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

June 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.

Integrating New Audio Technologies Into Your Home For Stereo / Immersive High-Resolution Sound
Listening To The Future: An audiophile's AI assistant has this to say...
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin And His AI Assistant
Over the past six months of 2025, Enjoy the Music.com has taken you on a journey through six luxurious high-end audio events, each one a vibrant celebration of sonic excellence. We began in reverse order with the season's grand spectacle, HIGH END Munich 2025, the largest and most anticipated show, setting the bar high for the industry. Just before that, the more intimate Lone Star Audio Fest 2025 charmed enthusiasts with its unique vibe, followed by a polished series of events including AXPONA 2025, Montreal Audiofest 2025, and Southwest Audio Fest 2025. Each of these events brought its own distinct flavor to the high-end audio landscape. Early February greeted us with the Florida International Audio Expo 2025 — a delightful convergence of world-class audio and family fun, plus after the event your family turns into fun-filled vacationers headed to Disney, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, and beyond.
---> Integrating New Audio Technologies Into Your Home For Stereo / Immersive High-Resolution Sound.

Audiophiles: Can There Be Too Many Notes?
Not just listening, but truly hearing the music.
Article By Roger Skoff
Do you remember the part in the movie Amadeus where Emperor Joseph II, his Kapellmeister, and other music advisory staff, including Salieri, have just heard a part of Mozart's latest work, are less than pleased with it, and the emperor declares that it "has too many notes"? Mozart is shocked and amazed, and, to everyone's horror, openly disagrees with the emperor and his sycophants, saying, instead, that there are precisely as many notes as there needs to be. That was about an opera, The Abduction From The Seraglio, but the same thing could be said of any piece of music – there are neither more nor fewer notes than there needs to be to communicate what the composer is trying to say. I remember hearing a lecture many years ago about Beethoven, where the speaker was analyzing one of the great Beethoven symphonies, note by note, phrase by phrase, and showing that even that great and complex work was composed of just a few simple themes and leitmotifs, layered, interwoven, repeated, inverted, changed in key, and passed from one instrument or instrumental group to another.....
---> Audiophiles: Can There Be Too Many Notes.

A Clarion Call For Audio Today
The best in audio sound very close to one another.
Editorial By Alan Sircom
There can be only one! It was a great tag line for a not-so-great movie (who thought casting someone with a broad Scottish accent as a Spaniard locked in a thousand year debate with a Scotsman with a broad French accent was a good idea?). However, it seems that Highlander is the clarion call for a lot of audio today. Yes, audio converges. The best in audio sound very close to one another compared to a few decades ago. We still have a long way to go, but the differences between Product X and Product Y in audio are not as wide as they used to be. Also, most products in audio today are pretty good. The bad old days when a mediocre product would not only sound dreadful but try to execute you with electricity are long gone. Except for a few very cheap products rarely sold in audio stores that have an alarming records of re-profiling records played on them, modern audio is at least competent, if occasionally, a bit 'Meh!'.
---> A Clarion Call For Audio Today.

Tailwinds And Headwinds
Increasing investments from China in audio companies.
Editorial By J. Martins
Being responsible for a technology magazine implies a comprehensive effort to understand the industries and applications served. And that means understanding the users, the market segments, and trade. That is why sometimes I have to push myself to the limits and literally travel around the globe to gain a better perspective on all those things. The audio industry currently benefits from very strong tailwinds due to a convergence of technology advancements and very strong market dynamics in consumer electronics and automotive. At the core is a renewed enthusiasm for voice recognition and voice interfaces, together with significant progress in language translation. Those are powered by advancements in neural networks, machine learning that have led to Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs). All those achievements require and benefit from robust audio systems at the applications level — many of which are just being devised or are in the early adoption stages.
---> Tailwinds And Headwinds.

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.

Raidho X2.6 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
Unlocking the enchanting potential of sonic art.
Review By Tom Lyle
The subject of this review, the Raidho X2.6 floorstanding loudspeaker, is from their newer "X" Series. In its literature, Raidho states that the "X" in this series moniker denotes "eXtreme performance for the price." Yes, their X series features four models that, on average, are priced lower than most of Raidho's other models. Even though these four models in Raidho's X series speakers might have been built to a price point, I couldn't find anything about their X.2 — including their level of technological precision, fit and finish, not to mention their sound quality — that would indicate any cost-cutting measures. On their website, Raidho mentions that the goals of the X2.6 are the same as those of all their loudspeakers, which include low noise and coloration, a "dramatic, energetic" sound with a "vast soundstage," and a detailed sound that doesn't induce fatigue, among other traits. $21,000 might be a low price for a pair of Raidho speakers, but still, any audiophile who spends this amount of money should demand a certain level of quality.
---> Raidho X2.6 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review.

World Premiere Review!
Trilogy Audio Systems 914 Preamplifier Review
Trilogy Audio Systems 994 Mono 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 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.

