Reviews

Reviews of hi-fi stereo equipment, typically examining the design, engineering, and what I like and dislike about hi-fi equipment.

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Queens of the Stone Age Rock Perth Arena

Rippling bass lines, droning guitars and pounding drums filled Perth Arena last night, as Queens of the Stone Age kicked out the jams for a very appreciative crowd. Josh Homme and the band were in fine form as they ground out a long list of classics and new stuff from their repertoire. We were lucky […]

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Musical Fidelity M1 DAC Review & Upgrades

The Musical Fidelity M1 DAC shares some of the same DNA as the awesome Tri-Vista 21 tube DAC. Come along as I upgrade this M1 and discover just how good she can sound. Think of the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC as the little DAC that could. For its very modest asking price, you got and

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Accuphase C-202 Line-Level Preamplifier Service & Review

The Accuphase C-202 line-level class-A preamplifier is an extraordinary piece of hi-fi gear. Come along as I service and review this great preamp. The Accuphase C-202 is a line-level, class-A, fully balanced preamplifier. It also features a dedicated CD buffer circuit, with very little in the signal path. By any measure, it is a superb

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Denon SL-7D Direct Drive Turntable Service & Review

This lovely Denon SL-7D direct drive turntable needed a thorough service in order to play records nicely again. I figured it was a great opportunity to review this classic deck. I’ve written about the Denon SL-7D previously, they are good, honest turntables and I enjoy working on them. The SL-7D definitely isn’t a super-deck, but

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Marantz Model 6300

Marantz Model 6300 Turntable Service & Review

Every so often, I work on a piece of hi-fi gear that really makes me smile. The Marantz Model 6300 direct-drive turntable is one of them. One look at a Marantz Model 6300 and you’ll reach an inevitable conclusion: you want and need to find one to add to your collection! That’s exactly what happened

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Technics SL-10 Direct-Drive Turntable Review

The Technics SL-10 direct-drive turntable continues Technics’ tradition of innovation and beautiful design. Find out why the SL-10 is one of the best vintage turntable buys today. The Technics SL-10 direct-drive turntable represented the pinnacle of design, engineering and product marketing when it arrived to market in 1979. It truly re-defined what could be done

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Sound Foundations Ring Record Clamp Review

Record clamps are an important part of a good vinyl replay system, most commonly in the form of center or spindle clamps. I wanted to find an affordable peripheral clamp I could recommend, however. I may have… Searching online for a peripheral or ring-type record clamp to review, I stumbled across Sound Foundations, operating out

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Pioneer PL-514 Turntable Service & Review

The Pioneer PL-514 belt-drive turntable is an absolute classic. Let’s find out why. The Pioneer PL-514 is a high-quality, great-sounding belt-drive deck from one of the big Japanese manufacturers. In terms of build and performance, like so much other Japanese gear, it puts many other belt-drive decks to shame. The motor alone is far better

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Quad 405/405-2 Power Amplifier Review

In this second of my Quad 405 series, I review the legendary Quad 405-2. Find out why there is so much love for these amazing little amplifiers and why you should buy one. The Quad 405 and Quad 405-2 are incredible amplifiers, even now, some 40+ years after they were introduced to the world. This

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Denon DP-30L Turntable Service & Review

I just serviced this lovely Denon DP-30L direct-drive turntable and want to spread the word about this great deck. The Denon DP-30L is an excellent turntable with a good feature set, quality motor, solid chassis and excellent speed control circuitry. The DP-30L weighs in at just under 10kg, much more than today’s lightweight decks. This

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