- Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature loudspeaker24 November 2020, 5:26 pm
Back in June 1994, I reviewed the Bowers & Wilkins John Bowers Silver Signature standmounted loudspeaker. This speaker cost a breathtaking $8000/pair at that time, and I subsequently bought the review samples and their matching slate stands. It was the best-sounding speaker I had used in my Santa Fe listening room: When the company's then-owner, Robert Trunz, visited me a couple of years later, he told me that he hadn't realized how good the Silver Signatures could sound. But after I moved t...
- Something's Coming23 November 2020, 10:26 pm
So, what's "this thing of ours"? I'm only half-kidding. High-end audio is deadly serious for many passionate audiophiles. Some measurement types defend their turf without thought—without mercy—and often deride subjectivists, like me, who believe if you like what you hear, then that's what counts, enjoy. Objectivists say if you can't measure it, then it doesn't exist. Well, goes the retort, you don't know what to measure, your instruments aren't refined enough, and on and on. The strug... - Stereophile's Products of 202020 November 2020, 7:46 pm
This is Stereophile's 29th Product of the Year issue; the first appeared in 1992. That was the year I finished grad school. It seems like a long time ago. That year, the Loudspeaker of the Year was the $14,000/pair Sonus Faber Extrema. The winning digital source was the legendary Mark Levinson No.30 DAC—also approximately $14,000. JA later bought one, upgraded to 30.5, then to 30.6 status. He still has it.Fri, 11/20/2020... - Recording of December 2020: <I>Christmas Vibes</I>19 November 2020, 6:30 pm
Warren Wolf: Christmas Vibes Warren Wolf, vibraphone, piano, Fender Rhodes, wind chimes, tambourine, Logic Pro X digital audio workstation; Jeff Reed, acoustic and electric bass; Carroll "CV" Dashiell III, drums; Christie Dashiell, Allison Bordlemay, Micah Smith, vocals. Mack Avenue MAC1183 (CD, also available as download). 2020. Warren Wolf, prod.; Jeff Gruber, eng. Performance **** Sonics **** Only 12 albums a year get to be Recordings of the Month in Stereophile, and only a few are jazz. Ty... - An argument for measurements18 November 2020, 7:30 pm
In my early years of writing about audio (footnote 1), I was known—to the extent that I was known at all—as something of an objectivist. I was, after all, working as an editor at a leading science journal at the time, just a few years out from a brief career as an actual scientist, still in recovery from the physics PhD I'd earned a decade or so before. Wed, 11/18/2020...
- Dynaudio Launches New Limited-Edition Heritage Special24 November 2020, 10:26 pm
Skanderborg, Denmark | November, 2020 - Dynaudio has launched its new, limited-edition Heritage Special passive stand-mount loudspeakers – handmade from top to bottom, inside and out, at its headquarters in Denmark. Started as an ‘off-the-radar’ project and developed under top-secret conditions at Dynaudio Labs, it’s now ready to be unveiled. Heritage Special is a tribute to some of Dynaudio’s most legendary speakers – including Crafft, Contour 1, Special Twen... - Air Tight ATM-300R Power Amplifier23 November 2020, 6:20 pm
In the past 50 years, I can’t think of another power triode that has garnered a greater reverent following than the Western Electric (WE) 300B, to the point of being regarded in some audiophile circles as a virtual audio goddess. Its initial use, starting in the late 1930s, was limited to cinema amplifiers such as the single-ended WE 91A/B. The WE 300B never crossed over to mainstream hi-fi applications in the 50s and 60s due to the advent of higher-power-rated beam tetrode and pentode tub... - 2020 Golden Ear Awards: Robert E. Greene20 November 2020, 1:11 pm
High Resolution Technologies Stage IV Loudspeaker/Amplifier System $7000 (as reviewed) And now for something else entirely different from ordinary speakers. The modular HRT Stage IV review system consisted of twelve mid/bass drivers (each channel!) arranged in a rectangle with a four tweeter sub-array running vertically down the approximate middle. (Four mid/basses in two columns to one side, eight to the other side in two columns of four. The system is modular, allowing you to choose the number... - Sonus faber Olympica Nova III Loudspeaker19 November 2020, 7:40 pm
It’s a ritual that plays out every time loudspeakers arrive here for review. After they’ve been unboxed, roughly positioned, and are breaking in with Flim & the BB’s set to infinite repeat, I’ll ask my wife for an opinion regarding their appearance. For 40 years, she’s been the arbiter of what’s attractive and what isn’t in all save one room of our home—the one with the audio system. Though there have been a few exceptions—the JWM Alyson ... - Clarus Releases USB-DAC With Headphone Amplifier18 November 2020, 4:11 pm
The following is a press release issued by Clarus. November 2020 — Clarus® is excited to announce the release of CODA, a new USB DAC with Headphone Amplifier that includes an MQA renderer. The CODA features the latest in USB-DAC technology that provides ultra-low distortion, more detail, greater dynamics, and a bigger sound stage. Designed to be used with a smartphone, tablet or computer, the CODA has a 2-button volume control and a choice of three roll-off filters. The heart of the Cl...
- Happy Holidays! Great Audiophile Gift 2020 Special Edition25 November 2020, 3:24 am
EnjoyTheMusic.com proudly presents our 15th annual Great Audiophile Gift recommendations! We all love gifts, yet getting that something special for an audiophile can be quite a challenge. Enjoy the Music.com's annual Great Audiophile Gift wish list brings you some truly spectacular ideas for music lovers. There are so many wonderful products we recommend! All recommended gifts this year are very reasonably priced too! We have gifts that will make your vinyl junkie smile, plus a few surprised alo... - Review: Core Power Technologies A/V USBe Perfect24 November 2020, 12:13 pm
My power conditioner is an EQUI=CORE 300 by Core Power Technologies. Some time ago, the company's assets were acquired and renamed Core Power Technologies A/V by web-based audio retailer Underwood HiFi of Hawaii. Underwood HiFi also designs and performs upgrades to components. The device under evaluation is a USB jitter reducer / power conditioner called the USBe Perfect. That USB is a less than desirable method for the transfer of music files is no longer up for discussion. Nevertheless, my pre... - Join EnjoyTheMusic.com On Social Media23 November 2020, 12:32 pm
EnjoyTheMusic.com's audiophile industry and music news page is on vacation until December 1 as we prepare for the holiday season. Our daily social media updates feature great gear and reviews, so be sure to join our Facebook and Instagram pages.... - Support EnjoyTheMusic.com Via Amazon21 November 2020, 3:55 pm
For the past 25 years EnjoyTheMusic.com has gladly provided hundreds of audiophile show reports, thousands of gear reviews, plus daily industry and music news. Please help support EnjoyTheMusic.com via our affiliate account at Amazon. Remember to bookmark this link and use every time you shop on Amazon. Many thanks, we truly appreciate it. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... Enjoy the Music!... - 10 Questions Featuring Chris Sommovigo, Designer And Engineer At Stereolab20 November 2020, 1:47 pm
This month we're featuring Chris Sommovigo, Designer And Engineer At Stereolab. In 1992 Chris Sommovigo introduced to the world the first truly precision-made 75 Ohm digital coaxial cable under the brand name ILLUMINATI, and has since designed more than a dozen other digital cables for the market – either for the Illuminati brand, for Stereovox, or for other brands (such as Kimber Kable and i2Digital). His digital cable designs remain among the most sought after and popular designs in the ...
