Audiophilepure

Even though I tried the XD05 Basic2 with my PC, Laptop, and DAPs for a connection test, my Samsung S21 Ultra phone was the sole digital source used in the listening evaluation and comparisons.

I used PowerAmp and UAPP music player Apps in their default audio settings without filters, EQ, and audio enhancement.

For the IEMs and headphones, I went with the MOONDROP Harmon, DUNU Falcon Ultra Ti, Kiwi Ears’ Astral, and the Sennheiser HD 6XX.

I let the XD05 Basic2 run for about 24 hours in total, playing random songs, before taking a serious listen. I noticed that it has an analog type of sound, where the details are there but not upfront.

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/svs-sb-5000-subwoofer-review

‘Solid’ is another apt description. For a subwoofer that isn’t all that large, it weighs a surprising 102 pounds. The 15″ driver alone is almost half that weight, it’s a very beefy unit indeed. Some people gauge the structural integrity of a subwoofer enclosure using what’s known as the “knuckle rap test”. In essence, you tap your knuckles on any cabinet panel – often the top is chosen – and listen for a hollow sound. Because a sub is responsible for deep notes the tighter and more dense the structure, the less the panels will resonate and negatively color the sound. On the SB-5000 you get a dull thud no matter where you rap your knuckles, exactly what you want to have happen.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1955-anthem-p2-stereo-amplifier

Considering inflation and industry changes, the P2’s current price—one penny under US$5000—is still very reasonable for what it offers. Were it priced higher, I’d expect better casework, which typically raises a product’s cost substantially without improving the sound. A longer warranty would be nice, but, frankly, five years is the standard and anything more is an exception. As it stands, then, the P2 delivers strong value, especially for those who prioritize performance over aesthetics.

My recent listening also confirms why this amp has endured. It sounded excellent at any output level—not just for the money, but in absolute terms, which means Anthem aced the original design. I think Anthem could keep selling the P2 unchanged for another 20 years and it would still hold up.

They look virtually indistinguishable from my SCM40 passives, except that they have black, finned amp packs at their rear bottom half, a power cord, and a single balanced cable instead of a pair of speaker cables plugged into them. Like my passives, they are gracefully understated, a minimalist marvel that my wife, Belle, loves. The prefix initials, SCM, stand for Studio Control Monitor, and the ’40’ stands for the volume in liters inside the speaker. Standing 38.58″ tall with a 9 1/4″ wide front baffle, it boasts a 6 1/2″ bass driver, a three-inch ATC Soft Dome midrange driver, and a one-inch Neodymium tweeter on the top half, with its “ATC Acoustic Engineering” badge just below. Its curved sides narrow down to 7″ at its rear. Upfront at its base, a 14.56″ wide wooden plinth is supported by removable spikes, while two additional spikes are located toward the cabinet’s rear (aftermarket feet, like the IsoAcoustic Gaia III that I use, can be substituted for the spikes).

A sealed box design, they’re quite accommodating to room size and placement, as Jerry Willsie, veteran Director of Sales at Straight Wire, Inc. (whose Crescendo 3 speaker cables are used with my SCM40 passives, while their Crescendo 3 balanced cables connect to the active version), informed me prior to my review of the passive ATC SCM40s. 

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/furutech-demag-alpha

o test the DeMag alpha, we select a rather bright recording of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Boxer. We first listen to the track before demagnetisation and there is the expected slight harshness to the vocals. Next we demagnetise the LP and play the track again. We are not expecting what we hear – it isn’t a subtle change, but a significant refinement of the entire sound with the vocals in particular enjoying a greater presence in the room. The accompanying guitar is clear with additional tunefulness and, when the rhythmic patting on the drums begins, the sound is much more musical and punchier.

We next select a CD of Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier played on piano by Friedrich Gulda. Following on from demagnetisation, the piano sounds more convincing as if there is a real instrument in the room. The vast complexities of the performance appear to be better recorded and give a more accurate rendition of the piano and the acoustics of the room where the recording was made.