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SoundStage! Simplifi
SoundStage! Simplifi
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KEF LS50 Wireless II Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 July 2021

Reviewers' ChoiceIn the 21st century, has there been a more successful, more important bookshelf loudspeaker than KEF’s LS50? I doubt it. Just look at how the LS50 and its progeny have fared on the SoundStage! Network.

Read more: KEF LS50 Wireless II Active Loudspeakers

Bryston BR-20 Streaming Preamplifier-DAC

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 June 2021

Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click this link.

Reviewers' ChoiceIf there was ever an occasion for an audio manufacturer to release a statement product, this was it. On September 28, 2020, Brian Russell, Bryston Ltd.’s tremendously capable, tremendously affable president, passed away in his sleep from an apparent heart attack. He was 69.

Read more: Bryston BR-20 Streaming Preamplifier-DAC

HEDD Type 05 MK2 Active Speakers and Bass 08 Subwoofer

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 June 2021

In the past two years I’ve reviewed active studio monitors from Heinz Electrodynamic Designs (HEDD), Focal, and PMC. As you’d expect, all of these speakers work wonderfully for desktop audio. But what about listening Simplifi’d style: sitting on a sofa or comfy chair, cueing up music with a tablet or smartphone, and playing it from a streaming DAC connected to the speakers?

Read more: HEDD Type 05 MK2 Active Speakers and Bass 08 Subwoofer

SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 May 2021

Reviewers' ChoiceSince mid-2019, I’ve been looking for ways to get better bass from the music system in the living room of the 1920s Toronto rowhouse I share with my infinitely better half. My quest began when I reviewed Elac’s Navis ARF-51 speakers ($4599.96/pair; all prices USD). Those active floorstanders delivered deeper bass and more slam than the active stand-mounted speakers I was using at the time, and I enjoyed them so much I bought the review samples.

Read more: SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer

Sony SA-Z1 Active Nearfield Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 April 2021

In mid-February, SoundStage! editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz e-mailed to ask if I’d be willing to put together a “virtual system” as part of a series he was writing for SoundStage! Ultra: “If you had an unlimited budget and wanted the best performance money could buy on the desktop, what would you pick?”

Read more: Sony SA-Z1 Active Nearfield Loudspeakers

Heavenly Soundworks FIVE17 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 April 2021

Note: measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link.

Three years ago, when Kevin and Jonathan Couch formed Heavenly Soundworks, the father-and-son team planned to make only conventional passive loudspeakers—active speakers weren’t on the agenda. “My dad has been into audio as long as I can remember—since before I was born,” Jonathan told me in a phone interview, “which is why I’m into it too.”

Read more: Heavenly Soundworks FIVE17 Active Loudspeakers

Marantz SACD 30n SACD/CD Player and Streaming DAC-Preamp

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 March 2021

Is the Compact Disc on its last legs? It sure looks that way. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), US sales of CDs fell 45.2% (units) and 47.6% (dollars) in the first half of 2020, compared to the same period a year earlier. In that same period, revenues from streaming grew 12%, to $4.8 billion—85% of recording-industry revenues in the US.

Read more: Marantz SACD 30n SACD/CD Player and Streaming DAC-Preamp

DALI Oberon 1 C Active Loudspeakers and Sound Hub Wireless Transmitter

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 February 2021

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

PSB Alpha AM3 Powered Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 February 2021

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

iFi Audio Neo iDSD DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 January 2021

