Month: April 2023

Magico A5 loudspeaker

It’s rare for a Stereophile reviewer to review two loudspeakers in a row from the same manufacturer, but then these are unusual times. Because of the pandemic, Magico’s M2s got stuck here for a year (I know: poor me). By the time they were packed up and shipped out, it was time for a long-scheduled…

By JohnValbyNation April 7, 2023 0

Népal : sur la piste d’atterrissage la plus dangereuse du monde

Quand elle se prépare à la phase d’approche, une pilote depuis cinq ans, n’aperçoit au loin qu’une piste minuscule. La jeune femme s’apprête à atterrir dans un aéroport connu pour être le plus dangereux au monde. Il s’agit de l’aéroport de Lukla (Népal), à 2800 mètres d’altitude au cœur de l’Himalaya. La piste d’atterrissage est l’une des plus courtes de la planète. Elle ne mesure que…

By JohnValbyNation April 7, 2023 0

July 2021 Jazz Record Reviews

Punkt.Vrt.Plastik: Somit Kaja Draksler, upright pianos; Petter Eldh, bass; Christian Lillinger, drums, percussion Intakt 353 (CD). 2021. Kaja Draksler, Petter Eldh, Christian Lillinger, prods.; Martin Waschkowitsch, eng. Performance ***** Sonics ***** There’s a lot to unpack with Punkt.Vrt.Plastik, but doing so doesn’t feel like a struggle. Unfortunately, doing so doesn’t quite make things crystal clear.…

By JohnValbyNation April 6, 2023 0

Re-Tales #8: A Lyrical Denouement

Lenny Bellezza at Lyric Hi-Fi in early February 2021. New York’s Lyric Hi-Fi & Video is one of high-end audio’s longest-standing and most legendary institutions. In a recent telephone conversation, Leonard Bellezza, Lyric’s owner and president, confirmed what many in this industry have long heard rumored: Lyric is closing. In 1956, Michael Kakadelis, known as…

By JohnValbyNation April 6, 2023 0