Joe Roberts
Alexandria and Austin: Sound Practices, 1992-1997.

A complete run in 16 issues of the audiophile journal Sound Practices edited by Joe Roberts. “…hands-down the hippest and most controversial hi-fi ‘zine, reverses the common belief that the hi-fi gear of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s sucked and that modern components sound superior. This mag argues just the reverse: that ever since the gritty transistor replaced the smooth-sounding tube, the sound of hi-fi systems has steadily gotten worse instead of better. .. Lest you think that a bunch of guys into ’30s retro-tech are old freaks, the Sound Practices mob is made up of swashbuckling techno-anarchists who range from members of the avant-garde NY art scene to many of the most well-respected minds in international hi-fi. And the articles range from the highly technical to wildly imaginative think pieces.” (Wired, 1st December 1994)