What electronic audio products you want tested most

[Dinesh Menon]

I wondered about that as well. Denon:

Yamaha:

I see why the Yamaha for $200 got the recommendation and the Denon for $500 didn't. In terms of cost and functionality the Denon plays with the Yamaha A-S501 and there it's lack of value is even more obvious.


If you really want your day ruined, look at the early Youtube "reviews" of the Klipsch RP-600M, and then look at the Klippel NFS measurements.

Now many of the Denon integrated amps and AVRs are selling at a heavily discounted prices here. While Yamaha never dips that low.
Klipsch speakers always looked exotic with their Tractrix Horn and Ceramettalic Woofers. And supposed to give scintillating sound output. Amir Sir's test took the bull by the horns and cautioning us to Stay Away from it.
Klipsch rated them at 96db while Erin's test put them at 85.2db.
A legend created by marketing hype.
Happy weekend.

 

[TheBatsEar]

While Yamaha never dips that low.

If you ask a fanboy such as myself, that is because their wares are worth more.

Klipsch speakers always looked exotic with their Tractrix Horn and Ceramettalic Woofers. And supposed to give scintillating sound output. Amir Sir's test took the bull by the horns and cautioning us to Stay Away from it.

Indeed. However, their dispersion pattern, even in the RP600M, is nice, so you can use PEQ to "fix" them. Ot get the RP600M MK2 which are fine by default.

Klipsch rated them at 96db while Erin's test put them at 85.2db.

When i sold my RP600M i bought for measurements the buyer told me he wanted high sensitivity speakers. I told him that is just marketing, but i don't think he really believed me.

Anyway, as for what i want to see measured by Amir, a Yamaha A-S 301. By how much will it beat the R-S202?

 

[Dinesh Menon]

If you ask a fanboy such as myself, that is because their wares are worth more.


Indeed. However, their dispersion pattern, even in the RP600M, is nice, so you can use PEQ to "fix" them. Ot get the RP600M MK2 which are fine by default.


When i sold my RP600M i bought for measurements the buyer told me he wanted high sensitivity speakers. I told him that is just marketing, but i don't think he really believed me.

Anyway, as for what i want to see measured by Amir, a Yamaha A-S 301. By how much will it beat the R-S202?

Yamaha A-S301 is always topping in the '10 Killer Speaker Amps from $60 - $600' list of Randy (cheapaudioman channel).

Similarly Sony SSCS5 always find a place in his 'Top Ten Favourite Speakers' list.

Both are selected in his latest list of 2024:

Many may not take his ratings or rantings seriously, but somehow I feel like he's very sincere and affable kind of guy.
He never said that his reviews are objective, always maintaining that it's his practical experiences.
Some how I believe him.
However I trust Amir Sir & ASR FMs.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

I'm always trying to find the bottom of the barrel. A couple of days ago I got a PiFi Digi transport hat for the Raspberry Pi from ebay. With shipping it was $17. I set it up on a Pi 3A + running Squeezelite with toslink out to my amp. It sounds perfectly OK to me. I'm very curious to find how low you can go for a transport. I know Amir has tested insanely cheap HDMI to SPDIF converters and gotten great results. I'm wondering if these are similar since it's a digital to digital conversion.

 

[somebodyelse]

I'm always trying to find the bottom of the barrel. A couple of days ago I got a PiFi Digi transport hat for the Raspberry Pi from ebay. With shipping it was $17. I set it up on a Pi 3A + running Squeezelite with toslink out to my amp. It sounds perfectly OK to me. I'm very curious to find how low you can go for a transport. I know Amir has tested insanely cheap HDMI to SPDIF converters and gotten great results. I'm wondering if these are similar since it's a digital to digital conversion.

I gather that's a clone of the HifiBerry Digi at a lower price, in which case performance shouldn't be a technical problem. If there's a cheaper i2s to spdif chip than the Wolfson then someone could do something even cheaper and it would still be fine if in spec.

 

[AJM1981]

What I really wonder about is a comparison between the KEF LS50 and LS50 meta and especially about how KEF approached the issue they claimed to have improved with the "meta disc" in the 'original' LS50. With the main question being if they have really solved or improved something to the original LS50 and if the meter points more towards sense or towards hype.

 

[prerich]

I am interested in how a range of DSP filters (shelving, x-over, peak etc) done in software, eg Roon, JRiver, Acourate compare to each other and also to identical filters done in hardware such as MiniDSP etc.

Thanks for your comment - you just made me hold off on spending $945 for the flex HTx

 

[TheBatsEar]

What I really wonder about is a comparison between the KEF LS50 and LS50 meta and especially about how KEF approached the issue they claimed to have improved with the "meta disc" in the 'original' LS50. With the main question being if they have really solved or improved something to the original LS50 and if the meter points more towards sense or towards hype.

