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Yo Srajan, congrats on your latest desktop additions. Nice setup and killer writeup. Will you compare it to the incoming bigger Gustard? Wouldn't it be funny if they overachieved and most the R2R goodness already lives in that small box? I'm sure other readers would like to know so please include that comparison in the R26II review. Best, Jimmy
It's a plan. Not sure though how soon those samples might arrive. It could be a while. SrajanHello Srajan, just saw your preview of this new Le DAC3 Dac/Streamer from Métronome. Looks pretty promising. Hope you can review and compare it with your upcoming bounty of Dacs. Any idea on pricing? My guess would be roughly $3'000. Of course less is always better. Personally, coupling it with an icOn Zen would be killer. Thanking you in advance, Steve
That was a news post not preview, Steve. I don't have a price or would have listed it. And I've not been asked to review it. Yet? Remains to be seen. But agreed, a Pál Nagy AVC on its outputs could be terrific. Srajan
Srajan, I just read your addition to the FiiO Warmer preview. It's completely mad to learn that the heads at Psvane, Linlai and whoever else in China still makes tubes would be this uncooperative and refuse to work with a large-scale and popular hifi manufacturer like FiiO that is openly getting into tubes. They have a chance to break into a market segment which the established tube audio brands overlook by being too expensive. You would think that's the proverbial ground-floor opportunity for any maker of tubes. Apparently not. I am scratching my head. Still, thanks for getting us this memo from the head at FiiO. Very unexpected! Thomas
Funny you should say so, Thomas. You and I think alike. I got this memo precisely because I asked my factory contact why they'd not sourced the Warmer's 6922 domestically. The answer surprised me too. I predict though that once FiiO get into tube power amps to need KT88, 6550, EL84, EL34 and such, some of the Chinese tube makers will wake up and smell the coffee in the air. Srajan
Hello Srajan, just wanted to say thanks for the many music tracks you embedded in your latest hardware review. It's already introduced me to many artists I didn't know. In the end you refer to Mediterra Nostra by Barrio Chino as one of your all-time favorites. The sample track on that complication really is absolutely smoking so I'd love to hear the whole album. Can't find it though. Any tips? Johann
I used to own the Barrio Chino CD which I burnt to my SSD. Whether any of the usual suspects carries a downloadable file for it - that I don't know. The same is probably true for Weeshuis by ®chestra, another personal hit which was made by musicians in a Dutch immigrants' camp whilst they awaited their papers to join the general populace. Absolutely astonishing musicianship but I've not been able to find it anywhere after all these years. It's likely true for the one you asked about, too. Sorry. Srajan
Hi Mr. Srajan, my O-1 application has been approved! I will be arriving in the US in March 2026 to start a brand-new hifi adventure. I truly appreciate all the help you’ve given me along the way. Wishing you happiness and success in both life and work. Best regards, JianHui Deng, Cen.Grand
Congratulations. I know the process wasn't speedy so am happy to hear that it worked out to your satisfaction in the end and that everything shall proceed as you planned. I look forward to hearing more as you settle in and establish the new production line and models. Srajan
Thank you for your kind wishes. After arriving in the US, I will establish a new company though this will likely happen a year from now since I currently hold a work visa and cannot yet start my own business. Upon arrival, I'll focus on preparatory work. Once I receive my green card next year, I'll launch my US company. Therefore, the Chinese company will continue operating. After moving to the US, I plan to release several brand-new products. However, this will also take place about six months from now. Having just arrived, I first need to settle into daily life. Best regards, JianHui
Hi Srajan, 2025 has another three hours on my clock and I wanted to wish you a healthy and happy 2026. I see the FiiO Warmer DAC on your list. That looks really interesting. Nice score. Best, Nigel
Rather than solicit me for a particular model, this time my FiiO contact asked what I wanted to review next. So I picked the Warmer DAC. Guilty as charged. For all the reasons already listed in the preview, it does look promising indeed and rather different from the glut of ±€500 DACs from that corner of the world. So some fun things are lining up to cheer in the New Year. Srajan
Dear Srajan Ebaen, today is December 31, 2025 here in Korea. Looking back on the most memorable moments of the year, our email exchanges stand out the most. It might sound a bit unusual—and I hope you don't find it disrespectful—but I found our correspondence even more memorable than the actual product review. While the review was excellent, the insights you shared in your emails helped me see what I had been missing and provided a clear sense of direction. I believe that having a diverse perspective on reality is crucial and is a highly effective way for us to evolve and progress. Our conversations gave me an opportunity to rethink the balance between the manufacturer's perspective and the seller's perspective. I am constantly striving to find the perfect harmony between technical excellence and commercial viability. Your comments, backed by your extensive experience in the audio market, have been incredibly helpful to me. I wish you a healthy and wonderful 2026 filled with nothing but the best. Thank you, Yang Sung
I'm glad our communications proved helpful to you. Happy 2026! ATB. SrajanSrajan, nice catch on that Woo amp. Kudos to Jack Wu for agreeing to build and ship you a sample across the Atlantic to promote something as niche and hyper exotic as a tube-based amp to drive expensive ribbon headphones with an output transformer. I know that you plan to also try regular headphones to make this a more relevant read for the rest of us who will never own a Raal headphone. Still, don't you think Mr. Wu did himself a real disserve by losing the preamp feature? Wouldn't more people be able to justify a €10'000 spend if it killed two birds with one stone by being both preamplifier and headphone amplifier? Anyways, it will be fun to read about regardless of how limited I sense its appeal is going to be. Will you do any tube rolling beyond the cheap stock bottles that come with it? Thanks, Kevin
Since Jack specifically reached out in response to my podcast mention of the ribbons, he must see a market opportunity no matter how ultimately small. After all, just a few sales of this model would make the associated review costs quite worthwhile, wouldn't they? I share your sentiment that pre-outs would rather broaden the appeal but there probably was a good technical reason why those went away. And as my preview states, a costly preamp would at minimum want remote-controlled volume and ideally a numerical display which on very small-scale production could become prohibitive features. As to rolling, my stash of glass is down to a few pairs of 300B since the Vinnie Rossi preamp is my last bit of tube kit. Unless Jack decides to include a fancier set, I'll have to stick with the stock tubes. Since that's what any buyer would get, it seems fair enough to review it that way. I'll leave that decision to Jack since he'd have to also furnish me with upgraded glass which would return no longer new. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I came across your news post on FangSound then watched some of the existing YouTube reviews about the Silenos. If you haven't yet, you might want to see them for yourself. In its present state it would seem a waste of your time to pursue a review of this model. Everyone who had one agrees that the gain structure is improperly managed to get far too loud far too quickly, that the input stage can easily oversaturate and that one must physically disconnect sources because there are no switches. I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you planned to go down that road. It would seem premature because the product still needs to be refined before it's ready for prime time. Cheers, Frank
I appreciate it, Frank. I had noticed the strange absence of source switching already. That seems to be a real design flaw and would actually preclude me from asking for a sample. Ariadne might suffer the same shortcoming and only Dionysus in its larger chassis finally fix it. Let's see whether I even hear back from the UK retailer after the holidays. If so and there is interest to pursue a review, I'll be sure to bring up your points and save myself an unpleasant experience. In fact, as a retailer with perhaps early samples, I would think he'd already be aware of these issues and reluctant to pursue any review until a revision has addressed them. Unduly high gain from either an excessively high input sensitivity or too steep a volume taper would be most impractical for all but the most bearish loads and nothing to promote. So again, thanks for the warning. If multiple reviewers agree on something this basic, it must be a very real problem. Srajan
Hi Srajan, nice to see that you're giving those entry-level Gustard pieces a go. I realize that buying gear to then review it is a rather raw deal but hopefully you'll enjoy these enough to keep not return. I'm particularly curious about the DAC because its discrete resistor ladders plus analog volume control could be right up my street. What are you planning to compare it to if I may ask? Thank you, Charles
The only thing I'll have on hand to compare that's sanely matched on price will likely be the FiiO K15 which just landed in Galway yesterday so might show up tomorrow. My next DAC would be the €1K Luxsin then €3K iFi beyond which the rest doubles then triples to become meaningless. So I reckon the FiiO and Luxsin will make the most sense unless I forgot something that suddenly pops up. And, it's true that I don't tend to spend money to work but have the strange idea that work should make money. But as still an enthusiast rather than hardboiled cynic, whenever I have something on hand that excites me for various reasons, I love to write about it to share the excitement. It matters not why I have said thing on hand, whether on loan or as a personal purchase. So it's really not a raw deal, just what I enjoy doing. Srajan
Hello Srajan, thank you for another year of interesting reviews and thoughtful industry commentary. I'm looking forward to what 2026 may bring. On a side note, in your FiiO K15 preview, you show an external 12V/4A power supply but earlier show a 12V/3A port. Isn't that asking for trouble? ATB, Kevin
Think of the voltage rating as a given, the current rating as a mere potential. The voltage rating of the PSU must match or be lower than the component's rating or there could be trouble as you say. But for current, the component merely pulls what it needs. Anything beyond that won't be tapped so becomes a redundancy. Good catch though on your end. I love it when readers think about what they read; also because I can make mistakes which then should get fixed! In this instance, it's no mistake though. I have safely used that power supply on my upstairs R7 also with a 12V/3A input for a long time already. Srajan
Hey Srajan, with spare time on my hands during these holidays, I tried to see what Romy the Cat is up to these days. I couldn't log onto his site. Do you know whether that's just a glitch on my end or has it become inactive? Thanks, Greg
I've not been to his site in ages but just tried and couldn't log on, either. Some sites won't load if you use a VPN. I disabled mine but his still wouldn't load. Whether that's temporary I have no idea. Last time I was there, he had three kids and far less time to devote to posting so other posters had taken over most the conversations. I've not been back since. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I just did my weekly 6M visitation and your latest previews on the FiiO and Woo amps which approach headphones from the opposite ends of the spectrum: solid-state, PEQ enabled, compact, affordable on one, tubes, full-size double decker and expensive on the other. Should those show up at the same time or overlap enough, that will surely make for some very interesting contrasts. I also appreciated your subtext of transatlantic shipping costs and high import fees on premium valuables that can act as potential review killers. I seem to recall similar subtext in a previous exchange about India's Rethm speakers. Does it happen quite a lot for first review inquiries to cancel once they look more closely at the involved costs? On a related matter, your FiiO preview also mentions certain assignments being delayed by up to 2 years; and how brands which can ship decisively and are happy to often save the day. Given the current state of the economy, I imagine all of these things are happening more often than they used to? If so, you still manage a good product mix and very regular content updates. So kudos and thanks for that and best wishes for your 2026. Thomas
As it was for Rethm then and remains true for other small boutiques which relative to where I live are 'remote', the raw costs of shipping loaners then retrieving them plus import/clearance fees where 'no commercial value, for review, will be returned' notes are sorely insufficient plus currency conversion disadvantages... all of it can backfire once converted into hard cash. It's why at times people don't execute pickup orders. They rather forego the remaining value of a now B-stock item when the alternative of return shipping and re-importation fees are too unappealing. Once you deal with well-established big brands of comprehensive distribution and decent inventories, those things and lengthy delays tend to go away. Now one might deal with a local importer in one's own jurisdiction to eliminate VAT hassles. Being closer, 2-way ship fees too go way down and the overall pain lightens. If one deals with small and start-up brands as I enjoy, things slow down and get more complicated. A review sample may be built to order then sells off in the last moment because a paying client had unforeseen timing. Being a small outfit myself, I understand and appreciate these limitations to work with them as best I can. But it does mean that readers itching for a conclusion may face lengthy preview limbos; or disappearing previews when limbos become intolerable only to reappear a year or two later. Can review solicitations fizzle out past any initial contact high? Absolutely. A Polish start-up contacted me enthusiastically and quite bullishly to net a prompt introductory preview. Months later bullishness had given way to dejection. Their domestic in-store demos hadn't netted quick orders then sales. Projected income failed to materialize. My gig cancelled as a result. Delays are very common too with initial productions. There are projected then actual ship dates often very far apart when last-minute design changes necessitate new PCB or when a batch of chassis parts delivered from abroad arrived with off tolerances to require a reorder that materializes way late because the supplier prioritizes new orders and stalls on fixing mistakes. All of it is standard behind-the-scenes stuff. Economic challenges since Covid then follow-on parts shortages then Brexit then Trumpian tariffs certainly have increased that stuff. Thus everyone in this sector must bugger on regardless. I for one feel very lucky to still work in a field and do things I love. Once you run a staff of 10 or 100 and must maintain large parts inventories to build things, pressures increase logarithmically to keep all on the payroll. There I have it very easy because I've kept my operation and its running costs deliberately small. It makes it far simpler to respond to economic changes; and avoid any and all layoffs. Whenever the day comes that I finally close these doors, I'll be its only casualty. But no worries, I have no such plans yet. Srajan
Hello Srajan, glad to see you've got the K15 review coming, looks killer! Hopefully you can pair it with the Method trio & hi/lo-pass the speakers and sub off the K15. For me I'd add the Silent Angel Munich M1T v2 transport & Gjallarhorn amp for the speakers. This would be a phenomenal system for roughly $5'000 with cables and tax. Have a super holiday! Steve
Mornin' Srajan, after recently upgrading my system with two Dutch products, the Mola Mola Perca amp and Grimm Audio SQM XLR, I began to wonder why the Netherlands has produced so many innovative HiFi companies. As I looked into it, it became clear that this small country has an outsized influence on the world of high‑end audio. There's a fascinating mix of history, engineering culture, and craftsmanship that seems to converge in the Dutch HiFi scene. First, there's the legacy of Philips which for decades was one of the world's most important audio research hubs. Everything from the compact cassette to the CD was born in Dutch labs. That ecosystem trained generations of engineers in acoustics, electronics, and digital audio—many of whom later founded or joined boutique HiFi companies. Second, the Netherlands has an unusually strong engineering and research culture. Dutch technical universities emphasize signal processing, psychoacoustics, and precision electronics. It's no surprise that companies like Mola Mola, Grimm Audio, and Dutch & Dutch are staffed by people who approach audio as both a science and an art. Third, there's a national preference for accuracy and transparency. Dutch HiFi tends to be clean, neutral, and measurement‑driven. These companies aren't chasing coloration or house sound—they're chasing truth. That mindset shows up in everything from the ultra‑low‑distortion designs of Mola Mola to the studio‑grade philosophy behind Grimm Audio. Fourth, many Dutch audio companies grew out of the professional studio world. The Netherlands has a vibrant mastering and electronic music scene. A lot of Dutch gear was originally built for engineers who needed absolute precision. When those designs crossed over into home audio, they brought that same studio DNA with them. Finally, Dutch HiFi companies tend to be small, obsessive, and craft‑driven. These aren't mass‑market brands. They're boutique teams who build gear because they believe they can solve problems others haven't solved well enough. That combination of humility, precision, and innovation is quite Dutch—and it shows in the products.
