Audiophilepure

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1228-naim-audio-nac-332-preamplifier-and-npx-300-power-supply

The substitution of Naim’s new NAP 350 monoblock pair ($8499 each) for my resident NAP 250 power amplifier brought more bass slam, improved dynamism, and a sense of greater ease. Drums and percussion hit harder, and the tom-tom drums and bass guitar had greater solidity. Bass was frequently more tangible, and at times seismic. After gunning the Naim combo on “Need You Tonight,” from the INXS album Kick (16/44.1 FLAC, Rhino Atlantic / Tidal), the drums and bass were really moving air in the room through my ATC SCM40s. This is an infectiously danceable track, and it had absolutely superb rhythm, timing, and groove via the all-Naim system. It was hard to resist the urge to slip into full Michael Hutchence mode and start pouting and gyrating across the room. I’ve had the experience of doing just that during a review, only to turn around and see three of my daughter’s friends, faces pressed to the glass, watching me through the window with a look of amusement. That was no big deal when they were kids, but now that they’re uber-cool young women, I fear all dignity would be lost.

I also heard and enjoyed all the ambiance of the venue. Take “Solar” as one example. Not only can you hear the audience noises, but I also hear the lifelike sound of Scott LaFaro’s fingers on the strings across a backdrop of sweet drumming and the “inconsiderate” audience making audience noise (and talking!) All this came to the fore on the bass solo.

Did I mention Evans’ piano yet? Well, it’s a versatile instrument: Bill Evans was a jazz virtuoso, and the RP-5 allowed all this to be front and center. So, the piano was melodic and percussive in equal parts. The Rogue provided a very natural representation of a real-world instrument. “Alice in Wonderland” was another standout where the piano in particular had a starring role throughout the forte passages during which the bass really anchored the ensemble. The Rogue RP-5 v2 made it all sound so musically satisfying.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/reference-components/1847-recommended-reference-component-simaudio-moon-791-streaming-preamplifier

Simaudio’s Moon 791 has received much attention and much praise on SoundStage! Network sites during 2023, as did the Moon 740P ten years earlier. In the December 1 review, the 791 earned a Reviewers’ Choice award, as the 740P did in 2013. The next accolade came on December 15, when the 791 was recognized as one of the Products of the Year for 2023, as was the 740P before it. Now, the Recommended Reference Component award is yet another formal recognition the 791 shares with its predecessor. And while garnering the same accolades, the 791 far surpasses its predecessor with its DAC, streaming module, phono stage, and broad connectivity. That it does so without compromising performance is a stunning achievement fully deserving of every honor that the SoundStage! Network can bestow

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/marchand-electronics-ln112-mc-phono-preamp

Overall, I had a great time listening to those five RVG Blue Note LPs with the Marchand Electronics LN112 phono preamp. As I mentioned back in the Setup section, the LN112’s lack of a power button was a bit of a nuisance — but, as Dr. Marchand noted in his earlier direct response, he will (hopefully) correct that soon enough. Other than that pesky nit, I can confirm the Marchand Electronics LN112 is a musical-sounding — and quite satisfying — MC tube phono preamp that, without question, deserves an audition, so I say go ahead and give it a shot.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1842-simaudio-moon-791-streaming-preamplifier

That the MiND Controller app showed the DSD resolution is one indication of the tight integration of Roon, MiND 2, and the 791. Another is that Roon also transfers each album’s graphic to both the MiND Controller app and the 791’s front-panel display. This integration goes beyond the sharing of playback information: a volume-level change in Roon is synced with the app and the 791 with minimal lag. I also noticed that the track-skip function on both the BRM-1 remote control and within the MiND Controller app was synced to the one in Roon. Finally, I discovered that when the 791 is on standby, an audio signal from Roon will kick it back to life and automatically select the MiND input if another is selected, which is all very convenient.