Astell&Kern KANN Portable Media Player $1,000 Review
February 15, 2018 Comments Off on Astell&Kern KANN Portable Media Player $1,000 Review
“Astell&Kern took a gamble by tapping a different design team on their KANN player. The resulting product looks fairly unique compared to prior AK designs, and handles very differently thanks to those front panel controls. Obviously that massive battery is the headlining feature, but we also get increased power and connectivity thanks to the expanded real estate. The $999 price tag is certainly not cheap, though for an Astell&Kern product it is actually on the low side.”
VITUS AUDIO SS-103 POWER AMPLIFIER £30,000 – REVIEW
February 15, 2018 Comments Off on VITUS AUDIO SS-103 POWER AMPLIFIER £30,000 – REVIEW
“There are many amplifiers with remarkable resolution and an ability to draw and resolve the finest of filigree detail from the recordings and there are also many that have enormous control, impact, and command from the big to the infinitesimally smallest of things. The Vitus certainly is supremely capable in these areas but there is something rather wonderful about the way it moves the music through time. This is where the flowing water analogy came from. Tempo, timing, and musical phrasing are all massive weapons in any musician’s list of gifts and I think that appreciating them lies at the very core of our emotional relationship with the music we love to listen to. Every musician aspires towards expression regardless of technical ability. Few amplifiers can swing like a Vitus in full flow and the SS‑103 seems to have gained an extra edge of speed here. It is enormously articulate at its leading dynamic edge but also in its recovery, so the amplifier can utilise its considerable assets to full rhythmic effect whether the tempo itself is high and percussive, gentle and slow, or anywhere between.”
Acoustic Research AR-H1 Headphones – Review
February 13, 2018 Comments Off on Acoustic Research AR-H1 Headphones – Review
“Acoustic Research’s AR-H1 headphones not only won a Reviewers’ Choice award when Brent’s review was published, they’re now also the latest addition to our list of Recommended Reference Components — the first AR product to be included. Their high level of sound quality was a big surprise — welcome back to the world of audiophiles, Acoustic Research.”
Custom Art FIBAE 3 – Review
February 12, 2018 Comments Off on Custom Art FIBAE 3 – Review
“Highs: The transition from the midrange to the treble does not have a spike and carries no excess energy, meaning these don’t suffer from sibilance. Where these have a lift is in the upper treble creating a great sense of ambiance and air in recordings. Cymbals are not in your face, but they are not taking a back seat, again the initial crash is not overbearing but the highs are still there with great detail. What I like about these is the lack of fatigue inducing factors, but without making them a dull and boring sounding monitor.”
ULTRASONE NAOS PORTABLE HEADPHONE DAC REViEW
February 12, 2018 Comments Off on ULTRASONE NAOS PORTABLE HEADPHONE DAC REViEW
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“It should be noted that when the NAOS was paired with headphones approaching the £250 price barrier like the Audio Technics ATH-MSR7 (£200) and Final in-ear F7200’s (£400) that the NAOS was much less effective. This loss of utility with the more expensive (and presumably higher performing) cans seemed to be consistent and ultimately I considered it inconclusive if the NOAS substantially enhanced the music after breaking the $250 mark with the selected headphones listed above. Fortunately for Ultrasone most of us live in the world (especially on the go) where the virtually limitless variety of superior quality headphones under £250 will do just fine. In this vast price plateau the NAOS was able to augment virtually all facets of the musical presentation (treble, bass, mid-range) regardless of the quality of source”
Jadis JA200 Mk.II monoblock power amplifier $33,900/pair REVIEWS
February 12, 2018 Comments Off on Jadis JA200 Mk.II monoblock power amplifier $33,900/pair REVIEWS
“The mellow voices of the women of Trio Medi’val in “St. Birgitta Hymn: Rosa Rorans Bonitatem,” from Rímur, their album with trumpeter Arve Henriksen (24/96 WAV, ECM New Series 2520/HDtracks), sounded extremely natural—gorgeous, really. Ditto the trumpet’s timbre in this track, though the last iota of spaciousness was absent. The low, midrange-strong rasp of Sarah Vaughan singing the title track of her Send in the Clowns, with the Count Basie Orchestra (CD, JVC/XRCD 60246), was toned down, and the sound was to die for.”
Music Hall mmf-1.5 turntable Review
February 11, 2018 Comments Off on Music Hall mmf-1.5 turntable Review
“Tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec’s brilliant “Bossa Nova, Soul Samba” LP from 1962 was where the allure of analog sound really kicked in. Quebec’s rounded tone and fuller sound were the sort you rarely experience with digital files. I’ve said it before, but the best way to enjoy digital audio is never listen to a well recorded LP on a decent turntable. Digital may be clearer, but digital inevitably winds up sounding more two-dimensional, and less like real humans playing tunes.”
FIIO X3 MARK III REVIEW
February 10, 2018 Comments Off on FIIO X3 MARK III REVIEW
“This is where FiiO has pushed the boat out for a sub $200 DAP. All the inputs and output are housed on the bottom panel as is the case with the X1 2nd gen. The top panel is flush metal only. You retain the3.5mm digital and line out of the older 2nd Gen DAP but you also get an additional balanced 2.5mm TRSS on the opposite side.
Previously the line and digital outputs were houses in a dual purpose single 3.5mm output. Switching was done through the OS controls in settings. On the X3iii you now have a 3.5mm jack with tri-functional capability. It now includes 3.5mm unbalanced for headphones and IEMs plus lineout and coaxial”
YG Acoustics Sonja 2.2 Loudspeaker $76,800 Review
February 10, 2018 Comments Off on YG Acoustics Sonja 2.2 Loudspeaker $76,800 Review
“Basically, the Sonja 2.2 carries through whatever the characteristics of the upstream system give it and does so with a kind of assuring competency. Of course, if you play a bad recording or a system mismatch exists upstream, the 2.2 will let you know. Neither of the two Sonja models I have lived with fall into the “twitchy racehorse” category of speakers, requiring only a relatively narrow selection of partnering electronics and cabling to make them rewarding to listen to over the long haul. On the contrary, I find the 1.2 and now the 2.2 to be a great all-rounders with both tonal neutrality and affording flexibility in system-matching. The only caveat on this point is that—even though the crossover has been updated to accommodate less powerful amplifiers—I would still recommend using an amplifier with at least 100 watts (YG recommends at least 60), and I would still favor high-current solid-state amplifiers or higher-powered tube amps over other types.
Schiit Magni 3 Affordable Headphone Amp and Preamp $100 Review
February 9, 2018 Comments Off on Schiit Magni 3 Affordable Headphone Amp and Preamp $100 Review
“I remember falling for the Objective 2 amplifier hype several years ago. My world turned upside down the day I A/Bed an amp that measured similarly but sounded better. I’ve come a long way since then. It’s funny to see not only how the Magni 3 is priced lower today than a new O2 amp, and meets or exceeds its specs (much more power on tap), but sounds like an amplifier in a completely different tier of performance and overall refinement in comparison. The last time I felt this good about a solid state amp, from a holistic standpoint, was with the Eddie Current Black Widow, which are hard to find these days. That sort of pleasing gut feeling is telling.
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