I honestly feel that your productivity can improve with a more positive work environment. Studies have shown certain classical music creates the “Mozart Effect” that can improve memory, awareness, and the integration of learning styles, which can help creativity. This all sounds good, but let’s be honest, I kept a turntable in my office because […]

Introduction Within the last year, I have auditioned three of the top Stage III power cords: the Kraken, the Proteus and the Poseidon. While they share many of the same sonic characteristics — precise imaging, good to excellent depth, wide soundstage, very low noise and distortion, ability to retrieve even very low-level detail — each […]

  When my sister and I were children, we had a self-propelled spinning ride in the backyard that I recall as the “Whirlybird,” and it still exists in the form of the Twirl-go-round. It was nearly as much fun as the barrel furniture chair in our family room that my sister and I would give […]

I have always been a huge fan of Roger West. owner and designer of Sound Lab electrostatic panel speakers. I make no apologies for my love of his giant Ultimate I full-range electrostatic speakers. I have listened to thousands of speakers over my 52 years in audio, from the very cheapest to systems costing over […]

The AN-K/SPe is a two-way rectangular box that is wider than it is deep. The speaker employs a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter and an 8-inch paper woofer with foam surrounds in a sealed cabinet design. If this speaker description reads as exciting as a puffed rice cake then I don’t blame you. When I first […]

Just over seven years ago I reviewed the Salk Sound Soundscape Speakers for Dagogo. I recall that they were built with what were generally considered to be some of the most accurate drivers available, chiefly the RAAL ribbon tweeter and Accuton ceramic midrange. A couple of months ago I sold the Vapor Audio Joule White […]

Too bad I wasn’t born into a rich family or became wealthy by age 35 like a young software entrepreneur. If that had been the case, I would probably have assembled a true high-end audio system before turning 60. Even then it took a few additional years to really get there. First came some pretty […]

Tracks: I Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso (14:32) II Molto vivace (13:12) III Adagio molto e cantabile (12:34) IV. Finale (22:30) Christina Landshamer, soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano Werner Güra, tenor Shenyang, bass-baritone Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh (Matthew Mehaffey, music director) Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck (conductor)   The Beethoven Symphony No. 9 […]

 It is, we think, one of the hallmarks of cable voodoo that its methods and notions are always obscure —proprietary terms of uncertain meanings on the technical side, and vague promises framed in the most poetic and inspirational terms on the subjective side. We don’t aspire to rewrite the laws of physics, or to craft […]

Exogal was formed by several principals of the former Wadia who felt that the company’s PowerDAC idea still had potential. These seasoned audio and business veterans proceeded to make what has been a well-received DAC featuring its own algorithm that converts all incoming signals. I reviewed the Comet DAC in 2015, followed by another product […]

And then there were … Liner Notes Yes, it has been a while. I’ve had to take some time off to clear my head and my ears. It also has become apparent that in these special times of ours the volume of album releases has slowed down a bit, not yet to a trickle, and […]

It has been nearly a decade since I wrote the last, #6 Audiophile Law, “Thou Shalt Not Overemphasize Burn In.” At the time I thought it might create a firestorm of conversation and controversy. Instead, there was the distinct sound of the wind blowing; largely, no push back, no big discussion. What do I make […]

And then there were … Liner Notes As some of you may have realized by now, I’m dropping hints during the week both in the NARP feed and one of the albums that are queued up and to which I am listening. Some, not all of those, have made their way to the list. As […]

Most audiophiles would love to start the new year with a new audio system, but few have the means or time to build a new system from scratch. For the rest of us, myself included, let’s kick off the new year right by overhauling the space and gear that we already own. In this post, […]

Introduction At the beginning of July, 2020, I shipped my three-year-old Lyra Atlas SL to the US importer to take advantage of a program that allowed owners to have their existing Lyra cartridge upgraded to Lyra’s new lambda technology. At the time I was hoping that the rebuild of my cartridge would take 8-12 weeks. […]

