{"title":"All Products","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"jvc-dla-nz800-8k-home-theater-projector","title":"JVC DLA-NZ800 8K Home Theater Projector","description":"\u003cdiv data-content-type=\"html\" data-appearance=\"default\" data-element=\"main\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eGen3, Native 4K D-ILA Device\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe third-generation 0.69-inch native 4K D-ILA device offers the native contrast ratio of 100,000:1. Also, improvements in the manufacturing process resulted in improved screen uniformity for enhanced image quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003e2,700lm BLU-Escent Laser\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJVC’s original BLU-Escent Laser light source has been optimized to achieve exceptional peak brightness of 2,700 lumens with longevity of 20,000 hours. Housed in a compact casing, the laser light engine provides higher output, greater efficiency, and quieter operation, making it an excellent solution for demanding home theater installations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003ePixel Perfect 8K Out with 8K\/e-shiftX\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether the source is 4K or 8K, the latest Gen2 8K\/e-shiftX high-resolution display technology uses a 240Hz driver with 4-way, multi-axis shift to flash the screen four times to deliver pixel perfect 8K resolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eAll-glass, All-aluminum Lens System\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 65 mm lens system with 17-element, 15-group all-glass lens projects high-resolution images to every corner of the screen, while securing wide shift ranges of 80% vertically and 34% horizontally to enable faithful reproduction of distortion-free 8K images.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eGen2 Frame Adapt HDR offers Deeper Blacks and More\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2nd generation Frame Adapt HDR function instantaneously analyzes the different peak brightness per scene or per frame for HDR10 content and performs real-time tone mapping for optimized brightness, color and details. When combined with each of the following modes including the new Deep Black function, the projector detects and analyzes data contained in HDR sources to project the best of what each source has to offer:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDeep Black function\u003c\/strong\u003e subdues tones in dark areas for more realistic darkness.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDML (Display Mastering Luminance)\u003c\/strong\u003e adjusts\/sets the dynamic range to match the image for a much better HDR experience.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFILMMAKER MODE™\u003c\/strong\u003e recreates picture quality that is faithful to the original master.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003ePicture Mode “Vivid”\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMade to reproduce SDR content with a narrow dynamic range in more saturated colors with greater vividness, the Vivid mode is excellent for SDR animated works and gaming CGs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eDual 48Gbps HDMI Inputs – 8K\/60p and 4K\/120p\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFull 8K input is enabled with 48Gbps 8K\/60p HDMI input with HDCP 2.3. Also, 4K120p input that is used with Low Latency Mode is excellent for high frame-rate gaming platforms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProprietary, Gen3, 0.69-inch Native 4K D-ILA Devices (x3)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2,700-lumen BLU-Escent Laser phosphor light engine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePixel perfect – Gen2 8K\/e-shiftX with New 8K Scaling Engine featuring 4-way, multi-axis shift yields 8,192- x 4,320-pixel projection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e100,000:1 native contrast, ∞ (infinite):1 dynamic contrast ratios delivers images brimming with reality\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e101-step Laser Light Control by slider adjustment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e65 mm All-glass Lens with 2X zoom, 80% vertical, 34% horizontal shift\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh-contrast Optical Block\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo 48Gbps HDMI\/HDCP 2.3 inputs – 8K\/60p and 4K\/120p\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGen2 Frame Adapt HDR dynamic tone mapping with Theater Optimizer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew Deep Black function extends dark tones with far greater contrast\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHDR10+ compatibility\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDML (Display Mastering Luminance) adjusts\/sets the dynamic range for better HDR experience\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePicture mode “Vivid” for projecting animated works and game CGs in SDR format\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWide Color Gamut with Cinema Filter (over 100% DCI-P3)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilt with hand-selected components\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstallation Mode with 10 customizable presets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eISF Certified, plus JVC Auto Calibration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear Motion Drive for the smoothest video\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultiple Pixel Control (MPC) for increased sharpness and detail\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLow Latency Mode effective when displaying high frame-rate gaming content\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eControls: Control4 SDDP, LAN, RS-232C, IR, 12V screen trigger out, 3D sync out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3-year Warranty with first year advanced replacement\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\t\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"JVC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42305316061268,"sku":"JVC:DLA-NZ800","price":18999.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/227193_nz8_std_fru.jpg?v=1714583602"},{"product_id":"focal-bathys","title":"Focal Bathys Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eProduct \u0026amp; Company History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article is on a first time breakthrough product from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/focal\"\u003eFocal\u003c\/a\u003e that has been in the works for over 3 years — Bathys Closed-Back Wireless \u0026amp; Noise Cancelling Headphones. They come from a company known for their uber high end audiophile headphones and add noise canceling and wireless along with their great sound and fantastic design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Focal Bathys\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DSC05068.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocal is headquartered in France and has been around more than 40 years. Focal makes very high end audiophile products from headphones that cost $5,000 to speakers that sell for $250,000. Any company that plays in the stratosphere of ultra high performance like Focal needs a superb team of engineers who are all driven to design the best sounding products possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd, when you create products in the extreme high end category, the engineers usually find a way to bring some of the great tech they discover into their much more affordable products. That is exactly the case with the new Bathys wireless headphones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo what makes these so special? First, they are terrific travel headphones that are a step above the normal Sony and Bose models you will see people wearing on planes. Second, they double as terrific sounding home and office headphones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo what is with the name Bathys? It was inspired from the word bathyscaphe, which is a small submersible vessel used for deep sea dives. When you are down that deep, \u003cstrong\u003ethere is nothing but silence and calm, which is how Focal feels your experience will be when wearing these headphones.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have seen any of the other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphones?brand=231\"\u003ehigh performance Focal headphones\u003c\/a\u003e you know they have a very distinctive look, which Focal carried forward with the new Bathys. They have that great curved design with the perforated aluminum back where the perforations get tighter in their pattern pushing the Focal logo towards the front. It just looks super cool. But there is a side benefit to this look — with most headphones, you have to go find the R or L to know which way to put them on. With the Bathys, you just put the logo side towards the front and don’t even have to look for the R or L, pretty cool! When you look around the airport lounge, you see lots of people with standard black travel headphones. Not these. They not only sound better, but they look the part — just like a supercar standing out in a parking lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Focal Bathys\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3200.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe materials used in the Bathys are mostly aluminum, leather, and magnesium, with the only colors being black and a silver gray.\u003c\/strong\u003e Focal’s higher end headphones, like the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/focal-clear-mg-over-ear-headphones\"\u003eClear MG Open-Back Over-Ear Headphones\u003c\/a\u003e, for example, are known not only for amazing sound, but a level of comfort that exceeds other brands. We have always thought their headphones were super easy to wear. This was even more important for them with the Bathys with the travel use case. These weigh only 12 ¾ ounces which is very light for a headphone of this quality level. A lot of noise cancelling headphones like Sony and Bose are more on ear than over ear, which can reduce the long term comfort.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bathys have very deep and wide earcups, making them a great fit for everyone. \u003cstrong\u003eThe pads themselves are ⅞” thick and almost ¾” wide.\u003c\/strong\u003e There is then a gap of about ¼” between them and the soft cover for the driver giving room for people with larger ears. \u003cstrong\u003eThe opening for your ear is also much bigger than a Sony or Bose at roughly 2 5\/8” tall and about 1 ¾” wide.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe entire surface of the cups are real soft leather over a very nicely squishy memory foam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe headband is also covered in soft leather over memory foam that is ¾” thick where it touches the top of your head. The magnesium yokes adjust quite freely and were really easy to get a comfortable fit. Like most good headphones, the adjustments in or out on the headband click in place in small increments to make it easy to fine tune them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe wore them for several hours, and \u003cstrong\u003eeven after a long time, we did not experience much heat build up or any discomfort,\u003c\/strong\u003e which is exactly what we would expect from Focal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Focal Bathys Earcups\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3199.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at the features you can access from the headphones, \u003cstrong\u003ethe right earcup has the button you press to initially connect bluetooth, volume\/mute, the on\/off or DAC switch, a smart assistant for Google or Alexa button, a USB charging and DAC connection, and an analog cable connection.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Clear Voice Capture mic is also on the right facing towards the front. The left side has one button which controls the way noise canceling operates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe headphones come nicely packaged and include an ergonomic travel case that is somewhat hard and covered in what feels like a wool material that is light gray. A 1 meter USB C cable and ⅛” analog cable are included with the headphones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemarkably, these \u003cstrong\u003ecan play for 30 hours using both Bluetooth and active noise cancelling without a charge and only take 90 minutes to fully charge.\u003c\/strong\u003e There is even a \u003cstrong\u003equick charge mode that gives you 5 hours of life in 15 minutes\u003c\/strong\u003e which is great when you are sitting in the terminal thinking, oh no, I forgot to charge my headphones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOk so far, these might sound like a really nicely made pair of very comfortable headphones you can use at home or on the road. Let's look at what impressed us so much.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocal wanted the Bluetooth aspect of these to deliver the best audio, so they chose \u003cstrong\u003eBluetooth 5.1 technology that works with SBC, AAC, Apt-X™ and Apt-X™ Adaptive codecs\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is a great choice on their part. It supports high-definition audio up to 48 kHz sampling rates and sample resolutions up to 24 bits. We see some headphones that do not go the Apt-X route, which makes no sense to us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocal has been perfecting their \u003cstrong\u003eproprietary ‘M’-shaped dome driver\u003c\/strong\u003e for years. It is made in France from a combination of magnesium and aluminum. A version of this is used in all of their top end headphones. The Bathys gets a new version of this same driver designed to be \u003cstrong\u003elighter for portable use\u003c\/strong\u003e. You get that same great dynamic sound that can reveal the tiniest detail, yet has that classic Focal warmth that makes their headphones so easy to listen to for a long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocal also has an app for the Bathys that lets you perform basic equalization and even save eq curves if you want to. The app lets you switch between noise canceling modes and turn the lights on, off, or dim on the earcups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Focal Bathys\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/HD-FOCAL-2375.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFocal Bathys Performance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis driver gives these headphones a big leg up on the competition and enables them to sound like a wonderful pair of static headphones, yet offer both bluetooth and noise cancelling.\u003c\/strong\u003e And let us tell you, they sound fantastic. We were playing some of our favorite test tracks that have very small details hidden in the background that most \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphone-features\/wireless-headphones\"\u003etravel headphones\u003c\/a\u003e just completely gloss over. On every single one, we could clearly hear the little details totally separated from the other instruments and that was using Bluetooth!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe real magic happens when you use the USB connection. This would generally be used for home or office use, but you simply slide the little switch to DAC On and this engages a great DAC that is inside the headphones. Yes, \u003cstrong\u003ethe Bathys includes a USB-DAC that can handle up to 24\/192k\u003c\/strong\u003e. Standalone headphone DAC amplifiers like this can cost upwards of $500 by themselves. We tested this on a Mac Studio. This bypasses the inexpensive Digital to Analog converter in the Mac and instead uses the superior DAC in the headphones. This also engages the small amplifier inside the headphones instead of driving them passively with the Mac. The difference was fantastic. We played several tracks including the now famous \u003cem\u003eMaverick: Top Gun\u003c\/em\u003e album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.qobuz.com\/album\/au0q0ax1ytvta?lang=en\u0026amp;zone=us-en\" width=\"600\" height=\"130\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe separation of the instruments in the “Top Gun Anthem” track is incredible using the DAC. We found ourselves wanting to just listen to more and more music with the DAC engaged. As you would expect, \u003cstrong\u003ethe entire soundstage opened up and they could deliver the full symphonic dynamics without any strain\u003c\/strong\u003e. So with these headphones, whenever you are in the mood for higher performance listening, you just switch over to using the USB DAC. And that’s not it. Let’s say you just keep getting into your music and want to push these headphones to an even higher level. Well they have a mini headphone jack that you can connect to a high performance standalone headphone DAC\/amplifier. We tested them with a high end desktop headphone amp and they stepped up even more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe were also very impressed with the way they set up the noise cancelling. A small button on the left cup will turn this on or off, but the on mode has two settings. You \u003cstrong\u003epress the button quickly to select on or off, but if you hold it down for two seconds when noise canceling is turned on, you can switch between silent mode and soft mode\u003c\/strong\u003e. Silent mode will be great for travel completely block out external noise, while soft mode lets you hear a bit more of what is going on around you. We found we liked soft mode when we used Bluetooth at home. The off position is what Focal calls Transparent mode.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese will also be great for office use. Since they are closed back headphones, very little sound escapes, so you will not be disturbing your neighbors at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Focal Bathys\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DSC05065.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll and all, these headphones are a killer triple play. They are the best sounding portable headphones we have heard to date, you can use them at home in USB DAC mode for audio that gets you darn close to the Focal Clear MG that costs almost 3 times as much, and you can use them at work in either of the noise canceling modes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have to hand it to Focal, their first attempt at a high performance, wireless, noise cancelling headphone is a huge success. There are a lot of headphones that don’t make the cut for a review from Audio Advice, so when we bring you a headphone like these and let you know how much we like them, your greatest way of supporting us is to purchase them from one of our award winning showrooms or from AudioAdvice.com. You can purchase with confidence with our price guarantee, free two day shipping, and lifetime support. We appreciate your support of Audio Advice and look forward to delivering you a great customer experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Focal","offers":[{"title":"Dune","offer_id":41718477422676,"sku":"FOCAL:BATHYS-DUNE","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black Silver","offer_id":41718478635092,"sku":"FOCAL:BATHYS","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/bathys_dune.jpg?v=1732301930"},{"product_id":"salamander-synergy-side-panels-ss40p","title":"Salamander Designs Synergy Side Panels - Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e16.5 \" W x 37.75 \" H x  0.31 \" D\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Salamander Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41286793625684,"sku":"SAL:SS40-P","price":279.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/sal-ss40.jpg?v=1718134520"},{"product_id":"sal-a2b-cherry","title":"Salamander Designs Archetype 2.0 Modular Shelving","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThreaded rods and shelf clamping fasteners provide infinite vertical adjustability and exceptional strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigned to enhance performance by isolating audio\/video components from vibration.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen architecture allows for superior component venting and simple cable management.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2.0's modular, stackable concept allows easy adjustment and retrofitting as needed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccessories provide additional storage options and functionality.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Salamander Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41286793756756,"sku":"SAL:A2B","price":299.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry","offer_id":41286793789524,"sku":"SAL:A2C","price":349.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple","offer_id":41286793822292,"sku":"SAL:A2M","price":349.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41286793855060,"sku":"SAL:A2W","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/a2b.black_1_1.jpg?v=1718134526"},{"product_id":"salamander-designs-synergy-solution-339-triple-width-av-cabinet-black-with-aluminum-posts","title":"Salamander Designs Synergy Solution 339 Triple-Width AV Cabinet","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWood veneer surfaces and solid wood door frames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerforated door inserts permit IR signals, add ventilation and mask speakers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInfinitely adjustable, black interior shelves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemovable rear panels provide easy component access\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeavy-duty, non-marking, leveling feet are standard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Salamander Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287591821396,"sku":"SAL:SB339B-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black with Black Posts","offer_id":41287591854164,"sku":"SAL:SB339B-B","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287591886932,"sku":"SAL:SB339C-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry with Black Posts","offer_id":41287591919700,"sku":"SAL:SB339C-B","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287591952468,"sku":"SAL:SB339M-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple with Black Posts","offer_id":41287591985236,"sku":"SAL:SB339M-B","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287592018004,"sku":"SAL:SB339W-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut with Black Posts","offer_id":41287592050772,"sku":"SAL:SB339W-B","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/synergy339-black-black_1_1.jpg?v=1718137202"},{"product_id":"salamander-synergy-solution-triple-width-av-cabinet-black-with-aluminum-posts","title":"Salamander Designs Synergy Solution 337 Triple-Width AV Cabinet","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWood veneer surfaces and solid wood door frames\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerforated door inserts permit IR signals, add ventilation and mask speakers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInfinitely adjustable, black interior shelves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemovable rear panels provide easy component access\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeavy-duty, non-marking, leveling feet are standard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Salamander Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287592083540,"sku":"SAL:SB337B-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287592116308,"sku":"SAL:SB337C-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry with Black Posts","offer_id":41287592149076,"sku":"SAL:SB337C-B","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple with Aluminum Posts","offer_id":41287592181844,"sku":"SAL:SB337M-A","price":2499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple with Black 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Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287597228116,"sku":"SAL:A5-B","price":449.