The Absolute Sound Podcast

In this video, Andrew Quint explores the immersive audio album 'The Orchestra Surrounds You,' which replicates the sonic experience of conducting a symphony orchestra. Join him as he highlights the album's realistic sound quality, achieved through advanced recording techniques and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra's performance. Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Overview1:30 - The Concept of Immersive Audio3:15 - Recording Techniques & Sound Quality5:00 - The Tokyo Symphony Orchestra's Performance6:45 - Spatial Audio Explained8:00 - Final Thoughts & RecommendationsWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

In this video, Adrian Alexander reviews the LAiV Crescendo CHORUS power amps, exploring their affordability, build quality, and versatility in both stereo and monoblock configurations. These amplifiers offer impressive sound quality with a focus on tonal balance and soundstage depth, making them an excellent choice for music lovers who want high-end performance without breaking the bank.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Overview1:45 - Design & Build Quality3:30 - Stereo vs. Monoblock Configurations5:15 - Sound Quality & Performance7:00 - Upgrade Path & Future Expansion8:45 - Final ThoughtsWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

Join John Quain from The Absolute Sound as he takes an in-depth look at the Klipsch The Sevens II powered wireless speakers. Priced at $1,999.99 a pair, these active bookshelf monitors bridge the gap between high-res streaming convenience and classic, hard-hitting American audio performance.Developed in partnership with Onkyo, The Sevens II feature a 1-inch titanium vented tweeter paired with a Tractrix horn, a 6.5-inch Cerametallic woofer, and 200 watts of internal amplification per side. From vinyl playback to home theater integration via HDMI eARC, we put these speakers through their paces to find out exactly where they shine—and where they might be a bit too much to handle.Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Overview2:23 - Design, Drivers, & Connectivity4:26 - Dirac Live & Control Options5:54 - Sound Quality & Volume Dynamics7:33 - Music Tests (Rock, Jazz, & Classical)10:35 - Final Verdict & ConclusionWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

Most streamers at this price are chasing the same thing flat, neutral, maybe invisible. Those are just some of the common terms you hear people say when they're describing music streamers. Matrix built this one to do something else. Refined detail and a warm musical character both at once. And that's just how it sounds. And this is the matrix Ms1 C music streamer. This video is sponsored by: https://goebel-highend.de/00:00 Matrix Audio MS-101:50 Overview05:13 DAC06:15 Inputs & Outputs09:24 Sound Quality10:09 Is it for you?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 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

For better or for worse, vinyl got me into the hobby of hi-fi and in many respects it’s still what drives my interest in equipment and fidelity. My system has evolved steadily over the years, and not always been a straight or simple path. That said, friends and fans have asked me for advice on building turntable-based systems over the years, some at the absolute entry level, and some in the high end. Well, this would be a taste of my own medicine because selecting an entire hifi system in one go is not an easy feat, but I gave it a go anyway, and you may be interested in the results...This video is sponsored by: https://rel.net00:00 $15K System01:52 Loudspeaker02:50 Turntable03:48 The System09:28 Sound Quality15:52 Is it for you?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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

Soulution Audio is a Swiss manufacturer of electronics and turntables. Swiss amplifier companies seem to pursue extreme engineering and this is often accompanied by extreme pricing. Let’s see what the 717 offers and why you might or might not want it. This video is sponsored by: https://www.perlistenaudio.com/products/d8is/00:00 Soulution 717 Power Amp01:28 Specs & Design04:53 Sound Quality07:37 SummaryWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

In this video, Aaron Jenkins reviews the Focal Mu-so Hekla, an all-in-one sound system that promises an immersive audio experience. At $3,600, it boasts 15 speakers, 660 watts of amplification, and support for high-res audio formats. With advanced connectivity options and five listening modes, including Dolby Atmos, Aaron explores its design, performance, and how it fits into everyday life.This video is sponsored by Fidelity Imports00:00 Focal Mu-so Hekla01:20 Overview03:15 Design & Build Quality06:45 Connectivity Options09:30 Sound Performance12:00 Listening Modes14:30 SummaryWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

Instead of forcing you to piece together a complex computer-based setup or manage a noisy network-attached storage drive, Aurender positions this unit as a quiet, central anchor for your digital ecosystem. But at four thousand dollars, does it offer the practical everyday convenience and fidelity that a high-quality audio system demands? Let’s find out. This video is sponsored by: https://silentangel.com/00:00 Aurender ACS10002:00 Overview03:20 Physical Connectivity07:56 First Impressions09:11 Reference Equipment09:43 Sound Quality13:00 SummaryWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

What would you buy if you wanted one box that does everything and actually looks really dang good doing it is a common question these days, right?The HiFi Rose RS451 is $3,295, and it's trying to solve that problem, not by cutting corners, by building a streamer, a DAC, and a headphone amp into one aluminum box with a screen that makes you want to really look at this thing. The question is whether it earns that price or if it just looks the part.This video is sponsored by: https://wireworldcable.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoowpiXj2LBgvcTuRYqBzA1LerFapMSwvxzOn25yhhthD5RcKODY00:00 Rose RS45101:17 Specs & Design04:50 DAC07:28 Sound Quality09:11 One Box vs "Stack"11:09 Is it for you?12:19 SummaryWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved

As you may know, there are technical reasons that active speakers can be advantaged, and as a result, I’ve covered a few of these speakers in the last year or so. ATC is also noteworthy as a major pro audio speaker-maker. I have had good experiences with some pro speakers, and active setups are common in that world, so it seemed interesting to try an active speaker from a pro company. The EL50 thankfully skips the industrial cosmetics typical in the pro world, since it has a consumer-only aesthetic. Let’s take a look at the results.This video is sponsored by: https://silent-angel-audio.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopnyOIgN8kBfCZ3raKqdX4cLI6GwOg6wQy1VkoF8Mc5siNLiEq000:00 ATC EL50 01:34 Description05:42 Sound Quality12:49 Comparisons16:20 SummaryWhat 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.Intro/Outro Music: Backed Vibes Clean - Rollin at 5 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#hifi #audiophile #theabsolutesound Copyright 2026, Nextscreen LLC, all rights reserved