CHORD ELECTRONICS HUGO TT 2 DAC/M SCALER UPSCALER REVIEW
September 26, 2019 Comments Off on CHORD ELECTRONICS HUGO TT 2 DAC/M SCALER UPSCALER REVIEW
“I enjoyed similar benefits when I played the ‘Triptych (Excerpt)’ from A Company of Voices – Conspirare in Concert [Harmonia Mundi, 16/44.1]. This exuberant and syncopated piece for percussion ensemble and concert choir is not one that is easy for most DAC’s to handle, in part because of the large-scale dynamic swings involved and the perhaps slightly over-modulated choral swells that at times threaten to become ragged and strained. However, with the M Scaler assisting the Hugo TT 2, the timing and timbres of the percussion ensemble instruments improved dramatically, with more incisive transient sounds, rounder tonalities all around, and the all-important qualities of ‘swing’ and dynamic ‘jump’ in evidence. Individual choral lines also became clearer and more intelligible, while the potentially problematic vocal swells sounded better controlled and more expressive, with elements of congestion mostly (though not entirely) cleared up. In addition, the sounds of the concert venue were captured more realistically (I can say this with some conviction because I was present in the hall on one of the evenings when the recording was made) and with appropriate stage width and depth. Once again, the M Scaler/Hugo TT 2 pair made an already good recording sound a whole lot better.”
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Noble Audio’s Mighty Khan In-Ear Monitors $2399 Review
September 26, 2019 Comments Off on Noble Audio’s Mighty Khan In-Ear Monitors $2399 Review
“Noble describes Khans in-ear monitors as the King who conquered Kings. The master built his armies and was able to place himself in the history books. The Noble Khan is an exceptionally well thought out universal IEM that truly is a musical instrument in itself. The midrange delivery was exceptional and it is a top tier performer with exceptional clarity of instruments and the tight controlled bass presentation was as good as I have heard in any in-ear monitor.”
CONSTELLATION AUDIO PICTOR PREAMP AND TAURUS STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
September 25, 2019 Comments Off on CONSTELLATION AUDIO PICTOR PREAMP AND TAURUS STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
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The Pictor and Taurus are also paradoxical in performance in that they at once reveal all the performance criteria in a loudspeaker while bringing out its musical enjoyment. This left me stumped, as these are typically polar opposites; an amplifier that’s ‘revealing’ is often musically barren, while an amplifier that turns every session into an entertaining jaunt through your collection is routinely masking the limitations inherent to the speaker design. The Constellation Audio duo are unique in they show you exactly what your equipment is doing honestly and accurately, and yet make that experience as musically satisfying as it can be. Meaning it is at once the perfect tool for the designer wanting to know where the next speaker can be improved and the salesperson wanting to make their speakers sound great – that is a first, and bespeaks of the quality and accuracy of the Constellation Audio sound.”
Focal Kanta No1 Loudspeaker Review
September 24, 2019 Comments Off on Focal Kanta No1 Loudspeaker Review
“The bass synthesiser modulated in an appropriately animated way, powering the song along. Above this there was a wealth of percussive detail to take in, all delicately rendered. The lead synthesiser stabs were superbly syncopated to the backing percussion, with congas and woodblocks easily discernible, alongside the funky rhythm guitar and programmed drum machine snares and handclaps. Everything arrived in perfect time, alongside a clean and smooth portrayal of Madonna’s vocals. This track can really sound like a dog’s dinner through some speakers, yet here it sounded completely at ease.
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Auris Audio Euterpe
September 24, 2019 Comments Off on Auris Audio Euterpe
“The volume pot also doubles up as a power-on resistance-based switch and you will have to wait a few seconds after turning it on for it to activate. A small safety precaution if you will. There is no stepped attenuation design to the pot here, this is a custom Alps potentiometer design with a very smooth turn. Also, thank you so very much Auris for putting in some white markers to judge volume levels accurately.
