Auralic Altair G2.1 Review
November 17, 2021 Comments Off on Auralic Altair G2.1 Review
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/auralic-altair-g21-review
Change of scenery: despite all their independence, Michael Barenboim, the “lioness” Martha Argerich and the Staatskapelle Berlin are merged into a single entity when performing Debussy‘s “La Mer”, a unity that is not often offered in such an interlocked way. Here, the Auralic convinces with a very natural reproduction of the grand piano as well as all the instruments of the orchestra. Nothing is discolored or blurred, everything is just right. Localizing the dimensions of left/right and front/back is possible thanks to a precise layout of the different elements. The size of the room, created at the mixing console, can also be understood perfectly.
Sometimes, I have to please my sense of local patriotism for my hometown of Cologne. This time, I had to go on a nostalgia trip and found what I was looking for in a live recording of the Cologne cult band “Piano has been drinkin‘”, long since disbanded. Neither “Daach sin Juwele” nor “Anfürsich es et Blues” depend on an exuberant number of details nor on richness of tonal colors. Rather, they rely on the atmosphere and the joy of playing, as well as the almost physically perceptible stage presence of frontman Gerd “Jächt” Köster with his rough and deep voice and the band‘s ability to improvise. Here, too, the Auralic presents a convincing performance, as it does with “Ruude Jolf”, where all the ingredients necessary for an emotional rendition are found, including the relaxed playing of the bass.
Alta Audio Alyssa Loudspeaker $5000 Review
November 16, 2021 Comments Off on Alta Audio Alyssa Loudspeaker $5000 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/10/18/nxcnsx8u0t6lc929c817vjasyy5g0c
Right away I knew I had a problem, the voluminous bass was overwhelming my modest listening room. It was troubleshooting time. So began a week of experimentation, first moving the speakers out significantly from the wall inch by inch (in the end I settled on 25 inches) and experimenting with various degrees of toe-in. I also experimented with the provided port plugs. Fully inserting the plugs seemed to make the speakers too anemic, inserting them about halfway was a much better compromise and will likely be the recommended route for anyone with a room smaller than mine, but I still favored the sound sans plugs, and changes in positioning helped balance things out. Image was the widest with no toe-in, but toeing the speakers in just a tad did help make the midrange more present. With the tricky positioning of this unique speaker mostly sorted, I sat down and did my best to analyze how these speakers portrayed music.
REL T/9x Subwoofer Review
November 16, 2021 Comments Off on REL T/9x Subwoofer Review
REL T/9x Subwoofer
As mentioned, each of the three models in the /x series provide a similar voice and level of resolution. The one (or pair) you choose will depend heavily on how low your main speakers can extend, the volume of your listening room, and ultimately how loud you play music.
Moving up to the Serie S subs brings more refinement in every aspect, though at a higher cost. If you are looking for a high performance, yet compact and cost-effective way to add low frequency extension, the REL T/9x is fantastic. The T/x subwoofers are meant to be used as single subwoofers or in pairs, they can’t be expanded to six-pack array service. This may be your ultimate decision when trying to decide between a pair of T/9x’s and a single S510. If you want bang for the buck, and a minimal box compliment, the T/9x will serve you well. Higher audiophile ambitions? Maybe the S/510. Or, just put the T/9xs in another system. I can spend your money all day.
Sony WF-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling $280 Review
November 15, 2021 Comments Off on Sony WF-1000XM4 Noise-Canceling $280 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-wf-1000xm4-noise-canceling-true-wireless-earbuds-review
Sony continues to raise the bar for filtering out ambient sound, with the 1000XM4 eliminating more external noise than nearly every other noise-canceling bud I’ve auditioned. But the 1000XM4 has the same flaw I’ve encountered in all noise-canceling buds save the Bose QC: wind noise. You’ll hear some whooshing through the external mics if you’re walking through 10MPH or higher gusts, or especially when bike riding or running outside. Sony’s Ambient Sound Control lets you turn noise canceling on and off and switch between plain noise canceling and automatic wind noise reaction, but I couldn’t detect a difference between the two.
