- Vanatoo Transparent One Encore powered loudspeaker system25 June 2019, 9:40 pm
Has Serinus been demoted? You might well ask. This month, instead of reviewing a $58,000 stereo amplifier, I'm tackling a $599 powered loudspeaker system. Truth be told, I'm always on the lookout for products that deliver outstanding sound at bargain prices. And since I maintain in my living room a modestly priced system built around powered speakers—this in addition to the far costlier system in my dedicated listening room—it's an easy fit for me to evaluate low-priced products in a ...
- CH Precision M1.1 power amplifier25 June 2019, 9:28 pm
CH Precision's massive, versatile, technologically sophisticated, 165 lb M1.1 power amplifier ($54,000 configured for stereo) can easily crush your foot if you're not careful when installing it. But the more important consideration is this: Can this cool gray techno-square sing and dance without stepping on its own feet? Tue, 06/25/2019... - Stilling Heartbreak from Weinberg22 June 2019, 3:13 pm
Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla's (b. 1986) rendition of Polish-Jewish composer Mieczysław Weinberg's (1919–1996) final symphony, which is dedicated "to the memory of those who were murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto," has all the earmarks of a life-affirming Record to Die For. Rarely have I heard such hallowed silence, absolute control, and reverence for life and beauty from a conductor so young. For those willing to explore the mysteries of exquisite sadness amidst su... - Mark Levinson No.5805 integrated amplifier20 June 2019, 5:38 pm
Mark Levinson isn't known as a budget brand, and most people would not consider $8500 a budget price for anything short of a new car. One could argue, though, that Levinson's new No.5805 integrated amplifier ($8500 with DAC and phono stage) is a budget component—combining high performance and build quality with a price tag that's moderate by hi-fi standards. Plus, there's a lot of functionality in one box. Thu, 06/20/2019... - Recording of July 2019: <I>Takin' Off</I>20 June 2019, 5:35 pm
Herbie Hancock: Takin' Off Herbie Hancock, piano; Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Dexter Gordon, tenor saxophone; Butch Warren, double bass; Billy Higgins, drums. Blue Note Records 84109 (LP), 1962, 2019. Alfred Lion, prod.; Rudy Van Gelder, eng.; Don Was, Cem Kurosman, reissue prods.; Kevin Gray, reissue eng. AAA. TT: 39:01 Performance **** Sonics ****½ From 1962 until now, and counting all formats except downloads, there have been no fewer than 62 releases of Herbie Hancock's debut album, Ta...
- Wilson Benesch Eminence Loudspeaker25 June 2019, 11:21 am
“What does that speaker sound like?” It’s such a common question among audiophiles that we never stop to think about what it means. When asking that question, we expect a capsule description of the speaker’s strengths and weaknesses, accompanied by an assessment of its overall character and quality. But what we are really asking is: “In what specific ways does that loudspeaker distort the musical signal, and what is our perception of that distortion?” We frequ... - Ayon Audio Crossfire III PA Power Amplifier24 June 2019, 11:06 am
“Ker-chunk!” went the 132-pound package as it plummeted out of the FedEx truck and crashed onto the pavement in front of my house. “@#$%^&*!” went yours truly, contemplating the fate of the very expensive tubes within that package. That was my first exposure to the Ayon Audio Crossfire III PA power amplifier. Ayon Audio, an Austrian company, got its start manufacturing tube gear, but its lineup now includes a complete audio system—everything from digital file pl... - Muraudio SP1 Hybrid Electrostatic Loudspeaker21 June 2019, 3:40 pm
Going on a century ago, in the early 1920s, C. W. Rice and E.W. Kellogg began work at General Electric on how to use electricity to generate sound for reproduction of music. They considered seriously two possibilities, the electro-magnetically driven cone and the electrostatically driven membrane. For practical reasons, they chose the cone driver. (A main problem of the electrostatic was that, this being before the days of plastic films, the membrane was made from what was known as goldbeater&rs... - Triangle Australe EZ Loudspeaker21 June 2019, 3:31 pm
There are people on this planet that, though they walk with one foot in front of the other just like the rest of us, are in important respects nothing like the rest of us—they are gifts. In early 2018, I was fortunate to finally see my favorite percussionist in concert at the Sanders Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Zakir Hussain is a master, in the same easily recognizable way that Hendrix and Ella are masters. What they all do with their instruments is far beyond the technical. In th... - T.H.E. Show 201920 June 2019, 6:03 pm
Southern California has an audio show problem. It’s not new, and it’s not clear why. Perhaps it’s the slow-burn of internecine rivalries, sketchy venue selection and promotion (remember LAX?), or just plain bad luck. In any case it shouldn’t have to be this way in a region so densely populated—a virtual playground of art and culture that can boast sunny weather all year long. More likely, however, the issue isn’t just Los Angeles per se. It’s timing. Clo...
- Studio Electric Loudspeakers F2 2.5-Way Floorstander26 June 2019, 5:10 am
Studio Electric Loudspeakers recently announced their new F2 floor standing speaker ($6900 to $8400 depending on finish). Building on the success of their well-regarded M4 monitor and larger FS1, the F2 is the company's attempt to redefine what a floorstander can achieve at under $10,000. Studio Electric Loudspeakers' F2 is a 2.5-way design using two of the company's proprietary HighX woofers plus a specially-developed 1" soft dome tweeter.---> Read More ... - STEREO Magazine July 2019 Reviews & HIGH END Report25 June 2019, 3:17 pm
This issue of STEREO magazine features audio news, HIGH END 2019 show report, and reviews of the Canton Smart Vento 9 power amplifiers that deliver a combined 600 Watts, Clearaudio Innovation Compact and radial (Tracer) versus tangential (TT5) tonearms, Klei Cables from Down Under, Luxman CL-38uC preamplifier and MQ-88uC amplifier, and Thorens TD202 turntable at a beginner-friendly price. Also reviewed are the Musical Fidelity M2SCD with M2SI combination of CD player and amplifier, plu... - REVIEW: Luxman CL-38uC Preamplifier And MQ-88uC Amplifier24 June 2019, 6:36 pm
For many hi-fi fans, the new retro looking Luxman tube-duo is guaranteed to be love at first sight. What about first listen? STEREO is testing whether the CL-38uC preamplifier and the MQ-88uC power amplifier will please nostalgic types in particular or whether they can satisfy modern demands just as well. No other Japanese large-scale producer has existed as long as the Luxman Corporation whose origins date back to 1925 and to the launch of broadcasting in the Land of the Rising Sun. Since then,... - CONTEST! Win Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Speakers Valued At $599!24 June 2019, 2:58 pm
EnjoyTheMusic.com is honored to join with Vanatoo for our June 2019 contest. The Transparent One Encore (T1E, $599) series of wireless powered speakers from Vanatoo is your solution for high quality music, movie, and game playback without all of the clutter. Simply plug one speaker into the wall, run the supplied wire between the two speakers, and connect your source, which can be just about anything.---> Read more and enter for your chance to win! ... - Pro-Ject Audio Systems X2 Vinyl LP Turntable24 June 2019, 2:53 pm
Pro-Ject Audio Systems' new X2 turntable ($1599) is their heavyweight, high-end vinyl record player system that replaces their 2Xperience SB. Pro-Ject's X2 takes the same enhancements as the latest generation X1 record player and improves on those technologies with much higher quality components and materials. The selected components are bigger, heavier and more robust, for improved performance and greater build quality too. X2 typifies Pro-Ject's belief that all analog enthusiasts need to be in...
