Innholdsfortegnelse for Nov-18 i Hi-Fi Choice

Network music streaming continues to be a convenient way for many of us to listen to music at home, and its appeal is clear to see. With access to millions of digital files at the tap of a touchscreen and CD-quality sound or better on offer from hi-res subscription services like Qobuz Sublime or Tidal Master, streaming is a remarkably slick way of playing music and this month’s Group Test – starting on p24 – looks at six low-cost network audio navigators to get you started. Despite streaming being a thoroughly modern way to listen to music, physical formats continue to play on in many systems, with vinyl being by far the most popular for readers to get their music listening kicks, judging by the number of votes that it…

Before we get to the brand new and rather imposing tower you see before you, a little Brit-fiarchaeology. You’ve doubtless heard of Falcon Acoustics, not least for its assertion that among the host of latter-day copies, it makes the most authentic and accurate recreation of the legendary BBC LS3/5a standmount monitor. A decent enough claim to fame. But to fully appreciate the provenance of the company, its specialisations and its aspirations, we must dig deeper. It reveals harmonics, dynamic contrasts and proportion that align with reality It all started with Malcolm Jones who, in 1961, enjoyed the unique distinction of being the first person to be employed by Kent-based speaker maker KEF Electronics Ltd. Jones was given the title of senior development engineer and that’s precisely what he did, going…

From the electronics wing of German company Teufel, the Connector exists as a standalone source that allows an existing hi-fi setup to be integrated into a wider Raumfeld ecosystem. Like the other products here, it works perfectly well as an add-on streamer in its own right and has some useful functionality. The Connector handles all lossless formats – bar DSD – at sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz. Wired and wireless connectivity is supported and there’s an analogue loop-through, which allows it to share an input with an existing source component, while the optical digital output allows you to use it with an external DAC. The Connector is supplied with a dedicated app (iOS and Android), which is a slick and effective piece of software. Like others here, it renders the…

I must confess to being somewhat surprised by Sennheiser’s decision to opt for a closed-back design for its new high-end dynamic headphone. Offering the advantage of isolating the listener from external interference and preventing leakage, the design is often considered a compromise in terms of sound quality as the drivers in each earcup create the same amount of sound from both sides of the diaphragm as it vibrates. This means that any rearward radiation is trapped in the enclosure, which can result in unwanted resonances while the sealed enclosure can also adversely affect bass response as it can limit the movement of the diaphragm. The rearward radiation can even bounce back through the drive unit and add colouration to the sound. For this reason closed-back headphones have to be very…

Marketing director, Primare DP: What type of customer is the I15 Prisma aimed at? TM: The 15 Prisma series was designed to be reasonably priced and as compact as possible, while maintaining Primare’s tradition of high performance. It became increasingly apparent that there was a growing demand for smaller electronics that could more easily integrate into living environments than our already compact products. As part of that slimming down effort we even eliminated our signature control knob for a simpler and quieter looking front facade, making the amplifier less obtrusive. How important would you say Prisma is to typical buyers? Very important, whether for the typical ‘lean-in listener’ (those interested in the gear as much as the music) or the ‘laid-back listener’ (those with a keen interest in music that…

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 describes himself…

When Atlantic Records signed Aretha Franklin in 1967, her career was a story of promise and potential that had never been quite fulfilled. At 24 she had already been singing professionally for almost a decade, first as a gospel singer and then in a secular vein as a recording artist for Columbia Records, where the veteran producer John Hammond – who discovered Billie Holiday and Count Basie – had seemed uncertain what to do with her already peerless voice. Nine albums recorded for the label between 1961 and 1966 found her singing jazz, easy listening and pop. She could sing all of them, of course, but it wasn’t what she was best at and nothing really stuck. Eventually Columbia gave up and dropped Franklin. It was the best thing that…

PRICE: L1,236 TELEPHONE: 01273 423877 WEB: exposurehifi.com REVIEWED: HFC 424 A half-width design, the Class AB XM5 puts out a claimed 60W per channel into 8ohm. There’s a preamplifier output and connections including two BNC inputs, a pair of Toslink optical and a single Class 2 USB input. Additionally a Wolfson DAC allows PCM up to 24/192 and DSD64 from the USB port, while the remaining digital inputs run PCM-only up to 32/192. The BNC sockets fitted to the rear panel in lieu of standard RCA digital coaxials are chosen – says Exposure – for sound quality reasons, but many buyers will find themselves needing to invest in an adapter. Sound quality There’s something eerily familiar about the XM5’s character – as you’d expect considering it’s basically a shrunk-down 2010S2 (HFC 344).…