- REVIEW: Pro Audio BonoPAB CERAMIC 60 SN | anti-vibration feet POLAND31 October 2020, 11:00 pm
Review Text: Wojciech Pacuła Images: Wojciech Pacuła No 198 November 1, 2020 PREMIERE ⌈ PRO AUDIO BONO is a Polish audio company specializing in anti-vibration products - feet, platforms, stands and racks. Unlike most companies of this type, it has developed its own solutions, certified by patents. The company was founded in 2010 and this year we are celebrating its 10th anniversary. We are testing the new PAB ceramic 60 SN anti-vibration feet. ⌋ AB ceram... - INTERVIEW | The editors series |#30|: DAVID CLARK , “Positive Feedback” | MANAGING EDITOR USA31 October 2020, 11:00 pm
INTERVIEW Interviewer: Wojciech Pacuła Images: David Clark No 198 November 1, 2020 ⌈ “POSITIVE FEEDBACK” is an American audio magazine. From 1990 to 2002 it had been printed, but then it started to be published online only; it is one of the oldest and largest online audio magazines in the world. We are talking to one of its founders, DAVE CLARK. ⌋ ⸤ Dave Clark and Carol Clark in their listening room hen I interviewed David Robinson, Editor ... - REVIEW: Thöress EHT Mono | power amplifier | monoblock GERMANY31 October 2020, 11:00 pm
Review Text: Wojciech Pacuła Images: Piksel Studio | Wojciech Pacuła No 198 November 1, 2020 ⌈ hybryd 1. a thing made by combining two different elements; 2. in biology: the offspring of two plants or animals of different species or varieties; 3. a mythical creature being a combination of existing animal, such as griffin; […] Słownik Języka Polskiego PWN, accessed: 6.10.2020 ⌋ f there was an award in audio that would be given to products... - REVIEW: Pilium Audio DIVINE LINE LEONIDAS | integrated amplifier GREECE31 October 2020, 11:00 pm
Review Text: Wojciech Pacuła Images: Pilium Audio | Wojciech Pacuła No 198 November 1, 2020 ⌈ Founded in 2012, PILIUM AUDIO, owned by KONSTANTINOS PILIOS, „designs and manufactures state-of-the-art audio components of the highest quality, handcrafted to meet the highest quality standards" (so- urce: press release). It has its headquarters in Bulgaria. ⌋ o understand why we planned to test two products, the Achilles power amplifier and the Ares preamp... - REVIEW: Ayon Audio CD-35 II Signature | Compact Disc Player AUSTRIA31 October 2020, 11:00 pm
Review Text: Wojciech Pacuła Images: Wojciech Pacuła No 198 November 1, 2020 PREMIERE ⌈ AYON AUDIO is a manufacturer specialized in expensive and very expensive audio components: amplifiers, digital sources and loudspeakers with its headquarters based in Austrian Gratkorn. We have been using their Spheris linestage for several years in the „High Fidelity” reference system, and for a bit shorter time also their CD-35 High Fidelity Edition SACD Player. Th...
- Rachel Podger's Joyful Ventures With Bach24 November 2020, 9:40 pm
Rachel Podger is a joyful music maker, regardless of her choice of composers. And she is one of the best artists performing today on baroque violin and within the world of period instrument performance generally with her Brecon Baroque ensemble. I wrote enthusiastically about Podger and Brecon Baroque in my article about Channel Classics and the... Read More »... - Impressions: The Warwick Acoustics Aperio Reference Headphone Amp/Preamp and DAC24 November 2020, 9:34 pm
...with comments on the Synergistic Research MiG SX Isolation Feet. This is a story long in the coming. Long, long, long. Ye Olde Editor in contemplative mode, Happy Valley, OR, 2017… (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by David W. Robinson) By way of backstory… You see, I've been following Warwick Acoustics and its predecessor... Read More »... - Top 500 SuperSonic List - Part 2424 November 2020, 5:03 pm
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 156. Jackie McLean, It's Time!. Blue Note – BST 84179 (1965), Tone Poet Series – B0031655-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop, post bop, free jazz leanings. Previously I had suggested that Tone Poet's remastering of Wayne Shorter's excellent Etcetera (Blue Note LT-1056, B0029357-01) pretty much... Read More »... - New Product: Alluxity Power Two23 November 2020, 5:47 pm
9 November, 2020; Englewood, CO – Monarch Systems Distribution is happy to announce the immediate release and availability of the new Power Two stereo amplifier from Alluxity. The Power Two has a US MSRP of $7,800. The third solid-state power amplifier from Alluxity, the Power Two produces 200W into 8 ohms and 400W into 4... Read More »... - Dynaudio launches the new limited-edition Heritage Special23 November 2020, 5:42 pm
Authentic premium Danish hi-fi, handmade with love in Skanderborg Skanderborg, Denmark – 19th November, 2020 Dynaudio has launched its new, limited-edition Heritage Special passive stand-mount loudspeakers – handmade from top to bottom, inside and out, at its headquarters in Denmark. Started as an ‘off-the-radar’ project and developed under top-secret conditions at Dynaudio Labs, it’s now... Read More »...
- Andover Audio Songbird Hi-Res Music Streamer – First Look16 October 2020, 6:35 pm
Life is good. I’ve got my head under the hood of my car, changing radiator hoses, and I’m streaming my favorite tunes (in this case about 4 hours of XTC, spanning the entire catalog) on my old Marantz 2220B receiver on top of my tool box. I’m in my happy place, thanks to the Andover [...]... - The PrimaLuna ProLogue One Integrated13 October 2020, 7:21 am
Who knew that almost 20 years ago that this cool little tube amplifier would change my life? My first assignment for The Absolute Sound was supposed to be a NAD integrated amplifier. But the day I got my copy of Stereophile in the mail with the ProLogue One you see here on the cover, I thought that might [...]... - DS Audio’s assault on high end analog12 October 2020, 4:55 pm
Japanese cartridge manufacturer DS Audio has just raised the bar significantly on their optical phono cartridge platform. We’ve reviewed a couple of their cartridges in the past, along with their own proprietary equalizer (necessary for use with an optical cartridge) to great result. Both Richard Mak, our resident analog master and our publisher found the [...]... - Monster integrated from McIntosh – the MA120009 October 2020, 5:36 pm
Today, McIntosh announces their mighty MA12000 integrated amplifier. The MSRP is $14,000, and if you’ve got a shelf capable of holding it, this looks to be a fantastic product. Blazing a trail started with the MA252, and MA352, the MA12000 offers a full set of the features you’ve come to enjoy from McIntosh. The giant, [...]... - Rotel’s A11 Tribute Integrated Amplifier8 October 2020, 5:50 pm
We’ve just received the new A11 Tribute from Rotel, aptly named as this project was initially designed with the late, legendary audio designer Ken Ishiwata. One of the most influential designers in audio’s history, Ishiwata was equally famous for taking components that he felt “had extra potential,” and reworking them to his liking. The results [...]...
- KEF LS50 Meta Loudspeakers15 November 2020, 5:00 am
Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. KEF’s new LS50 Meta loudspeaker was released in October and sells for $1499.99/pair -- the same price the LS50, which it replaces, sold for in 2012. (All prices USD.) I was in Munich that May, at High End 2012, when the LS50 was announced; I reviewed the speaker in April 2013, and I’ve owned a pair ever since. ... - Recommended Reference Component: Beyerdynamic T5 (3rd Generation) Headphones1 November 2020, 4:00 am
On October 1, for SoundStage! Solo, Brent Butterworth reviewed Beyerdynamic’s T5 headphones. He wanted to review this model, a closed-back design now in its third generation, for several reasons, one of which was: “So much attention in the audiophile headphone biz is devoted to relatively young companies, such as Audeze, Dan Clark Audio, and HiFiMan, that we tend to overlook the three German brands -- AKG, Beyerdynamic, and Sennheiser -- that were making good headphones before the fo... - Listening More . . . and Enjoying It More1 November 2020, 4:00 am
At first, I thought that reports of a slight upswing in hi-fi sales might be wishful thinking. If there was any discernible upward blip, it could only be attributed to people rediscovering their sound systems, due entirely to being stuck at home. Along with all manner of neglected pursuits, all those hobbies savaged by iPads and Kindles and Xboxes and PlayStations, interest in hi-fi has increased along with board games, jigsaw puzzles, model aircraft and car building, Lego, home-baking, and the ... - Vimberg Amea Loudspeakers1 November 2020, 4:00 am
Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. Vimberg, founded in 2018, is a brand of Tidal Audio GmbH, a German company founded two decades ago. Vimberg was created to offer loudspeakers that share the Tidal DNA, but not the Tidal models’ very high prices. The Vimberg website explains their relationship with Tidal: their speakers are made by “the same people with the same engineering skills, the same ‘we... - The Purifi Puzzle, Part Two: The Measured Performance of the SPK5 Loudspeaker1 November 2020, 4:00 am
So far, I’ve written four articles about Denmark’s Purifi Audio and their products. The first, “Audio Video Show 2019: Coffee with Peter Lyngdorf,” was published in November 2019 on SoundStage! Global, while I was attending the annual show in Warsaw, Poland. That conversation with hi-fi entrepreneur Lyngdorf was when I first got intrigued about his new venture, Purifi Audio, and the company’s products. ...