- MUSIC | REVIEW: MASAYUKI TAKAYANAGI, KAORU ABE - Kaitaiteki Kokan (Kaitai Teki Kokan), Compact Disc | JAPAN2 June 2019, 10:00 pm
s it seems, every music genre and each trend within it and, on the other hand, every national discography have their “rarities” – rare and special, often simply “cult” albums. ⌈ cult «liked very much by a particular group of people» ⌋ The word “cult” is a shortcut that points out to the timeless and exceptional status of what it refers to. When it comes to albums, it is most often related to rarities, such as the Kaitaite... - REVIEW: Haiku-Audio | „Haiku Custom Works” SENSEI 300B SE | Integrated amplifier | POLAND | RED Fingerprint2 June 2019, 10:00 pm
⌈ HAIKU-AUDIO is a Polish company with its headquarters based in Krakow, specializing in the production of audio amplifiers. Established in 2012, it took its name from the type of output amplifier by company called Talcomp. The name of the circuit refers to its simplicity and effectiveness, a harmonious combination of content and form. The owner of Haiku-Audio and its chief designer is WIKTOR KRZAK. The name of the company, the name of the particular model, but most of all the approach to ... - KRAKOW SONIC SOCIETY | Meeting #120: ADAM CZERWIŃSKI and AC RECORDS – tape, test pressing, LP | POLAND/Krakow2 June 2019, 10:00 pm
⌈ A lot has already been said ABOUT ANALOGUE TAPES – by us as well. However, it was the first time we had had the opportunity to compare an analogue “master” tape with the “lacquer” cut from it and then with the LP test pressing. It was all carried out in the presence of the albums’ producer, Adam Czerwiński, the owner of the AC RECORDS record label, in a unique room and with the use of a special system. ⌋ he most expensive music format (i... - REVIEW: DS Audio DS W2 | Cartridge/phonostage | JAPAN2 June 2019, 10:00 pm
⌈ DS AUDIO is a Japanese company specializing in optical systems. Using its experience, they proposed a phono cartridge in which instead of a coil and a magnet there is a diode and a photo cell. The light falling on the photo cells is modulated by a tiny element attached to the cantilever at the same place where the magnets (MM cartridges) or coils (MC cartridges) are usually placed. It is a completely ANALOG system, which aims to eliminate the main issues of classic phono cartridges. We g... - REVIEW: Hijiri SM2R „Sound Matter” | Power cable AC | JAPAN | RED Fingerprint2 June 2019, 10:00 pm
⌈ Mr. KAZUO KIUCHI, the owner of Combak Corporation, is a typical Japanese - he has a master belt in Kendo, he loves opera, he is also a fan of high-class sound. In addition to the production of electronics under the Reimyo brand, Harmonix and HIJIRI cabling and Bravo! loudspeakers, he is also a co-owner of the XRCD24 patent and releases CDs with this logo: jazz in the Master Music series (JVC) and classic in the Hi-Q Records label. A typical Japanese ... ⌋ t seems that with the ...
- SIMAUDIO REVEALS TWO LUXURIOUS NEW MOON HIGH-PERFORMANCE STEREO COMPONENTS25 June 2019, 8:45 pm
The MOON 700i v2 integrated stereo amplifier and 780D v2 streaming DAC MOON has added two outstanding new products to its class-leading range of audiophile electronics. Designed to offer performance way beyond their price, both the 700i v2 integrated stereo amplifier and 780D v2 streaming DAC will permanently alter listeners’ expectations of audio quality. The... Read More » The post SIMAUDIO REVEALS TWO LUXURIOUS NEW MOON HIGH-PERFORMANCE STEREO COMPONENTS appeared first on Positive... - Meze Empyrean Headphones24 June 2019, 8:49 pm
Meze Audio first received its true breakthrough in 2015 with the release of the well-received 99 Classics, which had earned the company many awards and recognition. Part of their appeal stemmed from budget-friendly creations that married comfort, aesthetics, and sound—something which helped to propel HiFiMAN during their early years. However, unlike the latter company, Meze... Read More » The post Meze Empyrean Headphones appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - Audioengine 512 Portable Wireless Speaker21 June 2019, 8:33 pm
Austin, Texas based Audioengine recently introduced the 512 Portable Wireless Speaker. My thanks to them for sending a sample to review. The 512 is a handsome product, with a high quality feel. And it is small; a mere 3" deep x 3" high x 7.75" wide, two and a half pound oval of transportable audio goodness. ... Read More » The post Audioengine 512 Portable Wireless Speaker appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 420 June 2019, 7:20 pm
Continuing our coverage of T.H.E. Show, photos by Dave Clark, words by me, additional words by Dave as noted. Arion Audio, The Apollo System loudspeaker. Arion Audio LS-200 Line-stage, HS-500 amplifier. Chang Lightspeed powerline filters. Wilf Audio Systems Alpha 3 music servr. JPS Labs cables. EMM Labs DA2 Dac. Stillpoints rack. Arion Audio subwoofer. Computer... Read More » The post T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 4 appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 320 June 2019, 7:13 pm
Continuing our coverage of T.H.E. Show, photos by Dave Clark, words by me, additional words by Dave as noted. Sanders Sound System. This room insisted, "No pictures!" Okay... Esoteric: Grandioso P1X transport, Grandioso D1X monoblock DAC, N-03T network audio transport, Grandioso G1 rubidium master clock, Grandioso C1 preamplifier, Grandioso S1 amplifier. Von Schweikert Audio Endeavor... Read More » The post T.H.E. Show Long Beach, Photo Essay Part 3 appeared first on Positive Feedback....
- The Vitus Audio RI-101 Integrated Amplifier25 June 2019, 6:14 am
Vitus Audio is well known around the world for fantastic sound and multiple box amplification chains that weight hundreds of pounds. Even their two-box reference phono stage weighs more than most power amplifiers! Underneath the massive metalwork lurks enormous power supplies and electronics that are more than overbuilt for the task at hand. Many people [...]... - The Audio by Van Alstine Vision SET 40022 June 2019, 8:33 am
Audio By Van Alstine produces line stage preamplifiers, phono stages, DACs, and more, the marvelous AVA Vision 400 SET amplifier we review here represents a culmination of Van Alstine’s knowledge applied to music reproduction. Frank Van Alstine brings over 50 years of experience to his component designs, developing modifications for classic Hafler and Dynaco gear, and [...]... - ROON Nucleus and Nucleus+19 June 2019, 4:50 pm
We’ve been using ROON at TONE since the final alpha release, and it’s a powerful solution. None of the other music delivery platforms come close – if you love music and the discovery of more music, it’s the only way to go. ROON allows you to combine music saved on your computer or NAS with [...]... - Sugden A21SE Signature Edition12 June 2019, 6:52 am
Listening to Dexter Gordon’s classic, “GO” through the Sugden A21 (actually the A21SE Signature, but I don’t want to keep writing that) and my Quad 2812s is positively heavenly, with all the tone, texture, and dynamics I’d ever need. There is something incredibly cool about listening to an amplifier that sounds this emotionally involving that [...]... - The Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement12 June 2019, 4:31 am
The first time I drove an Aston Martin, it was an otherworldly experience. The sheer opulence of the car was equally matched by the performance, providing a feel in a sporting car like no other. Yes, a geeked out Subaru STi is just as fast, but the sheer beauty of the Aston is unmistakable. You’ll [...]...
- Q Acoustics 3020i Loudspeakers15 June 2019, 4:00 am
Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. A year ago in Munich, when I visited the exhibit room of UK speaker maker Q Acoustics at High End 2018, I knew little about them. However, former SoundStage! Simplifi writer Al Griffin was familiar with their reputation for making high-value, budget-friendly speakers, and wanted to see what they had to offer. They were displaying their Concept 500 floorstander ($5999.99 US... - Focal Kanta No1 Loudspeakers1 June 2019, 4:00 am
Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. Through no fault of the speaker or its manufacturer -- last year, shortly after Focal announced the launch of the Kanta No1, they sent me samples -- I wasn’t able to review it as soon as I’d hoped to. Other things got in the way. Better later than never, you might say, but really, it’s too bad -- when at last I got to seriously listen to the Kanta No1s, I wish... - The Best of High End 20191 June 2019, 4:00 am
High End 2019, held May 9-12 at the Munich Order Center (MOC), in Germany, was busier for me than previous High Ends. The show has grown -- a few days after it closed, the event’s organizer, the High End Society, released statistics that indicated that HE2019 had topped their previous biggest show, HE2018, with 551 exhibitors (up 3.8%), 8208 trade visitors (up 8.6%), and a grand total of 21,180 attendees (up 6.5%). The sheer size of High End has always made exhaustive coverage of it a chal... - Two Hi-Fi Accessories Actually Worth Buying1 June 2019, 4:00 am
As far as I can tell, unless it’s something so grand or outrageous that missing it would be a faux pas too far, accessories usually get short shrift in show reports. Given the space allocations, especially in print coverage, a new speaker, amp, or turntable will always trump a new gadget. I do exclude from my contempt for add-ons such items as quality record-cleaning machines, stylus pressure gauges, tube testers, and other items with a valid purpose. But hi-fi accessories in the main tend... - Recommended Reference Component: GoldenEar Technology Triton Reference Loudspeakers1 June 2019, 4:00 am
In Doug Schneider’s May 2019 review of the GoldenEar Technology Triton One.R loudspeaker ($5999.98/pair, all prices USD), he repeatedly referred to its bigger, more expensive sibling, the Triton Reference ($8499.98/pair at time of review, now $8999.98/pair), which he’d reviewed in November 2017. GoldenEar’s flagship Reference model is the source of most of their latest technology that has trickled down into the One.R. ...
