One for all Mini test FlexibleF 2TB CD-ripper Four Bluetooth desktop & network music system speakers battle it out

PASSION FOR SOUND Issue No. 399 July 2015 Pocket players Six hi-res portables for music on the go Wired for sound How digital cables can make your hi-fi sound even better

26PRODUCTS ON TEST: A&K, Dali, Krell, MartinLogan, Sony & Tangent PRINTED IN THE UK US$13.99 JULY 2015 £4.50 Pleasure Cambridge CXN principle Versatile network music Oppo’sO ’b superb player from all-new series PM-3 headphones “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. 399 July 2015 52 DALI Mid-May is always a highlight in Rubicon 6 the hi-fi show calendar with the High End Show held in Munich. This year’s international event saw attendance figures rise by 16 percent, with visitors travelling to the show from 71 countries around the globe eager to witness the latest developments in the world of audio. Previous years have seen the show focus on the more exotic areas of the market – this is the High End Show after all – with eye-watering prices 115 to match, but Munich 2015 seemed to spread its wings ADL G40a and include real-world price tags for the first time, attracting a slightly younger audience as a result – check out the highlights of the show on page 14 and get more insight in Opinion on page 79. Our cover story is a fine example of the broadening hi-fi horizon. Just a few years ago the majority of hi-res portable audio players cost upwards of £1,000, but the market has recently been buoyed by the introduction of a number of surprisingly affordable models. Our Group Test starting on page 26 looks at six, offering an usually broad range of prices, and compares their performance and usability. Portable music has come a long way in recent years and the must-have iPod is finally beginning to look outdated as fans move towards transportable high-quality audio. It’s not all about the player or file formats though, and you’ll need to factor in decent headphones like the PM-3 from 99 Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Oppo on page 56 to fully appreciate those sonic gains.

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

Rolling Stones picture credit: Peter Webb Peter credit: Stones picture Rolling EDENBRIDGE, KENT TN8 6HF

JULY 2015 3 WIN! 24 pairs of headphones from AKG p120 Contentshifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 399 July 2015

NEWS & OPINION GROUP TEST 6 Audiofile The latest news on the hottest products from the world of hi-fi coming your way Six of the best 16 Webwatch 26 hi-res portable Essential websites to direct your browser digital audio towards for all your hi-fi requirements players face off 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 122 Reader Classifieds Sell your unwanted hi-fi for FREE here 124 Back Issues Get past copies to complete your set 130 Next Issue The sonic treats to look out for next month 64

FEATURES 14 Show Report Munich’s High End Show is the perfect place to blow those lottery winnings 64 Quadraspire 6 From lawyer to hi-fi furniture builder: the story behind this amazing manufacturer 90 Beautiful System Bow down before the glory of this Krell, MartinLogan and Prima Luna combo 94 Labelled With Love How Sheff ield’s Warp record label crafted the template for today’s electronic music 116 Guide To... Why digital cables can have a significant 100 eff ect on the sound quality of your system Audiofile: Yamaha integrated and CD deck Music Reviews: James Taylor

4 JULY 2015 CONTENTS JULY 2015

“There is a wealth of good-quality solutions to cater for all your digital 103 Blue Aura X30 Bluetooth stereo speaker (Mini Test) connection requirements” TESTED THIS MONTH Guide to... Cables (Part one digital and networking) p116

18 Cambridge CXN network music player/DAC/preamp REVIEWS MINI TEST Kit testing Bluetooth stereo speakers 18 Cambridge £250-£300 CXN Network music player/DAC/preamp 102 Clint 44 German Physiks Freya BT Unlimited Ultimate floorstanding 103 Blue Aura 44 loudspeaker (Exotica) X30 German Physiks Unlimited Ultimate 48 Novafidelity 103 Tangent X40 music server & streamer Spectrum X5 BT 52 DALI Rubicon 6 floorstanding loudspeaker 104 Audio Pro 56 Oppo Addon T8 PM-3 headphone 58 Raumfeld CHOICE EXTRAS Stereo M active standmount loudspeaker 107 Analogue Studio 88 Heybrook AS-500 Rolling Cleaner 48 TT2 turntable (Retro) 107 Mitchell & Johnson Novafidelity X40 music server Wave Bluetooth adaptor & streamer GROUP TEST 109 LP Gear Hi-res portable players AT-95VL cartridge £169-£1,500 110 Epiphany Acoustics 29 Acoustic Research Atratus II and III RCA interconnects AR-M2 110 NuForce 31 Astell&Kern AK120 uDAC3 headphone amp and DAC 33 FiiO X5 113 Audio Origami 35 Hidizs AP100 UniArm tonearm 90 37 Lotoo PAW Gold 115 Alpha Design Labs Beautiful System Krell, MartinLogan 39 Sony NWZ-A15 GT40a DAC/ADC and Prima Luna come together Never miss an issue – turn to p62 for our latest subs offer

JULY 2015 5 THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS…

Boost to hi-fi Yamaha continues to grow its stereo separates range with the introduction of a new integrated amplifier and relaunched CD player

PRICE: £1,000-£1,400 AVAILABLE: SUMMER CONTACT: 0844 811116 WEB: UK.YAMAHA.COM

SINCE 2013 YAMAHA has made spanning 60 years, the Japanese audio launched in the summer last year. clear its commitment to extend its hi-fi brand maintains that stereo hi-fi Like the A-S2100 (£1,699), the range of models with an increasing components continue to be at the core A-S1100 amp borrows some of its number of dedicated two-channel of its thinking, and the introduction of technical know-how and features separate component introductions. a new integrated amplifi er along with from the fl agship A-S3000 (£3,999) This has not only helped broaden its a revamped CD player looks set to integrated amplifi er by utilising range but has also created further reinforce this pledge to continue the similar ideas like Yamaha’s fl oating appeal for audiophiles, thanks to a brand’s two-channel focus. and balanced power amplifi er design wide selection of models targeting The A-S1100 stereo integrated along with Mosfet technology, and customers looking for components at amplifi er is priced at £1,400 and claims that it delivers a valve-like differing price points. With an enviable bridges the gap between its A-S701 sound characteristic that makes it musical heritage and a hi-fi division and the A-S2100 integrated amplifi ers ideal for longer listening sessions.

6 JULY 2015 COMMENT TURN OF FORTUNE FOR TURNTABLES

They say that in life things are cyclical and that something that was once fashionable and has since fallen from grace will return to be flavour of the month again. And for whatever reason, right now that particular fad appears to be the humble record player and the black plastic discs that spin on its platter. Of course, we’ve known for a long time that vinyl is hard to beat when it comes to the warm sound quality, and removing a disc from its sleeve and sticking it onto a turntable is always going to be better than pressing play on a CD or MP3 player, but it seems that the general public that’s not usually so bothered about things like resolution and sound quality appears to be jumping on the bandwagon too. In early May The Daily Mail reported that vinyl album sales enjoyed a 20-year high of 1.29-million in 2014 – following seven years of unbroken growth – and that the trend has continued into 2015. According to the latest figures, LP sales are 69 percent better than they were at this Power output is quoted at 2x 90W Internally, the A-S1100 features a time last year, while 7in singles are up into 8ohm and 2x 150W into 4ohm symmetrical layout with the power 23 percent. Research by ICM seems to and the new amp is equipped to supply located in the centre and the suggest that it’s 18-24 year olds that are handle analogue sources via four power amp blocks on either side, driving the upwards trend, with one in five gold-plated RCA stereo inputs. A helping to achieve greater separation of those that were asked having bought at moving magnet and moving coil between the left and the right least one record in the past month. phono stage is fi tted – showing the channels and an even weight balance And the best news of all is that it’s not distribution across the mechanically just hipsters and ebay hawkers that are The A-S1100 amp rigid chassis. buying the black stuff , it’s actual music The A-S1100 integrated is available fans. As if to highlight the point, John borrows some of its in black or sliver fi nish with piano Lewis has reported a resurgence in sales know-how from the black, natural birch or dark brown of turntables with a 240 percent rise over side cheeks. 2014 after increasing its range of players flagship A-S3000 Accompanying the A-S1100 is from just one to eight. Blair Christie, the the CD-S1000 MkII CD player, costing buyer for audio and gaming at John Lewis, brand’s commitment to vinyl £1,000. Yamaha says that it’s largely said: “The UK’s renewed love aff air with enthusiasts – with gold-plated RCA based around the older model, but vinyl shows no signs of slowing down, and inputs and an earthing point. with a new colour option and some we expect turntable sales to continue Electronic volume control module minor changes under the hood that their upward trajectory throughout 2015”. and tone circuitry are also on board. include revamped D/A converters and While it’s unlikely that they’re going out The softly lit meters can be selected comprehensive sound tuning. We’re and investing in the best Pro-Ject or Rega according to your preference to told it will feature a USB DAC decks that money can buy, the fact that display VU or peak input audio handling 24-bit/192kHz there’s an interest in the black stuff at all signals. The window of the meters asynchronous formats. Both models is reason for cheer, providing a genuine is a precision-fi t, with no gaps. will be available this summer. feeling that despite the popularity of streaming and portable devices, there’s life in the old dog yet.

JULY 2015 7 AUDIOFILE

T+A’s new 2000 Series A brace of integrated amplifiers, a DAC and a turntable are all on their way from Germany

PRICE: £3,432-£5,577 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01353 721089 WEB:

T+A HAS ANNOUNCED details of its new 2000 R Series, incorporating two integrated amplifi ers, a DAC/ network client and a turntable. The PA 2000 R (£4,204) boasts 180W per channel and features linear output stages; gas-tight gold-contact relays and separate tone controls. Meanwhile, the £5,577 PA 2500 R (pictured) has larger heat-sinks and a power output of 2x 260W. At the rear, connections for both units include balanced XLR inputs, RCA inputs, RCA preamp outputs and non-magnetic brass loudspeaker terminals. The MP 2000 R (£4,204) DAC converts PCM signals up to a claimed 384kHz and DSD256. It also has a digital tuner and a Bluetooth streaming module. Lastly, the G2000 R turntable (£3,432) is fi tted with a modifi ed pressure-cast aluminium Rega tonearm and Ortofon 2M Bronze MM cartridge. For an additional £1,300 a high-end version is available featuring a Clearaudio Carbon-2 tonearm and MC-2 MC cartridge. IN BRIEF Denon’s M series micro PRICE: £349 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 02890 279830 WEB: DENON.CO.UK

Meet Denon’s M series micro hi-fi, FLAC and WAV formats. It has a Denon, minimised, ensuring that which has been designed for the 2x 30W power output and also the audio reproduction is “faithful audio enthusiast who prefers a provides a digitally transmitted to the original performance”. The smaller system that doesn’t play function designed to accompanying SC-M40 speakers compromise on sound quality. upgrade the sound quality include a 25mm soft dome The new D-M40 system from ‘iDevices’, along with an tweeter and 120mm woofer. comprises the RCD-M40DAB CD upgraded headphone amp The RCD-M40DAB is available receiver with SC-M40 two-way with dedicated gain control. in a choice of black or premium speakers. It’s capable of playing Thanks to its “Simple & Straight” silver finishes while the SC-M40 MP3, AAC and WMA files via a circuit design, adverse influences loudspeakers come in either USB port along with lossless on the sound signals are, claims black or cherry wood.

KEF’S NEW HEADPHONES ● KEF has unveiled details of its new M400 on-ear headphones (£200), M100 in-ears (£120) along with a relaunch of its M500 series (£250). The M400 includes a supra aural ear shell, 40mm neodymium drivers and a metal frame. Utilising what KEF calls an industry-first non-toxic production process, the M100 has 10mm neodymium drivers and has a choice of three ultra-thin silicon ear-tips. Finally, the M500 comprises neodymium drivers, an aluminium frame and foam earpads. KEF.COM

8 JULY 2015 Design | - the Philosophy

Having worked with Raidho speakers for more than 12 years, I found myself faced with a completely new challenge when I was asked to design a new range of high-performance speakers for the Scansonic brand.

Michael Børresen

Specielt anbefalet

01 2015

ssssss Scansonic MB-1

91%

EXZELLENT

A small speaker that does what it does really well

Dantax Radio A/S · Bransagervej 15 · 9490 Pandrup · Denmark ·Tel. +45 98 24 76 77 · [email protected] · www.scansonic.dk AUDIOFILE

A&K’s AK380 New portable music player from Astell&Kern

PRICE: £3,000 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: ASTELLNKERN.COM

FOLLOWING ON FROM the launch of the AK240 (HFC 387), a portable digital audio player equipped with a balanced output and native DSD playback through a dual-DAC setup, Astell&Kern has, it claims, gone a step further with its new AK380. Improved functionality includes an upgrade from 24-bit/192kHz to 32-bit/384kHz DACs, advanced jitter reduction and an optional headphone amp module that attaches to the player. Additional features incorporate a higher capacity battery, an extendible docking connector, a wide range of music fi le format support and a 4in touch screen. Wi-fi connectivity enables network streaming and fi rmware updates (both PC and Mac), while Bluetooth support allows for wireless streaming to headphones and loudspeakers. Crafted from aircraft-grade duralumin, the AK380 also offers 256GB of internal memory, while the addition of an optional microSD card allows expansion to 384GB. Connections located on the side of the portable player include a USB Micro-B input for both charging and data transfer and a 3.5mm headphone output. IN BRIEF Icon Audio unveils CDX2 INTRODUCING PRICE: £995 AVAILABLE: NOW THE WIDAPTOR CONTACT: 0116 2440593 WEB: ICONAUDIO.COM Leicester-based valve specialist weighs in at a hefty 9kg. The the CDX2 is serviceable and Icon Audio, has launched its digital and analogue circuitry replaceable and, as each CD second CD player, the CDX2. is hand wired using full-sized player is finished in the UK, Icon Replacing the CDX1, the new X2 high-quality components. is off ering a range of David Shaw has been specifically designed Additional features include Signature upgrades including to “deliver comparable sonics a top-loading Sanyo CD Jensen copper foil oil-in-paper but at a lower, mid-range price”. mechanism, a heavier alloy capacitors and premium new Featuring 24-bit/192kHz clamp – which also acts as a old stock valves. upsampling technology, the flywheel to increase rotational According to Icon’s founder ● Crystal Acoustics’ new Widaptor CDX2 uses an all-triode valve stability during playback – and and chief designer, the receives music over wi-fi and then Class A output stage a coaxial digital output. aforementioned David Shaw, the transmits it to any active speaker or incorporating T J Full Music In keeping with Icon’s ‘built to aim was “to craft a CD player hi-fi system, turning your existing or original Mullard valves and last’ philosophy, everything in with real warmth and dexterity”. setup into a cohesive wireless music system. The company says you can use any number of Widaptors in parallel, linking audio systems in the various rooms of your home into a single multi-room hub. Simply connect your Widaptor to any audio system or active speaker and you can transmit your music to it from your smartphone, tablet or laptop/computer (PC/Mac). Widaptor also supports USB playback from a memory stick or HD storage device. Compatible with all the WiSound wireless speakers from the Crystal Acoustics Reference Wireless Series, the Widaptor costs £50. CRYSTALAUDIOVIDEO.COM

10 JULY 2015 MUSIC PRODUCES A KIND OF PLEASURE WHICH HUMAN NATURE CANNOT DO WITHOUT. Confucius, from The Book of Rites

£11,950,950

When you’ve made desirable, top-end valve amps for over twenty years, you don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Probably the largest valve amp manufacturer in China, we are proud of the Ming Da heritage. Proud because of the skills of the highly trained people who build them: no printed circuit boards, no automation, just proper “point to point” assembly. Add hand wound transformers tailored differently foreach amplifier design, an easy upgrade path,sixty hours burn-in before shipping and further testing and burn at our Malvern base and you’ll see our 3 year guarantee is based on rock-solid foundations. We import Ming Da products because we love them. But also because, as audio engineers [we design and make our own kit under the Audio Detail brand-name] we know quality. And we believe you will too. Listen to your kind of pleasure at our Great Malvern showroom or check the website for details of your nearest, carefully selected retail partner.

Vision House, Davenham Close, Great Malvern WR14 2TY. Mark: 07831 197019/Raj: 07875 527116. www.mingda.co.uk 
  




 









 


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IN BRIEF

NEW VISO CANS ● NAD Electronics has unveiled the latest edition to its VISO headphone range – the on-ear VISO HP30 (£169). Featuring proprietary RoomFeel technology, this closed-back design includes an internally damped Gramofon add-on acoustic chamber and a 40mm driver with neodymium magnets. PRICE: £43 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: GRAMOFON.COM Described as ideal for those who demand high-quality sound while on THIS LITTLE BLACK Gramofon box is Having plugged Gramofon into your system the move, the HP30’s ear cups are designed to make it even easier to stream music via the supplied stereo RCA cable, it connects attached to the aluminium headband, to any audio system around the home. Made by to your wi-fi network. The AllPlay software while its soft foam ear pads conform Fon, it started out as Kickstarter project in 2014 enables you to play music stored locally on to the ear to isolate outside sound and launched initially as a companion to the your smartphone, tablet or computer and and provide long-term comfort. Spotify Premium music streaming service. adds multi-room functionality, enabling you Available in high-gloss black, red, A recent software update now incorporates to choose to play music in just one room, or or white, the HP30 comes with a Qualcomm’s AllPlay platform, which opens different material in several rooms. Acting like neoprene travel case, two detachable up a raft of additional services and facilities. a wi-fi hotspot, it’ll also be possible for visitors cords and aeroplane adaptors. This means that in addition to Spotify to join your network and play tunes from their NADELECTRONICS.COM Premium, Gramofon now supports all the other own devices too. music-streaming services on the AllPlay Most important of all, says the company, platform, including Napster, Rhapsody, TuneIn, AllPlay is essentially futureproof and Gramofon Aupeo, doubleTwist and Soma FM. Streaming plans to automatically update its fi rmware on a services like Tidal will be added and, says Fon, regular basis to ensure it’s compatible with the will be fully compatible with Gramofon. latest technological developments. VPI unveils Prime turntable

PRICE: £3,750 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 0131 5553922 WEB: RENAISSANCEAUDIO.CO.UK

American turntable specialist VPI’s quiet operation motor, isolation The end result, claims VPI, is a latest Prime record player is – feet, stainless steel/Delrin (resin) level of detailed vinyl reproduction TWEAKS FOR ALL according to the company – an record clamp, black textured vinyl that you would normally expect ● In its continuing search to improve eff ort to return to its roots while chassis and remarkably low wow from a much more expensively sound quality, Coconut Audio has taking full advantage of the latest and flutter specification. priced turntable. introduced four new handcrafted improvements in technology and high-end tweaks. The series includes design at the same time. And so the Plug tweak (£25), which can be the Prime boasts a curvier and plugged into any available RCA port more attractive appearance to prevent noise from leaking into a and comes equipped with a 10in system; the VibraDome (£50), which tonearm that’s been 3D printed. is purported to clean any unwanted Described as simple to operate vibrations; the Proximity Stone (£95), – just press the start button, move which is claimed to clean unwanted the tonearm into position and then radiation, and the Hanger (£190). lower the needle – this is also the Suspended from the RCA ports first solo design by the son of the or screws, it’s designed to clean company’s founders, Mat Weisfeld. electronic noise from circuit boards. Additional features include a COCONUT-AUDIO.COM 300rpm, 24 pole AC synchronous

JULY 2015 13 SHOWREPORT 2

3

1

4

Munich High End 5 Show 2015

Hi-Fi Choice joins the crowds in Germany to get 1 Naim’s new DR amplifiers available a glimpse of some hot hi-fi treats coming soon later this year will feature the Discrete WHEN IT COMES to hi-fi shows The good news is that despite the Regulator and we’re spoilt for choice. Las Vegas’ name, it’s not all super expensive kit NA009 transistor Consumer Electronics Show kick that’s beyond the reach of mere developed for its starts the year in fi ne style, while The mortals, and if you take the time to flagship Statement. 6 Hi-Fi Show – held by our sister title wander around the 506 exhibitors Existing owners can Hi-Fi News – bookends the year in showing off some 1,000 different get an upgrade. November. Sandwiched neatly brands, you will fi nd plenty of naimaudio.com between the two in mid-May sits products that are more real-world Munich’s High End Show, which is when it comes to pricing. 2 Chord unveils without doubt the biggest gathering This year marks the 12th time that its replacement for of its kind in Europe. the show has been held in the the QBD76 DAC. As the name suggests, the event impressive MOC exhibition centre in The DAVE (Digital focuses on the top end of the market, Munich, and the 34th time it has run to Analogue concentrating on some products that in succession. Although busy, it’s Veritas in Extremis) are so costly that they’ll make your never as crowded as CES in Las Vegas with DSD and DXD eyes water just thinking about them, and it’s more inclusive with plenty of file support up to and this year’s exhibition was no families visiting. Turning a blind eye 768kHz. Here this exception with everything from cables to the German beer and the fi ne autumn at £7,995. to turntables, portable media players selection of sausages, we turned our chordelectronics. to speakers on display. attention to some of the amazing kit... co.uk

14 JULY 2015 SHOWREPORT

7 8 3 Copland’s £1,800 DA 215 valve-based headphone amp, preamp and DAC is a 32-bit DSD-capable design that can be operated in fixed and variable output settings. copland.dk

4 Taking tech from its flagship Titan, IsoTek’s Genesis One is designed to provide a clean mains supply to a product and power additional low-voltage components from the same supply. isoteksystems.com

5 The Funk Firm’s Super Deck Grande at £2,100 is an evolution of its Little Super Deck. It allows for the mounting of two arms and its ‘main’ arm mount is reversible for either a nine or 12in tonearm. thefunkfirm.co.uk

9 10 6 Audioquest shows the new Jitterbug interference suppressor and Beetle DAC. The three-input DAC builds on the Dragonfly and looks set to go on sale here this summer for less than £150. audioquest.com

7 Leema showcases its Libra digital DAC with 24-bit/384kHz, DSD and DXD support. The £6,000 DAC/preamp has plenty of ins and a volume control that works in the analogue domain. leema-acoustics.com

8 Avid’s first foray into pre and power amps costs over £80,000, but the company employs a trickle-down approach so we can look forward to more aff ordable models soon. avidhifi.co.uk

11 12 9 Living Voice’s incredible Vox Olympian horn has to be seen to be believed and appears to be running on 750kg of lead acid batteries. livingvoice.co.uk

10 Pro-Ject’s upgraded RPM10 – the Ultra – swaps the acrylic platter of the standard model for a gun-metal eff ort along with additional carbon fibre. Let’s hope it makes series production. project-audio.com

11 Norwegian brand Hegel shows its H300 integrated amplifier that claims 2x 250W and adds a DAC board with an upgraded version of AirPlay that promises far higher performance. hegel.com 13 14 12 Focal has developed bespoke drivers for its new Sopra range. The Sopra 1 standmount and 2 floorstander should go on sale in the UK from June and look set to cost £8,000 and £12,000 respectively. focal.com

13 Neat’s new Momentum SX7i is a 2.5-way floorstander with an isobaric bass arrangement that should give it some serious bass extension. It’s set to cost £5,700 when it arrives in September. neat.co.uk

14 Analogue Works follows up its superb Turntable One (HFC 388) with three new models priced at £800, £1,500 and £3,000. analogueworks.co.uk

JULY 2015 15 AUDIOFILE

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

FOLLOW US: @HIFICHOICEMAG CHOICE TWEETS

Q ACOUSTICS (@QACOUSTICS) KEF Vive la Revolution! Vive @QAcoustics New 3000 Series speakers ready to ‘change the world’ at last week’s Munich show

KEF AUDIO UK (@KEFAUDIO ) Introducing stunning new additions to the KEF M SERIES! Available from June, more Meet Meridian 1563 words for bi-wiring here: goo.gl/zlODua #KEF Since 1977, Meridian has been at the No it’s not the latest Kate Bush album, but forefront of creating cutting edge hi-fi , and an indepth look at the pros and cons of STONEAUDIO.CO.UK (@STONEAUDIO) Do loudspeakers get any more beautiful? this new video featuring interviews with bi-wiring on KEF USA’s blog. From the Sonus faber Amati Futura in Violin Red cofounder Allen Boothroyd tells the story technical to the presupposed, this is well t.co/VnhZvkujFD behind the company’s unique approach. worth a read if you’re about to splash some GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL youtu.be/QIeLY2m-clU speaker cable cash. bit.ly/1LqxfD6 (@GLASTOFEST) We’re delighted to announce that The Who will headline Sunday night, with Paul Weller playing the penultimate slot.

TARA LABS (@TARALABS) New video for #TARALabs TL-101 #audio #cable #interconnects: youtu.be/8utrPwk1dhg !! Shop “TARA Labs Online” on Amazon and save 25%!!

HIFIDELICS (@HIFIDELICS) This hardcore punk record is the most expensive item ever sold on Discogs: t.co/NhPyC3Qi8g via @thevinylfactory

LOUD & CLEAR GLASGOW (@LOUDCLEARHIFI) Here’s John from the Edinburgh shop’s first Newborn buds Rack chat report from Munich high end that ended on Sunday Barely a week goes by without a new Shot at this year’s Bristol Show, this t.co/Gl1VZTuTo6 @loudandcleared hi-fi concept hitting Kickstarter’s pages, short interview with Quadraspire’s Alester HARBETH AUDIO LTD (@HARBETHHQ) but what makes Trinity Audio’s ear buds Kells (see page 64) reveals exactly what goes News spreads around the globe of different from the rest is their CNC machined into crafting those vital supports that provide #Harbeth’s #Munich announcement shells and custom screw-in fi lters, explaining a platform for our cherished components, BOSE UK (@BOSEUK) why these buds beat their £40k target by with brass couplings getting top marks. Our new headphone selection tool shows kck.st/1cQGosC youtu.be/ykn_FiJN8zo you which headphones are compatible with £67k. your device! bit.ly/1HY4TzO

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16 JULY 2015 THE PERFECTIONISTS

Once in a generation we design and hand build loudspeakers of such stunning quality they set the standard by which all others are measured for years to come. For perfectionists who demand uncompromisingly accurate sound, capturing the full emotional range, depth and detail of the original performance, THE REFERENCE delivers an experience without equal.

