Today's Home Audio Headlines

You will only need to listen to a note or two of any well-recorded LP to hear the differences between ARC’s new $30k (yep, you’re reading that right) Reference Phono 10 preamplifier and other tube phonostages, including my previous reference, the…
- 19 hours ago, 11 Mar 14, 1:28pm -

“Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?” Johnny Cash intones at the start of “I Corinthians 15:55.” The tune, among the last Cash ever wrote, is lovely and reflective, and unfolds like a dreamy waltz between old lovers…
- 24 hours ago, 11 Mar 14, 8:33am -

Longtime readers of these pages will recall my enthusiasm for the integrated amplifier. Although most integrateds do not reach the sonic heights of the finest separate components, I still love them for their space-saving chassis, uncomplicated hook-u…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 9:32am -

Slipstream is a typical Bonnie Raitt album, with all that that implies. As per usual, the new collection finds the blues singer by turns sassy and sensitive. And, as always, Raitt’s choice of songs is beyond reproach. Here, she revisits chestnuts l…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 10:36am -

March 6, 2014 - Core Audio Technology is excited to announce a new audiophile linear power supply that delivers unprecedentedly low noise, high versatility, and superb performance. It is becoming better-known, at least by the dozens of companies that…
- 6 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 7:33am -

I know this will come as a huge shock to music fans the world over but the Grammy Awards get it wrong more than they get it right. No offense to the 2013 winners, but after repeated listens to the LP of Bakersfield, which was cut from a digital maste…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 1:15pm -

Back in the summer of 2009, USB-connected D/A processors that could operate at sample rates greater than 48kHz were rare. Ayre Acoustics had just released its groundbreaking QB-9, one of the first DACs to use Gordon Rankin's Streamlength code for Tex…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 9:48am -

Most folks don't even know they exist, but the Channel Islands are a chain of eight moderately sized mountains poking through the Pacific Ocean along the coast of southern California, between Santa Barbara and San Diego. The most famous of these is C…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 9:42am -

Over half a century after the creation of the prized Everest Records catalog, most of whose 78 classical titles were recorded between 1958 and 1961 on 35mm magnetic tape in three-channel stereo, 61 titles have now been remastered and released in mult…
- 6 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 9:52am -

Photo: Nashvilleportraits.comPack up all your dishes.Make note of all good wishes.Say goodbye to the landlord for me.That son of a bitch has always bored me.Throw out them L.A. papersAnd that moldy box of vanilla wafers.Adi¢s to all this con…
- 7 days ago, 5 Mar 14, 10:31am -

The PonoMusic Kickstarter campaign kicked off yesterday with a stated goal of $800,000. By around 5:00PM, during Neil Young's hour-long address to a full house at SXSW, they'd already made it half way there. The numbers you see above are a snapshot f…
- 55 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:26am -

In a press release from Warner Bros. Music dated March 10, 2014, Neil Young has officially announced PonoMusic.PonoMusic is a revolutionary movement conceived and founded by Neil Young. Our mission is to bring the highest-quality digital music to d…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 2:12pm -

My friend John DeVore, who is also the maker of my speakers, sent me an email over the weekend, "I was just perusing your Beck post again after receiving the vinyl and ended up sniffing around the Dynamic Range Database. I saw an album with a 00 DR(!…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 8:07am -

The Synergistic Research UEF (Uniform Energy Field) Technology Active Tuning Circuits are the new replacements for the Enigma Tuning Circuits (Bullets) provided with the Synergistic Research Element and Galileo Series cables and AC cords, Digital Pow…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 7:26am -

Carla Bozulich is badass. Like Jim Morrison only scary. Stephen Mejias already told us her new album Boy kicked ass, actually part of what he said was "The result is something like a wonderfully twisted, damaged Fleetwood Mac single—beautiful, powe…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 3:52am -

The latest build of Fidelia has been released. Concurrently, the Fidelia Remote app has been updated as well. I'm looking forward to giving this a...
- 4 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 3:57am -

Hi, I'm a total dummy on computer audio system and feeling great found this website, I have checked many post here but still have some stupid...
- 7 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 1:14am -

