BURMESTER PHASE 3 SYSTEM £23,800
June 26, 2016 Comments Off on BURMESTER PHASE 3 SYSTEM £23,800
” They need not apply because Phase 3’s only real weakness is a lack of upgradability. This system does not lend itself toward adding separate preamplifiers or power amplifiers, and neither is the amplifier open-ended enough to form the basis of an upgradable system. Whether this is a problem or not comes down to the listener. If you view an audio system in terms of future audio systems, Phase 3 is not for you. If you are done with all of that, and simply want a good sounding system with no eye toward future changes, then Phase 3 is ideal. Personally, I think Phase 3 represents a significant part of audio’s future, as people move away from multiple boxes and toward simpler, uncompromised solutions.”
Tavish Design Minotaur integrated stereo amplifier
June 25, 2016 Comments Off on Tavish Design Minotaur integrated stereo amplifier
“Paired with Bowers & Wilkins’ 805 D3 speakers, the Minotaur’s transparency came to the fore. In fact, I never once thought the Minotaur sounded like a tube amplifier. There was no added warmth or richness, or softened bass I associate with tube electronics. The Minotaur is neutral and clean, and the 805 D3s made that perfectly clear. It was also powerful and dynamics were uninhibited, so the Minotaur got out of the way while letting the music speak for itself.”
Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers Review
June 23, 2016 Comments Off on Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers Review
” Since the Ayre MX-R monoblocks have been a central part of my reference system for the better part of a decade, and as the Twenty upgrade of the MX-Rs (now $29,500/pr.) has itself been ear-opening, it was exciting to hear how far class-D, as implemented in the Mola Mola Kaluga, has scaled that height. Based on my experiences, a valid argument can be made in favor of the Kaluga, which in some parameters — iron-fisted bass control, absolute quiet — beats what I consider to be the best of the class-A/B topology. Both were wonderfully transparent amplifiers able to transmit the underlying performance and emotional appeal. Returning to the Ayres at the end of my listening to the Kalugas, I felt I could relax into the emotional aspect of the music through the MX-R Twentys just a skosh more — although this was perhaps due only to my long intimacy with the Ayres’ sound. Nevertheless, and all things considered, the Kalugas, fed by their companion Makua preamp, trumped the AX-5 Twenty currently presiding over my family-room system. That such an equality of excellence can be achieved with such wildly different approaches — zero-feedback, fully-balanced class-A/B vs. massive-feedback class-D — is a testament to the efficacy of Bruno Putzeys’s designs.”
Audio Research vacuum tube planet – Video
June 21, 2016 Comments Off on Audio Research vacuum tube planet – Video
YAMAHA A-S801 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER AND YBA-11 BLUETOOTH WIRELESS ADAPTER
June 20, 2016 Comments Off on YAMAHA A-S801 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER AND YBA-11 BLUETOOTH WIRELESS ADAPTER
” Finally, I challenged the A-S801 with full orchestra, playing Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony’s recording of a favorite piece: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 [Reference Recordings/NativeDSD]. (If you’re unfamiliar with NativeDSD.com, its rapidly growing catalog specializes in downloads of high-resolution music recorded in DSD and DXD formats, including DSD256.) The opening bars nearly blew me off the couch, since I had forgotten to reduce the listening level after playing Just a Little Lovin’. But even at that level, there was no strain to the sound. The DSD128 indicator light on the A-S801’s front panel came on verifying that the A-S801’s DAC was indeed playing that extra-high-resolution format, and the orchestral sound was gloriously natural—tons of detail, harmonically rich, with distinct but continuous dynamic levels.”
Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers $16,500 Review
June 19, 2016 Comments Off on Mola Mola Kaluga Mono Amplifiers $16,500 Review
” During the months I listened to the Kaluga, and regardless of the preamplifier used — at first my Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty, then Mola Mola’s Makua, and finally Ayre’s Codex in variable output mode — I experienced an ease that I’d hoped for but could not assume I would hear. This ease not only defied the conventional wisdom regarding the limitations of class-D sound, but embodied the sense of musical reality often attributed to and associated most closely with class-A amplification.”
NUPRIME IDA-8 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $995 REVIEW
June 17, 2016 Comments Off on NUPRIME IDA-8 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $995 REVIEW
“In my experience, the downsides to the IDA-8 were few. Upon occasion, the upper treble thinned out a touch, but not much. Can fans might well miss a headphone input option. The only moments I felt something was missing occurred when the sound of the digitally converted analog signal softened ever so slightly due to A-to-D processing; the effect is quite subtle and hard to describe, but once in a while, it seemed some of the raw impact on my LPs was lost. I want to stress that the instances when I noticed this were few and far between and never detracted from my musical enjoyment. Perhaps digital devotees would not register this. The tradeoff here, I would say, is the IDA-8’s consistently lovely and uncannily liquid presentation.”
Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier $12,250 Review
June 8, 2016 Comments Off on Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier $12,250 Review
“The Rowland Continuum S2 impacts repertoire of all types so positively. Voices sound present and pinpoint in space; Sinatra of the 70s has the ciggy rasp at the back of some phrases and Ella swings effortlessly. Miles is Miles, his one note saying more than a thousand others spinning whole albums. It gets all the things you’ll ever need regarding your pre and power needs, but it’s the musical magic it brings to the listening room and its adaptability that’ll have you locking the door behind the dealer with the Rowland remaining in your rack. Very highly recommended. ”
Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier $12,250 Review
June 8, 2016 Comments Off on Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated Amplifier $12,250 Review
“The Rowland Continuum S2 impacts repertoire of all types so positively. Voices sound present and pinpoint in space; Sinatra of the 70s has the ciggy rasp at the back of some phrases and Ella swings effortlessly. Miles is Miles, his one note saying more than a thousand others spinning whole albums. It gets all the things you’ll ever need regarding your pre and power needs, but it’s the musical magic it brings to the listening room and its adaptability that’ll have you locking the door behind the dealer with the Rowland remaining in your rack. Very highly recommended. ”
Parasound Halo 2.1 $2,495 Review
June 3, 2016 Comments Off on Parasound Halo 2.1 $2,495 Review
” Parasound’s effort to integrate the quality of separates into a single, functional, aesthetically-pleasing unit capable of providing high quality sound paid off in the Parasound Halo 2.1 Channel Integrated Amplifier, providing your speakers aren’t too inefficient or listening room too large. It’s certainly a well-built piece with a very nice internal DAC, adjustable analog crossover, flexible phono stage for duty in both stereo and surround sound applications, with our without subwoofers. The Halo does sound very good and is worthy of placing it on your short list of auditions.”
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