Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/aurender-n50-streamermusic-librry

Three boxes just to drive digits into a DAC? Yes, and it works brilliantly. Combining Aurender’s super-slick operating system and app, the N50 has the capacity to compel a vivid, dynamic and thrilling sound from your choice of outboard converter. Just make sure to budget the extra for internal storage, and you won’t go wrong with what is an excellent keystone for a state-of-the-art digital music system.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/dali-sonik-9-loudspeaker

Slotting between the 1970s-tinged funk pieces from Holmes on the Out Of Sight soundtrack album are some classic American and Latin jazz and swing recordings. The Sonik 9s sounded right on form with Mongo Santamaria’s cover of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Watermelon Man’, where lush bass and keyboards were set against more urgent-sounding and textured trumpet sounds.

And Dean Martin singing ‘Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’ was perhaps even better, as the speakers’ three 180mm drivers ensured a deep reach to the bass and trombone, and the big band percussion was delivered with panache. But there to be heard were smaller, softer details – including smooth strings and woodwinds – to cement the Sonik 9’s all-round appeal.

Hi-Fi News VerdictWith its Clarity Cone drivers, Hybrid Tweeter module and more, the Sonik 9 shows DALI has a clear idea of how to maximise its in-house technologies. Riffing on ideas from the KORE flagship and other ‘step-up’ siblings, this top model in its new affordable series is a fine introduction to the brand. Performance is superb, particularly in terms of bass weight and dynamics, while the styling is sleek and modern

https://www.hifinews.com/content/nagra-preamp-ii-s-preamplifier

Even for an audio veteran of 50-odd years’ standing, surprises still occur. The PREAMP II-S emerges as one of the most ideally balanced exemplars of transistor-biased tube technology that I can recall, certainly at its price. Were I well-heeled and in need of a control unit, unwilling to forsake my full-on valve leanings, this would force a rethink. It’s warm, open and as silent as needs be. It just may be Nagra’s new ‘sweet spot’.

It delivers powerful, expansive and intense sound – precise, yet very deep. The lower end of the frequency range is equally active. This is something that should appeal to anyone whose systems are notoriously “underweight” or lacking in bass. The bass lines in tracks such as “Autumn Leaves” from Cannonball Adderly’s album Somethin’ Else, the dense distorted bass line on “Wandering Star” by Portishead, or even The Mills Brothers vocals from the album Famous Barber Shop Ballads: Volume One, all of it was especially large and had “weight,” or “gravity.”

This particular characteristic of the Japanese system had already emerged earlier with Blakey, when at 0:20 seconds of the first track something suddenly hits hard in the low end, and a moment later it repeats. It’s some part of the drum sound that was probably inaudible in the original, but which was cleaned up after the sound was boosted during remastering. It is similar with the low “pops” in the drummer’s voice as he announces the next track, “Moanin.’”