Opinion
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Soundtrack of the Self: Why the Music We Loved as Teenagers Still Moves Us Decades Later
Over the years, I have spent a lot of time listening to music with Mark. I know what you’re thinking… Yes, I’m OK (thank God for therapy). Actually, the real therapy has been the music, a powerful healing medicine in…
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Echo Chambers and Audio Myths: The Hidden Dangers of Relying on Forums for High-End Turntable Advice
In the golden age of information, it’s never been easier to access opinions — and never harder to separate fact from fiction. For audiophiles exploring the world of high-end turntables, online forums can seem like a natural first step. After…
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Experiencing the Helix One Mk3 – My Impressions
This piece is an English translation of the blog written by Dohmann Audio’s partner in Germany, Mr. Wolfgang Linhard at MY SOUND GMBH, one of Germany’s most experienced & respected experts in high-end audio. If you are located in Germany,…
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Setting up a Helix One Mk3
This piece is an English translation of the blog written by Dohmann Audio’s partner in Germany, Mr. Wolfgang Linhard at MY SOUND GMBH, one of Germany’s most experienced & respected experts in high-end audio. If you are located in Germany,…
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Japanese Pressings
This is a re-posting of an article appearing on “Vinyl Corner: Made in Japan” (author unknown). It is a great read and very ‘share-worthy’. Thank you to Ricky Brown from Hi-Fi One in California for sharing with us! Japanese pressings…
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Glass half empty or half full?
Back in May 2024, my colleague Mark wrote a very enjoyable thought piece “Why do we like listening to sad music?” (find it in this section). I’ve been thinking about this topic ever since, as I’ve noticed that many music-loving…
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Why do we like listening to sad music?
Hey Doc! What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel better after listening to sad songs? This one is a bit peculiar. Most of my music buddies suffer from the same affliction. No, not the ‘Audiophilus Nervosa’ – the inability…
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Maslow’s hierarchy of audiophile needs
I love listening to different hi-fi systems. I am intrigued by the differences – how we all go on a journey of discovery and find equipment that speaks our sound. I love it when I look at photos of different…
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I’m sorry, you can’t measure emotion in music
I believe that music can be TRANSCENDENT. As with many artforms, if you are sensitive to it, if you are receptive enough, music can affect you on many levels. To someone like me, defining music as pure entertainment is a…
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Music in different languages
Have you ever considered both the freedom and the limitations our language imposes on us and how some languages are better than others for certain purposes? The German language for example, is great at describing scientific objects & phenomena. The…
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Music is a wonderful thing
A few weeks ago, I sat down one night after a long day, turned on the TV and became captivated by a documentary that was exploring the role of music in the treatment of people with various medical conditions. In…
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Listening vs hearing
Have you ever been accused by someone of having ‘selective hearing’? “You only hear what you want to hear!” My wife constantly complains that I never listen to her… or something like that… Recently I spent some time with a…
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Are you ‘vinyl’ by nature?
I was sitting around on a Saturday morning playing records with my son who had got some new fresh copies in during the week and the phone rang. Geoff Haynes says “hey I just got a boxed set of Rolling…
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X-Ray audio and bone music
This is a true story of how music has an incredible ability to transcend borders and cultures. What lengths will music lovers go to get their ‘fix’? Have you got any “bootlegs” in your music collection? Have friends ever commented…
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Emotional connection is important to me
Have you got someone in your life, whom you know that when they recommend a movie to watch, you make sure that you NEVER see that movie? I do. Actually, I have few of those people in my life, but…
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Are you your playlist?
If you were asked to list your top 10 songs or pieces of music, how would you go about it? Could you even decide on a definitive list? I heard someone once say that a person’s essence can be boiled…
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You want a Koetsu for what?
One of the great benefits of this hobby is that it introduces you to interesting people. Looking back at my life, I feel that I’ve met some of my closest friends through some sort of association based on our mutual…
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Yuko Mabuchi Trio and Branford Marsalis Quartet great jazz ushered in the New Year in Orange County.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa produces one of the most important jazz series in the country. I drove up from my home near San Diego to attend the Yuko Mabuchi Trio/Branford Marsalis Quartet performances on January 25th…
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Moments of Beauty
One of the defining characteristics of our time is the incredible busyness of our lives. We have established a culture that admires people who can plan, set goals, ‘achieve a lot in a day’, multi-task, meet deadlines and generally get…
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Conversations with François
Earlier this year at the Munich High End Show, I had the pleasure of spending some time with my friend François Saint-Gérand. François owns and operates ANA Mighty Sound in Paris, a store which is rapidly becoming a ‘must-visit’ experience…