Audio Equipment Reviews – Preamplifiers (Tube and Solid State)
Click on ‘READ MORE’ text to go to full review.
Lyngdorf TDAi 2170 Review
Amplifier? Preamp? Dac? what exactly is the Lyngdorf TDAi 2170? I suppose the easiest classification would be an...
Altec Lansing Valencia 846b Crossovers / Lyngdorf TDAi 2170 (Page 4)
This is part 4 of a series focused on improving the performance of a pair of Altec Lansing Valencia 846b speakers....
AMR AM-777 SE Integrated Amplifier
I should probably file the following under 'Housekeeping'. I received an email the other day from a visitor to this...
Emotive Audio Epifania Preamp Review
If you learn more about the Epifania, the design considerations and the evolution from its stablemate the Sira, via the Sira-LE, you’ll come to know that Epifania designer Fred Voltz genuinely felt that there wasn’t a great deal of opportunity available to improve upon the performance of the Sira-LE. At least not without….
Emotive Audio Sira LE
Emotive Audio Sira LE - Listening Impressions I've owned a couple of preamps that I would consider to be stand-out,...
Devialet Expert Pro 220 CI – Review
This is a short review of the much-heralded Devialet Expert Pro 220 CI. I've been wanting to get my hands on one of...
iPhono 3 Review
ifi iPhono3 "Black Label" Phonostage Review The iPhono3 "Black Label" is the latest phonostage from AMR owned ifi...
Allnic Audio L5000 DHT Preamplifier – First Look.
We're all familiar with the law of diminishing returns and we all have our own perception of where the line can be...
SAS Audio Labs 10A / 11A Preamp
The NE WI Audio Society (www.newaudiosociety.com) were happy to host Steve from SAS Audio Labs at our March meeting in...
Aesthetix Calypso Preamp
What to do when you don’t want to use a preamp….
IRD Purist Preamp
I brought the IRD Audio Purist preamp to a listening session with some fellow music lovers whom I had never met...
Recent Reviews & Posts
Synthesis Action A100 Titan Integrated Amplifier
Synthesis Action A100 Titan Integrated Amplifier review – KT66 push-pull tube amp with that classic tube sound…
Western Electric 91E At Carytown Sound in Richmond VA
Just a short post to report on a fun trip up to Carytown Sound, in Richmond, VA. I took a drive up to see a couple of new items that are on my radar, including a nice Moon Audio 700i integrated and a Synthesis Titan A100 integrated. Surprise surprise but the first...
Audio Mirror REFLECTION 45W mono blocks SET class A
Audio Mirror's "REFLECTION" monoblocks deliver a very healthy 45 Watts per channel and offer the potential to be a fusion of visual elegance and auditory excellence. At their heart are the fairly unusual 6C33C power tubes. The 6C33C is a high-power, triode vacuum tube...
Bob Carver Crimson 75 Stereo Power Amp And Some Bob Carver History
I bought the Bob Carver Crimson 75 at an estate sale along with several other pieces of audio equipment from a seller in Maryland. I wasn't able to test the amp as the fuses had been pulled and the screw cap fuse holders were missing. One generally doesn't pull fuses...
Aurender N10 Music Server / Streamer Review Vs Lumin U1 Mini
A couple of years back I drove an Aurender N100, my first experience with a streamer/file server. The unit was fine, it functioned well, was ergonomically satisfying, and competed on par with CDs coming through an older Cambridge Audio 851C player used as a transport...
REL Carbon Special Subwoofer Review In 2 Channel System
Here's a look at the performance and setup of a pair of REL Acoustics Carbon Special subwoofers, my methods here apply pretty much to any sub from any manufacturer. Let's start out with a quick look around the REL Carbon Special. First a warning..... be prepared for...
Holo Audio May KTE DAC Review
If you've been to this website before you may know that I don't follow the typical industry format for reviewing audio equipment. The typical process for industry reviews in most common publications involves the acquisition of a review sample and some form of payment...
Klipschorns vs Altec Lansing Valencia vs Altec Lansing A7
Oris 150 custom horns to Klipschorns, this article pitches the Klipschorns vs Altec Lansing Valencia vs Altec Lansing VOTT A7 and provides a review of each.
Carytown Sound – Richmond, VA
Carytown Sound is a new (2023) high-end audio salon located in Richmond, VA. I've been there a couple of times now and it's a fantastic operation, founded and headed up by former local bike-shop owner, Tim Mullins. The staff are warm and friendly and happy to make...
