Category: Review

Alimentation audiophile SBooster

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Bon nombre d’appareils audio sont fournis avec des horribles alimentations à découpage. Ce type d’alimentation permet de réduire le coût de vente mais, en contrepartie, empêche de réaliser le plein potentiel de vos appareils. SBooster fabrique des alimentations électriques linéaires avec des transformateurs de qualité audiophile. Vous avez ainsi une solution élégante permettant de remplacer très avantageusement votre adaptateur mural par une vraie alimentation secteur haut-de-gamme, comme les meilleures électroniques audiophiles.

Les alimentations BOTW filtrent le courant dès son entrée, avant même le passage dans l’énorme transformateur toroïdal. Ainsi les pollutions RFI sont immédiatement réduites. Les circuits de ces alimentations au design novateur permettent jusqu’à 50% de gain de courant tout en consommant jusqu’à 35% de moins comparé à bien d’autre solutions de substitution. Les alimentations linéaires SBooster sont disponibles en 6 modèles avec 11 tensions de sortie (5 V à 24 V) et sont livrées avec un grand nombre de connecteurs interchangeables.
Prix suggéré : $449 à $519.

Les alimentations SBooster sont compatibles avec certains produits de marques : Antelope Audio, Antipodes, Apogee, Arcam, Audio Engine, Auralic, Bel Canto, Beresford, Bryston, Cambridge, Chord, Dynaudio, Dynavector, Graham Slee, iFi Audio, Innuos, Lindemann, Logitech, Lumin, M2Tech, Martin Logan, Meridian, Moon, Musical Fidelity, Naim, Pathos, Pro-Ject, SOtM, Wadia, Weiss, Wyre4sound.

“Toward the end of this review, Mark sent a new Sbooster PSU for me to try. He claimed that the sound of the (Lumin) D1 with the Sbooster would elevate performance levels to new heights. Boy, was he right. With the Sbooster powering the tiny D1, two features of the sound stood out in stark relief.

First, the sound became more relaxed. By “relaxed” I do not mean to imply a softening of musical transients. Instead, the Sbooster allowed the D1 to reproduce musical transients and decays in a more natural, fluid, and convincing way. Coherence, cohesion, tonal suppleness, and instrumental warmth all increased noticeably. Stated another way, I found it easier to step into and lose myself in the performance. Second, soundstage depth and imaging specificity dramatically improved. Without the Sbooster, the D1 produced airy images that seemed to float ethereally, but without much in the way of stage depth. With the Sbooster doing the driving, instruments and voices gained in solidity and three-dimensionality. Soundstage depth cues improved markedly, as did my ability to discern the placement of instruments and voices within the recorded stage. This newfound solidity had the net effect of heightening the sense of overall musical realism and involvement.”  — Positive-feedback.com

Astell & Kern AK70

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“With its previous players Astell & Kern firmly established itself as a purveyor of the finest (and most expensive) portable players available… But with the AK70, A&K has a player that offers more usable features and flexibility at an affordable price than any of its previous offerings. With the ability to handle a wide range of earphones thanks to its balanced and single-ended connections, …this player delivers more value and bang-for-the-buck than most of the current crop of players priced between $500 and $700.”
— The Absolute Sound

Le retour d’une légende : Kiseki

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Les cellules Kiseki ont été créées il y a près de 30 ans et sont rapidement devenues des légendes ! Mais avec l’apparition du Compact Disc et les ventes des produits analogiques étant devenues rares, la production avait cessé dans les années 90. Heureusement avec le retour en force du vinyle, leur créateur Herman van Den Drungen a décidé d’en relancer la fabrication en 2014.

Les nouvelles cellules, toujours faites à la main, sont produites en petite série. Deux modèles sont pour l’instant disponibles au catalogue, Kiseki Blue NS  ($2949) et PurbleHeart NS ($4695). Leurs techniques de fabrication sont identiques à celles d’origine, mais elles bénéficient de matériaux plus modernes et actuels.

