Jonathan Valin articulates that there are three types of audiophiles: 1) those who are interested in the absolute sound, 2) those who are interested...
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Featured Articles
PrimaLuna Prologue Premium Integrated Amplifier
I got into this hobby in the late 1960s and bought my first “serious”...
Magnepan MMG Loudspeakers
Magnepan began business in 1969, which was about the time I got interested in...
Wadia 121 Decoding Computer
I have reviewed several USB DACS – the High Resolution Technologies MusicStreamer II+ ($349),...
Benchmark DAC1 HDR USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
With the rise in the dominance of music playback by way of computer, today’s...
Acurus A2002 Stereo Power Amplifier
In the interest of full disclosure, I have a soft spot for Acurus amplifiers....
Daily News and Reviews
ADAM Audio Classic Column MK3 Loudspeaker
Kal Rubinson has posted a review of the ADAM Audio Classic Column MK3 loudspeakers ($7000/pair) at Stereophile. His conclusions: “All that said, I’d choose ADAM Audio’s Classic Column MK3 in a heartbeat if my listening room could accommodate more than one speaker system. Compared to the awesome spaciousness and warmth of the Bowers &...
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Halide Design DAC HD USB DAC
John Atkinson has posted a review of the Halide Design DAC HD USB DAC ($495) at Stereophile. His conclusions: “I very much enjoyed my time with the Halide Design DAC HD. That analog-like ease to its sound, coupled with its excellent reproduction of recorded space, allowed all the different types of music I played...
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Naim Launches NAC-N 172 XS Streaming Preamplifier
NAC-N 172 XS the first network enabled streaming preamp from Naim. The ideal starting point for audiophile streaming: flexibility and performance in a slimline package. The NAC-N 172 XS is Naim’s new network-connected streaming preamplifier, combining the convenience and choice of the streaming revolution with traditional Naim engineering techniques. The NAC-N 172 XS is...
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Cary Audio Introduces the HH-1 Hybrid Headphone Amplifier
Headphones are in great demand today, capable of superb sound quality at a fraction of the price of great speakers for a personal listening experience. Cary Audio introduces the HH-1 headphone amplifier to help discerning listeners reach their greatest sonic potential with almost any fine headphone. The HH-1 is a hybrid design, offering the...
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Synergistic Research Tranquility Base
Steven Plaskin has posted a review of the Synergistic Research Tranquility Base ($995) at AudioStream. His conclusions: “Synergistic Research advertises the Tranquility Base with a picture of the bāsik unit with a Mac Mini and Western Digital hard drive sitting on the Base. At $995, this might just be the affordable application of this...
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Musical Fidelity V-Link 192 USB to S/PDIF Converter
Chris Connaker has poster a review of the Musical Fidelity V-Link 192 USB to S/PDIF converter ($399) at The Computer Audiophile. His conclusions: “Readers contemplating the purchase of a USB to S/PDIF converter should start with the V-Link 192 for $399. Some users may find this is the last converter they’ll ever need to...
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T+A Audio P 1260 R Preamplifier and A 1560 R Power Amplifier
Wayne Garcia has posted a review of the T+A Audio P 1260 R preamplifier ($4000) and A 1560 R power amplifier ($6000) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “I don’t usually use the word “polite” to describe audio gear, but for my taste the P 1260 R preamp is just that; noteworthy in many ways but...
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M2Tech Young DAC and Palmer Power Supply
Steven Stone has posted a review of the M2Tech Young DAC ($1499) and Palmer power supply ($1100) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “Priced at $1499 with a wall-wart power supply or $2599 with the Palmer battery power supply, the Young DAC falls into the low-to-middle price range for high-resolution DACs. And while no digital device...
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Quad Adds Two Floorstanding Models to Its Classic L Line
“New from Quad are two floorstanding loudspeakers, joining the Classic L range at prices starting from £1300 a pair. The Classic L 23L and 25L models, which are now in shops, combine Quad’s woven Kevlar drive units with a downward-firing auxiliary bass radiator. Quad says this design ‘provides extended and virtually uncoloured low bass...
