Cowon Plenue D2 Review
June 21, 2019 Comments Off on Cowon Plenue D2 Review
“Previously, sensitive earphones were real buggers to pair with the D. They hissed. Really sensitive ones might even render audible screen interface calls. The D2 so shields all that from the signal that all is black and quiet. Yes, that includes earphones like Shure’s SE846, which hiss even when plugged into the vacuum of space.
All is not perfect, though. Under extreme load at max volume, jitter jumps way up over unloaded targets, and otherwise pristine signals suck to extreme separation at 2k and 5k with a small mountain of minor joined stereo between them. Can you hear this? I doubt it. Will you be listening to similar loads (Earsonics SM2) at such volumes? No. But when pushed beyond reason, the D2’s output fails there.”
T+A elektroakustik Talis S 300 Loudspeaker Review $13,900
June 21, 2019 Comments Off on T+A elektroakustik Talis S 300 Loudspeaker Review $13,900
“I do want to emphasize that the qualities described above were not evident when the S 300s were freshly unpacked—they needed 150–200 hours of playing music to come into their own. Before that, the speakers were quite “accurate” with loads of detail, yet provided only a very ordinary listening experience. With time, the preternatural clarity remained, joined by an organic ease and naturalness surely related to the tonal verisimilitude noted above. Loudspeakers under $20,000 are the class of products I cover at shows, and I’ve not heard ones better than the S 300s. Sonically, they hold their own with competing models from Wilson and Magico that cost thousands more, despite having to cross an ocean to get here, and the T+As will likely get higher marks for appearance than products from those other two fine manufacturers. Most importantly, the Talis S 300 can make you forget that you are listening to a recording. And that’s what it’s all about, right?”
PHOBOS ORTHODYNAMIC $2,199 REVIEW
June 20, 2019 Comments Off on PHOBOS ORTHODYNAMIC $2,199 REVIEW
“Those looking for thunderous bass like the Sony MDR-Z1R flagship headphones, better look elsewhere. What you will get here is wonderfully textured and defined bass that only gives you what the recording engineer wanted you to hear. Cymbal detail and shimmer was almost perfect. Extended, detailed while never sounding strident is the best description I can give. Simply put a very balanced overall tonality that should make any listener smile; regardless of the genre of music that you throw at them. Finally, I want to mention that this session was conducted with the flagship DAC Chord Electronics DAVE and boy did these headphones scale with the improved upstream gear! Everything just sounded better across the board and really let me hear the differences between the Hugo2 and DAVE”
Audio Research Reference 6 Preamplifier $15,000 Review
June 20, 2019 Comments Off on Audio Research Reference 6 Preamplifier $15,000 Review
“In my time with it, I quickly learned that Audio Research’s Reference 6 preamplifier is one of those rare products capable of producing a quality of sound greater than might be suggested by the sum of its parts. The Ref 6 also offers outstanding build quality, instinctual ergonomics, and sexy appearance, all for only $2005 more than the cost of its predecessor — a 15% premium. Moreover, it’s the first tubed preamplifier I’ve heard that can match and in some ways exceed the performance of my reference, the solid-state Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8. This tells me three things: 1) some seriously astute engineering is going on under the Ref 6’s hood; 2) even at $15,000, the Ref 6 is a heck of a value; and 3) I’d be an idiot to return the review sample. Audio Research’s Reference 6 has just become my new reference preamplifier. Wholeheartedly recommended.”
McIntosh MC611 Amplifier $15,000 Review
June 19, 2019 Comments Off on McIntosh MC611 Amplifier $15,000 Review
“What then do we have with McIntosh’s latest series of big-power amps? To me, these amplifiers demonstrate firstly that you can have high-output power in a musical sounding package. No matter what genre, source, vinyl or otherwise, I threw at these amps, the transformative nature of each cut – when called for – was heard clearly and undeniably. There are amps that make music sound more or less similar; there are amps that contour music emotionally; there are amps that reveal the last bit of detail, ambience and microscopic inflections of each note played. There are very few amps however, that manage to package all these attributes into one design that does it all generally equally well. That breed of amplifiers is rare indeed – yet, McIntosh somehow managed to do just that at a price point that in today’s terms is downright affordable. Add to that genuine high-end support, an honest Made in America badge, and knowledge that these amplifiers will sound as good in twenty year’s time as they do the day you bought them and you have yourself a winner. I was prepared to spend considerably more for a high output solidstate amp; that the MC611 won me over and left money in my pocket was a genuine surprise that I didn’t see coming. Well done and most definitely worth an audition. Highly recommended, A++++.”