- Simaudio reveals new Moon 700i V2 integrated amplifier and 780D V2 streaming DAC21 June 2019, 7:27 pm
SIMAUDIO REVEALS TWO LUXURIOUS NEW MOON HIGH-PERFORMANCE STEREO COMPONENTS The MOON 700i v2 integrated stereo amplifier and 780D v2 streaming DAC MOON has added two outstanding new products to its class-leading range of audiophile electronics. Designed to offer performance way beyond their price, both the 700i v2 integrated stereo amplifier and 780D v2 streaming DAC [...] The post Simaudio reveals new Moon 700i V2 integrated amplifier and 780D V2 streaming DAC appeared first on Dagogo.... - Pro-Ject X2 turntable launched18 June 2019, 6:48 pm
Pro-Ject X2: The Heavyweight, Uncompromised High-End In 1991 Pro-Ject Audio Systems started a revolution in the HiFi industry with the introduction of the Pro-Ject 1 turntable; a new high-end, low-budget turntable released at a time when CD was king. Against all odds, we were creating interest in analogue audio at a time when others [...] The post Pro-Ject X2 turntable launched appeared first on Dagogo.... - PS Audio Trade-In Program18 June 2019, 5:34 pm
Colorado-based PS Audio has launched an unprecedented equipment trade-in program, in which a customer’s equipment of another make in good working and cosmetic condition may receive its original retail value towards a new PS Audio product, or two. On the company website is a page where customers can enter equipment detail such as Make, Model, [...] The post PS Audio Trade-In Program appeared first on Dagogo.... - Visiting Margules Audio17 June 2019, 5:31 pm
Margules Audio While vacationing in Mexico City with my wife Martha, I had the opportunity to visit Margules Audio, one of the premier manufacturers of fine audio equipment. This is a family owned business run by a tight knit family.Julian Margules is the president and chief audio designer while his wife Laura is the business [...] The post Visiting Margules Audio appeared first on Dagogo.... - Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab releases Bill Evans Trio “Portrait In Jazz” numbered 45rpm UD1S Ultradisc13 June 2019, 5:27 am
Elusive Disc, an online high-end audio hardware and software retailer, has announced a limited re-release of one of the most seminal jazz recordings of all time: Bill Evans Trio “Portrait In Jazz.” Lauded as the breakthrough studio recording for the artist Bill Evans himself, PIJ came to be after his last collaborations with Miles Davis [...] The post Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab releases Bill Evans Trio “Portrait In Jazz” numbered 45rpm UD1S Ultradisc appeared first on Dago...
- Sonore opticalRendu & Signature Rendu SE Optical Review | Part 126 June 2019, 2:21 pm
I've used products from Sonore for many years. These guys are always on the cutting edge and have the ability to turn on a dime, releasing a product most of the industry will copy in due time. With respect to product support I'd put Sonore right up there with the best, if not the best at resolving customer issues quickly and completely. Not only do these guys get it, in many respects they are it. Over the last couple years more hardware manufacturers have implemented Eth... - Sound Liaison - One Mic Recordings24 June 2019, 3:14 pm
While I have been an audiophile since the mid 1980’s, I did not make the leap to computer based audio until 2013. It was at that time that I purchased a Mac Book and a hard drive, downloaded Audirvana and began to rip my favorite CDs. I had plenty of experience with Theta Digital and still was using their Pro Basic III DAC and was happy with the sound, but was intrigued by the promise of high resolution audio. Surely, with the higher bit rate and sampling, high res files had to sound b... - Keeping It Simple - Finding Great Values In Great Sound20 June 2019, 4:36 pm
We’re spoiled rotten! Audiophiles have a wealth of riches at our beck and call, many of which deliver performance within a hard drive’s throw of the best you can get for far less than the cost of traditional top tier products. If you’re thoughtful, patient, and realistic, you can acquire the components of a wonderful computer-based audio system that provides 90+% of the sound quality and functionality of “the best” for about 10% of the cost. Just do ... - Videos: Coffee Talk With PS Audio's Scott McGowan, AXPONA 2019, A Lyft Driver & HiFi17 June 2019, 5:53 pm
Audiophile Style's Danny Kaey has a very busy day job with Apple and he actually has a life, unlike some of us who eat, sleep, and breathe HiFi. In other words, please excuse the late but much appreciated and unique video reports from Danny. Enjoy. ... - Neumann NDH20 Headphone Review12 June 2019, 3:18 pm
My previous headphone reviews here at Audiophile Style looked at two upper-tier consumer closed-back cans, the Sennheiser HD820 (U.S. MSRP of $2,399) and the Focal Elegia (U.S. MSRP of $900). A common theme in those reviews was the difficulty of crafting closed headphones that approach their open counterparts’ technicalities, with the Elegia doing so more successfully than the HD820. This review will take a look at a new, more affordable entrant into the audiophile closed back market: ...
- <I>IGOR</I>, Tyler, the Creator's True Masterpiece, is Essential Listening24 June 2019, 3:39 pm
Hours before its release, Tyler, the Creator tweeted a set of listening instructions to anxious fans about to hear his new magnum opus IGOR. “This is not Bastard. This is not Goblin. This is not Wolf. This is not Cherry Bomb. This is not Flower Boy. This is IGOR. Pronounced eee-gore. Don’t go into this expecting a rap album. Don’t go into this expecting any album. Just go, jump into it. I believe the first listen works best all the way through, no skips. Front to back. No distr... - Sumiko's Songbird is a New, Moderately Priced High Output Moving Coil Cartridge21 June 2019, 3:05 am
Any resemblance between Sumiko’s $899 “Songbird” high output moving coil cartridge and the rest of the Reference line’s “bird” cartridges—the $1249 Blackbird (available in both low and high output versions) and the new $1899 “open architecture” flagship Starling is strictly intentional. Sumiko has been in the cartridge business for decades and these are all made in the same reliably high-quality factory that I visited a few years ago. ... - "Aretha's Gold" Is Limited to 4000 Copies and Should Already Be Souled Out!18 June 2019, 10:46 pm
Mobile Fidelity's double 45rpm reissue of Aretha's Gold (originally issued in 1969 as Atlantic SD 8227) gets off to not such a great sonic start because though "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)" and "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man" are musical classics that belong at the head of the hits lineup, the Rick Hall engineered recordings at his Fame Record Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama pale in comparison to everything else in this molten set recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York City.Primar... - Ortofon MC Quintet Black S Follow-Up18 June 2019, 3:06 am
Though my initial February review of Ortofon’s $999 MC Quintet Black S cartridge was quite favorable, one part of my system wasn’t best optimized for the cartridge: the Rega RB330 tonearm’s lack of adjustability meant that my VTA was off by two degrees (90 degrees instead of the preferred 92-93). To combat this issue, AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer and I installed Acoustic Signature shims underneath the back of the Rega tonearm. However, with sufficient shims installed to ... - This Story Ran in The New York Daily News January 7th 19928 June 2019, 10:07 pm
The reporter called me "Mitchell" Fremer, and you might not recognize me in the photo taken 27 years ago, but the words will be familiar. I laid it all out in 1992 and I was correct! I had completely forgotten about this story and didn't even have a copy. I found it among my wife's aunt's papers....
- JBL’s mighty little tower speaker is a keeper - CNET22 June 2019, 1:57 pm
Don’t misjudge JBL’s Stage A 170 by its plain vanilla looks, it’s a little powerhouse!... - This digital converter sounds so good it might 'convert' LP-loving audiophiles - CNET22 June 2019, 1:47 pm
Denafrips may be a funny-sounding name for an audiophile electronics company, but its Ares digital converter’s sound is seriously great!... - FiiO’s new earbud looks and sounds more expensive than it is - CNET16 June 2019, 7:34 pm
FiiO’s hardly a newcomer to headphones, but their FH5 is miles ahead of what came before.... - Triangle’s pint-size speakers are high-end masters - CNET15 June 2019, 1:47 pm
The Audiophiliac’s ears-on review of the Triangle Esprit Titus EZ speakers.... - Wharfedale Linton Heritage: Old-school looks, new-school sound - CNET8 June 2019, 1:57 pm
Wharfedale updates its '70s Linton stand mount speaker with modern drivers and oodles of slam....
