News Blog

Award No.7 goes to...

Mike Girardi, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...the SR Atmosphere Level 4 speaker cable and interconnects are uncanny at unlocking previously hidden details, dynamic gradations, and harmonic nuances present in the original recording but not as appreciated with my previous reference speaker cables that retailed over 3 times the cost.  In treble octaves where the music is most expressive and where most wires fall short of the mark, the SR Atmosphere Level 4 speaker cables and interconnects exhibited flawless expression in the sibilance range.  Overall the SR Atmosphere Level 4 speaker cables sound like I parked my integrated tube amplifier right next to my AZ Crescendo loudspeakers.  Components worthy of the designation, the state of the art and sets the bar much higher in terms of performance vs. cost..."
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Award No.6 goes to...

Mike Girardi, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...with Synergistic Research Black Box in my system, the bass response was clearly better in all ways but the magic really occurred in the midrange and high frequencies. The improvement in soundstage was undeniable with each recording displaying a greater sense of depth … the music sounded liberated in a way while percussion instruments displayed a faster transient response.  'Synergistic' is one word I would use to describe the combination of SR HFTs, Atmosphere, FEQ and Black Box working together in my listening room to eliminate the negative impact of my listening room. The Black Box is a must have component if you really want to hear your system at its full potential..."
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Award No.5 goes to...

Mike Girardi, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...the addition of the SR Grounding Block and HD Grounding cables exceed my expectations and was similar to the level of improvement the SR Powercell 10 SE MKII I reviewed back in 2013 brought to my system. The more I listened to my system with the HD cables and Grounding Block, the more I was convinced that the addition of these products are on the critical path in assembling a truly high performance audio system..." CLICK HERE for more information

Award No.4 goes to...

Mike Girardi, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...it’s rare to find a tweak that is not in the signal path to have such a profound effect on music reproduction. Once you hear the Atmosphere and how it can affect the music and the listener, you’ll be hard pressed to take it out of your system. Adding the ATM adds improves upon the original intent by adding Advanced Settings which further elevates the overall performance. The combination of the Atmosphere and ATM delivers on its promised performance and showed itself as an essential upgrade to my reference system. Now with the Atmosphere and ATM in my system to stay, critical music listening is possible day or night. Highly recommended." CLICK HERE for more information

Award No.3 goes to...

Greg Simmons, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...KR Audio might be best known for the proprietary tubes the size of one-liter pop bottles that they use to get real world power out of single-ended triode amps, but their lineup is more diverse that that. Their P-130 pre-amplifier might be the sleeper in their lineup. A densely compact chuck of equipment carved from solid aluminum case with two big tubes on top, single-ended (balanced ins and outs optional), with a built in moving coil phono-stage in the number 1 input. Everything about this pre feels high quality. Best of all, it sounds high-quality too, with excellent bass extension, a large, deep soundstage, excellent clarity, and that elusive musical boogie factor. A terrific piece that’s been a joy to listen to with anything I’ve played through it..."
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Award No.2 goes to...

Michael Wright, The StereoTimes, wrote:
"...the first thing that captured my attention regarding the Aurorasound PREDA preamp was how remarkably realistic and dynamic music sounds with it in my system.  The low end of the PREDA speaks with a level of authority and extension that I had not associated with preamps from Japan.  The other attribute of note was how solid and well built this preamp is.  I am more accustomed to seeing tube based units from the smaller Japanese audio manufacturers but this one breaks the mold in terms of top-notch build quality and exceptional sonic performance..." CLICK HERE for more information

9 of our regular products received a StereoTimes Most Wanted Component 2015 Award. Award No.1 goes to...

Greg Voth, The StereoTimes, concluded:
"...the Langerton Configuration Holograf is a great speaker worthy of audition by anyone with a moderate space looking for a smaller profile speaker… or just those mildly curious. They played very well in our good-sized loft with a 13 foot ceiling - that’s not an easy feat. My wife agrees that the Holograf is perhaps the one speaker she would select to replace the ET’s for a smaller speaker in our loft… even at the $6k price point. When you give the phase-corrected Configuration Holografs some personal time, you’ll appreciate each persons’ involvement in bringing these small miracles to market. Highly recommended..."
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Ian Ringstead, Hifi Pig Magazine, Jan. 2016, reviewing Hana SH & SL concluded:

"...I really liked these cartridges as they were fuss free and just got on with their job of producing great music. The low output for me was better but this doesn’t mean the high output was poor or wouldn’t be preferred by some listeners. If you only have a moving magnet input on your amp or pre amp then the high output version is a no brainer. £447 is not cheap, but for a good quality moving coil it is very good value and is the lower end of a popular choice of cartridge type for audiophiles into their vinyl. Full marks to Hana, who obviously know what they are doing, for putting their name to a range of excellent value for money cartridges for the less 'well to do' vinyl fanatic. Both cartridges work well in both budget and higher-end turntable/ arm combinations and are well worth seeking out..." CLICK HERE to check it out

Paul Rigby, Hi-Fi World (UK) Jan. 2016,  reviewing Hana EH & EL, concluded: "...there's a sense of swings and roundabouts in terms of the EH and EL versions of the Hana cartridges. I felt that the EH provided a slightly more accurate and tonally tad more exciting performance in how the detail was extracted from the master. The EL, with its' small measure of warmth gave the music a more forgiving nature. In effect, you could say that  the EL looks at the bigger picture. Rather than focusing upon specifics, it offers a possibly more engaging and flowing performance..."

"...both these moving-coil cartridges performed well and they bring genuine advantages to any listening session at a low, low price. Terrific value for the money then..." CLICK HERE to check it out.