After spending time with the Perca and the SQM XLRs, I can see why the Netherlands has become such a powerhouse in high‑end audio. There's a clarity, a naturalness, and an engineering purity that feels unmistakably Dutch. It's not just great gear—it's a reflection of a whole culture of thoughtful, meticulous design. Just my two cents! Perhaps next I'll ponder the thriving Chinese HiFi industry that you have so well documented. MichaelNicely argued, Michael. Ascribing particular sonic aesthetics to specific countries is a fun exercise. Denmark is another country with an unusual density of hifi brands all the way from giants like B&O to boutique newcomers like Storgaard & Vestskov. Italian hifi certainly has a different hue. And so forth. Srajan
Just read that you snagged the Dazzle! Happy that you found a way to purchase the sample! Sometimes newfound audio treasures (Perca for me) can provide frissons of excitement as one wakes up each day. As an example, my daily ritual starts with gentle music while I drink coffee and peruse the (often woeful) news.Thanks again for all your work in an incredibly difficult year personally for you. All the best for 2026! Michael
Hey Srajan, you and John Darko are two of my regular hifi news haunts so I noticed that John is working up a series of think pieces that appear 'sticky' by grouping on top of his home page just below the latest single new post to indicate a sense of importance like, don't miss us. Have you read them? If so, am I alone thinking that John comes across as a bit grouchy slightly bitter old man very much unlike his hip with-it YouTube personality? Should you agree, you might mention it to him. I think that this underlying attitude which leaks through defeats what is likely his real purpose. The points he makes are all very valid and solidly argued. It's the tone in which he makes them which reminds me of the old advice not to bite the hand which feeds us or shit where we eat. In any case, 2025 is just about done and I wish you and your cat warm and cosy holidays and look forward to whatever unusual finds and trends you will bring us next year. Sincerely, Jeffrey
I did read all of John's articles. When you're in any game long enough, you come to know all of its sunny and shadowy sides. How to navigate them becomes all about a healthy balance. And simply disregarding the negatives doesn't make them magically go away so a working response must find just the right relationship to them. All of us cope with the less pleasant more challenging aspects of our jobs differently. Having opted to become a YouTuber with interactive comment sections exposes John to a level of constant very opinionated if often low feedback which my site does not at all. Such exposure creates psychological pressure. Like you, I perceive some of it to bleed through in these articles. However, John is very aware of it and constantly questions just the right approach whereby to make his points without coming across as too grouchy. After all, if we're self-employed and stop enjoying our gig, we should make a change. There's no need for me to get involved when his own antennae twitch already. But thanks for the sentiments behind the thought. I appreciate them very much! Srajan
Hello again: I'm pleased that you took the suggestions in the intended spirit. If John himself is aware, fair enough. Personally I would simply wish he stepped more lightly on the whole 'cope' thing. But perhaps that's just me. Cheers, Jeffrey.As I see it, we can never please everyone. The sooner we stop thinking we could or should, the sooner we can hone our craft with our particular personality and stop worrying about anything other than being authentic and ourselves. For example, I'm now 23 years older than when I first started 6moons. It would be silly of me to pretend that the passage of time, experience and exposure hasn't left its marks. So it's not about remaining static or 'forever young' but true to the present. If it means that our age shows in our opinions or certain attitudes, that's perfectly normal, realistic and appropriate. Otherwise we'd be weirdly stuck on an endless loop in time. How strange that can turn out we've seen with certain Rock and Hollywood stars who refuse to age naturally. The longer one resists the natural process, the more bizarre the unnatural signs. Should we extend plastic surgery to psychology and any changes in opinion we hold? I don't think so. Srajan
Good points, Srajan. I can appreciate how any 'kid in the candy store' phase could only last so long in the work you guys do. Jeffrey. Quite. It's why I say that writing rave reviews is no work at all and as easy as falling in love. Staying in love once you're married and live together day in day out is a different matter altogether. It's why some remain eternal bachelors and bachelorettes. It's to keep love fresh; and allow it to die then renew itself elsewhere. But perhaps it also avoids a certain depth which only opens up with sacrifices and struggles that aren't about self interest but making someone else more important than ourselves. Doing the same thing for 10, 20 or more years in many ways is like marriage. The full reality thereof is known only to those who are in it; or in this case, do that particular thing for long enough to meet it in its fullness, warts and all. SrajanDear Srajan, the holidays are approaching and I wanted to wish you all the best for 2026. I don't know how far into the future you schedule reviews but from what is booked already, what strike you as the most promising entries if you can say? With sincere regards, Jeremy
I think the Enleum AMP-54R, Æquo Audio Ensium and Node Audio Atom 650 will all be very exciting opportunities by offering advanced engineering in attractive packaging. I consider these three particularly promising based on specs and prior exposure to other items from these brands. The Enleum might still arrive in 2025 but the Ensium isn't booked to arrive until March/April and the Atom 650 will probably not become available much sooner either. Another product I'm curious about is the new entry-level Canor integrated. Given the original time line I was supposed to already have a sample but it seems formal production is a bit delayed. So we'll see. What is formally committed to already shows in the Preview gallery. Anything else will add when firm commitments are in place; and/or I'm allowed to talk about them. Srajan
Hey Srajan, as we're approaching 2026, I wanted to say thank you for another year filled with entertaining well-argued hifi commentary on your website. You keep putting out quality content at a still astonishing rate so must clearly enjoy the job. In your latest review, you mention possibly adding the Dazzle for your downstairs system though would use it as a stereo not integrated amp. Have you inquired whether there are plans to release a Dazzle level pure power amplifier? That could suit me as well, hence the question. Looking forward to another year of exciting review discoveries. Happy holidays, Srajan. Mark
I already have word in with Alvin at Vinshine about potential future plans on Dazzle separates. If I learn anything either way, I'll add it here. Srajan"I don't currently have plans to offer a stereo-amp version of Dazzle". That was Alvin responding to my query though he obviously doesn't speak for Ivan Liu at Kinki Studio, only relative to the stable of collaborative models he is curating for Vinshine. Srajan
Dear Srajan, another email about the Dazzle which I see has stimulated a few readers already. After I read your review, I followed your Steve Huff bread crumbs and have just one question. From what I make out from his descriptions of the Dazzle's sound, he didn't find its top end particularly developed, certainly not by contrast to his Devialet and the big Enleum. I know that you like a really extended wide open treble and wonder whether going to power-amp mode gave you that? That's it, just that one simple question. Thank you, Mike
Spot on, Mike. You really zeroed in on it. The whole paragraph about my divorce from active preamps was mostly on about exactly that. On a whole at least in my experience, they tend to build body and weight but also inject darkness, a certain opacity and slow things down a bit. Dazzle runs an active 13dB preamp stage not just a passive attenuator. Eliminating that stage was exactly the same as chucking an external preamp to replace it with a quality passive attenuator like a TVC. Once I did that, I had back what I call the cabriolet effect: the sense that there is no roof over your head and the treble reaches for the stars. I didn't pay enough attention to Steve's review to remember whether he dove much into bypass mode. I do know that he likes the Galion tube preamp. If he ran that, he should have intensified not diminished the active preamp flavour. In which case he wouldn't have heard what I did; quite the contrary. Srajan
Srajan, in your latest reader correspondences I see a few thumbs up for your Dazzle review. I however came away of two minds about it. Why accept to review a rather expensive integrated amplifier when your systems with subwoofers really need a power amplifier because you control your volume ahead of your crossover boxes? To me it seems a bit of a disservice to the product and consequently, a quite skewed commentary about it which will be totally irrelevant to most buyers. To be sure, it still presents as a well crafted review but behind that polished facade I spot a fundamental error of judgement which I think should be stated and acknowledged. Do you agree? Terry
Actually, I can very easily use any integrated as an integrated within my current 2.1 setups. I simply fix their gain to match that of my usual amp/s then use the upstream passive attenuator as the master volume. I tried the same here. The extra active gain stage of the Dazzle's preamp simply got too warm for my tastes and how my systems are voiced. So I focused on the bypass scenario which bedded in brilliantly. As I see it, my issue wasn't accepting a product category that I shouldn't have but being faced with a tuning which ran counter to my tastes. Had there been no alternative, I would have stuck to that just as I recently did with the FiiO FT13 headphone. Since there was an alternative which so happened to make all the difference, I focussed on that. Was that a disservice to the product? If that's how you view it, then it was; for you. If Alvin Chee at Vinshine thought the same, his thank-you email to me a day after publication certainly didn't let on. But I get your point and appreciate you making the effort to advance it, Terry. That's what a difference of opinion is all about. Thank you! Srajan
Hi Srajan, I just caught up on your latest epic review of the Dazzle. It was very unexpected but interesting that you explored it primarily as a power amp and preferred to bypass its built-in preamp stage. As you wrote repeatedly, that seems hardly its primary intended use but, a/ if it's there, why not and, b/ if you're correct on your premise that this integrated bridges the current Kinki lineup and their non-export range toppers without another tier of separates slotting in-between, then it actually makes good sense to offer an integrated that so easily converts to a stereo power amp. I also appreciated how you explained why you gave it the Product of 2025 distinction but not your regular award. An award for an integrated should really be for an integrated that is used as such. It's a costly proposition one wants to get the most from. So, good show for walking that line and thanks for sifting through the bewildering output of new models each year to present us with things which are mostly not covered by the mainstream media. You have a good nose for picking out unusual finds. Ken
Dear Srajan, in your latest review you mention a Chinese designer currently relocating to set up US manufacturing. Can you tell us what brand that is? It's a very interesting morsel of information considering the current climate in Washington about all things Chinese. Tony
Quite. However, I'm not at liberty to say. It's not my story to tell. I was simply involved in the application process by providing two letters of reference. As such I only know that because of the current climate, the application process has been delayed so when or if this relocation will actually take place still seems up to the bureaucrats at the INS. I suspect that the plan actually hatched during the prior regime and that the red reelection then threw a spanner in the works. That's all I can say. The review mention wasn't about any details, just one established individual's clear belief that to successfully market and sell expensive hifi products, Chinese origins are still too limiting. Meanwhile Matrix offer a ~€10K tier as do smaller brands and the Dazzle is another example clearly hoped to change that metric. Srajan
Srajan, well, I didn't see that coming! When I opined that Dazzle would make the list of favorite finds of the year, I didn't anticipate that Kinki/Vinshine stablemate Tai Hang would slide into the final slot, a penultimate tribute to the eventual product of the year. Clearly though, after reading both your Dazzle review and complementary POTY entry, I get the difference. Having recently sold my EX-M7 which graced my listening room with glorious sound, I feel a slight pang of regret at losing this Kinki connection. But I retain Kinki pride as my new Mola Mola Perca amp is tethered to my system by Kinki Earth speaker and power cables. The Sino/Dutch collaboration is now warming my heart. Happy New Year! All best, Michael
"... the myopic citizens of Magastan...". Haha. Great one, Srajan. I've always appreciated that for the most part, you keep 6moons free of political commentary so this little prick not only didn't sink the boat, I really enjoyed it. Cheers. Charles
Well, I put in plenty of time in the colonies to not feel like a complete outsider judging from afar. I appreciated living there whilst we did so feel bad for the current reality and its global impact. So I did allow myself a little liberty though you're spot on. I strongly believe that hifi reviewing and politics should be kept separate. On this occasion then, I strayed a bit. Blame the CNN article which inspired it. Srajan
Srajan, quick question if I may. TAS has a review on Dynaudio's Sub 6 which looks like the one I use in your upstairs system. Am I correct in thinking that's the one? Thx, Mike
Yes and no. Mine is from Dynaudio's Pro division so only cost me €1'390 new from a local dealer. It's exactly the same model without the gloss black or white finish and without certain pre-programmed filter settings for Dynaudio consumer-line speaker models. I simply didn't think that the lacquer finish was worth nearly an extra grand. So I went poor pro boy. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I just saw your piece on Stack Audio and wanted to thank you for highlighting a small brand that is focused on the more affordable sector of this hobby while operating out of Europe not the Far East. Because their designs are compact, simple and not very expensive, they seem to fly below the radar of most publications so I find it very commendable that you bothered not only to review them quite extensively this year but then dedicated a little "Best of Year" feature to them. Well done and much appreciated! Paul
Srajan, I'm sure you have read John Darko's recent article about advertising in audio. Contrary to his claims, I see that your site continues to fly the same type banner ads you did 20 years ago. So what is your response to his article? Steve
It's Steve again who seems very intrigued by the business aspects behind the product that is the written or video review. As I see it, John simply commented on changes in the industry which, as now a hybrid written/YouTube reviewer, he is intimately familiar with. For any online content creator, how to monetize their work is a challenge when readers/viewers prefer not to pay. For monthly YouTube residuals to pay the bills, one needs a minimum number of subscribers then maintain eyeball stats on all the content as tracked by the algorithm. Affiliate links kick back small percentages. Others get paid by either the publication they contribute to; or a site like headphones.com. Others sell PDFs of their content to the makers they cover; or charge a video production fee; or collect via Patreon or one-on-one consultation fees. No matter what the system in place, anyone doing anything professionally (which just means, getting paid to do it) can't afford to work for free unless they're a trust-fund baby, have a rich significant other or are well-off retired to have time and enthusiasm on their side but no need for a regular income. Mine remains an old-timey written site where sponsors pay me so you can read us for free. There are quite a number of other sites which work the same way. When it comes to YouTube channels, I'm not in the loop and experts like John know all the in-and-outs. So what is my response to his article? "He knows his stuff and I don't." Srajan
Srajan, as mentioned, I bid on a second-hand Mola Mola Perca amp produced in July 2025 and it now sits in place of my departed Kinki EX-M7. It's paired with my Vivid Audio B1 Decade speakers. Sources are the Lumin X1 DAC/network player and Lumin L2 library/switch. I listened to a variety of music today and came to the conclusion that the Perca is a definite step up from the Kinki as it should be from purely a price point of view. The Perca reveals layers of music that I didn’t heretofore think were on certain tracks. The grip on the bass drivers is profound. Hits me in the gut more than the M7 but I suspect this may be a familiar trait of Class D designs.
