In Barn for Review

When I first saw a Phasemation amplifier at a hifi show long ago I uttered “Ooh” without thinking. It just came out.

I first met Ymir at Axpona 2026.

“Oh, do not ask, ‘What is it?’, Let us go and make our visit.”

Here’s one thing I can already tell you about the Accuphase stack that’s in for review—they look even better in person and better yet in Barn.

Soup to amplifiers.

The Audio Note DAC 4.1x IZVOR uses a discrete 18-bit R2R ladder DAC module filled with Audio Note’s own resistors to convert digital to analog with no oversampling, no jitter reduction, no noise shaping, and no re-clocking.

I don’t typically highlight packaging but in this case I made an exception.

The Summer of Stacks continues with the oh-so-elegant Esoteric Grandioso C1X solo Line Stage Preamplifier & Grandioso S1X Stereo Power Amplifier.

Continuing our working theme—the summer of stacks!—enter the Aesthetix Calypso/Atlas pre/power combo both dressed up in the upgraded Eclipse version.

Denmark’s Peak Consult is owned by Lennart Asbjørn and Wilfried Ehrenholz who was an owner and co-founder of Dynaudio.

I reviewed the shockingly good Imersiv D-1 DAC back in March and had this to say:

The Wattson Audio Madison Power S was designed to the perfect power companion for the Wattson Madison Streamer.

Never say never.

I reviewed and loved the Aurorasound HFSA-01 Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier. And…

Go big and stay home.