Audiophilepure

I have had a lot of speakers go up and down my stairs in the last few years, but few have left as lasting an impression as the Pylon Jasper 25 mkII Tower Speakers. Tonally, they sound excellent with no need for adjustment or room correction. I would describe their sonic quality as balanced, with a sweet top end, robust midrange, and strong bass foundation. They sound great with all types of music and are built with attention to detail. Pick a color or wood finish that meets your individual style, because Pylon offers quite a selection. Paired with a decent-quality amplifier, the Jasper 25 mkIIs will reward the listener with years of musical enjoyment.

But, in addition to that, I decided to push things a bit further in terms of speakers, and if initially I just intended to pair my Waterfall Iguescu with the EA13, after a few hours of listening I decided to follow the trend and get a proper set of vintage speakers to fit. Followed by the usual forum reading, store visits and friend discussions, which finally ended by the acquisition of… a pair of NOS JBL 4435.

Yes, big, heavy (115kg… each), vintage speakers that sit in complete opposition of my sleek Waterfall or egg-shaped Devialet, but after a few pairing tests with the FiiO, those were the ones that convinced me.

As for the source, music was streamed to the Fosi S3, used as a streamer and DAC, from Apple Music (Hi-Res when available), Spotify Lossless, and my own Plex library, the Fosi feeding the FiiO EA13 via RCA. I also plugged the FiiO M27 out of curiosity, the two of them standing at the exact opposite side of the chart in the audiophile world, but knowing the DAP prowess as a source, I’d be dumb not to try.

https://audiophilepure.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

The new ES9081 in the D100 has all the positives of ESS DAC chips and fewer, if any, of the negatives I criticize in older ESS DAC chips.

The D100 has a very neutral tonality with a flat, extended perceived frequency response. The sound is very transparent, clear, detailed, and highly resolved, as if the chip has decoded every micro nuance of the recording with nothing hidden and served it to the headphone output for enjoyment.

Yet the D100 never sounds clinical, with plenty of bass warmth and subbass elasticity and weight when the music demands it. The midrange and treble details are unforced, with gentle delivery and immediate response depending on the music.

Listening to Keith Jarrett’s Live at The Blue Note (Tidal) was outstanding. The longer I listened to “Don’t Ever Leave Me,” the more involved I became. Keith Jarrett’s piano was portrayed superbly, and the music had emotion and moved me in a special way. Jack DeJonette’s cymbals had life, weight, and gracefulness. They were detailed, transparent, and open, also free of edge and grain. The cymbal magic was effortless and vivid. Gary Peacock on the double bass was harmonically and texturally convincing. The sound of the plucks had a properly stringy, pitch, and weight. The DA88 Signature’s transient balance was truthful and consistent from the lowest to highest notes.

I enjoyed my time with the Jadis DA88 Signature immensely. The Jadis DA88 Signature worked flawlessly during the entire listening period, and it is a super quiet amplifier. There is no hum or any tube noise to speak of. I put my ears up-close to my super tweeter and it was dead silent. When an integrated amplifier sounds good at this price, I ask myself “Do I really need the separates?”

https://www.hifinews.com/content/jbl-summit-makalu

Sitting between the incoming K2 and Everest and the smaller Pumori and Ama, JBL’s Makalu is very likely the Summit series’ ‘sweet spot’ model, offering the scale and output for all but the largest rooms. Its sound merits the premium price tag, too, combining deep-diving bass and thrilling dynamics with detail and refinement. Despite the bold styling, this is not just a loudspeaker for rock ‘n’ rollers.