PMA Magazine 1st Edition

January 2024

ORACLE AUDIO PARIS, RIOPELLE 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Photo Denis Gendron

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Lifting Up Musical Talents

FORTEARTMUSIC.COM

EDITO

by Robert Schryer

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ere it is—Issue 1 of PMA Magazine’s flipbook version. I know what you’re thinking: “PMA Magazine comes in a flipbook version?” It does now. And while its launch may come as a surprise to you, the audio elves behind its creation planned its release for months. What took so long? The timing. The elves thought: how better to segue into 2024 than for PMA Magazine to launch at the beginning of the year something different—something special—to mark the magazine’s fourth year of publishing and thank its readership for helping to make it happen?

In fact, PMA Magazine has always done things differently. Since its inception, it has, content- and idea-wise, followed the beat of its own drum, whether it comes to the publication itself, pmamagazine.com, or its Facebook page. Our flipbook version is no different; it’s chockfull of fresh, innovative content we hope will stimulate, entertain, and inspire you to listen to more music on quality audio equipment because it’s the best way to listen to music.

If you’re a marketer, we invite you to discover our exclusive Propulsion Marketing Concept, where your advertising “goes beyond our pages”.

And if we may say so ourselves, we think our Issue 1 looks dressed to party. On that note, Happy New Year from the PMA team!

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Table of content

HOW TAYLOR 06 SWIFT is Leading the Way

THE TUBE ILLUSION? 16 04

INTERVIEW WITH VINYL AMBASSADOR

CHAD KASSEM

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HOW MUCH POWER

IS ENOUGH? 20

How AGD Productions’ transistor-based tubes cast a spell on me

THELONIOUS

MONK BRILLIANT CORNERS REVIEW

LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S

SERENADE AT THE SPHINX

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30 SATIRE

AUDIO RESEARCH’S VAL AND SHEREE CORA TELL ALL, PART 1

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THE INAUDIBLE FREQUENCIES: HOW DOGS BECAME THE LATEST HIGH-END AUDIO CRITICS

KLIPSCH, KLIPSCH, BOOM! THE EXPLOSIVE BRILLIANCE OF PAUL W. KLIPSCH

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TRI-CELL’S NEW MEGASHOWROOM IS A FEAST

FOR THE EYES AND EARS

TEAM

Publisher: Michel Plante Editor in chief: Robert Schryer Writers: Robert Baird, Jonson Lee, Tom Gibbs, Gilles Laferriere, Claude Lemaire, Olivier Meunier-Plante, Kevin Fielding, Wayne Everett, Mark Lepage, Mike Harkins, Paul Bowes Graphic Artist: Bruno Ricca Webmaster: Olivier Meunier-Plante Administrator: Sarah Tremblay Credit photos: Denis Gendron, Bruno Ricca, Writers, Internet, AI

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SEATTLE SAN DIEGO 4,800 KM 3 WEEKS

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HOW TAYLOR SWIFT is Leading the Way

by Robert Baird

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O

f all the reasons that Taylor Swift deserves to be Time magazine’s first ever musician Person of the Year, none are bigger than her smashing victories over misogyny and the music business’s malign way of swindling artists and stealing valuable intellectual property.

The particulars of her creative predicament are well known. Once a shy, teenaged country music artist who played banjo and sported pigtails, Swift’s first six albums (Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation), were recorded for her thenlabel, Nashville’s Big Machine Records. The master tapes to those recordings became the property of controversial artist manager Scooter Braun (Justin Bieber, Kanye West) when he bought Big Machine in 2019.

Swift’s efforts to buy back her masters were unsuccessful when Braun countered that Big Machine would sell her the masters of the first six if she would agree to give them ownership of the masters of her next six albums. Crucially, Swift owned the publishing rights to all her music throughout this dispute, which gave her the right to re-record those songs any time she chose. In a move that many artists simply could not do artistic-

ally—think of Bruce Springsteen re-recording Born to Run in 1985, a decade after its original release—Swift is now systemically re-recording and re-releasing her original albums with the added suffix (Taylor’s Version). This strategy, initially dismissed by Braun as a bluff, not only means Swift owns these new masters, it also enables her to control the licensing of her songs for commercial use, making the original masters essentially worthless. It’s a gutsy and hugely impressive feat by a smart and driven woman determined to earn and re-earn her superstardom on her own terms.

The most recent release of these re-recordings is 1989 (Taylor’s Version), the album that, in its original version, shot her career into the stratosphere. With a shrewd and dedicated team around her, Swift is not only the biggest music superstar on the planet but also one that concentrates on details that matter (and that accumulate $$$), like releasing 15 versions of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on physical formats, including five coloured vinyl variants, eight CD packages, and two cassettes.

Pop music that can sell oodles of $35 LPs pressed in pastel colors is not to be underestimated. According to the Billboard magazine charts, ably deciphered in The New York

Times, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) has now topped the first-week total of the original album, selling 1,653,000 copies in the United States — the biggest opening sales week of Swift’s career — and 3.5 million around the world. It is the largest first week number for any album since Adele’s 25 sold 3.4 million eight years ago. That figure includes 693,000 copies on vinyl, the largest week of sales for that format since at least 1991. It also surpasses Swift’s own vinyl sales record of 575,000 copies for Midnight in 2022. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) also

sold 554,000 copies on CD, the biggest weekly number on that format since Adele’s 25. Lastly, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) racked up 375 million streams, the most in a single week for any of Swift’s four re-recorded albums.

Whatever your taste in music, sweet pop music sells concert tickets, generates streams, and, most importantly, keeps young people engaged with and convinced of the elemental importance of music. Tunes like the triumphant, “Welcome to New York”, which leads off both versions of 1989 and has a touch more sparkle and sweep on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), are pop music at its irresistible and inviting best. While the endless angsty struggles of pop music’s obsession with love may seem silly to adults, love songs have always been the unshakable, inexhaustible basis of most popular music. And almost no one writes better love songs these days, especially of the bittersweet lost love variety, than Taylor Swift, who began writing music at age 14. Many of her love songs have a similar arc: while she’s been hurt, she can and will recover. “Clean” from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is a classic example. It opens amongst the shattered ruins of a failed relationship. “The drought was the very worst/(Oh-oh, oh-oh)/

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When the flowers that we’d grown together died of thirst/It was months and months of back and forth/(Oh-oh, oh-oh)/You’re still all over me/Like a wine-stained dress I can’t wear anymore/Hung my head as I lost the war/And the sky turned black like a perfect storm.” But soon enough, she works through it, eventually emerging in a better place, with eyes now firmly fixed on the horizon: “Rain came pouring down/When I was drowning, that’s when I could finally breathe/And by morning/Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean.”

In both its original form and (Taylor’s Version), 1989 is where Swift began to write songs that the women of her generation—she was born in 1989—came to feel spoke to them, empowered them, made them confident and able to overcome. In the song, “New Romantics”, she deftly lays out the frank, street smart zeitgeist of the females of her generation— “We’re so young/But we’re on the road to ruin/We play dumb but we know exactly what we’re doin’/We cry tears of mascara in the bathroom/ Honey, life is just a classroom.” And despite the constant painful tussles with romance—many of which come straight out of her personal life—the confidence that’s allowed her to rebuild her library of recordings with (Taylor’s Version) installments again blasts through the choruses of “New Romantics”—“Heartbreak is the national anthem/We sing it proudly/We are too busy dancing/ To get knocked off our feet/Baby, we’re the new romantics/The best people in life are free.”

While 1989 (Taylor’s Version) replicates the arrangements of the original album, it also includes five unreleased tracks from that era, also re-recorded, that did not make it onto the original album. It may be that the portrait of the artist they presented was judged too wimpy and overly focused on romantic trauma. For example, “Say Don’t Go” is another of her patented wreck ‘n’ ruin love laments: Why’d you have to lead me on? / Why’d you have to twist the knife? /Walk

away and leave me bleedin’, bleedin’? /Why’d you whisper in the dark? /Just to leave me in the night? /Now your silence has me screamin’, screamin’.”

