High-End Audio / Audiophile
/ Immersivephile Premium Luxury Hi-Fi Equipment Reviews And Show Reports
October
2022
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Capital Audiofest
2022 Happy Hour
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 Capital
Audiofest's 'Happy Hour'. Vendors and members of the press will join us for complimentary food and beverage on
Thursday night.
Enjoy the Music.com loves luxury premium audio, and so we're inviting both
exhibitors and members of the press to join us from 6:00 pm through 8:00 pm at the Hilton Hotel
Olive's Restaurant / Bar on Thursday night. We look forward to seeing you there!
--->
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors Capital Audiofest 2022 Happy Hour.
Toronto Audiofest 2022
Show Report
Updated 10/30:
The Toronto Audiofest 2022 show, held from October 21st
through 23rd, featured Canada's
luxury high-technology home audio showcase. It brought together hundreds of premium audio brands featuring the
very best audio and video equipment from around the world! You could hear, touch, and compare it in
many floors of demo rooms and is the perfect place to come if
you're considering acquiring a complete system or only a new piece of equipment.
During the event there was inspiring live music plus
Enjoy the Music.com sponsored the Saturday night Industry Dinner!
We're updating our Toronto Audiofest 2022 show coverage often, so check back
daily for more.
---> Toronto Audiofest 2022 Show Report.
Hi-Fi And Music Industry News
Essential high-end audio news you need to know.
Enjoy the Music.com posts audiophile news virtually every day.
Listen To What
You Like
Roger makes a shocking suggestion.
Article
By Roger Skoff
Do
you remember the Knights Templar? Or the story of King Arthur and the search for
the Holy Grail? In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, they actually
found it, and to everyone's surprise, it turned out not to be some
jewel-encrusted chalice, designed and fit for the use of kings or better, but
the simple clay vessel of a carpenter or a man of the people. As portrayed in the movie, the significance of
the Grail lay not in what it was made of, but in the way that it was regarded by
those who beheld it. Perhaps surprisingly, there's a fairly good parallel to
that in High-End audio. Our Holy Grail – the thing so many of us have
always sought – has always been (at least after Harry Pearson first described
it as such ) "the absolute sound": a perfect reproduction of the experience of
hearing live music played in person. That was my hope for years, too, and it's been
the goal of most of the audiophiles I've known, ever since I first got into this
hobby....
---> Listen To What You Like.
STEREO
Sound Education Sessions In America
Crazy idea becomes a big hit at an American high school.
Report By Matthias Böde
Teaching young people about hi-fi, its possibilities and its potential for
fascination is Matthias Böde's favorite subject and a matter close to his
heart. In 2019, for example, our "Mr. Workshop" utilized the
connection between PREMIUM PARTNER Reiner Kemper in Ulm and the local technical
high school to give senior students an insight into high-quality music
reproduction, taking into account their personal interests. For the teenagers,
it was a school trip into the hi-fi field that was as unusual as it was
delightful, and which found its way into (German) STEREO issue 3/2020 as
a workshop. Benjamin Rehberg, hi-fi enthusiast and STEREO reader
living in New York, also read the article and was impressed by its approach.
--->
STEREO Sound Education Sessions In America.
The MoFi Mess
If the company comes clean about what
it's done....
Editorial By Jonathan Valin
A scandal has cropped up in the
tiny world of high-end audio — and it's cropped up in a place you'd never
expect. Turns out that Mobile Fidelity, the world-famous company that has long
claimed to source its celebrated LP reissues from verified "original masters,"
has actually been using digital rather than analog copies of those original
mastertapes, recorded at DSD4x (11.28MHz), to master its One-Step LPs. Where
record lovers thought they were buying all-analog vinyl ("AAA," to use the old
SPARS code), they were actually being sold digitally duplicated and mastered
recordings ("ADA") — and at premium prices. To make matters worse, it appears
that the digital wool wasn't just pulled over the eyes of One-Step buyers; MoFi
apparently has been doing this very same thing (or something like it) on many of
its other "original master" releases since at least 2008! I don't know — and won't know until MoFi comes out with a
list — exactly which of its reissues were digitally copied and mastered prior
to the One-Steps, but I do know....
---> The MoFi Mess.
It Has Been Hard Within The UK Audio World
The passing of long-time audio enthusiasts as the next generation begins.
