Digital Reviews

12 January 2015
432 EVO Music Server premium
Music Server with a special twist.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Accuphase DC-37 premium
Luxurious DAC that can handle any file format.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
21 May 2011
Accuphase DP400 CD Player premium
No doubt the DP400 is a fine looking unit. But how does it compare to the Mark Levinson no.390s?
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
2 June 2014
Accuphase DP410 CD Player premium
Successor to the popular DP400, the DP410 promises improved sound and adds USB input.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Anthem Room Correction and Martin Logan Renaissance ESL 15A premium
As my experiments show, Room correction is not only beneficial for heavily compromised setups and terrible rooms. Even when the speakers have already been positioned ideally, the results are still far from subtle.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Anthem STR preamplifier and power amplifier premium
Encased in a simple but robust cabinet, the STR series has refreshingly different looks, but these components also distinguish themselves from the masses in terms of sound.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes CX + EX Music Server and Renderer premium
There comes a time when a reviewer just lacks the superlatives to describe the latest experience and for me, this is it. This combination is, quite simply, the very best digital front end that I have heard.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes DS Base Music Server premium
After having reviewed the costly Antipodes DX and proclaiming it my new reference, here is a product of the same manufacturer, but at the other end of the cost scale. At 1995 euro, it is far removed from the DX' lofty 6000+ price, but does it offer comparable sound quality? Read on to find out!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes DX2 Music Server premium
Ones and zeros are not just ones and zeros and music servers are not all created equal
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes EX Music Server premium
With its ODAPS2 power supply, four separate shielded chambers, and user-installable storage, the relatively affordable EX server marks the start of a new Antipodes range.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes G4 K22 premium
Review samples supplied by Antipodes Audio Retail price (world) USD 9.000 excluding storage Upgrade price G3 to G4 USD 2.000 Storage can be included at purchase or later installed by the user Available in Black or Silver Part of the KALA series, the Antipodes K22 offers the best performance the New Zealand company can squeeze […]
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
16 January 2024
Antipodes G4 Oladra premium
The original Oladra performed better than any Antipodes server before it. While some of the Oladra technology has recently trickled down into the other models, these latest G4 updates ensure the Oladra comfortably retains its head start.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes K41 and K22 Music Servers premium
Antipodes servers have always offered a wide range of server and player apps and this makes them unique in a world dominated by single-purpose servers and streamers. But the brand's core quality is that they are all about conveying the soul of the music.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes K50 Music Server premium
Having reviewed several Antipodes Music Servers and having owned the CX and EX for close to two years as my references, I was excited to hear of the OLADRA project and even more so the arrival of an all-new range with the K50 as the King of the Hill.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Antipodes K50 Music Server – Update Nov 2021 premium
Recently, Antipodes updated the firmware to from V3.0 to V3.1 to support the upcoming changes in how Roon runs on home servers and they took this opportunity to also further streamline and enhance their User Interface. Interestingly, I also noticed significant sonic benefits with the K50!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
25 May 2023
Antipodes Oladra premium
The Oladra offers the familiar Antipodes qualities such as deep tonal saturation, lushness, liquidity, and organic flow but is more articulate, crisper, more expressive, airier, and more highly resolving than ever before. Amazingly, it does all this without sounding even the tiniest bit cooler or more analytical.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
APL DSD-AR DAC premium
While resolving the heck out of everything you play with retina-like resolution and lightning-fast transients, the DSD-AR simultaneously has an almost subconscious easy-going aspect, a certain organic quality that makes for highly lyrical music making and an immediate emotional involvement that makes one forget about all the technical details.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aqua Formula xHD DAC premium
State of the art NOS R2R ladder DAC with DSD compatibility. Current HFA reference!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aqua Formula xHD v2 Output Board upgrade premium
Who says that electronics circuits are for nerds? I mean, look at this board! Isn't it a work of art? With the V2 output board, the Formula xHD's position as the King of the Crop is reaffirmed.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
1 December 2021
Aqua La Diva M2 premium
Ever since I was aware that a new model was coming, I had been awaiting its arrival with immense anticipation. Fortunately, the M2 delivers on its promise. It is not only a successor with a different CD mechanism but indeed a wholly different player.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
4 February 2022
Aqua La Diva M2 – Part 2 premium
After my review of the La Diva M2, Marco of Hexagon Audio was so kind to leave both La Diva models with me for some time. This has allowed me to carry out some more comparisons.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
30 October 2022
Aqua La Diva M2 – Part 3 premium
