Audeze CRBN2r $5,995 Review

July 11, 2025 Comments Off on Audeze CRBN2r $5,995 Review

The Audeze CRBN2 – according to Audeze – requires an amplifier with an electrostatic output using 580VDC bias, also known as “Stax Pro Bias.” There are a large number of suitable amplifiers on the market from a variety of brands will drive the CRBN2 well.

Audeze has a list of examples here, but of course a lot of other amps are suited to drive the CRBN2 as well.

You can find out all you need to know about the Audeze CRBN2 on its dedicated web page here. If you want to dig in and learn more about Audeze’s EST tech, you can do so here.

ONO Tone Labs a3 Standmount Loudspeakers Review

July 11, 2025 Comments Off on ONO Tone Labs a3 Standmount Loudspeakers Review

My initial visual impression of them was fairly wow!—their solid bamboo cabinets and stands are truly beautiful, and bamboo is a great choice in terms of global sustainability. Dustin works with the same cabinetmakers in China that Vera-Fi Audio uses for their loudspeakers; I’ve raved about the seamless appearance of the Vanguard Scout monitors and Caldera subs, and the ONO Tone Labs a3’s are even more strikingly beautiful! The appearance of the a3 cabinets is on par with loudspeakers I’ve seen that retail for many multiples of their $5995 MSRP. The available matching p3 pedestal stands ($995) are manufactured in the same shop; they’re the perfect match to the a3’s in terms of appearance and ergonomics. The speakers and stands are available for purchase individually, but buying them together will save you $500. The stands are exceptionally well-made, and pairing them with the a3’s adds an additional level of coolness to the overall impression. Dustin offers the a3 in satin finish natural or carbonized bamboo; its structural rigidity obviates the need for internal bracing, and the absence of any veneers makes the cabinet exteriors quite durable. The review pair was supplied in the slightly darker carbonized bamboo, which in combination with the matching stands presented a striking appearance.

Otari MX5050 Demo + Tape Head Preamp

July 11, 2025 Comments Off on Otari MX5050 Demo + Tape Head Preamp

Raidho X2.6 Floorstanding Loudspeaker $21,000 Review

July 10, 2025 Comments Off on Raidho X2.6 Floorstanding Loudspeaker $21,000 Review

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0625/Raidho_X26_Floorstanding_Loudspeaker_Review.htm

Somehow, the Raidho engineers were able to make these speakers’ bass more than “adequate” sounding, which is quite impressive given that these speakers use only two 6.5″ bass/midrange drivers in a relatively small cabinet. I sometimes use a small SVS subwoofer with some of the speakers that pass through this system. When I first set these speakers up, I assumed I would need to use the subwoofer to augment the low end. But it quickly became obvious that the Raidho X2.6 did not need a subwoofer. Audiophiles who only listen to extreme heavy metal or solo pipe organ recitals might be happier with a subwoofer in the system. But I did not.

Raidho’s X2.6’s two woofers are located below its ribbon tweeter, near the center of gravity of these speakers. These are not exceptionally large, yet the designers of these speakers were somehow able to endow them with enough excellent-sounding bass to allow me to enjoy all the music I fed them. This bass wasn’t the type with pumped-up mid-bass to make them sound as if the bass is sufficient. This was real bass, and any support they had with the mid-bass or higher added to the prowess of their transient response and realistic-sounding bass guitar and even the largest drums.

xDuoo TA-32 $999 Review

July 10, 2025 Comments Off on xDuoo TA-32 $999 Review

The following sound impressions were made after 100 hours of burn-in for the stock tubes. I used the FiiO JM21 and HiBy R4 as DAPs, the Oppo BDP-83 as a CD transport, my MacBook Pro as an alternative, and the Soundcraft Absolute 4P powered speakers for XLR-balanced out.

Listening devices included the SJY Horizon, Kennerton Rognir, AKG 240DF headphones, Campfire Audio Supermoon, Solaris 2020, and Drop x Campfire Audio Dark Star IEMs. The 4Ps were used for balanced output, and my McIntosh MA6100 as a power amplifier (aux-in), and pre-amp in.

Zähl H1 Headphone Amp $7,999 Review

July 10, 2025 Comments Off on Zähl H1 Headphone Amp $7,999 Review

Eversolo DMP-A10 Streamer/DAC/preamp

July 8, 2025 Comments Off on Eversolo DMP-A10 Streamer/DAC/preamp

https://www.hifinews.com/content/eversolo-dmp-a10-streamerdacpreamp

With well-judged remasters dating from 2005, the Greatest Hits album from Pat Benatar [Capital 7243578858-2-9] is a great retrospective of the 1980s pop star, and the DMP-A10 grabbed my attention when playing the classic ‘Love Is A Battlefield’. The drums were spread out broadly across the soundstage, behind a superb delivery of Benatar’s vocals, including the high notes during the chorus. This is a song that, on the right system, has a distinctly ‘spatial’ feel to it, information the DMP-A10 communicated with ease.

Eversolo’s interface made adding and integrating a subwoofer – in this case an ELAC Sub 2050 – stress-free, although time must of course be taken to ensure levels and phase are in order. Considering the size of the DALI speakers, this was a good move to make Between The Buttons, from techno-outfit French 79 [Olympic; Alter K digital download; 192kHz/24-bit], a more engaging listen. With deep, pounding bass underpinning the drum track and a flighty synthesiser crisply placed above it all by the DMP-A10, it was a lot of fun too.

Gryphon Showroom in L.A.

July 8, 2025 Comments Off on Gryphon Showroom in L.A.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/re-tales-55-solo-gryphon-showroom-la

The latest to set up a single-brand dealership is Gryphon Audio Designs, which is preparing to open a “mono-brand” showroom in Los Angeles. Gryphon’s implementation, though, is a radical departure from previous experiments in one respect: It’s in the Pacific Design Center (PDC), a large (1.6 million square feet) multiuse facility that caters to the design community, including professionals in interior design, architecture, and the arts, as well as design enthusiasts. The idea is to give Gryphon products more exposure to architects, designers, and design enthusiasts. The PDC is not accessible to the broader public. Assuming all goes well, the Gryphon store will be open by the time this issue hits newsstands (footnote 1).

Opening a US showroom makes sense because, as Gryphon’s director of US sales and marketing Anthony Chiarella told Stereophile, in recent years the US has become Gryphon’s second-largest market. The L.A. store will remain the only Gryphon “monostore” in the United States, though plans are in the works for Gryphon-only showrooms in other key markets, in cities with a concentration of high-end retailers in other luxury categories. The goal is to have 8–10 Gryphon stores worldwide within two or three years. The US was first because Gryphon self-distributes here via the aforementioned US subsidiary; that made setting up this arrangement simpler than it would be in markets that rely on independent distributors.

The ideal listening room

July 8, 2025 Comments Off on The ideal listening room

Fosi Audio K7 Review

July 7, 2025 Comments Off on Fosi Audio K7 Review

Founded in 2017, Fosi Audio has made a name for itself among the new wave of affordable-yet-excellent audio brands, sharing the scene with names like WiiM, SMSL or Moondrop. Their goal ? To deliver straightforward, well-built, compact gear at affordable prices – or Chi-fi if you prefer simple terms.

And, since their launch, Fosi products have become an easy recommendation for audiophiles seeking bang-for-bucks devices. From power amps like the Fosi V3 Mono Amp, to DACs such as the SK02 and the (awesome) Q6, or even headphones, with the mighty new Fosi i5, the brand kept on delivering bangers over bangers.