As the flagship model for its “High Resolution Audio Initiative,” the new Sony HAP-Z1ES defines what Sony sees as the future of two-channel audio. It attempts to be easy for a naïve user to operate, ...

AURALiC’s Vega Digital Audio Processor ($3499) is a powerful and versatile digital-to-analog converter that can also serve as a digital-input-only, balanced-output-capable preamplifier. Specifically, the Vega supports all PCM files from 44.1kHz/16-bit resolution to 384kHz/32-bit resolution, ...

It’s no secret that pocket-sized USB DACs have a lot going for them. I know from experience that Meridian’s Explorer is a superb little performer (Issue 234). But, miniaturization also has its limits. For example, ...

The Baetis Audio Revolution II Media Computer is a remarkably versatile piece of gear that will play pretty much any digital file you throw at it, and play it well. It’s designed and built to ...

When I purchased the original version of AudioQuest’s DragonFly USB DAC in late 2012 for $249, little tears of joy streamed down my face. For years I had suffered from separation anxiety every time I ...

Though it wasn’t that long ago, I haven’t owned a pair of desktop speakers since my college dorm days. Space was at a premium back then, and the hi-fi system that I loved had to ...

It seems like there’s always some hot-button issue for audiophiles to debate. For the last couple of years, it was the ability to play high-resolution (176.4 or 192kHz/24-bit) computer-audio music files. Now it’s almost impossible ...

TAS has never done an in-depth examination of a geographic region that figures prominently in the world of audio, but it’s about time. America is fascinating for its entrepreneurial spirit and a business ecosystem that ...

Introduction Remember when everyone had to lug around a bunch of electronic devices just to get through the day? We carried pagers, flip phones, iPods, laptops, and—when needed—a camera. This was an unsustainable situation—and the ...

Despite the 3,598,785 CD titles that have been unleashed into the world (according to Gracenote’s data), a good number of priceless recordings have never been released on CD. I can think of five great records ...

Mahwah, NJ, December 17, 2013—Marantz®, a world leader in advanced home entertainment solutions, announces the launch of the PM8005 integrated amplifier and the SA8005 super-audio compact-disc (SACD) player & DAC to its line of hi-fi ...

When Tim de Paravicini set out to design the DACute, I’m fairly certain that he sought to maximize its analog footprint. After all, analog is his métier. In fact, he freely admits to trying to ...

When a music lover of the audiophile persuasion decides to take the plunge into computer audio and organize a large collection of recordings, he chooses one of two basic approaches. The first is the “roll-your-own” ...

Pocket USB streamers are all the rage today. Feather-light and foolproof, they fit in your trousers, fanny-pack, or handbag, and, voîlà, high-res music on-the-hoof. However, they do pose problems for dedicated home-based high-end platforms. Sure, ...

In TAS Issue 225 I wrote with enthusiasm about Naim’s Super-Uniti ($6000), which has the same 80Wpc 5-Series amplifier section found in the original SuperNait integrated amp married to network streaming and digital playback technologies ...