- Wolf Audio Systems Announces Luna R High Fidelity Audio Servers24 November 2020, 5:14 pm
The following is a press release from Wolf Audio Systems. JACKSONVILLE, FL, November 24, 2020 — Wolf Audio Systems, a company dedicated to providing the ultimate in digital music source components today announced the introduction of its Luna R Audio Server, created to deliver the finest-available high-resolution and streaming audio playback. Leveraging technology and infrastructure developed for [...] The post Wolf Audio Systems Announces Luna R High Fidelity Audio Servers appear... - New Album Releases Project 2020-11-2323 November 2020, 6:48 pm
And then there were … Liner Notes A slow week, picking up at the end, just.So I’m going to load up with bullet points, the ones that got me thinking and re-listening, particularly the ones in boldface. Cotatcha Orchestra – Bigbandová elektronika Jonas Kaufmann – It’s Christmas! Mari Kodama & Matt Haimovitz – Mon ami, [...] The post New Album Releases Project 2020-11-23 appeared first on Dagogo.... - Hong Kong: A License to Thrill, Part 1 – From Hong Kong with Love.18 November 2020, 7:38 pm
Every Day an Audio Show “Hey Richard, will you be attending the California Audio Show in California this summer?” “Sure. Are you going?” I reply. “Yes. I have saved up for the air and hotel and am excited to hear all those brands I read about in the press. The hotel is booked and the [...] The post Hong Kong: A License to Thrill, Part 1 – From Hong Kong with Love. appeared first on Dagogo.... - Wells Audio Cipher Tube DAC Review16 November 2020, 9:41 pm
Occasionally I look on YouTube to see what Ken Block of Hoonigan fame is doing. I harbor a fantasy of driving such vehicles, without the degree of risk, of course! The latest video showed him piloting a “hooned” Ford Mustang Mach-E. It’s a ferocious version of the electric car of the same name. I [...] The post Wells Audio Cipher Tube DAC Review appeared first on Dagogo.... - New Album Releases Project 2020-11-1616 November 2020, 6:19 pm
And then there were … Liner Notes This week so many BANGERS in both NARP sections, so do take notice and be prepared to take some excursions of both the heart and mind. To say that classical music as we know it in the 20th and 21st centuries couldn’t be the same without Nadia Boulanger [...] The post New Album Releases Project 2020-11-16 appeared first on Dagogo....
- Review | Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX - Part 1, The Build24 November 2020, 6:55 pm
Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX | Part 1, The Build - Danny Kaey Preface When it became clear that Wilson Audio’s Chronosonic XVX loudspeaker system was going to happen, epiphanies swirled around my head: given that this is Wilson Audio’s defacto flagship speaker (let’s leave WAMMs limited production run of 70 pairs out of the discussion), the creme de la creme, la bombe surprise, why then shoul... - Review | Buchardt Audio A500 Speaker System19 November 2020, 4:20 pm
Buchardt Audio A500 Speaker System 45 days and counting... September 25th, 2020 #FutureFi I have been on a multi-year quest for simplicity in audio systems around my home. Recently I have mostly been listening to the Kii Three speakers with the BXT modules. The Kii speakers are an incredible system, but they are out of most "normal budgets." I have been looking for something simpler and more in-line with p... - UPDATE: Amazon Music HD Is Still Lossy*16 November 2020, 7:49 pm
Last month I wrote about Amazon's issues with streaming lossless audio (link). The company advertises high definition, yet doesn't offer lossless CD or HD audio. At the encouragement of a few Audiophile Style readers, I obtained a Bluesound Node 2i for testing. The Node 2i enabled me to test streaming from Amazon without using any of Amazon's applications for Windows, macOS, or iOS. The audio routs from Amazon's servers, through the Bluesound Node 2i's coaxial digital output and in... - Review | McIntosh RS200 Wireless Speaker13 November 2020, 3:56 pm
The McIntosh RS200 wireless loudspeaker system has been in my house for a few months, getting a full workout from me, my wife, and eight year old daughter. Each of us has a completely different routine for playing music through this all-in-one device and each of us have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this speaker. The RS200 checks many boxes on my list of what makes a great all-in-one unit, although it has its share of possible downsides depending on one's use case. ... - The Value Proposition In Audio: Voice Control For Audiophiles (You Can't Buy Too Soon - You Can Only Sell Too Late)10 November 2020, 6:35 pm
THE VALUE PROPOSITION IN AUDIO: VOICE CONTROL FOR AUDIOPHILES (YOU CAN’T BUY TOO SOON – YOU CAN ONLY SELL TOO LATE) I‘M AN OLD DOG – I CAN SPOT AN OLD TRICK A MILE AWAY For me to write an intelligent and useful article on the subject, I thought it was important to understand the AS community’s thoughts, attitudes, wants, needs, and turn-offs about voice c...
- Some of My Best Sounding Records Discussed In These Ken Micallef Produced and Edited Videos19 November 2020, 6:22 pm
Stereophile reviewer Ken Micallef visited (mask on) recently to pick up a turntable for review. He asked if I'd do a video with him showing some of my best sounding records. I agreed and picked a bunch out that I show in these three videos shot during his visit.... - SME Introduces New Model 6 Turntable With M2-9 Arm19 November 2020, 5:34 pm
From the press release: "The Model 6 brings the legendary SME engineering excellence and craftsmanship to a wider audience than ever before. The turntable chassis is CNC-machined from a high density polymer resin, providing high mass with a small footprint; the result is superb resonance absorption and the musical, dynamic sound quality for which SME is famous.... - Smetana's "Má Vlast" Direct-to-Disc Produces A Sonic and Musical Spectacular17 November 2020, 10:16 pm
“I have to admit that this (D2D) recording technique was completely unknown to me before. When I ultimately realized what it entailed, I had mixed feelings at first.” So admitted Jakub Hrusa, the Bamberg Symphony’s 39 year old Czech-born conductor who joined the orchestra in 2016. Based on the stunning musical and sonic results it was well worth whatever trepidation resulted from the decision to proceed with the recording of Czech-born Bedrich Smetana, which took place July 2t... - High End Munich Moves Show Dates To September 202117 November 2020, 3:33 pm
High End Press Release: Good news for the HIGH END 2021: the audio show, which was planned to take place in mid-May, has now been moved to the late summer, namely from 9th to 12th September 2021. By choosing these later dates, the organiser of the event, the HIGH END SOCIETY SERVICE GmbH, is taking a huge step towards a successful relaunch of the trade show and also increasing planning reliability for all parties involved.... - “The New Orleans Collection”— Newvelle’s Crescent City Excellent Adventure15 November 2020, 11:54 pm
In mid-January, 2020—just as the Covid-19 pandemic began its stealthy American death grip— the subscription based vinyl-only Newvelle Records embarked on an ambitious four LP New Orleans recording project at spacious Esplanade Studios, formerly the Third Presbyterian Church in the Treme neighborhood, destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina....
