Herd Audio

My kind of desk...

If you have to sit at a desk for work, might as well make it a musically inclined one.

Discover GOOD bands and new music...

For discovering by listening I love the KEXP in-studio live performances. Short pieces easily subscribed to as podcasts. A great way to discover good bands. As a bonus, some are fantastic sets to keep a hold of.

Naturally...

How's this for natural amplification...

Ultimate Travel Accessory

These Boom Cases are for real. You can plug your iPod into some. Others are synthesizers. Not for the shy!

Never Miss Another Show

iConcertCal plug-in for iTunes

iConcertCal (http://www.iconcertcal.com/) is a fantastic plug-in that works as a visualizer in iTunes. It reads your artist list and connects to concert databases to display a calendar of your favorite artist shows within a specific mile radius that you specify.

If you want to add other artists (or ignore ones from your library) the iConcertCal preferences allow you to do so.  You can share your custom concert calendar with friends via email.

iConcertCal is also available on your iPhone as an app. Tell it what music database (iTunes library) to sync with and you’ll be able to see who’s playing when and anywhere you happen to be.

How you could ever miss another concert by your favorite band is beyond me… no more excuses!

Another cool feature of iConcertCal is its listing of upcoming and new releases from your favorite artists. Simply choose the “CD Releases” tab in your iConcertCal view. As an added bonus, each concert listed has a link to web sites allowing you the user to buy tickets directly by clicking on the listing.

iConcertCal does have some competition out there. iLike (http://www.ilike.com/) has a similar add-on to iTunes that does similar things and actually has a more robust community aspect to it. There’s also the website SonicLiving (http://sonicliving.com/hello) that works outside of iTunes yet scans iTunes, and with your login to Pandora and LastFM, brings you even more avenues from which to automatically feed your concert-going need.

 

The Whole GamuT

GamuT CD3 CD Player, Si100 Integrated Amplifier and Phi7 Speaker Review

It makes logical sense that a complete hi-fi system with all components from one company would achieve a very high level of musical satisfaction. It also makes sense that a system with a list price of $18,580 would hit all the right notes. What was a surprise for me is just how comfortable, enjoyable, consistent and stress-free a holistically designed system could be.

Initially the sound of the complete GamuT system consisting of the GamuT CD3 ($6,700) cd player as source, Si100 ($6,180) integrated amplifier and Phi7 ($5,700 in black) loudspeakers, was pretty lifeless and flat compared to my very broken/settled-in base system. All three GamuT components broke-in together and at about 100 hours, the system started to sweeten up. The sound space became much more lifelike and three-dimensional and the scale and impact increased dramatically. Pretty much from that point on, the system simply disappeared into my room and let the music take flight.

The CD3 is GamuT’s only CD player and only source component. Built into the same chassis as the Si100 integrated amplifier, with the same focus on physical and mechanical isolation, the CD3 is a lively and energetic player. There’s an internal stainless steel shell surrounding the transport and isolating the laser from the separate analog and digital power supplies. The digital supply powers a 24bit 192kHz Burr Brown PCM 1792 Converter. The CD3 has balanced XLR outputs along with RCAs. There’s a coaxial digital output with a switch to terminate the digital signal when not in use. Like the Si100, the display is dimmable to three levels including completely off.

A couple of ergonomic quirks bugged me with the CD3 initially. One is the mirrored display panel. The numeric display on the CD3 is pretty small and its blue/green tint doesn’t exactly match the color hue or intensity of the Si100 amp. The mirrored finish reflects room light making the display difficult to read.

The other quirk has to do with the controls both on the remote and on the unit itself. After a few months of continuous use, I just could not get used to the logic behind the play and pause buttons. I am used to engaging play from the paused point by pressing the play button. The CD3 demands you use press the pause button again to play from the spot of pause. If you press play, the unit stays in pause and moves playback (still paused) to the beginning of the track. Very frustrating but I imagine easily reprogrammed is GamuT if so inclined.

Ergonomic quirks aside, the CD3 sounds fantastic! The sound is very textured and dynamic with a rhythmic drive that rivals many a British player. Not surprisingly, I found that the CD3’s sonic characteristics just described favored more energetic music. There’s also a healthy dimensionality and ambience from the CD3 that, in combination with dynamic scale can give new life to more mellow fare. A perfect example is the Sandro Perri recording, “Tiny Mirrors”. The CD3 has a magic with acoustic instruments and acoustic spaces; both of which are at the heart of “Tiny Mirrors”.  The CD3 delivers a neutral blend of accuracy and tonality creating the illusion of reality that only the very best sources create.