Editorial By Alan Sircom
The opening page to any magazine should start on a positive note, but this month has been hard on the UK audio world, with the loss of three members of the audio
business. Many readers might not have heard of Eric Tuncliffe or Cecil 'Ces'
Tibbetts, because they worked as reps for Audio Technica and Alphason, and Marantz respectively. Except at audio shows, they probably
weren't the people you associate with the brands, but their work was pivotal in making these brands as important as they are in the UK. While my memories of Eric are more distant, I have distinct yet surprisingly vague memories of propping up a bar with Ces and others into the wee small hours, righting wrongs and waking
guests! The passing of Billy Woodman, however, will be more noticed by all. Founder and owner of ATC Loudspeaker Technology, Billy died at the end of July aged 76. He built the company over five decades to represent the pinnacle of performance in home and studio technology.
---> It Has Been Hard Within The UK Audio World.
More Room For Audio
And When I visited the first audio trade shows of 2022....
Editorial By J. Martins
This audioXpress issue was sent to print a few weeks away from CEDIA Expo 2022, which takes place in Dallas, TX. It was already pretty clear to me that this
year's return of the most important residential integration show will be different, but
I'm curious about the new trends. Unlike certain buzzwords that seem to appear and fade fairly quickly,
"Smart Home" has been an enduring but also somewhat elusive concept that involves a multitude of different disciplines and technologies, and is not always consensual — just ask the kitchen appliance manufacturers what they consider
"intelligent." A few years back, that smart home horizon meant essentially evolving from automation to connected solutions. And with the evolution of smart devices, suddenly the human interface became the center focus, evolving from touchscreens and apps to presence detection and synchronized devices in and out of the home.
---> More Room For Audio.
Interview With David Chesky
On Music And his new venture the Audiophile
Society.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
The Audiophile Society is the brainchild of composer, pianist, and audio pioneer David Chesky. The new label will focus on bringing even more realistic three-dimensional recordings to market with their Mega-Dimensional Sound, The Audiophile
Society's name for their unique two-channel 3D audio that can play on all existing two-channel stereo, while showcasing emerging artists working in a multitude of genres. The ultimate goal of The Audiophile Society is to change the way you hear
music.
---> Interview With David Chesky
Concerning Music.
Ampsandsound Red October
Int. Amp. Review
Engaging, toe-tapping, fun, and tonally correct.
Review By Sam Rosen
Ampsandsound continues to
surprise and delight me. Last year it was with the Rockwell, which showed me
what a DHT amplifier built around a less well known tube could do. ampsandsound
also rolled out the new Agartha and converted their entire lineup (with the
exception of the Rockwell) to novel (9-pin) input tubes. For a small company,
Justin Weber (the owner of ampsandsound) is making big changes at a speed rarely
seen in high-end audio. Good news for me and everyone else, he had a few more
surprises in store and one of them was the Red October. The Red October, is a no-holds-barred 300B single-ended tube
amplifier. It is built on his rolled steel chassis with beautiful point-to-point
and turret board construction. While the amplifier itself is built on a single
chassis, it is a true dual mono design. Each channel has its own separate power
supply, and the only shared components are headphone jacks, outputs, and inputs.
--->
Ampsandsound Red October Int. Amp. Review.
Dreaming In Traffic With The McIntosh MX1375 & Jeep Grand
Wagoneer
Two Iconic American brands. The McIntosh MX1375 and Jeep Grand Wagoneer make really sweet music
together.
Review By Ian White
As
the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer cut through Manhattan on its way to the Holland
Tunnel, Joshua Dellinger gently raised the volume on the McIntosh MX1375
Reference Entertainment System and it became abundantly clear why the folks in
Binghamton and Detroit decided to make this project a reality. After our coverage of the 2021 Houston Auto Show where
we were given one of our first opportunities to experience this system, there
was a surprising amount of pushback from audiophiles who could not understand
why the most successful and respected brand in high-end audio selected Jeep as
the showcase for their statement automotive entertainment system.
--->
Dreaming In Traffic With The McIntosh MX1375 & Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
Headphones And Personal Audio At CanJam SoCal 2022
Featuring Brian Mitchell, W. Jennings, And
Emiko.
