High-End Audio Reviews / Hi-Fi Audiophile Equipment Review Magazine

High-End Audio / Audiophile Equipment Reviews And Think Pieces
March 2020

Live Streams Now Available For On-Demand Viewing
Enjoy the Music.com To Rebroadcast Our Live Stream Of Blues Masters At The Crossroads 2014
The 2014 Blues Masters at the Crossroads event at Blue Heaven Studios, celebrating the 17th year as the preeminent authentic Blues concert in the world, featured performances by Rip Lee Pryor, Moreland & Arbuckle, Marquise Knox, Big George Brock, Kim Wilson, Joe Beard, Lazy Lester, Mighty Sam McClain, Sonny Green, Kim Wilson with Billy Flynn, and Bernard Allison. Taking place in Salina, Kansas, October 17th and 18th (2014) at a converted 1925 church sanctuary, the musical gospel continues to resonate within the walls of this historic building.
---> Read More

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report
Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show In Tampa, Florida.
The Florida Audio Expo was at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore from February 7th through 9th. Free admission granted access to 66 exhibitors — up from last year's total of 41. Many of these exhibitors unveiled new products, giving attendees the opportunity of being among the first to experience some of the best high-performance audio equipment — electronics, loudspeakers, turntables, headphones, and more — from all over the world.
---> Read More

Win An Audio Note UK IZero Vacuum Tube Int. Amp.
Win a vacuum tube integrated amplifier valued at $2480!
For Audio Note UK's Zero range, they decided to design an integrated amplifier rather than a preamplifier / power amplifier combination. The result is the IZero Integrated Amplifier ($2480), and it has exceeded all of this British company's expectations. Offering a level of performance that was previously considered unthinkable for an amplifier of such diminutive size and price, the IZero really is something very special. It is said to produce a bold, rich, smooth, and delicate performance, whilst offering a level of fine detail finesse that is quite incredible!
---> Read More

"I Suspect My Tastes Are More Esoteric Than Yours."
Said a show attendee to me during FLAX 2020.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Like many comedians, audio journalists get great article (joke) ideas during our experience within the world we experience around us. Am sure our readers know that the Florida Audio Expo (FLAX) the past month was a resounding success! Exhibit rooms were up ~50%(!), from around 44 in 2019 to 61 in 2020 as I recall. The mix of attendees are also perhaps one of the most vibrant and varied of any American event too!
---> Read More

How To Waste Money By Saving It
Roger Skoff writes about buying a music system.
Article By Roger Skoff
I was married when I bought my first really good stereo component, an ultra-high-end (for the 1980s) preamp that been highly praised in a review by Harry Pearson, and that I was able to buy – unheard and unseen – through a friend in the industry, at a very good price. Even with the friendly discount, it was still a lot of money, though, and the way I justified it to my wife was by telling her that it was a "state-of-the-art" piece, and that we could, therefore, be sure to have and enjoy it for many years to come, without ever needing to buy anything better.
---> Read More

Is Being An Immersivephile^TM The Next Evolution...
We live in a world that bathes us in sound from all directions.
Thought For Food (Strike That, Reverse It) By Steven R. Rochlin
Wikipedia says that "Modern stereophonic technology was invented in the 1930s by British engineer Alan Blumlein at EMI, who patented stereo records, stereo films, and also surround sound." Many of us agree going from single channel mono to stereo brought forth many aural / spatial benefits. Two ears, two speakers; seems very simple on the surface doesn't it? It also meant there was a bit more effort involved by the home listener going from mono to stereo in achieving the very best from this new 1930's audio playback format. Naturally the music loving press followed along.
---> Read More

Cirque pour les Oreilles
Roger Skoff writes about technology and enjoyment.
Article By Roger Skoff
Have you ever seen the Cirque du Soleil? Whether you see it live or in one of its many televised performances, it's a wonder and a glory... and an incredible feat of work. Trained circus performers — already athletes of the highest skill and at the peak of physical fitness — work for months with coaches, choreographers, musicians, and costume and scenic designers to produce a show that's truly remarkable; in many ways, genuinely awesome; and always entertaining.
---> Read More

Meet The Maker: Audio Research Corporation Celebrates 50 Years Of Innovation And Share Interesting Insights With NOVO
An Interview with Jeff Poggi, CEO/President of Audio Research, and Warren Gehl, Design Engineer and Aural Evaluator
Interview By Suave Kajko of NOVO Magazine
Audio Research's musical story began in 1970 when the company was founded by William Zane (Bill) Johnson, former owner of Electronic Industries, a specialty audio store in Minneapolis. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Audio Research developed iconic tube-based preamplifier and amplifier designs that captivated the hearts and minds of music lovers and biggest audio critics of the time.
---> Read More

