About same feeling I so often experience while seating in my Eames Lounge chair (and ottoman), listening in awe - as I’m doing right now - to Piers Faccini’s music.
Just an example ☺️
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Tom Penaguin – II (áMARXE)
The masterful Tom Penaguin presents his second studio album, released via the fantastic áMARXE label. Simply titled "II", the album brings us six new compositions, highlighted by the epic "The Ornamental Hermit Suite", which is divided into four movements. Just like on his debut album, Tom plays every single instrument himself, and everything is at its absolute peak. Once again, he has successfully recreated that classic prog sound, but with an original and fresh approach, painting beautiful sonic landscapes that stretch from the recognizable Canterbury sound to an eclectic, heavy, and occasionally avant-garde narrative.
As with his debut and the compilation album "Beginnings" (which captured pieces written and recorded between 2012 and 2020), this album radiates quality, but it also showcases a clear upgrade and the further artistic maturation of the artist.
Tom demonstrates complete mastery of the instruments, bringing a remarkable richness of timbre and texture. The music gradually intensifies, culminating in rhythmic explosions where instruments intertwine, alternate in leading roles, and launch into fast, dynamic solos.
The compositions often begin with slow, atmospheric introductions that give way to reckless, acrobatic tempos. This contrast is brilliantly showcased throughout the entire album, but it is especially prominent in the two longest compositions: "Didier Dandelion in the Year of the Great Winds" and the fourth movement of "The Ornamental Hermit Suite".
This musical clash signifies the album's central idea: evolution lies within tension and its subsequent release. The transitions from one extreme to another sound completely natural, giving the impression that each new musical idea is a smooth, fluid continuation of what preceded it.
This explosive energy makes the album both cohesive and full of surprises. Each tune is a work of art in itself, deeply rooted in the eclectic approach of the Canterbury scene, with richly textured symphonic sounds mixed with jazz, avant-garde, and progressive rock elements. Tom layers sounds that are intricate yet highly listenable, entrapping listeners in otherworldly, gorgeous melodies and complex arrangements.
Ultimately, "II" marks an era in modern progressive rock music. It intricately fuses its modern elements with the genre’s sophisticated 70s roots, serving as a testament that Tom can single-handedly drag his contemporaries back into the golden era of rock. The result is a breathtaking fusion of fast tempos, complex multi-instrumental arrangements, and deep emotions. It is an album that pushes listeners to experience the extreme depths and heights that only a masterfully crafted progressive rock album can offer.
https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/tom-penaguin-ii
This image doesn't just show the passage of time. It shows a body that lived rock in its purest, most sincerely visceral and unadulterated form.
Each deep line in this leather-like skin is a song played. Each curve in this spine is the record of a historic show, a leap from the stage, and a life dedicated to the rebellion of art, unfiltered, almost neglected without any skin-care cream or sun-screen, hot-rod… a rock lizard of sort.
While the world tries to hide the marks of age, Iggy Pop displays them like war medals. He is living proof that the true punk spirit is immortal and doesn't bow to standards. A true anatomical work of art.
Thanks to Juergen Teller for the amazing picture of Iggy Stooge.
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Why I do prefer triodes made out of pentodes over natural triodes?
It’s very simple. Pentode is a triode with canceled NATURAL internal feedbacks (simplified explanation but very true).
So, by canceling the internal feedbacks we are getting much more efficient tube, and any imperfection of the design will be amplified as well.
To make best linear pentode one must create an ideal construction of the tube first.
So any imperfection will be minimised at the very beginning.
Do you get my point?
Not because “we have plenty of pentodes” or “tv pentodes are cheap” or any other explanation. No. (Of course there are some sleepers tubes, not famous because every one was talking about it, but really good pentodes like c3m become less and less available, and it’s equivalent with 6,3V filament c3o is absolutely rare tube).
Here we come to the point why I do not really like DHT (blasphemy? I have my strong point for it ;))
First. It’s mostly very raw made tubes. Early tubes. That of course, of course, making DHT sounding “magical” for very limited number of the genres of Music, and gives every tube it’s “unique character” - since every type and every make has unique set of imperfection - namely harmonics tales shape.
