Herb Reichert

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Hegel Music Systems H160 integrated amplifier
Integrated Amp Reviews
Herb Reichert  |  Jun 05, 2015  |  8 comments
For decades, I read all the British and American audio magazines, and I pretty much believed everything written therein—with one exception. The equipment reviews published in Stereo Review had an off-puttingly disingenuous quality. I learned a lot from the magazine's reviews of recordings and loudspeakers, but every time senior editor Julian Hirsch wrote that any amp with sufficiently high power, low measured distortion, and high damping factor would sound the same as any other with similar qualifications, I felt estranged from my favorite hobby. Stereo Review's arrogance came off as duplicitous and self-serving. The magazine seemed committed to stamping out all forms of individualized audio connoisseurship.
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Hegel Music Systems Mohican CD player
CD Player/Transport Reviews
Herb Reichert  |  Apr 25, 2017  |  8 comments
Someone on Audio Asylum wrote, "When it comes to hi-res audio, Herb is a babe in the woods." This is true, though probably not in the way this person imagined. High-resolution master David Chesky has been my friend forever, and I used to write for his website HDtracks.com. Todd Garfinkle, founder of and producer for M•A Recordings, and Kavichandran Alexander, of Water Lily Acoustics, are not only valued friends, but I own most of their stunning recordings. In short, I'm no stranger to SACD or 24-bit/192kHz playback. But compared to most audiophiles, I've been a bit slow in appreciating the intricacies and virtues of hi-rez computer audio.
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Hegel Music Systems Röst
CES 2017
Herb Reichert  |  Jan 11, 2017  |  0 comments
Perhaps because of Bent Holter's recent revision of his "distortion-reducing" SoundEngine technology, the elegant Röst drove the desktop-mounted KEF-LS50s with purity, lust, and musical authority…
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Hegel Music Systems Viking CD player
CD Player/Transport Reviews
Herb Reichert  |  Nov 28, 2023  |  11 comments
The pleasures of reviewing a new CD player reside in its light weight, compact dimensions, and, most of all, its ABC-simple installation: no cartridge to mount, no stylus to break, no step-up trans formers or cartridge-load values to explore. No server, no Ethernet switches, no digital processor or outboard clock, no NOS, OS, filter choices, or upsampling (usually), no DSD or DXD, no specialized cables, and-especially-no garish, billboard-sized LCD menu to trigger anxiety. Just plug the player in, connect it to a preamp, and choose a CD to play first.

Yes, folks, digital audio was once that simple.

I'm pleased to be reviewing a new CD player, the Viking from Hegel Music Systems, in part because Hegel's founder and chief engineer Bent Holter appears to feel the same way I do.

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Herb Arrives in Las Vegas
CES 2016
Herb Reichert  |  Jan 07, 2016  |  1 comments
Delta flight 2820: At 497mph the ambient noise in the cabin averaged 94dB and registered 101dB peaks. That is at least 40dB louder than a candlelit night in my listening room. Artur Schnabel brings it up to (at most) 90dB and the loudest I have ever played Led Zep on the Magnepan .7s is 102dB. Now, I can't wait to rinse that crazy engine noise from my ears and hear some clean clear beautifully toned hi-fidelity music at maybe 103dB—or more! But these clear-sounding components must be moderately priced—because I am a cub reporter and new products that cost less than $5k is the assignment I volunteered for.
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Herb Chases the Music Down at RMAF
RMAF 2015
Herb Reichert  |  Oct 08, 2015  |  0 comments
VANA’s Kevin Wolf (right) with AudioStream.com's Michael Lavorgna in the hot seat

Kevin Wolf and VANA Ltd. represent a group of distinctive high-quality/high-value audio products that are mostly right up my aesthetic alley . . . at the Denver RMAF, Vana was debuting the new Audio Physic Avanti loudspeakers ($8000/pair) and they looked and sounded brand-new, top-of-the-heap excellent.

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Herb Gets Into His Stride at RMAF
RMAF 2015
Herb Reichert  |  Oct 06, 2015  |  9 comments
RockyFest Award Alert!

Best Sound: Vincent Bélanger
Best-Sounding Component: Monsieur Bélanger's 200-year old cello
Best Choice of Music: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsdaTVKmjdY
Most Impressive Audio Demonstration: Audio Note UK

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Herb Gets Ready for High End 2019
Munich 2019
Herb Reichert  |  May 07, 2019  |  10 comments
Leute, High End München 2019 ist der große Audio-Zirkus . . .
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Herb Reichert on THE Show's First Day
T.H.E. Show Newport 2015
Herb Reichert  |  May 30, 2015  |  1 comments
First morning of the first day, jet-lagged, don't recognize anybody, forgot every name and, worse still: I broke every rule I made for myself on the way to Newport Beach. Mostly, I have attended these shows as a distributor-exhibitor so I never forget how much it costs in money and psychic energy to do any show—let alone the whole US-World circuit. Many of these exhibitors just finished a big, wallet-crushing, jet-lagging show in Munich, and now they are here in California (how many miles and time zones is that?), still staggering and punch drunk from dancing on that big stage—trying to smile and impress everybody. So my kind and gentle spirit tells me to understand and try to comfort them...
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Herb Reichert's Day Two at THE Show
T.H.E. Show Newport 2015
Herb Reichert  |  Jun 01, 2015  |  4 comments
I am having my second morning coffee in the LAOCAS hospitality lounge and a man walks in and announces loudly, "I am officially blown away!" Everyone looks. Ok? So what did you hear? He stands there grinning. "Have you been to the Elac room?"
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