- Steve drinks some wine, and music sounds better + More Stuff!25 November 2020, 12:00 pm
... - Is your system perfectly matched to your music?23 November 2020, 12:00 pm
... - LEAK Stereo 130 integrated amp, wow, wow, wow!21 November 2020, 12:00 pm
... - How to improve your system's stereo imaging -- Hint -- Center focus is key19 November 2020, 12:00 pm
... - LPs vs. streaming, what sounds best?17 November 2020, 12:00 pm
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- Matt DeMerritt, Fool’s Journey | The Vinyl Anachronist24 November 2020, 6:30 pm
It’s strange how music and the visual arts can bounce off each other, creating new echoes. Vincent Van Gogh has been my favorite artist for quite some time, ever since hundreds of his works toured the US back in 1999. My two favorite paintings? Wheatfield with Crows and Starry Night. Over the last couple of weeks, however, Van Gogh’s position on the top of the mountain has been threatened by Guadalajara-based artist Sergio Bustamante. In the middle of this turmoil, I listened to Matt... - Linear Tube Audio Announces Upgrades to Flagship MicroZOTL Preamplifier23 November 2020, 10:00 am
Linear Tube Audio (LTA) announces upgrades to their flagship MicroZOTL Preamplifier. Though the base model price stays the same, the upgrades do offer greater sonics and functionality via the new gain control. Our own Marc Phillips was dazzled by Linear Tube Audio’s ZOTL40 MicroZOTL Preamp, which he reviewed HERE recently at the beginning of the summer. It’s quite the in-depth review, and as with all LTA products, they photography just doesn’t do the beauty of them justice. Pre... - The Music List: Is It Really Necessary? | The Vinyl Anachronist22 November 2020, 10:00 am
A few weeks ago, I found myself editing an equipment review and I got to that section. You know the section, the one where the reviewer gathers up copious notes on the music used during the review and condenses it into a survey of sorts. I call it the Music List. In this particular case, the Music List went on and on and eventually became the largest section in the review. I asked myself an important question—do we really need all this? Is it necessary to discuss the fabled drum solo by St... - Vimberg Amea Loudspeakers | REVIEW20 November 2020, 10:00 am
The Vimberg Amea (website) loudspeaker is a two-way, stand-mounted loudspeaker. I’m bringing this up first for a very good reason. When I first arrived at the front door of the Part-Time Audiophile headquarters more than two years ago, Scot Hull asked me what I wanted to review. The first thing out of my mouth was “world-class two-way monitors,” or something like that. If you know me, you know I love the little two-ways, especially when they don’t sound like two-way stand... - Ikue Mori, Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura, Prickly Pear Cactus | The Vinyl Anachronist19 November 2020, 10:00 am
I’ve reviewed plenty of experimental albums, both jazz and electronica, that sound like little more than a collection of recorded noises. The real trick in evaluating such recordings is to find the weave of music that’s hidden among the random sounds. It’s always a matter of degree, the balance between Noise v. Music, especially when this is all so subjective. Prickly Pear Cactus from avant-garde instrumentalist-composer Ikue Mori turned out to be a tricky proposition, but one ...
- Campfire Audio Dorado 2020, Vega 2020 review (and podcast)24 November 2020, 2:09 pm
“You’re either a cat person or a dog person”, reasons Ken Ball, CEO of Campfire Audio. He’s calling long distance to chat about his latest two IEM models and we’re discussing the audible pros and cons of balanced armature drivers vis-a-vis their dynamic counterparts. Ball’s rationale is that some people […] More The post Campfire Audio Dorado 2020, Vega 2020 review (and podcast) first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS fe... - Old’s kool: Dynaudio’s limited edition Heritage Special23 November 2020, 8:31 am
A new loudspeaker from Dynaudio is upon us. One that aims to marry old school looks with modern tech. Let’s strip away the story-telling to take a closer look because what we have here is a two-way design that looks like a 70s throwback but internalises an abundance of the […] More The post Old's kool: Dynaudio's limited edition Heritage Special first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission.... - HELM’s Bolt is a $99 portable DAC for Spotify, MQA20 November 2020, 10:14 am
The HELM Bolt is a $99 portable, THX-certified, MQA-capable USB-C DAC and headphone amplifier. Once connected to a smartphone or laptop, the Bolt will pull digital audio from the host device and convert it to analogue using its own onboard circuitry, thus bypassing the smartphone or laptop’s internal DAC and […] More The post HELM's Bolt is a portable DAC for Spotify, MQA first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-... - Cambridge Audio announces Edge M amplifier19 November 2020, 12:50 pm
Great British Sound – the strapline under which the UK’s Cambridge Audio hangs its range of electronics, loudspeakers and, more recently, true wireless IEMs. Five years down the line though and I remain in the dark as to Great Britsh Sound‘s meaning. Are we to infer bass shyness, as compared […] More The post Cambridge Audio announces Edge M amplifier first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed w... - Letters to the editor: Topping, RPi, Leica, Atacama, doorstops & more19 November 2020, 10:15 am
Eduardo T. writes… Quick tip: if you see the “red” led blink on a Raspberry Pi it is a sign of “under voltage”. It may not be due to an inadequate power supply but due to a “thin” inadequate cable. Regards Ed. Me: Yes, I see this sometimes on the […] More The post Letters to the editor: Topping, RPi, Leica, Atacama, doorstops & more first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-...
- Streaming the Classics: Grateful Dead in Concert20 November 2020, 2:00 pm
Here we take a new approach to the Audiophilia's Streaming the Classics series. Instead of highlighting top recordings of a classical work we shift to popular music to explore the live catalog of the Grateful Dead on high resolution streaming services. During their 30 year career from the mid-sixties to the mid-nineties, the Grateful Dead evolved from a psychedelic garage band to the ultimate jam band and became loved worldwide for their myriad contributions to music and popular culture. ... - Bobby Hutcherson: The Kicker—Blue Note/Tone Poet Vinyl Reissue20 November 2020, 1:30 pm
Bobby Hutcherson, along with Milt Jackson, are widely regarded as leaders of the vibraphone as a jazz instrument in the 20th century. But, unlike Milt Jackson who was mostly a swing and bebop player who used two mallets, Hutcherson is remembered today for his four mallet harmonies and his key contributions on explosive avant garde Blue Note albums like Jackie McLean’s One Step Beyond and his own release Happenings. Born in Los Angeles, Hutcherson got his start in his teens playing in... - Keys to My Heart—Anne Bisson/45RPM Vinyl pressing30 October 2020, 12:30 pm
Anne Bisson’s talents cover many musical and dramatic styles. The French Canadian chanteuse sounds as good singing and playing The American Songbook as she does singing the songs of her native language. She’s a fine songwriter, too, in addition to a mainstay on Quebec TV as an actress and a presenter. It’s an LP showcasing her multi musical talents that I bring to you in this review. Keys to My Heart is a set of Bisson’s own songs, with one standard (‘Killing ... - Allnic Audio L-8000 DHT Preamplifier16 October 2020, 1:00 pm
This spectacular, $22,900 audiophile work of art came to me as a stop gap between distributor and dealer. Victoria is not exactly midpoint between Kelowna BC and Portland OR, but I was very grateful to distributor David Beetles of Hammertone Audio and US dealer John Ketchum of Kevalin Audio for their kind consideration. As such, the L-8000 DHT Preamplifier was here for a good time, not a long time. Beetles has been slowly tormenting me with better and better Allnic Audio products to revie... - Metronome Technologie Le Player 3 CD Transport16 October 2020, 12:30 pm
I will readily admit that in many ways I am a digiphobe. Sure, I have shelves of CDs, SACDs, and about two terabytes of lossless music on hard drives, but nothing drives my passion for audio like my rows and rows of vinyl records. So, when I was presented with the opportunity to review the latest CD transport from the boutique French manufacturer, Metronome Technologie, I was intrigued. I have heard very high end digital before, but was a CD transport really capable of producing drastic c...
- Node has announced the appointment of DavidHugh (HeXu) as their official Chinese distributor.25 November 2020, 11:53 am
Based in both Shanghai and Cambridge, DavidHugh is uniquely placed to co-ordinate with fellow Cambridge-based Node Audio in their introduction to the Chinese market. Further to their geographic proximity, DavidHugh share the belief that high-end audio shouldn’t be the preserve of HiFi enthusiasts, and are well positioned to bring Node’s sculptural loudspeakers to a wider market, as Node’s director Ashley May explains: “By exploiting advanced manufacturing technologies we&... - Innuos partners with Qobuz25 November 2020, 9:36 am
Portugal – Innuos, in partnership with Qobuz is delighted to announce the offer of a Qobuz Studio Premier – Individual Plan Subscription with the purchase of any Innuos Music Servers and Streamer from the 23rd of November to the 23rd of December 2020. With this new promotion, Innuos hopes to make the upcoming holidayseason a little more special after an incredibly difficult year for so many families. Qobuz is an online music platform offering streaming subscriptions and downloads. In... - The Who: Who’s Next (Deluxe Edition) HR17 November 2020, 2:18 pm
Anyone who saw the trailer for the movie American Beauty will have been struck by the brilliance of ‘Baba O’Riley’, the track chosen to accompany it and which effectively doubled the impact of the clip. That track is the opener from Who’s Next from 1971, an album that proved massively successful for the band thanks in no small part to the song ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’. The high quality of songwriting, composition and playing across the nine tracks on Who... - Synthesis ROMA 14DC+ CD player17 November 2020, 1:55 pm
Although I know it’s an unrealistic expectation, I always hope and pray that any new CD player I encounter will have an immediate and transforming effect on my entire silver disc collection – in much the same way a new turntable, arm, or pickup cartridge might. Alas, digital doesn’t really work like that. Of course, it reaches a high standard, but it’s difficult to get it to go past the point where the total result (sonically) is much greater than the sum of the parts. Bu... - Gold Note DS‑10 streaming DAC preamp and PA‑10 power amplifiers17 November 2020, 11:52 am
E.F. Schumacher’s famous 1973 book ‘Small is Beautiful’ never seemed to have resonance in the world of high-end audio. We like our audio equipment big and heavy, even if the reasons for such scale are at best dubious. But when it comes to Gold Note’s DS‑10 combination DAC and preamp and the matching PA‑10 stereo power amp, small really is beautiful: big amp believers, you need to come to terms with this! Both Gold Note products are half-sized designs, in the 1...
