Evolution Acoustics Model One bookshelf speakers $3,950 Review
August 17, 2025 Comments Off on Evolution Acoustics Model One bookshelf speakers $3,950 Review
The EXACT constant voltage series crossover is a tour de force in engineering. Far from a conventional dividing network, the EXACT filter circuit elevates performance to the outer limits of sonic possibilities, delivering much higher emotional content, not by added tonal warmth or artifacts, but by allowing the signal to be fully rendered, keeping it pure and completely faithful to the artistry of the original event. This dramatic improvement is accomplished by isolating all the mechanical distortion nodes of each of the drivers and suppressing their influence on the overall sound, generating ruler flat frequency response, with incredibly low distortion. The electrical performance of the system is made more linear, yielding much tighter impedance deviations, or smaller phase shifts. This combines to create a loudspeaker that is more accurate, both sonically and electrically, resulting in much greater realism in both tonal reproduction and sound stage presentation.
Aurender’s A1000 Network Music Server/Streamer/DAC Review
August 17, 2025 Comments Off on Aurender’s A1000 Network Music Server/Streamer/DAC Review
I’ve been playing with computer-based digital audio for well over a decade now, and I’m fairly confident in my abilities to will any particular device into functionality. That said, operating systems running a Linux-based OS can be a tad tricky, but it’s perfect for audio applications. The no-frills, barebones Linux OS minimizes background processes that interfere with music playback, and also runs fanless, eliminating a potentially vexing source of system noise. After looking through the quick-start information, I connected the A1000 to my home network, set the volume control to fixed output, and made the connection to my S.M.S.L. DAC. The S.M.S.L. VMV D2R utilizes a Japanese-made Rohm BD34301EKV chipset; the Rohm chips are some of the most impressively musical on the market, and this DAC came highly recommended to me by the folks at Euphony Audio.
I couldn’t locate a spare Solid State Drive for insertion into the A1000’s internal slot, so I initially connected my existing music library (on a pair of 2TB Samsung EVO SSD’s) to the USB 3.0 port. I then downloaded the Aurender Conductor app to both my smart phone and an Android tablet I used with the Euphony setup. A tablet-specific Conductor version is available, and provides a better interface for the size format, but my tablet wasn’t running the correct version of the Android OS. Regardless, the standard Conductor app worked surprisingly well on the tablet, and once I’d figured out its functionality, I had no complaints—at least until I attempted to play music.
For starters, Conductor showed the contents of the SSD’s attached to the A1000, but the album artwork wouldn’t display, either on the tablet or the unit’s front panel during playback. As the selected file played, the display featured a generic icon along with incorrect bit and sample rate information. After re-reading all the help info and trying a number of different approaches, nothing seemed to work, so I caved and sent in a service request to Aurender. While waiting for a response, I had a bit of an epiphany, and started digging through a storage box of excess computer gear. Surprisingly, I located a Samsung EVO 960 500GB SSD and immediately inserted it into the A1000’s internal storage slot. Once properly formatted, I began populating it with frequently played albums using the Conductor app on my smart phone as I continued working on my laptop.
Schiit Audio Gungnir 2 Balanced Multiform™ DAC – Balanced Perfection
August 16, 2025 Comments Off on Schiit Audio Gungnir 2 Balanced Multiform™ DAC – Balanced Perfection
Just a final extra note: this article was originally slated to run on June 30th, but as fate would have it, the above-mentioned firmware update was launched on the 30th, so I delayed it a week so that I could install the update and talk about it. The update process was simple enough; I went to the Apple App Center and updated the Forkbeard App, at which point a small arrow appeared on the Gungnir 2 section of the App. I then ran the update several times until the arrow went away, at which point it was necessary to uninstall and redownload the App, and the Volume control and EQ showed up in the App window. The EQ can be accessed by touching the three plus signs icon (“+++”), and there is a pull-down menu with “Flat”, “Loudness”, and “EQ” selectable. For those not familiar with what “Loudness” is for, essentially, since Bass has a tactile component to it, as volume is lowered, Bass drops off at a greater rate than other frequencies, so Loudness is meant to compensate for this. Having your Loudness handled in the digital domain means you don’t have the phase distortion normally associated with analog EQs and Tone Controls. To operate the Parametric EQ, there are five dots on a frequency graph, and you can adjust by putting your finger on the dot and moving it around. Again, for those who don’t know what “Parametric” means, it means that you have full control of the frequency of each band as well as amplitude. The Volume control, of course, means that you can use the Gungnir 2 with a straight power amp rather than having to have an integrated preamp/preamplifier. All in all, a very cool update.
VPI Forever Model One Record Player $5850 Review
August 16, 2025 Comments Off on VPI Forever Model One Record Player $5850 Review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/vpi-forever-model-one-record-player
he Forever One features VPI’s new three-point suspension. Drawing on earlier suspended designs, VPI assembles the F1’s suspension from precision CNC-machined aluminum parts. The suspension’s heart is a 0.5″ thick 6061 aluminum alloy slab that acts as a floating subchassis, isolated by three inverted Sorbothane stanchions—not springs. This subchassis/Sorbothane combination holds three leveling screws, which attach to the 0.625″–thick upper aluminum plate and aluminum armboard. An inverted stainless steel bearing fits into the floating subchassis, effectively isolating the platter and armboard together so that they can work together, separate from the solid oak frame. A nonmagnetic stainless steel spindle is affixed within the platter bearing.
New Audio Research S-100 amplifier and LS-3 preamp: Best Amplifiers Under $10k Series
August 16, 2025 Comments Off on New Audio Research S-100 amplifier and LS-3 preamp: Best Amplifiers Under $10k Series
Chord Electronics Alto $4320 Review
August 13, 2025 Comments Off on Chord Electronics Alto $4320 Review
https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/headphone-amplifiers/chord-electronics-alto
On the whole, the Chord does well, though we do find its outer limits soon enough to confirm that it works best in a nearfield context.
When we’re sitting close to speakers, say less than 2m, the Alto sounds suitably bold and powerful, delivering the sound with all the conviction we hear through its headphone outputs.
However, in larger spaces it doesn’t really have the scale, dynamic clout or low-end authority to truly satisfy, particularly when driving less sensitive designs such as the ATC SCM50 in our 3 x 7 x 5m (hwd) test room.
How does the Alto perform as a preamp? It turns out very well. There is little to complain about the insight it offers into recordings or the even-handed way it deals with each genre of music. The soundstaging isn’t the most spacious, and there is a lack of ‘air’ compared to our much pricier reference preamp, the Burmester 088.
But, judged by price standards, it is still up with the best of them when it comes to honesty, resolution and musical cohesion. Our only word of caution is that having just two inputs could be a major limitation for many.
Schiit Audio Gungnir 2 Balanced Multiform™ DAC $1,599 Review
August 13, 2025 Comments Off on Schiit Audio Gungnir 2 Balanced Multiform™ DAC $1,599 Review
As one would expect from a state-of-the-art DAC, the Gungnir2 is genre agnostic, working well with any form of music; the timbre and tonal balance are correct, imaging is laser perfect, the soundstage is palpable and realistic, and streaming music seems to perform as well as local storage.
The reality of the situation is that I intend to use the Gungnir2 as my reference DAC for as long as I continue to have it in my possession, which will probably be until I am able to perform the Lyr3 review. I can easily recommend the Gungnir2 to anyone who is looking for an end-game DAC and isn’t burdened with a ton of DSD tracks. Two thumbs up.
Audiophilepure 
You must be logged in to post a comment.