Hi Srajan, leaving the door behind your seat open to vent into the hallway, as you described in Another new sound room, is the cheapest bass fix in audio and almost nobody writes about it. Your review system block still lists the 6x8m room and the two PSI Audio AVAA C214 traps. Readers see those numbers and want to know what their own room is doing. This plots standing wave resonances up to 300Hz from three dimensions, interactive, runs in the browser, no signup: https://theaudiostuff.com/tools/room-mode-calculator/. It would fit in the room description block you repeat in every review; or as a note in Letters and Feedback next time someone asks about bass modes. I can also run your 6x8m numbers and send you the plot to check against what you hear. Worth a look? Jakub

Hello Jakub, good stuff indeed. Thank you for the link. I referenced JHBrand in a recent preview on another room-mode calculator. Of course knowing one's main modes is merely a first step. The next step is figuring out what to do about them. There are classic bass traps which must be voluminous to work down to room resonance. There's DSP to notch back some of the amplitude peaks. There are active bass traps as I use; and RiPol, folded-dipole and cardioid bass systems which minimize the amount of acoustic energy we sink into the resonant field in the first place. Those are things I have experimented with since as the eternal tenant, I can't install classic room treatments. In all of my five systems, I leave the doors open so each room acts far bigger than it actually is and automatically depressurizes. It seems like such an obvious thing to do; like piercing a balloon with a needle. Why not more people mention it is beyond me. Perhaps it's because basics aren't sexy; and like you said, this tweak is absolutely free. Srajan

Srajan, thanks for the LHY AS6 Pro review with the possibly game-changing fibre-optic cartridge that accepts an RJ45 cable. Some might say you buried the lead. Currently, I use an EtherRegen to convert a copper signal from my router to a fibre-optic one. From there I send the signal to my Lumin L2 switch/library and onto my Lumin X2, an all-fibre chain with its implied isolation and RF-reducing benefits. Could I envision a future where I bypass the EtherRegen (which requires its own power supply) with a simple cartridge doing the heavy lifting? Am I off base? Does this little device also make redundant LHY's fibre media converter? Or does this device simply supply a copper-to copper signal with the AS6 Pro doing conversion to fibre within the switch? Michael

Does this cartridge render usual media converters redundant? If you don't have an SFP port, LHY's copper i/o box with internal fibre conversion and back is the only concept I know of. iFi do one as well. If you have a device with a single SFP port, you no longer need to enter with fibre. You can use an ordinary Ethernet cable terminated with that cartridge. Could that retire your EthernetRegen? No idea. But at $79 this little part is certainly cheap enough to experiment with. Srajan

Hey Srajan, so you liked the series Hannibal? I didn't take you for someone into such murderous gore. Or is there something else you find appealing in a cannibal setting up his victims in ever more monstrous ways? You always have strong reasons for what you do so I'm curious about this instance. No worries, I won't think less of you if I will disagree with your answer. Thanks, Ralph

I think of Hannibal as a brilliant multi-layered morality tale on the seductiveness of evil; and how, most of us, with the right exposure and manipulation, might just be prompted to commit murder. The settings are monstrous as you say but behind all that slickly produced very bloody window dressing is a fully functioning sociopath interesting in seducing others over to his side. No matter their final choices, everyone in his orbit is changed by their interactions with this ultra-cultured, super-intelligent man who plays a very long game of chess with people he senses can be manipulated across the moral divide. As you rightly surmised, I'm usually not into this kind of stuff. I find this one very rich and thought-provoking once one gets past the bestiality—admittedly a rather distasteful exercise which here goes to preposterous extremes. Just so, that wrapper of horror contains some keen observations on human psychology. Srajan

Srajan, thanks for the unexpected response. See, I knew it. I just knew there had to be more to your selection. Thanks, those are some excellent points which I never got to experience because I couldn't get past the cruelty and brutality of the first few episodes. Ralph

Hi Srajan, I've followed your writings for a long time so am aware of your ongoing support for using an iMac for network streaming with what you call pre and post noise filters instead of a headless audiophile server because of your dislike of WiFi. Given that, I thought you'd get a chuckle from seeing this. It's the guts of an Antipodes server HifiStatement.net just reviewed that sells for €58'000; what a new Volkswagen Tiguan would cost me here in Germany. No wonder that you prefer your approach. There must be rather more to it than just WiFi. How can these people get away with charging so much then use a $23 switch-mode power supply? I am not one to equate a mountain of parts with quality but I do very much believe that there should be a reasonable correlation between parts density, parts cost and final retail pricing. Here I see a mostly empty box. Do you see anything that justifies their price? I don't expect an answer by the way. I just needed a quick vent. Best, Holger

Ah. Erm. Cough. Quite. Yes, pricey headless 'audiophile' servers and I aren't on the cheeriest of terms and purely on looks this explains why. Of course it could sound like 58'000 bucks but like you, I see what's inside and can't help but think it grossly overpriced. I'm not sure I'd call my sentiment a chuckle but I appreciate your intentions. Thanks, Holger. I'll stick to my iMac. Srajan

Hello Srajan, looking at this photo from your latest review, I am wondering whether Martin could turn the monitor into a floorstander with perhaps just a single dipole woofer to make for a smaller more affordable Vox5? Does that seem feasible to you? Thank you, Craig

I just hoofed it up the stairs, tape measure in hand. My Vox3 measures 16.5cm wide by 24cm deep. That's a footprint of 6.5 x 9.5 inches. If you wanted visual continuity, the depth of your dipole woofer with basket, magnet and necessary slot gap all would have to fit inside 16.5cm width and remain structurally sound to retain sufficiently thick walls. Meanwhile the only woofer diameter that might fit 9.5" of depth should be 7.5"? Stacking three such woofers would take up 70cm. Add the Vox3 on top of such a bass bin and it might come in just right. But could 3 x 7½" shallow woofers with dipole-appropriate electrical values produce enough output and reach to outdo what the speaker's current ported twin 5½" carbon-fibre woofers do?

I'm notoriously bad at math so haven't a clue. Perhaps some DSP assist to counteract the acoustic roll-off could work if these woofers had sufficient Xmax? But why not match the monitor with one or two of Martin's smaller dipole subs? Just to look at two not three or four boxes? Now the Vox5 already exists and is no taller than a hot-rodded floorstanding Vox3 would need to be. So I'm not sure whether a folded-dipole bass bin for a Vox3 makes sense given the monitor's compact footprint. Next time I speak with Martin, I might ask him about it. After two years of hard graft on the Vox5 project, I rather think that he might want to focus on sales, marketing, building and selling Vox5 for now. But perhaps he is a glutton for punishment with deep R&D pockets. Perhaps his creative juices need a new outlet already?

Then your idea is predicated upon there being demand for another RiPol-inspired compact floorstander. Whilst as listeners and reviewers Dawid and I are sold on the concept as are a handful of other speaker makers and their clients, the vast majority raised on what I call McDonald's junk-food bass may not want to switch over. And why should they? If they enjoy their current diet, they should stick with what they have. I'm perfectly happy to proselytize on folded-dipole bass based on my sonic values. I think it's a smarter better way to skin the cat. I'm just not benighted enough to think that it's true for all; even many. Hence my review conclusion of not needing a doctor if you don't feel sick. This whole underground 'RiPol rebellion' is still young. It needs more show exposure, more review exposure, more chatroom banter before it becomes a 'fully accredited' alternate way of doing bass in the home. Right now it's still a very obscure niche. As the most mainstream brand involved, I'm looking at Børresen to make more headway on this score and come up with better written or video material to accurately explain how and why the concept works; and what its benefits are. They already had a good White Paper on it but their own designer and his salespeople routinely go off-script entirely and muddy these waters. Show demos are one thing but to trigger an ongoing discussion relies on commenters having hard not vague facts so that the basic MO of this type bass system becomes part of the audiophile worldview. For now I doubt that there's enough of a market to warrant another sound|kaos floorstander with integral folded-dipole bass. The Vox5 is as compact and accomplished as I think this concept can be scaled down to. Bigger is always possible; but you specifically asked for a hot-rodded Vox3. The Vox5 already is that! Srajan

I see. You mean an entirely new speaker. It couldn't really be much shorter than the current Vox3 atop its stand or the widebander would aim at your navel. Already the Vox5 isn't much taller than that so if a smaller speaker was your goal, you'd not gain much. Perhaps Martin could shrink the Vox5's width by a few centimetres by using particularly shallow woofers? Again, I don't see much wiggle room to further shrink the bass cab and not sacrifice undue performance with woofers of insufficient cone surface. Plus, the widebander in the Vox5 is more capable than that of the already excellent Vox3. Having heard the difference, I suspect you too would want the 6-inch Enviée with the bigger AlNiCo motor. So again, I don't see a lot of good reason or prospects for a floorstanding Vox3. Srajan

Hello Srajan, after reading your Vox5 review and taking note of competing bass solutions like the Børresen subs you mention, I came across this "deep dive" video. In it the presenter of the BM3 says that the front slot emits air while the rear slot sucks it in so the resultant pressure in the room is zero. All of this goes over my head but wouldn't that description seem oversimplified to you? Because you have looked into this approach more deeply, perhaps you could comment and clarify how this works? Thanks, Richard

Your instincts are correct. The front slot of such subs emits the bass signal's positive half wave coming off the woofer fronts. The two rear slots emit the negative-phase half wave coming off the woofer backs. As front- and rear-emitting sound waves wrap around the sub and meet, they cancel out. +1 -1 = 0. This cancellation creates a null on either side of the sub. But there is moving air so acoustic output coming out of both slots; just in counter phase. Because the rear wave doesn't trap inside the box as it would in a sealed sub (and to a lesser extent a ported sub), it doesn't pressurize that air to then push on the woofers. The front wave of a box sub never sees its counter phase so is free to propagate in all directions without cancellation. A dipole subwoofer (open or folded) radiates in a figure-8 pattern so emits nothing to the sides, downward or up where the counter-polarized waves meet. This creates directional bass with far fewer room reflections. The benefit is clearer faster-stopping bass which doesn't build up as many snookering reflections which arrive late to blur the time domain. The disadvantage is lower efficiency. Out-of-phase cancellation throws away free room gain as the reflective bits which add output. Hence dipole subwoofers compensate with more cone surface (more and/or bigger drivers, 4x8" in the BM3) and often higher amplifier power. Folding an open baffle not only makes it narrower. It also adds woofer loading. Rather than facing the room like a Magnepan panel, the woofer fronts either see each other as in the BM3; or a cabinet wall like in the Vox5. The rears of the woofers too see an immediate barrier. This creates superior self damping. It also lowers the woofers' resonant frequency. What's more, in the RiPol version of the folded dipole, the amplitude of the rear slot emissions is lower than the front slot. In short, these are more directional bass systems. They aim more of the generated bass energy at us; and scatter less in all other directions. That's their MO as I understand it. If you need more, you might ask Børresen? Srajan

Srajan, what an in-depth review on the Vox5. I read it twice already because it's so packed with information. I really appreciate how you explain who would not like its bass presentation. It reminded me of the old saying that you can lead a horse to water but not make him drink. I'm also thinking that if Martin wanted to sell more, he perhaps has to make a version with a more conventional bass system like he does for the smaller monitor you show next to the floorstander. That has a port and woofers on the side. Wouldn't that satisfy those listeners who want to feel the bass pressure in their chest? To be honest, I haven't heard this RiPol/dipole bass thing you talk about so am only speculating and imagining what it might sound like. In any case, I enjoyed learning about a different kind of loudspeaker. Thank you very much, Ryan

At it happens, Dawid and I discussed this very point today before taping our 3rd podcast. My suggestion to shoppers wanting a more conventional bass experience is simple. Combine Martin's Vox3a—that's the name of the rear-ported monitor you refer to—with a classic box sub. Then run an external adjustable xover for a mirror-imaged hi/lo-pass and set that high enough to create your more pressurized experience. My usual upstairs setup already runs such a crossover with a box sub from Zu, albeit at 40Hz to avoid my lateral room mode. If I wanted more bloom which I personally despise but horses for courses, I'd simply move the filter hinge up to 80Hz or beyond. Et voilà, now the sound|kaos aesthetic remains across the mid/high bands but hands over to conventional omni/pressure bass below. No need to reinvent the Vox5 and dumb it down in the process. As is, the Vox3 allows for 'hybrid' experiments already. If you run that monitor wide open so full range, it's good somewhat past 40Hz on its own. Bolting on a sub without undue overlap will have the sub's internal low-pass at ±40Hz to just cover the bottom octave. For listeners into a more pressurized experience, that band could be too narrow. They may want to broaden it across at least two octaves if not more. Hence my suggestion for an external crossover so one may move up the Vox3 high pass for more sub coverage until the in-room pressure response is to one's taste. Now any box sub will do, be it a REL or Velodyne, KEF or SVS. Srajan