Experience obsession here:

Audio Affair Loud & Clear Sevenoaks Sound & Vision Birmingham Edinburgh Reading, Berkshire www.audioaffair.co.uk www.loud-clear.co.uk www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

Acton Gate Audio Loud & Clear Sevenoaks Sound & Vision Wrexham Glasgow Tunbridge Wells, Kent www.acton-gate-audio.co.uk www.loud-clear.co.uk www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

Brian & Trevors Lyric HiFi Sonority Design Manchester Belfast, Northern Ireland Brierly Hill, West Midlands www.brianandtrevors.com [[[P]VMGLM½GSQ www.sonoritydesign.co.uk

Canterbury Hi-Fi Nintronics Stone Audio Canterbury, Kent Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire Poole, Dorset [[[GERXIVFYV]LM½GSYO www.nintronics.co.uk www.stoneaudio.co.uk

Criterion Audio Nottingham HiFi Centre Unilet Sound & Vision Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Nottingham, Nottinghamshire New Malden, Surrey www.criterionaudio.com [[[RSXXMRKLEQLM½GIRXVIGSYO www.unilet.net

Fanthorpes HiFi Oxford Audio Consultants Hull, East Yorkshire Oxford, Oxfordshire www.fanthorpes.co.uk www.oxfordaudio.co.uk

HiFi Excellence Sevenoaks Sound & Vision Coventry, Warwickshire Clifton, Bristol [[[LM½\GSYO www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

InTune Audio Sevenoaks Sound & Vision Sudbury, Suffolk Cheltenham, Gloucestershire www.intuneaudio.co.uk www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk OBSESSED WITH HIGH RESOLUTION CAMBRIDGE CXN IN-DEPTH NETWORK MUSIC PLAYER/DAC/PREAMP £700

DETAILS PRODUCT Cambridge CXN ORIGIN UK/China TYPE Network music player/DAC/ digital preamp WEIGHT 3.5kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 430 x 85 x 305mm FEATURES ● Network UPnP playback/Internet radio ● Apple AirPlay/ Spotify Connect ● aptX Bluetooth with optional dongle ● DSD playback over USB from computer ● Fixed and variable outputs on XLR/ phonos DISTRIBUTOR Audio Partnership TELEPHONE 0207 9402200 WEBSITE cambridgeaudio. com

All change New logo, new look and all-new CX series, James Parker discovers if the same old Cambridge magic still remains

ew range, new name, new £1,200 851N, which was launched dished main rotary control and crisp markets: that’s just about alongside the CX range. graphics), and a curved under panel N the story of the Cambridge Both models are built around the to break up the lines and move it CXN network audio player. same inhouse-developed streaming beyond a simple, slimline slab. Not only does the new model carry module, code named Zander, and can The ‘engineered in the UK’ theme the company’s new, abbreviated be driven by a redesigned Cambridge is played up in the packaging and the corporate identity, shorn of the word Connect app on smartphones and fascia, with Union fl ags much in ‘Audio’, it also leads off an all-new CX tablets. However, while the 851N has evidence. The CXN even boots up with range of hi-fi and home cinema adopted the same digital-to-analogue the fl ag and ‘Great British Sound since components with freshened-up styling technology as the other digital 1968’ on the display, and I half expect (see Meet The Family on p20), and products in the 851 range, the digital to hear Land Of Hope And Glory takes its streaming products into the heart of the CXN is the familiar through the speakers! Cambridge mid-market hi-fi arena. Wolfson-sourced solution seen in makes great play not only of its That places it above the likes of the previous streaming products from this inhouse engineering expertise, with existing Cambridge Audio Stream company – but with some new twists. a strong design team based at its Magic models, but this isn’t quite the The CXN shares the new look of the London HQ working on everything fl agship streaming music model. That rest of the CX range, being available from electronics to software coding, accolade goes to the new addition to in black or silver, with a simple, clear but of how it’s managed to simplify the upmarket Azur 851 range, the fascia layout (including a striking the products in the quest for improved

18 JULY 2015 CAMBRIDGE CXN NETWORK MUSIC PLAYER/DAC/PREAMP £700 IN-DEPTH

CONNECTIONS

1 2 1 USB Type-A port for wi-fi antenna

2 Balanced XLR outputs

3 Line-level RCA outputs

4 S/PDIF & Toslink digital outputs

5 Ethernet port

6 USB Type-A port for storage

6 5 4 3

JULY 2015 19 CAMBRIDGE CXN IN-DEPTH NETWORK MUSIC PLAYER/DAC/PREAMP £700

As well as it being striking that a UK-based company has developed its own streaming solution, which of course is a classic case of ‘doing things the hard way’, it also brings with it a clear display, complete with album/ radio station artwork, and that slick smartphone/tablet app interface. Cambridge Connect is unlike many familiar network player apps in that it browses UPnP servers directly, rather than doing so via the player, and then hands playback duties back to the hardware when playing begins. This method of cutting out the middleman and harnessing the processing power now available in Android and iOS handheld devices makes it considerably faster than if it were purely working as a network- connected remote for the player with which it’s working. And the CXN/ Cambridge Connect combination is MEET THE FAMILY certainly one of the speediest and smoothest interfaces out there, a The CX range has been designed, Cambridge says: “To fit transport/disc-reading section, and designed for use either modern life beautifully and simply, while at the same time with the digital-to-analogue conversion in the CXN, or with delight to use, and one from which delivering class-leading audio performance”. That beveled that built into the CXA60 and CXA80 amplifiers. other manufacturers could learn a lot. base, inside which is a low-resonance chassis, is all about The two amps sell for £500 and £750, and offer outputs In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest giving the components “a unique ‘floating’ aesthetic”, while of 60W and 80W respectively. Both feature the same that, while the conventional remote is under the lid the intention was “to capitalise on the existing simplified signal paths found throughout the range, though adequate enough (and also provides strengths of the brand while seeking to take rhythm, timing they have built-in 24-bit/192kHz DACs and can work with whole-system control, via Cambridge’s and musicality… and elevate them to best in class”. Bluetooth devices with the optional BT100 receiver. In In addition to the CXN there’s a £300 CD transport, the addition to its greater power, the CXA80 also offers a C-BUS), and the combination of a CXC, using a proprietary Cambridge servo system in the balanced input to match the CXN’s outputs. decent display and that twist-and- push main control makes using the CXN ‘hands on’ pretty viable, I’d still sound quality, shortening signal paths its Type-B USB input will also invest the extra money for a budget and ditching superfl uous components. handle DSD content, albeit using Android tablet to run the app to make Neither is this just a streamer/ the DoP protocol rather than in the most of this unit. network player/whatever you choose native form, and has a ground lift HOW IT It needn’t cost a fortune – around to call it. The CXN is also designed as switch should you encounter hum COMPARES £100 will get you a 7in Asus MeMO a DAC and a digital preamp, having when connected. Cambridge’s own Pad – and even more affordable a range of inputs including an All inputs are upsampled to price rival is the old tablets are available and will do the asynchronous USB, plus a choice of 24-bit/384kHz using Cambridge’s Stream Magic 6 V2 job – but it makes a huge difference to fi xed or variable analogue outputs second-generation inhouse Adaptive (HFC 393), which at the user-experience. on both RCA phonos and XLRs. It Time Filter processing, running on first seems to have a similar feature set, also has AirPlay and Spotify Connect a 32-bit Analog Devices SHARC but closer scrutiny Sound quality capability, with a choice of wired or processor. This also provides the shows that the new This is just the starter to what is a wireless network connection, and can digital volume control when the model – which is the highly enjoyable sound from the additionally be used with the optional CXN is used in preamp mode, same price – has CXN, which lives up to its promise Cambridge Audio BT100 aptX been improved in of focusing on rhythm, timing and Bluetooth receiver (£70) for wireless just about every bass quality. Though it’s not exactly If the rest of the CX area. We liked the music streaming from smartphones, V2’s sound, but without competition at this price-level, tablets and computers. range approaches weren’t so sold on the CXN shines through not only due this high standard, the looks – no such to its ease of use and wide-ranging Well connected problem with the ability, but with a sound that sets it It can handle content at up to it could be special CXN. Outside the apart from those ‘streamers’ with a 24-bit/192kHz over network home stable, lower- tendency to play things safe in the priced rivals include connections or from USB storage allowing resampling at every Pioneer’s N-50A quest for a less ‘digital’ presentation. devices, for which a Type-A USB volume level, rather than the more (HFC 359) and It may upsample the digital signal, socket is provided on the rear panel common ‘bit-reduction’, which can Marantz’s NA6005. with typically fi nessed smoothness (alongside another used for the wi-fi impact on sound quality. Both go a long way and refi nement, but that doesn’t stop antenna that comes supplied), with a It’s also worth noting that while towards matching it kicking hard when you creep up on the CXN’s flexibility, further socket on the fascia. It’s worth the Zander streaming module used so it’s clear that it with the latest Prodigy album, The noting, however, that these sockets for network playback has all sorts of Cambridge is aiming Day Is My Enemy, in 24-bit/44.1kHz aren’t designed for the connection of technical advantages, according to its new network and unleash the title track. Boy, can Apple iOS devices, so for those you’d Cambridge – not least of which is player at selling on this little player thunder and thump! best stick to AirPlay. the fact it’s “some 10 times faster its performance, not The authentic Prodigy aural onslaught The CXN also has both optical and than some off-the-shelf modules” just by undercutting is unrestrained, bass lines shake the the competition. coaxial digital in and outputs, while – it’s impressive in other ways too. room and the electronica going on

20 JULY 2015 CAMBRIDGE CXN NETWORK MUSIC PLAYER/DAC/PREAMP £700 IN-DEPTH

above it all is suitably sharp edged. Add in impressive dynamics and you Q&A have a real power track, being Dominic Baker handled with just the right mix of Technical Director, Audio Partnership defi nition and sheer attack. Impressively, the CXN repeats the trick when things are dialled down a few notches with Blur’s reggae-tinged Ghost Ship, from The Magic Whip, (reviewed last month) dishing up a rumbling, but tightly defi ned, bass line while bringing out plenty of detail in the vocal and instrumentation. Play JP: What was the design thinking this track through a decent amplifi er behind the CX range, and how does combined with some speakers able to it fit into the Cambridge lineup? handle that powerful low end and DB: We wanted to move our products you’re not going to be at all on a level, set much higher standards disappointed by the results. for design, functionality and build Getting a bit into this whole bass quality, and take our products in a thing by now, I give some tracks from new performance direction. A great an Ian Dury compilation a spin, just deal of effort went into minimising to enjoy that whip-crack Blockheads the number of components in the signal path, to add more musicality It’s worth investing and better rhythm and timing to our existing strengths of resolution, in a budget Android dynamics, speed and power, and all with our trademark bulletproof build tablet to make the and reliability. most of the CXN How does the CXN differ from the rhythm section, and the Cambridge Azur 851N network player? The CXN wears doesn’t let me down. Not in terms The CXN and 851N are different its nationality products for different markets. It’s of motive power and certainly not with pride more accurate to refer to the CXN when it comes to revealing all the as an evolution of the multi-award clever things that the rest of this winning Stream Magic 6 V2 (HFC tight-knit band is doing in its usual and resolution, allied to all the weight 393), representing the culmination jazzy, funky manner. and slam that you would expect from of five year’s continuous experience Keeping things well away from the a streamer/DAC at this level – and of developing all elements of a audiophile approved, I play in some then some. streaming platform inhouse. of the Concert For New York from more than a decade back, in a DSD64 rip Conclusion The CXN doesn’t handle DSD files from SACD. Again the CXN does its By any standards, this is an impressive over network streaming. Was that stuff with fi ne live presence on a network audio component, going far a conscious decision, and does rough and ready version of Miss beyond the ‘buy a streaming platform Cambridge have plans to introduce You by Mick and Keef, and then a off the shelf, add on a DAC and stick it it at some stage? slamming nine-minute Won’t Get in a nice box’ approach of some Yes it was a conscious decision as Fooled Again from The Who – not similar products we’ve seen in the part of an ongoing evaluation to clean, not nice, but very defi nitely fun. past. Putting in the design time has establish the level of customer A swift handbrake turn into the solo paid dividends for Cambridge, and if interest in DSD, and how and if piano version of Mussorgsky’s Pictures the rest of the CX range approaches they want the codec support to At An Exhibition, another DSD64 this high standard, it could just be be implemented within the products. At the moment we continue with an from the Mercury Living Presence something rather special ● open mind. recording, and the Cambridge delights with the focus on the piano, placed We’re seeing new streaming convincingly in an open, natural services popping up almost on a soundstage, a little deep behind the OUR VERDICT weekly basis at the moment, how plane of the speakers to allow the SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Powerful but easy is it to add support for extra ambience to wrap round it, but at the poised sound; high services to products such as this same time with all the percussive standard of build; should the need arise? simple to use power of the instrument on tap when VALUE FOR MONEY Our policy is to offer additional DISLIKE: Bluetooth is required. Not at all bad for a recording extra; nothing else at streaming services only where we just about to hit its 54th birthday, and BUILD QUALITY the price can fully integrate them directly into a fi ne example of what good SACD/ WE SAY: A versatile our platform rather than try to simply network player with DSD can do when carefully mastered FEATURES ‘bolt’ something onto our own app. smart looks and great from old analogue tapes, and then sound at the right price At the moment, with Spotify Connect played on fi ne equipment. and AirPlay, we feel we have the two OVERALL But then whatever you throw at it, best options currently available, the CXN seems to shine, thanks to although we do continue to evaluate its winning combination of delicacy other options.

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Hi-Fi Choice employs the most rigorous test and measurement regime in the business. Here’s how we do it...

REFERENCE SYSTEM INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER Unique group tests Musical Fidelity M6500i LOUDSPEAKERS Dynaudio Excite X38 EQUIPMENT SUPPORTS Our Group Tests are supported by rigorous and Audiophile Base CABLES exhaustive listening tests carried out by experts QED XT40 speaker cable HEADPHONES Oppo PM-3, Sony MDR-1A, Final Audio Pandora Hope IV HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS GROUP TEST TEST MUSIC THE PROCESS OF reliably auditioning six before each listening session commences. Each PINK FLOYD Digital Audio Players isn’t as straightforward player is in turn connected to several pairs of The Division Bell as doing a single standalone review. Each player headphones at differing price points and with 24/96 FLAC is connected with its supplied power lead, or if varying impedance sensitivities to test their it is hub-powered it’s put into a suitable USB performance thoroughly. They are also port, and powered continuously to make sure connected via the 3.5mm audio output to a that it’s built-in rechargeable batteries are at reference hi-fi setup to discover how well they full capacity before listening takes place. This perform as a source at the front of a dedicated procedure ensures that all of the models have system driving a pair fl oorstanding speakers. reasonable use before any listening begins, Numerous tracks are listened to, but the and they are all kept powered or topped up to sessions focus on four albums chosen to provide maximum charge throughout the comparative a wide variation of musical styles, recording listening procedure. quality and sample rates. Each track is played The testing period takes place over several several times until a defi nitive picture of the EAGLES days, with all the players given time to warm up player’s sound quality is obtained. Hotel California 24/96 FLAC

DIANA KRALL Wallflower 24/48 FLAC

BLIND LISTENING TESTS high enough to make diff erences consensus, or otherwise then LONDON GRAMMAR This crucial process is very easily discernible. Then the forms the basis of our sound If You Wait carefully controlled so that we choice of music is agreed – it quality section. 24/44.1 ALAC 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.

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

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All there is. HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 Keep on moving

As downloadable music gets more sophisticated, Lee Dunkley auditions six top-flight portables capable of playing all your music files at the highest quality available

FOR THOSE THAT can remember, the modern day portable music player was originally started by Sony. Since the Walkman – originally named the Stowaway, but quickly changed – fi rst launched in 1979, music fans have been fascinated with taking music out on the road. The eighties was a great time for the Walkie, and the fi rst blue and silver portable Compact Cassette players changed our relationship with music forever, bringing music from home hi-fi systems to the streets with every audio manufacturer of the time introducing their own mostly more affordable models to portable music fans of the day. Street life While the decade went on to be Apple’s fi rst-generation iPod was to use and integrated seamlessly with dominated by the introduction of the launched in 2001 and changed the computer software to import tunes. Compact Disc, most of us fell in love music-on-the-go landscape forever But with years of listening to with the cassette portable for listening with one of the world’s most popular compressed music fi les owing to to music on the move. It transformed music portables that had a 5GB HDD limited storage capacities and formats a train or a bus ride to the offi ce or capable of storing and playing music of the time, today’s fans increasingly school into an energising experience fi les downloaded from its iTunes desire to hear tracks at full resolution, that could put a smile on faces even music store. But the success of the without compromise. With this in on a dismal Monday morning iPod was not down to its storage – mind, the six models here all cater for commute. By the end of the nineties other brands were already doing this hi-res audio. It’s a broad market with things had moved on and Sony’s – it was the mechanical click wheel, entry-level players jogging alongside dominance in the physical media followed by a touch-sensitive version high-end ones, offering different portables market was hardly in 2002 that was the game changer. features and ease of use. Read on to anywhere to be seen. This was an altogether nicer interface see which models come out on top.

26 JULY 2015 ON TEST

Acoustic Research Astell&Kern FiiO Hidizs Lotoo Sony AR-M2 £900 p29 AK120 £1,100 p31 X5 £289 p33 AP100 £230 p35 PAW Gold £1,500 p37 NWZ-A15 £169 p39 The revamped One of the first portable This 24-bit/192kHz Not many people King of bling, this new With roughly the same speaker brand’s first hi-res players, this model affordable player know this brand, so it contender sets the bar dimensions as a 4th-gen audio player offers is still popular among supports a wide range has a tough job ahead high when it comes to iPod Nano, this entry- playback of all hi-res aficionados for its neat of lossless formats with to prevail over more build and specs, and level portable handles formats including operating system, but current storage support established players. The even the heavyweight 24/192 lossless formats DSD, and has bags how does it compare to for up to 256GB via dual specs suggest that it’s off casing is accentuated and is from the brand of style to boot. the latest competition? microSD card slots. to a good start though. with 24k gold elements. where it all started.

JULY 2015 27 by Pro-Ject

You can demo a wide variety of Reference Series products in-store at the following retailers: Analogue Seduction Reference Series Peterborough, Cambs: 01733 350878 Audible Fidelity The Reference Series of balanced hi-fi electronics from Daventry, Northants: 01327 301006 Pro-Ject Audio Systems offer a unique design, and a Ceritech Audio sound performance that cannot be matched at the price. Cinderford, Glos: 01600 716362 Dooleys HiFi Incorporating a top-loading CD transport, a wireless Macclesfield, Cheshire: 01625 264666 streamer, an award-winning phono stage, a hi-res DAC Evolution Audio and a variety of amplifier solutions; all RS electronics Selby, N. Yorks: 01757 706372 offer balanced and unbalanced connection options, and Mackenzie Hi-Fi employ valve stages wherever possible. Wellingborough Northants: 07905 362545 Midland Hi-Fi Studio The whole range can also be improved with purpose- Finchfield, Wolves: 01902 380083 designed external power supplies, offering simple but Music Matters effective upgrade paths for the future. Hatch End, Middx: 02084 201925 Zouch Audio Elevate your listening experience today... Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leics: 01530 414128

Distributed by Henley Designs Ltd. T: +44 (0)1235 511 166 | E: [email protected] | W: www.henleydesigns.co.uk HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

Acoustic Research BRAND REBOOT After years of apparent hibernation, the announcement of the one-time speaker brand’s relaunch came at this AR-M2 £900 year’s Bristol Show – held at the end of February – with news of two models triggering the rebirth of the Veteran hi-fi brand returns to embrace portable 60-year old hi-fi name. Acoustic Research is perhaps better known for music with this sophisticated hi-res audio player its innovative speaker designs and suspended sub-chassis belt drive turntables, but has rebooted as an DETAILS he fi rst of our newcomers, onscreen info, which often clashes electronics brand under the Vox Acoustic Research with the album’s artwork text when corporation’s new owners in the US. PRODUCT Acoustic Research T relaunched itself as an they overlap at the top of the screen. The AR-M2’s file format handling is AR-M2 electronics brand earlier The M2 can connect to wi-fi , which impressive and covers WAV, AIFF, ORIGIN this year – see Brand Reboot – and the also provides access to NAS drives FLAC, ALAC, APE, DSD64 and China AR-M2 is its fi rst hi-res audio player, thanks to DLNA support. Additionally DSD128, plus DXD files. It boasts a TYPE with more products slated for release you can download apps like Spotify, bespoke high-current, high-output 24-bit/192kHz & DSD-capable Digital in the next 12 months we’re told. Tidal and Qobuz for streaming music. Class A amplifier, plus audiophile- Audio Player First impressions are very good and Downloading and installing the grade analogue volume ALPS WEIGHT in terms of spec and price it looks set Android fi le transfer software to my potentiometer. A high-grade 245g to be pitched against Sony’s eagerly desktop is straightforward enough Burr-Brown PCM1794A DAC is also on DIMENSIONS anticipated NW-ZX2 – which sadly and enables me to drag-and-drop board and the headphone amplifier (WxHxD) 71 x 136 x 15mm wasn’t available in time to take part in hi-res music fi les to the AR-M2’s 64GB can handle cans with impedances FEATURES this roundup. Its proportions mean it internal storage without any real from 16 to 300ohm. ● Quoted battery looks more like a smartphone than any issues. Usefully, the metadata and life: 9 hours other digital audio player (DAP) in the album artwork remains intact within ● 64GB internal storage test, and it’s easily the most stylish and the transfer. A MicroSD card slot Ultra-smart ● MicroSDXC slot desirable model here and the large 5in bolsters storage capacity, and is styling and (128GB max) HD-IPS touch-sensitive display is easy compatible with cards up to 128GB. solid build DISTRIBUTOR to navigate and quick to get to grips ATC Energy Tech Corporation Ltd with. Screen resolution is 720 x 1,280 Sound quality TELEPHONE pixels and it’s clean and clear with As a familiar hi-fi brand but one of 07734 064360 responsive onscreen icons that make the newest names in digital audio WEBSITE it easy to fi nd your way around the portables the AR-M2 sets out to be acoustic-research. operating system. If there has to be the challenger to similarly priced com a downside it’s the positioning of the rivals, and Acoustic Research has its work cut out when it comes to sonic performance at the price. But the challenge is certainly met head on and the AR-M2 does an expert job with playback via its own hi-res music player app with all material across a broad range of formats and qualities. Its fair to say that DXD shows off its capabilities the best with a 24/352 fi le of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.4 in D Major, as the AR-M2 conveys the performance with plenty of texture in the strings and demonstrates a tremendous sense of the recording’s acoustic space and is unsurpassed by the competition on test here. Switching to something a bit more OUR VERDICT rocky, and the clarity of the vocals SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Top-notch sound and the way the AR-M2 places with all file formats; instruments across the frequency ease of use range expertly in the mix makes it VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Track info can clash with album the easy listen of the group. Bass artwork BUILD QUALITY and treble details are in excellent WE SAY: The best- proportion, but just in case there’s a sounding hi-res audio player we’ve heard at bunch of EQ adjustments should you FEATURES the price want to fi ne tune the AR-M2’s sound balance to suit your own personal OVERALL preference. There’s also an effective bass boost and a 3D control that attempts to widen the soundstage ●

JULY 2015 29

HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

Astell&Kern MIND THE GAP One of the issues with the original firmware for the AK100 was that it didn’t support gapless playback out AK120 £1,100 of the box. This is essential for Floyd fans, devotees of live albums and dance mix heads, and thankfully the This popular player has been around for a couple of AK120 incorporates this capability in the firmware version installed on our years now, but does it still set the standard for hi-res? test model. Gapless playback is easily selectable from the settings menus and can be found alongside a DETAILS he last few years have been used as an outboard DAC hooked up five-band graphic equaliser that an interesting time for fans via its USB or optical digital inputs to utilises sophisticated touch-sensitive PRODUCT Astell&Kern AK120 T of hi-res portable music a source and output via a suitable jack level adjustments, as well as setup ORIGIN players and Astell&Kern output lead from the headphone/line menus and Bluetooth connectivity Korea has attracted a lot of interest from out socket to an external amplifi er. for pairing with suitably equipped TYPE fanciers, and with good reason. Back The volume control on the side has playback devices (along with the 24-bit/192kHz & in 2013 its fi rst AK100 player (HFC protective wheel guard extensions inevitable drop in sound quality, of DSD-capable Digital Audio Player 370) was quickly followed by the and you also get a rather nice Italian course). With a quoted 3ohm output WEIGHT AK120 – fi nished in black (as shown leather case to protect the dinky unit. impedance, the AK120 should be able 143g here) and AK120 Titan fi nished in The only other accessories are the to drive a wide range of headphones. DIMENSIONS silver. Both models improved on the Quick Start guide, the micro USB lead Format playback capabilities include (WxHxD) AK100’s storage capacity of just 32GB and self-adhesive screen protectors. the usual suspects of: WAV, AIFF, 59 x 89 x 14mm upping it to 64GB (while doubling Charging is via USB and claims to FLAC, ALAC, APE, MP3, AAC, WMA, FEATURES ● Quoted battery its price), and if you add two 64GB give up to 14 hours of continuous OGG and DSD up to 2.8MHz. life: 14 hours micro SD cards the tiny player is playback use when fully topped up. ● 64GB internal capable of providing a massive 192GB storage ● 2x MicroSDXC capacity, affording space for several Sound quality Dinky size, slot (128GB max) thousand HD tracks. The AK120 gives a refi ned and but decent file handing DISTRIBUTOR This is one of the more sober- enjoyable presentation with the KS Distribution looking models in the group and it opening of Don’t You Worry ’Bout TELEPHONE appears a little outdated compared A Thing by Stevie Wonder and is a 01903 768910 with more cutting-edge designs. thrilling listen. The clearly identifi able WEBSITE Though the 2.4in IPS touchscreen enhancement of the dual mono astellnkern.com display isn’t nearly as sophisticated as DACs gives a good sense of stereo the AR-M2, it places album artwork separation and detail and the neatly behind the menus without accompanying piano at the beginning any clashes and the menus operate of the track has a remarkable sense just as smoothly. Also on board of placement that sounds three- are dual mono Wolfson WM8740 dimensional compared with the 24-bit/192kHz DACs to improve slightly fl at rendition from the audio quality, and the AK120 can be lower-priced FiiO X5, for example. Convincing bass is something that A&K players have in spades thanks to their low frequency range extension, and the AK120 is able to extract the bass line from London Grammar’s Hey Now (24-bit/44.1kHz) to tremendous effect and it appears as if suspended in mid air in the stereo picture, making it among one of the most enjoyable versions that I have heard. One of the joys of high resolution is the sense of real air and reverb OUR VERDICT around Hannah Reid’s vocals and this SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Sound; dual makes the track a great listen . DAC capability; Desperado by Diana Krall DSD playback downloaded from highresaudio.com VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Lacks sophistication of is as delicate and intricate as it should today’s portable be with her rich and silky vocals BUILD QUALITY player rivals coming through effortlessly on the WE SAY: This unit stacks up for its sound, AK120. With the latest fi rmware FEATURES but is being overtaken version installed, DSD sampler tracks by stylish new rivals are simply astonishing with a fantastic OVERALL deep bass and the rich tones of the orchestral pieces sounding more lifelike than ever ●

JULY 2015 31 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] HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

