ASTELL&KERN AK380 PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
April 24, 2016 Comments Off on ASTELL&KERN AK380 PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
” So I proceeded to compare the sound of the AK380 when streaming over WiFi versus playing directly from its internal memory. What I found was that the difference is nearly impossible to hear—a welcome and astonishing result. If I listen hard, I can detect a slight veiling of voices when in streaming mode. Norah Jones, who is always recorded in such a way that her voice comes across intimately, sounds subtly less “there” when streaming. But that’s about it. As it turns out, the AK380 sounds great regardless of how it’s accessing music.”
Bryston Mini A Loudspeaker Review
April 24, 2016 Comments Off on Bryston Mini A Loudspeaker Review
“The midrange is truthful, honest and just a little lean. If I were to compare to the Brit small boxes that I tested before, the Mini A does not have the same level of midrange density, but do keep in mind that the Mini A is also the cheapest of the lot, costing a few thousand Ringgits less. On the other hand, the Mini A was top notch with dynamics and scale, and is comparable to others that cost much more, it handles demanding recordings excellently and portrays a large soundstage in my room with ease.”
KEF Blade Two Loudspeakers $25,000 Review
April 23, 2016 Comments Off on KEF Blade Two Loudspeakers $25,000 Review
“When it came to depth of bass, and power throughout the bass range, the B1D’s two woofers were no match for the Blade Two’s four woofers in a much larger cabinet — the Twos reached down to under 30Hz in my room with tremendous authority, whereas by around 40Hz the B1Ds had fallen off the cliff. The Blade Twos could also play at least a bit louder overall. At unrealistically loud listening levels, I did reach the B1 Decades’ limit: some compression in the highs set in (as I increased the volume, the bass and midrange frequencies were rising in level, but the highs were not); however, with the Blade Twos, I never found a place to stop.”
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Woo Audio WA5-LE REVIEW
April 23, 2016 Comments Off on Woo Audio WA5-LE REVIEW
“The new WA5-LE has a sound signature that is quite similar to that of the original. It was linear, extended, and open. The amplifier is transparent and has tons of spatial details with an ethereal presence and air around every note. The tonality is very natural and imaging is excellent. There is however, one key difference with the new model being more dynamic. The new WA5-LE is dynamic and focused across the entire frequency range there is significantly more energy behind every note. The WA5-LE is no longer a lush and polite 300B tube amplifier but one that is bolder and more involving with the flow of the music.”
PRANAFIDELITY FIFTY90 LOUDSPEAKERS $3,950 REVIEW
April 23, 2016 Comments Off on PRANAFIDELITY FIFTY90 LOUDSPEAKERS $3,950 REVIEW
” The $4k price point for speakers marks a stretch for most people. Any sane person spending this amount of money would reasonably expect superb sonics and great looks – there’s no excuse for anything else at this price, despite the emphasis in this industry for spending multiples more. The major challenge for interested folks is actually hearing high quality speakers prior to purchase. PranaFidelity do not have a lot of dealers but the company will work with you to give you a chance to hear their product, just contact them.”
Sony’s NW-ZX100 high-res music player – Review
April 22, 2016 Comments Off on Sony’s NW-ZX100 high-res music player – Review
“During comparisons with my Astell & Kern Jr high-res music player it didn’t take long to hear the NW ZX100 sounded richer and fuller-bodied. I listened with Audeze EL-8 and AudioQuest NightHawk full-size headphones, and heard similar differences between the two players with my Jerry Harvey Audio JH13 in-ear headphones, the NW-ZX100’s sound was consistently more satisfying than the Jr’s. There’s a sure-footed solidity to the presentation, so instruments and vocals sound more life-like with the NW-ZX100. That one also trumped the Astell & Kern Jr in resolving the quieter details of recordings, like the way a singer phrases the lyrics, the Jr glossed over those details. High-resolution files had slightly better transparency than standard res files.”
Moon by Simaudio Neo 230HAD DAC-Headphone Amplifier $1,500 Review
April 22, 2016 Comments Off on Moon by Simaudio Neo 230HAD DAC-Headphone Amplifier $1,500 Review
” At $1500, Simaudio’s Moon Neo 230HAD enters a competitive segment of the market in headphone DAC-amplifiers. Its multiple analog and digital inputs, multiple analog outputs, well-specified DAC, and remote control, while comprising a list of features not as long as those of some pro-audio models, cover the features that most audiophiles need and want. The 230HAD doesn’t offer balanced drive or extreme power, as does its larger, more expensive sibling, the Moon Neo 430HA, but these options are relevant only with a small number of very high-end headphones.”
GamuT RS5i Speakers Review $32,900/pair
April 22, 2016 Comments Off on GamuT RS5i Speakers Review $32,900/pair
” Interestingly, the real strength of the GamuT RS5i speakers is their chameleon like ability to reveal whatever is connected to them, and the nuance of whatever music they are called upon to reproduce. This is a speaker that may not grab you as quickly as one with a more tilted frequency response. The more music you listen to, the more special they become. As with the larger S9, the GamuTs get out of the way, becoming little more than a conduit to the music served up, and that’s the highest compliment I can pay them. I’ve heard a few speakers slightly more dynamic, and only my Quads deliver slightly more coherence and detail, yet they throw a much bigger soundstage in all three dimensions. The RS5i’s are tough to beat in overall performance.”
Bluesound Node 2 Review
April 22, 2016 Comments Off on Bluesound Node 2 Review
” Where the Node 2 falls short of separates is in resolution, nuance, color palate, micro detail, and macro pleasure. The Node 2 tends to make everything sound more similar than say the Auralic Vega DAC being fed its digits from the Node 2 via Toslink. Here, with a $3500 outboard DAC, music sounds more varied, individual voices sing out truer, and the overall sound image is more relaxed, better defined, and more natural sounding. I doubt anyone is surprised to learn this to be the case and it goes a long way in explaining the reason Bluesound includes those digital outputs. This comparison was a snap as the Node 2 outputs to both analog and digital simultaneously so all I had to do was select the related inputs from my Ayre remote.
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