Howard Kneller has posted a review of the JL Audio Dominion d110 subwoofer ($999) at SoundStage! Access. His conclusions: “Like the crazy puppy who lives in my building, the d110 might not be fully grown, but it sure doesn’t act that way. And surprisingly, unlike the puppy, the d110 has bark and bite, providing...
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Garrett Hongo has posted a review of the Zanden Audio Systems Model 3100 preamplifier ($17,250) at SoundStage! Ultra. His conclusions: “With the 3100, the many subtle and formidable elements of listening simply disappeared as isolated, enumerable things; when apparent at all, they seemed ephemeral events — otherwise, this preamp’s sound didn’t expressly feature any...
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Vade Forrester has posted a review of the Aurender N100H music server ($2699) at SoundStage Hi-Fi. His conclusions: “Aurender’s N100H, like their S10 server I reviewed several years ago, sounds terrific. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a music server that sounds better, and maybe none as good. It stood out for its bass...
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Rafe Arnott has posted a review of the darTZeel CTH-8550 integrated amplifier (~$25,000) at Part-Time Audiophile. His conclusions: “hile it didn’t necessarily present the deep, blossoming bass that I typically gravitate towards (as from EL84, 300B in particular, and some 6L6 tube-based amplifiers), this racy-red Swiss powerhouse sounded far closer to the type of...
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Paul Seydor has posted a review of the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier ($2995) at The Absolute Sound. His conclusions: “Because accuracy allied to absolutely reliable performance is the goal of all the Benchmarks, they are not products that tend to attract cults or other sorts of starry-eyed enthusiasts, wholly lacking any of the quirks, foibles,...
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Kriz Tan has posted a review of the German Physiks Limited 11 loudspeakers ($/pair) at Hi-Fi Seneses. His conclusions: “The Limited 11 is an omnidirectional speaker that you must try. Don’t judge by its size and you will be surprised that it can play loud without distortion as it fills up your bigger room...
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Venoth Nair has posted a review of the Bryston 4B SST3 at av2day.com. His conclusions: “Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the Bryston 4B Cubed in its own right and when paired with its own family members it absolutely shines. Its ravenous power, expert control and amazing delivery makes this an amplifier which is far more...
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Michael Yap has posted a review of the Totem Wind loudspeakers ($13,995/pair) at Hi-Fi Senses. His conclusions: “With it, the Wind isn’t laidback or in-your-face, but rather it is there at the sweet spot, just right where you want it, making the sound neither too far or too close to you. Vocals and synthesizers...
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Kriz Tan has posted a review of the AURALiC VEGA DAC ($3495) at Hi-Fi Senses. His conclusions: “I had tried several DAC in the past and Auralic Vega is considerably one of the most value for money (VFM) choice with respect to its various features. From filters, clocks settings, upsampling and many more that...
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Jez Ford has posted a review of the AURALiC Aries Mini wireless streaming node ($699) at AVHub. His conclusions: “We were astounded by the Auralic Aries Mini. From one simple box it played almost everything quickly, smoothly and glitch-free. It handles NAS drives, high-res files, Tidal, AirPlay, Bluetooth. You can add a hard drive...
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Greg Borrowman has posted a review of the NAD C 546BEE CD player (769) at AVHub. His conclusions: “The NAD C 546BEE is a fabulous CD player. It’s well-built, well-designed, sounds great using either filter setting (but for me, sounds better in the ‘Slow’ setting) and has a decent swathe of features including the...
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Robert E. Greene has posted a review of the Sony SS-NA5ES loudspeakers ($6000/pair) at The Absolute Sound. His conclusions: “The Sonys do not sound exactly like ordinary speakers. But I can promise you that if you grant the design the premise of its balance, you will find them hugely rewarding. With a subwoofer system...
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Robert S. Youman has posted a review of the Marigo Labs Iridium v1.0 power cable ($3650) at Positive Feedback. His conclusions: “There was some clear decisive synergy going on with a variety of digital components—that includes DACs, transports, music servers and even digital amplifiers. However, I would not box them in or limit them...
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Dave Clark has posted a review of the Aurender N100H music streamer ($2699) at Positive Feedback. His conclusions: “At $2699 it offers you 2TB of audiophile-built storage in a simple and elegant box one-box solution and it takes up half the space of most components giving you some extra breathing room on the shelf....
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Philip Teh has posted a review of the Beyerdynamic T1 v2 headphones ($1099) at audiofi.net. His conclusions: “As always, the proof is in the hearing and nothing beats a personal test drive. If you’re in the market for a HD800-class sound signature and prefer a closer soundstage, then the Beyerdynamic T1 v2 is definitely...
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Michael Trei has posted a review of the Audioengine HD6 wireless loudpeakers ($749/pair) at Sound and Vision. His conclusions: “All-in-one solutions like the HD6 aren’t designed to replace an audiophile’s component stereo rig, and many audiophiles would find the system’s lack of tweakability frustrating. But it’s precisely this simplicity that makes an integrated approach...
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Steven R. Rochlin has posted a review of the Dynaco ST-1 preamplifier ($1500) and ST-70 power amplifier ($2500) at Enjoy the Music. His conclusions: “Upon seeing the new ST-70 i was in awe of the very solid build quality. Much care has been taken to provide a long and trouble-free life. Sure we could...
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Alan Sircom has posted a review of the Meze 99 Classics Walnut Gold headphones (€309) at Hi-Fi+. His conclusions: “The Meze 99 is an unexpected joy. It has a sensational musical performance, even when played with very humble audio equipment, and is comfortable enough (both in wear and in listening) to allow the listener...
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Eric Neff has posted a review of the Spread Spectrum Technologies Son of Ampzilla II power amplifier ($3500) at Hi-Fi+. His conclusions: “To sum up, my time with the Son of Ampzilla II has been both a revelation and a privilege. I have never found such a high performing solid-state amplifier at this price...
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As the flagship model of the new 800 Series Diamond, the 800 D3 takes the innovative, ground-breaking technologies developed for the new series to the ultimate conclusion. The result is the best loudspeaker Bowers & Wilkins has ever produced. The new Bowers & Wilkins 800 D3 loudspeaker redefines reference quality sound. It is the...
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Jason Kennedy has posted a review of the Neodio Origine CD player (£27,600) at The Ear. His conclusions: “It really is hard to find CD players that have this combination of transparency, fine detail and tonal depth. Some of the best valve powered examples get close but it’s rare to find one that’s this...
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Christiaan Punter has posted a review of the Metrum Pavane DAC (€5000) at Hi-Fi Advice. His conclusions: “In its price range it is definitely one of the top performers, and if it is the supremely etch-free NOS sound that you’re after, it may be one of the best options out there. If you crave...
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Steven Stone has posted a review of the Spatial M3 Turbo S loudspeakers ($1995-$2595/pair) at HomeTheaterReview. His conclusions: “While there are a number of conventional loudspeakers with limited dispersion patterns, only horn-loaded designs can have a fully controlled dispersion pattern like the M3. However, most horn designs (especially older ones) are large arrays that...
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Roy Gregory has posted a review of the VTL S-400 Series II Reference stereo amplifier ($33,500) at The Audio Beat. His conclusions: “Ultimately, all choices when it comes to audio equipment are personal, and part of the reason the S-400 II has left such a deep impression on me is that it dovetails so...
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Roy Gregory has posted a review of the AFI Flat record flattener (€2490) at The Audio Beat. His conclusions: “The unit I have here is one of a first run of ten production samples, but even so the fit, finish and operation are exemplary, while the appearance is a world away from the lab-gear...
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