Digital
dCS Bartok DAC, Part One | REVIEW
Every once and a while, a product will turn up at the house for review that is so special, it changes what I understand to be possible for an audio component. And let’s face it; […]
usb
Digital
TotalDAC USB Gigafilter | Review
Digital is dicey Looking at the totalDAC USB Gigafilter, you ask questions. Digital is supposed to be straightforward: ones and zeroes coded as “Hi” and “Lo” voltage signals, all marching forward in a straight line […]
Munich 2018
Munich High End 2018: totaldac shows off d1-twelve DAC and new USB GIGAFILTER
For those who’ve followed my path meandering through digital audio, and streaming in particular with Tidal Hi-Fi, the name totaldac might be a familiar one. I’ve been hooked on Vincent Brient’s designs for more than […]
Announcements
Tidal offers 12-Days of streaming for free… what are you waiting for?
Donna Summer had many hits in her long, multi-decade career. Her work with Goirgio Moroder in the mid seventies on LPs like Love to Love You Baby – to me – were the progenitors of electronic […]
Announcements
Oppo announces first step in support for MQA playback
That ubiquitous spinner known, and loved by many digital-audio junkies (as well as AV-gear heads, and audiophiles alike) – the Oppo UDP-205 – has announced a partnership with music mastering, and hi-fi industry juggernaut MQA […]
RMAF 2017
RMAF 2017: iFi Audio Tackles USB 3.0 and Its Noise Gremlins
In the past, I have loved the iFi Audio gear for my computer audio playback system. Everything I have tried has worked well and, maybe best of all, the individual pieces are usually just a […]
Announcements
AudioQuest shipping Beetle Optical DAC with Asynchronous USB/Bluetooth
AudioQuest has the Beetle DAC page live on it’s website, and is taking orders, and shipping them out… which means… WELCOME TO THE FUTURE. For those not in the know the Beetle is capable of […]
Announcements
MQA update for AudioQuest Dragonfly Black and Red coming May 17 – new partnerships announced
The MQA freight train keeps rolling down the tracks of high-fidelity seemingly without resistance. A press release just announced that portable USB DAC wünderkind AudioQuest will be releasing a free, and highly-anticipated MQA firmware update […]
Digital
Border Patrol SE DAC Review | Zero Frippery
Looking at the Border Patrol SE DAC, you have to smile. It’s cute! Can you even say that about at kick-ass piece of audio gear? Maybe it’s disrespectful. Too bad — because everybody knows that good […]
Cables & Power
AudioQuest and the holistic cabling approach to reference reviews
Reviewing high-fidelity audio equipment is fraught with peril, and snake pits. Gauging relative sound quality (and writing about it) when inserting a component into an existing system can be a difficult thing to accomplish objectively. There […]
Announcements
Classé announces Sigma SSP MkII preamp: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and upgraded HDMI
Canadian amplification legend Classé has announced some serious upgrades to the multi-talented eight-channel surround preamplifier Sigma SSP, now in MK II guise. I’ve not heard any of Classé’s home-theatre products, but I’m a big fan […]
Announcements
Dual turntables hits back with 3 budget decks in the UK for 2017
Who had a Dual turntable? C’mon, put up your arm. My left one is raised while I type with just my right hand. It wasn’t my Dual turntable per se… I was a kid, and […]
RMAF 2015
RMAF 2015: iFi, you Fi, we all Fi
iFi-Audio has been slowly but surely consuming all of the air in the affordable high-end audio market — or, at least, making a damn good attempt at it. We’ve covered some of their products over the […]
Headphones
Super Duper Geek Out Arrives!
Guess what showed this week? My Kickstarter Green headphone awesomifier! I ordered the 1 watt output version, so that makes this a Super-Duper Geek Out. I’m super-duper psyched. Oh, if you missed your opportunity during […]
Components
Follow up: the Audiophile Desktop from CEntrance and the Masterclass 2504
Rememeber the Audiophile Desktop from CEntrance? Let me refresh your memory. $2,000 gets you a CEntrance DACmini PX, a pair of Masterclass 2504 speakers, and a hefty Pelican case to lug them around in. The PX […]
Components
An Audiophile Desktop from CEntrance
Michael Mercer over at CEntrance twisted my arm (ha ha!) about bringing in a new package that they’re positioning for the audiophile’s desktop, called, conveniently enough, the Audiophile Desktop. $2,000 gets you a CEntrance DACmini […]
Digital
Powered up: Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha “Series 2” and Alpha USB
They’re here! Stopped by Command Performance A/V today to pick up my new Berkeley Audio “Series 2” Alpha DAC and Alpha USB. Got them in now — running flawlessly. Oh la la! Sexy time! While […]
Digital
Berkeley Audio Alpha Series 2 DAC and Alpha USB
Guess what showed up at my dealer yesterday? My brand new DAC! A Berkeley Audio Alpha Series 2 is waiting for me! And (miracle of miracles) so is the Alpha USB! Hooray!
Digital
Berkeley Alpha USB: Arrived!
Pretty excited! My Berkeley Alpha USB has arrived at the dealer! Now, all I need is my Berkeley Alpha Series II DAC to show up … and that doesn’t ship till Nigel Tufnel Day.
Digital
Berkeley Alpha USB: At Long Last?
The Alpha USB, that overbuilt (in a good way!) USB to S/PDIF converter to end all converters, should be shipping next week. I’ve taken to calling Berkeley every week for the last few months just […]