Reviews
MartinLogan Summit X ESL Speakers Retro Revisit
For a few years, MartinLogan’s Summit was their flagship speaker, and it received worldwide praise. At the beginning of 2009, MartinLogan combined what they’d learned building the new flagship CLX full-range electrostatic speaker system and the Spire hybrid to arrive at the Summit X. Read More
The Vera-Fi Caldera 12 Subwoofer The essentials, served up splendidly
Digging right in with the Caldera 12 and driving it down the rough road with a long playlist of Stanley Clark, Jaco Pastorius, and Tool tracks (but not “Chocolate Chip Trip,” because that is becoming the metal version of “Keith Don’t Go”) reveals it has what it takes to get the job done. Read More
World’s FIRST Review: The Magnepan 2.7X
A long journey of refinement Visiting Echo Audio in Portland, Oregon always turns up something intriguing from my audio journey, and this day would be no different. Lurking in the back room was a pair of Magnepan MGII speakers that a customer had recently traded in. Read More
Voodoo Labs Carbon Age Standard Cables
Further exploration… By Chris Harr and Jeff Dorgay One of the most over used cliches in the world of audio writing is that a cable delivers a “component level” upgrade. Read More
The Java Double Shot Power Amplifier Another winner from the barista of High End Audio
From the click of the super stylish power button that merely needs your touch to illuminate a diffuse white circle of light, the Double Shot power amplifier from Java gets you going. Read More
The Vera-Fi A40 Power Amplifier – World’s 1st review! A luxurious low-power marvel
It’s hard to believe that a $2,000 amplifier drives the $149k pair of Clarisis Auditorium Plus ribbon speakers with this level of control, quality, and tonal involvement. Read More
The Formula xHD DAC (rev.2) and La Diva Transport An Amazing Duo From Aqua
It seems appropriate to begin listening to the Aqua combination with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s “Still, You Turn Me On..” Even though the compact disc format was less than immersive when introduced backin the early 80s, it has been transformed over the years. Read More
The PlatiMon Virtual Coaxial One Speakers Hey MON!
Listening to the gentle guitar and drum work in J.J. Cale’s “Magnolia” instantly reveals the level of resolution that the PlatiMon Virtual Coaxial One speakers can serve up. Read More
The Totem Element V2 Series Fire Speakers A Triumph of Dynamics
If you’ve ever had the chance to listen to Totem speakers, or perhaps you already own a pair, you know they pack a major punch. Read More
YG Acoustics Hailey 3 Visual and Sonic Purity...
One of the most compelling things about the world’s finest products, be it speakers, watches, cameras, you name it – is the ease of enjoying them in a fashion that you no longer think about the object in use. Read More
REVIEW: The Emerald Physics 600.2 SE Amplifier Packs a major punch
Driving a pair of vintage Acoustat 2+2 full range electrostatics to panel rattling volume while listening to the new Stones album, the yellow circular power output meters on the 600. Read More
FULL REVIEW: Enleum AMP-23R Amplifier There's a word for it somewhere
If you happen to be an audio enthusiast that is only impressed with large racks of gear, and convinced this is the only way to go, skip this review. Read More
AMG V12 Turntable
Being an enthusiast of great industrial and mechanical design, I hold objects that perform as well as they look in the highest esteem. Read More
REL Classic 98 Subwoofer A brilliant fusion of past and present
REL has achieved a well-deserved reputation for making some of the (if not the) world’s highest performing subwoofers. Read More
YG Acoustics Cairn Speakers Distilled High Performance
Listening to the expansive sound field created by the tiny YG Cairns, with a pair of 8-foot tall electrostatic speakers in the background is really impressive, but not surprising. Read More
The Peak Consult Sinfonia Speakers Welcome back!
Listening to Kraftwerk’s “Boing Boom Tschak” through the Peak Consult Sinfonias has so much information in all three dimensions, it’s almost psychedelic. Read More
The PrimaLuna EVO100 Phono A sublime sense of reality
Listening to PrimaLuna’s new tube phonostage begins with an audiophile cut for a change. If you haven’t had a chance to hear Earth & Wood on Yarlung Records, this is an incredible piece of music exquisitely captured. Read More
The LSA VT-150 Integrated When you need MORE power
With the backlit output meters bouncing to the sound of Massive Attack, cranking up the VT-150s bias to the “high” position and plugging in a set of KT150 tubes proves to be a great move to get that club feeling. Read More
The REL No. 31 Subwoofer How Do They Do It?
Tracking through a time-worn favorite, The K&D Sessions, the very definition of the lower bass notes being delivered is stunning, just coming from a six-pack of REL No. Read More
Luxman L-507Z Integrated Amplifier The Next Generation of Awesome
Relaxing with Elvis Costello’s Painted From Memory on the turntable, it’s almost tough to believe that the source is an integrated amplifier, not a $100k rack full of separate components and a $30k loom of mega cables. Read More
The Degritter Record Cleaner Stylish, Quiet, Effective
This is more of a long-term review, but in a good way. After living with the Degritter for some time now and having cleaned a ton of records with it, the out of the box love has grown. Read More
Acora SRC-1 Speakers Miraculous In Many Ways
Acora’s Scott Sefton opened the door with their stand mount SRB speakers a while back, delivering a lovely experience. Even their stand mount speakers generate a lot of low-frequency energy from a compact enclosure. Read More
The FYNE 500SP Where Are They Hiding The Rest?
Small speakers can rarely energize a good-sized room with full-range sound. This is always the magic that is FYNE. Read More
The Heretic A614 Speakers A perfect blend of new and legacy
Warning, these speakers tend to keep you cemented in your listening chair. The Heretics are “album side” speakers if that makes sense. Read More
The LSA Signature 50 Speakers Quietly Outstanding
In just over four decades of evaluating speakers, the most memorable ones always pull you in with an ease that may not always be as visceral and exciting as some of the flashier “best” speakers out there, but they’ve got staying power. Read More
The Harbeth 40.3 XD Speakers Paradoxically Great!
Enjoying music and audio is almost a spiritual journey. Some will even tell you it is. Your musical taste, hearing, budget, and where you are on your journey will determine how you will voice your system, and what components you will most likely gravitate to. Read More
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