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Heaven 11 Billie Amp MK2 Review


Amplification | DACs | Digital | Digital Sources

Doug Schroeder

Publisher’s note: Heaven 11 has notified us that the MK2 has been discontinued at the time of press, making way for the launch of the MK3 in February, 2025. Follow-up Review forthcoming. Here comes this curious integrated amp that I spied at AXPONA 2023 as it was playing through a pair of PAP Trio10 Heil […]

EMM Labs DA2i D/A converter Review


DACs | Digital Sources

Fred Crowder and Earl Weed

A Revelation When I receive an updated version of a product that I have previously reviewed, the changes are more often evolutionary rather than revolutionary.  By this, I mean that the designer has in fact improved areas in which the product was already strong while weaknesses remain.  This clearly is not the case with the […]

Specifications updated

VPE Electrodynamics Crystal Dipole Speaker & Model 1 DSP Dipole Subwoofer Review


Floorstanding Speakers | Speakers | Subwoofers

Doug Schroeder

Variety for the budget audiophile Let’s say you have $3K to spend on speakers. What will you buy? One of the hundreds of OK sounding box speakers? Maybe a Vandersteen or a dipole speaker like a Magnepan? I have owned the Vandersteen 1B and 2CE, the Magnepan MMG and 1.6QR (and reviewed the .7i; see […]

PS Audio AirLens and DirectStream DAC Mk2 Review


DACs | Digital Sources

Doug Schroeder

We put bits of electronics, wires, and drivers together to create something ephemeral which we hope will also be ethereal. Digital bits seem a strange way to conjure music, but they are no stranger than the coded structure of our being. Someone wrote that code, just as someone wrote the code that operates the PS […]

SHOW REPORT ADDED

Wolf von Langa, SW1X Design and PranaWire in 1211 Parlor Suite


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

SHOW REPORT 8/16/2024 Constantine Soo Colin King of Gestalt Audio and Joe Cohen of Lotus Group once again teamed up for a second year at CAS, and attendees were treated to another field-coil speaker system driven by a meticulously design and set up analog gig, featuring a new and improved Fuuga cartridge on a $30,000 […]

Audio Note UK Meishu Tonmeister 300B integrated amplifier, P3 Tonmeister stereo amplifier, M6 Phono Balanced Preamp Review


Amplification | Preamplifier | Tube

Richard Austen

  Audio Note UK operates a little differently than the rest of the industry in the home stereo world. The company creates a complete array of components for stereo systems from cartridges to loudspeakers down to making the internal parts including transformers, resistors, capacitors, cables, solder, etc. Furthermore, company owner Peter Qvortrup insists upon complete […]

Final ESL in Dolby Atmos multichannel & stereo systems demo in Platinum Ballroom


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

  HighResHiFi, U.S. Distributor of FINAL Electrostatics, Netherlands will demonstrate all new electrostatic panel speaker line-up in both multichannel and stereo configurations. 2024 California Audio Show – Final (final-audio.com) System 1 –  stereo & multichannel music audiophile: Final model 35  pair @ $27,000 BREAKING: Final to present it’s top of the range Model 35 at […]

SHOW REPORT ADDED

True Sound to represent Audio Note UK in Room 1218


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

SHOW REPORT 8/14/2024 Constantine Soo The Audio Note UK room was presented by dealership True Sound, and it was packed just like last year. Lee Chen of True Sound counted 85 new visitors by Saturday afternoon! Many of them sat for an hour or longer. The AN-E/SPx Ltd field-coil speaker system, the star of the […]

SHOW REPORT ADDED

Audio Cafe to present Clarisys, WestminsterLab and LampizatOR in 1107 Parlor Suite


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

SHOW REPORT 8/12/2024 Constantine Soo Clarisys Audio debuted the Piccolo, its full-ribbon panel speakers with yet the smallest dimensions. On hand to walk us through the juicy tidbits of the desing was Ron Resnick of Audio Cafe, Beveryly Hills, CA. Electonics support were by Gary Leeds of WestminsterLab. Sitting at the center in the first […]

SHOW REPORT ADDED

Audience AV and Atma-Sphere in Room 1120


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

SHOW REPORT Constantine Soo 8/8/24 Dr. Phil Ducote and Dan Rosca of cables manufacturer Audience AV demonstrated a pair of the latest version of the $4,000 ClairAudient 1+1 mini-monitors, now in version 5. On the 30-inch Skylan stands and driven by a pair of famed OTL tube amplification company Atma-Sphere’s latest class D monoblocks, coined […]

