Enjoy the Music.com May 2025 High-End Audio Equipment Review Magazine, High-Performance Audiophile Hi-Fi, Luxury Premium High Fidelity, Stereo Sound System, And Immersivephile

May 2025

Celebrating Our Spectacular 30th Anniversary!
Honoring Enjoy the Music.com's exceptional articles and reviews.
During 2025, Enjoy the Music.com will feature historic audio gear reviews and articles during our past 30 years. As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!

High-Performance Audio & Music Industry News
Essential high-end audio news you need to know.
Stay up-to-date on the latest audiophile and music industry news.

Doing What's Best For The Luxury Audio Community
A heart-to-heartfelt wish as there's much work to do!
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Since it has been quite some time since writing an article, I'd like to first thank all our readers for your patience in product delivery over the past year. Supply constraints combined with various factory closings globally over the past year have been a challenge for many of us. While many of us stayed home, we took much joy, and a careful listen, to our luxury audio systems. With many of your wanting to upgrade your gear, there were many companies I spoke with who were simply inundated with orders. As someone who gives close attention to the luxury goods market for decades, the health of the industry also rests on the used marketplace. Am sure many of you have seen the rise in asking prices for pre-loved gear. This, imho, reinforces the value of high-end audio products.
---> Doing What's Best For The Luxury Audio Community.

The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby Part 4
Concerning the things to come… and what will make them better!
Article By Roger Skoff
In Part 1 of "The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby", more in Part 2 of The Future, plus Part 3 last month, the necessarily lengthy articles about our hobby and the industry that serves it, I told about how our hobby was once what computers and cell phones are today: the state-of-the-art, the thing that everybody knew about, loved, and had to have. I also wrote about how it has, since then, fallen from glory, and become, for most people, at best a curiosity, and at worst, a sort of utility (everybody uses water, gas, and electricity, but nobody gets excited about them), and that the problem has gone so far that – even though they are constantly surrounded by music of some sort and some quality at practically every turn, many people don't even know what the words "hi-fi" or "stereo" mean. To a very great degree, I wrote, our hobby has become one for a declining number of old men and is in current and specific danger of following the electric train....
---> The Future Of Our Audiophile Hobby Part 4.

Our Shared Hobbies And Interests
Theme a meal around music... or vice versa?
Editorial By Alan Sircom
There are some remarkably consistent commonalities with audio enthusiasts worldwide. Although some common hobbies and interests are unique to a few countries (UK audiophiles are often really into fishing, for example, and the same doesn't hold quite so well universally), many are almost universally common. A lot of this is due to the intersection of 'geeks', 'men' and 'Boomers!' Hobbies and interests that tick all three of those boxes tend to have enthusiasts who share the same passions. And, while some are consistent with 'male jewellery' (if you wear a nice new watch to an audio show, many people will be able to tell you the history of that watch brand, and have an opinion about its best and worst designs), others are simply shared interests. It doesn't matter if you have a Leica, a Fuji, a Nikon or Canon in that camera bag... there will be people genuinely interested in its performance. The halls of Munich before the show opens often resonates with the sound of cleats as dozens compare cycling notes, and the Motorworld opposite the MOC will be sorely missed when the Munich High-End moves to Vienna in 2026.
---> Our Shared Hobbies And Interests.

Learn About The Music You Like
I have been using other higher-quality services to explore and compare
Editorial By J. Martins
On arrival in Shanghai, China, to attend a conference of the local audio industry association, I was promptly reminded of how powerful the digital curtain is in the region, being unable to use most of the online services that we rely upon for work. But in this geopolitically divided world, this also reminded me about the dangers of relying too much on the online music streaming services provided by a limited number of companies. In particular about Spotify, the largely dominant service currently blocked in China and which is today the TikTok of music services. It creates an addictive bubble for each individual based on their unfettered predilections, resulting in a vicious cycle from which it's very difficult to escape. For the musically enlightened, Spotify recommendations might seem relatively anodyne since we all know what we like, correct? We all have our list of favorite albums, and the artists we want to listen to most often, and obviously we want to listen to new music from those artists, and we want eventually to discover similar music, and similar artists to the albums and artists we like. That's precisely how Apple Music works, and that's why every time I go there, I have a feeling of going nowhere.
---> Learn About The Music You Like.

