Innholdsfortegnelse for May-18 i Hi-Fi Choice

www.hifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 436 May 2018 Few consumer electronics companies manage to be successful in both audiophile and home theatre markets as effectively as Oppo Digital has been. Known in hi-fi circles for its high-end headphone designs (like the PM-1 flagship), headphone preamps with built-in DACs (see its acclaimed HA-2SE portable DAC on p109), along with market-leading universal disc players that are just as happy spinning SACDs as they are delivering UHD Blu-ray images to 4K TV screens, the company has announced that it will be calling it a day. On the 2 April, the surprise announcement from the Californian-based company informed us that it would be winding down its manufacturing facility. In a statement it noted: “Existing products will continue to be supported, warranties will still be valid, and…

PRICE: £11,998 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 020 89713909 WEB: ABSOLUTESOUNDS.COM HEWN ENTIRELY FROM aircraft-grade aluminium and coated in an elegant brushed anodised skin, Magico’s new A3 floorstander sure is designed to stand out from the crowd. Described by the Californian manufacturer as “the impossible made possible”, the A3 incorporates a pure beryllium-diaphragm tweeter with an optimised 28mm dome surface partnered by a 153mm multi-wall carbon fibre cone midrange driver with a layer of XG Nanographene for optimal stiffness and damping. A pair of 178mm low-frequency drivers complete the lineup, boasting the company’s new Gen 8 Magico Nano-Tec cone, which is claimed to offer the same properties as its midrange counterpart. With a quoted sensitivity of 88dB at 4ohm, the A3’s drivers are acoustically integrated using Magico’s Elliptical Symmetry Crossover topography to…

CYRUS AUDIO LTD @CYRUS_AUDIO Lovely to hear Nile Rodgers is appointed Chief Creative Advisor at Abbey Road Studios CHORD ELECTRONICS @CHORDAUDIO It’s not uncommon to see immaculate 20-yearold amplifiers like this SPM1200B, come in for a service, but our digital sources are equally robust, the new DAVE (left, with the BLU MKII transport) is an evolution of a 20-year-old design which still outclasses regular chip DACs. RECORD STORE DAY UK @RSDUK Only one month ‘til #RSD18. Sign up to our mailing list for all the latest updates and release info! http://bit.ly/2lT1PzU KEF AUDIO UK @KEFAUDIO Set up the #KEF Kube where it’s most convenient to you; match it to any main speaker or with any type of music system and start exploring new depths in your sound. Kube #Subwoofer –…

ES: The IS-1000 is closer to an all-in-one system than a classic integrated. Was this the intention? MA: Our heritage comes from the audiophile domain so the idea behind the IS-1000 was to combine the best of our world with the simplicity of an all-in-one to create a new kind of machine. With the IS-1000 we can deliver the audio quality expected from an ‘audiophile’ integrated amp while offering a versatile and complete solution to enjoy music. What are the advantages of a display and menu-driven operation over more conventional controls? We strongly believe that well-designed audio equipment should be easy and pleasant to use on a daily basis. Good sound and ease of use should go hand in hand even if it means more complex engineering. Using a display…

Founder and MD, Amphion ES: Does the Argon1’s claim of being “insensitive to the problems of room acoustics” represent the starting point for the design? AH: Understanding acoustics along with knowledge of how human hearing works is the starting point of any speaker design. “Amphion seems to treat acoustics as a friend and not as an enemy” is one of the nicest, most insightful comments I have come across. For us a loudspeaker is primarily an acoustic device. What we get right acoustically means we do not have to fix things electrically. A speaker with a controlled, wide, even dispersion that works well also off-axis will be more acoustically stable and will sound more like it is intended in acoustically different environments. How is the Argon1 voiced in relation to…

SCANSONIC M-6 £1,199 Intrinsic appeal can take many forms, but this super-svelte number from Scansonic seems to be an object lesson in ticking all the boxes. As floorstanders go, it’s just large enough to snare admiring comments but small enough to be unobtrusive. Sidekick range to renowned high-end hero Raidho and designed by the same talent, Michael Børresen. Yes, that is a proper ribbon tweeter you see. And, no, your eyes won’t water when you’re told the price. Let’s backtrack a little. Scansonic and Raidho are both owned by Denmark’s Dantax. The 47-year-old company started as a small-scale speaker manufacturer, expanding to absorb fledgling driver specialist ScanSpeak into its operation in 1977. Twenty years later, it sold its speaker factory and now collaborates with partners from other countries. But its…

