Rega P10 Turntable | Review
April 19, 2020 Comments Off on Rega P10 Turntable | Review
“As far as the sound of the Rega P10 goes, it’s pretty flawless. If I were to nitpick, the P10 is merciless in revealing any and all transient information, similar to playing digital sources but with a certain additional alive-ness that may not fit every system or taste. I realize some of this observation might be due to the Dynavector, so take this comment as provisional. And don’t expect the Rega P10 to have any of that upper bass-low mid resonance which gives a warm yet smeary sound that can be flattering in some systems. Personally, I’d rather start with as much information off the record as I can get and adjust the upstream components accordingly.
For any serious, vinyl oriented audiophile searching for the kind of performance usually found at the BMW i8 level, but at an i3 price (approximately $5,495 without cartridge and $6,695 supplied with Rega’s Alpheta 3 MC cart), the P10 offers more than just great value. For a lot of folks, this might be as good as it gets.”
IFI AUDIO XCAN PORTABLE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $299 REVIEW
April 19, 2020 Comments Off on IFI AUDIO XCAN PORTABLE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $299 REVIEW
“As an example, consider the organ bass notes in Felix Hell’s Symphony Concertante, Op. 81: 1. Allegro-Molto Moderato from Barber, Guilmant & Jongen: Orgel & Orchester [perc.pro]. With the aid of the xCAN the low range of the track seemed to be truly unearthed with a weighty, resonant, rock-solid bass performance not unlike what you would expect to hear when listening through a very high dollar desktop headphone amp. Disconnecting the xCAN after this experience revealed an auditory gulf that was painfully evident, so that I think most users would yearn for the added gravitas the xCAN provides.
In summary, while some might scratch their heads for a moment to wonder whether a product like the xCAN is necessary or beneficial, the proof is in the listening. To my ears, the xCAN delivers a sizeable sonic payoff beyond all proportion to its modest price.”
GoldenEar Technology BRX Bookshelf Speakers $1,599 Review
April 18, 2020 Comments Off on GoldenEar Technology BRX Bookshelf Speakers $1,599 Review
“Starting out with test tones, a low-frequency sweep indicated usable bass extending down to, and even below, the 40-Hz limit GoldenEar cites in its specifications. Such a result boded well for playback of a big blues-band track like Van Morrison’s “I Love the Life I Live” from The Prophet Speaks (24-bit/96kHz FLAC, Qobuz), which was presented with lifelike dynamics and a sense of scale that transported me to a close-up table in an intimate club. While the bass on this track didn’t wasn’t particularly deep, there was a marked fullness to the sound that didn’t leave me wanting. Van’s voice, meanwhile, sounded nicely fleshed-out and free of any “shouty” or edgy character; it also integrated smoothly with instruments in the mix like Hammond organ, brass, and guitar, all of which came across as lush, yet detailed.”
Schiit-Hot Integrated Amplifier The Ragnarok 2 Review
April 18, 2020 Comments Off on Schiit-Hot Integrated Amplifier The Ragnarok 2 Review
“When evaluating equipment, I seldom listen to complete LP sides, let alone one after another. But that simple change of gain setting turned the sound from merely OK to really good. When the Ragnarok 2 first arrived, I wondered why the choice of gain settings had been included — most integrated amps lack them. Now they make more sense.
Raves, reservations, recommendations
The Just An Amp version of Schiit Audio’s Ragnarok 2 integrated amplifier isn’t cheap at $1499, or — especially — by the standards of this column, which focuses on components costing under $1000. However, it’s as much of a bargain as anything I’ve reviewed that costs less. From its build quality to its styling to its idiosyncratic feature set to its sound, I loved everything about it — and for a great price. I believe that the only reason the Ragnarok 2 doesn’t cost, say, $3000, or even more, is because Schiit sells factory direct, eliminating the distributor and dealer markups that can easily double the wholesale price. Such an approach scores a big win for the consumer.”
Avantgarde Duo Primo XD Loudspeaker £79,500 Review
April 17, 2020 Comments Off on Avantgarde Duo Primo XD Loudspeaker £79,500 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/avantgarde-duo-primo-xd-loudspeaker
“Another test favourite, Lake Street Dive’s stripped-back take on ‘I Want You Back’, from Fun Machine [Signature Sounds SIG2032], is also well within the speakers’ comfort zone, and they treat it to deep, tight bass and crisp percussion, combining with the lone trumpet to underpin Rachael Price’s vocals perfectly.
