PS Audio is a leader in AC power regeneration, making it a top choice among audiophiles. Earlier this year, the company released a new line of power regenerators designed to provide squeaky clean AC. Power Conditioners vs Power Regenerators There is a big difference between
How could the same company that makes the Maestro M9 even consider releasing an amplifier to go with it as noisy as the Director D2800? After installing the 8 channel Director D2800 in my rack to deliver the music signal from the Maestro M9 to
The OPPO 205 is the best CD/DVD/Blu Ray player on the market with a high-end DAC chip. Unfortunately, OPPO Digital is discontinuing its line of high-end Blu-ray players and headphones. The OPPO UDP-205 Ultra HD is an audiophile’s dream machine, having received numerous great reviews and
The engineers at DJM Electronics did it again! The GigaFOILv4 inline filter for Ethernet noise dramatically improves upon the original GigaFOIL and delivers a lower noise floor for digital music transmitted through an ethernet cable that anyone, even the staunchest of anti-tweakers and the hearing
AXPONA continues to be the “go to” event for audiophiles. The largest high-end audio show in North America, was held April 13-15, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. Every year, the show has expanded due to demand, and 2018 was the largest AXPONA
There is a difference between a power strip and a surge protector. A power strip operates like an extension cord, while a surge protector protects your equipment from sudden spikes in the power coming from the street. If all you need is an extension cord,
No cell phone has a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) that is very good. To get any good sound out of a cell phone or an iPad you need a third-party DAC. The Chord Hugo 2, like the original Hugo and the Mojo is a
Portable high resolution audio (HRA) players range in price from the Pono or the Questyle at under $600 to the flagship Astell & Kern at just under $5,000. Selecting the right player at the right price has been confusing to the point of creating consumer
Audience recently announced three new AC power cords — the Au24 SX powerChord, Au24 SE-i power Chord, and powerChord SE-i. Incorporating its latest advancements in materials and engineering, Audience promises to again revolutionize high-performance audio systems. Audiophiles who understand the difference that power cords make in a high-end
The Who marked the 50th anniversary of their debut album, My Generation, by releasing a new massive box set. The five-disc box set features a remastered edition of the album in mono and many never-before-released tracks. While it is a great way to commemorate a first album by
After selecting the right speaker for your room and picking good components to deliver optimum sound quality there are still four often overlooked items—connecting cables–that can make a big improvement on the sound performance of a mid-level audio system. They are the power cords, analog
Don’t expect audiophile sound quality from the new Apple wireless earbuds, officially called AirPods. However, they are extremely comfortable and the technology behind the new earphones are impressive. When Apple announced that it was eliminating the headphone jack from its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, there
Always count on PS Audio to do it first and do it better than anyone else. The DirectStream Memory Player allows the high resolution layer of an SACD to play back through a DAC. For audiophiles with the best DAC’s, the SACD is finally free
This fall, the “The Greatest Rock & Roll Band in the World” released a new box set. Rolling Stones in Mono contains 186 tracks, 56 of which fans have never been able to hear in mono since the dawn of the digital age. Many albums
People have started to figure out that the reason digital music does not sound as good as vinyl has less to do with the studio mix burned digitally as 1’s and 0’s, and more to do with the “timing” of the playback of those 1’s
Anyone who has had to return to their CD collection and rip it for a second or third time knows that CD’s are not dead. Hard drives are not forever. When they age they will inevitably become corrupted and the information on them may be
AXPONA (Audio Expo North America), the high-end consumer audio show held last weekend at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont, Il, is one of the best events of the year for audiophiles. While this is only one of about a dozen national high end audio shows,
Synergistic Research has become a market leader of innovative audiophile products. While teaks of all kinds find no shortage of skeptics, the Grounding Block from Synergistic Research is a tweak based on solid science and it works. It has always been known that a well-grounded
DJM electronics has made the first Ethernet noise filter that might be helpful for an audio signal. It is called the GigaFOILv3 Ethernet Filter and it is currently priced at $1,000. It is commonly accepted that EMI causes Noise in power cables. When that
One of the most popular vibration control tweaks, and probably the one that most audiophiles use in their systems is the Stillpoint Ultra SS. The Ultra’s are priced at about $300 each and you need at least three of them. Stillpoints have been around for
Vibration control is a good area for a tweak because not all components absorb vibration efficiently. Rather than add to the cost of the component, manufactures often ether ignore vibration or deal with it as cost effectively as they can to keep the component in
Steven Wilson has delivered a clean, very musical remix of this classic progressive rock album, which in a short time has become the “final word” on the album. There can be little doubt that this remix is far superior to anything that has been done
While an Apple product still does not exist, there are many excellent portable digital music players like the old Apple i-Pod that can deliver high resolution audio sound. So, yes, the digital music library of 24 bit music that you downloaded from HD Tracks and
When it comes to high-end power cables, Shunyata is the king. So every time Shunyata replaces their top of the line cable with a new model, “attention must be paid.” In 2009, the King Cobra CX by Shunyata was their flagship power cable. Priced at