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

Bluesound Pulse Sub+ Wireless Subwoofer

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 January 2021

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

  1. PSB Alpha AM5 Powered Loudspeakers
  2. SVS Prime Wireless SoundBase Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  3. Focal Solo6 Be Active Loudspeakers
  4. Buchardt Audio A500 Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  5. Klipsch The Fives Active Loudspeakers
  6. Triangle Elara LN01A Powered Loudspeakers
  7. Volumio Primo Community Edition and Hi-Fi Edition Streaming DACs
  8. System Audio Legend 5 Silverback Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  9. Andover Audio Model-One Turntable Music System
  10. Elac Alchemy DDP-2 Streaming DAC-Preamp
  11. Focal Shape 65 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  12. HEDD Type 07 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  13. exaSound Audio Design Delta Music Server M100
  14. Bryston BDA-3.14 Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
  15. iFi Audio Pro iDSD Streaming DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier
  16. Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
  17. DALI Rubicon 6 C Hybrid Active Loudspeakers
  18. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Pre Box RS2 Digital DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amp
  19. Klipsch RW-51M Wireless Powered Loudspeakers
  20. iFi Audio Aurora Wireless Music System
  21. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  22. Cambridge Audio CXA81 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  23. Hegel Music Systems H120 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  24. DALI Katch One Soundbar
  25. NAD Classic C 658 BluOS Streaming DAC
  26. Kanto Audio Tuk Powered Loudspeakers
  27. Lumin T2 Network Music Player
  28. Naim Audio ND5 XS 2 Network Music Player
  29. Elac Navis ARF-51 Active Loudspeakers
  30. Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 Active Loudspeakers
  31. PMC result6 Active Loudspeakers
  32. Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Active Loudspeakers
  33. Naim Audio Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  34. McIntosh Laboratory MTI100 Integrated Turntable
  35. Yamaha WXA-50 MusicCast Streaming Amplifier
  36. NAD Masters M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  37. Primare SC15 Prisma Streaming DAC-Preamp
  38. Naim Uniti Core CD Ripper/Music Server
  39. Elac Navis ARB-51 Active Loudspeakers
  40. Bluesound Pulse 2i Wireless Speaker
  41. SVS Prime Wireless Active Speakers
  42. Totem Acoustic Kin Play Powered Speakers
  43. KEF LSX Active Loudspeakers
  44. Bluesound Vault 2i CD Ripper-Server-Streamer
  45. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Stream Box S2 Ultra Music Streamer
  46. Kii Audio Three DSP-Controlled Active Loudspeakers
  47. Aurender S5W Battery-Powered Wireless Active Loudspeakers
  48. Cambridge Audio Yoyo (L) Wireless Speaker
  49. DALI Callisto 2 C Active Speaker System
  50. Kanto SYD Bluetooth Speaker
  51. LG G7 ThinQ Smartphone
  52. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Juke Box E Turntable-Integrated Amplifier
  53. NAD D 3020 V2 Bluetooth Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  54. Polk Assist Wi-Fi Smart Speaker
  55. MartinLogan Unison Wireless Preamplifier
  56. Dynaudio Music 7 Wi-Fi Speaker
  57. Musical Fidelity M6 Encore 225 Music System
  58. Cocktail Audio X35 Music System
  59. Peachtree Audio decco125 Sky Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  60. Technics Ottava f SC-C70 Music System
  61. JBL Link 500 Wi-Fi Speaker
  62. Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor
  63. Control4 Triad One Streaming Amplifier
  64. Elac Discovery Z3 Wi-Fi Speaker
  65. Klipsch Heritage Wireless Three Wi-Fi Speaker
  66. Paradigm PW 300 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  67. Thiel Audio Aurora Home Wi-Fi Speaker
  68. Hegel Music Systems H190 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  69. Yamaha R-N803 Network Stereo Receiver
  70. Onkyo TX-8270 Network Stereo Receiver
  71. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD Active Loudspeakers
  72. Riva Audio Festival Wi-Fi Speaker
  73. Naim Audio Uniti Atom Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  74. NAD Masters Series M50.2 Digital Music Player
  75. Bryston BryFi BW-1 Wi-Fi Speaker
  76. Arcam rPlay Music Streamer
  77. Auralic Polaris Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  78. Simaudio Moon Neo ACE DAC-Streamer-Integrated Amplifier
  79. NAD C 368 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  80. Lumin M1 Integrated Amplifier-Network Music Player
  81. Arcam Solo Music DAC-Integrated Amplifier-Universal Player
  82. McIntosh Laboratory RS100 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  83. Hegel Music Systems Röst Integrated Amplifier
  84. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb Wi-Fi Speaker
  85. Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 2 Wi-Fi Speaker

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Axiom
Axiom

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