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry","offer_id":41287597260884,"sku":"SAL:A5-C","price":699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41287597293652,"sku":"SAL:A5W","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/sal-arche-36-blk.jpg?v=1718137214"},{"product_id":"chord-2qute-dac-silver","title":"Chord Electronics 2Qute DAC","description":"\u003cul\u003e  \u003cli\u003eOffers support for up to 32-bit\/384kHz audio via coax and USB, and 24-bit\/192kHz over optical.\u003c\/li\u003e  \u003cli\u003eAlso gains a handy switch to easily move between coax, optical and USB digital inputs.\u003c\/li\u003e  \u003cli\u003eGalvanically isolated Class 2 USB input up to 384kHz.\u003c\/li\u003e  \u003cli\u003eDriverless operation on Apple and Android devices; drivers supplied for Windows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Chord Electronics","offers":[{"title":"Silver","offer_id":41287599489108,"sku":"CHORD:2QUTEDAC-SLVR","price":1495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductchchord-2qutedac.jpg?v=1718137216"},{"product_id":"sal-arche-3-0-cherry-wood","title":"Salamander Designs Archetype 3.0","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThreaded rods and shelf clamping fasteners provide infinite vertical adjustability and exceptional strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigned to enhance performance by isolating audio\/video components from vibration.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen architecture allows for superior component venting and simple cable management.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 3.0's modular, stackable concept allows easy adjustment and retrofitting as needed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccessories provide additional storage options and functionality.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Salamander Designs","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287600406612,"sku":"SAL:A3-B","price":349.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cherry","offer_id":41287600472148,"sku":"SAL:A3-C","price":529.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple","offer_id":41287600504916,"sku":"SAL:A3-M","price":529.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41287600537684,"sku":"SAL:A3-W","price":599.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/sal-arche-28-wal.jpg?v=1718137225"},{"product_id":"chord-hugo-2-dac-headphone-amp-black","title":"Chord Electronics Hugo 2 DAC\/Headphone Amp","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe founder of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/chord.html\"\u003eChord Electronics\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Frank, got his start working in aviation engineering\u003c\/strong\u003e. When an audio component fails, the music just stops playing, but if an aircraft fails, you have a big problem. When you’re building an aircraft, quality and attention to detail are of the utmost importance. Frank took this philosophy with him when he started Chord, beginning with a series of uncompromising amplifiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWord got out in the UK recording industry that these new amps deserved a listen, and it wasn’t long before the BBC had several installed. Others followed, and \u003cstrong\u003etoday Chord products are found in nearly 50 famous recording studios and performance venues around the world, including Sony Music, Abbey Road, and the Royal Opera House.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEventually, Chord recognized the growing popularity of high-performance listening on the go, including an ever-increasing selection of high-end \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphones.html\"\u003eheadphones\u003c\/a\u003e. Many audio enthusiasts were wanting to take their music with them and play it through their smartphone, without sacrificing quality. This lead the Chord team to develop a line of portable products that are easy to use and carry around but can provide the sound quality of ultra high-end home audio gear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original Hugo DAC quickly became a reference-level component for many headphone lovers. Eventually, Chord had developed their digital technology to the point that it was time for an upgrade, and the Hugo 2, the subject of today’s review, was born.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/chord-hugo-2.html\"\u003eHugo 2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a battery powered \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphone-amplifiers-dacs.html\"\u003eheadphone amp\u003c\/a\u003e that is also a world-class \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/what-is-a-dac\"\u003eDAC\u003c\/a\u003e. It will accept digital audio from a Bluetooth source, USB, plus both optical and coaxial digital inputs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChord is serious about maintaining a high standard of build-quality. To ensure they meet this standard, they \u003cstrong\u003eproduce all of their gear in their UK factory\u003c\/strong\u003e, rather than outsourcing their manufacturing like many other audio brands today. The fit and finish on every part of the Hugo 2 is top notch. The \u003cstrong\u003eCNC aluminum chassis\u003c\/strong\u003e feels really nice and substantial in your hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe visual design of the Hugo 2, and really all Chord products, is interesting and unique. They have a distinct look. The main body of the unit is a rectangular shape, less than 1” tall and is 4” wide by 5” long, so it can easily fit in a briefcase or travel bag. One side has both a full-sized and mini headphone output jack. Next, you’ll find analog audio outputs, followed by a mini plug coaxial digital input and an optical input.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe end under the buttons has a mini USB input and the mini USB charging input, allowing you to charge and use the USB at the same time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn top of the unit are 4 rounded buttons and a raised section in the center with a larger button that rolls. The\u003cstrong\u003e buttons illuminate different colors -- code for information such as power, inputs, filtering, and additional functions\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClose to the center is a round glass window and along one side is the IR receiving window for the supplied remote control. While you can control everything from the Hugo 2’s button array when you are using it on the go, the IR remote is perfect for use at home in your music system. And trust us, the Hugo 2 is a perfect choice for either type of listening!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSetting up the Hugo 2 is pretty simple. A 2-Volt charging adapter is included with the unit and \u003cstrong\u003eallows you to fully charge your Hugo 2 in 4 hours, providing around 7 hours of playback time\u003c\/strong\u003e. If the power button is glowing blue it means that the battery is 80%-100% charged. Green is 50-80%, orange is 20-50%, and red is 2-20%. When the Hugo is about to die, the power button flashes red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Hugo 2 also has an impressive power management system.\u003c\/strong\u003e The easiest way to ruin a set of lithium batteries is overcharging them. After 24 hours of charging, the Hugo 2 will put itself in desktop mode where it will not use battery power. Also, when using it with no power supply plugged in, it will turn itself off after 15 minutes of inactivity, in order to conserve battery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo select the input you want to use, simply toggle through them on the Hugo 2 by pressing the input button. The input button works similarly to the power button\/battery indicator and uses color codes for each input.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are using the Hugo 2 as a portable headphone amp the rolling volume button follows a color scheme as well, so at a glance, you can tell where you are. It will go from black at the low end to red, yellow, green, blue, purple and finally white as you open up the volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen it comes to options for shaping the sound itself, the Hugo 2 has two really unique features.\u003c\/strong\u003e The first is a set of filters that can provide some needed warmth to a harsh sounding recording. Again, the lights tell you where you are in the filter section. They go from pure with no filtering, to a minor roll off of the top end, to one that increases warmth, and finally to one that rolls off the top and increases warmth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/hugo2-heapdhones-phone.jpg\" alt=\"Chord Hugo 2 DAC with headphones and phone\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other neat feature of the Hugo 2 is what they call X-PHD. This is a crossfeed circuit that you should only use with headphones. \u003cstrong\u003eIt is designed to make your headphones sound more like speakers.\u003c\/strong\u003e It goes from off, to subtle, to medium, to max effect. The sound will spread out as you go from off to max.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile all of these features can be accessed on the Hugo 2 itself, if you’re planning on using it for a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/content\/audio\/high-performance\/\"\u003ehome audio system\u003c\/a\u003e, you’ll likely find yourself using the handheld remote most of the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Hugo 2 can handle all of the latest digital music formats.\u003c\/strong\u003e The USB port will take up to a 32-bit 768k signal as will the coaxial digital input. The optical is limited to 24 bit 192k. The Hugo also has full DSD support, and can even do DSD512. The Bluetooth input will even accept a 16-bit 48k stream. The center glass “eye” of the Hugo 2 will glow a different color depending on the incoming signal it is seeing -- 11 different colors available in all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you’ve probably gathered by now, the Hugo 2 can be a real light show. We think it’s a unique approach and have found that some customers love it while others prefer a more straightforward approach to showing your settings. Really it’s a matter of personal preference, but the supplied remote allows you to dim all of the lights if you want a more discrete look. Personally, we like having all of the information available at a glance. It takes some time to learn what everything means, but it’s relatively intuitive and once you have it down it’s like looking at the cockpit of a spaceship!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the features we’ve discussed so far are all great, \u003cstrong\u003ethe real magic in the Hugo 2 comes with the digital wizardry taking place inside the unit.\u003c\/strong\u003e As you may know, every product that is digital must have what is called a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/what-is-a-dac\"\u003edigital-to-analog converter (DAC)\u003c\/a\u003e inside to change the digital signal into an analog signal our ears can interpret. While many other brands of DACs brag about the expensive chip they use, the Chord engineers opted instead to manufacture their own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChord’s goal is to simplify the circuitry, keeping noise at an absolute minimum and allowing through all of those tiny little nuances in music that get you more involved. One way they do this is by using a \u003cstrong\u003esuper accurate clocking system\u003c\/strong\u003e that has virtually no digital jitter. It runs far faster than other systems and keeps components to a minimum. The output section has only 5 parts in the signal path, which again keeps things extremely pure. Everything is controlled by Chord’s custom \u003cstrong\u003eFPGA processor which runs 500 times faster than competing products\u003c\/strong\u003e. This technology is common across all Chord components with the quality of the parts in the signal path improving as you move up to the $25,000 DAVE DAC.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn terms of the ability to drive \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphones.html\"\u003eheadphones\u003c\/a\u003e, many \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphone-amplifiers-dacs.html\"\u003eDAC\/Headphone amps\u003c\/a\u003e have a tough time as the impedance of the headphones gets higher. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Hugo 2 can easily drive up to an 800-ohm headphone\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is pretty impressive. It had no trouble at all driving the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/focal-utopia-over-ear-headphones.html\"\u003eFocal Utopia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/audioquest-nightowl-carbon-headphone-review\"\u003eAudioQuest NightOwl\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e we used when checking it out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe think the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/chord-hugo-2.html\"\u003eHugo 2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e has \u003cstrong\u003ethree common use cases -- as a part of your portable music system, on your desktop paired with a computer, or as a key component in your home audio system.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it is a simple matter to connect the USB out of your smartphone into the Hugo 2, its audio performance outshines almost all of the upper end \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/digital-audio-players.html\"\u003edigital audio players\u003c\/a\u003e, so in some ways, it makes sense to pair it up with an entry level DAP. When paired with something like the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/fiio-x5-3rd-gen-hi-res-digital-audio-player\"\u003eFiio X5 3rd Gen\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, you get an incredibly powerful audio player. You’ll have one more piece to carry around, but this setup will provide much better sound than the player itself, especially if your library contains lots of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/lossless-vs-lossy-music-file-formats\"\u003eHi-Res audio files\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo test the crossfade headphone feature, we decided to use some good acoustic recordings that weren’t subject to a great deal over overdubbing. One of our favorites for years (actually 40 years as of December 2017) has been \u003cstrong\u003eJackson Browne’s, \"Running on Empty.\" If you are a fan of folk\/rock from the 70’s and do not have this album, you should check it out.\u003c\/strong\u003e It has a selection of songs recorded on their tour bus, in various Holiday Inn hotel rooms, and live on stage. HDTracks has a Hi-Res Audio version that is just spectacular. When you push the crossfade button, as you go from light to medium to heavy, you hear the instruments move further away from your head, seemingly outside your headphones. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/focal-utopia-over-ear-headphones.html\"\u003eFocal Utopia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e we used for this test was especially good at showing this off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother cool feature of the Hugo 2 is the way it \u003cstrong\u003einterfaces with Roon\u003c\/strong\u003e. If you aren’t familiar with Roon, it’s a music library and interface that is taking the audio world by storm. Some components that are integrated with Roon allow you to play around with different digital filters. It works best on a nicer computer like a current model MacBook Pro. Using Roon via USB with the Focal Utopia’s gave us some of the best headphone sound we’ve ever experienced!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, we put the Hugo 2 into our audio system. Don’t let the Hugo 2’s small size fool you. This is a great piece to integrate into your high-resolution home audio system. \u003cstrong\u003eOur current DAC is a $6,000 Naim NDX\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/naim.html\"\u003eNaim\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e does digital just about as good as anybody, so we were very curious to see how the Hugo 2 would compare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhile the Naim did outperform the Hugo, it’s less than half the price!\u003c\/strong\u003e Like the Naim, it gets the timing right in a way that most digital pieces can’t. You know you have a winner when you veer off the typical test playlist and just start exploring your library to see how good each song will sound. It’s easy to lose time this way, and the Hugo 2 makes it fun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur only complaint is the way Chord recessed the RCA jacks into the chassis.\u003c\/strong\u003e They obviously did this to keep the outside clean for portability, but the openings on the recessed jacks are a little too small for some of the higher-end RCA cables we like to use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you consider all of the ways you can use the Hugo 2, along with its audio quality, we give it an A+ in all areas. It’s easy to see why the minute it was introduced it started getting 5-star ratings from audio reviewers all over the world. Yes, a much more expensive DAC will be better in some ways, but there is nothing on the market we have seen that you can carry around, use on your desktop, and use in an audio system that sounds this good!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you are serious about great headphone listening both on the go and at home, we’ve never heard anything that can perform as well as the Hugo 2 in both situations.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you’re looking to upgrade the digital side of your home audio system, the Hugo 2 will amaze you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for something that can do all three, it’s really a no brainer -- get the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/chord-hugo-2.html\"\u003eHugo \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e2! We also wouldn’t be surprised to see Chord release a wireless streaming module for the Hugo 2 which will give it even more features and functionality. They recently did it with the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/chord-poly.html\"\u003ePoly for Mojo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e -- so it’s not much of a stretch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Chord Electronics","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287604011092,"sku":"CHORD:HUGO2-BLK","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Silver","offer_id":41287604043860,"sku":"CHORD:HUGO2-SILVER","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductchchord-hugo2.jpg?v=1718137235"},{"product_id":"pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier-black","title":"Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital Preamplifier","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePro-Ject Audio Systems was founded in 1990 by Heinz Lichtenegger. Their driving goal since their inception has been to provide music lovers with great value products. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pro-ject-debut-carbon-turntable.html\"\u003ePro-Ject Debut Carbon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is one shining example of this philosophy. It has become known as one of the best deals in high-performance audio and is the best selling turntable in the world under $400. Pro-Ject Audio has factories in the Czech Republic and Slovakia with their R\u0026amp;D headquarters outside of Mistelbach Austria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe company has two divisions, one specializing in all things related to turntables and another division making small audio components that are known for over-delivering for their size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the team at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/pro-ject.html\"\u003ePro-Ject Audio Systems\u003c\/a\u003e are friends of ours, we must admit that we think they have way too many products. Right now there are 33 different models of turntables and a full 7 different series of electronics. The sheer volume is overwhelming, making it easy to get numb to their product releases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe downside is that when this happens, a real jewel may not get the attention that it deserves. One such jewel is their latest Digital Box design, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier.html\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. It’s a digital micro preamplifier that can fully unfold MQA files.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you aren’t familiar with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/what-is-mqa-audio\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMQA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, it stands for Master Quality Audio, and has been gathering momentum over the past year for its ability to deliver very high-resolution audio over streaming. Tidal, for example, is currently offering a growing library of MQA audio files.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike most of the Pro-Ject Box designs, the Pre Box S2 Digital is tiny! It is 4” wide, 4” deep, and only around 1.25” tall. That is small enough to easily fit in a messenger bag. It is housed in a very nicely finished all aluminum box. Like most of the Box Designs, you get a choice of silver or black. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe front panel has a full-sized headphone jack on one end and a small, but great feeling volume knob on the other end. In the middle is a tiny color display window flanked on either side by two buttons that let you select the input, get into the menu, and change the filters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital.jpg\" alt=\"pro-ject pre box s2 digital\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear panel has inputs for \u003cstrong\u003eUSB B, coaxial digital, optical digital and a USB micro power connection\u003c\/strong\u003e. On the other end is a pair of \u003cstrong\u003egold-plated RCA analog outputs\u003c\/strong\u003e. All of the connections feel very solid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA small \u003cstrong\u003eremote control is included in the box\u003c\/strong\u003e, which gives you control over most of the functions of the unit. In addition, you can access the play\/pause\/forward\/back controls from the remote. When connected via USB, you can even control them while streaming music from your computer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its very small footprint, the Pre Box S2 Digital will probably find its way into many different listening situations. It can be at home on your desktop either as a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphone-amplifiers-dacs.html\"\u003eheadphone amp\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables.html?cat=26\u0026amp;product_class=522\"\u003eDAC\u003c\/a\u003e for your computer speakers or both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the other end of the spectrum, it can hide out anywhere in your audio rack as a full-scale MQA capable DAC.