Magnepan Magneplanar LRS Review
November 17, 2019 Comments Off on Magnepan Magneplanar LRS Review
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/magnepan-magneplanar-lrs/
“Do the LRS’s deserve their Stereophile Class A rating? Yes, and even more, because they’re much more than just a “taste of the high end.” Are they absolutely perfect? No, because they definitely have a restricted low frequency range, and certain tracks—especially those that contain strong mid-bass passages, like plucked upper-register acoustic bass—may cause the mid-bass panel to snap and misbehave. Not a common occurrence, but I can cite numerous instances of tracks that have given these babies some level of trouble—and they’re almost all jazz records. That said, the ability of these loudspeakers to portray a startlingly realistic image of the recorded event is stunningly good—I can’t heap on enough superlatives.
Back to the Wigglesworth Shostakovich disc; in the fourth movement “Finale. Allegro molto,” where the orchestral crescendos explode across the soundstage with enormously massive transients—you just wouldn’t expect an “entry level” pair of flat panel speakers to be able to recreate this music with completely unrestrained dynamics! The orchestral crash is literally like a train wreck taking place right inside the listening room, but the LRS manages to pull it off without strain of any kid. The series of tympani whacks that follow certainly gave me reason to hold the remote closely—just in case—but the LRS even took those completely in stride! The listening experience isn’t lacking in any way; even the $700 Schiit Vidar stereo amp was able to provide the necessary voltage to make the performance shockingly believable—not to flog a d”
Conrad-Johnson Classic Sixty-Two SE Stereo Power AmplifierReview
November 17, 2019 Comments Off on Conrad-Johnson Classic Sixty-Two SE Stereo Power AmplifierReview
http://www.10audio.com/cj_classic62se.htm
“The Classic 62SE was completely reliable during the review period, and the bias of one or two of the power tubes required just a small adjustment or two after the initial setting. The sonic character is very linear and transparent from the upper bass to upper treble, so this is not a tube amplifier to “sweeten up” an overly dry or harmonically thin system. The owner of a C-J Classic 62SE amplifier will get the characteristic harmonic depth of tube products in a good looking, musically revealing, reliable, and quite powerful amplifier.”
VISION EARS ELYSIUM REVIEW
November 16, 2019 Comments Off on VISION EARS ELYSIUM REVIEW
https://headfonics.com/2019/11/vision-ears-elysium-review/
“However, no one is thinking BA for the lows and a dynamic driver for the mids and that is the genius of the Elysium. It shouldn’t really work on conventional thinking but it does. The solidity and texture of the Elysium mids are to die for and just stunning because they can breathe and take center stage. Vocals are smooth, slightly to the euphonic side but thoroughly addictive to listen to. The clever transition from mids to a smooth but very detailed electrostatic treble tuning is really the icing on the cake.
The Elysium is in my bag for 90% of the time and it pretty much works for almost all of the music I listen to for hours on end. Bass heads might find this not to their taste. I suggest the Layla if you want the complete sub-bass experience from a flagship driver. But if solid mids and deep richly textured vocals are your thing then the Elysium is it, and then some.”
ASTELL&KERN KANN CUBE DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER AND BILLIE JEAN IEM REVIEW
November 16, 2019 Comments Off on ASTELL&KERN KANN CUBE DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER AND BILLIE JEAN IEM REVIEW
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There are no user-selectable digital filter options for the Astell&Kern KANN CUBE. The above digital filter test is based on a protocol suggested by Jurgen Reis of MBL Audio. This noise test shows the characteristics of a sharp filter that is flat to 22 kHz (with a 44k sample/sec input) with a steep roll-off thereafter. The reconstruction tone of a 19KHz signal is down 65dB. This is as it should be. Some products have filters that can produce a high-end droop and minimal rejection of the 19kHz reconstruction tone.
All in all, from an objective standpoint, the Astell&Kern KANN CUBE produces impressively low THD+N numbers and has excellent linearity characteristics. One should have no qualms using it as a source component in a high-end stereo system let alone in its intended portable use.”
