Bryston B135 Cubed Integrated Amplifier Review
August 24, 2021 Comments Off on Bryston B135 Cubed Integrated Amplifier Review
As quiet as the B135 SST2 is—it’s still one of the quietest integrateds I’ve heard—the B1353 seemed quieter still. The difference was subtle, but with “Get Behind the Mule,” from Waits’s Mule Variations, it was as though the head of the drum was stretched more tightly across the frame, sounding a bit more taut. The sound of a foot tapping out the beat was also more readily resolved through the B1353. Similarly, with Tori Amos’s “Caught a Lite Sneeze,” I thought the stage was even better resolved through the newer Bryston, with even greater fluidity in the rhythm of the music.
These aren’t the kinds of differences that will make B135 SST2 owners run out and sell their amps—the gap in performance was no gulf. However, if I had the choice of buying one or the other and sound was the only factor, I’d opt for the B1353. As I switched back and forth between them, it was sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly what difference I was hearing—yet I consistently heard an overall smoothness to the sound of the B1353 that was incredibly easy on my ears. When I reviewed my listening notes, I found the nouns ease and easiness sprinkled throughout. Evidently, that was the consistent impression I was left with.
Paradigm Founder 100F Loudspeaker £5400 Review
August 24, 2021 Comments Off on Paradigm Founder 100F Loudspeaker £5400 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/paradigm-founder-100f-loudspeaker
The more time I spent with the 100F, the more I realised there was no flavour of music with which it really struggled. Fed the ethereal, electronic textures of Jean-Michel Jarre and Hans Zimmer’s ‘Electrees’ collaboration [Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise; Sony Music] it was all smoothness and light, with a purity to its midband that encouraged a game of ‘how loud can these go?’. The answer was ‘plenty loud enough’ for my circa 4x5m space, with no subjective trace of them losing their composure before I lost my nerve.
The track ‘Exit’ was faster, synthesisers acquiring a nastier edge and the 100F locking in step with the pounding techno rhythms. At the opposite side of the spectrum, my enjoyment of The Royal Festival Orchestra’s rendition of Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons – Winter’ [Stradivari Classics; Tidal] was dependent on the 100F’s presentation of the strings. I won’t insult your intelligence by saying they sounded like ‘the real thing’, but this lilting, layered piece came across with wonderful timbral detail.
TOPPING EX5 $350 REVIEW
August 23, 2021 Comments Off on TOPPING EX5 $350 REVIEW
The EX5 reproduces the treble range skilfully, the treble feels accurate, transients are fast and snappy. Just like the rest of the spectrum, the treble range feels dynamic and agile. Detail-retrieval is excellent here as well. This range boosts the perceived clarity of the signature and the EX5 reaches the top octave without getting harsh. The treble carries good detail and definition while presenting the harmonics brilliantly. The EX5 shows great balance throughout the spectrum. The extension is just as good as it is at the lowest notes. Overall, the EX5 has excellent tonality and it stays true to the mastering.
Audiovector R 8 Arreté loudspeaker $69,995 Review
August 23, 2021 Comments Off on Audiovector R 8 Arreté loudspeaker $69,995 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/audiovector-r-8-arret%C3%A9-loudspeaker
This was a subtle thing, and it’s not unnatural. Setting aside the fact that the vocal was probably recorded in an isolation room, and that studio effects could be added, the degree of resonance or room sound is determined by where the mikes are placed. Salvant is close-miked while the piano is miked—well, I’m not sure how or where, but well outside the piano case, so there’s more room sound on the piano.
Still, I wondered: What would happen if the piano and the voice were in the same acoustic? This album is a mix of live (recorded at NYC’s Village Vanguard) and studio tracks (Sear Sound Studios), so I didn’t have to go far for a live comparison. I put on Salvant and Fortner’s account of Bernstein and Sondheim’s “Somewhere,” from West Side Story, another track I turn to often in reviews.
STAX SR-009S SIGNATURE ELECTROSTATIC AND SRM-D50 DRIVER AND DAC REVIEW
August 22, 2021 Comments Off on STAX SR-009S SIGNATURE ELECTROSTATIC AND SRM-D50 DRIVER AND DAC REVIEW
Fyne Audio F701 Review
August 22, 2021 Comments Off on Fyne Audio F701 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/fyne-audio-f701
The Fyne Audio F701 are truly entertaining performers, if installed with care. They sound big, bold and enthusiastic in a way that eludes much of the high-end competition. Most rivals concentrate on refinement and detail resolution whereas the Fynes sound like they just want to have fun.
Fed the likes of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes, these speakers sound right at home as they pound out that distinctive plump bassline with real verve and grip. There’s an impressive degree of punch and power low down, but just as pleasingly, that is coupled to a strong sense of articulation too.
Audiophilepure 
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