KEF R11 Meta Loudspeaker £5500 Review
April 7, 2024 Comments Off on KEF R11 Meta Loudspeaker £5500 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/kef-r11-meta-loudspeaker
The R11 Meta speakers carry off their bluff styling with some flair, being neither as large nor as unmanageable as they may at first appear. Yes, the balance here is very commercial, flattering relatively modest systems but responding well to an uplift in partnering electronics, but what’s wrong with that? These are impressive speakers, solidly built and designed to please – which they indubitably do.
Arcam A25 and ST5 Stereo System Review $2,298 Review
April 7, 2024 Comments Off on Arcam A25 and ST5 Stereo System Review $2,298 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/arcam-a25-and-st5-stereo-system-review
When connected digitally, there is just a single volume control displayed on the A25; when using the analog connection from the ST5, each device has independent volume controls. As such, it was possible to overload the inputs to the A25 by maxing out the volume from the ST5 while the volume on the A25 was low. The slight distortion vanishes after balancing the gain between these units, and using the TOSLINK or digital coax connection completely eliminates it. I found no reason to use the analog connection, especially considering the ST5 uses a high-quality ESS ES9018K2M high-resolution DAC. This same DAC is used in the A25.
I prefer to stream Tidal, especially for sound quality evaluations. I queued up Norah Jones’ latest release, “Staring at the Wall”, a delightful collaboration with Leon Michels. The ST5 and A25 captured every nuance of this upbeat and insanely catchy song. Jones’s tripled vocals with lead and harmony were distinct, and even the slightly detuned piano was conveyed transparently. The overall mix has a raw, garage-studio quality, and all of the imperfections of the performance are captured.
GoldenEar T66 Tower Speaker $3,600/each Review
April 6, 2024 Comments Off on GoldenEar T66 Tower Speaker $3,600/each Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/goldenear-t66-tower-speaker-review-performance-evolved
It’s just that every time the equation turns to “spend the budget on more channels versus fewer, better channels” what’s achievable by focusing a budget on the most important channels in the system keeps slapping me in the face and saying “wake up!” The point of diminishing returns for ever-higher channel counts comes on a lot faster than it does when upgrading speakers in a fixed, modest number of channels. And the savings don’t just come from buying fewer speakers, it costs a lot more to buy an AVR or processor that does 11.4.4 channels than a unit with a more modest channel count. But, in my view, that’s more money that can instead go into great-sounding speakers, like the T66 towers.
I find a phantom center preferable to a dedicated center channel for a TV in a living room setup. The reason for that is the center channel always has to go beneath the TV or maybe above the TV. Neither of these locations is ideal and they visually detract from the aesthetic of two stylish tower speakers. Not that I am in any way opposed to center channel speakers, but if the focus is on home theater, by all means, use one. Plus if you go with a two-channel solution like the Technics, there’s no center channel option to begin with.
Bella Sound Kahili Amplifier Review
April 6, 2024 Comments Off on Bella Sound Kahili Amplifier Review
During setup I had simply placed the Kahili amps in the system connected with exactly the same cabling that was used for my Krells. Bella Sound had provided their Kaula2 power cables, so once I felt I had a reading on the sound of the amps, I substituted the Bella Sound power cords. Chances are, if you hear this amp at a show or in a showroom, it’s likely powered by its own Kaula2 cords. Although the inclusion of the cord brings the price of ownership to just $500 short of $30k, I suspect many purchasers of this amp with opt to include the cord, which is exquisitely constructed. There was an immediate synergy between the amp and the power cord. The basic nature of the amp was not changed but subtly sweetened and enriched.
Auralic Aries G2.2 Music Library/Server £5299 Review
April 5, 2024 Comments Off on Auralic Aries G2.2 Music Library/Server £5299 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/auralic-aries-g22-music-libraryserver
Upsampling low-quality source material can be tricky, but when streaming MP3 renderings of Luka Bloom’s The Platinum Collection [Rhino Records; 8122-79993-3] via Amazon Music, the Aries G2.2’s processing came to the fore. Even though I was playing lossy 192kbps-encoded files, the semi-acoustic guitar on ‘Dreams In America’ or the fiddle on ‘You Couldn’t Have Come At A Better Time’ sounded pretty close to excellent. Listening to the same tracks from local files on a NAS was more satisfying, as dynamics and very high-frequency detail sounded more authentic. Nonetheless, the Aries G2.2 offered a very good performance despite the lacklustre file quality.
Ultimately, the mission of a digital transport is twofold: ensuring you can find and play your music with as little hassle as possible, and delivering a digital feed to whatever DAC you’ve chosen in the best quality. Logically, this last requirement means an ideal digital transport is transparent and lets the rest of your music system get on with it. This is what the Aries G2.2 sets out to achieve, and succeeds – unless you wish differently.
Gold Note Mediterraneo X record player Review
April 5, 2024 Comments Off on Gold Note Mediterraneo X record player Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gold-note-mediterraneo-x-record-player
The motor is one of the X’s most interesting and distinctive features. “For the Mediterraneo X, we chose a variable-torque motor, which allows the listener to control the torque applied to the platter in real time and while spinning records. A high-torque setting results in a performance reminiscent of direct-drive, while a low-torque setting is more in line with the sound of the belt-drive. The motor is decoupled from the plinth through elastomers, and secured in the housing with an aluminum bracket which is also decoupled thanks to custom spacers made of resin.”
The motor is supplied by Johnson Electric of Hong Kong. “We have been using their motors for turntables for years,” David Scandagli said. The Johnson motor drives a belt made of EPDM. Finally, three tanklike adjustable feet are CNC-machined from solid aluminum blocks.
NEW Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 Signature Speakers
April 5, 2024 Comments Off on NEW Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 Signature Speakers
Musical Fidelity M3si Integrated Amplifier $1599 Review
April 4, 2024 Comments Off on Musical Fidelity M3si Integrated Amplifier $1599 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2023/1/3/ps-audio-perfectwave-dac-ii
The M3si properly honoured this performance with each speaker I tried, helped in part by the album’s immaculate production quality. Given some of the M3si’s strengths, I see how it could handle midrange-focused vocal recordings. Listening to Where Are We reassured me the amplifier was not all brawn but had the brain (and heart) to do justice to a more tender recording.
With all the speakers I used, the M3si retained a consistent personality. It had massive drive, hard-hitting bass delivery, and the ability to command a wide clean soundstage. With warmer speakers the overall presentation was the most musical and with leaner speakers such as the Canton Vento 20, the presentation could turn brittle with recordings that were less than easy. While I only was able to try four different speakers, this trend was apparent enough for me to recommend that the M3si either be matched with neutral to warm speakers or carefully auditioned with unfamiliar speakers.
Audiophilepure 
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