Wow, don't know how you do it! It takes me two years to get an idea to work and you blitz through dissecting it and putting it into words in a few weeks. It's always a highlight for me to read your analysis and emotional insight into something I have spent countless hours and days agonising over and worrying if I made the right decisions. It is all about small details and nuances I can hear but not put into words. Anyway, thanks a million for a brilliant review and award. It really makes all the long evenings and effort I put in worthwhile. And I also appreciate that you keep beating that drum on the alternative way of dipoles and widebanders. You really pulled out all the stops. Without your support and integrity, small boutique outfits like ours could not exist. So reward yourself to that well-earned pleasure now of not always having to analyse everything and just take it in. The Vox5 has finally gotten me to the same point of just listening to the music. Looking forward to my visit to hear my speakers with your electronics and rooms and will have to brush up on my 'in front of camera skills' for that podcast with you and Dawid. Martin   

Great stuff about the Vox5. Eating popcorn as this story unfolds. Dawid

Put some real butter and paprika-salt on that popcorn. It’ll get spicier. Srajan

Hello Srajan, even though I had already read it last month, I saw that your Verseo review had moved to the front of the line again. So I checked and discovered the added manufacturer's reply. As you wrote, you are not out of a job yet. Because of the crossover mistake in that first pair, do you now feel obliged to do a follow-up? Or do you think that Marek's reply should suffice? I could make arguments either way so was curious how you see it. Greetings. Jeremy

To replicate the comparison Marek did at the factory would ideally require two pairs - my original sample and a second pair. That seems like a lot of ship fees just to confirm what the designer himself already stated. Making mistakes is human. I think that Marek's comment already fixed this one and nothing would be gained from me saying the same thing whilst entailing more break-in time on a new pair. Also, Marek and I have form. I've reviewed plenty of speakers he designed and heard them as he knows them. That's why he was a bit perplexed by my Blue Train findings as framed against his own Qualio IQ; and I was perplexed that he was. His subsequent measurements explain the offset. I heard correctly but the speaker didn't measure as it should have. As far as I'm concerned, that settles it just fine. Srajan

Srajan, that was a sneaky little addition of the KEF LS Luxe to the Vox5 preview. Are you quietly telling us that you'll be reviewing the active eggs shortly? I appreciate that wireless streaming speakers aren't your normal focus but with their analog and digital inputs, these can also be used fully wired to make your grade. That should suit you properly then. Looking forward to your take on a completely integrated solution. Frank

Actually, Frank, I have no plans on reviewing the eggs as you call them. They've gotten tons of press right out of the gate already and I'm certain more is in the wind. They won't need me to chime in as well. No, you misread the message. My reason was as stated: the synchronicity of parallel product launches so very different in concept, both equally off the mainstream but aiming at radically other audiences. That was it—no subtext of a forthcoming review. Also, my usage scenarios would really want a USB input whose absence I don't fully grasp. Srajan

Hello Srajan, congratulations on the launch of your new YouTube channel. I wish you and Dawid every success with this new project and hope it enjoys a long and successful journey. I also wanted to let you know that I have already subscribed to the channel and look forward to following the upcoming episodes. Thank you for sharing this news with us. Best of luck! Kind regards, Maika

Thanks for catching us at the very beginning. We're learning as we go, on the job as it were, so hopefully you will notice our efforts at improving shortly. Srajan

Hello Srajan, I just came across your introduction to the sound|kaos Vox5 where I picked up on the 200-watt TPA3255 bass amplifier spec plus the mention of external GaN-based 48V switch-mode power. This reminded me of the Aiyima A70 stereo amp and their new A20 monos which have the same basic specifications so the same TI chips, output rating and 48V GaN power bricks. Does it seem likely to you that the electronics inside Martin's XO² box are from Aiyima? Thanks for your fine work at 6moons. I have been a long-time fan. Best, Charles

You could be correct but I'm not certain, Charles. I'm not really familiar with the Aiyima brand but just looked them up and like you found that the specs do read the same so it's possible that Martin contracted them to combine their existing class D platform with the analog filter functionality he needed. I do know that he tried many different solutions before settling on his final choice. Srajan

Dear Srajan, in your current preview of the LHY switch, I came across your mention of six daisy-chained switches in the Boenicke AIO. I thought this was a typo but their site confirms it. That seems both nuts and nifty. Nuts because why couldn't one design a single switch that has the power of multiple switches; and nifty because if one cannot do that, then putting it all inside a single chassis without the mess of five extra Ethernet links and five more power cables is far cleaner. The fact that you daisy-chain two switches in your bigger system makes the same point. Multiple filters in series seem to do more than one. Now I'm curious about this Boenicke box which also looks very attractive. Do you have any plans to review it? Thank you very much. Matthias

Yes, Sven's approach reads like a serial noise killer; lethal but elusive to prying eyes. Like you I too had never heard of this many cascaded switches before; particularly not as an optional module built into a single chassis of an integrated amplifier. I believe that Dawid Grzyb on staff might be lined up to do these honours? That's because he owns two of Sven's speaker models to then leverage a very rare opportunity for a sensible system review. However, I have no insight into his or Sven's schedules, loaner availability and such. There had been talk of doing it in the context of Dawid's Basel Acoustics speaker review in April but that didn't come to pass. So keep an eye out for HifiKnights; or email Dawid directly to learn more. Srajan

Hey Srajan, do you consider it good form to frame a review around the findings of six other writers? I just read John Darko's piece on the Eversolo T8 and wondered what about this particular review led to his choice. As usual with John, it is all very well written and calmly argued. I was just a bit surprised that he would not approach this machine on just his own terms as he usually does. I have never found him shy of expressing an opinion. Is that quote framing something you would consider doing when the occasion warranted it? If so, what might such an occasion be? Any thoughts? Jeremy

I wager a guess. To a YouTube audience, the subject matter of a costlier digital transport tends to trigger the just-1s+0s gag reflex. John likes to pre-format a video review with a written review. Presumably the T8 will eventually land on his YouTube channel. Documenting how six other writers evaluated the difference-making potential of this deck might soften the naysayer reflex? It's one thing to accuse one guy of wishful thinking or a vivid imagination. It's harder to do when seven independent people concur that a digital transport of this calibre can make a difference above and beyond, say a WiiM. It tends to undermine the simpleton world view that digital is just ones and zeroes and bit-perfect the ultimate arbiter. Would I consider to augment my own findings of a less-understood potentially contentious subject with quotes from other reviewers? If I was familiar with and respected them, why not? If it helps readers take a topic under consideration more serious than a single opinion might; if I thought said thing worthy of more serious consideration... then such a strategy would be rather effective. Remember also that my feedback section isn't self serve. Readers can't post direct comments. They must email me in person as you did. That filters out the small but very vocal contingent of forum miscreants. John's YouTube videos have open comments. It's why he pays outside personnel to patrol and police them for offensive posts so that his feedback sections remain civil and pleasant for all. But why knowingly create more work on this score? It's precisely why Dawid and I, for our 7th Moon YouTube podcast, disabled direct comments. We couldn't be bothered with the policing job. And we will most certainly talk about things that are sure to set off the firing brigade. The forthcoming Episode #3 should arm the first muskets. Those then are my thoughts on this topic. Of course if you really want to know, you should ask John directly. I could well have misread his intentions. The brave new world of the Internet does contain a cowardly corner of posters who, hiding behind anonymity, delight in spreading negativity in many different forms. Anyone participating on forums, YouTube and social media knows all about it. Finding ways to minimize the ugly and maximize the useful is key. So is knowing one's audience. Srajan

Srajan, I wanted to compliment Jay Ho for the refreshingly clear, honest and consumer-centric explanation of the LHY brand positioning and product strategy. Kudos to you as well for placing that information atop the review. Rarely do reviewers offer such insight to the manufacturer without attendant marketing gloss. Thanks, Michael

Hi Srajan, I was pleased to see that Frédéric Beudot will be reviewing the Lumin X2. You previously mentioned that a family member's health issues had prevented him from taking on reviewing duties, so I hope everything has been well resolved. Is there any chance that Joël Chevassus might provide a second opinion? I know he currently has the U2X and X2 for review on his French site. All the best, Michael

I don't know whether Lumin will want a syndication of Joël's review. I haven't been asked yet and don't think it has even published. At this moment Frédéric's review is on the books for this site and because he'll be getting a completely new unit from the US distributor, he'll have to handle the 200-hour break-in on his end to delay the commencement of his assignment. So some lunar patience is in order. Of course translating Joël's review with online software should give you a rather decent approximation once he publishes. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I exchanged emails with Joël yesterday. He finished his review of the Lumin U2X and will publish the findings in his online magazine in August. Next up is the X2 for testing. I'm fortunate to have lived in central France for five years when I worked for Michelin so my French is decent. That said, I will still use an online translator for the technical terms and idioms that challenge me! Michael

Srajan, I thought I was the dog with a bone but as it turns out it was actually Louis! I sense you're weary of this discussion! To paraphrase King Henry II: "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome poster?" Over and out! Michael

Hello Srajan, I just read your addition to the Allegro review. Even though Alberto Guerra invokes AI to claim that he doesn't comment directly on his competitors, his quote calls the extreme feedback solution of Purifi a corrective approach, AGD's preventative. My takeaway is that Purifi and Hypex squash distortion with massive amounts of feedback from extreme open-loop gain. At AGD he focuses on creating less distortion to begin with to require less correction after the fact. Alberto sadly failed to provide figure for his own feedback loop; and didn't address how fast today's best silicon parts can switch to minimize the claimed deadtime advantages for GaN. We learned something but still nothing terribly specific. Thanks, Louis

Finding an independent party without a horse in this race should be difficult. You'd ideally want someone who is fluent in both approaches yet not commercially involved. I don't know of such a person. Instead I asked an actual designer who is obviously committed to one very particular approach and has opinions about why it is superior. Would you expect anything less? Being put in a position where, directly or by implication, one comments on the competition isn't an enviable place to be. I rather thought that Alberto handled it very well. Srajan

Hello Srajan, fair point. I had simply hoped that his answers would be more specific for his own work. He says that the faster switching of his GaN parts simplifies the output filter to require less feedback but then fails to mention how much less feedback he is using versus the most specific amount Purifi does. And if GaN has inherent advantages due to its higher switching speeds, why can't he tell us what the latest silicon-based Mosfets can do today when already 20 years ago, René Lambruschi's Gemincore switched his standard Mosfets at 500kHz so faster than Alberto's first two generations of GaNfets? Telling us that wouldn't say anything about the competition, just create a point of reference. You're right of course that the ideal presenter on this subject would have no commercial affiliations and that as a reviewer dealing with commercial brands, you wouldn't know anybody like that. Well, you tried. Louis

With DACs, it's easy to get hung up on sample rates and particular chips. In this amplifier niche, it's easy to focus on switching speeds and deadtimes. As we learnt with DACs, the power supply, upsampler, I/V stage and analog output stage all have as much or more of an impact than the D/A chips or sample rates. With GaN-based class D, we're reminded of the importance of the modulator, power supply and output filter beyond just the isolated GaN parts and their switching frequency. All of it has to work together just so. Dumbing it down to a single aspect, convenient though numbers might make it on paper, clearly misses the bigger picture. In the end, that's my takeaway. Srajan

Hello Srajan, I'm still curious though why none of the big OEMs in class D have transitioned to GaN. Do we really believe that big outfits like Hypex or Purifi don't command engineering resources as capable as Alberto's far smaller enterprise? Something tells me that if GaN was inherently superior, they would have switched years ago. Instead they keep refining their modules staying loyal to silicon. There must be more to it. Louis

It could be as simple as that their topologies perfected with silicon transistors give GaN parts zero advantages. Rather than parts based, that would make it a topology issue. Not being an engineer, that's pure speculation on my part; and precisely why, when I have the opportunity to talk to designers, I ask them basic questions. But let's now call it quits on this topic since I don't have anything else of worth to contribute. Srajan

Srajan, as you are well aware, I am not an engineer. On the other hand, I think I recognize when a question is posed that doesn't really shed light on a given issue. To wit, what Louis suggested you ask Alberto. Wouldn't the better question be: in class‑D topologies optimized for ultra‑low distortion via heavy feedback, does GaN's higher switching speed provide practical performance benefits over silicon Mosfets? In my estimation, that's where we might discover tangible differences. It's about topology differences, I think, not switching speeds. Michael

