Category: Reviews
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Cambridge Audio EVO 150 First Look Review: This All-In-One Integrated Amplifier and Music Streamer Is A Knockout!
Bluetooth, DACs, Downloads, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessCambridge Audio has manufactured class-leading streamers and integrated amps for some time now, so it was only a matter of time before they put both in one box. That time is now. I just got my hands on one of their latest creations, the $3000 Cambridge Audio Evo 150 Integrated Amplifier with Wi-Fi Streaming, Bluetooth,…
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Shanling Audio UA2 Portable USB DAC AMP Review: This $85 Dac Amp Combo Has Jaw-Dropping Power and Sound!
Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, UncategorizedSummary Shanling Audio has done some good stuff when it comes to DAC/Headphone Amp combos, both portable and desktop. Their BA1 Bluetooth Desktop DAC Amp scored high marks when we reviewed it earlier this year, providing a nice balanced sound for both headphones and hi-fi. They also have the $45 UA1 portable DAC/Amp, a budget…
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#NewMusicFriday May 21st: New Music Releases You Need To Hear!
Downloads, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Reviews, Streaming, Uncategorized, VideosCheck Out This Week’s Best Sounding New Music Releases! Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best-sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!… As usual, it’s a very eclectic mix (Albums are arranged with more traditional audiophile genres like Jazz and Blues at the top, and the non-traditional audiophile stuff towards…
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#NewMusicFriday May 7th: New Music Releases You Need To Hear!
Check Out This Week’s Best Sounding New Music Releases! Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best-sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!… As usual, it’s a very eclectic mix (Albums are arranged with more traditional audiophile genres like Jazz and Blues at the top, and the non-traditional audiophile stuff towards…
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Periodic Audio Rhodium DAC Amp Review: Best Budget Dac Amp Combo?
Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Uncategorized, VideosSummary Yes, the Dongle DAC/Amp market is super crowded right now, but that hasn’t stopped Periodic Audio from dropping their own branded dongle DAC at a reasonable price of $49. It’s called the Periodic Audio Rhodium DAC, and it has 32bit/384kHz high-res PCM decoding, along with 30 mW of power to boost their earphones. Periodic…
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PS Audio Stellar Strata Integrated Amplifier Review: An Astounding Powerhouse!
DACs, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessSummary The PS Audio Stellar Strata Integrated Amplifier ($2999) is the “all-in-one” incarnation of their value-priced Stellar line, long known as an affordable entry point to high-end hi-fi separates. It’s their first one-box solution that leverages their well-received DAC, Preamp, and Hybrid Class A/Class D amp technology (with sweet-sounding MOSFET input stage), then layers a…
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#NewMusicFriday April 23rd: New Music Releases You Need To Hear!
Downloads, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Reviews, Streaming, Uncategorized, VideosCheck Out This Week’s Best Sounding New Music Releases! Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best-sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!… As usual, it’s a very eclectic mix (Albums are arranged with more traditional audiophile genres like Jazz and Blues at the top, and the non-traditional audiophile stuff towards…
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SIVGA Phoenix Headphone Review: One Of The Best Budget (Under $500) Audiophile Headphones!
Best Buys, Budget, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Portable Audio, Reviews, VideosSummary The $255 SIVGA Phoenix is an affordable open-back, over-ear dynamic driver headphone with a beautiful design and crisp, rich sound. The polished zebra wood cups, protein leather, chrome accents, and black lacquer metal frame combine for a luxurious-looking package. They’re lightweight and comfortable so that you can wear them for long listening sessions, but…
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Best Buys: The Best Portable USB DAC Amps Under $500!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Uncategorized, VideosDAC’s or Digital to Analog converters have become an easy and inexpensive way to improve the sound coming from your laptop or smartphone. The easiest to use and most affordable is the portable DAC, which usually incorporates a headphone amp, hence the name DAC Amp. They also obtain the digital audio signal via a USB…
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Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M Review: This Affordable Dac Amp Is Breathtaking!
