The New Kid on the Block

Doshi Audio, a relative newcomer to the high-end audio scene, put themselves squarely on the map with some extremely impressive demonstrations at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Indeed, it was hearing the Doshi electronics (phono, tape preamplifier and amplifiers) paired with Wilson Audio Sashas at a recent RMAF that prompted me to further investigate this company’s new phono section.

So what does the Doshi sound like? In a nutshell, this phono stage’s sonic signature is eerily reminiscent of the best of reel-to-reel tape. As with the best of that original high-res format, the Doshi is extremely capable of recreating wide dynamic swings, capturing that ever so important low level, subtle “inner” detail as well as dynamic accents and plumbing the lowest octaves with aplomb.

Of the Doshi’s many virtues, it’s perhaps the piece’s neutrality, transparency, openness and resolution that stand out the most. Far too often neutrality is synonymous with sterility, thinness, coldness, analytical, etc. Not in this case! Nor does the Doshi phono stage sound “solid-state” and imbue a mechanical quality or “tubey” and add a romantic quality to the music. The Doshi nimbly walks a very fine line between the two camps and if anything falls ever so slightly to the Yin side of neutrality.