Bose is one of the best in the business when it comes to speakers, so it’s hard to ignore the hype surrounding its SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II. After taking a listen, the praise is well deserved. The SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II connects wirelessly
It is difficult to believe that ten metal cylinders half the size of a fingernail tacked to the walls of a large listening space could have any effect on the acoustics. Synergistic Research calls them HFT-2—and they work. So it wasn’t much of a stretch
The Velvet Underground box set: The Verve/MGM Albums in Mono recreates the band’s 1960s sound, while adding a modern kick. Although some people debate whether the remaster detracts from the raw purity of the raw Warhol warehouse sound of the original mono issues, the albums
The Chord Hugo is simply the best portable amplifier/DAC on the market. Whether you use it with your computer or with a portable transport to carry when you are out and about, the Hugo has no equal. Perhaps the $2,500 retail price is steep for
The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing recently announced the creation of a series of Hi-Res Audio Production Guidelines. The new guidelines are a key step to ensuring that real high-resolution music is produced and sold to the public. While the Recording Academy Producers &
To get closed back headphones better than the Masters & Dynamic MH40, retailing at $400, you would need to spend four times the price and buy either the Audeze LCD-XC or the Fostex TH900. Both of those retail for over $1,600. The Masters & Dynamic
There are almost as many choices for connecting cables and power cables as there are for components and speakers. Here are some thoughts about picking the right ones for your system. Let’s assume that you are currently using the stock cables that came with your
The Koss 330 Headphones are the best small headphone available at any price. The Koss 330 Headphones are just under $100, these headphones are one of the best values in high end audio headphones. One listen will make you look in the mirror to verify
Bob Dylan – The Original Mono Recordings (MONO-88697761051) recreates the first eight Dylan albums as they were intended to be heard. Even the album cover and labels look like the originals and recreate the feel of opening the album as it was the first time.
No review disputes that the PS Audio DirectStream DAC (DSD) is musical bliss. Some reviewers have called it the component of the year for 2014. Where reviewers get edgy on PS Audio is not about the fact that it so amazing but about the science
In order to make a noticeable improvement in sound quality with a power cord you should expect to pay not less than $500 for a 1 meter cord. Cords to consider at this price point are the Audioquest NRG 10, Audience PowerCord SE or a
It is not always the case that a high resolution 96kHz/24bit sounds better than a CD at 44mHz/16bit. More often than not, the remastering matters more than the bit rate. This is one of those times. The high resolution Blu-ray and, presumably, the digital download
Billed as the “Definitive Edition CD,” Steve Wilson’s remaster of Close to the Edge,” by Yes is exactly that. It is perfection—the final version of a classic album. Many people who were listening to music in the 1970s own more than one copy of Close
Even though the Beatle’s A Hard Days Night was produced before Help, the new 5-1 mix of the earlier film has the better surround mix. The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night was reissued on Blu-ray and DVD last summer. It marks the 50th anniversary of the
The PS Audio DirectStream DAC (digital to analog converter) is a Stereophile Magazine product of the year for 2014. Many audiophiles who have compared it with other DAC’s have called it a “game changer.” For non-audiophiles, a DAC replaces the sound card in your computer
Everything by Gentle Giant should be heard in 5.1 Surround Sound. Steven Wilson’s remix of The Power And The Glory in hi-resolution stereo and 5.1 Surround sound must make band members as happy as their fan cult. Dubbed “one of the most gifted and ambitious
The VPI Nomad may do as much to bring music listeners back to vinyl as the iPod did to bring listeners to the MP3 digital download. The Nomad is VPI’s new entry level turntable. It includes an Ortofon needle, a built in phono pre-amp and
New York Audio Show was held on September 27, 28 and 29 at the Marriott Hotel in Brooklyn offering 45 rooms of new audio gear to eager audiophiles, industry experts and enthusiasts. Maybe because of the suitability of “small” products for “small” New York City
The Yes Album proves that music can sound better decades after its original release. The progressive band’s breakthrough album was recently released in 5.1 surround sound. The Yes Album was first released in the United Kingdom on February 19, 1971 (CAT# 2400 101) and eventually
Recent rumors about the new Apple operating system appear to be true. Apple’s iOS 8 will allow for high definition audio playback (HRA). This certainly explains why Apple has acquired Beats Electronics to upgrade their in-ear earphones. Apple has announced that they will offer high-fidelity
In his notes on the 2014 remix, Steve Wilson said, “I think that A Passion Play is a historically underrated work of art that deserves to be reevaluated.” Thanks to his remix in 5.1 Surround Sound to celebrate the album’s 40th anniversary, Jethro Tull’s masterpiece
Forty years after its initial release, the 5.1 Surround Sound Blue-ray audio re-master of The Who’s, Quadrophenia, may well be considered the definitive final version of this rock classic. After giving this disc a listen you will conclude that it is un-improvable. By the end
In addition to a standard definition of high resolution audio (HRA), in June, 2014, the music industry also agreed on standard labels they will use so music lovers can identify the source of the high resolution digital recording they are buying. As previously reported in
From records and reel-to-reel tapes to cassettes to eight-track tapes to CD’s to SACD and DVD-audio, the next generation of music delivery is digital. The standard for High Resolution Audio, the best quality digital sound available, has finally been set. After a long period of