Cambridge Audio Headphone Amp: Summary Cambridge Audio’s DacMagic DACs have long provided solid functionality and impressive performance for the money. Their latest DacMagic product, the DacMagic 200M, is their most admirable effort yet. The 200M supports the highest bit rates ever decoded in a DacMagic DAC (32-bit/768kHz), handles DSD and MQA, plus has built-in aptX…
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Best Buys: The Best Planar Magnetic Headphones Under $500! (2021)
Best Buys, Budget, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Portable Audio, Reviews, VideosPlanar Magnetic headphones (read how they work here) are hot right now. That’s because compared to headphones with traditional dynamic drivers, headphones with planar magnetic transducers often sound crisper, more controlled, and have better extension for the trailing edges of sounds. It’s those trailing edges that give instruments and other sounds realism, so it’s no…
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OneOdio Pro-50 Studio Review: Affordable Headphones With Massive Bass And Hi-Res Audio!
Best Buys, Budget, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Portable Audio, ReviewsThere’s something fun about discovering a good-sounding pair of cheap headphones. It’s really satisfying to pick up a pair of $30 headphones and get much of the musical satisfaction you get from a $300 pair of cans. That’s probably why the Koss KPH30iK are so popular. For $29.99, you get a nice engaging headphone with…
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Meet Evo: Cambridge Audio’s New Premium All-In-One Music System Has It All!
Bluetooth, DACs, Deals, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Shows, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessToday Cambridge Audio unveiled its new Premium All-In-On music system named Evo. The system is based on two streaming integrated amps, the $3000 EVO 150 with 150 amps per channel and the $2250 EVO 75 with 75 watts per channel. The EVO 150 also has more connections, along with an option for hooking up two sets of…
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World Premiere! THX Onyx Review: Their First DAC/Headphone Amp Combo Is Marvelous!
Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, SoftwareOverview The portable DAC/Amp market is a crowded one. I’ve reviewed a bunch of them, and I have a couple on deck waiting for evaluation. To make noise in this product category, you have to come up with something special. Enter THX and their new THX Onyx, a $199 DAC/Amp that happens to be their…
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Triangle GENÈSE Trio Review: Gorgeous Bookshelf Speakers With Massive Scale And Impressive Midrange!
Since discovering France’s Triangle HiFi a few years back, I have gained a serious appreciation for their speakers. They’re typically lively with an organic midrange which is the type of sound I go for. Careful pairing is needed, but Triangle speakers can provide a highly engrossing presentation once you find synergy. Besides that, they come…
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DALI OBERON 7 C Active Floorstanding Speaker Review: A Thrilling Powered Speaker System With Remarkable Refinement!
Bluetooth, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessSummary A little over a month ago, I gave my first impressions and discussed the setup of DALI’s OBERON 7 C active floorstanding speaker system, a wireless version of DALI’s sensational OBERON passive speakers. I loved the passive versions when I did that review, so I was pretty excited to hear what their wireless counterparts…
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Technics EAH-AZ70W Review: These Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds Are Still Among The Best!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Music, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Reviews, Software, Streaming, WirelessSummary On the market for about a year now, the Technics EAH-AZ70W is still one of the most capable True Wireless Earbuds available. They are built to last, look great, and have strong noise-canceling to block out unwanted sound when you travel (and they do it without a lot of hiss). They also have decent…
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Cyrus One Cast Review: A Remarkably Capable Integrated Amp With Chromecast And Apple Airplay Built-In!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessCyrus Audio + Google Home App & Apple Airplay = Spellbinding Sound! It’s been about two years since Google discontinued their Chromecast Audio music streaming device, and I still don’t understand why. It was a handy little device that allowed you to stream or “Cast” music from your Android smartphone or tablet with just a…
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Best Buys: The Best Music Streaming Devices Under $1000! (2021)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWhile CDs and Vinyl still hold a special place in many an audiophile’s heart, wireless music streaming devices have become commonplace on the racks of hi-fi enthusiasts. That’s because they offer flexibility and a range of music discovery not possible in the olden days. With a good streamer, combined with a music service like Tidal…
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#NewMusicFriday March 12th: New Record Releases You Need To Hear feat. Nubiyan Twist
Every #NewMusicFriday, I pick a bunch of the best-sounding new albums so you can get your audiophile music fix!… As usual, it’s a very eclectic mix (Albums are arranged with more traditional audiophile genres like Jazz and Blues at the top, and the non-traditional audiophile stuff towards the bottom). (TIDAL streams below) This week’s Album of the…
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