Grado Labs Sonata3 Low-Output Phono Cartridge $600 Review
November 4, 2023 Comments Off on Grado Labs Sonata3 Low-Output Phono Cartridge $600 Review
Would Aristotle consider the low-output Grado Sonata3 cartridge virtuous? His head might be spinning at the mere wonder of our ability to record and reproduce sound with such faithfulness to the original. That said, the low-output version of the Sonata3 has certainly found the electromechanical mean between moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, if not the sonic mean. Like other Grado products, the Sonata3 has a distinct sonic character and a few analog lovers out there may absolutely hate it. But I think most will love its treatment of tonality and separation. The Sonata3 isn’t quite a perfect cartridge, but considering its sound, its look, and the care Grado’s put into its production, it’s a solid deal. The bottom line is that the Sonata3 is worth comparing against the many options in its price class, whether you’re considering a moving-magnet or a moving-coil cartridge. And the fact you can choose the output level most appropriate to your existing equipment? That kind of versatility is a virtue that even the philosophers among us have probably never imagined.
CLEARAUDIO OVATION TURNTABLE AND UNIVERSAL TONEARM REVIEW
November 3, 2023 § 1 Comment
Late in the audition an Acoustic Signature Montana Neo arrived. With all the accessories, the entire Ovation kit costs less than half of the cost of the Montana Neo without a tonearm. The sound of the Montana Neo is bigger and bolder, more dynamic, and with a larger, better-defined sound stage. Incrementally better, for sure. But what surprised me more than any specific improvement is that none of these upgrades in the sonic presentation reflected poorly on the excellent performance of the Ovation turntable. If the Montana Neo gets an “A+” rating, the Ovation is not far behind with a solid “A” rating. The Ovation simply blew the tonearm off a Technics SL-1200G, when the direct drive table sounded significantly inferior.
The Clearaudio Ovation, with options, is an excellent music maker, simple to operate, easy to set up, and reliable in long term use. I am happy having the Montana Neo, specifically for its ability to support two tonearms. But knowing what I know now about the apparent but small improvements attainable with more than double the cost, it is without reservation that the Clearaudio Ovation is recommended as a very high performance and enjoyable turntable.
KEF R3 Meta Loudspeaker Review
November 3, 2023 Comments Off on KEF R3 Meta Loudspeaker Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/kef-r3-meta-loudspeaker
The R3 Meta’s rated 87dB sensitivity and 4ohm nominal impedance might suggest a tougher-than-typical drive, but I found it worked happily with Audiolab’s similarly priced 9000A integrated [HFN Aug ’23], and had superb results with Primare’s beefier, Class D A35.2 power amp [HFN Dec ’19]. Ramp up the level and KEF’s latest standmount rewards with a dynamic, full-range performance.
Some well-worn demo tracks, including Dire Straits’ ‘Telegraph Road’ [Love Over Gold; Vertigo 800 088-2], Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ [Honky Chateau; Mercury 528 162-2], and the York remix of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Ommadawn’ [Tubular Beats; Ear Music; 44kHz/16-bit] reinforced my belief that KEF has achieved something rather special here. This is a well-priced speaker with high-end aspirations and a sound to match.
AQWO 2 Hybrid DAC + SACD/CD + Streamer Review
November 3, 2023 Comments Off on AQWO 2 Hybrid DAC + SACD/CD + Streamer Review
Nordost • Blue Heaven Interconnects, Speaker Cables, and Power Cords
November 2, 2023 § 1 Comment
https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/nordost_blue_heaven.htm
If you want to build a Nordost Blue Heaven loom but do so in installments, start with the QBASE and Blue Heaven power cords. I am firmly convinced that electronic devices cannot work to their full potential until power cords and power distribution/noise reduction are addressed. While power cords may not be as thrilling as purchasing a new electronic component or speaker, my experiences suggest that mixing and matching power components can result in poor performance. It’s also notable that the Blue Heaven power cords and QBASE were used on the listening tour, replacing cords and distribution pieces costing far, far more, yet the sound retained the same level of bass slam and the low noise floor I associate with good, clean power management. This was fairly remarkable for one of Nordost’s “budget” cable lines.
Next, purchase interconnects and then the speaker cables for their clarity and drive. With these two in place, you have the Nordost signature sound. Adding the speaker cables will bring the speed of attack and clarity I’ve discussed, while the RCA interconnects are more neutral, having less effect on the sound of my system.
