Recent content by mep

Thanks Mike. I love my JBL 4345s. They are very hard to come by. Kenrick in Japan ran out of them years ago and could no longer buy them, refurbish them, and offer them for sale. As a result, Kenrick started making 4345 clones to sell. The 4345s are the best speakers I have ever owned and a...

Eat your popcorn and enjoy the show.

Thankfully those situations are very rare and you do the best you can to support the publication you write for.

Yes, it has happened.

I am not naive about motivations that drive business decisions. I really think that revenue risk drove the decision made by WBF to cut all ties to the original Fab 5 and any future iterations thereof. Publicly biting the hand(s) that feed you is never a good business plan.

I hear what you are saying about the relationship between SW and Ron and I don't doubt it. SW also hated his original partner of WBF before they got "divorced" and Ron became a part owner. I also see that WBF publicly put distance between WBF and the Fab 5. If you don't think that the Fab 5...

I would gladly review Wadax gear if the opportunity presented itself, but it would be promptly returned after my normal 3 months with it in my system. For the reasons I outlined before, I have no desire to have gear on a long-term loan. And by the way, I don't take any offense to your...

I think it goes much deeper than that Mike. I think it's all about the money. How many companies are currently paying WBF to advertise their gear? The Fab 5 started with the goal of picking scabs off of practices in the high-end they didnt agree with (and Im summarizing what Elliot said)...

You left out the cost of capital to provide select reviewers long-term loans of gear like Wadax does.

Thanks. It makes sense now that I know you built the linear power supplies yourself.

I stand corrected on Tom Martin, RH has been the digital guru for TAS for many years. Tom Martin has had Wadax gear in his system since at least Jan 2025.

The irony of all ironies. Elliot started the Fab 5 in part to "expose" reviewers and the publications they work for that have reviewers with gear on long-term loans. Elliot had to drop out of the Fab 5 due to industry blowback. Robert Harley has had Wadax gear in his system since 2020. And...

Qobuz is the bomb for me. I kicked Tidal to the curb after having both Tidal andcQobuz simultaneously for an extended time and picking the clear winner for me.

All snobs aside, Kenwood made some really good gear. Accuphase was started with ex-Kenwood engineers.

What kind of linear power supplies did you buy for under $200 and never mind the cost of the optical break and USB isolater?