I stumbled at interesting link of online hear sensitivity test: Free hearing test on line – Equal loudness contours and audiometry...
- 8 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 12:11am -

I have a Mac Mini (mid 2010 model) with 8GB of RAM, running OSX 10.9.2 and the latest iTunes 11.1.5. I send audio out to a Wyred4Sound DAC-2 via...
- 14 hours ago, 11 Mar 14, 5:59pm -

Good day to everyone and thank you in advance... As some know I just purchased a W4S DAC2-DSDse and it is time to change how I deliver my digital...
- 15 hours ago, 11 Mar 14, 5:43pm -

Hi, Vinnie. I am definitely staying tuned, too!Meanwhile, it would certainly be interesting if someone reported on a run-off between the unmodified Sony and PS Audio's new DirectStream DAC <http://www.psaudio.com/products/audio/media-players/perfectw…
- 6 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 8:15am -

Quote from: JeffO on Yesterday at 06:27 pmJames,Given how good the bass on the middle T is, what frequency do you set the crossover to the subs?  Do you really need the subs or do you use them just to show off? [/quo...
- 6 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 8:15am -

From the article here.QuotePeter has an EE degree and has been building speakers since the 1980’s and has designed his own preamp and amp under...
- 23 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:58am -

Quote from: jimdgoulding on Today at 02:23 pmAsimov, where on earth did you find Checkmate?  I've had it for years and it's note perfect good, but imagined it was out of print long ago.. Long ago I downlo...
- 27 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:54am -

Hello, There is no existing inventory of the base plates. They were made from MDF and sprayed black. I'm sure Mark could make a perfect fit if you supply him w/ exact dimensions / / /
- 29 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:52am -

 "Hi Everyone   I'm looking for headphones for home listening and would like to consult..."
- 8 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 8:13am -

 "Hi Guys,   I'm looking for an aftermarket cable for a set of Sennheiser HD650..."
- 14 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 8:07am -

 "This is a pre-emptive classified. I should receive them tomorrow and I'll get a good..."
- 25 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:56am -

 " 1.0m Pair of the Dalkey Audio Vico Signature, purchased on eBay.ie. They cost £250..."
- 41 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:40am -

 "Hi,   Up for sale are 3 iem's that I don't really use. My JH13 take up 90% of my..."
- 41 mins ago, 12 Mar 14, 7:40am -

You could make worse wagers than betting that War on Drugs leader Adam Granduciel spent countless hours as a teenager in his room absorbing and memorizing every hi-fi attribute on aurally immersive albums like Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 2:29pm -

The Sound Organisation, North American importer and distributor of European Audio products, is pleased to announce a new addition to the well-established PMC twenty series of loudspeakers, the twenty.26. The twenty.26 is the first three-way speaker i…
- 2 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 11:17pm -

The Vandersteen Audio speaker lineup continues to evolve as a result of the research & development efforts that delivered the patented carbon-fiber Perfect-Piston™ drivers used in the flagship Model 7.Vandersteen’s Treo loudspeaker is now avail…
- 3 days ago, 8 Mar 14, 11:33pm -

Audeze pronounces their name “Odd-eh-zee.” Now when seeing the same, I find it hard not to reflect back on my high school English classes and studying stories from ancient Greek mythology. Other than Homer’s Iliad, the Odyssey may be the best-k…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 1:17pm -

I must be honest with you, this is the only component I have ever purchased sight unseen at full retail price.  That’s right. Spin the clock back to 1986, when I was still living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and making regular pilgrimages to Quintessen…
- 6 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 11:53am -

For Audio Research, this 75-watt stereo amplifier represents a return to sonic form and to the basic circuitry design pioneered by the late Wm. Z. Johnson, one of the true artists of the high end...
- 97 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:29am -

When I listen to these speakers I hear the music, and only the music, and there is really nothing more to say than that.
- 2 Dec 13, 1:12am -

The Wyetech Ruby STD is a hidden treasure for the analog music lover. We say hidden because if people heard this preamp, it would be the talk of the town...
- 25 Nov 13, 5:23am -

These amplifiers could never be considered an ordinary, run-of-the-mill, fly-by-night product. This is no impulse purchase to be sold on AudiogoN months later. If you buy these amps, you will keep them because you will love them...
- 21 Nov 13, 5:12am -

