Displaying items by tag: stereo - StereoLife Magazine

If we asked audiophiles which element of the stereo system is the most important in their opinion, most of them would definitely bet on speakers, an amplifier or a source, or - in some cases- on something like cables, power accessories, or anti-vibration pads. A large group will answer, however, that the room in which all this equipment works has the greatest impact on the final sound result. In a room with poor acoustics, even the most expensive and the most refined equipment will not be able to show even some of its capabilities, while in interiors adapted to listening to music, even inexpensive equipment should do well and give us a lot of pleasure. What to do to find ourselves in the latter group? There are, of course, many simple home methods to improve acoustics, but more and more people are choosing a "real" solution - the assembly of professional acoustic panels. There are many companies on the market offering specialized products for the adaptation of room acoustics - not only listening rooms, but also recording studios, concert and conference halls, offices, hotels, restaurants, and public facilities. One of them is Vicoustic. The Portuguese have long been providing audiophiles, sound engineers, and installers with panels that do not look like typical, ugly, gray pieces of foam. A lot has changed recently, so I decided to explore the subject in more detail and talk to Vicoustic's technical director, Gustavo Pires.

The roots of the Antileon amplifier go back to the very beginnings of concludes the Gryphon company and even beyond. The product that would come to be known as the legendary Gryphon Headamp began as a strictly personal, non-commercial exercise, an exploration into how efficiently electronic topology could be translated into sound with all essential musical values intact. Since there were no commercial aspirations behind the project, nothing was ruled out. Extreme, no-compromise dual-mono construction, ultra-wide bandwidth, zero negative feedback, true Class A operation, huge power supplies, and all-discrete components were all essential ingredients in the recipe.

The Estelon Forza, which personifies technologies trickled-down from the Extreme (Estelon's ultimate flagship model), was introduced in 2019 and has already received much worldwide recognition and numerous awards. Estelon is now releasing a special Anniversary Edition that is limited in production to a total of 10 pairs. It features a combination of Black Pearl Gloss and Gold accents highlighting its elegant curves, presenting a truly luxurious finish. Furthermore, the connectors' panel features the designer's, Alfred Vassilkov, signature.

Urbanista, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, announces the launch of Urbanista Miami, an active noise canceling wireless over-ear headphone available in four stylish colors. Miami is the latest in the brand's active noise canceling headphone line-up and lives up to their tagline: 'Designed for Life in Motion'. Combining a comfortable fit and crystal clear, isolated sound with simplicity and reliability, Urbanista Miami allows listeners to either completely block out the outside world or hear their surroundings without interruption to their listening experience.

Music comes in many forms and there are now more available audio formats than ever before. Hegel's focus since the start has been to push the envelope trying to achieve better and more natural sound with less distortion in all products. In recent years digital audio has been in constant development and Hegel has implemented new and innovative technologies to improve the sound quality from digital media. With the revival of vinyl, many of Hegel's customers, dealers, and distributors have also wanted something for the opposite end of the audiophile world and encouraged Norwegians to make a phono preamplifier.

McIntosh introduced the MA12000 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier. This fully loaded, hybrid integrated amplifier is a product of uncompromising audio engineering and expert craftsmanship. McIntosh's most powerful integrated amplifier ever, the feature-rich MA12000 offers 350 Watts per channel of clean, high-performance power that produces a breathtaking home audio experience. You will think your favorite musicians are playing a live, in-person performance in your house.

I have long got bored by the discussions on whether or not the power cords actually work. Maybe it's because, unlike some of their participants, I have experienced all or almost all the stages of this adventure. Just like many audiophiles, I have started as a skeptic. It cannot be done in any other way, since one gains expertise in this field through time-consuming experiments and listening sessions, not sudden enlightenment or the purchase of the most expensive accessories on the market. To hear the difference, one has to reach for hi-end products. Buying a cord that is more expensive than the appliance it's connected to seems ridiculous, yet, the system does not sound the same way it used to, and the thought of improving the sound returns like a boomerang. Over the years, I have tested many cables and conditioners. I have participated in many listening sessions and different sorts of experiments. I have compared standard 'computer' cables to hi-end wires worth thousands of dollars. That is why I am not particularly interested in purely theoretical discussions. Been there, done that, have a t-shirt. I prefer to check power accessories in practice. And that is what I'm going to do now.

Audiovector is one of the companies whose career has clearly accelerated over the past few years. I first encountered Audiovector loudspeakers when I reviewed... the first generation of the Arcam Solo system back in 2005. In the box, I found tiny monitors named Alto, built by the Danes for Arcam. If someone told me then that Audiovector's loudspeakers would be part of my reference system, I would probably have told them to knock on their head. And not with a finger, but with something much harder and heavier. And yet, here we are! For some time, everything that has to do with this company seems to be operating at an accelerated pace Some say that it is thanks to the passion and commitment of Mads Klifoth.

Moonriver Audio is proud to announce a new model, the 404 Reference integrated amplifier which is the improved version of the Standard model. Following the runaway success of the standard Moonriver Model 404 the Reference version moves further, by improving on the already excellent design platform of the Standard 404 model.

Sonus Faber is proud to announce the Maxima Amator, a two-way design speaker that successfully merges two drivers to achieve a unique emotion with the maximum representation of natural sound. The two-way concept, often considered the purest system achievable in regard to electro-acoustic, has been a strong piece of brand identity for Sonus Faber products and the Maxima Amator aims to pay homage to this tradition and to the music itself, leading the listener to its fullest enjoyment, offering immersion in its deepest essence.