THE REVIEWS
ads
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Sign up with your email address to receive news, updates, and our free quarterly magazine—AudioKeyREVIEWS!
HEADAMP CFA3 HEADPHONE AMP - REVIEW
The HeadAmp CFA3 is a truly exceptional headphone amplifier and, dare I say, there are no other such headphone amplifiers that can compete at easily twice its price, if not far more. Its impressive 15-watts of power into 50-ohms allow it to easily drive even the most inefficient headphone on the planet, with headroom to spare.
ATMA-SPHERE GEM INTEGRATED & “HEADPHONE AMP”- REVIEW
The little Integrated/HPA that could and did might well be the title for this review, as the Atma-Sphere GEM was exemplary with all material that was streamed its way. Further, as a “converted” HPA, it dealt beautifully with perhaps one of the most demanding and least efficient, yet superb headphones—the HIFIMAN Susvara (83dB)—that I have had the pleasure to listen with and review.
PASS LABS HPA-1 HEADPHONE AMP - REVIEW
I did not expect to be as impressed as I am with the PASS LABS HPA-1, given its 2016-17 introduction and the various technical improvements that have come to other headphone amplifiers made in the interim, but time has not touched the viability, technical prowess, or wonderful musicality of the PASS LABS HPA-1. In truth, it has few rivals among those I’ve reviewed in recent years, regardless of price.
ALLNIC HPA-10000 OTL/OCL HEADPHONE AMP - REVIEW
Breathtaking transparency, resolution, and musicality that compel one to listen for hours on end, Single-Ended palpability, electrostatic dimensionality, and the power and gravitas of dynamics move it past all comers. Handy remote control is icing on the cake. Beautifully designed.
HEADAMP GS-X MKII - REVIEW
The HeadAmp GS-X MkII is an exceptional headphone amplifier that not only outperforms its GS-X Mini sibling, but a goodly number of headphone amplifiers that have come my way for review these past years, some being a good deal more expensive.
WARWICK ACOUSTICS BRAVURA AND SONOMA M1 - REVIEW
The Warwick Acoustic Bravura & Sonoma M1 represent the classic and well sought after electrostatic sound, like the transducers—Quad ESL 57, Martin Logan CLS—that began this rather exceptional modality!
TRILOGY H1 ENERGIZER - REVIEW
The Trilogy H1 energizer is the child of electrostatics and single-ended triodes and it is sublime in the extreme. Did I mention the Trilogy H1’s blazing, transient speed, its openness, its hypnotic immersiveness, and delicious tonality? “Yes.” Well, okay.