Innholdsfortegnelse for Yearbook 2017 i Hi-Fi Choice

Despite the fact that Gold Note is not an especially large company, every part of the Valore 425 Plus is a bespoke design. It ships with the company’s own 9in B5 tonearm, which has captive bearings for both the horizontal and vertical movements. The armtube looks like a one-piece design, but the headshell is separate from the tube and is secured via a small grub screw on the side. This makes for easy azimuth adjustment and once secured, feels very solid. The cartridge is the Vasari Gold (£369). Built in-house, the Gold is the higher spec of two moving-magnet models with the more affordable Red (£206) having a simpler stylus profile. Perhaps the most interesting part of the design is the power supply. This is in a separate chassis and…

On the face of it, the similarities between the Planar 6 and the more affordable models in Rega’s range look to outweigh the differences, but rest assured that the £998 (without cartridge) Planar 6 is more than a beefed-up version of the Planar 3. It’s still an unsuspended, belt-driven design with a single-piece plinth instead of the distinctive two-piece design of the RP8 and RP10 flagship decks. This plinth is rather different from anything Rega has produced before and is constructed from a polyurethane foam called Tan-Cast 8, which is an extremely lightweight and rigid material. The foam is then sandwiched between a High Pressure Laminate, which Rega says is exceptionally thin but increases the plinth’s stiffness and rigidity. It’s finished in matt grey with high-gloss polymer black-edge trim. This…

Positioned at the entry point of VPI’s Prime turntable range, the Scout is a collaboration of components and design practises from the costlier Prime model and the outgoing Scout range. The Prime influence is most immediately visible in the plinth design, which is a piece of vinyl-coated MDF bonded to a sheet of 12-gauge steel. Underneath, four hefty feet help to provide a reasonable degree of isolation. The platter and tonearm are much more in keeping with the Scout. The platter is made from 35mm-thick 6061-specification aluminium and the tonearm is 9in long and is a true unipivot and might be seen to be one of the purest examples of the breed. Sound quality There is a sense of the considerable mass inherent in the design with everything that you…

Like all Audiofilia’s speakers the AF-S2 has a cabinet crafted in ‘harmonic wood’ to behave more like a musical instrument and ‘sing along’ with the drivers in defiance of conventional enclosure theory. And if that sounds familiar, it’s because British speaker specialist Russell K, believes much the same thing. Indeed, Russell K’s smaller standmount, the Red 50 (see p59) is so convincing, it’s been my reference £1k standmount ever since I tested it (HFC 422). At £2,250, the AF-S2 is a little larger, sports a ribbon tweeter and is much more expensive. It should be an enlightening comparison all the same. Morel supplies the 152mm mid/bass driver and Fountek the 38mm ribbon tweeter. Both are good-looking units, which is just as well as there are no grilles to hide them.…

Apart from flipping the distinctive bass-abovetreble driver configuration of the now superseded Contour S series 180° – so the tweeter’s back on top – the new Contour range looks conservative by the standards of its immediate predecessors. In fact, nothing has been carried over from the old Contour S series, but cannily Dynaudio’s best tweeter – the 28mm Esotar2-coated fabric soft dome – has been pinched from the Confidence and Evidence high-enders and partnered with the ‘18W55’ 180mm Finite Element Method (FEM) optimised main driver. The lightweight aluminium voice coil has a large 30mm centre vent and a 24 percent taller winding, claimed to give 70 percent greater excursion than the voice coil used in previous models. Sound quality I remember heaving the even larger and heavier KEF Reference 1…

AFTER A QUIET few years, Mission is back with its entry-level LX series. The LX-2 is the larger of two standmounts in the range and features a 130mm mid/bass driver. Key to its performance is a powerful ferrite magnet that provides a long and controlled throw. This is partnered with a 25mm micro-fibre tweeter. Extensive measurements have been taken to check the cabinet for unwanted vibrations, resulting in bracing applied at exactly the right points. The theory is that while the components it is made from are normal enough, the engineering practises and production tolerances are what really makes the difference. Sound quality This is comfortably one of the most sensitive speakers we’ve seen in some time and it requires a lower setting than most to hit the test level.…

RUSSELL KAUFFMAN’S RADICAL solution to a problem many were inclined to regard as an acceptable compromise was initially exposed by its Red 100 standmount, and the scepticism that ensued is understandable. In a nutshell, Kauffman posited that instead of regarding a speaker cabinet chiefly as a necessary inconvenience to hold the drive units in place, it could actually be a synergistic component in the system, effectively singing along with the drivers, starting and stopping precisely when they do. Consequently, the Red 50 has no fluffy internal damping. Instead, its thin-walled cabinet vibrates and breathes in time with the main driver, working with it rather than against it and shedding distortion as a result. A bracing shelf with multiple apertures mounted just above the 130mm doped paper mid/ bass driver is…

When Chord’s first Hugo portable DAC/headphone amplifier was launched at CES in January 2014, I instantly knew it was special – it looked, sounded and worked like nothing else, and was so good that many bought it to use as their main domestic digital converter, rather than a mere travelling accessory. That’s not to say it was perfect. Enthusiastic early adopters soon got to know its foibles, but it sounded so superb that we learned to live with them. Much as I loved it, the original Hugo had some niggles. The socketry was my main criticism; it was less rugged than was ideal, and I found Bluetooth connectivity a bit flaky. Also, it was incredibly fiddly to use, with all the pressing of tiny buttons needed; user-friendly it was not.…

Hegel imagines a highly connected future where the Röst seamlessly fits into a smart home, fully controlled by a phone or tablet. Digital signal processing maxes out at 24-bit/192kHz via coaxial, optical and network connections with the USB input able to handle 24-bit/96kHz files. DSD fans may be disappointed, but this specification covers the vast majority of listening habits. Power output, meanwhile, is quoted at 2x 75W into 8ohm. Sound quality Playing Broken Promise by Scroobius Pip on CD via an analogue input reveals many virtues. The plaintive opening notes ring clear and true and are accurately surrounded by a light haze of recorded static as the deep reverb of fingers sliding over guitar strings describes an inky black and notably deep soundscape. Pip’s voice enters centre stage front with…

