Every product at Gold Sound is carefully chosen for superior sound quality, reliability & value.
10/11 STEREOPHILE recommends over 50 of our products. The most affordable, high value system includes a Wharfedale 10.1 bookshelf speaker, on sale at $299/pair, which are featured on the cover. These speakers & the recommended Marantz CD5004 CD player & Marantz PM5004 integrated amp are an ideal budget audiophile system, on sale here for $999. The $249 Music Hall USB1 is the most affordable turntable recommended by STEREOPHILE. It includes a phono preamp, USB output & a magnetic, diamond needle cartridge.
ABSOLUTE SOUND also has over 50 recommendations for equipment we carry. including Cambridge, Clearaudio, Focal, Grado, Kimber Kable, Marantz, Ortofon, Parasound Halo, Pro-ject, PS Audio, Quad, Rega, REL, Rogue, Sumiko, Teac, Vincent, VPI & more.
Some of the following reviews are from the leading English audio magazines, including WHAT HI-FI Sound & Vision, HI-FI CHOICE & HI-FI NEWS.
BENZ CARTRIDGES
- Handmade in Switzerland
MICRO ACE SL, $700, "Wide-open midrange, plenty of definition & air around instruments & voices & tight, clean, bass. It can do a great job of walking that fine line between resolution & smoothness." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
MICRO ACE SL, $900, Rated exceptional value, in same class as cartridges for $3200 "Tracing & tracking impressive by any standard; produced solid images within a wide soundstage, astonishing amount of inner detail."
STEREOPHILE 4/11
SLR GULLWING, $3000, "Very quiet & transparent, stunning sounding. It breaks through room boundaries & time frames by delivering highly convincing facsimiles or all that it touches - chamber groups, orchestras, voices, jazz, rock, you name it." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
MICRO LP S, $5000, Rated in same class as cartridges for $15,000 "Smooth treble, supple bottom end & profoundly well-developed instrumental textures." STEREOPHILE 4/11
CARTRIDGE OF THE YEAR "Superb transient speed & world-class low-level resolution, one of the most neutral, lifelike & least mechanical sounding statement quality m.c. on today's market - and at $5000, perhaps the best buy." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
"Very high resolution, very low noise, which can consistently reveal details you've never heard before from records you thought you knew by heart." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
CHORD Interconnects
MADE in England
CRIMSON, $85, 1 meter pair; $115, 2 meter pair; $150, 3 meter pair; 5 STARS, TOP-RATED, WHAT HI-FI Sound & Vision
INDIGO, "Finely detailed design", EDITOR'S CHOICE, HI-FI CHOICE, 12/09
CHORD Speaker cable
MADE in England
CARNIVAL SILVER SCREEN, $3.50 / foot; 5 Stars, Top-Rated, WHAT HI-FI BEST BUY, LEAST EXPENSIVE RECOMMENDED CABLE, HI-FI CHOICE, 12/09
CLEARAUDIO TURNTABLES MADE IN GERMANY
CONCEPT, now $1400; with $200 Clearaudio m.m. cart., $1500; with $800 Clearaudio m.c. cart., $2000 "Really easy to set up; rich midrange & mesmerizingly 3-dimensional & particularly adept at producing voices - sounded full bodied & fleshy, with smooth, natural sounding sibilants. The rich presentation provides a pleasing alternative to the flat imaging of digital sound. Does a fantastic job in the midrange, where it's smooth, clean & notably transparent. Exceptionally attractive, easy to set up & better built than its price would suggest. It's a quiet, smooth performer that excels at midrange smoothness & transparency that makes speakers seem to vanish." STEREOPHILE 6/11
"Does everything but unbox itself. Factory-preset, features a svelt belt-drive chassis, a stunning friction-free, magnetic-bearing tonearm & Concept moving-magnet cartridge. The build & finish of this German-made 'table are superior. For sheer musical engagement & superb speed stability, it's the one to beat in this price range."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
ABSOLUTE SOUND PRODUCT of the YEAR
PERFORMANCE DC, $2799; Includes carbon fiber tonearm with magnetic bearings. "Startling transparency, openness & clarity."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
OVATION WOOD, $5500, Includes carbon
fiber tonearm with magnetic bearings. TURNTABLE OF THE YEAR "Impressive clarity of definition, transparency to the source & excellent overall tonal balance. It all adds up to terrific value." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
INNOVATION WOOD, $10,000 "The dual-plinthed Innovation Wood combines some stunning innovations with Clearaudio's ceramic/magnetic bearing (CMB) technology & lightweight yet extremely dense Panzerholz to damp resonances. It uses a massive stainless-steel subplatter, which when coupled with a new DC motor with optical speed control, results in superb speed accuracy. We have not heard any belt driven "table best the Innovation Wood in this critical area." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
STATEMENT, $170,000 "This over-the-top, 4' tall, 770-pound turntable/arm delivers a level of LP playback that is unmatched. Utterly quiet, stable & capable of extracting the finest detail." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
"This is the best unit on the market. I could recommend almost any of the company's earlier models, all of which shine with the excellence Clearaudio bestows of them, but this is the one at the cutting edge. It is beautifully built, a visual masterpiece. Magnetic drive for its heavyweight acrylic platters completely isolate the belt drive from the tables' motor."
"I liken the effect of hearing an LP through this mechanism to riding in a car on air, not on tires (no road noise!). Lps now have the same freedom from low frequency garbage that CDs do (or should). The bottom octave is reproduced with a transient response & articulation that is unprecedented. A masterpiece." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/11
CLEARAUDIO CARTRIDGES
VIRTUOSO WOOD, $875, Rated exceptional value, in same class as cartridges for $2950 "Couldn't come up with one criticism of this wood-bodied version of the excellent Aurum Beta S. It shares it's transparency, midrange naturalness, extended treble & bass definition & dynamics, but adds an additional layer of detail resolution, sweetness & subtle low level articulation. [It] might be the affordable cartridge for lovers of jazz, classical & rock music. The performance of the Virtuoso Wood was so ear-openning that I recommend that anyone thinking of spending up to $2500 on a moving coil cartridge cosider buying the $875 Wood instead." STEREOPHILE 4/11
MAESTRO WOOD, $995 "Sharing the solid Boron cantilever & stylus of the esteemed Insider MC cartridge, the Maestro Wood, a moving magnet design, gushes sweet sonics like squeezing a ripe, red, plum. It's not a softy in the dynamics department, nor does it smear inner details." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
CONCERTO V2, $2400 "This is the entry-level cartridge in Clearaudio's "super-class of moving coils & super it is! The Concerto uses wood to add a touch of warmth & richness, yet retains the superb focus, resolution, transient quickness & top-end extension that have been hallmarks of Clearaudio's reference cartridges." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
STRADIVARI V2, $3500 "In our recent survey of 5 moving-coil pickups, the Stradivari received a "Golden Mean" award because it ideally mediates wamth & detail, control & relaxation, liveliness & listenability, at virtually no sacrifice in tonal neutrality. There is an organic rightness about this pickup that elevates it to reference-caliber." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
"The low-mass Stradivari has a body of aged Ebony & coils wound with 24k gold. Leaner, smoother, more litreral translation of the recorded event. Its decidedly smooth, liquid sheen produced a satisfying sense of musical relaxation." CLASS A RATED, STEREOPHILE 4/11
GOLDFINGER V2, $10,000 "The latest Goldfinger, with twice the number of magnets & lower weight coils, is astonishingly accurate in timbre, very fast, smooth & extended & (as is always the case with Clearaudios) extraordinarily high in detail with the widest, deepest & tallest soundstage of all coils." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
GOLDFINGER STATEMENT, $15,000 CARTRIDGE OF THE YEAR "The best cartridge Clearaudio has yet made & in [our] view, the best moving coil money can currently buy." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
"Perhaps the best cartridge money can buy. Measured nearly 35db channel separation & 0.20% harmonic distortion, astounding figures. Ravishingly beautiful cartridge to listen to & the most phenomenal soundstaging cartridge - ever, with the best, deepest reaching, most powerful, most highly evolved, most completely natural bass I've heard - ever from an analog source. This cartridge simply blows the walls out, delivering an almost surround-like soundfield of unparalleled width & depth, with the added bonus of the most thunderous, floor & wall shaking bass I've heard. [It's] a snap to set up, its very high output 0.9mv output makes it an easy match to any phono stage & it tracks wonderfully." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/11
CLEARAUDIO Phono Preamp
BASIC PLUS, $1000, MM or MC,
made in Germany, "Everything a modestly priced phono stage should be; compact yet elegantly finished; superb isolation from hum & RFI; supernaturally quiet, delivering a spacious & delightfully resolved soundstage with heart-stopping bass resolution. EDITOR'S CHOICE, ABSOLUTE SOUND, 3/11
CLEARAUDIO ACCESSORIES
SPIRIT LEVEL, $60 "Turntables sound their best when they are level - something careful listeners will want to check at set-up time & verify periodically. Remember: Furniture & floors sometimes settle a bit over time. Use a good multi-axis spirit level such as this one to keep your table on the level." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
STROBO-DISC & STROBE LIGHT, $60 & $180, "Featuring grooves that create the additional stylus drag necessary to accurately measure your turntable's speed - while doubling as a cartridge break-in device - Clearaudio's Strobo-disc & Strobe Light are great tools for the serious vinyl junkie." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/11, EDITOR'S CHOICE
OUTER LIMITS TURNTABLE RING, $1200, "Heavy stainless-steel ring acts as a speed-stabilizing flywheel, damps the record & flattens outer-groove warps. Its weight means you can use it only with turntables with massive platters &/or very powerful motors. lt blackened backgrounds, solidified images & made them pop in 3 dimensions." STEREOPHILE 4/11
DOUBLE MATRIX PROFESSIONAL RECORD CLEANING MACHINE, $4000
The Double Matrix Professional cleans both sides simultaneously, is bi-directional & variable speed & has a an antistatic brush. Since it does not use a turntable, dust can not be transferred from the machine to a clean record side.
ACCESSORY OF THE YEAR "Offers an increase in convenience, reliability & functionality that puts it in a class of its own." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
"Foolproof; the most convenient option on the market. If you have a lot of dirty records, it is the cleaner I would recommend." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/11
FOCAL REVIEWS
made in France
705V Bookshelf, $499, Similar to 706V, below "with a little less bass extension & output," ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/11
706V Bookshelf, $699, "Bass power & extension of many small floorstanding units. Very dynamic & visceral, it has a forward perspective that puts vocals right upfront. Shines on rock, blues & orchestral music. Highish sensitivity makes it an easy load for an amp - 50W is plenty in a moderately sized room. More bottom end than similar priced B&W." ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/11
826W Tower, $3699, Exceptional value, rated in same class as $13,000 models, "Produced a spacious sound with impressive dynamics & powerful bass," STEREOPHILE 11/11
GOLD LINE U.S. MADE
DSP30 RTA, 1/3 Oct. RTA, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED
GRADO Cartridges ALL MADE IN N.Y.
