AURIS AUDIO HA2-SE REVIEW
March 17, 2017 Comments Off on AURIS AUDIO HA2-SE REVIEW
“There of course is a difference between the stock tubes and the tubes I rolled in (see above) and it mostly is the ECC82 tube that will influence the amplifier’s sound most. The upgraded tube set made the sound stage wider and deeper, the detail higher and slightly increased the smoothness. My OTL topology LaFigaro 339 – depending on the tube sets used – can be a very warm and smooth sounding amplifier but the HA2-SE never comes closed to this sound signature. The Auris is cleaner, more transparent and precise, more dynamic and dare I say, more neutral.”
VIOLECTRIC V850 & V280 SYSTEM $2560 REVIEW
March 15, 2017 Comments Off on VIOLECTRIC V850 & V280 SYSTEM $2560 REVIEW
” In sum, both V850 and V800 follow the same presentation approach, but V850 is a better dac in terms of the technical aspects. Both are great units, but I would choose V850 over V800, if I am about to get a completely new dac.”
KEF R300 Bookshelf Review
March 15, 2017 Comments Off on KEF R300 Bookshelf Review
“The R300 did a marvelous job of delivering natural sounding treble. Smooth and grainless, the similar-style Elac UB-5 bookshelf sounded aggressive and almost shouty by comparison in the same section of the frequency spectrum. High hat and cymbal splash is defined on the R300, but doesn’t greet listeners with and unnatural edge or sizzle that lesser drivers can often fall prey to in an effort to recreate an exciting presentation. Mid tone texture felt right at home as the centerpiece of the frequency sweep. ‘
Monoprice’s Monolith K-BAS speaker Review
March 14, 2017 Comments Off on Monoprice’s Monolith K-BAS speaker Review
“The bass was fuller though not deeper, and the imaging was more sharply focused. It’s easily the more likeable speaker, and yet I enjoyed my time with the Monolith K-BAS. Its easy-going sound should wear well, and it might be exactly the right speaker for “bright” rooms; ones with exposed hardwood or tiled floors, and lots of exposed windows or mirrors. Both speakers are the same price, and both should be partnered with powerful amplifiers to sound their best.”
Nordost Odin 2 analog interconnect, $19,999.99/0.6m pair
March 14, 2017 Comments Off on Nordost Odin 2 analog interconnect, $19,999.99/0.6m pair
“Lest this sound like a dithyrambic paean to Nordost, I feel obliged to mention that there are pluses and minuses to the level of resolution provided by the Odin 2. For one thing, it will prove ruthlessly revealing of equipment upstream. This cable deserves to be allied with top-drawer equipment to really strut its stuff. It’s also the case that some listeners may prefer a more sumptuous cable. I don’t mean to imply that the Odin 2 is in any way sonically anemic. Nordost has handsomely overcome some of the deficiencies that constituted a kind of penalty for the speed of its earlier versions. It is emphatically the case that there is no hint of stridency with the Odin 2. In the crowded world of high-end cables, however, there are indubitably other competitors that will deliver more overtones around each note, a more overtly silky background and a grander bass.”
LAMPIZATOR 7 LITE DAC REVIEW
March 14, 2017 Comments Off on LAMPIZATOR 7 LITE DAC REVIEW
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2017/03/lampizator-7-lite-dac-review.html
“By the end of the evening, we agreed that Noah’s table was superior in portraying body and richness, the timbre of music, but that the difference between the Kuzma system and the Lampizator was much smaller than either of us had imagined. In terms of clarity, the distance was even narrower. ”
SCHIIT AUDIO JOTUNHEIM HEADPHONE AMP/PREAMP REVIEW
March 13, 2017 Comments Off on SCHIIT AUDIO JOTUNHEIM HEADPHONE AMP/PREAMP REVIEW
” How does the Jotunheim sound? The answer is that the amp sounds powerful, refined, and accomplished—almost absurdly so in light of its price. You enjoy the punch and authority for which well-designed solid state amps are known, ample detail and resolution, plus the quiet backgrounds and precise control over the leading and trailing edges of notes that are the hallmarks of first-rate fully balanced designs. Though it costs only £385, the Jotunheim never sounds out of its depth, not even when paired with some of today’s finest (and most costly) headphones, such as the ENIGMAcoustics Dharma D1000, Focal Utopia, HiFiMAN HE 1000 V2, or MrSpeakers ETHER Flow (all of which I had on hand for my Jotunheim listening sessions). Moreover, with the lower of Jotunheim’s two gain settings engaged, the amp is so uncommonly quiet that it works beautifully when driving ultra high-sensitivity earphones and CIEMs such as the Westone W80 or Noble Audio Katana.
Elemental -Watson Hybrid headphone amp Review
March 13, 2017 Comments Off on Elemental -Watson Hybrid headphone amp Review
” The amps most standout points when it comes to sonics would be its slightly thinner treble tone that does account for it being a more excitable product and beyond that, it is full sounding with a spread out soundstage. It can also easily be categorised as your traditional warm valve based piece of electronics, just with the injection of energy. The bass is thick and firm, I wouldn’t say it is that woolly, soft type of low end you get with some tube amps. It really compliments the HD800, which is not known for copious amounts of bass and the combination has a really hard hitting low end! The midrange seems to edge towards clarity which makes sense as the treble is airy and exciting. I find the treble to be the weakest area, sometimes making tssh like notes and feeling just a bit feeble. It’s no tragedy don’t get me wrong, as I said it still plays well with my Sennheiser’s which can easily sound unlistenable if the treble gets too out of hand.”
Wharfedale Diamond 225 loudspeaker Review
March 13, 2017 Comments Off on Wharfedale Diamond 225 loudspeaker Review
” This is an exquisitely recorded production. Every bit of Debussy’s poetic fingerings and soft-pedal expression captured on the paper Welte-Mignon rolls was “re-animated” on a carefully restored 1923 Feurich-Welte reproducing piano and recorded with a stereo pair of vintage Neumann KM 83 microphones. Through the Diamond 225s, Debussy’s piano sound was larger than I expected, tangibly solid and surprisingly three-dimensional. To the Wharfedales’ great credit and my pleasure, I enjoyed wooden hammers, metal strings, and some little sense of the piano’s soundboard.
FIIO X5III 3RD GEN REVIEW
March 12, 2017 Comments Off on FIIO X5III 3RD GEN REVIEW
” Fiio’s TOTL DAP, the X7 (with my favorite AM2 card loaded), costs around $479 for the moment on Amazon.com. It is faster in general usage and it updates the library faster as well. With both players you get more or less the same functionalities but the X5iii is the easiest to use because of its design/layout. The X7 is faster and more reactive. The X7 has less noise than the X5iii when using sensitive monitors. Compared to the X7/AM2 combo, the X5iii sounds a little sharper where the X7 is cleaner and more precise. The X5iii is close to the X7 and the X7 is closer to the i5. Compared to the X5iii, the X7 still wins on technicalities and I don’t see any reason why you should turn in your X7 for an X5iii. They’re both great players, I prefer the sound and usability of the X7 but the design and lay-out of the X5iii.”
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