Starter amp Headmaster Onkyo’s UK-tuned A-90100 WIN! LuxuryL MSR7 cans integrated leads the way 42 stylish byb Audio-Technica in-ear headphones to be won

PASSION FOR SOUND Issue No. 398 June 2015 Back to black Six turntables WIRE-FREE to kick start Bluetooth tunes your groove to your hi-fi

Music for all Must-ownMt albums lb on CD, vinyl & hi-res 32PRODUCTS ON TEST: Arcam, Cyrus, NuForce, Pro-Ject, Q Acoustics & Rega PRINTED IN THE UK US$13.99 JUNE 2015 £4.50

Dealer delights Mini monitor ThreeTh ttailor-madeil d systemst plusl ttheh Scansonic MB-1 standmount specialists putting customers first speaker that’s big on sound “OUTSTANDING... amongst the best” Hi-Fi World - April 2015

HI-RES MUSIC SERVER | PLAYER | STREAMER CD RIPPER | DAC (ESS SABRE 32bit/384kHz DAC) INTERNET & FM RADIO | QOBUZ and more...

Store & play all of your hi-res music on one component with up to 4TB ƐƚŽƌĂŐĞ͘ŽŶŶĞĐƚƚŚĞyϰϬƚŽLJŽƵƌĞdžŝƐƟŶŐƐLJƐƚĞŵǁŝƚŚĂƌĂŶŐĞŽĨŶĂůŽŐƵĞ and Digital outputs (including Balanced XLR). Record from Vinyl (in 24bit/192kHz) and radio. Listen to streaming services like Qobuz, take control with your smartphone/tablet and much more...

www.sygnifi.co.uk BIGGEST BRANDS, BEST PRICES, EXPERT ADVICE! www.novafidelity.co.uk INTRODUCTION

PASSION FOR SOUND Welcome www.hifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 398 June 2015 16 Q Acoustics Flicking through the pages of this 3050 loudspeaker month’s issue shows that the humble LP usurped by CD in the mid-eighties is still very much alive and well. Hi-Fi Choice has always championed the much-loved format alongside new audio alternatives as they arrive, but it’s clear that the vinyl resurgence is reaching new audiences as well as reminding many that had forgotten why they once loved it so. As record sales continue to grow, April saw the format 113 make its biggest comeback so far with the UK’s eighth Black Rhodium Sonata VS-1 Record Store Day making 2015’s event the biggest yet with hardcore fans queuing up early outside local stores to get their hands on the numerous special and limited edition pressings made exclusively for release on the day. But, of course, the headline news is the introduction of a new weekly vinyl albums chart launched by the Official Charts Company following the upturn in sales – see page 79. Turntable brands have wasted no time in tapping into the market, and I reckon there are more decks available now than at any time since the seventies. In our Group Test starting on page 24 we select six bargain-priced models to see how well they spin our treasured records. Whether you’re returning to vinyl after a lengthy hiatus, looking to digitise your albums or discovering the joys of the black stuff and the yearning to get started on the Blur hi-fi track for the very first time, we’re sure to have a 99 The Magic Whip model that’s just right for you.

BADGES EXPLAINED Lee Dunkley Editor OUR AWARDS Follow us:

EDITOR’S RECOMMENDED: GROUP TEST twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk CHOICE: Products that WINNER: Awarded to those we feel meet a Comparative tests products that are high standard of can only have one judged to deliver performance winner, and this outstanding badge says it all! ENTERPRISE HOUSE, ENTERPRISE WAY, performance

Blur picture credit: Linda Brownlee credit: Blur picture EDENBRIDGE, KENT TN8 6HF

JUNE 2015 3 WIN! Three sets of stylish in-ear headpones p120 Contentshifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 398 June 2015

NEWS & OPINION GROUP TEST 6 Audiofile The latest news on the hottest products Six turntables are from the world of hi-fi coming your way 24 put through their 14 Webwatch paces to see which Essential websites to direct your browser is the king of spin towards for all your hi-fi requirements 69 Letters Put your points of view and queries on audio matters to our team of experts 79 Opinion The Hi-Fi Choice team say it as they see it as they discuss the issues of the day 99 Music Reviews The month’s essential new CD, vinyl and hi-res releases given a work out READER SERVICES 120 Competition We’ve got 14 bundles of three sets of in-ear headphones to give away 122 Reader Classifieds Sell your unwanted hi-fi for FREE here 130 Next Issue The sonic treats to look out for next month FEATURES 64 Insider: Roksan Meet Tufan Hashemi, the man that made a small hi-fi company into a world beater 64

90 Dealer Visit 6 It’s time to head off to London to check out aff ordable setups from Bartlett’s Hi-Fi 94 Labelled With Love Your primer to Hindustani classical music begins with the Music From India series 114 Guide To... Why using a dedicated specialist is the best way to go when buying your system 118 Destination Dorset Meet the owner of the pet food store that 6 100 doubles as a record shop with a diff erence Audiofile: Lotoo PAW Gold audio player Music Reviews: Lead Belly

4 JUNE 2015 CONTENTS JUNE 2015 “Getting advice on how to set up a product can be far more valuable than shaving 56 money off of the price” Cyrus Stereo 200 stereo power amplifier

TESTED THIS MONTH Guide to... Buying from a dedicated hi-fi dealer p114

46 Onkyo A-9010 (UK) integrated amplifier 42 Ming Da Piccolo integrated valve amplifier REVIEWS MINI TEST Kit testing Bluetooth adaptors 16 Q Acoustics £35-£90 3050 floorstanding loudspeaker 102 Harman/Kardon 42 Ming Da BTA 10 Piccolo integrated valve amplifier (Exotica) 46 Onkyo 103 Lindy A-9010 (UK) integrated amplifier BTX-50 Audio Receiver Pro 50 FiiO 103 Philips X1 digital audio player AEA2700/12 52 Scansonic 104 Arcam MB-1 standmount loudspeaker miniBlink 56 Cyrus Stereo 200 power amplifier 59 Raumfeld CHOICE EXTRAS Connector 2 digital music hub 107 Clint Digital 60 NuForce Odin wireless speaker DDA120 integrated amplifier 109 Chord Company 52 63 Audio-Technica Sarsen speaker cable ATH-MSR7 headphones Scansonic MB-1 loudspeaker 109 ISOkinetik 88 Garrard Graphite Headshell SP25 turntable (Retro) 110 WychWood Audionics GROUP TEST F3 filter system Turntables £120-£399 113 Black Rhodium 27 Audio-Technica Sonata VS-1 analogue interconnect AT-LP120USBHC 29 Connected Essentials CET-500 31 Numark TTUSB 33 Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon 103 60 35 Rega RP1 Performance Pack Philips NuForce DDA120 integrated amplifier 37 Stanton T.62 AEA2700/12 Never miss an issue – turn to p20 for our latest subs offer Lead Belly picture by Dr Richard S Blacher, courtesy S Blacher, Dr Richard by Belly picture Lead Belly Estate and Lead of Smithsonian Folkways

JUNE 2015 5 THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS…

Gold standard Lotoo introduces its PAW Gold hi-res music player for music on the move

PRICE: £1,500 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01903 768910 WEB: HIFIHEADPHONES.CO.UK

SINCE SONY’S WALKMAN fi rst hit portable listening devices is getting pro-audio and is best known as a the streets back in July 1979, we’ve ever stronger with a raft of Digital supplier of audio workstations and been obsessed with music on the Audio Players (DAP) and headphones broadcast automation systems. move. The fi rst blue and silver cassette for a life of music and movement. Taking its fi rst steps into the models changed our relationship with Like all things in the world of hi-fi domestic hi-res audio arena, the PAW music forever and instantly turned a the (DAP) market is pretty widely Gold looks set to make a striking train or bus ride to the offi ce or school spread with models at a variety debut. The slightly blingy full-metal into an energising experience that of price points offering different casing is machined from a solid brick could put a smile on faces even on a performance levels and fl exibilities, of what the maker calls aircraft-grade dismal Monday morning commute. and the PAW Gold from Lotoo duralumin and is accentuated with Wind forward to 2015 and the (pronounced low-to) is fi rmly aimed 24k gold elements. It claims a landscape may have changed at the high-end market. As a new scratch-resistant 1.8in OLED screen somewhat, but take a look around brand to UK hi-fi users, Lotoo says it on the front, vital statistics are and you’ll realise our desire for comes from a 10-year background in 60 x 104 x 25mm (WxHxD) and it

6 JUNE 2015 COMMENT RECORD STORE DAY MISSES THE POINT

Now that April is well and truly over, we can reflect on Record Store Day 2015. Now in it’s 8th year in the UK, the event has become a fixture of the vinyl lover’s calendar, and it’s easy to see why. Anything that celebrates the black stuff should be heaped with praise. But there’s a growing feeling that it’s having a detrimental eff ect and is getting away from its original goal. Before we start laying into RSD, let’s first look at the good stuff . This year saw a 3.3% percent rise of sales over last year and a 628% increase in vinyl sales on the previous week (April 11). So far, so impressive, but delve a little deeper and it’s no all quite so good news. Record Stores are off ered the ‘exclusives’ that prove so popular by distributors on a ‘firm sale’ basis meaning that they’re not sale or return like normal. Prices are also vastly inflated compared with the rest of the year. The day’s biggest seller was The White Stripe’s reissue of Get Behind Me Satan, which cost £25. The result is that many stores end up spending out an awful lot of money on records that they’ll be stuck with if they don’t manage to sell them. As one store owner told The Guardian: “You can spend many thousands more than you’d like. Then your weighs in at 280g. Storage is offered DSD at 2.8 and 5.6MHz. Audio profit is tied up in the records that haven’t via an SD card slot with support for format support is extensive and sold. A small shop could feasibly sell SDHC and SDXC cards as well as covers DSD, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AAC, everything on the day and pay its rent for futureproof support for 2TB-capacity MP3, WMA, OGG, M4A, CUE, APE a year, but it could also drive a shop out of cards as and when they become and WavePack music fi les. business”. Meanwhile, the regular clientèle The 6000mAh built-in rechargeable feels alienated by the hordes of hawkers The slightly blingy battery claims to give up to 11 hours and hipsters hoping to get their hands on playback time at maximum output, a disc they never intend to play – instead full-metal casing is and the PAW Gold’s Ti LME49600 hoping to sell it on ebay for a profit. accentuated with headphone driver can support a wide What was originally billed as an range of cans plugged into the 3.5mm opportunity for independent labels and 24k gold elements mini-jack headphone/line level stores to get some exposure has turned output, it says. into a marketing exercise for the major available. A USB 3.0 micro-B port The Lotoo is available now in grey labels and mainstream bands. The top 10 claims fast fi le transfers from a with gold-fi nished controls and also selling discs included The White Stripes, computer and a Burr-Brown comes with a velvet storage pouch. Metallica, David Bowie and The Black Keys PCM1792 DAC chip handles PCM We look forward to getting our hands – hardly up and coming indies. We don’t sample rates up to 384kHz as well as on one in the next few months. pretend to have the answers, but the day rapidly needs a retune to try and get back to its independent roots.

JUNE 2015 7 AUDIOFILE

Dali Menuet loudspeaker Danish manufacturer’s Mentor Menuet is upgraded

PRICE: £799 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: DALI-UK.CO.UK

THE NEW DALI Menuet is a diminutive loudspeaker that promises an astonishing level of detailed sound reproduction, thanks to a design upgrade (taking it from the Mentor Menuet to the Menuet) in line with Dali’s highly acclaimed Rubicon series. This compact bass refl ex loudspeaker features a 4.5in woofer and a 1.1in soft-dome tweeter. The woofer is airfl ow optimised in order to achieve the best possible coupling between the wood fi bre cone and the real-wood veneer cabinet, claims Dali. The oversized tweeter is 30 percent lighter than comparable standard domes and is designed to start and stop with speed and precision due to the very low mass of the dome assembly. Whether bookshelf or wall mounted (using the optional bracket), the Menuet offers what the company calls a clean, undistorted bass, an open and dynamic midrange and detailed highs. It’s available in a choice of high gloss black, high gloss white, walnut and rosso fi nishes. IN BRIEF Mitchell and Johnson ARCAM’S NEW STREAMING APP debut CD and amplifier

PRICE: £249-£299 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 0845 6435064 WEB: MITCHELLANDJOHNSON.COM

Following the rebranding of The amplifier boasts 40W per grade components are also Sansui UK as Mitchell and channel into 8ohm and features used throughout to ensure Johnson at CES in Las Vegas seven inputs, including four accurate sound tuning. earlier this year, the new line-level analogue inputs, a The SAP-201V includes a British-based hi-fi manufacturer 3.5mm front panel socket and headphone socket on the front, is launching the SAP-201V a dedicated phono input. The while loudspeaker connections ● Created inhouse by Arcam’s new (pictured) – an updated and high-resolution 24-bit/192kHz (4 to 16ohm) are made using app software team, MusicLife is improved version of the Wolfson DAC enables digital the binding posts. designed to be easier to use, faster slim-line integrated amplifier audio sources, such as Supplied in brushed silver and more stable than other rivals previously sold under the computers, portable players or black finishes, with restyled off ering the same features. Simple Sansui brand name, and a or the soon-to-be-launched metal volume controls and flush to integrate with Bluetooth, the matching CD player (CDD-201). matching network music player mounted control buttons, the app supports the playing of media Internal modifications at the to be connected via coaxial or SAP-201V aesthetically matches from network/UPnP servers to any £299 amp’s component level optical sockets for the best the CDD-201 CD player (£249), Bluetooth device, enabling streaming have, claims M&J, improved its possible signal transfer. which is compatible with all on almost anything if paired with an audio performance significantly High-quality toroidal common CD formats including; Arcam miniBlink or rBlink Bluetooth without increasing the price. transformers and audiophile- CD/CD-/+R/RW and MP3. DAC. It’s compatible with Arcam’s hi-fi and home cinema components with streaming built-in – including the CDS27 SACD/CD player, UDP411 Blu-ray player, Solo Neo one-box music system, airDAC integrated DAC and up to nine separate receivers – and can be downloaded for free from Apple’s iTunes Store. ARCAM.CO.UK

8 JUNE 2015 THIS IS WHERE THE QUANTUM LEAPS. THE NEW FOCUS XD SERIES. Reinventing the high-end loudspeaker.

No more loss. No more compromise. Absolute Dynaudio precision. With 24 bit/192 kHz reproduction direct from [OLZV\YJL-\SS`KPNP[HS^P[O+:7HUKOPNOYLZWV^LY+(*>P[OH^H[[KPNP[HSHTWSPÄLYMVYLHJOVM[OL\S[YH powerful Esotec+ drive units. For a true revelation in tonal beauty, depth and musicality. An earth-moving experience. Coming to you in benchmark (Focus 600 XD), elegant (Focus 400 XD) and bookshelf (Focus 200 XD) format. (UK^OPSL^L^LYLH[P[^LYLKLÄULK^PYLSLZZOPÄ[VV^^^K`UH\KPVJVTMVJ\Z_K

All there is. AUDIOFILE

Sony goes wireless New speakers and micro system unveiled

PRICE: £259-£599 AVAILABLE: JUNE/JULY CONTACT: 0207 3652413 WEB: SONY.CO.UK

SONY IS SET to release a batch of speakers designed especially for multi-room use. The seven-speaker X99 system (£599) delivers 154W through a 2.1-channel setup that includes four super tweeters. The £349 SRS-X88 boasts 90W in a more compact casing with a subwoofer, mids and two super tweeters and the portable SRS-X77 (£259) has a built-in rechargeable battery, allowing you to enjoy audio for up to 10 hours between charges. Designed to expand your multi-room options, Sony has also announced its CMT-SX7B Wireless Micro hi-fi system. Slip in either a CD or USB drive, access online services via Google Cast and Spotify Connect, listen to your favourite DAB radio station or alternatively hook up your iPad/iPhone/iPod or Walkman for a full range of (24-bit/192kHz) hi-res audio. The wireless speakers are available in June and the micro hi-fi in July. Both use Sony’s proprietary distortion-reducing S-Master HX and upscaling DSEE HX technologies. IN BRIEF Musical Fidelity unveils TMA-2 MODULAR HEADPHONES DSD-compatible DAC ● Copenhagen-based audio design company AIAIAI has announced a PRICE: £699 AVAILABLE: NOW new headphone concept called CONTACT: 0208 9002866 WEB: MUSICALFIDELITY.COM TMA-2 Modular. Providing a vast range of interchangeable options As one of the very first hi-fi Constructed from custom- Jitter is quoted at “about 12pps” across sound, function, comfort and manufacturers to introduce a made extrusions using Mil-spec and frequency response is design, TMA-2 Modular lets you digital-to-analogue converter, aluminium, the new MX-DAC described as “ruler flat”. create a personalised headset. With Musical Fidelity knows a thing boasts ultra-low distortion The selection of digital inputs prices starting from £100 you’ll be or two about DACs, and has combined with a wide include two optical and two able to create your own unique been at the forefront of the bandwidth and low noise. coaxial (up to 24-bit/192kHz), bespoke headphones from a technology for some time now. Musical Fidelity claims that along with an asynchronous framework of AIAIAI elements, So when it says that its latest it’s technical performance is USB-B 2.0. Output connections, including the speaker unit, addition to the range of “On a par with any other DAC at meanwhile, consist of a headband, earpads and cables. converters flooding the market any price” and that conversion line-level RCA and balanced KILODESIGN.DK is “almost perfect” it’s worth of any digital input will be XLR sockets. Dimensions are paying attention to, particularly “completely neutral and quoted at 220 x 53 x 215mm as – for the first time – it will accurate”. This is thanks in part (wxhxd) and it weighs 1.9kg. include compatibility with the to the Sigma Delta PCM1795 Look out for our review coming hi-res DSD format. 32-bit/192kHz chip at its heart. next issue.

10 JUNE 2015 Pioneering world class audio products

40 years in the making, Sprout is PS Audio’s stunning new fully integrated amplifier

£650.00 High quality sound, simply delivered. “Sprout will change the way you listen to music at home. As a music lover, this ‘plug and play’ (Bluetooth) solution will re-connect you with your entire music collection”.

Sprout is the culmination of PS Audio’s 42 years’ experience building concert-quality audio products. We hand selected the best parts of that rich history and put it into a single, simple, easy-to-use personal music system. It’s everything you need and nothing you don’t. Just add speakers or headphones. Sprout is the link between your music and your speakers. Barely the size of a hard-back novel, it will fill any room with enormous, live sound. Sprout is designed to make access to your music so simple. Whatever the format – CD, downloads, vinyl or analogue – just connect to Sprout and enjoy the music.

• 50/W per channel power amplifier drives any speaker • Passive EQ moving magnet phono preamplifier • Low output impedance headphone amplifier • 192/24 high end fully asynchronous DAC • Built in AptX Bluetooth receiver • Analog preamplifier • Coaxial digital input • Analog Input • USB input • True anaolg stepped volume control • Analog output for subwoofer or otherwise • Headphone output 16 500mW, 300 425mW

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AUDIOFILE

IN BRIEF

STATUS AMP ● New British hi-fi brand, Modern British Audio Company, has launched its Status integrated amplifier. It comprises two separate 170W into 8ohm monobloc amplifiers, which are coupled to a high-quality analogue control preamp stage. The integrated Bluetooth 4.0 receiver and DAC allows streaming of music from iOS, Android and Windows devices. Substantial power supplies, separate for each individual mono channel, provide high-current Pioneer USB/DAC capacity for the power stages, says MBAco, and a separately regulated PRICE: £699 AVAILABLE: SEPTEMBER CONTACT: 0330 1231240 WEB: PIONEER.CO.UK higher voltage supply to the power amplifier’s input and driver stages. THE NEW U-05 USB/DAC headphone anti-vibration structure. The XLR-terminals on Physical connection is via three sets amplifi er will play regular PCM signals with the front – a set of three-pin terminals and a of phonos, a 3.5mm front-mounted a resolution up to 32-bit/384kHz and is also single four-pin option – are said to be jack and balanced XLR inputs. Left, compatible with 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz DSD fi les. compatible with every type of headphone on the right and subwoofer preamp outputs According to Pioneer, jitter and noise have been market today, regardless of its architecture and are provided. The Status also features eradicated thanks to a high-precision master wiring. A full-size jack output is also available. a dedicated Class A headphone clock circuit and dual Sabre 8-channel chipset. With a distinctive casing that’s been amplifier and is priced at £6,295. But the U-05 is not just a USB DAC. It also constructed from solid aluminium, the U-05 MBA.CO.UK includes two optical and two coaxial digital can be deployed as a traditional, high-end inputs and an XLR (AES/EBU) input, allowing preamplifi er with volume control, using the connection to several digital sources such as CD balanced XLR-outputs or the unbalanced RCA players or network audio players. The amplifi er outputs. An easy-to-use infrared remote control section is, says Pioneer, fully balanced and is also bundled. Look out for our full review uses a shielded power transformer with coming to these pages soon. NuForce power amplifier

PRICE: £650 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01923 691800 WEB: OPTOMA.CO.UK

Hot on the heels of its DDA120 Beneath the lid, the power amp’s the DAC80 digital preamp and integrated amplifier (see page 60), 400kHz PWM switching frequency WDC200 wireless DAC. It’s available CANS FOR HIRE NuForce has unveiled details of its constantly adjusts to the input in either a black or silver finish. ● Place Over Ears is a new UK latest stereo power amplifier, the signal, output current demands Justin Halls, head of product website that hires out noise- STA120. Engineered for high-quality and loudspeaker impedance marketing at NuForce’s parent cancelling headphones by post for audio, the 120 has a claimed power variations, says the company. company Optoma, told HFC: holidaymakers for just £17.99 per output of 85W into 8ohm (or 125W Enclosed in an anodised “The highly eff icient design also week. Customers can either hire or into 4ohm), and connections aluminium casing that’s in keeping means the STA120 is better for the purchase – via its website – leading include a brace of analogue RCA with the look of the NuForce range, environment and will ultimately headphone brands including inputs and speaker binding posts. the STA120 can be partnered with cost less to the consumer”. Audio-Technica, Sony and JVC for a minimum of four days and a maximum of 29. When back home, simply return the headphones using a pre-paid return service and you’ll be rewarded with a shopping voucher towards the purchase of headphones for your next trip. PLACEOVEREARS.CO.UK

JUNE 2015 13 AUDIOFILE

Andrew Simpson checks out the best hi-fi Webwatch websites, social media and online content

FOLLOW US: @HIFICHOICEMAG CHOICE TWEETS

JOHNNY MARR (@JOHNNY_MARR) The 10 best Record Store Day releases ever. t.co/hPoZ438g4L

KEF AUDIO UK (@KEFAUDIO) KEF Connects talks to independent record store, @SOTUSOHO about their love of #vinyl! youtu.be/CMhZVgtKSWQ #KEFConnects Power Chord Hilarious headphones #RSD15 Where better to test the build of your Top marks to Tannoy for this online April CRITERION AUDIO (@CRITERIONAUDIO) hi-fi than under a Russian BMP tank? In this fool. The WRX headphones feature BLAST The @HiFiChoiceMag recommended video Chord’s Hugo DAC gets the same (Background Limiting Ambient Sound @Focal_UK 926s were favoured today to partner an existing #Rega 3 and @Cyrus_Audio 2. treatment dished out to its QBD76 DAC back Technology) for optimum performance with in 2011, revealing its build to be as strong no distortion, as you’d expect with two 15in SEVENOAKS YEOVIL (@SSAV_YEOVIL) as its sound: youtu.be/0jkksIWX1wc drive units strapped to your lug holes. Another lucky client having a PMC @PMCSpeakers system fitted today. Gonna be another ‘wow’ moment.

ARMOUR HOME (@ARMOURHOME) If you’re a part of the #vinyl revival make sure you check out the latest products from Goldring! #Music #Records goldring.co.uk

TIDAL (@TIDALHiFi) New TIDAL.com app updates live now: link and share your favourite videos from TIDAL with your friends. Tidal.com

MIT CABLES (@MITCABLES) Are you wondering how Multipole™ Technology works? #MITCables #Vero #MoreThanJustCable t.co/s1JbgUM9dS

Whiskey cans Elvis is in the building MELCO AUDIO (@MELCOAUDIO) Chief Frodo impersonator Elijah Wood In June 1953, Elvis made his fi rst ever Here is a great Q+A on the Naim forum. Put your questions to us on twitter. presents this short fi lm into the collaboration recording directly to acetate at Sun Studios, ow.ly/LwXRR to craft Grado headphones from Bushmills Memphis. Fast forward to 2015 and watch whiskey barrels. Grado of course isn’t the how this slice of unique music history is CAMBRIDGE AUDIO (@CAMBRIDGEAUDIO) fi rst to plough this furrow, with Linn’s being digitally transferred with its new #GlastonburyLineUp is out! But if it’s not for Highland Park LP12s breaking the seal in owner and vinyl activist Jack White: you, check out the #CambridgeAudio guide to our 2013: youtu.be/jW66ldROOsg youtu.be/wvtSMMaYUug top 5 UK festivals cambridgeaudio.com/blog/ sound-summer

LARRY OGDEN (@THEAUDIOWORKS) Another definitive product from Accuphase 40th anniversary series, the new C-37 phono pre-amplifier.

THE AUDIOBARN (@THEAUDIOBARN) NEW IN!! The #UnisonResearch Preludio Valve Amplifier. Come & experience the different sound valves have to offer

AUDIO LOUNGE (@AUDIOLOUNGE) V knowledgeable staff & pioneering state of the art music systems. This means we have an opinion or two about #hifi t.co/o5SIFY3Jf0

THE CHORD COMPANY Arcam app Inside Abbey Road (@CHORDCABLES) Arcam’s new free MusicLife app for iOS Created for the world’s most iconic recording D.I.Y. Terminating speaker cables tips for the weekend. bit.ly/1IT9G4y devices is designed to work with Bluetooth studio, this Google-produced interactive site and media servers for fast and reliable lets you navigate your way around Abbey THE BESPOKE AUDIO CO streaming on almost anything when used Road Studios, learning the history of its (@THEBESPOKEAUDIO) #HIGHEND invitations printed, stand with a miniBlink or rBlink DAC. We’ve also recording spaces via pop-up facts, videos and finished, units almost complete. We’re nearly ready had great results using it with other network a virtual tour guide: insideabbeyroad. for #Munich! @highendsociety players: apple.co/1IcKIyE withgoogle.com

14 JUNE 2015

Dz –‘™•ˆ‡™‡“—ƒŽ• ƒ†‹–Š‡•‡˜ƒŽ—‡ ‘• ‹‘—•†ƒ›•ƒ‡• 2 of our “OUTSTANDING” amplifiers! ‹–ƒ’‡ƒ”ŽƒŽ‘•– „‡›‘†’”‹ ‡dz ‘› ”‡‰‘”›

New Stereo 60 III KT150 our finest “modern” integrated amplifier with the new KT150 valves

New Stereo 845pp Our finest retro integrated amplifier (Probably the world’s first push pull 845 integrated)

Ring or email for sales and service. We sell and fit a wide range of valves and upgrades. Dealers throughout the UK and the World. *Prices subject to change depending upon country and tax.

www.iconaudio.com [email protected] (+44) 0116 2440593 Leicester UK Q ACOUSTICS 3050 IN-DEPTH FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £500

16 JUNE 2015 Q ACOUSTICS 3050 FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £500 IN-DEPTH

DETAILS moved to this from a paper/mica mix, and it has made the cone slightly PRODUCT Q Acoustics 3050 stiffer and better controlled. The Life begins ORIGIN crossover point is set at 2.6kHz, UK/Germany/China which is fairly conventional. The TYPE company claims a sensitivity of Floorstanding 92dB/1W/1m, which is a good fi gure loudspeaker that will suit low-powered amplifi ers WEIGHT at thirty 17.8kg and/or tube designs. The crossover DIMENSIONS follows the ‘less is more’ principle, (WxHxD) using a fourth order Linkwitz/Riley 298 x 1,000 x design, with new ‘U’ inductors with The next-generation Q Acoustics budget 200mm a more compact magnetic fi eld, FEATURES floorstanding loudspeaker is here – and it’s ● 1x 25mm soft helping to reduce crosstalk between dome tweeter the components. really rather special, says David Price ● 2x 165mm mid/ The big cabinets are decently rigid, bass drivers ● Quoted sensitivity: although nowhere near as quiet as t is not easy to be a new partnered up to a really good 92dB/1W/1m those on the twice-as-expensive speaker brand. First, designer who also does many DISTRIBUTOR Concept 40 (HFC 385), for example. anyone trying to enter the other projects for other people. Armour Home Indeed, I would suggest that this is I Electronics loudspeaker market will The fi rst 1050 was really impressive where much of the money has been TELEPHONE fi nd it crowded. Second, designing a at the price. Costing £330 in 2007, 01279 501111 saved on the 3050, which is slightly competitive speaker requires a team few – including me – had heard taller yet a little lighter. WEBSITE of talented people, and that is not such a capable-sounding cheap qacoustics.co.uk easy to come by. Q Acoustics solved fl oorstander. It rather shook up the Sound quality this problem by collaborating with market, offering sound more in For most of my listening I use the talented engineer Karl-Heinz Fink, keeping with £600 models. The 2050 speaker in conjunction with the but getting around the fi rst problem (HFC 335) followed, which was a big supplied foam bung in its rear- was more luck than judgement. step forward, making its predecessor mounted bass refl ex port, which Q Acoustics’ Steve Reichert admits sound opaque and fl abby. It too was tightens up the timing and dials The drivers use that at the time the new brand was remarkable for what it was, and now a new hybrid down the bass. Unlike its immediate launched, the big fi sh that swam in the new 3050 is tasked to be just the paper and predecessor, though, it seems a good the deep British speaker sea had same again, in 2015’s loudspeaker Aramid fibre deal more relaxed about being used market which has evolved a fair way A clear step up from since the earlier incarnations arrived. The price has gone up though; it’s the 2050i – one of now £500 for the stock matt graphite the best budget or American walnut fi nishes, or £650 for the gloss white or black, or floorstanders around grained vinyl ‘leather effect’ fi nishes. momentarily vacated it. He confi des Boxing clever that when the fi rst 1000-series The 3050 is not a small loudspeaker, models came out, big names like standing one metre tall, and it weighs Mission and Wharfedale weren’t quite almost 18kg apiece. Compared with as strong as they had traditionally its predecessor – a sample of which I been – for various reasons. This have to hand – it’s a signifi cant opened up a space, he says, for Q advance in styling terms. Its softer, Acoustics to move in and start selling cleaner design gives it a more decent-sounding but highly affordable ‘designed’ look, as if its creators have boxes, traditionally the province of put some thought into how these bigger, more established brands. it looks in a room. The 2050’s He freely admits that the company bottom-mounted binding posts have has been pushing for market share gone, thank goodness. It certainly rather than profi t. As (still) a newish looked good, cleaning up the rear name, the aim was to get people to of the speaker, but it was a huge pain know the brand and trust it, and this to wire up; the 3050 has its terminal involves making a more expensive board at the rear of the cabinet where speaker – he suggests – than some it should be. As it happens, Steve says rivals sell at the price – in order to this has allowed the whole box to be entice customers of established names substantially more rigid too, which over. One of the things that makes doesn’t hurt the sound. this possible is the fact that Q This new design is the same as Acoustics is part of Armour Home its predecessor inasmuch as it’s a Electronics, and can share offi ce space two-way fl oorstander with a single and resources with the group’s other 25mm soft dome tweeter and twin brands, giving useful economies of 165mm mid/bass units, although scale. In short, the brand is a little less these now feature paper doped in expensive to run, more nimble and Aramid fi bre. Steve says the designers

JUNE 2015 17 Q ACOUSTICS 3050 IN-DEPTH FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £500

close to a rear wall without the bung. you notice is the more precise vocals. It’s wonderfully incendiary As before, a slight toe-in benefi ts location of instruments in the stuff, but can sound a little hard and stereo imaging, snapping the stereo soundstage. The most brittle on lesser loudspeakers, or HOW IT soundstage into focus. profound upgrade, however, is the COMPARES all-too-easily losing its dynamic This new loudspeaker superseded improved dynamics, making the impact. The 3050 copes impressively the 2050i (HFC 365) last month. 3050 a far more engaging and Selling for just pennies well, diving into the track with Its predecessor was the best large, musically articulate design. less than the 3050 is aplomb and punching out lots of budget fl oorstander on sale, at a price For example, Simply Red’s Monitor Audio’s Bronze clean, tuneful synthesised bass and a BX5 (HFC 345). It’s a point where you can barely get a Holding Back The Years is a gentle, two-and-a-half-way tight, gripping snare drum sound. At listenable standmount, let alone a big almost balladic song with little in system with twin really high levels it seems to compress fl oorstander. It sounded warm, open the way of high intensity musical 140mm mid/bass units this a little, but it is way beyond the and musical – making it a hard act to energy, but the 3050’s new-found mated to a 25mm realistic listening levels encountered follow. To succeed, the 3050 not only delicacy and detail makes it much C-CAM metal dome in your average terraced house. You has to outperform its rivals, but also more fun to listen to. By tweeter. The speaker can hear the cabinets introducing a is a little less attractive be a signifi cant upgrade on the 2050i comparison, the 2050i seemed than the 3050, and a slight slurring and overhang in the – and thankfully for both Q Acoustics bland, compressed and a little bit smaller too – bass bass too – in a way that you don’t and budget loudspeakers as a breed, leaden – while its replacement is extension is slightly in the gel-reinforced Concept 40. it is. better able to track the gentle better but sensitivity Yet that’s not to say the 3050 is dynamic infl ections in the playing is down fractionally, bad in this respect; for example the but still very good at a Coming up trumps and also singer Mick Hucknall’s claimed 90dB/1W/1m. Cambridge Audio Aeromax 6 (HFC The new design adds focus, grip and phrasing. The music acquires a Sonically the Bronze 391) sounded no tauter in the bass insight to the 2050i’s combination sense of rhythmic snap that had BX5 doesn’t sound as than the Q Acoustics at half the price. of smoothness, size and power. previously been lost, as well as big or as far reaching; it Some of this new-found grip comes Its predecessor had a big, broad-brush better location of the instruments images a little less well, from the new mid/bass drive unit stroke sound which was lots of fun, within the mix. There is a fi ner has a slightly narrower material, I suspect. It defi nitely gives soundstage and seems whereas the new one is tighter, tauter sense of fl ow, giving a superior a more constrained. But the 3050 a crisper and more spry and more regimented. It doesn’t quite sense of the song having a it’s still a fine-sounding sensibility, which is able to get deeper have the former’s ‘valve amplifi er beginning, a middle and an end. design and its treble is into the recording without becoming sensibility’, where everything was Moving to some higher powered particularly good, with bogged down. The mid/bass units sumptuous and slightly opaque – house music, in the shape of extension and insight cross over smoothly to the tweeter, instead it brings a more sharply K-Klass’ Rhythm Is A Mystery – a that the 3050 cannot which is also an obvious improvement quite match. focused and detailed character. Part nineties club anthem with pounding over what came before; it seems of this manifests itself as more bass and thumping drums, along low-level information, another aspect with some rousing high-energy The 3050’s new- found delicacy and detail makes it much more fun to listen to

crisper and has better air and space; the hi-hat cymbals on Thomas Dolby’s Airwaves via CD sound sweeter and more delicate, making the 2050i sound like it was playing a low bitrate MP3 by comparison. The track comes over really convincingly, with the various strands in the mix separated out beautifully. This is a splendidly recorded song that gets better every time you upgrade your sound system, and comes over with considerably more depth and insight than the 2050i ever did. Indeed, that sums up this new fl oorstander – it’s a less superfi cial performer, digging down deeper into the mix and getting more of the music out than its esteemed predecessor. That’s no small feat! Conclusion Q Acoustics’ new 3050 is a clear step up from the 2050i that preceded it, and that – lest we forget – was already one of the very best budget Happily the new fl oorstanding speakers around. First, smaller terminal board has moved it’s better looking than before; the from the bottom previous version was attractive, but to the back this is positively stylish and lifts any

18 JUNE 2015 Q ACOUSTICS 3050 FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £500 IN-DEPTH

IN SIGHT Q&A

1 1 165mm mid/ Steve Reichert bass units Marketing manager, Q Acoustics

2 25mm soft dome tweeter

3 4mm speaker binding posts

4 Rear-facing bass port

DP: What would you say is the aim of the new 3000 series? 2 SR: To deliver such a high level of style, finish, value and sonic performance that it becomes the obvious first choice for every consumer considering purchasing ‘affordable’ loudspeakers! We set out to beat the best in class with the 3 3050, which was of course the 2050i!

What do you think is biggest improvement you’ve made? We’ve improved everything, but twist my arm and make me pick just one, and it would have to be the new ‘2 in 4 1’ concentric ring/dome tweeter. Designed by Karl-Heinz Fink, it combines the advantages of both dome and ring radiator HF units and is frankly genius. The result is a wonderfully smooth, detailed and extremely low distortion tweeter, with outstanding dispersion.

Why move the terminal board to the back, from the bottom? This has been done for purely ‘sonic’ reasons and is the result of the MATERIAL WORLD research we undertook while Since Mission’s 752 in the mid-nineties, with its its distinctive character. The original Q developing the ‘Gelcore’ cabinets innovative High-Definition Aerogel mid/bass Acoustics 1050 and later 2050 used a for the Concept models. Put simply, driver, loudspeaker manufacturers have been special paper/mica mix that sounded fast but in order to maintain cabinet strength experimenting with various kinds of clever, controlled. The new 3050 breaks away quite and integrity, it’s important to cut high technology cone types. This is not significantly, running a hybrid paper and surprising because the material used Aramid fibre formulation; the latter is similar as small a hole as possible for the dramatically affects the sound of the driver; to Kevlar and confers stiffness without adding terminal panel. The panel on the rear heavy plastic ones sound smooth but slow, too much weight. This has given this latest Q of the new 3050 is not only much light paper ones can be fast but coloured. Acoustics floorstander a substantially grippier smaller than the 2050i panel, it also That’s why this is a key point of differentiation; and tauter sound, with more fine detail – yet boasts an internal bracing spar to along with the number of drive units and type the fundamentally smooth and agreeable reduce resonance and maintain of cabinet, cone material gives a loudspeaker character of the speaker hasn’t changed. cabinet strength.

Can we look forward to a Concept room in which it sits. Second, it is version of this? extremely well built at its price; Not in the short term, for two reasons. frankly there’s nothing around that OUR VERDICT Firstly, the advances delivered by betters it. Then there’s its sheer SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Easy musicality; the Gelcore cabinets of the Concept physical size; no rival comes close, detailed, focused models means they continue to offer and size bestows any speaker a sound; styling a superior sonic performance over deeper bass and/or better effi ciency VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Treble lacks even the new 3000 Series. Secondly, air compared with the – the 3050 is very easy to drive and best in class I’m pleased to report Q Acoustics has BUILD QUALITY goes low. Last but not least is the WE SAY: Class-leading enjoyed a spectacular sales growth sound, which is excellent at the price budget floorstander over the last couple of years; and for that represents superb – only when you spend £1,000 on EASE OF DRIVE that to continue, our international value for money designs such as its own big brother customers tell us they need some do you really get an appreciable more higher-end models, so that’s OVERALL performance gain. If you’re a our focus for the time being. cash-strapped audiophile, you simply have to hear this loudspeaker ●

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REFERENCE SYSTEM INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Exposure 3010S2 fitted with internal Unique group tests MM phono stage LOUDSPEAKERS Chris Rogers PRO 9TL Our Group Tests are supported by rigorous and EQUIPMENT SUPPORTS Hi-Fi Racks Podium Slimline exhaustive listening tests carried out by experts CABLES ISOkinetik Silver Melody Two interconnects; Chord Epic Twin speaker cable TURNTABLE GROUP TEST

ENSURING A TURNTABLE is properly set up 2400, to ensure consistency across the group TEST MUSIC takes considerable time, care and effort, and it, while making sure that a supplied cartridge LAURENT GARNIER therefore, isn’t really practical to audition this isn’t holding back a strongly performing deck. Tales of a Kleptomaniac group with our usual blind listening test panel. Signifi cant variations between the two Instead, we opt to extend our test period over cartridges are duly noted, but the differences a week, allowing for each deck to be tested are not used to overly sway the overall ratings, with its supplied cartridge, to gauge the ability which are largely based on the performance of and value for money of the overall package. each deck heard with its supplied cartridge. Before testing begins, we check all the cartridges For isolation, each turntable is positioned on that come pre-installed for correct alignment, a 10mm acrylic platform, supported on four downforce using a digital stylus force gauge Defl ux Audio Polipods. This base sits on a Hi-Fi and bias adjustment. Racks Podium Slimline unit. The decks are tested without lids (where All six decks are put through the same cycle supplied) and in sequence with both their of music from four different test records, each MILES DAVIS supplied cartridges and our reference Goldring chosen to reveal varying audio traits. Kind Of Blue

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL Bridge Over Troubled Water

BLIND LISTENING TESTS high enough to make diff erences consensus, or otherwise then This crucial process is very easily discernible. Then the forms the basis of our sound STRAVINSKY AND BORODIN carefully controlled so that we choice of music is agreed – it quality section. The Firebird and Polovetsian Dances get reliable and consistent needs to be familiar, but also well At the end of the session, results in a relaxed and friendly recorded and of suff icient variety there’s a final debrief when atmosphere. Our listeners must to give meaningful listening panellists discuss their findings. not feel that they’re being tested, comparisons. The chosen It’s an exhaustive process, but despite being unaware of the selection of music is played, and carried out in this way is free brand or price of the products the panellists are encouraged to from prejudices based on brand, they are auditioning. discuss their impressions of the price or appearance, while the The session begins by setting sound of the product. This is then diff erent sensitivities of the the volume level to an agreed repeated, and periodically the listeners help to round out the point, one that all three panellists panel listens to earlier products analysis in order to make it more feel comfortable with, yet that is for reference purposes. The widely applicable.

