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A Tale of 3 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones First Look
I found myself in the interesting position of having three different high performance wireless Bluetooth headphones in my possession at the same time.
Carlo Lo Raso
A Conversation with Mark Waldrep
During my preparations for the review of Mark Waldrep’s book, Music and Audio: A User Guide to Better Sound (link), I was able to interview Mark by phone from his home on the California coast. We discussed the new book and touched on various aspects of his career in music and on the state of high-resolution audio in general.
Music and Audio: A User Guide To Better Sound – Book Review
Many of our Secrets readers are, undoubtedly, already familiar with Mark Waldrep. His AIX Records audiophile label has been producing high-resolution music in stereo and multi-channel surround sound for almost twenty years. Mark recently decided to draw upon his 40 years of combined audio engineering, production and teaching experience to put together what amounts to a reference book about high-resolution audio. It neatly covers practically every link in the chain, from studio production to home playback.
HiFiMAN RE2000 In-Ear Monitor Review
While mostly known for their over-the-ear headphones, HiFiMAN also produces some notable in-ear monitors as well. The RE2000, that we have here, is their top o...
European Audio Team “B-Sharp” Turntable First Look.
European Audio Team (EAT for short) is a name that is new to my ears but has been around as an audio company since the 1990s. Based in the Czech Republic, t...
Paradigm Persona 7F Loudspeaker Review
The project brief here was a simple one. Distill everything Paradigm has developed and learned over its 35-year history into a single, statement speaker line. P...
Bryston BDA-3 DAC Review
Bryston tempts our sonic sensibilities with a DAC that not only possesses enviable decoding performance but also has every conceivable connection type, including four HDMI inputs!
Audio-Technica VM540ML Phono Cartridge Review
The Audio-Technica VM540ML is a very good quality phono cartridge whose performance is quite comptetive against some of the more expensive cartridge...
MartinLogan Crescendo X Networked Speaker Review
The MartinLogan Crescendo X is a stylish looking and great sounding networked speaker that can bring you your music from a variety of sources, whether they be wired or wireless. It incorperates the latest Blutooth functionality, is AirPlay certified and can be controlled in depth through the DTS: Play-Fi app on either Android or iOS devices.
B&W 803 D3 Floor Standing Loudspeaker Review
The B&W 803 D3 is part of a top-to-bottom, revolutionary rethink of an iconic speaker line. It features cutting edge speaker technologies combined with avant-garde styling to bring the end user something truly special, both visually and sonically.
Paradigm Persona 7F Floorstanding Loudspeaker Preview
Ever since Paradigm unveiled their statement prototype speaker the Concept 4F, back at CES 2016, it was plain to see that it was a harbinger of a special new series of speakers.
HiFiMAN RE2000 In-Ear Monitor Preview
As a rule, I personally tend to prefer wearing headphones over earphones. I find them, on the whole, to be more comfortable, less fiddly to deal with and I seem to enjoy the sound more while either at home or on the go. Consequently, I’ve been fortunate enough to sample a number of headphone models from HiFiMAN over the years...
ELAC Uni-Fi Slim 5.1 Speaker System Review
The ELAC Uni-Fi Slim 5.1 Speaker System is a stylish and well-designed speaker line whose components can deliver resounding performance when used either individually or as a complete system. Designed by acclaimed speaker engineer Andrew Jones, ELAC’s Uni-Fi line is available in two versions. We are reviewing the “Slim” versions, which were originally designed for the European market and have narrower front baffles with deeper overall cabinets and two satin paint finishes. The “Standard” versions have wider front baffles, are not quite as deep and have a different brushed vinyl finish. Both versions are said to sound identical although the “Slims” command a higher price due to the aesthetics. Be assured though, the price-to-performance ratio of either version is quite exceptional. Thank you ELAC. It’s good to have options!
Shure M97xE Phono Cartridge Review
If you're looking for a good quality mid-level phono cartridge to enable your dreams of vinyl nirvana (on a budget), then the Shure M97xE is definitely worth your consideration. While perhaps not the most revealing cartridge in the world, the Shure M97xE does provide a few notable features and has a sound signature that many should find to be smooth and fatigue-free. It has a particular knack for taming brighter recordings and, overall seems to be an excellent value and a solid, engaging performer.
Can you recommend a complete surround sound set up for me, within my $15,000 budget?
I am attempting to enter the world of "mid-end" audio. This is my first foray and I am completely overwhelmed with the many speaker, amplifier, surround sound, sub woofer, digital processor, etc. technologies / options. Could you recommend a complete setup for me? My room is 16' x 20' with 16' ceilings.