- Harman Kardon PM65024 November 2020, 9:50 pm
The sweet spot in a three-strong series of late '80s amps, this high current integrated promised to handle low impedance speakers without breaking a sweat. We listen... Most hi-fi enthusiasts know how many watts their amplifier can produce, but does that figure tell the whole story? In the early '80s, Harman Kardon's HCC (High Current Capability) range of integrated amplifiers gave listeners another number to think about, which was how much current an amplifier was able to source. ... - Melco S100 Network Switch23 November 2020, 11:39 pm
One of a growing choice of 'audiophile' network switches, this one comes from Digital Music Library specialist Melco. Can this work magic in any networked system? When Japanese-based Melco launched its first 'Digital Music Library' [HFN Feb '15], it more or less started a trend for audiophile music storage devices, and these days there's no shortage of rivals out there, all claiming to deliver the best possible sound for your network audio. However, its first 'Audiophile Dataswitch' enters a s... - Musical Fidelity MX-DAC USB DAC20 November 2020, 5:42 pm
One of a trio of small but substantial add-ons, the MX-DAC joins Musical Fidelity's partnering MX-HPA headphone amp and MX-Vynl phono stage. Is this another steal? Imagine the dilemma when Pro-Ject acquired Musical Fidelity: the overlap with the former's Box range and the latter's MX models created an in-house rivalry in the 'affordable audiophile' sector. Both produce pint-sized ranges with matching phono stages, headphone amps and – of relevance here – beer-budget DACs. Musical F... - Paradigm Persona B Loudspeakers19 November 2020, 9:00 pm
The baby model in Paradigm's flagship loudspeaker range wants to prove good things can come in small packages With its Persona series, Paradigm has taken the concept of a 'flagship' products to heart. This loudspeaker collection, launched in 2016, is not merely the Canadian manufacturer's most expensive, but one intended to represent 'the technological abilities of Paradigm engineering'. So what does that entail? Advanced driver and cabinet designs, a new-look aesthetic, and custom finish optio... - This Koetsu's for keeps...17 November 2020, 9:25 pm
Koetsu enters the 1990s with a new standard-bearer in the shape of the hand-made Urushi moving-coil cartridge. Ken Kessler is smitten... As I sat back and listened I thought, maybe it's the particular recording, perhaps it's my frame of mind but no – it can only be the cartridge. All I know is that my smooth and steady progress in coming to terms with CD has been set back to its 1985 level. Why? Because I was in peril of missing an important fact of hi-fi life, which is that just as CD ha...
- Best speaker cables 2020: budget and premium audio cables25 November 2020, 12:48 pm
Don't let the humble looks fool you – your speaker cable is one of the heroes of your system. And it's one of the most cost-effective upgrades you'll ever make.... - Cambridge Audio adds Edge M monoblock power amplifier to its flagship Edge series25 November 2020, 12:48 pm
All Cambridge Audio Edge series separates, including the brand new Edge M (coming December), are available to buy online.... - Black Friday headphones deals peak with $79 Sony wireless noise-cancellers25 November 2020, 11:21 am
The Sony WH-CH710N are available from only $79.20 in the Black Friday headphones deals...... - The best Nintendo Switch deals for Black Friday 202025 November 2020, 11:13 am
Want to get gaming for less? Check out this month's cheapest Nintendo Switch deals, discounts and big-value bundles...... - Best Black Friday hi-fi and audio deals25 November 2020, 10:59 am
Grab the cheapest prices on some of our favourite CD players, music systems, radios and portable audio players....
- Starke Sound A8.350 Multichannel Power Amplifier Review24 November 2020, 4:51 pm
As the name implies, the A8.350 amplifier from Starke Sound has 8 channels of amplification capable of generating 350 W/channel (into 4... The post Starke Sound A8.350 Multichannel Power Amplifier Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - STAX SR-007A Electrostatic Headphone Review23 November 2020, 1:00 pm
Electrostatic headphones have always been looked at as the Holy Grail of headphone fidelity. Some upstart companies have jumped onto the... The post STAX SR-007A Electrostatic Headphone Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Parasound A23+ Stereo Power Amplifier18 November 2020, 1:00 pm
Parasound’s amplifiers are well known and established products, which is of no surprise considering the legendary amplifier designer, John... The post Parasound A23+ Stereo Power Amplifier appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - SR-L700 MKII Earspeaker Review and the SRM-D10 Portable Driver Unit for Earspeakers Review16 November 2020, 1:00 pm
Sometimes something really new can be found in updated legacy devices. That’s the case with the latest incarnation of the Stax SR-L700... The post SR-L700 MKII Earspeaker Review and the SRM-D10 Portable Driver Unit for Earspeakers Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 Loudspeaker System Review11 November 2020, 1:00 pm
Lately, ELAC has been in a cycle of updating and refining their existing speaker lines. It started with the Debut 2 and then the Debut... The post ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 Loudspeaker System Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com....
- Marantz SA-10 CD/SACD Player & DAC21 November 2020, 9:39 pm
Just like Rodney Dangerfield, the Marantz SA-10 CD/SACD Player and DAC gets no respect. This is a shame as the SA-10 could well be the best sounding, best built player/DAC anywhere close to its $6990 list price. At the top of the Marantz line of digital products, the SA-10 could easily maintain that preeminent position for years to come. There have been a ‘boatload’ of mergers and acquisitions of audio companies over the last few years. Marantz is owned by Sound United, LLC, a Califo... - Minus K Technology CT-2 Bench Top Vibration Isolation Platform12 October 2020, 10:41 pm
The Minus K Technology CT-2 Bench Top Vibration Isolation Platform was originally developed for scientific and research applications such as spacecraft design, nanotechnology, and medical research. The patented technology is called “Negative-stiffness”, where the isolating platform seems to float with no resistance. From the manufacturer’s Web site (link below): “Dr. David L. Platus is President and Founder and is the principal inventor of the technology. He earned a B.S.... - Origin Live Gravity One Record Clamp24 August 2020, 3:02 pm
Several readers let me know that they appreciate the short format of the reviews offered here on 10 Audio. The word “pithy” has been noticed a few times in the feedback. Pithy means “concise and forcefully expressive” and “having substance and point” and “short and sweet”. This review definitely supports those definitions. The new Origin Live Gravity One record clamp works differently than the usual “record clamp”. Almost every clamp av... - Magico S1 Mk II Loudspeakers31 July 2020, 10:13 pm
The floor standing, 2-way Magico S1 Mk II speakers are exceptional. Before we get into the specifics of this particular model, let’s take a minute or two and let me share with you why I am a fan of 2-way speakers. Crossovers. Almost every loudspeaker utilizing more than one driver has a crossover. These passive electronic devices split the incoming audio signal into frequency ranges which the various drivers – woofers, midranges, tweeters – can handle. Crossovers are not perfec... - Mivera 1200AS2 Stereo Power Amplifier21 June 2020, 7:50 pm
The Mivera 1200AS2 stereo power amplifier is a limited production offering. The amplifier uses the IcePower 1200AS2 dual-channel module with the IceEdge chipset. The $1000 Mivera amplifier was chosen for this review because, as you can see in the image below, the IcePower module is the sole occupant of the normal-size enclosure aside from connectors and wiring. Now we can hear the sound of the IcePower module itdelf, unaccompanied by added input electronics as we see in amplifiers from Wyred 4 S...
