ELAC DEBUT F5 $559/pr. REVIEW
January 11, 2016 Comments Off on ELAC DEBUT F5 $559/pr. REVIEW
” Let’s get a couple nitpicks out of the way. Neither the B5 nor the F5 is a flawless loudspeaker—although it could be effectively argued that they’re as faultless as a speaker is likely to get at these prices. Nonetheless, the tweeter remains a bit on the dry side, and the upper harmonic range could be more extended and open. Along those same lines, the F5 doesn’t always disappear as a source and there are intimations of tweeter localization.”
Stirling Broadcast SB-88 Speakers $3,450 – REVIEW
January 10, 2016 Comments Off on Stirling Broadcast SB-88 Speakers $3,450 – REVIEW
” While direct comparisons are not the norm at TONEAudio, when a pair of Stirling SB-88s arrived for review, the obvious comparison to the Harbeth Compact 7ES-3 couldn’t be helped. Possessing a nearly identical cabinet size (20.5 by 10.7 by 12 inches for the Harbeths; 19.5 by 10.7 by 11.75 inches for the Stirlings), along with similar drivers and port layouts, these speakers present instant curiosity. Even grill removal on both models calls for patience and an old credit card. Besides veneers, the biggest differences are the flat front flange, sealed back panel, and dual binding posts of the SB-88, and the slightly rounded bevel, screwed-in rear panel, and single set of binding posts of the Compact 7.”
PMC Twenty.26 Floorstanding Speaker Review
January 9, 2016 Comments Off on PMC Twenty.26 Floorstanding Speaker Review
“These qualities are apparent with everything you play but if there’s a voice in the mix the transparency of that midrange dome lets you know just what it’s feeling and how it’s being articulated. This is true of Adele, Joni Mitchell, John Lurie and well, everyone else I played. Some have been recorded better than others of course and that is not down played, you get big differences between recordings, Ryan Adams’s Gold on DSD is in the room real while a live recording of the same artist puts him in the venue where some canny German managed to get such a great sound. But you know it’s him and you know what he’s saying. I particularly like the way that the twenty.26 is so revealing in the context of an effortless presentation. You get a lot of slightly bright speakers that deliver oodles of detail but the balance gets in the way of the music. That is not the case here, this speaker is a slave to the signal, the better that signal is the better they sound.”
CAMPFIRE AUDIO JUPITER REVIEW IEM | – Review
January 9, 2016 Comments Off on CAMPFIRE AUDIO JUPITER REVIEW IEM | – Review
” Its a minor inconvenience but when nitpicking is the single and solitary flaw I found on the Campfire Audio Jupiter in any of the review categories. Of course this is all relevant because its still an excellent cable its just not one of the best…. hmm maybe a reason to order another Labkable for these beauties. ”
THIEL TM3 Bookshelf Speaker Review
January 6, 2016 Comments Off on THIEL TM3 Bookshelf Speaker Review
” As many speaker manufacturers have sought to trickle down some of their best technologies from their flagship lines, this means that there is quite a lot of competition for the THEIL TM3 speakers at lower prices. At $1,000 less per pair than the THIELs, the B&W CM6 S2, which serves as my own reference bookshelf speakers, featuring its tweeter-on-top design, delivers a top end that has better resolution, openness, and overall life-like presentation than the TM3. It’s also easier to pair with amplification. However, the THIEL’s ultra-neutral sound and rich, smooth midrange may be more appealing to some”
RAVEN AUDIO BLACKHAWK LIMITED EDITION REVIEW
January 6, 2016 Comments Off on RAVEN AUDIO BLACKHAWK LIMITED EDITION REVIEW
” The results suggest my first reaction was the correct one: that the songs survive better than Coverdale’s voice. All the modern production and metal techniques do not really help the music swing as Purple recorded it. Nonetheless, this album rocks hard and the wall of sound provided by Whitesnake comes through with energy and a fair degree of punch on the Raven-driven Vons. On more than one occasion I found myself cranking the volume and smiling to myself as those old riffs leapt out of the speakers. No, this is not audiophile-approved listening but it is fun,”
KEF Q500 LOUDSPEAKER REVIEW
January 6, 2016 Comments Off on KEF Q500 LOUDSPEAKER REVIEW
” As stated earlier, one of the goals of the Uni-Q design was to improve off-axis stereo imaging and the uniformity of tonal balance across the listening area. The listener is not, therefore, as limited to a central sweet spot as with conventional speakers. Based on the various speaker placement locations I tried, I must say that some level of success was achieved. This is in contrast to my reference, the Sunfire CRM-2, whose optimum soundstage only occurs within the confines of a small well-defined sweet spot, causing Robert Harley to comment in his review [Issue 183] that “every parameter must be perfectly dialed-in to realize the CRM’s potential.” Though each placement I tried with the Q500 did change the soundstage presentation somewhat, its integrity and tonal characteristics stayed the same.”
Naim Audio • Statement NAC S1 Preamplifier and NAP S1 Mono Amplifiers $88,000 Review
January 5, 2016 Comments Off on Naim Audio • Statement NAC S1 Preamplifier and NAP S1 Mono Amplifiers $88,000 Review
” ran the Statements exclusively with the Wilson Sasha 2s, partly because the implications of relocating either product are daunting, but mainly because they simply worked so well together that I felt no need to ring the changes. The Wilsons deliver exactly the sort of enthusiastic dynamic response and slightly awkward load that Naim amps have always thrived on — and the Statement amps are no different. Obviously I haven’t tried it, but I suspect that pairing with Alexias or Alexandria XLFs would prove even more efficacious, with the big Naim monoblocks having both the power and authority to drive either speaker, as well as the musical qualities they demand”
TAD COMPACT EVOLUTION 1 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER $24,000 REVIEW
January 5, 2016 Comments Off on TAD COMPACT EVOLUTION 1 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER $24,000 REVIEW
” I began this review by trying to unseat a meme. I’m going to end the same way. TAD’s Compact Evolution 1 is an outstanding loudspeaker. Not just a loudspeaker to make big sounds in small rooms. And it’s not just the first choice for TAD users. This is a cogent loudspeaker system in its own right, for people who have no plans to buy any other TAD equipment. Yes, it sounds great in context, but the TAD Compact Evolution 1 loudspeaker sounds great with a number of different amps in a wide variety of locations because it’s a great loudspeaker. Strongly recommended.”
CHORD MOJO HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
January 5, 2016 Comments Off on CHORD MOJO HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER REVIEW
” There is no analogue audio input, nor Bluetooth for a cord-free link to a phone, or hi-fi as Astell&Kern use. Whilst Bluetooth limits quality to CD standard, it is convenient for mobile use. Instead Mojo must be connected to both phone and headphones through cables, so taking a call is difficult. It’s common to use a stout rubber band to hold a DAC to a phone; Chord have machined in narrow grooves at each end of the case for this.”
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