Table of contents for November 2022 in The Absolute Sound

You're an Audiophile, All Right There is no substitute for listening, as you advise us. We must all agree. Often what is supposed to sound best does not sound best to many of us. First, for many audiophiles it is a bicycle-tire-pump to the self-esteem to believe one can hear differences that we cannot admit to ourselves are so subtle it takes great concentration at the expense of hearing what is in the music itself. I am no professional audio equipment reviewer and could never be one. I might not be a real audiophile. I accept and admit tins. However, there are things I hear when trying out different circuit components in amplifiers and preamplifiers I have to build myself because I cannot afford amplifiers costing tens of thousands of…

INDUSTRY NEWS It's been fascinating to watch how Wilson Audio has systematically tnckled-down its flagship technologies into its lower-priced loudspeakers. The latest example is the just-announced Alexia V—a reworking of Wilson's mid-line Alexia. Excluding the WAMM Master Chronosonic (a limited-production model), there are six floorstanders in the Wilson line: the Chronosonic XVX, Alexx V, Alexia Series 2 (now the Alexia V), Sasha DAStJ Yvette, and Sabrina X. Wilson Audio's current wave of innovation began in 2017 with David Wilson's magnum opus, the $850,000 WAMM Master Chronosonic. That speaker was a reimaginmg of Wilson's first product, the groundbreaking WAMM from 1982. But it was the Chronosonic XVX, designed by Daryl Wilson, that turbocharged tlie company's recent creative burst and is now informing the redesign of the lower-priced models. The XVX introduced…

Vanatoo Transparent One Encore $599 The Vanatoo Transparent One Encore all-in-ones (with 5.25” aluminum cone woofers and 1” aluminum dome tweeters powered by internal Class D amps generating lOOWpc for the woofs and 20Wpc for the tweets) look boxy and simple and just fine on a desktop. Equipped with assorted analog and digital inputs and a built-in Bluetooth receiver, they can handle just about any source. For a streaming-centered solution, they don't need anything more than Chromecast to get solid sound—and even that's unnecessary if you use Bluetooth. Deep enough bass, nice midrange clarity, even a little sparkle on the uppers give them better than decent sound: You can't ask for too much more for the convenience and the money. In black or real cherry veneer. (301) KEF LSX II…

PSB Alpha T20 $849 PSB takes budget seriously, and the short-tower two-way T20 is a senous ground-up redesign. It targets the essentials of musicality first and lets everything else fall tunefully into place. A very approachable, high-output speaker, its overall character retains PSB's familiar—and welcome—warmish slant. Midrange integrity has improved, as has dynamic output and low-level resolution. Driver coherence is excellent, as per PSB tradition. Bass response is solid, though the midbass is not always as sharply controlled or pitch specific as that of more elaborate offerings (though the T20 never veers too far astray). Staging could be more dimensional, and the T20 is a bit dry on top but never dull. The perfect way to impress those highfalutin’ audio friends. (302) Magnepan LRS+ $995 ($289 stands) The original Little…

NAD C 328 $599 NAD calls its new integrated amplifier a “Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier,” a moniker that hints at its digital prowess. The C 328 can handle a wide range of digital sources, and indeed, features a topology that keeps signals in the digital domain until the switching output stage. Although the amp is rated at 50Wpc, Paul Seydor found that the C 328 wasn't lacking for power in real-world situations. The C 328 also acquits itself excellendy in nuance and resolution. A tremendous bargain and a worthy successor to NAD's legendary 3020 integrated amplifier. (291) PS Audio Sprout100 $799 Though the original Sprout's compact, retro-modern form factor remains the same, the new Sprout1OO offers a number of upgrades and improvements, including a redesigned phonostage and headphone amp, a…

Arcam CDS50 $1320 Unimposing in its dimensions and weight, the Arcam CDS50 employs a SABRE 9038 Reference chipset for D-to-A conversion—up to 32-bit/192kHz for PCM sources as well as (DoP) DSD. The disc drawer is a slow-loading plastic affair that doesn't inspire confidence, but the player delivers gutsy electric bass/kick drum sound on well-engineered rock recordings. The soundstage presented is somewhat narrower than with competing (and more expensive) products. Downloading the iOS/ Android MusicLife app to a phone Or tablet gets one connected to several streaming services and to Internet radio. (300) Yamaha CD-S1000 $1799 Available for a decade and with its list price recently reduced by $500, the CD-S1000 is something of a “senior citizen” among digital source components. There are no streaming or networking capabilities, but if all…