BLACK, $60, "Admirable detail & treble
extension with good bass & ambience." HI-FI CHOICE RECOMMENDED 5/06
GREEN, $80, "Thoroughly enjoyable for nearly all kinds of music." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 5/06
"Warm, yet pleasant balance, sweet treble; Lively
overall presentation." ABSOLUTE SOUND, 10/07
"Produces rich, open & expansive music. At it's price it simply can't be beaten!" SENSIBLE SOUND, 10/07
PRESTIGE MC+, mono, $90, "Sledgehammer bass & excellent imaging; a joy to listen to." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
GOLD, $220, "Rich, open & expansive." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE RECOMMENDED 5/06
"Warm, yet pleasant balance; lively; dynamically expressive midrange; engaging openness. Cost-conscious buyers will appreciate the user-replaceable stylus mechanism." ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
REFERENCE PLATINUM 1, $350, "Nice midrange, lively; cartridge of choice for the most cost restrained." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/03
"Markedly more refined sound than the Gold. Increased resolution; competes nearly equally with m.c. cartridges 3 times its price. Compared to the Gold, tighter bass, more neutrally voiced & much more authoritative; significantly better tracking. More top-tier performance attributes & delivers greater musical enjoyment per dollar than any other $300 cartridge." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/09; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
REFERENCE SONATA 1, $600, "Improved detail, transient speed, more seductive midrange & improved hall sound very noticeable." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/08
"Far exceeded Clearaudio Aurum Beta in bass & high level dynamics." STEREOPHILE 4/00
"Wonderful; naturally sweet treble, refined tone colors & very good detail, particularly in the midband." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
REFERENCE 1, $1500, "Beautiful sounding; enormously musical." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 9/09
GRADO PH1 phono preamp MADE IN NY, $500, "Works well with high & low output cartridges. Open & easy sound with expansive soundstage, natural highs & bass with texture, tonal refinement & power." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
GRADO HEADPHONES
All except iGRADO are Handmade in N.Y.
iGRADO, $49, 5 STARS, TOP RATED, BEST PORTABLE HEADPHONES, "More detail, range, sense of of scale & sheer musicality than anything at this price." WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 2008
SR60i, $79, "For sheer musical enjoyment,
these are hard to beat."
BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE
"Full bass & excellent detail resolution."
EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, same class as $400 'phones, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530; & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
"The Mighty Mouse of headphones; superb midrange transparency & natural dynamics. Well-balanced treble, well-defined bass. Can be driven directly from an iPod or other digital player. Comfortable." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
A leading consumer magazine rated the SR60i second best Home / Studio headphone. The SR80i was rated the best. The SR60i had a better score than $300 Bose; $110 JVC; Sennheiser & Audio-Technica headphones.
SR80i, $99, BEST BUY, HEADPHONE UNDER $280, HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
A leading consumer magazine rated the SR80i as the best of all 18 headphones tested, beating out $300 Bose, $300 B&W, $350 Sony & $200 AKG headphones, as well as Sennheiser, Klipsch, Monster, JVC & Audio-Technica headphones.
SR125i, $149, "Neutral, detailed & warm sounding; extended frequency extremes & wide dynamic range. Sounds natural at a wide range of volume levels. Never aurally or physically fatiguing. Both musical & revealing, amazingly comfortable, more than any other headphone. Grado's biggest bang for the buck." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, same class as $430 headphones, STEREOPHILE
RECOMMENDED 4/09
5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530 & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
SR225i, $199, BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
SR325i, $295, "Highly sophisticated & detailed sound with great extension." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
"Greater treble extension & more efficient than another companies' $600 headphones."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09; rated in the same class as $600 headphones
"A unique, hear-through-the-veils kind of transparency." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
"For under $650, you can achieve sound quality that costs thousands [with] Grado SR325 & RA1 headphone amp. Grados are chosen by the most discriminating sound pros." OPERA NEWS 10/02
5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530 & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
RS2i, $495, "Remarkably open, transparent & dynamically alive sound & an enchanting midrange that sounds vibrant & highly nuanced. Bass is taut & highly powerful." chosen for Spring 2011 ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH-END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE
"Remarkably vivid, vibrant & engaging midrange. Sweet, silky smooth highs & taut, lively bass. Gobs of resolution & inner detail. Truly breath-taking openness. As much resolution as $16,000
speakers. That's amazing." PLAYBACK
RS1i, $695, "A music lover's component."
INNER EAR, v. 17, #3, 07
"I like these more than AKG K701 or Sennheiser HD650. Grado's luscious sound scores an immediate "wow". The hand-crafted, real-mahogany headphone has a technicolor-rich sound. I'm right there with the musicians. l love these. Speakers capable of even a glimpse of their astonishing clarity have stratospheric prices." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 12/06
5 STARS, TOP RATED above AKG 301xtra & K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; Sennheiser 485 & 585; Shure Se210, 530 & 530pth & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
GS1000i, $995, "Comfort personified & built for long listening sessions. Your ears will never feel more coddled than with these luxury foam
headphones. Terrific; an unforgettably mind-expanding soundstage." ABSOLUTE SOUND
EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
BEST HEADPHONE, "Nothing comes close. If you want to hear what your music really sounds like, the GS1000 will prove irresistable."
HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
"The Rolls Royce of headphones. The most alluring trait was its mind expanding soundstage." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/08
"I gush over the way they clarify live recordings. The sound seemed to surround me, with a rare ability to resolve depth, just as in a concert hall. Ditto for revealing rock & jazz CDs. Grados have always been exciting. The bass is deep, yet more controlled & precise than ever before. They are a natural for home theater. Their unfailing resolution of micro-details revealed the spatial cues & ambience of each locale. Their sound really pulls you into the music, so much so it's hard to stop listening." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 12/08
5 STARS, "Amazing performance, simply awesome," TOP RATED above AKG 301xtra & K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; Sennheiser 485 & 585; Shure Se210, 530 & 530pth; & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
PS1000, $1695, "It builds on Grado's signature midrange excellence by offering a more extended more sound on both ends of the frequency spectrum. It is balanced for more warmth in the bass & really shines is in delivering a relaxed sense of detail." ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END BUYER's GUIDE Spring 2011; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
GRADO Headphone Amp handmade in NY
RA1, $350, "With tube-like timbre & a sweet, relaxed sound, it makes extended headphone listening a joy. Although battery-driven, it's more at home in your equipment rack than on the road. A beautiful wooden case finishes off this gem." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/07
"Perfect for high-end road warriors. A specialist that brings out the best." ABSOLUTE SOUND
EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
"High-end headphone amp for any system. With
Grado top-notch headphones, it's a sumptuous personal listening experience." OPERA NEWS
"For less than $650, you can achieve sound quality that typically costs thousands [with] the Grado SR325 headphones & RA1 headphone amp." OPERA NEWS 10/02
"Excellent value for the money. Clearly a music lover's component." INNER EAR, vol 17, #3, 07
KIMBER SPEAKER CABLE U.S. MADE
"The braided construction resists hum. I use Kimber 4PR, 4TC, 8TC & Postmaster binding posts." A rated, Ivan Berger, AUDIO
4PR $3 / foot, HI-FI CHOICE, RECOMMENDED
ONE of the GREATEST BARGAINS in HIGH END SPEAKER CABLE, ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09
8PR $6/ft, BEST BUY, "Really enjoys the music, admirable for the levels of analytical detail it allows through." HI-FI CHOICE 12/09
4TC $12 / ft, ONE of the GREATEST BARGAINS in HIGH END SPEAKER CABLE, ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09
8TC $20/ft, ONE of the GREATEST BARGAINS in HIGH END CABLE, ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09
TWICE Speaker Cable of Year, "Detail, liveliness, tonal neutrality & dynamic contrasts with very realistic, holographic soundstage."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR's CHOICE 3/11
"Fine detail. The cable of the decade; we've used it for well over 15 years." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/07
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
RECOMMENDED, STEREOPHILE, 4/11
5 STAR, TOP RATED, WHAT HI-FI, 3/07
SENSIBLE SOUND RECOMMENDED
12TC $31/ft, SPEAKER CABLE of the YEAR, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11 "It's not easy surpassing a legend like the Kimber Kable 8TC - one of the most cost-effective, sonically assured & commercially successful wires in audio history. But Kimber has come up with a suitable encore in the 12TC. Not only does it retain the 8TC's characteristic balance of detail, liveliness, tonal neutrality & dynamic contrasts, but the 12TC also expands dynamics & breathes a bit more in all dimensions, auguring well for this legend-in-the-making."
BIFOCAL-X, "Among the very best I've heard." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED
SELECT, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND 8/07
KIMBER Digital Cable
U.S. MADE
KIMBER Digital Interconnects U.S. made
DV30, BEST BUY "Superb peformer."
HI-FI CHOICE, 12/09
DIGITALINK, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED
SELECT KS2020, $260, 1M, BEST DIGITAL INTERCONNECT, "Brings improvements to even the cheapest CD. When you use it on high end audio, wow!" HI-FI CHOICE, AWARDS 2008
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND 8/07
ORCHID, $695/1 meter, "The best I've used. Loved the midrange liquidity & detail. A stunner." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
KIMBER Interconnects
U.S. made
TIMBRE, BEST BUY "A very neutral cable that will complement even very upmarket systems."
HI-FI CHOICE, 12/09
5 STAR, TOP RATED, above Audioquest, Monster & more, WHAT HI-FI, 3/07
HERO, $160, 1 M pair, ONE of the GREATEST BARGAINS in HIGH END CABLE,
"Hero's bass lives up to its name, prodigious in amplitude & definition. Dead neutral with dynamics, at once powerful, yet finely resolved in an essentially grain-free presentation." ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09; TWICE INTERCONNECT of YEAR
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED, 4/11
KCAG, $490, 1 M pair "Astonishingly transparent", STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED
SELECT KS2020, $260, 1M BEST DIGITAL INTERCONNECT "Distinct improvement in every system, budget to high end. Believe us, it works." EDITOR'S CHOICE, HI-FI CHOICE, 2/08
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND 8/07
SILVER STREAK, $260, 1 M pair "A major performance breakthrough for the price." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED
KIMBER AC Cord U.S. MADE
PALLADIAN PK10, $1080, 8 foot, "Adds considerable transparency; music sounds more relaxed," ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED
"Unmatched transparency, bass definition, detail & dynamic contrasts; must hear." EXCITE AWARD, CUSTOM RETAILER 10/07
PALLADIAN PK10AG, $371, Rich, dense midrange with an emphasis on soundstage depth. Bass extension & sustain earn high marks. Nicely detailed & uncompressed," ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE
POWER KORD 10, $229 for 5 feet, "Used in my system & noted tremendous difference." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
MARANTZ CD
HI-FI CHOICE chose the top hi-fi models of all time. Marantz is the highest-rated CD. Only Marantz has two CDs on this list.
