Schiit Modi 3+ – Is this the best $99 DAC
January 11, 2021 Comments Off on Schiit Modi 3+ – Is this the best $99 DAC
The AB1266 is the best headphone of the Year
January 10, 2021 Comments Off on The AB1266 is the best headphone of the Year
LIME EARS PNEUMA REVIEW
January 10, 2021 Comments Off on LIME EARS PNEUMA REVIEW
Like I mentioned; Pneuma has an excellent technical performance. It’s not the technical master or king, since there are better IEMs out there in that regard (usually with even higher price tags). But it’s up there with the best. Also, not every one of those IEMs has this kind of musicality. I personally prefer having a musical IEM with excellent technical performance, rather than an analytical or reference one with perfect technicalities. This is a matter of choice in the end.
Yet, the Pneuma is still amazing in terms of sound-stage, layering, positioning, and resolution. It has a great background and excellent separation. You can hear certain instruments sound away from you, some sound close, and some sound crosswise. It’s not just left & right or only 2-dimensional. You have a huge 3D-like stage which is very deep and wide. In this case, the Pneuma has to pay homage to its PwAudio No.10 cable as well. Because when I switched to a generic cable just for the sake of the experiment, the staging performance took a hit. In contrast, the No.10 cable opens up the stage with a 3-dimensional perception. What an excellent choice.
NAD Masters M33 Streaming Integrated Amplifier $4,999 Review
January 10, 2021 Comments Off on NAD Masters M33 Streaming Integrated Amplifier $4,999 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/nad-masters-m33-streaming-integrated-amplifier-review
“Jazz was no challenge for the M33, either. A track like “Up Jumped Spring” from the Christian McBride Big Band’s For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver (24/96 FLAC, Qobuz) presented Quincy Phillips’ delicate snare brushwork and minimalist cymbal accents with natural stunning realism but no “extra” sizzle or sheen, while the great Joey DeFrancesco’s Hammond B3 lines revealed all their natural leading-edge “puff” and subtle interior grit. And McBride’s bass solo on this track had real density on its one really low note, and convincingly woody, fingerboard-damped realism on all the rest. The next track, “Milestones,” features a full-band intro with brass ensemble dynamics that retained full definition and detail. This sounded as it should: like a gathering of individuals, not like canned “brass” playback. When a superb recording like this one, close in and relatively dry without the added “audiophile sauce” of ample hall-sound (or digitally retrofitted reverb), raises goosebumps, you know you’re hearing the real deal.”
EARSONICS VELVET V2 HR EDITION REVIEW
January 8, 2021 Comments Off on EARSONICS VELVET V2 HR EDITION REVIEW
My story goes back to 2014 with the Velvet. At the time, it had a different shell and color, but it was one of the very rare earphones with user-changeable tuning. Earsonics company was not a very advertised brand in my country, and I would not have known about them without the success of the SM3. I cannot imagine such a timeline because Earsonics products played a big role in my audiophile adventure. The reason I used the first edition Velvet for a really long time was that I was able to optimize its synergy with different sources by changing the signature. The A&K 120 loved the Velvet in “Balanced mode”, whereas Cowon Plenue P1 synergized with the “Tight” mode, because it had a warmer, darker tonality. I prefer Earsonics’ potentiometer solution better than switches. Potentiometer lets you do much finer tuning whereas switches offer a limited adjustment range. Without further ado, let’s get to the review!
Cambridge CXA81 Integrated Amplifer Review
January 8, 2021 Comments Off on Cambridge CXA81 Integrated Amplifer Review
The integrated amp has traditionally been more popular in Europe than in North America. The reasons for this include smaller living spaces, lower prices, fewer cables needed, etc. If you view an integrated as a preamp and amp built together on the same chassis, you have to admit there are some advantages. There is a potential for better sound for the money, since the output jacks, interconnect cable, and input jacks needed between preamp and amp, and any sonic colorations they impose, are gone. As long as the designers take care to properly isolate the power supplies of the different stages from each other, very good results can be had when using an integrated amp as the heart of your main system.
At a little over $1000, the CXA81 could be the perfect start to a system that is one step up from entry-level high end. You could begin with this unit, some inexpensive cables and speakers, and a low-cost or hand-me-down CD player (use digital-out), and have a decent-sounding system. As time goes by, you could upgrade a cable here, a pair of speakers there, add the CXN V2, and bit by bit hear the improvements, until you arrived at a truly impressive setup. The whole time the CXA81 would be keeping up with the advancements and performing well enough to pass on the increase in fidelity for each change. Highly recommended!
PrimaLuna ProLogue One Integrated
January 8, 2021 Comments Off on PrimaLuna ProLogue One Integrated
When I got the ProLogue One back from my (now ex) niece a few years ago, I couldn’t have been more excited to be reunited with this old friend. And it cost me dearly – I had to trade she and her husband a new Simaudio NEO integrated ($3,400), along with some heavy convincing that having a tube amp around the house with a couple of toddlers was a really bad idea. The fatigued tubes were replaced with a new pair of PrimaLuna 12AU7s, a pair of EAT 12AX7s and a mint quad of NOS Siemens EL34 power tubes. Other than a slightly noisy volume control (with a little bit of contact cleaner took care of immediately) the PL One was back rocking with a pair of 1976 vintage Klipsch LaScalas. The sound was glorious, and with the coolio, upgraded tubes, even better than the day I unboxed it for the first time.”
Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature Loudspeakers $6,500 review
January 7, 2021 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature Loudspeakers $6,500 review
Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature Loudspeakers
Pretty much nothing really. Your decision will probably be B&W or the other choices, or between the Signature and standard models. However, in terms of what’s available in the $5,000 – $7,000 range that we’ve had the pleasure to audition, the Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature is a solid player in terms of sound quality, engineering prowess, and aesthetic appeal. Not to mention, as one of the world’s largest speaker manufacturers, you can be sure of a great sales, service, and support network to go with your purchase.
Audio Analogue AAdac USB DAC £3299 Review
January 7, 2021 Comments Off on Audio Analogue AAdac USB DAC £3299 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/audio-analogue-aadac-usb-dac
The secret of this DAC is its combination of detail and definition while delivering music on an entirely human scale, as is entirely apparent with Francesco Piemontesi’s second volume of Mozart piano concertos with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra [Linn CKD622; 192kHz/24-bit]. The orchestra opening to No19 is sprightly and gloriously captured in the Usher Hall acoustic, and then Piemontesi’s piano enters with an almost luminous tonality, albeit with each note crisply defined and a wonderful delicacy of touch.
The AAdac just loves this music, conveying it with spirit and real vivacity, maintaining excellent clarity while also revealing the entirely unforced balance of the recording. This really is the closest thing to having the best seat in the house.
Audiophilepure 
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