Separation of voices and pinpoint accuracy of voices have improved. Voices hang in the air and I can hear choruses in layers.Part of the experience could be attributable to running truly balanced from my Lumin X1 and using Grimm SQM XLRs. I believe that’s contributing, so it’s probably unfair to the M7 to parse differences solely to amplification. I'm listening all the way through tracks where previously I might have moved on. Listening at low volumes is better, too. But all this could be because I’m interested in how the Perca handles various musical styles. I read in a review that if music is recorded with warmth, it will be revealed via the Perca and vice versa; I’ve found this to be true.
One downside: poorly recorded or highly compressed tracks sound terrible. On the M7, I could listen to tracks such as this but it’s pretty hard to stomach them via the Perca. That’s okay though, as the majority of my listening is not in this realm. So, a resounding yes to the Perca! Thanks upstairs to Marja & Henk and their August 2015 review of the Mola Mola Kaluga monos; it was the reason I began this quest. And thanks to you for the M7 reviews; I truly enjoyed my time with the Kinki amp and would unhesitatingly recommend it. All the best, Michael
Hello Srajan, I see that with your pending Dazzle and AMP-54R reviews, Steve Huff has beaten you to the punch, with his Kinki review already published and the Enleum promised in a week. Have you seen his page Negative Reviews and why he will never do any? If you haven't, take a look. I'd be curious on your take. All the best, Steve
I just did. Fairaudio.de have a similar policy. As long as they operate within the law, any business has the right to establish policies and procedures as it deems fit. My view on this particular subject simply differs. If I commit a slot in my schedule and work time to a loaner only to determine in the course of my inspection and auditions that it doesn't meet the mark to send it back unreviewed, two things happen. 1/ I worked for free which, sorry, I can't afford. 2/ I learnt something worthwhile but refuse to share it with my audience, namely that XYZ has serious issues. I think that a critic's job is to be critical. That spans the gamut from brilliant to indifferent to atrocious. Writing gushing reviews is as easy as falling in love isn't work. My notion on what my work entails is to apply to everything that comes through the door the same process, results be damned. Others argue that spending time on things which don't deserve it wastes their time and takes it away from things which do deserve it. It's a fine perfectly legit argument - just not one I choose to make. That said, my selection process which precedes acceptance already weeds out things. Just because someone solicits a review doesn't mean I accept. But once I do, there's a formal commitment between us that will result in a published review. I have zero issue with Steve, Ralph and Jörg operating differently. We each run our enterprise as works best for us.
As to being beaten to the punch, I always await my turn. Something I'm first, sometimes way down the line. It's of no concern unless a product's coverage is so intensive that by the time it is my turn, there's really nothing left to say. Then I'd rather decline. I've now done this a few times with 'embargoed' reviews. Those weren't allowed to publish until a certain date. As I learnt, that happened to be the same date as easily ten or more other reviewers, mostly on YouTube, published theirs. I dislike that carpet-bombing synchronized tactic so now if I'm aware of it, I simply opt out. But that's before the product has ever shipped. Once I have it, I review it. Not doing so would not only dishonour my own commitment but that of the sending party who prepared a sample then paid money to ship it to me and will pay again to ship it back. Srajan
Thanks. I see your point. Do you know how many of your competitors work to the same policy as you? SteveI don't. I'm too busy running my own little business here to worry over how others are doing theirs. But if you're curious, why don't you ask them? You're emailing me. Email them, too. I suspect that publications as old as mine or older operate like ours since that used to be the norm. Srajan
Hi Srajan, wow, another day, another truly epic review. I of course mean the Cobra piece you just put to bed. It's only when I saw the final photo of all the cones going into one pair that I fully appreciated what you called completely bonkers. I'm with you in that I can't name anything comparable out there. In past reviews you mentioned Mårten Design and Tidal Acoustics as two very high-end brands which run multiple passive radiators but even they don't throw this many at so small a model. Buchardt use just one and already that has reviewers in awe over the bass they get from it. Like Greg said at the end, it is strange that this driver type is still so underused. SInce he doesn't know why, I assume you don't have any ideas either? In any case, thanks for another very entertaining review. Markus
Correct. I'm no speaker designer to have any insight other than cost why passive radiators aren't more popular. Well, that and perhaps a shortage of prefab simulation software? Port behaviour is readily modelled. Is the same true for passive radiators relative to diameter, mass, enclosure size, placement and all the other parameters that must be considered? I was once told that one reason for the rarity of transmission lines is precisely that. They're not easily modelled correctly so unless one writes one's own predictive software, might require endless physical prototyping to nail down. And that could be prohibitive on cost and time when ports are so much cheaper and easier to do. Mind you, I'm just speculating. Srajan
Hi there! I stumbled upon this person and thought that with your active creative mind you might well enjoy seeing the work of another amazing creator: Kelly Eldridge Boesch. She not only creates (with the help of AI) the visual images but the music and lyrics. Here’s recent work:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1NKMRZPTuU/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Surprisingly, she has a strong following amongst seniors. Here’s one dedicated to those followers:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1A8A7smLqG/?mibextid=wwXIfr
If you enjoy those there are many more just a click away; she is prolific. She could also be a clothing designer. Here’s her take on women’s tuxedos:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DfYDNuBWQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
I hope this was as revelatory to as it was to me. Cheers! Russell
Already her last name close to Bosch like Hieronymus suggests outside leanings and her animation definitely delivers. Superb. Thx, Russell
Hi Srajan, have you ever heard of noise suppression tape? That's a new one for me. Here's a link to a review by Martin Leung who just started writing for Gy8. He covers Oyaide's NRF-005T Noise Suppression Tape designed to reduce noise and RFI in audio and video equipment. According to Leung, one simply cuts the tape to the desired length and applies it to electronic components on circuit boards or wraps it around cables. Have you heard about this? All the best, Michael
Noise suppression tape isn’t new. Such tape and treated paper has been around but I never tried one. I had already read that review. It’s certainly inexpensive enough to take a gamble. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I just noticed that you had already added Dawid's comments to the developing Pass HPA-1c review. Really good stuff and excellent photos. On Dawid's last page with the HifiMan headphones, I saw a fat braided black cable with what look like wooden splitters and ends on Susvara Unveiled. Do you know what that is? I want to compliment you also on your intro comments of the following page. After nine years, it does seem peculiar that Pass Lab hasn't added remote control, XLR inputs and at least an XLR4 or 4.4mm output. As you wrote, the market has really changed and many more powerful full-featured choices are now available for a lot less. It's why I'm curious to see how you will rate it when you receive it because I know that you have some of those alternatives on hand. I am really looking forward to those comparisons. Thank you. Paul
Dawid takes very good photos indeed. He'll be pleased to hear that you noticed. As for the cable, I already asked him about it because it looks like something I first heard about a year ago. And indeed it is a forthcoming product from his friend Matt at Forza Audioworks who commissioned a customized version of LessLoss C-MARC conductors for the next level up in his current catalogue of headfi cables and accessories. I already bought a number of his Noir leashes for a few of my headphones and really love them. If this is the next step up, it should become quite something when formal production announces on his site. The fact that Dawid used an early sample on Susvara Unveiled seems most promising. As for true balanced drive, remember that this is a single-ended circuit so no dice. I do agree however that remote control would be nice even for headphones when folks like myself use 3-metre headphone cables to sit too far removed from our rack to be hands on with the volume control. Srajan
Srajan, I thought today about Marja and Henk as I well recall their August 2015 Blue Moon awarded review of the Mola Mola Kaluga monos which at the time intrigued me to no end despite not having the funds to experience their prowess. Fast forward to today and I just bid on a used Mola Mola Perca to possibly replace my Kinki M7. If I get this amp, I'll have a chance to use the balanced outputs of my Lumin X1 which did not work well with the convenience XLR inputs of the single-ended Sino amp. To further the 6moons connection, I'd finally use Grimm SQM XLR leashes that I purchased after your review of them. I'll keep you posted of course. I just wanted you to know that the spirits of 6moons are alive and well! All the best, Michael
Srajan, you just put up the FiiO FT7 review and I loved your imagery throughout. If it came from someone I didn't already trust, I would be mighty suspicious of anyone contrasting €749 and €6'000 models and declaring them comparable. I've followed you long enough though to know that you just call it as you see it. Having taken a look at Susvara at a past Munich show during a public day, I agree that its build wasn't what its price would warrant. Taking a look at your photos, it does indeed seem that they have got HifiMan beat on fit and finish. Apparently they're not really lagging behind on performance either. That truly is remarkable. So was learning just how big FiiO the company is and what kind of annual volume they do. Thanks for helping us discover outstanding finds among the weekly overload of product announcements and YouTube reviews. This one really sounds like a true standout. Markus
My value detector is very basic. If I've got a range of models in a particular category and over time watch which ones I use the most and which ones get sidelined except for the occasional comparison op, it's easy to see the winners. That's not based on beliefs or cachet, propaganda, tech or price but the far more intuitive actual usage which reaches for the things I enjoy the most. It's like noticing that the most comfortable most worn shoes in your collection might not be the flashiest. It's how earlier this year I decided which speakers, amps and DACs to give away. It wasn't about keeping the costliest stuff for myself, in fact quite the opposite. And this FiiO is something I can easily see myself using very regularly whilst Susvara stands by as a piggish load and in-house reference for a planar executed at a very high level. Many years have passed since it was introduced. Technology has progressed. Perhaps it's easier and more cost effective now to do a competitive design than it was back when Susvara bowed? And as you said, the sheer scale of FiiO's operation probably also has something to do with cost effectiveness in production and marketing. And though I appreciate your thanks, they should include FiiO for making a sample available. They didn't have to. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I read with much amusement that Mr. Rulka of Virtual demoed his system at the Warsaw show with a YouTube music video feed whose best data rate for sound is 384kbps but often tops out at 256kbps AAC and with Opus could run you anywhere between 56 -165kbps. At the same time he challenges people who call this compromised sound quality. I'm quite frankly not sure where to even start. It's commendable in some ways to demo music at a busy consumer show at a quality level that ordinary folks are used to like standard Spotify. To simultaneously claim that this equals serious listening whilst demoing speakers that he sells factory direct for €9'500 is really taking the piss though. It makes me wonder just how coloured his boxes must be to change listening to highly compressed music into anything approaching a persuasive experience over a resolving hifi. If he sold a €350 soundbar or table radio, I might see the point. Instead he promotes speakers with crazy-expensive filter parts, fancy silver-gold cables and printed footers whilst insinuating that if we find fault with deeply compressed YouTube audio, there's something wrong with us. As far as I am concerned, playing for both sides completely disqualifies him from being taken serious. It's like selling an expensive car then advocating retread rubber and the cheapest most low-octane fuel plus claiming that annual tune-ups and oil changes are a waste of money. I would be very surprised if you had a fundamentally different take on it. Which actually is my question: do you? Cheers, Rob
I recently covered my thoughts on the subject in a brief feature on Spotify Premium when it still maxed out at 320kpbs. That felt hollow, empty and strangely annoying just like I find junk food without nutritional vitality a downer. So I hadn't used Spotify in ages. As of October 2nd, my Spotify subscription upgraded to CD quality lossless so I revisited the topic. Now I enjoy it even though Qobuz Sublime still sounds better to me. That's because it embeds in Audirvana Studio to benefit from its signal routing and upsampler engine. Spotify runs through Windows. That's my take on heavily compressed vs CD-quality music. On the tunes I favour, I easily hear the difference and care about it. But I certainly don't fault people who either can't; or don't find it important enough to bother with. It makes their lives a whole lot easier and cheaper.
Whether demoing a show system with variable YouTube compression ratio in a busy hotel was a successful tactic to perhaps impress upon visitors just how good it can sound... that I neither know nor is it any of my business. Each exhibitor spends their own time, energy and money to be at a show. They have the right to do it any which way they see fit. And you might have misread Grzegorz's intention. I don't think that he meant to challenge serious listeners for preferring uncompressed music. I think that he meant to challenge mental snobbery that won't even try it when conditions such as he established at the event are in place to maximize such streaming. Having already reviewed the Virtual Hifi Viper, the Vermillion cable and Vibron footers, I can assure you that these are very serious highly performing products. Demoing with YouTube and designing components which sound fabulous on 16/44.1 or 24/192 doesn't seem to be mutually exclusive. Srajan
Hey Srajan, are you getting close to finalizing the Zu review with the new Method sub? I keep checking to see whether you added anything but haven't seen any updates for what seems like a long time now. I hope that the ongoing silence doesn't mean there are issues and you had to ship things back to get fixed. Best, Terry
I don't have the subwoofer samples though did receive a tracking # for one the other day which as of this morning hasn't been picked up yet. So no issues with performance whatsoever, just a delay in delivery which seems over any week now. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I read your article on the Akustika Eterna Lumen with fascination to do some digging on what else I might learn about their outfit. I came across this thread where a Jerry Stephenson calls himself their co-founder yet your review makes no mention of him, just Mikhail Lucet. You might like to check with your contact Stas whether not crediting him was a deliberate oversight; or whether this gentleman adopted a job title in the thread which he doesn't in fact possess. Cheers. Ron
I checked with Stas and Jerry is the client whose commission for what became the Lucet amplifier started the brand. However, the two men who actually run it are Mikhail and Stas. Jerry remains a customer and good friend but isn't formally involved in the day-to-day operations. Srajan
Srajan, I just worked my way through your epic presentation of the Lumen preamp. I must say that it left me feeling rather ambivalent. It's hard to get past the asking price which you rightly framed in terms of specific luxury car models. Regardless of its sonic quality, such pricing seems completely arbitrary and disconnected from the few materials that make up such a piece. To top it all off, they furnished you with a non-functioning remote. That doesn't suggest 'best foot forward' practice as you would think is mandatory at this level. Having said that, you appear to have covered it all so it's up to the reader to weigh the various pros and cons. Now that the piece gets packed up and moved onward, what is your lasting impression after you have worked your way through the facts, the background, the physical and acoustic inspection? What is your considered opinion on the relevance of such gear? I am asking because, as I already said, I feel quite ambivalent about the whole thing and hard pressed to properly balance out its proposition. It is not what I usually come away with after reading you. Quite apart from that, congratulations on landing such a scoop. Yours seems to be the first review of it anywhere. Sincerely, Jeremy
My considered hindsight opinion is no different than what you already read in the review. Nobody needs such extremist gear; yet some desire it. Some of us are irrationally passionate about a certain thing, pursue it to the nth degree then hope to somehow turn it into a livelihood so we get to do it nonstop and develop our skills further. It's what I'm doing in my own way with this site. Nobody needed another audio review site, certainly not from a non-native English speaker without any formal technical or writing background. But I was passionate about it, taught myself on the go, prevailed and 23 years later am still here doing what I love. So I have a natural affinity for other madmen and women who throw all reason and caution to the wind and do what they're passionate about. Whether it becomes a success or not matters far less than having given it one's best shot. The rest is timing and chance. It only takes a few properly placed individuals to get behind such a product to generate enough word of mouth across their sphere of influence to have a small operator of very limited production volume busy for years. Bespoke artisanal production consumes completely unrealistic labour times. Once such individuals decide to go commercial, they look at the unpaid years already invested in R&D; project how many units they may be able to sell across the next few years and presto, a monstrous per-unit price just to hopefully catch up in the foreseeable future and make those numbers add up. Let's add that with importers and retailers involved, the actual maker sees a lot less than the final ask.
