The Klipsch Reference Premiere 600M might startle you. It definitely shook me up, and I’ve heard a ton of speakers at all prices this year, and sure some of them sounded better than the RP 600M. So I’m not claiming it’s the best sounding speaker I’ve heard, just that it’s the one I can’t shake …

The ZMF Auteur is a lovely sounding headphone, and I don’t think I’ve ever used that word to describe the sound of a headphone before. (Editor’s note: You did, here) There’s no glare, no hardness, no edge, the sound can be you-are-there realistic. Hold the Auteur in your hands and you’ll know something’s up, this is no mass produced by …

The continuing audiophile fascination with LPs is a mystery, LPs are ancient tech, records can be noisy, they’re fragile, expensive and they take up a lot of space. The best turntables, high quality phono cartridges, and preamps can cost a fortune. Even so, a lot of audiophiles still favor LPs, I know I do. Playing audio files is gigantically more …

Buchardt Audio is a small Danish manufacturer that’s quickly gaining a reputation for making extraordinary speakers. I was skeptical, but the buzz was strong enough I requested a pair of their S300 MKII SE speakers for review. Unboxing the beautifully finished satin black samples they looked fine, nothing flashy going on here, but once I started listening my ears perked …

The JBL L100 was every music-loving teenager’s ultimate fantasy speaker in the 1970s, but they couldn’t afford them. It’s easy to see why it was such a big deal, all of the competition’s speakers were drab and boring, the L100, decked out with bright orange grilles were anything but. With the grilles removed those big white 12-inch (300mm) woofers looked …

Parasound is best known for its high-value, high-end audio components, especially the top-tier models designed by John Curl. The man has had a long relationship with Parasound, but before that he crafted the legendary Vendetta phono preamplifier, worked for the Mark Levinson company and designed concert sound systems for the Grateful Dead. The new Parasound Halo HINT 6 integrated amplifier …

It’s late in 2018 so I wasn’t expecting this, an all-analog stereo integrated amplifier from Onkyo. The company’s keep-it-simple approach is refreshing and makes a lot of sense because while analog audio hasn’t changed much over the past half century, digital formats can change from one year to the next. The A-9110 sells for $349 in the US, £230 in …

Grado is one of the most traditional headphone manufacturers on the planet, and its products have all been designed and made in Brooklyn. For nearly 30 years all of their full-size headphones have been open-back designs, so changes come at a snail’s pace. Oh, and up to this point all of them have been wired headphones, and those wires were …

Al Schmitt has won 20 Grammy awards, that more any other engineer or mixer. Not only that, he’s also produced or engineered 160 platinum and gold albums! Al Schmitt’s tell all book! Hal Leonard Books Over his six-decade career, he’s recorded Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Willie Nelson, Dr. Dre, Usher, Steely Dan, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley …

Bluetooth speakers aren’t my forte, I’m a high-end guy, but I like the little Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth speaker because it sounds better than it has any right to. After all, it’s a dirt cheap speaker, it’s as featureless as they come, and yet I have to admit I’m enjoying this little critter. I took it on my recent trip …