Eye candy, eh? Tune Audio’s Anima 3-way fully horn-loaded loudspeakers ($58,000/pair) claim 109dB sensitive. THEY certainly were drawing in listeners, to the extent that I had to visit twice before I could get into the room then slowly inch my way closer to the sweet spot.

The Anima horns were not the only expensive goodies in this system, which also showcased WAVAC Audio Lab’s EC-300B SE Stereo Amplifier ($38,000), AC-2 Conditioner ($29,000), and PRZ1 Linestage Preamplifier ($29,500) alongside Nagra’s CDC disc player ($22,000) and Classic DAC ($17,000).… Read the full article

What a difference a change of venue and cabling makes. In the Nagra room at CES, the sound was silvery, glistening, open, and mesmerizing. Here, with smaller Kharma Elegance S7 loudspeakers ($18,000) and mid-priced copper-based Organic Reference cabling that uses a fiber dielectric, the sound was more toned down but no less compelling.

Listening solely to LP, we began with Reference Recordings’ issue of the Chicago Pro Musica performing Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. Contrasting colors were satisfying, and the soundstaging impressive indeed.… Read the full article