Obviously there are thousands of net-worth individuals whose comfort zone can easily add multiple zeros to each transaction that I would contemplate in my little sandbox. In their reality, the Lumen is a €600 or €60 trifle. The question for Stas will be, can enough of them with a deep interest in advanced sound find out about his Lumen before he runs out of unpaid time? Unlike bling gear with little true sonic calories, this Lumen is a concentrated dose of live enzymes and vitamins. Anyone who buys one will truly benefit. All the rest of it is secondary though, in my reality and apparently yours, we could argue and discuss those secondaries ad infinitum. Let's admit it: nobody needs playback of any type. Already a smartphone with earbuds and millions of songs on demand is an unbelievable luxury. From there we simply have layers of luxury each with their own audience. But fundamentally there's no difference between a Lumen shopper and an iPhone punter. Both spend on luxuries according to their means and desire.
As far as scoop, my real satisfaction comes from having given this assignment my best shot. Hopefully it will prompt enough follow-on ripples across the worldwide web to make Akustika Eterna into a viable business. Based on the evidence of this product, the world would be a lesser place if they don't succeed to present us with more unreasonable but remarkable creations. That's my hindsight perspective. Sorry if you hoped for more. As it happens, my Warsaw contributor Dawid Grzyb expressed interest in his own review which I passed on to Stas. I don't know what his plans for this sample are but another review might just be around the corner to add more data points. Cheers, Srajan
Srajan, your latest review lists your autoformer volume controller at 3'000 UK, the transformer version at 60'500 EU. Most of us know not to expect audible benefits of twenty times better but given this huge spread, at least three or four times better would be nice. From your descriptions I can't figure out whether anything of the kind took place. You previously stated somewhere that your mind can't spit out percentages which I appreciate. I don't think mine could either. But by whatever metric you are comfortable, could you give us some indication of the audible improvement this Lumen made over your icOn? If I read it correctly, your icOn has finer volume steps and a better display? Thank you, Michael
Correct on the icOn's smaller step sizes and bigger display with far superior off-axis visibility. As to any delta multiplier, four times louder we can measure though beyond what we enjoy, that much louder doesn't get better, only ever more annoying even painful. When a finely tuned system we're very happy with and know how little within the limits of our room might still be possible suddenly shows a rather bigger jump, it's hard to quantify in a metric which communicates to strangers that weren't present. There obviously was no correlation to the price difference. As you wrote, none of us expects there to be. Just so, for my bigger system I called the gap transformative in the review and stand by it. I don't know by what other means I could duplicate this particular makeover. In my book that made the Lumen delta unexpectedly significant. Once this kind of money enters the equation, regular math simply fails and I don't know how to better answer your question. Srajan
Srajan, there are plenty of us who prefer your foxhole. As you rightly point out, there are more than enough of other publications for the putative mainstream audio manufacturers. Thank goodness for 6moons! Michael
Hello Srajan, Ancient Audio has been around for 30 years now! When my daughter helped me prepare some marketing materials, she pointed out that Ancient Audio is a kind of artist's creation. I agreed with her. Audio is a kind of art; the art of design, of engineering, of transferring emotions between musician and final listener. It is hard to believe how time runs so quickly. I would like to thank you for all your support, reviews, news, talks. I didn't create Ancient Audio on my own. It would have been impossible without friendly people around me. You always kept warm contact with me, also always with a high standard of honest evaluations. Best regards, Jarek
Hello Jarek: Canor in Slovakia too celebrate their 30th this year; and my wife and I were married 30 years this year. Yes, time indeed seems to accelerate as we age. I wonder what causes that perception? Congratulations on still doing what you love doing. It's not easy being an artist in a capitalist world. But it's lucky when one gets to do what one enjoys. With my best wishes going forward, Srajan
Hello Srajan, wow, thank you so much for greetings, what a coincidence ! Please take the best greeting for Ivette and you! Congratulations! I wish you the next 50 years of happy marriage, good body and mind condition, love and peace. Fulfilling your passions, supporting each other. Enjoying what you selected. Walking alone, feeling solitude not lonelines. Walking together, holding hands. Mutual words. I am happy that you are with me in thought. Best regards, Jarek
Hello Jarek: Well... Ivette passed away February 28th this year; 30 years after we got married. That was very many years for which I'm most grateful. Now I'm on my own seeing what else life has in store for me before my time is up. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I am so sorry. My life is in a hurry now, I didn't notice her pass away. One year ago the wife of my best friend passed away too. She also was my friend. I spent a lot of time with him. I felt him missing her. They were together 43 years. He loved her a lot. So his life turned upside down. It was very difficult to bring him back. The 1st November is All Saints Day in Poland to remember those who passed on. At night I took my friend to the grave of his wife. I talked to both of them because she was living inside him, their children and in the hearts and memories of all their friends. Step by step I pulled him up from a deep hole. Two years ago my dad passed away after a long sickness. It was no surprise because his condition got worse by the week. However, we still had hope to keep him alive longer. It was a big loss. But after some time I realized how many parts of him I inherited. Srajan, I know these are just words. But remember, Ivette is still alive in your heart and mind. In her photographs, paintings and the hearts of her friends. What's next? My first thought is that friendly people are the best anti-depressants. You live far away from crowds which is wonderful when you live with your beloved. But spending long fall and winter evenings alone is dangerous. Use any occasion to be with friends, by messages, phone calls, face to face. We are connected, part of the universe. You know, my dad passed away on February 28th, too. The last thing, life has nice surprises too. My friend's next story is the best example. Believe me. Best regards, Jarek
Here is Ivette's story. Thank you for your thoughts and concern but really, I'm perfectly fine and in no danger of needing anti-depressants of any kind. We're all here for just a short time before this body dissolves and we move into another realm before taking another body, here or elsewhere. Solitude is excellent preparation for my own death which is a journey we all take alone. Why wait to be comfortable with that? Again, I'm filled with gratitude for the time we had together; and for how her death changed me. All of her art surrounds me and I know that my heart will recognize her when we meet again as we have many times before, in different bodies, places and times. Summer or winter, hot or cold, it makes no difference. They're just seasonal like our lives undergo their own seasons. Each has its own flavour and beauty and all of it shapes us into who we are and are still becoming. So all is as it should be. Srajan
Hello Srajan, will you ever review anything by mainstream brands like B&W, Vandersteen or Wilson speakers, Cambridge, McIntosh or Burmester electronics or continue to focus on obscure small brands? I don't really mind but think that not dealing with big established brands, you lack any reference for what they're doing. Aren't you worried that this skews your assessments through a very narrow lens and with it, makes false presentations to your readers? I'm just wondering what you have to say about that from your little foxhole. Larry
That's easy. I've attended enough hifi shows over the years to feel decently exposed to the wider status quo. Our product mix reflects who approaches us for reviews. That keeps me busy enough to seldom knock on other doors. Also, what you call mainstream already has solid coverage in the wider press. That doesn't make covering more of the same too exciting. I really don't try to be for everyone or to cover everything. Over the years my site has developed a particular niche which works and which, just as importantly, keeps me interested and engaged. It's like going to a Gujarati Indian restaurant. You don't expect Punjabi dishes, never mind pizzas or pies. Other than recoding the site and optimizing mobile consumption which my tech support currently works on, I have no plans for big changes nor concerns about misleading our audience. My little foxhole suits me just fine. Srajan
Simone is currently in possession of the SAEQ Astraeus, Solaja Master 300b and Nur Harmonia. After waiting patiently over the summer, they all arrived within days of each other so he'll handle them in sequence as his time allows. Remember, he has a regular 9-5 day job so can review only in the evenings and over the weekends. And he's married so can't devote all his leisure time to hifi. Given his usual turnarounds, I'd expect the first of those reviews to maybe get to me by middle of November? You can always ask him directly. Srajan
Srajan, I see that Qualio's new IQ30 really put you on the spot of having to declare your allegiances to the original IQ. I appreciate how it can't be easy to navigate such a scenario so wanted to congratulate you on a job well done. You reported from both sides of the equation and readers understand that in the kind of room you've photographed so extensively, spending half gets the job done just fine and by changing amps, one could bend sonics in the IQ30 direction while probably spending less. I don't see how Mr. Marek could be cross with how you balanced your preferences against other tastes and listening habits. I particularly enjoyed your musings about something being too good for its own good. It shows how something can make a big impact at launch then create a real problem years later when the market wants something bigger and better but many clients in normal homes would actually continue to be served more appropriately by the original smaller version. In any event, thanks for another entertaining read and I will head over to the Nola and von Langa sites next to see what they offer in hybrid open baffles designs. Thanks too for those mentions. Greetings, Bernd
Indeed, this assignment created an interesting dilemma. I'm pleased to hear that you found it comes across balanced and fair. That was certainly the intent. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I'm following your developing review on the new Canor integrated. Given how uncommon it seems to be to come across a hybrid circuit that remains direct coupled, do you think this one lends itself to being bridged into a higher-power mono amplifier by stripping away all the other integrated functionality? I'm just thinking out loud realizing that you currently have the ear of your contact at the factory and might be able to ask him directly. Let me know if you find out anything would you? Thanks. Louis
It's an interesting idea. I will ask. Should I learn anything, I'll mention it in the review. And, it's always good practice as well to contact a manufacturer you're interested in with such questions or requests directly. Most manufacturer enjoy hearing from potential customers and many establish logs of requests which, if enough overlap, can lead to developments. So be proactive also from your end. What's the worst that could happen? You'd not hear back. That's not that scary, is it? Srajan
Dear Srajan, I see that your yarn on the Cobra monitor keeps spinning. The latest update suggests that Greg perhaps no longer pursues painted finishes but instead different options for 3D-printed surface designs? I had thought it odd to try to make them look more ordinary by going the painted route which everyone else is doing so find this new route of different textural patterns plus color options far more interesting. Do you already know whether that's his chosen way forward? By the way, this is one of the most exciting audio projects I've read about in a long while. Thanks for covering it in such detail. With my best regards, Simon
Since our man is currently under the weather, I've not pestered him for updates. So I don't know whether he is planning on making multiple relief patterns available or will decide on just one; and whether the smooth paint option has gone away or will be an alternate choice. He obviously needs to gauge buyer preferences to insure that his offerings meet popular demand. When he's ready to launch the formal product page for Cobra, I'm sure we'll learn everything. Until then whatever I learn I keep adding to the preview. If it's not there, I don't know it. Srajan
Srajan, you just published a fairaudio review of the Network Acoustics Eno2 which reads very similar to the Stack Audio Smoothlan Regenerator you reviewed yourself a few weeks ago. Any chance you'll be comparing the two to let us know which one is the better buy? Mike
As you noted, the Eno2 review was done in Germany so I don't have their sample. As you noted, my Stack review concluded a while back. Those ships have sailed, never mind were never meant to meet in the first place. Also, what buy is better is virtually always a determination the shopper makes. I merely provide information that might inform such a determination but the decision is always on the person who spends the actual money. So I'm afraid my answer is all negatory. Srajan
Srajan, like you I'm no digital engineer but one thing in John La Grou's letter gives me pause. If their DAC's performance parameters exceed today's best test gear by 25dB, how can he measure it? Does he have test gear nobody else on the planet has? I appreciate that you won't have the answer. It's more of an intellectual exercise responding to a hollow argument. Best, James
Another digital engineer once told me that as soon as hifi begins to claim S/NR of ~170dB, we have reached the thermal noisefloor of the universe. He thought it purely theoretical and not achievable in practice. But as you said, we're not engineers ourselves so at least I feel on very thin footing entering such debates. But your question occurred to me as well. Then there's the 30-45dB ambient noise of normal living rooms doubling as playback venues; the 6dB or less recorded dynamic range of the majority of compressed productions and even fine ECM-type albums not exceeding 30dB; and most amplifiers happy to make 100dB of S/NR. It has me wonder what the practical implications are of driving up source performance into the nano realm of measurable distortion and noise when the rest of our gear lags so badly behind, never mind the software we play and the rooms we play it back in. There's plenty of people who claim that they can't hear the difference between 320kbps Spotify and 1'411kbps Qobuz. And even though they can't, they're perfectly happy with their systems and get upset when anyone suggests that CD quality over a proper system is on another level. It's an interesting counterpoint. Srajan
Dear Srajan, that was a very colourful but insightful review about Virtual Hifi's new cables. I loved the "not a straight wire with zero gain" tweak. I also enjoyed learning that its voicing didn't belong to the tired old trinity of treble, mid and bass but instead works in the horizontal dimension of how playback moves in time; and whether that motion feels free or restrictive. It might be your musical background that has you more sensitive to this than so many other reviewers who work on the frequency response and where a soundstage starts. On that subject of a musician's perspective, I would be very curious to hear your take on the 432Hz movement. I know that you are aware of it but have you actually had a chance to hear it for yourself? I myself have not but reading up on it has me very curious. Back on the Vermillion cables, do you think that some of the effect could relate to physical construction so whether the conductors are only loosely surrounded or tightly packaged in many layers of dielectric, damping and shielding? Given manual production, I expect that these belong to the looser type. Could that explain some of the performance parameters? With my best wishes, Theo
I have not heard 432Hz detuning for myself yet. I believe there's a chance that for his planned review of the Basel Acoustics V-01 speaker, Dawid Grzyb will also receive Boenicke's AIO for a guaranteed match so he hears the speakers as the designer did. If so, we'll have his take on Sven's 432Hz implementation in these pages in due time. Fingers crossed. Like you, I'm curious about the whole concept. As for the cables, my Exact Express and older Crystal Cable certainly conform to the tightly packed archetype and you're correct that by contrast, Vermillion feels more loosely jacketed. How and whether that impacts the sonic performance I wouldn't know though. Hard tweeters sound hard, loose cables sound loose... it's seems nearly too convenient a conclusion but perhaps there's something to it? That would be for actual engineers to answer who have experimented with all manner of different cable jacketing executions to know what does what. Srajan
Hi Srajan, it's John here from Millennia, maker of class-leading pro audio gear - over 50'000 preamp channels shipped into the world's most critical applications: film scoring, classical music, acoustic music, Foley, ADR etc. Inducted Technology Hall of Fame, 2019. If you've listened to music today or watched a movie, chances are you've heard a Millennia recording. I've been working on a new audio architecture for 12 years. It's a multi-path design which has so far received 3 patents with more in process. It's different than prior multi-path designs as your March 2025 6moons essay highlights. Past work on multi-path or 'segmented' architecture (Ruijtenberg, Burcev, StageTec, JVC etc. as far back as the 1980s) has not resulted in significant improvement to dynamic range, linearity, quiescent noise or atmospheric level THD+N.