CD5004, $349, "Rich, delicate, holographic uncolored midrange. High freuencies of all CDs I played were clear, clean & extended, with no trace of brittleness or blunting. Bass powerful & kickass with no loss of timbre, detail or speed. Nearly as uncolored as $2500 Creek Destiny CD player. Marantz sounded rich & silky, & an ability to articulate low-level dynamics that were damn close to the $2500 Creek. Well done, Marantz."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 3/11; Exceptional value, in same class as $800 CD players
SA8004, $999,
DIGITAL SOURCE OF THE YEAR "I was so seduced by the reproduction - tonally neutral, musically authorititave & natural with just a hint of warmth that I bought the review sample to replace a far more expensive unit. This player is so good the price almost makes you feel you've stolen something." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
"This two-channel-only SACD / Red Book player boasts parts, circuitry & construction disproportionate to its relatively low price, virtues mirrored in its superb sound. Musically authoritative & neutral - the SA8004 is a music lovers dream. I bought the review sample." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
MARANTZ DVD
UD9004, $5999, "One of the first Blu-ray-capable universal players with high end ambitions & it makes a strong case for itself. Its playback of video & high resolution music - particuarly SACD is unimpeachable." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"The pinnacle of home entertainment audio & video reproduction" E-GEAR
BRUTUS AWARD for the best & brightest products reviewed this year. POSITIVE FEEDBACK
MARANTZ AV SEPARATES
AV7005 Preamp processor, $1499, "Least expensive preamp-processor I've used or reviewed. Looks & feels like a winner. It did everything with great distinction & sounded clean & balanced in ways I hadn't heard from a pre/pro or AV receiver for under $2000. It's hard to fault the AV7005 for sound, appeearance or ergonomics." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 3/11
TOP PICK, HOME THEATER 1/12
MM7055, 8 channel power amp, $1200, MOST AFFORDABLE RECOMMENDED POWER AMP, TOP PICK, HOME THEATER 1/12
MARANTZ AV
RECEIVERS
SR7005, $1699, TOP PICK, HOME THEATER 1/12
MARANTZ Stereo Integrated
Amplifier
PM5004, $449, "Silky midrange; enjoyed the rhythmic pacing; natural & clean transients. Sonic improvement over the PM5003 with even greater dynamic contrasts, more delicacy & an overall sound a touch more rich & involving." STEREOPHILE 3/11; exceptional value, 4/11
MARANTZ Turntable MADE IN GERMANY TT15S1, $1699 "Attractive, quiet & well damped. Startlingly full, coherent, dynamic sound; a goodwill ambassador for analog." Rated in same class as $2200 turntables. STEREOPHILE 4/09
MONITOR AUDIO RADIUS
"Versatile; midrange / treble transparency; midrange openness & clarity; bass warmth & smoothness. Excellent high-frequencies & transient speed; brings film soundtracks alive ." PERFECT VISION EDITOR'S CHOICE winter 2005
"Made with jewel-like precision; a serious bang-for-the-buck system. The 360 sub kicks harder; shines in a cozy bedroom or living-room home theater." HOME THEATER VISION 2007 annual
MONITOR AUDIO Speakers
GS10, $1649/pair, "Beautifully finished cabinet. Clean, detailed treble, weighty & reasonably extended low frequencies & dynamic range that belied the its modest size." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
C265LCR In-ceiling,$598/pr, PRODUCT OF the YEAR "The 3-way design & convex shape of Monitor's Inverted Dual Concentric pivoting
midrange/tweeter enables placement flexibility so you can fill a room with realistic sound."
ELECTRONIC HOUSE, 9/07
RX8, $1750/pair, "The British speaker-maker Monitor Audio enjoys a reputation as a pioneer in the development of metal diaphragm-equipped drivers & is known for building value-oriented products that look & sound better than they have any right to for the money. A perfect case is their newly released Silver RX8 floorstanders, which are sophisticated enough to offer many of Monitor's more advanced technologies, yet affordable enough to be accessible to many customers. They dramatically outperform their predecessors [with]...accurate tonal balance... excellent transient speed & definition, plus astonishingly high levels of resolution & detail. An exceptional performer at its price." ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
PL200, $8499/pair, "Outstanding build quality, superb soundstaging & high levels of transparency & resolution. An impressively engineered, beautiful-looking speaker." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
MONITOR AUDIO Subs
RSW12, $1649/pair, 5 STARS. Rated above B&W, KEF, NHT, Sunfire & Velodyne. "Dramatic extension & drive; fast, agile balance, great timing & punch; beautiful cabinet; fairly small. Brilliant - a fine, fun sub that plays music & movies with terrific energy; awesome for money." WHAT HI-FI
Music Hall USB-1, $249, Turntable, 33/45 rpm, includes phono preamp, Analog to Digital Converter, USB output [enables easy transfer of LP to CD, computer hard drive, lpod, etc.], Audacity software, USB cable, +/-10% pitch control, strobe & detachable RCA cables.
RECOMMENDED, STEREOPHILE
ORTOFON Cartridges -Made in Denmark
"Ortofon, founded in 1918, is relatively large for a 21st century cartridge company, employing 65 people. The firm's heart & soul remain rooted in hi-fi. Even the least expensive cartridge is assembled from many tiny parts & requires much handwork. Making MC cartridges includes hand-winding coils over tiny armatures & under microscopes by highly skilled workers. Having the infrastructure for machining & crafting rubber parts [for cartridge suspensions] puts them in an enviable position in both quality & pricing. Ortofon seems to have perfected its MC technology. I bought an Ortofon cartridge as a reference." STEREOPHILE 3/10
2M RED, $99, THE GREATEST BARGAIN in a HIGH END CARTRIDGE "One sophisticated cartridge for the money." ABSOLUTE SOUND
RECOMMENDED 11/09; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11; LEAST EXPENSIVE RECOMMENDED CARTRIDGE Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
PRODUCT of the YEAR, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09 "Screaming deal - entry level cartridge at its finest. It's like Shure V15V with stronger mids."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 7/08
"Sophisticated,musical" ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/08
2M BLACK, $699, PRODUCT of YEAR, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09 "Superb performer & value; compared to Shure V15 V, Ortofon is in its own world, plumbing the complexities of orchestral depth & dimension with a more resolved character & better soundstage precision & dimension. Its
Shibata stylus has a wider groove contact area & better stability, which extends frequency response & reduces record wear." ABSOLUTE SOUND 7/08; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"Transparent, unravels the complexities of orchestral music; velvety finess & harmonic finish."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/09
"Lighter, faster, more resolved than Shure V15V. More transparent." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/08
"Ridicuously good; bright open sound with surprising heft & slam." Rated in same class as $3500 models. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
SALSA, $375, BEST BUY, "Really involves the listener with clean, agile sound." HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
RONDO RED, $599, CARTRIDGE of the YEAR; "Its smooth, warm character is supported by excellent mids & a sweet if slightly soft top end. Easygoing & natural on vocals of all stripes." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
CARTRIDGE of the YEAR; only cartridge rated BEST BUY "Brings high-end detail & resolution; we loved it; delivers detail, power & resolution & is very well priced." HI-FI CHOICE, awards 2008
RONDO BLUE, $799, "Offers many of the advantages of higher-priced moving coils without breaking the bank - natural midrange, extended but not aggressive treble & strong bottom end. Dynamic presentation powerful, but can be delicate & nuanced, too. Particularly wonderful with voices. A great cartridge & a great value."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
RONDO BRONZE, $1099, "lmpressive freedom from surface noise & excellent detail; very strongly recommended." Rated in same class as $3500 models. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
CADENZA BLUE, $1599, "Detail, space, integrity & vitality; hard to beat at the price." OUTSTANDING PRODUCT; HI-FI NEWS 2010 YEARBOOK
SPU Meister Silver, $1699, "Thunderous dynamic peaks; one heck of a fine pickup." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/07
SPU Synergy A, $1799, "A bargain." A Rated, in same class as $15,000 models. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
MC WINFIELD, $3899, "One of the finest."
A Rated, in same class as $15,000 models. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
"If you value high neutrality, high resolution, low coloration, low distortion & tracking ability to rival the best, this outstanding new moving coil - the pinnacle design from the longest established & largest cartridge maker in the world - is for you. Our new reference." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
OUTSTANDING PRODUCT "My desert island cartridge." HIFI NEWS 2008 YEARBOOK
MC A90, $4200, CARTRIDGE of the YEAR; "Clean, clear, fast, neutral & remarkably realistic. Far better transient speed & resolution than any moving magnet but without the added glare & bite of most moving coils." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
ORTOFON Transformer for M.C. Cartridges - Made in Denmark
VERTO, $949, "The Ortofon Verto transformer has a heavily chromed front plate & is enclosed in a neat black box. The Verto has only one pair each of input & output jacks, but it provides two primaries, rated at 30db & 24db of gain. Melodies flowed brilliantly well & timbral colors & textures were very good." Exceptional value. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
PARASOUND Z Series
Z PHONO phono preamp, $199 "An impressive showing," EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, favorably compares to $600 model, STEREOPHILE 10/07
"Excellently built & makes very nice sounds: large sound stage, excellent layering & bloom with remarkably good balance, dynamic range & detail." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/10
"Remarkably high neutrality; superbly built. ONLY RECOMMENDED PHONO STAGE UNDER $500.
BUYER'S GUIDE, ABSOLUTE SOUND Spring 2010
RECOMMENDED, SENSIBLE SOUND 12/07
Z AMP, v.3 stereo power amp, $399, 45W/ch,
8 ohm; 60w/ch, 4 ohm, 90W/ch, 8 ohm, 20-20k
"One helluva 45 watt amp, regardless of price tag & chassis size," THE AUDIO CRITIC
"The smoothness & naturalness of the Zamp's midrange was exceptional: clean, sweet, realistic & musical. If you're in the market for an inexpensive amp, run - do not walk- to check out this amp. It's a fabulous value for the money." audioXpress
PARASOUND CLASSIC AMPS
2100, $649, Stereo Preamp, "I don't know of another preamp with all these features - Subwoofer output with variable crossover; Phono input, switchable to moving magnet, coil or line; Remote control; Tone controls; & Front panel MP3 input. The sound is clean, transparent, airy highs, tight & controlled bass. Distortion is so low we couldn't measured it." 11/07 ENJOY THE MUSIC .COM
"High-end two channel preamp with unique capabilities for integration into home theater systems & custom installs."
EXCITE AWARD, CUSTOM RETAILER 10/07
5250, $2749, 250-385w x 5 channels BEST AMP UNDER $3000 "Parasound has always offered terrific value. Packs a tremendous punch with one of the best $ to watt ratios."
