Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Hi-Fi Choice

Floorstanding speaker Group Tests are one of the most disruptive roundups HFC puts together. The physical size of the cabinets, logistical demands in gathering models within a time frame and securing a reviewing space that’s large enough to store, run-in and audition six comparable pairs is one of our biggest challenges – but a hugely worthwhile one as it often results in our bestselling issue of the year. The low-cost designs that featured in our last floorstanders Group Test (HFC 447), demonstrated a variety of ways listeners can achieve hi-fi sound on a relatively tight budget, but this month’s selection moves things on with six next-step models to show potential buyers what superior sonic gains can be had when you dig a little deeper. Priced from £2,000 to £3,300, each…

Naim Audio has announced that it will be adding native Qobuz support to its family of music streamers. Available as a free firmware upgrade, the new update ensures that owners of Naim products will now be able to enjoy seamless access to the French music streaming service. Boasting the largest selection of albums available to stream in true high resolution, Qobuz won our music streaming service Group Test back in HFC 455 and claims the most comprehensive CD-quality catalogue currently available. The update is for Naim’s Uniti Atom, Star and Nova systems, plus ND5 XS2, NDX 2 and ND 555 network players. An update for Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation and Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation wireless speakers is expected to follow in “Spring 2020”. NAIMAUDIO.COM…

British loudspeaker maker Monitor Audio has announced its next-gen Bronze Series. Now in its sixth iteration, the updated budget series includes four dedicated hi-fi models plus four multi-channel options including centre, rear, Dolby Atmos and a subwoofer aimed at home cinema applications. Details are sketchy, but we’re told the range starts at £260 for the Bronze 50 two-way standmount and visitors can find out more at its Bristol Hi-Fi Show preview. Monitor Audio’s technical director, Michael Hedges says: “The performance and build quality are beyond what one would normally expect at this price point and I am certain that our customers will love them.” Available in a choice of four finishes, look out for our review soon. MONITORAUDIO.COM…

Legendary loudspeaker designer and founder of German manufacturer FinkTeam, Karl-Heinz Fink has become the new owner of Epos. Having concluded negotiations to purchase the British loudspeaker company at the end of January from Mike Creek (of Creek Audio), Epos will now be run from Germany by Fink and in the UK by David Jefferys (a former Creek Audio sales director). Citing Epos’ original founder, Robin Marshall, Fink noted: “When he started Epos, it was not just a brand like many others, but unique in many ways. Be prepared to see more unconventional ideas in our new Epos loudspeakers.” Creek Audio will be selling off any existing stock and will continue to be responsible for spares etc. on all models produced prior to 2020. EPOS-LOUDSPEAKERS.COM…

Hegel explains that a story is told from person to person. Details change. Things are both added and lost along the way. When a music signal passes through an audio amplifier, a similar effect takes place. As the signal is passed from stage to stage within the chassis, it will inevitably be changed by every single amplifier stage. By the time it finally reaches the loudspeaker, the signal is different from the one that originated at the source. Hegel claims that its SoundEngine 2 local error cancelling system prevents distortion in the audio amplifier circuit stages by preserving the original details and the dynamic range in the original music, resulting in a much cleaner signal with a larger dynamic range and lower distortion. A dynamic, multi-stage, feed-forward system, an analogue…

DETAILS PRODUCT KEF R5 ORIGIN UK/China TYPE 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 27.3kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 175 x 1,025 x 344mm FEATURES Uni-Q driver array: 25mm aluminium dome tweeter with 125mm aluminium mid/bass driver 2x 130mm hybrid aluminium bass drivers Quoted sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR GP Acoustics (UK) Ltd. TELEPHONE 01622 672261 WEBSITE uk.kef.com Slimmer than the bulky Amphion and only a squeak shorter and lighter than the imposing Triangle, the three-way R5 is an astonishing amount of floorstanding real estate for the money. What’s more, it appears to be built and finished to a standard that sets the bar for the group. Colour-coordinated drivers and flawless piano black lacquer gloss, too? Glorious. Let’s call it a value perk that big companies find easier to offer. As with every current KEF speaker, the…

DETAILS PRODUCT Triangle Esprit Australe EZ ORIGIN France/China TYPE 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 38.8kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 300 x 1,170 x 460mm FEATURES 2x 25mm titanium compression tweeters 1x 165mm midrange driver 3x 165mm bass drivers Quoted sensitivity: 92.5dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR Elite Audio Ltd. TELEPHONE 01334 570666 WEBSITE eliteaudiouk.com If any speaker in this group deserves the description tour de force, this is probably it. The largest and heaviest of the three larger floostanders, it’s frankly a bit of a monster, standing some 1,170mm tall, weighing just shy of 40kg and, finished in black gloss, looking properly imposing. It also has comfortably the most drivers – three bass, one mid and two tweeters, one of those facing backwards. Triangle’s portfolio stretches all the way into the high-end clouds and although the Australe…

