Audio Video News

Definitive Technology Descend DN-15 Subwoofer: $1,799

Resident bass guru David Vaughn couldn’t wait to get his hands on the flagship model in Definitive Technology's Descend series of subwoofers, the hulking DN15. Though he has sat through many trade-show demos of Def Tech speakers over the years, he has never owned one and never considered the brand top-of-mind when it comes to subwoofers. That all changed once he moved the DN15 into his home theater, an act that took some doing because, at 24 inches square, this is one big box. It has to be to accommodate its 15-inch driver, two 15-inch passive radiators, and 500-watt amplifier. The enclosure also houses a 56-bit digital processor featuring three custom EQ modes — one of which boosts output in the 17-23Hz region — and an eight-position intelligent phase control along with the usual volume, EQ, and crossover controls. There’s no app but you do get a compact remote that provides access to everything you need.

The DN15 proved to be a real crowd-pleaser with movies, especially those with soundtracks that dip below 20Hz and rattle the windows such as Pacific Rim and The Haunting. One of the truly awe-inspiring scenes was in 13 Hours: The Secrets Soldiers of Benghazi when the sniper’s rifle unloads a .50 caliber round during the embassy attack. Vaughn’s take: “The rifle was loud, sharp, and impactful — just like it's supposed to be.” Staying on the military theme, Vaughn cued up the "soften them up" scene from the Hacksaw Ridge to see how low the sub could go and concluded: “The DN15 was able to keep pace with the rapid fire and never sounded strained or overmatched.” If you crave kick-ass bass, you owe it to yourself to check out the DN15, but you’ll have to first make sure you have room for it.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful output
Intelligent Phase Control allows for precise alignment with main speakers
Useful remote control
Minus
Large size makes optimal placement difficult
No custom EQ options

Full Review Here (posted 2/16/22)

Streamers and Other Source Components

Bluesound Node Streaming DAC: $599

Whether you’re looking to bring a beloved vintage audio system into the 21st century or boost the resolution potential of your streaming setup to 24-bit/192kHz and make it available anywhere in the house, Bluesound’s compact Node is easy to operate and provides connection flexibility with the promise of delivering first-rate sound quality at a reasonable price.

The streamer is based on the company’s excellent BluOS platform, which permits the simultaneous distribution of 24-bit audio to up to 64 devices in addition to supporting AirPlay 2, Bluetooth aptX HD, and voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The BluOS Controller app is easy to set up and use and well-equipped, providing ready access to Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Spotify, and a number of other streaming services. It’s also Roon Ready and offers a generous selection of analog and digital inputs — including HDMI eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) — plus a dedicated subwoofer output and headphone jack.

Reviewer Al Griffin was struck by the Node’s connection flexibility and ability to deliver sound that is “impressively wide and enveloping.” The stereo mix of "King Ghost" from the new Steven Wilson album The Future Bites streamed in 24/96 FLAC over Qobuz was a standout. “I was impressed by how spacious the stereo track sounded…I heard clear delineation between the various vocal strains, including Wilson's near-spoken-word delivery, a soaring falsetto during the chorus, and sampled dialogue. Synthesizers also had a rich, pulsing quality, and the dense, tall, IMAX-like sonic presentation I heard [listening to the Dolby Atmos mix] in my theater was retained.” Doesn’t get much better than that.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Powerful, easy to use control app
Multiple input and output connections
Roon Ready and AirPlay 2-compatible
Affordable price
Minus
Hardware remote not included

Full Review Here (posted 12/8/21)

Reavon UBR-X100 and UBR-X200 Ultra HD Blu-ray Players: $799, $1,699

The world has embraced streaming yet plenty of stubborn, disc-collecting videophiles still turn to 4K Blu-ray for the last word in audio and video performance, refusing to abandon the shiny discs. You might be one of them and, if so, you know all too well that high-quality disc players have all but disappeared from the market. Good news: From Reavon, a startup out of France, comes not one but two new high-end 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players. The tagline on Reavon’s home page says it all: “Your movie collection deserves the best.”

Reavon’s UBR-X100 ($799) and its up-market sibling, the UBR-X200 ($1,699), are based on the latest version of the MediaTek reference video processor that formed the heart of 4K players from Oppo, the beloved brand that abruptly exited the business in 2018. Stepping up to the X200 gets you a more robust power supply plus analog RCA and balanced XLR outputs and a 7.1-channel RCA output alongside the standard HDMI and optical/coaxial digital connections. The extra 900 bucks also elevates you to “universal disc player” status with the ability to spin DVD-Audio discs and SACDs, which are still released regularly by boutique audiophile labels.

In addition to playing high-res audio files and supporting Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range (HDR), both players are nimble and deliver performance Kris Deering described as comparable to Oppo’s fabled players and Panasonic’s outstanding DP-UB9000, even if they don’t quite reach the gold standard Oppo players achieved (they don’t support multi-aspect ratio screens and offer only rudimentary tone mapping, for example). The unexpected arrival of two upscale Blu-ray players at a time when dime-a-dozen players are about all you can find, is a welcome development.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Reference-quality video
Universal disc playback (UBR-X200)
Pure Direct output
Minus
No DVD-Audio or SACD support (UBR-X100)
Build quality lags that of other flagship players
Interface needs polish

Full Review Here (posted 11/3/21)

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 Streaming Integrated Amplifier: $3,000

England’s Cambridge Audio has developed a number of advanced audio technologies in its 50-plus years and shows no signs of letting up. The new Evo 150 streaming amplifier is a feature-packed, all-in-one music system that combines a robust 2 x 150 watt amplifier with a wired/wireless music streamer, headphone amp, and moving-magnet phono stage in a compact chassis with distinctive side wood panels. All you have to do is add speakers and set off on your musical journey. You won’t be disappointed. At its core are two technologies revered by serious listeners: an ESS Sabre ES9018K2M digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that processes PCM signals up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD signals up to 11.2MHz (DSD 256) and Hypex Ncore Class D amplification.

The Evo 150 leaves little to the streaming imagination and offers every connection you’ll need. It’s fully compatible with the audiophile-approved Roon music-management system, “unfolds” hi-res MQA files, and employs the company’s app-based StreamMagic platform, which is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and supports streaming via Chromecast and AptX HD-enabled Bluetooth in addition to providing direct access to Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, and internet radio.

Reviewer Howard Kneller vouched for the 150’s audio prowess. “It sounded fantastic with every speaker I paired it with” and supported a wide, deep soundstage. Listening to the dub/reggae blended ‘Amerimacka,’ from Thievery Corporation’s It Takes a Thief streamed over Qobuz, he wrote: “The Evo 150 “produced the unique mix of synthesized and acoustic sounds with excellent rhythmic flow and plenty of detail. Cymbals sounded clean and glistening, and sitar chords were nicely imbued with that instrument's distinctive reverberant buzz. Even at loud volumes, I detected no headroom issues.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent sound quality
Impressive power in a small package
Extensive feature set
Minus
So-so headphone preamp
Lacks room correction
Non-backlit remote

Full Review Here (posted 10/27/21)