PRICE: L1,990 TELEPHONE: 0131 5553922 WEB: simaudio.com REVIEWED: HFC 430 Essentially Simaudio’s highly regarded Nēo Ace streaming integrated amp minus the streaming bit and a helpful L710 slashed from the Ace’s asking price, the 240i quotes 50 Class AB Watts per channel at 8ohm. The built-in asynchronous DAC supports hi-res files up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256, with DSD and 32-bit files available through the USB Type-B port, 16 and 24-bit files through the four additional digital inputs, split between coaxial and optical. The coaxials are good for up to 192kHz, while the Toslink optical inputs don’t allow anything above 96kHz. Sound quality The 240i takes you straight to the lilting beauty of the musical performance. The result is that you feel relaxed and satisfied at the end of a track, rather than…

1958 The stereo microgroove LP record launched, while in Bexley Heath Catherine 'Kate' Bush was born 1961 FM Stereo broadcasting started in the UK, while on the 21 March The Beatles performed in The Cavern Club for the first time 1963 Compact Cassette tape launched and in a rather neat turn of events, The Beatles performed in the Cavern Club for the last time 1978 Sony’s HMK-80B music centre was unveiled, while The Who released Who Are You – the last album to feature drummer Keith Moon…

● In the competitive world of entry-level loudspeakers, Wharfedale has an enviable heritage for its high-performance, low-cost designs. Its D300 Series looks set to continue to challenge expectations of just how good a budget speaker can be, with three new stereo designs plus a centre speaker that make up the new series. Not to be confused with the company’s existing Diamond 11 Series that runs concurrently, prices start at £159 per pair for the D310 (pictured) – a two-way standmount with a 25mm textile dome tweeter and 100mm mid/bass driver. Costing £199, the D320 is a larger standmount that employs the same tweeter with a 130mm mid/bass driver, while the 2.5-way floorstanding D330 adds a dedicated 130mm bass driver and is priced at £499. WHARFEDALE. CO.UK…

● Following the Kanta N°2 floorstander launched last year (HFC 435), French brand Focal has introduced two new stereo models to the range featuring the same bold design – available in eight colour finishes – with flax fibre cone driver tech partnered to its IAL3 27mm beryllium dome tweeter. The £4,499 Kanta N°1 (pictured) is a two-way design described as being suited to both stand or shelf placement, thanks to a tunable port. While the £8,999 N°3 is a three-way floorstander with a 165mm midrange and 2x 210mm bass drivers. Both are on sale now. FOCAL.COM…

Managing director, Falcon Acoustics DV: The RAM Studio 30’s baffle is dressed in what you call man-made leather. What is it and does it confer any sonic benefits? JB: It’s a purely decorative finish and was selected for its looks and durability. The cabinets are made in Italy, which has a long tradition of cabinet craftsmanship where it is easier to get the level of skill that’s needed for this type of work. Did you ever consider making the Studio 30 a sealed box design? No, it was designed from the outset as a ported speaker, as we wanted to maximise available bass extension from the custom bass drivers in this size of cabinet. Sealed box speakers can limit bass capability unless you go for large cabinets and big drive…

Brand manager, Sennheiser NR: What are the complexities involved in designing a closed-back headphone like the HD 820? AG: The acoustical energy that is radiated in a closed-back headphone design stays inside the earcup and takes some time to be absorbed. This takes longer at some frequencies than others and can be the cause of audible resonances. For the HD 820, we have designed a geometry that absorbs the acoustical energy in an effective way. What were the objectives in adding a closed-back design to the Sennheiser lineup? Our customers are using headphones in many different situations today. A closed-back design effectively lowers any background disturbance and has the advantage of minimising any noise leakage that could disturb anyone in close proximity. How did the design of the Gorilla Glass…

