- Gramophone Dreams #73: PTP Audio Solid9 Turntable, Sorane SA-1.2 Tonearm31 May 2023, 12:00 am
I wish that all who love LP playback as much as I do could hear a Thorens TD 124 or Garrard 301 or EMT 930 in their systems, but those products are subject to the vagaries of supply and demand: They are rare and pricey.—Art Dudley I have a friend named Yale, a record producer, who lives in a capacious, art-filled SoHo loft with enormous windows, craggy wood floors, and a high, tin-tiled ceiling. I enjoy Yale's company because he has extraordinarily diverse, highly evolved taste in music, a... - ReDiscoveries #5: Alice Cooper's <I>Billion Dollar Babies</I>30 May 2023, 12:00 am
1972 is widely praised as the most fertile year ever for rock albums, notching such classics as The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Neil Young's Harvest. But albums released in 1973 and currently celebrating their 50th anniversary may be even better: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, ZZ Top's Tres Hombres, and Bruce Springsteen's The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Stree... - Revinylization #42: Two Blue Note Tone Poet Releases, Andrew Hill & Carmell Jones30 May 2023, 12:00 am
Blue Note's Tone Poet audiophile vinyl reissue series, which has been written about frequently in these pages, was inaugurated in 2019 and has now reached 70+ releases, mostly reissues from the storied label's catalog with outliers from Pacific Jazz/World Pacific and United Artists and a couple of new issues thrown in. The Blue Note reissues have ranged from classics released in myriad editions since their initial LP run to music held back for years and sometimes put out only in Japan or only re... - Grandinote's Forthcoming Solo Amplifier29 May 2023, 12:00 am
Having debuted his extremely impressive Mach 8XL loudspeaker ($30,800–$33,000/pair, depending upon finish) at AXPONA, Grandinote owner/designer Massimiliano Magri and North American distributor Reinhard Goerner joined forces in Munich to preview the forthcoming dual mono, fully balanced, class-A Solo amplifier ($20,000 + options). Expected to ship around Labor Day, the Solo t outputs 60Wpc into either 8 ohms or 4 ohms. It includes a 9" multi-function touchscreen display that can change c... - Dan D'Agostino's Dazzling Unveil of the New Relentless Epic and Epic 800 Monoblocks and Momentum MxV Integrated29 May 2023, 12:00 am
In the extremely large, all-sonic-bets-are-off, glass-enclosed Atrium display mounted by Mansour Mamaghani's Audio Reference Munich, Dan D'Agostino, and his indispensable sidekick (aka company President) Bill McKiegan, joined forces with Wilson, dCS, and Perlisten to blow people's minds. When the new Relentless Epic and Relentless Epic 800 mono amplifiers got fired up, it was a case of which dazzled you first, the sound or the sheer enormity and shine of the display. The Relentless Epic monoblo...
- Tidal Piano G331 May 2023, 4:33 pm
The Tidal Piano G3 loudspeaker is both an unusual design […] The post Tidal Piano G3 appeared first on The Absolute Sound....
- Gramophone Proudly Announces Innovative New Luxury Retail Experience Center in Maryland30 May 2023, 10:46 pm
TIMONIUM, MD, May 30, 2023 — Gramophone today announced the Grand […] The post Gramophone Proudly Announces Innovative New Luxury Retail Experience Center in Maryland appeared first on The Absolute Sound.... - 2023 Editors’ Choice: Best Phonostages $6,000 & Up30 May 2023, 5:00 pm
The post 2023 Editors’ Choice: Best Phonostages $6,000 & Up appeared first on The Absolute Sound.... - Bert Jansch: Bert Jansch at the BBC30 May 2023, 4:05 pm
For decades, guitarists have been riveted by the nimble, breathtaking […] The post Bert Jansch: Bert Jansch at the BBC appeared first on The Absolute Sound.... - Siltech Royal Double Crown Interconnects and Loudspeaker Cables30 May 2023, 4:02 pm
Siltech is located in the Netherlands, where it began manufacturing […] The post Siltech Royal Double Crown Interconnects and Loudspeaker Cables appeared first on The Absolute Sound....
- Greg Weaver's HIGH END 2023 Photofest Show Report31 May 2023, 6:34 am
EnjoyTheMusic.com's Senior Editor Greg Weaver sent us some bonus photos from the HIGH END 2023 show in Munich. Enjoy!... - HIGH END 2023 Show Report By Carlos Martin Schwab31 May 2023, 6:33 am
For someone with a background in professional sound, immersing myself in an insanely expensive home audio fair, or High-End (a term that defines the branch of audio that has no limits to reaching sonic perfection), is as interesting as fun, and that's why I've been doing it since 2014. This year, most of the 550 exhibitors did their best and the fair received more than 22,000 visitors.... - The AXPONA 2023 Chronicles: Part 11 Sound systems singing with two speakers on the second floor.31 May 2023, 6:32 am
There is but one stairway leading from the 3rd Floor down to the 2nd. It emerges just to the right of the Registration Desk at the hotel. It is not difficult to find if you're already on the 2nd Floor, as it is well marked. But if you're on the 3rd Floor walking from room to room looking at audio gear, it is hard to remember in which corner of the Atrium that stairway is hiding. The alternative is to wait for the elevator. Some signs in each corner of the 3rd Floor or a billboard in the stairwa... - Press Release: EnjoyTheMusic.com Sponsors T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 Media & Exhibitor Party30 May 2023, 11:19 am
EnjoyTheMusic.com, premium audio's critically-acclaimed site for 28 years and a leader in providing luxury audio and music industry news, highly respected hardware reviews, and sensational show reports, is excited to announce that we're sponsoring T.H.E. Show SoCal's Thursday night media and exhibitor party! To be held from Friday, June 9th through Sunday, June 11th at the Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa, both show exhibitors and members of the press are invited to join us for drinks, music, an... - AES Journal Special Issue On VR And AR30 May 2023, 5:30 am
The Journal of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) is their official publication featuring only peer-reviewed articles. The May 2023 issue of the AES focuses on audio for virtual and augmented reality. papers featured within this issue includes MPEG-I immersive audio, which is a forthcoming standard that is under development within the MPEG Audio group (ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG6). This is to provide a compressed representation and rendering of audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) applica...
- MUSIC ⸜ recording technology: JOHN COLTRANE Blue Train, Remaster 2022 ˻ Part. 3 ˺ » SOUND | USA1 May 2023, 12:00 am
Music text WOJCIECH PACUŁA translation Marek Dyba images „High Fidelity” No 228 May 1, 2023 ⌈ On September 15th 1957, JOHN COLTRANE walked into Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack and recorded a masterpiece album: Blue Train. It was the only album by a saxophone leader recorded for Blue Note Records. ⌋ O CELEBRATE THE 65th ANNIVERSARY OF THE Blue Train, Blue Note presents it in the latest KEVIN GRAY’S remaster and JOE HARLEY’S produc... - REVIEW: Falcon M10 ⸜ standmount loudspeakers | UNITED KINGDOM1 May 2023, 12:00 am
Review text WOJCIECH PACULA translation Ewa Muszczynko Picture “High Fidelity” No 228 May 1, 2023 ⌈ Falcon Acoustics Ltd. was founded in 1972 by MALCOLM JONES, a British engineer who previously worked for the KEF company. He retired in 2009 and handed over the reins to JERRY BLOOMFIELD, remaining with the company as a Technical Consultant. ⌋ ALCON ACOUSTICS is currently the only company with LS3/5a speakers identical with the original KEF models and the... - KRAKOW SONIC SOCIETY ⸜ № 137: GERMAN ANALOG, AAA & Thiel Audio & hifistatement.net | POLAND/Krakow1 May 2023, 12:00 am
KSS host WOJCIECH PACUŁA translation Ewa Muszczynko images Birgit Hammer-Sommer/Plan B | “High Fidelity” Spotkanie #137 May 1, 2023 ⌈ KRAKOW SONIC SOCIETY (KTS) is an informal group of music lovers, audiophiles and friends meeting to learn something new about audio products, records, music, etc. The idea for KTS originated in 2005, although its roots go back a few years. This is the 138th meeting of the group. ⌋ RITING TO DIRK SOMMER and arranging t... - MUSIC ⸜ recording technology: JOHN COLTRANE Blue Train, Remaster 2022. ˻ Part. 2 ˺ » RELEASES | USA1 May 2023, 12:00 am
Music text WOJCIECH PACUŁA images „High Fidelity” No 228 May, 1 2023 ⌈ On September 15th 1957, JOHN COLTRANE walked into Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Hackensack and recorded a masterpiece album: Blue Train. It was the only album by a saxophone leader recorded for Blue Note Records. ⌋ O CELEBRATE THE 65th ANNIVERSARY OF THE Blue Train, Blue Note presents it in the latest KEVIN GRAY’S remaster and JOE HARLEY’S production, both in mono and ... - REVIEW: WK Audio THEONE Mk II ⸜ AC Power cable | POLAND1 May 2023, 12:00 am
Review text WOJCIECH PACUŁA translation Marek Dyba pictures “High Fidelity” No 228 May 1, 2023 ˻ PREMIERE ˼ ⌈ WK AUDIO is a company owned by Witold Kamiński, founded in 2017 in Plichtów, near Łódź. An architect by profession, passionate about music, author of columns in "High Fidelity" about broadly understood culture, he offers a record clamp, an anti-vibration platform and three AC power cables. We are testing the l...
