Mission ZX-3 Review

July 28, 2022 Comments Off on Mission ZX-3 Review

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/mission-zx-3

That said, the bass extension it does have is detailed and commendably quick and, given the choice between a floorstander with a little bit less bass that keeps up with the music or one that has great lumps of the stuff half a beat after it’s needed, I’ll always choose the former.

When faced with the wonderfully overblown marathon of Welcome To The Pleasuredome by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, the ZX-3 wades in with genuine enthusiasm, managing to provoke a response that is as much emotional as cerebral.

Comparing it with Mission speakers of old, I’d say that while it doesn’t feel quite as fast and energetic as some of its predecessors, it certainly knows a thing or two about tonality, soundstage and sheer realism. These are valuable developments and it’s a sure sign of the brand’s new-found maturity that the ballistic edge of past offerings has been reined in a little.

Usher ML-801 Loudspeakers $11,950 Review

July 27, 2022 Comments Off on Usher ML-801 Loudspeakers $11,950 Review

Like Schiit, he explained, they offer great value for the money (as the owner of a Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC, I agree— read more HERE). He’d recently purchased my Mini Dancer 2s, and has since been outspoken about their performance up and down the sound spectrum. Bottom line, he wants a pair of speakers that reveal everything when he’s mixing music recordings. However, for me, this sale opened a window of opportunity.

The ML-801 and 802s they were designed to bridge the gap between Usher’s Dancer series and their flagship TD lines. Boasting more refined internal components and crossovers, better bracing and a deeper cabinet than my Mini Dancers, they piqued my curiosity. Already impressed with the Usher house sound, I was fascinated with the idea of experiencing these first hand. Hence, when the opportunity finally arrived, I pounced. 

Stromtank S 1000 computer-controlled battery power source $15,975 Review

July 26, 2022 Comments Off on Stromtank S 1000 computer-controlled battery power source $15,975 Review

https://www.stereophile.com/content/stromtank-s-1000-computer-controlled-battery-power-source

One of the biggest revelations came when, during another listening session, I moved back and forth between the darTZeel NHB-18NS preamp and the Stromtank battery-powered D’Agostino Momentum HD preamp. I had previously declared the battery-powered darTZeel the most detailed and revealing preamp I’d ever heard in my system. With colors more direct and primary than the D’Agostino’s softer, more pastel-rich palette, and a soundstage neither as wide nor as far set back, the darTZeel seemed a champion of directness. With Stromtank battery power, the D’Agostino’s ability to convey detail increased to darTZeel levels, and its soundstage magic increased. I’d expected the Stromtank S 1000 to improve the sound of my system, but I never thought it would serve as the missing link to component greatness.

Genelec G Three active loudspeaker $1590 Review

July 26, 2022 Comments Off on Genelec G Three active loudspeaker $1590 Review

https://www.stereophile.com/content/genelec-g-three-active-loudspeaker

My first impressions of Genelec’s G Three remained true throughout my audition: pure and precise with a surprising amount of well-articulated bass for such a small speaker. In its tweeter region (above 3kHz), the G Threes preserved more air, atmosphere, and dimensionality than my in-house KEF LS50s, GoldenEar BRXs, or Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badges. They didn’t go as low or move as much air, but, in terms of bass tone and tactility, the G Three was like a smaller, tighter version of GoldenEar’s BRX standmount. In its tweeter region the G Three was distinctly more detailed than the BRX. On both sides of its 3kHz crossover region, the G Three was quieter and more seamless than my LS3/5a. I needed only a few tracks to realize that the G Threes play more clearly and more open than any speaker I had on hand to compare them to.

 Gryphon Audio Designs Apex Stereo Amplifier Review

July 24, 2022 Comments Off on  Gryphon Audio Designs Apex Stereo Amplifier Review

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/reference-components/1684-recommended-reference-component-gryphon-audio-designs-apex-stereo-amplifier

The combination of size, weight, and price of the Apex Stereo means that it can only appeal to a select group of buyers—those who can afford it, but also don’t mind how big it is, how much it weighs, and how much heat its class-A output generates. Certainly, the Apex Stereo requires commitment from its owner—and a pair of Apex Monos more so. But it’s understandable why many would be drawn to this amp. Near the end of his review, Jeff wrote that he “expected greatness” from Gryphon’s latest flagship, but the “magnitude of improvement” over previous models he’s auditioned was “transformative.” Jeff concluded: “The Gryphon Audio Designs Apex Stereo is the most impressive electronic component I’ve yet reviewed.”

