Innholdsfortegnelse for Jun-18 i Hi-Fi Choice

PRICE: £749 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 05602 054669 WEB: DECENTAUDIO.CO.UK Hot on the heels of last month’s impressive floorstanding M-6 loudspeaker review, Danish manufacturer Scansonic has announced another addition to its speaker lineup, but this time in the more diminutive guise of a standmount. The new MK-5 is a compact two-way bookshelf model, boasting the same ultra-light sealed ribbon planar magnetic tweeter that appears in the aforementioned M Series. Formed from a kaptonaluminium sandwich that’s claimed to be just 20μm thick, and boasting a mass that’s described as being as much as 50 times lower than conventional textile, ceramic, beryllium or diamond domes, the tweeter’s membrane is reputed to result in a performance with significantly higher resolution and less material colouration. Partnering the tweeter is a new 114mm Kevlar-coned mid/bass driver…

Hi-Fi Choice employs the most rigorous test and measurement regime in the business. Here’s how we do it… PHONO STAGES GROUP TEST AS SEVERAL OF the companies participating in this Group Test also produce their own range of cartridges, it’s important that the chosen cartridge is from a brand that has no association with any models participating in the test. Van den Hul’s £999 DDT II Special is selected as the moving-coil cartridge of choice – our Group Test winner from HFC 425. This is mounted on a Technics SL-1200G direct-drive turntable (HFC 418), partnered with a Musical Fidelity M6500i integrated amplifier (HFC 372) and a pair of Dynaudio Excite X38 floorstanders. PS Audio’s Dectet Power Centre mains distribution system (HFC 376) allows for the bulk of the test phono…

As part of the XM range of components, the XM3 offers the option to add vinyl playback in its rather neat half-width form. The specification is entirely competitive within the context of the group with support for moving-magnet and coil designs and adjustment for gain and resistance on the rear panel via dip switches. The XM3 doesn’t promise anything enormously radical in terms of its overall design, but focuses instead on the quality of the components that go into it. The power supply is a toroidal unit, purpose built for this application (that quite apart from any performance benefits, means that the XM3 uses a proper mains lead), while the output stage is entirely discrete. Externally, the XM3 is impressively no nonsense. With only a power button on the front…

As the flagship of Rega’s phono stage range, the Aria is the only model the company makes with support for both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. There are in effect two completely distinct phono stages in the casework with separate inputs and preamp sections for both. The moving-coil section is built around FET devices, while the moving-magnet section makes use of bipolar input transistors. As a result, it is technically possible to use the Aria as a twin input design switched from the front panel. The chassis is constructed entirely from aluminium and designed to keep external interference at bay from the sensitive circuits. It feels businesslike but well assembled and reasonably attractive, although depending on the angle you view it, being able to see which circuit is selected from the…

Launched in France in 1981 by electronics professor Yves-Bernard André, YBA today is a very different thing to the company that it once was. Some might lament the way the EU is dissolving national borders, but the real story of the past few decades has been the wholesale move of manufacturing from the West to the East. This was already happening in the seventies, with British brands beginning to manufacture first in Hong Kong, then Taiwan and eventually China. YBA describes its products as being “designed in France, made with passion”, deftly circumnavigating the fact the majority shareholder is now the Shenzhen Shanling Digital Technology Development Company – a prominent Chinese hi-fi marque. In 2009, Shanling purchased a controlling stake in this most Gallic of brands, and all production aside…

KEF CODA II (1982) A great-value budget speaker, the woofer had three fixing points to prevent the surround being distorted by over-tightening and the tweeter face plate had four dimples on the front, which were flow marks – these should have been on the back! KEF UNI-Q C-Series, (1988) Uni-Q was a patented implementation of coincident midrange and tweeter drivers, striving to preserve phase integrity and match dispersion between the two drivers for improved imagery. Possibly thanks to neodymium magnets with HF drivers small enough to be located inside the LF unit. A challenge to implement in a high volume range! TANNOY MERCURY M2 (1997) This budget standmount loudspeaker entered the market and made a strong impression, winning an EISA Award. The idea came from a Europe-wide alliance between Marantz…