So tube rolling became a game one can spend years - of course having a lot of fun… or frustrations. People having sets of different tubes good for the different records… well, I do consider my life to be way too short to waste it’s time on such a games 🙂
Second - I do find the DHT to be more anemic and slow than to be energetic and fast. Due to the natural limitation of the constructive design of the DHT. Cathode is a filament wire, coated. The surface is limited. The ability to supply excessive amount of the electrons in surge/pulse is very limited.
Good and relaxing for some genres and records? Sure!
My musical taste (if we can call it this way, we also can say I have no taste at all or I have way to many tastes 🙂 demands that my amps should be able to reproduce ANY type of music equally well.
And reverberation. See the point above - cathode is the filament. Thin wire slightly stretched in space with the springs. Same as a rever tank in a guitar amp. Easily excited by the every vibration around. And sometime pleasant. Some time.
So, back to the pentodes operating in triode mode.
My point is - the best triode we can get only from the best pentode.
This is my way.
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Thanks to Misho Myronov 🙏 as I fully subscribe the above: my personal experience with my old Marantz 8B power amp in pseudo-triode mode (something also suggested by user’s manual) was outperforming on many sonic parameters most of 300B amps around… an indelible memory, but also my actual Gotorama 2.0 sounds amazing with venerable, stock Quad II and GEC KT66 push-pull, for example… the 300B Partridge mono blocks also if very pleasant and romantic but aren’t able to compete in terms of natural slam and dynamics with the Peter Walker’s masterpieces… also if not wired as pseudo-triodes!
Just saying…
The king is naked… hooray for the king… AKA the 300B triode.
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The picture (my face, at least) is a younger me in a selfie I took myself while riding on my BMW GS in the phosphate mountains around Tozeur, Tunisia… I used my trusty analog pocket Rollei… it was September 2005.
AI made this and… nothing: it made me cooler than I was.
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A Colossus passed!
We've just received word that the great Sonny Rollins has left us at age 95.
The impact of Rollins's sound and improvisational genius will be studied for as long as there's music.
Requiescat in pace to one of the most important figures jazz has ever known and will ever know. Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins, September 7, 1930–May 25, 2026.
The great Miles Davis would be 100 years today. What a genius. He’s definitely my favorite musician!
Of course, he never recorded for ECM, but many of his fellow musicians did.
So I asked myself, which musicians who have recorded for ECM have played with or recorded with Miles Davis?
These are the ones that come to mind off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are a few more...
Please post your suggestions in the comments!
Keith Jarrett
Jack DeJohnette
Dave Holland
Sam Rivers
Chick Corea
John Scofield
Gary Peacock
Collin Wallcott
Dave Liebman
John McLaughlin
Bennie Maupin
Herbie Hancock
Palle Mikkelborg
Marilyn Mazur
PS: Now spinnin' Kind Of Blue...
Klangfilm speakers for cinemas 1928 .
Film had optical sound .German Siemens/Klangfilm ought not be neglected in the context. Siemens/Klangfilm made absolutely wonderful top cinema speakers both before and after WWII, and although much appreciated in Japan, Germany and France,
KL-L433, a combination of two KL-L405 woofers in a relatively short but large front horn, and the KL-L302 compressions driver/ tweeter horn installed flush at the top. The 15 ohm KL LZ 303 crossover split the drivers at 500 Hz. There's no sealed or reflex enclosure for the woofers, just the huge baffle.
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I only recently knew about this young English guitarist, as he was brilliantly performing on “Words Unspoken”, last John Surman’s disk on ECM: his playing strongly reminded me of G.F Fitz-Gerald and Lol Coxhill & Pierre Dørge and John Tchicai… the latters, not by chance, both esteemed sax-players, too!
Rob with his Gibson L5 💫
Then, I bought Elina Duni/Rob Luft “Reaching for the Moon” a few days ago…
… and, voilà!
Yesterday evening I attended to a nice, NICE duo concert of Rob Luft, paired with Roberto Ottaviano on Soprano and Tenor sax, where the two musicians were exploring John Coltrane music and moods with a remarkable interplay.
