Recommended Components: Fall 2016 Edition
October 1, 2016 Comments Off on Recommended Components: Fall 2016 Edition
Components listed here have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase.
Each listing—in alphabetical order within classes—is followed by a brief description of the product’s sonic characteristics and a code indicating the Stereophile Volume and Issue in which that product’s report appeared. Thus the May 2016 issue is indicated as “Vol.39 No.5.”
Gryphon Audio Designs Diablo 300 Integrated Amplifier-DAC €17,600 Review
September 20, 2016 Comments Off on Gryphon Audio Designs Diablo 300 Integrated Amplifier-DAC €17,600 Review
“I expected Gryphon’s übermasculine he-amp to sound boorish and something of a lout, with punctuated highs and overemphatic bass. But the Diablo 300 had all the grace and finesse of a ballet dancer. Like a Navy Seal who joins a seniors’ book club, or a lumberjack addicted to yoga, the incongruity was almost risible. That’s not to say that the demonic Dane was too kind to recordings. No, Gryphon’s flagship integrated expressed itself quite comfortably.”
FIRST WATT AMPLIFIERS BY NELSON PASS F7 REVIEW
September 20, 2016 Comments Off on FIRST WATT AMPLIFIERS BY NELSON PASS F7 REVIEW
“Solo soprano exhibited plenty of energy and presence via the J2/Druid pairing. Perhaps there wasn’t quite the sense of silky smoothness I heard when using the SIT-1s, but the extension and presence were greatly appreciated and enjoyed. The J2 also did a fine job of letting the microdynamics of the female voice shine through, as I easily registered those slight variations in tone, texture, and volume that a really good vocalist can call upon when required. Oh, and the massed choral voices …. Oh my”
Bryston Limited 4B³ Stereo Power Amplifier Review
September 19, 2016 Comments Off on Bryston Limited 4B³ Stereo Power Amplifier Review
“Much of what makes these qualities stand out is the superb quietude the amp exudes. No mechanical or electrical artifacts intrude on the listening experience. No hum or faint buzzing clouds the sonic picture. Superbly low distortion levels allow the amp to capture tonal signatures fully intact, meaning that one needn’t sacrifice accurate tonal reproduction for maximum detail retrieval. The 4B³ lets listeners have their cake and eat it too.”
MCINTOSH RELEASES MHA150 HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
September 18, 2016 Comments Off on MCINTOSH RELEASES MHA150 HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
” McIntosh, the global leader in prestigious home entertainment and ultimate-quality audio for over 65 years, is proud to announce the launch of the new MHA150 Headphone Amplifier. Handcrafted at our Binghamton, NY factory, it combines the best-in-class audio performance of the legendary McIntosh Reference System with the latest in technological development.”
PASS LABS XA30.8 CLASS A STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER $6,800 REVIEW
September 18, 2016 Comments Off on PASS LABS XA30.8 CLASS A STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER $6,800 REVIEW
“The Pass Labs XA30.8 is a very expensive amplifier. It does not have a lot of power output, although it does have a lot more power on tap than the 30 W per channel specification would suggest. But it’s one of the best amplifiers I have ever heard. Certainly the best amplifier I have tested in my listening room. If you have even moderately sensitive speakers, and especially if your system has powered subwoofers, the XA30.8 might just be the perfect amplifier. It has everything you could ever want, with the exception of massive power output. Most people do not need massive power output.”
JE Audio IS250 Integrated Amplifier-DAC Review
September 16, 2016 Comments Off on JE Audio IS250 Integrated Amplifier-DAC Review
“Turning on the IS250 was a bit tricky, and is not well described in the manual; here’s what I found: After everything is connected and the IS250’s power cord is plugged into the IEC socket on the rear panel, first turn on the power switch adjacent to that socket. This places the IS250 in standby mode; the LED over the Power/Mute button on the front panel should glow red. Turn the volume control all the way down. Now, push and hold down the Power/Mute button for about a second. That will take the amp out of standby, warm up the tubes, and get it ready to play. ”
The Peachtree Nova150 integrated amplifier
September 14, 2016 Comments Off on The Peachtree Nova150 integrated amplifier
“The Nova150 was an even better match with my Magnepan .7 flat panel speakers. The .7s crave power, and the Nova150 delivered gobs of it. Bass definition and oomph were truly exceptional, better than I’ve heard from the .7s mated with other integrated amps. The speakers transparency shined ever so brightly, and since the .7s are almost five feet tall their sound was closer to life-size than any bookshelf speakers, or even most comparably-priced tower speakers could produce.”
Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers $16,500 Review
September 9, 2016 Comments Off on Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers $16,500 Review
” One of the most overused words in describing audio components is neutral. However, you must remember that there are more than 50 shades of gray. Any of these shades may be entirely neutral, neither over- nor underemphasizing any part of the audioband, yet such neutrality in and of itself does not equate with transparency”
How Much Power Do You Really Need?
September 7, 2016 Comments Off on How Much Power Do You Really Need?
” Let me underscore that speaker sensitivity has nothing whatsoever to do with speaker quality, sonic or otherwise; it’s a simple quantification of how-loud-per-watt. But if you’re torn between two similar-price speaker models you love equally, choose the higher-sensitivity one. One caveat, and it’s a biggie: due to measurement techniques, environments, and plain old manufacturer mendacity, spec-sheet sensitivity ratings can be extraordinarily variable, so take claimed differences with a double shake of salt. You can check the Test Bench box in our speaker reviews for a statement of each loudspeaker model’s sensitivity that is consistently derived, and easy to compare, across all products.
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