This month, I am writing about what could be the ultimate analog topic circa 2025: A prominent vinyl-only record club is going totally offline. Is it a marketing gimmick? Sure it is, but read on.
I am a former Vinyl Me, Please (VMP) member. In the spring, my membership…
In room 849, the US debut was the Luphonic H2 turntable ($4995), which was running a Hana ML cartridge ($1200). The Hana was helped by an SPL Phonos phono stage ($2500). On the digital source side was an XACT S1 EVO music server ($18,500).
Further downstream were an SPL Director Mk2 preamp with DAC ($4700) and an SPL Performer s900 stereo amplifier ($5500), the s900 powered another US debut, the gorgeous Basel Acoustics Concept…
Sossa presented the US debuts of the Merason DAC2 ($12,500) and Qln Prestige 3 G2 loudspeakers ($12,500/pair). Also in the system was an XACT S1 EVO Music Server ($18,600), an Audio Hungary Qualiton 300B Integrated Amplifier ($11,000), and a GigaWatt PC-4 power conditioner ($16,000). Cables from Kubala-Sosna…
The "equipment list from source to ear" did exactly that, laying out the system in detail: Infigo Audio IS-1 Octacore Cryogen ($7000) and Altec Lansing Simbolo ($7000) streamers; an Infigo Audio Method 4 DAC ($35,000); an Infigo Audio Method 7 preamplifier ($20,000); and Infigo Audio Method 3 monoblock amps ($55,000/pair). Those amplifiers drove the new Altec Lansing speakers, called Ribbonacci Reference ($89,000/pair). These were assisted by two Altec Lansing Ripole Subwoofers with 1000W DSP…
Buckeye Eigentakt 1ET9040BA monoblock amplifier
($2390/pair; reviewed by Kalman Rubinson in Vol.48 Nos.1 & 6, January & June 2025 review)
Hana SL MkII phono cartridge
($850; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)
Schiit Audio Stjarna phono preamplifier
($1699; reviewed by Herb Reichert in Vol.48 Nos.8 & 9, August & September 2025 review)
FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
Cambridge Audio EXN-100 D/A processor
($1799; reviewed by Tom Fine in…
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dCS Varèse D/A processor
($267,500; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.5, May 2025 review)
FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
Bricasti M21 D/A processor
($16,500; reviewed by Sasha Matson in Vol.48 No.10, October 2025 review)
Cambridge Audio EXN-100 D/A processor
($1799; reviewed by Tom Fine in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review)
CH Precision C10 D/A processor
($95,000; $104,000 as auditioned; reviewed by Jim Austin in Vol.48 No.10, October 2025 review)
Innuos Nazaré server/…
Magico S5 2024
($74,500/pair–$83,000/pair; reviewed by John Atkinson in Vol.48 No.8, August 2025 review)
FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
AudioNote AN-E/SPx Ltd. Field Coil
($65,000/pair incl. power supplies; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.48 No.7, July 2025 review)
Avantgarde Duo SD iTRON 3
($81,500/pair; reviewed by Brian Damkroger in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)
Grimm Audio LS1c
($30,300/pair; SB1 subwoofers add $14,600/pair; reviewed by Rogier van Bakel in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review)
…
J.Sikora Standard Max Supreme turntable with KV9 Max Zirconium tonearm
($41,250 in standard finish; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.48 No.4, April 2025 review)
FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
Belleson Brilliance phono preamplifier
($8500; reviewed by Tom Fine in Vol.48 No.9, September 2025 review)
Kuzma Safir 9 tonearm
($23,751–$24,297; reviewed by Michael Trei in Vol.48 Nos.2 & 9, February & September 2025 review)
Kuzma Stabi M turntable
($28,755; $30,441 as tested; reviewed by Michael…
CH Precision L1 preamplifier
($34,500; optional X1 supply costs $21,500; reviewed by Jim Austin in Vol.47 No.11, November 2024 review)
FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
Air Tight ATM-1 2024 Edition power amplifier
($14,975; reviewed by Ken Micallef in Vol.47 No.12, December 2024 review)
Boulder 1151 monoblock power amplifier
($47,000/pair; reviewed by Jason Victor Serinus in Vol.48 No.6, June 2025 review)
Quad 303 power amplifier
($1599; reviewed by Martin Colloms in Vol.48 No.7, July 2025 review…