Many audiophiles are very familiar with the Focal brand and its legendary Utopia series loudspeakers. Now it's time to introduce everyone to the new Focal XS Multimedia Sound System. Don't be fooled by the iPod integration that has permeated everything from running shoes to bathroom accessories. This is not your father's desktop audio solution. Focal designed a very nice looking 2.1 desktop system with great features and sound quality to match. iPod sync and playback, internal USB DAC, and an analog input are all part of the new Focal XS Multimedia Sound System.
...
The Bryston BDA-1 external DAC has been one of the most highly anticipated products of 2008. I have received countless emails asking who, what, when, where, and why all related to the BDA-1. Many audiophiles have withheld DAC purchases for several months until the release and review(s) of the BDA-1. Fortunately those patient audiophiles will be very happy they waited for this DAC. Everything about the BDA-1 is first class. Computer Audiophile is honored to publish the very first official review, anywhere in the world, of the new Bryston BDA-1 external DAC.
...
There is one phrase that continually comes to mind when I think of AVI and its ADM9.1 speakers. The phrase, "Only dead fish swim with the current." In High-End audio there are plenty of magic pixie dust potions and endless discussions about the value of cables and cryogenics. Then there's AVI based in the United Kingdom where manufacturers like Naim, B&W, and Linn rule the roost. AVI's Ashley James has earned a reputation as a very outspoken and somewhat controversial figure. Perhaps this is because Ashley doesn't swim with the traditional High-End audio current. Ashley often urges customers to purchase the cheapest Toslink cable they can find. In fact the new ADM9.1s require this because of some creative design at the optical inputs. AVI's new ADM9.1 active loudspeakers may alter the course of many traditional manufacturers and may lead to a dam downstream for those who chose to ignore this breakthrough product.
...
The reference music server that goes to eleven! Last month I published my reference music server article that continues to draw a very large audience. To date the article has received 122 comments and thousands upon thousands of views. I also published an article on my initial Mac Pro configuration with OS X and Windows Vista. Since then I decided to take it up a notch. That's right, all the way to eleven. My Mac Pro now runs OS X Leopard, Windows XP Professional 32-bit, Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit, and openSUSE 11 (Linux). Whether or not this is the best of 
Who can forget the the fabulous opening to the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley walking on stage and proclaiming, "... Just think, nobody thought this would last." Less than two years later everyone else on the planet was proven correct when the two split up. They were clearly not a match made in heaven. Hailing from Bozeman, Montana the Headroom Ultra Micro DAC and Ultra Micro Headphone Amp are definitely not a Hollywood couple. In fact these to components really reach their full sonic potential when paired together. After a couple months with this combination I've really learned to appreciate the meaning of system synergy. The Ultra Micro DAC and Ultra Micro Headphone Amp together reproduced seriously good sound with every pair of headphones I plugged in to them. What follows is my complete review of this match made in Montana.
Those of us who often switch between several high resolution albums know that the current iTunes / Audio Midi situation is less than ideal. Even switching between outputs can be inconvenient. SoundSource 2.0 from Rogue Amoeba does not solve the auto sample rate recognition issue, but does make life a little easier for OS X users.
...
Categories
