That Estelon Extreme demo exploited exactly what my system was missing. I have since lessened that gap, taking some time to get to an acceptable level. The journey has been fun.
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Clarity and conviction are terms that come to mind, but at a price. I should add, and what a price. I came very close to purchasing a pair of Estelons, but common sense prevailed. Had I purchased hemand had a sudden change of heart, flipping them would have been most difficult, as Estelons are a hard sell on the used market. Probably due to their polarizing looks.
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New York Times Best Jazz Albums of 2025:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/arts/music/best-jazz-albums.html
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Something for everyone, almost . . .
15 Deep-Dive, Goodies-Filled Boxed Sets and Reissues From 2025
Some of the year’s most thrilling music was its oldest: Rock icons dug into their archives, underground ’90s rap and indie figures put out long-awaited vinyl and more.
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The inclusion of The Bottle Tapes is an interesting choice as it more or less thumbs its nose at mainstream sensibilities. For opened minded listeners drawn to avant-garde creative music it is an easy recommendation.
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Decent column on the rapidly accelerating release of AI music.
Stereophile: Hidden Music, Fake Musicians
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Black or silver? The eternal hi-fi aesthetic debate | Darko.Audio https://share.google/KXuPIEDjbOxEFHJJ2
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Black audio equipment sounds better…its a proven fact… 
Personally, I prefer Black but 2 of my pieces are silver (2021 Mac mini & Cambridge Audio AXN10 Streamer),
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Black is easier on my eyes. Since I don’t hear a lot of differences in gear aesthetics percolates to the top.
As both colors are applied to the underlying metal, the sound difference comes down to the orientation of the colorant molecules—best if they are oriented horizontally which creates synergism with the movement of the electrons on the circuit board. You can easily demonstrate the difference by standing your equipment on end. Oh, and you do know that the answer to why a mirror reflects your left hand into a right but not your head into your feet is because of the mirror’s orientation—look on the back for the orientation arrow.
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I found this fascinating. A multi-decade effort with many twists and turns. EUV lithography to create computer chips.
The only colors that sound even better than black is a combination of black and silver.
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Everyone Wants a Room Where They Can Escape Their Screens
If this hits a paywall try Click Bait at the bottom of 1440 News The newest interior design trend is analog rooms.
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Is the analog resurgence here to stay or just the latest fad? What struck me in the piece was shoppers willingness to wait in line for hours to shop. Does this mean the analog experience of physically browsing is as important as what they’re shopping for?
I was unaware of this. I expect it will turn out to be a fad
But, as a user of many different fountain pens and inks, I like that this is happening.
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