Jensen C12-K 100 Watt 12"
Loudspeaker Driver Jensen's new C12K-2 12" loudspeaker driver provides a modern British voice in a vintage American package. This high-power 100 Watt handling capability speaker features a low-end punch with a warm, rich mid-range and smooth articulate highs. This speaker is not only capable of handling high levels of overdrive and distortion, but is also capable of achieving clarity and detailed response with those sounds
says the company. The C12K-2 can beautifully produce the complex and nuanced tones of vintage and boutique amplifiers and is
available in both 8 and 16 Ohm nominal impedance. Resonant frequency for the 8
Ohm version is 79Hz, with the 16 Ohm being 85Hz. Cone material is paper, voice coil is Nomex, and wire winding is copper. An integrated paper surround, non-treated cloth dome, pressed sheet metal basket, and ferrite magnet round out this design.
TACET Mozart Violin Concertos KV 207 & KV 219 SACD TACET's real surround sound
Mozart Violin Concertos KV 207 & KV 219 (€21.47) on hybrid SACD features the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. With Gordan Nikolić on violin, this new music release features inspiring "vacuum tube sound" and presented in stereo for CD and 5.1 24-bit/96kHz 5.1 channel surround sound on the SACD layer. The orchestra including the soloist sitting within a big circle around the microphones. Gordan Nikolić, soloist and leader of the recording, delivers his musical expertise and feels entirely at home with Mozart. His love for the crazy things within the music aurally shines through. While in the fast movements you hear climbing and clambering around on the strings like a child at the playground, during slow movements he caresses his violin as you would a newborn puppy.
09 / 17 / 19
Amazon Music HD Lossless
24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res Music
And so it finally begins as a mainstream service offers true
lossless Hi-Res Music. With all due apologies to Qobuz and, to a lesser extent Tidal,
Amazon Music reaches a massive amount of
music lovers globally and their new Ultra HD tier ($14.99 a month, $12.99 for Prime
members) delivers upwards of true lossless 24-bit/192kHz streaming music to subscribers. This price is less than what lossless Qobuz, and lower quality lossy Tidal, provides today.
Amazon claims to already have over 50 million songs within their High Definition tier, yet keep in mind that is CD quality 16-bit/44.1kHz. Of those, there are 10 million songs within their Ultra HD tier.
Enjoy the Music.com greatly appreciates the first mainstream music provider in offering true
lossless Hi-Res Music streaming services to their customers. Learn
more from Amazon at this link.
Sonus faber Olympica @ World Of McIntosh NYC A good high-end system is akin to a time machine.
Review By Tom Lyle Last
year I took a
tour of World Of McIntosh, a very impressive five-story luxury
townhouse in the Soho neighborhood of downtown New York City. World Of
McIntosh is an amazing place, packed with working audio systems featuring
gear from McIntosh, Sonus faber, Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Audio Research, and
more. This luxurious space is used as an event space, for invitation only audio
tours, and for anything else one who wants to use a space "where music and
design are merged in a way that's striking, memorable, and undeniably
enjoyable". --->
Read More
Focal Unveils Chora Loudspeaker
Series
As Focal's new affordable loudspeaker design, the model lineup consists of the Chora 806 standmount, Chora 816 floorstander, Chora 826 floorstander, plus dedicated 806 stands (prices per pair $799, $1,399, $1,599 and $299 respectively). Made in France at
Focal's specialist manufacturing facilities, Chora is a new generation of high quality loudspeakers featuring an all-new cone.
Slatefiber is a unique new speaker driver material with a stylish slate-effect visual. This thermoplastic polymer is made with non-woven recycled carbon
fiber that is said to achieve greater damping, excellent rigidity and lightness. All models have wood
cabinets with bass-reflex designs. A TNF aluminum / magnesium tweeter is another Focal signature. Chora loudspeakers are available in Black, Light Wood and Dark Wood finishes.
