Reviews
NAD Masters M66 BluOS Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
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- Written by Barry Jones Barry Jones
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 September 2024 15 September 2024
NAD the venerable audiophile brand has been around a long time, its reputation built on delivering high performance audio at reasonable prices. I remember as a schoolboy hearing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon at a Hi-Fi store played with, what seemed at the time, almost unfathomable power through a system which, I later learned, was NAD’s killer power amp of that era aptly named the ‘Powertracker’. It was many years later when I could begin treading the audiophile path, but that NAD experience was still firmly etched in my mind. The NAD Masters M66 BluOS Streaming DAC-Preamplifier arrived at my office in the morning, which seemed to make the day a little longer than usual as I was eager to get this baby home and hooked up for a listen.
Mola Mola Lupe Phono Stage
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- Written by Mark Busby Mark Busby
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 September 2024 01 September 2024
The Mola Mola Lupe phono stage from the Netherlands is a godsend to the vinyl aficionado who has an interest in the black spinning disc. The thoroughly modern Mola Mola Lupe can apply its magic to vintage 78s, to legacy mono recordings and stereo records. The ability to apply specialist playback EQ curves using the Mola Mola Lupe phone app opens new sonic experiences for the listener. The Lupe is the most advanced and flexible phono stage that this reviewer has had the pleasure of using!
Cary Audio SLI-80HS Integrated Amplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 August 2024 15 August 2024
Contrary to stale audiophilia lore, it can be said that just about all competently designed amplifiers, regardless of technology, can produce a realistic semblance of the tonality of instruments and the human voice. Yet, when it comes to true ‘tone’, many music enthusiasts and audiophiles persist in believing the technology that wrangles the purest timbral qualities is inherent in the perennial vacuum tube (or valve, per UK and Australia). Regardless of the technology of choice, whether valve, transistor, or ‘digital’ amplification, there’s no denying that the relative circuit simplicity of valve-based amplifiers can produce an extremely natural and convincingly realistic representation of instruments and voices. At hand at SoundStage! Australia HQ, and resplendent with an impressive array of ‘glass’ perched on its top panel, is Cary Audio’s SLI-80HS which, while seemingly simple on the surface, holds a couple of aces up its sleeve. Can this unassuming integrated deliver on the promise of purity and musical beauty?
Kudos Audio Titan 808 Loudspeakers
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 August 2024 01 August 2024
Kudos Audio may be a somewhat young entity, however, in a relatively short time it has confidently gouged deep impressions in the diverse landscape of high quality loudspeakers. The company offers a strong entry point into its wares via the accomplished Cardea series, while the notably more ambitious, and aptly named, Titan range is the showcase for the finest technologies Kudos Audio has to offer. Taking advantage of the many benefits of modular design, where the tweeter and midrange are incorporated in an independent enclosure, as are the low frequency drivers, the Titan 808 loudspeaker builds the concept with bespoke transducers and intelligent engineering. In addition, its sizable anatomy promises deep low frequencies and an overall large scale sound. So, is Kudos Audio’s flagship 808 a true Titan?
Classé Audio Delta PRE Mk II Preamplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 July 2024 15 July 2024
On its website, Classé Audio states that the new Delta PRE Mk II preamplifier can be the “foundation of your perfect system”. In this case, it’s quite sensible marketing parlance because I’m also of the opinion that the good ole preamplifier is, indeed, the very heart of an audio system. On paper, the extra circuitry and interconnecting cable required to connect said preamplifier should be a backward step when compared to the simplicity of interfacing a DAC, for example, directly to a power amplifier. After all, there’s more than enough output voltage on tap there and most have an in-built volume control (bit-stripping notwithstanding). Yet, it’s been my experience that having that preamp intermediary almost always equates to a more engaging and dynamic sound. Never mind the obvious accommodation of additional sources. So, how would a high-tech, fully featured, 21st century preamplifier like Classé Audio’s new Delta PRE Mk II perform then?
