We will help you find the law of DIMINISHING RETURNS!
We are happy to take all of your money, but we want you to spend it wisely so you come back.
Roundup: Mains Conditioners
Make no mistake, a Mains Conditioner is the first link in your chain and a vital component to a highly resolving hi-fi system. If you do NOT have a top flight mains conditioner, you’re leaving performance on the table that you cannot get back LATER in the process.
The improvement can be described easily to us more mature audiophiles. We grew up in an era with analog TV and snow in the picture. Isotek conditioners strip snow from the picture, yielding a cleaner audio signal with more information!
For a hundred years various manufacturers called on me to present conditioners. None of them IMPROVED the quality of sound until 2014 when Isotek brought its VDR line to market. With the introduction of these products we can attain transparency that heretofore was not available.
I know many customers are suspicious that power products can even help. As I said, until 2014 I was right there with you. But the world has changed! Please read some of the testimonials on our yellow tab near the bottom of our home page.
There are a number of competitors in the biz now offering good products. Yet Isotek remains my favorite. Isotek is designed in England and built in their factory in Slovenia. The prices are remarkably reasonable. Isotek is the best value going.
Isotek Polaris V $900
Polaris is a 6 outlet bar that provides 35dB of isolation. It provides a distinct sonic improvement vs NOT running a conditioner, OR, vs a Home Depot bar or even a Panamax or Furman option. It comes with a high end power cord, the Isotek Initium. I mention this because many conditioners don’t come with ANY power cord- and to buy one a la carte runs two bills or more!
Isotek Corvus V5 $1095
Corvus is a 9 outlet bar with 35dB of isolation. It is superior to Polaris in that each of the 9 outlets has its own filter. Polaris has one filter for the whole bar. Corvus comes with the outstanding Initium power cable. It sells for $175 on its own. Keep in mind that many of Isotek’s competitors don’t provide any power cable- so their pricing isn’t complete. Isotek is made in Slovenia, not China like the other guys.
Isotek Elektra V5 $2000
Elektra V5 is a brand new conditioner that steps in to be the best value out there for $2k. It has two high level AC outlets, and four lower level. Each of these six connections has its own filter. It provides 55dB of isolation. It’s sonic improvement is demonstrable. Elektra should be your choice in a bigger guns system than Corvus above. And of course it comes with an outstanding Isotek Initium power cable.
Isotek Aquarius V5 $3000
Aquarius V5 replaces Isotek’s venerable Aquarius mains conditioner. It is a 6 outlet component styled mains conditioner that will IMPROVE your sound and protect your system from damage. It has 65dB of isolation and higher current capability than Elektra.
You simply won’t believe how much a conditioner will improve your sound until you get one! In this day and age of progressive power solutions, you’re absolutely leaving resolution and dynamics on the table if you’re NOT running a fine conditioner like an Isotek.
Aquarius V5 features six outlets, each of which has its own isolation filter. You’re getting six filters in one component. There is no cross talk or back wash among components connected to Aquarius. The isolation and filtration allows ALL audio electronics to sound cleaner and quieter than you ever knew.
Two of the outlets are for high powered amps. The other four are for your preamp and other components. It comes with an Isotek Premier power cable that goes to the wall. Many companies price their conditioners without cables. You have to ante up a lot more just to get a power cable.
If you’re putting together a system where high resolution with a broad and deep soundstage are a must, don’t pass on getting an Aquarius V5.
You cannot GET BACK information that you have lost earlier in the chain. Think back to the days of watching TV with a bit of haze or snow in the picture. Aquarius V5 strips the snow to zero so you can “see” the musical content without any fog. Think air around voices, transient attacks of piano and guitar work- at their most vibrant.
Roundup: CD Players
I realize streaming has taken over the world. I don’t mind if “everyone” wants to stream. But I still have to have my silver discs. I hope you do too.
First of all, CDs SOUND BETTER than streaming. Yep, sync up a great CD and compare with the same music streamed. If you have a cut above CD player, it’s going to win. We can help you improve your sound with a GREAT CD player. Don’t fall for the myth that streaming is better. It’s easier, not better.
