Audio: Listen to this article.

Immersive Audio continues to gain steam, adding to the current streaming catalog of 25,000+ albums, with more enjoyable releases available for purchase. In the last month or so I’ve added TrueHD Dolby Atmos albums from artists that I know well and artists in which I previously had little interest. In all cases, the fact remains that immersive audio has brought me more musical enjoyment than any other technology or format I can remember.

This week the nine time Grammy winning album Genius Loves Company from Ray Charles was made available for purchase at Immersive Audio Album. The TrueHD Dolby Atmos download was co-mixed by Eric Schilling and Michael Romanowski, and mastered by Romanowski at Coast Mastering in Berkeley.

I loved this album when it was released in stereo in 2004, never really listened to the 5.1 mix back in the day, and now I’m enthralled with the immersive mix twenty years later. Of course everything starts with the world’s best artists joining the genius Ray Charles and original engineering by the best people in the business (Al Schmitt, Doug Sax, etc…). Eric Schilling and Michael Romanowski took the aforementioned ingredients and baked an immersive masterpiece. The new mix serves this wonderful music perfectly.

It doesn’t matter where one starts listening, all the tracks on this immersive release are superb. As I write this, I feel like I’m sitting in the studio with Elton John and Ray Charles, with a string section enveloping my listening chair. It’s just beautiful. A big tip of the cap to Eric Schilling and Michael Romanowski.

Genius Loves Company is available as a TrueHD Dolby Atmos download at IAA for $24.99 (link). I hate to say it, but I’d pay twice that price for an album this good. If there are more albums waiting in the wings, please pre-add them to my cart or start a subscription for me :~)

Here are details for each track, including the standard Dolby Atmos high dynamic range.

Immersive audio has a way of pulling listeners into the music, even if they’ve heard it thousands of times in stereo and even if they’ve previously written off the artist, album, or even complete genre. The first example of this, for me, is Thin Lizzy’s 1976 : Jailbreak and Johnny The Fox. I’ve heard Jailbreak on the radio a million times and have never been thrilled. I tapped play in JRiver Media Center on the extracted TrueHD Dolby Atmos release and didn’t stop listening until all nineteen tracks were finished.

I was so drawn into the music that I started the album again and while listening I researched the band. I had no clue these guys were Irish and knew nothing about one of my new favorite musicians, bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott.

That’s the power of great music and a great immersive mix. Music created a year after I was born, that has been played-out on FM radio for decades, now has a new fan and I’m discovering deep cuts I love much more than the hits. I could listen to Romeo and the Lonely Girl all day long!

Thin Lizzy 1976 Jailbreak - Johnny The Fox was available from Super Deluxe Edition (link) on Blu-ray Disc with a Dolby Atmos mix, 5.1 mix, and new stereo mix for 25 GBP, but is now sold out. I REALLY wish these sold out physical releases would then be sold as downloads via Immersive Audio Album. It’s hard for a label to make money after a physical release no longer exists and it’s impossible for fans to enjoy something unobtainable. In other words, please take our money by offering this as a download.

Here are details for each track, including the standard Dolby Atmos high dynamic range.

Along the same lines as Thin Lizzy, in terms of my fandom, is David Bowie and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars. Neither Bowie nor this album were on my list of favorites. After getting the TrueHD Dolby Atmos version of the album, I’m all-in on Bowie and Ziggy. After watching Ken Scott, the original co-producer of the album (and many others from Bowie), as well as Dolby Atmos mix engineer, Emre Ramazanoglu talk about the album and mixing process, I have a newfound respect for Bowie, the engineers involved, and this album.

The music on its own, in TrueHD Dolby Atmos, is really neat. The quality of the mix is what takes it to another level for me. Scott and Ramazanoglu did a masterful job, changing some details from the original and bringing this album into 2024 and to a new generation of Bowie fans, myself included.

To be honest, I’d likely have gone the rest of my life without listening to this album. To my detriment of course, but it’s the truth. However, the Atmos version sounds so good it enables me to get into the music and actually feel it on an emotional level. In stereo, this album was too out there for me and left me distant. In Atmos, I feel a connection to the musicians and the story being told. Listening to Bowie literally in tears at the end of Five Years, is an experience I won’t soon forget. It’s hard to explain much better than that. In a way I’m at a loss for words. Everyone should experience this first hand.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars is available direct from David Bowie’s website for $24.98 (link) as a physical Blu-ray Disc with TrueHD Dolby Atmos, 2024 stereo mix (24/96), 1972 stereo mix remaster (24/192 and 24/48).

I encourage everyone to watch this video produced by Dolby, with Ken Scott and Emre Ramazanoglu.

Here are details for each track, including the standard Dolby Atmos high dynamic range.

Some other TrueHD Dolby Atmos releases in my library this month include:

Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (link)

Tori Amos - Unrepentant Geraldines (link)

David Gilmour - Luck and Strange (link)

Carly Simon - No Secrets (link)

Chicago - IX Greatest Hits (link)

Seal - Seal I (link)

Trio Medieval - Yule (link)

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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In December 2023 I made the decision to upgrade my surround and center channel speakers when Wilson Audio announced updates to both. I wrote about the products in this article (link), as I anticipated the upgrade.

In April 2024 the speakers arrived. I called my friends at Manny’s Piano Movers to lift the new Mezzo CSC center channel to the second level, and I wrote about preparing for the installation in this article (link).

Shortly after the aforementioned article was written, Tyler Hall and Peter McGrath from Wilson Audio arrived to assist with the installation. The old saying, “many hands make short work” was appropriate for this endeavor. Removing eight wall and ceiling mounted original Alida speakers, wrapping them in original packaging, and crating them for pickup is no small task for one to accomplish alone. It was a breeze with the help of the Wilson Audio team.

These guys know what they are doing, and spread this knowledge with Wilson’s dealers around the world. How do I know? They were taking photos and calling the factory during the installation to provide updates on the process and to take note of anything that should be disseminated to dealers because the speakers were brand new. Bolting loudspeakers into one’s walls and ceiling can raise the level of anxiety to a level not experienced when installing floor standing speakers. Fortunately, I had zero worries. I knew I’d be taken care of and I knew the job would be done correctly the first time.

