Reviews
Marantz LINK 10n Reference Streaming Preamplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 February 2026 01 February 2026
The humble solid state-based preamplifier has gone through what can only be described as a transformation on a radical evolutionary scale. To the point that simply calling it a preamp would be like reducing hypercomplex analysis down to a simple algebraic formula. Once not much more than a switching and volume control device, advancing technologies have transformed preamps into a platform for features that, not that long ago, were not even imagined. Since the early naughts, the technology gap between a traditional preamp and its contemporary counterpart has evolved to a point which is like comparing a Model T to a software-bulged self-driving computer on wheels. Reflecting its membership in the exclusive ‘10 series’ club, Marantz’s LINK 10n is an exemplar of exhaustive features packaged in flagship-grade construction. So, contrary to old school dogma, can enriched functionality coexist with equally abundant sonic performance to deliver musical joy?
Wilson Audio Sabrina V Loudspeakers
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 January 2026 15 January 2026
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we may have reached a point in loudspeaker design where the immovable laws of physics are being… nudged. Possibly, ever so slightly stress-bent even. In my recent experience, the humble small floorstander has been amped-up, particularly in the areas of dynamics and low frequency extension. Modern design tools, computer simulation software, advanced measurement systems and refined testing techniques have enabled clever engineers to maximise every last drop of performance. These efforts are further bolstered by updated driver technologies, improved crossover components, and the implementation of advanced materials. The result is a new generation of relatively compact speakers capable of delivering extraordinary scale and authority. Have we entered a Golden Age of speaker design? The answer may well be in the affirmative. Wilson Audio’s newest creation, the Sabrina V, is a modestly-sized floorstander that sounds downright… BIG. Let’s take a closer look.
Albedo Audio Achema Loudspeakers
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 December 2025 15 December 2025
There’s a sizable cohort in the audio enthusiast pool that holds the classic 2-way standmount close to its heart. Granted, there’s a type of magic to a well-sorted 2-way. The narrow baffle, the inherently stiff enclosure, the simplicity of a crossover network charged to managing just two drivers. Yes, there’s a sonic purity and spatial grandeur that is, understandably, beguiling. But what if that same spell could also be cast by a floorstander? One that shares the compact footprint of a 2-way, replacing the speaker stand with added cabinet volume to extend bandwidth. One capable of delivering near full-range performance through a simple, elegant, and less commonly adopted 2.5-way architecture. Tempting, right, you standmount lovers, you? Enter the astonishingly adept Achema, handcrafted in Italy and the first release in a new line from Albedo Audio. Let’s take a closer look.
Estelon Extreme Mk.II Loudspeakers
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 December 2025 01 December 2025
The essence of a powerful statement lies in a declaration of intent, a focus, an ambition to commit and subsequently express the core of an idea. Take a deep look at Estelon’s Extreme Mk.II and you begin to truly understand how it elevates the company’s design disciplines and philosophies to their most ambitious heights. Literally. To a max of over 2m, in fact. Yes, it’s a statement. It’s a flagship product from a progressive brand willing to deeply invest in acoustic engineering. It employs some of the very best drivers available, pairing them with proprietary cabinet materials. It expresses the sum of its technologies in a unique industrial design. The Extreme Mk.II is a top-tier loudspeaker system embodying Estelon’s ethos and signals a serious challenge to the industry’s finest. Let’s put this elegant super-model to the test.
Follow-Up Review: Yamaha GT-5000 Turntable – A 2nd Opinion
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- Written by Mark Busby Mark Busby
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 November 2025 15 November 2025
Move over, you skinny lightweight turntables, because the serious muscle is here! Yamaha’s Gigantic and Tremendous GT-5000 Turntable is ready for a heavy follow-up review. Looking fabulous in high gloss piano black and beautifully machined belt driven aluminium platter, with the silvered carbon fibre tonearm adding to the bling factor. First, let’s explore the design and construction of this high-end turntable, then as a second opinion to editor Edgar Kramer’s original review (read here), I’ll also offer my sound performance impressions of this classy offering from Yamaha…
AudioQuest Rocket 88 REL Subwoofer Cable
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- Written by Barry James Johnston Barry James Johnston
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 October 2025 15 October 2025
Reviewing a subwoofer cable might sound like the final frontier of audio geekery, but here we are diving into the AudioQuest Rocket 88 REL subwoofer cable, a beautifully built, made-to-order piece of gear aimed squarely at high-performance systems. But let’s get something out of the way up front: no cable, no matter how exotic, can replace the presence of a subwoofer. And that’s exactly the challenge I ran into.
