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Friday, October 31, 2025
Thursday, October 30, 2025
DAVA Major Field-coil cartridge 💫
About “Major”
The sound of Major is unlike that of any other cartridge — even compared to other DAVA models.
It is somewhat reminiscent of the DAVA Reference, yet it offers a higher level of resolution than the Soul.
Its uniqueness lies in having found a way to gently round off the transients in the 3–7 kHz range — those very elements that place the greatest load on the brain, forcing it to analyze sound rather than simply experience it.
Reducing them without losing resolution is possible only through mechanical means — and perhaps only in the vinyl format.
Once those transients are softened, our brain stops dissecting the sound and instead dives straight into the music.
The entire listening experience transforms: the sound gains depth and becomes profoundly immersive.
That overwhelming sense of musical flow comes precisely from this phenomenon.
The conical diamond stylus ignores surface imperfections, yet it manages to reveal a level of resolution I had never encountered before.
DAVA Major is not a hi-fi toy for dilettantes.
It is a work of sonic art — my personal project — whose aim is not to reproduce “real” sound, but to evoke emotion.
It is sound as a painted picture, not as a photograph.
You will hear great density and dynamics.
Vocal vibrations can be felt not only with your ears, but with your entire body.
In terms of dynamic expression, it approaches the character of a master tape — yet, thanks to the nature of the format, it is even less analytical, more fluid, more alive.
Thanks to Darius Valiunas for his dedication 🍀
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
R.I.P. for James Senese
He was 80 years old and a great musician.
💫
“ I am the son of a black American soldier and a Neapolitan woman. I didn't know who I was, then I understood: I am both. I am the sound of two worlds. They called me "'o nir," and they thought it was an insult. I transformed it into pride, into rhythm, into life. Being black, for me, means carrying within me a history of pain and light. I am a black Neapolitan. And that's not a problem: it's my truth. It's knowing that your skin speaks, even when you're silent. I am a black Neapolitan. I am a son of blood and the sea.”
James Senese
The Combo 💫
A vintage system is singing with elegant aplomb 🎵
The mighty Audio Antiquary’s Phono Stage in foreground, masterfully handling the analog rig.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2025
SOUNDLABO Japan 💫
This is Fushimi SOUNDLABO, maker of
Vacuum tube amplifiers, analog turntables, etc.
Large trial audio room.
Quadding, trial and error…
… then, after an average result, the Sun: when you learn that less is more… much more 🥂🍀🥂
Ten minutes after taking the 4 x ESL pixies, I happily returned to classic single pair, vastly better than this childish attempt.
I used my Luxman AT-3000 Ultimate preamp which has two Power Amp OUTs…
Then, thanking a friend’s suggestion, I finally tried the full monty Quad system, with Quad 22 preamp, and everything clicked smoothly: dynamics, details, naturalness, imaging.
Just so coherent and smooth, with guts.
As the only really usable Input is Radio, I used my Fidelity Research CS-2 “Y-Box” 💫
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Monday, October 27, 2025
Elliott capo and other stuffs 💫
My Elliott capo on Lowden S-35 Rio
I’ve been recently talking with several “golden ears” audiophiles about audio cables (between loudspeakers and amps and amps and ancillaries) and this kind of random chatting happens routinely.
The most open-minded people agreed there are audible differences and everyone agreed that - despite natural hearing loss due to age - the listening skills are greatly enhanced by the experience and the ability to evidence and recognize all parameters relating to timbre, harmonics, projection, sustain, decay and so on.
For a musician, this acquired talent is even greater… almost unbelievable to many!
… and we didn’t even hinted to tone-woods characters and how they sound and interact in a guitar, for example! 🫣😱🫣
Enter the Elliott capo, handmade in the 🇺🇸.
I sparingly used many different capos for the last 55 years…
… from the early Dunlop, Schubb, Victor, G7, a few years ago, thanking Michael Watts and his YouTube channel, I discovered and finally ordered my Elliott capo.
It costed an arm and a leg and I felt a bit stoopid - i.e. a Web video suggestion? Snake oil?
Naaaah!
When I got my Elliott capo, the audible HUGE superiority vs. ALL other capos I tried and owned, greatly stunned me.
Absolutely not muffled notes at every fret, capo less, natural sound of the instrument was absolutely preserved.
A M A Z I N G!
This sincere, apostolic, I’d dare, satisfaction makes me a believer and this epiphany is so similar to the above mentioned audiophiles debate: differences aren’t always for the better, but experience makes you a better listener, so a better musician and better audiophile, able to understand, better: feel, what’s a fake or a gem
Ears are so democratic: I wouldn’t be able to afford these toffee-nose items, I’d stop eating pizzas for one year, saving for these special stuffs, so no excuses to don’t get The Best you can be afford.
Ha!
The past
A Goto Story 🫣
A sad story, indeed!
A villa burglary… the thieves, fleeing in the night, got rid of the heavy Goto SG-3880, SG-1660 and SG-5880 drivers, and these were recently found—after years spent in the grass, exposed to the elements—by the son of the owner of these unique pieces. Now, an attempt will be made to restore them.
Rust never sleeps… but even in these deprecation, so miserable conditions, the drivers look imposing and full of dignity, which these handmade gems still possess.
🤐