NAD C389 Integrated Amp $1500: 130×2 (4h, 17 1/8w, 14 1/2d, 130 w/ch, 8 ohms) In the Feb 2023 newsletter I told you the C389 was imminent. Turns out, they made me a liar by about two months. You can refer to the Feb newsletter for the nuts and bolts. Finally, we have C389 in the flesh. It’s HERE and it is…

Bryston Mini A $1665 Per Pair (15.5h, 8.5w, 8.25d, 87 dB, 4 ohms, Black, Walnut or Boston Cherry) Why does Bryston’s small (not tiny) speaker sound so large and powerful? After all, there are plenty of speakers about this size and price that sound respectable- but have little bass. What separates Bryston musically from its price class is its substantial bass and…

My wife and I saw him in Chicago, Sunday, 4-16-23. What a treat! When you get to hear a pianist with the most perfect technique on the planet from short distance, it checks a special box on the bucket list for a die hard piano fan. When Kissin’s name is posted, you don’t even need to ask what he’s going to play….

I love to tear open new hi-fi mags. Let’s see what they’re talking about this month! Headphones They talk a lot about headphones. I’m not tremendously interested in them. But I sell the Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp ($2500) that takes a back seat to NUTHIN. It is quiet as a mouse, drives any headphones and has a 20 year warranty. It’s among…

A hundred years ago when I was in high school shopping for my first stereo, I was confused by amplifier power ratings. I was trying to compare receivers- starting with power as one of the most important categories. In the late 60s the same amp could be rated at 30 watts, 22 watts per channel, or maybe even 70 watts IHF. The…

Bryston BR-20: Another Rave!

Bryston A Series Speakers Three of my favorite speakers in all of hi-fi are BACK! After being discontinued- temporarily. With so many resources spread thin during Covid 19, Bryston announced they were going to discontinue its A Series of speakers. They were having a tough enough time making those AND its higher end range, the T Series, and its amps, and its…

Rogue Pharaoh Mk2 Integrated Amp $4000 (250×2) Rogue is finally shipping the Mk2 version of its high powered integrated amp, featuring a tube preamp section. P2 has quieter background than its predecessor. It is now compatible with virtually all speakers, whether high SPL or not. P2 uses a pair of 12AU7 tubes in its line stage. P2 has MM and MC phono!…

Bryston’s Great BCD3

The world, and hi-fi world in particular for us music lovers, changed quite dramatically during Covid. In March of 2020 everything was immediately on back order. Supply chains were trashed and nobody could provide product in a timely fashion. In fact some companies couldn’t provide it at all. Even our best suppliers went into a 6-12 month delivery time- which is no…

Amphion has introduced a like minded, less expensive brother to its highly touted Argon 1 ($1900pr). We now have Amphion definition and musicality for not a lot over a grand. Helium 510: $1400 Per Pair (Black or White) $1500 Per Pair Walnut (12.44h, 6.3w, 10.43d, 13 lbs, 86 dB, 8 ohms) Helium 510 is the same size as Argon 1. It runs…

Marantz Cinema 70s Surround Receiver $1200 (50×7, 4 3/16h, 17 3/8w, 16 1/16d, 20 lbs) Holy audio video! The brand new Marantz Cinema 70s is a terrific sounding, VERSATILE, surround receiver. First of all, Marantz’s new style is COOL. It isn’t big and boxy. It’s a delight that Cinema 70s fits almost anywhere. It has 50×7 horsepower with discrete transistors for all…

To Sub, Or Not To Sub, That… is the question! Do you need a subwoofer for a STEREO system? You Do There are precious few towers that go nearly as deep as a JL Audio subwoofer. If you go to the bottom of our home page and click on the yellow tab that says JL Audio Double Barrels, you can see the…

Why Everyone LOVES Bryston Speakers