Win FiiO's M9 Hi-Res Audio Lossless Music Player! Enjoy the Music.com is honored to join with FiiO for
our September 2019 contest. You could win a FiiO M9 portable Hi-Res Audio
portable music player valued at $299.99! FiiO's M9 Hi-Res Audio portable music player can
handle everything from lossy MP3, OGG, and WMA to true lossless FLAC and WAV files for those who desire
the very best in high-resolution music playback. ---> Read More
09 / 13 / 19
ZeroHedge Posts About Vinyl Outpacing
CDs ZH down-talks vinyl, backlash ensues. Popular online financial and political website ZeroHedge just posted an article titled "Vinyl Records Set To Outpace CD Sales For The First Time In 30 Years, Even Though They
Suck", and the comment sections is filled with their longtime readers who push back on the less-than-positive
article about the sound of vinyl LPs. Within magazine Rolling Stone it says, "Vinyl records earned $224.1 million (on 8.6 million units) in the first half of 2019, closing in on the $247.9 million (on 18.6 million units) generated by CD sales. Vinyl revenue grew by 12.8% in the second half of 2018 and 12.9% in the first six months of 2019...."
ZeroHedge follows-up by saying, "My question is, given the amount of noise and distortion coming from an age-old source, why invest in a great, audiophile-quality amp or preamp? In effect, one is feeding it with a distortion-laden source component with poor dynamic range. It's tantamount to pumping 50-octane fuel into your new Lamborghini Aventador. Perhaps it's time to try out the higher-grade audiophile fuel, even if it costs a few bucks more, so that you can realize the potential of your music playback system." When vinyl LP sales become an article on ZeroHedge, you know there's more to the story. Read the comments section of their article,
as it is quite enlightening, and entertaining too!
MartinLogan MDA Series Switching And Room Correction MartinLogan is pleased to announce the new MDA Series of distribution systems featuring their MDA8 and MDA16 ($1999 and $3499
respectively). With the ever-growing popularity of whole-house and outdoor audio systems, the challenge of unlocking the performance potential of sound has only increased. Web-based setup, digital inputs, equalization, matrixing, plus room correction capabilities and all within one chassis. Anthem Room Correction (ARC) and bass management further extends the capability of their MDA series. Additionally, with both IP and RS-232 connections, MDAs are compatible with leading home automation systems, including Control4, Crestron, Elan, RTI, Savant, and
URC.
With full matrix switching capabilities of analog and digital inputs, and independent room correction with Anthem Room Correction (ARC) in each zone, MDAs allow you to install robust audio solutions throughout a home or business. These unique technologies understand the unique acoustic signature of each listening space and correct deviations from an ideal response. With an eye on preserving even the most subtle nuances of music, MDAs accept high-resolution PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz. MDAs will never hold back a compelling musical experience.
MartinLogan's MDA8 powers up to four zones with eight total channels at 60 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms, while the MDA16 powers up to eight zones with sixteen full channels at 60 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms. Zones can also be bridged for a high output mode with 200 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms. MDAs are fully configurable using an intuitive web-based interface that controls every available setting for every zone and every input. It has never been easier to set up a whole-house audio system with such extremely accurate results.
Noble Audio's Mighty Khan In-Ear Monitors A rare instrument that make listening to music as good as it gets.
Review By Frank Iacone Of Headphone.Guru The Wiz has been busy creating new universal and custom
designs using hybrid technology. Dr. John Moulton is well known in the personal
audio community for creating outstanding designs with artful flair; John is
an audiologist by trade and spends most of his time working with his
brother Jim Moulton, an attorney by trade, who is the marketing arm and
partner for Noble Audio. Jim is based in Texas and has been doing all the
personal audio shows showing the new designs that the Wiz has been creating. ---> Read
More
Aaron Weinstein 3X3 Audiophile Edition
Hi-Res Music
What if you were presented the same album recorded three different ways
– different microphone techniques, and different microphones? The performers and performances remain the same, but, the means used to capture their performances change. Do you feel like you'd know going in what you like best?