Roon 1.8 Music Management, Discovery, and Streaming Platform $9.99/mo., billed annually; $12.99/mo., billed monthly; $699, lifetime subscription For readers who are unfamiliar with Roon, it is an application that claims to be “the ultimate music player for music fanatics.” Roon accomplishes this in several ways. First, it unites home libraries and streaming services libraries from Tidal, Qobuz, and Dropbox into one comprehensive, cohesive, and completely searchable library. Roon's latest version, 1.8, finally makes finding music, both in your home library and Roon's supported streaming services, almost as easy and intuitive as grabbing an album off the shelves. And while longtime users won't find radical changes in some of the basic layout, ergonomics, and playback methodology, they will, if they begin to explore, discover that Roon now uses its vast troves of…

Grado Prestige Black3 $99 Excellent tracking ability and a lush, transparent presentation make this econo-Grado a no-brainer for blossoming audiophiles. With an especially rich, almost tactile midrange and a chocolaty warmth and fullness on the bottom, this pickup is easy to recommend to anyone who listens mostly to vocal and instrumental music of a traditional kind, whether classical, pop, jazz, or folk. Not for rock fans or head-bangers, it nevertheless has the kind of sound around which cults readily develop (and doubtless would if it were a lot more expensive). (284) Ortofon 2M Red $99 The swansong design of Ortofon's former chief engineer Per Windfeld, the entry-level 2M Red uses an elliptical-tipped stylus. Though a little dry in the treble and lacking the Ortofon Black's velvety finesse and harmonic finish,…

Spin-Clean Record Washer MKII $99 The Spin-Clean System is a purely manual design—nothing to plug in. A little elbow grease and fresh air do all the work. Fill the taxicab-yellow basin with distilled water, add a capful of the cleaning solution, and spin the record between the brushes. Ambient air and a couple of swirls of the supplied lint-free cotton cloths do the rest. It's also a truly green product, totally off the grid. And the results speak for themselves—clean surfaces mean less noise and more fully resolved music. For lighter duty it's tough to beat. (201) Record Doctor VI $329 For those who love and care for their vinyl but don't want to break the bank on a cleaner, the Record Doctor VI (its latest iteration) offers a smart…

Transparent Audio The Link Interconnect, The Wave Speaker Cable, High-Performance Power Cord The Link $100/1m; The Wave $250/8’ pr.; High Performance Powerlink $340/2m. Although we have experience only with Transparent's lower-priced offerings (at the moment), what we've heard has been extremely impressive. The $100 The Link interconnect brings more than a taste of high-end interconnects to an entry-level price. Similarly, The Wave speaker cable is a bargain, offering superior tonality, wider dynamics, and a more open soundstage. The High-Performance Power Cord is a vast improvement over stock AC cords, and just might be the most cost-effective upgrade possible in an entry-level system. The PowerWave 8 conditioner is also an extremely cost-effective upgrade, rendering wider dynamics, smoother timbres, and a greater sense of musical involvement. (Not reviewed) Kimber Kable Hero Interconnect/8TC…

Groovers Japan Activo CT10 $299 The CT1O is the first high-resolution audio player under the Activo brand. Its quad-core CPU produces a snappy user interface and has enough power to process large hi-res audio files. The CT1O was designed by Groovers Japan and iRIVER of South Korea (parent company of Astell & Kern) and features the new sound solution system from Astell & Kern, the Teratonn TM200, which combines a DAC chip, an analog amplifier, an independent power unit, and a jitter-preventing clock to provide a single-chip solution for hi-fi audio playback. (Not reviewed) Fiio M11 $499 The M11 is loaded with goodies including two AK 4493EQ DAC chips, an Exynos 7872 CPU, an FPBA-based system clock, both unbalanced and balanced analog outputs, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of ROM, a…

