Opinion
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‘How’ do you listen to music?
Visiting a friend recently, I bought some records over and later in the evening, we sat down and spun some vinyl. I sunk back into the sofa and closed my eyes as the music started to wash over me, really…
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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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My Alanis Morissette Moment
In October 2019 during a trip to the USA, I had the pleasure of visiting Brian Ackerman of Aaudio Imports in Denver. I had previously met Brian at the Munich High End show earlier in the year and we had…
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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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My Favourite Porcupine Tree Play List
How lucky am I? I have taken an opportunity to escape the cold & wet grip of Melbourne’s winter and take a break in Europe with my family. Like many families, this is the first opportunity we’ve had to travel…
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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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Simon’s Temple of Music
One of my fondest memories of being a teenager was my Saturday morning routine. Wake up, burn some toast, grab my coolest jacket (in case I bumped into some young ladies) and meet my partner in crime Paul at the…
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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…
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Time Travel with Miles Davis
“I don’t always listen to the Cult, but when I do, SO DO THE NEIGHBOURS….” Some music is meant to be played loud. Ear splitting bone crunching loud. So you feel it in your chest.A friend asked me recently which…
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Why you should consider buying non-mainstream brands
One day in Europe back in the early 80’s, a speaker designer started making some speakers that were immediately applauded for their sonic ability. Possessing a rare ability to voice a speaker and extraordinary craftmanship skills, his speakers were captivating…
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Does more expensive mean better sound?
This old chestnut comes up in conversations among audiophiles from time to time. We’ve all heard the expression “you get what you pay for”, but does it apply to audio? It’s such a subjective hobby that there is no absolute…
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Why bother with High-End Audio?
From time to time when I’m discussing music and audio with people, I hear a commonly used line that high-end audio equipment recreates the sound and dynamics of an original musical event in your home. I have come to believe…