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“Wanting to hear how the Element 118s would handle more lively music, I played some pop. Here more than anywhere else, the 118s made obvious the fact that if the quality of the recording itself was sub-par, so was the sound it reproduced. But find a decent recording, such as Beck’s Sea Change (16/44.1 FLAC, Universal) or Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. (16/44.1 FLAC, Columbia), and you’ll be rewarded with a musically engaging sound as replete with inner detail as with ambience. I have both albums on standard “Red Book” CDs and in high-resolution formats: Sea Change as a 24/88.2 FLAC file from HD tracks, and Born in the U.S.A. as a 24/96 DVD-A ripped to FLAC.”

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“My other concerns are pretty well documented above, but if you’re the type to skip straight to the criticism, here’s a brief recap: Although the K-300i is positioned as an AV device, not merely an audio one, its utility on the video side is somewhat limited by the fact that it doesn’t decode Dolby or DTS audio, nor does it have any internal bass management. You’ll need to use your subwoofer for that, although thankfully there are still plenty of subwoofers with internal crossover capabilities and speaker-level outputs.

The Krell K-300i also lacks any form of room correction. Even a basic parametric EQ would have been welcomed, as there are room modes to be overcome in my bedroom AV system that cannot be ameliorated by subwoofer positioning alone. My recommendation: if you’re planning on using the K-300i in a 2.1 AV setup, make sure your subwoofer not only has speaker-level outputs and crossover capabilities, but also some form of auto room EQ or parametric EQ.”

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“I can summarize the sonic performance of the McIntosh performance rather easily. The descriptors that come to mind are effortless, spacious, transparent, and utterly grain free. I could not hope for more from a high class, well-engineered solid state amplifier. The sense of effortlessness really does make a difference in musical enjoyment. It ties into dynamics, which were reproduced naturally. Tonally, the MC312 was spot on; the whole spectrum of sonic colors was wonderfully presented, like a perfectly balanced photograph taken in natural light.

Ergonomically, the MC312 was mechanically dead quiet, ran cool, and provided trouble free performance over the course of the review period. One would expect nothing less than this for an amplifier in this price range, and considering its pedigree. Also, for those not enamored by the blue meter lights, they can be turned off. For me they are a mark of distinction, and added to the ambiance.”

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“One other thing that may be worth considering for readers who employ their stereo systems as the foundation pf a multi-channel system: While the Kaya brochure lists center channel and surround models, they are not yet in production. I suspect the smaller, stand-mount models from Vivid may be a viable option, but it would be nice to have the full Kaya line available for those who want to build a multi-channel system.

Lastly, the aesthetics of the Vivid Audio Kaya line are appealing to my eye, but perhaps not for everyone, especially someone with more traditional design tastes. The Kaya line is understated for Vivid Audio, but these speakers are hardly ordinary looking, with their somewhat unusual, organic shapes.”

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“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.”

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“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?”

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“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.”

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“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.”