- Reel Sound Distribution Announces Exclusive North American Distribution of Renowned Metaxas & Sins Hi-Fi Audio Equipment31 May 2023, 6:16 pm
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – May 2023 – Florida-based Reel Sound Distribution Inc. is now the exclusive distributor of the world-famous line of hi-fi audio products from Metaxas & Sins, following a partnership agreement with designer Kostas Metaxas. The Metaxas & Sins line of audio equipment includes the Papillion and the award-winning Tourbillion T-RX reel-to-reel... Read More » The post Reel Sound Distribution Announces Exclusive North American Distribution of Renowne... - T.H.E. Show Launches New Record Label and FM Radio Show30 May 2023, 4:26 pm
Los Angeles, CA - T.H.E. Show, North America’s longest-running HiFi audio trade show, is announcing the launch of their record label, T.H.E, Music Group, and accompanying radio show, T.H.E. Radio Show, marking a new era in the HiFi audio industry. This innovative venture will promote exceptional talent while providing listeners with unparalleled audio experiences, thus... Read More » The post T.H.E. Show Launches New Record Label and FM Radio Show appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 Media & Exhibitor Party 30 May 2023, 4:24 pm
(May 30, 2023) Enjoy the Music.com, premium audio's critically-acclaimed site for 28 years and a leader in providing luxury audio and music industry news, highly respected hardware reviews, and sensational show reports, is excited to announce that we're sponsoring T.H.E. Show SoCal's Thursday night media and exhibitor party! To be held from Friday, June 9th through... Read More » The post Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 Media & Exhibitor Party appear... - Topping E70 Velvet DAC: Bringing Delta-Sigma Playback of Native DSD to a Higher Level29 May 2023, 5:35 pm
Back in February, I received a series of unsettling emails from Dalibor Kasac, my contact at Euphony Audio in Croatia, telling me about a discovery they'd made concerning how ESS Pro delta-sigma DAC chips process native DSD. And that Euphony had gotten a couple of the new Topping E70 Velvet DACs that incorporated the newest... Read More » The post Topping E70 Velvet DAC: Bringing Delta-Sigma Playback of Native DSD to a Higher Level appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - Stokowski's Rachmaninoff Third Symphony - from the master tapes in Pure DSD25629 May 2023, 5:09 pm
This transfer in Pure DSD256 directly from the original Desmar master tapes recorded by the great Bob Auger is hugely impressive. So clean, open, detailed and dynamic. Just beyond excellent! And the performance is one of the most compelling, most thoroughly convincing, performances of this symphony among the six alternate recordings I have in my... Read More » The post Stokowski's Rachmaninoff Third Symphony - from the master tapes in Pure DSD256 appeared first on Positive Feedback....
- Issue 11725 May 2023, 12:03 am
Cover Story Redefining the 300B Sound:ampsandsound’s Black Pearl Features Old School: Direct Drive Nak: The MR-1by Jeff Dorgay 1095: The SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer The Audiophile Apartment: The Teenage Engineering OB-4by Rob Johnson Journeyman Audiophile: YG-Acoustics Cairn Speakers Headphone Arts: The Sendy Acoustics Peacock Short Take: Swiss Digital’s Fuse Box Short Take: Great analog tools from Hummin Guru Mine: It […]... - The Java Single Shot Integrated Amplifier16 May 2023, 6:48 pm
Class-D Perfection $8,995 -$9,495 (finish dependent) Javahifi.com Spoiler alert. The Java Integrated is a Class D amplifier. Just in case you’re predisposed to a certain idea of how Class D is supposed to sound, you need to abandon it, or stop reading. To be fair to Java’s Martin Bell, I’ve always been Class D adverse, […]... - Power to the people – with Fuse Box!8 May 2023, 2:39 am
With audiophile fuses all the rage these days, Swiss Digital has an alternative. A fuse replacement. Taking advantage of microprocessor technology, the Fuse Box monitors how much current your component is using and then shuts it down if the parameters are exceeded. And this tech has picked up some ground lately, with a few other […]... - A Single Shot of Awesome From Java HiFI7 May 2023, 1:54 am
You know you want this. I want this. For every audio enthusiast that has had to listen to a friend, partner, or roommate complain about the overly industrial look of the gear we love – bam. Here’s your answer. The Java integrated you see here is the “single-shot” version with 200 Watts per channel of […]... - Welcome to Distilled!5 May 2023, 3:40 pm
Hello and welcome to our new section – Distilled. We are not abandoning our standard reviews, but for those of you that would like a little more than the canned press releases everyone else is posting, but not sure if you want to make the time investment in a full review, we present the distilled […]...
- Pro-Ject Audio Systems Phono Box S3 B Phono Preamplifier1 June 2023, 4:00 am
Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here. Last year I reviewed Pro-Ject Audio Systems’ X2 B turntable for SoundStage! Hi-Fi. The “B” indicates that the turntable can be run in a balanced configuration, provided the tonearm is fitted with a moving-coil cartridge (MC cartridges are inherently balanced). Since it came premounted with an Ortofon Quintet Red MC, I was mostly set up, except for one thing: I don’t own ... - The Best of Montreal Audiofest 20231 June 2023, 4:00 am
This feature has been a longer-than-normal time coming. Montreal Audiofest 2023, which Jason Thorpe and I covered for SoundStage! Global, ran from March 24 to 26. We typically run an article highlighting the show’s best products on the first day of the month following the show. But two days after Audiofest, I flew to England to visit Monitor Audio and Vivid Audio. So there wasn’t enough time for me to write a best-of-show report in time for publication on April 1. My backup plan was ... - Recommended Reference Component: Bryston BR-20 Preamplifier-Streaming DAC14 May 2023, 4:00 am
We’ve reviewed the Bryston BR-20 preamplifier and streaming DAC twice on SoundStage! Network sites. Gordon Brockhouse reviewed it for SoundStage! Simplifi in June 2021. Then, earlier this month, Evan McCosham reviewed it here on SoundStage! Hi-Fi. The reason for the two reviews has to do with the Bryston’s rich feature set, which makes it right at home on Simplifi, and its high level of sonic performance—desirable of course for Simplifi readers, but mandatory for Hi-Fi readers,... - Mission 770 Loudspeaker14 May 2023, 4:00 am
Note: measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. A few days before I sat down to write this review, I thought about what I’d say in the opening paragraphs. Should I outline the release of the original 770 in 1978 and the motivation for this “reboot”? How about a history of the brand, from its founding by Farad Azima to its acquisition by International Audio Group (IAG), which is based in Shenzhen, China? (IA... - Bryston BR-20 Preamplifier–Streaming DAC1 May 2023, 4:00 am
Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here. I might as well admit it at the outset: I’m a Bryston fanboy. One of Canada’s hi-fi darlings, Bryston is known for making sturdy, high-powered amplifiers that last almost forever. How long is forever? Well, all Bryston amps are covered by an industry-leading 20-year warranty. The company’s legendary 4B power amplifier has been in production in various iterations since the 1970s. ...
- 2023 California Audio Show – Aaudio Imports system details11 May 2023, 2:27 pm
Aaudio Imports system details Room: Lobby Pavilion Music system: Grimm (Netherlands) MU1 Music Server. $12,500 HB Design (Germany) PowerSlave Marble MKII Power Distributor. $21,500 Stacore (Poland) CLD Footers. $1,080 set of 3 Stage III (USA) Ckahron (pronounced KAI-RON) XLR Interconnects. $16,500/pair Chimaera Digital Link. $8,800 Kraken AC Power. $10,000 Proteus AC Power. $13,400 Poseidon [...] The post 2023 California Audio Show – Aaudio Imports system details appeared first on D... - FinkTeam KIM stand-mount speakers Review25 April 2023, 8:27 pm
FinkTeam KIM Ah yes, I remember it well. February 2018 found me in Bristol, England at its eponymous HiFi Show. The show, a warhorse of sorts, has been in existence for decades, and I daresay it will persevere for yet a few more. It was there, in the pub (bar for the Yanks) I met [...] The post FinkTeam KIM stand-mount speakers Review appeared first on Dagogo.... - CAS Awards 202325 April 2023, 6:14 pm
The CAS is the only show in which attendees and reviewers can vote for companies to be recognized for their best efforts at the show. Vote count: 2 – per Member of the Press, 1 – per Attendee Vote allowance: 1 vote allowed per Type per person. Best Sounding Room Award. Most Innovative Product Award. Best Value Component Award. [...] The post CAS Awards 2023 appeared first on Dagogo.... - CAS10 Tickets and Prize24 April 2023, 11:03 pm
Tickets Instructions: Please pick your CAS10 badge up at the CAS Registrar during the show. If you are purchasing additional tickets for your guests, send their names to [email protected] in a separate email so that proper name badges will be created. Prize: one (1) PS Audio Stellar PowerPlant3 AC regenerator, valued at $2,999 (retail price) [...] The post CAS10 Tickets and Prize appeared first on Dagogo.... - CAS10 Exhibitors23 April 2023, 4:48 am
EXHIBITORS Aaudio Imports. Room: Lobby Pavilion. System details. – Grimm Audio – Stage III Concepts Ckahron (pronounced KAI-RON) XLR Interconnects. $16,500/pair – Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3zero loudspeakers. MSRP $54,000 per pair. – Ypsilon Electronics Phaethon Silver Edition integrated hybrid amplifier. MSRP $56,000. High End By Oz. Room: Lobby Platinum Ballroom, Gold Ballroom (separate exhibits) [...] The post CAS10 Exhibitors appeared first on Dagogo....