Video By eCoustics
Enjoy the
Music.com's musician in residence Emiko attended CanJam SoCal 2022 with our good friends at eCoustics Brian Mitchell and W. Jennings. You can feel the love in the air for personal audio and music as they discuss the
happenings during CanJam 2022 in Southern California. Everyone enjoyed two days of headphones at the Marriott in Irvine, CA on September 17th and 18th. According to Emiko, "CanJam SoCal 2022 was bubbling with energy, smiles, laughter, and yes, audible music. Previous
CanJam shows she had attended were somewhat more mellow and quiet but for whatever reason, this one was sprinkled with some serious
magic."
---> Headphones And Personal Audio At CanJam SoCal 2022.
An Interview With The Source AV's Jason Lord
What does Elon Musk's hi-fi system look like?
Video By Lee
Scoggins Of The Absolute Sound
Within this video, we have The Absolute Sound's Lee Scoggins interviewing his good friend and co-owner of TheSourceAV in Torrance Mr. Jason Lord. Jason's California location is perfect for
assisting many famous people from rocket scientists to the biggest movie stars. Jason recalls his experience working as a front-of-house sound engineer, the 'brotherhood' of working with Bryan Adams, breaking his back, his now infamous story of selling to Elon Musk, and
more!
---> An Interview With The Source AV's Jason Lord.
Best Of 2022 Blue Note Equipment Awards
Enjoy the Music.com celebrates the best high
fidelity audio gear of 2022!
Presented
by Enjoy the Music.com's staff
Enjoy the Music.com's
Best Of 2022 Blue Note Awards celebrates the many great achievements
by audiophile manufacturers within the high-end audio and Hi-Res Audio industry. Our
2022
Blue Note Awards is a culmination of more than two decades of reviewing and carefully
choosing what products have earned special recognition for our annual awards. Our Best Of
2022 Blue Note Award celebrates the finest products we have reviewed during the
previous 12 months. Recipients have
been carefully chosen after much debate and consideration by our staff of
reviewers. With each passing
year our industry has experienced great advancements in technology including analog
circuitry, vinyl LP and analog tape playback, digital-to-analog
converters (DACs), headphones, loudspeaker design, plus of course portable media
players, computer software and streaming media.
---> Best Of 2022 Blue Note Equipment Awards.
Aurosound Vida MKII Phono Stage Review
This phono stage looks much like its predecessor, but sensible upgrades have boosted the performance.
Review By Chris Bryant
Selling from £3659 ($5290 USD) depending on configuration, the MkII has retained the steel chassis of the original, launched in 2011, with extruded aluminum front and rear panels, and the high-quality wood sleeve into which it slots. It stands on machined aluminum feet with rubber
'O' rings inset in their bases. Build tolerance and finish are very good with vintage retro styling.
There's a new 0.8m-long DC umbilical cable supplied with the MkII which links the off-board power supply to the amplifier, and this has been specifically designed to enhance
performance.
---> Aurosound Vida MKII Phono Stage Review.
Silent Angel Bonn N8 Data Switch Review
The Silent Angel Bonn N8 already has an audiophile following, but Martin Colloms says adding the Forester F1 power supply further levitates its performance.
Review By Martin Colloms
Thunder Data, the primary company responsible for the Silent Angel products was founded by two Chinese research engineers – Dr. Huang Jian and Chorus Chuang –
specializing in both hardware and software development and engineering, and they have several patents in this field. Features of the already highly-regarded Bonn N8 eight-port Ethernet switch, which sells for £399, include fully balanced input and output transformers for every port, though it must be said that pretty much all such network connections are done this way even on low-cost Netgear
switches. Further additions include damping pads on many internal components to reduce induced jitter from audio-related vibration, and the use of a low-noise high-stability
reference clock to upgrade it to an audio-quality computer network switch.
---> Silent Angel Bonn N8 Data Switch Review.
Aavik Acoustics System Review
High-end audio equipment is made by those who love music.
Review By Tom Lyle
Aavik S-280 Streamer, U-280 Unity Integrated Amp with built-in DAC, Ansuz Acoustics Mainz8 A2 AC Power Distribution Bar, Mainz8 A2 AC Ansuz Power Cords, Speakz Speaker Cables, Digitalz Ethernet Cable, PowerSwitch A2 Ethernet Switch, Darkz C2t
Resonance Control Devices, and Titanium Balls for Ansuz Acoustics Darkz C2t.
The
subjects of this review feature components and accessories from two of the three
brands designed and manufactured by The Audio Group Denmark, which acts as an
umbrella company for Aavik Acoustics, Ansuz Acoustics, and Børresen Acoustics.
