Innholdsfortegnelse for Feb-19 i Hi-Fi Choice

Audio products with more than one function used to be derided by serious audiophiles. Think music centres in the seventies combining record player, cassette deck and FM radio tuner that took up most of the sideboard, and were often too easy on the pocket and not so easy on the ear. A dedicated component that's built for a specific audio task has always been the audiophile approach, but the all-in-one music system looks to be making a bit of a comeback in 2019. Take a look at KEF's LSX wireless music system reviewed on p16. It's an entirely different approach to the music centre setups many of us remember from the heyday of hi-fi, and very much the direction of products emerging today with amplification and network streaming built into…

PRICE: £800 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01285 654432 WEB: ACOUSTIC-ENERGY.CO.UK Acoustic Energy introduced its 100 Series in 2017 – the Cirencester-based company’s 30th anniversary year – with the launch of the AE109 (HFC 425), the new series’ top floorstander at the time priced at £600. The AE120 (pictured) is the latest addition to the entry-level series and is a true three-way floorstander with sensitivity rated at 90dB. The slimline floorstander measuring 200 x 900 x 300mm (WxHxD) sees the new addition to the 100 Series continue to focus on traditional design values for a modern setting that have been carefully thought through. Twin 110mm bass drive units underpin the AE120’s performance, partnered with a dedicated midrange driver that’s housed in its own enclosure designed to mitigate the harmful effects of rear…

Good ideas are usually and usefully scalable. This can mean zooming down as well as up or, in the case of KEF’s new LSX active wireless speaker system, both. Considerably more compact than the excellent £2,000 LS50 Wireless active loudspeaker system (HFC 433) from which the LSX takes many of its design and tech cues, it’s also half the price. Some commentators called the LS50 Wireless the future of hi-fi when it went on sale in 2016. Well, this is how that future unfolds. Step one: make it lighter, smaller, simpler and more affordable. The core concept is unchanged. KEF expresses it thus: the convenience and connectivity of wireless meets the emotion and detail of true hi-res stereo from a compact system designed to fit almost anywhere. Anywhere you can…

Once derided by the hi-fi cognoscenti, one-box music systems have gained greater credibility in recent years, and Novafidelity has been one of the key brands helping to reshape opinion. With a growing reputation for turning computer-based technology into audiophile solutions, its family of multi-talented models first established in 2003 continues to grow. The X14 is its newest member and the baby of the current lineup, but despite its diminutive dimensions it’s a remarkably capable and flexible music system that can handle streaming, ripping (via an add-on USB-connected CD drive), storage and Class D amplification duties that claim 2x 30W into 8ohm from a unit measuring just 180 x 100 x 150mm (WxHxD). For the £689 asking price, you don’t get any storage built in, but this is an easy after-market…

ALBUM OF THE MONTH Mercury Rev Bobbie Gentry's The Delta Sweete Revisited CD Bella Union ONE OF MY musical highlights of 2018 was the release of a magnificent eight-CD boxset, containing everything Bobbie Gentry ever recorded during her brief career. When reviewing it (HFC 441), I singled out her 1968 release The Delta Sweete as a forgotten masterpiece. A concept album about Mississippi life, combining brilliant original compositions with a handful of covers that fitted the theme such as Tobacco Road, Big Boss Man and Parchman Farm, the record failed even to make the top 100 at the time – which was astonishing given that Gentry had just had a million-selling number-one hit single. Yet it seems that somewhere along the way The Delta Sweete picked up more fans than anybody…

Bruce Springsteen Springsteen On Broadway FLAC 24/48 onkyomusic.com FOR THOSE LIVING under a rock for the past year, this is The Boss' wildly successful, sell-out, on-off residency at the Walter Kerr Theatre in New York. During each show, Bruce sang songs (solo) and told stories from his autobiography. It became a Netflix special, and now this album. Listening to this whole brilliant show (which clocks in at over two hours) gives it a very intimate feel, and the fact that it's in glorious HD means that it's a must-purchase. PH Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra FLAC 24/192 onkyomusic.com THE CARPENTERS HAVE, strangely, never quite got their due, but this re-arranged, posthumous pairing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (produced by the same team that brought new life to Elvis Presley and Aretha…