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Discover more at naimaudio.com Go Deeper TURNTABLES £120-£399 Back to black With vinyl on track again as fans look to kick start their habit or rekindle the passion, Neville Roberts rounds up six bargain decks

WHEN THE SHINY new Compact storing music at a higher resolution Disc came along in the eighties, the than CD. Furthermore, with careful death of vinyl was predicted within handling and manufacture (which a few years and record producers wasn’t always the case with vinyl in wasted no time in cooling down LP the seventies) together with a good production and releasing music on cleaning regime, surface noise that the new digital format. CDs were can hinder the format can be kept to sold to us as a virtually indestructible an absolute minimum. Throw into the format offering superior sound mix the satisfaction of removing an quality, with no clicks or pops to mar LP from its sleeve, looking over the our enjoyment. artwork and the sleeve notes, and you have a far more tangible connection The tide has turned with the artist and their music that Wind forward 30 or so years and other formats simply cannot reach. CDs themselves are seemingly on the Whether you’re returning to vinyl brink of becoming a legacy format, as after a hiatus or discovering the music fans move to downloads and sound of the black stuff for the very streaming. Curiously we are also in fi rst time, there’s a turntable here the midst of a resurgence of music for you. These six wallet-friendly vinyl releases on vinyl – so much so in fact spinners span models with the that a new offi cial vinyl sales chart fl exibility to digitise your records was recently announced – see p79. to a computer as well as pared-back Many more music fans now realise starter options for budding hi-fi fans. that the humble LP is capable of Let’s see how they perform.

24 JUNE 2015 ON TEST

Audio-Technica Connected Essentials Numark Pro-Ject Rega Stanton AT-LP120USBHC CET-500 TTUSB RPM 1 Carbon RP1 Performance T.62 £399 p27 £160 p29 £120 p31 £325 p33 £298 p35 £170 p37 A familiar name to The name might be Well respected by With the sort of A legend of British hi-fi, The US professional vinyl fans, this moving new, but the spec looks DJs everywhere, the distinctive minimalism the RP1 Performance brand is well regarded magnet design has impressive with a Numark looks a sound that we’ve come to Pack (to give it its full across the world, but a direct-drive motor built-in phono stage choice for those that expect from Pro-Ject, name) is an upgraded does the T.62 have what and USB port for and USB output among want to digitise their does the RPM 1 have version of the RP1 with a it takes to be the king of connection to a PC. the CET-500’s talents. vinyl and cassettes. what is takes to impress? few extras thrown in. spin at home?

JUNE 2015 25

TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

HEY MISTER DJ

The AT-LP120USBHC is classed as a professional turntable that can stand up to the rigours of DJ use. The high-torque motor has an electronic brake and when used with the supplied slip mat enables records to be held stationary and released for precision cueing. The internal moving magnet phono stage can be bypassed via a switch on the back. The USB 1.1 output will be of particular interest to those wishing to digitise their record collection. No special drivers are Audio-Technica required for the computer, which can be Microsoft Windows XP or later, or Mac OSX. As well as recording onto AT-LP120USBHC £399 your PC, the supplied Audacity software also performs tasks such as trimming your recording and editing This functional deck has a high-torque direct-drive out clicks and pops. In addition to manual editing, it can also attempt motor and USB output for easy connection to a PC to remove clicks and other noise.

DETAILS name that’s well-known via push buttons, as well as reverse not make a signifi cant difference, so I PRODUCT to vinyl enthusiasts, mode for any budding DJs. The bypass the internal phono amp and Audio-Technica A Audio-Technica has been turntable has a built-in stroboscopic plug the deck into the moving magnet AT-LP120USBHC around for many years. It lamp for illuminating the markings on phono stage input of the Exposure ORIGIN has certainly moved with the times the edge of the cast aluminium platter amp. Immediately, the orchestra Japan and produced this bang up-to-date for accurate adjustment of playing blossoms and this improvement TYPE package that includes its AT95E speeds and pitch is adjustable within remains when I re-install the AT95E Direct-drive turntable with USB moving magnet cartridge, a built-in +/-10% or +/-20% ranges. The cartridge. This is a great little WEIGHT phono stage that can be plugged supplied mat is a slip mat, but this cartridge that really comes alive with 10.7kg straight into any line-level input or can easily be exchanged for a a good phono stage. DIMENSIONS can be bypassed when used with different one if desired, such as a cork The vocals come across as relaxed (WxHxD) equipment that has a moving magnet and rubber or foam option. Another and warm and this is exemplifi ed by 450 x 157 x 352mm phono input stage. There’s also a nice feature is a nifty pop-up Target the Simon and Garfunkel recording. FEATURES ● 33, 45 & 78rpm USB output to connect it to a Light to illuminate the cartridge at the Bridge Over Troubled Water is lovely ● USB output 16/44.1 computer for digitising LPs at CD beginning of the LP. This will be really and clear with no sense of sibilance. & 48kHz-compatible quality of 16-bit/44kHz or 48kHz, useful to assist in cueing in dim The LP120 gives a very relaxed and ● AT95E moving magnet cartridge and it comes bundled with all the lighting conditions or perhaps if your warm presentation with Miles Davis, DISTRIBUTOR necessary cables and Audacity eyesight needs a bit of help. although the hi-hats are a little Audio-Technica UK open-source recording software to The tonearm has a removable recessed with the internal phono TELEPHONE digitise your vinyl. The turntable has headshell with a standard SME stage of the LP120. 0113 2771441 a nice, solid feel and includes a connector, making cartridge changes Finally, the Laurent Garnier WEBSITE removable hinged acrylic dust cover. a breeze. A reputable AT95e cartridge pounding bass line proves to be eu.audio-technica. com The LP120’s quartz-controlled is supplied and features a dual punchy and well extended and the direct-drive DC turntable motor has magnet design fi tted with an elliptical AT-LP120USBHC certainly seems at 33, 45 and 78rpm speeds selectable diamond stylus. The instructions home with heavy techno music ● point out that this cartridge is not suitable for playing 78rpm records, so swapping to a different cartridge would be recommended. A good plan OUR VERDICT would be to purchase another SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Build quality; headshell and fi t a suitable cartridge great range of features; in that – see our headshells mini test excellent tonearm/ in HFC 396. VALUE FOR MONEY cartridge combination DISLIKE: Internal phono stage is a Sound quality BUILD QUALITY little restrained The deck is very easy to set up and WE SAY: Likable sound if a little restrained, but the speed is spot on when viewed FEATURES its versatility makes it a with the built-in strobe. Starting off great all rounder with the Borodin, the full orchestra OVERALL sounds very agreeable, although a little restrained. Swapping the AT95E cartridge with the Goldring 2400 does

JUNE 2015 27

TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

GET CONNECTED

The CET-500 can be powered from 220V or 110V (switch-selectable from underneath the unit) and uses this to generate the DC power needed for the motor and the internal phono stage. Apart from the auto-stop and start facility that starts the motor when the arm is moved onto a record, a master on/off switch is provided on the rear of the turntable. The platter comes bundled with a removable rubber mat. The supplied cartridge is a Connected Essentials own-brand model that has a Connected Essentials recommended tracking force of 2.5g. Replacement styli are readily available, as are drive belts. The CET-500 £160 headshell is a standard SME mount that can be swapped. The USB output allows a direct This versatile belt-drive turntable has a built-in phono connection to a computer so that users can digitise their record stage and a USB output to digitise your records collection at CD quality.

DETAILS f the brand name doesn’t provided for playing those juke-box the end of the song. There is no hint PRODUCT sound that familiar to you singles in your collection. of any unpleasant sibilance with the Connected I then you’re not alone. The turntable is very light and vocals and the rendition is very Essentials CET-500 Connected Essentials has although the plinth is plastic, it looks musical and tuneful. Imaging is quite ORIGIN been in the electronics and telecoms smart and won’t look out of place good with a good spread of music China business for some time, offering a in an audio system. The CET-500 across the sound stage. TYPE range of AV furniture and accessories. supports both 33 and 45rpm, which is Relaxing into Miles Davis is a very Belt-drive turntable with USB The CET-500 is the fi rst deck we’ve selectable via a push-button speed enjoyable experience with this deck. WEIGHT seen from the brand and given its selector switch. On the rear of the When you consider that it was 3.3kg versatility it’s a welcome addition to unit is an auto-stop switch that, when recorded in 1959, Blue In Green DIMENSIONS the group and won’t break the bank. on, starts the turntable when the reproduced on the CET-500 really (WxHxD) Although no software is included, tonearm is moved into the proximity exemplifi es how a smooth and easy 450 x 152 x 352mm Connected Essentials recommends of the platter and stops the turntable sound can draw you into the music FEATURES ● 33 & 45rpm the use of Audacity software, which when the end of a record is reached. and hold your attention for the ● USB output is available to download free from: If the off position is selected, the duration of the track, and still leave ● Own-brand MM audacity.sourceforge.net. platter will turn whenever the unit you wanting to hear more. cartridge supplied The CET-500 is supplied with a is switched on. The platter has Time to let the turntable loose with DISTRIBUTOR Connected hinged and removable dust cover and stroboscopic markings that can the Laurent Garnier banger. The deck Essentials the integral tonearm is fi tted with a be used to check the speed of the provides a great balance across the TELEPHONE moving magnet cartridge. It has a turntable when viewed under frequency spectrum and the cartridge 01704 823567 built-in phono stage so a separate incandescent or fl uorescent mains has no problems with the wealth of WEBSITE phono amplifi er is not required as lighting, although it can’t be adjusted. techo lines playing concurrently. Once connectedessentials. co.uk it can be plugged straight into any again, the sound is not tiring and at line-level input on your amplifi er. A Sound quality no time do I feel compelled to reach large-centre 45rpm adapter is also The CET-500 copes very well with the for the cueing level to kill the sound ● intricacies of the Borodin and the Stravinsky records, although the top-end detail and low-end bass is a bit light. The bass improves with the OUR VERDICT Goldring 2400 installed in place of SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Plug and play the CET cartridge, but the top end is straight into any amp much the same, suggesting that the or computer; smart issue is with the in-built phono stage. VALUE FOR MONEY looks; price DISLIKE: Lightweight However, there is no facility to switch plinth BUILD QUALITY this out of circuit, so I cannot confi rm WE SAY: A decent this by using the phono stage built starter deck for someone wishing to into the Essentials amplifi er. FEATURES add vinyl to their The unit seems to like the Simon audio system and Garfunkel track and there is OVERALL certainly no sign of the turntable getting into troubled water when the music ramps up to the crescendo at

JUNE 2015 29 Primare 30 Series “ADDICTIVE!”

As an analogue input-only package these amps have lots to offer, but paying for the extra digital internals is a no-brainer, as this gives you access to a sophisticated DAC, Andrew Simpson streamer and intuitive app, making this a May 2015 superb system for the modern audiophile.

For more information please contact Karma (01423 358 846) or visit primare.net karma audio-visual TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

GOING DIGITAL

The USB 1.1 digital output means that no special drivers are required for your computer. The supplied EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter software is compatible with all current and future versions of Mac OS X and iOS, as well as with all Windows operating systems from XP onwards. It splits tracks automatically when it detects silence in the music. However, it is extremely basic and it’s probably better to use Audacity’s free software as the USB is not software-specific. The TTUSB can accept an external Numark line-level input, such as a cassette or reel-to-reel tape deck and feed this to the USB output instead of the signal TTUSB £120 from the inbuilt phono stage. This will, of course, enable recording from these sources onto your computer – A multi-purpose deck from the DJ brand aimed at bypassing its built-in sound card, which is often not really all that those wanting to digitise both vinyl and cassettes suitable for hi-fi recording.

DETAILS nown for its range of DJ output. The supplied software will rip Exposure amp. This results in an PRODUCT equipment, Numark has a your vinyl collection directly to iTunes improvement in depth and imaging, Numark TTUSB K turntable that is aimed at and save it to your computer as MP3 but that’s not to suggest that the ORIGIN the domestic market and is fi les, but it does require you to have Numark’s internal phono stage China designed for digitising music. Having iTunes installed on before it will run. doesn’t do a respectable job. TYPE said that, the styling is unashamedly The turntable has two on/off The Simon and Garfunkel track has Belt-drive turntable ‘DJ’ in appearance with its curved switches – one located at the front-left a good presence and clarity. Although with USB plinth, tapered-edge platter. of the plinth and one at the rear-left. there is not a great deal of depth, WEIGHT 3.5kg The TTUSB provides a USB output There is also a master power switch there is good left-to-right spread DIMENSIONS for connecting to a computer, as well around the back. The deck includes a across the soundstage. The Miles (WxHxD) as line-level RCA outputs fed from the slider speed control, which enables Davis piece is similarly very clear and 515 x 174 x 436mm built-in phono preamp to enable it to the pitch to be adjusted by +/-10%, open, with the hi-hats very light and FEATURES be hooked up to any line-level input revealing the deck’s DJ heritage. musical. I fi nd myself drawn to the ● 33 & 45rpm ● USB output of your amplifi er. The built-in preamp However, the slider can also be used piano solos, which are tuneful and ● Ion Audio ICT04 can be bypassed so the turntable can to accurately set the turntable speed melodic. The piano sounds very cartridge supplied be used with an external phono stage with a stroboscopic disc if required. believable as an acoustic instrument, DISTRIBUTOR if desired. The TTUSB provides both The S-shaped tonearm has a rather than sounding like an InMusic Brands 33 and 45rpm speeds and is fi tted detachable headshell, which enables electronic piano. TELEPHONE 01252 896040 with a 3.5mm stereo mini jack input easy swapping between different Ending with the Laurent Garnier WEBSITE connector to enable the transfer of cartridges. The arm does not have disc shows that both the arm and numark.com cassette tapes (or similar line-level a cueing lever and so you have to cartridge cope well with the heavy sources) to computer fi les. This input manually lower it using the fi nger-lift bass and the triangle is also clear and is only used to send audio to your on the headshell. The supplied sharp. The changing moods of Food computer via the USB connection cartridge is an Ion Audio ICT04 For Thought are well accommodated and does not send audio to the RCA moving magnet cartridge and by the TTUSB ● replacement styli are readily available. All necessary cables to connect the TTUSB to your computer or stereo system are included. OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Ability to Sound quality connect external The Ion cartridge does quite a sources to use the respectable job of handling both the VALUE FOR MONEY internal USB interface DISLIKE: Plastic Borodin and the Stravinsky pieces. construction of the The thump of the bass drums in The BUILD QUALITY plinth and platter Firebird has plenty of clout and the WE SAY: Low-cost turntable that is ideal top end is nice and clear. Doing an FEATURES for digitising your Ion exchange with the Goldring 2400 analogue collection cartridge has little effect on the sound OVERALL quality, so I proceed to bypass the internal phono stage and connect the output to the MM phono input of the

JUNE 2015 31

TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

NEEDLE CRAFT

The Ortofon 2M Red cartridge supplied with the RPM 1 Carbon has a good reputation in its own right. The cartridge makes use of Ortofon’s split pole pins, which is a design feature to enable moving magnet cartridges to have a flat frequency response similar to that obtained from a moving coil cartridge. This cartridge is fitted to other Pro-Ject turntables that use a carbon fibre arm and this has proven to be a combination that works well in terms of appropriate tonearm/cartridge resonant Pro-Ject frequency combined with a good tracking ability. The phono stage or amplifier phono RPM 1 Carbon £325 input will need to be set up for a moving magnet for the 2M Red cartridge. A separate earth The latest edition to the RPM range, this aff ordable hi-fi connection is also provided to connect to the corresponding earth deck looks the part but can its sonics impress? point on the amplifier or phono stage.

DETAILS he distinctive, minimalist motor. The platter is made from MDF are being overloaded and they take PRODUCT design of the Pro-Ject and is supplied with a felt mat. The the crescendos in their stride. Pro-Ject RPM 1 T RPM 1 Carbon is available main bearing is an inverted design The sax in Miles Davis’ So What Carbon in striking red, white and with a ceramic ball to minimise friction. is incredibly clear and lifelike and ORIGIN black high gloss fi nishes. It will The S-shaped tonearm has a fi xed yet does not swamp the drum Austria certainly add an air of modern headshell and is made from a accompaniment in any way. I get TYPE elegance to any hi-fi setup and has one-piece carbon fi bre and aluminium the feeling that the drums are being Belt-drive turntable a real feel of quality about it. resin construct that is manufactured reproduced on a completely separate WEIGHT 3.8kg The motor is mounted outside the using special heat and pressure system. However, that’s not to say DIMENSIONS platter and the drive is taken from treatments. It is fi tted with a magnetic that the music is not totally cohesive (WxHxD) the pulley to the circumference of anti-skating device of a new design. and well integrated. 380 x 110 x 350mm the platter via the belt. The motor sits The counterweight utilises TPE By contrast, the driving techno FEATURES inside a hole in the plinth, but doesn’t damping in the form of an anti- rhythm in Laurent Garnier’s Desireless ● 33 & 45rpm ● S-shaped tonearm touch it. It stands on your equipment resonant ring around the fi xing point. is tight and beautifully controlled, made from carbon support and so is completely decoupled At the business end, the arm is fi tted which confi rms the great marriage ● Ortofon 2M Red from the deck itself, apart from the with an Ortofon 2M Red moving of the tonearm and cartridge. Vocal MM cartridge supplied drive belt, which runs around the magnet cartridge. The RCA phono growls in the recording are perfectly DISTRIBUTOR platter’s circumference. This motor is connectors at the rear are connected projected in front of the soundstage, Henley Designs of a similar design to the one used on directly to the cartridge, so a separate demonstrating the genuine three- TELEPHONE the more expensive Xpression Carbon phono stage or dedicated phono input dimensionality of the performance 01235 511116 and is powered by an AC generator on an amplifi er is required. that is so well rendered by the WEBSITE connected to a DC power supply. The Pro-Ject and has many of the henleydesigns. co.uk 33 and 45rpm speeds are selected by Sound quality characteristics of the company’s moving the belt between the two The sheer power and authority of the more expensive turntable packages, pulleys of different diameters on the orchestra with the Borodin track is which is quite an achievement ● totally captivating – so much so that I am compelled to fl ip the LP over and listen to some of Stravinsky’s The Firebird. What strikes me most is the OUR VERDICT realism of the performance, and I SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Excellent build almost jump out of my seat when the quality and superb drum strikes and the trumpets blast. tonearm/cartridge On balance, I feel the supplied VALUE FOR MONEY combination DISLIKE: Nothing at Ortofon out-performs the Goldring the price BUILD QUALITY reference cartridge. WE SAY: A modern Changing to the Simon and and elegant design resulting in a superb- Garfunkel track, I can hear the breath FEATURES sounding turntable of Art Garfunkel during his solo section in Bridge Over Troubled Water. OVERALL Then when the bass drum and backing orchestra comes in, there is no sense that the cartridge and arm

JUNE 2015 33

TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

FEEL THE FORCE

The RB101 tonearm is a no-frills design utilising a simple machined aluminium arm tube with bonded headshell. Tracking force is adjusted by rotating the counterbalance weight clockwise by 180° for every 1g of tracking force required. No-frills it may be, but that means the money is put where it matters, such as into the quality of the bearing and the overall engineering of the arm. Anti-skating bias is magnetically applied via a plastic sliding knob in front of the arm bearing. Rega The Rega Bias 2 moving magnet cartridge uses a pair of parallel wound coils which are carefully RP1 Performance £298 assembled on custom jigs by hand to create a working stereo generator, and this is then subject to a rigorous This is an upgraded version of the standard Rega RP1 checking and testing regime. The cartridge has a relatively high output that includes a fitted cartridge among other goodies of around 7mV.

DETAILS ith a hi-fi heritage but still feels a little lightweight. It sits said that, I consider the performance, PRODUCT spanning several decades, on a standard Rega plastic sub-platter to be very musical indeed and Rega RP1 W Rega is the name that that is driven by an upgraded drive generally effortless. Performance Pack undoubtedly comes to belt to enhance speed stability and Likewise, Miles Davis’ trumpet is ORIGIN mind when considering British accuracy, as part of the Performance somehow both strident but not shrill UK turntables and tonearms. Its classic Pack upgrade. The speed change or, dare I say, brassy. The Bias 2 seems TYPE Planar turntable dates back to the between 33 and 45rpm is manual and very much in its element with jazz Belt-drive turntable seventies and was a budget belt-drive the platter has to be removed to move and I am drawn into the performance WEIGHT 7kg deck employing a solid plinth instead the drive belt across the two motor and the music fl ows along effortlessly. DIMENSIONS of the suspended chassis that was pulleys. Although basic, it feels nicely I have the stereo version of this (WxHxD) used in many quality turntables from engineered. For example, a very high recording and the image spread 450 x 120 x 360mm the early sixties onwards. Keeping quality precision main bearing is between the speakers is really good FEATURES with tradition, Rega’s latest entry- used, taken from Rega’s more and the instrument focus is spot on, ● 33 & 45rpm ● Rega RB101 level turntable RP1 is also a solid expensive models. It is pre-lubricated showing excellent stereo imaging. tonearm plinth and is supplied in the and the sub-platter takes about a Letting my hair down, the Laurent ● Rega Bias 2 MM Performance Pack upgraded version minute to settle into the bearing Garnier effort is full of energy, but cartridge supplied as seen here, which includes a Bias 2 when removed and replaced, I do fi nd the high squeals are more DISTRIBUTOR Rega Research moving magnet cartridge, an indicating a tight tolerance between recessed. For example, the subtle TELEPHONE upgraded drive belt and a 100% the bearing and the spindle shaft. tinkling of the triangle in Back To My 01702 333071 natural wool turntable mat. The supplied arm is the RB101, Roots is almost lost in everything else WEBSITE The plinth is available in three which is Rega’s new entry level that is going on. Nevertheless, when rega.co.uk fi nishes – cool grey, white or titanium. offering and replaces the legendary the heavy bass line kicks in, it The platter is made from a phenolic RB100. The Rega Bias 2 moving manages to make the woofers in my resin to give it a fl ywheel effect to magnet cartridge is fi tted with an loudspeakers move some air and improve instantaneous speed stability, elliptical stylus. As with the Pro-Ject massage my kneecaps – great stuff ● deck, the RP1 will need to be connected to a phono stage or amplifi er phono input confi gured for use with a moving magnet cartridge. OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Good build Sound quality quality; sound; Starting with the Stravinsky track, the engineering drum strikes are very powerful, but a VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: The need to remove the platter to tad less real than with the Goldring change the speed is cartridge. Moving on to the Borodin, I BUILD QUALITY a minor irritation fi nd the choir is nicely situated behind WE SAY: Classic styled budget turntable with the orchestra and the performance is FEATURES excellent sound smooth and melodic. Art’s vocal solo with piano on Bridge OVERALL Over Troubled Water seems slightly recessed and the high-frequency detail is just a little restrained. Having

JUNE 2015 35

TURNTABLES £120-£399 GROUPTEST

FOR THE RECORD

The Stanton employs an eight-pole, three-phase, brushless DC motor that is directly connected to the platter. The motor is fitted with two on/off switches – one located at the front of the deck and one at the rear. These are in addition to the master power switch that contains the strobe light. The playing speed is selected by using two push buttons with LED indicators. The speed adjuster slider has a centre position with another LED light to show that the turntable speed should be correct at this point. Stanton The headshell is removable and connected to the arm by a standard SME connector. The supplied Stanton T.62 £170 500.v3 cartridge is the latest incarnation of the classic Stanton 500AL and has improved skip A rugged, direct-drive turntable with a high-torque resistance. It features a spherical stylus and is considered to be both motor and plenty to keep new vinyl fans happy rugged and reliable.

DETAILS n 1946 Stanton was one of provided for DJ applications when an musical and easy to enjoy, although PRODUCT the fi rst American fi rms to increased force is required. perhaps a touch indistinct. Stanton T.62 I make and sell magnetic The direct-drive brushless DC motor Switching to the Simon and ORIGIN cartridges. Its founder, is high-torque for rapid start up. It has Garfunkel album is a whole different China Walter Stanton, is claimed to be the playback speeds of 33 or 45rpm with ballgame. The T.62 seems to enjoy TYPE inventor of the easily replaceable a manual +/-10% pitch control playing this piece more than the Direct-drive phonograph stylus, which made it adjustment. The metal platter has classical one and vocals are handled turntable possible for users to replace the stylus stroboscopic markings around the rim well, especially during the solos. WEIGHT 6.3kg assembly when it wore out instead of that are illuminated by a lamp, which Similarly, the T.62 seems to relax DIMENSIONS having to send it back to the factory. is built into the motor on/off switch into Miles Davis’ jazz and, although (WxHxD) This invention has become a standard to make calibration incredibly simple. the performance is not exceptional, it 452 x 87 x 370mm of moving magnet cartridge design. This is fortunate as the pitch control is nevertheless very enjoyable, laid FEATURES Nowadays, Stanton is focussing on does not have a centre detent and back and easy. The fi rst track of side ● 33 & 45rpm ● SME detachable the professional market with its range simply lights a red LED when in the two, All Blues, wastes no time in headshell of audio products including high- middle position and some fractional picking up the pace and guides you ● Stanton 500.v3 performance cartridges, CD players, adjustment is required to get the into the music, with no nasty edge to MM cartridge supplied DJ mixers and turntables. The T.62 speed perfect. The platter is fi tted the trumpet. Nice! DISTRIBUTOR is designed to be an easy to operate with a high-quality slip mat and there Getting into the groove with the Focusrite Audio direct-drive turntable and includes a is a small plug-in light to assist in Laurent Garnier piece shows that Engineering Ltd factory-fi tted Stanton 500.v3 manual cueing. there is plenty of bass clout. The TELEPHONE cartridge pre-mounted in the The plastic case, although rugged, is supplied cartridge copes well with 01494 462246 headshell. The cartridge has a wide fi tted with isolating feet so acoustic both the bass line and simultaneous WEBSITE uk.focusrite.com; range for the tracking force of feedback should not be a problem. high-frequency motifs. Indeed, the stantondj.com between 2 to 5g and a +2g weight There are RCA phono connectors T.62 seems to be tapping its feet really that screws into the headshell is around the back for connecting to enjoying itself with this music ● a separate phono stage or to an amplifi er phono input confi gured for use with a moving magnet cartridge. The arm is quite basic in design and OUR VERDICT does not have a cueing lever, so you SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Robust design; will have to manually lower the stylus cueing light into the groove. DISLIKE: Plastic VALUE FOR MONEY construction of the plinth; basic tonearm; Sound quality no cueing lever BUILD QUALITY The Borodin piece produces a very WE SAY: Low-cost and agreeable sound that is easy to listen robust turntable, but feels a bit short on to, although it does sound a little two FEATURES features and sound dimensional. With the Goldring 2400 installed, I feel that there is a small OVERALL improvement in the width of the soundstage, but not hugely so. When the choir comes in, the sound is very

JUNE 2015 37 TURNTABLES GROUPTEST £120-£399

Group test verdict Having spun through all six turntable packages, Neville Roberts sums up his experience with all of the contenders and announces a winner

THERE IS A wide variety of features Whatever the reason, there is little most hi-fi setups and has plenty to available on all six entry-level doubt that sound quality is ultimately get vinyl fans started. turntables in this test. All of the decks going to be the deciding factor, and And so to the badge winners, the have something good to offer and this is the main focus of any Hi-Fi Audio-Technica is packed with WINNER there is likely to be at least one that Choice group test. features and will perform well will appeal to both new and old vinyl First to fall, the Stanton is good when connected to a hi-fi system The top spot goes to fans alike. As a taster to the world of value and the most rugged of the or digitising LPs to a computer. It’s Pro-Ject for the RPM 1 vinyl it may well be that a solid but group and great for someone that the only deck in the group that Carbon. It scores on low cost deck is your top requirement wants to travel with their vinyl, but supports 78rpm, but you’ll need to both build and sound quality and is a lovely so you can ‘suck it and see’. Perhaps performance is nothing special. The change the stylus or cartridge. An looking deck to boot. you want to try your hand at DJ-ing Numark is super value although a external phono stage is advised to What’s more it comes and have some fun with a deck that bit more disco in appearance, but it get the best results, too. fitted with the stunning does a few tricks and is robust enough offers the ability to digitise LPs and Narrowly missing out on the top Ortofon 2M Red to survive life on the road. Or maybe even cassette tapes. Connected spot, the Rega is a serious starter cartridge, which makes the ability to digitise your vinyl is Essentials makes a smart-looking deck for any new hi-fi fan and build this starter hi-fi deck the one to beat. going to be the primary requirement. turntable that will fi t in well with quality is excellent at the price.

Make/model Audio-Technica Connected Essentials Numark Pro-Ject Rega Stanton AT-LP120USBHC CET-500 TTUSB RPM 1 Carbon RP1 Performance Pack T.62

Price £399 £160 £120 £325 £298 £170 Sound Value Build Features Overall , A versatile turntable A great starter deck Low-cost turntable A modern and Classic styling, Robust design is offering plenty of with decent enough with USB output elegant turntable quality engineering likely to appeal to facilities, but the sound for anyone that’s great for with a sound that’s and a solid sound budding DJs for life , sound isn’t up to the wishing to kick start digitising LPs or close to its more are what makes this on the road, but standards of the best a vinyl habit a tape collection upmarket decks turntable a great buy sound isn’t the best Key features

Cartridge Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Speed change Auto Auto Auto Manual Manual Auto

Drive Direct Belt Belt Belt Belt Direct

78rpm Yes No No No No No

USB output Yes Yes Yes No No No

TRY WITH THESE

PLATTER MAT: STYLUS CLEANER: CARTRIDGE Analogue Works Vinyl Passion Dust Buster ALIGNMENT: Foam Turntable £21 HFC 377 Analogue Studio Protractor Gimp Mat £12 £13 HFC 384 HFC 394 This cleaner uses a specially formulated polymer that is placed under the stylus and into which the To set up your cartridge, simply place This mat is a standard 3mm stylus is lowered. On raising it, any dust will have the gauge over your turntable spindle thick, so it can probably be been removed. It is and move your cartridge so that it is aligned simply swapped with an existing mat. If no mat has claimed that the Vinyl with both sets of graticule markings. If this previously been used, the tonearm height will need to Passion Dust Buster is not possible, the overhang is adjusted by be adjusted to accommodate it. The mat has a high- will increase the life moving the cartridge forward or backward in friction surface that allows for good record rotation of your stylus by up the headshell and the process is repeated. with negligible slip. to 1,000 hours. Alignment is then complete.

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ADVERT VALID UNTIL 03/06/2015. E&OE MING DA PICCOLO EXOTICA INTEGRATED VALVE AMPLIFIER £995

DETAILS Ming Da makes a dizzying range of products, from the titanic two-box PRODUCT Ming Da Piccolo £34,950 Ming Da Dynasty Cantabile- China in (MC368-B902) Grandé MC998-A, down to products ORIGIN such as this small, cute-looking China Piccolo (MC368-B902). Perhaps TYPE this is part of the problem because Integrated valve amplifier customers end up bewildered; I your hands WEIGHT would argue that it needs to hone this 16kg down to a sensible size. The upside is DIMENSIONS that the budget products such as this (WxHxD) share economies of scale, and would David Price lounges around to the 330 x 310 x 230mm not be as good if the company wasn’t FEATURES soothing sound of Ming Da’s new ● Quoted power: 2x so prolifi c. Looking at the Piccolo, 18W (4 or 8ohms) you can’t help but be surprised by Piccolo integrated valve amplifier ● 2x KT90; 2x 12AU7, the build quality. There are no sharp 1x 5U4G/5AR4 valves edges, no gaudy fi nishes or awkward ● 3x RCA phono graphics, and the chunky controls emember the seventies? an excellent track record and Mei inputs work well, rather like fi fties British ● Early on in that decade Xing is one. It’s the manufacturer VU meter kit. The one concession to fashion we saw a wave of new behind the Ming Da brand name, DISTRIBUTOR is the little level meter inset into the R Ming Da UK Japanese products begin located in an historic village on TELEPHONE fascia – some may not like this as it to appear in the shops and on our Qi Ao Island, which is near Hong 07831 197019 doesn’t have an appropriately retro roads. The result was that by the end Kong. Almost a quarter of a century WEBSITE look, but it is handy because you of the decade, Honda, Datsun, Sony old, its founder and chief designer mingda.co.uk can get a sense of how near you’re and Panasonic were household names says that it has always specialised running the amplifi er to its limit. and everyone who bought them in valve amplifi ers. The company Using two KT90 beam pentode couldn’t praise them enough. has done high-quality OEM work power valves running in single-ended This same thing is now happening for several big brands, and is now mode, two 12AU7 input valves and with China. It’s a work in progress I reaching out to the world under a 5U4G(274B) rectifi er valve, the grant you, but some companies have its own name. amplifi er produces a claimed 18W

42 JUNE 2015 MING DA PICCOLO INTEGRATED VALVE AMPLIFIER £995 EXOTICA

handle a variety of programme The same goes for more uptempo material, but with just 18W per rock tracks like REM’s Welcome To channel it is never going to be The Occupation. More demands are the new king of rock. made of those KT90s and the output With its limited output power, it is transformers downstream of them, far better suited to rhythm and blues but still the amplifi er serves a very than drum and bass, for example. Cue convincing rendition at modest up Goldie’s Timeless and you’re struck listening levels. With the help of my by all the amplifi er’s fi ne qualities, reference Cambridge Audio Aeromax and then all of its not so fi ne ones. 6 loudspeakers’ 90dB sensitivity, it is The opening few phrases are carried able to deliver a decently high volume with great delicacy and a wonderfully before it runs out of steam. Even sumptuous tone – sweeter and more when it doss, it does so gracefully, mellifl uous than you would hear from simply not going any louder despite any transistor amplifi er ever made. continued clockwise twiddling of the The lead female vocal is seamless, volume knob. Settle the amp a little smooth and tactile. But when the fi erce electronic percussion breaks, on It’s telling you to a good £1,000 solid-state amplifi er all hell is let loose, but here it is not. The forget absolute song gathers pace, but you’re aware power and to just of compression, and then in comes the electronic bass line, and the get into the groove! Piccolo simply cannot do it justice. It’s a bittersweet experience because lower at a good level where it’s not you can hear the amplifi er deal with sitting on transients and squashing the looped hi-hat and snare drum dynamics, and there’s a wonderfully pattern brilliantly; it might be a little beguiling rendition of the song. It less biting than it should, but the focuses on the sweet sound of the timing is superb. crashing china boy cymbal of Move to something more sedate and drummer Bill Berry, Michael Stipe’s beguiling, and the problems disappear. uniquely gritty, earthy voice and Peter It’s a revelation, with a breathtaking Buck’s plaintive Rickenbacker guitar. beauty to Heidi Berry’s dark, sultry Tonally and texturally lovely, it’s voice on Washington Square. The song almost like it’s telling you that you is moody, atmospheric and has gentle should forget about absolute power fi ligree detailing, such as triangles and just get into the groove! and steel string guitars, sparkling Having heard its command, Dave of Class A sound. It also sports a The VU meter away at the back of the mix. The Brubeck’s Take Five quickly fi nds itself headphone socket, three stereo inputs might not be Ming Da captures it all without so on the turntable. This is a great track, to everyone’s via RCA connectors, and an infra-red taste, but it’s much as blinking; it’s like water off a but it can sound oddly fl at played on remote volume control. As with all very useful duck’s back. It even has you gasping some systems and it does tend to be valve amplifi ers, the quality of the at the exotic way that it conveys the tough on the amplifi ers that can’t output transformers is critical, and so rich and resonant piano. On this song keep up. The Ming Da Piccolo has Mei Xing hand-winds its own, rather the bass line is gentle and doesn’t tax no such problem, playing it like it’s a than buying them in from another the amplifi er much, or throw it off natural. From the rich golden sheen company. Those fi tted to the Piccolo balance like it does with the Goldie of the ride cymbal to the full-bodied, seem quite large for the size of the track and its swinging dynamics. woody sound of the piano and the amplifi er. All internal connections are hand wired and soldered, using CONNECTIONS point-to-point topology for the shortest signal paths. The UK importer 1 2 1 RCA analogue specifi es a specially updated 5U4G inputs rectifi er valve, for better longevity 2 On/off switch (on and superior signal-to-noise ratio. side of Piccolo) 3 IEC mains Sound quality input socket Those that are looking for a good 4 Loudspeaker all-rounder with a decent amount binding posts of power and the ability to work across many types of music will fi nd themselves disappointed by the Ming Da Piccolo. In the same way that you would not buy a supercar to do the school run, this amp needs to be purchased by someone who knows the job it is intended to do – to make lovely, sweet music into a fairly 4 3 sensitive pair of loudspeakers. It can

JUNE 2015 43 MING DA PICCOLO EXOTICA INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £995

Q&A IN SIGHT Mark Manwaring-White 1 2 1 Alps motorised Ming Da UK volume control

2 KT90 output valves

3 Choke-filtered power supply

4 Heavy-duty mains transformer

5 Rectifier valve

DP: Where does the Piccolo sit in Ming Da’s range? MMW: Also known as the MC368-B902, it is an entry-level model along with the MC34-A. The two share the same basic chassis, but the Piccolo is a Class A single-ended design, whereas the MC34-A is a classic Class AB push pull design. The typical customer would be a possible ‘new to valves’ listener, running with efficient loudspeakers (of at least 90dB). He or she may well prefer a 5 4 3 softer sound, more of a classic sweet valve glow.