FiiO X FACTOR The FiiO X5 uses a TI PCM1792A DAC chipset that is compatible with APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA and WAV X5 £289 lossless music formats up to 24/192kHz. The company says that DSD playback will be added and This hi-res audio player may lack some style, but looks optimised in pending firmware upgrades. More impressive than the aside it’s a flexible solution at an attractive price planned DSD playback capability, though, is the X5’s ability as an outboard USB convertor that enables DETAILS hose in search of an less stylish than its £100 X1 sibling, it to be used as a hub-powered inline alternative to the more and is fi nished in a rather utilitarian DAC between a computer connected PRODUCT FiiO X5 T widely available but pricier black casing although a soft silicone to an external music system to ORIGIN hi-res portable audio rubberised skin is supplied. In terms eff ectively upgrade its audio. China players will have noticed a growing of features, the 2.4in display feels Menus may be a tiny bit unintuitive TYPE number of surprisingly affordable a bit low rent thanks to a rather and awkward to navigate, but once 24-bit/192kHz models coming their way from FiiO. subdued backlight – even at you find your way around the X5 Digital Audio Player We’ve seen a couple of models over maximum brightness and full battery you’ll discover some useful facilities WEIGHT 195g the past 12 months from the Chinese charge – and the screen’s mirror-like and options such as gapless DIMENSIONS brand, with its X3 model appearing in fi nish means you see as much of your playback, power on volume level, (WxHxD) HFC 382 last year and the X1 in last own refl ection displayed as you do gain settings and a 10-band graphic 68 x 114 x 16mm month’s issue. So it won’t come as the menu text. equaliser with preset EQ as well as FEATURES much of a surprise to learn that the The X5 is the only player here to manual adjustments for frequency ● Quoted battery life: 12 hours X5 is the next model up in the FiiO have a scroll wheel for navigating bands labelled from 31Hz to 16kHz. ● 2x MicroSDXC line and is an amazingly affordable around system menus. It’s a neat slots (256GB max) 24/192-capable hi-res player with the touch that operates well, but the ● 2.4in IPS display (400 x 360) promise of DSD playback via future central enter button is a little Style is lacking, fi rmware upgrades. unresponsive and the outer shortcut but outputs DISTRIBUTOR are plentiful KS Distribution One of the areas where the brand buttons are unintuitive and change TELEPHONE manages to make cost savings is their functionality as you move 01903 768910 in the lack of any internal storage. through the system menus, which WEBSITE Instead the X5 has two microSD slots means it can take some time to get hifiheadphones. that can accommodate cards up to to grips with. Output socketry is co.uk; fiio.net/en 128GB. Arguably another area where very well supported and you get savings look like they’ve been made independent line-level and optical is in the design of the player itself, digital output jacks along with a which rather surprisingly looks a lot headphone out, suitable for impedances from 16-300ohm. Sound quality With the comprehensive EQ settings – see X Factor – switched off, the X5 delivers its smoothest performance. The frequency range is nicely extended across all fi le formats and it puts on a decent show. However, the sound signature isn’t quite as expansive as some of its nearest price rivals, and the frequency response manages to sound a little contoured even though EQ is off. It’s a sonic subtlety, but the X5 doesn’t quite manage to draw me in during listening sessions as much as its OUR VERDICT nearest rivals. It has a knack for SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Versatility; price; enhancing high frequency details on warm sound some tracks and manages to cruelly DISLIKE: Lack of highlight occasional sibilances a little VALUE FOR MONEY openness and resolution; unintuitive more keenly than I’d like on Diana menu system BUILD QUALITY Krall’s version of California Dreamin’ WE SAY: Flexible downloaded from highresaudio.com. player and inline DAC at an attractive price, Bass extension is good and FEATURES but has poor ease of promising with Stevie’s Living For The use and lacks style City at 24/96, but the X5’s rendition OVERALL seems to be lacking some of the track’s soul and sounds as though it’s just going through the motions ●

JULY 2015 33 with music in mind since 1974

Exposure Electronics Limited Unit 18, Winston Business Centre, 43 Chartwell Road Lancing, West Sussex BN15 8TU, United Kindom. www.exposurehifi.com HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

Hidizs BARGAIN SPECS Hidizs is yet another portable audio brand trying to make its way in the UK market. The China-based company AP100 £230 was first formed in 2009 and spent several years conducting extensive research and development to The new kid in town when it comes to hi-res audio, but will establish its positioning and entry point into the portable hi-res audio this aff ordable player leave you feeling short changed? player market. And it looks as though the time was well spent, as the AP100 is the first model to come from the DETAILS oping to break into the Plus the screen can be diffi cult to view company and yet it is packed with affordable hi-res portable from any angle other than straight on, high-grade audio technology, which PRODUCT Hidizs AP100 H audio player market is the and onscreen artwork and track includes a Cirrus Logic DAC, CS8422 ORIGIN unassuming AP100 from information quickly becomes solarised SRC upsampling chip, AD823A China Hidizs. Launched earlier in the year when you look at the player off axis. audio filter and CS48L10 DSP chip TYPE at CES in Las Vegas, it quickly got our Screen aside, this is a slick portable to list but a few. It also uses a dual 24-bit/192kHz attention thanks to its affordable price with useful features like gapless crystal oscillator to ensure sampling Digital Audio Player tag and hi-res capabilities. Its looks are playback, headphone sensitivity output rates are matched. WEIGHT 156g a little utilitarian and it’s around the and support for WAV, FLAC, WMA, What’s more it comes supplied with DIMENSIONS same size as an iPod Classic, but it can MP3, OGG, AAC, APE, AIFF and ALAC, a leatherette case, USB cable and (WxHxD) playback an impressive selection of fi le while DSD is in the pipeline with screen protector. Charging is done 66 x 107 x 16mm formats including hi-res audio up to future fi rmware upgrades. by USB only and gives around 10 FEATURES 24/192, but no DSD. With an ability to upsample tracks hours of music payback from the ● Quoted battery life: 10 hours Unlike the FiiO – its closest rival – it via the Cirrus Logic 24/192 DAC – see built-in 3,000mAh Li-ion battery. ● 8GB internal has 8GB of internal storage, which is Bargain Specs – the AP100 sets itself storage expandable to 72GB by adding a 64GB up as a very versatile portable at the ● MicroSDXC slot (64GB max) MicroSD card to its storage slot. It feels price, and is a neat little feature that Fuss-free solidly built and is among the lighter can in theory help to improve on styling and DISTRIBUTOR easy to use KS Distribution models in the group. It has a 2.4in TFT subtle audio details. In addition, TELEPHONE screen with 320 x 240-pixel resolution, there’s a healthy array of socketry, and 01903 768910 which is okay but nothing to get the AP100 can also be used as an WEBSITE excited about. Menus are easy to inline DAC between a computer hifiheadphones. navigate and operation is intuitive. connected to its microUSB input and co.uk; hidizs.com/ EN/Products/ Some of the text is a bit small for tired fed out via optical or coaxial digital eyes, particularly the numbers that outputs to a full music system. represent the frequency bands beneath the seven-band graphic equaliser Sound quality which can be very hard to decipher. For such a modestly priced player, the AP100 has a sound that comes very close to higher-priced models. Listening to Norah Jones’ In the Morning, which is one of only a few 24/192 ALAC recordings in my collection, vocals have more of a raspy quality to them that makes me feel as though I’m actually hearing the performance as it’s taking place in the studio. It conjures up a remarkably solid and spacious sonic picture of the rest of the band positioned around Jones that is so solid I feel as though I could almost walk around it. Similarly Pink Floyd’s High Hopes OUR VERDICT captures the song’s haunting church SOUND QUALITY LIKE: 3D-like bell with all the conviction and soundstage; ease atmosphere of the real thing, and of use; price proves just as listenable. Take Me Back VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Poor screen; file format information is almost euphoric in its presentation not displayed BUILD QUALITY and doesn’t show any real signs of WE SAY: Great sound hardening up at higher volume levels. at the price, but let down by slightly Vocals are expertly conveyed and even FEATURES mediocre facilities with the EQ setting switched off there’s a slight hint of mid warmth that gives OVERALL male voices a silky quality and makes the AP100 easy to listen to over longer periods of time ●

JULY 2015 35

HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

Lotoo PRO BACKGROUND Bejing-based Infomedia is the high-tech company behind the Lotoo and has been developing, PAW Gold £1,500 manufacturing and marketing broadcast equipment, automation and production systems in the radio This newcomer’s blingy style may not be to everyone’s and television industry for over 10 years. Although new to hi-fi circles, taste, but its file flexibilities look certain to impress the Lotoo brand already has a range of portable recorders with built-in stereo microphones under its belt, DETAILS ike many things in the are a little utilitarian in their layout but this is its first foray into the world of hi-fi , the digital and functionality, and lack the high-resolution audio player market. PRODUCT Lotoo PAW Gold L audio player market has touchscreen slickness of the Acoustic The Lotoo’s pro roots are evident in ORIGIN models at a variety of price Research or Astell&Kern models. the comprehensive system menus China points offering different performance However, they offer indepth fi ne and audio options available with TYPE levels and fl exibilities. One look at the tuning, including extensive sound studio-based ATE (Acoustic Timbre 24-bit/192kHz & PAW Gold from Lotoo (pronounced and fi lter adjustment as well as useful Embellisher), which is a type of DSD-capable Digital Audio Player low-to) and you can see that it is personalisation settings like volume processing more usually associated WEIGHT fi rmly aimed at the high-end market. control direction – showing off the with digital mastering, as well as 280g It may be new to the UK, but Lotoo Lotoo’s considerable fl exibilities – preset and user-set EQ options. DIMENSIONS has an established professional-audio see Pro Background, right. Audio format support covers DSD, (WxHxD) background and is best known as a Storage is via an SD card slot with FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AAC, MP3, WMA, 60 x 104 x 25mm supplier of audio workstations and support for SDHC and SDXC cards OGG, M4A, CUE, APE and WavePack FEATURES ● Quoted battery broadcast automation systems. and the PAW Gold claims futureproof music files. life: 11 hours Taking its fi rst steps into the domestic support for 2TB-capacity cards as and ● SDHC & SDXC slot hi-res audio player arena, the PAW when they become available. Battery (2TB max) ● Native DSD file Gold makes a striking debut. The power is recharged by mains wall wart Robust build support (2.8MHz chunky full-metal casing is machined only, and you’ll need to invest in an and flexible & 5.6MHz) from a solid brick of what the maker additional US-to-UK 3-pin adaptor as controls DISTRIBUTOR calls aircraft-grade duralumin and this isn’t supplied. A USB 3.0 micro-B KS Distribution the volume and navigation control is port gives drag-and-drop fi le transfers TELEPHONE 01903 768910 accentuated with 24k gold elements. from a computer, while a Burr-Brown Love or loath its blingy looks, the PCM1792 DAC chip handles PCM WEBSITE hifiheadphones. tough-looking PAW Gold is clearly sample rates up to 384kHz as well co.uk; lotoo.cn built for a life on the road. The as DSD at 2.8 and 5.6MHz. A scratch-resistant 1.8in OLED screen headphone driver supports a wide displays comprehensive menus that range of cans, and there’s a sensitivity adjustment switch on top of the unit. Sound quality Gapless playback isn’t supported, meaning that Pink Floyd or live recordings fans will dislike the tiny pause that happens as the Lotoo moves between tracks. It’s a momentary interruption in an otherwise glitch-free performance, but annoying all the same. This will hopefully be rectifi ed in future fi rmware upgrades. Sticking with Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell the Lotoo makes it easy to appreciate the album’s dark and OUR VERDICT moody atmosphere and well-crafted SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Insightful sound; soundstage. High-frequency details flexible menu options; sparkle and seem to fl oat within the robust styling sonic picture. Vocals are superbly VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: No gapless playback; user rendered too, and switching to interface is outdated BUILD QUALITY Hotel California by the Eagles I am WE SAY: An excellent aware for the fi rst time of the tiniest hi-res audio player, although it’s lacking in amount of reverb on the lead vocal. FEATURES operational finesse This encourages me to listen out for more subtle details on a recording OVERALL that I thought I knew well, in the hope of hearing additional nuances for the very fi rst time ●

JULY 2015 37

HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS £169-£1,500 GROUPTEST

Sony WALK THIS WAY The NWZ-A15 may be the entry-level model in Sony’s hi-res audio range, but it supports Bluetooth and aptX, NWZ-A15 £169 while playback features include ClearAudio+, Clear Bass, DSEE HX (upscales lower bitrate MP3 files) and In this svelte hi-res music player, Sony has pared back Dynamic Normaliser. A five-band equaliser (None/Heavy/Pop/Jazz/ the features in order to appeal to entry-level users Unique/Custom 1/Custom 2) provides further tweakability, with a handful of DSP modes thrown in for good DETAILS s the brand that arguably the paltry 16GB built-in memory to measure. These claim to recreate introduced the music 80GB using a 64GB microSDXC card, the acoustic qualities of listening in a PRODUCT Sony NWZ-A15 A portable to the world with albeit at additional cost. sweaty little club, soulless arena, etc. ORIGIN its Walkman sub-brand Music transfer is a simple drag-and- File format compatibility includes Malaysia towards the end of the seventies, drop process using the supplied WAV, AIFF, WMA, AAC, HE-AAC, FLAC TYPE Sony was once again ahead of the software and I am able to transfer my and ALAC, plus MP3 of course. The 24-bit/192kHz- curve when it introduced its fi rst hi-res tracks up to 24/192 on to the standout omission here is still DSD, capable Digital Audio Player hi-res models a couple of years ago microSD card without any hiccups. though. You can play AVC, MPEG4 WEIGHT with the fl agship NWZ-ZX1(due to There’s no provision for DSD playback, and WMV 9 video files, but watching 66g be superseded at any moment by the however, which may be a bit of a movies is rather pointless on such a DIMENSIONS ZX2, which was unavailable in time stumbling block for some music fans. small screen and I would trade it for (WxHxD) for this test) and the ‘entry-level’ Operating the player is simple and DSD playback any day of the week, 43 x 110 x 8mm NWZ-F886. The NWZ-A15 effectively logical, and I am up and running in but that looks set to be reserved for FEATURES ● Quoted battery replaces the F886 and is much more next to no time. Two small buttons the NWZ-ZX2 when it arrives. life: 30 hours compact, with dimensions akin to the below the display provide quick access ● 16GB internal 4th generation iPod Nano. It has a to the home screen and power options. memory ● MicroSDXC slot 2.2in screen that’s plenty big enough You simply navigate up, down and Slender style (64GB max) and easy to operate via the four-way across using the click pad on the front that’s right for any pocket DISTRIBUTOR navigational control below the display. and press play in the middle. On the Sony Europe Features retained from the F886 right edge are volume controls, a Hold TELEPHONE include an FM radio and Bluetooth slider switch and the aforementioned 0845 6000124 connectivity for streaming to a speaker SD card slot. WEBSITE or headphones, with aptX and NFC sony.co.uk also added. Another signifi cant Sound quality addition is the provision of a microSD Directly comparing a 24/96 ALAC of card slot, which allows you to expand Living For The City by Stevie Wonder with all enhancements switched off reveals that the NWZ-A15 is almost on a par with the AP100. The bass is a bit more augmented and thumpy, but this can easily be tempered by adjusting the custom EQ settings if it happens to be too much for your taste, as it is for mine. This brings the clarity of the higher frequencies more to the foreground, but without the sense of sparkle that you get on the AR-M2 costing over fi ve times as much. The bass level really shows up with a 24/44.1 ALAC of London Grammar’s Hey Now, and is a tonal balance that you’ll either love or hate. Diana Krall’s vocal on her version OUR VERDICT of Desperado is silky smooth with the SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Decent sound 24/48 FLAC music download from quality; convenience; highresaudio.com. The accompanying price tag piano tends to merge with the VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Lacks some hi-res details; there’s no orchestral strings arrangement, and DSD playback BUILD QUALITY only here is the focus from the Sony WE SAY: This nicely a little more blurred and shut in when priced pocket player makes a good start for compared with, say, the Acoustic FEATURES those wanting to enjoy Research. Otherwise it’s an effortless hi-res audio performance from the NWZ-A15 OVERALL that’s very easy to enjoy and appreciate on longer listening journeys on public transport ●

JULY 2015 39 HI-RES PORTABLE PLAYERS GROUPTEST £169-£1,500

Group test verdict Having listened to all six digital audio players, Lee Dunkley sums up his experience with all of the contenders and announces a winner

THE PORTABLES MARKET has The player lacking the style and memory storage and battery life for changed considerably in the past few credentials of the best performers is the price, but its sonic capabilities years and lossless hi-res audio has the FiiO X5, which doesn’t do enough are impressive even if its onscreen reshaped our expectations of what to stand out from the competition. display and operational system are WINNER can be achieved from today’s mini Astell&Kern’s AK120 has been nothing to shout about. players. We’ve come a long way since around for a while and is still a Sony’s entry-level NWZ-A15 is The slightly chunky the fi rst Walkman models and even popular model with stockists, but its simplicity itself. Audio performance AR-M2 is the standout the once ubiquitous iPod is looking styling and slick functionality are is decent and the entertainment digital audio player of outdated in terms of its format beginning to look a little outdated giant knows how to put together a the moment. It looks great, has a smooth handling and audio quality. compared with newer rivals. It still great interface and user experience touchscreen operating All the models on test here have manages to compete in the sound at a real-world price. system and manages something to shout about, whether stakes though, and narrowly misses Another new name, Lotoo is likely to extract every last it’s great looks and user interface, out on being recommended here. to divide opinion thanks to statement nuance from all your DSD playback or good old-fashioned Newcomer Hidizs’ AP100 is styling and old-school menus. Its recordings, which after value for money, there’s something awarded the fi rst badge. It doesn’t pro audio background is clearly in all is what listening to hi-res audio is all about. for everyone. quite match the Sony in terms of its evidence across all formats.

Make/model Acoustic Research Astell&Kern FiiO Hidizs Lotoo Sony AR-M2 AK120 X5 AP100 PAW Gold NWZ-A15

Price £900 £1,100 £289 £230 £1,500 £169 Sound Value Build Features Overall , Great looks and neat A popular buy with Flexible player and Remarkable sound An excellent hi-res This nicely priced operation, this is the distributors, its inline DAC at an at the price, but with audio player, but pocket player is a best hi-res audio sound still stacks up, attractive price, but slightly mediocre user experience good starting point , player we’ve heard but it’s being beaten has poor ease of use facilities and poor lacks finesse and for anyone new to at the price by stylish new rivals and lacks some style info screen styling is not for all hi-res audio

Key features

Wi-fi/Bluetooth Wi-fi Bluetooth None None None Bluetooth

Built-in storage 64GB 64GB None 8GB None 16GB

SD card slot 1x micro (128GB max) 2x micro (128GB max) 2x micro (256GB max) 1x micro (64GB max) 1x SDHC (2TB max) 1x micro (64GB max)

Battery life 9 hours 14 hours 12 hours 10 hours 11 hours 30 hours

DSD-playback Yes Yes No No Yes No

TRY WITH THESE

OPEN-BACK HEADPHONE: CLOSED-BACK HEADPHONE: MUSIC DOWNLOAD SRH1840 £467 Oppo PM-3 £350 p56 SERVICES: HFC 388 Oppo’s gorgeous PM-3 Qobuz, HDTracks, High Res Audio This is an excellent headphone and headphone is ‘entry-level’ There are now numerous online music an object lesson in both comfort and in name only. It shares a stores in the UK providing legitimate ergonomics. Build is fantastic and the cut-down version of the high-resolution lossless downloads quality of the ancillaries is also superb. upmarket PM-1 and PM-2’s of recordings new and old. Each has It’s performance is consistently accurate planar magnetic drivers and its focus and you may need to hunt and entertaining with all kinds of performance-wise knocks around for a particular album, but material which is why it received a much of the similarly priced some of our favourite sites to explore Recommended badge in our high-end portable competition into and try out include: qobuz.com; headphones Group Test. the middle of next week. hdtracks.co.uk and highresaudio.com.

40 JULY 2015 PODSPEAKERS HAVE LANDED

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£329 £575 OR LESS NEW OR LESS NAD • M51 • DAC / PREAMP - SILVER FINISH FLEXSON • VINYLPLAY • DIGITAL TURNTABLE PRO-JECT • 1 XPRESSION CARBON UKX • TURNTABLE This award-winning DAC / pre-amp features optical, coaxial, Gives the best-of-both-worlds: an excellent record player that’s With its Carbon armtube and supplied Ortofon 2m Silver cartridge, USB and HDMI inputs, all of which can handle fi les up to easy to use and can be simply integrated into a streaming system. the 1 Xpression Carbon UKX sets new standards in its price range. 24-bit/192kHz. The M51 will truly transform any system.

£799 £249 £1080 NEW OR LESS OR LESS

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ARCAM • FMJ CDS27 / FMJ A39 • CD / AMPLIFIER NAD • C 516BEE / C 316BEE • CD / AMPLIFIER NAIM • CD5si / NAIT 5si • CD PLAYER / AMPLIFIER Introducing Arcam’s audiophile Class G integrated amplifi er Received an outstanding product award from Hi-Fi News Enjoy outstanding performance from your CDs with this and SACD/CD player with Network streaming up to 192/24 magazine who descrided the C 316BEE is an “absolute barn- highly acclaimed Naim CD/Amplifi er combination. for class leading sound quality. stormer of an amplifi er”. The C 516BEE is the perfect partner. Available from selected stores. Visit www.ssav.com for details

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click & collect NOW AVAILABLE www.SSAV.com BOWERS & WILKINS • 685 S2 PMC • TWENTY.22 Q ACOUSTICS • 3050 At home on a stand, wall or book- An astonishingly natural balance The fl agship 3050 is the perfect shelf, the versatile 685 S2 is ideal and high dynamic capability are speaker for larger rooms, for stereo and home theatre uses the hallmarks of this speaker. It boasting ultra-low levels of in most rooms. And performance creates a precise sound stage distortion, typically found of is enhanced with the addition of a and profound bass performance speakers costing three or four Decoupled Double Dome tweeter. from its compact cabinet. times its price.

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BOWERS & WILKINS MONITOR AUDIO PSB CM10 S2 GOLD 200 IMAGINE X1T The fl agship fl oorstanding Amazing scale and impressive A deceptively slim and discreet speaker of the CM Series sets a dynamic control are available from fl oorstanding design, the Imagine new standard for performance. this slender three-way design, X1T has wide bandwidth and high It combines technologies comprising ribbon tweeters, twin SPL output capabilities that defy taken from across B&W’s 5.5” bass drivers and a 4” mid- its modest size. Features identical ranges. The result simply range driver, which is housed in a 5 1/4” woofers plus a one-inch sounds and looks beautiful. dedicated enclosure. pure titanium dome tweeter. £2999 £2299 £749 NEW OR LESS NEW OR LESS NEW OR LESS

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ADVERT VALID UNTIL 01/07/2015. E&OE GERMAN PHYSIKS UNLIMITED ULTIMATE EXOTICA FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £10,900

44 JULY 2015 GERMAN PHYSIKS UNLIMITED ULTIMATE FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £10,900 EXOTICA

DETAILS than this; you might say its self-effacing nature is what sets it apart. Put a pair of PRODUCT German Physiks conventional speakers in your listening 2 Unlimited Unlimited Ultimate room and there’s a set of issues that you ORIGIN have to accommodate – for example Germany they need to be toed-in, carefully placed TYPE to give a convincing stereo image and David Price discovers the German Physiks Omnidirectional floorstanding then you sit back and have sound Unlimited Ultimate is a Teutonic transducer loudspeaker beamed at you. Not so here… WEIGHT If you have ever wondered what an loudspeaker that thinks outside the box 28.9kg omnidirectional speaker sounds like, DIMENSIONS the answer is that it doesn’t sound like (WxHxD) 240 x 1,050 x anything much at all. Indeed, it sounds oudspeaker design is the art movement is progressively replaced 240mm a lot more like sound as we hear it in of compromise. There is no by bending waves, until all the sound FEATURES nature; there’s no need to ‘learn’ how to single correct way to make is generated purely by bending ● 1x carbon fibre listen as you have to with conventional L DDD, 1x 200mm them, so designers come up movement in the cone, according woofer stereo speakers. With an omni, the with their own approaches, all of which to German Physiks. Because of the ● Quoted sensitivity: sound propagates more organically, are trade offs between one thing and cone’s special shape, the coincidence 88dB/1W/1m less affected by the anomalies of the ● Quoted frequency another. Electrostatic panel speakers frequency is spread over an extended response: 32Hz to listening room. That’s why they work offer detail and evenness, but tend not frequency range. The last mode of 24kHz very effectively with minimal messing to be able to move air very well, so are operation happens above the bending DISTRIBUTOR about; in my case I run them about bass-light. Moving coil speakers can wave band at the dipole frequency, RK Audio 40cm from the rear wall, to strengthen thump out strong low frequencies but when the fi rst standing wave occurs TELEPHONE the bass, and then abandon the setting require several drivers and these often and where modal break up begins. 07812 093677 up phase and settle down to listen. cross over unevenly, causing all manner This gives a completely different set of WEBSITE I kick off with a bouncy piece of german-physiks. of balance and phase woes. properties to a conventional multi-drive com eighties pop in the shape of Scritti German Physiks is a loudspeaker unit moving coil loudspeaker. The Politti’s The Word Girl. A soulful song manufacturer that offers a particularly key one being dispersion; the DDD is tinged with reggae, it has a powerful interesting and unique compromise, omnidirectional and is far less prone to bassline underpinning some silky vocals an omnidirectional speaker (where the producing a ‘sweet spot’. This means from singer Green Gartside and big sound fi res all around) using a special, the sound propagates better and digital keyboard stabs. The Unlimited’s bespoke Dicks Dipole Driver. Developed the speakers are less fussy about rendition of this sets a clear template several decades ago by an ingenious placement. This applies to the tone, for the rest of the review period, mathematician, the DDD is quite unlike too; the even tonal balance is less showing an almost supernaturally wide anything else in production. This likely to be disturbed when sited in recorded acoustic, and a slightly light transducer is theoretically highly an unusual part of the room. Speakers bass. This isn’t to say it isn’t fun though; complex, and not the easiest to make, with conventional drivers only produce it is certainly tuneful and integrates but it side steps a whole range of the correct tonal balance in a narrow beautifully with the magic that the problems that other drive unit types range of positions, due to their DDD is able to deliver further up the The downward- tendency to beam at high frequencies, firing 200mm frequency range. It delivers a near but not these. Also, because the DDD woofer is located Another striking aspect of the sound, has a very low-moving mass, transient on the underside in addition to the way it propagates translucent midband response is very good which gives a with seamlessness realistic feel to the music. The driver also works from 200Hz to 24kHz, from top to bottom which avoids the need for an intrusive crossover; below this a downward- suffer. This makes it a true piece of hi-fi fi ring 200mm woofer takes over. esoterica, which goes its own way – The manufacturer claims a frequency unlike so many high-end loudspeakers. response of 32Hz to 24kHz, and a The Unlimited has two drive units; power handling of 110W. Sensitivity is in the bottom is a conventional cone quoted at 88dB/1W/1m, which is woofer, and in the upper section is average for a speaker of this size. the DDD. The latter has a voice coil/magnet assembly and cone Sound quality that is longer and narrower than a Spending £10,900 on this speaker buys conventional cone driver. When the you a fundamentally new approach to voice coil of a normal drive unit moves, the problem of producing music from the whole cone moves with it and the electrical energy. Radically different sound goes off in the same direction as to its rivals, it’s in a gang of one in so the cone is moving the air. But the DDD many ways. behaves very differently; the lower end You might think that the unique drive of its operating range can be described unit inside would instantly broadcast with Thiele/Small resonant parameters, its presence, but it is less obvious than while in the next frequency band up to you’d expect. This speaker looks the coincidence frequency it works like startlingly different, yet doesn’t sound a standard pistonic driver. Then there’s completely unlike all other transducers an overlapping band where pistonic ever made. Indeed, it’s more subtle