USB Filter Can a £39 insect make all your CD files sound better than Hi-Res? Yes and no: Using the same equipment and a quality DAC, a 24/96 file (for example) will always sound better than a CD 16/44.1 file … but, even a single JitterBug will often allow a CD file to be more musical and more emotionally stimulating than a Hi-Res file without the benefit of a JitterBug. Noise is the problem. Real noise—the kind you can’t hear directly. Most often, the word “noise” is used to describe tape hiss or a scratch on a record, but these sounds aren’t noise; they are properly reproduced sounds that we wish weren’t there. Problem noise is essentially random, resonant or parasitic energy, which has no meaning. It can’t be turned…

Charles Mingus Pithecanthropus Erectus HOT PICK 180g vinyl Speakers Corner/Atlantic CHARLES MINGUS WAS a bass player a bit like Beethoven was a pianist, in other words he was a whole lot more than just a bass player. Composer, arranger, visionary, you name it, Mingus’ genius is encapsulated in the title track of this 1956 release. A piece that cruises along on a perfect groove and then explodes into freeform mayhem at just the right moment, but before it gets too much it returns to a clearer path with Jackie Mclean on alto and JR Monterose on tenor plus the occasional glimpse of Mal Waldron’s sophistication on the piano. The sound of this mono recording is very much of its time, bandwidth is clearly limited, which means bass is woolly and cymbals…

hdtracks.co.uk new releases include Casey Abrams' Put A Spell On You, Steve Miller Band's Number 5 and Cocteau Twins' Head Over Heels. Over on highresaudio.com Neil Young and Promise Of The Real's Paradox and Mara Galassi's Portrait Of A Lady With Harp are the standouts, while onkyomusic.com has Tom Waits' Closing Time (Remastered), Kumi Uchimoto's 24 Preludes From Japan and Patti Smith Group's Radio Ethiopia.…

Whalefeathers Whalefeathers (£125) The rare, second album from 1971 by the bluesy psychedelic rockers from Cincinnati. Released in the UK on the collectable Blue Horizon label, home of early Fleetwood Mac outings. Megaton Megaton (£80) This German Decca pressing is the less expensive way of getting hold of this keyboard-heavy slice of prog. “A UK first press sells for well over £800,” explains David. Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys (£75) Original LP in withdrawn cover featuring Brian Jones, John Peel, Bob Dylan and your man Jimi as puppets. You’ll be more familiar with the sleeve with Hendrix at the Isle of White festival. Annette Peacock I’m The One (£75) Housed in an incredibly trippy, kaleidoscopic sleeve, the soaring space-age avant-jazz that’s contained within the grooves is equally mesmerising. The Fall…

HELP & ADVICE Digital-to-analogue converters come in all shapes and sizes and if space is a premium a USB DAC is an excellent space-saving solution. More often than not they use the power from your computer, meaning that there’s no need for an external power source. Connections are usually limited to just a headphone socket and sometimes a line-level output for connecting the DAC up to powered speakers or your system. If you require more connectivity options and are not bothered about being able to carry your DAC around with you when out and about, a desktop USB option might be more suitable. These are invariably bigger and require their own power source, but usually offer additional analogue and digital audio inputs.…

Mojo PRICE: £399 TELEPHONE: 01622 721444 WEB: chordelectronics.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 423 Famed for taking the basic architecture of Chord’s Hugo down to a more affordable price, the Mojo boasts a USB connection that supports PCM sample rates to 768kHz and DSD256 via Toslink and coaxial input – the latter is via a 3.5mm connection to save space. The Mojo then outputs via a pair of 3.5mm jacks, so two pairs of headphones can be used at once. Unlike rivals, there is no gain adjustment, EQ or filter settings. The plastic balls that function as the power and volume buttons change colour to show volume levels and incoming sample rate, while a separate USB charging port means you can listen and trickle charge at the same time so long as you connect a…