- Common Wave Hi-Fi, Harbeth | T.H.E. Show 201926 June 2019, 3:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile I last lived in Southern California in 2007, and it seems like there are so many new high-end audio stores that have cropped up in the LA area since I left–which is good news for the industry. Common Wave Hi-Fi, located right on E. 4th Street in Los Angeles, is a new name to me, but at T.H.E. Show 2019 they featured many brands that I know well such as Harbeth, Nagra, NAD and Shunyata. The folks at Common Wave Hi-Fi created something unique with their set-up at the sho... - Ric Harris, Open for Business | The Vinyl Anachronist26 June 2019, 9:00 am
Part-Time Audiophile Blues guitarist and singer Ric Harris has one of those gruff, weather-beaten voices that exemplify the genre. He sounds like he’s been on the road forever and a day, and that it probably takes him a long time to wake up in the morning because of everything that happened last night. Give him a couple of beers and his guitar, however, and he’s good to go–a regimen that’s suggested by the title of his new album Open for Business. While the voice reflects... - Joanna Duda, Keen | The Vinyl Anachronist25 June 2019, 9:00 am
Part-Time Audiophile Pianist Joanna Duda’s Keen (CD on Amazon) is described as “an electro-acoustic collage composed of long-maturing layers of prepared acoustics,” and that might prepare you somewhat for the sounds you are about to hear. I went in blind, or more accurately deaf, but I’ve listened to enough experimental music to know that the sky is the limit and there’s nothing that should prompt a provincial response such as “What is this supposed to be... - mbl Loudspeakers and Memory Lane | T.H.E. Show 201924 June 2019, 3:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile Walking into the mbl loudspeakers room at T.H.E. Show 2019 did bring back a lot of memories, back to the days when I first started exhibiting at high-end audio shows with Colleen Cardas for our erstwhile distribution company, CCI. We’d always find a reason to sneak away from our room so we could visit Jeremy Bryan, the president of mbl North America, and listen to one of his awesome systems. We always envied Jeremy–mbl gave him a large enough show budget to do ju... - Luca di Luzio, Globetrotter | The Vinyl Anachronist24 June 2019, 9:00 am
Part-Time Audiophile There’s a common theme among the last few jazz reviews I’ve written, and that’s geography–Peter Lin‘s Taiwan, Tuomo Uusitalo’s Finland, Marton Juhasz’s Hungary and Aikra Tana’s Japan. Guitarist Luca di Luzio isn’t shy about discussing the relationship between jazz and other parts of the world in his aptly named new album Globetrotter. Each of his original compositions pay tribute to his travels around the world as a jazz ...
- Nativ’s Vita is the complete high-end streaming package25 June 2019, 10:43 am
There is no shortage of music servers, streaming players, and other such devices on the market today. It’s a booming category which I’ve seen go from relative niche to mainstream in a rather short time – no surprise given that standard PC or Mac playback is necessarily limited by the […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private use only. Copyright... - Raspberry Pi 4 promises desktop performance from an SBC24 June 2019, 11:26 am
A new version of the Raspberry Pi small board computer (SBC), announced today, brings with it some hefty hardware changes whilst holding the asking price to US$35. Version 4 (Model B) of the world’s most well-known and widely adopted SBC kicks the processor specification up the stairs from the RPi […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private use only. Copyrig... - Radxa’s Rock Pi S as a $10 network streamer?23 June 2019, 10:09 am
SBC. Small board computer. The most well-known is the Raspberry Pi, deployed in the audiophile world as a network bridge that, with the appropriate operating system loaded onto its microSD card, adds Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, UPnP, Squeezebox and Airplay streaming functionality to any direct-connected DAC: Ethernet/WiFi in, USB out. […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permissio... - Global feedback: Audio show no go20 June 2019, 8:57 am
Audiophiles or hi-fi enthusiasts work a small societal niche where it is easy to forget that not all of us think or act the same way. We might assume that every audiophile worth his/her salt will have attended an audio show in the last ten years. Not so. Of this […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private use only. Copyright 2010-2018 · Darko.Audio ·... - Prize giveaway #10: Roon for your room19 June 2019, 8:41 am
I woke from a nightmare. I was sat, alone in a room, a pair of 2m-tall floorstanding loudspeakers bearing down on me with all the force of “Tin Pan Alley”; snaking from the car engine-sized monoblock amplifiers that internally flanked each loudspeaker were 2-inch thick power cords; sitting further back, […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private use o...
- Audio Solutions by Design debut Party—Toronto, ON23 June 2019, 2:31 pm
Situated next door to Toronto’s foremost high end store, American Sound of Canada, is the new boutique Audio Solutions by Design. The boutique is the brainchild of Angie Lisi, owner of both stores and purveyor of the best in high-end audio gear. Each year, Lisi has a late Spring party to celebrate and thank her customers and friends. I’m lucky to count as both. And each year, no matter where I’m living in the world, Angie invites me. Sure, twist my arm.... - Usher Audio S-520 Loudspeaker18 June 2019, 4:32 pm
Recently, I was in the market for a pair of new mini-monitor loudspeakers. A power amplifier malfunction damaged my last pair—both woofers of my KEF Cresta 1 mini speakers. The speakers were used primarily for my office system, powered by a vintage Harman Kardon 990Vxi receiver. I came across a loudspeaker, the Usher S-520 mini-monitor. I’d heard of the Usher brand and listened to one of their top floor-standing loudspeakers at a show but was no too familiar. I was not aware of... - Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 2—The L2 Phonostage Module)14 June 2019, 12:09 pm
It would be instructive before reading my thoughts about the L2 phono stage module to read the full line stage review of the Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier. Skinny audio seems to be all the rage these days. Fewer boxes, smaller boxes, fewer cables and a much lighter lifestyle footprint. While this trend can look the part and put a few more dollars in your pocket, the sound trade offs can be quite powerful. It’s why flying cars never took off, pardon the pun. Jacks of all tra... - Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier (Part 1—The Line Stage)7 June 2019, 12:49 pm
Oh my, what do we have here? A full featured preamplifier from Holden, Massachusetts’ Vinnie Rossi, replete with live easy modules for digital and vinyl. And it’s not only a standard tube preamp, but one of the few starring the grail of sonic tubes, the 300B. Gold plated and a matched pair, no less. As a good friend in the industry continues to say to me, ’there’s always room for a full featured preamp’. Full featured, yes, but the L2 Signature is far more th... - Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless30 May 2019, 5:11 pm
I’d like to thank Hummingbird Media and Katie Kailus in particular for getting me a set of PXC 550s so quickly. This enabled me to do a shootout of sorts with Master & Dynamic’s new MW65 wireless set and to use the Sennheisers in the ultimate torture test, flying on Air Canada’s Q400 from Victoria to Vancouver sitting between two howling Pratt and Whitney turboprops. They’d give a headache a headache. The short puddle jump was the opening flight before the much ...
- Spatial Audio M3 Triode Master + interview with designer Clayton Shaw15 March 2019, 4:01 am
Oliver Masciarotte spends time with the Spatial Audio M3 Triode Master open baffle speaker, and quizzes designer Clayton Shaw about his design choices. Oliver concludes: "The M3 Triode Master is a outstanding example of OB design; exacting imaging combined with broad uncolored off-axis coverage and an airy, expansive soundstage. It... lends itself nicely to rooms large and small."... - RME ADI-2 Pro : Modes and Audio Routing6 January 2019, 11:58 am
John Reekie takes a deep dive into the "modes" of the RME ADI-2 Pro. "The modes can be considered as a sort of shorthand that gets you close to a solution, which you can then tailor by adjusting parameters away from the default or automatic selections." He provides diagrams that illustrate the signal routing through the ADI-2 Pro in each mode, and also discusses clocking.... - Syncing a music library to a Droidisk (or PiDisk)14 December 2018, 6:26 pm
John Reekie goes all GUI to sync up his droidisk server with music files on a Mac or PC. Well, apart from installation on the ODroid or Raspberry Pi. Compared to his previous rsync-based method, this is "a better solution that is cross-platform, easier to set up, and more flexible."... - Audioengine A5+ Wireless Speakers9 December 2018, 3:24 pm
Patrick Dillon enjoys a change of pace with the Audioengine A5+ wireless speakers, trying them out both with bluetooth and wired via computer and external DAC. His conclusion? "I could envisage a pair of these serving as an almost one-stop audiophile rig, paired with whatever digital device you have. Throw in some stands and you could be rockin’ the joint and having personal late night sounds for comparative chump change in the audiophile universe."... - RME ADI-2 Pro : a Technical Overview29 July 2018, 4:00 pm
"I recently found myself intrigued by an interface from the pro-sound world, the RME ADI-2 Pro," writes John Reekie. This line-level convertor and audio interface is billed as RME's "reference" A/D and D/A convertor, but also has a solid complement of onboard processing, two powerful headphone amps, and technical performance good enough for use as a measurement front end....
