Audience frontRow Interconnects and Speaker Cables Review

August 17, 2024 Comments Off on Audience frontRow Interconnects and Speaker Cables Review

The frontRow cables excelled at their reproduction of the frequency extremes. The frontRows played back high-frequency instruments with consummate air, extension, and clarity, and without any accompanying grain, grit or brightness. Elvin Jones’ cymbal work on “Outlaws” from his Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones CD (Nonesuch 79624-2) had a condign mix of bite and burnish, and was played back with seemingly endless air and extension. And Dave Holland’s bass playing was supple and rhythmic, with propulsive drive. The frontRows’ bass was chameleonic in nature, adding no innate editorializing to the musical message.

Soundproofing A Home Theatre with QuietRock

August 17, 2024 Comments Off on Soundproofing A Home Theatre with QuietRock

Grado SR325x $295 Review

August 16, 2024 Comments Off on Grado SR325x $295 Review

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/grado-sr325x

Comfort is another area where these headphones divide opinions. At 340g, they’re not heavy, and there’s enough in the way of adjustment to cope with a wide variety of heads. But not everyone will get along with the new foam earpads, or the on-ear design – which is becoming increasingly rare in a world dominated by noise-cancelling wireless cans. These are firmly wired headphones aimed at home use, so we would warn against taking these out on the move.

Even as long-term Grado users, it takes us a while to get used to them due to their thinness and overall shape, but it’s worth persisting. A few days of acclimatisation makes us more kindly disposed towards them, particularly as the new earpads cause a subtle shift to the balance of the SR325x’s sound, making them a less demanding listen.

We compare the two types of earpads and it becomes clear that the headphones sound smoother and more authoritative in the bass with the new design. We try the new pads on previous generations of the SR325s (we have both the older ‘e’ and even older ‘i’ versions on hand) and in each case the sonic changes are consistent; a more direct presentation with greater top-end refinement and improved low-end solidity.

Acoustical Systems Astellar Turntable

August 16, 2024 Comments Off on Acoustical Systems Astellar Turntable

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/acoustical-systems-astellar-turntable

Additionally, the Astellar sports a double-point brushless DC motor belt drive with active dynamic control motor management, a double flywheel drive with “maximized inertia” incorporated in the active motor management, a decoupled bearing level, and playback speed options of 33, 45, and 78, all of them said to be fully stabilized with “below 0.01 derivation from mset speed.:

Other specs and features of the Astellar table include a 17 x 5 x 15in (w/h/d) external power supply that weighs 39lb, with the connection and wiring between the power supply and turntable supplied by LEMO. The Astellar is available in five finishes: metallic black, Apolyt-dark anthracite, dark titanium, silver, and light titanium. The dimensions of the Astellar table are 27 x 9 x 18in (w/h/d), and its net weight is 194lb.

Finally, the SRP for the Acoustical Sounds Astellar turntable is $95,000 — and, in this case, it looks to be worth every stellar penny.

Drop + Grell OAE1 Review

August 16, 2024 Comments Off on Drop + Grell OAE1 Review

I VISITED THE 100 YEAR OLD RECORD STORE

August 15, 2024 Comments Off on I VISITED THE 100 YEAR OLD RECORD STORE

PS AUDIO STELLAR STRATA MK2 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW

August 15, 2024 Comments Off on PS AUDIO STELLAR STRATA MK2 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW

Testing the preamplifier by itself and using the RCA digital input jack, the results of activating the three available digital filters on the frequency response with 16/44.1 sampling are shown below in Figure 21. The digital input was 0 dBFS which means full DAC analog output into the preamplifier section, The Volume was set to 48. Each filter delivers a different roll-off response at 20 kHz. You just need to try them all to see which one you prefer. Filter 2 gives the most high-frequency roll-off, and this will make the sound a bit smoother. Since this Class D amplifier has quite a bit of high frequency distortion, start with Filter 2, and then switch to the others, using music that has a lot of high frequencies, such as violins.

YG Acoustics Sonja 2.2, Spectral DMC-30SV, Spectral DMA-260 S2, dCS Vivaldi One

August 15, 2024 Comments Off on YG Acoustics Sonja 2.2, Spectral DMC-30SV, Spectral DMA-260 S2, dCS Vivaldi One

VPI DRAGON TURNTABLE AND VPI SHYLA PHONO CARTRIDGE $2,000 REVIEW

August 14, 2024 Comments Off on VPI DRAGON TURNTABLE AND VPI SHYLA PHONO CARTRIDGE $2,000 REVIEW

The vertical tracking angle (VTA) has to be adjusted too. This means adjusting it so the tonearm is parallel to the surface of the platter when an LP is on the platter. For the VPI Dragon, there is a large black dial with markings on the sides for adjusting the angle. In the photo below, you can see the dial in the center, as well as the gimbal tonearm bearing, the cartridge electrical wires, the hydraulic tonearm lift lever, and the counterweight at the rear of the tonearm. There is a black knob at the rear end of the tonearm counterweight which is rotated to adjust the tracking force.  There are two thumb screws you need to loosen in order to adjust the VTA dial. They are labeled “VTA Thumb Screw” in the second photo (diagram) below. You can also see a small nylon string that is attached to the tonearm and a weight at the other end. This is the anti-skate mechanism.

Pass Labs XP-32 Line Level Preamplifier | REVIEW

August 14, 2024 Comments Off on Pass Labs XP-32 Line Level Preamplifier | REVIEW

Pass Labs XP-32 Line Level Preamplifier | REVIEW

Colburn, an audio veteran, built his first amplifier when he was thirteen. It was for his younger brother’s Gibson guitar. His brother had spent all his money on the instrument and couldn’t afford an amp, so Wayne went to the local Radio Shack and started soldering from a kit and other things. He hasn’t stopped building electronics or looking for ways to improve audio equipment since. In college, he studied consumer electronics and broadcast gear for radio. And, in 1989, while working for General Electric’s radio division, he spotted what was a now famed “help wanted” ad placed by Nelson Pass in a trade journal. “High Pay No Work All Glory,” the ad said, regarding openings for audio enthusiasts with analog technical skills and experience constructing prototype audio equipment. “Apply to Nelson Pass, Threshold Corp.” and it gave the address of its original Auburn, California location