Rating: Hot: The BDP-1 is touted as the first high-resolution player for digital audio files, and clearly, much thought has gone into its design to ensure it is not beset with the same issues as PC-based systems are – the Linux OS is a good start. There are only USB inputs, into which you can […]
Posts in category Hot Picks
Exposure 3010s2
Rating: Hot: Sometimes, a product comes along that has you asking why you should spend anything more – the 3010s2 is one such paradigm shifter. This integrated amp is speedy and articulate, with a sound that is alive and sparkling. It drives hard loads easily, thanks perhaps to the high gain (not always a good […]
Odeon Orfeo
Rating: Hot: Audiophiles bold enough to get off the well-trodden routes will occasionally find treasures hidden from mainstream consciousness. Odeon Audio, for example, is one of them. German, with bare-bones exposure outside certain circles, and no English version of its website – but obviously well in business for years, thanks to a line of medium-range […]
Audiolab M-DAC
Rating: Hot: No holding back on detail here, and add to this, an agile presentation with decent slam and weight. Neutral in tone and timbre, but unlike its ancestors, cannot be accused of being sterile. Yes, it can be captivating within the right system, while the filter choices allow fine tuning of certain nuances. With […]
Krell S-300i
Rating: Hot: Like most Krell amps, this made-in-China unit is a powerhouse, but it delivers this in a more refined manner than its ancestors. There’s very little effort even with difficult speaker loads, and of course, there’s the bass, which is smoother and more cultured than previously but has no less impact. And it comes […]
Linn Majik DS
Rating: Hot: Clarity is a given with this digital streaming player, with great staging depth and an inky backdrop, making all elements of the music stand out. A slight warmth in the highs will please many. Gets to the essence of the recording, and shows impeccable bass delivery. Pleases the ear, without glossing over any […]
PMC FB1i Signature
Rating: Hot: Open and spacious sound stage, with great ambient detail. Very revealing once set up properly. They don’t fall apart with complex recordings, very decent with piano works, especially. Great and deep-ish bass, with vice-like grip on the lows. Majesty of scale in the overall presentation. Near-holographic treble and life-like sonic pictures. Smooth tonal balance. […]
Epos Epic 2
Rating: Hot: An interesting turn for Epos, the Epic range marrying some good, old-fashioned design cues with modern sonic values. Immense potential when paired with electronics above their class, never being shown up. Strengths include impactful and confident bass, deft handling of dynamics and transients, and discerning staging and imaging. Simpler recordings are afforded spatial dimension, […]
Cambridge Audio Azur 550C
Rating: Hot: Smoother and more organic presentation than its acclaimed 840C older and costlier stablemate but not as insightful. Sharp roll-off filter results are more immediate, with lots of detail in presentation and a wide stage. Tighter and with better grip on dynamics than in the slow roll-off mode. Very communicative musically, and does not add […]
Yamaha A-S500
Rating: Hot: Clarity, with a middle-of-the-road presentation – neither too imposing or relaxed. Won’t trip up driving difficult loads for long hours, played at reasonable levels. Well staged vocals, with good focus, a dash of warmth occasionally, but allows a deep insight into the recording. Inky sonic backdrop, allowing gentler nuances to sift through without editorial. […]