PEACHTREE AUDIO NOVA 300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $2,500 REVIEW
September 24, 2017 Comments Off on PEACHTREE AUDIO NOVA 300 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER $2,500 REVIEW
“Peachtree Audio 2.0 has taken its original goal of affordable lifestyle audio and moved it into affordable high performance audio. That it comes in a handsome, lightweight case is a wonderful added benefit. The new Class-D amps are fantastic and drove my floorstanding 86dB Vandersteen Treo CT’s to stupendous levels. The grip on the low end was wonderful. There was more than enough power to go around. Coming in at a price of £2,195 or $2,500, the Nova 300 is a flat out steal for all the audio capabilities it delivers. If you are upgrading, check it out. If you need to remove the shrine, it can do that too! Highly recommended!”
Magico S3 Mk II Loudspeaker $28,000 Review
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on Magico S3 Mk II Loudspeaker $28,000 Review
“I’d seen somewhere that Alon Wolf has described the S3s as occupying the “sweet spot” of the entire Magico loudspeaker line—a product range that begins with the $16,500 S1 and ascends to the $229,000 Q7 MkII, a product that’s obviously out of reach to all but a tiny number of individuals. I asked Wolf to elaborate. “I’m fully aware of the price categories that our products are in,” he said. “Although I know that we give incredible value for the price, knowing how much it costs to actually build these things, it does become a different market above a certain number, which is around $30,000”
AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System $3995 – Video
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System $3995 – Video
“Most times over the past 20 years, I forgot my Audio Power unit was in my system. Only when upgrading to the CPT, did I notice a considerable improvement. As such, if you have an old workhorse in your system and are looking for a significant upgrade, why not give the Niagara a test run? You’re thinking better cartridge, better amplifier, right? Before you call Audio Research or Lyra, get hold of a 5000 and listen for a couple of days. I adore Audio Research and Lyra, but you know what I’m betting on. Very highly recommended. ”
OPPO UDP-205 $1,300 REVIEW
September 23, 2017 Comments Off on OPPO UDP-205 $1,300 REVIEW
“I found the HA-1 to be more musical on the low end and more reserved on top than the flat neutral 9018 of the Burson 9018 Conductor. Here, I have almost no reference point for the newer 9038Pro used in the UDP-205. I can say that I think it has more of a shared tonality to the HA-1 of old than anything else. So, in other words, the 9038PRO here in front of me with whatever other parts are in there, sounds more like the HA-1’s 9018 circuits than anything else I can think of.”
Mark Levinson No 523 Preamplifier, Phonostage And Headphone Amplifier $15,000 World Premiere Review
September 22, 2017 Comments Off on Mark Levinson No 523 Preamplifier, Phonostage And Headphone Amplifier $15,000 World Premiere Review
“Let’s not forget about the Mark Levinson No 523’s phono preamplifier. First of all, I was quite surprised at this onboard phono preamp’s flexibility. And of course its sound quality! As with its headphone amp, the phono preamp that is in the Mark Levinson No 523 is hardly an afterthought. As I said in the introduction of this review, this phono preamp uses the same design principles as the No 523 itself, with a fully discrete design running in Class A, with tantalum nitride thin-film resistors and polypropylene capacitors. Mark Levinson doesn’t publish many specifications in regards to its phono preamplifier, but I have no doubt that due to its two channels being physically separated from each other, its channel separation specifications are most likely very impressive. I use low-output moving coil (MC) cartridges, and I found it very easy to adjust the phono preamps gain settings and loading options. It was quite a simple task, as I used its front panel input knob to scroll through the menu options, and then used it’s enter button to select the desired options. The phono preamp’s menu choices include opting for either an MM or MC cartridge, resistive and capacitive load options, balance, either high or low gain, and its infrasonic filter.”
KIMBER SELECT KS2416 CU USB CABLE £408/1m REVIEW
September 22, 2017 Comments Off on KIMBER SELECT KS2416 CU USB CABLE £408/1m REVIEW
“The cable is also good at resolving detail and dynamic range, without placing emphasis on particular frequencies or exaggerating micro or macrodynamics. If there is a shortcoming, it’s perhaps not the most immediate and rhythmic of portrayals, but these are not major quibbles, more minor observations and I would rather have this balance than a rhythmically tight but too bright or forward cable.”
Sony NW-WM1Z Portable Player and MDR-Z1R Headphones Flagship – Review
September 20, 2017 Comments Off on Sony NW-WM1Z Portable Player and MDR-Z1R Headphones Flagship – Review
“The MDR-Z1R comes in a large, leather-bound presentation case complete with a firmly closing clasp. It seems that it is pretty much a given that any premium headphone will be packaged in a similar manner. Many audiophiles, including this reviewer, would prefer a case that could be used in the field rather than an elaborate non-portable case that takes up valuable shelf space. It would also have aided the MDR-Z1R’s portability if the lateral pivots allowed the headphones to lay flat for travel.”
Record Doctor V LP Cleaning Machine $199 Review
September 20, 2017 Comments Off on Record Doctor V LP Cleaning Machine $199 Review
“How does the Record Doctor work? First, you place the LP on the platter (on the unit’s spindle) and put the record-turner on top of the record’s label. Next you apply a thin line of cleaning fluid from the LP’s outer edge to its central label. With one hand you hold the brush (shifting as needed) as you slowly turn the record three or four rotations to distribute the fluid and prepare the surface, a process that co-mingles the debris and fluid, making the extraction process more effective. Then you flip the record over (on the platter) so the clean/damp side is on the bottom, and put the record turner back on top. Flip the toggle switch to start the vacuum, then rotate the record a few more times to dry it. Repeat the process for the other side—and voilà! Clean, shiny vinyl.”
Schiit Jotunheim stereo preamp/headphone amplifier $399 Review
September 19, 2017 Comments Off on Schiit Jotunheim stereo preamp/headphone amplifier $399 Review
“The amp also shined with in-ear headphones like my Audeze iSine 10. The treble was hyper clear, vocal sounded natural and bass definition was remarkable. You get all of that, plus the iSine’s out-of-head imaging that trumps all other in-ear headphones paired with the Jotunheim.”
ANALOGY RECORDS R2R TAPES REVIEW
September 19, 2017 Comments Off on ANALOGY RECORDS R2R TAPES REVIEW
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Besides all these shortcomings, not many people are able to pay over $250.00 for an unknown artist. John Q Public is looking for his favorite group and not for an equipment demonstration costly tape. At least the music recorded by Analogy Records is more contemporary and has not been castigated by the same “strange” music selections, without any animadversion, of other similar companies. If you want this saga to be successful among new public, you better change the idea and concept. It’s hard to sit a young guy in front of a system and induce him to listen exotic music from drums and mallets which are more suitable for audio demonstration than for real listening! The music I heard from these masters are not only meritorious of demonstrate the virtues of any system, but it’s also the kind of music anyone can listen to. Compared to those copies made from production tape masters, these from Analogy are a kind of lean and with less body on the lower regions but not by far. They are clean, fast and with a lot of impact. The recording level is not shy and as far as your machine is well aligned, prepare yourself for a paean experience! Robbo Vigo and Analogy Records are on the right track for sure.
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