With a cutting-edge 32-bit/ 768kHz AKM DAC on board, digital connectivity here includes DSD-capable PC-USB (32-bit/384kHz) and a front panel USB port. Bluetooth aptX is supported and the two coaxial (RCA) digital inputs are mirrored by optical ports capable of handling up to 24-bit/192kHz streaming. With little interest in opting for Class D output modules and no great show of enthusiasm from Rotel to change its mind any time soon, its linear Class AB amplification all the way here along with the shortest circuit paths possible in order to minimise spurious emissions and unwanted leakages that could corrupt those delicate signals. The output stage uses discrete devices and draws from a robust power supply based on a custom designed over-sized toroidal transformer to deliver a claimed 120W per channel into…

IN ITS LATEST 60W-per-channel 5si incarnation, the Nait boasts a 10W power boost thanks to a larger toroidal transformer and a beefier power supply. The main circuit board and wiring loom take cues from the DAC-V1, while components in the power amp stage and all the signal capacitors have seen an upgrade too. For arrestingly stark, clean industrial design, the Nait takes the biscuit, so that it also manages to look quite cute is something of a triumph. Facilities are pretty basic, with four line-level inputs (those marked CD and Tuner giving a choice of RCA socket or Naim’s favoured DIN connection). Sound quality It’s almost uncanny the way the Nait 5si instantly makes you think more about the music and less about the recording. Although its presentation is amply…

From the entry-level end of the Emotiva catalogue, the BasX PT-100 preamp incorporates an FM tuner, a full complement of line-level analogue inputs, a built-in USB DAC with multiple digital inputs, MM/MC phono stage and provision for an aptX Bluetooth module (£60). Equipped with an oversized toroidal transformer, the BasX A-300 power amplifier claims 2x 150W into 8ohm (2x 300W into 4ohm), draws on a heavy-duty linear power supply and high current, short signal path, Class A/B output stage, with advanced, microprocessor-controlled monitoring and protection circuitry. It’s built around a substantial steel chassis and, like the PT-100 preamplifier, has a solid milled aluminium front plate So that’s £928 for a muscular pre-power combo that claims to challenge the sonic chops of kit many multiples its price. And it’s imported from…

Dedicated CD players seem to be an increasingly rare breed, yet Metronome Technologie bucks this trend. Le Player 2 is a new entry-level model with a front-loading Philips GyrFalcon 8 mechanism. The rear hosts an IEC power socket, balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs as well as a S/PDIF digital output should you wish to process the zeros and ones elsewhere. There is also a USB input enabling you to access the onboard DAC, once selected by a source switch on the front. The DAC utilises a well-regarded Asahi Microdevices converter chipset that handles USB sources up to 24-bit/192kHz. Sound quality Playing Die Young by Sylvan Esso, Amelia Meath’s opening vocals have real presence, sounding intimate and highly detailed, yet warm and very human. Many players can do either, but…

Averitable Swiss army knife for media, the UDP-205 will handle everything from legacy multi-channel discs to hi-res audio files. In addition to UHD and regular Blu-ray support, it’ll spin DVD-Audio and SACD, CD and DVD. And when you’re not feeling physical, it can also function as a high-quality network streamer, compatible with all key file formats. It also has a rather fine integrated DAC, offers balanced and unbalanced stereo outputs and there’s even a decent headphone amp. There’s an asynchronous USB-B input that accepts sample rates up to 768kHz PCM and DSD512, plus optical and coaxial digital in/outs. Dual-band wi-fiis standard and there’s Ethernet for a (more reliable) wired LAN connection. Sound quality Sonically, the UDP-205 is incredibly articulate; it has a precise, crystalline quality that brings detail to the…

Built around a Class D power amp derived from the ones used in the Elements series, the Quasar claims a fairly healthy 180W of power into 8ohm. There is a useful selection of analogue inputs including: three RCA line inputs, an XLR stereo input and a preout. Partnering these are seven digital inputs: three coaxial, three optical and a USB-B port that comes supplied with the required software for Windows operation and makes use of Leema’s own M1 USB module. There’s a UPnP streaming module that supports sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz via wired and wireless connections along with native support for Tidal and Spotify Connect plus aptX-capable Bluetooth. Sound quality Connected via USB, the Quasar tackles a 16/44.1 download of Lloyd Miller and the Heliocentrics with effortless musicality. If…

FOR ITS FIRST dedicated streamer, Arcam has opted for a slightly different approach, and the rPlay is built around the DTS PlayFi streaming platform. As well as 24/192 support, it offers native integration with Tidal, Napster, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer and Spotify Connect along with internet radio services. Any PlayFi product will talk to another via a DTSdeveloped app that works on iOS, Android and Windows devices. Sound quality The 16/44.1 download of Boy King by Wild Beasts has a refinement and civility to it that ensures that it comes across as both smooth and well presented. This hasn’t been bought at the expense of the rPlay’s ability to sound exciting, though. The visceral assault of Wild Beast’s He The Colossus is relayed with a real sense of attack and life…

DESCRIBED AS A MusicCast adapter, the WXAD-10 can be attached to any device with a line input so that it can access the same central server of music as any other MusicCast component and it will appear as a selectable room within the app. Additionally, you get AirPlay, Bluetooth and internet radio plus the ability to hook up to other MusicCast hubs on the same network. There’s the choice of a wired or wireless network connection, RCA analogue output and auxiliary jack, but no digital output and there is no way of varying the output level – so the group volume option on the MusicCast app won’t work. Sound quality Listening to the 16/44.1 rip of Yello’s Baby sounds refined and controlled but not to the point where it appears…