  In the professional audio industry the name Nagra is synonymous with precision. For over 50 years, Nagra has been an industry leader in developing analogue and digital...
- 23 Oct 13, 7:10am -

We reviewed three previous Kansas City Symphony/Michael Stern CDs released on Reference Recordings. All were recorded by the master sound engineer, Keith Johnson, the man who almost single handedly took the CD from the closet to the concert stage. Hi…
- 8 days ago, 4 Mar 14, 8:43am -

Today, I received a large package from Hanover, Germany. The package included three CDs in the most impressive packaging I’ve seen in a while and a detailed information sheet about the German company. The company is about to launch the label in Can…
- 13 days ago, 27 Feb 14, 8:45am -

I received yet another email from a Kickstarter project designer. But, so polite, I wanted to give our readers a heads up. The $30,000 target is almost complete — just a few bucks shy. Also, the project is based in Toronto at the very cool Planet o…
- 16 days ago, 24 Feb 14, 7:36am -

This is Angela Hewitt’s fourth CD in her Hyperion series of Beethoven Sonatas. I did not get a chance to hear the first three. I did listen to her recent Faure and Debussy discs. I was not impressed. Hewitt is a Canadian pianist based in London. I…
- 17 days ago, 23 Feb 14, 8:45am -

- 23 days ago, 17 Feb 14, 8:27am -

Within less than 24 hours of launching their Kickstarter campaign, promoter Neil Young's PonoPlayer has presold over $1,000,000 worth of units!
- 3 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 5:45am -

Eryk S Concept's new Superior stereo integrated tube amplifier produces 6 Wpc and includes both wired input and Bluetooth connection.
- 1 day ago, 11 Mar 14, 5:45am -

Enjoy the Music.com just posted the new issue of Australian HiFi magazine.
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 6:00am -

Tomorrow as SXSW Neil Young will be officially unveiling the high resolution audio Pono portable media player and the accompanying music service MyPono.
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 6:00am -

Spotify has acquired the industry's leading music intelligence company The Echo Nest.
- 5 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 10:00pm -

This website and domain are for sale. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to maintain the site with new content as family priorities require that I devote my time elsewhere. 30-Day Google Analytics: Visits – 3,631 Unique Visitors – 3,228 Pageviews…
- 6 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 8:21am -

The AudioQuest DragonFly and the CEntrance DACPort have gained some rave reviews due to their portability and sound quality.  But if you’re like me and been holding off on one of those little USB DAC “dongles” because of their 96kHz sample…
- 11 Feb 13, 2:34pm -

I try to focus our reviews and articles on more affordable high quality audio – and for that reason don’t often get to talk about McIntosh Labs.  They make some amazing equipment that sounds great and lasts for decades and makes for a strong sec…
- 20 Jan 13, 4:10pm -

If you’ve ever purchased high-resolution albums from David and Normal Chesky’s ever expanding HDtracks, but were put off by their strange and quirky Java download manager, rejoice!  Released today, their new download manager is an installed app…
- 2 Jan 13, 5:08pm -

Some of you may be aware of the Sicphones project on Kickstarter that ran successfully this fall.  It was able to gain enough funding to produce somewhere around 100 headphone amplifier kits.  My box of parts arrived last week and I was finally abl…
- 31 Dec 12, 10:31am -

Asking this as far from classifieds as I can get.Another of these just sold for $60!I've never heard one.Where do they sit on the phono stage continuum?This price places them just above the $40 eBay crapAre they really really bad or just ordinar…
- 3 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 5:04am -

Item: Elektra Theatron 7 Channel Power Amp With Upgraded RelaysLocation: Caroline Springs Melbourne VICPrice: $1750 (including donation to SNA) plus freight if requiredItem Condition: Excellent, 8.5/10 with upgraded relaysReason for selling: upgraded…
- 4 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 3:58am -

I saw in a news paper, death notices original owner of bowerbird records .may have passed is this true?i'd rather not say his name in fear it is not true and may upset relatives ectbut many will know who I meanthank
- 4 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 3:55am -

