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March 2023

 

Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2023 Show Report

Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Show Report
Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Event Coverage
The Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2023, scheduled from March 24th through 26th, brought in more than 5000 visitors who want to hear, see and touch over 300 brands of audio products under one roof. It's the biggest get-together of audio/video industry manufacturers, distributors and retailers in Canada. Exhibitors are eager to share their passion for music with you by demonstrating some of the world's best sound systems from $5000 to $500,000. Montréal Audiofest presented their 34th edition of its popular annual meeting at the Bonaventure Hotel in Montreal. Located in the heart of downtown Quebec, the recently renovated hotel will once again be transformed into a multitude of listening rooms to accommodate thousands of music lovers and nearly 100 exhibitors, representing more than 300 brands of products from the world of high-fidelity audio.
---> Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Show Report.

 

 

CanJam Singapore 2023 Show Report

CanJam Singapore 2023 Show Report
Large attendance brings long wait times to hear personal audio gear.
CanJam Singapore 2023 Show Report By Kok Chieat Wong
With more countries opening up for international travel, CanJam Singapore 2023 saw more international brands exhibiting. This year, the sixth edition of CanJam Singapore was held at the same venue, Pan Pacific, on the 25th and 26th of March. Many companies will showcase their latest products and innovations in head-fi across all price ranges. Same as last year, the event took place within the massive Pacific Ballroom, with booths spanking all sides and the middle.
---> CanJam Singapore 2023 Show Report.

 

 

Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Show Report

Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Show Report
The fantastic Florida International Audio Expo 2023 took place from February 17th through 19th at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore hotel. Many attendees enjoyed their opportunity to experience 12 floors' worth of products from the world's leading luxury premium audio / hi-fi / stereo brands. The fourth annual Florida International Audio Expo was a chance for audio and music aficionados to explore an exciting showcase of products such as home and desktop stereo systems, headphones, loudspeakers, music streamers, Hi-Res Audio DACs, cables, amplifiers and more!
---> Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Show Report.

 

 

High-End Audio, Audiophile & Music Industry News

Hi-Fi And Music Industry News
Essential high-end audio news you need to know.
Enjoy the Music.com posts audiophile news virtually every day.

 

 

Fantastic Fun At The Florida International Audio Expo 2023 Great growth within the premium audio experience.

Fantastic Fun At The Florida International Audio Expo 2023
Great growth within the premium audio experience.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Decades ago many of you reading this would have had to wait months to find out what was happening at luxury audio shows. We'd be champing at the bit waiting for the next issue of whatever print magazine(s) we were subscribed to hoping to learn about the latest and greatest gear. It brings me immense joy knowing many of you reading this might not remember those days decades ago. It's also proof of the amazing progress we've all been enjoying thanks to the internet. Back then there were only two main shows within the USA, plus a small handful of others around the world. Today there are so many shows that it is (literally) impossible to have one person report on them all!
---> Fantastic Fun At The Florida International Audio Expo 2023.

 

 

It's A Matter Of Attitude Something that we all have, but many of us never really think about.

It's A Matter Of Attitude
Something that we all have, but many of us never really think about.
Article By Roger Skoff
What's your home sound system like? Is it two-channel (stereo) or multi-channel plus video? (Home Theater) How many systems do you have? Is your system (or any of your systems) used just for music? When you're listening to music, what else, if anything, are you usually doing? Do you normally listen by yourself, or with other people? How many other people? How long have you had your system(s)? When do you expect to replace or upgrade all or any part of it or them? Why?
---> It's A Matter Of Attitude.

 

 

audioXpress Magazine March 2023

Invitation-Only Audio History
This is also a problem for the organizers of CES.
Editorial By J. Martins
Since returning from CES 2023, I feel there are some experiences and impressions that are worth leaving here for posterity. After nearly three years with no major trade shows contributing much in terms of surprises and excitement, the annual Las Vegas, NV, event was clearly a great way to kick start the new year. It wasn't a big event for new products launches, nor did it signal the introduction of new technologies of which we weren't aware. Plenty of new products were already launched in 2022, simply because many companies were forced to postpone their planed introductions for nearly two years due to the global pandemic. And most of the technologies we got to see at CES 2023 were in fact things we have been reporting for some time. So, why the excitement?
---> Invitation-Only Audio History.