AS ARCAM’S FIRST full-size headphone amplifier is singularly focused on sound, features take a back seat. The minimalist fascia offers a choice of 3.5mm or 6.35mm sockets, while round the back, you’re given both RCA phono inputs and balanced XLRs, plus a power socket and master switch; the unit is powered by an external wall-wart type power supply. Inside its compact box, you’ll find a full Class A headphone driver section. Meanwhile, the volume control is an ultra-linear analogue resistive ladder device, said to minimise tracking errors. Sound quality The rHead is very neutral sounding and doesn’t interfere with the signal it has to work with, nor does it show any fear of the headphones it is asked to drive. Strong, fast, detailed and dynamic, whether using Oppo’s £1,099 PM-1…

FITTING COMFORTABLY INTO the palm of the hand, the compact uDAC5 headphone amplifier/DAC will handle most audio formats available to the highest possible resolutions. Designed to be equally at home on the move or as part of a home system, it is able to process the highest PCM sample rate of 384kHz. The circuitry offers twice the power of its predecessor and is specified as providing 2.0Vrms into a 4.7ohm headphone load, thus giving a power output of 850mW RMS. So, can something this small really deliver on sound quality? Sound quality I plug in my Sennheiser HD600 (HFC 300) headphones and throw the uDAC5 in at the deep end with a DSD256 file of the Allegro from Mozart’s Violin Concerto in D major. The sound is full and spacious…

From the moment Rega revived its Planar name with the introduction of the Planar 1, Planar 2 (HFC 415) and Planar 3 (HFC 411) turntables in 2016, it was just a matter of time before an RP6 successor would become a reality. Rumours had been circulating for some time after the Planar 3 debuted well over a year ago, and anticipation was finally broken with the official announcement of the release of the new Planar 6 in mid-July. The good news is that it was well worth the wait. So much more than just a beefed-up version of its Planar 3 sibling, the Planar 6 boasts a new lightweight, single-piece plinth, improved two-piece platter and superior power supply design that borrows from Rega’s flagship RP10 turntable. The Neo PSU (right)…

I loved it when compact disc was invented. So keen was I to be the early adopter with the sharpest elbows and the coolest kit, I got a friend who lived in Tokyo to airmail me a Sony D50 Discman as soon it hit Ginza’s audio stores. Back then I wasn’t so much concerned it didn’t sound as good as vinyl played on a half-decent turntable. I had one of those and reasoned that so long as I didn’t jettison my entire record collection in a moment of binary thinking, I couldn’t possibly be any worse off for embracing CD with open arms and looking forward to how it might evolve over the coming decades. It was a journey I had to take. Some 33 years and many thousands of…

There is often something almost ritualistic about choosing and assembling the components for a hi-fisystem. I make no secret of admitting that I love the whole business – the on-the-fly calculations of what is likely to work best with what and, through careful matching, achieving something that is greater than the sum of its parts. For many people, though, this is a process that sounds both needlessly complex and thoroughly undesirable. So how might you avoid it altogether? A good way to start would be to consider a pair of speakers that are the result of careful engineering, rigorous attention to detail and that feature the sort of design aesthetic that is just as at home in the drawing room of a listed building as they are sat in a…

European Audio Team has been going for a number of years now, initially with the manufacture of high-quality vacuum tubes, before moving on to high-end turntables such as the mighty Forte a decade or so ago. Run by Jozefína Krahulcová, it shares Pro-Ject’s manufacturing facilities but has never set out to make budget turntables, unlike its sister company. Indeed, a spokesman describes the relationship as being like that of Volkswagen and Porsche – Pro-Ject being a high-quality mid-market brand delivering high sales volume, whereas EAT delivers premium-level, high-end products. All well and good then, so why has the latter just announced a starter turntable that costs ‘just’ £1,298 including dustcover and EAT’s 9in B-Note tonearm? There’s also the option, as reviewed here, of the ready-to-play Super Pack, which includes a…

An unsuspended, beltdriven design, the Essential III A is beefed up by a number of significant additions that were aftermarket extras for its forerunner. The most noticeable of these is the Acryl-IT E platter in place of the MDF one that was supplied with the Essential II. Less obvious, but no less significant, is the move from an Ortofon OM5 moving-magnet cartridge to the higher-spec OM10. Furthermore, an internal ground link for the motor simplifies the connections to the amp, and aims to reduce overall noise. The motor driving the platter remains unchanged and is the same single-speed unit with 33 and 45rpm selected by moving the belt position on the pulley. The other big carry over is the 8.6in tonearm, which is one of the more venerable parts of…

Apart from the obvious cosmetic differences, the silver SL-1200GR and black SL-1210GR are essentially the same, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll refer to the SL-1200GR for the remainder of the review – what we say applies to both models. At less than half the price of the flagship SL-1200G (overleaf), they look intriguingly similar. So where have the savings been made? The motor assembly uses the same design principle as the SL-1200G, but here a single rotor (as opposed to two) is used to reduce the torque. The speed control is via a generator coil system instead of an optical sender. The power supply is a switch mode unit, which helps reduce vibration. The platter has also been simplified. Instead of the sandwich of aluminium and brass the…

It’s surprising it’s taken the AE1 so long to go active, given the pro sector’s penchant for monitors that can be driven directly from the desk, but it seems Acoustic Energy could no longer ignore the sea change in the domestic audio market and the popularity of DACs incorporating high-quality preamps that make them ideal, space efficient, partners for a pair of fully active speakers. Acoustic Energy already has some experience in the self-powered field with its Aego sub/sat system, but the AE1 Active adheres to the classic analogue implementation – a two-way standmount toting 2x 50+50W of built-in Class AB amplification and a fully active dividing network. The Active teams a 125mm ‘pure piston ceramic’ aluminium coned mid/bass drive unit with a slightly larger than normal 27mm aluminium dome…

