• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

What electronic audio products you want tested most

What electronics audio product you like to see tested more

  • Power and Integrated Amplifiers

    Votes: 623 55.2%
  • Headphone Amplifiers

    Votes: 181 16.0%
  • Home Theater AVRs

    Votes: 301 26.7%
  • Home Theater Processors

    Votes: 198 17.5%
  • DACs

    Votes: 349 30.9%
  • Streamers

    Votes: 258 22.9%
  • Combo DAC and Headphone Amplifiers

    Votes: 233 20.6%
  • Phono preamp

    Votes: 105 9.3%
  • DSP (digital signal processors)

    Votes: 371 32.9%
  • Vintage audio products

    Votes: 267 23.6%

  • Total voters
    1,129

mhardy6647

Grand Contributor
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
11,220
Likes
24,185
I just stumbled across this looking for something else entirely :facepalm:

1708724777869.jpeg

1708724920501.jpeg

I've never seen nor heard of this preamp before (?!).
It's a hundred and nineteen bucks!?!
It's got a couple of interesting features, too: onboard MM phono preamp, tape (or processor) loop, variable loudness, a midrange tone control (possibly some redundancy between those two ;)), a switch for mono use -- and... a mono mic input for karaoke night! :facepalm:

Not quite a mainstream ASR kind of component, but I wonder if anyone besides me would be interested in how it performs quantitatively?

EDIT: The specs are, from my perspective, mediocre (lousy by ASR's), but maybe it's like McIntosh and any typical unit will outperform its specs? ;)
 
Last edited:

GXAlan

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
3,869
Likes
5,955

Looks great! What is tricky is that they need a +48V audio interface which they don’t include according to the details here

 

Timcognito

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 28, 2021
Messages
3,350
Likes
12,565
Location
NorCal

srkbear

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
1,029
Likes
1,445
Location
Dallas, TX
I’d love it if you’d update your original review of the iFi Pro iCAN by giving its successors, the Pro iCAN Signature and Phantom a turn on the bench. I own the Signature, and it’s the only amp in the more formidable range that has a built-in analog bass boost, which for me is indispensable.

Their most recent Phantom, with the integrated electrostatic energizer and myriad other do-dads (it’s an amp kitchen sink in the overkill sense) is not sensible for me economically (especially since I’d never use the energizer), but I’m fond of iFi for some reason (other than their snake oily “power cleansing” product line) and I’m curious to see whether their recent wares are faring better from a SINAD standpoint. My ears are very happy with my Signature.

 

srkbear

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
1,029
Likes
1,445
Location
Dallas, TX
Looks great! What is tricky is that they need a +48V audio interface which they don’t include according to the details here

I own a closet full of IK Multimedia’s guitar and synth hardware/interfaces/apps and although I’ve found them useful throughout the years, my main quibble with them is their tendency to maintain products at full price that they stop supporting or updating for eons, and for their duplicate charges when you buy one or more of their components that keep shifting around in an endless musical chair game of “bundles”. This new product is a venture into uncharted territory for them however, and I admit I was curious about it when it showed up in my news feed the other day!
 

somebodyelse

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 5, 2018
Messages
3,683
Likes
2,963
Looks great! What is tricky is that they need a +48V audio interface which they don’t include according to the details here

Given their target market (it's in the 'recording' section of their site) it's fair to expect customers to have one of those already. I have more of an issue with them bundling the €80 mic with everything that could use it, whether you need it or not. The ARC4 software can use other mics, so if you already have one you don't need it. Want a pair of MTMs? They're sold individually, with mic included, so you'll have 2 mics. The next step up is the 'Immersive Bundle' of 11 MTMs with one mic.
 

Graph Feppar

Active Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2018
Messages
259
Likes
246
I am sick and tired of all these dacs, amps and wired headphones. Noise canceling wireless headphones are the future, I would love to see the new Sennheiser Accentum Plus tested.
 
Top Bottom