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A FollowUp RoundUp
Three products were recently subjected to second opinions: I reviewed the revised RS250A version of HiFi Rose's RS250 streaming D/A preamplifier and the optional DC1 DAC module for Audio Research's...
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Ferrum Wandla D/A preamplifier
I can roll out of bed and install a $10,000 phono cartridge while finishing my coffee, but I postpone DAC installations until I am in the exact right mood to handle the potential stress—especially DACs...
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Weiss Engineering Helios D/A processor
When standalone digital/analog processors made an appearance a quarter-century ago, they were limited to the CD medium's 16 bits of resolution—at best. These days, almost every DAC can process at least...
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StormAudio ISP Evo immersive sound preamp/processor
One thing that interested me about the StormAudio ISP Evo is that, despite its obvious hi-fi function, it's more like a computer than a typical "prepro." While it does offer a few "legacy" analog...
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Gramophone Dreams #84: dCS Lina D/A processor and Lina Master Clock
I was at least 40' away when I spied my first dCS Lina stack at CanJam. It was black, sitting conspicuously on a table emitting a strong Space Odyssey Monolith vibe. I can't remember which headphones I...
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Cambridge Audio MXN10 streamer–D/A processor
For music listening circa 2024, streaming is both the present and the future. Physical formats are still around, and they are still the best choice in some cases, as with deluxe reissues of beloved...
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Eversolo DMP-A8 streaming preamplifier
A few summers ago, I briefly got it in my head that I could become a wine connoisseur. This was due to a very generous and unexpected gift. A local acquaintance had passed away, and his wife wanted to...
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Linear Tube Audio Aero D/A processor
This paragraph from Linear Tube Audio's website description of their new Aero DAC sets the tone for the story I'm about to tell. "After trying various options, we chose the Analog Devices AD1865 R2R...
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NAD M66 streaming preamplifier
In my early years in audio, I witnessed the rise and fall of the AM-FM receiver, first in vacuum tube mono and later in solid state stereo. Some of them grew to be behemoths, supporting multiple...
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TEAC UD-701N streaming D/A preamplifier
In Gramophone Dreams #88, I described the sound of TEAC's VRDS-701T CD transport as "dense and precise in a way I had never previously heard from digital." I went on to explain, "by 'dense,' I mean...
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Moon 891 streaming preamplifier
No fewer than eight boxes, powered by six after-market power cables, comprise my current reference front-end (footnote 1). As much as separate boxes can afford superior isolation and provide far more...
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EMM Labs DA2i D/A processor
Among the many reasons to be grateful for audio shows (footnote 1), one stands out: They allow me to set reasonable expectations of what components and whole audio systems can or cannot achieve. They...
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Wattson Audio Madison LE D/A processor
After it was delivered, I weighed the box containing Wattson Audio's DAC-equipped Madison LE Streamer on my bathroom scale. It was hardly bigger than a shoebox. It weighed 8.3lb. When I opened the main...
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Cambridge EXN100 streaming D/A processor
The marriage of little streaming computers to DACs was at first a shotgun thing, a way to add Swiss Army knife capabilities at a price point. That was back when it was cutting-edge to have a NAS server...
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