McIntosh MC1502 Power Amplifier Review
July 28, 2021 Comments Off on McIntosh MC1502 Power Amplifier Review
The McIntosh MC1502 Power Amplifier
You might be surprised at how much of the music you feel is unlistenable because you find it overly compressed, is actually running your amp and speakers out of power. Your room size, and speaker sensitivity will play a big part in this, but again, 82db isn’t exactly concert hall levels. Even turning the volume down lower to a 76db average level, is still generating 100db peaks on a lot of tunes. The 150 watts per channel that the MC1502 deliver comes in handy, and at much lower listening levels than you might think.
FIIO FH5S BA/DYNAMIC 4 DRIVER HYBRID $259 EVIEW
July 26, 2021 Comments Off on FIIO FH5S BA/DYNAMIC 4 DRIVER HYBRID $259 EVIEW
To complement the FH5s’ unique driver complement is a user tunable crossover network with three two-position switches for Bass, Midrange, and Treble offering eight different crossover settings in addition to the five differently tuned eartips (bass, vocal, balanced, foam, bi-flange), meaning the FH5s can be adapted to almost any listening taste or preference.
Monitor Audio Bronze 200 Loudspeaker Review
July 26, 2021 Comments Off on Monitor Audio Bronze 200 Loudspeaker Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/monitor-audio-bronze-200-loudspeaker
Mental housekeeping over, I settled back to admire what this loudspeaker could do, and that’s to deliver a wide, detailed, full-range sound from small cabinets, with little strain on partnering amplification. The rockabilly riff on Bryan Adams’ cover of Eddie Cochran’s ‘C’mon Everybody’ [Tracks Of My Tears; 96kHz/24-bit FLAC] enjoyed a solidity and warmth, the vocal had a lovely texture and raspy edge, and the guitar solo sliced through the midrange with ease.
The cabinet height means the Bronze 200 doesn’t lean its soundstage over you, but a wide-flung treble and good pair matching created a well-spaced image that easily expanded beyond the cabinets themselves. With The Police’s raw-sounding 1979 live performance of ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’ [Live!; 88.2kHz/24-bit FLAC], these floorstanders did a decent job of conveying the scale of the recording and the players on the stage.
Better yet was the swirling, fluid and expansive picture they painted with the title track from Carbon Based Lifeforms’ Interloper [Blood Music BLO154]. As this electronic composition ebbed and flowed, the speakers seemed right on song, offering plump bass, crisp percussion and rich synth chords.
Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition $3290 review
July 25, 2021 Comments Off on Naim Uniti Atom Headphone Edition $3290 review
https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/naim-uniti-atom-headphone-edition-review
What’s immediately apparent is how the Atom HE’s presentation opens up over the Atom, allowing for greater separation of instruments and extra space for even more superb levels of detail to fill. More refinement takes away some of the original Atom’s comparative crudeness and directness, and that goes hand-in-hand with a greater sense of control to create a more sophisticated soundstage. The headphones we use in testing have different characters and demands, and the Naim confidently feeds each with power and poise.
We play The Tallest Man on Earth’s There’s No Leaving Now and the Atom HE offers a notably wider window into the recording. Compared with the original Atom, there is extra subtlety to get under the texture and dynamic lilts of the piano keys, while also peeling another layer or two from his nasal vocals. Its extra insight better communicates the atmosphere of the production – the distant creaks of the space he’s recording in and the slight echo around his vocal. And the piano chords that later join to ride beneath his delivery are that bit more shapely, too. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable headphone experience.
PSB Synchrony T600 Loudspeaker $7,999 Review
July 25, 2021 Comments Off on PSB Synchrony T600 Loudspeaker $7,999 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/psb-synchrony-t600-loudspeaker-review
The performance of the PSBs higher up the frequency range—untouched by Audyssey EQ— left little to be desired, clearly fleshing out delicate and dynamic percussive elements, from the lightly struck ride cymbal on the Dave Brubeck Quartet’s “Take Five” (still a reference-quality recording decades after it was first produced) to the overtones of the opening bass riff on Toto’s “I Will Remember.” While my measurements showed the high frequency response tapering off above 3kHz, the sound was never dull. I did occasionally hit +1 on the Denon’s Treble control depending on the source, but both the objective and subjective effects of that tweak were at best subtle.
Audionet Humboldt Integrated Amplifier $55,000 Review
July 24, 2021 Comments Off on Audionet Humboldt Integrated Amplifier $55,000 Review
Forgive me if I exclude any others in the top-tier integrated category, but the Gryphon Diablo 300, Dartzeel CTH-8550 mk2, Constellation Argo, Ypsilon Phaethon, Vitus MP-I201 (significantly more expensive than the Humboldt) and SIA-030, Pilium Leonidas, Absolare Integrated SE, Soulution 530, CH Precision I1 are all world class. The mighty Vitus MP-I201 sits regally at around $120k and, sadly, I have never heard it, so I cannot comment on its performance or value. Price-wise, the Humboldt sits at the penultimate price position, with the others ranging from the mid-$20k’s to the high $40k’s. Sonically, the Humboldt offers pure neutrality, an insanely low noise floor, and supreme dynamic prowess, while conveying music with passion, soul, and energy. The other choices I listed are all damn good, and range in personality from warm and engulfing, to ultra-dynamic, to hyper-accurate and resolving. I’d put the $40k Leonidas and the $40k Vitus SIA-030 as the most comparable tonally. Your listening tastes, budget, and current equipment will help to define which direction you need to look in. As a reviewer, it’s not my job to tell you what’s better or worse, or what to buy. It is my job to tell you what the review subject sounds like, and what’s worth an audition, and if it’s something I would consider purchasing. Well, the Humboldt is unquestionably worth listening to and absolutely worth buying if you have the means. I was sad to see it go, and even sadder the following day when it was no longer in my room. Highly recommended.
Audeze LCD-R Ribbon Headphones Review
July 24, 2021 Comments Off on Audeze LCD-R Ribbon Headphones Review
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