If you start shopping for speakers at this price point, you’ll probably Google, “Best Speakers for $2k.” What comes up? In alphabetical order the most common brands are: B&W, Dali, Fluance, GoldenEar, JBL, Kef, Martin Logan, Monitor Audio, Wharfedale. What do all of these have in common? They’re all made in China and have big advertising budgets. Most of these are made…
It would be nice to get the top candidates lined up to do A/B comparisons, but it’s just not realistic. So how should you wisely shop for your new $2k ish integrated amp? Spend a few minutes learning what is under the hood. Performance doesn’t come down to magic and potions. You absolutely, positively CAN make sense out of how an amp…
Atoll 50 Series Package Atoll IN50 Integrated Amp, $1200 (50×2) Atoll’s great 50 Package starts with a price defying integrated amp. Literally everything else in this price strata is a Chinese bucket of chips and wire the size of dental floss. IN50 has a large toroidal transformer, generous power supply caps, MATCHED MOSFET output transistors- and is made in Atoll’s own house…
How much horse power do you need to drive your speakers well? Most of our customers read nonsense online that leads them to think they need X number of watts. Getting dynamic and exciting performance from your speakers boils down to control, not the wattage rating. Think of strong water pressure from a fire hose vs weaker water pressure from your garden…
Bryston at Montreal Audio Expo, 2025
Review of Bryston BP-19
Atoll absolutely steps away from its similarly priced competition in construction quality. These improvements are choices Atoll makes to attain superior sound and reliability. Virtually all competitors in Atoll’s price range are pumped out of job houses in China. They don’t use the same level of parts or clean, efficient layout. These Chinese built products don’t sound as good or last as…