Schiit Audio Ragnarok 2 Integrated Amplifier $1,499 Review

July 23, 2022 Comments Off on Schiit Audio Ragnarok 2 Integrated Amplifier $1,499 Review

Having owned the original Ragnarok for a number of years, I remember rather well what it sounds like; I’m not sure that the differences between the two generations are enormous in that regard but I did think that the Ragnarok 2 delivered plenty of punch when called for but with good dynamics so quiet passages remained so.

I know that EIC Ian White disagrees with my assessment that the Ragnarok 2 is like a straight wire with gain; offering very little sound of its own. We’re both using rather transparent sounding loudspeakers so I doubt that we’re hearing the Ragnarok 2 on very different playing fields.

He finds the Ragnarok 2 to be slightly darker sounding and softer in the bass with his Magnepan LRS; he’s also comparing it to the $6,499 Cambridge Audio Edge A which is a lot more powerful than the Ragnarok 2 and far better at controlling the panels of the LRS with much less effort.

Avalon Acoustics 

July 23, 2022 Comments Off on Avalon Acoustics 

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/features-menu/opinion-menu/1122-the-curious-case-of-avalon-acoustics

valon is by no means the only company where this lack of coverage is caused by a simple lack of contact. There could be any number of reasons for that. Perhaps the company simply doesn’t need a review. Or it doesn’t want a review. Or whatever. That’s fair, of course. And if that’s the case, and you let us know, at least we can more accurately answer correspondence asking “Why haven’t you reviewed these specific products?”

Von Schweikert Audio’s Stealth-Bomber Endeavor Special Edition $26,000 Review

July 22, 2022 Comments Off on Von Schweikert Audio’s Stealth-Bomber Endeavor Special Edition $26,000 Review

Driven by the mighty HUMBOLDT, one might mistakenly walk away with the impression that the ESE offers plenty of cacophonous thrills, dynamic fireworks, and crushing bass, but little in the way of nuance, delicacy, and overall refinement. This would be a mistake. For starters, the ESE speaks with a superbly coherent voice, this despite its use of five (5) drivers per side composed of different materials. When a speaker designer can blend the outputs of drivers fabricated from beryllium, anodized aluminum, and Kevlar into a coherent wavefront, much of that success owes to a simple factor: the use of a high-quality, well-designed crossover network.

The core VSA crossover technologies (VSA prefer to call their crossovers “networks”) devised so many years ago by AVS and here tweaked, refined, and reimagined so skillfully by Damon and Leif, also yield a sound of remarkable transparency, image and staging solidity, and overall cohesion, along with plenty of low-end slam. Whatever the musical genre, the ESE allows the listener to focus his or her attention on each aspect of the transducer’s considerable performance envelope while never losing sight of the sonic whole. Let’s start with the “image and staging” portion of the equation. From the “almost” entry-level E-3 Mk II up to the earth-shaking U11, all VSA models stage and image “out of box” as impressively as any dynamic driver system that I have encountered.

Antonio Forcione

July 22, 2022 Comments Off on Antonio Forcione

Technics SU-G700M2 integrated amplifier $2699 Review

July 21, 2022 Comments Off on Technics SU-G700M2 integrated amplifier $2699 Review

https://www.stereophile.com/content/technics-su-g700m2-integrated-amplifier

At the beginning of this review, I was determined to find the similarities and differences between the Technics SU-G700M2 Grand Class integrated amplifier and its powerhouse kin, the Technics SU-R1000 Reference Class Stereo Integrated Amplifier. I took note of its similar components, similar specs, and the like. But midway through the review process, I forgot the past and got caught up in the present—in listening to music.

I enjoyed the Technics’s digital playback—even more its rendering of vinyl records via its authoritative phono stage. The G700M2 is a warm-blooded, even-keeled, dynamic, capable amplifier. Offering ample power, robust build, and good value, the Technics SU-G700M2 Grand Class integrated amplifier sounded great in my reference system. If $2699 is in your comfort zone, the G700M2 offers exceptional bang for your hard-earned bucks.

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