HOME THEATER VISION 2007 annual
PARASOUND HALO
POWER AMPS
A21, power amp, $2299 "Very fine amp at exceptionally fair price. Midrange & bass excellent; sounded fundamentally similar to $20-40,000 amps." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/07
"Excellent amp, 250W/ch/8 ohm, 400W/ch/4 ohm; a lot of power at an affordable price." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"Excellent powerhouse, 250W/ch John Curl design." ABSOLUTE SOUND 2/08
A23, power amp, $949 "Reasonably priced amp, musically quite involving." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
A23 & P3, preamp, $849 "Should be celebrated. Parasound has a solid reputation by offering high-value products that compete well with more expensive products." AVguide.com RECOMMENDED
A23 & P3 "A winning combination! Sexy in appearance, easy to use; sound solid & satisfying. Their sleek cases & glowing blue lights will make them showpieces in your living room & should earn them easy spousal approval." GOOD SOUND.COM 12/1/04
JC1 Monoblocks, list, $9000/pair; Gold Sound demo price, $5999, one pair only!, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, A RATED; "Powerful, refined, smooth, dynamic, transparent; rated at 400W, does 586W." PRODUCT of YEAR; in same class as $33,000 AMPS. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
"The build & sound quality of my JC1 mono amps, my reference amps, is first rate. If they were made in America or Australia, it would cost a lot more than $9000/pr. Thirty grand for a pair of Halcros? I'll take the Parasounds. I heard both & I did." STEREOPHILE 12/05
"I [Sam Tellig] own a pair of JC1 amps. They're a steal. I've used the JC1's with 24 different speakers & never ran out of power. In a large room - especially one with cathedral ceilings & open space - you need increased power." STEREOPHILE 12/07
"A revelation; impressively coherent; transparent & detailed soundstage." STEREOPHILE 3/08
"Silky smooth, crystal clear abundantly detailed. You could listen all day long without fatigue." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
PARASOUND HALO
PREAMPS
JC2, line stage, $4000, PRODUCT of the YEAR 09, ABSOLUTE SOUND GOLDEN EAR AWARD; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
"Neutral & natural, transparent, quick & delicately detailed; a masterwork." BUYER'S GUIDE, ABSOLUTE SOUND Spring 2010
"Like the JC1, the JC2 is up there with the best of them, but down to earth in price. Competes successfully against preamps, solid-state or tubes, that sell for twice the price or more. It excels at reproduction of space; helps the JC1 amps throw a huge soundstage." STEREOPHILE 12/07
EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, A RATED; IN SAME CLASS as $30,000 PREAMPS "Excellent reproduction of space; music emerges intact with body, bloom, & dynamics, with definition & detail form an utterly silent background. Perhaps the finest solid-state line stage I've heard."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
"Remarkably detailed & shockingly realistic sound. Rock solid build quality; parts quality absolutely first rate. JC1 & 2 sound strikes a keen balance between superlative resolution & sounding beguilingly sweet & natural. I'm totally absorbed by CDs that previously bored me. Experience these first hand. Bring your favorite music & hear it like never before." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 6/08
"The BEST BUY in a HIGH-END PREAMP TODAY. This is the closest I've heard solid state come to a fundamentally neutral sound. It preserves fine harmonic & dynamic detail, air & bloom in the midband; [plus] the frequency extremes, which is unique in a solid state preamp. EXTREME RARITY - A REFERENCE QUALITY PRODUCT THAT MANY of us can ACTUALLY AFFORD." GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND 7/08; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
JC3 Phono preamp, $2350, "Midbass attack is timbrally & texturally ideal; bass tight & punchy; midbass attack timbrally & texturally ideal, performing well beyond its price. Superb musical grip & control. At $2350, the JC3 is a remarkably fine phono that easily held its own against preamps from $10,600 to $26,000. The JC3 represents the best current value in a phono preamp." STEREOPHILE 3/11
PHONO STAGE OF THE YEAR "There's a riveting balance of extremes at play here - a kiss of romance through the mids & an ability to extract & define low-level information in acoustic space. There's a warm breadth of life in every musical image." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/12
GOLDEN EAR AWARD "Curl's earlier efforts, the Halo JC-1 amp & JC-2 preamp, had been overwhelmingly well received & phono stages are one of Curl's passions. The JC-3 is a dual-mono design. Each channel is housed in its own extruded aluminum enclosure & further isolated from the power supply with thick, low-carbon-steel partitions. The JC-3 is fitted with top-quality parts throughout. What continues to strike me about the JC-3 is its balance of profound silence & kick-butt energy, its kiss of romance through the mids & its ability to extract low-level information & define it in acoustic space. There's a warm breath of life in every musical image." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/11
PARASOUND HALO AV Amps
A51 Surround sound power amp,
EDITOR'S CHOICE "Powerful power amp with impressive sound. Excellent value." HI-FI CHOICE, AWARDS 2008
A52, $2249 "This 5x125 watt amp has warm, natural sound."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE, 10/06
"Those who prize flexibility will appreciate RCA & balanced inputs & individual channel level controls . Warm, natural, never edgy sound."
PERFECT VISION winter 2005
P7 PREAMP, $2000, "Set-up as a straight-through stereo preamp was a piece of cake. Delight to use & listen to. Outstandingly transparent. A superb analog stereo preamp at a realistic price. Icing on the cake: sophisticated control functions, renamable inputs for its display, superb remote control & valuable ability to manage the bass via its stereo inputs. A category killer. Nothing else can do what it does & the few that sound marginally better cost many times more." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 1/09; A Rated, in same class as $30,000 preamps, STEREOPHILE 10/10
"Sounds transparent & near silent. When you consider how noisy a receiver can be with the amp & massive power supply all tucked in next to sensitive audio parts, the P7 makes a lot of sense. Free the music from alI that electronic noise & audiophiles can rest assured that all they're getting is the source material, to the best ability that their player, amp & speakers can muster. Fantastically well built." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 1/09
PRO-JECT Turntables
ALL MADE IN EUROPE & INCLUDE TONEARM & CARTRIDGE
DEBUT III, $369-399, depending on finish; EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, lowest priced recommended table, includes Ortofon cartridge "impressive imaging & dynamics; the ideal beginner's table," STEREOPHILE 10/10
Nominated Analog Component of Year, STEREOPHILE, 12/06
Least Expensive Recommended Turntable, ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"A revelation. Excellent value; I don't know of a turntable that sounds better for less." ABSOLUTE SOUND, 7/07
"Offers music lovers a lot of analog virtues, like warmth & naturalness at a bargain price. With the cartridge already installed, this 'table is very easy for even a novice to get going." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
"Dynamic & open sound. Impressive overall look, fit & finish. Everything carefully thought out. Tremendous bargain. Great-sounding, affordable, easy-to-live-with turntable that brings your LP's back to life." SOUND & VISION, 7/07
"Easy set up; a great maturity in sound size & presentation. Excellent value in both build quality & performance. Good tonearm offers potential for better cartridges." HiFi NEWS 11/06
5 STARS, TOP-RATED, WHAT HI-FI, 8/08
Debut III USB, $498, "Sound quality excellent; exhibited the relaxed warmth that makes analog addictive. Affordable. I loved having this turntable." HOME THEATER, 5/08
RECOMMENDED, STEREOPHILE 5/08
5 STARS, TOP-RATED, WHAT HI-FI, 8/08
Xpression III, $699, "Wide, deep soundstage, clarity & smoothness."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
BEST BUY "Well designed; revealing sound"
HI-FI CHOICE, 12/05 RECOMMENDED
BEST BUY; great value, sounds remarkable" above Goldring, Sota, Technics & more. WHAT HI-FI, 3/07
RM-9.2, $2499; reviewed with Sumiko Pearwood Celebration II Cartridge, $3999 "Notably easy & relaxed, rhythmically incisive & dynamically explosive; warm & rich, yet also detailed & transparent."
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
RM-10.1, $3499; reviewed with Sumiko Blackbird Cartridge, $3999 "The RM-10 improves upon the fine performance of the RM9.1 by adding a longer arm, a more massive plinth & platter, an isolation base & magnetic repulsion. These enhancements produce blacker backgrounds, more solidity in the bass & a cleaner window on the soundstage." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
PRO-JECT HEADPHONE AMP HEAD BOX SEII, $399, allows connection of two headphones each with its own volume control, 4x3x6" 5 STAR TOP-RATED above more
expensive Musical Fidelity." WHAT HI-FI, AWARDS 2008
PRO-JECT PHONO Preamps
Phono Box II, $159, BEST BUY; 5 STARS "works wonderfully; brings out the best in under $600 tables" rated above Linn, Musical Fidelity, etc. WHAT HI-FI, 12/05
"Clarity, focus & pacing impressive for a phono preamp costing so little." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
Phono Box USB, $198, GREATEST BARGAIN, ABSOLUTE SOUND 5/08
"Surprised by the image focus & colorful harmonic presentation; a no-brainer." EXCEPTIONAL
VALUE, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
Tube Box, $549, "Sturdily built, attractive & compact; a relaxing, graceful sound; rich tubey sound, suprisingly quiet." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/07
PS AUDIO AC FILTERS
POWER PLANT PREMIER
list $2195, demo $1398
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11 "For more than a decade, I've used PS Audio power units. [They] sound better - more like real music & less like electronic reproduction. I wouldn't be without it. I was surprised by the magnitude of improvement. Music became more subtly detailed, wider & deeper sound-stage, overall sound more natural, less electronic; less noise; a superior listening experience."
PRODUCT of YEAR, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09
GOLDEN EAR AWARD; "Truly outstanding product" ABSOLUTE SOUND 7/08
"Provides superb surge protection & more. You'll never hear a bad moment of low-level noise; sensitive equipment like a video projector can live longer & you'll know you're getting the best from your equipment." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
"Provides superb surge protection. Low-level noise is improved. One of the few AC conditioners that doesn't constrict sound." ABSOLUTE SOUND BUYER'S GUIDE WINTER 08 / SPRING 09
"Added acoustic space. Original system sounded congested, flat & strained. The prescence, color, dynamic range & musical coherence injected by the Power Plant Premier & PS Audio cables brought the music to vivid, bold & purposeful life. Impressive & satisfying. Long term listening is a joyfully strain-free experience." HI-FI+
"Deeply impressed. Really makes your system sound more listenable; makes the music sound more natural & relaxed, improving dynamics & separation. An outstanding product." HI-FI+
OUTSTANDING PRODUCT "Improves, by a significant margin, the sound even of much costlier source components & amplifiers. By decoupling system performance from AC quality, it guarantees best sound quality at all times." HI-FI NEWS 2008 YEARBOOK
RECOMMENDED "It does some good things no other conditioner can do." PLAYBACK, #14
"It improved everything: dynamics, imaging, detail & transparency went up in a huge way. You've got to try this one." POSITIVE FEEDBACK, #40
Quintet, $495, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09 "Provides superb surge protection" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
BEST AC PRODUCT, GOLD AWARD, "Provides surge protection & improves sound." HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
RECOMMENDED "For flexibility & visible/audible benefits, this perhaps the best bargain in power conditioning products." PLAYBACK, #14
Duet, $295, GOLDEN EAR AWARD "Provides superb surge protection" ABSOLUTE SOUND
EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
RECOMMENDED "Sophisticated, built like a tank. Anyone paying attention can see & hear the improvements, like stepping up your component quality a price class or two." PLAYBACK, #14
Soloist, $199, PRODUCT of the YEAR, "Significantly reduces both differential & common mode noise. Protection is exceptional. Innovative & highly recommended." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
Power Port Classic AC Receptacle, $49 ea, "Stronger music & blacker silence; far more midrange detail & delicacy. Improved dynamic range staggering. Noise floor lowered significantly; high-level dynamic slam seemed effortless. Lower bass extended another half-octave. Lowering of electrical noise is addictive." STEREOPHILE ECOMMENDED 4/11
PS DIGITAL
DIGILINK III, $799, "More earthy & meaty sound than $1500 Musical Fidelity. Delves deep into bass & lets you know it. Keenly dynamic
enjoyable sound on CD & computer. If you find digital audio characterless & bland, this is the
antidote." Compared to Musical Fidelity, PS is 9db quieter, 50% less jitter, 3db more separation & over twice the output voltage. HI-FI NEWS 8/08