Tony Brady Chief designer, Exposure Electronics ES: How did the decision to introduce the VXN come about? TB: We were asked if we could develop a conventional, analogue, active crossover for use with the higher-end of the Kudos range as they were interested in partnering with another manufacturer to support their active-ready loudspeakers. I’m a true believer in active speakers, in fact I’ve been using a pair at home for 38 years, so it was relatively straightforward to do a simpler adaption of what I have been using and pair it up with our VXN power supply, which had already been designed ready to be used with our forthcoming VXN phono stage. How important to the overall performance of the VXN is the use of the external PSU? It’s extremely…

DETAILS PRODUCT iFi Audio Zen Blue ORIGIN UK/China TYPE Bluetooth DAC WEIGHT 476g DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 100 x 35 x 158mm FEATURES Codec support: SBC; AAC; aptX; aptX HD; LDAC; HWA Digital outputs: 1x coaxial; 1x optical Analogue outputs: 1x RCA stereo; 4.4mm balanced jack DISTRIBUTOR Armour Home Electronics TELEPHONE 01279 501111 WEBSITE ifi-audio.com Bluetooth has been part of the audio landscape for over a decade now, but it would be fair to say that for many the short-range wireless connectivity tech is something of a convenience feature; indisputably useful, but not necessarily regarded as worthy of a place in a serious hi-fi setup for critical listening. Part of this perception is due to the performance it offered in the early days. The default SBC codec introduced many to the idea…

Jane Weaver Loops In The Secret Society Forward-looking contemporary psychedelia that reworks gems from her The Silver Globe and Modern Kosmology albums to mesmeric effect on this 2019 release. DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo Ki-Oku This collaborative album from the producer and trumpeter ticks many boxes for Joe. “The perfect blend of instrumental hip-hop and jazz,” he enthuses. Various artists Louisiana Prison Blues This 1965 LP (UK Storyville issue, pictured) is an intimate affair. “It doesn’t get more authentic than blues recordings from a prison chain gang,” notes Joe. Barış Manço Sakla Samani Gelir Zamani The undisputed king of Anadolu pop. Barış third album from 1976 is also a compilation of songs previously released as 45s. “Essential,” adds Joe. Meic Stevens Gog There’s a (scarce) CD reissue of this gem…

American Standard CD Fantasy EVERYONE FROM ROD Stewart to Bob Dylan has been reinterpreting the Great American Songbook, so why not James Taylor? From Fire And Rain to Carolina In My Mind, he’s written enough standards of his own to earn the right – at 71 – to sing whatever he likes. From Hoagy Carmichael’s The Nearness Of You to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught from South Pacific via Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat from Guys and Dolls, he reinvents these over familiar songs as gentle, le, stripped-down folk tunes, his skilful acoustic guitar work and warm vocals backed by a jazzily tasteful backing that includes upright bass, fiddle and dobro. Most striking of all is a poignant take on Billie Holiday’s God Bless The Child.…

highresaudio.com has Philip Glass’ Violin Concerto No.2 The American Four Seasons & Violin Sonata, Camille & Julie Berthollet’s Nos 4 Saisons, Philon Trio’s Max Bruch: 8 Pieces, Op. 83 and Ben Goldberg’s Symphony No.9. Staying on a jazz tip, hdtracks.co.uk unveils, Graviton by Andrew McCormack, Speak No Evil by Wayne Shorter and The Bud Freeman Trio’s All That Jazz Volume 124 as well as the more popcentric Manic by Halsey.…

1956 THREE RAGAS A perfect introduction to the intricacies of Hindustani classical music on Shankar’s first recording, which was digitally remastered and reissued on compact disc back in 2000. 1962 IMPROVISATIONS A mix of ragas in the classical Indian style plus Shankar’s first recorded example of crossover work with American jazz musicians flautist Bud Shank and bassist Gary Peacock. 1964 PORTRAIT OF GENIUS Side two contains a 20-minute long traditional raga, but side one consists of six short pieces featuring the empathetic playing of American jazz flautist supremo Paul Horn. 1967 WEST MEETS EAST A landmark recording of sitar-violin duets featuring three compositions by Shankar and a 24-minute recording of Enescu’s Sonata For Violin And Piano in A minor, with Menuhin’s sister on piano. 1967 LIVE: AT THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL…

