Kodawari Chronicles: A Touch More on Top

Seasoning. A pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, a dash of umami. Miniscule additions in the grand scheme of any dish. And yet they make all the difference between average and amazing results. Overdo it however and disaster awaits, as single tastes overwhelm any subtlety and depth. Such is the delicate balance act when […]

Kodawari Chronicles: Altec 604 Enclosure

It was a given. My complete lack of impulse control had once again won the day. A more methodical individual might have chosen a different route. But I happily did not. A pair of vintage Altec 604E’s had arrived and I had to listen. I had no enclosure, no stands, no plan. After evicerating the […]

Kodawari (拘り) Chronicles: Altec 604E

Kodawari is a Japanese term without any direct translation to English. I’ve heard it variously referenced as “obsession, fixation, fastidiousness, pickiness about” and more negatively as “complaining or criticizing”. Like many Japanese (or German) terms it accomplishes the magic, frequently absent in English, of condensing a complex state of being into a single concise word. […]

Bronze Age

Heavy metal is good for the soul.