Our 2016 Products of the Year — One-Sentence Summaries
January 5, 2017 Comments Off on Our 2016 Products of the Year — One-Sentence Summaries
” Because the review itself must make the case, I thought that this year I’d announce each award by including one sentence from the original review that I believe at least hints at why it was chosen as a Product of the Year for 2016; for those who want to read more, a link to each review is provided in the product name. And here are the winners:”
Devialet Expert 1000 Pro Integrated Amplifier Review
January 4, 2017 Comments Off on Devialet Expert 1000 Pro Integrated Amplifier Review
“The Devialet Expert 1000 Pro builds on the past and yet shines brightly with a very thoughtful and exciting vision for the future. Let’s take a look at the basic design and some of the key building blocks from past Expert models. We will then explore what is to come with the Devialet Pro lineup.”
EMOTIVA XPA GEN3 POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
January 1, 2017 Comments Off on EMOTIVA XPA GEN3 POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
” It didn’t disappoint on music, either. With musical reproduction, the Gen3 offered a bubbly, vivid and dynamic performance that did not sound anything like the multi-channel amps from years past. It actually approached the sound of many of the better solid state stereo amps I’ve used at various times. This amp most definitely has the chops to serve double duty for cinema and music. It earns its keep on movies and then pays dividends when you want to enjoy some music!”
Triangle Art Review, Pt. 3 Reference Amplifiers, Preamplifer, Phono Stage, Reviewer Conclusions – Video
December 28, 2016 Comments Off on Triangle Art Review, Pt. 3 Reference Amplifiers, Preamplifer, Phono Stage, Reviewer Conclusions – Video
T+A ELEKTROAKUSTIK AMP 8 POWER AMPLIFIER
December 28, 2016 Comments Off on T+A ELEKTROAKUSTIK AMP 8 POWER AMPLIFIER
“This track also highlights the excellent transient response of the AMP 8. Shostakovich is not something to be taken lightly and any diminishing of the force of the orchestra, whether in terms of leading edge attack or the weight of the playing, undermines the intensity of the piece. The AMP 8 – in the context of an excellent and matching system – retained this energy and the fast attack and decay needed to cope with an orchestra at full stretch made this a welcome addition to the home system. In all other aspects, that ‘first, do no harm’ approach pays off, because in all other perspectives the amplifier is simply doing its job without exaggeration or diminution. This is a good amplifier!”
Wadia a102 Stereo Amplifier $1,500 Reviewed
December 23, 2016 Comments Off on Wadia a102 Stereo Amplifier $1,500 Reviewed
‘ We live in a world of “shock and awe” where the more grandiose or outrageous a product or technology is, the more likely it is to strike an emotional chord with consumers and sell. It seems that, if something is engaging or exotic, even if it is highly flawed, people gravitate to it. We see this every day in the audiophile world where consumers will still spend more than $5,000 on a turntable–a 100-year-old, high-distortion, low-resolution technology–just because it is “high mass” or “machined from aircraft-type materials.”
Parasound Halo Integrated Amplifier $2495 Review
December 21, 2016 Comments Off on Parasound Halo Integrated Amplifier $2495 Review
” A company’s track record is important—it provides peace of mind that the dollars you are investing are well place and will hold some value in the future. Parasound has been around since 1981 and has built a reputation on providing superior performance for the dollar. The Parasound Halo Integrated Amplifier is a first rate, high-current amplifier that can drive the most demanding loads with authority, clarity, and refinement”
Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40 MK.II Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
December 20, 2016 Comments Off on Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40 MK.II Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
“After the amazing experience I had with the Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamplifier, I can’t say that I’m shocked by the performance of the ZOTL40 MK.II amplifier. Both are based on David Berning’s ZOTL designs that are universally acclaimed and hand-built by Mark Schneider to a high level using quality parts. In all the important areas that can be used to judge an amplifier’s performance–overall clarity/transparency, seamless integration of all frequencies, beauty of tonality/color/timbres, spatial dimensionality, overall speed and dynamics, and the palpability of individual players–the ZOTL40 MK.II ranks with the very best that I have ever heard.”
DAN D’AGOSTINO MASTER AUDIO SYSTEMS MOMENTUM INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £45,000 REVIEW
December 16, 2016 Comments Off on DAN D’AGOSTINO MASTER AUDIO SYSTEMS MOMENTUM INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £45,000 REVIEW
“The D’Agostino Momentum Integrated is one of those rare products that stands out even among highly-respected rivals. It’s one of those designs where the only thing better than the Momentum is more Momentum; a move to separate preamp and mono amps – even the pre and stereo amp might be a bit of a sideways move rather than a leap forward. If you are looking for what is quite simply the best integrated amplifier out there – and have the shelves to take it – the Momentum Integrated is the heavyweight champion. Very highly recommended!”
Peachtree Audio nova300 Review
December 11, 2016 Comments Off on Peachtree Audio nova300 Review
” Moving from totally electronic music to music that was created with only guitar, bass, and drums, I put on the Steve Hoffman remaster of Rage Against The Machine’s self-titled debut album. Listening to Zack De La Rocha scream “Fr-e-e-e-d-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-m, yeah right” through the nova300 and my TADs was excellent. Track ten, titled Freedom, is full of great musicianship all around. The bass lines throughout, the guitar solos, the heavy drums, and unmistakable vocals can all be heard as distinct parts of the whole. On some systems the instruments get lost in a ball of noise and it sounds like your mom is listening to it and saying, “Turn that noise down.” Not the case with the nova300. The amplifier has great control and enough power to reproduce very demanding tracks on somewhat demanding loudspeakers. ”
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