http://www.hifiwigwam.com/ Bought some new kit? Heard some interesting equipment recently? Tell us about it here. Best reviews will be promoted to the front page. en Sat, 25 May 2013 00:30:12 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.hifiwigwam.com/digitalvb/morbid/misc/rss.png http://www.hifiwigwam.com/ http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?87085-System-Audio-Mantra-60&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 10:09:52 GMT I have had a pair for 5 months. Currently on the end of a Sugden MusicMaster - best combo I have had at home. I rate the speakers as better all... I have had a pair for 5 months. Currently on the end of a Sugden MusicMaster - best combo I have had at home. I rate the speakers as better all rounders than the SHL5s and Proac 1.5s. They also happen to be very domestic friendly in terms of looks and flexibility of placement. All reviews sound the same so won't add more gush. But as far as previous reviews go, the Mantra 60s have been in 9 group tests and won the lot:
http://www.system-audio.com/_en-GB/C...mantra_60_test
Why they are not better known I don't know. ]]> Wammer reviews Tozen http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?87085-System-Audio-Mantra-60 http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86963-Helpful-dealer&goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 11:37:19 GMT Don't know if this is in the right place,
big thanks to Jim at audiolincs he was out of the country and still helped me with several queries. Top bloke ]]> Wammer reviews falcoron http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86963-Helpful-dealer http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86649-Linn-Akubarik&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 15:53:57 GMT I know this will be ignored by many, but for those who are interested: http://audiophilemusings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/what-all-fuss-about.html I know this will be ignored by many, but for those who are interested:

http://audiophilemusings.blogspot.co...uss-about.html ]]> Wammer reviews sunbeamgls http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86649-Linn-Akubarik http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86442-Unison-Research-S9-Integrated-Amplifier&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 17:24:15 GMT I have been a music fan as long as I can remember. My Mum always had music playing and I grew to recognise music as something to compliment or... I have been a music fan as long as I can remember. My Mum always had music playing and I grew to recognise music as something to compliment or counteract your emotional state. So I don't review equipment with speak of what the kit is doing, no measurements, no technical side - I just don't hear it like that. For me, music is purely about how it makes me feel, an emotional connection and even a physical one. So if you want a technical review, please don't bother to read on. I am not sure that my review will be at all revealing for anyone else to make judgments from (except perhaps confirm that I'm a little strange) but in case this is of interest, I will continue anyway.

First I will restate for anyone who wasn't on the Wam when I had the S8, or who doesn't already get my subtlety - I loved the Unison Research S8. I had really enjoyed the Naim 102/180 that I had used for 9 years, but I found I had grown away from what it did and just wasn't listening to music as much anymore.
The S8 brought me right back and although it didn't have the clean punch I enjoyed with the Naim, the bass was more full and pleasant. Not soft and woolly, although initially I had some concerns that it was too much - but then I moved my speakers further from the back wall and it solved it.
The S8 brought space to my music and a beautiful texture to vocals which I'd not had previously, but with rich and full instruments.

So when considering the change to the S9, I had some reservations. If I loved what my system was doing, why change? But I had heard people who's opinions I respect, wax lyrical and given what I have heard in the Unison Research range, I took the punt.

I initially bought the ex-demo unit which had prior to my buying it, done the rounds getting reviewed by various mags etc. However when this arrived at mine, it had some serious issues with hum. It went for repair a number of times and eventually was returned to Italy. At this point I had been waiting for a working amp for 6 months and so Unison Research supplied me with a brand new amp in January 2011. This amp was quite different from the original with lots more venting which was clearly needed and the hum issue was no more. Plus it actually sounded far better too!

Initial thoughts were "Wow, this has some guts to it". I was thrilled to find the crisp clean punch with fast dynamic music, loving the S8 as I did, I hadn't realised how I actually missed that. I went through a bit of an '80s revival weekend playing tracks I had only heard on a Philips music centre or MTV (when it was called Music Box and only on late at night) - just because I wanted to hear how they 'really' sound. A friend called around and asked if someone had annoyed me...... Ooops - I didn't realise but I was playing at volumes that were of a "I am really mad with X and need an outlet for this to avoid going round and stomping on his nuts" type level. I partly blamed a bad week at work, but also I was enjoying the floor and furniture moving slam.

It still does intimate and subtle too, wonderfully detailed with lots of space.
Listening to a track by Lisa Harrigan, the music has a soft ebb and flow that seems to wash towards you like a gentle incoming tide. Then her vocals commence, soft and slightly breathy initially, but then in keeping with the flow of the music. She comes towards you until her voice is so intimately close that you can hear a soft part of lips which is almost intrusive but also innocently sensual.

Overall, I have heard an S6 which I thought very nice and a 'possible' until I heard the S8. That extra '+2' translated to a significant jump in performance and for me, worth the extra outlay. So, bearing in mind that jump, how does the S9 stack for its extra '+1'? I loved the S8, but this is such an accomplished amp which leaps ahead in so many ares, it should have been labeled the S11 or S12. ]]> Wammer reviews Samantha http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?86442-Unison-Research-S9-Integrated-Amplifier