Aurender W20SE Network Audio Library Review
May 8, 2023 Comments Off on Aurender W20SE Network Audio Library Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/aurender-w20se-network-audio-library
Everything this server/digital player sends to a DAC, it does so with astounding presence, leaving the rest of the playback system nowhere to hide, and that’s in evidence with Mark Jenkin’s score for his new film Enys Men [Invada Bandcamp download], with its ethereal, unsettling soundscapes. The W20SE revealed huge amounts of detail here, making the music every bit as eerie as the movie it underpins. But that doesn’t mean it can’t turn on the snarl when required; there’s nothing polite or refined about the way it crashes out Rory Gallagher’s ‘Souped-Up Ford’ [UMC download], with both the voice and the guitar rough, ready and delicious.
Degritter Record Cleaner Review
May 8, 2023 Comments Off on Degritter Record Cleaner Review
Every fluid and vacuum RCM we’ve tried always leaves a tiny bit of residue, even after a second distilled water wash only. It’s not the end of the world as we know it, but if you have a highly resolving system, you might hear a slight bit of swishing noise, almost like a faint hiss from a tape deck with a lot of wow and flutter. The ultrasonic method has none of this.
Even with a brand new record, (which we always suggest you clean anyway) the level of surface noise eliminated by the Degritter is almost like putting a better grade of tubes in your phono preamplifier. That kind of thing.
McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amplifier Overview
May 8, 2023 Comments Off on McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amplifier Overview
B&W 703 S3 Loudspeaker Review
May 7, 2023 Comments Off on B&W 703 S3 Loudspeaker Review
https://www.hifinews.com/content/bw-703-s3-loudspeaker
Play to its strengths, with the quiet, string motifs of ‘Winter 2’ from Max Richter [Recomposed… Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Deutsche Grammophon 4862769], or the aforementioned Doors tracks, and the 703 S3 appears to be the steal of the century. With the more congested midrange mania of Motörhead’s ‘Killed By Death’ [No Remorse; Sanctuary Records 2748857], however, you might seek a little more snarl and edge.
A counter to this minor quibble is the ability of the 703 S3s to respond to a serious push. Fed the massed strings, thrilling woodwind and forceful brass of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9, performed by the Berlin Philharmoniker/Herbert Von Karajan [9 Symphonies; Deutsche Grammophon 96kHz/24-bit], the speakers punched back with a big, detailed but composed performance as I dialled up the volume. Evidently B&W’s 703s S3s are themselves something of an ode to joy
TEAC UD-701N ALL-IN-ONE MUSIC STREAMER $4,299 REVIEW
May 7, 2023 Comments Off on TEAC UD-701N ALL-IN-ONE MUSIC STREAMER $4,299 REVIEW
TEAC’s UD-701N impressed me with its transparency, speed, and detail retrieval. Impressive with its black background and its ability to add pieces made this an easy recommendation. The ability to listen at this level and a product that competes with much more expensive gear make this a bargain. If you want musicality and finesse with a dead silent background that is future-proof you should audition the TEAC UD-701N. Big thumbs up to what will be my new endgame reference system. Purchasing the unit gives it my highest recommendation
The Boulder 866. integrated amplifier Review
May 7, 2023 Comments Off on The Boulder 866. integrated amplifier Review
Focal Utopia 2022 Headphones $4999 Review
May 6, 2023 Comments Off on Focal Utopia 2022 Headphones $4999 Review
Brent chose a great pair of headphones for his swan-song review, even if he found the Utopia 2022s “a little soft on top” and sounding not quite “as spectacularly spacious” as some other competitive designs. These were obviously insignificant issues for Brent, because he declared that the Utopia 2022s are “among the world’s best” headphones: “From 12kHz on down (likely the range of hearing of most of the people who could afford these!), you cannot do better.” The praise in his review left us with no doubt that, like the original Utopias, this latest version of Focal’s flagship headphones fully deserved the Reviewers’ Choice award presented when the review was published—and these superb headphones also merit our Recommended Reference Component award this month.
Nessie Vinylcleaner ProPlus+ record cleaning machine $2495 Review
May 6, 2023 Comments Off on Nessie Vinylcleaner ProPlus+ record cleaning machine $2495 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/nessie-vinylcleaner-proplus-record-cleaning-machine
There’s something to be said for the Nessie’s pleasing method of action, which mirrors a turntable’s action (except for those frequent reversals of direction). The Nessie is well-suited for vinyl lovers who clean records frequently and like to be involved in the process—but not too involved. The Nessie made me want to clean my records, more often and more scrupulously.
The Nessie is not the least expensive record cleaning machine on the market—nor is it the most expensive; Music Direct calls it a Goldilocks machine. It made cleaning records easy and was fun to use—even habit-forming. It may sound goofy, but I mean it seriously: It’s a good way to spend more time with your records. Most importantly, it works: Records sounded better after a good Nessie cleaning—even new records.
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.