“Good as it was, you'd never mistake the sound I heard for unamplified musicians performing in a jazz nightclub.” In a show with many demos, one demo in Munich stood out for its creativity and ambitiousness: the live With recorded (rather than live versus recorded) sound in the Stenheim/darTZeel room. At a reservation-only event, jazz saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh played music from Ins album No Filter live, while a recording of his band accompanied him by way of top darTZeel electromcs and Stenheim speakers. This is not the first live-with-recorded demo at a trade show. Acora had a convincing one at the most recent Capital Audiofest. That demo was typical of the ilk in that the recording incorporated its own artificial “acoustics,” in the form of EQ and added reverb. Meanwhile,…

Magnepan Mini Maggie System $1490 The Mini-Maggie system is a three-piece, ribbon-tweeter-equipped, planar-magnetic, dipole speaker system intended primarily for desktop use. Featuring small tweeter/midrange panels that sit atop the desk and a stereo mid/bass panel that sits in the footwell below, it is arguably the finest desktop speaker ever made. In fact, in detail, resolution, purity, freedom from grain, sounds tage width and depth, and, above all, coherence, the Mini-Maggie rig sounds for all the world like a pair of Magnepan's exceptional 3.7i's on a smaller scale. (223) Audience The One V4/1+1 V5 $1695/$2960 The One is a single full-range driver shoehorned into a small box. The driver itself is the same unit, the A3A, that Audience uses in its $2960 1+1 V3. According to Audience, the A3A has exceptionally…

PSB Alpha P5 $499 The PSB Alpha P5 is a budget mini-monitor for our time. SonicaUy it's pure PSB, with a nicely weighted midrange, non-fatiguing treble, and overall naturalism that make it very easy to engage with. Commendably there are few of the tonal peaks and bumps associated with lesser engineered speakers in this class. Midrange presence and dynamic energy are captured with many of the strengdis of the P5's sibling T20 floorstander. Vocals retain a nice blend of physicality, warmdi, and clean articulation with hints of airiness in the upper octaves. The ability to fully define the contours of an auditonum is a wee bit beyond the P5's purview; nonedieless it conveys its share of string section layering and orchestral depth cues, with an image stability that outclasses much…

JL Audio Dominion d08, $1100; d10, $1300 (black ash, add $100 for gloss black) JL's less costly Dominion series shares much of the design technology and all the philosophy of its more upscale models. What differentiates the Dominion from the slightly more expensive E Series? First the E-series has more sophisticated electronics. Second, the Dominion's drivers don't use the dual-spider technique of the E subs, and third, their baskets are not as deep. For a multi-purpose living room system, a combination of two Dominion D110s and JL's CR-1 electronic crossover is just the thing to help your system go from extremely good to arrestingly excellent. (313) GoldenEar SuperSub X $1499 Almost impossibly small but packing dual active drivers and twin passive rathators plus 1500W of Class D DSP-controlled power, the…

Schiit Audio Magnius $199 The reason that audiophiles pass over modestly priced components for higher-priced options is often the “grayness” or perceived lack of resolution and detail of budget gear. There simply isn't enough there there, for an experienced audiophile. That was not an issue with the Schiit Magnius preamplifier and headphone amplifier. Power-supply tweakers be warned—the Magnius requires its own AC-to-AC, 1.5to-2 amp, 14-to-16-volt power supply, instead of a more usual AC-to-DC type. The Magnius’ soundstage characteristics, including depth, image precision, width, and dimensionality, were exactly what reviewer Steven Stone expected from reference-level component, regardless of price. If you can live with just two inputs, the Magnius may well be all you really need. (311) Schiit Audio Freya+ $849 ($899, Black) The Freya+ is a tube-based preamplifier with three…

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital $499 The Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital offers audiophiles a very high-value DAC/digital preamp at an almost ridiculously low price. Not only does it include a plethora of important features and capabilities, but it sounds good, has an elegantly designed control surface, and is expandable. Perhaps the best way to view the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 (and most of the components in the Pro-Ject S2 line) is as a sonic building block or Lego. You can acquire Pro-Ject components to do exactly what you need, no more and no less, and acquire them as you need them. While not quite bespoke audio, the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 is one small part of an elegant system that gives even audiophiles with limited means a way to…

