Balanced Audio Technology VK-56SE power amplifierStereophile - Herb Reichert I had never been alone with a Russian-manufactured 6C33C tube. At least not at night, in the dark. The first night Balanced Audio Technology's …
Gramophone Dreams #28: PS Audio & HiFiManStereophile - Herb Reichert Every time I review a digital-to-analog converter, my memory drifts to the spring of 1983, when the first Compact Discs arrived at Tower Records in …
Listening #198: IsoAcoustics & Audio-CreativeStereophile - Art Dudley It's a toss-up: The house where my family and I lived for 15 years was bigger than the one we have now, and had a much nicer view. On the other hand, …
Exposure Electronics XM5 integrated amplifierStereophile - Art Dudley Audiophilia is nothing if not nostalgic—in fact, it's doubly so. Listening to recorded music is an act of looking back, often with the hope of …
Göbel Loudspeakers & Cables, Engström Pre and Power, Wadax Digital, Kronos Turntable, Zyx CartridgeStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Pretty eye-catching, eh? Such was the class act from Göbel High End, who even brought their own room treatment panels to the show. I initially sat in …
Diana Krall Dynaudio Confidence 30 Loudspeakers and Simaudio Moon ElectronicsStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus When Dynaudio’s Mike Manousselis told me that the new Dynaudio Confidence 30 ($20,000/pair) has a new Esotar3 tweeter, I thought of John Atkinson, …
Octave Jubilee 300 B, HP-700 preamp, Focal Scala, Clearaudio Master Innovation, Wireworld CablingStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus I was never able to take a photo of Octave’s full system, because so many people were walking up to the equipment rack and Focal Scala speakers to …
Cube Audio Nenuphar Loudspeakers, Teutron TU 2A3/50S-1 Amplifier, Lampizator Big 7 DACStereophile - Herb Reichert When I visited Pass Labs’ Nelson Pass at his Sea Ranch California hideaway, I was completely taken by his studio reference speakers; which, consisted …
Gershman Grand Avant Garde Loudspeakers, VTL AmplificationStereophile - Herb Reichert Without forethought, at every audio show I attend, I inevitably end up smiling, relaxed, and happy in the Gershman Acoustics room. Especially lately, …
MunichMore from Munich: Aries Cerat Symponia Loudspeakers, Cerat Erevus 5 Basshorn System, Achilleas Legend SET Amplifier, ImperaStereophile - Herb Reichert I quit smoking before cigarettes hit $5/pack. I sold my last car, a nickel green 1977 Mercedes 300D, for $500. But I have sold a lot of six-figure …
Pass Laboratories XP-22 line preamplifierStereophile - Jim Austin For those who listen with their ears and not their brain, perfectionist hi-fi offers many surprises. A friend called me up a few weeks ago and asked …
Audiophile Pro-Ject Audio Systems Stream Box S2 Ultra network bridgeStereophile - John Atkinson I have reviewed several network-connected music servers in recent years, from Antipodes, Aurender, and NAD. All performed well but are relatively …
Headphones Meze Audio 99 Classic headphonesStereophile - Ken Micallef I have on hand a number of pairs of headphones. And I admit that I've lusted after the heavenly sounding, medieval-looking Abyss AB-1266 Phi …
AudiophileVon Schweikert Ultra Reference 9 Loudspeaker, VAC 450iQ Integrated Amplifier, Acoustic Signature Invictus Jr. Turntable,Stereophile - Jim Austin For sheer scale, perhaps the most impressive system I heard at the Munich High End show was in the room shared by Von Schweikert and VAC. The star of …
Ella Fitzgerald Parasound Halo Hint 6 integrated amplifierStereophile - Ken Micallef In his review in the November 2015 issue, Herb Reichert wrote that Parasound's Halo Integrated amplifier "has a recognizable sonic personality: easy …
Trinidad and Tobago Recording of June 2019: Carnival: The Sound of a People, Vol 1Stereophile - Jim Austin Etienne Charles: Carnival: The Sound of a People, Vol 1 Etienne Charles, trumpet, percussion; Brian Hogans, Godwin Louis, alto saxophone; David …