 

 

Hi-Fi+ February 2023

Good Audio Is About Simplicity
Six boxes and higher prices might at last be behind us.
Editorial By Alan Sircom
I said last month that my New Year Resolution was to re-evaluate every part of my system. And as with every New Year Resolution in the history of ever, that plan went South fairly quickly. Probably. I planned to hit the ground running, trying to find new benchmarks for my own listening and for evaluation process across all of 2023. Actually, it probably has kicked off slightly better than I expected, but perhaps not in the way I planned. From this issue alone, I've found two really good benchmarks for stand-mount loudspeaker performance and for mid-price turntable design. They might not make the cut in terms of an absolute benchmark reference point, but in terms of making extremely high-grade sound without the bank-scarring price tag, both the Revival Audio Atalante 3 loudspeaker and the Vertere Acoustics DG-1 S turntable and arm combination (especially with the Magneto cartridge and Challenger power supply) both set a standard at their prices that is nigh on impossible to better.
---> Good Audio Is About Simplicity.

 

 

HiFi Media Issue 114 January / February / March 2023

Fluidity
The quality of music reproduction is a rather subjective category.
Editorial By Andrija Curkovic
Choosing the elements and designing a magazine cover page can sometimes take days if I don't have the inspiration for a satisfactory solution, and that can frustrate me a lot. On the other hand, this process can take a fraction of a second if I "hit" the right idea. Like for the one in this issue. I already had the editorial written, and a roughly established design concept for the cover of the magazine, with some of the equipment tested in this issue. Then I received an email inviting me to the exhibition of the internationally awarded Croatian photographer and professor at the Faculty of Graphics at the University of Zagreb - Maja Strgar Kurečić, and that changed everything. In addition to the invitation, the email also contained a poster for the exhibition showing her photograph, the same photograph that is now on the cover of this edition of the magazine. The inspiration for writing the new editorial was instant.
---> Fluidity Editorial By Andrija Curkovic.

 

 

Australian Hi-Fi Magazine January / February 2023

I Attended CES 2023 In Las Vegas
Hi-fi in 2023 couldn't have got off to a stronger start.
Editorial By Rebecca Roberts
Like every year (bar the past couple, of course), I spent the first days of January 2023 attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (of all places!) to see first-hand some of the most exciting audio products on the near horizon, as well as the biggest innovations that could materialize beyond that. The hi-fi industry is hardly the headliner of the world's biggest annual technology show, with its ever-shrinking physical presence somewhat overshadowed by Big Tech, automotive tech, biotech.... This CES, eyes goggled (and I swear I saw some drooling) over Sony's prototype Afeela electric car (created in collaboration with Honda and pegged for a 2025 release), which has an interior clad in screens and features an actual display on the front bumper that the owner can use to deliver information to passing cars and pedestrians.
---> I Attended CES 2023 In Las Vegas.

 

 

Visiting Audio Group Denmark (AGD) A technology overview of remarkable products.

Visiting Audio Group Denmark (AGD)
A technology overview of remarkable products.
Manufacturer Visit Report By Greg Weaver
If you've been paying attention to recent industry trends, you'll be aware that the Audio Group Denmark's three audio product lines, Ansuz, Aavik, and Børresen Acoustics, have been getting a shite load of attention of late. And if you've followed my show reports here, you've seen my highly favorable coverage of them several times now, from my inaugural Pacific Audio Fest report to my Capital Audiofest coverage, where they stole the show with the introduction of simply remarkable $11,000 Børresen Acoustics X3 loudspeaker. This sleek, sexy-looking, small foot-print loudspeaker was driven with something on the order of another $90,000 worth of their Aavik electronics and Ansuz cabling, power and grounding solutions, network switches, noise suppressors, and resonance control devices. And – it was stunning!
---> Visiting Audio Group Denmark (AGD).