In the digital age, Pop music’s one obvious drawback for anyone who cares about the quality of recorded sound is the overproduced, overcompressed, synth-ee, mad scientist-level artificial sonics of most of today’s pop music including 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Naturally recorded or even played, it ain’t. These tracks were built, or more correctly assembled, by a raft of producers, writers, and engineers. But unlike a lot of celebrity music types, Swift’s stardom is still based on music she has either written or co-written. She’s also become a tremendously gifted live performer who brings star power, showbiz polish and a solid sing-

ing voice that the glitzy high-tech production cannot overwhelm. Her world traveling stage show—she’s now on the Eras Tour—has evolved into a professionally-organized, money-generating machine that may rake in over $1 billion dollars in ticket sales. The accompanying film of the same name is on track to become one of the most successful concert films of all time. As icing on this ideal cake, there’s Swift’s budding fairy tale romance with NFL tight end Travis Kelce, which has Swifties, her infatuated fanbase, tuning into televised football games

hoping to catch a glimpse of her cheering on her man. To remain relevant in this media-saturated age, music needs more stars, and at the

moment, 34-year-old Taylor Swift, Time’s 2023 Person of the Year, is leading the way.

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INTERVIEW WITH VINYL AMBASSADOR

by Gilles Laferriere

CHAD KASSEM DURING MY VISIT TO CHICAGO’S AXPONA 2023, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INTERVIEWING CHAD KASSEM, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF ACOUSTIC SOUNDS, ANALOGUE PRODUCTIONS, QUALITY RECORD PRESSINGS, BLUE HEAVEN STUDIO, AND CO-OWNER OF ACOUSTECH MASTERING. CHAD WAS VERY GENEROUS WITH HIS TIME AND SPOKE CANDIDLY ABOUT HIS LIFE, ASPIRATIONS, AND THE 10

NUMEROUS CHALLENGES HE FACED WHILE BUILDING HIS THRIVING ENTERPRISE.

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had is a significant figure in the audiophile community. His reissues under the Analogue Productions label that I’ve purchased over the past two decades are some of the best-sounding records in my vinyl collection. Chad’s relentless pursuit of the highest quality reproduction of music on vinyl has played a crucial role in the medium’s revival.

I met Chad early in the morning for our conversation. I began by inquiring about his background, including his origins, teenage years, and how he ended up in Kansas.

“Well, I’m a half Cajun. My mother speaks French, and the family spoke French, and a lot of people in Southwest Louisiana still do because it’s where the Cajuns that came from Nova Scotia ended up. It’s a very unique part of America. The culture is just so different. They have their own language, their own music, their own style of food. And that’s where I was raised. One thing about the Cajuns and people from Louisiana is they like to have fun.”

I told Chad that I’d been to New Orleans so I had an idea of the fun he was talking about.

“New Orleans is a bit different than where the Cajuns are,» he said. «The Cajuns are really in Lafayette, west of New Orleans.

Now, New Orleans has this. There are a lot of similarities. But if you want to find where the most Cajuns are, go a little further west.

“When I grew up in Lafayette, bars were open 24 hours. You could buy beer at 12-yearsold. Lots of drugs and a lot of festivals. Every weekend there’s a festival: crawfish festival, crab festival, shrimp festival, jazz festival… any excuse to have a party. And the weather is warm, so people don’t really sit home and

listen to records. You can hear live music so often that you don’t stay home. “[If you’ve only ever lived there], you don’t recognize how unique of a place Lafayette is.

You think everywhere is this way. Everybody does this. You have to move away to realize how different and how special it is.

“There are so many musicians. The families pass it down. I learned so much about the history of New Orleans music. Rock ’n’ roll pretty much started in 1949 with Fats Domino. A lot of people think [it was] Little Richard or Chuck Berry. No, Little Richard [who hailed from Georgia] went to the studio in New Orleans, and it was with New Orleans backup musicians that he made his best hits. I’m not taking away anything from Little Richard.

He’s awesome. And he was at the beginning for sure. But I learned all about the blues, zydeco, and jazz, from where I was from.”

Chad paused a moment, then said: “I got in a lot of trouble. [At one point], I had to choose between going to jail or to a halfway house.

This was around 1984, so I was about 22 years old. It wasn’t a hard decision to pick a halfway house over jail. The only problem was that the halfway house was in Salina, Kansas, exactly in the middle of America, which couldn’t be more different than where I was from.

But that’s exactly where I needed to be. A place that doesn’t have a lot of alcohol, where there’s not a lot of misbehaving, where the bar closes, things like this. So, I moved there.

“This is the year that CD was coming out, 1984. I get to Salina, Kansas, and I’m staying sober. I got a job right away. I was working hard, trying to do as good as I could. I wanted to start putting my record collection back together. My dad called me. He said, ‘I’m coming to Kansas, is there anything you want me to bring?’. It’s about an 11-hour drive. I think he’s bringing me a car! I said, ‘Well, bring my stereo and my records.’

“He brought my stereo, my records, which was a lot of my identity, from when I was partying and carrying on. The records had scratches and dust. I started replacing the bad ones.

“After, I went home to Louisiana to visit a friend who was an audiophile. We were both music lovers, but he’s a bit more of an audiophile than me. And he learned so much about

how to set up turntables and about tubes and the different kinds of brands. And he really went far into it. I went to his house, where he showed me records that said ‘Original Master Recording’ on the top, and some that said ‘Super Disc Nautilus’. And I said, ‘Well, Chet’ — his name is Chet — ‘I have some of those already. I don’t hear the difference [with regular recordings]. To me, they sound the same.

He said, ‘Sit in the middle of the bed right here, I’m going to put one on. Now you got to listen very subtly. It’s not going to slap you in the face. The band is not going to jump out of the speakers and start playing live! It’s subtle.

If you listen carefully and you listen to these sorts of things, you’ll hear the difference. But you have to sit in the middle.’ I’m like… okay, whatever… I sit in the middle. I start talking.

He said, ‘Chad, listen, you’re never going to hear if you don’t shut your big mouth! All I’m asking is one song! Don’t say nothing and sit in the middle.’ I said, ‘Okay, I’ll give you the song.’ And he played it. I heard the things that it did good. When he told me how rare these recordings were and how much they were going for and how they’re hard to find, it was a lightbulb moment!

“When I get back to Kansas, I go to the record store — we had a nice record store in this little town. And they had a shitload of these out-of-print records. I called my friend and told him, ‘They have the UHQR Dark Side!

They have the UHQR Sergeant Pepper! They have Déjà Vu! They have all the Zeppelins!’

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He bought a bunch of them. And then I took the rest and started to collect records.

«I went all over America. Every time I was in a big town, I would go to every used record store. They still had new record stores in the malls. CDs were just coming out.”

He squinted, then said: “Do you know how they tried to kill the record? People don’t realize how that really happened. It wasn’t because it was better. There were two reasons. First, the record labels blinded people with science. People looked at that silver disc and they thought it just had to be better. It was quiet. There was no ticks and pops. And so, your mind told you it was better because you’re blinded by science. It was such an invention. You could play this little silver disc.”

“It was the future!” I said.

“Yeah, it was the future,” Chad says. “But at that time, I was buying every record I could. So, the whole world was going towards CDs and I’ve been swimming in the opposite direction since 1984. There were only a few people I can remember that were cham-

pioning records and Michael Fremer was one of them. There were a few others, but there’s also a lot of Johnny-come-latelies. They’re coming back to the party. And we’ll welcome them back, but they were the first ones I saw running. They’re now telling me. ‘I’ve been supportive!’ Yeah, you can tell somebody else that. They may believe you, but I remember.

“The other reason the CD almost killed off the LP is because, before the CD came out, if you were a mom-and-pop store, you could order all the LPs you wanted and if you had a defective one, you could return it. If you had overstock, you could return it.

“Let’s say a new band came out, a funny name you never heard of. Well, people who owned the stores didn’t know about the newest crazy music, so they were reluctant to buy more than a couple of copies of it. But the record label would say ‘It’s popular and people are going to come in for this record. It’s hot. And if you don’t sell it, you can return it.’

“That’s how the labels got the stores to buy more records, because you need to buy the new artist but you don’t want to lose money.

Well, when CDs came out, they said, no return anymore for defective vinyl for any reason. It’s a one-way sale. And we’re going to raise the price of records by a dollar and lower the price of CDs by a dollar. And you can return CDs all you want, for defects and overstock. That’s why you had a record store in ‘84 that was 100% full of records, then 95% full of records and 5% full of CDs, and within a year and a half it had gone to 95% CDs, 5% records.

That’s how that happened so fast.”

Chad’s love for blues music began at a young age. I asked what drew him to this genre, and if it was his favourite.

“Yeah, it kind of is,” he replied. “I love blues.

To me, blues is like classical music — it sounds as good today as it did when it was made. It’s the same way with most jazz. And then blues, to me, is the foundation of the music that came after — rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, jazz. I tend to like jazz when there’s blues in it.

