Shunyata Research Venom-X Speaker Cable $1999 Review
December 9, 2022 Comments Off on Shunyata Research Venom-X Speaker Cable $1999 Review
Venom-X speaker cables aren’t cheap, but as Shunyata claims, they provided performance beyond what I would expect from the fairly modest price (by high-end standards); they compared quite favorably with my more expensive reference cables. So if you have made a significant investment in a high-end audio system, the Venom-X could be just what you are looking for in a speaker cable, and at a price that is lower than what you might expect to pay for its level of performance.
dCS Rossini Apex DAC $32,800 Review
December 9, 2022 Comments Off on dCS Rossini Apex DAC $32,800 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/dcs-rossini-apex-dac
We switch to Massive Attack’s Mezzanine and the dCS responds just as we hope. There is lots of detail and an impressive degree of organisation, but accompanied by a surefooted rhythmic ability that allows tracks like Atlas Air to motor along full throttle. Low frequencies are painted with power and grip with a good dose of agility thrown in. Move up the frequency range and you’ll find a wonderfully open and expressive midrange that communicates the passion and nuances in vocals superbly.
Over our test sessions, we try the various digital inputs and different file types from 24-bit/88.2kHz PCM files of Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions in DSD to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in 24-bit/192kHz, and the dCS takes it all in its stride. There are no hiccups when changing file formats and no unexpected differences in the way different formats sound. The Rossini Apex DAC delivers transparency of the highest order.
Atohm GT1-HD Loudspeaker $4499 Review
December 8, 2022 Comments Off on Atohm GT1-HD Loudspeaker $4499 Review
https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1736-atohm-gt1-hd-loudspeaker
Second, are standmount speakers your only option (or preference) over floorstanding speakers? If yes, then you should definitely audition the GT1-HD. In my opinion, the Atohm performs as well as many floorstanders. If you are not committed to the bookshelf format, then consider including floorstanding speakers in your audition. At this price point, there are some solid options out there.
Lastly, are you someone who appreciates a product that is designed and manufactured by an independent company, where the owner is also the designer, and there’s a story and a face behind the product? Or are you a diehard audiophile who feels that the end product is all that matters? If you are the former, then the GT1-HD just might check another box. The combination of all these attributes could make the Atohm GT1-HD an irresistible prospect.
Questyle M15 Portable DAC & Headphone Amp $269 Review
December 8, 2022 Comments Off on Questyle M15 Portable DAC & Headphone Amp $269 Review
https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/questyle-m15-portable-dac-headphone-amp-review-r1148/
The only fault that I can find with the Questyle M15 is the absence of a volume control, either physically or in software. The DragonFlys all have a software volume control that allows for very fine control of the unit’s volume. The M15, on the other hand relies on the source component’s (phone, pad or computer) volume control to set the SPL of the playback. I don’t know of any device which doesn’t digitally control its sound output, but I’m sure some exist. This is, in my humble opinion, a serious omission on Questyle’s part. Perhaps they couldn’t find a way to include a volume control without compromising audio performance, in which case, I kind of understand, but still…
I heartily recommend the Questyle M15 for all of one’s portable headphone listening. When introduced early in 2022, the M15 sold for US$249. Since then the price has increased to US$269, but in this writer’s opinion, this is still a reasonable price for such a premium product. Whether your private listening preferences run to IEMs or high-end, over the ear headphones, the Questyle M15 will drive them with ease
NAD C 700 Review
December 7, 2022 Comments Off on NAD C 700 Review
The musicality brought forth by the NAD C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier has to be heard to be believed. This amp has just about perfect tonal balance and scale, making it a magic box that handles any music you throw at it with remarkable finesse.
In addition, the simplicity and elegance of its design are hard to beat for the price. This little powerhouse is remarkably flexible from a streaming standpoint, so you can just hook up your favorite speakers and go. The only thing it’s really missing is a Phono input, but Phono pre-amps aren’t that hard to come by. This is my new favorite amp under 2k!
If you’re looking for an amp to be the centerpiece of a modern yet capable hi-fi system, you should check this one out! Highly Recommended!
Grado Labs Statement Series 3000x Headphones $1995 Review
December 7, 2022 Comments Off on Grado Labs Statement Series 3000x Headphones $1995 Review
The Grado Labs Statement Series 3000x Headphones are musical masterpieces and killer cans. No matter whether I tried them with my phono source, A&K DAP, Paravicini HP4 Headphone Amp, or my restored McIntosh MR80 FM Tuner with a headphone jack, they performed with pure sophistication and high definition. More definition overall for any Grado Headphone I know of, they always communicated with a neutral and extremely linear presentation. Their sense of reality is state of the art. Their big surprise is their huge dynamic range and sub-woofer-like bass. What great fun! I happily give the new Grado Labs Statement Series 3000x my highest “buy” recommendation.
