Audiophilepure

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2026/7/25/air-tight-pc-1-supreme-mono-mc-phono-cartridge

Bass performance is authoritative, deep, and exceptionally well controlled. The PC-1 Supreme Mono does not exaggerate low frequencies or add artificial warmth; instead, it reproduces the weight, texture, and fundamental power contained in the groove. Double basses possess realistic body and resonance, timpani have satisfying impact, and large bass drums convey both physical scale and the distinctive character of the instrument. Importantly, the bass remains agile and articulate, preserving pitch definition and rhythmic momentum even during demanding musical passages. This combination of extension, control, and tonal accuracy gives the cartridge an impressive sense of foundation without sacrificing speed or transparency.

The midrange is richly coloured in the most natural sense, offering beautiful tonal density without sounding overly warm or romantically embellished. Voices possess convincing presence and texture, while strings, brass, and woodwinds are reproduced with a striking degree of timbral authenticity. Treble performance is extended, delicate, and highly resolved, revealing fine harmonic detail without becoming aggressive or etched.

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0826/Esoteric_S_05XE_Class_A_Stereo_Monoblock_Amplifier_Review.htm

The Esoteric S-05XE is a power amplifier rated at 30 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms. Its most noteworthy feature is its Class A circuit design. For those not familiar with solid-state Class A power amplifiers, the main difference between them and more conventional Class AB or D amps is that a Class A amplifier’s transistors are biased to always remain fully “on”. In most other amplifier types, they turn on and off in response to the musical signal. Class A power amps offer sonic benefits because their transistors operate continuously. This eliminates crossover distortion and helps reproduce sound without the harsh frequency peaks, unnatural edginess, or listening fatigue sometimes associated with more customary Class AB or Class D amplifiers. But as some say, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Because fully active Class A devices are always in the “on” state, these power amps operate at only 20% to 25% efficiency. As a result, they typically run very hot because unused energy is dissipated as heat.

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The performance of the ESL 15A’s has been nothing short of phenomenal. Every genre of music has been well served by these wonderful towers. They can rock Pink Floyd and the band’s larger-than-life sonics with ease. Then they can bring a female vocalist into one’s living room. Large-scale orchestra? They don’t even break a sweat. There wasn’t a single music sample thrown at these transducers that wasn’t handled with close to perfection.

This next part is the most subjective, least scientific look at these speakers in this review. In business travels, I will often frequent high-end audio stores just to get a feel for ‘what’s out there.’ As mentioned earlier, one pair of speakers reminded me a lot of the experience with the MartinLogans. This was discovered during a demo session with the Wilson Audio Alexx V speakers being driven by a pair of McIntosh Labs MC1.25KW mono amplifiers. The listening room was about twice the size of the one in my home. The big Wilsons had this huge presence that brought goosebumps. At $164,000 per pair, they blew me away with how well they brought everything to life.

The ESL 15A’s, in our listening room, elicited a similar response. They feel like a speaker with no realistic limits in our room. They did so with a $29,000 price tag and with an amplifier that retails for $14,000 vs. the $31,000 amp pair that was driving the Wilsons. Does this mean the $29,000 MartinLogans are a match for the $164,000 Wilsons? That would require a rigorous series of blind listening tests in the same room to find out if that is true.

I attended the Rocky Mountain Auudiofest every year for many years. It was for me an opportunity to renew acquaintances, preview new products and meet manufacturers.  My first exposure to the “Meitner Mafia” (Amadeus, Susan and Ed) was at RMAF.  If I remember correctly, EMM was showcasing their digital front end and their brand new MTRX 
 amps.  Ed and Susan were sequestered in an adjoining room, which is to say it was not obvious that they were attending.  My friend Jim and I were much taken with the amps and the sound of the system.  At some point, we were asked if we would like to meet the designer.  That began a long relationship with Ed and eventually Amadeus. Several things were immediately clear, that Amadeus was protective of his father, that Ed was brutally honest and that he did not suffer fools lightly.  Fortunately, he made an exception in my case.