Audiophilepure

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0525/Trilogy_Audio_Systems_914_Preamplifier_994_Monoblock_Power_Amplifier_Review.htm

Hours (literally many) were spent trying to capture the essence of what this Trilogy 914 / 994 combo does, Even now I’m not sure my words have gone far enough. If I asked you to describe the color of a glass of red wine you could easily write a tome the size of War And Peace and still not cover everything. I feel here I’ve barely scratched the surface of how good this kit is. For the price, I think many who value a musically engaging experience plus an utterly simple and unfussy setup, the Triology Sound Systems 914 / 994 stereo system might not be beaten for quite some time. The amount of music I played through Trilogy Audio Systems’ 914 preamplifier and 994 monoblock amplifiers, plus the time I spent with each pair of loudspeakers connected, was partly because I wanted to make sure I did justice when reviewing these luxurious high-end audio products.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0425/Rogue_Audio_Sphinx_V3_Magnum_Hybrid_Stereo_Integrated_Amplifier_Review.htm

Now some clarity about the LRS with the Sphinx Magnum. After listening to the full impact of the Magnum with the Falcons, it became clearer to me that the Magnepan LRS needed more oomph to realize a larger presentation. I switched over to my reference amp, The Rogue Audio Pharaoh. Boom, full-scale, and solid tuneful bass. The Pharaoh has a monster power supply that can handle low sensitivity and 4-Ohm load speakers with more brute force, along with finesse. Of course, it is twice the price of the Sphinx Magnum.

The Falcons at 15 Ohms presented a friendlier load to the Sphinx Magnum. Voltage vs. Current. You could hear some of the tube-adjacent sound of the Sphinx Magnum coming through. Ok, it was getting late, so I opted to go for headphone listening so as not to disturb those who were sleeping upstairs. I wear headphones when doing radio shows and for listening to critical mixes of pre and mastered recordings. I was surprised by how nice sounding the headphone experience was on the Magnum. The MOSFET amp section makes for an easy and relaxing listening session. Oh yes, there was detail and the good things your ears beckon for.

https://stereonet.com/reviews/wiim-vibelink-amplifier-review

The Vibelink also has a Post-Filter Feedback (PFFB) circuit to minimise distortion and enhance clarity across different speaker loads, it is claimed. While affordable TPA3255-based amplifiers and ESS Sabre DACs abound, the WiiM distinguishes itself on several fronts. The unibody aluminium chassis is a premium touch and the switched-mode power supply is internal. Many competitors rely on chunky external power supply bricks, and some encounter overheating due to inadequate cooling.

WiiM’s fully passive cooling solution uses a PID thermal control circuit, a copper heat pipe and a large aluminium heatsink – PC assembly enthusiasts will feel right at home! During my listening tests, the Vibelink Amp reached a maximum of about 15 degrees C above ambient temperature after several days of continuous use. I didn’t trigger the amplifier protection circuit, so the cooling design definitely works. Also, the amplifier will power down after a period of inactivity, which is great in a world of rising energy costs.

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/12/11/electrocompaniet-eci-6-mkii-integrated-amplifier

During The Firebird, another Watford gem (Classic Records/Dorati/LSO), the ECI 6 allowed the spacious acoustic and the pinpoint imaging achieved by the original Mercury recording team in 1960. Also, the very demanding dynamic range of this pressing (Bernie Grundman cut) presented no problems to the MKII. The control of bass during the bass drum heavy Side 2 was very impressive on transient, note and decay. Excellent control.

The MKII is said to have an improved power supply, and this new version never gave me an ounce of power envy. At times, however, the massive headroom of the MBL allowed a more refined, effortless playback—an ease that only gobs of brilliantly engineered power through the right speakers can bring. In my case, it’s not about speaker matching, though that is important; it’s a comfort and peace of mind thing. And if you hear one of these 20 K plus integrateds, such as examples from MBL, D’Agostino or Accuphase, you’ll know what I mean. The Bugatti Veron rarely uses its 1000 hp, but it’s there underfoot, and the driver knows it and feels it.

I figured I would amuse several peers and community members when I revealed in Part 1 that I had used mismatched HDMI cables in my initial dual HDMI setup. Not only had I employed an Amazon $10 HDMI Y-cable to split the HDMI output of the PS Audio AirLens, but I had paired two different models of AudioQuest HDMI cables! It doesn’t get worse than that! We all know that is how you wreck sound quality, right? Why take anyone seriously who does such things? Their advice can’t be worth much. Wrong! I explained that their use was chiefly for proof of concept, to see if the Y-cable and dual input to the integrated amps via the I²S input would work. I did not have a matching pair of HDMI cables, and the two were so close in performance as to fail my Law of Efficacy, meaning they were so similar that the difference was hardly worth noting. However, when paired properly, nuances between them became more noticeable. They worked very well together. Splitting the signal, even with a lousy $10 Amazon Y-cable, was a major win performance-wise. Aside from proof of concept, I would never pair two different models of cables in any audio system.