 

 

DALI Kore Floorstanding Speaker Review

DALI Kore Floorstanding Speaker Review
Danish loudspeaker giant DALI had promised a state-of-the-art loudspeaker at the press event in Munich's MOC.
Review By Michael Lang
After the presentation of the DALI Kore, in a rare moment of complete agreement, the guests left the room with a big smile on their faces. HIGH END audio show, May 2022, Munich, Germany – for someone from the press, this equates to four hectic days, a race against time to discover as many exciting new products as possible, to have them explained to you and to get hold of at least a couple of short listening sessions from a suitable sitting position. Despite these circumstances, the DALI showroom was packed with press representatives when CEO Lars Worre and his team explained the background and aspirations of the Kore. This was quite necessary, considering that DALI is known for a down-to-earth pricing of its loudspeakers.
---> DALI Kore Floorstanding Speaker Review.

 

 

Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Class A Monoblock Review

World Premiere Review!
Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Class A Monoblock Review
The Eros 500 is a neutral, realistic, and natural-sounding amplifier. true standard of excellence.
Review By Robert H. Levi
The more I immerse myself in this hobby since I retired from the entertainment industry in 2008, the more certain I have become that the amplifier is the most important and telling piece of equipment in your system. It was in the late 1970s that J. Gordon Holt stated in Stereophile that one should buy a very good speaker that fits your needs and then bust your budget on an excellent amplifier. I have more or less followed that advice over the last half century of reproducing music in my home. Lately, however, with the maturation of really great tube and hybrid source devices, phono preamp sources and superb LP pressings, extraordinary phono cartridges, SACDs, much improved digital streaming with high resolution, and the maturing science of neutral and high-definition interconnectivity, I have confirmed that JGH was 100% right.
---> Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Class A Monoblock Review.

 

 

FiiO R7 Desktop Digital Music Streamer, Preamplifier, And Headphone Amplifier Review

FiiO R7 Desktop Digital Music Streamer, Preamplifier, And Headphone Amplifier Review
A superb DAC, streamer, preamplifier, and headamp designed for music lovers.
Review By Steven R. Rochlin
When FiiO sent me an e-mail showcasing their new R7 desktop stereo music streamer, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier it was perfectly timed. As a longtime classically-trained musician, I've been using a slightly 'outdated' source unit to stream music to play along to tunes. This could be via headphones/IEM or through a stereo pair of QSC KS10.2 mains and KS112 subwoofers thanks to the R7's true balanced XLR outputs. In addition, this is a relatively portable piece of gear, which means when it wasn't being used for the percussion / drum set, it was easy to bring it into my home audio system or use it as a dedicated desktop headphone amplifier when tinkering with mechanical timepieces upstairs within my workshop.
---> FiiO R7 Desktop Digital Music Streamer, Preamplifier, And Headphone Amplifier Review.

 

 

Wells Audio Looking Glass II Level II Power Conditioner Review

World Premiere Review!
Wells Audio Looking Glass II Level II Power Conditioner Review
Feeling as if you can step into it and become part of the performance.
Review By Ron Nagle
If you are like me then you live in a multi-story apartment building, then you are contaminated with junk in the trunk-line. More than likely you are listening to your neighbor's dishwasher, air conditioner, foot bath or God knows what. As a consequence have you ever thought your expensive audio system has bad days when the sound is not so good? This is why some of us audio guys prefer to listen in the wee small hours late at night. Unfortunately, I have no choice, either fix my power source or become crepuscular like my cat. Fire up your computer and do a search, you will find Power Strips, AC line Conditioners, Surge Protectors, Re-Generators, and Noise-Canceling devices.
---> Wells Audio Looking Glass II Level II Power Conditioner Review.