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Greg Roberts Of Volti Audio
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 Greg Roberts of Volti Audio. He started back in 2009 building upgrade parts for Klipsch Khorn speakers, which is still a part of his business today. Parts developed for Khorns led Greg into his first complete speaker design, the Vittora.
---> Read More

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Scott Bierfeldt, Founder Of Verdant Audio
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 Scott Bierfeldt, Founder of Verdant Audio. As part of their mission, Verdant products are all assembled in the USA and as many parts are manufactured or sourced from USA-based companies wherever possible.
---> Read More

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Peter Qvortrup Of Audio Note UK
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 Peter Qvortrup of Audio Note UK. Audio Note UK manufacturers some of the finest domestic audio reproduction equipment money can buy, using the best available technology and the finest components.
---> Read More

10 Questions For High-End Audio Manufacturers
Featuring Marco Manunta Of M2Tech
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 Marco Manunta. M2Tech is an award winning consumer electronics manufacturer enabling computer audio playback, DAC / ADC, Class A headamps, phono stages, pre / power amplifiers, and USB to S/PDIF signal converters.
---> Read More

Interview With Da-Hong Seetoo
Grammy award-winning classical music producer and engineer.
Article By Robert Moon
Da-Hong Seetoo began playing the violin at age two and a half. Seetoo's mother was a pianist and his father was a violinist who taught at the Shanghai Conservatory. He grew up during China's Cultural Revolution (1966 through 1976) and had to practice with the windows closed because Western music was forbidden. His father was able to purchase — at great expense — a Telefunken reel-to-reel hybrid (tube and transistor) tape deck so he could copy any of the recordings that were circulated underground.
---> Read More

Painting, Music, And The Language Of Sound Reproduction
Creating a connection between the performer and the listener.
Article By Jules Coleman
Thee following is the first of a series of think pieces on audio reproduction. This one focuses on the relationship between the language we employ in discussing and evaluating paintings and how certain terms that are important in the lexicon of the visual arts like 'tonal pallet,' 'resolution' and 'reproduction' can help us better understand what we should seek in a first rate audio playback system.
---> Read More

Officine Panerai Luminor GMT 44MM PAM01033
Wear a bit of Italian history on your wrist.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Panerai watches are a natural blend of Italian design, Swiss technology, and passion for the sea says the company. Also known as Officine Panerai, this luxurious Italian watch manufacturer was founded by Giovanni Panerai within Florence, Italy, back in 1860.
---> Read More

Golden Hills Coffee Roasters
A coffee and espresso lovers dream bean.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Based in sunny Groveland, Florida, you'll find Golden Hills Coffee Roasters who are a family-owned company roasting custom blends of specially prepared and roasted coffee beans for both Americana and espresso. Their artisan handcrafted micro coffee roasting is done by hand, in the classic method, which allows them to carefully control the process using sight, sound and smell for every part of the roasting process. They feel that the fresher your coffee, the better. And that's why they do roasts each week.
---> Read More

Timex Marlin Automatic 40mm Timepiece
An automatic mechanical timepiece does not need to cost a fortune.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Here's proof that luxurious, and classic, styling does not need to cost a fortune for an automatic wind mechanical timepiece. Timex's Marlin Automatic 40mm leather strap watch ($249, TW2T22800Z) won't be the most accurate, or finely decorated movement watch, yet is a great entry-level timepiece from a longstanding brand. Timex's iconic 1960s Marlin case gets an aesthetic refresh for 2020. Ticking inside is a tried and true 21 jewel automatic movement, creating a contemporary timepiece that honors the company's watch-making history.
---> Read More

Sonus Faber Nova II Floorstanding Speakers
These are immensely sexy speakers with the build quality, and attention to detail, that you would expect on an Italian sports car.
Review By Dean Cacioppo
Let's get this started with a hi-fi thought exercise. When does a loudspeaker become something that is considered a luxury item? Is $1000 per pair of speakers a luxury item? How about a $5000 pair? What about those that are priced at $100,000? Although we all may have a different idea of what luxury is, we all know when we are in the presence of something that is truly luxurious.
---> Read More