World Premiere Review!
Defining Audio Excellence: Avantgarde Acoustic Colibri C2 Hornspeaker And C18 Subwoofer Review
Experience sonic brilliance — where dreams sometimes do come true.
Review By Paul Schumann
Let's go back in time a few years ago. It was January 2000, so that's over 25(!) years ago. The world had survived the Y2K crisis. Having recently purchased a couple of issues of Sound Practices, then listening to an amazing DIY system, was starting to catch SET (Singe-Ended Triode) fever. I was also following an audio review website that focused quite heavily on SET gear and high-sensitivity loudspeakers to use with it. That website was, of course, Enjoy the Music.com. That January back in 2000 our Creative Director, Steven R Rochlin, posted a review of the then new Avantgarde Acoustic Uno hornspeakers. They had big blue horns and looked unlike any loudspeaker I had ever seen. You could tell from Steven's Avantgarde Acoustic Uno review that they were something very special. After reading it, I had a bad case of audio envy. However, there was also family with three young children then, so extra funds were diverted to more noble causes. Realistically, even if I had the funds, the Unos were way too big for my small living room. But we all have our silly little pipe dreams, don't we?
---> Avantgarde Acoustic Colibri C2 Hornspeaker And C18 Subwoofer Review.

World Premiere Review!
Class D Audio Premium GaN 6.0 Balanced Amp Review
Terry Audio EI 30A Balanced Power Review
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 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.

Mark Levinson N^o 390S CD Processor Review
Incredible resolving power that breaths like real music.
Review By Alvin Gold
It should be pretty obvious even to the least observant that compact disc players are on the decline. The rate of new model introductions has slowed to a trickle as buyers switch to DVD players which are well on their way to becoming the disc spinners of choice. The reason can be summed up in two inelegant words: increased versatility. Why buy a CD player when you can buy a one that also plays DVD-Video discs, and serves a dual role in a combined hi-fi-cum-home theatre system? And as I write, even this is beginning to look old hat with the latest generation of DVD-Audio and SACD players adding still more grist to the mill. This structural change in the market is not only understandable, it is self-evidently a good idea, or it would be except that DVD player design involves serving two masters - video as well as audio - and inevitably there is a sonic price to be paid. Over time, the CD replay performance of DVD players has improved, and it will certainly continue to do so in the future.
---> Mark Levinson No 390S CD Processor Review.

How To Do A Proper Listening Test
Part 1
Article By Ethan Winer
There are two ways to assess the quality of audio devices: measuring and listening. Measuring is usually the better choice because the results are absolute, and repeatable because they avoid the vagaries of human hearing perception. But when measuring isn't practical or possible, a listening test using a music source is perfectly fine. For example, listening is needed to compare CD quality at a 44.1 kHz sample rate to "high definition" audio at 96 kHz. Both will measure the same if the frequency response is limited to the audible range, but some people believe they sound different. Another example is when comparing MP3 bit-rates, especially higher values such as 256 versus 320 kbps. It's pretty much impossible to "measure" the effect of lossy compression using traditional means because the frequency response changes from moment to moment.
---> How To Do A Proper Listening Test.

47 Laboratory's Stereo System Review
Featuring 47 Lab's 4706 Gaincard amplifier, 4712 MC cartridge preamplifier, 4713 Flatfish CD player / transport, 4705 Progression DAC, and Power Humpty.
Review By Steven R. Rochlin
In this world of me-too products, my first exposure to 47 Laboratory products was at a show over a year back. Eventually, a review sample came my way followed by my full review of their Gaincard amplifier here on the Enjoy the Music.com Review Magazine in our September 1999 edition. Since then the Gaincard has been receiving much cyberspace ink with many music lovers’ true musical bliss. Below is a review of virtually their complete system including their rare phono cartridge which few examples are available. Is this system a diamond in the rough or are the folks at 47 Laboratory a one-hit wonder? I'll dispense with the basics that were covered within my review of the Gaincard as you can easily read it. Here you will find information on their Model 4712 MC Cartridge preamplifier, Model 4713 Flatfish CD Player/Transport, and Model 4705 Progression DAC. Each unit needs its own Power Humpty.
---> 47 Laboratory's Stereo System In Review.

Furman IT-Reference Discrete Symmetrical AC Power Review
An engineered balancing act in power for recording studios and home audio systems.
Review By Steven R. Rochlin
For those keeping scores, symmetrical power (also referred to as balanced power) first hit the audiophile scene due to my review in the now-defunct print publication Ultimate Audio. Way back in November of 1997 my review of the Furman Sound IT-1220 had a huge impact on those who were (at the time) offering the usual filters and whatnot. We will avoid the Tice Clock and other interesting offerings back "in the day" and simply recognize that many experts in their field woke up, as it were, to realizing that proper engineering should indeed be sought over more unique (avoiding using the words "snake oil") designs. Having run the gambit of dedicated power (a must-have for every audiophile) and various power filtering devices, it felt good to find a proper, based on engineering fact solution. The power running into our listening rooms here in America consists of three wires....
---> Furman Sound IT-Reference Discrete Symmetrical AC Power Source Review.

