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I measured the Bryston BP-173's performance with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 "As We See It"). The maximum gain for both the balanced and unbalanced inputs to the balanced outputs, and from the headphone output, was 17.5dB. The maximum gain from unbalanced input to unbalanced output was 11.6dB; ie, an input of 1V results in an output of 3.785V.

The BP-173's input impedance from 20Hz to 20kHz was 6800 ohms unbalanced and 10k ohms balanced, both impedances very slightly higher than specified. The preamplifier preserved absolute…

For years, I have had the Munich High-End Show on my bucket list and, this year was the time to cross it off. Past reports have been enticing not only from the detailed reports of a wealth of familiar, not-so-familiar and some downright unknown audio companies but, even more, because it is said to be the best show in terms of venue, focus and community spirit.

I landed in Munich on Thursday morning, dumped my luggage at a downtown hotel and hopped on the U-bahn to the M.O.C. out in the quiet suburb of Freimann. Physically,…

It also highlights another, less-noted trait—his restlessness. Hersch's sound is familiarly distinctive, but he never falls back on old tricks. He is known for his lush harmonies and galvanic rhythms. He'll occasionally toss a discordant number into a set, but it often comes off as an excursion. Here, though, he weaves the lyrical and the adventurous into a seamless web. His touch is, at times, both fleet and percussive…

There were two mitigating factors. First, I usually don't use a preamplifier with either of my reference DACs, dCS's Rossini ($23,999) and Vivaldi ($35,999). Instead…

Description: D/A processor with proprietary Optologic D/A conversion system. Pure R2R ladder: FPGA-based without digital filter. Compatible formats: PCM to 16–24-bit/44.1–768kHz, DSD64–DSD256 via DoP, DXD. Digital inputs: RJ45 AQlink (I2S serial bus), BNC coax (S/PDIF, 75 ohm), RCA coax (S/PDIF), AES/EBU (balanced, 110 ohm), USB 2 Type 2.0 (OSX, Linux driverless, all formats). Modular input: AES/EBU, RCA coax, AT&T (ST Fiber), Optical TosLink. Analog outputs: 1 pair unbalanced (RCA); 1 pair transformer-coupled balanced. Maximum output level: 2.4V, unbalanced…

Digital Sources: dCS Paganini SACD/CD transport & Scarlatti clock & Rossini DAC & Vivaldi DAC & Network Bridge network player; Oppo Digital UDP-205 universal BD player; Intel NUC7i7BNH with 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD running Roon; Linksys router with 2 TP-Link gigabit Ethernet media converters & multimode duplex fiber-optic cable; Apple MacBook Pro computer with Intel i7, SSD, 8GB RAM; iPad Pro; external hard drives, USB sticks.
Preamplifier: Lamm Industries L2.1 Reference.
Power Amplifiers: Dan D'Agostino Master Systems Progression,…

I measured the Aqua Formula xHD DAC with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system (see the January 2008 As We See It"), using both the Audio Precision's coaxial and AES/EBU digital outputs, and USB data sourced from my MacBook Pro running on battery power with Pure Music 3.0 playing WAV and AIFF test-tone files. Apple's USB Prober utility identified the Formula xHD as "aqua XHD" from "aqua," its serial number as "0 (none)," and confirmed that its USB port operated in the optimal isochronous asynchronous mode. Apple's AudioMIDI utility revealed that, via USB, the Formula…

A great thing about the Internet is that, in a print publication with limited space, there's no need to spend precious column inches recounting an otherwise necessary history of EgglestonWorks, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee. You can read…

With the speakers driven by my reference darTZeel NHB-458 monoblocks, the Viginti's bottom-end sound was sprung somewhat looser than the Alexx's, which gave it a richer, more visceral, more tactile bottom—an area in which the Alexx itself is not exactly shy. But it was way looser in the lower midbass, where it still sounded somewhat bloomy, even after…