Srajan, that's a very interesting intro to your AGD Allegro review. I look forward to Alberto's answers to your questions, particularly the silicon vs. GaN angle, his thoughts on negative feedback and just how much faster GaNfets can realistically be switched over the Mosfet types Bruno Putzeys and Lars Risbo use. Thanks for asking what many of us would like to know. Louis

Srajan, I just reread your Ixycore preview plus the new pages. I was very interested to learn that René Lambruschi and Bruno Putzeys both made their own class D presentations at the same 2005 AES convention after which Hypex went on to become an OEM giant and Gemincore disappeared. Did they simply fail to build the correct international business infrastructure and secure the necessary financial backing? I also find it curious that Hypex and Purifi still run classic Mosfets when your presentation makes it very clear that the formation of Ixycore hinged on the very latest GaN technology. Did your discussion with Ixycore shed any more light on why they weren't successful the first time around? Louis

Beyond what I wrote about timing and influences past a brand's control—think Covid, Brexit, Ukraine, Palestine, Trumpian tariffs, Hormuz—I have no further insights but you might recount that Jan-Peter van Amerongen established Hypex in already 1996. Relative to infrastructure, that must have given Bruno's circuits quite the head start in the global market. As to Hypex/Purifi not using GaN, René himself expressed surprise. So you're not the only one to wonder. That said, my preview now includes all I know at this point. Asking me about things past it would be wholly speculative. Srajan

I understand. I'm just trying to get a sense for how well funded Ixycore might be this time around to make a proper go of it. Louis

Hi Srajan, just a quick note to thank you for shedding light on the "measurements-only" fallacy in your recent Topping review. Your ability to articulate where numbers illuminate—and where they obscure—is invaluable. I especially appreciated your observation that the A900 "minimized familiar differences to have them sound more alike" and that over more advanced voicing "music unthawed into free flow." Your line about how "heavy feedback can reduce distortion on paper but may also suppress dynamics, tone density and natural flow" perfectly captures the gap between lab perfection and lived musical experience. Thanks for continuing to push the conversation beyond the scorecards. Michael

My Omne Hendeka review just published approaches the same topic from a slightly different angle. The forthcoming aune AS5 review will triangulate it once more; my way of circling this wagon. And to be precise, that last quote about feedback wasn't me but the designer of the FangSound Dionysus amplifier. Srajan

Why don't you ask Michael whom he meant, Charles? I'm no mind reader to know what other people are thinking. Neither did I ask him directly because I was so interested to know. I'm too busy to watch the day-time hifi drama channel. Srajan

It's just a temporary holding pattern to allow Ixycore a private fact check of the 2nd page I penned following our Teams Meet. Once that page is signed off on, the preview shall return to its proper gallery and be accessible again. As to a final sell price, it will publish when available. It hasn't been set in stone yet. Srajan

Would you rather read about yet another ported MDF speaker; or things just a bit more off the beaten track? Grzegorz Rulka falls into the latter camp. I'm happy to give him more coverage. Also, I'm always just an email away. Manufacturers can easily find me. Some ask for reviews, some never do. I simply respond rather than keep knocking on closed doors. That's what gives; and takes. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I have followed your notes on the Ixycore amp on your site and in your latest Darko podcast. I just noted your latest update. So you will soon speak with Frederik and René directly to get the lowdown on their invention? That is so cool including Frederik running with your Ixian angle. I can't wait to see what you will learn. Keep up the good work. Best, Louis

Hi Srajan, I’m writing to inquire whether Joël Chevassus plans to review the X2 for syndication in 6moons. A few months ago Joël mentioned in a email that he had both an U2X and X2 arriving for review in his publication. He indicated that he would likely begin with the U2X which Frédéric Beudot previously reviewed for you. Since Lumin prominently advertise the X2 in 6moons, I am hopeful that a review is forthcoming. Michael

I’ve not heard anything about it, Michael. If Joël or Lumin ask me to, it will of course happen. On this score I’m simply not in the loop just yet. Syndicating a Joël review from French to English is of course far more convenient because it doesn't involve a second loaner. Frédéric in fact was asked to do the X2 months ago but with his father in the late stages of a terminal illness, he turned down the request to spend time with his dad in France. So Joël would seem the dedicated driver indeed. I'm sure that when he's ready, he'll contact me about it. You've just jumped the gun. Srajan

Srajan, I just came off your last Darko podcast and wondered whether you'd seen this particular comment. I know that you don't go for social media and forum comments so probably didn't see it. What do you make of it? "Srajan Ebaen is the wrong guy - nice friendly guy, but why not find a younger HiFi enthusiast, who will talk Hifi with you. Srajan does not attract anyone or generate traffic or interest and he does not seem to know anything Darko does not. Find a guy like Linus from Linus tech tips or a male Jana with energy and excitement. Someone who will work and reach a broader audience." Abel

That poster makes a rock-solid point. I'm definitely the wrong guy to appeal to the younger YouTube audience and grow a channel. It's why I don't expect our new 7th Moon channel to do any big numbers at all. We're not even asking for subscribers or likes nor did we open a comments section. Couldn't be bothered with any of it. Let the algorithm roam elsewhere for big numbers. It's not our concern. It's not why Dawid and I do it. We already have established websites. Our channel is merely an adjunct for those in our audience who want to listen/watch rather than just read for a change; and for us to explore a platform we're still new to. No delusions of grandeur. Meanwhile John has already grown his YouTube channel to what our particular sector can probably net. I never had the sense that the purpose of our joint podcasts was to grow his channel. Once more, I'd be altogether the wrong guy for that. 100% agreed. That's really all I have on the matter since I don't know Linus nor whether he'd be a good fit for John. And you're correct, I don't do social media or surf comments sections. If people email me directly, I'm always happy to respond promptly. Aside from that, I focus on creating content rather than worry about reactions to it. I'm very small-minded that way. Srajan 

Good reply. Here's another comment for you to weigh in on. "Great talk as always. I must say that a lot of Srajan's opinions show that he is a bit left behind in certain areas in my opinion. There is nothing wrong with it. I'm just saying it's not for me." Abel

Another good point. I'm WiFi allergic. I do hardwired streaming the old PCfi way. For the generation reared on a 24/7 smartphone tether, that's obviously ancient. In fact, my smartphone lives in my car's centre console for emergencies. I have a landline in my office. For the younger crowd that's another anachronism. Are separates still big when a DSP streaming active can do far more for less? Do people still value local libraries when they can access millions of songs for either free or a small monthly fee? Do they still listen to live unamplified music to inform their playback expectations? Do they really want to 'follow' a grey-haired 64-year old? The day that John has enough such feedback to tell me that my ongoing participation in the occasional podcast would be counterproductive to his aims and needs for his channel, I'll jump ship and thank him very much for the learning opportunity he extended me. Srajan 

Hi Srajan, great stuff on your new 7th Moon podcast with Dawid. Keep it up. I'm certainly up for participating once I get the Vox5 out there. Also saw your podcast with Andrew and "Nothing new under the hifi sun". I'd already found FS Musical Systems on the web. Their widebander looked familiar so I asked Armin. It is indeed his 21cm Envieé. So nothing new as you say; apart from price. They want €89'000/pr just for the DSP-corrected monitors. Martin

Ah, thanks for tip, Martin. I'd not caught onto the brand and their specific driver choice during our podcast. No wonder Andrew liked an 8" Envieé. But €89K? That sadly counts me out. Whilst Dawid sees a McMansion and garaged Bentley in my future, I absolutely do not. I'm a certified country bumpkin by now. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I just finished reading through the AXISS Audio lawsuit brief involving Michael Bovaird (Suncoast dealer and operator of AudioShark forum) and others, and wanted to send this quick personal note of appreciation. After going through the details, I'm reminded of the honesty, transparency and clarity with which you operate at 6moons. Your straightforward approach as a reviewer stands out even more in contrast. Thanks for continuing to do what you do. Michael

Hello Michael, I saw the Stereophile post about this matter and remember thinking that if aggrieved parties feel the need to wash their laundry in public, they must have reached a state of last resort. It's always sad when common sense and good will aren't enough to settle disputes. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I agree that the situation is unfortunate. This lawsuit seems to go beyond a typical dispute among a distributor/manufacturer, dealer and customer. It also sheds light on the 'payola' nature of certain relationships within the audio industry. I am following the case closely because it highlights factors affecting Lumin's business even though they are not directly involved in the litigation. Ultimately I believe that the resolution of this lawsuit could be beneficial for the industry if it leads to greater transparency. Michael

I just dove a bit deeper to learn more about the payola angle. I found accusations of deliberate brand defamation, on the salesfloor and in online discussion and review fora, to strategically undermine competing brands which one had contractually agreed to represent under best business practices. It reminded me of older shenanigans whereby a region's pre-eminent dealer would sign a brand for exclusive cover in the wider area then hide the product in the basement to never promote or sell. This effectively blocked the new brand from competing with the store's golden cows whilst no other regional dealer had access to it. Signing a brand only to block it really plays hardball. I wonder how current law interprets and punishes such practices if there exists undeniable evidence of wrongdoing. Remember sockpuppets? Srajan

Srajan, I checked up on your latest 7th Moon updates and saw the new podcast with Andrew Hutchinson. Good stuff by the way. It seems your first chat with Dawid is planned soon? I look forward to what the two of you will cook up. There's plenty of podcasts out there already but one hosted by two very experienced long-time reviewers each with their own website and personality promises extra depth and focus. Here's hoping that you can launch soon. Regards, Tomasz

Indeed, Dawid and I are getting together very soon now to attempt our maiden taping. He's been delayed on other time-sensitive work which had to take priority. The initial tech burden of running Zoom or Riverside for the production software will fall to Dawid. Depending on his learning curve, we could be golden outa the gate; or require a few attempts until we've ironed out potential tech issues. It'll be all learn as you go. Once we're firmly in the saddle, we've got plenty of ideas and material to work with. That creative chatty part shouldn't be any real holdup. On the other hand, getting the hang of the formatting and potential minor editing involved could be. We'll see but like you seem to, I can't wait to get cracking on this. Cheers. Srajan

Hey Srajan, I'm sure you already know it but I just discovered the YouTube channel Jana loves hifi and really love what I'm seeing. Wasn't she with Stereophile at some point? If so, why did they ever let her go? On her own channel, she is really developing her own style and it's refreshing to see a younger female report on certain brands from the inside out. Just in case you weren't aware, I highly recommend that you check her out. Cheers, Jeremy

Indeed, Jana had stopovers at Stereophile and also Darko.audio before launching her own channel. She has very high production values and approaches sponsored factory tours or designer highlights/interviews different from SoundStage or Hifi Pig for example. She offers a lovely alternative to male-dominated reportage in our space. It gives manufacturers who lack the in-house PR chops to produce their own videos a classy option to instead hire Jana and her crew to do it for them in a very professional manner. And you're right, I've been aware of her channel since it launched. Rather than yet another review site, focusing on crafting premium marketing content that's educational and entertaining is a fine addition to our space. Srajan 

Hiya Srajan, I know how you like to keep tabs on goings-on in the industry so assume that you've followed the various Vienna show reports closely. Last year I pointed you to a Roy Gregory post on the Munich show where he, in the lingo today's kids love, absolutely destroyed the Æquo Audio exhibit. This year he has very unhappy things to say about Clarisys, Alsyvox and Aries Cerat amps that "punked out" while in the same breath admitting that using show impressions to form firm conclusions is a fool's errand. Then why single out certain exhibits that didn't meet his standards? Why not just focus on those exhibits which he found exciting? What's your take on doing pseudo reviews at shows? Best, Mark

You're correct, Mark. I've canvassed many Vienna reports, Roy's growing one included. I do remember the funky Æquo incident of last year and had sent the link to their principals. Once again I agree that publishing negative comments from a show serves no purpose I can see other than perhaps shining up the writer's golden ears or perceived objectivity. It's one thing to walk up to presenters and share that to us things don't seem right; or as we expected or know them to be possible. Perhaps they can still fix it. Perhaps they know it and can explain what went wrong. But that's off the record. Why Roy opted again to go on record I don't grasp. But it's his site and he does as he sees fit. As far as conducting pseudo reviews at shows, that's exactly what they are - pseudo. Yet some high-profile reviewers continue to do them and manufacturers certainly love getting their 'Best of show' awards. Srajan

Hello again. I just read the final updates on Roy's show report and surprise, surprise, this time he held back from his usual 'Duck for Cover' mentions because the venue itself was new and problematic. I think that was the perfect approach and if he read our little exchange which predated his final pages, perhaps it helped steer him in this better direction. Best, Mark