Vacuum Tubes Part 1: Let's Build A Vacuum Tube
Let's take a closer look at what's inside a typical vacuum tube.
Article By Grey Rollins
Passive components are all well and fine, but for audio purposes we need something that will amplify a signal. All sensors, whether they read digital bits or analog recordings, are deficient in both voltage and current when it comes to driving speakers. High fidelity reproduction of music is impossible without amplifying devices. For that matter, electric guitars, keyboards, and microphones also require amplification; so much of current popular music is dependent on amplification, as well. There are scads of devices that can amplify a signal. A full breakdown of the possibilities begins to resemble a fairly dense tree, with branches going this way and that. For most consumer applications, this decision is simple: solid-state. Only. However, music reproduction (and production — just try to tell owners of tubed Ampegs, Marshalls, Fenders, and Mesa Boogies that you're going to take away their amps....
---> Vacuum Tubes Part 1: Let's Build A Vacuum Tube.

Art Dudley's The Intro
When I first heard about the Internet, I thought it was a load of crap.
Editorial By Art Dudley
When I was five years old, grocery stores began selling a product called Happy Nut, which I considered ingenious: peanut butter shaped into quarter-pound sticks, like butter, and filled with a core of grape jelly. With Happy Nut on the butter dish, one did not have to bother opening two jars (or even one!) before enjoying a healthy, satisfying meal: It was a simple and time-saving matter of dipping one's knife, spreading one's spread, and eating. The fact that the Happy Nut logo was a picture of a monkey was icing on the cake. To my five-year-old consumer consciousness, nothing made more sense: This was the pinnacle of modern achievement. From the moment I first saw it, I could not imagine life without Happy Nut.
---> Art Dudley's The Intro.

Fi "X" Direct Coupled 2A3 SE Amplifier Review
From Sound Practices Issue 15
I could hardly believe my eyes with the "Xu ad spread out in front of me. First of all, you have to ask "What is it?" The answer is that it's a stereo 2A3 single amp. Who would have thought? I don't usually get sucked in by slick advertising campaigns, but the second I saw the ad for the Fi direct coupled 2A3 " X amplifier, I immediately had to own one. As a homebuilder, I don't often get the urge to whip out the Amex card for store bought gear but the "X" really hit my button hard. Despite all the charms of the 2A3, "best tube" according to many confirmed triode nuts, there isn't much perceived desire to own three watt amps yet. People just don't realize what they can do, yet.
---> Fi "X" Direct Coupled 2A3 SE Amplifier Review.

Is CD Or Vinyl Better?
Article By Steven Schneider
VALVE Volume 2 Number 3 March 1995
I recently purchased the CD version of the RCA High Fidelity Living Stereo reissue of Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 [09026-61 494-2] and wanted to compare it with my brand new Classic Records (a mail order firm) LP reissue [LSC1806] of the same 1955 recording session. The performance features Fritz Reiner directing the Chicago Symphony. The equipment used for this review were a Revox 8226 CD player, a DUAL 5000 turntable, Signet AM30s cartridge, Eico ST84 preamplifier, a custom built Macintosh MI 200AB triode stereo amplifier using 8005 output tubes, and a pair of custom built three way JBL Hartsfield speakers. The test that I performed was an A-B test between the CD and the record running simultaneously.
---> Is CD Or Vinyl Better?

The White House Recording Library
The forgotten vinyl LP collection.
Featuring John Chuldenko, the grandson of President Jimmy Carter
Video By The 1600 Sessions
A donation from the Recording Industry Association of America to the Nixon White House, the White House Recording Library was comprised of 2000 LPs, and overseen by a committee of scholars, journalists, and musicians. The library was then stored away and forgotten. John Chuldenko, the grandson of President Jimmy Carter, recalls hearing stories of the collection and began his search to uncover the lost music. He shares his quest and discovery with White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin. This video is hosted by the White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin, with guest John Chuldenko, Grandson of President Jimmy Carter.
---> The White House Recording Library.

1967 Gibson Guitars Factory Tour
The more that things change....
Video By Gibson Guitars
In the fall of 2020, Gibson unearthed an unmarked reel while digging through vault archives. Intrigued by the discovery, Gibson TV producers took that reel and had it digitally remastered. Gibson was founded in 1894 and has been synonymous with creating, shaping, delivering, inspiring, and owning the 'share of sound.' In 1906, Gibson realized the benefits and power of music and music education. Instead of using traditional sales-reps to sell instruments, Gibson engaged with teacher agents to get guitars in the hands of students of all ages. Gibson realized early on that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a truly life-changing event.
---> Recently Discovered 1967 Gibson Guitars Factory Tour.

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.