Price: $99.99
Website: www.usa.1more.com
Brent said: Like all the other true wireless earphones we’ve tried, the 1More E1026BT-Is don’t work sonic miracles, but their sound comes pretty close to the best of them at a fraction of the price.
Read the SoundStage! Solo review.
The gist: A bargain in good wireless earphones.
Price: $149
Website: www.akg.com
Brent said: They deliver detail and spaciousness that at least equal what I’ve heard in any headphones I’ve heard at any price.
Read the SoundStage! Solo review.
The gist: Harman Curve all over this product.
Price: AU$25,500
Website: www.aplhifi.com
Tom said: The DSD-SR’s overall balance seemed on the lighter side of what I’m used to. This in turn meant the reduced mid-bass weight allowed small mid-range details to become more apparent.
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Not-quite-neutral DAC.
Price: AU$18,800
Website: www.aquahifi.com
Peter said: For me, for the time being, and especially when you factor in the xHD’s value for often bleeding-edge performance, I’d call it a “bargain and the best I ever had.”
Read the SoundStage! Australia review.
The gist: Modularity adds value to this DAC.
Price: $399
Website: www.audeze.com
Brent said: The LCD-1s bring the neutral, natural sound of the best audiophile headphones down to a reasonable price -- and a size that makes it easy to bring the headphones anywhere you go. This is a direction I’m very glad to see audiophile headphones going.
Read the SoundStage! Solo review.
The gist: Planar magnetics for the masses?
Price: $30,000 per pair
Website: www.audioresearch.com
Aron said: I found the Reference 160M captivatingly enjoyable to listen to, despite a slight roundness and lack of texture in the bass.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: The new ARC look is a big improvement.
Price: $15,000
Website: www.audioresearch.com
Aron said: In my time with it, I quickly learned that Audio Research’s Reference 6 preamplifier is one of those rare products capable of producing a quality of sound greater than might be suggested by the sum of its parts.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Aron bought the review sample.
Price: $949.99
Website: www.audiolab.co.uk
Diego said: I had nothing to complain of about its sound -- it mostly got out of the way of the music, letting my speakers and room sound as good as I’m accustomed to.
Read the SoundStage! Access review.
The gist: Compares, in sound and build, to those costing much more.