Every now and then a component comes along that makes you reevaluate many of the values you bring to assessing audio equipment. Some personal examples include Quad ESL (of every vintage), Harbeth Monitor 40, and ...

Peachtree Audio Nova$1199signalpathint.com The versatile Nova can serve as an 80Wpc hybrid integrated amp, a tube preamp, a Class A tube headphone amp, or a solidstate USB DAC (based on the superb ESS Sabre DAC) ...

Mystère CA21$2295mystere-usa.com Built like a tank, the CA21 is a fine example of the minimalist approach: a line preamp with an input selector and a volume control, but no balance control. A giant killer in ...

It seems as if Hegel Music Systems, the Norwegian electronics manufacturer, can do no wrong these days. Kirk Midtskog has written glowing reviews of the Hegel H100 and H200 integrated amplifiers (in Issues 206 and ...

In my review of Constellation Audio’s Altair preamplifier and Hercules power amplifiers in Issue 215 I concluded that these electronics “established a benchmark against which all other linestages and power amplifiers can be compared.” Since ...

July 15, 2013, Austin, Texas - The Absolute Sound (TAS) introduces its new Guide to Affordable High-End Audio. “This guide is a great resource for people wanting to get into the hobby and/or significantly improve ...

B.M.C. (Balanced Music Concept) is a relatively new company with an old soul. It was founded in 2009 by a team of accomplished designers and managers who have produced quality components for a variety of ...

ModWright Instruments started out in 2000 as a modifier of digital products. The company, founded by Dan Wright, achieved some success right out of the blocks. Expanding from installing its line of tubed analog output ...

That’s how I’d describe the third installment of T.H.E. Show Newport Beach. Attendance was ample if not overwhelming and as if cued by the nearby Pacific ocean attendees tended to arrive in waves moving between ...

Although I generally concur with Rega’s Roy Gandy that audio gear is best viewed as a tool for enjoying music, I also appreciate the fact that beautiful industrial design and superior craftsmanship make a fine ...

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, The Absolute Sound is proud to present a special, digital release of The Absolute Sound, Issue 1! Take a step back in time to the early days of the ...

The top 5 weirdest products seen at this year's Munich show.

From reading TAS, you already know Munich is a different sort of audio show. Perhaps you have seen that it is bigger than anything in the U.S., and that different manufacturers attend. If you thought ...

NAD C 316/C 326 BEE$380/$550nadelectronics.com The entry-level C 316 is still the go-to amp for audiophile newbies who crave sonic neutrality, good power output, nice tactile feel, and NAD’s characteristic quality-control. Looking for a little ...

Good old-fashioned American chauvinism notwithstanding, Munich is by consensus the world’s most important high-end audio show, replacing CES as the place to do business—that is, if doing business in Europe and the Far East are ...