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO $599 The EVO is Pro-Ject's upgrade to its popular entry-Level deck, and it includes an improved motor suspension, height-adjustable damped-metal feet, dampening material in the interior of the platter, and speed-changing at the flip of a switch. All this was added to an already attractive and quality package, which features Pro-Ject's 8,6” carbon-fiber tonearm. The EVO feels premium and can be tweaked and upgraded for years to come. Rhythm and pace are spot on, and the low end has a pleasant heft. The midrange, particularly brass instruments, sounds tight and sparkles on higher notes. Overall, an attractive, simple, and great-sounding entry-level table. Highly recommended. (316) Rega Planar 1Plus $725 (includes Carbon cartridge) It's notable that Rega's entry-level ‘table today sells for roughly the same price it…

J-Corder Technics 1500 Starting at $5995; $7995 with enhanced Record/Playback Option J-Corder offers beautiful cosmetic choices with completely rebuilt Technics prosumer reelto-reel machines that not only preserve the Technics’ original functionality but also bring those highly reliable decks back to their original specifications—and beyond with J-Corder performance options. Its $2000 Record/Play option significantly upgrades the electronics with higher-quality parts and a custom-calibrated, matching headblock to coax out another 8dB of recording headroom while significantly improving the deck's sonics. Whereas the J-Corder 1520 has switchable IEC equalization, other J-Corder models need the optional second playback head output married with external electronics to play prerecorded CCIR-compatible tapes, like those from The Tape Project. However, these decks are really designed for users to make incredible recordings of their favorite tracks. A great way…

Shunyata Research Venom 14 $145 Shunyata's entry-level is a quantum leap over the standard, no-name cord. Flexible and UL-approved, Venom 14 adds transient pop and image stability, opens the soundstage, and peels away the veiling that inhibits transparency and resolution. A bit forward in character, the Venom 14 provides an excitement that really lights up the soundstage. Aldiough low-level dynamics and deep bass could use furdier refinement, Venom 14 is an audioplule-level product that makes it fun to spend less. (208) Audience forte F3 powerChord $250/1.75m Sheer excellence in the entry-level power-cord bracket, the Audience forte F2 powerChord is a definite winner. It will lift the performance of any system as it lowers the noise floor, improves transient attack, and permits a wider expression of dynamic contrasts and low-level details.…

Grado SR325x $295 All Grade's headphones are based on the same basic design that uses similar yokes, headbands, and enclosures. The new 325x features Grado's fourth generation of proprietary drivers. The Grado SR325x modernizes the Grado headphone sound that SS has been accustomed to hearing for the last 20 years with some additional bass energy and an attempt at additional comfort. For those listeners who found older Grado designs lacked sufficient bass energy, the SR325x could be the answer. (324) KLH Ultimate One $299 The Ultimate One's design is built around a 50mm (2-inch) “pure beryllium” driver with a frequency response of 18Hz—22kHz (±3dB) and a high sensitivity specification of 97dB. The fit and finish of the Ultimate One is exceptionally fine, especially considering its pace. If you are looking…

Naim Mu-so 2 $1799 It may be a similar size and shape to a “boom-box,” but once you hear what this compact system (with three smallish cone dnvers per side, 75W on tap for each driver, and integrated preamp, DAC, streaming, and DSP) can do, there will be no mistake. It is a different creature entirely. Its best qualities compare favorably to those of systems of separate components up to about twice its pace, though it will not play super-loud (an expected result for amps and speaker drivers of tins size) and won't give you the kind of wide, deep sounds tage that you get from individual speakers. Highly recommended. (306) T+A Caruso $4450 Tins tabletop system measures just under a foot in each dimension yet is packed with seven…

DALI Rubicon 6 C $8798 DALI's Rubicon 6 C is the largest of four powered-loudspeakers offered by the Danish manufacturer, a 2.5-way floorstander. The tweeter is a soft-dome/ribbon hybrid that's fast and extended, smoothly blending with the drivers below. The two cone midrange/woofers empLoy a material for the pole piece called “Soft Magnetic Compound” (SMC) that has standard magnetic properties but virtually no electrical conductivity, which eliminates hysteresis-related distortion. A compact streaming preamp (the “Sound Hub”) is part of the package; it wirelessly pairs to the loudspeakers, a reliable and sonically invisible connection. The system doesn't play favorites with musical genres. Power pop, small group jazz, opera, female vocals—everything is reproduced with natural detail and abundant character. (315) Eikon Audio Image1 $25,000 (includes Eikontrol and cables) This integrated system from…

