| | | Stage III Kraken AC Power Cord | Just one Kraken will be enough to alter your sound in startling ways. Singlehandedly, it can take your system from very good to outstanding. Its effects are so noted, it really has me thinking it should be considered a component—in particular, a power conditioner.
The Kraken is another world-class power product from Stage III and gets my top recommendation.
- Marshall Nack Read More » | | | |
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| | | | HB Cable Design PowerSlave Acrylic | First, there is the increase in scale. My system sounded bigger and more powerful with the Acrylic compared to the Horizon. Second, there was a solidity and sense of space to the sound with the Acrylic in the system that I had not heard before. Third, the system’s ability to play loud and not break up was expanded; my amp sounded like it had more power. Fourth, my system had even better timbre and tonal accuracy with the Acrylic distributing the power to it. Last, because of the first four points, my system sounded more alive with the Acrylic. Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Ypsilon Aelius monoblock power amplifier | The Aelius's top-to-bottom rhythmic agility may be in a class of its own. Its bottom end was nimble, clean, and well extended, and did the best job of controlling the woofers of the Wilson Alexandria XLFs of any amplifier that's been here since those speakers arrived.
The Aelius is yet another spectacular sonic and technological achievement from Ypsilon Electronics. I remain impressed by everything they do.
- Michael Fremer Read More » | | | |
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| | | | PowerStar Horizon: High End Power Dist. | I’ve tried so many power conditioners that I won’t try to list all of them. In the end, I am a firm believer in the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle when it comes to audio design. Just look at my system, it only has three power cords, and one pair of interconnects plus the tonearm cable. The HB Designs PowerStar Horizon fits right into that principle. I can’t wait to get the Acrylic and the Marble in for a listen.
Well done, Brian for bringing to the U.S. another great sounding product that most of us had never heard of. Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Stage III: Magnus Prime Interconnects | It’s hard to describe interconnect that doesn’t have much sonic character. It’s not warm, not cold, not dark or bright... basically, it’s just right, meaning it really isn’t there at all. And the benefit of this lack of character is that whatever is on the tape, that’s what you’re going to hear.
The Magnus Prime lets you spend much more time listening to the music, rather than to the system. You’ll hear all that there is to hear, to a farethewell. Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Stage III: Magnus Prime Speaker Cables | The Magnus Prime speaker cables are certainly worth a long listen,
You may well end up deciding you can’t part with them.
To me, they’re well-balanced, highly detailed, dynamic and accurate, while also sounding natural, compelling, intriguing and effortless. Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Ypsilon Electronics Aelius Mono Amplifiers | ...within a broad level of performance, the Aelius competes with any amp I've heard -- and I suspect any amp made today. Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Ypsilon VPS 100 Phono Stage | "Man, what a natural, refined sound!" was my first enthusiastic response to the VPS 100. The differences lay in the quantity and quality of low-level information. The convincing little events are there, but equally important as this abundance of micro-level stuff is their terrific timbral and dynamic fidelity.
The VPS 100 conjoins excellent performance on the objectivist criteria with the unique qualities only step-up designs bring. The difference is this is the first step-up design that doesn't exhibit the step-up weaknesses.
As a total package, the Ypsilon VPS 100 Phono Stage offers the finest, most satisfying, analog playback I've heard to date. Marshall Nack Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Ypsilon VPS 100 Phono Stage & MC16 | The Ypsilon VPS-100 is far superior to any other phonostage, tube or solid-state, which I have auditioned by a rather significant margin.
The VPS-100 has punch, definition and subterranian extension in the bottom octaves combined with transparency, speed and limitless extension at the top while never slighting the midrange.
I hope that my enthusiasm comes through. In the end, I bought the review sample.
Read More » | | | |
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| | | | Ypsilon PST-100 MkII line preamplifier | At $37,000, the PST-100 Mk.II is very expensive; but given how it's made and how it sounds, and assuming you can afford it, it's well worth the money. For now, the Ypsilon PST-100 MkII is the most transparent and, therefore, the most perfect audio component I have ever heard—or not heard. Michael Fremer Read More » | | | |
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