“And I like music that sounds good. If it doesn’t sound good, I like it less. I want something that draws me in. [I like] a lot of air and spaces between the notes. If it’s loud and compressed or too busy, it’s not enjoyable to me.

“I like more natural, more acoustic, less dated-sounding music. And blues is one of those styles. I also love classic rock, especially when Zeppelin or Foghat or the Allman Brothers are doing blues. I love the original songs from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf and the same songs in their rocked-out versions. I love jazz and classical. But again, if the music gets too heavy or too busy…

“Like free jazz or experimental?”, I suggested.

“Yeah. Some of that I don’t care much for.

If it’s too busy, if it’s too loud, if there are no spaces, it’s pointless for me to listen to.

“Growing up in Louisiana, you got jazz coming out of New Orleans. You got the rock ‘n’ roll of Fats Domino and all that. So many hits came out of New Orleans. So much music was influenced by music from Louisiana.

There’s a lot of blues, Cajun music, and then there’s zydeco, which is a mixture of R&B and Cajun, where they play the accordion and the

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rubboard. And they sing in French. A lot of the bands we know will go to France and tour.

One of our bands that was famous is Zachary Richard. Have you heard of him?”

“I know him very well,” I said. “He’s very popular in Canada, particularly in Quebec and New Brunswick.”

“Well, he dated my mom,» Chad continued.

«His nickname is Ralph. We had all these influences, and a lot of it is blues-based. I also tried to document the blues. These blues guys are older, and they’re dying.

“There’s two things I tried to do: keep blues alive and keep vinyl alive. These are two big goals of mine and I did what I could. But most of the blues masters are gone. Taj Mahal is still living. So is Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Buddy Guy. Buddy is from Louisiana. He’s 86 now.”

Part 2 coming soon at www.pmamedia.org.

THE TUBE ILLUSION? How AGD Productions’ transistor-based tubes cast a spell on me 16

Text / Photos by Jonson Lee

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AGD PRODUCTIONS’ ALBERTO GUERRA WITH SOME OF HIS CREATIONS)

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’ve always been interested in the placebo effect in audio. We all know it exists, although we don’t always like to admit it does.

Placebo pills often show a positive effect on patients’ recovery. That’s why, when testing a new drug, a control group is given placebo pills instead of the actual drug to subtract the placebo effect from the overall result. The placebo effect is pretty much omnipresent in all commercial products. Take automobiles, for example: if you think that the style and color of the car you’re driving has no impact on how you perceive its performance, you are denying your basic human biases.

I think this phenomenon is especially true with tube amps. Just picture one with its glowing glass towers sticking out of the chassis.

Now compare this to the look of a typical solid-state amp which almost always comes in an industrial-looking rectangular box. There’s just no comparison; the tube amp always wins the beauty con-

test. So, the question is: how much of the perceived sound of a tube amp is coming from its audio and how much of it is coming from its visual appearance? Hence, the question that popped into my mind: what if the solid-state amp looked like a tube one?

Would it change the way I felt about its sound?

it sounded very good— but I knew I was hearing the whole system, not just the amp. So, I got in touch with Alberto Guerra, AGD founder and product designer, and asked if he’d mind if I compared the sound of his amp, with its tube appearance, to my beloved but industrial-looking solid-state

“

I think this phenomenon is especially true with tube amps. Just picture one with its glowing glass towers sticking out of the chassis.

”

And then I remembered— the Audion monoblocs from L.A.-based AGD Productions that I saw at this year’s T.H.E Show. At first sight, they looked like tube amps. And they were, kind of. They had glowing tubes, only these amps were purely class-D and inside those tubes was semiconductor technology.

I listened to the demo—

Densen DM-30 amplifier in a same system so I could isolate the sonic characteristics of the AGD amp. What I didn’t say, but was in the back of my mind, was: while listening to the AGD amp, would I be able to determine if its tube appearance influenced my emotional response to the music? Alberto not only graciously accepted

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but invited me to his house to do whatever process of comparison my heart desired.

Alberto has been involved in electronics engineering for 42 years, most of them in semiconductor research and development. What’s inside the glass tubes in AGD amplifiers stems from that experience. Wanting to create something truly new in amp design, Alberto designed transistors made with gallium nitride (GaN), a crystal-like material, to be used in a switching amp design, i.e.. that uses class-D topology. According to Alberto, it’s an ideal combination, because it takes advantage

of class-D’s strengths—high efficiency, low noise, the ability to deliver high current and close to zero heat, its small footprint, its light weight—while minimizing class-D’s main weakness, namely, its inability to switch fast enough back and forth between the supply rails to produce truly “organic” sound. Alberto states that his GaN transistors (again, that’s what’s inside the glass tubes) deliver one hundred times the switching speed compared to the silicon MOSFET transistors typically used in amplifiers.

Most important to me, however, was not how the

technology worked, but how I would perceive its sound.

The AGD amps used for the purposes of my comparison were the Audion monoblocs, while the rest of the system consisted of an AGD Andante preamplifier / streaming DAC and the Magnepan 1.7i speakers. As luck would have it, I knew his Magnepans well because I own a similar pair (older model). After much switching between amps and listening, I formed two important impressions about the Audion.

First, its bass reproduction was in a class of its own. This had nothing to do with feeling; this was con-

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AN AGD PRODUCTIONS AUDION MONOBLOC)

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crete. Magnepan is one of my favourite brands but I’m willing to admit that bass pitch accuracy isn’t one of its speakers’ strengths. The Audion made me forget that.

The bass I heard was tight and massive.

My second big impression of this class-D tube amp design (it still sounds strange to me) was its neutrality, or its seeming absence of sonic additives. In comparison, my Densen, and, as far as I remember, many of the amps I used to own, seemed to be adding something to the signal, to colour it. Colorations may be pleasant to listen to, but they inevitably dilute the sound the creators of the recording intended us to hear (imagine adding blue paint to what’s originally red paint and ending up with something closer to purple). What the Audion didn’t do was more striking than what it did. With

a typical tube amp, the opposite is likely true.

I listened to a variety of recordings with the Audion, the Densen, and the Magnepans, and throughout, I was captivated by the music. At one point, as I thought, “There’s magic in that sound”, my attention snapped back to why I was there in the first place: to observe my own placebo effect. So, as the music played, I started to ask myself if I could figure out how much of the magic I was hearing was coming from the sound quality (which was undeniably excellent) and how much of it was coming from the visual aspect (which was irrefutably gorgeous). After I’d alternated several times between having my eyes open and closed while I listened, my conclusion was this: I couldn’t. Their effect was interrelated and interlaced. They both mattered.

To which I’ll add a confession: I used to think I was unimpressionable. I thought I was above all that placebo stuff and immune to the lures of anything other than the sound quality. Now, I’m convinced the look of those transistor tubes made a difference in how I heard the music, and how it made me feel. I’ll even add that the scenic drive I’d enjoyed on the way to Alberto’s home in Rancho Palos Verde, CA, might have made a difference. The stunning ocean view opened my heart to inspirations and possibilities even before I arrived at his house.

So yes, I may be prone to some placebo effect, maybe just like the next guy. Then again, a placebo can seem just as real as the Pacific Ocean’s cobalt blue colour.

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HOW MUC

IS ENO THERE ARE MANY MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH POWER IS REQUIRED IN HOME AUDIO APPLICATIONS. THE COMMON QUESTIONS ARE THESE – HOW MUCH POWER IS

ENOUGH? HOW MUCH POWER IS TOO MUCH? CAN AN AMPLIFIER WITH A RELATIVELY LOW OUTPUT POWER RATING BLOW UP A SPEAKER WITH A HIGH POWER HANDLING 20

RATING? CONVERSELY, WILL AN AMPLIFIER WITH A HIGH OUTPUT POWER RATING AUTOMATICALLY DAMAGE A SPEAKER WITH A LOW POWER HANDLING RATING? THESE QUESTIONS – AND MANY MORE LIKE THEM - SHOW A FUNDAMENTAL LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AMPLIFIER WATTAGE RATINGS AND SPEAKER POWER HANDLING RATINGS.

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n real world application, any speaker can be driven by any amplifier. The key is to use common sense and restraint. Clearly, if you have an amp/speaker combination that is not playing loudly enough for your taste, then some questions need to be asked about the amount of power that your amplifier can deliver, and the size and sensitivity of your speakers. Conversely, if you have much more volume than you need then you either need to be a little careful with the volume control, or possibly consider a pair of lower sensitivity speakers. Having said that, power handling ratings for speakers are nearly meaningless.