A Glorious Upgrade

Given that the previous articles covered more technical details and features, it’s time I get down to the business of sound quality. As someone who listens to music eight to ten hours per day, I consider myself very fortunate. This time spent listening enables me to recognize changes in my systems with relative ease. Prior to this upgrade, I would’ve been very happy with my system and put it up against any immersive audio system in the world (as if there’s a ridiculous competition). Once the upgrade was compete, I heard very quickly what I’d been missing and immediately understood not only the importance one’s speakers coming from a single manufacturer, but the benefits of matching one’s speakers as closely as possible. Now, every speaker in my system, with the exception of the LoKe subwoofer, has the same CSC tweeter. This is game changing.

In addition to the matching tweeters, the sound I’m getting from the Mezzo CSC center channel is like having a Wilson Audio Sasha V loudspeaker right in front of me, as the driver compliments are identical, while the cabinets are vastly different. This is a big deal for immersive music because the placement of musicians can be front and center, as I’ll share in a bit. Why not just use a floor standing loudspeaker as my center channel? I don’t want a taller speaker between the front left and right channels as I believe it would alter the stereo imaging when not listening to immersive music. A low profile Mezzo CSC, with a beautiful hourglass stand resting on spikes embedded into my wool carpet, is the ideal center channel loudspeaker for me.

Listening to the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio’s album A Shade of Blue in TrueHD Dolby Atmos (link) is both a sonic treat, capable of transporting the listener to the Gotanda Cultural Center Music Hall in Shinagawa City, Tokyo, Japan, and is illustrative of why I love the Mezzo CSC so much.

This recording features Tsuyoshi Yamamoto on the left, Hiroshi Kagawa with his bass in the middle, and Toshio Osumi’s drums on the right side of the soundstage. Engineer Hideo Irimajiri captured and mixed this trio exactly as it played live, with some of Kagawa’s bass bleeding into the left and right channels, but the vast majority of it emanating from the center channel.

Listening through my previous WATCH Series 3 center channel speaker, much of the bass was offloaded to the LoKe subwoofer because it wasn’t designed to handle reproducing a full blown standup bass. After the upgrade, playing this track was one of the first things I did. I love the music, the recording, and the mix. I just had to hear it again for the first time.

Midnight Sugar played through my system with the Mezzo CSC was everything I’d hoped it would be. The anticipation while waiting for the speakers to arrive, listening to this album several times during the months long wait, and the sonic dreaming done in my head, were all worth the wait. The Mezzo CSC is capable of reaching down to 19 Hz and reproducing Kagawa’s bass superbly. Listening to this album, and especially Midnight Sugar, I was presented with a front soundstage much more cohesive than with the previous center channel.

Lush deep bass starting in the center, bleeding into the left and right, before fading away in the surround channels. It’s glorious to hear when done at this level. Now imagine, much of the bass being offloaded to the subwoofer while the upper frequencies play through a center channel and the full frequency of the bass bleeds into the front left and right channels. It just sounds like it shouldn’t work as well as it did with the WATCH Series 3, but one doesn’t know what’s possible until the possible is performed in one’s listening room. I loved the WATCH Series 3, but music reproduction at this level thrives off of speakers as good as the Mezzo CSC. In a way, it feels like the Mezzo CSC should ship with a flyer sticking out of the front port that says, “Welcome to the big leagues.”

Equally as critical to this upgrade, and evident from the first note of the first album I played, is the CSC tweeter in all eight Alidas, that matches the Alexia V and Mezzo CSC. Sure, all the technical upgrades in the Alida to dampen vibrations shouldn’t be discounted, but in my mind the CSC tweeter upgrade hit me like a ton of bricks. My head was on a swivel when I tapped play. I couldn’t stop looking around at the surround speakers, as if I would see something coming out of the new Alidas. Perhaps I was just in awe of the new sound of my immersive music system.

No music illustrates the size of this sonic improvement more than that of Morten Lindberg and his 2L record label. Morten’s albums reveal the ultimate in resolution, delicacy, dynamics, and just about every category one can imagine. Picture this, a trio of wonderful vocalists front and center, Anders Jormin on his double bass to the right, Arve Henriksen with his trumpet to the left, and Helge Andreas Norbakken on percussion in the rear. All musicians standing in a loose circle in March 2024, inside the beautiful Sofienberg Church, in Oslo, Norway. And, Morten Lindberg capturing it all in high resolution DXD for a discrete 7.1.4 twelve channel release title Yule from Trio Mediæval (link), in addition to several other formats for playback on any audio system.

As soon as the Trio started singing on track one, Det hev ei rosa sprunge, I was captivated by the direct vocal reproduction in front of me and the reverberation surrounding me. Rather than an abrupt hand off of this delicacy, from speaker to speaker as the vocals reverberated, I heard a sonic weave through the entire attack, sustain, decay and release envelope as the Trio’s voices disappeared into the dark corners of Sofienberg Church.

While the handoff from Alexia V to original Alida was much closer to olympic relay runner’s precision and timing with the baton than anything else I’ve heard, the movement of sound from Alexia V and Mezzo CSC to Alida CSC has advanced into a new category of sonic transition. I don’t feel right about calling it a handoff, even though the sound is literally decaying from the front to the overhead and rear speakers, it’s as close to a handoff as the point at Cape Horn on the southern point of Tierra del Fuego, where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet. In other words, the handoff or demarcation between oceans and speakers in my system only exists on paper.

I can hear some members of the Audiophile Style community mumbling in the back corner of the Internet about never listening to 2L recordings and much preferring something less classical. I’m glad they spoke up, because I’ve been playing the new TrueHD Dolby Atmos releases from Frank Zappa (Apostrophe), Tori Amos (Unrepentant Geraldines), David Gilmour (Luck and Strange), and David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust), with great enjoyment. These releases range from tame to adventurous in their mixes, but each one sounds fantastic on my upgraded Mezzo CSC and Alida CSC speakers.