La cellule Kiseki Blue NS est dotée d’un corps usiné dans un aluminium massif. Les bobines sont construites à partir des meilleurs éléments disponibles aujourd’hui. Le cantilever en bore est équipé d’un superbe diamant “Nude Line Contact”. Le polissage de ce dernier est particulièrement soigné afin de réduire au maximum les bruits de surface. Le corps de la cellule Purpleheart est réalisé dans un bloc massif d’amarante (connu aussi sous le nom de “Purpleheart”, un bois exotique très dense. Les bobines sont construites à partir des meilleurs éléments disponibles aujourd’hui. Le cantilever est réalisé en bore. Cela lui donne une rigidité et une vélocité supérieure à l’aluminium. Il est équipé d’un superbe diamant taillé et poli avec un profil “Nude Line Contact”. Il aura fallu pas moins de deux ans de tests et d’écoutes pour valider les matériaux et les procédés de fabrication, afin de pouvoir proposer une restitution supérieure aux modèles originales.

“The Kiseki PurpleHeart N.S. Phono Cartridge truly is an outstanding cartridge, excelling to the limits of perfection in several parameters, and merely excellent in all others. There is no other cartridge in its price range that can shine its stylus or bring such truthfulness to the reproduction of LPs. I am gob smacked by how it reproduces music like the real performance. Its utter lack of identifiable colorations put it in a league of its own. Enthusiastically recommended!” — Positive-Feedback.

“…many LP-loving audiophiles might find this mid-priced phono cartridge (Blue NS) all they need to achieve analog nirvana.” — Enjoythemusic.com.

“Considering what these cartridges offer, we are very happy to award them one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2014. Now that’s a miracle we can all be excited about. I know I want one.” — Tone Audio.

“Overall, the Kiseki Purpleheart is a physical and sonic beauty.” — Stereophile.

“Kiseki has set the bar awfully high. …I would lean in to marvel at its delicate micro-dynamic detail, and a split second later it could knock me off my listening seat with its powerful bass and controlled macro-dynamic slam. …Do I recommend the Kiseki Purple Heart? Absolutely.”  Enjoythemusic.com.

L’ampli de puissance Hegel H30 se taille toute une réputation…

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H30Front“This Norwegian powerhouse (375Wpc into 8 ohms) combines the bass control and and dynamic impact of a dreadnought design with the midrange and treble refinement, delicacy, and sweetness reminiscent of a single0ended triode amplifier. The midrange, in particular, is highly vivid and present, with a palpability and directness of expression RH has not heard in an amplifier near the H30’s price.” — The Absolute Sound.

“Although the H30 is the biggest, most expensive product Hegel Music Systems makes, it nonetheless carries on the company’s tradition of high performance and high value — not because it’s cheap, but because it can stand alongside the best amps made, even those costing much more.” — Soundstage.

“La mise en application de quelques circuits propriétaires, dont la technologie SoundEngine, introduit un supplément sensible de véracité sonore qui différencie subjectivement ces électroniques de la concurrence. La fabrication répond aux standards scandinaves de rigueur et de qualité, les spécifications techniques positionnent le préampli et l’ampli parmi l’élite mondiale. De la haute musicalité qui mêle fermeté, douceur et transparence, et qui rappelle par moments celle des tubes.” — Haute Fidélite.

H30 insde“Needless to say the Norwegians (Hegel) aren’t the 8th wonder of the world and the very best SETs for example will have an even more nuanced sound. But here we’re dealing with an amplifier that sells for about half or one third of what I compared it to (and the speakers that performed well with it). It thus took deliberate restraint on my part not to gush with the emotions I encountered during this review.” — 6 Moons.

Nouvelle architecture numérique des lecteurs réseau Linn Klimax

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linn-klimax-ds-obliqueLinn introduit la mise à jour Katalyst; une nouvelle conception de l’architecture du convertisseur analogue/numérique pour les modèles haut de gamme Klimax DS et DSM.

Katalyst est une évolution importante qui concerne plusieurs éléments critiques qui se trouvent au coeur du Klimax DS et DSM. Tout d’abord la stabilité de l’étage d’entrée générant l’amplitude du signal numérique fut optimisé et l’horloge maîtresse fut améliorée et gagne sa propre source d’alimentation. Ensuite, le niveau de bruit parasite a été revu à la baisse grâce à de nouvelles alimentations indépendantes. Finalement, Linn a revisé l’étage de sortie avec un nouveau circuit à très faible distorsion.

ds-katalyst-board_slice-920x255Des mises à niveau sont aussi prévues pour les clients possédant un Klimax DS ou DSM de génération précédente. Contactez-nous pour les détails.

