Stephen Nelson-Smith - Audio Advent

How does a vinyl record work?

Loyal readers will have picked up by now that I believe that understanding the key principles underpinning broader knowledge is essential. It's not that I'm not pragmatic - I'm as keen as the next person for people to trust their ears and listen, but in order to get the most

Loudspeakers

Understanding Decibels

It used to be a common occurrence that people would come into the shop, particularly when I worked in London, and would poke at a loudspeaker, and then ask: "What's the wattage on them then?" I always found this to be a peculiar question to ask, and my

Digital

An Introduction to Roon

One of the biggest problems with digital music, especially streaming, is that it deprives us of the sense of ownership. We long for the days of gatefold LPs, with stunning artwork, copious sleeve notes, lyric sheets, and special editions. We loved to hold them in our hands. Digital is just

hifi

Why Hifi Reviews Are Worthless!

Ah, the hifi reviews. Stars. Pros and cons. So much data out there, so easy to make an informed decision. Do your research, make a short list, and either pull the trigger, or visit a few dealers, play them off using price match promises, and you're done. That's how it

Philosophy

Why do I Work in the Hifi Industry?

I had an interesting conversation with a customer who came into the shop yesterday. After a career in sales, he retired, and now spends most of his time painting. He has a pension, and some savings, but is by no means a rich man. He has to be prudent in

hifi

First Cartridge Upgrades

Frequently I encounter people who have taken the plunge, and bought themselves a decent turntable to enjoy their growing vinyl collection. Some bought them this time last year, and are now starting to think, either as a present to request, or a treat after Christmas, what the first steps would

Progressive Rock

Five Bridges

I'm particularly interested in music which represents crossovers. I like to see musicians trying to incorporate ideas from other traditions, blending approaches, and producing a fusion of sound. My article on Jazz / Jazz Fusion touched on this. Today I'm going to talk about a specific instance of this approach -

A Brief History of Christmas Songs

It's still more than a week until Christmas, so I think I can safely venture another post on seasonal music. This time, we turn our attention to that staple of Christmas season - the carol. It comes as a surprise to many that, with a few exceptions, the staples of

Classical Music

The Three Kings: 20th Century Poet meets 21st Century Composer

The musical life of Portsmouth Cathedral is busy, varied, and a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration. Two of my children are choristers there, and master of choristers David Price curates a fascinating blend of musical ideas. Last Christmas, one of my discoveries was Jonathan Dove's The Three Kings, set

Multiroom

Sonos vs Yamaha MusicCast: Which is the best wireless home sound system?

When I started in the industry, independently selected and controlled music in every room was the preserve of the very rich. I designed and built some incredible systems (including for a certain Robbie Williams), but they were complicated and expensive. Nowadays good quality wireless home sound systems are within reach

Record Collecting

In praise of Ultravox

Occupying pride of place in my record collection are the four studio albums released between 1980 and 1984, by 'New Wave' band Ultravox. Frequently, music from one's childhood and early adulthood dates, ferociously, and other than evoking certain sentimental memories, rarely stands up to sustained listening. In my case, Ultravox

hifi

SACD is not dead!

Super Audio CD (SACD) was jointly launched by Sony and Phillips in 1999, with the promise of offering better quality sound than CD, and multi-channel audio. Although widely considered a commercial flop, a mere audiophile curiosity, in fact for classical music lovers, the format is alive and well, and well

hifi

Just say no! Why cheap turntables destroy your records

One of the side-effects of the so-called "vinyl revival" is the proliferation of "budget" turntables from high street and online retailers. Brands such as Crosley, Steepletone, and Ion produce turntables for less than £100 (often much less), styled in a vintage manner, often including speakers, volume

Classical Music

Advent Music Part Two

In Part One I introduced six pieces of seasonally relevant music to savour. Ranging from the slightly obscure second symphony of Krzysztof Penderecki to the glorious but obvious Bach Christmas Oratorio, I hope I gave some ideas. Today I'll introduce some more suggestions, including a number of pieces of somewhat

hifi

Hifi Demos: Blind or Sighted?

One of my most frequently performed tasks, as the owner of a hifi shop, is to help people choose between different hifi components, or systems. In industry speak this is known as "The Dem". It's a relatively simple concept - the client listens to some music on one

Jazz

Thread Pulling: Jazz, Jazz Fusion and Free Jazz, via Soft Machine

One of the great things about my line of work is that I come into contact with different types of music every day. Sometimes a client will bring a record or a CD that sparks a conversation, which leads to a series of fruitful discoveries. Sometimes they'll simply drop a

Electronics

An introduction to Digital to Analogue Convertors (DACs)

Earlier in this series I talked about an essential component in the analogue signal path - the phono stage or phono preamp. In this article I'm going to introduce the DAC or 'Digital to Analogue Converter'. DACs are a hotly debated subject. Spend just five minutes online and you'll find

Classical Music

Six of the Best: Advent Music Ideas

This time of year can be painful for a music enthusiast. The nights start to draw in, chimneys are swept, children start thinking about presents, homes and streets are bedecked with tinsel and trees, and in every blessed shop, every day, we're assaulted with Slade, and Wham!, and Paul Bleeding

Record Collecting

The 10 Funniest Classical Album Covers Ever

Let's take a break from the more serious stuff! Today I give you.... the ten funniest classical album covers ever!

hifi

Phono Stages: What are they and why are they needed?

There's a lot to say about phono stages, so I won't try to tackle it all at once. Today, we'll focus on the what and the why. In a subsequent article I'll go into detail on the dizzying array of dip switches, what they actually do, and how to set

Progressive Rock

Pictures at an Exhibition

This afternoon's record selection is the excellent "Pictures at an Exhibition", by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Recorded in March 1971 at Newcastle City Hall, it's an audacious re-working of a piece by the same name, from the popular classical repertoire. ELP's first live release, it's uncommon for it

Welcome to Audio Advent

The challenge: 24 articles in 24 days, covering hifi and music.