The tone of David Gilmour’s guitar and accompanying musicians, on the tasteful Atmos mix of the title track, Luck and Strange, is just beautiful as it washes around and over my listening chair. Zappa sounds like he is singing (or is it talking?) in my ear, as his guitar and other sonic treats emanate from all around. It’s a trippy experience to say the least, and I couldn’t be happier at the level or performance I’m getting from this speaker upgrade. The whole of my system is absolutely greater than the sum of its upgraded parts.

Conclusion

I can only speak as a music fan who spends eight to ten hours per day listening without a screen in sight, rather than a home theater buff. The importance of high quality similar loudspeakers for immersive music playback has never been more evident to me than it is now. Delicacy, detail, and dynamics are equally important, no matter which loudspeaker in an immersive system reproduces these sonic attributes.

Upgrading my immersive audio system from the Wilson Audio WATCH Series 3 and original Alida speakers to the Mezzo CSC center channel and Alida CSC was like upgrading from a nice three fold necktie, with a dissimilar liner sewn in for structure, to a finely woven seven fold tie crafted from a single piece of silk. The WATCH and original Alida were great, but were also outclassed by the decade of improvements contained in my main Alexia V loudspeakers. This led to a subtle handoff of sound between speakers rather than the weave of immersive music that I hear with the new Mezzo CSC and Alida CSC. Sitting in my listening chair, I now feel like I’m in a crystal clear sphere of sound.

    Product Information:

• Wilson Audio Mezzo CSC Center Channel - $21,250 ($24,250 as tested with Premium Pearl finish)
• Wilson Audio Alida CSC - $17,650/pair ($18,150/pair as tested with upgraded finish)
• Where to Buy

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t written an in-depth article about a single Sonore Rendu variant since 2019. Considering that I awarded the Rendu series the Audiophile Style Product of the Decade (2010-2020), and I use a Rendu, in one form or another, almost every day, 2019 seems like a lifetime ago for my last Rendu article. It’s time to dig into the newest and best release to date from the Sonore team, the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe.

The Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe Details

The new Signature Rendu SE Deluxe is a major upgrade from Signature Rendus of the past. It all starts with a brand new main board. The team didn’t just replace a couple inconsequential parts and call it Deluxe. This is a new main board with a new network circuit based on a Broadcom integrate circuit. Based on my research and experience, these Broadcom chips are a big deal. In fact, they are highly sought after in network switches for datacenters as well. Sonore also removed the USB hub inside the new Signature Rendu SE Deluxe, in favor of a newer USB circuit design.

Talking to the Sonore team, one thing is very clear, these guys understand competition and it’s constantly pushing them to improve their products. This push enabled them to discover a much better way of implementing their clock injection that elevates the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe’s performance well beyond that of any Rendu that has come before it. In addition, and I know some people who will be fans of this improvement, the team found a way to reduce CPU cycles, resulting in lower processing, lower heat production, and lower noise.

Working with engineer John Swenson and a top tier manufacturing facility in Canada, the team improved how the CPU connects to the main board I/O, increasing stability over all previous Rendu units. Given that some digital audio can still be a bit Wild West these days, I support all stability improvements like this.

The Signature Rendu SE Deluxe retains nearly the same custom power supply as the previous version, with a few changes. The circuit that damps ringing from the transformer has been improved, resulting in lower noise. And, a very subtle value adjustment, to the final decoupling capacitor before the discrete voltage regulator circuit, was made to improve stability of the already superbly performing power supply.

The software side of all Rendu products is constantly being improved as well. Version 2.9 is current, and what my review unit is running. I was very happy to see Sonore and its Signature Rendu SE Deluxe listed in the certified Plays with Audirvana partner section of the Audirvana website. This is very important for UPnP, as many of us know it can be the most nonstandard standard. Assuring a level of performance and compatibility is great for consumers and manufacturers alike.

In addition to the Rendu, I’ve been using a Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i9 (Gen 4) server running Audirvana Studio / Core Player for Linux. I’ve used many sonicTransporters over the years and enjoy the ease and rock solid performance that comes with them. The i9 Gen 4 is the latest, and best, version. Paired with Audirvana, this really could be THE server for many people who love Audirvana but have been “stuck” in the Mac/PC world all these years because Audirvana required macOS or Windows.

One additional note, the i9 Gen 4 server I have also features the Ravenna driver, enabling it to play my 12 channel music files to my Merging Technologies immersive audio system. Much more on this in a future article.

Getting Down to Brass T(r)acks

All the aforementioned upgrades are well and good, but let’s get down to brass tacks. How well does the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe perform in my reference system? Flawless, fearless, and fantastic. Flawless in that it works perfectly, every time. Fearless in that it has the software options to accept anything I digitally throw at it (UPnP, Roon, NAA, etc…). Even more important for us knuckle dragging audiophiles, the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe sounds fantastic.

Note 1: I initially had playback issues using the Deluxe, but I tracked down the issue to an esoteric USB cable that likely doesn’t meet the USB specification. Currently, I can’t get the Deluxe to stumble if I try my hardest. 

The system I used most during this review consisted of a Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i9 (Gen 4) server running Audirvana > copper Ethernet output > switch > optical fiber > Signature Rendu SE Deluxe > USB > dCS Rossini APEX > Constellation Audio Inspiration Preamp and monobocks > Transparent cable > Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers.

Note 2: I really like using devices such as the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe in front of my DACs, as opposed to using a DAC’s built-in ethernet interface, because they are so versatile, work extremely well, offer isolation, and can be expanded to include new features via simple software upgrade. This does increase the number of boxes by one, versus a DAC only system, and I can see why those seeking the ultimate in simplicity may opt for a single box solution.

How fantastic does the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe sound? Fantastic enough to put me right back in my seat at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis with @austinpop, for Osmo Vanska conducting the Minnesota Orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s Third Symphony in 2023. Rajiv Arora and I attended the performance and the recording session the following day, as described perfectly in this article (Link). Listening to the BIS Records version, at home, through the Deluxe, was an absolutely wonderful experience.