1951 It's a big year for newcomers as Aiwa is founded, while Sting, Steve Harley, Chris Rea and Julian Lloyd Webber are born 1969 Sony acquires a 52 percent stake in Aiwa and The Beatles perform for the last time together in public in New York 1980 The M-301 mini system launches, while Kate Bush becomes the first British female artist to reach number one in the album charts 1982 The M-301 is discontinued as The Who begin their only formally announced 'farewell' tour in Washington, DC…

Cambridge Audio Edge W £2,500 HFC 447 The Edge W power amplifier quotes 2x 100W RMS output and has oodles of power to drive pretty much any speaker. It has a neutral sound with a hint of sweetness and an upbeat nature underwritten by plenty of insight that’s seriously good for the money. Emotiva BasX PT-100/BasX A-300 £400/£530 HFC 429 A most enticing evocation of ‘affordable high-end’, the sound from this Emotiva pairing delivers a soundstage that extends well beyond the walls with a combination of satisfyingly nailed-on pace, rhythm, timing and dimensionality that seriously impresses. A great buy. Exposure XM7/XM9 £1,240/£1,390 HFC 429 Fast, open and three dimensional, the XM9 pairing is capable of driving more awkward speaker loads to high levels without any complaint. Partnered with the XM7…

Audiolab 6000CDT PRICE: £380 REVIEWED: HFC 447 The 6000CDT is exceptional at revealing what’s on your discs to deliver a great big soundstage with plenty of detail inside. It can dig down deep into the mix to eke out the different musical strands while dynamically and rhythmically it’s hard to beat at the price. In short, it’s a super, highly affordable audiophile CD transport. Métronome Technologie Le Player 2S PRICE: £5,100 REVIEWED: HFC 449 As good as the sweet treble and rich bass are, what really impresses here is how when fed weaker CDs and impoverished MP3s the delivery remains unflappable and composed as layers of detail are locked into sharp focus. Cambridge Audio AXC35 PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 454 Something of a budget marvel, you’ll have to work extra…

AudioQuest DragonFly Red £170 HFC 423 Compact it may be, but the Red can hold its own in this company. There’s plenty of detail and no sense of bass sluggishness or overhang while the midrange lends an appealing warmth to proceedings and the refined top end combines with a pleasantly spacious soundstage. Chord Electronics Hugo 2 £1,800 HFC 428 An essential audition, the Hugo 2 is not just a portable DAC/headphone amp, but the best hi-fi digital converter available at or near the price. Music ebbs and flows along in an organic and unforced way and it images with stunning pinpoint precision. Chord Electronics Mojo £400 HFC 423 Mojo £400 HFC 423 iFi Audio xDSD £400 HFC 439 Justifying its inclusion on sound alone, the xDSD delivers a wide variety…

Acoustic Energy AE509 PRICE: £2,300 REVIEWED: HFC 456 Employing a carbon tweeter to shun shrill brightness, the AE509 allows you to listen into instruments on your favourite recordings, sounding dazzlingly fast and frenetic without the slightest hint of grain or sibilance. Meanwhile its curious conjunction of tonal grace and transient pace; handling of lower frequencies; and taut bass from the matching carbon mid/bass drivers make this floorstander a worthy flagship. Monitor Audio Gold 300 PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 453 The benefits the Gold 300 brings to openness, clarity, fine detail and harmonic structure is very special. Although with vividly produced material it can verge on the ‘hyper real’, this is a consummate crowd pleaser that more than any rival at the price sells an idea of high-end luxury and sonic…

Amphion Helium510 PRICE: £720 REVIEWED: HFC 454 Amphion’s stated aim of avoiding a clear sweetspot is achieved with ridiculous ease while its delivery is spacious with wholly convincing tonality and rich and smooth vocals. Piano shows excellent decay and though bass extension isn’t the deepest, it is detailed, fast and superbly integrated with the other frequencies. Falcon Acoustics RAM Studio 20 PRICE: From £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 446 The RAM Studio 20 clearly favours amps with plenty of grip, especially in the bass. It might not offer forensic levels of detail with which to dissect a recording, but as a wide-bandwidth, high-performance standmount that sounds easy, natural and is dripping with musical finesse, it takes some beating. Bowers & Wilkins 606 PRICE: £550 REVIEWED: HFC 454 Feeling far more sensitive than…

