Before we get to True Life Audio, I would like to tell you a story. Once upon a time there was this handsome young prince doctor busting his cojones working for the local health system trying to make living. Oh, he did reviews too and show coverage when night shifts allowed him to. Those days are over, the doctor moved to the Greek island of Zakynthos and set up a private practice and they lived happily ever after. And that’s that. So nowadays my glorious ATC–ASR–Rockna-Garrard system is no more, details to follow. Time is a bit of an issue, the good doctor gained a couple of daughters in the meanwhile but he is looking to get back to one of his greatest passions, meaning listening to classic music. And over the last few months he found the perfect opportunity to return in style, with one hell of a system, even if on a loan. Hors d’oeuvre and soup, cables and sources Buckle up, this is going to be quite a feast. But before we get to True Life Audio, once again, let’s see what’s left from my previous system. For starters the cables are all pretty much the same. […]
Tag Archives: chris sommovigo
Reviewing the Fern and Roby Raven II loudspeakers reminds me of April last year, when Eric Franklin Shook and I visited the Fern and Roby factory for an article and photo essay we put together for The Occasional. Since Eric and I were driving from different directions and he was running late, I met Christopher Hildebrand at his house in Richmond VA for breakfast. When I arrived, music was playing in his living room courtesy of a Linear Tube Audio Z10 integrated amp and Christopher’s entry level The Cube Loudspeaker, which retails for a paltry $1650/pair. The Cubes were placed, quite literally, on a bookshelf about six feet off the floor. (That’s an in-joke for audiophiles, of course.) Yet they still provided great tonality and balance, even during considerably off-axis listening as we feasted on everything bagels with a black olive schmeer in the kitchen. Why did those little speakers sound so good from such a distance? Christopher designs his loudspeakers to be both heirlooms and lifestyle products, meaning that they are meant to be enjoyed at home for a very long time. As I mentioned in my review of the larger Fern and Roby Raven loudspeakers, these gorgeous products […]