Industry POV: A New Understanding Of Diffusion
It's a far more complex concept than absorption is, and here's why.
Article By Jim DeGrandis Of Acoustics First Corporation
In decades past, traditional barrel and pyramidal sound diffusers had their acoustical specifications presented with absorption coefficients as the only available acoustical data. This was handy for low-frequency control applications or targeting particular "bumps" in a room without adding too much absorption, which could make a room too dry. Toward the end of the 20th century, more than one acoustical company began to use graphed polar plots of various diffusion devices to illustrate where sound was being redirected when it reflected off a device's surface. It could be "visualized" from that information. The massive diffuser-testing rig at NWAA Labs in Elma WA is housed in a giant room that is larger than a football field. However, the effects of diffusion could not be quantified as easily as absorption could be.
---> Industry POV: A New Understanding Of Diffusion.

Southwest Audio Fest 2025 Show Report
SWAF 2025 high-end audio / audiophile event coverage.
Now in their second year, the Southwest Audio Fest (SWAF) high-end audio show by the dynamic duo Gary Gill (Capital Audiofest) and Lou Hinkley (Pacific AudioFest / Daedalus Audio) brings magical music to Dallas. SWAF 2025 follows their sensational success with the popular Pacific Audio Fest event. Attendees may listen to many of the world's top manufacturers who create a wide variety of exciting home and portable audio products. Within this expansive Resort environment, bask in luxurious sounds that caress your ears and bring newfound meaning to many of the songs you've heard many times in the past. The show promoters worked very hard to secure this amazing event venue, which is extremely safe, family fun friendly, and features great weather during March too! All this and more within a curated experience filled with fine art and acres of event space.
---> Southwest Audio Fest 2025 Show Report.

Montreal Audiofest 2025 Audiophile Show Report
The Salon Audio Montreal Audiofest 2025 takes place from March 28th through 30th with more than 5000 visitors expected who desired listening, seeing, and touching over 300 brands of high-end audiophile products all under one roof. As the largest show in Canada, attendees will experienced the very best high-end audio and video/videophile industry distributors, manufacturers, and retailers in Canada. Within each listening room, exhibitors are overjoyed 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 is celebrating its 36th edition in 2025 and remains the must-attend event for audiophiles, high-end audio gear enthusiasts, and music lovers.
---> Montreal Audiofest 2025 Audiophile Show Report.

AXPONA 2025 High-End Audiophile Show Report
AXPONA 2025 (Audio Expo North America) is set to take place from April 11th through 13th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Illinois. This annual event is for audiophiles and features a wide range of high-fidelity, high-performance audio gear. Over 200 rooms will let you listen and assess the equipment being presented. An extensive AXPONA 2025 show report for longtime Enjoy the Music.com enthusiasts will showcase the latest and greatest audio equipment from top audio brands. For personal audio, the Ear Gear Experience (akin to CanJam shows) is a dedicated area for headphones and personal audio gear, including open-back, closed-back, and in-ear monitors (IEM). There's also an Expo Hall & Record Fair that will have stereo hi-fi audio accessories, vinyl LP turntables / record players, various cable manufacturers, and more.
---> Enjoy the Music.com's Extensive AXPONA 2025 Show Report.

Lone Star Audio Fest 2025: The Pulse Of High-Fidelity
High-fidelity heaven at Texas' LSAF high-end audio show.
Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 Audiophile Show Coverage By Paul Schumann
Welcome to the 20th Anniversary of Lone Star Audio Fest (LASF)! For 2025, LASF moved from Dallas south to the Embassy Suites in Round Rock, which is just north of Austin. This year, LASF was brought to you by the good folks who brought you T.H.E. Show in Southern California. The Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 took place from May 2nd through 4th and was a great experience for attendees and exhibitors alike. This year, the festival collaborated with T.H.E. Show, a well-known audiophile event promoter, to create an even bigger experience for audiophiles, industry professionals, and DIY audio enthusiasts alike. High-end audio gear is all about exceptional sound quality, precision engineering, and immersive listening experiences. Whether you're an audiophile, a music producer, a music lover, or just someone who appreciates crystal-clear sound, high-end audio gear makes a huge difference in how you experience music.
---> Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 Show Report: The Pulse Of High-Fidelity.

