, transients didn’t appear even barely comfortable or sluggish, even with Radiohead or punchier trendy indie rock. The speaker facilities on a full-range field-coil driver 10in diaphragms fabricated from rice paper, whereas a DC present provide for the sphere coil is in a separate chassis. An offset Fostex supertweeter and a 15in bass woofer prolong the highest and backside frequencies.

Pinto agreed to spin a foolish, satirical Gorillaz observe from 2020, “The Valley of the Pagans,” that includes Beck on vocals. Cymbals and synthy swirls shone by way of with beneficiant top-end readability, and bass was additionally fairly substantial.

PRO-JECT & CARDAS AUDIO

I noticed at the least a few Pro-Ject turntables at AXPONA, together with a Pro-Ject RPM 10 Carbon turntable ($6,000, proven above) with magnetic suspension, with a Pro-Ject Evolution tonearm and Sumiko Starling cartridge ($1,800). Its pickup sign, nonetheless absolutely balanced on this analog setup, was amplified by a Pro-Ject Phono Box RS2 ($2,000) with a Pro-Ject EnergyBox ($1,200), and Sonus Faber Amati audio system within the system.

The inside the Pro-Ject RPM 10’s MDF plinth accommodates hard-resin-coated-steel pellets. A carbon-fiber coating covers its outdoors floor. The turntable’s inverted ceramic bearing is reported to supply rotational stability, and have very low rumble. An digital pace controller helps ship secure speeds for 33 1/3rpm and 45rpm playback. An exterior DC energy provide drives an outboard AC motor for the belt drive. A 1.23m DIN-RCA phono cable is included, and optionally available DIN-XLR prices additional.

Through this Pro-Ject system, playback of James Brown’s classic 1973 track “The Payback” stuffed the room with clean, wealthy horns, shouty swaggering, and clearly outlined funky bass strains. Then got here Zubin Mehta conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performing Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony No. 2 in C Minor on Decca. The setup proved equally able to conveying this classical music basic’s required refinement, air, and element.

A lot of AXPONA attendees received a kick out of Cardas Audio’s retro room, achieved up in ’70s décor — lava lamp, Bob Barker internet hosting on The Price Is Right playback, shag rug, and, after all, some classic-style hi-fi gear making a comeback in copy: JBL L100 audio system full with orange foam grilles, an NAD C 3050LE restricted version Stereophonic Amplifier with phono stage inside, and a Pro-Ject Classic Evo turntable (proven beneath). When I finished by, a high quality reissue of The Clash’s December 1979 basic London Calling was spinning — simply excellent!

And that’s a wrap on AXPONA 2023! I’d like to increase many because of JD Events’ Liz Miller and Mark Freed, together with Natalie Campbell, Sophia Lapat, and the remainder of the AXPONA group for all their efforts placing on an excellent massive present that was a ton of enjoyable. Let’s all do it once more subsequent 12 months!

Author bio: Julie Mullins, a lifelong music lover and audiophile by osmosis who grew up listening to her father’s hi-fi gear, can also be a contributing editor and reviewer on our sister website, Stereophile, for whom she additionally writes the month-to-month Re-Tales column. A former fulltime staffer at Cincinnati’s long-running alt-weekly CityBeat, she hosts a weekly radio present on WAIF known as On the Pulse.

You can learn Part 1 of Julie’s AXPONA 2023 report right here.

And if you happen to’d wish to see much more of our AXPONA protection, take a look at Ken Micallef’s turntable-centric video report right here.