- World's First Lossless High Resolution Immersive Streaming Service30 May 2023, 2:08 pm
Audio: Listen to this article. In the early days of computer audio and local high resolution files, all streaming platforms offered lossy MP3 quality music. Remember that? It seems like forever ago. Now, we have lossless high resolution streaming from several services and we consider this standard. It's funny how quickly we raise our standards and accept nothing less than that which wasn't even available a little while ago... - Munich High End 2023 Wrap Up21 May 2023, 7:57 pm
Audio: Listen to this article. High End Munich is officially in the books for 2023. As many manufacturers, distributors, and friends are disassembling and packing up audio gear, I'm back at my hotel processing what I've heard over the last four days. I have a few dozen photos and some rough iPhone recordings of the events, but I have no notes about what I experienced. I like to do things differently. I didn't methodically wa... - Plāys with Audirvāna - Announced12 May 2023, 4:40 pm
Audio: Listen to this article. At the Munich High End show in 2022, Managing Director Manuel de la Fuente told me about a program the team was working on and the larger picture for Audirvana. I was very enthusiastic then, and I'm happy to see it come to fruition. Today the company announced its new program called "Plāys with Audirvāna." This is a win-win situation, especially for fans of Audirvana's software. &nbs... - Taking The RAAL-requisite SR1a and SR1b Headphones to the Pinnacle10 May 2023, 3:47 pm
Audio: Listen to this article. Members of the Audiophile Style community are well aware that I absolutely love my RAAL-requisite SR1a true ribbon headphones. I was floored by them in my initial review, and fell in love with them even more after using an FIR correction filter developed by Mitch Barnett (@mitchco) of Accurate Sound. Two years later, I believe we're at the absolute peak of SR1a and SR1b performance because of a new FIR fi... - Immersive and Stereo Musical Gems - TRPTK Edition, Part 22 May 2023, 5:41 pm
Audio: Listen to this article. In Part 1 I touched on the TRPTK label, its dedication to great music and great quality, and three of my favorite albums. In Part 2, my journey into the TRPTK catalog continues with three more favorites that have captivated me of late. I liste to the following albums in Dolby Atmos on my 7.1.4 music-only audio system. No screens allowed in my listening room, ever. The albums are also available in other im...
- Seen at High End Munich 2023: Soundsmith Cartridges & Phono Preamps31 May 2023, 12:00 am
Nope, we’re not done yet — hence, here’s another installment of our extended takes on some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023. Today, we delve into all the great new Soundsmith cartridge and phono preamp offerings that were on display in the company’s always impressive booth (plus another notable item or two) from the mind and hands of Soundsmith chief engineering domo Peter Ledermann and company. Needless to say, anyone who ventured into Sounds... - Seen at High End Munich 2023: Thorens New Reference Turntable30 May 2023, 12:00 am
We continue ever onward with our extended looks at some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023. Next up is the Thorens New Reference turntable, a stunning piece that’s intended to celebrate 140 years of the company’s design and performance prowess. In addition to the previously announced limited-edition Thorens TT 124 DD 140th Anniversary turntable — a brilliant ’table in its own right also seen in Munich that is capped at a manufacturing run of 140... - All-Analog Remaster of Legendary 1957 Sessions Comprising Craft Recordings’ New 180 1LP Edition of Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane Ushers in a Much Welcome Return of Original Jazz Classics Imprint26 May 2023, 12:00 am
Good news! Craft Recordings — the boutique vinyl arm of Concord Music, who control the catalogs of Fantasy, Riverside, Milestone, and many other related labels — has duly revived the Original Jazz Classics series as a brand imprint for the now times. One of the first titles being reissued by Craft under the vaunted OJC umbrella is out today, May 26, in a new, 180g 1LP all-analog remastered edition: Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane. Now, reviewing a record like Thelonious Monk Wit... - Blowin’ Free and Goin’ Deep With Andy Powell About Wishbone Ash’s New Argus 50th Anniversary Edition Multidisc Box Set That Heralds the Full Majesty of Their Milestone Melodically Progressive 1972 Rock LP25 May 2023, 12:00 am
The Guardian Will Come: Above, the Hipgnosis-designed cover imagery for Wishbone Ash’s seminal 1972 LP Argus is considered to be a prime example of how album artwork and musical content can sometimes come together in perfect synergistic harmony. Certain albums serve as defining statements of a band’s career trajectory — and when it comes to the British melodic progressive rock band Wishbone Ash, 1972’s Argus is the shining example. To celebrate the golden anniversary of... - Seen at High End Munich 2023: Takumi TT Level 3.1 Turntable24 May 2023, 12:00 am
Continuing with our highlighting of some of the coolest gear seen and heard at High End Munich 2023, we now turn our eyes and ears to Takumi’s TT Level 3.1 turntable. To be more specific, over in Halle 4 R10 — a.k.a. Hall 4, Booth 10 — the Takumi TT Level 3.1 turntable was part of a top-shelf demo system comprising a Moonriver Audio 505 phono stage, Moonriver 404 integrated amplifiers, Aretai speakers, and Viablue cables. The haunting, affecting music used for the balance of...
- GATO PWR-222 Monoblock Amplifier, SHAKEN & STIRRED!28 May 2023, 9:00 pm
... - TUNE UP Your EARS! + 6 VIEWER SYSTEMS!26 May 2023, 4:45 pm
... - Zu DWX, a TOTAL KNOCKOUT!21 May 2023, 9:30 pm
... - AUDIOPHILE UPGRADES and DOWNGRADES and so much MORE!!18 May 2023, 9:30 pm
... - Falcon Acoustics M10 REVIEW14 May 2023, 9:00 pm
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- Vantage 3 Live from YG and Bel Canto | Munich 202331 May 2023, 11:00 am
When I walked into the YG Acoustics and Bel Canto Design room at Munich 2023, I looked around and noticed something was missing. There were many, many pairs of YG Acoustics speakers in the room, [...]... - Nordost in Munich | Munich 202331 May 2023, 8:00 am
How good was Nordost in Munich? While I was in the middle of a listening session in the Nordost room, with Wilson Audio, Dan D’Agostino and dCS (which sounds like Mohammed Samji‘s system at home), [...]... - DeVore and The Wand | Munich 202330 May 2023, 3:29 pm
I was beckoned to the DeVore and The Wand room at High End 2023 by Simon Brown, who I haven’t seen in a few years. Simon Brown is, of course, the designer and builder of [...]... - Furutech’s NCF | Munich 202330 May 2023, 11:00 am
My first step into the world of grounding and lowering noise floors started with Furutech’s NCF products, which I’ve been using in my system for several years. Furutech has discovered something very special in its [...]... - VTL and Wilson and Nordost | Munich 202330 May 2023, 8:00 am
When I declared the VTL and Stenheim and Nordost room at AXPONA 2023 as one of my top rooms at the show, I felt like I’ve been ignoring Vacuum Tube Logic for way too long [...]...
