Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Hi-Fi Choice

PRICE: £260-£520 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: RUSSANDREWS.COM RUSS ANDREWS HAS introduced a MKII version of its X Block mains extensions with the addition of a female IEC to allow daisy-chaining of additional X-Blocks. There is also a new Grounding Terminal, which can be used either as the designated connection to earth from the company’s RF Router or SuperRouter output, using the mains earth as the final path to ground; or connected to an input on the RF Router/SuperRouter where an external earth rod is utilised, thereby integrating the X-Block into the Grounding System. The new IEC output can be used to connect one of the company’s mains filters – such as the Power Purifier (HFC 425) or AbZorber – to create a mains outlet and conditioning hub for hi-fi or home…

PRICE: £260 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: SENNHEISER-HEARING.COM SENNHEISER HAS INTRODUCED its Accentum Plus wireless headphone, which claims a “class-leading” 50 hours of listening between charges and quick charge feature that adds an extra five hours of listening time in about 10 minutes. The provided USB-C cable also allows the listener to stream music from a class-compliant audio device like a laptop while charging. The Bluetooth 5.2 headphone supports all popular codecs including aptX and boasts a 37mm dynamic transducer with Sennheiser’s Sound Personalisation mode. The Accentum Plus can be controlled via an intuitive touch panel and companion app that responds to gesture controls. Familiar taps and swipes manage listening levels, wireless controls and there’s a transparency mode. Touch enabled The same touch-enabled earcup as used in the flagship Momentum series offers…

PRICE: £1,000 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: WHARFEDALE.CO.UK WHARFEDALE HAS LAUNCHED a new addition to its Heritage Series – a range of classic stereo speakers from the Sixties and Seventies, re-engineered for the modern age. The latest addition sees Wharfedale returning to the model that sparked the Heritage Series. Introduced in 1967, the original Denton was revived as the 80 in 2012. One of the notable things about the original was its compact size. Most Denton iterations were two-way designs, combining a mid/bass driver with a treble unit, and the same is true of the two existing 21st-century versions. However, in 1971 Wharfedale launched the Denton 3, sporting a three-way driver configuration with separate bass, midrange and treble units – the smallest three-way speaker on the market, claimed to be capable of…

PRICE: £335 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: SOUNDTECH.CO.UK American company Apogee has announced the release of its Groove Anniversary Edition portable DAC and headphone amplifier, which delivers a claimed 32-bit resolution, improved dynamic range and frequency response, plus access to hi-res lossless audio. According to the firm: “With an improved signal-to-noise ratio and reduced total harmonic distortion, users will experience incredible clarity and fidelity. From the new iPhone 15 Pro Max to the iPad Pro with USB-C, Groove Anniversary Edition is fully compatible, enabling customers to experience hi-res lossless audio from Apple Music, Amazon, Deezer and Tidal.”…

Hi-Fi Choice employs the most methodical test and measurement regime in the business. Here’s how we do it… PREAMP GROUP TEST THE ACTUAL COMPARATIVE listening section of the test is conducted centring around RCAs for both in and output as this is the main connection that all six devices have in common. The Chord Electronics Hugo 2 and 2Go are run as a Roon Endpoint connected via the RCA output and used as the source equipment for the test material. The preamps are in turn connected to the Ultima 5 via RCA preout. Levels are set by measuring the output at the speaker terminals and, wherever possible, the volume is adjusted on the preamp itself but very fine adjustment can be made on the Hugo 2 as well to ensure…

Though Eversolo’s smaller A6 (HFC 506) streamer can be used as a digital preamp for its on-board streamer and digital inputs, the A8 goes one better. Its volume control operates exclusively in the analogue domain, which means that it includes a pair of analogue inputs, one via RCA and one via XLR. Furthermore, the Eversolo is the only device in the group with a resistor ladder-based volume control. The functionality of the Eversolo puts it in a different league to anything else here These analogue connections round off a collection of digital inputs that support the extremely flexible on-board streaming module that has excellent streaming service support. A brace of both optical and coaxial inputs are supported by USB-B and the only HDMI ARC connection in the test, which makes…

Given the number of power amplifiers that Parasound produces, it perhaps isn’t too surprising that it has a fair few preamps in its range as well. The NewClassic 200 Pre is the most affordable of these and is described as a “Stereo preamplifier and DAC”. This is down to it sporting a combination of analogue and digital inputs in-keeping with many of the other devices in the group. In quantity terms, the NewClassic 200 Pre has fewer connections than some others here, but the complement is nonetheless respectable. Two RCA line inputs, one of which is shared with a 3.5mm input on the front panel, are supported by a moving magnet and moving-coil-capable phono stage. There is then a single optical, coaxial and USB digital input that make use of…

