JDS Labs Atom Phono Review
January 13, 2025 Comments Off on JDS Labs Atom Phono Review
Noise: nothing to say here, it’s dead silent, even with the 40 dB gain setting activated. Even with the tone control ON, noise floor remained absent and the EMI shielding did a great job during all my listening. Of course, I could hear some pops when I played my vinyl, but that was only due to the dirty grooves and as a pre-amp, I never encountered any parasites or any real buzz during my listening.
Power: The Atom Phono really packs some punch, even with the basic 30dB gain option. It’s suitable for 5-20mV phono signals and sensitive cartridge like the new Ortofon Concorde Music series should give great results, but on my “old” 2M, I already had more than enough to play with.
Jadis DA88S MkII Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier $18,900 Review
January 12, 2025 Comments Off on Jadis DA88S MkII Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier $18,900 Review
In terms of what they expect from their components, the design team at Jadis has adopted a culture that strikes me as very much of a piece with the design approach that Fredrik Lejonklou has adopted for his line of electronics. Though Lejonklous and Jadis components sound very little like one another, they are very much alike in terms of their design briefs than Jadis and their ability to execute on it. Neither is satisfied to produce a particular sound, pleasant or otherwise. Neither seeks to be forgiving of poor source material. Each however is committed to creating a musical experience for the listener that brings them closer to some fundamental feature of all music – whatever its type or whatever the source.
In the case of Lejonklou, the intended function of his creations is explicitly to bring the listener in touch with music’s emotional content. As I hear it, the intended function of Jadis equipment is to bring the human elements of music, from its creation to its performance to the listener. Each excels at what it seeks to do in ways that no mere technical accomplishment can.
Driade Premium Model 9 Review
January 12, 2025 Comments Off on Driade Premium Model 9 Review
With a long history involving electrostats, magnetostats, and ribbon speakers, I have grown particularly demanding of treble performance. Of course, not all ribbons are created equal, and it is hard to achieve perfect integration with a hybrid ribbon-dynamic driver design. Nevertheless, I’ve come to expect a certain quality from the treble range. So far, Magico has been among a select range of speaker brands delivering the high-frequency performance I crave. I should note that the current Magico S- and M-series differ significantly from the initial Q-range, with equally high resolution but a more organic and much sweeter balance. In any case, based on my listening experience in the Driade room, the feeling arose that the Premium Model 9 could be added to that list.
FiiO S15 Android streaming Review
January 12, 2025 Comments Off on FiiO S15 Android streaming Review
Sonus faber Sonetto V G2 loudspeaker Review
January 11, 2025 Comments Off on Sonus faber Sonetto V G2 loudspeaker Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/sonus-faber-sonetto-v-g2-loudspeaker
I had these speakers in my living room system for nearly two months and thoroughly enjoyed them with a wide variety of music. I drove them with two high-quality rigs: my reference system and the T+A R 2500 R streaming receiver I reviewed in the August issue. The Sonetto V G2’s were at home in both setups, presenting full-range music at room-filling volume. Given their relatively modest list price of $6499 for the pair, that’s impressive.
To my ears, the Sonus faber Sonetto V G2 is an enjoyable, well-sorted speaker capable of producing full-range room-filling sound and bringing forward subtle details, with all the types of music I sent them. Given their price, this may be extraordinary. They don’t sound bright or glaring. Their low end is ample and satisfying. They rock, swing, and can reproduce a full orchestra.
What’s not to like? Their presentation is slightly smaller in scale than bigger, usually more expensive competitors. That’s a minor knock. If you’re in the market for full-range speakers and can’t spend what a car (or even a motorcycle) costs, check ’em out. Maybe our ears will agree.
7Hz Timeless II $223 Review
January 11, 2025 Comments Off on 7Hz Timeless II $223 Review
It’s a 14.5mm driver, we have more than twice the effective diaphragm than that of a 10mm dynamic driver. Of course, there is bass and it’s nothing short of jaw-dropping. There’s extension that goes all the way down; how low down, you might ask? Well, inspired by the company name, I went ahead and generated a 7Hz sine wave in Audacity and hit play. Naturally, no human can hear the 7Hz fundamental tone but what I heard made the hair stand up on my back and other hairy places. What I could hear was the Doppler modulation of environmental noise as the diaphragm wiggled the air. There was zero noise and no distortion and I almost got sick.
To fully show off the thunderous capabilities of the 7Hz Timeless II, electronic music is perfect. This time I chose Lorne and Monolake for a clean sub-bass to gauge how well the 14.5mm planar driver does and at all times it impressed me. Not only is there depth, but the driver also seems extremely clean to the point of what’s usually called “planar bass”. Even real kickdrum like on Shelby Lynne’s Just a Little Lovin’ came through with aplomb and even on high SPL’s the rest of the spectrum played completely unscathed.
Audio Craftsmen Victoria Speaker REVIEW
January 10, 2025 Comments Off on Audio Craftsmen Victoria Speaker REVIEW
Hegel Music Systems H400 Streamliner $6,996 Review
January 9, 2025 Comments Off on Hegel Music Systems H400 Streamliner $6,996 Review
So what are my overall impressions of the sound? I normally don’t review solid-state amps, so first off I was impressed with the tonality of the H400. I listened to Vaughn Williams’ Third Symphony by Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra [Chandos], and I was surprised by the richness of the orchestra. The strings had an amazing amount of air and the horns had a warm burned glow. While the Hegel H400 did an excellent job retrieving detail from the music, it never sounded etched or hard. Dynamically, the H400 is a little reserved compared to the SET amps I’m used to. It’s extremely quiet, which lets a lot of inner detail through. With the Super Pensil 12 speakers, the H400 projected an impressive soundstage.
I enjoyed the time the H400 was in my system. It is a beautifully designed integrated amplifier with a superb DAC. Everything about it is of the highest quality. If you want to make your first step into high-end audio, or yearning to go back to a simpler time in your life, the H400 Streamliner might be the integrated amplifier for you.
T+A elektroakustik’s New Pulsar S 130 Inherits Core Criterion Series
January 9, 2025 Comments Off on T+A elektroakustik’s New Pulsar S 130 Inherits Core Criterion Series
According to T+A, the development of this product was not merely cosmetic; it is part of a larger plan to apply foundational technologies across its new speaker lines. The company says that the Pulsar S 130 shares core design principles with T+A’s more expensive Solitaire and Criterion models. Prominent among these shared technologies is the Symmetric Directivity Design, which T+A claims reduces detrimental reflections and tonal distortions. This approach is said to center on controlling how sound propagates from the drivers, focusing the energy where it matters and minimizing unwanted room interactions. The German Federal Government recognized this design approach in 2024, according to T+A, suggesting that it is of interest in Germany’s technological and engineering landscape.
Audiophilepure 
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