This is where my work differs dramatically. The new imersiv D-1 DAC which has just started shipping production after 16 months in pro beta testing improves today's best DAC performance by x 100 (40dB) and significantly reduces atmospheric THD+N along with other patented perceptual improvements. Today's best DACs can achieve around 135dB dynamic range unweighted. Our D-1 achieves 174dB. We spec it at 168dB (28 bits) but that's only to assure freedom from inter-sample overs. Linearity is similarly 174dB while self noise is 40nVrms (-146dBu), broadband, unweighted.
The D-1 is a true breakthrough in audio performance, which is what Bob Katz was trying to say in his review. We have other pro reviews coming to print, with one doing a complete suite of objective tests (Audio XPress). Our D-1 DAC self noise is 25dB lower than today's best test gear (AP555B). There's no way to objectively measure D-1 self noise, linearity and dynamic range. Our patents can be applied to every link in the audio chain: microphones, preamps, ADCs, DACs and power amps. We are busy designing all of it! We envision a day when every element in the audio signal path achieves 28-bit performance. Here's a technical explainer video.
Noise is an interesting foe. We were contracted last year by NASA Goddard to design the absolute lowest-noise analog test chain for the LISA project, a trio of spacecraft stationed millions of miles apart that shoot lasers at each other. It's a gravity-wave detector. Our NASA test gear designs are based on the DAC multi-path patents. This represents a new era and paradigm in noise performance and expectations. For NASA, we achieved better than -145dBuEIN. Later in the project, we may be immersing the NASA preamp into liquid nitrogen, reducing noise into the -155dBuEIN range. I designed the Millennia HV-3 microphone preamplifiers in 1990-1995 and they remain the highest dynamic range preamps in professional use today, with -133dBEIN (unwtd) and +32dBu headroom. My old friend Tom Holman of TH published an analysis some years ago on the highest DR mic and preamp combinations. The Millennia HV-3 and Neumann TLM-103 presented with 134dB combined DR. Keep in mind, the imersiv HDR-A DAC process achieves its stunning dynamic range performance (174dB) not by making things louder but entirely by reducing systemic noise. 40dB of additional dynamic range and linearity represents the greatest single improvement to audio performance since Edison invented recording and playback in 1885.
Anyway, just wanted to add my comments to the conversation. I truly believe multi-path architecture is the next design paradigm of all audio. It takes us from 135dB to 175dB, a 100 x improvement in noise, linearity and dynamic range. This is the way forward. One more thing, we were just informed that the imersiv D-1 DAC won First Prize (electronics) in the Create the Future Design Contest at SAE Media sponsored by Intel and Analog Devices. This is the biggest "future design" tech contest with over 600 entries from 67 countries. Very best wishes, John La Grou, Millennia Media, Spc
Hello John, I'm just wondering how in typical living rooms exhibiting ~30-40dB of ambient noise playing back Pop recordings with maximally 6dB of recorded dynamic range via amplifiers struggling to make 100dB S/NR, your invention will make much of a difference. Srajan
Hi Srajan, one benefit of multi-path theory is perceptual acuity at atmospheric levels. Acoustic recording engineers know that spatial information is conveyed largely in the quiet (atmospheric) passages -- in the space between the notes, in the room reverb decay, etc. Objectively, this would be roughly in the -40dBFS to -90dBFS dynamic range, like when you're sitting in a concert hall, or listening to a very good audio system in a very good room with well recorded acoustic music. Single-path THD+N continues to rise at lower listening levels. This is true for all single-path architecture. But when a multi-path signal cross-fades into the low-path (the atmospheric range), THD+N is reduced dramatically. At -45dBFS, we switch to a different DAC core and convert at full-scale where the DAC's THD+N is optimal. And as the music fades to black, the D-1 DAC remains 40dB quieter than today's very finest DACs (Bruno's Mola, Metrum "multi-path" etc.). This is especially perceptual when using headphones, where room ambience can be attenuated by 30-40dB.
Back to the original point, I agree with your assessment. Multi-path performance isn't required for most program material (rock, pop, etc.). I didn't spend 12 years and $2M+ designing and patenting these architectures for general consumer markets. This is a labour of love for audio professionals who want the best-optimized signal chain they can acquire. I spent 20+ years engineering symphony orchestra recordings in Northern California. My classical music production is what pushed me to design my own recording equipment - that's how Millennia got started in 1990. By 2005, just about every classical music recording company and film scoring stage was using my recording gear. I designed the imersiv D-1 HDR-A for pros who actually need this kind of performance, especially mastering and mix/post engineers. Future imersiv multi-path products will be focused on professional applications as well: ADCs, microphones, power amps etc. Ultimately, the discrete hardware in a D-1 box (1'500+ components) can be miniaturized into an IC or perhaps a 2-chip set. When the patents are realized in silicon, multi-path gets cheap. At that point, no designer would continue with single-path architecture when an additional 40dB of performance is available at the same component price point. At some point in the future, the entire audio path, from mic to amp, will exhibit 28-bit (168dB) performance, at a price point no different than today's single-path silicon. Best, John
Yes, that's how Cees Ruijtenberg and Leonid Burchev explained the basic concept to me as well. SrajanYes, the basic idea for multi-path DAC topology has been around since the early 1980s, starting with Japan Victor (1981) and NEC. We discuss this in the very first section of the FAQ. But we've taken it to the next level. Which is why we've received multiple international patents. This is new. I would say revolutionary. Decades of prior multi-path art has delivered some improvement in path THD but not noise. We've achieved both. HDR-A architecture represents a two order of magnitude improvement in the most important audio parameters. Compare with today's best DAC performance: 135dB x 175dB linearity; 135dB x 175dB dynamic range (22 bits x 28 bits); -115dBu x -146dBu self noise; unlimited headroom and zero ISOs x limited headroom and ISOs. Thanks for listening. Conversations like these help to clarify our message going forward. We'll be making a formal "hello world" announcement when our primary dealer Sweetwater goes live with the D-1, probably end of October. I'll keep you in the loop. John
So Srajan, I heard your latest Darko podcast and was curious whether with October 1 behind us, has your Spotify Premium subscription turned on LossLess yet? Chip
It's October 2nd here in Western Ireland and indeed, I just saw the option appear in my 'Settings' menu so as of today, my account has activated the LossLess option. I now have it live on both of my music iMac in the listening lounge and Win11/64 workstation of my office. Qobuz still sounds better to me because it routes through Audirvana Studio's optimizer protocol whilst Spotify bypasses it to play straight through as iTubes used to back when. Srajan
Srajan, did you see the Stereophile announcement that mbl was acquired by a Chinese luxury group which specializes in jewelry production but also oversees an audio division of import brands? I quote, "Chow Tai Seng, whose core business is fine jewelry designed, manufactured and sold under its own brand, ranks among the world's top 100 luxury-goods companies, with about 4200 employees and more than 4700 stores across China, according to the announcement. The group also owns United Audio, a distributor of high-end audio brands (including several German manufacturers) in the Chinese market. With MBL, the group adds its first in-house audio manufacturer." Another day, another established Western brand in Chinese hands. What's going on? James
Oversaturated markets and economic instabilities would seem to be merely two of many more factors as to why so many makers of costly hifi are no longer privately owned but operated by investment funds or luxury-goods conglomerates. The current Trumpian tariffs certainly aren't helping any brands whose US imports account for a high portion of their annual turnover. The latest closure news was about Auralic ceasing operations. Reading about audio on sites like mine is one thing. Spending money on it, in the large consistent numbers required to keep all the players on the board, is quite another. That's about all the obviousness I can contribute on the subject. I lack the business education to understand it better. All I can do is maintain an information resource which hopefully keeps the brands that work with us on the radar of prospective buyers. But what happens beyond reading us I have neither control over nor knowledge of. Let's face it, fine audio and the leisure to indulge playback are luxuries. When times get tough, luxuries fall by the wayside for those most affected. I dare say that the number of people experiencing hardships of various sorts around the globe is increasing not decreasing. Srajan
Hello Srajan, my Chinese distributor has read the review and likes it a lot! He wonders if the DA 256 qualifies for one of your 6moons awards. He would love to be able to use that in his marketing material. Børge
I'm glad that he enjoyed it and bet that he would love an award for his promotional efforts. I've been asked that before. It's just not open to requests. The performance with an aftermarket power supply in lieu of basic USB power being such a step up which isn't included to become another transaction for the buyer simply decided against it. As such the review must stand on its own, as is. Seeing how he already liked that a lot, this shouldn't be a problem. Srajan
Hi Srajan, hope you are doing well. I happened to hear Bang & Olufsen's Beolab 8 earlier in the week on a work trip to Bucharest (picked up a pair of Meze headphones!). Well, I was shocked by how great they sound especially given their size and very attractive cabinet. I wasn't listening critically and it was brief but really exhilarating. Very curious if you've heard them. Warm regards from Paris, Mike
No, B&O and us never collaborated yet and once we left Switzerland, there were no B&O stores anywhere so I haven’t heard the Beolab 8 or any other B&O in ages. I think because of their industrial design and eco system, the brand keeps flying below the audiophile radar under the curse 'lifestyle hifi'. Yet they have an incredible engineering department and enviable manufacturing skills so I'm happy to hear that you took a listen and came away impressed. Srajan
Dear Srajan, from your SV-Audio review I know that you were born in Flensburg right on the Baltic Sea so thought I'd make a book recommendation. It's Mare Balticum from the Delius Klasing publishing house, an incredible photo essay of this sea's expanse from a sailor's perspective. It's truly spectacular photography accompanied by intelligent commentary. I think you would enjoy it. Consider it my thank-you tip for years of intelligent audio commentary. Alles Gute, Horst
Believe it or not, I have that one. My sister was one of its two editors and she gifted me a copy. Whilst the middle siblings both ended up in German opera houses as French horn players, my younger sister ended up in publishing even though her formal education is a PhD in architectural botany. She thus worked mostly on specialty books to do with plants, woodlands and such because they require not just editing for language but in-depth fact checking where you really need to know minutiae. This book has some of those nature elements so she got involved. Of late she's even branched out into editing crime novels as work that's much easier to land. She just finished her first one and is already on the second title. But you're perfectly right, Mare Balticum is a gorgeous coffee-table book and about an area I grew up in though I'd left home long before my dad bought a sailboat which he and my mom took up to Denkmark and Norway many times. They in fact recognized many of the places this book visits because they'd been there themselves; by boat. Vielen Dank, Srajan
Srajan, I guess you could call me a Kinki-phile as I admire the Sino crew for their affordable quality. I am intrigued with Dazzle, the latest Vinshine-Kinki incarnation to hit a global audience. From a quick view of its backplate, my guess is that Dazzle outdoes the Kinki EX-M1 by featuring 5 channels so ready for both surround and stereo duties. My guess is that those seeking just exceptional stereo performance might opt for the M1 but perhaps there are enhancements to Dazzle that might make it even better in stereo reproduction than the M1? Looking forward to the launch! Cheers, Michael
Your view was too quick. To be a 5-channel machine would require 5 pairs of binding posts and five gain channels. This has two like any other stereo machine. Kinki simply name their inputs channels so input one equals channel one and so forth. From my read of it, this is their next-level integrated and in pure power-amp mode could even upscale the EX-M1 stereo amp but that remains to be seen. If I get one to review, I will certainly compare it to both my Kinki mono and stereo amps. Srajan
PS: A review has now formally booked. With the launch date at the Singapore International Sound & Sight Exhibition October 17th-19th, I don't know how soon afterwards a sample might become available. So being patient is probably advisable.
