Bluesound Node Streaming DAC $599 Review
December 23, 2021 Comments Off on Bluesound Node Streaming DAC $599 Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/bluesound-node-streaming-dac-review
I started out my listening session with the Node by streaming “Lambent Rag” (24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Tidal) by electronic musician/producer Clark. The piano here had a full quality, while the song’s percussive elements (presumably the close-miked string hammers in the instrument’s interior) had a dynamic, driving sound. At the track’s climax, the whole thing starts to sound like a Philip Glass composition tossed into a blender, and its presentation with the Node handling decoding duties was impressively wide and enveloping.
Having recently compared the Atmos mix of Steven Wilson’s track “King Ghost” from his album The Future Bites (24/96 FLAC, Qobuz) with the plain-vanilla stereo version, I was impressed by how spacious the stereo track sounded in my home theater. Listened to now on my music-only system with the Node plugged in, I heard clear delineation between the various vocal strains, including Wilson’s near-spoken-word delivery, a soaring falsetto during the chorus, and sampled dialogue. Synthesizers also had a rich, pulsing quality, and the dense, tall, IMAX-like sonic presentation I heard in my theater was retained.
REL Serie T/7x subwoofer Review
December 23, 2021 Comments Off on REL Serie T/7x subwoofer Review
So far, so REL. What the T/7x does is introduce some extra speed and weight to the bass, the sort of performance normally expected from more upmarket models in the line. Weight here is a difficult subject because the Serie T/7x does not make a small speaker seem ‘weightier’, just ‘bigger’ and more importantly ‘better’ across the midrange. I used this in particular with the Rogers LS3/5A SE tested in this issue and this proved to be both an ideal test subject and an ideal candidate for the Serie T/7x. The REL added depth to the sound, but not in the way that it changed the tonality of this well-known speaker system; more that it filled in the bottom end in the same way the SE version fills in the midrange over the original; thoroughly, but paradoxically almost imperceptibly.. The REL was fast enough to pass the Trentemøller test [‘Chameleon’, The Last Resort, Poker Flat] and provided enough reinforcement to make out a few more left-hand piano notes on the Liszt B-minor Piano Sonata played by Martha Argerich’s during her Début Recital {DG], but more importantly on this recording, it also gave that recording the sense of space and gravitas needed to make it something truly outstanding. Switch the sub off and seemingly not a lot happens to the sound, but the sound also collapses and becomes insubstantial. Put it back in and the bass is not overt or oppressive, in fact, it’s almost not there, but the way the T/7x delivers that ‘almost not there’ bass makes all the difference. And, if you compare that bass delivery to previous REL designs under about £1,500, the new T/7x has both more substance and form and less intrusion into the sound of the speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 Review
December 22, 2021 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4 Review
10 years later, Bowers & Wilkins introduced the diamond series, dropping the N prefix and adding a D appendix to the model number. Oh boy, I still couldn’t really afford them, but just like before, the 802 model had me totally in awe. Hobo Hifi again kindly agreed to a home demo (thanks Hans-Peter Rietveld!) and this marked my first experience with the 802D. Oh, yes, this was something else! As good as the N804’s were, the 802D’s outperformed them in many aspects such as soundstage depth and layering, focus and precision, and mostly, treble refinement and air. While many people were imagining a diamond to sound hard and perhaps edgy, the 802D’s tweeter actually delivered smooth, refined, and liquid treble. Actually, the 802D’s treble performance was so remarkable that my good friend JW, a die-hard ribbon-lover, was impressed.
Vincent KHV-200 Review
December 22, 2021 Comments Off on Vincent KHV-200 Review
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/vincent-khv-200-review
When you look at the significantly higher prices of the competition, this price tag could make you suspect that the KHV might be a case of false advertising after all. Depending on your temperament, you can now lean back and relax again or move your upper body forward with curiosity, though. The southern-German-based company Vincent is known for attaching price tags to its products that sometimes cause a great deal of worry amongst the competition.
QUESTYLE CMA FIFTEEN $2,499 Review
December 21, 2021 Comments Off on QUESTYLE CMA FIFTEEN $2,499 Review
With the Questyle CMA Fifteen, the Sabre DAC finally comes into its own. Questyle has long made one of the better-sounding solid-state amplifiers combining the musicality of a tube amp with the raw power and bass control of a solid-state and a linear bandwidth that puts most amplifiers to shame. As more and more manufacturers dive into the Current Mode Amplification, Questyle remains at the head of the pack with a fifteen-year head start. An incredible value in the price range, the CMA Fifteen has well earned its status as flagship offering exceptional musicality, soundstage, imaging, dynamic range, and raw power, able to drive well headphones that leave higher Wattage amplifiers wanting because current is to Wattage, what torque is to horsepower.
