MOONDROP Horizon $199 Review
August 25, 2025 Comments Off on MOONDROP Horizon $199 Review
The Horizon has a nice mix of warm and slightly U-shaped sound signatures, with a laid-back sound, yet it presents details with many nuances in the vocals and instruments.
There is a perceived reduction in response in the lowest part of the bass, known as the sub-bass, which is prevalent in open-back headphone designs.
However, there is a slight boost in the mid-bass, making the roll-off in the sub-bass sound less noticeable. The Horizon has the most sub-bass among the headphones in this review.
A slightly rounded, soft-textured yet articulate characterizes its bass sound, which adds to its overall warm, relaxed, and pleasing tonality.
Midrange is lush, warm, and slightly thick, combined with a somewhat relaxed perceived upper midrange response, which gives instruments and vocals proper note weight and body, preventing them from sounding thin.
Treble is slightly relaxed, smooth, and dark, but not too dark; it conveys a lot of information and detail, rendered in a somewhat laid-back manner and never aggressively. Suffice it to say, the upper midrange and treble never become shouty, piercing, or fatiguing.
TAD-ME1TX Monitor Speaker $18,200 Review
August 24, 2025 Comments Off on TAD-ME1TX Monitor Speaker $18,200 Review
If I were to put a bucket list together of speakers to review, somewhere near the top would be a pair of TAD Laboratories speakers. I have done that now, and someday a pair of Reference would be nice, if anyone is listening.
I have been fortunate to have reviewed some really great speakers lately, but the TAD left their mark as some of the best stand-mounted speakers I’ve reviewed – tight, razor sharp, and yet soft and soulful. The ME1TX were as close to perfect as I could imagine.
What the TAD-ME1TX does so well is play back music uncolorized and transparent. Far from clinical and sterile, the ME1TX has a marvelous sense of warmth and grace. It is almost sad that this type of listening is a luxury to most, including myself. Given any opportunity to listen to the TAD-ME1TX (or any TAD Labs speakers), do yourself a favor: grab a listen and enjoy.
Bryston Bi-200 Integrated Amplifier Review
August 24, 2025 Comments Off on Bryston Bi-200 Integrated Amplifier Review
On a critical note, the display text is very small, which is not a problem for nearby on-device configurations, but the volume level is not readable from any distance unless one has 20/20 vision. It would have been nice if the chosen volume setting were briefly displayed in a large font covering the entire vertical display size. Furthermore, I wish the display could always be on so you can see the volume level at a glance (as long as you’re close), but presumably, this option has been intentionally left out to prevent OLED burn-in.
Optional phono modules are available for MM or MC. The latter is available in two versions, with either a 20dB or 26dB gain. For MC cartridges with an output between 0.1 and 0.2 mV, the 26 dB version is recommended. For MC cartridges with a sensitivity greater than 0.3 mV, both versions are compatible. For MC cartridges with an output of 0.4 mV or higher, the 20dB version is recommended.
New Vandersteen L5 Audio Control Center Preview
August 24, 2025 Comments Off on New Vandersteen L5 Audio Control Center Preview
HIFIMAN ISVARNA Hybrid Headphone $2,899 Review
August 23, 2025 Comments Off on HIFIMAN ISVARNA Hybrid Headphone $2,899 Review
I’ll admit that when I first listened to the HIFIMAN ISVARNA Hybrid Headphone at CanJam, I was intrigued but did not love them, feeling they were a bit Rock&Roll for my tastes, but after having had them in hand and really spent some time with them, I have completely turned around. As I mentioned above, they are not particularly forgiving headphones, so I think electronics choice is going to make a huge impact on how much you like them. I think bass heads are going to be blown away with their ability to cover the full spectrum and really thump. The HIFIMAN GOLDENWAVE SERENADE R2R DAC/Headphone Amplifier proved to be an excellent match for the ISVARNA, but hardcore audiophiles are going to want to pair them with a good tube amp and a top-notch DAC.
Most surprising was the fact that they are pretty much genre agnostic, I really expected them to muddy up classical and complex musical pieces and nothing could be farther from the truth, on the other hand given the right source material they can give you that real club feel, and live but musical appears to be the name of the game.
Sennheiser’s versatile HDV 820 headphone amp/DAC
August 23, 2025 Comments Off on Sennheiser’s versatile HDV 820 headphone amp/DAC
The Sennheiser ticks plenty of boxes in terms of connectivity. Unusually, there’s a traditional 6.3mm jack integrated into the three-pin XLR socket on the front of the unit.
You also get a four-pin XLR and a pair of 4.4mm Pentaconn jacks on the front, both of which allow a balanced connection to suitable headphones.
Another string to the HDV 820’s bow is that it can also act as a preamp thanks to the presence of both single-ended and balanced analogue inputs and outputs, plus a separate gain adjustment to fine-tune the output for your power amp or active speakers.
The DAC functionality comes via a trio of USB, coax and optical digital inputs, with resolution limits of DSD256 and 32-bit/384kHz for PCM music files.
Add solid build quality and a great user experience to the mix, and you have a versatile amp with plenty going for it, not least a £600 discount over at Scan.
Burmester 111 Musiccenter $60,000 REVIEW
August 22, 2025 Comments Off on Burmester 111 Musiccenter $60,000 REVIEW
https://pt.audio/2025/07/20/burmester-111-musiccenter-review/
What’s immediately noticeable is how The Man from Waco leans into a slightly more refined sound than his previous work. The horns, organs, and lush string arrangements bring a sense of grandeur to some of the tracks, reflecting a more expansive and cinematic feel. Crockett’s vocals, ever raw and emotive, soar over these intricate arrangements, blending classic country with a touch of gospel and blues that creates a soulful warmth throughout. The standout title track sets the stage for the entire album. With a slow, hypnotic groove, it features one of Crockett’s best vocal performances to date. With the Burmester 111 Musiccenter, his voice sounds grittier, more seasoned, and carries the weight of the narrative. The 111 was able to flawlessly transport me to a dusty trail, working as a shotgun rider on the San Jacinto Line (email me if you get this reference, we can be friends.) I really loved hearing the intro standup piano on this track through the 111; it made me instantly feel like I was drinking sasparillas in a dusty bar somewhere near Tombstone Arizona. It’s hard to overstate how much this component elevates almost everything I listened to in the six months I had it, and this Charlie Crockett classic album is no exception.
Audiophilepure 
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