What brand of valves are used and silky, smouldering saxophone, it gives programme material, and/or listen why did you choose them? a majestic performance. The recorded less loud, and/or get a smaller room. The KT90’s output valves are the acoustic comes over as large, spacious In fairness, my listening room is exclusive Jinvina brand, which is and airy – the speakers seemingly relatively big and not everyone Ming Da’s own valve brand. The input disappearing into space. Inside this is would need to ask it to go up to valves are very typical 12AU7 from the sound of jazz greats playing great such volumes as me. Shuguang or similar, as is the rectifier 5AR4(GZ34) valve. The KT90 is a jazz – it is clear that the piano is the slightly more powerful version of most percussive instrument present as Conclusion the original KT88, specially selected it rolls along in a wonderfully fl uid way. Brilliant but fl awed, is how I would for Jinvina and seem to have a long The syncopation with the drums is describe the Ming Da Piccolo. To healthy life span. I have KT90s magic, and the sax fl oats and soars which I would have to add, “what working well with excess of 4,500 above it all. Again this amplifi er £995 amp isn’t?” and also “what valve hours on them! HOW IT is totally blameless, completely amplifi er isn’t?”, too. So in all COMPARES outclassing almost all of its price fairness, this is actually a superb What audiophile features does the rivals on this sort of material. It little integrated providing that you Piccolo have? Ironically, the closest sounds so sweet and sumptuous that I keep it in its comfort zone; this done rival for the Piccolo is Well the main one, of course, is Ming Da’s MC34A. This fi nd myself wondering why anyone you will fi nd you have something the fact that this is a single-ended valve amp costs the buys transistor amplifi ers any more. able to completely transcend normal amplifier running pure Class A! As same and shares many The answer is soon delivered to me expectations at the price. Match all valve aficionados will know, this components, but not though, when I cue up my prized carefully with sensitive speakers, orientation offers one of the sweetest the MC34’s four EL34 1976 pressing of Elgar’s Cello don’t use it to power your next possible sounds from a valve power valves, running in push pull mode. Concerto (Du Pre/Daniel Barenboim/ seventies disco party, and you’ll have amplifier, and has many fans. Also, Philadelphia Orchestra). Initially an extremely capable performer with the hand-wound output transformers The 34 is far more of a headbanger than the beautiful, giving a string sound as if change to spare ● give Ming Da amplifiers that special Piccolo, with over twice from heaven itself, when the massed audiophile sound, even in an entry- as much power (Ming level product. strings come in and the orchestra Da claims 38W RMS swells up the sound begins to per channel). The 34 Are there any special tweaks for the has an obviously more compress. It’s annoying because – OUR VERDICT showing many of the outward sonic UK models? powerful sound, and SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Lovely, Yes, I tweak the power supply for you can hear that it runs signatures of a very expensive amp – charming, sweet extending the longevity of the out of steam less easily the Piccolo lulls you into thinking it sound; build quality rectifier valve. However, there are than its rival, but still is a large and powerful performer. VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Limited I think the claimed Then when musical ‘heavy lifting’ is power; requires careful also capacitor upgrades available, power output is a little speaker matching BUILD QUALITY using the Audyn Reference series of optimistic. While it required, it just falls short, and the WE SAY: Super little capacitors, to enhance the sound might win in the power only answer is to turn the volume romantic valve amp, but not for everyone quality still further. Lastly, of course, stakes, the Piccolo is down a little. Part of the ‘problem’ is FEATURES Ming Da UK gives the amplifiers a the nicer-sounding that it just doesn’t sound ‘cheap’, so three-year transferable warranty amplifier to listen to on you begin to treat it like something along with one year on the valves. soft, gentle music. It OVERALL sounds sweeter, more costing fi ve times the price, then get liquid and more musical. frustrated when it isn’t. The cure for this is to stay away from loud, dense

44 JUNE 2015 AUDIO NOTE LOUNGE 01273 590 716 BRIGHTON’S SPECIALIST AUDIO NOTE (UK) DEALER WWW.AUDIONOTELOUNGE.COM

“ Everything you read about Dale and his impeccable service I can vouch are true. He is the personification of kindness. ” - customer

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2 The Threshing Barn 01279 454 860 Feltimores Park [email protected] Harlow CM17 0PF www.theaudiobarn.co.uk ONKYO A-9010 (UK) REVIEWS INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £200

DETAILS British operation is blessed with good PRODUCT enthusiastic people who know a Onkyo A-9010 (UK) decent sound when they hear one, ORIGIN so a UK-tuned amplifi er was always British steal Japan/China going to be an interesting thing. It TYPE has started with a standard A-9010, David Price explains how Onkyo UK took Integrated amplifier stripped it of its built-in DAC (which WEIGHT appears in some markets, but not the 6.5kg UK), and fettled it into an audiophile its A-9010 entry-level amplifier, sprinkled DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) product. Given its price, the challenge some stardust and added a UK suff ix 435 x 130 x 333mm was to make substantial upgrades to FEATURES its sound, without spending so much ● Quoted power money that it would no longer be an output: 2x 44W h yes – Cool Britannia, was never made clear then, and isn’t (8ohm) entry-level stereo amplifi er. Absolutely Fabulous, Blur now. Perhaps it’s more useful to talk ● 4x RCA, 1x 3.5mm Onkyo’s British tuning team vs. Oasis – remember it in terms of taste and environment. line inputs; 1x RCA retained the lion’s share of the 9010’s A line output well! As the nineties slowly When I lived in Japan in the nineties, ● MM phono stage internal gubbins – including its ‘Wide morphs from contemporary to I was struck by how different the DISTRIBUTOR Range Amplifi er Technology’ circuitry, historical, let us pause and refl ect on houses and apartments were – many Onkyo UK which is said to privilege current the hi-fi of that decade. CD players use tatami mats extensively and this TELEPHONE drive over output power; to give good were king, fl oorstanding loudspeakers gives a well-damped sound compared 08712 001996 ‘real-world’ driving ability even when were just beginning to catch on and with the average British abode with WEBSITE the speaker impedance drops and uk.onkyo.com we suddenly saw a procession of carpets and painted walls. Another increases the load. Interestingly, Japanese-made budget amplifi ers consideration is that Brits tend to buy instead of the usual Class D modules which were “tuned for British ears”. It different loudspeakers to Japanese you might expect for such a product, was all the Pioneer A-400’s fault as I audiophiles, too. Either way, it’s the A-9010 uses discrete low- remember, and this started a fashion nurture not nature. impedance Darlington output for Sonys, Kenwoods, Marantzs, etc. Now some two decades later, Onkyo transistors from Sanken running in all fettled especially for us. has started to ‘channel’ the nineties, Class AB. Many audiophiles still Quite what the difference is and has come up with its very own believe this to be the best compromise between British and Japanese ears British-tuned products. The company’s between sonics and practicality, but

46 JUNE 2015 ONKYO A-9010 (UK) INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £200 REVIEWS

capacitors. The circuitry all sits on use it is clear that it doesn’t fall into a chassis designed to isolate the such a trap. Indeed, right from switch components from sound-degrading on I fi nd it a particularly bouncy external vibrations, and there are thing, with lots of energy and drive. chunky gold-plated speaker terminals. This stands in marked contrast to the The Onkyo may be a little more sat-upon sound that some rivals at or fi nely fettled than some, but it’s still just slightly above its price serve up. a Japanese budget amplifi er – and to First inside the CD player is Kate this end it comes with a predictable Bush’s Cloudbusting. It’s a beautiful list of facilities that haven’t changed song made with distinctive eighties since the seventies, let alone the synthesisers and samplers, and can nineties. So you get a moving magnet sound quite shut in, yet shrill on phono stage (not discrete transistor, vocals. The Onkyo copes surprisingly via an IC), a headphone output stage well and rises to the challenge better (via a 6.3mm socket), tone and than expected. Kate’s voice sounds balance controls and a good range of icy, yet doesn’t veer into harshness – unlike some other budget amplifi ers It’s way more I have tried. It’s a diffi cult one to get right, because many smooth amps convincing than fl atten it and strip it of its sparkle, you have a right to while brighter ones can grate. The A-9010 (UK) treads a well-judged expect at the price middle path and places it fairly deep into the mix. Behind it sits those inputs; four on the back via RCA and distinct sampled drum patterns, a mini-socket on the front for your which can sound curtailed on lesser portable. It’s well turned out for the amplifi ers because they’re highly price, with a nice sleek brushed alloy damped and nowhere near as lively front panel and the pressed steel as you would expect drums to be. casing isn’t as fl imsy as one might Again the Onkyo takes a sensible expect. With smooth controls and a middle path, and seems fast and lithe generally robust feel, Onkyo has done enough to capture much of their a good job of hiding its budget origins. energy and impact, without pushing them unduly to the fore. On a good Sound quality system the relatively murky mix of Having reviewed a number of budget this album begins to open up, and Japanese amplifi ers over the years, I there is defi nitely a sense of this have a good idea of what to expect. happening here. it’s less common than it used to be. Despite its At this price they tend to have a Next up, some superbly crafted The result is a claimed 44W RMS per budget price, it bright and breezy sound with a seventies rock courtesy of Steely Dan. gives little away channel in an 8ohm load, which is in features or slightly metallic upper midband, Aja is a masterpiece of its age, and just about enough to drive most quality of finish vivid treble and a decent but rather still sounds superb to this day. For a speakers in most British rooms. vague bass. The overall sound is rock recording it is very dry, but with A series of tweaks were made to, usually pleasant, and at fi rst you think a good amplifi er it can fi ll out and as Onkyo puts it, “deliver a sense of it is really rather impressive at the command the room. The title track warmth and body” to the musical price. But extended listening tends proves impressive; Donald Fagen’s performance. A large, frame-type to reveal quite an insipid and prosaic voice can be a little nasal and power transformer and beefy sound; it’s not bad, but it completely forward, and the close-miked piano extruded aluminium heatsinking was fails to involve the listener. This is sometimes comes over as brittle with fi tted, along with four audio-grade precisely what the Onkyo has to cheap solid-state electronics; but the avoid, and after about 10 minutes of A-9010 (UK) takes things in its stride CONNECTIONS

1 2 1 Earthing point for turntable

2 4x RCA analogue line inputs

3 Gold-plated 4mm speaker terminals

4 RCA analogue line output

5 Moving Magnet phono stage

5 4 3

JUNE 2015 47 ONKYO A-9010 (UK) REVIEWS INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £200

Q&A IN SIGHT Kulwinder Singh Rai 2 1 1 High current Onkyo PR/product output, low development consultant impedance transformer

2 Speaker terminals connected to amp circuit via plates

3 Audiophile-grade capacitors 3 4 Rigid chassis designed to minimise interference DP: Why tune products in the UK? KSR: In our experience listeners in different markets historically have often had different preferences when it comes to sound quality. Not necessarily better or worse in any way, simply different. The A-9010 (UK) is an acknowledgement of that reality, and the process took about a 4 year to do.

What differences are made to the and shows its fi ne natural balance. a beguiling and enveloping sound and UK version, and why? It’s quite a dynamic recording and makes this beautiful jazz standard a Stage one was to create the base so quite a workout for a relatively pleasure to hear. This is something I amplifier circuit. Stage two was to low-powered amplifi er such as this, cannot say about anything else at or fine-tune our specific version for the but the crashing drum kit breaks don’t near the A-9010 (UK)’s price. UK. We listened to the sonic effect of throw the Onkyo. In absolute terms, all the key components within the it doesn’t quite have the range of a Conclusion amp’s signal chain to assess which more powerful design at three times The fi rst job of any budget amplifi er is would give the desired sound quality the price, but it seems to make the not to sound horrible, and the Onkyo balance. Capacitors have a most of the power it has. That A-9010 (UK) breezes through this particularly influential role to play so powerful bass guitar line that challenge with ease. Then it goes on we spent a lot of time testing and evaluating what worked best on that underpins the song is given good to make a really rather lovely sound front. And then we benchmarked it weight, and is enjoyably supple and that completely belies its cost. It’s not against competition costing tuneful too. The song’s various stops the greatest amplifi er in the world of substantially more. We wanted to set and starts, bridges and middle eight course, but what it does wrong never a new standard for pace, rhythm and all have a real sense of coherence, offends the ear, and it hides its tracks timing in the truly budget sector, HOW IT showing this amplifi er to be well brilliantly. What it does right is nothing less. Also, as the A-9010 (UK) COMPARES capable of keeping a grip on the something that plenty of amplifi ers is a UK-specific-version we also did proceedings – again this isn’t costing many times as much cannot Cambridge Audio’s away with a multi-voltage converter, something you can take for granted do – which is to sound unerringly £270 Azur 351A is the resulting in an additional sonic gain. Onkyo’s closest rival. It down here in the cheap seats! musical and fun. Forget about the feels fractionally more Moving to some classic jazz in the UK-tuned amps of the nineties, the Why doesn’t it have a built-in DAC, solid, is a little more shape of Miles Davis’ So What, the Onkyo’s combination of bargain like everything else now? compact yet is still quite Onkyo continues to impress. This is basement price and unalloyed sonic Onkyo was actually one of the first heavy. A similar range less complex than Aja, but demands charm reminds me of the classic NAD audio brands that implemented D/A of facilities is offered, and it has a similarly rock-solid control to properly convey 3020 of the late seventies. It’s a recipe converters and/or USB DACs in its the infectious rhythms, and a decently that appeals far beyond the beaches stereo amplifiers. At the same time, slick feel to the controls, which belie its price. realistic tone to handle that soaring of Britain, I dare say ● we have continued to improve our Sonically it’s a close-run trumpet. The A-9010 (UK) isn’t out of analogue amplifier performance with thing between these its depth here either, zooming in on our dedicated sound engineering two rather excellent the drum section and giving a nice, team – the focus was on sound amplifiers; the quality to the exclusion of all else. Cambridge Audio is full-bodied piano sound. It’s way OUR VERDICT more convincing than you have a Nowadays, consumers can get fractionally punchier SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Wonderfully decent-quality network players with and grippier in the bass, right to expect at the price, and musical sound; solid good analogue outputs at reasonable but doesn’t quite have manages to snap the recorded power output the warmth or lyricism VALUE FOR MONEY prices. So we took the decision to acoustic into sharp focus and locate DISLIKE: Absolutely of the Onkyo. The the instruments with a decent degree nothing at the price create an amplifier that would appeal A-9010 (UK) is more BUILD QUALITY WE SAY: Unexpectedly to budget-conscious customers musically articulate, of precision. The soundstage is capable performer; a whose priority was sound. bringing more emotion surprisingly wide too, although it’s a great starter amp to the event; it’s also a little two dimensional compared with FEATURES little sweeter tonally an amplifi er at twice the price. It gives too. By comparison, the some sense of depth perspective, but 351A sounds drier, less OVERALL beguiling and more if you want proof that it isn’t entirely controlled and focused. blameless, then this is where you should look. Nevertheless, it serves up

48 JUNE 2015

FIIO X1 REVIEWS DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER £99

DETAILS has an SD expansion slot), while the FiiO X3 Mk 2 is also bereft of built-in PRODUCT FiiO X1 storage, its USP over the X1 and Sony ORIGIN being compatibility with native DSD The X-phile China and DXD fi les and USB DAC operation. TYPE Otherwise in terms of the X1’s spec 24-bit/192kHz- shortcomings nothing stands out on Who says portable hi-res audio players have capable digital audio portable paper, although only a USB cable is to be expensive? Not FiiO. Adrian Justins WEIGHT provided and no plug or charger 106g (only an issue if you don’t wish to use asks if the X1 is as cheerful as it is cheap DIMENSIONS a computer or existing USB chargers). (WxHxD) What it does have is a handy line out, 57 x 96 x 14mm plus a TI PCM5142 chipset that is f you’ve been itching to get Given that serious audiophile hi-res FEATURES compatible with APE, FLAC, ALAC, ● APE, FLAC, ALAC, into portable hi-res audio players from the likes of Sony, WAV, WMA, AAC, WMA and WAV lossless music but can’t justify the outlay Acoustic Research and Astell&Kern OGG, MP3, MP2 formats, up to 24-bit/192kHz. I playback of an expensive player, the usually command a four fi gure price, Remote control support is provided ● microSD XC slot FiiO X1 is here to try and lure you in. or several £100s at the very least, you (128GB max) for the likes of Apple and Samsung At a whisker under £100 this is by far have to wonder whether the X1 has ● 2in 320×240-pixel inline headphones, allowing you to the most affordable hi-res digital got what it takes to compete. One screen pause, play, fast forward and rewind audio player (DAP), with its closest signifi cant shortcoming is a complete DISTRIBUTOR tracks, although perhaps annoyingly Advanced MP3 competitors being the Sony NWZ-A15 absence of built-in storage. Instead, Players not control the volume. (HFC April 2015) and FiiO’s own X3 it has a microSD slot that can accept TELEPHONE The player weighs a pocket-friendly Mk 2, both of which sell for £159. cards up to 128GB, which should 08432 896880 106g and is more compact than a provide enough capacity for around WEBSITE pack of 20 cigarettes. It’s similar to a 4,000 24/96 FLAC tracks. fiio.net 6th generation iPod Classic in terms Unless you already own a of weight and dimensions as well as compatible card you can expect to design and operation. shell out around £10 for 32GB of Pleasingly, FiiO eschews the trend storage and £50-£60 for 128GB. for exceptionally hard edges found It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth really on many other DAPs, and the X1 has because while you expect to provide nice rounded corners. The build your own storage card for a digital quality is commensurate with the camera you simply don’t when it price, and the unit feels somewhat comes to portable audio players. To plasticky. Available in gold or silver, be fair to FiiO though, it isn’t shy in it appears impressive in photos but in communicating the trade off of real life it looks every inch a piece storage for a lower price in its of sprayed plastic. It’s a shame, publicity and marketing materials. because the buttons and scroll wheel The rival Sony NWZ-A15 comes themselves look and feel superior. with 16GB of memory built in (and The saving grace is that the unit is FIIO X1 DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER £99 REVIEWS

Those industrial supplied with a black rubberised and font that’s so small at times it’s Metal preset boosts the upper mids looks are sadly silicon case, which protects and like looking through back-to-front and works out as a pretty good option all plastic covers the body (but annoyingly hides binoculars. Having said all that, for use as the default setting. the LED that lights up to tell you if generally the operating system is The bass on Bon Jovi’s Army Of One the unit is being charged), or you can well laid out and divided into (FLAC) goes from sounding rather plaster it with stickers, which FiiO has sections such as settings, browsing, dull and fl abby to a punchier, quicker strangely opted to provide. etc. The cursor moves quickly and attack, allowing the mids of the guitar The scroll wheel grips nicely and the system responds promptly to and vocals a bit more fl ight thanks has decent resistance when you drag selections. One nice touch about the to improved extension and greater it round to select items from the design is that supplementary volume transparency. Also with the Metal menu or control the volume, but the buttons on the left side are lower in preset engaged, a 24/96 FLAC fi le central select button feels slightly profi le than the adjacent power of Steely Dan’s Time Out Of Mind is loose. External buttons provide track button, making it easier to select underpinned much more effectively transport duties, plus there’s a Back them by touch. by a drum beat that has immaculate button for navigation. It’s a shame Loading music is relatively timing and reach. The keyboards and there isn’t a Home button as you don’t straightforward. With an SD card electric guitar are sharply defi ned, always want to work your way back placed in the slot and the player while Donald Fagen’s vocals resonate through folders to get to the home connected by the USB cable to a sumptuously with good separation. screen. Oddly, though, depending on computer, the card appears as an With Coldplay’s A Sky Full Of Stars how a track is selected and played, external drive on the desktop. On an (24/96 FLAC), Chris Martin’s pressing the Back button can act as a vocals are the highlight in terms of Home screen button, which can be Delivery is smooth, revelation and impact. The attack of annoying if you want to browse the the piano rumble is a bit slow out of folder/album/playlist that contains it. finely detailed and the gate and the synth is a tad too It all depends what screen was nicely rounded off rounded. The midrange boost isn’t showing previous to the playback in optimum for all sources, Wings’ Band progress and is a tad baffl ing to deal with a hint of warmth On The Run (24/96 ALAC) for with. Another annoyance is that example sounds much better using the screen can only display track iMac I am able to drag and drop until the Rock pre-set, which boosts the information briefl y (artist, album, I fi ll the card, and all metadata and 160Hz band and higher frequencies, format, resolution and bit-rate) and sleeve art is carried over. To preserve tempering the midrange a tad, it superimposes it on top of the album playlists from iTunes you have to allowing much better balance artwork, often leading to hard to read create new folders on your desktop between the vocals and instruments. clashes of words and pictures. fi rst and the only other faff is that Another limitation is the volume This is exacerbated by the clarity of you have to tell the player to update starts to sound harsh and lose the screen, washed out colour scheme the media library after disconnecting coherency as you crank it up. There is from the computer. You can, also a slight double click before the CONNECTIONS however, manually build new fi rst track played from standby, but at playlists using the X1’s GUI, and least gapless playback is on board.

1 Headphone/ save favourite tracks. 1 line output Conclusion

2 Scroll wheel used Sound quality Overall, the performance isn’t quite as for navigation Output can be tweaked using the open or refi ned as you get from more

3 SD expansion slot built-in EQ, which has seven expensive players and the FiiO X1 is adjustable bands between 62Hz and also a bit of a pain to operate in some 4 Select button 16kHz, plus there are seven genre respects. That said, considering the 5 Volume controls presets. Pairing the X1 with Sony’s price there is plenty about the unit to MDR-10RC, which are decent recommend it. You may have to work lightweight hi-res headphones, the a bit to get the best out of it, but the fi rst and most important observation FiiO X1 is still a signifi cant step up about the X1 is that the built-in DAC from bog-standard MP3 players, iPods and amp are adept at extracting all and smartphones ● 5 of the sonic juice from the fruit of 2 most hi-res tunes. Be it FLAC, ALAC or AIFF fi les, delivery is smooth, fi nely detailed and nicely rounded OUR VERDICT off with a hint of warmth. The SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Price; format soundstage is perhaps a bit narrow, 3 compatibility; warm, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 in D detailed sound Major (AIFF) for example feeling a VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Cramped soundstage; little spatially cramped and not as challenging OS BUILD QUALITY airy as it could be. But it is possible WE SAY: Not the to get a much more satisfying sound easiest to use and it needs EQ adjustment, out of the X1 than it fi rst offers up. FEATURES but sound is 4 The fl at response is weighted too respectable at price keenly towards the lower end of the OVERALL midrange and requires some EQ adjustment to reduce some of the overzealous bass extension. The

JUNE 2015 51 SCANSONIC MB-1 REVIEWS STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER £1,335

52 JUNE 2015 SCANSONIC MB-1 STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER £1,335 REVIEWS

DETAILS amplifi ers of greater than 50W. That said, the speakers seem to be a pretty PRODUCT Scansonic MB-1 easy drive: as well as using my A touch of ORIGIN Supernait 2, I also try them with Denmark Denon’s PMA-50 (HFC 397), and TYPE there’s never any sense the Denon is 2-way standmount struggling, although the sound does loudspeaker take on further conviction and WEIGHT Nordic noir 6.1kg presence with the Naim. DIMENSIONS That bass weight may be the fi rst (WxHxD) surprise in the MB-1’s presentation, This compact speaker has impressive 178 x 312 x 286mm but what’s even more pleasing is the FEATURES way the whole sound hangs together, ● Ribbon tweeter engineering and plenty of heritage ● 115mm mid/bass with no sense of this being a one-trick driver speaker, and a generous, detailed behind it. Andrew Everard takes a listen ● Impedance: overall balance that’s well beyond >6ohm expectations of a design so compact. DISTRIBUTOR Dantax A/S In particular the tweeter works o, Scansonic – does the front, and can be used on a choice of exceptionally well, with an open, airy TELEPHONE name seem vaguely two Scansonic speaker stands: there’s +45 982476 77 sound when playing atmospheric live S familiar? Its MB series of a curvaceous single-pillar model, WEBSITE recordings, excellent sting with speakers, starting with the selling for £490 a pair in black or scansonic.dk cymbals without any sense of MB-1 we have here and going all the £505 in white, and a twin-column overcooking things with excessive way up to the MB-3.5 fl oorstanders, design at £580 a pair. splash or sizzle, and fi ne midband may be new (and just one of three Standing just over 33cm tall, the fl uidity and detailing. complete speaker ranges on its MB-1 has pretty conventional Play some classic Miles Davis and books), but the brand name has an ‘bookshelf speaker’ dimensions, but it’s hard not to be drawn into the illustrious history, being deeply rooted an all-up fi ghting weight of 6.1kg performance. There’s superb rasp and in Danish speaker design and reveals the use of heavy bracing breath to the trumpet, while other engineering. Scansonic goes back inside to further increase the instruments are handled in similarly 45 years, when it was introduced structural integrity of what is already convincing style, the bass has just the as the name on a then-new line of a rigid cabinet, thanks to those right amount of snap of fi nger on loudspeakers from famous Danish curved panels. Ribbon tweeters and string then vibrational resonance, carbon-fi bre cones are found across MB-1s combine enabling the contribution of the ultralight ribbon A detailed balance the range, and the one in the MB-1 tweeter with instrument’s body to be heard. At uses a Kapton/aluminium sandwich carbon-fibre the same time the drums have good that’s well beyond construction 0.02mm thick, meaning mid/bass punch and drive, while all the expectations of a it weighs a fraction of a conventional dome diaphragm, making it easier to design so compact drive with less coloration. The 115mm mid/bass unit uses that drive-unit manufacturer ScanSpeak. carbon-fi bre weave to obtain stiffness Having survived a factory fi re, without weight penalties, and is of ScanSpeak was later acquired by a dustcap-less design, driven by an current Scansonic owner Dantax after overhung magnet system with a long a period of being owned by Ortofon excursion for powerful bass. Inlays parent company Fonofi lm, during line the slot-shaped port below the which its co-founders pulled out and woofer to reduce noise, and the eventually found Dynaudio. You may handover between the drivers be getting the idea by now that the centres around 3.5kHz. inner workings of the Danish speaker/driver industry are both Sound quality fascinating and entirely convoluted! On the end of my Naim network For the design of the MB speaker music player/amplifi er system, the series, Scansonic looked within its immediate impression is of the scale parent company to Michael Børresen, and quality of bass: yes, the spec executive R&D manager at Raidho, suggests they run out of steam at where he has worked for more than a around 50Hz, but when it comes to dozen years. And while there’s a clear small speakers and low-end welly, infl uence from his work with Raidho there’s no sense of the sound lacking designs in some aspects of the design substance. Playing rock or pop music here, the intention was always to there’s weight and speed down there, make a range true to the Scansonic ensuring rhythm sections power brand. Oh, and to Mark Børresen’s along smartly, and bass and drums contribution to the design, his initials have excellent character and drive. are on every model – hence the ‘MB’. Scansonic doesn’t quote a sensitivity Available in black or white ‘silk’ fi gure, saying only that nominal fi nish, the speakers have a curved- impedance is greater than 6ohm, wall enclosure design, ported to the and that it recommends high-quality

JUNE 2015 53 SCANSONIC MB-1 REVIEWS STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER £1,335

Q&A IN SIGHT Michael Børresen 1 Kapton/aluminium Executive R&D manager, Raidho 1 ribbon tweeter

2 4mm cable binding posts

3 Front-venting reflex port

4 Carbon-fibre weave mid/bass unit

AE: What were the challenges in designing the MB range? MB: I was very focused on building 2 on all the experiences and strengths obtained from designing the Raidho speakers, but this time, the task also came with a budget and a desire to create the very best possible speakers within financial limits. 4 3

Doesn’t the use of a ribbon tweeter and carbon fibre bass unit make building to a budget tricky? delicacy required to enjoy the times been designed for real-world It was clear to me from the very when sticks give way to brushes and listening, to be enjoyed by several beginning that some core techniques the snap and fi zz of the cymbals. people in the room at once, and from the Raidho speakers would be While the bass is impressive for they’re all the better for that. As well of importance: the speakers had to speakers of this size, there are times as the tweeter design, that has much be designed around a ribbon tweeter when its lower limits are apparent, to do with the way the two drivers as, thanks to its super lightweight for which reason I wouldn’t suggest and the crossover marry up to present diaphragm sealed around the edges, these are the optimum choice for fans music as a whole, with no sense of it allows for a seamless transition of church organ music or those ‘handover’ between the drivers to to the midrange region. The same enjoying room-shaking synthesised catch the attention and divert it from thinking on quality and integration informed the use of a mid/bass driver bass – that’s prog fans perhaps the music. with a rigid, pistonic-type membrane disappointed on two fronts, then! – which is why we chose carbon fibre. However, in general terms the MB-1 Conclusion covers its tracks extremely well, and If you’re looking for rather superior So many speaker companies have you’re more likely to be struck by how speakers for use in a small or moved their production to lower- low these speakers can appear to go, medium-sized room, and can afford cost countries. Why was it so along with the speed and tunefulness both the speaker/stands package, at important to not do the same? of the bass they deliver, rather than around £1,800 all-in and the kind of At the same time, I also had to be worrying too much about that last bit amplifi er you’ll need to hear them at aware of the long heritage and the of low-frequency information that’s their best, this is a highly competitive Nordic design tradition of the missing. There’s never any sense of a design. By combining room Scansonic brand, so developing and HOW IT lack of weight, and by the standards friendliness – that front-venting port building these speakers in Denmark COMPARES of speakers of this size they’re means that you can use them close to was a tremendous task, and quite a extremely impressive. a rear wall – stylish looks and a very long one. However, I’m very glad that There’s no shortage of high-quality What is beyond reproach is the persuasive sound seemingly beyond a fantastic team effort made it superb sense of soundstage depth, its modest dimensions, Scansonic has possible – the result makes me proud. standmount speakers available in the £1,000- width and focus the MB-1s present: come up with loudspeaker well £1,500 price bracket, listen to a live concert through them worthy of a serious audition ● and the MB-1 finds itself and you get a sonic picture extending up against the likes of between and beyond the speakers, the £1,485 PMC twenty.21 (HFC 379), and in which performers are placed another design with solidly and reliably. With a shade of OUR VERDICT prodigious bass from a toe-in toward the listening position, SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Sound; design small enclosure plus a that remarkable focus is sharpened, and build quality; ease fast, detailed midband and at the same time the feeling of of placement and treble, and the front-to-back depth is enhanced; VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: No shortage ultra-precise and of competition at price; illuminating B&W CM6 impressive, too, is the way they stands, while elegant, S2, at around £1,500. maintain that sense of solidity – BUILD QUALITY aren’t cheap Or, as an alternative to which after all is what stereo is all WE SAY: Powerful sound from a compact the MB-1s with stands, about – even when you move off-axis. FEATURES design, but some may the compact and These aren’t ‘sweet spot’ speakers, accomplished Neat hanker for more bass limited to delivering their best at one, Motive SX1 speakers OVERALL (HFC 379) are a must- very narrow, listening position, and listen at £1,885. there’s no sense of the tweeters ‘beaming’: instead they’ve very clearly

54 JUNE 2015

CYRUS STEREO 200 REVIEWS POWER AMPLIFIER £1,750

DETAILS Cyrus says it provides large amounts PRODUCT of burst power for musical transients Cyrus Stereo 200 by using a mix of electrolytic, ceramic Class ORIGIN and polypropylene capacitors, UK coupled to the custom low-noise TYPE toroidal transformer. All low-level Stereo power amplifier audio signal carrying components get WEIGHT their juice from four independently warrior 6.9kg regulated supplies, and the high DIMENSIONS current supply is separately fused Punching out serious amounts of power (WxHxD) and decoupled between left and right 215 x 73 x 360mm channels. The reconstruction fi lter FEATURES in the Class D output section has a from a small box, the Cyrus Stereo 200 ● Quoted power output: 2x 200W ferrite-shielded coil with oxygen-free makes a big impression, says David Price (6ohm) copper and polypropylene metal foil ● Speaker capacitors for the lowest distortion; impedance detection system the company says that a lot of time udiophiles can sometimes power bandwidth. The >475VA ● Balanced XLRs was spent tuning this for the best be a bit snobby about toroidal transformer plays a big part and unbalanced possible sound. RCA inputs Class D; they tend to be in this says Cyrus’ R&D team, making The amp constantly monitors the A DISTRIBUTOR more interested in the As for an amplifi er with fi ne sound, high Cyrus Audio Ltd circuit for errors in supply voltages, and ABs of this world, and feel D can effi ciency and low heat generation. It TELEPHONE DC offset from the speaker outputs sound a little opaque and musically produces a claimed 2x 200W into a 01480 410900 and also over current short circuit. unconvincing. Class D is an extremely typical 6ohm load from the company’s WEBSITE The circuit will even detect a short effi cient mode of producing power, compact half-width casing, which is cyrusaudio.com circuited output without any applied though – and is surely the future in no small feat – a conventional Class audio signal. Speaker impedance tomorrow’s energy-saving world. AB amp in this box would surely detection is carried out on start up, Personally, I have always found the make less power and run hotter. so that every time the amplifi er is old adage that, “it ain’t what you do, powered up it automatically adjusts it’s the way that you do it” applies One of the feistiest to the speaker load. here – I’m all for a classless society! In other respects it is pretty The new Cyrus Stereo 200 is said to sounding Cyrus conventional; it has a choice of have started as one of the company’s power amplifiers unbalanced RCA inputs or fully special projects, produced to explore balanced XLRs. There are standard if Class D could ever be developed I have ever heard 4mm speaker binding and power into a power amplifi er good enough consumption is said to be a miserly for serious hi-fi listeners. For this The Cyrus even ‘harvests’ the energy 0.5 watt in standby mode. reason, unlike practically all others used to stop the loudspeaker cone on sale, it doesn’t use a third-party moving and puts it back into its Sound quality off-the-shelf chip power module. power supply reservoir, making for As ever the Cyrus sports the Instead it’s a hybrid of toroidal very low current consumption. company’s classic non-ferrous transformer with a custom Class D The Stereo 200 has a heavily fi ltered aluminium diecast chassis, which is topology using an externally clocked mains power supply, and its signifi cantly less resonant than typical PWM generation unit to insure that microcontroller is powered from a pressed steel wrapped boxes. Despite it performs at its best across the full separate supply to the other circuitry. its unusual, bespoke design, the

56 JUNE 2015 CYRUS STEREO 200 POWER AMPLIFIER £1,750 REVIEWS

Like a fly-weight Stereo 200 still sounds spookily like dynamics, seeming unfettered and dimensions. Once again, its supple boxer, the Stereo a typical Cyrus product – one which well able to capture the subtle handling of the song’s bass guitar 200 packs a mighty punch for serves up a smooth, tonally even phrasing of these quite brilliant pushes things along with alacrity, such a small unit sound with no particular emphasis on session musicians. while vocals are clean and expressive any part of the frequency range, and Jacqueline du Pré’s arresting playing and guitars upfront and engaging. that has a crisp and propulsive feel on Elgar’s Cello Concerto Op.85 Unlike some Class D designs I have to the way it plays music. Indeed, if (Barenboim/Philadelphia Orchestra) heard, this amplifi er certainly does anything the bass actually comes over is also a joy. The Stereo 200 conjures not have a sat-upon sound. Indeed, as a little gutsier than some amplifi ers up a spacious recorded acoustic, yet I think rock music best suits this from this stable – there’s a sense of one that invites the listener right amplifi er’s nature; it is subtle and solidity and weight to low frequencies in. Again that strong bass is in sophisticated enough to work well that belies the size of the box. Moving evidence, and at high volume levels across the board, yet can tackle up to the midband, and all is clean gives the amplifi er a commanding crashing electric guitar chords and tidy, with no sense of the upper sound. Du Pré’s cello is beautifully and drums with relish. midband being brightly lit or coarse. carried, with a lyrical presentation In the treble, it is crisp and detailed that fi ts seamlessly with the rest of Conclusion with a nice spry feel, even if it isn’t the orchestra. The overall effect is An interesting one, this. The Cyrus quite as silky or spacious as a Class A stirringly musical, and when the Stereo 200 doesn’t broadcast its mode Sugden A21, for example. massed strings come in you wouldn’t of operation to the world; rather it With Isaac Hayes’ Cafe Regio’s from transcends it to work as a highly the classic Stax Shaft LP, the Stereo There’s a sense of enjoyable all-round solid-state power 200 serves up a rich and three- amplifi er. You can’t immediately tell dimensional sound. This is just as it solidity and weight it’s a Class D design, yet you never should be considering it’s a spacious to low frequencies forget the benefi t conferred by this and opulent-sounding recording. The confi guration – namely a lot of power amplifi er also proves untroubled by that belies its size in a small space. It’s certainly one of the succession of quite hard to drive the feistiest sounding Cyrus power loudspeakers I try with it, from new know that such power is emanating amplifi ers I have ever heard, making ATC SCM40s to classic Yamaha from such a small box. In absolute it ideal for owners of this marque NS1000Ms. The song’s wonderfully terms, the petite Cyrus doesn’t quite wanting to raise their roof or even thick and fruity bass guitar sounds have the detail and air of some pricier just drive diffi cult loudspeakers. Yet it effortless, even at very high levels that power amplifi ers I have tried, also has real appeal for those needing would have many similarly priced sounding slightly misty at the back a fi ne-sounding powerhouse that products wheezing. It is also of the hall, but it is still a combative doesn’t take over their living space ● pleasingly tuneful and stops and performance from a mid-priced starts in all the right places, giving power amplifi er. It images well up the sound a rhythmic correctness that front, but becomes a little diffuse underpins everything else in the mix. towards the rear of the soundstage. OUR VERDICT Further up the scale, the piano is Moving to less rarefi ed musical SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Big power in a carried well with a natural sound climes, the wonderful slice of new small package; gutsy, that syncopates nicely with the lead wave that is Nick Lowe’s So It Goes musical sound electric guitar. Behind this, those is delivered in a gutsy and muscular VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Subtle lack of fine detail and gorgeous strings soar and the brass way. It’s a piece of music that’s right atmosphere BUILD QUALITY rasps; fl ute is breathy and the cymbals up the Cyrus’ street, giving it a chance WE SAY: Excellent sparkle. The amplifi er is able to blend to really show off its fi ne rhythms and value compact powerhouse everything together well, giving a strong dynamics. FEATURES detailed, multi-layered sound that American muscle car fans will tell is a pleasure to listen to, with little you there’s no substitute for cubic OVERALL sign of muddle as the track grows inches to make real power, but the in complexity. It is also good with Stereo 200 begs to disagree – it sounds bold despite its diminutive CONNECTIONS

1 Balanced XLR input (right ch) 1 2 2 RCA input and chain output

3 4mm speaker 3 binding posts

4 MC Bus connections

4

JUNE 2015 57 “WILSON AUDIO ALEXIA IS QUITE SIMPLY AN OUTSTANDING “SAY ‘HELLO’ TO MY NEW REFERENCE” EXAMPLE OF AUDIO EXCELLENCE” - HI FI NEWS / KEN KESSLER / ALEXIA REVIEW - HIFI CRITIC / MARTIN COLLOMS / ALEXIA REVIEW “HAVE YOU EVER HAD THE FEELING OF TRANSCENDENCY, SOMETHING THAT GOES BEYOND CONSCIOUSNESS?” - HIFICLUBE.NET / JOSE VITOR HENRIQUES /ALEXIA / CONSTELLATION SYSTEM REVIEW

Wilson Audio’s Alexia is a compact and uncompromising Wilson’s other world-class designs such as the bookshelf design of extraordinary technical and material innovations, Duette 2, the fl oorstanding Sophia 3 and the peerless delivering new bass dimensions, dramatic midrange clarity, Alexandria XLF. unyielding dynamics and unrestricted detail. Speakers without compromise, brought to you by Absolute Taking sound into a new and rarefi ed plane, the Alexia joins Sounds: premier importer of the world’s fi nest hi-fi .

absolute sounds ltd. International Distributors & Consultants of Specialised Hi-End Audio & Video Systems 58 Durham Road, London, SW20 0TW T: +44 (0)20 89 71 39 09 W: www.absolutesounds.com E: [email protected] RAUMFELD CONNECTOR 2 DIGITAL MUSIC HUB £150 REVIEWS

at near CD-quality so long as you are a £20-per-month subscriber – see our music streaming services Group Test in HFC 396. Sound quality Wired connections are always the way to go for any hi-fi fan and the same goes for networked music, particularly if you have a catalogue of hi-res audios fi les that you want to stream. Play a 24/96 ALAC fi le of Hotel California by the Eagles and the track sounds just as intact and polished as with any upmarket network streamer I’ve heard. Detail across the frequency range is DETAILS impressively integral, and the soundstage has a good sense of PRODUCT Raumfeld left-to-right and front-to-back depth Net station Connector 2 that can often be sacrifi ced with lesser ORIGIN networked devices struggling to Germany retain these kind of hi-fi credentials. TYPE It’s not such a success story with Want an aff ordable way to get networked Digital music hub 24/192 tracks stored on my network, WEIGHT music into your hi-fi? Lee Dunkley thinks 0.3kg even though it is hard wired DIMENSIONS throughout, and I am unable to play this neat little hub holds the answer (WxHxD) these without the music stuttering 172 x 28 x 127mm and breaking up. Nevertheless this FEATURES only affects a tiny amount of my ● RCA line input; ulti-room networked player and play it back through other USB-A port; music collection, and anything from music systems are very Raumfeld networked devices around Ethernet port 16/44.1 to 24/96 is seamlessly much bang on trend right the home. Outputs run to stereo RCAs ● Optical digital handled by the robust Raumfeld M and RCA line now, but German brand and optical digital and there’s an outputs and its solid networking. Raumfeld is the new kid on the block Ethernet port for wired networks and ● Playback support For me, though, the real pleasure of when it comes to UK audio fans. a USB port for connection to an for: MP3, WMA, the Connector 2 is in its integration WAV, AAC, ALAC, Already reasonably well established external HDD. Wireless connection to FLAC, OGG with Tidal’s streaming service, giving on its own turf, it looks set to make a router is available via the Expander DISTRIBUTOR me access to its extensive catalogue of waves over here with a growing range (£50), but there’s no Bluetooth or Lautsprecher Teufel tracks, saved favourites and playlists of well thought-out components AirPlay compatibility provided here. GmbH using my existing subscription. Other TELEPHONE available via its online store offering At the loftier end of its capabilities the 03308 080489 services are available pre-installed on an eight-week trial period. Connector 2 says it can handle music the app of course, but at near-CD WEBSITE With a range of active speaker fi les up to 24/192 (more on this later) raumfeld.com sound quality, streaming music in this models, networking capabilities and thanks to the built in Cirrus Logic way to my hi-fi is a tough act to beat. digital-to-analogue converter as well Detail is impressively as a healthy list of formats that Conclusion includes MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, The Connector 2 offers a high level integral and the ALAC, FLAC and OGG. of networking possibilities and access soundstage has a Installation is straightforward once to music streaming services. Its app is you’ve downloaded the app to your one of the most integrated I have good sense of depth iOS or Android device and run the seen, and offers tremendous fl exibility setup wizard, and there’s a system at the price ● access to streaming services like reset button at the back of the unit Spotify and TuneIn, Raumfeld is should you run into diffi culties. Music positioning itself as a Sonos library and streaming service control challenger, and its Connector 2 is one is also handled by the app, which is OUR VERDICT of the main building blocks to the surprisingly intuitive to use and SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Great sound company’s networked music systems. comes preloaded with access to quality; flexible app; The well-constructed unit enables Spotify Connect – so long as you have ease of use existing hi-fi owners to access home a Premium subscription – Napster, VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Shaky networked music libraries found on TuneIn and Last.fm streaming 24/192 playback BUILD QUALITY WE SAY: Great way to computers, NAS drives and mobile services. The app is nicely confi gured add networked music devices. It’s a simple-looking box with and easy to master with volume and libraries to a hi-fi and get seamless just a power button on top of the unit EQ control for each room around the FEATURES integration with top and the only things gracing the home should you decide to go down streaming services slender front panel are a pair of LEDs the multi-room path. Following a OVERALL that indicate its status. At the back system update, I discover there’s also you’ll fi nd a set of stereo RCA inputs Tidal streaming integration – giving to hook up a wired source like a CD access to its 25 million-track library