Don’t believe that nonsense about CDs being extinct. They said that about LPs too. Right now there is quite renewed appreciation for how good CDs (& SACDs) can sound. SACD in particular offers state of the art performance.
I have plenty of discs that are NOT available via streaming- like everything on the magnificent Hyperion label, among others. Further, being a classical piano fan in particular… we are kind of out there on our island. Metadata for classical music is awful. Beethoven isn’t an artist, he’s a composer. Terms like largo and presto are not names of works. Streaming is fine for pop music.
To me, it is still a treat to walk over to a rack of a zillion CDs, all of which I bought- to decide which one to listen to, and play it all the way through. If you’re too lazy to walk over and grab a CD, what did you do when we only had LPs? And please don’t tell me you have nowhere to put some discs. It’s your house too.
$550: Denon DCD-900ne
Denon’s 900 is the first CD player that’s built well enough that I’m happy to endorse it. It doesn’t sound nearly as warm and full at the Atoll models below, but if this is your price range, dive in.
$900: Atoll MD100
MD100 comes in a mini sized chassis. This little guy is a Trojan horse, with richer sound and faster response compared to the cheaper models from China or Viet Nam. It’s in mini size to save a few bucks. I don’t mind that at all. 3 year warranty.
$1200: Atoll DR100
I’m cheating a bit here. Atoll’s DR100 is a CD Transport. It is basically the CD80 below without the DAC and associated analog stages. If you have a sweet integrated or preamp with a nice DAC on board, you can buy DR100 and you’re good to go.
$1650: Atoll CD50
The new CD50 is like the CD80 below, with a fewer power supplies. CD50, a serious machine with smooth sound, made in France.
$1750: Atoll CD80
Atoll’s CD80 is a super serious CD player for under $2k. It is made in France with a 3 year warranty. It has a very fast, responsive mechanism. Its sound is more open and delicate than other players in this price range. I’m thrilled to have a great CD player for this price range, NOT made in Asia! CD80 is the point of diminishing returns in a CD player. It’s closer to THE BEST for $3k, than anything below. I love CD80 and can’t recommend it highly enough!
$2000: Atoll DR200
OK, I’m cheating again. This is Atoll’s higher end transport only. It has 21,100uf power supply caps and a more sturdy built. Also has XLR digital out, along with Coax and OPT.
$2200: Atoll CD100
CD100 has a bigger transformer and filter caps than CD80. While CD80 is the law of diminishing returns for most people, if you can afford CD100, you get a tad deeper bass performance in particular.
$2950: Atoll CD200SE
What a fabulous CD player! CD200 has a rich, warm sound that competes head on head with Marantz and Bryston below. We have run CD200 with a wide variety of speakers from Atohms, to Byrstons to Magnepans. These great speakers show the refinement of this magnificent source. For about 5 years the SACD30n has been my fave player at this price point. Now, CD200SE has tied Marantz for first place. If you’re looking to get some great Atoll electronics, tie in CD200SE as your disc player choice!
$3000: Marantz SACD 30n
SACD 30n steps away from the masses. It doesn’t use a DAC chip. It uses Ken Ishiwata’s MMM technology (no DAC chip!) to achieve another level of precision. The air and space around the music will take your speakers to new places. It delineates the finest nuances on your discs and will enchant you with what you didn’t know was hidden in those silver pits. It brings CD and SACD performance to a new level of transparency.
CD done well, sounds fantastic! SACD is even better. It has none of the mechanical noises of vinyl. It has none of the curve balls of downloads. It doesn’t have the metadata problems of streaming.
I simply can’t recommend this piece (built in Japan, not China) strongly enough! I’ve had mid level system owners stretch to buy this- and race back to the store to thank me. And of course higher end systems benefit from this fabulous source.
Droves of customers have rediscovered the magic within their silver discs due to SACD-30n. You’re going to find that CDs will make a come back, even stronger than LPs have.
Bryston BCD-3 $4500
The BCD-3 is a GREAT sounding player! So clean, so fast and tight- that you’ll love it. It has RCA and Balanced outs. It makes sense for anyone who has a Bryston stack, or would prefer balanced operation vs single ended. For those of us who appreciate the silver disc, it’s a marvelous value.
