NOBLE AUDIO SAVANT II $499 REVIEW
August 9, 2019 Comments Off on NOBLE AUDIO SAVANT II $499 REVIEW
“For me, this is the calling card of the Savant II’s signature. Not so much that it is a basshead monitor, it lacks that full-on dynamic driver natural levels of decay and outright power but it comes fairly close in terms of weight and power.
For me, both the sub-bass presence on the Savant II is excellent though not accentuated to the point where it is overpowering. I suspect the vented driver used by Noble is a subwoofer class balanced armature given its slightly slower and “fleshier” sound compared to the pacy but leaner sounding BA’s used in the Sage.”
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Wireless Loudspeakers Review
August 8, 2019 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Wireless Loudspeakers Review
“Also, while the Formation ecosystem may not rely on your own home’s network to remain functioning, that doesn’t save it from the occasional drop out with respect to some connections–specifically Bluetooth. During my month-long audition of the Formation Duo and Formation Audio, when connected to the Sony display via Bluetooth I endured three drop outs. Sound would suddenly stop transmitting to the speakers, and revert back to the display. That’s three drop outs in the span of one month, give or take. This was easily remedied simply by re-selecting the Formation Duo speakers from the Sony’s Bluetooth devices menu, but nevertheless it did happen. When using the Formation Audio connected to the Vizio P-Series Quantum, I noted only one drop out for a total of four in one month.”
FIIO M11 ANDROID-BASED LOSSLESS PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
August 8, 2019 Comments Off on FIIO M11 ANDROID-BASED LOSSLESS PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
“The FiiO M11 came in an attractive black magnetic clasp box with a slip-on black outer picture sleeve. Inside was the M11 in a heavy clear plastic skin with a 7H tempered glass screen protector pre-applied at the factory. The unit is black with a gold-colored tactile volume control and a faux carbon-fiber textured glass back. Size-wise, it is the same as the X7 Mark II and X5III though it is shaped slightly different so it might not fit in the same cases. (It is beveled on both edges, making it a slight challenge to get in and out of the plastic skin.)
There are two tactile buttons along with the volume control (pause/play switch and FF/RW toggle) on the left edge and the two micro-SD card slot on the right. On the bottom, you will find the 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced outputs next to each other on the left, the USB Type-C connection in the middle and the 3.5mm (single-ended/coaxial digital/line output) output on the right. The power button is on the right top.”
McIntosh MS500 Music Server $6,000 Review
August 7, 2019 Comments Off on McIntosh MS500 Music Server $6,000 Review
“Ethereal vocals are something I genuinely vibe on. That and vocal overdubs, gated mics and hyper-realistic studio-space decay to instruments or voices during playback. I love that sense of the space of the recorded event being captured on a track or album. it adds an atmospheric layering to the cuts that imbues you-are-there realism to listening sessions because of the sense of placement attached to each performer. Invitation by Heather Woods Broderick (TIDAL, FLAC 16-bit/44.1kHz) is just such a listening experience for me through my system with the 500. Hearing it through a dCS Rossini or totaldac spoils me for the big, spacious sound that each of those models is capable of relaying in my system. But, even though the MS500 clocks in at about a third to a quarter of the price of those two DACs, it is capable of giving you a taste of what those who can afford to invest heavily in a music-playback device like the aforementioned are getting. It would be foolish to say it sounds close, it doesn’t, but it sounds so fun, energized and smooth that it puts you in mind of those heavier hitters because of the sheer enjoyment it elicits when listening through it. The fact that it presents instruments and vocals in a rocksteady image with fantastic pitch accuracy certainly helps the McIntosh digital cause. ”
Merrill Audio Element 118 Mono Amplifiers $36,000 Review
August 7, 2019 Comments Off on Merrill Audio Element 118 Mono Amplifiers $36,000 Review
“My reference Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7M monoblocks nicely split the difference between the Merrills and Macs, though overall their sound is more akin to the Element 118s’. With most music, the Sims consistently sounded a tad darker than the Merrills. Bibb’s voice appeared somewhat farther back on a slightly less expansive soundstage, and the W-7Ms lacked just a hint of the Element 118s’ inner detail and airiness. Through the Element 118s, the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was slightly more prominent, and microlevel details were a wisp easier to hear. This, combined with the Merrills’ greater neutrality, made them the more enjoyable amps to listen through — until I pushed them past that 7/10s mark. At higher volumes, the playing field leveled dramatically. The thump of the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was now virtually identical through the two pairs of amps, as were the decay of the wood blocks, the body and dimension of Springsteen’s voice, and the size and spaciousness of the soundstage. The primary difference now was in tonality: the Element 118s were more neutral. At ridiculous volume levels I appreciated the Merrills’ unwavering bass control, but always found the Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7Ms easier to listen through, though not quite as inviting as the McIntosh MC1.25KWs.”
