Get hip to the latest equipment for players and listeners alike in our Gearhead and Audio Files columns.
When drummer, bandleader, and music professor Ralph Peterson Jr. lost his six-year battle with cancer on March 1, 2021, at the age of only 58, … Read More “Gearhead: Mapex Pays Tribute to Ralph Peterson Jr.”
With demand for new gear at an all-time high, colossal container ships waiting weeks to get unloaded, and supplies of integrated circuit chips and workers … Read More “Best Audio Gear of 2021”
Between 1957 and 1960, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Shelly Manne made four records as the Poll Winners, so named because each … Read More “Gearhead: Poll Winners’ Instruments Reunite on Bruce Forman Album”
It’s usually unwise to generalize about the fans of any music genre, but I think it’s safe to say that jazz fans aren’t known for … Read More “Audio Files: Party Speakers Pack Hidden Benefits”
The word “percussion” comes from a Latin word meaning to beat or strike, which is exactly what you do with most percussion instruments. But there’s … Read More “Gearhead: The Cuíca, Here’s the Rub”
Music streaming services debuted about 15 years ago—and audiophiles’ criticisms of music streaming services debuted the very next day. Their complaints mostly ceased a few … Read More “Audio Files: Streaming Services Step Up”
It’s a big, heavy, low-pitched brass instrument. It can go oom-pah-pah, if that’s what you desire. But despite these familiar characteristics, and despite its name, … Read More “Gearhead: The (Somewhat) Heroic Tale of the Wagner Tuba”
It’s great to listen to Miles Smiles in the living room—but even better to keep listening to it when you head into the kitchen to … Read More “Audio Files: How to Get Multiroom Audio in Your Home”
In the 21st century, intellectual property (IP) has become a hot-button issue for musicians and composers, specifically as it pertains to the distribution of music … Read More “Gearhead: Spotlight on the Sarrusophone”
It’s impossible to shop for audio products without confronting specifications—numbers included in web pages, brochures, and ads to lend scientific cred to marketing claims. In … Read More “Audio Files: What Product Specs Actually Mean”