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, since it can even be powered off the USB input, you can use it on the go with a laptop. Even though you would think of it as a home-based component, it is actually smaller than some of the portable DACs that we carry.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-rear.jpg\" alt=\"pro-ject pre box s2 rear panel\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it may be tiny, the Pre Box S2 Digital is packed with features! We popped the cover off to take a peek inside and found it to be totally stuffed with components. Upon closer examination, you’ll see that it’s a \u003cstrong\u003ecompletely dual mono design\u003c\/strong\u003e, with each channel of the signal path mirrored. Pretty impressive for a $399 box!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePro-Ject opted for the \u003cstrong\u003eESS Sabre ESS9038 dual DAC\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Pre Box S2 Digital -- the highest level DAC they have ever used. These dual DACs are \u003cstrong\u003ecapable of up to 32-bit PCM 768kHz and DSD512\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s important to point out that MQA unfolding and the higher resolution digital rates are \u003cstrong\u003eonly available on the USB input\u003c\/strong\u003e. The optical and coax digital inputs do not do MQA, but still go up to a very respectable 24\/192. Pro-Ject made the decision to limit these two to keep the price down. If they made it available on all inputs, we would expect it to cost around twice the price. Most people are going to be using the desktop or laptop version of Tidal to play back MQA files, and the USB connection is best suited for that application.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePro-Ject also spent a lot of time developing the clock used in the Pre Box S2 Digital. While digital audio can be great, jitter is one downside that we see often. If the digital signals are not put back together with the same timing as the original recording, the music seems to lack emotion, no matter how clear it may sound. The Pre Box S2 Digital has \u003cstrong\u003eone of the lowest jitter rates we have ever seen\u003c\/strong\u003e, far surpassing some much more expensive units.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it would have been easy for Pro-Ject to skimp on components, especially considering how inexpensive this unit is, they instead opted for some very high-end parts.  It is quite unusual to see \u003cstrong\u003eorganic polymer capacitors\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ethin film miniMELF resistors\u003c\/strong\u003e in the power supply inside a box selling for only $399! Pro-Ject even used a \u003cstrong\u003e4 layer gold plated circuit board\u003c\/strong\u003e with extra shielding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince Pro-Ject felt this unit would mainly be used in USB mode, they also spent a lot of R\u0026amp;D time coming up with a way to reduce all of the noise that is present on a typical computer USB connection. Many components use passive filtering, but Pro-Ject used a special combination of passive and active filtering which brought the \u003cstrong\u003enoise levels to below -130db\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is a ridiculously low number! All of this translates into great sound with a super low noise floor. When listening to this unit, you never get any trace of background noise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a trend we are starting to see on some other DAC’s, the Pre Box S2 Digital also has some \u003cstrong\u003efilter options that allow you to shape the sound\u003c\/strong\u003e. Like most we have tested, these are subtle and recording dependent, but can make a bright or edgy recording sound better. There are 7 choices that you can easily flip through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe output of the analog jacks is right around 2 volts, so you can use this box as an audio DAC by just setting its output to 0, which is full gain on this unit. If you have a fairly sensitive power amplifier, it will even make a great digital preamp with its three inputs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe headphone amp is another ESS design and it \u003cstrong\u003ecan support up to 600-ohm headphones\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, for you Roon fanatics out there, \u003cstrong\u003ethe Pre Box S2 Digital is also Roon capable\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eSetup\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe set up the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital with a Windows 10, Windows 7, and Apple MacBook Pro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ll start by talking about the PC setup, so you Mac users can jump ahead to the next paragraph.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are Windows-based, you will need to do a few things first if you want your Pre Box S2 Digital to work properly. We recommend that you skip the CD that comes with the unit and instead go straight to the Pro-Ject Audio website. From there, navigate to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier.html\"\u003eproduct page for the Pre Box S2 Digital\u003c\/a\u003e. You’ll have to enter in your serial number to be able to download the latest software and installing it takes a little time. You’ll have to confirm steps a few times to complete the process, so you can’t just set it to install and forget it, unfortunately. If you had already powered on your S2, you’ll also need to cycle power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo take full advantage of the Pre Box S2 Digital, you will need a Tidal account. The web-based app will not let you do MQA, so you will need to download the full program from their site. You’ll get the best sound out of MQA if you let the unit do the unfolding, so there is another step inside Tidal you need to do. Then, there are a couple of more steps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, using the desktop app, click on the music quality button at the bottom, which will be labeled Standard, High, or HIFI. (For Mac users this is under settings in the menu bar) This will bring up a window where you will choose the S2 for the sound output and click on Master which will force Tidal to give you the best audio possible, no matter the coding. You’ll then want to hover your mouse over the words “S2 Output” until a settings icon pops up on the left end. Click on this and you will have three choices: Use Exclusive Mode, Force Volume, and Pass Thru MQA. Be sure to check all three boxes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have set all of this up correctly, the S2’s display will light up showing MQA when you are playing that type of file, and you’ll have a little blue light to indicate it is doing the unfolding. You’ll also see the bit rate of the file in the lower part of the display.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-lifestyle.jpg\" alt=\"pro-ject pre box s2 on table next to laptop\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe tested the unit with a few different headphones including the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/grado-rs2e-reference-series-over-ear-headphones-black.html\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrado RS2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/audioquest-nightowl-carbon-headphone-review\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudioQuest Night Owl\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/focal-elear-over-ear-headphones.html\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFocal Elear\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. We felt these were probably representative of what people might be using with this cool little box. Just for fun, we grabbed an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/audioquest-dragonfly-red-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-1.html\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudioQuest DragonFly Red\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e for some comparisons as well. Connection to the S2 was made with a \u003cstrong\u003eTransparent Audio USB cable\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn recent months, Tidal has added a ton of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/what-is-mqa-audio\"\u003eMQA\u003c\/a\u003e content. In our testing, every single artist that we searched for (mostly classic rock, we must admit) had albums available that were done in MQA as well as the same identical album without MQA.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur search included Jackson Browne, Tom Petty, The Eagles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Yes, Diana Krall, Tina Turner, The Doors, Van Halen, Chicago, America, Steely Dan, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald, and I am sure we forgot a few as we gave this unit a long listen! For all of these artists, there are one or more MQA albums to play around with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with many new technologies, there are two camps in the audio world regarding MQA. Some like it and some do not. We think you should listen and form your own opinion. MQA allows a higher bitrate file to be streamed than we have ever seen in the past. In some cases, we were able to listen to 192k files. One thing we did notice is that sometimes there seems to be “creative re-mixing” when the file gets converted to MQA. We noticed some instruments moved from their original location and on a couple of tracks a vocal passage that was originally in the far left, got moved to the far right. Interestingly enough, it seemed like the ones that were altered did not sound as good to us as the non-MQA file. When you do these comparisons yourself, be sure to also match the volume, as MQA is normally around 6-8 dB louder than the normal file.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of that being said, we found some shining examples of MQA during our search that really show off its advantages in a big way. A few real winners include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDoors, “Riders on the Storm”\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eYes, “Mood for a Day” (off the album \u003cem\u003eFragile\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDiana Krall, “Like Someone in Love” (off the album, \u003cem\u003eTurn Up the Quiet\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe improvement in the \u003cstrong\u003esubtle nuances of the music, including extra warmth and a much larger soundstage\u003c\/strong\u003e, was really apparent in these cuts. Plus they all had what we felt to be \u003cstrong\u003ecloser to an analog sound\u003c\/strong\u003e. This tells us that the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital has one heck of a DAC in it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe general presentation of the \u003cstrong\u003ePro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital is very neutral with just a slight hint of lean\u003c\/strong\u003e -- but that is ever so slight. We listened to it for over 4 hours straight using both MQA and non-MQA and never had any sense of listening fatigue at all, which is a great sign. It truly is a very musical unit. When you have deep bass tracks they hit with a ton of impact and a clarity to the bass that we have never heard on a $400 DAC. Pro-ject’s circuitry to reduce jitter also works very well as we found ourselves tapping our toes on a lot of rhythmic tracks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, we decided to \u003cstrong\u003ecompare the Pre Box S2 Digital against the Dragonfly Red\u003c\/strong\u003e, which can also do MQA. If you decide to do some comparing, make sure that you’re using the exact same recording. Some albums will have special remixed editions, so be sure the MQA and non-MQA come from the same album. While the Dragonfly Red is an absolutely amazing unit for $200, we definitely heard more subtle nuances and a bigger soundstage using the Pre Box S2 Digital. In our opinion, \u003cstrong\u003eit’s well worth the extra $200\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we touch on this next observation, it’s time for an Audio Advice public service announcement. \u003cstrong\u003eWe are big believers in saving your ears.\u003c\/strong\u003e Your hearing is very important and trust our veterans when we say that you will still want to enjoy great audio well into retirement!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith that said, there are some of you out there that like to listen at high volume levels. For some of you, the Pre Box S2 Digital may not satisfy your demands, particularly if you are using headphones that are hard to drive. Using the Focal Elear, for example, we found a comfortable listening volume 2 clicks under full volume, but we recognize that this might not be loud enough for some of you. This is one area where the Dragonfly Red outmatches the Pre Box S2 Digital. \u003cstrong\u003eIt’s able to drive even the most inefficient headphones at a much higher level.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn summary, we have yet to hear anything that sounds as good as this little box does for $400 -- and it can handle MQA!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe know that some of you are going to ask how it compares to the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/chord-mojo.html\"\u003eChord Mojo\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. At $579 we feel the Mojo has better pacing and a more effortless sound. The Mojo also has more output to drive a power amp directly and a more powerful headphone stage. With that said, $400 is an awesome value for the Pre Box S2 Digital.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we said, there are several use cases for this great little box. We feel the typical case will be at someone’s desk, driving either a pair of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/headphones-portables\/headphones.html\"\u003eheadphones\u003c\/a\u003e or a pair of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/home-audio\/speakers\/computer-speakers.html\"\u003epowered speakers\u003c\/a\u003e like the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/audioengine-a5-powered-speakers.html\"\u003eAudioengine A5+\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt will let you discover the very cool world of MQA without breaking the bank. You could also use it as a travel DAC, powering it off of your laptop. This is a shade less convenient than some of the DAC’s that have rechargeable batteries or can run off of your smartphone, but it’s an option.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a nutshell, if you are interested in checking out MQA or want to upgrade your computer audio setup, the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier.html\"\u003ePro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a steal!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Pro-Ject","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287604764756,"sku":"PRO:PREBOXS2-BLK","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Silver","offer_id":41287604797524,"sku":"PRO:PREBOXS2-SLV","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductprpro-preboxs2-blk_1.jpg?v=1718137234"},{"product_id":"pro-ject-head-box-ds-headphone-amplifier-black","title":"Pro-Ject Head Box DS Headphone Amplifier","description":"Head-Box DS is based on the former SE model, which has a very good sound quality, but only one analog input. So Pro-Ject kept a similar concept, improved the power supply and added a high-quality digital section! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAudiophile grade headphone amp\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 digital inputs: Asynchronous USB 2.0, S\/PDIF, Toslink\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpecial USB-2.0 driver for 24\/192 (24\/96 with USB1.1)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUltra low-noise semiconductors\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSMD technology for short signal paths\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Pro-Ject","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287605026900,"sku":"PRO:HEADBOXDS-BLK","price":399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductprpro-headboxds-blk.jpg?v=1718137233"},{"product_id":"eat-c-major-turntable-ortofon-quintet-black-mc","title":"EAT C-Major Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/eat.html\"\u003eEAT\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e has been around for over two decades in Europe, they are relatively new to the US market. We had heard of the brand but never seen the product in person. That is, until CES 2017. \u003cstrong\u003eWe were so impressed that we decided to become a dealer on the spot.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEAT stands for European Audio Team and is owned by Jozefina Lichtenegger. Her design philosophy is to combine performance with beauty, and we have to say, the EAT products are just beautiful. We cover EAT’s very interesting history in great detail in our \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/eat-c-sharp-turntable-review\"\u003ereview of the C-Sharp\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e -- the bigger brother to the C-Major. While we won’t repeat it all here, she is married to Heinz Lichtenegger, the managing director of Pro-ject Audio Systems. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/pro-ject.html\"\u003ePro-ject\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e has some amazing production facilities that EAT is able to take advantage of, but the two companies are run totally separate and don’t even really have any similarly designed products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/sub-turntables.html?brand=467\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEAT tables\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e start at $1,595 but go all the way up to over $11k, so the C-Major is the second turntable in their line. \u003cstrong\u003eIt is a fully manual table and comes in a stunning gloss black finish.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every EAT table is solidly built, and the C-Major weighs 20lbs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first time that we had a chance to play with the EAT turntables there were a couple of things that really impressed us right off the bat. Their striking appearance will obviously catch your attention. We’ve even had several happy EAT customers tell us that when they first got their table out of the box they just stared at it in awe. Once you start to put the table together, however, you will immediately get a great sense of the superb craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe EAT C-Major has a very similar look to the C-Sharp -- the same low slung body and \u003cstrong\u003emix of high gloss black, carbon fiber, and brushed aluminum\u003c\/strong\u003e which make many of the other tables on the market look chunky in comparison. The plinth is made of carbon fiber and is nestled on some floating isolators inside a thin, high-gloss black base. The C-Major’s 9” tonearm features a carbon fiber arm tube and the heavy platter supports a special mat that is made from recycled LPs. It’s then topped off with a substantial record clamp. \u003cstrong\u003eThe whole combination just looks fantastic!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike all great turntables, the C-Major is a fully manual turntable. You might think that a high-end table like this would be difficult to use, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover that it’s just the opposite! You simply turn it on, move the tonearm over the record, lower it down, and enjoy the tunes!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe’ll start from the bottom of the table and work our way up. The sleek and slim base is made out of a \u003cstrong\u003esuper dense MDF material\u003c\/strong\u003e. Inside, the low-noise motor is mounted to the lower sub-chassis which is isolated from the upper plinth with eight cone-shaped pieces of a high tech damping material called Thermoplastic Elastomer, or TPE. \u003cstrong\u003eThese provide great isolation from the motor and really do a great job damping out external vibrations.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you want to feel the damping effect, simply push down gently on the plinth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plinth is made from an outer shell of carbon fiber sandwiched over MDF. The C-Major has \u003cstrong\u003ethree adjustable feet\u003c\/strong\u003e which make leveling everything a snap. The feet are also internally damped to reduce any external noise from getting up to the table. The EAT also includes a \u003cstrong\u003elow profile dust cover\u003c\/strong\u003e with the C-Major, which not only protects it, but also matches up with its sleek appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe bearing for the inner platter is pretty similar to what you find in most turntables in this category. The inner platter has a shaft that drops into a bronze bearing well where its tip spins on a special plate made of a\u003cstrong\u003e near friction-free, teflon-like material\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe outer platter weighs in at a stout 4 lbs and has a great design. The top part that touches the record is made out of recycled vinyl, while the rest of the platter is a sandwich design of an aluminum\/magnesium alloy with TPE in the center. EAT puts more mass on the outer edge of the platter, which helps to give it a great flywheel effect. This combination of bearing and platter is one reason the EAT tables all have \u003cstrong\u003egreat speed consistency\u003c\/strong\u003e. Like the more expensive C-Sharp, the C-major also comes with an aluminum record clamp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile there are lots of things we love about this table, one of our favorite aspects is the \u003cstrong\u003ecarbon fiber tonearm\u003c\/strong\u003e that we mentioned earlier. It’s incredibly adjustable, allowing you to use a wide range of phono cartridges on it. These adjustments exude European precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design of the tonearm is a combination of a uni-pivot and a more conventional Carden type.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUni-pivot arms can move freely, not only across the record and up and down, but also rotating on the horizontal plane. Imagine an airplane coming in for a landing when you see the wings move up and down on each side in relation to the ground. The theory is there is some movement like this in the record grooves and being able to have freedom of movement allows the cartridge to track better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe downside of uni-pivots is they are a royal pain to adjust. \u003cstrong\u003eEAT came up with a brilliant solution that gives you the best of both worlds and we can attest to the fact that it works great!