Clearaudio Smart Matrix Silent £1,375 Review
May 28, 2020 Comments Off on Clearaudio Smart Matrix Silent £1,375 Review
“Running through the same cleaning process with second-hand albums also results in improved clarity and does a remarkable job of cleaning up some of my recent crate-digging purchases. Of course once cleaned, records should then be placed in a new polyethylene inner bag to avoid recontamination from any remaining dirt that is still in the old original sleeve.
The Clearaudio Smart Matrix Silent cleaning process is very easy to use and while not entirely silent, is certainly one of the quietest I have used. At £1,375 plus £125 for the optional dust cover, it’s more expensive than some record cleaning machines we’ve seen, but its build quality and ease of use make it a worthwhile investment for any serious vinyl collector. ”
Andover Audio PM-50 $499 Review
May 26, 2020 Comments Off on Andover Audio PM-50 $499 Review
“The FiiO M15 unbalanced will get loud enough but the imprecise nature of FiiO’s new volume control means I had no clue how loud it was. Forget smartphones with the PM-50 unless you are using a proper dongle. The Note 9 can get reasonably loud but the dynamic range is weak for me.
Connecting the PM-50 with a cryo-treated gold/silver and OCC copper alloy 4-pin XLR balanced cable with some proper power out of the XI Audio Broadway is really where the PM-50 excels.
It sounds far punchier and more expansive than any of the portable sources could muster. No question on the PM-50 benefitting from the additional headroom from the Broadways 1.5mW into 32Ω load.”
Primare A35.2 power amplifier Review
May 26, 2020 Comments Off on Primare A35.2 power amplifier Review
“My time spent with the Primare A35.2 amplifier reminded me that there still is no such thing as a perfect, one-size-fits-all amplifier. Some amps are stronger or more engaging than others. Some deliver exciting force, while others deliver subtle, enduring charms. Some, like the Primare A35.2, have high-toned manners, can dance the latest dance, and sometimes even order fine wine. Which reminds me: I never actually drank that Château Margaux. But I swear to you, the Primare amplifier looked expensive and sounded ooh la la! with the unopened bottle sitting next to it.”
CAMPFIRE AUDIO SOLARIS SE REVIEW $1899 Review
May 25, 2020 Comments Off on CAMPFIRE AUDIO SOLARIS SE REVIEW $1899 Review
“However, it did not carry a huge amount of weight and texture, especially some of the lower-mids instrumental and vocals. Hence, the contrast points such as percussion, low-end bass lines, and female vocals stood out a bit more as these are the elevated FR points. This is also where odd-harmonic contrast or low-end fundamentals are at their highest.
With the new Solaris SE, the mids now have that more rounded and forward staging presence. Lower-mids have less of a suck out with more body and presence. Male vocals are fuller sounding and easier to pick out than before. You are no longer pulled as much to the top-end or low-end but rather you get a better perception of engagement for the entire presentation.”
Simaudio MOON 740P/860A v2 Pre/Power Amplifier Review
May 25, 2020 Comments Off on Simaudio MOON 740P/860A v2 Pre/Power Amplifier Review
“There’s excellent control and grip, even with relaxed-sounding speakers such as the Sonus faber Olympica Nova V [reviewed next month] and while the MOON amps can’t quite overcome the strong sonic signature of these big Italian speakers, they do make a fine fist of trying to get them moving, injecting a good dose of rhythmic pep. Partnered with a truly insightful monitor like the resident B&W 800 D3s [HFN Oct ’16] and, given the size and output specifications of the 860A v2, it delivers a big-boned, muscular sound, playing loud without effort and delivering the dynamics of music in a highly convincing fashion.
320sim.remThe bass is perhaps a little dry at times, but what it lacks in warmth it more than makes up for in its ability to slam hard. Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic in his ‘Symphonic Dances from West Side Story’ [from Bernstein conducts Bernstein; Sony Classics SRGR 755; DSD64] is treated to subtlety in the more lyrical parts, but real fire and speed in the ‘Rumble’ section, which sounds thrillingly molto allegro.