I have no idea whether Roy reads my site or took note of our exchange. But I do agree that particularly given the improvisational nature of Vienna's first show where exhibitors had to deal with unfamiliar conditions warranted a lighter touch on his usual criticisms. That some exhibitors managed to make good sound regardless then becomes noteworthy stand-out fodder whilst those who failed will have a better-informed second chance next year if they manage to secure the same space and didn't get shamed for a miss this year. Accentuating the positive whilst laying out the venue's various challenges for those who didn't attend but might contemplate next year was a fine decision. Roy's report is one of the very few I read which documented the various venue issues plaguing the exhibits whilst Jason Victor Serenius' intro to Stereophile's show coverage was the only one which documented some of the issues would-be exhibitors encountered in their interactions with show management prior to the event. That's proper hifi journalism - unlike some of the superficial fawning and photo-dump madness practiced elsewhere. So kudos to Roy & Jason for digging deeper than the competition. Srajan

Srajan, very interesting update on the Vox5 with the use of compressed cork for the top enclosure. I took a look at the embedded link to the Sonus faber model and the photos of its internals. I had never heard of this use for cork before but its properties outlined by Martin in your preview do read very useful for audio indeed. I just wonder about its strength when it's 85% air. Didn't I read in one of your Audio Physic reviews that they use foamed aluminium which has a similar solid-to-air index but as a metal is much stronger? Do we know how soon you will be able to get a pair of the Vox5 and report on your listening impressions? Looking forward to it. Best, Rainer

You have excellent recall, Rainer. Yes, Audio Physic have been using foamed aluminium as dividers, braces and liners for the same acoustical reasons though there seems to be a vital difference. Their metallic foam is actually hollow, i.e. the open areas form a connected matrix. The cellular structure of cork contains individually sealed air cells which don't connect to each other. That should change the exact mechanism by which these materials perform their acoustic functions. As for my samples, Martin expects to ship by early July. Srajan

Srajan, terrific review! One day when we downsize our living space, I think the Qualio Quanteen might be the perfect fit for our eventual digs. I've also saved Transfer Station Blue for listening pleasure, thanks. Also, I loved the cat ejection anecdote. A similar image would be the the old Maxell tape ad with the dude in a chair with his hair flowing to the rear! One observation: typically your first page notifies one of an award sighting. I didn't see one until I reached page 6. Such a tease! Michael

Hi Srajan, Roy Gregory just posted an effusive review of a unit which connects to one's speaker terminals and promises "to absorb and dissipate spurious high-frequency signals picked up or generated by your electronics or loudspeakers and the aerials – I mean cables – joining them all together." Isn't this the same thing that the LessLoss Firewall for Speakers offers at a fraction of the cost? Finally, do you use or recommend such solutions? Michael

Srajan, I just caught up on your onfolding Quanteen story and saw the photos of your main system. You apparently just reshuffled its amp stands. Question: the tall one in the middle doesn't look exactly like the usual Artesanía uprights. How did you manage that elevation? Thank you, Martin

Ah, Martin Eagle Eye. Very observant of you. Those four columnar uprights are from my upstairs Hifistay four-tier rack which long ago I split into 2 x two-tier blocks. That left me with four spare uprights which I repurposed downstairs. I wanted the Kinki/Vinshine amp more visible so it'd sit above the subwoofer rather than hide behind it; or in its wind shadow to its right as was the case before. This was a perfect solution. Hifi legos. You're never too old to play. You just need a good assortment of parts to mix 'n' match. After 24 years on the beat, I've got a decent inventory. Once it gets out of hand, I'll have another one of my usual giveaways. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I see you linked to Greg's epic YouTube coverage of the Vienna show. Out of curiosity and knowing that you have a very nice office system - which rooms did you think made particularly good sound? I think that I have a pretty good sense for the kind of sound you like but this would add even more certainty. Thank you, Peter

For me, four standouts in that report I can remember off the top of my head by their loudspeakers were Auer Acoustics with their sealed Panzerholz enclosures and treated walls from Germany, Marten's new Dexter Quintet from Sweden, Lirogon's new electrostat from Poland and Silent Pound's familiar cardioid dipoles from Lithuania. Srajan

Hello Srajan, I just read your Audionostrum review and wanted to congratulate you on furnishing us with very valuable background information. There is very little discussion in our space about all the learned aspects of deeper listening and Mr. Gallart's mention of neuroplasticity and the special hearing skills developed by orchestral conductors and pianists was a great reminder that we don't all hear alike or are capable of the same differentiation. I also found the designer's explanations and reasons for his tweeter array most interesting about which his own website is far more perfunctory. I know that you didn't attend Vienna and instead look at various show reports like all the rest of us. Did you by any chance already see the SoundStage Global mention of the Audionostrum exhibit with Vinnie Rossi? If so, what did you think? Again, thanks for a very illuminating article on the Saturn Pandora speaker. Best regards, Louie

I did see the report in question. What did I think? The 'disaster averted' header felt very click-baity, certain word choices (Gabi knows her shit, the system sounded ass) questionable. But I was left with a bigger question. If the same system, without any changes, could sound ass on two tracks and fabulous on all others, what is the intended takeaway other than setting up the headline? The writer never explained it. Meanwhile this sentence highlights the limitations of most show reportage: "The two drivers are running in a sort of push-pull manner, although it’s much more complicated than that, and somewhat beyond the scope of this quick-and-dirty show report." If one wants to knock out such a report in nearly real time, one doesn't have the time for more in-depth coverage; or opted not to spend more time in a given exhibit by favouring quantity (see/hear more setups) over quality (pick a few and go deeper). So it becomes quick'n'dirty and here leads to a rather questionable headline. But since you asked for my feedback, what did you think? Srajan 

I simply felt that the tweeter explanation you quote is really lacking. If the writer knows it's more complicated and beyond the scope of his article, his phrasing suggests that he in fact does understand it better, just couldn't be bothered to explain it to us. I hadn't really focused on the other points you made though in retrospect, I do find them most valid. So thanks. Louie

It took me a few email rounds with the designer to learn about how his unique tweeter array works and why he has it. That meant a few days of exchanges. The type show reportage SoundStage does—it starts whilst the event is still ongoing—can't make time for any of that. I think you're asking for too much; or, want a different type of reportage altogether that would post a week after a show has concluded. It's one reason I no longer do shows. I can go deeper from my home office. But SoundStage do provide a narrative for the rooms they select to feature; unlike massive photo dumps elsewhere that can't even bother with marginal photo credits or editing out dupes and underlit images. It's easy to be critical of course. Only attempting to do an actual report of a venue as massive and unfamiliar as Vienna will tell you just how demanding it is. It's extreme sensory overload, long hours pounding the pavement, plenty of notes or flawless memory then after-hour work writing, editing words and photos and publishing a report. I've done many of them over the years. I don't think you have done a single one. So there is that. How I look at it is very basic. All of it is more than nothing. Somebody made an effort. I can peruse it from the comfort of my home free of charge. Naturally I have personal preferences. Ditto everyone else. The more the merrier. To each their own. Pick what works for you, hit 'next' for what doesn't. It's really not complicated. But no matter your feeling on any given reportage, do send some luv their way. Someone took time out, spent money and did work to bring it to us whilst we remained home and now don't pay a penny to read/view it all. Srajan

Srajan, hello again. As always I enjoy reading your reviews and I had a question regarding the R26II. I note that it's now listed as part of your system. Is that a permanent piece of equipment (well as permanent as a reviewer's system can be)? My key takeaway is that the party trick for the R26II (and according to Darko, the R30 also) is its quality of DSD via Ethernet. You have also given glowing praise to the Cyan2 in another review. Those 2 DACs are about the same price point in Australia and they both seem to have qualities that appeal to my tastes (dynamics, clarity, soundstage, some warmth and body). I have HQplayer so I could run NOS in the Cyan2 and upsample. On the other hand, I have a well-sorted Ethernet system (fibre-optic isolation and a Waversa Ethernet filter at the DAC end) so I believe I could extract the best out of the R26II too. I know you probably hate people asking to pick which is better but in this case I guess I'm asking, would both be enjoyable in perhaps different ways? Regards, Mark

Actually… I never reviewed the Cyan. That was Frederic. As to the R26II, it anchors my office system. And yes, I think the very best performance comes using its RJ45 port, setting it to non-oversampling and native DSD then sending it DSD512. I use Audirvana for that, you’d use HQPlayer. And just to reiterate, I use Audirvana's UPnP function to route to the Gustard DAC so can't comment on other 3rd-party apps. Srajan

You and me too; about keeping up with my inventory. And yes, I bought my review samples because some speakers simply perform better on class D. I just had to find an example whose sound I really liked; and which I could afford. As my review stated, my in-house class D amps either do subwoofer duty or gather dust. With my Chorus pair I can now test speakers which clearly perk up on high-current low-impedance fast-recovery drive without having to recommend a €15K GaNFet variant. And whilst the Choruses are not needed for work, I get to enjoy them in my smaller upstairs system. Usually my LAiV loaners move on to Christiaan Punter in Holland for his opinions but he already has his own black review pair of Choruses. That made my decision even easier; not that I needed an excuse. Srajan

Srajan, based on my experience with newer Class D designs, I was not totally surprised that you found the dual LAiV Chorus amps tuned closer to the character of the 2.5MHz DC-coupled Kinki amps—direct, fast and informative—rather than the warmer more class-A-flavored Harmony GaNM monos. Your conclusion that if the Kinki/Goldmund style of sound—direct-coupled, high bandwidth, high slew rate, low distortion class A/B—appeals, the Chorus might be for you at a fraction of the cost. Do the Kinki amps including the Vinshine-Kinki Dazzle hold any advantage at a higher price or have they been displaced in your hierarchy? Michael

Unlike you I was surprised since the GaNM monos from the very same brand are voiced more like class A and certainly are a "newer" class D design. I couldn't at all predict that LAiV would go for a different tuning with their Crescendo amps. The Dazzle run in bypass is still in a different league. On my sound|kaos, the Choruses beat my Kinki stereo amp so just replaced it. Srajan

Srajan, unless I knew better from reading you for a long time, I'd claim you had lost it in your latest LAiV review. You are right to say that preconceptions look at these tiny amps without much hope for the type performance you report. I could see it on a desktop with small speakers not played very loud but you showed your big main speakers and wrote that they worked beautifully. That's hard to swallow. I've been able to confirm some of your earlier reviews by hearing their components or speakers for myself so know that we hear very similarly. In this instance, my brain is simply reluctant to tune into the new frequency of modern ultra compact class D. Seeing how long your LAiV review is already, I don't expect more but would still love a short confirmation that indeed, they do the same things far bigger stuff used to do. Thank you very much, Arnold

If a photo is worth a thousand words; and if manufacturers go to tradeshows with their best foot forward to romance prospective buyers and the press whilst spending often long green just to be there... this photo might convince you? It's LAiV's exhibit at the Singapore show; with the very same speakers I use in my bigger room. That might tell you all you really want to know; from a credible source with a lot of self interest on the line. Their power conditioner too is the same I used. Ditto the cabling. Only the front end differed. Welcome to the new frequency, Arnold! Srajan

Ah. That really makes your point, doesn't it? It's nearly bizarre how effective it feels on my end. You're of course correct that LAiV wouldn't attend a show in their home city only to bring speakers that their amps couldn't drive. Okay, I'm rebooting my brain now. Thanks, Srajan. That was very helpful. Arnold

Glad to hear it was. And FYI, Grzegorz Rulka, one half of the Qualio Audio team, owns a pair of the bigger LAiV monos. With his own brand Virtual, speaker efficiencies are low and he likes to listen very loud so wanted the headroom. Plus, Chorus didn't exist yet when he bought his GaNM. Not that they sound the same. I think he would prefer what he already has. Me, I prefer Chorus. Srajan

Hello Srajan, I just came across the review of a very interesting Polish DAC. The thing I can't figure out is the power supply; and how the 300B or alternate tubes couple to the outputs. There seems to be no room for a linear power transformer so it must be a switching supply. There don't seem to be classic output transformers either. This makes me wonder whether this could be a rare direct-coupled circuit like your Vinnie Rossi? I appreciate that you've not reviewed this DAC but perhaps you have some insights anyways? Thank you, Kazimierz