\u003c\/strong\u003e You get a small amount of movement where the arm can tip left to right, but it behaves more like a traditional pivoted arm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear counterweight has an additional weighted insert that you can install for cartridges that are heavier than normal. The counterweight doesn’t have any markings like a lot of high end tonearms, so you will need a stylus pressure gauge to set the right force, but luckily EAT includes one in the box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou also have \u003cstrong\u003eazimuth adjustment\u003c\/strong\u003e which allows you to adjust the tonearm left and right. When you look at your tonearm from the front while sitting on a record, the headshell should be parallel to the record surface. EAT lets you really fine tune this if you desire. Finally, you can even adjust the height of the tonearm rest and the cueing cylinder, allowing you to really dial things in for your cartridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor anti-skating, EAT uses a \u003cstrong\u003egravity-based system\u003c\/strong\u003e which we really like. It is a little bit of a pain to set up, but we’ve been able to help everyone through it, so if you purchase one and have any trouble, just give us a call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, to change from 33 to 45, like a lot of tables out there, you simply lift off the outer platter and move the belt on the motor pulley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease don’t let all of these adjustments make you think this table is finicky or hard to set up. \u003cstrong\u003eThe best way to buy it is with the deal EAT has on the Ortofon Blue, Black MC, or their own JO5.\u003c\/strong\u003e These all come preset up and you save quite a bit with the package -- $250 or $500, which makes the table an amazing deal!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo test out the EAT C-Major, we set up what we thought might be a typical rig. We used the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/cambridge-audio-cxa80-integrated-amplifier-1.html\"\u003eCambridge CXA80 integrated amp\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/sutherland-kc-vibe-phono-stage.html\"\u003eSutherland KC Vibe phono stage\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and a pair of \u003cstrong\u003eParadigm’s new Premier 800F towers\u003c\/strong\u003e. The table used the Ortofon Blue, which we think is probably the best way to go for the money with the C-Major.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst up was the classic \u003cem\u003eLandside\u003c\/em\u003e from Fleetwood Mac. When you have a great system that is well set up Stevie Nick’s voice should be dead center while the guitars float in between the speakers. This combo aced this test!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext up was Robbie Robertson’s \u003cem\u003eSomewhere Down the Crazy River\u003c\/em\u003e from his first solo album in 1987. We look for two things on this one. First, there are some very dynamic bass attacks as the track begins. Then later on, you can hear lots of emotion in his voice when he says \"Why do you always end up down at Nick's Cafe?\" , \"I don't know, the wind just kind of pushed me this way.\" It’s in the first “why” and “pushed me this way” on a great system you’ll hear all kinds of subtle inflections in his voice. While we have heard more on much more expensive rigs, this combination once again, really drew us into the music. \u003cstrong\u003ePlus, it nailed the bass attacks.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter hearing this, we wanted to pull out our favorite cut for testing speed stability. This is \u003cem\u003ePink Houses \u003c\/em\u003efrom John Cougar's \u003cem\u003eUh-Huh\u003c\/em\u003e album. If the table has great speed stability, you’ll be tapping your foot to the music. Once again, the EAT was very impressive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one very special table. It has the ability with its precision tonearm to track really well and its isolation system helps it provide that great bass impact. \u003cstrong\u003eEAT designs are also winning us over for their speed purity.\u003c\/strong\u003e Finally, with its jewel of a tonearm, it's just fun to use!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe C-Major with the Ortofon Blue is $2,795. We feel this is the best way to go as it seems to us, once you get above $3k, you are probably going to start looking at the\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/eat-c-sharp-turntable.html\"\u003e C-Sharp\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, which does offer a lot more.\u003cstrong\u003e If your budget tops out at $3k, this is one amazing and extremely beautiful table!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"EAT","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ None","offer_id":41287607189588,"sku":"EAT:CMAJOR-NOCART","price":2999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Jo No. 5 MC","offer_id":41287607222356,"sku":"EAT:CMAJOR-JO5","price":3949.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black \/ Ortofon Quintet Black MC","offer_id":41287607287892,"sku":"EAT:CMAJOR-OO-BLK","price":3045.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black \/ Ortofon Quintet Blue MC","offer_id":41287607320660,"sku":"EAT:CMAJOR","price":3349.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproducteaeat-cmajor_2.jpg?v=1718137252"},{"product_id":"eat-b-sharp-turntable-black","title":"EAT B-Sharp Turntable","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures the new B-Note tonearm, made from a carbon fiber alloy that is light yet rigid with a black anodized aluminum headshell. The B-Note tonearm provides all of the key features for cartridge alignment and adjustability: VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle), SRA (Stylus Rake Angle), VTF (Vertical Tracking Force), azimuth and a slotted headshell for overhang \/ offset angle.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe anti-skate mechanism has been engineered for more intuitive calibration, making setup of the B-Sharp notably easier than competitive products.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA proprietary low noise motor, floating chassis, aluminum platter and a high-density MDF low profile base are included as standard features of the B-Sharp. Like the C-Major, the B-Sharp uses a high-tech TPE (thermoplastic elastomers) suspension system that works in concert with adjustable feet that provide levelling ability for the table.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComes equipped with a factory installed Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge, hinged dustcover, low mass aluminum record clamp, and a felt platter mat-all included.  \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"EAT","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287608500308,"sku":"EAT:BSHARP-BLK","price":1999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287608533076,"sku":"EAT:BSHARP-WHT","price":1999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproducteaeat-b-sharp_alt2.jpg?v=1718137246"},{"product_id":"eat-c-sharp-turntable-jo-no-5-mc-black","title":"EAT C-Sharp Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/is-the-vinyl-revival-real-yes-and-heres-why\"\u003evinyl sales the highest they've been in decades\u003c\/a\u003e, there is certainly no shortage of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/sub-turntables.html\"\u003eturntables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e on the market to choose from. While roaming the halls of CES 2017, we came across a product lineup fairly new to the US that caught our attention for it’s very high build-quality and attention to detail. When we walked into their suite, EAT was a name we had heard for years, but we had never had the opportunity to take a hard look at their products. After hearing the history of the company, we knew we were in good hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/eat.html\/\"\u003eEAT is an acronym for European Audio Team\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. In the 1990’s demand for high-quality vacuum tubes was on the rise. A company called VAIC located in the Czech Republic was making waves for some amazing handbuilt tubes. Jozefina Lichtenegger was getting her MBA in Economics and interestingly enough, her sister was married to the owner of VAIC. She started helping out the family business and their reputation grew. After almost 16 years making tubes, VAIC faded away but Jozefina arranged a buyout of Tesla Vrsovice, a large tube maker in Prague, to continue with production of these great tubes. Soon after this, she designed a tube phono stage and tonearm and EAT was born.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was followed by some very well made high-end turntables. In 2003, while Jozefina was looking for distributors, she met Heinz Lichtenegger, the director of Pro-Ject Audio Systems. \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/pro-ject.html\"\u003ePro-ject\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is one of the largest \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/content\/audio\/high-performance\/\"\u003ehigh-performance audio\u003c\/a\u003e manufacturers in the world today and their \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pro-ject-debut-carbon-turntable.html\"\u003eDebut Carbon turntables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e are legendary for their great performance and value. They have a huge factory in Prague.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey were soon married and quickly drew a line in the sand, agreeing not to create competing products and to run their businesses separately. EAT does benefit, however, from having the large-scale Pro-ject production facilities available to them. It really is a great story, and EAT today still hand blows some of the best vacuum tubes in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it’s more of an entry model in their lineup, the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/catalog\/product\/view\/id\/4002\/s\/eat-c-sharp-turntable-1\/category\/26\/\"\u003eC-Sharp turntable\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, which we will be reviewing today, is by no means an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/3-entry-level-turntables\"\u003eentry-level turntable\u003c\/a\u003e. It’s an extremely well-made \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/manual-vs-automatic-turntables\/\"\u003emanual turntable\u003c\/a\u003e that even \u003cstrong\u003ecomes with a $1,000 Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is also the best-selling turntable in EAT’s lineup of tables which run from $1,495 all the way up to around $20,000.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we first looked at the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/eat.html\/\"\u003eEAT turntables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, two things really impressed us -- the \u003cstrong\u003egreat looking design and the superb build quality\u003c\/strong\u003e. They just exude European precision. Like many of our favorite turntables, the C-Sharp is a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/manual-vs-automatic-turntables\/\"\u003efully manual turntable\u003c\/a\u003e. This means to operate it you’ll turn it on, manually lower the tonearm using the damped cueing lever, then at the end of your record, use the cueing lever again to raise the arm. At Audio Advice we prefer manual tables for their simplicity. There’s an argument to be made that the lack of mechanical parts also prevents issues such as resonance from affecting the tables great sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe look of the C-Sharp is quite stunning. Unlike many high-end turntables, the C-Sharp is \u003cstrong\u003eelegant and relatively low-profile\u003c\/strong\u003e. The carbon fiber plinth sits in a high-gloss black base with a thin edge. The platter is much larger than a 12” record and tapers up to the high tech mat. A substantial record clamp is included in the box. The tonearm is also a work of art, \u003cstrong\u003econstructed from carbon fiber and highly-polished aluminum components\u003c\/strong\u003e. The whole thing looks like something you would expect to find under the hood of a $1m race car!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs soon as you begin to interact with the C-Sharp it quickly becomes clear that build quality it is second to none. This is to be expected for it’s nearly $3,500 price point, but it’s just an incredibly well put together table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/eat-c-sharp-beauty-shot.jpg\" alt=\"EAT c-sharp top angle view\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe low profile base of the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/catalog\/product\/view\/id\/4002\/s\/eat-c-sharp-turntable-1\/category\/26\/\"\u003eC-Sharp\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is made out of the highest density MDF available. The ultra-low-noise motor is mounted to the base along with \u003cstrong\u003e10 cone-shaped damping feet\u003c\/strong\u003e made out of a new high tech energy absorbing material called \u003cstrong\u003eTPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer)\u003c\/strong\u003e. The plinth constructed from a sandwich design of carbon fiber over MDF. The base has three adjustable feet, which allow you to get things perfectly leveled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main platter bearing sits on the carbon fiber plinth which is supported by the TPE columns. This makes for a \u003cstrong\u003egreat isolation system\u003c\/strong\u003e. If you gently push down on the plinth, you can even feel the spring of these columns. The combination of these features limits the amount of noise able to get back into the system, maximizing the sound quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe turntable bearing is one of the most unique designs we have seen.\u003c\/strong\u003e It is an oversized inverted design with a resonance-free ceramic ball bearing on top. The larger inner platter has a massive brass bearing which sits on top of the ball bearing and also extends above the inner platter to provide a perfect fit for the substantial outer platter. Everything fits together with incredible precision! Any vibration noise that does make its wait though is just transferred out to the TPE columns. Quite a brilliant design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main outer platter is very heavy, coming in \u003cstrong\u003ejust an ounce shy of 11 pounds\u003c\/strong\u003e! When you flip it over, see why they made it larger than an LP. The outer perimeter is a weighted ring to give it a flywheel effect. The main platter itself is another sandwich-type design, this time with a very inert aluminum sandwiching some more TPE material. The part of the platter that contacts the record is constructed from recycled records! Topping the platter is a threaded spindle for the included heavy-duty machined record clamp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be honest, it’s a little scary during the setup process, trying to center an 11-pound platter on the inner platter. It’s a precision fit, so you’ve got to get it line up just right. \u003cstrong\u003eBe careful not to mash your fingers as you lower it\u003c\/strong\u003e. The good news is that it fits perfectly and you should really only have to do this the first time you set it up. We recommend you attach the clamp, screw it on firmly, and then gently lower it down while holding it by the clamp.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven the belt is a bit exotic. It’s constructed from a \u003cstrong\u003especial antistatic rub\u003c\/strong\u003e, is round like many ultra-high-end turntable belts, and is polished for uniformity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike the rest of the turntable, \u003cstrong\u003ethe tonearm also has a ton of great technology buried inside\u003c\/strong\u003e of it. It’s a combination of a unipivot tonearm and traditional pivot design with the middle bearing being a unipivot. When you move it around, you can’t feel any play at all, which is something we look for. It also is virtually friction-free. The arm tube is made of carbon filled with a special silicone grease to damp out any resonances. This arm can fully support just about any type of high-end cartridge you would want to use, which our customers love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tonearm has \u003cstrong\u003efully adjustable vertical tracking height\u003c\/strong\u003e. You’ll need a stylus pressure gauge to set the tracking force as it is all gravity and there are no markings on the counterweight. Fortunately, a very nice one is included with the table. The \u003cstrong\u003eanti-skating is a very clever gravity design\u003c\/strong\u003e as well, but you’ll need some pretty good eyesight to get it all set up properly. It has to screw into the side of the tonearm base, then wrap around. Once it's set up, there is no risk of it getting changed, like some gravity designs, but is just a little trickier to start with. Of course, \u003cstrong\u003eif you purchase your C-Sharp from Audio Advice, we will do all of this for you.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe external power supply is fully isolated and easily allows you to switch between 33 and 45.\u003c\/strong\u003e It has an AC generator built in for totally clean and stable power to the motor.\u003cbr\u003e\n  \u003cbr\u003e\n  Finally, the package we are testing \u003cstrong\u003ecomes fitted with an Ortofon Quintet Black\u003c\/strong\u003e. When you consider the C-Sharp without a cartridge is $2,995 and with the $1,000 Quintet Black, it's $3,495, you get a $500 savings buying the package -- an incredible value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had recently set up a nice system to run our new \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/goldenear-triton-reference-floorstanding-tower-speaker.html\"\u003eGolden Ear Triton Reference\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e using a \u003cstrong\u003ePrimaLuna Dialogue integrated amp\u003c\/strong\u003e and the \u003cstrong\u003eSutherland Duo phono stage\u003c\/strong\u003e. We decided that this would be a fun rig to use to test out the EAT C-Sharp. First off, that combo sounds just amazing! The Tritons have a powered sub built in and the Prima Luna had no trouble driving them. T\u003cstrong\u003ehe system provided an incredibly warm, rich sound\u003c\/strong\u003e -- just as we would expect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe set up the Sutherland for 100 ohms and set the gain to 60db and started spinning some vinyl. The first thing we noticed was the great deep bass extension. We had on a Norah Jones record with some acoustic bass. Not only was it deep and full, but you could hear all of the harmonics of the instruments. The way her voice floated dead center with such a great sense of effortlessness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDynamics were also outstanding, especially on an old Judds album, \u003cem\u003eWhy Not Me\u003c\/em\u003e. This one was really fun to listen to. Changing over to some Miles Davis \u003cem\u003eKind of Blue\u003c\/em\u003e was just stunning. Every instrument stood out in a huge soundstage, yet each one was the right size and precisely located, never wavering. We finally cued up one of our favorite LP’s for rhythm and pacing, John Cougar’s “Pink Houses” cut from his \u003cem\u003eUh-Huh\u003c\/em\u003e album. The C-Sharp passed this test with flying colors as we had our feet tapping within the first few bars!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUsing the C-Sharp is a great experience as well.\u003c\/strong\u003e You drop the weight on the center spindle and give the center portion a spin to lock it in. Push 33 or 45 on the speed control box, wait until the light stops flashing to indicate things are up to speed and then lower the tonearm. The Quintet makes cueing up songs very easy as its square body makes it easy to line up the groove you want to land in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe just loved using the C-Sharp!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/sub-turntables.html\"\u003eturntables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e at all price points, so we certainly understand that a $3,500 turntable isn’t for everyone. With that being said, if you are serious about your vinyl and want something that has tons of great engineering, incredible sound, sleek, elegant good looks, \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e is a real pleasure to use, the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/eat-c-sharp-turntable.html\"\u003eEAT C-Sharp turntable\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e should be on your shortlist. Just remember to find a sturdy shelf to set it on, as the table weighs in at 30 pounds!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"EAT","offers":[{"title":"Jo No. 5 MC \/ Black","offer_id":41287610040404,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-JO5-BLK","price":5799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Jo No. 5 MC \/ White","offer_id":41287610138708,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-JO5-WHT","price":5799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"None \/ Black","offer_id":41287610171476,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-NOCART-BLK","price":4999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"None \/ White","offer_id":41287610204244,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-NOCART-WHT","price":4999.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Ortofon Quintet Black MC \/ White","offer_id":41287610237012,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-ORTMC-WHT","price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Ortofon Quintet Black MC \/ Black","offer_id":41287610269780,"sku":"EAT:CSHARP-ORTMC-BLK","price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproducteaeat-csharp_2.jpg?v=1718137256"},{"product_id":"mh-mmf23-white","title":"Music Hall MMF-2.3 Turntable - Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeparately isolated DC synchronous motor for superior speed stability.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes Music Hall Spirit moving-magnet cartridge with replaceable elliptical stylus. The cartridge is properly aligned and pre-mounted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTop tier 8.6\" carbon fiber tonearm with aluminum headshell.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuick and easy to assemble.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes dust cover and 45 rpm adaptor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Music Hall","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41287614627924,"sku":"MH:MMF23-BLK","price":499.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductmhmh-mmf23.jpg?v=1718137265"},{"product_id":"music-hall-mmf-5-3-turntable-black","title":"Music Hall MMF-5.3 Turntable - Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCounterweight's center of gravity is level with the stylus tip, is decoupled from the arm, and acts as a resonance damper.