 

 

eXtremely Sexy Audio (XSA) Labs Vanguard Loudspeaker Review

eXtremely Sexy Audio (XSA) Labs Vanguard Loudspeaker Review
Budget audiophile XXXtreme.
Review By Gary Alan Barker
eXtremely Sexy Audio (XSA) Labs is a new old audiophile manufacturer. Old because it is staffed by veterans of the industry with "over 110 years of combined experience in the audio, electrical, and aerospace engineering fields". And their first product to hit the market, the XSA-Labs Vanguard Loudspeaker is a classic indeed with a solid tip of the hat to the famous Rogers LS3/5a which was designed by the BBC to be the ideal studio monitor. Employing modern materials and manufacturing techniques to a proven time-honored design, the Vanguard features a 130mm treated paper cone woofer and a 28mm silk dome tweeter with a unique inverted Harsch transient perfect passive crossover using premium components and voiced to provide a balanced non-fatiguing sound signature with superb imaging and timing.
---> eXtremely Sexy Audio (XSA) Labs Vanguard Loudspeaker Review.

 

 

Soundsmith Zephyr MK III ES Phono Cartridge Review

Soundsmith Zephyr MK III ES Phono Cartridge Review
Unveiling the masterworks!
Review By Paul Schumann
Back when I was starting to get serious about audio equipment, a long-time audiophile friend of mine offered me his collection of back issues of The Absolute Sound. I was a fan of TAS and eagerly accepted. For the next few months, night after night, I read, from cover to cover, all of those issues in chronological order. It was a fascinating dig into the early history of high-end audio and the culture that developed around it. One of the important discoveries made by Harry Pearson and his minions, was the sonic superiority of the old RCA "Shaded Dog" and Mercury records. The acquisition of pristine copies of these discs became an obsession for many audiophiles because, with the exception of a few reissues by MoFi, the audiophile vinyl business wasn't in full swing yet.
---> Soundsmith Zephyr MK III ES Phono Cartridge Review.

 

 

SCORE: A Film Music Documentary Thanks to Gravitas Ventures we have a great documentary about music within movies and how it 'moves' an audience.

SCORE: A Film Music Documentary
Thanks to Gravitas Ventures we have a great documentary about music within movies and how it 'moves' an audience.
This documentary, which earns an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, showcases Hollywood's very best composers as they give us a peek at the creative process plus the many challenges of creating film music / scores. According to their website, "SCORE is inspiring students around the world to pursue careers in music at a time when funding for the arts is at an all-time low in public schools. An understanding and appreciation for the arts are essential to a well-rounded education in our modern media-saturated world, and the SCORE team is working to encourage students to pursue their passions in music, music education, and film composition."
---> SCORE: A Film Music Documentary.

 

 

Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour A special 4k video from Elton's Dodger Stadium show in 2022.

Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour
A special 4k video from Elton's Dodger Stadium show in 2022.
As the very last show within the USA by the legendary musician and singer Elton John, we're featuring his incredible recently uploaded 4k concert video! Taking place at Dodger Stadium on night three, this is his very last ever USA show with Brandie Carlile, Kiki Dee, and Dua Lipa. Other appearances include Bernie Taupin and Elton's family David, Zachary, and Elijah. As always... enjoy the music!
---> Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour!

 

 

All Things Must Pass: The Rise And Fall Of Tower Records Documentary

All Things Must Pass: The Rise And Fall Of Tower Records Documentary
Thanks to Gravitas Movies you can now enjoy this special documentary about Tower Records.
For this week's Film Friday Enjoy the Music.com is featuring All Things Must Pass: The Rise And Fall Of Tower Records. Established in 1960, Tower Records was once a retail powerhouse with 200 stores, in 30 countries, on five continents. This documentary, directed by Colin Hanks, is about the rise and fall of this once great retailer. Many music lovers within the world are familiar with Tower Records, the company that advertised its East 4th Street and Broadway New York City location as "The Largest Record-Tape Store in the Known World". This documentary also offers insights into the critical upheavals in the 21st-century recording industry and music business.
---> All Things Must Pass: The Rise And Fall Of Tower Records Documentary.

