6moons has reviewed Vinnie Rossi’s newest creation; the Red Wine Audio Isabella battery-powered tube preamp ($4,000) with optional new-old-stock non-oversampling 16-bit DAC ($1,500) and headphone buffer ($500). Reviewer Srajan Ebaen compared the unit to the ModWright LS/PS 36.5 preamp. On the sound, he notes:
The Isabella is about relaxation and an organic as opposed to high-strung showy feeling. It’s not about deep voluptuousness. Nor is it about extreme micro dynamics.
In conclusion, Srajan sums it up as follows:
Brilliant implementation of batteries and tubes as well as USB-input digital conversion to transform humble lap tops into superlative CD transports.
Read the entire review–just be sure to settle in first. Coming in at over 7,600 words (plus 40 photos and 2 diagrams), this is not a quick read. Amazingly, Srajan keeps it interesting the whole way through.