Srajan, at the risk of being too much of an abashed Lumin fan, I offer the following suggestion to Frédéric when he reviews the Lumin U2x: front end the device with Lumin's L2 library/switch. It's a game changer in my estimation and I'll bet the Lumin distributor would only be too glad to accommodate. There are three distinct L2 advantages: 1) library music access is extraordinarily quick and better sonically than, say, Qobuz streaming which is still quite excellent; 2) the four ports (two fiber and two RJ45) benefit from a dedicated low-jitter oscillator for Ethernet reclocking which sends a cleaner signal to the DAC; and 3) using a fiber connection into the L2 and then fiber to the U2x ensures optimum galvanically isolated connections, with the remaining two RJ45 connections further benefiting by operating within a controlled ecosystem. For instance, Frédéric could then connect a Roon endpoint via RJ45. The only problem with this setup is being inherently biased. Most people will want a review of the U2x in a typical setup. Trust me though, it would be revelatory. Okay, I'll stop here because as I have sometimes done in emails to you, I've not only been repetitive but gushed. Apologies in advance. Cheers, Michael
Eat shit? I had to laugh when I read your comment about Spotify equating 320kbps with "very high" playback resolution. They're way behind the curve about offering CD quality and as you hinted at, their artist compensation is some of the worst in the streaming sector. But I agree with you on their user interface. I just wonder whether it's too little too late when Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz all got there years before Spotify. By the way, your color choice for the thumbnail, green on yellow, seems to have been another hint? Thanks for telling it as it is, Srajan. Emil
Actually, green on yellow was to visualize the low contrast of low resolution but now that you tie it in with the other statement... I guess that colour choice is double-tasking nicely indeed. Good one, Emil. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I saw your previews for the Qualio IQ30 and Cube Audio Monet speakers. It's lovely to see both brands introduce new models. I noticed that your narratives mention Marek no longer Grzegorz whose name I've instead seen in your Virtual Hifi articles. I take it that he is no longer involved with Cube and Qualio? For years I associated him as the frontman for both. All the best, Ryan
Grzegorz just mentioned working on things for both brands so the current focus on Marek could be specific to these two assignments which Greg wasn't involved with. He made this clear beforehand to insure that proper credit went solely to Marek for the design work on the IQ30 and Monet. I don't know the exact division of labour between them. I just follow their instructions on how to present authorship. Srajan
Hello Srajan, now I see that this story has developed a new branch with your latest update on Marek's new venture. From your wording it seems that now both he and Greg will have their own outlets to pursue very personal visions while their two collaborative brands continue on simultaneously. Am I reading this correctly? If so, what was two became four and we're all benefiting. Very cool. RyanYou're reading it exactly as I understand it, Ryan. We might perhaps say that both Cube and Qualio are set in their ways by how the existing line-ups define the brands and customer expectations. We'd not expect horns at Cube or sealed boxes at Qualio for example. If Greg or Marek have ideas that blow up the set ways of Cube and Qualio, it makes perfect sense to create new outlets that support these new ideas without conflicting with models of the other two brands. Srajan
Mornin' Srajan, I'm attaching an email from David Chesky that addresses an interesting topic: linear- vs minimum-phase filters in music playback. David says this: "This became viscerally apparent to me recently in the studio while comparing linear-phase equalizers to minimum-phase EQs. Set to identical filter shapes, the sonic difference was striking. Linear-phase filters preserve phase relationships across the spectrum but introduce pre-ringing artifacts — a kind of temporal smear that occurs before the transient. Minimum-phase filters, by contrast, do all their damage after the transient, creating post-ringing that, while technically less 'accurate,' can feel more musically natural to the ear. The ear can hear this ringing — not as an overt tone, but as a kind of blur, a clouding of the leading edge of a note, an inability to localize or feel immediacy. And this is just from a software filter. Now imagine the cumulative effect of every physical object in the playback chain doing its own version of ringing, from capacitors to cables, from enclosures to air gaps." Interestingly, as a multiple Lumin device owner (X1 and L2), a Lumin representative says that the company employs a linear-phase filter in its playback design. As a side note, the QRONO d2a filter from MQA Labs, now offered as an option by Lumin, employs a minimum-phase filter. So, my question: do you have an opinion on the use of said filters, or, as with many things in audio, do you just trust your ears as to the choice? All best, Michael
In nature there is no pre-ringing. A sound doesn’t announce itself beforehand. It happens when it does, instantaneous. So pre-ringing is unnatural. Post ringing is not only perfectly natural, it's a redundant term. Ringing always implies a trigger of which ringing is the result like the strike of the undamped bell creates the ringing. The trigger comes first, ringing happens after. So in my book, post ringing is preferable because it's natural. Cause then effect, not effect first. Srajan
Comme d'habitude, your point makes perfect sense. I am going to double back with Lumin to understand why the company prefers a linear phase filter, which according to Chesky, introduces pre-ringing. Maybe it's time I more critically compare the Lumin-favored linear phase filter with the minimum phase filter employed by QRONO d2a. Michael
Theory and practice. Particularly in digital they can measure things which we may or may not be able to hear. Since digital sits at the very beginning, there’s plenty of room downstream to obscure, shift, filter or otherwise modify the signal. For example, if our speakers suffer phase shift (most of them do) which is a time-domain error, won’t that be a coarser error than digital pre-ringing? Certain theoretical ideals might win out if our system resolution is very high and time correct but could very well not matter in most real-world conditions. In the end, we listen for enjoyment, not to conform with ideals. If we enjoy our sound, we’re already home-free. It’s when we don’t that we get curious as to why not and what we might fix to get more satisfaction. Srajan
Srajan, your follow-on response reminded me of a putative key attribute of my Vivid Audio B1 Decade speakers: timing. Thus, could any negative effects of pre-ringing sort themselves out in the downstream presentation, as you suggest? Here is a report on the speaker's timing elegance from HIFI+:"Its key attribute is the one that I hold in highest esteem: timing. It sounds so right in this respect that I was bowled over and had to listen to all of Kurt Vile’s ‘Pretty Pimpin’ [b’lieve I’m goin down… Matador] – in fact, just writing this makes me want to repeat the experience, it was that compelling. You can make a speaker that ‘times’ well with a single driver in a simple wooden box, but it won’t be as effortlessly revealing, as low in perceived distortion, and not nearly as evenly balanced in tonal terms as this. Several more tracks later, I was reminded that you can normally hear what a speaker is made of; cone and dome materials in particular have distinct characteristics as do many cabinet materials. Here… nada! Absolutely no hint of metal, no emphasis on cymbals or electric guitars, and no sign of cabinet resonance. Instead you hear huge differences in recordings because the tonal character of each voice and instrument is presented without the ‘little and often’ harmonious colorations that most speakers add. And, as mentioned, timing is spot on, and this applies right down to the lowest notes."
Well, as you rightly point out, in the end it's the enjoyment of sound that matters the most. But I have to admit, trying little tweaks such as employment of various filters does contribute to that enjoyment factor! Thanks for the conversation. All best, Michael
You can’t correct errors in time in the analog domain. That would require time travel. You can correct for time delays in the digital domain, for example where speaker alignment and placement are concerned. So if a tweeter was slightly forward/early because its baffle placement put its acoustic center closer to the seat than the woofer, a digital crossover could delay the tweeter by just the right amount so the time arrival at the ear is coincident. But you can’t correct digital pre-ringing downstream in the analog domain. It's now embedded in the signal. My argument was the opposite. I argued that grosser time domain errors in loudspeakers might make digital pre/post-ringing differences inaudible because the speaker errors far outweigh the digital errors. By that logic, a time-correct speaker driven by electronics without phase shift should introduce fewer time errors, ergo what happens in the digital domain in the time domain might actually be audible. Srajan
I had to think a bit more about what you wrote; thanks for correcting me about correcting errors in time! I did some more digging about pre-ringing caused by Lumin's use of a linear phase filter and discovered: 1/ With modern very-long filters running at high sample rates, pre-ringing amplitude is extremely low. 2/ Above 96 kHz or in DSD mode the time offset is so small that it’s typically below audibility. 3/ Many listeners actually prefer the greater phase accuracy of linear phase filters to the warmer but phase-shifted minimum-phase filters. In addition to the above, if I use Roon, which I do occasionally vs. Qobuz Connect/Lumin app, I upsample everything to DSD 128. Apparently by doing so, I further minimize any issues. Whew! Thanks, Michael
As David Chesky pointed out, there are many opportunities in the playback chain and before it, in the recording chain, for time errors to slip in. Passive crossover components ring. Coupling capacitors incur time delay. If we focus on eliminating just one culprit, it may be insufficient to make audible improvements down a chain which is still inherently time confused. So my thinking is that if we're more time than amplitude-triggered listeners, we can't just stop at one time-error contributor like digital pre-ringing but we might want to add wide-bandwidth direct-coupled amplifiers, widebanders without 1-3kHz crossover, active not passive crossovers, cables that don't add their own fuzziness, directional bass to minimize room-mode ringing, active bass traps etc. In short, we might need to apply a holistic not partial view on the topic of time and address as many of its contributors as possible to make enough of a dent? It's certainly how I've approached building my most recent systems guided by Raal 1995's Immanis headphone which because of its openly vented ribbons suffers no phase shift, energy storage or cavity resonance. It's a good example for a transducer not bedevilled by common timing issues. It's why I think that exposure to summit HeadFi is key even for speaker listeners to know what's possible and then apply that insight to their speaker selection, setup etc. One needn't end up becoming a headphone freak to benefit from such exposure. Srajan
Srajan, I now see your end game: the holistic audio system. I am part way there with my Kinki wide-bandwidth direct-coupled amp and complementary Earth loom. I guess I could include my cable risers to avoid minute vibrations from infecting my speaker cables and various IsoAcoustics vibration isolators on my audio devices. At any rate, thanks for the illuminating discussion. Michael
The word 'system' and 'holistic' are virtually interchangeable when we think about it more. In a system, everything interacts with everything else. System means interconnectedness after all. That's what makes it into a system not an arbitrary crowd. Whilst we might think we're just changing one thing, we in fact always nip and tuck on what's already there. So the only difference is to apply intention and awareness. Do we do this thing haphazardly like, let's see what happens, or do we have some sort of vision that charts a path we can follow? Regardless, the arbiter whether we're making progress or not is completely personal. Are we getting the 'aha' experience more often or not? There clearly is no one-size-pleases-all formula. Just because I'm a bit more focused on timing doesn't at all imply someone else shouldn't instead concentrate on scale, dynamics, imaging, timbre, textures - whatever triggers them most. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I just finished working my way through your expanding preview section. You have lots of exciting things coming up. Like you I'm curious to find out whether Canor's new class AB integrated employs a switch-mode power supply or has figured out an ultra-compact solution to go linear. The Henry Audio DAC looks interesting exactly because it's so minimalist and apparently basic on the inside while its designer clearly has a very serious engineering background well outside audio. The over-the-top Cobra speaker promises to become a real assault at the state of the art for its size. Thank the heavens for extremists like Greg. Your mystery post is fascinating and I can't wait to find out what the brand is. The biggest mindbender for me is Boenicke's new wooden nut. Without the brand tie-in I would honestly write it off as too kooky. But I looked at his website and found it there exactly as you describe it. Having heard Boenicke speakers at numerous shows, I can't simply discredit the concept but am still very hard pressed to accept the quoted promise of 15-20% soundstage improvement particularly in height. How would that even be possible? I appreciate your willingness to investigate things at the fringes. I can see how if your friend John Darko did this against his YouTube comments section, such a review would set off a real shitstorm. You isolate yourself behind the email wall and only publish civil comments so have figured out a way to do it. Still, do you have to delete a lot of emails when you publish reviews of such fringe items? In any event, I just wanted to send a quick thanks for entertaining reviews posted and forthcoming. Keep up the good works. Thomas
I'm glad you enjoy our wild mix, Thomas. And yes, YouTube comments recommend against covering certain products if one doesn't want to police the comments to weed out the obnoxicators. It's likewise true that my email wall prevents shitstorms from dumping on this site. What might get triggered elsewhere isn't my concern. These days it's exceedingly rare for miscreants to bother sending me off-colour emails when I won't reply, delete their emails and blacklist them. Pretty much everyone who makes the effort to contact me by email is civil even if they disagree with or question me. I'm also not working to an algorithm and making quota to maintain ranking. It gives me freedom to review what I find interesting, not worry about how the algorithm might downgrade me if some articles are far less popular than others. Srajan
Srajan, I just noted that you added a thumbnail for the Nur headphones to be done by Simone. I've heard really good things about it and can't wait to read what he will have to say about. Any idea what amplifiers he will use to run it with? Francesco
Simone owns the Riviera Audio Labs headphone amplifier so that'll be his benchmark. He's also booked to test the SAEQ Astraeus and Solaja Master 300b amps and made arrangements to schedule his Harmonia loaners such that he's authorized to use it also in those two amp reviews so I can answer your question with three specific models. Just be mindful that unlike my full-time reviewing, Simone runs a regular day job. Having only weekends for reviews, he gets to take more time - up to three months if necessary. The Nur gig just came about so you'll have to be a bit patient. But I've now published a short teaser which clarifies your ancillary question for all. Srajan
Hi Srajan, in your latest Henry Audio review, you snuck in this little diversion: "On the schematic's second page is a marker for "Boenicke Version control". Bored hifi gumshoes might see a path to Sven's AIO? That includes the world's first true down-pitching 432Hz mode by running a custom clock at marginally lower speed though standard 440Hz tuning is also available." I checked out Boenicke's site for a closer look at this AIO and it really looks super interesting what with being configurable four different ways and having unique features. Any plans to review it yet? Especially the 432Hz tuning sounds really different to warrant a deeper dive. Thank you, Carsten
With Dawid Grzyb owning two pairs of Boenicke speakers, Boenicke cables and Boenicke power delivery product, I think that he would make a rare super-ideal candidate for a nearly front-to-back Boenicke system review so if the offer were made to us to test the AIO, it should go to my Warsaw contributor. I'm sure he'd be keen to accept. He's currently primed to test the Basel Acoustics V-01 which is a bona fide Sven Boenicke design for a Polish brand. Perhaps Piotr who owns the brand and Sven will decide to furnish Dawid with an AIO for the occasion? All of that is between them and Dawid. I just work here. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I see that you are working up two LAN filters, one active and one passive. Presumably you will have a chance to compare them side by side? I must admit that the whole LAN filter things still confounds me a bit but I am open to reading your findings. You also have the iFi Ethernet switch on the books which adds yet another wrinkle so perhaps that too could become a direct comparator. I am just trying to learn what may be coming down the pike. ATB, Terry
The goddess of timing and synchronicity will have to smile on those A/B if they're to happen. The Akiko review isn't planned to publish until November so there's no need for them to ship me a loaner now. The Stack should get here momentarily, the iFi depends on their tech support's schedule to defeat WiFi with a firmware rewrite. In short, no formal side-by-side comparisons between these three devices are planned or implied. But as always, whatever happens to be on hand is fair game. We'll just have to see which way the various comings and goings shake out. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I see that Greg over at Virtual inspired you to go after the Topping amps. I applaud you for giving them a whirl because the brand's popularity over at ASR has nearly made them an automatic no-go with serious audiophiles. I appreciate that the perfect amp doesn't exist and your extro paragraph in the B200 review reiterated that point. I couldn't see these on the Voxativ Hagen² either for just a recent example of a speaker you reviewed. That said, how would you rate them against your bigger Kinki amps for example? I understand that you got them for the desktop but I'm sure that you have already tried them in your other systems to have a sense. In which case I'd love to know your thoughts. Best regards, Jamie
