Audiophilepure

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0522/Charisma_Audio_Musiko_Turntable_Review.htm

Bernard Li’s journey in high-end audio began as a young man in Hong Kong where he wrote reviews for the number one audio magazine, Audiotechnique. He has always been an analog fan. Now, with his successful retail and distribution company in Toronto, he has completed his dream of manufacturing a complete analog front end. He began with phono cartridges and progressed to his Musiko tonearm. The Musiko turntable now completes the package.

Without knowing the actual price, I way over-estimated the price of the table based on what I heard. A closer examination reveals a simplicity of design and knowledge of materials gained from years of experience. Bernard Li’s knowledge has far surpassed many designs requiring intricate or complex machining. The Musiko reminds me of the old saw attributed to Einstein: “Everything should be as simple as it can be, but not simpler.” He is also not burdened with the overhead of large-scale manufacturing or a dealer network. The savings are passed on to the customer.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/b%C3%B8rresen-x3-loudspeaker

These floorstanders create a large picture of sound with impressive soundstage spread. However, the sense of inner detail and depth is influenced by how far apart the cabinets are placed and the degree to which they are toed-out (crossing behind the listening position, as set out in the manual). But there was always plenty of low-end power – a theme with these speakers – with the star-studded Gorillaz album The Mountain [Kong KONG 001CD], thumping out ‘The Plastic Guru’ without overshadowing the contributions of Anoushka Shankar and Johnny Marr. Even on the stately ‘Casablanca’ the balance remained rich and weighty, with treble details sweet and informative rather than incisively sharp.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet7-reclocking-network-switch

The QNet has one oscillator—one clock; the QNet7 has two. The two layers of ports 1–5 are handled by a single clock, while those of port 6 are separated into two dedicated circuits, one for each layer, and handled by two clocks. Port 7, in turn, uses a single clock.Why does an Ethernet switch need clocks? “When the Ethernet signal arrives at the QNet7, it is undone, so to speak, and redone,” Bonotto explained. “The bits (information) are transformed, encapsulated, and made into symbols so they can travel down the line in a more efficient and noise-proof way. Rather than send the packets down the cable directly, they are forwarded to the PHY unit, whose role is to take those packets and ‘line code’ them. Essentially, this makes the data more immune to noise. The whole process becomes more reliable. When the symbols arrive, everything must be de-encapsulated, as it were, and transformed back into bits. Then it gets routed and re-encapsulated and resent out on the other port. For this to happen, you need a clock base—a timing base. It’s the oscillator that makes it possible.”

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0626/AGD_Productions_Allegro_Intergrated_Amplifier_Streamer_DAC_MM_MC_Phonostage_Review.htm

he AGD Allegro integrated amplifier is certainly a powerhouse. It was designed and built to produce emotions, and it does so without a doubt. No stone was left unturned in its design, and the no-holds-barred approach definitely paid off in its performance. It certainly impressed me with just how much power and performance can be packed into one chassis.

The AGD Productions Allegro reproduced the material with a level of clarity that was totally unexpected. In fact, in some cases, it was a clarity that I had here that I had not even experienced before. It revealed a hidden layer of depth by removing noise that didn’t even seem to be there. Additionally, its inherent neutrality helps it avoid influencing the sound, again reducing noise and increasing blackness.

The AGD Allegro definitely changed how I look at integrated components in general and especially integrated amplifiers. It is certainly one of the most thoroughly complete and thought-out components I have come across in some time. Its performance and artistry should make its creator proud and bring the company to new heights. It certainly has the potential. Personally, I will be sad to see it go, since it has become a member of the family and is one of the few things I will truly miss

https://www.hifinews.com/content/astellkern-aultima-sp4000-digital-audio-player

Some flighty piano runs and the more emphasised dramatic solos of Dayes’ band members were equally engaging, showing excellent control over The Composer’s drivers. Even if the SP4000 doesn’t aim for a completely neutral performance in terms of tonal colour, the nifty drumming and synths during the finale of ‘Turquoise Days’ felt authentic, making the whole piece gel brilliantly.

Also, the player’s DSD upsampling is easily engaged by swiping down during playback and pressing the DAR icon – it’s well worth trying out. Turning it on and off during Dayes’ ‘Raisins Under The Sun’, and listening through these very revealing headphones, showed subtle differences between the two modes. The trombone and trumpets had more weight to them with DAR on, and the presentation seemed a little smoother overall.

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.

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.