Roundup: Streamers
$550: Bluesound Node
Bluesound’s Node is in a league of its own. It’s a streamer that competes with the best at any price, for a fraction of the expensive guys. It looks like a cable TV box. That’s fine. You’re going to run it with your touch pad anyway! You can run it analog out, or digital out into a higher end system. There’s no reason your streamer needs to be pricey. Further, NAD owns Bluesound and supports this streaming technology. Virtually every streamer out there runs a Stream Unlimited module to do that task. There’s no reason to spend more. If you want better sound, run it into a fancier DAC. Most companies that make streaming boxes are not capitalized well enough to keep up with the necessary updates. NAD has proven for a decade that it can do so.
If you doubt that $550 is enough for a great streamer, I recommend you run the Node through a great DAC like the Mytek Liberty 2. You see, the Node streaming apparatus is outstanding. You CAN get better transparency through a superior DAC. Of course… it’s impossible to put a state of the art DAC in a $550 streamer. My contention is, that Node run through a stellar DAC, competes with anything out there, even for tens of thousands. I’m happy to take your money. But I want you to spend it wisely so I’ll earn your trust and you’ll keep coming back.
And here’s a fun way to kill two birds with one stone. Buy one of the Atoll CD players that allows you to run the Bluesound into it- to take advantage of their exquisite DAC. Consider Atoll CD50 or higher to have a fabulous CD player- and use the built in DAC to make your streaming sound better than what the Node can do on its own.
$950: Bluesound PowerNode
PowerNode is a Node with 80×2 amplifier on board. This is ideal when you have a number of speakers around your house that you’d like to drive- with better than Sonos level sound. Or, perhaps you have an office or workout room that needs some music. Connect PowerNode to some pretty decent speakers and you’re set.
DAC:
$1495: Mytek Liberty 2
Mytek’s new Liberty 2 DAC is a superstar. It competes with literally any DAC, at any price, for this affordable price point. Yes, it does! That includes the Swiss and German gear for uber money. It has a wide array of inputs. It outputs RCA and XLR. It decodes MQA from your streamer- which should be the Bluesound Node. What a great addition to a Node! For just $2100 you get a magnificent streamer/DAC combo that can’t be beat for the investment.
Roundup: Turntables
I have tried really hard to find a cheap turntable I like. I’ve tried dozens. And, NOPE, I can’t find anything under about six bills I’m happy to endorse. Everything less is just a plastic rattle trap that makes playing LPs a waste of time. There’s no reason to play vinyl if you’re just going to hear all the mechanicals get in the way. With that said…. On we march.
$595: Rega Planar 1 With Carbon Cartridge
Planar 1 is better than I knew. I have sold one version of it or another for two decades. It’s a great table that keeps getting better. Until I checked out a variety of alternatives, I didn’t appreciate how GREAT P1 is for the money. Every time P1 vanquished them soundly. Finally, I’ve given up trying to offer a serious turntable for less than P1 money. Hats off to the first turntable I’m happy to endorse- the very nicely built Rega P1. Complete with nicely machined bearings and a well of brass, P1 is a turntable closer to the $1k guys than the $600 guys.
It comes with the Rega Carbon cartridge. It’s an OK starter cartridge, but not good enough. So…
$695: Rega Planar 1 With Ortofon Red MM Cartridge
The Orto Red is made with TLC in Denmark. The sonic step up over the Carbon is a slam dunk, gotta have it! The output is higher. The dynamics are in another league. Just spend the $100 already and don’t waste time fretting about it.
$775: Rega Planar 2 with Carbon Cartridge
Planar 2 has a bit nicer finish than P1. The glass platter and color options (black,white,red) are pretty fun. Please add the Orto Red. You’ll land at $875 and it’s worth the extra C note.
$1314: Rega Planar 3 With Ortofon Blue Cart
This is a big sonic step over Planar 2. Planar 3 has better isolation and a superior tonearm. Mate it with the fabulous 2M Blue Orto cart, which I prefer to current day Regas. This… is a high end turntable/cart combo at a value price.