HIGH END 2025 Munich Audiophile Show Report
The HIGH END 2025 audiophile / immersivephile event is an internationally renowned audio exhibition that will take place from May 15 to May 18, 2025, at the M.O.C. Event Center in Munich, Germany. This event is a must-visit for anyone passionate about high-quality audio technology, as it brings together manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and in open to consumers from over 40 countries. The HIGH END 2025 exhibition will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations in consumer electronics technology, including hi-fi audio, high-end video, home theater, and bespoke entertainment solutions for millionaires and billionaires alike. Visitors can expect to experience groundbreaking trends, technological advances, and exclusive world premieres. This year's brand ambassador is the Norwegian singer Anette Askvik, who embodies the event's motto "Passion for Music".
---> HIGH END 2025 Munich Audiophile Show Report.

World Premiere Review!
Trilogy Audio Systems 914 Preamplifier And 994 Monoblock Power Amplifier Review
Conveying musicality, engagement, and emotional connection to your favorite music.
Review By Chris Beeching
Trilogy Audio Systems, that small but perfectly formed UK audio electronics company turns 35 this year. Brain-child of Nic Poulson, Trilogy has brought highly engaging and musical products to the public's ears with critical acclaim for three decades. Something new coming from this stable, where new products are something of a rarity (and whose legacy products still command decent price tags) is a rather special event. Like so many smaller entities, Trilogy has been quietly bringing beautifully styled and highly listenable products to market in a resolute but unassuming way. Never one to shout loudly about what they do, they have earned an enviable following, and consistently produce amplification which, in a very understated way, produces far more (in every respect) than the seeming sum of their parts. Just coming to market this month are the Trilogy Audio Systems 914 preamplifier and the partnering 994 monoblock power amps.
---> Trilogy Audio Systems 914 Preamplifier And 994 Monoblock Power Amplifier Review.

World Premiere Review!
Grandinote Mach 8 XL Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
Reproducing the heart and soul within recorded music.
Review By Dr. Matthew Clott
What has eight woofers, one horn compression tweeter, no crossovers (well maybe a single capacitor, first order high pass for the tweeter. So a filter, not formally a crossover), and a semi resonance tube 'transmission line like' cabinet? You guessed it, the Grandinote Mach 8 XL speaker does. Wow... You're good! And so are they! Although it sounds counterintuitive, the one word that comes to mind when describing these very tall, nine-driver speakers is, "Simple." Massimiliano Magri's design philosophy equates to the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). Reduce resonance in the simplest way possible. Reduce intrusion of capacitance, inductance, and resistance as much as possible by eliminating the use of crossover components. Utilize elegant and simple speaker design to improve performance by implementing a modified transmission line that they refer to as a Semi resonance tube.
---> Grandinote Mach 8 XL Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review.

World Premiere Review!
Synergistic Research PowerCell 14 Power Conditioner Review
Raising the performance of audiophile gear you plug into it.
Review By Rick Becker
The naysayers on internet forums will have a "hey"-day with this review. They complain about reviewers who proclaim that each new product they review is better than the last one. Well, I'm here to plead "guilty" as this is the third power conditioner I've reviewed in the past seven months, along with an incredible 650 photos and 59,000 words in the reviews of the Toronto Audiofest 2024 and Capital Audiofest 2024. Each power conditioner was better than the last, as well as significantly more expensive. Let me give you an overview in case you haven't been following along. My longstanding power conditioner, since July 2017 when the review was published by Enjoy the Music.com, had been the Synergistic PowerCell 8 UEF SE with an Atmosphere Level 2 power cord, a unit that sold for about $2000 at the time.
---> Synergistic Research PowerCell 14 Power Conditioner Review.

World Premiere Review!
Tobian Sound Systems 12FH Full-Range Reference Horn Speaker Review
The feeling of being within the studio as musicians play.
Review By Tom Lyle
The Tobian 12 FH hornspeakers' moniker, "Full Range Horn Speakers," accurately reflects their capabilities. These floor-standing speakers feature a 4-inch compression driver with a 9.5-inch horn / mid-high compression driver featuring a titanium diaphragm. The "12" in their name likely refers to their "ultra-light" 12-inch woofer located beneath the horn, near the bottom of their cabinet. The speakers have an impressive frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Indeed, these are full-range high-sensitivity loudspeakers. Designed and built in Switzerland, the Tobian 12 FH speakers look striking. Their real wood cabinets measure approximately 3-feet tall, 13-inches wide, and 16.5-inches deep. They are available in custom finishes, although I can't imagine most listeners being more than satisfied with one of their standard finishes: natural wood, high-gloss lacquer, or matte lacquer.
---> Tobian Sound Systems 12FH Full-Range Reference Horn Speaker 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.