Aaron Weinstein 3X3 Deluxe Audiophile Edition
gives you the opportunity to explore this very concept. Recorded in a single day in a Brooklyn church, this intimate band of three Jazz musicians perform an album of beloved instrumental standards captured three different ways. Which version is ultimately superior will be a uniquely individual answer, and a uniquely satisfying listening experience for all.
Aaron Weinstein, a rising star in the New York Jazz community, makes his Chesky Records debut on
3x3, an album of instrumental Jazz standards that not only experiments with modern recording methodologies, but with the boundaries of Jazz expression. Featuring Aaron Weinstein (violin), Matt Munisteri (Guitar), Tom Hubbard (Bass),
3x3 is the perfect illustration of the beauty of simplicity. No unnecessary
production; no extemporaneous distractions. You're left with stunning musicianship, breathtaking acoustics, and evocative and memorable music.
09 / 10 / 19
Bryston Launches Their BDA-3.14 Multi-Function DAC Bryston has introduced their BDA-3.14 ($4195) multi-function DAC that adds an array of impressive features to the much heralded BDA-3 DAC platform. The BDA-3.14 is said to delivers the performance and build quality music aficionados have come to expect from Bryston. Bryston's BDA-3.14 offers streaming capability via a built-in music player that delivers access to network-connected storage and USB drives as well as streaming services such as Qobuz, Tidal, Roon and Internet radio. Digital connectivity between the internal music player and the DAC is managed using the I2S protocol that preserves audio and clock data with virtually zero error. The BDA-3.14 also features a digital volume control, enabling users to drive an amplifier directly. An updated version of
Bryston's Manic Moose user interface for phones, tablets and computers provides users with intuitive control over all functionality. Virtually every digital input and both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog output are
supported. There are also four HDMI inputs plus an HDMI output.
RMAF 2019 Pre-Show Sneak Peeks Are
Now Online! Enjoy the Music.com just posted valuable
information on over a dozen new products being shown this weekend at
Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) 2019. Our exciting show report is expected to be our most extensive Denver undertaking in all of
RMAF's 16 year history! Please remember to attend Thursday night's media /
exhibitor party as Enjoy the Music.com is sponsoring it. Free drinks on
us! We look forward to seeing everyone in Denver and be sure to check back daily
for show updated too! See our RMAF 2019 show report
at this link.
09 / 04 / 19
Raven Audio Captivates With New Avian Series Int. Amps. Raven Audio
has created three new Avian Series stereo integrated vacuum tube amplifiers. Coming off the assembly line are their Nighthawk MK3, Blackhawk MK3, and Osprey MK3 ($2995, $3795, and $4895 respectively). The 20 Watt per channel Nighthawk Integrated is Raven
Audio's entry-level amplifier, with your choice in tubes on a budget stock all the way to rare NOS triodes. Tube types
include two each 12AT7, 12AT7, 12AU7, and four 6L6GC (self-biasing). "It creates a wideband, smooth, detailed and accurate sound without high frequency roll-off or 'fog'" according to the manufacturer. Audiophile quality gold-plated RCA inputs (six) plus a subwoofer output, and taps for 4 and 8 Ohm speakers. Proprietary output/power
transformers.
Raven Audio's Blackhawk MK3 integrated stereo tube amplifier builds on the same philosophy as the Nighthawk, yet the Blackhawk adds premium custom capacitors and other components within the signal path. The result is a wider and deeper
soundstage. Included in all MK3 integrated amplifiers is a high-pass 6dB crossover for those seeking to integrate an active subwoofer. This provides a modest way to achieve a seamless transition with a good quality
subwoofer.
Their top-of-the-line Ospery MK3 integrated stereo vacuum tube amplifier produces 30 Watts per channel via two each 12AT7
for preamplifier stage, 12AT7 for power amplifier first stage, 12AU7 for phase inverter/driver, and lastly four 6L6GC power tubes. All Raven Audio MK3 series have upgraded boards, audiophile grade 99.95% copper RCA and speaker connectors that accept banana, spade, and bare wire as large as 8
gauge. They says, "The Osprey is an amazingly capable tube amplifier that drives speakers with all delicacy, attention to detail, and musicality of the Nighthawk and Blackhawk but, with even more power and
authority." Raven Audio products are made in the U.S.A. and are built to military specifications.
