World Premiere Review!Art Audio Opus 4 And Carissa Vacuum Tube Amplifier $13,499 Review
October 28, 2023 Comments Off on World Premiere Review!Art Audio Opus 4 And Carissa Vacuum Tube Amplifier $13,499 Review
Art Audio’s Opus 4 monoblocks managed to convey an impression to me of nearly as much depth of overall musicality as the 275 Watts of ultra-linear power of my other reference system amp, the CJ Premier 8A. I ultimately decided to keep the Carissa amplifier as part of my system to use with the Quad 57s and as an alternative for the 63s when they are not connected to the big CJ amps. The power, control, and sound along with the lavish and lovely looks of this latest revised Art Audio 18 Watt SET amp as designed by Tom Willis is highly recommended to be seen and heard.
Art Audio’s Carissa vacuum tube stereo amplifier has character, a distinctive beauty, and elegance that it continues to be part of my reference system. If you are looking for an elegant-looking design and musically refined, and lovely sounding amp in a more powerful rating range, then seek out an audition of the Art Audio Opus 4 monoblocks that have a diminutive look and weight yet produce a prodigious, powerful, and excellent quality output. Bravo to both Tom and Scott for their excellence in design, musical listening, and customer support throughout this evaluation period.
HiFiMAN Susvara Planar Magnetic Headphones Review
October 28, 2023 Comments Off on HiFiMAN Susvara Planar Magnetic Headphones Review
ASTELL & KERN SR35 $799 REVIEW
October 26, 2023 § 1 Comment
The following is a description of the SR35’s sound in quad-DAC mode. We will briefly go over the changes in sound quality when switching to dual-DAC at the end of this section.
The SR35 can be described as a smooth yet engaging sounding DAP. Especially vocals have some warmth around them, that fills the body and give a rounder presentation. But in some cases that warmth has made the vocals sound too soft for me, where I was missing some bite and raw energy.
Looking at the bass section of the SR35 it sounds rounded and soft to me. Music does not deliver the same punch and force that I am used to sometimes. But that’s mostly the case for hard-rock and grunge styled music. Listening to the new Chemical Brothers album I feel the bass has good body, speed and energy.
PARASOUND HALO A21+ STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER $3,999 REVIEW
October 26, 2023 § 1 Comment
The Parasound Halo A21+ amplifier impressed me with its powerful, musical, and accurate reproduction of music and movie soundtracks. This amplifier had wayyyy more power than I could ever need as well. The performance I heard was beyond reproach and I didn’t hear any untoward sounds the whole time it was in my system.
In terms of implementation, the Halo A21+ was well-made in most respects. My only quibbles are the stamped metal cover and the two-piece heat sinks. These parts fell short of a high-end build in my view. However, they did not take away from the very flexible hook-up options and apparent protection circuitry. These features render the amplifier very useful in a wide range of settings.
My final conclusion is to buy this amplifier for its flexibility and performance qualities over the build decisions. The price of this amplifier has been raised recently but it is still well worth every penny you spend on it. Recommended for sure!
LEGACY AUDIO FOCUS XD FLOOR STANDING SPEAKER REVIEW
October 25, 2023 § 1 Comment
The bass produced by the active dual 12-inch woofers felt powerful enough to scramble your insides in that basement listening space. It was tight, visceral, and unrelenting. At times and depending on the track I felt, while fun, the bass level might have been a little too much for that room. This is saying something as I’ve heard all manner of speakers and subwoofers in Craig’s basement over the years, and while I loved the powerful bass for most tracks, on select others I came away thinking the bass was a bit too much on certain tracks. The way Craig had the speakers configured with the Marantz AV10 pre-pro allowed for adjustments to the bass levels. I didn’t ask him to turn it down as the room pressurization was too enjoyable. If one is planning to bi-amp the Focus XD while using a standard stereo preamp and some Y-cables, then getting the optional Nobsound external attenuation box (mentioned in the Design section) might be a good idea.
Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 MKII/AW 800 M Pre/Power Amplifier £3599/£19,500 Review
October 25, 2023 Comments Off on Electrocompaniet EC 4.8 MKII/AW 800 M Pre/Power Amplifier £3599/£19,500 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/electrocompaniet-ec-48-mkiiaw-800-m-prepower-amplifier
There are larger high-end power amps, and more than a few that are smaller, just as there are many that cost more. Yet, the sheer flexibility of the Electrocompaniet AW 800 M is hard to beat. Use it in stereo, then upgrade to mono if you wish, and add the partnering preamp for a big-hearted, refined sound. This system is an excellent buy, capable of a hugely entertaining listen with almost any music.
PS Audio Aspen FR20 Loudspeakers $18,999 Review
October 24, 2023 § 1 Comment
If you are looking to get off the runaway audiophile rollercoaster upgrade craziness, this is the speaker that will save you from the constant upgrade whiplash and never-ending poverty. The intensely involving, seamless textured musical tapestry that the FR20 provides is rare. It has left an indelible mark on this somewhat weary audiophile. As a result, I feel refreshed and enlivened—and that’s exactly what music is supposed to do.
NuPrime Audio Evolution Two Mono Power Amplifier $3999 each Review
October 24, 2023 Comments Off on NuPrime Audio Evolution Two Mono Power Amplifier $3999 each Review
To my ears, the Purifi Eigentakt based NAD Masters M23 stereo/mono power amplifier, which I reviewed in March, sets the standard for a truly high-performance amplifier at a reasonable price—by a wide margin. With a retail price of only $3749, it sounds superb, measures spectacularly well, and has a healthy power rating of 200Wpc into 8 ohms. As I said in my review, it is a “screaming bargain.” Bryston’s spectacular 4B3 ($7495), which I reviewed in June 2017, is also a stellar performer on the test bench, albeit at twice the price. Rated at 300Wpc into 8 ohms, it delivers significantly more power than the NAD, and has a beefier but very neutral sound. There is nothing like a brawny class-AB amplifier to instill a sense of confidence and pride in ownership. These are my two favorite power amplifiers among those I have reviewed in the past few years. I’ll be interested to see Diego Estan’s measurements of the Evolution Two. It may not be quite as neutral as the NAD and Bryston, but I found that its overall high level of performance and marginally warmer sound was just as pleasing and, in fact, may be preferable to some listeners.
Conclusion
NuPrime Audio had fallen off my radar in recent years. The last NuPrime product I reviewed was the IDA-8 integrated amplifier-DAC, which I loved. It was an absolute steal, providing fantastic sound and a healthy amount of power for under $1,000. But that was almost eight years ago. The Evolution Two has reintroduced me to this innovative brand. The market for power amplifiers at the Evolution Two’s price level is now very competitive. But NuPrime has more than kept pace with their reference mono amp, and by keeping its price relatively constant, the Evolution Two rivals the very best in its class.
Audiophilepure 
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