Dali Callisto 6 C and Sound Hub Wireless Loudspeaker Review
June 19, 2019 Comments Off on Dali Callisto 6 C and Sound Hub Wireless Loudspeaker Review
“Get closer to the raison d’être of the Callisto system with the Sound Hub, and the good news is that the wireless transmission doesn’t bring a deterioration of the sound, albeit there’s little it can do to iron out the problems of the balance here. True, things are a little softer when using the hub’s two analogue inputs than when connecting sources using the optical or coaxial digital inputs – as one might expect given the extra ADC stage involved – but in general the Sound Hub, and its 96kHz/24-bit wireless audio transmission, is relatively transparent.
Not that this system is a hugely persuasive argument for the benefits of ‘hi-res’ sound, as its sonic characteristics tend to emphasise the high frequency energy, but fail to make much of the enhanced detail, insight and dynamics on offer. Florence & The Machine’s 2015 set How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful [Island Records 602547236050; 96kHz/24-bit] was delivered with useful bass weight and definition, but still had that upper midband softness and excessive treble fizz, almost as though a loudness curve was being applied. The result was a temptation to back off a bit on the volume in order to calm things down.”
VPI HW-40 Anniversary Turntable Review
June 18, 2019 Comments Off on VPI HW-40 Anniversary Turntable Review
“Better still, particularly as the midband always trumps the frequency extremes in my little world, the contrasting vocals blended beautifully, Peter’s higher registers and Gordon’s deeper counterpoint. As with the CBS compilation, the stereo spread was wide and precise, if not quite as deep as I have heard from various belt-drives. What the drive topology has to do with these qualities I am at a loss to explain. I can only describe what I heard. And what made me brim with respect, admiration and a lot of love for the HW-40 Anniversary was its masterful reproduction of the majestic title track from Jackie De Shannon’s Put A Little Love In Your Heart [Liberty LP12442].
As with many of the artists on the Best Of ’66… compilation, De Shannon is criminally undervalued. Gorgeous voice, sublime song-writing skills – she composed ‘When You Walk In The Room’ and ‘Bette Davis’ Eyes’ among others. Anyway, the title track is one of those jaw-dropping, everything-including-the-kitchen-sink productions which would stop people dead in their tracks if it were played at hi-fi shows.
KZ ZS10 PRO REVIEW
June 18, 2019 Comments Off on KZ ZS10 PRO REVIEW
“The new Pro version offers some improvements for both sound and design. Once again we have a hybrid configuration with 1 Dynamic Driver and 4 Balanced Armature Drivers. However the BA drivers are upgraded to new versions, and the dynamic driver is now a second generation one. They promise a more dynamic and transparent sound across the spectrum.
Design wise the face plate has been changed and it has a more premium appearance to it. It is also made from stainless steel material, or so KZ claims. The inner shell looks to be the same.”
Focal Kanta No1 Loudspeakers $5999 REVIEW
June 17, 2019 Comments Off on Focal Kanta No1 Loudspeakers $5999 REVIEW
“I’ve reviewed many Focal speakers over the years, and listened to more, and with all of them, two things have stood out: prominent highs and very punchy upper bass. This has resulted in what I call a Technicolor sound — not so far from strict neutrality to sound unnatural, but far livelier than what I typically hear from my reference speakers, Revel’s Ultima2 Salon2s ($21,998/pair), which exaggerate no frequencies, and which I and most listeners would describe as dead neutral.
Connected to the Constellation Revelation Taurus Monos or the JE Audio VM60s, the Kanta No1s sounded similar to but slightly different from other Focals I’ve heard. Yes, there was the same liveliness, but the highs weren’t quite as tipped up — and the upper bass, while punchy enough, didn’t seem as overemphasized. Granted, the lowest bass was missing — I heard nothing below 40Hz, which is only to be expected from a pair of two-way minimonitors. But low bass aside, the first thing I thought was: These are the most neutral-sounding Focal speakers I’ve heard.”
Schiit Audio Aegir Class A Power Amplifier $800 Review
June 17, 2019 Comments Off on Schiit Audio Aegir Class A Power Amplifier $800 Review
”
These non-harmonic, annoying, and aggravating distortions are vanishingly low in the Aegir. Class A operation, wide bandwidth frequency-response, and DC coupling combine to produce an exceptionally natural sonic picture, one both high-resolution and pure in its production of instrument tonality. Harshness glassiness, steeliness, and other un-natural sonic artifacts are simply gone. Soundstage depiction is literal and faithful to the recording: pan-potted, mono, studio-constructed stereo images are revealed as such; naturally recorded orchestra music that captures the hall ambience and size and depth of the venue is clearly depicted.
If one only considers the Aegir’s sonic performance per se, it would qualify as a stone bargain for those of High-End audiophile sensibilities. Add its music-making abilities – its boogie factor, “PRaT,” drive, dynamics, involvement, foot-tapping, ass-shaking, head-bopping, and “Air”-instrument-inspiring performance – (areas in which the UK school- Linn, Naim, Rega, et al., have long ago set the template) and you have a sonic/music-making ”
Audiophilepure 
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