- Dealer Event in San Francisco Thursday12 November 2018, 5:15 pm
Thursday November 15, 7:30–10pm, Audio Vision S.F. (1628 California Street—at the end of the historic cable car line—San Francisco, CA 94109) is holding what they call a "BIG FREE HOME AUDIO EVENT!!" Featured will be D/A processors from Chord Electronics, a SME Reference turntable system, loudspeakers from Raidho, and Nordost power and cabling systems.Mon, 11/12/2018...
- The December Issue's Here12 November 2018, 4:32 pm
We know, we know, it's only November 12. But it's one heck of an issue, featuring our Products of 2018, and it's hitting newsstands, tablets, and mailbox now! The versatile Ovation PA 8.2 preamplifier from German company AVM is featured on the December cover and this issue's line-up of reviews has a European flavor: as well as the AVM, we audition Elac's Adante AF-61 speaker and EMT's HSD 006 phono cartridge (Germany); the ATC CDA2 CD player, Harbeth P3ESR minimonitor, and Wharfedale Diamond 11... - Sasha Reports from the NYAS12 November 2018, 2:58 am
"We want the Beatles! We want the Beatles!" the packs of teenage girls screamed as they chased Herb Reichert down the halls of the Park Lane Hotel, grabbing for his still-ample hair. Stereophile's Fab Four—Ken Micallef, Jim Austin, Herb Reichert, and myself—hit the halls early for the first day of the New York Audio Show.Sun, 11/11/2018... - Herb's Friday at the NYAS10 November 2018, 9:54 pm
A fun fixture of every audio show is the hanging badge-on-a-lanyard we all acquire at the registration table. I'm glad for these things—at least the large-print editions—because they help me overcome the steady embarrassment I feel because I can't remember any names. If you know me, I am sure you have talked to me while I've stared at your belly trying hopelessly to memorize your name.Sat, 11/10/2018... - NY Audio Show 2018: Herb's Preview9 November 2018, 6:17 pm
I could ride my bike there from Brooklyn. What's not to like? Fri, 11/09/2018...
- Sarah Cahill: Eighty Trips Around the Sun: Music by and for Terry Riley12 November 2018, 5:06 pm
Listeners can access Terry Riley’s world through dozens of portals—In C and A Rainbow in Curved Air, his compositions for Kronos Quartet and Rova Saxophone Quartet, and more. Now add Eighty Trips Around the Sun. Curated by pianist and radio programmer Sarah Cahill, the four-CD set pays homage to—and exemplifies the breadth of—Riley’s piano music. Disc one’s seven pieces, with Cahill playing five and Regina Myers two, span more than 50 years of Riley’s co... - Marantz Is Back: 40th-Anniversary Marantz KI Ruby Series9 November 2018, 4:18 pm
Now under the auspices of Sound United (along with Denon, Classé Audio, and other brands), Marantz is back on the map. The classic audio company has been celebrating its 40thanniversary this year with recent launches of its KI Ruby limited-edition series components in Europe and the U.S. Along with a number of (mostly) European-based audio journalists and a handful of sales folks, I had the good fortune to attend a special launch event in Amsterdam held at an incredible venue: the renowne... - 2019 High-End Audio Buyer’s Guide: Subwoofers9 November 2018, 1:42 pm
REL Acoustics T/7i $999 A special round of applause is due this mini-sub for music lovers. The new T/7i is even faster and tighter than its forbear, yet remains tonally supple, with well-defined timbres. It’s also remarkably potent for a single, forward-firing 8" driver augmented by a quick-reacting, downward-firing 10" passive radiator (and a smooth 200W Class AB amp). The sumptuous high-gloss lacquered enclosure with aluminum accents has inputs for high-level Neutrik Speakon (cable inclu... - Eddie Henderson: Be Cool9 November 2018, 1:01 pm
A member of Herbie Hancock’s early 70s Mwandishi sextet, trumpeter Eddie Henderson revels in his acoustic hard bop roots on Be Cool. Leading a dream team of pianist Kenny Barron, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Mike Clark, Henderson interprets classics like Woody Shaw’s surging “The Moontrane,” Miles Davis’ jaunty “Fran Dance,” and John Coltrane’s hauntingly beautiful “Naima” in this 2-LP vinyl set t... - Personal Audio at CanJam RMAF 20188 November 2018, 6:44 pm
The online Head-Fi community is the world’s largest organization dedicated specifically to the enjoyment of high-performance personal audio and each year it produces multiple large-scale CanJam shows across the U.S. and in select international sites. 2018 The CanJam event locations have included New York City, Southern California, Singapore, London, and now Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF), with CanJam Shanghai yet to come. By tradition, though, CanJam RMAF is usually one of the (if not th...
- RMAF 2018 Show Report9 October 2018, 5:00 am
Featuring a glorious and tasteful renovated venue, our Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) 2018 show report celebrates 15 years of reporting on the highly popular event. With continued and steady growth, RMAF has become the leading high-end audio fall event in Western America. Once again we have the Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest teaming up with Head-Fi's CanJam event! Audio gear from large reference speakers to the smallest in-ear monitors could be experienced at the show. S... - Merrill Audio Element 118 Solid-State Monoblock Amplifiers9 October 2018, 4:59 am
Regarding the Element 118, the layout they employ with the internal printed circuit boards (PCBs) in this amplifier has reduced the parasitic capacitance and inductance to near zero, and allow close to zero overshoot and ring, and therefore zero deadtime. The term "deadtime" might be the most important consideration here, and so it is worth explaining a bit further. The transistors in even some recent designs of some otherwise quite decent sounding Class D amps could not switch fast enough, thus... - Audioengine A5+ Wireless Speakers9 October 2018, 4:57 am
Simply calling the Audioengine A5+ a "wireless speaker" is not nearly enough information to properly describe these speakers. Of course, the raison d'être of the A5+ wireless speaker is its "high-fidelity advanced Bluetooth with aptX HD with a 24-bit upsampling DAC (AKM AK4396)". This type happens to be the older generation of Bluetooth connectivity. Although, to be honest, when I heard the term "wireless" in the name of the speaker I assumed that the A5+ would either have no wires connect... - FiiO M3K Portable Hi-Res Audio Player And BTR3 Bluetooth Amplifier9 October 2018, 4:57 am
Being an old timer in battery powered portable audio, including everything from a brand new 1970 Panasonic transistor radio to the world's first portable CD player (Sony D5 in 1985) and toyed with Diamond Rio mp3 player (1999), I am truly impressed at these two under $100 offerings. While there's bragging rights with the latest and greatest (and overly heavy imho) 'reference devices' that are big, overly bulky, and frankly hard to justify at lofty $3000(!) pricing for some, FiiO's M3K portable H... - See More High-End Audio Reviews...30 August 2018, 11:30 am
EnjoyTheMusic.com has many more high-end audiophile articles and reviews available this month. Click here to see them all. ...
