Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/spl-performer-s900-power-amplifier

The SPL Performer s900 power amplifier will fit well in many systems. It is designed to drive almost any speaker, with a firm grip and authority. Its sound isn’t completely “neutral,” but it’s close—close enough to show a recording for what it is. No shade cast on great recordings, no lipstick painted on pigs.We’ll see what John Atkinson’s measurements reveal, but to me the s900 sounded like it met its specs: low distortion, high output power across a wide frequency range, plenty of headroom, the two channels superbly matched.At its price, the s900 competes in a crowded market, though it’s not overbuilt. Its engineers fit a lot of amplifier into a compact package with what seemed to be sensible heat management and layout that allows it to run dead-silent. Its looks are agreeable to my aesthetics: not fancy, not clunky—in fact it looks like what I think a power amp should be: a device which lets itself shine by what it’s not doing. It’s not acting as a sound effect, it’s not drawing attention through flakey behavior, it’s not crapping out when the music gets complex and loud. In my systems, the s900 was a solid force for musical good.

Due to the tiny size of the M0 Pura, I was expecting an anemic power delivery and loose bass control, as I’m used to with my old Apple iPod mini and nano.

I was delighted to report that the M0 Pura sounds very normal and contemporary, similar to other, larger DAPs or digital sources recently released.

Thanks to the decent output power and moderately rated output impedance, the M0 Pura sounds surprisingly powerful given its small size.

Though not the tightest I’ve heard, the bass is well-controlled and much more so than I expected. I hear a clean bass with only a slight thickening in the mid-bass, and it never muddies the sound, even at the maximum volume I listen to.

The midrange and the treble are very flat and extended. I hear no false warmth in the sound, which I’m very thankful for, as I don’t like sources that have warm and less resolved sound.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/system-one/2045-big-sound-smaller-footprint-arendal-sound-1610-tower-8-loudspeaker

Although I speak enthusiastically about Arendal Sound and its products today, it took several years for me to get there. When we received our first Arendal speaker to review, the 1723 Tower S, I admired its build quality and aggressive pricing, but because reviewer Philip Beaudette found the sound very good rather than truly great, I wasn’t yet convinced the company was producing world-class loudspeakers. I saw it instead as a promising start.

That changed when the 1528 series arrived and I reviewed the Tower 8. I not only raved about that speaker—I also hopped on a plane with our video crew to learn more about the company firsthand. During that trip, designer Thomas Gunvaldsen impressed me with both his technical skill and clear understanding of loudspeaker design, while owner Jan Ove Lassesen struck me as forthright and determined to deliver high performance with equally high value to consumers.

Since then, my respect for the brand has only grown. Philip subsequently reviewed and loved the 1528 Monitor 8s enough to consider buying them. But after auditioning the 1528 Tower 8s I reviewed, he instead purchased that exact pair—they’re now his reference speakers. As for me, I wasn’t happy to see those Tower 8s leave, because they sounded that good, but the 1610 Tower 8s came surprisingly close to filling that void.

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/fleetwood-mac-and-zz-top-come-to-the-audiophiles-format-of-choice-but-youd-better-hurry

To play them, you will, of course, need a dedicated reel-to-reel tape machine.

And the albums? Released in 1975, Fleetwood Mac (also known as The White Album) was actually the second album of that name to be released by the band. It marked a change of course, with newcomers Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks lending a more pop-driven sound. It wasn’t a huge success at first, but reached number one after a year of the band touring. It has now been certified platinum nine times over.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/avm-evolution-53-streaming-integrated-amplifier

I did much of my auditioning with the Voxativ Ampeggio 2024 speakers. The Ampeggios and the AVM Evolution AS 5.3 share similar sonic attributes to produce too much of a good thing. The DeVore Super Nines brought something new to the party: extra warmth, weight, and humanity—a better match. The result was sound that, while less detailed, crisp, and incisive, was warmer and more human. Which colored my earlier observations.The AVM Evolution AS 5.3 Streaming Amplifier packs an exceptional phono stage—not as good as my Manley, but good. It has plenty of power, a well-designed, usable app, and it works as well with analog sources as with digital. It all fits into a relatively lightweight package. If its feature set, performance, and price match your needs, give the AS 5.3 a serious listen. But choose speakers carefully.