Analog
Van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius | REVIEW
Last year I reviewed the Van den Hul The Grail phono stage, and I gave it a firm recommendation. If you’ve read that review, you’ll know that I hoped to spend some seat time with […]
axpona 2022
Audio-Life
Audio Group Denmark Factory Tour | On the Road
My trip to Denmark in late August was all the result of a simple question—what is Audio Group Denmark doing that other high-end audio manufacturers aren’t? That question was originally formed, of course, in response […]
PAF 2022
Acora Acoustics SRC-2 Loudspeakers | PAF 2022
At AXPONA 2022, I felt that the Acora Acoustics SRC-2 loudspeakers–winner of a rare PTA Summit Award–was hampered by one of those big, problematic downstairs ballrooms where all the huge systems are usually located. I […]
Components
Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.3 Preamplifier | REVIEW
The Beatles were playing tambourine in my living room. I could have got out of my chair, walked over between the left speaker and center image and grabbed it – it was right frigging there! […]
PAF 2022
Pacific Audio Fest 2022 Preview | PAF 2022
If I can cover High End 2022 in Munich by myself, I can cover anything! We’ll see about that, of course, when I drive up to the Pacific Audio Fest 2022 in Seattle later […]
Components
SPL Performer s1200 Power Amplifier | REVIEW
When I first installed the SPL Performer s1200 power amplifier into my main system a few months ago, I was a little worried. The Lab12 Integre4 integrated amplifier had just left the building, and I […]
HubCon 2022
The Audio Company, VAC, Von Schweikert, Masterbuilt | HUBCON 2022
Editor’s Note: Before we dive into Hubcon 2022 coverage, let’s take care of the elephant in the room—what the hell is Hubcon? Hubcon is a gathering of Part-Time Audiophile writers and editors. During our planning […]
Loudspeakers
Endeavor E-3 Mk. II from Von Schweikert Audio | REVIEW
It took a trip to North Carolina for me to understand the Von Schweikert Audio Endeavor E-3 Mk. II speakers. That might be an odd way to evaluate a speaker that had been in my […]
Munich 2022
Exhibit Room Redux | High End 2022
One of the hazards of attending too many high-end audio shows is what I call Exhibit Room Redux. That’s when an audio journalist walks into a room and sees the same exact system that was […]
Munich 2022
High End 2022
As I write this, High End 2022 in Munich has just ended. I originally intended to start coverage today, but there’s a small problem. I have to get home first. From a high-end audio show […]
Announcements
Focal 300 ICA6 In-Wall Speakers Introduced | NEWS
Focal Naim has continued to press forward in 2022 with a series of promotions as well as the introduction of several new products. Today, Focal Naim announced the introduction of the Focal 300 ICA6 in-wall […]
AXPONA 2022
Julian Margules at AXPONA | AXPONA 2022
Margules has a history going back to 1927. In Mexico, the Margules family has been instrumental in developing and expanding radio throughout the country. I had a chance to speak with the fourth- generation engineer […]
AXPONA 2022
Best of AXPONA 2022 | AXPONA 2022
It’s been a while since I’ve had to assemble a “Best of Show” list at the end of a high-end audio show, and I was starting to have reservations about the process long before I […]
AXPONA 2022
Wynn Audio, Vimberg and Karan | AXPONA 2022
This report on the Wynn Audio room at AXPONA 2022 might seem a little photo-heavy. There’s a reason for this–we had five PTA staff members at AXPONA and every single one of them just HAD […]
AXPONA 2022
New Brands at AXPONA | AXPONA 2022
I decided to focus on the new brands exhibiting at AXPONA 2022, or at least some of the companies that had returned with completely new or redesigned product line-ups. Of those, three loudspeaker manufacturers caught […]
AXPONA 2022
Refined Audio, Pass Labs | AXPONA 2022
When I entered the Refined Audio room at AXPONA 2022, I was greeted by Cube Audio’s Nenuphar BASiS, a distinctive looking black speaker with a yellow driver ($26,900/pair). The sound of this intriguing system had […]
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 […]
AXPONA 2022
Rockport and Stillpoints | AXPONA 2022
The Rockport Technologies and Stillpoints room was rocking cool gear and playing Hans Zimmer’s haunting original soundtrack for Dune. [See, I wasn’t the only one at the show making people play Zimmer–Ed.] This was EPIC […]
AXPONA 2022
Fidelis and Lab12 and a Heretic | AXPONA 2022
A room full of Lab12 gear from Greece? Hey, I got that at home already. I didn’t travel all the way to Chicago to replicate my home system, dangit. I’m currently reviewing the Lab12 Integre4 […]
AXPONA 2022
LTA and DeVore Fidelity and LampizatOr | AXPONA 2022
Usually when I visit the Linear Tube Audio room at a high-end audio show, their amplifiers are matched with Spatial Audio loudspeakers, which are a synergistic match. Or they’re paired with Fern & Roby speakers, […]