Degritter Record Cleaner Review

May 8, 2023 Comments Off on Degritter Record Cleaner Review

Every fluid and vacuum RCM we’ve tried always leaves a tiny bit of residue, even after a second distilled water wash only. It’s not the end of the world as we know it, but if you have a highly resolving system, you might hear a slight bit of swishing noise, almost like a faint hiss from a tape deck with a lot of wow and flutter. The ultrasonic method has none of this.

Even with a brand new record, (which we always suggest you clean anyway) the level of surface noise eliminated by the Degritter is almost like putting a better grade of tubes in your phono preamplifier. That kind of thing.

McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amplifier Overview 

May 8, 2023 Comments Off on McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amplifier Overview 

B&W 703 S3 Loudspeaker Review

May 7, 2023 Comments Off on B&W 703 S3 Loudspeaker Review

https://www.hifinews.com/content/bw-703-s3-loudspeaker

Play to its strengths, with the quiet, string motifs of ‘Winter 2’ from Max Richter [Recomposed… Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Deutsche Grammophon 4862769], or the aforementioned Doors tracks, and the 703 S3 appears to be the steal of the century. With the more congested midrange mania of Motörhead’s ‘Killed By Death’ [No Remorse; Sanctuary Records 2748857], however, you might seek a little more snarl and edge.

A counter to this minor quibble is the ability of the 703 S3s to respond to a serious push. Fed the massed strings, thrilling woodwind and forceful brass of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9, performed by the Berlin Philharmoniker/Herbert Von Karajan [9 Symphonies; Deutsche Grammophon 96kHz/24-bit], the speakers punched back with a big, detailed but composed performance as I dialled up the volume. Evidently B&W’s 703s S3s are themselves something of an ode to joy

TEAC UD-701N ALL-IN-ONE MUSIC STREAMER $4,299 REVIEW

May 7, 2023 Comments Off on TEAC UD-701N ALL-IN-ONE MUSIC STREAMER $4,299 REVIEW

TEAC’s UD-701N impressed me with its transparency, speed, and detail retrieval. Impressive with its black background and its ability to add pieces made this an easy recommendation. The ability to listen at this level and a product that competes with much more expensive gear make this a bargain. If you want musicality and finesse with a dead silent background that is future-proof you should audition the TEAC UD-701N. Big thumbs up to what will be my new endgame reference system. Purchasing the unit gives it my highest recommendation

The Boulder 866. integrated amplifier Review

May 7, 2023 Comments Off on The Boulder 866. integrated amplifier Review

Focal Utopia 2022 Headphones $4999 Review

May 6, 2023 Comments Off on Focal Utopia 2022 Headphones $4999 Review

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/reference-components/1764-recommended-reference-component-focal-utopia-2022-headphones

Brent chose a great pair of headphones for his swan-song review, even if he found the Utopia 2022s “a little soft on top” and sounding not quite “as spectacularly spacious” as some other competitive designs. These were obviously insignificant issues for Brent, because he declared that the Utopia 2022s are “among the world’s best” headphones: “From 12kHz on down (likely the range of hearing of most of the people who could afford these!), you cannot do better.” The praise in his review left us with no doubt that, like the original Utopias, this latest version of Focal’s flagship headphones fully deserved the Reviewers’ Choice award presented when the review was published—and these superb headphones also merit our Recommended Reference Component award this month.

Nessie Vinylcleaner ProPlus+ record cleaning machine $2495 Review

May 6, 2023 Comments Off on Nessie Vinylcleaner ProPlus+ record cleaning machine $2495 Review

https://www.stereophile.com/content/nessie-vinylcleaner-proplus-record-cleaning-machine

There’s something to be said for the Nessie’s pleasing method of action, which mirrors a turntable’s action (except for those frequent reversals of direction). The Nessie is well-suited for vinyl lovers who clean records frequently and like to be involved in the process—but not too involved. The Nessie made me want to clean my records, more often and more scrupulously.

The Nessie is not the least expensive record cleaning machine on the market—nor is it the most expensive; Music Direct calls it a Goldilocks machine. It made cleaning records easy and was fun to use—even habit-forming. It may sound goofy, but I mean it seriously: It’s a good way to spend more time with your records. Most importantly, it works: Records sounded better after a good Nessie cleaning—even new records.

HiBy Zeta tribrid IEM $1,399 Review

May 5, 2023 Comments Off on HiBy Zeta tribrid IEM $1,399 Review

There’s good detail with good extension. Yet, you shouldn’t expect Zeta to be the ultimate treble performer in this price range. It prioritizes the bass first, then mids, and then you start to realize it has good treble too.  

It doesn’t hide anything from you, but it’s not a very crisp or bright treble response. If you like that kind of sound, Zeta might come a bit polite for your preference. Microdetail retrieval is nice too. The whole presentation is resolving, but again, a bit thicker than neutral. 

Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero $54,000 Review

May 2, 2023 Comments Off on Wilson Benesch A.C.T. 3Zero $54,000 Review

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/wilson-benesch-act-3zero

Take a step back and you’ll find the 3Zero’s tonal balance is superbly judged. To our ears, it is as neutral as they come with both frequency extremes integrated so well that it becomes hard to talk about them as separate entities. This is a wonderfully unified sound that rivals what we hear through the very best electrostatic designs and is made all the more impressive by knowing that there are no less than five separate drivers involved. Note, those very same electrostatic designs can’t match the Wilson Benesch in punch and attack.

Our time with these speakers is a blur of music as we work our way through our collection, finding musical treats around every corner. Poor recordings are revealed as such without the speakers going out of their way to make things worse, while better recordings such as Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis or Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall burst through with musical energy firmly intact. 

New Tien Audio Vacuum Vinyl Flattener $3000 Review

May 2, 2023 Comments Off on New Tien Audio Vacuum Vinyl Flattener $3000 Review

https://www.monoandstereo.com/2023/04/new-tien-audio-vacuum-vinyl-flattener.html

The use of vacuum technology in vinyl flattening machines has become increasingly popular due to its effectiveness. Unlike the traditional use of gravity to press, which is limited when faced with uneven records, vacuum technology can reach up to 1 kg/cm2, providing a more effective solution. Additionally, vacuum technology allows for heavy pressing without directly touching the track, reducing the weight of the machine.

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