Audio Research 160M Amplifiers $30,000 Review
August 6, 2019 Comments Off on Audio Research 160M Amplifiers $30,000 Review
“The longer I indulge in investigating audio components, the broader my perspective grows. My tastes have evolved, and my biases have diminished. This goes for all aspects of a system, be it speakers, sources, and in this case, amplifiers. My final frontier is low powered SET amps, but that is another issue. That aside, I have largely become a fan of it all. And now, having finally lived with such an exalted tubed amplifier in the Audio Research 160Ms, I really, deep down in the monkey brain, get why folks love tube amps. Timbre, resolution, space, macro dynamics, and liveliness all come together with the Audio Research 160M. Also, Audio Research has been around for 50 years and are only growing, which is no small point. They must be doing as well as any one in the business based on their longevity alone. With that comes customer service and a dealer network that ensures a far more secure relationship with the amplifier and the company.”
Aurender A30 Full Review
August 5, 2019 Comments Off on Aurender A30 Full Review
”
The A30 is a component the likes of which we haven’t seen from Aurender. Sure it’s a server, streamer, ripper, with a DAC, but the company has never released a digital/analog product at this level. This is Aurender’s flagship product with a built-in digital to analog converter as well as all the other goodies that make an Aurender and Aurender. This company cut its teeth on digital music servers and has now made a complete product with analog output at a very high level. Even old school curmudgeon, set in their ways audiophiles, who don’t believe a manufacturer can build more than one type of product, should give the A30 a solid listen. Sure the digital side is fully Aurender like everyone expects, but the DAC and analog output stage are in a class higher than all previous Aurender products.”
Cayin iHA-6 Headphone Amp, iDAC-6 DAC, and iDAP-6 Digital Audio Player Review
August 5, 2019 Comments Off on Cayin iHA-6 Headphone Amp, iDAC-6 DAC, and iDAP-6 Digital Audio Player Review
“I was delighted, too, to find the iHA-6/iDAC-6 pair had sufficient transparency and power to take full advantage of my reference Abyss, Final, and HiFiMan headphones, which is saying a mouthful (especially in the case of the very difficult to drive HiFiMan Susvara). At the same time, with its gain setting backed down to “Low,” the iHA-6 proved quiet enough for use with my extremely sensitive Campfire Audio Atlas earphones.”
Sony DMP-Z1 digital music player $8500 Review
August 3, 2019 Comments Off on Sony DMP-Z1 digital music player $8500 Review
“Until I began working exclusively from home, my constant companion on my daily commute was the PonoPlayer I’d bought after reviewing it in April 2015. It may seem absurd to compare the $8500 Sony with the Pono, which cost $399 when last available, but I’ve racked up more hours listening through headphones with the Pono than with any other product. With the Audeze LCD-Xes, which are more revealing than the AudioQuest NightHawks, the high frequencies in “The Mooche” had more top-octave air with the DMPZ1, letting me better hear the subtle acoustic of Blue Heaven Studios, in Salina, Kansas. At the other end of the spectrum, the double bass in James Brown’s “Please, Please, Please” had a weightier body tone through the Sony, though this recording’s rather rough mid-treble sounded a touch smoother through the Pono. A case of Authority (Sony) vs Acceptable (Pono).”
EARSONICS – EM64 REVIEW
August 3, 2019 Comments Off on EARSONICS – EM64 REVIEW
“The EM64 comes with a very basic cable just like with all the other Earsonics monitors. The stock 2-pin cable is quite alright, it feels sturdy and sounds perfectly fine. For stage use it will do a perfect job. Audiophiles will probably switch it out for a nice aftermarket cable, and I would suggest the Leonidas by Effect Audio for this specific monitor. The Leonidas refines the EM64’s characteristics while not wanting to change the stage/pro tuning. It gives the EM64 the feeling of delivering more detail with a more musical presentation, where the stock cable is more in your face, as you’d expect from a stage monitor.”
Audiophilepure 
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