Pete's Write

The appeal of music, played through a stereo setup, with a pair of good speakers, be it floorstanders or bookshelves with a good source and a solid amplifier, is a nice experience that does not get as much exposure these days with the draw of home theatre. It takes some time to wind down, sit down with a good book or drink, turn the lights down a little and play something that will keep you happy for hours. There has always been a stereo amplifier in my setup, and the day it came to replace the Marantz PM 11S3, which I have been keeping for quite a while, I was at a loss, it was almost like losing a family member. It was also the last of the Reference amplifiers with an analogue power source, and one that had the feedback of their guru, Mr Ken Ishiwata. ( https://peteswrite.blogspot.com/2014/04/marantz-pm11s3-review.html ) In my journeys, I have reviewed quite a few amps as replacements, and I had to be particular, as the Dynaudio Confidence Platinum C1 that I use them with do apprecia...

It was 1986 when Top Gun hit the big screens and led to a frenzy of people who joined the US Navy as "aviators", it also sealed megastar status for Tom Cruise. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, with a Mission Impossible Franchise under his belt. However, he has always been keen to make a sequel to the original movie that really set the world ablaze and helped send him into the stratosphere.  The thing about sequels, is that not every sequels works. Some just cash in on the nostalgia or ride the interest wave and try to milk the good feelings for the original.  However, you also have movies like Aliens, Terminator 2 which have not only done well at the box office, but also improved on the original.  More than 30 years later, you can add Top Gun 2 Maverick to this short list. Yep, it's good.  So the plot isn't going to win any Oscars, the same idea of cocky pilots, some facing inner demons, and some very spirited flying which will definitely inspire a ...