Ed Comment
Demystifying Audio & The Hunter
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 April 2019 01 April 2019
Sydney, Australia’s largest city, enjoys a very strong audio enthusiast community. Both on a social level, within tight small cliques, and by way of a more formal structure, or body. In the case of the latter, and as is common in many endeavours and hobbies, back in 2007 a core group of Sydney audiophiles banded together in order to form the Sydney Audio Club (SAC). Their mission was to formalise meetings where members could share their love of music and simultaneously sample the audio treasures local manufacturers and retailers could present. Since that inaugural meeting near 12 years ago, SAC has grown exponentially and enjoys ongoing enthusiast and industry support.
The SoundStage! Australia 2018 Products of the Year
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 January 2019 01 January 2019
Happy 2019 dear readers! It is thanks to you that SoundStage! Australia has enjoyed continuing growth throughout 2018. In the relatively short time since our inception back in July 2017, SoundStage! Australia’s team of skilled writers has examined, evaluated and authored reviews for more than 50 high-end products. In fact, in 2018 alone, our writers Scott Campbell, Josh Givorshner, Barry Jones, Peter Katsoolis, Tom Waters and yours truly have produced the sum of over 30 product reviews.
Intensity in One City
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 October 2018 01 October 2018
They say creativity doesn’t stem from abundance but grows from scarcity. It wasn’t that long ago that, in envy of the grandeur of CES in Las Vegas – now, way, way overshadowed by the RMAF and AXPONA shows – Australian enthusiasts hankered for any form of exhibition where the local audio industry could be showcased in all its distinctive glory. Some years ago, after an absence of over a decade in terms of any proper show, punters’ desires were realised when the UK’s Chester Group commenced an alternate Sydney and Melbourne show. Fast forward to the present and in October 2018, cosmopolitan Melbourne will be the host to no less than two audio extravaganzas within the space of a few days. It never rains…
SoundStage! Australia Celebrates! "From Little Things Big Things Grow" - Paul Kelly
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 July 2018 01 July 2018
It’s true that time flies when you’re having fun… But working hard on something you are passionate about, with music as the final destination, provides one with soul-satisfying vigour and condenses time into a distorted continuum.
Spin the Black Circle… Clean
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 April 2018 01 April 2018
So, I made the plunge-of-faith into the liquorice abyss by purchasing a pre-loved analogue rig – a hot-rodded modified Michell Engineering Orbe SE packaged with Trans-Fi tangential tonearm and other associated goodies. I own many hundreds of records and, over the years, have sporadically purchased more vinyl while not even owning a turntable (a Garrard and subsequent Pro-Ject were sold many years prior). The turntable acquisition was motivated in part by wishing to review analogue gear. The deal was clenched when the prospect presented itself to review that Japanese gem, the outstanding Shelter Harmony MC cartridge; who would disregard that opportunity? But mostly I’ve held the desire, for some time, to reconnect with the great music that guided my own rite of passage, most of which also marked indelible guideposts along the history of music.
SoundStage! Network's Products of the Year 2017
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 02 January 2018 02 January 2018
True to the meaning of the word Network, back in July 2017 the SoundStage! Universe expanded to include this land Down Under. Since our ‘Big Bang’ six months ago, our Australian team reviewed a stellar list of gear covering all areas of audio reproduction. And while the product coverage has been all-encompassing, it nevertheless would be remiss of us here at SoundStage! Australia to hold our own POTY Awards based on such a brief – yet highly productive – life span.
On, Dancer! On, Prancer! On, Credit Card Blitzen!
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 15 December 2017 15 December 2017
SoundStage! Australia is nigh on half a year old – #believe? Yes, over the last six months we’ve featured dozens of articles covering product reviews, news items and manufacturer factory tours. We have also introduced a Videos page featuring insights into the workings of some of the best manufacturers in the world via skilfully-produced video shorts. As it now stands, our site is stuffed with exciting content like a bulging Christmas stocking… with something for everyone. And that brings us to the subject of the Festive Season. Here at SoundStage! Australia (SSA) HQ, we’re taking a short break over the Holidays. We’re off today and back on January 15, 2018 but of course, diligent members of our SoundStage! Network will be at the frontline in Las Vegas for the CES 2018. Watch out for the comprehensive coverage.
Getting to the Point!
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 October 2017 01 October 2017
Greetings from the Blue Mountains! Man, it’s been a full-on three months since SoundStage! Australia launched! Australia and our South Pacific region has seen a whole stream of important high-end audio events and many an overseas visitor has landed on our shores. Add to that SoundStage! Australia’s own varied website’s activities – and it’s taken off, I must thankfully say while also thanking SoundStage Network's Doug Schneider and team – it’s just as well the aura of serenity and mindful harmony of the Blue Mountains continues to both revitalise and maintain my impetus to joyfully expand the content-rich site that it’s steadily becoming.
Sentient Times!
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 August 2017 01 August 2017
Hurrah! ‘Champers’ flutes are a-clinkin’ here at SSA Central. Today we celebrate SoundStage! Australia’s first-month anniversary! And what a month! News stories, tick. Tuscan factory tour, tick. Long-lost music resurrection, tick. Evolving reviews of top-notch product, tick. And all this, considering such a recent genesis, with the result of pleasingly high visitor numbers from around Australia and the world.
SoundStage! Goes Down Under
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Ed Comment Ed Comment
- Published: 01 July 2017 01 July 2017
G’day! Welcome to SoundStage! Australia! As editor-in-chief, I’m extremely proud to be a part of the world’s leading online audio publication network and thrilled by the opportunity to bring to you the cornucopia of wonderful products, people and events from this great southern land and the world. The SoundStage! Australia bureau operates from the World Heritage Blue Mountains, home to the Aboriginal Darug and Gundungurra people for 40,000 years and where, in 1836, after his famed journey to the Galapagos Islands, a mesmerized Charles Darwin walked.