Audiolab 6000N Play PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 453 Employing the DTS Play-Fi platform (which is not without its foibles), the Audiolab beautifully balances refinement and engagement with an impressive bass response and tonality. Given an operating system update, this has the potential to be class leading. Even so, it still remains the best-sounding streamer available under £500. Cambridge Audio Edge NQ PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 447 Something of a departure from CA’s usual fare, this network music player also combines the additional versatility of a DAC and preamp to serve up a sumptuously wide recorded acoustic, with a hugely expansive sound that partners massive punch with great precision for a clean, direct and enjoyable sound. Auralic Altair G1 PRICE: £1,900 REVIEWED: HFC 455 Designed as more of a standalone front…

Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 453 With no shortage of lower frequencies, the Pulse Flex 2i’s bass extension is controlled, pleasantly quick and has an impressive level of clout to it. Used as a pair, the soundstage is large and effortless underpinned by the aforementioned bass while the connections and range of features provide impressive flexibility. KEF LS50 Wireless PRICE: £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 433 Fine clarity and focus, a spacious soundstage with stunning image solidity and unfettered musicality make for immersive and hugely enjoyable listening. Best of all, though, is the sense that every fibre and sinew of this system is pulling in the same direction. Wonderful regardless of music or source. Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 453 The Formation Duo performs the…

AnalogueWorks TT Zero PRICE: £1,500 REVIEWED: HFC 453 Pristine without being bright, the TT Zero has fine tonal discrimination and starts and stops precisely where it should. It is able to unpick all the audio strands with ease, sounding, open and airy with plenty of sparkle and bite, a low noise floor, lucid rhythmic gait and impressively clean, controlled and tuneful bass. Rega Planar 6 PRICE: £1,400 REVIEWED: HFC 427 Partnered with Rega’s Ania moving-coil cartridge, the Planar 6 delivers a level of performance that is pretty much untouchable for £1,500. The sense of togetherness is classic Rega, the overall presentation is aided in no small part by the tonal realism while the power and alacrity complete a perfect sonic picture. MoFi UltraDeck+M PRICE: £2,500 REVIEWED: HFC 459 Equipped with…

Chord Electronics Huei £990 HFC 459 The Huei’s appeal extends from its rock-solid build and playful, sphere-based control system to its impressive knack of extracting the best from a turntable/cartridge combo without being too painfully honest about the ropier aspects of less-than-pristine recordings. Cyrus Phono Signature £1,200 HFC 408 A welcome addition to the ranks of high-end phono stages, the Phono Signature is something of a bargain. It delivers on the promise of vinyl as a high-resolution format and the fact it does so while offering class-leading functionality and flexibility makes it very special indeed. Musical Fidelity M6 Vinyl £1,400 HFC 451 An impressively quiet phono stage, the M6 Vinyl treads an interesting line between accuracy and imparting a little character of its own. Tonally accurate it has a heady…

PRICE: £900 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01494 956558 WEB: ELECTROMOD.CO.UK Formerly known as MrSpeakers, the Californian-based headphone manufacturer has recently undergone a rebrand to become Dan Clark Audio. In the process it has announced the next phase of its planar-magnetic headphone design with the introduction of its new Aeon 2 models. As with the company’s previous Aeon designs – reviewed in the form of the Aeon Flow Open headphone back in issue 435 – the updated models are also available with a choice of open or closed back. Featuring an all-new motor assembly directly derived from the company’s flagship Ether 2 (reviewed HFC 456) they’re said to use the same high-precision machined system to improve internal airflow with new voicing claimed to produce a warmer, fuller tone in the closed model…

Anders Ertzeid Sales & marketing, Hegel DV: Why isn’t the H120 simply called Röst V2 and what are the advantages of the new model? AE: Primarily because the name Röst does not sound as good as intended. It sounds a bit like either a barbecue or an old car. It is also difficult to fit in the line. H120 is much more relevant. The biggest upgrade is the digital section and the quality of streaming. You also get new functions like Spotify Connect. Later on we are hoping to add functionality like Roon end point and upgraded streaming performance as free updates. There’s now a clearly delineated hierarchy of Hegel amplifiers, but presumably the H120 is more than just an H90 with more power? Yes, the difference between the H90…

DETAILS PRODUCT Amphion Argon3LS ORIGIN Finland TYPE 2-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 22kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 191 x 968 x 305mm FEATURES 1x 25mm titanium dome tweeter 1x 165mm aluminium mid/bass driver 1x 165mm aluminium passive radiator Quoted sensitivity: 85dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR Auden Distribution Ltd. TELEPHONE 07917 685759 WEBSITE amphion.fi/en A snowy white, minimalist design from Finland? Predictable, maybe, but don’t think that’s the long and the short of it. Yes, Scandi design has bags of showroom appeal, but it’s Amphion’s specific approach to acoustic engineering that will count for most in this group showdown. First, there’s the influence of the jumbo-sized waveguide surrounding the 25mm titanium dome tweeter. Dubbed UDD (Uniform Directive Diffusion), Amphion contends that, in combination with the unusually low crossover of 1.6kHz, more of the directional frequencies we hear…

