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
”
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.”
Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ2 Review
September 21, 2019 Comments Off on Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL MZ2 Review
“I threw a pretty wide variety of headphones at it, from super power-hungry planars, to very sensitive high-impedance dynamics and everything in between. The amp handled all but the most power hungry planars extremely well. If you’re looking to power an HE-6 or other headphone that eats current for breakfast, you might be better served elsewhere. While the MZ2 didn’t sound anemic, nor did the sound seem to break up as it does with lesser amps, but high powered solid state amps simply had more to offer here. That said, I was able to drive current Mr. Speakers, mid-priced HifiMan and Audeze headphones all without feeling the amp was being pushed too hard. It holds up exceptionally well even to some of these fairly inefficient cans. Unusually, I didn’t feel it paired any better or worse with high-impedance dynamics than inefficient planars. All the headphones seemed to work equally well with the amp, and it gave me a similar sonic personality with all of them.
Sonus faber Gravis VI Subwoofer Review
September 21, 2019 Comments Off on Sonus faber Gravis VI Subwoofer Review
“Still, though, taking that price into consideration, the Gravis VI lacks a few niceties that I think it deserves. For one thing, I would like to see a subwoofer of this caliber ship with its own measurement mic. Even a Dayton Audio EMM-6, low-priced as it is, would be an improvement over the mics built into smartphones, and would provide better calibration.
Unrelated to price, I also wish there were a bit more variety between the four EQ presets for the Gravis VI. While there are differences, they’re so subtle that you’ll likely hear more tonal shifts by leaning your head back and forth a foot or so. Only the Streaming Mode preset differs substantially from the other three, with a decent boost around 50 Hz and a steeper roll-off of frequencies below 30 Hz. I’m not really sure what that has to do with streaming, but there you have it.”
EgglestonWorks • Emma EVOlution Loudspeakers $5495 Review
September 20, 2019 Comments Off on EgglestonWorks • Emma EVOlution Loudspeakers $5495 Review
“to me and most of my friends, $5500 is a lot of money, and a decision to spend that amount on a pair of loudspeakers is viewed by many as insanity. With sound as solid and beautiful as their handsome cabinets, the Emma EVOlutions make that expenditure seem downright enlightened — they should be on every music lover’s shortlist of honest-sounding, full-range speakers. To me, they handily met the manufacturer’s goals — they “perfectly balance resolution on the one hand and listenability on the other.” I urge you to move whatever mountains you must to hear a pair of these speakers — in your home, using your gear, or under other circumstances. If you’re as impressed as I was, you’ll be reaching for your checkbook or a credit card”
NAD MASTERS SERIES M10 STREAMING AMPLIFIER REVIEW
September 20, 2019 Comments Off on NAD MASTERS SERIES M10 STREAMING AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“This was readily apparent when Dirac was engaged, as the ultimate volume that could be achieved was lower still. While I pushed the M10 hard and had noted that the sides of the chassis were hot anytime I touched it, the M10 was unflappable and never shut down. Most importantly, the M10 had also managed to redeem itself with regards to the dynamic bite I had noted in the context of The Police track. All it took was bypassing my mains conditioner and plugging the M10 directly into the wall, as NAD recommends. This transformed it. The overall sound was more enjoyable immediately and put the M10 and Atom far closer than I would have thought possible. Ultimately, for my room, my system, and my ears, the Atom’s slightly more forward and/or lively presentation is the one I would pick, but I can easily imagine someone else preferring the M10, which seems to have better analog playback, greater access to internet radio stations (and better at searching for them), and a more neutral sound.”
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.