CLARUS AQUA MARK II CABLES AND CONCERTO/DUET POWER CONDITIONER $2,520 REVIEW
November 19, 2023 Comments Off on CLARUS AQUA MARK II CABLES AND CONCERTO/DUET POWER CONDITIONER $2,520 REVIEW
I started this review process with the promise that it would be a thorough shakedown of this $20,000 package as a whole. Joe Perfito was confident enough that his entire response when I told him this would be reported on honestly, good or bad, he responded with ‘fair enough.’
Let us end this review with that honest assessment. I personally have enjoyed how much improvement my (let’s use rough numbers) $45,000 system has gained with the $20,000 Clarus/Concerto package. I do not believe that this system could have improved as much in performance by spending the entire $65,000 on the primary audio components and using the standard cables and power straight from the wall. It was not a surprise that the Clarus/Concerto package performed well. What was a surprise was coming away from this four-month experience with the revelation that this would be a tremendous way to improve one’s system without having to go through the process of replacing one’s components. In other words, to me, this $20,000 is a bargain.
Black Magic Ultra and Black Magic Gold Review
November 18, 2023 Comments Off on Black Magic Ultra and Black Magic Gold Review
Although chunky, meaty, well-paced, and foot-tappingly rhythmic, the cable sounds steadier and more relaxed than the Jorma Unity or my affordable favorite, the Driade Flow Link Reference 808. Both are leaner but also nimbler and subjectively faster, and both are airier and more refined. But while the Jorma is more impactful and timbrally convincing than the Driade, neither has the “live”-like robustness, stance, tonal saturation, “meat on the bones”, and overall weight that exemplifies the Mad Scientist cable.
As a final test, I connected the Black Magic Gold interlink with a dCS stack that happened to be on visit at this time: the Paganini Clock/USB interface and Puccini CD player/DAC. This turned out to be a particularly well-working combination, the Black Magic Gold’s body and tonal saturation marrying beautifully with the dCS combo’s slightly lean and highly detailed nature. The dCS combo’s inherent purity and cleanness were expressed well without leaning toward clinicality. But it must be said that, here, too, the treble did not quite have the level of nuance, air, and ultra-high resolution that the combo can produce with the Driade or the Jorma. Nevertheless, the combination sounds articulate yet energetic and, again, timbrally very natural, harmonically rich, and overall very convincing.
T+A Elektroakustik Solitaire S 530 Loudspeaker $44,900 Review
November 17, 2023 Comments Off on T+A Elektroakustik Solitaire S 530 Loudspeaker $44,900 Review
In conclusion, Hans writes that the S 530 is different from any other loudspeaker he has heard in more than a decade of reviewing high-end gear—different in the way it looks and different in the way it sounds, which was “profoundly, stupefyingly good.” He declares the Solitaire S 530 the best-sounding loudspeaker he had ever heard. Hans’s praise for the S 530, which pervades his review, earned this loudspeaker a Reviewers’ Choice award at the time the review was published. Those same words earned it our Recommended Reference Component award this month.
CLARUS AQUA MARK II CABLES AND CONCERTO/DUET POWER CONDITIONER $2,520 REVIEW
November 17, 2023 Comments Off on CLARUS AQUA MARK II CABLES AND CONCERTO/DUET POWER CONDITIONER $2,520 REVIEW
We audio enthusiasts are known for our devotion to finding that last ‘ounce’ of performance from our systems. We often see publications suggest that ‘this system performs at 90 percent of a system that costs 10 times more.’ We scour over our budgets. We want the type of system that makes our friends to be either jealous or to think we are crazy. Sometimes it is both.
I started this review process with the promise that it would be a thorough shakedown of this $20,000 package as a whole. Joe Perfito was confident enough that his entire response when I told him this would be reported on honestly, good or bad, he responded with ‘fair enough.’
Let us end this review with that honest assessment. I personally have enjoyed how much improvement my (let’s use rough numbers) $45,000 system has gained with the $20,000 Clarus/Concerto package. I do not believe that this system could have improved as much in performance by spending the entire $65,000 on the primary audio components and using the standard cables and power straight from the wall. It was not a surprise that the Clarus/Concerto package performed well. What was a surprise was coming away from this four-month experience with the revelation that this would be a tremendous way to improve one’s system without having to go through the process of replacing one’s components. In other words, to me, this $20,000 is a bargain.
HIFIMAN Audivina Closed-Back Planar Studio Headphones $1999 Review
November 16, 2023 Comments Off on HIFIMAN Audivina Closed-Back Planar Studio Headphones $1999 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews2023/9/3/a2bz2wiltmy4me5mbg1w5omktu5c3t
The Audivina at $1999 is a bargain and a super compromise for those seeking the special sound quality that wood can offer while also delivering what is needed in the studio.