I’ve not heard every single digital device, but I’ve heard a lot of them, and the Klimax DS/2 is the best of the ones I’ve heard……And even at the super-lofty end of high-end digital, the Klimax DS/2 stands with the best of them, and even shows a clean pair of heals to some of audio’s upper echelon with ease. It might even be the best of them, and therefore comes profoundly recommended. — The Absolute Sound

Le DAC / Préampli Chord DAVE impressionne à nouveau

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“If you’re looking for the best DAC money can buy, the DAVE is a superb place to start. We haven’t heard anything that sounds so natural or insightful.”
DAV-headphoneIt doesn’t take more than a few seconds of listening to realise that the DAVE is something special.
It just sounds so right from the beginning that it genuinely takes effort to even try to deconstruct its performance. When we did, we found a formidable array of talents with no discernable weaknesses.
Soundstaging is excellent. It is precise, layered and neatly arranged. More than that it’s stable, even when the music turns demanding. The tonal balance is similarly impressive being even-handed and utterly convincing.
No part of the frequency range gets undue preference and there’s a lovely balance between attack and refinement.
It’s the DAC’s dynamic ability that impresses us most with this piece. Not only does this DAC thump out crescendos with conviction, but it also goes from loud to quiet and back again with a grace and fluidity we have rarely heard from a DAC before.
It paints music with class leading naturalness that makes most rivals sound mechanical and restrained in comparison.
We notice the excellent sound staging with this recording too, though it’s the DAVE’s excellent rhythmic ability that really stands out. It is truly terrific in this respect, delivering the timing relationships between the individual instruments brilliantly.
If you’re looking for the best DAC money can buy, the DAVE is a superb place to start. We haven’t heard anything that sounds so natural or insightful. — What Hi-Fi?, Five Star Award, June 2016

Le convertisseur Chord DAVE recoit le prestigieux “Outstanding Product Award” de HiFi News

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Dave-Web-Res-4-687x515It doesn’t take much time with DAVE to realize that the sound here is every bit as impressive as all the clever stuff under the hood…  every bit of that technical finesse is translated into the most remarkable music-making ability, whether with CD-quality files or content pushing the upper limits of today’s high-resolution offerings.
What struck me immediately was that DAVE ‘does’ piano, a notoriously difficult instrument to reproduce in any manner corresponding even slightly to the experience of sitting close to one being played in anger. I was immediately taken by the sheer scale and power of the instruments center-stage, to the point where one could hear the impact of hammer on string, the shifting of the dampers, everything.
And wow, is this DAC both weighty and fast, capable of growling out the deepest bass notes while simultaneously untroubled by the speed and complexity of rhythms – traits as well suited to trio jazz as they are to large scale orchestral works.
Simply, DAVE delivers remarkable instrumental timbres and detail, as for example when running in DSD+ mode to play the Cleveland Orchestra/Szell program of Wagner orchestral highlights in DSD64. These recordings sound just glorious with beautiful fluidity and bite, room-shaking dynamics, and shiver-inducing timbre and texture to that Wagnerian brass in the Gotterdammerung Prelude.
‘Revelatory’ is a pretty strong term to describe a piece of hi-fi equipment, but that’s just what Chord’s DAVE is. Furthermore, while most of my listening was via the USB input from my dedicated Mac Mini, it’s just as striking when fed via the optical or coaxial inputs, and offers a remarkably good headphone amp into the bargain, with that crossfeed facility effective in making the sound much less ‘in the head’.
A rare high score for Chord’s DAVE, but this is no ordinary digital-to-analog converter. From the handcrafted quality of its casework to the sheer quantity of proprietary engineering within, this is a standard-setting product, and when you hear it in action all that hard work – and the price – is more than justified by a scintillating performance. From lab to listening room, this is an outstanding product.
By any standards, this is a remarkable piece of equipment, but is it the best DAC you can buy right now? On this showing, I wouldn’t bet against it. — Andrew Everard, Hi-Fi News April 2016, Outstanding Product Award

La Spendor D7 continue de récolter les éloges

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La Spendor D7 est accordée “2016 Editor’s Choice Award” par le magazine américain The Absolute Sound.

