Sonus Faber Sonetto Wall On-Wall Loudspeakers

Details: Written by Vince Hanada; Created: 15 June 2019

When I think of Sonus Faber, I think first of their ultra-high-end speakers -- for example, the Aida, which retails for $130,000 USD per pair. However, their speaker line spans a huge range of prices, and is one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen. My second thought is usually of the exquisite Italian craftsmanship evident in every Sonus Faber speaker, and their extensive use of cabinets shaped like works of art.

John Paul White: "The Hurting Kind"

Details: Written by Joseph Taylor; Created: 15 June 2019

Single Lock SL028
Format: CD

Musical Performance

Sound Quality

Overall Enjoyment

The Hurting Kind is John Paul White’s second solo outing since he and Joy Williams ended their duo, The Civil Wars, in 2014. While a few of the songs can be broadly described as Americana, most have a strong hint of the Nashville Sound of the late-1950s and early ’60s, made famous by producers Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins, whose productions of albums by such singers as Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline included strings, background vocals, and other elements that broadened country music’s popularity. Further reinforcing the impression of what seems White’s veneration of country-music traditions are the assistance on three songs here of veteran songwriters Bill Anderson and Bobby Braddock.

Smith Freeman on Designing SVS Subwoofers and Speakers

Details: Written by Diego Estan; Created: 01 June 2019

SVS is well known to two-channel-loving audiophiles and home-theater enthusiasts alike. Founded in 1998, the company began by producing subwoofers that quickly earned critical acclaim. In 2012, SVS added loudspeakers to its product line, and in 2015, cables, footers, and wireless products. Today SVS offers 12 subwoofer models, ranging in price from $500 for the SB-1000 and PB-1000 in standard Premium Black Ash finish, to $2500 for the flagship PB16-Ulta in Piano Gloss Black (all prices USD). They offer a total of six bookshelf and floorstanding models of passive loudspeaker, ranging from $270/pair for the Prime Satellite to $2000/pair for the Ultra Tower in Piano Gloss Black. There are also center-channel and surround models, to flesh out full surround-sound arrays.

SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer

Details: Written by Diego Estan; Created: 01 June 2019

Reviewers' Choice SVS Inc., a major player in the subwoofer game since 1998, currently offers a broad range of models at various prices and designed to satisfy a wide range of needs -- each of their subwoofer lines contains sealed and ported designs, and some include décor-friendly cylindrical models. In SVS’s system of model names, SB stands for sealed box, PB for ported box, and PC for ported cylinder.

Norah Jones: "Begin Again"

Details: Written by Joseph Taylor; Created: 01 June 2019

Blue Note B002978602
Format: CD

Musical Performance

Sound Quality

Overall Enjoyment

Norah Jones has avoided the Best New Artist Grammy curse, which usually leads to obscurity. Not only has she collected more Grammys since her big win in 2003, for her debut CD, Come Away With Me (2002) -- she’s continued to record albums that chart well and receive good notices from critics. Jones has also challenged herself by appearing on recordings by a variety of other musicians, including Q-Tip, Belle and Sebastian, Irma Thomas, and Bonnie Raitt.

Paradigm Defiance V10 Subwoofer

Details: Written by Hans Wetzel; Created: 15 May 2019

I’m not really a subwoofer guy. Getting a pair of ballsy floorstanding loudspeakers perfectly set up in a dedicated listening room is hard enough, but trying to integrate the output of a small sub with those of a pair of bookshelf speakers in a modern, open living space can be nearly impossible. But I get the appeal. A sub, properly set up, can quickly turn a cheap pair of two-ways into a nearly full-range system without having to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a pair of big, three-way towers. It also gives you system flexibility -- like the possibility of an ultimate desktop setup. I just wish there were an easier way to dial in a sub’s sound without having to constantly get up and fiddle with rear-mounted cabinet controls. Paradigm, it seems, has an affordable solution.

Dominic Miller: "Absinthe"

Details: Written by Joseph Taylor; Created: 15 May 2019

ECM 2614 (B0029695-02)
Format: CD

Musical Performance

Sound Quality

Overall Enjoyment

In the last 30 years guitarist Dominic Miller has played on recordings by an impressive number of musicians, including Chris Botti, Mark Hollis, and Youssou N’Dour, and from Bettye LaVette to the Chieftains. His discography shows how versatile and in demand he is, but his most enduring musical relationship has been with Sting. He’s played on all of Sting’s albums since The Soul Cages (1991), and has toured with him in support of those recordings.

Two Subs, One Listening Chair

Details: Written by Diego Estan; Created: 01 May 2019

Home-theater enthusiasts have long extolled the virtues of using two or more subwoofers. The advantages over a single sub are many, and include increased bass output with less compression, and better blend of the subs’ sound with the sound of the main speakers (that is, it’s more difficult to identify the subwoofers as the sources of the lowest frequencies). However, the biggest advantage of using two subs in a home-theater system is the mitigation of bass peaks and nulls, to produce a smoother, more consistent overall bass response audible at a greater number of listening positions.

Scansonic HD M-40 Loudspeakers

Details: Written by Hans Wetzel; Created: 01 May 2019

Scansonic HD came into being in 1970, as a speaker line of Scan-Speak, the famed Danish maker of drive-units. Scan-Speak was then purchased by Scansonic’s current parent company, Dantax Radio, in 1977, before being spun off on its own some ten years later. This left Scansonic under the Dantax umbrella, along with loudspeaker brands GamuT Audio and Raidho Acoustics. While Raidho’s ultra-high-end speakers are famed for their fast, airy sound, thanks in no small part to the ribbon tweeter used in all their models, their retail prices stretch well into six figures and make them pipe dreams for all but the wealthiest audiophiles. Scansonic’s mandate is to make available to a wider audience some of the Raidho magic at more affordable prices.

Luther Dickinson and Sisters of the Strawberry Moon: "Solstice"

Details: Written by Joseph Taylor; Created: 01 May 2019

New West NW6367
Format: CD

Musical Performance

Sound Quality

Overall Enjoyment

Luther Dickinson, lead singer and guitarist of the North Mississippi Allstars, has also released five solo albums and appeared on countless other recordings. Solstice is credited to him and Sisters of the Strawberry Moon, a collective of singers and musicians that includes Amy Helm, Amy LaVere, Shardé Thomas, the Como Mamas, and Birds of Chicago. A few guest musicians help out to create a beautiful album of American music that touches on many genres.