In 2006 B&W introduced the original CM1 as an upgrade to its 600 series, then updated it in 2014 – whereas the new 700 Series is being presented more as a trickle-down of the 800 series. Now stop there, is the Worthing-based company saying that a range that starts at £799 (for the small 707 standmount) can be mentioned in the same breath as the mighty 800 Diamond? Well, not exactly – but the point is that rather than souping up entry-level designs, the 700 range is more about trying to apply high-end engineering in a more affordable form. The 705 S2 tested here is the £1,799 replacement for the CM6 S2 (which sold for £1,499). The new speaker is a considerable advance in design, technology and performance over its…

Originally debuting in 1991, the Q Series has now reached its eighth iteration and since the retiring of its entry-level Coda models, now forms the starting point for KEF ownership. The Q350 replaces the Q300 and like the older speaker, makes use of a single 165mm Uni-Q driver. This incorporates the tweeter into the throat of the mid/ bass driver. The tweeter is a 25mm aluminium unit and benefits from a Damped Tweeter Loading Tube intended to help its crossover to the main driver and a new inductor in the crossover assembly to reduce effects of distortion at lower frequencies. These lower frequencies are further aided by revisions to the bass port. Sound quality Connected to a Naim Supernait 2 and Naim ND5 XS streamer (HFC 352) with XP5 XS…

Originally developed to replace PMC’s twenty series, the anniversary twenty5 follow up became a range in its own right and boasts some new elements. At first glance, the twenty5.21 is a familiar PMC standmount design with a soft dome tweeter partnering a 140mm mid/ bass driver and folded transmission line bass loading. After this, though, the changes are significant. For the first time, PMC has moved its mid/bass driver material to a stiffer glass fibre weave to improve frequency handling. Meanwhile, the tweeter is produced by Norwegian company SEAS, and features a new 3D-modelled grille that has been designed to allow for optimum dispersion. The bass loading uses Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) Laminar technology, which sports careful tuning, construction and material to increase airflow efficiency Sound quality This is unmistakably…

THE 11.1’S KEVLAR weave-coned mid-bass driver features a ribbed basket for extra rigidity and a large ceramic magnet assembly in order to improve sensitivity and bass control. A new lightweight foam surround, in conjunction with a long-throw voice coil motor system, is claimed to deliver “unparalleled linearity and accuracy” for a speaker in this price bracket. Also more common in much pricier designs, the tweeter uses an over-sized ceramic magnet system with copper cap for flux control and has a vented pole piece and rear chamber, damped with a fibre filling. Sound quality Lifting the Diamond 11.1 on to my Slate Audio stands, two things impress: an unexpected weight and solidity to the build and a super standard of finish. I know that I probably shouldn’t, but it’s the kind…

There is an increasing number of DACs on the market that go beyond what might be expected of a conventional converter. Few companies have taken this as far as Auralic. Its Altair is described as a wireless streaming DAC, and this only scratches the surface of what this smart unit is really capable of. Equipped with the same streaming hardware that is fitted to a number of its other products, it has the ability to access a music library stored on something like a Melco N1A2 NAS drive (p99) via the USB port or the network connectivity. It makes use of the same Lightning DS control app as the rest of Auralic family of streaming components. Native support for Tidal and Qobuz is supplied along with internet radio services and…

IN DENON-SPEAK ‘PMA’ stands for ‘pre-main amplifier’, informing us that the PMA-1600NE combines a preamp, DAC capable of 32-bit/ 384kHz and DSD256 with 140W per channel (into 4ohm) in one chassis. Vinyl fans are catered for with a built-in phono stage that can handle moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. Line-level inputs are also provided, along with by-passable tone controls. Build is rock solid. Sound quality The built-in DAC is remarkably consistent across all the digital inputs. Sara Bareilles’ exquisite I Can Let Go Now is lushly detailed, beguiling, musical and emotionally replete. Plug in a Chord Hugo DAC and switch off the amp’s digital circuitry, and it can almost bring you to tears. Things get better still, especially if you prioritise pace, flow and rhythmic integrity. The built-in DAC’s overarching sweetness…

Essentially Simaudio’s highly regarded Nēo Ace streaming integrated amp minus the streaming bit, the 240i quotes a modest 50 Class A/B Watts per channel. Lacking streaming it may be, but this is still a sophisticated product with the high standards of design, engineering and build associated with the brand. The 240i’s asynchronous DAC supports hi-res files up to 32-bit/ 384kHz and DSD256. The usual input playback hierarchy has to be considered, though: DSD and 32-bit files through the amp’s USB Type-B port, 16 and 24-bit files through the amp’s four additional digital inputs, evenly split between coaxial and optical. The coaxials are good for up to 192kHz, while the Toslink optical inputs don’t allow anything above 96kHz. That said, all digital bases are covered including, of course, streaming. Moon makes…

BILLED AS A hybrid of the smaller Brio-R (p77) and more powerful Elicit-R (HFC 374), what the Elex-R lacks in aesthetic subtlety it more than compensates for in the sheer sturdiness of its casework, which according to Rega is one of the reasons it sounds the way it does. It’s rated at 90W per channel into 6ohm (72W into 8ohm) and there’s nothing out of the ordinary about its complement of four line-level inputs or the inclusion of a moving-magnet phono stage and pre-out. Sound quality Some amplifiers peak in particular ways while others make a virtue of their even temperament and all-round facility. The Elex-R doesn’t fit into either category for one simple reason: musically, it’s untouchable. It may not go the loudest or have the deepest bass or…

Effectively a DAC/preamp with a Wolfson WM8742 DAC chip, the XM7 is serviced by two coaxial and two optical inputs, plus a Class 2 USB. This gives up to 24-bit/192kHz compatibility via the S/PDIFs, and 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD64 via the asynchronous USB. Then there are two analogue line-level inputs, plus a moving-magnet phono stage. In addition to the two sets of variable preamp outputs, there’s a headphone stage with switchable 6.35mm and 3.5mm sockets. The two XM9 mono power amps put out a claimed 80W RMS each into 8ohm. It’s a small box, but feels very solid – there’s not much open air inside. It can work in either balanced or unbalanced mode, but you have to swap an internal link in order to switch between the two. Bi-wire…

