Chord Company RumourX (2022) $21/m review
November 11, 2022 Comments Off on Chord Company RumourX (2022) $21/m review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/chord-company-rumourx-2022
We have a sample of the previous generation RumourX to hand, but it doesn’t take long to hear the improvements. Listening through either of our systems, it’s clear that the basic character of the cable hasn’t changed. This is still a detailed and dynamically expressive performer that’s unusually surefooted when communicating rhythmic drive. Yet, as we listen to the likes of Olafur Arnald’s Found Songs and Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar OST, it is clear that the latest version of the cable is more balanced with a tauter, more controlled bass performance. There is a greater sense of openness about the sound and a little more subtlety in the way it renders dynamic nuances. At the top end, our system sounds just that touch more refined whereas the last generation cable adds a small degree of previously easily-ignored hardness in this region.
We switch to Carnage by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and enjoy the 2022 edition’s extra clarity and improved transparency. It feels like the inclusion of ChorAlloy has just increased the RumourX’s ability to pass the signal without messing with it too much. Anything that allows us to enjoy Cave’s heartfelt music even more is just fine with us.
iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amp/USB DAC Review
November 11, 2022 Comments Off on iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amp/USB DAC Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/ifi-audio-xdsd-gryphon-headphone-ampusb-dac
However, until Qualcomm releases a chipset with lossless support – apparently in the works – Bluetooth will remain a lossy experience. At least iFi Audio seems determined to make it as high quality as possible, utilising the current top-spec QCC5100 silicon, and – crucially – the xDSD Gryphon supports an exceptional range of compression codecs. AptX HD and LDAC are the main, high-performance options, but even the HWA/LHDC codec, which supports (lossy) 96kHz/24-bit, is included. Of course, this last one is only relevant if you happen to own a Huawei smartphone, which is a rarity nowadays in Europe and the US.
There are plenty of other input options – USB caters for hi-res audio from a computer or network transport, and there’s an S/PDIF input too. If you want to use the device purely as an amp, a third-party DAC can be hooked up via single-ended or balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn rear-panel connections. This is another departure from the past, as the earlier xDSD sported only digital ins. Around the front there’s a similar dual-port arrangement of 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs.
AVM A 30.3 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $4,795 REVIEW
November 10, 2022 Comments Off on AVM A 30.3 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $4,795 REVIEW
There’s a lot to like about the AVM A 30.3. Yes, it’s pricey, but not overpriced given the quality of the audio presentation and marvelous build quality, and attention to detail. This could be a great choice for a full-blown high-end 2-channel system in a home or apartment. The dual amps can drive just about anything with super sharp imaging and inaudible distortion. The electronics are free of audio clicks when changing inputs, but there is a nice physical click confirming the input change. The AVM A 30.3 can handle digital inputs as well, and I could find no fault with the high-quality DAC that’s part of the package.
MARK LEVINSON NO. 5909 WIRELESS NOISE CANCELING BLUETOOTH HEADPHONE $999 REVIEW
November 10, 2022 Comments Off on MARK LEVINSON NO. 5909 WIRELESS NOISE CANCELING BLUETOOTH HEADPHONE $999 REVIEW
The Mark Levinson No.5909 ended up completely overturning my preconceptions of these headphones being more style than substance. Besides their elite good looks, a serious level of R&D has gone into these cans to not only make them sound exceptional but also to make them almost effortless to use. In a very real sense, they are two headphones in one. The benefits of enhanced range and bandwidth found in the latest Bluetooth 5.1 chipset, meshed with effective ANC performance, selectable bass tuning, and great comfort make them an excellent set of wireless travel headphones. The Beryllium-coated drivers not only deliver the sonic goods when operating wirelessly but they continue to do so when listening completely passively. It’s actually a better-than-enjoyable experience. No longer are you stuck with the sound of “last resort” when the power runs out. I like the passive sound of the Mark Levinson No.5909 better than some more expensive wired headphones out there. It’s that good. Looking at the entirety of what the No.5909 can do, they are certainly worth the price. They are the best of their breed thus far, with no qualifiers. Highly Recommended!
Grado SR325x Review
November 8, 2022 Comments Off on Grado SR325x Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/grado-sr325x
The SR325x’s open-backed design means that they’re wonderfully expressive dynamically, and lows are agile and tuneful, but there’s still not the outright weight and low-end punch of closed headphone designs. The SR325x can sound a little bass-light in comparison to such products, though we’re happy to make that sacrifice given the many benefits of the open-design approach.
We switch to Lana Del Rey’s Chemtrails Over The Country Club set and love the Grados’ ability to convey the texture and attitude in her voice. The excellent insight generates a lovely sense of atmosphere and we find ourselves getting lost in the music rather than focusing on analysing the SR325x’s performance. The newfound sense of refinement makes it easier to relax when listening too.
HIFIMAN EF400 DAC/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
November 8, 2022 Comments Off on HIFIMAN EF400 DAC/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
The HIFIMAN EF400 is a DAC/headphone amplifier that provides great sound quality and will power a wide variety of headphones. Its $599USD selling price delivers quite a bit of versatility and it should be easy to implement within any computer or portable device with USB output. Without fail, it impressed me with every set of headphones I powered with it. It’s the kind of headphone amplifier and DAC that will reward you when it’s paired with high-quality headphones.
Wilson Audio LōKē Subwoofer $8750 REVIEW
November 6, 2022 Comments Off on Wilson Audio LōKē Subwoofer $8750 REVIEW
The LoKe has become a valued part of my audio arsenal. Put bluntly, I’m smitten. The most important attribute that it has for my system is to create an enveloping sense of music in my listening room. It suffuses it with music. When I listen without the LoKe, the system simply sounds more two-dimensional. It lacks that sense of oozing sound emanating throughout the room. There are times when I’ll listen to my speakers with no subs at all. (I like to listen to different setups.) But for the ultimate listening pleasure, there’s no substitute for a quad of subs. This is a more than worthy successor to the older Wilson WATCH Dog subwoofer, which was no slouch itself. Daryl Wilson, who has succeeded to the helm of Wilson, deserves a lot of credit for successfully steering the company into a new era. If you have a big system and are hankering for more, then the LoKe may well offer it. The old audio rule holds: There is no replacement for displacement.
MATRIX AUDIO ELEMENT X2 MUSIC STREAMER REVIEW
November 6, 2022 Comments Off on MATRIX AUDIO ELEMENT X2 MUSIC STREAMER REVIEW
, solid imaging, and above all musicality, with the power to drive any headphone (I performed all of my tests other than noise tests in low gain), as well as being a superior front end for a loudspeaker system, the fact that it also contains the necessary computer parts to complete the job and function as a full music server, eliminating the need for an external source while streamlining the data chain is just icing on the cake. It is one of a handful of headphone amplifiers that I would recommend for the Dan Clark Audio EXPANSE or the HIFIMAN HE6se for that matter, in fact, at this point, I would recommend it for use with the SUSVARA or ABYSS headphones unheard. And as mentioned above, the same applies to IEMs which makes the element X2 a rare puppy indeed
Audiophilepure 
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