Noble Audio Lu Ban $1,399 Review

June 17, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.headfonia.com/noble-audio-lu-ban-review

The mids section probably is where the Lu Ban is strongest. The technical level, timbre (guitars!) and especially the vocal presentation are what make it engaging. The mids are neutral, with good body you get a dynamic presentation with an airy, natural and clear character. The PraT and technical level are on par with what we expect at this price point, though there – as said – still is room for improvement.

The top-end is lively, energetic and very present, especially with the silicone tips. With the foam tips, the presentation is softer and it makes it easier to listen to the Lu Ban for longer periods. Of course, this also is very subjective. With the foam this I find the top end to perfectly counterbalance the weightier bass presence, while keeping things exciting. With the silicone tips, the top end is a bit much for my personal tastes, at least during longer listening sessions.

PS Audio PMG Signature SACD Transport/512 DAC Review

June 17, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.hifinews.com/content/ps-audio-pmg-signature-sacd-transport512-dac

As upgrades on PS Audio’s earlier flagships, this PMG Signature 512 DAC and SACD transport make a striking impression, not only for their musical flair, but also for the new, modern aesthetic. The networked DAC may lack app control, but it remains a well-connected unit with support for firmware updates. The partnering disc player, meanwhile, is a no-brainer for PS Audio diehards with big CD/SACD collections.

MAGNEPAN LRS+ REVIEW

June 17, 2026 § Leave a comment

Ø Audio Verdande loudspeaker $45,000 Review

June 16, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.stereophile.com/content/%C3%B8-audio-verdande-loudspeaker

The crossover network is first-order, at 800Hz, using nine electronic parts total and only two parts in series with the signal (one coil for the woofer, one foil capacitor for the horn), and a L-C-R filter to tailor horn response. Cook said the simplified design results in “stable and high” impedance that doesn’t dip below 9 ohms.Mala and Cook wouldn’t say which company makes their drivers, but they did mention that Ø Audio is located about 40 minutes from SEAS (Scandinavian Electro Acoustic Systems) and that they use that company’s anechoic chamber. SEAS, however, does not make and sell any off-the-shelf 15″ woofers.The Verdande cabinets rest on four large, polished steel feet, inside of which a circle of tungsten ball bearings isolates the cabinet from the floor and vice versa. The speakers tilt backward, so the front panel slopes a bit. There is a single pair of multiway binding posts at the rear.

SVS SB17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofer Review

June 16, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/2040-svs-sb17-ultra-r-evolution-subwoofer

Moving on to “Where Is the Line?” from Björk’s Medúlla (CD, Elektra 62984‑2), Rahzel’s beatboxing had more impact with the SB17 engaged, producing a bigger sound. Still, the effect on this track was subtle, and if I didn’t have the luxury of a subwoofer to draw my attention to it, I’d never know anything was missing in the first place.

However, listening to Medúlla’s lead single, “Who Is It,” the effect of the SVS was undeniable, as it filled out the low end of the track and made it sound like a far bigger, more powerful spectacle. On “Hunter,” the opening track from Björk’s Homogenic (CD, Elektra E2 62061), the SVS’s contribution was anything but subtle. With the SB17 engaged, “Hunter” was an anthem of epic proportions, sounding far more powerful and physical than it did through the Arendals on their own. The bass that the SVS generated was fast and tight, starting and stopping instantaneously. The SB17’s driver may be enormous, but the monstrous amplifier and DSP controlled it masterfully.

This is what makes using a subwoofer so much fun. Whether you’re listening to a pipe organ in a grand cathedral, or assaulting your senses with rapid-fire electronic beats, hearing deep bass with a vice-grip level of control is as much a visceral experience as it is an auditory one, and it can make for exhilarating listening. This is exactly what the SVS did in my room.

AVM CS 2.3 Anniversary Edition Review

June 16, 2026 § Leave a comment

High End Vienna 2026: Loudspeakers $50,000 and Up

June 15, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/high-end-vienna-2026-loudspeakers-50000-and-up

Year in and year out, I attend shows in venues I’m intimately familiar with. For better and worse (mostly the latter), I’ve come to know the acoustic challenges of the big rooms and the small ones in Chicago, in Munich, in Denver, in Las Vegas (back when there were shows in Denver and Las Vegas). But it’s been quite a while since I’ve attended a show in an entirely new and unfamiliar spot.

AudioQuest Brave Heart Review

June 15, 2026 § Leave a comment

https://www.headfonia.com/audioquest-brave-heart-review

The Brave Heart can be summarized by a tighter, more controlled low-end with exceptional textural accuracy and resolution. It stretches deeper into the sub-bass, with better control and impact, while providing also a cleaner and clearer mid-range. Instruments and Musicians are fuller, slightly more organic sounding and come across as vivid and life-like. Brave Heart’s biggest strength lies in its impressive technical performance.

With the Brave Heart, bass control and definition reach a new tier. You don’t necessarily get a heftier or meatier low-end, but a more defined and precise one. The extension into sub-bass is markedly enhanced as well to my ears. What truly distinguishes the Brave Heart though to me, is its superior definition.

ModWright KWH 225i Review

June 15, 2026 § Leave a comment

Meze Audio Poet Rinaro Isodynamic® Hybrid Array Headphone

June 14, 2026 § Leave a comment


If you are looking for a luxury headphone in this range that offers fine design, solid build, exceptional comfort, and sustainability, the Poet should be on the list for audition. Texture and tone are fantastic, across the spectrum. In comparison to similar designs, its center of gravity is lower, and somewhat contained by its smaller driver, earcup, and pad design. Resolution is on a par with others in this category, and dynamic expression is agile, refined, and consistently delivers the feel of our favorite performances, regardless of the fare. Meze has a sophisticated voice in the Poet.