It's a fair question i wanted to answer myself:

The kit we bought, our current setups

He didn't want to take them back. This was using classifieds, not Ebay or something, so i'm on my own. When i called him before, i asked explicitly if there are any problems or defects. None he said. So i called him, asked him to take them back. His story changed. In the end he denied i even...

www.audiosciencereview.com

To me there was no difference.
Objectively there is a difference, the Meta is clearly better in linearity and distortion, it's just that i couldn't hear it. Bass response is forced on me by the room and above Schröder frequency they look more or less the same. Distortion seems to be better than my sources anyway and i don't listen very loud.

 

[Count Dacula]

Generally, amps and DACs are settled science. Speakers, going forward, are essentially the weakest link with the most subjective do-do.

 

[Bombastoe]

What I would like tested is the Van Alstine set 120 control amp, or the new Van Alstine CA1 control amp. Either, both, but preferably the set 120. I don't believe it's ever been tested by anyone ever, that I can find anyway, and the company lists minimal specs which is odd considering how good they sound and how well built.

 

[Count Dacula]

How about electrostatic speakers? I dont' remember seeing them reviewed.

 

[Basic Channel]

Generally, amps and DACs are settled science. Speakers, going forward, are essentially the weakest link with the most subjective do-do.

Additionally, although I've no idea how to measure a DAC or amp, I suspect many on here (not me) could do it a lot more easily and effectively than they could ever measure a speaker or headphone response.

 

[gasolin75]

Mission 778X

 

[ampguy]

I'm surprised the Topping MX3s and Schiit Rekker haven't been tested yet. Am I the only one interested in how these measure?

 

[ampguy]

It's a fair question i wanted to answer myself:

The kit we bought, our current setups

He didn't want to take them back. This was using classifieds, not Ebay or something, so i'm on my own. When i called him before, i asked explicitly if there are any problems or defects. None he said. So i called him, asked him to take them back. His story changed. In the end he denied i even...

www.audiosciencereview.com

To me there was no difference.
Objectively there is a difference, the Meta is clearly better in linearity and distortion, it's just that i couldn't hear it. Bass response is forced on me by the room and above Schröder frequency they look more or less the same. Distortion seems to be better than my sources anyway and i don't listen very loud.

I didn't hear a difference, but listened in different environments. I would not expect a review here. Amir is a Harman dealer, and once someone converts to KEF, Harman loses a customer for life. Those Q150s at $350/pair when on sale, are the ultimate Harman killers, IMHO.

 

[Count Dacula]

Here's mine, testing out the Fosi V3 to power them. No complaints, rather shocked. The Fosi is doing a better job than some of the primo receivers I had them on.

I counted ten systems I have now. I plan on a mega thread, but here's one of them. Just for the main TV normal viewing, but with a big system on stand by.

I have Q350s too, a different beast with subs and a poweramp.

 

[ampguy]

Here's mine, testing out the Fosi V3 to power them. No complaints, rather shocked. The Fosi is doing a better job than some of the primo receivers I had them on.

I counted ten systems I have now. I plan on a mega thread, but here's one of them. Just for the main TV normal viewing, but with a big system on stand by.View attachment 372762

I have Q350s too, a different beast with subs and a poweramp.

Nice. I'm running my Q150s in a study powered by a PA5. I would expect the V3 to work fine as well, but my current DAC hooked up in that room is balanced. BTW, if you haven't yet, try them on 24" stands. I know it's weird spending 1/3 or 1/2 the amount of the speakers on dedicated stands, but that made quite a difference in my squarish rectangular room I have them in.

 

[Count Dacula]

Nice. I'm running my Q150s in a study powered by a PA5. I would expect the V3 to work fine as well, but my current DAC hooked up in that room is balanced. BTW, if you haven't yet, try them on 24" stands. I know it's weird spending 1/3 or 1/2 the amount of the speakers on dedicated stands, but that made quite a difference in my squarish rectangular room I have them in.

Ha, I'm so adverse to spending money it not even funny. My stands for my new outdoor system are plastic buckets. Sure they resonate, right along with the drums and it reenforces the sound of this minimal system. (I added a powered sub since)

This was when I was still throwing everything together, so it's messy.

Messy. I love being able to crank the old Nakamichi for hours on end, exactly what it needs. Running off a $50 Fire TV Fiio DAC and now a big JBL sub, lol for a outdoor system

I "high passed" the main sound with the bass tone knob, then overdrive the sub a little to compensate for the roll-off. Like I said, I enjoy building inexpensive systems, and the Fosi supports that. I replaced a Sony ES that I inherited NiB, it never worked right.

 

[ampguy]

haha, in the first photo, that piece of firewood might be better than the plastic bucket, give it a try!

 

[Count Dacula]

Yeah, the rest of the deck is ringed by 18" logs to keep the dogs in check. that one is sort of split, but it does the job. I work outside all day, so the sound and the mess are part of the picture.