• Our Other Sites
      • Back
      • SoundStage! Network (portal)
      • SoundStage! Access
      • SoundStage! Australia
      • SoundStage! Global
      • SoundStage! Hi-Fi
      • SoundStage! Life (podcast)
      • SoundStage! Simplifi (here)
          • Back
          • Preset 1
            Preset 1
            Preset 2
            Preset 2
            Preset 3
            Preset 3
            Preset 4
            Preset 4
            Preset 5
            Preset 5
            Preset 6
            Preset 6
      • SoundStage! Solo
      • SoundStage! TV (YouTube)
      • SoundStage! Ultra
      • SoundStage! Xperience
  • Equipment Reviews
  • Feature Articles
  • Why "Simplifi"—Five Years Later
  • Why "Simplifi" (2017)
  • Article Stats
  • All Articles
  • Letters
SoundStage! Simplifi
SoundStage! Simplifi
Naim Audio
Naim Audio
PSB
PSB

Elac Navis ARF-51 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 September 2019

Reviewers' ChoiceIn her song “Big Yellow Taxi,” Joni Mitchell famously observed “That you don’t know what you’ve got / Till it’s gone.” There’s a lot of truth in that. The converse is equally true -- you don’t know what you’ve been missing till you experience it. Both thoughts occurred to me as I reviewed Elac’s Navis ARF-51 active floorstanding speakers.

Read more: Elac Navis ARF-51 Active Loudspeakers

Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 August 2019

Cute, adorable, funky -- you rarely read those adjectives in reviews of serious audio products, but they do describe the appearance of Devialet’s Phantom Reactor active loudspeakers. Perched on their matching tripod stands, the Reactors evoke memories of R2D2 from Star Wars (though each Reactor is much smaller), or characters from the game Angry Birds (the Reactors look way friendlier).

Read more: Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 Active Loudspeakers

PMC result6 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 August 2019

As regular visitors to this site surely know by now, I’m a big proponent of active loudspeakers. My reference system is built around a pair of Dynaudio Focus 200 XDs, which have dedicated 150W class-D amps for their 1” tweeters and 6.5” woofers. This choice was driven by domestic considerations -- it would be almost impossible to fit a system of audio separates into the living room of the century-old row house I share with my much better half.

Read more: PMC result6 Active Loudspeakers

Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 July 2019

Reviewers' ChoiceIt was a deal that left many audiophiles scratching their heads. In May 2016, the venerable British loudspeaker manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins was sold to California-based EVA Automation Inc. If few people had ever heard of EVA Automation, that’s not surprising -- the Silicon Valley startup had been founded only two years before, and had never released a product.

Read more: Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Active Loudspeakers

Naim Audio Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Music System

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 July 2019

Reviewers' ChoiceFive years ago, if someone had asked me if there was a market for a tabletop all-in-one music system that cost $1499 (all prices USD), I’d have replied, “You’re kidding, right?” For that kind of dough, you could get a nice integrated amp and speakers, or a really good set of powered speakers. I had nothing against all-in-one music systems -- not then, not now. But for serious listening, I want the immersive experience you get from a stereo pair of speakers spaced several feet apart.

Read more: Naim Audio Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Music System

McIntosh Laboratory MTI100 Integrated Turntable

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 June 2019

When most people think of audio components from McIntosh Laboratory, they think of serious high-end separates: preamps and big, powerful amplifiers. But there’s another side to this iconic brand, which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary. McIntosh now offers several lifestyle audio products, including integrated music systems, streamers, headphone amplifiers, and the subject of this review: what they call an integrated turntable.

Read more: McIntosh Laboratory MTI100 Integrated Turntable

Yamaha WXA-50 MusicCast Streaming Amplifier

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 June 2019

For people who want to enjoy their music in real-world living spaces, two of the most welcome developments of recent years have been the integration of streaming capability into integrated amplifiers, and the downsizing of these components. With a streaming amplifier and good pair of speakers, you have everything you need to enjoy a vast range of music, in sound quality far beyond that of most all-in-one tabletop speakers. And you can do this without breaking the bank, or cluttering up your living area with audio gear.

Read more: Yamaha WXA-50 MusicCast Streaming Amplifier

NAD Masters M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 May 2019

Reviewers' ChoiceIn the Toronto home I share with my infinitely better half, the hi-fi lives in the living room. Of course, I want it to sound great -- and it does -- but it also has to look as if it belongs. We’ve put a lot of effort into the design and décor of our home: If the hi-fi is to occupy a public space, it must be suitable for civilized company.