And then there were … Liner Notes As some of you may have realized by now, I’m dropping hints during the week both in the NARP feed and my personal one of albums that are queued up and to which I am listening. Some, not all of those, have made their way to the list. […]

And then there were … Liner Notes Unabashed, I have been and continue to be a raving fanboy of Cathode Ray Tube, and their latest recording entitled Anabasis has done nothing to quell my enthusiasm. Recently, I listed a Christian Löffler EP, a precursor to his full album entitled Parallels: Shellac Reworks by Christian Löffler. […]

The Sony TC-200 reel to reel tape recorder is where it all began. These days, I primarily listen to my turntable, but it did not start out that way. As a teenager, my favorite listening was to reel-to-reel tapes. Because they were recorded from records, it was not of the highest fidelity, but I still […]

And then there were … Liner Notes Apologies for the late arrival. I am now toying with either a Monday or a Tuesday weekly delivery date. As I am posting what I am listening to during the week at odd, well not-so-odd, but intermittent intervals, I’m going to take the liberty to make my weeklies […]

SW1X Audio Design, a company based in the UK, was unfamiliar to me before this review, something I suspect will be true of many a North American audiophile. But I hope that after reading this review, you’ll seek out their products, at least to hear, if not to own. To put it quite frankly, the […]

And then there were … Liner Notes Too many bangers without any clangers makes my commentary superfluous. That’s a nice way of saying life caught up with me and in order to get NARP out this week, I’m taking a mulligan. Better late than never the list is chock full of surprises. Yet another history […]

And then there were … Liner Notes   This week’s Re-Issues, Re-Masters & Miscellany is a true history lesson in so many ways. Dawn Upshaw – Caroline Shaw: Narrow Sea. If you don’t know me by now, well, I’m such a fanboy of Caroline Shaw, and no recordings with which she’s involved will ever miss […]

And then there were … Liner Notes What the … Talk about a full-house. I did not see this onslaught coming this week. Armel Dupas’ Organ Trio is comprised of Armel Dupas on piano, organ, Kenny Ruby: bass, synths, Mathieu Penot: drums, synths. You’ll be hearing a lot more about this trio as time progresses, and […]

Publisher’s note: As an international publication, Dagogo cares about its readers, including the occasional and the lifelong audiophile consumer. While we are passionate about reviewing products from all over the world, we also seek to provide an important tool of consumer protection by listing information on the official distributorship representation of the manufacturer. In the […]

And then there were … Liner Notes I’m taking advantage of the Miscellany in Re-Issues, Re-Masters & Miscellany to champion and bring light to the work of one Eleanor Bindman. It is no secret that Bach’s Cello Suites for Solo Cello are some of my favorite pieces of music, and over the years I have […]

  And then there were … Liner Notes. Short and sweet. At the intersection of week 52 and week 1 of any 2 years in sequence, one is should not be expecting anything resembling a pot-of-gold, so there’s just not so much out there from which to cherry-pick. Jean Michel Jarre’s Welcome To The Other […]

Synopsis for those who hate to read The Inakustik Reference LS 4004 Air, Reference Digital 2404 Air, and Reference High Speed USB are all not only among the best audiophile cables I’ve heard, they are also among the best values in high-end components that I’ve encountered in the last several years. I have no compunction […]

  And then there were … Liner Notes Christmas week leading into New Year is not the most fertile ground for new album releases and re-issues/re-masters for that matter. To put the latter into perspective, this week, that portion of NARP is comprised of albums by Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, and Swans. Tell me now, […]

And then there were … Liner Notes This close to Christmas, there’s just no way I was not going to have a festive holiday album on the list. It was SLIM pickings this week, but Jamie Cullum’s The Pianoman at Christmas did manage to grab my attention. Jamie, far better known across the pond, has […]

For some time I have been wanting to take a look back at Sumiko as a topic in my series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) on phono cartridges. I go way back with Sumiko, to 1976 and its early days with founder David Fletcher. I believe most of my readers are familiar with Sumiko […]