- COVERAGE | AUDIO COMPANY: NAGRA. Story of a passion | SWISS31 October 2018, 11:00 pm
⌈ NAGRA is a company-institution. Both figuratively and literally. As I shall try to show you, it's a unique example of combining the elements of professional and home audio as well as music. The fact that the company was founded by Stefan Kudelski, a man from Poland, only emphasizes its uniqueness in my eyes. Here's the story for today: a few words about today's Nagra, its history, participation in music projects, and a handful of observations regarding the founder of the Montreux Jazz Fe... - REVIEW: GigaWat PC-3 SE EVO+ | power conditioner | POLAND | RED Fingerprint31 October 2018, 11:00 pm
GigaWatt is one of the oldest in Poland, still operating manufacturers focused on power-related products for audio. Importantly, it is still developing, both organizationally – there is new headquarters - and substantively, which is expressed, for example, by manufactured together with Miflex, anti-interference capacitors. Every now and again, though without any rush, they offer new power cables, power strips and conditioners. One of the newest proposals is the PC-3 SE EVO +, which is a sp... - KRAKOW SONIC SOCIETY | Meeting #116: THE CASE OF MUSIC FILES, part. 2: PCM | POLAND/Krakow31 October 2018, 11:00 pm
⌈ Files are a topic that is of interest to almost everyone today. This is the most popular way of distributing music. But is it the best? Are record labels and producers able to offer more demanding listeners a high-end sound? We will try to answer these questions in the second KTS meeting dedicated to music files. This time will deal with PCM. ⌋ CM, i.e. Pulse Code Modulation, is a way of recording digital signal used in audio on CD, HDCD, DVD and BD discs. And also in music fil... - REVIEW: TechDAS AIR FORCE III PREMIUM | turntable | JAPAN | RED Fingerprint31 October 2018, 11:00 pm
⌈ A turntable is an area of engineering art balancing on the border between mechanics and electronics. This time, we will take a closer look at the product unique even among the best turntables - AIR FORCE III PREMIUM. Heavy, massive, compact, with a platter moving around on a thin film of air, with a vacuum holding down a record on the surface of the platter, a motor that by itself measures the belt tension, is a great example of engineering and Japanese precision of the highest order. &r... - REVIEW: Luna Cables LUNA ORANGE | interconnect RCA + speaker cable | CANADA31 October 2018, 11:00 pm
⌈ Luna Cables is a micro-firm from French-speaking Quebec, run by Mr. Danny Labrecque. Cables are made in the nineteenth-century, beautifully renovated and adapted barn surrounded by nature. You can find out how he works, how his production differs from mass production and - finally - how his cables "sound" like, by continuing reading. ⌋ t the beginning of the audio industry history, the devices, loudspeakers, etc. were designed by engineers, often clustered in the largest resea...
- Magnum Dynalab MD 109 SE FM Tuner12 November 2018, 9:24 pm
A tuner can deliver to the ardent music lover a huge selection of live and recorded music from a myriad of musical genres and can be educational and unwaveringly pleasurable invented in 1933 by engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. FM broadcasting is capable of... Read More » The post Magnum Dynalab MD 109 SE FM Tuner appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - New DirectStream OS: "Snowmass is truly stunning, best update yet."12 November 2018, 6:47 pm
PS Audio improves industry-leading DAC, again - for free Boulder, CO: 11/12/2018 - PS Audio is proud to announce the availability of Snowmass, the sixth OS upgrade for our DirectStream DAC named after a Colorado Fourteener - the 53 peaks in the state that that rise above 14,000 feet in elevation. Snowmass Mountain is in the Elk Mountains, southwest of Aspen. Ted Smith,... Read More » The post New DirectStream OS: "Snowmass is truly stunning... - UPDATE: Sultry singer Lyn Stanley shares details on her eagerly awaited 6th release: London Calling…A Toast To Julie London8 November 2018, 10:20 pm
Award-winning, internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Lyn Stanley follows her top-selling Moonlight Sessions albums with an ultimate tribute to Julie London, set for Valentine’s Day weekend release Lyn honors the Great American Songbook and reimagines 17 classic songs on her upcoming album, London Calling…A Toast To Julie London Sneak Peek: Special audiophile editions scheduled to drop... Read More » The post UPDATE: Sultry singer Lyn Stanley shares details on her eagerly awa... - From an Editor’s Notebook: Glances in the Rearview Mirror8 November 2018, 10:17 pm
Ye Olde Editor, late summer 2018: a portrait by John Robinson A late-year glance backwards. Memory, music, people, associations… "No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had... Read More » The post From an Editor’s Notebook: Glances in the Rearview Mirror appeared first on Positive Feedback.... - AGD Production Vivace GaNTube Monoblock Amplifiers6 November 2018, 11:23 pm
I hear this term thrown around loosely... "disruptive product," sometimes appropriately used... however in this case, we have a winner. I've been on a mission lately, unintentional as it may seem, to be reviewing Class-D based amplifiers. Talk about a dirty word. I've had so many in an out of here, my head is spinning.... Read More » The post AGD Production Vivace GaNTube Monoblock Amplifiers appeared first on Positive Feedback....
- New from Luxman, Premium Cables…18 October 2018, 5:12 pm
Luxman has just announced a new line of premium audio cables, the Flagship 15000 series. There are three cables in the series, the JPR-15000 unbalanced, featuring RCA termination, the JPC-15000 balanced, with XLR termination, and the JPS-15000 speaker cable. The interconnect cables feature 7-nines copper and high quality connectors, with the speaker cables featuring a [...]... - Anthem’s STR Integrated Amplifier5 October 2018, 1:16 am
It’s tough to get everything, but it’s a great feeling when you do. Over the last few years, high performance integrated amplifiers keep increasing in popularity – and for good reason. Space is at a premium, and many music lovers just don’t want to buy a rack full of gear. As a master of justification, [...]... - White Lightning Speaker Cable by Nordost4 October 2018, 3:32 am
Let’s just assume for a minute, you are of the mindset that premium cable makes a significant difference in how your system can sound. For today, if you aren’t with us, just move on. Your day will go easier, and no need to raise your blood pressure over this subject. Still with me? It can [...]... - Nordost Purple Flare USB4 October 2018, 3:23 am
I’m an implementation junkie. I confess loving products that are well executed. With so many garage builders entering the cable industry, with shoddily produced goods packaged like they came from a scout troop bake sale or estate sale, Nordost produces cable that feels great in your hands. And thanks to their extensive dealer network, they [...]... - The Cardas Clear Beyond XL Power Cable3 October 2018, 11:50 pm
Never resting on their laurels, the Cardas team in Bandon, Oregon continues their quest to build the perfect power cord. The effort has resulted in their new flagship, the Clear Beyond XL. After many years using Running Springs Audio Mongoose power cords – a Cardas-modified version of the Golden Reference – as my go-to power [...]...
- Studio Electric M4 Loudspeakers1 November 2018, 4:00 am
Note: Measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link. Although Studio Electric LLC was established in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2006, founder David MacPherson can trace his career as a speaker designer back 20 years before that. In 1985, he began making speakers for the professional market under the brand name MacPherson, Inc., which he remained involved with until 2005. ... - Negan's Bat1 November 2018, 4:00 am
If you believe, as I do, that trends at street level are more important than those manufactured by the press, then the latest Tonbridge Audiojumble was an education. As ever, it was also good for a number of surprises, which is why I’m reporting on it again. There is a subtle change in the atmosphere -- nothing sinister, just a sign of evolution. ... - Recommended Reference Component: Hegel Music Systems H590 Integrated Amplifier-DAC1 November 2018, 4:00 am
Hegel Music Systems’ new H590 is, by far, their most costly integrated amplifier-DAC to date, at $11,000 USD. Their next-most-expensive model is their previous flagship integrated-DAC, the H360, at little more than half that price: $6000. But at 17”W x 6.8”H x 17.6”D and almost 50 pounds, and specified to deliver at least 301Wpc into 8 ohms, the H590 is larger, heavier, better built, more powerful, and has more features. And according to Hans Wetzel’s review of the ... - The Best of Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 201831 October 2018, 11:32 pm
In 2013, Jeff Fritz and I reported on the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, held annually in Denver, Colorado. We’d made flight and hotel reservations so that we could attend all three days of the show, but found it so lacking in new and interesting products that we left halfway through Day 2 to see Captain Phillips at a nearby movie theater. We returned on Day 3 but wound up aimlessly walking the halls, finding little worth our while. We’d watched attendance at RMAF dwindle before 2013, bu... - Hegel Music Systems H590 Integrated Amplifier-DAC15 October 2018, 4:00 am
Note: Measurements can be found through this link. My relationship with Hegel Music Systems has now spanned six years -- almost all of my admittedly brief reviewing career. While the Norwegian company has been around since 1997, its dramatic uptick in popularity seems to have coincided with my own introduction to the brand in 2012, through their H300 integrated amplifier-DAC ($5500 USD, discontinued). Integrated amplifiers with built-in digital-to-analog converters are now commonplace, but...