Back in the eighties when compact disc began to take over from vinyl, it was classical music that really embraced the new digital format and classical LPs all but disappeared. It seemed to make perfect sense as CDs promised to be indestructible and deliver a sound free from clicks, pops, and hiss. Never again would JS Bach’s Partitas For Solo Violin be marred by the repetitive click caused by a surface scratch that would somehow appear from nowhere. After all the excitement of the new format began to calm, audiophiles started to realise that, despite all its claims, the sound from CD lacked that certain magic that often came from listening on vinyl. Classical music enthusiasts started to mourn the passing of LPs and found themselves limited to buying second-hand…

RELUCTANT TO SHARE details about the materials used in its cables, one thing Tellurium Q can share with us about the Black Waveform is that it is developed from the previous Waveform range of cables, with improved shielding and what it calls “other interesting developments” designed to aid its digital signal carrying capabilities. It can be supplied with BNC or RCA connectors at either one or both ends. Black magic Using my PrimaLuna ProLogue Eight Mk.2 CD player as a source and my Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 V2 (HFC 393) acting as an external DAC, I position the interconnect between the corresponding coaxial digital connections. I start off by spinning a silver disc of The Silver Violin performed by Nicola Benedetti. Her breath-taking performance of John Williams’ Schindler’s List…

THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS… PRICE: £199-£649 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01279 501111 WEB: QACOUSTICS.CO.UK Q ACOUSTICS HAS launched its latest entry-level loudspeaker range – the 3000i Series. The three new models, which consist of a brace of standmounts and a floorstander, form the core of the company’s hi-fi loudspeaker range. They are an evolution of the previous 3000 Series and include innovations first employed in its high-end flagship Concept 500 loudspeaker (HFC 426). The new range uses the company’s patented Gelcore layer to minimise cabinet resonance, but rather than simply bracing the corners, the speaker cabinets are acoustically analysed and specific points strengthened using P2P (point to point) bracing. To further improve the structural integrity of the speaker enclosure, the top and front baffles boast double thickness and the corners are…

PRICE: £329 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01702 333071 WEB: REGA.CO.UK WHEN APPROACHING ITS latest turntable, Rega’s designers were tasked with making their most successful model yet even easier to use and more accessible to a wider audience. The result is the Planar 1 Plus, which ditches the USB interface for digitising music in favour of a built-in moving-magnet stage based on Rega’s Fono Mini. Like the Planar 1 on which it is based, the Plus additionally boasts Rega’s RB110 tonearm, which rather handily includes automatic bias adjustment, making setup easier for beginners. Rega’s Carbon moving-magnet cartridge is supplied, as is a new ‘Plug and Play’ balance weight and redesigned feet to increase stability while minimising vibration transfer. The 23mm, high-mass phenolic platter now comes with an improved flywheel effect for better…

A new kind of music system for a new generation”, it says here. Well, in truth the AiOS isn’t that different to other all-in-ones I have reviewed over the years, but it’s still an interesting proposition at its price. Billy Wright, the President of Cary Audio, says that he hopes both audiophiles and young people will look at the AiOS with interest. “By reaching the younger generation of music lovers, we want to introduce them to the appeal of higher performance playback.” It’s certainly a laudable aim, as is offering older people downsizing from large separates systems a respectable route to something smaller. “Actually AiOS appeals to a variety of music lovers and audiophiles alike for various reasons,” he adds. Look closely and it is clear the company has made…