Acoustic Energy made a great name for itself back in the late eighties and has gone from strength to strength ever since. Following a recent management buy out, the Gloustershire-based company has a renewed sense of momentum with various new speaker designs – several of which I have sampled – including the AE109 (HFC 425), a highly capable entry-level floorstander from its 100 Series. Now it’s the turn of its more sophisticated cousin the AE309, the 300 Series floorstander priced at £999. There’s a strong visual resemblance as this is the bigger brother of the equally suave AE300 standmount (HFC 434) priced at £599, and has the option of working with the AE307 centre speaker and AE308 subwoofer should you wish to make it a multi-channel family affair. It locates…

The ultimate companion piece to Eno’s 1978 Ambient Music masterpiece Music For Airports is Bang On A Can’s cover version of the album in its entirety to celebrate its 20th anniversary Founded in 1987 by American composers Julia Wolfe, David Lang and Michael Gordon, Bang On A Can has presented hundreds of performances of innovative 20th century music – everything from Glenn Branca to Harry Partch – around the globe and boasts a formidable discography, too. Its high points include interpretations of Terry Riley’s masterpiece of Minimalism In C and music by Philip Glass and Steve Reich, whose sixties composition for two tape recorders moving out of phase, It’s Gonna Rain, was a massive influence on the development of Eno’s 1978 album and his lifelong interest in self-generating, loop-based music. It’s Gonna Rain, adapted from a…

PRICE: L399 TELEPHONE: 01732 459555 WEB: nadelectronics.com REVIEWED: HFC 435 The original D 3020 – with it choice of upright or landscape placement – was unveiled at the tail end of 2013 (HFC 379) and proved to be a highly versatile performer – an idea the D 3020 V2 has picked up and run with. A Class D design, it claims 2x 30W into 8ohm and uses the latest implementation of its PowerDrive circuitry with soft clipping to protect speakers from being over driven. It offers coaxial and optical digital inputs along with aptX Bluetooth wireless connectivity, but there’s no USB port for hooking up to your computer audio to play stored or networked music files. Instead, NAD offers a moving-magnet phono stage for vinyl fans. Sound quality The claimed 30W per…

PRICE: L1,500 TELEPHONE: 01707 320788 WEB: ybahifi.com REVIEWED: HFC 437 Offering a taster of what’s available further up the YBA ladder, the Heritage series is the French company’s affordable audiophile introduction range. The A100 has five pairs of RCA stereo inputs, plus one balanced XLR. The video input has a bypass feature, which is effectively a direct ‘power amp in’ so that it doesn’t go via the preamp. There’s also a handy preamplifier output for those using a separate power amplifier or sub. A single set of loudspeaker binding posts is fitted. The manufacturer claims 100W per channel into 8ohm, or 150W into 4. No doubt the chunky 320VA power transformer helps to deliver this. Sound quality Right from switch-on, instead of the bland, anodyne and clinical sound often experienced at this…

“Always eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. Asleep or awake, indoors or out of doors, in the bath or bed – no escape. Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres in your skull.” So wrote George Orwell in 1984. The reality, however, is that instead of some shadowy elite stealing our freedom away, we've willingly given it up by employing technology – from smartphones and voice-assisted devices to social media – that monitors our every move. OK, so this may be a touch over the top, but consider this: a recent poll in the UK revealed that more than one in five people that own voice-assisted technology – such as Google's Home Mini, Amazon's Echo Dot or Apple's Home Pod smart speakers (tested HFC 434, 421…

WHARFEDALE HI-FI @WHARFEDALEHIFI Wharfedale speakers were spotted on the brand new pilot episode of “Jack Ryan” on Amazon Prime. Do you agree with our Wharfedale friend, are these ours? #wharfedale #wharfedalehifi#spotthewharfedale #jackryan #doyouagree WILSON BENESCH @WILSON_BENESCH EMINENCE Launches in Asia at the Guangzhou International AV Fair - Marking the 25th Edition of China’s largest audio exhibit, Wilson Benesch in partnership with official importer Forthwise Ltd. will launch the… https://www.facebook.com/WilsonBenesch/posts/1909004489166351 HIFIX @FRANKHARVEYHIFI Cyrus has teamed up with Qobuz to bring you high quality streaming for FREE for 3 months! To claim your #FREE 3 months, purchase a Cyrus Soundkey while the promotion is running and you’ll get a code in the box, all you have to do then is sign up to Qobuz! http://bit.ly/2Peh8A4 THE CHORD COMPANY @CHORDCABLES Each week we…