$3000: MoFi UltraDeck With Master Tracker Cartridge
At 3 large, this is something of a bargain. It’s a big battleship of a table- which does yield benefits from its mass. The Master Tracker Cartridge is MoFi’s best MM with a solid steel body and Ohno wiring. It has a Micro Linear stylus to deliver the best resolution at less than crazy money. I love this combination at the price point. It’s close to the biggest of the big dogs at a fraction of the price. It’s a great stopping off point before doubling your money.
You can read in our testimonials that customer Ian replaced his classic Linn LP-12 and arm with an Ultra Deck with Master Tracker- and was thrilled with the improvement. This combo is a best bang for the buck, legit high end table/cart combo for a reasonable price!
$3500: MoFi UltraDeck With UltraGold Moving Coil Cartridge
One of THE best values on the turntable market is this brand new combo from MoFi! You get the brick outhouse UltraDeck turntable with MoFi’s brand new, UltraGold MC cartridge- at a super package price. The UG cart is hot off the presses and competes with the loftiest carts in the biz, yet is affordable because it’s made by MoFi. UG has a Boron cantilever and Shibata stylus, with output of .4mV. Its resolution is first class! The UD sells alone for $2500. UG sells alone for $1500. MoFi has a special package promo on the combo to kick off the UG’s inception. For $3500 you get a turntable combo that will compete with ANY on the market because economies of scale are working for you.
Roundup: Integrated Amps
I’ve had it with cheaply built Chinese gear! Since we’ve learned of Atoll and the magnificent quality they offer, $1200 is our entry level integrated. It’s a super star! When you look at the cheap parts and mass produced build quality of what you get for less than this- the difference and longevity isn’t close. Please use an Atoll integrated as the hub of your system instead of some chintzy Chinese or V Nam built piece punched out of a job house.
$1200: Atoll IN50 (50×2)
This boy is rated at 50×2 but sounds twice as strong as that rating would lead you to believe. It is flat out gutsier, and better sounding than anything in this range, including the NADs we’ve liked for years!
$1700 Atoll IN80 (80×2)
This integrated has a larger transformer than its little brother above. If you can move up $500, you get more uumphhh for your money. Getting more heft in the bass is always a plus.
$2000: Rogue Sphinx Magnum (100×2) With Metal Remote
Sphinx Mag is a notable upgrade to the v3 version predecessor. You get a superior power supply, better tubes and a myriad of additional superior parts. All Rogues are made in the USA and give you a more spacious, breathy presentation of human voices and acoustic instruments. The French built Atolls have more muscle. Take your pick.
$2100: Atoll IN100 (100×2)
IN100 is the first integrated in the line to use two transformers. The amount of testosterone in this integrated is stunning. It makes like priced competitors sound FLIMSY. If you want your music to deliver deep, hard hitting rhythm and pace, IN100 is the best integrated choice for $2k ish. It brings a sledgehammer to your party!
$2800: Atoll IN200 (120×2)
IN200 is a super star! It uses dual transformers, bigger filter caps, and shielded Mundorf caps to refine the sound. IN200 is a landmark integrated. IN200 sounds more beefy and refined than the impressive IN100. There is nothing less that sounds as good. To clearly beat it, you have to almost double the price to IN300.
$4500: Atoll IN300 (150×2)
IN300 is flat out my favorite integrated amp value! I uses larger and superior parts to its own smaller brothers. The impact and dynamics of this model will exceed your expectations. The weight and power of IN300 is a good 25% stronger than the class breaking IN200! The price includes Atoll’s DA200 DAC board (Coax, Opt, USB & Bluetooth). When building a fine hi-fi, you’d be smart to buy this integrated and spend your motherlode on improved speakers.
$7000: Atoll IN400 (180×2)
Atoll’s new IN400 is my favorite integrated, regardless of price. It has the open/airy/spacious sound that you’d expect from a tube unit- with NONE of the problems. IN400 is much stronger than its power rating would lead you to believe. It runs $7k in line stage config. You can add the DAC board for $320 and MM phono for $130. Visit Dave’s Faves for the nuts & bolts.