DESIGNED AS A natural partner to the RA-1572 integrated amp (p73), this deck is solidly built, well specified and incorporates all the refinements and evolved circuitry Rotel has accumulated in pursuit of ever-finer sound quality over the three decades since CD debuted. Taking care of the digital-toanalogue heavy lifting is Wolfson’s stalwart high-performance WM8740 24-bit/192kHz chip. It also has a coaxial digital output to enable it to hand over decoding duties to an external DAC, should you wish. Sound quality Randy Newman’s Dark Matter reveals an immediate sense of scale, authority, energy and clarity – not just in hi-fiterms but musical connection and impact. Newman’s emotionally loaded croaking really hits the spot. This is a fabulously well-recorded album with a broad spectrum of instrument timbres and tonal shadings to cushion…

Taking the CD ripping, data storage and streaming abilities, and ditching the amplification and in-built DAC of its X40 (HFC 399), Novafidelity’s X50 is a pure digital transport that majors entirely on the quality convergence of digital signal handling, storage and access. In this respect, it can be seen as a digital hub for those that already have their amplifier and DAC needs in hand, but are seeking extra digital convenience. Around the back are inputs for Gigafast Ethernet, DAB/FM aerial and 2x USB Type-A 3.0 inputs, while digital outputs include a shielded USB Type-A 2.0, alongside 2x coaxial, 1x optical, 1x AES/EBU and twin I²S outputs (HDMI and RJ45). Twin bays host digital storage options up to 12TB via HDD or SSD storage up to 1TB, with the option…

Taking a different approach to the business of music streaming and receiving streaming content, the Encore 225 employs an Ethernet port to provide access to a network that can be controlled via an app. So far, so normal, but after this things work in a slightly different way. At the time of review, the Ethernet connection couldn’t support NAS drives – this has now been overcome in a recent software update. It’s fitted with a 1TB internal hard drive, which you can add playback content to in two ways. Pop a CD into the slotloading mechanism on the front and it will look up the content and rip it to the internal drive. If you already have content that you’ve ripped, tagged and stored as music files elsewhere, you can…

AS THE MOST affordable of Auralic’s streaming products, the Aries Mini has some features that are unusual at the price. Built around an ESS SABRE DAC, it offers 32-bit/384kHz capability and the ability to handle up to DSD256 music files. A pair of RCA outputs deliver a line-level signal, while the coaxial digital output allows you to connect it to a suitable DAC and a USB-A connection enables driverless hookup to a USB DAC. As well as its audio decoding hardware, the Aries Mini is fitted with a quad-core ARM Coretex-A9 processor with 512MB of RAM. On the underside of the chassis there’s a small removable panel that hides a bay that will accept 2.5in hard drives. Fitting one is simple and once done you have a server rather than…

At its heart, the N1A/2 is still a Linux-based NAS drive, but Melco has been hard at work ensuring that it is easier to use and live with than the N1A (HFC 397). As well as offering Ethernet connectivity in the manner of a conventional networkattached storage drive, it is fitted with a USB output that will interface directly with almost any USB DAC without the need for external drivers. Control of the content can be made via the front panel and display, so if you have a distrust of network hardware, you can bypass it altogether. Meanwhile, changes to the hardware see an increase in capacity to 6TB split across two drives. These are of the rotary variety rather than the en vogue solid-state units. If this isn’t enough,…

FOR A PENNY under £100, you get an earphone with a pair of balanced armatures partnered with a single dynamic driver to provide low-end extension. The enclosure takes the form of a tapered cylinder with a port exiting at an angle from the front to which the dome is attached. The angle that the port leaves the housing directs the drum forwards in the ear. 1More supplies six sizes of rubber dome, a decent carry case, airline adapter and a cable clip. For an extra £50 the cable comes equipped with a Lightning attachment for use with Apple devices. Sound quality Key to the success is that the integration between the three drivers is extremely well handled. No information is given about the distribution of frequencies between them, but it…

AS THE FOURTH addition to the M-DAC family, the Mini is built around the ubiquitous ESS Sabre DAC – in this case the ES9018K2M, which grants it decoding abilities in keeping with what we’ve come to expect from a DAC. The USB port supports PCM up to 384kHz and DSD256, while the digital input connections are capable of handling signals up to 24-bit/192kHz. Additional connections take the form of a single coaxial and Toslink input as well as aptX Bluetooth for wireless connectivity. One interesting addition is a USB-A port that allows the Mini to charge a portable device. More unusually, you get a digital coaxial and optical output, too. The M-DAC Mini can operate both as a DAC/preamp and a headphone amplifier. The internal battery claims seven hours of…

Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway CD Nonesuch TALL AND DARK skinned with classically sculpted cheekbones, Rhiannon Giddens’ training as an opera singer perhaps make her an unlikely figure as the new diva of Americana. Yet in recent years she has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary roots music. As the fiddler, banjo player and singer with the Carolina Chocolate Drops she won a Grammy for the old-time acoustic folk, blues, country and vaudeville delights of the group’s 2010 album Genuine Negro Jig. Away from the Chocolate Drops she has recorded with Elvis Costello and Marcus Mumford and her 2015 solo debut (Tomorrow Is My Turn) – on which she paid homage to songs made famous by the likes of Patsy Cline, Odetta, Dolly Parton and Nina Simone –…

The usually tranquil Scandinavian nation of Norway made global headlines in mid-January following its government's decision to phase out FM radio broadcasting and move exclusively to digital-only DAB+ services. The controversial decision taken by the nation's politicians saw the first switch-off of the FM transmitters start in the Northern city of Bodø on 11 January, with the complete FM network ceasing to broadcast by the time you read these words. It is the first county to do so in the world and has antagonised Norwegian citizens who are unhappy at the decision. But is this mere nostalgia for those that miss the white noise or are there more serious issues afoot? The North European country, which is perhaps better known for its natural attractions including fjords, mountains, Northern lights (aurora…