I took a look and quickly scanned the writing. Like you I can't find details to your questions which is quite an oversight by the reviewer. You could be correct about the SMPS whilst the DHT are likely capacitor-coupled since if they weren't, you'd expect the maker to highlight this as a very rare very attractive feature which Marek Dyba would certainly have picked up on then. I agree that it looks like an interesting product. But like you, I can only speculate. Sorry for that. If one of our readers knows more, perhaps they can contact me. I'd then post it here. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I hope you are very well. Earlier this year I had an unexpectedly interesting experience using ChatGPT to help assemble a used system for my wife. What stood out was not just product matching but how well it seemed to understand my listening preferences and system synergy. That led me to see if I could build a site that offers a similar experience grounded explicitly in audio and system synergy. It uses AI lightly for language and synthesis but the underlying logic and data are built from structured work I've done using my own experience alongside published reviews and manufacturer philosophy including reviews from you, John Darko and Twittering Machines. I've attached screenshot examples to give you a sense of what it can do. I would greatly value any feedback you have. Thank you, look forward to hearing your thoughts, Mike

Hello Mike, using AI is simply the next step of aggregation which uses the creative content of others to synthesize it in condensed albeit interpreted form. As a creator of original content, I nearly consider such an attempt repackaged theft by someone unwilling or incapable to create their own original content. And to be sure, it seems perfectly legal. My response isn't about that. It's about the difference between creating something from nothing by doing the actual work of reviewing; or converting the work others have done into a summation or excerpt which is additionally prone to assumptive errors. Srajan

Hi Srajan, understood and that's the opposite of what I want. Everything is/will be sourced with links back to your site/sources it draws from. But you're raising an interesting concern especially if it should limit the amount of traffic in some way to your and other reviewers' sites. Are citations and referrals enough, or is there an additional way to recognize the value of the original work behind a site like this? I would want this to be fair and I would like to explore the best way to arrange this. I also want to emphasize that what I'm trying to build is closer to a listening and system advisor: something that helps people identify their own preferences, understand system interaction, and avoid unnecessary churn. Thank you for your response, warm regards, Mike

My comment wasn't really about formal credit. It's about first doing the wrong thing then apologizing for it to make it okay; or in fact, first apologizing then doing it anyway. That still doesn't make it right. YouTube will shut down or demonetize any video in which unlicensed background music exceeds 10 seconds for breach of copyright. My content is likewise under copyright. And I'm giving nobody permission to use it for their own ends. Practically of course, it's been done all along. I'm only saying that from my perspective as a creator of original not rehashed content, this type thing is predatory as in, "the content is out there, it's unprotected, let's repurpose it". Secondly, there's big error potential whereby the end result will be presented as "based on what Srajan said" whereas, when asked about said topic, I might advise something else altogether. Again, it's not very creative but predatory and, strictly speaking, in violation of copyright. So I'm not authorizing it. Legally though it's probably naught I could enforce because if you simply rephrase my findings in AI's words, it's no blatant copy 'n' paste but a more veiled processing and alteration to stand on its own whilst riding on my credibility, findings and reputation. I've worked on those aspects for 24 solid years. You'd start with zero exactly as I did on day 1. But with your scheme, you'd actually ride my reputation—or that of anyone else whose work you harvest. From where I sit, that's lazy and wrong. But if that's what you feel compelled to do, the age of AI is all about it. Take a lousy photo, use AI to make it look splendid; or convert it to look like a Rembrandt painting then think to yourself, "whoa, I painted that". Cheers. Srajan

Hi Srajan, thank you for the thoughtful response. Just so you know, I'm not interested in building something that people whose work I genuinely respect would view as exploitative or harmful. Your perspective is helpful to me even if it's difficult to hear. What I'm increasingly realizing is that the better direction may actually be around listener preference, system interaction, trade-offs and reducing unnecessary churn—not compressing or replacing reviews. Thank you again for the honesty and candor. Warm regards, Mike

Hello Mike: You asked for my opinion. It's what I gave you. What you do with it is entirely up to you. If you decide to go forward, I simply want it on record that I didn't agree to have my content harvested in this fashion. It'll have to be an unauthorized venture. Only people who do what I do know the serious and constant amount of work which goes into it. I dare say that you do not know. How could you? You haven't done it. Having AI reformat and rephrase my work in a matter of seconds is something anyone can do by simply directing Gemini at my site armed with a particular query. It becomes an accelerated highly customizable search function. I have nothing against that on a one-on-one basis. It applies a smart algorithm to search a large data base according to user-definable parameters; including predictions on how certain gear may interact even though the monster variable of the room remains unquantified. Fine. But what you're proposing isn't one individual doing this for themselves. You're proposing to turn it into its own entity. Sorry, not with my blessings. The reason is very simple. I have no control over a final result that associates itself with my work. For the same reason 6moons.china never happened. I couldn't read the translations to ascertain that they reflected original meaning and intent, never mind witness behind-the-scenes interactions to procure/return loaners and the review process itself in a different country. With my existing syndication agreements which compensate the other party for their copyright use and collaborate with individuals whom I have personally met, everything is in its proper place so works as expected. Srajan

From John Darko: I spent most of yesterday dealing with a serious website tech issue. Thankfully Google Gemini walked me through how to solve it. And that's actually relevant to this topic because it's not the first time I've leaned on Google's AI for tech support. Back in January I used it to set up a new Linux server. Last week it helped me locate a Mac permissions issue that prevented a Motu sound interface from making noise. I also use it to find DAK Coffee dealers in Berlin; and what the hell happened to the Keith Haring artwork that used to stand at Potsdamer Platz. There's the rub: Google scrapes my content but I also take from what it has scraped from others. Complaining about Gemini or any other large-scale AI service scraping my website would be hypocritical. The scale is the key differentiator though. Google, OpenAI and Anthropic scrape at scale but also give back at scale. A smaller hifi-focused AI platform would have me asking how I'd be compensated for my work being scraped. It wouldn't be scale; the hifi community is too small for that. And almost certainly no financial compensation either. From where I am sitting as a publisher of hifi content, it would be all take and very little give. So, naaaah as they say in Australia. Count me out. Mike's AI has to scrape your work to reformat it. And I don't care what the outcome is - short version, long version or written in the style of Shakespeare: I won't allow my work to be scraped without the LLM scale that can give me something back in return. John

Hello Conrad, good question. I deliberately didn't update my Photoshop 2026 license with its optional AI features. All basic photo processing I do remains legacy Photoshop which already was a form of AI. And I occasionally use current AI as embedded in Google for a very specific search query which gets me information I want far quicker than manual trawling. But as I've found numerous times, that information can be wrong. For example, I had Gemini look at a photo of a component I took to identify what a specific part was I had not seen before. I somehow didn't trust the result so also asked an engineer. And presto, Gemini had it wrong. That's my extent of its use then. I don't apply AI for language edits or rewrites whatsoever. That would undermine my enjoyment of the creative process. But I do know other websites in our space which do. One thing AI does is democratize the creative process. Even beginners in a craft, be it writing, painting, making a video or composing music, can use AI to produce results far beyond their own technical skills. But differences remain, between an already skilled artist using AI and one who is a bare beginner. It's a tool and like using any other tool, time and application improve our handling of it—especially when that tool becomes auto-adaptive and self-learning. For example, the other day I saw AI-generated images which a working graphic designer had created with his own programming to visualize his astral travels to other worlds. Like Dante he has explored the so-called hell realms and various heavens on the other side and kept detailed records of what he saw. To convey those visual impressions to others, he now exploits AI for photo-realist renders. They apparently are so accurate that fellow inner travellers who have been to the same places recognize them clearly. That's certainly a very unique way of using AI. It starts with a man deeply trained in the visual arts who then has super-precise recalls of sceneries he wants to translate into 2D images. He keeps tweaking his programs and effects running through countless iterations of a particular image until he is happy that the result matches his recall. Srajan

Jurgen Ziewe. A good start is this link. You can also find two interviews with him on batgap.com. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I just read the Aequo Audio Ensium review on Hifi Advice you said was coming in your feature on their new models. From Christiaan's comments and the speakers he compared them to, it really does sound like that Aequo's new cabinet technology has the potential to be a gamechanger. I understand why you couldn't review them but do you think there could be a smaller lighter model coming that might be manageable for you? I would really love to hear your thoughts on this new material. Thank you, James

I'm told that in 2-3 years, there might indeed be a smaller Diluvite model. First of course the company has to catch up on the extensive backlog the delayed release of these first two models has created; and probably recuperate some of the investments made during the multi-year R&D process and moving into then building out the new production facility. I'm thus unsure whether the mentioned time frame is just a hopeful expression that a more compact lighter model would be nice to have; or anything realistic. Clearly it won't be anytime soon. Srajan

Hello Srajan, what a surprise to discover your new seventh moon. Or perhaps, not entirely surprising when already six moons weren't exactly 'normal'. I told you in the past that you should consider writing on more things than just audio. I'm very pleased to see you have now begun. Compliments - and I look forward to seeing what kind of interesting topics you will cover. All my best, Jeremy

Indeed. Calling my site 6moons 24 years ago was an indicator for what, one day, I may want to talk about beyond just hifi. Whoever isn't into that sort of thing needn't read it. The site's main focus won't shift or change. There it's business as usual. For the more unusual, the 7th moon will have a few things; plus of course more audio-related stuff just presented in spoken not written format. Like any journey, it all begins with a first step. Where it will lead then includes chance or synchronicity. I have no particular designs on this. We'll find out together now that I have taken my first step in that new direction. Srajan

Hey Srajan, nice of you to pick up on our home brand Omne Audio and featuring them in your pages. We're quite proud of them. I like that you already posted your questions to them because it's true that their website doesn't go into enough detail. And even though they have a few reviews already, none of them bothered with the missing details yet. You won't be first to review these headphones but you will be first to make a more complete presentation. Thank you for that. Khaliq

You picked up on a pet peeve of mine, Khaliq. Many of the newer reviewers in our space don't seem to interact with the manufacturers they review and instead rely on what's already published. I consider that lazy and a disservice to the community. Not always does one get all the answers to all the questions one submits. But at least one must try if reviewing is what one does for a living; and if prospective buyers would have those same questions. It's not rocket science. As it turns out, Nabil answered all of mine so there was zero attempt at secrecy. I just had to ask. Easy. Srajan

Hello Srajan, in your Chorus preview you call our present times a Golden Age of affordable hifi getting better and better. I couldn't agree more. Do you have particular brands you find to be outstanding on that front? I would be curious to know what those are. Cheers, Benjamin

Go to our archives listed by alphabet. Check for the brands with multiple reviews. Chances are, if I continued to review a given brand across multiple models, I enjoyed the experience. That would be a decent reflection on your question. Srajan

I was rather hoping for a short list of names if you don't mind. Thank you, Benjamin

I understood that the first time. But I put a lot of effort into this site's content for whose access you don't pay a dime. There's 24 years of virtually daily uploads available to you. It seems only fair that you do some work for yourself especially when it's this easy and casual. Srajan

Srajan, I know that you enjoy open-baffle speakers. Have you seen this yet? Klaus

If you follow the name to Morel's website, you end up with their car-audio division and a particular family of ultra-shallow drivers which can fit installations that won't take deeper drivers. As shown in your link, it's not an actual product. It's a clever display of the three drivers in that range which show off better this way than installed in a car. It's not a miniature 3-way open-baffle speaker for the home, sorry. If it were, that size woofer without even a modestly folded open baffle would make no bass. Even the photo caption on Mono & Stereo says "ultra-slim design for limited-space installs". The display tree per see certainly isn't ultra slim. It's the drivers themselves. That caption just omitted the word "automotive" perhaps to leave room for potential applications beyond car audio? I've previously seen narrow home-audio speakers use car-audio woofers precisely because they were unusually shallow, potent and engineered for high output in tight spaces. So it's well possible that these Morel drivers show up in home-audio speakers; just not in this particular configuration. Also, how would you place it? It's too stumpy to sit on a floor (that woofer is just 6½") so would need a stand and then really look odd. But like you I thought it looked intriguing so checked up on Morel's site. We got both fooled. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I wonder whether you've read Stu's think piece on golden ears? If so, what's your take on the subject? Do you think that reviewers consider themselves better listeners than their audience? If not, what qualifies them to be reviewers in the first place? Looking forward to your thoughts on the matter. Best, Frank

