PMC Fact Fenestria Loudspeakers $65,000 Review
November 11, 2019 Comments Off on PMC Fact Fenestria Loudspeakers $65,000 Review
https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/914-pmc-fact-fenestria-loudspeakers
Each bass cabinet is finished in matte black to complement a 15mm-thick, secondary front baffle machined from a single piece of acrylic composite. This secondary baffle is “floated” over the primary baffle with an array of magnets, and isolated from the cabinet with a foam gasket. Between the primary and secondary baffles of each bass subenclosure are sandwiched two 6.5” woofers, each rigidly bolted to the main cabinet. These four woofers per speaker — PMC calls them piston drivers — are unique to the Fenestria, and were several years in development. Each cone is a diaphragm comprising two skins of triple transverse-weave carbon fiber sandwiching a core of multicellular Rohacell foam. The mass of these skins has been reduced using a special manufacturing technique that limits the diaphragms’ absorption of adhesive and lacquer, and the cones are driven by a motor assembly that includes two beefy ferrite magnets each 5.5” in diameter, 3.15” thick, and weighing 5.5 pounds.”
MEZE AUDIO EMPYREAN PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONE $2999 REVIEW
November 10, 2019 Comments Off on MEZE AUDIO EMPYREAN PLANAR MAGNETIC HEADPHONE $2999 REVIEW
“As an example, try ‘Walking On the Moon’ from the The Yuri Honing Trio’s Star Tracks [Jazz in Motion, 16’/44.1]. The track begins with a subtle, softly plucked figure from bassist Tony Overwater, whose call is later answered by an expressive response from percussionist Joost Lijbaart. Then, the proceedings really take shape when Honing joins in on his saxophone. In each case the timbres and dynamic qualities the instruments sound spot-on and incredibly engaging. Major sonic treats include Honing’s powerful, evocative sax solo in the middle of the track and several dramatic bass and percussion exchanges along the way. Stated simply, the Empyrean creates large believable soundstages and the sort of gripping, you-are-there realism that’s rare to find in any transducer, regardless of type.”
McIntosh MTI100 Music System Review
November 10, 2019 Comments Off on McIntosh MTI100 Music System Review
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But as mentioned at the MTI100 is so much more than that. This is a piece of sonic artistry, that provides high-end sound from all the sources you can imagine, and looks great doing it. For many, this and a great pair of speakers will be a destination music system. For others, it will be a second or even third system. And I’m guessing there will also be a few die-hard, completist McIntosh collectors that will just have one because…
Much as I hate to profile anyone, I suspect the MTI100 will appeal to what I refer to as the “qualityphile” customer. This customer liking solutions off the beaten path, that are as technologically curious as aesthetically motivated. Gazing into my crystal ball, I expect the MTI100 is going to end up in some very design rich environments, and cherished by its owners.”
Acoustic Signature Invictus Jr. Turntable and TA-9000 Tonearm $84,999 Review
November 10, 2019 Comments Off on Acoustic Signature Invictus Jr. Turntable and TA-9000 Tonearm $84,999 Review
“Lest you think the Invictus Jr.’s magic act is restricted to one closely mic’d recording, let me assure you that is not the case. Its amazingly abundant recovery, and uncannily neutral delivery, of sonic information can make virtually any instrument or combo of instruments on very-well-recorded LPs sound “there.” From Gene Ammons’ sax on Boss Tenor [Prestige] to Chet Baker’s whispery tenor (or counter-tenor) on Chet Baker Sings [Blue Note] to David Abel’s Guarnerius and Julie Steinberg’s Hamburg Steinway D on the Debussy Sonata [Wilson Audiophile] to Belafonte and his terrific horn section on Belafonte at Carnegie Hall [Analogue Productions], to The Band’s Richard Manuel’s vocal and piano on “The Shape I’m In,” the Invictus Jr. is able to gestalt-shift you into an alternate universe where recorded artists sound “real,” and do so without losing a great turntable’s ability to tell you how well or poorly an LP was recorded.”
Schiit Ragnarok 2 i amp $1,499
November 9, 2019 Comments Off on Schiit Ragnarok 2 i amp $1,499
“To test out using the Ragnarok 2 as a preamp, I hooked up the Schiit Aegir power amp, and at first I couldn’t get any sound out of the Aegir. I checked and rechecked the connections. They were correct. The owner’s manual was no help, so I just fiddled about trying things, and when I switched off the Ragnarok 2’s speaker output and turned on the headphone output, the Aegir started playing! So in other words you need to turn on the headphone output to use the Ragnarok 2 as a preamp! That’s very strange, but easy to do once you know how to do it.
