Mel Martin

The Cyrus CDt-XR CD Transport Review

Mel MartinApril 19, 2023

I’ve already reviewed the Cyrus i9-XR integrated amp. The CDt-XR is a companion piece, but it can also stand alone. I’m reviewing it that way, and in the following review, appearing next week, I’ll give my thoughts on this player, and the Cyrus integrated amplifier, together with the Cyrus PSU-XR power supply

Audio Player ReviewsCD TransportsReviews

Cyrus Audio i9-XR Integrated Amplifier Review

Mel MartinApril 12, 2023

This review and the two following reviews will take a slightly different format than usual, as we have 3 products, all from Cyrus Audio in the U.K. There’s an integrated amplifier, the subject of this review, a CD transport, and a sophisticated power supply module.

Amplifier ReviewsIntegrated AmplifiersReviews

LSA VT-150 80 WPC Power Amplifier Review

Mel MartinFebruary 15, 2023

It seems tube amps, power amps, and headphone amps are back in the ‘almost’ mainstream. I haven’t heard a high-quality tube power amp in many years, but my ears feasted on this new amp from LSA, an 80 watts per channel behemoth that puts out glorious-sounding music for not a lot of money. In fact, it’s competitive in price with high-quality solid-state designs.

Amplifier ReviewsIntegrated AmplifiersReviews

Focal Bathys Wireless Hi-Fi ANC Headphones Review

Mel MartinJanuary 30, 2023

With all the headphones out these days is there anything truly new? I think there are with these new headphones from Focal called the Bathys. It’s a wireless headphone, so nothing new there, but it can also be a wired headphone. OK, nothing new there either. We’ve had wired headphones since the 1940s at least. It also sports noise reduction, but there are plenty of headphones with noise reduction too.

Headphone and Earphone ReviewsReviews

SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speaker Pair

Mel MartinDecember 19, 2022

Is there anything new in powered speakers? I can answer that question with a resounding yes! It comes in the form of the SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speaker Pair. It’s an evolution of the preceding model from SVS, but it’s physically and electronically upgraded.

Bookshelf SpeakersReviewsSpeaker Reviews

LSA HyperDrive 2 Headphone Amplifier Review

Mel MartinNovember 23, 2022

It feels like we’re just seeing an explosion of headphone amps lately. It’s not a surprise, given there seems to be an equally wide explosion of headphone models. Some models wired, others wireless, and many models offering both.

Headphone Amplifier ReviewsReviews

AVM A 30.3 Integrated Amplifier Review

Mel MartinSeptember 26, 2022

Every so often a component under review exceeds expectations to a startling degree. I’ll put the AVM A 30.3 Integrated amplifier in that small, but important group

Amplifier ReviewsIntegrated AmplifiersReviews

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

Mel MartinSeptember 12, 2022

When Bowers & Wilkins offers a new headphone people take notice, and the latest in the B&W catalog is the Px7 S2 Active Wireless Headphones with noise canceling. It sports new drive units, some unique geometry, new microphones for use with cellular phones, and improved noise reduction. It’s slimmer than their previous offerings, made of new materials, and is said to excel at the reproduction of high-resolution music

Headphone and Earphone ReviewsReviews

Meze Audio LIRIC Headphones Review

Mel MartinJune 22, 2022

So here I am reviewing another pair of high-end headphones, in this instance the Meze Audio LIRIC Headphones. Its full name is the LIRIC Portable Isodynamic Hybrid Array Headphone

Headphone and Earphone ReviewsProduct Previews

KEF KC62 Subwoofer Review

Mel MartinJune 15, 2022

Can a small little subwoofer, the KC62 from KEF keep up with the big boys with an enclosure about the size of a basketball?

Subwoofers

Cleer Audio Alpha Headphones Review

Mel MartinApril 18, 2022

After what seems like a career of reviewing high-end headphones, it’s a pleasure to review something less expensive but still impressive.

Headphone and Earphone Reviews

Reavon UBR-X200 Universal Disc Player Review

Mel MartinMarch 21, 2022

When Oppo Digital stopped selling and developing its high-quality universal disc players a few years ago, you could hear a collective moan...

Universal Players

Astell&Kern A&ultima SP2000T Portable Digital Music Player Review

Mel MartinFebruary 23, 2022

Can a tube amplified portable audio player make a difference in the audio quality you experience?

Portable Audio

HIFIMAN Deva Pro Active Headphone with Bluetooth Review

Mel MartinFebruary 14, 2022

Fans of headphones from HIFIMAN will be surprised to see a high quality, low in cost headphone that supports direct-wired connections and a wireless Bluetooth mode.

Headphone and Earphone Reviews

The Astell&Kern A&ultima SP2000T Portable Digital Music Player Preview

Mel MartinFebruary 7, 2022

Can a portable digital audio player be worth $2500.00? The A&ultima SP2000T from Astell & Kern is feature-rich, uses some of the best sounding DACs available, and even throws in a tube amp to warm up the sound.

Product Previews

Mel Martin

Mel spent most of his life working in television journalism in Ohio, Florida, the BBC in London, and in Seattle, WA. He won a few EMMY awards along the way which most people mistake for bowling trophies. Being around all those expensive monitors frustrated him when he got home to his threadbare TV and stereo, so he began to improve things, brand by brand, upgrade by upgrade. He’s got a lovely OLED TV now, flanked by Magnepan 3.6r speakers, and a Home theater with an Epson Projector and Focal speakers. Also scatted about the house are HiFiMan headphones, and 6 Sonos Connect devices that are spraying his rather large music collection from room to room. Other equipment is from Oppo, Sony, Aurender, PS Audio and Emotiva. Musical tastes range from Classical to Jazz to New Age to classic Rock and Roll. Mel has written a biography of film producer Samuel Bronston (El Cid, King of Kings) and is working now on a second film related book. He resides in Arizona where, when he’s not adjusting his home theater, he dabbles in landscape and astronomical photography.

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Mel Martin