 

 

Watch The Vinyl Nation Documentary Thanks to 1091 Pictures, we can all enjoy experiencing an inspiring documentary about the vinyl LP.

Watch The Vinyl Nation Documentary
Thanks to 1091 Pictures, we can all enjoy experiencing an inspiring documentary about the vinyl LP.
Thanks to 1091 Pictures, we can all enjoy seeing the recent vinyl revolution. Not that the vinyl LP was ever a dead format, far from it! With that said, "dig into the resurgence of vinyl records, the diversification of vinyl fans, and the connective power of music. The vinyl record renaissance over the past decade has brought new fans to a classic format and transformed our idea of a record collector: younger, both male and female, multicultural. This same revival has made buying music more expensive, benefited established bands over independent artists and muddled the question of whether vinyl actually sounds better than other formats.
---> Watch The Vinyl Nation Documentary.

 

 

The Intro: The Heart Of Our Hobby Editorial By Art Dudley

The Intro: The Heart Of Our Hobby
Editorial By Art Dudley
Apart from reminding Listener's readers how seldom I have been arrested compared to George W. Bush (the score stands at "zero" to "three that we know of"), I vow to keep the following observations as non-political as I can. Today's concern goes to the heart of our hobby. Specifically, what should we, as audiophiles, be doing with our hi-fi gear? Should we use our stereos to lay bare every nuance of sound on our recordings, as faithfully and thoroughly as technology allows? Or should we use them as we would a drug, to achieve a musical bliss-out whenever the fancy strikes us? And: Is it acceptable for us to even think of these as separate goals? The old musical kicks-vs.-fidelity to the master tape argument has been around longer than Goldie Hawn, and it gets trotted out at least every other week on the various internet hi-fi forums.
---> The Intro For Listener Magazine.

 

 

Measure Audio Harmonics The Easy Way Sound Practices Issue 12

Measure Audio Harmonics The Easy Way
Article By Larry Lisle
From Sound Practices Issue 12
Designing, building and tweaking audio amplifiers can be a lot of fun. It can also be very frustrating unless you measure the effect of design changes or parts substitutions. In this article I'll show you an easy way to measure one of the most important characteristics of an amplifier, distortion caused by harmonics in the second, third, fourth and higher orders in the middle frequency range. Every audio amplifier adds some distortion to the signal it amplifies. One type of distortion that's especially important is harmonic distortion. For example, if the input signal is 500 Hz, the output may also contain signals at multiples of 500 Hz, such as 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 Hz and so on in addition to the fundamental frequency of 500 Hz.
---> Measure Audio Harmonics The Easy Way.

 

 

Dinkin' Around  --  VALVE Magazine

Dinkin' Around
Tech tips and other unsolicited advice.
Article By Dan Schmalle
Got an H.H. Scott LT-110 (the kit version of the 350) in the shop last week that was misbehaving badly, just a buzz would come out. After a couple tubes and an alignment of the RF and IF/limiter stages, mono sounded great, stereo wasn't stereo and had a bunch of growlies. When I got to the 19kHz transformer on the multiplex board, there was no signal coming out, and the slugs seemed to spin freely. Ah hah! I said (actually I said Shit!). Opened up the can and realized I was witnessing the work of the Gods. Apparently a previous alignment had been performed by Hercules. Herc had adjusted the transformer with little regard for the fact that kit type tuning coils were apparently set and sealed in place with wax by the mere mortals at H.H. Scott.
---> VALVE Magazine Dinkin' Around.

 

 

Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Exhibitor / Press Party

Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Exhibitor / Press Party
Enjoy the Music.com, premium audio's celebrated online publication for 28 years and a leader in providing industry news, high-end audio reviews, and luxury show reports is pleased to announce we're once again sponsoring Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest's Exhibitor / Press Party. Show exhibitors and members of the press are invited to join us for fun friends, delicious drinks, and melodic music! The Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 celebrates the impressive 34th edition of its popular annual meeting from March 24th through 26th at the Bonaventure Hotel.
---> Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Salon Audio Montréal Audiofest 2023 Exhibitor / Press Party.