The level of potential functionality of the Euterpe seems excellent though our primary review focus will be on the built-in DAC and amp all-in-one performance. That being said, the pre-amp and analog inputs as a pure amp combined with a higher-end DAC such as the Qutest and even an M-Scaler behind that will be intriguing to see just how good the SET amp inside really is.”
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT TURNTABLE SYSTEM REVIEW
September 24, 2019 Comments Off on CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT TURNTABLE SYSTEM REVIEW
“The fact the Alva TT sounds a little bit more enjoyable, slightly more lushly analogue, when hard-wired into a system might be a dog-whistle to sceptics. It could be said to prove that analogue will always trump digital when discussing this most analogue of sources. But it really shouldn’t.
It’s possible to spend £1,500 on a turntable that comes with more hair-shirt suffering than the Alva TT. But for listeners who want a satisfying vinyl experience without jumping through hoops, who don’t want to be dictated to by their own electronics, or who are just turned on by some worthwhile modernity crashing into some venerable technology, the Cambridge Audio Alva TT is the obvious choice.”
GRADO GR10E & IGE3 IN-EAR MONITORS $400 REVIEW
September 23, 2019 Comments Off on GRADO GR10E & IGE3 IN-EAR MONITORS $400 REVIEW
“A few days later after some downtime by the quieter hotel pool, I decided to play some Eagles as they are my favourite Californian band. “Hotel California” is their most well-known album and definitely one of my favourites of all time. Right from the start, the theme from my flight over had definitely continued; a very open and expansive soundstage was revealed in a very balanced and transparent presentation. I have to say that the guitars just sounded so real with these IEMs, that shivers went down my spine. The sense of realism and clarity with the GR10e in-ear monitors really hit home with this high-resolution recording.”
PS AUDIO STELLAR POWER PLANT 3 REVIEW
September 23, 2019 Comments Off on PS AUDIO STELLAR POWER PLANT 3 REVIEW
” The first thing you notice is the drop in noise floor, this not only makes for inky black spaces when the music has paused creating a much more realistic presentation allowing you to suspend disbelief and feel that the musicians are in the room with you, but opens a whole new world of micro-detail that was previously obscured by the previous noise floor. As you listen further, you start to hear the subtle increases in dynamic range that come from not only the lowered noise floor but the increased current storage in your power supply.
Pulling up Qobuz I selected “Who Killed Smiley Culture?” by Emily Capell. This piece is a single picked note acoustic guitar and vocal, with large spaces between notes. The abyssal silence lets you hear the reflections of the walls creating a greater sense of space. The quiet noises, like the buzz at the back of her throat, the squeak of her fingers on the strings, the click of the pick on the string and soundboard of the guitar all stand out in bas-relief. The sound is intimate and alive with a huge soundstage.”
Boulder 1161 Power Amplifer $22,000 REVIEW
September 22, 2019 Comments Off on Boulder 1161 Power Amplifer $22,000 REVIEW
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Nothing I’ve ever had the privilege of lifting the cover on in the audio world is built to this standard. This is what gives Boulder products the highest secondary market value of anything going – if you can even find them used. I’m sure people that trade Boulder in for something else are out there, but every Boulder owner I’ve encountered has only traded up. It’s rarely if ever for sale used, and I’ve never heard of one that has malfunctioned. I don’t even recall seeing a service area when I visited the factory, but I’m sure it’s there somewhere.”
Linear Tube Audio MZ3 Review
September 22, 2019 Comments Off on Linear Tube Audio MZ3 Review
‘I won’t load this review with more specs, and additional detail that’s already available regarding David Berning’s patented ZOTL circuits. Briefly, and at its most basic, the ZOTL circuit functions without the output transformers that the majority of classic tube amp circuits require. First, and somewhat like a radio transmitter and receiver, the audio signal rides a carrier signal, which is amplified by the tubes, then the carrier is dropped at the output. In place of output transformers, the ZOTL circuit utilizes impedance converters that handle the output and impedance matching for the amplifier/loudspeaker pairing. This allows LTA to avoid compromises to sonics that many output transformers present, and as I hear it, delivers more of the tube to listeners.”
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