As soon as the horns began in movement one, I was instantly transported to Orchestra Hall. I thought about the people sitting next to us, the very excited gentleman sitting behind us who could barely hold his applause, and I visualized the musicians in front of us. Sound quality at this elite level leads to stunning experiences at home, where theater of the mind is every bit as good as actually being there in person, on many levels. In fact, I could hear everything so much better in my own system with the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe, than I could that night at the Hall.

I knew the Deluxe would reproduce the bombastic percussion of Mahler’s Third very well, but I really wanted to hear the benefits, if any, of the new lower noise improvements. A little over one minute into the first movement, my suspicions were confirmed. The Deluxe is the best Rendu I’ve heard in my system. The very soft “taps” of the drum head, by principal percussionist Brian Mount, could be heard as if they really were off in the distance, yet they had incredible texture. This is partly because of how the producer Rob Suff crafts the recording, and also because of an audio system capable of reproducing everything that’s on that very recording.

Throughout this entire performance, ebbing and flowing between loud and soft passages, enthusiastic and relaxed emotions, everything that is a Mahler symphony could be heard on an appropriately large soundstage with depth and height, percussion capable first scaring then kicking the listener in the chest, and strings with the ultimate in delicacy and palpability.

I’d love to go back to Orchestra Hall, but given what I heard at home through the Deluxe, I’m in no rush.

Transitioning from Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, to the Unterfahrt Jazz Club in Munich, Germany, I played the newest release from Bob Reynolds Group, Live in Munich. As the title suggests, this is another live recording, and it’s also capable of placing the listener right in the jazz club through an equally capable HiFi system.

Track two is my absolute favorite on this album. Gene Coye’s drumming is off the charts, and it should sound like it when played through the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe and a reference system. Starting with the snare and moving to the kick drum, Coye’s kit sounded like it was sitting right between my Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers. I had the volume up at jazz club levels, because why not, and I could picture the entire band as they entered about 1:30 into the track.

Reynolds Saxophone sounds a lush as ever on this track, as he takes the button from Coye for a couple minutes, before then handing off to Ruslan Sirota on the keys and Anek Gwizdala on bass. This track has something for everyone, and the audio quality through the Deluxe feeding my dCS Rossini APEX was something everyone could enjoy. The sound was so good the one couldn’t dislike it if s/he tried.

Now for some absolutely un-audiophile music that really does it for me. I love Jon foreman’s new album titled In Bloom. It has an ethereal sound to it that just feels good, more than it sounds good. If I’m being honest, a reference grade component such as the Signature Rendu SE Deluxe must also sound good with this type of music, not just Diana Krall. I don’t want the Deluxe to change a single bit or byte, but if any music sounds bad, it isn’t the component for me.

Fortunately the Deluxe hands this singer / songwriter album off to the dCS Rossini perfectly, and without editorial noise. On the track titled Where the Sidewalk Ends, the limited percussion sounds delicate and sets up a beautiful foundational bass groove and Foreman’s honest and bare vocals. This is one of those tracks, and albums, with nothing to hide. Through the Deluxe, it also sounds like nothing is hidden. Just a band and its music, coming through my speakers, and moving me on an emotional level.

Speaking of emotion, the track titled Antidote mainly features Foreman and his guitar, with a little backing vocal assistance. It’s a raw track that sounds like he’s sitting around a campfire between my speakers. The incredibly high quality reproduction through the Deluxe enables emotion to just pour out of him as he hits high / lowlights of fear, depression, and wondering if there’s an antidote. It’s absolutely bare and absolutely beautiful. This is what it’s all about. This is what I want and why I got into this wonderful hobby in the first place, back in what my twelve year old daughter correctly calls the nineteen hundreds.

Deluxe Wrap Up

Around my house we have a saying. Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without. That’s a tough thing to live by in the world of high end audio. I’d love to keep my existing gear and spend all my disposable income on music. However, when a component upgrade comes along that improved upon all previous versions and it can improve all my previously purchased music, it’s time to reconsider. Or, at least put an asterisk next to one’s motto, that allows for reasonable and prudent upgrades.

The Signature Rendu SE Deluxe is the best Rendu ever created by the innovative team at Sonore.  Everything from huge crescendos and bombastic percussion to finger cymbals and texture laden sweet string sections, is reproduced perfectly. Grungy singer songwriters are handed off to one’s DAC sounding grungy, as they should sound. The Deluxe’s optical “firewall,” new mainboard, proprietary clock injection, lower CPU usage, and small but fruitful adjustments to the power supply, all come together in harmony as sweet as Peter, Paul, and Mary.

If you have a previous Rendu, it’s time to list it rather than continue to love it, and make the jump to the Deluxe.

    Product Information:

• Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe - $5,350
• Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i9 Gen 4 - $3,999+
• Audirvana Studio / Core Player (Linux) - $70 per year

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

    Audio: Listen to this article.

It invariably starts with, “What do you do for a living?” It invariably ends with, “Wow, that was amazing!” I’m talking about my experiences sharing my love of music and good sound with several people who’ve come to my house to repair, install, or sell something. I never push my passion on anyone. I wait for them to ask what I do or I wait until they need to walk through my listening room and I see their eyes enlarge to dinner plate size. Young, old, men, or women, matters not. Everyone likes music and everyone is interested in taking little break in the work day to experience something they didn’t know existed.

One young kid’s first question was, “Do you have YouTube?” He had no clue that lossless, high resolution, or high quality audio was a thing. I responded by saying of course I have YouTube and will be happy to stream it through this system. Meeting people where they are, then showing them something even better is always beneficial. After playing some YouTube streams, I remember switching to Tidal to play every song he could think of, because he didn’t want to stop listening. What about this one? What about that one? Do you have XYZ? As if I needed to “have” an album, in order to play it. Needless to say, I can guarantee he talked about the experience for a long time.

