Twenty years ago I owned Thiel speakers. Being a typical obsessive-compulsive audiophile, I thought I heard something wrong with one of the speakers. Thiel’s...
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Featured Articles
SOtM dx-USB HD USB to Digital Interface
I have reviewed two asynchronous USB to S/PDIF converters – the Halide Design Bridge...
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...
Daily News and Reviews
Anthony Gallo Acoustics Classico CL-2 Loudspeakers
Ron Doering has posted a review of the Anthony Gallo Acoustics Classico CL-2 loudspeakers ($795/pair) at GoodSound! His conclusions: “Anthony Gallo Acoustics’ Classico CL-2 is a reasonably priced, well-made bookshelf loudspeaker that, while requiring a bit more tweaking than I’m accustomed to, gave a very good account of itself, presenting a wide, spacious soundstage...
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Musical Fidelity M6 500i Integrated Amplifier
Hans Wetzel has posted a review of the Musical Fidelity M6 500i integrated amplifier ($6995) at SoundStage! Hi-Fi. His conclusions: “Musical Fidelity’s M6 500i is a gentleman thug of an integrated amplifier blessed with equal helpings of brawn and delicacy. These seemingly opposing strengths will attract different types of listeners, but this model is...
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Von Schweikert Audio VR-35 Export Deluxe Loudspeakers
Uday Reddy has posted a review of the Von Schweikert Audio VR-35 Export Deluxe loudspeakers ($10,000/pair) at UltraAudio. His conclusions: “Von Schweikert Audio’s VR-35 Export Deluxe is a remarkable loudspeaker. It performed wonderfully, handling all musical genres with aplomb. I recently heard VSA’s new VR-44 model at T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach, California, and...
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BSG Technologies qøl™ Signal Completion Stage
Clement Perry has posted a review of the BSG Technologies qøl™ Signal Completion Stage ($3995) at Stereo times. His conclusion: “Most importantly, the BSG Technologies qøl won me over in how it presents music in a less artificial manner and thus offers a more life-like venue on many of my favorite recordings. My only...
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Cavali Audio Liquid Lightning Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier
Chris Martens has posted a review of the Cavali Audio Liquid Lightning electrostatic headphone amplifier ($4250) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “The Cavalli Liquid Lightning electrostatic headphone amplifier is arguable the most honest and revealing amplifier that money can buy for purposes of powering electrostatic headphones in general and in particular for driving the state-of-art...
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Benchmark Reduces Prices on Popular DAC1 Products
Benchmark Media Systems, designers of the award-winning DAC1 audio digital-to-analog converters, announced new pricing on select DAC1 models. DAC1 HDR - $1595 (Originally $1895) DAC1 PRE - $1395 (Originally $1595) DAC1 USB - $1195 (Originally $1295) “With the tremendous success of the DAC1 we are able to reduce the price of our most popular...
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Moon Evolution 700i Integrated Amplifier
Edgar Kramer has posted a review of the Moon Evolution 700i Integrated amplifier (AU$14,000) at AVHub. His conclusions: “There’s little to compete against the Moon Audio 700i’s chassis solidity, visual statement and fit and finish. ‘But isn’t it all about the sound?’ I hear you ask. Well with the 700i you have all bases...
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Audio Note Japan Kondo Overture Integrated Amplifier
Kari Nevalainen has posted a review of the Audio Note Japan Kondo Overture integrated amplifier (€25,000) at InnerWorld Audio. His conclusions: “The rated 32W output power surely is sufficient for majority of loudspeaker. Yet I constantly felt that the Overture would perform optimally (unveil its most important qualities) when it doesn’t have to work...
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Audioplan Kantata Loudspeakers
Roy Gregory has posted a review of the Audioplan Kantata loudspeakers (£2550/pair) at The Audio Beat. His conclusions: “The Audioplan Kantata is a class act, one that delivers the music without drawing attention to itself or the process. It steps aside, not in the obvious, “Look, no hands” style of super-transparent designs, but in...
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EAT E-flat Turntable
Adam has posted a review of the EAT E-flat turntable (£4100) at Hi-Fi World. His conclusions: “There is n doubt in my mind that the EAT E-flat turntable is one of the finest turntables at its price point. In many ways its sonic character reminds me of the Roksan Xerxes, in that I never...
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NuForce U192STM USB to S/PDIF Converter
“NuForce releases low-cost USB to SPDIF converter. Already have a DAC, but it doesn’t have a USB input? Nuforce has just what you’ve been looking for! Its new U192STM converts USB to digital audio, after which you can use your existing DAC to convert the digital audio to analogue. ‘This new device from NuForce...
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Naim Audio’s Ovator S-800 Loudspeakers
“It takes quite a time to create masterpieces – this statement holds true for Naim Audio’s latest Ovator S-800 loudspeakers, which surely are no less than masterpiece crafted with passion and years of research. It was after investment of five years of research done on the design aspects of these speakers that a pair...
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Audio Research Reference 5SE Preamplifier
A close-up look at the Audio Research Reference 5SE preamplifier.
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New Bel Canto USB to S/PDIF Converters
“Bel Canto have upgraded their USB to S/PDIF converter with not one, but three new models including a reference class model, all of which perform at 24bit/192kHz in asynchronous mode. Bel Canto have moved on from the licensed code from CEntrance used in their previous USB links and have designed a range of converters...
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Sablon Audio Panatela Interconnect
Jack Roberts has posted a review of the Sablon Audio Panatela interconnect ($850) at Dagogo. His conclusions: “The Sablon Audio Panatela is easily one of the four best interconnects I have used in my system. This is not even considering price. When you take into account their price, then, I am just blown away....
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dCS launches the Vivaldi Digital Playback System
dCS launches the Vivaldi Digital Playback System – a new four box digital system which represents the pinnacle of their ‘no compromise’ approach to product design and sets a new standard for the future of digital audio playback. Comprising separate Digital to Digital Upsampler, CD/SACD Transport, DAC and Master Clock in a powerful yet...
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Magico Introduces the S1 Loudspeaker
Magico LLC, the leader in high-performance loudspeaker design and manufacture, is pleased to announce its newest and most value-laden loudspeaker yet, the S1. Following the recent introduction of the already-renowned S5, its smaller sibling, the S1, offers Magico performance at a price point never before attainable. In 2004, the MINI, Magico’s first commercial product,...
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Ring Audio Master Horn Jazz Loudspeaker
Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the Ring Audio Master Horn Jazz loudspeaker (€14,500/pair with CH1 subwoofer) at 6moons. His conclusions: “Being very familiar with successful single-driver designs solo and with integral subwoofers—Voxativ and Rethm—the Ring Audio system doesn’t belong to their ranks yet. Its concept reads far smarter on paper than its...
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Lyra Delos Moving Coil Cartridge
Michael Fremer has posted a review of the Lyra Delos moving-coil cartridge ($1650) at AnalogPlanet. His conclusions: “The bottom line is that the new Delos is a high value cartridge that’s both less expensive and a considerable sonic step up from the now discontinued Argo and that’s an assessment I was able to make...
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ADAM ARTist5 Powered Desktop Monitor Speaker
Steven Stone has posted a review of the ADAM ARTist5 powered desktop monitor speaker ($/pair) at AVGuide. His conclusions: “If you need a powered speaker for nearfield or desktop use, the ADAM ARTist 5 will deliver the goods. Combine it with a subwoofer such as the ADAM ARTist Sub and you have a fine...
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