Black Ice Audio Fusion F100 Monoblock Vacuum Tube Power Amplifier Review
Plus a great story about Jim Fosgate's Odyssey circuit.
Review By Ron Nagle
To tube or not to tube? Strange as it may seem, that age-old question is still relevant. Today new materials and innovative designs have taken vacuum tube audio components to a higher level. When I first saw the Black Ice Fusion F100 in room 504 at the Capital Audiofest, they were powered with Russian Tung-Sol KT150 beam tetrodes. This innovative tube is only one type of power tube the F100 can use, each with a different musical voice. This ability has a substantial fundamental advantage. Unlike solid-state amplifiers, you need not be stuck with one solid-state sound. Like a fine wine, the sound of vacuum tube audio components can appeal to many diverse tastes.
---> Black Ice Audio Fusion F100 Monoblock Vacuum Tube Power Amplifier Review.

World Premiere Review!
Class D Audio Premium GaN 6.0 Balanced Amplifier And Terry Audio EI 30A Balanced Power
Two great high-fidelity audio products that offer truly great value.
Review By Paul Schumann
One of the advertising slogans that makes me the most suspicious is the statement that something is "new and improved". Usually, it means that a company updated the packaging, with little or no change on the inside. The worst scenario is when a significant change is made but for the worse. For those of you old enough to remember the New Coke, you know what I mean. Part of the high-end audio business is updating one's products periodically to maintain public interest. I'm not saying this is wrong or right, it's just how it is. I know most audio manufacturers are tinkers by heart, so they always see room for improvement. While much audio technology is well-established, some areas are rapidly changing. One of those is the implementation of gallium nitride (GaN) devices.
---> Class D Audio Premium GaN 6.0 Balanced Amplifier And Terry Audio EI 30A Balanced Power.

World Premiere Review!
Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Magnum Hybrid Stereo Integrated Amplifier Review
Back to the future.
Review By Ric Mancuso / Bargain Audiophile
The Rogue Audio Sphinx was first introduced sometime around late 2013. I purchased the original Sphinx from Rogue Audio upon a recommendation from a friend. Imagine an integrated hybrid tube and solid-state stereo amplifier with 100 Watts output at 8 Ohms (200W @ 4 Ohms), with vacuum tubes in the front end! I later came to find that it was the perfect unit to power my classic Martin Logan SL3 electrostatic hybrid loudspeakers. Turns out that Mark O'Brien of Rogue Audio told me that Rogue Audio had displayed with Martin Logan at audio shows, and it was a superb match-up. I still own the original Sphinx which is still pushing Watts through the SL 3's in our upstairs entertainment system. I reviewed the Rogue Audio Sphinx V2 and V3 subsequent versions over the years.
---> Rogue Audio Sphinx V3 Magnum Hybrid Stereo Integrated Amplifier Review.

Magnepan MG 3.6 Magneplanar Loudspeaker Review
Getting thin for the summer.
Review By Steven R. Rochlin
Loudspeakers come in all shapes and sizes. From small stand-mounted mini monitor to the huge room hogging 500 lbs. monolithic "Dream Reference Statement". Virtually every high-quality speaker has many areas it excels in and areas it leaves a bit to be desired. For it is only you who knows which part(s) of the music you can live with and without. Nothing is perfect my friend. Bassheads need not venture into Minimonitor Land while small jazz ensemble lovers probably can do without the 32 drivers per channel "Dream Reference Statement." Then there are people such as myself who want it all. From small duets during the quiet moment in life to big rave club action for those Saturday night techno parties. Can one pair of speakers suit all my needs... or yours? In the end is it true what they say, "size matters?" It is well known the optimum driver would be of extremely little weight, extremely rigid, and can respond to electrical signals at blindingly fast rates without over or undershooting.
---> Magnepan MG 3.6 Magneplanar Loudspeaker Review.