Perhaps my favorite experience of late involved my plumber Jerry. Notice I call him “my” plumber. After our shared music / audio experience, he probably calls me “his” customer as well, even though he works for a company that has been around for 101 years. Jerry is old school and wanted to do whatever it took to keep the original fixtures in our main bathroom, rather than replace them with something new and often of lesser quality. His recognition of quality is right up my alley.

After repairing the main bathroom, I invited him upstairs to see the high quality fixtures I put into the bathroom attached to my listening room. I knew he would appreciate them and I had a feeling he would appreciate my audio system. We’d already discussed my career and his first few audio systems as a kid, so it was far from proselytizing good sounding music under the guise of a bathroom fixture review.

Jerry asked to hear something on the system. I said of course, have a seat in the listening chair. The next 45 minutes was spent listening to Rush, Deep Purple, Van Halen, and every band he could think of or that I could recommend. Jerry looked like the Maxell guy, sitting in my chair very relaxed with his hand on the volume control. I told him to let it rip, he couldn’t hurt anything, other than our ears.

When it was time to wrap up the listening session, our conversation about music and good sound didn’t stop until Jerry shut the door to his work truck parked on the street. That walk downstairs, through the living room, and down the front sidewalk only takes a minute for most people. I bet Jerry and I spent 20 minutes walking, stopping to talk, walking, stopping to talk again, etc…

I have no doubt that Jerry remembers the experience and shares it with friends and co-workers from time to time. I know this because Jerry gave me his direct mobile phone number in case of an emergency, and that emergency happened the night before I had some very special guests visiting for a listening session.

I sent Jerry a text asking if it was too late in the evening to talk, and if not, seeking advice on what to do. Jerry immediately called me from two different phones and followed up with a text because neither call went through for some reason. He remembered me as if our initial meeting happened yesterday, and he remembered the music we listened to. Taking it a step further, he said he “had” to hear the Black Crowes on my system if he ever makes it over again.

Jerry walked me through fixing my emergency plumbing issue, even though I told him I was happy to call his office to schedule someone to come out in the morning. Jerry is a mensch who connected with me because of our shared passion for music, and a new interest in high quality sound.

Last but not least, I received a voicemail yesterday from my new small business banker. A young sounding kid who is new to my account, and likely going through a long list of businesses to call. In his message he said he loved the name Audiophile Style (take that all you haters / lovers of the old CA name), was a “low end” audiophile himself (whatever he means by that), and he was very interested in talking about audio with me.

I know what I need to do to share the audiophile love. What are you gong to do?

P.S. Sharing my love of music and good sound goes to another level when my 12 year old daughter and her friends come up to my listening room. It's Atmos music all day long, by request. That's a story for another time. 

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

    Audio: Listen to this article.

I’m back from Boston after spending two days with the team at Goodwin’s High End and WADAX Director of Sales and Marketing Brandon Lauer, for the North American premiere of the @WADAX Studio Player. For me, this was a great opportunity to talk to people, both in the industry and out, and to spend some time listening to the new player before mine arrives here in Minneapolis.

The star of the show was certainly the WADAX Studio Player, a component that caught the attention of a few event guests for being a single box capable of replacing several, and doing it at a level they never thought possible.

In fact, one listener was absolutely certain that digital audio had peaked. He was more interested in a pair of amplifiers than anything else. After listening to some tracks, then listening to more tracks, followed by listening to even more tracks, he couldn’t believe what he heard. He stayed seemingly forever, like a kid in a candy store trying to sample every last piece. This guy repeatedly pulled up new music that he just had to hear on the Studio Player. If we are lucky, we’ve all been there before, hearing things like we’ve never heard and making long lasting memories.

I was pleased to meet one gentleman who’d been reading Audiophile Style since nearly day one, back when it was Computer Audiophile. It was enjoyable to reminisce about the early days of computer audio, using kludgy systems because we had no choice, and to see this guy’s eyes opened up by what a single box solution such as the Studio Player can accomplish.

While at Goodwin’s I had time to listen to my own music selections, in between chatting with the guys about all things audio, network, and music. Rather than use my own files from the USB stick I brought, I decided to go all-in, and use Tidal Connect for all my listening. The Studio Player supports UPnP, and will soon be Roon Ready, but nothing was simpler than pulling out my iPhone 15 Pro Max and using the Tidal app to control the music playback experience.

One of my favorite albums, Chico Freeman’s Spirit Sensitive, sounded fantastic in the Goodwin’s “big room” through the Studio Player into Spectral preamp and amp, and out to Avalon loudspeakers, with Shunyata power and MIT signal cabling. The Studio Player was completely capable of driving the amplifiers directly, but given that this was a Spectral Audio system, a preamplifier was used. The Studio Player’s adjustable output voltage and output impedance options were absolutely key to bringing this music to life and getting the best sound possible out of the system. Once the Studio Player was warmed up and configured by Brandon Lauer, Chico Freeman was realistically blowing his horn between the loudspeakers and Cecil McBee’s bass strings were being plucked right in front of me. The realism of the presentation was wonderful.

One track that really surprised me on this system was Van Morrison’s Madame George, from his 1968 Astral Weeks album. I’ve listened to this track a million times. I love it because it sucks me into the music and the story, and it enables me to forget about the world outside for nine minutes and forty-one seconds. Listening to Madame George on this system, through the Studio Player, revealed one of the blackest backgrounds I can remember. It was as if the recording artifacts were completely gone and musicians were playing live.

Given that the entire “big room” system is different from my own reference system, I could never say that any single component is responsible for a specific attribute I heard or didn’t hear. What I can say is that the system as a whole, pulled me into the music emotionally. That’s what I’m after when listening to music. I want to feel something rather than just hear something.

The playback performance I heard at the Studio Player’s North American premiere was terrific. Like many people, I believe good sound starts at the source and without a good source, nothing further down stream really matters. The fact that the sound was this good should at least tell us something about the Studio Player. It’s completely capable of driving a reference level system to great heights.

My Studio Player can’t arrive soon enough. Look for not only a full review here on Audiophile Style, but also some updates on my experience with the Player after it arrives.