Rob has a very humble and enthusiastic stage presence and his tasteful, relaxed playing was a pleasure for the ears and for the eyes, as well: his gentle use of volume pedal and assorted electronics made his 1969 vintage Gibson ES335 with Bigsby tremolo quite enjoyable.
Rob’s pedals on stage (thanks, Rob 🙏)
His smile and empathy with his stage partner and with the audience was palpable and his virtuosity is not blatant selfish gym but functional to music… a very appreciated feature.
Thanks, Rob and thanks Roberto
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NEW! Wand 12in Dark-light tonearm will be released at Vienna HighEnd in ten days time.
I've pasted the Press Release below;
Rethinking the Long Tonearm: Wand Introduces 12in Dark-Light Tonearm at Vienna High End 2026
Wand will present its new 12-inch Dark-Light tonearm at Vienna High End 2026, building on the design principles established with the 10-inch model.
While 12-inch tonearms are widely used to reduce tracking distortion, the new Wand Dark-Light 12in takes a different approach by improving structural performance as length increases. Designer Simon Brown notes that longer tonearms often lose stiffness and can introduce resonance. The Dark-Light is designed so that it becomes structurally more stable as it becomes longer—an approach that is unusual, and potentially unique, in a 12-inch tonearm.
Structure That Improves With Length
The Musical Taper™ increases the diameter of the arm tube towards the pivot. As a result, the arm becomes stiffer with increased length. The larger rear section also allows for more internal brass mass, lowering the centre of gravity and forming what Brown describes as a “virtual earth” for vibration. Jokingly referred to as “BLOB technology” (Big Lump Of Brass), this helps to absorb and terminate unwanted energy.
Engineering That Serves the Music
The ZeroPoint™ bearing uses a diamond-on-carbide contact surface that remains consistent under load. Stylus drag creates a force vector broadly aligned with the cantilever, helping to reduce instability and improve detail retrieval. The Side-Glide™ bearing adds gentle lateral stabilisation while maintaining very low friction.
Users often report a natural sense of ease, clarity and stability, along with a quiet background that allows fine detail and spatial information to be heard more clearly.
Availability and Price
The Wand 12-inch Dark-Light tonearm is available now at €8,900.
The Wand Dark-Light 12in tonearm can be heard at Vienna High End in Halle 5, S15
Goto vs. HiFi or PA loudspeakers: my experience, after years fiddling with Altec, Westrex and RCA’s drivers, proved the above drivers were not “harmonically richer”, but - IMO - just adding their romantic, thicker, slower euphonic character… in a few words: colored, interpretative.
When switching to Goto, about 20 years ago, myself and everyone I hosted at my music room(s), remained baffled to their fast, ever-changing, eerie yet organic and true to life character… not dry or hyper-analytical, only sometimes violently fast and pitiless, like real music is…
Enter real music…
A couple of days ago I was at Teatro Olimpico attending to a Mary Halvorson Quartet concert.
I was seated at first row, only 3 meters from the trumpet player and I admit I almost fell from my seat when I experienced “something”… only a couple of hours before, I listened to a Wadada Leo Smith’s disk, at home… not my mind, but my ears, recognized the very spiked, tense and impressively strong and punchy sound of a real trumpet at close distance.
My aural memory clearly told me, reminding me about this… hic et nunc!
High SPL, bell-like pure sound, whose focus was changing within a few inches movement… same like at home!
That’s the most sincere kudos and appreciation I can pay to my Gotorama: not a simpatico loudspeaker, an always smart ear-pleaser, but a magnificent stargate bringing a quite convincing replica in size, dynamics and weight of real instruments… all this and more delivered at home.
BTW - something similarly surprising happens with distorted electric guitars: an oxymoronic “clean distortion” is experienced - i.e. - no further distortion is added to the fuzz distortion and it’s an epiphany, as every nuance is appreciated, like an absolute premiere.
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Thanking ECM for this personal fave of mine!
