PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream MK2 D/A processor Review
July 28, 2023 Comments Off on PS Audio PerfectWave DirectStream MK2 D/A processor Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/ps-audio-perfectwave-directstream-mk2-da-processor
With the original DirectStream’s volume control set to its maximum of “100” and the Parasound monoblocks set to high sensitivity driving the KEF LS50s, I could hear no hiss with my ear pressed against a tweeter. (For my auditioning, I used the Parasounds set to their lower sensitivity and the PS Audio’s volume set to “76,” ie, 12dB below the maximum.) Repeating the exercise with the MK2, some noise was audible, but I couldn’t hear it if I moved more than a few inches away from the speaker. The level of this noise didn’t change if I lifted the USB ground via a Menu setting, and it wasn’t affected by the setting of the MK2’s volume control. It might be best, then, to avoid using the built-in volume control in a system with high-sensitivity speakers, like the Klipsch La Scala Alex Halberstadt reviewed in April 2023, where the music volume may need to be turned down to levels at which this noise becomes troublesome.
Diptyque Reference Planar Magnetic Loudspeaker | PREVIEW
July 28, 2023 Comments Off on Diptyque Reference Planar Magnetic Loudspeaker | PREVIEW
Estelon XB Mk II Loudspeaker $49,000 Reviews
July 25, 2023 Comments Off on Estelon XB Mk II Loudspeaker $49,000 Reviews
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1192-estelon-xb-mk-ii-loudspeaker
In retrospect, I don’t think it hurt that the Estelon speakers’ backing cast of characters was at the absolute top of its game. My system has been building itself up over the past year, and right now, with the Hegel H30A amplifier fed by the EMM Labs DS-EQ1 phono stage and DS Audio’s DS 003 cartridge, I feel like I’ve entered another dimension. My own Aurelia Cerica XL speakers, as crazy-good as they are, really don’t do justice to this world-class front end.
No, it took the injection of the Estelon XB Mk IIs to show me what the rest of this kit can truly do. Now, the XBs are expensive speakers, by any stretch, but while I’d be an idiot to brand them a bargain, I truly believe there’s huge value here, given their world-class sound and outrageous, provocative, seductive looks.
I think it’s fair to contrast the XBs to the YBs I’ve lived with for the past three years. The YB is already a Class Three speaker, with its heroic build quality, high-end driver complement, and exceptional sound, and it stands out as a worthwhile purchase on its own merits. The XB, at an additional twenty thousand dollars per pair above the price of the current YB Mk II, is a big-ass jump, and you’d think it would need to be significantly better to justify that Honda-Civic-sized upcharge.
ATOLL ELECTRONIQUE IN300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $4500 REVIEW
July 25, 2023 Comments Off on ATOLL ELECTRONIQUE IN300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $4500 REVIEW
The Atoll IN300 integrated amplifier, like the Atohm GT2-HD loudspeakers that I reviewed previously, is a finely crafted French audio component that is likely not top of mind with most audio enthusiasts. Frankly, that’s a little bit of a shame because I’ve found it to be certainly worth considering. Its understated good looks hide what looks like a heavy and well-designed component. One that, while light on the bells and whistles, delivers an appealing sound and more than enough power to easily handle some good-sized tower speakers. With plenty of digital and analog inputs, the IN300 is a very flexible, classic integrated amplifier. And with a proper dual-mono balanced design, the IN300 is more than a few steps above mainstream integrated amps in the build and sophistication departments. If I could made one suggestion for improvement, I would like to see an HDMI ARC input. Still, with enough optical and coaxial digital connections, it’s not a complete loss to connect a TV to the Atoll.
Dan D’Agostino Momentum M400 MxV monoblock power amplifier $79,950 Review
July 24, 2023 Comments Off on Dan D’Agostino Momentum M400 MxV monoblock power amplifier $79,950 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/dan-dagostino-momentum-m400-mxv-monoblock-power-amplifier
D’Agostino’s Momentum M400 MxV mono amplifier exceeded my expectations. Its relatively compact size belies its stellar performance: massive bass, mellifluous midrange, and well-measured treble. The clarity and ease with which it handles even the most challenging recordings is remarkable. It is one of the most musical, truthful, satisfying amplifiers I’ve ever heard in my system and one of the most striking aesthetically.
Audiophiles wishing to experience the edge of the hi-fi envelope should visit a dealer or an audio show exhibiting the Momentum M400 MxV and listen to it. Those who audition a pair and are blessed with the wherewithal to seriously consider their acquisition will find it tempting, I suspect, to take them home.
HIFIMAN AUDIVINA CLOSED-BACK PLANAR REVIEW
July 24, 2023 Comments Off on HIFIMAN AUDIVINA CLOSED-BACK PLANAR REVIEW
The HIFIMAN AUDIVINA Closed-Back Planar Magnetic Studio Headphones and HIFIMAN EF600 R2R DAC & Headphone Amp are everything promised and more, the synergy between these two products is simply jaw-dropping and I can’t see myself listening to the AUDIVINA with anything other than the EF600. Likewise, I experimented with other headphones, specifically the HIFIMAN HE6se and the Dan Clark Audio ETHER C Flow, but neither performed as well with the EF600 as the AUDIVINA. That being said, the EF600 seems to be ideally tailored to HIFIMAN headphones and would be a good match with anything from the DEVA to the SUSVARA.
Audiophilepure 
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