So…How much power do you really need?

Life - and audio – have very few “one size fits all” solutions, but let’s look at what might be considered a “typical” situation. For our

purposes, a medium sized room with dimensions of 20ft L x 16ft W x 8ft H with the usual amount of furniture, no “audiophile-style” acoustic treatment, and a pair of speakers with a 90db efficiency rating with a 10” to 12” woofer (or the equivalent size with multiple smaller woofers). In this scenario 50 watts is plenty for jazz, symphonic, classic rock and big band. For heavier genres such as hard rock and dance music, you can increase this to 100 watts to be on the safe side. That 90db speaker driven with 32 watts will produce 105db at 1 meter. 105 dB is loud – in fact, hearing damage loud. Typical listening levels usually vary between 70dB to 90dB with peaks into the high 90s. Again, this doesn’t cover every situation, but it is a reasonable guideline for most people in most rooms.

CH POWER

OUGH?

by Angela-Gilbert Yeung

Do we need to match the amplifier output wattage to speaker power handing wattage?

The short answer is “No”. Amplifier output wattage indicates the available wattage of a particular amplifier. The amplifier will not output its full rated power unless there is an input signal required to do so. The input signal level is controlled by the volume attenuator setting, which is set by the user - who is you. Simply put, if you don’t turn up the volume, there will be no wattage putout to the speaker, therefore, no sound. It is the end user that matches the output wattage of the amplifier to the capabilities of the speaker.

Common sense goes a long way here…

What does the speaker power handling rating tell us?

Let’s get one thing of the way immediately – the speaker power handling rating DOES NOT indicate how loudly the speaker will play music. That is defined by the sensitivity of the speaker, and the output capability of the amplifier that you use. What the speaker power handling rating does tell us is what the maximum input wattage is for the speaker before it will be damaged. This max power figure is usually a rating that the speaker can accept

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for a very short amount of time – usually a millisecond to a few seconds.

For example, if the speaker is rated at 100 watts maximum, putting a 100-watt signal into it for more than 1 second will risk damage. At 50% of the max power rating (or 50 watts input in this example) this speaker can operate for about 10 to 20 mins before causing damage. At 25% (or 25 watts), this speaker would operate without risk of damage free for a few hours. With a signal input of 10% of its power rating, this speaker can theoretically run forever.

Please keep in mind that power handling ratings are measured using a pure sine wave. A music signal is more complex than a sine wave and you would be wise to derate any speaker’s power handling rating by 15% to 20%.

Another thing to consider – the power handling ability of a speaker can actually de-

FLAT EDGE WAVE

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crease while it is playing music. When music is continuously playing the voice coil of the speaker driver will heat up. If the voice coil is not properly cooled, heat continues to buildup and the speaker will reach its power handling limit at a lower power level. Using the previous example of a speaker rated for power handling of 100 watts, if this speaker has been playing at a few hours at a relatively high volume its power handling capacity will drop by 10-15%. The maximum power rating of the speaker would then be 85-90 watts, not 100 watts.

Ultimately, amplifier output power and speaker handling power have very little to do with each other. When pairing speakers and amplifiers it is more important to consider the style of music, the size of room, the sensitivity of the speakers, and the amplifier power output.

What is amplifier clipping, and can it damage speakers?

Clipping in solid state amplifiers generally happens under two conditions and is related to the power supply of the amplifier not being able to keep up with the demands of the music.

When an amplifier runs out of voltage into an impedance over 8 ohms, or, when an amplifier runs out of current into an impedance lower than 4 ohms, it will produce a flat edged wave

“

Ultimately, amplifier output power and speaker handling power have very little to do with each other. When pairing speakers and amplifiers it is more important to consider the style of music, the size of room, the sensitivity of the speakers, and the amplifier power output.

”

form similar to a square wave. Clipping is the elimination of the outer edge of the wave form both on the positive and negative side. The resulting flat topped wave form can cause dam-

age to a speaker. A clipped signal of 5 watts or more is sufficient to cause damage.

AMPLIFIER ART BY ANGELA GILBERT YEUNG

Amplifier power output ratings Amplifier power is usually rated at RMS output. Unfortunately, some manufacturers will fudge this number, using so called peak power or music power. Neither of these is a true measure of actual output power. The RMS power rating gives the most accurate indication of an amplifier’s power output.

These output power ratings are generally accepted as power into an 8-ohm load in home audio. Pro audio equipment most often rates power output into 4-ohm load. Rating RMS power output at lower impedance will yield a higher power rating. Some home audio manufacturers take advantage of this by rating the power output of their amplifiers into 6 ohms to mislead potential customers into thinking their amplifier has more power than an amplifier from other manufacturers.

A reminder - no matter what an amplifier’s rated output is, the amplifier cannot output

any signal into a speaker until the user turns up the volume setting. It is the responsibility of the user to exercise their own judgement NOT to turn up the volume high enough to damage their speakers. Almost all speaker damage is a result of speakers being played too loudly for too long without being given a chance for a proper cool down period for the speaker drivers. And believe it or not, most speaker damage occurs when listening under the influence of alcohol. If you like to drink when you listen, you might want to consider getting a designated volume control operator.

“

A clipped signal of 5 watts or more is sufficient to cause damage.

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23

THELONIOUS

MONK BRILLIANT CORNERS REVIEW

by Robert Baird

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WHEN A BEAUTIFUL NEW CRAFT RECORDS REISSUE OF THELONIOUS MONK’S LANDMARK BRILLIANT CORNERS ALBUM ARRIVED RECENTLY, CURIOSITY LED ME TO SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT PRESSINGS OF THIS ESSENTIAL JAZZ MASTERPIECE EXISTED. AMONGST THE OVER 100 VERSIONS OUT SINCE ITS 1957 RELEASE, I NOTICED A MASS OF PUBLIC DOMAIN REISSUE LABELS HAD JUMPED INTO THE FRAY.

T

hese European-based labels reissue music on vinyl that’s gone over to public domain in the EU. While it varies from country to country, copyright protection generally lasts from between 50-70 years from the author’s death. For context, public domain means, in the words of Stanford University Center for Copyright and Fair Use, “creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws.” In other words, it’s legal to do what you wish with this content and no royalty payments are due to anyone.

As more recordings pass into public domain, European labels like Wax Time, Jazz Images, Doxy, DOL, Vinyl Lovers and more have flooded the market with LPs of jazz and rock classics priced significantly below copies from legit labels. At the same time, original copies in VG+ or better shape and new highend reissues like the 2003 Analogue Productions 45 RPM pressing have gotten progressively more expensive. While the record business in the U.S. considers these cheap imports to be a form of piracy, enforcement has so far been non-existent.

The sonic qualities of these public domain (PD) reissues have become a much-debated topic in the audiophile community as the amount of PD reissues has exploded. As a believer/lover/user of reissues by Analogue Productions, Music Matters, Tone Poet, Mobile Fidelity and a few other select reissue labels, I never paid much attention to the PD invasion until music students of mine began

asking me eminently practical questions like, “Is it really worth paying so much when I can get one of these new ones at Discogs.com or eBay for like $20?”

Two crucial factors must be considered when answering that question. The better your gear, the more you will, or will not, hear.

In addition, it’s often dependent on individual listening histories. If you grew up listening to MP3s on a smartphone, then these LPs may well present a gateway to a bright new world of audio fidelity.

If you collect quality vinyl and have lived through the sonic progression of LPs, fol-

25

lowed by CDs, followed by new vinyl reissues (with the careful, high-end examples sounding as good or better than the original copies), then PD reissues will be less than thrilling.

The overall reason is that the PD labels cut their vinyl from CDs, MP3 files, rips from YouTube or whatever compromised source they can find. Because the PD labels aren’t paying licensing fees, artists or their estates gain no monetary benefit and the PD labels do not have access to the original tape sources or even high-resolution digital copies.

Famous as the record that nearly unhinged its sidemen, Brilliant Corners is a perfect example of why Monk will never be as accessible as other jazz pianists of his era, like Bill Evans, but also of why he was in many ways the most advanced musically. The five longish tracks, produced by Orin Keepnews, were recorded in October 1956 at Reeves Sound in New York City in three sessions with two

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different lineups just before Monk’s 40th birthday. With Monk on piano, a young Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Ernie Henry on alto sax, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and the inestimable Max Roach behind the drum kit, this quintet tracked the fiendishly difficult title cut, as well as “Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-luesAre” and “Pannonica”, the latter a tune highlighted by Monk on the celesta. After many unsuccessful takes, the master take of the tune “Brilliant Corners” had to be assembled from parts of several different attempts. Two months later, Monk, Rollins and Roach, along with bassist Paul Chambers and trumpeter Clark Terry recorded “Bemsha Swing,” an original co-written with drummer Denzil Best, which debuted on record in 1952. The pianist also recorded a solo performance of

Harry Barris’s ballad, “I Surrender, Dear.” As a prime example of Monk’s idiosyncratic take on bop jazz, Brilliant Corners remains Monk’s studio masterpiece and one of the most representative and important milestones of 1950’s jazz.