 

 

Best Integrated Amplifiers Below $3000

Best Integrated Amplifiers Below $3000
We've been listening to a lot of integrated amplifiers over the past 12 months, and these four are some of the best below $3000.
Review By Ian White
In our first collaboration video with Tarun, A British Audiophile, we picked our best budget integrated amplifiers priced under $1000. But what if your budget can be stretched a little further? We have listened to a wide range of amplifiers between $1000 and $3000 over the past 12 months and while a number of other integrated amplifiers in this range were very impressive including the Rotel A14MKII and Cambridge Audio CXA61 — we were quite smitten with the following.... The Ragnarok 2 continues Schiit's mission of offering American-made equipment that is both modular, well designed, and affordable.
---> Best Integrated Amplifiers Below $3000.

 

 

Ten Misconceptions About Loudspeaker Spikes Clearing up misunderstandings regarding loudspeaker feet.

Ten Misconceptions About Loudspeaker Spikes
Clearing up misunderstandings regarding loudspeaker feet.
Article By Norman Varney
I have been working professionally in both the sound and vibration, and consumer electronics industries for decades. As an acoustical engineer and manufacturer of mechanical vibration isolation products, I feel compelled to address the misconceptions of incorporating spikes (or any rigid materials) with loudspeakers and/or other audio equipment. These misconceptions do not exist in the sound and vibration industries, and are very rare in the pro audio world, however they are very prevalent in the audiophile world. There are many physical, acoustical, and perceptual disciplines involved here- we are only going to address the primary ones, and in only a general way, meaning we won't discuss the secondary or additional attributes that may come into play. There are some key concepts of physics to be applied.
---> Ten Misconceptions About Loudspeaker Spikes.

 

 

Rotel A12MKII Integrated Amplifier Review

Rotel A12MKII Integrated Amplifier Review
The night the lights went out in Long Branch,
Is the Rotel A12MKII the ideal amplifier to build a $3000 stereo system around with 2 great sources? I would say you're foolish not to try it.
Review By Ian White
Have you ever been listening to your system and the lights go out? It's not a good feeling because there is always the risk that when the power comes back on that something will be amiss. I've used power line conditioners for almost 20 years but our experience with Hurricane Sandy here on the Shore was not a good one. My wife thinks that I missed my calling as a Weather Channel talking head because I'd scare the living crap out of everyone with my forecasts, but I had a bad feeling about Sandy with our home only blocks from the ocean and so many trees surrounding our property. We didn't tell anyone that we were expecting our third child (Jewish custom is to wait three months) at the time so it was on me to get the house ready and get anything of value out the way and on really high shelving in our garage.
---> Rotel A12MKII Integrated Amplifier Review.

 

 

FiiO E10K-TC And K3 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier Review

World Premiere Review!
FiiO E10K-TC And K3 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier Review

Going back to school.
Review By Paul Schumann
If you have read any of my previous reviews, you know that I am a fan of Classical music. Sure, I listen to rock, pop, and jazz, but classical music is where I will always be grounded. I'm sure it is because I grew up listening to my father's music. While he did listen to a mixture of stuff as I was growing up, it was mostly classical, especially Bach. By the time I reached high school, I found prog-rock, which of course had a heavy classical influence. And while my Dad prefers his baroque music, as I got older, I started leaning towards the romantics. I think it is fair to say that Brahms was my favorite composer through my 20s, 30s, and 40s. But while I still love that music, there are only so many times one can listen to Brahms Violin Concerto or Beethoven's 5th Symphony before they lose their mystery. So, in my 50s, I started branching out in my musical journey with 20th- and 21st-century composers. What made this exploration possible was the internet.
---> FiiO E10K-TC And K3 USB DAC Headphone Amplifier Review.

