Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/synthesis-metropolis-nyc-200i-integrated-amplifier

Enter Frank Zappa. ‘Peaches En Regalia’ from The Mothers 1971 [Zappa ZR20038] provided an alternative in that it was recorded at the Fillmore East, so it has a live rather than studio acoustic, while the music is loaded with cacophonous notes. Though far removed from the highly disciplined, note-perfect Sinatra performances, the Zappa recordings share a demand for the convincing recreation of space. Zappa’s guitar floated just right of centre, while the frantic percussion dominated the left. What stood out among the NYC 200i’s primary strengths, though, was the incredible stage depth.

I long ago stopped being a soundstage fetishist, cognisant of how many mono recordings I played, but the antics of Zappa and Co throughout the concert involved enough left-right movement to remind me of early stereo LPs and tapes. What this did for the listening experience, as a challenge for the NYC 200i’s abilities, was to spread out the audience noises – even in stereo, not 5.1 surround – with an effect that reminded me of early Cinerama. This wasn’t a wide but flat, 2D soundstage; I’ve already praised its depth. Rather, with the Fillmore recordings, it reproduced an arc, the sound extending beyond the speakers’ edges.

Why is that so important? Just as the vivid, lifelike warmth and textures of the Frank Sinatra recordings added to the sense of ‘being there’, so did the NYC 200i’s near-enveloping soundstage increase a sense of involvement. No, I wasn’t present 51 years ago when the Mothers performed at the Fillmore. But, hot damn! This amplifier did a remarkable job of transporting me there.

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!

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/marantz-melody-x-test

What makes the Melody X quite so amenable is that accessing this functionality is sufficiently straightforward that you’re more inclined to make use of it all. Some of these design decisions only start to make sense when you spend a little time actually living with the unit. It might sound pointless to have controls for the CD section of the app for example, but as part of a multi-room system it really helps. Marantz has taken the venerable CD receiver concept and without changing any of the basics, has managed to turn it into a thoroughly 21st-century device that should win it plenty of fans

https://www.whathifi.com/us/reviews/mcintosh-ma8950

The MA8950 is a hugely impressive amplifier. McIntosh’s high-end experience shines through both in the thorough execution of the product and the way in which such a wide range of features have been so seamlessly integrated. We have slight misgivings about some aspects such as the remote handset and front panel control feel, but they are not enough to overshadow what is a very fine effort. Looking for a high-power integrated amplifier to cover any and all two-channel requirements? This one deserves to be high on the list.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1678-minidsp-shd-power-integrated-amplifier-dac

Those differences became more apparent when driving the MartinLogan loudspeakers in my main system. The miniDSP was able to drive the hybrid-electrostatic ESL 9s with greater ease than the Lyngdorf, which struggled to unravel complex passages at high levels. Playing Sting’s My Songs: Special Edition (24/44.1 FLAC, A&M Records / Interscope Records / Qobuz), “Desert Rose” had greater depth and width of soundstage and well-defined imaging of the vocals and instruments with the miniDSP. While the Lyngdorf’s presentation was a little vague, it still had that invitingly smooth Equibit sound. Adding the two JLA E‑Sub e112 subwoofers to the mix tipped the scales in favor of the Lyngdorf. While both amps benefited from the addition of the subs, the effect on the Lyngdorf, now freed of the requirement of amplifying the lower frequencies, was truly transformative. The mids and highs remained smooth and inviting but were more sharply focused. The synthesizer sounds and vocalizations of Sting and Cheb Mami swirled effortlessly between the speakers with wonderful openness, warmth, and coherence. The miniDSP too sounded better with the subs, but the soundstage did not open up as fully—the voices and instruments remaining more closely grouped together, and the sound remaining a little cool and not as lush.