"Remarkably versatile - displays a sweetness & warmth which consistently locks into the heart of a musical performance. In addition to the sonic virtues, the versatility, ease of use & plug & play PC compatibility make this a winner. Its flexibility & performance make it a remarkably future-proof purchase." HI-FI+ #62
"Fantastic buy; well-built, elegant design & super simple to use. Without a doubt, improves the sound of most digital sources, adding life & excitement. Compared to $2000 CD players, it definitely held its own. With older CD player, you get a big improvement. Even if you're a vinyl lover, using this as a digital hub is great because you can now switch between digital sources, giving your preamp a few extra inputs. A winner. TONE #19, 2008
THE LEAST EXPENSIVE RECOMMENDED DAC. "Its upsampling feature takes standard CD playback into the high-resolution realm: it made standard-issue CDs sound similar to SACDs." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/08
PERFECT WAVE TRANSPORT, $2999; DAC, $2999; BRIDGE, $799 "Sound is extraordinarily live & detailed & capable of getting the best bass response out of digital. PS gear is detailed without any harshness or edge not on the recording. A "must-hear" unit if you are trying to scale the heights of digital. It is in the process of becoming a full music server with its own music management system & it can handle even the highest sampling & frequency rates with ease - making it one of the few buys with full growth potential for the future." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/11, GOLDEN EAR AWARD
PS AUDIO PHONO PREAMP
GCPH, $995 "For moving-coil & moving magnet cartridges; has Mono & Phase buttons, RCA input, RCA & XLR outputs & offers variable gain. Easy to recommend." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, in same class as $5500 preamps. STEREOPHILE 4/09
TOP VALUE "Several things make this special: fully balanced; variable outputs; it can drive power amps directly, which few other phono stages can do. Features abound: external gain & loading selector knobs & a remote with volume, muting, stereo/mono & phase controls. Its real beauty is its sound: absolutely killer bass, a rich & colorful [but not colored] midrange with the right touch of natural warmth, smooth & sweet highs, effortless 3-dimensionality & high resolution. The most versatile & best sounding $1k phono stage I've heard. It's as quiet as [if not quieter] than Sutherland's $3000 Ph3D." ABSOLUTE SOUND 3/09
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
QUAD DYNAMIC SPEAKERS
11L Bookshelfs, List $800, now $677/pr Product of the Year, BEST BUY, above B&W, Dali, Focal, Tannoy & others. WHAT HI-FI "Exceedingly involving, transparent, powerful, performance on all music. Excellent frequency extension for their modest size & price point, they have a slight warmth, which contributes to their uniquely intimate & cozy charm." ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/07
22L Towers, List $1900, now $1649/pr "Closer to my beloved electrostats than any other speaker under $2000. Excellent imaging, vivid & 3-D soundstaging, very low distortion; high accuracy." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
Lite System, 4 satellites, center & sub, $2199 total,THE BEST $2000 HOME THEATER SPEAKER SYSTEM. "Sounds incredibly refined & rich in textural details - drop dead gorgeous woodwork." PERFECT VISION, 1/08
PRODUCT of the YEAR. 5 STARS, TOP-RATED, above Bose Acoustimass, B&W, Canton, Dali, KEF, Tannoy & more; "impressive, top-performing." WHAT HI-FI, 8/08
"Natural clarity & vibrant, lifelike textures. Like other great Quad speakers, they had an uncanny ability to reveal subtle details without over-emphasizing them. Its clear natural sound is incredibly engaging & compelling; a fine performer" ABSOLUTE SOUND 11/07
"The British firm Quad, revered for 50 years, [for] groundbreaking design, mind-boggling clarity & sonic purity. Exceptional build quality; truly beautiful woodwork. Remarkably clear sound, energetic, sure-footed & authoritative. Delivers clarity & gusto. Class leading sub; great power, clarity & bass that goes very deep. Reproduces instruments & voices with natural clarity & vibrant, life-like textures. Guests asked if they could buy the review samples. TOP-RATED in transparency, focus, tonal balance, bass pitch definition & value." RECOMMENDED by PERFECT VISION, 7/07
Q-Lite Soundbar System, Soundbar with front left, right & center, plus 2 satellites & a subwoofer, $2350. "A champion; delivers the audio fundamentals with panache, combining the soundbar's lush midrange with the subwoofer's weight & power." HOME THEATER BUYING GUIDE 2011; TOP PICK 2012
QUAD ELECTROSTATICS
HI-FI CHOICE chose the top hi-fi of all time. Quad is the highest ranked speaker. "The British Gold Standard; first practical full-range electrostatic; wide dynamics & delicate transparency weaves an unmatched spell." Models can have black grills & tops; or in classic finish with gold weave grills & solid mahogany wood tops.
ESL988, A rated, $6499/pr, black; $7149/pr, classic; in same class as $39,000 models.
"World class resolution, superb soundstaging, spectacular transient response" STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/07
5 Star, top rated, above B&O, B&W, Bose, Dali, Dynaudio, Revel & more. WHAT HI-FI, 12/05
"It will play at natural levels with a purity & accuracy will spoil you." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 10/07
ESL2805, A rated, SPEAKER of the YEAR, in same class as $39,000 models.
$9,499/pr, black; $11,449/pr, classic; "I know of no other speaker I'd rather own, regardless of price. The fiest hi-fi purchase you could ever make in terms of performance & value. Supremely transparent, free of coloration; phenomenally quick, utterly nonfatiguing." STEREOPHILE, 10/10
"The best ESL yet from Quad speakers; compelling realism & naturalness." ABSOLUTE SOUND 2/08
GREATEST BARGAIN, ABSOLUTE SOUND 5/08
"Realism & naturalness that are compelling & addictive." GOLDEN EAR AWARD, ABSOLUTE SOUND, 2007 & 2008; PRODUCT of the YEAR, 2007 & 2008; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"One has the feeling of being right in the room with the performer. They play considerably louder than older models; cleaner & faster bass." Hi-Fi + 10/07
GOLD AWARD, "There's something quintessentially right about a Quad electrostatic. Rear braced for extra stiffness & mass-loaded for extra rigidity [with] unparaIled midband clarity & neutrality, Quad ESLs are the benchmark by which all other speakers are judged. No other design is such a paragon of musicality & neutrality combined. A clear winner!" HI-FI CHOICE, awards 2008
ESL2905, $11,999-14,499/pr, "Possibly the world's best speaker." HI-FI CHOICE 1/07
PRODUCT OF YEAR, ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"Sounds real, incredibly detailed & ravishingly beautiful on virtually any music." BUYER'S GUIDE, ABSOLUTE SOUND Spring 2010
5 STARS, TOP-RATED over Dali, Focal, Spendor & more. "Truly world class speaker." WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 2008
QUAD SOLID STATE ELECTRONICS
99 Remote control Preamp, $1199
2010 SOLID STATE PREAMP & AFFORDABLE PREAMP of the YEAR, "Extraordinarily versatile front end; includes a dandy built-in MM/MC phono stage & some very sophisticated (& useful) tonal-correction & filtering controls (that can be defeated) Sonically it is ntable for its musical naturalness & authority." [The only other preamp recommended in $67,500]." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
TOP CHOICE for price, WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 08
"BEST BUY HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
"The 99 has superb performance at a reasonable
price, intelligently chosen features for real world music playback in the home, user friendly design & ergonomics, novel styling of understated elegance & a compact footprint approaching that of mini-components. I've recommended the 99 preamp / 909 amp combination to well over a dozen friends. All remain happily satisfied with their performance. I've heard from at least as many TAS readers who did the same & any number of on-line chat groups. I always keep this combination, both as a price / performance reference & because I just enjoy using & listening to them [for their] tonal neutrality, the complete absence of edginess, glassiness, hardness, or grain; the same involving musicality & naturralness sweep all before it."
"Despite the presence of electronics much costlier than these, I often reinstate the Quads, just because they are so pleasing to listen to. They do tend to make for a more natural sounding presentation, one that's easier to listen to for the long haul. The 99 & 909 have a very clean, exceptionally low-distortion presentation with a wonderfully open & vivid midrange that I'd put up against any amplifierrs I've heard or used."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10
QUAD SUBWOOFERS
QUAD, $1600, PRODUCT of YEAR. 5 Stars, TOP-RATED above Dynaudio, Tannoy, Velodyne, etc. WHAT HI-FI, 8/08
LITE, $1100, PRODUCT of YEAR. 5 Stars, TOP-RATED, above Dynaudio, Tannoy, Velodyne, etc. "Compact yet very muscular; Quick & potent sound plays music & movies well: well-made & well-equipped. Pacy, potent sound; boasts a remote control which usefully helps you preset up to four audio modes. You might set one preset with extra bass for movie use, another with much less out out for late-night listening. It's fast, articulate & expressive & couples that agile presentation with genuine weight." WHAT HI-FI
QUAD TUBE AMPLIFIERS
HI-FI CHOICE chose a Quad Tube Preamp & Amp as the top hi-fi of all time . The only other tube amp chosen costs over 10 times more.
Quad II Classic Power Amp, $3100/pr. "A real honey. Delicious rich, smooth & colorful midrange. Renders strings, voices, winds, saxes & more with sweetness, delicacy & beauty." ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED
RATED in SAME CLASS as $9200 amps; EXCEPTIONAL VALUE "Exhibiting timbral beauty, spatial honesty & deep emotional involvement, there isn't a sweeter amp on earth; it's beautiful." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
QUAD II 80 Power Amp, originally $11,400/pair; now $8998/pair, One of the top 10 designs from 2008 Consumer Electronic Show
"A winner. It has the grunt & low impedance to drive difficult speakers & is ideal for Quad
electrostatics." ENJOY the MUSIC.com 1/08
QC24 Preamp, $1099 "First-rate imaging; lively, engaging, remarkably neutral." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10; GOLDEN EAR AWARD
REGA Cartridges made in England
EXACT 2 $595, "Good transient speed & openness. Doesn't have the "zippy" top end of many comparatively priced moving coils, yet rivals their detail & bass extension. Compatible with just about any preamp, including low-gain tube types. It produces a strikingly low-level of groove noise." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/05
REGA CDs made in England
APOLLO, List $1,000; now $845 with any CD or DVD trade-in, working or not. PRODUCT OF THE YEAR "Does more things well than any other at its price. Resolution & detail are spectacular for the money. Focus & extended response at both frequency extremes. Breakthrough performance via some radical design advancements: an all new transport, CD control chipset & system software." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/07
"Finest under $1000 CD player, substantially more resolution than others, plus a richly textured sound that spans the entire audio spectrum." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
Exceptional Value, Rated in same class as $6000 CD players. "Very strongly recommended. Smokes players that sell for twice the price! Far more value, in sound quality terms, than anything else I've heard at or near the price." STEREOPHILE 10/10
LEAST EXPENSIVE CD rated BEST BUY, "Splendidly musical performer. Bass is good, midrange is great & high frequencies are truly exceptional." HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
5 STARS, TOP-RATED above more expensive Cambridge, Primare, Roksan & Yamaha, WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 2008
SATURN, List $2400; now $1796 with any CD or DVD trade-in, working or not. A Rated, Exceptional Value, in same class as $29,000 CDs. "Faster, more open & a more detailed, more delicate sound, with greater treble extension & tighter bass." STEREOPHILE 4/09
BEST BUY, "Lively, natural bass." HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
"The music hangs magically in the air between the speakers. When I close my eyes, the singer might be in the room, it's that spooky. Offers hauntingly intoxicating music; non-fatiguing, nearly analog-like. Fun & easy to listen to. Nuances of instrumental timbre transmitted perfectly with superior musical realism." JAZZ TIMES 07
ISIS, $8995, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2010 ""With the Isis, Rega has suddenly become a dead-serious manufacturer of aspirational components that even jaded high-enders will crave. Rega says the Isis is a "blueprinted" version of its Saturn - one made with ultra-high-quality parts & a fully balanced output stage. However, having heard the Saturn, the Isis sounds like an altogether different & better machine. Indeed, it's one of those rare players that can pull off the most difficult trick in all of digital audio - retreiving deeply buried layers of musical detail without ever once sounding aggressive, edgy or mechanical. While you might be able to get even better CD sound than the Isis, you'll have to go deep (way deep) into five-figure territory to do so." ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10
REGA Integrated Amps made in England
BRIO 3, $695, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, in same class as $2,500 amps. "Harmonically rich, full-bodied bass, smooth midrange & sweet treble. Excellent build quality, exceptional value. I know of nothing better anywhere near the price."