JULY 2015 45 GERMAN PHYSIKS UNLIMITED ULTIMATE EXOTICA FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £10,900

one is open enough to capture the Q&A nuances of his singing, too. The Holger Mueller German Physiks holds things together German Physiks founder really well, again sounding like an open window on the original recording; not quite the biggest one I have ever heard, but still wide enough ajar to peer through properly. It is with classical music that this loudspeaker is at its best, though. The opening Lento Allegro of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No.2 has a beautiful cor anglais set to rousing DP: How did the DDD come about? strings, and the Unlimited captures HM: It was conceived and developed this beautifully. Indeed, the London by a German engineer called Peter Dicks, who spent eight years Symphony Orchestra under Bernard developing a computer model and Haitink sounds magnifi cent across the then refining this by producing many piece, this speaker delivering a near prototypes and using the results of translucent midband with wonderful measurements to progressively seamlessness from top to bottom. improve the accuracy of the model. Again, perhaps you might criticise it There was a further two years where for a slight lack of physical weight to Peter and I worked together to get it massed strings, but this is more than into a commercial product. It is tricky compensated for by a spaciousness and to build. We make these ourselves by air the like of which you struggle to get hand and it is a comparatively slow even from top electrostatics. Depth process, which must be done with perspective is particularly impressive, care. We have been doing it for a giving a brilliantly immersive sound. while – 22 years – so we have it down The DDD is able itself all around, is the smoothness The Unlimited copes well on crescendos to a fine art now! to fire the sound and ease across the midband. Vocals too, considering its relatively compact around the room sound sweet and those chiming dimensions, but isn’t really quite able Does German Physiks make any keyboards never grate, as can happen to compete with a larger more other type of speaker? with some less balanced loudspeakers. conventional box such as B&W’s 801. We have 16 models in our range at the Drums sound tight and propulsive moment. These all use the DDD driver, some use one, some two and too, and time very convincingly; the Conclusion some four, and these are combined Unlimited seems able to really dig into It is hard not to love the immersive, with progressively larger and more the deepest nuances of the playing widescreen sound served up by the powerful bass systems and so can and throw fi ne detailing out that other German Physiks Unlimited Ultimate. play louder and go deeper. Our speakers just trample over. The overall With brilliant spatial accuracy, it suits flagship Gaudi model uses four DDD effect is almost like listening to a very classical music down to a tee, but works drivers, eight 6in woofers and four HOW IT good pair of electrostatic headphones, very well across all music types because 12in subwoofers; it can go down to COMPARES but writ large right across my listening of its speed and grip. The only obvious 15Hz and produce sound levels up to room. This is both consummately compromise is the bass, which although 120dB! These have to be tri-amped B&W’s £11,500 Matrix natural and relaxing to experience, and tuneful and propulsive just isn’t as 802D is the high-end and are supplied with an electronic speaker equivalent of a also very different to a conventionally physically strong as many rivals at crossover. Depending on the finish Range Rover, doing engineered pair of fl oorstanders. the price. This, of course, is for the and configuration, a set of Gaudis most things very well Switching to some classic seventies prospective purchaser to take a view can cost up to about £200,000. but not reaching top of rock in the shape of Led Zeppelin’s on – it is so obviously able in many These do sell, albeit in small numbers! the class in any single Kashmir, and the speakers turn in a ways that most speakers are not, that respect. It has an open, powerful and even fascinating sound. Once again, it’s many won’t mind one jot. Full marks How should the loudspeakers be obvious they aren’t going to beat a pair then to this bold, quirky and highly placed in the room? sound; it can take large amounts of power and of JBL Everests in their ability to move capable loudspeaker ● The main thing is that you need to go very loud without air around the room; there are other keep them a metre or so away from drama – although it walls. This aside, there are no hard speakers a fi fth of the price that do this punishes low-powered better. However, what is spectacular is and fast constraints. Being amplifiers. It has an omnidirectional, they are usually wide bandwidth with no the sheer size of the sound, and the OUR VERDICT wonderfully accurate way that much easier to set up than nasty peaks or troughs, SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Superlative conventional designs where the but is better suited to instruments are placed within the soundstaging; speed; precise position in the room can smooth amps. The soundstage. There is very little sense musicality have marked effects on the sound. German Physiks shows that music is coming from the VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Limited bass it to have mediocre Unlimited at all; it’s just there like a part by class standards At shows I usually find that the first imaging and a shut-in BUILD QUALITY WE SAY: Uniquely position I try the loudspeakers in will sound by comparison. of the furniture, and suddenly when capable design, there’s produce a good stereo image and The B&W hits back with you put some music on the room comes nothing quite like it then it is just a matter of trying a few a far more muscular to life. The coruscating drum sound is a EASE OF DRIVE adjustments to optimise the bass. bass, a gutsier nature joy – so fast, so cutting, so natural – and and less compression this works in perfect time with that epic at high levels. As ever, OVERALL listening for yourself is guitar riff for which the song is famous. the only way to choose. Robert Plant’s voice can sound a little nasal through some speakers, but this

46 JULY 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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2 The Threshing Barn 01279 454 860 Feltimores Park [email protected] Harlow CM17 0PF www.theaudiobarn.co.uk NOVAFIDELITY X40 REVIEWS MUSIC SERVER & STREAMER £1,299

DETAILS a server for other network players or as a client for local music storage on a PRODUCT Novafidelity X40 computer or a NAS device. Digital ORIGIN Sitting at the top of the range, the Korea Novafi delity X40 takes the design TYPE of the Cocktail Audio X30, a past 2TB music server Editor’s Choice winner (HFC 383), system and then adds some more bells and DIMENSIONS do-it-all (WxHxD) whistles onto that machine’s already 435 x 99 x 325mm impressive array of things you can FEATURES ring or blow. ● 2TB storage Yes, the X40 is rather more expensive The X40 does almost everything you could capacity (as tested, models available up than the X30 – in the base ‘add your want – and more – and claims audiophile to 4TB HDD or 1TB own hard drive’ specifi cation, £1,199 SSD) plays £799 – but at fi rst glance it credibility too. James Parker explores ● Inputs: 1x RCA; 1x 3.5mm jack; 1x appears to offer less than the more optical; 1x coaxial; affordable model, as the X30’s built-in ost people thinking of have, then you’re not alone. Happily, 1x MM phono 50W per channel Class D amplifi cation ● 3x USB host ports committing their music the people at Novafi delity, and its ● Ethernet has gone overboard in the process of M collection to some kind sibling brand Cocktail Audio, like the networking creating the new model, so the X40 of digital storage solution way you think, mainly because they (wireless via needs to be used as a conventional optional dongle) have a wish list in mind. They’d like clearly think the same way. All the ● Outputs: fixed and source component into an amp. an all-in-one unit able to rip, store functions previously mentioned – and variable analogue However, the gains outweigh the and play their CDs; or something able quite a few more – are loaded aboard RCA and XLR; losses, as the X40 has added the optical, coaxial to access internet radio and lossless the Novafi delity X40, its latest player. and AES/EBU ESS Sabre32 Reference DSD/DXD streaming services such as Qobuz; or Er, recorder. Umm, server – well, you DISTRIBUTOR digital-to-analogue conversion perhaps a means of ripping their LP get the idea. Sygnifi Ltd solution: whereas the X30’s Burr- collection to hard disk for playback. Of course, the two brands aren’t any TELEPHONE Brown PCM1792a DAC tops out Maybe they want to record from the stranger to this kind of ‘everything 01732 765105 at 24-bit/192kHz, this one can radio, be it internet-streamed or FM; you need plus a device for taking WEBSITE handle both DSD64/2.8MHz and or have a unit holding music able to stones out of boy scouts’ hooves’ sygnifi.co.uk DSD128/5.6MHz content as well as be accessed by other players around thinking: right from the entry-level DXD up to 24-bit/352.8kHz and PCM the house; or even something to store Novafi delity X12 (HFC 395) starting at up to 32-bit/384kHz, and do so in and play not only hi-res PCM-based at around £420, there’s a lot on offer, native form, not by jiggery pokering music but also DSD. including CD ripping, playback and the content down in resolution. If you’ve been sitting reading that the ability to act as a standalone unit It’s all under the control of a hunkier and ticking off the things you’d like to with just the addition of speakers, as Digital Signal Processor, in place of

48 JULY 2015 NOVAFIDELITY X40 MUSIC SERVER & STREAMER £1,299 REVIEWS

Completing the package is a choice about 3x speed, while choosing the of analogue outputs: to reinforce slowest ‘excellent’ setting will take 50 its serious intent, the X40 comes percent longer than the running time complete with balanced XLRs as well of the disc. as the regular RCA phono socket Fortunately adding music to the X40 outputs, and both sets can be used incrementally isn’t a chore, whether at either fi xed level – for use into a from disc or ‘stick’, and a library can regular amplifi er – or variable for be built up quickly and easily. direct connection to a power amplifi er I use the X40 both into the new or active speakers. Cambridge CXA80 amplifi er and my So what else can it do? Well, it usual Naim Supernait 2, and as a offers a choice of wired or wireless server for my usual network players networking, the latter using an and a client for my QNAPs NAS units, optional ‘dongle’ (£29, and it fi ts in and while it’s clearly slicker running one of the USB sockets on the rear music from its own hard drive panel), though I’d probably stick with storage, thanks to a reasonable the former if shunting a lot of hi-res browser-based interface usable on fi les around. computers, tablets and smartphones, As already mentioned, it can be had it also performs the server and client in a range of hard-drive capacities up to 4TB, using 2.5in or 3.5in drives, By any standards, and either conventional hard-drive or solid-state storage for faster access. To what this fiendishly give you some idea of how the whole capable unit can pricing model works, the 2TB model supplied for review is £100 more than do is remarkable the ‘bare-bones, fi t your own drive’ version, one with 4TB installed is functions well. It can even be run another £100, and the top-end model directly from the handset supplied, with a 1TB SSD is £1,899. once you’ve found your way round It’s your call, really: fi tting a drive the myriad buttons, not least due to into the X40 is no harder than the big, clear 5in TFT display on the the 700MHz CPU used in the cooking That big, clear changing the storage in a NAS drive, front panel. model, while there’s also a toroidal 5in TFT display in that you undo a couple of bolts, makes operation transformer to keep things quieter a breeze slide out the drive tray, fi x the drive in Sound quality under the hood, and a more place with four screws, and then stick The sound of the X40 is instantly substantial chassis and case, complete the tray back in place. The only thing appealing: whether on internet radio with a 12mm aluminium front panel likely to take a bit of time is the stations or with hi-res music all the to improve rigidity and resistance to process of formatting the drive. way up to DSD, it has no shortage of mechanical and electrical interference. Well, that and loading the X40 with punch and drive, coupled with fi ne Also new is a moving magnet phono some music might also hold you up a insight into the detail of a recording. input: the X30 could perform the trick bit, especially if you try to copy an It makes the most of the extra of recording from its built-in FM and entire 128GB USB stick to the hard quality available in DSD, DXD and internet radio tuners (complete with drive as I do before I start listening. hi-res PCM fi les, thanks to substantial timer recording from internet radio Ripping CDs is rather speedier – and bass as adept when crashing out the streams), as well as accepting line of course you can choose whether rhythm section of The Who in full and digital inputs and ripping CDs, or not to store them at ‘full-fat’, fl ight as it is with grumbly synth-bass but the X40 can also have a turntable something more phone/personal lines or the weight of a full symphony plugged straight in to allow digitising player-friendly, and at what bitrate/ orchestra. What’s more, it’s not just of vinyl at up to 24-bit/192kHz. speed you want to rip them at. The that there’s a lot of bass on offer: default is ‘very fast’, which runs at the speed and defi nition down in the CONNECTIONS

1 2 1 Balanced AES/ EBU/XLR analogue pre-outputs

2 FM tuner antenna

3 Storage drive bay for hard drive 4 MM phono input

5 Toslink and coaxial digital inputs

6 Toslink, coaxial and AES/EBU/XLR digital outputs 6 5 4 3

JULY 2015 49 NOVAFIDELITY X40 REVIEWS MUSIC SERVER & STREAMER £1,299

Q&A IN SIGHT Julian Cooke 1 2 1 XMOS Business development 32-bit/500MIPS manager, Sygnifi Digital Signal Processing Unit

2 32-bit ESS Sabre reference Hyperstream DAC

3 Toroidal power supply

4 High Speed Slot- loading CD drive

JP: What were the challenges involved in improving on the X30, and how were they achieved? JC: We found people loved the features and sound quality that the X30 provides, but audiophiles didn’t want to be paying for an integrated 3 amp they weren’t going to use. They also wanted even higher sound quality and support for all of the hi-res file formats. We also continually try to improve 4 all of the products in the range throughout their lifetime delivering new features and make them even easier to use in the firmware updates lower registers is equally impressive, whether playing solo classical released every few months. It’s also whether with lightning-fast electric instruments or high-octane rock handy that these updates can be bass or the rosiny growl of an upright recordings. If the material you load reflected across all models in the instrument. It’s a sound seemingly onto the X40, and the rest of your range (hardware permitting). designed to encourage you to turn system, are up to the task, this is a the system up and enjoy the clout on recorder/player fully able to deliver The X40 has compatibility with offer. And when you do so the reward all that a recording has to give, and DSD files: why was this important, and is DSD more of a must-have in is truly thrilling power and slam, do so with no more than a twist and some markets than others? more than up to the standard of a a push of the main control. DSD files are becoming more readily very good CD player. Yes, you’re going to have to spend available over the web and we were Things get even better when you some time with it to do any more increasingly being asked about them load up a DSD fi le and revel in the than scratch the surface of the HOW IT – so this is something we really COMPARES wide-ranging competence here – by wanted to support. The X40 is a high- Its ability to drive the way, it makes very good rips from end component so it’s important to The most obvious LP (and is of suffi cient quality to be able to play these high-end file challenge comes from rhythms cleanly mean you’d better be using it with a the less expensive X30 formats to achieve the best possible (HFC 383): it could save ensures music pretty good turntable, not one of sound quality. you a healthy chunk of those plasticky budget buys) – but money if you have no holds the attention this is one of those components that Like other models in your range, the interest in vinyl ripping rewards with extended use. X40 is available in a variety of or hi-res audio, but big, organic-sounding low-end higher- Just when you think you’ve got it configurations: which are the most the X40 will also comfortably resolution recordings can deliver, all, chances are you’re going to fi nd popular? Do buyers prefer SSD while at the same time giving you something else it does – and does over HDD drives? And do many buy outperform it even with CD-quality music. all that sense of space and character very well indeed ● the ‘bare bones’ model and install Beyond that, the that’s so much a part of the appeal of their own hard drives? closest rival is hi-res played on good equipment. Our most popular models by far are something like the Play some tight small-group jazz, the 2TB and 4TB HDD versions. That Bluesound Vault, which additional storage really comes into has the simple disc- and the X40 reveals its ability to OUR VERDICT shimmer out cymbals and present its own if you have hi-res music files ripping ability of the SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Features; that can be significantly larger than X40 and some of its piano with full weight. Step things up powerful, persuasive FLAC or WAV files ripped from CD. network capabilities – to the current Blur set, and its speed sound; balanced VALUE FOR MONEY outputs Going for an SSD is great if you can but lacks the ‘do-it-all’ and ability to drive rhythms cleanly features the X40 has. ensures the music holds the attention DISLIKE: Browser afford it as data transfer speeds are You could take the control interface BUILD QUALITY higher and they are totally silent with view that there’s not and rewards close listening. WE SAY: Novafidelity a longer life because they have no much here that you has added winning sound to its already moving parts. The largest capacity can’t do with a PC Conclusion FEATURES amazing flexibility SSD we do is still the 1TB. Any higher connected to your hi-fi, By any standards, what this fi endishly and the prices just get silly! provided that you also capable unit can do is remarkable: budget for a NAS, USB OVERALL phono stage, offboard all that fl exibility has been achieved DAC, FM tuner… without any compromise in sound quality, as soon becomes clear

50 JULY 2015

DALI RUBICON 6 REVIEWS FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £3,000

52 JULY 2015 DALI RUBICON 6 FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £3,000 REVIEWS

DETAILS towards the listening position is required. PRODUCT DALI Rubicon 6 Round the back are a brace of refl ex Six-ual ORIGIN ports corresponding to the separate Denmark chambers for the main drivers, while TYPE the two pairs of speaker terminals for 3-way floorstanding bi-wiring, otherwise connected by loudspeaker brass links, are gold-plated and look WEIGHT healing 20kg suitably heavy duty. Thankfully, it DIMENSIONS doesn’t require much effort to ‘walk’ (WxHxD) the Rubicons into position – it’s DALI does things a little diff erently and this 200 x 990 x 380mm advisable to leave at least a foot of FEATURES space to a back wall and as much ● Ribbon luxury floorstander cuts to the musical supertweeter again to the sides – whereupon, if you ● 29mm fabric want optimum stability and a solid chase. David Vivian takes a listen dome tweeter coupling to the fl oor, you can attach ● 2x 165mm wood fibre coned bass/ the spiked outriggers. mid drivers Befi tting its price, size and sonic oudspeakers come in all The DALI way is to do almost ● Quoted sensitivity: ambition, the Rubicon 6 stands in for shapes and sizes but there everything inhouse, the sole 88.5dB/1W/1m my regular ATC SCM 40 reference seems to be a point along exception being dome tweeters DISTRIBUTOR speakers and enjoys the front-end L DALI UK the size versus price axis which, while designed by DALI, are services of a Roksan Caspian M2 TELEPHONE where the usual hi-fi considerations manufactured by Scan-Speak. When 0845 6443537 CD player, Chord Hugo DAC, with simply fade away. By this I mean you it comes to midrange drivers and WEBSITE amplifi cation provided by a Roksan begin to relax while listening, the woofers, however, the Danish brand dali-uk.co.uk Caspian M2 integrated amp, both by need, however subliminal, to make has furrowed its own unique itself and with a Caspian M2 power allowances for the volume of the development path. Sidelining the amp in a bi-amped confi guration. enclosure, the number of drive units usual solid iron cores for a soft and the success or otherwise of their magnetic compound (SMC) Sound quality integration lets go and an immersive formulated from a composite of The big, heavy ATC is by no means sense of realism takes over. The good materials, including magnetic an easy act to follow, simply because news is it’s easy to hear (ironically granules, with the aim of improving it is so truthful to the source material. because you’ll fi nd yourself listening effi ciency, reducing electrical It tells it like it is. If a recording is less intensely) and it doesn’t require a conductivity and signifi cantly That real wood less than masterfully produced you visit to the ‘High End’ to achieve. lowering distortion, permitting a veneer creates a don’t just know it, you know why. I reckon DALI’s Rubicon 6, a crossover design that retains a fl at beautiful finish Imperfection is revealed just as starkly substantial £3,000 fl oorstander, is the frequency response across the critical midrange where the ear tends to be Intimate acoustic the most sensitive. This sits well with DALI general ensembles are philosophy to sound reproduction treated with which, in essence, is to keep things fast, dynamic and fun. In this regard, appropriate delicacy its drivers are lightly damped, using low-loss rubber surrounds. Pace and kind of loudspeaker that should be timing are paramount. able to pull it off, a realistic point of The Rubicon family comprises fi ve entry to an experience where the models. The 2 is a standmount, while power of the music, rather than the 5, 6 and 8 are fl oorstanders. the limitations of the transducer, There’s also a centre speaker for commands your attention. Of course, multi-channel/AV setups. The as DALI is keen to point out, merely Rubicon 6 is tall and deep, but quite stuffi ng an impressive number of slim with a gently curved baffl e and high-tech drive units into a tall box rear panel. The braced MDF cabinets won’t cut it either. are beautifully fi nished in real wood Founded in 1983 by Peter Lyngdorf, veneer and feel very inert, though at DALI (or the Danish Audiophile just over 20kg apiece not all that Loudspeaker Industry to give it its heavy. The two 165mm wood pulp proper name) is, as Ron Burgundy cone main drivers split low and mid might put it, kind of a big deal, duties, the lower unit operates full employing some 200 workers range and the other handles the producing 250,000 speakers a year midrange, while the 29mm fabric from a 200,000 square foot facility in dome tweeter hands over to a 17 x Nørager, Denmark, and it exports 25mm ribbon supertweeter at 14kHz. over 90 percent of its output. Its span This has a claimed frequency ceiling of speakers is huge, going from the of 35kHz but is chiefl y chosen for its budget-conscious Zensor range to its wide dispersion characteristics A-game Epicon lineup. The Rubicons meaning a broad ‘sweet spot’ and that sit one level below that. little, if any, toe-in positioning

JULY 2015 53 DALI RUBICON 6 REVIEWS FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKER £3,000

IN SIGHT Q&A intelligibility, the DALI sounds Matt Miller wonderfully integrated with a spry, 1 29mm fabric DALI UK sales & marketing manager soft dome open, unfettered quality that makes 1 2 tweeter it easy to listen to without being in any way ‘easy listening’. It has that 2 Ribbon supertweeter crucial believability in spades with a beautifully expressive and lucid 3 Mid and bass driver reflex midband underpinned by a seriously ports deep and powerful bass that never 4 Bi-wire speaker forgets to be agile and tuneful. binding posts The doubled-up tweeter complement seems to do wonders for the upper DV: Why is it advantageous to have 5 165mm wood fibre mid and frequencies which are clean, both a dome and a ribbon tweeter? bass drivers extended, free from grain and MM: DALI’s trademark hybrid tweeter module combines the dome tweeter gloriously textured. But, perhaps with the ribbon tweeter for an unsurprisingly, where the Rubicon amazing rendering of the high really excels is with tempo and rhythm. It tracks the deftest shifts in frequencies, and a dispersion of high- 3 frequency sounds that outperform timing – a dragged beat, a subtle all other tweeter technologies. The change of emphasis – with the ribbon tweeter is the master of wide greatest of ease without ever dispersion and combining it with the sounding unnaturally sharp or soft dome, we get a tweeter module 5 punchy. Rock – I’m thinking of Led that starts as low as 2.5kHz and Zeppelin’s Kashmir – thunders out performs well above 30kHz. 4 with satisfying energy and drive, sounding properly massive and Why did you opt to use wood fibre unstoppable. At the other end of the as a cone material? musical spectrum, intimate acoustic This gives the woofer a light, rigid and ensembles are treated with randomly uneven membrane. This appropriate delicacy, if a little more makes the cone easy to move, tingle factor than you’d get with the ensures even piston-like movements ATC. Whether that’s strictly correct is and reduces surface resonance. This a moot point. Probably not, but it results in lots of detail and very little colouration in the reproduced signal, doesn’t seem to matter. even at low volume. Conclusion There seems to be a trend towards All right, the Rubicon 6 isn’t what speaker enclosures with ‘boat- as genius; there’s no veneer, no you’d call a monitor-class design. For shaped’ curved side panels to rose-tinted fi lter, no innate intention those seeking tonal neutrality it minimise internal standing waves. to butter things up. Sparkling comes across as being a little too HOW IT Is the Rubicon 6’s gently curved COMPARES excellence shines through just well lit, so it’s probably not a good baffle and back panel as effective? as clearly as a murky mess. idea to team these speakers with Any shape that can avoid flat surfaces For a few hundred Perhaps wisely, the Rubicon doesn’t electronics that sound leaner and will inherently reduce standing pounds more, ATC’s heavily built and butch- try to compete on these terms. It goes brighter than the rich and beefy waves, while also adding to a looking SCM 40 (HFC its own way and if that doesn’t meet Roksans. That said, the tall, speaker’s aesthetic. Constructed 389) sounds more with studio-certifi ed levels of tonal handsome DALI is a musical from solid MDF, the Rubicon cabinet muscular and tonally neutrality, it’s highly enjoyable and communicator of the fi rst order also provides a sturdy base for the even and gives no bringing speed, timing, bass, brio drivers, which are screw mounted favours to poor and, perhaps most impressively of recordings while It tracks the deftest into the 25mm-thick front baffle, all, a believable sense of scale and eliminating vibrations and resonance. PMC’s similarly priced shifts in timing dynamics to the party ● twenty.24 is another highly talented All DALI speakers have a quite exemplar of the ‘what’s without sounding distinct sonic personality. Is this good for the recording more important to you than studio’ approach. unnaturally sharp absolute tonal neutrality? Staying with the Brit OUR VERDICT musically satisfying nonetheless. And The development and refinement of camp, the Spendor D7 SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Fast, open, new technologies to increase the (HFC 370) is a design yes, it does that ‘serious’ thing where articulate sound with realism of the home entertainment that seems to get dynamics, air and bass are suffi ciently great timing; cuts to the musical chase experience is the main objective in everything right convincing to relieve you of the VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Won’t sound our quest to create what we believe effortlessly yet can’t burden of having to mentally quite live with the its best with lean/bright BUILD QUALITY to be the best loudspeakers in the Rubicon’s speed and compensate for the information that electronics world. All our speakers are voiced by vivacity. An interesting should be there but isn’t. WE SAY: Reproduces music with believable ear – not by numbers – and this alternative, if you can’t Soundscapes are well proportioned, EASE OF DRIVE scale, pace, dynamics approach enables us to truly quite stretch to the musicians, singers and instruments and a sense of joy represent the music we love in the DALI’s £3k, is Triangle’s exist in three dimensions both bodily Esprit Antal EZ. Plenty OVERALL most transparent way possible. and spatially and there’s a generosity of pace and joie de vivre from the French brand. to the presentation that’s immediately beguiling. Strong on detail, focus and

54 JULY 2015 AD_PAGE93_TEMPLATE.indd 1 31/8/12 10:15:57 HFC_A4_Ad_blank.indd 1 4/12/14 12:58:40 OPPO PM-3 REVIEWS HEADPHONE £350

