THE REVIEWS
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VIVA EGOISTA STX HPA\E - REVIEW
“You-are-there” describes succinctly my experience with the Viva Egoista STX electrostatic headphone amplifier. And it is an experience that will not soon be forgotten. As mentioned, the Top-Of-the-Line STAX SRM-T8000 is not a contender, though at approximately one third the price, it shouldn’t be. It isn’t. As I write this, there is no competition for the Viva Egoista STX electrostatic headphone amplifier. Where that contender may come from has yet to be discovered, but then competition is good, especially when the competition provides a different yet compelling perspective.
ZMF VÉRÍTÉ - REVIEW
Gorgeous. Incredibly transparent, resolving, detail rich, fast, fast, fast, and astonishingly musical. The sum of the Véríté’s talents speak to something other than a dynamic headphone, something imbued with a good measure of the planar magnetic tribe, and, at times, the electrostatic tribe as well. An exceptionally talented chameleon able to meet the task at hand with all its best skill forward!
HEED THESIS LAMBDA PREAMPLIFIER AND GAMMA AMPLIFIER - REVIEW
We are hard pressed to think of separates at this price point that perform as well as the Heed Thesis components. The Gamma has more than enough power to drive the Spendor A2 speakers we used, and we loved the volume range available on the preamp. For those upgrading from an integrated amplifier and looking to delve into the world of separates, the Heed gets our highest recommendation!
THE MOLA MOLA KULA INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER - REVIEW
The Mola Mola Kula integrated amplifier is, to our ears, a state of the art in one box amplification solution. The rich midrange, the perfectly articulated and controlled bass, along with the amp’s overall grip on the music and speakers, makes it one of the great integrated amps of our time, and we have heard a few.
ASTELL&KERN SE180 - REVIEW
A DAP that travels and that does not leave one yearning for one’s home-based desktop or even one’s HiFi system! I would have thought the SE180 the Astell&Kern TOTL DAP when judged by its abilities, but it is not. Are those above it that good? Or does the employment of new technologies in the SE180—TERATON ALPHA Audio Technology and Astell&Kern’s Next Generation AMP Technology—push it beyond them?
ALTA AUDIO ALYSSA MONITORS - REVIEW
The Alta Audio Alyssa is an exceptional loudspeaker in every way if you covet true to life imaging, authentic texture, and genuine, foundational bass without compromise. If one can do them justice spacewise, and you are the type of listener who appreciates coherence and natural musical expression, these are a must audition.