The Gryphon Power Zone 3 and the Art of No Noise $14,000 Review
October 30, 2025 Comments Off on The Gryphon Power Zone 3 and the Art of No Noise $14,000 Review
Overall, I felt the Power Zone 3 let me hear deeper into the music. There was an unprecedented level of clarity, but it wasn’t etched or “HiFi sounding.” It was just very musical. Notes just flowed in an organic manner. The ultra-low noise floor allowed me to hear details that I had never heard before. Musicians had more presence.
The U.S price is $14,000, which is not insignificant, but competitive among reference line conditioners. I believe this product is a must-audition for audiophiles looking for an ultra-low noise floor and the many, many sonic benefits that brings.
In summary, a state-of-the-art conditioner like the Power Zone 3 was essential to getting the most out of my system. To be honest, I hated that I had to send the unit back to Anthony Chiara.
If you want an effortless and organic sound in your system, you must audition this device. A truly remarkable product.


Audeze LCD-5 Review
October 30, 2025 Comments Off on Audeze LCD-5 Review
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/audeze-lcd-5
Next up Steve Davis’ recording of To Wisdom, The Prize from live LP We See. The trumpet, trombone and saxophone are really clean and bright but not at all edgy. The backing from piano, bass and drums is in perfect proportion to the brass instruments, while the bass is tight and punchy. The piano in particular sounds very natural and beautifully reproduced.
Turning to a classic recording of Barbra Streisand singing Tomorrow to see how it fares with vocals, the LCD-5 presents Streisand’s voice in front of the sparkling and clear orchestral backing, and there is a very natural depth to the recording. The performance is very real and the music exudes refinement throughout the entire track.

Synthesis Roma 96DC+25W Pure A Class Integrated Stereo Amplifier Review
October 29, 2025 Comments Off on Synthesis Roma 96DC+25W Pure A Class Integrated Stereo Amplifier Review
nd while quiet definition, tone, and texture were outstanding from such a reasonably priced product, its Class/A power storage power handling is what truly surprised me. The bass drum whacks on side 2 of the LSO/Dorati/Classic Records The Firebird were nothing less than astonishing. I expected a tube clip of some sort; happily, tube clipping is a little more gentle than a solid-state howl. But I was ready, nonetheless. Nothing. A non-event. All I heard was the initial strike and amazing bass drum resonance in Watford Town Hall’s acoustic.
So, you’re set on tone, texture, and dynamics, but the Roma also images well and reflects the engineer’s vision for soundstage. So my old standby, Stan Ricker’s amazing 1989 MoFi cut of Tea for the Tillerman had all the depth and voice and instrument placement specificity for which the record is famous. And because of its power handling, classic rock fans may audition the Roma with an expectation of excellence.

Degritter • Mk II Record-Cleaning Machine $3600 Review
October 29, 2025 Comments Off on Degritter • Mk II Record-Cleaning Machine $3600 Review
https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/degritter_mk_ii.htm
One final revealing bit: I have three old Pete Seeger records on the Smithsonian Folkways label that I picked up somewhere, one of which had what looked like small whitish dots on both sides — not more than a couple dozen, but enough to be easily seen. These looked like droplets of paint but were possibly bits of paper from their sleeves. I couldn’t chip them off with my thumbnail, and even soaking the records in distilled water and alcohol didn’t loosen the spots so they could be removed. So I decided to clean the record with both the Audio Desk System Pro X and Degritter Mk II to see if either of them could do the trick. Even on its longest cycle, the Pro X didn’t remove or loosen any of the dots on either side of the record. I expected the same from the Degritter Mk II, but I was surprised that when I inspected the record after cleaning and drying, about three quarters of the dots were gone, and the rest could be lightly rubbed off the surface. I then ran the record through the Degritter Mk II a second time, and it looked and sounded great.

PS Audio PowerPlant 20 $9999 Review
October 28, 2025 Comments Off on PS Audio PowerPlant 20 $9999 Review
Specifications don’t usually make music. But here, they explain exactly why the improvements are so immediate. With rock-solid voltage, vanishingly low impedance, and a pure waveform, the P20 gives your components the conditions they need to perform without compromise. Another bonus that most reviews don’t mention is the Ethernet interface! This really unlocks a ton of potential and automation ideas. I have built some automations into my home that allow me to control the outlets. I have written a custom Roon plugin via the API to turn on the triggers or some outlets for amplifiers so that they only run when music is being played. Pretty neat!
In the end, that’s the essence of the PS Audio PowerPlant 20. It isn’t a flashy addition to the rack. It’s the cornerstone, the silent partner that lets everything else sing at its full potential.



Not Even The (Audiophile) Earth Is Flat
October 28, 2025 Comments Off on Not Even The (Audiophile) Earth Is Flat
https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/1025/Not_Even_The_Audiophile_Earth_Is_Flat.htm
Impressive or not, real or not, even a theoretically perfect system, with dead-flat, distortion-free electronics, will still end up being played through speakers in an acoustic environment that may not be perfect. And even if the speakers, themselves, are brilliant designs that tested perfectly flat in an anechoic chamber, that makes far less difference than you might imagine: You’re not going to be playing them in an anechoic chamber, but in your own listening room, at home or elsewhere. And that room is going to have its own characteristics that will affect the sound of the speakers and the entire system, creating something other than what any outside testing might indicate.

PLUSSOUND ALLEGRO II $3,999 Review
October 27, 2025 Comments Off on PLUSSOUND ALLEGRO II $3,999 Review
https://www.headfonia.com/plussound-allegro-ii-review/
PlusSound’s recent track record showed us that it can produce great IEMs with excellent performance. So this is not a classic case of “cable company tries its luck in IEMs”. PlusSound is very serious about IEM manufacturing, and they proved it with the original Allegro already.
Considering they entered the tribrid flagship market immediately, it was a surprising unit that possessed all the flagship IEM sound qualities from the get-go. But the Allegro II takes things a bit further.
The Allegro II refined the original’s sound performance and ironed out some small issues, which I’ve pointed out in the Allegro article. However, the Allegro II is not only more refined, but it’s also different-sounding with a shift in tuning perspective. The new unit improves the sound but also alters it to a more full-bodied, intense, and dynamic territory.

Rega Planar 8 Turntable Review
October 27, 2025 Comments Off on Rega Planar 8 Turntable Review
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/rega-planar-8-turntable
Let’s not mince words. This Rega turntable attacked each record with electrifying energy — controlled chaos, nail-biting drive, and a dynamic range that hit like a nuclear warhead blasting from its silo. Track after track, it unearthed layers of detail, ambient textures, and spatial depth, revealing music in striking three-dimensional relief.
The Rega Planar 8 is an incredible vibration-measuring machine. It’s one of the few times a turntable so completely convinced me of its rhythmic prowess that was undeniable. Each record was a new land to explore, with fresh details unearthed, and new energy unleashed. All of it was allied to a wide soundstage that enveloped and engaged me. In short, the Rega Planar 8 turntable is a triumph of modern turntable wizardry — and it is wholly worthy of your full, rapt attention.

You must be logged in to post a comment.