March 2010 Issue Now Available

Affordable$$Audio · « **on:** 10 Mar 2010, 09:18 pm »

Hello Readers:

The editor asked me to post that even though they are a few days behind scedule the free issue of Affordable$$Audio for March 2010 is now ready for download. This month the staff reviews three sets of cabling, the truly budget friendly Luminous Axiom preamp, along with the EMP-tek bookshelves and center channel.

As always, thanks for reading this all-volunteer publication.

gerald porzio · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 12:15 am »

60% of the small # of components are cables. Why not rename the place? Affordable Cables & some not so affordable, but that's a separate issue. The Romans would have had a Cable God. Maybe audiophiles should have one too. Maybe they already do.

mcullinan · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 12:54 am »

Thanks! Nice review of the Grover SX ICs. I only sayy that because I have a few pair being built as we speak, erm I speak!
M

TONEPUB · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 01:39 am »

Always a friendly word from Gerald...

Is that all you ever do is bitch and complain? Why don't you start a magazine so we can all criticize you? I think that would be a lot of fun. Affordable Audio is a free download. If you don't like it, don't read it and by all means quit whining.

mcullinan · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 02:10 am »

Jeff,
I was going to say the same thing... really Gerald ur a troll.
M

dflee · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 02:30 am »

Man! Take it easy on the guy.
For all we know this may be the only enjoyment he gets out of life. Don't take that away from him too.
I for one enjoy AA even if I don't agree all the time with what they have to say,but I applaud the effort for stepping up to write their thoughts just as I do Gerald for letting me know what he thinks. Be it positive or negative. His comments are also free and we have the right to ignore them with no monetary loss.

Don

Delacroix · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 03:11 am »

I am not normally motivated to comment on others' views of our mag, good or bad, but I do want to point out something about AA that is perhaps not fully appreciated. It is a free publication, downloadable monthly in a form that looks good, and is run totally -- and I mean totally -- by volunteers. All of us have jobs, families, and in this month, sick kids whose needs are a little more important than a self-imposed deadline for a review article. We solicit items for review, explain who and what we are to companies that are often dubious about us, and even end up paying shipping charges ourselves on some items. We don't get permanent loaners or have unlimited access to comparable products, and did I mention that Dan, one of our volunteers, takes this all on and makes a high quality document out of our multiple format submissions?

We don't sit around and decide what to review, there is no such luxury as picking and choosing what is included, we don't have any influence over advertisers, and most of us have no idea what the others are reviewing. So yes, here's an issue with more cables than we might have imagined. Sorry -- enjoy the collective effort each time for what it is or hold your breath and read a new issue next month. So it goes.

And yes, the Grover Huffman cables are truly special, in my humble opinion and my not so humble system.

Peace

patrick

gerald porzio · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 05:53 am »

Maybe the hobby needs a publication devoted solely to cable. I understand that it's free & I needn't read it. Surely there's a way of striking a better balance. Are cables all you're being sent? Maybe you're getting a rep for beiing au courant on cables. What's next? The Burn In Issue?

satfrat · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:18 am »

Quote from: TONEPUB on 11 Mar 2010, 01:39 am

Always a friendly word from Gerald...

Is that all you ever do is bitch and complain? Why don't you start a magazine so we can all criticize you? I think that would be a lot of fun. Affordable Audio is a free download. If you don't like it, don't read it and by all means quit whining.

Hi Jeff, I can imagine many folks are tired of Gerald Porzio and having to read nothing he doesn't have to offer. It's a good example for why I posted this solution. No see, no problem.

I look foreward to reading your cable reviews Jeff, thanks for the notification. Don't let 1 Circle Troll stop you from doing your thing.

Cheers,
Robin

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:32 am »

Jeff is a pretty liberated human, I think, we've talked, and tryin to provide a public service. Can't help myself, nor would I intend to, I'm into those kind of people.

funkmonkey · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:32 pm »

Definitely, keep doing your thing.

(just FYI, the link is a little messed up in the first post.)

BobM · « **Reply #11 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:51 pm »

Quote from: satfrat on 11 Mar 2010, 06:18 am

Hi Jeff, I can imagine many folks are tired of Gerald Porzio and having to read nothing he doesn't have to offer. It's a good example for why I posted this solution. No see, no problem.