The sound here is highly detailed”
GigaWatt PC-4 EVO+Power Conditioner Review
May 23, 2020 Comments Off on GigaWatt PC-4 EVO+Power Conditioner Review
“I found that the transients became considerably sharper and the sound was a lot more vivid and direct but at the same time I felt that the natural flow and the organic quality were much diminished. Passive filtering would seem to be less intrusive and in some ways, it is. However, the main issue with series passive filters is that the filter component is in line with the power and thus the current flow can be impeded which usually results in diminished dynamic behavior or indeed a “filtered” effect. While this can be beneficial in situations where the sound is otherwise a little hard or edgy, systems that are already well-balanced can be thrown off, and in my case that always happened. Parallel passive filters, finally, have no components placed in series with the power and thus should theoretically not impede the current flow and not inhibit (the sense of) dynamics. However, I still found that the transients softened and the propulsion diminished and after having heard the same issues with every brand and model that I tried, at last, I lost interest in the subject.:”
HEGEL H120 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW
May 23, 2020 Comments Off on HEGEL H120 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“Replacing Röst was always going to be an interesting act for Hegel. It broke new ground for the company, and with many ground-breaking products, that meant it didn’t sell quite as well as it deserved to. The H120 is different, as it retains everything good the Röst brought to the party and also continues and extends Hegel’s ‘giant-killer’ range of amps. This is the kind of amplifier that works well in context and can support some surprisingly high-end speakers. While that sounds like the stuff of absurd review kit-bashing, what it means in reality is you can build and upgrade a system around the H120 far further than usual at this price. You don’t have to use it with esoteric audio equipment, but it won’t mask their effects if you do. In short, it’s an all-round goody. ”
Abyss Headphones Diana V2
May 22, 2020 Comments Off on Abyss Headphones Diana V2
https://headfonics.com/2020/03/abyss-headphones-diana-v2-first-contact/
“The matching perforated black leather pads, though small on the outside and not that deep, have a clever but sturdy funnel shape that expands in such a manner to deliver a full circumaural experience. A very smart design indeed.
If you are coming from the original Diana these are upgraded and bigger pads so they are much more comfortable. Also, compared to the Phi, they are slightly softer than the original grey pads. Abyss are no longer selling those grey pads so all new Phi and V2 headphones will come with these new slightly more malleable versions.
Out of the box, I can feel a physical difference from the older grey to the newer black pads with slightly less vertical pressure and biting into the sides from the lateral pressure. The clamping is the same so I am presuming the softer pad structure is dissipating in a more even manner than the stiffer edges of the older grey pads.”
Eikon Audio Image1 Integrated Loudspeaker System $25,000 Review
May 22, 2020 Comments Off on Eikon Audio Image1 Integrated Loudspeaker System $25,000 Review
“The two high-excursion 8″ woofers are loaded in an unusual quasi-transmission-line arrangement. In a full transmission line, the woofer’s rear wave is directed down a labyrinth filled with mineral wool (or other damping material) inside the cabinet. The woofer’s rear wave is dissipated as it travels down the labyrinth, and in theory is completely dissipated at the end of the transmission line (the opening in the speaker enclosure that looks like a port). A transmission line avoids the problem of sealed loading in which the trapped air inside the enclosure acts as a spring against the woofer as the woofer moves in. It also avoids the problem of reflex (ported) loading in which transient behavior is compromised and port artifacts (resonances, the sound of air moving through the port, etc.) can become audible. Although a transmission line has none of these problems, a true transmission line requires an enormous cabinet enclosing a very long labyrinth to fully dissipate the woofer’s rear wave. In a quasi-transmission line such as in the Image1, some woofer energy emerges from the end of the line, but it is greatly attenuated. The Image1’s transmission line gets progressively narrower, forcing the energy into a smaller and smaller area that has progressively greater damping. Sanders says that this unusual approach delivers tighter bass than traditional sealed or reflex loading.”
APERIO Electrostatic Reference Headphone System.
May 21, 2020 Comments Off on APERIO Electrostatic Reference Headphone System.
“Every hall has an individual acoustic sound and APERIO captured the Minnesota Orchestra and the venue with excellent decay and made the room come across as part of this recording seamlessly. Once again, noticeable was the exceptional musicality that I was experiencing.
Rarely in listening sessions does everything all come together as it did with the APERIO electrostatic system. Classical music lovers will be satisfied with the soundstage and the tonality of instruments was beautifully portrayed with inner detail being exceptional. APERIO left nothing out in reproducing this magnificent recording,”
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