- Capital Audio Fest 2018: Room 323 – In Through the Out Door10 November 2018, 3:50 am
Hi-Fi Shows are by their nature about the many and not the few, but this year’s Capital Audio Fest (CAF 2018) managed to do the unthinkable. One of its rooms managed to encapsulate the ethos of Hi-Fi as both a hobby and as an industry, and in the process managed to a shine a light, [...] The post Capital Audio Fest 2018: Room 323 – In Through the Out Door appeared first on Dagogo.... - Studio Electric8 November 2018, 9:58 pm
Salt Lake City, UT (11/8/2018) – Founded in 2006, Studio Electric is run by managing partner David MacPherson. David’s background is in professional speaker development and according to him, there are thousands of speakers designed by him in use by professionals around the world. A highlight of the aspiration of David is the spherical T2 [...] The post Studio Electric appeared first on Dagogo.... - Merrill-Williams R.E.A.L. 101.3 turntable Review8 November 2018, 6:50 pm
Introduction I can scarcely believe that it has been seven years since my introduction to the original Merrill-Williams R.E.A.L. 101. Since that time, the 101 has not only been my reference, but has always proved to be the under-stated silent star in the sound of my analog system. It was therefore quite surprising when earlier [...] The post Merrill-Williams R.E.A.L. 101.3 turntable Review appeared first on Dagogo.... - Frank “Big Boy” Goudie: Jazz On Three Continents Part 1 of 3, France and Europe 1924-19397 November 2018, 11:03 pm
Frank “Big Boy” Goudie (b. 1899 Louisiana – d. 1964 California) has been almost completely overlooked; a mere footnote in the jazz chronicles until recently. He was a skilled musician who played saxophone, trumpet and clarinet, performing jazz, swing, dance, Latin and ethnic music on three continents. His career paralleled the history of jazz [...] The post Frank “Big Boy” Goudie: Jazz On Three Continents Part 1 of 3, France and Europe 1924-1939 ... - Metaxas Marquis headphone amplifier/preamplifier31 October 2018, 11:40 pm
October 31, 2018 – Parker, Colorado: Amsterdam-based high-end audio manufacturer Metaxas, represented in the U.S. by Aaudio Imports, manufactures a complete system of electronics and speakers. Among them is a headphone amp/preamp christened, ‘Marquis.’ Priced at $6,750, the Marquis comes in a CNC-machined aluminum block in the shape of a human skull, available in one [...] The post Metaxas Marquis headphone amplifier/preamplifier appeared first on Dagogo....
- A New Listening Room Part One9 November 2018, 5:54 pm
A dedicated listening room is not a luxury for me, it's a necessity. I realize this is a luxurious necessity, but nonetheless it's a requirement for my job. Fortunately I have an understanding wife who has always encouraged me to improve my listening room given that I spend so much time in this room. We moved into our house in April 2008, about six months after Computer Audiophile launched. My original listening room in the basement of this house evolved over the years through... - The Best Version Of… Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow1 November 2018, 6:11 pm
UPDATED November 12, 2018 With the sad passing of Marty Balin and the release of Jorma Kaukonen’s autobiography, Jefferson Airplane has probably made more headlines in the past few weeks than in the preceding few decades. So it seemed appropriate to focus the first installment of “The Best Version Of…” (TBVO), my new Computer Audiophile column dedicated to finding the best digital editions of classic albums, on one of the Airplane’s albums. ... - My Quest for a New DAC, Part 4 - iFi Pro iDSD (and friends)26 October 2018, 2:15 pm
Introduction to the Series Part 1: Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ with Uptone JS-2 Power Supply Part 2: Ayre QX-8 Part 3: Denafrips Terminator Next up in my series is the very intriguing iFi Pro iDSD DAC (US MSRP $2499). I’ve had my eye on this puppy for the almost 2 years it’s been teased about and hinted at by iFi, and when concrete details finally started to emerge this spring, I knew this had to be on my audition list. On the face of it, ... - Google Home Hub for HiFi?23 October 2018, 8:44 pm
Gigantic corporations don't always have consumer's interests in mind when pushing new technologies. They frequently have their own interests in mind when trying to persuade everyone else that their interests should align. Fear of missing out plays a huge role on the consumer side as does technological change for the sake of commerce on the hardware manufacturers' side. Anyone seen all the publications jumping to video and vacating written articles over the last few ... - AURALiC ARIES G2 Review19 October 2018, 6:55 pm
Not long ago most manufacturers couldn't comprehend why a digital to digital converter would be necessary. Auralic had its finger on the pulse of consumers and jumped in the D to D market very early. The original Aries was one of the most popular products on Computer Audiophile upon its release. Its unique shape, unique internal design, and unique feature set were among the added benefits to its great sound. Realizing the Aries concept was still very valid and that the original design could ...
- Analog Corner #10112 November 2018, 1:57 pm
Like the LP itself, the dream of a turntable that could read grooves with a laser beam would not die. The Finial Technology laser turntable has been resurrected as the ELP Laser Turntable by the ELP Corporation of Japan. ELP is headed by Sanju Chiba, an analog true believer and ELP, which has been building and selling the Laser Turntable since 1997, recently announced three LT models with improved sonic performance and user interfaces, including CD-like programmability and remote control.... - Bob Dylan 3-Way Not a Devil's Triangle11 November 2018, 9:18 pm
A New Zealand-based reader recently emailed asking if Mobile Fidelity's double 45rpm monophonic Bob Dylan reissues were "worth the money". He added that he was a big Bob Dylan fan.... - At Making Vinyl 2018 "The New Business Model Filling The Vinyl Pipeline"11 November 2018, 7:40 pm
Hosted by AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer and featuring Chad Kassem (Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions/Quality Record Pressing), Josh Bizar (Music Direct/Mobile Fidelity), Cameron Schaefer (Vinyl Me, Please) and Jay Millar (Sundazed), this lively panel discussion features vinyl industry pioneers specializing in high quality all-analog reissues, a newcomer who built a successful subscription service and a spokesperson for an eclectic label that began reissuing on vinyl at a time when the ... - Shows on Both Sides of "The Pond" This Weekend!8 November 2018, 8:29 pm
Audio shows happen this weekend in England and America.... - "Little" Steven Van Zandt's Keynote Discussion At Making Vinyl 20187 November 2018, 7:00 pm
At last month's "Making Vinyl" conference in Detroit Keynote speaker Steven Van Zandt chose not to present a formal address. Instead, he sat down with music journalist Gary Graff to talk about his relationship with vinyl records and especially his TeachRock (teachrock.org) organization that provides to schools free of charge music educational resources....
- Parasound’s feature-packed high-end amplifier is a knockout - CNET10 November 2018, 5:47 pm
We put Parasound’s HINT 6, a powerful and seriously versatile stereo amplifier, through its paces.... - Back to the future with JBL’s iconic L100 Classic speaker - CNET10 November 2018, 4:47 pm
The L100 was JBL’s ultimate 1970s rock speaker, and now it’s back and sounding better than ever.... - Onkyo aims high with its new low price amplifier - CNET3 November 2018, 10:31 pm
The no-frills Onkyo A-9110 puts the emphasis on sound, not features, says the Audiophiliac.... - Four glorious music box sets rock the holidays - CNET3 November 2018, 8:58 pm
Fans of The Beatles, Steve Wilson, R.E.M. and Dylan have something new for their wish lists. The Audiophiliac gives them a listen.... - Engineer Al Schmitt explains how he won 20 Grammys - CNET27 October 2018, 5:17 pm
Schmitt made his mark first by listening to the needs and wants of the musicians he’s recorded, and then making them sound great....
