Al Griffin

Media Server Reviews
Cary Audio DMS-550 Network Audio Player Review
Al Griffin  |  Oct 03, 2019  |  Published: Oct 02, 2019  |  2 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $5,495

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Impressive sound quality
Extensive feature set
Flexible control app
Minus
Limited remote control IR range
Pricey

THE VERDICT
With its extensive features and flexible sound output options, Cary Audio's DMS-550 network audio player represents digital audio playback done right.

Network audio players are an emerging component category aimed at audiophiles who have made a full leap into music streaming. Many such components can also act as a preamplifier by accommodating externally connected sources such as a CD player or turntable and passing on a line-level signal to an amplifier. Because they are network-connected, streaming high-res audio files from a computer or NAS is also on the features menu, and higher-end models are often Roon Ready and MQA Certified.

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CEDIA 2019Wide Angle
CEDIA 2019: Demos to Die For
Al Griffin  |  Sep 24, 2019  |  0 comments
Following an overriding trend that started many years back, the annual Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) expo, held this year at the Denver Convention Center, showcased an abundance of home automation technologies — everything from networked, voice-controlled window shades and lighting to home security systems. The show even had “wellness rooms” that seek to bring the outdoor experience indoors via circadian lighting, purified air, and ambient nature sounds.
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CEDIA 2019
Elac Debuts Debut Reference Speakers
Al Griffin  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
The debut of Elac's new Debut Reference actually happened at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest a week prior to CEDIA, but the new speakers nonetheless occupied a prominent place at the center of the brand's CEDIA booth.
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CEDIA 2019
OSD Black Brings the Power to CEDIA
Al Griffin  |  Sep 15, 2019  |  0 comments
Among the many architectural audio products lining the Optimal Speaker Design booth at CEDIA was the company’s TheatroX11 amplifier, an oversize 11-channel model with a form factor not unlike a cooler you’d hoist along to a tailgate party. The amp even has carrying handles—a good thing, too, since it weighs 234 pounds.
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CEDIA 2019
Legacy Audio Previews “Ultimate” Home Theater Amplifier
Al Griffin  |  Sep 15, 2019  |  0 comments
Borrowing bling factor from high-end amps like those designed by former Krell chief Dan D’Agostino, the new i ·V 7 from Legacy Audio aims to appeal to both the ears and the eyes. You can easily get a sense of its visual allure from the photo above. On the audio front, the i ·V 7 uses iCEedge technology to deliver a specified 600-plus watts into 8 ohms with all seven of its channels driven, and up to 1kW into 4 ohms with less than 0.005% distortion.
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CEDIA 2019
KEF Displays New Flagship KF92 Subwoofer
Al Griffin  |  Sep 15, 2019  |  0 comments
While a CEDIA focus for KEF was various new in-wall and on-wall speaker models, the company was also showing off the new KF92 subwoofer in a corner of its translucent booth.
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CEDIA 2019
Stewart Filmscreen Shows its Edge
Al Griffin  |  Sep 15, 2019  |  0 comments
Stewart Filmscreen’s CEDIA 2019 booth served as a showcase for two products: the Luxus below-ceiling screen system, and the all-new Balón Edge fixed-frame screen.
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JBL Aims High With New HDI Speaker Range
Al Griffin  |  Sep 13, 2019  |  0 comments
The cavalcade of new products to be found in the sprawling Harman booth at CEDIA includes JBL's HDI speaker lineup, a ruggedly handsome quintet featuring the company's compression driver technology and High Definition Imaging waveguides.
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CEDIA 2019
Arcam's AV Electronics Line Gets a Refresh
Al Griffin  |  Sep 13, 2019  |  0 comments
Britain's Arcam introduced an AV processor and a trio of AV receivers at CEDIA 2019. The new lineup takes its sonic and design cues from the company's high-end HDA range, offering both audiophile-grade DACs and sleek styling.
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CEDIA 2019
PSB Previews New On-Wall Speaker
Al Griffin  |  Sep 13, 2019  |  0 comments
PSB used CEDIA as a platform to show off its new PWM2, an on-wall model designed for vertical or horizontal installation as an LCR or surround channel speaker.
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