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The Zesto Audio Andros Spirit Phonostage (image courtesy of Zesto Audio) The new Zesto Audio Andros Spirit Phonostage is an inexpensive wonder. It is so precisely cut from the same cloth as the Andros II and Deluxe II, all tubes all the time, that the audiophile will forget the small differences and accept the Spirit... Read More »

This third incarnation of the Trumpet MC Phono Stage is a musical blockbuster. With an amazing purity combined with near reference definition, the listener will be transported to the event as close as the vinyl allows. Very flexible and versatile, the Trumpet heralds a breakthrough performance similar to my reference stages at a quarter of the cost... Read More »

The Zesto Audio Leto Ultra II Preamplifier Now celebrating its 13th anniversary of producing award-winning all-tube designs for audiophiles, California's Zesto Audio has introduced its most advanced preamplifier to date. The Leto Ultra II Preamplifier is the amazing George Counnas's assault on the state of the art in all tube topology, and the third incarnation of the... Read More »

With its strikingly intense blue-lit lettering and elegantly smooth finished black metal case, this uniquely featured and performing preamplifier is designed and assembled right here in Southern California. This is not your father's SAE, and it surprised this seasoned audiophile and reviewer from the moment I activated the on button. I placed this solid-state preamp... Read More »

In my search for the Sweetheart of the most popular phono cartridge lines, offering the highest value and top performance for the price, the Hana series of cartridges brings a powerful entry. New to the market is the Hana Umami Blue Moving-Coil Cartridge also created by the brilliant Maseo Okada of Excel Sounds in Japan,... Read More »

I particularly appreciate high-value products, so I set out to identify over-performers that are underpriced in the phono cartridge world. Simply asking the cartridge manufacturers or distributors for their recommendations yielded fascinating results for my new series of reviews. First up to bat is Grado Labs, with an upper mid-line model designated the Timbre Reference3 suggested by... Read More »

The Bobby S Ultimate Loudspeaker from Stein Music of Germany is a robust stand-mounted two-way monitor that is unusual in several ways. It has a unique horn tweeter/midrange on top of a moderately large, for a monitor style speaker, dynamic woofer. The cabinet is finished in 100% knife-veneered birch and this model is the top of... Read More »

J.S. Bach, Partita No. 2 in D Minor, Petteri Iivonen Violin. Yarlung Records. 45 RPM LP. Executive Producer: Elliot Midwood Producer and Recording Engineer: Bob Attiyeh Mastering Engineers: Steve Hoffman, Arian Jansen & Bob Attiyeh Vinyl Mastering: Bernie Grundman Microphone Preamplification: Elliot Midwood AKG C24 microphone: Gearworks Pro Audio Graphic Layout: MikeDesign Violin: Ferdinandus Gagliano... Read More »

Women and War and Peace. Yarlung Records; Katelyn Bouska, Piano; YAR54460: Gold Substrate CD pressed in Germany.  Executive Producers: Evan Flaschen and Patrick Trostle. Recording Engineers: Bob Attiyeh and Arian Jansen. Mastering Engineers: Steve Hoffman, Arian Jansen and Bob Attiyeh. Microphone Preamplification: Elliot Midwood. AKG C24 microphone: Ancona Audio. Steinway Technician: Kathy Smith Cooper Bates. Photography Graphic Layout: MikeDesign "Kate flew to Southern... Read More »

Image courtesy of UIT Unique Innovation Technology Co. (UITaudio.com) is a California company under the guidance of Mitch Ko, an extremely talented electrical engineer and designer who has always been looking to improve and advance connectivity for high-end audio. When I met him for the first time at the LA Audio Show a few years... Read More »

A Breakthrough Amplifier Design A pair of the Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Monoblock Amps (image courtesy of Zesto Audio) The more I immerse myself in this hobby since I retired from the entertainment industry in 2008, the more certain I have become that the amplifier is the most important and telling piece of equipment in... Read More »

While I was supremely enjoying the Audeze LCD-5 Headphones on my E.A.R. HP4 Tube Headphone Amplifier and the Manley Absolute Tube Headphone Amplifier, Audeze came up with the new Audeze MM-500 Headphones to review. They have a similar ergonomic feel and look, but are smaller and purposed quite differently. The LCD-5 is an assault on... Read More »

GS3000x Wooden Grado Headphones I want to make it clear that the now discontinued wood body Grado Statement Series 3000e was my favorite go-to headphones for musical enjoyment and monitoring recording sessions. Their dynamic punch, beautiful definition, and excellent imaging rang every bell in the steeple. Frankly, I was surprised to receive the new 3000x. I... Read More »

The brilliant late audiophile, J. Gordon Holt, once wrote that if the purchaser of a fine system was torn between buying a great pair of speakers or a great amp, one should choose a great amp and a good pair of speakers that fit your basic needs. He commented that he had heard numerous systems... Read More »

Cutting right to the chase! I hypothesize that the excellent performance of the LCD-4 was criticized by many for its excess weight, and that the design required a makeover. At the same time, the CRBN Electrostat was bubbling up in R&D and would set a new musical standard for any headphones at half the weight. Most... Read More »

I had the good fortune of reviewing the excellent original Andros Téssera, which when spiced up with a few Mullard tubes, revealed extraordinary musical performance. I have since purchased a Zesto Audio Andros Deluxe II Phonostage with the introduction of the new tube combination and the massive upgrade in the power supply. Unlike the Téssera I reviewed,... Read More »

My father once said to me that if you live long enough, you will see everything. He was right—at least in this case. After 60 years as an audiophile and music lover, the ultimate in electrostatic headphone technology has finally yielded what I believe to be the most musical and lifelike electrostatic headphones on the... Read More »

An important announcement! The energetic and brilliant Charles Kirmuss has no grass growing under his feet as he announces changes in usage of his superb KA-RC-1 Ultrasonic Record Restoration System and newly developed and very high value speaker cables for audiophile systems. I inquired about the cleaning process since there is so much buzz associated... Read More »

I rarely revisit my complete reviews, but the RSX top-of-the-line Beyond phono cable with DIN connector has revealed state-of-the-art attributes that are stunning to this reviewer. In its RCA-terminated form, the cable from the legendary Roger Skoff was musically natural and neutral with a bullet. I was never able to truly discover what it did... Read More »