$7000: McIntosh MA352 (200×2)
MA-352 is a great integrated with tubes in the preamp section with MM phono. There’s no DAC on board to keep this a full analog beauty- which does have Mac’s famous blue power meters and a 5 band EQ. It’s OK to have some style and FUN with your hi-fi!
The power amp section is a muscular 200×2 sans autoformers. It’s a beautiful looking & sounding integrated.
Roundup: Preamps
$1500: Atoll PR200
PR200 is a fabulous, inexpensive preamp. It comes in basic line stage format at this price. You can add MM for $130. You can add a DAC for $320. The performance of PR200 exceeds NAD, Rotel, Parasound etc, for the same pricing.
$1800: Rogue RP-1
Now we’re talkin! RP-1 is a class breaking audiophile treasure. RP-1 introduces tubes (two 12AU7) into your system at an affordable price. It has MM/MC phono and four high level inputs. It has two variable outs and a fixed out. Smart! It even has a headphone jack and balance control. It’s a great sounding, fairly minimalist tube preamp, befitting all but the highest end of systems.
$2500: Atoll PR300
PR300 is a stellar preamp. It has over double the power supply of PR200 and uses superior parts on the board. This price point is cheap for a marvelous stereo preamp, with XLR ins/outs. It also gives you the option to add phono and a DAC, described in PR200 above.
$4000: Rogue RP-5v2
RP-5v2 is an upper crust single ended preamp with four 12AU7s. RP-5v2 exudes the lush sound tube lovers crave. It has MM/MC and four high level inputs. Outputs include two variable and one fixed. Make no mistake, this boy goes toe to toe with the priciest ARCs, VTLs etc.
$5200: Bryston BP-19
This is Bryston’s new straight analog preamp. Add $1k for MM or $1745 for MM/MC. If you don’t need a built in DAC, as with BR-20, you can save a few bucks with BP-19. They have the same stellar sound!
$6800: Bryston BR-20
Bryston’s BR-20 is their best preamp ever and my favorite preamp on the market today! Nothing is quieter and cleaner than a Bryston. It offers a state of the art noise floor and superlative dynamics. BR-20 is way under priced at $6800. It will compete with any preamp at any price! Yes, that’s right. Even the Swiss built boys at $72k won’t outperform a BR-20!
BR-20 has Bryston’s BDA3 DAC ($3400 separately) built in! Yup, you get a state of the art preamp AND DAC, on one chassis.
Listening to BR-20 is like going from standard res to hi-res. It reminds me of listening to master tapes instead of commercially pressed LPs. There is a breathy immediacy with BR-20 that you can’t attain south of it. With a 20 year warranty, you’ll put BR-20 on the shelf and forget it!
Roundup: Power Amps
Atoll power amps have raised the bar for affordable power amps. You can now get a French built (not Chinese!) power amp that throws barbells around your room, for not much more than a lightweight Chinese competitor. Please buy Euro or N American! You’ll get superior sound and reliability.
$900: Atoll MA100 (60×2)
All Atoll amps are class Abs with large power supplies. This boy comes in a mini chassis for people tight on space. Due to the substantial supply and meticulous build, it will impress you with bass and dynamics for the price. Yet step up to AM100 if you’re even close.
$1500: Atoll AM100 (100×2)
AM100 is magnificent! It has two of the 340VA transformers and over 32,000uF of filter caps. It hits like a middle linebacker and will bring more out of your speakers than you knew they had. All you have to do is take a look at what’s inside Atoll integrateds or power amps- to know you’re getting a sports car instead of a family sedan. AM100 will throw barbells around your living room.
$2200: Atoll AM200 (120×2)
The step up gives you a lot more than 20×2. It has double the supply caps and output transistors. All Atoll transistors are MATCHED MOSFETS by the way. AM200 is noticeably more weighty than AM100, if you have speakers that can show you the difference. The impact and dynamics of Atoll power amps will shock you compared to the masses.