HIGH-END DESIRABLES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Tipping the scales at a hefty 26kg, measuring a portly 460mm deep, 170mm tall, and selling for £14,900, T+A’s PSD 3100 HV appears every inch the flagship DAC/streamer/preamp. Except it isn’t – that accolade is reserved for the German brand’s SDV 3100 HV, which has been deemed its ‘reference’ model since its arrival in 2019 and is available for £26,040. The latter model features a more sophisticated power supply – though all ‘HV’ separates employ a high rail voltage – preamp and DAC section and will handle up to DSD1024 in place of the PSD 3100 HV’s DSD512 limit. However, in its favour, this more affordable model benefits from an entirely new digital streaming board. Described by T+A as its ‘Gen 3 platform’ and making…

Drummer Carl Palmer, the ‘P’ in Seventies prog supergroup ELP and famed for his 2.5-ton stainless steel kit, was once rather cruelly compared with a performing seal that, in the middle of nailing its regular bag of tricks, decides to do the ironing as well. I’ve always liked ELP, and especially Palmer’s work rate, but the critic had a point. I can see a few parallels with the WiiM Amp. Like Linkplay’s acclaimed WiiM Mini, Pro and Pro+ (HFC 511) network streamers before it, the Amp, which inherits the streaming smarts of the Pro+, is a bona fide all-action marvel the like of which the market hasn’t seen before. Nope, the nearly thrice as pricey Sonos Amp (HFC 454) simply doesn’t do as much and hi-fi’s burgeoning dinky, high-value Class…

Making a stereo recording from a multi-microphone setup at the time of the performance usually requires monitoring on headphones. Although it is far better to listen to what’s going on via a speaker setup in a dedicated room, this is not always possible during a live recording session. The best approach is therefore to record all the microphones separately and mix them down at a later stage while listening via loudspeakers. Monitoring using speakers more closely reflects a normal listening environment and results in a superior stereo presentation in the finished product. Modern digital sessions keep each audio source separate by recording on individual tracks for subsequent mixing later, but what if you want to keep all the recording processes in the analogue domain? The only solution is to use…

One of the fascinating aspects of the Taylor Swift phenomenon, as her Eras tour makes its triumphant way around the globe, is the claim that it is bridging the generation gap and the parents of her fans have taken her songs to heart every bit as completely as their teens and tweens. To those of us who grew up on the notion of pop music as the soundtrack to youthful rebellion, this seems decidedly odd. If I were a teenager right now I would very quickly find some new idol if my parents announced themselves as ‘Swifties’. Yet it seems it’s just not like that anymore. Two of the most popular items at the merch stands at the superstar’s concerts are apparently t-shirts bearing the legends #SwiftieDad and #SwiftieMom. Entire…

HI-FI Choice Recommends ESSENTIALHI-FI YOU’LL WANT TO OWN CD PLAYERS 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. Musical Fidelity M6scd PRICE: £2,500 REVIEWED: HFC 499 An exemplary player with more than a hint of star quality to it, the M6scd paints a broad and deep soundstage populated with solid, well-focused and perfectly placed images. Regardless of genre of music or production standard, its handling of spatial elements is among the very best in the business.…

PRICE: £1,300 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: AUSTRIAN.AUDIO Austrian Audio has launched its first headphone amplifier – the Full Score one, which the Vienna-based company claims: “redefines the standards of audio excellence at its price point” and is designed to compliment The Composer headphone (reviewed on p66). Featuring AA’s True Transient Technology – the company’s first product to do so – the Full Score one is a described as featuring a: “fully discrete analogue amplifier design, free from integrated circuits in the signal path, ensuring pristine sound quality with minimal noise”. It’s able to accommodate a wide range of headphone impedances, from 10 to over 300ohm and uses a wide band, fully symmetrical voltage feedback circuit coupled with a triple emitter follower output stage biased in Class B. There is also a…

PRICE: £1,800-£7,975 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: PMC-SPEAKERS.COM PMC HAS INTRODUCED its Active twenty5i series, four two-way models, which function without the need for a separate power or integrated amplifier. The company says all the user needs to do is add a preamp or a streaming device to create a complete hi-res system. Each drive unit in the Active twenty5.21i, 22i, 23i and 24i models is directly coupled to a dedicated 100W power amplifier. In circuit before the power amplifiers is a custom designed analogue crossover, which splits the frequency bands of the incoming line-level signal from the balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA inputs. PMC explains: “The design of the crossover has been computer-modelled and is specific to each model, with finely tuned roll off curves to ensure the perfect integration of…

