Typically when I write one of these missives, “Atoll Vs …” it ends up being Atoll vs something built in China. China doesn’t compare in quality to the French Atoll. The comparison is never a “battle.” The summation is always, spend a modest amount more to get a much superior Atoll. This blurb is about Atoll vs a very formidable competitor, the…

There is still plenty to be said for experience. Loads of magazine and YouTube reviewers talk about products with which they have only a short run of experience. Even if they get a product for a couple of months, what do they know about it? Often… just a little. They don’t give you an ownership picture. Here’s a case in point. A…

I chuckled today when I read a magazine review on some new separates that were dubbed “relatively affordable.” The preamp is an ARC LS-2. Price $8450 line stage, $10k with phono and DAC. The power amp is an ARC S-200, $13k The reviewer offers that most buyers will order the preamp loaded, hence $23k for preamp and amp. If you’re a pro…

I heard you’re looking for an affordable integrated amp to drive your system. Please consider Atoll from France with magnificent sound, vs something built in China that has more features than you can shake a stick at, but doesn’t sound as good and isn’t nearly as reliable. In this corner: Atoll IN100 Integrated Amp, $2100 (100×2, THD .05%) Atoll’s IN100 produces a…

TAS issue 370 just reviewed two pairs of speakers a working man can aspire to afford. Since most of what the mags review these days is so expensive that it’s insanity, I give TAS credit for thinking of us peons out here. The reviews essentially say both speakers are good values for the money. Yet, there’s no comparison between them. They don’t…

OK, you have a good sized living room. You have a rootin’ tootin’ hi-fi or theater dressed to the nines. But can you actually USE it the way you want? Um… not really. Your wife doesn’t want to be assaulted by the “noise” as you do. She likes TV more than we do. And heaven knows that women like to be on…

Ortofon 2M Black Cartridge, $750 You’ve probably read my info about Ortofon on the 2M Bronze entry. If not, have a look. The Black Moving Magnet cart is the logical top of the line stopping point for most of our customers. You achieve so much for $750 that one really has to question whether it makes sense to spend more. You get…

Atohm GT-SW2-HD Subwoofer, $3200 {15h, 12.1w, 14.7d, 55 lbs, 500w amp, 23-150Hz} Available in Piano Gloss Black or White Atohm’s new GT-SW2 HD powered sub is my new fave of all subs! Atohm has achieved uniquely deep and CONTROLLED bass response that makes this piano aficionado extremely happy. I will call this the SW2 for the duration of this listing. Since I…

Atohm has some very secret sauce in its Sirocco 2.24 high performance tower. Atohm has created SWD (Standing Wave Damper) technology. Its purpose is to eliminate extraneous cabinet ringing. By controlling cabinet resonance with a vice grip the 2.24 is perspicaciously taut in its mid & bass response which allows pianos, bass fiddles and drum kits to attain accurate, rather than bloated…

Since the Bryston / Axiom merger many years ago, Axiom has revised its speaker line to what they call the “Performance 44 Series.” The 44s reflect a new focus that deserves serious attention because the speakers are conspicuously PHENOMENAL for the prices they cover. The 44s have three towers in particular that will knock your socks off. I use this term because,…

Bryston BP-19 Preamp, $5395 (Line Stage Version) Bryston’s new BP-19 is a legitimate contender for the state of the art, line stage preamp. It includes a remote. I mention this because for years Bryston sold the remote a la carte. Yep, we Americans have to have a remote. BP-19 is clean and solid. It has a unique INPUT circuit called the Salomie…

With a couple thousand brands of speakers out there, how have we decided to carry the options we carry? We offer two main families of speakers. Atohm of France an Bryston/Axiom of Canada. Atohm Atohm is an audiophile speaker line from France (7 year warranty) with extremely high resolution. The cabinets are domestically friendly because they’re modest in size with a lovely…

New readers will notice we’re not selling turntables. We do have the best cartridges on the market, the family of Ortofons which are precision made in Denmark. I have a hate/love relationship with vinyl. The cover art is large and fun. But that doesn’t get rid of the hum, rumble, mistracking or the excessive clicks and pops. Even on the best of…

I mentioned in a recent blurb that the TAS recommended product listing issue made me feel so ill that I threw the issue in the trash. That… was a first for me. I’ve read the magazine since issue #1. To see recommended products that were 95% unattainable for a working man… I was just disgusted. What a waste of time… twas completely…

Dave Holmes, owner I opened Audio Emporium in February of 1977. My ethos has always been to sell the best gear at a given price- with a special focus on the law of diminishing returns. I don’t care that a company offers fancy speakers or electronics (or now cables!) for $50-100k on up. People that buy products like these don’t need my…

Atohm Rafale VR 1X Subwoofer $1900 (15.75h, 12.6w. 16.75d. 42 lbs) One 9.1” Subwoofer Driver, 250w amp Available in Gloss Piano Black, Gloss Piano White Made in France: 7 year warranty! Most subs are designed to hit hard and rumble your house. The majority are made in China and do just that. Their amps famously die within a few years and… there…