PMC twenty5.26i loudspeaker Review
December 7, 2022 Comments Off on PMC twenty5.26i loudspeaker Review
Soon, you can find reports from manufacturers at audio shows from around the world. You can see the likes of Aurender, Focal Naim, AudioThesis, Schiit Audio, and Magnepan, just to name a few. Right now, you can see what debuted at AXPONA 2022 and a bit from the Texas Audio Roundup, including background on the Magnepan LRS+. You can also see videos from Pacific Audio Fest in Seattle, CEDIA 2022 in Dallas, and you’ll see reports from Capital Audio Fest coming next month.
Legato Duo Loudspeakers from Sonner Audio | REVIEW
December 6, 2022 Comments Off on Legato Duo Loudspeakers from Sonner Audio | REVIEW
When Gunny handed off the Duos to me at the Pacific Audio Fest, he seemed apologetic when he told me that due to supply chain issues, he had to raise his prices. I replied that everyone is dealing with the same thing in this industry, so everyone should understand. Then he told me the new price, $9,500/pair USD. I almost laughed. These speakers, the Sonner Audio Legato Duos, were under ten grand per pair? That simple fact makes these splendid transducers an out-and-out bargain, and they’re worthy of stellar amplification—which I gave ‘em.
It’s funny, though, that now I shift my attention to the Sonner Audio Allegro Unum, a two-way bookshelf monitor that’s still the flagship of the Sonner company. I’ve already compared them to the Sonner Audio Legato Duos quite a bit, and each speaker has slightly different tastes when it comes to matching to an acoustic space, but that spirit is in both, that gentle and music-loving spirit that Gunawan Surya and his team puts into everything they do. Highly recommended.
Vincent Audio SV-737 Integrated $3499 Review
December 6, 2022 Comments Off on Vincent Audio SV-737 Integrated $3499 Review
When I first listened to the Vincent SV-737 amplifier, I immediately heard the sonic differences compared to my reference. But as time went by, and with a little tweaking, I quickly became accustomed to its sound and just enjoyed the music. Sure I was still aware of its particular sonics. I put this amp in a system that was very high resolution and it managed it with aplomb. But as soon as I switched the speakers the sound took on a whole new flavor and the differences to my reference were shortened. This amplifier has a clean, detailed top end, somewhat sweet midrange (those tubes aren’t there just for looks) and a lower end that captures the ebb and flow and power of dynamics with very good control better than a lot of amplifiers I have heard regardless of price. This aspect of its sound is what makes this amp truly exciting and fun to listen to. The styling is very nice, its loaded with features and it is built like the proverbial you know what. It runs a bit warm so give it space when installing. Maybe if one ordered it in silver the letters would be easier to read? Nah!
Esoteric E-02 Phono Preamplifier Review
December 6, 2022 Comments Off on Esoteric E-02 Phono Preamplifier Review
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1141-esoteric-e-02-phono-preamplifier
The Esoteric E-02 is as serious a piece of electronic kit as I’ve ever had in my system, revealing better qualities than I’ve experienced before in terms of its powers of resolution, textural detail and finesse, impressive soundstaging, bass presence, and slam. My reference Pass Labs phono certainly delivers the goods and has a mellower touch, particularly with orchestral music. But the E-02 is notably the more powerful of the two units—blessed not only with its own velvet hand for rendering acoustic music but also a closed fist in a velvet glove for rock, jazz, and dynamic vocals. What’s more, it has fine physical lines—with a luxurious though understated aesthetic to its build—and a plethora of useful features that are supremely elegant to engage with, all of which make it instantly recognizable as part of the Esoteric line of prestige electronics. If I could summon the great novelist Ralph Ellison from his “hidey-hole” in Heaven to experience just what the E-02 can get from the likes of Nat King Cole, Ellington’s Orchestra, and contemporary opera diva Anna Netrebko, I guarantee he’d join me in a chorus of hosannas and kyries, as Esoteric’s phono preamplifier extracts a music both jubilant and pensive from my mono and stereo cartridges that is a sonic séance of body and soul. If you’re in the market for one of the best phono stages at the $10k price point, I urge you to audition the Esoteric E-02.
Audiophilepure 
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