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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Hi Guys, I’m back from the WADAX event at Goodwin’s High End in Boston, although I wish I would’ve stayed in the city because Pearl Jam is playing Fenway Park again tomorrow. While I work on my write-up of the events and WADAX studio player, I encourage everyone to check out this podcast called Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters. I listened to the latest episode with Shelby Lynne last night and absolutely loved it.

I didn’t really get into Shelby Lynne until her album Just A Little Lovin’. I got even more into her on her following album in 2010 Tears, Lies, and Alibis and saw her on that tour at a tiny club called the Dakota here in Minneapolis. Those two albums remain my favorites of hers, but all of them are good and most importantly from the heart.

For a peak into her soul and songwriting, checkout the latest episode of Songcraft. It’s really neat to hear her talk about herself and how she creates this beautiful music. Plus, she doesn’t hold back any opinions. She’s so refreshing.

Click the image below to listen:

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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Hi Guys, just a quick note today to encourage those in the Boston area to join me at Goodwin’s High End for the US premiere of the Studio Player from @WADAX. Brandon Lauer, the WADAX Director of Sales and Marketing, will be on hand to provide all the details one could want about the Studio Player and to facilitate playing all one’s favorite music through the new player.

I’ll be there listening until I can listen no more, because I’m really excited for the Studio Player, but I’ll also be there to host a Q&A about all things digital / computer audio related. My favorite part of any event is talking to everyone and offering any help I can provide, so please bring questions. I’ll be there to help until they kick me out :~)

Where;  Goodwin's High End, Waltham, MA

When: Thursday, September 12, 2024

Time: 2:00 - 7:00 PM

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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1984 / 1985

One morning in June of 1984, having recently completed second grade, my friends and I were hanging out in my garage. Unsupervised, like every kid over the age of five, we sat on our BMX bikes and pondered where we’d ride to next. Then we saw it. A huge truck with what looked like miles of thick cabling. Our eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Cable TV was about to be installed in our neighborhood!

During the next week, my brother and I lobbied our parents like never before, to get us cable TV. We had no clue what was on cable TV, but we knew we wanted it. Our parents said channels such as HBO and Showtime were way too expensive at $5 per month extra, but we could get basic cable, and a guy would be there to complete the installation in about one week. I immediately biked over to my friend Jamie’s house to deliver the news, life was never going to be the same!

As a kid with a collection of The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen cassettes, I stumbled upon MTV and discovered music I didn’t know existed. Equally as important, and bringing this back around to the topic at hand, I discovered WGN TV broadcast out of Chicago. What’s more, the Chicago Cubs played all 80 home games at Wrigley Field during the day. I’d never seen such a beautiful baseball stadium, with announcer Harry Caray equally as colorful. I watched every Cubs home game for the rest of the 1984 season, and learned quite a bit about baseball from commentator Steve Stone.

May 6, 1985 was a day I’ll never forget. My dad pulled me out of third grade for the day, I took my first ride on an airplane, and watched my first Cubs game at Wrigley Field. If I wasn’t converted by WGN TV the previous summer, I was fully converted to a lifelong Cubs fan as soon as I stepped into the “The Friendly Confines.”

1991

It all started with unforgettable opening chords played by Stone Gossard and a striking vocal from Eddie Vedder. 

Son, she said
Have I got a little story for you
What you thought was your daddy
Was nothin' but a 

My friend Mike and I looked at each other and said, What the fuck was that! It was Pearl Jam's "Alive." Pearl Jam's debut album Ten came out August 27, 1991 and my life was never the same. Needless to say, the start of my sophomore year in high school and the second half of 1991 was the most transformative time in my music loving life.   

Pearl Jam's Ten was busting at the seams full of music that mattered to me and the sound was like nothing I'd heard previously. In no time, I memorized every lyric on every track. These guys cared about people and stood for something. They were angry at the man. They supported women as equals, as opposed to the debaucherous and demeaning actions of my old favorite hair metal bands. I felt every lyric and every riff as if this was an album made just for me, but at the same time I felt the movement that just had to be coming. There was no way to hold this down. Everyone was going to hear this stuff very soon. 

After reading the liner notes, front to back and back to front, many times, I sent a letter into something called the Ten Club, P.O. Box 81429, Seattle, WA 88108. I wanted to be a part of whatever the club was about. It turned out to be Pearl Jam's official fan club. I received a response asking for around $10 to join the club. At the time, $10 was a bridge too far. I could either buy a CD or be a member of this club. I skipped the club membership, went back to Down in the Valley, and purchased Toad The Wet Sprocket's album Fear, also released August 27, 1991. Toad's album Fear began my decades long interest in the band and the solo work by singer Glen Phillips.

In 1992 I saw Pearl Jam perform at Harriet Island, across town in St. Paul, during Lollapalooza. By the time the band went on stage I was somehow separated from the friends I went to the show with, and there was no stopping me from getting very close to the stage to see these guys up close in person for the first time in my life.

Over the years, my love of Pearl Jam has only grown. Mike and I went to Cheap-O Records at midnight on October 19, 1993 to purchase the band’s second album Vs., then stayed up way too late listening to and trying to decipher the meaning of each track. The following day at school was worthless for both of us, but we’d have given up an entire week of school for the midnight experience we still talk about to this day.

I’ve seen the band many times here in Minnesota, the PJ20 anniversary concerts at Alpine Valley in Wisconsin, at Fenway Park, and a show in 2022 at Madison Square Garden. Pearl Jam always delivers, never “phoning in” a show or just going through the motions. The setlists are always custom for each show and by the end of the evening, every fan feels like s/he got far more than their money’s worth.

2024

Back in 1985, 1991, and most of the surrounding years, it would never have dawned on me that some of my favorite things in life could be experienced together and that the experience would be much better than the sum of the parts.

