HEGEL H120 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW
May 23, 2020 Comments Off on HEGEL H120 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER REVIEW
“Replacing Röst was always going to be an interesting act for Hegel. It broke new ground for the company, and with many ground-breaking products, that meant it didn’t sell quite as well as it deserved to. The H120 is different, as it retains everything good the Röst brought to the party and also continues and extends Hegel’s ‘giant-killer’ range of amps. This is the kind of amplifier that works well in context and can support some surprisingly high-end speakers. While that sounds like the stuff of absurd review kit-bashing, what it means in reality is you can build and upgrade a system around the H120 far further than usual at this price. You don’t have to use it with esoteric audio equipment, but it won’t mask their effects if you do. In short, it’s an all-round goody. ”
Abyss Headphones Diana V2
May 22, 2020 Comments Off on Abyss Headphones Diana V2
https://headfonics.com/2020/03/abyss-headphones-diana-v2-first-contact/
“The matching perforated black leather pads, though small on the outside and not that deep, have a clever but sturdy funnel shape that expands in such a manner to deliver a full circumaural experience. A very smart design indeed.
If you are coming from the original Diana these are upgraded and bigger pads so they are much more comfortable. Also, compared to the Phi, they are slightly softer than the original grey pads. Abyss are no longer selling those grey pads so all new Phi and V2 headphones will come with these new slightly more malleable versions.
Out of the box, I can feel a physical difference from the older grey to the newer black pads with slightly less vertical pressure and biting into the sides from the lateral pressure. The clamping is the same so I am presuming the softer pad structure is dissipating in a more even manner than the stiffer edges of the older grey pads.”
Eikon Audio Image1 Integrated Loudspeaker System $25,000 Review
May 22, 2020 Comments Off on Eikon Audio Image1 Integrated Loudspeaker System $25,000 Review
“The two high-excursion 8″ woofers are loaded in an unusual quasi-transmission-line arrangement. In a full transmission line, the woofer’s rear wave is directed down a labyrinth filled with mineral wool (or other damping material) inside the cabinet. The woofer’s rear wave is dissipated as it travels down the labyrinth, and in theory is completely dissipated at the end of the transmission line (the opening in the speaker enclosure that looks like a port). A transmission line avoids the problem of sealed loading in which the trapped air inside the enclosure acts as a spring against the woofer as the woofer moves in. It also avoids the problem of reflex (ported) loading in which transient behavior is compromised and port artifacts (resonances, the sound of air moving through the port, etc.) can become audible. Although a transmission line has none of these problems, a true transmission line requires an enormous cabinet enclosing a very long labyrinth to fully dissipate the woofer’s rear wave. In a quasi-transmission line such as in the Image1, some woofer energy emerges from the end of the line, but it is greatly attenuated. The Image1’s transmission line gets progressively narrower, forcing the energy into a smaller and smaller area that has progressively greater damping. Sanders says that this unusual approach delivers tighter bass than traditional sealed or reflex loading.”
APERIO Electrostatic Reference Headphone System.
May 21, 2020 Comments Off on APERIO Electrostatic Reference Headphone System.
“Every hall has an individual acoustic sound and APERIO captured the Minnesota Orchestra and the venue with excellent decay and made the room come across as part of this recording seamlessly. Once again, noticeable was the exceptional musicality that I was experiencing.
Rarely in listening sessions does everything all come together as it did with the APERIO electrostatic system. Classical music lovers will be satisfied with the soundstage and the tonality of instruments was beautifully portrayed with inner detail being exceptional. APERIO left nothing out in reproducing this magnificent recording,”
Coda Technologies 16.0 Amplifier $16,000 Review
May 21, 2020 Comments Off on Coda Technologies 16.0 Amplifier $16,000 Review
“To answer my own question, would the new flagship Coda 16.0 Class-A amplifier outperform its wonderful, but less-expensive sibling, the No.8? Absolutely. Whatever, Coda discovered/created in their latest generation of equipment, starting with the No.8 amplifier and FET 07x preamplifier, they have brought it to their new flagship 16.0 Class-A amplifier. This amplifier offers boundless macro-dynamics/powerful control of low-end frequencies, gorgeous color/tonality, an overall grainless silky smooth presentation, and the ability to render lifelike spatial dimensions rarely found in solid-state amplifiers. Because of its ability to drop immense current (100 amperes) it will easily drive virtually any speaker on the market today yet retain a beautiful musicality that many “muscle” amplifiers on the market totally miss out on. When you figure in the 16.0 amplifier’s build quality, the quality of its internal components, that’s completely hand-built here in the US, and not inexpensively, but very competitively priced compared to other US-based high-end companies, the 16.0 amplifier is a great addition to the world of audiophile-level equipment. With all I shared in this review I don’t think it’s a surprise I’m figuring out a way to finance my purchase of the 16.0 amplifier because I don’t want it to leave my system. ”
Gryphon Audio Designs Zena Preamplifier $17,500 Reviews
May 20, 2020 Comments Off on Gryphon Audio Designs Zena Preamplifier $17,500 Reviews
“Gryphon Audio Designs, that’s who, and even in this crowded market, their comeback to North America is welcome. If you want an impeccably designed and built preamplifier with exquisite sound quality, and an aesthetic that blends the badass attitude of a 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda (in black, of course) with the sleek lines of an alien spacecraft, the Gryphon Zena is your preamp. Let’s just hope it comes in peace.”
AudioSolutions Figaro L Loudspeaker $10,000 Review
May 20, 2020 Comments Off on AudioSolutions Figaro L Loudspeaker $10,000 Review
“Timbral accuracy was gratifying. With a 2019 release of the Canadian woodwind quintet Pentaèdre performing arrangements of Mozart string quartets, the distinctive color of each member of the ensemble—flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn—were faithfully represented, as was the characteristic blend of these five voices combined. The rich, mellow sonority of divisi violas and cellos at the outset of the Ruhevoll movement from Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, as heard on a 1967 Philips LP with Bernard Haitink leading the Concertgebouw Orchestra, achieved the calming (but not soporific) effect that the composer was surely going for.
The Figaro L’s were revealing, both in terms of uncovering meaningful musical detail and demonstrating differences in recording technique. It was easy to hear that guitar doubles the pianist’s right hand melody on “LTMBBQ” from Wayne Horvitz’s Sweeter Than the Day album, as well as the contrast between the very “wet “ acoustic chosen for Artur Pizaro’s performances of Ravel’s keyboard music for Linn Records and the much drier one heard on Matti Raekallio’s Prokofiev piano sonata CDs for Ondine. Todd Rundgren recorded every instrumental and vocal part on the first three sides of his classic gatefold LP Something/Anything, this at a time when overdubbing wasn’t nearly as easy to do as it is now. The Figaros let one know when Todd actually brought this off (usually) and when his efforts to function as a one-man band were less than fully convincing.”
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