The company was started by two Danes, Lars Kristensen, and Michael Børresen,
who first met more than 20 years ago. Aavik Acoustics designs and manufactures many types of
high-end audio components, such as amplifiers, DACs, phono stages, and
streamers. Ansuz Acoustics products consist of what most audiophiles would call
high-end audio accessories, cables, power distribution, streaming accessories,
and resonance control devices.
---> Aavik Acoustics System Review.
iFi Go Bar Dongle DAC Review
The iFi Go Bar Dongle DAC is late to the party and $329. Does it offer enough to warrant that kind of pricing? Learn why we think it
does.
Review By W. Jennings
It
may be hard to believe, but iFi Audio have stayed out of the Dongle
DAC frenzy over the past two years; their focus has been on the desktop
side with the high-powered Diablo ($999) and Gryphon DAC/Headphone
Amplifiers. They did introduce the iFi Go Blu DAC / Amplifier which
certainly qualifies as a portable device but it is still on the larger side,
requires recharging, and never really appealed to the USB or Lightning crowd
looking for a true Dongle DAC. The iFi Go Bar Dongle DAC aims to
change all of that. iFi Audio is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2022 and the
British brand now offers more than 50 products in the portable, desktop, and
accessories categories including a number of award-winning DACs, phono
pre-amplifiers, and headphone amplifiers.
---> iFi Go Bar Dongle DAC Review.
Rogue Audio Pharaoh II Integrated
Amplifier Review
A new King is crowned!
Review By Ric Mancuso
Rogue Audio
has once again upped the ante with their Pharaoh II hybrid integrated amp. I'm
always a bit wary of the 'New & Improved' versions of any products that
come to market. I seem to gravitate to original models (brands) of most premium
products. Why do you ask? Well, because Herculean engineering efforts usually go
into the development and production of a groundbreaking design. The Pharaoh I
was launched in 2013, nearly ten years ago! It has been my reference amp for
years. I have seen the evolution of many Rogue Audio products over time and had
asked Mark O'Brien, designer and owner of Rogue Audio, periodically if there was
going to be a revamp of the now classic Pharaoh. His answer was always, not at
this time.
--->
Rogue Audio Pharaoh II Integrated Amplifier Review.
SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer Review
Sonic dynamite in a small package.
Review By Maurice
Jeffries
I have a
confession to make! Steven R. Rochlin, the Creative Director and guiding light
at Enjoy the Music.com, had to beg, and I mean beg, to get me to review
the exceptionally fine SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer. Not that I dislike subwoofers.
Quite the contrary! When properly dialed in, a well-designed sub can greatly
enhance the low frequency performance of sonically bass-shy systems, and even
improve the performance of great full-range systems by distributing all that
bass energy more evenly throughout the listening room. There's just one caveat: to enjoy the sonic benefits of
a good subwoofer (or two, many audiophiles, and SVS, insist that double subs
deliver the best sound) one must have the raw acreage to house an enclosure that
typically eats more floor space than even very large tower designs.
---> SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer Review.
The Bargain Class A Usher R-1.5 Stereo Amplifier
Review
A high performer at any price!
Review By Juan C. Ayllon
The Usher R-1.5 stereo amplifier
is built like a tank. Its utilitarian industrial design bears a striking
resemblance to the Threshold 300 Stasis designed by audio guru Nelson Pass,
which should come as no surprise. In 1972 Usher Audio's owner and head engineer,
Lien-Shui Tsai,
built the first Usher R-1.5 amplifier as a copy of the e300 Stasis amplifier
whose patent expired, and its designer, the venerated Nelson Pass, had welcomed
others to use it. It began as a fun project, however, it soon became a hit with
customers and eventually many audio enthusiasts throughout Taiwan became proud
owners of this phenomenal amplifier.
---> The Bargain Class A Usher R-1.5 Stereo Amplifier Review.
CanJam SoCal 2022 Show Report
Aural adventures and dynamic
innovations!
CanJam
SoCal 2022 Show Report By Emiko
I'm chuckling as I
write this. I honestly thought two days of headphones would be plenty. Ha!
CanJam SoCal proved me otherwise. I arrived bright and early at the Marriott in
Irvine, CA on Saturday, September 17th (day one of two) to a vibe! CanJam SoCal
2022 was bubbling with energy, smiles, laughter, and yes, audible music.
