Engström—Super-Sexy Tube Amps from Sweden
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Opinion
I’ve had a short but intense love affair with Engström amplifiers. I’d been unaware of this Swedish brand prior to the High End 2023 show in Munich, Germany, but my first experience in their room, featuring Marten speakers and Jorma cables, turned me right around. The same thing happened two years later, at High End 2025, where Engström teamed up with Kroma Atelier to produce the best sound I encountered at that massive event.
IsoAcoustics Gaia III Neo Loudspeaker Isolation Footer
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
I’m not often surprised at hi‑fi shows. I hear so much equipment, in so many different combinations, throughout so many different rooms that I find myself becoming jaded. It takes something truly unique to jolt me out of my comfort zone.
Sphinx Element 3 Loudspeaker
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Note: measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada's National Research Council can be found through this link.
Truly new concepts are extremely rare in audio. Generally, new ideas aren’t welcome, unless they manage to develop some sort of inorganic viral buzz. And wildly different topologies are looked on with active suspicion. I wish this weren’t the case, but audiophiles tend to be a stodgy lot.
Ultra Invades the Neighborhood
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Opinion
I have a problem with dimensions, with how the actual size of an object never matches up to its image in my mind’s eye. My most recent example of this kind of failure is the safe that’s taking up far too much room in my garage.
Michell Cusis M Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge
- Written by: Jonathan Gorse
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
J.A. Michell Engineering is one of England’s most respected turntable manufacturers. Thankfully, Michell has remained a family-owned concern that doesn’t need to answer to overseas conglomerates, venture capitalists, or outside investors. The managing director, Jonathan Nye, is married to the granddaughter of founder John Michell. Recently, the company has rebranded and released a swathe of new products, including the all-new Gyro and Revolv turntables, plus the exquisite Apollo phono preamplifier I reviewed for this site in January.
Burmester 232 Integrated Amplifier
- Written by: Phil Gold
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.
The German audio manufacturer Burmester Audiosysteme writes that their guiding philosophy is “perfection and perpetuity in sound and design.” That means they want to get things right, and they want to ensure their products do not wear out or become obsolete. As a result, they take their time developing new products, and then they keep them in production for a very long time.
Stepping Up to the Ortofon Cadenza Black
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: For the Record
As I stated in my recent editorial, I’ve been on a bit of a tangent toward the value side of the audio world over the past few months. It wasn’t a conscious decision on my part to start looking for more reasonably priced components. That wouldn’t be fair to the good folks over at SoundStage! Access and SoundStage! Hi‑Fi. And besides, it’s not my beat. Here at Ultra, people want to read about huge, dripping, wretched excess, right? That said, I don’t think it’s a good look to only have experience with expensive gear. It’s a requirement, in my mind, to have a grounding in what’s possible with a limited budget, so that you can recognize when you’re getting flimflammed by hucksters selling screamingly pricey gear that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
The WiiM Amp Ultra—What’s Happened to Me?
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Opinion
It is with humility that I tell you I have become enamored with a budget component. I know, that sounds rather pretentious, like I’m some kind of lord going on about associating with the plebs. But consider this: I’ve spent the last five years writing for SoundStage! Ultra, and other than a few outliers, I’ve only reviewed extremely expensive components during that time.
Townshend Audio Allegri Reference Preamplifier
- Written by: Jonathan Gorse
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
The Townshend Audio Allegri Reference is certainly the most unusual preamplifier I have ever reviewed. It may surprise you to know that Max Townshend considered the Allegri to be his greatest achievement, rather than his legendary Rock turntable or pioneering work on acoustic isolation.
Audio Research D-80 Stereo Amplifier
- Written by: Jason Thorpe
- Category: Full-Length Reviews
Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click here.
It was sometime around 2004. I’d been flailing around trying to find an appropriate replacement for my aging EAR Yoshino 509 mono tube amplifiers. The EARs had become unreliable to the point where I could no longer trust them in my reference system. Looking for reliability and neutrality, I purchased a Musical Fidelity A300cr amp, and that worked well for a year or so, but I was missing something. After reviewing the Anthem P2 Statement one year later, I ended up buying the review sample, hoping that I’d find peace with this large, powerful solid-state amplifier.
- Boutique Audio Gallery and the Zellaton Statement Ultra
- Michell Apollo Phono Preamplifier and Muse Power Supply
- My Ten Best—The Wrap-Up
- Warsaw Wrap-up and the Hunt for Value
- Marantz SACD 10 SACD Player–DAC
- SME Model 35 Turntable and Series Vi Tonearm
- Aesthetics Count More Than We Care to Admit
- VinnieRossi Brama Integrated Amplifier
- My Ten Best—Part One
- Bowers & Wilkins Sub-Sat Wrap-Up
Page 1 of 51
SoundStage! Ultra is part of
All contents available on this website are copyrighted by SoundStage!® and Schneider Publishing Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
This site was designed by Rocket Theme, Karen Fanas, and The SoundStage! Network.
To contact us, please e-mail info@soundstagenetwork.com