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDC synchronous motor for superior speed stability separately isolated on the lower platform.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes properly aligned and pre-mounted Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge with a replaceable nude elliptical diamond stylus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDynamically balanced alloy platter with soft felt mat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDust cover and 45 rpm adaptor included.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Music Hall","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41287617151060,"sku":"MH:MMF53-BLK","price":1195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductmhmh-mmf53.jpg?v=1718137273"},{"product_id":"pro-ject-rpm-1-carbon-turntable-red","title":"Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Pro-Ject RPM1 Carbon may look a little funky, but we have to say if you can handle no dust cover and something that looks more like a spaceship than a turntable, the Pro-Ject RPM-1 has an incredible sound. It was specifically designed to be a high-quality table that doesn’t compromise sound quality at a modest price. A combination of a low resonance chassis with an inverted MDF platter bearing and a ceramic ball minimizes noise and reduces rumble. Pro-Ject even individually balances each platter. An outboard 15 Volt AC motor is driven using an ultra-precision AC generator with a DC power supply for enhanced speed stability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe RPM1 comes with a precision S-shaped tonearm constructed from a combination of carbon, aluminum, and resin and comes with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge pre-mounted. This arm is fully adjustable to handle any cartridge you might upgrade to later. The RPM-1 is not for everyone, but if you want amazing sound and a table that will certainly raise some eyebrows, check out the RPM-1.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Pro-Ject","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287627636820,"sku":"PRO:RPM1-BLK","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red","offer_id":41287627669588,"sku":"PRO:RPM1-RED","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287627702356,"sku":"PRO:RPM1-WHT","price":799.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductrprpm1-red.jpg?v=1718137309"},{"product_id":"pro-ject-rpm-3-carbon-turntable-black","title":"Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon Turntable","description":"\u003cp\u003eRPM 3 Carbon utilizes evolutionary enhancements to improve the performance of RPM series: A low resonance chassis holds an inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball for further reduced rumble. All ingredients add up to a miracle in sound for the price and ultra-stylish look!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrecision belt drive using synchronous motor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNEW Ultra-precision DC-driven AC generator motor power\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNEW Inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlatter made from MDF using vinyl mat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComes factory-mounted with the Sumiko Moonstone MM cartridge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Pro-Ject","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287629078612,"sku":"PRO:RPM3-BLK","price":1099.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red","offer_id":41287629111380,"sku":"PRO:RPM3-RED","price":1099.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287629144148,"sku":"PRO:RPM3-WHT","price":1099.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductprpro-rpm3-w.jpg?v=1718137307"},{"product_id":"rega-planar-1-turntable-black","title":"Rega Planar 1 Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike many audio companies that sprang up in the golden days of audio, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/rega.html\"\u003eRega\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e has a pretty interesting history. Their founder, Roy Gandy had a deep-seeded love of music along with a passion for tinkering with audio gear to produce better sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a hobby, he enjoyed helping his friends put together \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/best-turntable-setups-for-under-1000\/\"\u003ebudget systems\u003c\/a\u003e. However, he found that most of his time was spent messing around with and modifying their \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/sub-turntables.html\"\u003eturntables\u003c\/a\u003e, in order to make them sound good. When it came to producing quality sound, most people back then thought only about the speakers and not as much about the turntable itself. Roy understood what any true audio enthusiast understands -- that every aspect affects the sound, from the source to the speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1973, Roy was building turntables at home in his spare time. In 1975 he produced the Planar 2, followed in 1977 by the Planar 3. Move ahead over 40 years and over 2,000 Rega turntables come off their line every month, thanks to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/is-the-vinyl-revival-real-yes-and-heres-why\/\"\u003ebooming vinyl revival\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, their team of engineers is focused on advancing the art of turntables, while sticking to their roots. They are interested in one thing -- making sure the sound is true to the music and lets through the emotional qualities and rhythm and pacing characteristics that good turntables are known for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday we will be reviewing \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-1-turntable.html\"\u003eRega’s entry-level Planar 1 turntable\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. This is a complete overhaul of the Rega RP1 which came before it. Due to its great quality build and sound, as well as it’s sub $500 price, the Planar 1 has quickly become one of the most popular \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/3-entry-level-turntables\/\"\u003eentry-level turntables\u003c\/a\u003e in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Planar 1 (which we will refer to interchangeably as the P1 as well throughout this review) is a manual, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/belt-drive-vs-direct-drive-turntables\/\"\u003ebelt-drive turntable\u003c\/a\u003e, like many of the best high-performance turntables in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are several reasons why these types of turntables are so popular.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to the way the platter is spun, there are three different types of turntables -- idler wheel, direct-drive, and belt-drive. The very first turntables were idler wheel. With this type of a table, a motor with a rubber outer ring contacts the inside of the turntable platter, using friction to spin the platter. This is a very noisy type of design that is not really found much these days, for obvious reasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDirect drive is popular due to the fact it starts up instantly and is safe for spinning the platter backwards for DJ type use. However, with direct-drive the platter becomes part of the motor and can pick up motor noise. Direct drive is also constantly correcting the speed, so it’s less pure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelt drive gives you the advantage of isolating the platter from the motor as little to no noise passes through the belt. Once the platter gets up to speed, the speed is usually very consistent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor over 40 years, Rega has opted for belt-drive designs\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the P1 (even at a great beginner price) is no exception. In addition, the motor is suspended on an isolation system that reduces noise even further.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-1-turntable.html\"\u003ePlanar 1\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is also a manual turntable. This means that you have to lower and raise the tonearm manually in order for the stylus (or needle) to make contact with the record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoing this manually as opposed to automatically eliminates the need for all of the gears and other mechanisms required to lift the tonearm, again minimizing noise. \u003cstrong\u003eAll of Rega’s turntables are manual turntables for this reason.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe really like the look of the Rega turntables and the Planar 1 is no exception. It’s simple and elegant, available in gloss black or white. It also comes with a dust cover in order to protect it and give it a nice finished look.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEvery Rega turntable is manufactured in their UK factory\u003c\/strong\u003e and the build quality is impeccable all the way up and down the line. From a construction quality standpoint, it’s really difficult to tell when you move from the entry-level P1 to a P3 or P6. They’re all just so well-made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/rega-planar-1-overhead-1.jpg\" alt=\"rega planar 1 overhead view\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet’s start with the plinth -- the main platform of the turntable. Rega likes to use a lightweight plinth to help any external noise filter out through the turntables feet. In the case of the P1, \u003cstrong\u003ethe plinth is a sandwich melamine construction wrapped in a high pressure acrylic laminate\u003c\/strong\u003e. This type of design also cancels noise out by having different thicknesses of materials.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe platter is the large circular disk that the vinyl record sits on. \u003cstrong\u003eThe P1’s platter is made of a heavy phenolic material\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is thicker and heavier around the outer edge, giving it a better flywheel effect, which leads to more consistent speeds. All of the Rega turntables above the Planar 1 use an even heavier glass platter, but this is a great way to get most of the benefits while still keeping the cost of the P1 reasonable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile many other turntable brands out there just use other manufacturers tonearms, Rega makes their own. Their arms have been winning awards for years. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Rega P1 uses the new RB110 tonearm\u003c\/strong\u003e. It’s specifically \u003cstrong\u003edesigned to work with the Rega Carbon moving magnet phono cartridge\u003c\/strong\u003e, which comes pre-mounted on the P1. It doesn’t offer as many adjustments as some of Rega’s other arms do, but for the money, it’s a great tonearm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to the bearings, it’s important that they be tight but provide as little friction as possible. Many turntables we test fail when we get to this part of the evaluation. It’s pretty easy to test by carefully grasping the tonearm at the front and moving it front to back to see if there is any play in the bearing. We call that bearing chatter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom there, zero balance the arm and see if it moves freely from side to side. You’ll want to be careful of your stylus when you do this, as they’re very delicate and can break or bend easily. Needless to say, the RB110 on the Planar 1 passes the test with flying colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main bearing, which the platter sits on, is another extremely important part of any turntable. If the bearing creates any kind of noise at all, it can be transmitted up the platter and eventually to the stylus. You may have heard this in some less expensive turntables in the form of a background rumble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe P1 has a bearing that is very similar to the one use in their more expensive Planar 2\u003c\/strong\u003e. The hub that the outer platter sits on is made of a phenolic material with a stainless steel spindle that drops down into a bronze bearing well. You’ll notice that when you first install the inner hub, it will fit in perfectly. Place the outer platter on, give it a spin, and we bet you won’t hear the slightest hint of noise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAll Rega tables also use 24-volt brushless motors that are isolated from the plinth\u003c\/strong\u003e. They’ve perfected this design over the years to the point where the motor provides a solid speed to the pulley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2018 Rega added a new model to the series, a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-1-plus-turntable.html\"\u003ePlanar 1 Plus\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Plus is identical to the Planar 1, with the addition of a built in phono preamp.\u003c\/strong\u003e The phono preamp is designed to work great with the Rega Carbon cartridge supplied with the Planar 1. This allows the Planar 1 Plus to be easily connected to a pair of powered speakers or a system lacking a phono preamp. The only thing to consider is the built in phono preamp is always on. Should you ever want to purchase a better phono preamp, it would not work with the Planar 1 Plus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs you can see, at least in the theory, the tech is all there! Now let’s talk about how it sounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/rega-planar-1-features.jpg\" alt=\"rega planar 1 detail\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Rega P1 is super simple to set up. You simply unpack it, place the counterweight on the rear of the arm, screw it all the way in, take off the stylus guard, put on the platter and you are up and running. When it comes to turntables, it doesn’t get much simpler.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrow on a record, start the table up, and have a listen. If you are upgrading from a more basic turntable, the first thing you will notice is a \u003cstrong\u003ebeautiful purity to the music\u003c\/strong\u003e. We feel this is due to the \u003cstrong\u003egreat speed consistency\u003c\/strong\u003e you find in all of Regas tables and the high-quality tonearm which helps the cartridge held steady in the record grooves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s just a fun table to listen to. \u003cstrong\u003eThe rhythm and pacing are fantastic and the bass line is tight and rich while the upper frequencies stay smooth.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/rega-planar-1-planar-2-planar-3-turntable-comparison-2016\/\"\u003ecompare the P1 to more expensive Rega tables\u003c\/a\u003e, it is clear when you move up that you do get a jump up in sound with each model. However, what is interesting is the P1 does not do anything wrong. If you compare it to say a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-3-2016-turntable.html\"\u003eRega P3\u003c\/a\u003e, you will hear more into the music, with deeper lows and more clarity to the top end along with a more effortless spacious sound, but the P1 does nothing (like some tables can do) to annoy your ears.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn other words, you’ll not know that you are missing anything unless you compare.\u003c\/strong\u003e The P1 plays your records with such a musical perspective that you can listen for hours and never tire of your music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe feel this is a great characteristic. Getting all this great sound with just a $60 phono cartridge is pretty amazing. While it limits flexibility, as we mentioned before, we would much rather see a decent cartridge mounted on a really nice tonearm than a great cartridge on an arm with bearing chatter and friction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEverything Rega has learned in their past 40+ years of making tables comes together in the P1, providing a level of sound that is simply amazing for the money. And if you want more, there are 5 Rega models above it offering even better sound!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are considering taking the plunge into the world of vinyl or wanting to move up from that \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/50-dollar-jensen-turntable-amazon\/\"\u003e$100 all-in-one table\u003c\/a\u003e (that not only sounds bad, but is ruining your records, by the way), the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-1-turntable.html\"\u003eRega Planar 1\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is a great choice. It sets up in about 2 minutes, is easy to use and is musically very rewarding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-1-plus-turntable.html\"\u003ePlus model\u003c\/a\u003e, with the built in phono preamp, makes this table super easy to add to a set of powered speakers or entry level amplifier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf this deep dive into the P1 has piqued your curiosity about what else is out there, we invite you to take a look at our \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/rega-planar-1-planar-2-planar-3-turntable-comparison-2016\/\"\u003ecomparison of the P1, P2, and P3\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rega","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287629701204,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR1-MB","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287629799508,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR1-MW","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/PL1mattblackoffsidewide.jpg?v=1766170544"},{"product_id":"rega-planar-3-turntable-black-1","title":"Rega Planar 3 Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReplacing the multi-award winning and five-time Product of the Year (RP3) was never going to be an easy task. It took Rega's team of designers (headed up by Rega's Roy Gandy) two years to develop the all new 'Planar 3' following the biggest re-design of the iconic 'three' model ever seen. Their team worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of this turntable offering improved ergonomics, usability and first and foremost, sonic performance for a definite winner for your vinyl collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRB330 tonearm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDesigned using the latest 3D CAD \u0026amp; CAM technology, the new RB330 is the culmination of more than 35 years of tonearm design experience. Featuring a brand new bearing housing, and our latest tonearm tube designed using intelligent redistribution of mass ensure this arm will exhibit fewer points of possible resonance. Extreme stability with almost friction free movement from the new high precision bearing assemblies guarantees to gather more information from your vinyl than ever before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeaturing a new bias assembly, re-designed stiffer vertical bearing housing, integrated arm clip and an improved spring housing with easier to read numbers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRega made, new low capacitance phono cable with Neutrik plugs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImproved lower friction, precision horizontal and vertical bearings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew design 100g mild steel balance weight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlinth\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHigh gloss acrylic, laminated plinth, stiffer and vastly improved appearance, ergonomically positioned power switch. Three plinth finishes available gloss black, white and red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDouble braces\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eImproved thicker 3mm phenolic bottom brace and new metalised skin phenolic top brace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBearing housing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRe-designed brass main hub central bearing, improved fit and construction reducing stress on the bearing itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSub platter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRe-designed sub platter, improved accuracy and improved stiffness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlatter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew float glass \"Optiwhite\" polished rim 12mm Improved accuracy in manufacture and stunning looks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRe-designed foot\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew improved foot to increase stability and reduce vibration transfer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e24V motor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eImproved new motor control PCB with integration for the addition of Neo PSU for electronic speed change and improved advanced anti-vibration circuit (sold separately).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotor cover tray\u003c\/strong\u003e with integrated cooling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rega","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ No Cartridge","offer_id":41287632322644,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-BLK","price":1125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Rega ND3 MM","offer_id":42386400542804,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND3-BLK","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Black \/ Rega ND5 MM","offer_id":42386400575572,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND5-BLK","price":1595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Red \/ Rega ND3 MM","offer_id":42386400673876,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND3-RED","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"White \/ No Cartridge","offer_id":42386400739412,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-WHT","price":1125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ Rega ND3 MM","offer_id":42386400804948,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND3-WHT","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ Rega ND5 MM","offer_id":42386400837716,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND5-WHT","price":1595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Oak \/ No Cartridge","offer_id":42386400870484,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-OAK","price":1125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Oak \/ Rega ND3 MM","offer_id":42386400936020,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND3-OAK","price":1395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Oak \/ Rega ND5 MM","offer_id":42386400968788,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR3-ND5-OAK","price":1595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/rega-planar3-black_5eab0016-51d7-4754-9b2b-28152a7e028b.jpg?v=1718137338"},{"product_id":"vpi-scout-21-turntable-white","title":"VPI Scout 21 Turntable","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003eTaking the design cues of the VPI Prime Scout, the Scout 21 is an evolution of its predecessor with and improved 300 RPM motor housing, and improved isolation feet.  Paired with a JMW 9 Tonearm!