Category Archives: Audio

Beating my own drum

Posted on November 20, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

New Zealand audiophile electronics maker Perreaux publishes an occasional electronic newsletter to around 3,000 people around the world. I couldn’t find an archive of the newsletter at Perreaux’s Web site, but it’s easy to sign up on the home page. … Continue reading →

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VAF Research Signature I-93 speakers, marvellous once again

Posted on November 19, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

One problem with the picky hi fi person — such as me — is that one gets so damnably familiar with one’s own equipment, and this in itself engenders a kind of dissatisfaction. Take my VAF Research Signature I-93 loudspeakers, … Continue reading →

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How loud does it go?

Posted on October 31, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

Francisco from Portugal writes: I’m trying to do a project for a rehearsal studio for my band, and so I’m studying acoustics. I’m trying to determine the sound level in dB that we will have inside the studio.So I’d like … Continue reading →

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Listening to the tune

Posted on October 14, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

I’ve just been skimming the September 2003 issue of Klips, a newsletter published by Jim Tate Stereo in South Australia. Quite interesting, but I simply must object to one part that jumped off the page. It is part of a … Continue reading →

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Harman Kardon comes up with a winner

Posted on September 30, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

Harman Kardon claims that its new DVD-30 actually does DVD Audio properly. Well, I’ve just completed a review of it and, I have to agree, it does. And does it well. Yep, finally Denon has some competition. The DVD-30 offers … Continue reading →

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Now that’s sad

Posted on September 30, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

There are three pieces of software I use so often that they almost define my work. One is TextPad), upon which I am writing this. Another is the best damned calculator on the planet: Kalkulator. And the third is CoolEdit … Continue reading →

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Denon bringing proper mutichannel SACD, and future DVI to these shores

Posted on September 26, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

Look forward to the introduction by Audio Products Australia of the Denon DVD-A11 everything* player this month. Recommended retail price: $3,999. I am drawing here on information about what I take to be the equivalent US model, the Denon DVD-5900. … Continue reading →

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Did you know: MP3 is ‘Studio Quality’?

Posted on September 25, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

 Got a chuckle out of this ‘explanation’ of MP3 in the manual of an inexpensive Conia DVD player I’ve been reviewing. Talk about overstating the quality of MP3! Sure, at 128kb/s MP3 is quite indistinguishable from the CD source for … Continue reading →

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Damping Factor – not as important as I thought

Posted on September 23, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

The damping factor of amplifiers is a measure that has fallen out of favour in recent years. Many brands don’t specify it any longer. I had long considered it an important specification, since a low damping factor can lead to … Continue reading →

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Infrasonic squirms

Posted on September 22, 2003 by Stephen Dawson

Some experimental types have been working out the effect of infrasonic sound on people’s emotional states. The recipe: take a seven metre long pipe, stick a ‘long throw’ bass driver (woofer) therein a third of the way down, then drive … Continue reading →

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