Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 streaming MQA DAC
June 12, 2022 Comments Off on Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 streaming MQA DAC
HIFIMAN ARYA STEALTH MAGNET PLANAR HEADPHONE $1,599 REVIEW
June 11, 2022 Comments Off on HIFIMAN ARYA STEALTH MAGNET PLANAR HEADPHONE $1,599 REVIEW
With the right source and headphone amplifier, the HIFIMAN Aryas can deliver an engrossing musical performance with power, subtlety, and nuance. You will hear quite a lot of microdetail and spatial cues as you find yourself lost in an expansive soundstage of musical experience. This is what I experienced with I paired the Aryas with the $3,799USD Naim Uniti HE, but the seventeen-year-old Benchmark DAC1 got me pretty close to that experience as well. And on top of all of that, they are comfortable. I wore them for hours on end with no discomfort.
If you are looking for a buy-it-for-life headphone purchase and a solid investment, then the HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet planar headphones should definitely be on your short list. Just be prepared to realize you may want to upgrade other components in your system.

PrimaLuna Evo 400 integrated amplifier £4,598 review
June 11, 2022 Comments Off on PrimaLuna Evo 400 integrated amplifier £4,598 review
Also of interest is the headphone socket, which I believe utilises the output section of the power amplifier. So with my Sennheiser HD 800’s in hand, and listening to the same tracks as before, I notice a very high quality headphone amplifier, with the all the liquidity of the best tube headphone amplifiers, spacial control and sweetness, almost as a throw-in. I’ve heard headphone amplifiers selling for the price of this integrated fail to reach this quality of sound. Very impressive for someone who takes headphone listening seriously.
Like other PrimaLuna models, the Evo 400 integrated amplifier is an extraordinary mixture of being low maintenance, and a great first valve amplifier, combined with a spot of tube-rolling audio nervosa paradise. The ability to change between ultralinear and triode at the flick of a remote control button, combined with the ability to use different valve types means that this amplifier can indeed be all things to all people, or ‘cakeism’ as the modern turn of phrase goes. But not only is this the ultimate ‘cakeist’ amplifier, it actually does the various options extremely well. It is not only an educational experience, it is also extremely satisfying to listen to. Well thought out, well executed, and creates a high bar for those few competitors at this price.


Clearaudio Innovation Turntable Setup and Issue Diagnosis Using Wally Tools
June 11, 2022 Comments Off on Clearaudio Innovation Turntable Setup and Issue Diagnosis Using Wally Tools
Wilson Audio Alexx V Loudspeaker $135,000 Review
June 10, 2022 Comments Off on Wilson Audio Alexx V Loudspeaker $135,000 Review
Staging and imaging flat out blew me away. There is no other way to say it except to say I heard things behind me. I invited audiophiles and novices alike over, and many novices asked me where the rear-surround speakers were. The stage extended from three feet in front of the drivers to well beyond the wall behind the speakers. Left-to-right staging was whatever the venue was. I must attribute this to the near simultaneous arrival of wavefronts as a result of the adjustable driver enclosures. I have heard tracks I know well project laterally on many systems, but the degree of projection, accuracy of placement within a 360-degree space (simultaneously in front and around me), and the capacity to impart a sense of visceral palpability were uncanny, almost unnerving, with the Alexx V.

Music Hall • Stealth Turntable $1649 Review
June 10, 2022 Comments Off on Music Hall • Stealth Turntable $1649 Review
https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/music_hall_stealth.htm
Have I heard better-sounding turntables? Yes, starting at four to five times the cost, without a cartridge or in many cases even a tonearm. For its modest asking price, the Stealth performed well above what’s expected in terms of sound, convenience and build. With it, you get a well-made, plug‘n’play turntable complete with an above-average moving-magnet cartridge, the choice of three speeds and several convenience features. In the final analysis, what counts for me is the degree of satisfaction one gets from hi-fi — the satisfaction that comes from the emotional relationship the listener has to the music. Also, the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve made a good investment and spent wisely, without suffering buyer’s remorse. Music Hall’s Stealth turntable has fulfilled all of those requirements.
Most of all, though, the Stealth gave me confidence that whatever LP I put on the platter would sound as good as it was going to at the sub-$2000 price point. A cartridge upgrade, perhaps to a high-output moving coil, raises that performance to a higher level still. Both value hunters and music lovers will be impressed with the Stealth turntable because it offers performance well beyond the threshold for high-end audio. For those who get their music from the grooves of vinyl records, the purchase of a Stealth turntable could be an endpoint. It will open the door to the high-end without breaking the bank. In the right system, it can deliver 85% of the magic found in systems costing much, much more. I view it as the foundation upon which a fine system is built. Music Hall Audio and Roy Hall have hit it out of the park with this one

Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo Loudspeaker $20,998 Review
June 9, 2022 Comments Off on Focal Diablo Utopia Colour Evo Loudspeaker $20,998 Review
HIFIMAN EDITION XS REVIEW
June 9, 2022 Comments Off on HIFIMAN EDITION XS REVIEW
The Edition XS sounds very clear, focused, fast, detailed and natural with a good sense of warmth and body. The headphone ticks a lot of boxes, especially for its price, and I personally couldn’t find an obvious weakness in its overall presentation.
It has good tonality, resolution, imaging, and proper texture and transparency. For 500 bucks, this is basically a flawless headphone by my experience. It present a pretty neutral sound overall with slightly energetic mids and bright treble.


Discover a new headfi experience from dCS
June 9, 2022 Comments Off on Discover a new headfi experience from dCS

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