I don't know about reviewers, plural. I can only speak for myself. I don't know my audience, personally. I don't know their individual listening skills. I assume them to be all over the place, from basic to more attentive to very advanced so below mine, equal to mine, beyond mine. The only thing I have over most of them, regardless, is experience. That's it. I have listened to more stuff over my reviewing career than most shoppers ever will. That's the only true difference. Does that qualify me to be a reviewer? Did it qualify me before I had more than 20 years of accumulated experience; when I just started out at other publications? Does what I did before count—working in hifi retail, in sales and marketing for audio manufacturers and studying classical clarinet at the conservatory? That's for my readers to answer. As I stated many times, audio reviewing has no courses or tests, no sanctioning body, no formal certificates or degrees. Some reviewers come with formal writing credentials. Others may have credentials in engineering. But when it comes to reviewing, as far as I can tell, we're all self-made. Some may have come up with mentorship under an established reviewer or publication. Others went solo and simply declared themselves. One day you're John Public, the next Joe Reviewer. You're still the same guy. Now go on doing it consistently, honestly and with a self-imposed mandate to improve yourself. With enough time, you'll be a different guy. That difference is experience. Otherwise you're still the same. And that same guy, regardless of the experience... was he ever properly credentialed or otherwise gifted to work in this field? Is experience sufficient bootstrapped credential? What do you think? Srajan

If you expect me to answer on behalf of reviewers in general, you're still asking the wrong question and the wrong guy. I can only speak for myself though having friends and working with select colleagues in the field, I obviously have a sense for them. Within my small familiar slice, I only see folks who tired of jobs in the real world then opted to turn a hobby into a self-employed paying gig. Some of them who started after me watched my success then decided that if I could do it, why not them? What can come with this job the longer you do it is burn-out. Turning a hobby and passion into a job can kill the hobby and its passion. That must be managed if one wants to go the distance and still enjoy it. Once enjoyment dies, it communicates as rote. Given that home-based playback is an unnecessary luxury, possibly the top qualification a reviewer should have is infectious enthusiasm. Basic communication skills and knowledge are essential too but I'd rather read an enthusiastic lesser writer of more basic knowledge than a bored polished true expert. After all, reading or watching hifi reviews is far less about buying decisions and far more about entertainment and the audience's desire to stay abreast of what goes on in their hobby. As to you wondering whether success breeds superiority and ego; and how much of either - that should be a case-by-case diagnosis. I've seen big-shot reviewers act like big-shot reviewers at shows; or be perfectly humble and considerate. It's down to how individuals deal with growing their influence and enjoying more popularity as audited by viewer/reader stats; and the respect manufacturers accord them. Srajan

I continue to love wrestling with writing as a developing skill. Reviewing hifi and covering our industry stimulates ongoing content creation. On that score, no exhaustion at all. What's personally harder is the ongoing escalation of the sector's pursuit of the very wealthy. A lot of the stuff that gets press coverage at shows and in reviews I find less and less relevant. It's not what excites me. If that's all there was, I'd burn out very quickly. Thankfully we're living in a Golden Age of more affordable hifi getting better and better. It's simply a matter of canvassing the field. So no burn-out because I'm careful about what I focus on so pay attention to. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I just read Simone's fascinating account of his time with those Schnerzinger transmitters. I'd never heard of them before so learning that they exist was a surprise to begin with. In your little foreword you mention being WiFi sensitive so curious about devices that claim to reduce related radiation. Though Simone focussed on sonic benefits, he clearly heard those to imply that this approach works as claimed. Wouldn't that imply lower exposure to radiated fields in general? If so, should we expect a follow-up report from you at some time? I'd be curious to see whether you would then note side benefits beyond just better sound. Anyways, thanks for occasionally covering tech like this which I would otherwise never learn about. Much appreciated. Jeremy

I indeed have word in with Schnerzinger about a potential follow-up which is probably contingent on whether they have anyone in Ireland that I can work with like Simone did in Italy. We'll see. I'm indeed very curious and precisely also for the reason you mentioned. Fingers crossed that Schnerzinger view a second review in the same publication as worth their while. Srajan

Hey Srajan, Steve Guttenberg beat you to the punch on the LAiV Chorus review. His is already out though unlike your preview, he had no 4Ω power figures. He much preferred the amp in mono mode by the way. Anyhow, looking forward to your take on them. Thanks, Barry

Alvin Chee of Vinshine brought a pair of Choruses to Axpona so it makes perfect sense that Steve would get it first. LAiV initially hadn't published 4Ω power specs. I got them because I asked for those figures plus the voltage gain, 2Ω stability, switching speed and such that were still missing. It seems Steve didn't ask and just accepted the omissions as fait accompli? If so, it's something I've noticed elsewhere, too. Professional reviewers often don't communicate with the manufacturers they review to dig a bit deeper than what's published - especially when that's hole-ridden. Isn't obtaining relevant intel part of our job description? Just cut'n'pasting what's on a website is something our readers can do just fine by themselves. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I just discovered your latest feature about the newest Æquo Audio speakers. I got the clear impression that this was originally intended as a lengthy intro to an eventual review. I see you now backed out to leave it as a standalone story. Is this all to do with ending up far heavier than anticipated? I'm asking because it seems a shame to have put this amount of work into covering all the background tech only to stop before the payoff about what it all amounts to in your listening seat. But I guess that living alone does impose very real limitations on what things you accept for review can weigh and size at. Was this one of those incidents? I did follow your suggestion and looked at HFA and Christiaan already shows a pair of Ensium in residence so actual sonic commentary really does seem just around the corner. I simply would have loved your take on it. All the best, Charles

You got it. This project ended up far too heavy for what I can safely get in and out of robust sizable shipping materials - safely for the product and myself. Thinking over the alternative proved far too fussy. The Dutchies would have to send one or two guys over to handle receipt, unpackaging and setup, then return for the reverse procedure or remain in Ireland for a very short-term loan of a few days worth of listening to a fully broken-in pair. Altogether it seemed far too complicated and costly to organize and impose on them. So turning a preview into an industry feature seemed like the best solution. The information remains available as a background exposé on the tech and a kind of genesis story on the Diluvite project. As you saw, Christiaan already has a pair so we'll all learn soon enough what it sounds like. He's a very good reviewer, too. Srajan

Srajan, I just listened to a review of the Stack Audio AUVA isolators which were described as containing sand. I think you reviewed them in the past. Is it true that their insides are just filled with sand? That could be quite easily replicated DIY, couldn't it? I'm curious whether you can shed any more light. That review didn't really go very deep into how they work. Thank you, Ryan

Seeing that you know the brand and model names, you needn't wonder whether we reviewed them. Just look at our archives, then read up on what we had to say. That's the whole purpose of having archives. And no, AUVA don't contain sand. Their MO of particle damping can simply be visualized by how a golf course's sand bunker stops a ball without bounce that comes in at 130mph. Mechanical energies convert to heat by causing friction between moving particles. You could of course also go to the Stack Audio website where there is zero mention of sand. Whether they use lead shot, steel shot or some other mix of particles they don't state but it clearly ain't sand. And yes, particle damping could be duplicated DIY if you knew what the most effective mix was and how much of it to use. If you didn't know, you'd have to experiment like Stack Audio did. My assumption is that you wouldn't want to pack the mix very tightly so that it is free to move around a bit. After all, that micro motion is the mechanism which exhausts incoming resonances. That is further borne out by the fact that you can shake the AUVA and feel/hear that. The other half of the MO of some types of AUVA is the viscoelastic element made of custom silicon. Without knowing its special composition then being able to source it, that wouldn't easily copy. Srajan

Hi Srajan, I'm looking forward to your review of the LAiV Crescendo/Chorus. As a long-time follower of Bruno Putzeys' Class-D architecture—and as owner of the Mola Mola Perca, which is derived from his methodology—I'm especially interested in how LAiV's GaN-based, minimal-global-feedback topology compares with Putzeys' tightly controlled loop approach. Putzeys' designs emphasize wide-loop bandwidth, carefully managed phase behavior, and very low output impedance, resulting in excellent linearity and load invariance. By contrast, LAiV appears to rely more on the intrinsic speed of GaN devices and reduced reliance on global feedback. It will be fascinating to see whether this approach can match the level of linearity, consistency, and low-level resolution achieved by Putzeys' designs, or whether the differing philosophies lead to meaningful divergence in sonic character—particularly in areas like microdynamics, spatial presentation, and behavior into complex loads. I know you're not doing a direct comparison to products based on Putzeys' approach but as you mentioned the divergent approaches, I'll bet you have some thoughts! All the best, Michael

I own two Ncore 500 amps which I run as mono drivers for my dual 15" subwoofer. I also own two Pascal-based monos which I used for sub duty before replacing them with the more powerful Ncore. On the speakers I use, I much prefer my class AB versions. However, there is one speaker in the house—the Virtual Viper on my desktop—which would work very well with the Bruno Putzeys amps. There I simply already run Topping class AB monos so the Ncore power my big RiPol sub which benefits from the extra muscle particularly since I run a bass shelf to have it up 5dB/20Hz which compensates for dipole roll-off. I reviewed LAiV's bigger GaN monos. Those were clearly voiced more fluid and warm than my earlier Ncore version which by contrast are overdamped, mechanical and dry on the majority of my loads except for Viper. For my taste the GaNM were actually a bit too warm or 'class A'. That's about the extent of useful thoughts I can generate on the subject. As you wrote, I won't be doing any formal comparisons against Ncore. Mine are 10 years old. That's a few generations removed from what they currently make and wouldn't constitute representative samples. Srajan

This amp just launched at Axpona so they rushed to have something up on the website but not just the 4Ω rating is missing. So are the dimensions and weight, power-supply details and internal photos they usually bring. It'll be just a matter of time until the product page fleshes out and we learn all. Let them come back from Chicago and get formal first production into gear. Initial sales aren't expected to commence until next month so this is early days all around. This team have always been exceptionally forthcoming about their gear so I'd expect exactly the same MO for Chorus and Beat when they're ready. Srajan

Hello Srajan, I just read the latest editorial from your buddy John Darko. I'm curious what you think about it since the eight things he mentions to disregard if we're beginners do show up regularly on your site. Cheers, Malcolm

You already listed the relevant qualifier: if we're beginners. First things first, second things second and so forth. There is a hierarchy of importance and bigger things must get sorted before little things ever materialize. Once they do then get sorted, even smaller stuff pops up. And so it continues. Context matters. In this instance, remember the YouTube audience John addresses. He is perfectly correct to call attention to the primacy of the big things; and to not worry about the finer layers which—also as he mentions—tend to go hand in hand with more developed listening skills accompanied by growing care for small improvements. So what do I think about his editorial? In the specific context he wrote it for, right on is what. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I wanted to thank you for the many musical picks you have issued of late with your separate features packed with YouTube links. Even if not everything is to my taste, it's always interesting and tells me a lot about your own tastes, what you listen for and what your system is likely tuned for as a result. It looks like a lot of work so thanks for doing it. Patrick

Hey Srajan, it's been a while. Haven't seen you in Munich for some time. How have you been? Just came across your Albedo Achema review. I was quite unaware of each other's simultaneous activities. It looks like we were sampling the substantial strengths of that speaker at roughly the same time. We both published in December 2025! I'd venture to say we were in sync, finding similar qualities and reaching somewhat comparable conclusions. Man, that bass from that small driver. Also, thank you for your link to my Tokyo show report. Anyway, hopefully we bump into each other in Vienna. That's if I get there. Booked in January when I saw a really good fare via Emirates stopping over in Dubai (normally fly Singapore Airlines). Now, well, who knows what's going to happen. The world has truly gone insane. Take care Srajan. Regards, Edgar 

Hello Edgar, indeed, we double-teamed on the Achema. And yes, their transmission-line loading definitely works. As to shows, I stopped going years ago for sundry reasons I've been vocal about enough to not repeat them here. Hopefully your ticket will get you to Vienna and back to Oz as planned and you're enjoying the event and meeting its people. Thanks for the note. Srajan

Hiya Srajan, wanted to give you a heads up that on my mobile phone, your recent changes have really made a big difference and so far I'm seeing no issues at all so good job and thank you. Best, Clive

Pleased to hear it, Clive. The credit goes to my web developers. They're still working on getting the legacy archives incorporated the same way which seems a matter of just another week or two. That task is really challenging because the old static portion of the site was built with Adobe GoLive to necessitate many behavioural changes to render like the present pages in the most current form of WordPress. Srajan

Hey Srajan, I see that you're getting back into tube amps with that Auris 300B. Does this portend renewed interest in the genre or do you expect it to be a one-off? Either way, I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say about it. Cheers, George

It's been a long time that anyone asked me to. I didn't think that I had copasetic speakers but then realized that Zu's Soul VI might just work nicely. Miki at Auris thought so as well so we'll give it a go. Will it be a one-off? It depends on the outcome. I don't really own any SET-specific loads at this time. Hence I'm probably more inclined to pursue tubes in a DAC if they're more than just small-signal triode followers. But I don't have any concrete plans at the moment. Let's first see how this goes and whether I still have the DHT gene. Srajan

