FAQ
Common questions about TrueResAudio, membership, and how the magazine works.
What is TrueResAudio?
TrueResAudio is an independent online magazine focused on classical and jazz recordings.
Through reviews, editorial features, release coverage, and a growing Index of digital editions, it helps listeners discover recordings worth hearing and understand how different recordings shape the listening experience.
What makes TrueResAudio different?
Most music coverage focuses on artists, industry news, or equipment.
TrueResAudio focuses on recordings.
The central questions are:
Is this recording worth hearing?
Which edition should I choose?
How does this version differ from the alternatives?
Sound matters here, but always in service of the musical experience.
Why do you focus on classical and jazz?
Because those are the genres I spend most of my time listening to, exploring, and writing about.
They're also genres where recordings, engineering, mastering, and production choices can significantly shape the listening experience.
Do you review every new release?
No.
TrueResAudio is built around discovery, not comprehensiveness.
I focus on recordings that I believe deserve attention. Many excellent releases will never appear on the site simply because there is more music than one person can cover.
Are your reviews objective?
No.
Reviews are informed opinions based on careful listening.
Another listener may hear the same recording and arrive at different conclusions.
My goal is not to establish objective truth but to provide a useful perspective.
What do the Music and Sound ratings mean?
The Music rating reflects my assessment of the musical experience created by the recording.
The Sound rating reflects how successfully the recording presents that music to the listener.
The two are separated because great performances and great recordings do not always arrive together.
For a more detailed explanation, see How Reviews Work.
What is the Verdict?
The Verdict is the recommendation.
It represents my overall view of the recording after considering both the musical and sonic experience.
The ratings help explain the Verdict, but they do not determine it.
What is the Index?
The Index is a growing reference library focused on digital editions.
Its purpose is to help listeners navigate different editions of the same recording and understand how those editions differ.
Each entry combines factual release information, listening notes, and a recommended edition.
How do you choose the recommended edition?
By listening.
I compare the available editions, document the differences I hear, and recommend the edition I would most confidently point another listener toward.
That recommendation reflects my own judgement and listening priorities.
Why are some editions missing from the Index?
The Index does not attempt to catalogue every version ever released.
I focus on editions that represent meaningful listening choices and come from sources I consider trustworthy and worth comparing.
Can a CD-quality release be recommended over a hi-res release?
Absolutely.
Higher resolution does not automatically mean better sound.
Mastering, source material, transfer quality, and production decisions often have a much greater impact on the listening experience than file format alone.
Do you review vinyl?
No.
TrueResAudio focuses on digital releases and digital editions.
Vinyl may occasionally be discussed for context, but it is not part of the publication's core scope.
Do you review equipment?
No.
TrueResAudio is about recordings, not hardware.
Equipment may occasionally be mentioned when relevant to a listening discussion, but the focus remains on music and recordings.
Do I need expensive equipment to benefit from TrueResAudio?
No.
Better equipment can reveal more of what a recording contains, but the ideas discussed throughout the site apply regardless of system cost.
The goal is not to chase equipment upgrades. It is to help listeners find recordings worth hearing.
Do you only cover new releases?
No.
New releases are part of the publication, but catalogue discoveries, reissues, remasters, and older recordings are equally important.
Many of the most rewarding recordings are decades old.
Why are some articles and reviews behind the paywall?
TrueResAudio is supported directly by its readers.
Membership allows the publication to remain independent and focused on serving listeners rather than advertisers, sponsors, or affiliate programmes.
Is there a single best recording of a work?
No.
Different listeners value different things.
The purpose of TrueResAudio is not to identify universally correct answers but to help listeners find recordings that align with what they value most.
Who writes TrueResAudio?
Everything on the site is researched, listened to, written, and published by me, Pawel Grabowski.
TrueResAudio is a one-person publication built around a single listening perspective and editorial voice.