Sota Escape Turntable $1900 Review
September 19, 2023 Comments Off on Sota Escape Turntable $1900 Review
https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2023/6/8/090gfqtttce59cwgdsoq4zb6ccw55p
The clean aesthetic and modest footprint of the Sota Escape turntable belies its high-end materials and carefully considered design. This turntable, unique even within the Sota lineup, offers a massive upgrade in sonic performance over an entry-level audiophile turntable. Essentially the $1900 Escape combines a “buy it for life” sound with a “buy it for life” ownership experience. I can confidently send the Escape off with a Star Component Award. Don’t be surprised if it reappears in our year-end issue as well.

Hegel Music Systems H600 Integrated Amplifier-DAC $12,500 Review
September 19, 2023 Comments Off on Hegel Music Systems H600 Integrated Amplifier-DAC $12,500 Review
The Hegel H600 is an exceptional integrated amplifier. Using the Bryston BDA-2 DAC I was able to compare the H600 and B135 strictly as integrated amplifiers and found the former superior—effortless and pristine at any volume. Remarkably, Hegel includes with this outstanding amplifier a topflight DAC that can easily rival external DACs costing thousands of dollars. This is the finest integrated amplifier-DAC combination I’ve heard in my time as a reviewer. At $12,500, the H600 isn’t cheap, but I suspect it would cost at least as much, probably more, to find another combination of integrated amplifier and DAC, whether as one or two units, that could outperform it.

Discover HiFi Rose RS130, the Ultimate Network Transport Review
September 19, 2023 Comments Off on Discover HiFi Rose RS130, the Ultimate Network Transport Review
DALI’s NEW IO-12 Wireless Headphones | CEDIA 2023
September 19, 2023 Comments Off on DALI’s NEW IO-12 Wireless Headphones | CEDIA 2023
Aavik Acoustics System Review $18,000 Review
September 18, 2023 Comments Off on Aavik Acoustics System Review $18,000 Review
https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0922/Aavik_Acoustics_System_Review.htm
All the Aavik Acoustics and Ansuz high-end audio equipment in this review impressed me to the point where I could imagine a well-healed audiophile walking into a dealer, listening to an active display, and purchasing every piece of equipment shown, both the Aavik Acoustics U-280 Unity Amplifier and S-280 Streamer, along with every Ansuz cable and vibration control accessories I was loaned. The sonic character of the Aavik Acoustics components and the Ansuz ancillaries made clear that this high-end audio equipment is made by those who love music. It is obvious that the engineers and designers at Denmark Audio Group, as this equipment looks as good as it sounds. Everything I write about in this review is highly recommended, individually or as a very matched set.

Epos ES14N Loudspeaker £3750 Review
September 18, 2023 Comments Off on Epos ES14N Loudspeaker £3750 Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/epos-es14n-loudspeaker
Where many marketing-driven nostalgia projects underwhelm sonically, the reasonably priced ES14Ns are exceptional speakers, designed with experience and care. The design might suggest ‘vintage’, but the second coming of this classic performs on a level many ‘modern’ loudspeakers don’t reach. If you prefer your music delivered without embellishment but with real engagement, you’ll love owning a pair of these.

Diana MR – Class-leading Sound and Design $4,000
September 18, 2023 Comments Off on Diana MR – Class-leading Sound and Design $4,000
Rythmik FV15HP 15″ Ported Subwoofer Review
September 17, 2023 Comments Off on Rythmik FV15HP 15″ Ported Subwoofer Review
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/rythmik-fv15hp-15-ported-subwoofer-review
For the past couple of years, there have been comments on the Sound & Vision website on virtually every subwoofer review as to when we were going to review a Rythmik sub. To those readers, your patience is being rewarded, and I owe all of you a big Thank You! Without your prodding, I’m not sure if this review would have ever happened.
While I’ve reviewed countless subs over the years, there are very few that have had this type of visceral impact on me. In fact, there’s only one—the MK Sound X15+. What’s so amazing about the FV15HP2, is that you can buy two of them for the price of one X15+ and have about $1500 left in your wallet. I’ve been in bass heaven since employing two of these subs, and now the real fun begins—convincing the person who must not be crossed that they need to be a permanent fixture in our theater. Wish me luck!

Clarisys Audio Minuet Loudspeakers $46,000 Review
September 17, 2023 Comments Off on Clarisys Audio Minuet Loudspeakers $46,000 Review
I have had the luck and honor of being one of the first reviewers with these speakers (counting my blessings here) and they have been very patient with me while I build my business, be a husband and a father, and listen to these magnificent speakers. What I’ve done is put them in my listening room/office and I leave them playing music almost 15 hours a day. They are quite broken in, so I can safely say they are going to sound as good as they ever will, which is fantastic!
You see another shortcoming of ribbon woofers (well, magneto-static) was their SPL. You could get reasonable bass from them if placed properly, but nothing like a cone driver. What you got was realism and tonality, timbre that was unmatched. But it was a compromise. Sometimes I liked bass-heavy music. I feel a large part of listening to music is feeling it, too. When Florian told me that I could listen to these as loud as I wanted to, I knew he wasn’t joking. He’s not your typical audiophile listening at <90db to classical music. He listens to everything, and he isn’t afraid to turn the volume up. Sometimes you just need that cathartic experience (for those that say you don’t, you’re lying) and finally, Clarisys delivered a speaker that can provide that with aplomb. Dynamics galore! LOW bass (we’re talking high 20s low 30s in the frequency range) and just magical mids and highs that only a properly designed ribbon speaker can provide.

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