High-End Audio / Audiophile & Music Industry News

06 / 29 / 23

CrystalConnect Monet Network Ethernet Cable Review
With just a taste of their Diamond network cable as well.
Review By Dr. Matthew Clott
Asking an audio reviewer to review a network cable is sort of like asking a car reviewer to review an alternator belt or a particular gasoline (although gasoline would likely equate more correctly to power cords in this scenario). I might even liken speaker cables or interconnects to tires if I continue the analogy; which have a more direct connection to the signal path, or similarly connect the engine, chassis, and suspension to the road. Under most circumstances, I humbly and politely pass when asked to formally review cables. Not because I don't think they make a massive difference in the system's performance (which they unquestionably do), but because in most cases cables affect an overall sense of voicing and presentation that is personal and subtle. And, because people seem to marry themselves to a particular cable manufacturer who has won their devotion, and I don't feel that reviews affect a change in the interest the way that reviews of components do. Also, if I'm being honest, it's sorta painful reviewing cables. I have heard fantastic performances from many cable lines in my listening room....
---> CrystalConnect Monet Network Ethernet cable review.

Pro-Ject Audio CD Box DS2 CD Player Review
The $1000 Pro-Ject CD Box DS2 CD player is very versatile; CD player, transport, and DAC. But does it make sense in 2021? Indeed it does.
Review By Ian White
There is a strong degree of irony that vinyl has pushed CDs into the dustbin of history. Vinyl had a very strong 2020 with consumers purchasing more than 22 million new records in North America alone. Used record sales were even stronger. There is no question that the CD is on life support in the domestic market. Digital downloads and streaming have made sure of that. That the final shovel-full of dirt will be delivered by those of us who love records in the digital media age was certainly unexpected. All that being said – why are so many companies manufacturing new CD players? Why would the company that sells the most audiophile-grade turntables in the world offer multiple CD players and transports in 2021?
---> Pro-Ject Audio CD Box DS2 CD player review.

Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2023 Show In November
Capital Audiofest (CAF), taking place at the Twinbrook Hilton (Rockville Maryland) from November 10th through 12th, is the Northeast's favorite audio show! CAF started out in 2010 as a very casual show and has evolved into a well-organized and well-attended event that most everyone in the audio industry knows about. CAF is recognized as a fun, friendly and family-oriented show, where you often see families strolling from room to room listening to music, auditioning gear and browsing the multiple bins of vinyl records, CDs and accessories in the Atrium Marketplace. In the evenings we have live music in the bar and special live performers in the Theater, and local distillers offering tasting.

During the event will be wonderful live music plus Enjoy the Music.com sponsoring the Thursday night vendor / press party with live music and free drinks for attendees! In 2022 CAF had 92 listening rooms and over 50 booths spanning more than four floors of amazing audio gear, which was the largest CAF to date! CAF opened up many new floors during 2022 to make room for over 150 exhibitors representing hundreds of premium luxury audio brands from around the world. There may also be over 50 Atrium Marketplace vendors including at least two dozen vinyl/LP sellers, making the show a veritable Record Fair. Qobuz may once again set up a Listening Lounge in the Plaza II Ballroom, for show-goers to sample streaming and turntable set-ups with headphones, and just hang out and chill, with free Wi-Fi. Learn more and see our Capital Audiofest (CAF) 2023 Show report when it goes live.

06 / 28 / 23

UK Audio Show At Staverton Park Hotel October 2023
This year's very special UK Audio Show will once again take place at the Staverton Park Hotel on October 7th and 8th, 2023. With four established events, plus a new one, and the return of an old favorite, let's raise a glass to the Chester Group and the enterprising UK industry. Manufacturers and distributors can now cover the whole of the UK, and local dealerships benefit from local promotion and sales.

Once again the Staverton Park Hotel will expand further, with brand new and unique attractions and the enduring support of the their team. According to the show promoter, "Sales now ahead of last year... and even more unique attractions mixed with many exclusives! And not to forget the Chester Group's New York Audio Show in September as well, plus a new alliance in Australia too! Come celebrate premium audio consumer products that is the attraction of High-End Audio & AV music/sound reproduction and presentation. Learn more about the UK Audio Show 2023, plus exhibitors can sign up for a room while attendees can get tickets at this link.