- RMAF 2018: Troy Audio, Twin AV, Triode; big speakers, big sound12 November 2018, 2:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile Troy Audio was presenting at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest and just like last year, they had great success in keeping their exhibit room as one of the most visited, and well regarded. The Story Troy Audio had two systems: The first was made up of Triode Corporation tube electronics, a preamplifier and power amplifier using 300B tubes at just 8 watts. The digital source was an Esoteric CD transport, while the DAC was the small giant DAC212SE from DiDIT High End. All cables we... - RMAF 2018: Bob’s Devices and a Long-Delayed Introduction12 November 2018, 11:00 am
Part-Time Audiophile Bob Sattin is one of those guys I always see at the shows, but I’ve never really introduced myself to him. That’s a bit ridiculous, considering that I’ve been calling myself the Vinyl Anachronist for 21 years and here’s someone who is totally dedicated to vinyl playback and has created some truly outstanding products…especially in the field of step-up transformers. So at the 2018 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, I made a commitment to march up to him... - Wilson Audio Sasha DAW with dCS Bartók DAC | First Listen11 November 2018, 9:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile Brian Berdan, owner of Audio Element in Pasadena California grew up in a household filled with music, his late father was a well known hi-fi dealer, so I can suspect that he had some killer vintage gear to play around with. Brian’s first pair of Wilson Audio Speakers were a pair of Wilson Watt 2/Puppy 1 loudspeakers that began his Wilson journey and which he still owns today. As Brian and his wife Jennifer geared up to celebrate Audio Element&rsq... - CAF 2018: BorderPatrol, Volti Audio, Triode Wire Labs and Where the Magic Is11 November 2018, 5:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile Part-Time Audiophile readers are probably already aware of our enthusiasm for the products of BorderPatrol and Volti Audio. Since I am new to the staff, I am also new to the distinctive and engaging sound accomplished by these two manufacturers. I did get a brief taste of the combo while visiting PTA publisher Scot Hull a few months ago—he was using BorderPatrol amplification and the new Volti Rival speakers in his main system. We were evaluating one of Lyn Stanley&rsq... - RMAF 2018: Gershman Acoustics, VAC, VPI, Nordost, Audio-Technica and the Art of Being POSH11 November 2018, 2:00 pm
Part-Time Audiophile The Very Definition of POSH Naming a speaker POSH? This would all seem silly if the system in the Gershman Acoustics room didn’t offer a luxurious and exceptional sound. Ofra and Eli Gershman were showing off their new POSH Statement loudspeakers ($129,000/pair), powered by a VAC Statement 405S amplifier ($46,000) and a VAC Master preamp with phono ($40,000), with a VPI turntable using the hottest new thing in phono cartridges, the Audio-Technica AT-ART1000 ($4995). Al...
- PS Audio announce Snowmass update for DirectStream12 November 2018, 8:10 pm
PS Audio’s DirectStream DAC is like no other DAC. We might best think of it as an audio computer where between its suite of digital inputs – that includes an optional Roon/Spotify enabled streaming board – and its discrete DSD-decoding output stage sits not an off-the-shelf D/A chip but an FPGA that […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For p... - 10 minutes on T+A, Roon Ready certification12 November 2018, 8:46 am
T+A. Calm down – this isn’t Carry On Up Your Crossover but an abbreviated ‘Theory + Application’ belonging to 40-year-old German hi-fi company T+A whose MP 1000E, R 1000 E and MP 2000 R MKII each put CD transport, digital tuner (FM, FM-HD and DAB+), Bluetooth input and UPnP network streamer into a […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permissio... - ULTIMA: Chord Electronics’ blue moon shot10 November 2018, 1:27 pm
At Munich High-End in May, John Franks introduced the Étude, Chord Electronics’ first new amplifier topology since the company’s 1989 inception. Franks had gone back to the 1980s to the “feed-forward correction” work of one Bob Cordell who has since been retained by the UK hi-fi company as a consultant. […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission.... - The look of love: Rega, iFi & Cabasse8 November 2018, 12:19 pm
In locating a new laptop we might look for the fastest CPU, the largest amount of RAM and the biggest hard drive. Hang everything else – performance is paramount. Not every buyer works this way. Apple has built its Macbook success on selling last year’s hardware by offsetting any (perceived) performance […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private ... - Big-sky sound from Neat’s compact Iota Xplorer6 November 2018, 9:44 am
Little bro just got a bigger bro, for to kick the sand back at the sceptics. Say what? Well according to Doug Graham, Sales Director at Neat Acoustics, the little Iota Alpha floorstanders were too small and weedy to be taken seriously…by some audiophiles. Novelty value, not real speakers. Never […] More-------------------------------------------------------------- No part of this RSS feed to be reproduced, recycled or re-purposed without permission. For private use only. Copyright...
- Master & Dynamic MW07 True Wireless Earphones9 November 2018, 6:45 pm
New York City based Master & Dynamic is a unique company. While not aiming for the highest ‘audiophile’ quality in the universe—together with the very high prices that go along with that—they, instead, produce superb sounding audio products displaying a savvy mix of fashion, art and modern culture. They even partner with legendary companies such as Leica Camera and make a special series of headphones in honour of legendary musicians such as Michael Jackson. The ... - Xavian Perla Esclusiva Loudspeakers2 November 2018, 12:25 pm
I was contacted by the marketing manager of Xavian Loudspeakers (Italian design/manufactured in the Czech Republic) requesting an Audiophilia review of the ‘Perla Esclusiva’, a stand mounted monitor from Xavian’s Natura range of loudspeakers and the recent successor to the original Perla. We lost contact for some months after the initial request. Later, I was contacted informing me the newest iteration of the Perla was ready for review. The pair was shipped from the Czech... - Periodic Audio Nickel Amplifier26 October 2018, 5:27 pm
Much smaller (30x50x15mm) than a smart phone! About the same weight (20.9g) as many USB stick drives! Can easily power (250 mW into 32 Ohms) headphones (not just earbuds) without a sweat! It’s the Periodic Audio Nickel, a super-compact $299 headphone amplifier that can be used on the run. It is essentially the size of a small box of matches. It is made in the USA. I gave it a quick try at the recent RMAF in Denver in early October 2018, was impressed, and the ever so friendly Periodi... - VPI 40th Anniversary & Turntable Launch Party22 October 2018, 9:27 pm
In January of 2018, VPI Industries held a wonderful homey event (party) for high-end audio lovers as an alternative to the annual Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Now, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the company, VPI created a 40th anniversary turntable, and better yet organized (for October 21, 2018) a smaller event (party) to launch it at the now fully completed VPI Listening House in New Jersey, close by to the factory. Here we would not only be able to experience the ... - Audio by Van Alstine DVA SET 600 Mono Block Amplifier17 October 2018, 5:05 pm
One day very recently my wife and children were outside in a park socializing with another family. I joined at one point, and the husband told me that my wife had mentioned that I was reviewing some new amplifiers, and that she thought they sounded amazing; she hoped I would keep them. When we came home, I watched as she listened on the couch with our daughters to various pieces of music, and I saw her tapping her foot. I never saw that before, let alone hear her praise a component of my a...
