EMM Labs DA2i D/A converter Review

December 19, 2024 Comments Off on EMM Labs DA2i D/A converter Review

Regular readers of my reviews will be aware that my listening reference is, first of all, live music, and that my experience is that analog reproduction using a first-class turntable, cartridge and phono stage generally does the best job of recreating the illusion of live music in one’s listening room.  My experience with Redbook CD is that the format from the last fifteen years or so can give satisfaction, particularly with pop music and jazz, but that they lack the air and micro-detail in orchestral and other classical music contexts.  Even with pop and jazz, analog can sound warmer and more natural and relaxed.  The amount of difference we hear between Redbook and analog can be very system dependent and certainly less noticeable on a less resolving system.  The DSD/SACD formats changed the digital game to a fair degree, but I generally still prefer analog.  Looking ahead, I will say that the EMM Labs DA2i has advanced the state of the format noticeably.

Volumio Motivo

December 19, 2024 Comments Off on Volumio Motivo

Moon 861 stereo/mono power amplifier Review

December 18, 2024 Comments Off on Moon 861 stereo/mono power amplifier Review

https://www.stereophile.com/content/moon-861-stereomono-power-amplifier

That’s the “revolutionary” bit. In addition, the size of the 861’s power supply and chassis have increased, as have output power and weight. Its dual-mono design, balanced circuitry, low-impedance proprietary Moon output transistors, and parts quality are similar to its predecessor’s. To meet European safety standards and allow a more secure fit, the company has replaced WBT binding posts with Furutech binding posts that accept bigger spades. Currently, however, the narrow opening for spade lugs is only on the bottom. That works well for people who don’t want their speaker wires to show but less well for owners with low racks who want to prevent cabling from touching the floor.

Buchardt S400II Loudspeaker Review

December 18, 2024 Comments Off on Buchardt S400II Loudspeaker Review

Musically, the Buchardt S400II stand-mount loudspeakers have neutral yet natural tonality, refined and accurate reproduction of vocal and instrumental timbre, a controlled and defined bottom-end, natural yet but exceedingly engaging musical presentation that conveys a lifelike and very engaging presentation. I’ve enjoyed the experience of listening to these wonderful recordings on the S400II speakers. Some of their most notable attributes are their tonal accuracy and timbral sophistication, presenting the music with sophistication, nuance, and finesse. In addition to delivering excellent detail, the S400II speakers refrain from overemphasizing this to the detriment of the overall musical presentation. Instead, they seamlessly integrate all these musical attributes into a greater whole, creating a listening experience that is dynamic and lively, lifelike and natural-sounding, and most importantly, musically engaging. These musical attributes are capabilities that are not showcased simply as standalone virtues but are seamlessly integrated into “a whole” that is greater than the sum of the parts in their reproduction of the overall musical experience.

HiFi Rose Powerhouse RA280 Integrated Amp Review

December 18, 2024 Comments Off on HiFi Rose Powerhouse RA280 Integrated Amp Review

Vision Ears EXT MK II $3,400 Review

December 17, 2024 Comments Off on Vision Ears EXT MK II $3,400 Review

Flea’s excellent bass line on the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Heavy Metal cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground comes in with dynamics and a natural image. This is one of my personal favorites and you can almost feel Flea snapping those bass strings.

Moving to some electronic pieces, like Aphex Twin’s CheetahT7b. The EXT MK II delivers a snappy and dynamic bass with excellent sub-bass reach and rumble. This track also shows the beauty of the EST drivers in my opinion. In Underworld’s Two Months Off the bass shows wonderful grip and authority, while providing superb precision. LFO’s hectic Freak has a full-bodied and excellently executed bass response with high dynamics and superb weight.

Sonus faber Sonetto V G2 loudspeaker $6499 Review

December 17, 2024 Comments Off on Sonus faber Sonetto V G2 loudspeaker $6499 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.

Avantgarde Acoustic New Mezzo G3 

December 17, 2024 Comments Off on Avantgarde Acoustic New Mezzo G3 

Magnepan 2.7X. World’s FIRST Review

December 16, 2024 Comments Off on Magnepan 2.7X. World’s FIRST Review

Keep the Magnepan 2.7x speakers operating in their optimum zone with music that plays to their strengths delivers an experience few speakers can match. There’s a truth in the mid 85% of the musical spectrum that is hard to ignore. Where similarly priced MartinLogans will play louder and go deeper (because they are a hybrid design with a DSP crossover and two active woofers) but that’s not really an apples to apples comparison, just as comparing an older Porsche Boxster with a six-cylinder normally aspirated engine to the current model with a higher-torque, four cylinder turbo model. They are still the same car from the same company, but the way they deliver the experience is very different – though each will be highly satisfying to a certain customer.

Technics SL-1200GR2 Review

December 16, 2024 Comments Off on Technics SL-1200GR2 Review

https://www.hifinews.com/content/technics-sl-1200gr2

A shift to Audio-Technica’s VM-750SH MM didn’t airbrush the SL-1200GR2’s core qualities. The film scores compiled for LateNightTales: At The Movies [ALNLP62] were rendered with excellent detail, again with that dark background and feeling of space. In particular, the deep chants in Philip Glass’s Powaqqatsi had an emotional impact surely true to what he intended, while the deck’s pacing and separation shone with the dancing typewriters and samba rhythms of Michael Kamen’s ‘The Office’, from Terry Gilliams’ Brazil.

Considering the price tag here, it’s hard to find fault with the SL1200GR2. Its low bass might come across as a touch too controlled for some, but this is one of the elements that make this turntable so rhythmically secure. And if you have become accustomed to a more ‘rumblesome’ deck, Technics’ latest shows how it can be done…