Audio Research REF160S Tube Power Amplifier £19,998 Review
May 13, 2020 Comments Off on Audio Research REF160S Tube Power Amplifier £19,998 Review
“Initially, I didn’t even bother to check whether I was in Triode or Ultralinear mode, the power differences between the two never an issue for me as I’m no headbanger. I couldn’t wait to hear the thing but impatience is an ugly trait, and switch-on involved the usual waiting for the unit to settle down and come out of its mute condition. I was chomping at the bit. Those two minutes or so seemed an eternity…
It was worth it, for what issued forth was so extreme a jump in performance that I immediately thought about selling my wine cellar so I could acquire a REF160S of my own. As there had been so many changes to my system since I reviewed the monoblocks, I threw out the notion of using the same LPs and CDs in an attempt at repeating precisely the same test. Instead, I trusted my ears (and hundreds of hours with the rest of the system) to decipher the charms and merits of the REF160S. And it started with the bass.”
1MORE True Wireless Review
May 13, 2020 Comments Off on 1MORE True Wireless Review
“The battery life in the ANC drivers and cradle is just ok for me, nothing really stands out aside from the 10 min quick charge giving 60 mins of use. At the moment, however, ANC performances for most TWS is below that of class-leading non-ANC TWS by up to 50% so this is not just a 1MORE challenge.
For example, the non-ANC Noble Falcon and Lypertek TEVI have a driver battery life of 10 hours with cradles that range from 30-70 hours. The 1MORE is a max of 6 hours with the ANC off and 5 with the ANC on and a total of 22 hours including the case. The Edifier TWS NB has the exact same battery measurement and the Sony WF-1000XM3 so slightly better at 6 hours with ANC on.”
HiFiMAN HE1000se Review
May 11, 2020 Comments Off on HiFiMAN HE1000se Review
“Switching to the Chord Hugo2 driven from a Lumin U1 Mini was even more of the same – more detail, even more precise timing and sounstaging whilst never losing musicality. The additional drive from the single-ended quarter-inch jack made for an even more dynamic sound, more so than even in balanced operation with the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ – testament to the fact that balanced isn’t always best. On the track Noise in the Attic from the album Like Someone in Love, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers (TIDAL 44/16 FLAC stream), the opening drum solo is electric – the cymbal textures are fantastic with the hi-hat shimmering beautifully “overhead”.
Although they sounded perfectly fine with the Onkyo Phone/DAP and even with the Astell&Kern 380 (Copper edition), there was definitely a slight lack of energy and verve when driven from these otherwise excellent DAPs – the best match for me was with the Chord DACs, with the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ a close third.”
MartinLogan Motion 35XTi Loudspeakers Review
May 11, 2020 Comments Off on MartinLogan Motion 35XTi Loudspeakers Review
“I can only think of a handful of loudspeakers at the same price point as the MartinLogan Motion 35XTi that are truly competitive. While some can definitely surpass the Martin Logan’s low end, they can’t quite match the performance of that stunning Folded Motion tweeter. If you need more bass, you can always check out the floorstanding models in the Motion line—the $1800 20i, the $2400 40i and the $3500 60XTi. You get that same fab tweeter in those as well.
The Dynamo 800X is what tips the scales even more in MartinLogan’s favor. At $2250 for the three-piece system, this is crazy good. I can’t think of too many speakers for this amount of money that I’d rather own. They certainly don’t reach 24 Hz. They don’t have room correction or Bluetooth or wireless capabilities, nor can they be operated with my iPhone. I can only wonder what would have happened if I had told Devin to send me the big 1600X subwoofer cuz I gotta have MORE BASS. With the 35XTi, it’s still just a $3400 investment.”
Innuos Statement music server $13,750 Review
May 11, 2020 Comments Off on Innuos Statement music server $13,750 Review
“Natively, the Statement uses its own software—of course it does—to manage the library and streaming services and play music. “Its own software” is the InnuOS operating system, which is identical on all Innuos music servers and upgradable by Ethernet. The Statement is also compatible with Roon software; in fact it can be used with Roon in two distinct ways. (Please note, however, that Vitorino describes this as “an experimental mode” in which playback is “limited to 24/192 and DSD64”.) First, the Statement can be used as the Roon “Core”—Roon’s computational center, which does Roon’s file management and other computational heavy-lifting. The Statement can also be used as a Roon output device only—an endpoint in common Roon parlance—the Roon Core located elsewhere on your network—specifically, in this case, on my Roon Nucleus +. In neither of these configurations is the Statement either “RoonReady” or “Roon-tested” currently, but this is expected to change with upcoming updates. (“We are working with Innuos to have their future products fully Roon Ready,” Roon’s Bill Leebens wrote to me in an email.) In future, all Roon server partners will be required to run ROCK, Roon’s operating system. Roon and Innuos are still discussing how the two systems will work together.”
