Crystal Cable Arabesque Minissimo Diamond Loudspeakers $25,000 Review
April 17, 2016 Comments Off on Crystal Cable Arabesque Minissimo Diamond Loudspeakers $25,000 Review
” The harmonic and dynamic accuracy that serves piano so brilliantly was just as apparent with strings, which can be intoxicating. On everything from demanding showstoppers like Paganini’s La Risata del Diavolo (Salvatore Accardo, Diabolus In Musica [Deutsche Grammophon 477 6492]) to immersive string quartet music (The Suske Quartet, Beethoven String Quartet Op.130 [Eterna 8 27 454]), the diamond tweeter’s extension brought air and texture, without ever sounding stressed or fatiguing. Although it can be ruthless in revealing detail, it never sounded harsh unless the playing or the recording called for it. The additional resolution revealed more harmonic information, saturating and filling out the image with tonal structure, resulting in an effortlessly realistic sound.”
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ARCAM’s MusicBOOST Review
April 17, 2016 Comments Off on ARCAM’s MusicBOOST Review
” The iPhone 6’s DAC is not bad, however the Arcam offers an upgrade over the sound quality of the iPhone’s native internals. While Apple Lossless encoding of music stored on the phone offers better resolution than the compressed 256 kb/sec option, both formats benefit from sonic improvement with the Arcam in place. Streaming Tidal’s CD-quality music proves even more revelatory; exposing a bigger gap between the iPhone and the MusicBOOST, now offering a relaxed smoothness that the naked iPhone can’t. The Arcam’s lushness isn’t overly romantic, but it does take music to the warmer end of the spectrum. As a result, vocals and instruments render with detail, but without sharp digital artifacts that detract from the overall musical experience.”
Best budget turntables
April 16, 2016 Comments Off on Best budget turntables
” We’ve rounded-up the best budget turntables on the market, whether you’re looking to buy your first deck or upgrade an existing entry-level model.
Read more at http://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-budget-turntables#5O6z0lmhUfusmCbL.99″
LUXMAN C-700U PREAMP AND M-700U STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
April 16, 2016 Comments Off on LUXMAN C-700U PREAMP AND M-700U STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
” The M-700u taken alone is a powerful and subtle beast. It’s not quite as emotionally engaging as the best examples of the breed, but considerably more revealing than the majority. I particularly loved the combination of control and fine detail. There is no sense of the amp gripping the speaker, but the layers it uncovers in the mix show that distortion is being kept well at bay. It’s not an iron fist, but its grip is smooth and firm.”
SAE 2HP-D Review
April 16, 2016 Comments Off on SAE 2HP-D Review
” Indeed, with an all-channels-driven output of 2 x 600 watts into 8 ohms from 20 Hz-20 kHz (2 x 746 watts at 1 kHz) and 2 x 1,200 into 2/4 ohms—all with less than 0.01 percent total harmonic distortion— satisfying the demands of whatever you throw at this beast won’t be a problem. And with a signal-to-noise ratio that kisses 130 decibels, you won’t have to worry about hiss intruding on even the most delicate of musical passages. The mission behind SAE’s new flagship was simple and ambitious: To build “the best two-channel amplifier in the world,” a project that took nearly a year to complete. No wonder the amp costs $19,995.
Stax SR-L500 electrostatic headphones Review
April 15, 2016 Comments Off on Stax SR-L500 electrostatic headphones Review
” As much as I like the LCD 2 it was no match for the SR-L500’s uber clarity, the LCD 2 was less transparent, less vivid and spacious than the SR-L500. But the LCD 2’s bass was deeper and more powerful, and dynamic impact were all better than the SR-L500’s. So the LCD 2 was a better choice for rock, and the SR-L500 excelled with acoustic music of all genres. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the Black Keys’ low-down dirty blues over the SR-L500, I did, but listening over the LCD 2 headphones was a more visceral experience.”
Audio Reference Technology Monolith SE cable system Review
April 15, 2016 Comments Off on Audio Reference Technology Monolith SE cable system Review
” As for wide scale dynamics and bass power, Def Leopards’ Animal slamed its foot through the floor with great impact and low-end extension. Perhaps not quite as fast as the MIT Cables, it carried the bass ever forward with no sense of lagging. Billy Cobham “Spectrum” displayed great power and dexterity. The bass notes flew through the speakers again with no sense of strain or limitation. This is good stuff. The warmth remains yet did not congeal the mid bass or low bass. What you get is wonderful color and texture if not the final word in inner detail. “I’m still Alive” from Pearl Jam, despite being a bass heavy track, allowed the upper mid range to shine through unscathed. As I’m listening I realize just how deep and powerful yet well articulated the bass actually is. The lowest notes simply pressurize the room with great effortlessness.”
LUXMAN C-700U PREAMP AND M-700U STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
April 15, 2016 Comments Off on LUXMAN C-700U PREAMP AND M-700U STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER REVIEW
” The M-700u taken alone is a powerful and subtle beast. It’s not quite as emotionally engaging as the best examples of the breed, but considerably more revealing than the majority. I particularly loved the combination of control and fine detail. There is no sense of the amp gripping the speaker, but the layers it uncovers in the mix show that distortion is being kept well at bay. It’s not an iron fist, but its grip is smooth and firm.”
Elac Debut B6 loudspeaker Review
April 14, 2016 Comments Off on Elac Debut B6 loudspeaker Review
” I listened to the Elac Debut B6es for days and weeks. I listened to my favorite instruments: pianos, pipe organs, and le piano à bretelles. The bass quality was surprising. The tonal character seemed right on. I listened to a lot of blues and zydeco. The B6es could boogie and strut. I played records I hadn’t played in years, and really dug them all.”
Wells Audio Majestic Amplifier Review $3499
April 14, 2016 Comments Off on Wells Audio Majestic Amplifier Review $3499
” Most modern audio amplifiers are competently designed, well engineered products. But once in a while an amplifier comes along that defies expectations in circuit design and sound quality. I haven’t explored the circuit design of this amplifier, but I have had quite a bit of listening experience with this amp. In fact, who was it that said that a competently designed amplifier, be it solid-state or tube, should sound indistinguishable? The Majestic displays tube qualities of natural timbres, dimension, and a grain-less and somewhat sweet top end. But it is a solid-state amp. It has very impressive dynamics and a solid grip on the music, and yet is not euphonic or sterile. So did Wells Audio reach their objective “to build the very best sounding audio equipment in the world despite the cost or design limitations”? I think they came very close with this design.”
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