Hi-Fi+ September 2019 High-End
Audio Magazine Hi-Fi+ magazine's
September 2019 issue features coverage of The North West Audio Show.
There's also a competition where you could win one of three pairs of 1More Triple Driver BT earphones worth £109.99!
Equipment reviews include the Naim Audio Supernait 3 integrated amplifier, CH Precision L1 / X1 dual mono preamplifier / power supplies, YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2 floorstanding loudspeaker, Sonus Faber Electra Amator III stand-mounted speaker, Vitus MP-201 Masterpiece DAC, Kudos Titan 505 stand-mount loudspeaker, Melco N100 networked music server, Gold Note IS-1000 integrated amplifier, Kuzma Stabi S/4Point 9 / Car-40
turntable / tonearm / cartridge, Stack Audio Link USB streaming bridge, and Shunyata Research Alpha USB
cable.
Within Hi-Fi+'s Ultimate Headphone Guide
within this issue are reviews of the HiFiMAN Jade II electrostatic headphone system, Pangea Audio headphone hanger, AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt portable headphone amplifier / DAC, and Cleer FLOW noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones.
Alan Sircom's editorial within the September 2019
issue of Hi-Fi+
says, "The political world is awash with populist politicians railing against globalization, but when it comes to audio, the notion of global brands dominating the audio scene is almost nothing more than a fantasy. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, good audio brands rarely ventured far outside their country of origin; those days are gone, but the notion of global brands dominating the world-wide market is absurd. We still listen parochially; local music for local people." See
what's within this issue of Hi-Fi+
magazine at this
link.
Ginko Audio Introduces Their Sextet Modular Speaker Gingko Audio
will be introducing their Sextet Modular Speaker System ($4995 to $8995) at the Capital Audiofest in November within the Monroe room on the third floor. The Sextet is a collaborative effort that builds upon the Tubulous technology from Gingko Audio, the Swarm from AudioKinesis, and unique cabinet construction from Salk Sound. This speaker system may be configured to heighten the listener's experience with a richer, fuller sound, with up to six components – monitor speakers, a variety of matching subwoofers, and stands.
The Monitor Speakers are built on Gingko Audio's Tubulous technology and experience with the ClaraVu and Clarissa LE speakers. Built on AudioKinesis's Swarm Subwoofer System, the Powered Subwoofers incorporate a built-in amplifier and digital crossover to match the Sextet Monitors. The Primary and Outboard Passive Subwoofers (up to four units) can be driven by an external sub amplifier in various configurations to suit the room's acoustics. Dedicated Stands are designed for the Sextet Monitors and can be weighted with sand or lead shots for added stability and vibration control. Standard finishes are walnut and cherry, with custom finishes available at extra
costs.
09 / 03 / 19
Enjoy the Music.com Celebrates
10 Year Partnership With Hi-Fi World Magazine Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's
celebrated online site since 1995 and a leader in providing
industry news, gear reviews, and show reports, is pleased to celebrate our 10
year anniversary with partner magazine Hi-Fi World. As an independently
owned British magazine, Hi-Fi World specializes in reviewing high-end
audio equipment, think pieces, and audiophile show reports. ---> Read
More
RMAF 2019 Show Is This Weekend!
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 in one location
many major household audio brands from Klipsch and McIntosh to ultra high-end
brands Acora Acoustics, Audio Research, Kimber Kable, Mark Levinson, Nordost, Pro-Ject, VAC and many
others.
RMAF 2019 provides a lively atmosphere of interactive experiences that ranges from engaging with industry engineers, owners and salespeople to live entertainment and formal seminars on a variety of current topics and trends in the audio industry. Many companies present their world-wide debut of new products and, additionally,
may offer discounted show-prices on selected top quality hi-fi equipment. Learn
more about RMAF 2019 at this link.