FEW PARTS OF the audio replay chain are as under appreciated as the phono stage. Its functionality is simple enough, adding sufficient gain to the miniscule audio signal that’s generated by a cartridge so that an amplifier can get on with the job of outputting its own gain to drive the loudspeaker. This rather underplays the amount of gain that the phono stage is being asked to achieve, though. If the output of a typical moving-coil cartridge is taken to be around 0.3mV, a phono stage will need to boost that signal by over 1,000 times to present something usable to the input on a line-level amplifier. This is a huge increase, and it is little wonder that phono stages have such a considerable influence on the performance of record…

With a range consisting mostly of models where the gain and loading settings are fixed (or at least set to a single position), the Revelation C is fairly unusual as it offers an extensive choice of adjustments. This includes gain and impedance (in keeping with the rest of the models in the test), but you can also alter the EQ curve and select mono if you so choose. This is the only model here that doesn’t also support an input for moving-magnet cartridges (the Revelation M is equipped for this task). The adjustments are made via a series of multi-position switches on the front panel with the stereo and mono adjustment on the rear. Externally, the Revelation C is somewhere between functional and austere. The casework is very similar to…

It may have a lower profile than some of the other brands in the group, but Sonneteer has managed to carve itself a solid reputation for well-regarded components. On paper at least, all the basics are covered. The Sedley supports moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges and this version offers the ability to digitise your records via a USB connection on the rear panel at 16-bit/48kHz sampling rate. You can alternatively buy it without the USB port for a £50 saving. Internally, the Sedley is a dual-mono type design with careful attention paid to the power supply and output stages. There is only a single input for a turntable so this will need to be correctly configured for the cartridge in question before you connect it. This is done via dip switches…

I recently found myself chatting with a fellow audio scribe about the number of turntables currently available. We discussed a few favourites and his final comment was: “Yes, a great selection; although about half of them are made by Pro-Ject!” While we chuckled, I couldn’t help thinking he had a point. Not since the late seventies, and the bewildering array of decks to be found in the Technics catalogue, has one manufacturer covered such a wide span with its model lineup. The latest sub-range to be augmented is the Debut Line. Not content with the Debut S/E3, Carbon DC (HFC 366), Carbon Esprit SB (HFC 383), Carbon Phono USB, RecordMaster and Carbon RecordMaster Hi-Res, it has now introduced the £325 Debut III S Audiophile, which is distinguished by the new…

With its ‘Smart Line’ portfolio Sonoro’s aim is to provide a range of loudspeaker systems suitable for use in different rooms around the home, and the Meisterstück – ‘masterpiece’ – is the top of the range model, designed to form the centre piece of your main music system. Available in black, white or silver, it houses a full 2.1-stereo system with two tweeters and a pair of midrange drivers that sit on either side of its 70mm control screen, along with a downward-firing bass driver. But that’s just the start, as the Meisterstück also includes a built-in CD player and both DAB+ and FM radio, along with 3.5mm line-in, optical input, and RCA in and output. There’s a headphone socket on the front panel, but one nice additional touch is…

Sometimes, we can all find ourselves the recipient of a bit of blind luck. When I purchased the house I currently live in, nearly 15 years ago, I didn’t pay huge attention to a number of things. As I was only 22 at the time, trifling details like schools, local amenities or friendly neighbours passed me by in my determination to end renting a bedsit in West London in exchange for a living space that was more substantial. As it happens, I have been well served in all these areas, which is why I’ve stayed put for so long. One thing I did check thoroughly was the property’s suitability for my hi-fi. At the time, I wasn’t a reviewer, but the business of listening to music was sufficiently important that…

It’s been almost 20 years since I read and reviewed Old Gods Almost Dead, Stephen Davis’ highly readable biography of The Rolling Stones. Davis’ central argument was that, as the band entered its fifth decade, the rock and roll era that the Stones defined was winding down to its inevitable end. His fin de siècle thesis proved to be premature. As I write, I’m preparing to take my six-year old grandson to see the Stones at the London Stadium. By the time the 22nd century arrives he will be 88 and he will be able to tell my great-great-grandchildren that he saw the greatest rock and roll band in the world, which had begun its career almost a century and a half earlier. Since Davis’ book, there have been further…

