Nagra Classic Preamplifier $17,500 Review
May 19, 2020 Comments Off on Nagra Classic Preamplifier $17,500 Review
“Listening to the opening track on St. Vincent’s Love This Giant, the big bass drum is more robust, more locked down with the Classic. Rolling through a long playlist of bass-heavy tracks, it’s easy to hear that there is more texture, life, and definition, along with a little more speed to the bass line. Nagra has done a lot to update the power supply in the Classic, so this makes perfect sense.
Switching to vocal tracks and music showing off the other end of the frequency scale, the same observations are made. Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Elish both come further out of the speakers, feeling more convincing and natural. Cymbals have more sheen, and the soundfield created by the Classic is larger in all dimensions. The Jazz feels a little small when you go back to it, but still very listenable. However, those asking the familiar “should I upgrade to the new box” question, I’d say that if it doesn’t cause any undue financial strain, it’s definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Sell your Jazz to a friend that isn’t versed in the way of Nagra yet!”
FIIO FH1S REVIEW
May 19, 2020 Comments Off on FIIO FH1S REVIEW
“The entire top end is very tame, but with a slight sparkle factor that is just inching toward bright. I found this a stark contrast to the upper midrange, a sudden bump of treble that makes the top feel just a little more lively. But, at the same time, still not what I would consider plentiful or bright overall up top.
What does that mean? Well, to use fusion guitar as a reference point, harmonics and piano key strikes (sudden treble out of nowhere) have a great sense of dynamic flair and enjoyable flavor. That brightness and engaging factor are there, but the top end is not omnipresent with this tonality. It comes only when called for and for the rest of the experience, it is laid back in regard to physicality.”
Cascade Record Pressing Tour, Milwaukie, Oregon
May 19, 2020 Comments Off on Cascade Record Pressing Tour, Milwaukie, Oregon
Gold Note DS-10 headphone amplifier $2995 review
May 18, 2020 Comments Off on Gold Note DS-10 headphone amplifier $2995 review
“The unit supports MQA, although it surprisingly does not give an obvious visual indication of this on its front panel. And, as always with MQA, it’s a bit hard working out exactly what’s going on. For example, playing the ‘M’ (Master) version of Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness on Tidal, the app clearly indicated MQA and said that the stream was 24-bits and 96kHz (and that the bitrate was 1694kbps, for what that’s worth) but the DS-10’s front panel reported the audio as ‘PCM 192kHz’. Was the app doubling things?
But when I played some test MQA music I’d downloaded, the app reported MQA, 24-bits and 352.8kHz sampling, but the front panel showed 176.4kHz. So perhaps the app was reporting the coded music but was not performing the last unfold.
Another test track that the app reported to be 44.1kHz was also shown as 176.4kHz on the front panel, while a further 44.1kHz one was shown as playing back at 44.1kHz by both the app and on the DS-10’s front panel. Clearly the unit is doing something with MQA, and they all sounded fine.”
Parasound NewClassic 200 Integrated Amplifier $1,195 Review
May 18, 2020 Comments Off on Parasound NewClassic 200 Integrated Amplifier $1,195 Review
“Streaming hi-res music from Tidal and Qobuz produced the anticipated result: clean, defined, highly dynamic sound with plenty of punch. The 200 Integrated’s 110 watts per channel was something of an overkill for small two-ways at a 20-inch listening distance, but the effortless dynamics I heard confirmed my long-maintained belief that more power is always better than less power.”
Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020, Ara, and Solaris 2020
May 18, 2020 Comments Off on Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020, Ara, and Solaris 2020
HEDD AUDIO HEDDPHONE REVIEW
May 17, 2020 Comments Off on HEDD AUDIO HEDDPHONE REVIEW
“With an impedance of 42Ohm and only 87dB, the HEDDphone isn’t the easiest to drive and that shows with the different amps I’ve used it with. It’s not that it’s impossible to drive though, but you’ll see the volume dial go up compared to your regular planar magnetic and dynamic headphones.
When I first heard the difference between balanced an single ended mode I figured it was the Niimbus US4+ that was acting up, but when I switched to the Topping DX7 Pro, I got the exact same result. The DX7 PRO is an incredible DAC/AMP and it totally outperforms its price. With the DX7 Pro and HEDDphone combo, you get more energetic upper mids and treble in both modes. The upper mids and vocals are even more clear and defined as it’s where the Topping DX7 pro really shines.”
Nitty Gritty 1.0 Record Cleaning System $529 Review
May 17, 2020 Comments Off on Nitty Gritty 1.0 Record Cleaning System $529 Review
“Cleaning your records regularly with the Nitty Gritty is an absolute must to reach the full potential of your record playing enjoyment. Most of my records are well over 30 years old and the sound is very often better than a newer but dirty record. The only thing the Nitty Gritty system will not do is remove skips and scratches.
The Nitty Gritty company sells a wide assortment of record cleaners ranging in price from $529 to the Mini-Pro 2 at $1,579. The Mini-Pro automatically wets, rotates, scrubs, and vacuums both sides of the record simultaneously. They also sell a special solution for 78 RPM records that I have not tried. Their products are widely available in just about every high-end stereo shop along with a number of record stores. Just about every online high-end retailer also sells the Nitty Gritty line. Coincidentally I purchased my Nitty Gritty from the same place I purchased my Hana EH phono cartridge: Reference Audio Video in Gardena, CA.”
AudioQuest DragonFly Red USB DAC Review
May 17, 2020 Comments Off on AudioQuest DragonFly Red USB DAC Review
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