I needed a DAC. Yeah, I know, I’ve started off more than one review with this declaration and it’s a constant reminder that I need to rectify that situation. But I’ve also toyed with the […]
The Weiss Helios DAC reminds me of what people forget about Swiss pocket knives. The common association is, of course, with the ubiquitous “Swiss Army Knife” manufactured by Victorinox in that iconic red color. The […]
I have an ongoing dilemma with reviewing digital audio. I never seem to have all the pieces I need to test out DACs, streamers and servers. (Digital cables can occasionally be an issue as well.) […]
Two new offerings from Aurender were shown at Munich last week. The first is the AP20. You can file this offering under “one-box wonder” — a combined server/streamer, DAC, and amplifier. Just need cables and […]
This was a puzzling room. Puzzling to me, at least. To be honest, though, I am easily distracted by big sounds and shiny objects, so perhaps it was just me. I’m pretty sure what was […]
Damon Gramont of Bricasti Design, the company known for the “gold standard” in pro-audio reverb, is (still) kicking ass in hi-fi. Words and Photos by Scot Hull I can no longer recall how/when I was […]
It’s official. With the exception of my complete set of AudioQuest DragonFlies, I’ve now spent more time listening to the Lab12 DAC1 Reference than any other digital-to-analog converter. Does that portend good things for this […]
In the interest of full disclosure, I reviewed the Aavik U-280 integrated amplifier and DAC ($18,000 USD) in a full Audio Group Denmark system that included the Aavik S-280 streamer ($12,000), the Ansuz Mainz8 C3 […]
The Bel Canto Design e1X integrated amplifier is yet another modern, feature-filled box in a slim and attractive case—and by modern, I mean in a very different way than twenty or thirty years ago. If […]
The Holo Audio May family of DACs may be unfamiliar to those of you unacquainted with headphones, but the Holo Audio (website) brand indeed has a long history and excellent reputation, and not merely in […]
One sure-fire way to make a great room better? Make things more affordable — which is not something you see every day. Yet that is precisely what the Volti Audio Razz (reviewed here and here) tries […]
On March 4, 2022, dCS will release next generation APEX editions of the Rossini DAC, Vivaldi DAC, and Rossini Player. These will feature the new Ring DAC APEX hardware as standard. They’ll also be offering […]
Just last week I was exclaiming to the PTA team that most DACs should include Bluetooth, at least as an added convenience. For when the teenageers want to take over the hi-fi system and give […]
The Grimm Audio MU1 (website) is an idiosyncratic product. This is not a term I typically associate with music servers or digital sources—the truth of the matter is that most of them are simple devices. […]
The Rotel Michi X5 integrated amplifier had a little trouble in getting to my front door in a timely manner—evidently FedEx and UPS and USPS have all become highly vulnerable to a variety of mishaps […]
Parasound has been an audio name for quite a while. They were well-established way back during my audiophile indoctrination in the late ’80s. While they still have the classic line, now called New Classic, they […]
Do I really need a music server like the Innuos Zen Mini Mk. 3 at this point in my life? I’m still pretty old school when it comes to physical media. I have large CD […]
Three new integrateds launch from ROTEL (website) today. Each model features upgrades in circuitry and components from the award winning Michi Series of ROTEL components. Recently the Rotel A-14 was reviewed (link here) by Marc […]
Like me, you probably recognize TotalDAC d1-tube-mk2 and the TotalDAC brand (website) in general, but you may know very little about them. This French company has a stellar reputation for making high-end converters, but I’ve […]
I’ve been on a hot streak lately with getting components to review that have sounded excellent despite the current difficulties in hearing something beforehand. For a reviewer, it’s one of the many great things about […]
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