STEREOPHILE 10/10
"Very good sounding, well built at a fair price. The inclusion of a real phono stage is a nice touch."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
MIRA 3, $1195, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, in same class as $6,100 amps. "Outstanding without being ostentatious. Purist design with remote & phono stage. Warm, rich, full bodied sound, lots of dynamic drive, very smooth & sweet midrange. I loved it! Excellent sound, nice features & outstanding value."
STEREOPHILE 10/10
ELICIT, $2995 [add $145 for mm & $175 for mc phono boards] "Rated at 80W/ch, the sound is quick of response & dynamically fleet of foot & conveys both the heart of the music & details in the recording."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
OSIRIS, $8995, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2010 ""With the Osiris, Rega has suddenly become a dead-serious manufacturer of aspirational components that even jaded high-enders will crave. The stereotypes about British hold that they're smooth, suave, refined & musical, but that they
come up short in two key areas: resolution & dynamic clout. Imagine my surprise when the Osiris began digging into musical details with the thoroughness & tenacity of Sherlock Holmes following clues. Then, imagine my further shock when the 160W/ch Osiris began tackling dynamic swings in the music with the unbridled exuberance of Bruce Lee beating up bad guys in Enter the Dragon." ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10
REGA Interconnect COUPLE, $195/1 meter, "Plenty of upper midrange / treble detail, fine resolution of textures, yet without exagerated transients or edginess. Bass tight & punchy, wonderfully neutral throughout the midrange."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 9/09
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
Rega Preamp MADE IN ENGLAND
IOS Moving Coil Phono preamp, $3195 "A worthy contender as one of the TOP PHONO STAGES EVER. Comparing it to the $10k Conrad-Johnson TEA-1 & Nagra VPS, it definitely held its own. Fantastic listening." TONEAUDIO 2008
Rega Speakers MADE IN ENGLAND
R1, $595, "Coherent & involving." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
R5, $1595, "Presents an impressively transparent window to recordings, excellent clarity, a large transparent presentation & fine focus." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
REGA DIGITAL to ANALOG CONVERTER
DAC, $995, "Sounded quite musical; I can confidently recommend it as the most music for the money." POSITIVE FEEDBACK, Jan/Feb 2011
REGA TURNTABLES
ALL MADE IN ENGLAND & INCLUDE TONEARM
RP1, $445, Rega's newest & most affordable turntable. WHAT HI-FI, 12/10, 5 stars, Best turntable under $480 “Excellent budget product; terrific performer for the money; easy to use & set-up; fine build” includes Ortofon OM5 cartridge, improved tonearm & phenolic platter, l7.4xl4x4.5”
Best turntable under $800 "Compared to the P1, the RP1 delivered more drive, better focus & was more confident, purposeful & authoritative. The RP1 looks good, is easy to set up & plays records like it means it." STEREOPHILE, 4/11
P5, $1395, "Low vibration/low coloration design; as close to set it & forget it as you're likely to find." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"One of the most musical front ends I've heard anywhere near its price. I prefer its overall musicality to just about any digital system, as well as to several more expensive analog rigs. Compared to a Rega P3, the P5 is quieter, had tighter & deeper bass, a more 3D soundstage & better highs. [While] the P3 is quite the bargain, the P5 is noticeably superior & worth the extra cost. If you believe your audio system should help eliminate stress rather than increase it, the P5 will prove highly rewarding. Its engaging musicality, easy setup & ease of use should delight music lovers." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/05
"Offers the emotional & intellectual involvement that comes only when a component gets the musical essentials down right. Compared with the Planar 3, the 5 is more explicitly detailed & significantly better at soundfield depth & image placement."
Rated in same class as $8250 tables. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/09
BEST BUY, "Great sense of timing, market leading resolution & phenomenal tonearm - hard act to beat." HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
P7, $2695, "Greater measure of musical insight" rated in same class as $7500 tables. STEREOPHILE 10/07
BEST BUY, "Highly capable, holds its own in the most exalted company - a vivid & natural performer." HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
"Performs well out of its class. Easy set-up, trouble-free build; rumble, speed accuracy, stability, wow & flutter essentially state of the art. Rega's expertise & thoughtful engineering showed immediately; finely crafted & very well balanced sound quality. Stereo soundstage stable & well-focused." HI-FI CRITIC 6/08
P9, $4995, EDITOR'S CHOICE, "Exceptionately elegant hi-tech player with ceramic platter & wonderful tonearm." HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
EDITOR'S CHOICE "Spectacularly good value." HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
REGA Tonearms & Accessories
RB301, $395, Least Expensive Recommended Tonearm "Terrific sounding & affordable." ABSOLUTE SOUND 2/08
Least expensive tonearm chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011; EDITOR's CHOICE, 3/11
Exceptional Value, CLASS A, same as $1600 arms. "Uses RB700 & flagship RB1000 secure three-point cartridge mount & RB700's improved vertical bearing housing & magnetic antiskating. Big solid images on a soundstage of exhuberant size. Tonal balance is toward the rich, warm side." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
Cartridge Torque Wrench, $245,
"A must for serious analog addicts & professional installers." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
REL SUBWOOFERS
T5, $599, "A special round of applause is owed my current choice for the ideal mini-sub for music lovers. Fast, tight, yet tonally replete, with highly defined pitches, the T5 is also remarkably extended - stunningly so for a single 8" driver in a sealed box. Sumptuous enclosure. Musical, superbly natural, robust & durable, as all REL subs are, this is a pocket-sized classic." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/11, GOLDEN EAR AWARD
R218, $1299, "Easily one of the best small subs I've reviewed. It is so small [12x13.6x12.5"] that it can disappear in most rooms, a big plus for many of us. The R218 is another in a seemingly continuous parade of exceptional REL performers. It is one of a handful of small subs that truly satisfies. In the world of the bottom octave, my friends, that is truly the bottom line."
"REL has restyled by adding a luminous, hand-rubbed piano-black lacquer finish. Its footprint is modest & its look is elegant & discrete. Build-quality - always a REL hallmark - is even better in this new model, with seams so tight they appear to be waterproof."
"The sonic results are what I've come to expect & admire from REL subs - an even-handed balance between pitch & extension, with little to no cabinet coloration or resonance. It's stable & controlled at all levels. Most importantly, & fulfilling the primary directive, there's a near seamless transition between sub & satellite. Like every REL I've encountered the R218 maintains the chameleon-like ability to disappear into the character of the left / right main speakers. The REL is quick to react to low fundamentals & then keeps pace with the unwinding harmonics rather than holding them back like the proverbial sonic boat anchor."
"With the REL, missing elements instantly resurfaced, bringing with them a degree of warmth & resonance that was easy to overlook in the sub's absence. This is what a good sub does; time & again it returns not only the music but the venue to a recording. It allows notes to hang in the air a bit longer & the deepest notes to sustain & decay. It's an almost subliminal calculation, but once the ear recalibrates to the spatiality that a sub infuses in a recording, its removal leaves the acoustic sound space empty & the reverberant field weakened. Like the air being let out of a ballon, music no longer pushes against the boundary of the venue."
ABSOLUTE SOUND, 7/8 2011
REL B3, $1995, "A standout; it has the speed to keep up with most any speaker & it gets timbres right in a way that most subs do not." BUYER'S GUIDE, ABSOLUTE SOUND Winter 08/Spring 09; PRODUCT of the YEAR; GOLDEN EAR AWARD; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
ROKSAN - MADE IN ENGLAND, 5 year parts & labor warranty
KANDY K2 Integrated Amp, list $1925, now $1795 STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11; in same class as $6000 amps. "The stylish, solid-state K2 rated at 125W/ch, 8 ohms [134W/ch, clipping (200W/ch, 4 ohms)] & has a front-panel headphone output, 5 line-level inputs & a MM phono stage.The included remote control offers pushbuttons & a touchscreen for controlling all functions. One of the most listenable entry-level components I've had in my home."
"At a time when most other amps, [NAD, Linn & Naim], are without phono stages, Roksan's inclusion of same in the Kandy K2 may be that product's greatest technical distinction. With every speaker, the Kandy K2 distinguished itself as a clear, big-sounding, rhythmically accomplished amp with a slightly - darn near imperceptibly - rounded-off top end. That bit of softness, coupled with its nearly complete lack of timing distortion, distinguished the K2 as one of the most listenable entry-level components. The phono section deserves special mention, not just for its freedom from hum & noise but for [its] slight & pleasant roundness. The K2 strikes me as the sort of amp one can grow into for quite some time before wanting more; a neat balancing act, carried off here with rare success. The Roksan happens to be built like Schik Brithouse, offers very good value for the money & I enjoyed every minute spent listening with it. Highly recommended."
STEREOPHILE on line 5/15/10
SPIN CLEAN Record Washing System, $79
ACCESSORY of the YEAR "The Spin Clean Record Cleaner is a pure manual design - nothing to plug in. A little elbow grease & fresh air do all the work. Fill the yellow basin with distilled water, add a capful of cleaning solution & spin the record between the brushes. Ambient air & a couple of swirls with the supplied lint-free cotton cloths do the rest. lt's a truly green product - totally off the grid. The results speak for themselves - clean surfaces mean less noise & more fully resolved music." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"Meet my new best friend, the Spin Clean Record Washing System. Operationally, it's a breeze. The result is a disc that is suddenly as shiny black as the day you brought it home. Less noise means more clearly resolved music. On a prized disc that hadn't been cleaned in years, the difference was an overall reduction in backgroud noise - removal of most tiny snaps & crackes from the lead-in groove right through to the end. Is Spin Clean as slick as the fully robotic machines [like the VPI]? Probably not But for lighter duty it's pretty tough to beat. Not to mention avoiding the hidden costs like worn styli & further degradation of the surfaces of your prized LPs." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/10
EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, "Got the job done."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 3/11
SUMIKO Cartridges
BLUE POINT SPECIAL II
$399, "Improved resolution, superior three-dimensionality, richer & more potent bass & smoother highs." ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED 11/09; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
PHONO CARTRIDGE of the YEAR "Affordable, easy-to live with, high-output moving coil cartridge. Compared to most like-priced competitors, it offers 3 compelling advantages: superior resolution of low-level sonic details, faster & more precise transient response & a heightened ability to produce broad, spacious, three-dimensional soundstages. Significant improvements over the Bluepoint Oyster: a richer & more powerful bass & markedly smoother highs." ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED 10/07
BLUE POINT SPECIAL EVOIII, $499, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, "Tight clarity, rhythmic certainty excellent tracking",
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/07
"One of the best entry level, high output, moving cartridges." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
BEST BUY "Refinement at high frequencies & a nimble, artculate & revealing sound." HI-FI CHOICE
BLACKBIRD $1099, "This high-output moving coil is smooth yet detailed, with a wide soundstage & fine low-end authority. Midrange instruments are particularly seductive." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"Strong points are power, extension & focus of bass. Wide-open soundstage, plenty of detail & shimmering, well-balanced top end with no hint of brightness or edge." In same class as $1600 cartridges. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/08
PALO SANTOS PRESENTATION $3999,
CARTRIDGE of the YEAR "Well balanced & neutral in the midrange. This beauty draws you into its naturalistic web & conveys complexities of timbre & space that are arresting & authentic." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/11; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"This moving coil has an open-construction body of tuned wood. Its overall sound - smooth, sweet, but stil sunny & nicely detailed - makes it a great choice for the music lover with eclectic tastes who wants to bridge the gap between analytical & romantic sound." A rated, in same class as $15,000 cartridges. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
"This beauty draws you into its naturalistic web & conveys complexities of timbre & space that are nothing short of authentic." Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
OUTSTANDING PRODUCT, Hi-Fi News 2010 YEARBOOK
TEAC CD PLAYER
CD PD-H600, $999, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2010 "Though not expensive by high-end standards, Teac's absolute knockout PD-H600 CD benefits from technologies found in Teac's out-standing Esoteric series - from the low-resonance disc tray to Burr-Brown 24-bit /192kHz Delta-Sigma DACs to Elna electrolytic capacitors & resistors to the beefy power supply. The sonic attributes begin with transparency, low noise, lack of glare, easy authority & dynamic resolution & extend to its engaging musicality. Simply put, this has set a new standard in what a $1000 CD can & should do." ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
I'm going to offer up special praise for this, which has set a new standard in what a $1000 CD can do. Immediately engaging, surprisingly transparent & exceptionally easy & refined in overall character, tone & control. Fine sense of the hall's depth & breadth & a strong impression of the orchestra's prescence, with very good air & a precise focus that never sounded etched or digital in a bad sense. The bottom-end response was indeed impressive - taut, yet tuneful, controlled yet not artificially tight, viscerally powerful & quite airy. Open, easy & refined."
ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED 3/10
TEAC RECEIVER
AGH600NT stereo AM/FM/Internet radio receiver with wired & wireless PC streaming, 75W/ch/8 ohm, 100W/ch/4 ohm, $1499, "A nifty package, intuitive to operate; through all sources was consistently pleasurable & satisfying"
ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED 3/10
THORENS Turntables
All made in Germany; include cartridge
TD309, $1699, "BEST EUROPEAN TURNTABLE, 2010-11, EISA AWARD
"This eye-catching turntable is clearly the most novel design to emerge from Thorens in the last decade. It is ready within minutes of unpacking & offers more than a glimpse into the world of the glorious vinyl sound, which is growing in popularity among general consumers & audiophiles alike. The TD309 is a stylish & affordable passport into the realm of the vinyl LP." HIFI NEWS 10/10
“Excellent imaging, great bass, fine rhythm, absolutely outstanding.” OUTSTANDING PRODUCT, Hi-Fi News 2010 YEARBOOK
VIBRAPODS - U.S. MADE
"Vibrapods are small, flexible vinyl pucks that can transform a system. Put them under speakers & electronics & hear bass extension & smoother highs. Vibrapod Cones - use them as stand alone footers or combine with Vibrapods to get even more out of your system."
ABSOLUTE SOUND RECOMMENDED 10/08; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"PIaced under CD players, DACs & preamps, the 1" x 3" diameter Vibrapods isolate & enhance performance. Five different models are are rated for loads of 2 - 28 lbs. each; match the quantity to the component. I keep a box of them around so that no component goes without. A favorite."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
VINCENT
"The German company Vincent was established in 1995 with the goal of placing high end sound within reach of the common man. The question of how to make the high end affordable was answered by its founder, Uwe Bartel, using a business model, which while innovative for its time has become common-place today: Design products in the West & build them in China. This marriage of German engineering & Chinese manufacturing proved quite successful. Mr. Bartel, an electronics engineer, had no problem designing interesting audio gear & Vincent's attractive mix of good sound & value gained momentum & global market share. Even though these products' fit, finish & elegant aluminum chassis exude a distinct high end look, the price is quite affordable. Vincent's quality is more than skin deep, as a glimpse under the hood will reveal. Note that Russian rather than Chinese tubes are used exclusively." [Some well-publicized tube amp brands only use Chinese-made tubes, notorious for a very short life expectancy & lots of unit-to-unit variability.] ABSOLUTE SOUND's GUIDE TO PREAMPS & POWER AMPS
VINCENT INTEGRATED AMPS GERMAN DESIGNED & PARTS
All integrated amps include Remote Controls
SV129, list $900, now $799, 50W/ch solid-state, "Delivers music's essence. An immediate, communicative midrange leads to burnished tone colors, explosive dynamics, tight, forceful bass, fine ambience & depth retrieval." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
SV236mark II, $1995, RATED in the SAME CLASS as $6100 AMPS. 150W/ch/8 ohm; 250W/ch/4 ohm; remote control; tube / solid state hybrid "Outstanding build quality & parts. It has 3
12AX7 tubes & 6 line level inputs, treble & bass
controls & loudness button. Full-bodied, self-assured sound with good bass & a nimble rhythmic presentation. It's the kind of component that gives me hope for this great hobby." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
"This well-built amp combines the best of two worlds by using a vacuum-tube preamp to drive a solid-state power amp. Listener's will appreciate the combination of deep, powerful, authoritative solid-state bass & tube-fueled delicacy, shimmering detail & almost surround-like imaging." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
V60, $4995, all tube, INTEGRATED AMP of the YEAR, 2009 "The V60 is as beautiful to listen to as it is serious to behold. From the heavy aluminum chassis & massive power supply to the silken midrange transparency & airy top-end, this conservatively rated 60 watter is pure high end. It's also thoroughly modern, sporting a hands-free bias-voltage & current control that's fully automated, compensating for the wear of each tube." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
VINCENT PREAMPS GERMAN PARTS & DESIGN
SA31, list $650, now $599, "A well-made entry-level vacuum-tube preamp with tone controls & a loudness contour switch. The preamp's sound is characterized by a rich, seductive midrange & hearty & solidly weighted bass. Terrific bang for the buck." LEAST EXPENSIVE RECOMMENDED PREAMP, ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
SA31mk, $1399, "Staging & focus are strengths. Its nice to find ones like these that deliver so much pleasure for such a relatively modest price." ABSOLUTE SOUND 12/10; EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
SAT8, $2500, "This tube preamp is about bass precision, spacious soundstaging, speedy transients, pure midrange textures & rhythmic drive. Microdynamic nuances are reproduced with commendable conviction. A rare musical blossom at this price & an absolute steal considering its twin virtues of crystalline clarity & ample boogie factor."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"An absolute steal at its price; nothing else at this
price point comes close. It made a very positive first impression." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/09
VINCENT POWER AMPS GERMAN DESIGNED & PARTS
; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
"One of the sweetest deals in high end audio today. Midrange subtlety & richness in spades; a delightful holographic 3D presentation that reveals the finely contoured edges of notes." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/08
SP331mk, $2199, 150W/ch/8 ohm; 300W/ch/4 ohm, "Impressively spacious; convincingly lifelike & well-defined soundstage; fine feeling of lilt & pace, staging & focus are strengths. Its nice to find ones like these that deliver so much pleasure for such a relatively modest price." ABSOLUTE SOUND 12/10; EDITOR'S CHOICE, 3/11
SPT800, $4799/pair, 200W/ch/8 ohm; 320W
/ch/4 ohm; POWER AMP of the YEAR, 2008 "A remarkable performer. Its tube signature shines through clearly in the midrange. Soundstage dimensionality is superior to conventional solid-state. It closely fullfills the promise of a hybrid design: Tube magic with plenty of bass crunch & drive in one nicely gift-wrapped chassis."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
VINCENT PHONO PREAMPS
Pho8, list $400; your cost $359; moving magnet & moving coil; black or silver finish. "Well finished & appointed; sturdy construction, high quality parts, hefty 3 pound external power supply. A level of build quality unusual in this price range. Quiet; sound is liquid, soundstage vivid & dimensional; you'll need a much bigger wallet to beat it." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
VINCENT TUBE HEADPHONE AMP GERMAN DESIGNED & PARTS
KHV1, list $1,000, now $899, "Adept at conveying power, heft, nuance & grace. Impressed by its testicular fortitude; drove both sets of reference headphones with plenty of headroom. Excellent measured performance." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
VPI Record cleaning machines U.S. MADE. All are machines the size of a turntable.
HW-16.5, $550, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09; PRODUCT of the Year
"Built to last; withstands great amounts of strenuous work over much time; made to satisfy its owner. After you've revitalized your prized record with a good scrubbing, your finished album is reborn & ready to be played, enjoyed & admired."
"All vinyl lovers need a record cleaning machine & there's no greater bang for the buck than this. Simple to use & highly effective, the 16.5 produces quieter surfaces from even heavily soiled LPs."
ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"Essential for serious vinyl playback. Pays for itself: extends LP life; protects cartridge from damage from dirty records & marked improvement in sound quality. Extremely user friendly & takes all the awkwardness out of wet cleaning. Surface noise reduced to negligible level. Biggest gains are tangible sonic improvements: tonal qualities, soundstage, prescence & subtle background details. Images far more precise & transparent,
playing more cohesive, creating a far more credible illusion of realism." HI-FI+
"Outstanding performer. The record surfaces are so microscopically clean & so pristine they look new." AUDIO
HW-17, $1300, "Industrial-quality, reassuring quality; fast, convenient, beautifully constructed, best record-cleaning machine; true work-horse." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
HW-27 Typhoon, $2200, "Smaller, quieter & more attractive than earlier VPI cleaners. Clean, efficient. STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
"A good record cleaner is a vital tool for any good collection. The best combination of price, convenience & effective cleaning. Reduced noise, excellent fluid control, quick & reliable operation & pleasure to use." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
"The capable & efficient 16.5 remains the benchmark for affordable performance. The 16.5 trumps the competition. The Typhoon's vacuum pump is twice as powerful. Is the 27 quicker & easier to use? Absolutely. Am I cleaning more
records more often? Definitely. Is it going to last longer? No question. The 27 is one serious machine." HI-FI+ #69
VPI TONEARMS U.S. MADE
JMW-9, $900, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
JMW-9 SIGNATURE, $1400 "Musical authenticity" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
JMW-10.5i, $2300, "Beautifully made, highly revealing with some of the deepest, most powerful bass. Exceptional fine-tuning" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
JMW-12.5, $2600, "Beautifully made, highly revealing with some of the deepest, most powerful bass. Exceptional fine-tuning" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
JMW-12.6, $2400, A-RATED, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, in same class as $17,000 arms STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
VPI ACCESORIES
VTA adjuster for Rega tonearm, $150, "Maintains desired rigidity while allowing a full inch of vertical adjustability. Nicely machined from aluminum & has a sturdy mounting collar."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
VPI TURNTABLES
U.S. MADE; Models below include tonearm & base; cartridge & dust cover are optional
SCOUT, $1850, "I turned to the Scout to see if a turntable could truly outperform digital counter-parts costing many times more - a statement I'd often heard. There's never a question of being able to differentiate the CD/SACD from the record, the record being fuller, more organic & 3 dimensional. Individual instruments embodied more reality & distinguished themselves from one another more clearly. Trumpets & other brass had all the "blare," but none of the "glare" I was used to hearing. A more defined & solid sound stage emerged time after time, due to the LP's higher information density. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of "clicks" or "pops" & the very quiet background. The VPI's less complicated design (basic black plinth, hidden motor, translucent acrylic platter & unobtrusive silver tonearm) was my wife's aesthetic favorite." HOME ENTERTAINMENT
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2008 "If you want to experience a huge taste of analog heaven without the formidable pricetag, this deserves your attention. This simple, affordable table has an exceptionally quiet background & high signal-to-noise ratio, so music leaps out of silence into the room." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/11
Chosen for ABSOLUTE SOUND's HIGH END AUDIO BUYER's GUIDE, Spring 2011
"My first turntable, a Linn LP12, had a somewhat congested sound that bogged down when passages became extremely complex. The Scout did nothing of the kind. It zipped through crescendos with depth & authority. Nuances & inflections were captured with eerie precision. I was impressed by its clarity. The Dynavector is one of the best cartridges available. The Scout is a frighteningly good performer." ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/07
"The VPI Scout proved to be embarassingly good. It performed very well in bass detail, power & extension down to the lowest frequencies. The
Scout is noticeably better in these areas than many turntables in its price range. The Scout proves that affordable analog is a very good deaI without any expensive bells & whistles." Tony Cordesman, THE AUDIOPHILE VOICE 6-7/07
ARIES SCOUTMASTER, $2500, EXCEPTIONAL VALUE; RATED IN SAME CLASS AS $8,250 TURNTABLES "Impressive transient clarity & speed, low level resolution & rhythmic authority; a genuine bargain." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09
CLASSIC, with JMW10.5i Tonearm, $2750
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2010 "VPI's best work is now relatively simple & easy-to-set-up, combining an excellent chassis, built-in motor & tonearm. Out-performing many units at stratospheric prices, it puts a premium on reliability. Remarkably neutral with a wide range of cartridges & even better with the SDS speed control & Outer Ring Clamp. The latter makes a major difference in getting the best out of used, badly stored & lighter-weight LPs."
