Review of NAD VISO 1 AP AirPlay Music System

In his review at Secrets of Home Theater, Chris Eberle writes about the NAD Viso 1 AirPlay Music System:

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.

"Opera claims on its website that 'every single aspect of the [Callas] design was subjected to intense musical listening tests at Opera.'", writes John Marks in Stereophile.  "I can believe it—the Callas sounds like that kind of a speaker. So if you regret having missed the ASA Pro Monitor, here's that rare thing in life: a second chance. And the price hasn't even gone up."  Read the full review of the Opera Callas loudspeaker at Stereophile.

Review of Raidho Acoustics D-3 Loudspeaker

"For the price, you can purchase larger speakers that have a better published bass response, that could probably play louder in a very large room",  writes Anthony Kershaw about the Raidho Acoustics D-3 Loudspeaker for Audiophilia, "Don’t let that deter you from hearing these stunning loudspeakers. They are artisan in quality and the drivers are designed and implemented at the very highest technical and musical standard. If you match them to a reasonable room size and hook them up with real quality ancillaries, you’ll never need another speaker."  Read the full review at Audiophilia.

Review of Paradigm Reference Signature S8s

The Paradigm Reference Signature S8s are amazing speakers that don’t cost a small fortune.  They offer performance way beyond what you’d expect for $8,998 a pair.  Many of us know the Canadian company for its smaller speakers and great home-theater systems, but the Signature S8s have major audiophile cred.  Read the full review at TONEAudio Magazine.

Magico Announces the S3 Floorstanding Loudspeaker

November 4, 2013 - Magico, the leader in high performance loudspeaker design and manufacture, is proud to announce the expansion of its award winning SSeries with the addition of the S3. The S3 is a full range, floorstanding loudspeaker that offers cutting edge technology and unparalleled performance at its price. According to Magico CEO and chief designer Alon Wolf, “By drawing from our technological well and in-house manufacturing capabilities, we are now able to deliver a remarkable value proposition in the S3, one which will become a new benchmark in its category.”  The US Retail Price of the Magico S3 starts at $22,600/pr. Delivery will begin in December 2013.  Read the full release here.

Review of the KEF R300 Bookshelf Speakers

The R300 is the larger of the two bookshelf models in the R Series.  And unlike its smaller sibling, the two-way R100, the R300 is a three-way bookshelf, which is not the most common of layouts for a stand-mounted speaker.  It is interesting to note that the smallest speaker in KEF’s Reference Series, the 201/2, is also a three-way stand-mounted model.  I’ve heard the Reference 201/2 on a number of occasions and have always been really impressed with its honest presentation of music.  I’m here to tell you that the R300 gets within a stone’s throw of the 201/2, doing so at a much more reasonable price; the R300s cost $1,800 per pair, compared to $6,000 for the 201/2s.  Read the full review at Tone Audio.

Review of Channel Islands Audio PLC-1 MKII Remote Passive Controller

Commenting on the Channel Islands Audio PLC-MKII Remote Passive Controller, reviewer Andre Marc at AVRev writes, "The PLC-1 MKII passive controller is a winner all the way in my book. It is hassle free, offers a transparent window to the sound of your sources, and will work with virtually any power amp and source with reasonable cable lengths. There are far more expensive and exotic choices for passive linestages, but I am not sure they offer more. At $899, the PLC-1 MKII is very reasonable, and, as a matter of fact, I am purchasing the review sample to integrate it into my main system permanently. Consider that a recommendation!"  Read the full review at AVRev.