- BenQ CinePrime HT5550 Ultra HD DLP Projector Review3 June 2019, 2:00 pm
BenQ isn’t just about compact value-oriented DLPs; witness the CinePrime HT5550 Ultra HD DLP Projector. It offers premium clarity from a single-chip light engine, 1800 ANSI lumens, HDR, DCI-P3 color, and generous lens shift at the very reasonable price of $2499. I’m checking it out today. The post BenQ CinePrime HT5550 Ultra HD DLP Projector Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Audio Research LS28 Triode Stereo Preamplifier Review29 May 2019, 2:00 pm
Audio Research as a company is half a century old, founded in 1970 by William Johnson. They are one of the pioneers in hi-fi equipment design. The post Audio Research LS28 Triode Stereo Preamplifier Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Vanatoo Transparent One Encore Powered Speaker Review28 May 2019, 2:00 pm
Vanatoo engineers Gary Gesellchen and Rick Kernen have recently updated their award-winning desktop speakers with a new powered model, the Transparent One Encore. It aims to be an affordable, high quality audiophile system that meets the needs of music enthusiasts with portability, a small footprint, big sound, and deep bass; combined with the ability to stream music from a computer or phone. Six years after the original Transparent Ones, the powered Vanatoo Transparent One Encore improves upon ... - VAVA 4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector Review22 May 2019, 2:00 pm
Today, I’ll be checking out VAVA’s 4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector. It projects an image up to 150 inches diagonal while sitting only 16.7 inches from the wall. It sports Ultra HD resolution courtesy of a pixel-shifted DLP chip with support for HDR. The post VAVA 4K Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Starke Sound Halo Elite 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System Review20 May 2019, 3:00 pm
Looking for a home theater speaker system that makes a statement in both the visual and aural sense? Then the fine folks at Starke Sound have an impressive looking system to tempt both your eyes and ears! The post Starke Sound Halo Elite 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com....
- Revel Performa M126Be Loudspeakers18 May 2019, 9:45 pm
The new Performa Be series of loudspeakers offers an upgrade from the well-received Performa3 series from Revel. The Be speakers feature the Revel’s latest beryllium tweeter that was first introduced more than a decade ago in the Ultima2 series. Revel is a member of the Harman International family of brands which includes Mark Levinson, JBL, Arcam, and Infinity. The Performa M126Be is a ported 2-way stand mount, AKA bookshelf speaker weighing a back-friendly 22 pounds, not including ... - Wyred 4 Sound ST-750LE Stereo Power Amplifier31 March 2019, 9:06 pm
The new Wyred 4 Sound ST-750LE stereo power amplifier sounds far above it's price class. The technology includes Wyred 4 Sound's proprietary input circuit that is similar to the one implemented in their '10 LP'-rated STP-SE Stage 2 preamplifier. This is followed by the latest IcePower amplifier module. The base price of the amplifier is $1599.00. The review sample is also equipped with the WBT speaker binding posts and Kimber TCX wire upgrade, a $250 option. From the Wyred 4 Sound Web site:"For ... - Ayre Acoustics VX-5 Twenty Stereo Power Amplifier17 February 2019, 9:00 pm
The Ayre VX-5 Twenty stereo power amplifier has been in production for about 5 years and followed the well-received V-5xe amplifier. The “Twenty” designation celebrates the Boulder, Colorado company’s 20 years in business. The excellent build quality and beautiful casework belies the amplifier’s recommended list price of $8950. The amplifier is fully-discrete, fully-balanced, and features a zero-feedback design. Other components on hand during the audition include a... - Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 II Loudspeaker27 January 2019, 9:13 pm
The Monitor Audio PL100 II is the smallest member of Monitor Audio’s top-level Platinum series. The PL100 was introduced in 2008 and the upgraded PL100 II model hit showrooms worldwide in 2016. The II version includes a single 6.5" RDT II mid-bass driver and MPD tweeter. “RDT II” is Monitor Audio’s second-generation midrange-woofer sporting a smooth concave cone. The ported Platinum PL100 II have beautiful, furniture-grade cabinets and have a list price of $5,795.00 per p... - Xavian Perla Esclusiva Loudspeakers11 November 2018, 10:00 pm
Xavian, a loudspeaker manufacturer in Prague, Czech Republic, contacted 10 Audio in June of this year inquiring about a review of their very new Perla Esclusiva two-way speaker. The Perla, the smallest model in the Natura product line, had recently been upgraded to the new Perla Esclusiva version. So here we are today, taking the first look – and listen – to a speaker from a company that should be on everyone’s radar. The name of the company comes from the Greek mythology. &ldq...
- Soulution Audio 325 preamplifier and 311 stereo power amplifier25 June 2019, 11:44 am
Much as there is lots to like about the products from the Swiss electronics firm Soulution Audio, there is a commonly held concern about the company’s bigger models: they are ‘bigger’! The top 701 mono power amplifier is more than half a metre wide and deep and weighs in at a fruity 75kg per channel. A complete 7-Series system also costs as much as a very well-specified 7-Series of the four-wheeled variety, and while Soulution’s 5-Series is smaller, lighter, and cheaper t... - Technics SL-1200GEG-S turntable, SU-G700E integrated amplifier, and SB-G90E loudspeakers25 June 2019, 10:50 am
It’s hard not to think about Technics without thinking about THAT turntable. Although the brand has a long and illustrious career in domestic audio (and home-grown ultra high-end in Japan), it’s the SL-1200-series direct drive turntable in all its guises that keeps getting all the attention. It’s perhaps little wonder then that when the model was deep-sixed a few years ago – and in the process freezing the Technics brand – such was the furore that the company revise... - Final Audio Design E5000 universal-fit earphones25 June 2019, 9:55 am
Final Audio Design has been known for over 30 years as a company unafraid to challenge the status quo in terms of what can be achieved at any given price level for audio components. Final is at it again with its new E5000 earphone, which is the flagship model in the firm’s value-minded E-series range. Priced at £219/$279 the E5000 looks, feels, and sounds like the culmination of years of fine-tuning. Everything about the E5000 conveys an elegant simplicity and quiet confidence, sugge... - HiFiMAN Shangri-La Junior electrostatic headphone and valve-driven amplifier18 June 2019, 11:05 am
Many audiophiles and music lovers dream of owning the best audio components, but don’t want to shell out as much as a luxury automobile to get them. While no-holds-barred systems advance the state of the art, they are out of the reach of most audiophiles and music enthusiasts. What I like to find are components that approach the state-of-the-art, but are much more affordable, like HiFiMAN’s amazing Shangri-La Junior electrostatic headphone system ($8,000 US, £7,998 UK). Electro... - Russell K Red 120 floorstanding loudspeaker18 June 2019, 11:00 am
Russell Kauffman has been in this industry for as long as I can remember; he has worked for Bowers & Wilkins, Morel, and was a regular on Paul Messenger’s legendary blind listening tests in the 1990s. But his role has generally been in sales and marketing, so it was with some surprise that I discovered the Russell K brand back in 2014. It seems that while in those meetings with engineers Russell was quietly absorbing a lot of what it takes to build a loudspeaker. He mentions Epos found...
- The Finite Capacity of Short-Term Memory or Why ABX Tests in HiFi Are Silly25 June 2019, 12:00 pm
Proponents of ABX testing in audio suggest, or insist depending on the person, that knowing what we are listening to when making comparisons makes any results invalid due to bias. In order to remove this [...]... - HiFi Bargains: Dynaudio Excite X14A Powered Speakers22 June 2019, 6:00 pm
Are you ever on the lookout for a hifi bargain? A real deal? A steal? From time to time just such beasts exist out there in the wild. You just have get a little adventurous [...]... - Computer Audio Is Dead. And Streaming Has Killed It.19 June 2019, 3:36 pm
Do you remember when computer audio was hard? When AudioStream launched in 2011, with yours truly as Editor, the world of computer audio was the wild west of hifi. Small, relatively unknown players could shake [...]... - Question: “Michael, What have you been listening to?”18 June 2019, 12:50 pm
Answer: above (and below). In Barn: Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Preamplifier & L2 Signature Monoblocks now equipped with the Elrog ER300B (B is for Beasts).... - HiFi Bargains: The Tannoy Reveal 402 Active Monitors15 June 2019, 12:00 pm
Are you ever on the lookout for a hifi bargain? A real deal? A steal? From time to time just such beasts exist out there in the wild. You just have get a little adventurous [...]...