Odyssey Khartago Stereo/Mono $995/$1975/pr. Although the 130Wpc Odyssey Khartago solid-state stereo amp has been around for better than a decade, it was new to JV until amp-connoisseur Alon Wolf (of Magico) told him he used it in lus shop, and it was excellent. Wolf was right. Although the Khartago doesn't have all the articulation and transparency of the standard-setting Soulution 711 stereo amplifier, it has a surprisingly similar balance, no discernible grain, high resolution, and a deep, wide soundstage. Positively, the best budget amp JV as heard, not counting the Odyssey Khartago monoblocks, which have the same power rating as the Khartago but a stiffer power supply and wider bandwidth, giving them the sme basic sound as the two-channel unit with slightly more resolution, dynamic oomph, top-end air, and channel…

Schiit Audio Mani $149 ($159 silver) Sporting the same compact design that Schiit's famous for and offering a surprising amount of flexibility, the Mani is one of the most cost-effective phono preamps on the market. It has four gain settings and two loading options via dip switches on the bottom and works equally well with both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, though sonically it may favor the mm group. The Mani did a fantastic job of presenting soundstage depth while keeping the noise floor to a minimum. It handled even complex music with grace and toe-tapping fun. This is the perfect phonostage for anyone interested in fantastic sound, reasonable cost, and the ability to use multiple cartridge types. (285) MoFi Electronics StudioPhono $349 Renowned recording and remastering experts Mobile Fidelity Sound…

AudioQuest DragonFly Black, DragonFly Red, DragonFly Cobalt $129/$229 /$349 AudioQuest practicalLy invented the lowcost, high-performance USB DAC in stick form with the original DragonFly. It was a massive success. But these three newer models greatly improve on the sound of the original, and the $129 Black version comes at a lower price, to boot. Although the Black sounds superb, the Red and Cobalt are worth the difference in cost. The Red at $229 delivers striking sonic quality, with exceptional transparency, resolution, timbral realism, and wide dynamics. The Cobalt, with its upgraded DAC and processor chips, delivers greater smoothness and resolution than the Red, with a more refined character. Dynamics are also improved, along with a more robust bottom end. No matter which model you choose, you can't go wrong. Add…

Rega RB330 $675 For decades, turntable manufacturers who didn't build their own ‘arms frequently packaged their models with Rega's ternfic-sounding and affordable RB300 tonearm. Musically compelling, with excellent balance and good detail, if not the final word in any one category, the improved RB330 is still a superb buy. (127) Acoustic Signature TA-1000 NEO $2495 One of Acoustic Signature's best sellers, this 9” tonearm features a dual-layer carbon arm tube and precision miniature bail bearings. It provides for adjustable VTA, azimuth, and anti-skating force. VTF is adjustable via a brass counterweight. The ‘arm is available in both SME and Rega mounting styles and is a perfect match in terms of effective mass (9.3g) and cartridge balance range (6 to 16g) for most mc cartridges. It was reviewed with the Acoustic…

Schiit Audio Magni3+ $99 For under a C-note, Scluit has created a headphone amp that can not only power hardto-dnve headphones but is also quiet enough to use with in-ear monitors. It sounds great, has surpnsingly good build-quality, and delivers superb technical performance. The Magni3 offers excellent bass and sub-bass control, pitch definition, and drive, as well as a very dynamic upper midrange. The Magm3 provides a simple and cost-effective way to power a wide variety of headphones at Or near their optimum some potential. (Not reviewed) Sony TA-ZH1ES $2198 The Sony TA-ZH1ESis not only a multi-output headphone amplifier, but also a DAC and an analog/digital preamplifier. With a total of seven output options, the Sony TA-ZH1ES can support every popular headphone termination scheme currently in use. SS has never…