JUNE 2015 59 NUFORCE DDA120 REVIEWS INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £600

DETAILS that it’s surprisingly compact for a model claiming an output of 75W per PRODUCT NuForce DDA120 channel (admittedly into 4ohm; the Force for ORIGIN 8ohm fi gure claims 50W) and 250W Taiwan peak: it’s just 241mm wide and stands TYPE only 51mm tall. It tips the scales at a Digital integrated featherweight 1.2kg, quite a bit amplifier of which is accounted for by the WEIGHT change 1.2kg casework – available in silver or black DIMENSIONS – and the transformer. (WxHxD) However, despite these diminutive Now under new ownership, NuForce has 241 x 51 x 216mm dimensions, the DDA120 feels FEATURES anything but fl imsy: the combination developed its direct digital amp line with the ● Quoted power output: 2x 50W of its rounded casework, thick front DDA120 James Parker puts it to the test (8ohms) panel and single control make it feel ● USB; 3x digital in substantial and well designed, while and analogue inputs ● aptX Bluetooth the single rotary control and e’re used to some unusual here is traditional hi-fi – well, DISTRIBUTOR apparently featureless fascia adds ownerships in the audio traditional in that it’s two-channel – Optoma Europe Ltd to the sense that we’re dealing with W business, from Formula 1 in the form of the new DDA120 direct TELEPHONE something rather different here. parent companies to guitar digital amplifi er, which comes with 01923 691800 The DDA120 looks like a single- makers and furniture manufacturers, both analogue and digital inputs. WEBSITE source amplifi er, having just a volume but the takeover of amplifi er fi rm Designed at what is now known as optoma.co.uk/ knob to the right of the front panel soundproducts NuForce by Optoma, while keeping Optoma NuForce HQ in California and nothing else: however, the things within the consumer and then manufactured in Taiwan, NuForce designers have cleverly electronics world, wasn’t the most the DDA120 is the latest in a managed to make that single control obvious move. After all, Optoma is succession of amplifi ers from the look after power on/off and input known for its projectors – produced company, including its immediate switching as well as volume. A short for everything from home cinema to ancestor, the DDA100. NuForce push cycles one by one through the business applications – while NuForce describes it as a digital music system, inputs; a longer push turns the was always a slightly leftfi eld hi-fi and says that it “Was developed for amp on or off; and hidden display company, making everything from one simple purpose: to allow you to elements to the left of the fascia shine exceptionally dinky headphone enjoy music from any source in through what looks like a solid panel amplifi ers to digital amps. fantastic quality”. to show volume level and the input Where the two meet is in NuForce’s All very standard stuff, but what’s selected. There’s also a simple remote recent AV products, but what we have immediately obvious about the amp is handset, with more conventional

60 JUNE 2015 NUFORCE DDA120 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER £600 REVIEWS

volume up/down, mute and input the initial break-in stage. No matter, while it could be argued that the selection buttons, from which it’s as it turns out it doesn’t impact on soundstaging is a little on the small possible to set the amp into ‘dim the fi nal outcome. The optical digital side with not as strong a sense of HOW IT mode’, which turns off the front-panel COMPARES inputs, apparently, provide the best depth or space as some competing LED after three seconds, re-lighting it sound, but I have to say that I fi nd designs offer, there’s excellent focus when the controls are operated Available in black or that almost all the connections offer and defi nition and persuasive Yes, a display of input selected: for silver, the DDA120 is a similar performance, with the positioning of performers within the all its outward simplicity, the NuForce sleek and compact, notable exception of the analogue entire sonic picture. but it’s far from the actually has no fewer than six inputs. only ticket in town input, which sounds just a little less There’s a coaxial and two optical when it comes to sharply focused, no doubt due to the Conclusion digitals, a USB-B for computer hook small amplifiers extra conversion stage upstream of The overall sound here is just a shade up, a single pair of RCA analogue ins with a big sound, the digital amplifi er. Bluetooth, too, on the bleached and anonymous side, and a USB-A to which you can and the Denon is a little vague, lacking the crispness lacking some warmth and generosity connect the BTR1 aptX Bluetooth PMA-50 (reviewed of the ‘hard’ digital connections, but especially with large-scale rock or last month) has dongle that comes bundled. Speaker similar features to then I’ve found that generally to be orchestral recordings. Some care outputs are on an entirely the NuForce, plus a the case across a wide range of should be taken with the choice of conventional pair of combination sound with a little BT-toting amplifi ers: the convenience partnering speakers, and I’d certainly speaker terminals, suitable for bare more warmth and of fi ring audio from a smartphone or try to avoid matching it with any wires or bananas, and there’s also a body. It also has the whatever portable device you opt components with a bright, let alone ability to save desk miniToslink optical digital out. space by standing for to the audio system comes at brash, balance. However, even with The amplifi cation here is all digital, vertically, as does the expense of some audio quality. warmer speakers the NuForce can which means that analogue input is the amp perhaps still pack quite a sting in the treble sampled (at 24-bit/96kHz) before responsible for Off ers good levels with close-miked or over-recorded being fed through the amp, and starting this mini- cymbals, for example, and it also while the conventional digital amplifier trend – the of clarity, with gutsy has a tendency to overemphasise NAD D 3020 (HFC inputs handle fi les up to 176.4kHz, sibilants, meaning it’s not one for 386). This also has bass and plenty of the USB is limited to 96kHz. Within, unconventional Queen fans, perhaps. all incoming digital inputs are styling. If you’d rhythmic snap That said, the DDA120 is never a re-clocked, and then oversampled prefer to keep it old- dull listen, and has both energy and at 3GB/s for processing. school, the Pro-Ject Although it may come as no vitality on its side. If you have a This uses the SAB2403N1 from MaiA (HFC 390) surprise to devotees of tiny T-amps or penchant for something a little looks much more Infi neon, which is a complete ‘digital like a normal amp – other diminutive powerhouses, what different from the midrange amplifi er in, speakers out’ open-loop Class D just smaller. the DDA120 delivers from so small norm, it could be just the thing ● solution, complete with the A-to-D an enclosure is actually rather conversion required for the analogue remarkable: this is a little amp with input here, and as a result the internal more than enough juice in reserve to layout has plenty of fresh air: just two drive even fairly demanding speakers OUR VERDICT boards – one for power supply, the with decent control and conviction. SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Style; flexibility; other for everything else – make up It defi nitely passes the ‘go loud’ test packs a solid punch the workings of the amp, and the with fl ying colours, whether used for such a tiddler layout of both is clear and logical, with small monitor speakers in a VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Could do with a bit more warmth making it easy to see where and how desktop system or with some rather and substance BUILD QUALITY the signal fl ows. more ambitious partners in a WE SAY: A smart and small-to-medium-sized room setup. innovative amplifier, with a style all of its Sound quality Whether with a direct connection FEATURES own, if not quite all- NuForce provided me some advice on via USB from my laptop or using round sonic ability how to use the amp to get the very a CD player fed in digitally, the best out of it, but unfortunately it NuForce offers good levels of clarity OVERALL arrived with me after I had started and communication, with gutsy bass using the DDA120, and thus beyond and plenty of rhythmic snap and

CONNECTIONS

1 2 1 4mm speaker binding posts

2 USB for extra storage

3 RCA analogue inputs

3 4 Coaxial & USB-B digital inputs

5 2x optical inputs & 1x miniToslink output

5 4

JUNE 2015 61

AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-MSR7 HEADPHONE £179 REVIEWS

DETAILS The fi llip to this more relaxed style is PRODUCT that it is refi ned and controlled when Audio-Technica the material you are asking it to play Headmaster ATH-MSR7 is less than perfectly recorded. Bass is ORIGIN deep and well integrated and there is Japan/China a smoothness to the top end that is TYPE not provoked even at very high levels. Audio-Technica says its latest headphone is Over-ear, closed- back headphone Compared with the Sennheiser designed with comfort in mind. Ed Selley WEIGHT Momentum or Focals Spirit One S 290g (HFC 391), it is more relaxed and less puts the claim to the test and checks it out FEATURES rhythmically engaging, but it never ● 45mm ‘True sounds slow or lacking in control. Motion’ dynamic driver There is plenty of scale, though, n occasions the marketing supplied with a short cord complete ● Detachable cords and there’s a commendable sense material for a product with microphone and a longer one ● Carry bag of space and soundstage for a can be a statement of the that allows you to be a fair distance DISTRIBUTOR closed-back headphone. This gives O Audio-Technica blindingly obvious. Given from your system. A soft carry bag is performers space to be presented in TELEPHONE their interaction with your head you supplied too. Compared with rivals 0113 2771441 a commendably real and believable might assume that all headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum (HFC WEBSITE way and the Audio-Technica then make more than a few concessions 372), it feels more orientated to home eu.audio-technica. imbues them with a realistic tonality to user comfort. So Audio-Technica’s use and folds fl at rather than inwards, com and scale. With Seasick Steve’s Sonic claim that its ATH-MSR7 has been but is no trouble to use out and about. Soul Surfer, Wold’s vocals are rich and designed with comfort in mind seems The looks are a little on the sober side vivid and the MSR7 manages the neat about as notable as announcing it in the black of the review sample, but trick of ensuring they are distinct has drivers inside. In reality, not they are extremely well fi nished and from the backing instruments, but all headphones are created equal feel very solid. never removed from them. and given that Audio-Technica has a The power and scale of the good record for making comfortable Sound quality performance is undoubtedly assisted designs, the ATH-MSR7 might be the With a long history in pro audio, by the sensitivity. Quite what goes ticket to long-term listening bliss. the Audio-Technica house sound is into a ‘True Motion’ driver is slightly It is a hybrid-size designed to be accurate, but there is generally a unclear, but the MSR7 can be driven used both at home and on the move. forgiving rather than forensic edge to to usefully high levels on the end of That said, it is fairly large compared it. The MSR7 has these traits, which a mobile device and never sounds with some of the competition. Part of means in comparison to something coarse or strained when you do turn fearsomely detailed like Grado’s the wick up. But that’s not to say that Can be driven to SR225e (HFC 393), it is more relaxed the headphones don’t benefi t from and less instantly attention grabbing. being driven well and the ATH-MSR7 usefully high levels works beautifully on the end of a on the end of Naim Supernait 2 integrated, too. a mobile device Conclusion This price point is keenly contested this is down to the use of drivers that and there is no shortage of excellent are a little larger than normal in this competition, but this is an extremely segment – 45mm versus the more well sorted headphone. Audio- usual 40mm. This is designed using Technica has come down fi rmly AT’s ‘True Motion’ technology, which on the side of home use over out and is intended to keep the driver as light about, and the result is a headphone and easy to move as possible so it that works superbly for domestic should add low-end performance, but listening with just enough portability not at the expense of sluggishness. to make use on the move feasible. It’s These are then placed in an a worthy option at the price ● enclosure that is closed-back save for a small vent, which doesn’t appear to leak noise. Audio-Technica has then gone to great lengths to make the OUR VERDICT enclosure comfortable. The memory SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Accurate, refined foam padding is deep but not too soft, sound; comfortable and ensures a good fi t to the ear. The and well built headband then manages to apply VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Looks a little dull; can interfere with enough pressure to ensure that it glasses; no hard case BUILD QUALITY stays in place, but doesn’t squeeze WE SAY: Extremely your head too much. The partial accomplished all rounder that should exception to this is that my glasses EASE OF DRIVE work well in a variety can be forced against the side of my of situations face, which gets uncomfortable after OVERALL a while. As a design that will be used in a variety of locations, the MSR7 is

JUNE 2015 63 INSIDER FEATURE ROKSAN AUDIO

School of ROK Roksan Audio’s Tufan Hashemi talks through his company’s illustrious past, present and future. David Price gets an education

usic has always been a passion for meant he knew how to form a company, and but Touraj was always saying that the Linn me”, says the softly spoken but so in summer 1985, Roksan was born. “We LP12 was not doing things right! I didn’t think M charming Tufan Hashemi, reclining were having a huge amount of fun those they were doing anything seriously wrong, but behind his desk in Roksan’s London days. We used to get together in the evenings I was always interested in the other company headquarters. “It was always a hobby when and each person brought an album; each that people looked up to – Rega. My reaction I was in university, and Roksan really started person had a different system and we used to this strong competition was that, ‘okay, just as a fun thing for me when I was working to go to each other’s homes and so on. I every penny I make out of Roksan is going in the City”. Formed in 1985 with Touraj hadn’t planned to leave the City to run a hi-fi straight back into advertising for people to Moghaddam, the company was started to sell company, but found myself in this little room know the brand’. This happened for the fi rst the Xerxes turntable which he says, “Wasn’t in Edgware Road. Roger was true to his two years, and fi nally we made people aware initially something I wanted to retail, it was word and six months later I realised that of the company. We were also lucky, because something just to use at home”. we couldn’t work there anymore and with there were some open-minded reviewers. ” As it transpired, somebody else wanted to several people already involved, we moved sell it. “Some friends had opened a shop in to the Barbican. We were off!” Sell, sell, sell London, and they had a room at the London The eighties was a fi ne time for hi-fi . Britain It’s all very well having a great product, hi-fi show. They had a pair of those little was booming, and British specialist audio brand awareness and respect for what Wharfedale Diamond speakers and a Naim you’re doing, but as many frustrated hi-fi Nait amplifi er, but no record player. So I “I think perhaps one manufacturer will tell you, that all means lent them this little ‘toy’ turntable we were nothing if you’ve got nowhere to sell it. “We playing with, and they had something like thing that set us apart had a problem that many shops could not 200 records there, and the sound was just was that we didn’t see take on another record player; if they amazing. A lot of people came into the room wanted another turntable then other and got interested.” any boundaries” manufacturers would stop supplying theirs.” But in the late eighties there was a shift in From small acorns companies with it; there was a sense that a lot the tectonic plates of British hi-fi dealers, The next step was a phone call from the was possible. Compact Disc was just beginning and Tufan says this opened up the space for Sound Organisation’s Roger Macer, who to surface, but hadn’t really been absorbed into companies such as his. “We were very lucky. asked to come and have a listen to that very high-end audio, and the turntable was king. “It It had been a bit of a monopoly, but this turntable. “I said ‘yes sure, come around’. was a boom time, I can’t understand why or change was good for the industry. I always So he came over and had a look and I how anyone could start a company today like think the reason that we were able to sell remember he had his eyes shut for about that. It was only viable in the eighties and anything, and why we survived, is due to half an hour. I thought, ‘The guy has fallen prior to that, because the public were really courage of Roger Macer of the Sound asleep’, and then he looked up and said, interested in music, you had the mentality of Organisation. He had the critical mass to be ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever heard’, and, sitting down to listen to proper music, and I an opinion maker, he had one of the best ‘can you make them commercially?’ I think we’ve lost that to an extent.” shops and sold a lot. The fact that he sold thought I don’t mind making a few each That’s not to say competition wasn’t tough. Roksan at the time showed other retailers week for some extra pocket money, and he There was one company that Tufan remembers that they could too, so it opened up other said, ‘I can take up to 50!’” was particularly dominant in the high-end opportunities for us.” Tufan’s economics background (he was market. “I always looked up to Linn, it was the From that point, Tufan’s path was clear. He previously a student at London University) turntable to be admired, it sounded very good, and Touraj set about producing a tonearm and

64 JUNE 2015

http://www.shutterstock.com/subscribe.mhtmlhttp:///w/ ww.shuh tterstock.k com//subsb cribe.mhhtml INSIDER FEATURE ROKSAN AUDIO

30 YEARS OF ROKSAN

1985...... Roksan Xerxes turntable 1986...... Darius loudspeaker 1987...... Artemiz tonearm and Shiraz cartridge 1990...... Rok L1 pre, S1 stereo and M1 mono power amplifiers 1991...... DP1 CD transport and DA1 DAC (DP3 pictured, below left) 1991...... Touraj Moghaddam Signature turntable 1995...... Xerxes.X 10th anniversary turntable 1998...... Caspian integrated, power amp, CD player, tuner 2003..... Radius 5 turntable, Nima tonearm 2005..... Xerxes.20 20th anniversary turntable 2008..... TMS3 record player 2008..... Kandy K2 integrated and CD player 2010...... Caspian M2 CD player 2013...... Oxygene CD player and integrated amplifier (Special Edition, p66) 2015...... K3 integrated and CD player

The Xerxes was Roksan’s first product and instantly put the company on the map cartridge for their highly reviewed turntable. products unless there was a really good reason thinking we were going to make hundreds “We made a record player that was really for it. When CD came along I didn’t want a and ended up making thousands. It fantastic, but I didn’t want to put a Linn normal player, I wanted it to look retro, to look completely changed Roksan and made tonearm on it. The Roksan sound is tight, it ancient, to feel like it had roots. We thought it us a proper company fi nancially.” gives you the beat, it gives you the bass, but it’s needed to be completely isolated and contrary For the music reproduction chain to be controlled. I loved the Rega RB300 arm, but it to a record player should not be fl oating, it complete, Roksan needed an amplifi er. “It was still wasn’t quite there, it was a bit too fl appy should be on a fi xed chassis. So the brief was probably about fi ve or six years in the making, around the bass and didn’t have kick, so the to design something that looks like it comes because I think the fi rst amp we brought out Artemiz was launched. Then I wanted a from the forties, with a new way of working.” was in the mid-nineties. In a way we took the cartridge that was affordable, then we had to best components available and improved on make a monitor loudspeaker. The principle Back to the future them; we didn’t ‘reinvent the wheel’ as we was that it had to be completely, solidly held This approach defi ned the original DP1 CD had done with the turntable or CD player, into place, and that the high-frequency unit player. “If you are doing something really for example. Whereas with Xerxes, Darius, should be completely isolated from the futuristic, you’ve got to able to go along Artemiz, DP1, even Shiraz, it was back-to- low-frequency one, because they would affect some kind of route, so we made the fi rst basics, but with the Rok series of amplifi ers we each other. Nobody was doing it at the time. I prototype out of wood. It had to be big and took current best practice and made it better. had to make one box with drive units to listen deep, because I wanted its mechanism to We were then able to offer a full system that to what the tonearm and the Shiraz and Xerxes have complete isolation from everything was true to the sound, something we wanted were doing together, to make sure we were else. It took us three years to design it, and it to hear ourselves – I like the sound to be tight, getting the right sound, that’s how the Darius fi nally came out around 1991. It now looks controlled, clear. I like the drum to be hit and I came about. very ‘mid-century’. I couldn’t make enough, like it to stop, I like to hear it stop, I like to hear “I think perhaps one thing that might have I think that’s when Roksan changed gear, we the notes end!” set us apart was that we didn’t see any were selling as many as we could make. I boundaries – although we didn’t make had ambitions for it, and we went in big, New era Roksan’s fi rst decade had been amazing, Roksan’s new K3 CD player and integrated having grown from nothing to a fully fl edged amplifier have proven extremely popular and internationally respected manufacturer. But the next 10 years weren’t quite as linear, and saw the company moving to become a member of Verity Group with all its corporate politics. “This was the public company that held Cyrus, Mission, Wharfedale, Quad, Premier drums, Leak and Roksan. Moving to Verity was amazing because I suddenly had access to about 20 electronic engineers in R&D. What I had always dreamed of was a really fantastic-sounding, compact integrated amplifi er with retro styling – and from that the Caspian was conceived. We used some of the best people at Verity to do that. They had one

JUNE 2015 65 INSIDER FEATURE ROKSAN AUDIO

PROTECTING THE LEGACY This new era of Roksan has been marked by forays into more lifestyle-oriented products with the Oxygene CD player and amplifier, and also the wireless technology being incorporated into several products, but Tufan has not forgotten vinyl. He tells me: “We are making the Xerxes and the Radius; the former now comes in three finishes and the Radius has two. The Xerxes has a brand new power supply, is digitally controlled and 100 percent accurate. We also have a new phono stage coming out, which is completely different to what we had before. The Artemiz is still selling, but we have stopped making the Tabriz for various reasons. There is another tonearm on its way, which sounds brilliant, and the Nima is doing extremely well and can be fitted to almost any turntable.” Indeed, he appears very keen to curate Roksan products, emphasising how the company will go out of its way to service and/or upgrade any old components whenever possible. Roksan owners can send their gear back to the company for servicing, even if there isn’t anything apparently wrong. “It isn’t a business thing. We need to support our products for a long time, and for me it’s a moral issue. Really we are asking our customers to give their loyalty to us by spending a huge amount of money on these products that last a lifetime. So we are making a contract with them today, we are making a commitment to support that product.” Roksan’s stunning Oxygene Following on from this, Tufan talks about his club CD player and integrated amp for Roksan owners. “They pay a nominal £100 fee with Darius S1 loudspeakers every year, and we will regularly update, set up and service the product at no charge, and keep it going. I set this up because I want Roksan products to sound their best wherever they are in the world, and big research and development room, with longer wanted to get involved in R&D and we now have a lot of members. If somebody trusts about 30 engineers there, and then it had making things. So we sold off the companies, my taste, they like my music, they like the way my different manufacturing facilities for different and Touraj and I bought Roksan back. equipment sounds, then I am for sure going to look after them for the rest of the life of their equipment. brands and different sales and marketing too. “We transferred ourselves from an I don’t actually feel ownership of Roksan, I really feel That’s probably why Verity was successful analogue record player manufacturer to that Roksan would be nothing without all the guys; in bringing out its transducing technology, one of the most successful specialist hi-fi some of my staff, they’ve been here forever!” everything was centralised and all the different electronics companies in the world, thanks academics were able to have their input.” to the Verity years. We had been able to use Great designers, suggests Tufan, come up The downside of working this way was designers who were brilliant in that sector with one or two great designs in their lives. He having to fi ght for R&D resources. “Of course at what they do, we were able to go out thinks by pooling creative and engineering we had to fi ght the board, but I was lucky to specialist designers, get each person to resources, it gives him a much more potent because I could push my way a bit more than do the section they know best, and put team. “I think we are past the age of one-man some others and could concentrate on R&D everything together. We now have a design bands. There are just too many principles – for Caspian. Roksan was at that time a public department to control all these brilliant one designer won’t be able to understand company, so we had shareholders to answer to. ideas, to bring them in and create a synergy everything properly. We’re talking about digital As directors of the company we felt that this is to give us the product that we want. It’s like technology, wireless technology, electronics, Andy Warhol’s factory in the sixties, in a software for audio, software for control, etc. All “In the eighties you had way! Lots of people come in and do things so different! Now you have to use specialists and create, and I get to oversee it, basically!” for everything, so any company now that has the mentality of sitting fi ve or so designers isn’t going to be around in down to listen to music, The Roksan way fi ve years – doesn’t matter how good they are Tufan points out that you have to be able to – unless they start outsourcing.” I think we’ve lost that” fi nance your company, and have to be sure Touraj Moghaddam left Roksan to pursue a about the product you want to see at the new project several years ago. For a long time where the money should be going. It was the end. “I can open a cupboard of designs that he had been a colourful ambassador for the only public company that was making hi-fi in never came out. The trick is to be 100 company, so it was strange for some to see him the UK and I wanted access to the funds to do percent sure about what you want, then get go. Tufan bought his share and says: “He left the things I wanted to do!” the best people in the world and ask them to as he had been 30 years ago, as a friend”. I put it to Tufan that it must have been rather work with you. Half the time it doesn’t work Roksan is now a company with 26 or so like joining a rock supergroup of the seventies. so you don’t bring the design out, and the employees and a long chain of contractors, “Yeah, everybody wanted to be part of Verity. other 50 percent of the time you get gems some of whom work seven days a week, says When I was there, I realised how lucky we like the Caspian and K3. You don’t know Tufan. He insists on manufacturing in London, were, because so many companies wanted to whether a product is fantastic or not, until having tried in the past to move factories and join us. It became such a fantastic company you see it in real life – no matter how much I always felt the call of the capital city. With a that the shares jumped up from 5p to £4 in the can imagine it, it doesn’t turn out that way range of interesting new products, topped off City in the space of just six to nine months. always. It’s a different way of working to by the beautiful Oxygene components, the When Verity R&D managed to make the NXT many companies – which have one fi xed company is going from strength to strength. panels make a sound, shares just started design department with a couple of people Having spoken expansively for two hours, shooting up. Indeed it became so fantastic that on salary full time, progressing through in a Tufan fi nally switches from ‘transmit’ mode Verity Group decided to sell the hi-fi companies linear way. I think that the future is going to to ‘receive’, and suggests with relish, “come and live off the technology licences. They no be like this, the Roksan way.” on, let’s go for a listen!” ●

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YOUR LETTERS & QUESTIONS ANSWERED

THIS MONTH

ED SELLEY NEVILLE ROBERTS JASON KENNEDY DAVID PRICE CHRIS WARD EXPERTISE: REVIEWER EXPERTISE: ENGINEER EXPERTISE: REVIEWER EXPERTISE: REVIEWER EXPERTISE: REVIEWER For the best part of 10 years, Retired NHS director, Former HFC editor Jason loves DP has spent much longer When Chris isn’t advising Ed was developing and electronics engineer music so much that he has than he’d care to admit buying businesses on strategy, he’s supporting products from and physicist Neville is very dedicated his life to finding and upgrading his own hi-fi trying to squeeze more musical some of the biggest names much into valve technology. the ultimate system. A system, not to mention qualities out of exotic in audio. He enjoys blogging He’s a classical music lover long-time vinyl nut, he also reviewing thousands of combinations of cutting-edge about his favourite tunes, too. and a serious vinyl junkie . enjoys a well-streamed file. separates over the years. tech and vintage hi-fi classics.

Email us at [email protected] or write to: Hi-Fi Choice More ways to get in touch: Letters, AVTech Media Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, You can also send your questions to us via social media: Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF Your letters may be edited before twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag publication and we cannot enter into personal correspondence facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk

Germany calling It’s not only the brands that in the German media, and I bass performance, especially Hello from Germany! I’ve had differ between HFC and would strongly confi rm that. in the upper bass. Voices, a subscription to HFC for two German magazines. For Perhaps you could give me strings and trebles, and good years after being tired of the example, the gold-plated some advice, since I have (warm) recordings in general German hi-fi magazines metal foil links that come been looking for the right sound great. But a lot of (Stereoplay, Stereo, Audio, with so many speakers speakers for many years. material sounds lean, and Image Hifi ). You seem to have with bi-wiring terminals I run all Linn electronics: with less good recordings it a different approach and I (for example with the PSB Akurate Control Mk 1 with a can get almost painful. Even very much appreciate your Imagine X1T in HFC 391) are Klimax 500 Twin, LP 12 with though according to the clear criticisms in your tests. considered an absolute no-go an Ekos 2 arm and a Benz Analyzer app on my iPhone Ace MS cartridge, Akurate with pink noise the frequency DS streamer and a Unidisk levels seem to be fairly even. 1.1 – both upgraded with I already tried various Dynamik PSU – Linn Silver speakers, and remarkably the Interconnects and HMS In ones with potentially the Concerto Mk II speaker biggest bass performance cables. For the mains I use (Canton RC-L and Canton RC-A) I found not as good as Since I have all the small and standmount speakers I tried. Room modes moved home my seem to be a problem, which speakers don’t almost erase the bass in the middle of the room. So I also sound so good tried moving both speakers and seat position, also an all Audioplan PowerCord S/ electronic solution with PowerStar S with a recently DSPeaker, but all with little purchased HMS Energia RC improvement. Fairly recently 3/1 power fi lter. And not to I replaced my Dynaudio forget a neat little REL Q200E Confi dence C2 with the subwoofer. In my opinion smaller C1. And I feel that all great equipment, and I this is the best result that I consider my needs for have found so far. Still I feel upgrades pretty much done that there could be room for some years. for improvement, when I However, after moving from compare it with my old an old apartment with a Stax Lambda Signature 24m2 living room with a very earspeakers. So, in general, high ceiling into our house would you agree that the with a room of almost the Dynaudio Confi dence C1 is Jason suggests same size, but the regular a good match for Linn that ATC’s 2.30m high ceiling (brick equipment, or would you SCM40 holds the walls), for seven years I have favor other options? My answer for Rainer never been content with the music taste covers almost all

JUNE 2015 69 LETTERS

now building a linear power TWITTER QUERIES supply for the Gigaswitch – though I can’t imagine there Shane Dorrian will be much improvement, @HiFiChoiceMag In regards but I’ll let you know... to the Devialet where it says Denis Holliday 1 analogue input my tonearm has 2 wires so I am assuming it will still NR: Hi Denis, I am a great plug in okay? advocate of linear power supplies Hi-Fi Choice and like you have built several @ShaneVinyl yes, it has a pair and been delighted with the of RCA sockets which can be results. The improvement in set to line level or phono via the Linear power supplies configurator – such as this one from sound quality when I fi tted MCRU – can make a my linear power supply to a Shane Dorrian huge difference Squeezebox Touch was quite @HiFiChoiceMag Well if its remarkable. Having said that, high quality and saves me there is from classical, jazz, comprising a Uniti, which is a well-designed, high-quality having to use another plug that will do rock, pop to folk and world. I connected to a UnitiServe switched mode power supply can me this is still on the 120 right? prefer a monitor-like neutral via a TP-Link Gigabit switch, be very good indeed. The snag sound rather than speaker using 6m of Audioquest is that many of them are simply Hi-Fi Choice with preferences on certain Cinnamon CAT7 cable. My not up to the mark for audio @ShaneVinyl you can see all the latest spec on the aspects. Linn speakers did speakers are PMC twenty.21, applications and this was @DEVIALET website for the 120 & not really overwhelm me, supported by a BK XLS200 certainly the case with the other models not even as active speakers. MkII 275W sub bass speaker. ‘wall-wart’ supply provided with I considered buying ME I recently bought a linear the Squeezebox. Given that jitter Shane Dorrian Geithain active monitors, power supply (from MCRU) is one of the greatest enemies of @HiFiChoiceMag which I found utterly to drive the Unitiserve and digital audio, anything that @DEVIALET No probs thanks convincing in the showroom, the improvement in sound reduces power-borne noise, very much for all your help, I’ve but at a painful price. From has been dramatic. The including the use of high-quality decided to take the plunge and trade in my Naim for it what I read in HFC, I would music has much more detail, mains leads, has got to be a good also be very curious about instruments, voices and, thing. I would, therefore, be in some cases, even the surprised if you don’t notice Hi-Fi Choice @ShaneVinyl @DEVIALET The music has background sounds from some improvement when you fi t with a #hifi investment on that an orchestra appear as if a linear PSU to your Gigaswitch. scale we’d certainly recommend much more detail by magic. Bass is fi rmer with auditioning first if you can and voices appear transients so sharp they can JK: I too have been using the make me jump, even on MCR power supply with a Hi-Fi Choice @HiFiChoiceMag as if by magic pieces I know well. Whether Unitiserve and can only agree Countdown to @RSDUK is it is Pink Floyd or Elgar, with your fi ndings, it’s quite over! What’s on your shopping list & ATC or PMC speakers. But across the music spectrum I shocking what it does. I suspect which stores are you supporting for they are not common here. am listening to a new world that putting linear power #RSD15? We’re here for turntable Rainer Aradei-Odenkirchen of music. Expensive, but supplies on all the elements in advice! worth it. Whether a Netgear an audio network would be JK: Hi Rainer, it sounds as if you NAS would benefi t in a benefi cial and am keen to try Acton Gate Audio @Acton GateAudio have been working hard to fi nd similar way by replacing the one on my switch. This is partly Happy Record Store Day the right sound. Rooms have a supplied switch mode supply because the devices are getting from Pro-ject, VinylPlay, Onkyo, big effect on results as you have with a linear one would need cleaner power but equally, I Clearaudio & Michell. discovered and some are harder to be checked. I’m almost suspect, because you are than others to get right. ATC and all digital now with a good removing a source of noise on the PMC make extremely revealing, proportion of my LPs mains when a switching supply is musically involving and converted to 24-bit/96kHz taken out of the loop. wide-band models and could be WAV fi les using an HRT a great match with your system Linestreamer+. The Needle craft and room. You don’t mention conversion has been a I was interested to see in the budget, but I’d try ATC’s SCM40 revelation, with much more November edition that Ed has and PMC’s twenty.26 which is a detail appearing than when in some part a parallel set up Will Griffiths bit more expensive. played straight from the to mine. When can we expect @WillGriffiths91 If they are not happy in your record. I’m converting using a review of the superb Avid My first @RSDUK and it was room I’d suggest something a a Rega P25, fi tted with an Pellar? My turntable is the amazing! Thanks to @JumboRecords bit warmer sounding, such as a Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, Michell Gyro SE Technoarm, for making it great fun. I GOT ONE! @BiffyClyro! Harbeth Monitor 30.1, which will driving a Graham Slee with Ortofon 2M Blue give a neutral and resolute result ‘Genera’ (kit) preamp cartridge and Naim 5 speaker but a different balance to the powered from batteries. cable to Kudos C2 speakers. options mentioned above. I suspect that a lot of the Although my vinyl has improvement is a result of never sounded better since Clean up your act the records being recorded buying the Pellar, I am I’ve just seem the letter that in a quiet environment, with tempted to upgrade to was in issue 394 from Roger no opportunity for feedback a moving coil and am Hooton. I have a Naim system from the loudspeakers. I’m interested in the Ortofon

70 JUNE 2015 ESTABLISHED 1949

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HINTS & TIPS REDUCING INTERFERENCE There is nothing worse than hearing an intermittent buzzing coming through your audio system, often caused by a nearby mobile phone or a click when your refrigerator cuts in. Sadly, with all the electrical gadgets around, interference is all too prevalent nowadays. Many of these devices are designed to transmit radio waves, such as wireless computer network routers and the aforementioned mobile phones. Sensitive audio equipment, especially phono stages, is very good at picking up this noise. Obviously, the first way to reduce this is to keep these noisy devices as far away as possible from your audio equipment. Just changing the position or re-routing an interconnect cable can result in a huge improvement. Fitting good-quality interconnects and mains cables will also help keep out external noise. Chord’s Hugo is a good Mains-borne interference is a alternative for Ross common problem and there is a and is DSD capable variety of very effective mains filters, suppressors and filtered distribution blocks on the market to suit all Quintet range either the Blue (£450) given your budget. Your and J River in order to access pockets. Induced hum can be cured or Black models, the Bronze turntable and tonearm is an hi-res downloads like HD by moving interconnects away from leads and locating phono stages and as I understand it is rather excellent combination, and well tracks and so on. the like away from power amps that laid back. My musical able to exploit the brilliance of My conundrum is as I like have large mains transformers. interests are mainly jazz, this cartridge. It’s also a country the SACD player and Marantz Finally, good earthing is vital, not only for safety reasons, but also for classical rock (eg Dire mile better than your existing in general, should I simply ensuring that noise signals are routed Straits, Genesis, Fleetwood Ortofon 2M Blue; the Blue is upgrade my SACD player to away to ground. Mac and Pink Floyd), with a great MM, but even this is the new SA-14S1 and utilise some opera and classical. no match for a good MC. The the onboard DAC that also John Belcher Audio-Technica is more than this enables DSD? Or should I in my opinion, it is remarkable at consider a dedicated DAC Like ES: Hi John, the Avid Pellar was the price. Wonderfully detailed, the Primare DAC 30 or just a reviewed back in issue 363 and with a fantastically wide separate DAC altogether? I got 5 stars and a Recommended soundstage, it has a delicacy to have had some experience badge. As for the cartridge, I’d its treble that is unmatched until of Primare and I used to have endorse the Ortofon as a strong you get to the likes of the Lyra an A21 amp, which was an candidate having now spent a bit Delos at £1,000. The only issue impressive piece of kit for of time with one, I fi nd it to be is that it doesn’t quite have the the money at the time. SETTING CARTRIDGE almost entirely viceless. The thumping, propulsive nature My overall focus is to try TRACKING FORCE creep in pricing has meant that of its AT-OC9 brother (£600), to upgrade my overall system Correct tracking force not only makes the Dynavector DV20X2 has risen although it is certainly a more performance so that it will sure that your cartridge tracks the record properly, it also ensures that to £570 and while I prefer this to beguilingly musical device to enable me to utilise digital the cantilever suspension is correctly the Ortofon, the extra money and listen to. download sites via a DAC. tensioned. Before attempting to low output (albeit well within the Or am I completely on the accurately set the tracking force, first make sure that your tonearm and capabilities of the Pellar) might Sweet streams wrong track and should I be cartridge are properly connected and count against it. I’m writing as I’m an avid looking at this from another set up, as any changes will affect the reader of your magazine and angle in order to increase my tracking force. Also ensure that you have removed any stylus protecting DP: Given that you are a prog would like some advice in performance and also enable cover as this will affect the weight of rock fan – so obviously appreciate this constantly developing access to hi-res? I would the cartridge. the fi ner things in life – I suspect world of digital streaming. appreciate your advice as I Start by setting both the tracking you would be happiest with the I am considering upgrading feel that I’m rather lost in a force adjustment and the bias on the tonearm to zero and then moving the Audio-Technica AT33PTG/II my Marantz SA-15S1 SACD maze of choices. counterbalance weight so that the player. I use it alongside a Ross Lucas, by email arm is perfectly horizontal. Now set Marantz PM-11S2 integrated the tracking force on the tonearm to the correct value according to the amplifi er, PMC GB1i speakers ES: Hi Ross, in your position, I manufacturer. The markings on a with Black Rhodium Samba would be checking how many tonearm are unreliable for accurate cables. I also use an IsoTek SACD’s I had, how often I listened setting, so the only way to do this properly is to use a stylus balance. Titan 11 mains conditioner. to them and considering a The manufacturer will usually specify I am now at a stage where I streamer as a more elegant way a range for the tracking force and you want to enable my system for of handling downloads. The should set the force to a value within that range. Too low will result in poor streaming from a PC, which Marantz NA-11 might be the tracking and will cause harm to your I am currently confi guring most logical choice – albeit pricier records. Finally, set the bias to match Audio-Technica’s AT33PTG/II purely for this purpose with than the SA-14 – as it can stream the tracking force. is ideal for prog rock fans a stripped-down Windows 8.1 most things and has the same

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When equipment sounds wonderful, is well- Spiral Groove tttblurntables SG1.1 and SG2 anddth the built and gives great musical pleasure – then it Centroid arm have earned universal praise for their becomes a favourite. We reckon we are lucky to spectacular near-silent operationn, have a high number of ‘favourites’ in our stable. retrieving information from an inky-black background, thanks to a The Aurender W20 streamer is a masterpiece of user- fundamental re-think of ‘Balanced friendliness, the streamer for people unsure about streaming! Force Design’ and fanatical care in -XMWIEWMP]PSEHIH[MXLQSWX½PIX]TIWJVSQEPQSWXER]HMKMXEP controlling energy. source – high resolution downloads (eg 24/96 and 24/192ks/s), CDs, USB stick and external hard drive – controlled from Solid construction ensures that Aurender’s own user interface running on an iPad. stylus, arm pivot, platter bearing and motor remain in an absolutelyy ½\IH VIPEXMSRWLMT YRPMOI WYWTIRHIHH H XYVRXEFPIWX X FP XLEXXL X EVI perpetually in motion as they attempt to correct for the H]REQMGJSVGIWEGXMRKFSXLMRXIVREPP]ERHI\XIVREPP] Spiral Groove have won several “Product of the Year’ awards and comments such as ‘..this may be the best tonearm I’ve heard’ and of the SG2 ‘..it transcends expectations – it’s something special’’ both from the US magazine Stereophile. The Kaiser Acoustics Chiaras are not small, stand- mount speakers – their scale, bass power, clarity, natural timbre and openness astonish everybody who TheThe didisplaysppllay shshowshows currencurrentt ttrtrackack iininformation.fformattiion FFullulll ddedetailsttaiil of music hears them, while they ‘disappear’ completelyy. stored on the hard drives appear on the iPad with album cover art. Removing the distorting effects of vibration Music is stored on two 3TB hard drives but queued and from the whole structure, by absorbing energy TPE]IHJVSQE+&¾EWLHVMZIXSQMRMQMWIIPIGXVMGEPRSMWI into the integral stand, creates a solid, unmoving For further mains isolation, free of glare and haze, power for foundation that liberates the drive units to the audio circuits is drawn from re-chargeable batteries. project ‘clean’ sound. Big beyond its size. Operation is smooth and faultless and sound is gloriously Praise has been heaped on the Chiara, in the REXYVEP ERH JYPPFSHMIH ¾SEXMRK FILMRH ³MRZMWMFPI´ WTIEOIVW on-line review site The Audio Beat and in the JVSQTIVJSVQIVWGPIEVP]³TVIWIRX´MR]SYVVSSQ 7ITXIQFIVMWWYISJLM½[LIVI4EYP Messenger wrote, ‘The bottom line is that this Vertex AQ’s new HiRez Balanced Taga distribution MWSRISJXLI½RIWXPSYHWTIEOIVW-´ZIIZIVLEH block takes their vibration and RFI absorption technology to XLITPIEWYVISJVIZMI[MRK´ new levels, comprehensively beating other well-known blocks in straight A/B comparisons. Everybody needs to clean their The Chiaras are probably the most musical mains to unleash their system potential, whatever the main speaker you’ll ever hear. You can see why components, however grand. they’re one of our favourites.