2x CD Deutsche Grammophon THIS MARKS THE third release in Nelsons’ Shostakovich symphony cycle for DG. The previous two were both Grammy Award winners, and this stunning instalment looks set to make it three out of three. The enigmatic and Mahlerian Symphony No.4 was completed in 1936, but political circumstances meant the premier was delayed until 1962. From 1957, Symphony No. 11, depicts the revolutionary events of that year. The tightly disciplined playing is world class. The strings are deep and weighty, with cellos and basses especially virtuosic and powerful. The winds are excellent even in the extremes of register. The brass and percussion both chill and thrill. With fine detail, a huge dynamic range and excellent stereo, the recording makes a thrilling impression. There is occasional spot-mic closeness and tonal…

PRICE: From £12.50/m TELEPHONE: 01249 848873 WEB: audioquest.com REVIEWED: HFC 440 This entry-level speaker cable employs two pairs of conductors per channel, allowing both to be wired in parallel for conventional ‘full-range’ wiring, or each pair to be connected separately for bi-wiring. The conductors are made from AudioQuest’s Long-Grain Copper, configured in a true-concentric way so that each layer of strands in a concentric conductor is spiralled in the opposite direction from the layer below. This is to eliminate the lines of contact between layers and increase the density and so pressure at the points of contact at each end of the cable. The Rocket 11 can be connected ‘bare ended’ to binding posts or used with its own banana plugs or spade connectors priced at £35 for standard or £52.50 for…

PRICE: £449 for 1m TELEPHONE: 0208 2418890 WEB: isokinetik.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 440 Employing 50 percent more silver compared with ISOkinetik’s original Silver Melody 2 cable (HFC 379), these solid wire conductors are made from 99.99 percent silver wire and insulated with dielectric material, hidden beneath the distinctive purple outer sleeving. The KLEI Absolute Silver Harmony RCA plugs fitted to each end have a solid silver earth connection and a thick silver plating on the signal pin. Sound quality Hans Zimmer’s Wheel Of Fortune is powerful and the drums propel through the piece with unrelenting force. During the sinister section towards the end, the Silver Melody reveals loads of detail and all of the intricacies are beautifully precise. Mín Móõir sung by Eivør has a huge amount of atmosphere and the detail really draws you…

PRICE: £1,850 for 1m TELEPHONE: 01582 937465 WEB: truesignalaudiocables.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 437 True Signal Audio Cables flagship design uses a three-core silver stranded coaxial cable with an ePTFE (expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene) dielectric designed to secure the phase stability of the signal over a wide temperature range. As with the company’s other cables, it has a directional signal flow, which is indicated by arrows printed on the heatshrink. The two silver-plated shields consist of a helical foil and a woven braid and are terminated in high-quality RCA phono plugs with silver earthing surfaces and a rhodium hollow tip signal pin. Sound quality With a rousing LP of Handel’s Organ Concerto No.1 in G minor, the organ really bristles with energy and vitality. The sound of the orchestra is full and exhibits a well extended…

• AYRE ADDS EX-8 INTEGRATED AMP Distributed in the UK by Decent Audio, Colorado-based Ayre has introduced the first product from its entry-level 8 series. The EX-8 integrated ‘hub’ is available in five variants with a different array of input modules priced from £5,750 to £7,750. It’s rated at 2x 100W into 8ohm and is built around fully balanced, zero-feedback circuitry. With the Net module installed (from £7,500), it provides six digital inputs (Ethernet, USB, AES/EBU, S/PDIF and two Toslinks) and has embedded support for Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal streaming services as well as being Roon-ready. Digital file support is up to 24-bit/384kHz and DSD128 (via DoP) over USB, with 24-bit/192kHz and DSD64 support over other digital inputs. It’s available to buy now. DECENTAUDIO.CO.UK LEEMA ADDS MINI STREAMER • Wales-based…

