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Unless you have been living under a turntable weight, you are likely aware of PureAudioProject. Founded in 2013 by Ze'ev Schlik, the collaborative PureAudioProject (PAP) offers a line of highly regarded modular open baffle loudspeakers using interchangeable upgradable frame structures, drivers, and crossovers. In addition to the modular speakers, PAP has expanded its product line,... Read More »

In 2018, Volti Audio's Greg Roberts offered me the opportunity to review his wonderful Rival Loudspeakers (HERE) I'd never heard a horn speaker in my home, and the Rival was somewhat of a dynamic revelation. Like the Rival, the new Volti Audio Razz is also a hybrid horn / bass reflex loudspeaker, designed by Mr.... Read More »

(Tw)eek! It’s a Useful Product: The Block Audio C-Lock! Block audio is new to me, but if websites are worth a thousand words, then this audio manufacturer from the Czech Republic is well worth getting to know. Perhaps someday I'll be writing about one of Block's active components, but today, I'm writing about a new... Read More »

Late last year, LampizatOr North America's Fred Ainsley generously offered me an opportunity to review the new Atlantic TRP DAC. Even though the review time frame was shorter than I'd hoped for, I've wanted to hear a LampizatOr DAC at home for a long time, so I jumped at the chance to do it. Introduced... Read More »

The Road Goes On Forever...  A long time ago, a wise old soul told me that if folks work hard and save their pennies, they can likely afford to pursue a single spend-iferous hobby during an otherwise humdrum human existence...And although I doubt the veracity of that anecdote, I get where he was going with... Read More »

Prologue: A Berning Desire Many years ago, I purchased a boxy little bespoke headphone amp for my Sennheiser HD600's called a MicroZOTL. Built by a mysterious mid-Atlantic, not-so-mad audio scientist by the name of David Berning, the MicroZOTL was a mighty tiny wonder. I loved it so much I had physicist / audio manufacturer Berning... Read More »

The Muse Studio is an upgraded version of Daedalus Audio's lowest priced loudspeaker, the Muse. Both Muse speakers were designed for listeners with smaller rooms, perhaps just like mine? Utilizing the same cabinet, and drivers as the Muse, the Studio employs a crossover network developed for Daedalus' Athena speakers to give it a higher level... Read More »

Austin, Texas based Audioengine recently introduced the 512 Portable Wireless Speaker. My thanks to them for sending a sample to review. The 512 is a handsome product, with a high quality feel. And it is small; a mere 3" deep x 3" high x 7.75" wide, two and a half pound oval of transportable audio goodness. ... Read More »

Dateline: April, 2019 Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center. Schaumburg, Illinois Welcome back my Friends, to the show that (hopefully) never ends! (Apologies ELP.) I arrived at the 10th annual AXPONA on Thursday afternoon. The Renaissance Convention Center was a buzzing audio-hive of controlled chaos. Crates and boxes were everywhere. Audio systems taking shape, tweaking started.... Read More »

  The LA4  Line Amplifier is a linestage preamp introduced by Benchmark Media Systems in 2018. Priced at a very competitive $2495 USD, the small, squarish LA4 comes securely packaged, and includes a power cord, 12V trigger cable, and a manual complete with test reports. The review LA4 was furnished with the optional remote (add... Read More »

On December 11, 2018, PS Audio announced download availability of the newest Operating System for the PS Audio DirectStream Junior DAC. Named after another of Colorado's 14,000 foot peaks, Snowmass, this update to PSA's DirectStream digital converters is likely to be judged a significant step up in sound quality. Handwritten for the DirectStream Junior's Field-Programmable Gate Array... Read More »

For some time, I've desired to experience a true horn-loaded speaker. But it wasn't until Volti Audio a.k.a, Greg Roberts, introduced the Rival that I considered requesting a review. I had heard Mr. Roberts' beautiful horn speakers several times, and they had always impressed me. But it was this smaller footprint Rival hybrid horn speaker... Read More »

Introduction to the AVM I love audio components that offer a lot for the money. The Evolution A5.2 Integrated Amplifier is just such piece of audio gear. Built by German audio manufacturer, AVM, the A5.2 is a part of AVM's extensive Evolution line of high fidelity components. AVM has been building HiFi gear since 1986,... Read More »

This is Part 2 of my Axpona 2018 Show report...  lots of pics! Sennheiser HE-1 Headphone System $60K, but yeah, it sounded great! Gayle Sanders Legacy Audio Scaena Constellation Audio and Martin Logan I loved this system last year, and it was equally enjoyable this year.  Ruel: Self-powered Line Array. Very cool! How could they... Read More »

1st Floor Entrance of the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel The late, great show-master of early TV, Ed Sullivan, would say, "That was a Really Big Shew!" And yes, ladies and germs, AXPONA 2018 was certainly all that, and a bottle of spring water. After a successful multi-year run at the Westin in Rosemont, Il, this year,... Read More »

Exordium I've been a lover of music and audio for as long as I can remember. I didn't really recognize myself as an "audiophile;" but from my first 45 rpm box player in '63, to an all-in-one Sears stereo, followed by a succession of Pioneers, Harman-Kardons, Yamahas, and Kenwoods; I loved gear even then. I... Read More »

Quietly Musical That was my initial thought when I listened to the Pass Labs XP-17 Phonostage for the first time. Yes, quiet and musical, is an apt description. But there must be more. After all, this is not some run-of-the-mill update. This is a new product in the Pass line. That does not happen all... Read More »

Enter Stellar… Early last year, PS Audio introduced a new line of audio components. Dubbed Stellar, the initial line includes the Gain Cell DAC/Preamp, the S300 Stereo Amplifier, and the M700 monoblock amplifiers. I caught wind of the Stellar M700 while at AXPONA 2017. Always on the prowl for reasonably priced, high-end audio components, I... Read More »

Named for Redcloud, a 14,035' high peak in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, PS Audio's latest firmware update for the DirectStream Digital to Analog Converters, was officially released December 8th, 2017. Redcloud is PS Audio engineer Ted Smith's next evolutionary step in code development for the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) used in the DirectStream series... Read More »