Back in the nineties, I used to liken being a vinyl junkie to voting Liberal Democrat. This was long before the days of the coalition government of course, during that long period in British history when being a Lib Dem meant that – whatever else happened – there was absolutely no chance of your side ever taking power. For most of the past 30 years or so, being an analogue addict has been the same. It conferred upon one a sense of moral superiority, safe in the knowledge that your cause could never become mainstream again. Life for a vinylista was about lecturing others on the joys of black plastic, and sniping at those that liked their silver discs – which you would argue were inauthentic and not as good…

A while back I was lucky enough to enjoy a demonstration of Gamut’s range-topping Zodiac loudspeaker at Stone Audio’s glorious showroom near Poole. These limited edition speakers are lovingly crafted in Denmark at the qualitative tempo of just one pair a month. With only 12 pairs a year, each set is discretely marked with its corresponding astrological birth sign – my birthday is late August and I promise to look surprised. This astrological system makes one wonder if the Libra pair sounds particularly well balanced, the Gemini speakers are absolutely identical or whether the Virgo speakers need a longer run in... And while £100k a pair sounds suitably high end, I’ve encountered many ‘uber’ products that cost far more. Furthermore, that price does include Gamut’s CEO and chief designer, Benno…

Compared with many evolving categories of consumer tech, it is easy to overlook two-channel audio in terms of technical development, and consider that the fundamentals are all in place and all that is left for manufacturers to do is to tweak the fine details. This Beautiful System will hopefully go some way to disabuse this notion. The functions of the equipment it comprises are roughly conventional, but after that any idea of conformity goes flying straight out the window. Take the KEF Blade Two. This isn’t simply a conventional speaker wearing a sharp suit, but a complete root and branch revision of how a speaker should function. The bulk of the technical innovation has been discussed in our Exotica review in HFC 420 (and on p30), but the vital idea…

Taking the design of its Omega 100 RIAA BT (HFC 415) a step further, Elipson’s Carbon Black has a carbon fibre top plate. This has been added to increase the rigidity of the deck and reduce any chance of flex between the main bearing and the mounting point for the tonearm. Additional changes relate to the tonearm. The original Omega launched without any form of arm lift – this oversight has now been righted. The mechanical parts of the lift are made from aluminium and finished to a very high standard. Finally, the cartridge has been upgraded from the Ortofon OM10 to an Ortofon 2M Red (HFC 345) moving-magnet. As denoted by the RIAA BT suffix, the deck is fitted with a phono stage that can handle moving-magnet and moving-coil…

Combining elements from two of Pro-Ject’s existing entry-level designs – the Elemental and Essential II – the Primary Phono USB borrows the same 8.6in aluminium tonearm from the Elemental, uses sapphire bearings and comes pre-fitted with Ortofon’s OM5E cartridge. This means that there is no need to set the tracking force or anti-skate adjustment. The platter is spun by the same perimeter belt-drive type found on the Elemental, and is driven by a low-vibration synchronous motor that is controlled by a built-in regulator to provide good speed stability. The acoustically neutral MDF plinth and platter are borrowed from the Essential II and a phono stage is built in. Sound quality With a superb Decca recording of Khachaturian’s Spartacus, the performance is big and full with the drums providing plenty of…

If you want to know why Technics stopped making the SL-1200 nearly a decade ago, blame the bankers. According to Tetsuya Itani, the company’s chief technical officer, it was the global recession that was the final nail in the coffin – demand really slowed. At the same time, Technics realised the diecast moulds and tooling were on their last legs and there wasn’t an economic case for remaking its most iconic product. A vast number of people felt the decision to cease production just as the vinyl revival was finally getting into full swing seemed bizarre. There was a considerable outcry that didn’t go unnoticed in Japan, and as soon as the West’s economy was out of the woods, the decision was taken to re-enter the market with a better,…

Very much an entry-level product, this is not the first AE product to have this monicker. The original was launched in the nineties, and had a 120mm paper cone mid/bass driver and fabric dome tweeter in a cabinet about the same size as the classic AE1. This one has a smaller mid/bass unit, but follows many of the original design cues inasmuch as it isn’t fancily styled with dramatically shaped cabinets or any other such fripperies. Instead Acoustic Energy has concentrated on getting the best possible sound given the budget. There are a number of changes over its AE101 predecessor, the most obvious being the WDT waveguide, said to reshape high-frequency soundwaves for better room integration. At the other end of the frequency spectrum, a new slotted duct port –…

Headline news here is that this two-way reflex-ported design uses B&W’s respected 25mm Diamond dome tweeter, which crosses over at 4kHz to the new 165mm Continuumconed FST mid/bass driver. The Diamond dome tweeter has been brought over from the previous D2 model launched in 2010. The treble’s diaphragm is coated in diamond particles using chemical vapour deposition, and gives a light but stiff action. Round the back are bi-wireable speaker cable connectors, which take either naked wire or standard banana plugs; a set of high-quality wired links is additionally supplied for those that don’t want to bi-wire. Sound quality My first outing is Goldie’s Terminator, a thumping drum and bass track with vast swathes of low end, and the 805 D3 copes surprisingly well for a mere standmounter. As 4hero’s…

WITH THE SATIN white finish applied to its sturdy, multi-braced, MDF cabinet, the Elementa 300 looks and feels a cut above what its price would suggest. The rear-firing reflex-ported box also has proper curves (rather than just rounded edges) to disrupt internal standing waves. As for the chunky twin binding posts, they wouldn’t look out of place on a speaker costing three times as much. It goes without saying, reassuring first impressions aren’t to be underestimated. A little larger than usual, the 28mm silk dome tweeter has a ferrofluid-cooled and damped double magnet assembly for high power handling and a wave guide to optimise coupling with the air. The equally handsome mid/bass driver uses a solid aluminium die-cast chassis with a diamond polish finish and light, woven, long fibre paper…