Michael Johnson Marketing director, KEF Europe DV: Is the LSX a spin-off following the success of the LS50 Wireless? MJ: The LS50 Wireless is very much a standalone concept. Throughout development, we could clearly see a market that was evolving and expanding with possibilities. It was clear that a simple plug-and-play, connected stereo audio system was a real opportunity for us, and that we could offer something really special through doing a proper two-channel full-stereo system for consumers that wanted the best sound experience. Coupled with audiophile hardware, we knew we had a unique proposition that would appeal to consumers wanting to move away from larger separate boxes with all the benefits of hi-res digital music playback and access. By the end of the LS50 Wireless project, the formation of…

Roy Gandy Co-founder and owner, Rega Research Ltd. ES: How does the Aura differ from the earlier Ios Reference? RG: The Ios Reference used a transformer coupled input, which offered excellent performance but the tolerances required for the transformers were extremely demanding and hard to fulfil. The Aura achieves a higher level of performance via a FET-based input while simultaneously simplifying the production process. Are any particular considerations made for the use of Aura with Rega moving-coil cartridges? No. The Aura is designed to work with a huge range of moving-coil cartridges without emphasis on any particular model or design type. The whole ethos of the Aura is to be a reference design for an owner that will deliver superb performance regardless of the equipment that they choose to use…

Half a century sounds like a hell of a long time ago – well, it is a hell of a long time ago – but a fair amount of the music from the class of 1969 appears to defy the ageing process – and none more so than the diverse strains of music that were emanating from the worldwide underground. In the year that a giant leap for mankind was being made on the surface of the moon, post-beat and post-soul and post-psychedelia, the diverse territory of inner space were being mapped by creative musicians around the globe – from Britain to Brazil and beyond. The old grey matter was being taxed collectively as the most inventive albums and 45s of 1967 had not only redefined what was possible and…

CD Forty Below THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT the blues that seems impervious to age. Old road dogs such as John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy have proved that you can still sing it with blistering conviction well into your eighties and now here comes the godfather of the British blues celebrating turning octogenarian with a fiery set of stonking, pounding 12-bar blues riff s sung in a robust voice that makes him sound half his age. He still knows how to surround himself with the best supporting cast, too. Back in the sixties, guitarists Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor all played in Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Here he’s recruited Steven Van Zandt from Springsteen’s E Street Band, Alex Lifeson from Rush and the current king of the crop Joe Bonamassa, all of…

Kostas Metaxas, owner of Metaxas & Sins, reveals the music that he likes to use to demo and develop products Joni Mitchell Travelogue A distillation of Joni's best lyrics, embellished with orchestra, choir and whatever else, covering all her major themes – betrayal, love, the universe and our place within it. Pat Metheny Secret Story Pat Metheny always surprises with his twists, turns and blending of styles. An absolute genius and one of the most creative exponents of world music. Handel Messiah I had the pleasure of recording Yvonne Kenny a decade ago. As someone who has filmed and recorded Messiah six times (!), I still enjoy listening to her rendition. Gary Burton Chick Corea Crystal Silence I interviewed Chick and Gary playing tracks from this in 2006 without realising…

A cable of any length and configuration can be viewed as a network of series inductors and parallel capacitors. Each of these elements is a little inductance-capacitance (LC) filter, which has an impedance that varies with frequency. This is insignificant at low frequencies, but starts to become important as frequency increases. The actual values of inductance and capacitance will give a particular cable its character. As inductance causes the current to lag the voltage (and capacitance has the inverse effect), cables will cause minute phase errors between current and voltage, which are frequency dependent. At higher frequencies, a cable can also be considered to be a transmission line with a defined characteristic impedance, and, therefore, we must also consider its wave propagation properties. Many would argue that even with frequencies…