ABSOLUTE SOUND 6-7/10
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2009 "A steal at $2750, it does not suffer by direct comparison to the $150,000 Clearaudio Statement." The VPI Classic & Clearaudio Statement [costing 60 times more] are the only 'tables he awarded "Editor's Choice".
"The Classic, correctly named, has been made even better with a few quite small changes, which give it an even smoother sound. The motor is grounded with an aluminum heat sink, the platter was changed to one piece of aluminum rather than two pieces with a damping ring attached to its bottom [to make it quieter] & the arm increased by 6mm for lower tracking error & better tracking. The price stays the same. I recommend the $200 stainless-steel arm for cleaner sound & the $700 stainless-steel record clamp that fits over the LP's outside edge." Harry Pierson, editor of ABSOLUTE SOUND, EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2009 " In direct comparison to the $150,000 Clearaudio Statement, it holds its own.If ever there were a best buy in "tables, this is it." ABSOLUTE SOUND
RECOMMENDED 6-7/09
2009 TURNTABLE of the YEAR, "Vinyl's retro master-piece; the turntable to take on even the top of the high end; a true audio bargain, a rare & wonderful thing; stability of pitch that is almost impossible to find else-where; excellent conveyor of musical flow; warm, rich & dynamic performer."
HI-FI+, #68
"A very real part of the Classic's appeal lies in its inherent upgradability. Even a fully loaded Classic is remarkably affordable, as it plays in a league with five figure decks."
"The $1200 SDS power supply is a double whammy that attacks speed variation & motor noise. [It works with every VPI.] As well as electronically switching between 33 & 45rpm, it offers incredibly fine control of speed, a poise & focus, from a lower noise floor & a far more positive sense of exactly where each note is placed (& spaced.) It brings a level of refinement & precision that makes a mockery of its cost. Vocals are held more separate, with enunciation & inflexion much, much clearer, their meaning more direct. Musical phrases are more coherent & the "sentences" fit together better into a more comprehensible & effective overall shape."
"The $700 peripheral clamp, a precision machined stainless steel with a narrow lip running around its inner edge that adds a real sense of stable solidity & clarity, anchoring images & helping define the space between & around them. Delicate instrumental detail really shines, with the texture & shape of notes much more apparent."
"As good as the basic Classic is, the add-ons are much more than just icing on the cake. Record lovers & collectors alike owe it to themselves to hear just how much performance their money can buy." HI-FI+, #69
TOP TURNTABLE & one of the top 10 Products of 2010. "With the Classic I explored the deepest recesses of my vinyl collection & found a new
appreciation for my oldies but goodies. There's something about the way the Classic does bass that gives the music a vitality that CDs never have. The rhythmic pulse is better, groovier & has more get up & go. It's eerily quiet so records have signficantly lower surface noise, even compared to exotic tables for double or even triple the price. If you never heard a high-end table before, you'll be amazed by the difference. I'm listening to LPs I bought as a teenager & they're damned quiet. No, not CD quiet, but background clicks & pops don't intrude the way they do on lesser turntables."
"Switching back & forth between LP & CD, there's no comparison! The CD sounds like a good hi-fi, but the LP breathes life into the sound, a far-from-subtle difference. Vinyl communicates the music's emotional pull better than any digital format. You enjoy the music more on LP. One of the great Audiophile Truths: The best way to enjoy digital is never listen to analog. You need a great turntable, tonearm & cartridge to fully decode the magic in the grooves. If you want to know why vinyl is still going strong nearly three decades after the introduction of the CD, listen to a great turntable. The Classic is the best place to start." HOME ENTERTAINMENT
"I put the Linn aside & hooked up the VPI. Wow, what a difference a turntable can make! One record led to the next & night after night I stayed up late, listening to LPs. That hadn't happened in years. I was smitten & thrilled to get into vinyl again; a great turntable. The real clincher for VPI was this: It's a lot more fun to listen to." STEREOPHILE 3/10
CLASSIC III, $6000, GOLDEN EAR AWARD, 2011 "The VPI Classic III has gotten some of the best & most deserved buzz for neutral, highly musical sound quality of any turntable & tonearm combination. The Classic is so simple that it is likely to be reliable & sonically consistent for years. Its tonearm is fully compatible with any modern cartridge & you can easily switch tonearm wands without having to readjust tangency each time you do so. One more indication that the best analog can still compete with even highest-quality digital sources." ABSOLUTE SOUND 9/11
SUPER SCOUT MASTER REFERENCE RIM DRIVE,
$8,200, RATED IN SAME CLASS AS $80,000 TURNTABLES; "The sound was fantastic with impressive bottom-octave heft; one of the best values of the true high end turntables."
STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
ANALOG COMPONENT of the YEAR "It's surprising that this turntable costs nearly $24,000 less than the runner-up SME 20/12. The VPI won a decisive victory with more votes overall. It sounded fantastic with a punchy, aggressive bottom end & a precise top-to-bottom coherence."
STEREOPHILE 12/09
HRX, $12,000, RATED IN SAME CLASS AS $80,000 TURNTABLES; STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/11
VPI TONEARMS U.S. MADE
JMW-9, $900, in same class as $1600 arms, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/10
JMW-9 SIGNATURE, $1400 "Musical authenticity" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
JMW-10.5i, $2300, "Beautifully made, highly revealing with some of the deepest, most powerful bass. Exceptional fine-tuning" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
JMW-12.5i, $2600, "Beautifully made, highly revealing with some of the deepest, most powerful bass. Exceptional fine-tuning" ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
WHARFEDALE SPEAKERS
HI-FI CHOICE chose the top hi-fi of all time.
Wharfedale Diamonds are the only budget speakers picked.
Achromatic AV System 4 satellites, center & powered subwoofer, $699.
Achromatic WAS1, $699, for 4 satellites, center & subwoofer, TOP-PICK over more expensive JBL [$1746 & $2124], Klipsch [$2396], NHT [$1294], Mordaunt-Short [$1470 & $2134] & more. "Beautifully designed & can navigate the subtleties of recordings & movie soundtracks; really doing it right." HOME THEATER BUYING GUIDE 2011
"These speakers make an excellent first impression. They are made of MDF [multidensity fiberboard], not the molded plastic that’s so often found in similarly priced products. Highgloss curved side panels on the speakers & sub enhance the leather-like black vinyl finish."
"Sweetness from the fabric-domed tweeters; voice was warm, supple, human, and believable. The Achromatic speaker system makes an excellent case for Wharfedale as the brand exists today. These speakers are beautifully designed, and they can navigate the subtleties of recordings and movie soundtracks. Wharfedale [is] really doing it right." HOME THEATER 6/10
Diamond 10.1, list $350, now $299
PRODUCT of the YEAR, "Truly excellent, TOP-RATED over B&W, Bose, KEF, Tannoy & more. WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 2010
"Wharfedale has a winner in the 10.1. Extraordinary value for the money, with many strengths that suggest a considerably higher price & no meaningful weaknesses. Superb measured performance."
"Rich, uncolored midrange, reproduced all vocals with a sense of holographic verisimilitude. Balance of each overtone pure, pristine & silky. Rich & vibrant prescence & weight that I'm used to only from much larger speakers. With every recording, high frequencies sounded clean, extended, detailed & pristine. I'm surprised to have so many good things to say about how much bass so small a speaker could reproduce in a large room." STEREOPHILE, 7/11
"Gorgeous cabinet, relaxed, coherent sound, wide, deep soundstage, airy highs, liquid midrange & excellent low-level resolution. Greater overall clarity & resolution than PSB. Guitars sounded more expressive with more tonal color & subtle harmonics. Bass guitar was more fully expressed. I could make better sense of the words. The Wharfedales presented a better behaved, more relaxed sound; there was more nuance, detail & resolution."
"Percussion & brass sounded so sweet & compelling I couldn't help but think that the 10.1 is a great jazz speaker. When the violin & clarinet came waltzing in, sorrowfully & methodically with pure emotional intensity so rich & sumptuous that I could cry, I realized the Wharfedales weren't performing only as great jazz speakers, providing nuance & resolution, but also as great emotional conductors." STEREOPHILE, 4/11, cover article.
"The [Klipsch speaker] is not nearly as physically impressive as the Wharfedale 10.1. The Wharfedale dramatically exceeded my expectations for fit & finish." STEREOPHILE, 6/11
"For overall sound quality, as well as style, grace & all round ability, THE WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.1 COMES OUT ON TOP". AV REVIEW, Group Test Winner, February 2010
Diamond 10.2, list $450, now $399
"The Diamond 10.2 has the ability to make just about any price-comparable speaker & most from the class above, sound vague in the reproduction of fine detail." WHAT HI-FI 2010
Diamond 10.5, list $950, now $799
"My highest recommendation in this price class. The Wharfedale were the clear winners. They're equally adept with movies & music."
HOME THEATER REVIEW, May 30, 2011
Diamond 10.7, list $1300, now $1169
"Sounds as if it costs $2000 / pair [or more]. Those seeking balanced performance from a speaker that offers both sonic refinement & near- full-range frequency response will discover that the 10.7s are tough to beat." ABSOLUTE SOUND 4/11
"EARN MY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Exceptional entry-level compact floorstanding speakers. Huge soundstage, the bass is tight & clean, & best of all, they have a near peerless midrange response, which never ceased to amaze me. They represent an incredible value at only $1299 / pair & earn my highest recommendation." ENJOYTHEMUSIC.COM 6/30/11
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