06 / 26 / 23

Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook 2023
audioXpress and Voice Coil publications have released their Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook 2023. As the audio industry continues to evolve, the Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook (LIS) is here to provide a comprehensive guide of manufacturers and their products and services. This year's reference book provides listings in 24 categories from approximately 700 companies based in more than 40 different countries. In addition to serving as a great resource for products and services, the 2023 LIS also features some timely and informative articles.

They begin the publication with "The State Of The Loudspeaker Industry 2023," by J. Martins. Due to some unpredictability of the overall supply chain and market demand fluctuations, they have compiled their very own industry review. There's also an article called "The Ultra Wide Band Alliance Fights for Spectrum Access," written by the UWB Alliance team as it focuses on providing a favorable regulatory and spectrum management landscape to maximize UWB growth for the ever-expanding mainstream consumer technology. Dan Foley (Do No Harm Music), along with an introduction from Barry Vogel (ALTI), discusses "A2B — The New Standard: For Distributed Sound Applications," which describes technology for this digital audio networking protocol originally designed for in-vehicle applications. All this and much more within the Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook 2023 available from audioXpress and Voice Coil magazines.

06 / 23 / 23

Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 LE Audio Sound Platform
The newly-expanded Qualcomm S3 Gen 2 Sound platform supports modern Snapdragon Sound Technology. Snapdragon Sound and LE Audio features are optimized to deliver below 20ms latency for lag-free audio, plus this new generation adds Auracast broadcast audio functionality. Qualcomm's S3 Gen 2 supports 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution Bluetooth streaming using Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive audio technology.

Snapdragon Sound allows for premium music playback, so listeners can hear every detail of their music just as the artist intended it to be heard. This solution is optimized for audio sources, and when paired with Qualcomm S5 and S3 Gen 2 based earbuds and headsets, it delivers robust connectivity and dynamic latency adaption based on the external RF environment. You can enjoy hearing a more natural and immersive spatial audio experience as spatialization and stereo rotation is supported by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. On the earbud side, Qualcomm's S3 Gen 2 Sound Platform delivers earbud to earbud cross head rotation alignment.

06 / 22 / 23

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Dan D'Agostino Of Dan D'Agostino MAS
Enjoy the Music.com's 25th Anniversary special feature!
During Enjoy the Music.com's very special 25th Anniversary we're asking various high-end audio manufacturers to answer the same ten questions. Their answers may surprise you! This month we're featuring Dan D'Agostino Of Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems. Perhaps no name is more closely associated with high-end audio amplifiers than that of Dan D'Agostino.
---> Read more about Dan D'Agostino of Dan D'Agostino MAS.

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Ray Kimber Of Kimber Kable
Enjoy the Music.com's 25th Anniversary special feature!
During Enjoy the Music.com's very special 25th Anniversary we're asking various high-end audio manufacturers to answer the same ten questions. Their answers may surprise you! This month we're featuring Ray Kimber of Kimber Kable. In the mid 1970s Ray Kimber worked at a sound and lighting company in Los Angeles. The first big discotheques were being installed at that time.
---> Read more about Ray Kimber of Kimber Kable.

06 / 21 / 23

Australian Hi-Fi July / August 2023
New Product Launches And Tidal Chooses FLAC
Premium Audio Gear News
Hi-Fi On The High Seas
Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 Report
Interview With Jermo Koehnke Of Sennheiser
Hi-Fi Primer
Airpulse A100 Active Speaker System
Transrotor Phono MC 8.2 Sym Phono Preamplifier
Portable Player Test: FiiO, Sony And Astell & Kern
And Much More!

Within her editorial, Becky Roberts says "Since the last issue of Australian Hi-Fi magazine, a great deal more hi-fi products have been introduced into the wild. That's because the 40th HIGH END Munich show took place last month, giving high-end audio manufacturers a world stage on which to launch their latest and greatest creations. Many of them took advantage of that this time round, too, as you'll see in this issue's Soundbites news section, which exclusively covers launches from the Europe show. In fact, some of my colleagues on What Hi-Fi? who were in attendance said they struggled to think of a previous Munich show where there were as many launches in all of the core hi-fi areas — perhaps not surprising as many would consider this the first 'big return' event after the Covid years."
---> Australian Hi-Fi July / August 2023 Issue.

