The Absolute Sound Podcast

If you’ve been around headphones for a while, you will know that Stax is a Japanese manufacturer of electrostatic headphones that has operated in the top tier for decades. I recently tested their top-of-the-line SR-X9000 headphones. Does the SRX-9000 carry on the Stax tradition? 00:00 Stax SR-X9000 01:24 Electrostatics? 02:42 Sound Quality 10:50 Summary The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: htt...

Robert Taylor duel reviews the Accuphase C2900 preamplifier and the Accuphase A80 amplifier, noting their individual characteristics and their combined output. Tune in to hear Robert's thoughts... 01:04 Specs & Design 03:44 Preamp door controls 05:10 Associated Equipment 05:58 Sound Quality 08:08 Sound Quality Pt. 2 10:51 Conclusion This video is sponsored by: https://shunyata.com/ The Absolut...

We wanted to share with you some of the music we are using in the review process, with a focus on musically interesting work that is also enjoyably recorded. This isn’t necessarily new work or new recordings. With streaming making a test drive of these recommendations so easy, we simply wanted to give you some ideas. This video is sponsored by: https://www.javahifi.com/home The Absolute Sound’s Re...

Okay this one is obviously different. At 77” tall and weighing 235 lb, the Tekton Ulfberht is not your typical under $10,000 speaker. One look at the front panel, and you’ll know these aren’t your standard 3-way or 4-way towers on the technical front either. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the ideas and the sound quality behind the Tekton Ulfberht. This video is sponsored by: https:/...

Okay, full disclosure, this video is not targeted at our average viewer. Rather, this is an attempt to open the door of hi-fi for those previously unfamiliar and at $350 US this delicate sounding desktop pair provides a worthwhile peek through that open door. 00:00 Onkyo GX-30ARC 00:56 Overview 03:50 How'd it sound? 07:11 Summary This video is sponsored by: https://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/...

You could view the title of this video as audiophile "click bait"—and perhaps it is. In a more charitable frame of mind, however, you could view it as directing attention to a novel product that could prove to be highly significant and even a bit disruptive to the high-end audio marketplace. This is Andrew Quint, a Senior Writer for The Absolute Sound, and I'd like to tell you about new software c...

When Hegel announces a new flagship DAC, the audio world tends to take notice. Hegel has recently released the true successor to their previously acclaimed HD30 DAC. This Hegel Reference Converter promises to elevate Hegel's reputation for pristine digital reproduction to new heights at $4,900. This is placed within the high end realm of HiFi, and is positioned for those looking for supreme accura...

I often rely on analogies to help develop my thoughts. This is a great way to take a known experience that I am relatively more familiar with to draw out the nuance of a less known experience – of course at some point all analogies fall apart and, therefore, they can only get us so far. I bring this up because I admit, when it comes to audio equipment that I enjoy listening to, I have a pretty sou...

The Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition may look almost identical to the contour 20, but looks can be deceiving. The Danish loudspeaker company, I think, has packed quite a few changes under the hood of this long popular stand mount speaker. Let's find out what! 00:00 Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition 02:29 Specs & Design 05:45 Sound Quality 18:45 Is this for you? 21:38 Summary This video is spo...

In this briefing I cover the Via Blue Rocket cable lifter system. I’ve been using these for several months now and have found them quite useful and enjoyable. Let’s find out why. This video is sponsored by: https://www.hegel.com/en/ The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-absolute-sounds-review-methodology-first-principles/ Newsletter: https://www.the...

Following up from his Pass Labs factory tour, Adrian reviews the hefty, rich Pass Labs 260.8 Monoblock Amplifier. This video's sponsored by: https://shunyata.com/product/gemini-model-8/ 00:00 Pass Labs 260.8 Monoblock Amplifier 01:56 Specs & Design 03:32 Sound Quality 06:31 Customer Service 07:33 Summary The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-abs...