The Phi7 loudspeakers really put the finishing touch on the GamuT system with their transparency, evenness and full-range output. The Phi7s are elegantly tall and skinny at 47” tall by 7” wide by 14” deep. Those height to width dimensions help create a very convincing disappearing act with a realistically tall sound stage. The Phi7’s driver complement consists of a set of five, 5.5” bass/midrange drivers with one above and four below the 1” dual concentric ring radiator tweeter.

My favorite physical piece of the Phi7’s is their “Auto Aligning Feet”. These stainless steel devices make leveling the speakers easier than any other speaker I have used. Their shape allows use on soft carpet or hard floors without any worry of damage. Their design is supposed to eliminate unwanted resonance between speaker and floor and it works very well. The 35Hz low output of the Phi7s never caused exaggerated bass overtones from my suspended wood floors.

The Phi7’s create a big wall of sound with a strong and never bloated low end. The midrange and treble are completely coherent and transparent. Never is the attention drawn to the speakers and the multiple drivers. The music consistently comes through effortlessly and seamlessly through the Phi7s.

The big wall of sound from this GamuT system works really well on big rock n’ roll like you’ll find on Stephen Malkmus’ (of Pavement fame) album, “Real Emotional Trash”. I’m finding track 4, the title track, to be quite the test track when evaluating the rock n’ roll factor of a hi-fi system. The song starts small, gets really big and builds to the point of almost frantic sonic collapse before grooving to an addictive strummed hook.

When I compare this almost $20k GamuT system to my $10k Bel Canto/Audio Note system, I completely feel as if I am getting twice the system for twice the money. Music through the GamuT system is more dynamic with more texture and engagement compared to the Bel Canto/Audio Note system.

With both systems, the amps and speakers are transparent enough to let the characteristics of the source play through. The GamuT Si100 in combination with the Phi7 speakers has a tighter grip on the music while the Bel Canto M300 mono blocks and Audio Note An-E/Lx give a rounder and more airy flavor to the sound. The warmer quality of the Bel Canto gear is as much a family trait of Bel Canto Design as a tighter more rhythmic sound is of the GamuT Audio equipment (from my experience hearing more from each company at various audio shows).

As a system, the GamuT CD3 CD player through the Si100 integrated amplifier powering the Phi7 loudspeakers delivers a quality and musicality completely worthy of the price. The materials and build quality are of the best I’ve seen. The sound quality is amongst the most satisfying I have heard. The all GamuT system easily gets comfortable in the room and lets the music deliver what the musicians intended it to with little system character of its own. GamuT’s balance of detail, pace and impact create a very realistic, exciting and convincing replay of the performance. As GamuT takes pride in musicality through neutral detail, they have achieved their mission in spades with this system.

 

 

Four From Bar/None Records

Bar/None Records… Indie to Die For

In 1986, Bar/None Records formed from the back room at Hoboken’s Pier Platters record store. Their first breakout band was They Might Be Giants. Over the years their exquisite and eclectic roster has given us some great acts like Yo La Tengo, Freedy Johnson, Tinderstics and Esquivel. More recent hot indie acts include The Slip, the Spinto Band and the return of Evan Dando (of Lemonheads fame).

In 1993, I was lucky enough to have a band on Bar/None Records. Unfortunately my band, Ms. Lum, only lasted through one release, but we are still proud to be included in Bar/None’s excellent roster.

Below are four recent releases including a retrospective on Bar/None owner Glenn Morrow’s influential indie band, the Individuals.

I can’t recommend enough checking out these Bar/None releases as well as exploring their current and back catalog. Let me know if you end up buying Ms. Lum’s, “Airport Love Song”, so I can be sure to collect my $1.15.

 

The Individuals, Fields/Aquamarine

The Individuals were Bar/None co-founder, Glenn Morrow’s band in the early 80’s. This disc contains tracks from their two albums, Aquamarine & Fields, released in ’81 and ’82 respectfully. The Individuals were part of a cool burgeoning music scene in Hoboken, NJ in the early 80’s. Other notables at the time were the Bongos, dB’s, Golden Palominos and the Feelies. The scene was heavily influenced by the across-the-Hudson-River CBGB scene of the late 70’s with bands such as Television, Blondie and Talking Heads.