09 / 02 / 19
Hi-Fi World October Features Reviews & Think Pieces Hi-Fi
World's October 2019 issue features your chance to win a Cambridge Audio AX A35 amplifier and AX C35 CD player worth £600. Gear reviews include the Quadral Orkan 9 loudspeakers, Triangle Esprit Titus EZ bookshelf speakers, Naim NDX Streamer, Audiolab 6000n network player, Densen B150+ amplifier, B&O Beovox C40 loudspeakers, Pro-Ject x1 budget audiophile turntable, Audio Technica OC9x cartridge, Meze Empyrean headphones and more.
Within his editorial, Noel Keywood says "There are upsides and downsides to the measurement of products we carry out. It takes time, using a lot of expensive test equipment – the downside. But it also unearths problems and strange behavior – the upside. Yet measurement rarely draws criticism – even interest. But not so this month as you will read on p75 where we re-test
Audiolab's 6000N streamer."
See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi World
at this link.
09 / 01 / 19
Enjoy the
Music.com's Sept. Review Magazine
Win FiiO's M9 Hi-Res Audio Lossless Music Player! Enjoy the Music.com is honored to join with FiiO for
our September 2019 contest. You could win a FiiO M9 portable Hi-Res Audio
portable music player valued at $299.99! FiiO's M9 Hi-Res Audio portable music player can
handle everything from lossy MP3, OGG, and WMA to true lossless FLAC and WAV files for those who desire
the very best in high-resolution music playback. ---> Read More
RMAF 2019 Show Report Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest
2019 Show Report Featuring a luxury destination at the brand-new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center,
our Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) 2019 show report celebrates
our sweet 16 years 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 in one location
many major household audio brands from Klipsch and McIntosh to ultra high-end
brands Acora Acoustics, Audio Research, Kimber Kable, Mark Levinson, Nordost, Pro-Ject, VAC and many
others. ---> Read More
RMAF, CAF
And NYAS
Plus Our Annual Blue Note Awards Three shows in three months plus
our Best Of 2019 Blue Note Awards!
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin What
do Denver, Washington DC and New York have in common from September through
November? If you guessed luxury audio shows you'd be correct! First up is
Rocky Mountain International Audiofest (RMAF) from September 6th through 9th at
the brand-new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. From November 1st
through 3rd is the Capital Audiofest (CAF) at the Hilton Hotel Rockville (near
DC). Lastly, there's the New York Audio Show (NYAS) at the
city's Park Lane
Hotel by Central Park from November 8th through 10th. Let's take a look at
each show, and then sum things up shall we? ---> Read More
Why Listen? Roger Skoff writes about the very essence of our hobby.
Article
By Roger Skoff If you've read any of my other articles in this publication or elsewhere, you know that
I've always advocated listening as the final basis for any audio decision: Spending your time poring over spec sheets; reading reviews – regardless of how many, by whom, or in which magazine or blog – and even discussing the latest products, systems, or
"software", with your friends or fellow audiophiles (even learnedly and with great passion) are simply not adequate substitutes for the evidence of your own
ears. ---> Read More
Copland CTA 408
Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier A tube amplifier in disguise.
Review By
Dr. Phil Gold It has been seven
years since I reviewed the Copland CTA 506 Power amp which I liked very much at
the time and is still available today. From my 2012 review of the CTA 506:
The Copland CTA 506 combines classic design with the latest
developments in vacuum tubes to create an impressive and attractively priced
power amp that seems equally at home across musical genres. It stands up well
against the other power amps – tube and silicon based – that have been through
my listening room. --->
Read More
World Premiere Review! ELAC Alchemy DDP-2 DAC/Pre/Streaming End-Point A benchmark accomplishment!
Review By Greg Weaver Audiophiles
exploring the boundaries of Red Book CD playback from the early to late
nineteen-nineties will no doubt recall California based Audio Alchemy gear with
great fondness; I know I do! Founded on the inspired design and engineering of
one Peter Madnick, Audio Alchemy almost single-handedly set the stage for the
acceptance and ascent of multi-box Compact Disc playback systems. Initially
offering their lineup of very affordable yet remarkably high-performance
outboard DACs... --->
Read More
Legacy Audio Powerbloc2 Stereo
Power Amplifier A great value Class D stereo amplifier!
