The BC-1 Mk-II linestage preamplifier and the BP-1 Mk-II 500Wpc stereo amplifier from celebrated Japanese audio engineer Fumio Ohashi of Bridge Audio Laboratory (BAlabo) are the most exquisitely beautiful sounding audio components I’ve yet heard—tube ...

I tend to be cautious in praising a cartridge. I used to do pickup surveys in the era when the LP dominated high-end listening, and it was all too apparent that the best moving coils ...

Cambridge Audio must employ mind readers. I know it’s got my number. I feel as if Cambridge made the new Azur 550A integrated amplifier and the 550C CD player especially for me—took into account my ...

The Perfect Vision Guide to Surround Sound Speaker Systems includes over 100 pages of expert commentary about speakers that make your home theater experience more engaging and enjoyable. It is available as a FREE download ...

If we are living in the twilight of vinyl, it has to be the longest lasting twilight since mechanical watches and fountain pens. LPs and equipment to play them are undoubtedly a niche market, but ...

Have you ever fallen in love with the sound of a mid-powered amplifier, decided to move up in that manufacturer’s line to a more powerful unit, and found that the sonic magic that originally captivated ...

In years gone by, audio people used to refer to speaker design and manufacture as a Black Art. And they had a point. Not so long ago, hand-doped drivers and special response contouring in crossovers ...

YG Acoustics is a relatively young company (founded in 2002) that has made quite a splash in the upper end of the loudspeaker market. The firm has attracted some fervent supporters along with much controversy ...

The Verity Audio Finn sets a mood. With its shimmering, pearl-white lacquer finish setting off a series of gentle angles and seamless non-parallel cabinet surfaces, this a speaker that could grace the home of the ...

Twenty-five years ago, I made one of the most significant system upgrades I've experienced in audio. I replaced my sexy Philips 212 turntable and highly-regarded Denon 103D moving coil cartridge with a rather plain Rega ...

The Plinius Hiato is a beast of an integrated amplifier. I don’t know how else to put it. It’s big, heavy, and at an indomitable 300Wpc simply outguns most of the competition. Plus it loves ...

I love things stripped to their essence: a Bach partita, a Hemingway sentence, a Matisse drawing, a Margherita pizza. All are simple, uncluttered, and effective. Certain audio components also express a minimalist vibe—a Rega turntable, ...

At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, Jonathan Valin, Neil Gader, and I independently thought that one of the show’s most pleasant surprises was a stand-mount two-way from a then-unknown (to us) company called Volent. Made ...

Cambridge Audio must employ mind readers. I know it’s got my number. I feel as if Cambridge made the new Azur 550A integrated amplifier and the 550C CD player especially for me—took into account my ...

In years gone by, audio people used to refer to speaker design and manufacture as a Black Art. And they had a point. Not so long ago, hand-doped drivers and special response-contouring in crossovers to ...