If you are searching for a way to make the music from your smartphone/DAP sound better, or if you need to drive some less efficient headphones, iFi Audio submits the xDSD portable DAC/Amp for your consideration. It looks to be an impressive little beast that is barely bigger than a deck of cards.
The NAD VISO HP70 headphone is the fraternal twin to the PSB M4U 8. Both have essentially the same internal components and specs, and both are equipped with the latest iteration of Paul Barton’s RoomFeel tuning. That is where the similarities end however, as their external design and aesthetics are about as different as can be.
If wireless noise cancelling headphones happen to be on your purchasing radar, the Bowers & Wilkins PX are definitely worth your time and consideration. They offer rakishly good looks, advanced design and more than a few clever touches to augment their compelling sound quality.
Intended as a step-up from the well-received M4U 2 noise cancelling headphones, PSB’s new M4U 8 shows us how designer Paul Barton takes a good thing….and makes it wireless!
Looking for a deck to spin vinyl that is a step up from the norm? The B-Sharp turntable from European Audio Team may be just the ticket you’re after.
I found myself in the interesting position of having three different high performance wireless Bluetooth headphones in my possession at the same time.
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.
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.
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 (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...
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 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!
The Audio-Technica VM540ML is a very good quality phono cartridge whose performance is quite comptetive against some of the more expensive cartridge...
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.
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.
A native of Toronto Canada, Carlo's interest in audio began at a young age when, unbeknownst to his mother, he started taking apart her transistor radios to see how they worked. This desire for knowledge-through-deconstruction continued through to the family’s 8-track tape player, turntable, headphones and speakers. Carlo subsequently spent a lot of time in his room…As he grew older, he would spend countless hours in downtown Toronto stereo shops, listening to all manner of gear and picking the brains of the various store owners. Through that formative experience, Carlo developed and appreciation for good music, and for good sound reproduction. The question of what makes one piece of equipment sound better (or worse) than another is something that he’s always found fascinating. Also, as a budding graphic artist, the aesthetic aspects of a given piece of gear became increasingly of interest to his eyes. It was at about that time as well that Carlo began purchasing “Audio Magazine” on a regular basis and came to appreciate, in particular, the writing and reviewing of the late Leonard Feldman. Carlo’s first audio equipment that he purchased with his hard earned part-time job money was a Luxman R-117 receiver and a pair of Image Concept 200 speakers which, in hindsight, he wishes he still owned. Career-wise, Carlo eventually graduated from Sheridan College with a degree in Classical Animation and was subsequently employed by Walt Disney Consumer Products for 10 years as a Character Artist and Art Director. Having become disenchanted with Los Angeles, he then decided strike out on his own. Carlo started his own company and has been freelancing artwork, from his home studio, for primarily the toy and publishing industries since 2001. A wide variety of music is often heard coming from Carlo’s studio while working on his latest project. Great music helps feed the soul and inspire creativity, and also provides for the occasional distraction. If he had a personal philosophy, it would be; always be open to learn something new and don’t take yourself too seriously. Specifically when it comes to audio reviewing; honesty and a good balance of objective and subjective observation is key. Ultimately, this is a hobby and it should be fun. Carlo currently lives in Granville, Ohio with his wife, two young sons and a pair of hyperactive dachshunds. Or is that two hyperactive sons and a pair of young dachshunds? He can never keep that straight….
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