The new Craft Records version of Brilliant Corners comes in a tight, cloth-covered slip with a two-page booklet containing fresh liner notes by Ashley Kahn. Part of the label’s “Small Batch” series, this reissue is an all-analogue, one step pressing, and yet another entry in the One Step trend that’s caused controversy but in general has produced excellent-sounding but very expensive ($109) reissues. With lacquers cut from the original tapes (AAA) at Bernie Grundman Mastering, these LPs were pressed on 180-

gram vinyl at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI) using Neotech’s VR900 vinyl compound. While I’m not sure that the sound quite lives up to its billing as “as close as the listener can get to the original recording,” the music has new spark and greatly increased detail and depth. Compared to the six LP versions that I own—and taking into account that my original Riverside mono pressing is in VG+ condition at best—this is the finest sounding version yet issued. The 2003 45 RPM Analogue Productions pressing is a very close second.

For comparison’s sake, I acquired PD copies of Brilliant Corners from Not Now (2022, from the UK), which uses a different cover image than the original WaxTime pressing (2011, Spain) and has DMM prominently added to the back cover, and a blue vinyl pressing from DOL (2015, Russia). All are 180-gram copies that were more than likely pressed at GZ in the Czech Republic, a facility that has had its share of pressing issue kerfuf28

“

Two crucial factors must be considered when answering that question. The better your gear, the more you will, or will not, hear. In addition, it’s often dependent on individual listening histories. If you grew up listening to MP3s on a smartphone, then these LPs may well present a gateway to a bright new world of audio fidelity.

”

PMA MAGAZINE N01

fles. While they all come in plastic-lined inner sleeves, which is a nice touch, the sound issues are apparent from the first track. Not surprisingly, there was very little sonically to distinguish the PD pressings from each other.

Flat and one dimensional are the words most often used to describe their sound, and to that

I’d add lacking life and essential spirit. The stereo image is thin and unclear in all three copies. Distortion clouds the edges and the level of detail is decent but does not approach what’s found on the better sourced, better pressed, more expensive reissues.

Clearly not meant for anyone who cares deeply about the sound of their recorded music, the PD reissues do have one slim redeeming factor. In this digital age when younger listeners are distracted by a myriad of online entertainment options led by anime, video games, and social media, music of-allkinds and quality audio both need new fans.

The last thing the music and audio businesses need is to drive away potential customers who may someday upgrade both their gear and their music. If starting out with a $20 pressing of Monk hooks a young person on his playing or jazz in general, then there’s hope.

A recent Steve Hoffman audiophile forum post captured that hopeful progression best: “As my appreciation for well-recorded music has grown (and my equipment has improved) I’ve pretty much sworn off these Cheap-O reissues. The difference between one of these pressings and something from Analogue Productions, Speakers Corner, Chesky, Music on Vinyl or Pure Pleasure is really night and day.

Then again, so is the price.”

AUDIO RESEARCH’S VAL AND SHEREE CORA TELL ALL, PART 1

by Robert Schryer

Valerio Cora, CEO

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Had negotiations to acquire Audio Research gone that well?

“There really hasn’t been that much negotiating,” Val said. “Audio Research was more or less bankrupt, so we bought it on an asset purchase/sale. It was, literally, a bid. We put in our bid for the assets of the company. That was it.

“The only negotiations at this point have been with vendors,” he continued. “Some are upset, and rightly so. Some are owed quite a bit of money. Some have said they’d put it as ‘water under the bridge, we value your business, and we’ll keep going’; others said the opposite. And it’s their choice. I understand how difficult it is for them.”

I CAN’T THINK OF ANY OTHER PIECE OF NEWS IN 2023 THAT WAS BIGGER IN THE AUDIOPHILE COMMUNITY, AT LEAST NOT IN NORTH AMERICA, THAN THAT OF AUDIO RESEARCH HAVING BEEN BOUGHT BY AR TUBE AUDIO CORPORATION, A COMPANY FORMED, FOR THE OCCASION, BY VALERIO CORA OF ACORA SPEAKERS.

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recently sat down across from Val and his wife and partner in business, Sheree, for a Zoom chat. They looked calm and nonplussed, like I’ve seen them look on any other day, which was the opposite of what I expected. Considering the magnitude of the historical event that was their purchase of Audio Research, and how much they must have on their plate running two companies, I expected them to look ragged.

Was there a bidding war?

“There was a bit of a bidding war, but I had our target number and I wasn’t going to go 1¢ higher. If someone would have bid more, I would’ve congratulated them. I knew the realistic value of the company. There was only eight days to put this bid together and I knew how many people had visited the factory. I had a sense of what bids were going to come in.”

Audio Research is an iconic American brand now owned by a Canadian. How has the reception been to that?

“Fantastic,” replied Val. “People are happy the company wasn’t bought out by somebody in Saudi Arabia or some venture capitalist.

The fact that I’m in the audio industry, that my audiophile ideology aligns with what a lot of people want the iconic brand to be, I think the differentiation between us being Canadian versus American wasn’t a concern. I’ve

seen very little negative comments out there about us having bought the company.“ And those good feelings extend to the Minnesota workforce?

“The workers there were ecstatic that someone in the audio industry was going to keep the company the same, more or less,” Val said. “Obviously, there’s got to be changes and growth, but that’s like with any company. You’re either growing or you’re dying. There’s no such thing as staying at a steady plateau in business.

“If it wasn’t for the employees,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have put in a bid. The front-end is where a lot of the repairs have to be done.

The previous owners had a lien for Audio Research that I think hampered the company.

People wanted to see the company come out of this lien and go back to what it once was, which is where I want to take it, so people were ecstatic.”

They must’ve been concerned for their jobs, I said.

“Absolutely,” Val said. “The average employee has been with the company for over twenty years.”

Added Sheree: “There are a lot of ex-employees who’ve asked to come back, who left for whatever reason. After we went down there, they’ve been wanting to rejoin the company.”

Val: “When we bought the company, we were down to 20 employees and now we’re back to 31. Some retirees have come back to work for 3 to 4 months, just in the interim to help get the company back on its feet. The re-

sponse has been incredibly positive from every side. Engineers from other companies reach out to me saying, ‘Hey, if you need a hand, don’t hesitate to call us.’ It’s been exciting to see the industry pulling together like this.”

I asked what he and Sheree thought was the underlying reason for ex-employees wanting to come back.

“Because every single person at Audio Research is an audio nut,” Val said. “They always wanted to be part of that company. The only reason they left is because they have families and were worried about the instability when the company was going under. Now they’re seeing a positive future for Audio Research.”

So what happened to Audio Research to almost cause it to go bankrupt?

“It’s hard to say,” Val said. “There were so many things, and we weren’t privy to everything that happened. The reality is the bank decided to pull the loan. (Previous owner) Trent Suggs did what he could. He was trying to bring Audio Research back, but he was relying on funding from the bank and that got pulled out from under him.”

Was Trent still part of the business?

“He is not,” said Val. “We’re still in touch, and he’s doing well. And he’s still, through and through, an Audio Research person. But the blame had to be put somewhere. When the ship goes down, the captain has to take the blame. That’s just the way things go.”

I remind Val about something he’d told me in our previous interview, about his pref-

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erence to go into speaker manufacturing instead of electronics manufacturing. At the time, he’d said: “I did look into amplification briefly, but it was always the speaker side that drew me in.”

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So why get involved with an electronics company?

Without missing a beat, he said: “Because I didn’t want to see Audio Research die.” At this, he paused, as if to let the weight of his words sink in. “Originally, I got involved [with the situation] to try to help Trent, because Trent had helped me. But there was just too much damage [to fix] without the bank standing behind Trent. I wasn’t ready to take over Audio Research the way it was. The only thing that made sense was an asset purchase/ sale. Otherwise, there was no way to save that company. Too much money was owed.

He continued: “In Minnesota, the courts decide whether a business is viable to be sold as an asset to another company to restart it and, if so, they’ll pretty much wash the company’s debts. Secured creditors get paid first, and the rest of the creditors get paid whatever is left over.

