Nordost QNet network switch & QSource linear power supply Review
December 5, 2022 Comments Off on Nordost QNet network switch & QSource linear power supply Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/nordost-qnet-network-switch-qsource-linear-power-supply
Rather than listing example after musical example, I’ll simply say that it is now much easier to follow each line in even the most complex passages of Mahler or Strauss and to understand, musically, the reasons behind the complexity. Thunderous organ now resonates strongly, without inappropriate boom. Tonal color inside my music room is beyond acid-rush intensity. Outside, however, it remains Pacific-Northwest gray.
It’s been a long time since I ended a review with “I bought the review samples.” But I did. And once I realized how vital the QNet was to my system—how a simple network switch allowed me to achieve so much more of what high-end audio is about, and how much more silent and revealing the QSource was than my other linear power supply—I bought a second QSource for my etherRegen and AfterDark clock. I didn’t think a second QSource would make another huge difference, but when the soundstage suddenly expanded beyond the front and side walls, my pleasure expanded concomitantly. Don’t you love when that happens?
TOPPING E30 II + L30 II REVIEW
December 5, 2022 Comments Off on TOPPING E30 II + L30 II REVIEW
My past experience with amplifiers using NFCA technology has been very positive. Amplifiers have come a long way from a year ago and I’m very happy with the technological leap forward led by companies like Topping. The L30 II sounds very neutral to my ears and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It amplifies the sound signature of your source, IEMs or HPs without saturating, distorting, or altering it. It does a very good job of conveying the signature of your equipment to you. It has plenty of power to feed every headphone in my inventory.
When I hooked up the Fiio K9 Pro to the L30 II using the pure DAC mode, I got almost the same performance as the impressive integrated amplifier used by the K9. Honestly, there is nothing much to say. It also performs very well with monitors using multi-BA configurations with low impedance values. With the 8-ohm Yanyin Canon, the channel balance at the low gain setting is quite satisfactory. Overall, this is an excellent amplifier that does exactly what an high fidelity focused amplifier is supposed to do.
Aretai Contra 100S Review
December 5, 2022 Comments Off on Aretai Contra 100S Review
UK distributor Greg Chapman of VAL Hi-Fi brought the Contra 100S over with a pair of Solid Steel SS-5 three-legged stands which he said are a little short for my listening position, but he likes the way the speakers sound on them. Listening started with the Aretai being driven by a Moor Amps Angel 6 power amplifier with the speakers placed about a foot from the wall which worked well for the mid and treble, but the bass was a little boxy on some tracks. That said Joni Mitchell’s voice sounded rather good on ‘The Man I Love’ and the bass on Kraftwerk’s ‘Radioactivity’ had more gravitas than expected for a box of this scale, the reverb on the live mix giving real depth to the soundstage. Moving the Aretai closer to the wall meant that the soundstage got bigger, but the bass didn’t really change which was surprising, having an active rear bass driver clearly brings benefits in terms of control. Deadmau5’s ‘Seeya’ was delivered with real spatial precision at high levels without any sense of glare or hardness, a characteristic that was to become more apparent the further the listening went on. Aretai favour pro drivers which are generally designed to cope with higher playback levels without distortion and this certainly came through.
SCHIIT AUDIO VALI 2++ TUBE HYBRID HEADPHONE AMP/PREAMP $149
December 3, 2022 Comments Off on SCHIIT AUDIO VALI 2++ TUBE HYBRID HEADPHONE AMP/PREAMP $149
For first-time buyers, if you match it up with the Schiit Audio Modi DAC and say the HIFIMAN DEVA Pro Headphones you would have an audiophile quality system for less than $500. And for die-hard solid-state buffs, you can see what all the fuss is about and experience a whole new world of musicality for the cost of one less Starbucks a day for two weeks. If you like to tinker, and many of us started in this hobby for that very reason, the VALI 2++ is a great way to explore the world of tube rolling, something I really looked forward to, but as it turned out, none of my 50-year-old tubes fit the pinout of the 6N3P but as you can see by the list above, there are plenty that do (many for as low as $19).
