LATEST ADDITIONS

Sound & Vision Top Picks for the month of May include a high-performance 4K Blu-ray player that will delight AV enthusiasts, home theater speakers that deliver strikingly good sound for a reasonable price, and a set of powered bookshelf speakers that puts today’s smart speakers to shame. Rounding things out are two topnotch audio components — a surround processor/preamp from a venerable audio brand and an integrated amp/DAC from a lesser known company that has been favored by in-the-know audiophiles for years.

PRICE $1,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Unimpeachable sound quality
Impressive power and dynamic ability
Chromecast built-in, AirPlay, and Spotify Connect support
Minus
No phono input or headphone output
No native streaming (requires smartphone, tablet or similar)

THE VERDICT
Flexible streaming options enhance the appeal of this sleek-looking integrated amplifier/DAC with serious audiophile pedigree and performance.

Primare is a small audio component manufacturer in Sweden founded by an industrial designer from Denmark. The Malmö-based firm's quirky high-end electronics have found favor among in-the-know audiophiles for nearly thirty years. Recently, a new line of streaming-centric components was introduced that appear custom-made to broaden Primare's appeal, and if the entry-level Prisma I15 integrated amplifier/DAC ("streamplifier," as I like to call them) they've supplied us for review here is any indication, the move will succeed.

Keyboard maestro Howard Jones got on the line with us from his homebase in Somerset, England to discuss the genesis and evolution of his new studio album Transform, his love of vintage gear and surround sound, and why he’s all-in when it comes to mastering his music for vinyl.

The iPod touch was the last man standing when Apple phased out the nano and shuffle in 2017. Yesterday, Apple announced an updated iPod touch featuring a faster processor and two iPod firsts — Group FaceTime video chatting and support for augmented reality (AR) gaming.