Today's Home Audio Headlines

Growing numbers of serious music lovers are drawn to high-performance earphones and headphones, though we recognize that some of our fellow audiophiles remain skeptical about products in this category. I suspect this may have to do with a latent cons…
- 17 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 8:49am -

The following quote has been incorrectly attributed to Nelson Pass, founder of Pass Laboratories: “Listening to my amplifiers is like listening to tubes, but without the hassle.” Someone else may have said it, but Pass never did and has, in turn,…
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 8:32am -

Olivier Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps may be the most celebrated chamber work of the 20th century. Written when Messiaen was a prisoner of war in Görlitz, and performed by the composer with three other POWs before a shivering audience of…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:16am -

Groveton, Texas; December 4th, 2013 - Raven Audio, a manufacturer of tube preamplifiers, integrated, stereo and monoblock amplifiers, unveils their new website and invites you to visit and begin your Raven Audio tour. Tubes Do It Better There’s a w…
- 5 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 5:55pm -

Being an audiophile means living in a constant state of hope. Hope about improvements in the quality of musical performances, in the quality of recordings, and in the media used to provide them. Hope for improvements in every active and passive compo…
- 6 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 11:26am -

Like many audiophiles of a certain age, I first became aware of the Norwegian company Electrocompaniet when I read a follow-up review of "The Two-Channel Audio Power Amplifier" in Vol.1 No.4 of The Audio Critic, cover-dated July/August/September 1977…
- 4 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 2:50pm -

When I reviewed Simaudio's Moon Evolution 880M monoblock amplifier for the June 2013 issue, I communicated via phone and e-mail with the company's VP of marketing, Lionel Goodfield. When the topic of hearing the 880Ms at their best came up, I could a…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:39am -

Memory mitigates adversity.—Lucius Lactantius (ca 240–ca 320 AD)Pity the aging perfectionist, the happy diversions of whose younger days—washing records, oiling turntables, leveling equipment racks, cleaning tube pins—have now b…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:23am -

In his August 2008 Follow-Up to Jon Iverson's and Kalman Rubinson's coverage of Sooloos's Source:One (which was the component in the Sooloos system of the time that output an analog audio signal), John Atkinson wrote: "Looking at the [inside of the]…
- 6 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 7:43pm -

It's time to celebrate another memorable year in high-end audio. Each December since 1992, Stereophile has named a few special components its Products of the Year. These are components that not only define the present audio landscape, but that we hop…
- 7 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 1:19pm -

“Comparison is the death of joy.” ~ Mark Twain“Audiophiles care too much about sound.” ~ Stephen MejiasPreambleThe sure sign of an addict is the recursive "I'm never going to...again". I'm never going to buy another version of Kind of B…
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 7:03am -

Tal National hail from Niamey, Niger where they enjoy rock star status and their sound is infectious, joyous, incessant, transcendant, intense, and funkin' fun. Kaani is their third album but the first to get an international release on FatCat Record…
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 3:44am -

Device Type: Music ServerInput: Ethernet, USB Type A/B, AES/EBU, Coax S/PDIF, ToslinkOutput: AES/EBU, Coax S/PDIFDimensions (H x W x D): DAC height 110mm, width 360mm, depth 290mm, Power Supply height 65mm, width 122mm, depth 180mm.Weight: 6.5kg.Ava…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 3:02am -

Device Type: Digital to Analog Converter/Preamplifier/Headphone AmplifierDigital Inputs: Asynchronous USB Audio Class 2.0 : Up to 24bit, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz; DSD 64 ; Two Coaxial that support 24-bits and sample rates between 28-195kHz…
- 6 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 10:00am -

Thanks to Charles Hansen for the heads up on this news—AlpineSoft has added DoP (DSD over PCM) functionality to their VinylStudio vinyl ripping software (v8.6). Now you can rip your records to DSD (or PCM up to 32/384 if you prefer) on the cheap as…
- 6 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 5:52am -

Hello guys I am currently using dirac in my stereo setup and i am very pleased with the result. I have plans for making a spare rum into a...
- 2 hours ago, 10 Dec 13, 12:17am -

I've been buying, ripping and collecting music for years and organizing it the only way I ever knew how.... Alphabetically. Then I started thinking...
- 5 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 9:16pm -

I have not seen a thread like this. Maybe their is one? We all like photos. Post a photo of your setup. I wont have mine until xmas so no photos from...
- 7 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 7:10pm -

I was conducting some research and found a J River Wiki page that cough my eye. Here is the link (http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD_Format). If...
- 8 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 6:36pm -

Acoustic Sounds announced today that 125 of their DSD and PCM Digital Downloads are now available for music fans in Canada. See Vinyl Records,...
- 8 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 6:00pm -

The latest off the line . . . Nimbus White in Black.
- 59 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:11am -