- RME ADI-2 Pro : a Technical Overview29 July 2018, 4:00 pm
"I recently found myself intrigued by an interface from the pro-sound world, the RME ADI-2 Pro," writes John Reekie. This line-level convertor and audio interface is billed as RME's "reference" A/D and D/A convertor, but also has a solid complement of onboard processing, two powerful headphone amps, and technical performance good enough for use as a measurement front end.... - Droidisk – Playing music28 July 2018, 1:01 pm
John Reekie wraps up his articles on inexpensive SBC-based music servers, with instructions on how to install music-related services on the ODroid HC1. This time, he's also using an Android tablet as the renderer.... - Music In The Mountains20 February 2018, 7:49 am
"In year’s past, the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) has been hampered by an aging, rather stale venue, and backward looking management. This year, things were looking up with the hosting hotel being newly refreshed and the exhibitors better able to cope with the remodeled rooms." Oliver Masciarotte provides his retrospective of the 2017 show.... - Droidisk – An inexpensive compact music server11 February 2018, 12:49 pm
John Reekie revisits his Raspberry Pi based music server with a new offering: the ODroid HC1 ("home compute server"). "The HC1 has the distinguishing feature of a SATA port, so that it connects to a hard drive without going through USB. It also has a Gigabit Ethernet port and a much faster processor than the Pi." Get ready to sharpen your command line skills!... - JWM Acoustics Alyson AML II24 December 2017, 12:20 pm
JWM Acoustics aims to deliver custom-designed products to meet the needs of individual audiophiles who purchase for the long haul. Patrick Dillon spends time with their standmount Alyson AML speakers and finds them capable of performance that marries unique style to exceptional musical resolution....
- Sony VPL-GTZ270 4K SXRD Laser Projector Review12 November 2018, 2:00 pm
With reference post-production quality HD and stunning UltraHD 4K performance, the Sony VPL-GTZ270 4K SXRD Laser Projector is for the most serious and well-funded home theater entertainers. The post Sony VPL-GTZ270 4K SXRD Laser Projector Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Pro-Ject RPM 9 Carbon Turntable, Tube Box DS2 Phono Preamp, Sumiko Starling Cartridge Review7 November 2018, 2:00 pm
Pro-Ject is a manufacturer of turntable, amplifiers, speakers, and accessories, located in Mistelbach, Austria, with manufacturing plants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. They range in price from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand. The post Pro-Ject RPM 9 Carbon Turntable, Tube Box DS2 Phono Preamp, Sumiko Starling Cartridge Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - AURALiC ARIES G1 Wireless Streaming Transporter Review5 November 2018, 2:00 pm
Not too long ago, I wrote a very favorable review of the ARIES G2, which represents AURALiC’s update to its wildly popular ARIES wireless streaming device series. The ARIES G2, which was seemingly designed with a cost-no-object mentality, is excellent in every respect but it carries a rather steep price tag of $3,899. Earlier this year, AURALiC released the ARIES G1, which is positioned at a more affordable price point of $2,199. Although the functionalities of the two products are the sam... - Paradigm Persona 3F Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review31 October 2018, 2:00 pm
Stunning in Aria Blue, the Persona 3F speaker is the “smallest” of the full-range floorstanding speaker line that includes the larger 5F, 7F, and powered 9H. The 9H also includes the amazing Anthem room-correction ARC software. The post Paradigm Persona 3F Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com.... - Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD Projector Review29 October 2018, 3:00 pm
The Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD is the latest Ultra HD and HDR-capable value projector from Epson. With the latest iteration of PRO-UHD pixel-shifting technology and full coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, it turns your Ultra HD Blu-rays and other high-res sources into stunning images with high contrast and saturated color. The post Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD Projector Review appeared first on HomeTheaterHifi.com....
- Darwin Cable Company Truth II Interconnect and Power Cables22 March 2017, 8:45 pm
There is one thing that all high end audio components require to function as a system, and that is signal and power cables. No getting around it. Of course, there is no market segment more controversial than audiophile cabling. This is partially due to questionable scientific claims and pricing that would make even true believers raise an eyebrow. The great Read more...... - Audioengine HD3 Powered Speakers & DAC Review7 February 2017, 4:02 am
Multi-function powered speakers are all the rage in 2017, and no other company has been more at the forefront than Audioengine. They have been making affordable, great sounding, and versatile powered monitors since 2005, along with DACs, headphone amps, and accessories. There are a number of things I find refreshing about Audioengine. First, their pricing makes Read more...... - Burson Cable+ Active RCA Cable Review24 January 2017, 5:10 pm
A lot of excellent HiFi products are designed and produced in Australia, and none more than Burson Audio belong in the upper tier of offerings from Down Under. Not only do Burson’s products sound excellent, but they also do not make cookie cutter gear, and inject original thinking into the process. I reviewed and loved Burson’s superb Read more...... - Bryston BCD-3 CD Player Review10 January 2017, 9:17 pm
Canadian heavy hitters Bryston surprised everyone a few years ago with their introduction of a speaker line, which now, after wide acceptance and a slew of positive reviews, are considered class leaders in many circles. In fact, the Mini T three-way monitor is my current reference. Possibly more surprising is Bryston’s introduction of the BCD-3 CD Player, with Read more...... - Okki Nokki RCM-II Record Cleaning Machine5 December 2016, 6:37 pm
At the beginning of the year, a good friend called me over to his garage and surprised me with a gift of around 500 vintage vinyl records he had little patience to deal with. I gladly took them off his hands. When I got home and started sifting through the albums, I realized there were hundreds of original pressings of Read more......
- Vivid Audio Kaya 45 floorstanding loudspeaker6 November 2018, 4:59 pm
While some markets like shiny white or yellow loudspeakers, the majority of the hi‑fi market appears to prefer rectilinear boxes with a wood veneer. It has ever been thus and only slowly will it change, but we are finally seeing greater acceptance of paint finishes, especially the less challenging (although determinedly 1980s) gloss black. And I for one could happily make space for white curvy speakers such as those in Vivid Audio’s Giya range. But I am in a minority on the taste fro... - Totem Sky Tower floorstanding loudspeaker6 November 2018, 4:46 pm
Montreal based speaker manufacturer Totem Acoustic has always been closely identified with company president and chief engineer Vince Bruzzese’s ability to defy expectations for what can be accomplished with bookshelf monitor loudspeakers. Refreshingly, throughout Totem’s expanding journey into free-standing, on-wall, and in-wall speakers the Canadian company has managed to avoid being associated with bloated pricing and to the consumer’s benefit has always kept a keen focus on... - Kii Three active loudspeaker system6 November 2018, 4:24 pm
Put Bruno Putzeys’ name into a search engine and you get plenty of results. He is ranked among such audio engineering luminaries as Nelson Pass and Siegfried Linkwitz, yet his name has yet to enter the wider audiophile hall of fame. Bruno started out designing Class D amplifiers for Philips where he developed the UCD circuit – a technology that saw him poached by Hypex who now build these amplifiers. Putzeys used his time with the company to develop NCore Class D modules that can be ... - Kuzma CAR-60 moving coil cartridge31 October 2018, 2:07 pm
They say that nothing lasts forever and, judging by the standards of hi-fi fashion, that certainly seems to be true. How long did it take for diamond tweeters, suddenly the must-have audio bauble, to lose their starry status? These days, unless it’s a diamond midrange driver, who even bats an eyelid? But there is one realm in which, if not exactly popular, diamond retains an enduring ascendency. When it comes to cantilever materials in that most exotic of products, high-zoot moving-coil ca... - Sonus faber Amati Homage Tradition floorstanding loudspeaker31 October 2018, 1:56 pm
The long-running Homage series from Sonus faber pays tribute to the finest violin makers of the past with loudspeakers that look and sound fantastic. The Amati has long been the conventional top tower of the range, and with the wide-baffle Stradivari out of the latest range, the new Amati Homage Tradition represents the top of that range. It replaces the Amati Futura (tested in Hi-Fi+Issue 79); a chrome-topped floorstander with a unique damped suspension system. Both the chrome top and the squid...
