Wadia a315 Stereo Amplifier REVIEW
October 26, 2016 Comments Off on Wadia a315 Stereo Amplifier REVIEW
“While not as frenetic as some of today’s electronica, “Ceremony,” from Belleville’s Sunsets & Nightfalls (16/44.1 FLAC, Belleville Beats/Tidal), balances the newish habit of marrying 1980s-style electronics and processed vocals with today’s familiar, heavy bass rhythms. It begins with a gracefully flowing melody in the midrange underlaid with snappy, deeper beats that channel a bass guitar. Nearly everything in this track is subjected to lengthy reverb, which creates a limited sense of depth. The female voice is sudden, immediate, and less processed-sounding among the long-decay electronics, while the sound of the male voice is somewhat more distant and lingers longer. ”
Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
October 24, 2016 Comments Off on Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed
” After spending over six months with the Pass Labs XA30.8 Class A stereo amplifier, I wonder, “Will I ever again purchase another two-channel amplifier?” There is no doubt the XA30.8 comes with several notable drawbacks, but few are performance related–and to me, that is the most important criteria. The performance of the XA30.8 is so special that HTR publisher Jerry Del Colliano and I have joked at times that Nelson Pass should consider renaming this amplifier the XM30.8, with the “M” standing for “magical.” The Pass Labs XA30.8 is the best amplifier”
Emotiva BasX A-300 Stereo Amplifier $399 Review
October 20, 2016 Comments Off on Emotiva BasX A-300 Stereo Amplifier $399 Review
“Interestingly a lot of companies will tell you to let a component break in for some hours before you listen to it. That’s not the case with the Emotiva BASX A300 power amplifier. So is it good to go right out of the box? The answer is no, not really. About an hour after turn on I could detect a very slight, and I do mean subtle, graininess pervading and overlaying the audio presentation. ”
Bel Canto e.One Ref600M power amplifier Review
October 16, 2016 Comments Off on Bel Canto e.One Ref600M power amplifier Review
“hat the REF600M didn’t sound identical to some other amps was neither surprising nor a criticism of any of them. Of three recent amps of my experience, the REF600M was the warmest, the NAD Masters Series M22 the most detailed, and the Theta Dreadnaught D somewhere in between. Why should various amps based on circuit boards of the same technology (NCore) and made by the same company (Hypex) sound different? I don’t know, but the amplifier boards aside, I could see physical differences inside these three amps
Pass Labs XA60.8 60-Watt Class A monoblocks Review
October 15, 2016 Comments Off on Pass Labs XA60.8 60-Watt Class A monoblocks Review
” There were some areas where I expected the monos to be superior. The most obvious was in soundstaging, and they were. They produced a slightly wider and deeper soundstage. The soundstage was also portrayed from a slightly quieter and slightly darker background. Overall the monos are slightly quieter. This also produces slightly more sparkle in the top-end and overall a little more detailed and transparent sound.”
THE 40 GREATEST BARGAINS IN HIGH-END AUDIO
October 8, 2016 Comments Off on THE 40 GREATEST BARGAINS IN HIGH-END AUDIO
SAE 2HP-D power amplifier $19,995 – Review
October 6, 2016 Comments Off on SAE 2HP-D power amplifier $19,995 – Review
“Superclean, ultrafast, and artifact-free, with exciting transient clarity? Yes. The rich midrange, expansive midbass, and generous sustain that warmly linger when listening to the LP? No. The SAE 2HP-D’s sound was more like that of the exotic sports cars Morris Kessler was selling when DAK bought SAE from Giorgio Moroder in 1989, and less like that era’s softly sprung Cadillac sedans.”
DAVID BERNING COMPANY 211/845 POWER AMPLIFIER $75,000 REVIEW
October 5, 2016 Comments Off on DAVID BERNING COMPANY 211/845 POWER AMPLIFIER $75,000 REVIEW
“Finally, I’d like to note that these impressions of the 211/845 were made with the Constellation Altair 2 linestage feeding the Berning, which, given my description of the system here, speaks volumes about that linestage’s transparency. I drove the 211/845 directly from the Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC Series 2 as well, but preferred the sound with the Altair 2 in the chain.”
AAVIK ACOUSTICS U-300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $30,000 – REVIEW
October 4, 2016 Comments Off on AAVIK ACOUSTICS U-300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $30,000 – REVIEW
” I have taken pains, so far, to avoid a detailed comparison of the U-300 with my reference tube gear. I can’t say that the Aavik sounds like tubes, but neither can I say that it sounds solid-state. It sounds like music. Perhaps it is not quite as full-bodied or three-dimensional as competitive tube gear, but it is close enough to be totally satisfying on the broadest range of music. And it is so fast, and so black of background, that it leaves much tube gear in its wake. Moreover, finding tube preamps and power amps that will drive the 20.7s with the ease and alacrity of the Aavik is not an easy or inexpensive undertaking. The U-300 is the first solid-state preamp and amp combination I have auditioned, in my own system, that offers a fully satisfying alternative to high-powered tubes.”
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