The Audiophile Journal

Finally A Portable 192kHz USB 2.0 DAC

Derek Brooks — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:34:23 +0000

The AudioQuest DragonFly and the CEntrance DACPort have gained some rave reviews due to their portability and sound quality. But if you’re like me and been holding off on one of those little USB DAC “dongles” because of their 96kHz sample rate limitations, your wait is over. Meridian has announced their Explorer DAC with some great features and specifications. [...]

An Inside Look At McIntosh Labs

Derek Brooks — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:10:49 +0000

I try to focus our reviews and articles on more affordable high quality audio – and for that reason don’t often get to talk about McIntosh Labs. They make some amazing equipment that sounds great and lasts for decades and makes for a strong secondary market. The next time you’re looking for a great amp [...]

New HDtracks Download Manager

Derek Brooks — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:08:01 +0000

If you’ve ever purchased high-resolution albums from David and Normal Chesky’s ever expanding HDtracks, but were put off by their strange and quirky Java download manager, rejoice! Released today, their new download manager is an installed application that appears to be the product of a collaboration with JRiver, makers of the popular JRiver Media Center. I [...]

Sicphones Headphone Amplifier Kit Completed!

Derek Brooks — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:31:48 +0000

Some of you may be aware of the Sicphones project on Kickstarter that ran successfully this fall. It was able to gain enough funding to produce somewhere around 100 headphone amplifier kits. My box of parts arrived last week and I was finally able to sit down this weekend and spend some time with it. [...]

5 Biggest Audiophile Stories of 2012

Derek Brooks — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:11:21 +0000

Crowdsourcing Audio Stuff I suppose crowdsourcing got its start in the pre-Groupon days when folks would get together online to organize and take advantage of group-buying price discounts by making a single high-quantity purchase from a manufacturer or distributor. These days, crowdsourcing describes support of the development and manufacture of products that don’t even exist [...]

Review: Uniline’s MX4-0

Derek Brooks — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:27:40 +0000

See Boing Boing for their latest audiophile review, Uniline’s MX4-0. ”First things first: Uniline’s MX4-0s are the most striking listening enhancement since Brilliant Pebbles“

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Holiday Sales for Audiophiles

Derek Brooks — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 16:16:46 +0000

I’ve scoured the web for holiday sales relevant to audiophiles and come up with the following list: Audio Advisor Up to 88% off headphones, iPod Players, Photo Accessories, cables, and more at Audio Advisor ALO Audio Sale on amps/DACs, cables, headphones, and accessories at ALO Audio ALO Audio Pan Am headphone amp/USB DAC is currently [...]

Scientists Recover the Oldest American Recording

Derek Brooks — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:44:56 +0000

Earlier this year, physicist Carl Haber and his team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, were able to decode the earliest known American recording. The recording was made to a foil cylinder and cannot be played with any known device without destroying or seriously damaging the foil. Carl and his team were able to create [...]

CEntrance Reveals the HiFi-M8 Portable Audiophile DAC and Headphone Amp

Derek Brooks — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:42:34 +0000

CEntrance today lifted the shroud of secrecy on their new portable audiophile DAC and headphone amplifier that has been teased on their website for months. Although details are still making their way out, the major features are understood to be: an internal Lithium-Polymer rechargeable battery, 1/4 inch headphone output, tone-shaping EQ controls, iDevice connection, USB [...]

HDtracks 4th Anniversary and New Releases

Derek Brooks — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:27:13 +0000

HDtracks is celebrating its 4th anniversary of providing audiophile-quality high resolution downloads and yesterday released a new series of recordings. Lifes Rich Pageant, by R.E.M. (Audiophile 44.1kHz/24bit) R.E.M.’s fourth studio recording, Lifes Rich Pageant, is a pivotal release that saw the band evolving into bona fide rock legends. It was their first album to achieve [...]