Hi Srajan, just read "Subcutaneous - again" and noted this seminal sentence, "if you've never worked with a properly integrated sub or two, you cannot know what you are missing." After reading about your experiences, and with a gentle prod from one of my audio friends, I purchased a KEF KC62 to complement my Vivid B1 Decade speakers. One of Vivid's owners recommended a fast force-cancelling sub to match the same driver approach on the B1D, and further said not to filter the speaker, just allowing the sub to fill in below, say 60Hz. He said in addition to a fuller bottom end, I should get a richer midrange. Of course, the diminutive KC62 was also spousal friendly, which certainly helped my case. I'll run the KC62 using its high-level speaker inputs as my Mola Mola Perca amp doesn't have subwoofer connections. I checked with MM and they said this would work fine even though some Class D amps apparently don't play nicely with this type connection. Michael

I am pleased with my first experience using a subwoofer. While I wasn't looking for the thunderous bass from the old Maxell advert, it has already made a noticeable impact though I plan to experiment further. I started with a modest low-pass setting of 60Hz. This seems to be a sweet spot which fills in the lower end where my Vivid B1 Decade speakers typically lose some heft. The force-cancelling design of the KEF KC62 matches the B1D drivers perfectly. Although I don't typically play organ music, the sub's ability to reach past 20Hz ensures those frequencies are reproduced. More importantly, the music now has a greater sense of ease. By turning down the sub's gain, the low end is supportive without being overwhelming, which also seems to have freed up the midrange. First impressions are positive. Even my wife noticed the improvement, though that may also be due to her first time hearing the system with the new Lumin X2. Michael

Srajan, glad to see your site is back up. For a few days it looked like you were hijacked but everything looks good again on my end. Thanks for fixing whatever it was. I need my daily moons fix. Cheers, Charles

John La Grou and I already exchanged emails about it a while back. However, he didn't agree with my business model so that door closed. But you're correct, there have been other DACs including but not limited to Cees Ruijtenberg's which apply split-level processing. John acknowledges so himself but believes that his solution is far more advanced and yields performance not possible from these other approaches. I would be surprised if there weren't other reviews in the works already so sooner than later, you should be able to triangulate Michael's findings. Srajan

Hey Srajan, nice review on the Gustard DAC. Will you follow your own suggestion and do the U26 USB bridge next, hopefully while the R26II is still on hand? I'm curious how you would rate the U26 compared to your current solutions. Thank you, Robert

That will be up to Gustard. If they wish to follow up with that assignment, I'll be happy to do so. So far I've not heard anything to know what if anything might come next. Of course they've not worked with me before. They'll probably have to evaluate what I did in this review first to decide whether they like my approach and find it suitable for their audience to want more reviews. Srajan

Srajan, I just watched your latest Darko podcast and was surprised that in your hifi hierarchy, power delivery and resonance control booked not even a mention. I know that you take these categories serious because you cover them repeatedly. In fact, right now a Stack Audio isolation platform is awaiting its 15 minutes of glory in your preview section. Why then not mention these component classes to an audience that might not have considered them before? This struck me as out of character for you or an oversight so I had to mention it. Otherwise, good job. Cheers, Nigel

Given John's focus, keeping it simple was my tactic. He caters to his audience where discussing power filters, cables, isolation footers, equipment racks, LAN filters and such already borders on voodoo. So he generally sidesteps or soft-pedals these topics. Bringing them up now in what was meant to be just one talking point of many in a longer dialogue would have necessitated too many explanations and detours to fit the occasion. But you're perfectly correct, I do rate these categories as important and cover them on this site. Srajan

You make a good point which I hadn't considered but which then brings up another good point. Why would one limit coverage to topics a given audience accepts and deliberately omit others that might challenge them? Isn't the job of people in your position to educate not avoid potentially opposing reactions? Cheers, Nigel

The volatile climate of a YouTube comments sections could be one reason, the click-thru algorithm behind YouTube another. If you publish content on topics a given video audience has no interest in to log off quickly, viewing stats tank and with it, residuals. Catering to the almighty algorithm and the audience which feeds it has to be a core mechanism for YouTubers who want to be successful. Participating on John's podcast has him be host, me guest. When you're in another man's house for dinner, you accept and honour his rules and style and eat what he serves. That's just common courtesy and respect. Srajan

More good points, Srajan. I see that you thought this through. I guess this explains why you've not incorporated shooting your own YouTube videos? I've followed you for years covering the full spectrum of hifi without any bias or worries about how readers might react. If success with YouTube is a function of catering to the algorithm and not really challenging one's audience, it wouldn't seem to suit your style. Okay, I think I get the picture now. Thanks. Cheers, Nigel

That's a big part of it. I consider myself like a maverick chef without a fixed menu. People come to my little eatery and are served whatever happens to be fresh that day and caught my fancy. Occasionally they may not fancy the options so opt to come back another day. Another reason is the amount of production time required to do quality videos. I enjoy easeful content creation where writing and publishing in WordPress have become virtually second nature. Shooting and editing video would be far more time-consuming even after investing a few years of learning all the ropes. At this point in my career, I don't find that appealing because I don't see the upside. I get my monthly podcast fix with John covering the video editing and hosting bits from his end. That's an ideal work split as far as I'm concerned. Srajan

The unholy trinity of room, speaker and amp remains. That's public enemy N°1 so getting the right speakers set up correctly in a given room then finding an amp that drives them properly is the first task. If it's not a nearfield setup, I would pursue a stereo 2.1 system from the very start which implies a subwoofer and hi/lo-pass filter solution allied to 2-way speakers. Once a sub is in play, resonance control between it and the floor becomes vital particularly on suspended flooring. What proper isolation solves in that context is a bigger step than any preamp/DAC decision. Power delivery quality can come next; or not. Much depends on personal circumstance; who else hangs off the same grid etc. The rest of it continues as laid out in the podcast. Srajan

Srajan, I just read and watched reports on the recent Danish launch party by HifiKnights, HifiPigs and The Audio Analyst. It looks like really amazing product and a fantastic cultural opportunity. I wonder why you didn't go? Are you no longer covering interesting events like it? Thanks, Rob

You just answered your own question, Rob. You already read about the same event on three different sites and I'm sure more are in the works. Just how many versions of the same thing do you need? I'm not in the photocopying business. Srajan

€1'000'000/pr speakers you mean? That's not my bailiwick nor that of my audience. Like everyone else, I have limited time. Reviewing things within my own four walls is what I do. So I no longer travel to do shows, factory tours or launch events. Plenty of my colleagues love to travel, attend hifi-related events then create content around their attendance. Anyone interested in such coverage already has plentiful options. They don't need me to do more of the same. I've planted my flag in a very particular place. I'm not at all motivated to change particularly as I watch the changes in the audio review space and mushrooming YouTube channels. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I see you're working up a review of a Josep M. Gallart speaker. Did you know that he also designed all the Lorenzo Audio Labs models? It seems a note to that effect would be well deserved in your writeup and give credit where due. We don't have that many good speaker designers in Spain and Josep is one of our really excellent ones. I'm looking forward to your listening impressions. Alejandro

I was aware of Josep's work with Miguel Castro after the latter left Kroma. But Josep didn't want it mentioned to instead focus this review solely on his own brand. That seemed like a very reasonable request to which I acceded.  Srajan

I see. Fair enough. If their split wasn't the happiest, he may not want to promote a collaborative venture he left to pursue his own. Still, I am pleased to know that you were aware. Alejandro

Hi Srajan, I'm a Swedish man interested in hifi—not an enthusiast or nerd—enjoying some well-earned vacation in Thailand. At the hotel reception there are some figures sitting around and when I frst saw them I got this déjà-vu feeling. Today half-asleep at the beach, it came to me. I've seen those figures before! I've seen them in front of your hifi rig! I thought it was a bit funny. No hifi rigs here though. Take care, Karl 

Indeed. Whilst mine execute in clear bronze and these might be carved wood, it's definitely the same series of musician figures. We got ours whilst living in Villeneuve on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Past the lake on the motorway towards Aigle, there is a very large warehouse of Asian imports on the right whose owner does direct sales whilst also supplying European retailers elsewhere. We used to love going there because the two-storey warehouse was impeccably appointed with furnishings, fabrics and more from India, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and more. So yes, your spider senses were in good order and tingled correctly. Enjoy your holidays! Srajan

Thank you! I've read some of your reviews on 6moons and listened to your Darko podcasts, especially the one on subwoofers and their different settings. A superb episode! I've bought a Lyngdorf tdai-1120 to easily adapt the system to my space with RoomPerfect. The result was satisfactory with my prior floorstanders. Now I've exchanged them for monitors and am thinking of adding a couple of subs. Not decided on which ones yet though thinking of Lyngdorf's own or perhaps REL. I thought I should take the opportunity to ask your opinion on Lyngdorf's own subwoofers and their Boundary Woofer tech. In your podcast and all other information I've found, the crossover is normally set to ~50-100Hz. However, Lyngdorf's Boundary Woofer technology puts it as high as 500Hz. It sounds illogical but then I'm no professional. But it sounds interesting to make use of those pre-programmed crossover settings in the tdai-1120 when and if combined with a (couple of) Lyngdorf sub/s. It would be very interesting to hear your take on this and whether it has any pros compared to a normal crossover setting at, say 70Hz. Perhaps more people than me are wondering and perhaps you (and John) could/should do a follow-up on that superior prior subwoofer episode? Thanks again, take care! Karl 

Srajan, I just came from HifiKnights and HifiPig who had recounts of their recent visits to Aalborg for the launch party of Børresen's M8 Gold speakers and the matching Aavik class A monos. And it struck me that this type product, particularly the speakers, is essentially unreviewable, never mind the logistics of shipping, delivering and setting up gear of this size, weight and cost. The reviewer too must have a suitably sized fully treated room and ancillaries to match. Who possesses all the necessary qualifications? Do you think we will see any reviews of this stuff? If so, any guess as to who might do the honours? That's all from me today. Cheers, Henry

I just had a chat about this very topic with John Darko after taping today's podcast. We see it the same way. Such product is basically unreviewable. It's why inviting members of the global specialty press to a show'n'tell event hosted so controlled by the manufacturer for hopefully optimal demos is a far more practical solution. The various online or print-media reports which this generates—the understood quid pro quo of having been invited in the first place is to generate such copy—serve as proof-of-life sightings. Ideally they'll be peppered with enthusiastic anecdotal impressions. Those do the work of classic reviews—give the product visibility. The rest is up to key dealers who can afford to set up such a multi-mill demo system and have the appropriate clientele; or the factory itself with their own demo facility. Invite 10-20 members from the press and a single system, no shipping involved, generates 10-20 mentions in sundry media. Paying for flights and accommodations is a far more efficient approach to building quick comprehensive coverage than, one painfully costly shipment and reviewer at a time, pursue the old-fashioned route. Such coverage doesn't need controlled review conditions. It doesn't masquerade as formal reviews. It's anecdotal like traditional show coverage; just far more focused. The wine'n'dine aspects add an affluent atmosphere and generosity. Do people of deep means capable and happy of dropping €3.5M on a hifi rely on reviews to make their purchase decisions? As long as they know desirable super exclusive product exists, they'll beat a path to it if the looks and concept speak to them. It's how the event coverage serves its purpose. Do I think there will be formal reviews? Not really. But I could well imagine Hong Kong's top reviewer writing informal impressions of such a system collected at his local dealer's for the region's top hifi print magazine; and similar such scenarios in key markets like Seoul, Sidney, London, NYC and such when the time comes for a second wave. I just have no guess about particular personages doing it. Apparently only five pairs of these speakers can be built per year. If this system remains set up at the factory, why wouldn't interested clients fly there to hear it just as the participants did for this event? As long as the invited press covered a broad-enough spectrum of readers to connect with prospective buyers, the event will have served its purpose. No formal reviews necessary. Srajan

Hey Srajan, saw the thumbnail for a forthcoming YG review. Good man. You've never done a Wilson or Magico so it's good to see you finally enter their league. I'm not sure why you're sticking to their entry-level range but okay. Just make sure you have proper amplification for these regardless. They really scale up based on what they're fed. Cheers, Fred

This is still contingent on logistics since their European operations headquarter in the UK which left the EU. That has complicated shipping procedures and paperwork required for shipping within the EU. As to going with the Peaks range, Jonathan Valin, Robert Harley and Jason Serinus already specialize in big expensive speakers and have the exposure and ancillary context to do them justice. I'd rather focus on things within reach of a larger audience. If you've paid attention, my main amplifier is Kinki's 300wpc Dazzle which certainly will be appropriate for the chosen task at hand. Srajan