DETAILS PRODUCT Spendor A4 ORIGIN UK TYPE 2-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 16kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 165 x 861 x 284mm FEATURES 1x 22mm soft dome tweeter 1x 180mm polymer cone mid/bass driver Quoted sensitivity: 86dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR Spendor Audio Systems TELEPHONE 01323 843474 WEBSITE spendoraudio.com As the only other straight two-way design among the smaller floorstanders in the group (along with the Totem), the A4 has a similarly compact form factor and simple, clean-cut presence to engender a ‘job-done’ feeling among prospective purchasers. It’s never quite that straightforward, of course, and we wouldn’t have invited the A4 to the party had we felt such things made it a stone-cold no-brainer. But there can be no denying its solid engineering, smart finish and strong sense of zero frills ‘rightness’ get it off to…

DETAILS PRODUCT Wharfedale Evo4.2 ORIGIN UK/China TYPE 3-way standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 13.4kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 250 x 455 x 340mm FEATURES 1x 30 x 60mm Air Motion Transformer tweeter 1x 50mm midrange driver 1x 165mm Kevlar bass driver Quoted sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR IAG Ltd. TELEPHONE 01480 452561 WEBSITE wharfedale.co.uk To many people, a £600 standmount speaker is likely to conjure up a few assumptions. For example, it will have two drivers, be around 30 to 35cm tall and there will be a port somewhere in the cabinet to aid its bass response. In presuming this, you will have a handle on almost every model available at the price. The ‘almost’ is important, though, because Wharfedale has different ideas… The Evo4 Series is the company’s latest range and is intended to…

DETAILS PRODUCT PrimaLuna EvoLution 100 Tube Digital AnaLogue Converter ORIGIN Netherlands/China TYPE DAC WEIGHT 13.4kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 280 x 191 x 404mm FEATURES 24-bit/192kHz PCM and DSD128-capable DAC Inputs: 1x USB-B; 1x coaxial; 1x optical; 1x AES DISTRIBUTOR Absolute Sounds Ltd. TELEPHONE 0208 9713909 WEBSITE absolutesounds.com Best known for its extensive range of integrated, pre and power amplifier designs, PrimaLuna has also made a small number of digital sources for some years now. Initially, this was based around CD as a medium, but more recently it has switched to DACs to help digital fans consume music in all its modern forms. The Evo 100 Tube DAC is notionally part of the company’s 100 Series of products, but can be partnered successfully with any amplifier from its extensive lineup. The category…

DETAILS PRODUCT Rega Ania Pro ORIGIN UK TYPE Moving-coil cartridge WEIGHT 6g FEATURES ABS body with red protector plates Suspension-free tapered aluminium cantilever Vital stylus DISTRIBUTOR Rega Research Ltd. TELEPHONE 01702 333071 WEBSITE rega.co.uk As the latest introduction in what has been a continuous stream of new products over the last year, the Ania Pro cartridge is designed to bridge the gap between Rega’s £500 Ania (HFC 452) and the recently introduced Apheta 3 priced at £1,250. The new MC offering costs £750 and can be preinstalled to either the Planar 6 (HFC 453) or Planar 8 (HFC 443) turntables, bringing their package prices up to £1,700 or £2,350 respectively. Not everything about the Ania Pro cartridge is brand new, however. The key difference between the Apheta 2 and Apheta…

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…

Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes Visions Of A New World 180g vinyl Pure Pleasure JAZZ, SOUL AND funk man Lonnie Liston Smith earned his keyboard chops in the late sixties/early seventies, playing with the likes of Miles Davis, Pharoah Sanders and Gato Barbieri among others, but he didn’t make an album under his own name until he formed The Cosmic Echoes back in 1973. That particular cut was Astral Travelling, named after the tune he wrote when he discovered the Fender Rhodes. But it’s his third album Expansions that went on to become a solid soul jazz classic. Visions Of A New World followed in 1975 and is much more of a laid-back aff air that features pretty much the same lineup of brass, guitar, percussion, rhythm section and vocals…