Chord announced the Hugo, a high end battery powered DSD-128 capable Dac.
- 1 hour ago, 10 Dec 13, 12:59am -

Actually, I was having a great evening listening with my NC400 dual monos built by James Romeyn and cap mod with speaker cable mod done by Ric Shultz. Both gentlemen did a fabulous job. The sound is by far the best amp that has ever been in my house.…
- 2 hours ago, 10 Dec 13, 12:11am -

London Decca Reference
- 3 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 11:40pm -

Quote from: daveeigler on Today at 05:41 amAmazing. On other threads that statement would be called trolling. Get help!I am sorry you are having a bad day. I suggest you go an buy yourself some new cable...
- 3 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 11:17pm -

 "Hi all,   A quick question: is it necessary to upgrade one's USB input into some kind..."
- 38 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:32am -

 "How to read my ridiculously drawn out ad: If you know this equipment, the first and..."
- 43 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:27am -

 "Suggestions? Using it with my iPod touch 5g and ATH-Pro700 mk2. Looking for something..."
- 44 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:26am -

 "I know this is primarily a forum dedicated to headphones but figured I would throw this..."
- 44 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:26am -

 "For Sale   Like New in "mint Condition". DAC/USB Yulong D100 MKII   Bought on..."
- 53 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:17am -

It’s that time of year when music critics of every stripe pick what they consider the best records of the past 12 months. At TONE, we’re no different. Here are the 25 studio albums from 2013 that Music Editor Bob Gendron feels you should hear aga…
- 15 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 10:48am -

A relative newcomer to the reissue scene, British-based Vinyl 180 is concentrating on a small stable of artists from the 80s and 90s that are thankfully anything but traditional audiophile fare. We’re talking albums by Gary Numan, The Cult, and Dea…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:53am -

No discussion of Krautrock would be complete without Faust, the legendary band started in 1970 and produced by Uwe Nettelbeck. The devotion of collectors and fans becomes clear the moment you log in to eBay and try to purchase original copies of the…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:48am -

Fresh from seeing NEU! founder Michael Rother at this year’s ATP festival, revisiting the studio remasters from this pivotal German duo that first worked together in Kraftwerk (his creative partner, Klaus Dinger, passed away in 2008) was a true ple…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:45am -

The good news is that this is by far the best that Foreigner’s self-titled album will ever sound. Digital lovers interested in the SACD and analog enthusiasts after the vinyl are in for a sonic treat. The bad news is, it’s Foreigner. But far be i…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:43am -

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...
- 5 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.
- 8 days ago, 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...
- 15 days ago, 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...
- 19 days ago, 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...
- 48 days ago, 23 Oct 13, 7:10am -

When our writer Andy Fawcett suggested a Recommended New Releases (RNR) post nearly four years ago, little did I know it would morph into one of our most popular recurring features. As such, we felt the natural progression was to institute the record…
- 2 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 12:13pm -

- 2 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 10:52am -

Want a little something different for your Christmas stocking this year? Why not give the talented flute/guitar duo of Emily Andrews and David Massey’s new recording a try? Make Merry is a collection of standard carols given some unique twists cou…
- 3 days ago, 7 Dec 13, 6:30am -

One can never have enough Mozart or Brahms Clarinet Quintet recordings in a collection. With both composers in mind, I wish Jörg Widmann would have added the Brahms to the Mozart rather than the accompanying Mozart String Quartet K421. His playing i…
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 9:12am -

Clare College Choir from Cambridge University has proven itself before with a Christmas CD. Carols from Clare (EMI) is still near or at the top of the heap for standard renditions of popular carols. The gifted amateur singers and orchestra under John…
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 7:42am -

Enjoy the Music.com has just posted the industry's World Premiere review of the new Sonus Faber Olympica III loudspeaker.
- 22 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 4:30am -

Madison Square Garden announced that legendary music icon Billy Joel will become the first ever music franchise of "The World's Most Famous Arena."
- 22 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 4:30am -

The Hip Hop Hall of Fame secures Charter and is designated official Museum And Educational Institution.
- 22 hours ago, 9 Dec 13, 4:30am -

Hi Res Audio Experience is a new TechZone featured at the upcoming 2014 International CES.
- 4 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 5:00am -

Enjoy the Music.TV is now accepting submissions from those within the music industry to have their video featured on our channel.
- 5 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 10:40pm -

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 -

Crowdsourcing Audio Stuff I suppose crowdsourcing got its start in the pre-Groupon days when folks would get together online to organize and take advantage of group-buying price discounts by making a single high-quantity purchase from a manufacturer…
- 31 Dec 12, 7:11am -