Previous CanJams I had attended were somewhat more mellow and quiet but for
whatever reason, this one was sprinkled with some serious magic. Now, full
disclosure, I know what it is to put on an audio show. I'm Senior VP of T.H.E.
Show. So my kudos and congratulations to the CanJam SoCal crew are heartfelt.
---> CanJam SoCal 2022 Show Report By
Emiko.
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors
The Toronto Audiofest 2022 Exhibitor / Press Party
Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's celebrated online site for over 26 years and a leader in providing industry news, hardware reviews, and show reports, is pleased to announce that we're sponsoring the Toronto Audiofest 2022 Exhibitor / Press
Party. Show exhibitors and members of the press are invited to join us Saturday
night at 6:30pm for good friends, delicious drinks, and magical music! Toronto Audio Fest 2022 celebrates the fourth edition of its popular annual meeting from October 21st through
23rd at the Westin Airport Hotel.
--->
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors The Toronto Audiofest 2022 Exhibitor / Press Party.
Listener
Magazine The Intro
Editorial By Art Dudley
Recently I received some new CD re-issues from JVC who have begun applying their very nice XRCD process to the RCA Victor catalog of classical recordings from the 1950s and
1960s. Among this batch was a personal favorite: Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony orchestra performing Beethoven's
Symphony No.7. I enjoy this one the most of all the Sevenths in my collection, and the fact that my copy is a mono LP isn't something I ever gave all that much thought to. In fact, until someone corrected me on the point, I half assumed that LM-1991 might be one of those recordings in the RCA catalog that never came out in stereo in the first place.
(I am not the sort of record collector who concerns himself with such details, although I am often thankful for the knowledge of those who
are.) I also remember thinking that a stereo version of this LP, with that big, gaudy LIVING STEREO banner across the top, must surely suffer by comparison in terms of its cover art, which is
Botticelli's La Primavera, reproduced on a sturdy fold-over sleeve the likes of which I haven't seen on any other
record.
---> Listener Magazine The Intro.
Monsieur Rankin's Euro Selection
Yet more pro bono work from the
explorateur at Wavelength Audio
Article By Gordon Rankin Of Wavelength
Audio
For a DIY project I recommend making
speakers that are foolproof. Keep it simple, like a two-way with an 8" and a 1" dome
tweeter. There are a few interesting Cabasse drivers that look good on paper, specifically
the DOM4 tweeter at 96dB/W/m and the 21M18 Woofer at 93dB/W/m sensitivity. The woofer is
good out to 5 or 6 kHz. Zalytron offers some kits using these drivers. Unfortunately the
crossovers are hogs, but you can buy the drive units and cabinets and work on the x-over yourself. I personally don't like
the sound of D'Appolito configurations or multiple driver arrays. Like I said, keep it
simple. Aside from the obvious requirement for reasonable sensitivity, speakers that work
well with low power triodes usually have a well tempered (untemperamental) impedance
curve.
---> Monsieur Rankin's Euro Selection.
Altec
Loudspeaker Alternatives
Article By Dan Schmalle
This month we hope to hear some vintage loudspeakers. Once again Eric will
generously give us a glimpse and a listen from his fast growing collection. A pair of Altec
-- Lansing A7
"Voice of the
Theatre" loudspeakers and their domestic counterpart, the Altec Corona, will visit our
listening room. As of this writing one crossover is misbehaving, so our demo may be mono, but
interesting nonetheless. The A7 (pictured here) is the smallest of a line of loudspeakers Altec produced for use in
theatres, auditoriums and studios. It consists of a low frequency driver, type 803A, coupled to a short horn and rear
loaded to a "bass reflex" enclosure. This is crossed over through a type 800E 800Hz
crossover to a type 802 high frequency driver connected to a type 811 B multi-cellular horn
baffle, which spreads the high frequencies horizontally over a 120 degree arc (and about 40
degrees vertically). The high frequency driver sits on top of the dark gray bass
enclosure.
---> Altec Loudspeaker Alternatives.
Bayz Audio Courante 2.0
Loudspeaker Review
A new and innovative design in speaker technology.