Review By Rick Becker When
I first discovered high end audio nearly 30 years ago, my economic circumstances
and skepticism of the value of products kept me in tortoise mode. The real value
of tortoise mode early on was to allow me time to learn how to listen and time
to experience of a lot of gear at audio shows to learn what my personal acoustic
and aesthetic values were. As the decades have rolled on, my ability to spend
larger sums of money has increased but the pace has remained in the tortoise
league. --->
Read More
Melco N10 Music Server
And PS10 Power Supply Enveloping sound that activates all my audiophile senses!
Review By Tom Lyle By now, the music server
shouldn't be a foreign concept to
most audiophiles. When servers first began to be a part of our digital
front-ends, all that most audiophiles wanted and needed were designers to
provide a convenient way to play their music files. Since then, enough research
and development have gone into designing and building music servers that there
are now plenty of options available at many different price points. Today, the
name of the game is sound quality. Melco has upped the ante by providing not
only a perfectionist audio module, but one that has its own outboard power
supply connected to it in order to increase the level of sound quality. ---> Read
More
Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.3 Preamplifier A neutral presentation that excels in micro dynamics and harmonics.
Review By Dean Cacioppo In
my humble opinion, the two most under appreciated aspects of high-end audio are
room acoustics/speaker placement and the preamplifier. These are the unsung
heroes of the best sounding audio systems in the world. Speakers are generally front and center - kinda like a
quarterback for a great football team. The power amplifier and the speakers
complete the final circuit in audio reproduction, so the matching of the power
amp and the speaker is crucial. --->
Read More
World Premiere Review!
Audiomods Series Six Tonearm It takes a great tonearm to get the best from your cartridge.
Review By Clive Meakins The
Audiomods Series Six is the first totally in-house all-Audiomods tonearm.
Previous versions up to the Five relied upon the ubiquitous Rega arm-tube,
albeit a modified version. Jeff Spall is Audiomods; it's his business based on
his tremendous interest in vinyl replay and tube amplifiers. Jeff is an
enormously practical "un-tweaky" audiophile. Over 10 years ago Jeff started out
by modifying Rega arms; as the years progressed there became less and less Rega
content in the Audiomods arms and upgrade kits ---> Read
More
Read
All Articles, Reviews, And Show Reports
We
have many more reviews, show reports and think pieces than shown above, so
be sure to read this month's edition of Enjoy
the Music.com's Review Magazine at this link.
08 / 29 / 19
Best Of 2019 Blue Note Equipment Awards Enjoy the Music.com celebrates the best
hi-fi gear of 2019! Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's
celebrated online site since 1995 and a leader in providing
industry news, gear reviews, and show reports, is pleased to announce our Best
Of 2019 Blue Note Awards. Enjoy the Music.com's
Best Of 2019 Blue Note Awards celebrates the many great achievements
by audiophile manufacturers within the high-end audio and Hi-Res Audio industry. ---> Read More
McIntosh MA352 Integrated Stereo
Hybrid Amplifier McIntosh
Lab's new MA352 hybrid integrated stereo amplifier
features a vacuum tube preamplifier mated with a solid-state amplification
($6500). An all analog design, McIntosh's MA352 preamplifier section is powered by a pair of 12AX7A and a pair of 12AT7 vacuum tubes. Its output stage is a direct coupled solid-state amplifier that produces 200 Watts per channel into 8 Ohm speakers (320 Watts into 4 Ohm). Classic dual scale McIntosh blue Watt meters give an accurate readout of power output.
McIntosh's MA352 has two XLR balanced and three RCA unbalanced stereo inputs plus a moving magnet (MM) phono input with adjustable loading. On the back are high quality gold-plated speaker binding posts to help prevent corrosion and ensure a quality signal is sent to the speakers. A stereo preamplifier output is available for connecting another amplifier; it can also be used to connect up to two powered subwoofers.