- Review: Tortuga Audio’s LDR3.V25 Passive Preamp And TPB.V1 Tube Preamp Buffer7 June 2019, 10:51 pm
Review by Noam Bronstein Transparency – if there ever was an overused word in home hi-fi circles, this one might take top prize. But I’ve noticed a decline in its usage over the years, too. As electronics (and speakers) have improved over time, transparency has become a basic expectation: the days of euphonic and unresolving components is largely a thing of the past. In high-end circles, harmonic distortions today tend to be more a facet of room interactions, poor recordings, and oth... - Two Upcoming Tube Fest Articles4 May 2019, 7:31 pm
Two Upcoming Tube Fests by Steve Graham Tube Fest No. 1 A friend and I decided to sell off the majority of our collections of vintage and classic European tubes. Part of the process was educating our customers about the intertwined and labyrinthian nature of tube production in this golden age of tube making. It occurred to me that a primer on a pair of the most popular small-signal tubes would be of use. A soon to be posted article will be an introduction to the minutia of the ... - C.L.E.A.R. 834L: The Rejuvenation of an Esoteric Audio Research classic (Part 2)14 April 2019, 3:15 am
C.L.E.A.R. 834L: The Rejuvenation of an Esoteric Audio Research classic Part 2, by Steve Graham Modifying or rebuilding anything, be it a piece of classic stereo equipment or, perhaps, a classic car, will involve many value judgements and personal decisions. Some subtle, some not. No two audiophiles, or classic car buffs, departing from the same point, will finish in the same place. Be that as it may, this is my take on a cost-effective rejuvenation. I think I might have s... - Well-Rounded Sound’s MM2, MM6 Speakers, and MX BL Amp/DAC: An Education in Budget High Fidelity12 April 2019, 2:08 am
Review by Jon Eben Field I have to admit that I’m a sucker for low budget gear. Or perhaps I should add a caveat here and say, “I’m a sucker for low budget gear that sounds good.” Being an audiophile often entails spending a lot of time, energy, and, to be frank, money on high end electronics and speakers in pursuit of the ever elusive perfect sound. I should know. I have long since given up on the mental arithmetic required to evaluate the “value of my current syst... - CHE Files: CLEAR/EAR 834L (Or Is It An 834P..?)24 March 2019, 4:36 pm
The C/H/E Files (Classic/Heritage/Exotic): The C.L.E.A.R. 834L: Rescuing an Audio Classic Steve Graham rejuvenates a neglected EAR preamp. Part 1 of a 2-part series. Those familiar with the EAR-Yoshino marque will wonder if the C.L.E.A.R. 834L pictured above is a real EAR component. The answer is yes, basically. But first: Most audiophiles have heard of Esoteric Audio Research (EAR), the British hifi and recording equipment manufacturer. Like so many equipment manufacturers in the sp...
- T.H.E. Show 2019: Wrap up and Final Highlights24 June 2019, 4:41 pm
This was another show that put the human back into high-fidelity for me. How? For starters it was the more approachable size of the venue and the fact that I connected with so many old friends and met so many new ones. This hobby is like that – when you make a friend they stick.... - T.H.E. Show 2019: Scott Walker Audio with McIntosh Labs, Bowers & Wilkins21 June 2019, 6:12 pm
I’ve discovered over the years at hi-fi shows that there’s an inviolate gravitional pull into a room when you see the hosts are using gear you own.... - T.H.E. Show 2019: Audio Limits highlights Thrax and Weiss Engineering20 June 2019, 5:06 pm
Who doesn’t like big VU-type meters – regardless if they’re blue, green or white in this case.... - T.H.E. Show 2019: Vertere and Goldnote pit Digital vs Analog19 June 2019, 4:55 pm
Some demonstrations at hi-fi shows are politely interesting, some are confusing and some are eye (ear) opening. It all depends on your particular bent to sound and whether you’re open to having an open mind – not something many audiophiles I’ve encountered seem particularly interested in.... - T.H.E. Show 2019: Esoteric and Von Schweikert18 June 2019, 8:20 pm
Sometimes you walk into a room and you just know you’re going to be impressed by the sound of the high-fidelity equipment curated for listening....
- Hifiman Jade II Review26 June 2019, 11:48 am
Disclaimer: The Hifiman Jade II was sent to us as a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank Hifiman for this opportunity. To learn more about Hifiman product reviews on Headfonics you can click here. Before there was Hifiman, there was HE Audio and the original Jade. Now the original Jade was more of a […] The post Hifiman Jade II Review appeared first on Headfonics.... - CTM Da Vinci IX Review23 June 2019, 12:05 pm
Disclaimer: The Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci IX sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank the team at CTM for giving us this opportunity. To read more about Clear Tune Monitors products we reviewed on Headfonics, click here. This is the second of our Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci series […] The post CTM Da Vinci IX Review appeared first on Headfonics.... - RHA CL2 – First Contact22 June 2019, 1:05 pm
Disclaimer: The RHA CL2 was sent to us is a discounted sample in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank RHA for this opportunity. To learn more about RHA products on Headfonics you can click here. So the RHA CL2 arrived at HFS recently and we thought we give you a quick rundown of this […] The post RHA CL2 – First Contact appeared first on Headfonics.... - Cayin N6ii – First Contact21 June 2019, 11:28 am
$1299Musicteck USADisclaimer: The Cayin N6ii was sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank Cayin for this opportunity. To learn more about Cayin products on Headfonics you can click here. There is a gap. On the one side, you have the N5iis at around $499 that competes with the likes of […] The post Cayin N6ii – First Contact appeared first on Headfonics.... - Cowon Plenue D2 Review19 June 2019, 11:32 am
Disclaimer: The Cowon Plenue D2 sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. We thank the team at Cowon for giving us this opportunity. To read more about Cowon products we reviewed on Headfonics click here. Cowon has been in the game about as long as anyone still in it. In […] The post Cowon Plenue D2 Review appeared first on Headfonics....
- CanJam SoCal 2019: HyperX and Audeze24 June 2019, 5:22 pm
I stopped by the HyperX booth on Saturday mainly intending to take a break from more intensive listening, and found myself doing quite the opposite. ... - Canjam Socal 2019: Part One with Campfire Audio and the Kaldas Electrostatic23 June 2019, 5:42 pm
CanJam Socal 2019 really knows their audience – the show didn’t start until a leisurely 10 a.m. on Saturday, which seemed to go over pretty well with the attending crowd and exhibitors. ... - InnerFidelity Podcast No. 12 With Dan Wiggins of Periodic Audio23 June 2019, 12:24 am
Dan Wiggins of Periodic Audio has a deep pool of manufacturing knowledge to pull from. His latest company may specialize in single dynamic driver IEMs, but he has put his time in designing transducers behind the scenes – for companies big and small across the hobby.... - CanJam SoCal 2019 – What To Expect22 June 2019, 2:57 pm
One thing the headphone community has always done well is meets. From manufacturers who generously bring gear and fund the larger affairs, to show organizers and most importantly, the attendees, every meet I’ve been to has been friendly, fun and informative. ... - Drop T-X0 II Headphone available for Pre-order19 June 2019, 3:27 pm
The T-50rp headphones are something of a watershed product in the headphone market. While they’re best known for being a heavily modded headphone, it’s more the after-effects of the mods that have really shaped the community and many prominent companies. ...
- HyperX Cloud Orbit Gaming Headphones – CanJam SoCal 201925 June 2019, 9:05 pm
Baron Lee of HyperX was showing the Cloud Orbit ($299 USD) and Could Orbit S ($329 USD) gaming headphones that The post HyperX Cloud Orbit Gaming Headphones – CanJam SoCal 2019 appeared first on AudioHead.... - ZMF Headphones, Ampsandsound – CanJam SoCal 201925 June 2019, 8:13 pm
ZMF Audio was showing strong as usual at CanJam 2019. For example, the Aeolus and Veritae were shown in a The post ZMF Headphones, Ampsandsound – CanJam SoCal 2019 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Common Wave Hi-Fi, Harbeth, Nagra, Pear Audio Blue, Shunyata Research, NAD, TonTräger – T.H.E. SHOW 201924 June 2019, 4:09 pm
Common Wave Hi-Fi is a unique venture in that it is both an audio showroom and social listening space. Located The post Common Wave Hi-Fi, Harbeth, Nagra, Pear Audio Blue, Shunyata Research, NAD, TonTräger – T.H.E. SHOW 2019 appeared first on AudioHead.... - A New Electrostat Enters The Field Courtesy of Kaldas Research – CanJam SoCal 201923 June 2019, 3:42 pm
Kaldas Research is a private research and development company based in Mumbai, India. It was founded by Amukar Chandan, who The post A New Electrostat Enters The Field Courtesy of Kaldas Research – CanJam SoCal 2019 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Jomo Audio Launches New Gaming UIEM – CanJam SoCal 201923 June 2019, 3:31 pm
A headphone which launched in Hong Kong a little over two months ago, Jomo Audio’s new UIEM Game Raider (estimated The post Jomo Audio Launches New Gaming UIEM – CanJam SoCal 2019 appeared first on AudioHead....
