Alta Audio Alec Loudspeaker £10,000 Review
April 18, 2023 Comments Off on Alta Audio Alec Loudspeaker £10,000 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/alta-audio-alec-loudspeaker
As an example, the bass guitar on Simply Red’s ‘Sad Old Red’ [Picture Book; Elektra EKT27 960 452-1] was superb – each note lithe, clean and crisp, along with hand movements along the fretboard. In contrast, on the Cigarettes After Sex track, the bass strings sounded indistinct and somewhat bloated. Moreover, the bassline on Jenny Jones’ ‘Blessed Northern Daughter’ [Go! Discs GODX 103] was gently glossed over, although the weight and punch of the kick drum went some way to disguise it.
Conversely, the vocal ‘pop’ in the second verse of ‘Somewhere, Somebody’ from Jennifer Warnes’ The Hunter [Private Music 261974], which is usually firmly in subwoofer-only territory, was easy to hear. In addition, the rib-tickling bass underpinning ‘Turning Ground’ on Caroline Lavelle’s Spirit [N-GRAM Recordings 4509 98137 2] was present and correct, and didn’t modulate the vocals at all – an unwanted effect I have heard before through lesser designs. When the Alecs get it right, they get it very right indeed.
Sennheiser IE600 £599 Review
April 17, 2023 Comments Off on Sennheiser IE600 £599 Review
And there are, it turns out, limits to these monitors’ powers of resolution. ‘Girls in Their Summer Clothes’ by Bruce Springsteen [Columbia] is a narrow, congested pea-souper of a recording, with competing elements piled on top of each other – and despite their best efforts, the IE600 can’t open it up or spread it out. The listener can almost sense a power struggle going on, as the monitors attempt to force some distance between the horns, the percussion, the piano and the voice. Still, that’s more about the recording than the Sennheiser IE600.
Having enough money to buy premium in-ear monitors and attach them to a high-quality audio player doesn’t automatically mean you only listen to glossy, high-fidelity recordings, of course. But as long as you’re aware of the limitations of the IE600 where the silk purse/sow’s ear interface is concerned, there’s very little else that should dissuade you from trying them out.
Kroma Atelier Stella Xtreme Loudspeaker £28,800 Review
April 17, 2023 Comments Off on Kroma Atelier Stella Xtreme Loudspeaker £28,800 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/kroma-atelier-stella-xtreme-loudspeaker
A real eye-opener of a speaker, the Stella Xtreme marries high-spec drivers and crossover with a ‘next-generation’ cabinet material and gorgeous craftsmanship. Of course, all that would count for nothing if it didn’t sound every inch the high-end floorstander, yet in this regard it truly sings. Take a little care with setup and you’ll be rewarded with open, largescale soundscapes plus best-in-breed bass and soaring highs.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems X8 Turntable £2099 Review
April 16, 2023 Comments Off on Pro-Ject Audio Systems X8 Turntable £2099 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/pro-ject-audio-systems-x8-turntable
By distilling key features from the X9 and X10 models into the X8, Pro-Ject has built a sleek turntable that appears minimalistic but offers a sizeable step up in performance compared to its budget decks. The Quintet Blue MC plays an important part in this, but the match is entirely fortuitous. As a result, the X8 spins your vinyl with minimal distraction and maximum detail, immersing you in the music.
Tidal Adopting Hi-Res FLAC for HiFi Plus Subscribers
April 16, 2023 Comments Off on Tidal Adopting Hi-Res FLAC for HiFi Plus Subscribers
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/tidal-adopting-hi-res-flac-hifi-plus-subscribers
Following the recent positive reception to MQA’s latest technology (SCL6), there has been increased international interest in buying MQA Ltd. At the same time, MQA’s main financial backer is seeking an exit. In order to be in the best position to pursue market opportunities and expedite this process, the company has undergone a restructuring initiative, which includes entering into administration and is comparable to Chapter 11 in the US.
Bowers & Wilkins 803 Diamond 4 speakers REVIEW
April 16, 2023 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 803 Diamond 4 speakers REVIEW
Esoteric Grandioso M1X monoblock power amplifier $71,000/pair Review
April 15, 2023 Comments Off on Esoteric Grandioso M1X monoblock power amplifier $71,000/pair Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/esoteric-grandioso-m1x-monoblock-power-amplifier
I’ve never auditioned a monoblock quite like the Esoteric Grandioso M1X. Its burnished sound flows effortlessly even through complex passages, and its somewhat laid-back presentation, from top to bottom, helps expose fine detail. The smooth, captivating midrange, which produces no listening fatigue, and impressive bass will speak to many an audiophile. Warm-up time and cost notwithstanding, the Esoteric Grandioso M1X is warmly recommended.
Audiophilepure 
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