Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2022 i Hi-Fi Choice

Digging through all the good stuff in this issue, it struck me how greatly our rekindled love of vinyl has affected the hi-fi industry and the array of new products on offer. From our Group Test of affordable phono preamps (p32) to enhance your listening pleasure to a brand new turntable from Cambridge Audio (p52) and a rundown of some of the treasures on offer in the forthcoming Record Store Day Black Friday drop (p24), there’s plenty of business to keep vinylistas happy. But it also made me think about the enduring appeal of the vinyl LP and how, audio quality aside, there’s a kind of magic in owning the music with all the attendant accoutrements that, handy as it is, streaming just cannot match. I’m talking here specifically about…

PRICE: £350 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: KEF.COM MAIDSTONE-BASED KEF HAS continued its partnership with visionary designer Ross Lovegrove to produce the Mu7, an over-ear headphone design which the company describes as: “refined, sleek and a harmonious addition to the wider Ross Lovegrove Collection”. Lovegrove has previously worked alongside the brand to shape the Muon loudspeakers, Muo portable speakers and Mu3 earphones. Available in Silver Grey or Charcoal Grey, the Mu7 headphones present: “precisionengineered, ergonomic aluminium construction”. The lightweight, durable headband has been designed to deliver a: “snug acoustic seal, with minimal ear pressure”. KEF claims the memory foam ear pads mould to the shape of the user’s head, improving both passive and active noise cancellation and bass response. A swivel point above the earcups allows the headphones to be rotated and…

PRICE: £4,500-£11,500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: MONITORAUDIO.COM UK COMPANY MONITOR Audio has introduced its Platinum Series 3G speaker range consisting of three stereo models – the Platinum 100 3G standmount, Platinum 200 3G mid-sized floorstander and the flagship Platinum 300 3G floorstander – plus the Platinum 250 3G centre-channel speaker. Each model in the series features the company’s new third-generation Micro Pleated Diaphragm (MPD III) high-frequency transducer, which the company claims: “introduces innovative technology that reduces distortion and flattens the frequency response, while the optimised waveguide provides highly controlled directivity, improving both soundstage and sensitivity. This all leads to a larger, clearer and more consistent sound, allowing the Platinum Series 3G to create the ultimate immersive experience.” Other new acoustic features include the RDT III cone, constructed from three distinct layers:…

SYSTEM AUDIO SAXO 40 £1,000 Although spanning only three speaker ‘families’, System Audio’s range aims to offer a solution for every eventuality. The Danish manufacturer, based in Roskilde, west of Copenhagen, makes on-wall models, including the Legend 7.2, AV-specific centre channel enclosures and subs, plus various standmounts and floorstanders. Many can be bought in active Silverback guise (or upgraded at a later date), their potential then expandable via DSP ‘RAM tweaks’ and a WiSA-based wireless streaming hub. There is, to put it mildly, a lot going on. Even the affordable, passive saxo 40, tested here, feels a little unusual. A two-way floorstander, its mission statement is: “big sound without big speakers”. We’ve heard this idea parroted before by many brands, but SA appears keen to take it to the extreme,…

TRIANGLE ANTAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION £3,000 ►DETAILS PRODUCT Triangle Antal 40th Anniversary Edition ORIGIN France TYPE 3.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 27kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 300 x 1,128 x 429mm FEATURES ● Magnesium horn loaded tweeter ● 2x 135mm pulp/carbon fibre bass drivers ● 135mm untreated cellulose midrange driver ● Quoted sensitivity: 92dB/1W/1M (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Elite Audio UK TELEPHONE 01334 570666 WEBSITE trianglehifi.com eliteaudiouk.com Triangle loudspeakers actually hit the big four zero back in 2020, but, given that wasn’t a terribly celebratory year has waited a little longer to celebrate with anniversary versions of key models. The Antal more than meets the definition of a ‘key model’. In production since the Nineties, it’s one of the archetypal Triangle designs and it’s contextually important to understand that the basic shape and layout of…