So when these speakers are good, they’re very good, as a listen to the opening ‘Funeral For A Friend’/’Love Lies Bleeding’ sequence from Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road [Mercury/Rocket 981 320-5] makes clear with its combination of atmosphere and serious low-end grunt. However, to hear them at their best, you have to choose your recordings very carefully indeed.”
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FINAL A8000 £1999 REVIEW
April 17, 2020 Comments Off on FINAL A8000 £1999 REVIEW
“The tuning and speed/texture reminds me of STAX headphones and the er4 series but the bass isn’t as compromised on the A8000. The cleanliness in the tuning and emotions are well balanced.
As usual, we are letting the earphones to run in and impressions will be made pairing the A8000 with a handful of sources. Final has put some note on their website for the burn-in process and they stated a long time (150-200 hours) is required before the aging effects on this product level off.
I gave the A8000 15 hours a day for roughly 2 weeks with the cables swapped from my burnt-in E5000. From memory, the bass becomes less shy, and the initial treble sparkle is tamed.”
UNIQUE MELODY MASON V3+ REVIEW
April 15, 2020 Comments Off on UNIQUE MELODY MASON V3+ REVIEW
“According to Unique Melody, they are one of the first and longest-established manufacturer of custom in-ear monitors in China. Since 2007, with over 10 years of research and experience in the industry, they’ve developed a wide range of products from multi-BA, hybrid dynamic and BA, to more recent units containing Bluetooth, planar magnetic, piezoelectric, and bone conducting technologies that also contain various patents.
Fast forward to 2020 and Unique Melody is everywhere, they are more structured, have a clear product line up, better communication, semi up-to-date website and Facebook Page and especially: good representation. MusicTeck in the US really have made it easy for everyone to get familiar with the brand and I want to praise them for the work”
SCHIIT RAGNAROK 2 DAC/PREAMP/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER/LOUDSPEAKER AMPLIFIER
April 15, 2020 Comments Off on SCHIIT RAGNAROK 2 DAC/PREAMP/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER/LOUDSPEAKER AMPLIFIER
“The appearance of the Ragnarok 2 is little changed from the original, it still employs the classic elegant rolled aluminum chassis that is the signature look of all Schiit products. The power button is still on the back implying that it should be left on (solid-state amplifiers often take several days to reach full operating temperature – the main amplifier for my theatre system does not even have a power switch and has not been shut off for over 40 years except in events of power outages or relocations), the vent hole in the top has been replaced by two large heat sinks down each side, the Balanced and Single-ended headphone outputs have been reversed and an air intake cutaway along with a single button (to switch between speaker and headphone use) has been added to the sparse front panel in addition to the pre-existing Source and Gain buttons and their attendant indicator lights.”
Record Doctor VI Record Cleaning Machine $300 Review
April 14, 2020 Comments Off on Record Doctor VI Record Cleaning Machine $300 Review
“In the course of cleaning a bunch of records, I discovered a few techniques to more efficiently use the Record Doctor. First, if you keep the brush over the vacuum slot area while turning the record under it, the slot will provide support, making your brushing more effective. (In some ways, the Record Doctor’s lack of automation can be a benefit, as it lets you focus extra attention on areas of the record that are especially grungy.) I also found it useful to brush any leftover debris from the velvet strips with a toothbrush after cleaning a side, as this keeps them clean for the next side. The velvet strips do eventually become worn out, but replacing them is easy and inexpensive. For my review I used the supplied brush and cleaning solution, but there’s opportunity for further experimentation in this area, with a host of third-party cleaning formulations and brushes available. Some vinyl collectors also like to mix up their own home brew solutions, with plenty of suggested concoctions available online.”
Focal Chora 806 Loudspeaker $990 Review
April 14, 2020 Comments Off on Focal Chora 806 Loudspeaker $990 Review
“Soundstaging and imaging were very good. The 806 was unobtrusive in the room and effectively disappeared during all but the most high-output playback. Instruments were focused and spread out naturally across a dimensional stage. The defined space and ambience between images made it easy to take a virtual tour around and through the orchestra. Smaller jazz combos and vocals could be reproduced with a realistic sense of scale, but overall scale and foundational weight were reduced somewhat (compared with how I imagine the 806’s floorstanding siblings, the 816 and 826 would perform). But that’s the nature of small two-way compacts. For the most part there were no obvious colorations, though on occasion the enclosure hinted at a slight hollowness—a sense, at times, of images not able to fully escape the cabinet.”
Audiophilepure 
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