The Absolute Sound Podcast

• Best Headphone Amplifiers Series: Ray Samuels Audio B-21 Raider Electrostatic and Dynamic Amplifier

  Ray Samuels Audio is a long-standing builder of both portable and desktop headphone amplifiers. Ray sent us his B-21 Raider amp to try with a bevy of high-end electrostatic and dynamic headphones that arrived in the lab. As you might intuit, the B-21 can drive both types of headphones. Let’s see what we heard. 00:00 Ray Samuels Audio B-21 00:59 Overview Ray Samuels Audio B-21 02:44 Sound Quality 07:13 Summary Summary The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-absolute-sounds-review-methodology-first-principles/ Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com Tom Martin’s Reference System: Aurender N200 Server Roon Nucleus server Mac Mini (M2) server Wiim Pro server/DAC Bluesound Node server/DAC Topping D70 Pro DAC dCS Lina DAC/Master clock Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 with Alpha USB Series 2 input module J Sikora Initial Max turntable Technics SL-1210G turntable Kuzma 4Point 9” arm J Sikora KV12 tone arm DS Audio 003 cartridge Benz Gullwing SLR cartridge Hana Umami Blue cartridge Hegel V10 phono preamp Musical Surroundings Phonomena III phono preamp DS Audio 003 optical cartridge energizer Audio Research Reference 6SE preamp PS Audio BHK 600 mono power amps MBL N51 integrated amplifier Magico A5 speakers Wireworld Platinum Electra speaker and line cables Shunyata Omega digital cables Shunyata Venom power cables and director AVN Systems acoustic design Rediacoustic diffusers and absorbers Rediacoustic bass traps Salamander racks Solidsteel Turntable rack What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, YouTube and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles. #hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2025, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

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• Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Loudspeaker Review

  This speaker really surprised me; I don’t know if it was all the rhetoric of being a disrupter to the industry on their website – I often approach disrupters with a hint of skepticism, but SVS means business and the Ultra Evolution Pinnacle brings it! 00:00 Ultra Evolution Pinnacle 00:47 Overview 03:13 Sound Quality 08:59 Wrap Up Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, YouTube and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles. #hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2025, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

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• Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Loudspeaker Review

  This speaker really surprised me; I don’t know if it was all the rhetoric of being a disrupter to the industry on their website – I often approach disrupters with a hint of skepticism, but SVS means business and the Ultra Evolution Pinnacle brings it! 00:00 Ultra Evolution Pinnacle 00:47 Overview 03:13 Sound Quality 08:59 Wrap Up Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, YouTube and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles. #hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2025, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

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• June Recordings of the Month from The Absolute Sound Reviewers

  We wanted to share with you some of the music we are using in the review process, with a focus on musically interesting work that is also enjoyably recorded. This isn’t necessarily new work or new recordings. With streaming making a test drive of these recommendations so easy, we simply wanted to give you some ideas. The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-absolute-sounds-review-methodology-first-principles/ Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com Tom Martin’s Reference System: Aurender N200 Server Roon Nucleus server Mac Mini (M2) server Wiim Pro server/DAC Bluesound Node server/DAC Topping D70 Pro DAC dCS Lina DAC/Master clock Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 with Alpha USB Series 2 input module J Sikora Initial Max turntable Technics SL-1210G turntable Kuzma 4Point 9” arm J Sikora KV12 tone arm DS Audio 003 cartridge Benz Gullwing SLR cartridge Hana Umami Blue cartridge Hegel V10 phono preamp Musical Surroundings Phonomena III phono preamp DS Audio 003 optical cartridge energizer Audio Research Reference 6SE preamp PS Audio BHK 600 mono power amps MBL N51 integrated amplifier Magico A5 speakers Wireworld Platinum Electra speaker and line cables Shunyata Omega digital cables Shunyata Venom power cables and director AVN Systems acoustic design Rediacoustic diffusers and absorbers Rediacoustic bass traps Salamander racks Solidsteel Turntable rack What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, YouTube and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles. #hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2025, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

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• T+A elektroakustik Factory Tour | Tom Martin reports...

  Tom recently visited T+A in Herford, Germany to get an overview of their approach to audio design. Of course, he knew something from the name, which means “Theory plus Application”, but he really didn’t know what to expect. Frankly, he was surprised, pleasantly surprised, by what he found. The Absolute Sound’s Review Methodology: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-absolute-sounds-review-methodology-first-principles/ 00:00 T+A elektroakustik factory tour 02:46 Origin 3:50 T+A's Strategy 07:48 T+A's R&D 09:21 Summary Newsletter: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theabsolutesound Substack: https://www.theabsolutesound.substack.com What Is The Absolute Sound? The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, YouTube and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles. #hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2025, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

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