“ …the Black sounded surprisingly extraordinary in the areas of palpable instrumental/vocal timbre, transparency, speed, and clarity right out of the box.”
APRIL 2, 2026
"Aki has now “trickled down” much of the Grand Master technology into one of his latest “entry-level” products—the DS003, the subject of this review. At “only” $2500 (with another $3500 for its dedicated DS003 phonostage/equalizer), it is not dirt cheap. But $6k is still a far cry from $60k. What do you get for one-tenth the money? Well…just about everything that makes the Grand Master the benchmark that it is...This is just a marvelous transducer. It will certainly be my nominee for TAS Phono Cartridge of the Year.”
- Jon Valin, The Absolute Sound
RECENT NEWS
Join Us at AXPONA 2026 APRIL 10-12th, 2026: We invite you to experience world-class analog playback at AXPONA 2026. You can schedule a private appointment or simply stop by — walk-ins are welcome. You’ll find us on the main floor in the Connection Room, Perfection Room and Knowledge Room, alongside our Chicago dealer, Quintessence Audio.
MARCH 31, 2026
Simply put, the Excel Sound team has delivered a masterpiece.
FEBRUARY 11, 2026