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VPI","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287633272916,"sku":"VPI:SCOUT21-BLK","price":3300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41287633305684,"sku":"VPI:SCOUT21-WAL","price":3300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287633338452,"sku":"VPI:SCOUT21-WHT","price":3300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/front_uncovered.jpg?v=1718137322"},{"product_id":"rega-planar-6-turntable-ania-pro-white","title":"Rega Planar 6 Turntable","description":"\u003cdiv data-element=\"main\" data-appearance=\"default\" data-content-type=\"html\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/rega.html\"\u003eRega\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e produced their first turntable back in 1973, in a garage that was just a short hop away from their current UK factory. For nearly 45 years, they have continued to manufacture their products in the UK, focusing on producing turntables that not only sound great but are an incredible value, no matter the price point. Rega backs up everything they make with a \u003cstrong\u003elifetime warranty against manufacturing defects\u003c\/strong\u003e. It’s not uncommon to see 40-year-old Rega turntables in our shop that still run and look great all these years later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne thing that makes Rega unique is that they do not create new products simply for the sake of releasing a new model. It is only when their engineers come up with enough improvements to make a significant difference, that Rega releases a new turntable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn today’s review, we are taking a look at the new \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-6-turntable.html\"\u003eRega Planar 6 (P6)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. The P6 falls right in the middle of Rega’s great turntable lineup with the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-8-turntable.html\"\u003eP8\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and RP10 above it, and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/rega-planar-1-planar-2-planar-3-turntable-comparison-2016\/\"\u003eP1, P2, and P3\u003c\/a\u003e below it. As you might have guessed, it is an improvement on their long-term standard, the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-rp6-turntable.html\"\u003eRP6\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, which has been around for many years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe P6 is available in \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-6-turntable.html\"\u003ethree different versions\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eFor $1,875 you get the table itself with no cartridge\u003c\/strong\u003e. Above that are two versions where Rega bundles the Planar 6 with two of their cartridges, offering significant package savings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor $2,245 you can get the Rega Planar 6 paired with the Rega Exact moving magnet cartridge\u003c\/strong\u003e. If you want another step up, you can get a package that includes the \u003cstrong\u003eRega Planar 6 and Rega’s brand new Ania moving coil cartridge for $2,595\u003c\/strong\u003e. Regardless of which package you choose, you will save $200 by purchasing the package versus buying the cartridge and the turntable separately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design philosophy that Rega adheres to for all of their turntables focuses on three primary objectives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpin the platter at the most consistent speed possible\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMinimize vibrations by using a light and stiff system that dumps resonance out through the turntables feet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUtilize a tonearm and cartridge combination that tracks your records perfectly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the Rega Planar 6, the team at Rega combines technology they’ve used in some of their more expensive tables with a few new tricks, to set a new standard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/rega.html\"\u003eRega turntable\u003c\/a\u003e is a pure \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/videos-reviews\/manual-vs-automatic-turntables\/\"\u003emanual design\u003c\/a\u003e, and the Planar 6 is no different. This means you will need to start it up with a button press, lower the tonearm onto the record yourself, and at the end of the record, pick up the tonearm. The majority (actually probably 99.9%) of the high-performance turntables in the world today utilize a manual design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you make turntables designed to last 40 years or more, they have to be built extremely well. The new Planar 6 is no exception. From the minute you pull it out of the box, you can tell it is a fine piece of machinery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the plinth on the new Planar 1, 2, and 3 turntables have glossy finishes, the Planar 6 opts instead for a \u003cstrong\u003ePolaris Grey matte finish with a high-gloss black polymer edge trim\u003c\/strong\u003e. The finish is just beautiful! When you pull the turntable out of the box and you have just the plinth in your hand, you will notice that although it hardly weighs anything, it feels extremely rigid. It is truly a great combination of technology and design!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"rega planar 6  black\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rega-planar-6-front-view.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-3-2016-turntable.html\"\u003eRega Planar 3\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e has been one of our best-selling turntables since it’s release. Now that the Planar 6 has been released, some folks may be interested in the differences between the two tables. For those of you who have narrowed your options down the Rega Planar 3 and Rega Planar 6, \u003cstrong\u003echeck out our comparison write-up\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Planar 6 is loaded with high tech components designed to improve your vinyl playback experience. We’ll start at the bottom and go up from there in order to touch on all the great features found in the Planar 6.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRega, as always, paid a lot of attention to their turntable feet and came up with an improved design for the Planar 6. The feet are made of a new, ultra-lightweight rubber material called Santoprene. They are hollow cones with aluminum reinforcement trim rings. The feet are a crucial component of the table as they are designed to filter out any external energy through them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe feet are attached to the new plinth, constructed from a new, ultra-lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core that is sandwiched between two layers of ultra-thin high-pressure laminate. Tancast 8 was developed for the aerospace industry and it turns out is a great material for the type of design Rega deploys in their tables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the engineers from Rega that we spoke with, \u003cstrong\u003ethis new plinth is a true breakthrough in material technology and offers big performance improvements over their previous designs.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main bearing is Rega’s classic brass bearing, but with the Planar 6 they step up to a single-piece machined aluminum hub. The hub is the small round part that goes down into the bearing. The larger outer platter sits on top of the hub. The outer platter only touches the hub in a few spots along its outer edge where there are tiny raised pieces on the top of the hub.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Planar 6 has a dual layer float glass platter. It has more glass around about the middle 50% and out for a better flywheel effect to keep speed consistent. As you might suspect, float glass is super flat, which also helps keep things spinning at a perfect pitch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo drive the hub, Rega includes their new white Reference belt with the Planar 6. This is machined to a higher tolerance than their standard belt. They also developed a new custom spindle for the motor side of the belt that is tapered to reduce friction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe motor itself is a low-noise 24-volt design. Each motor is individually tuned to the external Neo power supply that comes with the Planar 6. The Neo PSU uses a DSP-based sinewave generator and a high-precision crystal clock oscillator to generate a super-consistent speed. The speed can be fine-tuned with a little screw on the back side of the Neo PSU. The AC power cable attaches to the Neo PSU and it connects to the Planar 6 with a custom cable. Having an external motor power supply is a great way to reduce any noise from a power supply that your phono cartridge might otherwise pick up. This is not unique to Rega as many high-performance turntables use this method.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike Rega’s other high-performance tables, the Planar 6 has an aluminum brace that locks the tonearm base to the main bearing. The tonearm used on the Planar 6 is their relatively new RB330 which was introduced with the new Planar 3. The RB330 is an engineering feat in and of itself with its zero tolerance bearings. We loved it on the Planar 3 and think it is a great match for the Planar 6 as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we mentioned earlier, the Planar 6 is available without a cartridge or you can purchase one of the packages that include either the Exact or Ania. The tonearm cables are non-detachable but are very high-quality with great materials and solid connections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, the Rega Planar 6 includes a dust cover that appears to have a slight grey tin, rather than the clear covers that come with the Rega Planar 1, 2, and 3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"rega planar 6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/rega-planar-6-neo-ttpsu.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we get into this, let us just say that we may have gone a little overboard on our setup rig to listen to the new Planar 6. We wanted to be able to reveal everything and anything to truly test the turntable. For the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/phono-preamps.html\"\u003ephono stage\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, we used the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/phono-preamps.html?brand=312\"\u003eSutherland\u003c\/a\u003e Duo, feeding a Mark Levinson 512 integrated amp, driving a pair of Martin Logan Impression 11A’s. Cables were all Transparent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe pulled out three classic vinyl albums, Fleetwood Mac’s \u003cem\u003eRumors\u003c\/em\u003e, Robbie Robertson’s solo debut album with the same title, and the classic Verve release of Gilberto and Getz’s \u003cem\u003eThe Girl from Ipanema\u003c\/em\u003e released in 1964.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe tried to test it on one of our favorite heavy-duty isolation bases that we usually use with \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/vpi.html\"\u003eVPI turntables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. It became apparent right from the start that something was missing so we removed the isolation base -- the improvement in bass detail is significant. Our suggestion is to just let the Planar 6 do its thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sound of the Planar 6 with the Exact is super smooth and almost mellow, really exuding what vinyl is all about. We found ourselves tapping our toes on some of the more rhythmic songs thanks to the Planar 6’s great speed consistency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared to the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-3-2016-turntable.html\"\u003ePlanar 3\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, which we love, we were able to immediately tell that the bass in the P6 went much deeper with an improved impact. There was also a significant reduction in surface noise. We find this with every really great turntable that has good speed control and isolation, but it was unusual to experience it in this price range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeparation and dimensionality were amazing, especially on \u003cem\u003eThe Girl from Ipanema\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Planar 6 is one of those audio products that just gets you excited to dig out more and more old records to play.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracking with the RB330 arm was impressive as well. On some tables, as you get to the last song, you might hear a bit more distortion. This is not the case with the Planar 6. It tracks precisely to the very end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe decided to then give the Ania cartridge a whirl.\u003c\/strong\u003e Once it was mounted up (we love Rega’s three-point cartridge mounting system on their better cartridges by the way) we changed the loading and gain in the Sutherland to match the Ania, which is a moving coil cartridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have a good \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/turntables\/phono-preamps.html\"\u003ephono stage\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e capable of dealing with a moving coil, we strongly recommend that you spend the extra $200 for the Ania combo. You’ll get a much more extended top end, slightly tighter and more extended bass, and a better level of detail extraction. But if you really love that super sweet and smooth sound of a moving magnet, you’ll be plenty happy with the Exact combo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt around $2,000 for the table and cartridge, the Planar 6 is not going to be for everyone. Considering the popularity of the Planar 3, however, we feel confident that the Planar 6 is going to find a large and loyal audience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf it’s in your budget, the Planar 6 is a table you should be able to love for the next several decades. Like any great turntable, the better your system, the more you will appreciate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Audio Advice, we love the way music comes through on a table that has pure speed. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/rega-planar-6-turntable.html\"\u003eRega Planar 6\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e is one of the least expensive tables we’ve found that really brings that aspect to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rega","offers":[{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ No Cartridge","offer_id":41287635927124,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-BLK","price":1925.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ Rega Ania MC","offer_id":41287635992660,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-BLK-ANIA","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ Rega Ania Pro MC","offer_id":41287636058196,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-BLK-ANIAPRO","price":3025.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ Rega Exact 2 MM","offer_id":41287636156500,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-BLK-EXACT2","price":2245.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ Rega ND5 MM","offer_id":41610743218260,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-ND5-BLK","price":2295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Polaris Gray \/ Rega ND7 MM","offer_id":41610743283796,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-ND7-BLK","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ No Cartridge","offer_id":41287635959892,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-WHT-NOCART","price":1925.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ Rega Ania MC","offer_id":41287636025428,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-WHT-ANIA","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"White \/ Rega Ania Pro MC","offer_id":41287636090964,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-WHT-ANIAPRO","price":3025.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ Rega Exact 2 MM","offer_id":41287636123732,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-WHT-EXACT2","price":2245.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"White \/ Rega ND5 MM","offer_id":41610743251028,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-ND5-WHT","price":2295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White \/ Rega ND7 MM","offer_id":41610743316564,"sku":"REGA:PLANAR6-ND7-WHT","price":2595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductrerega-planar6_2.jpg?v=1718137354"},{"product_id":"vpi-player-turntable-black","title":"VPI Player Turntable","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew 9\" vertical Yoke type tonearm with lateral turntable type bearing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlatter rotates on an oil bath bearing and fitted to shaft with a #2 Jacob's Taper for a concentric rigidly mounted coupling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1.25\" thick textured vinyl-covered non-resonant MDF chassis.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudio Advice is a Certified and Trained VPI Dealer. We have been a dealer since 1980 and sold some of the very first HW19s created by Harry Weisfeld. Let us help you find the perfect turntable set up.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"VPI","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287637401684,"sku":"VPI:PLAYER-BLK","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Maple","offer_id":41287637434452,"sku":"VPI:PLAYER-MAP","price":1600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41287637467220,"sku":"VPI:PLAYER-WAL","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"White","offer_id":41287637499988,"sku":"VPI:PLAYER-WHT","price":2200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/front_1.jpg?v=1718137336"},{"product_id":"sumiko-blue-point-special-evo-iii-phono-cartridge-lo","title":"Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III Phono Cartridge","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe evolution of the ever-popular Blue Point Special, the EVO III raises the performance bar even higher at this highly competitive price point. Its tonal balance is remarkably smooth, exhibiting a fundamental richness and overall warmth without sacrificing musical detail and resolution.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sumiko","offers":[{"title":"Low Output","offer_id":41287645069396,"sku":"SUM:BPEVOIII-LO","price":549.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductsusum-bpevoiii.jpg?v=1718137356"},{"product_id":"spin-clean-brushes-clear","title":"Spin-Clean MKII Replacement Brushes","description":"\u003cp\u003eNever be without a spare pair of this accessory, the one that does all the heavy lifting.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Spin Clean","offers":[{"title":"Clear","offer_id":41287651917908,"sku":"SC:BRUSH-CLR","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gold","offer_id":41287651950676,"sku":"SC:BRUSH-YLW","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductscsc_brush-ylw_1.jpg?v=1718137375"},{"product_id":"spin-clean-yellow-jacket-sleeves-100-count","title":"Spin-Clean Yellow Jacket Sleeves","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe big 50 and 100 package of the one-of-a-kind 45 RPM record sleeve from Spin Clean. 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A must for helping to preserve your 45 RPM singles when they're not being played or cleaned.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Spin Clean","offers":[{"title":"Pack of 50","offer_id":41287651983444,"sku":"SC:JACKET-50","price":37.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Pack of 100","offer_id":41287652016212,"sku":"SC:JACKET-100","price":67.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductscsc_jacket-100_1.jpg?v=1718137379"},{"product_id":"pro-ject-leather-it-turntable-platter-mat-black","title":"Pro-Ject Leather It Turntable Platter Mat","description":"This leather mat provides an inexpensive way to upgrade the sound quality of your turntable. Resonances are damped more effectively than felt, they keep dust away and they have also enough contactivity to avoid static. What is better depends on taste and the actual platter design. A very cost effective way to improve the sound and have less noise by static and dust. You can hear a difference!  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlternative platter mats with special sound characteristcs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSubstitutes felt mats\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDamping of resonances from metal turntable platters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLess noise\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAvoids static load\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuitable for all turntables\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerfect combined with Clamp it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Pro-Ject","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287655096404,"sku":"PRO:LEATHERIT-BLK","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gray","offer_id":41287655129172,"sku":"PRO:LEATHERIT-GRY","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductprpro-leatherit-blk.jpg?v=1718137385"},{"product_id":"martinlogan-ml-55-outdoor-speaker-pair","title":"MartinLogan ML-55AW Outdoor Speakers - 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Your center channel speaker needs to be able to reproduce the finest high-frequency details. The midrange must be expansive; to reproduce every whisper of dialogue. Deep bass adds impact to the front-stage effects that anchor the action to your screen. The EM-ESL C accomplishes all this and more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe EM-ESL C has a shallow height CLS (Curvilinear Line Source) XStat electrostatic panel wrapped around the front of the speaker enclosure. The gentle horizontal curve of the panel enhances the output of its deceptively compact 114-square-inch radiating area, extending mid-range dispersion patterns and blending the performance seamlessly with your front-stage ElectroMotion loudspeakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust behind the electrostatic panel, in a specially designed housing, sits MartinLogan’s exclusive Folded Motion Tweeter. The low-mass diaphragm of the Folded Motion Tweeter minimizes distortion, and its short excursion length reinforces its lightning-fast high-frequency response. The 1 x 1.4-inch Folded Motion Tweeter in the EM-ESL C has a total diaphragm area of 9.2-inches, with the ability to reproduce precise details; one of the most important jobs of a center channel speaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe New CenterForce System\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDesigning a high-performance electrostatic center channel speaker sized to fit into A\/V furniture was no easy task. Adding a dual woofer system seemed impossible! But MartinLogan’s skilled audio engineers found a novel solution, and they call it CenterForce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead of taking up space by positioning the woofers on each side of the electrostatic panel, they’ve designed a central slot inside the cabinet for the woofers. Now, the dual woofers reside in a well-braced enclosure located behind the tweeter and electrostatic panel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new CenterForce solution allows the speaker to be more compact and encourages the woofers to produce a generous amount of well-blended deep bass. The CenterForce system in the EM-ESL C features two custom-designed 5.25-inch aluminum cone woofers. Rigid and yet lightweight, this material reduces flexure while minimizing response time. Their efficient construction optimizes suspension and magnetic flux field, further reducing potential sources of distortion. The EM-ESL C grounds its performance in accurate, musical bass response.