Get hip to the latest equipment for players and listeners alike in our Gearhead and Audio Files columns.
In 1909, Chicago was the site for two events that would forever change the role of percussion in popular music: The brothers Ludwig launched their … Read More “Gearhead: How Gene Krupa Kicked the Drum Kit into the Jazz Age”
With headphone jacks disappearing from all Apple phones and many Android phones, listening to audio on the go often demands that you use wireless Bluetooth … Read More “AudioFiles: Beating the Bluetooth Blues”
For nearly 30 years, Dave Stryker has been nearly inseparable from his Gibson ES-347s. “I saw Marvin Horne playing one at the Village Vanguard with … Read More “Gearhead: Dave Stryker’s Plex-able Guitar Mods”
Music’s always going to have occasional throwbacks—who would have expected that in 2019 we’d be seeing a renaissance in tubas and tenor guitars? In the … Read More “Audio Files: Why Are Ultra-Low-Power Amps All the Rage Among Audiophiles?”
If you decide to step up from mass-market headphones to serious audiophile cans, one thing’s for sure: You’ll be hit with online ads promoting headphone … Read More “Audio Files: Headphone Amps to Kick Your Cans”
Many people think of headphones as commodity items that deserve little of your attention or budget. Headphone enthusiasts beg to differ. As manufacturers started inching … Read More “Audio Files: Are Expensive Headphones Really Worth It?”
Remo Adjustable Bass Drum Dampener Designed in conjunction with Dave Weckl, this handy little device from Remo gives drummers the ability to adjust the tone … Read More “Gearhead: A Remo Kick-Drum Collab with Dave Weckl”
Combine Cannonball Adderley with Clarence Clemons, pour in a large beaker of R&B, garnish with eye-grabbing stagecraft, and you have the essential ingredients of a … Read More “Gearhead: Mindi Abair Stays Unattached”
Stereo receivers once formed the core of practically every audio system. By combining a power amplifier, preamplifier, and AM/FM tuner in one box, they offered … Read More “Audio Files: The Revolution Doesn’t Have to Be Televised”
There are a few absolute certainties in life besides death and taxes. One is that the volume level at the annual winter NAMM (National Association … Read More “New Offerings from Yamaha, Fender and Casio at NAMM”
