Herd Audio

Just Published: Margules Audio u280sc Tube Amplifier & 47Lab 4733 Dac/Pre for Dagogo

Been a while, and here's a recent review published at Dagogo... enjoy!

A Most Fantastical Looking Speaker

I've been following (and hoping to afford someday) gear from OMA. Their new Monarch loudspeakers are only feuling the obsession...

Just arrived… Margules Audio U280SC Tube Amplifier

I’m itchin’! The Margules Audio amp just arrived from Mexico. Sitting in a wood box on my porch. I couldn’t believe how heavy it was. It wasn’t that big! Will be hooking it up this week to the 47 Laboratory Model 4733 Midnight Blue Headphone/Pre-Amplifier/DAC. This DAC has blown me away the past couple of months plugged into my restored Fisher 400C Receiver, powering my Audio Note AN-E/Lx Speakers. I absolutely love my Fisher. It has the tube sound I’ve been missing for a few years. I’m bettin’ the Margules U280SC is going to be a fantastic step towards musical insight and illusion.

Two more... what 20 years will do

Thoroughly enjoying a step back in time with the reissue of Ride's 1990 Debut, "Nowhere" on vinyl. Originally I bought the CD. Now, 21 years later I'm listening on vinyl. Go figure.

 

 

 

Who knows what format I'll be listing to Toro Y Moi's second release, "Underneath the Pine" 20 years from now... but just picked it up on vinyl. A great new-ish act in the modern shoegaze family.

Cut Copy Zonoscope

Really enjoying Cut Copy's latest album, Zonoscope. The 3rd track, "Where I'm Going" is pure ear candy. 

Sound Tables...

Always on the lookout for beautiful form design bringing enjoyable music, I have two new sound tables that are absolutely gorgeous.

FIrst is the new DJ table, "Scomber Mix" by Hoerboard. It looks very Apple, and that's never a bad thing. I see no reason not to have your DJ gear out in the very open with this beautiful workstation. You'll need to add your own amp and speakers. For when you do, maybe these will fir the bill: Verity Audio Finn's in white. Having reviewed Verity's before, I can promise you they'll sound fantastic!

Next up is the Acoustable. The beautifully designed mod coffee-type table is designed for sound reproduction. Special acoustic felt houses a complete audio system is the belly of the fiberglass table. Drive music wirelessly from anywhere using AirPlay or plug in right on the table. I'm hoping I can get one for my office's waiting area.

TDK: Totally Delicious Kit!

Check out TDK's new Home Audio line. Hoping the stuff is of high quality, because the design certainly is.

My favorite music from 2010

Many of the albums in my favorites list from last year slowly grew on me over time, over multiple listening sessions. To me, that’s an indicator of a deeper, better album… one that is more well-thought-out, more unique and more lasting. Here is my list of favorite albums from 2010, in a kind of how-the-"pile"-shuffles-over-time order:

 

Top of the pile*: (Special, Memorable, Surprising.)

The Roots: How I Got Over

 

 

 

 

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

 

 

 

 

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

 

 

 

 

Hovering near the top: (Get back to and enjoy these quite often.)

Bottomless Pit: Blood Under the Bridge

The National: High Violet

No Age: Everything In Between

Local Natives: Gorilla Manor

The Walkmen: Lisbon

Robert Plant: Band of Joy

 

Tend to sit closer to the bottom: (Still good. There's a lot of other 2010 music I tried that didn't make it to this pile.)

Broken Social Scene: Forgiveness Rock Record

The Black Keys: Brothers

Beach House: Teen Dream

Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest

Jonsi: Go

Dr. Dog: Shame

The Radio Dept.: Clinging to a Scheme

 

*Pile: In a virtual sense now that most of my music is in iTunes. Still buying vinyl and CD's, but rip them and then listen via iTunes. There's a pile of albums for sure around here, it's just not touched very often.

 

 

Coolio Onkyo!

Now that's a nice nod to the retro with quality visually holding its own right up there with the much more expensive GamuT gear.

Happy New Gear!

Happy New Year! Happy new gear! Just received the new 47 Lab 4733 Midnight Blue headphone/preamp. It's a fantastic looking and sounding multi=purpose piece with a USB/Coax Dac, 4 total inputs, headphone out, pre out and 2 watt speaker out. I've out approximately 30 hours on it and it sounds absolutely amazing. Using it as a Dac/pre right now. The Dac is open, rhythmic and dynamic. A full review to come soon, but in the mean time, couldn't wait to tell you all about it. More info here. And while you're at it, Sakura Systems is selling demos of the Kore-Eda LLA-1 pre-amp + PLA-1 power amp that I reviewed for SonicFlare. These are equally amazing pieces definitely worth checking out.