D7_bb_SDSpendor’s neo-classic 48″ tower is superbly finished, and sonically offers up-front energy, near full-range frequency response, and high dynamic potency. On balance and to the D7’s credit, it sounds much closer to a true three-way than to a 2.5-way in that it maintains a near constant level of tonal stability and dynamic drive through the midband—a feat that most 2.5-ways struggle to achieve. It’s the rare loudspeaker at any price that touches all the bases for every set of ears, but the reasonably priced D7 comes very close in many areas. — The Absolute Sound, Editor’s Choice Awards 2016

Casques HiFiMan

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” HiFiMan’s flagship HE-6 planar-magnetic headphone is editionx_00
one of the most accurate, detailed, and revealing headphones Playback has ever reviewed. …this headphone offers stunning bass, smooth yet ultra-articulate mids, and spectacularly detailed and extended highs, and it handles dynamics with both sensitivity and swagger. By comparison to the HE-6, competing headphones often seem to leave important bits and pieces of musical information behind.” — The Absolute Sound.

“The HE-6 offer a neutral tonal balance, exceptional transient speed, extremely high resolution, plus a quality of musical “soulfulness”. The HE-6 comes ever so close to matching the resolution of Audeze’s more expensive LCD3 and does so while offering what some consider more accurate overall timbre. …The HE-6 enjoys a reputation as a “must-hear” top-end model (arguably one of the three or four best headphones available).” — The Absolute Sound.

” HiFiMan’s HE-500 is one of the greatest headphones on today’s market and its a steal.” — The Absolute Sound.

“Headphonedom has gained territory this past year and a half, and a new state of play exists: World-Class, commercially available, planar magnetic headphones. HiFiMAN’s HE-500 sit at a high point for all the kingdom to hear. It is a masterwork of development, and a siren call attracting those who desire the extraordinary richness of bass, crystal-clear highs, and coherent glorious body between that these cans deliver.” — Inner Fidelity.

“In the realm of planar headphones, the HE-400’s represent a tremendous bargain. Not only have they lowered the cost of acquiring a pair of planar headphones, they have designed them in such a way that you don’t need to spend even more money on an amplifier capable of driving them. Their ability to deliver beautiful music from smaller power sources is downright impressive. Highly recommended!” — Home Theater and High Fidelity.

“…these (HE-400) are my current favorites in the sub-$500 range.” — Head Hi-Fi.

“I was totally knocked out by the sound of the first Hifiman headphone, the HE-5, and in fact preferred it over all of the much more expensive, and better known high-end headphones, like the Audio Technica ATH-W5000, Denon AH-D7000, Sennheiser HD 800, Grado PS-1000, and Ultrasone Edition 8 I had on hand for direct comparison.” — Cnet.

“If you’ve been reading Playback for a while, you will know that we hold HiFiMAN planar magnetic headphones in pretty high regard. No manufacturer is perfect, but HiFiMAN has managed to impress in its short time on the scene (or maybe because of it, since they seem to be trying very hard to get it right).” — AV Guide.

 

Linn Majik DSM

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majik dsmLes sensations, à l’écoute du Majik DSM furent, pour l’auteur de ces lignes …très agréables, apaisantes et procurant un réel bien-être. …Nous avons aussi pu apprécier une très belle image sonore avec un placement indéfectible de la voix au centre. … …Linn ne nous en voudra probablement pas de le plagier en disant que l’utilisation comme les prestations sonores de son système Majik DSM sont véritablement “magiques”. Le pilotage depuis une tablette iPad est à la fois souple et ludique et procure un vrai plaisir, tandis que la restitution sonore délivrée par le Majik DSM est aussi belle et douce que la plus belle des fées qui illuminaient les contes de notre enfance. La Rédaction Hi-Fi de Qobuz a donc décidé de décerner sa récompense Qobuzissime Hi-Fi au Linn Majik DSM.” — Qobuz. Prix suggéré : $5230.