Bob Rapoport
Music Reviewer
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February 2026 Essence Newsletter — New Articles & Insights
This month’s Essence newsletter continues an ongoing theme I care about: separating long-standing audio myths from what actually matters today, based on real-world listening, modern sources, and decades of experience. The focus isn’t on hype or gear-chasing, but on understanding how today’s content, formats, and signal paths really work — especially for those of us running Vintage, Legacy or Hybrid systems that combine both.
Highlights this month:
Claude AI Joins ChatGPT and Gemini in the now universal praise for the HDACC II-4K:
“For merging vintage/legacy audio systems with modern 4K HDMI media, the Essence HDMI DACs are arguably the most direct, elegant, and performance-oriented answer on the market.” Claude AI, Jan '26
SACD Facts vs. Fiction
A clear, non-dogmatic look at SACD, DSD, PCM, and why so much confusion persists decades later. No brand bias, just how the formats actually behave in modern playback chains.
4K Blu-ray Concert Review: David Byrne’s American Utopia
One of the most creatively filmed and sonically engaging concert releases ever made — and a reference-quality example of how good modern concert films can be at home.
Upgrading Legacy AVRs Without Replacing Them
Practical guidance for extracting high-resolution audio from today’s best 4K HDMI sources while continuing to use high-quality older 1080p AVRs that still work and sound great.
New Speaker & System Updates
Highlighting Amphion's new X Series Models that start shipping this month, a step up from the S Series, a new era of precision and performance from Finland. Plus a look at the Acoustic Energy UK's 40th Anniversary Edition of the legendary AE1, the most highly acclaimed compact monitor of 2025.
If you enjoy thoughtful discussion about why things sound the way they do — not just what’s new — you may find something useful here.
Read the February Newsletter:
https://mailchi.mp/essenceelectrostatic/breaking-news-from-essence-for-february-2026
This month’s Essence newsletter continues an ongoing theme I care about: separating long-standing audio myths from what actually matters today, based on real-world listening, modern sources, and decades of experience. The focus isn’t on hype or gear-chasing, but on understanding how today’s content, formats, and signal paths really work — especially for those of us running Vintage, Legacy or Hybrid systems that combine both.
Highlights this month:
Claude AI Joins ChatGPT and Gemini in the now universal praise for the HDACC II-4K:
“For merging vintage/legacy audio systems with modern 4K HDMI media, the Essence HDMI DACs are arguably the most direct, elegant, and performance-oriented answer on the market.” Claude AI, Jan '26
SACD Facts vs. Fiction
A clear, non-dogmatic look at SACD, DSD, PCM, and why so much confusion persists decades later. No brand bias, just how the formats actually behave in modern playback chains.
4K Blu-ray Concert Review: David Byrne’s American Utopia
One of the most creatively filmed and sonically engaging concert releases ever made — and a reference-quality example of how good modern concert films can be at home.
Upgrading Legacy AVRs Without Replacing Them
Practical guidance for extracting high-resolution audio from today’s best 4K HDMI sources while continuing to use high-quality older 1080p AVRs that still work and sound great.
New Speaker & System Updates
Highlighting Amphion's new X Series Models that start shipping this month, a step up from the S Series, a new era of precision and performance from Finland. Plus a look at the Acoustic Energy UK's 40th Anniversary Edition of the legendary AE1, the most highly acclaimed compact monitor of 2025.
If you enjoy thoughtful discussion about why things sound the way they do — not just what’s new — you may find something useful here.
Read the February Newsletter:https://mailchi.mp/essenceelectrostatic/breaking-news-from-essence-for-february-2026