DETAILS leaving some serious rival brands dazed and others founded on celebrity PRODUCT Oppo PM-3 endorsement blithely unconcerned. ORIGIN Portable headphones with planar China drivers are rare enough, but Oppo says TYPE the PM-3 sets the bar for weight. At Over-ear, closed 320g, it’s only slightly heavier than a back headphone regular quality pair of headphones with WEIGHT 320g less magnet-reliant dynamic drivers. FEATURES On-the-go ease of drive, previously a ● 55mm planar problem for this typically power- magnetic drivers hungry type of headphone, is another ● 4 detachable cords game-changer, making the PM-3 ideal ● Carrying case for use with a smartphone or, better DISTRIBUTOR still, a smartphone and pocketable Oppo Digital UK Ltd headphone amp/DAC such as Oppo’s TELEPHONE own HA-2 (HFC 397). Oppo admits 0845 0609395 getting this right was a tough call WEBSITE oppodigital.co.uk and took around a year to crack. Why all the fuss about planar magnetic drivers? That’s simple: sound quality. Manufacturers such as Oppo, Audeze and Hifi man wouldn’t go to all the trouble if it wasn’t for the sonic pay off. Loudspeaker legend Magnepan pioneered the technology which, in the simplest terms, consists of conductive membrane diaphragms fl anked by grids of powerful magnets that attract and repel the ultra-thin and light fi lm diaphragms in response to a signal. Oppo’s contention is that planar magnetic technology offers the best overall solution for the majority of customers who demand high-quality and high-resolution sound, possessing many advantages over traditional dynamic driver technology, not least inherently lower distortion. It’s something they share this with all fi lm-based transducers, but planar magnetic drivers add the benefi t of Three for all being potentially portable as, unlike electrostatic designs, they don’t require a special desktop bias power supply Oppo has already impressed the high-end and amplifi er. Electrostatics arguably hold the upper hand when it comes to sector. Now, high-tech meets the high street ultimate sound quality at home, but planar magnetic technology has as David Vivian tests its latest headphone practical benefi ts that offers more to a wider public and, therefore, a much better return on your investment. t the height of his boxing open-back design, intended purely for Headphone afi cionados will probably powers, Muhammad Ali home use, eschewed conventional be able to recognise PM-3s (available A would often quip: “How dynamic cones for planar drivers. It in black or white) on the street but, can I lose with the stuff I cost £1,100 after all. A few months unlike some, these aren’t cans that use?”. Oppo’s plan to sink its rivals later, Oppo pulled off the same trick broadcast their identity. Classy, neat is obviously built along similar lines, with the considerably more affordable and not too bulky best sums up the but in the fi ercely fought £300-500 PM-2, sacrifi cing little of the sonic look which, I suspect, will suit most just headphone market, that’s going to performance that had set a benchmark fi ne. There are some nice touches such require more than a fast-foot shuffl e. at the £1k price point. as the brushed aluminium panels on The stuff Oppo uses is a meticulously The £350 PM-3, however, has really the cups and the well-upholstered developed implementation of the set Felix among the featherweights. leather-look earpads and headband planar magnetic driver technology More compact and with over-ear padding. Yes, leather-look. The PM-3 is that’s normally the preserve of some closed-back swivel-able cups, it’s clearly built to a price. The good news very fancy cans indeed. When Oppo Oppo’s stab at a portable design – is that most of the budget has been launched its own fl agship show-opener an audacious fusion of trickle-down spent where it really counts, under the last year, the PM-1, no one was greatly planar magnetic tech and high-street bonnet, and what build compromises surprised that such a large, luxurious wearability at a price that must be there are – the plastic main frame and

56 JULY 2015 OPPO PM-3 HEADPHONE £350 REVIEWS

faux-leather earpads – are perfectly the trap, as some £300 headphones and rhythmic with whip-crack comfortable and serviceable. As befi ts do, of sounding suspiciously airy and transients and outstandingly explicit the PM-3’s portable/versatile design, expansive. It creates a sense of ease vocals. Contrastingly, a delicate touch you get four plug-in cables: a generous that kills fatigue and reduces curiosity is apparent with classical music. 3m length with a 3.5mm plug and about how much better really pricey Dvorak isn’t generally noted for his 6.35mm adapter, a pair of 1.2m cables headphones would sound. jaunty tempos and the Oppos show with remote buttons for iPhone or Do I crave for more analysis listening great respect, fi nesse and a sense of Android and a plain one with no to the baby Oppos? Not really. With a performance with the slower pace and remote at all. hi-res feed, not at all. The detail’s all orchestral sensibilities. String tone has Portability also requires a good there but never seems overt or spotlit, a particularly natural and unforced degree of isolation and, short of opting just lucid and uninhibited. Musical quality – smooth and nicely integrated for a noise-cancelling design, the PM-3 complexities aren’t ‘diffi cult’, timing is with just the right amount of body. is about as good as it gets at keeping right on the money, especially with the the hubbub of the outside world at bay Chord Hugo in the loop. Steely Dan’s Conclusion and the fi ner details of the music close Aja – in truth, not the duo’s most So, to recap, Oppo’s gorgeous PM-3 and intimate. Snugly fi tting earpads glittering studio triumph even in headphones are ‘entry-level’ in name and good isolation also prevent the digitally re-mastered form – sounds only. No, they don’t sound quite as need to trowel on the bass too thickly satisfyingly vivid, dynamic and polished and detailed as their larger to mask any ambient noise that’s muscular. Immersed in the music, I and more expensive open-back PM-1 leaking through. Even so, the bass and PM-2 siblings. But they do share output is elevated 5-6dB from a The PM-3 shows a cut-down version of those models’ nominally fl at frequency response to planar magnetic drivers and so biff achieve a subjectively ‘neutral’ balance great respect, much of the similarly priced portable on the move. There’s some subtle finesse and a sense competition into the middle of next ‘tuning’ at the top end, too, in order to week. That they are also well made, avoid excessive hardness and sibilance of performance look smartly understated and remain with less than perfectly produced tunes. comfortable to wear seals them an don’t feel inclined to focus on its hi-fi enthusiastic recommendation ● Sound quality inadequacies. The PM-3 has the happy The PM-3’s ‘house’ sound is one of knack of heading straight for the which Goldilocks herself would musical heart of the material. If its approve: just right. Transparent overall balance is a little more relaxed OUR VERDICT enough to easily differentiate than that of some rivals, it certainly SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Top-notch between the sonic efforts of an iPhone doesn’t stop it conveying presence and sound; comfortable or Samsung Galaxy au naturel and vitality to the full. and well made variously upgraded with the Oppo Sometimes manipulative smoothness VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Not one for HA-2 amp/DAC or Chord Hugo (HFC and warmth can be mistaken for headwear fashionistas BUILD QUALITY WE SAY: Undoubtedly 386), the thing that sticks out about naturalness, but there’s no euphonic Oppo’s best-value the PM-3 is the way everything buttering up here. Maybe it’s not quite headphone. Planar driver sonics in an sounds so natural, unshowy and the ideal headphone for hardcore EASE OF DRIVE affordable, portable unforced. No bass bloat, no mid headbangers, but pump up the volume package. Brilliant muddle, no treble tinsel – just and excitement most defi nitely gets delicious weight and detail, nicely in out of bed. The forceful, up-front OVERALL proportion, convincingly imaged in sound on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic three dimensions without falling into from Prince sounds exceptionally solid

CONNECTIONS

1 Padded steel 1 2 headband

2 Over-ear closed cup with planar magnetic driver

3 Detachable cord with remote 3

JULY 2015 57 RAUMFELD STEREO M REVIEWS ACTIVE STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER £700

DETAILS speakers from their packaging, I’m still left wondering where I’m going to put PRODUCT Raumfeld Stereo M them. I settle on my bedroom, which Size matters ORIGIN already houses a second system Germany comprising a Monitor Audio A100 TYPE (HFC 388) streaming amp/DAC They may look like a throwback from the 3-way wireless driving a pair of Edwards Audio SP2 standmount past, but there’s more to these speakers speakers (HFC 393) fl oorstanding speakers. WEIGHT A little friendly competition. Rather than meets the eye reckons David Vivian 21.5kg worryingly, the speakers can be DIMENSIONS positioned only a couple of feet apart. (WxHxD) The rear panel of the active model 210 x 420 x 275mm treaming for real music The Stereo M is unapologetically has one analogue input, while music FEATURES lovers” says the ad line bulky, wilfully retro, and short of ● 25mm fabric stored on memory sticks fi nds a home S Berlin-based Teufel has placement inside a cupboard has dome tweeter with the USB slot. attached to its stocky, no intention of dissolving into the with coaxial To be fair, although distractingly 110mm mid unit semi-active Raumfeld Stereo M background. The ‘active’ speaker that ● 140mm large, the rear slot-ported refl ex MDF loudspeakers. Sons of Sonos, brides of contains the electronics – 140W per Polypropylene- enclosures are solid, beautifully put Bose, lovers of titchy, moulded plastic channel Class D integrated amp/DAC, coned bass driver together and nicely fi nished, with a ● Quoted power multi-room speakers listen up, this network wi-fi streaming – even sports output: 2x 140W matt varnish, in black or white. The isn’t – repeat isn’t – for you. a fi fties-style brushed aluminium ● 1 analogue input; Raumfeld speakers appear to be the I’m sure Teufel would love to carve a dashboard incorporating volume knob 1 USB 2.0 input real deal, each enclosure housing a slice of the ever-expanding multi-room and four pre-set buttons for accessing DISTRIBUTOR coaxial mid-treble driver teamed with Lautsprecher streaming cake for itself. All it has to favourites if you don’t want to use the Teufel GmbH a long-throw 140mm woofer in a true do is win over those wedded to the dedicated controller or iOS/Android three-way confi guration. The 25mm TELEPHONE notion that modern living is to have app for your smartphone or tablet. 03308 080489 fabric dome tweeter has a cool-looking décor-integrated kit in every room Then again, perhaps real music WEBSITE waveguide chassis in the centre, that with the proposition that streaming lovers with a penchant for streaming raumfeld.com sits proud of the mid driver’s coated convenience and fl exibility are not have already folded the new tech into cellulose cone with the aim of incompatible with proper, hi-res, their fi nely graded bespoke separates emulating a true point source sound quality. systems or opted for the custom install and minimising phase and timing At fi rst glance, you’d have to solution. It’s all a bit Catch 22 and, anomalies, while the stoutly built bass conclude that it doesn’t have a hope. as I struggle to liberate the weighty driver features a polypropylene cone.

58 JULY 2015 RAUMFELD STEREO M ACTIVE STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKER £700 REVIEWS

Unapologetically The best news is that once you’ve radio stations, Spotify and USB some true, two-box active designs. retro, the Stereo downloaded the Raumfeld app to your stick-stored CD rips, the sound That said, the extra weight and M loudspeakers are incredibly smartphone or tablet, you’re ready to seems almost ridiculously smooth resolution of small details are now well built go – no individual amp, disc player and velvety in comparison – beginning to lend music a realism that or laptop required (though you can amply endowed with ‘couth’ and draws me in, the perceived top end hook-up a NAS, hard drive server or sophistication, but lacking a degree of roll off being less of an issue. Fed a any computer storage if you want to). energy and sparkle. Not a turn off by CD rip of Don Grusin’s sumptuously As long as you have a fully functioning any means, just a bit of a shock. Too produced Geography album, for wi-fi router, the app’s set-up procedure much of a shock, actually, to entertain instance, the system sounds is a breeze and the control interface any further comparisons with the satisfyingly solid and propulsive with every bit as intuitive and slick as Monitor Audio/Edwards Audio full-blooded tonal colours and nicely Spotify’s. All right, no support for DSD system. Instead, I am intrigued to see resolved timbres. The bass is a genuine right now, but all formats from lossy if I can live and get on with a surprise, not just integrating (MP3, Ogg, WMA and AAC) to presentation that is so fundamentally beautifully with the coax mid-treble genuine hi-res (up to 24-bit and skewed from what I am used to. drivers, but digging deep with real grip 192kHz) run smoothly whether I suspect that there are two possible and rhythmic integrity. wirelessly streamed or plugged in. reasons why the Stereo M seems to The system’s full-bodied presentation is even more appreciated with thin, Sound quality The system sounds undernourished recordings, lending If you wanted, you could put the The Crusaders’ otherwise masterful Stereo Ms on a chunky pair of stands, satisfyingly solid and Healing The Wounds album a more run the supplied speaker cable propulsive with full- fl eshed out, three-dimensional connecting the active speaker to its realisation of the vitality and super- passive sibling neatly along the skirting blooded tonal colours tight playing that drives most of the board, experiment with positioning, tracks. If there’s a caveat – and it’s place your favourite chair in the initially sound like this. One, it really probably something to do with the sweet spot and, tablet in hand, trial is as fl at as three year-old lemonade slightly dark tonal balance – it’s that Raumfeld’s unusual retro/new-tech and doesn’t like being placed on hi-res material doesn’t soar quite as fusion as a main system. But, as part bedroom furniture. Or two, it is effortlessly as it should, reinforcing of Raumfeld’s bigger multi-room concealing a big Class D stick and, as the Stereo M’s already sky-high streaming remit, that’s clearly not is sometimes the case, is simply just listenability, but without adding their natural home. Positioned too choosing to speak quietly unless much in the way of tingle factor. close together on top of a (admittedly roused to do otherwise. pretty solid) chest of drawers is where Going with the second hunch, I Conclusion they have to impress. turn up the volume and stand back Respect to Raumfeld. The Stereo M My regular Monitor Audio/Edwards to hear the results. Although the delivers streaming with a hi-fi ethos, Audio second string setup (speakers sound remains very ‘controlled’ and letting the music make its own case again less than ideally spaced) sounds seemingly low in distortion, the gains without the addition of artifi cial sonic lean, fast, airy and very explicit here in presence, weight and dynamic sweeteners. If hi-res doesn’t quite hit and, in almost every respect, qualifi es expression seem almost the heights, the system’s ability to as a ‘music lover’s hi-fi system. I’m not disproportionately potent, boosting make CD or lower-quality material sure what to expect from the Stereo M, the speakers’ ability to imbue music seem better than you remember it, but I could have hardly imagined it with a sense of life and impetus. sometimes by a large margin, is a neat would be quite so different. Running The Stereo M can’t quite muster the trick to say the least, especially as, in through the usual gamut of internet startling immediacy that characterises my case, the placement of the speakers is deliberately ‘real world’. If you can CONNECTIONS live with the size and price, it does little to challenge the notion that

1 25mm/110mm kicking back in your favourite chair to coaxial tweeter/ listen to music on a well-balanced hi-fi 1 mid driver is one of life’s pleasures. Whichever 2 USB port for room you happen to be in ● memory sticks 2 3 Analogue RCA line input 3 4 Robust speaker binding terminals OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY LIKE: Smooth, well- 5 140mm woofer upholstered sound; imaging; build quality 4 VALUE FOR MONEY DISLIKE: Hard to accommodate; dark tonal balance knocks BUILD QUALITY back hi-res tracks WE SAY: Near top- notch sonics, but retro FEATURES aesthetic and bulk won’t suit everyone OVERALL 5

JULY 2015 59

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Good WOOD David Price talks to Eddie Spruit and Alester Kells about how a career as a lawyer went slightly off course, leading to the setting up of Quadraspire

ife is what you make it, and Eddie that if I was going to leave law, I needed a thought, I’ll use that shape to make my Spruit is living proof of this. Had steady income, and had to do a product that shelf,” he remembers. “I came up with a L he followed his planned career would give me cash fl ow. With one-off stuff, prototype very close to what ended up being path, he would be in London you never know how long it will take, how the Q4. The guys thought it was good, but now, dispensing law on behalf of corporate many you are going to be doing in a year, so said that I should take it to Graham’s hi-fi multinationals. A student of the School I started to make little jewellery boxes in the shop. They said that they already had of Oriental and African Studies, young shape of a sail. With some friends we would enough racks, but we got talking and after a Edward’s major was in the economics of rent a shop off Oxford Street for six weeks while suggested I drop mine off because they China and Japan. Then on graduating, he or so before Christmas, selling all kinds of were doing an assessment. A week later they decided to do a conversion course to become phoned me up and said mine was the best of a lawyer, and found himself working for If I had known about all they had tested, and that they wanted to Pfi zer pharmaceuticals, as you do. recommend it to their customers.” “The reason I went there,” he tells me, “is bamboo 20 years ago that they wanted a part-time lawyer, and this I’m not sure we would Big in Japan let me take a little time off to pursue my Eddie was making them in small batches, hobby, which was – and is – cabinet making”. have ever used veneers and looking for a subcontractor to mass Eddie duly did, and soon realised, “it was produce them. His dream was to use this to more interesting studying law than designer stuff. I developed a little display let him leave his law job completely, and practicing it. The guys there – the partners stand using aluminium columns and then he could settle down to do his bespoke – looked old for their age and were doing triangular curved shelves. After about the furniture. Then in 1996 Malcolm Steward silly hours. I thought, life is too short. I third year, a guy setting up a hi-fi shop did a review in Hi-Fi Choice and, “it just took wanted to do what I wanted to do, and came in and suggested I did a rack…” off from there, basically”, he remembers. cabinet making was my passion!” At the time, Eddie was doing a special One thing led to another, and he got exports, He began renting a workshop in London’s commission for someone. A solid cherry then Linn Products asked him to supply East End, and started making one-off pieces desk, six feet by three feet, it had extreme racks for its factory and shows. This of furniture. “This was 1992, and I realised curves and was an interesting shape. “So I introduced him to a Japanese distributor

64 JULY 2015

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THREE’S COMPANY The current Quadraspire range comprises the Q4 EVO, SVT and X REF. All are carefully shaped so that they store as little energy as possible. As the range progresses up in price, more work is done to guarantee superior isolating properties. I got the chance to make direct A-B comparisons between the three Quadraspire ranges, as well as hearing the difference between the standard aluminium columns and the Bronze spike upgrade pack. Listening tests were made with the kind help of Audio T of Bristol (audiot.co.uk/storefinder/bristol/), using a £30,000 system comprising a Naim NDS/555 streamer (£13,925), Bryston BP26/4B SST pre-power amplifier (£8,925) and PMC twenty.26 loudspeakers (£5,750) – with the Naim streamer being moved directly from each Quadraspire rack to the next. The Q4 EVO rack delivered a good sound; the system sounded crisp and smooth with a pleasingly rhythmic nature. There was very little to object to, it presented as a well chosen system that was able to perform to a high level. When an extra tier was added with the bronze spike upgrade, the sound changed to a surprising degree. It was as if a layer of noise had been stripped out, revealing more pronounced spaces between the notes. This gave a more dynamic sound, one that carried the rhythmic accents of music far more clearly. It also seemed to Quadraspire’s entry-level Q4 improve the timing quite markedly. For example, on EVO (left) flagship X REF (centre) the Rolling Stones’ Beast Of Burden it was far easier and mid-price SVT (right) to hear drummer Charlie Watts playing ever so slightly off the beat, giving it a wonderfully loose and human feel. Before, the music seemed a little contractors, and wanted to move his more opaque and the rhythms and dynamics less pronounced. It was a surprisingly profound production inhouse. “I moved to the West improvement, considering its modest nature. Country and started the factory from scratch. It was a long journey; never having done Moving to the SVT was less surprising. The sound got slightly better, with a marginally stronger and manufacturing before, it was a lot to learn!” more articulate bass, and a slight smoothing of the Eddie loves designing, but his focus has upper midband. It was a useful upgrade, but less always been to keep supplying his significant than the first change. The music flowed better, had a greater sense of ease and seemed customers, he confi des. “Trying to be fractionally larger in scale; certainly things at the One of Quadraspire’s reliable, supplying within the timeframe, back of the recorded acoustic got a little better high-precision automated keeping to a certain standard, because defined. Finally, moving to the X REF was dramatic; cutting machines greater even in scale than the first change to the there’s no point cutting corners.” This has Bronze spikes, it was like moving from CD to hi-res. stood the company in good stead, but it The sound was larger still, significantly deeper and hasn’t been a cakewalk. One problem he seemingly less caught inside the speakers. Tonally the recording seemed less brittle and yet more has faced is keeping his range in check; detail came forth; it was even possible to hear a Quadraspire has at various points done quite hi-hat cymbal that had been previously lost in the a bewildering range of hi-fi racks, and for mix. The most palpable improvement was the focus and insight; strands in the mix now played independently of one another and this gave the music so much more life. As significant as any cable It’s still amazing when upgrade I have come across, it brought a far more you go to hi-fi shows to nuanced and insightful sound. Everything from wood cutting to power coating see manufacturers stack metal is done in the factory their kit on cheap stands that he has worked with to this day. “They this reason he has recently decided to slim started importing into Japan, and they came things down to the Q4 EVO (the entry-level over and that relationship just got stronger product in Cherry, £110 per tier), SVT and stronger, which is crazy! I think from (premium range in Bamboo, £280 per tier) about the turn of the millennium we were and now X REF (fl agship design, £1,000 per doing a container a month to there, about tier). There is also the option of the new £20,000 of furniture!” Bronze upgrade package, which replaces the Quadraspire was originally named after standard power coated aluminium spikes one of Eddie’s early pieces of furniture, a with carefully selected and machined bronze charming and quirky four-way folding metalwork. This costs an extra £200 on the thicker, whatever, we can do it.” This is only corner table. But suddenly he found himself Q4 EVO, and £400 on the SVT. possible because everything is made at the a respected hi-fi accessory manufacturer, and “The aim with this was to come up with company’s large factory just outside of Bath, the range grew. His Japanese distributor something that is pleasing to the eye in the and not in China by an OEM manufacturer. asked for ever more exotic designs, and home, but really competes on sonic terms Eddie says his business has grown strongly ever higher quantities. He was still living in with the really expensive designs.” There’s thanks to Japan, which is a market that London at this point, but made the decision also a custom build service; “We can make understands the importance of hi-fi supports. to move to Bath with his new wife and get a racks to customers’ individual requirements “They just naturally get it. In many countries factory. He had been let down by several – so if you need longer, wider, deeper, the thing you place your system on is seen as

JULY 2015 65 INSIDER FEATURE QUADRASPIRE

Eddie Spruit BOOPLINTH celebrates the original ‘quadra “This is made from solid bamboo. In its natural form spire’ corner table it is almost as light as beech or maple, but when you heat the bamboo so the sugar inside melts a bit, you get a caramel look. It is pure bamboo, cut it into thin rectangular strips, and laminated together side by side to create a sheet. This is cross laminated together for a kind of plywood effect. We machine from that, now to create the Booplinth – we cut the panels roughly to size then glue them together using special hard glue to get the thickness, and then we machine it out of that one piece of bamboo. It’s not so bad machining 20mm bamboo, but when you machine 66mm bamboo like this, it’s very hard wearing on the tool and the machine!” The Booplinth company sell it for £1,650 including fitting. booplinth.com

A sneak peak of the new bamboo The new Booplinth for the Linn LP12 speaker stands is beautifully made by Quadraspire coming soon

an irrelevance, or at best an aesthetic choice. getting across the idea that a good hi-fi clearly better than the veneered MDF, which But the Japanese know that supports can support will cost a lot of money, but will itself is a really good platform. It’s a fantastic have a dramatic effect on the sound. It’s a make your system right. It will let you get material and we have got a really good message I haven’t needed to push out there.” more from all of the other products you have response. Indeed if I had known about it In the UK, despite getting some excellent invested in. By not having your system set up 20 years ago, I wonder if I would ever have dealers on side and his very helpful Hi-Fi properly, then you might as well be throwing used veneers – probably just bamboo in Choice review some two decades ago, he has that money away, because you are not going three or four different fi nishes.” encountered resistance. Many people don’t to make the most of that system.” think hi-fi supports play an active part in the Having not worked in hi-fi manufacturing Prepare to be bamboozled sound quality of their system, and those that until recently, Alester recalls his horror at One thing led to another, and Quadraspire is do have traditionally thought metal and going to hi-fi shows around the world and now getting ever more serious about this glass supports are the best. I put it to Product seeing just how cavalier many companies are marvellous material. There is a new speaker Engineer Alester Kells that this is a little odd, about system supports. “It’s still amazing stand, combining bamboo uprights and given the propensity of both to resonate. when you go to hi-fi shows and see major Nextel-covered top and bottom plates, Surely what is needed is a structure that is electronics manufacturers with their kit out this autumn, and the company has light but doesn’t store energy, rather than a collaborated with a highly respected heavy one that rings? In 1996 a good review Manchester-based Linn dealer to make the Booplinth, a bamboo plinth for the Linn Wood you believe it appeared in HFC, one Sondek LP12 turntable. There’s even a set of After studying at Central St Martins, Alester thing led to another and bamboo wall brackets, too. It’s so strong that graduated with a degree in Product Design it is very diffi cult to machine, and wears out and is passionate about his day job, which it just took off from there tools quickly, but its structure, and the fact also happens to be a hobby too. “A lot of that it has so much air inside it, makes it people were a bit sceptical about the original stacked up, box on top of box, on some ideal for audio applications, he tells me. Quadraspire rack. They thought it didn’t cheap Ikea coffee table or suchlike. At Perhaps the company’s most important have much substance to it, and wondered if the recent Munich High End Show there product is the fl agship X REF, which builds it was really going to work. The market was were some really big names – including, on the SVT rack. It too is a low-mass design all about glass and steel, but it wasn’t and amazingly, a speaker manufacturer – paying with curved shelves and no parallel lines; isn’t the answer. Rather, wood is an excellent no serious attention to this part of the this breaks up standing waves and avoids material and comes in so many variants, system. Some of the stands looked pretty, storing energy. The new rack uses more all with differing strengths and damping but the kit was turned off, it was doing its extreme curves and mass is further reduced, properties. Since the sound of a hi-fi system job – and not very well.” with special grooving on the underside to is affected by ground and air-borne Quadraspire is passionate about the virtues minimise resonance. It has laminated vibration, the way that energy travels of wood in all its myriad forms then, and is a bamboo shelving and is coated in Nextel for through a rack has a big effect. It’s recent convert to bamboo – a material both sound deadening. Its edges are more acute mechanical, we know this.” Eddie and Alester think is superb for audio than normal to lower weight and assist Given that people have known that speaker applications. Eddie explains: “One of the energy dissipation, and small conical bronze stands have their own sound for the past 30 companies that we spray wood for, came spike locators hold the shelf in place. “It’s a years, why does Alester think so many along in 2010. It was an importer of bamboo whole new market for us,” says Alester, “with believe that precisely the same thing at the sheets from China, and we decided to try a whole new level of care and attention, but other end of the playback chain cannot some samples. We machined a Q4 EVO from that’s what we have always been about” ● possibly make a difference? “It’s about bamboo and compared the two blind. It was quadraspire.co.uk

66 JULY 2015

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YOUR LETTERS & QUESTIONS ANSWERED

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ED SELLEY NEVILLE ROBERTS DAVID PRICE JASON KENNEDY EXPERTISE: REVIEWER EXPERTISE: ENGINEER EXPERTISE: REVIEWER EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Active in the industry since Neville has an eclectic taste DP two-finger typed his first Editor of HFC from 1998 to More ways to get in touch: 1999, Ed’s first record was for classical baroque and jazz. hi-fi review some 25 years ago. 2001, Jason’s first turntable Boss Drum by The Shamen. His wife was forced to marry Since then he’s edited Hi-Fi was Rega’s Planar 3 and Elvis’ You can also send your He splits his time between his transmission line speakers World and HFC. He describes 40 Greatest Hits was his first questions to us via social media: reviewing and protecting hi-fi in the eighties and he collects himself as an “unreconstructed vinyl, so don’t go stepping on kit from toddler son Will. BBC test card music. analogue addict”. his blue suede shoes. twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk

Email us at [email protected] or write to: Hi-Fi Choice Letters, AVTech Media Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF. Your letters may be edited before publication and we cannot enter into personal correspondence

Top floor to put up against it would be I have a Rotel 02 Series CD PMC’s twenty.23 at £2,300, this player, preamp, power amps, is also a two-way but uses a Jason believes tuner and Rega P2 turntable transmission line rather than Spendor’s A6R and use Musical Fidelity’s V90 a refl ex cabinet and delivers should be DAC with the CD player. At a detailed, fast and musically ideally suited present I am using Spendor engaging result that will have to Gordon’s S5e fl oorstanding speakers, you glued to the listening seat. current setup which are bi-amped, but I’m thinking of upgrading with Which is best? a new speaker up to £3,000. I have a question regarding What would you suggest is a cables that I would appreciate good match for my system? your advice on. If purchasing Also, any chance of a a CD-based system, which fl oorstanders Group Test setup would you suggest to priced between the £2,000 to provide the most accurate/ £4,000 price bracket? lossless data transfer? Gordon Jaye Option 1, comprising of a CD transport, a digital LD: Hi Gordon, it’s always good interconnect and an to receive suggestions for Group integrated amplifi er with a Tests, but the price range you’ve DAC. Or option 2, comprising given is a bit outside what we’d a traditional CD player, an normally pitch our fl oorstanding analogue interconnect and speaker roundups. We do have a an integrated amplifi er? fl oorstanding Group Test coming If the standalone CD later in the year, but this will be transport in the fi rst option with sub-£2k models. We do, of is identical to the transport course, cover more upmarket present in the traditional models in our standalone reviews CD player and the DAC chip in Exotica as well as our Beautiful present in the integrated System and Dealer Visit features amplifi er is also identical – so look out for our informative to the DAC present in the reviews in these pages. traditional CD player, this would leave the only different JK: If you like your current factor being the connecting interconnect or an analogue one future, for example internet radio Spendors but want something cable choice/data transfer with all other things being equal. and fi le streaming? better you could do a lot worse method – digital or analogue. My view would be that there is Other sources are likely to than try Spendor’s A6R at £2,500. As a result, which ‘data very little to choose between the require higher bit depths and This is a fl oorstanding two-way transfer’ method would two, given that you would be sampling frequencies than the that has the coherence and provide the least amount using good-quality interconnects straightforward 16-bit/44kHz evenness of balance that you are of information lost ? anyway. I therefore think that requirement of a CD. So can you used to, but can deliver greater Mike Farrow your decision will depend on get the quality of DAC that you bass extension and higher levels other factors, such as are you may require in the integrated with ease. It’s probably a bit NR: Hi Mike, this is a straight likely to want additional digital amplifi er solution that you are easier to drive too. The alternative choice between a digital sources apart from CD in the considering? Just a thought.

