NAD

In the last three years, Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries (DALI) has introduced active versions of models from three of its speaker series:

Read more: DALI Oberon 1 C Active Loudspeakers and Sound Hub Wireless Transmitter

Reviewers' ChoiceIntroduced in 1991, PSB’s affordable Alpha series of loudspeakers have since earned a reputation for performance and value, and received many awards. PSB’s Alpha P5 two-way minimonitor ($399/pair, all prices USD except as noted) received a Reviewers’ Choice Award when it was reviewed on SoundStage! Access by Hans Wetzel in March 2019, and was subsequently named a SoundStage! Network Product of the Year for Exceptional Value.

Read more: PSB Alpha AM3 Powered Loudspeakers

When he visited my home last summer, SoundStage! founder and publisher Doug Schneider asked what I thought was a strange question. Which am I into more, music or sound? Am I first and foremost an audiophile or a music lover?

Read more: iFi Audio Neo iDSD DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier

In no other area do audiophile aspirations collide more forcefully with the laws of physics than in the reproduction of deep bass. That’s especially true with audio systems installed in multipurpose living areas, as opposed to dedicated media rooms. There are two main reasons for this, one quantitative, the other qualitative.

Read more: Bluesound Pulse Sub+ Wireless Subwoofer

Reviewers' ChoiceI didn’t expect to be writing this review -- at least, not now. As I mentioned a month ago, in my feature article “A Perfect Pair,” when I read PSB’s announcement of their new Alpha AM3 and Alpha AM5 powered speakers, I immediately requested for review a pair of AM5s. I was told that samples would be shipped to me that very week -- only to hear, a few days later, that review samples weren’t available, due to robust initial orders and pandemic-related product shortages. When PSB offered to supply the smaller AM3s, I gladly accepted.

Read more: PSB Alpha AM5 Powered Loudspeakers

Most audiophiles know SV Sound (SVS) as a manufacturer of high-performance, high-value speakers and subwoofers. The Ohio-based company’s catalog also includes one electronic component: the Prime Wireless SoundBase ($499.99, all prices USD), which combines a powerful integrated amplifier and network streamer in one compact case.

Read more: SVS Prime Wireless SoundBase Streaming Integrated Amplifier

One of the best-kept secrets of home audio is the possibility of building a hi-fi system around a pair of professional studio monitors. As I discussed in my July 1 feature, “Turning Pro,” studio monitors offer more bang for the buck than most conventional systems comprising separate electronics and passive speakers.

Read more: Focal Solo6 Be Active Loudspeakers

Reviewers' ChoiceWith apologies to William Shakespeare, there’s something rockin’ in the state of Denmark, audiowise. When it comes to active speakers that include digital signal processing (DSP) -- in my opinion, now the most exciting segment of audio -- the Danes are on the leading edge. During my two-years-plus at SoundStage! Simplifi, I’ve written about active speakers from several Danish brands, including DALI, Dynaudio, and System Audio, and I’ve loved them all.

Read more: Buchardt Audio A500 Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter

Is there a speaker brand that does retro as well as Klipsch? I doubt it. Klipsch’s big horn speakers hark back to the middle of the 20th century, and so do their lifestyle products.

Read more: Klipsch The Fives Active Loudspeakers

For the past couple of decades, the audio industry has been angsting about how to get young listeners interested in hi-fi. It’s not that teens and twentysomethings don’t love music; it’s that their musical lives revolve around smartphones, headphones, maybe a Bluetooth speaker. How can they be introduced to the joys of listening to real stereo from real hi-fi speakers?

Read more: Triangle Elara LN01A Powered Loudspeakers

Volumio may not be a household name among audiophiles, but it has a huge following among DIY hobbyists. Based in Florence, Italy, Volumio is the developer of an eponymous, open-source Linux distribution designed for music playback that can run on an inexpensive single-board computer (SBC) such as the Raspberry Pi. The company claims to have over 300,000 users, mainly hobbyists who run Volumio on home-built digital music streamers and servers.