The MA352 is packed with numerous McIntosh technologies including Power Guard, Sentry Monitor, McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks, High Drive headphone amplifier with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD), five-band analog tone control (each band adjustable by +/-12dB), Home Theater Pass Through, Power Control, and Data Ports.
08 / 28 / 19
Schiit Asgard 3 Headamp/DAC/Pre & Bifrost 2 DAC Schiit Audio just announced their new Asgard 3 modular headphone amplifier /
DAC / preamplifier and Bifrost 2 upgradeable DAC ($199 and $600 on up depending on configuration). The Asgard 3 headphone amp offers 3.5x the output power of its predecessor (3.5W @ 32 Ohms), as well as a modular architecture for configuration as an amp/DAC as well as just an amp. The Bifrost 2 DAC debuts Schiit's new Unison USB input and Autonomy platform, which enables user upgrades for both hardware and firmware
— without returning the DAC to the factory. It also adds remote control and balanced outputs, and uses Gungnir-class AD5781 DACs.
Asgard 3 moves from Class A to Schiit's proprietary Continuity output stage, shared with Lyr 3 and Aegir. Continuity extends the benefits of Class A outside of the Class A bias region, addressing the problem of transconductance droop identified by Bob Cordell and John Broskie. Asgard 3 runs 500mW of Class A bias, so it's running Class A for most headphone loads. However, when required, it can also deliver its full output of 3.5 Watts RMS per channel into 32 Ohms, both channels driven. It can be configured with an uprated AK4490 or True Multibit DAC module for a single-box desktop solution.
Schiit's Bifrost 2 DAC offers XLR balanced output as well as unbalanced RCA
output. There's now a remote control for input select, mute, and phase invert. The 18-bit Analog Devices AD5781ARUZ D/A converter is an upgrade to the previous 16-bit AD5547. Unison
USB — a elevates USB input performance. DAC cards are replaceable from the back of the product for easy hardware updates, and firmware changes are handled with an external MicroSD card slot.
FiiO K5 Pro Desktop Hi-Res Audio DAC With Headamp FiiO's K5 Pro ($219.99) all-in-one desktop DAC and headphone amplifier solution for Hi-Res Audio playback. Features include high-end AK4493 and XMOS XUF208 chips with USB DAC that decodes up to 32-bit/768kHz. Digital inputs include USB, S/PDIF coaxial and TosLink optical. Analog outputs are both
1/4" / 6.35mm and stereo RCA. FiiO's K5 Pro desktop stereo DAC with
headphone amplifier follows the success of their K5.
Fiio's K5 Pro high-quality headphone amplifier output offers three gain settings, High / Mid / Low, which accommodate a variety of headphone sensitivities. There are blue/green/yellow three-color RGB sampling rate indicator on K5 Pro. For connections, the K5 pro offers stereo RCA inputs and outputs, as well as a
1650mW/channel balanced output via TRS 1/4" / 6.35 mm. A USB port is offered as a pass-through for USB functions such as USB storage read/write and USB DAC functions. The K5 Pro ships with a power supply. FiiO's K5 Pro dimensions are 120.5 x 130 x 55 mm.
08 / 27 / 19
Artisan Silver Cables Ultimate Silver Network
Cable Artisan Silver Cables now offers their Ultimate Silver Network Ethernet cable constructed from pure silver wire
(£399 for one meter length). The cable features eight 26AWG individually insulated pure silver conductors arranged in a noise-rejecting braided configuration. The cable is also shielded to avoid
unwanted external electrical noise. Ultimate Silver Network cable employs Telegartner high-end RJ45 plugs. The cable comes in lengths from 0.5 to 4.5 meters.
08 / 26 / 19
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors
RMAF's
Industry / Press Party Plus All Seminars Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's celebrated online site since 1995 and a leader in providing industry news, gear reviews, and show reports, is pleased to announce that we're sponsoring the 16th annual Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) Thursday night industry / press party plus all event seminars.