Fyne Audio F1-8 Review
November 14, 2021 Comments Off on Fyne Audio F1-8 Review
The in-room measured frequency response at 1-meter was extended in the treble to at least 20kHz and fairly uniform to a bit below 300Hz, where room modes began to dominate the response. The lower midrange was slightly recessed, mainly through the power range of the orchestra, covering the octave from 200 to 400Hz, which is pretty typical for stand-mount speakers. In-room bass extension was reasonably flat to about 45Hz. The measured impedance minimum was about 6 ohms, which translates into a tube-friendly, easy-to-drive 8-ohm nominal load. The rated sensitivity is 91dB, which means that even a 30–50Wpc power amp should do fine. Setup was quick and simple: For best imaging be sure to allow a few feet of breathing space behind the speakers, and toe them in so that the driver axes intersect in front of the listening seat.
As the audio gods would have it, I happened to be listening to the Tannoy System 1000 studio monitors when the Fyne F1-8 arrived on my doorstep. This late 90s Tannoy design features a 10-inch coaxial driver and conventional bass-reflex loading. In my estimation, that entire series represents the last great set of passive studio monitors marketed by Tannoy. I was quite interested to find out if Dr. Mills was involved in the System 1000’s design, so I asked him about it. His response: “Yes, indeed, I was involved with those monitors. Those things can rock.” And we certainly agree on that score.
DANATONE Headphone Amplifier Review
November 13, 2021 Comments Off on DANATONE Headphone Amplifier Review
The Head-Space is not for everybody as it is made to order in small quantities, it is designed for the listener who is looking for the best. Dana can custom design one for you specifically for your needs and give you a one-of-a-kind experience. If you are looking for the best in amplification for headphones and speaker amps the Head-Space will not disappoint.
Congratulations to Dana for creating one of the world’s best designs. After five years of research and countless hours, Dana has completed his Head-Space amplifier and it’s a rock star. An awesome amplifier that always delivers exceptional musicality. Highly recommended.
Triangle Antal 40th Anniversary Loudspeaker Review
November 13, 2021 Comments Off on Triangle Antal 40th Anniversary Loudspeaker Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/triangle-antal-40th-anniversary-loudspeaker
There’s a lot going on here (violin, double-bass, and mandolin too), but the celebratory Antal admirably coped with the chop-and-change of timbres and left my foot tapping. Meanwhile, Lee Haslam’s ‘The Future’ [Slinky Concepts; Tidal] made brilliant use of the loudspeaker’s wide, full-range soundstage, its electronic soundscapes leaving me feeling almost pinned to my chair.
Finally, with ‘Georgia’ [The Seven EP; n/a cat no.], a sparse production by singer/songwriter Emily King that seems designed to mainly highlight her vocal talents, the loudspeaker put her right in front of me, all breathy and close-mic’d. Admittedly, this is the sort of song we’ve all heard countless times at hi-fi shows, but I was surprised by how this floorstander made it sound so intimate and articulate. And it wasn’t just King’s presence. Other details – acoustic guitar, gospel-style backing vocals, a gentle kick-drum – stood back a little, creating an image with an easy-to-visualise depth.
Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression M550 monoblock power amplifier $44,950/pair Review
November 12, 2021 Comments Off on Dan D’Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression M550 monoblock power amplifier $44,950/pair Review
Following late-night phone consultations with Editor Jim Austin, I awoke to speak with Bill and Dan about the possibility of delaying the review and sending the amps back to Arizona for repair. Dan, though, was certain that the amps were fundamentally sound. He thought the discrepancy was caused by a shift in biasing, which presumably happened during shipment.
Two tension-fraught days later, Hans Brackmann, Definitive Audio’s store manager, drove to Port Townsend to rebias the amps. All D’Agostino dealers are prepared to rebias the M550s whenever necessary.
Sure enough, rebiasing was called for—just that, nothing more. By the time Hans left, both channels sounded the same (save for minor discrepancies caused by room imbalances), and I heard even more of the beautiful, smooth, finely detailed, impeccably controlled, remarkably dynamic, slightly warm and glowing sound that had made me fall in love with the Progression M550s.
Audiophilepure 
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