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DSD DAC handling as the SA-14. At just £15, If this is a little on the pricey side Kontak is an easy way to for you, however, there are some improve your impressive options at slightly hi-fi’s sound lower price points. Equally. If you are after a SACD/DAC hybrid, don’t rule out Yamaha’s excellent CD-S2100 which is a seriously capable bit of kit.

JK: If you want to stream DSD the SA-14S1 is an interesting proposition, whether it would perform as well as a good standalone DAC is hard to say, but usually the latter have the upper hand. The other question should be why stream DSD? If you have a good SACD player the chances My system consists of are you will be able to get better Dynaudio Contour 1.8 MKII results by playing the discs. There (front), Dynaudio Contour 2.3 is very little mainstream material (center), Dynaudio Audience available to buy in the .DSF or 8 (rear), Marantz CD6004 (CD .DFF DSD formats and it’s often player), Sony MDS-JB920 (MD diffi cult to discern the provenance player), Chord Carnival and of the fi les that are available, not Ocos speaker cables, van den many large record companies Hul interconnects and Kimber have released material in these D-60 coaxial digital cable. formats. However there are a Best regards from Brazil, number of very good DACs that where you have a lot of fans and followers. Which is best the Rusel Barroso Denon AVR 3806 ES: Hi Rusel, this would depend or a new Sony on whether you absolutely need any of the functions of the Sony, STR-DN1030? but I suspect that in any audio sense of the word the older are DSD compatible such as the Denon will monster it, Antelope Platinum DSD, Ayre particularly with the speakers QB9 DSD and the Chord Hugo that you have. portable and I would recommend auditioning any or all of these in DP: Like Ed, I would expect the comparison with regular PCM Denon to sound slightly superior DACs like the Metrum Acoustics to the Sony, but frankly I don’t Octave Mk2 to establish whether think there is a lot in it and you the fl avour of the digital month is might fi nd the much newer Sony worth the asking price. has better functionality that is more relevant to today’s audio Centre piece and video formats. Indeed, this Dear friends, congratulations would probably be my choice, for the great articles you have and I would sell the Denon and published over 30 years. reinvest the (admittedly small) I have been fond of your funds back into the system. For reviews since 1984, when I example, you might want to try bought my fi rst mag in Rio. an IsoTek EVO3 Premier mains And now I need your advice. cable (£100 in the UK) and this I have two receivers: Denon would push the Sony’s sound to AVR 3806 (brought in 2006) an altogether smoother, sweeter and Sony STR-DN1030 (I was place. I would also be tempted given two weeks ago), both to buy a set of Foculpods (£20 for music and video, but now approx), which are Sorbothane I have to choose one of them isolating feet and again bring a to be the ‘centre’ of my room. substantial improvement to the Of course, I can’t play two sound. On top of this, make sure receivers at the same time. If all your contacts are nice and you had this diffi cult choice clean, using the excellent Kontak to make, which one would cleaning solution which is £15 or you put in your room? so here in Britain. Good luck! LETTERS

Silver Melody 750 with silver confi rm that the SME IV is about internal wiring and the hybrid 95% as good as the Series V, and magnesium and rosewood is considerably cheaper. It is also headshell upgrade, which really a lovely visual match for the sounds fantastic? A more deck, looking like it was designed traditional arm and one that I especially for it. You’ll fi nd the know works brilliantly on a SME V brings a massive Gyrodec is the Encounter or improvement in sound compared Illustrious from Origin Live. to the Technoarm, with a vastly more powerful and extended Ray wonders how his Thorens ES: Rather predictably, I would bass, far tighter and stronger TD124Mk2 would compare with suggest the SME IV, but also sound staging and a treble that is one of today’s turntables recommend the Audio Note Arm like an open-reel mastertape. The III as one of the happiest partners SME IV is a fraction lighter and I’ve seen for the Gyrodec in many brighter sounding, but it’s Step back question, should we go for years. It’s beautifully made, easy marginal and is way less than LETTER in time accuracy or enjoyment – because to fi t and sounds exceptional. some say. There are arms that OF THE This letter is all too often they are not one and are more exciting than the SMEs, MONTH motivated by the same thing. Some absolutely JK: It is pretty much impossible such as the Audio Origami PU7, a desire to visit top-notch modern systems can do to buy better quality for the price and these give a more animated high-end classic systems both, but not that many. Seventies of the SME IV. But it’s quite a high sound and a greater sense of the seventies and then systems such as the one you price and there is at least one of rhythmic fl ow. But still to make comparisons with mention (which I have heard and/ alternative that could give you a I keep coming back to the today’s exotica. or owned in full or in part over the serious upgrade, that is the Rega mastertape-like thoroughness I’m sure such a feature years), sound bigger, fatter, fuller, and detail that the SME arms would appeal not just to more sumptuous, sweeter and Can you advise provide, and of course the older readers, but also tickle generally more gutsy – but are superlative build quality. They the inquisitive nature of also opaque, confused, muddled, me on which are also totally serviceable and current audiophiles. veiled, fl oaty and vague. As ever, tonearm to get amazingly good when it comes to In the mid-seventies, my it’s a case of you pays your money aligning cartridges. Yes, as you best ever system comprised: and you takes your choice! for my Gyrodec? can see, I’m a fan! Quad 33/303, Thorens TD124Mk2/SME3009S2/ Brothers in arms RB2000. The Technoarm is CW: The SME V is a thing of Shure V15Mk3 and IMF Hi, I own a Gyrodec with essentially a modifi ed RB250 beauty, but many believe they TLS50 Export Monitors. I Technoarm and would like to with Michell’s own counterweight can get close to this performance think it cost about £400. My upgrade the arm. I had my among other upgrades. The for a fraction of the cost by taking middle-class salary at the mind set on a SME V, but RB2000 is the fi nest arm Rega the much loved Rega RB300 and time was £4,000/anum, so would like to know if there makes and has the phenomenally breathing some extra magic on it. we can say 10% is pretty are any more affordable high tolerance bearings. It will To this end, both Johnnie 7 at accurate. Today, we could choices that are just as good. have the same basic character Audio Origami and Mark Baker compare this with a salary Kerem Zorlu as your Technoarm, but is much at Origin Live (at either end of £40,000/anum and the more resolute, dynamic and fast. of the UK) are masters of the challenge would be to see NR: Greetings Kerem. The SME is I have one on an RP10 and have art, but with quite different what £4,000 can buy and certainly a great arm, but I don’t to say that the combination is a approaches around rewiring and how it compares. know whether it would be the genuine giant slayer. structural modifi cations. It is The challenge, however, perfect match for your Gyrodec. important to be clear about the will be to fi nd the original Have you considered the Jelco DP: Like the others, I’d suggest musical virtues that you’d like components. What do you 750 silicone-damped unipivot? the SME Series IV! Having used to achieve as some upgrades think of the idea? Or, better still, the ISOkinetik both on my Gyrodec, I can will be better suited. Ray Ganderton

DP: Neville suggests the It’s a great idea, Ray. When I ISOkinetik Silver am off duty I frequently make Melody 750 for such comparisons; much of my Kerem’s Gyrodec own system is comprised of retro kit from the seventies and eighties. It’s a fascinating comparison and I think it’s fair to say that modern hi-fi is far more capable in absolute terms than classic kit, but can all too often be rather less charming and/or fun to listen to. This invites the

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OPINION

Pick of the pops

While the introduction of a vinyl album chart is a milestone for the format, Lee Dunkley wonders if a music chart is even relevant any more and if so, who’s listening?

ike many readers, I dare say, my early launch of a new vinyl fascination with music fi rst came from weekly chart compiled L listening to the countdown of the best-selling by the Offi cial Charts singles in the Top 40 chart, complied by Gallup Company. While the fi rst in my time – having replaced the British Market Research vinyl album chart Bureau as the body that collected the sales fi gures – and following rising sales broadcast by BBC Radio 1 every week. Listening to the of the format is very chart was a routine that I stuck to religiously throughout gratifying for fans and my early to mid-teens; sat beside my Sanyo radio cassette a milestone for its player poised to hit the record button the instant the supporters, is it really presenter stopped talking over the song intro so that I that relevant and are we could capture it for myself and endlessly play it back in even infl uenced by a the days that followed. record’s position in the Listening to the charts was a rite of passage for any self top 40 any more? respecting young teenager in the late seventies and early While there’s undoubtedly an upturn in the number of Kitty, Daisy and eighties, eager to hear about the bands climbing up or artists bringing out albums on vinyl, not every new release Lewis’ album The Third is a new down the rankings, and pretty much the only way to keep is available on the format, or easily accessible to potential release that up with the music trends of the day. Unlike many, I purchasers. What’s more, the way the chart data is being doesn’t have favoured the Tuesday lunchtime chart countdown that collected by the Offi cial Charts Company appears to be a barcode announced the very latest positions, quite literally hot off focussing on mainstream acts and seems to have been set the press – they arrived with the BBC just the day before up simply to support the larger labels. Smaller indies like – and not the Sunday evening countdown that most music the ones that kept vinyl alive during the years when it fans are likely to remember with misty-eyed nostalgia. wasn’t quite so fashionable aren’t even being counted. Up until 1987, Tuesday was the day when the chart for The data is collated by record shops sending sales fi gures the week ahead was announced with the new positions, directly to the Offi cial Charts Company, with any store able based on the to take part. But this means investment in a system and a Smaller record previous week’s fi nancial outlay that many smaller record sellers simply labels that kept sales to the end of aren’t prepared to make. After a busy (or otherwise) day, trading on the the last thing many smaller establishments will want to vinyl alive aren’t Saturday before. have to do is send in their sales fi gures. Revival or not, even being counted The Sunday evening the chart isn’t going to be seen as a priority by these show is the one independents who are so often the ones responsible for that we all remember listening to in the back of the car shifting the black stuff anyway. on journeys home after visiting relatives or friends, or while eating a Sunday tea of bangers and Smash or Barcode fiasco Alphabetti Spaghetti. But it was Tuesday’s offi cial chart For sales of any record to have a chance of counting announcement that the BBC’s Top of the Pops show was towards the chart, there needs to be a barcode to scan on based on and consequently broadcast on the following the sleeve, and many niche independent labels often can’t Thursday evening, giving the programme makers little afford to include one. The absence of a barcode may even time to pull in the big-name artists that were climbing the be an aesthetic creative choice by some artists, and if their charts that week. records are being sold successfully through the stores that Whatever show you favoured, listening to the chart was aren’t supplying sales info to the chart, then there’s no the highlight of the week for any young music fan of my incentive to include one anyway. era – and with it being pre-internet it was pretty much the Already we’re seeing a skewed vinyl chart biased towards only way to keep track of what was happening to your the rock-focused larger retailers with the right kind of favourite bands and the top tunes of the time. system infrastructure, and it looks to be tailored to benefi t Today, the way the charts are compiled is very different bigger mainstream artists and labels. With a number of and open to so many varied infl uences that you could acts shunning shops altogether and distributing their argue that they have lost their cultural signifi cance for records direct to their fans online, the vinyl chart is LEE DUNKLEY Pop picker music fans. But in April we received news about the already looking unrepresentative and behind the times ●

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AC/HFP/86 The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of Hi-Fi Choice or AVTech Media Ltd. DAT’s the way Ilike it! of 25 years ago years 25 of taste music my unlike good, very Sonically it sounds for for A chance discovery of acache of DAT tapes brings back somehappy memories central Tokyo, buyaDAT player, ampli take itwithme.TheideawasthatI’drentanapartmentin 3,000-strong LPcollectionontoafriend’sDAT machineand early nineties,Ielectedtorecordsomeofmy(then) to mepersonally, sojustbeforeImovedtoJapaninthe was thesameasthatusedtomastermusichadgreatappeal regarded asthepeakofdigitalsophistication. early ninetiesalbumsweremasteredonwhatwas became thenewstandardfordigitalmastering–many were inawe.Indeed,theyrightbecauseitsoon statistics don’tsoundsoimpressive,butin1987many 32-bit/384kHz DACs, its16-bit/48kHzdigitalvital took itbacktothesupplyingdealer forrepair. Despiteit crashing downonyourhead–but I’vehadworse! fi off. It’sanoddfeeling,wakingupat3.30inthemorningto DATs ona shelfovermybed,andtheyallcamecareering of itslargestearthquakesfornearlyacentury;Ikeptmy was momentarilyinterruptedwhenTokyo experiencedone revelled intheneweraofdigitalrecording.Myenjoyment copy ofitonmyDAT. Mymusic collectionswelled,andI disc for100yen(40p,backthen)anddoadirectdigital Japan, andnearbywasaCDlibrary;I’dgothere,rentout keeping thejointjumping. house, incidentally)and pad (barelylargerthanthebroomcupboardinmycurrent or threewithfriends,Iwouldreturntomyswankybachelor recorded sound.Intheevenings,afteranAsahiSuperDry I soonfoundmyselfcommutingacrossTokyo ontheNew was alovelything,asall portable,theworld’s Sony TCD-D3 airport withtheminmyhandluggage. SD900 onto120-minuteDAT tapes,and made dozensofrecordingsfrommyLinnLP12/Ittok/Supex ‘play myrecords’viaDAT throughmynewsystem.Iduly nd the building swaying violently and hundreds of tapes nd thebuildingswayingviolentlyand hundredsoftapes The idea of being able to own a digital tape recorder that The ideaofbeingabletoownadigitaltaperecorderthat My TCD-D3 failed me once during this period, so I duly failedmeonceduringthisperiod,so Iduly My TCD-D3 It waswonderfulwhileitlasted.DAT tapescostpenniesin When Igotthere,myweaponofchoicebecamethenew R David Price because itwasmy emember DigitalAudioTape? Ilovedit, by Compact Disc. In today’s world of by CompactDisc.Intoday’sworldof audio couldsoundbeyondwhatwasoffered fi fi re upthehi- rst-generation Sony products are. rst-generation Sonyproductsare. as herekindles his love of the long-forgotten digital format fi rst taste of how digital rst tasteofhowdigital fi rst ‘DAT Walkman’? It fi fi , withtheDATman er and speakers and er and speakersand in pristine digitally in pristinedigitally Bush’s my LPcopyofKate worked, listeningto Shinjuku whereI Sasazuka to Keio Line,from fl ew to Narita ew toNarita Never For Ever

his solderingironandexpertknowledge –can same asitisnow. That’sone thingthatnotevenPaul –with unlike mymusictasteof25years ago,whichisn’tquitethe portable. Sonically, they stillsoundverygoodindeed– through myoldtapesonaperfectlyfettledSonyDAT with acorrespondinglylongerplayingtime. the originalNiCadsinside,giving150mAhextrajuice £50 andsoitnowhasthelatestNiMhcellsinsteadof had longsincedied.Thiswasdoneforanadditional speci my oldrechargeablebatterywhilehewasatit;thisis thought morethanreasonable.Paul alsoofferedtorebuild at all–buthequotedme£49.99plus£5postage,whichI expected the Carrington (paulcarrington.co.uk/repairs/).Ihad After abitofsearchingaround,IcameupwithPaul All’s well DAT ends well looked morti Sony serviceengineer guarantee period,the being justoutsidethe day to say that the day tosaythatthe phoned methenext companies. Theshop for bankruptingtheir bosses apologising from Japanese you normallysee honori one ofthoseextralow tape, andgaveme it hadchewedupmy – which is not as easy as you might think in 2015. – whichisnotaseasyyoumightthinkin2015. crestfallen, Idecidedto down, refusingtoplayanytapes.Morethanalittle whirred,hummedthennoisilypowereditself The TCD-D3 in timeaquarterofcenturyorsoago,16-bitresolution. a tripdownmemorylane.Therewasmymusicallife,frozen I cameacrossmycacheofoldDAT tapes,andcouldn’tresist in 1998,Ibarelyever Japanese nationhadbeendisgraced! Sony sort;itwasalmostasiftheythoughttheentire with afreeDAT tapeandaletterofapologyfromsenior of that:“Itwillbereadynextweek,mate”,ohno!Itcame stripped, cleaned,servicedandrebuiltfreeofcharge.None and hadbeen machine wasready, So now I am fully wired for retro digital sound, ploughing So nowIamfullywiredforretrodigitalsound,ploughing Time moved on, and so did I. Since I returned to Blighty Time movedon,andsodidI.SinceIreturnedtoBlighty fi c to the D3 so cannot easily be replaced, and mine c totheD3socannot easilybereplaced,andmine fi c bows that c bowsthat fi ed that fi x tocostabomb–if indeed itwas fi red up my Sony again. But recently red upmySonyagain.Butrecently fi nd a DAT servicecentreintheUK fi x! fi ● xable xable

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Mail Order Direct • 60 Day Home Trial • Cable Upgrade Scheme • Free Delivery (orders over £100 within UK Mainland) The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of Hi-Fi Choice or AVTech Media Ltd. Devil’s in the detail forevermore musical universe private own my I couldlive in pair of Koss Red Devils introduced him to anew thrilling world of bedroom listening... When When having been given over to storage many decades ago. having beengivenovertostoragemanydecadesago. passport photos–theoncemagicalhi- now reducedtorepairingphotographickitandtaking checked ontheinternetanditstillseemstobethere,it’s ground of West HillcalledWoods &Porter. Itsoldcamerasonthe affair withmusicanditsreproductioncouldbeignited. little helpfromasympathetichi- impecuniosity ratherthannakeddesirebutthat,witha – itwaslikelythatourchoiceswouldbeguidedby stacking shelvesatDartford’sCo-opinmysummerhols hi- understanding betweenmylaughablyslimbudgetanda me upthestairstoseeifitwaspossibleachievean from theCo-opandsetoffinsearchofaseriousstereo. modest accumulatedcontentsofmybrownenvelopes it was)Igotmybirthdaymoneyback,addedtothe with themuf appear ungrateful,Iwasprettysureithadnothingtodo hi- Perspex lidthatpurportedtobe‘hi- Box, asleeklookingall-in-onemusiccentrewithblack my birthdayI’dbeengivensomethingcalledaPyeBlack Porter adisappointedanddisillusionedyoungman. For place aneventthatchangedmylife.I’dcometoWoods & window overlookingthestreetbecause,behindit,took good togo,noneedforloudspeakers. Doublewow. gleaming frontpanel,Icouldjust plugtheminandwas What’s more,astheTrio amphadaheadphonejackonits of Koss Red Devilheadphones.Theywerered.Wow. the room.Hereturnedwithasmallboxcontainingpair suggested. Myheartsank,buthemerelysmiledandleft G800 pick-upcartridgeandTrio KA200A ampli McDonaldMP60turntable,Goldring justice totheBSR a pairofloudspeakers,atleastnotthatwoulddo neat solution.Hewasblunt:Icouldn’t,atthistime,afford But I’mgladthephotoofplaceshows My journeybeganinasmallestablishmentatthebottom I don’t remember the name of the thin man that led I don’trememberthenameofthinmanthatled fi fi sounded like at the time but, without wishing to soundedlikeatthetimebut,withoutwishingto system,buthis‘quality I fl oor andhi- David Vivian David fi affection thecomponentswedaredtocallour guessweallrememberwithrose-tinted my mid-teens and funded the purchases by my mid-teensandfundedthepurchasesby rst ‘hi- fl ed, distorted noise issuing from the built-in ed, distortednoiseissuingfromthebuilt-in fi system’. If we started early – I was in system’.Ifwestartedearly–Iwasin fi from a larger room upstairs. I’ve just fromalargerroomupstairs.I’vejust fi rst’ approach did produce a rst’ approachdidproduce a fi set out to buy his first hi-fi and couldn’t aff shop, a lifelong love shop,alifelonglove fi ’. I didn’t know what ’. Ididn’tknowwhat fi so, in my book, so, inmybook, Brain SaladSurgery make senseofELP’s faulty (itcouldn’t Claiming itwas of theBlackBox. elliptical speakers

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It wasn’tbecausethespeakerssoundedbetter. Inhi- Pavane speakers.IneverlistenedtotheRed Devilsagain. Porter andhandedoverthecashforapairofRichard Allan Several brownenvelopeslaterIwasbackatWoods & Back for more hear isthebass-bloatedBeatsof a differentdrum increasingly insular, gadget-centricsociety. Alas,allI instead ofbeingjustanothermanifestation ofan the sameageasmewhenIbought thoseRed Devils driving forcebehindburgeoningheadphonesalestokids would begreattothinkthatthisremarkablefactisthe the mostexpensivehigh-endspeakersstruggletoreach.It headphone amp/DAC, cantake youplacessonicallyeven on aplanejourney, veryseldompurelyforpleasure. and Inowonlyeverlistentoheadphonesprofessionallyor My hi- share theexperienceinsteadofsittinginmyroomalone. listening tomoremusicandinvitedmyfriendsround dancing betweenmyears.Suddenly, Ifoundmyself in frontofmearoughapproximationreallifethan enjoyable andrelaxingitwastohavethesoundspreadout boxes. WhatIhadn’tappreciatedwashowmuchmore terms, theheadphonesranringsaroundthosebulky shelf stackingprovedtootemptingtoturndown. also aboutthistimethatthechanceforanotherstretchof in myownprivatemusicaluniverseforevermore.Itwas all Ineeded.With thingssoundingthisgood,Icouldlive Tubular Bells to and spentthenextthreemonthsinmybedroomlistening possible? Itwasbig,itplayedtunes.Ibeyondthrilled soundscape, thedetailand,yes,bass.Howwasit Today, a£300pairofcans,withthehelpgood I’d never heard anything like it. The stereo, the I’d neverheardanythinglikeit.Thestereo,the Brain SaladSurgery, GoodbyeYellow BrickRoad fi road map was determined from that moment on roadmapwasdetermined fromthatmomenton . I even began to wonder if headphones were . Ievenbegantowonderifheadphoneswere ord loudspeakers, a and and ●

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JUNE 2015 know today hi-fi fan we David intothe these turned Red Devils like A pairofKoss Red Devil Red DAVID VIVIAN OPINION 83 M) 683(RIOR 3(R)ORM$1&( +($' 3+O1(6

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ZZZPusicDlÀGeliW\coP      The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of Hi-Fi Choice or AVTech Media Ltd. Blast from the past limited quantities limited invery some cases exclusive andin Content isoften yesteryear that captures the excitement of receiving amystery package in the post As the vinyl resurgence continues unabated, putting insigni there isnomorefocussedwayoflisteningtomusic. the 7insingleasitsformatofchoicewithEvansarguing listening experience.FlyingVinyl willbeconcentratingon case ofVinyl MePlease,acocktailrecipetobestsuitthe card stockavailablewithextensivereleasenotesandinthe made tosecurehigh-qualitysleeveart,printedonthebest chosen material.Beyondthemusic,substantialeffortis to detailthatgoesintotheselectionandcreationof indeed theirsurprisingnumberofpeersistheattention achieving this.Onede a societythatconsumesratherthanlistenstomusic. ‘owned.’ Theirintentionistocreatesomethingtangiblein their respectiveconcerns.Bothareinlatetwenties some commongroundinthemotivationforstartingup and CraigEvansoftheUK’sstartupFlyingVinyl, thereis delivered bysnailmail? why arepeoplesigninguptoenforcedchoicesthat organisations. Inanageofinstantmediagrati return, butitseemstobedoingsofrommultiple consigned tothehistorybooksalongtimeago. a commercialventure,thealbumclublookedtohavebeen while therehavebeenhonourableexceptionstothis,as was wellestablished,theywererarebeastsindeedand a monthseemswilfullyarchaic.BythetimethatCD service thatroutinelymailsoneormorealbumsonce offering overnightshipping,theideaofasubscription the pastismakinganunlikelyreturn–albumclub. current popularityofanaloguehasmeantthatablastfrom excellent, vinylisnotstrictlybuckingthistrend,butthe is possiblethatinpossessingthepotentialtosoundtruly but therearestillsomesigni content hasalsorisensigni and logistics.Theinterestfromlabels insupplyingtheir The business of securing content sees both companies The businessofsecuringcontentseesbothcompanies Both believethatthephysicalityofvinyliskeyto Speaking toTyler BarstowofUS-basedVinyl MePlease Not onlydoesthealbumclubappeartobestaginga In aworldofstreamingservicesandonlinestores P or the associated trends that went with it. It or theassociatedtrendsthatwentwithit.It outmoded thereisseldomanyreturnforit and whenatechnologyorconceptbecomes rogress canbeanentirelymercilessthing, fi cant legwork in terms of negotiation cant legworkintermsofnegotiation fi ning aspect of both companies and ning aspectofbothcompanies and fi cantly in the last year or so, cantly inthelastyearorso, fi cant hiccups in managing the cant hiccupsinmanagingthe paid for and never paid forandnever commodity, rarely music isa situation where with thecurrent disenchantment and feela fi cation, cation, the fray, itlookslikeanother extinctionhasbeenaverted With membershipontheriseandnewcompaniesentering genuinely interestedintheproduct totaketheplunge. coffee orbeer–issuf – whilesimilartoorganisationsinothersectorslikebooks, a sonicone,butI’dpointoutthatthecostsoftheseclubs part aculturalandfashiondrivingmovementasmuch experiencing musicinadifferentwayisreadilyapparent. The camaraderieandcollectivebeliefthattheyare tangible thingtomatchthebusinessofowningrecord. made theclubpartofexperienceanimmediateand members discussingtheirexperiences.Socialmediahas is released,analbumclub’sTwitter feedisawashwith about theexperienceisinstant.Indaysafterarecord of sharingyourthoughtsandcommunicatingwithothers are compelledtowaitfortherecordarrive,means For me,the Share andsharealike unnecessary effort on your part. unnecessary effortonyourpart. knowledge thatyourcopyisgoingtoturnupwithno sees lengthyqueuesonRecord StoreDayonlywiththe the sameenthusiasmcrossedwithaslightfrenzythat for sale,butothersdonosuchthing.Assuch,thereis one-time-only deals–someclubsofferpreviousreleases don’t isweirdlysatisfyingandmanyofthesereleasesare above admittingthathavingsomethingotherpeople some casesavailableinstrictlylimitedquantities.I’mnot is thatthecontentfrequentlyexclusivetothemandin went outto14people–theyareclimbingallthetime. started fromalowbase–the to beworking,andwhilethemembershipnumbershave chaotic natureofpressingvinylnowadays.Itdoesseem This bolsters the argument that the vinyl resurgence is in This bolsterstheargumentthatvinylresurgenceisin One reason why the clubs seem to be gaining traction One reasonwhytheclubsseemtobegainingtraction Ed SelleyEd fi nal piece in the puzzle is that although you nal pieceinthepuzzleisthatalthoughyou fi cient that members have to be cient thatmembershavetobe notes an unlikely return from from return unlikely an notes fi rst Vinyl MePleaserelease ●

JUNE 2015 every month of 7insingles delivers abundle Flying Vinyl Club promoter ED SELLEY OPINION 85 HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOUND & VISION

Helping you FIRST FOR… make the most of your 4K, Blu-ray, home cinema projectors, OUT NOW! AV amplifiers, subwoofers, speakers, Dolby Atmos & more

■ WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM ■ FACEBOOK.COM/HOMECINEMACHOICE ■ @HCCMAG The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of Hi-Fi Choice or AVTech Media Ltd. Happy days are here again conflict intheworld going to reduce the Good Feel Singing alongto wonders wonders There’s nothing wrong with spreading alittle bit of happiness around the world, but gushed. Well sure,Ban,that’sgreat.Buthow? environmental degradationandclimate change,”he rights abuses,humanitariancrises andtheeffectsof people aroundtheworldsuffering frompoverty, human language ofmusictoshowsolidaritywiththemillions the euphoriaofoccasion.“We areusingtheuniversal playing inhishead–appearedtogetcarriedawaywith Huxley’s Einstein; butthat’salsowhattheyclaimedinAldous believe thathappinesscanchangetheworld.”Nokidding, Building tolaunchtheplaylist,fatuouslyenthused:“We the cut–when,ataceremonyEmpireState ubiquitous 2014hit epitomised byPharrellWilliams –writerandsingerofthe bad enough,theexcruciatingtritenessofexercisewas Arabic pop,alittlesalsa,possiblycalypso? all. You mighthaveexpectedanorganisationthatcalls joyous dancemusicontheplanet–wasnotrepresentedat natch). TheLatinworld–responsibleforsomeofthemost anthem (A.R.Rahman’s 1967 hit represented byjustonesong(MiriamMakeba’swonderful pieces ofmusic,theentirecontinentAfrica was virtually wipedouttherestofglobe.Inthreedozen supposed tobean‘international’list,Anglo-Americanpop Justin Timberlake. Girls, Kylie Minogue,Destiny’sChild,MichaelJacksonand standards theycameupwith,too,bythelikesofSpice – andamiserablypredictablebunchofplatitudinous to nominatetheirfavouritesongsfromthesunlituplands the UN’shappytoonslistheenlistedabunchofcelebrities Wonder’s “never happier’’thanwhenheislisteningtoStevie playlist”? TheUNsecretarygeneralrevealedthatheis occasion tolaunchtheUN’sof year, butdidwereallyneedBanKi-Moonusingthe Even BanKi-Moon–nodoubtwithStevieWonder As ifthetokenismandFirstWorld imperialismweren’t What wasperhapsmostdispiritingthatonwhat I Pata Pata Brave NewWorld Signed SealedDelivered rather mean that we are only allowed one a rather meanthatweareonlyallowedonea Day ofHappinesslastmonth.Indeed,itseems its UnitedNations-sanctionedInternational t wouldbechurlishtowantdenytheworld Nigel Williamson Nigel Williamson ) and Asia by a solitary Bollywood ) andAsiabyasolitaryBollywood is not isnot Happy In astheydishedoutthesoma. , which ironically didn’t make , whichironicallydidn’tmake fi nite Love I fi cial “world’s happiest cial “world’shappiest . To compiletherestof – sung in English, –sunginEnglish, Bamboleo Gipsy Kings’ including, say, the cultural diversityby pay lipserviceto Nations toatleast itself theUnited is this really the sort of job the UN should be doing? be should UN the job of sort the really this is , some , some eye ofthebeholder better. Happiness,itseems,isintheearas wellasthe or Adele’s The Grapevine Brown’s singing alongtoJames for afewmoments;but leaving ourcaresbehind good oldescapismand nothing wrongwith Lost ThatLovingFeeling defy anybodytolistenTheRighteousBrothers’ tear-jerking songofloss,longingandheartbreak.I’d has thecapacitytomakeusfeelgoodlikeaclassic, transporting metoabetterplace. contrasting waysarelifeenhancingandcapableof Taylor andeven LeonardCohen,allofwhichintheir introspective songsofJoniMitchell,CaroleKing,James “We cansolvemost Fatboy Slimtotellus: much theUNemploys that itwill,however and itisdafttopretend of con going toreducethesum Are Young Davis’s down toMichaelJacksonorKylie Minogue.IturntoMiles No. 1 Ma’s nominationofthepreludefromBach’s subtle andprofoundway;yetontheUNlistonlyYo-Yo party anthems,butmusicthatupliftsoursoulsinamore ‘happiest’ tendsnottobeeuphoric,forget-about-tomorrow happy weredrawn.Personally themusicthatmakesme parameters ofwhatconstitutesmusicthatmakesusfeel as anopiatetoenableusforgettheworld’sproblems. to havebetterthingsdothanfeedingmusicthemasses K’naan’s Simone’s nominations fortheplaylistmighthaveincludedNina much asthenextmiserablecove(myownpersonal me saythatIenjoyahappy, upbeat,hedonisticsongas that I’mbeginningtosoundlikeanoldgrouchhere,solet behind abackbeat.” injustices ifweunite Of course, there’s Of course,there’s Perhaps theparadoxicaltruthisthatnothingquite When I need to forget my troubles, I don’t leap up and When Ineedtoforgetmytroubles,don’tleapupand Yet perhapsmyrealobjectionwashownarrowlythe Now I’macutelyaware re fl ict in the world ict intheworld Kind OfBlue fl ected thisdeeper, morenuancedcapacity. Waving Flag I Feel Good Feeling Good by Fun is not byFunisnot Rolling InTheDeep , WhitneyHouston’s or , Mozart’s ● ). But I can’t help feeling the UN ought ). ButIcan’thelpfeelingtheUNought

, Van Morrison’s We We , MarvinGaye’s and not to feel instantly andnottofeelinstantly Requiem I Will AlwaysLoveYou Brown EyedGirl or the thoughtful, orthethoughtful, I Heard It Through I HeardItThrough Cello Suite Cello Suite You’ve and and

JUNE 2015 thinks so Ban Ki-Moon to world peace? hold theanswer Could Stevie Mr Happy WILLIAMSON NIGEL OPINION 87 RETRO

Like clockwork Despite its modest performance, there’s no denying the appeal of Garrard’s hardy and ubiquitous SP25 turntable, says David Price

arely a moment went by It was as if Garrard had been and royal crown. Because of its in the seventies when destined to do this. By the time this reputation for craftsmanship, the B someone, somewhere, did deck came out, it had been a company found itself making not play a vinyl record on turntable specialist for nearly 50 precision rangefi nders for the British a Garrard SP25 turntable. As popular years; it was a great and estimable army at the start of World War 1 and as a Mini 850, it fulfi lled the same company in 1967 when the SP25 mk1 the end of the war saw the start of role in society, being classless fun, hit the shops. Although audiophiles production of lathes and tools, and cheap to buy and run and child’s play today only remember two Garrard then spring-wound motors for the to use. You didn’t buy a Garrard SP25 products – the 301 and the 401 (its (then) new-fangled gramophones. for what it was, but for what it did – best by a country mile) – the company From this point, the marque never play records reliably, while serving up made a vast range of record players. looked back. The premises were an enjoyably musical sound. They could be supplied as a chassis, switched from London to Swindon, Like the aforementioned car, it was or in a teak plinth with a dustcover. because of a surfeit of skilled of questionable build quality in some Enterprising hobbyists, and that was engineering apprentices from the respects, but was always better than most people with an interest in hi-fi Great Western Railway Company, and the cheapest products of its type on back then, would opt for the cheaper the motor was refi ned. Some say its the market. When it did go wrong, it chassis and contrive some sort of ‘Super’ Gramophone motor was one was easily fi xable; there was nothing wooden box to save a pound or two. of the best spring motors ever made. new fangled or overly ‘electronic’ The provenance goes way back to In 1928, electrical motors began to be lurking within. The SP25 series gave 1721, when Garrard and Company developed, and by 1930 the company music to the masses, and fuelled the was appointed Crown Jewellers of had its fi rst record player. The 201 British music boom for over a decade London, whereupon it was tasked to was Garrard’s debut premium from the mid-sixties onwards. take care of the British crown jewels turntable and used a bespoke direct Spanning the centuries: a brief history of Garrard 1721 1930 1967 1975 Garrard and Company are The company produces its first Garrard unveils the SP25 The fifth generation of the SP25 appointed Crown Jeweller of turntable, the 201. Meanwhile, mk1 as Procol Harem rule is the last gasp for the turntable London while JS Bach releases Mr and Mrs Rollins ‘produce’ the pop charts with A and the Bay City Rollers bid it a fond his Brandenburg Concertos their son, Sonny Whiter Shade of Pale farewell with their hit Bye Bye Baby

88 JUNE 2015 RETRO

drive motor; it found a home at the company had obviously thought SOUNDING OFF BBC and other professional about its design because it even had installations. Just like the SP25 that an underslung counterweight, an idea Garrard SP25s could never be described as great-sounding decks, but they are cheap followed over 35 years later, it had that resurfaced on the SME Series V and have real period charm. If you can find four speeds; 16, 33.3, 45 and 78rpm. two decades later! The arm’s friction a well preserved one, especially with the The SP25 can trace its lineage back was such that it wasn’t particularly rubber-tipped idler wheel in good original condition, then you’ll be able to enjoy the to the fi rst Garrard record changer, happy tracking at less than around gutsy, upfront sound that the decks offer. the RC1 of 1932; by 1938 the RC100 2.5g, which precluded it from the So much about the SP25 is down to the could play both sides of either a 10 or generation of high-compliance cartridge fitted; the arm isn’t good enough for a finely balanced, high compliance 12in disc. After the end of the Second moving magnets, which were to elliptical design, so you’re best using the World War in 1945, the connection arrive a few years later. pick-up that was so often supplied when with the jewellery division was lost, The deck was refi ned over the years, new – a Goldring G800 or G850. With tracking weights of 3g they’re not going and Garrard pushed ever harder into but in truth, all the SP25s from the to be put off by the highish friction (in turntables – with the 301 surfacing in fi rst to the fourth (which surfaced in modern terms) of those massy pick-up 1954 and laying claim to the mantle 1974) were largely the same. The arms. Other good matches include the Shure M75/6 and the Arcam C77 if you’re of best turntable in the world. At the mk1 and mk2 were semi-automatic really feeling adventurous. more affordable end of the market, designs, whereas from the mk3 fully Some people modify the SP25, usually the Autoslim series began in 1959. automatic operation was standardised. removing the automation; indeed Garrard This was after a major fi re, which There were various minor stylistic itself did this with the Disco Driver 80, a rather oddball offshoot of the SP25/VI. It forced the company to borrow factory changes too, and the tonearm will sound better, but make sure you don’t space from nearby Plessey Company received some revisions; the fi rst allow the deck to lie dormant with the idler Ltd. Garrard became part of the two incarnations of the SP25 had gear engaged (ie ensure you don’t turn it off from the mains while still in play mode), Plessey Group soon after, and this was detachable headshells whereas after because you could flat-spot the idler really the beginning of the ‘modern’ this Garrard used a fi xed shell with a wheel. Carefully set up in a decent plinth age, as we know it, for the company. detachable slider. This was designed and correctly lubed and fitted with a decent – but mechanically compatible – 1964 saw the fi rst high-end record with convenience in mind, and wasn’t cartridge, the deck will sound powerful, changer (the Lab 80), and three years as good from a sound quality point musical and full of energy and drive. Poorly later the affordable SP25 version of view as the SME types that many preserved and/or stored, it will have chronic wow and flutter problems, and lots followed. It was a prolifi c time for the rivals began to adopt. From the mk5, of rumble too – so choose carefully! launched in 1975, it got a J-shaped Some say its ‘Super’ armtube and rounded underslung counterweight, presumably in a bid to belt drive and like its tonearm it Gramophone motor make it look more like contemporaries. wasn’t a runaway success. It was a was one of the best In truth, this arm was less impressively little quieter and more refi ned in made than the earlier variants. operation, but for many the mk4 spring motors ever The other key change to the SP25 sounded better. From the SP25/IV was the drive system. Let’s not forget onwards the plinth was more swish company, for it had just introduced that Garrard was highly accomplished with the then obligatory smoked another seminal deck, the 401 in at making motors, and all SP25s up to dustcover, whereas earlier variants 1965. Like the 401, the fi rst SP25 was and including the mk4 got idler drive. had been clear. idler drive, and a pretty robust system When new and working properly this it was. Sadly a little too much of the was decently speed-stable and gave a And in the end... 16W motor’s torque was transmitted gutsy, powerful sound that wasn’t too In a bid to keep up with the times, by into the LP record itself via the mazak dissimilar to the new generation of 1977 Garrard knew that it needed a platter topped by a thin rubber mat direct drives, aside from being a little range of hi-fi turntables that placed with metal trim ring, making it sound less slick and quiet in operation. The The definitive more emphasis on sound and style, agricultural by modern standards, mk5 – again following contemporaries seventies and less on convenience. While the but it was a solid machine that could like the Pioneer PL-12D – acquired a turntable rest of the turntable world was withstand serious abuse. betting either on direct or belt drive, Compared to the turntables that its new range offered a choice of came along a decade or so later, the both. The GT20, 25 and 35 had belt SP25 was a crude thing in some drives in a choice of fully manual, respects, but it rather endeared itself semi auto or fully automatic guises; to the British buying public. It was the the DD130, 131 and 132 was the fi rst rung on the hi-fi ladder; although same, but with direct drive. Although humble it was not seen as a toy. good, neither range could match the It sported what was regarded as onslaught from the Japanese, and the essential at the time for a product of company began to fall into fi nancial its type – semi-automatic operation. trouble. The SP25/V was summarily Despite having automatic stop – dropped, and Garrard was sold to which invariably sullies the sound of Gradiente Electronica of Brazil in a tonearm – Garrard did attempt to 1979. At the time it came as a shock do a decent pick-up on the SP25. Its that a brand as strong could fail, just straight-pipe, aluminium tubed years after having some of the best tonearm was better than many price selling products in the market. Such rivals of the day, and was adjustable was the pace of change in the for both tracking weight and bias. The seventies hi-fi market ●

JUNE 2015 89 DEALER VISIT BARTLETT’S HI-FI London THE EXPERTS

Bartlett’s Hi-Fi calling 175-177 Holloway Road, London N7 8LX 0207 6072296 The capital may be a mighty expensive place to live, but bartlettshifi.com project-audio.com Ed Selley finds a dealer with great aff ordable systems arcam.co.uk pmc-speakers.com arely a week goes by surrounding area and this ensures europe.yamaha.com/en without a faintly hysterical that it is fi rmly set on more real-world qacoustics.co.uk B article bemoaning the brands, products and systems. This dali-uk.co.uk cost of living in London means that a number of classics appearing somewhere, and there is rub shoulders with a large stock of no escaping the fact that the capital is desktop audio and more lifestyle an expensive place to live. This means products. Additionally, the store has that many hi-fi dealers have followed a thriving inhouse repair service – the area’s upmarket cost and are a rare thing in this day and age. fi rmly high-end in their portfolio and After the sad death of George outlook. Affordable hi-fi frequently Bartlett in 2012, ownership of the doesn’t get a look in. store passed to his wife Wendy with Bartlett’s on the Holloway Road in day-to-day operations being carried North London remains an honourable out by store manager Simon Talbot. exception to this upward trend. As is the norm, I give Simon the Founded in 1958 by Robert Bartlett challenge of putting together three before being taken over by his son different systems that best highlight George, the store has always tried Bartlett’s philosophy and then settle to focus on the requirements of the back to enjoy the results.