JULY 2015 69 LETTERS

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David Hannah @HiFiChoiceMag best turntable/amp/speaker combo for £1,500? Any thoughts? For playing rock/metal.

Hi-Fi Choice There are @facetsquared first up at well benefits to under £1,500 @MF_HiFi’s using Tidal compact Merlin 1 system rvwd in on a tablet, April’s issue has lots to offer laptop or mobile phone

JK: Good question Mike, in theory suggests option 1 should work Rattle and hum digital connections are more better. You need to audit every I hope that you can help me robust/less easy to corrupt than single component in the chain, remove the unbearable hum analogue ones. However, because and that’s diffi cult. The easy emanating from my system. digital connections introduce answer is to simply go and fi nd This occurred when I jitter this doesn’t prove to be a dealer and do a comparative introduced a CD player. the case in music systems and listening test for yourself. The player in question is a Hi-Fi Choice @facetsquared alternatively keeping the DAC next to the Cambridge Audio Topaz CD5. Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Espirit transport is the most effective What’s Amplifi er is Rotel RA310. /@CambridgeAudio Azur 651A way of building a good-sounding LETTER the res? Speakers are KEF Cadenza with @QAcoustics 3050 or CD player at a realistic price. OF THE After reading with Thorens TD125 turntable @BowersWilkins 685 S2 speakers There are high-end transport and MONTH your recent and SME 3009 tonearm. I DAC combinations that perform Group Test on have checked the amp, Hi-Fi Choice extremely well, but we are talking music streaming speakers and turntable, @facetsquared but if you like the 1 brand approach about brands like MSB, dCS services (HFC 396), I noticed which works well with no @RegaResearch’s Brio R amp/RP3 and Esoteric – all megabucks that you recommended Tidal hum. I have tried changing deck/RS speakers take some beating - components with digital as a possible option at £20 the CD player and alternating lots to pick from! connection types not found per month. I have heard from interconnects. The amplifi er on affordable kit. more than one source that does not have a specifi c CD David Hannah although Tidal claims to offer connection, but I have tried @HiFiChoiceMag many a certain level of (high) both its extra and tuner thanks. The Rega 3 and amp Will I get the was recommended by a dealer too. resolution to its customers, inputs, and the problem Some auditioning to be done. benefit of Tidal not all of those customers still seems to persist. if I use it on my will get that level for their I would greatly appreciate £20, depending on what advice to cure the problem. when you connect your CD player mobile phone? equipment they will be using All Richer Sounds could to the Rotel, a better solution it with. For example, if suggest is trying a different is to disconnect the earth DP: If you had a CD player with someone chooses to use a CD player. screening of both the left and – lets say – an ESS Sabre 9018 basic mobile phone and a Barry Cross right interconnect phono plugs DAC feeding a line-level pair of headphones, they will from one end only – at the ends integrated via analogue not be much better off than NR: Hello Barry, I’m afraid that that plug into the Rotel. That interconnects, then the sound using Spotify and at double you are the victim of the classic should solve the hum loop, allow could be harmed by the poor the price. Is this true or am I ‘hum loop’ problem that is usually both the CD player and the Rotel implementation of the DAC missing something? caused by having a signal earth to have earth connections and (ie noise on the circuit board Neil Porter connection at two points in your maintain the earth return for the from the transport, noise from audio chain. It’s not an actual audio signal. Also, keep the signal the power supply), a poorly ES: Hi Neil, having run a number fault with any piece of equipment screen of the interconnects executed analogue output of tests over the course of the as such, but just a consequence of earthed at the CD player end. stage, interference from the streaming services Group Test connecting different designs of interconnects and then the signal (HFC 396), I can confi rm that equipment together. Firstly, I JK: That’s an odd one especially if routing inside the amplifi er. there are some benefi ts to Tidal would never recommend you’ve tried another CD player Conversely, doing it the other even on a Motorola Android disconnecting the earth and got the same result. If what way could be compromised phone or iPad. It is also worth connection in the mains plug in Neville suggests doesn’t work, I by interference on the digital pointing out that you can use any piece of equipment as that would surmise that because your interconnect, interference from Tidal in full-bore lossless on your will compromise safety. As the amplifi er was built before the CD the same ESS DAC fi tted inside system while still streaming and problem seems to occur only era that it is having trouble with the amplifi er to its own analogue storing compressed versions of stages, interference from the the same fi les on your phone to power supply of the CD transport save space if you need to. and amplifi er and so on. And then there’s always jitter, in both cases, too! My point is that it’s just What is the cause of impossible to say ‘in the fi eld’, the humming from even though common sense Barry’s CD player?

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get from a mono recording. HINTS & TIPS Anyway, don’t completely rule REPLACING THE JACK PLUG out a non-suspended deck as ON A HEADPHONE LEAD there are some superb designs out Headphone cables can suffer from there that have excellent isolation wear from repeated flexing and feet and sub-plinths. Have a look pulling. This is especially true of those at the wide range of turntables that are used on portable media players and the like. Indeed, we have from Pro-Ject, including those heard of a recent case where the where the motor is effectively family cat decided to chew off the isolated from the plinth. As plug from a set! Whatever the reason for the damage, a repair of the plug an alternative to a dual-arm connection is unlikely to be an option turntable, you could manage with if the plug is moulded onto the cable, a single arm with a removable so fitting a new plug is the only choice. headshell, such as the Jelco 750 Replacement plugs are readily Mark can get a available from your local stockist or dual tonearm unipivot and have two headshells. online. You first need to check what adaptor for the The only down side of this type you need. They will either be ¼in SME Model 10 arrangement is the need to adjust (6.35mm) diameter, 3.5mm or 2.5mm and either mono (unlikely!) with one the tracking force when you swap black ring on the plug, 3-way stereo the relatively high output that rock, pop and jazz and between cartridges, but all you with two rings, or 4-way stereo with they produce. Tuners, tape whatever you call Van need is to keep a digital stylus microphone and three rings on the plug. The connections to each ring recorders and other pre-digital Morrison’s music, plus force gauge handy. Incidentally, inside the plug are in order with the line-source components delivered more recently classical don’t give up on vinyl as a source centre one being the tip. On a 3-way far lower output than CD players although I suspect I will use of classical music. Apart from the stereo plug, the tip is the left channel (usually a green or white wire), the and so the sensitivity of your line the streamer and downloads wealth of second-hand LPs that next is the red right channel and the inputs may just be too high. The to source the latter. are available on auction sites and body is the earth or screen wire. For a unfortunate answer, therefore, is I prefer the idea of a LP specialist suppliers, new 180g 4-way plug, the tip is left, the first ring is right, the next ring is earth and the to invest in a new amplifi er. suspended deck, but vinyl is also appearing again, such body is the microphone connection. technology must have moved as Ingrid Fliter playing Chopin Turntable turmoil on in the last 30 years and Preludes on LP from Linn Records. I have fi nally got the time and there seems to be a lot more room space to go back to my choice now. As I have started Ear for detail vinyl collection. My (very) buying second-hand vinyl I I would value your advice on old kit comprised a Manticore like the idea of two arms, one the best way to improve the Mantra record deck with Linn with a better cartridge or sound of my system. I can cartridge and LVX arm, A&R even mono, but that probably spend about £2,500, and the A60 amp, Heybrook HB1 narrows the choice too much. same again next year. My Shutterstock/Vladimir Arndt speakers alongside a Marantz Any help much appreciated – current setup is Naim CD CD52 (Special) and Technics great mag by the way. 3.5 with HiCap p/s, TDS ADJUSTING CARTRIDGE STG4 tuner. Mark Raymond audiophile passive harmonic ALIGNMENT I will replace the CD player ‘enhancer’ that I like the Aligning a cartridge in the headshell and tuner with a streamer NR: Hi Mark, I’m delighted to effect of, Classé pre and is not as straightforward as it might at some stage, but for now I hear that you’re enjoying your power amp (CP-35 through at first appear. This is because the groove of the record is cut using a have had the Mantra serviced vinyl collection once again. DPA Black Slink balanced XLR cutter that is tracked straight across and an Ortofon 2M Blue fi tted Getting a two-arm deck and into CA-101), Proac Response the radius of the record, while it is and am using it with a Rega cartridges within your budget 3.8 speakers. Cabling is van played back with a cartridge that tracks in an arc across the disc, Aria and Elicit-R amp, plus will be tricky, but if you can den Hul CS-122, Audioquest since the tonearm is pivoted at one Focal Aria 906 speakers. source an SME Model 10 Quartz 3 (CD to TDS), Supra end. The calculations required to Perhaps I should have started turntable, you can buy a M10-DP EFF (TDS to preamp), Mark work out the optimum positioning of the cartridge are, therefore, not with replacing the Mantra, dual tonearm mounting plate Grant G2000 Ag or van den straightforward. There are several but it all sounds so good! adapter from Timestep, which Hul The Wave (Squeezebox to different cartridge alignment However, the Mantra won’t enables you to fi t a second arm preamp: I swap these calculation models around, including those by Baerwald, Löfgren and last forever, so with that to that turntable. Also, I can interconnects from time to Stevenson. Each of these models has in mind can you suggest a thoroughly recommend the time because I fi nd the VDH its own particular strengths, but all deck/arm/cartridge combo Miyajima Kotetu Mono MC richer and more musically are aimed at minimising distortion and tracking errors at different points for up to £5,000 that will Cartridge, also imported by coherent, but unable to across the record. make the most of my new kit? Timestep, to fi t in a second arm. It convey the subtle treble Fortunately, there are a number of My music taste covers mostly is a real eye opener what you can details like shimmering piano alignment protractors out there that make the job easy and usually use the Baerwald calculations. The overhang (the difference between the spindle Ed says that Naim’s NAC-N 172 XS to pivot distance and the cartridge to holds the answer to Jim’s problem pivot distance) and the angle of the cartridge in the headshell are set by sliding the cartridge forwards or backwards and twisting it in the headshell so that it lines up with the calibration marks on the gauge. This is usually at two points on the gauge and you should repeat the process until the cartridge is lined up at both points – job done!

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

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notes, the room echoes of a buy online, try at home, and struck tom tom drum or the resell on ebay if it’s not what acoustic air around notes, I like. Thanks in advance, which the Mark Grant cable Jim Hawthorne can do better, but is a little lean sounding. JK: Wow Jim that’s quite a set up, My priority is to improve you must have a lot of fun with the Squeezebox fi rst, then those cables. As a Townshend the system in general. I Allegri user myself I can’t am awaiting delivery of an recommend it highly enough impulse buy MCRU linear and suspect that it would let you power supply for my hear more of what your current Squeezebox, hoping this will sources are capable of. That said, improve things a bit while you may be better off with an I consider more expensive upgrade to the streaming source upgrades. But should I opt as you suggest, and the Naim to add a Chord Hugo/ NDX is certainly one of the better QuteEX/2Qute to my examples available. I suggest Squeezebox, or would I get getting the Allegri fi rst and seeing a better all-round result if that and the MCRU supply swapping out the Squeezebox bring your streaming sounds up for a more upmarket to standard. If not, then go for the streamer like a Naim NDX? NDX next year. Currently I use the Squeezebox with a USB stick ES: In this case, why not kill two birds with one stone? Naim now I’m considering has two streaming preamps, the NAC-N 172 XS and the NAC-N upgrading my 272 and these would both replace system, where the Squeezebox (and allow fi le playback in exactly the same should I start? method as you use presently), support your existing inputs and plugged in the back and am produce a signifi cant boost in happy with that simple setup, performance. You would then be just not with the fl at sound. in a position to look at a different My preamp strikes me as power amp or an upgraded PSU next in line for attention as in the next update. Reduce box it is not the last word in count and boost performance at transparency. I’m considering the same time, what’s not to like? Townshend Allegri, Naim NAC 82 or NAC 282. Which do you Bit of bother think would deliver the best I’m very new to this so you’ll upgrade, or is there anything appreciate that my equipment else you’d suggest? I also won’t win any prizes, but I’ve have a spare Roksan Caspian been fairly careful selecting power amp I could press into components. I have a set of bi-amp duties with the M-Audio AV40 active monitor CA-101. If you think this speakers connected to the would render signifi cant output of my Behringer Xenyx improvement, which power Q802USB mixer, into which I amp would you use for which have my PC connected as a frequency range? source via the Behringer USB I’m in Northern Ireland, interface and a Pro-Ject with quite limited access to Elemental II turntable via a Korg’s DS-DAC-100 quality hi-fi for home demo. phono line in. is far superior Usually I have to research I know that the Behringer to a PC’s reviews and forum opinions, USB interface has a sample sound card STYLE. PERFORMANCE. FUNCTION.

.,QWHJUDWHG .,QWHJUDWHG .6\VWHP -DQXDU\ )HEUXDU\ $SULO K3 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER & CD PLAYER Roksan’s.6HULHVRIKLƓHOHFWURQLFVSXWVRXQGTXDOLW\ƓUVW%XWPRUHWKDQMXVWVRXQGLQJJUHDWWKH\ōUHDOVR HIIRUWOHVVO\VLPSOHWRXVHDQGFRPHLQDGHVLJQWKDWDQ\RQHZRXOGEHSURXGWRSXWDWWKHFHQWUHRIWKHLU PXVLFV\VWHP The.,QWHJUDWHG$PSOLƓHUKDVEHHQEXLOWZLWKWRGD\ōVGLVFHUQLQJDXGLRSKLOHLQPLQG%RDVWLQJƓYH/LQH /HYHOLQSXWVDQH[FHSWLRQDO0RYLQJ0DJQHWSKRQRVWDJHDQGVXSHULRUDSW;p%OXHWRRWKWHFKQRORJ\LWLV DQLGHDOKXEIRUDOOPDQQHURIDXGLRVRXUFHV7KHUHLVSRZHUDQGEDVVGULYHLQDEXQGDQFHZLWKVXSHUE VRXQGVWDJLQJDQGHQJDJLQJGHWDLOWKDWLVERWKUHƓQHGDQGHQMR\DEOH The . &' 3OD\HU LV D KLJKTXDOLW\ VRXUFH FRPSRQHQW WKDW GHOLYHUV D ULFK DOPRVW DQDORJXH VRXQG SHUIRUPDQFH WKDW SHUIHFWO\ PDWFKHV WKH ,QWHJUDWHG $PSOLƓHUōV GHOLYHU\ :KHQ XVLQJ WKHVH SURGXFWV WRJHWKHU\RXKDYHDSDFNDJHWKDWLVWUXO\XQULYDOOHGIRUWKHSULFH

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rate of 48kHz, and some of my new tracks are sampled at 192kHz. I know all of the well-trodden arguments about the validity of tracks of this quality, and whether humans can actually detect the difference etc. but if we can just take it as read that I want to play them at 192kHz, I think it’ll be easier. But 192kHz into 48kHz M1 LPS phono stage with an Ortofon’s doesn’t go, so I’m not able to Audiolab 8000P (25 years Quintet Black is a fantastic hear the higher-quality tracks old but still going strong), option for Ian through my speakers when Audiolab 8200CDQ, B&W connected via my mixer desk, CM10 speakers and Taralab as is my understanding. cables all round. If, however, I buy a high- I am considering any of quality PC sound card that the Ortofon Quintet Black, supports 192kHz sampling, Cadenza Red or Benz Micro then bypass the Behringer Glider S, or even an outside codec by plugging the line out chance of an Origin Live of this soundcard to a line in Aladdin (moving iron with on the Behringer (eliminating good reviews). One dealer its USB interface entirely), has told me he thinks the will I pass the higher bitrate Quintet Bronze is better through to the main out and value than the Black, so I am so my speakers? getting really confused now. Ade Taylor My main listening is Pink Floyd, Marillion, Led Zep, NR: Hi Ade, so in essence you Dire Straits and Yes. Any help want to know whether it will you can give would be greatly work if you use a separate DAC to appreciated, even if you can convert your 24/192 audio fi les help me bring my search into analogue and feed the down to two choices. analogue signal into one of the line inputs on the Behringer? The I’m getting answer is yes it will and I would recommend a good-quality USB conflicting advice DAC for this purpose, such as the about which Korg DS-DAC-100 (HFC 388), rather than a PC sound card as cartridge to get... the analogue outputs of a PC sound card are unlikely to be up Ian Rennie to the job. ES: Hi Ian, you aren’t the fi rst person to remark on the Wizard of Oz difference between the Black and I have lived in Western the ‘cooking’ versions of the same Australia for over 20 years range. The Black seems to be the and in that time nearly all no-holds-barred version and, as the hi-fi shops have gone or such, some people can fi nd them become surround suppliers a bit full on. This being said, the only. As a consequence, home Quintet Black is a fantastic auditions or trials are no cartridge and from that list would longer available. I am in need be my personal preference. of a new cartridge, the old Having said that, depending on one (Ortofon X5-MC) died. I the exchange rate, a Dynavector have a Mitchell GyroSE with DV20x2 should also be under Techno arm, Music Fidelity serious consideration at the price.

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IF IT’S THE HEART AND SOUL of music Don’t think of the Chiara as a stand-mount speaker. ]SY´VIWIEVGLMRKJSV¯RSXNYWX³LM½´FIPPW :MZEGIERH'LMEVEPSYHWTIEOIVWFSXLTVSHYGIEWGEPITS[IV ERH[LMWXPIW¯XLIWIWTIEOIVW[MPPFVMRK and depth of sound out of all proportion to their physical size. tears to your eyes. 7SXLMROSJXLI'LMEVEEWEGSQTEGX¾SSVWXERHIV They’ll do all the technical things, -RMXMEPP]XLIFEWWGETEFMPMX]EWXSRMWLIWYRXMP of course, but with panache and MXWSXLIVWXVIRKXLW¯EKMPMX]GPEVMX]XMQMRK WTEVOPMRK HIXEMP WITEVEXMSR WSYRHWXEKI timing that bring ‘presence’ and depth and width – also come into focus. involvement that you may never have experienced before. 'LMEVE´WMRZMWMFPI³WIGVIX´MWXLIWYFWXERXMEP ZMFVEXMSREFWSVTXMSRFYMPXMRXSXLIMRXIKVEP One key to the performance of the WXERH HVEMRMRK IRIVK] JVSQ HVMZI YRMXW Vivace and Chiara loudspeakers is the GVSWWSZIVERHXLIGEFMRIXMXWIPJ YRTVIGIHIRXIHGEVIXEOIRXSPMQMXHEQEKI Those labyrinths are the major reason the XS XLI QYWMG WMKREP JVSQ ZMFVEXMSR ERH VEHMSJVIUYIRG]MRXIVJIVIRGI 6*-  WTIEOIV SJJIVW TS[IV ERH WGEPI PMOI E ¾SSV stander. Absorbing the huge energy inside the Yes, it’s not just electronics, speakers cabinet during intense music passages allows also suffer the effects as detail and it to control timing and phase accuracy, key to XMQMRK MRJSVQEXMSR EVI HIWXVS]IH F] that stable imaging and sound stage. XLI MRXIVEGXMSR FIX[IIR XLI WMKREP ERH ZMFVEXMSRERH6*-)1- The result is stop-you-in-your-tracks TVIWIRGIERHVIEPMWQENE[HVSTTMRK 0SYHWTIEOIVWZMFVEXIEMVSJGSYVWIFYXXLEX VIGVIEXMSRSJXLISVMKMREPTIVJSVQERGI ZMFVEXMSRXVEZIPWeverywhereZMEGEFPIW )ZIRTPE]MRKQYWMGXLEX´WRSX]SYVYWYEP Particular care is taken with the crossover GLSMGIXLIIJJIGXMWVMZIXMRK MR FSXL WTIEOIVW YWMRK XIGLRSPSK] A third feature SJ FSXL WTIEOIVW MW ER HIZIPSTIH F] 9/ GSQTER] :IVXI\ %5 Chiara in another I\XVE HVMZI YRMX SR XLI FEGO TEWWMZIP] :MFVEXMSRMWHMWWMTEXIHMRXSQEXIVMEP[MXL ½RMWLSTXMSR HVMZIRF]XLIQEMRQMHFEWWJVSRXHVMZIV¯ Finish of this thousands of pathways, while Stealth There’s a third, WMQMPEVXSXLI:MZEGI FIPS[PIJX  Vivace is high gloss WLMIPHMRK HIZIPSTIH JSV QMPMXEV] EMVGVEJX passive, drive unit on the back. Burgundy red with a ERHWLMTWTVSXIGXWEKEMRWX6*-)1- The aim is to work with and control the GEVFSR½FVIFEJ¾I A second key JIEXYVI EVI GEFMRIXW FYMPX VSSQVEXLIVXLER½KLXMRKMXERHWIXXMRKYTHMJ½GYPXQSHIW from Tankwood, a composite so dense Humans need two milliseconds to separate a musical tone from XLEX MX FPYRXW HMEQSRH XSSPW MR /EMWIV ERSMWIEJXIV[LMGLXLIVSSQ´WEQFMIRXWSYRHMRXVYHIW Acoustics’ hi-tech factory near Munich. 6IEH QYGL QSVI YRHIV ³0SYHWTIEOIVW´ SR SYV [IF WMXI *SVQIH JVSQ LMKLP]GSQTVIWWIH FIIGL MRGPYHMRKWIZIVEPQENSVVIZMI[WIK³&IWXSJXLI&IWX´MRLM½ ply and resin, Tankwood has inherently QEKE^MRIJSVXLI:MZEGI I\GIPPIRX HEQTMRK TVSTIVXMIW FYX EPWS Customers say[IQEOIWSQISJXLIFIWXWSYRHWEX is perfect for musicality, natural tone shows and in our studio they have ever heard, so you VMGLRIWWERHEYXLIRXMGXMQFVEPGSPSYV know we can do the same in your home. Our advice takes Rear view of the Vivace, showing the passive EGGSYRX SJ ]SYV FIWX GSQTSRIRXW ERH KYMHIW ]SY [LIVI mid/bass driver (top) and the additional bass GLERKIMWRIIHIHMRWXEKIW]SYGEREJJSVH0IXYWEHZMWI unit. Finish of this particular pair is high gloss You avoid expensive mistakes, enjoy music and save money [LMXI[MXLERI\SXMG[SSHZIRIIVJVSRXFEJ¾I MRXLIPSRKVYR %PQSWXER][SSHSVTEMRX½RMWLMWTSWWMFPI Just listen and you’ll know