Of late, ongoing changes on the streaming front have led to my reassessing the CD medium. But more pertinently, I have made a very interesting discovery that led to a newfound admiration for the Aqua M2 drive.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aqua La Scala mkII DAC premium
Giving away very little compared to the Formula xHD, costing less and possessing of that midrange magic that only tubes seem to bring, the La Scala mkII DAC may well hold the sweet spot in the Aqua DAC lineup.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aqua LinQ Network Interface premium
Never before has a digital interface, network or otherwise, behaved so utterly consistently and dependently. The LinQ has the uncanny ability to improve the quality of upstream components but it does this while refraining from imposing any discernible character onto the proceedings.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
5 November 2020
Aqua LinQ Network Interface – Part 2 – HQPlayer Module premium
he addition of the HQPlayer module allows using Roon and all of its benefits along with even better sound than was possible using the now-discontinued RoonReady module. Additionally, Aqua's modularity ensures that the product remains up to date.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aqua LinQ Network Interface – Part 3 – Core + NAA Module premium
The Core + NAA module marks the perfection of the LinQ as the universal and class-leading network player.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Arcam rDAC premium
Never judge a book by its cover!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Aries Cerat Heléne DAC and Incito S preamp premium
When you frequently review products, and especially when the target is usually the high-end segment, true surprises are few and far between. So, it's a treat when a product comes along that truly brings something new to the table.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
2 August 2009
Audio Aero Prestige Signature SACD Player premium
How does this beautifully crafted player stack up against the Audiomeca Enkianthus and the Mark Levinson 390S?
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Audio GD R8 DAC, Master 1 preamp, Master 3 power amp, and Magna Hifi ACSS cables premium
Designed and built in China, Audio GD products provide serious competition for much higher priced European or American gear. Part 1 contains the introduction, info about Magna Hifi and a description of the performance of the complete Audio GD system.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
13 July 2011
Audio Synthesis DAX Decade DAC premium
An older dac but recently overhauled at the factory to bring it to current spec.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
2 April 2019
AudioAanZee Reference Flow MKII Music Server premium
Almost 3 years ago I wrote the review of the original Reference Flow music server. In the meantime, a lot has happened in the digital audio world and AudioAanZee has not been sitting idle, either.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
27 April 2015
AudioAanZee Reference Flow Music Server premium
Superbly analog sounding Music Server that beats my long standing reference in digital music playback.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
AudioAanZee Ultra Flow Music Server premium
An affordable music server with a sublime user interface that challenges the best that I have heard. Interested? You should be!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Audiolab M-DAC+ premium
Affordable Jack of all Trades with a detailed and refined sound.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
2 October 2009
Audiomeca Mephisto II CD Transport – Quick Impression premium
A very special CD transport, developed by Pierre Lurne in cooperation with Rene Boonen...
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Auralic Aries G1 and Lumin T3 – Quick Impression premium
This is not an in-depth review but a Quick Impression of these two streamers with the aim of providing a high-level (overall) comparison of their features and performance.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Auralic Vega premium
Stlylish Digital Audio Processor
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
23 December 2015
Aurender N10 premium
The new Industry Standard Reference Music Server.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Ayon CD-10 II CD Player premium
The CD-10 II impressed me enormously. Regular readers will know that I am used to listening to very esoteric gear but somehow Ayon always manages to stir my music-loving soul, and, as it turns out, even with their entry-level products.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
16 April 2017
Ayon CD-T CD transport – Mini Review premium
Truly excellent CD transport with S/P DIF and i2S connections
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Ayon S10-II Signature premium
The S-10 MkII is not only a streaming endpoint and a DAC but also an analog preamp complete with two analog inputs. And, unlike many competing products, the Ayon's preamp can actually replace a very good separate analog preamp.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Ayon Sigma DAC premium
Tube Seduction with technical precision
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Ayon Stealth DAC and CD-T II Signature CD Transport premium
There is no way around it. The Ayon Stealth DAC/Preamp and CD-T II transport play with a level of musical involvement not matched by any solid state combination that I tried so far.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
2 August 2011
Ayre CX7 CD Player premium
The CX7 was meant as a temporary replacement for my defective Levinson 390s. Soundwise the two players couldn't be more different.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
1 December 2010
Ayre QB-9 premium
Asynchronous USB signal transfer and high end DAC solution in a compact and pretty package
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Behringer Ultramatch Pro Samplerate Converter premium
Ultramatch Pro a poor man's dcs Purcell?
