We spent some time with The Music Room and saw how much they’ve grown since our last visit! The best place to buy and sell used gear with total confidence. And a super helpful crew too! Please click here to watch the video. Original article: We Visit The Music Room ©2024 TONEAudio MAGAZINE. All Rights Reserved ..read more

All REL! We’ve put a lot of emphasis on REL’s larger sub bass systems, but their smallest offering is affordable, approachable, and easy to use. The new TZero MKIII is the current iteration of their 6.5″ sub, featuring a 100 watt class-D amplifier, in a cabinet that is only 8.5 x 9.5 x 10.5 inches. The perfect size for smaller spaces and smaller speakers. And they just might be the perfect thing to add a little life to your favorite pair of vintage electrostats – we’ve used these with our Acoustat 1+1 ESLs to great effect, and a number of sub-$1000/pair mini monitors. Of course they don’t ha ..read more

Better late than never, eh? We’re finally broadcasting on YouTube, so if you’d like to stop by, just CLICK HERE: Original article: Our YouTube Channel is Live! ©2024 TONEAudio MAGAZINE. All Rights Reserved ..read more

It seems appropriate to begin listening to the Aqua combination with Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s “Still, You Turn Me On..” Even though the compact disc format was less than immersive when introduced back in the early 80s, it has been transformed over the years. Personally, I abandoned the “digital sucks”posture around 1990, and things have only gotten better and better to the point where digital audio is just fine. After all these years, I enjoy the compact disc more than ever, because I submit it’s the easiest format to listen to an album. You might be squealing like a pig hearing those wor ..read more

$6,500 – $8,500 (config. Dependent) audioresearch.com Generating as much excitement as a new In-N-Out Burger restaurant, ARC’s I-50 integrated amplifier has taken about two years for supply to start to catch up with demand, and a review sample is finally available. In Midwestern fashion, let’s cut the pleasantries – this is a fantastic product in every way. It’s solidly built, functionally efficient, sonically excellent, and fashion forward. ARC returns to a tube compliment of 6922s and 6550s for an amplifier that sounds slightly less resolving than some of the current REF product, but argu ..read more

Listening to the gentle guitar and drum work in J.J. Cale’s “Magnolia” instantly reveals the level of resolution that the PlatiMon Virtual Coaxial One speakers can serve up. Driven by the BAT REX tube power amplifier, this is a lovely match – delivering speed, tonal saturation and a huge soundfield in all three dimensions. (Photo courtesy of MON Acoustic) Don’t be thrown off by the pair of 5-inch woofers, these small-ish speakers, with their dual ports around back generate serious bass energy. The pair of small drivers makes for quick, detailed and resolute bass that is more than quick enough ..read more

The new, compact Scout speakers are a triumph of engineering and good taste at $299 a pair. Considering Vera Fi uses a manufacturer direct model eliminating distributor and dealer mark up, they really compete with something from the likes of KEF or B&W at the $1,000 price point. Yet they exceed both of these industry titans by concentrating on what matters most – sheer musicality. Designing a $299 pair of speakers requires a tremendous amount of insight, discipline, and execution, because every 50 cents affects the bottom line. It’s easy to lose your way, and this is why so many budget ..read more

Say, who says we have to hand out awards at the end of the year? We’ve always tried to be a little bit different so here goes. The Audiophile Apartment section of our magazine and site has always tried to concentrate on audio gear with a smaller form factor that doesn’t give anything up in performance. While some audio enthusiasts are downsizing, others are just starting out in their first place, and need suggestions for a less dominant audio system. Here are our favorites from the past year. OVERALL – SVS Prime Wireless Pro $899/pair www.svsound.com Sometimes you don’t have any room fo ..read more

After listening to Team Fink’s Kim speakers for two years now, and purchasing the review pair, it’s provided the ability to get very familiar with their sound. The quick, spacious, and tonally accurate sound of these 2-ways with their AMT/Heil based tweeter have become a favorite, leaving a number of more expensive speakers collecting dust. In the midst of waiting for a shot at the larger Borg model, Mr. Karl-Heinz Fink has made updates to the cabinet, crossover, and a slight change to the tweeter, but the woofer remains the same. Not having the chance to hear the originals, a total compariso ..read more

Focal presents Aria Evo X, a line of high-fidelity loudspeakers for the home to follow in the footsteps of the Aria 900 range, which has enjoyed a decade of success. With revamped technologies and a brand-new finish, the Aria Evo X loudspeakers step it up another notch in terms of both sound and design. The French brand has developed this new range as a continuation of the Aria philosophy: to deliver a pure listening experience by providing the best loudspeakers in their category. LISTENING PLEASURE FOR MUSIC AND HOME CINEMA Aria Evo X pays homage to traditional hi-fi with its collection of f ..read more