Category: Integrated Amps
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10 Father’s Day Gifts For The Audiophile Dad
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, WirelessIs your Dad a music lover? Is he still listening to his tunes on a beat up old hifi stereo system or headphones purchased before you were born? Well, Fathers’ Day is the perfect time to help him upgrade his rig! Below is a list of affordable audiophile speakers, headphones, amps, and DACs that will make…
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PS Audio Sprout100 Integrated Amplifier Review: Simple And Elegant Hi Fi
Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, WirelessPS Audio is known as much for its personable co-founder and CEO Paul McGowan as it is for its relatively value priced high-end audio separates. But a few years ago, Paul’s son Scott decided they needed to create a compact integrated amplifier that fit the needs of younger and most likely space deprived audiophiles. He…
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NAD Electronics D 3045 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier Review: Flexible And Affordable
Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, Power Amps, Reviews, Streaming, WirelessAt one point in time, other than being known as one of the best stereo amplifier brands, NAD was known for nondescript grey audio components that sounded great and didn’t cost a lot of money. Features and fluff were kept to a minimum, with the bulk of the budget put into high-current amplification. That way…
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Audiolab 6000A In The House: A Truly Versatile Integrated Amplifier
Bluetooth, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, Wireless35 years ago, Audiolab shook things up with their 8000A Integrated Amp, a product still revered today for its bulletproof build quality and high-end sound. Now they have distilled the essence of the 8000 series down (along with adding digital capabilities!) into the more affordable 6000 series, and the $899 6000A Integrated Amplifier is the cornerstone.…
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PS Audio Sprout100 Integrated Amplifier In The House!
DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Power Amps, Preamps, StreamingEver since the first version of PS Audio’s Sprout Integrated Amplifier was announced back in 2015, I was intrigued by its promise. PS Audio was a well-respected high-end audio company, with renown driven not only by great sounding gear but also by the personality of its founder Paul McGowan. Before Sprout, all of their gear…
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Watch: AXPONA 2019-Master Designer Andrew Jones Talks About His Newest Audiophile Speakers
I suck at making videos, but Joe N Tell is really, really good at it. Check out this vid from the AXPONA 2019 show where he talks to master speaker designer Andrew Jones of ELAC about his latest passive and powered speakers. His rooms are always amongst the most popular at the show, and in the…
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AXPONA 2019 Show Report: Budget/Affordable Audiophile Speakers And Electronics
Budget, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Speakers, Streaming, WirelessBe sure to check out our other AXPONA Posts: Hands-On With The Best Audiophile Headphones Part 1 Hands-On With The Best Audiophile Headphones Part 2 High End Audio In Pictures Since I usually cover affordable or budget audiophile gear on a daily basis, I tried to keep an eye out for some of the low-cost,…
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EMOTIVA BasX TA-100 Integrated Amplifier/Tuner In The House!
