Paradigm Premier 700F Speakers $1,598/ Review
August 9, 2019 Comments Off on Paradigm Premier 700F Speakers $1,598/ Review
“Our test pair arrived in a gloss black, with gloss white and an espresso grain finish also available. No matter which finish you choose, the front and the top face of the speakers are finished in matte black – no doubt a move to keep the cost more reasonable. Two sets of binding posts are available for those wanting to bi-wire, but for the duration of our review, the 700Fs were used with a single pair of speaker cables and the jumpers intact. The quality of the finish on the side panels is as smooth as the $35,000/pair Personas we reviewed previously.
Again, this is where building everything in house is a benefit – the same people doing the cabinets on Paradigm’s top speakers are working on these too. However, it’s more than just the quality of the finish on the outer walls of the cabinet that impress. Looking at the 700Fs very carefully reveals the smoothness of the bevels on the front panel and how cleanly the drivers are mounted. There is no visible hardware. The cabinet corners intersect perfectly. This is the level of quality you demand from a $10k pair of speakers. Not something you expect for this price – a definite bonus to qualityphiles. These are speakers that you will be very proud to own.
NOBLE AUDIO SAVANT II $499 REVIEW
August 9, 2019 Comments Off on NOBLE AUDIO SAVANT II $499 REVIEW
“For me, this is the calling card of the Savant II’s signature. Not so much that it is a basshead monitor, it lacks that full-on dynamic driver natural levels of decay and outright power but it comes fairly close in terms of weight and power.
For me, both the sub-bass presence on the Savant II is excellent though not accentuated to the point where it is overpowering. I suspect the vented driver used by Noble is a subwoofer class balanced armature given its slightly slower and “fleshier” sound compared to the pacy but leaner sounding BA’s used in the Sage.”
JH Audio x Astell&Kern Layla AION Review
August 9, 2019 Comments Off on JH Audio x Astell&Kern Layla AION Review
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Wireless Loudspeakers Review
August 8, 2019 Comments Off on Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Wireless Loudspeakers Review
“Also, while the Formation ecosystem may not rely on your own home’s network to remain functioning, that doesn’t save it from the occasional drop out with respect to some connections–specifically Bluetooth. During my month-long audition of the Formation Duo and Formation Audio, when connected to the Sony display via Bluetooth I endured three drop outs. Sound would suddenly stop transmitting to the speakers, and revert back to the display. That’s three drop outs in the span of one month, give or take. This was easily remedied simply by re-selecting the Formation Duo speakers from the Sony’s Bluetooth devices menu, but nevertheless it did happen. When using the Formation Audio connected to the Vizio P-Series Quantum, I noted only one drop out for a total of four in one month.”
FIIO M11 ANDROID-BASED LOSSLESS PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
August 8, 2019 Comments Off on FIIO M11 ANDROID-BASED LOSSLESS PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER REVIEW
“The FiiO M11 came in an attractive black magnetic clasp box with a slip-on black outer picture sleeve. Inside was the M11 in a heavy clear plastic skin with a 7H tempered glass screen protector pre-applied at the factory. The unit is black with a gold-colored tactile volume control and a faux carbon-fiber textured glass back. Size-wise, it is the same as the X7 Mark II and X5III though it is shaped slightly different so it might not fit in the same cases. (It is beveled on both edges, making it a slight challenge to get in and out of the plastic skin.)
There are two tactile buttons along with the volume control (pause/play switch and FF/RW toggle) on the left edge and the two micro-SD card slot on the right. On the bottom, you will find the 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced outputs next to each other on the left, the USB Type-C connection in the middle and the 3.5mm (single-ended/coaxial digital/line output) output on the right. The power button is on the right top.”
McIntosh MS500 Music Server $6,000 Review
August 7, 2019 Comments Off on McIntosh MS500 Music Server $6,000 Review
“Ethereal vocals are something I genuinely vibe on. That and vocal overdubs, gated mics and hyper-realistic studio-space decay to instruments or voices during playback. I love that sense of the space of the recorded event being captured on a track or album. it adds an atmospheric layering to the cuts that imbues you-are-there realism to listening sessions because of the sense of placement attached to each performer. Invitation by Heather Woods Broderick (TIDAL, FLAC 16-bit/44.1kHz) is just such a listening experience for me through my system with the 500. Hearing it through a dCS Rossini or totaldac spoils me for the big, spacious sound that each of those models is capable of relaying in my system. But, even though the MS500 clocks in at about a third to a quarter of the price of those two DACs, it is capable of giving you a taste of what those who can afford to invest heavily in a music-playback device like the aforementioned are getting. It would be foolish to say it sounds close, it doesn’t, but it sounds so fun, energized and smooth that it puts you in mind of those heavier hitters because of the sheer enjoyment it elicits when listening through it. The fact that it presents instruments and vocals in a rocksteady image with fantastic pitch accuracy certainly helps the McIntosh digital cause. ”
Merrill Audio Element 118 Mono Amplifiers $36,000 Review
August 7, 2019 Comments Off on Merrill Audio Element 118 Mono Amplifiers $36,000 Review
“My reference Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7M monoblocks nicely split the difference between the Merrills and Macs, though overall their sound is more akin to the Element 118s’. With most music, the Sims consistently sounded a tad darker than the Merrills. Bibb’s voice appeared somewhat farther back on a slightly less expansive soundstage, and the W-7Ms lacked just a hint of the Element 118s’ inner detail and airiness. Through the Element 118s, the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was slightly more prominent, and microlevel details were a wisp easier to hear. This, combined with the Merrills’ greater neutrality, made them the more enjoyable amps to listen through — until I pushed them past that 7/10s mark. At higher volumes, the playing field leveled dramatically. The thump of the kick drum in “I’m on Fire” was now virtually identical through the two pairs of amps, as were the decay of the wood blocks, the body and dimension of Springsteen’s voice, and the size and spaciousness of the soundstage. The primary difference now was in tonality: the Element 118s were more neutral. At ridiculous volume levels I appreciated the Merrills’ unwavering bass control, but always found the Simaudio Moon Evolution W-7Ms easier to listen through, though not quite as inviting as the McIntosh MC1.25KWs.”
Audiophilepure 
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