- Cambridge Audio launches Made by Music podcast31 May 2023, 2:55 pm
Becoming more clichéd than hi-fi show music itself is complaining about hi-fi show music. Guilty as charged. Never one to play the hi-fi show music game is Cambridge Audio whose presence at Munich High-End 2023 was, once again, a whoosh of fresh air. When I bowled up to their ‘booth’ […] The post Cambridge Audio launches Made by Music podcast first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without p... - Munich High-End 2023 video review30 May 2023, 6:51 am
Munich High-End is the world’s biggest trade fair for hi-fi and personal audio. ‘Biggest’ isn’t just a function of the MOC’s enormous exhibition spaces that span four larger open halls downstairs and four horseshoe hallways upstairs: the former mainly accommodating passive exhibits where direct contact with the manufacturer is the […] The post Munich High-End 2023 video review first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be... - Musical Fidelity resurrects the A1 integrated (again) [UPDATED]26 May 2023, 3:26 pm
Under the new stewardship of Pro-Ject’s Heinz Lichtenegger, Musical Fidelity is once again resurrecting the A1 integrated amplifier. The A1 was first released in 1984, discontinued a decade later and then resurrected in 2008 before being discontinued again. Debuting at the recent Munich High-End show, the 2023 A1 looks similar […] The post Musical Fidelity resurrects the A1 integrated (again) [UPDATED] first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to ... - Buchardt celebrates 10 years with Anniversary 10 active standmounts24 May 2023, 6:00 pm
Buchardt Audio is celebrating a decade in the loudspeaker business with a new 2-way active standmount called, appropriately, the Anniversary 10. This will be the first Buchardt loudspeaker to feature cabinets made from 19mm thick solid wood where all pieces are CNC’d and assembled in the company’s new Denmark-based cabinet-making […] The post Buchardt celebrates 10 years with Anniversary 10 active standmounts first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this... - What a hi-fi show REALLY sounds like (Munich High-End 2023)24 May 2023, 10:15 am
The numbers are in. Munich High-End’s body count for 2023 was 22,137. We came, we saw — but did we listen? With an average of 5500 people descending on the MOC each day, the side-effect of so many people in one exhibition centre cannot, by definition, be captured by the […] The post What a hi-fi show REALLY sounds like (Munich High-End 2023) first appeared on Darko.Audio.---------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permissio...
- The Rolling Stones in Mono (2023 Coloured Vinyl release)26 May 2023, 10:29 am
This review is of the 10,000 limited edition 2023 Abkco box set of The Rolling Stones in Mono pressed on coloured vinyl, not the 2016 release of the same material on carbon black vinyl. Since the recordings are identical, you’d think the two box sets would be equal. This is where cutting, pressing and vinyl quality affect LPs. Exactly like the sold-out (and now commanding big bucks) 2016 set, the new set is mastered by Bob Ludwig and the lacquer was cut at Abbey Road. The set is cut from D... - Emerson String Quartet— The New Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon26 May 2023, 10:29 am
This is the “New Complete Recordings" box from DG and the Emerson String Quartet, not to be confused with the “Complete Edition” box set from 2016. This new set, to celebrate the group’s farewell tour concerts in 2023, added two recordings including the double album "The New York Concert" with Evgeny Kissin and the 2017 recording "Chaconnes and Fantasias—The Music of Britten and Purcell". New, updated liner notes and photographs, too. The booklet including detailed ... - Can’t Buy A Thrill—Steely Dan/Analogue Productions UHQR 45 RPM vinyl reissue26 May 2023, 10:29 am
This is my second UHQR (Ultra High-Quality Record) Analogue Productions 45 RPM release, boxed beautifully and pressed at their Quality Record Pressings using 200-gram Clarity Vinyl. This pressing, like my first, Kind of Blue, features silent vinyl and was remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analogue master tapes. With records becoming more expensive by the day, (these UHQR 45s are $150 a pop), and after the MoFi debacle, I’m checking a recording’s analogue provenance of e... - Exodus: Bob Marley and the Wailers—UHQR/Analogue Productions 33RPM vinyl reissue26 May 2023, 10:29 am
In December of 1976, Bob Marley and his wife Rita faced an assassination attempt in their Jamaica home, with the singer suffering nonlethal gunshot wounds. There is some speculation that the gunman was retaliating against Marley for his seemingly tacit endorsement of Michael Manley’s People’s National Party. The political situation in Jamaica in the 1970s was rapidly deteriorating, with both competing political parties funding paramilitary gangs and political violence. With a target ... - Shostakovich Symphony No. 8: Mravinsky/ Leningrad Philharmonic—Altus SACD26 May 2023, 10:28 am
There are certain conductors who will forever be associated with the music of a particular composer. You have Carlos Kleiber who is synonymous with Beethoven, Eugen Jochum who spent much of his career recording not one, but two complete Bruckner cycles, and of course, Sir John Eliot Gardiner who on the surface seems to have performed Bach and only Bach for the last 40 years. For Russian conductor Yevgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988), his name is inexorably linked to one composer: Dmitri Shostakovich.Ye...
- WIN! A Lateral Audio Stands LAS-9 Cadenz equipment support worth £9207 October 2021, 10:14 am
We have teamed up with our friends at Lateral Audio Stands to bring you a fantastic competition for a chance to win a four-tier LAS-9 Cadenz equipment support worth £920. Our editor, Alan Sircom reviewed the LAS-9 Cadenz equipment support in Hi-Fi+ issue 199 where he wrote, “At first glance, LAS-9 Cadenz is very much the traditional modular equipment stand.” But, he pointed out, “Looks can be deceptive, however. There are a lot of clever techniques used to help dissipat... - After the US, Japan and China, BAYZ also lands in the UK4 October 2021, 7:40 am
We are pleased to announce that BAYZ Audio (http://www.bayz-audio.eu/) speakers will be available for audition at this year’s UK AUDIO SHOW on 9-10 October in Daventry. The event has deservedly aroused considerable interest among British audiophiles and specialist journalists as we have not been able to show off our products during the last 2 years in the UK due to the pandemic. So we can safely say that this event will be the debut of our speakers at this point on the globe. We are also... - Russell K are proud to launch the new Red 120Se Loudspeaker at the UK Audio Show 2021.30 September 2021, 7:16 am
How to improve a speaker already heralded as “sounding fast, controlled and natural”? Enter the ‘Designed and manufactured in England’ Red 120Se which succeeds in raising the performance of the Red 120 to an even higher level. The new 120 Special edition shows exemplary coherence and delivers even more true-to-life dynamic nuance and detail. It’s vivid and highly engaging and because it delivers more micro-detail you hear the true relationship between musical even... - Accuphase DP-570 CD/SACD Player21 September 2021, 1:17 pm
Turns out it’s been a while since I last reviewed a CD player. A few years, in fact. And to be honest, given my long-term player of choice is the dCS Puccini that came in for issue 65 and never really left, any review units following that always had to go some to get my attention. But somewhat to my surprise, it’s been ten years since I bought that dCS player. Probably the most obvious reason why I haven’t reviewed a CD player in a while is that there are rather fewer on offe... - Norma Audio Revo IPA-140 integrated amplifier21 September 2021, 1:03 pm
There are some audio brands that arguably get more coverage than they deserve. There are others that deserve more coverage than they get. Norma is in the second group. It consistently turns in an excellent performance at sensible prices, is loved by almost anyone who hears any product in the line, and both the Norma name and products like the Revo IPA-140 integrated amplifier deserve greater recognition. I can understand why the company flies below the radar, too. Norma has that charming, but ...
- Classical, May 202330 May 2023, 12:00 am
Sir András Schiff JS Bach: Inventions & Sinfonias, etc ECM ECM2635/36 (two discs; downloads to 96kHz/24-bit resolution) 'C – this one go plunk' wrote Molesworth in his searing critique of the 'skool piano'. All the notes go plunk on Schiff's clavichord, but that's part of its charm. It can't be overstressed that Bach sat and wrote daily at the clavichord, a smaller and quirky cousin to the harpsichord, and this feels like the closest we could come to standing over his shoulde... - Jazz, May 202330 May 2023, 12:00 am
Joe Chambers Dance Kobina Blue Note 4598364 Though he's heard on many classic Blue Note albums, this is only the veteran drummer's third for the label as leader. Here the pianist is Montreal-based Andrés Vial, whose South American heritage chimes in with Chambers' Afro-Latin inspirations. Bassist is Ira Coleman, who played on Chambers' Mirrors in 1998 and would have joined him on Samba de Maracatu in 2021 but for pandemic travel restrictions. They kick off crisply with Kurt Weill's 'Th... - Rock, May 202330 May 2023, 12:00 am
Yo La Tengo This Stupid World Matador OLE1929CD; LP: OLE1929LE Since their inception in 1984, Yo La Tengo's broad musical tastes have been reflected both in their eclectic choice of cover versions and an ability to boil their influences down into sparsely constructed songs where pop meets experimentation. 2018's There's A Riot Goin' On felt like an escape from the world into a reassuring inner space, but This Stupid World is filled with disquiet, and a sense of time passing: singer and guitar... - Audiophile: Digital, May 202330 May 2023, 12:00 am
Quincy Jones The Dude Intervention IS-SCD-18 (SACD) In August 2022, the LP version of this soul/funk classic earned a respectable 85% rating, and this edition scores higher because the SACD transfer somehow has a bit more crispness and 'bite', which better suits disco-era funk.Incidentally, for those who always prefer vinyl to any digital format regardless of the actual sound, the scores here are relative to the format. Anyway, to recap, Jones's hit 1981 solo release could match any A-lister'... - Audiophile: Vinyl, May 202330 May 2023, 12:00 am
Vince Guaraldi Trio A Charlie Brown Christmas Craft/Fantasy 8431 (coloured vinyl); SACD; BD Audio There is a point to reviewing a Christmas LP in May. Yes, this is a soundtrack to an animated film, but the music transcends the holiday itself as well as the feature it accompanies, because, irrespective of its mix of incidental music and seasonal classics such as 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing' and 'O Tannenbaum', it's simply a gorgeous-sounding, gentle jazz set that has been pushing audiophile ...