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/mar/11/sound-affects-taste-food-sweet-bitter?CMP=ema_632
- 5 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 3:20am -

Hi, I am interested to know if anyone can recommend or share their experiences with any USB Converters/Streamers/Renderers with I2S Output.I have a Wyred 4 Sound Dac2 and have been looking at the Sonore Rendu Renderer and the Channel Islands Tra…
- 6 hours ago, 12 Mar 14, 1:56am -

Amazon and BBC Worldwide North America have signed a deal giving Prime Instant Video the exclusive streaming rights to 'Orphan Black (http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/8920/orphan_black_s1.html).' The agreement is good for the show's previously aired f…
- 2 days ago, 10 Mar 14, 10:41am -

U.K. speaker legends KEF (http://www.kefdirect.com/) have been front and center lately with cutting edge products like the flagship Blade and the 50th anniversary stand-mounted LS50. At $1500, the LS50 (home-theater-loudspeakers/bookshelf-monitor-lo…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 4:31pm -

Sharp is now shipping its AQUOS Q+ collection of advanced LCD LED HDTVs. The displays use proprietary technology to scale 4K content while offering significantly more subpixels than a standard HDTV. Read more... (http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-…
- 5 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 4:10pm -

After engaging in a legal battle over DISH Network's AutoHop feature, which allows customers to skip through commercials, DISH and Disney have agreed to an expansive new deal. As part of their partnership, both companies have dropped their lawsuits a…
- 6 days ago, 6 Mar 14, 5:29pm -

As noted in January (http://games.highdefdigest.com/news/show/HBO_98_posts/PS4/PLaystation/HBO_Go/HBO_Go_Coming_to_Both_the_PS3_and_PS4/13613), the PS3 has been a great all-around media device, and it continues to be a top option with the new console…
- 7 days ago, 5 Mar 14, 10:50am -

Be part of the PF Community!
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 6:21am -

I recently had a very negative experience on one of the boards—I'd purchased a tweak item that had been getting some really good press, and unfortunately experienced problems with it right out of the gate.
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 6:21am -

With the report card out of the way, we come back to the salient point: the Reed is simply fun to listen to. There are several reasons for this. First, the Feickert/Reed does not present a smooth surface, it has edges and texture. This gives the list…
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 6:21am -

Sophia Electric is a family owned and operated enthusiast audio company located in Vienna, Virginia, that designs and builds premium vacuum tubes, vintage-inspired Hi-Fi amplifiers and preamplifiers, and low-powered amplification simpatico loudspeake…
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 6:21am -

According to the website, a BlackDiscus is made of an epoxy-based composite. This composite undergoes proprietary processing steps, the nature of which are not revealed or even hinted at.
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 6:21am -

Hello Mr Soul. Pono is the Hawaiian word for ‘righteousness’ and it’s also the name Neil Young has adopted for his venture into connecting the man in the street with ‘studio quality’ music. Pono can be split into two composite parts: the fo…
- 10 hours ago, 11 Mar 14, 10:28pm -

“I heard a perfect echo die into an anonymous wall of digital sound.” – ‘Natural Beauty’ (Harvest Moon, 1992) There’s little doubting that Neil Young is one heck of an awesome dude and his intentions to push better sound quality to a wide…
- 3 days ago, 9 Mar 14, 4:28pm -

Flashback. Last year I reviewed the Schiit Bifrost DAC for TONEAudio magazine. That (previously .pdf only) coverage has since been archived here but I’ll provide a quick summary for those about to jump back with “TL;DR”: AKM4399 decoder chip,…
- 4 days ago, 7 Mar 14, 9:30pm -

You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off! Light Harmonic make the $20K Da Vinci D/A converter. They also make the rather splendid LightSpeed USB cable. However, Light Harmonic will probably be most famous from now on for their portable DAC…
- 8 days ago, 4 Mar 14, 3:20pm -

Banco De Gaia (aka Toby Marks) this week releases a 20th anniversary edition of his debut album (proper) – Maya. The man behind the Maya mask refers to this album as ‘global electronica’. Personally, I’d peg it as ambient dub tinged with worl…
- 9 days ago, 2 Mar 14, 8:27pm -