HA-2SE PRICE: £289 TELEPHONE: 0345 0609395 WEB: oppodigital.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 423 Internally, the Oppo is built around an ESS Sabre ES9028-Q2M DAC that handles sampling rates up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256. This is partnered with a compact but fully discrete headphone amplifier. At the base of the unit, there’s a micro USB Type-B connection that acts as the charging point and digital input. Alongside it is a full-size USB Type-A connection that gives it the ability to interface directly with an iOS device, which is just one of a few neat tricks that make the HA-2 SE something of a star for practical portable use. At the top, is a 3.5mm headphone out and a bi-directional 3.5mm line jack next to it that’s a little too easy to confuse with the headphone…

Elite Hybrid replacement earpads AS AN OWNER of Sennheiser’s HD 800 S headphone (HFC 411), it’s good to know that replacement earpads are available for the already very good velour ones that come supplied. Dekoni Audio produces replacement pads for a range of headphones, that includes models from Beyerdynamic, Fostex, AKG, Audio-Technica, Sony and Bose. Comfort break The earpads fit both Sennheiser’s HD 800 and HD 800 S and have a sheepskin outer ring designed for good isolation and fit over the ears, while the velour face makes them feel very comfortable indeed. The inside of the pad uses fenestrated sheepskin perforated with tiny holes, which the company claims has the best acoustical properties. The pads are supplied with a little plastic tool along with instructions that facilitate the unclipping…

PRO-JECT DEBUT III S AUDIOPHILE Bringing a retro appeal to the classic turntable aesthetic, the new £325 turntable package with eye-catching S-shaped tonearm and fitted with Ortofon cartridge gets put through its paces PLUS: REVIEWS Monitor Audio Studio, YBA Heritage A100/CD100, Audeze LCD-2, Jamo S 805, Cary Audio AiOS, plus Cambridge CXN V2 REGULARS Music Legends, Music Reviews, Audiofile news and all your hi-fi questions answered by our team of experts JUNE ISSUE ON SALE 24 MAY…

WHARFEDALE’S DS-2 GOES BLUE Following on from its desktop DS-1 Bluetooth loudspeakers, Wharfedale has unveiled its next-generation DS-2 follow up. Featuring a 19mm silk dome tweeter and 75mm mid/bass driver, the wireless DS-2 outputs a claimed 2x 15W continuos power (2x 30W peak) and is designed for hook up to PCs and mobile devices. Connectivity includes a 3.5mm analogue stereo input (on the master speaker) along with the aptX version of Bluetooth. Weighing 2.9kg each and with 120 x 190 x 140mm dimensions (WxHxD), the DS-2’s bass reflex enclosure is available to buy now in a choice of black or white finishes for £180. WHARFEDALE.CO.UK AKG UNVEILS IN-EAR FLAGSHIP Following the UK preview at The Bristol Show in February, AKG has officially unveiled its N5005 in-ear headphone. Priced at £800,…

PRICE: £1,999-£12,999 AVAILABLE: SUMMER CONTACT: 01722 426600 WEB: NAIMAUDIO.COM Since their debut at The Bristol Show in February (HFC 435), Naim has released further details about its three new standalone network streamers. Each model is built around the same streaming platform found in its integrated Uniti family and includes the ND5 XS 2 (£1,999), NDX 2 (£4,999) and ND555 (£12,999). All models support PCM files up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD128 via UPnP and provide access to Tidal, Spotify and Internet Radio network streaming services, together with AirPlay, Chromecast, Bluetooth and Roon compatibility. The ND5 XS 2 does without a display or remote control and, with no front panel controls, is reliant on Naim’s Control app, while the NDX 2 and ND555 (pictured) are fitted with a full colour LCD display…

Chord Electronics PR DP: Who is the Qutest aimed at? DG: Any music lover who wants to hear their favourite music exactly as it should sound. It’s not Chord’s cheapest non-portable hi-fi DAC – that’s now the Mojo, which offers our proprietary DAC technology and UK manufacturing for just £399. The pricier Qutest has the Hugo 2 DNA, but without the portability, headphone outputs, crossfeed option and volume control. The styling is different to its 2Qute predecessor, why is that? Following the popularity of the newer casework designs developed for the TToby stereo power amp, HugoTT DAC/headphone amp/digital preamp and most recently, Hugo 2, our transportable headphone amp/DAC, we also wanted to update the Qutest. What are the differences between the Qutest and flagship DAVE DAC? An enormous amount! It…