Teamed with the Aegir the sound was even more see-through, and the soundstage took on a more three-dimensional quality. The ‘2 was no slouch on its own, but the Aegir conjured more space and depth between instruments, and individual voices in choral recordings were easier to hear with the Ragnarok 2/Aegir combination.”
Beats Solo PRO ANC Active Noise Cancelling HEADPHONE – REVIEW
November 9, 2019 Comments Off on Beats Solo PRO ANC Active Noise Cancelling HEADPHONE – REVIEW
Wilson Audio • Sasha DAW Loudspeakers $37,900 Review
November 8, 2019 Comments Off on Wilson Audio • Sasha DAW Loudspeakers $37,900 Review
“Compared to the Salinas, the Goss Concerto provides a stark contrast, in terms of scale, orchestration and, musically speaking, within itself. It is classically structured in three movements for a single guitar and full orchestra, the composer overcoming the dynamic constraints and limited level of the solo instrument by amplifying it to allow broader dynamic range and greater musical contrasts. The three movements are also essentially independent, the first reflecting the music of the United States, with its own distinctive musical idiom and jazz rhythms, the third a Latin piece with a broader, typically elegiac second movement evoking British classical traditions. When the piece is played live, the orchestra can effortlessly shift between the different tonal and chromatic palettes demanded by the score, but for audio systems, the switches are not so easy, their dynamic and tonal limitations compressing the distinctions — especially given the composer’s stated dynamic goals. It’s an acid test of any speaker’s expressive capabilities, reflecting both bandwidth and musical coherence, dynamic and tonal compression — a test paper that definitely favors the bigger, more sophisticated candidates.”
Empire Ears Valkyrie
November 8, 2019 Comments Off on Empire Ears Valkyrie
https://headfonics.com/2019/11/empire-ears-valkyrie-first-contact/
The Valkyrie has a very likable tuning right out of the box and should appeal to those who like a bit of power in their low-end as well as a vocal delivery that doesn’t sound veiled or pushed back.
It has a very nice harmonic balance with more of a nuanced electrostatic driver tuning that adds enough headroom and clarity but without any hardness creeping into percussion and higher pitching vocal timbre. No sibilance yet for me and that is important.
I will be keen to see how it performs with electrostatic competitors in the same price range such as the Shozy/AAW POLA39 and Wavaya’s Octa, both of which have very different driver configurations. We still have a few months left of 2019 for some more electrostatic models to be slipped into the comparison section also so stay tuned!
Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Review
November 7, 2019 Comments Off on Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Review
https://headfonics.com/2019/10/monoprice-monolith-liquid-platinum-first-contact/
So far, what I am hearing is a full-bodied and punchy low-end, an even-harmonic balance up into the mids with a slightly forward but richly textured vocal delivery. I did some initial comparisons with the Auris HA-2SE and Qutest pairing and I found its stock tube presentation to be a bit more neutral, especially in the mids.
Treble is a little rounded and fairly wet and smooth but definitely not lacking in resolution. There seems to be a little uptick in the upper treble performance of the selected headphones for this initial run through that prevented the pairings from sounding dark. Warm and a bit close maybe but definitely no veil or lacking in air.
I think I prefer this right now with the Empyrean over the RAD-0, the tuning of the Empyrean seems to pair ever so slightly better for mids than the RAD-o. It is creamy in part but definitely not smoothed over with the Empyrean. This is a detailed and very relaxing listening experience, especially for soulful vocal performances.
KEF Blade Speakers Review
November 6, 2019 Comments Off on KEF Blade Speakers Review
https://hometheaterreview.com/kef-blade-speakers-reviewed/
KEF’s goal was to not only create a full-range point-source speaker system with the Blade, but also one more forgiving on the listener. Their intent was to improve off-axis imaging so there was less dependence on the sweet spot. Sonically, the Blades do a very impressive job of delivering a convincing soundstage to not only the sweet spot listener but also someone sitting to the left or right. A properly acoustically treated audio room could very well further enhance the off-axis presentation. I found that precise micro adjustments to the side walls and front wall vastly improved the sonic character. Instruments seemed to float in their own space and there was a real sense of a black background for each one. While toe-in is recommended, I discovered foregoing toe-in widened the soundstage and improved the imaging. Naturally, this is very room dependent.
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