What happened to the Gustard R26II review? I can't find it anymore. Are you working on it to have made it temporarily invisible? Or did you cancel it for some reason? I hope not. I've been looking forward to it. Chris

After repeat inquiries to my factory contact went unacknowledged and unanswered, I pulled the preview. I can work with delays because things happen. But a lack of communications isn't acceptable especially with people I've not worked with before. It's disrespectful and screws up my schedule. So yes, most likely this review is cancelled unless my guy resurfaces with a good reason for his disappearance and renewed firm commitment. Srajan

PS: A week after posting the above, my guy just resurfaced with a tracking # and answers to my questions so the review is back on and reactivated in the preview section. Apparently not having a unit to ship until now had him decide to not respond until he had good news. So you're in luck unless the gremlins at Shannon customs decide to interfere. Of late they've been in a foul mood. Srajan

Wow, Srajan, that was quite the epic on Zu's Method models. Given the many different systems you tried them in, this was a super comprehensive exploration. I appreciate that this having been your first go-around with two subs, you don't feel in a position to comment categorically but just relative to this experience in your upstairs room, would you keep two of these subs if you could? I think that alone would tell me what I want to know. Thanks. Brian

In my quite symmetrical rooms with classic symmetrical system layouts, one big sub is plenty and two are an extravagance which, mostly, just takes up space. It obviously can go twice as loud but already one can do way more loudness than I let it. I can appreciate that theoretically, in a bigger or very irregularly shaped room, multiple subs could even out peaks and troughs in the response to sum into more linearity given that each position will trigger a different room response. But with my centre-stage sub position halfway between the speakers, I didn't hear more evenness from two subs; just more darkness from more LF in the room. That had that relaxing easing effect I described. But I've already gone back to a single sub upstairs which looks neater, is just as impressive but doesn't create quite the same darkness. So without making any generalized statements, that's my response to your question and hopefully told you what you wanted to know. Srajan

Srajan, in your unfolding Canor I4S review, your factory contact Ivan mentions that its transistors do away with the usual degeneration resistors which your explanation refers to as a form of feedback that seems to be other than the usual global and local feedback loops. If I got this right, does this imply that even so-called zero-feedback amplifiers may use this form of feedback? I seem to recall having read about this subject in one or another of your Nelson Pass amplifier reviews but I can't remember which. Do you by any chance know of other amplifiers or brands which let their transistors run without those resistors? Thank you. Ken

Hello Ken, this kind of goes beyond my - um, ken. My assumption is that degeneration resistors are a default solution so very common. Does this imply that if not outright mentioned as being absent, so-called no-feedback amplifiers still use them? That I couldn't tell you but the way Nelson wrote about it, I got the sense that yes, they do get used but go unmentioned. By now we're into technical details far beyond my grasp. I can only say that in 23 years of doing this, I've only come across two mentions of no degeneration resistors: FirstWatt and now Canor. From that I assume that it's rarely done. Srajan

Hello Srajan, thank you for your review. I just finished reading it. There is an ocean of information in the writing. One must re-read to digest it. With that, you come to the conclusion that the amp is something special. I appreciate your kind words and your strong efforts. If I may ask, could you replace my photo with this one? Apparently I am much older now. Also, can you increase the font size by 2 points? Please wait a few days as we are checking who might be interested in taking possession of the amp next. Best, Jack

Yes, age happens to the best of us. I already swapped the image. To increase the font size, simply hit ctrl + on your keyboard. That enlarges it to anything you like. Of course the photos will lose resolution but the text will keep getting bigger. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the information contained. It means that I'm doing my job rather than letting AI write my reviews for me. Cheers. Srajan

Hey Srajan, for once a software not hardware query for you. I really liked the Rafael Cortés Oasis album to which you linked one of its track in recent reviews. Do you have any other recommendation in the same genre I could look into? I would much appreciate it. Frank

Sure thing. Here are some artist names: Paco de Lucía, Vicente Amigo, Antonio Rey, Gerardo Nuñez, Chicuelo, Tomatito and his son José del Tomate, Juan Carmona, El Nino Josele, Dani de Morón, Josemi Carmona, Daniel Casares. That should get you started on ace contemporary guitarists in the genre. Srajan

Hello Srajan, a news post on fairaudio which I know you read just announced a new Cayin tube headphone amp. I see you're listening to the Woo 2A3 right now. Any chance you could look at a Cayin that also doubles as speaker or preamp next? Thanks for your consideration. Love your work. ATB, Frank

Cayin contacted us twice directly from the factory about a review and I had a writer lined up ready to go. Each time the accepted assignment came to nothing for reasons I don't know. So that train has left the station, sorry. It's curious that your letter and the one prior to it had me give pretty much the same answer. It makes it look like it happens a lot. It doesn't. This is just a mini cluster. Srajan

Dear Srajan, I keep checking back on the FiiO Warmer preview and noted that it's sold out pending new production. Why would they contact you for a review then not have a unit available? Isn't that backwards? Thank you, Theo

I rather think that they might have been caught out by unexpected demand. And when in doubt, fill orders. After all, that's what reviews are supposed to stimulate. If you get plenty of orders without reviews, you might as well postpone the latter. However, that's not what happened here. By the time my number came up, inventories had depleted. So I'm pencilled in for the next run. Nothing wrong with that at all, just how the cookie can crumble at times. Srajan

It's here but in French only and managed as discrete-issue PDF downloads. Srajan

Dear Srajan, between the two Audalytic desktop minis you recently featured to the pending FiiO Warmer DAC, the already previewed Laiv Verse and Luxsin X8 in your news room, the +/- €500 space really seems to be heating up. It's like a new golden age for hifi shoppers of smaller wallets. I'm really looking forward to your Warmer review. I saw John Darko's take on it and am curious what you'll make of it. I know that you're getting the Verse next. Any plans to review the X8 afterwards? All the best, Frank

You and I see the same Golden Age in action as we speak. Indeed, it's nearly shocking how discrete R2R conversion, pin-configurable I²S, balanced tubes and AI-assisted DSP now show up well below €1K. On the Warmer assignment, I just sent my FiiO contact a reminder that my preview is getting a bit stale and requires ears-on comments to complete. Hopefully that sample will materialize shortly. As to the Luxsin, I just learnt of it the other day. With the X9 I had to request a firmware update to defeat its always-on Bluetooth which gave me foggy brain syndrome. They did respond very quickly, too. I don't know whether Bluetooth defeat now bakes into their menu by default. If not, I couldn't review the X8. Getting headaches isn't my idea of fun. Plus, designing electronics whose UHF radiation transmitters are always live when not in use is simply poor practice and nothing I want to support by covering it. To be fair though, Luxsin haven't contacted me to review the X8 so it's still very early days there. I might be facing a similar issue with the Gustard R26II DAC and its Bluetooth 5.1 module. Despite repeat inquiries, my contact hasn't confirmed whether that is user selectable or not. If not, that review will have to cancel and turn into a proof-of-life industry feature. Srajan

Srajan, read about the import troubles with your latest Chinese DAC sample. As someone never having imported hifi gear from abroad to know the ropes, how are value declarations and related border-crossing fees usually handled? Just thought I'd ask someone with obvious experience in the matter. Thanks, Jeremy

Low-balling value is the oldest trick in that book and customs are obviously hip to it. Their default response to undervalued suspicions is to demand proof of purchase aka PoP. They want to see a cc or wire-transfer transaction receipt to show them what you paid for the item. If you live in Ireland, you then pay 23% off that; plus marginal handling fees. Some web shops include all those fees in the original transaction and when such shipments show up for customs clearance, they get whisked right through. As a reviewer, my situation differs. I can't provide proof of purchase. When Irish customs challenge the value declaration the shipper made, I have to explain the short-term loaner nature of the shipment then get the sender involved since customs won't simply take my word for it. That usually does the trick. In this instance the customs inspector got it in his head that the shipment is a nearly €3K component when in fact it retails at €700. Will he admit his mistake and clear it based on the included commercial invoice? Will he dig in his heels because he believes he is being scammed? Impossible to predict. But this is peculiar to loans not outright purchases. If you purchase from a credible online reseller—say for example Audiophonics.fr which I've used a lot—you prepay VAT at checkout and that's the end of it. If you order from outside your country's trade union, proof of payment is the mechanism whereby your domestic customs establishes the amount of VAT to be levied on your shipment should they challenge the original declared value. What prompts the latter I've not been able to ascertain. Some big heavy stuff from 1st-world origins makes it through like greased lightning; some small lightweight stuff from cheap-goods countries gets treated like lepers. In short, it's a crapshoot. But again, this is specific to commercial samples and the constantly changing regulations around them. Outright purchases can be easily verified so there's really nothing to it if the vendor conforms to regulations. Srajan

Srajan, you sly old dog. Your review of it didn't let on but your latest industry feature stated that you bought yourself that SPL Crossover. Congrats. It looks like a well-fitted piece of kit and it was reassuring to read that what for a line-level component are unusually high voltage rails has an audible not just measurable benefit. Given this great first showing for the brand, will you take a look at anything else from them next? This review would seem to have you poised to pick what you like. Here's to their stereo amp. Cheers. Frank

I doubt that SPL will pursue a formal review involving a typical loaner sample. I think they expect such marketing efforts from their distributors and Ireland doesn't seem to have one. It's why I couldn't secure a sample years ago of the original Crossover so bought this one blind. I took a gamble that it would be what the specs promised. It worked out swell indeed but I simply don't expect any follow-up from their end to pursue a formal review through the usual channels. I'm certainly not going to buy stuff just to review it. Srajan

Dear Srajan, last May you published a short feature on an upcoming aune flagship headphone called the AR9000. Do you have any updates on when it might become available; and what if anything has changed from the original renders and images that were circulated? Ryan

My contact at aune is well aware of my interest in the AR9000 so I'm sitting pretty feeling confident that when the time comes, she'll let me know. Until then on the A9000 I know nothing, see nothing and hear nothing other than what I published in that old feature; sorry. I'm as uninformed as the next person until aune pull the curtain. Srajan

Dear Srajan, of all the current webzines and channels, could you recommend me a handful you trust to cut down on the clutter and focus on the most meaningful content? Thx, Ken

I'm not really hip to hifi-related YouTube channels to have much clarity on who is who to have built up personal trust scores on specific individuals. I really only watch John Darko. Of the websites I canvas, Dawid Grzyb at HifiKnights and Christiaan Punter at Hifi Advice are personal regulars. I also read what Roy Gregory at Gy8 and Herb Reichert at Stereophile contribute. But you asked about "the most meaningful content". That I couldn't possibly answer. What is meaningful to me as a publisher and fellow reviewer could differ profoundly from what you consider meaningful. In any event, these were a few names and URL which I enjoy. Srajan

Srajan, I keep checking on your Gustard R26II preview for updates. It seems that perhaps you haven't received your sample yet but surely the background info you asked for on the brand should have arrived by now? Like you I haven't been able to find anything solid on Gustard other than very generic statements repeated verbatim across various websites. It's why I keep checking back on your pages. I take it you haven't learnt anything worthwhile sharing yet? Best, Peter

Correct. I've asked repeatedly and gotten nothing. Now I stopped asking. It's how it goes, sometimes. I always endeavour to use my platform to extend our community's knowledge pool. But other than offering, my hands are tied when manufacturers don't care for the opportunity. It's a routine observation shared with colleagues at other publications that in our sector—it's probably true elsewhere too but I'm most familiar with hifi—many brands absolutely suck at telling their own story. C'est la vie. So I agree with you. I had expected background data and factory photos by now. Fingers x'd? Srajan

Hello Srajan, enjoyed your review of the LHY PSU. Just curious, were the proper cables included to connect the supply to both Pre & Dac? Thanks, Steve

Absolutely, the same umbilicals as shown in the intro collage. Srajan

I note its antenna port which suggests WiFi/BT. iFi thus far have made those radiation transmitters non-defeatable when not in use which gives me physical headaches. Unless that model has changed that to where those transmitters can be defeated, I wouldn't review it; not that I've been asked to in the first place. Srajan

It's a USB-C cable I use. It was ~€30 on Amazon. I didn't have one properly terminated USB-C so instead of using an adapter, I got this one. It's a Chinese USB 3.1 affair made for high-rez video so with bandwidth to spare for audio. It works perfectly so for that and being cheap I could recommend it.  Srajan