Sales director Raidho Acoustics and Scansonic DV: Which elements of the ‘Raidho sound’ would you say survive the trip from high-end down to ‘deliciously affordable’? RS: To a certain degree, Raidho’s high-end spacious sound character, speed and resolution are all evident in its Scansonic designs. This is not at the levels of Raidho models of course, but the speaker designs from Scansonic are built with the same philosophy as their ‘cousins’. What’s Scansonic's secret for achieving scale and air in this bijou floorstander? In manufacturing larger quantities of the more affordable models we are able to lower the costs of components, meaning we use more costly and refined components in these designs than you would normally expect. The choice in tweeter and mid/bass drivers that we use is the most…

“The Moonlight Sessions Volumes 1 & 2 project was my most aggressive in terms of recording and planning. I wanted to do a new (to me) challenging pressing technique developed and used in the fifties called ‘one step’. This required a bit more attention to all the parts of the recording process for me as I wanted this project to be the best I have ever produced and to up my game once again. “I do not let others manage my work; I am with a project from inception to delivery of the final product. In the recording industry, the more efficient you can be, the more you can control your costs. This project was an investment of about $150,000 for me, but I created two albums from it and…

ALBUM OF THE MONTH Hailey Tuck Junk CD Sony HAILEY TUCK HAS some nerve. Unable to get a recording deal and noting that her favourite jazz records by singers such as Madeleine Peyroux and Melody Gardot had all been produced by Larry Klein, she set about stalking the Grammy-winning producer. After getting hold of his email address, she sent him an unsolicited message saying that she was convinced that they could “make a great album together” To her surprise, Klein – who has an uncanny knack of coaxing the best out of female singers and whose other production credits include Tracy Chapman and ex-wife Joni Mitchell – replied that she should come and see him the next time she was in Los Angeles. Tuck was there within hours. Impressed by her…

Young Fathers Cocoa Sugar FLAC 24/44.1 onkyomusic.com CURRENT DARLINGS OF the urban pop scene, the hype surrounding Young Fathers is entirely justified, thanks to these sprawling, dizzying 12 tracks. If ever there was a musical reflection of multi-cultural, 21st-century Britain, this is it – there are hip-hop and grime flavours, soulful pop numbers (Turn and Lord), and tribal rhythms (Wire Explicit) galore. What's more, this HD version really brings this enjoyable and energetic collage of urban rhythms to life. PH The Fratellis In Your Own Sweet Time FLAC 24/96 onkyomusic.com THIS SCOTTISH INDIE three-piece scored a huge chart hit a decade ago, and since has been producing perky, occasionally soulful indie pop with shades of Springsteen, glam rock and, here, even a bit of INXS. The production is bright, but there's no…

M-DAC Mini PRICE: £299 TELEPHONE: 01480 452561 WEB: audiolab.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 428 The fourth addition to the M-DAC family, the Mini is built around the ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC. Consequently, the USB connection supports PCM up to 384kHz and DSD256, while the supporting digital input connections are capable of handling signals up to 24-bit/192kHz. Additional connections take the form of a single coaxial and Toslink, aptX Bluetooth for wireless connectivity and a USB-A port that allows the Mini to charge a portable device that you might happen to be using as your music source. More unusually, you get a digital coaxial and optical output, too. Sound quality The Audiolab displays many of the qualities we’ve come to expect from other members of the M-DAC family. There’s a fine balance of force and…

nano iOne PRICE: £199 TELEPHONE: 01900 601954 WEB: selectaudio.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 431 Powered directly from your PC’s USB port or using the supplied power adapter, the nano iOne uses Burr-Brown’s Bit-Perfect DSD and DXD MultiBit DAC, which handles PCM and DSD natively. It supports PCM inputs up to 192kHz PCM, DSD256 and DXD384kHz. Audio signals come via USB, S/PDIF via a combined RCA coaxial and optical input socket – a neat little adapter enables the coaxial input socket to also act as an optical input – or via aptX Bluetooth. Output is via a pair of RCA phono sockets or the S/PDIF for when you’re using Bluetooth or USB inputs. The logo illuminates in different colours to indicate the input selected – blue for Bluetooth, green for USB or red for S/PDIF.…