Rega Research Naia Turntable
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- Written by Mark Busby Mark Busby
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 July 2024 01 July 2024
Having started out my hi-fi journey in the early 1980s with a Rega Planar 3 turntable, I jumped at the chance to hear and review the latest flagship model from Rega. Called the Naia, this turntable offers all the accumulated technical knowledge gained during the existence of Rega Research’s 51 years of knowledge. The Naia package in this review includes the option for a factory fitted Aphelion 2, Rega’s top of the line moving coil cartridge.
in-akustik Referenz LS-4005 AIR Loudspeaker Cable
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- Written by Barry James Johnston Barry James Johnston
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 July 2024 01 July 2024
Snake oil! Reviewing cables can be both a controversial and simultaneously difficult audio review task. What are we comparing after all? Soke copper and some other copper? The gauge of a wire? Conductor type? Dielectric? The velocity of propagation? Capacitance? What does it all mean in the real world and to your ears? How do the electrical properties of a length of metal affect the way a piece of music sounds? Let’s get stuck in before the hoards gather outside my studio.
Naim Audio Uniti Nova PE Streaming Amplifier
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- Written by Barry Jones Barry Jones
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 June 2024 15 June 2024
I’ve long been a fan of Naim audio, having owned a plethora of products over the years, beginning with what could be considered as one of my first serious systems. That was the NAC 150, NAP 150 and CD 150X running a pair of Sonus faber Concerto speakers. That system had many friends and visitors in awe whenever I spun their favourite tunes. Realising this was only the entry point to the Naim sound, I thirsted for more and quickly contracted the upgrade bug… from those early days, the audio voyage now sees me once again enjoying the music making skills of a Naim product: the new Naim Uniti Nova PE.
Gryphon Audio Designs Diablo 333 Integrated Amplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 June 2024 01 June 2024
Large amplifiers… yeah, digital amplification notwithstanding, high-end amps tend to be bulky. Think Oscar Wilde’s “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess” – that phrase sums up most top-tier high-end integrated amplifiers. As big and bold integrated amplifiers go, there are only a few units mixing it up with Gryphon Audio Designs’ monumental Diablo 333. It’s the Danish company’s newest, and by gosh, meanest-looking integrated amplifier. Yet paradoxically, it combines brutal brawn build with industrial design elegance. It’s a Helluva statement piece… now, beyond its magnetically charismatic aura, how does the Diablo 333 sound?
Microphase Audio Design SAT MK3 Loudspeakers
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- Written by Barry James Johnston Barry James Johnston
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 June 2024 01 June 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of audio excellence, the Microphase Audio Design SAT MK3 loudspeakers emerge as a beacon of true passion and craftsmanship. Crafted by the visionary Australian-based, French speaker designer Jean-Marie Lière, these bookshelf loudspeakers stand as a testament to his dedication to pushing the boundaries of sonic artistry. With a blend of technical precision and artistic flair, the SAT MK3 speakers promise to captivate audiophiles and music enthusiasts alike.
Hulgich Audio Nina Statement Loudspeakers
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- Written by Tom Waters Tom Waters
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 May 2024 15 May 2024
When the box arrived, I thought… this is a company that cares about product safety and presentation. Two speakers were contained in one reenforced wooden box, very neatly made and finished, with subtle but effective company labelling on all sides. There were strong straps around the box as well. You could easily get the speakers out through the side labelled “front”, without removing the straps. Inside, the box was padded with thick Styrofoam that cradled all sides of the speakers. Each speaker was then in its own padded bag. So, who goes to all this effort before you even get to listen? With the new Nina Statement loudspeakers, Hulgich Audio does.
Soulnote A-3 Integrated Amplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 May 2024 01 May 2024
What do you get when high-level ex-Marantz, Philips and NEC personnel, with a combined experience into three-figures, join forces with a fervent desire to penetrate the higher echelons of high-end audio? You get Soulnote, that’s what, a Japanese company HQ’ed in Kanagawa, Japan. Soulnote has hit the market with a stream of analogue and digital components featuring innovative engineering, a mature design language, and world-class build quality. The company is highly revered in its home country while also receiving high praise, and increasing interest, from audio enthusiasts around the globe. Yeah, it’s also earning some sideways glances from high-end competitors, I’m sure. So, here, I present Soulnote’s top-tier, solid-as-a-brick A-3 integrated amplifier.
