Sound-focused reviews of releases that matter

Every review I write starts with the music. Is the performance worth your time? Is this a recording you will want to return to? Those questions come first, because sound quality without musical substance is just a test signal.

But sound is never a footnote. Once the music earns its place, I look at how well it was captured, which edition gets it right, and whether the mastering does justice to what was recorded. Those questions matter to you. I answer them every time.

What you get at the end is a verdict you can act on. Not a number. Not a hedged recommendation that leaves the decision back in your lap. A clear position: this is worth your time, or it is not, and here is exactly why.

I rate every review on a five-step scale, from Essential Listening down to Skip. Essential Listening is rare, and I mean it to be. Skip is there because honest criticism requires the courage to say when something does not deliver. Most publications lack that courage. I would rather save you the money.

You will not find every new release here. I write about recordings worth living with, not everything that lands. If something is here, it earned its place.

You already know how to listen. With TrueResAudio, you get a place to look for great music to listen to next.