System test music THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA Man With a Movie Camera Vinyl

FINK Distance And Time CD

LAURENT GARNIER Unreasonable Behaviour CD

90 JUNE 2015 DEALER VISIT BARTLETT’S HI-FI

System 1 – Modern master

IF YOU ARE looking at the that the Carbon Phono USB is a world high end than the £400 price suggests pictures for this system and away from the original. The carbon it should be. With the rough and wondering where the rest of it is, fi bre tonearm, high gloss fi nish and fi t immediate Too Bad Jim by RL this will be a crash course in the and fi nish are seriously impressive for Burnside, it delivers the brilliance shape of modern hi-fi . The lion’s the price. When you combine it with of the delta blues without showing share of the functionality is actually the equally exactingly constructed the limitations of the recording. in the speakers, but what better way Q Acoustics speakers, you have a Switching to the Bluetooth input to complete an up-to-date setup than system that takes up negligible space, of the Q Acoustics reveals that the with the format of the moment? but that offers impressive fl exibility. decoding is as accomplished as the The core of the system is a pair All of which would be completely rest of the package. With a lossless of Q Acoustics BT3 active speakers. irrelevant if it didn’t sound any good, version of James McMurthy’s These compact two-way standmounts but the fi rst minute of the Cinematic Complicated Game, stored offl ine are classics from the brand, but with Orchestra’s mighty Burnout/The from Tidal, there is a refi nement to a twist. One contains a 2x 50W Awakening Of A Woman is enough the presentation that manages to (claimed) amplifi er and a useful to show that this is a system that keep the Pro-Ject honest and furthers clutch of inputs. These include two delivers on the performance basics my belief that Bluetooth is capable analogue connections, one RCA and regardless of how it might deviate of spectacular results if properly one 3.5mm, an optical input and from a ‘normal’ setup. Like its passive implemented. The pin sharp timing, aptX-capable Bluetooth. The result relations, the BT3 has a refi nement wonderfully smooth upper registers is that if you have a suitable source, and believability that is deeply and genuinely impressive bass from the BT3 is a system in its own right what are fairly titchy cabinets that can handle an impressive There’s a refinement combine to fantastic effect. selection of components. Both I love systems like this. Our living speakers contain a 100mm mid to the presentation spaces are often tight and the time bass driver and a 25mm soft dome that keeps the we have for listening to music can be tweeter and you can attach a sub. limited. This is a brilliantly logical Pro-Ject honest answer to these twin problems, but Take the stage one that still delivers an absolutely Fun though Bluetooth is, Simon impressive given the price. The joyous sound. There’s always a degree takes advantage of the analogue plucked bass that defi nes the piece is of satisfaction when a collection of Old meets inputs to add a turntable. As perfectly reproduced with the depth cost-effective electronics delivers such new and an enthusiastic Pro-Ject dealer, and decay that is very good indeed. an impressive performance, but it is the results Bartlett’s stocks the complete lower The Pro-Ject deserves a good deal even more satisfying when the system are spectacular section of the company’s turntable of the credit here too. Fronted by the goes on to offer such lineup. The Debut Carbon Phono supremely capable Ortofon 2M Red fl exibility, solidity USB has the phono stage built in, cartridge, this is a vinyl front end that and outright which limits the number of boxes really delivers on the promise of the prettiness. As an you need to make this system run. format at an extremely appealing opening gambit, 2 The Debut range has been with us price. Surface noise is minimal, the this is quite for nearly 20 years and the policy pitch stability rock solid and the a statement of continuous improvement means whole experience feels rather more of intent.

1

3

1 PRO-JECT DEBUT CARBON PHONO USB TURNTABLE £399

2 Q-ACOUSTICS BT3 SPEAKERS £349

3 Q-ACOUSTICS 2000ST STANDS £100 CHORD CO. CRIMSON VEE3 INTERCONNECTS (1M PAIR) £70

TOTAL £918

JUNE 2015 91 DEALER VISIT BARTLETT’S HI-FI

System 2 – Flexible friend

THIS SYSTEM CAN’T quite match including a phono stage and a but entertaining Nightless Night by the fi rst for simplicity and thanks to headphone socket, the A19 is classic Husky Rescue, the combo delivers the the more sober colour scheme lacks Arcam – all the amp you’ll ever really frenetic punch of the record without a little of the visual impact, but need. Even here, the spec has some revealing too much of the slightly although it may look a little more neat touches. There are no digital ragged recording. For real-world conventional this is still an inputs or Bluetooth, but it can power ability across a wide range of music, innovative and very fl exible devices from Arcam’s rSeries to add this is a hugely talented ensemble. collection of electronics. It also these features if you need. Give it something better, though, like combines two of the most highly The system is completed by the the glossy production of the Jurassic regarded names in the business at a PMC twenty.21. The smallest member 5’s A Day At The Races and the sheer price that remains entirely sensible. of the twenty series, this two-way attack, punch and rhythmic drive that At fi rst glance, the Arcam CDS27 standmount still manages to squeeze it brings to the performance is pure Arcam and PMC looks faintly old fashioned. While a transmission line over 1.72m in unadulterated fun. The twenty.21 combine clever the death of CD has been greatly length into the compact cabinet. This is a compact and fairly unassuming specification exaggerated, the market for means even the fairly small 140mm speaker, but it runs with the driving and killer sound standalone players at the £800 price driver of the twenty.21 should give bassline in a way point is not what it was. Arcam some reasonable low-end heft. Like that some 1 sweetens the deal a little by adding its larger siblings, the PMC is fl oorstanders can’t SACD playback, but from the front beautifully made and a handsome match. The 50W of at least there isn’t much to make speaker. Like system one, this is a the A19 might not it stand out from the crowd. Take collection of electronics that few be the most volcanic a look around the back and the rooms will struggle to accommodate output going, but it CDS27 reveals an extra layer of and it looks good in the process. can grip the PMC functionality that makes the This setup is no decorative bauble, with assurance. package rather more interesting. though. The way that the Arcam/ In design terms PMC combination handles Fink’s this system is a Sweet streams Distance And Time is a wonderful world away from This is because the Arcam is also a combination of the strengths of both the fi rst, but the fully equipped UPnP streamer that brands combining to be more than ethos of Bartlett’s supports sampling rates of up to the sum of the parts. Greenhall’s shines through just 24-bit/192kHz with wired and distinctive vocals are rich, detailed the same. The wireless options and has the full app and refi ned – all the trademarks of extensive facilities, control you would associate with a the Arcam’s house sound. This is useful spec and normal streamer. The benefi ts are underpinned by bass that is deep, fast design and the easy to appreciate. The Arcam can and well integrated with the rest of sensible pricing function as a regular CD player the frequency range in the manner of combine to create while you make the move into all PMC speakers. another system that streaming. As an of-the-moment When you combine these attributes, has real-world 2 product, it takes some beating. the results are extremely listenable. appeal. Can The partnering A19 amplifi er There is enough drive and attack Bartlett’s bring this doesn’t have quite the same twist in to keep you interested, but this is same combination 1 PMC TWENTY.21 SPEAKERS £1,485 the tail, but the spec is nothing to matched with suffi cient refi nement of abilities together 2 ATACAMA HMS1.1 STANDS £200 sniff at. With 50W of claimed power that it never becomes fatiguing to to make it three 3 ARCAM FMJ A19 AMPLIFIER £650 into 8ohm, a useful clutch of inputs listen to. With the rough and ready out of three? 4 ARCAM FMJ CDS27 CD PLAYER/ STREAMER £800 CHORD CO. COBRA VEE3 INTERCONNECTS (1M PAIR) £115 CHORD CO. RUMOUR 2 SPEAKER CABLES (3M PAIR) £204

TOTAL £3,454

4 3

92 JUNE 2015 DEALER VISIT BARTLETT’S HI-FI

System 3 – Silver lining WHILE A BIG jump in price, this Laurent Garnier’s Unreasonable 1 setup is still fi rmly attainable. A Behaviour shows that there is plenty sense of high end at this price is no of low-end shove and that it is fast, mean feat, but both brands featured precise and well controlled. Above all, know a thing or two about fi nish. there is a sense of fun. The older Having left two-channel to focus Yamaha 2000 Series could sound a on the AV market, Yamaha returned little lacking in energy, but the 2100 a few years ago in some style. Series fi nds the soul of the music and Balancing impressive engineering delivers it to the Dalis that need no with unashamedly retro looks, the invitation to maintain the pace. 2000 Series has given way to the This gives the system a chameleonic 2100 Series and while the styling quality that means for people with remains old school, the specs are a wider spread of music in their very much 21st century. The collection this is a surefi re winner. CD-S2100 is a CD/SACD player The collection of instrumentals that built around the Silent Loader is Air’s Premieres Symptomes is dealt mechanism, but like the Arcam it with as effortlessly as the pub-band- has a surprise on the rear. This come-good rock of the Yellow Moon consists of a selection of digital Band. The scale and soundstage rises inputs and a DSD-capable USB. and falls on demand and the The AS-2100 partners the SACD headroom on offer is considerable player and claims 105W into 8ohms, and you’d have to have very patient a plethora of inputs including an neighbours indeed before you showed MM/MC phono stage and any signs of it reaching its limits. wonderfully complex tone control This is an extremely viceless circuit that can be switched out collection of components. Like the when not in use. other two systems, it makes no unreasonable demands of modern Five alive life. The connectivity is extensive These are combined with Dali’s and offers both the ability to handle lovely Rubicon 5 fl oorstander. This computer audio and allow for a more three-way design employs Dali’s than half decent turntable to be trademark wood fi bre driver with connected too. You can sit there the equally distinctive 29mm watching those gorgeous VU meters tweeter and 45mm ribbon design. moving with perfect precision and

In the past, Dali hasn’t always made enjoy a sound that is utterly joyous, 1 DALI RUBICON 5 the most attractive speakers when be you listening to the most delicate SPEAKERS £2,399 using this combination, but the acoustic material or the heftiest Perfect build 2 YAMAHA CD-S2100 Rubicon is a handsome speaker with electronica. Yamaha and Dali have a with perfect CD PLAYER/DAC £1,600 very elegant proportions. This setup sure fi re means to ensure you love sound – what’s 3 YAMAHA A-S2100 not to like? AMPLIFIER £1,700 takes up a little more space than your music collection again. ATLAS HYPER SYMMETRICAL what we’ve already seen, but it does INTERCONNECTS (1M PAIR) £210 so with presence and elegance. ATLAS HYPER BI-WIRE SPEAKER Returning to the Fink CD sees an CABLES (3M PAIR) £356 increase in scale and authority and an almost liquid quality to the upper TOTAL £6,265 registers that makes this system something you could spend hours listening to without fatigue. The 3 2 ribbon in the Rubicon can fi nd nuances and detail that elude other speakers, but the immense refi nement of the Yamaha duo ensures that it never switches over to becoming harsh or aggressive. Make no mistake, there is some iron behind the civility. A blast of

It is always enjoyable to visit a dealer his team have a genuine enthusiasm you don’t need to re-mortgage to where there is an underpinning for their products and as these three enjoy clever functionality, solid build, philosophy, and when combined with systems demonstrate, an ability to handsome looks and genuinely musical SUMMING systems that are real-world, it’s very extract performance from them that is performance that has you wanting UP satisfying. Bartlett’s demonstrates that more than the sum of their parts. to keep listening. Bartlett’s is proof dealers do not need to move relentlessly The way that these systems sound positive that not everything in London upmarket to stay successful. Simon and is a convincing demonstration that needs to cost the earth.

JUNE 2015 93 LABELLED WITH LOVE

MUSIC FROM INDIA

This excellent sixties series is your gateway to the enthralling world of Hindustani classical music. Simon Berkovitch is your guide, heading East

ithin the context of the multi-stringed instrument’s (Carnatic). Music from India (stringed, drone instrument popular music, East place in the premier division of focuses on the former, played in a repeated cycle). W met West in 1965. pop culture. predominantly instrumental Other performers in the Music That year, hitherto- Through his subsequent subgenre, and over the course of from India series include Prof unheard exotic noises tumbled association with Harrison – key 11 excellent cuts, some of the VG Jog (violin), Alla Rakha and from the grooves of some of the to popularising Indian classical most important contemporary Shanta Prasad (tabla), and UK’s key releases. Distinctive 45s music in the West in the sixties, master musicians and their Nikhil Banerjee (sitar). Each and from The Kinks (See My Friends) as classical violinist Yehudi wonderful, otherworldly (to every one of the musicians and The Yardbirds (Heart Full Of Menuhin had done in the fi fties Western audiences, at least) showcased deserves further Soul) emulated the sound of the – the name of sitar virtuoso Ravi instruments of choice landed on investigation. An extensive sitar, indisputably the most Shankar was soon the one to discerning record turntables. glossary of musical terms – from widely known instrument used drop. The Beatle effect can’t be The fi rst release sets out its chikari (drone strings) to tora in the performance of Indian underestimated: the incredible stall in fi ne style, with two (fast runs and repeated notes) classical music, on electric popularity of the Fab Four virtuosos in duet: Vilayat Khan – on the rear of each release also guitar. The Beatles went further inevitably had some bearing on (sitar) and Bismillah Khan’s helps the listener to navigate this still, with guitarist George EMI – The Beatles’ record label haunting shenhai – a small reed brave new world. Harrison adding sitar lines to – launching an exploratory series instrument similar to the oboe. Now, 50 years on, the one of the decade’s most of Hindustani classical music in The second sees Ravi Shankar vinyl-only series remains a enduring recordings – Norwegian 1965: Music from India. with Ali Akbar Khan on sarod wonderful introduction to the Wood from Help!. The Rolling There are two traditions of (deep sounding and lute-like) world of Hindustani classical Stones’ Paint It Black single the classical music in India: North accompanied by tabla (Indian music. It’s well worth the work following year helped to cement (Hindustani) and South Indian percussion) and tambura required to track them down.

94 JUNE 2015 LABELLED WITH LOVE

Ravi Shankar A musical legend who did more to promote Indian music in the West than any other

andit (Hindu for ‘master’) Khan, is a fantastic jugalbandi P Ravi Shankar needs little performance. Emerging in the The master of the sitar began introduction: the musician and forties, jugalbandi is a duet his career as a dancer at the composer is the most world- performance in which both tender age of 10 famous sitar player of the 20th musicians act as lead players, century – who, incredibly, often on different instruments. performed into his late eighties. Despite their differences of tonal His fi rst LP, Three Ragas (a raga quality, in the hands of these being an Indian scale using accomplished performers, the ascending and descending sitar and sarod interplay on this patterns) was recorded in 1956 in London, and Shankar toured Portrait Of Genius Europe in the early sixties. The fantastic Portrait Of Genius brought his name to (1964) helped to bring his a wider audience name to a wider audience, but his popularity soared record is breathtaking, and a when The Beatles introduced great introduction to the form. the instrument to pop music Two ragas comprise Ravi buyers. Indeed, his adoption Shankar’s second appearance, by the emerging Western the eighth in the series, counterculture is best illustrated accompanied by Ustad Alla by his appearance at the Rakha, one of India’s greatest Monterey and Woodstock drummers. The fi rst, Raga Nata festivals, documented on LP. Bhairav is an enrapturing Shankar’s two contributions to original piece; the second, Raga the Music from India series Mishra Piloo is a spellbinding showcase different styles. His performance of one of the most fi rst, with sarod player Ali Akbar popular ragas in India. Ustad Bismillah Khan The master of the shehnai who single-handedly elevated the wind instrument to classical level

efore Ustad (Persian for The shehnai returns en masse Bismillah Khan mastered B ‘master’) Bismillah Khan for his second appearance. Billed his instrument of choice in took the simple-looking shehnai as Bismillah Khan and Party on a very short space of time – similar to the oboe – to his lips, the ninth instalment in the series it was primarily associated with (1969), the other players create temples and religious occasions. drones – the ideal accompanying As with other wind instruments, sound texture for the leader’s the shehnai calls for a great deal virtuoso performance. Rhythmic of fi nger-dexterity and superb accompaniment is played on the breath control from the player. In the hands of this incredible The shehnai calls performer, it entered the sphere of Hindustani classical music. for a great deal of In 1965, both Bismillah Khan finger dexterity and sitar player Vilayat Khan appeared at the Edinburgh dukar (two small kettle drums). Festival, enrapturing both public The results are extraordinary, and critics. The musicians are life-affi rming performances. captured on blistering form on Like Pandit Ravi Shankar, his the fi rst instalment of the series, contemporary, this amazing Duets, released the same year. musician and prolifi c recording Accompanied on tabla by the artist enjoyed a lengthy life, sublime Shanta Prasad, the passing away in 2006 at the slowly unfurling jugalbandi raga grand old age of 93. Such was that occupies the album’s fi rst the esteem in which Bismillah side captures the performers Khan was held, the Government operating at near-telepathic of India declared this a day of levels of interplay. national mourning.

JUNE 2015 95 LABELLED WITH LOVE

Ali Akbar Khan SHOPPING LIST Once The Beatles opened the floodgates, sitar-inspired music was The virtuoso who brought the sarod to an international audience de rigueur for sixties pop and rock groups. Here are eight of the best

ollowing a rigorous years, you may begin to please your guru, but you must The Byrds apprenticeship that saw yourself. After 20 years, you practice for many more years Eight Miles F High/Why him practicing up to 18 hours may become a performer and before you fi nally become a Both sides of this a day, Ali Akbar Khan gave his please the audience. After 30 true artist. Then you may superb single are fi rst performance on the sarod years, you may please even please even God.” inspired by Indian classical music, – a 25-stringed, metal as well as John fi ngerboard skin-faced lute – Coltrane. at the age of just 13, accompanying Ravi Shankar The Rolling on the sitar three years later, Stones Paint It Black marking the fi rst of the two Brian Jones musicians’ many jugalbandis provides the recorded together. In addition Eastern flavour on this cut and plays to his jugalbandi with Shankar, tambura on Street Ali Akbar Khan contributes the Fighting Man. fi fth instalment of the seminal series: Raga Durga & Dhun In The Beatles Khamaj (1966). Love You To Recorded in 1966, Ably accompanied by the George Harrison’s accomplished Mahapurush finest contribution Misra on tabla, who began to to Revolver features tabla, study the percussion sitar, hand-drums instrument when he was four, and tambura. it’s an exhilarating workout for a notoriously diffi cult-to-play Traffic instrument, here in the hands Paper Sun The debut of a master. Indeed, he once single for Steve wrote of his instrument of Winwood’s folk- choice: “If you practice for 10 jazz-rock outfit is propelled by a distinct ’67-vintage sitar riff.

Nikhil Banerjee The Doors The End On the dramatic From child prodigy to one of the finest sitar players of his generation closer to the group’s debut t a very early age, Considered to have been one deserving to be spoken about album, guitarist Robbie Kreiger A Banerjee began the study of the fi nest musicians of his with the same reverence as provides the raga of the sitar under his father, generation, posthumous both Ravi Shankar and Vilayat rock textures. Jitendra Nath Banerjee. Years concert recordings have helped Khan. Sadly, he died aged just of intense practice under his to keep his name alive, 54 in 1986. The Moody Blues tutors led the young Banerjee Om The psychedelic to develop a unique Brummies are at improvisatory approach to their most spiritual traditional ragas, skilled in both on this 1968 gem from their In melody and rhythm. Search Of The This is heard to great effect Lost Chord LP. on 1968’s slower-paced Ragas: Lalit, Sindhu Bhairavi & Puriya Tomorrow Kalyan, with gorgeous Real Life Permanent Dream renditions of popular dawn Frantic, fluid and morning ragas. Here, string plucking Banerjee performs with Viram from Yes guitarist Steve Howe on Jasani on tambura and table this storming acid player Kanai Dutt, who made rocker from 1968. several recordings with this distinguished but publicity-shy July sitar player. The Way One of the stand- The same year as this outs on the cult beautiful recording for the UK psych act series, Banerjee was awarded July’s sole album (released 1968) is the honorary title Padma Shri, this rather sitar- for distinguished contributions heavy workout. to the arts.

96 JUNE 2015 Xpression Carbon

Xpress your sound, Xpress your look...

March 2014 February 2014 January 2015 February 2014

A Classic Made New...

The Xpression Carbon is the latest version of Pro-Ject Audio Systems’ original turntable, the Pro-Ject 1. / ˆÃ˜iÜ“œ`ii“«œÞÃ>LÀ>˜`˜iÜV>ÀLœ˜wLÀi̜˜i>À“ÜˆÌ >˜ ۜṎœ˜‡ˆ˜Ã«ˆÀi`ÃÕ««œÀÌÃÌÀÕVÌÕÀi° / iÃÕ«iÀˆœÀ“œÌœÀ]ÜˆÌ ˆÃœ>̈œ˜LœLÃ`iÈ}˜i`LÞ"À̜vœ˜]`ÀˆÛiÃ> ˆ} ‡µÕ>ˆÌÞ«>ÌÌiÀÌ >ÌV>˜LiwÌÌi` ÜˆÌ iˆÌ iÀ> œÀŽœÀiÌ“>Ì°/ i«ˆ˜Ì ˆÃ>Û>ˆ>Liˆ˜Ì ÀiiÃÌ՘˜ˆ˜}w˜ˆÃ iÃI]>˜`Ì i>À“ˆÃÀœÕ˜`i`œvv with an Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge to create a comprehensive package that would suit any system.

Available in the UK through Henley Designs Ltd. T: 01235 511 166 /HenleyDesignsLtd \Ã>iÃJ i˜iÞ`iÈ}˜Ã°Vœ°ÕŽ  Éi˜iÞ iÈ}˜Ã£ W: www.henleydesigns.co.uk I œÀ`i>ÕÝw˜ˆÃ à œÜ˜ REVOLUTION

How could we improve the T+A R Series? After painstaking analysis, the only option was to start again from the ground up, using the latest techniques developed for our multi award-winning HV Series. Ultimately, the only facet that remains unchanged is the name, together with the original great idea: to design a collection of devices perfectly matched to each other, representing in terms of sound and technology the absolute extreme of what is possible in keeping with the R Series stylish yet compact form. The amplifiers of thenew R-series are of symmetrical construction, exploiting the double-mono principle and our High Voltage technology. The Multi-Source player features separate High-Resolution converters for DSD and PCM formats, whilst the audiophile turn- table can be fitted with various tone arms and cartridges. The previous R-series was considered the standard of perfection in casework, so we have raised the standard even higher, with the whole case now consisting of machined thick-walled aluminium. But even better than reading about our new R Series is to listen to it, and your specialist T+A dealer is already looking forward to seeing you.

T+A elektroakustik GmbH & Co. KG · Planckstraße 9 – 11 · 32052 Herford · Germany · +49 (0) 5221-7676-0 · [email protected] · www.ta-hifi.com

Hand built in Germany, the PA 2000 R, MP 2000 R and G 2000 R from T+A are available in the UK now.

For more information or to arrange a demonstration, please contact:

Dynaudio UK Tel: +44 (0)1353 721089 Email: [email protected] 100 Lead Belly 100 Bert Jansch 101 Sibelius The Smithsonian Bert Jansch Lemminkäinen Folkways Collection Legends, Pohjola’s Daughter

Blur The Magic Whip CD Parlophone

IN THE YEARS since Damon Albarn put Blur on musical churn, the sudden appearance of Blur’s mothballed the band. So the key is the return of hiatus in 2003, he has bloomed into the smartest, first album since 2003’s Think Tank – and the first Coxon – and the all-round musical intelligence of most ambitious and interesting British pop star of to feature guitarist Graham Coxon since 1999 – his old friend and sparring partner has galvanised his generation. While his one-time rival from the comes as a joyous surprise. Albarn once said that Albarn to come up with a stellar set of new songs. Brit-pop wars, Oasis, have repeated themselves the moment he felt he was repeating himself was Lonesome Street updates Syd Barrett’s whimsical with ever diminishing returns, Albarn has embarked the day he would retire. No chance of that, for The English psychedelia; New World Tours has an upon a giddily audacious range of eclectic Magic Whip represents another brave new chapter, almost classical feel. The dubbed-up punk projects. There was the hip-hop electronica of his more nuanced and exploratory than anything Blur electronica of Go Out is weirdly and wonderfully cartoon band Gorillaz; the Chinese opera Monkey achieved at the height of their fame. off -kilter; My Terracotta Heart is one of Albarn’s – Journey To The West; a tie up with the Clash’s Paul Albarn works best with a creative foil who can most haunting minor key ballads. Ghost Ship is Blur- Simenon in The Good, The Bad and The Queen; take him out of his comfort zone, whether it’s goes-lounge-pop. Ong Ong sounds like Ray Davies his adventures in Mali and beyond with Africa African or Chinese musicians pushing him in meets the Beach Boys’ Smile and the Bowie-esque Express and a grown-up English opera about the new directions, the challenge of working with a There Are Too Many Of Us was inspired by the 2014 Elizabethan occultist John Dee. He’s now reported theatrical director or collaborating with artists as terrorist café siege in Sydney, which Albarn to be working on a musical based on a much-loved diverse as Michael Nyman and Bobby Womack. witnessed. However much you play spot the children’s book. In between, there have been a Whatever the merits of Blur’s admirably solid influences, Albarn channels them into something handful of Blur reunion concerts, but with so rhythm section, they were never able to provide uniquely, dazzlingly inventive, that leaves you

Picture credit: Linda Brownlee credit: Picture much else going on in Albarn’s endlessly inventive Albarn with that kind of spur, which is why he wondering how on earth he does it. NW

JUNE 2015 99 MUSICREVIEWS

Angelique Kidjo Young Fathers Sings With White Men Are The Orchestre Black Men Too Philharmonique du Luxembourg

CD 429 Records CD Glitterbeat Records

FRESH FROM WINNING a Grammy for best THE MERCURY PRIZE winners are back with their world music album with 2014’s Eve, Kidjo here second album and something to prove. The follow explores the unlikely marriage of African rhythms up is a more assured beast than their original slice and European conservatoire tradition with a of angst-ridden, quirky hip hop. There are less 110-piece orchestra. The classically trained words this time, but considerably more invention in ensemble captures the energy and intricacy of the tunes and beats, taking them further from their African rhythms on such Kidjo favourites as Malaika hip hop roots and deeper into the genre-twisting and Kelele with impressive brio and surprising explorations we’ve seen from the likes of Tricky and sensitivity, while the big-voiced, big-hearted Massive Attack. Not that they sound like either of Benin-born singer and UNICEF goodwill those, or anyone else for that matter. ambassador confirms the status she assumed The sound is still rough and ready, sounding like it on the death of Miriam Makeba as the foremost was recorded in a basement – as indeed it was female voice in African popular music. NW – but with imagination to spare. DO

Lulu Lead Belly Making Life Rhyme The Smithsonian Folkways Collection

CD Decca Five CD box set Folkways IT WORKED FOR Tom Jones. Now it’s Lulu’s turn EVERYONE KNOWS LEAD Belly’s to have a go at a passionate, soulful album. And it legendary songs from the countless works! The lady always had a magnificent voice, covers by the likes of the Beach Boys even if the material post Shout didn’t always live up (Cotton Fields), Credence Clearwater to the promise. Here she’s gone back to her blues and soul roots and it’s done her a power of good. Revival (Midnight Special) Led Zeppelin Originally conceived as a covers album, she (Gallows Pole) and the White Stripes apparently became inspired to contribute her own (Boll Weevil). Today fewer are songs and these are more than up to the mark. The sound fits neatly with the modern soul sonics acquainted with the power of the Do you agree with our reviewers? of Adele or Emeli Sandé with plenty of nods to striking, declamatory original versions Decide for yourself and listen to the classics of the sixties and seventies, but with a recorded by the ex-convict between some of this month’s tunes at modern sheen and crispness that sounds just right 1933-48. This compendious 108-track www.hifichoice.co.uk for now. DO set housed in a handsome, 140 page Lead Belly emerges not AUDIOFILE VINYL simply as an antique Bert Jansch voice, but as a vigorous, Bert Jansch vital and virile presence 180g vinyl Transatlantic (Sanctuary Records Group) I DON’T HAVE the closest thing that we in the United Kingdom book with extensive notes and historic many regrets, but had to Dylan, albeit a far better guitar player if not photos, sets the record straight. one of them is not as spectacular a songwriter. He was, however, It’s amazing what sensitive remastering going to see Bert considered the first British singer/songwriter. can achieve. With the hiss and crackle Jansch when I had His influence was huge, not least on Jimmy eradicated by digital transfer, Lead Belly the chance. In my Page who was “absolutely obsessed”, a fact that defence I was not you can hear on almost any Zeppelin album. emerges not simply as an antique voice fully aware of his Johnny Marr said that without him “rock music of indisputable historical importance genius at the time, but it’s too late now. as it developed in the sixties and seventies sputtering through the ether, but as a This has been remastered using the original would have been very diff erent”. For me it’s his vigorous, vital and virile presence in the half- inch tapes from his 1965 debut, the sound instrumentals that go deepest, with the version of here and now, the pulse true and strong being remarkably vital for the vintage albeit Davy Graham’s Angi(e) the most exceptional on as life is breathed back into the legend occasionally peaky. You can easily hear why it here, but the songs are excellent as well, check cemented his reputation as a live act not to be out Do You Hear Me Now and Needle Of Death and the myth is made man again. NW missed (kicks self again). Jansch was just about for the flavour. JK Lead Belly picture courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways and Lead Belly Estate and Lead of Smithsonian Folkways courtesy Belly picture Lead

100 JUNE 2015 MUSICREVIEWS

HIGH RESOLUTION DOWNLOADS DEMO DISCS Alan O’Rourke from Universal Troyka Ruark Audio reveals Togetherness Ornithophobia some of the music Band used to develop products Universal Togetherness Band

FLAC 24-bit/48kHz B&W Society of Sound ALAC/FLAC 24-bit/44.1kHz Naim Label

CHICAGO’S UNIVERSAL TOGETHERNESS TROYKA ARE A three-piece British jazz trio Band never reached the heights of soul jazz who like to walk the line between melody and fusion contemporaries Maze or Earth, Wind noise. Lyrical passages rapidly morph into And Fire but they did record. A lot. Thanks to atonal, meandering conversations in complex associations with Columbia College’s music time signatures between Hammond organ and Meshell Joni Mitchell dept they were given all but unlimited studio guitar, but always with a clear and steady pulse. Ndegeocello Hejira time. This compilation pulls together the cream Influences range from free jazz to prog rock to Peace Beyond By far my favourite of the crop of the recordings. The sound is psychedelic film soundtracks and most points Passion Joni album. What warm and full, as befitting the times, but there’s in-between in a crisply produced set that gives With superb makes it so special is plenty of clarity in the production too. DO the instruments plenty of room to shine. DO musicianship and Jaco Pastorius’ production every beautiful fretless track here is a gem, bass playing, which Jean Martinon which will fully test weaves magic into Chicago Symphony Orchestra your system. each of Joni’s songs. The Complete Recordings

10 CDs Sony/RCA

JEAN MARTINON BECAME principle conductor of the Chicago Symphony orchestra in 1963 following the death of Fritz Reiner. The ten discs in this set bear eloquent witness to Martinon’s stay in the Windy City. The performances are crisp and Pink Floyd Larry Carlton vital, yet elegantly phrased and idiomatic, with Meddle Alone/But technically outstanding orchestral playing. The My all time favourite Never Alone recordings here have long been out of print, being Floyd album. From This smooth jazz hard to find and hugely collectible on vinyl. The One Of These Days album from 1986 newly remastered stereo tapes sound excellent for to Echoes, this is shows Larry Carlton their time, and demonstrate the high standards an album that over as a true master of his 40 years on still instrument, backed With 10 discs and an RCA was achieving in the sixties. The booklet gives informative booklet this plenty of useful info as to recording dates and sounds great on by a team of equally is a collector’s dream venues, making the set a collector’s dream. JH a good system. brilliant musicians.

Sibelius BLU-RAY DVD HI-RES HIGHLIGHTS Lemminkäinen Legends; Pohjola’s Daughter Foo Fighters Our pick of the best hi-res downloads Finnish Radio Sonic Highways released over the past month... Symphony Orchestra DVD RCA There’s a whole host of Lou Reed albums, including the This substantial release charts fantastic Transformer on Hybrid SACD Ondine Dave Grohl and his band HDtracks (hdtracks.co.uk), recording eight tracks in eight along with REM’s Up, HANNU LINTU’S PERFORMANCE is very good, American cities, and each Sleeping With Sirens by and the Finnish RSO certainly plays well. Lintu gives episode includes an indepth Madness and Tori Amos’ remastered version of a very straight reading, and his interpretation is documentary about the Under the Pink. Linn Records (linnrecords.com) solid and free from quirks. Lintu has the added musical history of that city. has Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato refinement of SACD – though actually the sonic The Chicago episode covers performing Xenakis (above), Joe Stilgoe’s New diff erences aren’t as great as one might expect. the blues and punk scenes as well as Cheap Songs For Old Souls and a new performance of That said, the new DSD recording sounds very Trick’s guitarist Rick Neilsen, who joins them in Monteverdi’s Ulisses by Boston Baroque. Finally, open and natural, with a broad dynamic range and the studio. But it also has a lot about Buddy Guy High Res Audio (highresaudio.com) has Kyle some deep powerful bass. The sound is more who unsurprisingly does not. This is a gripping Eastwood’s Timepieces, Indra Rios-Moore’s relaxed and eff ortless than the previous Ondine eight-plus hours for any music lover. Sound Heartland, Joe Satriani’s Surfing With The Alien recordings of Sibelius, being opulent yet detailed. quality is about par, dynamics are quashed but and Benjamin Richter’s The Grand Momentum. Every strand can be heard, without obvious that doesn’t get in the way of ‘musical maps’. JK microphone spotlighting. JH

JUNE2015 101 BLUETOOTH ADAPTORS £35-£90 Into the Blue Piping music from your portable device without a cable is much easier than you’d think. Rob Lane checks out four ways to do so

ith an increasing number hi-fi fan, but along with aptX it has integrated amplifi er driving ATC of music fans downloading upped audio quality standards SCM40 fl oorstanding loudspeakers. W tracks and albums through considerably and though it’s not as I use U2’s Songs Of Innocence, ripped the likes of iTunes or music good as a wired connection, it is with Apple Lossless, concentrating streaming services straight to their appearing on many new integrated mainly on the atmospheric Every smartphone, tablet or portable device, amplifi ers as a useful option for those Breaking Wave and iTunes download it was inevitable that one day we’d that are looking to stream music from tracks from Ryan Adam’s Live At see Bluetooth being incorporated into a phone or tablet and enjoy it through Carnegie Hall and Johnny Marr’s hi-fi components like integrated their hi-fi system. Playland. For comparison purposes, amplifi ers and loudspeakers. Only a With a variety of connection options I play the same tracks directly from few years ago the short-range wireless and features available, I opt to stick to iTunes via an Apple MacBook Pro codec was seen as too lo-fi in sound stereo RCAs feeding Bluetooth signals linked to the NAD amplifi er using quality terms to be worthwhile for a via an inbuilt DAC to a NAD C356BEE a 3.5mm-jack-to-RCA phono cable.

Harman/Kardon BTA 10

PRICE: £50 TELEPHONE: 01707 278113 WEBSITE: harmankardon.co.uk

DETAILS COMFORTABLY THE SMALLEST connected to an PRODUCT model here (at 50 x 16 x 50mm amplifi er, the BTA Harman/Kardon (wxhxd), the BTA 10’s weight is 10 fi nds itself in BTA 10 slightly at odds with its size – something of a ORIGIN China reassuringly so when you hold it in cable tug of war, your palm. The four sides are matt which, despite its WEIGHT 35g fi nish, while the top is gloss and generous weight and FEATURES gently slopes down on each side to rubberised underside, TrueStream; power form a basin. Its reassuring weight means that it struggles to adaptor is backed up by the rubberised maintain position, making DISTRIBUTOR underside, which in theory should – Blu-tack to hold it in place a must. Harman UK along with its weight – help it stay put when connector cables are plumbed Simply the best? There’s a tiny bit of hiss that’s only in. Connections include mini-USB and Harman claims that its TrueStream audible when the volume is turned 3.5mm-jack audio out. H/K supplies technology delivers the “best audio right down with my ear close to the a power adaptor with Euro-zone or performance” and enhances the speaker. In terms of range, the BTA 10 UK plugs, and a choice of 3.5mm-jack- listening experience of Bluetooth isn’t daunted by walls. Its claimed to-jack and 3.5mm-jack-to RCA cables. streaming. I’m certainly very 10m reach is surpassed and it The BTA 10 can memorise up to eight impressed. U2’s Songs Of Innocence maintains a stable connection different Bluetooth devices, but sounds as good via the BTA 10 as it from another room or storey ● doesn’t support aptX. does direct from my Mac, with Every On plugging in, an intense blue light Breaking Wave retaining all of its VERDICT fl ashes intermittently through the top emotional impact across the wireless A lovely little adaptor, the BTA 10 produces of the unit, becoming constantly lit connection – H/K’s claim that the BTA excellent sound for a reasonable price once paired. Rather disappointingly, 10 produces “amazingly crisp” audio the light isn’t dead centre. When quality cannot be denied.

