Estelon YB Loudspeakers $22,500 Review
May 9, 2020 Comments Off on Estelon YB Loudspeakers $22,500 Review
“So yeah, there’s a correct volume for most music. For me, that level is often higher than others might find comfortable, but the heck with them. The YBs were able to accommodate my need for speed, and encouraged me to turn it the hell up. The Estelons were a tiny bit reticent at low volumes, and so might not be the best choice for those who listen late at night and need to keep the noise down. But they sure did come alive when I goosed them just a bit. There was a clear demarcation point at which the YBs snapped awake. I live in a townhouse, with neighbors to either side, and I wasn’t ever concerned that I was playing the music too loud while in the YB’s zone. That said, I did get huge smiles from cranking these guys up to seriously loud levels.”
OBRAVO CUPID HYBRID PLANAR MAGNETIC/DYNAMIC EARPHONE $249
May 9, 2020 Comments Off on OBRAVO CUPID HYBRID PLANAR MAGNETIC/DYNAMIC EARPHONE $249
“When I asked the projected price of the Cupids, Teng replied with practiced nonchalance, “Oh, about £249.” Hunhh?!?I could scarcely believe my ears, partly because the Cupid sounded competitive with earphones carrying four-figure price tags, and partly because it was one of the least expensive oBravo earphones ever.
“The Cupids use compact lozenge-shaped earpieces made of mirror-polished brass treated to an electroplated ‘black gold’ finish. The driver complement consists of a 6mm dynamic mid-bass driver with neodymium motor magnets and a 8mm second-generation planar magnetic tweeter (patented). Signal connections are via enhanced oB-MMCX connectors. A 1.2m, balanced signal cable with silver-plated OCC conductors and a 2.5mm balanced plug comes standard, along with a 3.5mm adapter. Also included are three pairs of silicone and Comply™ Foam ear tips. a small two-chamber carry bag designed to keep the earpieces from chafing against one another, and an oBravo cable tie-down strip. This configuration, called the Cupid Prime, sells for £249 (or $269 US).”
Audi A8 SQ audio upgrade – Zapco, Helix, HAT, Audison, Hertz, Fiio
May 9, 2020 Comments Off on Audi A8 SQ audio upgrade – Zapco, Helix, HAT, Audison, Hertz, Fiio
Final D8000 Pro Review
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on Final D8000 Pro Review
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The elongated headband with its slightly arched curve to allow for the cups to swivel is one such feature. However, the new Alumite anodized aluminum finish or ‘silver’ is a departure from the Yamaha vibe which only came in black, leather, and green. The cups are of course much bigger than the original on-ear design of the HP-1 and the coating is a little more advanced.
You might also notice in the pictures that Final use a similar “blotchy” resin finish on the plastic parts as the original D8000. Final claim that this coating improves resistance to vibrations on the D8000.”
PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier Review
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier Review
“The Stellar needed little time to break in, and its core sonic performance didn’t change significantly over time. Once I was confident that the Stellar was operating at its peak, I immediately noticed an overall sound that was very quiet and smooth. The Mactone amps, for example, have an exceptionally live character that might be a tad overstated with the wrong ancillaries, but whenever the PS Audio Stellar was in the system, those razor-sharp transients were placed in a much larger context within the soundstage. That doesn’t mean that the Stellar smoothed out the vivacious sound of the Mactones, but rather it supplied a comfy place for these Japanese tube amplifiers to sit and converse with the listener in a meaningful way.
Like the XP17, the PS Audio Stellar was so quiet that it was difficult to pick out its character in the context of the system. It’s been a long time since I’ve used a phono preamplifier with noise issues so that’s not that remarkable on its own, but I do notice when a product is quieter than usual, quitter than I would consider the norm. Over the last few months the reference system has gone through a transformation, thanks to so many wonderful products that have come in for review, that I’m now focused on the concept of supreme quiet. For years I never really identified with reviewers who talk constantly about velvety black silences from which the music emerges, probably because I didn’t have a lot of that in my own system. Now I can listen to products and appreciate how they preserve that preternaturally low noise floor. The Stellar certainly preserved that sense of tranquility, especially with the Palmer 2.5/Audio Origami combo—a combo that I can best describe as both majestic and musical.”
SYNTHESIS SOPRANO LE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £1,899 REVIEW
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on SYNTHESIS SOPRANO LE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £1,899 REVIEW
“We haven’t compared the Soprano LE to the more commonplace non-LE version because the price differential between standard and LE is relatively slim, meaning there’s almost no point looking at the Soprano right now. Maybe when the 200 LE models are sold, we’ll revisit the Soprano in its standard guise; as it’s possible the great sound of the LE is built on the similarly great sounding foundation of the Soprano itself.
Regardless, the Synthesis Soprano SE is a lovely little amplifier in its own right, and those 200 owners will be getting something truly magical. If your speakers are sensitive souls, they will thank you for letting them work with so refined a Soprano. ”
Focal Sopra No1 Loudspeakers $999 Review
May 7, 2020 Comments Off on Focal Sopra No1 Loudspeakers $999 Review
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The Focal Sopra No1 is an expensive minimonitor, but you get a lot for $9990/pair: cutting-edge design, and manufacture under Focal’s direct control — they make every part of every one of their speakers in-house. From the pure-beryllium inverted-dome tweeter in its patented IHL frame, to the W sandwich midrange-bass driver, to the rock-solid, curved, beautifully finished cabinet, it all comes together in a package that leaves a lasting impression. Even the matching stands are well engineered and beautiful to look at.
Having reviewed Focal’s Spectral 40th speaker, my expectations of sound quality from Focal were high. The Sopra No1s met and exceeded those expectations. Their imaging prowess and transparency were beyond reproach — they “disappeared” from my room even as they chiseled out precise aural images on a wide, deep, and tall soundstage. The degrees of delicacy, shimmer, and extension I heard in the top registers were breathtaking, and the Sopras offered taut, quick bass with superb dynamic punch and contrast.”
FIIO M3 PRO REVIEW
May 7, 2020 Comments Off on FIIO M3 PRO REVIEW
“he first FiiO M3 maybe wasn’t really impressive but the new M3 Pro feels like a very different kind of animal. First and foremost, the player ditched the horrendous plastic case, for aluminum. In fact, the DAP now looks and feels like the old iPod Nano: a thin, minimal, slab of metal.
I saw the FiiO M3 Pro in pictures, before getting one for real. And while the player looks nice on those shots, it’s even better in real life. CNC’ed housing with rounded edges, glass panels front and back, none of the previous M3 traits have made it to the new version. And, that’s good news.”
MANLEY LABORATORIES ABSOLUTE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
May 6, 2020 Comments Off on MANLEY LABORATORIES ABSOLUTE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
“Sonically the Manley Absolute can be anything from a push-pull amplifier with 0.16% THD to a single-ended amp with 1.0% THD. Also, you can add up to 10 dB of feedback. The sonic difference between the single-ended with no feedback and the push-pull with 10 dB of feedback is about as wide as the gap in opinions among audiophiles about the effects of cables on a system. But unlike polarized opinions, the Absolute offers you all the options in between its sonic extremes. Which setting did I find to be ‘the one?’ None, actually. Instead there was a range of settings that worked, depending on the music, the recording, and my own mood.
Generally, I found I needed to employ some feedback regardless of whether I was using the push-pull or the single-ended amplifier circuits. Without at least 4 dB of feedback the sound was a bit too ‘wild and wooly’ for my tastes. Conversely, above 8 dB of feedback the sound lost its immediacy and dynamic drive.”
Audiophilepure 
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