PRICE: £20/m TELEPHONE: 01249 848873 WEB: audioquest.com REVIEWED: HFC 441 Like the Rocket 11, the 22 utilises two pairs of conductors per channel, which allows both pairs to be wired in parallel for conventional ‘full-range’ wiring, or each pair to be connected separately for bi-wiring. The conductors are made from a combination of the company’s Long-Grain Copper (LGC) and Perfect-Surface Copper (PSC). The LGC and PSC wire is laid out in a true-concentric configuration, which means that each layer of strands in a concentric conductor is spiralled in the opposite direction from the one below to reduce distortion. Like its sibling, the 22 is also designed to be connected bare ended to speaker and amplifier binding posts or it can be used with AudioQuest banana plugs or spade connectors – costing the…

PRICE: £102 for 1m TELEPHONE: 01623 844478 WEB: missinglinkcables.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 441 Costing £72 per half metre, this interconnect is terminated with TPFE insulated Reference RCA connectors, and there’s the option of longer lengths at an additional £30 per half metre. You can specify Eichmann Bullet RCA phono plugs for an additional £50, taking it to around £150 for a typical sample. The cable uses Missing Link’s trademarked Ultrapure silver-plated pure copper conductors. Copper can sound a little mushy and vague, whereas pure silver can be too bright and tinselly. Many of the best cables combine both. PTFE insulation is used, a popular choice that is flexible and isn’t microphonic – in other words it doesn’t transmit noise down the body of the cable. Sound quality Feed it Supertramp’s Oh…

PRICE: £260 for 3m pair WEB: viablue.com REVIEWED: HFC 438 A newcomer to the UK audio cable market, German cable specialist Viablue’s SC-4 mid-range speaker offering is formed from a combination of silver-plated strands for the high frequencies and tin-plated ones for the lower ones. Inside each cable are four leads (two for the signal and two for the return) consisting of seven wrapped bundles of oxygen-free copper wire. The cable is sheathed in a ‘cobra’ satin matt sleeve to protect it and at each end are vibration-absorbing splitters to separate the two connections. Sound quality Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade reveals a sound that is full, open and very detailed with no sense that the cable is restricting the signal to the loudspeakers in any way. The violin solos are clear, while the full…

PRICE: £30,000 EACH CONTACT: 01622 721444 WEB: CHORDELECTRONICS.CO.UK The premier of the monster ULTIMA preamp and monoblock power amps from Chord Electronics certainly drew big crowds eager to get a first look at the newest beasts to arrive from the Kent-based specialist audio brand at last year’s Hi-Fi Show Live held in Windsor. Launched to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary with two ground-breaking introductions to its Reference range, the ULTIMA preamp and twin mono power amps dominated one of the show’s largest demo spaces in a spectacular showcase that was joined by the company’s Blu MkII CD/digital transport and DAVE DAC/preamp and partnered with probably the world’s most striking loudspeaker – supplied in the shape of KEF’s Muon flagship. A single ULTIMA power amp (below, right) measures 480 x 350…

STREAMER: Auralic Aries Mini £449 HFC 442 The Auralic isn’t the prettiest streamer going, but the level of performance that it offers is beyond anything else at the price. As well as superb sonics, you get an excellent control interface and it can even be used as a server. FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER: Q Acoustics 3050i £649 HFC 438 The 3050i is far more than a breathed-on version of the previous 3050. It is a thorough rework and the result is one of the most supremely talented speakers under £1,000 and one that is relaxed about positioning and input power. TURNTABLE: Rega Planar 3 £625 HFC 411 The Rega Planar 3 is the class of the field at this price point. It delivers a level of performance that is extremely hard to…

There is no single correct way to design a box loudspeaker and yet so many people end up with reflex-ported cabinets. These generally offer the best bang for your buck, being straightforward to design, inexpensive to make and a relatively easy going drive for the partnering amplifier. Trouble is, reflex loading often results in a non-linear bass response; less well-designed examples impart a ‘one-note’ bass sound as the port kicks in, smearing transients and giving a rather cushioned sound. That’s why Jes Kerr – former professional drummer, music producer and now founder and designer of Kerr Acoustic – likes transmission line loading so much. You can peer right into the mix and get a great feel for the recorded acoustic “With transmission lines it is easier to distinguish the detail…

