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Before the ink had dried on my review of the Schiit Audio Sol turntable (footnote 1), Stereophile la Jefa Jim Austin asked me to write a follow-up review on that feature-packed, $799 analog machine. This wasn't going to be the typical, try-it-with-similar-components assessment; I did that last time, evaluating the Sol with the included cartridges, the Schiit Ragnarok 2 integrated, and the Klipsch RP-600M loudspeakers.

But with all its adjustability, it's clear that the Sol isn't your average entry-level 'table.…

Jim Austin reviewed the dCS Bartók in October 2019. The Bartók costs $14,500 plus $2750 for the headphone-amplifier option and is the most recent D/A processor to come from the UK company to feature its groundbreaking Ring DAC. "The Ring DAC is based on technically solid ideas, with clear, definite advantages over other DAC technologies." Jim concluded "There is…

No one in our industry knew what would happen as the world shut down, but within weeks, pretty much…

On "My Heart Stood Still," Philly Joe Jones's somewhat distantly recorded drum kit sat well behind…

According to the company:

"Pro-Ject is celebrating the 54th anniversary of a Beatles' landmark with our "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"-inspired Essential III turntable."

"This high-performance table is based on one of our most popular models and features variable 33/45 RPM speeds. It's also one of the most striking pieces in our entire collection. We're excited to be collaborating with our friends at Stereophile and Analog Planet…

In a recent Zoom meeting, some friends got into a dust-up about how "real"-sounding high-performance audio systems can be. The consensus was that there was no chance at all of real, live sound. A label owner waved it off as impossible: "Fuhgeddaboudit," he said. He's from New York, like me.

I began to feel the burn, but I contained my outrage. For a while. Eventually—you know me—I had my say. "What the hell are you all talking…

64 Audio has a special place in my heart.

Perhaps that's an odd way of introducing a review, as it makes me sound totally biased, but allow me to explain.

My first experience with the company – which was called 1964 Ears back then – involved one of their very first designs.

It was a triple-driver custom in-ear monitor which I purchased as a regular customer and subsequently reviewed – just for fun – way back in 2010. The established competition (mainly Ultimate Ears and Westone) wanted nearly $1,000 for…

IEMs, whether custom or universal in nature, are often used by on-the-go listeners. Their portability and high sensitivity make them ideal for use with smartphones, while the more revealing models benefit from DAPs and even dedicated portable amplifiers. As previously mentioned, I use my old 64 Audio V3 in this capacity on a regular basis. But I confess I almost never leave the house with the A18t.

For my sensibilities, it really isn't a good candidate for portable use. I don't feel comfortable taking such an expensive IEM out and about where it can be lost, stolen,…

It's been nearly 5 years since ToTL Madness—our attempt to survey the growing custom IEM landscape and identify the best of the best. It's still a good read if you want to learn more about the history of the industry, the major players, and the strengths/weaknesses of these colorful little ear gems.

Since then, we've seen the market continue to expand. New players have entered the field, and several firms have undergone "rebranding" of sorts; 1964 Ears became 64 Audio, while Heir Audio gave way to Noble. Some of the…

History
In order to make sense of my thoughts on the UERR, it's probably best to start by explaining my experience with its predecessor. Technically speaking, I skipped buying the UERM while it was an active product on the roster. Only when it was discontinued did I find a second-hand model with a price too good to pass up. I sent it out to an extremely well-regarded CIEM maker, who doesn't normally do reshell jobs (he owed me a favor from many years back—and no, I have never reviewed any of his products, and never will due to personal bias). Several weeks and a small FedEx related…