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Design as Art Readers who've followed this column know that I hold Dutch firm Mola Mola's svelte line of hip twenty-first century electronics in extremely high regard. Elegant in form, compact in dimensions, pragmatically intuitive in set-up and day-to-day operation, and blessed with reference-caliber sonics, the Mola Mola lineup offers just about everything the audiophile... Read More »

iFi Audio has been on my radar for a couple of years mainly due to the excellent reviews for their affordable DACs, streamers, amps, and other digital accessories. The digital portion of my home audio system is currently in a transition phase. I had to give up my reference AURALIC Vega DAC, reviewed in Positive... Read More »

Did you ever see an audio product that you thought you didn't need but once you looked into it you just had to have it? Such is the case with the iFi GO blu. As of late I have been rethinking my headphone/amp set up, and leaning more to adding an amp than a DAC.... Read More »

In the realm of digital to analog converters there has been an ongoing trend of increasingly advanced circuitry, the addition of layer upon layer of "lifestyle" convenience features, and the promise of higher sound quality at increasingly lower prices. Certainly this sounds like the best of times for the cost conscious audiophile, but is that... Read More »

"Honey, I shrunk the headphone amplifier and DAC," is what the engineers at iFi probably told their marketing counterparts when they first showed them the prototype of the GO blu, and that is hardly an overstatement! When I received the GO blu in the mail, and unpacked the unit, I encountered a component that is... Read More »

Ye Olde Editor lighting a contemplative stick:  a portrait. Spring, 2021, Happy Valley, OR. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Himself.) The past year…another year of the plague…has been a very tragic time for humankind in general, and quite strange here at PF Central. I've known very many who've been seriously ill... Read More »

Chances are, you spend a lot of time either behind a desk, on a computer, or out and about without access to a quality home high fidelity stereo. Or, if you're like me this past season, your system is out of commission, tucked away in storage while renovations are being performed in your home. That's... Read More »

Outstanding performance and value! Review By Phil Gold With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Phil Gold shares his thoughts on the Meitner Audio MA3 Integrated Hi-Res DAC. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief The industry is converging around integrated digital front ends—something to access streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify,... Read More »

My journey in high end audio started with Digital to Analog converters (DACs). The first piece of audio gear I bought was a Yulong D100 DAC/Headphone amplifier. Since then I have listened to 30+ different high end DACs ranging from $100 to $25,000+. During this process, I  discovered that my personal tastes lean towards DACs... Read More »

Mike Moffat still photo sourced from Schiit Audio video VALENCIA, CA—Mike Moffat, 73, is co-founder of the wildly successful Schiit Audio, which turned home audio on its ear with its affordable direct sales model. With manufacturing plants in California and Corpus Christi, TX, Schiit makes electronics ranging from $100 Digital to Analog Converters (DACs) and... Read More »

These days it seems like many high end manufacturers are building all in one digital front ends. What I mean by that is one box that consists of both the DAC and Streamer. On paper this approach makes a lot of sense. With the rise of Roon and HD digital music services, many audiophiles are... Read More »

Ever notice that our passion for audio sometimes mimics affairs of the heart? For example, as you muddle through a series of infatuations, disappointments, and "upgrades," you may find yourself gravitating to "the one that got away." For me, it was the Ayre QB-9 Digital to Analog Converter in 2009. A siren of song spot... Read More »

All Creatures Great and Small As a mid-50s baby boomer, I face the daunting but simultaneously liberating task of deciding which of my possessions to keep and which to jettison. For most of my adult life, I have chosen smaller, carefully curated living spaces over "mcmansions," a preference more and more Americans have embraced, young and... Read More »

A symbiotic sonic relationship... for your listening pleasures. Review By Tom Lyle With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Tom Lyle shares his thoughts on the Aavik Acoustics I-180 Integrated Amplifier, D-180 DAC, And S-180 Streamer / Network Player. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief The Danish high-end audio manufacturer Aavik was... Read More »

We're all thinking about travel. Where can we go? How are we going to get there? And what will we listen to on our way? The Diablo (Spanish for devil) is a battery-powered DAC/headphone amp that you'll be packing with you whether your next journey is to heaven, hell, or a more lateral journey across... Read More »

It's funny. As we move up through the echelons of the audio world, the pieces that produce our sonic magic become more and more singular in function. The jobs which devices perform move into larger and more separate boxes as if no component can do two things well at once. Stay in your lane. In... Read More »

Established in 2013, iFi currently has developed and manufactured over 30 products from its headquarters in Southport, UK. Sourcing parts from all over the world its main aim has been to create high quality audio wherever you are. Thus, the iFi iDSD Diablo would be the quintessential device to deliver on its mission statement. For... Read More »

Most diehard audiophiles believe the best system you can build will have the following components: a turntable, phono stage/preamp, and an amplifier. Keep it simple, keep it analog, and with the right component selection, the result is a system that sounds effortless and realistic in a way that a digital based system can never sound.... Read More »

In December of 2020, Clarus Cable released the Coda DAC/headphone amplifier ($300), giving the audiophile on-the-go a new and elevated option for taking music everywhere. Utilizing the ESS Professional Series SABRE DAC, the CODA plugs directly into your laptop via USB-A, and features a 3.5mm headphone jack on the other end. Inside the solidly-constructed device... Read More »