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High-Performance
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Music News, Show Reports, Articles & More!
30 Years Of Service To Music
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Inside
Enjoy the Music.com's June 2026 High-End Audio Review Magazine — World
Premiere Gear, Deep Listening Reviews, & Musical Impressions
World premiere equipment reviews, analog feature, and modern
hi-fi tests.
Our incredible June issue is a must-read for music lovers who want
high-fidelity audio reviews that blend careful listening with storytelling. This edition is packed
with editorials and deep equipment tests as we celebrate music and top-rated gear. The
issue's editorials explore big trends that matter to listeners today, from the retro resurgence of analog gear to essays on timing and musicality that remind readers why fidelity still fascinates. Features such as
Why Retro Is Roaring Back and It's About Time: What Makes Music Music give context to the reviews and help readers connect product specs to real listening experiences. These pieces make
this issue become a conversation about how we value sound. And dare we ask,
value this publication. What sets this month apart is the number of World Premiere Reviews—first looks at
exceptional gear that could reshape your listening room. Standouts include the
sensational AGD Allegro (a GaN-powered integrated with R2R DAC, streamer, and MM / MC phono stage), the much-anticipated
by the audiophile world Nagra PREAMP II-S vacuum tube preamplifier, and the Bayz Audio Time Corrector that promises temporal coherence
improvements. But wait, there's more....
---> June 2026 High-End Audio Review Magazine — World Premiere Gear, Deep
Listening Reviews, & Musical Impressions. 
World Premiere Review!
Rogue Audio RP-9 Vacuum Tube Stereo
Preamplifier Review
Exceeding the listener's expectations.
Review By Bob Grossman
Rogue
Audio's RP-9 is the latest flagship preamplifier from the ingenious
designs of the American manufacturing workshop of Mark O'Brien. Having an
interest in doing this review of the new RP-9 was a simple decision as a
long-time user of the Rogue RP-7. I have been using the remarkable
powerhouse Rogue Apollo Dark Amps for several years as both a sonic and output
upgrade to my previously owned Rogue 180 Amplifiers that were used to run Magnepan 3.6
speakers. I replaced the Maggie 3.6 speakers with their 20.7
models several years ago and needed more powerful amps. I wondered if the
increased musical experience of moving further up in the Rogue Amplifier line
was going to be repeated with their new preamplifier by going from the RP-7 to
the RP-9 model. However, before proceeding and hearing the RP-9, I
wondered what was going on since the RP-7 has received numerous accolades, recognition, and
rewards. Could designer Mark O'Brien improve upon the noteworthy RP-7 that I
have been enjoying?
--->
Rogue Audio RP-9 vacuum tube stereo preamplifier review.
World Premiere Review!
Charisma Audio Musiko Turntable Review
I strongly suspected when listening to the first song with the Musiko that I would buy it.
Review By Rick Becker
The Charisma
Audio Musiko tonearm had already become part of my reference system back
in May 2021. when it was incorporated into my Linn Project — a complete re-make of the fabled Linn LP12 using off-the-shelf, re-engineered parts from several after-market companies. These parts were sourced from Great Britain, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Colorado. By the time I finished, the only original OEM parts were the suspension springs and
grommets, the belt, the sub-chassis nuts and bolts, and the wood plinth. While there were lots of lovely alternatives, I kept the original wood plinth out of sentimentality. I was quite proud of the results, having greatly improved on the original vintage table — not unlike the way Carroll Shelby made over the British AC Ace into the Cobra sports car, except I did it on a kitchen countertop and never got around to racing it. I nicknamed it the Bard for reasons
I'll let you figure out.
---> Charisma Audio Musiko Turntable
Review.
NO FAKES Act And The Music Industry: How Washington Aims To Police AI Replicas
The bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act has been reintroduced in Congress to address the rapid spread of AI-generated
"digital replicas" that can mimic a performer's voice or visual likeness without consent. The
bill's sponsors frame it as a targeted response to deepfakes that threaten
creators' economic and reputational interests. At its core the legislation would establish a statutory right protecting an
individual's voice and visual likeness from unauthorized AI replication, defining
"digital replica" and creating civil liability for those who create, distribute, or profit from such replicas without consent. The bill text lays out definitions, remedies, and exceptions intended to balance free expression and innovation. Major music-industry trade groups and labels have publicly backed the measure, arguing it fills a gap in existing intellectual property law that was not designed for synthetic media. Universal Music Group, Sony, Warner, the RIAA, the Recording Academy, and major publishers have signaled support, saying the act would help artists control commercial uses of their voices and prevent deceptive
releases.
---> NO FAKES Act And The Music Industry: How Washington Aims To Police AI Replicas. 
AKM Launches AK491x
Ultra-Low Noise Op Amps For High-End Audio
Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has unveiled the AK491x series, a new line of premium audio operational amplifiers aimed at
high-end audio designers and audiophiles. The company plans to introduce the
single channel AK4911 and two channel AK4912 at the upcoming HIGH END Vienna 2026, where the devices were showcased alongside headphone demonstration boards. The AK491x family targets a gap AKM identified between
state-of-the-art DACs and conventional analog output stages, offering
ultra-low noise and distortion to match modern DAC performance. Measured performance highlights include a noise density of 0.96 nV/√Hz and THD+N of −150 dB at 1 kHz, figures AKM says are unachievable with typical op amps. Beyond headline numbers, the AK491x series delivers robust drive capability with
+/-100 mA output drive, enabling the op amps to maintain low distortion even under demanding loads such as
multi-channel current summing in DAC applications. These electrical characteristics are intended to preserve transparency, spatial cues, and volume balance when paired with
high-performance DACs.