$3900: Atoll AM300 (150×2)
AM300 is a super star! With two 440xVA transformers and over 83,000uF of filter capacitance, AM300 can compete with the best of amps- yet at dramatically less money. It has double the output transistors of its little brother and wields a sledgehammer if your music incorporates it! If you would really like a Bryston or Mac and can’t afford it, buy an AM300. If we blindfold you, you’ll have a tough time hearing the difference of any more expensive amp! Oh, and by the way, you can run these boys bridged, 500 monoblocks. They maintain their bottom end weight and kick. Many bridged amps just play shoutier and actually produce LESS bass in the bridging process.
$4000: Rogue DragoN (300×2)
DragoN is a fire breathing, gentle monster! It uses tubes in the output stage, yet runs cool and tight. You can hammer DragoN and it doesn’t get mean. DragoN is dynamic sounding with a tube flavor of smoothness and spectacular ambiance. DragoN is a GREAT power amp that can drive the finest of loudspeakers. Atoll’s AM300 has more muscular bass. Take your pick.
$6000: Bryston 3B Cubed (200×2)
Bryston power amps are my favorite in the business. Brystons have great clarity, a heavy hammer in the bass and a 20 freaken year warranty!
$7500: Bryston 4B Cubed (300×2)
This is the latest version of iconic Bryston beef cake. With exquisite sound and long warranty, it’s as good an amp as you can buy.
Audiophiles chatter on forums about this new amp or that- supposedly wonderful innovations from companies we’ve never heard of- that work out of a garage. Those guys might indeed make a decent sounding amp. But NOBODY else is going to be as reliable and be around to service your amp, much less UNDER WARRANTY in 19+ years- except Bryston. They’ve been around since 1963 and have proven they’re good to their word.
Some of the forum dopes write that Bryston is too cool sounding. They know not what they write. They’ve gotten used to amps with MORE DISTORTION. When you hear music without the fuzzy artifacts, it’s different and better. If you hear Bryston for any length of time and go back to almost anything else, the music is more foggy with the other guys.
Theater Power Amps
Please buy Atoll from France (3 year war). The muscular sound quality will give movies more weight and impact than mass produced amps from Asia.
$1500: Atoll AV100 (3×100)
Atoll’s 3ch amp is perfect to beef up your 3 front channels. It will sound distinctly more dynamic and HEAVY than anything made in Asia.
$1900: Atoll AV500 (5×100)
AV500 is my favorite home theater amp. It has heavy delivery very close to AM100 above. It will GRIP your speakers far better than the slower, more pedestrian sounding amps from Asia.
Round Up: Stand Mount Speakers
OK folks, I’m officially done with Chinese speakers. With the Bryston acquisition of Axiom, we can offer a wide array of N American built speakers that outperform the imports.
Further, during Covid the SOBs flooded our market with generic merchandise, complete with hornswoggled marketing techniques. They create inflated retails with duplicitous sales to take advantage of the naive customer who thinks he’s getting a great deal when he sees “a discount.”
I’m not having it any more! Hit the road, Jack.
$700 Per Pair: Axiom M2
Axiom is built in Canada with a 5 year warranty. This 5.25” Cast Frame 2-way, is clean and lean. It has a Pure Aluminum bass/mid driver to go with its Titanium tweeter. It is likely to be plenty for a den or office, with no boom and a smooth top end.
$760 Per Pair: Axiom M3
M3 is significantly stronger than M2 and worth the $60 if you have the money and space. It shares M2’s smooth top end, but with 6.5” bass/mid, it delivers much stronger bass. Yep, it’s well worth $60 more.
$990 Per Pair: Bryston Tiny A
Tiny A is a 6.5” Cast Frame 2-way with smooth sound and more powerful bass than the Chinese imports. Tiny A has a better bass/mid driver and cabinet than M3 above. With all Bryston models you also get a 20 year warranty because the parts are more sturdy and trustworthy!
$1665 Per Pair: Bryston Mini A
This Bryston 3 way has serious octane in a small, but not tiny profile. If you want a reasonably sized stand mount that you can actually use on a shelf, or stand, Mini A has Bryston’s renowned smooth top end and a bigger hammer than its competition.