ELP Laser Turntable Review
The perfect vinyl LP playback system for colleges, libraries, etc.
Article By Bill Gaw
Welcome to the 55th meeting of Audiolics Anonymous. It is the end of a very cold February as I write this, so thank G-d my tube audio system keeps me warm and carries me through the long winter nights. (My wife may feel differently!!) This month I am discussing an audio product that I have had my eye on since at least the mid 1980's, the ELP Laser Turntable from ELP Corporation of Japan and is distributed within the USA by Smart Devices of Georgia. Have lusted over the unit since first hearing about it in the early 80's, when an American named Michael Stoddard who formed a company called Finial Technologies was developing it. Unhappily, it was perfected just as the CD came out and in the middle of a recession. Like many other American companies, they went belly up and sold the rights and machinery to a Japanese firm, and through several deals and company name changes, it has ended up with ELP.
---> Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 55: ELP Laser Turntable Review.

Benchmark Media Systems DAC1 Digital-to-Analog Converter Review
Exceedingly listenable with pop, jazz or classical music.
Review By Dick Olsher
On paper, the Benchmark DAC1 is a pro-audio 24-bit/192kHz, upsampling, Digital-to-Analog audio converter sporting excellent specifications. Over the past year it has garnered superlative reviews from the audiophile press and users alike. Part of the attraction has been its sub $1K price point ($975 to be exact) — astounding in the context of high-end audio where such a sum of money may not even buy you a pair of interconnects. Has all the buzz been on target? Is the DAC1 a contender or a mere pretender? We weigh in with our own take. The technical innovation at the heart of the DAC1 has been dubbed UltraLock conversion. Time base jitter accumulates as a digital signal propagates along a cable and from one digital device to another. Theoretically, this so called interface jitter need not affect the conversion process if the signal is properly re-clocked.
---> Benchmark Media Systems DAC1 Digital-to-Analog Converter Review.

Roksan Caspian Integrated Amplifier And CD Player Review
Smooth, good looking, forceful, and highly detailed music.
Review By Herb Reichert
Whew! Right now, the Wolf is further from my door than it ever was. No more diesel stove to clean. No more garbage cans full of water to haul. No more icicles in the sink. No more toilet to empty. No more soot and no more going to art openings smelling like fuel oil. In fact... no more living like the troll in Billy Goat's Gruff. Watch out now. I've just now stuck my toe in the door of the leisure class and I'm looking for full membership as soon as possible. Get ready, cause I'm thinking leather recliners and remote controls. People used to say, hay Deacon, how you doing? And I'd say, fine... I'm navigating... moving right along. But in actual fact, I was feeling terrible. I was picking cotton and planten' taters mostly... I was cold and I had holes in my shoes. Things were really tough. The Bohemian lifestyle was indeed its own reward.
---> Roksan Caspian Integrated Amplifier And CD Player Review.

SiebeNCore DIY Stereo Amplifier Review
In short, yep, it's a rave.
Review By Jeff Poth
Ah, my readers, my partners in crime, my justifications for having gear everywhere and soldering in the middle of the living room- this one is a treat. An amp project so large you need both hands to count the number of chassis, and four digits to describe the output power. That's right, the SiebeNCore project! Seven monoblocks, each capable of 200W into 8 Ohms, 400 into 4 Ohms, and up to 560 into even more difficult loads. True balanced instrumentation grade discrete input circuits, an extremely precise class D feedback and modulation scheme, and specs that have to be seen to be believed (and have been replicated by independent DIY’ers). I'm not one for focusing solely on specs, though I am far from a pure subjectivist, however, when an amp has distortion measured in the ten-thousandths of a percent, PSRR of 85dB, noise residuals measured in microVolts, and is engineered by Bruno Putzeys, one takes notice.
---> SiebeNCore DIY Stereo Amplifier Review.

Listener Magazine: The Intro
Editorial By Art Dudley
Passions run high among music lovers. We vilify "bad" musicians (the ones we dislike), and we elevate marginally functional savants with a couple of 2-minute singles and some album filler under their belts. When it comes to more unique and productive figures like Phil Spector, Jimi Hendrix, Wilhelm Furtwängler, John Cage, or [insert your own heroes and villains here], music fans either revere them as gods or dismiss them as meaningless. Sometimes there are shades in between, but perspective is at a premium. This tendency to paint things black or white spills over to the equipment we use to play back our favorite recordings. i've seen the cognoscenti dismiss people on the basis of no more information than their choice of power amp, though I suspect few of us are quite so one-dimensional in truth.
---> Listener Magazine The Intro By Art Dudley.

