07.2023

Bryston A1: $4990 Per Pair {47.5h, 9.25w, 17d, 71 lbs, 88 dB SPL, 4 ohms} They’re baaaaack! My fave sub $5k speakers are at long last back in the house. Covid 19 put Bryston behind the 8 ball as much as any company out there. After three long years of being at least 6 months behind on product delivery, Bryston is catching up. As they’re catching up, they’re finally producing some of their A Series speakers that were virtually extinct for three years. Tops among them is the Bryston A1. What a treat it is to have this smooth, powerful
Read More

06.2023

Magnepan MG 1.7i, $3000 Per Pair Shock of all shocks, Magnepan is catching up with providing us inventory! We actually have MG 1.7i in stock (black cloth/dark cherry wood) for the first time in… 3 years. C19 hit Magnepan as hard as any company. It was almost immediate in March of 2020, that Magnepan’s back orders became extreme. Orders of MG 1.7i, one of the best speaker values in the hi-fi hobby, ran 6 months or more. We always had orders in cue. We would get one pair here, then maybe a pair or two there. Still, we ran way
Read More

05.2023

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 even BETTER than I dared hope. I’m happy to report that C389 has a significantly bigger kick than its smaller brothers and IS an integrated that can drive some major league speakers. It is, in fact, the least
Read More

04.2023

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 preamps, and its DACs… the list goes on. That… was going to be a travesty, as the Bryston As are attractively priced and outperform the Chinese imports they compete with price wise. After much whining, complaining and begging
Read More

03.2023

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! P2 has one set XLR inputs and 3 sets RCA inputs. P2 has variable line outs- to drive a sub or additional amp. P2 has fixed pre outs and a HT bypass loop. P2 has a nicely weighted
Read More

02.2023

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 less money because it uses a pulp fiber bass mid driver while Argon 1 uses a linear-piston aluminum driver. While Helium 510 can’t achieve the stunning clarity that Argon 1 does, it IS competitive and charts new territory
Read More