Sponsored by: THIS MONTH ED SELLEY EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Active in the industry since 1999, Ed’s first record was Boss Drum by The Shamen. He splits his time between reviewing and protecting hi-fi kit from his son Will. NEVILLE ROBERTS EXPERTISE: ENGINEER Neville has an eclectic taste for classical baroque and jazz. His wife was forced to marry his transmission line speakers in the eighties and he collects BBC test card music. JASON KENNEDY EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Editor of HFC from 1998 to 2001, Jason’s first turntable was Rega’s Planar 3 and Elvis’ 40 Greatest Hits was his first vinyl, so don’t go stepping on his blue suede shoes. DAVID PRICE EXPERTISE: REVIEWER DP two-finger typed his first hi-fi review 25 years ago. Since then he’s edited Hi-Fi World and HFC. He…

Atlas Cables Eos dd PRICE: £145 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 452 Referring to ‘dual drain’ technology, the Eos dd is designed to act as a filter against incoming contamination. The result is an inky blackness between musical phrases and a supremely low noise floor, while detail and imaging improve as interference is banished. ★★★★★ Black Rhodium Stream PRICE: £450 for 1.7m REVIEWED: HFC 430 Black Rhodium has discovered that optimum sound quality is obtained from cables of 1.7m, hence this offering featuring silver-plated copper conductors. And who are we to argue, considering the impressive clarity and focus of instruments combined with a noise floor displaying an impressive lack of interference. ★★★★★ Chord Company Shawline PRICE: £200 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 438 Available at a variety of lengths,…

ATC SCM40 PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 480 ★★★★★ One of the company’s more compact designs, this 40-litre three-way floorstander is a sealed box cabinet with lower sensitivity than most (necessitating a pretty muscular amp to hear it at its best). However, this is a solid, robust, powerful and gutsy-sounding speaker with plenty of insight and expansive soundstaging. Subtle and delicate enough for softer moments, it’s equally comfortable going loud – displaying dramatically rendered crescendos and a fine sense of space. Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature PRICE: £5,000 REVIEWED: HFC 480 ★★★★★ Sporting B&W’s tweeter-on-top, this stunning three-way comes with a glorious Datuk Gloss ebonycoloured veneer. It has a big controlled sound that fills large rooms with ease, ensuring rousing renditions of music overflowing with copious air and space…

Audiolab Omnia £1,600 HFC 490 ★★★★★ Despite some operational foibles, the Omnia offers a level of performance that very little under £2,000 can get anywhere near. It combines excellent functionality and spec with a supreme level of performance across its wide spread of connections. Cambridge Audio Evo 150 £2,250 HFC 477 ★★★★★ In terms of functionality, the Evo 150 offers little over a dedicated streaming amp such as Hegel's H95. As an object of desire, however, it's on a different plane – as lovely to look at as it is to use and to listen to. There will be many takers for it. NAD M10 £2,200 HFC 451 ★★★★★ With its super flexibility, powerful amplifier design, big front panel touchscreen and impressive BluOS platform, this is a…

Chord Electronics Huei PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 459 ★★★★★ The Huei’s appeal extends from its rocksolid build and playful, sphere-based control system to its impressive knack of extracting the best from a turntable/ cartridge combo without being too painfully honest about the ropier aspects of less-than-pristine recordings. Hegel V10 PRICE: £1,300 REVIEWED: HFC 474 ★★★★★ It might be fiddly to setup and ensuring you pick the best combination of DIP switches for your cartridge isn’t the most of intuitive of processes, but the V10 is effortlessly smooth, gloriously insightful and impeccably voiced for a crystal-clear performance with a wide range of different MM or MC pick-ups. iFi Audio Zen Phono PRICE: £150 REVIEWED: HFC 476 ★★★★★ An astonishing performance and superb flexibility. Until you find yourself at…