PRICE: £450 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: LENCO.UK LENCO HAS UNVEILED its new plug-and-play belt-drive turntable, the LGT-345WA which offers both 33 and 45rpm, and comes with an Ortofon 2M Red (HFC 345) moving-magnet cartridge and custom carbon fibre tonearm. The built-in switchable phono stage allows teaming with any active speaker and its Bluetooth connection offers wireless hook-up with suitably equipped speakers or headphones. The LBT-345WA comes supplied with a chrome-plated record stabiliser, which is be placed on the centre of the turntable’s aluminium platter to hold vinyl firmly in place. The company explains: “the stabiliser lightly presses on the record, ensuring even contact with the turntable, reducing any unwanted vibrations and delivering a more stable rotation to ensure accurate and balanced sound reproduction from your favourite records”. The LGT-345WA turntable measures…

PRICE: £1,300-£2,500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: EXPOSUREHIFI.COM EXPOSURE HAS ANNOUNCED the launch of its 3510 CD player and 360 turntable. The 3510 has the flexibility of operating as a standalone CD player, while also being designed as a CD transport to connect with either the company’s 3510 or 5010 preamplifiers or the 3510 integrated amplifier, fitted with the optional DAC board. It sports the brand’s bespoke top-loading mechanism with sliding lid and magnetic clamp and key features include a dual mono PCM1704 24-bit DAC, fully discrete audio output circuitry with multiple stages of supply regulation, a large toroidal power transformer with separate windings for CD transport mechanism and audio stages, a high-stability crystal clock reference and dedicated power supply regulator for the transport and audio stages to ensure low jitter performance.…

PRICE: £80 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: MAJORITY.CO.UK CAMBRIDGE-BASED AUDIO COMPANY Majority has released its Moto Bluetooth Turntable. With 5.3 Bluetooth connectivity, 2.0 stereo sound, USB recording, a precision engineered dampening platter and an Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge, the Moto plays vinyl at 33, 45 and 78rpm, measures 451 x 201 x 418mm (WxHxD) and weighs 3kg. It’s available to buy via Amazon. In addition to this new release, Majority has teamed up with Ecologi, a platform for collective climate action by planting trees. As of February 2023, Majority has planted over 435,000 trees in the Majority Forest, removed 481.77 tonnes of CO2 emissions and contributed towards many sustainable projects that service local communities including protecting the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and generating solar power in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, India. Also, for…

OUR GROUP TESTS have followed a reassuringly consistent pattern across the decades we have been doing them. Six products sharing both functionality and a reasonably close price are pitted against one another and the one that offers the best combination of performance, features and value is the winner. This is my first in over a decade where, before the process begins, we first have to decide what the definition of the product in question actually is. With a preamplifier, this might sound easy enough; a device that collates inputs while controlling gain, but in reality it is anything but. Put simply, in 2024, a significant number of devices can be used as preamps despite not actually being described as one. This means that it is possible to have a test…

In a group where some of the ‘preamps’ could easily contest a completely different roundup, the 3510 sits as an absolutely traditional all-analogue offering. The successor to the long-running and highly regarded 3010, the 3510 doesn’t really seek to change the basic recipe, only to improve in some key areas. It is the only all-analogue option in the test, with five RCA inputs supported by a tape loop and outputting to two sets of RCA preouts; you’ll need to look at the slightly more expensive 5010 pre for an XLR preout. The second set of RCAs is useful because it ensures the Exposure can integrate subwoofer setups fairly easily. It combines supreme accuracy with hugely appealing sweetness and musicality Neither is it quite as bare bones as it first appears.…

There is still something faintly remarkable in the idea that Pro-Ject – skilled manufacturer of both affordable and more premium turntables – has developed the range of electronics that it has, but the Pre Box RS2 Digital is an elegant demonstration of the scope of the company’s ambitions. Essentially, this is a DAC/preamp of the type that has come to dominate most price points. It has a USB, two optical, one coaxial and an i2s input (the latter being of more than abstract interest as Pro-Ject is one of the few companies to make a device with matching output – a CD transport) as well as Bluetooth connectivity. Decoding is via a pair of ESS9038Q2M DACs and sample rates of up to 768kHz PCM and DSD512 are supported. This is…

