MOON by Simaudio 390 $5,300 Review
May 3, 2019 Comments Off on MOON by Simaudio 390 $5,300 Review
“Easy as the 390 is to use, it never compromises sound quality for convenience. With TIDAL and Simaudio’s MiND app ready, a world of music is instantly available at your disposal. Through the 390 and MiND, even basic 16/44 CD quality provides a lush soundstage with a natural sound that checks off nearly box one would want from a great DAC. Dense, detailed, warm/musical, and enjoyable at every note. With sound this good in this price range, one might even feel guilty about somehow getting away with the steal of the century. Each successive track compels me to linger a little longer rather than skip around.
With the ease of the 390/MiND combo and TIDAL’s vast collection, there is much more music to be had. The MQA Master of “The Angel of Doubt” from the latest Punch Brothers album All Ashore starts rather subdued, but eventually builds into a bluegrass vocal rap that shows off both the diverse talent of Chris Thile & Co. and just how well the 390 can translate a more subtle track like this. The opening gentle mandolin plucking, whispered vocals, and silent spaces provide the perfect contrast to the more forceful vocal tongue twisting ending. On this track, the 390 provides plenty of low-end authority with the acoustic bass while allowing the vocals to remain clear and separate over the top.”
Chord Electronics Qutest DAC Z $1895 Review
May 3, 2019 Comments Off on Chord Electronics Qutest DAC Z $1895 Review
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The Qutest spent most of its time tethered to my near-field desktop rig, which uses the latest-generation MacPro “titanium trashcan” desktop computer for its front end. The Qutest includes options for four different filters. First there’s the “incisive neutral” filter that according to Chord “has an ultra linear frequency response…includes a 16FS to 256FS WTA2 filter.” Qutest’s second filter is “warm” which according to Chord, “is designed to introduce a little warmth to recordings…with a 16FS WTA1 filter only.” The third filter set, “incisive neutral HF roll-off,” is similar to the first one except that it includes a high-frequency filter past 20kHz. The last filter in Qutest’s stable is “warm HR roll-off,” which is similar to the second option but with the addition of a high-frequency filter above 20kHz.”
Tesla Model S P100D – Complete Stereo Overhaul
May 3, 2019 Comments Off on Tesla Model S P100D – Complete Stereo Overhaul
Legacy Audio Valor speaker system and Wavelet DAC/preamp/crossover $80,000 Review
May 2, 2019 Comments Off on Legacy Audio Valor speaker system and Wavelet DAC/preamp/crossover $80,000 Review
“However, that does not indicate less power is recommended! Consistently, and keeping the relative ratio of power to efficiency of speakers, I find that higher clean power means better sound quality. All other things equal, I will normally prefer a 60-watt amp to a 30-watt amp. I have found through the years that if I can pair equipment (i.e. source, cables) with the Legacy Audio products the results will be more impressive with higher power. This should not be surprising, as it held true not only with Legacy, but also with other dynamic speakers such as the Vapor Audio Joule White and panel speakers such as the Magnepan .7 and the Kingsound King III electrostatic speaker.
I didn’t immediately see any changes to the Legacy remote control software (in my room the software remote is loaded onto a Samsung Tablet S3 and runs in conjunction with ROON). This is an intuitive, extensive remote that offers enough control to the user without overwhelming the novice with background functions. It strikes me as the perfect tool to allow the owner precise setup without having to know technical aspects of the speaker’s performance. It is user-friendly and calibrated finely enough to finesse the performance of the speaker in real time.
Alexus Audio 845SE Single-Ended mono amplifiers $16,995 Review
May 2, 2019 Comments Off on Alexus Audio 845SE Single-Ended mono amplifiers $16,995 Review
“The highlight for me might be One For All’s rendition of “John Coltrane,” with its sweet ride cymbal ring, bass bloom, sonorous trumpet and brooding sax which really lit up the groove. The piano body was warm and well integrated with the other instruments. Taps on the center of a cymbal held a strong place in space.
Lastly, I spun the newly-pressed and recently received “No Filter” by Jerome Sabbagh and Greg Tuohey. This is the second of Jerome’s Kickstarters I’ve backed and I can say it’s always a thrill to spin a newly-minted pressing from a project one has so closely followed. The density of the music hits you first – it’s thick and meaty, like a nice sauce, with rich textures and overtones and replete with rewarding musicianship…. but all was not all roses – overall too dark and dense for my taste with this particular mix of components. The 845SE’s show warts and all, they give you what you give them.”
How to Do Room Measurements Using REW Software
May 2, 2019 Comments Off on How to Do Room Measurements Using REW Software
Amazon reportedly preparing hi-res music streaming tier
May 1, 2019 Comments Off on Amazon reportedly preparing hi-res music streaming tier
“Amazon is preparing to launch a hi-res tier later this year, according to Music Business Worldwide, who has allegedly heard ‘whispers’ from several music industry sources regarding the upcoming launch of a high-fidelity platform. The report continues to say that at least one major record company has already agreed to license it.
The new Amazon tier would reportedly offer above-CD-quality streaming at $15/month, sitting above Amazon Music Unlimited’s current $9.99/per month tier, which, like Spotify, offers streams under 16-bit CD quality.
The new hi-res option would directly compete with – and, price-wise, undercut – Tidal and Qobuz, who both offer hi-res, 24-bit streaming services for £19.99/month and £24.99/month respectively.”
Wilson Audio Specialties Yvette loudspeaker $25,500 Review
May 1, 2019 Comments Off on Wilson Audio Specialties Yvette loudspeaker $25,500 Review
“Logic would suggest that, when I realized what the Yvettes were doing, I was listening to a simply recorded, live performance of acoustic music. Instead, it was a 1964 Norman Granz production, Oscar Peterson Trio + One, with trumpeter Clark Terry (LP, Mercury SR 60975). I was shirking my reviewer duties and just enjoying the music when I casually became aware of being in the recording space with the players. A few seconds later, the significance of this hit me. I’ve heard this album through umpteen different speakers, and my listening experiences with all of them varied widely except in one regard: My listening perspective was always of watching the session from somewhere in the control room, gazing out over the mixing board and through the window at the musicians playing in the studio proper. This time I was on the other side of the glass, hanging out with the musicians.”
QUAD PA-ONE+ TRIODE TUBE DAC/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $1,299 REVIEW
April 30, 2019 Comments Off on QUAD PA-ONE+ TRIODE TUBE DAC/HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER $1,299 REVIEW
“The Quad PA-ONE+ and ERA-1 have excellent synergy providing realistic timbre and tonal balance, a large three-dimensional soundstage, wide dynamic range, and great musicality. Listening to Billy Joel’s “The Ballad Of Billy The Kid” (Piano Man – DSD) the piano was rich and energetic and the orchestra was full expansive with good instrument placement and imaging. The drums were tight and impactful and the bass showed exemplary resolution. There was real depth to the soundstage placing the instruments at a distance with Billy up front and his vocals warm and musical.
Moving on to “The Firebird Suite” (Robert Shaw & the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra – Stravinsky: The Firebird; Borodin: Music from Prince Igor – 16/44.1 kHz) there was great air around the soloists, and the tonality was pitch perfect making it easy to pick out the similar sounding woodwinds and brass. The tympanis were fast and articulate and the detail during the crescendos exhibited great resolution from the DAC playing standard resolution tracks.”
Audiophilepure 
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