SHOW REPORT ADDED

Dr. Vinyl joins Sound Lab in Lobby Gold Ballroom


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

  SHOW REPORT Constantine Soo 8/8/24     Sound Lab was represented by its Japanese distributor, Christopher Stubbs of Sound Lab Electrostats Japan in the Lobby Gold Ballroom. He was joined by Jose Ramirez a.k.a. Dr. Vinyl, and Todd Garfinkle of MA Recordings. Two pairs of new Sound Lab panel speakers were positioned on a […]

Douglas Schroeder’s One Year Exploration of Digital Front End Systems


Audio Blast | The Columns

Doug Schroeder

Note to the reader: In this article I am not claiming to have found a method in which affordable equipment performs at a SOTA level, but rather, a method of system building that has elevated my digital front end and offers flexibility to optimize any system I build and elevate the performance of speakers I […]

Arya Audio Labs RevOpods Anti-Vibration Feet Review


Audio Accessories

Fred Crowder

Publisher’s note: This article is co-authored by Fred Crowder and Earl Weed.   In this review, I explore the effect of a relatively new product, Arya Audio RevOpods, vibration control feet on the sound of my system. Over the years, I have used a variety of different devices to damp/isolate my equipment both from external […]

Sound Lab to show new narrower panels at CAS11 – Lobby Gold Ballroom


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Dagogo Staff

  Sound Lab Japanese Distributor Chris Stubbs of Sound Lab Electrostats Japan will be showing two new Sound Lab models in the Lobby Gold Ballroom. Electronics and cables to be provided by Dr. Vinyl. Per Chris: Models are (and note both are brand new): G7-3C (narrow model) & G8-5C (a slightly narrow version of what […]

Lego Icons Retro Radio Review


Audio Blast | The Columns

Doug Schroeder

  I occasionally express my nostalgia in the hobby of audiophilia through acquisition of inoperative or nominally operative audio devices versus vintage stereo equipment. The nostalgia or vintage systems I have built did not have a performance level sufficient to inspire me to listen to them more than a day or two. I have found […]

New internal photos uploaded

SW1X Audio Design AMP V “Titan” Special directly-heated triode integrated amplifier Review


Amplification | Integrated Amplifiers | Tube

Constantine Soo

Audiophiles dig specifications. Most audiophiles are not technically savvy and rely on the brilliance of the design engineers of companies and their marketing departments to make purchase decisions, and what fun that is. Finding out how different designs make music in one’s own home makes for one of the noblest hobbies. Anyone can be a […]

Bricasti Design Model 1 Series II D/A Converter and M5 Network Player Review


DACs | Digital Sources | Others

Doug Schroeder

  I’m not ready to be called old at 61, but I must admit I am making boneheaded mistakes I presume are associated with age. Such was the situation when I called Damon Gramont, Director of Sales and Marketing for Bricasti Design, to discuss a problem with the review unit of the Model 1 Series […]

Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert, May 2, 2024


Commentaries | The Columns

Constantine Soo

  “Today will be a day long remembered. It has seen the death of Kenobi, and will soon see the end of the Rebellion.” – Darth Vader, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, 1977. It was on this pretext that the story of the second movie in the original Star Wars trilogy, Star […]

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PureAudioProject Quintet15 with Voxativ AC-X field-coil open-baffle loudspeaker system Review


Floorstanding Speakers | Speakers

Constantine Soo

The hierarchy of large loudspeakers in my experience begins at the top with the Sound Lab Prostat 922 at the Kimber Kable Exhibit at 2008 RMAF, Acapella Audio Arts Excalibur Triolon with its plasma tweeter, colossal midrange horn and a complete woofers column, followed by the Destination Audio Vista horn, the Dynaudio Evidence Master, the […]

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Technics SU-R1000 reference stereo integrated amplifier Review


Amplification | DACs | Digital Sources | Integrated Amplifiers | Solid State

Constantine Soo

A few short years back, some large Japanese global conglomerate poured its vast engineering resources into creating three components; the first, a D/A converter that would be the envy of all, one that decodes all known codecs, and performs at equivalent level as others’ flagship designs. Then it turned its attention to the creation of […]