“I saw this as an opportunity to save Audio Research. I also didn’t want [the loss] of Audio Research to hurt the industry. Had the company gone under, I think it would have caused a lot of waves in the audio industry and hurt every company in it.”

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So how does he juggle two companies — Acora and Audio Research — at a time?

“I got a great support network,” he said, nodding in Sheree’s direction. “She’s how I do it.”

I asked Sheree how they find the time in a day to do it all.

“There’s never enough time in a day,” she replied. “Any company survives on the company as a whole and not on just one person.

Setting up the networks within the company, and the relationships you have with people, and managing those separately day-to-day is what gets you through.”

Was any part of the Acora business being shifted to Minnesota, or vice versa to Ontario for Audio Research?

“No,” said Val. “The two companies are production- and facility-wise completely separate. Will I use engineering from Acora to help Audio Research? Or the other way around?

Absolutely, and why wouldn’t I? There are great resources on both sides of the table.

“I use Audio Research at home. There’s a ton of people for who [that brand] is their ‘reference’, and I’m one of them. I know their engineering, and I know what they sound like.

I’ve owned Audio Research for the last 20 or 30 years.

I pointed out that I’ve seen him often exhibit with Audio Research gear.

“Some people don’t realize that,” he said.

“They say, ‘Great, now they (Acora) are always going to exhibit with Audio Research. No, we already did. You saw it in Toronto, Washington, and Montreal. It’s one of the brands I’ve always used. In fact, I moved away from Audio Research, so as not to become a onetrick pony. It’s also one reason we showed with D’Agostino, VAC, Hegel, Boulder, Nagra, and on and on. I always try to keep switching things up, and it’ll always be that way. I love Audio Research and it’s a great product.

“I also love Ferraris. It doesn’t mean you have to buy a Ferrari if you love Porsche or Cadillac or Bentley. And if you love Audio Research with Wilson speakers, I’m not going to tell you that you made a mistake. It has to work for you. But when you do put Audio Research and Acora speakers together, is the sound going to be in the top 1 percentile of any system out there? Absolutely it will be.”

To read Part 2, visit PMA Magazine at pmamagazine.org

PMA MAGAZINE N00

LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S

SERENADE AT THE SPHINX JAZZ MAESTRO LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S MUSIC RESONATED ACROSS BORDERS, WITH HIS TUNES REACHING EVEN THE 34

ANCIENT SANDS OF EGYPT. THERE, BENEATH THE GAZE OF THE GREAT SPHINX AND PYRAMIDS OF GIZA, A TIMELESS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN, CAPTURING ARMSTRONG SERENADING HIS WIFE, LUCILLE.

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n 2016, The New York Times Store shared this iconic 1961 image marking Armstrong’s death anniversary. Yet, the story behind the photograph, held at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens, paints a more vivid picture.

As narrated by Ricky Riccardi, the museum’s director of research collections, the photo was a poignant chapter in Armstrong’s State Department-sponsored Africa tour that commenced in October 1960. Amid the tour, tragedy struck when Velma Middleton, one of his vocalists, suffered a stroke in Sierra Leone. Following the unfortunate loss, Armstrong pressed on, performing in Sudan before his arrival in Egypt.

Preserved in the Armstrongs’ collection are photographs and mementos of their

by Olivier Meunier-Plante Egyptian journey, including an endearing image named “Lovebirds on the Nile.” Their adventure involved meeting the esteemed archaeologist Kamal el-Mallakh, who led them to the pyramids.

The momentous day of January 28 saw Armstrong at Ambassador Reinhardt’s reception, playing at a Cairo orphanage, and creating iconic images at the Sphinx. The next morning, they embarked for Nice, France, concluding the challenging State Department tour.

While the famous photograph is claimed by multiple outlets, including the Associated Press and Getty Images, the actual photographer’s identity remained a mystery. A handwritten note bearing the name “Artin DerBalian” hints at the likely photographer, a claim supported by Lucille’s note stating DerBalian “shot photo of us at Sphinx.”

This musical snapshot captures the fusion of Armstrong’s melodious notes with the ageless Egyptian landscape – a moment when music history met ancient history.

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KLIPSCH, KLIPSCH, BOOM! 36

THE EXPLOSIVE BRILLIANCE OF PAUL W. KLIPSCH by Olivier Meunier-Plante PAUL W. KLIPSCH WAS NOT MERELY

EXPERIENCED MUSIC, ORCHESTRATING AN

A NAME IN THE ANNALS OF AUDIO

ERA WHERE SOUND FIDELITY WASN’T A

ENGINEERING, BUT A DEFINING FORCE

LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY.

THAT ENCAPSULATED AN ERA. HIS RESONANCE WAS FELT IN THE SYMPHONIES OF OPERAS, THE CHORDS OF CLASSIC ROCK, AND THE SUBTLEST NOTES OF JAZZ. HIS LIFE STORY, ANALOGOUS TO THE RICH TAPESTRIES OF SOUND HE SO LOVED, HARMONIZED INNOVATION, ARTISTRY, AND AN UNYIELDING PASSION. WHILE COUNTLESS VISIONARIES HAVE GRACED THE REALM OF MUSIC AND ACOUSTICS, KLIPSCH’S METICULOUSNESS AND DEDICATION TO THE CRAFT POSITIONED HIM IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN. HE WASN’T JUST REVOLUTIONIZING PMA MAGAZINE N01

SPEAKERS OR STEREOS; HE WAS RECALIBRATING THE WAY HUMANITY

Of the bird, Flying

Sol Mandlsohn’s

(Poet/Bay Bloor Radio Founder)

Poetry put to music *Limited edition 180g vinyl

”Pure, warm, rich, intimate sound and a big, spacious soundstage. It could be the next best thing to having the band play live in your listening room.”

-Robert Schryer (PMA editor-in-chief)

Scan the QR code to discover Give’s music

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Childhood and Early Inspirations Elkhart, Indiana, on March 9, 1904, witnessed the birth of this prodigious mind. His lineage bespoke of a deep-rooted connection with the worlds of engineering and academia. His father, Oscar Colman Klipsch, was not just an instructor but a beacon at Purdue University’s mechanical engineering department, ensuring that the principles of precision and inquiry were passed on. On the other hand, his mother, Minna Eddy Klipsch, provided the stability, warmth, and nurture that would shape Paul’s resilience and character.

However, the narrative took a sorrowful turn early on. The untimely demise of his father was a shockwave, an experience that might have derailed many. But for young Paul, this became a cornerstone, reinforcing a determination that was already brewing. The subsequent relocation journey, first to the historical town of Silver City, New Mexico, and then further, accompanying his mother to the bustling cityscape of El Paso, Texas, was instrumental. Each city, each experience, layered his perspective, honing a unique blend of grit and creativity.

First Foray into Radio Technology The Roaring Twenties was not just a decade of economic prosperity and cultural explosion; it was also an age of technological marvels. And even amidst this transformative era, Klipsch’s feats stood out. The 15-year-old, from the confines of his makeshift workspace, constructed a radio receiver. This was not just any youthful experiment; it was a significant technological accomplishment. After all, it

was a precursor, crafted a year before the historic moment when commercial U.S. radio broadcasts would first crackle into homes.

A fire was lit, and there was no dousing it.

This early tryst with radio technology was a harbinger of things to come. As Klipsch delved into the formal world of academia, he chose a path that was almost preordained: electrical engineering. New Mexico Agriculture and Mechanical College became the crucible where his foundational knowledge was solidified, leading to his undergraduate degree in 1926. The corridors of General Electric soon beckoned, offering a platform where theoretical knowledge met real-world challenges. Here, Klipsch wasn’t just another engineer; he was the mastermind behind radio designs that would soon be emblazoned with the iconic RCA stamp.

From Radio Design to South American Mines But a singular path was never Klipsch’s style.

His thirst for knowledge and his penchant for challenges led him on an unexpected journey to the rugged terrains of South America.

Swapping sound waves for locomotives, Klipsch found himself deep in the copper mines of Chile. It wasn’t the speakers or the stereo systems but the massive machines of the mines that demanded his attention. This phase, though seemingly detached from his primary passion, underscored Klipsch’s versatility.

It highlighted a professional dexterity that transcended domains, proving that the maes-

“

Audio was a hobby and then a profession, but I still consider myself as an amateur in that an amateur is one who practices his art for love.”

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tro of acoustics was also adept at taming the behemoths of the mining world.