The contents of Alina, two different solo piano renderings of Für Alina, and three of the captivating strings and piano duet, Spiegel im Spiegel, were culled from a significantly larger body of recordings made when Pärt and Manfred Eicher convened at Frankfurt's Festeburgkirche with the album's four contributing musicians: the violinist Vladimir Spivakov, the cellist Dietmar Schwalke, and the pianists Alexander Malter and Sergej Bezrodny. Beginning with a rendering of Spiegel im Spiegel that clocks in at just over ten and half minutes, featuring Bezrodny and Spivakov (who commissioned the work), the ear is immediately immersed in the form of minimalism for which Pärt has become most famed, balancing an incredible state of emotiveness and meditativeness that distills sonority to its most necessary and elemental, as the piano's notes slowly fall like drops of water and the violin delivers gliding tones imbued with an ecstatic sense of sorrow and loss. This is followed by the first rendering, by Alexander Malter, of Pärt's breakthrough solo-piano work Für Alina. "Jettisoning everything except the essential, it has no fixed metre or tempo", but rather calls for a "calm, exalted" feeling and "listening to one's inner self" in the performance notes of the score, leading the composer, pianist, and producer to search for distinct ways of inflecting its melody, paying meticulous attention to phrasing and dynamics and to the surrounding silence in the Frankfurt church, that resulted in its stunning first rendering that allowed each note to hang powerfully in the air and carefully respond to the next.
In many ways, while the first encountered renderings of Für Alina and Spiegel im Spiegel are definitive and could more than satiate any listeners, it is their companions, alternate performance of both pieces by Alexander Malter (Für Alina) and the cellist Dietmar Schwalke and Alexander Malter (Spiegel im Spiegel) that truly make the record what it is, drawing out subtle differences in their open potential for interpretation, particularly with regard to emotion and delivery, and thus illuminating how dynamic Pärt's deceptively simple compositions actually are. In every passing moment, these respective performances are equally impactful as their predecessors, while complimenting them in unexpected ways, becoming almost mantra-like, over the course of the album, through their repetition and variation. As Hermann Conen puts it in the companion liner notes, the album finds its form by "concentrating on an indispensable core of material."
A truly remarkable accomplishment on every possible set of terms, at long last two of the most celebrated works by Arvo Pärt appear on vinyl for the very first time, via the always amazing ECM, their original home. Beautifully produced and pressed, housed in cardboard single sleeve that perfectly reproduces the original CD issue, accompanied by a four-page insert with liner notes by Hermann Conen, this is quite simply one of the most important records to appear in the last thirty years within the field of contemporary chamber music and can not be missed.
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“Neumann's WV2 is a legendary professional stereo phono equalizer amplifier introduced in 1958. In the audio world of the time, it was designed to achieve high-quality playback of stereo discs, and is so rare and highly valued among modern vintage audio enthusiasts that it is known as the "Holy Grail."
Main Features and Background Development Objectives: Originally designed for monitoring such as the then standard record cutting system "Neumann AM32b". Circuit Configuration: Vacuum Tube Stereo MC Phono Equalizer A nickel-cadmium battery called "Stabilyt" was used as part of the circuit, and a unique design to stabilize the bias.
Top-notch parts: the input trans is equipped with the famous BV33 (by Haufe), combined with professional vacuum tubes (e.g., EF804S, E80CC) made by Telefunken. Supported Standards: Not just RIAA, but also DIN and FLAT curves. Technical Specifications (Example of Original Version) Item Contents Used Vacuum Tube EF804S ×4, E80CC ×2 Input Trans BV33 (MC Raising Pressure Trans) Output Level Studio Standard +6dB (1.55V) Balance Output Size Approx. W520 × H100 × D310 mm (Individual Differences Available) Since Valuation in modern times is very rare to find it on the market and trade at extremely high prices in second hand market.
There are also rebuild projects that try to replicate its legendary design, and replica/base models made by Hans van Vliet from the Netherlands.
Used in conjunction with professional turntables of the time such as the EMT 927 and EMT 930, as well as Neumann DST cartridges, is considered one of the ultimate combinations for audio files. ”
Pictures courtesy of Takeshi Mikami-san, thanks.
Time to switch my trusty all Partridge WE300B mono-blocks from 4 ohm (see picture below) to 16 ohm, for Goto-sake.
16 ohm
My friend Francesco is on-duty for the task, as he’s also who built these awesome amps.
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