- NY Audio Show 2018: The Rooms (Part 1)12 November 2018, 5:21 pm
I’m going to present my NY Audio Show coverage in the order I moved around the show—namely, I started at the top, Floor 9, and worked my way down. Enjoy! NY Audio dealer Sound By Singer has been around (seemingly) forever and they put together a lovely-sounding simple-ish system. I’m a fan of Spendor speakers […]... - Portraits in HiFi: Steve Guttenberg12 November 2018, 12:33 am
Steve Guttenberg, the Audiophiliac... - The New York Audio Show 2018 Opens Tomorrow8 November 2018, 4:31 pm
No, really. Tomorrow. I joked while at the Capital Audiofest just the other day that I was going to buy a tour bus to live on and go from show to show and I had some interest. I’m sure more shows are good for. . .someone? The New York Audio Show organizer, The Chester Group, currently […]... - CAF 2018: The Wrap8 November 2018, 3:46 pm
What a great show. What a great show the Capital Audiofest is. Lots of friendly happy people, a panoply of hifi, and real good music being enjoyed by many. What more can you ask for? I say not much. Once again, if the vast array of the products offered on the road to music reproduction […]... - Portraits in HiFi: Jonathan Derda8 November 2018, 3:26 pm
Jonathan Derda, Mo-Fi....
- Xavian Perla Esclusiva Loudspeakers11 November 2018, 10:00 pm
Xavian, a loudspeaker manufacturer in Prague, Czech Republic, contacted 10 Audio in June of this year inquiring about a review of their very new Perla Esclusiva two-way speaker. The Perla, the smallest model in the Natura product line, had recently been upgraded to the new Perla Esclusiva version. So here we are today, taking the first look – and listen – to a speaker from a company that should be on everyone’s radar. The name of the company comes from the Greek mythology. &ldq... - Balanced Audio Technology VK-43SE Preamplifier16 October 2018, 2:46 pm
Balanced Audio Technology (BAT) is a decades old company specializing in, you guessed it, balanced audio components. They have produced a long line of vacuum tube and solid-state preamplifiers and amplifiers, phono preamplifiers and, more lately, digital converters. The BAT VK-300xSE integrated amplifier was reviewed here in 2004, and the VK-31SE tube preamp was reviewed here in 2005. BAT has received numerous “best of” awards over the years for their excellent sounding and innovativ... - Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2v2SE 10th Anniversary Limited Edition DAC16 September 2018, 1:45 am
State of the art precision. State of the art focus. State of the art harmony. The Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2v2SE 10th Anniversary Limited Edition digital-to-analog converter does not sound like a digital component. It much more closely performs as an excellent analog source. When you compare a good CD with this DAC in your system to the sound of your analog rig, you could very well have the same reaction that this listener experienced: a big smile! The musicality and level of enjoyment that Wyred 4 Sou... - B.M.C. MCCI Signature ULN Phono Preamplifier29 July 2018, 10:42 pm
The original B.M.C. Audio MCCI phono preamplifier earned very positive reviews when it was introduced in 2013. Carlos Candeias used his designs for the $1400 Aqvox Phono 2Ci, reviewed here on 10 Audio, and introduced a much-upgraded model as the MCCI under his own brand, B.M.C. Audio. The MCCI ($3890) was replaced with the MCCI Signature ($4298) in 2016. The model under review today is the MCCI Signature ULN ($4690) which hit the market in March, 2018. B.M.C. Audio builds large numbers of each m... - GoldenEar Triton Seven Loudspeakers24 June 2018, 9:01 pm
GoldenEar Technology was started in 2010 by Sandy Gross and Don Givogue. Mr. Gross might be familiar to audiophiles from his association with Polk and Definitive Technology, both of which he co-founded. Mr. Givogue also co-founded Definitive Technology and holds a patent for multi-driver bi-polar speaker arrays. The GoldenEar Triton Seven was born not from some tinkerer’s basement, but from people with extensive knowledge and experience in speaker design, manufacturing and marketing. There...
- Review: Finale Audio F-7591 Power Amplifier11 November 2018, 2:52 am
Review: Finale Audio’s F-7591 Power Amplifier by Steve Graham I didn’t get to spend as much time with this amplifier as I’d have liked to. I simultaneously had in-house the Spendor D7’s, the Shindo Aurièges and the Finale F-7591 you see here. I was so entranced by the first two, that the poor Finale was somewhat neglected. I know, me of all people, neglecting a tube amp! In my defence, the kind person loaning this gear wanted a f... - Review: The Spendor D7 Loudspeakers4 November 2018, 10:29 pm
Review: Spendor D7 Loudspeakers “Slim Fast” by Steve Graham Loudspeakers are sometimes tough to wrap your ears around. Switching from one speaker to another often requires a re-orienting, or more precisely, a re-tuning of one’s audio sensibilities. The traits of one speaker versus another are often immediate and jarring. Changing amps or source components can, unless something is seriously amiss, require concentration to perceive differences. So it was with th... - DIY All-Tube Phono Stage Project: Part 4, Assembling The Circuit Boards2 November 2018, 6:54 pm
DIY All Tube Phono Preamp Project Part 4, Assembling the Circuit Boards By Steve Graham What’s your kryptonite? Chances are if you’re reading this it’s the warm glow of tubes. Welcome to my club. No more preamble, straight to work. Open and save the attachments below, detailing the assembly of the three(!) circuit boards. Three? You’ll see. The power switch instructions also lists the tools needed for the remainder of the... - The CHE Files: Shindo Lab’s Aurièges Preamplifier Reviewed29 October 2018, 3:34 am
Shindo Laboratory Aurièges Original Two-Chassis, Full-Function Preamplifier Review Number 1 in the C/H/E* Files. By Steve Graham *Classic/Heritage/Exotic This is the first instalment of what, hopefully, will be many evaluations of what I call the Classic/Heritage/Exotic equipment category. I think the original, two-chassis Shindo Aurièges pictured above could fit in all three. The esteemed Art Dudley of Stereophile usually bangs on about his Shindo gear nearly every other mon... - Toronto Audiofest 2018 Show Report (Part 2)26 October 2018, 11:26 pm
Continuing my show coverage… The most visually pleasing room I saw (overall), belonged to our friends at Charisma Audio. This setup looked and sounded great, with the beautiful Audio Space LS5/9 Ebony monitors, Audio Space monoblocks, and Well-Tempered Lab’s stylish new Amadeus 254 turntable. As at previous shows, there were two complete systems, this time each sitting on a stunning Codia Diagon rack. Unfortunately I only saw Bernard Li briefly on Saturday, and we missed each...
