MANLEY ABSOLUTE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $4,500 REVIEW
March 3, 2019 Comments Off on MANLEY ABSOLUTE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $4,500 REVIEW
‘The switchable single-ended or push-pull topology and the variable negative feedback control give real insight into those technologies and why they exist (it should be pointed out that negative feedback in a tube amp, and negative feedback in a solid state amp are completely different animals, negative feedback in a solid state amp can produce high levels of TIMD which is not a factor in tube amps).
I found the MANLEY Absolute Headphone Amplifier to be beautiful, versatile (you would be hard pressed to find a headphone that it does not work well with) and fantastic sounding. To put it simply, the MANLEY Absolute Headphone Amplifier is evidence of why those who dabble in the extreme high end of the audiophile world lean towards tube amps.”
Sonus Faber SE $250,000/pair Review
March 2, 2019 Comments Off on Sonus Faber SE $250,000/pair Review
“Ware informs us that it takes about four months to build a set of SEs, and he has a few pair in stock (in popular finishes) so if the urge strikes, you can take them home today. As mentioned at the beginning of the review, LMC Home Entertainment in Scottsdale is the sole dealer for this speaker in the United States. It’s a great place to visit, so you might want to schedule a vacation around auditioning them. Southwest Airlines is offering some specials right now…
As much as I’ve tried to fill you in on what these spectacular speakers sound like, I still feel my words come up short. Should the SEs be on your radar, it will only take about 90 seconds into your favorite track to fall under their spell. At that moment, you will know everything.”
Manger Audio C1 Review
March 2, 2019 Comments Off on Manger Audio C1 Review
“It doesn’t take long to realise that this valve-powered preamp and the Manger speakers isn’t a happy match. The turgid and restrained performance has us switching to our long-term reference Gamut D3i preamp, which gives more balanced results. The presentation is notably more dramatic with a better sense of timing than with the Signature. We stay with the D3i for the rest of the test.
In their areas of strength, the C1s are right up there with the best money can buy. The use of that single in-house drive unit to deliver everything from low midrange upwards clearly works. It means the C1s have a seamless sense of coherence traditional multi-driver alternatives just can’t match.”
Chord Qutest DAC Review
March 1, 2019 Comments Off on Chord Qutest DAC Review
“One of the things that hit me about the Qutest’s sound after I had run it in for a good, long while is the amount of resolution it is capable of digging out of even well-worn tracks in my library, surprising me more than a few times with its clarity and subtle spacing of players within the confines of recordings at this price point. After trying out the four filters on hand”
Grado GS3000 E $600 Review
February 28, 2019 Comments Off on Grado GS3000 E $600 Review
“Grado once again continues to move the needle forward and deliver exceptional products that not only compete but also set new benchmarks. If you looking for value in high-end design both of these products merit your consideration. Whether I was listening to vinyl or digital recordings, both the reference Sonata V2 and GS3000E always brought a smile to my face and delivered exceptional musical performance. If your looking for the ultimate musical experience you need to audition the Grado Reference products and you may find as I did that they will captivate and astonish you with their musicality. Highly Recommended.
VTL S-200 Signature Stereo Amplifier $12,500 Review
February 28, 2019 Comments Off on VTL S-200 Signature Stereo Amplifier $12,500 Review
“For example, on Gerhard’s exceptional-sounding Astrological Series: Libra, Gemini, Leo [Decca], the S-200 in triode operation caused the lightning-strike percussive acoustic guitar strums and violin trills to initially sound more expressive, but the remarkable staging effects of this recording weren’t anywhere near as precisely defined as they should have been, and the speed, dynamic snap, and high frequencies were noticeably shorn off, resulting in a relatively dull rendition of this otherwise edge-of-your-seat performance.
In tetrode mode, not only was the music a thrill from the get-go—that magical sense of instruments being played in real space (the absolute sound, after all)—surrounded by halos of air, with split-second interplay between the musicians, but the performance was now rendered as musically riveting throughout.”
MOON 390 NETWORK PLAYER/PREAMPLIFIER REVIEW
February 27, 2019 Comments Off on MOON 390 NETWORK PLAYER/PREAMPLIFIER REVIEW
“It is worth noting that the 400M’s are no spring chickens; they have been around for at least the last seven years, they don’t seem to have been picked up by reviewers anywhere – they appear to occupy space below the radar. At £7,200 they are something of a bargain, and they seem to have a special affinity with the B&W802d2s. They have the power to grip the bass performance of the speakers and to drive them with aplomb. My turntable is an Inspire Monarch, with an SME V, and I’ve not heard such impressive bass performance as this on my system. Continuing with the vinyl odyssey, this time the Amadeus Quartet with Cecil Aronowitz playing Mozart’s early and utterly charming Bb Quintet op 174 on DG, the combination really captures the vitality of this world-class ensemble. The sound is packed with detail, lovely tonal nuance, and the colours of the players’ Strads (not all of them) finessed effortlessly. This is the opposite of many of the digital amps I’ve heard recently. The greyness and lack of tonal nuance kill them for me. None of that here! All this from the phono stage that comes from a preamp costing £4,750.”
AURALIC VEGA G2 DAC AND LEO GX MASTER CLOCK REVIEW
February 26, 2019 Comments Off on AURALIC VEGA G2 DAC AND LEO GX MASTER CLOCK REVIEW
“I could not hear any difference between the VEGA G2 alone or with the LEO GX only in 16/44 sampling. I could hear a difference with 24/96 and 24/192 when I streamed the music. This did not occur with all streaming. Just some of it. This was due to the LEO GX’ ability to suppress all the jitter that probably is present in some streamed music. The VEGA G2 alone could not suppress all the jitter. Most of it, but not all. The VEGA G2 is a very good DAC. The LEO GX is better at jitter suppression, but both products are excellent. I would recommend the two be purchased by consumers who are streaming all or much of their music rather than playing it from disc.”
ZMF Pendant Review
February 26, 2019 Comments Off on ZMF Pendant Review
“Compared to the solid state Questyle CMA 800R, there was some noticeable point of contrast from the audiophile standard Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits. The overall style seemed just a hair brighter with the CMA, and the well-tended to guitar tone from the Pendant had more girth but less aggressive edging. Your preference between the two could very well fall to either side depending on the mood or weather, or even track-by-track for different genres of music”
Schiit Vidar Review
February 26, 2019 Comments Off on Schiit Vidar Review
“Bass tests proved perhaps the most impressive of the spectrum, where control was exceptional, even at high volumes and heavy load. Listening to Marcus Miller’s Miller Time from Live In America reaction times and shove were outstanding. Firm control of the situation was everywhere, with no excess flab to be found. But mids and highs were not to be outdone. The experience of listening to the system is close if not on par with many of the other front ends I’ve heard the TAD MEs partnered against at audio shows. That’s something considering the least expensive comparison totaled $6k, with higher end offerings topping much more than even that. That smooth purity of energy and tone from the very high end is hinted at here and there along the way.”
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