Get hip to the latest equipment for players and listeners alike in our Gearhead and Audio Files columns.
In audio as in jazz, some of the most interesting trends happen far outside the mainstream. Hop onto internet forums dedicated to headphones, and you’ll … Read More “Audio Files: Can “Chi-Fi” Earphones Deliver Real Hi-Fi?”
On April 18, 1972, the Roland Corporation was founded in Osaka, Japan. Its mission: to produce electronic instruments and accessories for musicians. Two years later, … Read More “Gearhead: Roland Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary”
When it comes to stereos, acoustic jazz fans have it easy. The deepest tones in traditional jazz come from the double bass, which in most … Read More “Audio Files: Should You Buy a Subwoofer?”
The work-from-home trend has brought families and roommates closer than ever … for better or worse. On the worse side, many professionals are finding it … Read More “Audio Files: What Noise-Canceling Headphones Can and Can’t Do”
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”
