Features: Preamplifiers

I believe most hi-fi consumers and professionals hop scotch (my term) in the pursuit of audio nirvana. The reasons are, by and large, obvious: Upgrade neurosis coupled with a strong dose of financial considerations. This has been my story going back to my first audio purchase in 1968. I would listen to my system for a certain period of time and then decide which unit (turntable, cartridge, receiver, amp, preamp, speakers) would get the next upgrade. Back in the early... Read More

The post-WWII landscape of Japanese high-performance audio represents one of the most fascinating chapters in the story of recorded sound: a remarkable convergence of engineering precision, artistic sensibility, and cultural reverence for craftsmanship. What began as an industrial recovery effort blossomed into something far more profound: a multi-faceted ecosystem where technical innovation and aesthetic refinement achieved rare harmony.The narrative typically begins... Read More

Maximinus Thrax, a Roman emperor from the third century after Christ, was supposedly eight feet tall and possessed of superhuman strength. It was a bold move for Rumen Artarski, the head of Thrax audio, to name his company after this legendary emperor, but he and it have more than lived up to the challenge. After listening to Artarski’s formidably powerful tubed equipment for several weeks, I half expected to hear it ask through my loudspeakers, “Are you not... Read More

Reviewing, or judging the sound of audio gear at hi-fi shows is a fool's errand. I've written that before and I'll never stop writing it as long as some reviewers insist upon doing so in lousy sounding hotel rooms, I don't care the size. Sometimes good sound does happen and of course it should be pointed out and lauded and there are some exhibitors who know how to work around bad acoustics and bad electricity to achieve acceptable sound (High Water... Read More

This was a difficult piece to write. I had to do more than my usual amount of listening, swapping gear, and thinking about how best to convey the Audio Note UK sound if such a thing exists. Many thanks to Peter Qvortrup and Adrian Ford-Crush of Audio Note for their help and patience.Audio Note has been on my radar for quite some time. I’ve read a bit about the origin of Audio Note Japan and, later, Audio Note UK - it’s an interesting and somewhat usual story. I’m not... Read More

Dave McNair reviews a uniquely enjoyable preamplifier that pushes the envelope on the usage of italized and bold in a HiFi review. 

Over the last few decades, the gap between tube and solid-state sound has been closing, with both design camps trying to maintain their best attributes while incorporating some of the finest qualities of the other. Solid-state designers try to achieve the organic midrange quality and dynamic life of tube gear. In contrast, tube designers aim for the bass extension/definition, lower noise, and high-frequency extension of solid-state designs.There are varying opinions... Read More

After chatting with the most affable Dave Nauber, CEO of T+A North America, I agreed to review the company’s flagship preamp, the P 3100 HV - fitted with an optional MC phono card. I told him I’m a tube guy and that listening to and writing about a modern, solid-state, German-made preamp from a company I knew almost nothing about was not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking fun review.Mr. Nauber remained calmly undaunted and said, "I’ll be shocked if... Read More

I have yet to give up on solid-state components for HiFi systems entirely; however, my love affair with vacuum tube circuitry is stronger than ever. While auditioning the latest iteration to the top-line Rhythm 1.3 linestage from Delaware-based Backert Labs, I got a sense of the same unmistakable mojo I feel when listening to recordings played on other well-designed and constructed tube gear.In my years as a professional listener in music production and as an... Read More