I actually haven't. The B200 have usurped my desktop and not left since. I suspect that with their greater low-Ω muscle, the Kinki amps have butcher bass control and are probably even more extended on top which on a premium tweeter might pay dividends. But the Kinki amps wouldn't slot on the low shelf beneath my computer monitor so that's academic. And because I purchased these amps as Joe Private from a retailer for my own use, I reserve the right to not formally review them beyond what I already did. Anyone who wants to know more should do as I did: take a punt and if they don't work out, return them within 30 days. Srajan
Srajan, I see that Simone is lined up to review more Serbian amplifiers after he's already done Trafomatic and Auris. Do you have a sense yet when the Solaja and SAEQ reviews might drop? They look like interesting products aiming at both speaker and headphone listeners. Thank you, Marek
As it happens, both makers have let us know that their sample's shipment is imminent if it hasn't occurred already. Simone would have the exact details. I just saw the waybills. Unlike I who reviews full time for a living, Simone runs a regular day job and reviews on the side and on the weekends. So he's allowed up to three months for a review. He may not need it so could be faster but I'd say, November/December should be the likely timeframe for these. Srajan
Srajan, I came across your feature about a forthcoming high-pass filter for the Voxativ Hagen². Looking at the breadboarded prototype, those are some massive parts. It looks like Frau Adler is going all out. I already read about how that Viper monitor uses a 200µF Mundorf cap instead which takes up rather less space. Either way it's interesting that widebander purists are starting to lean this way. I'd be quite curious to hear what you think about the Voxativ implementation when it's done. Cheers, Heinrich
I very much doubt Marie would go through the trouble and send me another pair with the high-pass option. Ditto Dawid. We both already said all we had to say on the subject and going for seconds would seem greedy. I think it rather more likely that a new reviewer like perhaps Herb Reichert would take on Alberich² with that new feature. That's me guessing of course but if I were you, I'd not expect another Hagen² feature on 6moons. As to her parts, agreed. It's always been explained to me that the reason not more 2-way speakers do this is the size and cost of the necessary filter parts. The lower we move the high pass, the bigger they get. With Voxativ at the luxury end of the scale and many of her clients likely purists, I can appreciate why Marie would pursue a no-compromise solution with elite beefy parts. Another option would be an active line-level crossover in a box inserted just before the speaker amplifier. That wouldn't need such hulking parts. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I hope you are keeping well. I just wanted to let you know that I am still waiting to find out if the firmware update for the Omni USB regarding the disablement of WiFi has been completed. I hope to hear in the next few days. Also, my team loved the article you published on the Omni Lan. There was just one thing that we wouldn't mind if you could change. The iFi audio & SilentPower brands are both UK born, based and managed, not China. I hope that is okay? Many thanks, Karina
Hello Karina, thank you. The article you referenced is of course the preview which, once a sample arrives, will get completed into a full review with performance commentary. I do understand that iFi and SilentPower are UK managed and headquartered and mention that specifically in the text. But isn't it the case that manufacture happens in China? As such, country of origin wouldn't be the UK. If I'm mistaken, just let me know. Otherwise a company can't benefit from the cheap labor advantages of offshore production then pretend that they aren't and instead claim UK labor and assembly. See what I mean? If you are indeed manufacturing the Omni USB in Great Britain, simply confirm and I'll happily make the requested adjustment for the country-of-origin flag. If you're instead warehousing in the UK and handling order fulfilment but product arrives en masse from overseas fully assembled and packaged, I couldn't. How I define and apply country of origin is about where a product is physically made, not where it is designed or marketed; or where the company behind it is registered. But again, if I'm misinformed I'll of course make the requested change. We do like to get our facts correct. Srajan
Hi Srajan, thank you for clarifying and apologies, I think they may have just misunderstood it a little. KarinaNo problem. I can see how your British owners might misunderstand a Chinese flag. The underlying transparency is becoming important in many other industries. too. If Chevrolet for example brings in an entry-level car model from Kia in South Korea because US labour couldn't produce it at the intended sell price, buyers want to know that whilst it's badged American, it's actually not made there. Country of origin declarations are becoming very specific as to where various parts and subassemblies are sourced and what the overall percentage has to be before a product can be legally called 'made in Switzerland' for example. On your own iFi iDSD Pro Signature, it thus correctly reads "Technology licensed from AMR Audio, UK, assembled in China". Srajan
Mornin' Srajan, thanks for the review of the Topping monos. Any thoughts on how they compare sonically to the LAiV monos that you recently reviewed? The build quality and bling surely rest with the Weng Fai creations but does the GaNM circuitry also push it higher on the SQ scale? Michael
To me the GaN sound more like class A amps so are a bit voluptuous and midrange thick. The Topping lack that voicing yet in my context don't sound sterile, mechanical or flat at all. It's why I'm keeping them for the desktop whose hardware context suits their qualities of exceptional resolution and control yet remains beautifully capable of flow. Had this been a regular review not report on a personal purchase, I'd have tried out more contexts for a broader view. My narrow view doesn't know how universal the Topping might be compared to the GaNM which for sure are all-purpose amps. I can only tell you that sonically, the Laiv wouldn't have suited my nearfield system hence I never considered them, never mind that their size wouldn't have fit. Srajan
Srajan, I just read Dawid's latest Voxativ review in which he mentions getting the samples directly from you in Ireland. That had me wonder about the process involved. Wouldn't it normally be better if review loaners returned to the factory between reviews to insure that the packaging and finish are still in top shape to make the intended impression with the next recipient? In other words, is it normal for manufacturers to just entrust reviewers with forwarding everything exactly as received? Doesn't that take an unnecessary risk which could backfire? I'm just asking to understand the protocol involved. Nice review by Dawid by the way. Thom
I've never been asked that but it is in fact an observant thoughtful question. When I was still on the manufacturing side of things hence in charge of organizing and managing hifi reviews for the brands I worked for, it never occurred to me not to retrieve samples before dispatching them again. As you pointed out, we can only make the intended first impression once. We have no idea how good a reviewer took care of an item and repackaging it properly, whether the shipping cartons remain fit for purpose or need a refresh, whether all accessories and marketing material were retained and repacked. However, if a manufacturer has first-rate packaging materials and trusts a particular reviewer to be meticulous, it can save obvious time and money to just let a traveling sample make its rounds unchaperoned. For example, if a small speaker like a Boenicke W5 ships in a thick draw-string felt sleeve which itself cradles in custom-cut foam, it is very easy to repack such that the next recipient has a good unboxing experience. And the speaker being solid wood should look ace unless the reviewer scratched it which proper protocol mandates he'd inform the manufacturer about. If on the other hand a high-gloss speaker in questionable packaging comes wrapped in protective cling film which won't survive the unpacking and no extra roll of film is included, the next receiver could be greeted by dirty product with fingerprints all over it and condensation on it without the cling film. This next reviewer won't know that this is not how the product normally leaves the factory so their writeup might include some delivery criticisms which, whilst warranted according to their experience, are actually not representational. So yes, I consider it a very real risk. I've of course worked with Voxativ before and more than once so Marie clearly felt comfortable on the risk score. SV-Audio too just organized for their Gro speakers to forward to HifiPig in France rather than bounce back to Denmark first. Whilst I'd never worked with SV-Audio before, they extended me the same trust. Hopefully Linette Smith will find it warranted when she unpacks that palletized crate. In conclusion, in my experience return to the factory is the norm but exceptions do exist. The most common exceptions are for products coming to me from outside the EU to incur import/VAT fees. Once those are settled by the shipper, it's quite common to leave the product in the EU so have it go to other reviewers stationed there. Many of my Laiv loaners for example moved on to Hifi-Advice in The Netherlands. The product is smaller and exceptionally well packaged to make subsequent unboxing impressions representational of the first. My last Cen.Grand loaners moved on to an importer in Belgium so again stayed in Europe to amortize the considerable import fees they incurred when arriving in Ireland from China. For the incoming Solaja Master 300b from Serbia, the sender has executed complex temporary importation papers to avoid EU VAT. But that obliges him to retrieve the product after the permitted time period so it leaves the EU again. Srajan
HI Srajan, I see that you're getting acquainted with Topping and their mono amps and reference Amir and his earlier review on AudioScienceReview.com. I'm sure that you're aware that his site doesn't believe in subjective reviews so unless you want to get skewered, I suggest you might be better off not referencing him and his forum at all. These people can get very offensive very quickly and I would hate for you to get embroiled in one of their campaigns. That said, I'm very curious what you will report on the sound of the B200 monos. All the best, Cary
I don't see why linking to Amir's review would get me skewered. When I looked up B200 opinions, I watched his video and reference some of its measurements so it's only proper that I credit the source. He should appreciate the professional courtesy of a hot link to it. Whatever my personal opinion will be and whether I'll keep the amps or ask for a refund will have nothing to do with his measurements. I don't rely on measurements for my opinions. So I don't see any room for conflict especially when he hasn't made any sonic comments, only that he recommends the amps based on their measured performance and on that score rates them the best he's tested yet. I'm certain Amir is as secure in his test findings as I'll be about my response to something I spent my money on. Just because I approach things from a subjective listening angle while he prefers hard measurements doesn't imply inherent conflict. It's two different approaches and each would seem to have its audience. Why does everything have to get so polarized these days? I took from Amir's review what I found useful like the actual power figures whilst walking away having no idea what the amps will sound like because I can't make that correlation based on just measurements. But that doesn't diminish the fact that I found the power specs useful in making my decision. So we all pull out bits from things that speak to us and disregard others bits from the same things which do not. Again, I see no conflict or cause for concern but appreciate the sentiment. Srajan
I was referring to your critical comments about reviews without any sonic commentary at all which is precisely what he does. That's the part I'm afraid he will take offense to. Cary
That's possible. In my view, a review entails using the product as its buyer would. If I review a car, I must drive it before I can review it. If I review audio, I must listen to it before I can describe it. I must also try out all of its features to report on how well they work and if there are any issues. So in that regard you'd be correct that I don't consider Amir's B200 video a review at all. I would call it a test score or lab report card instead to distinguish from what is conventionally understood by reviews. A report card has its own utility particularly for fellow lab experts just like a chemical analysis would have for a health and safety inspector of a restaurant. It's simply different from the utility of a foodie reviewer who actually ate the food and commented on its presentation, flavours and skill of the execution. Both the lab report and consumer review are useful. But they're certainly not the same. They aim at very different users. I don't think Amir would disagree with that statement even though he does call his site AudioScienceReview. Reviews. Lab reports. Distortion scores. It all has its place, don't you think? Srajan
Dear Srajan, "Oh dear, I'll have to contradict Srajan's findings some other time." That was very cute. Seriously though, it must feel good to be validated by a colleague especially when the subject matter is quite obscure? Good work there between you and Dawid! I bet Marie Adler at Voxativ is thrilled to bits, too! Peter
Therein lies the rub. Many brands getting a glowing review might opt to leave good enough alone. After all, what are the chances of lightning striking twice? Even if the second review remains complimentary, if its tenor is even slightly lower-pitched, it could steal shine from the first. Voxativ embraced that risk and lucked out that in his very own words and sentiments, Dawid essentially wrote the same review. Obviously both of us were very well matched to the subject matter. We are familiar and openly fond of it. He simply was new to the RiPol aspect. Still, with conditional subjectivity being the currency of what we do, you can never predict how a review will turn out until it's done. That said, yes it does feel good to finally see in these pages that the RiPol and active bass principles got some extra wind in their sails. I would hate for my site to become an echo chamber. Being that I am the primary contributor, that's already hard to combat. It's why I like having second opinions when the opportunities arise. One of these days they might diverge more. But if something is truly outstanding, it should translate no matter personal taste or setup. And Alberich²'s concept and execution did that. Srajan
John picked a DSP/streaming active speaker with smart subwoofer integration for two outboard subs. It's not something he could own now and still review separates so he must postpone until he stops reviewing. I already have exactly what I want so if I retired tomorrow, I'd make no changes. If a smaller house enforced changes, I'd downsize within my existing hardware and divest myself of what I don't need. As the death of Ivette earlier this year showed, it can all be over just like that. So I'd rather not wait on retirement but be with the hifi I love and love the hifi I'm with; now. Srajan
Hi Srajan, a friend asked me for some advice. Not knowing what to tell him I suggested that he contact you, but he only speaks Italian so I told him I would do it. This is his present setup: Cessaro Chopin hornspeakers 98.5dB efficiency, Sarath Don Dissanayake's Kama Sutra preamp and Klimo Beltaine 7-watt monoblocks. He wants to change his amplifier. He's looking for tube amplifiers either mono or stereo that can produce from 15 to 20 watts of power. Do you have any suggestions for him? Peter
Hello Peter, I don't know any of his gear except, at best, by name. Salvo Giardina at Audiopointe Italia represents Cessaro and Klimo or at least did. I've been out of tube amps in a very long time. The best I can offer is that in Sicily your friend has a very credible valve electronics specialist: https://www.tektron-italia.com/en/home. He could probably set up a visit to audition some of their amplifiers there; and they'd speak the same language. And Salvo of course also lives in Catania so perhaps that brand really makes the best starting point for his Cessaro horns. Srajan
Srajan, in addition to accessibility for Amazon Music Unlimited, the recent Lumin firmware offered an under-the-radar filter: the cryptically named QRONO d2a, which sounds like a robot from a 1950s SciFi film. Developed by MQA Labs (now part of Lenbrook Media Group after its purchase of the assets of MQA Ltd.), QRONO d2a applies tailored filters and noise shaping during playback to allegedly reduce timing errors (time smear or ringing) in D/A conversion, leading to what Lenbrook says is clearer, more lifelike sound with improved microdynamics and stereo imaging. It works on any digital audio source, making even standard PCM files supposedly benefit from enhanced playback fidelity. As of Lumin Firmware 20 update, certain Lumin models including my X1, now offer optional QRONO d2a processing for playback via their analog outputs. I tried the filter and really couldn't tell a difference. The only other adoption of the filter which I am aware is via Lenbrook's Bluesound Node Icon. My guess is that in the interest of wider adoption, they offered it to Lumin. My guess is that the filter will be used almost exclusively in Lenbrook's roster of products but won't make the mainstream. Michael
I didn't know that. Thanks for filling me in. SrajanHi Srajan, your two most recent speaker reviews of the Voxativ and Virtual Hifi monitors read equally inspired and sound like outstanding finds in their categories. You can probably already sense what I'm going to ask next. If you could have only one of the two, which would it be? Your sonic descriptions of them are very precise and clearly dissimilar from each other to have me curious, if you were to live with one of them over the long term, which would have your vote? Thanks for the constant stream of entertaining reading about the less canvassed areas of hifi you keep putting out every month. It's really appreciated. Ken