Telos Audio Design Monster Series Power Station Standard Edition & Earth Grounding Standard Edition
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- Written by Barry James Johnston Barry James Johnston
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 October 2025 01 October 2025
When I cut my teeth as a sound engineer, it wasn’t in some pristine temple of acoustic perfection. It was in studios that reeked of stale smoke, the walls painted with decades of sweat, tears, and spilled Budweiser, and for two years I had the privilege of having custodianship of SAE Glasgow during the holidays. I’d stay back long after the sessions ended, the last of the band long gone, and I’d cue up Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club. “I Shall Believe” would drift through the room, carried by a pair of Tannoy System 15 monitors, filling the room with a weight that didn’t come from decibels but from soul.
432 EVO Aeon Mk.3 Music-Server Upgrades
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 September 2025 15 September 2025
Belgian company 432 EVO does things a little differently. Yes, the company offers a range of music servers at various price points, just like its competitors. Yet, the form factor, power supply configurations and bespoke operating system set it apart from most of the field. 432 EVO’s on-going development strategy sees periodic upgrades to its music servers with refinements in both software and hardware. This approach provides long-term value by allowing owners to upgrade without abandoning their original investment. Case in point: this writer’s own Aeon Mk.3 Reference Music Server has recently been updated with a new operating system and a “data centre grade” SSD, both available as optional upgrades within the product portfolio. In this review, I delve into the particulars of the installation process and assess the sonic performance enhancements that are claimed to follow.
Bluesound NODE ICON Reference Music Streamer
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- Written by Barry Jones Barry Jones
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 September 2025 01 September 2025
What makes an icon? I pondered this question as I awaited delivery of my next product review sample – the ‘NODE ICON’, a flagship wireless music streamer designed by Bluesound for, in the company’s own words, “the audio obsessed”. My mind initially went to Hollywood and icons such as Clint Eastwood, Brad Pitt and Charlize Theron came to mind, but I decided to ask ChatGPT, and the answer was revealed… Whether it’s a person, a symbol, or a brand, an exemplar becomes iconic when it’s instantly recognisable, emotionally resonant, and timeless. Would the Bluesound NODE ICON fulfill this definition? We'll see.
Siltech Master Crown Cables
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 September 2025 01 September 2025
Back in 2011, while writing for 6moons online publication, I had the privilege of reviewing what was, at the time, the most expensive interconnect cables ever to grace my system. Stratospheric stuff at US$42K for a 1m RCA stereo set. Yep, one of the world’s most extravagant. It was a “wow” moment then and, truth be told, still a “wow” moment now. Well… maybe a touch less ‘wowie’ nowadays. Schlepping along my timeline to the here and now, through a journey punctuated by long-term listening with several seriously upmarket cables, once again I find myself deep in super-dosh territory. Even my personal reference cables, which are far from modest, are leagues away from the realm inhabited by Siltech’s Master Crown. Mucho gold coins. And yes, the precious metal is literally part of these flagship cables’ allure. There’s silver and gold in them thar hills…
Musical Fidelity M6xTT Turntable
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- Written by Mark Busby Mark Busby
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 15 August 2025 15 August 2025
The nineteenth century architect Louis Sullivan proposed that in design "Form Follows Function". What if that was reversed and function followed form? We could end up with beautiful creations like the Musical Fidelity M6xTT turntable, a transparent acrylic creation that not only looks gorgeous but produces sublime music too! Read on for the full low-down on this high performance looker…
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Power Amplifier
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- Written by Edgar Kramer Edgar Kramer
- Category: Reviews Reviews
- Published: 01 August 2025 01 August 2025
The best of both worlds… such an attractive concept. Merge the positives and strengths of divergent philosophies, varying points-of-view, in order to form what could potentially be a superior outcome. That was the core basis for the development of the EVO 300 Hybrid power amplifier from renowned electronics specialist PrimaLuna. The company’s engineers must have considered, “Is it possible to fuse ideals and technologies in the one product?” Could marrying the rich tonality and naturalness of vacuum tubes with the power, authority and dynamic expression of solid state circuitry unify into a single, truly exceptional amplifier?
