Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 $2500 Review
March 16, 2019 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 $2500 Review
“For me, however, the 705 S2’s strengths made this single weakness seem minor. In fact, I can claim that B&W’s new Continuum driver, as implemented in the 705 S2, is largely responsible for luring me back into the fold of proud B&W owners: I’ve bought a pair of 705 S2s. And now that I’ve reinserted the miniDSP Dirac Live room-correction processor in the digital signal chain and recalibrated my system, I can say with confidence that the strengths ascribed above to the 705 S2 are, if anything, more evident, and the shortcomings eliminated. Now it’s time to look at buying a high-quality subwoofer to augment their sound. Overall, the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 is easy to recommend.”
Audionet Stern and Heisenberg Amplifiers, Full Review
March 16, 2019 Comments Off on Audionet Stern and Heisenberg Amplifiers, Full Review
Astell&Kern A&Futura SE100 Digital Audio Player Review
March 15, 2019 Comments Off on Astell&Kern A&Futura SE100 Digital Audio Player Review
“Sonically the SE100 delivers the goods. If you want to tailor the sound, you can make and save your own EQ settings. My early Rolling Stones albums especially benefitted from some EQ adjustments. When I compared the default “normal” EQ settings with “EQ off,” the normal EQ setting had slightly lower volume coupled with a tighter, more controlled low end. I made several “UserEQ” configurations for “bad” recordings such as my Charlie Christian box set. I especially like the fact that you can easily erase especially egregious EQ experiments.
While the SE100 is certainly not inexpensive, it delivers a premium experience, with its physical style, ergonomic elegance, and sonic prowess. With its extensive networking, USB connectivity, and firmware updatability, the SE100 should remain a musical constant companion for many years in the future. Maybe that’s why it’s in Astell&Kern’s futura line.
AURIS NIRVANA $5250 REVIEW
March 15, 2019 Comments Off on AURIS NIRVANA $5250 REVIEW
“Rarely do you find an amplifier that acts like a musical instrument and is completely not invasive. Many lesser amps miss the mark with deficiency in one of the spectrums and adds electronic sound to the music. The Auris Nirvana had some of the best tonality I have heard in a tube amplifier and was faultless in its delivery of non compromised music. The Nirvana always made me feel like I was listening to live music. The treble was exceptional and sounded crisp and alive. There never was any harshness and the extension was at times unbelievable with endless musicality.”
ASTELL&KERN ACRO L1000 DESKTOP HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
March 14, 2019 Comments Off on ASTELL&KERN ACRO L1000 DESKTOP HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“I wanted to see what the L1000 could do with MP3s of varying quality. I have some bootleg recordings of Mazzy Star live in Chicago in 1993: “The Black Sessions”. Looking at the audio properties according to Windows: “Encoder Settings – Constant Bit Rate 320kbs (Insane).” Hee hee. I guess that opinionated engineer is saying that it makes no sense to use the MP3 format at all if you aren’t going to compress at least a little. It would be nice if someone could compress away the tape-hiss but otherwise this is actually a lovely recording as bootlegs go. The L1000 and Beyer’s presented the intimacy of Mazzy Star and I was caught up listening for a long time again”
Luxman P-750u headphone amp $4,995 Review
March 14, 2019 Comments Off on Luxman P-750u headphone amp $4,995 Review
“The Luxman P-750u is an expensive component, but for deep-pocketed connoisseurs who have already amassed sizable headphone collections this amplifier will be a worthwhile investment. It will make every headphones sound better than ever, and the ability to switch between three pairs of headphones for easy comparisons can be a lot of fun. I asked Luxman if a more affordable amp is in the works, but alas the P-750u is it: It has no plans for other amps. It’s good to be rich.”
Audio-Technica • AT-LP7 Turntable $799 Review
March 13, 2019 Comments Off on Audio-Technica • AT-LP7 Turntable $799 Review
“The ‘LP7’s superb tracking and lively, distortion-free retrieval of detail were consistent regardless of the record, even some discs whose innermost tracks proved to be a challenge for my 20-year-old Rega P3. However, dynamics sounded constricted and the soundstage was smaller than I was accustomed to hearing when using my reference. When I switched off the ‘LP7’s phono stage and connected directly to the far more expensive tube phono stage of my preamp, the ‘LP7’s presentation blossomed and bloomed; instruments and the surrounding space became more three-dimensional, and dynamics reached a much grander scale. Anyone who purchases the ‘LP7 should note that this humble ‘table clearly has a reserve of impressive performance potential that can be unlocked with the upgrade to a separate phono stage down the road. The same is true of Audio-Technica’s stock RCA cables and grounding wire. By replacing them with Shunyata Research’s flagship Sigma phono and grounding cables, I found that the ‘LP7 delivered far more micro detail than I thought possible in this price range. While I don’t suggest breaking the bank on interconnects, it’s clear that the ‘LP7 has plenty of potential for those willing to tweak.”
HIDIZS MERMAID MS1 AND MS4 $150 REVIEW
March 11, 2019 Comments Off on HIDIZS MERMAID MS1 AND MS4 $150 REVIEW
“For the money, both earphones pack a punch. The Kickstarter sets the MS1 to 99$ (regular 149$) but would be a steal at full price. And the MS4 competes well against pricier earphones, both at its Kickstarter discount and its full price.Eventually, the cable prongs may wiggle themselves out of the earphones. Otherwise, both are well finished and well-built and should look good in years. Their cables should outlast the market.”
EMOTIVA PA-1 BALANCED CLASS-D POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
March 11, 2019 Comments Off on EMOTIVA PA-1 BALANCED CLASS-D POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“Do the Emotiva PA-1 amplifiers have ANY audible shortcomings? As good as their bass is, I’ve heard better, but seldomly. Now I will admit that my experience with these amplifiers could be the result of fortuitous circumstance, with speakers that particularly like the B&O factory voicing of the amplifiers.
After all, I only tried the amps with two pairs of speakers. But my audio amigo, Garbulky, also tried these amplifiers with his Axiom speakers and formed much the same impressions that I did (and before I’d given him any hint of my opinions on the amps). I guess that “only” 140 watts could be a limitation for those who want “theater-level” sound-pressure-levels for their home theaters, but for stereo listening, these amps are da schizz.”
ASTELL&KERN SP1000M REVIEW
March 10, 2019 Comments Off on ASTELL&KERN SP1000M REVIEW
“And then finally there is the SR15 from AK’s A&Norma line. Obviously the SP1000M is leagues ahead. Not just in terms of features with double the internal storage, USB C or the bigger screen. The SP1000M also has a more advanced sound. It creates a cleaner signal, brings out more details on a darker background and stretches a bigger venue. The SR15 has more emphasis on warmth, whereas the M is more neutral, though still warmer. The treble section of the M is more agile and the bass has higher dynamics. The SP1000M is the more exciting sounding unit that keeps on wowing on a more constant note, while the SR15 is a highly enjoyable and relaxed.”
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