2x CD Deutsche Grammophon HOT PICK SHOSTAKOVICH’S SYMPHONY NO.7 Leningrad portrays wartime struggle on an immense symphonic canvass. The score is packed with under rehearsed detail, but here Nelsons’ preparation is meticulous. He demands the highest standards of tuning in even the most demanding of passages. The heavy brass caps the structures with a huge sound, free from any hint of coarseness. The accomplished Boston wind players impress in the Sixth Symphony which, after a first movement slightly lacking in atmosphere, develops into a thoroughly involving performance. King Lear is well performed, while the popular Festive Overture does not achieve the sharp precision of the very best readings. The sound is thrilling. Closely miked, it is on the tonally bright side but balance is natural and the stereo perspective consistent. The sumptuously…

Said to have been invented in the 13th century, the sitar is a plucked stringed instrument which derives its distinctive timbre and resonance from sympathetic strings, bridge design, a long hollow neck and a gourd-shaped resonance chamber. Generally made from teak with the main resonating bowl made from a seasoned gourd, many sitars have a second gourd at the top of the neck to further amplify the sound. Played with a wire plectrum, the sitar has six or seven main strings, of which four are used for the melody and the other two or three to supply a drone or rhythmic ostinato. In addition there are nine to 13 sympathetic or taraf strings, which give the sitar its distinctive ‘jangling’ sound. Around 20 brass frets are arranged on the instrument’s long neck, which…

Atlas Cables Equator Integra PRICE: £115 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 438 Employing the same OCC copper conductors used in Atlas’ higher end interconnects, the Equator Integra transmits consistently sophisticated music and represents excellent value for money. Subtle nuances become elevated, while elegance, refinement and fine details adroitly come to the fore. Gekko Cables Red Dusk PRICE: £250 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 456 A directional unshielded RCA interconnect, the Red Dusk is made of two twisted solid-core OFHC copper conductors clad in silver. Once run-in, the soundstage takes on a more three-dimensional presentation, subtle details come to the fore and the orchestra fills the entire width of the room. Black Rhodium Minuet PRICE: £160 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 453 Replacing the Prelude, this RCA interconnect is screened and employs silver-plated copper…

Audiolab 8300CDQ £1,100 HFC 448 Taking the winning recipe of the 8200CDQ and adding an upgraded DAC with DSD playback, the accurate and uncoloured sound of the Audiolab is unmistakable. Vast amounts of detail are extracted from the mix, soundstaging is incredible and music flows naturally. Leema Acoustics Stream IV £2,300 HFC 456 The latest update to this long-established player feels a considerable step forward. CD playback is highly refined, assured and transparent, bass is rock solid with visceral depth that positively grips your solar plexus and streaming shares all these qualities for the best of both worlds. Marantz ND8006 £1,100 HFC 450 A CD player with DAC and streaming capabilities, the ND8006 effortlessly conveys the true spatial contrast between all the different strands of the mix while sounding precise…

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT PRICE: £180 REVIEWED: HFC 450 Taking its M50x and turning it into a very capable wireless design (thanks to Bluetooth v5.0) without altering its sonic character, Audio-Technica has come up trumps here. Balance and refinement join crunching bass, impressive three dimensionality and decent noise-cancelling to seal the deal. Focal Stellia PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC 452 A welcome addition to the hall of high-end headphone fame, the closed-back Stellia rivals the best open-back competition, bringing new meaning to the word forensic. Imparting a benign character on everything it plays, this vice-free design has rhythmic engagement, endless vitality and depth charge-like bass. NEW ENTRY Bowers & Wilkins PX7 PRICE: £350 REVIEWED: HFC 459 Although it’s no match for a high-end wired design, the noise-cancelling abilities of this wireless closed-back model…

Chord Company Epic XL £600 1.5m, terminated HFC 450 Combining elements of Chord’s Signature Reference/XL with its Epic speaker cable, the XL bristles with energy and brings fantastic detail to the fore. Subtle elements are captivatingly clear, soundstage depth is enormous and clarity is supremely enhanced. Chord Company Odyssey X £150 1m, terminated HFC 451 Made from the same materials as the Rumour X (HFC 447), the Odyssey X is designed to bring more control to dynamics and definition, and boy does it deliver. Front-to-back imaging is superb, instruments are well focused and clearly positioned while piano is full and rich. QED XT25 £85 3m HFC 434 Claimed to achieve a lowering of impedance compared with a traditional large cross-sectional area twin-core cable, the XT25 offers up great refinement and engaging…

Atacama Audio Apollo Cyclone 6 £100 HFC 455 Available in a choice of three sizes so you can get the height of your cabinets correctly positioned to suit your listening position, this stand removes unwanted vibrations from the performance sharpening imaging and instrument focus for a full, refined sound. Hi-Fi Racks X50 From £180.48 HFC 453 Solidly built, these elegant yet classy speaker stands are available in a choice of flexible customisation options, removing all colouration from the performance and giving the impression the cabinet is floating in mid-air. Great value for money and a simple upgrade. IsoAcoustics GAIA II £300 HFC 427 Attaching the GAIA II feet to the underside of your speaker provides a high degree of isolation that gives it the opportunity to breath and display a…