W.A.F. By Joyce
The Art Of The Deal
From Sound Practices Magazine
When friends call they often ask, "So what kind of system are you listening to these days?" Recently I've been a little hesitant to answer. I wonder, shall I make them terribly envious as I describe the wonderful system we had last week, or must I stick with the facts as they stand? "A boom box," I end up answering honestly, because the truth is that we are currently listening to a $69 Hitachi boom box. Invariably, our friends respond in shock, "But I thought you guys had a world-class system." That's right, I’m thinking, world-class system, which means that right now our system is all over the world. "Our system," I explain, "is currently in transit." Audio equipment, I've discovered, is always in transit. Even when it's sitting solidly, right there in your living room, seemingly immobile on its sharp little tippy-toes, it's actually already on its way somewhere else.
---> W.A.F. By Joyce: The Art Of The Deal.

Tech Tips And Other Unsolicited Advice
The 75 Minute Restoration
Bill called a couple Saturdays ago to tell me that he had traded a Mac 1700 (a hybrid receiver, with tube tuner and solid-state amp) for a Scott 340 receiver. The person he traded with acknowledged a greater value for the Mac than the Scott and offered to pay a set amount for service by yours truly to balance the deal. Would I be available this weekend to do check it out? I asked Bill if it ran and he said yes. Knowing that the weak point on Scotts was their coupling caps, I suggested he run it for a while, constantly monitoring the output tubes for red plates. He called back a bit later and said that one tube's plate had started to glow red, at which point he turned the 340 off. I said bring it by and I'd get it going. Well, he brought it by the next day. I knew Bill had to get back, but I told him I could probably get the receiver going while he waited.
---> Tech Tips And Other Unsolicited Advice.

Stereo Wars Of The 1970s!
The hi-fi receiver wars of the 1970s.
Video By Lenny Florentine Of Just Audio
One of our 'next door neighbors' tipped us off to this excellent video featuring the stereo wars of the 1970s. According to Lenny Florentine of Just Audio, "Join us for our adventure into the past when we visit the Receiver Wars of the 1970s. See how stereo brands competed with each other to be the biggest and the best! "We did our best to get you the most accurate information possible. Forgive any mistakes :). We also ask for your opinions and thoughts on the war and what your favorite vintage stereo's were! Enjoy!"
---> Stereo Wars Of The 1970s!

Mindfulness In Music
John DeVore talks about mindfulness in this crazy world... plus a few musical suggestions.
Article By John DeVore Of DeVore Fidelity
John DeVore, Founder of DeVore Fidelity, has a wonderful two-video series about mindfulness in music. DeVore Fidelity is based in Brooklyn New York where for twenty years they've been designing and building beautiful speakers capable of communicating the power and scope as well as the intimate nuance of music in order to bring you closer to your music than ever before. Within John's two video series, he talks about mindfulness in this crazy world. He offers a few marvelous musical suggestions. Continuing his joys on the path of mindfulness, John's part 2 offers many viewer recommended records for meditation and mindfulness. Enjoy the Music.com is honored that John is sharing his kind knowledge with us and his music-loving audience.
---> See John DeVore's Mindfulness In Music Videos.

HIGH END 2015 Munich Show Report
High End Society Munich Germany
Welcome to Enjoy the Music.com's 15th year covering High End Society's HIGH END show. This year's HIGH END 2015 Munich audiophile event is promoted by the prestigious High End Society in Germany. HIGH END 2015 is the industry's international key exhibition for the high-quality consumer electronics. This audiophile and high-end audio event has been held an impressive 34 times in succession; and 2015 marks the 12th time at the MOC Munich. This makes HIGH END the oldest specialist exhibition in its field in Europe, now seen throughout the world as the central and most established hub of the industry. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, suppliers and retailers from all over the world meet in Munich every year to showcase their newest products. This year, more than 400 exhibitors with about 900 brands from all over the world were presenting their products and services.
---> Munich HIGH END Show Report 2015.