ProAc D40R Review
It's been some time since I last experienced a set of ProAc speakers. My most recent encounter was at Capital Audiofest 2022, where I had the opportunity to listen to a compact bookshelf model, thanks to the folks at Deja Vu Audio. The performance left a strong...
KRELL KSA 80 Power Amplifier
The KRELL KSA 80 is something of a legend in the world of vintage audio, a Class A power amplifier that has garnered a reputation for its exceptional build quality, uncompromising performance, and robust power delivery. The KSA 80 was introduced in 1984 and was...
Review: Martin Logan Impression ESL 11A Speakers
When it comes US based high-end speaker manufacturers, Martin Logan is a name that stands out. Renowned for their electrostatic loudspeakers, Martin Logan has consistently pushed the boundaries of audio reproduction. The Martin Logan Impression ESL 11A speakers are a...
PS Audio Directstream PowerPlant 12 Review
I've been a long-time user of PS Audio's power regeneration products. Well over a decade ago I used the P600 PowerPlant and later replaced it with a single P10. Recently I added a second P10 to handle power amp duties, and now, a new PS Audio PowerPlant 12 has entered...
Iconoclast Speaker Cable Review
Stuff comes and goes at an alarming rate in my system and I’ve chopped and changed core components many times since the Iconoclast Cables have been in use….
Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ Review – (Compared With Gustard X16 DAC)
The Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ is a high-end digital-to-analog converter that has been designed to meet the needs of audiophiles and music professionals alike. It is an improved version of the Brooklyn DAC, with additional features and enhancements to deliver better...
Simaudio Moon W5.3 Special Edition Power Amp Review
A couple of weeks back I took a drive up to Midlothian, VA to collect a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona M speakers, which I've written about here: Sonus Faber Cremona M review. Since the drive up to Midlothian was a 4-hour round trip, I decided to have a look around at...
Sonus Faber Cremona M Review
Review of the Sonus Faber Cremona M in stunning graphite finish – best speakers in the world?
Lyngdorf TDAi 2170 Review
Amplifier? Preamp? Dac? what exactly is the Lyngdorf TDAi 2170? I suppose the easiest classification would be an integrated amp, with an inbuilt DAC. But it doesn't really have a DAC, even though it converts bits into an analog output. If you mention "DAC" to the...
Aperion Audio Dual Firing AMT Ribbon Super Tweeter Review
Around a decade or so ago I used super tweeters on a stacked Oris 150 horn system with good results. The speaker system came to me with the Fostex T900A tweeters already installed, so I had nothing to do other than enjoy the benefits of their extended HF output. Over...
Robyatt Audio Room at Capital Audiofest 2022
Robyatt Room at Capital Audiofest 2022 featured the Robyatt Custom turntable ($18,500) which is based on a VPI HW-40 Direct Drive platform, with a Wyatt slate/Baltic ply plinthwith, a Thai-Scandinavian Engineering Bird of Prey Tonearm ($10,500) and The Bird Tonearm...
Songer Audio S1 / Whammerdyne DGA at Capital Audiofest 2022
The Songer Audio S1 driven by the Whammerdyne DGA-Ultra delivered what I thought was possibly the best sound of CAF 2022
VPI Turntables At Capital Audiofest 2022
As with Capital Audiofest 2019, VPI Turntables were ubiquitous at the 2022 show, with many dealers and manufacturers choosing to set up their systems with a VPI analog front-end. VPI themselves hosted several rooms, (Jefferson, Adams, Frederick, Truman, & 625)...
Pure Audio Project Speaker Review And Discussion With Ze’ev At Capital Audiofest 2022
So I stopped by the Pure Audio Project room on Saturday at Capitol Audio Fest and got a good presentation from the owner of PAP, Ze'ev. I really enjoy their speakers and think they sound fantastic. I asked Ze'ev what he thought of passive crossovers versus active...
Capital Audiofest 2022 – Odyssey Audio / Symphonic Line
A quick show update from Capital Audiofest 2022 - One of the best sounding rooms on Day 1 was Odyssey Audio - featuring electronics from Symphonic Line, Klaus's Odyssey Liquid speakers, and more. I'll update this page with more info once I get back from the show. In...
Altec Lansing VOTT A7 Vintage Horn Speaker Review.
OK, this isn't necessarily a review of the Altec Lansing VOTT A7 speakers, it's more of an introduction to these classics and the opportunity to share some thoughts and impressions on how they sound and what it's like living with these behemoths in a fairly modestly...