Part of a small range of full-width separates that include an integrated amp and CD player, the WLD+211T is a DLNA-compatible device that allows for wired and wireless streaming up to 24-bit/48kHz. It offers FLAC and WAV support, but not ALAC or AIFF. You can also use it as a preamp and the volume controls the analogue output. Digital optical and coaxial outputs are provided for a degree of upgradeability. Additional features are relatively sparse – given this is the second most expensive player here – but one inclusion is decidedly unusual. As well as support for internet radio stations, the WLD+211T is fitted with DAB, DAB+ and FM tuners. Otherwise, features are limited to Spotify Connect (controlled via the third-party UNDOK app), but no AirPlay or Bluetooth. A remote…

With a comprehensive streaming section and support for 24-bit/192kHz files via wired and wireless connections, the Smart Streamer stands out from the crowd by additionally being a preamp with a central volume control that can be connected directly to a power amp – Tibo has a matching one in its range. At the back are both fixed and variable line outputs along with an optical digital output and an RCA line in. Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and internet radio are also supported. The shallow full-width unit feels well assembled and comprehensive. It’s slim compared with the Mitchell & Johnson offering and has a selection of numbered buttons that can be set as radio presets. There’s also a remote control with a useful spread of features. The only slight let down is…

LOUDSPEAKER: Fyne Audio F303 £599 HFC 439 This attractively designed and affordable floorstander from a new British company has a well-judged balance of tonal accuracy, realism and sheer joy that ensures that you can play a huge variety of music and sit back and enjoy absolutely everything. STREAMING SERVICE: Tidal £20/m HFC 440 The streaming service regularly comes top in our Group Tests for its consistently superb sound quality. Nicely integrated into the Auralic’s Lightning app, Tidal is the perfect way to augment your existing music collection, and its MQA Master content can be played on the Aries Mini, too. INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER: Rega Brio £598 HFC 422 The Rega is everything you need in a sensibly priced integrated amp and nothing more. It offers superb performance and a genuine musicality that will…

Brand manager, Acoustic Energy DP: Who is the AE309 aimed at? JL: Customers upgrading from the entry level wanting better sound, build and refinement. Someone wanting a compact, clean and unobtrusive floorstander offering a very balanced, neutral presentation of their music that can let rip and play loud and low when required. It has been one of our lengthier projects, as we developed completely new drive units for this range, every part of the speaker aside from the crossover cup is new. It took 18 months of listening and tuning. Taking this time has given us far more control than is usually possible at lower price points. With every component being a bespoke design for this range it means we can make the speaker work mechanically as seamlessly as possible…

UK importer, Vinyl Passion DP: What kind of buyer is the SV-500 aimed at? MS: The German design target was to develop a small hybrid amplifier with the typical Vincent sound quality, to sell under £1,000 for audiophiles on a budget. There was a market demand from those wanting something very special, yet affordable and the SV-500 fulfils these desires for a great many people. It combines the best of two technologies: the warm sound of the tube and the power and dynamics of the transistor. Why are tubes selected for the preamp circuit? Tubes bring a warmer and more natural sound to the amplifier, making it more pleasant to listen to. The great thing is that they have a long life – over 5,000 hours – and when one…

It was 1977 that Marantz Europe – which was based in Brussels at that time – contacted me,” says Ken Ishiwata. “They said: ‘We’d like to have you because we have relationships with the Japanese, but don’t have anybody who speaks Japanese, understands business and also engineering’. I gave them my terms, but they said: ‘Sorry, we cannot afford you’. Then I forgot about it and got on with life, but a few months later they called me back. We still can’t afford you, but our Japanese organisation still wants you and they will pay what you want.’ I flew over and discovered the amazingly high standards the company was running. For me, that was the biggest difference between Marantz and the rest.” “At that time,” he remembers: “Japanese engineers…