- Campfire Audio Solaris – First Contact11 November 2018, 12:00 pm
Disclaimer: The Campfire Audio Solaris was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion contained in this First Contact feature and subsequent review. Many thanks to Campfire Audio for giving us this opportunity. For further reading on our Campfire Audio reviews please click here. You have to be living under an ‘audiophile earphone rock’ […] The post Campfire Audio Solaris – First Contact appeared first on Headfonics.... - FiiO BTR3 Review9 November 2018, 12:03 pm
Tonality8.5Build Quality8.4Functionality8.7Matchability8.5 8.5Score$69.99FiiODisclaimer: The FiiO BTR3 was sent to us a sample in exchange for our honest opinion and does not have to be returned. We thank FiiO for this opportunity. To learn more about FiiO product reviews on Headfonics you can click here. When the little BTR1 BT dongle came out a few months ago […] The post FiiO BTR3 Review appeared first on Headfonics.... - Colorfly U8 Review7 November 2018, 12:13 pm
8.4Score$1089ColorflyDisclaimer: The Colorfly U8 was sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion in this review. Many thanks to Colorfly for giving us this opportunity. You can find out more about Colorfly reviews on Headfonics here. Back in the day, Colorfly was one of the pioneers of the portable HiFi music player world, offering […] The post Colorfly U8 Review appeared first on Headfonics.... - beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless4 November 2018, 12:03 pm
Tonality Wired8.5Tonality BT8.3Build Quality9Comfort & Fit8.7Matchability8.8 8.7Score€699.00beyerdynamicDisclaimer: The beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless headphones were sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion. Thank you to beyerdynamic for giving us this opportunity. You can read more about beyerdynamic product reviews on Headfonics here. The wired Amiron Home from beyerdynamic scored fairly well last year in our review. […] The post beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless appeared f... - Hifiman RE2000 & RE800 Silver Editions | First Contact2 November 2018, 11:56 am
Disclaimer: The Hifiman RE2000 Silver Edition and RE800 Silver Edition units were sent to us in exchange for our honest opinion. Many thanks to Hifiman for giving us this opportunity. For further reading on Hifiman reviews here on Headfonics please click here. For further reading on our Hifiman RE2000 Gold edition review from 2017 read here. […] The post Hifiman RE2000 & RE800 Silver Editions | First Contact appeared first on Headfonics....
- Shinola launch Campfire Audio collaboration with Canfield Bluetooth IEMs9 November 2018, 8:37 pm
Shinola brought jobs to Detroit and now they’re teaming up with the Pacific Northwest’s highly respected, handmade, headphone design and manufacturer Campfire Audio out of Portland, Oregon to launch a Bluetooth IEM collaboration in the guise of the budget-friendly ($250 USD) Canfield In-Ear Monitors which is available in either silver stainless steel or black.... - New York Audio Show and The Hi-Fi Show Live Both This Weekend8 November 2018, 5:54 pm
For those audiophile souls whose hearts beat a little faster when they know there’s a hi-fi show to attend, then either reset your pacemakers, put down that whisky, or throw on a sweatband because – steady on now – there’s two shows this weekend on either side of the pond as our British kin love to call the Atlantic Ocean.... - 64 Audio launches three new IEMs starting at $699 USD7 November 2018, 6:31 pm
Left Coast/Pacific Northwest custom and universal-fit IEM headphone manufacturer 64 Audio’s founder and chief sound designer Vitaliy Belonozhko has been busy adding depth to the company’s line with three new custom models featuring trickle-down technology from their flagship designs aimed at audiophiles and musicians.... - HIFIMAN HE1000se and HE6se arrive for review31 October 2018, 11:49 pm
A knock at the front door usually elicits a smile from me, a groan from my family and loud, vicious barking from our dog. This time the knock was courtesy FedEx and HIFIMAN who have just shipped me their brand new HE1000se and HE6se headphones for review.... - RMAF 2018: Audeze LCD2 Closed-Back with Chord Hugo TT2 and M Scaler30 October 2018, 10:12 pm
This combo was getting a lot of attention and it was always a challenge to slide into the driver’s seat and get some head time, but the wait was worth it as this set-up was producing some of most timbral and tonally accurate sound coupled with astonishing resolution....
- Bits-are-Bits Or Are They? Nuno Vitorino of Innuos: AudioStream Podcast No. 29 November 2018, 7:13 pm
Nuno Vitorino of Innuos sparks up a conversation with host Brian Hunter about the silicon-based neural pathways that help make up digital-audio music servers. Are bits really just bits, or is there more to the story than just that?... - The Shows Must Go On… This Weekend8 November 2018, 5:49 pm
For those audiophile souls whose hearts beat a little faster when they know there’s a hi-fi show to attend, then either reset your pacemakers, put down that whisky, or throw on a sweatband because – steady on now – there’s two shows this weekend on either side of the pond as our British kin love to call the Atlantic Ocean.... - McIntosh MC312 Power Amplifier Hits the Streets7 November 2018, 8:04 pm
The steady drumbeat of progress out of Binghamton, New York continues as McIntosh Labs trickles down the technical improvements from their top-of-the-line mono and stereo power amplifiers to their midrange offerings with the new $7,000 USD MC312 Power Amplifier, shipping now.... - The Top Five Best Albums to use for reviewing hifi gear... or not.5 November 2018, 11:08 pm
I often get asked what music I use when I’m assessing components for review, so I thought it was time to commit to page space a small fraction of the many albums I call upon or discover in the course of reviewing gear.... - Aqua Acoustic Quality La Voce S3 Discrete DAC review3 November 2018, 5:06 pm
Sub·lim·i·nal – /səbˈlimənl/ Adjective (of a stimulus or mental process) below the threshold of sensation or consciousness; perceived by or affecting someone's mind without their being aware of it. This is the definition of subliminal courtesy of Google’s online dictionary and is an apt descriptor for how the Aqua Acoustic Quality La Voce S3 Discrete DAC ($4,750 USD MSRP) ingratiated its way into my mind as I spent extended listening sessions with ...
- Amphion does it again! – CAF 201812 November 2018, 7:16 pm
by Eric Shook Firmly grounded with a history in studio and pro sound, Amphion returns to home audio with a The post Amphion does it again! – CAF 2018 appeared first on AudioHead.... - Fidelis AV, Rogers High Fidelity, Harbeth, and Accusound – CAF 20188 November 2018, 8:36 pm
by Eric Shook The most interesting room in the world. Okay, maybe not the world, but the show… good possibility. The post Fidelis AV, Rogers High Fidelity, Harbeth, and Accusound – CAF 2018 appeared first on AudioHead.... - T.H.E. Show, Capitol Studios, ATC and Legacy Audio5 November 2018, 9:53 pm
It was another audio event at the famed Capitol Studios in LA, but hanging out in studio A in the The post T.H.E. Show, Capitol Studios, ATC and Legacy Audio appeared first on AudioHead.... - KEF Has A New LSX Wireless System For Your Desktop2 November 2018, 1:37 am
KEF sold a lot of LS50s. KEF also sold a lot of LS50 wireless systems. Now the British brand is The post KEF Has A New LSX Wireless System For Your Desktop appeared first on AudioHead.... - Pure Audio Project – RMAF 20181 November 2018, 5:22 pm
Let’s talk about the man behind it all — Ze’ev Schlik — who is the founder of the Pure Audio The post Pure Audio Project – RMAF 2018 appeared first on AudioHead....
- Questyle Audio SHB2 MASTER Super Source & CMA Twelve MASTER Current Mode DAC/Preamp/Headphone Amplifier/Wireless Receiver – Look Ma, No Wires12 November 2018, 6:00 am
The post Questyle Audio SHB2 MASTER Super Source & CMA Twelve MASTER Current Mode DAC/Preamp/Headphone Amplifier/Wireless Receiver – Look Ma, No Wires appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - NAD HP70 Wireless Active Noise Cancelling Headphones – Audiophile Sound On the Go!6 November 2018, 6:00 am
The post NAD HP70 Wireless Active Noise Cancelling Headphones – Audiophile Sound On the Go! appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - CanJam at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2018 – Coverage sponsored by Kimber Kable PT55 November 2018, 6:00 am
The post CanJam at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2018 – Coverage sponsored by Kimber Kable PT5 appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Headphone Amplifier – REVIEW BY ENJOY THE MUSIC.COM2 November 2018, 5:00 am
The post Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Headphone Amplifier – REVIEW BY ENJOY THE MUSIC.COM appeared first on HeadPhone.guru.... - FiiO BTR3 Review – The Easiest Hifi Bluetooth Receiver30 October 2018, 5:00 am
The post FiiO BTR3 Review – The Easiest Hifi Bluetooth Receiver appeared first on HeadPhone.guru....