For a while, some years ago, it seemed that every shiny new standmount costing more than a few bob was marketed as a ‘monitor’. Some possessed the required minerals, of course, but imposters simply sought to leverage the tag’s pro provenance. Things should be more straightforward now. The ‘faux monitor’ craze is long gone, but the appeal of a speaker so accurate and neutral it may even have been used to mix the music that you listen to remains powerful for those attracted by the idea of hearing a closer approximation of what the recording engineer intended. According to some British speaker makers that cater for both the pro and domestic markets, there is only one kind of ‘right’ and what’s good for the studio is good enough for the…

THIS MONTH ED SELLEY EXPERTISE: REVIEW 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…

Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks’ recent passing back in December got me thinking about a couple of things. The first is what a genius songwriter the guy was. From Orgasm Addict to You Say You Don’t Love Me, is there a more consistent and exhilarating run of 45s (if you forget past duff note Harmony In My Head, that is)? Spin a copy of classic compilation Singles Going Steady – a key borrow from the local library when I was diving into nearby Manchester’s musical past in my late teens – if you don’t believe me. The second is that without Shelley, indie labels as we know them today simply would not exist. Buzzcocks’ self-released Spiral Scratch – a ramshackle document of the class of ’77 Mancunian punk scene; a four-track…

Little Feat Time Loves A Hero 180g vinyl Speakers Corner THIS MARKS THE penultimate album in the Lowell George/Little Feat cannon, albeit his voice only featured on three of the nine tracks, elsewhere vocals are handled by other band members notably guitar player Paul Barrere. It was probably the most polished of the original band albums thanks to Ted Templeman’s production and the use of string and horn sections. But they only enhance the brilliance of a band near its peak – few could match them when it came to laying down a Southern boogie groove and mixing it up in alchemical fashion. Then you have the inspired choice of not one but two Doobie Brothers in Patrick Simmons and Mike McDonald on backing vocals who help to make Red Streamliner…

highresaudio.com debuts CeCe Winans' Let Them Fall In Love, Santana IV by Santana and Quintessence's Jazzlab Orchestra. hdtracks.co.uk has Anne-Sophie Mutter's Tokyo Gala Concert (Live), All Of Me by Billie Holiday and Gang Of Four's Solid Gold. Finally, onkyomusic.com has Depeche Mode's Love In Itself.2 And Live Tracks, Pat Metheny Group's Letter From Home, Max Richter's Mary Queen Of Scots and Roy Orbison's Regeneration.…

1973 GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK, NJ A fine debut with many of the virtues that would characterise Springsteen’s career – robust, Dylan-influenced folk-rock melodies and sharp lyrics. 1973 THE WILD, THE INNOCENT & THE E STREET SHUFFLE Louder and brasher than its predecessor, the mix of fifties rock and roll influences and soulful R&B hits home with a restless ebullience. 1975 BORN TO RUN Springsteen’s songwriting hits new heights of dramatic intensity, developing the universality hinted at on his first two albums into an all-encompassing vision. 1978 DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN A three year lay-off due to legal wrangles left The Boss with a surfeit of great songs that prove Born To Run was not a fluke but merely a start. 1980 THE RIVER His first number-one album.…

Atlas Cables Equator Integra PRICE: £115 for 1m TELEPHONE: 01563 572666 WEB: atlascables.com REVIEWED: HFC 438 Atlas’ Equator Integra utilises the same OCC copper conductors that are employed by the company’s higher-end cables. The central conductor is insulated with a PEF (foamed Polyethylene) dielectric and is double screened to minimise RFI. The white pearlescent sheath makes the cable quite chunky, but reasonably flexible. The cables are terminated with Atlas’ proprietary non-magnetic RCA phono plugs, which are cold-welded to the cables without solder. The contact surfaces are self-cleaning and employ gold-plated conjugate brackets that operate when inserted. Sound quality Kicking off testing with a CD of La Vezina Catina sung by Esther Ofarim with the Chamber Orchestra of Munich Philharmonic, the Equator Integras effortlessly transmit all the nuances of this sophisticated performance beautifully. Moving on…

