See all of our reviews in the Press Room
September 2024:
We are proud to announce that our new Rhumba Extreme 1.4 is the *only tube preamp* to have won EnjoyTheMusic’s Blue Note Award this year. See details on their review of this preamplifier below:
July 2024:
Click here to read EnjoyTheMusic’s excellent review of the Rhumba Extreme tube preamp:
- “The Rhumba Extreme has brought my system to a new peak of performance, in terms of sound quality, emotional involvement, and enjoyment of the music.”
- “…the most impressive and emotionally inviting audition I’ve ever had with [the Fourth Movement of Mahler’s First Symphony], becoming more three-dimensional, layered, dynamic and with more tonal color and sense of presence than ever before.“
Read the full review here!
Copyright © Enjoy the Music.com
January 2014:
We are now selling the “1.4” series of our linestage preamplifiers.
- The Rhumba 1.4 is $5,000.
- The Rhumba Extreme 1.4 is $8,500.
- The Rhythm 1.4 is $12,900.
Each one, surpassing the previous 1.3. Sound quality, even more “silky” and rich.
Soundstage, expanded.
Dynamic accuracy, already the hallmark of our brand, improved.
Call one of our dealers (or call us directly). Let us hear about your system, and we can answer any questions you might have.
(If you already have a Backert Labs preamp, ask about upgrading it toward the 1.4.)
Improvements in the 1.4 series, vs. the previous 1.3 series:
- Improved circuits in the power supply and gain stage
- Better stock tubes: now using American-made tubes from the early 1960s (still 12au7’s or equivalents)
- Higher-quality capacitors used in the filament sections of the power supply
- For the Rhythm and Rhumba Extreme, higher-quality capacitors used in the regulator section of the power supply
- For the Rhythm and Rhumba Extreme, an all-brass bottom panel that provides more holographic and natural sound quality (and is heavier)
- All models: now with 2 fully balanced XLR input and output pairs (still include 3 RCA inputs, and 2 RCA output pairs)
- For the Rhythm and Rhumba Extreme, the substantial “Gaia” feet from IsoAcoustics
- An entirely new circuit board, with a design that improves grounding and channel separation
Whew!
2023:
We are grateful that Mr. Wood has allowed us to quote his thoughts in our latest ad, shown here.
There was no expectation of an endorsement – Mr. Wood called us as any other customer does and paid for his Rhumba Extreme in full. Later, he bought a Rhythm.
January 2023:
Nice! “Analog Product of the Year” from TONEaudio magazine for our Rhumba Xphono phono preamp. Check out TONE’s story here
October 2022:
A wonderful review of our phono preamp, the Rhumba Xphono, in TONEaudio magazine, here (page 60)
August 2022:
A very nice review of the Rhumba Extreme 1.3 in Part-Time Audiophile, here
Summer 2022:
Check out this “preview of the review” from Part-Time Audiophile, here
Fall 2021:
For our blue and red body colors, available on the Rhumba, Rhumba Extreme, and the Xphono:
- Red or blue body color option: $300
Spring 2021:
Check out Steve Guttenberg’s fantastic review of the Rhumba linestage preamp — click here
Fall 2020:
TONEaudio gave the Rhumba 1.3 an incredible review – read here
Wow:
Our first phono preamplifier! MC and MM… multiple gain settings… 15 different MC loading options… and two power supplies?? Learn more about Bob Backert’s latest innovation here
Fall 2019:
Enjoy the Music.com has just rewarded our Rhumba 1.3 Extreme with an excellent review, here. A sample:
“The Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme is priced on the low end of the high end, while being a formidable opponent to any pre at any price. As an added benefit, the extremely low output impedance lets the Rhumba be paired with amplifiers that other preamps my struggle to drive.
In my humble experience, the Rhumba Extreme is a serious contender if you are looking for a top notch preamplifier that has a neutral presentation, excels in macro and micro dynamics and gets the harmonics of delicate music right. They seem to get everything right, while not having to take out a second mortgage on your home. If you are looking to bring new life into your system by upgrading your preamp, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t have the Rhumba Extreme on your shortlist.”
2019:
We appeared at the Florida Audio Expo!
Enjoy The Music.com raved here: “Laid out before my ears was a glorious soundscape. Vocals were glorious, harmonious, and clean …. Backert Labs has figured out how to use hardly any capacitance to generate the power supply in their preamps, employing just two tiny 0.33uF capacitors. From personal experience designing and building audio gear, plus power supplies for car audio, I wholeheartedly agree on the smaller versus bigger caps approach but nobody has been able to use this few tiny caps before.”
Part Time Audiophile was also impressed: “Backert Labs focuses on Rhythm and Dynamics. … The newly designed and patented power supply uses very low capacitance, just the opposite from convention, but their design sounds better this way….”
A full write-up of our appearance at the show appeared in Part Time Audiophile here.
What a great show, with the nicest, coolest music-loving people in attendance!
See what everybody’s saying about us by visiting the Press Room.