PrimaLuna EVO 300 hybrid power amplifier Review
January 24, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.hifinews.com/content/primaluna-evo-300-hybrid-power-amplifier
For all the satisfaction the EVO 300 Hybrid provided for this pro-valve listener, I could imagine those diametrically-opposed purist audiophile species – tubes vs trannies – finding grounds for criticism because the two have been weighed equally, exactly as the mission statement required. But perhaps this is an academic debate, for purists of either discipline might not contemplate a hybrid design. For those undecided or who like both, the EVO 300 Hybrid ‘poweramplifier’ is one of the best examples of cross pollination I’ve heard.
If choosing an amp is a matter of tubes-only-vs-solid-state-only-vs-I’m-not-bothered, then your own predisposition will influence your reaction to this remarkable amplifier. Via the RCA input it sounds just like the EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated, but via the XLR – even if you resort to an RCA-to-XLR adapter – the EVO 300 Hybrid ‘poweramplifier’ embraces the hybrid concept, perfectly blending tube colour with solid-state grip. For the undecided, this may well be the best of both worlds.


Audio Research Reference 330M monoblock power amplifier $90,000 Review
January 22, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.stereophile.com/content/audio-research-reference-330m-monoblock-power-amplifier
Regardless, I can honestly state that in all my time as an audiophile and reviewer, no amplifier has seduced me quite like the Audio Research 330M. Its sound is about far more than a list of outstanding attributes. On every level, including some that transcend the physical, it delivered the greatest musical and spiritual satisfaction I’ve ever experienced from recorded music.There’s a beauty to the 330M’s sound that transformed sitting in the sweet spot into an act of joy. No emotion, no color, no pitch—no musical truth, including those that are heart-wrenchingly painful and filled with despair—seems beyond its reach. During the first of what I hope will be many more extended periods of listening with the 330M, I felt blessed to be able to immerse myself in musical bliss and to share that experience with friends.My deepest gratitude to everyone at Audio Research. You’ve done Bill Johnson’s legacy proud. The Audio Research 330M is a great amplifier, more than worthy of Stereophile‘s Amplifier of the Year award when award time next comes ’round in 2026

PrimaLuna EVO 300 hybrid power amplifier Review
January 18, 2026 § Leave a comment
https://www.hifinews.com/content/primaluna-evo-300-hybrid-power-amplifier
For all the satisfaction the EVO 300 Hybrid provided for this pro-valve listener, I could imagine those diametrically-opposed purist audiophile species – tubes vs trannies – finding grounds for criticism because the two have been weighed equally, exactly as the mission statement required. But perhaps this is an academic debate, for purists of either discipline might not contemplate a hybrid design. For those undecided or who like both, the EVO 300 Hybrid ‘poweramplifier’ is one of the best examples of cross pollination I’ve heard.
If choosing an amp is a matter of tubes-only-vs-solid-state-only-vs-I’m-not-bothered, then your own predisposition will influence your reaction to this remarkable amplifier. Via the RCA input it sounds just like the EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated, but via the XLR – even if you resort to an RCA-to-XLR adapter – the EVO 300 Hybrid ‘poweramplifier’ embraces the hybrid concept, perfectly blending tube colour with solid-state grip. For the undecided, this may well be the best of both worlds.

Pass Laboratories X600.8 Mono Amplifier $31,460 Review
January 17, 2026 § Leave a comment
The large Pass Labs X600.8 amplifiers also looked very impressive sitting on their amp stands in front of my equipment rack. Their cool blue, large, illuminated meters on their aluminum front panel, and their large black heat sinks, which took up all the room on their side panels, gave the amps a high-tech, industrial-chic look.
At $31,460 for the pair, the Pass Laboratories X600.8 monoblocks aren’t bargain-priced. Nor are they the most expensive monoblocks Pass Labs offers. Simply because the X600.8 monoblocks are worth their asking price doesn’t mean much if one cannot afford them. Still, readers of Enjoy the Music.com realize that audiophiles can get quite crafty when it comes to raising funds, especially when we become enamored of a component and wish to purchase it. Highly recommended? You bet!