- CSS Model P215 Bookshelf Speaker Kit – High-End Sound for Under $1,0008 November 2018, 2:00 pm
Out of Southeast Michigan, we have Creative Sound Solutions (CSS). I met these guys at AXPONA 2018 and gravitated towards a gorgeous finished pair of their Model P215. The philosophy behind their products aims to strike the perfect balance on the price and performance scale – with a minimum requirement of high-quality components at the... Read More The post CSS Model P215 Bookshelf Speaker Kit – High-End Sound for Under $1,000 appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - The Wilson Audio Sasha DAW Debut Report at Audio Element6 November 2018, 7:55 pm
Audio Bacon was on hand this weekend at the 5th Anniversary Open House for Audio Element. It was a fun event with food, drinks, and a ton of people. The big headline for the event was the debut of Wilson Audio’s Sasha DAW (David Andrew Wilson). If you’ve been following us for a while, you... Read More The post The Wilson Audio Sasha DAW Debut Report at Audio Element appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - RMAF 2018 – The Awards6 November 2018, 12:27 am
There were plenty of standout rooms at this year’s RMAF 2018. The decision for Best of Show was unanimous but many of the best sounding rooms came incredibly close. In case you missed it, we’ve gone over quite a few of them in our video coverage: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 – Part 1... Read More The post RMAF 2018 – The Awards appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - SOtM sNH-10G – The Audiophile Ethernet Switch is Here!1 November 2018, 7:18 pm
The audiophile-grade network switch, SOtM sNH-10G, is now available. The sNH-10G can prove what the ultimate sound should be in your network system. How many audiophiles would have been satisfied with sound in their system? Especially with a network audio system, you may know from your own experience that it’s not easy to overcome and... Read More The post SOtM sNH-10G – The Audiophile Ethernet Switch is Here! appeared first on Audio Bacon.... - JPLAY FEMTO: The New Benchmark1 November 2018, 7:13 am
The all-new JPLAY FEMTO is a complete network music software player for the most demanding audiophile. It combines unrivaled digital playback algorithms with a convenience that has not been available before. Now featuring our femtoServer, ultra-light, and ultra-optimized UPnP media server, digital files are reproduced with higher transparency and precision than ever before, giving you... Read More The post JPLAY FEMTO: The New Benchmark appeared first on Audio Bacon....
- FiiO M3K DAP – a steal for the price8 November 2018, 2:35 am
REVIEW: You can't really go wrong with the FiiO M3K digital audio player, given its ridiculously affordable price...... - A Neat trick with the compact IOTA Alpha speakers2 November 2018, 1:07 am
REVIEW: If you want a pair of speakers that sound right but disappear from your sight, these IOTA Alpha compact speakers are truly, er, Neat...... - DS Audio shines a light on vinyl28 October 2018, 5:33 am
FEATURE: Don't let the term "optical" mislead you into thinking that DS Audio cartridges are digital devices... analogue is the game, just done very differently.... - Gold Note Giglio turntable – as great as it looks26 October 2018, 1:29 am
REVIEW: Ah, the Italians... they know how to make anything sound and look magnificent... as in the case of the Gold Note Giglio turntable.... - VPI’s 40th year special… the HW-40, only 400 units23 October 2018, 1:56 pm
NEWS: VPI Industries celebrates its 40th year in existence with a special call - only 400 units of the HW-40, a direct-drive design, will be made....
- Vinyl Styl Audio Cassette Head Cleaner And Demagnetiser24 October 2018, 1:37 pm
Cassettes may be making a comeback, but as yet the machines to play them aren’t. As such it is necessary to keep old machines in good health with regular maintenance and TLC. The Vinyl Styl cleaning and demagnetising tape does just that. The post Vinyl Styl Audio Cassette Head Cleaner And Demagnetiser appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Edifier S350DB Review13 September 2018, 1:40 pm
If you’re after plenty of inputs, smart aesthetics and convenience features with better sonics than the average one box solution, these are worth a look. For no compromise audio performance, look elsewhere. The post Edifier S350DB Review appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Clear Groove Vinyl Record Cleaner28 August 2018, 2:08 pm
Herein we feature the products of Clear Groove, a family run business specialising in the design and supply of products for vinyl and CD care and cleaning The post Clear Groove Vinyl Record Cleaner appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-1 Vinyl Click & Pop Remover Review21 August 2018, 1:26 pm
The SugarCube enhances the listening experience with vinyl old and new, and for that it earns a thoroughly deserved recommendation. The post SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-1 Vinyl Click & Pop Remover Review appeared first on Audio Appraisal.... - Five 1980’s Singles You Thought You’d Forgotten26 July 2018, 5:09 pm
But here, to make you either cringe or smile from ear to ear are five corker ear-worms of 1980's singles you thought you had forgotten. The post Five 1980’s Singles You Thought You’d Forgotten appeared first on Audio Appraisal....
- Audiophile Review!Benchmark HPA4Headphone Amplifier/Line-Stage Preamplifier:"Precision Volume, Pure Transparency"31 July 2018, 5:28 pm
... - Audiophile Review!Essence HDACC II 4KHeadphone Amp/DAC/Preamp“Low Cost, Versatile HDACCGets Major Performance Boost”27 June 2018, 8:00 pm
... - Home Recording Studio Review!PreSonus Studio 192 Command Center24-Bit Audio Recording Interface17 May 2018, 5:16 pm
... - Digital Converter Review!Benchmark DAC3-DX Dual-Buss Output DAC:More Output Options,Incredible S/N Performance!23 January 2018, 6:54 pm
... - EAN Bench Test!Doing The Numbers OnThe Benchmark DAC3-DX DAC18 January 2018, 12:42 am
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- REVIEW: KEF LSX WIRELESS STEREO SPEAKERS31 October 2018, 11:31 pm
KEF continues to build on the success of its LS50 Wireless speakers that launched in 2017 with its latest release, the LSX Stereo Wireless Music System. Read our exclusive, first Australian review here.... - BLU-RAY REVIEW: ANNABELLE - CREATION30 October 2018, 1:17 am
Anabelle Creation is a tense, taught horror that digs its claws in right from the start, and doesn’t let go until the credits are rolling.... - REVIEW: TIVOLI AUDIO ANDIAMO PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER29 October 2018, 12:16 am
Tivoli Audio has enjoyed immense success since its inception as a radio manufacturer in the year 2000. Nearly twenty years later, Tivoli has demonstrated it can adapt to market trends and ever-changing technology with the introduction of its Go range.... - REVIEW: ROTEL RMB 1585 5-CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER24 October 2018, 9:53 pm
If you've been relying on your AV Receiver's multiple amplifier channels to power your surround sound speakers, perhaps it's time to consider a multi-channel power amplifier? We take a closer look at Rotel's RMB 1585 5-Channel Power Amplifier.... - REVIEW: VINCENT AUDIO KHV-1 HYBRID HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER1 October 2018, 7:26 am
Germany's Vincent Audio has a reputation for delivering value for money Hi-Fi products, so as a headphone enthusiast it's KHV-1 amplifier piqued my interest. We take a closer look at its Hybrid Headphone Amplifier....
- How to make your room disappear12 November 2018, 10:50 am
... - Reminiscing about the late great speaker designer Peter Snell11 November 2018, 11:13 am
... - Can you listen to nasty sounding recordings and still enjoy the music?10 November 2018, 10:26 am
... - Listening Test: JBL L100 Classic speakers9 November 2018, 10:31 am
... - Here’s why horn speakers sound better than other types8 November 2018, 11:37 am
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- 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 […]...