SW1X DAC 1 – REVIEW
September 24, 2017 Comments Off on SW1X DAC 1 – REVIEW
” Under the same circumstance, above all the active DAC 1 is more controlled overall and more precise in the bass than the passive version, as well as more “immediate”, with faster transients and more attack. The active DAC’s sound seems more balanced, more even, but because it is more controlled, also seemingly less freely enthusiastic than the passive version. Although the active version would perhaps measure more accurately, perhaps due to its midrange being more well-behaved, the active DAC 1 comes across as being less enthusiastic than the passive DAC 1. On the other hand, although it may be not strictly be the case, subjectively speaking the active DAC’s frequency curve seems flatter and it strikes me that this may be objectively speaking the more accurate sound. The midrange is now more neutral, less forward so to say. Switching to the Wadia confirms that the DAC 1 active indeed sounds more alike, but I’m not sure if I prefer the higher precision of the active version, or the freeer sound of the passive version.”
PEACHTREE AUDIO NOVA 300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $2,500 REVIEW
September 24, 2017 Comments Off on PEACHTREE AUDIO NOVA 300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $2,500 REVIEW
“Peachtree Audio 2.0 has taken its original goal of affordable lifestyle audio and moved it into affordable high performance audio. That it comes in a handsome, lightweight case is a wonderful added benefit. The new Class-D amps are fantastic and drove my floorstanding 86dB Vandersteen Treo CT’s to stupendous levels. The grip on the low end was wonderful. There was more than enough power to go around. Coming in at a price of £2,195 or $2,500, the Nova 300 is a flat out steal for all the audio capabilities it delivers. If you are upgrading, check it out. If you need to remove the shrine, it can do that too! Highly recommended!”
Magico S3 Mk II Loudspeaker $28,000 Review
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on Magico S3 Mk II Loudspeaker $28,000 Review
“I’d seen somewhere that Alon Wolf has described the S3s as occupying the “sweet spot” of the entire Magico loudspeaker line—a product range that begins with the $16,500 S1 and ascends to the $229,000 Q7 MkII, a product that’s obviously out of reach to all but a tiny number of individuals. I asked Wolf to elaborate. “I’m fully aware of the price categories that our products are in,” he said. “Although I know that we give incredible value for the price, knowing how much it costs to actually build these things, it does become a different market above a certain number, which is around $30,000”
AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System $3995 – Video
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System $3995 – Video
“Most times over the past 20 years, I forgot my Audio Power unit was in my system. Only when upgrading to the CPT, did I notice a considerable improvement. As such, if you have an old workhorse in your system and are looking for a significant upgrade, why not give the Niagara a test run? You’re thinking better cartridge, better amplifier, right? Before you call Audio Research or Lyra, get hold of a 5000 and listen for a couple of days. I adore Audio Research and Lyra, but you know what I’m betting on. Very highly recommended. ”
OPPO UDP-205 $1,300 REVIEW
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on OPPO UDP-205 $1,300 REVIEW
“I found the HA-1 to be more musical on the low end and more reserved on top than the flat neutral 9018 of the Burson 9018 Conductor. Here, I have almost no reference point for the newer 9038Pro used in the UDP-205. I can say that I think it has more of a shared tonality to the HA-1 of old than anything else. So, in other words, the 9038PRO here in front of me with whatever other parts are in there, sounds more like the HA-1’s 9018 circuits than anything else I can think of.”
Mark Levinson No 523 Preamplifier, Phonostage And Headphone Amplifier $15,000 World Premiere Review
September 22, 2017 Comments Off on Mark Levinson No 523 Preamplifier, Phonostage And Headphone Amplifier $15,000 World Premiere Review
“Let’s not forget about the Mark Levinson No 523’s phono preamplifier. First of all, I was quite surprised at this onboard phono preamp’s flexibility. And of course its sound quality! As with its headphone amp, the phono preamp that is in the Mark Levinson No 523 is hardly an afterthought. As I said in the introduction of this review, this phono preamp uses the same design principles as the No 523 itself, with a fully discrete design running in Class A, with tantalum nitride thin-film resistors and polypropylene capacitors. Mark Levinson doesn’t publish many specifications in regards to its phono preamplifier, but I have no doubt that due to its two channels being physically separated from each other, its channel separation specifications are most likely very impressive. I use low-output moving coil (MC) cartridges, and I found it very easy to adjust the phono preamps gain settings and loading options. It was quite a simple task, as I used its front panel input knob to scroll through the menu options, and then used it’s enter button to select the desired options. The phono preamp’s menu choices include opting for either an MM or MC cartridge, resistive and capacitive load options, balance, either high or low gain, and its infrasonic filter.”
A Room with a VU (4-in-1 Review)
September 22, 2017 Comments Off on A Room with a VU (4-in-1 Review)
KIMBER SELECT KS2416 CU USB CABLE £408/1m REVIEW
September 22, 2017 Comments Off on KIMBER SELECT KS2416 CU USB CABLE £408/1m REVIEW
“The cable is also good at resolving detail and dynamic range, without placing emphasis on particular frequencies or exaggerating micro or macrodynamics. If there is a shortcoming, it’s perhaps not the most immediate and rhythmic of portrayals, but these are not major quibbles, more minor observations and I would rather have this balance than a rhythmically tight but too bright or forward cable.”
Sony NW-WM1Z Portable Player and MDR-Z1R Headphones Flagship – Review
September 20, 2017 Comments Off on Sony NW-WM1Z Portable Player and MDR-Z1R Headphones Flagship – Review
“The MDR-Z1R comes in a large, leather-bound presentation case complete with a firmly closing clasp. It seems that it is pretty much a given that any premium headphone will be packaged in a similar manner. Many audiophiles, including this reviewer, would prefer a case that could be used in the field rather than an elaborate non-portable case that takes up valuable shelf space. It would also have aided the MDR-Z1R’s portability if the lateral pivots allowed the headphones to lay flat for travel.”
Crosley S100 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers Hands On Review – Video
September 20, 2017 Comments Off on Crosley S100 Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers Hands On Review – Video
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