 

 

Ayon Audio CD-35 II CD Player And USA Labs RS9 Music Server Review

Ayon Audio CD-35 II CD Player And USA Labs RS9 Music Server Review
Two very versatile, and impressive, performers.
Review By Bob Grossman
The Ayon Audio CD-35 II as reviewed here, is the latest introduction to a long lineage of CD players that have been well regarded going back to the various models in the 3 and 5 series, along with ideas derived from their special edition CD35HF. But the CD-35 II is more than a CD player – it is also a fully functioning preamplifier and DAC. It is a single-ended triode pure Class A design using a 6H30 and a 5687 tube for each channel, and a GZ30 tube as a rectifier for the power supply. It is also a zero-feedback design. Ayon Audio's CD-35 II built-in DAC can be used to play music files from your computer via the USB connection. The DAC also has a coaxial RCA input for S/PDIF, I2S, BNC, AES/EBU, and three other BNC inputs for DSD. For this review I also evaluated the USA Labs RS9 music server to coordinate streaming of music from Qobuz.
---> Ayon CD-35 II CD Player And USA Labs RS9 Music Server Review.

 

 

LessLoss C-Mark Entropic Firewall 640x / Bindbreaker Review

LessLoss C-Mark Entropic Firewall 640x / Bindbreaker Review
Products for pure sound.
Review By Rick Becker
Where do I begin? It's been such a complex and intriguing journey. It started by chance with my rave review of the High Fidelity Cables NPS 1260 3D contact enhancer. A stranger, Jörg Stanislawski from Germany emailed me with nine questions about NPS 1260 which I promptly answered. Jörg says he reads internet magazines because the German print magazines limit themselves only to products that have a distributor in Germany. This cuts out a lot of products from other countries, particularly those who deal factory direct. For Jörg the world is his marketplace. (See Step 1, above.) Before long, I learned all about how the beer industry in Dortmund had shrunk down to two main breweries, and that I should avoid beer made with malt extract, which is from the crap at the bottom of the vat. He also shared how he ordered an amp from Decware here in the USA and was placed #400 in line.
---> LessLoss C-Mark Entropic Firewall 640x / Bindbreaker Review.

 

 

Pass Laboratories XP-22 Line Preamplifier And XP-27 Phono Preamplifier Review

Pass Laboratories XP-22 Line Pre & XP-27 Phono Pre Review
Colossal soundstage and the pinpoint imagining prowess!
Review By Tom Lyle
I began to assemble my first "real" audio system while still in high school. I made it chiefly from DIY components and other "vintage" gear I could scrounge from friends and family. At that time, I don't think I heard anyone use the term "audiophile." All I knew was that I wanted to hear music at home on a better system than the mass-market stuff sold at department stores. This was also about the same time I discovered a high-end audio showroom near my parent's suburban home. Every once in a while, I would quietly enter their store. There was no way I would have been able to sit in the comfy chair in front of one of the active displays and listen to a system. But I did walk among the array of components on display, and when no one was looking, turn the knobs up and down and flip the switches on the front panels of a component or two while it was muted or its power was off.
---> Pass Labs XP-22 Line Pre & XP-27 Phono Pre Review.

 

 

Noble Fokus True Wireless In-Ear Monitor (IEM) Review

Noble Fokus TWS In-Ear Monitor (IEM) Review
Last year I gave the Noble Falcon Pro True Wireless IEM a well-deserved Headphone.Guru 2021 Product of the Year Award because it was the most convenient, most comfortable, and best-sounding True Wireless IEM I had been given the opportunity to listen to. Now, Noble has one-upped themselves by offering the Noble FoKus Pro True Wireless IEM, a true audiophile quality multi-driver, hybrid IEM bringing Bluetooth and True Wireless to a whole new level. Designed by the "Wizard" John Moulton (AU.D. CCC-A), one look at the Noble FoKus Pro True Wireless IEM tells you that this is a much more refined, much higher-end product than the Falcon Pro.
---> Noble Fokus True Wireless In-Ear Monitor (IEM) Review.

 

 

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See our archives section for all reviews. 

 

 

 

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