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT PRICE: £180 REVIEWED: HFC 450 ★★★★★ Taking its M50x and turning it into a very capable wireless design (thanks to Bluetooth v5.0) without altering its sonic character, Audio-Technica has come up trumps here. Balance and refinement join crunching bass, impressive three dimensionality and decent noisecancelling to seal the deal. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 PRICE: £350 REVIEWED: HFC 486 ★★★★★ Although it’s no match for a high-end wired design, the noise-cancelling abilities of this wireless closed-back model are ideal for music on the move – offering an elevated listening experience amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. An essential audition if you’re serious about enjoying your music out and about. Philips Fidelio L3 PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 486 ★★★★★ This wireless noise-cancelling headphone Group Test…

Published by AVTech Media Ltd. All rights reserved, 2015. ISSN 0955-1115. The Publisher’s written consent must be obtained before any part EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Steve Sutherland Production Editor Jake Day-Williams Art Editor Emily Hammond CONTRIBUTORS Simon Berkovitch, Paul Hirons, Paul Hocker, James Hughes, Cliff Joseph, Jason Kennedy, David Price, Neville Roberts, Ed Selley, David Vivian, Chris Ward, Nigel Williamson PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Prior ADVERTISING Sales Sonia Smart Tel: 020 4522 8220 Mobile: 07972 117331 Email: sonia.smart@hifinews.com SUBSCRIPTIONS UK – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: 01858 438 446 Email: avtech@subscription.co.uk USA/CANADA – New, Renewals & Enquiries US Toll Free: 001 866 647 9191 REST OF WORLD – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: +44 (0) 1604 828 748 BACK ISSUES Website: mags-uk.com Contact: mags-uk.com/contacts/ MANAGEMENT TEAM Group Editor Paul Miller Group Art Editor…

GREAT DANES? Exciting news about the re-emergence of Danish hi-fi brand Jamo with a new logo and the introduction of its six-model strong Studio7 series of stylish passive loudspeakers – two floorstanders, two bookshelves and a pair of central channel speakers. The company describes them as: “Contemporary speakers that are easy to use and deliver high-performance sound and timeless Nordic design in a package that will seamlessly find its place in your home.” Find out more in the next issue. ALSO: REVIEWS Melody AN300B Max integrated amplifier (Western Electric 300B Edition), Focal updated Utopia headphone, iFi Audio NEO Stream DAC and music streamer, Vertere DG-1S Dynamic Groove turntable, Cyrus Classic AMP and a Group Test of six new music libraries FEATURES Music Legends, Music Reviews, Reasons To Be Cheerful, our…

DCS LINA SYSTEM £26,900 Headphone use has evolved immeasurably in recent years, from something that had to be endured through necessity to its own hugely successful subset of hi-fi listening, with no shortage of ambitious and upmarket hardware currently available. Now dCS has jumped wholeheartedly on to that particular bandwagon, for while it’s been busy launching its APEX DAC technology for its ‘full-size’ offerings, it’s also developed the Lina, which is not so much a headphone amp as a complete playback system. The ‘stack’ comprises the £11,750 Lina Network DAC, £8,400 Lina Headphone Amplifier and £6,750 Lina Master Clock, all three units housed in identical-looking casework of remarkable quality and weight. Each is just 22cm wide in its black machined aluminium housing, with the weight hovering around 7kg per box.…

Björk fossora ★★★★★ CD One Little Independent Records A CLARINETS-AND-TECHNO ALBUM about mushrooms? A perfectly normal concept in Björk-world – although, as you might have guessed, the vision behind the Icelandic icon’s tenth studio album is considerably more nuanced and complicated than that. Now a 56-year-old grandmother, Björk has been on an emotional rollercoaster over recent years. Her 2015 album Vulnicara was a raw exercise in self-examination following her divorce. She termed it her: “emergency album”. The follow-up 2017’s Utopia, was its polar opposite, a soft and dreamlike reverie which she dubbed her: “rescue record”. fossora is the third instalment in the trilogy and perhaps we should call it the back to earth album – which is where the fungi come in. fossora is the feminine inflection of the Latin…

