AXPONA 2025 HIGHLIGHTS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
April 18, 2025 Comments Off on AXPONA 2025 HIGHLIGHTS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
Elysian Acoustic Labs APOSTLE $1799 Review
April 16, 2025 Comments Off on Elysian Acoustic Labs APOSTLE $1799 Review
I would describe APOSTLE as a fun and musical IEM that balances technicalities very well. The sound is rich and organic, with a slight boost in the lower region that adds to the fun and excitement factor.
There is a strong focus on the bass to lower midrange regions without adding too much thickness. The midrange is very natural, with a touch of sweetness and warmth you’d expect from a mid-centric IEM.
The highs are smooth, without any noticeable peaks or sharpness, yet they do not compromise on detail. APOSTLE offers a decent soundstage and imaging. The IEM demonstrates solid resolving capability and presents plenty of details, but not in an overwhelming way.
For my preference, APOSTLE has got almost everything, from sweet midrange to a satisfying bass range to detailed highs.
Karan Acoustics Master Collection POWERa Stereo Amplifier $53,000 Review
April 16, 2025 Comments Off on Karan Acoustics Master Collection POWERa Stereo Amplifier $53,000 Review
Listening to vocals was equally impressive. One weekend I was listening to Melody Gardot’s outstanding recording of “Love Me Like a River Does” from her Worrisome Heart (Decca (UMO) Qobuz). I was startled, by the immediacy and presence of images, then by the resolution and complexity of her voice. Both the Vimberg Tonda D and the Lawrence Audio Labs LM1 sounded fabulous; they sang like a canary; her voice had utmost transparency and resolution with freedom from grain. Music flowed with detailed information without being analytical. Often, solid-state’s superb transparency can be accompanied by an analytical sonic aftertaste but not here.
The Karan Acoustics POWERa Stereo amplifier is an astounding achievement. It sets the benchmark even higher for solid-state amplifiers. It has it all; power and grace. Where it is expensive. If you’re in the market for a top tier reference amplifier (at any price), do yourself a favor and go listen to the POWERa Stereo. Highly recommended!
DALI Epikore 3 Bookshelf Speaker $15,000 Review
April 15, 2025 Comments Off on DALI Epikore 3 Bookshelf Speaker $15,000 Review
Among bookshelf, or stand mount speakers, the DALI Epikore 3 has no equal in my experience. They play with as much or more bass than many towers I’ve heard and render music with a precision you won’t find outside a high-end electrostat. They’re gorgeous to look at too with a finish on a level with the finest furniture.
My biggest takeaway is how easy they are to listen to. Many speakers impress for an hour or two until fatigue sets in. The Epikore 3s have none of that. I listened for many hours at a stretch, at high volume levels, to tracks both bad and good, and never tired. The best music moved me, and I always felt as though a live performance was taking place. It really doesn’t get much better than that.
180g 45rpm 4LP Vinyl Reissue of Buena Vista Social Club: Where Outstanding Performances
April 15, 2025 Comments Off on 180g 45rpm 4LP Vinyl Reissue of Buena Vista Social Club: Where Outstanding Performances
I know I was feeling that while working on my portion of our recent three-man review of the 200g 45rpm 2LP UHQR edition of Steely Dan’s March 1975 ABC classic Katy Lied (click here in case you missed our team review), the core album’s 2LP expansion in the 2023 3LP edition of Los Lobos’ May 1992 masterpiece on Slash, Kiko (click here for that review), and the aforementioned Skylarking 2LPs-at-45rpm set. Another classic album — Elvis Costello and The Attractions’ February 1980 Columbia LP Get Happy!! — benefits greatly from the multidisc treatment, breaking its original 20-song single LP into five songs per side across a 2015 2LP set from UMe (as was also done on its previous 2011 2LP offering from Mobile Fidelity).
Ampsandsound Black Pearl XL Special Edition (SE) Flagship 300B Amplifier Review
April 14, 2025 Comments Off on Ampsandsound Black Pearl XL Special Edition (SE) Flagship 300B Amplifier Review
The Black Pearl XL’s unassuming exterior conceals its sophisticated design. It is a true dual-mono amplifier built on a single chassis, featuring separate power supplies, power transformers, output transformers, and turret boards. This configuration delivers monoblock performance with the convenience of a single chassis.
The 300B tube is celebrated for its lifelike vocal representation, clarity, and spatial qualities. The Black Pearl XL incorporates this tube in a circuit rooted in designs by Western Electric and refined by RCA, updated with a modern 5751 input stage tube. This streamlined circuit allows the inherent sound of the 300B to take center stage, delivering fast, detailed, and pure audio
Audiophilepure 
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