The Absolute Sound Podcast

In the world of high end audio. $230 isn't a lot of money, especially when those $230 gets you a pair of two way active bookshelf speakers with Bluetooth, dual RCA inputs, and a subwoofer output. The big question, of course, is how do they sound? So let's dig into the Edifier 1700BTS speakers.

This video is sponsored by: https://fidelityimports.com/

00:00 Edifier 1700BTS

01:40 Overview

03:08 Specs & Design

05:25 Set U...

The Eversolo DAC Z10 is a logical step-up option for audiophiles building their systems beyond, say, the $5000 level. At $5000, plus or minus a bit, you probably spend $1000 on a streamer and DAC, $1500 to $2500 on amplification and $1500 to $2500 on speakers. You might balance this differently, but you just don’t have budget for a $1400 streamer and a $2000 DAC, which is what the two Eversolo products we’re looking at cost at revi...

In this video, John Quain dives into the Bowers and Wilkins PX7 S3 wireless headphones, exploring their refined sound profile and standout features. Priced at $479, these over-ear noise-canceling headphones boast 40mm dynamic drivers and support Bluetooth 5.3 with AptX Lossless codec. I’ll discuss their impressive battery life, customizable EQ via a smartphone app, and a sound stage that delivers clarity and detail across various m...

I am well aware that audio coverage on YouTube has something of a histrionic slant. In an algorithmic media world, I suppose that is to be expected. The problem of course is that when something truly special comes along, if treated with the standard approach, it can get mentally dumped by viewers into the “more BS hysteria” bucket. I offer this warning because the product I’m covering today is, I think, truly special, but since I t...

Senior reviewer Steven Stone returns with a brief overview of his experience at Denver's Head-Fi meet up. Not quite a Can-Jam or major show a Head-Fi Meet Up sits right in the sweet spot between casual enthusiast get together and large professional show. What did he find out? Tune in to learn more!

This video is sponsored by: https://shunyata.com/product/everest-x/

Who is Steven Stone? https://youtu.be/JMHqM4ixlEM?si=wc6ZBl6...

In January 2026, Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems celebrated its 15th anniversary with the launch of the Momentum Z Mono Amplifier at their Cave Creek, Arizona facility. Priced around $125,000 per pair, this flagship amplifier features new Kinetic Drive Regulator technology. Michael Fremer reports, tune in to learn more!

This video is sponsored by: https://fidelityimports.com/collections/matrix-audio

Newsletter: https://w...

Michael Johnson reviews the hefty, unique Krypton3X floor standing loudspeaker. With a frequency response primed for revelation, Michael discovers some of his hi-fi test tracks aren’t what he thought they were. Is this inviting or distracting? Tune in to find out.

This video is sponsored by: https://fidelityimports.com/collections/matrix-audio

Tom’s Listening Room: https://youtu.be/To3yKpFUMNI?si=e6D_49RWcZIUG5_h

00:00 K...

When it comes to bass performance in hi-fi playback using the conventional setup of two speakers, there are three major problems that are difficult to overcome without beginning to integrate separate subwoofers. Bass extension, room modes, and overall frequency balance.

In this video, I’m not going to focus too much on the first problem, as this isn’t always a problem with just two speakers. Many multiway speakers can play down...

YG Acoustics Ascent is the second from the top model in the company's new peak series, and it's priced at $23,800. This represents a significant departure their first speaker to use a hybrid cabinet construction rather than their signature all aluminum enclosure. What makes the ascent particularly interesting is it incorporates the same driver technology as GS Reference Series speakers, while achieving a price point roughly half th...

Streamers and Digital to Analog converters are the key source for modern high-end audio systems. For most people at least, if for no other reason than the availability of nearly the entire catalogue of recorded music. And ease of use. And low cost. What can be confusing is the degree of sonic difference between various streamers – devices that request music from a streaming service and convert the music files from network protocols...

The Bricasti M1 DAC has been a powerful mainstay for consumers looking for affordable yet high-fidelity precision since its debut in 2011. Bricasti is now introducing the Series II, looking to expand yet preserve what made the first edition so special. Does the Series II deliver? Tune in to find out.

This video is sponsored by: https://fidelityimports.com/pages/introducing-perlisten

00:00 Bricasti M1 Series II

01:58 Overview...

Today I’m taking an inside look at possibly the most innovative company in the consumer audio space. I say this because today’s subject, Theoretica Applied Physics, is working on some of the biggest problems of audio believability, their results are quite successful in my experience, and the architecture they use is relatively low cost. Let’s take a deeper look.

Learn more: https://www.theoretica.us/

This video is sponsored ...

Flexibility is not something one usually associates with wired headphones. After all, you're tethered to your equipment. You can't go out, hop up and get a cup of coffee, and you can't do a lot of adjustment to the sound profile as well. Wireless headphones promise to do a lot more. Aside from the flexibility of being able to get up and move around, that will without a cable tied to your head. But also the idea is you could adjust ...

In this briefing, I give my basic observations about the performance of the Isoacoustics GAIA Neo speaker footers. These are complex passive absorbers that replace the spikes normally used at the base of speakers like my test subject, the Perlisten S7t. Normally, I think of products like this as “below threshold” items – products that may be beneficial, but whose effect may be difficult to hear in isolation, especially because a qu...

Erratum: Giveaway occurs on January 30, 2026

When we reviewed the new Onkyo M-80 power amp and P-80 streaming preamp, Onkyo kindly sent us a TX-RZ30 receiver to offer to our viewers as a giveaway. We didn’t want to interrupt the review video excessively, yet we thought there might be viewers interested in the giveaway who hadn’t seen the review. So, we made this brief Giveaway announcement.

January 30, 2026 Viewer Giveaway of...

There's a lot of nostalgia out there for the 1980s, and when British speaker maker Monitor Audio looked back at that decade, it discovered gold in the form of its studio 15 speaker. And so, inspired by the creativity and individuality of the 1980s, monitors set out to create the studio 89. So are these $2,750 per pair speakers totally awesome or just bogus? Let's find out!

This video is sponsored by: https://store.hifiman.com/in...

Orchard Audio is a US manufacturer of amplifiers, headphone amplifiers and now streamer/DACs in the case of the product we’re reviewing here, the Pecan Pi+ Premium. The company believes strongly in engineering and is particularly sensitive to leveraging appropriate parts. We’ve reviewed their Starkrimson GANFET amplifer previously. With the Pecan Pi, we were particularly attracted by the incorporation of top, and relatively rare, A...

Details of the Viewer Giveaway of an Onkyo 9.2 channel Atmos receiver are after the break.

Every once in a while, reviewers get products to evaluate that just doesn’t conform to the standard or to their expectations. That has certainly been the case with the new Onkyo M-80 amp and P-80 preamp. Let’s take a look, because the way this pairing deviates from normal might be very interesting to you.

This video is sponsored by: t...

That said, for those of you who have a budget that could accommodate the JCAT XACT S1 Evo Server at $18,600 US or for those of you who are genuinely curious about the state-of-the-art in audio streaming, you’re gonna wanna stick around while I share what I heard when listening to this refined bit of kit.

This video is sponsored by: https://www.devialet.com/en-us/amplifiers/?srsltid=AfmBOopMaf_et8mOEEL6rCtYelUeonyPqFg9RVuBdr2cWi...