Last week my wife and I drove to Chicago, met up with my friends Mike (same Mike from 1991), Pat, Kent, Mike, my brother Dave, and sister in law Holly, to attend two Pearl Jam concerts at Wrigley Field. Few things in life are better than friends, family, Pearl Jam, and Wrigley Field combined. Heightening the experience is the fact Chicago is singer Eddie Vedder’s home town, and the band loves to play Wrigley Field. During a break in the music Vedder recalled all the places in Chicago the band has played, ending with Wrigley Field and saying, “This takes the cake.”

We entered Wrigley Field through the left field gate on Waveland Avenue, obtained our “field” wrist bands, and proceeded to walk under the bleachers and onto the field. As we all stepped on to the field, the collective goosebumps and smiles were unforgettable. Walking inches away from the storied green ivy, looking up at the rooftop seating across the street, the magnificent scoreboard with Dark Matter World Tour displayed, and the newly hung Pearl Jam flags on the left and right field foul poles, we all felt like kids without a care in the world. I turned to my friends and said, “Look at us, we’re in center field!”

Our seats for both shows were straight out from the stage, in the middle, where any self respecting audiophile would choose to sit. Without an arena roof to contain and amplify certain frequencies, the sound of this show was fantastic! There’s nothing like an outdoor concert, when the weather is beautiful, for sound quality.

The setlists for each night were wonderful. There was something for the casual fan and as Eddie said, something for the serious collector. Starting the first show with the song Release is my favorite way the band eases into a concert. Listening to the lyrics, looking up at the sky, and taking in the warm air and visceral impact of Jeff Ament’s bass is an otherworldly experience for us fans of the last 34 years of Pearl Jam.

The majority of the setlists were different for each show, with a little overlap for the new Dark Matter songs and a couple others. I was happy to hear the Dark Matter songs both nights because I’d yet to hear them live. I loved every minute of all of them, and could’ve listened for a third time.

My favorite Pearl Jam song is Given to Fly. I was elated the band played it both nights. I didn’t expect this, but was happy to throw my “arms wide open” and sing aloud like my life depended on it. Hearing and singing this song live never gets old.

In the middle of each Pearl Jam concert Eddie plays a couple songs solo. The first night was easily my favorite Eddie solo performance I’ve ever seen. As he walked out with his Gibson acoustic guitar, I removed my earplugs. I knew the sound would be just perfect this way, as he started into the song Just Breathe. As he plucked the strings and delivered the emotional lyrics, I captured a short video for my friend Maier who couldn’t make the show, and sent it off to him before the song was over. It’s Maier’s favorite Pearl Jam song, and I at least felt like I could experience it with him a little bit this way.

After Just Breathe, Eddie told an at times funny and at times tear jerking story about Tom Petty, before everyone lit up their phones and sang Tom’s I Won’t Back Down with Eddie. I will never forget listening and looking around me to see all of Wrigley Field lit up with phones. Although I’d prefer the old school Zippo lighter being held up by everyone, I understand it’s 2024. It was a very special moment, shared with 40,000 people.

The lighting and visual imagery on large screens behind the band were amazing. Every other time I’ve seen Pearl Jam, the band has had a pretty naked stage, focusing on the music much more than the effects. This tour is very different, and it was never more apparent than hearing and seeing them play Do The Evolution.

Casual fans may not realize the Do The Evolution video was originally directed by Kevin Altieri (Batman: The Animated Series) and Todd McFarlane (Spawn), premiering August 24, 1998. The accompanying video for the Dark Matter tour live shows is stunning to see on giant screens, while the band grooves extremely hard, and the crowd sings while raising its hands, “I'm a thief, I'm a liar - There's my church, I sing in the choir - (hallelujah, hallelujah).” I don’t smoke, but I felt like a cigarette after this song.

At the end of all Pearl Jam shows, Kille Noble the band’s lighting designer, flips on all the lights, enabling the band and fans to see everyone. This is always a double edged sword because we know the show is coming to an end, but it’s so damn cool to see everyone singing and having the time of their lives.

The end of these two Chicago shows was as spectacular as I could’ve ever dreamed. The first night closed with Alive and Rockin’ in the Free World. The second show closed with a mix of songs that blew my mind. It started with Alive, then Baba O’Riley, then what Vedder calls Yellow Wing, a mix of Yellow Ledbetter and Little Wing!

The following video isn’t mine, but I have to include it here, to better tell the whole story. As Alive starts, around the 4:55 mark of the video, a famous Chicago “L” train can be seen on the left, going by Wrigley Field passed the Addison stop, toward the Sheridan stop. I encourage everyone to watch the whole thing, to get the vibe, before the lights are flipped on around the eight minute mark. The video doesn’t do it justice, but at least people can see what I’m talking about, what pulls so much emotion out of me, and what my friends, family, and I will remember the rest of our lives.

Epilogue - Ishnala

On the drive home from Chicago Sunday afternoon, my wife and I stoped at the Ishnala Supper Club. Those who aren’t from the midwest may have no idea what a supper club is, and I don’t blame them. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, supper clubs are always a place for prime rib, old fashions, and an old school 1950s vibe. Ishnala is the best supper club I’ve ever visited, by a mile. The outside grounds are beautiful, right on Mirror Lake, and the inside feels like a time warp. There’s old wood paneling, animals on the wall (not my thing but I get the vibe), and a staff that’s friendliness is second to none. If you’re ever near Wisconsin Dells, or heck even if you aren’t, I highly recommend visiting Ishnala Supper Club. Even the vegetarians near us loved it.

About the author - https://audiophile.style/about
Author's Complete Audio System Details with Measurements - https://audiophile.style/system

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JCAT’s Marcin Ostapowicz (@Marcin_gps) first told me about his vision for the S1 server and his plan to bring it to market a couple years ago. Since then I followed up with him numerous times to check on the progress and to make sure I was still in the queue to get a review unit. The main reasons for this are because I really like Marcin, he’s an honest guy who loves music, and he creates very high quality products (JCAT, JPLAY, XACT, JPLAY for iOS) with passion.