Estelon YB Loudspeakers $22,500 Review
May 9, 2020 Comments Off on Estelon YB Loudspeakers $22,500 Review
“So yeah, there’s a correct volume for most music. For me, that level is often higher than others might find comfortable, but the heck with them. The YBs were able to accommodate my need for speed, and encouraged me to turn it the hell up. The Estelons were a tiny bit reticent at low volumes, and so might not be the best choice for those who listen late at night and need to keep the noise down. But they sure did come alive when I goosed them just a bit. There was a clear demarcation point at which the YBs snapped awake. I live in a townhouse, with neighbors to either side, and I wasn’t ever concerned that I was playing the music too loud while in the YB’s zone. That said, I did get huge smiles from cranking these guys up to seriously loud levels.”
OBRAVO CUPID HYBRID PLANAR MAGNETIC/DYNAMIC EARPHONE $249
May 9, 2020 Comments Off on OBRAVO CUPID HYBRID PLANAR MAGNETIC/DYNAMIC EARPHONE $249
“When I asked the projected price of the Cupids, Teng replied with practiced nonchalance, “Oh, about £249.” Hunhh?!?I could scarcely believe my ears, partly because the Cupid sounded competitive with earphones carrying four-figure price tags, and partly because it was one of the least expensive oBravo earphones ever.
“The Cupids use compact lozenge-shaped earpieces made of mirror-polished brass treated to an electroplated ‘black gold’ finish. The driver complement consists of a 6mm dynamic mid-bass driver with neodymium motor magnets and a 8mm second-generation planar magnetic tweeter (patented). Signal connections are via enhanced oB-MMCX connectors. A 1.2m, balanced signal cable with silver-plated OCC conductors and a 2.5mm balanced plug comes standard, along with a 3.5mm adapter. Also included are three pairs of silicone and Comply™ Foam ear tips. a small two-chamber carry bag designed to keep the earpieces from chafing against one another, and an oBravo cable tie-down strip. This configuration, called the Cupid Prime, sells for £249 (or $269 US).”
Final D8000 Pro Review
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on Final D8000 Pro Review
”
The elongated headband with its slightly arched curve to allow for the cups to swivel is one such feature. However, the new Alumite anodized aluminum finish or ‘silver’ is a departure from the Yamaha vibe which only came in black, leather, and green. The cups are of course much bigger than the original on-ear design of the HP-1 and the coating is a little more advanced.
You might also notice in the pictures that Final use a similar “blotchy” resin finish on the plastic parts as the original D8000. Final claim that this coating improves resistance to vibrations on the D8000.”
PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier Review
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamplifier Review
“The Stellar needed little time to break in, and its core sonic performance didn’t change significantly over time. Once I was confident that the Stellar was operating at its peak, I immediately noticed an overall sound that was very quiet and smooth. The Mactone amps, for example, have an exceptionally live character that might be a tad overstated with the wrong ancillaries, but whenever the PS Audio Stellar was in the system, those razor-sharp transients were placed in a much larger context within the soundstage. That doesn’t mean that the Stellar smoothed out the vivacious sound of the Mactones, but rather it supplied a comfy place for these Japanese tube amplifiers to sit and converse with the listener in a meaningful way.
Like the XP17, the PS Audio Stellar was so quiet that it was difficult to pick out its character in the context of the system. It’s been a long time since I’ve used a phono preamplifier with noise issues so that’s not that remarkable on its own, but I do notice when a product is quieter than usual, quitter than I would consider the norm. Over the last few months the reference system has gone through a transformation, thanks to so many wonderful products that have come in for review, that I’m now focused on the concept of supreme quiet. For years I never really identified with reviewers who talk constantly about velvety black silences from which the music emerges, probably because I didn’t have a lot of that in my own system. Now I can listen to products and appreciate how they preserve that preternaturally low noise floor. The Stellar certainly preserved that sense of tranquility, especially with the Palmer 2.5/Audio Origami combo—a combo that I can best describe as both majestic and musical.”
SYNTHESIS SOPRANO LE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £1,899 REVIEW
May 8, 2020 Comments Off on SYNTHESIS SOPRANO LE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £1,899 REVIEW
“We haven’t compared the Soprano LE to the more commonplace non-LE version because the price differential between standard and LE is relatively slim, meaning there’s almost no point looking at the Soprano right now. Maybe when the 200 LE models are sold, we’ll revisit the Soprano in its standard guise; as it’s possible the great sound of the LE is built on the similarly great sounding foundation of the Soprano itself.
Regardless, the Synthesis Soprano SE is a lovely little amplifier in its own right, and those 200 owners will be getting something truly magical. If your speakers are sensitive souls, they will thank you for letting them work with so refined a Soprano. ”
Audiophilepure 
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