GRILLES OFF, THE Quad Z-1 looks oddly top heavy until you get used to it, that XXL ribbon unit and bijou Kevlar-coned woofer giving the impression that this curvy standmount’s sonic firepower might have a distinct upward tilt. While sharing the same composite sandwich construction as the robust yet gloriously fast and transparent ribbon unit found in the company’s 2015 S models, the 90 x 12mm ribbon developed for the Z Series is twice as tall, granting it even greater power handling, bandwidth and sensitivity. The increased bandwidth is especially useful in a two-way design, taking some of the workload away from that 150mm Kevlar-weave mid/bass driver and permitting smoother integration between the two units, a task that’s further aided by the newly engineered crossover network. Sound quality The Z-1…

AS STANDMOUNTS GO, the Diamond 11.2 is the largest, heaviest and most solidly built £350 offering I’ve ever encountered. A substantial size up from the a 11.1, cabinet volume swells from 11.1 to 13.2 litres and weight jumps by over 2kg. The two models share the 25mm textile dome tweeter, but the 11.2’s 150mm woven Kevlar mid/bass driver is 20mm larger than the 11.1’s. This means the 11.2 is slightly more sensitive than the 11.1 (88dB plays 87dB), has a claimed frequency response that reaches down to 48Hz rather than 55Hz and a recommended maximum amp power up from 100W to 120W. Sound quality Bass is the first thing that strikes me – in that it appears to have less than its smaller sibling. But the luxury of a larger…

Half the size of Exposure’s classic X, this integrated amp/DAC is considerably more versatile. Boasting ‘old-school’ Class AB amplification and putting out a claimed 60W RMS per channel into 8ohm, it doesn’t even use MOSFET power modules, relying instead on good old-fashioned bipolar output transistors. There’s a Wolfson DAC fitted under the hood, with two BNC inputs, two Toslink optical and one Class 2 USB input. The latter allows PCM up to 24/192 and DSD64 while the remaining digital inputs run PCM-only. Sound quality Sonically, the XM5 has a rich, powerful and musical sound that really does the business in terms of rhythm. Every type of music you put through it sounds bouncy, like its got springs in its soles. It’s not perfect, of course, but it searches out the…

DESIGNED FROM THE ground up to be customisable and upgradeable, when paired with the optional BluOS module, the C 368’s connectivity encompasses all options from simple streaming to hi-res multi-room. It uses a customised version of the Hypex UcD output stage, said to combine huge grunt with low distortion and noise. As such, the claimed 80W per channel into 8ohm should be considered conservative. It uses an eight-channel DAC chip running in Dual Differential mode for improved resolution and has a generous provision for two coaxial and optical inputs apiece. Sound quality The internal decoder is an unqualified triumph and, given its more than ample connectivity with the BluOS module installed, makes for an incredibly practical hub. Nailed to the mast is the glorious balance between warmth and clarity that…

With its slim, half-width profile, the Rega Brio is sculptural but utterly unfussy. The dark, gently curved fascia is very understated, sporting a discrete red Rega logo, an on/off button, 6.35mm headphone output, input selector with a bank of LEDs and a rotary volume control. Around the back, it caters for a moving-magnet phono input, four line-level inputs, a fixed gain ‘record output’ and a sturdy pair of speaker binding posts. A phono grounding point is located on the underside of the amp. This enables the connection of a turntable and analogue line signals, but no digital inputs. Sound quality Keb Mo’s cover of For What It’s Worth on CD is an ideal way to showcase the Brio’s virtues. The opening organ, bass and drum groove is effortless and infectious.…

Abigger, weightier table-top version of the Hugo with expanded connectivity and battery life and even better sound quality, the Hugo TT is joined by the TToby, a stereo power amp with a claimed 100W per channel and the same form factor. We’re talking concentrated clout, here – or the art of ‘compact living’ in Chord’s terms. Socketry includes two asynchronous USB-B inputs, one that supports 32-bit/384kHz PCM data streams as well as DSD in 64, 128 and 256 forms, the other (marked ‘SD’) limited to 16-bit/48kHz, mostly intended as a plug-in for phones and tablets without needing dedicated driver software. There are two non-USB digital inputs. The coaxial has a push and twist BNC connector and will accept signals up to 32-bit/384kHz while the optical link is good for 24-bit/192kHz.…

Mola-Mola’s Makua/Kaluga preamplifier/monoblock power amplifier combo has surfaced with Class D Ncore NC1200 chips inside, designed by the man that invented the technology himself. At the very least, expectations are high. If any Class D amplifier should be good, this is it. Capable of producing a claimed 400W RMS per channel, the Kaluga monoblock is an exceptionally powerful product; a state-of-the-art implementation of surely the best Class D module on sale is no small beer. However, the partnering Makua preamplifier is also a stunner, and attempts to do a number of things that lesser designs cannot. The five line inputs can all be configured to be either balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA by a microswitch on the rear panel, and there’s also the option of a custom PWM DAC (£4,299)…

TUNED BY THE same team that’s been guiding Sony’s ES components for years, the UBP-X800 not only spins 4K UHD Blu-ray discs, but it also embraces SACD and DVD-A, plus all the hi-res formats you could ask for. Perhaps surprisingly, there’s no analogue output, only a single digital audio coaxial out. The deck has integrated Bluetooth and wi-fi, supported by an Ethernet jack for wired connections. Bluetooth includes higher-fidelity LDAC support for compatible Sony smartphones and direct pairing with Bluetooth cans. Sound quality Playback is an archival adventure. The 5.1 DVD-A remix of The Prophet’s Song from Queen’s A Night At The Opera is crisp and immersive, a forgotten hi-res prog-rock barnstormer. SACD recordings offer comparable clarity. While the DMP-X800 doesn’t offer any support for MQA, I thought it would…