Matrix Audio MP1 and MA1 $15,000 Review
January 15, 2026 § Leave a comment
The Matrix Audio components are complementary pieces rather than clones of each other. The voicing of the MP-1 is shaded towards a richer and robust presentation with a dense tonal tapestry that in many ways shares the strengths commonly associated with vacuum tube preamplifiers. This is not to say this preamplifier is a caricature of a tube based component, but rather they share defining characteristics that are appreciated by many audiophiles. In the case of the MP-1, it excels at combining realistic tonal structure while teasing out the fine details embedded in a recording rather than covering them up with an overly warm mid-band voicing. This combination allows the MP-1 to provide a honest and unvarnished portrayal of the music, and hand it off to the MA-1 amplifier where that musical presentation is expanded and filled in. “Conversation With A Ghost” by Ellis Paul is a deceptively complicated song that is challenging for an audio system to unearth the subtle details embedded in this composition, and not lose this detail in highlighting the darkness and languid flow with which the song is recorded with. Many systems can get the richness of sound in this piece, but lose the interplay between Ellis Paul and his vocal partner Mary Black. The Matrix Audio components stay balanced and surefooted through this song, with just the right balance between detail and warmth, and deftly teases out the complicated interplay between the two vocalists.


T+A Symphonia streaming integrated amp Review
January 13, 2026 Comments Off on T+A Symphonia streaming integrated amp Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/ta-symphonia-streaming-integrated-amp
Neatly styled and refreshingly compact, T+A’s Symphonia appeals before it’s even powered up – then you discover its wide-ranging connections, excellent app/remote controls, and vibrant, revealing sound. Proof, if needed, that good things can come in small packages, this premium streaming amp is ready to be the centrepiece of a forward-thinking hi-fi set-up. A colour display would be nice, though…

Cambridge Audio Edge W Review
January 9, 2026 Comments Off on Cambridge Audio Edge W Review
https://www.headfonia.com/cambridge-audio-edge-w-review/
the Cambridge Audio Edge W provides a remarkably detailed and precise sound, with excellent low-end reach into the sub-bass. Bass is tight, fast and dynamic with top quality texture and body. No matter if you’re a listener of acoustic or electronic genres, the Edge W has you covered with a full and dense sound that delivers punch and impact.
From sub-bass to upper bass, the Edge W has a full body with excellent – not exaggerated – size. You get a natural and organic low-end with heaps of resolution to bring out the fine nuances of music. Bass on the Cambridge amp is tuned in a natural-neutral fashion, where it is ever so lightly forward, but still in a way, that it’s not shoving anything in your face.
It places low-end instruments and lower pitched sounds just minimal up-front to give them a boost in body and coloration.

English Acoustics Downton Review
January 7, 2026 Comments Off on English Acoustics Downton Review
https://audiophilepure.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
It’s difficult to fault, even at this price. Arguably its only downside is that it lacks balanced operation. Some purists won’t like this, but others won’t be in the least bit bothered. In absolute sonic terms it lacks just a touch of transparency and there’s a subtle softening of dynamic peaks. Yet its delicate, atmospheric treble more than makes up for this. Indeed its sheer breadth of ability shines through with a London Philharmonic Orchestra reading of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ A London Symphony. It’s an exhilarating listen that’s tremendously musically articulate.
Last but not least is the moving-magnet phono stage. Some people will not buy the Downton for this, but it’s great to know you’ve got it. A Technics SL-1200G/Ortofon Concorde Music Bronze spinning The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold shows its intrinsic quality; there’s a lovely, lilting groove from the percussion and rhythm guitar that transports you right to the heart of the music. It’s infectiously fluid – dreamy, even – and a reminder of just how special well-designed valve phono stages can sound.

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