CAYIN N6II REVIEW
August 15, 2019 Comments Off on CAYIN N6II REVIEW
“The phrase that keeps sticking in my head is “an everyman sound with dollops of detail”. Make sense? It does if you enjoy a wide range of genres and it most certainly applies if you err towards the slightly smoother, euphonic or even-harmonic tone in playback. If you enjoy the wetter side of things, hate the dry, the splashy or the analytical then the A01 motherboard will appeal.
But before you lie back and dream of colorful lush overtones, let me shake you from that potential aural meme by telling you that the A01’s dynamic range performance is strong. The amplification stage in the N6ii’s motherboard is an excellent performer and produces enough power and clarity to dispel any notion that the N6ii/A01 combo is a leisurely romantic stroll. It is forgiving with a ‘bit of soul’ but not without some excellent levels of detail.”
SVS Prime Pinnacle Tower Speaker Review
August 15, 2019 Comments Off on SVS Prime Pinnacle Tower Speaker Review
“If you are in the market for a new pair of speakers, and you simply do not have the placement flexibility required to get the most out of so many other speakers, I highly suggest taking SVS up on their 45-day, risk-free audition offer. Be warned, however, that I suspect 99 percent of you who do so won’t be sending them back.”
EMPIRE EARS WRAITH – AUGUSTUS
August 14, 2019 Comments Off on EMPIRE EARS WRAITH – AUGUSTUS
“I’ve been talking to EE about their Wraith for a long time now, I think first I’ve heard about the project was shortly after my Legend X review. Since then they have kept refining their new flagship. The release was pushed back numerous times, but now they are confident enough with the tuning.
Wraith is supposed to be the evolution of Zeus, a monitor that has been known for its mid-forward sound with a lighter approach, but immense details and emotions. Empire has spent a lot of time in making a monitor that’s able to deliver the same kind of signature, but refine it with a portion of extra bass, a more spacious sound stage and give it the ultimate control over the scene. What struck me during first listen, with its ability to keep everything and everyone so organized. Wraith is like the conductor in big orchestras, the one telling the musicians how and when to do what.”
Magnepan MG-20 loudspeaker $9200 Review
August 13, 2019 Comments Off on Magnepan MG-20 loudspeaker $9200 Review
“The Magneplanar’s strongest tonal suit was a full-bodied lower-midrange/upper-bass that fleshed out the power range of an orchestra—ie, up to about 500Hz—with justice for all. Reproduction of cello was especially impressive: gutsy, and rhythmically precise—no boxy resonances to smear pitch and intonation. I guarantee you this: anyone who’s spent their audio career listening to boxes will no doubt marvel at the fact that such airy, detailed, and precise bass lines are possible in a speaker. However, there was no getting away from the fact that the lower midrange was emphasized in relation to the mids and treble.”
MrSpeakers Ether 2 $1,999 Review
August 12, 2019 Comments Off on MrSpeakers Ether 2 $1,999 Review
“In terms of soundstage, the Ether 2 unsurprisingly trails the extremely wide HD800S by a sizable margin. It’s much closer to the Clear’s stage, while still falling somewhat behind the Clear’s width. However, while the Ether 2’s soundstage is relatively narrow for a pair of open-back cans, the Ether 2’s imaging is excellent, with distinct placement of voices and instruments from left to right. The Ether 2 also offers a sightly more up-front presentation than the Clear or HD800s, both of which reveal a somewhat deeper soundstage than the Ether 2 but lack some of the Ether 2’s seductive immediacy. ”
Triangle Art Hathor Turntable $4000 Review
August 12, 2019 Comments Off on Triangle Art Hathor Turntable $4000 Review
“The Hathor looks fabulous and plays well, rendering the vinyl experience in all its warmth with accuracy, depth and authority. At $4000, you can indulge in high end playback sans the huge price tag. Matched with good speakers, electronics, and cabling, you have the makings of many magical moments to come. And what’s not to like about that?”