This expansive journey, from the heartlands of Indiana to the mines of Chile, wasn’t

U.S.A. & Canada Distributed by:

just a professional expedition. It was a voyage of self-discovery, of understanding the multifaceted dimensions of sound and engineering, of realizing that innovation is not confined to laboratories but is an ever-evolving dance between passion, persistence, and ingenuity.

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The Stanford Years and Beyond As the 1930s dawned, the corridors of Stanford University became a significant chapter in Paul W. Klipsch’s ever-evolving narrative.

Graduating with an MS in Electrical Engineering, Stanford not only enhanced his academic proficiency but also brought him faceto-face with contemporary luminaries. As he engaged in intense academic discourse, his horizons broadened, and his vision clarified.

Yet, in a twist that few could have anticipated, the fresh Stanford graduate veered away from the expected path. Instead of delving deeper into the world of sound, Klipsch found himself amidst the bustling oil fields of Houston, Texas. The move wasn’t a departure from his love for engineering but rather an expansion of it.

As a geophysicist, Klipsch navigated the subterranean world, understanding and harnessing the Earth’s seismic patterns. His work in oil exploration was marked by innovations, earning him respect and patents in a field far from acoustics.

However, the allure of sound was omnipresent. Between his commitments in geophysics, Klipsch nurtured an idea. He speculated about the profound impact room dynamics could have on sound. The corners of a room, he surmised, could amplify sound, making it more vibrant and authentic. This wasn’t just a fleeting thought but an obsession that he continually refined.

War-time Experiments and Innovations The world, however, was changing. The shadows of World War II began to stretch across nations, and like many of his generation, Klipsch too answered the call of duty.

Enlisted in the U.S. Army, he found himself in Hope, Arkansas, at the Southwest Proving Grounds. These grounds, echoing with the

sounds of munitions tests, became the unlikely backdrop for Klipsch’s groundbreaking audio experiments.

Klipsch, ever the innovator, balanced his military duties with his audio explorations.

The corner horn speaker design, a concept he had been toying with, found its most ardent testers in his fellow servicemen. Klipsch’s quarters, equipped with the prototype, often had officers and soldiers alike, immersing themselves in the sound quality that was unparalleled for its time. Amidst the stark realities of war, Klipsch’s innovation offered a brief respite, a momentary escape to a world defined not by conflict but by melody.

His dedication during these trying times culminated in the perfection of the corner horn speaker design. This was not merely a technological advancement; it was a symbol of hope and the indomitable human spirit.

For those who experienced it, Klipsch’s design wasn’t just about sound. It was about memories, emotions, and the promise of a peaceful tomorrow.

As the tumultuous 1940s came to a close and the world began its slow journey towards healing, Paul W. Klipsch stood at a pivotal juncture. Armed with a design that had been refined in the crucible of war, he was poised to revolutionize the world of audio engineering, promising a future where sound wasn’t just heard but felt.

The Birth of Klipschorn: A Revolution in Sound Post-war Hope, Arkansas, became more than just a recovery ground for the aftermath of a global conflict; it transformed into the epicenter of an auditory revolution led by Paul W. Klipsch. The nondescript town, with its quiet streets and southern charm, held a secret in its heart—a tin shed inconspicuously nestled behind a local dry cleaner. It was here that the genius of Klipsch came to life, echoing his unparalleled passion for perfection.

Inside this humble workshop, one could witness a master at work. Klipsch pains-

innovation and refinement in the field of audio engineering. He sought to perfect his designs, persistently driven by a philosophy of uncompromising quality and acoustic precision.

Pioneering the Acoustic Cornerstone: The Klipschorn In this period, the iconic Klipschorn continued to be a centerpiece of his explorations.

He devoted considerable effort to perfecting this already revolutionary speaker. Klipsch focused on enhancing its acoustic properties, striving for a more authentic and natural sound reproduction. The Klipschorn, with its unique corner-horn design, was continuously improved to cater to the evolving needs and preferences of audiophiles and music enthusiasts.

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takingly crafted the Klipschorn speaker, an avant-garde piece of acoustic brilliance. His devotion to detail and design was not about mere aesthetics; it was about chasing the pure, unadulterated resonance of sound, a quest to bridge the gap between recorded audio and live performance. Each Klipschorn speaker was a testament to this obsession.

Remarkably, the fundamental design was so advanced and so in tune with acoustic perfection that it stands the test of time, with its core principles enduring over seven decades with minimal alteration.

Yet, Klipsch wasn’t just a man ensconced in his workshop. His work ethic was exemplary. Before the name “Klipsch” became synonymous with top-tier audio equipment, every single speaker that left his shed had been personally crafted, tested, and approved

by Klipsch himself. It wasn’t until 1948, when the demand for his unparalleled craftsmanship began to surge, that he grudgingly took on his first employee to aid in his ever-growing enterprise.

Throughout the 1960s, Paul W. Klipsch was deeply immersed in a continuous process of

Birth of the Heresy: A Compact Marvel A notable innovation during this period was the introduction of the Heresy speaker in 1957, which gained significant traction in the 1960s. As a more compact, three-way design, the Heresy embodied Klipsch’s relentless pursuit of acoustic excellence in a smaller, more versatile format. It was originally conceived as a center channel for Klipschorn pairs, but its powerful performance and adaptability made it popular as a standalone speaker, heralding a new era of flexibility and uncompromised sound in diverse listening environments.

Belle Klipsch: The Beauty in Acoustic Design The 70s saw the introduction of the Belle Klipsch loudspeaker. A delicate fusion of aesthetic appeal and acoustic prowess, the Belle Klipsch symbolized the refinement of audio engineering into a form that was as pleasing to the eyes as it was to the ears. This speaker became an exquisite embodiment of Klipsch’s belief in the marriage of form and function in service of sonic excellence.

Recognition and Legacy It wasn’t long before the rumblings of Klipsch’s genius reached far beyond the boundaries of Hope. His name started to be whispered reverently in the corridors of audio

Paul W. Klipsch continued to live a life of tranquility for five more years, gracefully embracing each moment until he reached the remarkable age of 98. His final years were a celebration of a life profoundly lived, leaving an indelible imprint on the world of audio engineering, and embodying the essence of relentless curiosity and innovation.

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specialty shops, eventually reaching a crescendo in international forums, academic circles, and industry conclaves. The accolades began to pour in, a testament to his pioneering work in audio engineering. The prestigious Silver Medal from the Audio Engineering Society was not just an award—it was an acknowledgment of his contribution to the world of sound. The year 1983 saw him being enshrined into the Audio Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy among the greats of the industry.

But perhaps, the crowning jewel in his illustrious cap came in 1997 when he was inducted into the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame. This honor wasn’t just a testament to his brilliance in the field of audio engineering; it placed him on a pedestal shared by visionaries who had transformed the world—legends like Thomas Edison. To be spoken of in the same breath as inventors and innovators of such caliber was not just an honor; it was a reflection of how Paul W. Klipsch had, in his unique way, shaped the auditory experiences of countless individuals around the globe.

The Timeless Impact of Paul W. Klipsch Klipsch’s impact is not restricted to the artifacts displayed in his museum. His influence resonates in the contemporary audio industry, with many professionals and enthusiasts continuing to vouch for the sound quality of his creations. His contributions have set benchmarks that audio engineers today still regard highly, exemplifying excellence in the domain of sound.

The lasting impact of Klipsch is evident not just in the products that bear his name or the museum dedicated to his work, but in the larger audio community’s respect and admiration for his accomplishments. His story remains an enduring testament to the blend of art and science, a combination that has left an indelible mark on the world of sound.

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THE INAUDIBLE FREQUENCIES: HOW DOGS BECAME THE LATEST HIGH-END AUDIO CRITICS

IN A TWIST THAT HAS TAILS WAGGING AND AUDIOPHILES HOWLING, THE CANINE WORLD HAS UNLEASHED ITS UNPARALLELED AUDITORY PROWESS UPON THE HIGH-END AUDIO SCENE. IN A MARKET SATURATED WITH HUMAN OPINIONS, DOGS HAVE EMERGED AS THE ULTIMATE CONNOISSEURS OF SOUND, FETCHING ACCOLADES FOR THEIR UNPARALLELED EAR FOR DETAIL. PMA MAGAZINE N01

by Olivier Meunier-Plante

I

t all began with Buster, a 5-year-old Golden Retriever from Seattle. While other dogs were busy chasing tennis balls, Buster was more interested in the ballads from Jeff’s vinyl record player. “Whenever I spun my ‘Bark Side, sorry, Dark Side of the Moon’ album, Buster would perk up,” says Jeff. “At first, I thought he was just reminiscing about his puppy love, but then I realized he was discerning the high treble of the triangle!”