I realized in the taxi to JFK en route to a 7 AM flight to Chicago to attend the AXPONA audio show that I had left my Bose QC3 noise cancelling headphones at home. After only one cup of coffee I had to endure the
At a show dominated by the excitement of High Resolution (HR) audio and the delivery systems that are becoming available to play it, VPI introduced a high quality but affordable consumer turntable which might be considered the first of its kind in the post CD
While there are still a few holdouts who say that power cords and analog connector cables don’t make a difference with sound or video quality, they are now a minority. However, the debate remains active about digital cables. Digital cable Naysayers point out that the
While Jon Anderson is best known for his work with Yes, his first solo album, Olias of Sunhillow is his magnum opus. As if releasing a living thing that has been encased in amber for almost forty years, the 2014 re-master by Kevin Gray for
After hearing the difference in sound quality the Shunyata Python Zitron’s make on my turntable set up, those who say that power cords and connecting cables don’t make much of a difference in sound quality are either just plain wrong or their preconceptions override their
Conventional wisdom amongst audiophile beginners is that the biggest improvement you could make to the sound of your home stereo is with good speakers connected to an amplifier by even better connecting cables that could equal the price of the speakers. Testing this wisdom on
Audio components on a rack pick up sonic vibration carried by the air in the room where the music is played. They also carry actual vibration from their own electrical movement and from the other components in the rack, which ultimately affects sound quality. Manufacturers
High end digital cable connectors probably provide the least noticeable improvement in sound quality, but to my surprise, there was a “subtle” (as defined in previous articles) difference. I tested the Audioquest Diamond USB mini to USB .75mm connection on my headphone mini system. The
While the prices of high end connector cables often exceed the price of the high end components they are attached to, the cables that carry the analog signal noticeably improves the sound quality of your system. Just like adding a good power cord, a high
Savant Systems has won many awards as a smart home operating system but it will never win an award in any audiophile sound publication. If you care at all about the quality of the sound coming from your audio system then do not use Savant
Whether you should buy a power conditioner or a good surge protector depends on how bad the line power is that feeds your audio system. However, if you have thrown away the power cords that came with your audio components and replaced them with good
If upgrading power cords makes a significantly noticeable improvement in sound quality, then imagine the improvement that a clean power source could make! There are power conditioners and power re-conditioners that work wonderfully for music. They double as power strips and surge protectors as well.
A good power cord makes a big difference in sound quality, but how good is good enough? Once I picked the Audience Power Cord E for my HiFiMan EF5 amplifier and my HiFiman HE-500 headphone microsystem, I was ready to see whether a more expensive
Want better sound quality? Throw away any power cord that comes in the box with your audio components and invest in a quality power cord! A good power cord used on a music component improves the sound quality dramatically. To my ear there is no
From record album to tape player to CD and SACD or DVD audio, the future of recorded music is high definition and the future of music playback formats is the digital download. The leader in high definition music downloads is HD Tracks (www.hdtracks.com). For a
iTunes was great for small portable digital audio device playback, but if you want to hear digital music that has an analog warmth and quality then you need to download third party software from companies like Amarra for Mac and J.River for Windows. iTunes just
It always seemed logical that music CDs copied from a computer CD ROM drive would retain the same sound quality if played back by the same computer. The computer simply copies sets of 1’s and 0’s after all, right? Logically, it seemed that the sound
An amplifier just increases the volume and does not affect the quality of the sound coming out of your speakers or headphones, right? That is what I used to think, but that is WRONG! The thought that headphone amp is not a sound neutral device
Unless an alien spacecraft lands secretly somewhere near Cupertino, California between now and the end of the year to give new technology to the computer industry, the Meridian Explorer DAC is this year’s miracle audio product. After you replace your earbuds with good headphones, the
Throw away your earbuds! The single most important thing you can do to improve the quality of your digital sound is to buy a pair of good headphones. The variety of headphones to choose from in every price range is daunting to a first time
As the demand for portable digital music continues to outpace demand for other high fidelity options, many people are now looking to improve digital sound quality. There are twelve simple tweaks available to those who are tired of listening to poor quality iTunes downloads. It
While the death of the CD has been foretold for many years, the death of iTunes has not had as many predictions from the soothsayers. However, unless iTunes can add 24 bit/192kHz playback for high definition sound, offer a “lossless compressed” option in the iTunes
By Donald Scarinci: Many high end audiophile products such as amplifiers, speakers, headphones and even connection cords and power conditioners are sold with the advice that they will produce better sound when they are used. Many manufacturers recommend burn in for audio components before the
By Donald Scarinci: The second annual New York Audio show held at the NY Palace April 12-14 featured the biggest names in the audio and home theater market. New audiophile quality products were brought together for a hands on and ears on experience. Conference rooms