HIGH END 2000 Frankfurt Audiophile Show Report
Welcome to the world's largest HIGH END 2000 show coverage from Frankfurt Germany! Audio enthusiasts from all across Europe, both trade and consumer, have gathered here from June 1st through June 4th, 2000 in Frankfurt Germany to attend the HIGH END at the Kempinski Hotel. Attendees, were able to listen to the great Hi-Fi and Home Theatre brands many have only read about in magazines and on the Internet. This was also a great chance to meet the legends and famous names in the industry. Now in its 19th year, the HIGH END 2000 show took place on the grounds of the Hotel Kempinski in Neu-Isenburg (which is near the Frankfurt airport). Germany is probably one of the most important markets worldwide for many high-end audio manufacturers. To be successful here can also mean to become thriving the world over! For that reason, this is a not to be missed opportunity.
---> High End Society Frankfurt 2000 Audiophile Show.

Top Wing Suzaku - Red Sparrow MC Phono Cartridge Review
Perhaps the last cartridge you will ever need.
Review By Tom Lyle
A few years ago I reviewed the Van Den Hul Crimson Stradivarius phono cartridge. I began that review by expressing my love-hate relationship with phono cartridges. The love stems from my love of music, and the fact that I prefer music reproduced by vinyl, and that the phono cartridge converts vibrational energy from the grooves of the records into an electric signal and then this electrical signal is somehow converted into the music that comes forth from our speakers. The hate arises not from the fact that a very good phono cartridge can be quite expensive because it is a given that most great high-end audio gear is going to be expensive. But I hate that this expensive phono cartridge comes with a fragile stylus, and the components of this stylus are prone to breakage. Even if they aren't broken by accident, the stylus, and then the cantilever will eventually wear out.
---> Top Wing Suzaku - Red Sparrow MC Phono Cartridge Review.

Von Schweikert Audio Endeavor SE Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
Experiencing the joy of music!
Review By Dr. Michael Bump
Ah, describing sound with words. Alas, I am no William Shakespeare. Yes, words matter, but the listening experience matters more. Even for a professional musician and academic, crafting a written narrative that accurately describes an aural impression will, to a fair degree, remain a flawed science. When teaching a masterclass to my percussion students, I always struggle to convey musical truth through words. Ultimately, performance is the final arbiter of musical thought, which I find myself deferring to time and again. Musical aesthetics are inherently aural expressions, "organizing sound through time" (to quote Edgard Varese) via the construct of four fundamental properties of sound: Pitch, Intensity, Duration, and Timbre. Yet, I posit to these same students that a fifth property must be acknowledged to fully comprehend music, and one that Varese most likely would have approved; that is, Space (Referencing his "Poemeelectronique," written for the Philips Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair).
---> Von Schweikert Audio Endeavor SE Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review.

Nagra Classic DAC II, PSU Power Supply, And VFS Review
Bringing tears of joy when listening to special songs.
Review By Tom Lyle
In January 2021, I was fortunate to review Nagra's Tube DAC and Classic PSU power supply. In my review, I said that the owners of this vacuum tube Hi-Res Audio DAC will be able to appreciate the "sonic glory" of this "high-performance component." So, I was not surprised that the Nagra Tube DAC and its PSU power supply were awarded Enjoy The Music.com's Best Of 2021 Award. After I finished the review, I was not psyched to return the $40,900 package consisting of the Nagra Tube DAC, Classic PSU power supply, and VFS Classic base to the distributor. I was captivated by the sound quality this digital front end contributed to my system. My reference DAC, an EMM Labs DA2, is no slouch, but this Nagra Tube DAC package costs twice as much. It was not twice as good as the EMM Labs converter; it doesn't work that way, but the improvement in sound quality was significant. I jumped at the chance when I was offered the subject of this review, the relatively new Nagra Classic DAC II / PSU / VFS combo.
---> Nagra Classic DAC II, PSU Power Supply, And VFS Review.

Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD Hornspeaker Review
The luckiest I've ever felt was when reviewing the UNO SD speakers.
Review By Tom Lyle
In the mid to late 1990s, I heard a pair of Avantgarde Acoustic horn loudspeakers (hornspeaker) for the first time at a local high-end audio showroom. I don’t remember the model of the speakers I was hearing, but I do recall that they were powered by a pair of Single-Ended Triode (SET) monoblock amplifiers. I assumed that these amps were a perfect match for these sensitive speakers. Sadly, I was not impressed with what I heard that day. The speaker's biggest sin was an exaggerated midrange, epitomizing the "cupped hands" sound. Fast-forward to 2024, when I was offered a pair of Avantgarde UNO SDs for review in Enjoy the Music.com. I was skeptical, fearing I would experience something similar to what I had heard at that local dealer many years ago. Before these speakers arrived, I shared my experience with Avantgarde's North American distributor, American Sound of Canada, about my experience with their horn speakers.
---> Avantgarde Acoustic UNO SD Hornspeaker Review.

Acora Acoustics' Granite Loudspeakers
The origins and sound of granite.
TAS' Lee Scoggins Talks With Acora Acoustics Founder Valerio Cora
With the nearly universal consensus of praise and earning many show awards during the Florida International Audio Expo 2023, the Acora Acoustics, VAC, Oracle Audio, Aurender, LampizatOr, and Cardas Audio room was a sound to behold! As one of the best-sounding exhibition room during the recent Tampa show, it brings us joy to showcase a very recent interview by The Absolute Sound's Lee Scoggins as he sits down with Acora Acoustics founder Valerio Cora. They both discuss Acora's relatively recent emergence in the audiophile world. Within this video, you'll discover why using granite as an enclosure plays a big role in the loudspeaker's overall performance and Valerio's beginnings with high-end audio. Enjoy the Music.com's Steven R. Rochlin reported on the Florida show and said, "My wife and I loved the sound, as it was fast, clean, and immensely musical."
---> Acora Acoustics' Granite Loudspeakers.

Songer Audio S1 Field Coil Point-Source Loudspeaker Review
Singing a magnificent song.
Review By Bob Grossman
Do you remember as a kid when you first heard an excellent quality music system? It was exciting, right? That first time I heard music on a good stereo, I was completely mesmerized as if real musicians were performing in the room! It was an emotional experience beyond the thrilling sound. That feeling came back a few months ago at the Capital Audio Fest when I visited the Songer Audio room and heard the S1 Speakers for the first time. I had been listening to music in many different demo rooms with my good friend Ken Sternberg. We were also saying hello to industry friends and taking in the excitement of the festival. Something magical happened when we went into the Songer Room that distinctly grabbed our attention, like the first time I heard a stereo 60 years ago. Ken Songer told us he is relatively new to the show scene. He has started his business with two speaker models.
---> Songer Audio S1 Field Coil Point-Source Loudspeaker Review.

North America Premiere Review!
Alsyvox Audio Design Botticelli X Loudspeaker Review
Planar dynamics redefined.
Review By Greg Weaver
The first week of September last year brought a highly rewarding conclusion to an audio quest that was more than five years in the making. Since my very first exposure to the Alsyvox Audio Design Botticelli full-range ribbon loudspeaker — back in May of 2017 in Munich, it has been my goal to spend some serious time in front of these gorgeous and utterly remarkable sounding loudspeakers. I was first introduced to the seductive voice of these remarkable Spanish planar dynamic loudspeakers at the 2017 "apostate" HiFiDeluxe audio show held at the Marriott München. Just a ten-minute drive south, and slightly west, of the Munich Order Center, home to the annual "High-End Munich", the largest annual audio show on earth, this "overflow" audio event runs coincident with the larger, more established event every year. Now, I should make it clear that I have never been a blind devotee of planar dynamic loudspeaker designs such as those from manufacturers like Eminent Technology, Magnepan, or Wisdom.
---> Alsyvox Audio Design Botticelli X Loudspeaker Review.

Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression S350 Stereo Power Amplifier Review
The Dan D'Agostino S350 amplifier makes each musical selection sound spectacular!
Review By Tom Lyle
Dan D'Agostino Master Audio products are not the most expensive audio components on the market, but in my opinion, their audio products are some of the best sounding high-end audio components I've ever had the pleasure of auditioning. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review two D'Agostino Master Audio components in the past. In 2017, I reviewed the excellent-sounding Momentum Lifestyle integrated amplifier, which had an onboard DAC and could also be used as a streamer with its front-panel LCD metadata display. Also in 2017, I reviewed D'Agostino Master Audio System's Momentum phono stage, which I was highly impressed with its outstanding sound quality and very user-friendly front panel controls.
---> Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Progression S350 Stereo Power Amplifier Review.

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