“Since the advent of the CD, listeners have been deprived of the full experience of listening.” - Neil Young PonoPlayers...
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Preamplifiers
E.A.R. 868 Preamplifier
Adam Goldfine has posted a review of the E.A.R. 868 preamplifier (line stage only $5595, with phono stage $7395) at Positive Feedback Online. His conclusions: The 868 is an easy recommend. It performed flawlessly and to my great enjoyment in the context of a top flight system with some of the most resolving and...
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Art Audio Viinyl One Reference Phono Stage
Wojciech Pacuła has posted a review of the Art Audio Vinyl One Reference One phono stage (£3500) at High Fidelity. His conclusions: My opinion about the Art is based on a long listening session, without switching forth and back between the available preamplifiers. And each subrange of the sound spectrum was saturated, as usual...
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Avid Actus Reference Turntable + Pulsare Phono Stage
Wojciech Pacuła has posted a review of the Avid Actus Reference turntable (£12,000) and Avid Pulsare phono stage (£3000) at High Fidelity. His conclusions: The turntable itself is smooth, saturated, really very satisfactory. It has a splendid tonal balance, with a slightly stronger bass and a slightly softer treble. But this is a very...
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Densen DP-Drive 04 Phono Stage
Frederic Beudot has posted a review of the Densen DP-Drive 04 phono stage ($1350) at 6moons. His conclusions: In conclusion it should be obvious that despite some really desirable qualities centered on midrange richness, stage width and silence of operation, the Densen did not align too well with my listening biases focused as those...
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Thrax Dionysos Preamplifier
Wojciech Pacuła has posted a review of the Thrax Dionysos preamplifier (€15,000) at High Fidelity. His conclusions: But it will not play as good as other preamplifiers in every case. Its open sound will not fit well in systems, where there is a lot of treble, and most of all, a lot of upper...
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AMR LS-77 Reference Class Professional Monitor
Paul Messenger has posted a review of the AMR LS-77 Reference Class Professional Monitor (£10,995/pair) at AVGuide. His conclusions: It’s important to sit down when listening, in order to listen ‘on axis’, because that 120mm isoplanar tweeter does act as a line-source, delivering the highest frequencies as a horizontal beam of sound. Combine this...
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AudioNet PRE1 G3 Preamplifier and AMP Monoblocks
has posted a review of the AudioNet PRE1 GS preamplfier (€3590) with optional EPS power supply (€1790) and AMP monoblocks (€7990/pair) at 6moons. His conclusions: Today’s conclusion is short indeed. Without question the Audionet combo becomes one of my highest audition recommendations ever. This is particularly apt if you’re not a warm/soft-type listener but...
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Review:Jaton RC2000P Preamp and AP2300AX Power Amp
Phillip Holmes has posted a review of the Jaton RC2000P preamplifier ($1300) and AP2300AX power amplifier ($5500) at Dagogo. His conclusions: There is a place for the Jaton amp and preamp, and there are people who need this combination of value and strength. If you have difficult dynamic speakers, you should try this amp....
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Mystere ca11 Tube Preamplifier
has posted a review of the Mystere ca11 tube preamplifier ($1795) at Positive Feeback Online. His conclusions: A mighty European design hand combined with deftly executed Chinese metalwork has produced the ridiculously inexpensive ca11 Preamp from Mystere. This is only the second preamp I've found under $2000 that can be considered high-end; this one's...
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Burmester 100 Phono Preamplifier
Alan Sircom has posted a review of the Burmester 100 phono preamplifier (€10,000-€14,000, depending on optional modules) at AVguide. His conclusions: So there’s a downside, but one that only really shows up when comparing the 100 to a select few phono stages. It’s a RIAA-only stage, with no provision for other equalisation curves; so...
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Musical Fidelity M6CD, M6PRE and M6PRX
Alan Sircom, Editor of Hi-Fi+, hads posted reviews of the Musical Fidelity M6CD CD player (£1999), M6PRE preamplifier (£1999) and M6PRX power amplifier (£1999). His conclusions: Played as a grouping, the power chord of M6CD. M6PRE and M6PRX are hard to fault. Best used balanced from one end to the other, the trio are...
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Audio Research 40th Anniversary Preamplifer
Jonathan Valin has posted a review of the Review: Audio Research 40th Anniversary Reference premamplifier ($24,995) at AVGuide. His conclusions: Frankly, until the Ref 40, I’d never auditioned another preamp that could reproduce whole sets of data I hadn’t heard before from familiar discs with the regularity of the Technical Brain TBC Zero. But...