EMOTIVA is known for making some heavy duty audio gear and selling it at very low prices. Because of this, I have been really wanting to get some of their stuff in for review, and it has finally happened! This is the BasX TA-100 Integrated Amplifier (w/ tuner!) and it does a whole lot for…
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NAD D 3045 Hybrid Digital DAC Integrated Amplifier In The House!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Power Amps, Reviews, Streaming, WirelessNAD D3045 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier ($699) – I call it a little wonder box…Integrated Power Amp, High-Current Headphone Amp, USB DAC w/ MQA and DSD, not to mention an APT-X HD Bluetooth Reciever. There’s not much this relatively small box can’t do. I can’t wait to put it through its paces! Stay tuned for the review……
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10 Building Blocks for Your Budget/Affordable 2-Channel Audiophile System! (2019)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, DACs, Deals, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Wireless(Check out our new post on this topic: How To Build A Mind-Blowing Affordable Hifi System In 5 Steps!) While I spend a lot of time covering headphones, earphones, and headphone DAC/Amps, 2-channel audio systems are my first love. While headphones can create a wonderful listening experience, they can’t re-create the sound of a well-matched…
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Cambridge Audio CXA60 Integrated Amplifier Review
DACs, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, StreamingClass-leading sound in the sub-$1000 price range. I purchased a Cambridge Audio Azur 540a V2 integrated in the early 2000s because I was impressed with its robust design. The thick metal faceplate and big toroidal transformer told me this amp meant business, It also didn’t hurt that it cost less than $500 at the time.…
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2018 Budget Hi-Fi Holiday Gift Guide
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, Power Amps, SpeakersLast-Minute Gifts for the Audiophile/Music Junkie in your life! Christmas is approaching fast, and if you are ordering online, then the time to order your gifts and have them delivered in time is approaching even faster! Here are some last minute gifts for the Audiophile in your life that won’t break the bank! 1MORE Triple…
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AXPONA 2018: Some More Cool Stuff From The Show! (Cambridge Audio, Monitor Audio, Schiit, PS Audio)
Bluetooth, First Impressions, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Shows, Speakers, StreamingOne of my missions during this year’s AXPONA was to finally get to hear Cambridge Audio’s new high-end Edge line, so it was the second room I hit once I got there. First was Andrew Jones’ Debut 2.0 demo room which I couldn’t resist since there was such a buzz around it. First thing I…
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Cambridge Audio Celebrates 50 Years With “Cost No Object” Edge Series
A little over a month ago, at a Cambridge Audio demo in Chicago, I heard about their new “cost no object” 50th Anniversary line that would be on display at the AXPONA show in April. So when they started teasing it last week on the Cambridge Audio USA Twitter account, I knew what they were…
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Hi-Fi Deals: Get This Highly Recommended Digital Audio Player/DAC for $148! (That’s over $40 off)
Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Portable Audio, Streaming, WirelessThis week Fry’s Electronics is offering the FiiO X3 Mark III Portable High-Resolution Lossless Music Player – Black for only $148 this week with a Fry’s Promocode. That’s over $40 off the lowest price we could find for a new unit, which is $189 at Amazon. The well-reviewed X3 Mark III is a budget DAP full of…
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Cambridge Audio @ Saturday Audio Exchange in Chicago
Budget, DACs, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Power Amps, Speakers, Streaming, WirelessFor some reason I have a strange affinity for Cambridge Audio products. Due to their limited distribution in the U.S., I haven’t heard a whole lot of their newer stuff, save a short audition at last year’s AXPONA, and for those who have been to an audio show, you know the hectic atmosphere often limits…
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First Impressions: Zorloo ZuperDAC-S In The House!
Budget, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Portable Audio, VideosToday I’m checking out the Zorloo ZuperDAC-S, a new portable DAC/AMP currently up for offer on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo. I intend to put up a full review very soon, but today I just want to give my first impressions of the product. The ZuperDAC-S is a follow-up to Zorloo’s original ZuperDAC which was a…
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First Impressions: NSMT Loudspeakers In The House w/ Amber Rubarth
First Impressions, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Reviews, Speakers, StreamingToday i’m listening to an audiophile desktop setup from NSMT Loudspeakers, a U.S. Manufacturer of high-end speakers and amplifiers. The setup is comprised of their Model 5AX Desktop Monitor, which is a solid pillar of heavy MDF with transmission-line tuning giving it the ability to play very low frequencies for it’s small footprint, and their…
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10 Building Blocks for Your Budget/Affordable Hi-Fi System!
Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, WirelessCheck out our updated list for 2019: 10 Building Blocks for Your Budget/Affordable 2-Channel Audiophile System! (2019) 1. Elac Debut B6-This speaker has become a legend of sorts in the audiophile world due to it’s insane value for the money. When paired with a quality amp like the NAD C338 on this list, you will have…
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ICYMI: Great Hi-Fi Content From Around The Web
This past week I read and watched quite a bit of interesting hi-fi stuff….check it out: Here’s a nice feature from What Hi-Fi breaking down what Hi-Res Music is, and how to integrate it into your listening room… https://www.whathifi.com/advice/high-resolution-audio-everything-you-need-to-know This is a well-written story from the New Yorker that actually came out a couple of…
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