$4500 Per Pair: Atohm GT-1
Atohm of France is better and different from the tsunami of Euro small speakers. Virtually all of them sound clean, and too lean. GT-1 delivers class leading bass and can achieve power levels that leave the other stand mounts shaking in their boots. Only Bryston’s Mini T, a much larger speaker, can throw barbells with GT-1. We have a fabulous French Connection with Atoll and Atohm.
$4990 Per Pair: Bryston Mini T
There is nothing Mini about Mini T. At 22.5h, 10.5w, 10d and 42 pounds, Mini T is a full sized stand mount speaker that sounds great on matching stands, or on a shelf.
Bryston uses a Gibralterish 8” woofer that any sub manufacturer would be proud to use. Consequently it is no surprise how Mini T delivers a massive, powerful image from a “full sized” stand mount. If you want huge sound, including impressive thunder, from a stand mount speaker, Mini T is ideal.
Round Up: Floor Standing Speakers
$2000 Per Pair: Axiom M-60
Axiom and Bryston merged many years ago. M-60 has benefited from the joint technology more than any other model. It is essentially a lesser powered Bryston A3. If you like to wallop your speakers hard, I’d spend extra for the Brystons. But if you want full sound without bordering on abusive, M60s will save you a grand.
$3200 Per Pair: Klipsch Heresy 4
H4 looks like the classic Heresy but it is much improved. It is fast, sparkling and carries a big stick! At 99dB SPL any amp will do. If you’re a classic rocker, here ya go.
$3290 Per Pair: Bryston A3
A3 is a modestly sized, prodigious loudspeaker that will rock your world. It’s nothing like all the lightweight Chinese imports you’ll see at this price point. Made in Canada with 20 year warranty, A3 brings you into the “big boy” world of towers that don’t need a sub. The bass is much deeper on A3 than the Heresy 4 above..
$3990 Per Pair: Bryston A2
A2 is about doubles. Double tweets/mids & woofs. Each driver has HALF the travel to give you a certain level of sound. So A2 is more transparent, cleaner and more powerful that the substantial A3 above. A2 casts a huge image as well. Simply fabulous! If you were to twist my arm to demand I tell you the diminishing returns point in speakers, I’d say A2.
$4990 Per Pair: Bryston A1
Bryston’s A1 tower is clear, smooth and packs a big wallop! With an extra woofer than A2 and a more sophisticated crossover network A1 is the class of the loudspeaker world at $5k. It’s built like the Rock of Gibraltar and delivers stupifying bass while being smooth on top. Bryston has smoothness, great imaging and the ability to BASH!
$5000 Per Pair: Klipsch Forte 4
Forte 4 has a much taller/wider image than H4. It maintains the K family sound of shimmering highs and high SPL. For high powered music with no apologies, F4 leaves its competitors in the dust. It is more forward sounding and doesn’t have as much bass as Bryston A1 or A2. But if you like to play loud, go Forte.
$7500 Per Pair: Atohm GT-2
I’ve added Atohm of France to our mix because it is physically smaller than Bryston and delivers real muscle and volume. In GT-2 we have an uber refined speaker in lovely gloss walnut, black or white. It has a smooth top end with excellent extension, and deep bass power that defies this cabinet size. The other Euro guys can’t punch with the heavyweights. Atohm can.
$8000 Per Pair: Bryston Trim T-10
Trim T-10 has magnificent definition and imaging in a fairly tall tower. Its bass is leaner than Middle T below. Despite being about the same price, these two speakers are voiced a bit differently. If you prefer the leaner bottom end, lean Trim T-10. If you want to throw medicine balls around the room, you’ll want Middle T.
$8600 Per Pair: Bryston Middle T
Middle T is in all respects a full range audiophile speaker. With smooth top end and prodigious bass, Middle T competes head on head with the myriad of $25k per pair speakers out there. You simply have to hear Middle T to believe it can produce the kind of muscle from its modest tower size to punch with the heavyweights!
$12k Per Pair: Bryston Model T
This is the big daddy that started it all for Bryston speakers. Revised over the years, Model T (T for designer James Tanner, Bryston CEO) not only casts a massive soundstage of high resolution, it has truly subterranean bass response of refined character. T is no one note wonder.
