Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Mjolnir 2 Review
February 25, 2016 Comments Off on Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Mjolnir 2 Review
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, especially if the balanced topologies in both are exploited. While the single-ended circuits are excellent, trading up to balanced elevates the performance to exceptional – and I dare say peerless – in this price range. This should not surprise, since both models were designed from inception to run balanced. Schiit are resolute about the superiority of balanced over single-ended when properly implemented and in the context of these components at least I am compelled to concur. I detected improvements in clarity, presence, separation, spaciousness and dynamics each time I replaced a single-ended connection with a balanced one, first between the DAC and amp and then between the amp and headphones. The difference between all single-ended and all balanced was not a trivial one and, in my experience, only the latter allows Gungnir Multibit’s resolution and musical fluidity and Mjolnir 2‘s rich palette of textures and vivid holographics to be fully appreciated.”
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Kyron Audio $249,000 flagship Gaia speakers
February 24, 2016 Comments Off on Kyron Audio $249,000 flagship Gaia speakers
” Now, that calls for an audition… Kyron Audio $249,000 flagship Gaia is a 3 way DSP controlled active dipole loudspeakers implementing linear phase crossover with 10 band parametric room correction and frequency range from 20Hz to 40KHz”
Acoustic Signature WOW XL Turntable with TA-1000 Tonearm Review
February 24, 2016 Comments Off on Acoustic Signature WOW XL Turntable with TA-1000 Tonearm Review
” I’ve been able to hear Anne Bisson play live and unamplified on a number of occasions and most recently at TAVES 2015. Playing the song “Hoping Love Will Last” from her album Blue Mind, the WOW XL setup brought remarkable authenticity to Anne’s voice. There was delicacy and nuance but also strength in the vocals, giving her palpable substance. The overall tone was full and complete but in no manner over-ripe. Accompanying her voice, the WOW XL depicted cymbal strikes delicately with an airy shimmer that lent to authenticity and the piano possessed believable warmth with key strokes radiating a honey-like sweetness.”
PRYMA 01 HEADPHONES REVIEW
February 23, 2016 Comments Off on PRYMA 01 HEADPHONES REVIEW
” Like most audio widows, the subject of Alan’s work tends to pass by me in a haze. The rare exceptions have often been some of the more elegant loudspeakers from Sonus faber. So perhaps it wasn’t a surprise that the first set of headphones where I played the Wife card are from the Sonus faber design team. The Pryma headphones are not what I was waiting for, but I wasn’t waiting for the Apple iPad when it arrived, and I’ve been welded to one of those from the moment it appeared in the house.”
Chord Mojo $600 Review
February 23, 2016 Comments Off on Chord Mojo $600 Review
” As for DSD files, I could send a native DSD file from Opus to the Mojo using “2XDSD in native format” output. This was only possible after I activated the “DSD bitstream in DoP format” function in the “Device settings – Output” menu. With this setting, when I played a native DSD5.6 file, the output was DSD5.6 and if I played a native DSD2.8 file, the output was also DSD2.8.”
Gryphon Audio Pendragon loudspeakers review
February 22, 2016 Comments Off on Gryphon Audio Pendragon loudspeakers review
” The delineation of the image of a solo vocalist on the Pendragon was somewhere between that of the Neolith and that of the Genesis. The solo vocalist imaging of the Pendragon was more diffuse than that of the Neolith but less diffuse than that of the Genesis. I think the Pendragon’s image and delineation of a solo vocalist is ideal and realistic.”
Benchmark’s AHB2 Stereo Amplifier Review
February 22, 2016 Comments Off on Benchmark’s AHB2 Stereo Amplifier Review
“The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s performing Hovhaness’ Mysterious Mountains (Telarc 16/44.1) was sublime. Mount St. Helens Andante, Grazioso unfolds gracefully and with tip top double bass walking the piece along. The bass holds true and rings out even as the full strings come into glide the momentum along. The expansiveness of this orchestral recording is deep and wide with excellent localization. Acoustically, the AHB2 performs so cleanly and quietly that it resolves the hall and space between musicians distinctly- something professional engineers and audiophiles can equally appreciate.”
Conrad-Johnson MF2275 SE Power Amplifier $3,850 – Review
February 21, 2016 § 1 Comment
“As Rob mentioned, the MF2275 is slightly warm in overall tonal characteristic, where my Premier 350 was very neutral. This is an excellent thing 99% of the time, and personally, I’d always prefer a solid state amplifier to have a little more tonal saturation than not. Running a gamut of preamplifiers, both from C-J and others, proves this to be a very potent partner for your system and it even did a fantastic job driving the Quad 2218 speakers we now have in for review. Pulling my reference Conrad-Johnson LP120sa+ out and substituting the MF2275 makes for a bit more slam with the Quads and a bit less soundstage width and depth, but that’s an unfair comparison between a $10,000 tube amplifier and an almost $4,000 solid state unit. Those requiring a bit more warmth should consider a fine C-J tube preamp.”
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Rotel RB-1590 Power Amplifier Review
February 21, 2016 Comments Off on Rotel RB-1590 Power Amplifier Review
” I was very eager to get the Rotel broken in and warmed up as I had wanted to see how it would compare to my 50 wpc tubed Audio Research VS55, and a 120/240 wpc (4 Ohms/8 Ohms) Simaudio 760A. After a generous warm up, the first thing I noticed about the RB-1590’s presentation is how very deep the soundstage was. The music seemed to stretch back very far behind the speakers and spatial cues were easy to understand. A highly impressive start, as soundstage depth is more important to me as a listener than soundstage width. This is a personal preference.”
MYCROFT IZOPHONES-30 AND 30S KAIZEN REVIEW
February 21, 2016 Comments Off on MYCROFT IZOPHONES-30 AND 30S KAIZEN REVIEW
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” Not that splash and ring are unique to IzoPhones. The more expensive Grado PS1000 are dirtier, and suffer a strange stereo suckout in the upper midrange around percussions. IzoPhones, 30 and 30S, never, ever lose stereo pressure. The non-S version outputs a wonderfully round, 3D midrange with good air similar to the IzoPhones-60. The transition zone from bass to mids is phenomenally wide and detailed. 30S plays a different game. But 30 and 60, while not quite oceanic, offer one of the most cohesive, realistic 3D sound stages this side of a concert hall.”
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