The S1 Evo and N1 network switch combination were designed with laser focus on one thing, quality. This focus was so tight that when I inquired about the S1 not playing MP3 files, I was told that was by design. Not because the company hates MP3s or those who enjoy them, but because the company didn’t want to install any software on the S1 that wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Note: My review unit is the upgraded S1 Evo version of the server, as opposed to the original S1 (non-Evo version). The S1 Evo has a better clock on JCAT’s only master OCXO clock board, in-house developed ceramic-aluminum footers, and upgraded internal cabling.

The S1 Evo is a UPnP renderer or server and renderer, depending on how it’s configured. There is no web interface or way to interact with it, other than a power button on the front. It’s designed to work perfectly with the JPLAY for iOS app and comes with a lifetime license for the remote control product.

The version that arrived at my house for review contained a four terabyte SSD, selected by Marcin. At first I only wanted to use the S1 Evo as an endpoint / UPnP renderer, but after loading music on the internal SSD, I was sold on the concept. It’s just so simple to use it as the UPnP server and renderer, and everything works perfectly.

Talking to Ostapowicz about his six year dream of creating the S1 Evo, his excitement and belief in the product are readily apparent. Finally bringing to market the S1 Evo with a custom motherboard, low jitter OCXO clock, Optima X1 power supply, and an entire design with 100% linear regulators everywhere, was quite a feat for Marcin’s team. He is very proud of this “baby,” as he should be.

When the S1 Evo and N1 arrived, I was initially very interested in the hardware. But, as soon as I sat down to listen, I really didn’t care about the hardware and custom design in/outside the units. I soon forgot about everything other than the music and the JPLAY for iOS app that was my interface to my music collection and Tidal. In my mind this is one of the highest compliments I can pay to a product. I forgot about it! Just like the best referees in sports are the ones you don’t see or think about, the same can be said of the best HiFi products. I only wanted more of my music through the S1 / N1 combo.

It’s All In the Listening

Listening through the XACT S1 Evo to Long Road, Pearl Jam with Jack Irons on drums and Neil Young on pump organ, there’s a sonic purity to the sound that removes a barrier between the emotion of the musicians / music and the listener. As Eddie Vedder sings, “I have wished for so long…, How I wish for you today,” Jack Irons keeps the loop-like beat on drums that sound extraordinarily organic for a hard rock “grunge” band recording in 1995. Stone Goddard manages to add even more emotion with the absolutely simplest chords on rhythm guitar, but they serve the song better than any overcomplicated shredding master could ever dream of.

Through the XACT S1 Evo / N1 combo feeding a dCS Rossini APEX, this song sounds as good as I’ve ever heard it in my listening room. I’m enthralled by the musicians, the music, the emotion, and the sound quality. Anyone who has been around Audiophile Style more than three minutes knows I’ve listened to every Pearl Jam song ever made, a million times, in my systems over the years. The fact that this one sounds as good as it does right now, is a testament to the work and dedication of Marcin Ostapowicz, JCAT’s Founder and creator.

It’s a beautiful day here in Minneapolis and my listing room windows are wide open to let in the fresh air. However, I don’t know how many times I can play this song on repeat, until the neighbors call the cops, thinking I’ve fallen and can’t get up. Perhaps if the cops arrive, I can share this incredible magic with them as well. I feel a bit guilty that I’m the only person experiencing this sonic bliss.

And the wind keeps rollin',

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Short but SWEET!

As many of you know, I have this hunting gene that I cannot turn off.  But Schiit may have found a partial cure with their new Halo amplifier system in the Midgard amp.   Halo operates only on the balanced headphone connection (needs separate grounds for each channel) by including the headphone drivers in the amplifier feedback loop.   As I write this sitting in my office listening to the Squeezebox Touch into the Modius DAC via toslink.  It is hard for me to concentrate; I keep stopping to listen to BT's 2016 untitled album, sometimes titled "_"

I know this album to the last beat, yet I am more immersed in the music.   The clarity of the vocals on the track Artifacture reaches out and touches you.  The beat of the music hits your ears with an impact that I did not think the HD6xx headphones could reproduce. The digital expanse BT creates is etched into my ears and brain, just WOW!  As the music progresses to the track Indivisim, I feel like my brain is on an endorphin trip or watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind for the first time. 

I use the Schiit Urd with their Syn in my multi-channel system. The combination gives new life to my CD collection, extracting  5.1 surround from a Redbook CD.   When I am not listening to all the new ATMOS mix’s on Apple Music.

I moved the Urd and connected it via SPDIF (coax) to the Modius DAC. This launched my headphone listening to a new level. I have to rearrange the electronics so the Urd can do double duty.

I am stepping back to 1973 for Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells CD.  Hmmm, I wonder if there is a “TBVO” @Josh Mound??  I digress.

Listening to the instruments roll into the mix is a wake-up call, even before my first cup of coffee.  With the Halo output, each instrument stands out and flows into the mix, and I get a better sense of the engineering. In the last five minutes of Part One, each instrument is introduced and fades into the rest.  The glockenspiel is so rad. And, of course, the Tubular Bells slam in there.  

As the music fades to a single guitar, I feel the space around it as it fades to black!

The system is not fully tweaked out yet,  but here is the current design:

Squeezebox Touch, Urd, Modius, Midgard, HD6xx balanced headphone cable.  Pysst cables between the DAC and the AMP.   There is an Allo Shanti power supply for the Touch and the Modius.   And finally, my BX-5a M-Audio Studio Monitors!

My Lyrion Music Server runs on a Raspberry Pi 5 with an NVME drive for music storage that hangs out on the new 2-channel system I have designed.  (More on that very soon)

And for the App-Centric folks on iOS, try iPeng for LMS

You can also use the touch as an endpoint if you run Roon.

Or spin a CD on the Urd!

This is “Good Schiit” at a great price.  The Midgard is on my CASH list. Please Schiit more Halo’s for us!

Schiit Modius $229 | Schiit Midgard $219 | Schiit Urd $1299

Drop HD6xx $199 | Balanced cable for HD600 ~$30 | M-Audio BX-5a  $300 | Allo Shanti $159?? | Glass Toslink cable $45