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Computer Audio Design GC 1.1 & GC3.1 Ground Control external grounding systems Review


Audio Accessories

Fred Crowder

  Several months ago a local dealer, Timbre Audio, hosted an open house featuring the principals of the company Computer Audio Design: Isabel Whitley and Scott Berry. CAD designs and manufactures passive external grounding boxes, among other products. Although I had heard of the company and had even read one or two reviews, I was […]

Andy Grove of Audio Note UK on IO LTD


Analog Sources | Cartridges | Uncategorized

Audio Note UK

Read: Audio Note UK IO Ltd field-coil cartridge system Review   I group audio engineering kung-fu into 3 main categories: Concepts which have a solid theoretical basis. Concepts which have a plausible, but tenuous or inadequately researched theoretical basis. Pure Magic, based on intuition and experimentation! What we are talking about here, the sound of […]

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Audio Note UK IO Limited field-coil cartridge system Review


Analog Sources | Cartridges

Constantine Soo

  There are lots of cartridges out there, a handful of manufacturers being responsible for the vast majority of the technologies and shapes of them. Swapping cartridges in and out of the system to enjoy a slightly different flavor of one’s favorite music is part of the charm of the analog experience. That said, when […]

EMM Labs MTRX monoblock Input Board Upgrade Review


Amplification | Mono Block | Solid State

Fred Crowder

  Have you ever encountered someone who refuses to leave well enough alone?  Almost as soon as my original review of the EMM Labs MTRX amps had been submitted, Ed Meitner began tinkering with the design of the amps’ input boards. In the next five years, three iterations of the boards appeared on my doorstep, […]

May 2018 Sibelius Violin Concerto concert video via Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall app


Commentaries | The Columns

Constantine Soo

Nearly six years ago in May 2018, then 38-year-old Russian violinist Lisa Batiashvili stepped onto the stage in the Berliner Philharmonie to play the Sibelius Violin Concerto with Paavo Jarvi conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker and the rest is history. The Sibelius work is known for its strenuous cadenzas and flowing passages that are incomparable in […]

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Aurender N20 Ultra High Performance digital output network transport Review


Digital Sources | Others

Doug Schroeder

The initial article regarding my search for a new digital front end concluded with a recommendation of the Aurender A20 (see review) as an excellent choice for those wishing to obtain great sound for a streamlined HiFi featuring a digital front end. This past week I spoke with an older industry insider who a couple […]

Benchmark Media AHB2 THX AAA stereo amplifiers Review


Amplification | Mono Block | Solid State

Constantine Soo

  Benchmark Media is known for its small-footprint digital-to-analog converters such as the discontinued DAC2 and current-production DAC3 series, as well as analog-to-digital converters. The AHB2 bridgeable stereo amplifier, a pair of which being the subject of this review, was first introduced in the fall of 2014, and was the topic of a recent discussion […]

CAS11 Tickets and Prize


2024 Califorina Audio Show

Constantine Soo

TICKETS & PRIZES Top Prize: Audio Note UK M1 Phono Preamp, retail $3,400. 7/24/24 Update: Winner – Douglas Fong. Congratulations! 2nd Prize: PS Audio Sprout100 + ELAC speakers package, retail $1,099. 7/24/24 Update: Winner – Chris Kutina. Congratulations! Online ticket sale has ended. Please purchase your tickets at the CAS Registrar. Each ticket qualifies as one entry. […]

2024 California Audio Show – Rooms


2024 Califorina Audio Show | Rooms

Dagogo Staff

ROOMS 6 Rooms Updated: 7/18/2024 CAS Facebook page live streaming on Friday, 7/19/24 schedule at-a-glance: 10-10:15am: Sound Lab as represented by Sound Lab Elecrostat Japan, Dr. Vinyl, MA Recordings. 10:45-11am: Audio Cafe. System: Clarisys Piccolo ribbon speaker system, WestminsterLab REI pure class A monoblocks, WestminsterLab Quest preamp, WestminsterLab Autria Alloy cable system, LampizatOR DAC. 11:15-11:30pm: […]

Nelson Pass Interview 2023


Commentaries | The Columns

Marc Silver

This past September I had the opportunity to attend the Nelson Pass Amp and Speaker Camp, which is held each year in Sebastopol, California. The camp has been going on for some years and has grown in popularity. This was my first time and I found it to be a fun day out. I don’t […]


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