A business strategy frequently employed by seasoned organizations when developing a new product is to design and produce what is known as a Minimum Viable Product. After hearing the Chesky Audio LC1s, it became abundantly clear Founder and CEO, Lucca Chesky, made the prudent decision to dispense with circumspect practices of seasoned organizations and forged a path solidly in the direction of viab...

A business strategy frequently employed by seasoned organizations when developing a new product is to design and produce what is known as a Minimum Viable Product. After hearing the Chesky Audio LC1s, it became abundantly clear Founder and CEO, Lucca Chesky, made the prudent decision to dispense with circumspect practices of seasoned organizations and forged a path solidly in the direction of viab...

We wanted to share with you some of the music we are using in the review process, with a focus on musically interesting work that is also enjoyably recorded. This isn’t necessarily new work or new recordings. With streaming making a test drive of these recommendations so easy, we simply wanted to give you some ideas. The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/article...

Some listeners feel that the most intimate experience you can have with recorded music is by using headphones. Not just because of the proximity to your ears, but it's the way they're voicing their aural personality gets right inside your head. An excellent example of that are the Meze Audio 105 AER Headphones... 00:00 Meze Audio 105 AER 01:32 Specs & Design 5:00 Sound Quality 10:34 Summary Th...

Just north of Rome on the Italian coast is a high end amplifier manufacturer you've probably never heard of, but Audia Flight who've been making amps and preamps in-house since 1996, is a company that I think is past due for serious consideration from North American audiophiles. I spent this past winter with their FLS9 Modular Integrated Amplifier, and with this review I aim to tell you all about...

We’ve just attended the 2025 AXPONA audio show in Chicago. We had a team of 5 on site: Adrian Alexander, Grover Neville, Jason Methfessel, Robert Taylor and Tom Martin doing video coverage. The magazine also had a group of reviewers covering the show and their summary will be published in an upcoming issue. Errata: DeVore Fidelity Gibbon Super 9: $9900/pr Pass Labs new preamp is the XSPRE-2, not t...

Songer Audio is the kind of audio company that puts a smile on your face. Songer is a small company devoted to designing and hand-building unusual loudspeakers. The concepts used by designer Ken Songer in some ways harken back to the early days of audio in the ‘30s and ‘50s. But these ideas are off the beaten path for modern designs. And a seven-year-old company making its own main drivers is also...

Regular viewers (thank you!) will know that we have defined six major issues for audio believability. These are systemic technical issues that have proven hard to address, one of these being ‘the problem of a-musical digital distortion’. We have been reviewing D/A converters in the hope of finding some that deal with the issue effectively. Is the Tidal Camira LC a DAC that breaks through this barr...

Newcomer Matt Coykendall reviews the Bang & Olufsen H100 headphones with their versatile but surprisingly high-fidelity sound. How do these stand up in the marketplace of hi-fi headphones? Listen in to find out... The video is sponsored by: https://chordelectronics.co.uk/mojo-2 Matt's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UC145VfPR89fEeiwjvQvThaA The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://ww...

I tend to approach amplifier reviews with some trepidation, because I’m afraid the differences between them will be minute. This is almost never the case in reality. With the Block Class A monoblocks, the sound quality was not only easily discerned, it was what I think many audiophiles would want, if cost were no object. https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter The Absolute Sound’s Review Metho...

Adrian Alexander stopped by Auburn California to take a peak at what Pass Labs has been up to... Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The...

Thomas gives his impressions of his first experience with two different dipole bass systems, provided by VPE Electrodynamics, one for use with smaller Magnepan speakers like the LRS+. and one for use with open-baffle dynamic speakers. Listen in to hear his thoughts. This video is sponsored by: https://www.advanceparis.com/ The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/a...

ERRATA: Popori Hypersail does NOT include subs. Demo had REL subs in place. Apologies for the mistake. MBL 101 X-Treme price is $433k/pr (4 pcs) Tom Martin and Jason Methfessel return from this years Southwest Audio Fest with a list of some of the most compelling products and rooms they experienced at the show. Listen in to see what's new! theabsolutesound.com/newsletter The Absolute Sound’s Revie...