iBasso DX160 Hi-Res Portable Audio / Video Player
iBasso's new DX160 ($470) high fidelity Bluetooth 5.0 music player is based on the Android 8.1 system and includes DSD decoder. Every manufacturer has a different approach when it comes to new releases, and iBasso was due for a new DAP release. iBasso's middle-of-their-range DX160 unit features a dual CS43198 DAC implementation, Android Oreo, and a 5" 1080 x 1920 resolution screen.
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The Classic FM Family Music Box Book
Produced in collaboration with Classic FM, The Classic FM Music Box ($25) is an entertaining book that includes a comprehensive overview of classical music accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations and eight concealed buttons that play short bursts of iconic pieces of music. The Classic FM Family Music Box is a perfect introduction to the world of classical music.
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RMAF 2019 Show September 6th Through 9th, 2019
Featuring a luxury destination at the brand-new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Enjoy the Music.com's Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) 2019 show report celebrates our sweet 16 years of covering this highly popular high-end audiophile event. Take in the friendly atmosphere at RMAF where all are welcome and questions are encouraged. You will experience many major household audio brands in Denver.
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Pro-Ject VC-E And VC-S2 ALU Record Cleaning Machines
Pro-Ject's new VC-S2 ALU and VC-E (€499 and €399 including VAT) began life after listening to extensive feedback by their customers. During 2016, Pro-Ject Audio Systems' first vinyl record cleaner, the VC-S, revolutionized the affordable vacuum record-cleaning machine market. Offering a fully powered and super-fast cleaning machine was Pro-Ject's goal, and they sought to offer the best machine at reasonable pricing. As a result, Pro-Ject's VC-E and VC-S2 ALU aims to addresses everything they learned.
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McIntosh Labs C2700 Vacuum Tube Stereo Preamplifier
McIntosh Laboratory just announced their C2700 vacuum tube stereo preamplifier ($8000) featuring multiple inputs, pass-through, phono stage, and Hi-Res Audio DAC. The DA2 DAC features an expanded set of capabilities, with the C2700 digital inputs being two S/PDIF coaxial, two TosLink optical, USB and MCT, plus a new audio-only HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) connection.
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Lossless Music Service Qobuz Celebrates Six Months
Qobuz, the certified Hi-Res streaming and download hybrid service, today celebrates six months of success in the USA. In this time, it has become the music streaming service of choice for American music aficionados by taking a listener-first, genre-focused approach and offering true high resolution lossless streaming music. Their APP connects with over 32,000,000 music lovers interested in high-quality audio.
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Is The Music BUSINESS Working Against Music Lovers
Do mastering engineers / music suffer at the hands of the lowest common denominator?
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Have been trying my best to stop writing about music and audio gear, yet there's a voice inside of me saying you should, make that must, speak your truth. It's no secret that I read an abundance of industry inside information. This is not just high-end audio, it also pertains to musicians, recording studios, FOH / live performance, and mastering engineers (to name a few). What I find very interesting is that those who dare to speak up have many of the same concerns we audiophiles do!
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World Premiere Review!
Merrill Audio PURE Tape Head Preamp
Simple to use sweet sounding analog!
Review By Richard Cohn
Have you ever noticed how people's pets tend to look like them and reflect their personalities? Well, I have noticed a similar congruency between audio components and their designers – for good or bad (no names mentioned here are the astringent amps/designers I have come across in my years as an audiophile). Fortunately, the subject of this review, the Merrill Audio PURE Tape Head Preamp (the "Merrill Preamp" or "Pure") for reel-to-reel decks and its creator Merrill Wettasinghe are on the right side of that spectrum.
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KLH Kendall Floorstanding Loudspeakers
Very dynamic while still providing a graceful harmonic decay.
Review By Dean Cacioppo
There are few speaker brands that even non-audiophiles recognize. KLH is one of them. KLH Research and Development was originally founded in 1957 by Henry Kloss, Malcolm Low, and Josef Hoffman. Henry Kloss' reputation in the audio industry goes back to the 1950s and includes audio brands such as Acoustic Research, Advent, Cambridge Soundworks, and, of course, KLH. Today, the KLH brand has been reborn by David Kelley (formally of Klipsch) as KLH Audio, focusing on relatively affordable hi-fi speakers, subwoofers, A/V speakers and headphones.
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M2Tech Nash Phono Pre & Van Der Graaf MkII Power
Capable of producing both subtle and very dense recordings.
Review By Tom Lyle
M2Tech's Nash phono stage, a component that is part of their Rockstar series, seemed to me to be the not only a perfect match for the Pro-Ject Esprit SB turntable that I set up in my second system not long ago, but also for the moving magnet Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge that is mounted on the turntable's integral tonearm. This is probably the least expensive cartridge I would ever consider using, and conversely, at about $100 my experience leads me to believe that it is also the most expensive cartridge a non-audiophile might consider purchasing. Thankfully, it has a relatively neutral sound, and its rather open, dynamic sound make it more than "good enough" to use in a high-end system, and especially one that is as good as the system in which I'm auditioning this M2Tech Nash phono stage.
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Video: NYC Mixcon 2019
Loudness Wars, AI Music Production, And 360 Sound
Video By SonicScoop Live From MixCon
This episode of the SonicScoop podcast comes to us live from MixCon 2019 in NYC, as Justin Colletti is joined by three brilliant panelists for a look at how music production is changing right now, and where the field is headed next. This video features Jonathan Bailey of iZotope, Alan Silverman of Arf Productions / Mastering, and special audio / 360 sound engineer Marta Gospodarek.
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More high-end audio reviews & articles within our Review Magazine.

Win Meze Audio 99 Classics Headphones Valued At $309!
Enjoy the Music.com is honored to join with Meze Audio for our August 2019 contest. You could win a pair of 99 Classics Walnut Silver headphones valued at $309! The Meze Audio 99 Classics delivers perfect natural sound even to the pickiest of audio lovers. The walnut wood earcups, soft earpads, and the spring steel headband will make the 99 Classics an heirloom rather than just a pair of headphones. The Meze Audio 99 exudes luxury with walnut wood ear cups and glistening silver highlights.
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