Read more: NAD Masters M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Primare SC15 Prisma Streaming DAC-Preamp

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 May 2019

One thing that differentiates enthusiast audio from other areas of consumer electronics is the amazing proliferation of brands. Most CE categories are dominated by a few big names -- think TVs (LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL, Vizio), or smartphones (Apple, Huawei, Samsung again). But audiophiles shopping for speakers, amplifiers, source components, or cables can choose from among literally hundreds of brands.

Read more: Primare SC15 Prisma Streaming DAC-Preamp

Naim Uniti Core CD Ripper/Music Server

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 April 2019

Is the Compact Disc on its deathbed? Not yet, but there’s cause for concern. According to the 2019 Global Music Report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), worldwide sales of physical media declined 10.1% in 2018. Vinyl sales grew 6%, and now account for 3.6% of worldwide music-industry revenues. So based on a little back-of-the-envelope math, it looks like global CD sales declined by around 12% last year.

Read more: Naim Uniti Core CD Ripper/Music Server

Elac Navis ARB-51 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 April 2019

Reviewers' ChoiceThe German hi-fi brand Elac dates back to the 1920s, but has lately undergone a renaissance. Following a business reorganization in 2014, Elac established an American subsidiary charged with developing affordable, high-performance loudspeakers. That task was assigned to Andrew Jones, who in 2015 joined Elac as vice-president of engineering, following gigs at KEF, Infinity, TAD, and Pioneer.

Read more: Elac Navis ARB-51 Active Loudspeakers

  1. Bluesound Pulse 2i Wireless Speaker
  2. SVS Prime Wireless Active Speakers
  3. Totem Acoustic Kin Play Powered Speakers
  4. KEF LSX Active Loudspeakers
  5. Bluesound Vault 2i CD Ripper-Server-Streamer
  6. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Stream Box S2 Ultra Music Streamer
  7. Kii Audio Three DSP-Controlled Active Loudspeakers
  8. Aurender S5W Battery-Powered Wireless Active Loudspeakers
  9. Cambridge Audio Yoyo (L) Wireless Speaker
  10. DALI Callisto 2 C Active Speaker System
  11. Kanto SYD Bluetooth Speaker
  12. LG G7 ThinQ Smartphone
  13. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Juke Box E Turntable-Integrated Amplifier
  14. NAD D 3020 V2 Bluetooth Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  15. Polk Assist Wi-Fi Smart Speaker
  16. MartinLogan Unison Wireless Preamplifier
  17. Dynaudio Music 7 Wi-Fi Speaker
  18. Musical Fidelity M6 Encore 225 Music System
  19. Cocktail Audio X35 Music System
  20. Peachtree Audio decco125 Sky Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  21. Technics Ottava f SC-C70 Music System
  22. JBL Link 500 Wi-Fi Speaker
  23. Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor
  24. Control4 Triad One Streaming Amplifier
  25. Elac Discovery Z3 Wi-Fi Speaker
  26. Klipsch Heritage Wireless Three Wi-Fi Speaker
  27. Paradigm PW 300 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  28. Thiel Audio Aurora Home Wi-Fi Speaker
  29. Hegel Music Systems H190 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  30. Yamaha R-N803 Network Stereo Receiver
  31. Onkyo TX-8270 Network Stereo Receiver
  32. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD Active Loudspeakers
  33. Riva Audio Festival Wi-Fi Speaker
  34. Naim Audio Uniti Atom Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  35. NAD Masters Series M50.2 Digital Music Player
  36. Bryston BryFi BW-1 Wi-Fi Speaker
  37. Arcam rPlay Music Streamer
  38. Auralic Polaris Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  39. Simaudio Moon Neo ACE DAC-Streamer-Integrated Amplifier
  40. NAD C 368 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  41. Lumin M1 Integrated Amplifier-Network Music Player
  42. Arcam Solo Music DAC-Integrated Amplifier-Universal Player
  43. McIntosh Laboratory RS100 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  44. Hegel Music Systems Röst Integrated Amplifier
  45. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb Wi-Fi Speaker
  46. Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 2 Wi-Fi Speaker

Page 8 of 13

  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
KEF LS60
KEF LS60
Axiom
Axiom

SoundStage! Simplifi is part of

SoundStage!

All contents available on this website are copyrighted by SoundStage!® and Schneider Publishing Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

This site was designed by RocketTheme, Karen Fanas, and The SoundStage! Network.

To contact us, please e-mail info@soundstagenetwork.com

To Top