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Lamm LL1 Preamplifier and ML3 Amplifier
Peter Breuninger has posted a review of the Lamm LL1 Signature preamplifier ($42,690) and ML3 Signature power amplifier ($139,290/pair) at AVGuide. His conclusions: Notwithstanding the reputation, and completely ignoring the price, we have here an extraordinary product. It does exactly what it is designed to do: realistically reproduce music. Mind you, the cost of...
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Lavardin Components and Lecontoure Loudspeakers
Wojciech Pacuła has posted an unusually comprehensive and weel thought out review of a system comprised of the French Lavardin Model C62 preamplifier and Model AP150 stereo power amplifier, and Lecontoure Stabile 210 loudspeakers at 6moons. Even if you have no particular interest in these components, the review is a pleasure to read. His...
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Octave Phono Module Phonostage
Jacob Heilbrunn has posted a review of the Octave Phono Module phonostage ($4500 plus input modules) at AVGuide. His conclusions: But the Octave is the complete package at a lot lower price. I’m not sure personally if I wouldn’t hanker for a mite more golden bloom. But the Octave achieves exactly what it sets...
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Mystère CA21 Preamplifier and PA21 Power Amplifier
Mystère CA21 Preamplifier Mystère PA21 Power Amplifier Dick Olsher has posted a review of the Mystère CA21 preamplifier ($2195) and PA21 power amplifier ($2995) at AVGuide. His conclusions: Even right out of the box my first impression was that the CA21 was no ordinary preamp. Of course, the 7AF7 substitution catapulted it to even...
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Alpha Design Labs GT40 USB DAC/Phonostage/Headphone Amplifier
Neil Underwood has posted a review of the Alpha Design Labs GT40 USB DAC with Phono Stage ($495) at Canada Hi-Fi. Some of his observations: Playing digital music files through the GT40 was like discovering the songs all over again. Suddenly the midrange offered a substantially cleaner presentation and was filled with details that...
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Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamplifier
Todd Whitesel has posted a review of the Rogue Audio Ares phono preamplifier ($1995) at Audio Video Revolution. His conclusions: “Let the tubes do their thing,” that phrase stayed in my mind as I rolled with the Ares this autumn and heard it do nothing but that and renew my love of analog. Compared...
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Pass Labs XP-25 Phono Preamplifier
Anthony H. Cordesman has posted a review of the Pass Labs XP-25 phono preamplifier ($10,600) at AVGuide. His conclusions: What really captured my attention, however, was the combination of natural midrange timbre and energy and soundstage and low-level detail. Again, the changes were slight and much depended on record quality and the cartridge. Nevertheless,...
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Valvet P2c Preamplifier and A3.5 Monoblocks
Jason Kennedy has posted a review of the Review: Valvet P2c preamplifier (£3790) and A3.5 monblocks (£3750/pair) at AVGuide. His conclusions: The Valvet is usefully quiet, presumably this is down to the separation of the power supply from the signal electronics in the preamp but it certainly makes it easier to hear into recordings....
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Gamut D3i Preamplifier and D200i Power Amplifier
Jörg Dames has posted areview of the Gamut D3i preamplifier (€5898) and D200i power amplifier (€9098) at 6moons. His conclusions: Some amplification components resolve higher and are rhythmically more pronounced. Others create more sparks and crispness in the treble. Whether such amplifiers will seem more involving or musically less cultivated and long-term happy is...
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Graham Slee Revelation Phono Stage
Geoff Husband has posted a review of the Graham Slee Revelation phono stage ($£700) at TNT Audio. His conclusions: 'Revelation' is a rather presumptive name for a product, but in this case it might even be merited , with many recordings the result is simply 'ear opening'. The original multi-curve stage from Graham was...
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Reviews: Ayre Acoustics KX-R Preamplifier MX-R Monoblocks
has posted a review of the Ayre Acoustics KX-R preamplifier ($18,500) and MX-R monoblock amplifiers ($18,500/pair) at UltraAudio. His conclusions: The MX-R monoblock amplifiers signified the dawning of a new era at Ayre. With their prodigious power capabilities, they can drive the difficult loads of low-sensitivity speakers with aplomb. Most important, however, they deliver...
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Pass Laboratories XP-15 Phono Preamplifier
Tom Lyle has posted a review of the Pass Laboratories XP-15 phono preamplifier ($3800) at Superior Audio. His conclusions: I can't remember the last time I wrote a review with no negative comments regarding the performance of a piece of equipment being scrutinized — there is always a nit to pick or two, but...
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Einstein The Tube Mk. 2 Preamplifier
Wayne Donnelly has posted a review of theEinstein The Tube Mk. 2 preamplifier ($18,400) at Superior Audio. His conclusions: I really wish this thing didn't cost so much. It's not that I begrudge the Einstein folks their money; it's just that $18,400 is a pretty tough nut for most listeners, including myself, to crack....
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