- The PureAudio Labs LOTUS DAC 5 from Underwood Hifi26 June 2019, 5:00 am
The post The PureAudio Labs LOTUS DAC 5 from Underwood Hifi appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - The Meze Empyrean Flagship Headphones – You Can Have It All!26 June 2019, 1:04 am
The post The Meze Empyrean Flagship Headphones – You Can Have It All! appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - HIFIMAN INTRODUCES TWS600 BLUETOOTH EARPHONE WITH RECEPTION UP TO 150 METERS25 June 2019, 4:37 pm
The post HIFIMAN INTRODUCES TWS600 BLUETOOTH EARPHONE WITH RECEPTION UP TO 150 METERS appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - Campfire Audio Cascade Closed Backed Dynamic Headphone24 June 2019, 5:00 am
The post Campfire Audio Cascade Closed Backed Dynamic Headphone appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - Grado’s GH3 the Norwegian Wood Open Headphone Sensation!19 June 2019, 5:00 am
The post Grado’s GH3 the Norwegian Wood Open Headphone Sensation! appeared first on HeadPhone.guru....
- Mitchell & Johnson S800 CD Player – The Ideal Musical Maestro for the Brexit Era25 June 2019, 3:33 pm
New British-designed, British-made CD player flies the flag for hi-tech UK manufacturing mitchellandjohnson.com (£1,299) 25th June 2019, London: Mitchell & Johnson, the London-based hi-fi specialist, has formally launched the new S800 CD player, a (proudly) British-designed and manufactured disc-spinner that flies the flag for specialist UK manufacturing in the Brexit era. The new £1,299 player, […] The post Mitchell & Johnson S800 CD Player – The Ide... - HiFiMAN Introduces TWS600 Bluetooth Earphone with 150 Meters of Reception20 June 2019, 5:07 pm
CanJam SoCal 2019, Irvine Marriott, Irvine, CA, June 22 – 23 TWS600 Brings Outstanding Sonics and Maximum Bluetooth Reception to the True Wireless Market IRVINE, CA, June 20, 2019 – HIFIMAN, the leader in high fidelity personal audio, will soon deliver a new True Wireless® earbud that offers demonstrably improved sonics and Bluetooth reception compared […] The post HiFiMAN Introduces TWS600 Bluetooth Earphone with 150 Meters of Reception appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - High End Munich 2019 – The Best Sounds14 June 2019, 6:39 am
Until a month ago, I was a High End Munich virgin. I was told by veterans it was a show I couldn’t prepare for. I just had to absorb and enjoy. They weren’t wrong. There were hundreds of systems from the $500 to over $1 million range. It was absolutely MASSIVE. Fortunately, I was able […] The post High End Munich 2019 – The Best Sounds appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - T.H.E. Show 2019 – Demo Tracks10 June 2019, 5:44 pm
The post T.H.E. Show 2019 – Demo Tracks appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - T.H.E. Show 2019 – It’s a Wrap!9 June 2019, 3:43 am
We just spent a casual day at T.H.E Show 2019. Got some good listens in! If you’re going in for the third day, here are some of the rooms to look out for. Scott Walker Audio / Synergistic Research – Competitors vs. Synergistic Research Demo Synergistic Research is introducing their new 6N, air dielectric, Foundation […] The post T.H.E. Show 2019 – It’s a Wrap! appeared first on Audio Bacon....
- Dynaudio Music 7 – room-filling sound25 June 2019, 1:55 am
REVIEW: If convenience, portability and a big sound are a priority, look no further than the Dynaudio Music 7.... - BAT REX DAC – royal performance on demand12 June 2019, 11:33 pm
REVIEW: When nothing but the best will do and money is plentiful, the REX DAC from Balanced Audio Technology should be on your shopping list.... - Samsung releases four new Q Series soundbars11 June 2019, 2:45 am
NEWS: Samsung's Q Series soundbars strive to increase the appeal to those seeking convenience and performance in a compact package.... - Miyajima’s Saboten L cartridge has a cactus-spine cantilever6 June 2019, 11:11 pm
NEWS: Another exotic cartridge from a Japanese manufacturer who takes the organic path.... - Bellini and Donizetti enhance Audio Analogue’s Anniversary line6 June 2019, 11:48 am
NEWS: Audio Analogue takes it further up with its new pre-power combo....
- Yamaha HS-8 8″ Active Studio Monitor Speakers Reviewed25 June 2019, 11:47 am
If you can accommodate them, you’ll achieve excellent mixes which translate well to consumer devices and pro audio alike. The post Yamaha HS-8 8″ Active Studio Monitor Speakers Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Yamaha DSR 112/115/215/118W Active PA Loudspeakers Reviewed18 June 2019, 2:54 pm
Public address loudspeakers have remained aesthetically similar for decades and truth be told they’ve never been especially lightweight or portable. technological advancements, primarily in class D amplification, have at least reduced the racks of auxiliary equipment needed to run a speaker set to virtually zero. The post Yamaha DSR 112/115/215/118W Active PA Loudspeakers Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Thorens TD-150, Rebuild & Modification Part Four13 June 2019, 9:00 am
A tale of two turntables continues. In part 4 we’ll wrap up the series with some final observations, build notes and listening tests. The post Thorens TD-150, Rebuild & Modification Part Four appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Technics SL-1200G Review & Comparison With SL-1200GR10 June 2019, 11:05 am
Like the SP10 in the late ‘60s, the SL-1200G has raised the bar and set new performance standards that should redefine expectations for what high-end vinyl playback should be. The SL-1200G is a masterpiece. You owe it to yourself to hear one. The post Technics SL-1200G Review & Comparison With SL-1200GR appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Fyne Audio F301 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed29 May 2019, 9:55 am
when old Tannoy talent regroup and launch a new name and fresh ranges designed from the ground up, there is certainly reason to get excited. If this is what the company can produce on a budget, I look forward to auditioning their more upmarket models. The post Fyne Audio F301 Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal....
- Home Recording Studio Review!The Mojave Audio MA-50Transformerless Microphone:“Entry Level Condenser Is QuiteA Transparency Over Achiever!"14 June 2019, 9:28 pm
... - EAN Audiophile Review!The KLH Kendall Tower3-Way Loudspeaker“Making Mr. Kloss Proud"24 March 2019, 8:52 pm
... - Home Theater Review!Paradigm Defiance X12 Subwoofer“15-inch Driver PerformanceFrom A 12-inch Subwoofer”4 March 2019, 2:24 pm
... - Audiophile Review!McGary Audio SA 1Stereo Tube Amplifier"The Little Tube Amp That Can"14 December 2018, 11:52 pm
... - Audiophile Review!Benchmark HPA4Headphone Amplifier/Line-Stage Preamplifier:"Precision Volume, Pure Transparency"31 July 2018, 5:28 pm
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- Magnepan, Woodstock, and the moon landing have something in common26 June 2019, 10:45 am
... - Cynthia and four middle-aged audiophiles, what do they have in common?25 June 2019, 10:37 am
... - Denafrips game changing Ares DAC gets closer to analog bliss than most #audioreviews #audiophile24 June 2019, 10:42 am
... - Review: JBL’s mighty $500/pair tower wows the Audiophiliac23 June 2019, 11:53 am
... - What do musicians want their recordings to sound like?22 June 2019, 12:11 pm
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- REVIEW: KLIPSCH THE THREE WITH GOOGLE ASSISTANT SMART SPEAKER24 June 2019, 12:29 am
Sporting a striking retro-futurist design and stripped-back controls, this Klipsch mid-range wireless speaker is remarkably easy to live with.... - REVIEW: HESCHL AUDIO LABS HAL350 DAC AMPLIFIER20 June 2019, 2:58 am
Setting out to design, develop, and manufacturer a new amplifier today is much harder than you can imagine, especially when the market has thousands of excellent amplifiers already. What drives a person to create another one?... - REVIEW: MEZE AUDIO EMPYREAN PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONES20 June 2019, 12:22 am
You know how they say that you should never meet your heroes? Well, after a couple of brief encounters with the Meze Audio Empyrean headphones at shows it was time to invite a pair home. ... - BLU-RAY REVIEW: ALIEN 4K ULTRA HD4 June 2019, 1:37 am
While many things could be said about the now 40-year-old horror/sci-fi classic, perhaps most surprising is how well it’s stood the test of time.... - REVIEW: KEF R11 FLOOR STANDING LOUDSPEAKERS30 May 2019, 4:31 am
With the release of the next-generation R Series loudspeakers from KEF, we take a closer look at the R11 which is the flagship and largest of the three floor standing models in the series....