Network audio players are fickle things. Making one that sounds good is, however, only one third of the work required for the product to be a success. Unless it is partnered with a decent spread of additional features and controlled by a slick and intuitive interface, the result isn’t going to be a success regardless of how good it sounds. This has led many companies toward third-party software platforms in the pursuit of the features and stability they need to make their product shine. Audiolab has been making use of this process of bringing software in since it debuted in the streaming category. The 6000N and 7000N are built on a DTS Play-Fi platform, which has useful streaming service support and additional multi-room abilities but is slightly short on sample…

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AS A NEW version of Atlas’ Eos 2.5 mains power block, the 2.5em comes at a lower cost but provides the same level of filtering as its predecessor. Atlas recognises that our domestic mains supply is polluted by interference from a variety of sources that can adversely affect the performance of your setup. This robust, screened 6-way power extension block comes with a standard IEC inlet socket. The block is made from a highly conductive aluminium chassis and each socket is optimised for low contact resistance. An integrated direct ground drain path for screened interconnects and cables is included, which utilises the company’s Grun Coherent Earth system to further reduce the system noise floor. The block is supplied with a pack of accessories that include some self-adhesive rubber feet, an Allen…

PRICE: £650-£1,250 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: FIIO.COM BUSY TIMES OVER at FiiO with the launch of its new M23 Digital Audio Player (DAP) and K19 balanced hi-res desktop headphone amplifier. The M23 features the flagship AKM AK4191EQ and AKM AK4499EX DAC combination, will playback PCM audio files up to 24-bit/384kHz and DSD256, and also supports MQA. Alongside physical 3.5mm singleended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs, and both single-ended/balanced line-outs, the M23 boasts Bluetooth wireless connectivity with aptX HD and LDAC. Featuring a Dual Power supply, when using external USB power, the M23 has a ‘Desktop Mode’ so it can be used both at home and on the move. In Desktop Mode, the additional ‘Super-High’ gain level is available, allowing the M23 to deliver 1000mW per channel at 32ohm. Equipped with a…

PRICE: £89,000-£275,000 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: GOLDMUND.COM COURTESY OF SWISS company Goldmund, this month’s you-can-only-dream-about-owning-it-unless-you-win-the lottery kit comes in the shape of three new active wireless speaker systems: the Asteria, Rhea and Theia. Descended from Goldmund’s flagship Gaïa, the company draws its inspiration from Greek mythology: “the names Asteria, Rhea and Theia reflect Goldmund’s ambition to elevate the listening journey beyond the conventional, offering a vast, deeply immersive experience across all music genres”. All three are crafted from silver-grey aluminium alloy, paired with matching grilles. Micro-blasted aluminium is used for the vertical and edge enclosure panels, offering a contrast to the horizontally aligned internal panels, which are adorned in brushed aluminium. The Asteria boasts an unspecified-sized soft dome tweeter, 178mm midband driver and brace of 230mm bass drivers, powered by 175W…

PRICE: £1,850 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: MEZEAUDIO.COM MEZE AUDIO HAS released its Liric 2nd Generation, an evolution of its Liric closed-back headphones. The Gen 2 features a new QWRM (Quarter Wavelength Resonator Mask – a precision-crafted metal plate that strategically covers select openings in the driver frame), which the company claims: “effectively attenuates high frequency peaks above 7kHz for a smoother listening experience”. The design has also been changed with the replacement of Liric’s leather-clad earcups with ones dressed in striped ebony said to: “combine gorgeous wood grain and a luxury feel with the durability that hardwood delivers”. Liric 2nd Generation features planar magnetic technology developed by Rinaro, re-engineered for day-to-day use. The Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver has been scaled down and tuned to deliver an audio experience inline with its…

PRICE: £850 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: ORANGEAMPS.COM ORANGE AMPLIFICATION HAS unveiled its Orange Valve Tester MKII, which supersedes the company’s VT1000. Made and designed in the UK, it boasts a microprocessor-controlled testing system carrying out a series of inter-electrode switching and measurement exercises. The company claims no prior knowledge of valve theory is needed to use the MKII: “the user simply inserts a valve into the correct socket, selects the valve type from the list and presses the ‘OK’ button. The status of the valve is quickly revealed.” The Valve Tester is said to feature: “greatly improved algorithms with an updated database containing the test results of literally hundreds of new, used and faulty valves giving the MKII a much greater intelligence compared with the original Orange VT1000. All the voltages…