The Individuals have a raw, energetic and optimistic sound that more than holds it own today. It has that up-beat, positive and jerky dance quality similar to bands from the mid-80’s Athens, GA scene. Remember the film, “Athens, Ga. - Inside/Out”? The Individuals could slot right in there with early REM, Pylon and B52’s. The mid to high tempo beats and bouncy bass lines continually drive forward and upward. Glenn labels the music of the Individuals “agit-pop,” meaning “music to leave you happily agitated.”

You immediately hear Television’s influence on the opening chords of the opening track, “My Three Sons.” You’ll hear the B52’s stylings with the guitar, drums and popping bass line on the following track, “Can’t Get Started.” And you’ll hear the abstract jerkiness of the Talking Heads on the very next track, “Hooks & Ladders.” You could play name-that-influence for the rest of the songs, but I suggest you just close your eyes and let your soul transport back to the early 80’s and enjoy the naïve optimism and “agit-pop” of the Individuals.

 

Greg Camp, Defektor

Ready for some modern, fun, catchy dance-pop from a voice and style your ears are certainly familiar with? Check out Greg Camp’s solo album. Greg is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and main songwriter from SmashMouth. You know their hits and Greg picks up right where SmashMouth left off. 

Defektor has a varied but overall poppy sound. The recording is top quality (recorded in Greg’s new studio). There are some really catchy tracks on this album. One of my favorites is track 4, “Zombies on Parade.” Instrumentation on all songs is top notch. The production is very tight and not surprisingly, the guitar work is very tasty. Throughout the album, the lyrics paint vivid and engaging stories. There’s a very upbeat vibe portrayed through many varying pop music styles. Tracks like #7, “The Armageddon Slide” pull you up off your seat with an infectious raise-the-roof groove. Ear candy abounds in tracks like the Nada Surf sounding, number 10, “Killer Bees” with that jangly arpeggio guitar, swell of sound and hummable vocal line. Overall, Defector is a very well done album with plenty of fun, memorable, superbly-crafted pop songs.

  

Starling Electric, Clouded Staircase

There’s a bright yellow sticker on the cover of the debut album from Ann Arbor’s Starling Electric. The quote on the sticker is one of major praise from Jon Auer of the Posies. The instant the lead track, “The St. Valentines Day Massacre” starts, there is no doubt why the praise was delivered. The song starts with a big, multi-layered, reverb-laden, wall-of-sound guitar line quite reminiscent of the Posies… and that’s a very good way to start by me.

The songs are big and bold. Retro 60’s and 70’s are at play and clearly captured in the organ sound and pop structure of “Camp-Fire.” “Black Ghost, Black Girl” has an intro guitar part right out of The Who’s, “Tommy” with lyrics sounding as if Michigan’s own Robert Pollard of Guided By Voices were singling them. If imitation is the sincerest of flattery, Starling Electric hold nothing back with the Beach Boy multi-layered vocal melody sounds of “Clouded Staircase (Part Two)”.

Starling Electric are fantastic musicians and the album’s production is a perfect mix of modern-day quality capturing the essences of retro-day instruments and soundscapes. For a trippy feel, play this album loud late at night. For an uplifting throwback experience, play it quietly on a sunny weekend morning. Whatever you do, just play it often and enjoy the depth, feel and craftsmanship.

  

Hotel Lights, Firecracker People

Firecracker People is the second album by former Ben Folds Five drummer, Darren Jessee. Darren has moved to guitar and vocals and Hotel Lights the band, is completed with bassist Jay Brown and drummer Zeke Hutchins (from Tift Merrits’s road band) along with producer and multi-instrumentalist Alan Weatherhead. The entire album is excellent. The third track, “Down” stands out first being the most upbeat track on a mostly mellow disc. The acoustically textured tracks are beautifully rendered. Darren’s voice has a very soft quality that draws the listener in and his story telling rewards with vivid imagery. Hotel Lights have a sound that will slot right in with solo artists such as Elliot Smith, Andrew Bird, Liam Finn; and more acoustically derived and dreamy pop bands such as Grandaddy and The Shins.

The production really shines in the chorus of “Amelia Bright” with layers of pianos, deep soft drums and synth strings. Tim Buckley sings backup on this track and the title track, “Firecracker People”. The chorus of “Firecracker People” has stuck in my head more than any other vocal melody I’ve heard in the past year. The guitar bridge has done the same. Come to think of it, the whole album has practically done the same. I’ve recommended it to my music-fan-friends. This is as good as any a place to start your Bar/None Records discovery. Enjoy!