Bluesound Vault 2i £1,100 HFC 452 If you see yourself buying into the BluOS ecosystem favoured by the Canadian brand and its cohorts, this 2TB, server, ripper and player compatible with up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM and MQA files, is a great way of starting off in one room and expanding as your system grows. Innuos Zenith Mk3 From £3,000 HFC 451 With one of the best interfaces going and a potently flexible spec, the 4TB, CD ripping Zenith can be used as a Roon Core and delivers an outstanding performance that inspires confidence even for those starting out. It should be right near the top of any shortlist. Melco N100 £1,800 HFC 444 Supporting up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD512, this 2TB music server and CD ripper delivers Melco’s well-honed…

NAD M10 £2,200 HFC 451 With its super flexibility, powerful amplifier design, big front panel touchscreen and impressive BluOS platform, this is a supremely stylish offering. Sonically it’s a very powerful and refined system while its definition and precision is in ample supply. Naim Uniti Star £3,500 HFC 433 Fast, powerful and grippy with oodles of emotion and a pleasingly expressive tonality, the Uniti Star might not have the forensic detail resolution of some similarly priced rivals, but it isn’t far off. Otherwise it’s practically impossible to find fault at the price. Novafidelity X14 £690 HFC 446 Deserving of praise for the functionality it manages to squeeze into such a compact and elegant chassis, the X14’s well thought out and practical approach will attract those looking to take their first…

DETAILS PRODUCT Dynaudio Evoke 30 ORIGIN Denmark TYPE 2.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 15.5kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 268 x 920 x 342mm FEATURES 1x 28mm soft textile dome tweeter 2x 140mm MSP mid/bass drivers Quoted sensitivity: 88dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR Dynaudio UK TELEPHONE 01353 721089 WEBSITE dynaudio.com As the second most expensive speaker in the group, the Evoke 30 has the distinction of being among the most compact, vying with the slightly slimmer Totem and marginally squatter Spendor for top trumps as a room-friendly presence. In this respect, there’s a lot to like. Dynaudio’s designers apparently put in the extra hours, taking prototypes and models home to live with them as well as visiting interior design stores and a cross section of real homes to gain inspiration. The result, with its straight tapered cabinet…

DETAILS PRODUCT Totem Sky Tower ORIGIN Canada TYPE 2-way floorstanding loudspeaker WEIGHT 14.2kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 162 x 850 x 232mm FEATURES 1x 33mm textile soft dome tweeter 1x 146mm mid/bass driver Quoted sensitivity: 88dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR Joenit BVBA TELEPHONE +32 1528 5585 WEBSITE totemacoustic.com Although not pictured, each Sky Tower comes with three rocket-shaped ‘hooves’ you have to screw into the base before settling down to listen. From a distance, they’re the only things remotely diverting about the appearance of this painfully plain but not inexpensive little two-way floorstander. In a way, they set the tone, for all is not as it seems. Stability enhancers? To a degree. Spike receptacles? Not needed or recommended according to Totem, yet each is threaded to accommodate the very same if you feel you really…

DETAILS PRODUCT Degritter ORIGIN Estonia TYPE Automatic record cleaning machine WEIGHT 9kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 370 x 280 x 210mm FEATURES 120kHz ultrasonic cleaning process Four customisable cleaning programs Progress screen DISTRIBUTOR Degritter TELEPHONE 00372 5884 8839 WEBSITE degritter.com We’ve often discussed the benefits a thorough wet clean can bring to those coveted LPs in your collection that have been well played over the years and are in need of a refresh or secondhand purchases that just need a bit of TLC to sound their best, but few people realise the benefits it can bring to newly pressed records too. As part of the production process, residues such as mould-release agents can often be left behind embedded in the grooves of newly pressed vinyl. Equally, grime can quickly build up on…

ALBUM OF THE MONTH Maria McKee La Vita Nuova CD Fire THERE’S A LOT to be said for a good midlife crisis. Back in the eighties, Maria McKee was lead singer with LA country-rockers Lone Justice. The band’s ‘cow-punk’ sound was heard on a brace of pioneering albums and Bob Dylan was impressed enough to write a song for them. After the band broke up, McKee launched her solo career in spectacular fashion with the single Show Me Heaven, which went to number one in the UK charts in 1990. She followed with the evocative, reverb-heavy If Love Is A Red Dress, Hang Me In Rags, the only original song to feature in the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Her golden run was capped by 1995’s totemic Life Is Sweet,…