Some people will be suspicious of Audio Video Manufaktur’s (AVM) Inspiration CS 2.2; it’s small and integrates a CD player, DAC, RDS FM radio, network player – even a phono stage – into one compact box. Surely it can’t be pukka, proper, grown-up hi-fican it? Should a serious hi-fimagazine such as this even be covering it? Inside, the Class D amplifier stage delivers a claimed 110W RMS per channel into 8ohm, and 165W into 4. The TEAC-sourced slot-loading CD drive works seamlessly and quietly. The Wolfson DAC upsamples every digital signal it gets to 24-bit/192kHz and plays a wide range of files including MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG Vorbis, FLAC (up to 32/192), WAV (up to 32/192), AIFF (up to 32/192) and ALAC (up to 24/96). The media server supports UPnP…

Standing for ‘A Complete Experience’, the ACE has pretty much every connection you might reasonably expect crammed onto its back panel. It is fitted with the company’s MiND streaming module that allows for UPnP streaming of files up to 24-bit/192kHz sampling rates with native Tidal support as well as internet radio functionality. This is backed up by a USB-B port that enables it to handle 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 files from a suitable source. However you want to access your digital material, this single box has you covered. Additional connections include a pair of digital coaxial and two optical Toslink inputs alongside aptX-capable Bluetooth. There are three analogue connections; two of which are stereo RCA inputs on the rear and one via a 3.5mm stereo jack that’s located on the…

SHOWING A KNACK for multi-room speakers with its MP5 and MP10 (HFC 407), Musaic’s MPL handles integration with other hi-ficomponents. Built around an ESS Sabre DAC, it offers the same UPnP, internet radio and streaming services that its speakers can access, but makes this output available via an RCA analogue output or coaxial digital and Toslink outputs. The MPL also has an IR emitter that can be used to send instructions to a suitably equipped amplifier. If the amplifier isn’t fitted with such a connection, you can hook up a flood emitter to the front panel to send commands and communicate with the receiver of the other unit. Sound quality Listening to the 44.1 download of UNKLE and The Heritage Orchestra Presents Variation On A Theme, the MPL captures the…

OFFERING THE SAME basic architecture as Chord’s Hugo at a more affordable price, Mojo uses a Xilinx Field Gate Programmable Array (FPGA) to carry out decoding and filtering. Decoding is made available to a USB connection supporting PCM sample rates to 768kHz and DSD256 via Toslink and coaxial input. It then outputs via a pair of 3.5mm jacks, allowing two pairs of headphones to be used at once. The plastic balls that function as the power and volume buttons change colour to indicate volume levels and incoming sample rate. Sound quality It might be small and have no gain setting adjustment, but the Mojo is barely at tickover with the test level and absolutely silent when nothing is playing. This means that music rises from an extremely quiet background and…

It was – more or less – 50 years ago today that Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. Yet, unlike the Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles have never gone in or out of style: they have simply transcended the fickle cycles of fad and fashion to dominate popular music like nobody before or since. In truth, The Beatles probably should have been the first subject in our Music Legends series. Few would question their status as the most significant group in musical history and some 60 years on from the first fateful meeting between John Lennon and Paul McCartney at a gig at a church fete in Liverpool, their songs shine on like the moon, stars and the sun. Who could ever eclipse them – and who has…

When Mick Fleetwood rang Lindsey Buckingham and invited him to join Fleetwood Mac on New Year’s Eve, 1974, it was the last throw of the dice. After early success as a British blues band, a series of disasters and a giddying revolving door of personnel meant that Fleetwood Mac had gone through nine different lineups in eight years. Drummer Fleetwood and bassist John McVie remained from the original lineup while McVie’s wife Christine had joined on keyboards and vocals. But the future looked bleak. They had no guitarist and the band’s most recent album, Heroes Are Hard To Find, had barely sold enough copies “to pay the electric light bill”, as Fleetwood put it. Nobody could have guessed that the recruitment of Buckingham, who insisted on bringing with him his…

It is now 50 years since The Doors released their startling debut LP, which unleashed the audacious and unsettling poetic visions of Jim Morrison on an unsuspecting world – and a flurry of Doors-related activity is underway to mark this rather auspicious anniversary. The group’s self-titled debut album was reissued earlier in the year in a new three-disc deluxe edition, featuring remastered mono and stereo mixes and previously unheard live versions of eight of the original album’s 11 songs, recorded just as the band was on the verge of superstardom (see p119). It followed closely on the heels of the release of London Fog 1966, an historic album of recently unearthed live recordings from a gig in a club on Sunset Strip shortly before the group signed its first recording…

In comparison with other categories of home technology, the rate of development in audio is better viewed as consistent rather than breakneck. Even so, the system you see here would struggle to be described as cutting edge. In technological terms, almost every design concept it contains and material it uses wouldn’t alarm an enthusiast from 40 or 50 years ago – back when valves and vinyl were more commonly referred to as source and amplifier. What might be seen as odd is that neither Pro-Ject nor Unison Research – which also provides the speakers in the form of sister company Opera – are anything like that old. Despite the supposed advancements in audio reproduction, both brands have carved out a reputation for going their own way. Both claim that when…

I magine if LPs were supplied as 6in copies of the original 12in vinyl and that the audio quality of the music was reduced in order to decrease the groove spacing so that the record still plays for the same length of time. That wouldn’t be very acceptable, would it? Yet that is precisely what the recording industry is offering digital consumers today. Digital recording really became mainstream in the late seventies when companies like Soundstream in the US used it to make the master recordings from which LPs were produced. The digital recording process was supposed to offer superior quality to the 30IPS analogue tape studio master as digital recordings don’t suffer from tape hiss. These digital masters were 16-bit/50kHz sampling and the resultant files were considered to be…

As a pop music-mad schoolboy, I can vividly recall the launch of Radio 1 – 50 years ago September just gone. I can even tell you the first record ever played on the station: Flowers In The Rain by The Move, and the DJ was Tony Blackburn. Half a century on, the BBC has just published its first Annual Plan as required under its new relationship with Ofcom and has prioritised Radio 1 at the heart of its “music strategy” with a promise to “refresh” the station as “the pre-eminent supporter of new or unsigned UK artists”. “Music has been at the heart of the BBC’s mission since its foundation. It is our largest genre by output, with more than 40,000 hours of BBC content every year across TV and…