THE REVIEWS
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BLUESOUND NODE ICON - REVIEW
Bluesound’s fanciest offering adds Compact Disc ripping, internal storage, along with a beefier internal computer capable of smooth multitasking. At $1149, Bluesound’s NODE ICON is situated comfortably in that affordable second tier, providing convenient, high fidelity in a visually seamless, stylish package.
SHANLING ET3 DIGITAL TRANSPORT - REVIEW
The Shanling ET3 Digital Transport is surprisingly good and especially so for $895! And while it worked very well with the Border Patrol SE-i, it scaled beautifully with the best of the best DACs and did not, at all, embarrass itself. In fact, it shined with the Grimm Audio MU2 Streamer/DAC and the combo and put some very expensive streamer/DAC combos on notice of their, well, less than stellar performance. Or, in other words, the combo fired them!
TRON AES/EBU DIGITAL - REVIEW
As mentioned above, there are reviews that write themselves. This review of the BlackCat TRON AES/EBU digital cable is one of those reviews. So profound are its abilities and talents that the review simply flowed and I simply wrote that which the TRON AES/EBU was telling me to write via its voice. And a truly superb voice it is. Suffice to say, that the brevity of this review, I don’t generally write short reviews, speaks to the profound and immediate ability of the BlackCat TRON AES/EBU digital cable.
ATMA-SPHERE MP-3 PREAMPLIFIER & S-30 AMPLIFIER - REVIEW
Outstanding! Consider every technical benchmark—resolution, transparency, staging, dynamics, tone/timbre, etc.—checked, along with musicality, and the ability to present the music beyond stereo playback to that of a performance, checked. The sum total of this with the Atma-Sphere MP-3 Preamplifier and the S-30 Stereo Amplifier combo is one of the most engaging listening sessions that I’ve ever had.
GRIMM AUDIO PW1 PHONO PREAMPLIFIER - REVIEW
The Grimm Audio PW1 is a new reference for us in phono stages under $10,000. It simply checks every box imaginable. Its virtues are many, and its flaws are nonexistent to these ears. Superb transparency and spaciousness, and a perfect balance between tube-like warmth and solid-state clarity are it’s calling cards.
HIFIMAN ISVARNA HYBRID HEADPHONE - REVIEW
The HIFIMAN Isvarna is a truly exceptional headphone with great technical aptitude, extended frequency response, via its hybridization, a sublime naturalness in line with its brethren—Susvara Unveiled, Susvara—though not quite at their level, and it too is truly immersive. I’ve listened for long hours via the Isvarna late into the night and was alway happy and content.
TRAFORMATIC HEAD 2SE - REVIEW
Musically, the Traformatic HEAD 2SE is superb, as it handles the entirety of the frequency range with aplomb, is highly transparent and resolving, beautifully detailed, and it brings the midrange to life in a natural and very refined manner. Bravo.