Provided your DAC needs a USB cable, the Blue Heaven is a fine choice at a budget-friendly price. In my system, the USB cable gave excellent results and was an easy recommendation. Substituting an expensive, well-reviewed USB cable from a competing brand lessened my interest in listening. Timing was confused and the soundstage shrunk. A bit of dullness crept in. The USB swap was definitely more dramatic and clear-cut than swapping RCA interconnects. Even if you have opted to use various brands of cabling in your system, I encourage you to give the Blue Heaven USB a try.
Finally, for those vinyl users needing a DIN-terminated phono cable, the clever engineering Nordost included in their design is easily appreciated. While I’m not plagued with audible hum in the phono stage, the ability to add extra paths for grounding is a nice touch and could be a lifesaver in many systems.
Fyne Audio F502SP Review
November 2, 2023 Comments Off on Fyne Audio F502SP Review
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/fyne-audio-f502sp
Perhaps the Monitor Audio is the most appropriate warm up act as the F502SP takes that crowd-pleasing energy, ramps up the colour, luxury, clarity, spirit and sense of fun, and runs with it. As I’ve found with more modestly priced Fynes, neutrality isn’t necessarily a guiding principle, whereas distilling the music seems to be a natural gift. The SP is cut from the same cloth, but with the advantages of big-boy bandwidth and resolution, not to mention arguably the most solid and precise imaging I’ve heard in the room – a convincing vindication of the isotropic driver topology, I guess.
Hankering for some ‘cosmic’ funk as only Edgar Winter can deliver, Jasmine Nightdreams’ Sky Train streamed from Tidal sounds fresh, incisive and dazzlingly clear with oodles of inner detail and solid, well-shaped bass. My favourite Jools Holland collaboration – with Taj Mahal singing Outskirts Of Town – builds superbly to its balls-out climax, TM beseeching any future offspring to all: “Look-look-look like him”. This can often be a little overwhelming for some smaller speakers that struggle to separate out the competing elements and allow enough dynamic headroom for the song to swell. No problem here. From start to finish, the F502SP sounds beautifully open, expressive and lucid with clean, extended upper frequencies that are naturally textured and free from grain, intricately detailed yet gloriously unforced, the Fyne drawing colour, emotion and ‘substance’ out of the slightly grey recording.
Dan Clark Audio Corina Reference Flagship Electrostatic Headphones Review
November 2, 2023 Comments Off on Dan Clark Audio Corina Reference Flagship Electrostatic Headphones Review
Longdog Audio P6100M
November 1, 2023 Comments Off on Longdog Audio P6100M
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/longdog-audio-p6100m
This is helped along somewhat by the naturally gutsy, barrel-chested sound, but it’s not thuggish or brutish in any way. There is enough slam to really tickle the big 12in bass drivers of my loudspeakers. This power is swiftly deployed; the opening drums on Roxy Music’s More Than This for example, are wonderfully powerful and dramatic when the wick is turned up. Yet still there’s no obvious sense of strain, despite the amplifiers not having a ‘muscle amp’ look about them.
Extended listening ends up with me thoroughly enjoying these Longdog Audio monoblocks. They’re really good at pretty much everything; for example, soundstaging is excellent, with a really ‘out of the box’ presentation that is never less than expansive and three dimensional. Ultimately, perhaps, they don’t have the true grit and insight of some really high-end designs – yet they deliver massive amounts of sound per pound.
Margules Audio U-280SC 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Vacuum Tube Amplifier $12,000 Review
October 31, 2023 § 1 Comment
I learned that even in ultra-linear mode, this amplifier could easily drive the Scansonic speakers to a volume that I considered “realistic.” Not only was the volume more than satisfactory but so was their sound, due to the sound quality prowess of the Margules U-280SC 30th Anniversary tube amplifier. Even though the Scansonic MB5 B speakers cost less than half the price of the speakers that were used for the majority of the audition period, their midrange transparency made it so I felt as if I could hear not only details from the musical signal being sent to the speakers but the details from the musical signal that was sent to the Margules amplifier.
The above description might seem a bit obtuse. Yet, it was the relative amount of transparency of these speakers that led to a feeling that I could imagine hearing through to the Margules amp, and therefore could sense that I could clearly hear the intentions of the musicians, engineers, and producers that were responsible for the recording I was listening to at the time. The Margules amp’s level of transparency was often frighteningly lifelike sounding on some recordings.
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