L’UD-501 est sans aucun doute le convertisseur Numérique-Analogique le plus performant du marché pour un budget inférieur à 1500-2000 dollars. C’est un des seuls DACs à prendre en charge les plus hautes quantifications et fréquences d’échantillonnage actuellement disponibles ! Aussi bien les flux PCM en provenances de pratiquement tous les types de transports, que les flux numériques (via son entrée USB) jusqu’à 32bits/384kHz. Il est aussi l’un des très rares convertisseurs capables de gérer le format DSD jusqu’à 5,6MHz. Les produits de la gamme 501 représente la synthèse parfaite des différents savoir-faire de la société TEAC au travers de ses différents départements ; TEAC Hi-fi, ESOTERIC et TASCAM (la division professionnelle). Le cahier des charges est de réaliser les meilleurs produits possibles tout en restant dans des budgets réalistes. Tous les produits de la gamme 501 sont réalisés au sein des usines TASCAM de la société TEAC. On n’y retrouve pas moins de cinq entrées numériques : deux optiques, deux coaxiales et enfin une USB. Les sorties sont également doublées par des RCA en mode asymétrique et des XLR pour un raccordement en symétrique. Mais ce qui en fait un appareil hors norme, outre cette magnifique finition, c’est que la prise USB est annoncée comme pouvant recevoir des signaux DSD (Direct Stream Digital), le format de données pour les fichiers SACD.
Prix suggéré : $899.

The TEAC UD-501 is an extremely impressive DAC. It plays every audio file you could conceivably think of, and does so while cocking a rather large snook at companies that insist DSD replay is only possible at great expense. An integrated streamer aside, I can’t think why anyone would want anything more than this. Strongly recommended!“ — Hi-Fi+

Spendor a récemment introduit la A6R, remplaçant ainsi sa populaire A6. Ce nouveau modèle bénificie de révisions majeures procurant des performances accrues au niveau de la dynamique, de la résolution et de l’extension du grave. Profitant de la technologie développée pour l’acclamée Spendor D7, la A6R est dotée d’un nouveau transducteur de grave de 18cm, avec membrance en polymère EP77, unique à Spendor. Un filtre entièrement redessiné et pourvu de composantes de plus haut niveau complète les revisions du A6R. Son prix suggéré est de 4595$.

It’s one of those speakers that gets straight ‘As’ across all disciplines… Its sheer competence across the board meanscompetence across the board means it’s really hard, if not impossible, to beat. You just can’t help really liking it, no matter what you’re currently used to and how expensive it is. As such, it comes heartily recommended – if you want your music to do the talking and not your loudspeakers!” — 5 Star Winner, Hi-Fi Choice.

They put in a superb performance across the frequency range, showcasing a surprisingly deep and punchy low end alongside an expressive midrange and a detailed, refined treble. Each feels like a well-judged part of a whole, slotting together perfectly to produce a well-balanced, coherent system… Detail is second to none too, and there is layer upon layer of subtlety and fine detail to grasp onto. Notes have depth and dimension, nuances are picked up in all their glory and vocals are conveyed with all the reality and emotion with which they were recorded….An outstanding pair of speakers…” — What Hi-Fi, Group Test Winner!

Adept Response aR12-TS :
Talk about a velvety black background! GAWD! Beyond that, the improvements come in a more subtle and nuanced manner—slightly creamier tonal texture, better focus of instrumental voices—both in portraying individual size and physical location—and a somewhat heightened or more apparent sense of drive and pace. Overall, the result is even more of that wonderful transparency that the aR12-T ushered in. All these newly elevated attributes combine to offer an even more coherent presentation over all. All in all, the Audience aR12-TS represents a significant advance upon an already very significant product. … While I couldn’t have asked for a more effectual AC supply conditioner than the aR12-T, the posse at Audience has somehow managed to heap significant improve upon their already benchmark product. Those guys never cease to amaze me… and the new aR12-TS is most ENTHUSIASTICALLY and musically recommended.” — Positive Feedback.

Adept Response aR6-TSS:
If you need power conditioning, then this is the best I’ve heard.” — Dagogo.com.

If you’re in the market for line conditioning, I think you ought to take a serious look at this one. There can be differences in performance depending on the system and the nature of the power in your own region, but for me, it was a no-brainer. Like TAS editor Robert Harley once said to me, “You need a power conditioner.” I have one now. It’s the Audiennce aR6-TSS.” — The Absolute Sound.

Going from no power conditioner to the aR6-TS was such a revelation that it was difficult to believe that a mere power conditioner could make such a huge improvement. If you think your system already sounds as good as it can, you might find it hard to believe what an Audience aR6-TS can do for it. And if you’ve used a power conditioner before and heard little or no change in sound quality, well, I’ve been there many times with many such products. The Audience TS-series models are different. If you already have an aR6-T, you’ll find the aR6-TS a significant, very surprising, very worthwhile upgrade. If your budget can handle it, spending $5000 (base price) to $7550 (with extra filter and Au24 powerChord) on an aR6-TS might just make the biggest overall improvement in sound you can get for that kind of money.” — Ultra Audio.

La société Soundsmith est située dans le comté de Westchester, à New York, depuis plus de 35 ans. Peter Ledermann, le président et fondateur se consacre maintenant à plein temps aux produits Soundsmith, développant et inventant de nouveaux concepts dont les cellules et étages commercialisés sous le nom de cette marque.

Il est tout à fait reconnu que les cellules haut de gamme étant de petits bijoux de mécaniques fabriqués à la mai. Chez Soundsmith, toutes les cellules, de l’Otello à l’Hyperion, sont soigneusement construites manuellement, elles sont ensuite toutes testées une par une, et les performances sont scrupuleusement relevées. Celles qui répondent ou dépassent les spécifications sont vendues. Mais il y a toujours quelques unités qui ne répondent pas aux critères techniques souhaités. Elles ne sont tout simplement pas mises en vente et, donc passent au pilon (mais certaines parties sont réutilisées).

In short, this is one of the handful of high-end products so good and so different, it really is worth serious travel to hear.” —The Absolute Sound.

Thanks to its level of performance, hand built quality and the ease that it can be incorporated into a wide range of systems, we are awarding The Voice our Product of the Year award in the analog category. I can’t think of a cartridge in this price category that is more true to the music and even when comparing it to the stratoshperic cartridges, The Voice still holds its own.” — Tone Audio.You’ll also experience a big, vibrant, dramatic, well-focused, well-organized sound that will never let you down, regardless of your musical tastes… The cartridge is a bargain at $750. It would be a good value at $1000.” — Stereophile Recommended Components.There’s something so alive sounding about a good moving coil cartridge. On the other hand, good moving magnet and moving iron cartridges like a Shure or Grado sound so correct and are also great trackers. The Voices comes closer than any cartridge I have ever heard at doing both. It is without a doubt the best non-moving coil cartridge I have heard and I would rank it in the top five of any cartridges I have ever heard.” — Dagogo.