Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Stereo Times has reviewed the Nuforce P-9 Preamp ($3,500). This is a two-chassis design (photo) whereby “One chassis contains three power supplies and microprocessor control logic; the second chassis contains an analog volume control, input selection relays, and sensitive analog circuit components.”
Reviewer Alvester Garnett had this to say of the sound:
The P-9 has the astounding musical treasure of allowing me to hear more of each individual part but never at a sacrifice of the whole. With as much differentiation and delineation I heard, I felt it imparted greater musical meaning to the whole of each performance.
Read the entire review.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity has reviewed the Parasound Halo P 7 preamplifier ($2,000). This is a solid state preamp with built in phono stage, balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs (photo).
Reviewer Rick Schmidt liked its versatility:
What the P 7 does is allow you to integrate any combination of two channel source components, multichannel source components, two channel amplifiers and multichannel amplifiers.
On balance, he noted:
The P 7 is also just an excellent preamp plain and simple. With little to no sonic character of its own the P 7 simply presents the music as a whole and lets you enjoy.
Read the entire review.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
6moons has posted reviews of the following high-end components:
Enjoy!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Stereomojo has reviewed the Role Audio Enterprise floorstanding speakers ($3,495/pair). These are two-way designs with dual 4″ midrange drivers in a MTM configuration (photo).
Reviewer Mike Peshkin bi-amped them with an unnamed Nightengale amp and a pair of unnamed Monarchy monoblocks. He also compared them to a pair of unnamed Infinity speakers with side firing powered subwoofers…
His conclusion?
These speakers are easy to set up, and again, sound wonderful. While impressed, I reiterate that for full-range most people will want and NEED a sub. AND, along with good amplification, a cheapo sub is NOT what you’d wish to mate to these speakers.
Read the entire review, then check out the Publisher’s Note at the end. It lists other speakers that represent better values. There was a thread on Audio Asylum about this subject recently. Glad to see at least one publication is naming names!
Monday, February 23, 2009
10 Audio has posted a review of the Spread Spectrum Technologies Ampzilla 2000 monoblocks ($7,500/pair). These are 200 watt units with both RCA and XLR connections (photo).
Reviewer Jerry S. liked them a great deal, ultimately awarding them a rating of 9.5 out of 10. He loved their bass, tonal balance, and dynamics. He had only one small complaint:
There is a small sense of forwardness in the upper midrange. This sense went largely unnoticed after listening to the amplifiers for a week or so, but changing back from the Marantz or Manley monos brought this character back to mind.
Read the entire review, then tell me if you have ever seen an uglier amp. Honestly, who the hell thinks a $7,500 pair of components should be painted neon blue and have a logo designed by a teenager?
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hi-Fi Choice has posted the following reviews via its TechRadar web site:
Enjoy!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Stereophile has posted two new reviews:
Check out the reviews, then take a look at Art Dudley’s latest column, Listening #74. In it, he addresses Audio Asylum members who questioned his commitment to certain products:
Hey, fellas—it’s just record players and speakers and stuff, okay? It’s not a love tryst or a suicide pact or a tree house with passwords and secret handshake. Yes, I parted with an audio component that you’re besotted with, and I moved on to something else: Get over it. Stop taking your amps and your speakers and your fat selves so damn seriously and lighten up a little, for God’s sake.
Right on! A little perspective is always a good thing.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Stereo Times has reviewed the Reference 3A Grand Veena floorstanding speakers ($8,000/pair). These are “statement loudspeakers” and feature a 7″ main driver run full-range, tweeter, Murata super tweeter, and two 8″ bass drivers (photo).
Reviewer Nelson Brill liked its transparency and grainless treble. Compared to his Hanson Prince V.2 floorstanding speakers, he notes:
The Grand Veena has these same special qualities: vivid transparency, timbre accuracy and aliveness, with an overarching integration of all musical elements (top to bottom), albeit within a more scaled down soundstage and octave reach than the Prince V.2.
Read the entire review.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
6moons has reviewed the NuForce W-1 “bass extender” subwoofer ($249). This smallish unit has a 5.25″ woofer and is designed to augment the Icon integrated amp and S-1 speakers desktop audio system.
Reviewer Srajan Ebaen summed up his impression of the sub/sat system:
What we have here is a very hi-end-ish ‘starter’ system that should last many people well past their first forays into the hobby. Resolution, clarity of vocal enunciation, separation and coherence all go quite beyond what the price tag might promise (or warn not to expect).
He concludes by saying:
We may have been reluctant at first but with the launch of the W-1, this mini rig has matured to perfection!
Read the entire review.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Audiophile Audition has posted two new reviews:
Enjoy!