iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon Portable DAC/Amplifier $600 Review
September 24, 2022 Comments Off on iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon Portable DAC/Amplifier $600 Review
With the XBass II setting disabled, it was rather clear that the xDSD Gryphon has very impressive low end performance; bass notes have strong definition, impact, and a lot of texture. The clarity in the low end was also excellent and when I used headphones that could show it off — it was clear that the unit is capable of letting you hear the differences between bass guitars and percussion instruments.
That is not very common with portable units like this and I was happy to hear that the performance did not fall off as we moved into the mid bass and upper bass regions; the impact remained very strong but with excellent linearity and texture.
There was no bleed into the lower midrange and it keeps things very clean in this range; even turning the XBass II on did not cause the bass to overwhelm the rest of the music.
Stenheim Alumine Five SE Loudspeaker $72,000 REVIEW
September 24, 2022 Comments Off on Stenheim Alumine Five SE Loudspeaker $72,000 REVIEW
Bottom line: Like the superb Estelon X Diamond Mk II, the Stenheim Five SE is not just a great speaker; it is one of high-end audio’s greatest speakers. Its ability to generate truly deep, linear, powerful bass, unusually rich and lifelike tone color, near-visible three-dimensional images, and astounding detail and dynamics from such a modest enclosure is not just a surprise; it is one for the ages. For those of you looking for the high-end answer to a limited listening space, look no further. Hie thee to the nearest Stenheim dealership—pronto. In cones-in-a-box loudspeakers, you just don’t find this big a gift in this small a package every day (or every decade).
Gryphon Apex Stereo power amplifier $99,000 Review
September 23, 2022 Comments Off on Gryphon Apex Stereo power amplifier $99,000 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gryphon-apex-stereo-power-amplifier
I don’t think I’ve ever used the old audiophile acronym PRaT (pace, rhythm, and timing), so I’ll use it now, in my final Stereophile review: The Apex Stereo amp has PRaT, but the Apex–Commander combo has it in spades. The Apex Stereo amp, alone and combined with the Commander preamp, seems to up the pace of everything, as if your turntable is running fast, while simultaneously digging further down into each musical instant, making each gesture live longer, with precise attack, generous sustain, and long decay. The amp simultaneously speeds things up and slows things down. A neat trick. That’s the long and the short of it.
Pure Fidelity Horizon Turntable $10,000 REVIEW
September 23, 2022 Comments Off on Pure Fidelity Horizon Turntable $10,000 REVIEW
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/12/14/71h9nz962j0wvz6l3c3bxvzss7bk1u
Any complaints? Only the expanding popularity of this turntable along with inflation and global supply chain issues has caused the cost to rise somewhat significantly over the past two years. Is it still a value of $10,000 for the arm and table together? Answering that question in any type of objective sense would require a sample size of turntables most people will never even encounter, let alone spend time with.
For me, the Pure Fidelity Horizon (USD $9995 incl. arm) fits the bill. It offers sonic clarity with an analog flow that only a good belt drive design can achieve. It showcases a beautiful and simple design with high-quality components, and it comes as a complete package that prevents the need to spend countless hours and dollars tweaking accessories and add-ons. Pair with one of the high quality 9” tonearms offered from either Origin Live or Acoustic Signature, and you have a turntable that can get you off the HiFi merry-go-round. For me, I’ve found my “last” turntable, and I couldn’t be happier.
Klipsch La Scala AL5 Review
September 22, 2022 Comments Off on Klipsch La Scala AL5 Review
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/klipsch-la-scala-al5
One of my favourite loudspeakers currently on sale, Klipsch’s La Scala AL5 is a mighty design that sounds like few others available and makes music absolutely captivating to listen to in the process. Although huge and heavy, it’s not actually the company’s flagship – that accolade goes to the £17,500 Heritage Klipschorn AK6 – but is a far more practical proposition for anyone in terms of space. It’s far from perfect – as are all speakers – but it has a unique charm and an enthusiasm for music that’s hard not to love. Match carefully to a smooth sounding source and amplifier, and you’re close to hi-fi nirvana.
Mark-levinson 5909 Review
September 22, 2022 Comments Off on Mark-levinson 5909 Review
SHOZY MAGMA $500 REVIEW
September 20, 2022 Comments Off on SHOZY MAGMA $500 REVIEW
The nozzles of the Magma have no etching so tip-rolling is somewhat problematic. You need tips that are narrower than the regular wide tips (e.g. SpiralDots) you normally use but still won’t cover the sound bores. Those are hard to come by and I’ve had some trouble finding aftermarket tips for it. Luckily, the included tips are quite good and I’ve had an absolutely fantastic time with the Magma during my testing phase. I’m just throwing you some extra information in case you decide to use the Magma as the daily driver.
Shunyata Research • Sigma v2 Interconnects and Speaker Cables $4,500 Review
September 20, 2022 Comments Off on Shunyata Research • Sigma v2 Interconnects and Speaker Cables $4,500 Review
https://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/shunyata_research_sigma_v2.htm
I don’t know if the Caelin Gabriel of 1998 had some idea of where he and his fledgling company would be after a quarter of a century, but I have to think he would have been very pleased with the long roster of successful products and patented technologies he has created. Shunyata’s power products have overshadowed the company’s “signal cables,” but Sigma v2 should change all that. They are reference-grade cables with nothing near reference-grade prices. If some audiophiles consider that a sign of compromise, they will be missing out on one of the great cables here and now. As much as any product I’ve reviewed, Sigma v2 urges the sage advice, Hear ’em before you buy anything else
Chord Ultima Pre 3/Ultima 6 18,900 Review
September 19, 2022 Comments Off on Chord Ultima Pre 3/Ultima 6 18,900 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/chord-ultima-pre-3ultima-6
Listening to Massive Attack’s Atlas Air track shows that these Chords are good though not class-leading when it comes to communicating the music’s momentum. The combo sounds surefooted rather than overtly exciting. Instead, our attention is drawn to the effortless way this pairing steps out of the way and lets us focus on the music. Their presentation may be supremely insightful but it doesn’t try to highlight that fact in some kind of showy ‘look at me’ way. We also love the midrange clarity and focus with voices, and the way each sound element is given space to breathe even when the mix becomes complicated
Sony Xperia 10 IV Review
September 19, 2022 Comments Off on Sony Xperia 10 IV Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-xperia-10-iv
Sound on the Xperia 10 IV comes in two very different halves. Starting with the loudspeaker, Sony’s mono speaker is thin, compressed and should generally be avoided at all costs if you can help it. SBTRKT and Sampha’s Trials Of The Past lacks practically any bass and features a claustrophobic arrangement. It feels like all aspects of the track are fighting for dominance over the phone’s measly single speaker. While it may suffice for some short TV and movie watching, that may be about all we can recommend for this speaker.
Thankfully, headphone performance is a completely different story. Plug some cans in and you get an impressively clear and detailed vocal performance, snappy timing and a spacious arrangement that makes listening to music on the Xperia very enjoyable. This is good sound by general smartphone standards, let alone smartphones at this sort of price.
Audiophilepure 
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