Elvis Costello Look Now CD Concord SOMEWHERE IN THE nineties, the catchy melodies and ear-worm hooks that Elvis Costello spent the first two decades of his career effortlessly conjuring, appeared to dry up. He still made interesting albums, full of clever literate lyrics, but the serpentine tunes began to meander and waver. His melodic aim was no longer, ahem, true. Collaborative albums with master tunesmiths Burt Bacharach and Allen Toussaint filled the gap, but although fine records they served to emphasise that Costello’s solo songwriting appeared to have mislaid the tunes somewhere along the way. A ballet score, a project with the opera singer Anne Sofie von Otter and another with hip-hop collective The Roots were all fascinating in their way. Yet they seemed like a diversionary tactic, a distraction from his…

Cyrus ONE HD PRICE: L999 TELEPHONE: 01480 410900 WEB: cyrusaudio.com REVIEWED: HFC 440 Costing L300 more than the original ONE (HFC 417), the ONE HD boasts an almost identical cosmetic appearance, adding new digital optical, coaxial and Type B asynchronous USB inputs to the back panel. Meanwhile, the Bluetooth spec goes from aptX to aptX HD for ‘better-than-CD’ sound quality from a wireless connection and a 32-bit/192kHz and DSD128-capable DAC is thrown into the mix. As with the regular ONE, the HD is rated at 100W per channel into 6ohm using Class D technology and has Speaker Impedance Detection (SID), which, on power up measures the impedance of the connected speakers and optimises its output to suit. Sound quality The ONE HD is quite a step change from its predecessor, lending vocals…

PRICE: L400 TELEPHONE: 0203 9368086 WEB: pioneer-audiovisual.eu/uk REVIEWED: HFC 440 Another budget design with a nod to a model of old (this time 1990’s A-400), the A-40AE adopts Class AB circuitry and puts out a claimed 76W per channel into 4ohm. There are five line inputs, plus moving-magnetic phono and two digital inputs (optical and coaxial). A Wolfson DAC chip is fitted inside, giving 24-bit/192kHz digital playback. A fixed-line output is present for use with external headphone stages, and there’s a Power Amp Direct facility switch on the front panel. Around the back, two pairs of loudspeakers can be chosen from using a switch on the front panel. Sound quality With its smooth, spacious and balanced sound, the A-40AE makes music enjoyable to listen to, while with most at this price it…

TITAN AUDIO STYX POWER BLOCK AND MAINS CABLE £150/£50 TELEPHONE: 02890 726003 WEBSITE: titanaudio.co.uk TESTED: HFC 434 Lower the noise in order to deliver supreme levels of detail, impact and drive with this great mains conditioner. CHORD COMPANY SHAWLINE POWER CHORD £200 FOR 1M TELEPHONE: 01980 625700 WEBSITE: chord.co.uk TESTED: HFC 438 Unlock new-found sonic benefits including impeccable front-to-back imaging and improved energy with this mains cable. AUDIOQUEST ROCKET 11 £12.50/M TELEPHONE: 01249 848873 WEBSITE: audioquest.com TESTED: HFC 440 This affordable loudspeaker cable manages to pull off a surprisingly mature performance for the price. QUADRASPIRE QPLUS £120 TELEPHONE: 01761 452178 WEBSITE: quadraspire.co.uk TESTED: HFC 435 Experience improved dynamics, a lower noise floor and increased soundstage width with these feet. TELLURIUM Q BLUE USB £186 TELEPHONE: 01458 251997 WEBSITE: telluriumq.com TESTED: HFC 439 Unleash energetic, exciting…

BY APPLYING THE QSeries architectures developed for its analogue cables, KLEI aims to bring similar benefits to its digital cables. The cable’s architecture is designed to maintain a zero voltage and low-noise earth state, claimed to enhance the electron flow in the signal conductor. The aim of the design is to produce a cable that protects the signal from surges and RFI, capacitive and inductive effects as well as static charges in order to facilitate a smooth uninterrupted signal flow from one component to another. As a result, the components are effectively isolated, allowing them to perform their individual task without interference. The cable is fitted with a USB Type-A (flat) connector at one end and a Type-B (square) at the other, making it suitable for connecting a PC with,…

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 SOTM sPS-500 power supply, sMS-200 Ultra network player and tX-USB ultra USB hub, 6 months old, £2,100 ono: 07706 169968 SYSTEMDEK 2xe 900in black, vinyl platter, metal armboard, no fitted arm, boxed £325 ono.(Have Linn basic arm if suitable): 07785…