- Lossless Immersive Audio Music Streaming – Coming This Fall?31 May 2023, 5:28 pm
The streaming service Artist Connection promises uncompressed lossless multi-channel surround sound in AURO 3D and Dolby TrueHD/Dolby Atmos formats in just a few short months.... - Cayin N7 DAP: Review31 May 2023, 8:12 am
Does the Cayin N7 DAP give the flagship N8ii a real run for its money? Simplifying the unit and focusing on the DAC and headphone amplifier made this unit one of the best available.... - TIDAL for Bugatti Royale Loudspeaker: High End Munich 202330 May 2023, 9:50 pm
TIDAL Audio and luxury automaker, Bugatti, have collaborated on a 4-way active loudspeaker that promises performance commensurate with its 6-figure asking price.... - Aston Martin’s DB12 Will Feature A Turbo Charged Bowers & Wilkins Surround System30 May 2023, 12:00 pm
Diamond tweeters are forever? Vesper Lynd would have been green with envy had 007 raced around Montenegro in this stunning Aston Martin DB12 without her.... - T.H.E. Show Launches New Record Label & FM Radio Show30 May 2023, 11:00 am
This innovative venture will promote exceptional talent while providing listeners with unparalleled audio experiences, thus bringing up-and-coming artists in search of new fans together with audiophiles searching for new music....
- XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro Portable Projector Review31 May 2023, 12:00 pm
XGMI’s MoGo 2 Pro Portable Projector packs a lot of technology into a tiny package. Barely bigger than a Bluetooth speaker, it delivers 1080p resolution with HDR support and integrated speakers. The post XGIMI MoGo 2 Pro Portable Projector Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Mission 778x Integrated Amplifier, A Video Review.30 May 2023, 12:00 pm
My first pair of proper HiFi speakers were the mighty Mission m32i bookshelves. They were a massive step up in what my home stereo sounded like. The post Mission 778x Integrated Amplifier, A Video Review. appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Sennheiser HD 660S2 Headphones Review24 May 2023, 12:00 pm
Sennheiser headphones have been around forever, yet they keep coming up with new gear at a variety of prices. Now there’s a new headphone that’s an obvious successor to their classic HD 600 headphones, and a few newer iterations that have come along. The post Sennheiser HD 660S2 Headphones Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Klipsch RP-8000F II Floor-Standing Loudspeakers Review22 May 2023, 12:00 pm
The Klipsch RP-8000F II Floor-Standing speakers have new, larger Tractrix® Horn tweeters and newly updated woofers. I found them to be well-made, dynamic, and detailed sounding with surprising musicality at their modest price point. The Klipsch RP-8000F II speakers also performed well on my bench tests with very low distortion and flat frequency response. The post Klipsch RP-8000F II Floor-Standing Loudspeakers Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Vincent PHO-701 Phono Preamp Review17 May 2023, 12:00 pm
The Vincent PHO-701 phono preamp delivers a lot for its very reasonable asking price. It packs a tube output stage, a two-box chassis with a separate power supply, and an exceptional level of cartridge loading tunability. On top of that, it sounds great. The post Vincent PHO-701 Phono Preamp Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com....
- Tzar DST Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge22 May 2023, 8:45 pm
The Tzar DST moving coil phono cartridge is manufactured in Russia in limited quantities and distributed in the US by Robyatt Audio. The $10,000 cartridge has some special features that make it unique in the marketplace of moving coil phono cartridge. Manufactured by Leonid Sinitsin, the Tzar DST bears a resemblance to the Neumann cartridges […]... - Stager Silver Solids Interconnect Phono Cable30 March 2023, 3:14 pm
Stager Sound Systems is a New York company founded in 1986. They rent and sell pro gear for small to medium-large concerts and special events. There is also a “division” that specializes in interconnect and speaker cables called Stager Silver Solids. As you might guess from the name, these audio cables are made from silver […]... - Acoustic Signature TA-7000 Neo Tonearm28 February 2023, 10:33 pm
The Acoustic Signature TA-7000 Neo tonearm sits just below their top-of-the-line TA-9000 Neo tonearm in the product range. It is available in both 9 inch and 12 inch lengths, for $15,995 and $17,995 respectively. There is also a choice of color: black or silver, or chrome or gold at additional cost. A 9” silver arm […]... - Bricasti Design M1 Series II Digital-to-Analog Converter3 January 2023, 10:34 pm
First review! The adoption of digital sound, as recorded on CDs, DVDs, downloads in various formats, and other media has been underway since about 1983. In the intervening 50 years, the sound quality of these recordings has improved significantly, along with a huge increase in the quality of digital playback gear. Even so, many […]... - Simaudio Moon 810LP Phono Preamplifier30 November 2022, 11:37 pm
The Simaudio Moon 810LP Reference Dual-Mono Phono Preamplifier is unusually heavy. The lid alone weighs 7 1/2 pounds, and the total weight is about 30 pounds. This mass is expected in a top-of-the-line product from established Canadian audio equipment maker Simaudio. Boasting an outstanding signal-to-noise ratio of about 100 dB (depending on gain), the Moon […]...
- Review: XTZ Edge A2-300 Power Amplifier30 May 2023, 8:41 pm
Class D Power At A Bargain Basement Price: XTZ Edge A2-300 Power Amplifier Review by Jamie Gillies I’ve heard about Class D, read about Class D, but never had tried Class D until Oliver Fragman, the owner of Le Studio du Son in Montreal, Québec kindly sent me a new amplifier from Swedish manufacturer XTZ. The A2-300 power amplifier is their smaller amp, made to power everything from bookshelf and desktop speakers to full range floorstanders. It delivers tremendous power ... - Graham Audio LS8/1 Speakers: A First Look Audition26 May 2023, 4:04 pm
Graham Audio LS8/1 Speakers: A First Look Audition by David Neice Graham Audio LS8/1 Speakers MSRP: $13,360 CAN (US $9700) – the Derek Hughes Signature Edition is limited to 100 pairs and includes custom stands. Lejonklou Boazu Integrated Amplifier MSRP: $5795 CAN. Summary: This report is based on an ‘audition’ of the Graham Audio LS8/1 speakers done at Hearken Audio In Kitchener Ontario. Circumstances mentioned below prevented us from doing a full revi... - Review: Neotech NEVD-2001 Pure Silver 75 Ohm Digital Coaxial S/PDIF Cable10 May 2023, 4:01 pm
Digital Cable for the External DAC Connoisseur: Neotech NEVD-2001 Pure Silver 75 Ohm Digital Coaxial S/PDIF Cable Review by Jamie Gillies Compact discs still matter despite a decade of the music industry moving in the diametrically opposite direction away from CDs and physical digital media. This has occurred because of the increasing emphasis on digital streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify, and with the investment and the popularity of vinyl both as preferred form for s... - Review: S.M.S.L D300 Digital to Analogue Converter8 May 2023, 1:13 am
S.M.S.L D300 Digital to Analogue Converter A DAC Out of the Ordinary By Steve Graham Let me start out by describing what the D300 isn’t, doesn’t have or won’t do: -It isn’t physically imposing. -It doesn’t have slabs of sculpted aluminum formed into a jewel-like case. -It doesn’t have a built-in headphone amp. -It won’t impress your audio buddies with its size or looks. -It won’t crush your budget (as long as your budget stretches to $500 CD... - Review: Ollo Audio S5X Immersive Headphones28 March 2023, 2:24 pm
If You Want To Hear Everything: Ollo Audio’s S5X Immersive Headphones by Jamie Gillies Over time with this hobby and as I have progressed with more critical listening, I have found myself listening to more music through headphones. I grew up with headphone and earbud listening, from my first Discman through the iPod era. I then committed to 2 channel audio and speaker listening and put away my cans for a long time. But as DACs and headphone amps have improved and the space and time needed ...