CD: Aurender, Bel Canto, dCS, Gamut, Vertex AQ DAC. Vinyl: +VELEQ7TMVEP+VSSZI8VERW½KYVEXMSR Tuners:1EKRYQ(]REPEF%QTPM½IVWBel Canto, CAT, Gamut, Sonneteer, Storm Audio, VTL. Loudspeakers: Avalon, Gamut, Kawero! – Vivace & Chiara, NEAT, Totem. 'EFPIWChord Co., DNM, Nordost, Siltech, VertexAQ. Mains: Vertex AQ. Supports:%VGMGM&PEGO6EZMSPM,M*M6EGOW0IEHMRK)HKI7XERHW9RMUYI:IVXI\%5Room Acoustics: 0IEHMRK)HKI [[[VMKLXRSXIGSYO 01225 874728 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. Bavarian blessings than previous shows year this visitors number of younger There were agoodly Ed SelleyEd Munich’s High End Show is done for another year and among all the shininess and excess is alsoa that wouldbesosuitableandadaptable.Munichasacity event intheUK,I’mstrugglingtothinkofavenuehere in size.Muchaswemightbemoanthelackofsuchan that theMOChascontinuedtohandleshowincreasing witnessed. Onceagain,I’mhugelyimpressedbytheway a NAD 3020 in the past, this is an area being keenly a NAD3020inthepast,thisisan areabeingkeenly being thein people butifwetakethe£400-500 andupwardspointas offering thesameoldanswersasbefore. the publicactivelyseemtobelookingforratherthan accepted rolesofcomponents,buttheyoffersolutionsthat conventional shapeandneitherdotheyconformtothe the cloudtoactassources.Thesearefrequentlynota making effectiveuseofcomputers,portabledevicesand there wasstillanappealingselectionofpost-CDproducts German markettobealittlemoretraditionalthantheUK, tired hand-me-downsfromyearsgoneby. Ifwetakethe the industrymightbelookingtoattractnewblood. and appealingproductbreakingcoveritseemsthat to audio,therewasabigsliceofreasonablypriced,clever year moreinterestingwasthataswellthesecathedrals There wasnoshortageofinsanelyexpensiveproductson long-term plansactuallyare. only havethosetodisplay, I’mnotsurewhatyour products thatcostmorethanmyhouse,butwhenyou than gettingnewonesthroughthedoor. Idon’tmind aimed exclusivelyatexistingcustomersupgradingrather ago wasre customers altogether. Almosteverythingofnotetwoyears the industryasawholehaddecidedtogiveuponnew of variouspreciousmetalsI’dseenbyvolumeandwhether last visitin2013,Ifoundmyselfwonderingjusthowmuch was actuallybringingtomyattention.At theendofmy somewhat underminedbytheequipmentthatshow Of course, ‘affordable’ means different things to different Of course,‘affordable’meansdifferent thingstodifferent More importantly, theseaffordableproductswerenot This yearfeltalittledifferent,though,andbetterforit. In recentyears,thispositivityabouttheeventhasbeen T fi ne venue too. ne venuetoo. fl ective enough to be used as a mirror and ective enoughtobeusedasamirrorand fl left with mixed emotions about what I’ve left withmixedemotionsaboutwhatI’ve Munich andaswithafewprecedingyearsI’m together attheMOCExhibitionCentrein he dustissettlingonanotherindustryget ation-adjusted equivalent to the price of ation-adjusted equivalenttothepriceof sees someroom sees for optimism assensibly priced products get in onthe action What made this What madethis may thiscontinue. on displayandlong serious highendis a placewherethe come torivalCESas show. Munichhas High EndShowthanIhaveinquite sometime positive aboutthestateofindustry postvisitingthe bring toseeiftheMunichtheme continues.ButIfeelmore a summermake,andIwaittosee whatupcomingshows grandmother hasoftenpointedout,oneswallowdoesnot starting tomovetowardsacommongoal.Butasmy what customersactuallywant,itlookslikebothsidesare a fewyearsoftechnical at allpricepointsandnotsimplyinthestratosphere.After previous onesandsawanindustrythathasitsmojoback place. For me,thisyear’sshowwasbetterthanmany that rarelyexhibitanywhereelseiswhatmakesitaspecial – thisistheHighEndShowafterallandseeingbrands To beclear, Idon’twanttolosetheexoticafromevent Setting thetrend expensive rivals was a heartening sight. expensive rivalswasahearteningsight. having justasmanypeoplevisititsdemossomemore shoulders withthemegabucksbrandsinAtriums and limited tojusttheHalleareas.SeeingQAcousticsrub actually lookedliketheywantedtobethere.Norwasthis Sennheiser, Pro-JectandCambridgebroughtstandsthat make decentuseofthespaceavailable.Companieslike into aworldofcleverandattractivestandsthatreally one sullenlydisplaysomeproductswithabrochureortwo companies thatreallywantedaroombutcouldn’tafford areas areslowlybutsurelychangingfromaplacewhere more interestingthaninyearsgoneby. Theopen‘Halle’ to thepublicwasmoreinventive,interactiveandsimply visitors thisyearthanI’veseenatpreviousshows. getting older, buttherewereagoodlynumberofyounger news isthatthisseemedtobehavinganeffect.MaybeI’m clearly takentimeandefforttodevelop.Thereallygood contested bymanufacturersandwithproductsthathave Furthermore, the way the equipment was being shown Furthermore, thewayequipmentwasbeingshown fl ux and some confusion over ux andsomeconfusionover ●

JULY 2015 they reallywant the kidswhat Direction give answer toOne Germany’s Show and tell ED SELLEY OPINION 79

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. The power andthe glory been stripped away has midband mush and alayer of upper cleaner, is bass The diff Despite years of inveterate tweaking, much roomfor passion/vocation (deleteasappropriate)isthatthereso the edgeofdeafness,Iwillhavebeatenupgradebug! moving intherightdirection.Perhaps bythetimeIamon That’s great,itwasalwaystheintention,andthingsare a proportionallysmalleramountoftimemessingwithit. electrostatic charge believing thatthisornewmodwillchangetheirlives. great amountsoftimechasingrainbowssotospeak, and confusedpeopleoffthestreets.Alotofthesefolkspend maximum securityprisonsitkeepslargenumbersofdazed want togoonebetter. Thisisn’tbadinitself, becauselike repository ofpeoplewhojustcan’tsitstill,always success; some mains conditioners worked a bit, others success; somemainsconditioners workedabit,others effect ofthenoise-riddledACmainssupply. Ihadvarying sound good,tryinganythingthatclaimedtoalleviatethe was abigissueformeandIstruggledtogetmyhi- what aboutthemainsitself?WhenIlivedinLondon,this a modesteffect,otherscanbesigni try. Thisgoesforbothsignalandmainscables;somehave depending onyoursystemandyouneverknowuntil of this;theeffectstheyhavecanbesubtleorprofound, difference foryourself. Cablesaretheclassicexample you can’treliablypredictresultssohavetohearthe to dramaticallyupgradehi- ‘snog, marryoravoid’,asthesayinggoes? interconnect leadthatusefullyupgradesthefreeones phono plugthatmakesnexttonodifference,there’sa£30 accessory marketabadname.For everyfancy£300 RCA is spent.Suchwondertweaksgivetherestofhi- pocus’, anditneverceasestoamazemehowmuchmoney whatever, there’sareadymarketforwhatIcall‘hi- vinyl, and in the end I gave up – electing instead just to use vinyl, andintheendIgaveup–electing insteadjusttouse fl seemed to‘overdamp’thesound, makingitsmootherbut at and lifeless. This was especially detectable when playing at andlifeless.Thiswasespeciallydetectablewhenplaying If we’rebrutallyfrank,oneofthejoysthishobby/ Whether it is exotic organic damping compounds, Whether itisexoticorganicdampingcompounds, If mains leads can improve the sonics of a system, then If mainsleadscanimprovethesonicsofasystem,then Decades spentreviewingallmannerofproductsclaimed T erence using regenerated mains could bring. Doesthis mean an endto the fiddling? listen tomusicandthosethat here aretwotypesofaudiophile–thosewho and asmysetuphasgotbetter, Ihavespent with theirsystems.I fi ddling. Thehi- fi eld reducers, disc demagnetisers or eld reducers,discdemagnetisersor fi systems, has taught me that systems,hastaughtmethat fi industry is a veritable industryisaveritable fi t into both categories, t intobothcategories, fi cant. cant. which tweaks to which tweaksto audiophiles know navigate; howdo awfully dif the wholeterritory supply. Thismakes manufacturers fi ddle around fi fi cult to fi hocus to fi

David Price been tryingto midband mushhasbeenstrippedaway. For yearsIhave and depth.Thebassiscleaner, andalayerofupper more widescreenpresentationthankstoimprovedwidth system soundtonallysmoother, darkeranddeeper, with scale Ihadnotenvisaged.Ithasmademyreference I waswrong.Ithasbroughtaboutanimprovementofthe Getting itright to drivemy probably morethanalifetimeoftweaking haseverdone one muchgreaterthanexpected. Indeed ifI’mhonest,itis is veryexpensive,butdeliversaresounding improvement, my opinionofthemhasbeenraised. At £5,995theIsoTek heard thembefore,especiallyinthetrebleregion.Indeed, electrostatics arefarlessmushyandmuddledthanIhave detailed andmoredynamic,whilemyexpensiveQuad Cambridge AudioAeroMax6 improvement theIsoTek hasbrought.Mybudgetreference everything askedtoworkwiththem. now theyseemfarlessbrightandmoreamenableto kitchen, because the kitchen, becausethe switched oninthe when thefridgehas quiet enoughtotell here. For example,it’s because it’sprettygood fi became lessinclinedto wilds ofWiltshire, I detract inanyway. things up,yetdidn’t Kontak. Itsweetened plugs cleanedby good mainsleadswith the EVO3 MosaicGenesisinnotexpectingmuch… would makeadifferenceouthereinthesticks.Iplugged for IsoTek powerproducts,Ihonestlydoubtedthatthey show in2012and2013.SoalthoughIhavearealrespect Choice improved thesound.Indeed,Ichosethemin demonstrations ofitsproducts,andtimeafterithas number ofhi- regenerator andpowerconditioner. Ihavebeentoa was interestingtotryIsoTek’s EVO3 MosaicGenesismains everything soundedmushyandharshallthetime.Soit brittle, whereasinLondon,itwasjustsonoisythat sound getsslightlymore ddle with my mains ddle withmymains Unsurprisingly, thebetterloudspeaker, themore When I moved to the When Imovedtothe hi-resdemonstrationattheBristolSoundandVision fi nicky Yamaha NS-1000Mloudspeakers,and fi shows where the company has run shows wherethecompanyhasrun fi nd anampli never fully realised quite what a fi er clean and smooth enough er cleanandsmooth enough fl oorstander, seemsbetter Hi-Fi Hi-Fi ●

JULY 2015 of tweaking can than alifetime achieves more Mosaic Genesis IsoTek’s EVO3 The tweak that was DAVID PRICE OPINION 81 Huge range of high end brands Expert system matching advise Used high end hi-fi bought and sold Part exchange welcome All items checked and guaranteed Major credit cards accepted HI-FI E X CHANGE GUARANTEED HIGH QUALITY NEW & PRE-OWNED HI-FI: LLATESTATEST 2200 MIT Reference Digital AES/EBU BALANCED 1M £350 Naim Audio Nait 3 £320 Avalon Indra £9990 Townshend Audio SEISMIC SINK RACK - 4 SHELF £800 Tektron Pre and Power £1750 Krell 400e Evolution Monoblocks £11990 Krell KPS25sc 24/96 £4990 B&W 802 Diamond £8500 MIT MH 750 Plus 10ft pair £450 Moon Electronic Supernova CD £1990 Audio Note DAC Zero £300 Yamaha NS1000M £990 Pathos InPower £4990 Accuphase E 560 £3500 VPI HW19 Mk3 £600 Mark Levinson 380s £1999 McIntosh MC205 £4000 Bryston 3-way speaker switch box £495 Marantz SA 8003 CD/SACD £345 Infinity Kappa 9 £1990

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VK-255 SE £3,700 Luxman C800f £8,990 Audio Aero Capitole Signature £3,300 B&W htm 2D £2,800 Bel Canto Ref 1000 M (Mk2) Mono blocks NEW £4,300 Mark Levinson No 326s Reference Audio Aero La Source £29,500 B&W DM 70 Continentals £1,800 Bel Canto Ref 1000 monos £1,990 Dual Mono Pre £8,170 Audio Aero La Fontaine £17,500 B&W Matrix 800 £5,990 Beyond Frontiers Audio Tulip w/ DAC £8,500 Mark Levinson No 380 £1,790 Audiolab 8200CD £600 Beauhorn B2.2 Revelation £1,800 BMC Audio CS2 Integrated/ Power Amplifi er £4,595 McIntosh C2200 £3,750 Audiomeca/ Pierre Lurne Mephisto CD Transport £790 Dali 300 MK2 in Rosewood £1,650 BMC Audio M2 Monoblocks £9,190 McIntosh C2500 £4,500 AVI Series 21 MC4 Reference £690 Eclipse TD512, A502 + Stands £2,000 Boulder 2060 £14,990 Musical Fidelity Kw Phono £1,450 Bel Canto Dac3 £2,199 Eggleston Works SAVOY £15,000 Chord Electronics 1200c £1,690 Nakamichi 410 £198 Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 £349 Elac FS 207.2 £450 Chord Electronics SPM 5000 MK1 £3,800 Plinius CD-Lad (pre- processor by-pass) £390 Bluenote Stibbert valve improved £1,800 Focal JM Lab Diablos Utopia III & Stands £4,590 Conrad Johnson Prem 8A monoblocks £4,950 Sony TAE 900 £2,990 BMC Audio BDCD1.1 Belt Drive CD Player £3,195 Focal JM Lab Electra 1028Be £2,695 Crimson Electronics 640 E3 Monoblocks £3,399 Tom Evans The Vibe pre & Pulse power supply £2,750 BMC Audio PureDAC £1,290 Focal JM Lab Grande Utopia III EM £121,999 Edge NL Reference Monoblocks £34,990 Cambridge Audio dacmagic plus £165 Focal JM Lab Scala Utopia 3 £18,999 Edge NL12.1 £8,900 VTL TL 6.5 Signature Line Pre £9,990 CEC TL0X £9,990 Focal JM Lab Stella Utopia III EM £47,990 Gryphon Antileon £5,990 Turntables/Arms/Cartridges & Phonostages Copland CDA822 £650 Focal JM Lab Alto Utopia £4,750 Halcro DM 88 Monoblocks £24,950 Aesthetix IO Eclipse £15,590 Cyrus CD8X £400 Focal JM Lab Diablo Utopia III & Stands £8,100 Halcro DM38 with 220/110 V transformer £8,500 Astin Trew AT8000 phono £450 Esoteric P05 D05 £5,500 Gamut S5 £9,490 Jadis ja-250 £15,000 Audio Research PH8 black £3,890 Krell EVO 505 (110v) £3,395 Genesis Technologies Genesis G200. 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VK-53 SE £8,240 Yamaha S2000 CD/SACD £695 Titan 3Way £1,295 RS-8000 plinth £1,500 BMC Audio DAC1PreHR £3,495 Transmission Audio M1I £1,750 Sumiko Pearwod Celebration II £1,150 Loudspeakers Boulder 1010 Pre £6,950 wharfedale 1950’s Corner Horns £6,990 Thorens TD 126 mkIV £590 Acoustic Energy AELITE THREE £350 Bryston BP-26 and MPS-2 £2,200 Wilson Audio Watt Puppy 7 £7,490 Acoustic Preference Gracioso 2 £4,990 C.A.T SL1 Ultimate £7,295 Tri-Planar MK UII £2,890 Wilson Audio WATT Puppy 7 £7,490 Adam Audio Compact Active Version £1,295 Cary SLP 98L £2,295 van den hul Colibri PXC £2,750 Wilson Audio Watt Puppy 7 £6,750 Alon Phalanx £4,990 Classe Audio CP - 800 £4,000 Voyd Reference+ Ref psu + Cyalene+ Wilson Audio WP8 £10,995 ATC SCM300 ASL Monitors £17,500 Classe Audio CP 500 £2,100 AN IO LTD & AN7c £20,990 Wilson Audio Maxx 3 £49,500 ATC SCM300AT based custom model £8,550 Concordant Exquisite + Exclusive £1,250 VPI TNT 4 Flywheel RB1000 £4,500 Audio Acoustics FUNDAMENTAL K2 £5,995 Power Amplifi ers Crimson Electronics 710 Pre Amp £3,995 VPI TNT MK2.5 suspension £2,490 Audio Physic Virgo 3 £1,950 Aesthetix Atlas Mono Blocks £9,990 Gryphon Sonata Allegro £5,490 VPI Classic 2/JMW 10.5i & SDS psu £2,490 Audio Physic Tempo 3i £675 Astin Trew At 5000 £400 Jadis JPS2S £9,990 Wheaton Tri-Planar MK IV £1,795 Aurousal A1 MK £445 ATC S1A2-150 £2,200 Klyne Audio Arts 7LX3.5 & phono £2,790 Wilson Benesch ACT 0.5 £750 100s more bargains online now list your items FREE at www.choice-hifi .com today!* www.choice-hifi .com Email: info@choice-hifi .com Telephone: 020 8392 1959 / 07768 720456

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*10% commision on fi nal sale value 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. Picture courtesy of Shutterstock.com/Mediagram Hooked on a feeling Hooked feeling a on played onvinyl an albumwhen it’s to sit andlisten to You’re likely more such asUrbanOut vogue, thanksinparttohipsters and trendyretailoutlets Fashion hasapartto play;vinyliscurrentlyverymuchin have I,andsomanyothers,chosentoreturnvinyl? my favouritesreplacedbyCDnowripped. already necessitatedafullretreatfromvinyl,withmostof attic, alongsidemyvinyl.AbrokenRega tone-armhad succession ofMacsandconsignedmysizableCDstothe download world.Ibegantoripmycollectionontoa me: suddenlyCDfeltoldfashioned;digitalclutterina arrival oftheiPod andiTunes hadaremarkableeffecton even scratches”. saying: “You don’t havetoworryaboutgrubby Why does vinyl engage with many of us more than its digital alternatives? course, whether real or imagined, sound is undoubtedly a course, whetherrealorimagined, soundisundoubtedlya Prendiville scratchingacopyofBeeGees’ three-for-£20 offersinHMVandtheperceivedsecurityof budget AkaibestbuyCDplayerandacopyof nineties, andin1991Icashedastudentloantobuyan digital duetothepoorqualityofvinylonofferin A70 speakers.I,likemany, wasforcedintoswitchingto NAD 3020eamp,DenonDRM-540tapedeckandBoston system andwasperfectlyhappywithmyRega Planar2, sound quality, orarethereotherfactorsatplay? records longsince‘upgraded’toCD?Isitassimple drives peoplelikemetochooseplayvinylversionsof renaissance, digitallookslikeit’sheretostay. Sowhat although vinylisinthemiddleofsomethinga for andagainstbothrecording/playbackmethods, again hasgotmethinking.We’ve allheardthearguments journey fromanaloguetodigitalandback comparatively reliable,yetcoldmusicalcompanion. pushed meintothearmsofCompactDisc,a almost 25yearswhenlimitedqualityandavailability fondness forvinyl–aloveaffairthatwasputonhold discusses how listening to records is about more than just the quality of the sound So more than 10 years on again, what’s changed? Why So morethan10yearsonagain,what’schanged?Why Another 10yearsandseveralhundredCDslaterthe I boughtintodigitalwholeheartedly, enjoyingthe I neverwantedtoaddaCDplayermylate-eighties Now, vinylandIarebecomingreacquainted,the I around a turntable, it also cemented a deep around aturntable,italsocementeddeep cement myloveofmusicandhi- fi n apreviouscolumnIreminiscedaboutmy rst separates system and how it helped to rst separatessystemandhowithelpedto fi tters, which stock new discs. And of tters, whichstocknewdiscs.Andof had showed Kieran had showedKieran Tomorrow’s World episode of purchase, a1981 before my CDs. Just10years buying second-hand Living Eyes fi . Based Abbey Road fi ngers or fi rst CD ,

. that analogueisstillbest Kindle asIviewCDtoday;fondly, butintheknowledge into ourbrains,perhapspaperbook readerswillviewthe never was.Inthefuture,whenbooks arebeameddirectly the experienceofvinyl.Andyet,itisn’tquitesame; process andthesleevenotesoffersomethingapproaching compared withripped by theclickofacursor, thetangibilityofCDformat to CD,ditchingtheMac.Theinabilityswitchalbums when it’s‘analogue’,asIdolisteningtovinyl. retained moreinformation–sopeoplepayattention Memory testsalsoshowedthatpaperbookreaders ful the weightinyourhand–combinestoproduceamore – theartworkoncover, thefeelandsmellofpaper, story. Somethingabouttheprocessofreadingpaperbooks than readinganelectronic,digital,versionofthesame a paperbookismoreengagingandsorewarding The showmeasuredbrainwavestoprovethatyes,reading with storiesonpapermorethanthoseusinge-readers? e-readers versesbooks.Would readersengagemorefully There isaparallel. Back tobasics placing needle in placing needlein record ontodeck, process ofeasing of thevinyl; the sizeandweight smell ofthesleeve; look, feelandeven experience: the create thevinyl coming togetherto Various factors at playhere. something elseis huge factor. But out ofyourhi- mindfulness foraudiophiles–andperhapsevengetmore enjoy theexperiencemore,existinginmoment– an albumwhenit’splayedonvinyl,andasaresultyou’ll engaging experience.You’re morelikelytositandlisten – alongwiththesuperiorsoundtocreateaunique, (mostly) producedwithtwosidesinmind. turn overtothe groove; theneedto Interestingly, Ihaverecentlyfoundmyselfalsoreturning It’s a ‘feeling’. It’s a‘feeling’. These things are unique to listening to vinyl and combine These thingsareuniquetolisteningvinylandcombine fi lling and enjoyable experience. Sound familiar? lling andenjoyableexperience. Soundfamiliar? fi system too. systemtoo. fl ipside and the fact that recordings are ipside andthefactthatrecordingsare The GadgetShow fi les, the more physical selection les, themorephysical selection ●

recently ran a test of recentlyranatestof Rob

JULY 2015 Lane of theattic and pulledout dusted down have been Rob’s records Back to his roots Back his to ROB LANE OPINION

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Discover more at naimaudio.com Go Deeper 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. What goes around goes What needs arethinkneeds digital music of anew era, and We are onthecusp the way to how music formats may needto develop in the future Chris Ward outmoded. Listeningtomytreasuredvalveampli creating adigital‘armsrace’tomakethelastDAC points totheanswerismissingpoint.Thismostly and streamingoptions,butsimplyaddingmoredecimal between formatandlistener. need to track listingsonaphonemaybebreedingdisregard.We gatefold LPcoversareoverstated,butsquintingattiny value. Isometimesthinkourrose-tintedmemoriesof with nosubstancecanbeperceivedashavinglittleor LPs suggeststheymaynotbegettingmuchstylusaction. fashion bubble?Thesellingofpictureframesnexttonew download itorconverttracksfromYoutube. CDsarethe counter culturedoesn’tevenbuytheMP3;they’llillegally to buythosealbumtracksthatmightgrowonyou.The of pocketmoneypersonalexpression,withouttheneed historical patternsseemaliveandwell.iTunes istheheight unacceptable asseventiesfacialhairandbeigecars. the radio,whileCompactDiscsmadetapehissas cassette enabledacounterculturetotapetheTop 40off pay forallthoseextraalbumtracksyoudidn’twant.The pocket moneypersonalentertainment–withnoneedto taste. Alongcamerock‘n’roll,andthe45singlepromised noisy andantiquatedtheradiostationdictatorialinits change theirtune.The mantle onlyforradiobroadcastingandadepressionto reign, thentheinnovativebutfragile78rpmdiscstook regular tempototheirpopularity. Wax cylindersenjoyeda the adventofradioatturnpreviouscentury. mostly becausetheysaidsomethingalmostidenticalwith that needednophysicalmusicalformat.Remarkable, distortion andlimiteddynamicscon can’t be that obsessed with numbers. can’t bethatobsessedwithnumbers. it tantalum resistors or an original six-eye Columbia it tantalumresistorsoranoriginal six-eyeColumbia H We areappreciating evergreaterqualitytodownloads So whatarethelessonsfromhistory?Isuspectsomething So we’vecomefullcircle.Facial hairisbackandsome Fittingly, musicformatshaveastrikinglyevenand Audiophiles aredrawntotherari fi nd a better way to create deeper engagement nd abetterwaytocreate deeperengagement heralding forthe became ‘intangible’–withthebirthofMP3 century astheerawhenmusicalcontent istorians maylookbackontheturnof21st discovers aworking time machine from the past that points fl exible and quiet LP made 78s look exible andquietLPmade78slook fi rst time a playback solution rst timeaplaybacksolution fi ed and esoteric, be ed andesoteric,be fi rms that the brain rms thatthebrain but is this just a but isthisjusta and classyagain, appears respected streaming. Vinyl by downloadsand being outmoded new legacyformat, fi er’s er’s and delight us?Andhowcanweappreciatetheartistmore do? Howcouldrecommendationsreallysurpriseand audio or‘social’audio?Whatwouldan‘serieslink’ astounds viewers?Whatwillittaketohavetruly‘smart’ will wegetthesameimmersive4Kqualityandimpactthat future ofaudioqualitymustbehigherresolution,buthow lives. InnovationinTVhassurelycon and work.People don’twant‘sweetspots’theysweet with musicthatfollowsthemaroundthehome,commute mobility, seamlessintegrationandanabsenceofwires, and effect,wantitforthemselves.People enjoy that sampletheseAV setupsareastoundedbytheimpact that compellingimagesutterlycaptivatethem.Andvisitors People arebuyinghuge,immersive,curved4Kscreensso Anything cando... TV I havenoideawhatitisyet wants andwillvaluehighly. IwantaSansuiQS–‘1.1’and format isnotkeepingpacewithwhat themarketreally market. Thechallengeisnottostopadvancesinquality, the limitedappealandhighcoststhatcomewithanyniche with theequipmenttoplayit,we’dlogicallyhaveaccept pressing. Butwhentheformatbecomesrari breathtakingly livesound magically transformstwochannelstereosignalsintoa the ingeniousyetinexpensiveSansuiinstrumentthat change thegame.Here’smanualblurb:“Here’s... product didn’ttrytoaddadecimalpoint;itwanted seventies thatI’vejusttakendeliveryof. Thisinnovative but howtoagreeameansbywhichitcanbedemocratised. in entertainment, and digital music needs a rethink. in entertainment,anddigitalmusicneedsarethink. forward fromhere.Isenseweareonthecuspofanewera ambition, butIthinkitmightberevealinghowtomove innovation feelslike.Thisproductclearlydidn’tachieveits profound impact…whilemovingintoanewaudioera.” I’m throwing the innovation gauntlet down. The audio I’m throwingtheinnovationgauntlet down.Theaudio All of which brings me to the Sansui QS-1 from the All ofwhichbringsmetotheSansuiQS-1from The sheer ambition of these words underlines what true The sheerambitionofthesewordsunderlineswhattrue fi nd smart new ways to share value with them? nd smartnewwaysto sharevaluewiththem? fi eld. The QS-1 is having a eld. TheQS-1ishavinga ●

fi rmed that the rmed thatthe fi ed, along JULY 2015 into hi-fi? factor back to putthewow next innovation What willbethe Wants it all, now CHRIS WARD OPINION 85

