The Absolute Sound Podcast

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-1

01:50 Overview

05:13 DAC

06:15 Inputs & Outputs

09:24 Sound Quality

10:09 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.net

00:00 $15K System

01:52 Loudspeaker

02:50 Turntable

03:48 The System

09:28 Sound Quality

15:52 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 Amp

01:28 Specs & Design

04:53 Sound Quality

07:37 Summary

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

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 Imports

00:00 Focal Mu-so Hekla

01:20 Overview

03:15 Design & Build Quality

06:45 Connectivity Options

09:30 Sound Performance

12:00 Listening Modes

14:30 Summary

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

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 ACS100

02:00 Overview

03:20 Physical Connectivity

07:56 First Impressions

09:11 Reference Equipment

09:43 Sound Quality

13:00 Summary

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