- An Interview With Sylvio Comtois Of ArtistCloner28 October 2020, 6:21 pm
‘In the House’, by David Neice Manufacturer Spotlight: An Interview with Sylvio Comtois, CEO of ArtistCloner, about their current endeavours. Show setup featuring the Rebel Reference speakers ArtistCloner is a small boutique designer and manufacturer of audiophile equipment, based in Montreal. The owner of the firm and principle designer is Mr. Sylvio Comtois. The equipment is produced ‘without compromise’. ArtistCloner products first came to wide attention ... - Raspberry Pi, Part 3: Sound Quality Evaluation27 September 2020, 6:15 pm
Digital Serving/Streaming on the Cheap using a Raspberry Pi Part 3: Sound Quality Evaluation By Steve Graham Miss K, Pi and Music Are you contemplating a plunge into file-based audio? Have parts 1 and 2 of this series tempted you to take the leap? Fear not. A Raspberry Pi-based system is not a big jump, technically or financially. Components like my NAD 50.2 are a well-thought-out solution that will rip CDs, store them on internal drives then serve and stream them to an ... - Digital DIY: Raspberry Pi, Part 2 – Setup and Programming10 September 2020, 7:23 pm
Digital Serving/Streaming on the Cheap with a Raspberry Pi Part 2: Setup and Programming By Steve Graham A complete digital music source, no kidding! Update as of October 12, 2020: While setting up a RPi player for a friend, I’ve discovered that the PiCorePlayer software doesn’t play nice with Western Digital USB drives, causing it (the software) to stall during setup. I don’t know a way around this and I’m loathe to even attempt a dive into coding. ... - Hifiman’s Ananda-BT Headphones2 September 2020, 9:08 pm
by Noam Bronstein This is another mini-review in my series on the ‘evolution’ of Bluetooth as an option for audiophiles. Hifiman is known for its big, planar magnetic headphones, and the Ananda-BT is a dedicated Bluetooth version which retails for $999 US. All the electronics are built in and hidden from view, this is a true wireless headphone – all you need is a Bluetooth music source, e.g. streaming from a phone. The Ananda-BT does offer the option of taking a wired digital (... - Digital DIY: Steve Bakes A Raspberry Pi – Part 129 August 2020, 7:16 pm
Digital Serving/Streaming on the Cheap with a Raspberry Pi (But is it any good?) By Steve Graham Part 1: Introduction and Shopping List Not really powerful, but powerful enough! The first thing you must know is that I blinked and missed the microchip revolution – it was a very long blink. To those already immersed in the Raspberry Pi-for-audio ecosystem, this article might be irrelevant. This is for those like me: newbies to DIY file-based playback. ...
- Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals 202025 November 2020, 10:51 am
It is time again for our annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday or Cyber Weekend deals roundup in the world of desktop and portable audio for 2020. Last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday audio discounts and promotions were extremely popular with tons of good deals. Lord knows we could do with some positivity for […] Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals 2020... - Cayin N3Pro Review22 November 2020, 11:08 am
The Cayin N3Pro DAP is a fresh budget-friendly spin on the original flagship N8’s groundbreaking use of tubes inside a digital media player. It is priced at $479. Disclaimer: The Cayin N3Pro sent to us is a sample in exchange for our honest opinion in this review. We thank Cayin for this opportunity. To learn more […] Cayin N3Pro Review... - Dan Clark Audio Ether 2 System Review21 November 2020, 11:12 am
The Dan Clark Audio Ether 2 System is a series of specially designed protein leather and suede pads that alter the performance of the main headphones. They are priced at $179.98 for all of them at the checkout when buying your Ether 2 or $89.99 each. Disclaimer: The Dan Clark Audio Ether 2 System sent […] Dan Clark Audio Ether 2 System Review... - Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas Review20 November 2020, 11:01 am
The Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas is a closed-back dynamic driver flagship headphone using the company’s patented S-LogicEX® technology. It is priced at $3499.99. Disclaimer: This Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas is a sample sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion in this review. We thank the team at Ultrasone in partnership with Vitec USA […] Ultrasone Edition 15 Veritas Review... - Feliks Audio Euforia 20th Anniversary Edition Review18 November 2020, 11:02 am
The Feliks Audio Euforia 20th Anniversary Edition is a refined and upgraded version of the original to celebrate Feliks Audio’s 20th year in business. It is priced at $3499. Disclaimer: The Feliks Audio Feliks Audio Euforia 20th Anniversary Edition was sent to us as a sample in exchange for our honest opinion in this review. […] Feliks Audio Euforia 20th Anniversary Edition Review...
- The Audiophile Black Friday and Cyber Monday Guide 202023 November 2020, 4:01 pm
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales for Audiophiles 2020 Due to current conditions around the globe, it looks like it The post The Audiophile Black Friday and Cyber Monday Guide 2020 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Focal Unveils New Aria K2 936 Floorstander16 November 2020, 8:07 pm
Focal is making its presence known this holiday season. On top of releasing several package deals along with Naim, the The post Focal Unveils New Aria K2 936 Floorstander appeared first on AudioHead.... - Schiit Audio Talks Distortion, Low Noise Floor With The New Vali 2+11 November 2020, 7:46 pm
Today Schiit Audio announced the release of a new tube headphone amplifier called the Vali 2+. Technical measurements have become The post Schiit Audio Talks Distortion, Low Noise Floor With The New Vali 2+ appeared first on AudioHead.... - An Interview With Heinz Lichtenegger Of Pro-Ject11 November 2020, 1:47 am
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any long time audiophile that resurrection of vinyl in recent years has brought The post An Interview With Heinz Lichtenegger Of Pro-Ject appeared first on AudioHead.... - New Shure AONIC Earphones, HiFi Accessories and Grado Updates7 November 2020, 3:41 pm
It wasn’t a slew of new product releases that hit the mailbox this week, but rather a cornucopia of more The post New Shure AONIC Earphones, HiFi Accessories and Grado Updates appeared first on AudioHead....
- The Dan Clark Audio You Deserve This Sale!23 November 2020, 6:41 pm
Music has a magical ability to calm the mind and spirit making it the perfect tool to help leave your worldly The post The Dan Clark Audio You Deserve This Sale! appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - BLUESOUND ADDS NEW SURROUND MODE LISTENING OPTION20 November 2020, 12:00 pm
Latest Firmware Update Adds Stereo Surround Mode Option to Bluesound PULSE SOUNDBAR and POWERNODE Models Pickering, ON, Canada November 20, The post BLUESOUND ADDS NEW SURROUND MODE LISTENING OPTION appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - HIFIMAN Debuts Reference Closed-Back Planar Magnetic Headphone19 November 2020, 10:45 pm
HE-R10P Represents HIFIMAN’s Long-Awaited Return to a Closed-Back Design BELLMORE, NY, November 19, 2020 –HIFIMAN, the leader in high fidelity The post HIFIMAN Debuts Reference Closed-Back Planar Magnetic Headphone appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - HIFIMAN Launches their first Closed-Back Dynamic Driver Headphone19 November 2020, 10:40 pm
HIFIMAN’s HE-R10D: The Company’s First Closed-Back Dynamic Driver Headphone BELLMORE, NY, November 19, 2020 –HIFIMAN, the leader in high fidelity The post HIFIMAN Launches their first Closed-Back Dynamic Driver Headphone appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - Naim Now Streaming a World of HD Radio17 November 2020, 9:00 am
New Naim Radio Stations Plus a Radio Upgrade for All Naim Streaming Systems Salisbury, England – November 17, 2020 – The post Naim Now Streaming a World of HD Radio appeared first on Headphone Guru....
- iFi introduces Micro iDSD Signature25 November 2020, 10:48 am
Sign here for iFi's top-of-the-range desktop/transportable DAC and headphone amp... - Bryston launches BR-20 preamplifier24 November 2020, 10:40 am
Fitting tribute honours Bryston president... - Q Acoustics debuts first active loudspeakers23 November 2020, 3:11 pm
Introducing the Q Active 200 bookshelf and Q Active 400 floorstander... - Bang & Olufsen breathes new life into Beogram 4000 Series turntable19 November 2020, 9:59 am
Seventies icon reborn thanks to restoring initiative... - KEF unveils LS50 Wireless II speaker18 November 2020, 10:36 am
Company claims world first with Metamaterial Absorption Technology...
