TAD Evolution Series D1000MK2 DISC PLAYER BLACK EDITION
November 3, 2017 Comments Off on TAD Evolution Series D1000MK2 DISC PLAYER BLACK EDITION
“This model embodies the philosophy and technical standards behind TAD’s dedication to conveying all the passion contained within music. Testifying to this is the latest development derived from our top-end, highly praised TAD-D600 disc player: the Ultra-High C/N*1 Master Clock UPCG*2. To ensure precise reproduction with no tonal changes, TAD focused on minimizing low frequency distortion caused by noise from the clock itself occupying the same spectral region. Designed to achieve a pure low-noise signal approaching the upper limits of audibility, our highly innovative master clock is featured in this model.
Gold Note DS-1000 Streamer DAC With USB, S/PDIF & Optical Inputs
November 3, 2017 Comments Off on Gold Note DS-1000 Streamer DAC With USB, S/PDIF & Optical Inputs
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‘ve had DACs of various quality and price range pass through my system throughout the years, and there is no doubt in my mind that when the DS-1000 is used as a DAC, the sound quality that this Gold Note component delivers is at a level way above its asking price. The kicker is that the DS-1000 is much more than simply a DAC, and I suppose if I was forced to rate it this way, it performs as if the DAC in the DS-1000 at the level of a $10,000 DAC or more. But the DS-1000 is not only a DAC, but also a streamer. And all things being equal, it’s as if Gold Note throws in the streamer for free. Or perhaps the other way around. Regardless, the DS-1000, although not cheap, is practically a bargain when one considers the quality of its internal DAC combined with its fine streamer.”
MCINTOSH MA8900 STEREO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $7,500 REVIEW
November 2, 2017 Comments Off on MCINTOSH MA8900 STEREO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $7,500 REVIEW
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Audio purists will immediately blanch at the idea of modifying the source signal in any way. But if a recording is substandard, sometimes a touch of equalization (“five-band tone control” in McIntosh-speak) can improve it significantly, allowing you to listen to a favorite performance despite its poor recording quality. If your room is asymmetrical, sometimes a touch on the balance control can restore the desired imaging. And if your speakers happen to be less than totally linear (this applies to almost EVERY speaker on the market, including YOURS), then you can flatten the response, again with a minor touch-up from the equalizer.”
SPL Phonitor X Headphone Amplifier $2799 Review
November 1, 2017 Comments Off on SPL Phonitor X Headphone Amplifier $2799 Review
“With a $2800 budget you have a plethora of headphone amplifier/preamplifier options. Of course, I have not heard them all, but among those I have heard the Phonitor X offers a unique set of features coupled with outstanding performance. I still consider the Audeze Deckard headphone/preamplifier ($699) a superb value, but if you need a balanced line and headphone connection it isn’t going to work for you. When I compared the Deckard’s single-ended headphone output with the Phonitor X’s using the Focal Utopia headphones with their stock, single-ended cable, I was impressed by how similar the two headphone amps sounded, both in tonal balance and in soundstaging. But when I compared the Deckard’s single-ended output with the Phonitor X’s balanced output (using a balanced Moon Audio Silver Dragon cable), the balanced connection bettered the single-ended one with a slightly larger soundstage and better micro-dynamics.”
FIIO X5 3RD GEN DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER REVIEW
November 1, 2017 Comments Off on FIIO X5 3RD GEN DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER REVIEW
“FiiO has well and truly achieved their goal of providing a full featured, high performance DAP at a very affordable price. While it does not have the detail, bass extension & control nor the articulate and musical midrange or highs of my reference unit, it does compete favorably with many thousand dollar plus units I have heard, and I believe represents the performance limits of the components used. It is less fatiguing than most mass market units (regardless of price) and enjoys a probable compatibility with most IEMs and Headphones, so I can heartily recommend it to those trying to maximize their audio experience without an open ended budget.”
KEF’s R300 speaker Review
October 31, 2017 Comments Off on KEF’s R300 speaker Review
“I have a pair of KEF LS50 speakers on hand for direct comparison and not surprisingly, the two speakers sound similar, but the R300 is weightier, fuller and delivers more low-end power. Dynamics pack a bigger punch with Led Zeppelin’s “Presence” album; returning to the LS50 I miss the R300s’ oomph.”
AROMA AUDIO A10 PORTABLE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER – REVIEW
October 30, 2017 Comments Off on AROMA AUDIO A10 PORTABLE HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER – REVIEW
“Aroma is a company to watch, their first offering hit it out of the park. If you have one of those really expensive DAPs that needs an external amplifier, or if you would just rather use your phone for your music source, then the A10 is a must have, even if you are only using IEMs, and at a reasonable price. If you are looking for a signal processor that will make a product that actively sounds bad, sound better, then the A10 is not that, but there are plenty of DSP apps that can do the job better than an external amplifier that is in effect degrading the sound (even if you like the results), but if you want to get the most out of your source and headphones then the A10 is a great choice.”
Dynaudio Special Forty Review
October 29, 2017 Comments Off on Dynaudio Special Forty Review
“The manufacturing process used to create the Special Forty’s veneer is more elaborate than we might expect: 1.5mm-thick wood slices are cut from birch wood in Finland. Each slice is coloured red or grey without paint (lest it obscure the wood grain) before many hundreds of slices are glued and pressed together to form a solid block. This block is then cross-cut again to create thin slices of veneer, this time though at ninety degrees to the original layers and so creating a pseudo wood/pin-stripe effect.”
QUESTYLE AUDIO QP2R DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER $1,300 REVIEW
October 28, 2017 Comments Off on QUESTYLE AUDIO QP2R DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER $1,300 REVIEW
‘Parazaider’s delicate flute, working with G Dorian flair as the intensity of the track rises. Piano, horns and drums come in as the volume rises. The QP2r keeps everything together in a fluid and musical way. The power of the band is well in evidence as well as their subtlety as the song flows from Powerful to subdued moments. Terry Kath’s strident vocals are captured with all the strain of his worry and anxiety for the survival of our society. This song could be about today and not nearly fifty years ago as a social statement. The QP2r unleashes the UE11’s to their best effect. Very satisfying!”
Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000 portable audio player $3499 Review
October 27, 2017 Comments Off on Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000 portable audio player $3499 Review
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In some ways, the various musical elements were excessively dissected, but overall, the timbral and textural balance, along with the precision of attacks and generous sustain, produced a picture that seemed to be organic on the “cellular” level, without ever sounding mechanical. The sound of John Densmore’s cymbals, particularly from the vinyl rip, was ideal, as was the sound of his kick drum in the title song. That was a tribute to both the Audeze headphones and to the A&ultima SP1000
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