Norma Waterson & Eliza Carthy Anchor CD Topic IF YOU THINK folk music is all about men with beards and beer tankards singing about jolly ploughboys and buxom milkmaids, then this wonderful record by Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy is here to make you think again. Not that Anchor can be easily categorised as a traditional folk record, as the opening track – an atmospheric take on Tom Waits' Strange Weather – immediately makes evident. Rather, this is an album about the ability of a pair of distinctive singers to interpret an eclectic collection of songs in dramatic new ways that make us feel as though we are hearing them for the very first time. Both singers made their names as two of our finest exponents of traditional song and members…

On this trip to the Netherlands to dig deep in the crates of the world’s largest record fair, HFC’s intrepid man in the field is Jamie Upton, manager and senior dance buyer of London’s Music and Video Exchange’s Greenwich outpost. His trip combines business with pleasure: on this busman’s holiday, his first visit to this gigantic fair, he’s mainly scouting for European gems for the store’s record racks, while also hoping to add a few treats to his own collection. We’re at the 49th Mega Record & CD Fair, held twice a year at the cavernous Jaarbeurs Convention centre in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Managed by Vinyl Planet and running for over 25 years, this particular two-day event (Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 April), has drawn over 500 international record dealers…

PRICE: £300 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: AUDEARA.COM AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURER AUDEARA is perhaps best known for its past in the medical realm. However, a recent Kickstarter campaign changed all of that when it launched the A-01 headphone, designed not only to protect the user’s ears, but also to deliver a sound specifically catered to them. The first time the user wears the A-01, they use the companion app to undergo a hearing test, the results of which are then stored by the cans. Using this unique profile, the headphone then adjusts the sound signal (making changes to left and right channels) so that the sound is individually tailored to the listener, while monitoring their hearing over time. More traditional features include wireless Bluetooth connectivity, 40mm Mylar drivers, noise cancelling claimed to reduce…

PRICE: £230-£600 AVAILABLE: SEPTEMBER CONTACT: 0844 8111116 WEB: UK.YAMAHA.COM Yamaha’s MusicCast wireless multi-room speakers have undergone a refresh, with a series of streaming speakers, soundbars and a wireless subwoofer all set for release in September. First up is the MusicCast 20, which can be used as a standalone speaker, paired or as part of a surround setup. Equipped with wi-fi, AirPlay and Bluetooth (version 4.2), it features a 30mm soft dome tweeter, 90mm mid/bass driver and pair of passive bass radiators. Compatible with a number of streaming services, it will playback FLAC files up to 24-bit/192kHz and offers Alexa voice control compatibility. It‘s available in a black or white finish and costs £230. The larger MusicCast 50 (right) is also available in the same black and white finishes – as…

Unusually for a company that produces so many ranges of cartridges, this is its only phono stage. As the name suggests, there have been previous versions of the P75 – we saw the Mk3 in HFC 370. The basic design remains the same; a compact casework model supporting both moving-coil and magnet cartridges. For this latest generation, Dynavector has been tweaking rather than offering root and branch alterations. The power supply – still a wall-wart unit – now has its AC input more heavily shielded from the rest of the circuit to reduce interference. The whole circuit is placed on a pull-out tray, allowing you to adjust gain, impedance and the unique Phono Enhancer functionality (see box out). This makes for neater externals than some of the other designs, but…

Pro-Ject’s exhaustive Box Design range includes a phono stage seemingly for every occasion. The replacement for the original Tube Box DS, the DS2 represents an ambitious step forward in features. The valves – a pair of ECC83 units – are part of the output stage rather than anything to do with the creation of gain. The specification is usefully comprehensive with support for moving-magnet and moving-coil inputs and, in contrast to many of the designs here, adjustments for loading, gain and resistance are all accessed via clearly labelled front panel controls as opposed to a row of dip switches. This functionality is partnered with a chassis design that borrows from Pro-Ject’s more expensive RS series of components and feels very solidly assembled with thick metal sections complemented by the wooden…