As the most affordable model in the Cyrus range, the Classic PRE replaces both the 6 and 8 Series options that preceded it. Built into the standard Cyrus half-width casework, it is narrow but relatively deep at the same time. The reduced rear panel space doesn’t really restrict the functionality on offer, though. Four RCA line inputs are supported by an MM phono stage that, like the Classic AMP (HFC 506) from the same range, is derived from the truly magnificent Phono Signature (HFC 408) standalone phono stage. These analogue connections are joined by four digital inputs: two optical and two coaxial that have a maximum supported sample rate of 24-bit/192kHz. There is no USB input (you will need to spring for the more expensive XR preamp for that) and…

Newly arrived in the market, the Neutron represents Leema building products that simplify some aspects of design and construction while still embodying the ethos of the company. Something that defines the Neutron in particular is that its connectivity is designed around the premise of company co-founder Lee Taylor being able to connect all the things he wants to it. One has to assume he has a lot to hook up because the Neutron has more extensive connectivity than most. How extensive? The Neutron offers a single XLR input and four RCA connections, backed up by a phono stage that supports both moving-magnet and moving-coil operation. Want some digital connections? No problem. There’s a USB input that supports PCM to 384kHz and DSD128 and no less than six supporting digital inputs;…

For a fair few people, the idea of looking at your record collection and thinking: “how can I enjoy this out and about?” is answered by listening to the same album on the streaming service of your choice or, for the truly committed, ripping the vinyl and taking the file out with you. Audio-Technica’s AT-SB727 offers an intriguing third option. A resurrected version of its Sound Burger portable turntable from 1983, it is designed to play records when placed on a flat surface, anywhere. The basic design is unchanged from the original. Pop the clamshell lid and you’ll find a 90mm aluminium platter rotated by a belt hidden in the lower section of the chassis. It can play at 33 and 45rpm and, regardless of the size of the record,…

There’s no doubt that the emergence of the internet has changed the way that we all buy stuff. Unlike the high street it provides unrivalled choice and offers an easy way to get the best price. While it might seem anachronistic to visit a real-life store when you could have something delivered to your door with a few clicks of the mouse, nothing matches the expertise that a reputable hi-fi dealer provides. If buying a product covers three stages (system matching, demo-ing and installing), dealing with an actual person in a proper bricks-and-mortar store is far superior in every way. Whether you are looking to buy a complete system or simply change a component in an existing one, the likelihood is that you’ll have a budget in mind and will…

Back in the Sixties, if one mentioned to a classical musician Air On A G String, played by The Jacques Loussier Trio, it was more than likely to be met with an air of utter disdain. After all, the piece was a jazzed-up version by Loussier of the second movement Aria from JS Bach’s Orchestral Suite No.3 in D Major BWV 1068, which should certainly not have been tampered with. In fact, Air On A G String is actually German violinist August Wilhelmj’s 1871 arrangement of that particular Bach movement. It differs from the original Bach in that the part of the first violins is transposed down so that the entire piece can be played on just the violin’s lowest string (G, hence the name). The idea of adapting or…

Vampire Weekend Only God Was Above Us CD Columbia AT THE START of this year I wrote an Opinion column bemoaning that it now seems harder than ever for new acts to get a hearing as established names increasingly hog the bandwidth – and promised to give us much space as possible in 2024 to unfamiliar and emerging artists. At the same time, that worthy ambition does not mean we can or should ignore familiar favourites when they produce something rather special. The 2008 self-titled debut by New York’s Vampire Weekend was a strikingly original mix of indie, post-punk, psych and chamber music laced with unexpected Afro-pop influences, which went platinum on both sides of the Atlantic and established them as Manhattan’s smartest art-rockers since Talking Heads. Three further studio…

WITHOUT DOUBT, THE best way to connect your streamer or digital music player to your network is via a cable connection and only a high-quality Ethernet will support the higher speeds required to transmit hi-res audio. This helps eliminate cable-induced jitter of the digital audio signal. The Clearway Streaming Ethernet cable has been designed to reduce the pick-up of external high-frequency noise that can result in such jitter, which the digital processor in the DAC then tries to correct, as it can result in unwanted degradation of the audio signal. The cable contains four pairs of oxygen-free high-speed conductors, which are all individually shielded. There’s an overall shield below the outer jacket to provide extra protection against high-frequency noise. The insulation is a low-loss, low-density polyethylene. The cable is terminated…