- Periodic Audio C (Carbon) IEM and Ni (Nickel) Headphone Amp In The House!-First Impressions And Unboxing Pics25 June 2019, 4:40 pm
Just got a pair of Periodic Audio’s new Flagship in-ear headphones, the $399 C (Carbon) IEM in the house, and I can’t wait to give these a real good listen. Periodic Audio basically only makes IEMs, (they do have the Nickel amp, which I also have) and their mission is to make the best sounding one continue reading... - Tranya T3 True Wireless Earbuds Review: The Best Earphones You’ve Never Heard Of!25 June 2019, 12:51 pm
It seems like it wasn’t that long ago when True Wireless Earbuds were hard to use, didn’t sound all that great, and cost a ton of money. Now if you do a search on Amazon for True Wireless Earphones, it seems like there are a million models from a million different companies, with many costing continue reading... - #MusicMonday: New Music Playlist Feat. Mr. Hudson + 10 Other Artists You Need To Hear!25 June 2019, 2:07 am
Here’s a #MusicMonday audiophile playlist of great sounding music you need to hear, including new music from Indie R&B Artist Mr. Hudson plus 10 other songs! (TIDAL Music Streaming below) ... - #NewMusicFriday…New Record Releases You Need To Hear feat. Earth, Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey + 10 Other Artists!22 June 2019, 3:05 am
Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!…here are my picks for this week, including a great new album from Earth, Wind, & Fire’s Philip Bailey + 10 more albums! (Play TIDAL streams below) Bonus: I had to add one more…this was continue reading... - TINHIFI T3 Dynamic Hybrid Driver In-Ear Earphones Review: Stunning Realism21 June 2019, 3:15 am
For the past year or so, Tin HIFI has won the heart of many a headphone enthusiast with their dual-dynamic earphones like the T2 and T2 Pro. Many people have raved about the natural, engaging sound and reasonable prices of these IEMs, but some also complained about the thinness of the cable and a lack continue reading...
- Core Power Tech under new ownership - Underwood HiFi purchases assets18 February 2019, 11:43 pm
... - Crutchfield offer remote listening test option17 February 2019, 3:07 am
... - McIntosh slimming down and looking good.15 February 2019, 1:45 pm
... - Auris new headphone amp invokes the muse14 February 2019, 3:03 pm
... - NYT Article explaining loudness war and music recording10 February 2019, 2:38 am
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- Klipsch Forte III Speakers22 May 2019, 4:23 am
Link to Specifications My first experience with attempting to fill a large space with sound from home speakers, was my neighbor’s rec room built in the mid-seventies. The room was approximately 30 x 30 with 18ft ceiling. The first time I entered the space Elton John’s anthem “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” was on the turntable. But no matter how far we pushed the volume, the room swallowed the sound. If only the Klipsch Forte III’s had been in t... - Pathos Classic One mk. III18 April 2019, 3:15 am
SpecificationsThe Pathos Classic One mk. III was one of those pieces that I always thought it would be amazing to have. I first heard Pathos audio at a friend’s house and it was honestly the first time I thought I could live without separates! The Pathos piece I heard was the Logos, it sounded amazing but I’m not crazy about that whole giant stereo amp thing. It is a very cool looking piece, as almost all of the Pathos gear is. About a year after that encounter I w... - Peachtree Audio nova15018 April 2019, 3:15 am
SpecificationsTypically, I firmly believe in the mantra "If it works great, don't screw with it". When I first heard that Peachtree Audio went all version 2.0 on the audio community I took pause. Their nova125 and 220SE integrated amplifiers impressed me to no end with a top notch pairing of build quality and musical performance. Other than at the end of the 220SE review that I wrote for TONEAudio wistfully asking for a phonostage , I thought Peachtree had created a holy grail. After spending so... - Cherry Amplifier Maraschino Desktop Mono Amplifiers18 April 2019, 2:22 am
SpecificationsIn the audio industry there are a handful hyper-driven designers/engineers that are truly advancing the industry. One of them is Tommy O'Brien, founder of Digital Amplifier Company. Along with Andrew Jones for speakers and Nelson Pass with solid-state amplification, O'Brien is the resident leader in class D amplification. Since 1996, he has been designing digital amplification topology from scratch. I first heard of the Cherry lineup of amplifiers a decade ago thru one of my ... - Audioengine B2 Wireless Speaker4 March 2019, 5:29 am
This review originally appeared on Small Spaces Audio, which we have merged into Audio>Pursuit.Link to specificationsBluetooth. The word conjures up mixed responses from audiophiles, some of them deserving in a negative sense, especially early on, when the sound quality was equal to that of a bad 128 mp3 recording. However, with aptX codec things have changed. Pleasant-sounding audio is possible. No, it won’t replace your man cave two-channel monster. But when you want music in a ...
- Vinyl Review: John Coltrane – Coltrane’s Sound (ORG Music, 180g, 45RPM)11 June 2018, 1:25 am
Sound: 7.2 Pressing/packaging: 9.2 Value: 8.4 ORG Music reissue released in 2014. 180g vinyl, 45RPM, 2LP, limited edition, numbered. Catalog Number: ORGM-1091. Mastered by Bernie Grundman. Pressed by Pallas in Germany. UPC: 711574708413. MSRP: $49. Buy on Amazon.com Introduction This LP was originally released by Atlantic Records in 1964. It consists of tracks recorded in […]... - Vinyl Review: Chopin – Polonaises Nos. 1-7, Maurizio Pollini (Deutsche Grammophon 180g)3 June 2018, 7:08 pm
Sound: 7.6 Pressing: 7.4 Value: 5.0 Deutsche Grammophon reissue released in 2016. 180g vinyl. Catalog Number: 479 6653. UPC: 028947966531. MSRP: $23. Buy on Amazon.com Introduction I’ve been on a Chopin rampage lately (if such a thing could ever exist). As far as solo piano works go, I spin Chopin more than any other composer. […]... - Vinyl Review: Sibelius – Violin Concerto, Oistrakh, Ormandy, Philadelphia Orch (Speakers Corner 180g)2 April 2018, 2:35 am
Sound: 8.8 Pressing: 8.4 Value: 9.0 Speakers Corner reissue released in 2017. 180g vinyl. Catalog Number: Columbia MS 6157. UPC: 4260019715333. MSRP: $35. Buy on Amazon.com Introduction Speakers Corner is mining the Columbia vaults for early stereo gems, of which this title is one. There are some legendary titles and performances from that era, but […]... - Vinyl Review: Ornette Coleman – The Shape of Jazz to Come (ORG Music, 180g, 45RPM)15 March 2018, 2:45 am
Sound: 9.8 Pressing: 3.5 Value: 8.5 ORG Music reissue released in 2013. 180g vinyl, 45RPM, 2LP. Catalog Number: ORGM-1081. Mastered by Bernie Grundman. Pressed by Pallas in Germany. UPC: 711574707218. MSRP: $49. Buy on Amazon.com Introduction Much has been said about this, Ornette Coleman’s shot across the bow of jazz as it was known in […]... - Vinyl Review: Stravinsky – The Firebird, Dorati, LSO (Speakers Corner 180g)4 March 2018, 3:15 am
Sound: 9.2 Pressing/Packaging: 9.4 Value: 9.7 Speakers Corner reissue released in 2008. 180g vinyl. Catalog Number: Mercury SR90226. UPC: 4260019714978. MSRP: $35. Buy on Amazon.com Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete). London Symphony Orchestra. Antal Dorati, conductor. Introduction As per our review philosophy, we focus reviews here exclusively on sound quality. Lots of analysis out there […]...