For the music lover that doesn’t want to sacrifice sound quality for aesthetics, I can think of no finer choice than the Devialet 110, except maybe one of the higher-powered units, should your speakers require it. The journey doesn’t end here, either. The 110 will be easily upgradable via software as the Devialet engineers develop new functionality, so this is an investment you can live with for the long haul. Lifestyle is no longer a dirty word when it comes to hi-fi.
The Blades are easy to set up and work incredibly well with almost all amplifiers, making them a great choice for a system anchor from which you can build and improve as your time and budget allow. After a year of living with these speakers, I just don’t see the need to spend more money on a speaker—ever. And, to us at TONE, that level of value deserves an award.Read the full review at TONEAudio >>
I believe that the Lindell AMPX, despite its lowish nominal power, belongs in Class B of "Recommended Components." And remember, to be listed in Class B is not a slight, but high praise. Class A is reserved for "the best of the best, regardless of price or practicality." In my book, Class A is the province of the darTZeel NHB-108 and other amplifiers every bit as good; as nice as the AMPX is, it is not a drop-in replacement for the darTZeel. Class B is supposed to be the "next best thing [to Class A]," and I think that that is where the AMPX belongs. A great amp and an amazing bargain. I've shipped it to JA for measurement. Highest recommendation.
Considerably more than merely good sonic performance awaits X350.5 owners. It provides truly compelling listening sessions with your music collection—fatigue-free, imagination-inspiring, emotion-filled listening sessions. Its prodigious power, natural tonal balance, and liquidity impart a solid foundation to even the most demanding music while caressing delicate passages with a silky fine touch. I can’t think of a more powerful and non-fatiguing amp close to its asking price. Highly recommended.
The Incline speakers are smart, stylish, and really great sounding. I enjoyed my time with them immensely. They keep a small footprint while delivering rich audio and exceptional bass response without the need for a sub. You can use them for both music and movie watching and, if the great bass response still isn’t as controlled or good enough for you, then you still have the option to add an external sub....The Inclines certainly won’t make you jettison your audio or home theater dedicated setup. Yet, for the Audiophile who wants a quality audio experience at his desk, the Definitive Technology Incline speakers are an easy top pick and should be at the top of your Christmas list.
The NOLA Concert Grand Reference Gold loudspeakers give you everything you could possibly want from a large “super” speaker. They are dynamic as hell and have a massive soundstage. They push enough air on loud passages to convince your insides that an actual orchestra of humans set up shop in your listening room. But where the CGRG stands alone is the ability to properly, and thoroughly, reproduce all variations of music, including the smaller, the softer, and more delicate moments.
Yes, $48,500/pair makes the Alexia still an expensive loudspeaker. But its clarity, its uncolored, full-range balance, its flexibility in setup and optimization, and most of all its sheer musicality, are, if not unrivaled, rare. If I were to retire tomorrow, the Wilson Alexia would be the speaker I would buy to provide the musical accompaniment to that retirement.Read the full review of the Wilson Audio Alexia loudspeakers at Stereophile.
If you want to find out just how much high-end goodness $1399 can buy in a pair of loudspeakers, then you absolutely must audition the Triton Sevens. I consider this speaker a masterpiece of value-oriented audio engineering—one that sets a performance standard that will not easily be matched or surpassed.
KEF’s versatile coincident driver, the Uni-Q, has been cast in a new role—a part, in my humble opinion, it has always been destined to play. It’s the X300A Digital Hi-Fi Speaker System. I’ve admired this unique transducer for some time but most recently when I evaluated the KEF LS50 (awarded a Golden Ear in Issue 235). I continue to feel it’s one of the most satisfying compact two-way speakers I’ve encountered in the last couple years. The speaker is not only visually arresting; it also boasts superb midrange sonics, full-bodied presence, and potent midbass punch. I always thought it could be the basis for an outstanding nearfield or portable monitor. And whaddya know—with the X300A KEF engineers have taken that next logical step and reimagined the LS50/Uni-Q for desktop duty and the world of computer media.
The speed of delivery for instruments and voices is stunning. There is no hint of any distortion or noise. Nothing in the musical presentation takes away from any other element. The air, space, depth and apparent room ambience of the recording are palpable. Each instrument has its own dynamic envelope which allows a pianissimo strike of a triangle to exist alongside a forte gong crash, with each instrument perfectly distinguished, each part of the musical whole, but also being appreciated as their own notes. The amps rendered it effortlessly. I cannot imagine that I would ever want more power. The stage is three-dimensional, images are stable and placed believably on that stage, each surrounded by its own cushion of air. Bass is powerful and at the same time taut, articulate and well controlled. With my speakers, which each employ four 10-inch dynamic drivers to reproduce the range below 170 Hz — there appears with these amps to be an extra half octave of extension at the bottom. Noise is vanishingly low, grain is for all practical purposes non-existent. Most importantly, these are musically natural and emotionally satisfying.
There’s much to be said for a product that precisely defines its purpose and then proceeds to fulfill it to near perfection. The British designer Jon Palmer set out to make a high-end turntable that would be essentially plug-and-play without serious compromise in performance at a price that, though far from inexpensive, is by no means unreasonable in the world of high-end audio. The result is the Palmer 2.5 turntable, the domestic price $7995. Allow me to anticipate my conclusions by saying that in my judgment, Palmer has not only realized his brief, but made a turntable that I have no hesitation calling sonically, aesthetically, and functionally one of the most satisfying I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. It’s a design I could happily close up shop with tomorrow and enjoy thereafter without a moment’s regret or thought for something else.
Indeed, these are one of the few speakers I’ve experienced which do the trick of realistically putting a singer, guitarist, bassist, what have you, in the next room. Doing my laundry I could swear on a stack of TAS back issues that Ella Fitzgerald was right there next door in the listening room. Well of course “she” was, as that is where my stereo is, but my point is that it sounded as if a real person were singing in the other room. Try this and you’ll see what I mean (or not).
Its sound is far larger than one would expect from a box this small. The usability was first rate and it was super-easy to set up. There wasn't a single hitch during the several weeks I used it. Moving it to different locations in my home demonstrated a few different personalities. In the office, the sound was tight and detailed but somewhat small. Placing it in a corner really restricted its sonic capabilities. Once I moved it into either a large open room or a treated listening space, its true audiophile capabilities shone. It seemed to have no volume limit either. No matter how high I turned up the fun, there was no harshness or loss of detail. Thanks to some high-end amplifier technology, you'll never mistake the VISO for a boom box. Getting the same Direct Digital Amplifier design as the $6000 M2 in a $600 portable component is nothing short of incredible. Bass extension also exceeded my expectations greatly. While size does indeed matter when it comes to bass, NAD and Paul Barton have done a terrific job bending that rule in the extreme!Read the full review at the Secrets of Home Theater and HiFi.
