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  • Listening to the New Accuphase A-80 at Audiophile Experts

    Accuphaseโ€™s new A-80 stereo amp stole the spotlight at Audiophile Expertsโ€™ chic launch soirรฉe, with Anne Bisson performing live and a luxurious system delivering punchy dynamics, rich tones, and elegant micro-detail.

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  • PS AUDIO Stellar M1200 Monoblock Appraised!

    With 1200 watts of muscle and a vacuum tube soul, PS Audioโ€™s Stellar M1200 monoblocks combine stunning dynamics and bass control with refined neutralityโ€”earning praise as a reference-grade hybrid amp at a surprisingly accessible price.

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  • Introducing Spotifade: The Premium Choice of Musical Nomads

    In this hipster fever dream, Spotifade deletes tracks once they get too popularโ€”where fleeting songs, un-Shazamable tunes, and anti-algorithm playlists reign supreme.

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  • TAF2023: That’s a Wrap!

    The Toronto Audiofest 2023 had everything you could wish for in an audio show: great gear at all price-points, a communal and jovial atmosphere, overall good to great sound, friendly banter with peers or friends made on the spot, solid visitor traffic but not overcrowded, and plenty of coffee for dudes like me who were…

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  • TAF2023: Coherent Loudspeakers, Baetis Audio, Allnic, Saturn Audio, Kuzma, Corby’s Audio

    Prices listed in CA$. If youโ€™re interested in speaker design, chances are youโ€™ve heard the expression: โ€œThereโ€™s no replacement for displacementโ€. Although todayโ€™s technology allows for speaker cones to be designed to very tight tolerances, thereโ€™s something to be said about the sound of a classic โ€vintageโ€ woofer. The sound reproduced by a 15โ€ณ diaphragm…

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  • 2023 Holiday Gift Guide: Audiophile Gift Ideas for Every Budget

    Looking for the perfect gift for the audiophile in your life? Check out our comprehensive 2023 Holiday Gift Guide.

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  • The 1985 Effect

    J. Coleโ€™s โ€œ1985โ€ casts a long shadow over hip-hopโ€™s younger generation, warning of fleeting fame in an era dominated by SoundCloud rebels. This deep-dive traces the turbulent rise and haunting legacy of rapโ€™s new wave.

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  • The Tube Illusion ?

    Skeptical of audioโ€™s placebo effect, Jonson Lee tested AGD Productionsโ€™ class-D Audion ampsโ€”disguised as glowing tubesโ€”and found their stunning design inseparable from their sonic magic, both subtly shaping the listening experience.

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  • Meze Launches the Empyrean II Headphone

    : GATEWAY TO SONIC PARADISE Building upon the legacy of its predecessor, Empyrean II emerges as a symphony of artistry, innovation and craftsmanship. โ€œWhen we first talked about creating the second generation of Empyrean, I knew it would be far from easy. With many ideas in mind, I reached out to our community, eager to…

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  • TAF2023: Goldmund, Entreq, Crystal Cable, Kalista, Thiele, Karan Acoustics, Tidal Audio, Critical Mass Systems, Fono Acustica

    Prices listed in CA$. There are few exhibits at an audio show that immediately elicit a sense of prestigious luxury. Wynn Audio, which has Swarovski-style jewelry cases displaying some of theย  highest quality audio products, had definitely one of those exhibits. The company had two systems on active demo this year. Wynn of Wynn Audio…

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  • TAF2023: Bรธrresen, Axxess, Ansuz, Qobuz

    Prices listed in US$. Exhibiting in Canada for the first time at the Toronto Audiofest, importer / distributor Audio Group Denmark showcased the new slim, 2.5-way Bรธrresen Acoustics X2 tower speakers ($8800/pair), which uses the same designed-in-house tweeter membrane as the higher-priced offerings in Bรธrresenโ€™s speaker line. Feeding the Bรธrresen speakers were a 100Wpc Axxess…

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  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Rock’s Overlooked Matriarch

    From cotton fields in Arkansas to New Yorkโ€™s electrifying jazz clubs, Sister Rosetta Tharpe defied genres and gender roles, blending gospel with rock โ€™nโ€™ roll and pioneering a soundโ€”and a legacyโ€”that would change music forever.

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  • The Rolling Stones:  Hackney Diamonds Review

    Mocked for aging in the โ€™80s, the Rolling Stones now defy time with Hackney Diamondsโ€”a swaggering, star-studded return that proves, decades on, they still swing harder than anyone thought possible.

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  • TAF2023: J.Sikora, Nagra, Gryphon, Audio Nec, Nordost, Modulum Audio

    Prices listed in CA$. Another room that served up incredible sound was that of retailer Bliss Acoustics, whose demo included a J.Sikora Reference turntable ($64,500) fitted with a KV Max 9โ€ณ tonearm ($16,450) and Nagra Reference cartridge ($24,500), a Nagra Classic preamplifer ($24,000), a Nagra Classic phono stage ($26,000), a Gryphon Essence stereo amplifier ($32,480),…

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  • TAF2023: Focal, Naim, IsoAcoustics, Vicoustic, Monitor Audio, Rotel, Roksan, Audience, Solid Tech

    Prices listed in CA$. When owner of retailer EQ Audio Video Ed Oโ€™herlihy told me he and his team had painstakingly set up the Focal Grande Utopias EM EVO ($359,998) better than theyโ€™d ever been set up at a show, I believed him. Why? Because I recognized that glint of confidence in his eye that…

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