- $3,000 Meze Empyrean Headphones Review25 October 2020, 1:09 am
Now I’ve heard the Meze Empyrean headphones probably a dozen times at the shows. And every time I try to nitpick them, I end up just enjoying the music. It didn’t matter which amplifier or DAC it was plugged into. Music just sounded truthful. I primarily listen to 2-channel these days so didn’t give it […] The post $3,000 Meze Empyrean Headphones Review appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - $62,000 Sonus Faber Il Cremonese ex3me – Absolute Neutrality22 September 2020, 8:16 am
22nd September 2020, Vicenza, Italy: Sonus faber has launched the Il Cremonese ex3me, a tech-rich £48,500 floorstander limited to just 50 pairs, which advances the original thanks to a range of innovative new speaker technologies. The original Il Cremonese was introduced in 2015 with the intention of completing the company’s Homage Collection and was named […] The post $62,000 Sonus Faber Il Cremonese ex3me – Absolute Neutrality appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - ASUS LAUNCHES MQA HEADPHONES18 September 2020, 1:19 am
New ROG Delta S headset adds MQA technology MQA’s award-winning technology has been adopted by global tech leader ASUS for its latest ROG (Republic of Gamers) headphones. The headset, designed to offer flawless audio quality for gaming enthusiasts, was revealed alongside the latest gaming gear during the ROG 2020 META BUFFS international online launch event on 1 September […] The post ASUS LAUNCHES MQA HEADPHONES appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - Introducing the New McIntosh C8 and MC83018 September 2020, 1:10 am
New open chassis McIntosh duo combines valve luxury, solid-state power and timeless industrial designC8 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier and MC830 Solid State Amplifier: stunning looks, legendary McIntosh sound quality September 17th, 2020, Binghamton, NY, USA: Following in the footsteps of McIntosh’s retro-styled MA252 and MA352 integrated amplifiers, (which themselves took design cues from the MC275 Vacuum […] The post Introducing the New McIntosh C8 and MC830 appeared first on Audio Baco... - Innuos Phoenix USB Reclocker Review8 September 2020, 6:21 pm
The Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker is here. Avid computer audiophiles are well aware of the sonic gains of having USB conditioning. If you’d like an introduction behind using USB reclockers in your digital playback system, check out my review of the SOtM tX-USBultra here. In short, the goal of a USB reclocker is to provide […] The post Innuos Phoenix USB Reclocker Review appeared first on Audio Bacon....
- Shanling M6 Pro DAP – refined sound, premium feel25 November 2020, 2:03 am
REVIEW: Looking for a portable DAP that oozes premium quality? You want the Shanling M6 Pro then...... - Samsung HW-Q950T soundbar – an immersion in sound19 November 2020, 1:39 am
REVIEW: Samsung's HW-Q950T soundbar has impressive sonic muscle, although setting up is a bit of a hassle.... - Ruark Audio R1 radio now MK416 November 2020, 2:34 am
NEWS: If FM radio is your thing but you still want to stream from phone or computer to a better system... the Ruark R1 MK4.... - Shanling BA1 Bluetooth receiver… wireless connectivity made easy12 November 2020, 2:03 am
NEWS: Adding wireless connectivity to your hi-fi system is hassle-free with Shanling's BA1.... - iFi’s NEO iDSD is a busy digital multi-tasker9 November 2020, 1:10 am
NEWS: iFi expands its extensive range of desktop audio products with the versatile NEO iDSD amp/DAC....
- WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC Reviewed17 November 2020, 10:52 am
A clean, clear, neutral DAC and a marvellous little board for all kinds of usage scenarios. The post WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - IPT RigB 500, Cartridge Body Upgrade For VM500 / AT440 Et Al, Reviewed16 November 2020, 8:15 pm
Buy one and avail yourself of what is undoubtedly one of the best moving magnet cartridges around. The post IPT RigB 500, Cartridge Body Upgrade For VM500 / AT440 Et Al, Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Edifier S2000MKIII Active Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed22 October 2020, 2:50 pm
For home listening, the S2000s continue Edifier’s excellent track record with superlative acoustic and electronic design, a vast array of inputs, stylish aesthetics and great sound. The post Edifier S2000MKIII Active Bookshelf Speakers Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Austrian Audio Hi-X55 Closed-Back Headphones Reviewed1 September 2020, 4:43 pm
a highly detailed and revealing performance perfect for digital mixing and analytical listening alike. The post Austrian Audio Hi-X55 Closed-Back Headphones Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Edifier TWS6 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds Reviewed22 August 2020, 9:53 am
Tiny earphones perfectly acceptable and even enjoyable with most mainstream music, ideal for music on the go. The post Edifier TWS6 True Wireless Stereo Earbuds Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal....
- Accustic Arts POWER I MK4 Stereo Integrated Amplifier Review25 November 2020, 6:13 am
Mark Gusew auditions this German-made behemoth of a high end integrated amplifier…... - Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs: Charles Mingus – Ah Um Review24 November 2020, 2:11 am
David Price auditions a limited edition audiophile vinyl pressing of a nineteen-fifties jazz classic…... - Electrocompaniet ECI 80D Integrated Amplifier Review20 November 2020, 1:08 am
Stephen Dawson says this Norwegian integrated gives enjoyable digital and analogue listening in a reasonably priced package…... - Harbeth M30.2 XD Loudspeakers Review20 November 2020, 12:09 am
Mark Gusew auditions an exceptionally talented pair of compact standmount loudspeakers…... - Monitor Audio Bronze 100 Loudspeaker Review17 November 2020, 6:06 am
David Price samples the latest in a long line of high ranking budget standmount speakers…...
- HI-FI Trends Product Of The Year Awards 2020: Best Amplifiers, Music Streamers25 November 2020, 4:57 am
It’s that time again! This is when we look back at some of the best gear we’ve come across this year. The mission of HI-FI Trends is “Helping audiophiles to build affordable high-end audio systems,” and to that end, we’ve picked some of the best affordable high-end gear available right now. You can use these continue reading... - PSB Speakers Alpha AM5 Review: These Affordable Powered Bookshelf Speakers Are Impressive!23 November 2020, 10:10 pm
PSB Speakers Makes System Building Stupid-Simple! PSB Speakers’ revamped Alpha Series has been around for close to two years now, and ever since, we’ve considered it the pinnacle of budget loudspeakers. We named the Alpha P5 bookshelf ($329 at Amazon) the best speaker under $500 (they also garnered the Stereophile Product Of The Year Award), and continue reading... - #NewMusicFriday…New Record Releases You Need To Hear feat. Tank And The Bangas +10 Other Artists!21 November 2020, 12:53 am
Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!… As usual, it’s a very eclectic mix (Albums are arranged with more traditional audiophile genres like Jazz and Blues at the top, and the non-traditional audiophile stuff towards the bottom). There’s a lot of great stuff continue reading... - The Best Black Friday Deals: Speakers, Headphones, Electronics!20 November 2020, 3:01 am
This year, you don’t have to wait until Black Friday for the best Black Friday Deals. Yes, Early Black Friday sales are in abundance, especially if you’re looking for Speakers. It seems like every speaker manufacturer has a deal on their most popular models. That means there’s a speaker sale for everyone, no matter the continue reading... - Cambridge Audio Unleashes Impressive Power With Edge M Monoblock Power Amps19 November 2020, 2:07 am
Cambridge Audio ups the ante with powerful new Monoblocks! Today, Cambridge Audio announced a potent new addition to their Flagship Edge components, the Edge M monoblock power amplifier ($4000). The 200W RMS (into 8 Ohms) amp is based on the same circuitry as the existing Edge W stereo power amp (dual toroidal transformers, Class XA continue reading...