102 JUNE 2015 BLUETOOTH ADAPTORS £35-£90 MINITEST

Lindy BTX-50 Audio Receiver Pro

PRICE: £55 TELEPHONE: 01642 754000 WEBSITE: lindy.co.uk

DETAILS THE BIG BOY of the group – with 84 x 23 x 75 dimensions (wxhxd) and PRODUCT Lindy BTX-50 Audio weighing in at 60g – the BTX-50 Receiver Pro resembles the front of a racing car, ORIGIN and on paper looks the part too. China Including NFC (Near Field WEIGHT Communication) and Bluetooth 3.0 60g wireless capability, it adds optical FEATURES AptX; NFC; optical digital and 3.5mm-jack connections, digital output; and recommends you use the former. 3.5mm-jack output However, despite supplying RCA DISTRIBUTOR hookups (which bizarrely need to with a device, at which point it volumes, although this isn’t a great Lindy be plumbed into a supplied adaptor remains constant. My device fi nds performance and the subtleties and cable), Lindy neglects to include the BTX-50 in seconds, but sadly emotional impact of the track are an optical cable. It’s powered via a this is where the good news ends. compromised owing to the high levels USB-DC cable, so you’ll have to hook of interference. it up to a computer, or get an adaptor. Mission impossible Wireless signal range manages All cables are generous in length. Like Once a track is selected, so much hiss to reach the claimed 10m without the H/K, the BTX-50 supports up to is audible that it makes it impossible obstructions, but drops when walls eight devices. Lindy should note, to comfortably listen to any of the get in the way ● however, that it might want to music I stream to the device. Ramping consider including its recommended up the volume disguises some of the VERDICT audio connector on future shipments. now background hiss, but it’s always Well appointed, the BTX-50 confuses with its Testing the Bluetooth connectivity, a in evidence, seriously compromising cabling and is seriously compromised by hiss blue power light indicator at the front performance. Every Breaking Wave fl ashes intermittently until paired punches through the hiss at higher

Philips AEA2700/12

PRICE: £35 TELEPHONE: 0207 9490241 WEBSITE: philips.co.uk

DETAILS BREAKING WITH CONVENTION PRODUCT thanks to its streamlined chrome Philips AEA2700/12 fi nish, the Philips is the second largest ORIGIN in the test with 74 x 28 x 74mm China (wxhxd) dimensions. As well as WEIGHT Bluetooth 3.0, it supports aptX and 40g NFC. Unlike the others, it only pairs FEATURES MultiPair; NFC; with three devices, although MultiPair aptX; optical & means they can be connected coaxial digital simultaneously, without having to outputs; 3.5mm-jack output un-pair and re-pair. Press play on a DISTRIBUTOR second or third paired unit, and the almost immediately, although the detract from what is a very good Philips Europe song on the fi rst stops with the new connection is briefl y lost before it overall performance. one taking over. reconnects again, at which point the Another one with a 10m range, Connections include optical and Philips’ top-light stays constant. the Philips isn’t concerned with walls coaxial digital outputs, alongside a and operates without interruption. 3.5mm stereo jack output that comes The price is right Overall I am very impressed by the supplied with the appropriate Performance is great with no loss of AEA2700/12. It has great sound, good jack-to-phono cable. Power is supplied detail during Songs of Innocence, with looks, a cool MultiPair gimmick and by a 9V DC power adaptor, but the Every Breaking Wave plucking those comes at a very attractive price ● plug at the end of the adaptor is a heart strings with gusto. There’s a two-pin Euro type and a UK adaptor little less bass than others, but it VERDICT will be required. is very detailed if more obviously A good-looking Bluetooth adaptor, which Power it up, and a blue light on the compressed. A barely audible hiss produces great sound at an amazing price top fl ashes intermittently. My device (you need to put your ear right up to fi nds the Bluetooth hi-fi adaptor the loudspeaker to hear it) doesn’t

JUNE 2015 103 BLUETOOTH ADAPTORS MINITEST £35-£90

Arcam miniBlink

PRICE: £90 TELEPHONE: 01223 203200 WEBSITE: arcam.co.uk

DETAILS A BEAUTIFUL PEBBLE-SHAPED of the Arcam needs to be PRODUCT unit, with a fl ash of silver streaking pressed in order that it can Arcam miniBlink through its middle, the miniBlink is be ‘discovered’ by devices. ORIGIN easily the most aesthetically pleasing A fl ashing red light turns a China model here. It’s a similar size to the constant and appealing purple WEIGHT 40g Philips at 60 x 30 x 75mm (wxhxd), once the two are paired. FEATURES and weighs the same at 40g. The lack PCM 5102 24-bit of rubberised feet on the underside Blink and you’ll miss it DAC; aptX; keep those perfect clean lines going, Arcam makes great claims for the 3.5mm-jack output but it’s a concern in terms of solidity. miniBlink’s hi-fi credentials, and it DISTRIBUTOR Arcam UK The miniBlink can either be powered has already garnered awards and quite live up to expectations given its by mini USB or a wallwart adaptor plaudits (see HFC 387) since its relatively high price, and I can’t help supplied with four different regional launch. Using a high-end Burr Brown but expect a bit more in the context of plugs. The power lead is accompanied PCM 5102 24-bit DAC, and the aptX this test. by two stereo cables – 3.5mm-jack-to- transmission system (which claims to In terms of wireless range, it is fi ne jack and 3.5mm-jack-to-RCAs. There’s improve upon the regular Bluetooth until walls get in the way – although no digital out, unsurprisingly given SBC codec), the miniBlink has it doesn’t drop out immediately. Arcam sees the miniBlink as a DAC certainly been designed to be a Ultimately, this is a fi ne mini DAC, as much as a Bluetooth adaptor. quality hi-fi product, and it sounds but is beaten here by cheaper rivals ● My fears that the miniBlink will slide very good indeed. around once cables are connected Every Breaking Wave sounds great, VERDICT are unfortunately realised, which is a with plenty of punchy bass and A great-looking solution with a top pedigree, shame as this detracts from what is a emotional depth to bring the track the miniBlink just falls short for the price lovely looking piece of kit. As with the to life. Hiss interference is barely Philips, a Bluetooth-logoed button atop audible, but the miniBlink doesn’t

Mini test verdict

THIS IS AN interesting lineup of hi-fi credentials and Apple-esque decent amount of bass, and the Bluetooth hi-fi adaptors at various packaging bound to turn heads. A losenge-like design is very price-points with some useful great performer, it’s no surprise that it appealing, despite the off-centre features. In last place the Lindy is let has garnered so much praise since its light. It does have a tendency to down by the sort of interference that release. Ultimately, the miniBlink’s dance around a bit when cabled- WINNER you simply cannot ignore at any price. considerably higher price point up, but Blu-tack will remedy this. The H/K BTA 10 doesn’t Sure, the other three adaptors also means it misses out on a badge in The price is about right, too. support aptX but turns hiss a little, some more than others, the context of this test. But this in impressive sonics but with all of these the interference doesn’t detract from what is an with iDevices and maintains a solid signal is only audible when right next to excellent audio performance. beyond 10m. Ultimately the loudspeakers and does not at The Philips is something of a it strikes the right any time detract from the audio bargain. Top sound and features – balance between performance when listening to music along with great looks, a performance, features, streamed from a Bluetooth-enabled comparatively practical design price and design. device at typical volume levels. The and a very competitive price – hiss produced by the BTX-50 makes it make this adaptor the runner up. impossible to be able to fully evaluate However, the clear winner is the its performance and so it’s diffi cult to Harman/Kardon BTA 10. The recommend it in any meaningful way. proprietary TrueStream system is On paper the Arcam has the very effective at producing crisp, potential to beat the rest, with serious full sound reproduction with a

This test highlights the brave new audio world where smart phones and find its way to your amp and loudspeakers more directly, whether that’s via a tablets are now music sources. Indeed, we’re getting to the stage now that DAC or not. But Bluetooth has grown into the favoured short-range wireless computer audio is for dads with their ripped CD collections, while the kids tech that’s found on pretty much every smart device around, and it deserves are alright with streaming from their mobile devices and downloads! to have a place in any hi-fi system. Audio quality has improved considerably HELP & ADVICE Cabled-up DACs are undoubtedly the way to go for those wishing to in recent years and easily allows music lovers who favour smart devices to improve on computer audio, and presumably most device-based music will experience their tunes through a proper hi-fi system.

104 JUNE 2015 Analogue Seduction are dedicated towards two channel Hi-Fi, specialising in vinyl replay. As well as our on-line shop we have dedicated demonstration retail facilities based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and we can offer our customers home demonstrations. We stock the finest in amplification, analogue, digital replay and speakers. We also specialise in a cable termination and cable burn in service. Please visit our website www.analogueseduction.net to browse or purchase products that are not easily available elsewhere. New vinyl records now stocked Tel: +44 (0)1733 350878 Analogue Seduction, The Manor House, Manor View, Whittlesey, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE7 1TF

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EXTRAS

Clint Digital Odin wireless speaker

HAILING FROM DENMARK, Clint has been a player in the DAB market since 2008 and Odin is its fl agship model from the new Asgard ecosystem of multi-room speakers. Clint says Asgard embodies the essence of the gods from Norse mythology after whom it is named with qualities such as toughness, endurance and power. Weighing nearly 7kg, Odin is certainly a hefty beast for a speaker if not a Norse god, and is about the size of a cylinder vacuum cleaner. Fashioned from durable aluminium, it comes in white or dark grey. Clint recommends locating the unit on the fl oor, near a corner, maybe placing it on an optional foot stand (£46) that angles the drivers upwards by 8°. The enclosure has a bevy of over-sized, plasticky buttons on its top that comprise volume, play/ it does allow you to adjust the bass, Rain, and the Odin’s fi ne handling of pause, multi-room and mute. You’re mid and treble, plus you can set up the mid and upper range is so more likely to control the speaker two speakers as a traditional stereo exquisite it’s impossible not to feel a from a computer or using the iOS/ pair or add three more units to form tingle on the back of the neck. This Android app on a smartphone. a multi-room system. Within the app all happens at medium volume you can easily fi nd internet radio levels with the unit able to deliver Norse code stations, access music stored on the the goods without sounding strained There’s a USB input on the rear device and launch Spotify Connect or over worked. It also proves itself that can charge and playback iOS (if you have a subscription). Other highly adapt at picking out the devices and a 3.5mm jack input for external apps such as Tidal can just complex layers of sax, guitar and analogue sources. Otherwise, it’s all as easily be used by choosing the percussion of David Byrne and St about wi-fi , and mainly AirPlay. Odin in the AirPlay menu. Vincent’s Who. Texturally, the Ironically for a protocol that’s The fi rst thing to say about the delivery is arguably a tad too fi nely named after a real norse king, performance is that the power polished, robbing the track of some Bluetooth has been eschewed. You output makes a big impression with of its natural warmth. can, however, stream music directly the claimed fi gure of 50W, and with to Odin over a peer-to-peer wi-fi not that much effort it is easily Hitting the sweet spot network, which Clint calls Music capable of fi lling small-to-medium- A single unit, even if it has left and Direct and the speaker can also sized listening rooms. Unleashed on right drivers, is never going to connect to DLNA sources. It is an all-thumping techno treat such as generate properly satisfying stereo compatible with a decent range David Guetta’s Shot Me Down, imaging and in terms of the of wirelessly streamed formats streamed in higher quality on Tidal, soundfi eld there is a defi nite sweet including AIFF, ALAC, WMA, AAC, the attack from the bass is quite spot. Clint hasn’t quite managed to FLAC and WAV, supporting fi les astonishing, reaching low and nail the dispersion so that all sampled at up to 192kHz. throwing air around the room listeners get a satisfying blend. A button on the back is provided DETAILS liberally. Not that there’s a lack of In terms of sheer power, Odin has to help get Odin hooked on to a PRICE control, and the bass never feels enough reserves in its tank to take network, which is a relatively simple £320 woolly or disconnected from the on Naim’s awesome Mu-so (HFC process if your router supports WPS. TELEPHONE midrange. The upper frequencies 391). Ok, so it can’t match the latter There’s no display, just a row of 01732 765105 of the synth have an engaging when it comes to refi nement – either LEDs that change colour and rate WEBSITE smoothness to them and Skylar in build quality or performance – but clintdigital.com of pulsing to indicate their status. Grey’s gorgeous vocals are pleasingly given that Odin is nearly one third of The app isn’t exactly the fi rst word OUR VERDICT well rounded. the price it is a viable alternative for in device control either, lacking for Upping the ante on the vocal front anyone looking for a room-fi lling example a ‘now playing’ button, but with a burst of Adele’s Set Fire To The sound from a single speaker. AJ

JUNE 2015 107 THAT’S JUST WRONG.

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/ClarityAlliance @clarityalliance clarityalliance.co.uk EXTRAS

Chord Company Sarsen speaker cable

APART FROM SOUNDING great, The Sarsen uses FEP the cables that connect your power (Fluorinated Ethylene amp to your speakers often have to Propylene) conductor be routed inconspicuously around insulation, housed in a 3.8mm the edges of a carpet. Therefore, white PVC jacket. Chord notes that something that can handle the the right choice of insulation makes power from the amplifi er has to a big difference to performance. The be balanced with a cable that is conductors comprise two 18 AWG both fl exible and thin. multi-stranded oxygen-free copper Loudspeaker cables don’t get much in a twisted-pair confi guration. more discreet than the Sarsen, which combines a clever mixture Bananas and spades In use, I fi nd that the Sarsen delivers of materials to produce a high- The cable can be terminated in 24 a very clean and open sound to my DETAILS performance speaker cable with karat gold-plated banana plugs, direct loudspeakers. Bass response does not PRICE a diameter of less than 4mm. Chord gold-plated copper spade connectors feel constrained either. In no way £8 per metre, plus says not to let the diminutive size or BFA Camcon connectors. Banana do I get the feeling that the output £96 for 8 banana of the cables fool you. The company plugs are fi tted to the sample on from my amplifi er is being squeezed plug terminations believes that when the correct review here. As with all good-quality through restrictive conductors. TELEPHONE choice of materials is used for the cables, directionality is important So if you really have a problem with 01980 625700 construction of the cables, then the and the correct connection from the the size of a speaker cable, but don’t WEBSITE chord.co.uk result can be a tight bass that is well amplifi er to the speakers is marked want to compromise on performance, defi ned and properly tuneful, thus with small arrows on the heatshrink the Sarsen is well worth considering OUR VERDICT giving the music a real sense of that is fi tted to the ends of the cables – and represents great value for drive and rhythm. and banana plugs. money too. NR

ISOkinetik Graphite Headshell

HAILING FROM THE ISOkinetik range of accessories, this detachable headshell is made from high-density graphite (HDG) carbon formed of microscopic spheres that have a high capacity for dissipating vibrations. Unwanted vibrations can be transmitted from a cartridge through a clamping arrangement at the neck Jazz recording by Oscar Peterson the tonearm and back again which to allow for easy adjustment of the exemplifi es this with a fantastically can negatively affect sound quality, cartridge azimuth alignment, should musical and tuneful bass line, and the graphite material dissipates this be necessary to ensure that the alongside the infectious rhythmic the mechanical vibrations and stops stylus is perpendicular to the record. piano accompaniment. them from entering the audio system. It is fi tted with copper wire leads as The high pricing of this ISOkinetik This headshell is suitable for any standard, but a silver wire version Graphite headshell is a refl ection of DETAILS tonearm that features a SME-style is available for an additional £20. the cost of the raw HDG material, PRICE 0.5in connector headshell, such as and the diffi culty in machining it to £200 SME, Jelco and many other high-end Shelling out such an accurate and high standard TELEPHONE tonearms. It weighs 16g and given In comparison with my standard of fi nish. The fi ne engineering 0208 2418890 that my standard metal headshell metal headshell, the HDG model makes it a thing of beauty to look WEBSITE weighs 12g, an adjustment to my offers a noticeable improvement in at and the sonic improvements isokinetik.co.uk turntable’s tonearm tracking force is clarity and detail. The top end is crisp offered by this upgrade make it a necessary when swapping between and effortless without any hint of worthwhile investment for those OUR VERDICT the two. The ISOkinetik headshell harshness. Bass is tight and well with a high-end tonearm, and so it has a brass fi nger lift and includes controlled and a rather nice Memoir comes highly recommended. NR

JUNE 2015 109 EXTRAS

WychWood Audionics F3 filter system

THE BENEFITS OF effective mains main fi lter, you can add a second conventional eight-way socket, there treatment on the performance of a layer of fi ltration in the form of a F3 is an immediate and appreciable system are widely acknowledged to Micro. This is a single plug fi lter that improvement to the separation be worthwhile and, depending on sits between the Prime or Lite and between instruments and a what other activity is going on a specifi c piece of equipment. This reduction in overall noise levels. around you, can be more effective serves two functions. For devices The other area where it has an than a number of other upgrades. that are potentially very sensitive to advantage over many similarly One of the biggest issues of mains mains-borne interference – such as priced rivals is that none of this gain fi lters is separating the effective phono stages or preamplifi ers – you in refi nement comes at the expense from the decorative. While some can add an extra layer of fi ltration, of dynamics or energy, which can products are extremely capable, but additionally if you have an occur when a mains treatment others are simply dressed up bits of electrically noisy piece of equipment system lacks the required current standard mains paraphernalia or connected to the F3, the Micro serves delivery or has been smoothed to worse still, not actually certifi ed for to prevent any nastiness making it within an inch of its life. There is use in their supposed role. back onto the main fi lter. This keeps plenty of bass impact and none Enter WychWood Audionics and the initial costs down, but allows for of the timing or sense of attack its range of F3 fi lters. Born from the additional protection as and when that the Naim review system excels rather merciless environment of you need it or can afford it. at is blunted or removed by the F3 internet hi-fi forums, F3 is a being in situ. compacted reference to ‘Foo-Free None of the gain in Filter.’ Foo in this instance refers to The power and the glory marketing pseudoscience and to refinement comes The F3 Micro fi lters are generally this end the F3 series is designed to at the expense of effective when used selectively too. avoid anything that might be seen With the external XP5 XS power as remotely foo-ish. That said, the dynamics or energy supply I use with the Supernait 2, principles that the system works the gains are slight, but the Avid under differ to the norm. The enclosures are aluminium and Pellar phono stage and Ingenium are fi nished to an extremely high turntable both benefi t. Indeed pretty Protect yourself standard with damped rubber feet for much the only black mark against The core of a F3 system is a main isolation and good-quality sockets. the WychWood is that the F3 Micro power strip. This takes the form The asking price also includes a full switches from useful to compulsory of a F3 gantry in the shape of the clutch of relevant safety certifi cation, when a Rega RP3 turntable is eight-way F3 Prime for £189 or which means that none of the hoped substituted as it generates a ground six-way F3 Lite for £149. Both are for boost in performance comes at the hum when connected to the Prime built around a bespoke two-stage cost of reduced safety. that vanishes with the Micro for RFI/EMI fi ltration system and The F3 system has a fairly stiff initial reasons I’m not completely clear on. 3.5kW of total power output, but DETAILS test in that the mains treatment that Mains treatment is a highly the Prime adds a 16A RCBO circuit it replaces for the review is IsoTek’s contested product category, but this PRICE breaker, which gives nigh-on From £149 mighty Evo 3 Sigmas (HFC 394) at is a very clever and well thought out instantaneous trip protection and TELEPHONE roughly seven times the price of a F3 product that delivers on the promise enormous potential current and 01757 706372 prime and a threesome of F3 Micros. of improved performance at a very surge protection. Both units are WEBSITE The WychWood can’t quite manage competitive price. If you want an fi tted with an IEC socket allowing evoaudio.uk/ the exceptional drop in noise fl oor extremely capable and fl exible mains wychwood.htm you to choose the length and type and general sense of effortlessness treatment solution and you don’t of cable you need for your system. OUR VERDICT that the IsoTek can, but it produces want to spend a fortune, this is by Where the F3 series deviates from an exceptionally capable performance some margin the most effective the norm is that in addition to the for the price. Compared with any solution I have seen. ES

110 JUNE 2015

&DOO(PDLOFKRLFH#QGKDQGKL¿FRXN 7KH8.¶VELJJHVWDQGEHVWXVHGDXGLRVHOHFWLRQ Analogue $PSOL¿HUV Digital /RXGVSHDNHUV Aesthetix Rhea dem Call Almarro 318B with cage, excellent boxed used 1199 Arcam Alpha 8, excellent used 149 Acoustic Energy AE1 Classic new 799 Aesthetix Rhea Signature, as new new Call AMR 777 Integrated dem 1999 Arcam Alpha 8se, excellent boxed used 199 Acoustic Energy AE 1 Mk11 in Gloss black dem 799 Alphason Xenon with AudioOrigami rewire dem 299 Anthem Integrated 2 Valve Integrated used 499 Arcam CD17, excellent used 279 Apogee Duetta Signature (Reality rebuilt) Superb used 3249 Audiolici phono stage and line preamp dem 999 Arcam P90, vgc+ used 299 Arcam CD73, vgc+, remote used 179 Art Audio Stiletto in Maple dem 599 Avid Acutus Ref power supply dem 2499 Arcam A85, vgc+ used 249 Arcam CD37, remote excellent, reduced used 699 Aspara Acoustics HL6 in Oak new 1999 Avid Volvere SP turntable, sealed box new 2799 Arcam Alpha 8P, vgc+ boxed used 199 Atoll 100SE DAC new 299 Audio Physic Tempo in Cherry, fair dem 699 Bakoon EQA11r phonostage, near mint boxed used 1499 Arcam Alpha 7, vgc+ boxed used 99 Audio Alchemy digital transmission interface/psu used 99 Audiovector Si3, near mintboxed dem 749 Benz Micro LP, boxed plenty of life left used 1199 $UFDP&SUHDPSOL¿HUUHPRWHH[FHOOHQW XVHG  Audio Analogue Maestro SE CD dem Call Audiovector Si3 Super, near mint boxed dem 1199 Clearaudio Innovation Compact, good condition dem 1999 Art Audio Jota 520b, excellent used 3999 Audio Analogue Paganini (later model) dem 399 Aurum Cantus Music Goddess in Gloss black dem 699 Clearaudio Unify Tonearm excellent boxed used 699 Audia Flight Pre and Flight 50 Class A power dem 3999 Audio Synthesis Transcend CDT (Modded SONY) dem 399 Avalon Ascendant Mk2, mint crated, £10k new used 3499 Clearaudio Basic Symmetry Phono Stage boxed used 699 Ayre Evolution DVD dem 1999 Audio Analogue Bellini VB and Donizetti Cento, superb used 2499 B&W 805s in cherry, excellent used 1749 Conrad Johnson TEA 1b Phono stage used 1999 Bryston BDA1 DAC, excellent boxed dem 1399 Audio Analogue Puccini SE amp. Black dem 379 B&W CDM1se in cherry, excellent used 349 &RQUDG-RKQVRQ3UHPLHU6L[SKRQRSUHDPSOL¿HU XVHG &DOO Cary Audio CD306 Pro, near mint boxed used 3249 Audio Analogue Class A Integrated - HUGE! dem 3999 B&W CDM1nt boxed, excellent used 299 Consonance Cyber 40 phono stage dem 599 Chapter Audio Sonnet CD & Nevo remote dem 1999 Audio Project ap60 integrated dem Call B&W DM601s3, vgc+ used 299 Garrard 401, Jelco 750 12” arm, new plinth and lid used 1199 Audio Research Ref 610 Monoblocks, vgc boxed used 14299 Chord ‘One’ CD player dem 1799 B&W DM602s3, vgc+ used 249 Garrard 401 Motor Unit, Bastin serviced used Call Audiolab 8000Q/Ms, silver, excellent boxed used 899 Chord Qute EX DAC, excellent boxed dem 799 Castle Howard, excellent used 349 Graham Phantom Supreme 12”, SME cut dem Call Audiolab 8000C excellent boxed used 199 Consonance CD120 Linear dem 399 Castle Chester vgc later versions used 1999 Graham Slee Fanfare Gramamp 3 used 179 Audiolab 8000P vgc boxed used 299 Consonance CD2.2, new sealed new Call Davone Ray, vgc in walnut, great! used 1999 Hadcock 242 Export, boxed dem 599 Audiolab 8200A vgc boxed dem 499 Consonance Droplet, vgc+ dem 899 Eminent Technology LFT8, some marks used 499 Lehmann Black Cube phono stage dem 199 Audion Sterling Plus KT88 Integrated boxed dem 499 Creek Destiny Integrated CD player, boxed dem 699 Epos M22 in Cherry dem 549 Inspire ‘Full on’ Technics 1210/Plinth/PSU/SME M2 arm used 1899 AVI Lab Series Pre/Power, excellent remote used 1749 Cyrus Discmaster/Dacmaster, vgc+ used 399 Ferguson Hill FH007&8 ‘desktop’ audio set boxed used 349 Linn Majik LP12 with arm cart, near mint boxed used 1499 %$79.VHSUHDPSOL¿HUYJF XVHG  Cyrus CDXT2, mint boxed just back from Cyrus used 649 Final 400 Electrostatics with ES400 Sub dem 999 Linn Sondek, Ittok, Troika, boxed new lid used 1199 Bryston 4Bsst2, excellent boxed, used 2999 Cyrus CD8, boxed remote used 299 Focal Electra 1008, mint boxed dem 2249 Linn Sondek, Ittok, boxed new lid used 999 Bryston B100sst excellent boxed used 2249 Cyrus CD7Q chip, vgc+ used 279 Focal Electra 1028, mint boxed dem 2749 Linn Sondek, Ittok, nice condition used 899 &KDSWHU$XGLR&RXSOHW3RZHU$PSOL¿HU GHP  Cyrus dAD3, remote, vgc+ used 199 Linn Sondek, Lingo, Naim Aro, superb used 2499 Chord Electronics CPM2650 Integrated, ex boxed used 2499 Cyrus CD8se, boxed remote used 449 Focal Electra 1038, mint boxed dem 3999 Linn Sondek, Grace 707, basik psu, VGC+ used 599 Chord Electronics CPA3200/SPM1200E used 3749 Denon DNP720AE, near mint boxed used 199 Gallo Nucleus Reference 2, rare, superb & boxed used 1999 Linn Sondek, Naim Aro, Staff build Armageddon used 2499 Consonance Cyber 10 Integrated dem 799 EAR Acute 3, mint boxed dem 3749 Heco Celan 500 in Silver dem 499 Linn Lingo, excellent used 599 Consonance Ref 8.8 integrated valve amp dem 999 Exposure 2010CD, remote used 199 Heco Celan 300 in Mahogany dem 399 Linn Basik Plus, vgc+ used 149 Consonance Cyber 211 monos c/w Pavane valves dem 2999 Goldenote Koala , near mint boxed used 759 Heco Statement in gloss black, £3k new dem 1499 Lyra Erodion Step up used 1499 Creek OBH21, excellent used 119 Inca Design Katana cd player (no remote) used 149 Kef Q100, brand new, sealed box new 249 Michell Hydraulic Reference, Fluid arm, excellent used 779 Creek 4330mk2, excellent used 119 Kelvin Labs DAC, rare used 199 Kudos C10, boxed vgc and cheap used 999 Michell Tecnoarm A in black as new mint boxed used 449 Cyrus aCA7.5, excellent boxed remote used 249 Leema Elements CD player sealed box new 749 Leema Xandia Mk1 in black new 2499 Michell Syncro/RB250/Eroica, great condition used 499 Cyrus Power, vgc+ used 199 Linn Majik CD, just factory serviced, excellent! used 749 Leema Xero in Mahogany dem 349 Michell Focus with Hydraulic platter and Linn arm used 349 Cyrus XPower, excellent boxed used 599 Linn Karik 3, excellent boxed remote used 499 Living Voice IBX R2 in stunning Zebrano, excellent used 2249 Michell Orbe, DC motor, SME V boxed used 3499 DartZeel NHB108B, excellent £20+k new used 7999 Marantz CD6003, excellent boxed used 149 Mark & Daniel Maximus with treble extenders £2500ish dem 999 Moth phono stage dem 249 Denon PMA1500AE, excellent used 749 Marantz CD17, remote, excellent used 399 Mark & Daniel Mini in Grey inc. Marble cabinets. dem 699 Musical Fidelity XLPSV8 phono stage dem 199 Graaf GM50B Mk11 Integrated dem 2999 Marantz CD63Ki, remote, boxed excellent used 149 Martin Logan Mosaic, excellent boxed used 699 NAIM Aro, excellent boxed used 1499 Graaf GM100 valve power amp dem 1999 Marantz NA7004, nr mint boxed used 349 Martin Logan Quests, superb sound, reduced used 1299 NAIM Stageline S excellent boxed used 199 Jolida Envoy 211 Monoblocks, £7k new, superb used 1999 Meridian 506/20 with MSR used 399 Martin Logan Prodigy, excellent used 3499 NAIM Stageline N vgc used 179 Leema Hydra 2, vgc+ boxed used 1899 Meridian G08, remote boxed used 1199 Martin Logan Summit X, ex demo dem 8999 Oracle Delphi, Zeta, due in used 999 Merdian 563 DAC reasonable condition used 149 /HHPD(OHPHQWV$PSOL¿HUH[FHOOHQW GHP  Mission 782se nr mint boxed used 199 Project Phonobox SE phonostage, excellent value dem 99 Meridian 500 Transport, excellent boxed used 599 Leema Tucana 2, excellent dem 1899 Mission Freedom 5, vgc in Rosewood used 399 Project RPM 10 turntable with arm and platform dem 849 Meridian 602/606 combo with remote used 799 LFD LS1 linestage, reasonable shape used 299 Mission 752, rosewood excellent used 179 Project Debut Carbon, exellent boxed used 199 Metrum Acoustics Octave NOS Dac used 549 Linn Majik Kontrol & 4100 Power, excellent used 1499 Monitor Audio RS8 excellent dem 399 Project Xpression mk2, arm and cart used 199 Micromega MyDac, excellent boxed used 179 McIntosh C22 & MC275 Commemoratives, boxed used 6999 Monitor Audio GX300, ebony near mint boxed new 1999 Project RPM 4 Turntable/Arm with cover, great! used 249 Micromega Leader, remote used 99 McIntosh MA5100, excellent! used 749 Monitor Audio GX 5.1 Home Cinema set BARGAIN new 4999 Project Perspective, Speedbox SE, Shure V15Mx used 599 Musical Fidelity 3.5 CD dem 399 Meridian 501V preamp, excellent used 299 Monopulse Model S new 699 Rega Planar 2, RB250, excellent boxed used 179 Musical Fidelity KW SACD, new laser, upgraded ps used 1249 Meridian 501 Pre used 349 Rega RP3 Elys2 cartridge, excellent boxed used 399 Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, excellent boxed used 329 Monopulse Model A speakers new 1499 Micromega IA100, great integrated, boxed dem 599 Rega RP6, Exact cartridge, vgc boxed used 649 Musical Fidelity M1 CDTB dem 499 Monopulse Model C new 399 Moon W7RS, excellent used 4499 Roksan TMS 2 with Reference PSU, boxed as new used 2899 Musical Fidelity M3 black boxed dem 499 Musical Fidelity MC6 Floorstanders, boxed vgc+ used Call Musical Fidelity M3i, excellent boxed, REDUCED used 549 Scheu Laufwerk mk2 with Unipivot tonearm, due in used Call Musical Fidelity M1Clic new 699 NAIM Nsat x 4, NCent and NSub, boxed excellent used 1749 Musical Fidelity A1000 Two box monster Integrated! used 999 SME 3012, excellent used 799 Musical Fidelity XDac, excellent used 199 NAIM Ovator S400, excellent dem Call Musical Fidelity A1 FPB Preamp and PSU, excellent used 399 SME 3009/3, excellent boxed used 249 Myryad Z20DAC, excellent boxed used 199 NAIM Credo, excellent used 399 Musical Fidelity 550K Superchargers, sealed boxes! used 1999 SME V, excellent, boxed, due in used 1499 NAIM CD5i, excellent boxed used 449 NAIM SBL, vgc+ used 699 Musical Fidelity X-T100 Integrated dem 249 SME V12, nr mint boxed dem Call NAIM DAC, nr mint boxed dem 1499 NAIM SBL mk2, vgc+ used 999 Musical Fidelity Pre 8 and 2 x MA65 chrome fronted used 799 Technics 1210, near mint, Alphason Xenon used 599 NAIM CD5si, near mint boxed used 699 Nola KO speakers in black dem 3999 NAIM NAP100, vgc+ used 499 Technics 1210, near mint boxed used 399 NAIM CDS3, excellent boxed, remote used 1899 Nola Micro Grand Reference inc stands, £15k new dem 5995 NAIM NAC82, excellent boxed used 899 Technics SL110 with SME 3009 used 499 NAIM CDi, excellent boxed used 599 PMC GB1, excellent, new boxes used 599 NAIM NAP250, olive excellent boxed used 899 Thorens TD150, SME3009 good condition new 299 NAIM CD3.5, vgc used 299 PMC Twenty 21, excellent boxed, ex dealer demo used 899 NAIM NAP250, very late olive excellent used 1099 Thorens TD160 HD turntable new 1199 NAIM CDX2, excellent boxed used 999 PMC Twenty 22, excellent boxed, ex dealer demo used 1399 NAIM NAC42.5/NAP110, vgc used 349 Thorens TD160, Audio Technica arm, boxed used 249 NAIM CDX2, 2009, excellent boxed used 1399 PMC Twenty 23, excellent boxed, used 1599 NAIM NAP250, excellent late boxed olive used 1199 Thorens TD160,Rega arm, replinthed, lovely! used 349 Oppo BDP83se, excellent boxed used 399 Proac D38 in Yew, boxed fair used 2499 NAIM NAP150, excellent boxed used 349 Thorens TD209 turntable package dem 699 Peachtree DACit, excellent dem 199 Proac D28, good condition in cherry boxed used 1999 NAIM NAC202 with NAPSC, boxed used 1199 Thorens TD2030 Blue turntable new 999 Prima Luna Prologue 8, ex demo boxed dem 1299 Proac D18, good condition in cherry boxed used 1399 NAIM AV2/NAPV175, remote, excellent boxed used 1199 Thorens TD125 c/w SME3009, excellent used 399 Quad 99CDP, excellent REDUCED used 349 Proac Studio 140 mk2, nr mint boxed dem 1199 NAIM NAP180, excellent boxed used 599 Tom Evans Groove, 0.85mv/100 ohm, excellent used 849 Rega Planet 2000, excellent used 199 Proac Studio 110, excellent boxed used 499 NAIM NAIT 5, excellent remote boxed used 449 Townshend Elite Rock c/w Excalibur, boxed excellent used 799 Rega Apollo R, excellent used 449 Proac Studio 115, excellent boxed dem 749 NAIM NAC152/NAP155XS, excellent boxed used 1199 7UDQV¿JXUDWLRQ2USKHXV/JRRGFRQGLWLRQ XVHG  Rega Apollo 35th Anniversary, excellent used 449 Quad 21L Floorstander used 199 VDH Colibri M/C cartridge dem 2999 NAIM NAC90/NAP92, vgc used 349 Rega Io DAC, excellent used 149 NAIM NAP250, chrome bumper used 699 Quad 11L2, excellent boxed used 249 VDH Condor M/C cartridge new 1999 Rega Saturn, excellent boxed used 599 Red Rose Rosebud £2.5k new with (used) stands dem 799 Voyd, Voyd, split phase psu and RB900 used 1499 Neutonia Salis Integrated, classy Restek built used 399 Roksan Kandy K2CD, excellent boxed used 449 Onix OA32 Integrated, excellent used 299 REL Sterling, black ash vgc used 149 VPI Scout, JMW arm excellent used 999 Rotel RCD965BX, excellent boxed used 99 Revel M22, excellent boxed new 599 Wilson Benesch Act 1 Tonearm, nr mint superb used 799 Onix OA25 Integrated, excellent used 399 Sugden Masterclass CD original version used 999 5HYROYHU5:ÀRRUVWDQGHULQ&KHUU\ GHP  Pathos Logos Integrated dem 1999 TAG McLaren DAC 20, excellent used 249 Revolver Cygnis Gold in Black, £14k new dem 4995 Placette Audio Passive Linestage dem 599 Tube Technology Fulcrum CD transport dem 699 Sonus Faber Elipsa, superb boxed used 5999 3ULPD/XQD3URORJXH3UHDPSOL¿HUYJF XVHG  Tube Technology Fulcrum DAC (inc DAC64 chip) dem 899 Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor, boxed used 1199 5DGLR5HFRUGHUV Prima Luna Prologue 2 Integrated, good shape dem 799 Yamaha CD-S3000 near mint dem 2249 Spendor A6, in Walnut excellent boxed used 999 Arcam Alpha 10DAB tuner, excellent used 149 3ULPD/XQD3URORJXH3UHDPSOL¿HUREDUCED dem 749 Arcam T61, vgc+ used 79 Puresound L300 valve preamp dem 3599 6XQ¿UH7UXH6XE6XEZRRIHU GHP  Tannoy Prestige Autograph Mini, ex boxed used 999 Cyrus FM7, vgc+ used 149 Quad 99 Pre/Power, excellent, remote, Quadlink used 649 Denon TU1800DAB, excellent boxed used 179 Quad 405, from used 199 $9$FFHVVRULHV&DEOHV Thiel CS7.2, vgc, just refurbished… used 2499 Musical Fidelity A5DAB, sealed box used 499 Quad 33/303, vgc, serviced used 299 Audeze LCD2 excellent dem 599 Totem Mani Signature, boxed near mint used 2999 NAIM NAT03, excellent used 199 Resolution Audio Opus 21 S80 Integrated dem Call Audeze LCDXC excellent dem 899 Totem Mite in black dem 449 NAIM NAT01 and NAPST chrome, serviced , vgc+ used 899 Renaisance RA02 Monos, vgc and excellent value used 499 Beyer Dynamic T1, vgc boxed used Call Totem Rokk in mahogany, excellent used 249 NAIM NAT101 & SNAPS, excellent £500 NAIM service used 899 Roksan Kandy K2 Power, nr mint boxed dem 499 %U\VWRQ%+$+HDGSKRQHDPSOL¿HUVXSHUE GHP  Totem Sttaf, near mint boxed new 999 Nakamichi DR10, excellent used 249 Sugden Masterclass Monoblocks, in titanium used 3999 Cyrus PSXR, excellent from used 279 Usher N6311, transit damaged to clear dem 499 Nakamichi DR1, vgc used 199 Sugden A21a line Integrated dem 999 Elemental Audio Equipment Rack dem 499 Usher Mini Dancer 2 in Maple, excellent boxed dem 2999 Nakamichi BX2, excellent used 149 Sugden Masterclass Pre/Monos in Graphite used 6499 Elemental Audio speaker stands dem 499 Vandersteen Quattro, accessories, transformers etc used 2999 Nakamichi 580, near mint boxed used 249 Sugden Masterclass Pre/Monos in Titanium used 6499 Ergo AMT phones with Amp 2 (£2.5k new) dem 1499 Velodyne DD18 sub in black dem 1999 Pioneer CT91a reference used 199 Sugden Masterclass Integrated in Titanium dem 2749 *:7)9DOYHKHDGSKRQHDPSOL¿HUH[FHOOHQW XVHG  Veritas H3 (Lowther drivers) in gloss black, 100db dem 2999 Pure 701ES DAB Tuner used 89 TagMcLaren 60iRV, excellent boxed used 299 *UDGR*6DQG5$DPSOL¿HU XVHG  Wilson Audio Duette, excellent dem 4899 Revox PR99, crated used 799 Talk Electronics Hurricane/Tornado Pre/Power used Call Isotek Nova power conditioner dem 1199 :LOVRQ%HQHVFK$FWRUÀRRUVWDQGHUV GHP  Tandberg TCD440a, superb! used 499 Tannoy TA1400, excellent boxed used 599 Lehmann Rhinelander used 199 TEAC V8000S, superb used 299 TEAC Distinction A1000 Integrated, ex demo dem 599 Musical Fidelity M1 HPAB dem 399 TEAC X1000M, serviced, superb used 599 Trio LO7C good condition used 249 Musical Fidelity TripleX power supply new 199 6SHFLDOV\VWHPGHDOV TEAC X10R, serviced, superb used 599 Unison Research Preludio Integrated, excellent boxed used 1199 NAIM XPS DR, ex demo dem 2599 Consonance Ping CD/AMP dem 599 7HFKQLFV56LQÀLJKWFDVHQHDUPLQW XVHG  Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated dem 999 NAIM XPS, excellent boxed dem 1499 Linn Classik Movie 05, excellent boxed used 699 Rotel RT1080, excellent used 149 Unison Research S2k Integrated, excellent dem 699 NAIM HiCap, various used Call NAIM Uniti 24/192, excellent used 1349 Yamaha KX1200 excellent used 199 Yamaha AS500, excellent boxed used 179 ProAudio Bono Reference Platform dem 399 Orelle EVO CD and Amp was £2700 used 799 Yamaha CT7000, vgc used 499 Yamaha A-S3000, nr mint boxed dem 1999 Stax SR404/SRM006tii, stand, cover etc boxed used 999 Yamaha CXA5000/MXA5000 as new boxed dem Call 7HORU(PDLOFKRLFH#QGKDQGKLÀFRXN EXTRAS

