Spotify Review
September 22, 2024 Comments Off on Spotify Review
https://www.whathifi.com/spotify/review
As you’d reasonably expect, Spotify’s free tier isn’t nearly as robust as Premium, but there is still a lot on offer. Of course, the adverts must be tolerated – and they pop up every few songs. Sound quality is capped at 128kbps on its web player and approximately 160kbps on its desktop and mobile apps. Free users can’t ‘download’ songs to listen to offline, nor can they get full control of playback; save for some ‘Pick and Play’ playlists, albums and playlists can only be shuffled. The free service does offer access to most of Spotify’s premium library, though, including the ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist, one of the real jewels of Spotify’s music discovery algorithms.
Unsurprisingly, more folks take advantage of the free tier than the paid-for one – roughly 380 million compared to 246 million – but Spotify’s paying subscribers have grown by around 30 per cent in the past two years and are significantly higher in number than the competition.
There’s plenty to persuade people to go Premium: improved audio quality (approximately 320kbps), offline listening, the freedom to search and skip tracks on all platforms and, of course, no adverts. Spotify Connect, which allows Premium subscribers to cast the catalogue directly to the vast number of compatible speakers, TVs and audio systems on the market today, remains one of the biggest draws.
First Listen: dCS Varèse DAC system
September 22, 2024 Comments Off on First Listen: dCS Varèse DAC system
DanaCables Lazuli Vocalise for Abyss AB1266 Review
September 21, 2024 Comments Off on DanaCables Lazuli Vocalise for Abyss AB1266 Review
I’ve heard less variation in these headphones changing amplifiers actually, so the Lazuli Vocalise really were doing something that I’ve never heard on an aftermarket cable upgrade. This cable helped Norah’s voice shine through like I’ve never experienced with the AB1266 Phi TC headphones. Bass was also very clear, taught, and punchy, and all without bleeding into the midrange. This cable seemed to offer a concrete fence between the bass and mid-range like no other. With cheaper cables, this area could be smeared a smidge, that the Lazuli Vocalise controlled the speaker-like bass of these headphones with such precision had me truly impressed. Finally, the sense of air and space with this cable was also a cut above both the stock cable and other after-market cables I have tried (all costing significantly less). The sound staging was literally the best I’ve ever experienced. So while not cheap, if you are looking for the “final piece to your Phi TC puzzle”, this cable might be exactly what you’re looking for!
Clearaudio Concept Signature £3116 Review
September 21, 2024 Comments Off on Clearaudio Concept Signature £3116 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/clearaudio-concept-signature
I couldn’t resist swapping the Concept V2 MM pick-up for my regular Clearaudio MC Essence and was surprised by the uplift in performance. The Concept V2 MM is no slouch, despite being a ‘budget’ pick-up, but the MC Essence opened the door to a wider soundstage and a generally punchier sound, all the while illustrating what the Concept Signature turntable and Profiler arm have lurking in the tank.
It also added a welcome crispness to the high treble that is otherwise slightly muted by the softer balance of the Concept V2 MM. The good news, clearly, is that while the package reviewed here makes for a potent combination, there’s still untapped potential to be realised.
D’Agostino Relentless 800 Review
September 20, 2024 Comments Off on D’Agostino Relentless 800 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/dagostino-relentless-800
For the obverse of these two clear-voiced warblers, I looked to Ozzy Osbourne, his masterful Under Cover [Epic 82876743142] showing exquisite taste in his versions of rock classics. Listening to ‘Mississippi Queen’, with its originator Leslie West providing a ferocious lead guitar break, Ozzy’s rasp demonstrated vividly that the ’800 was not even remotely saccharine, despite my ears telling me that it sounded as sweet as any massive solid-state amp I have ever heard – including the ‘original’ Relentless.
But there was more. Out came a vinyl copy of Led Zeppelin II [Atlantic SD 8236] with the famed Bob Ludwig cut. Within ten seconds of ‘Whole Lotta Love’, cranked up to 11, I experienced a rare audiophile epiphany. The mass, the slam, the scale, the presence: it was as close to real as it gets.
Monitor Audio Gold 300 6G Loudspeaker $5599 Review
September 20, 2024 Comments Off on Monitor Audio Gold 300 6G Loudspeaker $5599 Review
The Monitor Audio Gold 300 6G is a most capable, highly refined loudspeaker. It is neutral and transparent, revealing the subtlest recorded detail (and any upstream change to equipment and interconnects). It is fast and dynamic, and it is honest, adding neither warmth nor color to recordings. Given its neutrality and transparency, the Gold 300 6G would be a good match to a ruler-flat front end. I’d be reluctant to pair it with brighter components, though. All told, the Monitor Audio Gold 300 6G is a high-performance loudspeaker that lives up to its gold-standard pedigree.
Lumley Review
September 19, 2024 Comments Off on Lumley Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/cor-lumley
The Lumley components keep their character so well hidden that all you have to listen to is the music. If I have to pick a character that is just discernible after listening for months to this system it is just a trace of hardness in the midband – an effect that I ascribe to moving-coil drive units being forced to do what they naturally would not do – sound like panel diaphragms! But this is such a small effect that it is hardly worth commenting on. Otherwise the system sounds incredibly lifelike irrespective of the listening level chosen.
SW1X Audio triode integrated amplifier Review
September 19, 2024 Comments Off on SW1X Audio triode integrated amplifier Review
The characteristic of the central Voxativ field-coil driver in its exquisite response to the integrated amplifier alone spoke volumes. Even when playing famously “dry” sounding digital recordings, the delicacy of the driver as driven by the SW1X unveiled textures of the strings and woodwinds to such degrees as to be unprecedented. One could almost surmise from experiencing the AMP V Titan Special that those dry recordings are purer sounding. Here, perhaps even a mere four 300B or 2A3 watts would’ve sufficed, and the quality of every watt coming out of the SW1X AMP V Titan Special cannot be overstated
Clearaudio Concept Signature Review
September 18, 2024 Comments Off on Clearaudio Concept Signature Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/clearaudio-concept-signature
I couldn’t resist swapping the Concept V2 MM pick-up for my regular Clearaudio MC Essence and was surprised by the uplift in performance. The Concept V2 MM is no slouch, despite being a ‘budget’ pick-up, but the MC Essence opened the door to a wider soundstage and a generally punchier sound, all the while illustrating what the Concept Signature turntable and Profiler arm have lurking in the tank.
It also added a welcome crispness to the high treble that is otherwise slightly muted by the softer balance of the Concept V2 MM. The good news, clearly, is that while the package reviewed here makes for a potent combination, there’s still untapped potential to be realised.
FiiO K11 R2R $159 Review
September 18, 2024 Comments Off on FiiO K11 R2R $159 Review
K11 R2R has a well-thought-out back panel for the price, housing a variety of inputs and outputs, including USB, optical, and coaxial inputs alongside 4.4mm, 6.35mm, and RCA outputs. This assortment of connections makes K11 R2R ready to pair with a broad array of sources, from consoles (thanks to UAC1) to phones and computers.
There are some practical design choices here as well; thanks to the big and wide silicone anti-slip pad, the device stays firmly in place, while the RGB logo lighting on the top lets you know the sampling rate with a quick glance. The illumination is pleasantly uniform and easy on the eyes.
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.