RAIDHO TD1.2 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER REVIEW
April 6, 2021 Comments Off on RAIDHO TD1.2 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER REVIEW
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/raidho-td12-standmount-loudspeaker/
Raidho’s latest two-way is the most evenly balanced small speaker they’ve yet produced, adding convincing and beautifully judged body and weight to the marque’s traditional strengths of transparency, speed and clarity. The results are significantly more convincing than those achieved by the D1.1 or the C1.2, but I’d still hesitate to call this a speaker for everyman. Better balanced yes – a genuine all-rounder, not so much. The TD1.2 doesn’t do scale or allow music to swell as convincingly as the Stenheim Alumine 2SE or the Wilson Duette. It lacks the astonishing air and absence of the best diamond tweeters and still sounds a little closed in at high frequencies, but this is a level of criticism that can be applied to any speaker and small stand-mounts more than most. So no, this isn’t a speaker that’s a slam-dunk for every system or every listener. But if you value its special qualities and you get to hear them, then you might well struggle to find an acceptable alternative. Its poised delicacy, intimacy and precision, its unusual combination of relaxed unforced ease and energetic dynamic response make it arresting when it comes to appreciating a musician’s technique, in isolation or in ensemble. Listen and you might discover hidden musical gems in the most unlikely places; listen and you might just discover the heights a great guitarist can reach in terms of musical expression. The TD1.2 might not fool you into thinking you are there, but it sure as shootin’ will make you wish you had been!
HIFIMAN Sundara Headphones
April 5, 2021 Comments Off on HIFIMAN Sundara Headphones
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/3/17/hifiman-sundara-headphones
One of the big selling points in my research was they could be enjoyed and experienced without the need for an EQ amp. Even though next on my list, I wanted to start with a straight connection to my integrated amp. My research lasted a couple of months, and I can attest the Sundara headphones are the best fit for the beginner audio enthusiast. They are affordable and excellent value.
As such, the Sundara Headphones are neutral-sounding headphones, but so much more. Their accuracy and timbral accuracy will have you reaching for different genres to engage with. They are also fun. When clear imaging and an intimate soundstage are coupled with the music you love and listen to most, it’s a perfect match. I can recommend these headphones without hesitation.
B.AUDIO B.DPR ONE PREAMPLIFIER AND B.AMP ONE POWER AMPLIFIER £8,990
April 5, 2021 Comments Off on B.AUDIO B.DPR ONE PREAMPLIFIER AND B.AMP ONE POWER AMPLIFIER £8,990
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/baudio-bdpr-one-preamplifier-and-bamp-one-power-amplifier/
By this point I had moved onto Bowers & Wilkins 802 D3 speakers which have a brighter balance than the PMCs, the combination with the B.audio delivering a more detailed result that worked better at low and medium levels than at full chat. These amps are themselves highly detailed and the combo can sound a bit forward if you turn it up. That said another track from Mingus, ‘Dry Cleaner from Des Moines’ really bounced with energy and finesse, if you are looking for an in-the-room result this is a pairing that delivers.
Duevel Bella Luna Diamante Loudspeaker Review
April 4, 2021 Comments Off on Duevel Bella Luna Diamante Loudspeaker Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/duevel-bella-luna-diamante-loudspeaker
The Duevel Bella Luna Diamantes show what careful design and considered updates can do for a loudspeaker’s performance. Like the smaller Venus, their all-around presentation takes a little acclimatisation, but the enveloping soundscape is quite addictive. Add impressive bass, a fine horn tweeter and relative ease of positioning, and you have a design that is rewarding and entertaining companion.
XDUOO XD-05 BAL REVIEW
April 4, 2021 Comments Off on XDUOO XD-05 BAL REVIEW
First of all, the brand changed the AK4490 for the AK4493, a better chip with an improved Signal to Noise Ratio. Above this chip, xDuoo put an Altera-EPM240T, an FPGA chip to ensure native PCM/DSD decoding of high-resolution streams. But, more importantly, the DX-05 Plus is two times more powerful than the first generation, delivering 1000mW@32ohms versus 500mW@32ohms.
In-akustik Reference LS-204 XL Micro Air Loudspeaker Cable Review
April 3, 2021 Comments Off on In-akustik Reference LS-204 XL Micro Air Loudspeaker Cable Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/akustik-reference-ls-204-xl-micro-air-loudspeaker-cable
An evolution of In-akustik’s ‘Air Helix’ geometry, the ‘Micro Air’ construction of its LS-204 XL cable retains the low resistance and inductance of the German brand’s costlier cables but with the advantage of lower capacitance, promising a more consistent behaviour with a wider range of amplifiers. There’s a lot of hand-made cable here for the money, making it a reliable bet for that first ‘big upgrade’.
dCS Bartok Review
April 1, 2021 Comments Off on dCS Bartok Review
The dCS Bartok: Take Two…
As much a digital audio product can, Bartok comes on as the equivalent of a ‘60s McIntosh tube amplifier or ‘80s JBL horn speaker — classics to which people keep returning because they are that good, that reliable, that fun. Another incentive: Its seamless interfacing ability with Roon, particularly now that the platform’s 1.8 software makes streaming on Bartok an easier and smarter experience. It also should go without saying (again) that using a Bartok doesn’t mean you’ll stop spinning records. Instead, it serves as an equalizer: Granting added access, increasing options, bestowing convenience, and bringing sought-after analog qualities to digital while spotlighting albums that sound better digitally than they do on a turntable
KINERA NORN REVIEW
April 1, 2021 Comments Off on KINERA NORN REVIEW
Kinera Norn, minus the cable, is a gorgeous-looking IEM with a very impressive look. The shape is identical to Kinera Nanna and it has a small form factor. Once again, the color scheme is fantastic with the sparkling crimson red details on a full black shell. What an excellent design. And I like the fact that the crimson red ”lava” detail is going all the way down to the tip of the nozzle.
Kinera claims that these shells are hand-painted which to me is even more impressive. As I understand, these shells are 3D printed but technicians apply that marvelous paint and colors onto the shells. The result is simply great and especially the face-plate area is outstanding. The build quality is satisfying and quite impressive with a seamless transition and an integrated nozzle structure. There’s nothing to worry about here. Excellent work.
Wharfedale Evo4.2 Review
March 30, 2021 Comments Off on Wharfedale Evo4.2 Review
https://www.hifichoice.com/content/wharfedale-evo42
Wharfedale’s Evo4.2 is not the complete all-rounder, but I am not sure that’s what the company intends. What this gentle giant can do is deliver certain types of music in a manner that is largely beyond most rivals at the price and if you are happy with its style and can work with its demands it will delight, making it definitely worthy of a thorough audition at the price.
Audio Research • Reference 6 SE Preamplifier $17,000 Review
March 30, 2021 Comments Off on Audio Research • Reference 6 SE Preamplifier $17,000 Review
http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/audio_research_reference_6_se.htm
The Reference 6 did an admirable job of reproducing the sound of one of the world’s great halls. But this is a disc that reveals the entirety of the musical benefits of the Reference 6 SE, the walls expanding and the hall boundaries becoming distinct, the dynamic range growing wider and more pronounced at the macro end, the overall resolution an absolute to my ears. I have heard this music reproduced to even greater effect, with a system featuring the Wadax Atlantis Reference DAC and Robert Koda K15 line stage at the 2019 High End show coming to mind; but that’s topping a couple hundred thousand dollars for just those two components. For a tenth of the cost, the combination of Reference 6 SE and Neodio Origine CD player came affordably close to the otherworldly sound produced by
seriously, and seriously expensive, state-of-the-art products.
Audiophilepure 
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