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
30 July 2012
BitPerfect Mac App premium
BitPerfect is a very affordable Mac app that works with iTunes to enable better sound.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bliss premium
Super-handy Music Library Tagging Program
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bricasti M1 Classic premium
The M1 throws a superb balance between technical excellence, emotional engagement and refinement.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bricasti M21 DAC and M15 power amp premium
It baffles me why the Bricasti brand does not pop up everywhere, it certainly should. Beautifully sculpted and with immaculate build quality, these components are not inexpensive but in context, they surely are also not extravagantly priced.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
14 August 2017
Bricasti M5 network player premium
The Perfect Roon Ready Streaming Endpoint.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
16 January 2018
Bryston BCD-3 CD Player premium
Never less than fully engaging and always ready to boogie, the Bryston BCD-3 CD player is a sure bet!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bryston BDA-3 DAC premium
Enthusiastic Music Maker with extensive connectivity.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bryston BDA-3.14 Renderer+DAC premium
The BDA-3.14 is Bryston's current reference DAC and with its many inputs, streaming capacity and built-in volume control, it is meant to perform the central role in a multiple-digital-source system.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Bryston BDP-3 Digital Media Player premium
Easy to use, yet highly versatile digital music player.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CD Ripping premium
Sometimes I come across things in the wonderful world of audio that drive me nuts.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CH Precision C1 + A1 premium
The C1+A1 combination sounds ultra-transparent, clean and controlled but also smooth and fluid, and organic, wholly musical and absolutely convincing.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CH Precision C1 + A1 – part 2 premium
Part 2 of the C1+A1 review.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CH Precision C1.2 Upgrade Listening Impressions premium
Following the May 2022 Press Release, CH Precision has recently issued the new C1.2, an update of the longer-running C1 DAC. After having my unit updated, I was so impressed with the results that I simply had to share my findings.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CH Precision DIG IN HD Board Upgrade premium
With the new DIGITAL IN HD board, the team at CH has managed to further improve the C1's already stellar performance.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
CH Precision Ethernet_IN HD board Upgrade premium
The C1 has simply never sounded better than via this new connection. And as a bonus, you get to use the superb Roon interface. It's a win-win!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Classé Delta Stereo and Delta Pre premium
The third-generation Delta product line includes the STEREO amplifier, MONO amplifiers and the PRE preamplifier with built-in DAC and streamer, and conceptually based on the CP-800. Reviewed here are the preamp and stereo power amp.
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Classic Philips and Marantz CD Player Comparison – part 1 premium
These oldies perform way beyond expectation and even have some special qualities that are rare in digital!
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Classic Philips and Marantz CD Player Comparison – part 2 premium
The Marantz players: Marantz CD16 Exclusive 1993. CDM-4 transport, TDA1547 Bitstream DAC. This player doesn’t really belong in this review because I didn’t review it at the same time. Nevertheless, I have a very good memory of how it sounded compared to the Audiomeca and Wadia players I had at the time. In retrospect, it […]
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com
Classic Philips and Marantz CD Player Comparison – part 3 premium
THE ORIGINAL 2008 REVIEW A more detailed comparison of the CD11LE, CD12LE, CD74, CD85, CD80 Marantz players that are added later can be found at the bottom of this review. For now, let’s move on to the original review. POWER All players showed sensitivity to the position in the (serial wired-) extension block. The first […]
premium
Owner of Hifi-Advice.com