Audiophile Digital Components Reviewed

Find reviews of everything audiophile digital from CD players to Compact Disc transports to DACs to DAC-Preamps to DVD-players to Multi-format
players to audiophile Blu-Ray players and more…

Audiophile Digital Components Reviewed

The Bluesound Node installed in a small audiophile system.

Bluesound Node Music Streamer Reviewed

The Bluesound Node music streamer (buy at Crutchfield), with its built-in DAC (digital to analog converter), provides a convenient way for consumers to access their preferred music streaming service from the Internet, or from digital music files stored on a… Read More »



More Audiophile Digital Components Reviewed


Jay's Audio CDT-3 MK3 CD Transport is a top-loading unit like the old Mark Levinson No. 31

Jay’s Audio CDT3 MK3 Compact Disc Transport Reviewed

Streaming music is all the rage for audiophile of all ages and at any level of progress in the hobby. Vinyl has had an unlikely comeback with today’s youth, perhaps as an anti-technology statement to their often-too-connected or too-much-blue-light world… Read More »


The Bricasti M1 Series II DAC has a long history of meaningful yet affordable upgrades

Bricasti Design M1 Series II DAC Reviewed

The $12,000 Bricasti Design M1 has been beating oligarch-level DACs exceeding $50,000 in performance since 2010. It has won numerous awards over its tenure and made it into the engineering studios of world-famous music halls and countess audiophile systems at… Read More »


Marantz SACD 30N disc player reviewed

Marantz SACD 30n CD/SACD Player Reviewed

Marantz’s SACD 30n SACD player (buy at Crutchfield), like the recently reviewed Model 30 integrated amplifier, has a blend of old-school features and design with modern technology. Marantz calls the SACD 30n a complete digital source player, and while it… Read More »


Bluesound Powernode Edge Streamer and amp reviewed

Bluesound Powernode Edge Streaming Amplifier Reviewed

When I first looked at the Bluesound Powernode Edge (buy at Crutchfield) streaming amplifier and noticed its retail price of $649, I was taken back to my younger self in the late 1980s when I purchased a Yamaha stereo receiver for, you… Read More »


The Schiit Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG DAC Reviewed

Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG DAC Reviewed

The Schiit Yggdrasil+ OG (Yggdrasil+) is one of three currently available versions of the company’s flagship digital-to-analog converter. OG—in case you’re not familiar with early-1970s street slang or early-1990s hip-hop culture—stands for “Original Gangsta,” because it is the original version… Read More »


Music Hall CD25.3 Compact Disc player reviewed

Music Hall CD25.3 CD Player Reviewed

Music Hall recently released its latest audiophile Compact Disc player, the CD25.3, a no-nonsense source component that is very competitively priced for an audiophile-grade disc spinner at $649. Music Hall is well-known for its high-value offerings in the audiophile world,… Read More »


Benchmark Media DAC3 HCG reviewed by Michael Zisserson

Benchmark DAC3 HGC DAC Reviewed

The Benchmark DAC3 HGC (buy at Amazon) is one flavor of many in their DAC 3 line-up. The HGC model is a full-featured, mature DAC rocking the latest and greatest ESS ES9028PRO chipset. At 37 years strong, Benchmark has been making studio-grade electronics… Read More »


PS Audio DirectStream DAC MK reviewed by Paul Wilson

PS Audio DirectStream DAC MK2 Review

About eight years ago, PS Audio introduced the PerfectWave DirectStream DAC to quite a bit of audiophile fanfare. It immediately garnered significant acclaim and was praised for its sonic capabilities relative to its price. Introduced late in 2022 (but not… Read More »


Meitner MA3 DAC reviewed

Meitner MA3 DAC Reviewed

In the early days of digital audio, Ed Meitner was frequently asked about circuit design from industry people interested in his ideas. It was this recognition of an insight into digital audio that led to one of the most innovative… Read More »


T+A SD3100 HV audiophile DAC reviewed

T+A elektroakustik SD 3100 HV Streaming DAC Reviewed

By any reasonable measure, the T+A SD 3100 HV Streaming DAC is a world-class audiophile component with numerous features and a high degree of engineering excellence. Designed completely in house by a group of 12 full-time staff engineers and even two physicists,… Read More »