Audiophile 2-Channel Digital for Everyday Devices

Streaming music through an Apple Airport Express? Got a new fancy TV that only has optical digital out for audio? Monarchy Audio, masters of all things digital audio, have just the device for you. Their DIP Upsampler. It takes a digital in (like Optical/Toslink), upsamples it for better quality, and outputs it in either the very “professional” AES/EBU balance connection or the next best, Coax jack.

Many digital to analog converters (Dac) today accept at least Coax in. Some today, like my HRT Streamer +, are USB only. But if a Dac is going to have more than one input, more often than not it’s a Coax in. My Heed Audio Obelisk integrated amplifier has the Dac card, which simply uses one of the RCA in’s and turns it into a Coax Dac.

So for me, the Monarchy Audio DIP Upsampler has been a perfect patch with the added benefit of upsampling to allow me to use either my TV or Apple Express. The upsampling is very noticeable with an improved frequency spread and more open soundstage. The sound is also more natural to my ears, sounding more like a analog record than a digital stream.

The DIP Upsampler costs $299 and is available directly from Monarchy Audio. I highly recommend it for dealing with any optical-only digital output device. Right now I am listening to Pandora streaming music through my Internet connected TV to the 2-channel system in my den, consisting of the Heed amp and Duevel Planet speakers. The sound is insanely enjoyable and would not be possible without the DIP Upsampler.

 

Listening in 2009

Music in 2008 didn’t inspire me enough to write a best of list. 2009 did. Thanks to some cool technical avenues, I feel much more in touch with new music: Simplify Media and connecting to a bunch of you with exquisite taste; iPhone apps such as Daytrotter and Panel; sprinkle in a bit of SiriusXMU and even Facebook (or better yet, friends). 

Seeing these bands as they come through town can often seal the deal, and iConcertCal makes sure I don’t miss my favorites (often travellin’ with some other bands worth discovering). 

Lastly, defaulting to hearing these wonderful albums on the stock iPod headphones doesn’t do them justice. My favorite audio equipment purchase of 2009 is a pair of Grado 325is headphones. Don’t skimp… indulge. May be a theme forming for 2010 as we eek out of the recession. Best to all. Have a great 2010. 

Artists, Albums: (in order of personal preference)

The Soft Pack, The Muslims: Heard them on Sirius. Saw them live at King Fu Nectie here in Philly. The future of rock and roll is back. 

The Antlers, Hospice: My coworker Sal turned me onto this trio. Emotional, engaging and impactful from start to finish. 

Grizzly Bear, Veckatemist: Couldn’t miss the hype. Saw them live at the Troc and was blown away. Talented and unique would be an understatement. 

Jason Lytle, Yours Truly, The Commuter: Opened for Neko Case at the Kimmel Center of all places. Pleasantly surprised being a Grandaddy fan. 

Neko Case, Middle Cyclone: Exquisite. 

Andrew Bird, Noble Beast: Been a fan for a while. Saw him live for first time at WXPN performing solo. Talented chap.  

Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca: Discovered via Panel (see above). Like Grizzly Bear (talented/unique) but a little brighter. 

Built to Spill, There is No Enemy: Been a fan for a while. Saw them live at The Troc. They’re always good live and so are their albums. 

Elvis Perkins In Dearland, s/t: My buddy John recommended Elvis P. He should marry Neko. 

We Were Promised Jetpacks, These Four Walls: A different John recommended this band with the best name ever! Glasgow’s answer to the Soft Pack, but more serious in a Scottish/damp sort of way. 

Telekenisis, s/t: Fun, straightforward pop… nuthin’ wrong wit dat. 

Wilco, Wilco (the Album): Always quality. 

Ben Harper & Relentless7, White Lies for Dark Times: Ditto, always quality. 

Eulogies, Here Anonymous: Discovered via Panel again. And again, some fun, straightforward pop. Yummy.

Compilations: 

Dark Was The Night: 90% excellent. Amazing for a compilation like this. Many of the above bands and like bands featured here. 

Warp 20 (Chosen): Being a sucker for a beautiful object, I ponied up for the Warp 20th anniversary celebration box set. Tons of amazing music beautifully put together. For the music alone, check out the (Chosen) discs with music selected by fans and Warp Records founder. 

They say it's for Men...

In black it certainly is. Men like gauges they say.