Read more: Volumio Primo Community Edition and Hi-Fi Edition Streaming DACs

  1. System Audio Legend 5 Silverback Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  2. Andover Audio Model-One Turntable Music System
  3. Elac Alchemy DDP-2 Streaming DAC-Preamp
  4. Focal Shape 65 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  5. HEDD Type 07 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  6. exaSound Audio Design Delta Music Server M100
  7. Bryston BDA-3.14 Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
  8. iFi Audio Pro iDSD Streaming DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier
  9. Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
  10. DALI Rubicon 6 C Hybrid Active Loudspeakers
  11. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Pre Box RS2 Digital DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amp
  12. Klipsch RW-51M Wireless Powered Loudspeakers
  13. iFi Audio Aurora Wireless Music System
  14. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  15. Cambridge Audio CXA81 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  16. Hegel Music Systems H120 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  17. DALI Katch One Soundbar
  18. NAD Classic C 658 BluOS Streaming DAC
  19. Kanto Audio Tuk Powered Loudspeakers
  20. Lumin T2 Network Music Player
  21. Naim Audio ND5 XS 2 Network Music Player
  22. Elac Navis ARF-51 Active Loudspeakers
  23. Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 Active Loudspeakers
  24. PMC result6 Active Loudspeakers
  25. Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Active Loudspeakers
  26. Naim Audio Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  27. McIntosh Laboratory MTI100 Integrated Turntable
  28. Yamaha WXA-50 MusicCast Streaming Amplifier
  29. NAD Masters M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  30. Primare SC15 Prisma Streaming DAC-Preamp
  31. Naim Uniti Core CD Ripper/Music Server
  32. Elac Navis ARB-51 Active Loudspeakers
  33. Bluesound Pulse 2i Wireless Speaker
  34. SVS Prime Wireless Active Speakers
  35. Totem Acoustic Kin Play Powered Speakers
  36. KEF LSX Active Loudspeakers
  37. Bluesound Vault 2i CD Ripper-Server-Streamer
  38. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Stream Box S2 Ultra Music Streamer
  39. Kii Audio Three DSP-Controlled Active Loudspeakers
  40. Aurender S5W Battery-Powered Wireless Active Loudspeakers
  41. Cambridge Audio Yoyo (L) Wireless Speaker
  42. DALI Callisto 2 C Active Speaker System
  43. Kanto SYD Bluetooth Speaker
  44. LG G7 ThinQ Smartphone
  45. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Juke Box E Turntable-Integrated Amplifier
  46. NAD D 3020 V2 Bluetooth Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  47. Polk Assist Wi-Fi Smart Speaker
  48. MartinLogan Unison Wireless Preamplifier
  49. Dynaudio Music 7 Wi-Fi Speaker
  50. Musical Fidelity M6 Encore 225 Music System
  51. Cocktail Audio X35 Music System
  52. Peachtree Audio decco125 Sky Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  53. Technics Ottava f SC-C70 Music System
  54. JBL Link 500 Wi-Fi Speaker
  55. Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor
  56. Control4 Triad One Streaming Amplifier
  57. Elac Discovery Z3 Wi-Fi Speaker
  58. Klipsch Heritage Wireless Three Wi-Fi Speaker
  59. Paradigm PW 300 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  60. Thiel Audio Aurora Home Wi-Fi Speaker
  61. Hegel Music Systems H190 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  62. Yamaha R-N803 Network Stereo Receiver
  63. Onkyo TX-8270 Network Stereo Receiver
  64. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD Active Loudspeakers
  65. Riva Audio Festival Wi-Fi Speaker
  66. Naim Audio Uniti Atom Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  67. NAD Masters Series M50.2 Digital Music Player
  68. Bryston BryFi BW-1 Wi-Fi Speaker
  69. Arcam rPlay Music Streamer
  70. Auralic Polaris Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  71. Simaudio Moon Neo ACE DAC-Streamer-Integrated Amplifier
  72. NAD C 368 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  73. Lumin M1 Integrated Amplifier-Network Music Player
  74. Arcam Solo Music DAC-Integrated Amplifier-Universal Player
  75. McIntosh Laboratory RS100 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  76. Hegel Music Systems Röst Integrated Amplifier
  77. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb Wi-Fi Speaker
  78. Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 2 Wi-Fi Speaker

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