Bricasti M21 Platinum Series DAC reviewed

Bricasti M21 Platinum Series DAC Reviewed

Bricasti Design was founded in 2004 by two executives formerly associated with Lexicon. Bricasti’s initial focus was on the pro audio side, and the company immediately gained a solid reputation thanks to its M7 reverb unit. Before long, Bricasti turned… Read More »


NAD C 538 Compact Disc Player Reviewed

NAD C 538 Compact Disc Player Reviewed

NAD is a company with a long-standing history (50 years, in fact) of making great products. The NAD C 538 (buy at Crutchfield) is a great example of what the company does so well, as it’s a straightforward entry-level Compact… Read More »


FiiO K9 ESS Pro DAC reviewed

FiiO K9 Pro DAC/Preamplifier/Headphone Amplifier Reviewed

The first time I saw a FiiO audio component, the old nursery rhyme “fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman” popped into my head. FiiO’s track record of commandeering the market share of their competitors from England (and… Read More »


iFi go BAR audiophile DAC and headphone amp reviewed

iFi GO bar DAC/Headphone Amp Reviewed

The GO bar by iFi (buy at Crutchfield) is a $329, ultra-portable USB-based audiophile DAC and headphone amplifier. If you want to know what I mean by ultra-portable, it is approximately the size of my index finger (15/16 inch wide,… Read More »


NAD C 700 integrated amp and audiophile grade music server

NAD C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier Reviewed

NAD, an audio company well-known by enthusiasts worldwide for their high-value electronics, is part of the Lenbrook group, which also includes PSB speakers and Bluesound wireless streaming devices. The technology behind each brand is often shared within the family, as is the case with… Read More »


Grace Audio m900 audiophile DAC reviewed

Grace Design m900 DAC Reviewed

A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is a device that converts a digital signal into an analog waveform that your speakers can produces and your ears will ultimately understand. DACs are in everything these days. They are ubiquitous devices that perform to… Read More »


iFi Gryphon headphone DAC reviewed

iFi xDSD Gryphon DAC/Headphone Amp Reviewed

The iFi xDSD Gryphon (buy at Crutchfield) is a portable balanced headphone amplifier and digital-to-analog converter from a company renowned for both its DACs and its HPAs. It will handle just about any connection you can throw at it, including… Read More »


Schiit Modi 3e DAC reviewed

Schiit Audio Modi 3e DAC Reviewed

The Modi 3e (buy at Amazon) is the latest update to Schiit Audio’s popular low-cost digital-to-analog converter line. The company calls this one a “do-all” DAC, because it accepts coaxial and optical digital inputs, but also Schiit’s own Unison USB… Read More »


Rotel CD11 Tribute CD Player

Rotel CD11 Tribute CD Player Reviewed

While streaming is more and more likely to be the principal means by which you access your music these days, there are also millions of physical CDs floating around music collections just waiting to be played. The Rotel CD11 Tribute… Read More »


Panasonic DPUR820 UHD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Panasonic DP-UB820-K 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player Reviewed

Recently I reviewed the Sony BDP-S6700 (Buy at Crutchfield),  Blu-ray player and quite liked it as a high-value audio player. It was versatile enough to handle multiple formats, not just the Blu-ray discs that you saw on the front of… Read More »


Marantz Professional PMD-526C

Marantz Professional PMD-526C Compact Disc Player Reviewed

The Marantz Professional PMD-526C is a compelling pro angle on an audiophile Compact Disc player that has plenty of features you won’t find on similarly priced disc spinners. The $249 retail price places this component firmly in the budget category,… Read More »


A front view of the Sony BDP-S6700 disc player

Sony BDP-S6700 Blu-ray Disc Player Reviewed

Your first thought when you see this post could very well be, why are you reviewing a Blu-ray player on an audiophile site? You’re not wrong in thinking this, but the Sony BDP-S6700 disc player (buy at Amazon) has some… Read More »