reviews – Page 2

Audio Research LS 25 mk. 2 Line Stage Preamplifier

"Big Brother" is a great music maker. It has great precision when tracking any complex audio signal, is even more powerful and dynamic than the LS16, and most importantly, is very enjoyable over the long haul. The quality of see-through

Atma-sphere MP-3 Preamplifier with Jensen 347 MC Transformers

NOTE TO READERS: (Year 2006) Atma-sphere has been asked repeatedly over several years to comply with 10 Audio's policy on quotes (please see the bottom of the Home Page). They continue to refuse this simple courtesy. This review took almost three

Window Cable Special Interconnect & Special Phono Cables

The shortness of this review is not an indication that my reviews are regressing to their earlier style of “short and sweet”. It just happens to fit the product under review. Window Cable™ is a landmark product. It does the job

Acoustic Zen Satori and Hologram II Speaker Cables

POSTED 01/31/2003 This is what it is all about. I mean the search for great components. What goes into your decision to try or buy some hardware? Friends telling you they just found the Holy Grail? A review like this? Salesmen

VPI Aries Turntable with SME V arm and SDS

POSTED 12/31/2002 An unexpected thing happened as a result of this review. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but I didn’t expect it would be a turntable that was the catalyst. I was finally convinced that satisfaction

Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8 Speaker Cable

POSTED 10/31/2002 The Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval 8 speaker cables are the best sounding cables to date from Analysis Plus, not including their gold-plated cables. I have already written about the Oval 9, and that review should serve as the basis for

Koetsu Moving Coil Cartridges

POSTED 09/30/2002 The name Koetsu has long been held in high regard by audiophiles. Almost mystical attributes have been associated with the name. The buzz surrounding the release of the original Red signaled a new paradigm was available to the audio world. The

CAT SL-1 Ultimate Preamplifier

POSTED 03/31/2002 This review is much more than the result of a number of listening sessions over a two year period. It is really the story of one person’s quest for the attainment of the goal of having exceptional music reproduction

Shelter 501 mk. II MC Phono Cartridge

This is a controversial cartridge. The controversy has nothing to do with its sound, which we’ll get to in a minute, but with its heritage. There is a lot of discussion on Audio Asylum about the Shelter 501 and the Crown Jewel

Shelter 901 MC Phono Cartridge

The Shelter 901 has been called the best cartridge available today, and in many ways, this might be true. It is easily one of the better cartridges I have heard. The 901 is an excellent cartridge, but as with any

Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway mk. II interconnects

POSTED 11/30/2001 Point. Counterpoint. This was a difficult review to kick off, not because these interconnect cables are hard to describe, but because any component review needs to place the item in some sort of context. This is especially true for

Bel Canto Evo 200.2 amplifier

I bought a pair of these amplifiers (on Audiogon) because people said they sound better in their mono mode. One amp was DOA, but the other seemed to work fine, so I listened to it in stereo mode for a

Analysis Plus Oval 9 and Silver Oval speaker cables

The Analysis Plus Oval 9 and Silver Oval speakers cables are excellent products, but are not interchangeable. Their sonic signatures are sufficiently different that the silver cable should not be considered an upgrade for the copper. Let’s take a step

Van den Hul Black Beauty phono cartridge

This review is of the medium output – 1 mv – version. This wonderful cartridge has been hanging at the end of a Well Tempered Reference Arm, on a Well Tempered Reference Table, for about 2 years. I think it

Harmonic Technology Truth Link interconnects

As with most other "components", these cables will sound great in some systems, and not work as well in others. With that said, in my system, connecting a Well Tempered Reference table/van den Hul Black Beauty cartridge, CAT Ultimate preamp,

REL Strata III Subwoofer

This started as a response to a review posted on Audioreview. I think there is some value here in including the link and putting this review in some additional context. At least it may indicate a possible case where subwoofer integration

Well Tempered Reference Turntable

I owned a Well Tempered Classic before buying a Reference. The Classic bettered my previous SOTA Sapphire (early version). I didn't just replace the Classic with a new Reference. First, I upgraded the arm to the Reference arm. With the

EAR 834P tube phono preamplifier

The EAR 834P makes music. You know, you spend some money, you expect good sound. You spend some more money, you expect better sound. I do. The EAR easily exceeds this "value proposition" by providing a higher level of enjoyment

JPS Superconductor speaker cables

These cables are comparable to the best on the market, especially for their speed and clarity. They have a lower price than the competition. Very open, clean, fast, relaxed, ...excellent! In my system, they connect Atma-sphere M60 mk. 2 amps

Merlin VSM-SE speakers

Can I make a long story short? Can we talk? From about 40 Hz up, these speakers are darn near perfect. I have not heard better under familiar conditions. They are easy to place in a room, easy to

REL Stadium II Subwoofer

I wondered why I had to readjust my Velodyne F-1200R for almost every disc. After a couple of months of adjusting the controls - frequency and gain - it should have been right. So as a reality check, I tested

Atmasphere M60 mk. II.2 OTL tube amplifiers

Classe CA150 Power Amplifier

POSTED 10/31/1997 I decided one day to reduce my "investment" in audio hardware and sold my Classe CA-300. The '300 had been powering the Aerial 10T speakers, and doing a fine job. The Aerials used almost every watt that the 300

Dunlavy SC-III Loudspeakers

I owned a pair of SC-IIIs for about six months. I spent a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon with the affable John Dunlavy at his factory in Colorado Springs, and thought the SC-IIIs sounded great in his large demo and

Aerial 10T Loudspeakers

I owned a pair of 10T's for about a year until 12/96. I powered them with either a BEL 1001mk.2 (not quite enough power), or a Classe CA-300 (good match). I have a small listening room, and the 10Ts were

B&W Matrix 802 Series II Loudspeakers

I owned the 802 Series 2 for about three years, which is a long time for any piece of equipment to stay in my stereo system. It was an excellent performer. As you would expect just by looking at this

Sony XA7ES CD player

The Sony XA7ES is Sony's top of the line CD player. It is a superb player. As the Stereophile review said, finding fault is a lot of work with little return. The mids and highs are very natural. The bass may be

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