They can stay on your head for long periods without discomfort and can safely be popped into a backpack kept safe for travel. I can’t imagine someone in a studio situation who would not want these—highly recommended.
Rega Naia Turntable Review
November 16, 2023 Comments Off on Rega Naia Turntable Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2023/10/13/rega-naia-turntable
As review time was limited (Audiophilia policy is three months with gear, but special dispensation was made for the circumstances), I chose each record very carefully to test specific attributes of the ‘table. One of my favourites is the 1972 Decca Varèse LP by Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (Edgard Varèse; France, 1883 – 1965). Superb in any guise, including the London and Speakers Corner pressings, the Decca is spectacular in soundstage depth and tests the ability of the analogue front end to replicate the myriad of subtle percussive timbres and image placement (
Wilson LoKe subwoofer $8950 Review
November 14, 2023 Comments Off on Wilson LoKe subwoofer $8950 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-loke-subwoofer
I expected bass to be bigger, deeper, and more fleshed out with the LōKē. That it certainly was. What I did not expect was the ability of Wilson’s smallest subwoofer to enhance every aspect of the listening experience—especially the sense of space. As the soundstage grew deeper, wider, and more coherent, as soundstage boundaries became more evident, as air between and around instruments and voices increased and the quality of music reproduction rose to mesmerizing levels, my appreciation for the transformative potential of the LōKē grew exponentially.
Audition the LōKē. Throw all your favorite music at it, and give it a major bass workout. Turn it on and off and on again and discover for yourself what a difference it makes. If your room and speakers are appropriate for its size and power and your budget allows, it’s hard to imagine that you won’t be tempted to invite Thor’s little brother into your system for a long stay. My highest recommendation.
Electrocompaniet AW 800 M stereo/monoblock power amplifier $45,000 Review
November 14, 2023 Comments Off on Electrocompaniet AW 800 M stereo/monoblock power amplifier $45,000 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/electrocompaniet-aw-800-m-stereomonoblock-power-amplifier
The AW 800 M’s unique voice is perhaps best described by returning to where I started, with soup. In the most miraculous miso soup I ever tasted, meticulously cut, carefully proportioned, and impeccably arranged vegetables and herbs floated free from each other in a clear, savory broth. Each morsel had its own unique flavor, as did the broth itself. Because no taste overpowered any other, the entire bouquet of flavors was there to savor.
Many humans would gladly exchange that miso masterpiece for a bowl of the Atlantic Fish Company’s finest Boston Clam Chowder. Need I begin to recount how different they are in taste, consistency, subtlety of flavors (or lack thereof), and appearance?
Which is superior? Our frequent online critics will be all too eager to either supply a definitive answer or to state that only by measuring certain viscous parameters can you be sure which soup is best. I, in turn, would advise you, unless you have specific allergies or sensitivities, to stick with taste. As different as they are, you may find you crave both. And even if you prefer one over the other, you’ll be richer for the experience—as you will for tasting the Electrocompaniet AW 800 M Reference mono
Chord Electronics Ultima 6 Power Amplifier $9925 Review
November 13, 2023 Comments Off on Chord Electronics Ultima 6 Power Amplifier $9925 Review
In terms of detail retrieval, transparency, bandwidth, soundstage, and stability, the Ultima 6 is up there with power amplifiers at the top of its price class. I absolutely loved it, especially when driven by my Naim NAC 82 preamp, which added a little more exuberance to the sound. Partnered with the matching Ultima Pre 3, the combination was also deeply impressive, and offered a superb insight into the music. This combination was particularly notable for the way it handled low-level detail, such as ambient cues, the sound of fingers on guitar, or the subtle inflections in the vocal performance of an artist. The sound was never fatiguing, and always absolutely natural. It’s easy to see why the BBC uses Chord amplification.
McIntosh C12000 preamplifier $16,000 Review
November 13, 2023 Comments Off on McIntosh C12000 preamplifier $16,000 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/mcintosh-c12000-preamplifier
People who invent new roses utilize a process called hybridization. Thousands of new roses can be traced back to a few wild rose species. McIntosh has cross-pollinated tubed and solid state electronics, resulting in lovely sonic flavors and colors. The C12000 blends the best from both worlds while also offering a choice, honoring both innovation and tradition. My time auditioning the C12000 was memorable. Considering its flexibility, whatever your priorities, now and in the future, the McIntosh C12000 2-Channel Solid State and Vacuum Tube Preamplifier merits close consideration if you can swing the price. I bought the review sample. Definitively Class A
Audiophilepure 
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