Legacy Audio Valor Loudspeaker and Wavelet 2 DSP Processor $86,000 Review
March 16, 2022 Comments Off on Legacy Audio Valor Loudspeaker and Wavelet 2 DSP Processor $86,000 Review
The inevitable trade-off between bass performance, soundstage, and performance in the rest of the frequency spectrum were also smaller, particularly as sound levels rose. The transitions to the upper bass and then the lower midrange were smoother and better articulated and this improved strings like the cello and bass, bass guitar, percussion, and even some aspects of the lower notes in larger brass instruments. In at least a few cases, it also seemed to improve deeper male voices.
If you want to impress your friends, you can do so by demonstrating bass drum strikes on the Reference Recordings version of Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man [Reference Recordings RRT-93CD]. However, any truly demanding recording of bass guitar will do as well, along with recordings of electronic music that push bass to the limits. The Valor emerges as far more coherent and focused in integrating the deep bass and the rest of the music than most of the top-priced speakers I’ve heard that rely on large, separate subwoofers.
Peachtree PreDac & GaN400 Amplifier Review
March 16, 2022 Comments Off on Peachtree PreDac & GaN400 Amplifier Review
https://www.audiopursuit.com/2022/01/peachtree-predac-gan400-amplifier.html
The PreDac whole-heartily earns the mantra complex simplicity, for doing so much with absolute ease of use. The GaN400 is the show-stopper, taking class D amplifier design onto a new path. The best comparison to the MOSFET design of their amp500 comes from the automobile world. Think of the amp500 as the latest Chevrolet Corvette. Its akin to an American power and ride muscle car. The GaN400 is a BMW Z4, all the power but with a refined ride. Do yourself a favor if your in the market for separates as Peachtree Audio’s PreDac and GaN400 amplifier are a first-rate way to take a musical journey.
ULTIMATE EARS UE 11 PRO REVIEW
March 15, 2022 Comments Off on ULTIMATE EARS UE 11 PRO REVIEW
As you can see in the pictures of the 18+PRO and LIVE models, a lot can be done to customize and personalize your monitors. The one thing to note here is that UE for this version doesn’t offer any shell customisation. The only personalisation you can do here are the face plates.
I absolutely love the design of my LIVE and 18+PRO and for the UE 11 PRO I wanted something more normal. As I got to try out the Switch system, I chose the following 3 options for the face plates: car camouflage, jeans and solid green with the UE logo. Simple but nice.
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier Review
March 15, 2022 Comments Off on PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/primaluna-evo-300-hybrid-integrated-amplifier
As for the rest, this is familiar PrimaLuna territory with an on/off rocker on the left and another on the right to mute the speakers if you’re using headphones and want the main speakers off. At least PrimaLuna gives you the choice, as opposed to headphone outputs which automatically mute the output.
On the front panel, to the right of the rotary for the five line inputs and AV throughput, is the single-ended 6.35mm headphone socket, conveniently near the aforementioned speaker-off rocker. On the far left is the (motorised) level control, and a nicely-machined remote is supplied, too. Add to it PrimaLuna’s rugged enclosure for the main PSU and MOSFET heatsinks, the blue/black chassis finish contrasting with the silver fascia (or black, if you wish), and you have a handsome, confidence-inspiring amplifier ready to fight it out with the big boys.
Onkyo’s Classic Integra Power Amplifiers Review
March 14, 2022 Comments Off on Onkyo’s Classic Integra Power Amplifiers Review
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/component/banners/click/382
My listening session with the M-504 started off great. The mids were a little warmish, but they still had good clarity; the top end was detailed to a point but a touch laid back in absolute terms, and the bass was rounded and a touch soft. Overall it was a pleasant listen, though far from state of the art, or really even the equivalent of good affordable gear. Diana Krall, Lana Del Rey, Pink Floyd . . . it all sounded good, and I enjoyed what I heard until . . . crackle, pop, silence. The Onkyo died less than an hour into my first and only listening session. I unplugged it quickly, just in case there was something more explosive about to come—after all, I had to protect my SF speakers! But my brief encounter with the Onkyo’s sound caused me to wonder afterwards if what I’d heard was even close to representative of what this baby could do in a healthy state.