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a center channel speaker that delivers a full-range performance, by combining an electrostatic panel with a Folded Motion Tweeter, bolstered by the CenterForce bass system. 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Featuring a full-sized 34-inch tall curvilinear XStat™ electrostatic transducer and a superbly integrated high-performance woofer, the new EM-ESL performs more like a mini-flagship than an entry level audiophile speaker. Designed for both 2-channel music enthusiasts and those seeking the worlds most articulate and dynamic multi-channel home theater systems, the EM-ESL is the most compelling 'affordable' audiophile-grade speaker ever brought to market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The ElectroMotion ESL (EM-ESL) represents a brave new direction for electrostatic loudspeaker design. Featuring a full-sized 34-inch tall curvilinear XStat™ electrostatic transducer the new ESL performs more like a mini-flagship than an entry level audiophile speaker. Long time MartinLogan enthusiasts are sure to describe ElectroMotion ESL as the second-coming of the legendary Aerius electrostatic speaker which debuted in 1992 and went on to sell in record numbers. The new ESL, however, boasts 40 percent more radiating surface, a superbly integrated and authoritative bass performance, and a sensitivity rated at 91dB. In addition, the ESL is capable of being effortlessly powered by both receivers and high-end amplifiers alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ElectroMotion ESL's XStat electrostatic MicroPerf panel is housed within a radical aluminum and composite AirFrame™ similar to those found on MartinLogan's flagship products. AirFrame technology rigidifies the electrostatic panel without obstructing playable surface area or interfering with ambience enriching dipole sound radiation. At the same time, an AirFrame provides electrical and acoustical isolation, minimizing intermodulated distortion caused by vibration and resonance while enhancing imaging, low-level sonic detail, accuracy, and efficiency. MicroPerf design optimizes the individual holes of The EM-ESL's electrostatic panel. MicroPerf design substantially increases diaphragm radiating area, compared to early generations—without compromising structural integrity. The resulting increase in output capability and efficiency allows The EM-ESL's panel to enjoy a substantial leap in bandwidth and dynamics without growing larger. For example, The EM-ESL's XStat electrostatic panel features 129 square inches of sound radiating surface on both the front and back and a sensitivity of 91dB into 6 Ohms. The Aerius, well received its day, only had 93 square inches and a sensitivity of 89dB into 4 Ohms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A unique XStat™ transducer was developed for the ElectroMotion ESL to reduce the gauge thickness of the electrostatic panel's steel stators. The reduced gauge does not alter the performance characteristics of the panel. However, as a natural byproduct of tighter build tolerances, it does increase the visual transparency of the panel. The EM-ESL's new XStat panel is so visually transparent it nearly vanishes when you're sitting and listening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eControlled Dispersion Sound Radiation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Another key attribute of the ElectroMotion ESL is its naturally dipolar radiation pattern. A true dipole, The EM-ESL radiates sound with equal intensity from the front and back of its diaphragm, but the outputs are in opposite phase. As a result, sound waves rippling out toward the sides meet at the speaker's edge and cancel. That and the relatively large size of the ElectroMotion ESL's electrostatic panel cause output at the sides to be very low relative to that of a conventional loudspeaker, which in turn minimizes side-wall reflections that tend to muddle sonic detail and stereo imaging. While the reduction in output to the sides contributes to the astonishing clarity for which electrostats are revered, the energy reflected off the wall behind the speaker opens up and deepens the sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSuperb Bass Integration\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To seamlessly blend audio output from the high- and mid-frequency electrostatic panel to the low-frequency woofer the ElectroMotion ESL features a proprietary Vojtko™ topology filter utilizing custom air core coil and low DCR steel laminate inductors, polyester film capacitors in series, and low DF electrolytic capacitors in parallel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A precise 8-inch high-excursion, perfectly balanced, audiophile grade, doped fiber cone woofer was custom designed exclusively for The EM-ESL by MartinLogan's in-house engineering team. This woofer precisely optimizes cone suspension and magnetic flux field to produce high levels of bass output and simultaneous precise midrange. The custom woofer's rigid light-weight diaphragm eliminates cone flexure and minimizes response time to achieve remarkably low-distortion approaching that of MartinLogan's award-winning electrostatic panel design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eEasy Connections, Solid Adjustable Footing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Convenient push-style speaker terminals and curved inserts help guide speaker wire effortlessly into place. The rubber end caps on the terminal are also removable for the use of banana plugs instead of bare wire. The EM-ESL is supplied with sturdy, 3\/8-16 ETC™ spikes, which can be used to fine tune vertical wave launch, enhance stability on thick carpets, and create tighter coupling between speaker and floor to provide a tighter and detailed bass performance. Each spike is conveniently covered by removable rubber end caps if you prefer not to use spikes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MartinLogan","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287662436436,"sku":"ML:EM-ESL-GLBLK","price":1599.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Satin Black","offer_id":41287662469204,"sku":"ML:EM-ESL-BLK","price":1399.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductmlml-em-esl.jpg?v=1718137411"},{"product_id":"martinlogan-crescendo-bluetooth-speaker-walnut","title":"MartinLogan Crescendo Bluetooth Speaker","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor across the room control, the Crescendo includes a custom remote control built from black anodized extruded aluminum. The Crescendo allows advanced connectivity using WiFi, Bluetooth, wired ethernet, USB, analog, or any device that has a digital optical output.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Crescendo is built with an advanced 24-bit 48kHz DSP (digital signal processing) based preamplifier in conjunction with a powerful class-D closed-loop 100-watt (140-watt peak) amplifier. Crescendo's amplifier creates powerfully detailed sound from a custom designed front-firing 5x7-inch matte black polypropylene cone woofer with extended throw drive assembly in a non-resonant asymmetrical chamber format.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Folded Motion tweeters utilize extremely low mass diaphragms that require significantly less excursion than the typical 1-inch dome tweeter. The increased surface area also provides a wide, yet controlled sound dispersion to create a realistic and carefully crafted sound stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"MartinLogan","offers":[{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":41287663714388,"sku":"ML:CRESCENDO-WAL","price":999.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductmlml-crescendo.jpg?v=1718137414"},{"product_id":"aerial-7cc-center-channel-speaker-gloss-ebony-premium-with-stand","title":"Aerial Acoustics 7CC Center Channel Speaker","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor two decades, Aerial Acoustics has been acknowledged for its excellent center-channel speaker designs. Starting with the original CC3, followed by the much larger CC5, continuing with the improved CC3B, to the current CC3C, the process has reached a new high in the Model 7CC. The Model 7CC provides improvements in naturalness, balance, detail resolution, sensitivity, dynamics, and transparency. When used with any of Aerial’s main speakers, it provides a seamless, realistic front soundstage. Its trim 24 x 8 x 12” deep package is easily placed on a shelf, tabletop or stand. Three 7CCs in a row can be a sound bar. Rear-panel switching can be adjusted to optimize for different mounting positions. The switching also allows the 7CC to be used with a wide range of other main speakers, where its uncolored, natural, well-balanced presentation will augment any system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Model 7CC reflects the Aerial Model 5T, 6T and 7T designs. It shares the same curved cabinet construction and high gloss finishes, the same tweeter, similar design and refinement in the midrange and woofers, and the same high level of crossover componentry and wiring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 7CC’s extremely rigid and inert curved shape is created by bonding multiple layers of wood together under high pressure for 48 hours in a 20 ton press. The resulting thick cabinet walls are further cross-braced. Individual front baffles for each woofer are attached to the cabinet face with damping glue which reduces the flow of energy from the drivers into the cabinet walls. The tweeter and midrange drivers are center-mounted on a thick black-anodized aluminum plate which seals their dedicated chamber and inhibits energy transmission to the cabinet. The internal volumes are damped with New Zealand long-fiber wool specifically chosen for its sonic character. All these steps ensure an inert enclosure capable of reproducing soft or loud music passages without sonic colorations. Finally, the Model 7CC cabinet is finished by hand in multi-layer Nero Metallic Black or High Gloss Rosenut using imported German veneers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Aerial 7CC features the natural sounding 1” woven ring-dome dual-magnet Danish tweeter from the 7T, a midrange driver based on the 6T and 7T designs, and a new dedicated 6.7” long-stroke woofer custom-made for the 7CC. With the optimized high-order multi-element crossover and environmental compensation, the result is a natural life-like presentation and seamless, highly detailed response from 55 Hz to 25 kHz.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Aerial Acoustics","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ Without stands","offer_id":41287664697428,"sku":"AERIAL:7CC-GB-EA","price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black \/ With stands","offer_id":41287664730196,"sku":"AERIAL:7CC-GB-WITHSTAND-EA","price":4690.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Gloss Ebony \/ With stands","offer_id":41287664762964,"sku":"AERIAL:7CC-GE-PREM-WSTAND-EA","price":4890.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Gloss Ebony \/ Without stands","offer_id":41287664795732,"sku":"AERIAL:7CC-GE-PREM-EA","price":4195.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Red \/ Without stands","offer_id":41287664828500,"sku":"AERIAL:7CC-GLROSE-EA","price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductaeae-7cc-metblk.jpg?v=1718137419"},{"product_id":"aerial-6t-loudspeaker-metallic-black","title":"Aerial Acoustics 6T Loudspeakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdeal for small to medium sized listening environments.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Aerial Acoustics","offers":[{"title":"Gloss Rosenut","offer_id":41287665156180,"sku":"AERIAL:6T-GLROSE-PR","price":7495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Metallic Black","offer_id":41287665188948,"sku":"AERIAL:6T-GB-PR","price":6995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductaeae-7t-metblk_1.jpg?v=1718137417"},{"product_id":"rotel-rb-1552-mkii-stereo-class-a-b-power-amplifier-black","title":"Rotel RB-1552 MKII Stereo Class A\/B Power Amplifier","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\" data-content-type=\"html\" data-appearance=\"default\" data-element=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRotel's fanatical attention to detail means the sum is greater than the parts, what they call the Balanced Design Concept. Each aspect of design is carefully considered holistically to result in maximum audio performance; from the selection of an over-sized power supply featuring a highly efficient, low magnetic field toroidal transformer to multiple, high-current bipolar output transistors. Circuit topology is planned, implemented, evaluated, and adjusted to achieve optimum results.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe RB-1552 MKII features independent left and right power rectification stages and decoupling, and is essentially a mono-block design. Further evidence of design overspec is in the selection of premium “slit-foil” capacitors, which provide plenty of reserve energy for extremely dynamic audio passages and are able to quickly replenish themselves due to the nature of their unique design. Input options are balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA connectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe RB-1552 MKII stereo amplifier has been engineered to provide high-resolution audio performance, yet it is very affordable, as has been the tradition with Rotel electronics for over 50 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Rotel","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287671119956,"sku":"ROTEL:RB1552-MKII-BLK","price":1699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Silver","offer_id":41287671152724,"sku":"ROTEL:RB1552-MKII-SLV","price":1699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductrbrb1552mkii_black_0.jpg?v=1718137439"},{"product_id":"peachtree-m25-powered-speakers-pair-ba","title":"Peachtree M25 Powered Speakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhen you buy from Audio Advice, we’re also including an exclusive “Tips \u0026amp; Tricks\" video, available only to Audio Advice customers. This video will give you some additional key tricks, and a few other tips to help you get the most out of your audio gear.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePackaging, Design \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe M24 has a slightly smaller cabinet, standing about 8 3\/4” tall, 5 ½” wide, and 8” deep.\u003cstrong\u003e The M25 is almost 10 ½” tall, 6 ¾” wide, and 9” deep.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Peachtree M Speakers are beautiful and will feel right at home on your desk or living room side table. The M25 is available in gloss black or a beautiful real bamboo and comes with removable grills.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe think the bamboo version actually looks great with the grill off, plus it gives you quick access to the controls on the front. As we’ve come to expect from Peachtree, the build quality is impeccable, especially when you consider their modest price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woofers and tweeters used in the Peachtree Audio speakers are similar to what you would expect to find in audiophile-level component speakers. The M Speakers feature a 1” silk dome tweeter and custom-designed woofers using a special fiberglass cone material. This material is both light and stiff making it ideal for the midrange and bass frequencies they cover in the M Speakers. The rear-ported speaker design enhances the bass and allows you to get some decent punch from these small-sized speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeachtree felt that while there were lots of powered speakers on the market, none of them addressed all of the needs of today’s music lovers. Many offered very good sound, but with limited connectivity, while some of the ones with lots of inputs missed the boat on sound. Peachtree’s extensive experience in both amplifier and speaker design results in the M Speakers being an outstanding product with the best of both worlds, great sound, and connectivity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of the connections, DAC, and amplifier are contained in the right speaker. To set them up, simply plug it into AC power and run the included speaker wire over to the left speaker. Plug-in or select a source and you’re ready to go!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the right speaker, you will also find some basic controls on the front, including a dual-purpose knob. Rotate it to adjust the volume or push it in and you can click through the various inputs that we’ll discuss next.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a little window on the left side of the speaker with different colored lights that indicate which input you are on. Our only complaint here is that the knob does feel a little less solid than we’d like, but considering the price and the fact that it comes with a remote, this is only a minor gripe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"close up shot of Peachtree M25 Powered Speakers\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pub\/media\/wysiwyg\/m25_2.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, there are more ways than ever to enjoy music. Many of us are even going back to vinyl for its warm, rich sound. Let’s look at all the different ways you can get your music into the M Speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe will start out with a turntable. With most powered speakers, you need a separate phono preamp and more cables, but the M Speakers have a built-in MM phono stage! You can connect your turntable directly to the speakers and you are ready to go!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are not going to use a turntable, you can flick a switch on the back, and change the phono input into a standard aux input for more flexibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith built-in Bluetooth, you’ll find streaming music from your smartphone or tablet to be a snap. They quickly connect up and you’ll be enjoying your favorite playlist in seconds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have an external streaming device like a Sonos Port, Connect, or a Bluesound Node 2i, you can take advantage of the great built-in DAC inside the M Speakers using their optical digital input.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother way to use the optical input with the M Speakers is with a TV with optical out. The M Speakers will be a huge upgrade from your TV speakers, plus you can get them spread far apart for great separation. This is really awesome for video gaming as the M Speakers have a lot of impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor use as a computer speaker, we recommend the USB connection on the back of the M Speakers. It can handle 24\/96 Hi-Res Audio files and will really bring your computer music to life. We do recommend a good set of speaker stands for any computer speaker. Peachtree makes a matching desktop stand for these that are a good choice or for an even better one, check out the Iso-Acoustics ISO-130!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA handy feature both M Speakers have is a USB charging port on the rear. You can keep your phone charging cable plugged in there and not have to worry about finding an open outlet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you want to up the bass output of either M Speaker, they both include a subwoofer out on the rear panel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA small, simple remote comes with the M Speakers and makes everything easy to control. You can change inputs, control the volume, and skip tracks, all from the remote. Believe it or not, the remote also comes with tone controls, allowing you to tweak the bass and treble. When you want to put everything back, there is a “flat” button to return the bass and treble to neutral.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the flexibility and inputs on the M Speakers are great, it would all be for naught if there was not also some first-class tech inside. The M-series speakers are deeper than you would expect, considering the other dimensions. This allows them to have a small visual face, while still having a decent-sized cabinet. This, combined with the rear-port allows the M Speakers to produce great bass for their size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePowered speakers like the Peachtree models, by definition, have the amplifier built directly into the speaker cabinets. When the manufacturer knows the exact amplifier and speakers used, it gives them a huge advantage, allowing the manufacturer to save money while perfectly matching the amp and speakers. Peachtree used both their amplifier and speaker expertise when building the M Speakers. Peachtree made some super well-respected passive speakers before the M Series. When you combine their expertise there along with their long history of building great-sounding integrated amps, you have quite the winning combination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother great piece of tech inside the M24 is the Hi-Res Audio DAC. It comes from the same technology used in their great Nova series. You’ll be able through the USB or Digital inputs to decode audio files that are 24\/96. This is quite unique for sub-$400\/pr powered speakers!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Peachtree M25 in black color on a table next to turntable.\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/m25-wordpress.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best word we can think of to describe the sound of the M Speakers is FUN. They have that great sensation we always look for in a speaker, allowing the music to flow through without over-emphasizing any aspect over another. The top end is pure and sweet and the bottom does not try to push the bass beyond its capabilities. All-in-all, it’s a very natural sound \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e— \u003c\/span\u003epure and clean with lots of detail. \u003cstrong\u003eIt was super easy to hear the bass tonality on, for example, Chicago’s “I’m a Man.