06 / 20 / 23

Cirrus Logic CS5302/04/08P Analog-To-Digital Converters
For mastering vinyl LPs and Hi-Res Audio music from analog master tapes, or recording analog sources into the digital format, the new Cirrus Logic CS5302, CS5304, and CS5308P analog-to-digital converters are the latest in the company's audio converter lineup. With a new-architect chipset, the latest Cirrus Logic Pro Audio Family of converters feature high-performance 32-bit / 768kHz resolution. They also support differential analog input for true recording studio quality. The Cirrus Logic CS5302P stereo ADC, CS5304P four-channel ADC and CS5308P eight-channel ADC are designed to be used in digital mixers, USB audio interfaces, home audio and audio video receivers, musical instruments, etc.

Cirrus Logic's hybrid gain control helps to better manage microphone front-end gain design in hopes of reducing pop noise. By co-locating the analog and digital gain states within one device, gain transactions between the two are matched, which allows you to retain existing microphone preamplification while also reducing the overall system complexity. The ADCs use a fifth-order, multi-bit sigma-delta modulator followed by digital filtering and decimation to provide a dynamic range of 126dB for the CS5302P and 123dB for the CS5304/8P. Later this year Cirrus Logic will be releasing the digital-to-analog counterpart to these ADCs.

06 / 19 / 23

Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors The Pacific Audio Fest 2023 Exhibitor And Media Party
Enjoy the Music.com, premium audio's celebrated site for 28 years and a leader in providing high-end audio and music industry news, equipment reviews, and show reports, is pleased to announce that we are sponsoring The Pacific Audio Fest's Thursday night media and exhibitor celebration. Show exhibitors and members of the press are invited to join us for drinks, music, and good times on Thursday starting at 6 p.m. within our private club for the weekend; Maxi's Lounge on the 14th floor. The Pacific Audio Fest will be held from June 23rd through 25th at the Doubletree Hilton Sea-Tac with easy access to the Sea-Tac Airport and Light Rail line. We look forward to seeing you there!
---> Press Release: Pacific Audio Fest 2023 Exhibitor And Media Party!

06 / 16 / 23

audioXpress July 2023 Magazine
Editorial: Audio, Power, And Efficiency
Grimm Audio: Building The Dream
GRAS EQset "Fire And Forget"
WiiM Pro Music Streamer
Acoustical Measurement and DSP
Bass Reflex Performance Envelope Part 1
Power Transformer Parameters / Selection / Testing Pt. 9
Evolution Of The Species Extended
Hypex Nilai500DIY 500W Mono Power Amplifier Kit
Ten Decades Of Home Music Systems
And Much More!

Within his editorial, J. Martins says "The first half of 2023 allowed us to get back on the road and attend some of the busiest trade shows ever for the audio industry. From CES and a deep immersion into cutting-edge innovation in the consumer space to professional audio shows at ISE, the NAMM Show, and NAB. We also attended AXPONA and more recently, an extremely successful HIGH END show in Munich, Germany. With a few other events in the mix, this provided us a very good overview of the state of the audio industry. From the most affordable (and highly competitive) segments in consumer electronics, to the pro audio segments of live performance and touring, content production, media, and broadcast. We do it to better understand the audio industry and gain a broad outlook of the trends and the opportunities. More importantly, we can follow the companies that are active in each space, and understand how relative things can be."
---> audioXpress July 2023 Magazine.

06 / 15 / 23

This Is The Best Time To Be A Music Enthusiast
Product development, reviews, and true lossless hi-resolution on the rise!
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Over 25 years ago when I started Enjoy the Music.com there was very little info about high-end audio / audiophiles online. Today, that has all changed as we have thousands of websites from the latest and greatest gear to vintage audio, DIY, headphones, etc. In addition, we now have more manufacturers than in the history of our hobby! It is virtually impossible to keep up with it all, let alone report on every new piece of high-end audio equipment. I'd be slapped silly by not mentioning that true lossless high-resolution music, without the 'need' for typical music BUSINESS lossy compressed scams and schemes, is now mainstream and not limited to only a few niche' streaming music players. Without a doubt, this is the best time to be a music enthusiast!
---> This Is The Best Time To Be A Music Enthusiast.