Definitive Technology Descend DN-15 Subwoofer $1,799 Review
March 14, 2022 Comments Off on Definitive Technology Descend DN-15 Subwoofer $1,799 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/definitive-technology-descend-dn-15-subwoofer-review
The DN15 is powered by a 500-watt (1,500-watt peak) class-H digital amplifier with a 56-bit DSP that includes three custom EQ modes (Flat, Loud, and Deep). It has an Intelligent Phase Control with eight different options to optimize and align the subwoofer’s phase with that of your main speakers. Along with the phase adjustment, rear-panel controls include volume, EQ, and low pass filter settings, and there’s a button to toggle the sub’s front LCD display on/off. A power switch offers three settings: Auto, On, and 12V. There are also IR and 12V trigger inputs, along with line-level stereo RCA and LFE inputs, and high-level speaker inputs. A small remote control is included that lets you control volume, phase, EQ, display, and low pass settings from the comfort of your couch as opposed to manually reaching behind the sub to make on-the-fly adjustments. Sadly, there’s no parametric EQ or smartphone/tablet control app available to modify EQ outside of the three presets mentioned above.
Ampsandsound Kenzie OG Rev 2 Headamp $2500 Review
March 13, 2022 Comments Off on Ampsandsound Kenzie OG Rev 2 Headamp $2500 Review
https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0322/Ampsandsound_Kenzie_OG_Rev2_Headamp_Review.htm
As with the original Kenzie, the OG Rev 2 is for the audiophile who wants to wring the full potential out of their headphones and simply listen to the best-sounding music available. Listening to music on the Kenzie was so involving that it was difficult to concentrate on the job at hand and pick out the different characteristics of the sound, and even more difficult to stop and change headphones.
Lastly, being the entry-level product for ampsandsound the Kenzie is a fantastic value. If you have a budget of around $3000 this is the amplifier to buy, if you are a music lover this is the amplifier to buy, if you are a solid-state fan and don’t get what tubes are all about, this is the amplifier to listen to, it will change your mind, just be ready to cough up $2500 because you will not be satisfied with solid-state afterwards. Thanks, Justin for once again reaffirming my love of tube amps and justifying my love for ampsandsound!
FIIO M11 PLUS ESS REVIEW
March 13, 2022 Comments Off on FIIO M11 PLUS ESS REVIEW
And, like the previous M11 Plus, you get… typical FiiO sound with gorgeous lows, vibrant voices, and clear highs. That said, the more I got accustomed to this new player, the more I heard how hard-hitting those same highs could get on my usual techno tracklist. It’s not painful or ear-piercing, but it can get damn close, notably if you choose sensible IEMs as I did.
Head to head against the Shanling M6 Pro 21, those are two very different animals, even if both share an ESS core. The lows are gorgeous, with just the right amount of “oomph”. Even more with the Audeze which, thanks to the super-wide membrane, exerts an almost deafening sound pressure. It goes deep, and the dynamic range seems absolutely insane compared to the total sum of elements you hold in your hand. In that regard, I think that FiiO did the right choice keeping the THX-AA chips as they give, in my opinion, the best bass from any player in this price reach.
Kimber Kable Carbon Series 16 and Carbon 18XL Cables Review
March 12, 2022 Comments Off on Kimber Kable Carbon Series 16 and Carbon 18XL Cables Review
Kimber Kable Carbon Series 16 and Carbon 18XL Cables
Naturally, I couldn’t resist a “way-back machine” moment, so I hooked up my trusty 4VS (now part of Kimber’s Base Series) and listened in on one of my acoustic favorites, the Rutter Requiem. There’s a reason why these cables were and are so popular. Their rich smooth midrange and general tonal honesty are hard to beat. Nonetheless, in comparison to Carbon, the 4VS’s had a mildly subtractive sound, with a narrower soundstage, a bit less top-end air, and lighter and less well-defined bass. Transients were also not as quick.
That said, what struck me most was the consistency of the Kimber’s voicing. There was nothing embarrassing about the performance of these 20-year old cables, which show a closer kinship to Carbon 8 than you might expect.
WELLS AUDIO DRAGON LEVEL III HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
March 12, 2022 Comments Off on WELLS AUDIO DRAGON LEVEL III HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
Headphone Amplifier coupled with the Wells Audio Cipher Level I DAC is the second most expensive Headphone Amplifier / DAC combination I have had on my desk, the legendary Questyle “Gold Stack” still reigning at $12,500, and things have progressed a lot since then and on almost every front the Wells Audio system offered superior and more musical performance. That is to say, though this is a high budget reference-quality proposition, if you have the resources it is well worth the expense. Music lovers, especially those with hard to drive headphones like the HE6se or the Abyss AB-1266, or as it turns out if you are an especial fan of Focal headphones, are going to want to give the Dragon a listen, and if you want to get the most out of your Dragon you’ll want a Cipher to go with it.
Audiophilepure 
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