It all began with Buster, a 5-year-old Golden Retriever from Seattle. While other dogs were busy chasing tennis balls, Buster was more interested in the ballads from Jeff’s vinyl record player. “Whenever I spun my

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‘Bark Side, sorry, Dark Side of the Moon’ album, Buster would perk up,” says Jeff. “At first, I thought he was just reminiscing about his puppy love, but then I realized he was discerning the high treble of the triangle!”

Thanks to their ability to pick up frequencies beyond the range of even the most dedicated human eardrum, dogs have always enjoyed a symphony of sounds that we can

barely fathom. Recognizing this, high-end audio companies quickly shifted their marketing strategy. “Why rely on human ears, that can’t even hear the doorbell, when we have canines who can detect the mailman’s approach from three blocks away?” quipped Linda K. Thompson, the shrewd CEO of Audible Canine, the leading magazine in dog-driven audio reviews.

Enter the “Paw Ratings.” A Five-Paw rating, complete with a wagging tail stamp of approval, soon became the most sought-after accolade for audio manufacturers. Systems that failed to make a beagle’s ears stand up or get the requisite tail-wag from a Labrador were promptly labeled “ruff” and pushed out of the market.

Certain breeds, with their sonic superiority, quickly ascended to the top. The Basset Hound, with ears that could double as record player needles, and the Shiba Inu, known to snub anything less than perfect pitch, became the Siskel and Ebert of the canine audio universe. The rare nod from a picky Pomeranian is now more valuable than a Grammy.

Training sessions for these new-age critics are intense, often involving rigorous listening sessions interrupted only by treat breaks and the occasional squirrel chase. “Trying to get a Dachshund to focus on mid-range frequencies while he’s distracted by the aroma of a nearby beef jerky is no walk in the dog park,” says top trainer Mavis O’Reilly.

Not everyone’s pleased with this puptakeover. Traditional human audiophiles feel their territory’s been invaded. “I’ve got golden ears,” protested Harold Jenkins, an audiophile since the ’70s. “Now they’re saying they’re not as golden as a retriever’s?”

And then there are the challenges: The first canine headphone prototype was unfortunately buried in the backyard. Earbuds?

Swallowed. But as they say, every dog has its day, and it seems these four-legged critics are here to stay, at least until the next squirrel comes along. If you’re investing in new sound equipment, maybe let the dog have the final bark, erm, say! After all, if it’s not up to snuff for a Schnauzer, it might just be a faux-paw in your music collection!

In the ever-evolving landscape of the audio industry, who could have predicted that our furry companions would rise to become the ultimate critics, lending their acute ears to assess what sounds best? As the lines between human and canine connoisseurs blur, one thing remains crystal clear: a good sound system not only pleases the ear but also the soul, regardless of species. As we wag our way forward, it’s evident that dogs don’t just offer unconditional love; they offer unerring opinions on audio quality. Whether you’re a human audiophile or a curious Corgi, in the end, it’s the shared love for melodies and harmonies that truly binds us. So, the next time you tune into your favorite track, remember to pause, lend an ear, and appreciate the symphony of sounds that resonate across the vast spectrum of listeners, two-legged or four.

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TRI-CELL’S NEW MEGASHOWROOM IS A FEAST

by Robert Schryer

FOR THE EYES AND EARS

“I’M A HEADBANGER,” TRI-CELL

BTO, YES, MOUNTAIN, WARREN ZEVON. HE

ENTERPRISES’S VINCE SCALZITTI

GRABS ANOTHER HANDFUL AND SPLAYS

RESPONDS WHEN I ASK HIM WHAT KIND OF

THOSE OUT: THE WHO, DEEP PURPLE, THE

MUSIC HE LIKES. I MUST LOOK STUNNED AT

CARS, PINK FLOYD. “THIS IS WHAT I LIKE”,

THE ANSWER, BECAUSE HE REPEATS IT,

HE SAYS, BEAMING.

“YES, I’M A HEADBANGER”, THEN STANDS FROM OUR COUCH FACING ONE OF HIS SHOWROOM’S MULTIPLE AUDIO DEMOES AND WAVES FOR ME TO FOLLOW HIM, WHICH I DO, INTO A SMALL ROOM. THERE, HE PULLS FROM A SHELF AGAINST THE WALL ONE OF HIS CARDBOARD BOXES FILLED PMA MAGAZINE N01

WITH LPS, GRABS A FEW AND STREWS THEM ACROSS THE TABLE BETWEEN US:

T

ri-Cell enterprises, based just outside Toronto, is one of the most successful and enduring audio importers in Canada. Founded in 1989 by three individuals, hence the “Tri” in the name, two of the partners eventually left to pursue other interests, while Vince expanded the business. Tri-Cell currently represents 50 brands and has two locations, including this one I was visiting, opened in October,

2022. Situated a short distance from the company’s headquarters, the new place is a sprawling floor divided into cozy showrooms equipped with hooked-up sound systems and all sorts of eye-catching gear on static display.

The rooms are decorated to look homey, with furniture and acoustic panels camouflaged as colourful paintings. For a visual of the place, imagine a huge furniture store with areas split up to look like regular rooms in your home, only in this version each room comes with a fancy stereo setup.

It all began with Buster, a 5-year-old GoldeBut why this mega-showroom? TriCell is an importer / distributor, not a retailer.

What purpose is this place serving? Turns out it’s for Tri-Cell’s dealer network, to be used as an auditioning playground for potential customers. In other words, Tri-Cell invested the money to build several listening spaces and to inventory several products by various brands, so its dealers don’t have to.

Another cool aspect of the mega-showroom is the side projects Vince has in store for it. Women-only seminars, headphone-listening sessions, educational listening classes—anything to get people involved in good audio.

Some people, however, weren’t sure about the showroom idea. “Some have wondered if we built the showroom because we were planning to sell direct to consumers,” says Tri-Cell’s Sales Manager, David Geist. “We never will. This place was built to support our dealers.”

Vince’s career in audio started when, as a young adult, he walked into an audio store looking for a job as a sales rep and was told his employment was conditional on him getting a sale that day. He sold a pair of KEFs two hours later.

Years later, in the ‘70s, Vince opened his own audio store, which he ran into the late ‘80s. He calls those years the wild days of audio, a reference, presumably, to a period when the audio industry was booming.

Vince recounts the story of how, after being told to fetch the manager after refusing to refund a demanding customer, he disappeared into the back room only to reemerge a minute later wearing a paper hat with the word “Manager” on it. “I’m the manager”, he told the increasingly irate fellow, who then demanded to see the owner. “I went back to the back room and returned with a paper crown I’d made with the word “Owner” on it,”

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says Vince with a chuckle. “I told him, “I’m also the owner’. The man left in a huff!”

At one time, Vince used to drag his weigheddown station wagon to the Toronto and Montreal audio shows. It was packed with so much gear it was hard to see through the windows.

Vince still attends audio shows—he went to this year’s High End Munich show—but not as an exhibitor. “Some manufacturers were getting jealous that their products weren’t included in the exhibit,” he says. “I go now to interview potential dealers for my products.”

“It was easier in the older days”, says Vince.

“There were less manufacturers and equipment. The Chicago audio show used to have 75 exhibitors, now it’s 500. We used to have five types of products, now there are so many it’s hard to keep up. Audio equipment used to be the most important thing to me, now it’s my relationships with people.”

I’m struck by how much beautiful gear is on display here, some of which looks like contemporary art. I ask Vince if there’s anything he feels is missing in the selection of gear he

carries. “Lower-priced equipment,” he says.

“We’re working on it.”

Biggest challenges Tri-Cell has faced?

“Being selective enough in the products we represent,” he says. “Another is learning to project people’s needs. The biggest challenge, I think—and it’s always there—is to try to overcome our own deficiencies.”

After all these years on the sales side of the audio business, does he have a buying tip for readers? “A tube amp with the right tubes will offer better performance than a similarly priced solid-state amp,” he says.

When I ask if he’s contemplated retirement, he scoffs. “Retirement is for workers. It’s for people who take orders, which I stopped doing 30 years ago.

“You can’t call selling toys a job. What would I be retiring from?”

Wagging his finger in front of me, the eternal headbanger says, “If the mind and feet still work, don’t be slackin’, get crackin’, or I’ll give you a big whackin’!”

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