Vitus Audio RI-101 Integrated Amplifier $15,600 Review
August 11, 2019 Comments Off on Vitus Audio RI-101 Integrated Amplifier $15,600 Review
“Auditioning the dCS via the XLR and Coax inputs with Nordost Heimall digital cables, it was tough to hear a clearcut difference between the two inputs, though we all felt the XLR input was just a touch more revealing. You’ll have to argue amongst yourselves on this, but suffice to say this aspect of the internal DAC is excellent. Should you be an occasional silver disc listener, Rega’s new Apollo player at $995 makes for an outstanding (and very compact) redbook transport that we really enjoyed.
Putting the internal DAC in context with stand-alone offerings from other manufacturers in the $5,000 – $10,000 range, this is the way to go. The combination of functionality and sound quality can’t be beat. Vitus approach to digital, combining the top ESS DAC chips with meticulous execution on all levels is fantastic.”
Klipsch Forte III loudspeaker $3998 Review
August 11, 2019 Comments Off on Klipsch Forte III loudspeaker $3998 Review
“The radiator works the same as a port,” explained Klipsch’s principal engineer, Roy Delgado, a 30-year veteran of Klipsch Audio Technologies who initially worked under Paul W. Klipsch himself. “Because of the smaller air volume of the box, the drone (aka passive radiator) offers the advantage of allowing us to adjust compliance. If it’s done right, the drone extends the bottom end. Basically you’re creating a Helmholtz resonator. You cause the air to resonate at a certain frequency and that extends the bottom end. A drone does the same thing.”
At a time when the US is experiencing an outbreak of measles, the Forte III remains au courant by having—you guessed it—Mumps. Literally named for the swollen salivary glands they sort of resemble, Roy Delgado’s patented Mumps are curved 1″ ridges that round off the interior corners within the throat of the K-703-M midrange horn. The goal, according to Klipsch’s website, is “to improve coverage and control of the key mid-frequency band.”
Audia Flight Strumento No1 mk2/No4 mk2 Pre & power amplifier Review
August 10, 2019 Comments Off on Audia Flight Strumento No1 mk2/No4 mk2 Pre & power amplifier Review
“That’s much in evidence with the Living Stereo SACD of Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony [BMG Classics 82876-66376-2], with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner. This recording dates back to 1957, and is hardly the most subtle, with seemingly enormous musical forces and a real sense of bombast about it. Add to that an SACD mastered very ‘hot’ – in other words damn loud – and you have a test disc that majors on attack rather than subtlety. The Strumento No1/No4 amplifiers deliver this set in all its full-blooded pomp, and while the sound is necessarily vintage, there’s no denying it’s loud, proud and intriguingly odd.
By contrast a much more recent recording, of Mozart’s Serenade in B flat, K361, seems to hit the Italian amplifiers’ sweet spot. This Gran Partita set, by the Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble conducted by Trevor Pinnock [Linn CKD 516; 192kHz/24-bit], sounds gorgeously rich and fluid, while instrumental tones are glorious. Or as someone once described this recording to me, ‘It’s a lovely noise’.
Read more at https://www.hifinews.com/content/audia-flight-strumento-no1-mk2no4-mk2-pre-power-amplifier-page-2#KsojudKoYP6whxEy.99
Paradigm Premier 700F Speakers $1,598/ Review
August 9, 2019 Comments Off on Paradigm Premier 700F Speakers $1,598/ Review
“Our test pair arrived in a gloss black, with gloss white and an espresso grain finish also available. No matter which finish you choose, the front and the top face of the speakers are finished in matte black – no doubt a move to keep the cost more reasonable. Two sets of binding posts are available for those wanting to bi-wire, but for the duration of our review, the 700Fs were used with a single pair of speaker cables and the jumpers intact. The quality of the finish on the side panels is as smooth as the $35,000/pair Personas we reviewed previously.
Again, this is where building everything in house is a benefit – the same people doing the cabinets on Paradigm’s top speakers are working on these too. However, it’s more than just the quality of the finish on the outer walls of the cabinet that impress. Looking at the 700Fs very carefully reveals the smoothness of the bevels on the front panel and how cleanly the drivers are mounted. There is no visible hardware. The cabinet corners intersect perfectly. This is the level of quality you demand from a $10k pair of speakers. Not something you expect for this price – a definite bonus to qualityphiles. These are speakers that you will be very proud to own.
Audiophilepure 
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