Review By
Dr. Matthew Clott
You
might have to stand on your head for this review because Zoltán Bay turned the
concept of speaker production upside down and inside out when he created the Bay
Radial Speaker (BRS) Tweeter. And when you see the absolutely unique and
creative Bayz Audio Courante 2.0 speaker design ($60,000), you're not going to
be able to figure out how to stand, so just have a seat and enjoy the read.
Maybe have the computer or tablet read it to you while you listen to your
favorite composition in the background.... Be sure to grab your favorite
beverage and have that cute dog (or cat) of yours sit in your lap and snuggle
in; this is gonna be good!
--->
Bayz Audio Courante 2.0 Speaker Review.
Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamp &
Pass Labs X250.8 Power Amplifier Review
Impressive sound quality that we've come to expect from Pass Labs.
Review By Tom Lyle
For quite some time I've been using a Pass Laboratories power
amplifier, phono stage, and headphone amplifier as references in my listening
room. There were times I thought that some might think I was a spokesperson for
this brand of equipment! I could see how some might get that idea, because not
only do I use three Pass Labs components in my system, I also will tell anyone
who will listen that I consider Pass Laboratories' high-end audio components
the best in their respective price classes. Then again, those who have read my
reviews of other brands of audio equipment will be able to tell that I approach
each review with an open mind.
--->
Pass Labs XP-17 Phono Preamplifier & X250.8 Amplifier Review.
Make Your Listening Room A Listening Room
Roger Skoff writes about how to enjoy your music more without spending a lot more money.
Article
By Roger Skoff
Many
years ago, a wealthy friend asked me for advice on spending the $100,000 he
had budgeted for a new stereo system. After going through all of the usual
questions with him, like "What kind of music do you like?"; "How loud do you
like to play it?"; "How big is your listening room?"; "When you're listening to
music, what do you listen for?"; and so on, I told him something like: "If I had a hundred thousand to spend on a
system, I'd spend thirty thousand on all of the component..."
---> Read Make Your Listening Room A Listening Room.
We're All In This Together
A bit of retrospective during Enjoy the
Music.com's 25th Anniversary.
Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin
Without
a doubt the familiar phrase "Hindsight is 2020" almost feels like it
originated as a message from a future time traveler, which we have profoundly
misunderstood (h/t Steve Hoffman). Looking back during the past 25 years, and
~9000(!) web pages ago, this site was originally launched as a way to easily
answer the many questions he was receiving from others online. Back then, as
best I recall, there were less than a single handful of audiophile sites online.
---> Read We're All In This Together.
Aavik Acoustics RIAA R-180 Phono
Preamplifier Review
Excellent transparency and musicality deliver musical bliss.
Review By Tom Lyle
In July of
2021, I reviewed Aavik Acoustics's
I-180 integrated amplifier, D-180 DAC, and S-180 streamer / network player. In the review, I practically raved about
the sonic quality of all three components, so it was no surprise that Aavik earned
a hard-fought Enjoy
the Music.com 2021 Blue Note Award within
our
September 2021 issue. The three Aavik components bestowed a 2021 Blue Note award are
not cheap, but neither are they extravagantly priced at $7200 each. That is
certainly reasonable for high-end audio components that I thought were some of
the best I've ever heard within and above their price range. Not only that, but
these three components took a surprisingly noticeable step up in their sonic
performance when used together. I'm willing to admit that their good looks might have
initially contributed to me liking them, especially when the three components
were stacked on top of each other - an Aavik stack.
--->
Aavik Acoustics RIAA R-180 Phono Preamplifier Review.
LampizatOr Golden Gate 2
DAC Review
An accurate and unfettered music source for my system.
Review By Matthew Clott
Vacuum tubes versus solid-state are the Audiophile's version of red versus white wine. Both are lovely and both have die-hard fans and haters alike. I don't buy into either club completely, and I don't want to start the next Vacuum Tube Versus Solid-State war. I have enjoyed and currently own both tube and solid-state gear, and use both for reviews. That said, years ago I developed an aversion to tubes in my DAC's, partly due to experience and partly due to unsubstantiated personal bias (hey, at least I'm honest!). Tasting LampizatOr's latest release, the Golden Gate 2, was like eating olive's. I have tried them over and over because I want to like them so badly; but I just never have, no matter which I try. My first experience with LampizatOr was with their Big 6 almost a decade ago. I was skeptical of tubes in a DAC but I just wanted to love it.
--->
LampizatOr Golden Gate 2 DAC Review.
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High-Performance Audio Reviews