THE CHORD COMPANY C-USB £50 TELEPHONE: 01980 625700 WEBSITE: chord.co.uk TESTED: HFC 427 Score yourself significantly improved soundstage accuracy and instrument placement with this great-value interconnect. BLUE HORIZON PROFESSIONAL RACK SYSTEM £2,225 TELEPHONE: 0118 9814238 WEBSITE: soundfowndations.com TESTED: HFC 426 A modular system that grows as your setup does, this rack helps music sound more natural and reduce external interference. ATLAS CABLES ELEMENT SUPERIOR £72.50 TELEPHONE: 01563 572666 WEBSITE: atlascables.com TESTED: HFC 431 Unleash a sophisticated sound across all music types as this analogue interconnect uncovers previously hidden nuances. RUSS ANDREWS THE SUPPLIER PSU £449 TELEPHONE: 01539 797300 WEBSITE: russandrews.com TESTED: HFC 431 Impressive switched-mode power supply delivers clearly discernible improvements to both soundstage and tonality. ECOSSE CABLES THE EXECUTIVE £50 TELEPHONE: 07580 691803 WEBSITE: ecossecables.co.uk TESTED: HFC 428 A well-made digital interconnect at a very attractive price, the Executive…

Symphony 18 interconnect WITH THE EVER-GROWING number of interconnects on the market, any attempt to categorise and simplify the range from a manufacturer has got to be a good idea. To this end, Black Rhodium has introduced its Intro series, which promises great sound quality at affordable prices. As part of this initiative, the company has added the new Symphony 18 interconnect to replace the now-discontinued Symphony cable. The new interconnect employs Black Rhodium’s Distortion Busting technology to a cable that actually boasts a less advanced specification than its predecessor. Assembled at the Black Rhodium factory in Derby, the Symphony 18 has a special 110ohm screened cable to protect the inner cores from picking up RFI. It is sheathed in a black, vibration-absorbent outer braid and uses a thick insulation…

Pushed to pinpoint which specific area of the hi-fi world is most likely to enjoy growth and help drive interest in music over the coming years, what would you suggest? Vinyl? Record players? Streamers? DACs? Portable players? Multi-room? Surprisingly, the answer is smart speakers. First released onto the market towards the end of 2014, with Amazon's Echo and Echo Dot (HFC 421), there were doubts as to how useful a loudspeaker that could be operated by voice alone would actually be. While it initially felt daft to stand and bark at your speaker: "Alexa, play David Bowie's Aladdin Sane", the idea isn't really any stranger than walking down the road and talking into the built-in mic on headphones instead of holding a mobile phone, and has enjoyed huge growth, with…

Turntable orchestra What happens when Technics gathers 30 of the world’s best turntablists and gets them to scratch and cut Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor (the first LP issued, back in 1948)? The Philharmonic Turntable Orchestra, that’s what: bit.ly/2G0mQRV Importance of sound Bowers and Wilkins’ superb blog is always a great read, and the latest feature – an interview with Nicolas Krauze – is no exception. The conductor of the Orchestre de Chamber Nouvelle Europe talks about music he can’t live without, the importance of sound and so much more: bit.ly/2pw9VAT Treasure trove Ortofon’s Treasure Trove concept offers refurbished products that have previously been used for demos, training or reviews. They’re not factory new, but are under warranty and available in small numbers at a discount. Products are available irregularly…

IF YOUR IDEA of a hi-fi system still revolves around amplification with cables trailing behind, achieving a super sound has never been more affordable. Even if the lure of a wireless setup is just too hard to resist, be assured that a canny coalition of inexpensive separates joined together with wires still takes some beating if pure musical satisfaction is the goal – not least because every major speaker manufacturer knows that an entry-level standmount simply has to make a good impression as it could easily be the component that hooks customers into the brand. It’s why choosing from the plethora of talented designs in the £150-£350 price bracket almost certainly guarantees solid sound quality if chosen wisely. But, even armed with trickle-down possibilities from pricier models and the green…