- SeekReal Dawn Pro Review31 May 2023, 7:37 am
In this feature, we review the SeekReal Dawn Pro, which is a new hybrid multi-driver in-ear monitor with a dual planar and BA driver design. It is priced at $249 currently with an SRP of $259. Disclaimer: This is a sample that was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. We thank Linsoul for this opportunity. To learn more about SeekReal gear that we have previously featured on Headfonics […] SeekReal ... - Effect Audio Cadmus 8W Review29 May 2023, 4:37 am
In this feature, we review the Effect Audio Cadmus 8W which is an 8-wire UP-OCC silver-plated copper Litz IEM aftermarket cable with ConX. It is priced at $299. Disclaimer: This sample was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links. Many thanks to Effect Audio for this opportunity. To read more about Effect Audio gear previously covered on Headfonics click here. Note, that this 2-page article follows our latest scori... - FiiO Q11 Review27 May 2023, 9:32 am
We review the FiiO Q11, which is an affordable CS43198-equipped portable DAC and headphone amplifier with up to 650mW of output power. It is priced at $89.99 Disclaimer: This was sent to us as a sample for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. We thank FiiO for its support. You can click here to learn more about the FiiO gear we have previously highlighted on Headfonics. Note, that this post follows our latest scor... - SIMGOT EA500 Review26 May 2023, 8:19 am
Today, we review the SIMGOT EA500, which is a 10mm dual-magnetic-circuit & dual-cavity structure dynamic driver universal in-ear monitor. It is priced at $79.00. Disclaimer: This was sent to us as a sample for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. We thank the team at Linsoul and SIMGOT for giving us this opportunity. To read more about SIMGOT products we have previously featured on Headfonics click here. Note,... - Kinera Nanna 2.1 Z-Tune Edition Review24 May 2023, 8:25 am
In this feature, we review the Kinera Nanna 2.1 Z-Tune Edition which is a hybrid EST, dynamic, and balanced armature universal in-ear monitor. It is priced at $949.00. Disclaimer: This was sent to us as a sample for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. We thank the team at Kinera and Linsoul for giving us this opportunity. To read more on Kinera products we have featured on Headfonics click here. Note, this article follows ...
- Best Of Show And Event Highlights – Munich 202331 May 2023, 5:34 pm
The world’s biggest audio show took place this month, and PTA writer and all-around traveler audiophile Marc Phillips was there The post Best Of Show And Event Highlights – Munich 2023 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Rhino High Fidelity Launches Series With Two New Audiophile LP’s – The Cars And Coltrane’s Sound19 May 2023, 4:27 pm
Record label Rhino is launching a new series of HiFi records starting with the 1978 release The Cars and Coltrane’s The post Rhino High Fidelity Launches Series With Two New Audiophile LP’s – The Cars And Coltrane’s Sound appeared first on AudioHead.... - Naim Unveils The Naim NAIT 50 Reissue and The New Classic 300 Series18 May 2023, 11:41 pm
In our ongoing coverage of the HIGHEND Munich Show taking place this weekend, we are happy to bring you even The post Naim Unveils The Naim NAIT 50 Reissue and The New Classic 300 Series appeared first on AudioHead.... - MoFi Electronics Ups Their Game With A New Phono Pre – Munich 202318 May 2023, 1:30 pm
The new MoFi Electronics MasterPhono preamplifier. We are massive fans of the MoFi Electronics brand. Being supremely impressed with the The post MoFi Electronics Ups Their Game With A New Phono Pre – Munich 2023 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Tidal Audio Announces New Flagship Contriva G3 Speaker10 May 2023, 3:02 pm
Always a great listen in the HiFi Show circuit, Tidal Audio just announced a new flagship floorstander to join its The post Tidal Audio Announces New Flagship Contriva G3 Speaker appeared first on AudioHead....
- Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 Media & Exhibitor Party30 May 2023, 4:34 pm
(May 30, 2023) Enjoy the Music.com, premium audio’s critically-acclaimed site for 28 years and a leader in providing luxury audio and The post Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 Media & Exhibitor Party appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - A trio of Sivga Headphones: Robin, Oriole, and SV02329 May 2023, 6:00 am
The Dongguan, China company Sivga was founded in 2016 by veterans of the Chinese audio industry. I have little known The post A trio of Sivga Headphones: Robin, Oriole, and SV023 appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - Sendy Audio Announces 25% discount on their popular Apollo Headphone!26 May 2023, 4:40 pm
5/25/23 – Sendy Audio is happy to announce a 25% discount on their cutting-edge Open-back Hifi Planar Magnetic Over-ear Wood The post Sendy Audio Announces 25% discount on their popular Apollo Headphone! appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - Cayin HA-3A Tube Headphone Amplifier – Slice of Heaven22 May 2023, 6:00 am
My history with Cayin predates my entry into the Personal Audio scene, Cayin being one of the Audiophile Chinese tube The post Cayin HA-3A Tube Headphone Amplifier – Slice of Heaven appeared first on Headphone Guru.... - On The Occasion of Its 50th Anniversary, Naim Audio Presents NAIT 5018 May 2023, 9:30 am
Its Iconic Latest-Generation and Limited-Edition Amplifier High End Munich – May 18, 2023 1973/2023: Naim celebrates its 50th anniversary. To The post On The Occasion of Its 50th Anniversary, Naim Audio Presents NAIT 50 appeared first on Headphone Guru....
- Origin Live adds Swift Mk5 to range30 May 2023, 12:00 am
Origin Live has added to its range of turntables with the Swift Mk5, a deck with a motor/power supply redesign and a Multi Layer Platter, tech which the company reveals has trickled down from its flagship Voyager vinyl spinner. The Swift features the basic design of Origin Live’s Aurora turntable, thanks to its single-point cantilevered suspension. In this system the platter and tonearm are balanced roughly in equilibrium on the ends of a rigid sub-chassis bar. Due to the microscopic flex... - Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB30 May 2023, 12:00 am
Any attempt to commit the Pro-Ject turntable range to memory would be a passable Mastermind subject. The number of models that the company builds is vast and, at times, there seems to be an inexplicable level of overlap to them. At first glance, the T1 Phono SB looks like it sits in the latter category with barely any breathing room between it and the more affordable Primary series below it and Essential above. In reality, it is the first rung on the ladder for specialist dealers, with the Prim... - Astell&Kern introduces A&norma SR35 and AK ZERO225 May 2023, 12:00 am
There’s plenty going on over at Astell&Kern with the launch of its A&norma SR35 media player and AK ZERO2 in-ears. The media player is the successor to the company’s SR25 MKII (HFC 489), boasts a claimed 20 hours of continuous playtime and deploys the first Dual/Quad DAC switching mode in the A&norma series – enabling users to adjust the sound and power output while improving power efficiency. The brand’s patented Teraton Alpha technology promises balanced dyn... - Rega io25 May 2023, 12:00 am
How we listen to music is becoming more and more diverse, and there are some who question the point of entry-level, affordable hi-fi separates. After all, with the sheer selection of smart speakers, portable music players, soundbars and other innumerable ways to stream anything from anywhere, the humble two-channel amplifier would seem to be something of an anachronism. Rega doesn’t see it this way. In fact, reports from its distributors and dealers would suggest an ever-increasing deman... - Copland introduces CTA407 integrated tube amp24 May 2023, 12:00 am
Danish amplifier specialist Copland has launched its new flagship valve-based integrated, the CTA407. Supplied with two matched pairs of 6550 output valves, the amp is rated at 50W per channel in high-biased Class A/AB mode, delivering most of its power in Class A state. Copland says this: “enables the CTA407 to combine captivating musical realism and tonal purity with sufficient power to drive a wide range of different speakers with ease”. The amp is also compatible with KT88, KT90...
- AXPONA 2023 – Show Report & Awards27 April 2023, 9:04 am
After four long years of HiFi show drought, I’m excited to share my journey at AXPONA 2023. With RMAF gone, this is currently the largest HiFi show in the US. This year’s event was nothing short of amazing, with over 500 exhibitors showcasing the latest in HiFi equipment to more than 9,000 visitors. As far […] The post AXPONA 2023 – Show Report & Awards appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - “Calypso King” Harry Belafonte Dies at Age 9625 April 2023, 9:51 pm
Harry Belafonte, a music icon who broke down racial barriers with his unique blend of folk, calypso, and jazz music, passed away on April 25th, 2023, at the age of 96 due to congestive heart failure. He passed away at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Belafonte was a trailblazer who broke […] The post “Calypso King” Harry Belafonte Dies at Age 96 appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - Innuos PhoenixNET Review – Revolutionizing Digital Music13 April 2023, 2:39 am
Innuos Design Philosophy In the realm of high-end audio, Innuos has made a name for itself as a Portuguese company that crafts top-of-the-line music servers that are both dependable and expertly designed. The founders, Nuno Vitorino and Amelia Santos, approach their product line with a thorough mindset, choosing to enhance and broaden their existing products […] The post Innuos PhoenixNET Review – Revolutionizing Digital Music appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - CanJam SoCal 2022 – Quick Impressions21 September 2022, 4:33 am
I know I’ve been MIA. Just had a lot of personal things to take care of. I also got married 🙂 Anyway, I’m progressing with the new listening room and will be pumping out new videos soon. Glad I made the last minute decision to attend CanJam 2020. Just picked up my 35mm lens and […] The post CanJam SoCal 2022 – Quick Impressions appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - Meze Audio announces the official launch of the 109 PRO headphone15 September 2022, 11:54 pm
BAIA MARE, Romania – September 15, 2022 – Meze Audio, award-winning high-end headphone manufacturer, announces its first dynamic open-back headphone – the 109 PRO. Made from carefully curated and responsibly sourced materials, including walnut wood, zinc, manganese steel and vegan leather, the 109 PRO is a comfortable, lightweight, yet highly durable headphone capable of producing […] The post Meze Audio announces the official launch of the 109 PRO headphone appeared fir...
