Datasat RS20i Datasat/Brooks Ayola When I dropped by Lyric Hi-Fi & Video (New York City’s oldest high-end shop), I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. There’s so much to see and hear, but then I was hooked into auditioning the Datasat RS20i surround processor with a full complement of Focal Electra series speakers, plus a …

Noble 4C custom-fit headphone (left), Noble 4 universal-fit headphone (right) Noble Audio The Noble Audio 4 in-ear headphones’ clarity is way ahead of anything sold near its price. Its transparency, dynamic life and treble extension and detailing are extraordinary. Beyond the sound there are a few other noteworthy things that distinguish Noble from other high-end in-ear headphone makers like Westone, …

Let me just dispel any notions that in the space of one year we’re going to get a better sounding music format, the end to the Loudness Wars, or a decent sounding Bluetooth speaker. I’m thinking about things that might actually happen, not fantasy stuff. First on my wish list: Apple turns the key and offers bona fide high-resolution iTunes, …

So what’s better: home-theater-in-a-box (HTiB) systems or sound bars? The latter are markedly better than they were just a few years ago, but the inherent design compromises of single-speaker systems have, so far, proved insurmountable. Sound bars can’t fill a room as well as five speakers can. It wasn’t that long ago I was reviewing a bunch of HTiBs every …

April Music Aura Note V2 April Music Aura Note I’ve never reviewed anything quite like the April Music Aura Note V2. It’s an all-in-one CD player/USB digital converter/FM radio/125-watt-per-channel stereo amplifier. Decked out in gleaming metal and matte black, this elegant design will be a good fit in contemporary living spaces. All of that wouldn’t mean much if the Aura …

Sennheiser IE 800 Sennheiser Before we get started, in-ear headphones fall into two design types: universal models that come with user-replaceable tips that accommodate a range of different size ear canals, and custom-molded models that are made to order, and fit only the owner’s ears. Universal picks start with the stellar $79 Hifiman RE-400 and go all the way up …

The Moon Neo 430HA Moon The Moon Neo 430HA didn’t make a strong, immediate first impression. It certainly looked and felt like a solid high-end component, but the sound didn’t bowl me over, so I left a radio playing through it for about a week. That did the trick, the transparency and purity of the sound jumped ahead of any …

Steve Guttenberg/CNET It’s that time of year again, so the Audiophiliac put together a nice assortment of music and gear gift ideas. It might not be the most glamorous treat under the tree, but the $12.95 Etymotic Research ER20 earplugs might be the most valuable. All earplugs block out external noise, but muffle the sound. The ER20 plugs sound clear, …

Dynaudio Focus 160 speakers Dynaudio Listening in a small, New York City apartment-sized room at the In Living Stereo store the Dynaudio Focus 160 speakers were making all the right moves. Their sound filled the space, projecting well ahead of the speakers, and Brian Eno’s “Another Green World” LP revealed new textures and details. Percy Jones’ nimble fretless bass runs …

Martin Logan Neolith speakers Martin Logan Last Friday I attended a press preview for the new Martin Logan Neolith electrostatic speaker at the Stereo Exchange store in New York City. It’s a statuesque beauty, standing 74.8 inches tall (190cm), and weighing an impressive 385 pounds (174kg), the Neolith is a force to be reckoned with! Decked out in brilliant Rosso …