Technical sales manager, Loudspeaker Technology Ltd. ATC JP: What are the key differences between the original CDA2 and the Mk2 version of the player? BL: For the Mk2 we’re using a new TEAC CD transport and an upgraded AKM 32-bit DAC. We’ve introduced a USB digital audio input, a high-sensitivity 3.5mm analogue input for connection to portable audio devices, re-engineered the headphone amplifier for a wide 30-600ohm range and refined both the power supply design and the analogue audio circuits. As there doesn’t appear to be a clear modular or firmware upgrade path, what futureproof support is offered to owners? The DAC we have selected is capable of converting up to quad rate DSD and 384kHz PCM data. It would be great if there was a wider choice of high-resolution…

AMPHION ARGON1 £1,040 Celebrating its 20th year, Finnish loudspeaker company Amphion maintains a presence in both domestic and professional market places. It’s been a good six years since we’ve seen anything from the brand and while the original Argon1 was the winner of our standmount Group Test in HFC 353, it has recently undergone something of a refresh and is with a new UK distributor – Auden Distribution. As the middle model of three standmounts in the five-strong Argon range, it retains its remarkably neat and compact design. The 25mm titanium dome tweeter is mounted in the centre of a large waveguide that matches the diameter of the mid/bass drive unit, which means it is set back a considerable distance from the leading edge of the cabinet. This is not…

Turntable project manager, ELAC AS: How much technology is shared between the Miracord 90 and the Miracord 70? NE: The Miracord 90 uses a hardened steel axle on a ruby ball in sintered bronze bearings. We found that this combination works very well and adapted it for the Miracord 70, adjusting for the different dimensions and the lighter weight of the platter. We have a similar bushing, but we use silicon nitride instead of ruby and a different type of sub-platter. Ultimately, while the 90 inspired the 70, and the two packages on offer are similar on paper, the only identical part that you will find in both turntables is the brass thrust plate. Did ELAC always intend to draw on the experience of its original turntable designers from the…

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 toddler 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 describes himself…

You’ve got to hand it to Klipsch – calling a loudspeaker Forté is about as honest as hi-fi branding and marketing ever gets. Back at the time of its launch in 1985, this was the very dictionary definition of the word – loud and strong. If you’re not familiar with the marque then you might be surprised to know that even then – in a decade famed for rather insensitive speakers – this big three-way was hugely efficient. It used a combination of compression loaded horn midrange and treble drivers, alongside a large 12in woofer and a similarly sized rear-mounted passive radiator, to give a sensitivity figure of 98dB/1W/1m. Boom! Everything about the Forté was the epitome of an old-school loudspeaker, even back then. Lest we forget, the eighties was…

CD Milk! Records IF AUSTRALIAN FEMALE singers conjure up pre-packaged pop images of Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue, Melbourne’s Courtney Barnett is here to make you think again. Her 2015 debut Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit won Grammy and Brit award nominations and established her as a whip-smart new champion of punk-inflected indie. The follow-up is even spikier, her voice ranging from deadpan to tender on a set of infectious melodies buttressed by howling guitars and muscular riffs. Her ever inventive lyrics swing between self-analytical vulnerability and wittily acerbic anger as she tackles subjects from misogyny to self-doubt. “I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and spit out better words than you,” she sings on Nameless, Faceless, quoting an internet troll on a perfect, indignant…

Bob Surgeoner, MD of Neat Acoustics, reveals the music he uses to develop and demo products Barbara Dickson All The Pretty Little Horses This stripped-down arrangement has incredibly pure vocals accompanied only by double bass and a single ride cymbal. Mozart Concerto For Flute And Harp Flute and harp are really challenging, especially when played together. The balance between them and the orchestra is critical. The Peddlers On A Clear Day You Can See Forever This funky interpretation of the title song from the 1965 musical provides an ideal test of a system's ability to reveal both texture and 'flow'. Rage Against The Machine Bullet In The Head A truly wonderful recording. We use this to assess dynamic contrast, bass impact and pure visceral enjoyment!…