Enjoying The Music
Do We All Hear The Same Thing?
Roger Skoff writes about how we listen and what it means.
Article By Roger Skoff
Many years ago, back in the late 1980s or early 1990s, a magazine did a demographic study of its readership and found that well over 90% – including subscribers, newsstand buyers, and pass-along readers – were male. Shortly after that came out, I and a bunch of other high-end audio reviewers (I was reviewing for the publication Sounds Like at the time) happened to get together at the Summer CES in Chicago (yes, they still had two Consumer Electronic Shows a year, back then) and we got to talking about why that might be – after all, everybody likes music, both men and women, so why would it be almost exclusively guys that were interested in high fidelity sound?
---> Enjoying The Music: Do We All Hear The Same Thing?

06 / 14 / 23

HIGH END 2023 Munich Show Coverage
Celebrating 40 years... to become the world leader of premium audio events. 
HIGH END 2023 Show Report By Andrija Ćurković
I recall with nostalgia some past times and the "Hi-Fi Show" trade shows in London in the 1990s at Heathrow Airport, as well as CES in Las Vegas in the 2000s, as two ultimate annual determinations for every audio manufacturer and self-respecting journalist. During the same period, the HIGH END Show was also held in Frankfurt. More precisely, the Kempinski Hotel is located within the small town of Neu-Isenburg, a suburb of Frankfurt halfway to the airport. Not as glamorous as the previous two, this show was significant to manufacturers in Europe, primarily due to its proximity to the surrounding countries and good transport connections.
---> HIGH END 2023 Munich Show Coverage.

06 / 13 / 23

Best Of AXPONA 2023 Show Report
Rick Becker gives us his Best Of AXPONA 2023 wrap-up report.
Audio Expo North America 2023 Show Report By Rick Becker
Before I left Schaumburg I popped the lid on the cooler in my car and feasted on the extra wings and hot sauce from dinner the night before. As I headed south on I-290 I got caught in the wrong lane to catch the exit to bypass downtown Chicago. I ended up almost to the Loop where I jumped on I-94 to take me south to Indiana and around Lake Michigan. It wasn't until I returned home on Monday that I learned of the civil unrest in the streets of Chicago on Saturday night. It surprised me, and it didn't. Our economy is doing great by one measure. Over the past three decades (the time I've been writing for this ezine) the USA has widened its lead over Europe and Japan in GDP per capita. And we still account for almost 25% of global output during this same period when China has surged.
---> Best Of AXPONA 2023 Show Report.

06 / 12 / 23

Pacific Audio Fest 2023 Show In June
The Pacific Audio Fest (PAF) 2023, taking place at the Doubletree-Hilton Sea-Tac / Seattle from June 23rd through 25th, is still open for exhibitor registration. "Most vendors are returning so get on board ASAP," say show promoter Lou Hinkley. There will be live music Friday and Saturday nights, with NW regional wine and beer tastings, and ~80 rooms of quality audio, Marketplace, Record Fair, HeadZone and much more! The Pacific Audio Fest show is located at a top tech hub and one of the fastest growing communities in the USA, plus it is a vacation paradise in the summer months. The Seattle area is said to have great demographics for the audio industry and incredible natural beauty to make this a great destination for the audio enthusiast and their families.

PAF show Director and Founder Lou Hinkley has nearly thirty years experience as an exhibitor in music trade shows and festivals with his company Daedalus Audio. The show collaborators include Gary Gill, Founder of Capital Audiofest, and other notables in the audio industry, together we will make this a fun and extremely high quality event for attendees and vendors all the while keeping this show to a scale that works for everyone. As with all industry-operated shows within the USA and Canada, Enjoy the Music.com is sponsoring the Thursday night exhibitor and press party, so free drinks on us! We look forward to seeing you there! You can learn more and see Enjoy the Music.com's Pacific Audio Fest (PAF) 2023 show report here.