Lee Dunkley, HFC editor, reveals four of his favourite albums used for product reviews – all tracks can be found on our Qobuz playlist Hans Zimmer Inception soundtrack The perfect score for the film’s altered reality topic with foghorn-like trombones, while the endlessly beautiful Time makes me want to listen all over again. Mark Ronson Late Night Feelings Don’t Leave Me Lonely is the standout track from this 2019 album, with breathless vocals by YEBBA and a terrific bassline that'll shake your insides. Kate Bush Hounds Of Love Embracing digital sampling, synthesisers and the perfect vocal marriage, the Ninth Wave suite demands both the full attention of the listener and a capable setup. Twin Shadow Caer With elements of Bowie and Gabriel influencing the sound, Caer feels like its rooted…

Refined to the essence of hi-fi perfection” or so said Aiwa’s 1980 brochure for its M-301 mini system. “The 35W System: Refinement. Ingenuity. Performance”, it continued. It’s easy to laugh at the marketing hype, but look beyond this and it’s actually a rather impressive bit of kit. This is largely because when it was launched in 1980 the market for ‘miniature components’ was absolutely cut-throat. It’s important to point out that these weren’t simply the swish-looking, all-in-one ‘lifestyle systems’ that we have today; they were effectively full-size hi-fi separates that had shrunk in the wash, so to speak. They gave little away in terms of features to their full-size brethren and were often actually more expensive to buy. Competition was intense to deliver high-performing compact stereo systems with all the…

Audiolab 6000A PRICE: £600 REVIEWED: HFC 444 A cracking budget integrated amplifier with just the right mix of features and high-quality performance. The 6000A boasts a snappy and engaging sound with sufficient power and fine build quality. It’s a great buy for the more discerning music enthusiast that demands plenty of flexibility at the heart of their system. Naim Nait XS 3 PRICE: £2,200 REVIEWED: HFC 454/459 A clear improvement over its already impressive predecessor, the Nait XS 3 is an emotionally articulate and highly engaging performer that’s hard not to love. It turns in a well-defined, detailed and carefully ordered sound that ticks all the right ‘hi-fi’ boxes, but more than that, it really sings when required. Copland CTA408 PRICE: £6,400 REVIEWED: HFC 450 Though this valve-based integrated isn’t…

Atlas Cables Eos dd PRICE: £145 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 452 Referring to ‘dual drain’ technology, the Eos dd is designed to act as a filter against incoming contamination. The result is an inky blackness between musical phrases and a supremely low noise floor, while detail and imaging improve as interference is banished. Furutech Roxy PRICE: £233 for 1.5m REVIEWED: HFC 447 Connecting the Roxy to a source component immediately removes a layer of glare and ‘glint’ from the sound; tonally it’s darkly translucent instead of shiny white gloss, allowing the listener to hear more into the music and appreciate the space between the notes. Black Rhodium Stream PRICE: £450 for 1.7m REVIEWED: HFC 430 Black Rhodium has discovered that optimum sound quality is obtained from cables of 1.7m, hence…

Alpha Design Labs Stratos PRICE: £1,315 REVIEWED: HFC 455 Remarkably flexible at the price, the Stratos offers an impressively wide-reaching range of features without compromising sound quality. The soundstage is wide and open with a refined presentation, delicate details are reproduced with breath-taking accuracy and instrument separation and location are absolutely spot on. Copland DAC215 PRICE: £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 418 Equally at home operating as a headphone amplifier or preamp as it is a DAC, the tube-driven DAC215 highlights an almost tremulous quality in vocals in a relaxed way that allows the music to flow easily and freely for a rich and evocative performance with a seemingly bottomless bass. Audiolab M-DAC+ PRICE: £800 REVIEWED: HFC 449 While some DACs can dive deeper into a recording, what’s so likeable about the…

Audeze iSINE 10 £400 HFC 423 A must-have for Apple users, the world’s first planar magnetic in-ear is decent with a regular 3.5mm cable but comes into its own when used with iOS devices connected via Lightning, sounding faster and more cohesive than the best dynamic or multiple armature designs. Oriveti OH500 £500 HFC 451 Combining an airiness with low-end extension that most rivals can only dream of, the OH500’s stylish resin enclosures house four Knowles balanced armatures (two for bass and two for the midrange) with an 8mm dynamic bass driver for an enjoyably vivid performance. Sennheiser IE 80 S BT £440 HFC 456 An impressive combination of excellent performance, comprehensive Bluetooth aptX HD implementation and Sennheiser’s attention to comfort and build make this an exceptionally talented design that…