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Leon Speakers to Unveil Redesigned Vault Series Loudspeakers
Leon Speakers, leaders in the custom high-fidelity audio industry, has redesigned its entire lineup of Vault Series in-wall speakers from the ground up to simplify the installation process, provide an incredibly sleek design aesthetic, and ultimately better serve a variety of applications. Each speaker now features a re-engineered, easy-to-install mounting system in a fully...
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Tara Labs RSC Air 1EX
“The new RSC Air1 EX series from Tara Labs uses the new EX isolation air-tubes that allow there to be more space between individual conductors and have a more flexible shielding material. ‘The end result is that the new Air Series EX is an extremely revealing and open cable product that’s able to represent...
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Reconsidering Julian Hirsch
Brent Butterworth has penned an article in Sound and Vision reflecting on Julian Hirsch’s legacy, image, reputation, and strengths and weaknesses as an audio reviewer. Well worth reading. You can find it here.
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Wadia 121 Decoding Computer
Tom Lyles has posted a review of the Wadia 121 Decoding Computer ($1299) at Enjoy the Music. His conclusions: “The Wadia 121 Decoding Computer is the best affordable digital-to-analog converter that I’ve ever heard. No, I have not heard every affordable DAC on the planet – and there are new DACs in all shapes,...
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Magnepan Mini Maggie Loudspeaker System
Chris Martens has posted a review of the Magnepan Mini Maggie loudspeaker system ($1490) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “But let me supply just one further anecdote,. One day I played a very realistic drum recording, “Drum Solo by Dirk Sengotta” from the Henrik Freischlader Band Live . Suddenly, there was a knock on my...
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Rega Brio-R Integrated Amplifier and USB DAC
Neil Gader has posted a review of the Rega Brio-R integrated amplifier ($895) and USB DAC ($995) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “As noted previously, the Brio does one helluva job replicating the foundation of a symphony orchestra; however, when I replaced the Brio-R with a mega-integrated like the Lindemann 625, the foundation beneath the...
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Emotiva Launches Updated Ultra Series Two-Channel and Five-Channel Models
Emotiva Audio Corporation, the company that delivers reference-quality performance at prices people can afford, is now shipping the UPA-500 and UPA-200—the first two models in its revamped Ultra Series line of entry level audiophile electronics. These new amplifiers were designed to satisfy the most discerning aficionado, and at the same time are affordable to...
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Emotiva Launches New Reference Quality Five-Channel XPR-5 Amplifier
Building on the excitement generated by the announcement of its flagship XMC-1 Preamplifier/Processor, Emotiva Audio Corporation, the company whose passion for impeccable sound is manifest in every product bearing its name, today announced the XPR-5 Five-Channel Reference Power Amplifier. Designed to be as visually appealing as it is sonically captivating, the XPR-5 features a...
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Hello Audiophiles, If you’ve seen our VR-33 ads in Stereophile and The Absolute Sound and hoped that VSA would someday release a smaller version at a more affordable price, we would like to introduce you to our new VR-22. Although similar in appearance to the highly reviewed and best-selling VR-33, the VR-22 is slightly...
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Amphion Krypton 3 Loudspeaker
Robert E. Green has posted a review of the Amphion Krypton 3 loudspeakers ($19,900/pair) at AVGuide. His conclusions” “The Krypton 3s really are spectacular: remarkable indeed in their spatial presentation, superb in perceived resolution, ultra-low in distortion even at enormous volumes (they will play loud!), and almost completely free of coloration arising from off-axis...
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PS Audio PerfectWave P3 Power Conditioner
Frank Alles has posted a review of the PS Audio PerfectWave P3 power conditioner ($2495) at Stereo Times. His conclusions: “After living with the PS Audio P3 PerfectWave Power Plant for about 2 months I remain very pleased with its contributions to my system. These include improving its musical presentation in many ways and...
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