Sonus faber Electa Amator III Loudspeaker Review
November 16, 2019 Comments Off on Sonus faber Electa Amator III Loudspeaker Review
“As you will have surmised, then, this loudspeaker isn’t just a device for superior reproduction of scale, space and, yes, rich bottom octaves: it’s also a champion with vocals. The interplay between Rawls and Reeves has long been one of my aural litmus tests, and the ‘III sailed through it with aplomb. Detail, controlled sibilants, ideal contrast in the vocal textures – the title track oozed warmth and realism, even sounding valve-like when driven by the D’Agostino Momentum Stereo.
On to Keb’ Mo’s Peace… Back By Popular Demand [Okeh/Epic EK92687] to hear the twang of the bottleneck guitar, the sublime piano on ‘Imagine’ – the Electa Amator IIIs simply sang. I could surely live with these, concerned with only one downside: I’d be up every night until 3am, trying to hear my entire record collection just one more time.
SPL Phonitor XE Headamp/DAC Review
November 15, 2019 Comments Off on SPL Phonitor XE Headamp/DAC Review
https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/spl-phonitor-xe-headampdac-review
“If the Phonitor has a noticeable sound, it is in a more conceptual sense. The perception of a low noise background is very good, and there is an exceptional degree of smoothness to the sound. The smoothness is not the result of dulled transients, but rather a sense of space and depth to individual sounds that rather than emphasizing instrumental separation, seems to draw my attention to the musical presentation as a whole. Despite possessing the resolution capability to act as an audio microscope, I never lost the forest for the trees in any music when listening to the Phonitor amp. This exceptional smoothness and sense of space meant it also worked with somewhat forward or brighter headphones that typically don’t get along well with solid state. I could experience sensitive dynamics with the SPL that previously had only ever really spoken to me when run on tube or hybrid gear “
Monitor Audio Gold 300 loudspeaker Review
November 15, 2019 Comments Off on Monitor Audio Gold 300 loudspeaker Review
“As in many Monitor Audio loudspeakers, a threaded rod is fastened to the rear of each woofer; these extend through openings on the cabinet’s rear panel, where they are secured on the outside by large, decorative nuts. This not only eliminates visible mounting hardware on the front but also provides increased bracing. Not that the latter’s in short supply: The cabinet’s 18mm MDF walls are extensively braced.
Two HiVe (high velocity) reflex ports are around back; foam plugs are provided to block them if desired (I didn’t). Two pairs of input terminals offer biwire or biamp options. For single-wire/single-amp use, the Gold’s terminal shorting links are wire rather than the usual solid metal straps. The cabinet’s sturdy outrigger feet can be used with or without spikes. As is increasingly common, the provided spikes are neither long enough nor tapered sharply enough (likely due to safety concerns) to penetrate a carpet.”
Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable $500 Review
November 15, 2019 Comments Off on Fluance RT85 Reference Turntable $500 Review
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The platform has quite a low noise level and smoothness to the sound with no disregard on naturality of instruments and detail, yet it let the Ortofon M2 Blue do what it does best and extracts just a bit more out of the recording. The Tone S tonearm and combination of low noise kept the mechanics of the turntable out of the way more than expected at this level. The transient response and dynamics are where the meat and potatoes of the analog turntable unicorns we all chase are found.”
DROP THX AAA 789 REVIEW
November 14, 2019 Comments Off on DROP THX AAA 789 REVIEW
“In some ways, you can call it that way. The background is dead silent with over-ear headphones (but not with super sensitive IEMs like the Campfire Andromeda Gold). There is a preciseness and cleanliness to the sound. Bass beats can seem almost edgy and have good impact with no bloatiness or fuzziness. It to me feels like it’s easy to separate instruments with these sound qualities. I think this works out extremely well with electronic music.
I’ve listened to many tube headphone amplifiers and I’ve definitely felt that there’s a sense of space in the sound. It’s probably harmonic distortion and warmth from the tubes, but it works for me. That sense of space is missing with the THX 789 however. Moreover, so is any other type of coloration. It’s a neutral sounding amp.”
IsoAcoustics Gaia III for Turntables
November 14, 2019 Comments Off on IsoAcoustics Gaia III for Turntables
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