- Naim Audio looks back with limited edition NAIT 5026 May 2023, 2:42 am
NEWS: If you're old enough to remember when the NAIT 1 came out, you'll find the Naim's NAIT 50 to be a welcome throwback.... - McIntosh reimagines the ML1 loudspeaker for 202323 May 2023, 3:17 am
NEWS: The new McIntosh ML1 speaker is more than a nod at the company's past... does that sound familiar?... - The ultimate one? Chord reveals the ULTIMA Integrated18 May 2023, 8:15 am
NEWS: Sometimes, there's nothing like a muscular integrated amp sans digital trappings to get the adrenalin going... like Chord Electronics's ULTIMA... - A special Planar 3 from Rega… only for 202311 May 2023, 2:09 am
NEWS: A new Rega TT is always an exciting event. While the "3" is a classic, this edition is something special.... - Monitor Audio’s new flagship, the Hyphn3 May 2023, 2:03 am
NEWS: The Hyphn floorstanding speaker looks like nothing that Monitor Audio has ever made....
- Denon SC-M5K Bookshelf Loudspeakers Reviewed22 May 2023, 9:50 am
Manufactured in the late 1990s by Mission, sold to partner Denon UD-M5 stereo receiver or the UD-M7 component stereo system. Loads of them around now for bargain prices. Great little speakers for a small room or compact system. The post Denon SC-M5K Bookshelf Loudspeakers Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Origin Live DC100 Turntable Motor Upgrade Kit Review18 April 2023, 8:42 pm
kindly contributed by Nipper Varney covering his Origin Live DC100 motor kit. "When half the price of this Origin Live DC100 Motor Kit will buy you an Audio Technica record player complete with motor, PSU, arm, cartridge and phono stage that is able to provide quartz accuracy for speed control first time and every time (as well as three speed settings and the ability to adjust speed) there is no getting away from £530 being expensive for something which is just tasked to turn a platter at ... - Spartan 10 By Michael Fidler Retrospective Review18 April 2023, 8:31 pm
The review below was kindly contributed by Nipper Varney. This review was written some time ago and is reference in Nipper’s recent phono stage comparison contribution. The Spartan 10 has now been discontinued, replaced by the Spartan 15, so I am publishing this as a kind of retrospective as there are certainly plenty of Spartan 10s out there ‘in the wild’. The post Spartan 10 By Michael Fidler Retrospective Review appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Phono Stage Comparison – Classic Audio Spartan & Pro, Pro-Ject, Ifi18 April 2023, 8:25 pm
The review below was kindly contributed by Nipper Varney. Michael Fidler of Classic Audio asked me if I would consider publishing a review of his latest Spartan 15 phonostage contributed by Nipper. I agreed and what follows is a fantastic in-depth comparison of a number of phono stages, including the Spartan 15. Also featured are the Spartan 5, Spartan 10, MM PRO, MC PRO, and units from Pro-Ject and Ifi too. The post Phono Stage Comparison – Classic Audio Spartan & Pro, Pro-Ject, Ifi a... - Edifier WH950NB High-Res Bluetooth Headphones Reviewed17 March 2023, 11:55 am
The Edifier WH950s offer you a lot for your money. They’re ideal for a busy digital lifestyle where conveniences like the excellent active noise cancellation implementation come into their own. While they’re not the last word in sonic fidelity, they do offer everything you might expect from a high-end pair of Bluetooth headphones. The post Edifier WH950NB High-Res Bluetooth Headphones Reviewed appeared first on Audio Appraisal....
- Audiolab 7000A Integrated Amplifier Review13 May 2023, 4:07 am
James Michael Hughes auditions this attractive new affordable integrated amplifier…... - GoldenEar Forcefield 40 Subwoofer Review13 May 2023, 3:30 am
Tony O' Brien gets into the groove with this powerful but affordable subwoofer…... - Mark Levinson ML-50 Limited Edition Mono Amplifier Review12 May 2023, 6:40 am
Craig Joyce auditions this exquisite high-end monoblock power amplifier package…... - NAD C 3050 LE Streaming Integrated Amplifier Review11 May 2023, 4:34 am
Eric Teh tries out this attractive new, retro-styled integrated amplifier from an iconic audio brand…... - HECO Celan Revolution 9 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review11 May 2023, 3:32 am
Chris Frankland auditions this dynamic German floorstanding loudspeaker ......
- The Best PC Speakers for Audiophiles (2023)30 May 2023, 9:57 pm
Audiophiles, rejoice! We’ve compiled a list of the best PC speakers for your discerning ears. Check out our top picks for 2023. When enjoying your favorite music, movies, or games on your PC, having the right speakers can make all the difference. Audiophiles, in particular, demand the highest quality sound and clarity to truly appreciate continue reading The post The Best PC Speakers for Audiophiles (2023) appeared first on HIFI Trends.... - Cleer Audio Announces Arc II Sport Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds With AptX Adaptive Tech23 May 2023, 8:02 pm
Need the perfect wireless earbuds for your active lifestyle? Check out the Cleer Audio Arc II Sport, featuring open-ear design and aptX Adaptive. Cleer Audio, a renowned manufacturer of headphones and smart speakers, has launched its latest product, the $189 Arc II Sport Smart Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds. The earbuds feature a unique earhook and continue reading The post Cleer Audio Announces Arc II Sport Open-Ear Wireless Earbuds With AptX Adaptive Tech appeared first on HIFI Trends.... - Ultrasone Performance 880 Review: Closed-Back Headphones, Open-Back Experience23 May 2023, 3:35 pm
Want closed-back headphones with an open-back experience? Check out our Ultrasone Performance 880 review. Intro The Ultrasone Performance 880 headphones are a high-end pair of closed-back headphones that offer crisp, spacious sound, solid build quality, and excellent isolation. They are designed in Germany and use various premium materials, including a titanium-plated PET diaphragm and a continue reading The post Ultrasone Performance 880 Review: Closed-Back Headphones, Open-Back Experience app... - The Best Wireless Earbuds That Won’t Break the Bank (2023)21 May 2023, 5:17 am
On the hunt for high-quality wireless earbuds that won’t break the bank? Check out our top picks for the best wireless earbuds under $100! Wireless earbuds are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a convenient and stylish way to listen to music or podcasts. However, wireless earbuds can be expensive, especially if you’re looking for continue reading The post The Best Wireless Earbuds That Won’t Break the Bank (2023) appeared first on HIFI Trends.... - New Music Friday Album Roundup: May 19, 202320 May 2023, 1:46 am
It’s time for another New Music Friday! Check out our roundup of the hottest (and best sounding) albums dropping on May 19! It’s that time of the week again, music lovers! New Music Friday is here, and we’ve got an exciting album roundup for you. This week, we’ve got a diverse mix of genres, from continue reading The post New Music Friday Album Roundup: May 19, 2023 appeared first on HIFI Trends....
- Denafrips Ares II DAC6 March 2023, 4:46 pm
Seventeen years ago I was crazy enough to start up the online publication Affordable$$Audio. One of my newly recruited writers, came to me with the idea that we focus on the newest category of audio equipment, the digital to analog converter. At that time, the market was dominated by expensive units with just a few reasonably-priced ones available. Thankfully, over the next four years, the market exploded and the budget audiophile was able to get in on the action. Now in 2023, the DAC marke... - Peachtree Carina Integrated Amplifier12 January 2023, 5:08 am
Incarnation four, that is where Peachtree Audio now stands as a company, beginning as speaker manufacturer ERA under the design guidance of noted speaker builder Mike Kelly. Incarnation two, was a dramatic shift into amplification with a vacuum tube window. Incarnation three, came with advanced engineering that improved the sound quality, upped the power output, and in a surprise, parted ways with the signature vacuum tube. Now, incarnation four, between the GaN400 amplifier, and the scree... - LSA Signature 80 Loudspeakers20 December 2022, 10:55 pm
Link to specificationsThe first rule of being an audio reviewer should be, never stop expecting to be surprised. The moment you think you can predict the performance of a piece of equipment, the unexpected is going to arrive on your doorstep. Having reviewed the LSA 10 bookshelf speakers two years ago, I made the false assumption that the Signature 80's would follow in the same performance lane. I was wrong, very wrong.LSA has created, through the design efforts Dr. Viet Nguyen, and voicin... - Long Term Update: Peachtree PreDac & GaN 4002 December 2022, 7:40 pm
Last January, I posted my review of the PreDac and GaN400. Respectfully, Peachtree was kind enough to allow me a full year experience with both pieces. I’m not going to rehash the review. Instead, I want to focus on the long-term physical performance of the two pieces. The PreDac never gave a hint of a hiccup. The volume control stayed absolutely smooth and silent. Never a pop or a click, scratching, or catching. The input selection buttons have remained flush and even, always respond... - Vista Audio Spark Amplifier23 June 2022, 1:32 am
SpecificationsWhat is it about good surprises happening in small packages? In my case, the high school years of the latter 1970’s with the mini-Aiwa stack intrigued me to no end. But that design seemed to fade as quickly as the heat built up in that four-piece grouping of tuner, preamp, amp, and cassette. While headphones seem to rule the desktop sector, there are a few exceptions. One such entry is the $399 Vista Audio Spark, a simplified integrated amplifier, designed and construct...
