TH500RP by Fostex

September 26, 2015 Comments Off on TH500RP by Fostex

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Compared to the bass and midrange, treble performance is not as great as it could be. I would have much liked there to have been more extension and sparkle to uplift treble-tilted tracks. While by no means treble-anaemic, there is an apparent roll-off where the very high frequencies are concerned. Both the Sennheiser HD598 and HE-400S therefore eclipse the TH500RP in treble performance offering more height and air in this part of the frequency range. The only benefit of this type of tuning is the obvious reduced levels of fatigue that can normally be experienced from a brighter headphone model.

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Bowers & Wilkins 683 S2 loudspeaker

September 26, 2015 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 683 S2 loudspeaker

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The 683 S2s’ tonal balance was generally excellent with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra’s classic recording of Boccherini’s La Musica Notturna delle Strade di Madrid on Die Rohre—The Tube (SACD, Tacet S 74). Here was all the detail of bow on string—I could almost see the accompanying cloud of rosin—while warmth of tone from the wood of the instruments filled the recording venue. There was a similar rendering of detail with the brass outbursts in the first movement of the Shostakovich Ninth, mentioned above. These were striking, as intended, but in dynamic and tonal proportion. The 683s did as well with choral music as orchestral, and pop and jazz groups benefited from a lively presentation.
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Pioneer XDP-100R Digital Audio Player

September 26, 2015 Comments Off on Pioneer XDP-100R Digital Audio Player

Bacillus Tilia by Erzetich

September 26, 2015 Comments Off on Bacillus Tilia by Erzetich

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Soundstage was another area where the Bacillus Tilia could have been better when compared to others in the price range. While listening to Yosi Horikawa’s Bubbles, I found that while the amp provided a decent width, the depth and height weren’t as prominent. The same held true for Pink Floyd’s Money and Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.

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Vinylify makes individual record pressings affordable

September 26, 2015 Comments Off on Vinylify makes individual record pressings affordable

CD sales plummet in US as streaming rises

September 22, 2015 Comments Off on CD sales plummet in US as streaming rises

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Sales from streaming — including on-demand subscription services such as Spotify’s paid tier and Internet radio networks — totaled $1.03 billion, up 23 percent from a year earlier, although about the same as the performance in 2014’s second half.

Streaming accounted for one-third of the industry’s total revenue, up from 26 percent in the first six months of 2014, the association said.

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IFI IDSD

September 22, 2015 Comments Off on IFI IDSD

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The treble is… gentle. It is there, and again, provides good detail, but it doesn’t have that sparkle that I often like. It obviously isn’t harsh, and it isn’t rolled off into oblivion, but those who like their treble to make a stand, probably aren’t going to be satisfied with the Micro iDSD.

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Sharkwire Bull Shark Cable

September 22, 2015 Comments Off on Sharkwire Bull Shark Cable

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In the final analysis I found the Sharkwire Bull Shark to be among the best cables I have heard (in my downstairs rig) at allowing the music to flow unfettered and unforced, yet at the same time, present the music with such vitality and detail. It was only through their addition that I found myself leaning more toward a softer, airier and more gentile presentation offered by G9 Audio’s compliment of push/pull KT120 tubes. However, the addition of the Sharkwire Bull Shark added more zest and zeal to my all tube setup than I would have believed possible. Again, frequency extremes reach further out with a increase in both speed and articulation I have not experienced prior from this rig.

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GamuT RS5 Loudspeakers

September 22, 2015 Comments Off on GamuT RS5 Loudspeakers

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GamuT’s new RS speakers build on all the strengths of the S series, and while the cabinets look the same from the outside, everything is different from the cabinet construction, to the drivers, including the internal wiring. No stone was left unturned to wring even more performance from these fine loudspeakers.

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Vinnie Rossi LIO modular integrated amplifier

September 22, 2015 Comments Off on Vinnie Rossi LIO modular integrated amplifier

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The unique, iconic sound of dropping the needle on a black disc with the volume turned up—that attention-getting scratch of stylus on vinyl—shifted my memory machine into Drive. Almost instantly, I could hear Dad’s voice and see his gold-toothed smile. The Rossi Tubestage plus phono stage presented my father’s favorite song as a deeply felt lullaby. The LIO was extremely good at getting out of the way and letting this music have its way with me.

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