- The new headphone amps keep on coming17 November 2020, 6:46 pm
... - Another USB DAC/Headhpone amp - this time from Clarus14 November 2020, 5:10 pm
... - New vinyl catch up15 October 2020, 8:24 pm
... - The Genius of Jazz6 September 2020, 7:37 pm
... - That USBe Perfect from Core Power Technologies12 August 2020, 3:38 pm
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- Magna Riser Slim Line 24 October 2020, 10:00 pm
Less than a year ago I managed to find online a used pair of Magnepan .7's for $800 on the used market. A few days after the panels arrived I decided to experiment by placing blocks of wood under the back end of the angled L-bracket metal legs, thus tilting them to a true vertical position. The sonic differences I stored away in my memory until such time as I could consider potential stand replacements. Magnepan's own oval upgrade model held zero interest for a variety of reasons, so my options ... - Audioengine B-Fi Wireless Streamer22 September 2020, 3:14 pm
Link to specificationsOk, I admit it, the wife and I have been relying on Alexa to stream music in the kitchen and living room. I have my man cave in the basement, so the upstairs is her music domain and she wants it simple. But she loves the playlist I created for her on Tidal to use on her phone when she is walking or gardening. Over the months I endured many a complaint about finding a solution. Not for the first time, the gang at Audioengine have come to the rescue. This past late spri... - Totem Acoustics Signature ONE Speakers5 September 2020, 9:47 pm
Link to SpecificationsHow does one improve on a legend? That was the question facing Vince Bruzzese and the team at Totem Acoustics approximately 5 years ago. The Model 1, a diminutive stand mounted speaker had launched Totem as a major player in the industry 30+ years ago. In the decades that followed, the Model 1 would receive tweeks that owners could spot. However, that has all changed.The Signature One is all new, only the “spirit” as Totem refers to the legacy that the Model 1 p... - Cherry DAC DAC 2 HS11 August 2020, 1:16 am
Link to Specifications Fourteen years ago when I started reviewing gear the digital analog convertor (DAC) was a rare piece of gear. Few models existed and for most audiophiles, fanatics, and hobbyists it was technology to watch rather than pursue. Fourteen years later and DAC’s are an indispensable part of our hobby. The quality and capability have risen dramatically, while the price/performance has dropped even more so. The ability of DAC’s to pull out details i... - Core Power Technologies A/V USBe Perfect10 August 2020, 8:24 pm
Tweaks. It’s the bastion of audiophiles in the pursuit of wringing the last ounce of audio gold out of the music. It’s also the point where derision from those who don’t relate to our hobby like to inject verbal venom. Granted, over the years there’s been some rather “out there” tweaks, such as the infamous magic marker on cd’s. At the same time audiophiles were the first to hear a weird phenomena, later identified as jitter.Let’s be clear, a wonde...
- NuPrime ST-10M mono power amplifiers23 November 2020, 9:33 am
With each of the two channels powered by its own transformer and extra capacitance, the available power has doubled. But if you ask me, the extra power is not the amplifiers' biggest selling point, rather, it's the increased sound quality across the board.... - R.T.F.S. Sirrah – Part 220 November 2020, 10:34 am
Not only will they work wonders in untreated rooms, but the SiRRAHs also provide substantial improvements in soundstaging, clarity and focus even in already well-balanced rooms.... - Ultra High-End Show at PUUR audio, video & domotica9 November 2020, 8:25 pm
On November 12, 13, 14, and 15, PUUR audio, video & domotica will present an impressive system revolving around the Kroma top-of-the-line Elektra loudspeaker, driven by an all-Goldmund system consisting of the Mimesis 20H NextGen Reference DAC, the Mimesis 37S NextGen preamplifier and a pair of Telos 1000 NextGen mono power amplifiers.... - Aqua LinQ Network Interface – Part 25 November 2020, 6:27 pm
he addition of the HQPlayer module allows using Roon and all of its benefits along with even better sound than was possible using the now-discontinued RoonReady module. Additionally, Aqua's modularity ensures that the product remains up to date.... - Vermouth Audio Black Pearl MkII and Rhapsody interlinks30 October 2020, 7:53 pm
Positioned underneath the Reference range are four more interlink models of which I will review two: the second most affordable Rhapsody and the second most advanced Black Pearl MkII....
- Empire Ears Odin Review14 November 2020, 12:08 am
Empire Ears has accrued the reputation of the flashy and ostentatious sibling in the IEM… The post Empire Ears Odin Review appeared first on Audiosolace.... - Cayin N3Pro Review8 November 2020, 12:55 am
Tube technology has always been held in high regard within audiophile circles. The ability to… The post Cayin N3Pro Review appeared first on Audiosolace.... - FiiO FA9 Review24 October 2020, 11:24 pm
FiiO have slowly been advancing into the high-end market with their products encroaching onto new… The post FiiO FA9 Review appeared first on Audiosolace.... - Mytek Audio Empire DAC/Streamer/Preamplifier Unveiled19 October 2020, 7:07 pm
New York based high-end audio firm Mytek have proudly launched their new flagship Empire DAC/Streamer/Preamplifier… The post Mytek Audio Empire DAC/Streamer/Preamplifier Unveiled appeared first on Audiosolace.... - 64 Audio Nio Review16 October 2020, 6:44 pm
The 64 Audio Nio is the latest hybrid model from the Vancouver-based audio firm. The… The post 64 Audio Nio Review appeared first on Audiosolace....
- Classical Music, Psychologically Speaking – The Spotify Playlist23 November 2020, 6:24 pm
If self expression, emotional regulation and cognitive development can be influenced by music, then classical is genre by association with serotonin production. The post Classical Music, Psychologically Speaking – The Spotify Playlist appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - Kondo Audio Note: Masaki Ashizawa Creates his own Shadow20 November 2020, 7:53 pm
The current range of Kondo Audio Note products is proof positive that Masaki Ashizawa has emerged from the shadow and reflected glory of his mentor, Hiroyasu Kondo, and has become a forward-looking designer in his own right. The post Kondo Audio Note: Masaki Ashizawa Creates his own Shadow appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - Sleevenote: A Digital Analog for Music Lovers?13 November 2020, 7:51 pm
The road of digital audio players is littered with the wreckage of heroic efforts, remember Pono? Sleevenote hopes to break through and appeal to vinyl and CD heads who love album art. The post Sleevenote: A Digital Analog for Music Lovers? appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - Review: Linn Sondek LP12 Turntable6 November 2020, 7:15 am
As visually iconic and sonically compelling a turntable as one is likely to come across in a lifetime of looking and listening, with a long history and legions of acolytes, the LP12 could be seen as the aspirational everyman’s record player. The post Review: Linn Sondek LP12 Turntable appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - Heavy Rotation: Tohru Aizawa Quartet – Tachibana Vol.130 October 2020, 3:37 am
More a whispered legend in Japan than record store ghost story, the album recorded during that March 30th studio session ended up becoming one of most rare LPs in the history of Japanese jazz: Tohru Aizawa Quartet – Tachibana Vol. 1. The post Heavy Rotation: Tohru Aizawa Quartet – Tachibana Vol.1 appeared first on Resistor Magazine |....
- Black Friday HiFi Deals You Can Get Today!24 November 2020, 2:00 pm
Tis the season to be jolly and what better way to jollify your Holidays than with some new discounted hifi! Save $50 on Klipsch’s cool retro The One II Tabletop Stereo System. Save $138 on [...]... - BAT’s New VK-80i Integrated Amplifier24 November 2020, 1:05 pm
My father’s last hifi featured a Balanced Audio Technology CD player so I have soft spot for all things BAT. The new fully-balanced VK-80i Integrated Amplifier ($8995) employs quad of 6C33C-B Triode Output Tubes which [...]... - In Barn for Review: Weiss DAC50123 November 2020, 2:04 pm
The Weiss DAC501 comes from the genus Streaming DAC, one of my favorite classes. The DAC 501 ($8995) is essentially the Weiss502 in a half size chassis without the 502’s extra rear-mounted 4-pin headphone jack. [...]... - HiFi Bargains: Save $22,500!22 November 2020, 3:26 pm
You’ve got to spend money to save money. How much thought do you give to buying something for $1.00 (assuming you can actually buy something for a dollar)? How about $10? $100? $1,000? $10,000? $100,000? [...]... - Twittering Machines 2020 Holiday Gift Guide21 November 2020, 12:00 pm
We have much to be thankful for. There’s also much to mourn. 2020 was a year unlike most others. It altered our daily lives, our routines, rendering them unrecognizable to even the most prescient. Yet, [...]...
- 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 […]...