Soulution 511 Stereo Amplifier
An iron fist in a velvet glove.
Review By Phil Gold
I've written before about Soulution Audio, the high end Swiss manufacturer. Their entry level amp, the 330 Integrated Amp, was the subject of my 2018 review and I admit to being astonished at its capabilities. My conclusion ran "when the recording is of the highest caliber, the 330 is sensationally good over virtually every dimension of sound that I can think of, and I give it my fullest recommendation for an integrated amplifier. I have never been sadder to have to pack up a review component".
---> Read More

CH Precision I1 Universal Integrated Amplifier
A new paradigm for the integrated amplifier platform.
Review By Greg Weaver
CH Precision was founded by Florian Cossy and Thierry Heeb, two alumni of the highly influential and innovative Swiss high-end audio firm Goldmund. Given the wide-reaching acclaim and the host of industry awards they have garnered since their founding, it is hard to believe this company is just rounding out its first decade! For reasons that will become clearer as you get further into this evaluation, I must preface this examination by noting that my experiences with their early offerings had left me somewhat wanting.
---> Read More

YG Acoustics Hailey 2.2 Floorstanding Loudspeaker
The middleweight contender....
Review By Phil Gold
Cards on the table. I've owned the YG Carmel and the YG Carmel 2, each of which I've reviewed in these pages in January 2012 and July 2015 respectively. You can read them here and weep. I'm addicted to the ultra-high resolution, low distortion, lightning reflexes, dynamic range and the holographic imaging of the Carmel speakers. They are not for everyone. Due to the particular way they are constructed from billets of aircraft grade aluminum, they cost a lot of money, and due to their relatively small size, they don't reach down all that deep. The sealed box design does provide a superbly fast accurate bass, but while the quality is high, the quantity is limited.
---> Read More

Focal Chora 806 Stand-Mounted Loudspeakers
'Slatefiber' cones are the talking point for the latest affordable range from the French speaker specialists. Kevin Fiske was looking forward to getting to grips with this bookshelf model.
Review By Kevin Fiske Of HIFICRITIC
At a retail price of £600, or a sub-£400 street price on eBay, Focal's new Chora 806 two-way bookshelf speaker is an intriguing package. Engineered and built by the French manufacturer in the same facility at Saint-Étienne that makes the £130,000 Focal Grande Utopia III Evo, the Chora 806 is intended, says Focal, as an uber-affordable first rung on the audio ladder. The visual cues offered by the 806 speakers say 'stand mounter,' but it is a mistake to ignore the word 'bookshelf' in the product name.
---> Read More

Audio Research DAC9 Digital-To-Analog Converter
An organic sound that draws you into the music.
Review By Tom Lyle
This past summer I was in a showroom auditioning a new line of speakers that included a system that was made up of mostly Audio Research components. Even though I heard four other products from that same line of speakers that day, it was their smallest model that impressed me the most. As it just so happens, this system included the Audio Research DAC9 digital-to-analog converter that is the focus of this review.
---> Read More

Musical Fidelity M6s Stereo DAC Review
A solution for almost every problem? On paper, Musical Fidelity's new M6sDAC fulfills just about every possible requirement for this type of device.
Review By Michael Lang Of STEREO Magazine
For years, D/A converters were an endangered species. Many a manufacturer who had focused his attention on these devices has by now vanished into oblivion. However, as soon as DAC sales hit rock bottom they experienced a comeback of unprecedented proportions. Hardly surprising when considering the large number of digital devices nowadays are used for music playback.
---> Read More

Nessie Vinylcleaner Pro LP Washer / Cleaner
Far more fun than washing the dishes!
An elegant and effective record cleaning machine too!
Review By Rick Becker
In the early 1990's, as I was starting my audiophile journey, I scurried from garage sale to garage sale collecting old LPs that people were dumping in the belief that vinyl was dead. Having bartered for a vintage Linn LP12, vinyl was just being born in my mind as I purchased records for dimes on the dollar that I couldn't afford "back in the day." Even though I inspected each one before purchasing, it was clear that most needed cleaning – dust and fingerprints being the biggest culprits, and sometimes mold.
---> Read More

Audience aR6-T4 Power Conditioner
With upgraded frontRow powerChords and standard powerChord SE-i.
Review By Dr. Matthew Clott
The opportunity to review new models of familiar equipment is similar to catching up with an old friend. I have enjoyed, owned and respected Audience cables and conditioners since the original Adept Response was released and the "Original" powerChord first hit the proverbial scene. The Au24 power cables were the epitome of neutrality and their speaker wire and interconnects magically conveyed the full auditory picture in an inconceivably thin cable that defied logic and belied current trends of bigger must be better cable etiologies.
---> Read More

Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo System Review
A new audiophile experience.
Review By Bob Grossman
Bowers & Wilkins Formation System is a recent development in a self powered and streaming type of music system that comes from the highly regarded and prestigious firm of Bowers & Wilkins. The design is multi faceted and has numerous speaker choices and applications to make it very user friendly. Because of the highly sophisticated design, all of the speakers have the ability to be linked to operate together throughout the home locations or separately in various zones which can easily be switched to independent choices of music.
---> Read More

Complete System Review! Total System $5475!
Featuring Focal Chora 826 speakers, Outlaw 2160 integrated amplifer, Bluesound NODE 2i Music Server, SVS SB 2000 active subwoofers, and Kimber Kables.
Review By Frank Iacone Of HiFiAudio.Guru
My first system review for the HifiAudio.Guru was my first venture into a complete HiFi system review in over 15 years. Selecting new components for this review was exciting and brought back memories of when I had a dedicated listening room. When my middle daughter moved out to attend medical school, I saw the opportunity to maximize utility and use the room on the second floor for our new dedicated listening room. The room, measuring 14.5' x 20', is perfect for listening to music.
---> Read More

StereoPravda SPearphone SB-3.5
Audiophile in-ear monitors reviewed.
Review By Alan Gary Barker Of Headphone.Guru
The SPearphone SB-3.5 is the latest product of Russian manufacturer StereoPravda, one of the more unique IEM manufacturers I have come in contact with. Their no-compromise, no-holds-barred approach to audio has made them unique in several ways. For one, their IEMs are not jewelry, they are not even pretty, if that is what you are looking for, then look elsewhere. Also, since they are designed to fit deep into your ear canal, along with their almost comically large speaker cables, they are not exactly comfortable, and I, for one, would be hesitant to wear them out jogging.
---> Read More

World Premiere Review!
Vincent SP-332 Stereo Hybrid Power Amplifier
Proving amplifier burn-in will deliver delightful results!
Review By Ron Nagle
Almost every month I see Vincent Audio within the Audio Adviser catalog sent to my mailbox. But of course there are other retailers that sell Vincent audio components. Just to name two, you can check out Upscale Audio and of course Amazon too.... Although the SP-332 stereo solid-state amplifier as reviewed here is the latest iteration of the Vincent Hybrid amplifier line, it was in fact preceded by two earlier versions. First was the SP-331, and later the SP-331MK amplifiers.
---> Read More

AGD "The Audion" GaNTube Monoblocks
Class D reaches the upper echelon of high-end audio.
Review By Rick Becker
Back at the turn of the millennium you could put together a pretty good audio system for $10,000, and you could listen to many of those components in a local brick & mortar store if you lived in a decent size city. Sure there was some stratospherically priced gear in the $10,000 to $20,000 range you might be able to see if you went to one of the audio shows on the left or right coasts. Then along came "quantitative easing" and the internet. Gear got more expensive, the brick & mortar landscape eroded and major as well as regional audio shows proliferated.
---> Read More

Pro-Ject X2 Vinyl LP Turntable
Easy to set up and very easy to use. You will not be disappointed.
Review By Tom Lyle
As the technology advances, it's only natural for any decent audio manufacturer to take advantage of this new technology. And so, when Pro-Ject was faced with improving upon their Debut and Xpression series of turntables, which are both very successful designs, they decided to, in their words, "improve on the technologies that had already been established". As a result, Pro-Ject introduced their X1 and X2 turntables. The X2, the subject of this review, besides many other improvements, makes the most of higher quality raw materials to use in its production (even though they are more difficult to source).
---> Read More

Triode Connected Pentodes
Article By Herb Reichert of Eddy Electronic Inc.
From Sound Practices Issue 2, Fall 1992
Back in 1955, some of the big audio issues were: Which provides higher fidelity, triodes or pentodes? Feedback or no feedback? Active or passive? Solid core or stranded wire? Does this all sound familiar?

It Is Not A Gang, It Is A Club
Editorial From VALVE Issue 1 / 2, February 1994
A sampling of tube amplifier prices from the October 1993 Stereophile Recommended Components list: Air Tight ATM-2 $6995, ARC Classic 60 $3995, Sonic Frontiers SFS-80 $2895. Yes, the price of admission to the world of euphonic, liquid midrange is plainly exorbitant. Handcrafting, limited production, and hype all work to drive the price of new tube equipment ever higher. But what about used gear?
---> Read More