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding: 15px 0 15px 30px;\"\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"90\" width=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.qobuz.com\/track\/8766456?lang=en\u0026amp;zone=us-en\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of our listening, we tested out tunes from Jimi Hendrix, The Avett Brothers, Rolling Stones, Chicago, Led Zeppelin, Stephen Stills, the Beatles, and Mark Ronson. No matter what was playing, we found the M Speakers really got you involved in the music. They have a tendency to make you want to stop what you are doing, turn them up and just listen, which is about as good a compliment as you can pay any speaker\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn some of the older recordings, we loved the fact you would pick up the remote and tweak the tone controls just a bit. Bumping down the treble a shade took that edge off so we could enjoy the music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you compare the sound of the M24 to the M25, the difference is simply a bigger sound with more bass impact and detail. The M24 is probably the perfect size for a computer speaker, while the M25 has enough output to fill up a pretty good-sized room. Either model pairs well with a good turntable for a pretty sleek complete vinyl playback system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe preferred them set up in an equilateral triangle configuration. In other words, if they are 6’ apart, they sounded best 6’ away from them. When you set them up this way, your music will take on a great three dimensional quality with the main vocals floating in between the two speakers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is one little quirk that once you figure out is no big deal, and it only applies when using Bluetooth, but you have two volume controls to deal with. We discovered you should turn the volume knob on the speaker all the way up, then use the controls on your phone. If you do not, you might find you have the phone turned wide open and you still don’t have much volume. This is a quirk with all Bluetooth speakers though. Of course with any source directly connected to the M24, you only have the one volume control on the unit\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have tested other powered speakers that can produce more ultimate output than the M24, but nothing we have heard for the money can beat the sound they can put out in small rooms at their price point. They just sound so musical. The M25 will give you that same great musical sound, but with more output for larger rooms. You will be hard-pressed to find a better speaker for the price points these two models fall within.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"black peachtree m25 on white background\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pub\/media\/wysiwyg\/m25.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are looking for a great desktop speaker or are in search of a great pair of small speakers to pair with a turntable, the Peachtree M24 or M25 must be on your list! With their built-in phono stage, USB DAC, digital input, and Bluetooth streaming, you can get music to them any way you can imagine. Their sound is extremely musical, but more importantly, just downright fun to listen to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"peachtree m24 and m25 side by side\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/pub\/media\/wysiwyg\/m25-and-m24.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"text-align: left;\" class=\"subhead\"\u003ePeachtree M25 Quick Specs\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInputs—\u003c\/strong\u003e Features USB, Bluetooth, optical, and aux\/phono (MM) analog inputs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpeaker Driver\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e—\u003c\/strong\u003e 1” silk dome tweeter \u0026amp; custom-designed \u003cspan\u003e5 ¼” woofer\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e—\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 ½” tall, 6 ¾” wide, and 9” deep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded Accessories\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGrilles, IR Wireless Remote, Control, and connectors,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eProtective non-resonant extra-thick ABS fabric mesh grill\u003c\/span\u003e,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemote control has tone controls for a full range of bass and treble control. Basic controls also included on the front of the speaker.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Discontinued","offers":[{"title":"Bamboo","offer_id":41287674462292,"sku":"PT:M25-BA","price":489.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287674495060,"sku":"PT:M25-BLK","price":449.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/pt-m25_1.jpg?v=1718137454"},{"product_id":"audeze-lcd-x-over-ear-headphones-leather","title":"Audeze LCD-X Over-Ear Headphones","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany audio companies have sprung to life from a single, simple idea. Audeze is no different. \u003cstrong\u003eWhen two friends met up with an engineer who\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ehad been working on designing some super-thin, yet flexible circuit materials for NASA\u003c\/strong\u003e, a light bulb went off. This material might be great for a headphone! In 2008, they sought out Dragoslav Colich, who held 10 patents and had years of experience with planar drivers, to help them develop what has become Audeze’s signature driver. Colich joined up and soon after, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/shop-by-brand\/audeze.html\"\u003eAudeze\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e was born with the release of the LCD-2.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, Audeze is a thriving company with more than 50 employees. \u003cstrong\u003eAll products are handcrafted and designed at their home office in Santa Barbara, CA.\u003c\/strong\u003e In a world of offshore manufacturing, they buck the trend. They have grown from a single headphone to 17 models and have even ventured into the world of pro audio with some serious microphones for the recording industry. Speak to anyone on their team and you will immediately understand that they have a real passion for producing the best possible sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday we’ll be reviewing the Audeze LCD-X, which sits in the middle of their top-end LCD range of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/headphones-portables\/headphones\"\u003eheadphones\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. It is an \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/videos-reviews\/open-back-vs-closed-back-headphones\/\"\u003eopen-back\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, planar magnetic design, but is designed in a way that does not require as much power to drive as many of their other headphones. \u003cstrong\u003eIt can easily be run with a modest \u003ca href=\"\/headphones-portables\/headphone-amplifiers-dacs\"\u003eheadphone amplifier\u003c\/a\u003e or even a smartphone.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePackaging, Design \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Audeze LCD-X comes supplied with a solid carrying case made of a tough plastic material. The case is almost as much a tackle box as it is a headphone case, and looks very similar to the Pelican brand cases that people use to transport delicate electronics. You’ll never have to worry about your headphones getting damaged while they are in this case. However, you will also need a pretty large bag for it. The LCD-X itself is pretty big, and the case is bulky at 14” wide by 12” deep by 6” tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncluded with the headphones is a detachable multi-conductor headphone cable.\u003c\/strong\u003e The business end that connects to your headphone jack is one of the most solid headphone plugs we have ever seen. It has a great strain relief that ends in a hard rubber connection with a massive, solid metal sheath that houses the gold-plated full-sized headphone plug. The box also includes a mini-plug adaptor — \u003cstrong\u003esimilar to a \u003ca href=\"\/shop-by-brand\/grado\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eGrado\u003c\/a\u003e adaptor, it has a\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003esolid female end for the ¼” standard plug that is gold plated, a short length of cable, and a gold-plated mini plug\u003c\/strong\u003e. We like this idea because if you added a standard solid adaptor, you would have a lot of stress on your mini jack since the standard plug is so massive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cables that connect to each ear cup are detachable and provide a solid connection, with a tiny button on the side to unlock them from the headphones. Our only gripe is that determining which is the right or left cable almost requires a magnifying glass! The part of the connector where the R or L is located is solid black, as is the letter, which is tiny and barely raised. We understand that they are trying to keep a clean look, but perhaps a better way would have been to have the inner connector color-coded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Audeze LCD-X itself does pass our earcup left\/right identifying test as the sides of the headband are clearly marked. Plus, once you get to know them, you won’t even need to look because the earpads are tapered in a way so that they are much larger towards the rear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike all of the LCD headphones, the X uses a single planar magnetic driver. \u003cstrong\u003eThe material that creates the sound is\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eless than the thickness of human hair!\u003c\/strong\u003e This single driver does need to be pretty large to move enough air to create sound, so the LCD-X is a pretty large headphone. The active part of the driver itself is about 2” by 3” in diameter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuild quality on all Audeze products is exactly what you would expect to see from a luxury product\u003c\/strong\u003e. All of the materials used are top-notch, with a fit and finish that should provide years of enjoyment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/audeze-lcd-x-lifestyle.jpg\" alt=\"Audeze LCD-X headphones on stand\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eComfort\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake one look at the Audeze LCD-X and your first impression might be that these are all about performance, not comfort. The fact is, the design team had the deck stacked against them. The driver is large, so the ear cups are huge. \u003cstrong\u003eThe magnets inside the drivers are extremely strong, causing each driver to weigh 5.4 oz\u003c\/strong\u003e., not including the enclosure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith all of this adding to greater performance, it would have been easy to just let comfort fall by the wayside. Instead, the team at Audeze stepped up!\u003cstrong\u003e The super plush ear cups are large enough to completely cover just about any sized ear.\u003c\/strong\u003e They are wrapped in soft leather that holds what is probably the softest memory foam we have ever encountered in a headphone. The combination just feels super luxurious against your head.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe way the ear cups connect to the headband is rather unique. The headband attaches to the ear cups off-center and more towards the front. The thick pad on the ear cups is tapered and much thicker at the back than the front. \u003cstrong\u003eThis combination takes a headphone that weighs in at a little over 22 ozs and makes it rather comfortable.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdjustability on the headband is done with the “click” method. It takes a bit of effort to move from one click to the next, assuring you that once you have them where you want them, they are not moving. Little indentations on the post allow you to easily tell where you are so that you can line up each side evenly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe have to give Audeze credit for making a pretty heavy headphone very easy to wear\u003c\/strong\u003e. They're not as comfortable as something like a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/focal-clear-mg-over-ear-headphones\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eFocal Clear MG\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is similar in price, but they weigh about 50% more than the Clear, which is a totally different design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudeze’s claim to fame is its patented planar magnetic driver.\u003c\/strong\u003e The diaphragm is almost four times larger than what you see in most headphones, yet is thinner than human hair. Audeze uses a two-sided magnet array to power this single driver. By driving it from both sides, distortion is reduced to almost nothing. The very lightweight driver responds incredibly fast, which allows it to reveal all kinds of subtle details in the music. \u003cstrong\u003eA planar magnetic driver like this is also superlinear in its frequency response which yields a\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003every natural sound across the entire spectrum\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAudeze developed another patented technology for the material used on either side of the driver. They call it their Fazer Element system. This looks a bit like an open set of Venetian blinds. \u003cstrong\u003eThese guides help reduce resonance and give the Audeze LCD-X its amazing, open sound.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/audeze-fazer-system.jpg\" alt=\"Up close shot of Audeze LCD-X earcup\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWith their relatively low impedance of 20 ohms and their efficiency of 103db, the Audeze LCD-X can easily be driven by a smartphone\u003c\/strong\u003e. While this will allow you to use them while traveling, we would hope if you got such a great sounding pair of headphones, you would pick up something like a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/chord-mojo2-dac-headphone-amp\"\u003eChord Mojo 2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/audioquest-dragonfly-red-usb-digital-to-analog-converter-1\"\u003eAudioQuest Dragonfly Red\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, or \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier\"\u003ePro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital\u003c\/a\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eto really see what they can do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe set up our testing of these with a couple of our favorite \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/headphones-portables\/headphone-amplifiers-dacs\"\u003eheadphone amps\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. On the high-end, we used the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/chord-hugo-2\"\u003eChord Hugo 2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, and on the other, we used the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pro-ject-pre-box-s2-digital-preamplifier\"\u003ePro-ject Pre Box S2 Digital\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. Each of these had no trouble driving the Audeze LCD-X to volumes far louder than we would ever recommend listening to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAudeze deserves kudos for pointing out on their website that you should\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eprotect your hearing and listen to reasonable levels\u003c\/strong\u003e. We have the exact same philosophy. With a headphone this efficient, you can do some serious permanent damage to your hearing if you listen for even a minute or so at excessive levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you listen to some of your favorite tracks with these for the first time, we guarantee you will hear all kinds of things you have never heard before! Unless you had something like this in your system before, be prepared to spend hours going through your music library.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe played a wide variety of music on them, using both Tidal and Roon to access our own library. \u003cstrong\u003eWe spent about 4 hours of constant listening and we\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003enever got any sense of fatigue\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom top to bottom, these headphones are just extremely linear.\u003c\/strong\u003e You might expect a planar driver to have a top-end emphasis, but not so with the Audeze LCD-X. The top-end does extend out way beyond the range of human hearing, but it is just super sweet in its presentation. Voices sound very natural. When you hear a deep bass instrument, it is full, rich, and it reaches incredibly low.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePerhaps the most impressive part of their presentation, however, is just how big they sound.\u003c\/strong\u003e You will almost feel like you are listening to speakers with a wide soundstage that allows each instrument to stand out on its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne great example of this is on the Rolling Stones song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” It is most revealing if you have the version from Hot Rocks HDTracks remastered in Hi-res. At the beginning of the song, there is a choir, followed up by a french horn solo on top of the choir, all the way over in the left channel. Right at the very end of the last note from the French horn, a trombone comes in on top of it. On the $700 headphones we had on our desk, you could hear this, but barely. \u003cstrong\u003eOn the LCD-X, the distinction was so apparent that it made the other headphones sound broken!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fact, they’re so good that they will reveal any issues with the recording or gear you may be pushing them with. When comparing MQA to non-MQA, then comparing those same tracks from HDTracks that were on our NAS drive, you can clearly hear each level of improvement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother very interesting thing we liked was how they are set up to interact with Roon. Roon is a great music management system that has the ability to do digital signal processing. Audeze worked with Roon to create profiles for all of their headphones. In their search for perfection, Audeze found they could improve the linearity of their sound a bit more by adding a little DSP. This curve is pre-set inside Roon for each model. While the difference is not night and day, we loved the improvement offered by this cool Roon setup. It took Bob Seger’s Greatest Hit album from 1994 to a whole new level and had us tapping our foot through the entire album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you love to hear all of the tiny subtle details in your music and enjoy a super-wide headphone soundstage, the Audeze LCD-X may be just what you’re looking for.\u003c\/strong\u003e With its incredible efficiency, you can enjoy them with your phone on the go or really make it shine by pairing it with a great headphone amp. Like many good things in life, it comes at a price both from a cost and weight standpoint, but their luxurious build means they will still feel pretty comfortable, and they just sound awesome.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Audeze","offers":[{"title":"Creator's Package \/ Leather","offer_id":41287690780756,"sku":"AUD:100-LX-1016-00","price":1199.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Premium Package \/ Leather","offer_id":41287690813524,"sku":"AUD:100-LX-1017-00","price":1699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Premium Package \/ Leather-Free","offer_id":41287690846292,"sku":"AUD:100-LX-1017-01","price":1699.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductlclcd-x.jpg?v=1718137513"},{"product_id":"audeze-lcdi4-in-ear-headphones-w-o-cipher","title":"Audeze LCDi4 In-Ear Headphones","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUtilizing the same ultra-thin diaphragm that is used in the LCD4s and all our patented technologies like the Fluxor™ magnets and Uniforce™ voice coil technology, the LCDi4 ushers in a new benchmark for realism in in-ear headphones. The distortion (THD) is less than 0.1% overall even at high volumes, an amazing achievement for in-ear headphone designs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e Weighing 12 grams per side the headphones come with a new magnesium top housing and premium, braided cable made of silver-plated OCC copper with Kevlar threads for additional strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe LCDi4s sophisticated driver design features an ultra-thin film that delivers exceptional frequency response and excellent transient behavior. The thin-film is made using a specialized vacuum deposition process that slowly builds the metal layer that is very malleable. Then each unit is individually assembled with care and matched within +\/- 1dB of each other.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Audeze","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42305281491028,"sku":"AUD:LCDi4-NOCIPHER","price":2495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductauaud-lcdi4.jpg?v=1718137504"},{"product_id":"audeze-lcd-4z-over-ear-headphones-black","title":"Audeze LCD-4Z Over-Ear Headphones - Black","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAudeze has taken the award-winning design of our top-of-the-line LCD-4 and engineered it with a special 15 ohm voice-coil making it significantly easier to drive than the original LCD-4. This model does not replace the original 200 ohm LCD-4, but offers a perfect solution for users seeking more head room.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe LCD-4z features a dark sleek aesthetic with gold accents. The magnesium rings of the LCD-4z are designed to be strong, lightweight, and non-resonant for a very clean output.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures Audeze's most advanced diaphragm design; our exclusive nano-scale film actually weighs less than the air it displaces! Benefits include faster response for better transient\/impulse response, imaging, and the flattest, deepest, most accurate bass response of any headphone available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDouble Fluxor™ Magnet Arrays bring the magnetic flux to 1.5 Tesla, nearly doubling the power driving the diaphragm for improved transient response and far greater resolution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePatented Fazor Element waveguide reduces diffraction of soundwaves resulting in improved treble response, transparency and imaging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCombining the Fluxor™ magnet arrays, nano-scale diaphragm, Fazors, Uniforce voice coil, and other features, the LCD-4 and LCD-4z give you even lower distortion and greater accuracy - usually 1\/10th the distortion of conventional headphones.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Audeze","offers":[{"title":"Black","offer_id":41287691337812,"sku":"AUD:LCD4Z-EB","price":3995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3281\/8260\/files\/httpswww.audioadvice.compubmediacatalogproductauaud-lcd4z.jpg?v=1718137504"},{"product_id":"sony-hap-s1-hi-res-music-player-system","title":"SONY HAP-S1 Hi-Res Music Player System","description":"\u003cli\u003eStore music of all Hi-Res formats for local music playback on the 500GB hard drive. Storage space is expandable via USB external hard drives.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eNewly designed built-in Wi-Fi increasing whole-house coverage and signal strength. HAP-S1 is rigorously tested to ensure its Wi-Fi signal strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eCompatible with both Windows and Mac computers. 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