Pass Laboratories XA200.8 monoblock power amplifier $42,000 Review
July 25, 2018 Comments Off on Pass Laboratories XA200.8 monoblock power amplifier $42,000 Review
“Few power amplifiers I’ve heard have sounded as beautiful as Pass Laboratories’ XA200.8 monoblock. Having to stick to Stereophile’s policy of not commenting at length on a product’s sound quality until that product has been reviewed in our pages, when all I wanted to do was wax ecstatic about the sound of these amps, has been frustrating indeed.”
Cary Audio DMS-500 Media Center Review
July 23, 2018 Comments Off on Cary Audio DMS-500 Media Center Review
“The DMS-500 not only comes with a quite serviceable dedicated remote control, but also an extremely good control app for both iOS and Android devices. The dedicated remote’s layout is clean and easy to navigate, despite the fact that it was designed to work on multiple Cary components. I especially like the mute button placement–right at the top right corner of the remote–because when you need to mute, you need to mute right now. The iOS version of the app proved to be rock-solid and fully-featured. My only complaint is that it looks much better and is easier to use on a tablet than on my iPhone SE’s smaller display.”
DAN D’AGOSTINO MASTER AUDIO SYSTEMS PROGRESSION PREAMP AND STEREO AMPLIFIER REVIEW
July 22, 2018 Comments Off on DAN D’AGOSTINO MASTER AUDIO SYSTEMS PROGRESSION PREAMP AND STEREO AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“I am of two minds about the D’Agostino Progression, both of them good. First, I can’t help feeling that the Progression is just that – progress by D’Agostino. This series is not simply D’Agostino making more attainable products; it’s adding things to the amp concept, some of which I can’t help thinking will end up in the top line. Second, I have a distinct impression that these amps sound ‘almost’ as good as the big guns. In some respects, they may even sound better. Far from being Momentum-lite or MyFirstD’Agostino, the Progression amplifiers are well-matched, well engineered, and well nigh endlessly powerful for most modern systems. What’s great here is not just that D’Agostino managed to make something as attractive and as good sounding for almost half the price, but that for most people those more attainable Progression models are more than enough. In a straight fight, the D’Agostino Momentum models are the better products, but their biggest rivals are their little brothers.”
PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP Review
July 17, 2018 Comments Off on PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP Review
“My experiences with the HP versions of the DiaLogue Premium amps have further solidified my opinion of this brand, which is that these really are excellent amplifiers that are widely applicable. One can do better, but it will cost multiples to beat them on all accounts.In case of these PrimaLunas, big transformers mean great bass control and lots of slam, but this does seem to come at the expense of some refinement. The Audio Research Ref75SE, with its smaller transformers, on the other hand, has an excellent low-level resolution but not nearly the fullness of sound, the dynamic reserves or the amount of slam that even the smaller PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium amp has, let alone the HP version”
Ypsilon Hyperion Monoblock Amplifier $93,000 Review
July 16, 2018 Comments Off on Ypsilon Hyperion Monoblock Amplifier $93,000 Review
“At the very same time, I would caution that all its power doesn’t simply mean that the Hyperion will blow down the walls of your listening room. Even more impressive in some ways is its ability to convey soft passages without a loss of resolution or immediacy. It was quite entrancing to listen, for example, to a Harmonia Mundi CD of Javier Perianes playing Schubert’s piano sonatas in B flat major and A major. The Hyperion helped to unveil Peraines’ supreme craftsmanship in the andante movements, where the music seems to hover in the air for what feels like an eternity before resolving into a new chord. This very ability to convey the pianissimo passages with such palpability—a kind of reach-out-and-touch-me character—meant that the monumental passages (and they are there, believe you me) came across with even greater conviction and force. The ability of the Hyperion to deliver the rolling thunder of the left hand on the piano was truly something to hear. Obviously, the Wilson WAMM has something to do with this as well. But the Hyperion does an excellent job of maintaining pitch stability in the bass region, which is something that I think tends to get lost in less ambitious systems.”
Mark Levinson No.585 Integrated Amplifier Review
July 8, 2018 Comments Off on Mark Levinson No.585 Integrated Amplifier Review
“The Mark Levinson No.585 was an absolute pleasure to listen to. I found myself getting sucked into listening sessions that lasted much longer than anticipated. Many times, I wound up listening to an entire album, even though I only sat down to listen to one or two tracks. The No.585 is well balanced and neutral, both in tonality and its ability to control speakers, while providing lots of power. Its detail and precision make for well-defined and precise soundstages. I found that the No.585’s soundstages were often smaller than those of systems that have more diffuse imaging, but I suspect that the No.585 is probably more accurate in this regard. Overall, if you are looking for an integrated amplifier and DAC that will maximize the performance of your both digital and line-level sources, the No.585 is highly recommended. ”
Anthem Electronics STR D/A integrated amplifier $4499 Review
July 6, 2018 Comments Off on Anthem Electronics STR D/A integrated amplifier $4499 Review
“Because I evaluated the STR full range, without a subwoofer, and only with a digital input, my setup was far simpler than the above discussion might imply. But with its ability to set up different inputs separately, use more than one setup for any input, pass along an analog input unaltered or convert it to digital for processing, and more, the STR is exceptionally flexible. I left most of the controls at their factory default settings, which meant that it took me about five minutes to get the STR up and running. Setting up ARC will take a little longer.”
PS Audio • Stellar Gain Cell Digital-to-Analog Converter and Stellar M700 Mono Amplifiers
July 1, 2018 Comments Off on PS Audio • Stellar Gain Cell Digital-to-Analog Converter and Stellar M700 Mono Amplifiers
“After reinserting the Emerald Physics EP100.2SE stereo amplifier into the chain, the most immediate thing I noticed was the need to increase the volume setting in order to get the same level as that reached with the M700s. Those 350 on-demand watts per channel do make a difference. With the Emerald Physics amp, I did notice a very slight narrowing of the soundstage and I thought I could hear a slight softening of the mids and highs, although I cannot make a definitive statement on this. In fact, I find it difficult to make any definitive comparative statements regarding the sound of the two amplifiers. They are that close. Perhaps the explanation is that they both use Danish ICEpower modules. Both provided ample power to pressurize my room when called for and both seemed equally able to plumb the lowest bass frequencies without feeling any pain. If anything, the Emerald Physics EP100.2SE summoned up more robust, if less controlled bass than the M700s, as evidenced on the Pan Sonic track cited earlier. As for the mids and highs, well, these are not tube amps and they did present, in my experience, a more analytical, less euphonic sound in this range than tubes (the Emerald Physics EP100.2SE less so). I personally prefer this sound.”
Chord Electronics TToby Stereo Power Amplifier Review
June 29, 2018 Comments Off on Chord Electronics TToby Stereo Power Amplifier Review
“he TToby is a stunning achievement by John Franks and the Chord Electronics team. He obviously wasn’t willing to compromise sound quality for size or design. Most designers won’t consult with other ears when designing products, which baffles me. Mr. Franks, on the other hand, gets the team together for listening tests and takes feedback seriously. I have no doubt this is one of the reasons why the TToby is voiced so beautifully.”
Cyrus One HD Review
June 28, 2018 Comments Off on Cyrus One HD Review
“Cyrus also keeps intact its reputation for an even balance. There isn’t heaps of low end shaking the floorboards, but it’s far from being lightweight. The sweetness is mirrored in a typically rich and unrestrained treble.Switching to digital via its SPDIF connection, each of those facets appears to have been improved upon.The performance is generally more confident and more assertive, with the assuredness to dig deeper into the detail while concurrently giving the record more space to breathe.”
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