Your response from Model T (& Middle) is limited only by the gear you have in front of it. While we love to pair the Bryston speakers with their own amps, don’t forget the ground breaking Axiom power amps that do an outstanding job for much less money. While every link in the chain is vital, the speakers matter most.
$13,200 Per Pair: Klipsch LaScala
LaScala is just iconically cool. It looks like the 1960s and plays at lifelike SPLs with 105dB efficiency. There’s nothing else quite like it.
$20k Per Pair: Bryston Model T-10
Bryston’s new line array is simply awesome! It produces a massive, powerful sound that you’ll love. The SIZE of the image, even on tender vocals, makes traditional speakers sound very small.
For $20k most companies give you 3-4 Scanspeak or Seas drivers in a heavy box. You’re paying out the wazoo for a lotta epoxy resin or aluminum. I’ve heard those speakers and do respect them. But you will get MUCH MORE performance for your investment by running a much taller line array of drivers in a dense wooden enclosure, fortified with an aluminum baffle.
Magnepan Speakers
Magnepans need their own listing. They’re different from everything else on the planet. They’re well suited for those of you who love acoustic music and can pull the speakers off the back wall three feet or more. Due to their tall height and lightweight diaphragm, they produce a convincing size of image. Maggies purvey the kind of detail I’d equate to headphone listening.
Maggies have taut, clean bass. If you want the heavy hammer in your music, plan to add one of the JL subs.
Round Up: Powered Subwoofers
JL subs are in league of their own, made near Ft. Lauderdale. All models are sealed and have massively deep drivers that leave the competition quaking in their boots. Virtually all competitors sub $3k are Chinese parts slapped in a box, typically in China! Please support these American power houses. And yep, they beat the little guys with smaller active drivers that try to sneak a bit more bass from passive radiators. Do it right. Buy JL Audio.
$1100: JL Audio D-110
D-110 is a 10” CAST woof in a sealed box. It is made for music as much or more than theater. Made in Florida by a family owned company- it’s a bargain.
$1900: JL Audio E-110
E-110 is about the same size as D-110. But the driver is DOUBLE the size and the crossover is much faster and cleaner. E-110 can belong in a true audiophile dream system.
$2500: JL Audio E-112
E-112 wields a bigger hammer than E-110 by use of a commensurately built 12” driver in a bigger box with a bigger amp. If you can swing $2500, go for it. Especially if your system is in your basement, the extra thunder is unquestionably advantageous.
JL Audio Fathoms
The Fathom Series is more refined yet. The drivers are heavier and deeper. The cabinets and amps are stronger. The Fathoms use JL’s best crossover system and its DARO room correction circuitry for best accuracy.
$4000: JL Audio Fathom 110v2
$5000: JL Audio Fathom 112v2
$6000: JL Audio Fathom 113v2
$10,000: JL Audio Fathom 212v2
Round Up: Interconnect Cables
Available in almost any length. I’m using 1m for a starting point.
$108: Kimber Tonik 1m, RCA or Balanced
Braided with polyethylene jacket. Noticeably cleaner sound than traditional cables.
$296: Kimber Hero 1m, RCA or Balanced
Braided with Teflon jacket. More refined, rich and dynamic than anything less.
$620: Kimber Carbon 1m, RCA or Balanced
Braided with Carbon/Teflon jacket. Significantly more dynamic and transparent than anything less!
Round Up: Speaker Cables
Available in almost any length. I’m using 10’ for a starting point.
$224: Kimber 4 Pair, two 10’ runs with Kimber bananas
Braided with polyethylene jacket.
Cleaner and more detailed than parallel wires.
$388: Kimber 8 Pair, two 10’ runs with Kimber bananas
Braided with polyethylene jacket- twice the cabling of 4 PR.
Has better bass and dynamics than 4 PR above.
$1320: Kimber Carbon 8, two 6’ runs with Kimber bananas
Braided with Carbon/Teflon jacket.
Has better transparency than anything less.
$2520: Kimber Carbon 16, two 6’ runs with Kimber bananas
Braided with Carbon/Teflon jacket- twice the cabling of Carbon 8.
Has better dynamics and weight than Carbon 8 if you have big speakers!