Equipment Reviews

In 2012, I had the opportunity to meet Jeff Wells, the talented designer and owner of Wells Audio. He walked into the audio store I was managing, carrying an amplifier under his arm, and asked if I would like to hear an amplifier surpassing anything I had in the store near its price point. Bold indeed! I immediately thought back to 1983 when John Iverson walked into our store with an Eagle 2 amplifier under his arm and made a similar proclamation. That day, John left... Read More

The choice of a hi-fi component is an extraordinarily personal decision depending on the needs - and wants - of the consumer. Of course this is a bit of an obvious take, but in regards to every hi-fi review, it’s important to keep in mind: just because something is right for you, doesn’t mean that it’s the correct choice for someone else. So, perhaps the way to begin this article is by readers taking a personal inventory of what they want out of a hifi component.... Read More

In the recent review of the Pro-Ject EV0 12 AS I promised a follow up covering the straight pipe carbon fiber, aluminum sandwich EVO CA arm and here it is. There's no point in repeating here all of the background information and all of the variables related to these two arms, so please read the review at the above hyperlink.But it makes sense to repeat a bit of it: Both of the 12" arms under review have an effective length of 304.8mm and a 291.6mm pivot to... Read More

Until recently I’ve had no personal experience with DS Audio’s cutting-edge optical phono pickups, whereby the signal is generated from a pair of infra-red LEDs that shine onto photo detectors, completely dispensing with magnets and coils, moving or stationary. In their place, between the LEDs and the detectors, is a very lightweight shade, plate, or, to use DS’s parlance, “shading plate” attached to the cantilever; this shade modulates the amount of light from the... Read More

Most companies introduce new product lines. At High End Munich a few years ago, Pro-Ject introduced a new product wall— of tonearms. The variety appeared overwhelming until closely examined, after which the proliferation made well-organized sense. There were a few basic models, but available in three lengths and in a variety of finishes. A bit blurry, taken from a video but you get the idea! These are but a fewAs for why Pro-Ject decided to introduce a separately... Read More

When you think of high-end audio, you might envision large floor-standing speakers with multiple drivers and impressive cabinetry. However, some of the most astonishing sonic experiences can come from unexpected sources. This is the case with the Audience ClairAudient 1+1 V5 Personal Reference Loudspeaker. Despite its small 8" height, 9.75" depth, and 6" width, the V5 delivers sonic performance that can rival and, in some areas, surpass much larger... Read More

Hard to believe, but McIntosh's recently introduced MP100 is the storied company's first stand-alone phono preamplifier. Though at $2000 it's not stratospherically priced, it delivers both an impressive features set and the suave sonic goods, feel and build quality you'd expect from McIntosh. and of course, you could even say it glows (green).This is an accidental review, though shame on me for not asking for one to review sooner. It was on my... Read More

Hana introduced its S Series cartridges in 2014. They have become popular in many audio systems worldwide. Garth Leerer, President of Musical Surroundings, the US importer and distributor of Hana Cartridges, and Excel Sound Japan, the manufacturer of Hana cartridges, decided it was time to refresh their best-selling S Series cartridges, which include the high output SH, the low output SL and the mono SM. Designer Masao Okada-san aimed to incorporate the knowledge... Read More

I have an admission to make, in all the demonstrations of dCS products that I have attended none have inspired me to listen further. They have always sounded perfect but devoid of involvement. However, this product and by extension the need to investigate its various set up options has revealed that dCS DACs are distinctly better than I thought. And this is only the baby in the range.By most metrics dCS is the reigning brand in British digital electronics. No one else... Read More

Sometimes you just have to stop what you are doing and do this. I've been listening to a now vintage Shure V15V Type VxMR moving magnet cartridge, long considered "really good", really "linear", really great tracking at 1 gram, really worthy of "respect" but never considered "really exciting" sounding, that now sounds spectacular!People were dumping these V15s at one time because replacement styli were no longer available.... Read More

High-end audio has a rich history of husband-and-wife teams. In the case of Zesto Audio, head honcho George Counnas designs the circuitry, and his wife Carolyn creates the line's distinctive, unmistakably artsy, curvaceous looks. She also does Zesto's marketing.George’s back story includes being part of a research and development team designing airborne navigational systems for the Royal Air Force and later as a recording engineer, musician, and producer.... Read More

Just because Tracking Angle unapologetically advocates for analog-based audio doesn’t mean we are digital troglodytes. I am confident that many professed analog lovers out there are "closet streamers," so staying updated on the fast-changing developments in the digital arena is important. Combining analog musical satisfaction with digital music's convenience and accessibility is a lofty but worthwhile goal. But don’t fret; this is not an announcement... Read More

Two recent connections provided the perfect opening for this review. One was from a guy I'd not heard from in more than twenty five years. He'd visited my basement listening space but I don't recall the circumstances. Contacting me via LinkedIn, he wrote, "I don’t think I’ve ever heard a system and room as gorgeous as your Glen Rock room. Not the recording studios I’ve been in. Not the radio station rooms I’ve broadcast from in years past. I can’t... Read More

The Japanese firm DS Audio has been on a mission to revive and massively improve optical-based cartridges since CEO Tetsuaki Aoyagi introduced the DS Audio W1 in early 2014, updating Toshiba's optical cart concept from the 1970s. The DS W3 model I’m reviewing here is considered one of the company’s third-generation designs and incorporates many improvements taken from the top-of-the-line Grand Master Ex, Grand Master, and DS Master 3.(Editor's note: I... Read More

I can already hear you asking, "Ken, why are you reviewing a product introduced in 2014?" Good question. It is rare to find an audio component design with a lifespan of over ten years in today's industry, and I am intrigued by the longevity of this product series. While much has been written about various Point 8 amplifiers and industry legend Nelson Pass, this review will cover the amplifier's sound quality and explore the reasons behind Pass... Read More

One of my favorite demo LPs—heck, one of my favorite LPs, period—is the 45rpm reissue by the late, lamented Classic Records of the Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures At An Exhibition, which was originally released by RCA on its fabled "Shaded Dog" Living Stereo label. It was recorded in 1958 at Orchestra Hall and features the Chicago Symphony led by the legendary conductor Fritz Reiner. A young Adolph Herseth, probably the best orchestral trumpeter of the past... Read More

Gryphon Audio just introduced its first entry into the power conditioning universe.

Denmark based Dynaudio designs and manufactures loudspeaker systems for professional studios, car audio, and home hi-fi, all using advanced driver technology engineered and developed in-house. When Dynaudio's John Quick offered the opportunity to review the Evoke 30s, I was absolutely stoked. Though I've been impressed by casual listenings to their stand-mount Special 40, I've never had the chance to spend quality time with a pair of Dynaudio speakers.... Read More

I’ve been a fan of Charisma Audio for a while now. I reviewed and purchased a Charisma Audio Signature One several years back. I consider that cart to be my first high-end cartridge. Although I previously used several other MC carts, the Signature One gave me a more neutral tonality along with more resolution than I previously had. So when Bernard Li of Charisma Audio asked if I’d like to hear his new top-of-the-line YYZ cartridge (the latest evolution up from the... Read More