PRICE: £65 for 1m TELEPHONE: 07580 691803 WEB: ecossecables.co.uk REVIEWED: HFC 433 Uniquely, the Conductor CA1 uses a sandwich of two dielectrics to insulate the central conductor, which itself is multi-stranded UHPOFC (ultra-high purity, oxygen-free copper) covered by a low-loss Polyethylene insulation. There is then a further layer of insulation – an ultra low-loss, increased-air gas-foamed Polyethylene (FPE) dielectric, which is in turn covered in conductive PVC to provide screening from interference. This is further enhanced by a layer of close-lapped braiding of UHP-OFC to ensure maximum protection from external interference. The cable is terminated in the company’s constant impedance, non-compressing, double-screened MACH1 RCA plugs with gold-plated copper conductors. Sound quality With Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue, the notoriously difficult to reproduce piano is handled really well and sounds very melodic. The orchestral…

LIBRATONE’S ZIPP SPEAKERS have proved very popular by combining attractive sound quality with multi-room connectivity, a compact and portable design with a rechargeable battery and support for Apple’s AirPlay. Throw in Bluetooth and 3.5mm wired connections, and the ZIPP provides a really versatile and affordable speaker option that you can use both indoors and out. Rather than mess with a winning formula, the new ZIPP 2 retains its traditional cylindrical design, which is available in a variety of colours, and stands 261mm high and 122mm wide. There’s been some fine-tuning to the internal drivers – 102mm mid/bass driver, 25mm tweeter and two 102mm bass radiators – but the main change is an array of six microphones that allow the speaker to use Amazon’s Alexa tech to respond to voice commands.…

With its exposed brick, white walls, wooden floors, clean lines, minimal furnishings, neon signs, Coolicon-style lights (a nod to Delia Derbyshire’s favourite noise-making instrument, perhaps?) and potted plants, this light-flooded, blue-fronted space couldn’t be further from the dark, dingy, dusty and often dismal second-hand used vinyl emporia of yesteryear. But there’s substance as well as style here: reflecting the owners’ taste: punk, post-punk, DIY, jazz, psych, Krautrock, ambient, avant garde, electronic and synthpop are among the treats in the racks. Welcome to the exquisite World of Echo, one of the capital’s latest and greatest record shops, located a short walk from Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green on Columbia Road – home to the famous flower market – in East London. The business is co-owned by Natalie Judge and Stephen Pietrzykowski.…

The Lines Hull Down “Very limited re-issue of early British post-punk that looks across the Atlantic for its inspiration, displaying clear parallels with ESG and the mechanised funk of Talking Heads.” Special Occasion The Word “Released on Low Company’s inhouse label, this is unpretentious, emotive synthpop made for warm summer days indoors, and is ‘Record of the Year’ material.” Various Artists Uneven Paths “Wonky and explorative in a way that reflects the open-ended, inquisitive values that both the avant garde and the pop world share. Sometimes it’s rough, and sometimes it’s smooth.” Kuniyuki Takahashi Early Tape Works (1986-1993) Vol. 1 “Retrospective of Takahashi’s early, privately released recordings. And private is a key word, there’s something personal and intimate about these songs.” Arica Arica “Private press from 1972 of new age/spiritual…

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 TANNOY Kensington SC, excellent condition, collection only, £3,750 (PS Audio cables also available): 07939 071832 or email: ralphkabza@gmail.com (SW London). MUSICAL FIDELITY A3 amp £300. Arcam 7 SE CD player £75. AE Aegis Three speakers £100. Pro-Ject 1 turntable £75.…