GigaWatt PF-1e, PF-1 EVO, and PF-2 EVO Power Strips
December 3, 2022 Comments Off on GigaWatt PF-1e, PF-1 EVO, and PF-2 EVO Power Strips
The PF-2 EVO Power Strip is equipped with six high-quality power sockets GigaWatt G-040 Schuko, designed and manufactured by the company. The brass connectors of those sockets were silver-plated at the factory, without the usage of intermediary metals, like copper or nickel, which could introduce unfavorable series resistance and voltage loss. The increased area of contact and the thick layer of silver guarantee sure contact with the plug pins. The sockets were additionally subdued to cryogenic modification and a demagnetizing process. In order to effectively protect children, the G-040 sockets were equipped with integrated anti-surge shutters (increased protection against touching, conform with VDE 0620). The PF-2 EVO is also available with outlets of type NEMA 5-20R, used in North America and some Asian countries, and with Australian outlets of type AS/NZS 3112.
Being much taller and at 4,9 kilograms again significantly heavier, the PF-2 EVO’s chassis is built differently than the other two. All internal elements of the Power Strip are closed in a double metal chassis. This enclosure is a perfectly tight shield against RFI and EMI noise. The strip is also equipped with a LED indicating proper operation of the device and a circuit indicating wrong polarization of the power line or wrongly connected grounding.
Clearaudio Reference Jubilee Turntable £17,500 Review
December 1, 2022 Comments Off on Clearaudio Reference Jubilee Turntable £17,500 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/clearaudio-reference-jubilee-turntable
The Clearaudio Reference Jubilee is a fitting milestone for this German brand – taking its first turntable design and updating it with 30 years of experience. Yes, setup is a little fiddly, but the effort is amply rewarded by the performance on offer. The deck can wear its ‘Reference’ tag with pride and with the hope that it sires a permanent version, as this stunning LP spinner begs to break free of its limited-edition shackles.
Sony Xperia 5 IV $999 Review
December 1, 2022 Comments Off on Sony Xperia 5 IV $999 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-xperia-5-iv
The Xperia 5 IV really does feel like the middle child of the current Xperia range. It doesn’t get the fanfare of the all-singing, all-dancing Xperia 1, nor does it get the praise of the Award-winning budget performance of the 10. However, when given the chance to shine, the Xperia 5 IV is a really vital addition to the Xperia line for those who want something in between.
If you want the quality build, audio performance and features of the 1 IV, and could happily live without the costly 4K screen in favour of a still very likeable 1080p alternative, then the Xperia 5 IV deserves your attention.
ASTELL&KERN A&ULTIMA SP3000 DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER $3,700 REVIEW
November 30, 2022 Comments Off on ASTELL&KERN A&ULTIMA SP3000 DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER $3,700 REVIEW
The Astell&Kern A&Ultima SP3000 is like having the portable audio equivalent of a high-performance luxury sport sedan in your jacket pocket. It’s heaver, has all the bells and whistles (more than you can count in many respects), is built to an impeccable luxurious standard, is intuitive to use, brimming with technology, and with a particular focus on edge-of-the-apex performance. It is a thing of both sonic and physical beauty and as such you will pay dearly for it. It is not meant for someone who merely wants a good quality DAP. It is for the audio enthusiast who demands the very best on all counts. Does its price and position cause it to suffer the pitfall of being just another pretentious status symbol consumer product? Go out and listen to one and then give me your answer. As far as I’m concerned, it is the finest portable digital audio player I have ever come across.
Audiolab Omnia £1,599 Review
November 30, 2022 Comments Off on Audiolab Omnia £1,599 Review
As long as you steer clear of dirt-cheap garage rock and the like, though, there are remarkably few downsides to Audiolab Omnia ownership. Its rather rustic control interface aside (and we’re not including the blameless DTS app in that, you understand), keep both the price and the extensive functionality uppermost in your mind and it’s an almost startlingly accomplished piece of equipment. Its power output may not look anything special when written down – because it isn’t – but the Omnia is resolute and deep-breathing enough to deal with any loudspeakers that can realistically be considered appropriate partners.
If you want a fine-sounding and extensive system without the whole ‘extensive’ thing getting too badly out of hand, the Omnia is more than worthy of lining up in direct competition to the likes of Cambridge Audio’s fêted (and similarly priced) Evo 75. With the Omnia, Audiolab has faced facts, bitten bullets and emerged with its reputation enhanced.
Audiophilepure 
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