Amplifiers and Decadence
Where An Amplifier Gives Itself Away
Alexandra Plesa | Headphonesty | 24th July 2026
A good amplifier should do more than amplify sound; it should “keep bass controlled, preserve detail during busy passages, and handle sudden peaks without sounding strained”. Test tones do not always catch these flaws. Use the 50 songs in this list instead, featuring a wide range of music from Prokofiev to AC/DC to Norah Jones to Hans Zimmer — with detailed, timestamped notes on what to listen for (5,700 words)
Puzzle: Play Nomido, the Browser’s daily word game.
Why Does Everything Feel So Joyless?
Michèle Mendelssohn & Charlie Tyson | Guardian | 26th July 2026
“Welcome to the era of decadence without pleasure.” Historically, decadence has been a symptom of cultural decline. Yet, some cultures produced extraordinary art in their decadent stages, “like the flare of a dying star”. “Think of the undulating arabesques of Rococo painting before the French Revolution, or the lush shimmering silks of the late Ottomans, or the experimental cinema and nightlife of Weimar Berlin” (4,000 words)