- Lampizator Amber 4 DAC – Quick Impression27 May 2023, 3:04 pm
The Amber 4 DAC is the most recent incarnation of Lampizator's most affordable offering. This is not a full in-depth review but a Quick Impression.... - Copper Variants Explained27 May 2023, 9:55 am
Red copper, yellow copper, White copper, T1 copper... all just copper?... - Antipodes Oladra25 May 2023, 7:24 am
The Oladra offers the familiar Antipodes qualities such as deep tonal saturation, lushness, liquidity, and organic flow but is more articulate, crisper, more expressive, airier, and more highly resolving than ever before. Amazingly, it does all this without sounding even the tiniest bit cooler or more analytical.... - Artesania Audio Exoteryc Rack Pro – Industry Update24 May 2023, 11:20 am
Introducing the Exoteryc Rack Pro - An enhanced version of Exoteryc with Master Kyo features.... - Munich High End 2023 Show Highlights23 May 2023, 4:34 pm
After my 2022 report of the show based on photos, comments, and other content from friends in the industry who are attending, I felt it was time to visit the show in person once again....
- Fiio Q7 Review1 May 2023, 10:26 pm
With the highly anticipated release of the Fiio Q7, the device represents the flagship of…... - Lypertek PurePlay Z7 Review15 April 2023, 12:06 pm
Lypertek was established in 2017 and is part of Sound Innovation Co. Its sister brand…... - Audeze LCD-4z Review3 April 2023, 6:14 pm
Based in California, Audeze have been re-defining hi-fi standards in audio gear since its conception…... - Edifier S1000W Review13 March 2023, 8:10 pm
Founded in 1996 and based in Beijing, Edifier has become a leading brand in the…... - Campfire Audio Orbit Review26 February 2023, 5:09 pm
Campfire Audio was founded in Portland, Oregon by Ken Ball, the owner of a company…...
- The Art of Selling on Discogs23 May 2023, 11:07 pm
Zimy, real name Mike Zimmer, transforms mundane LP shipping boxes into abstract, painted travelogues. Every cardboard sleeve a graphic translation of the cover art of said LP being sold. He is, as far as I know, the only person going to the trouble of illustrating his shipping boxes on Discogs. The post The Art of Selling on Discogs appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - Mo Yasin: The Sound System Torchbearer11 May 2023, 11:55 pm
Tom Wong, Winston Cooper, Duke Vin – men who shaped the nascent Jamaican sound system culture of the ’50s and ‘60s. Seven decades on, New York City DJ, speaker and amplifier designer Mo Yasin, is channeling the zeitgeist of that unique island movement. The post Mo Yasin: The Sound System Torchbearer appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - New Black-on-Black fitted T-shirts now Available for Order11 April 2023, 5:41 pm
New Limited Edition Black-on-Black colourway and black-on-white 100 per cent cotton t-shirts in large and extra-large sizes. These are new 'fitted' cuts and look great. There are limited quantities available, so this is strictly a first-come, first-serve basis. The post New Black-on-Black fitted T-shirts now Available for Order appeared first on Resistor Magazine |.... - In House: The Altec 604e Super Duplex17 March 2023, 4:39 am
The 604e "Super Duplex" can trace its roots back to 1941 when Altec Lansing first began developing a compact loudspeaker for practical home audio use as popular Voice of The Theatre models were simply too large. A coaxial design with combined high frequency and low frequency drivers was green lighted by audio engineer George Carrington Sr., then president of Altec who, with help from Jim Lansing and John Hilliard, brought the concept to fruition with the first 601 "Duplex" design. The post In H... - Vintage Review: McIntosh C28 Preamplifier21 February 2023, 10:24 pm
Vintage McIntosh preamplifiers and amps – like the C28 preamp here – are imbued of a rarified authenticity for high fidelites akin to the original Grateful Dead lineup of Garcia, Weir, McKernan, Lesh and Kreutzmann with Deadheads: No matter how phenomenal or mediocre their performance, fans worshipping their sound will not be silenced. The post Vintage Review: McIntosh C28 Preamplifier appeared first on Resistor Magazine |....
- I Just Ate a Subjectively Great Piece of Pizza30 May 2023, 11:00 am
I’ve been reading about ‘subjective reviews’ for a while and admit I was initially like, WTF? But I’ve recently come around. Let me explain. A while back, my wife and I got pizza from a new pizza place. After we were 2 slices in I [...]... - In Barn for Review: Wavelength Audio USB Spacelator27 May 2023, 10:00 am
Gordon Rankin of Wavelength Audio was selling tube amps at Don Garber’s Fi on Watts St. in NYC in the 1990s, he came out with the first asynchronous USB DAC in 2007, and had a hand in the design of the super popular AudioQuest DragonFly [...]... - #NewMusicFriday: May 26, 202326 May 2023, 1:00 pm
Each Friday, Stephen Mejias, AudioQuest’s Director of Communications and former Stereophile and Audiostream columnist, will browse through the many exciting albums released that day and select 15 worth a closer listen. A Part of You in Everything by Croatian Amor Croatian Amor: A Part of [...]... - Album of the Week: ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT | “Darling The Dawn”26 May 2023, 12:12 pm
Blurring the lines between noise and ecstasy, ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT’s debut album “Darling The Dawn”, released on Constellation Records last month, is a trip(py) worth taking. ALL HANDS_MAKE LIGHT is duo Ariel Engle (La Force, Patrick Watson, Broken Social Scene) and Efrim Manuel Menuck (Godspeed [...]... - Review: Enleum AMP-23R Integrated Amplifier25 May 2023, 9:00 am
Read just about any review of the Enleum AMP-23R and you’ll find likes and loves. This review will not stray from this well worn path of praise, so reader’s who just want to know whether or not I like the AMP-23R, you can stop reading [...]...
- Dethonray Pegasus SG1 Special Edition Review31 May 2023, 9:30 pm
Today we share the full review of the $549 USD Dethonray Pegasus SG1 SE portable and wireless DAC/Amplifier. Disclaimer: The Dethonray Pegasus SG1... The post Dethonray Pegasus SG1 Special Edition Review appeared first on https://www.headfonia.com/... - Yanyin Moonlight Ultra Review29 May 2023, 9:52 pm
Today we review the $1,289 USD Yanyin Moonlight Ultra Tribrid In-Ear Monitors. Disclaimer: Linsoul sent us the Yanyin Moonlight Ultra IEM for this review,... The post Yanyin Moonlight Ultra Review appeared first on https://www.headfonia.com/... - Noble Audio Viking Ragnar Review27 May 2023, 9:30 pm
Today we review the Noble Audio Viking Rangar flagship IEM, priced at $4000. Disclaimer: Noble Audio provided the Viking Ragnar at no cost.... The post Noble Audio Viking Ragnar Review appeared first on https://www.headfonia.com/... - Blog: High End Munich 2023 Show Report – Part 224 May 2023, 9:30 pm
This is part 2 of our High-End Munich 2023 show report. You can find part 1 here. The pics in this report are... The post Blog: High End Munich 2023 Show Report – Part 2 appeared first on https://www.headfonia.com/... - Blog: High End Munich 2023 Show Report – Part 122 May 2023, 9:30 pm
High End Munich. Still my favorite show of the year! Why is that you say? Well, it has all the brands that really matter,... The post Blog: High End Munich 2023 Show Report – Part 1 appeared first on https://www.headfonia.com/...
- Lehmannaudio Decade Jubilee MM/MC Phono Preamplifier Packs a Deft Sonic Punch16 May 2023, 3:00 pm
don't be fooled by the diminutive package—or that it appears identical to the "non-Jubilee" Decade... - What's the Magic in "The Wand"?8 May 2023, 12:00 pm
a high performance tonearm at a budget price... - Rekkord Audio F 400 Automatic Turntable Does the Light Lifting28 April 2023, 7:00 pm
agreeable sonic performance, reasonably priced, extremely well made... - Treehaus Audiolab - National Treasure Loudspeaker System22 April 2023, 4:00 pm
Open baffle with a few twists... - Oracle Audio Delphi Mk VII Turntable— A Piece Of Art Or A Record Player?9 April 2023, 2:00 am
the latest update to the Legend of Delphi, the MK VII offers reference-quality sonics....