Exposure XVII preamplifierStereophile - Robert Harley Thomas R. Marshall's famous phrase, "What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar," should be modified for the 1990s to be "What this world …
Totem Element Metal v.2, VTL TL 2.5i Preamplifier and ST-150 Amplifier, YBA Signature CD PlayerStereophile - Jim Austin It had been years since I last checked in with Totem Acoustic, the Canada-based loudspeaker manufacturer. When I showed up at the Totem room and was …
AndromedaContinuum Audio Labs Obsidian 'Table w/Viper Tonearm; Constellation Audio Cygnus Media Player/DAC, Andromeda Phono Stage,Stereophile - Jim Austin In Munich, audio electronics company Constellation Audio was demoing with Magico M2 loudspeakers ($63,000/pair with M-Pod footers). Spinning vinyl …
Focal, Naim, isoAcoustics, and the Damnedest Audio Demo I've Ever ExperiencedStereophile - Jim Austin Playing in Room F210 on the top level atrium of Hall 4: Two pair of Focal Scala Utopia EVO loudspeakers ($39,995/pair) with lots of Naim electronics …
Verity Audio Monsalvat Pro-4 Preamplifier, Amp-60 Reference Monoblocks, and Lohengrin IIS Reference loudspeaker system; N1ZS/2AStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Verity Audio's system paired their Lohengrin IIS Reference loudspeaker system (110,000 Euros/pair) with the following electronics: A new preamplifier …
United States The New Pass Int-25Stereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Just released and seen in passive display, the single-ended only Pass Int-25 ($7250) combines an XA-25 with a simplified Int-60 front end. The Int-25 …
VoltaireBrinkmann, Vandersteen Audio's Model Seven Mk II loudspeaker System; Brinkmann Balance 2-Arm 33rd Anniversary Edition Turntable;Stereophile - Jason Victor Serinus The characteristic—perhaps I should say inimitable—Vandersteen midrange was in evidence in a system that paired a Brinkmann Audio front end and …
Faber Krell K-300i Integrated Amplifier, Sonus Faber Olympica III Loudspeakers, ZenSati CablingStereophile - Jim Austin Krell had a big display at Munich High End show and seems to be on the brink—or maybe in the midst—of a major new-product and marketing surge. Walter …
Turntables Zellaton Reference MkII Speakers, YS Sound Electronics, Reed Turntable, Top Wing Cartridge, Schnerzinger CablingStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Excellent bass, a somewhat toned-down presentation and somewhat dry midrange, and excellent imaging—the speakers completely disappeared—were the …
Vienna Vienna Acoustics Mozart Speakers, Vincent SP-T700 Amplifiers, Pangea CablesStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Given the background noise, it was a little difficult to focus on the music from Yello and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd in the system from Vienna …
Turntables Raidho TD1.2 Speakers, Chord Ultima 2 Amplifiers, Pear Audio Blue Turntable, Top Wing Cartridge, Gamut CablingStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Raidho Acoustics' new TD1.2 speaker ($24,000/pair), whose unveiling I missed at AXPONA, resurfaced in Munich. Hearing a track from the Ray Brown …
Dolby Atmos PMC Does Miles in Dolby AtmosStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Thanks to Michael Fremer, whom I ran into at the MOC while we both waited for the show to open on Day 3, I ended up at a private listening session in …
Aavik M-300 Amplifiers, Børresen 05 Loudspeakers, Ansuz CablingStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus Having heard at previous shows the pairing of Aavik electronics, Børresen loudspeakers, and Ansuz cabling, I've been trying to find language adequate …
Estelon Forza Loudspeakers, Kronos Pro Turntable, Bassocontinuo Racks, Kubala Sosna CablingStereophile - Jason Victor Serinus The "Ocean Mystery" colored Estelon Forza loudspeaker (€110,000/pair) made quite a statement all by itself. Paired with a Kronos Pro turntable …
