CAF 2023
CAF Day Two with Graig Neville | CAF 2023
For Graig Neville’s CAF Day One Coverage, click here. And now for CAF Day Two: On CAF Day Two, I found that Fidelity Imports commandeered a large chunk of the sixth floor making it easy […]
audio research
PAF 2023
Innuos and Acora and Audio Research and Cardas | PAF 2023
It’s been the battle of the BIG loudspeakers in high-end audio this year–I know, but even more so than usual–and all the big players seemed to converge at PAF 2023. The Acora Acoustics VRC-1 loudspeakers […]
Loudspeakers
ProAc D30RS Loudspeakers | REVIEW
I’ve owned the ProAc D30RS for just about three years now. The speaker was pretty much brand new when I bought it, completely unheard and sight unseen. That doesn’t exactly tell the whole story, though. […]
Announcements
Updated and BREAKING: Audio Research in Trouble? | Announcements
Breaking news has it that beloved audiophile brand Audio Research may be in trouble. As you probably know, the company was recently purchased from (what’s now called) the McIntosh Group a couple of years ago. What you […]
AXPONA 2023
Ultra Fidelis | AXPONA 2023
Audio Research, one of the stars of the main floor at AXPONA 2023, also snuck into the Vandersteen room hosted by Ultra Fidelis. For the life of me I can’t understand why this Wisconsin dealer […]
AXPONA 2023
Quintessence Audio | AXPONA 2023
Quintessence Audio was prevalent at the show, commandeering several rooms next to the escalators on the first floor. In a dedicated Audio Research area, the very popular ARC i50 integrated amp was displayed in a […]
AXPONA 2023
Rethm Maarga | AXPONA 2023
During AXPONA 2023, I had many people come up to me and ask if I’d heard the Rethm room yet. I didn’t drop by until first thing Sunday morning, when all was relatively quiet and […]
THE Show 2022
Acora Acoustics, Ampsandsound, Lampizator, Thrax, Audio Research, Dynavector | THE Show 2022
Regular readers will know by now that Dave McNair, myself and the rest of the PTA Team have an enormous amount of respect and appreciation for Acora Acoustics and founder Valerio Cora, who is perhaps […]
Buyers Guide
The Best Preamplifiers | Buyers Guide Summer 2022
Welcome to the Best Preamplifiers section of the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for Summer 2022. The Guide is more than “We heartily endorse this [fill in the blank].” This collection represents our enthusiasm. Every product […]
AXPONA 2022
Quintessence Audio | AXPONA 2022
At the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, the Connection, Knowledge, Perfection, and Imagination rooms are all clustered under the escalator leading up to the main lobby. Quintessence Audio, a high-end audio dealer in the […]
The Ivory Tower
Why Aren’t There More Audiophiles? | The Ivory Tower
Big Kids Toys I recently attended an audiophile event at one of my favorite local hi-fi haunts, Big Kids Toys AV, in Greensboro, North Carolina. Shop owner Mike Toomey was one of the first folks […]
Components
Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Monoblock Amplifiers | REVIEW
I’m not gonna tease any of the readers by making them wait (or skip to my conclusion), so I’ll say right up front: OH. MY. LAWD.™ I was in audiophile heaven from the minute I […]
Buyers Guide
The Best Amplifiers | Buyers Guide Summer 2021
The Best Amplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for Summer 2021! These are the best amplifiers that we, the PTA team, have heard.] Decware Zen Triode SE84UFO2 ($1,395 USD) There’s a […]
Buyers Guide
The Best DACs, Servers, Streamers and Disc Spinners | Buyers Guide Summer 2021
The Best DACs, Servers, Streamers, and Disc Spinners [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for Summer 2021! These are the best DACs, streamers, servers and disc-spinners that we, the PTA team, have […]
Loudspeakers
Wilson Audio SabrinaX Loudspeakers | REVIEW
Most audiophiles know of the unwavering commitment to accuracy and groundbreaking industrial design baked into the DNA of every Wilson Audio product (website), and the new Wilson Audio SabrinaX loudspeakers are no exception. This was […]
Buyers Guide
The Best Amplifiers | Buyers Guide 2021
The Best Amplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide into sections, which makes it […]
Buyers Guide
The Best DACs, Servers, Streamers, and Disc Spinners | Buyers Guide 2021
The Best DACs, Servers, Streamers, and Disc Spinners [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide […]
Analog
The Best Phono Preamplifiers | Buyers Guide 2021
The Best Phono Preamplifiers [Editor’s note: Welcome to the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide for 2021! This year we decided to mix it up a little by breaking up the Buyers Guide into sections, which makes […]
Analog
RCM Sensor 2 MKII Phono Preamplifier | REVIEW
RCM Sensor 2 MK II Phono Preamplifier Words and Photos by Dave McNair I’m one of those audiophiles that started my listening obsession with vinyl records. You know, those flat round black things that sound […]
Announcements
BREAKING: Audio Research Corporation Under New Ownership
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (PTA) — Big news in the world of hi-fi. Just recently we announced the launch of Audio Research’s new book celebrating their 50th Anniversary (linked here) and before that Marc Phillips’ review of […]