Latest Additions


  • Munich 2013 Show Coverage
  •  

  • Moon Audio Blue Dragon Custom USB Cable Sweepstakes
  •  

  • Focal Professional Solo6 Be
  •  

  • Greatest Bits Makeover!
    • DSD via USB, Toward An Open Standard
    Industry Voice
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 19, 2012 • 3 comments
    [Editor's Note: We're reproducing and sharing this document in its entirety and AudioStream would like to thank Andreas Koch, Andy McHarg and Rob Robinson for their efforts in defining an open standard for DSD over USB]

    USB Link for DSD Audio via PCM Frames
    Presented by Andreas Koch (Playback Designs), Andy McHarg (dCS), and Rob Robinson (Channel D)

    Version 1.0
    The USB Audio specification 2.0 defines multiple formats for audio of which standard PCM is only one. A general “raw data” format was also defined that can be used for any kind of data including audio, but unfortunately, no specific format was defined for DSD and with the ongoing proliferation of USB converters in the current market it appears that the opportunity for the official USB specification to adopt a single common method of transferring DSD audio via USB is slowly disappearing. This is an attempt of uniting as many manufacturers as possible and jointly defining a method for transferring DSD via USB.

    Continue Reading »
    Download of the Week: Kip Hanrahan
    HD Music Downloads
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 17, 2012 • 4 comments
    Kip Hanrahan, Desire Develops An Edge

    Stephen Mejias is all over this one as he not only bought me the original LP as a gift that keeps on giving but he also told me about the HDtracks download! For those who love the unexpected mixed bag of influence, idea and expectation surpassed, get yee to Kip Hanrahan's Desire Develops An Edge.

    Continue Reading »
    Gordon Rankin's Pick 6!
    Music Downloads
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 16, 2012 • 1 comments
    Talking Heads, Remain in Light

    [Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio hands us a bevy of musical delights with a focus on live!]

    The biggest problem with a request like this is taste. Mine silly as it may sound is found in 80's pop, new wave, punk! Yea XTC, Clash, B52's, Talking Heads, Cranberries, Devo, Costello, Joe Jackson and of course Gang of Four. Not much of this is available as even red book downloads so here goes with what I could find that I would like, in order top to bottom. Yes I do have all of these on my server. While some of these obscure titles are available from Pirate Bay and other illegal sites...I really suggest if you cannot download them legally that you purchase and rip the disks.

    Continue Reading »
    The War Against Downloaders, One Site At A Time
    News
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 16, 2012 • 0 comments
    Copyright infringement is serious business and it just got a kick in the enforcement. As spotted on Ars Technica:
    The 70,000 daily visitors to popular music site RnBXclusive.com were met with a purposely terrifying message on Tuesday and part of Wednesday. The UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) took the site down, arrested its operator, and threw up a splash page that warned downloaders of "up to 10 years imprisonment." Thought statutory damages of up to $150,000 per infringement in the US were ludicrous? SOCA warns that downloaders from the site could face an "unlimited fine under UK law."
    Continue Reading »
    Audioengine D2 Wireless 24-Bit DAC & USB-S/PDIF Converter
    DAC Reviews, USB–S/PDIF Converter Reviews, Wireless DAC Reviews
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 15, 2012 • 10 comments
    Getting High (definition) Without Wires
    The Audioengine D2 DAC is one of a new and few breed of wireless DACs capable of sending, receiving, and playing high definition music up to 24-bit/96kHz. As a matter of fact, I know of no other wireless DAC that'll do the same, today. Of course there are loads of UPnP streamers out there that include wireless capabilities but I'm talking about just-a-DAC with 24/96 wireless capabilities built-in (i.e. no dongle needed). One basic difference is wireless DACs are file format agnostic whereas streamers are not. They're more picky. And most streamers piggyback on your existing wi-fi network whereas the D2 provides its own.
    Continue Reading »
    Antelope Audio’s Zodiac DAC + iPad = 384kHz
    News
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 14, 2012 • 3 comments
    This just in from an Antelope Audio Press Release:
    Santa Monica, February 14, 2012 — Antelope Audio’s Zodiac D/A converters are now compatible with iPad, allowing music lovers to enjoy pristine audio of up to 384 kHz [OS X only], played and controlled from their iPad through the Zodiac DAC.
    Continue Reading »
    Network Attached Storage (NAS). Part 1. Intro.
    Hardware How-To, Storage & NAS Drive Reviews
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 13, 2012 • 16 comments
    An Introduction to NAS
    This is the first part of an ongoing series that will cover the ins and outs of Network Attached Storage (NAS) with a focus on how to use a NAS device as a music server. I've created a rough outline for the series and it goes something like this:
    Continue Reading »
    The Death of The Album?
    Michael Lavorgna
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 10, 2012 • 7 comments
    chart/analysis Michael DeGusta

    Before we leave the music industry alone for the weekend, I thought I'd leave you with 2 pictures from the article "The REAL Death Of The Music Industry" by Michael DeGusta. As you can see, traditionally the album floated the music industry's financial boat making up a large % of overall music sales. The trend is obviously shifting.

    Continue Reading »
    No Streaming for Kisses On The Bottom
    News
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 08, 2012 • 4 comments
    Sir Paul McCartney has joined Adele, The Black Keys, and Tom Waits by blocking his new album Kisses On The Bottom from being played on any of the streaming services like MOG, last.fm or Rhapsody. The Black Keys have been the most vocal about the reason behind this decision—from an interview with VH1:
    Continue Reading »
    Used Digital Record Shop ReDigi Can Stay Open, for now
    News
    Michael Lavorgna • Feb 08, 2012 • 14 comments
    District Judge Richard J. Sullivan said not so fast to Capital Records by denying their request to shut down start-up and pre-owned digital music site/shop ReDigi.

    As reported by Ars Technica, ReDigi's founder John Ossenmacher had this to say to Capital Records:

    Continue Reading »