Looking at the latest CXN network streamer/digital preamp/DAC, nothing has changed cosmetically from the original and between us and the barcode label on the carton, no one else will have a clue that this is the updated version. In matters of hiding your brighter light under the same bushel, the CXN V2, with its enhanced usability and slicker streaming properties, looks very Cambridge Audio and pretty much foolproof. Although the sleek and stylish design has aged well and its low-resonance metal chassis and casing remain eminently serviceable, it’s always been the company’s philosophy that what’s under the bonnet matters most. So, what’s changed? In a nutshell: a faster, more powerful processor for a “smoother user experience”, MPEG-DASH and HTTP Live Streaming HLS compatibility to enable high-quality internet radio streams (many…

Alex Munro has a long history of working in the British hi-fi industry that far predates his time at Q Acoustics, where he is now brand director. His family hail from the North of Scotland, but he’s spent much of his life in Edinburgh and central London, where he has played an important role in the histories of several big British hi-fi brands. His career began around the time the industry became a professional global business, rather than an assortment of smaller companies catering for enthusiasts and DIYers. Alex has seen some big brands up close and personal and watched the world change as technology has moved on. “Things started for me with a deferred entry to do English and philosophy at university,” he remembers. “But during my gap year…

Is anyone else a creature of habit? I know I certainly can be. And for a long time, the hi-fi industry has been too. Walk the halls of the Bristol Show and you’ll be sure to hear the familiar tones of Hotel California or the deep bassy twangs from Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain. And let’s not forget the opening to Pink Floyd’s Money as a go-to way of showing off stereo imaging. The key to picking a good test track is a mixture of a song that shows particular talent in the area you’re evaluating, but also one you know well – where you’ll hear every subtle nuance that a change in kit can bring to a system. For that reason, sometimes the old stuff is the best. But change…

I’ve been fortunate to be able to attend a number of recording sessions in recent years. The aim at each has been to produce audiophile-quality recordings either in high-resolution digital format or in the best that analogue has to offer in terms of professional master tapes on quarter-inch, half-track, 15IPS tapes and direct cut LPs. Most of these sessions have been held at recording studios, where everything from the acoustic environment through to the recording systems and microphones mixing can be controlled to produce the final stereo mix. Of course, direct-to-disc recordings can only be undertaken at a studio that has the lathe and the supporting equipment required to cut the master lacquers. Making a recording at a live venue with a live audience is a completely different process altogether.…

When Paul Simon won the album of the year at the Grammy Awards for 1975’s Still Crazy After All These Years, he thanked Stevie Wonder in his acceptance speech for not releasing a record that year. It was a mark of just how Wonder dominated popular music in the mid-seventies. He had won album of the year in 1973 for Innervisions and then again the following year for Fulfillingness’ First Finale and he would be back again in 1976 to scoop the award for a third time in four years with Songs In The Key Of Life. As brilliant as Still Crazy After All These Years was, Simon knew that the only reason that he won was because Wonder had allowed him a clear run. If Wonder’s hot streak represented…

MEASURING ONLY 127 x 32 x 89mm (WxHxD), the Magni 3 is designed for use with a wide range of dynamic headphones, including in-ear and planar magnetic designs. Its power output claims to deliver up to 2000mW RMS continuous into 32ohm, with both channels driven. Eschewing low-cost op-amps, the high-speed, DC-coupled, currentfeedback design with switchable gain instead opts to use discrete components and bipolar semiconductors throughout. Preamp outputs are also on hand to enable it to drive desktop-powered monitor speakers for a complete system or to connect to a conventional power amp and speaker setup. This unit also incorporates a built-in 15-20 second time-delayed start-up and instant shut-down to eliminate glitches or pops either through headphones or speakers. The rear panel has two pairs of RCA phono sockets for the…