Item: Audio-gd Reference 5 DACLocation: East PerthPrice: $650 + shippingItem Condition: Very good condition Reason for selling: Fund another purchasePayment Method: Pickup - Cash, Paypal (gift transaction), COD OnlyExtra Info: Used briefly in a…
- 38 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:32am -

Item: Marantz CD99 CD Transport Location: East Perth Price: $1500 + shippingItem Condition: As New Condition - PerfectReason for selling: To help fund another purchase. Payment Method: Pickup - Cash, Paypal(gift transaction), COD OnlyExtra Info:…
- 48 mins ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:22am -

Chinese hifi companies do not market their gear in the same way that their counterparts do in the west through advertising or wooing magazines for review. Consequently  little is actually known about them  and even less about how their gear sounds.…
- 1 hour ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:05am -

If anybody has a Sanders ESL MkII Stereo Power Amplifier they wish to sell please contact me. I would prefer silver and pick-up in Melbourne but as I imagine these would not be thick on the ground in Oz I would be flexible re finish and locationAt…
- 2 hours ago, 10 Dec 13, 12:28am -

If anybody has a Sanders ESL MkII Stereo Power Amplifier they wish to sell please contact me. I would prefer silver and pick-up in Melbourne but as I imagine these would not be thick on the ground in Oz I would be flexible re finish and location. …
- 2 hours ago, 10 Dec 13, 12:20am -

Densen Audio Technologies (http://www.densen.dk/), out of Denmark, may be unknown to many high-end audio enthusiasts in the US, but in Europe and Asia, they are considered among the top tier of high performance audio. I had the distinct pleasure of l…
- 14 days ago, 26 Nov 13, 12:40pm -

KEF (http://www.kef.com/html/), based in the U.K., enjoys status as one of the most respected, and long-lived, speaker manufacturers in high-end audio. The company has designed and sold some of the best-known speakers in the history of the hobby. The…
- 32 days ago, 7 Nov 13, 4:47pm -

I have reviewed cables and accessories from many different types of companies, including one man operations, modest sized operations, and established larger firms. Each has their own approach, and each has certain advantages. Small companies can deal…
- 41 days ago, 29 Oct 13, 5:03pm -

To say the USB market is saturated would be an understatement. To say the affordable USB DAC market is crowded, would be even more so. I define “affordable” as under $1000. There are a slew of new products under $300 that have flooded the market,…
- 56 days ago, 14 Oct 13, 7:12pm -

Channel Islands Audio (http://www.ciaudio.com/), out of California, has been a favorite of mine since I bought their VDA-2 DAC, and an external power supply for my Squeezebox Touch. They are in the business of making handcrafted digital sources, Clas…
- 74 days ago, 26 Sep 13, 5:50pm -

I have heard the CS2Ps, and other Emerald Physics speakers at several recent audio shows, and have always been impressed, if not a bit skeptical. After all, these things only cost around $3000, and moreover, they use digital signal processing so they…
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:21am -

This project (the 25i amplifier) began at my father’s request. He wanted to have a simple yet great sounding audio system. He used to be an audiophile but got sidetracked for few years. One day he visited me to listen to my 47labs system.
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:21am -

Win an Oppo BDP-105 player... easy and a great gift for yourself!
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:21am -

A treu community to buy, seel and discuss audio!
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:21am -

The first thing I noticed was that the Kingsound electrostatic headphones didn't have that buzzing quality that I've always heard from the Stax, a very pleasant surprise.
- 5 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 5:21am -

A day after penning KIH #1, the notion of an ongoing column arose. Kinda like I’d done a decade ago with the short-lived Auroville for Positive Feedback. Or the longer running Y Files for SoundStage! Of course all columnists fret. One day they’ll…
- 2 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 2:04pm -

This month and last I spent considerable time applying HRT’s microStreamer to various scenarios. Thanks to a mid-2013 firmware upgrade the microStreamer can now tap the digital stream from an iPad via a CCK/host mode adaptor; HRT can sell you their…
- 2 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 1:38pm -

This might look like just another entry in what has become a loooong line of micro DAC + headphone-amp packages…but it isn’t. iFi-Audio’s nano iDSD ticks all the 2013 trend boxes: PCM up to 32bit/384kHz, single- and double-rate DSD, user-select…
- 5 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 3:23pm -

In Stevenson, Maryland, GoldenEar Technology make affordable loudspeakers with a difference. Each model in their Triton and Aon ranges features a ribbon tweeter; a technology usually the preserve of pricier loudspeakers. Down under, the Aon 2 sell fo…
- 6 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 3:34pm -

Last week Srajan Ebaen penned his first piece for DAR. The focus: those components that KIH (“Keep it honest”). A response to Ebaen’s call means my own turn in the confession box. Forgive me Father for I have grinned… Digital. Pretty much eve…
- 7 days ago, 2 Dec 13, 9:49pm -