“Since the advent of the CD, listeners have been deprived of the full experience of listening.” - Neil Young PonoPlayers...
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Analog
Music Hall MMF-2.2 LE Turntable
Todd Whitesel has posted a review of the entry level Music Hall MMF-2.2 LE turntable ($499) at AudioVideoRevolution. His conclusions: The MMF-2.2 LE gets my strong recommendation as a top choice for an entry-level turntable for budding audiophiles looking to put together a first analog system or those ready to replace an aging 'table....
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Eight High-End Moving Coil Phono Cartridges
Harry Pearson has posted his two part series entitled The Third Generation of Moving Coils at The Absolute Sounds. The cartridges he reviews, in descending order of cost, are as follows: Clearaudio Goldfinger v2 ($10,000) Dynavector XV-1T ($9000) My Sonic Labs ($6900) ZYX Omega ($6600) Benz LP S-M ($5000) Kubotech Haniwa ($5000) Miyajima Shilabe...
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Sutherland 20/20 Phono Preamplifier
Tom Lyle Has posted a review of the Sutherland 20/20 phono preamp ($2,199) at Positive Feedback Online. His conclusions: There is no question that the top-notch Sutherland 20/20 will find a happy home in many systems. For audiophiles currently thinking of upgrading from a decent sub-$1500 model, buyer's regret is hardly an imaginable outcome—and...
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Sumiko Audio Palo Santos Presentation Cartridge
Niel Gader has posted a review of the Sumiko Audio Palo Santos Presentation phono cartridge ($3,500) at The Absolute Sound. His conclusions: …The cartridge revels in small differences, like the grade of grit of the sand blocks throughout this track. Only in minor ways does it leave some performance on the table. It flags...
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Abbingdon Music Research PH-77 Phono Preamplifier
Marshall Nack has posted a review of the Abbingdon Music Research PH-77 Phono Preamplifier ($11,995) at Positive Feedback Online. His conclusions: If music is your pleasure, you will find the new tube hybrid AMR PH-77 Reference Class Phono Equalizer an excellent communicator. Its strongest suit is clarity. Not the clarity of a component designed...
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Oracle Delphi Mk VI Record Player
Jonathan Valin has posted his review of the Oracle Delphi Mk VI turntable ($8,500), Oracle/SME V tonearm ($5,950) and Oracle/Benz-Micro LP S-MR moving-coil cartridge, ($5,500) at The Absolute Sound. His conclusions: I could happily live with the Oracle Delphi Mk VI’s presentation. In fact, I think I did live with it—or at least a...
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Bergmann Sindre Turntable
Alan Sircom has posted a review of the Bergmann Sindren turntable and linear tracking tonearm ($21,000) at Hi-Fi+. His conclusions: My main concern with parallel trackers – aside from the whole falling-to-bits thing that modern designs like this, the Cartridgeman and the Kuzma designs have cracked – is the lack of boogie factor. It’s...
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Vitus Audio MP-P201 Masterpiece Series Phono Preamp
Michael Fremer has posted his somewhat controversial review of the Vitus Audio MP-P201 Masterpiece Series phono preamplifier at Stereophile/ His conclusions: The Vitus MP-P201's speed, transparency, three-dimensionality, frequency extension, rhythmic ability, musical grip, and any other parameter you could name—with the exception of what only tubes can do—took the overall sound to a new,...
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ASR Mini Basis Exclusive Phono Stage
Peter Roth has posted his review of the ASR Mini Basis Exclusive Phono Stage ($2,900) at Soundstage! Hi-Fi.. His conclusions: Rather than wholesale changes or flavors of the month, ASR focuses on the evolution and perfection of a limited product line. The Mini Basis Exclusive is a representative product of that approach. Audio components...
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Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk Phono Stage
Frank Alles has posted a review of the Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk Phono Stage ($795) at Stereo Times. His conclusion: The Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk phono stage is quite an impressive component. It features long battery life with fast recharging, front-panel rotary knobs for making gain and loading adjustments, and fantastic low-noise performance. Yes,...
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Fosgate Signature Phonostage and Fozgometer
Chris Martens has posted a review of the Fosgate Signature Phonostage ($2,500) and Fozgometer azimuth range meter ($250) at The Absolute Sound: His conclusions: Like many of you, I’m intrigued by the idea—first put forward by our own Jonathan Valin—of using a “truth-to-beauty” continuum to characterize the personalities of fine audio components. Where does...
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Allnic Audio H-3000 Phono Stage
Marc Mickelson has posted a review of the Allnic Audio H-3000 phono stage ($10,900) at The Audio Beat. His conclusions: Audiophiles and members of the audio press alike can become easily smitten with novel solutions to supposed issues of sonic reproduction, believing that pure reason always leads to better musical reproduction. Products like the...
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Bergmann Sindre Turntable
Paul Seydor has posted a review of the Bergmann Sindre straightline tracking arm and turntable at The Absolute Sound. His conclusions: The few reservations I’ve expressed about the Sindre should be read in the context of the most minute and exacting comparisons made at the highest levels of performance of the finest record playing...
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Nagra VPS Phono Stage
Graham Abbott has published a review of the Nagra VPS Phono Stage at Soundstage! His conclusion: The VPS delivers what Nagra’s promotional literature describes as a “sumptuous” sound. If you like your records to sound like the analog recordings they are, with a rich, deep tonal palette and soundstaging that delivers the original recording...
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