MONTEMAR AUDIO FIDELITY — THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF HIGH-END HANDCRAFTED HORN LOUDSPEAKERS
April 10, 2026 § Leave a comment
Built for those who listen beyond the ordinary. The next evolution of Montemar Audio Fidelity, high-end handcrafted horn loudspeakers designed for audiophiles seeking true musical realism, with each system carefully built to recreate the emotional impact of live music.
Jennifer Warnes • Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen Review
April 10, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.theaudiobeat.com/music/jennifer_warnes_famous_blue_raincoat_lp.htm
FBR’s first audiophile incarnation came in 2007 when Cisco Records put out a three-LP 45rpm set [Cypress Records/Cisco Records CLP7060-45]. In 2015, Impex released a 33rpm version [Cypress Records/Impex Records IMP6021], then released a repressing on blue vinyl in 2020. This latest version makes every effort to impress — a One Step 45rpm version using the VR-900 Supreme vinyl formulation. It is said to be the very last version from the original master tapes. FBR was a digital recording, but this set used the first-generation mix-down tapes. According to Impex, once this release, limited to 7500 numbered copies, is completed, those original mix-down tapes go into the vault forever. In addition, this boxed set includes the four outtakes included in the 20th Anniversary CD issued by Impex in 2007 [Cypress Records/Impex Records IMP8301].
Sphinx Element 3 Loudspeaker $47,500 Reviews
April 9, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1303-sphinx-element-3-loudspeaker
he Engström Arne made my job easy. I swapped in the Arne, and instantly I was soaking in a warm bath, rose petals sprinkled over the water, cucumber slices on my eyes. The bass was still tight and expressive, the highs still extended and silky, but the midrange! Holy hell, the Arne added a sensation of texture and inner light that left me feeling all tingly. So as to not get too precious, I’d like to refer you to Tom Waits and his beastly Bad as Me (16/44.1 FLAC, Anti‑Epitaph / Qobuz), specifically the title track, which is distasteful in its grinding sound and its lyrics. Via the Arne driving the Element 3s it wasn’t quite as unpleasant. The backing instruments gained an enticing sense of depth and texture, and the rasp in Waits’s voice, while just as abrasive, gained more emotional depth and roundness, and therefore made me feel sorry for him, rather than angry at his very existence.
THE ULTIMATE LISTENING HAVEN – NTH DEGREE AUDIO PROJECT x KYRON AUDIO
April 9, 2026 § Leave a comment
Undoubtedly one of the most impressive listening havens, this project was a complex journey, with the entire process supervised by Kyron Audio in collaboration with Jayde Deverson from Design, renowned for creating ultimate garage environments.
World Premiere Review Børresen T1 Silver Supreme Edition $40,000
April 8, 2026 § Leave a comment
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, these are expensive – by anyone’s standard. This has been a point observed/commented on since the earliest Børresen loudspeakers were introduced. Even for learned audiophiles conditioned to sticker shock and drained bank accounts, they can raise eyebrows. Are they worth it? That, of course, is an answer left to the ears (and eyes) of the beholder. My response remains what I offered in my 01 review: If one is capable of commanding this level of audio investment, the return will be an unending oasis of musical reality, brought to you in ways likely unimagined. Your investment reflects countless hours of research, application, and evaluation that have resulted in one of the finest generators of recorded music available.
So yes, their efforts are to be applauded and compensated, with the market appearing to bear it. And let’s be balanced – In recent years, Børresen has made great strides towards introducing newer, less expensive speaker models that offer a significant percentage of trickle-down technology in more cost-friendly forms. One thing’s for certain: the Børresen T1 SSE will involve you, and you will learn much. And lest we overlook, we’re all here for the music.
Giddy? You bet. As an audiophile and as a musician, the Børresen presentation brings me to the gig every time, and for those “giddy” audiophiles seeking the holy grail of recorded musical reproduction, the Børresen T Series, and in particular, the T1 SSE stand mount loudspeaker, may just be your portal to audio nirvana.
Scarlatti Alla Scarlatti—Livia Mazzanti (Birdbox Audio Archive Series – Reference Test Pressing)
April 8, 2026 § Leave a comment
Direct tonal capture was handled by a pair of Neumann U47 microphones placed closer to the pipes, preserving weight, harmonic richness, and tonal color without sacrificing clarity. A final spot microphone was used judiciously to maintain definition during the most complex passages and ensure that musical lines remain intelligible, even at peak dynamic levels.
Every element—from microphone choice through cutting—was selected with a singular objective: to reproduce exactly what was heard in Scarlatti Hall on that day. Judging by this reference test pressing, that objective has been fully realized.
It is also worth noting that this reference test pressing is housed in an unusually elaborate presentation and was produced in a run of just twenty copies worldwide. This was never intended as a commercial edition, but rather as an internal reference and archival document. While most readers will never encounter this version firsthand, it offers a clear indication of the level of care applied throughout the project. With that attention evident in every aspect of this pressing, I have no doubt that the forthcoming commercial disc and tape editions will possess the same magic
Audiophilepure 
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