Tomasz Karasiński

Tomasz Karasiński

Trained as an aviation engineer, working as a professional journalist with a passion for good music. In his free time, he designs websites, takes photos of airplanes, and indulges his passion for shooting sports. Likes both cheap and expensive gear, tube and solid state amps, large and small speakers, digital and analogue sources. Doesn't like crap.

Pylon Audio Diamond 25 mkII

Although Poland's most famous loudspeaker manufacturer started with budget speakers, its current catalog is dominated by mid- and high-end designs. The top position is occupied by the beautiful Jaspers, available in both passive and active versions. Then we have three series consisting of a single model - Amber, Jade, and Emerald. The bottom four is made up of the Ruby, Sapphire, Opal, and Pearl series. Right in the middle there's a series that has become a real market hit, combining minimalist design, high-quality workmanship, a rich color palette, and natural, balanced, and universal sound. The Diamonds were Pylon's flagships at the time of their launch. I remember how the bosses of the Jarocin-based manufacturer, still unsure of the rightness of their decision, wondered whether such loudspeakers would appeal to customers. Today, the company could probably produce only this series and would easily balance the books (especially considering that Pylon Audio is not only a manufacturer of equipment sold under its own brand but also a supplier of cabinets for leading foreign brands). However, since there was an opportunity to improve them, it was a shame not to take it. This is how the Diamonds mkII were born. To see what's what, I decided to review my favorite model from this series - the "twenty-fives".

Bluesound Node X

Bluesound announced the launch of a special limited-run Anniversary Edition Node X streamer created in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The Node X, in a unique silver finish, takes the brand's iconic Node hi-res player and, yet again, sets a new standard for audio performance and functionality with upgraded componentry. With the venerable ESS 9028Q2M Sabre DAC, a favorite of audiophiles for its amazing musicality, near-zero levels of clock jitter, ultra-low noise, and a wide dynamic range. A truly high-end headphone amplifier is driven by cutting edge THX AAA (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) technology with patented feed-forward error correction resulting in infinitesimally low levels of noise, distortion, and power consumption. Along with the headphone jack, the Node X delivers a no-compromise headphone listening experience.

Treble Clef Audio TCA-M

Launching in Copenhagen, Treble Clef Audio is deeply rooted in Danish design traditions of function and form, and the TCA-M loudspeakers are exquisitely crafted with this in mind. Sound by design consciously sculpt these loudspeakers to optimally support acoustic function at every bend of its slender visual signature. Far from conventional, but close to perfection. Pushing the boundaries of sound experiences whilst highlighting the possibilities of a beautifully elevated space, with the TCA-M loudspeaker as an integral part of the interior. The organic, elegant and slender shape of the TCA-M loudspeaker not only looks like a piece of art carved out of the most beautiful wood with metal and glass detailing, but by having no flat surfaces or edges to interfere with sound dispersion, the active loudspeaker performs with superior sound quality, bringing you closer to live musical performances, in the comfort of your own living room.

Audio-Technica AT-SB727

Four decades after its original debut, the Sound Burger is back in our regular lineup! The new AT-SB727 portable turntable retains the classic, lightweight design of the 1980s model, while offering modern conveniences like Bluetooth wireless connectivity, a lithium-ion battery, and a USB-C charging cable. Perfect for parties, picnics, and compact living spaces, the updated Sound Burger plays 33 1/3 and 45 rpm records and comes in three color options - black, white and yellow.

Fezz Audio Mira Ceti 300B

If I didn't know what Fezz Audio and Pylon Audio have in common, I would think they share the same owner. The two brands openly support each other, exhibit together at major industry events, hold joint photo shoots, and have the same distributor in some countries. In reality, however, these companies only share what one would call a path to success. Not easy, bumpy, risky, based on ingenuity, diligence, and young energy drawing on the experience of the older generation. Pylon Audio began as a small carpentry shop making loudspeaker cabinets. Later, it began producing its own loudspeakers, raising the bar pretty much every year. Fezz Audio, on the other hand, is a side project of a family-owned company specializing in manufacturing toroidal transformers, or at least that's how it began. Many experts say that toroids are moderately suitable for tube amplifiers, but the Lachowski brothers had a different opinion on the subject. They developed a transformer that performed brilliantly, and since it was a successful project, they decided to follow suit and build a complete amplifier around such transformers.

Hegel Viking

Some years ago Hegel had to discontinue the highly capable Mohican CD player because key components were no longer being produced. Since then, the company has been working on a replacement that would be even better. The result is Viking - the best CD player Hegel has ever made. In a world full of options for downloading music, sound formats, compression methods, and streaming services, putting on some music can feel overwhelming. What should be easy and enjoyable, suddenly becomes complex and stressful. Playing a CD on the Viking is not. It is only joy. Viking is a true native 16/44.1 CD player developed from the ground up for optimal performance on standard (Redbook) CDs. It is designed to deliver the most faithful sound reproduction possible by optimizing its components to deliver a high-quality output that is true to the original recording.

Naim NSS 333, NAC 332, NAP 350, NVC TT & NPX TT

Joining the 200 Series launched earlier this year, the New Classic 300 Series elements combine perfectly to create a truly bespoke, high-quality system. Featuring cutting-edge innovation, sleek style and Designed and developed by Naim engineers in exceptional sound quality, the 300 Series products England, the New Classic products are at the forefront of innovation and technology, dedicated to the pursuit of incredible sound.

Copland CTA407

The amplifier is the interface between your signal sources and loudspeakers - whatever is lost at this point is lost forever and conversely, whatever is introduced is also amplified. Amplifiers are also products for everyday use. Some successfully deviate from the conventional, they remind us of the virtue of striving for excellence through original thinking and a desire to push beyond ‘adequate’ to acheive the exceptional. There is a distinctive mood of luxurious puritanism to be found in the appearance of most Copland amplifiers. However, with the CTA407 tube amplifier we have augmented this simplicity, introducing an intelligent complement of electronics to support the audio stages of the amplifier.

Goldring E4

Goldring introduces its new flagship E Series moving magnet cartridge - E4. Designed as the ultimate upgrade for any modern budget or midrange turntable, E4 represents the pinnacle of E Series engineering and performance. E4 is designed to be compatible with all medium-to-high-mass tonearms of the type found on the majority of budget to midrange turntables. And because it's constructed using the same high-quality core as the other E Series cartridges in the range, E4 is ideal both for those who wish to upgrade an obsolete cartridge in its entirety or those who want to boost the performance of their existing E Series cartridge by replacing the stylus.

Estelon Aura

The Estelon Aura follows the general design philosophy of all Estelon loudspeakers, taking into consideration the environmental acoustics of real-life listening spaces. It provides an immersive and captivating audio experience like no other speaker of this size. Alfred Vassilkov designed the Aura with meticulous attention to detail, incorporating cutting-edge technology and unique features. One of the standout features of the Aura model is its distinctive shape, which not only adds to its aesthetic appeal but also serves a functional purpose. The unique shape of the Aura loudspeaker is technically sophisticated, and its advanced surface geometry results in characteristics that allow for a three-dimensional soundscape. The lack of parallel walls allows only pure and uninfluenced sound to emanate from the high-performance drivers. 

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