You're right, these are both equally outstanding and for different reasons. Being smaller, less costly and complete without a subwoofer or 'special' amplification but instead deliberately groomed for budget class D, I would have to say the Viper. My upbringing wasn't posh so by nature, I still feel more drawn to less expensive solutions even if at this stage of my life, I could actually afford something costlier if I really wanted to. I also prefer the textured sculpted finishing on the Viper to the high-gloss lacquer on the Alberich². That it even works on my desktop where the Voxativ stack wouldn't makes for an extra bonus. The same goes for not wanting or needing a valve amp or something in transistors voiced to emulate tubes. Viper is a truly no fuss no muss solution whose looks I really fancy on top of it. But that takes nothing away from the Voxativ. In fact, if I'm reading those tea leaves correctly, my man in Warsaw is readying his own Alberich² review and apparently duly impressed himself. In which case there's some more Voxativ love inbound shortly. I'm particularly curious how Dawid will describe and respond to RiPol bass. He's not heard it for himself until now and whilst I've been singing its praises for years on end now, it's high time to have other voices and opinions on the matter. So stay tuned. Srajan
Baby killer? If I may ask, which product was it? For years I’ve been reading pretty much all you write and honestly have no clue. Would be interesting to read that review again. Cheers, Dawid
I deliberately obfuscated that product's ID. Let's leave it at that. I certainly don't want to add insult to injury. That feature's point wasn't to become a gawker's traffic accident but to impress upon manufacturers to communicate if anything seems off or prone to be misunderstood. Why such a reminder should be necessary in the first place completely beats me but this experience did indicate that I should make it regardless. So I did. That's it. Srajan
Hello Srajan, I've been following your very exciting ride on that 3D-printed Polish speaker you mentioned in a Darko podcast. I just caught up with the latest updates on your first listening impressions of it. I can't wait for the rest. It really sounds special. In what is already there I saw your reference about a Frida monitor pointing at your preview section so I went looking for it to learn more but can't find it. I'm curious what three times the money would buy from another speaker house. Thanks, Charles
I had to take the Frida preview down because the company just notified me that for the remainder of the year, they decided to not schedule any more reviews for it. Even though I was asked to review it, twice in fact, they now want to focus their resources elsewhere. But Hifi Pig of course published the first Frida review so use Google for that. Thanks for reminding me that I still must change the Frida wording in the Viper piece. I'll do that right now. Thanks. Srajan
Srajan, nice little piece you did there on that rack from the company with the strange name. Just from your descriptions and photos, this must have been one of the most bang-for-buck visitations you've had yet? I share your sentiment that for most items we buy, we have no real idea of their true cost. Never mind Trump's tariffs, there's always been ship fees and import fees and multiple margin layers plus pure branding surcharges. How much does it really cost to make a pair of Levi's jeans? So point well taken on a rack of obviously Chinese origins which can be sold for €129 plus shipping and met your requirements. Like you I had never heard of this brand before but checking out their website certainly presents quite the catalogue. Thanks for making this detour into IKEA ware. I have a number of friends with kids still in school or approaching college who will want to know about this. Cheers, Greg
Definitely great value in my book. Glad to see you doubling down that this would make a fine gift for a teenager or dorm room. As I attempted to also show, it can work equally well for a high-end nutter by simply adding performance-engineered isolators. It probably won't be for the ginormous herniating kit where people want luxury materials to match, not faux-wood laminate over MDF. But if one has Arcam/Cambridge-level gear, this could be all the doctor ordered. And it's also for all the people who don't credit resonance attenuation at all and think high-end racks and mechanical isolators are bogus. Why should their kind pursue purpose-engineered performance racks or footers? As long as a shelving unit's size and looks suit, they won't need more than this. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I had seen John's news item on the cheap rack already so was surprised that you too picked up on it and even bought one. It looks very nice in your setup and clearly fits just so between your wall and rug. From your photos it looks as though gear of standard width and depth will fit without a problem and the top looks large enough for a turntable. When you tap those metal bars, do they ring? That's really my only concern. Thank you, Mads
Those metal bars are hollow not solid. If you rap them, they make a quick sound but don't ring. Don't rap them and they'll be perfectly quiet. The only significant source of vibrations entering this structure would be the floor if your speakers couple to rather than decouple from it. So the first line of 'ringing' defence is speaker isolation. If necessary, the second step is rack isolation. If still necessary perhaps for a super-fussy turntable sensitive to passing lorries shaking your building, the third step is to isolate the gear from its shelves. None of that comes with this €129 budget rack but can be easily added. I showed the example of my Swiss isolators bolted right into the rack's floor-facing threads. You pick the kind of isolator you want. Thread adapters can take care of any offset. But as my "review" clearly states, this contraption makes zero claims at audiophile engineering. It's purely functional and cosmetic. You want more, add it yourself or spend far more on an audiophile version which already includes all of that stuff. Don't apply audiophile pretensions at an IKEA-grade structure. For this sticker, that'd be asking the impossible and completely missing the boat. Srajan
Srajan, have you heard of the Acouplex material yet? It seems to be a mix of acrylic and Peek which Roy Gregory claims has excellent sonic properties. He just covered it again in a review of a power distributor. Earlier he wrote on their effect as cover plates for CH Precision gear. It sounds like something up your alley so I wanted to bring it to your attention. All the best, Ivan
I've heard of it but have no personal experience with it. The idea that AC distributors react to vibration isolation and that metal fixings can cause eddy currents isn't new of course. The Vibex filters I've used for many years exploit Krion as a building block and screws made of Peek for the same reasons. It sounds extremist on the page but if one can perform direct A/B comparisons in a well-sorted system, it's surprising what such apparently overkill addresses can do. My upstairs monitor speakers and their outboard crossovers are built with stacked layers of acrylic for the same reason. As to Acouplex as a new composite mix, it's on my radar from Roy's reviews but again, I've not made its personal acquaintance yet. Experiments with enclosure materials for upscale hifi electronics are still in their infancy. Most everyone keeps using aluminium because it's strong and machines to high standards. Some brands are waking up to the fact that non-metallic boxes perform better. Denis Morecroft of DNM Design has practiced this for nearly half a century already. LessLoss have experimented with bog oak, Panzerholz and laminated resin-impregnated Kraft paper. Our sector at large however remains uninterested. So it's good to see that the people behind Acouplex beg to differ. Srajan
Dear Srajan, I just got through your Gro review and was very surprised by your last picture of this speaker butting up all the way against the front wall of your TV room. With three rear ports, I would have expected this to be a real no-no. Then I remembered your footnote about multiple ports possibly tuning to different frequencies which at in least in theory might make for a broader less peaky boost. Do you think that's what is going on here and why this speaker's ports don't misbehave against such close boundaries? Did this seem quite unusual behavior to you, too? Thank you, Matt
That's an excellent question for which I don't have an answer yet. I'm curious myself and still hope to hear back from the brand's outside acoustic consultant who handled their crossover and tuning aspects. It's summer holiday season so he might be out of reach but I wonder the same thing. I've had completely contrary experiences with a similar speaker last year whose bass was far too boisterous. Other reviewers observed the same thing and as a result they began to package it with inserts for their multi-cell ports so listeners can close all or just some of their cells. For reasons unclear to me, the Storgaard & Vestskov speaker suffered none of it and in fact worked superbly in those locations. It's precisely why I added that photo. If I learn anything else about this bass alignment and if there is in fact something different about it that could explain its behaviour, I'll add it to that same footnote in the review. Otherwise it remains a mystery which works very well indeed and we just have to accept that it seems to defy common knowledge. Srajan
PS: This mystery bugged me so once I found a wire coat hanger amongst all my woodies, I clipped off its straight length then bent one of its ends in a right angle. Inserting that makeshift depth gauge into the three ports, I determined that the upper two are of the same length whilst the lowest one is clearly longer. So there's definitely some spread tuning at work.
Dear Srajan, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to your review. To be honest, I think I need to give it another twirl to fully grasp all the wonderfully un-Danish phrases. Thank you for such a comprehensive piece. Even though not everyone might fully grasp all of it, it comes across as raw and deeply honest. Personally I love all the comparison parts as this is something you need to have knowledge about. I do not believe AI can do it yet. Luckily for us, that honesty worked in our favor for the most part and the suggestions for improvement have already been discussed. Lastly, I hope you're still interested in covering Frida as we first talked about, at some point when the time feels right. Lærke
There's no time like the present. I'd love to do your monitor next. SrajanSrajan, according to your unfolding Viper piece, this no longer is a team effort as it was at Cube Audio and Qualio Audio even though Greg seems to have been their front man all along. Do you have any sense for how if at all this will affect new models under those two brands if Greg is now so focused on building his Virtual Hifi brand? With more coming between now and the Warsaw show which I assume will be more and probably bigger speakers given how loud and bassy he likes to play in his videos, it sounds like he's very busy just with his own show. It would be sad to see that impact the existing brands, particularly Cube. Just curious if you know anything. Frederic
I haven't asked so don't know whether the current catalogues for Cube and Qualio are locked; or whether new models are coming down the pike for them. I figure we'll find out if and when it happens. Sorry I couldn't be more specific. SrajanSrajan, I just finished your epic SV-Audio review which made for fantastic reading by the way. One question. As you describe different sources for "warmth", you speculate that two drivers covering the same bandwidth on a sloping baffle will suffer some time-alignment errors; and that perhaps the spacing itself also creates a bit less focus than a single driver as more of a point source would. At least that was my takeaway from what you wrote. If so, do you think that this designer would have been better off to put his two mid/woofers on a vertical baffle and only the tweeter on a slope? I'm just running this by you for some mental clarification on my side. Thanks, Charlie
I'm not a speaker designer so can only speculate. But if my assumption is correct and one contributor to the speaker's baked-in warmth is using two identical drivers across the same bandwidth whilst the lower one is a bit closer to the ear than the upper one... then the same assumption would say that placing both drivers at the same distance so either on a flat or concave baffle should minimize it. So you're following my line of reasoning correctly. Whether I'm right about this or not is another question entirely. Even if I'm right, it doesn't mark it as a "mistake" but far more likely, very deliberate ploy to arrive at the desired voicing. The same holds for connecting my observation of slightly softer focus to this larger compound driver creating a rather larger sound-origin area than a single 7" driver would. It could be a contributor and a sensible explanation; or not. Only the designer would know if he ran these experiments. As I wrote, at least in the Danish speaker scene Gro is quite the odd man out by not configuring its dual mid/woofers in a 2½-way array which all other domestic brands I looked into do. This clearly was a very intentional decision and I'm just speculating on how it influences what I heard. Srajan
Hey Srajan, on Mono & Stereo I saw a news post on a revised HPA-1c from Pass Labs as their latest headphone amp. I know you're a Pass fan and headphone listener so wondered whether you know anything more about this new model. It looks like the original from the outside so all the important new stuff must be on the inside. Regards, Marty
I don't have anything on that yet, sorry. But it is an exciting development! SrajanPS: I had a chance to talk with Desmond Harrington of Pass Labs today and the 'c' version has an all-new power supply designed by Wayne Coburn, their lab's resident line-level wizard. Apparently that revision has significantly lowered the noise floor and improved the sound. So I signed up to review it once it goes into production. Thanks for the tip.
Dear Srajan, I noticed in passing that you thinned out your inventory. I was off the Internet for a few months so missed the details. In case there's anything left in things you no longer need or want, would you mind sharing what you've got laying about? I might have a home for it. Thanks, Bob
Right this minute I'm pretty much cleaned out. There's the odd half-size or smaller box that doesn't really take up space to warrant parting with. When the next round of giveaways has accumulated, I'll again have notices up for it in the news section and whoever responds then will enjoy the spoils again. Srajan
Same old Lumix body, same old Leica wide-angle lens dating back to my time in Switzerland. So the hardware hasn't changed. The rest is catching just the right time of day for the ambient light to be favourable and my better command of post processing. That often includes layer stacking for more even focus and to combine flash and no-flash exposures. I always use ceiling flash but it can lower the contrast of displays and screens which look better without flash. Then I take multiple shots either way and combine them in Photoshop by erasing the unwanted portions of stacked layers. As a member of the audiophile press, part of my job is to make this hobby look appealing, its products friendly within a home. Whilst my décor choices certainly reflect my very personal taste and nobody else's, it's important to make a professional presentation which doesn't chase away newcomers. Being in my sixties now, I'm far from cool to the younger kids. At the very least I can communicate in colourful photos that this thing of ours is fun and fits into normal-sized rooms which their mom would visit. If things looked drab or dungeon-like, it'd be counterproductive and sooner than later, manufacturers would question the wisdom of sending me anything to review. Keeping things tidy, clean and presented to good effect is simply part of the gig. Thanks for noticing that we're making the effort. Srajan
Hey Srajan, just read Dave's thank-you letter for some speakers he must have picked up from you. A 9-hour drive? He certainly made quite the effort to come and see you. I assume he came from Donegal or Northern Ireland? Good show either way. Cheers, Rafe
Yeah, he and his son drove all the way down from Northern Ireland, 4½ hours each way. For a €9'380 pair of speaker passed on gratis, not a bad return on a leisurely day's work through some pretty countryside on a rare sunny day. But not having any boxes to ship them meant that it's taken me years to find enthusiasts in Ireland who were properly enthusiastic to consider even a very long drive acceptable to pick them up in person; and knew what they were to want them. When someone makes an effort, you know they're true enthusiasts. And that's exactly who I wanted my spares to go to. See heavy rotation, mint real enjoyment. Srajan
Hi Srajan, I just wanted to email and thank you again for the speakers. They are even better than I expected. The bass is very impressive especially for their size and they are better than my current speakers in every way. Regards, Dave
Well, then your 9-hour round trip was worth it after all. You’re very welcome. Seeing them used and appreciated was the whole idea. Srajan
Very much appreciated. Thanks, Dave
Srajan, weren't you working up a review on short floorstanders from a newer Danish brand? I read your intro but now can't find it. Did that review get cancelled for some reason? Thx, Roberto
It's not cancelled at all. I'm in fact working on it right now. Once I've put it to bed, it'll launch in the current review library. Give me a few more weeks though. SrajanDear Srajan, your current announcement for the Aptica giveaway reminds me that recently you let go of other speakers already. I live in Lithuania to make a drive to Ireland too much so unfortunately I couldn't take you up on any of it. Out of curiosity, remind me what were the other speakers that are already gone? Kindly, Arvydas
Let's see. They were Audio Physic Codex, German Physiks HRS-120, Cube Nenuphar v2, Boenicke W5, Acelec Model 1 and EnigmAcoustics M1. I seem to have two takers for the Albedo already but neither has confirmed pickup so I'm not sure. But after that pair is gone, my speaker inventory will be down to what I need for work and play; until things change again as they always do. Then we'll see. Srajan
Hi Srajan, I was just about to write you. Truly enjoyed the Enleum review - both honest about its quirks/turn-offs but also very spot on about what it does really well. I'm still waiting for the 2Ω etc data and will forward shortly. Thanks, Michael