Review Sygnus X-2 by Henk Roefs

Henk has previously shared his experiences with the X-1, but now that he has rebuilt his system around the X-2, it was time for a review of the Sygnus X-2.

"Look for consistency across the system, not just one hero spec. Quiet systems reveal more than detail. They reveal truth." (Paul McGowan, 28-12-2025)

"Give it a few weeks to allow its qualities to unfold" Ronald Haandrikman told me as I took his latest power processor home. I took those words to heart. Over the course of those weeks (about three now), a soundstage unfolded that I had never experienced before.

How it all started

I’ve come a long way. My interest in music reproduction began in the 1970s. Back then, Walter Nowak, owner of Audio Home in Eindhoven, would conjure up one audiophile gem after another for me. A new world opened up. Walter was an incredible guide; he was on top of every development—even in those early days—visited international trade shows, and read magazines like The Absolute Sound, which at the time was an expensive, completely non-commercial, mimeographed organ without a single advertisement.

By the end of that decade, I was 28 and felt like a king with a Denon turntable and matching pre-pre (hand-picked by Walter), a Kiseki cartridge, a Bryston preamp, a Michaelson & Austin amp, and Dahlquist DQ10 speakers. I thought it could never get better than that. "Tweaks" barely existed—the word wasn't even in use yet—and the same went for cables. That was until Walter discovered that thicker speaker cables actually yielded a real improvement: Monster Cables... For me, that was the beginning of "tweaking."

Then the 90s arrived; we had children and life became busier. We enjoyed every minute, but it was disastrous for the hobby. Imagine my surprise when, at the turn of the century, I found the space to dive back in and discovered that hi-fi evolution had not stood still. Everything had begun to sound significantly better: amps, speakers, DACs, and the influence of small elements like cables and other "frills" that had been devised in the meantime. This led me to Ronald Kemp and his power distributors: heavy, rock-solid power strips. I took my first cautious steps into the world of streaming and discovered just how much the power supply mattered. From Kemp I moved to Furutech, then to Shunyata, Ansuz, and Gigawatt, eventually upgrading—via several other options—to Livecable.

The Sygnus X-1...

In the meantime, I had met Antoine, owner of Peacock Audio and a specialist in high-end power solutions. Time and again, he surprised me with minor or major interventions in the power circuit that had an unmistakable effect on playback. The same applied to ethernet cabling and the impact of switches. Occasionally, Antoine would present something he was more than usually excited about. That is how I ended up with my first Haandrikman: the Sygnus X-1. While I had been very content with my Livecable Signature up to that point, the Sygnus surpassed it by a wide margin. I’ve written about it before: so much more air, space, imaging, depth, height, and finesse in vocal reproduction, combined with a dry, controlled "push" in the low end. It wasn't just an add-on; it was a serious component.

Disaster followed by a new begin

Disaster struck in May 2024. A fire destroyed our entire interior, including my system. It was a desolate sight, like a battlefield: the Ansuz switch, the Sygnus, the Mola Mola DAC/amp, the Grimm streamer, and the Diptyque speakers, the cables... everything lay charred and smoldering. A painful sight. The restoration of our home took much longer than anticipated, but by early November, we were finally back. A month later, my new system was up and running. Again a Grimm streamer, two Dutch & Dutch 8c’s—I never expected to end up there, but heavens, they are good—an Ansuz switch, and yes: a new Haandrikman. Ronald’s latest offspring, the Sygnus X-2.

The Sygnus X-2...

In terms of specs, this one offers so much more: galvanic isolation, balanced power outputs, input and output filters, a ground conditioner, dedicated grounding, and as the icing on the cake, an ethernet isolator (the latter handily saved me the purchase of an ENO Muon). Specs are great, but these days I only let myself be convinced by what the Sygnus actually contributes to the sound quality. Because honestly, I thought: "Can it really get any better than version 1?"

During the first listening sessions, I had my doubts. It sounded a bit analytical, bordering on "raw" with high female vocals, a bit angular too, and the low end remained somewhat tame. But every time I played music after that, those "rough patches" disappeared. Although I had initially taken Ronald’s advice to take my time and let the beast "burn in" with a grain of salt, I now have to admit he was absolutely right. It has never sounded this generous, so engaging, so spacious, so well-imaged, and so tangible.

To make sure I wasn't attributing the improvement to the other components, I took the Sygnus out of the chain and connected the rest of the system directly to the wall outlet. It was as if a balloon had been deflated; the life vanished from the music. The A-B comparison made it crystal clear: the Sygnus X-2 is a superior—read: essential—component. And I haven't even mentioned the grounding options, the adjustable filters, the integrated protection... or the Haandrikman Nexum HQ power and ground cables that take the performance to an even higher level. You are truly bringing something special into your home with the X-2.

In short: highly recommended for the serious high-end listener.

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