I look foreward to reading your cable reviews Jeff, thanks for the notification. Don't let 1 Circle Troll stop you from doing your thing.

Cheers,
Robin

Sorry Robin. I didn't see this since you're on my ignore list

toobluvr · « **Reply #12 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 06:52 pm »

Just read the review of Grover Huffman cables.

The same guy reviewed Morrow cabling in Dec. and he loved them. Now he says the GH is even better! I am very impressed with my Morrow cable, as are all my friends who bought it on my rec, so my radar is now excited and my interest officially piqued.

Especially since I consider the Morrow to be excellent value, and the GH is even cheaper! I understand YMMV, and just one man's opinion, and synergy, and all that stuff, but now I gotta add something else to my wish list!

Note to self: stop reading these damn boards!

JeffBrown · « **Reply #13 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:25 pm »

Thank you everyone it has been a rough month for me.

Patrick, thanks for the reminder that we do provide this free magazine with no paid staff. The advertising you see is often in exchange for equipment to review and the ads we do sell barley pay for the web service to host the site.

About the Grover cables, I knew at the time that I should have kept that Grover review instead of passing it to you! Oh well I didn’t have time and you did, so that's how it goes.

Gerald, Maybe we should do a "Burn-In" issue, it sounds like fun! Since as reviewers we burn in tons of gear all of the writers could give us a few words about what their method is! We do a lot of cable reviews and if you want to know why, read cable review of the Sweet Spot Reveal from this month. Sonny is an A-Circle guy who would love to hear from you guys. A special thank you to Gerald, for all your criticism you are the one thing all of us at A$$A really need. A Reader.

Thanks,
Jeff Brown

mcullinan · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:29 pm »

I have the Morrow digital cable which is very nice. It gives music a very real tone, although in my setup it strips out some of the details. I use it on my DVD player to DAC.
M

toobluvr · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:41 pm »

Quote from: mcullinan on 11 Mar 2010, 07:29 pm

I have the Morrow digital cable which is very nice. It gives music a very real tone, although in my setup it strips out some of the details. I use it on my DVD player to DAC.
M

Interesting....

I use Morrow straight thru from source to speakers and I hear no loss of detail whatsoever -- and that's compared to some highly regarded (and pricey) solid silver wire that I used previously.

Detail sounds quite natural to me, and oh so smoooooth and refined. Fully fleshed out, nice tone, harmonics and space. I have no experience with Morrow digital cable, just IC and spkr cable.

What cable are you comparing it to, Mike?

Affordable$$Audio · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:48 pm »

Quote from: gerald porzio on 11 Mar 2010, 12:15 am

60% of the small # of components are cables. Why not rename the place? Affordable Cables & some not so affordable, but that's a separate issue. The Romans would have had a Cable God. Maybe audiophiles should have one too. Maybe they already do.

Gee, it only took you 2hr 57min to file your monthly whine. I think we should start a pool for next month, who's in?!!!!

Seriously Gerald, from what I heard from the editor and layout guru, it's just how the ball bounced that the issue ended up cable/wire heavy for March. What next month brings who knows, life is an adventure

toobluvr · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:57 pm »

I welcome reviews of sanely priced cables that really perform. Keep up the good work and ignore GP. Glance at his other posts, it's just his lovely personality.

mcullinan · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 07:58 pm »

Quote from: toobluvr on 11 Mar 2010, 07:41 pm

Interesting....

I use Morrow straight thru from source to speakers and I hear no loss of detail whatsoever -- and that's compared to some highly regarded (and pricey) solid silver wire that I used previously.

Detail sounds quite natural to me, and oh so smoooooth and refined. Fully fleshed out, nice tone, harmonics and space. I have no experience with Morrow digital cable, just IC and spkr cable.

What cable are you comparing it to, Mike?

It is Very natural sounding, great tone.. smooth. Its Copper Eichmanns with the little tiny wire, no shielding.

The other one is the Signal Silver Resolution which has more detail and is natural. You know what I took a look at the Morrow site and I dont even see the cable anymore. MAybe I am using an older generation?

M

toobluvr · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Mar 2010, 08:05 pm »

Sounds like the Morrow MA1 interconnect. Here's a pic from the website: