Vera-Fi A40 Power Amplifier – World’s 1st review!
August 28, 2024 Comments Off on Vera-Fi A40 Power Amplifier – World’s 1st review!
Keeping the A40 in context with the gear I’d probably pair it up with if I were building a system for about 10-15k is a home run. An out-of-the-ballpark, across the fence, into the parking lot home run. Using an older ARC SP-9 preamplifier (about $900 – used), the Naim CD5is CD player (about $2k new), a used SOTA Sapphire turntable (again about $1,500) along with the Harbeth Monitor 30 speakers, Magnepan 2.7X speakers, and the Vera-Fi Vanguards. Altogether, these Legos were combined to build systems worth about $6,000 to about $20k.
It’s also worth mentioning that the A40 does an excellent job driving the MartinLogan ESL9s we have on hand. If you have a pair of MLs around, this can be your amplifier, too, if you don’t need to blow the windows out. Great success was had with my vintage Acoustat 2+2 ESL speakers, so this might just be a FAB amplifier to pair up with a pair of Quad 57s too. Finally, the A40 perfectly matches the new SVS Ultra Evolution Towers. We’ve got a pair of those in on review, too, and their highly resolving diamond tweeter might be a bit too much for some, but the combination of the modestly mellow A40 and the up-front SVS speakers is a killer combo.
In conclusion, the A40 is an excellent anchor for a sub-$20k hifi system without having to go used or DIY. While you can’t bridge them (again, there goes the magic), using a pair of these in a vertical biamp type system could be incredibly good for those craving more dynamic headroom.
Acoustic Revive RHR-21 review
August 28, 2024 Comments Off on Acoustic Revive RHR-21 review
Westone Audio Pro X10 Review
August 27, 2024 Comments Off on Westone Audio Pro X10 Review
Listening to the Headphone Classics playlist on Tidal, I was pleased with the separation I picked up through these IEMs. I didn’t expect such depth from a single-driver IEM like this one. Everything I played on the Pro X10 had nice dynamics and was fully fleshed out. They sounded like a little hi-fi system plugged into my ears.
If I had any issues with the Pro X10’s sound, it would be a bit of shoutiness in the upper mids on certain songs, but for me, it wasn’t too distracting, and I truly enjoyed these earphones regardless. They could also use just a touch more warmth, but I’m nitpicking now. Overall, these earphones should make those looking for a balanced, mid-focused sound very happy.
KECES Audio S300+ Power Amplifier Review
August 27, 2024 Comments Off on KECES Audio S300+ Power Amplifier Review
Diptyque DP 115 Speakers $12,000 Review
August 26, 2024 Comments Off on Diptyque DP 115 Speakers $12,000 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/diptyque-dp-115-speakers-planar-magnetic-attraction
First, the caveats. Unsurprisingly, high-performance sound comes at a cost. That cost is literal; the MSRP of $12K is the highest of any speakers I have reviewed for this magazine. You also need to have a beefy amp to drive these speakers properly, a bargain AVR will not do the trick. So, you have to invest in speakers and power. Plus, the 40 Hz extension is pretty much determined by the laws of physics, so if you want to play deeper you need a sub that can keep up with speakers of this quality, representing another sizable investment.
But if you do take that path, the reward is tremendous. In previous issues, I have discussed how I have begun to weigh the benefits of fewer but better channels versus adding ever more speakers to a system. These days, a 13.4.6 system is doable with a high-end AVR. But the bottom line is maxing out an AVR like that costs even more than buying a nice stereo, and yet these days even high-end 2-channel gear accommodates eARC and streaming, so it really is OK to put a pair of awesome speakers in your living room, use them for everything, and call it a day.
Format Changes Coming Soon to Tidal
August 26, 2024 Comments Off on Format Changes Coming Soon to Tidal
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/format-changes-coming-soon-tidal
The move to drop Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format comes in the wake of the decision to embrace Dolby Atmos as its go-to format for immersive surround sound. Tidal said it chose Atmos as “the format we will support going forward due to the number of compatible devices, catalog availability, and artist adoption of the format.”
Starting July 24, 360 Reality Audio tracks and albums in subscriber collections, including those in playlists and downloaded for offline access, will be grayed out and unavailable for streaming.A decided blow to Sony and owners of Sony headphones who enjoy listening to music in the format, which was introduced five years ago.
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.