TEMPOTEC VARIATIONS V6 REVIEW
October 17, 2022 Comments Off on TEMPOTEC VARIATIONS V6 REVIEW
In parallel, the Variations V6 also uses its own in-house FPGA-Master chip, working as the brain of the audio circuit. This audio system controller receives the data from the CPU, synchronizes and generates all audio clocks at the same time, then sends it to the dual DAC in I²S, or DSD.
Thanks to that, the DAC also supports ultra-high-resolution files, up to 32bit-768kHz in PCM, DSD up to DSD512, and full MQA decoding with MQA 16x, instead of the usual MQA 8X. In the real world, this means that the player is able to offer bit-perfect playback, with any kind of file, in every situation.
Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifiers $14,000 Review
October 17, 2022 Comments Off on Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifiers $14,000 Review
My ears were trained years ago, late at night, in dark recording studios. I listened to thousands of hours of music, through the iconic Yamaha NS-10 studio monitors. The NS-10s were legendary in their transparency. No musical sin could hide from these speakers. None. If there was a problem, the NS-10 would reveal it. The Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers remind me of these speakers.
If you love power, grace, transparency, and (if you move your equipment around a lot) occasional back pain; I highly recommend you demo a pair of the Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock amplifiers or any of the Pass Labs .8 series amplifiers. You will not be disappointed. Highly recommended!
LUMIN U2 Mini Music Streamer $2,400 Review
October 16, 2022 Comments Off on LUMIN U2 Mini Music Streamer $2,400 Review
As I conclude, let me address one important topic, the DAC. Since the U2 Mini is a transport only, any observations I make about it are inextricably linked to the DAC to which it is connected. As I said, the iFi Audio iDSD Micro I used with it is a great DAC, but I wish I had the chance to listen to the U2 Mini with the previously reviewed Canor DAC 2.10. What I can say, the U2 Mini/iDSD Micro pairing sounded amazing on my system!
Every recording I listened to had its unique and distinctive flavor. Based on this, I think the LUMIN U2 Mini would be a great pairing with any DAC within the marketplace. It is that great sounding. I told my dad about the U2 Mini when I started listening to it and he was envious. With the LUMIN U2 Mini music streamer, you can have your cake and eat it too!
HIBY RS2 $500 REVIEW
October 16, 2022 Comments Off on HIBY RS2 $500 REVIEW
the release of the flagship R8, HiBy is quite serious about music playback, and the RS2 is surprisingly good sounding in that regard. The DAP technology has evolved very well, so we see budget players that can perform on a high level. You don’t need to pay a premium price for good sound anymore. Hence, the competition is very high but HiBy has some things to say here.
The RS2 is, unsurprisingly, a warm-sounding unit. Their “Darwin” RS6 is also like this with the ladder DAC design, so the RS2 carries the trend over, in a smaller package. The unit sounds organic, natural and lively. The midrange is vivid, the bass is controlled and full, and the treble is softer but well-defined.
NuPrime Audio Evolution STA Power Amplifier $5000 Review
October 15, 2022 Comments Off on NuPrime Audio Evolution STA Power Amplifier $5000 Review
On a challenging piece, such as the “Intolerance” track from The Mighty Wurlitzer: Music for Movie Palace Organs (New World Records 80227), the NuPrime was able to nicely capture the tonal complexity of a four-manual, 34-rank Wurlitzer Special that was built in 1928 for the Fisher Brothers (of auto-body fame). Here, but not with the Fleetwood DeVille, I was a bit disappointed with its limited macrodynamic reach. I expected more from an amp that is said to generate instantaneous power in excess of 360W into 3 ohms. It sounded like it was just stopping short of fully scaling dynamic peaks. For a better perspective, I switched over to a recent acquisition of mine, the SMc Audio DNA-1/GT-21 Ultra. This Class AB amplifier represents a complete overhaul of the venerable DNA-1 and incorporates Steve McCormack’s latest circuit refinements and tweaks. On the Omega, the GT-21 Ultra was just crushing it with stupendous bass slam and macrodynamics that reached Olympian heights. It also became clear that the GT-21 Ultra offered better image focus, and as a result, more incisive spatial resolution. However, the NuPrime did have an edge in terms of soundstage dimensionality. Both amps resolved low-level detail exceedingly well, though the edge goes to the GT-21 Ultra.
Astell and Kern SP3000 Review
October 15, 2022 Comments Off on Astell and Kern SP3000 Review
It may not be hard to find a portable source that has a great interface and allows for easy music playback. If that is your only goal then look no further than Apple’s ecosystem. It also may not be as hard to find a portable player that is capable of rendering digital files back with pristine transparency. It may also be possible to find a portable device that offers a massive amount of connectivity, both wired and wireless, in an
d out. And yet again, it may be possible (albeit much harder) to find an amplifier that expresses supreme control over headphone transducers. What you get from the Astell and Kern SP3000 is all four of these things in a single package. And that collective is what hopefully adds some value to consumers for the high end ticket price. Once you tack on a layer of luxury aesthetics you start to see the vision that AK was taking when they set forth to produce the top of the line for their top line. The SP3000 has all the tech, specs and high fidelity sound available at the moment, get it while it’s hot.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless noise-canceling headphones Review
October 15, 2022 Comments Off on Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless noise-canceling headphones Review
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G $900 Review
October 13, 2022 Comments Off on Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G $900 Review
https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/monitor-audio-silver-100-7g-standmount-loudspeaker
We have here a compact loudspeaker that’s capable of delivering a refined sound, fairly neutral in its balance, free from unwanted aberrations and audibly clean and detailed. There is good integration between the drive units and the ability to discard both the grilles and port plugs means it can be tuned for a wide variety of acoustic settings. The bass performance was way better than one might expect from an enclosure of this size, it goes deeper and plays louder than I had first imagined. Stereo imaging is to a high standard and the reproduced soundstage is far wider and deeper than is often achieved at this price point.
Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed REVIEW
October 13, 2022 Comments Off on Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed REVIEW
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/dan-clark-audio-aeon-2-closed
With its 2m cable and neat folding action for easy storage, it would appear that the Aeon 2 Closed is best suited to listening to music on the move and its comfortable earpads and lightweight design will certainly make your journey a congenial one. For those that like their lower frequencies, the impressive bass extension is a real boon although the treble could do with being a touch more extended. Having said that, the soundstage is spacious and insightful, meaning that at the price this deserves to be on your audition list
Vertere SG-1/SG-1 PTA HB Turntable Review
October 10, 2022 Comments Off on Vertere SG-1/SG-1 PTA HB Turntable Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/vertere-sg-1sg-1-pta-hb-turntable
With the SG-1 flaunting undeniable finesse above palpably powerful lower registers in recordings so endowed, it seemed to be in direct contradiction to my near-religious belief that an LP should be all-but-glued to the platter. Yes, the truly commanding TechDAS Air Force III Premium [HFN Jun ’19], at twice the price and with vacuum hold-down and air-bearing, can extract a trace more mass and solidity, but that’s not the point. The SG-1 satisfies nearly as much by going in a different direction. Like I said, Touraj is an iconoclast.
Even cacophony doesn’t faze the SG-1. Few saxophone solos are as madly screechy as that in ‘Astronaut Food’ from Sopwith Camel’s The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon [Reprise MS2108]. Think of the weirdest noises ever made by the astounding Sun Ra and you’re close: soaring treble, rapid attack, red hot transients. By the time I got to Carole King’s Tapestry [Ode Records SP-77009], chosen to relax me by wallowing in its deliciously convincing piano and yet more floor-filling bass, I was hooked
Audiophilepure 
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