T.H.E Show 2023 SoCal Report
T.H.E. Show's June Orange County music and luxury audio show in California.
T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 (The Home Entertainment Show) took place at the the Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa from June 9th through 11th. This was the destination where music, entertainment, tech, and media meet in an integrated, state-of-the-art experience trade show. Spotlighting a breadth of brands spanning from classic industry leaders to up-and-coming rising stars, T.H.E. Show 2023 was no ordinary luxury audio event. T.H.E. Headphonium section specialized on personal / portable audio including DAPs, headphones and more, and was presented by Enjoy the Music.com partners eCoustics! For vinyl LP lovers, an expanded section this year called T.H.E. Vinylonium featured a variety of outstanding vintage and budget LPs to rare and high-end audiophile editions.
---> T.H.E Show 2023 SoCal Report.

06 / 08 / 23

Aavik I-180 Integrated Stereo Amplifier Review
You call this entry-level?
Review By Michael Lang
With the integrated amplifier from the entry-level 180 series, Aavik took a radical turn: leaving behind heavy castles of aluminum in favor of natural materials and shapes derived from musical instruments. Aavik is the electronics side of a company-triumvirate, the other two being Børresen as a loudspeaker brand and Ansuz as a supplier of cables and accessories. Regular STEREO readers might be familiar with Aavik thanks to the impressive U-300 integrated amplifier equipped with a phono stage and DAC. Or maybe also due to the D-180 DAC or R-180 phono preamp, which has already received excellent reviews recently. The device featured here has almost nothing in common with the U-300 – neither the martial exterior nor the idea of amplifiers having to have "everything under one roof" made its way into the here and now. Beyond that, no stone was left unturned either!
---> Aavik I-180 Integrated Stereo Amplifier Review.

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.

06 / 07 / 23

The AXPONA 2023 Chronicles: Part 12
The one, and only, 1st Floor.
Audio Expo North America 2023 Show Report By Rick Becker
On the 1st Floor, directly beneath the hotel registration desk and lounge are an alcove of boardrooms that are equivalent in size to large living rooms in McMansion size homes, though their ceilings are taller than most. In the hallway leading to these rooms are a few static displays each year. I've always loved Sonus Faber for its exceptional styling. The cabinetry with wood and leather appeals to my lifelong love of furniture and design. They tend to sound very inviting, too. Pictured above is the Electa Amator III, though it is very similar to the Minima Amator II, both of which are in their Heritage Collection that also included the Maxima Amator floorstander.
---> The AXPONA 2023 Chronicles: Part 12.

06 / 06 / 23

T.H.E. Show 2023 SoCal Is This Weekend!
T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023 (The Home Entertainment Show) takes place at the the Hilton Orange County Costa Mesa from June 9th through 11th. This is the destination where music, entertainment, tech, and media meet in an integrated, state-of-the-art experience trade show. Spotlighting a breadth of brands spanning from classic industry leaders to up-and-coming rising stars, T.H.E. Show 2023 plans to be no ordinary luxury audio event. T.H.E. Headphonium section specialized on personal / portable audio including DAPs, headphones and more, and is presented by Enjoy the Music.com partners eCoustics! For vinyl LP lovers, an expanded section this year called T.H.E. Vinylonium will feature a variety of outstanding vintage and budget LPs to rare and high-end audiophile editions.

When first launched, T.H.E. Show was primarily a Las Vegas event an alternative to a non-industry operated CES. Featuring finely-crafted luxury audio products, T.H.E. Show is an upscale event for those who truly value music within their homes and on the go too. Operated in part by award-earning musicians and those who are enthusiasts, T.H.E. Show 2023 is the place to be in June to enjoy the very best luxurious premium audio / video products. There are many events planned during their 2023 California event. Many leading brands exhibited, plus educational seminars and special features are not to be missed!
--->Learn more about T.H.E. Show SoCal 2023.

