A Tribute to Don Garber of Fi + Robin and Lipman!

Don Garber's Fi 2A3 amp Ad from Sound Practices

My first exposure to Don Garber's Fi 2A3 amp was at a gathering of burgeoning SE-DHT/High Efficiency speaker enthusiasts organized by Mike LaFevre of Magnequest and Peter Breuninger, then president of the Philadelphia Audio Society. This was held in the outskirts of Philly during the latter part of 1994. I attended to assist my friend Steve Melkisethian in exhibiting the Audio Note Kit 1 amplifier since he was the US distributor of Audio Note UK Kits, transformers and parts at that time. Sadly, these guys are no longer with us. 😔

Silbatone Acoustics at the Munich Audio Show 2025

My buddy Joe Roberts of Sound Practices has been sending me pictures from the Silbatone Acoustics room at High-End Munich 2025. I'm sharing them in this blog with his permission.

Old Haunts: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School + the UWS

Carnegie Hall

Leica M6 + Leitz 8-element Summicron 35mm
Kodak PX125 in Diafine

I heard many great artists, chamber music groups and orchestras visiting NYC at this venue. In 1982, I was one of the few fortunate young violinists chosen to participate in Alexander Schneider's New York String Orchestra. We performed here on Christmas Eve! I've also played at Weill Hall as a chamber musician.

S.M.S.L PL100 CD player

 

It's been almost two months since I uploaded this video on my YouTube channel. So far, the PL100 CD player has been performing flawlessly and I'm fairly confident to report my findings!

AliExpress Amorphous SE OPTs + Jean Hiraga and the SE-DHT Amp Revival

Altec 406Z + 406-8Y + Madera + Horns

💙HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!💙

To commemorate this special day, here's a recording of Salut d'Amour by Sir Edward Elgar performed by yours truly on the violin, assisted on the piano by my friend and colleague Albert Tiu from our CD Sentimyento for Bookmark Audio recorded in 2000.

PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT:

CD Transport: SMSL PL100 CDp
DAC: DIY nosTDA1541tube DAC + UTC A20 line transformers
Line preamp: DIY 12B4A + Sony/TamRadio transformers
Line Attenuator: Intact Audio Nickel AVC
Amp: DIY 6F5 direct coupled SE2A3 amp
Speakers: Altec 406Zs in Coronado cabinets + Altec 3000H super tweeters
Video by iPhone 12 mini