Cambridge Audio Edge W £2,500 HFC 447 The Edge W power amplifier quotes 2x 100W RMS output and has oodles of power to drive pretty much any speaker. It has a neutral sound with a hint of sweetness and an upbeat nature underwritten by plenty of insight that’s seriously good for the money. ★★★★★ Longdog Audio P6100M £3,500 HFC 469 They may look and feel old-fashioned, but the P6100Ms are one of those rare but happy hi-fi surprises: seriously highend sound for mid-price money. More transparent than they have any right to be, they have a fluid and mellifluous midband and pack one hell of a punch. ★★★★★ Exposure XM7/XM9 £1,240/£1,390 HFC 429 Fast, open and three dimensional, the XM9 pairing is capable of driving more awkward…

Auralic Altair G2.1 PRICE: £4,600 REVIEWED: HFC 482 Not just a network-attached DAC/preamp, with the addition of onboard storage the Altair G2.1 morphs into a self-contained music hub that reveals itself to be a deliciously neutral and clean source. It presents high levels of detail without sounding mechanical or artificial and musical involvement is top notch across all genres. ★★★★★ Cambridge Audio Edge NQ PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 447 Something of a departure from CA’s usual fare, this network music player also combines the additional versatility of a DAC and preamp to serve up a sumptuously wide recorded acoustic, with a hugely expansive sound that partners massive punch with great precision for a clean, direct and enjoyable sound. ★★★★★ Matrix Audio Element X PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC…

Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 470 ★★★★★ More than just a range refresh, this baby box has had new life breathed into it in a rather skilful and expert way. So much more than the sum of its parts, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition is highly engaging across all types of music, has a super classy treble and is the best B&W entry-level standmount yet. Fyne Audio F1-8 PRICE: £6,000 REVIEWED: HFC 473 ★★★★★ If the F1-8 is anything to go by, size really does matter. If you’re short of space, look elsewhere as this is a beast that won’t melt into the background. But as a speaker that merges the strengths of the best standmounts and floorstanders, it is dynamic, dextrous and…

AVID Volvere SP PRICE: From £5,500 REVIEWED: HFC 472 ★★★★★ With its dynamic, detailed and confident presentation, the Volvere SP delivers all of the thrills hidden in your vinyl's grooves and adds a few more just for good measure. Rock solid, unerringly precise and gloriously natural, it’s a triumph that combines the joys of a belt drive with the accuracy of a direct drive. Linn Majik LP12/Krane PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 477 ★★★★★ For such an old design, this Group Test winner sounds surprisingly modern. It’s not as soft and rounded as it used to be, but still retains enough of the traditional Sondek character for it to charm listeners. The result is a big, confident and enjoyable sound that’s tonally a little warm but with high levels…

Audeze LCDi3 £900 HFC 478 ★★★★★ Clarity, subtlety and coherence meet scale, air and an utterly compelling sense of dynamic freedom on this stunning Group Test-winning planar magnetic in-ear. With great poise and even handedness, it never gives the impression of trying too hard. Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW £150 HFC 4901 ★★★★★ This chunky Group Test-winning wireless noise canceller boasts a 15-hour battery (20 with ANC turned off), aptX, aptX Adaptive and AAC processing as well as Sony’s 360 spatial audio format. Excellent value, it provides a supremely spacious and well-balanced performance. Sennheiser IE 900 £1,100 HFC 478 ★★★★★ If dynamic dexterity and resolution that would shame a spy satellite are what you crave, the IE 900 scours the noise floor like few other in-ear offerings at the price.…

PRICE: £1,300 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: IFI-AUDIO.COM IFI AUDIO HAS released its new music streamer/DAC, the NEO Stream – the second device in its NEO Series, the company’s mid-level mains-powered range for home use positioned between the ZEN and Pro Series. The NEO Stream boasts a desktop-size chassis and aluminium casework resembling the NEO iDSD (HFC 482), but the company claims that: “while its circuitry builds on existing iFi designs, its internal architecture and attendant attributes are unlike anything else on the market… Many audio streaming devices lock users into a specific platform… but if they want to select their preferred streaming platforms and apps without restriction, with the ability to adapt and evolve as requirements change, a device with an open-source architecture offers clear advantages.” To this end, iFi says…

