LATEST ADDITIONS

AXPONA 2025

CAD Gets Grounded: Stenheim and Aesthetix Join the Launch

Jason Victor Serinus May 13, 2025

AXPONA 2025 marked the debut of Computer Audio Design’s 1543 DAC Mk.III ($19,500), presented by CAD founders Scott Berry and Isabel Whitley. Also on hand were the CAD CAT (Computer Audio Transport, ca. $15,000) and a suite of CAD noise-reduction devices.

AXPONA 2025

Vinyl and Value: Fidelity Imports Brings Michell and Q Acoustics to AXPONA

Ken Micallef May 13, 2025

Room 1225 with Fidelity Imports offered a jolt of musical energy—vinyl spinning, bookshelf speakers punching, and a vibe that was more “groove and grind” than “rise and shine.” Even early in the day, the system sounded wide awake.

AXPONA 2025

Constellation’s Revelation 2 Lives Up to Its Name, With Assists From Magico, Esoteric, Cardas, and Transparent

Jason Victor Serinus May 13, 2025

For me, one of the biggest surprises at Munich High End 2024 was the performance of Constellation’s new Revelation 2 stereo amplifier ($30,000), preamplifier ($25,500), and phono stage ($29,000). I’d expected refinement, but not this level of clarity; previous Constellation gear had sometimes struck me as a little dark. In Munich, the sound was beautifully illuminated, with wonderful colors and an ideal amount of brightness in the treble.

Music and Recording Reviews

May 2025 Jazz Record Reviews

Thomas Conrad, Andrey Henkin May 12, 2025

Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson: Bone Bells; Branford Marsalis Quartet: Belonging; François Couturier and Dominique Pifarély: Preludes and Songs; Noah Preminger: Ballads; Jim Snidero: Bird Feathers.

Music and Recording Reviews

May 2025 Classical Record Reviews

Jason Victor Serinus, Stephen Francis Vasta May 12, 2025

Bryce Dessner, David Chalmin: Electric Fields; John Field: Complete Nocturnes; Mahler: Symphony No.3; Stravinsky: Pulcinella; Le baiser de la féeDivertimento, K.-M. Murphy: Curiosity, Genius, and the Search for Petula Clark.

Music and Recording Reviews

May 2025 Rock/Pop Record Reviews

Robert Baird, Phil Brett, Ray Chelstowski May 12, 2025

Peter Perrett: The Cleansing; The Blasters: Over There: Live at the Venue, London The Complete Concert; Inhaler: Open Wide; Ray Charles: Best of Country & Western; Teddy Swims: I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2).

AXPONA 2025

AXISS Audio Introduces the Accuphase E-3000 Integrated

Jason Victor Serinus May 11, 2025

In front of a passive hallway display in the lobby of the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, Mark Henninger and I caught up with TJ Goldsby, AXISS Audio's vice president of sales and dealer relations, and Takaya Inokuma, senior management director, Accuphase Laboratory. Together, we chatted about the first showing of the brand-new, entry-level Accuphase E-3000 integrated amplifier ($8975). Accuphase's new class-AB integrated outputs 100Wpc into 8 ohms.

AXPONA 2025

The Sicks of Us and the Two of Them: Luxman and Marten Find Show-Stopping Symmetry

Jason Victor Serinus May 10, 2025

“It’s Luxman’s 100th Anniversary,” Stereophile Editor Jim Austin told me in passing. “You’ve got to hear how good the sound is in the Rhythm Distribution room that Luxman shares with Marten and Jorma.”

Florida Audio Expo 2025

Four Systems, One Statement: Scott Walker Audio, Acora, and VAC Deliver With Gear by VPI, Aurender, SonoruS

Ken Micallef May 10, 2025

The Palm Ballroom and adjacent rooms hosted systems from Acora Acoustics, Scott Walker Audio, and VAC—an ambitious collaboration by Valerio Cora, Scott Walker, and Kevin Hayes. The trio presented a range of well-curated systems.

AXPONA 2025

Persistence Pays Off: Audio Research's Best and Sonus faber's Jewels Sound Fabulous with dCS, Clearaudio, DS Audio, Innuos, Kubala-Sosna, and Critical Mass

Jason Victor Serinus May 10, 2025

Persistence Pays Off: Audio Research's Best and Sonus faber's jewels Sound Fabulous with dCS, Clearaudio, DS Audio, Innuos, Kubala-Sosna, and Critical Mass