Howard Kneller

Bluetooth Speaker ReviewsBookshelf Speaker ReviewsDesktop Speaker Reviews
Monolith MTM-100 Powered Desktop Speaker 2.1 System Review
Howard Kneller  |  Sep 27, 2023

MTM-100 Speakers
Performance
Build Quality
Ergonomics
Value

8-inch THX-Certified Sub
Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $500/pair (speaker), $350 (subwoofer)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Delivers high value
Subwoofer output allows expandability
EQ permits tailored sound
Sub is THX certified
Minus
Lacks HDMI ARC for wired TV sound
Large cabinets may overwhelm small spaces

THE VERDICT
A value priced, but stylish satellite/sub combo that forgoes the snobbish brand name to deliver high performance.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
HiFiMan Unveils Headphone Amp, Wireless Earbuds with Dual ANC
Howard Kneller  |  Apr 28, 2023
It is not uncommon for an audio manufacturer to hold a product launch at a recording studio. Although the newly released products at these events often have little or no relevance to pro audio, such a venue is undeniably cool. The pro audio tie-in was readily apparent at the HiFiMan press event held on Wednesday (April 26) at Quad Recording Studios NYC in the always-bustling Times Square area of Manhattan.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
xMEMS Labs Demonstrates Tiny Silicon Chip Speakers
Howard Kneller  |  Apr 18, 2023
It is not every day I get an opportunity to audition a completely new type of speaker. So, it was with a fair amount of excitement that I attended a press event in New York City hosted by Silicon Valley startup xMEMS Labs.
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Integrated Amp ReviewsStreaming Device Reviews
Technics SA-C600 Streaming CD Receiver Review
Howard Kneller  |  Nov 30, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Stellar performance
Full feature package
Small physical footprint
Killer price
Minus
Small, monochrome display
Modest power rating

THE VERDICT
A small, but technology and feature-rich all-in-one component that delivers large and impressive sound at a fraction of its expected price.

Like many, I've embraced music streaming, but refuse to give up my CDs and LPs. As a result, my stereo system contains multiple components and a thicket of wires. For people who won't tolerate such complexity, Panasonic's Technics has thankfully introduced the SA-C600 streaming CD receiver ($999). This impressively small component features an integrated amplifier, a streamer, a CD player, a phono stage, an FM tuner, and a headphone output.

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Bluetooth Speaker Reviews
Sonus Faber Omnia Wireless Speaker System
Howard Kneller  |  Nov 16, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Museum-quality aesthetics
Audiophile sound
Feature-packed (DSP, HDMI ARC, phono)
Extensive connectivity
Minus
Placement requires care

THE VERDICT
The Omnia’s large and well-defined soundscape, striking industrial design, full feature package, and connective versatility make it one of the most desirable wireless speakers available.

Due in no small part to its propensity to produce exquisite wooden cabinets, Italy-based Sonus faber has for many years created some of the sexiest speakers around. Of course, for a country that claims Ferrari, Prada, and LaPerla, sexy seems to be easy. Still, Sonus' sexy factor seems to be the result of several things other than just the country of origin. There's the addition by the company of keen-eyed Chief Design Officer Livio Cucuzza in 2010. Also, in 2021 the company purchased the masterly De Santi woodworking factory, with which it began working with back in 1986.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Pro-Ject Demos ‘True Balanced Connection’ Turntables
Howard Kneller  |  Oct 25, 2022
Nobody ever went broke betting that the latest turntables and phono stages from the Austria’s Pro-Ject delivered good sound and high value. With that precept in mind, I headed to Brooklyn’s trendy Café Kitsune last week to attend a demonstration of the company’s new “True Balanced Connection” turntables and phono stages.
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Audio Video News
Audio-Technica Embraces the “Art of Analog” on its 60th Anniversary
Howard Kneller  |  Oct 21, 2022
Audio-Technica celebrates the accomplishments of its founder Hideo Matsushita and the milestone of the company’s 60th anniversary at New York’s vintage-cool Turntable LP Bar & Karaoke Club.
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Integrated Amp ReviewsStreaming Device Reviews
Marantz Model 40n Streaming Integrated Amplifier Review
Howard Kneller  |  Jul 13, 2022

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,499

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Spacious, rich sound
Gorgeous aesthetics
Tank-like build quality
Feature-packed
Minus
Small display
Limited wired connectivity options
Lacks room correction

THE VERDICT
The Marantz Model 40n is a thoroughly modern music streaming machine that sounds great and delivers a robust set of features without losing sight of the brand’s storied past.

I attended a launch event for the Marantz Model 40n a few months ago and marveled at just how far the iconic brand has come since founder Saul Marantz took his first steps as an audio pioneer way back in 1945. In true hobbyist fashion, he modified his car radio so he could listen to it at home and, once it was up and running there, continued tinkering with it to improve its performance.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
B&W Unveils New Flagship Wireless Headphones
Howard Kneller  |  Jun 29, 2022
Bowers & Wilkins, the equivalent of audio royalty in England and around the world, staged a press event yesterday at Soho House in New York City’s trendy Meatpacking District to flex its muscle in headphones, a category the brand has been slowly expanding over the past decade or so.
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Audio Video News
An Evening With Satchmo at the KEF Music Lounge
Howard Kneller  |  May 04, 2022
KEF’s April 30, 2022 “An Evening with Satchmo” event, featuring special guest Grammy winner Ricky Ricciardi, Director of Research Collections at the Louis Armstrong House Museum and Archives, marked the first time that I wore a suit since the pandemic’s start. Although the manufacturer events that I’ve recently attended have each raised the bar on luxury, this one promised to significantly up the ante. It featured not only a semi-formal dress code, but high-end food and spirits and Louis Armstrong music and video clips in an elegant setting—KEF’s Marlboro, New Jersey Music Lounge, which the company describes as an “idea, training, and experience center” that’s physically attached to its U.S. corporate headquarters.
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