Furutech NCF Cable Booster-Signal
Life often contains hidden gems awaiting exploration.
Review By Jeremy Kipnis
Sometimes, you can't help but get giddy about a product that most everyone is going to gripe that, "It can't possibly work!" But the fact is the highly debatable yet finely engineered Furutech NCF Booster-Signal I've been lucky enough to be closely reviewing these past few months clearly improves the clarity, focus, resolution, and musical enjoyment...
---> Read More

How A Vinyl Record Is Made
We tour Quality Record Pressings / Acoustic Sounds vinyl LP pressing plant.
Enjoy the Music.com and Enjoy the Music.TV presents to you our video tour of the Quality Record Pressings (Acoustic Sounds) vinyl LP pressing plant. We join plant manager Gary and owner Chad Kassem as they take us on a step-by-step journey through how a vinyl LP record is produced. Creative Director of Enjoy the Music.com Steven R. Rochlin guides you on his Quality Vinyl Pressings factory tour to learn how they produce a vinyl LP.
---> See the video of how a vinyl LP is made at this link.

CES / THE Show And Remembering A True Legend...
Kondo-san Of Audio Note Japan.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Obviously January brings many within the Enjoy the Music.com staff, including myself, to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronic Show 2008 and THE Show 2008. Usually i spill quite a bit of cyber-ink about this, yet loyal readers know the drill. i post a pre-show report followed by daily updates each day during the events. Have already posted quite a bit within the pre-show report, so get a head start in hearing about the many new products when you have a chance! What i'd really like to talk about is something that happened at last year's THE Show. Specifically, the passing of chief designer and owner of Audio Note Japan, Hiroyasu Kondo-san.
---> Read More

Mojo Audio Mystique V3 Non-Oversampling R-2R Hi-Res Audio DAC
The art and science of high resolution digital audio today.
Review By Jeremy R. Kipnis
Back in April of 1980, when I was a lad of 15, I went to a recording session that featured one of the new digital tape recorders. This big device on wheels translated the microphone's sound into binary ones and zeros and recorded it on special 1/4" reel-to-reel tape. This process, known as Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC), resulted in a near perfect approximation of the incoming signal, unlike traditional analog magnetic tape, which requires special biasing and noise reduction.
---> Read More

Extreme Hi-Fi
Ecumenical Style
Article by Jeff Rabin, The Ecumenical Audiophile
Some readers expressed confusion at what I meant in my last column when I wrote: And I also dismiss the, to me anyway, implausible idea of perfectly recreating a past acoustical event in the comfort of my lounge, though I still believe it is a goal worth aiming for even if it cannot be achieved. This is not quite the bald contradiction it would appear. To explain what is meant, it is worthwhile to bring the existentialist Dane Soren Kierkegaard's (b. 1813, d. 1855) concept of the Knight of Infinite Faith to the table.
---> Read More

Manley Labs Absolute Headphone Amplifier
The makings of a legend!
Review By Gary Alan Barker Of Headphone.Guru
Back in the late nineteen eighties I ran a small boutique by appointment only high end Hi-Fi shop, and at that time our preamplifier of choice was the Manley (their first and only product at the time if my memory serves correctly), which we considered to be the finest audio product in the world. Not long after that, Manley moved into pro audio which they quickly took by storm and has remained their primary focus ever since.
---> Read More

World Premiere Review!
Stromtank S2500 Battery Power Supply
The joys of a pure sine wave with battery power.
Review By Tom Lyle
I've been stricken with something I like to call an "audiophile illusion of grandeur" for quite some time. It started long ago, when I first discovered that the AC power supplied to my stereo system was less than adequate. This wasn't too difficult to figure out, because in the daytime my system sounded lousy, at least compared to how it sounded at night. This continues to this day. This is because my home shares the power my electric company provides with many customers, including commercial establishments, homes, and more. As a result, the sound of my system suffers.
---> Read More

GIK 4A Alpha Panel Diffusors
One of the best values to treating any good listening room.
Review By Rick LaFaver
I have always been a staunch advocate of adding room acoustic devices as an integral part of any high quality sound system. That is unless you listen within an anechoic chamber or a padded cell. There are many different ways to handle standing waves whether it is DSP, diffusion, wide spectrum, or narrow spectrum absorption. GIK 4A Alpha Panel Diffusors are a great way to improve your listening room and here's why: Two of the most important elements in creating the foundation of any great listening room are choosing a world class speaker and an acoustic treatment plan that tames any anomalies in your room of choice.
---> Read More

Previous Issues

2020

January / February March

2019

January/February March/April May/June

July/August September/October November / December

2018

January/February March/April May/June

July/August September/October November/December

2017

January/February March/April May/June

July/August September/October November/December