Bluesound Powernode 2i Review
August 28, 2019 Comments Off on Bluesound Powernode 2i Review
“The Bluesound’s commendable sense of soundstage takes the deceptively complex arrangement of Fink’s No Sleep and creates a convincing and cohesive sense of space in front of the listener. The Spendor A1 undoubtedly helps here, but the Powernode 2i demonstrates that it is extremely capable of making sense of any recording and even the challenging Dionysus by Dead Can Dance is delivered in a remarkably engaging manner. Having said that, the larger scale of this album does reveal the Powernode’s limitations and it begins to sound a little strained as the volume level increases and it may also struggle with less forgiving speakers or to drive larger rooms.
Working within its comfort zone, however, the Bluesound makes for a consistently engaging listen. It has a good grasp of rhythm and timing and delivers a sonic performance that does a fine job of ensuring that less up tempo material flows precisely as it should while also letting the joyously exuberant Tokyo by White Lies move with the pace and impact it deserves. While bass depth is never truly seismic, there is enough pace and detail to connect with and engage any listener.
Quad Vena II Integrated Amp Review
August 28, 2019 Comments Off on Quad Vena II Integrated Amp Review
“As a desktop hub, the Vena II proved highly attractive as an all-day listening companion, playing everything from radio streams to random music thrown up by Roon radio in a mixture of file formats. It was also able to prove its abilities when used into headphones, driving the likes of the Focal Spirit Pro [HFN Dec ’15] and Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature [HFN Mar ’17] to impressive effect, the new amp circuitry giving a sound both well-weighty and informative, and with excellent grip on the ‘phones in use.
It was only when I reached the final track of 2002’s The Symphonic Eric Coates [Chandos CHAN 9869] that I was tempted to move the amp back to the listening room and onto the big speakers again to give the music full rein. Yes, I’d given in to temptation, and magnificent the Vena II sounded too, powering out the BBC Philharmonic under Rumon Gamba playing ‘The Dam Busters March’ – it had to be done, really.”
BREU Revolution One LP ultrasonic LP record cleaning machine,
August 28, 2019 Comments Off on BREU Revolution One LP ultrasonic LP record cleaning machine,
McIntosh Laboratory MT10 Turntable $11,500 Review
August 27, 2019 Comments Off on McIntosh Laboratory MT10 Turntable $11,500 Review
“McIntosh Laboratory’s MT10 is a well-engineered record player from a legendary American company that has been making high-quality audio gear for 70 years. It’s easy to set up and use — after unpacking it, you can be listening to vinyl within 30 minutes. Most important, it reproduced music with such transparency and naturalness that my usual audiophile nit-picking took a back seat to simply listening to truthful reproductions of musical events. It’s not inexpensive at $11,500, but in my opinion, its qualities of sound reproduction and construction make it worth every penny. And it turns heads — I don’t care what anyone else says.
”
”
ATC SCM100SE FLOORSTANDING SPEAKER £31,250 REVIEW
August 27, 2019 Comments Off on ATC SCM100SE FLOORSTANDING SPEAKER £31,250 REVIEW
“The ATC SCM100SE is a big-boned loudspeaker, and while its SE aesthetics help it to look more classy than its ‘pro-tools’ type stablemates, it will never be the slender belle of the speaker ball. But the 100SE makes no apologies for this and neither should it. If you want to move air properly you need a box with volume and preferably a large bass driver. The SCM100SE has both and is very well put together. What makes it so appealing is the ease with which it goes about the business of reproducing not only the full bandwidth of the signal but its full dynamic envelope as well, and if you like to play at levels that approach the realistic, it is in a class of its own. ”
Stein Music Topline Bob XL Loudspeakers $290,000
August 27, 2019 Comments Off on Stein Music Topline Bob XL Loudspeakers $290,000
Quad Vena II stereo integrated amplifier
August 26, 2019 Comments Off on Quad Vena II stereo integrated amplifier
LIME EARS AETHER R REVIEW
August 25, 2019 Comments Off on LIME EARS AETHER R REVIEW
“Unless you are a complete treble head or a dynamic driver purist it is incredibly hard not to enjoy the Aether R’s sound signature. Call me enamored if you will but I for one enjoyed its tuning with all the ‘bumps’ in the right places to produce a riotously musical and slightly euphonic listening experience.
When I say musical, which tends to mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but for me, it is a pleasant ‘driving sound’ with good PraT, heady vocal prominence, and a smooth full-bodied treble. In a way, it sort of reminds me of the excellent qdc Anole V6 tuning with a ‘spot on’ wet timbre tuned for an involved yet non-fatiguing listening experience.”
KEF R11 Loudspeakers $4999 Review
August 25, 2019 Comments Off on KEF R11 Loudspeakers $4999 Review
“It was the R11s’ imaging that blew me away. With or without the assistance of subwoofers, the 705 S2 minimonitors are imaging monsters that can chisel out aural images on a soundstage with laser precision. Not everyone likes or wants this, but I do. Because the R11s are large tower speakers, I didn’t expect that level of imaging definition. Then I listened to “Give Me One Reason,” from Tracy Chapman’s New Beginning (16/44.1 FLAC, Elektra), a track I often play to test a speaker’s imaging abilities. It begins with plucked guitar to left of center, then Chapman’s voice dead center, then Andy Stoller’s bass drum, including his subtle cymbal work just to the right of and behind the first guitar, then a second guitar far to the right of Chapman’s voice. Then two background singers enter, behind and to the right and left of Chapman’s lead vocal. As I listened to the R11s re-create each of these images with exquisite precision, sometimes down to what seemed the size of a tennis ball floating between the speakers, I knew they’d give up nothing to the much smaller B&Ws with SVS subs. Even when instruments were panned hard right or left, their sounds didn’t seem to emerge from the R11s’ baffles, but to hover just around the edges of the speakers — just as I’m used to with my reference setup.”
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.