Pro-Ject Audio Automat A1 Turntable Package Review
July 15, 2022 Comments Off on Pro-Ject Audio Automat A1 Turntable Package Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/pro-ject-audio-automat-a1-turntable-package
Notwithstanding any reservations I (or, for that matter, you) might have about the finesse available from so cost-effective a package, the A1 reproduced this track with precisely the refinement needed to recall the Left Coast sound of Browne’s debut, which predates this album by 50 years. It also features growly, effects-laden guitar work, a combination of textures that revealed the A1’s ability to deal with contrasts. What it lacked in absolute richness, especially of the sort associated with classic MC cartridges, was balanced by that inescapable sense of excitement.
It was the new 45rpm transfer of Joe Jackson’s eclectic, originally-recorded-in-digital Body And Soul [Intervention IR-030] that exposed the aforementioned tonearm travel which assumes a 7in record is on the platter when playing at 45rpm. Amused rather than irritated, I lowered the arm manually and was rewarded with a lushness I simply did not anticipate.
NAD C 700 BLUOS STREAMING AMPLIFIER $1,599 REVIEW
July 15, 2022 Comments Off on NAD C 700 BLUOS STREAMING AMPLIFIER $1,599 REVIEW
I enjoyed my time with the NAD C 700. It has a great deal of flexibility and a wonderful control interface. It was able to pull off the trick of stepping aside and letting the music take center stage. It’s just that this was less common than with much more expensive amplifiers.
I found that it was at its best when streaming high-resolution files, but it can also serve as the main nerve center for a more complex system, including vinyl. This little amp surprised me at times with the performances I heard and it excelled in staging, detail retrieval, and micro-dynamic shadings.
It was most comfortable driving the friendlier load of a pair of stand-mount speakers as opposed to the large, complex speakers I started with. So, if you have the right speakers and a mid-sized room, then the NAD C 700 may be just what you need to get your music fix on.
Clearaudio Reference Jubilee record player$30,000Review
July 14, 2022 Comments Off on Clearaudio Reference Jubilee record player$30,000Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/clearaudio-reference-jubilee-record-player
Who is the audience for this turntable, I asked Garth Leerer? “Any serious music lover or audiophile,” he responded. “This is a final turntable. Obviously, at 30 grand, it’s not cheap, but in the world of high-end turntables, it’s in the more affordable category—right? There are turntables now from $50 to $500,000.”
I say this turntable is for anyone who has ever laid vinyl to platter. Sure, the purchase may impoverish you, ruin your marriage, make your children stop talking to you, and cause your dog to disown you. But every time you spin a record on the Clearaudio Reference Jubilee, your joy will be complete. I promise
Rega Elicit MK5 $3345 Review
July 14, 2022 Comments Off on Rega Elicit MK5 $3345 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/rega-elicit-mk5
Such an upfront nature means that this isn’t the most relaxed-sounding amplifier around. But, there’s enough in the way of finesse to stop this being an issue, as a music switch to Beethoven’s beautiful Moonlight Sonata shows. Here, the Elicit sounds nicely delicate and surefooted. Dynamic shifts are rendered with fluidity and there’s a pleasing sense of space in the presentation. As is Rega’s way, the presentation is slightly forward and brightly lit, but mostly this just serves to highlight the detail and clarity on offer. You do need to partner the Elicit with care though, as a bright or aggressive source or pair of partnering speakers may take things too far.
We’re pleased to report that the built-in phono stage continues the good work. It’s only compatible with moving magnet cartridges, but that’s likely to be fine in most of the systems the Elicit will be used in. The circuit is relatively quiet and retains the clarity and drive we like so much from the line inputs. We listen to a range of records, from Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run through to Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis, and never does the Elicit deliver results that are anything less than enjoyable. This is a fine all-rounder that sounds at home with just about every genre of music.
KEF LS60 Wireless Floorstanding Speakers
July 14, 2022 Comments Off on KEF LS60 Wireless Floorstanding Speakers
Audio Note single-ended triode monoblock amplifiers $12,181 Review
July 13, 2022 Comments Off on Audio Note single-ended triode monoblock amplifiers $12,181 Review
My impression is that the Empress is the best all-round amplifier, giving you much of what is desirable about the Paladin, Vindicator and Quest while also bringing the verve and drive of more powerful solid state amplifiers. When I was auditioning the amplifiers, the note I made to myself was that if I could only have one, based on the music I listen to — which does include rock and pop —then the Empress Silver made the most sense to me. It sounds more neutral and offers the tight, fast bass response for modern electronic music that I enjoy. But as I noted, you do give up some of the beauty and richness of some of the other AN amplifiers; you may feel that the whole point of buying an SET amplifier is to get as much of that beauty and richness as humanly possible. Indeed, you might consider a Vindicator at about half the price of the Empress if cost is an issue.
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 Loudspeakers Review
July 13, 2022 Comments Off on Monitor Audio Bronze 100 Loudspeakers Review
In the book, Callait described how, at about the 2:40 mark of “Go Your Own Way,” he pushed Lindsey Buckingham’s searing guitar louder and louder as they mixed it. Even before I’d read this book, I’d noticed how prominent the guitar was getting at this point and how exciting it made the end of the song sound. I would also notice how this passage challenged some speakers at high volume levels because of the amount of energy that high-level guitar sound puts into the upper midrange—so much so it can cause speakers to distort. But the 100s weren’t troubled by it, even when I pushed the volume up as loud as I could stand—they reproduced Buckingham’s guitar sound as cleanly as speakers priced many times higher.
Caillat’s book also turned me on to John McVie’s bass-guitar segment in “The Chain” (from about 3:05 to 3:20) that acts as a bridge between the first and final parts of the song. It’s a necessary ingredient, because the part of the song that follows McVie’s 15 seconds was apparently recorded long before what precedes the bridge, so they needed what he created to tie it all together. McVie’s bass guitar isn’t particularly deep in this part—I’m guessing most of the energy is in the 60–100Hz range—but I was seriously impressed by the definition of the sounds that were coming from the 100s. That big woofer on the 100 doesn’t just pump out big, floppy bass—it always sounded well-controlled on this and other songs.
Audio Note TT3 Turntable, AN-S4L-MC STEP UP Transformer
July 13, 2022 Comments Off on Audio Note TT3 Turntable, AN-S4L-MC STEP UP Transformer
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