Marantz Model 40n $2499 Review
August 13, 2023 Comments Off on Marantz Model 40n $2499 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/marantz-model-40n-review
It’s the same story regardless of which source you’re using – vinyl, hi-res streams or whether listening through headphones – the 40n offers an undemanding listen. This isn’t an analytical beast and we’re fine with that, but we wish it was more willing to dig up textures and nuance, to marshall rhythms with more precision and accuracy to really captivate us. Dynamically, we wish it worked a bit harder to relay the inherent drama and tension within a piece of music.
Obel’s ethereal vocals and that cello in The Cursed should tear at your heart; it doesn’t here. The Model 40n plays it safe, smoothing off the edges of Eminem’s biting lyrics to appeal to a wider variety of listeners. Rival systems such as the Evo and Uniti do a better job of engrossing us in the music; they’re simply more insightful, musically engaging and dynamically exciting by degrees.
Linn 360 Floorstanding Loudspeaker £55,000 Review
August 13, 2023 Comments Off on Linn 360 Floorstanding Loudspeaker £55,000 Review
Linn’s engineers are never happy; they are always improving things. And some audiophiles are never happy too, but for different reasons. There are going to be a lot of detractors. Those who spent decades building up top-end Linn systems will find the uprated price of admission hard to swallow. There will be those who think Linn should be trawling its past rather than building its future, and they will want an Isobarik because they always want an Isobarik. And there will be those with verysiloed thinking who can’t see past the LP12. Note that none of these ‘negatives’ relate to the product itself, except maybe that exposed midrange dome is a magnet for little fingers. But having sat and listened to the 360, there’s not much to dislike.
Rega Planar 10 Turntable and Aphelion 2 Cartridge $6345 Review
August 12, 2023 Comments Off on Rega Planar 10 Turntable and Aphelion 2 Cartridge $6345 Review
Rega has delivered a superb flagship vinyl spinner that competes closely with the very finest at its price point. Indeed, for a deck of this caliber, the price makes it something of a bargain. For 50 years, Gandy and his team have been steadily refining their distinct design and engineering principles, and the Planar 10 is a fully developed realization of their priorities. It’s incredibly simple to set up, beautifully made, and aesthetically pleasing. Combined with its captivating sound, those characteristics make it easy to recommend the Planar 10, without reservation. Few decks are capable of expressing the mood and atmosphere of music to this degree and I really enjoyed that particular quality in the Planar 10. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m heading back to that late-night bar in Rio. There’s a leggy Brazilian still waiting for me with a caipirinha
SOFTEARS STUDIO 4 REVIEW
August 12, 2023 Comments Off on SOFTEARS STUDIO 4 REVIEW
The mids have nice refinement and texture, along with a pleasant natural timbre. The positioning and detail are also impressive. With all that being said, the layering performance isn’t the best to my ears, and sometimes you hear congestion in the mid-range. It seems as though the vocals and instruments are confined to a limited space and cannot freely move beyond it. The source device can affect this trait to some degree, but you hear it occasionally. Of course, I don’t expect a sub-500$ to sound exceptionally spacious, but you just be aware.
Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk.2 turntable, TA-9000 tonearm $17,995 Review
August 11, 2023 Comments Off on Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk.2 turntable, TA-9000 tonearm $17,995 Review
Acoustic Signature’s top tonearm model is available in lengths of 9″ or 12″; I chose the 9″ version of this very handsome design ($17,995). The arm pivots, horizontally and vertically, on preloaded precision ball bearings produced in the US by Timken and adjusted in-house by a bearing specialist.
Much of the arm’s cost is due to its innovative armtube. Gunther Frohnhöfer claims that you can go “stiff and light” with carbon fiber, with the disadvantage of undamped resonances within the audioband, or opt for die-cast aluminum or magnesium tubes, which are relatively stiff, but heavy and also not well damped. Frohnhöfer’s solution to the problem of producing a lightweight, extremely stiff, well-damped armtube was to use two concentric aluminum tubes, both with conical exteriors. The tubes are bound together with more than 700 branch-like connecting pads, arranged in a spiral around the inner tube—an incredibly complex construction.
SHANLING M9 PLUS REVIEW
August 11, 2023 Comments Off on SHANLING M9 PLUS REVIEW
I feel the M9 Plus has a bit more leaner and more controlled bass than the M9. The bass hits cleaner with more focus and to me, it sounds quicker. The decay is nicely done and the bass overall has excellent balance. I’m surprised that Shanling took a more neutral approach here, but it makes the player sound wider and more spacious in my opinion. The new audio circuit of the M9 Plus certainly makes a significant difference in the bass section, as the bass region is very clean, detailed, and textured.
Overall the presentation is more dispersed, wide, and open than the predecessors. The mid-range focus is no longer prominent, and the spectrum has a great balance. I’m very impressed by the development of the Shanling flagship players starting from the M8. The M8 was an excellent DAP but the presentation was solely musical. Then came the M9 and refined/improved its qualities, taking a step ahead for being a reference player. Now, this new M9 Plus is the latest step towards being more airy, reference, and maybe a bit more “studio-like” to some degree.
I Made A Custom Vinyl Record Using The Cheapest Service Available
August 11, 2023 Comments Off on I Made A Custom Vinyl Record Using The Cheapest Service Available
Cabasse The Pearl Akoya Review
August 10, 2023 Comments Off on Cabasse The Pearl Akoya Review
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/cabasse-pearl-akoya
The lack of support for AirPlay means The Pearl Akoya won’t fit into a multi-room setup with speakers from other manufacturers. It’s considerably more expensive than most of its similarly specced rivals, and the sometimes erratic app also proves frustrating at times. However, it delivers the goods with its rich, clear sound quality. It’s particularly effective with voices and lighter music. If you’re looking for a compact speaker that can really fill the room with its clear, detailed sound, The Pearl Akoya certainly deserves a listen.
HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO $599 REVIEW
August 9, 2023 Comments Off on HIFIMAN ANANDA NANO $599 REVIEW
The ear pads, which are user-replaceable, attach to the headphones via small clips. They are made from polyester and pleather, filled with medium-density foam. The portion that comes into contact with your skin is perforated polyester, effectively mitigating any sweat-related discomfort. The ear pads are large-sized and asymmetrically shaped to completely envelop your ears. This design ensures that your ears don’t touch the inside of the pads, enhancing overall comfort during extended listening sessions
The Ananda Nano’s color scheme is a tasteful combination of silver and black. In my opinion, this duo of colors is a fitting choice for a headphone of this caliber, as it conveys a modern and also professional aesthetic.
Audiophilepure 
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