SCHIIT RAGNAROK 2 DAC/PREAMP/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER/LOUDSPEAKER AMPLIFIER
April 15, 2020 Comments Off on SCHIIT RAGNAROK 2 DAC/PREAMP/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER/LOUDSPEAKER AMPLIFIER
“The appearance of the Ragnarok 2 is little changed from the original, it still employs the classic elegant rolled aluminum chassis that is the signature look of all Schiit products. The power button is still on the back implying that it should be left on (solid-state amplifiers often take several days to reach full operating temperature – the main amplifier for my theatre system does not even have a power switch and has not been shut off for over 40 years except in events of power outages or relocations), the vent hole in the top has been replaced by two large heat sinks down each side, the Balanced and Single-ended headphone outputs have been reversed and an air intake cutaway along with a single button (to switch between speaker and headphone use) has been added to the sparse front panel in addition to the pre-existing Source and Gain buttons and their attendant indicator lights.”
Record Doctor VI Record Cleaning Machine $300 Review
April 14, 2020 Comments Off on Record Doctor VI Record Cleaning Machine $300 Review
“In the course of cleaning a bunch of records, I discovered a few techniques to more efficiently use the Record Doctor. First, if you keep the brush over the vacuum slot area while turning the record under it, the slot will provide support, making your brushing more effective. (In some ways, the Record Doctor’s lack of automation can be a benefit, as it lets you focus extra attention on areas of the record that are especially grungy.) I also found it useful to brush any leftover debris from the velvet strips with a toothbrush after cleaning a side, as this keeps them clean for the next side. The velvet strips do eventually become worn out, but replacing them is easy and inexpensive. For my review I used the supplied brush and cleaning solution, but there’s opportunity for further experimentation in this area, with a host of third-party cleaning formulations and brushes available. Some vinyl collectors also like to mix up their own home brew solutions, with plenty of suggested concoctions available online.”
Focal Chora 806 Loudspeaker $990 Review
April 14, 2020 Comments Off on Focal Chora 806 Loudspeaker $990 Review
“Soundstaging and imaging were very good. The 806 was unobtrusive in the room and effectively disappeared during all but the most high-output playback. Instruments were focused and spread out naturally across a dimensional stage. The defined space and ambience between images made it easy to take a virtual tour around and through the orchestra. Smaller jazz combos and vocals could be reproduced with a realistic sense of scale, but overall scale and foundational weight were reduced somewhat (compared with how I imagine the 806’s floorstanding siblings, the 816 and 826 would perform). But that’s the nature of small two-way compacts. For the most part there were no obvious colorations, though on occasion the enclosure hinted at a slight hollowness—a sense, at times, of images not able to fully escape the cabinet.”
classic Sony TC-765 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
April 14, 2020 Comments Off on classic Sony TC-765 Reel to Reel Tape Recorder
Gold Note Mediterraneo Turntable £5445 Review
April 13, 2020 Comments Off on Gold Note Mediterraneo Turntable £5445 Review
“The Gold Note Mediterraneo is a fine flagship turntable from this Tuscan firm. Unlike some other turntables it doesn’t demand learning the black arts of suspension set-up or any other arcane optimisation. It’s a fit-and-forget vinyl spinner for those seeking excellent build, elegant looks and sumptuous sound quality. Put your feet up, splash Aperol Spritz on ice and admire the Florentine Renaissance.”
Auris Audio Nirvana Amplifier $5799 Review
April 13, 2020 Comments Off on Auris Audio Nirvana Amplifier $5799 Review
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/auris-audio-nirvana-amplifier/
“Bass is presented with boundless extension, texturing, and detail while maintaining good slam and impact. While not as fast as solid-state amplifiers, the Nirvana conveys authoritative bass lines with heft and clarity. Midrange is portrayed with liveliness and warmth, while retaining excellent layering and depth. High frequencies share the same timbre with exquisite extension, detailing and attack without sibilance and glare.
Compared to the dual golden CMA800R Questyle Amps, which capitalize on current mode amplification to resemble tube technology, the Nirvana sounds airier, with better three-dimensionality. The CMA800R amps, on the other hand, offer more of an analytical sound, with shorter decay and faster speed as is to be expected from solid-state amplifiers. “
Focal Integration IBus 20 compact powered subwoofer
April 13, 2020 Comments Off on Focal Integration IBus 20 compact powered subwoofer
JL Audio Fathom f110v2 Subwoofer $3,500 Review
April 12, 2020 Comments Off on JL Audio Fathom f110v2 Subwoofer $3,500 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/jl-audio-fathom-f110v2-subwoofer-review
“John Wick is a movie that gets better every time you watch it, especially on Ultra HD Blu-ray. Also, the plethora of gunshots and other bass-heavy effects in John Wick‘s Dolby Atmos soundtrack makes it particularly good for evaluating subwoofers. In the film, Wick has to come to grips with a new reality, one that forces him to literally dig up his past by breaking through a slab of concrete in his basement to retrieve a cache of weapons. Every strike of the sledgehammer is not only heard but felt in this scene, and the pair of f110v2s were more than up to the challenge. While my reference subs deliver more output below 20Hz in comparison, they don’t measure up to the quality of bass I heard from the JL Audio drivers. These babies hit hard, really hard: Every impact from the f110v2 pair was precise and realistic, with a visceral quality that I felt in my chest.”
PRIMALUNA EVO 300 PREAMPLIFIER AND POWER AMPLIFIER £3,598 REVIEW
April 12, 2020 Comments Off on PRIMALUNA EVO 300 PREAMPLIFIER AND POWER AMPLIFIER £3,598 REVIEW
“I haven’t heard the full new Evo range yet, but I can’t help feeling that this Evo 300 pre/power occupies the sweet spot in the range. Granted if you need more power the Evo 400 power amps (especially in mono form) are the logical choice, and if you need to put some distance between pre and power, then the Evo 400 preamp with either the Evo 300 or Evo 400 power amp, all running in balanced mode would be a more sensible option. But for many who are going to put less than five metres of wire between the two PrimaLuna products, and those who aren’t in the market for bigger, beefier power amps, I can’t help but think this is the perfect combination. That is based on a sample of precisely one product combination in the range, though… so maybe every PrimaLuna product is in that sweet spot! ”
Audiophilepure 
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