Recommended Components, 2015

Our list of recommended components for the audiophile.

Alon Wolf with one Magico Q7 Loudspeaker (Right)
Contender for Class A Recommended

Class A

Analog Domain The Athene (2000 W), Analog Domain The Apollo (4000 W) Monoblock Power Amplifiers - also The Calysto - 2000W should get you in to Hi Fi amplification, 4000 for in-efficient speakers.

Balabo BC-1 Mk. II Control Amplifier and Balabo BP-1 Mk. II Power Amplifier


Stax 009 Headphones ($5400+) - requires a companion amplifier, specialized. The best solution. ($2000-$10,000/amp).

Woo Audio WEE ($500) - needed for Stax 009, presently.


Also good are other loudspeakers and amplifiers. Magico Q7 Mk. II, for example. We recommend only those solutions that we believe provide a complete experience at the first class level at Hi Fi Art.

We haven't seen better, but we would like. It's the striving for perfection, incarnate. Class A  components stand for and represent the ideal in audio and product manufacture.

Magico S5 (Cutaway) Loudspeaker
Mid-Level, Class B-
Recommened TBD

Class B

Literally knocking on audio's door. A class B system is rather tempting to get, even if there are better sounding products. As a luxury, class B stands for both manufacturing tradition and audio's striving for the exceptional. A compromise. The price is right, and the product, excellent.

ASI Grand Mono Amplifiers and Live Line Preamplifier - should you not afford Analogue Domain (AD), yet want a bit of power and control.




Focal Grand Utopia III EM Carbon / Gold Loudspeaker ($180,000 ea. | $180,000 pr.) - forget another Ferarri in your stable, if we may be sold bold, and try High Fidelity (EM). Available Gold/Carbon. Genuine Loudspeaker. Solid.

Goldmund Appologue Anniversary Loudspeaker ($600,000) - reference worthy.

Devialet Expert Integrated Amplifiers (400/800, $17,500/each) - stunning, streaming and showing essence. Can be used individually, or use up to eight (8) together in a custom system.

Class B-

Audeze LCD-3 Headphones ($1999) - for roughly the price of another Maybach Eyewear or so, you will get yourself near-audiophile performance in a headphone with stunning looks and quality.

Partner a MacBook Air.

Sennheiser HD 800 Headphones / Sennheiser HDVD 800 DAC / amplifier balanced system. ($4000+ system) - also very good sound. Fantastic imaging.


Class C+

Stax SR-007 Headphones / Stax SRM-007t Amplifier, Headphones ($5150/system).

Delicate, detailed lovely sound. Lacks volume and realistic dynamic replay, however. Enveloping micro-detail and air stimulate fully.

MBL 101 eXtrement Loudspeaker

Class C

A class C component will be acceptable and better than the vast majority of products. We wouldn't recommend it if we did not think it was special, and had a definite purpose and value. Incomplete, however.

Bryston 28B SST2 Monoblock Amplifiers ($12,000 / pair) - 1000 W of studly amplifier.
Revel Studio 2 Loudspeaker ($16,000 / pair) - add 1000W of "Class D" amplification, and you will get a pop quality monitor. Low, controlled bass and genuine full-range impact with Anthem's Statement M1 ($7000 / pair). Also,
Revel Salon 2 Loudspeaker (ridiculously ugly, but almost full-range, fit for pop music).

Class D+

Audioquest Dragonfly Headphone Amplifier ($250)
Magico S5/S7 Loudspeakers - not quite Q3/Q5/Q7 by Magico goodness, it's a robust choice.







Class D

You'll want more than a class D component or system, but you won't need it - musical enjoyment and genuine usability combine to make up this configuration.

AKG K550 Headphones ($299) - ergonomics par excellence. Affordable backup or all-rounder.

Estleton XB Loudspeaker - 22 Hz to 30 kHz of art-goodness. Fit for a home.
Fostex TH-600 Stereo Headphones ($999)
Genesis 1.2 Dragon Loudspeaker
Totem Element Earth Loudspeaker ($7999/pair) - the Rolex Submariner model of audio? Delightful.


Class E

First on our list, the Class E shows promise and provides exceptional value for tentative adopters. The prices are generally lower than is the rule, and the corresponding value is rather high, all-round.

The sound quality may be thus bettered..

B&O Beoplay A9 ($2700) - Get something of that B&O elegance. Unseen, the sound of the Beoplay A9 was twice mistaken for it's B&O Beolab A5 loudspeaker ($22,500/pair) sibling. Good bang!

Sonus Faber Venere Loudspeaker


Class G - Advisory

We've proposed a class G price level for components that would offer good value at less than $2000.00 USD. This is less Hi Fi oriented today, yet still more than only fun.


Sennheiser IE 800 ($999) - borderline audiophile sound (major detail and replay).

B&O Beolit 12 or 15 ($799) - we've raised the lucky lunchbox elegance in monophonic boom-box para-metrics.

Partner with iPhone 6.

2013/08/11 JP
www.hifiart.ca

Beolit 12 by B&O (Bang and Olufson)