Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, Vivaldi Master Clock, and Rossini Transport; EMM Labs DV2 Integrated DAC, Meitner MA3 Integrated DAC; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server; Small Green Computer Sonore Deluxe opticalModule; Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with SOtM sCLK-OCX10 Master Clock and sPS-500 power supply; Finisar FTLF8519P3BNL and Broadcom/Avago AFBR-5718PZ 1GB SX-SFP, Gen 5 Fiber Optic modules; Nordost QNet switch and QSource linear power supplies (2); Sonore Audiophile Linear Power Supply; Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS with…
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Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Component of the Year
Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx V loudspeaker ($135,000–$151,000/pair depending on finish; reviewed by Jim Austin in December 2021, Vol.44 No.12 review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
dCS Rossini Apex D/A processor ($32,800; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in October 2022, Vol.45 No.10 review)
Genelec G Three loudspeaker ($1590/pair; reviewed by Herb Reichert in August 2022, Vol.45 No.8 review)
KEF Blade Two Meta loudspeaker ($28,000/pair; reviewed by Kal Rubinson in September 2022, Vol.45 No.9 review)
Mola Mola Tambaqui D/A…
The night before AXPONA's official kickoff, Krell's director of product development, Dave Goodman, was still assembling the latest offering from Connecticut's solid-state powerhouse: the yet-to-be-released KSA i400. (With that model name, no prizes for guessing the number of watts per channel.) The Krell and its associated components were set up in a large, cube-like room—on paper, far from ideal acoustically. But what resulted on Friday morning sounded powerful and impressive. I don't mean to say that anything was excessively muscular. Effortless, poised, and relaxed though? You'd best…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi APEX D/A processor, Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, Vivaldi Master Clock; EMM Labs DV2 Integrated DAC, Meitner MA3 Integrated DAC; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server and PhoenixNET network switch; Small Green Computer Sonore optical Module Deluxe with Broadcom/Avago AFBR-5718PZ 1GB SX-SFP, Gen 5 Fiber Optic module (2); Nordost QNet switch and QSource linear power supply (2); Sonore Audiophile Linear Power Supply; Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS with Ferrum Hypsos linear/switching hybrid power supply; Linksys MR9000 mesh router and Arris…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: dCS Varèse five-piece music system, Vivaldi Apex three-piece music system, Rossini CD/SACD transport, EMM Labs DV2i DAC, Meitner MA3 Integrated DAC; Innuos Statement Next-Gen Music Server and PhoenixNET network switch; Small Green Computer Sonore opticalModule Deluxe (2); Broadcom/ Avago AFBR-5718PZ 1GB SX-SFP, Gen 5 fiberoptic modules (2); Nordost QNet switch and QSource linear power supply (2); Sonore Audiophile Linear Power Supply; Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS with Ferrum Hypsos linear/switching hybrid power supply; Linksys MR9000 mesh…
Budget Component of the Year
KEF LS50 Meta loudspeaker ($1500/pair, reviewed by John Atkinson, November 2020, Vol.43 No.11 Review)
Finalists (in alphabetical order)
Elac Alchemy DPA-2 power amplifier ($1495; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus, June 2021, Vol.44 No.6 Review)
Elekit TU-8600RS stereo power amplifier ($1785; reviewed by Herb Reichert, May & August 2021. Vol.44 Nos.5 & 8 Review)
NAD C 298 stereo power amplifier ($1999; reviewed by Kal Rubinson, Vol.44 No.6 Review).
Okto DAC8 stereo streaming D/A processor (1203; reviewed by John…
Editors' Choices of 2018
Anthem STR integrated amplifier ($4499, reviewed by Thomas J. Norton, July 2018, Vol.41 No.7 review)
The Anthem STR offers superb basic performance. Its Anthem Room Correction can help clear up the room/speaker interactions that can compromise the bass performance of even the best loudspeakers, and do so without compromising the midrange and high-frequency balance that drew you to those speakers in the first place.—Thomas J. Norton
Benchmark AHB2 power amplifier ($2995; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson & Jim Austin, November 2015…
Happy New Year! The January 2012 issue of Stereophile is now on newsstands. In this issue, you’ll find in-depth reviews of loudspeakers from TAD, Sonus Faber, Nola, and Dynaudio; amplification components from Sutherland, Fi, and Anthem; D/A processors from Weiss, Bel Canto, dCS, and Musical Fidelity; power conditioning from Audience, AudioQuest, and Shunyata; and CD players from Emotiva and Sony.
In “As We See It,” Bob Deutsch offers five ways to determine whether a “tweak” is worth our time and money. In “Letters,” readers tell us why they listen, and offer memories of audio…
Accessory of 2019
Isoacoustics Gaia and Orea Isolation Feet ($59 and up); reviewed by Robert Deutsch & Art Dudley, October 2017, February 2018, & June 2019, Vol.40 No.10, Vol.41 No.2. & Vol.42 No.6 Review and Review)
IsoAcoustics' Orea isolation feet combine rigid metal elements with pliable internal couplers and can be placed in sets of three or four, under a variety of products. Their Gaia footers work the same way, yet, instead of being designed to simply slide into place beneath the product to be isolated from vibrations, they're built to accept…
Sidebar 1: Rondi D'Agostino Talks With Jason Victor Serinus
"Once I thought I had the best hi-fi system that I could get. But then I would listen to a new product andbe shocked to hear something that I hadn't heard before. It always gave me a thrill, and I was always sorry that my old system didn't sound as good." Lest anyone think Rondi D'Agostino is even a little bit new to hi-fi, she clarified in our chat how long she'd been pursuing audiophile bliss. "I got into audio through my love of music," she told me. "I grew up in the '50s and '60s just outside of San Francisco in Sausalito,…