EJ Jordan Marlow Speakers Review
December 21, 2021 Comments Off on EJ Jordan Marlow Speakers Review
The EJ Jordan Marlow Speakers
On a pair of Sound Anchors 24” stands, about 6 feet apart, finding the perfect spot from the back wall to balance the bass and upper bass just right is critical. Plan on the better part of the day to really optimize these, if you don’t you will find the Marlows only average, and it’s not their fault. You can drive a 43 horsepower Austin Healy Sprite rather spiritedly down a country road, provided you don’t waste a single one of those horses.
The same approach applies to the Marlows. Use decent quality sources, a good amplifier, good cables and be relentless with the setup and they will make magic for you. If your musical taste does center more around vocals, string ensembles, and modest rock/jazz selections without the most major dynamic swings, these speakers will give their all. Going back to “Quiet Houses” from the Fleet Foxes s/t debut, and way back to “Helplessly Hoping” from the Crosby, Stills, and Nash debut both serve up equal levels of excitement. These speakers are all about subtle delicacy, providing a very immersive listening experience at a moderate volume.
Klipsch Heresy IV Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
December 20, 2021 Comments Off on Klipsch Heresy IV Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
https://www.stereonet.com/au/reviews/klipsch-heresy-iv-floorstanding-loudspeaker-review
Klipsch’s latest Heresy IV is an iconic loudspeaker, one that has been developed and finessed over many decades. Think of it as the Jack Daniels of the speaker world due to its quality, classic styling and constant presence over such a long time. Many people love the Klipsch sound, and I can see why. It’s not as delicate and nuanced as some modern designs, but its strengths are many and highly apparent. That big-hearted visceral sound – with its puppy-dog enthusiasm for musical timing – is hard not to like.
It’s also why Klipsch loudspeakers can be found in the second largest chain of cinemas in the USA. The ability to conjure up such a big sweet spot where there is a large audience sitting in a wide variety of places, really counts for something. Picky audiophiles might not warm to it, but I think that when properly matched to the right amp, the Heresy IV makes a great case for itself. Also, the way it makes low power amplifiers thrive is something that needs to be heard to be believed – and a huge and oft-overlooked bonus. Properly partnered, this is one hell of a speaker!
Wilson Audio Alexx V
December 19, 2021 Comments Off on Wilson Audio Alexx V
A really interesting new feature is the possibility to adapt the Alexx V on location from front-ported to rear-ported or vice versa. Just what suits the situation and acoustics best. The crossover has also been scrutinized and fitted with Wilson Audio’s proprietary AudioCapX capacitors for the very best signal integrity and virtually negligible tolerance. Extra attention has also been paid to the speaker’s impedance curve and efficiency so that the Alexx V is slightly easier to drive than its predecessor.
Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF, Foundation Ethernet Cable
December 19, 2021 Comments Off on Synergistic Research Ethernet Switch UEF, Foundation Ethernet Cable
I’m in real trouble here though with the Purple fuses. In the September issue of Enjoy the Musc.com‘s Review Magazine, I raved about High Fidelity Cable’s new NPS 1260 contact enhancer being the greatest tweak in twenty years of reviewing. Then, in the October issue I had to call the outstanding Acme Silver Cryo fuses the greatest tweak I’ve reviewed in the past 30 days, when in fact, it was in the same league as the NPS 1260. And now, only another 30 days later, I’m here to tell you that for many, if not most audiophiles, the Synergistic Research Purple fuses are the greatest thing since pre-sliced cellophane on CD jewel cases. I feel like my credibility may be going downhill faster than a four-man bobsled in the Winter Olympics.
On the web page for the Purple fuse Synergistic claims the improvement made with this generation of fuse is greater than any previous generation. Having reviewed all four now, I have to emphatically agree. It is a big step up over the Orange and it even readily surpasses the Acme fuses in all manner except for one, which will be a personal preference call for some. Once again we have trickle-down technology crossing over this time from the SRX Series cables in the form of a “three-stage long duration high voltage conditioning process” and a new UEF compound featuring Graphene — the wonder drug of high-end audio.
Vitus Audio RI-101 with Audio Solutions Virtuoso!
December 19, 2021 Comments Off on Vitus Audio RI-101 with Audio Solutions Virtuoso!
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