06 / 05 / 23

AI Music Via Alphabet / Google MusicLM
With AI being the darling of Wall Street at the moment, Google has launched their MusicLM imitative. You can experiment today by describing a musical idea, and then hearing it brought to reality via 'artificial intelligence' (AI). Alphabet / Google MusicLM is claimed to be a model generating "high-fidelity music from text descriptions such as 'a calming violin melody backed by a distorted guitar riff. MusicLM casts the process of conditional music generation as a hierarchical sequence-to-sequence modeling task, and it generates music at lossless 24 kHz that remains consistent over several minutes."

According to developers, "Our experiments show that MusicLM outperforms previous systems both in audio quality and adherence to the text description. Moreover, we demonstrate that MusicLM can be conditioned on both text and a melody in that it can transform whistled and hummed melodies according to the style described in a text caption. To support future research, we publicly release MusicCaps, a dataset composed of 5.5k music-text pairs, with rich text descriptions provided by human experts." So if you happen to be a professional musician or just starting out, Alphabet's MusicLM experimental tool may be able to assist in expressing your creativity.

06 / 02 / 23

Hi-Fi+ June 2023 High-End Audio Magazine
Editorial: The Audio Industry Keeps On Going
Bentley Continental GT Mulliner And Naim
Linn 360 Network Active Floorstanding Loudspeakers
AURALiC ALTAIR G1.1 Digital Audio Streamer
PMC Twenty5.21i Stand-Mount Loudspeakers
Atma-Sphere Music Systems Class D Mono Power Amplifiers
Perlisten S4b Stand-Mount Loudspeakers
Michell Audio Cusis Moving Coil Cartridge
Pro-Ject X2 B/S3 B Turntable / Phono Stage
Finite Elemente Pagode Signature MKII Equipment Support System
And Much More!

Within this month's editorial, Alan Sircom says "According to the Mayans, the world was supposed to end on the 21st December, 2012. They weren't the last to predict the apocalypse, but they had the good sense to die out before they got a chance to see Roland Emmerich's risible disaster movie loosely based around their prediction. The reason for recalling that truly awful movie is that every day, some event related to high-end audio convinces one of the doom-mongers that The End Is Nigh. Some event, product launch, change in a company fortunes or statistic about music or the economy in general marks the official end of the audio industry." See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi+ magazine at this link.

06 / 01 / 23

Enjoy the Music.com's June Review Magazine
We promised you many show reports, and we delivered! More updates to AXPONA, HIGH END Munich show reports, and the Australian Hi-Fi Show in Sydney too! We also have a variety of gear reviews within our June issue that we know you'll love! As always, in the end what really matters is that you... enjoy the music!
---> See Enjoy the Music.com's June 2023 Review Magazine.

HIGH END 2023 Munich Show Report
High End Society's Event In Munich Germany
From May 18th to 21st, 2023, the very special 40th HIGH END trade show in Munich will once again shine the spotlight on luxurious premium music reproduction systems, inspiring listening enjoyment and exquisite audio technology. For many years, the HIGH END has been providing both the big players in the industry and smaller owner-managed companies with their ideal presentation platform as the world's leading audio trade show. It is the perfect place to establish business relationships, expand networks and exchange ideas and experiences with other industry experts.
---> HIGH END 2023 Munich Show Reports.

AXPONA 2023 Show Report
Audio Expo North America 2023 Show Coverage
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) 2023 took place from April 14th through 16th at The Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. This three-day experience featured multiple hotel floors packed with over 190 listening rooms according to the show promoter. The Expo Hall features The Record Fair, The Ear Gear Experience, and seminars. Whether you're a serious audiophile, a newcomer to high-end audio or simply a music lover, you found everything you need to immerse yourself in your favorite sounds.
---> AXPONA 2023 Show Reports.

Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 Highlights Report
The best bits from the brand-new Sydney audio and AV show!
Australian Hi-Fi Show report by Becky Roberts plus contributions from Jez Ford
Well, my ears had a very good weekend. Yours would've too no doubt, if you also spent your Friday, Saturday, or Sunday attending Future's first-ever Australian Hi-Fi Show. Visited on multiple days? Good for you, I hope you managed to cover most of the 100+ brands that were on display and being demonstrated. Brought to you by Australian Hi-Fi, What Hi-Fi?, and Sound+Image magazines, the Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 took place from April 28th through 30th and celebrated the latest and greatest in the hi-fi and AV industry. This show gave visitors the opportunity to see and hear a range of audio products from all around the world. With over $10,000 in hi-fi prizes up for grabs at the 2023 Australian Hi-Fi Show, attendees surely had a lot to look forward to.
---> Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 Show Highlights Report.

