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Wadax is a Spanish audio company founded in 2006 by Javier Guadalajara based on his father Angel Guadalajara's many years of research into music reproduction, which led to the development of unique technologies such as the musIC chip for correcting errors in digital systems. We are testing its basic, yet high-end, SACD/file player, the Tudio... Read More »

Zesto Audio is a relatively new company located in Los Angeles where it manufacturers a full array of excellent tube audiophile equipment to bring music to life in the home. Though not priced atmospherically like many of its all tube competitors, it strives to surpass the finest gear available using smart technology, extraordinary transformers and parts,... Read More »

Greetings friends, I hope you are well. When Positive Feedback Editor-in-Chief Dr. David Robinson asked me if I'd like to review the Gold Note DS-10 EVO streaming DAC along with its optional PSU-10 EVO power supply, I wasn't really sure what I would be getting into, as I've had minimal experience with streaming DACs, and... Read More »

When the opportunity to evaluate the singular performance of the comparatively affordable Master Fidelity digital suite, comprised of the $27,500 NADAC D DAC and its identically priced companion, the NADAC C Clock, in my own reference system, I was beside myself with anticipation. My enthusiasm for spending time with these components in my own reference... Read More »

My first encounter with the Aries Cerat was back in 2019 at the Munich High-End show. All I really remember was a truly magical experience—even under show conditions (noisy background, people coming in and out). The Aries Cerat system was very natural and analog sounding, surprisingly, I was listening to a digital set-up. Fast forward... Read More »

Kapow! Right in the noggin! Wobbling like a UFO saucer in the finest Ray Harryhausen tradition, the record sailed crazily in the air, then jetted straight into the hapless boy's forehead. Score! A direct hit! The lesson here was, while some may argue about a Dynaflex record's sound quality, it's pretty tough to dodge in-flight.... Read More »

Over the course of the last twenty-five-years, I've carved out a fairly satisfying niche in audio journalism. One that finds me most often focused on reasonably priced gear that frequently performs beyond its price point—while also playing nicely in more pedigreed audio systems. Many of the companies I deal with focus exclusively on that segment... Read More »

The audiophile digital music software scene has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade. Streaming services have increased their dominance and almost every audiophile I know, has transferred most of their CDs into digital files and stored them in multi-terabyte hard drives, especially since the price of very high-capacity hard drives, even SSD versions,... Read More »

Mark Schifter is constantly teasing me with new product offerings that are either currently under development or on the verge of reaching the marketplace. And more often than not, when I get a notification that something has actually shipped to me for evaluation, I have no idea which exact device is on the way. That... Read More »

Ye Olde Editor enjoying a cigar and Single Malt at Tiberias, Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret), Israel, 2022. (Photograph by John Robinson; image processing by Ye Olde Editor himself.) A keyboard can be a piano. "It is the artist who, more than other men, is able to create something out of nothing. A whole artistic work... Read More »

The iFi Neo iDSD 2 occupies a most intriguing spot in the UK firm's extensive roster of DACs and DAC/Amps. At $899, it is the first step down from the much praised $3249 iDSD Pro Signature. In fact, the two are the only items the iFi website lists as "Home Audio" above the ZEN range... Read More »

The dCS Varèse DAC For some time now, I have enjoyed visiting my friend Scott Carpenter who owns Evolution Hi-Fi in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, Georgia. As my friends will tell you, I am a frequent visitor of hi-fi shops, and I have a deep passion for the latest technology. Fortunately, Scott is not... Read More »

Bob Katz at work wearing the Audeze CRBN 2 Headphones, a portrait. (Photograph by Mary Kent.) Introduction Today I'm reviewing two remarkable products, both of which represent a new audio paradigm and a veritable redefinition of the state of the art! I know, this is an old audio cliché, but in this case I think... Read More »

Over a decade ago, the late John Sunier of Audiophile Audition called me with a hardware review offer for the original AURALiC Aries streamer. I was clueless as to what a streamer was or what it was supposed to do, John was unable to offer any explanation of its function to me, and I only... Read More »

Dean Waters at the Pacific Audio Fest, 2023: a portrait with cigar (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) The Tambaqui from Mola Mola represents the finest in high end DACs available for the serious audiophile who's looking for a no-compromise solution for digital-to-analog bliss. I've been listening to the Tambaqui for the last... Read More »

PREMIERE Fezz Audio is a company specializing in tube amplifiers. It is the audiophile branch of toroidal transformer manufacturer, Toriody.pl, also for audio applications. Fezz Audio was founded in 2014, and its first product was the Laura integrated amplifier. We are testing its Equinox digital-to-analog converter. This is its first test in the world. The... Read More »

Mid last year, I reviewed the Topping E70 Velvet DAC, which is a Delta-Sigma design that in my view offered astounding performance at a surprisingly low price point. Most of my love of the E70 Velvet revolved around its very cool implementation of the recent new production AKM chipsets, and its use of AKM's Velvet... Read More »

Digital playback technology is now commonly viewed as a mature field, where groundbreaking discoveries have already occurred, and the consumer can expect a higher level of performance, more features, and a lower price tag as the industry moves forward. After all, the first digital PCM recording was created in 1971 by NHK, and Sony and... Read More »

Totaldac is a French audio manufacturer, founded in 2010 by Vincent Brient. Its headquarters are located near Mont Saint-Michel, a rocky island in the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, in the English Channel. The company specializes in digital-to-analog converters and audio file players. It also offers a range of amplifiers, speakers and accessories to improve digital signal... Read More »