Emerging from the treasure-trove back room, The Little Record Shop’s owner David Sternberg stands beneath two clocks reading conflicting hours and minutes as he reverently shows me an incredible artefact. He’s taking a pristine condition original Mary Wells LP from a sleeve with colours so vibrant it could have been printed yesterday, not over a half-century ago. Like all his records, the previous owner played this immaculate vinyl with a deep, dark sheen just the once when recording it to reel-to-reel. “This record is a time machine,” David beams. Welcome to Hornsey and North London’s best-kept secret – less a vinyl store, more a comprehensive music education. With its ever-changing wall of rarities, boxes of 45s, desirable floor-to-ceiling LPs, an overheard conversation about hen’s teeth acetates, and a postie delivering…

There are numerous file types to choose from. Here’s a handy summary of what’s what AAC Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is a lossy audio codec designed as the successor to MP3, claiming better sound quality at similar bit-rates. AIFF Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) was developed by Apple in 1988 and uses uncompressed pulse-code modulation (PCM). There’s also a compressed variant of AIFF known as AIFF-C or AIFC, which can sometimes be recognised by an.aifc file extension, although these can also appear with the standard.aiffor aif extension, so check for higher bit-rates to know you’re playing uncompressed files. Being uncompressed means AIFF files will demand more space than lossy and lossless equivalents. ALAC Apple Lossless Audio Codec data is stored within an MP4 container, but it employs different encoding in…

Hugo 2 PRICE: £1,800 TELEPHONE: 01622 721444 WEB: chordelectronics.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 428 Hugo 2 is more than just a prettier face than its predecessor, it’s a whole new product inside with a real evolution of Chord’s digital conversion and filtering platform. It’s been heavily reworked by its creator Rob Watts with a 49,152 tap-length filter, near double that of the original. To achieve this, it sports a much larger, Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and advanced Watts Transient Aligned (WTA) filters. Via USB, Hugo 2 runs at up to a dizzying 768kHz in PCM mode and up to DSD512 (Octa DSD). Its analogue outputs comprise RCA stereo phono sockets, and 3.5mm and 6.35mm headphone outputs. A seven-hour battery life is claimed and charging is via micro USB. Sound quality Because – unlike…

Liberty PRICE: £895 TELEPHONE: 01484 538438 WEB: mytekdigital.com REVIEWED: HFC 435 The headline news here is the inclusion of MQA (Master Quality Authenticated), 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 capability. More prosaic features include USB Class 2 and AES/EBU digital inputs (handling PCM up to 192kHz, up to DSD64 DOP), plus two S/PDIF coaxial digital ins (PCM up to 192kHz, up to DSD64 DOP), and a Toslink optical input (PCM up to 192kHz, up to DSD64 DOP). RCA phono and twin balanced TRS outputs (TRS to XLR adaptors are a cost option), while an IEC power inlet and 12V DC input complete the rear panel connectivity. Inside the tiny alloy chassis is an ESS Sabre 9018K2M digital converter chip, a low-noise clock generator with a claimed 10ps of jitter and a high current headphone…

a-Six Wireless in-ear headphone SWEDISH HEADPHONE MANUFACTURER JAYS is taking its first steps into the wireless in-ear headphone market with its a-Six Wireless – a budget-friendly model whose sound and build quality belies its price. The ear-piece housings are made from aluminium and the flat cable with a remote for play/pause, as well as a central unit housing the batteries and Bluetooth technology drapes around the back of the neck. Born slippy More thought could have gone into the design, however, as the battery unit slips all too easily off of my neck, pulling down on the earbuds in the process. The in-ear housings, meanwhile, are on the smaller side, and while JAYS does include a choice of five sizes of silicone tips in the box, those with larger ear…

True Phase Digital 75 interconnect DIGITAL CABLES ARE required to have 75ohm characteristic impedance. Analogue cables are not suitable for use as digital interconnects as their bandwidth is not great enough. If a cable with a poor high-frequency characteristic is used as a digital interconnect it can result in timing errors in the digital signal, which manifest as jitter or unwanted reflections of the digital signal. Foiled again As its name implies, the True Phase Digital 75 has the correct characteristic impedance for a digital coaxial cable. It has a solid silver central conductor surrounded by an ePTFE (expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene) dielectric. Like its analogue siblings, the cable also benefits from having a two-stage shield – one foil and one silver woven braid. This cable is specifically designed for connecting together…