Audiophilepure

Read Here

“Given the sophistication of today’s streamer amps, organization is key. For the I35 that responsibility is mostly handled by the Prisma app—a free download onto a smart device such as an iPad or comparable Android tablet. I connected an Ethernet cable to my router, and in the time it takes to say “Swedish meatballs” I was off to the races. With my NAS drive automatically configured, I was effortlessly streaming content from Spotify, Tidal, and TunedIn within the Chromecast folder. Fortunately, the configurable world of the I35 keys well off the Prisma app. The graphical interface is nicely sorted out for selecting input sources and streaming services; it’s stable and, after brief experience, intuitive to navigate. It controls volume, renames source inputs, and even adjusts input gain per source with a swipe or the touch of a virtual button. More than likely you will end up putting the traditional remote control in a drawer. But don’t lose it—it comes in handy when your teenager makes off with the iPad.

A couple of minor quibbles: The characters of the OLED display are perfectly legible up close, but so tiny that you’ll need a pair of binoculars to read them from more than a few feet away. The front-panel menu interface on the I35 needs updating, and users are much better off getting cozy with the comprehensive Prisma app. Finally, Chromecast worked well (the more Google Home stuff the better) but, on occasion, toggling between the Prisma app and a streaming service like Tidal caused the audio output to default to the iPad’s internal speakers. It took only a moment to reselect the I35 output, but this was a reminder of the complexity of these systems.”

Read Here

“The Valvet A4e Mono-Blocks mated with my highly efficient (98dB!) Tekton Double Impacts wonderfully. Even with a solid state preamp in the mix, the music felt very relaxed, rich and sounded, in a word, lush. Each note was delivered with panache over the brute force of other power amplifiers and in a way that subtly coaxes and charms the listener to continue their musical journey rather than submit to over-arched and brutally dynamic intensity. These Valvet a4e’s are the real deal… get where I’m coming from?”

Read Here

“Since I had warming tubes in front of me, and a room full of vinyl, my choice was obvious. A quick cleaning cycle on the OkkiNokki Record Cleaning Machine and Beth Hart’s “37 Days” album was ready for a spin. It was time for my favorite choice, and of the three turntables the Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon gets the nod. Have spent the past several weeks with a turntable / preamp / amplifier setup I enjoyed via the Pro-Ject turntables, Parasound pre-amp and Bryston amp. Swapping the Bryston amplifier for the Aric Audio amplifier was the most logical way to begin the review session.

Connections from the Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon turntable to the Parasound JC 3 Jr. Phono Preamp were completed with the Audioquest Big Sir RCA cables. The Audioquest Mackenzie (XLR) balanced cables fed the signal to the balancing inputs on the Audio Research LS27 preamplifier (coming from the Parasound JC3 jr outputs). Normally, I would connect to the Bryston amplifier with Audioquest Mackenzie (XLR) balanced cables. As mentioned earlier, the XLR’s were swapped for the Audioquest Big Sir RCA cables.”

Read Here

“I’d be engaging in a stretcher, as Huck Finn likes to put, if I didn’t confess to indulging in playing some CDs and LPs by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd at what might be safely termed robust levels. Pushed to these volumes when driving the Wilson Audio WAMMs, the amp didn’t falter but I did pick up on a hint of fatigue. Driven to reasonable SPLs, I never experienced any sense of the Amp II faltering. Rather, it offered a wealth of tonal colors and detail that made it a delight to listen to for hours on end.

When time came to part with the amp, I did so not with a heavy heart—my far more expensive Ypsilon Hyperion monoblock amplifiers are superior, which is what you would expect—but with respect and admiration for a musical amplifier that is punching beyond its weight class. This Amp II is a classic example of what Germany has become the envy of the world for—its Mittelstand, or medium-sized industry, that produces reliable and high-quality products. For anyone seeking a reasonably priced, as the high-end goes, amplifier, the Accustic Arts offers an extremely enticing design.”

Read Here

”
The SET amplifier circuit dates back to the beginning of the electronic age and has generally been discarded in favor of the higher-power push-pull circuit. But Ayon has proven that, if you devote sufficient resources, it’s possible to build an SET amplifier that can overcome most of the shortcomings of the genre and that can drive a much wider range of speakers. The Crossfire still needs thoughtful loudspeaker-matching, but the amp is much more flexible than most SETs. It handily exceeded all my expectations.

Normally, I try to avoid listening to really expensive gear because I’m afraid I’ll like it enough to wreak havoc on my budget. But sometimes I let an expensive item like the Crossfire III PA slip past my guard. And as I said earlier, there are a lot of amps way more expensive than $12k. Few, if any, of those are as attractive as the Crossfire III PA. Even more important than how it looks, in my system the Ayon Crossfire III PA power amp is easily the best amplifier I’ve ever heard. It effortlessly jumped through all the usual audiophile hoops, but, most significantly, it genuinely enhanced my music-listening experience. Frankly, listening to hi-fi had been getting a bit stale and boring lately, but the Ayon Crossfire III PA made it fun again—and I truly needed that. If it fits your budget and your speakers, I urge you to audition it. It’s a great amplifier.”

Read Here

“Vitus has packed so much musicality into this single box, you might be tempted to stop your Vitus journey right here. The toughest part of the journey with this amplifier is that it is their entry level product. Should you go further up the line you will, of course, get more power, bigger dynamic swing, and even more resolution and delicacy, but this is the perfect introduction to the brand.

The top Vitus amplifiers are all class-A, so they take on a slightly warmer, more full bodied sound, but the class-AB RI 101 captures much of the flagship amplifiers’ character. Vitus calls this design a “high bias AB amp,” so the first 12 watts per channel are in full Class -A mode. At normal listening levels with moderately sensitive speakers, you’ll probably be listening in Class A on all but the most broad musical peaks. Just like the bigger siblings, the RI-101 is incredibly quiet, with well defined, powerful bass and a grain free high end to match. Vitus is one of the few solid state amplifier manufacturers that will not have you wishing for vacuum tubes.”

Read Here

“The high-ender’s lament – that there are few good preamplifiers – should be extended to include power amplifiers too. Really good ones are thin on the ground. But as soon as you hear a really good one, like the Merrill Element 118, you know what you’re missing! Most seem to either accent something at the expense of other things, or colour the sound, or in the case of very big amplifiers, slug the sound. The Element 118 shows this is, in fact, a false dichotomy, because you can have big and powerful, and have it with good imagery, and have it with excellent pace, rhythm, and timing. You just need to know what you’re doing! Merrill and the Element 118 show they clearly know what they are doing when it comes to making power amplifiers!”