Fiio M23 $699 Review
October 1, 2024 Comments Off on Fiio M23 $699 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/fiio-m23
Despite the A&norma SR35 convincingly being the more engaging of the two, the Fiio isn’t exactly a bore – we still find ourselves nodding away to upbeat tracks in our library, such as Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop and Michael Jackson’s P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing). And even if you aren’t made to feverishly foot-tap until you get cramp, there’s every chance you’ll be engrossed by the amount of detail the M23 can dig up. I
ndeed, we can’t help but admire not only the breadth of its presentation but how much information – both in the outlines and harmonics of notes – it conveys within it. In the Jackson track, stark clarity and texture are generously bestowed across the frequency spectrum, clinging to the cymbals, electric piano and bass, his youthful vocal suitably dripping with its intended playfulness.
Métronome AQWO 2 Hybrid DAC + SACD/CD + Streamer $22,000 Review
October 1, 2024 Comments Off on Métronome AQWO 2 Hybrid DAC + SACD/CD + Streamer $22,000 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/7/3/mtronome-aqwo-2-hybrid-dac-sacdcd-streamer
I focused on one very special recording, the ESOTERIC SACD/CD of Mischa Maisky, cello and Martha Argerich, piano from an original Philips digital recording from 1985 of music by Schubert. I’ve been playing the Red Book layer for many years on the MBL and have yet to hear a cello sound (analog or digital) more beautiful than Maisky produces when playing Schubert’s famous “Sonata for Arpeggione and Piano in A minor, D. 821.” This late Schubert work is a masterpiece and the Maisky/Argerich duo play it better than most.
We began with the SACD layer played back on the Métronome. Just as I remembered it on the MBL, rich, harmonically sophisticated with a perfect chamber music soundstage and pinpoint imaging. Maisky and Argerich are sitting in front of me. Glorious.
SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle loudspeaker $4999 Review
September 30, 2024 Comments Off on SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle loudspeaker $4999 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/svs-ultra-evolution-pinnacle-loudspeaker
Before I even listened to the SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacles loudspeakers, it was clear that they offer a lot of high-quality hardware for the money. I asked company CEO Yacoubian how they could bring this design to market at the stated price. “Our mission has always been to surprise and delight people with the level of performance they get for what they pay,” he answered. “That’s a core value of SVS. We are a very lean machine. We don’t have the margins of some other speaker companies. Our dealers have lean margins as well.”
With fine execution of a complex design, high-quality components, and spectacular musical performance, the Ultra Evolution Pinnacle SVS has raised the bar on what’s possible at and near its price. For anyone aiming to assemble a first high-end music system with limited funds and a sufficiently large room, the Pinnacles are a game changer. The quality-to-cost ratio may be unprecedented. They are a true hi-fi bargain.
FiiO FH19 $599 Review
September 30, 2024 Comments Off on FiiO FH19 $599 Review
FiiO deserves commendation for its distinct design language, especially when it comes to its monitors. The FH19, in particular, stands out with its unique aesthetic, making it an attractive choice for those who appreciate a natural and visually appealing design. That said, I find the FH9’s design to be sleeker and more refined.
New Bluesound Nodes at CEDIA 2024
September 30, 2024 Comments Off on New Bluesound Nodes at CEDIA 2024
Hegel Music Systems H400 Streaming Integrated Amplifier Review
September 27, 2024 Comments Off on Hegel Music Systems H400 Streaming Integrated Amplifier Review
Hegel says the most significant improvement the H400 has over its predecessor is precisely that new digital front end. It uses the same ESS ES9038Q2M converter employed by the H600, though the implementation is different. The new DAC, Hegel claims, offers better resolution and fluidity compared to the AKM AK4493SEQ DAC used in the H390.
Like the H390, the H400 offers more digital inputs than analog ones. These include two coaxial (RCA and BNC) and three optical (TosLink) S/PDIF inputs, a USB port, and an ethernet port. The optical inputs accept PCM audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, the coaxial and ethernet inputs can handle up to 24/192 PCM as well as DSD64 (DoP). The USB input accepts 32/384 PCM data and DSD256 (DoP). The H400 can also play MQA 8X (352.8kHz/384kHz). A single coaxial (BNC) S/PDIF digital output that delivers data at 24/192 is available for those wishing to bypass the built-in DAC altogether. The H400’s digital inputs, except for the USB one, are capable of input sensing, which allows the amplifier to automatically switch to the active source when an audio signal is detected.
The H400 offers the same suite of digital inputs as the H600 does, specified at the same bit depth and sample rate. The two amplifiers differ on the analog front, however: the H400 has one balanced (XLR) and two unbalanced (RCA) inputs, whereas the H600 offers two of each. The H400 also has a pair of unbalanced (RCA) outputs, one fixed and one variable, which are said to have greater gain than those of the H390.
Audiophilepure 
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