Schiit Magni 2U & Modi 2U – Review
October 31, 2015 Comments Off on Schiit Magni 2U & Modi 2U – Review
” Low frequencies are exquisitely portrayed with more heft, balance and texture than previously noted. The pairing with the new HiFiMAN HE-400S was just one example of this where the perceived bass-shy frequency range came to life with added details and presence. Though with the HE-400S being tuned the way it is, not even the Schiit stack could bring levels of impact to bass-head levels.”
Sony NW-Z2 Walkman Review
October 30, 2015 Comments Off on Sony NW-Z2 Walkman Review
” The Sony has been used with the standard playback app with a mixture of lossless and high res FLAC files and some DSD. Testing has mainly been carried out via Noble 6 in-ear earphones but the Oppo PM-3 has also been used as well as variety of less expensive earphones here on test. Additional testing has been carried out using Tidal and Spotify with content streamed from the cloud and downloaded onto the device. As a means of providing an interesting benchmark for the Sony in the absence of another high end DAP being available here for testing, my standard travel rig of a Google Nexus 5 and the Oppo HA-2 connected by OTG cable was used as a comparison”
Mark Levinson No.585 Integrated Amplifier Review
October 30, 2015 Comments Off on Mark Levinson No.585 Integrated Amplifier Review
” Yet, so far, I am only talking about the highs. The mids are just as smooth as the highs, with same level of cohesiveness, especially when it comes to vocal texture or the brassy harmonic overtones of a trumpet or saxophone. So detailed the mid range can be, that is a trumpet or saxophone musical piece, the essence of the performance, such as the air moving from chest to lips, to blow piece, the texture of tongue & bite vs the swosshing air quality escaping out of the exhaust, finger action followed by the resonating brass body and finally air exiting the horn mouth in an almost smoky room! All this happening at once in an imaging of realistic perfomance. The bass dives just as low and kicks just as hard as my regular bi-amped, bi-wired system. I’ve lost nothing in the bass slam department. My basslines are still as tight and as well strung as before. The PMC’s 10 inch “Volt” pistonic woofers are just as well controlled as a well trained German Sherpard guard dog. I am in total shock and awe, as the the total top to toe coherence in musical presentation of the music, regardless of genre played.”
Dunu DN-2000jM Review
October 30, 2015 Comments Off on Dunu DN-2000jM Review
“To be honest I did not really use the tip spacers, as I think the change is very subtle and not that audible in day to day scenarios. Tips rolling does make more of a difference, and I found that using the TS-500 complys gave these a little added body, and found silicone tips to be a little brighter on the whole. I am guessing it’s a mix of the foam tip and the added wax guard helps filter the high frequencies and thus the perceived added body.”
KEF REFERENCE 1 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER
October 29, 2015 Comments Off on KEF REFERENCE 1 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER
” It works by creating a remarkable midrange, the kind of midrange you will struggle to find in a loudspeaker at any price. It manages to achieve the goals of sounding exceptionally honest, projecting well into the room, and just letting you listen deeper than usual into the recording. As an example of this, I played ‘Everyday’ from James Taylor’s 1985 disc That’s Why I’m Here [Columbia]. This was one of the staples of MP3 development cycle, and with its syrupy Yamaha DX7 synth-string sounds and OTT production values, it’s easy to turn hard or harsh in the midrange, despite Taylor’s soft, clear tones. ”
TRIODE TRV-M88SE MONO VACUUM TUBE AMPLIFIERS REVIEW
October 29, 2015 Comments Off on TRIODE TRV-M88SE MONO VACUUM TUBE AMPLIFIERS REVIEW
” They seem to sound fine almost immediately, but after a 15-minute warmup they are even better. I was immediately impressed with the clarity, tonality and focus of the Triode’s. These are good sounding amplifiers that have a very good synergy working to drive the Harbeth’s. I used the 8 ohm tap on the amplifier and it worked perfectly. As I wrote in my review of the Harbeth’s, the combination produces breathtaking transparency, realism and a sense of naturalness. It made me want to discover more and more of my favourite music and to continue listening to it late into the night. It is very musically involving and satisfying.”
orzuge VorzaAMP Pure II – Review
October 29, 2015 Comments Off on orzuge VorzaAMP Pure II – Review
” Mid frequencies, although mostly linear, were far from boring. Sounding slightly forward they displayed a rather nice fleshed out character which gave the music a nice fluid and cohesive overall sound. Note decay was neither to phat nor to thin and I found that electrical guitars in particular benefitted while male vocals had a nice throaty heft behind them. Put rather bluntly, this little amp is one great amp for all the rockers out there. I highly recommend listening to a little Perfect Circle with this amp, you won’t be disappointed. The song Judith sounded especially good.”
JEFF ROWLAND MODEL 525 stereo amplifier REVIEW
October 28, 2015 Comments Off on JEFF ROWLAND MODEL 525 stereo amplifier REVIEW
” My experience with bridging amps is limited to the Bryston 7BST amps, and in that case bridging resulted in a more forward, tighter, somewhat more technical sound. I don’t know if the 525 in bridge mode behaves in a similar way, but the thing is: who needs more power? At 250 watts into 8 ohms and double that into 4 ohms, the 525 drives my power hungry Apogee Divas with verve and utter control, and doesn’t break a sweat even at ear-shattering volume levels. Anyway, one can always try a second 525 later.”
MATRIX M-STAGE HPA-3U REVIEW
October 28, 2015 Comments Off on MATRIX M-STAGE HPA-3U REVIEW
“The midrange follows suit with the bass in offering a full bodied experience. The mids sit slightly forward and there is definitely some warmth to them. Both male and female vocals are given their proper place in the music, and don’t get buried among the body of the instruments (unless it was recorded that way. In that case, there is nothing you can do about that. That’s my biggest issue with the album Bleed like Me. The voices are mixed too far back). The sound is smooth, and uhhh… very enjoyable. No issues so far with the sound.”
The Most Pristine Folk Recording You’ve Ever Heard (free download from Chesky)
October 27, 2015 Comments Off on The Most Pristine Folk Recording You’ve Ever Heard (free download from Chesky)
” Some of us received this Chesky Records email blast a few days ago, promoting a new record called From The Mountaintop, by folk ensemble The New Appalachians. Chesky is rather boldly billing it as “The Most Pristine Folk Recording You’ve Ever Heard”. The nice part is that they’re offering it as a free download, at least for now. We invite readers to download it from one of the links provided, have a listen, and post your comments below.
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