---> AKM Launches AK491x Ultra-Low Noise Op Amps For High-End Audio.
audioXpress'
June 2026 Issue
Editorial: A Curated Listening Experience
A Year Of Significant Expansion
From Microphones To HATS Understanding In-Car
Simulation And Optimization Of Automotive Acoustics
Audio Software Development With Claude: SPLMeter
Questions To Mike Engelhardt About QSPICE
Stabilizing Tube Feedback Amplifiers Without Much Math
The Frequency Limits Of Human Hearing
And Much More!
---> audioXpress June 2026
Issue.
Why Retro Is Roaring Back In High-Fidelity Luxury Audio
From glowing vacuum tube amps to turntable and reel-to-reel booms, analog aesthetics and sound are driving a new era of audiophile obsession.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
It's interesting, isn't it, that retro
hi-fi is resurging as listeners crave tactile, (perhaps) warm sound and exceptional craftsmanship, which is driving younger buyers and renewed industry attention. The comeback of
luxury home audio is not a nostalgic footnote; it is a cultural and market movement reshaping how people listen, collect, and value sound.
Portable CD (SACD) players are back, and there's a new boombox too! What began as a niche fascination among older audiophiles decades ago has broadened into a multi-generational phenomenon: younger listeners drawn to reel-to-reel, vinyl LPs, and compact disc (CD) tactile interfaces, and
(perhaps) the perceived warmth of analog reproduction are joining seasoned collectors, and
together they are pushing demand for vintage turntables, vacuum tube amplifiers, tape decks, and classic receivers to new heights. This renewed interest is measurable—industry observers report a sharp surge in a booming vinyl record, CD,
and reel-to-reel market that has become a serious economic force—evidence that the trend is more than sentiment and is altering market
dynamics.
--->
Why Retro Is Roaring Back In High-Fidelity Luxury Audio.
World Premiere Review!
AGD's Allegro Unleashed: GaN-Powered Stereo Integrated
Phono / Streamer That Rewrites High-End Rules
A powerful 250+250 Watts of GaN amplification, R2R DAC / music streamer, and analog
MM / MC phono stage all within one precision chassis — convenience meets reference level sound.
Review By Brett Rudolph
April is a
busy month for the audiophile world as it hosts various luxury home audio shows,
with many companies releasing their products to enthusiastic music lovers
worldwide. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend it this year as planned, but,
as luck would have it, something even better came down the pike. AGD announced
its first integrated amplifier, the Allegro, and we were lucky enough to get it
in-house for a review. AGD Productions, Inc. is a company started a few years ago by
Alberto Guerra. His goal, as he puts it, is to bring "emotion" to his customers.
I met him a few times at both the CAF and FLAX shows and have always been a fan
of his equipment. His designs have always been extraordinarily well thought out
and incredibly beautiful. He has always been able to take his lifelong passion
and utilize his skills and knowledge to create masterpieces. The AGD Allegro is a new entry for the company. It is their
first attempt at an all-in-one system.
--->
AGD's Allegro Unleashed: GaN-Powered Stereo Integrated Phono / Streamer That Rewrites High-End Rules.
World Premiere Review!
Nagra PREAMP II-S Review: Swiss Reference Vacuum Tube Engineering Unveiled
First expert listen to Nagra's tube preamplifier with their eye-candy
Modulometer.
Review By Tom Lyle
This review
features Nagra's latest preamplifier, the Preamp II-S. I previously had the
opportunity to review two other Nagra products for Enjoy the Music.com.
My first experience with their Swiss-made Nagra components came during my 2018
review of the Nagra Classic Preamp. Many audiophiles are aware that Nagra has spent 50 years
designing and manufacturing "indestructible, Swiss-engineered, portable, and
industry-standard" reel-to-reel tape recorders. Their first model was launched
in 1953, and by the late 1950s, these recorders had gained considerable
popularity. Nagra began designing high-end audio components in 1997. In the past, I frequently saw journalists and engineers using
Nagra reel-to-reel recorders at music events. These machines were trusted and
gave the appearance that they were built to last. Anyone familiar with location
recording understands the importance of having reliable, high-quality portable
recorders. It's no surprise that music enthusiasts appreciate Nagra's
high-end audio gear for its sonic quality, dependability, and distinctive
aesthetics.
--->
Nagra PREAMP II-S Review: Swiss Reference Vacuum Tube Engineering Unveiled.
Lyngdorf TDAI-2210 Review — Can This One Box Replace Your Streamer, DAC, And Amp?
A compact, room-correcting, streamer, Hi-Res Audio DAC, and stereo amplifier for serious music lovers,
audiophiles, and tech geeks.
Review By Dwayne Carter
Some
of the best gear in my house has shown up at the worst possible moments. A
Bryston amplifier I once reviewed arrived the same week my refrigerator quit. A
Pass Labs piece landed on my doorstep about an hour after I'd injured my back,
lifting an amplifier I should not have been lifting alone. So, when the
Lyngdorf TDAI-2210 streaming amplifier turned up on a quiet Tuesday
afternoon, I should have suspected the universe was about to charge me for the
privilege. And it did. This afternoon, I cleared my schedule for the Lyngdorf
TDAI-2210. The box glared at me from across the room. I would wait no longer. The unboxing process was relatively easy. The Lyngdorf
TDAI-2210 arrived in a heavy box. Upon opening, I found the unit nicely packed
and protected. Once everything was unboxed, the microphone stand's quality
caught me off guard. This serious microphone stand is easily worth a couple of
hundred dollars.
--->
Lyngdorf TDAI-2210 Review — Can This One Box Replace Your Streamer, DAC, And
Amp?
Discover more hi-fi reviews and expert articles within our Review Magazine.
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