Audiophilepure

All of this is finished in a two-tone gunmetal and silver color with a smoky coffee brown colored braided custom SoftFlex PVC jacket protecting the wire.

There is a fairly noticeable block of silicone memory wire coating near the 0.78mm 2-pin connector barrels, though it’s relatively pliant and not too rigid.

I can also see a small sliver of silicone wrap for tension relief at the main jack barrel head, which is a sight I prefer to be internalized in the barrel rather than peaking its head outside.

Inside the jacket, the wire is a coaxial shielding structure with a 21.5AWG 4N OFC copper core in a Litz Type 4S four-wire configuration with a 5N silver-plated OFC copper inner shielding mesh.

It has a dense feel to the handling, though by no means a heavy cable. I have tested much heavier, such as Effect Audio’s 16AWG Code 24 monsters. Memory retention is low, as is microphonics, so it’s well behaved and nicely insulated.

My one nitpick is the choice of 2-pin enclosures at the base of the connector barrels. They are the type typically used for recessed sockets, giving them a fairly lengthy profile when connected in a flush socket.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/aavik-i-188-integrated-amplifier

Though a beguiling example of an ultra-modern, high-end integrated, Aavik’s I-188 defies convention not just in its left-field circuitry, but in eschewing an onboard DAC, balanced inputs, etc. Instead, it’s a lean, mean machine with immense power, bank-vault construction and gorgeous looks where minimalism meets the future – a product poised in the vanguard of the ‘integrated amplifier renaissance’.

https://www.headfonia.com/noble-audio-osprey-review

The left faceplate carries Noble’s chrome logo, while the right side features a stylized chrome osprey emblem. The inner shell that comes into contact with the ear has a solid indigo finish, giving the Osprey a cleaner and more uniform look from the inside. I really like this two-tone approach, just as I did on the Rex5. The shell size is almost identical between Rex5 and Osprey, too.

The shell design follows the same ergonomic approach we have seen across Noble’s recent FoKus models. The chassis is not too large, and the shape is optimized to sit securely in the concha. The blue-colored metal nozzle is a nice touch, and it features Noble’s eccentric logo-shaped mesh on the sound outlet. The nozzle is adequately long, which helps with seal stability and tip grip.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/perlisten-a4t-loudspeaker

You don’t, then, need to feed this floorstander a hard-driving, bass-rich diet to appreciate its talents. Shostakovich’s Symphony No.1 in F Minor, from the Boston SO for Deutsche Grammophon [96kHz/24-bit], showed the A4t can sound sprightly and light on its feet despite the visual evidence to the contrary. It easily conveyed the fizz of pizzicato strings and the work’s staccato melodies, while shifts in both tone and weight were well handled. This was a performance of subtlety and precision… until the thrusting first crescendo of the ‘Allegretto’ saw orchestral drums conjured with real depth and dynamics. In a word? Tasty.

Hi-Fi News VerdictWhile aiming for a lower price point, Perlisten clearly has no desire to change the way it goes about designing its floorstanding loudspeakers – the A4t is once again a weighty yet controlled performer, with a focus on imaging precision and nuance. With the push to affordability, however, comes a softer and arguably more ‘crowd-pleasing’ sound. Put this on your list if you like to listen long… and loud.