The premier French High End Audio magazine Haute Fidélité did a review of the MU2. Author Bruno Castelluzzo was highly impressed by its functionality and sound quality. He offered it full marks on sound quality, plus the “Haute Fidélité Réference” award! Below some translated excerpts from his poetic reflections on the MU2’s sound quality.
“The MU2 stands out with its exceptional tonal definition and its high ability to reproduce micro-details without breaking the emotional connection to the music. This ultimate mastery invites the listener to sessions of prolonged listening in the bliss of discovering overlooked details, that demonstrate the remarkable qualities of the Major DAC. Acoustic instruments sound dazzlingly natural, such as an acoustic guitar accompanying a voice, that just screams with realism and truthfulness. The spectral extent has no limits, even organs are presented with unparalleled majesty thanks to a very deep extension into the bottom octaves – as long as the speakers can reach that low. (…)
The stereo image of the MU2 is of astonishing quality, provided that the power amplifier and loudspeakers do not mask the formidable spatial precision that it is capable of. The MU2 has a talent to truly sculpturing the orchestra and solists in space, presenting them life-size. This is particularly striking with complex scores, such as Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 by the Berliner Philharmoniker, conducted by Kirill Petrenko. The extreme subtlety of sound layers in this recording is clearly presented, as well as the tonal realism of all instruments, accompanied by sudden rhythmic bursts, in a perfectly controlled maelstrom, to finally highlight the beauty of this fascinating and disturbing work. (…)
The MU2’s sober and compact black aluminium case, somewhat minimalist, does not seek to visually dazzle the music lover. Its treasure is inside, in the musicality obtained through a sumptuous serenity towards the musical event, maximising all criteria of faithfulness to the recording, with a differentiating extra: the abolition of all electronic barriers between the listener and the music. Without doubt one of the very best maestros of digital and analog that can be found.”
“Without doubt one of the very best maestros of digital and analog that can be found.” – Bruno Castelluzzo, Haute Fidélité, France.
