GRADO PS2000E $2695, REVIEW
March 12, 2018 Comments Off on GRADO PS2000E $2695, REVIEW
“Listeners who appreciate classical music and dynamic recordings will appreciate the transducers wide soundstage and layering. The air and space between musicians was well defined. The imaging and space with exceptional layering showcased every piece of the orchestra. When I closed my eyes I could feel the excitement of the orchestra and the speed and dynamics of the PS2000e always delivered the majestic performances with musicality, imaging with a first rate clear picture of the musicians and their individual sections. The outline of each section and musician was excellent and the air between the instrument and musician was special.”
PSB M4U 8 Noise-Canceling Wireless Headphones Review
March 12, 2018 Comments Off on PSB M4U 8 Noise-Canceling Wireless Headphones Review
“The Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones ($349.95) feature Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling, Bluetooth wireless functionality, and good sound quality. The Sennheiser PXC 550 ($399.95) has an incredible array of features and benefits, including excellent sound quality, adaptive noise-canceling, and a fold-up design. The Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II ($349.95) have Google Assistant built in, as well as adjustable noise cancellation. They offer Volume Optimized EQ, which adjusts the sonic frequencies depending on how loud you are listening–sort of like the loudness button for adding bass when listening at low volumes, but I heard some changes even at higher volumes. They do not fold up, though. The Sony MDR-1000X ($248.00) has adjustable noise cancellation, but I felt that, to get the ANC to a level where the outside noise was attenuated fully, the sound quality was negatively impacted. The rest of the Sony’s features are well designed and work nicely. As a result, I had to rate the Sony ANC capabilities last in the pack, and ANC is such an important feature for mobile use.”
Sonus Faber Guarneri Tradition loudspeaker $15,900 Review
March 11, 2018 Comments Off on Sonus Faber Guarneri Tradition loudspeaker $15,900 Review
“After some experimentation, I positioned the Guarneri Traditions close to where the TAD Micro Evolution Ones had been when I listened to them for the review published elsewhere in this issue: with their woofers 74″ from the wall behind them, and, due to my room’s slight asymmetry, the left speaker’s woofer 27″ from the LPs lining the nearest wall, the right speaker’s 42” from the books lining that wall. These positions slightly shelved down the low frequencies but gave the best transition between the mid- and upper-bass regions. The kick drum at the beginning of a live 2010 recording of Phish playing Little Feat’s “Time Loves a Hero” (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, no longer available) was both well defined and had sufficient, er :
TechDAS Air Force III Turntable $29,500 Review
March 11, 2018 Comments Off on TechDAS Air Force III Turntable $29,500 Review
“But if you’re looking to put together a top-flight system at a budget that doesn’t approach astronomical levels, then the Air Force III is surely a potent contender. Once upon a time, in my early youth, “made in Japan” constituted a warning sign. Those days, however, are long over. The fit ’n’ finish of the Air Force III are simply dynamite and the performance is, as well. Here’s the bottom line: If you really want to soar into the vinyl stratosphere, then call in the Air Force!”
Ayon Stealth DAC and CD-T II Signature CD Transport Review
March 11, 2018 Comments Off on Ayon Stealth DAC and CD-T II Signature CD Transport Review
“The DSD upsampling function is a 995 euro option for the CD-T II transport. Personally, I would leave it out when purchasing it, but this is very much a relative matter. I know that there are many DSD fans out there and depending on personal taste and system matching, one might have a view different from mine. As with virtually all aspects of these two high tech products, the choice is yours, all the options are there, for the user to freely choose between.”
McIntosh Labs MA5300 Integrated Amplifier $5000 Review
March 10, 2018 Comments Off on McIntosh Labs MA5300 Integrated Amplifier $5000 Review
“Nothing is lost and nothing is added passing through this MA5300 amplifier. In actuality it functions like a central switch board becoming a faithful conduit of the music from the source. If I were to begin building (once again) a highly accurate laboratory reference audio system. I would base everything on the corner stone that is the McIntosh 5300 Integrated amplifier. It is the McIntosh Labs reputation carried forward, the build quality and performance is exemplary! Considering the range of prices of modern high-end audio amplifiers, it is not expensive at $5000. Almost a bargain, actually, all things are considered. I know the phrase highly recommended has been totally worn out to death, but it still is true, go and listen to the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amplifier with phono stage, and you’ll probably find yourself extremely happy.”
Rhapsodio Saturn Review
March 10, 2018 Comments Off on Rhapsodio Saturn Review
“Whilst far from being my cup of tea, I can see why the Saturn could be popular with some. The build quality is excellent; they look fantastic and offer a really fun sound. The bass is full and somewhat over-the-top during certain tracks, but this is without completely ruining the midrange. Only a small band in the lower midrange is really affected, the rest is well detailed and not overly recessed. The highs are energetic but never harsh; these are just a fun and enjoyable listen.”
Aurender N100H Caching Network Streamer Plus X725 USB DAC / Amplifier Review
March 9, 2018 Comments Off on Aurender N100H Caching Network Streamer Plus X725 USB DAC / Amplifier Review
“I’m a sucker for the French Impressionists. No, not the painters, the composers – Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Sometimes Eric Satie is lumped into this category, but he doesn’t have enough recorded works to really be part of this group. If I would have to pick only one piece of music to represent this subgenre, though, it would be Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe. I have many recordings of this work in my collection, my favorite digital version, which also happens to be my favorite analog version, is the Living Stereo issue conducted by Charles Munch. His Boston Symphony Orchestra recorded this for RCA that was originally released in 1960. I have a Red Book CD versions ripped from the two-layer SACD and an older CD, and a DSD file of this on my hard-drives, and all of them sound incredible. I’ve read that some aren’t as enamored as I am of this recording, mostly because of the tape hiss that’s been faithfully reproduced. I suppose I’m used to it. It doesn’t bother me at all. I played both the 16-bit and DSD version through the N100H, sometimes connected to the X725 and sometimes not, and I had the same impression of their sound quality as I did when listening to the Peter Gabriel, but on this album it was amazing to hear how well the N100H was able to handle these real instruments recorded in a real space.”
McIntosh Laboratory MA9000 Integrated Amplifier-DAC $10,000 Review
March 9, 2018 Comments Off on McIntosh Laboratory MA9000 Integrated Amplifier-DAC $10,000 Review
“Overall, the Devialet D-Premier’s primary traits of transparency, resolution, and a slight coolness were fully revealed in comparison to the McIntosh MA9000’s closer, more intimate sound, the latter displaying denser, more tangible images. Which will you prefer? As obvious as were the differences between these sounds, the differences in how these two integrateds are styled and built are even greater. The Devialet is sleek, compact, and European; the McIntosh is substantial, bold, unabashedly American. I can appreciate either look, my preference depending on the day and my mood. Devialet’s amps have received many awards from the SoundStage! publications over the years — and the McIntosh equaled them. High praise indeed.”
INEARZ NIRVANA REVIEW
March 9, 2018 Comments Off on INEARZ NIRVANA REVIEW
“The separation and stereo imaging is very strong but the parts of the spectrum are not extremely separated from each other. And that, I think, is the very thing that generates an integrated, cohesive sound. Sound stage on the other hand is also very good in terms of depth. It’s not very wide but since the mids are not much in your face, it doesn’t give you a congested staging. Actually the staging also feels like the Spiral SE-5 Ref.
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