For nearly 25 years, Enjoy the Music.com has been a major resource for information about consumer electronics high-end audio industry and high resolution / streaming music on the
Internet. ---> Read
More
STEREO Magazine #23 Now
Online / Free Download
This issue of STEREO Magazine features an article concerning active speakers, plus reviews of the Smart Vento 9, Phonar P4 Match Air floorstander, Piega Premium Wireless 501 floorstanders, Quadral Aurum Alpha speakers, Triangle Sensa SN 03A monitors, AVM R 5.3 turntable, Dali Oberon 1 bookshelf speaker. This month we're featuring the
review of T+A's SDV3100HV streaming DAC and PDT3100HV Disc
Drive. Other articles and reviews include reel-to-reel with Phillips N4522 and Revox A 700, Gauder DARC 60 floorstanding speaker,
NAD M10 amplifier, and Focal Stellia
headphones.
Within his editorial, Volker Pigors says "It is remarkable how the increasing globalization is spreading – also into our segment of hi-fi and high-end music reproduction. We can easily learn about loudspeakers, devices and accessories from all over the world via the web and social media, research them and even acquire them with relative ease. Sometimes it happens via traditional distribution channels, but increasingly also via purchase directly from the manufacturers."
See what's within this issue of STEREO
Magazine and download the entire issue for free at this
link.
08 / 23 / 19
Hiromi Spectrum On Telarc Coming In
October
When she recorded her solo piano debut, Place to Be in 2009, Hiromi was on the eve of her 30th birthday. She realized that the album would offer a snapshot of the chapter just ending, the ways in which her experiences and personal growth had shaped her sound over the course of her 20s. She decided then that she would revisit the solo format at least once a decade, building a sonic portrait of her evolution and artistry.
Hiromi's Spectrum album showcases a dazzling evocation of the vibrant array of colors that imbue her music. Due for release October 4, 2019 on Telarc, a division of Concord Records,
Spectrum celebrates the maturity and depth that have enriched Hiromi's composing and playing.
As a whole, Spectrum is a vibrant tour of the rainbow panorama of Hiromi's jazz sound; in contrast with
Place To Be it's an enthralling encapsulation of her musical maturity. "I feel I'm a little closer to the piano," Hiromi concludes. "All the pianists that I really respect not only love but are loved by the piano, and that's the relationship that I would love to build through my life."
08 / 22 / 19
Reference 3A Reflector Stand Mounted Monitor
A speaker to live with... for a lifetime.
Review By
Tom Lyle
Don't bother skipping to the conclusion of this review, as I'll
tell you right now: The Reference 3A Reflector is a great speaker. If one has
been searching for a stand-mounted speaker anywhere near its asking price of
$12,000, these are the speakers to get. Not only do they do everything that one
would expect of for a speaker of its size and price, but much, much more. --->
Read More
08 / 21 / 19
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.
It come with latest Bluetooth 5.0, with their CS43198 being capable of DSD over PCM (DSD DoP) up to DSD256 and PCM 32-bit/384kHz. The chip makers also advertise a THD+N of approximately 115dB.
The DX160 design is relatively compact measuring in at 113 x 69 x 15mm. A glossy glass rear panel and matte black anodized finish on tan aluminum chassis is standard, with other colors being available.
Analog headphone output is 4.4mm balanced with a voltage of 6.4Vrms. Frequency response is from 10Hz to 40kHz, SNR is 130dB, and THD+N is 0.00022%. There's also a standard 3.5mm stereo headphone output as well, with an output voltage of 3.2Vrms. When fully charged, the battery
provides 13 hours of playback time. The unit weights 178 grams.
08 / 20 / 19
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. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn illustrations and
eight sound-chip buttons that play short bursts of iconic pieces of music, this unique book brings to life some of the greatest composers throughout history.
Readers will be introduced to the genius of legendary artists such as Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Elgar, Handel, Verdi, Vivaldi and Strauss, and will experience their lives, inspirations and music as never before. In addition to high-quality sound chips, a unique QR code allows access to a bespoke landing page on Classic FM's website allowing readers to listen to full versions of the music featured in the book. It is an excellent gift for the music lover at any age in your life.
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