Why Music?
Roger Skoff writes about the most basic question of all.
Article By Roger Skoff
Many years ago, when I had a different audio company, I was absolutely shocked – something that really doesn't happen very often – when one of my dealers told me that he didn't like music. At first, I thought that I must have heard him wrong or misunderstood what he said and that it must be some particular piece of music or some style or instrument that he didn't like. But, when I asked him what he meant by that, and to please clarify, he told me straight-out that he found music of any kind to be annoying and didn't like to listen to it.
---> Why Music?

Triangle Art L-200 MK2 Stereo Vacuum Tube Preamplifier Review
It is Triangulicious!!!
Review By Dr. Matthew Clott
The fascinating thing about reviewing Triangle Art's L-200 MK2 vacuum tube preamplifier is that it's a tube pre-amp…  and that I know, when I agree to review it, that this review will not get half the readership to click on it because it has the word "tube" in it. And I will lose even more because Triangle Art is not a mainstream name and many do not recognize it. So, for the 20% to 30%-ish of our readership that made it this far, you will be rewarded by learning about a pre-amp that everyone should know about! The Triangle Art L-200 MK2 is a $25,000 tube preamp that can compete with a $40,000 preamp (tube or solid-state), built by a company that has a creative philosophy similar to Porsche. Take a design and just keep making it better (think 911 of the 1980s and today); they call it, "Think it out."
---> Triangle Art L-200 MK2 Stereo Vacuum Tube Preamplifier Review.

Piega Coax 811 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review
Don't miss out on the fun!
Review By Michael Lange
Close To Legendary – At the 2022 HIGH END audio show in Munich, Piega shone with the new Coax series. Roger Kessler, head of development, likes to compare the top model, the 811, to the Porsche 911. Rightly so? Piega, located in the idyllic town of Horgen by Lake Zurich, is a family business, now managed in the second generation by Alexander and Manuel Greiner. The manufacturer has been the undisputed market leader in Switzerland in the field of high-quality speakers for years and has a firm grip on the global elite, who of course are also present there. This not only stems from the Swiss attitude and the home advantage, but also from structures that have grown over more than 30 years: quality, reliability, and the regular "doors open day" for fans and people interested in the brand.
---> Piega Coax 811 Floorstanding Loudspeaker Review.

Simaudio MOON 250i v2 Integrated Amplifier Review
An excellent value for music lovers.
Review By Tom Lyle
This review is about one of Simaudio's latest products, the MOON 250i v2, an integrated amplifier with a power output of 50 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms and includes an onboard Moving Magnet (MM) photo stage. Since this is the first Simaudio component I've ever reviewed, I had a question about whether MOON was a separate company from Simaudio or if MOON was simply a line of equipment brought to us from the company Simaudio. Simaudio has been around since 1980 when this Canadian company was called Sima Electronics. Their first products were aimed at the professional market but were soon recognized by audiophiles.
---> Simaudio MOON 250i v2 Integrated Amplifier Review.

FiiO R7 Music Server / Streamer / Headphone Amplifier Review
The solution....
Review By Gary Alan Barker
For quite some time now I have been using my FiiO M11 as my music server for burning in products and more recently since I changed computers, for running my reference system as my tube amp picks up noise from the computer's USB out. The drawback of this is the M11 is not a desktop device so it doesn't have a direct power-in (meaning I can either use the single USB port to charge or drive my DAC, but not both at the same time), and it is not fully ergonomic for desktop use. Enter the new FiiO R7, a fully functional streaming music server that can run on either AC or DC, has two USB ports (so I can connect to my hard drives and DAC at the same time), its own ES9068AS DAC built in, connected to two THX AAA 788+ Headphone Amplifiers for both single-ended and balanced output....
---> FiiO R7 Music Server / Streamer / Headphone Amplifier Review.

Many more reviews & articles are within our Review Magazine.

Previous High-End Audio News
For previous high-end audio and music industry news click here.