A GREAT PLACE to start is the 50th anniversary deluxe edition of Captain Beefheart And The Magic Band’s brilliant Clear Spot from Rhino/Warners. It’s a limited edition double LP on crystal clear vinyl recut from the original master tapes, plus an additional LP of rare studio outtakes, alternate versions and previously unreleased instrumental rough mixes from the Clear Spot sessions. Featuring Big Eyed Beans From Venus, Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles, My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains and more There’s also a neat release celebrating blues giant Big Bill Broonzy. Live 1953 was recorded in Amsterdam and features 11 superb tracks. Released by Wienerworld, it’s never come out on vinyl before. Meanwhile, stoners everywhere can rejoice at the news that Cheech & Chong’s Santa Claus…

BOWERS & WILKINS  PX7 S2 £380 PX7 S2 £380 Available in grey, blue or black, B&W describes the Px7 S2 as its: “best active noise-cancelling wireless headphone yet” – at least until the Px8 arrives later this year, stepping the price right up to £500. Though it looks very similar to previous incarnations, the Px7 S2 is a major upgrade that includes improvements both inside and out. B&W states that the earpieces are slimmer, slightly lighter and padded with memory foam for extra comfort. The 40mm drivers have been redesigned to further reduce distortion, along with the six upgraded microphones – with four mics used to monitor sound levels for noise cancelling and two for voice calls. The Px7 S2 supports Bluetooth 5.2, with AAC for Apple devices and both aptX…

Despite being the most successful female artist in the history of pop, it has sometimes been all too easy for Madonna’s music to be overshadowed by her sheer viral presence. Far more than just a singer, she has defined the notion of post-modern stardom, smartly using image, fashion, controversy, sex and ruthless manipulation of the media to create a one-woman corporate brand. Every new record or tour is part of a carefully orchestrated wider marketing opportunity, accompanied by the launch of a film, her own perfume, clothing range, children’s books or some other such lucrative spin-off. If her acting career proved less successful than she might have hoped, her ambition to become the world’s ultimate, uber-celebrity has remained unabashed and the distinction between her personality and her art has been…

Audiolab 6000CDT PRICE: £380 REVIEWED: HFC 447 The 6000CDT is exceptional at revealing what’s on your discs to deliver a great big soundstage with plenty of detail inside. It can dig down deep into the mix to eke out the different musical strands while dynamically and rhythmically it’s hard to beat at the price. In short, it’s a super, highly affordable audiophile CD transport. ★★★★★ Cambridge Audio AXC35 PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 454 Something of a budget marvel, you’ll have to work extra hard to get the AXC35 to put a foot wrong. Bass is firm, detailed and blessed with excellent timing; the tonal palette is pleasingly broad and clean; and though the soundstage doesn’t extend much beyond the speakers, there’s great depth perspective. ★★★★★ Exposure XM CD…

Atlas Cables Element Achromatic PRICE: £86 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 485 Achromatic means without colour and that’s very much what you get with this affordable offering. Compared with previous Atlas Element cables this has increased OCC copper content on the conductors and a new process for reduced distortion. The result is great spaciousness to the soundstage and imaging plus powerful bass. ★★★★★ Black Rhodium Minuet S PRICE: £240 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 492 Replacing the original Minuet (HFC 453), this RCA interconnect is screened to shield against extraneous RFI and EMI interference. The result is improved intimacy in quieter sections of music and great dynamics in the louder passages. The soundstage reveals new breadth and depth coupled with great mids. ★★★★★ Chord Company Clearway PRICE: £100 for 1m…

Alpha Design Labs Stratos PRICE: £1,315 REVIEWED: HFC 455 ★★★★★ Remarkably flexible at the price, the Stratos offers an impressively wide-reaching range of features without compromising sound quality. The soundstage is wide and open with a refined presentation, delicate details are reproduced with breath-taking accuracy and instrument separation and location are absolutely spot on. Audiolab M-DAC+ PRICE: £800 REVIEWED: HFC 449 ★★★★★ While some DACs can dive deeper into a recording, what’s so likeable about the M-DAC+ is its poise, control and command of the bigger musical picture. With its stunning grasp of flow and tempo, there’s a welcome warmth to its presentation and its solid three dimensional imaging is second to none. Chord Electronics TT2 PRICE: £3,400 REVIEWED: HFC 468 ★★★★★ We could talk about dynamic…

Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 488 ★★★★★ It might offer relatively poor connectivity without the Formation Audio hub (an extra £650), but otherwise this is one of the best wireless speakers around thanks to its stunning design and class-leading sound which reveals impressive levels of power and poise under pressure regardless of source. Cabasse Pearl Akoya PRICE: £2,950 REVIEWED: HFC 488 ★★★★★ Bringing a retro futuristic touch of glamour to the wireless world, the Pearl Akoya is sold as a single speaker only – so doesn’t come cheap. HDMI aside, it ticks most boxes connectivitywise and its crisp, expansive sound ensures it will prove more than capable for audiophiles. Superlative space-age stereo at its best. KEF LS50 Wireless II PRICE: £2,250 REVIEWED: HFC…

Audio-Technica AT-OC9XEN £300 HFC 452 ★★★★★ This Group Test-winning moving-coil cart utilises an elliptical nude stylus mated to an assembly using two coils rather than one – which is something of an A-T trademark – and balances excellent performance with a useful boost to user friendliness, thanks to its threaded body. Goldring Eroica HX £550 HFC 492 ★★★★★ Replacing the H as the only high-output moving-coil in Goldring’s range, the Eroica HX can work into a standard moving-magnet input. The result is a cart that though fiddly to fit rewards with a spacious and convincing soundstage with impeccable control and flow. Hana Umami Red £3,400 HFC 483 ★★★★★ Translating from Japanese as ‘brilliant’' and ‘gorgeous’, this Group Test-winning low-output moving-coil cart more than lives up to its…

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt £270 HFC 463 ★★★★★ With a relatively low 24-bit/96kHz sample rate, expectations for the Cobalt aren′t high until realising it means there′s no need for USB driver software. Native MQA decoding is also supported and the open and richly detailed sound make this the best DragonFly offering yet. Chord Electronics Hugo 2 £1,800 HFC 428 ★★★★★ An essential audition, the Hugo 2 is not just a portable DAC/headphone amp, but the best hi-fi digital converter available at or near the price. Music ebbs and flows along in an organic and unforced way and it images with stunning pinpoint precision. Chord Electronics Mojo 2 £450 HFC 488 ★★★★★ It might be £50 more than its predecessor, but the follow-up Mojo makes the superb original sound…

www.hifichoice.com For sale / Wanted These pages are a must-read if you’re thinking about buying used kit, or if you have hi-fi you want to sell. It’s free – simply submit your ad with no more than 50 words (we reserve the right to edit it if not), remembering to include your email, phone number and county. Simply email your ad to: letters@hifichoice.co.uk. This service is open to private advertisers only. Just one ad per household and please note that images are for illustration only and do not represent what is for sale. FOR SALE ROTEL HRB1092 stereo power amp, in mint condition, c/w box and instructions. Includes Bowers & Wilkins heavy spiked wooden isolation plinth. Cost new £1,800 including plinthwould like £750: 07884 430988. RUSS ANDREWS Torlyte mk2 isolation…

1 SMELLS LIKE COMMUNITY SPIRIT Audio-Technica has launched its Creator Community: “a new outreach effort designed to help fans of the brand realise their vision, find new friends and fully optimise their Audio-Technica equipment.” Upon joining, creators will receive: a free swag pack, a chance to be featured as the Audio-Technica Creator of the Month, exclusive creator discount codes, creator eNews with tips, tricks and product updates and an invitation to join the company’s new Discord channel, which will offer a safe space for fans to share their work – including live streams and music. The Discord channel will also be the home of interactive interview sessions with influencers, musicians and gamers who can share advice with up-and-coming creators. Rebecca Ward, Director of Global Communications for Audio-Technica, said: “We’re always…