Black Rhodium Sonata VS-1 analogue interconnect

PRICED AT £500 for a 1m pair, the Sonata VS-1 interconnect is positioned as a middling proposition in Black Rhodium’s comprehensive stable of cables. Extensive attention to detail appears to have been applied to every element of its design and construction. At its heart are two silver-plated copper cores for positive and negative signal fl ows. Some audiophiles claim copper cables give more satisfying bass weight and pure silver cables provide subjectively sweeter, more extended treble, but many would agree that, done well, silver-plated copper can deliver the best of both worlds. The cable cores are connected in opposite directions as Black Rhodium claims from extensive listening tests that this provides the lowest noise fl oor. These cores are also twisted to airborne sound waves. The stabilisers Un Oiseau Rebelle from Carmen reduce their surface area and help can be loosened and repositioned to demonstrates just how well the reject unwanted radio frequency increase effectiveness and Sonata deals with large swings in interference (RFI) that congests convenience (the cable needs to be musical dynamics. The intimate many households from wi-fi , radio protected at any new weight position vocals rise softly out of an inky signals and mobile phones. to ensure the clamping grub screw black soundstage. Quiet, yearning doesn’t damage the screening). emotional nuances are conveyed Taking charge After running the cables in, the with real subtlety and increasing PTFE insulation is used for its immediate impression from playing a intensity, but the full dynamics of the claimed low dielectric loss and low lossless rip of Wild Beast’s Wanderlust London Philharmonic Orchestra are distortion characteristics – “reducing is a very clean delivery with highly effortlessly expressed in a way that the impact of subtle but detrimental extended treble and fi rm, well- can deceive you to the large dynamic time-smearing of musical signals”. defi ned bass. The opening snare drum range you are listening to. Ambitiously, Black Rhodium has set shimmers with high-frequency detail, out to reduce any issues that could while the synth bass line has great Feature comforts be created from friction between depth and a juicy, snarling menace The Sonata VS-1 is fully loaded with internal insulation and the outer from sharply defi ned leading edges. features and should bring positive screen by the inclusion of a Backing vocals build beautifully in virtues to almost any system. It’s conductive, ‘low microphony’ layer transparent silky layers as Hayden rather tempting to think a £500 that is designed to dissipate any Thorpe’s voice leaps forward in the interconnect is only appropriate potential electrical charge that could soundstage. Imaging is extremely for higher-end systems, but more be generated from the cable being stable and deep and I sense this is modest systems can be lifted as fl exed or vibrated, even at a from so much of Black Rhodium’s convincingly as upgrading a source microscopic level. anti-distortion know-how being component or amplifi er. Both RCA Black Rhodium has deployed one combined into one cable. and XLR terminations deliver similar more weapon against distortion. DETAILS Switching to The Staves Black and high-quality results. The vibration The VS part of the product name White on CD reveals real purity stabilising weights are benefi cial, but PRICE stands for ‘vibration stabiliser’, £500 for 1m pair in delivering the close harmonies may need fi nessing to fi t your system which is performed through the (RCA or XLR) of these talented sisters. Some layout. Refi ned, extended treble, addition of hefty, polished weights TELEPHONE competitive cables would appear to fi rm, deep bass and a beautifully that securely clamp to the cable half 01332 342233 have more fulsome warmth around coherent and communicative way along. These act as extra mass WEBSITE vocal frequencies, but the cleanliness midband seamlessly fl owing from to increase the inertia of each cable. blackrhodium.co.uk of this midband is very compelling very dark silences demonstrates that This stability is intended to reduce and almost certainly more accurate. Black Rhodium has successfully OUR VERDICT the distortion caused by cables Playing a superb HDCD recording of addressed distortion. Thoroughly being vibrated by components or Tatiana Troyanos singing L’amour Est recommended. CW

JUNE 2015 113 BUYING FROM A DEDICATED HI-FI DEALER When it comes to putting together your hi-fi, only an experienced specialist can give you the help and advice you need and let you try before you buy

t’s diffi cult to imagine Whether you are looking to buy a there are that many people complete system or simply change a I that haven’t purchased component in an existing one, the something off of the likelihood is that you’ll have a budget internet at one time or another. in mind and will have already started Unlike your local high street or to put together a shortlist of likely shopping centre, shopping online candidates based on reviews, positive offers a wealth of choice and is online comments and word of mouth. invariably considerably cheaper. It is possible to select components In fact it’s actually possible to live based on this method, order them up comfortably without ever leaving unseen and then assemble them to your home, using just your credit card and laptop to provide you with all the There is no substitute food and amenities you could ever need. And hi-fi equipment similarly for listening to a follows this trend, with every brand system to hear under the sun available at the click of a button and often at prices that are what it is capable of lower than you might fi nd in physical bricks and mortar premises. form a decent system – after all, you’d But just because you can, it doesn’t imagine that putting a fi ve star-rated necessarily mean that you should. source, amp and speakers together While it might seem anachronistic to would yield a fi ve star setup? In visit a real-life store when you could reality, this isn’t always the case (see have something delivered to your System Synergy) and furthermore is door with a few clicks of the mouse, ‘decent’ all you are striving for when there are solid reasons why using the greatness can be achieved? services of a reputable hi-fi dealer makes the most sense. If buying a Personal touch product covers three stages (system Good dealers have brand portfolios Going to a physical matching, demo-ing and installing), that have taken years to collate and premises is the best decision you can make dealers can assist you with all of them. this is done with a view to fi nding

114 JUNE 2015 GUIDE TO...

manufacturers that compliment one At higher price points, many dealers SYSTEM SYNERGY another in a way that is greater than will be in a position to offer a home One of the most indefinable areas in the successful assembly of a the sum of their parts. On more than demonstration. Making use of such great system is the relationship between components. Logic dictates a few occasions, we have listened to a service is perhaps the single most that taking our recommendations for a piece of source equipment, systems with dealers that combine effective means of securing a system amplifier and speakers while paying a small amount of attention to the claimed performance to avoid glaring incompatibility will most equipment that we would not have that will consistently deliver the likely result in a great-sounding system. Sometimes this is the case, dreamed of putting together based performance that you are looking but maddeningly just as often the product of this combination on their on-paper suitability. We have for. Speakers in particular are hugely doesn’t deliver the performance that you think it should. Synergy is a peculiar thing and very often what creates a great-sounding system heard tiny standmount loudspeakers room-dependent devices and being is a complex blend of different components that’s not necessarily fi ll exceedingly large rooms and able to test them in the space you made up of what you might expect. towering fl oorstanders behave intend to use them is the only sure-fi re Achieving this synergy is usually achieved one of three ways; luck, themselves surprisingly well in way to get the results that you want. trial and error and experience. We are all due a little luck from time to time, but hoping it will put in an appearance at the same time as you confi ned spaces. Not only did the Once you have handed over your spend out on a system might not be the best idea you’ve ever had. results sound good, they were far hard-earned cash, your hi-fi dealer Trial and error can get a little expensive and wearisome, which leaves better than more accepted can still be of use to you. While a us with experience. The single most accessible receptacle of this experience is a good hi-fi dealer. They have carried out the trial and combinations of components. There is basic system of a CD player, amp and error so that you don’t have to. no short cut in gaining the experience speakers might not prove too taxing So does this mean our reviews aren’t useful? Of course not. What to combine equipment in this way, for you to install, many dealers have we set out to do is judge a piece of equipment on its own merits and and it can be tremendously benefi cial amassed considerable expertise in the bring new and exciting components to your attention. We will identify flaws and bugs that the product might have and if we feel it is to any hi-fi fan. masterful art of turntable setup and a strong example of the genre at the price point. With both our Dealer Neither is this an experience that’s help to avoid expensive mistakes if not Visit and Beautiful System features we explore the wider synergy of dependent solely on the dealer’s carried out properly. If you are taking components, but there’s plenty more to experience and tailor to your your fi rst steps into computer audio, specific requirements by visiting your local hi-fi dealer. At higher price many dealers now have the experience and means to assist you points, many dealers with getting up and running at home, will be in a position which for many will be very welcome in avoiding time-consuming setups to off er a home demo and frustrations when you get home and unpack your equipment – and personal tastes. If you are the sort of some dealers will even budget to person who strives to listen to rock at include the required ancillaries in volume levels you can feel as well as your system to ensure best results. hear, you are going to need electronics that are rather different to someone A dealer is for life... Matching components striving to recreate a simple choral The skillset that a good dealer holds the key to a piece at low volumes. Once again, a possesses is not limited to buying a successful setup good dealer should be able to tweak system the fi rst time out. Indeed, the the components used in a system to more you use a dealer, the better they best suit your preferences. can tailor their suggestions to suit to end once you have found a system you. If you choose to add a new that you are happy with and active Try before you buy source to an existing system, the stores will host open days from The fi nal proof of the effi cacy of their dealer that supplied the original manufacturers they represent. This suggestions is listening to the fi nished equipment is going to have an can be a great way to help give you article before you part with any cash. advantage in selecting suitable some useful suggestions on where The ability to demo equipment is candidates to best match the you take your system in the future, perhaps the single most compelling components that you already have. or show off the latest technology reason why you should always The results of your demos can be developments and tips. The idea of consider buying from a dealer. squirrelled away and referred to for added value means different things to Beyond measurements, preferences, future recommendations. different people, but dealers should be and even beyond previous experience, As your relationship develops, your a resource that keeps you happy with there is no substitute for sitting down dealer will be able to better work out your existing equipment while helping and listening to a system to hear what what is a worthwhile update for you to shape where you might take it it is capable of for yourself. What and what might look good on paper, further down the line. might have worked well for previous but fail to deliver in reality. In some customers with similar budget and cases, dealers have evolved such When things go wrong requirements as you could be a effective and consistent upgrade Nobody wants to consider the non-starter when you sit down to programs that systems they sell are possibility of a piece of equipment listen to it. When you consider the instantly recognisable as being theirs they are spending substantial sums amount of money you could be pretty much on sight. This might of money on going wrong, but parting with, this is vital to know sound like a one-size-fi ts-all approach, the reality of complex electronic and makes the difference between but when combined with the basic equipment is that it is not immortal. long-term satisfaction and buyer’s choices and decisions on equipment One of the biggest advantages that remorse. If you listen to the results of made at the start of the system, this dealers offer is the ability to help your consultation and like what you insider knowledge can produce you secure the best aftersales service hear, so much the better but it also extremely effective results that have possible in the event of any problems. offers a starting point from which found dozens of happy owners. In some circumstances, dealers can do components can be swapped with a Unlike an online transaction, the an impressive amount of diagnostic view to fi nding the perfect setup. relationship with a dealer doesn’t have and repair work on site, but mainly

JUNE 2015 115 GUIDE TO...

CUTTING A DEAL

All dealers have overheads to meet and businesses to run so simply strolling through the door and asking for money off is unlikely to be a particularly popular strategy. This being said, it is not impossible to secure a good deal when you visit a physical dealer premises. The path of least resistance is to check with the dealer beforehand to see if they are running any offers on one or more of the brands they represent. Manufacturers often offer incentives to dealers that are passed on to you and it may be that one of these dovetails with your budget and requirements. On a more localised level, it is also worth checking if a dealer has a product that you are interested in either ex-display or as a trade in. A little research time online can often find at least one example of a relatively mainstream product being offered at a reduction. Dealers will often – within reason – strive to secure your custom so if you have discussed your budget and there is a small gap between that and a successful transaction, you may be able to negotiate. Please note, this isn’t a given. A product in high demand is very unlikely to secure a meaningful discount because if you aren’t prepared to buy it at the list price, somebody else will. You may find, though, that accessory items and products that are nearer the end of their production runs can System matching is be more negotiable. vital and a dealer’s Not all negotiation is necessarily range can help here financial, though. As mentioned previously, where physical dealers can really assist you is in saving your time and sanity. If you are they offer a logistic base where cheapest when you start looking buying a category of product for the first manufacturers can collect and return for prices online. The simple act time – network players and turntables being especially applicable in this instance equipment to, and ensure that of offering a consultation, let – securing the assistance and knowhow nothing goes wrong with the process. alone a demonstration can take of a dealer in getting it up and running can Another service that is worth a considerable amount of time, be far more valuable than shaving a few pounds off of the list price. considering is trade-ins. In these days which must be budgeted for as of ebay, forum classifi eds (and indeed must demonstration stock, media, our very own Reader Classifi ed pages, supporting equipment and additional cusp of half a million pounds. Some starting on p122) and various other members of staff. have several hundred watts at their methods of selling equipment How you view the ‘worth’ of these disposal while others barely break yourself, a trade-in can look a little costs is obviously down to you, but we into double fi gures. They span a self defeating as the dealer has to offer bewildering variety of sizes and a price that includes the ability to A good dealer should functions, but what unites them is the mark up and sell the product on, but simple, unadulterated joy they bring there are some logical reasons to be able to tweak the to music. If you are after the best consider using the facility. The fi rst is components to best possible sound for your pound, we that you can be given an agreed price would factor in the small costs of then and there with no comebacks. suit your preferences having a dealer help you on your way. The second is that the trade-in money You are assured the very best advice, can be directly applied to anything would contend that spending a little customer service and support, and you are buying from the dealer. Of more to secure exactly what you want whichever way you look at it the course, items that have been traded beats missing the target and spending results are unquestionably worth it ● in to dealers can often be a very out over and over again. If you and worthwhile thing to consider in your your dealer can get a handle on own system building – especially if exactly what you are looking for in it came from them in the fi rst place, terms of sound and performance, meaning that its age and provenance you should be able to achieve far is easy to prove. more bang for your buck even allowing for the price premium Cost versus benefits incurred compared with buying online The services and benefi ts that a good (see Cutting a deal). dealer can offer are considerable, Ultimately, people will ascribe but the reality of running and different values to the services that maintaining a physical premises dealers offer and some of you will (some of which are stunning not feel that they are particularly buildings in their own right) means applicable. In our Dealer Visit features Getting a demo is one of that a bricks and mortar retailer is we have seen systems for under the main advantages over buying kit online going to struggle to be the absolute £1,000 all the way through to the

116 JUNE 2015 Guildford t. w. Audio 01483 537 577 www.guildfordaudio.co.uk e. m. [email protected] 07979 515 577

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DESTINATION: DORSET A pet food store is the last place Rob Lane expected to get his vinyl fix, but among the dog food are Pet Sounds, Love Cats and Super Fury Animals...

y fi rst memory of vinyl records was Animal House ‘pet and animal supplies’ store, disappointed, coming away with decent copies sitting on my father’s knee putting Doghouse is a labour of love for Mark and his of Scritti Politti’s Cupid & Psyche 85, The M 45s onto his Pye radiogram,” musician/composer assistant George. There’s Waterboys’ This is the Sea, Roxy Music’s Flesh explains Mark Dicker, owner of the certainly no real money to be made from And Blood and Slade Smashes (greatest hits). Doghouse record store in Bridport, Dorset. second-hand vinyl; Mark makes his living Two hours later, I am still there, fi ngers “He really liked Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves and from the pet supplies. aching, and am still only in the fi rst room! the Stones. He had a real ear for a hit and “I have a great admiration for anyone who This is a record store that demands your time; always surprised me with the music he liked; runs or is thinking of running a record store somewhere to while away an afternoon. very eclectic for the late sixties and early – they must be mad,” he says. “The decent Mark began his record shop journey in 1998 seventies. Later, when we moved into a pub, ones are always run as a lifestyle thing, mainly in Bude, Cornwall. When his restaurant ran he used to give me the singles out of the by music fans, where there’s no expectation to into diffi culties, he needed to fi nd a way to jukebox when he changed them every week.” make a genuine living. You can always tell make ends meet, and the confl uence of a We’re talking next to rows and rows of vinyl, when a shop is run totally for profi t because sizable record collection and sudden deep in the bowels of Mark’s unusual there is no coherence and no soul.” availability of a rental unit gave the answer. second-hand vinyl emporium in Dorset’s ‘Notting Hill-on-sea’, and Mark’s on a roll. Mark initially set up Arcade fire “The fi rst 45s I actually paid for in 1972 “I lost the restaurant and needed to do were Life on Mars by Bowie – still an all-time a record store in something, fast. A small unit came up for favourite – and Hocus Pocus by Focus. I was a Bridport’s twice-weekly rent in an arcade in Bude so I decided with a drummer in a local band by then and loved little help from friends Archie and Andy that the jazz-tinged, Buddy Rich-infl uenced street markets in 2005 I could sell some of my then vast collection drumming by Focus’ Pierre van der Linden.” of records,” explains Mark. “I had, at the Mark certainly couldn’t be accused of lacking There’s plenty of soul here. And rock, time, approximately 14,000 singles and enthusiasm for music and when you consider electronica, pop, jazz – the lot! But there’s something in the region of 8,000 LPs – all the ingenuity he’s had to employ to ensure he bags of the soul that Mark’s referring to as vinyl of course.” can keep selling vinyl, it’s obvious that this is a well. Set up in three small rooms – two for This worked well, up to a point. The man who loves the format as much as he loves LPs, one for singles – Doghouse’s walls are problem was that as many people who wanted the tunes imprinted within the grooves. covered in classic and contemporary rock and to buy wanted to sell, so it was hard to turn Doghouse, you see, only exists thanks to the pop posters, testament to his love of music. any sort of profi t – even frequenting the dietary requirements of pets and the love and It’s also, as you’d expect, stuffed full of lovely region’s record fairs. So Mark decided to generosity of their owners. Hidden (there vinyl, so many cuts that it’s diffi cult to really also sell by mail order via Record Collector didn’t used to be a Doghouse sign above the know where to start. I kick off with a fl ick magazine, and subsequently then online. It

door) at the back of the beautifully adorned through the £1 bargain section and am not was around this time, in 2002, that personal Hallvig Mansi/Johan of René courtesy Pictures

118 JUNE 2015 DOGHOUSE RECORD STORE

KING OF VINYL Mark bought his first LP from Rhythm Records in Redhill Surrey: In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson – although it wasn’t actually for him. (He also bought Autobahn by Kraftwerk at Rhythm Records long before it became a hit: “It had a picture sleeve; very rare now.”) “I had borrowed my friend Michael’s copy of In the Court Of The Crimson King, and being a complete idiot, had managed to scratch it. So, I replaced it with the copy bought at Rhythm Records and kept Michael’s. I still love the album and regularly listen to it on my Brennan, having ripped it to avoid playing the original vinyl too often.” Other favourite LPs include Foxtrot by Genesis and Moving Waves by Focus – the latter surviving being Push past the dog chews, cat food and animal thrown off the school bus by the local bully in the beds and there’s a wealth of vinyl to discover early seventies. Mark’s favourite artists include: Elvis, Billy Fury, The Stones, The Who, early Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison, King Crimson, Yes, Gabriel-era Genesis, Santana, Pink Floyd (up until and including The Wall), Kraftwerk, Supertramp, Weather Report, Miles Davis, Robert Palmer and John Martyn. “I love Weather Report mainly due to Jaco The man behind Pastorius’ bass playing – to die for,” enthuses Mark. “Genesis because of Peter Gabriel, The Who ‘cos of Doghouse, Mark Dicker Keith Moon – best rock drummer ever – old Fleetwood Mac due to Peter Greene – I’ve got his signature on 2001’s Show-Biz Blues compilation.” But Mark’s all-time favourite artist is Van Morrison reasons ldled Mark k to lleave Bude d and dh head d east came up with the monicker because he was and he’s lucky enough to have met the legendary to Dorset. He settled in Bridport, itself with always in the doghouse with her for various Northern Irishman. something of a reputation among musicians misdemeanours! But the name is very “I was selling vinyl at the Bath record fair in 1998, when Van Morrison came over to my stall. He bought and music fans alike – Billy Bragg lives locally, appropriate and both pet shop and record a copy of The Newport Folk Festival 1963: The Bobby Gillespie is a regular visitor, and the store have regular, dedicated patrons. Evening Concerts: Vol. 1! Shook my hand and said renowned Electric Palace venue (an old According to Mark, as well as confused pet ‘nice one’. It’s not every day you get to shake the twenties opera house, then cinema) – over the owners who fi nd themselves surrounded by hand of your hero.” road from Doghouse – has seen the likes of vinyl having taken a wrong turn past the cat Mark’s passion for buying new music eased off during the eighties, as he was busy having a family, Johnny Marr and PJ Harvey gracing its stage. litter, Doghouse is frequented by a “cross but the mid nineties pricked up his ears again, Mark initially set up a record store for section of society”. with dance and grunge making the biggest Bridport’s twice-weekly street markets in “There isn’t a particular type of person who impression: “I remember the first time I saw Nirvana on The Jonathan Ross show – amazing and 2005, but when the owner of the adjacent pet comes in to buy records – not like the old days still amazing today.” stall passed away, he saw a way of making a when it was usually middle-aged men,” Mark But it was Leftism by Leftfield that really renewed reasonable living while still running a explains. “We get young, old, male and female Mark’s interest in new music, opening the floodgates “lifestyle-choice” record store. customers – and rock royalty too. Alan Hull for vinyl ‘dance’ purchases of Faithless, Underworld, Chemical Brothers, Orbital, The Orb and Ozric “After the old boy died, everyone who passed from Lindisfarne and American jazz Tentacles. my record stall would ask for him, and it keyboardist Darius Brubeck are two of the “I have never stopped buying vinyl,” says Mark. became obvious to me that there was money nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. “Recent new cuts include Tinariwen’s latest, to be made. I decided to ask his wife if I could They were both performing locally and Emmaar, the new Floyd LP and The Unthanks’ Mount the Air.” buy his stall and stock, and the next thing I popped in for a browse. Bobby Gillespie is a And Mark remains seduced by second-hand vinyl, know I’m running a joint store with pet regular – his dog (a lovely, grey Staffy) loves regularly appropriating discs as they come into supplies and records!” to pee in the shop!” store. Recent ‘finds’ being 1968’s Shades Of Deep Gillespie bought Benny Hill’s Ernie (The Purple (the band’s ‘phase 2’ singer is based in nearby Lyme Regis), the Mission Impossible and Man From Pet Sounds Fastest Milkman In The West) during one Uncle soundtracks plus Roy Budd’s Soldier Blue. By 2012, Mark had moved onto bigger and Christmas visit, along with the usual treats for better things, ditching the stall and opening his dog and although he’s “always friendly”, Animal House just over the road. Initially set he’s invariably in a rush due to rushing back to exists in the real world, is tactile, smells nice up purely as a pet shop, it wasn’t long before look after his children. and combines music, art and words in one he had started to mix Pedigree Chum with Mark’s personal collection of vinyl may not concise package. pedigree vinyl. be as big as it was before he started selling his “Digital is alien. If we lose the ability to A rental storage unit had been in use for the records in Bude, but it’s still vast and, as a generate electricity then all the digital bits of original pet stall, but once Animal House was result of running Doghouse, always in fl ux. He kit we own become redundant. Using a bit of open and there was no need to store stock usually retains between 1,000-2,000, 500 of ingenuity, people will always be able to put elsewhere, he initially utilised the facility to which are “really rare”. Mark has never been together an instrument to play a record (clock, store his vinyl and sell online. But it was “that fussed” about original pressings, but he needle, piece of cardboard). DACs are great, cheaper to start storing the vinyl at the back of “really, really likes” fi rst pressings of ASD, SXL, but why go to all that bother when you can Animal House, and a natural progression to SD and SAX classical labels: “Just amazing just spin some vinyl?” start selling some of the stock from the shop records and recordings at the pinnacle.” You don’t need to own a pet to fi nd an itself. Soon, Mark was running a dedicated He has a theory as to why vinyl has seen a excuse to pop into Doghouse, but shopping for record store alongside the pet shop, hardly a resurgence recently, and it’s one worthy of the furry friends is often the reason why people, Lennon and McCartney partnership but streets of bohemian Bridport. myself included, make that fi rst visit. Once successful nonetheless. “I think it’s to do with humans being bitten by the Doghouse bug, however, you’ll Surprisingly the name Doghouse has nothing analogue, random creatures in what is be forever smitten. Just don’t expect to fi nd to do with the pet shop. Mark’s (now ex) wife essentially an analogue universe. A record any Pet Shop Boys – I didn’t! ●

JUNE 2015 119 COMPETITION

WIN: Three sets of in-ear headphones We’ve got bundles of in-ear headphones to give away to 14 lucky winners

op quiz time. What’s the biggest accessory among the painfully fashionable All of which means that the smarter growing sector within the hi-fi – sadly, you don’t see them swanning around headphone buyer that’s interested in audio P industry of the last four or fi ve showing off their DACs in the same way quality is a bit more discerning, caring less years? Bluetooth adaptors? Hi-res – but much of the credit is down to the Beats about the logo on their device and more music streamers? Portable music players? brand, which devoted fashionistas will about the important business of how it No, give up? Would it come as a surprise if happily spend £300 on to look the part. actually sounds. we were to reveal that headphones is the This month instead of giving away a answer? Probably not given the fact that Hitting the jackpot single large prize to one lucky person, we the rest of the page is fi lled with pictures Through a clever combination of celebrity thought it’d be nice to spread the love a of them... Headphones have always been endorsements and product placements Beats little wider and so we’ve gathered 14 sets popular with hi-fi enthusiasts as the perfect has become the headphone to be seen in, of three in-ear headphones bundles so that way to listen at home without disturbing and if you’re in the music business and not you can have a set for each of your devices. others or as an effective solution to making endorsing Beats, then you’re not that big a In-ears provide superior isolation to the daily commute to and from work less of star. While Beats’ owner – hip hop artist Dr over-ears, allowing you to block out other a drag. But recently they have become big Dre – successfully sold the company to Apple people’s noise, without disturbing them business and pretty much every serious hi-fi last year for a reputed $3 billion, the truth is with yours. They are lighter, more manufacturer (and some not so serious that Beats headphones aren’t actually great comfortable and can be easily stashed ones) have jumped onto the bandwagon in for hi-fi fans. They’re bass heavy and come away when not in use. To be in with a an effort to grab their share of the profi ts. up rather short when it comes to chance of winning one of the sets we have It’s not entirely clear exactly why it is that reproducing those all-important higher available, answer the simple question headphones suddenly became a must-have frequencies that audio fans love to hear. opposite and post it to us. Good luck!

120 JUNE 2015 COMPETITION

Final Audio Design Adagio III Final Audio Design Heaven II SoundMAGIC E10 Japan’s Final Audio Design has been creating Also from Japan’s Final Audio Design, the Heaven II Founded in 2005 in China, SoundMAGIC has built premium audio equipment for more than 40 years, in-ear headphones replicate the intense sensation up a solid reputation as a manufacturer of high- consistently designing exciting products that of fast-paced complex music with a combination quality earphones at prices that won’t break the pursue natural audio playback with a spacious, fluid of impressive speed and accuracy. Custom- bank. The E10 In-Ear Sound Isolating earphone is no and clean feel. designed balanced armature drivers deliver exception, reflecting precisely what earphones The Adagio III earphone features a BAM concentrated bass performance and perfectly should be like. They boast a solid metal mechanism, optimising air movement inside the balanced spatial separation. construction, potent bass with balanced musical housing and controlling unwanted vibrations, for The handmade housing is crafted from solid detail and vibrant colour combinations. powerful bass and a deep 3D spatial expression. A stainless steel by Japanese engineers with full focus SoundMAGIC’s acoustic engineers carefully specially developed elastic-coated cable eliminates on sound without compromise. They received a configured the drivers of the E10 to produce microphonic noise while the exclusive eartips Recommended badge in HFC 397 for their solid exciting sound with powerful bass and balanced ensure enhanced sound isolation. Worth £60. all-round performance. Worth £80. musical detail. Worth £35.

TO BE IN WITH A HOW TO ENTER CHANCE OF WINNING, Write your answer here to win: ANSWER THIS SIMPLE This coupon should arrive by 5.30pm on 10th June 2015 addressed QUESTION: to: In-ear Headphone Competition Hi-Fi Choice, c/o Data Europe Limited, 12 Regent Street, Haslingden, Rossendale, BB4 5HQ The Final Audio Design Heaven II is constructed from what? Answer:...... A) Magnesium Initial...... Surname...... B) Copper C) Stainless steel Address ...... Postcode ...... County ...... Email ...... TERMS & CONDITIONS Tel ...... I am 18 yrs old or over

1. Entrants must be over 18 years old and resident in the United Kingdom. 2. Employees of My Time Media and companies supplying competition prizes If you do NOT wish to be contacted by Hi-Fi Choice and My Time Media Ltd please tick are not eligible to enter. 3. Proof of posting will not be accepted by the magazine as proof of delivery. 4. No responsibility will be accepted for here: email , post , phone . If you wish to be contacted by carefully chosen third entries lost, damaged or delayed in the post. 5. No alternatives, cash or parties please tick here: email , post , phone . otherwise, will be offered to the winners as prizes. 6. The editor’s decision is For full privacy policy and terms and conditions, visit www.hifichoice.co.uk/terms final. 7. The closing date is 10th June 2015.

JUNE 2015 121 Reader Classified ads www.hifichoice.co.uk For saleFor / Wanted

MUSICAL FIDELITY M6i amp with black finish. In pristine condition and little used. Comes fully boxed: £1,200 ono: Reader 07791 529128 or 0207 2528122. for sale. 700W per speaker AUDIOPHILLEO 2 with VGC £2,600. Collect and pure power USB/SPDIF demo:01923 829354 or converter £475 (purchased email: michaelhardy10@ one year ago for £765): btinternet (Middlesex). 01202 515474 or email: Classified MUSICAL FIDELITY [email protected] Welcome to Hi-Fi Choice Reader Classified, A3.2 RDS tuner: £300. DENON AVR 4308 A308cr 24-bit upsampling upgraded to 4308a, in silver, a free private ads service for buying and CD player: £500. A308cr immaculate condition, 7x selling second-hand hi-fi components. dual mono preamplifier: 140W, bought for £2,000, £600. All are silver models bargain at £300. Choice of These pages are a must-read if you’re The simplest way to send your ad is via and have less than 100 hours two Denon Blu-ray players thinking about buying used kit, or if you email to: [email protected] or mail: use from new. Immaculate in silver to match, please have hi-fi you want to sell. It’s free – simply Reader Classified, Hi-Fi Choice, condition with original boxes, enquire. Please view and submit your ad of up to 50 words (we will AVTech Media Ltd, Enterprise House, remote and instructions. collect as very heavy for edit them if not), remembering to include Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, Happy to demonstrate: delivery: 01724 853357 or your email, phone number and county. TN8 6HF. 07500 804700 or email: email: stuartwoodstu@ [email protected] This service is open to private advertisers only. Just one ad per household. hotmail.com (Scunthorpe). (Cheshire). Images are for illustration only and do not represent what is for sale ARCAM P49 2x 200W KEF Reference 203 stereo power amplifier as FOR SALE floorstanding speakers. brand new, collection only: Ultra low distortion motor ATLAS Elektra interconnect Wireworld Polaris 5 s/c, 2m in sale £900 ono: 07902 07956 121013 (London). systems and stiff, lightweight (i/c), 1m pair £150 (£450). pair bananas-to-spades £195 494835 or email: rowland. NAIM System. Olive. NAP90, reinforced diaphragms, Chord Cadenza i/c with VEE (£500): 07772 711432 or [email protected] NAC92, CD3.5, Flatcap. deliver deliciously open bass plugs, 1m pair £90 (£200). email: richard.schofield@ (Inverness). Great condition with boxes with incredibly low distortion van den Hul The First Ultimate kcl.ac.uk MUSICAL FIDELITY £800. Soundstyle AV unit, even at high volume. 2 i/c, 0.6m pair £100 (£250). (High Wycombe, Bucks). AI CD Pro. Philips Pro 2 Model WG3A/V glass, steel Immaculate condition with All RCA, vgc and in original mechanism, lead-free version. and oak. RRP £339, great STAX SR-407 Earspeakers original boxes and grilles. packaging. Audioquest CV-6 24-bit/192kHz DAC, toploader condition £100 ono: 01420 and SRM-006TS valve Were £3,000 would like (with 32V dbs battery) speaker + PUC. Buyer collects, 538429 or 07770 601097 driver/amplifier, immaculate £1,699: 07704 722738 or cable (s/c), 10 ft pair bananas excellent condition £700: (Hampshire) condition and rarely used. email: [email protected]. £140 (£400). Chord Odyssey Personal import from Japan 07969 531763 PRO-JECT Tube Box DS AUDIO INNOVATIONS 2 s/c, 2.5m pair bananas- bought on impulse. Superb (North London). phono stage, black or silver S800 Mk1 power amp. to-spades £85 (£150). sound, 100V transformer inc MICHEL Tecnoarm aII black, (will supply the panels/knobs Service/modded (email new, unused £350. Rega for both colours). Hardly used for details) £450. Postage RB300 tonearm modified by – perhaps 10 or 20 hours. possible. Pair Elipson Planet L Origin Live and extra height Not even run in yet! Like new. standmount speakers, gloss adjustment rings, boxed, black, 3 months old. One grille Complete with original box mint condition £250: 01505 slightly dimpled otherwise and manual. Will post or can 346791 (Renfrewshire). VGC £225 (RRP £600). Buyer collect £300: 01482 672866 250 Hi-Fi magazines for sale. to collect: 07595701774 or email: steve@solwise. Hi-Fi Choice, Hi-Fi News, Hi-Fi or email: cawarra@tiscali. co.uk (Hull). World, etc. £80 ono: 01484 co.uk (Flintshire). WORLD AUDIO DESIGN 427426 (Huddersfield). KIMBER KCAG 0.5m 300B Monoblocs built ROKSAN Kandy L3 power interconnect with ultra plate by One-Thing Audio. amp. Great sounding, phono plugs, deep cryogenic Superb condition. Can be 125W per channel 8ohm treatment, super burn in auditioned £900 the pair: or 185W 4ohm, little used, enhancement and a mini 01202 481386 or email: world favourite £250: zapp filter attached. (RRP rodwaymichael43@ 07793 749178 or email: yahoo.co.uk (Christchurch, REL Q100 Sub in great condition powder blue. Variable slope £740) £295 cash if collected, [email protected] £310 cheque posted: Dorset). filter and volume ensure great integration, high or low-level (London). inputs. Infinite baffle design £120: 07793749178 or email: 01902 884694 or email: REL T5 subwoofer, two years [email protected] (London) BANG & OLUFSEN [email protected] old, light use, absolutely Beolab 9 active speakers (West Midlands). as new, manual and leads.

BUYING TIPS BUYING SECOND-HAND can be a great way to pick up a bargain. A formerly expensive second-hand component might well prove a better long-term bet than a brand-new product if the price is right. DO SOME RESEARCH on which brands have a good service back up, so if something does go wrong, you can get it fixed. Unless you purchase from a dealer, you’re unlikely to get any warranty, so it’s up to you to ensure the fitness of any gear that you buy. USUALLY speakers should be less prone to breakdown than amps, and amps should be more reliable than CD players. But any abused component could be trouble – have a proper demo and judge the seller as well as the goods!

122 JUNE 2015 award-winning high performance analogue, Reader Classified ads digital & video cables

Regrettably no box. Can demo. £450 new, asking £375: 01582 867139 or email: mikethompson48@ hotmail.com. (Bedfordshire) CYRUS PSX-R black in excellent condition, as new MARANTZ CD6000KI signature CD player £100. Arcam with user instructions £130: Alpha 6 plus amp with phones and phono amps £100. 01229 584509 or email: Cambridge Audio DacMagic £100. KEF Coda 8 speakers lindamarycott@btinternet. £30. All in lovely condition: 01727 842769 or email: com (Cumbria/Lancashire). [email protected] (Hertfordshire). ROTEL 1552 MK 2 stereo speakers – very good colour with slight damage power amplifier 2x 120W. condition: £100; Audiolab to one cabinet. Will demo:

High-end valve amp sound. 8000A integrated amplifier £375. Collection only: 01745 www.atlascables.com RRP £765. Sell as new £595: in black: £100; Thorens TD125 822992 (North Wales). 07956 121013 or email: MkII with SME arm Ortofon SONY Minidisc player/ [email protected] Blue cartridge: £250. Buyer recorder plus 100 discs if (Middlesex). to collect: 077304 77564 needed. As new: £90: 01278 SUGDEN CD21SE boxed, (West Midlands). 238783 or email: hifidave@ new laser fitted by Sugden, NAIM NAC 72 preamp: £310 gmail.com (Somerset). £899; Pro-Ac Tablette and Naim NAP 140 power QUAD ESL 989 speakers Anniversary standmount amp £315 – both boxed, plus in black, plus 99 Series speakers, Rosewood, boxed Roksan Artemiz tonearm: mint £849: 07583 640342 £500 – all excellent condition: preamp, CD player, tuner, 909 or email: grahamhd842@ 01527 835759 or email: stereo amp all serviced by hotmail.com (Notts). [email protected]. Quad: £2,000. All excellent condition: 01983 299236 ACOUSTIC ENERGY co.uk (Worcs). or email: [email protected] AE1 Mk3 SE. Immaculate B&W 686 standmount (Cornwall). condition. Fantastic sound. loudspeakers. Excellent Equator Only 250 pairs made. All condition: £100, plus Pure ATC SCM35 floorstanding Asymmetrical Integra packaging and manuals. Sound A30 integrated loudspeakers in cherry, £1,000. Audition welcome: amplifier: £400 – recently complete with original 07706169968 or email: re-valved: 07716 139026 boxes and manual. Excellent alex.ferguson3@ntlworld. or email: johnstonr733@ condition. £1,250 ono, buyer com gmail.com (N. Ireland). to collect: 01452 614515 or ION Obelisk 100 amplifier ICON AUDIO BA3 valve email: [email protected] (Nytech) £95; Technics SEA buffer amplifier. Mint (Gloucestershire). 800S MkII power amp £95; condition includes receipts, LINN Axis turntable with QED 230S amplifier – mint manual and packaging for Basik Plus arm £250. Owned condition: £80, plus Pioneer £500 ovno, plus Musical from new, original box and PD91 CD player: £450 and Fidelity X-Can v3 and owner’s manual. Buyer PL1000 turntable: £450 Sennheiser HD 595: £100 for collects: 01695 422730 – collection only: 01708 both: 01793 721506 (Wilts). or email mailpettener@ 457691 (Essex). ART Skibo floorstanding talktalk.net (South MISSION 752 floorstanding loudspeakers. Light wood Lancashire). Atlas understands the meaning of uncompromising HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR FREE AD performance. Is the Atlas Equator asymmetrical the YOUR DETAILS To submit your advert to us, please email letters@ best interconnect on the Name hifichoice.co.uk or market? It sure is at it’s Address alternatively, use the postal price! A consistent winner, form below. Please limit ads to a maximum of 50 words, the Equator Integra is ensuring all details, model obviously the entry level Email address names, etc, are correctly stated. Kindly also include audio interconnect for Daytime telephone number your email, telephone number discerning music lovers. Date and home county. We regret that we cannot take adverts over the telephone. One ad Need some advice on YOUR ADVERTISEMENT per household please. choosing the best cables? Call us free on 0800 731 1140

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If you don’t want to miss an issue PASSION FOR SOUND EDITORIAL TEAM SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGEMENT TEAM Editor Lee Dunkley Subscriptions Manager Kate Hall Group Editor Paul Miller Please reserve/deliver my copy of Hi-Fi Choice Production Editor Jake Day-Williams UK – New, Renewals & Enquiries Group Art Editor John Rook on a regular basis, starting with issue: Art Editor Emily Hammond Tel: +44(0)1858 438798 Group Sales Manager Joanna Holmes Email: [email protected] Chief Executive Owen Davies Title First name CONTRIBUTORS USA & CANADA – New, Renewals & Enquiries Chairman Peter Harkness Simon Berkovitch, Andrew Everard, Tel: (001) 866 647 9191 Surname Richard Holliss, James Hughes, Adrian Justins, Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Address Jason Kennedy, Rob Lane, Dave Oliver, REST OF WORLD – New, Renewals & Enquiries Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF James Parker, David Price, Neville Roberts, Tel: +44 (0) 1689 869896 Ed Selley, Andrew Simpson, David Vivian, Phone: 0844 4122262 Chris Ward, Nigel Williamson BACK ISSUES & BINDERS From outside the UK: +44 (0)1689 869840 Tel: 0844 848 8822 ADVERTISING www.hifichoice.co.uk Advertising Manager Simon Dunn From outside the UK: +44 (0) 2476 322234 Postcode Tel: 01689 869853 Email: [email protected] Distributed in the UK by Seymour Telephone number Email: [email protected] Website: www.myhobbystore.co.uk Distribution Ltd.

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