Underwood Hi Fi Purchases The Assets of Core Power Technologies, LLCLAHAINA, HAWAII (01/15/19) – Walter Liederman, President and Owner of Underwood Hifi, Inc is pleased to announce the Asset Sale Purchase of Core Power Technologies, LLC of Broomfield Colorado.  

Liederman comments – ‘The EQUI=CORE, DEEP=CORE and GROUND=ZERO products have been designed and executed by some of the brightest minds in our industry.

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I was intrigued by the latest catalog I received from Crutchfield outlining a remote listening feature now available on site. As they explain, they’ve spent a few years developing a test facility that enables them to present sound samples of speakers tailored to the headphones you may have or might get from them as part of a listening kit. The idea being you pick a few speakers, select the headphone model, chose a music track (from metal to mellow) and then switch away to your hearts content as you listen.

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Ok, not that slimmed down once you see the details (24″ wide!) but there’s no denying the new RS200 wears the leaner look well.  I’ve never quite warmed to McIntosh products. They always seemed too blue, too blingy and too concerned with the brand over the sound, even if I’ve admired their longevity, loyal following and apparent bullet-proof ability to be serviced and used for decades. Now that I say it, how did I not appreciate them more? Oh well, this still smacks of marketing the ‘lifestyle’ but as an all in one, (yep, there’s speakers built in there) it sure beats Bose.… Read the full article

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Interesting op-ed from the Times today, dealing with a topic near and dear to the h(ear)ts of audiophiles. I like how it provides examples but the lack of real comparability (either by using the same tune or explaining what to listen for) meant that well-intentioned readers I shared it with seemed to find it less than clear. Oh well, full marks for effort.  Lively comments too.

Read piece here

It’s been a wait for those of us who backed the new Jerome Sabbagh/Greg Tuohey vinyl but I have few doubts the results will prove worthwhile. Latest mailing to backers indicate the albums are finally ready and will be shipped next week.

It’s been a couple of years since the last vinyl release which I’ve continued to enjoy so much and the coupling of Jerome’s playing with a top-notch guitarist in Greg just raises the anticipation. More when I get a chance.

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I suppose the money involved in special LP releases of old stuff has obviously attracted the criminal element (and no, I’m not talking about endless repackaging of Jimi’s recordings). Just read that special intelligence work in the UK led police to a pressing plant in Wales that specialized in niche recordings of Northern Soul. These were sold via Ebay and Amazon and netted enough money obviously for one of those charged to have over $150,000 in his PayPal account alone (might that have been a sign?).

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So, in case you had not heard (where was I that I missed the earlier notice?), Music Matters is embarking on a fresh set of classic jazz releases on vinyl. As a subscriber to the last two series I figured I’d just be on whatever list was mailed this info but if so, the mail went awol. More likely no such list exists. Regardless, these are marketed as the ‘definitive Blue Note reissues’ on new Silent Running Xperience (SRX) vinyl, apparently a new formulation that runs quieter than previous slabs.… Read the full article

Latest numbers out suggest vinyl sales continued to rise, albeit slightly, in the UK last year. Not sure how to interpret this as the totals are still pretty small but with CDs sliding further, it seems the LP format will continue for a while longer, despite predictions of death going back decades.

Not entirely surprised or excited by what is selling however…Rumours? Dark Side of the Moon? Still, Arctic Monkeys and Ezra make a bit of a change from the usual suspects over here.

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