Arne Mk2 Integrated Amplifier $40,000 Review
April 2, 2026 § Leave a comment
The Arne Mk2 performed flawlessly for the six months that I had it. It is a super quiet integrated amplifier. There is no hum or hiss or any tube noise to speak of without any hiccups. I really enjoyed my time with the Arne Mk2. It was simple to use with auto biasing and a volume remote control; it made it easier for me to enjoy the music. As I have said, the Arne Mk2 sounded as if I were listening to separates. When one box integrated amplifier sounds this good, you say to yourself “do I really need the separates?” If you’re in the market for separates, you should give a listen to the Engstrom Arne Mk2 integrated amplifier. Its’ that good.
TEAC TN-5BB Turntable $2,200 Review
April 2, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/teac-tn-5bb-turntable
At $2,200, the TEAC TN-5BB manual belt-drive turntable delivers a superbly quiet noise floor, rapt resolution, sparkling rhythmic drive, unique washi paper damping, full-bodied tonality, transparency to carts and amps, and it comes with supplied RCA and XLR outputs to boot. Setup took minutes. The SAEC tonearm, auto shut-off, and electronic tonearm lift all added genuine value and convenience to the proceedings.
While other turntables like the Audio-Technica AT-LPA2, Clearaudio Compass, and high-end Rega Planar models throw serious punches at similar price points, the new TEAC TN-5BB table stands tall as a brilliant choice for both cherry-popping first-timers and seasoned veterans looking for their final spin. In short, the TEAC TN-5BB is worthy of your rapt attention. Hats off!
Townshend Audio Allegri Reference Preamplifier Review
April 1, 2026 § Leave a comment
With the Allegri Reference, there is no gain available as with a typical powered preamplifier, only attenuation, and this should be borne in mind when matching it to a power amplifier. If you enjoy listening at a high level, you’re going to need power amplifiers of appropriate input sensitivity and power to compensate for this. Rated at 170W, the Naim NAP 350 monoblocks I use have weapons-grade power—the NAP 350 has a claimed input sensitivity of 1V for full-rated power, and offers 26dB of gain. As a result, I could comfortably attain what I would term “session levels” with this pairing. A friend who uses an Allegri Reference partners it with a Krell KSA‑100S and big JBL monitors, and his system kicks serious ass, too.
On the title track of Duran Duran’s sole 1990 album, Liberty (LP, Parlophone PCSD112), the Allegri did a superb job of rendering Simon Le Bon’s vocals center-stage. Sterling Campbell’s energetic and bouncy drum style was projected with excellent power and drive, which I found surprising for what is essentially a passive device. Sure, the Allegri didn’t deliver bass rhythms with quite the same snap and articulation as my Naim NAC 82 preamp, but it certainly sounded less grainy. The Naim excels at speed, slam, and note definition, whereas the Allegri has other strengths, which are rare outside an extremely elite group of valve amplifiers of impeccable quality.
World Premier Review of Zesto Audio Athena DAC with ESP Power Supply. $15,000
April 1, 2026 § Leave a comment
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After throwing every kind of music and connection I could muster including USB, S/PDIF, and AES/EBU, I was unable to make the Zesto Audio Athena DAC with ESP Power Supply do anything but perform to state of the art levels. I have never heard a DAC this alive, lively, and realistic with such extraordinary definition. The level of quiet between instruments is perfection. Switching between bit rates is without flaw. The lights on the front panel clearly show you what is playing. I love the analogue knob dialing in the clearly marked digital sources. I have not heard a DAC on the planet that exceeds the Athena’s performance, tube or solid-state. I go to the symphony to hear the real thing and that is what you will hear with the Athena DAC. I heartily recommend you call your Zesto Audio Dealer and audition the Zesto Audio Athena DAC with ESP Power Supply ASAP.
FiiO M33 R2R $649 Review
March 31, 2026 § Leave a comment
The chassis is made of solid aluminum alloy, sandwiched between a 5.5-inch full-HD touchscreen and a tempered glass back, printed with logos and text. I like the lines on both the left and the right side. The corners and edges are subtly chamfered, making for a refined feel.
My review sample came in black, but the M33 R2R is also available in blue and titanium gold. The finish appears to be anodized.
The M33 R2R is a mid-sized DAP with dimensions of approximately. 138.2 x 71.5 x 17 mm, and moderate in weight, approximately 258g.
In my opinion, it hits the sweet spot for Android-based DAPs: neither too small, too big, nor too heavy to bring along on long trips. The size allows for a screen that makes controlling the Android operating system easy.
The M33 R2R 5.5-inch touch screen has excellent brightness, color, contrast, and viewing angles. The color accuracy and refresh rate are good.
I estimate the screen refresh rate is 60 Hz, but I would love a 120 Hz refresh rate like on my phones; however, 60 Hz is acceptable and the current norm for Android DAPs
JONES AND CERRETA SPEAKERS WITH A FIELD COIL CONCENTRIC DRIVER
March 31, 2026 § Leave a comment
The Jones and Cerreta brand-new speaker continues Jones’s legendary work with TAD and KEF. In partnership with the Cerreta brothers, the newly established loudspeaker brand will launch with the premiere of the Jones and Cerreta floorstanding speaker, featuring a unique Field Coil Concentric Driver – rarely implemented in high-end audio speakers.
Audiophilepure 
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