The Absolute Sound Podcast

Adrian Alexander went behind the gates of Kimber Kable's Ogden, Utah headquarters to see exactly what goes into making one of the most distinguished audio cable manufacturers in the world. From raw wire drawing to the signature hand-braiding process, Adrian got the inside scoop on the people and processes at Kimber Kable, including an exclusive interview with founder and owner Ray Kimble and a look at his IsoMike an experimental acoustic baffle system.

This video is sponsored by:

https://fidelityimports.com/pages/introducing-perlisten

00:00 Inside Kimber Kable's Factory

01:54 Lonnie & Kimber's History

04:10 Factory Floor

08:36 Shipping

09:24 Production Manager

10:45 Product Manager

13:30 Heat Shrink

16:05 Graphic Designer

17:45 Meeting Ray Kimber

20:15 Ray Kimber Interview

24:21 Snake Oil?

25:55 IsoMike In Action

27:48 Listening Room

32:10 Counterfeits?

33:53 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.

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

Do you really need a preamp? Many audiophiles say no — and if a DAC with volume control is your only source, they're technically right. But in Robert's experience, DACs connected directly to power amps tend to sound dull, with muted dynamics and anemic bass. Passive preamps often have the same problem. Today, Robert reviews the PS Audio PGA Signature Preamp to see if a quality active preamp makes the difference.

This video is sponsored by:

https://axpona.com/why-attend/?utm_source=TAS&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=2026

NADAC Review: https://youtu.be/ObKIIUHaOyo

00:00 PMG Signature Preamplifier

02:43 Overview

06:55 Sound Quality

10:54 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.

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

In the past year or so, I have reviewed a reasonably large swath of the DACs in the $10k to $50k range. There are many such DACs to consider however, so this has not been a complete survey. And it will likely continue – and still be incomplete. Today, I consider a streamer/DAC combination from WADAX that from some angles is the best DAC I’ve covered. Let’s take a look at what that means, because, well, details matter if you actually consider buying the equipment we review and you actually listen to the equipment you buy.

00:00 WADAX Studio DAC

01:14 Overview

02:10 Features

04:38 Sound Quality

13:00 Musical Examples

16:02 Summary

In this video, Adrian Alexander dives into the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC, exploring its eye-catching design and impressive audio performance. Join him as he shares his thoughts on this high-resolution audio device and its nostalgic connection to vintage audio gear.

00:00 McIntosh DS200

01:15 Overview

02:45 Design & Aesthetics

05:30 Technical Specifications

08:15 Listening Experience

12:00 Final Thoughts

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.

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

The Perlisten A3t is an unusual design. That unusual design accomplishes sonic results different from 90% or more of the speakers on the market. You may or may not want that difference, but I think you will want to know about it. Let’s check it out.

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

Perlisten Profile: https://youtu.be/rkNmzkS9cNs?si=DABLAGowVdC4fjxX

00:00 Perlisten A3t

01:32 Overview

03:29 Sound Quality

15:24 Comparisons

16:32 Downsides

17:08 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