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. The empire strikes back and songwriters artists royalties to pay thehighest to claims Tidal It wasn’t so long ago that record companies were facing annihilation at the hands of of hands the at annihilation internet facing downloads, were but now says companies record that ago long so wasn’t It energies into labels arehurtingandEuropefollowsasimilarpattern. annual retailsalessincetheturnofmillennium.The monetary termsthismeansadropof$8billioninUS have droppedbyanother40percentto257million.In fallen by45percentto431million.Sincethensales fl in Americawere785million.ThenNapsteropenedthe dwarf allothermarkets–showthatin2000,totalCDsales – I’musingthemasthey’rethemostreadilyavailableand terminal, andthestatisticsmakestarkreading.US distribution platformsandserviceswithoutanyonenoticing. standing –arequietlyseizingbackcontrolofthenew labels –there’snowonlyWarner, UniversalandSonyleft back and,accordingtoareportin of thelabels’collectiveworth.The buying upstakesinstreamingservicesandotherdigital switched theirstrategyandhavebeensurreptitiously criminals wasnotmakinganyfriends,themajorshave evident thatseekingtoturnmillionsofmusicfansinto deep discounts at a later stage. deep discountsatalaterstage. then givethemselvestherighttobuylargerchunksat for makingthemusicoftheirartistslegallyavailable–and free oronthecheapinstreamingcompaniesasprice A familiarpatternhasemerged:thelabelstakestakesfor immediate turnaroundanditisnowvaluedat$1.2billion. Music Groupacquiredupto5percentofit,bringingan based companywasrunningoutofcash.ThenWarner boasts 175millionmonthlyusers.LastyeartheBerlin- labels willshareawindfallinexcessof$1billion. higher ifandwhenSpotifygoespublic,thethree veteran DougMorris,themajors have CEO LucianGraingeandSony’smusic chief, industry Warner’s newbillionaireowner, LenBlavatnik,Universal smarter to bully their way into companies seeking to eat smarter tobullytheirwayintocompanies seekingtoeat oodgates todigital Initially, thelabels’responsewastopouralloftheir For severalyearstheirpositionhasappearedtobe As theusuallysober Take SoundCloud, afreemusic-streamingservicewhich S too. But it seems that the empire is striking too. Butitseemsthattheempireisstriking in theskyandpushupdigitaldaisies?Me extinction, abouttovisitthegreatsubwoofer o youthoughtrecordcompanieswerefacing fi ghting internetpiracy. Butsinceitbecame fi le sharing and by 2008 sales had le sharingandby2008saleshad Forbes colourfully puts it: “Led by colourfullyputsit:“Ledby Forbes fi gure will jump much gure willjumpmuch $15 billion or so $15 billionorso percent ofthe or around20 around $3billion– are nowvaluedat ups. Thesestakes entertainment start fi gured out that it’s gured outthatit’s , the three major , thethreemajor fi gures gures Nigel Williamson Nigel Williamson of single servicetocompetedirectlywithSpotify. At the WiMP andTidal for$56millionandmergedthemintoa ago JayZpurchasedhigh-resolution-streamingservices But theartistsarenow The rebelsfightback behemoths atWarner, UniversalandSonyto the headphonesandleaveJayZboardroom consume music.Inthemeantimeallwecandoisdon limiting ourcurrentlyunprecedentedchoicesinhowwe should wereallycare?Well, only, perhaps,ifitresultsin at thepriceofhighestsubscriptionfees. songwriters inthemusicstreamingmarket,butitcomes to paythehighestpercentageofroyaltiesartistsand vision –atochangethestatusquo.”Tidal claims with afewindividualsbandingtogethershared declared: “Throughouthistory, everymovementbegan Martin andCalvinHarris.Eachsignedastatementthat Daft Punk,ArcadeFire,Usher, AliciaKeys, Coldplay’sChris Rihanna, KanyeWest, NickiMinaj,JackWhite,Madonna, as hisfellownewownersofTidal, includingBeyoncé, music thaneverbefore.Longmay itlast fact thatwecurrentlyhavegreater andcheaperaccessto among themselveswhileweconcentrate onenjoyingthe easy toseewhy, forwith platforms oftomorrow”? developing themusic in shapingand to “beaformativeplayer words ofGrainge,plan music againand,inthe the distributionoftheir are assertingcontrolof grateful thatthemajors them outofexistence.” perpetually tryingtosue their lunchratherthan – ‘Givehimabottleofwineandtakeallhispublishing’.” Hall &Oatestold to artistsandsongwriters. labels andpublishers,onlyafractionofthatispassedon though itnowpaysoutalmost70percentofitsrevenueto the losers.CriticsofSpotify, forexample,pointoutthat ‘digital revolution’,artistscontinuetoseethemselvesas the existingmodelofownershipleftunalteredby Fascinating asthispowerstruggleis,consumers Not a bit of it and it’s Not abitofitandit’s But aretheartists “That’s the story of the music business,” John Oates of “That’s thestoryofmusicbusiness,”JohnOates fi cial launch, 16 of music’s biggest acts were introduced cial launch,16ofmusic’sbiggestactswereintroduced Forbes they’re more powerful than ever fi ghting back,too.Two months . “It goes back to the earliest days . “Itgoesbacktotheearliestdays ●

fi ght it out ght itout JULY 2015 er, PrincessLeia Skywalker and, Han Solo, Luke a modernday fight back–like West andJay Z Madonna, Kanye The Force is strong WILLIAMSON NIGEL OPINION 87 RETRO

Hey presto! Heybrook’s long-lost TT2 was a great budget buy in its day and it’s a fantastic second-hand bargain today, David Price reminisces

arp back to 1980, and Ariston’s RD80 and STD’s 305S. None the Thorens theme, which itself was those wishing to spend a sounded as good as the Linn, but they a variant of the original AR belt-drive W fair – if not excessive – sum were about half the price and much from decades earlier. Basically, an AC on a vinyl source had a better than a Rega, despite being not motor was used to turn the platter by choice of a number of excellent, that much more expensive. What is a rubber belt. This was mounted on mass-produced Japanese direct drives, surprising about these mid-price decks a chassis that sat inside a wooden and a coterie of fi ne sounding, largely is just how good they sounded. With a plinth and was allowed to bounce by hand-made British belt drives. These good mid-price tonearm and a decent springs, tuned to isolate the deck were thought by our own domestic cartridge, you could end up with a nice from the outside world. The £195 hi-fi press at least, to be far superior. source whose only real crime was that TT2 was precisely this, an Within this ‘Brit pack’ there was a it wasn’t as trendy as the Linn LP12! independently sprung subchassis deck clear pecking order. Linn’s Sondek in the best British tradition. What LP12 was king, but cost around £350 Tea for two gave it its fi ne sound was the (without arm). At the other end of the By 1980 when the TT2 came out, attention to detail. market was the Rega Planar 3 for £150 almost every major development in The plinth was constructed from (including arm), which was regarded turntable design had happened. We laminated, high-density particle board as just about the bare minimum you had got quartz-locked direct drive, which was said to act as a shield from needed to spend for real hi-fi sound. but British manufacturers largely airborne vibration. Inside this was an Between these two were a number eschewed it on cost grounds. So most MDF damped box steel welded to a of highly capable turntables such as UK models were variations on the cross-shaped subchassis mounted on Heybrook’s TT2, JBE’s Series 3, Linn theme, which was a variation on three coil springs tuned to 5Hz; these

88 JULY 2015 RETRO

plus rubber mounting bushes did the an HFC Recommended badge when it VERSIONS lion’s share of isolating the deck from was reviewed back in 1984. the outside world. The subchassis held The best description one could give Like every good deck of the day, the TT2 was continually upgraded. The original the bearing and armboard rigidly, and of the Heybrook’s sound was like a version ran a fabricated steel subchassis this formed a closed mechanical loop, slightly fl at, undynamic version of the (easily identified by the large mains switch so energy could be dissipated in a Linn LP12 of that era. Considering that sat beside the nameplate), but moved to a cast aluminium chassis somewhat akin to controlled way. The armboard was it cost about half the price, that’s high the Linn Keel (although several decades also laminated to add damping, but praise indeed as it gave cash-strapped earlier, of course). This version generally allowed a rigid platform for the arm. audiophiles the chance to buy has a red illuminated neon rocker switch, although the best way to tell is to look The brass-housed main bearing used something that was better than it had inside – mark 2 versions have a silver a hardened, diamond-polished shaft any right to be at the price. chassis, not a black one. The plinth was running on a precision steel thrust The TT2 had a smooth and warmish supplied with a wood veneer finish as ball, lubricated by light oil. A heavy sound that is precisely what people standard but came with the option of black. The deck is generally reliable, with all the two-piece platter was fi tted to give think about when they talk about ‘the mechanical parts such as bearing, shaft, speed stability; reputedly the fi rst 100 romance of vinyl’; whatever you motor pulley and sub-platter (and mark 1 TT2s had black spray-painted platters played on it never sounded offensive. steel chassis) made to very good tolerances at a machine shop local to the because early castings had visual It was always even, slightly soft factory. The optional TPS dedicated power fl aws, and the paint was used to hide perhaps, and yet furnished with a supply is said to be prone to burning out this. A precision-ground drive belt surprisingly large amount of detail, a chip which is now unobtainable; if this happens it will need to be returned to its circulated on the close tolerance original spec. Drive belts are still readily crowned pulley, which had two steps It delivered a wide, available on ebay and elsewhere for under for speed changes. The popular £10, and would certainly benefit from spacious acoustic renewing if they are original. While you are 24-pole AC synchronous Impex motor doing this, the sound can be improved by was used, fi rmly bolted to the plinth to with excellent image cleaning the path of the belt on the motor isolate motor noise from the chassis. pulley and inner platter with a tape head cleaner. Expect to pay between £100 and location within it £300, depending on condition, for a TT2. Fine tuning Even three decades old, they remain The TT2 didn’t sound the way it did especially across the midband. It had excellent value for money. simply because of the sum total of its an especially fulsome bass, which parts; it was brilliantly tuned by Peter could – if set up incorrectly – descend the TT2’s main bearing was just as Comeau, who has some of the best into boom – but when properly good as the Linn’s and it didn’t suffer ears in the business. The company installed showed itself as a slight peak a lack of detail. Again though, it didn’t spent many hours experimenting around the 80 to 100Hz area that quite have the focus of the Sondek and and fi nessed it to a great degree. For seemed to push along the upper bass this was in part due to the latter’s example, the armboard ended up as a bit and add some extra weight. excellent speed stability. two pieces of 9mm birch ply glued In 2015, this would be regarded as a Soundstaging was a strength of the together; this was fi xed to the positive trait; many small speakers are TT2, and it gave the LP12 a tough time subchassis by only one of the two a little light and bright and it would here despite being so much cheaper; bolts, the one nearest the bearing, really fi ll out the sound. Back in 1980, it delivered a wide, spacious recorded while the other located the board however, systems sounded softer and acoustic with excellent image location only. This gave a slightly ‘lossy’ fatter and it would have had a less within it, but tended to sound a little connection and was judged to sound euphonic effect. By comparison, the two dimensional compared with the best. Indeed, on the earlier steel Linn Sondek of the day was slightly Linn. The effect was very pleasing, and chassis models, the second stud was tighter and more propulsive, while the became further improved when the cut off so it wouldn’t reach all the way TT2 tended to slur things just a touch Heybrook TPS electronic speed through the chassis. The motor was and lose a bit of low-frequency controller was fi tted. This gave instant given a sprung thrust pad, which articulation. Across the midband, the switching between 33 and 45rpm, plus pushed against the bottom of the Heybrook was excellent; many think a tighter sound with more grip that shaft, and the bottom of the bearing pushed it closer to the Sondek. got a white nylon cup, too. Throughout its life, the Heybrook Although British manufacturers TT2 just got better and better – but didn’t sell on specifi cations, the more and more expensive. Starting at Heybrook measured well for a £195 in 1980, by the mid eighties it mid-price design. The only issue was was £265 when the Linn LP12 was speed stability; it was quoted at less selling at £470. When production than 0.08% (DIN, peak weighted) ended in 1992, the fi nal versions cost when most thought that it was hard to £469 when a Linn was close to twice hear anything below 0.1%. That was that. Despite the deck’s obvious ability, good then, but the quartz-locked it never caught on and has not become direct-drive Technics SL-150 of that a cool classic that everyone’s talking era turned in 0.03%. Wow and fl utter about. Odd really, especially when you wasn’t – and isn’t – the sole criterion of consider that the owners of these a turntable’s sound of course; another turntables seem in absolutely no rush was rumble, and the TT2 measured a With the best to sell them. When they do surface ears around, superb -79dB (the Technics was Peter Comeau secondhand, you can get a decent one quoted at -78dB). It was widely played his part in for the cost of a modern Rega P1 – praised for its performance, and won the TT2’s success which is a bargain. Happy hunting! ●

JULY 2015 89 BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM KRELL/PRIMA LUNA/ MARTINLOGAN

Point of IMPACT Valves and electrostatics only do delicacy and finesse right? Ed Selley thinks this system missed that particular memo

n a few occasions I have found myself looking at O a collection of electronics and feeling pretty sure that I know what to expect sonically. A bit of knowledge about the amp specs, the speaker size and the source equipment used and you’re most of the way there. At least you might think so... This system uses a valve amp partnered with electrostatic speakers. What follows should be a laudation to the qualities we associate with these categories, but in practise it doesn’t quite work out that way. MartinLogan’s ElectroMotion and Prima Luna’s Dialogue have all the attributes you might expect from electronics of this nature. They then go on to augment them with some you simply don’t expect. Part of this is down to their design, which in both cases introduces a twist to the accepted design principles and some of the cause lies with the source equipment, but the end result is entirely out of the ordinary. In the case of the Prima Luna Dialogue Premium HP, the twist is the two letters at the end. The normal Dialogue Premium uses a pair of output valves per channel for power. The ‘High Power’ version here doubles that to four valves a side. With KT88 valves in place, it gives a hefty (and wonderfully specifi c) 73W in ultralinear mode. This is a meaningful amount of grunt for a valve amp and offers the possibility of really gripping

90 JULY 2015 BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM KRELL/PRIMA LUNA/ MARTINLOGAN

COMPONENTS KRELL CONNECT STREAM PLAYER £3,500 Available either as a streaming transport or as here, with an internal DAC, the Connect is Krell’s first foray into streaming and is a 24/192kHz-capable player with internet radio and a choice of balanced and unbalanced audio outputs.

PRIMA LUNA DIALOGUE HP INTEGRATED AMP £3,000 The Dialogue HP is the latest member of the Dialogue family and is designed to offer higher power outputs than the standard integrated. A variety of output valves can be used and these can be used in triode and ultralinear settings.

MARTINLOGAN ELECTROMOTION ELECTROSTATIC SPEAKERS £2,500 The smallest of MartinLogan’s hybrid electrostatic speakers is still a pretty sizeable design with an 8in passive driver partnering a 86 x 22cm electrostatic panel for midrange and treble frequencies.

JULY 2015 91 BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM KRELL/PRIMA LUNA/ MARTINLOGAN

the speakers by the scruff of the neck mould. It might be Krell’s fi rst foray Above: The HP This should be a masterpiece of rather than cajoling them to perform. into network streaming, but it variant of the warmth and refi nement with a Dialogue has the The amount of casual brutality that manages to look powerful even when power needed soundstage to die for. With a spot of the MartinLogan ElectroMotion needs it isn’t doing anything. In fact you to control the well-recorded acoustic music, it should to strut its stuff is open to debate given could argue it looks most purposeful MartinLogans be the audio equivalent of a shoulder that it has a claimed sensitivity of doing nothing at all with the giant red Centre right: All massage and a nice glass of something 91dB/W and fairly benign impedance standby light casting a menacing glow the components expensive. And, for the avoidance of feel exactingly to go with it, but beyond the bald over its surroundings. assembled doubt, this system is spellbindingly numbers the Electromotion makes The system isn’t one that’s going to and offer useful good in this regard. With its some specifi c requirements of a vanish into the background of most functionality considerable height over a normal partnering amp. The twist with the rooms. Given the plethora of valves it Above far right: seating position and impressive confi guration is that like many uses, the Prima Luna is commendably The Connect radiating area, the ElectroMotion MartinLogan speakers it uses a is Krell’s first creates a vision of the performance streamer, but conventional driver to fi ll in the low This is a system that the house sound that even considerably more expensive end that an electrostatic panel can is retained to conventional loudspeakers are left struggle with. Some more expensive moves air and hits great effect fl oundering trying to replicate. models use active bass modules, but rib cages with the ElectroMotion relies on the Ultra vivid scene partnering amp to power both sections palpable force The midrange lucidity is also which means the Prima Luna is well absolutely superb. Medicine by Drew placed to use those extra valves. compact, but with the considerable Holcombe and the Neighbours is expanse of glassware at the front it tangibly and believably real. The Completing the picture exudes a certain sense of purpose as decay to notes is an area that valve The fi nal piece in the puzzle is a well. The MartinLogan is deceptive in amplifi ers seem to have the edge digital source from a brand with a that the bulk of its overall dimensions over their solid state brethren and different take on design to the rest of is a relatively lightweight frame, but although it seems minor, the effect on the system. Mention Krell and most this is still a fairly sizeable speaker. your perception of the performance as people will envisage an amp the size Everything feels pleasingly over a whole is considerable. Combine the of a family hatchback, very possibly engineered from the fl awless paint expansiveness of the MartinLogan with a visible heat haze coming out fi nish on the rear of the Prima Luna to with the vividness of the Prima Luna of the top. This tends to overlook that the supplied remote controls that have and you have something wonderful. the company has made some seriously almost as much metalwork to them as If the scope of this system’s talents accomplished digital sources over the the devices they control. ended here, it would still make a great years and the Connect Stream Player So, it’s no shrinking violet but we many people very happy, but the Krell looks to have been built in the same know what it will sound like right? seems to unlock another side of these

92 JULY 2015 BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM KRELL/PRIMA LUNA/ MARTINLOGAN

products that gives this system traits you’d never expect it would excel at. Luna and MartinLogans respond in you simply wouldn’t expect. Put away When you are done with going for kind. The way that an album with the well-recorded acoustic material it, you can turn it down, reach for rough and ready mastering can be CONTACT and reach for the gritty brilliance of DETAILS something relaxing and no trace of this fl attered while one that is sumptuously Stereo MC’s Deep Down And Dirty and steely determination will impede the recorded can be given all the space it prepare to be astonished. This system Absolute Sounds experience. This wide-ranging ability needs is an elegant demonstration that TELEPHONE: reproduces every low note, every 0208 9713909 and sheer scale is so accomplished that valves still remain entirely relevant in electronic graunch and every utterance WEBSITE: there are very few similarly priced modern audio. of Rob Birch with the determination absolutesounds.com systems that spring to mind that can and enthusiasm of a PA system. rival it. It is also completely painless to Gift that keeps on giving live with. Every aspect of the system Summing up this system in a succinct How low can you go? can be controlled by remote and the way is extremely diffi cult because And not a clumsy PA system either. the more time you spend with it, The 8in driver of the ElectoMotion is This is so much more the more facets it reveals. There is kept under a tight leash by the Krell scarcely space to note that the Prima and Prima Luna with the result that it than a beguiling way Luna has a wonderful headphone starts and stops with commendable to explore some safe output or that tuning in to Radio 4’s speed and agility. This doesn’t stop it excellent Afternoon Drama on the producing exceptionally deep bass. genres of music MartinLogans is to have an actual The 42Hz quoted roll off of the stage of actors in front of you. What is ElectroMotion must count as the most Krell is completely app controlled most signifi cant is that none of these engaging understatement since Rolls as has become the standard for additional talents distract from one Royce described the output of a giant streamers. Pottering through your another. You could buy it for the V8 engine as “adequate”. This is a music collection by iPad wondering midrange and soundstage and delight system that moves air and hits what to throw at this ensemble is one in that without caring that it will rib cages with palpable force. of life’s little pleasures and marginally also rock with the best of them and Furthermore, the integration of the harder to do than blinking. handles electronica with an authority two radically different drivers is The fi nal treat in this gift that keeps that serious solid state amps would seamless and entirely imperceptible. on giving is what happens when you struggle to match. There is something As a result, this system is so much give the system a little hi-res to play rather wonderful about how it meets more than a beguiling way to explore with. The Krell thrives on higher your expectations while subverting some safe genres of music. It has an bitrate material and the attendant them at the same time. You can judge almost chameleonic ability to shift improvements in mastering and this particular book by its cover, but gears and deliver a level of drive and dynamic range. The jump in trust when I say you’ll be missing out attack that does justice to albums performance is palpable and the Prima on some scintillating plot twists

JULY 2015 93 LABELLED WITH LOVE

RECORDS

Sheff ield’s finest record label has notched up 25 years of adventurous releases and still continues to innovate. By Simon Berkovitch

hen it comes to and Rob Mitchell and producer bleepy Tricky Disco infi ltrated the Orb’s Dr Alex Paterson) would cutting-edge Robert Gordon cobbled together charts the same year, and the cast a long shadow over the W electronic music, the funds needed to put out a label’s credibility was assured development of various strains Sheffi eld has a 500-run 12in by Forgemasters, by LFO’s fantastic Frequencies of electronica throughout the fearsome pedigree: home to The Track With No Name – Warp’s album (1991) and the inspired nineties and beyond. Human League, Heaven 17, Vice debut release. From these DIY Artifi cial Intelligence series. Warp’s roots are undeniably in Versa and Cabaret Voltaire in the beginnings, fast-forward a Early Warp singles, housed in Sheffi eld’s clubs, but its remit is late seventies, the northern city quarter of a century and you’ll distinctive purple record sleeves, broad and its taste impeccable. also gave birth to a legendary fi nd a label that not only boasts were, by and large, made for the One of the most signifi cant label a decade later: Warp. 2014 a diverse roster of ground- clubs, but more experimental signings of the late nineties was saw the UK independent chalk breaking musicians – from textures were explored on the Boards of Canada, whose Music up an impressive 25 years’ worth genius synthesists to leftfi eld seminal Artifi cial Intelligence Has The Right To Children (1998) of multi-genre releases. The indie acts – but also a pioneering series of albums (1992-1994). brought lush, analogue textures musical landscape may have fi lm company: Warp Films. The mission statement was laid to the Warp catalogue – as well evolved since Warp’s genesis Success came quickly to the out in the sleeve notes of 1992’s as plenty of critical acclaim. Any during the acid house explosion, young label – and deservedly so. fi rst classic compilation – label that offers sanctuary to but its defi ant, maverick spirit Second release Dextrous by “Listening music for long boundary-pushing mavericks has remained a constant. Nightmares On Wax sold 30,000 journeys, quiet nights and such as Chris Morris, Vincent Back in 1989, immersed in copies, but 1990’s LFO by LFO club-drowsy dawns. Listen with Gallo and Broadcast alongside Steel City’s vibrant underground hit the top 20, taking Sheffi eld’s an open mind” – and the artists the cream of experimental club scene, the trio of record mutant strain of techno music it showcased (Richard D James electronica is certainly worth shop employees Steve Beckett overground. The none-more- AKA Aphex Twin; Autechre; The further investigation.

94 JULY 2015 LABELLED WITH LOVE

LFO Brought the underground label overground with a classic cut of Sheff ield techno

longside Sweet Exorcist’s overnight sensation, bringing the A Testone, featuring Richard H compelling bleepy variant of The LFO single featured a Speak Kirk from Cabaret Voltaire, one of Sheffi eld’s dub-tinged techno & Spell toy repeating the letters the most anthemic releases of to a mass audience. The record L, F and O over and over again Sheffi eld’s fast-evolving techno peaked at number 12 in the UK scene was LFO’s eponymous singles chart and can be heard in release. This speaker-rattling 12in all its glory on Warp’s essential has lost little of its raw electronic 10th anniversary album Warp power in the intervening 25 10+2: Classics 89-92. years, still reverberating with Excellent follow up We Are the shock of the new. Back (1991) had more than a LFO was the youthful Sheffi eld duo of musicians Gez Varley and Mark Bell went on Mark Bell and took its name from practical electronics to collaborate with terminology (low-frequency Depeche Mode oscillation) – a fi tting handle for a pair that embraced the little nod to Kraftwerk, paving possibilities of more affordable the way for the pair’s debut music-making technology. studio album, Frequencies, which The group’s sound was remains one of the cornerstones bass-heavy and drum machine- of early nineties dance music. led – an irresistible combination. LFO was not a prolifi c outfi t Their early demos had been and the 1996 LP Advance was played to delirious effect at the last release to feature Varley. Sheffi eld raves by Nightmares Bell went on to collaborate with On Wax, bringing them to the Björk on Homogenic (1997) and attention of the emerging Warp produce Depeche Mode’s Exciter, label. The LFO single was an before his tragic death in 2014. Aphex Twin Richard D James: the unstoppably inventive dismantler of musical boundaries

ritish electronic musician territory and exploration of Due to a shortage of money, B Richard D James has been software. Both featured Richard D James hand-built involved in a phenomenal manipulated close-ups of James’s a lot of his music-making kit number of releases under a face – a distinctive style taken perplexing array of monikers – to disturbing extremes for Polygon Window, Power-Pill and the extraordinarily inventive The Tuss to name but a few – but Windowlicker single (and his most readily identifi able unforgettable video). pseudonym is Aphex Twin. James’ releases under this guise 2014’s Syro is for Warp are among the most adventurous and invaluable Aphex’s first studio contributions to the electronic album in 13 years music genre. His fi rst for the label is one of his most acclaimed The 2001 release Drukqs, an and a fi ne port of entry for those experimental double disc, has unfamiliar with his work: nods to Erik Satie and John Cage Selected Ambient Works: Volume among others in its computer- II (1994) – 25 tracks of lush, controlled piano pieces, tracks ambient electronica. that nestle alongside more Two important albums followed breakneck electronics. in rapid succession for the label James returned to the Aphex – …I Care Because You Do (1995) Twin moniker with last year’s and Richard D James Album. The Syro for Warp, his fi rst studio former was the last Aphex Twin album under that name for 13 record of the nineties to focus on years. As inventive as ever, it analogue synths, with the latter takes in techno, glitch, jungle being a move into more abstract and ambient compositions.

JULY 2015 95 LABELLED WITH LOVE

Broadcast SHOPPING LIST With 25 years’ worth of crates to dig, you’re going to need some help. We A retro-futurist update of widescreen sixties psychedelia cast the net wide for your listening pleasure with this great eight…

ne of the earliest hints collaboration with The Focus Keenan sadly passed away in Autechre that Warp was more than Group, the fantastic and 2011 aged just 42, although Anti EP O Track with no just a dance music label came fantastical Broadcast And The Cargill is working on the duo’s repetitive beats, from retro-futurists Broadcast. Focus Group Investigate Witch fi nal recordings that may yet released as a Inspired by infl uences as Cults Of The Radio Age (2009). see the light of day. protest against the Criminal Justice diverse as sixties psych act and Public Order The United States of America Act in 1994. and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the quartet’s fi rst Brian Eno releases on labels Wurlitzer Small Craft On A Milk Sea Jukebox and Duophonic were The ambient compiled by Warp on 1997’s legend’s first LP Work And Non Work. for the label was a collaboration with First album proper, The Noise Leo Abrahams Made By People emerged in and Jon Hopkins. 2000, capturing the group at its poppiest (see gorgeous London single Come On Let’s Go) Sinfonietta Warp Works & and showcasing their love of Twentieth Century classic sixties-era John Barry Masters and Ennio Morricone-inspired Orchestrated covers of Aphex, fi lm soundtracks. Steve Reich and Reduced to the duo of Trish John Cage. Keenan and James Cargill for Tender Buttons (2005), Sabres of Broadcast explored more Paradise Smokebelch II esoteric territory from hereon Seminal debut in. The apex of the group’s outing for Andrew discography is arguably its Weatherall’s techno outfit in a beautiful Richard Sen sleeve.

Boards of Canada Sweet Exorcist Testone One of the greatest Mysterious duo with a penchant for nostalgia and vintage kit early 12ins on the label (1990), this rguably among the most 2013’s Record Store Day saw confi rmed by Warp as to its is the sound of bleep courtesy of A mysterious musicians to the return of the duo: a record genuine nature. Fourth studio Cabaret Voltaire’s record for Warp are Mike with a snippet of new Boards album Tomorrow’s Harvest is Richard H Kirk. Sandison and Marcus Eoin: of Canada music emerged at another excellent, emotive Boards of Canada. Notoriously Other Music in New York, addition to the catalogue. Vincent Gallo elusive, they conduct few When Cult Buffalo 66 interviews, preferring the director also warm analogue sounds of delivered a stone- their albums do the talking. cold classic in the shape of this It was a release on Warp act excellent album for Autechre’s Skam Records that Warp back in 2001. brought Boards of Canada to its current home – and a wider Pulp audience. Music Has The Right Babies One of three great To Children draws on vintage single releases synths, retro tape recorders, that Jarvis Cocker dreamy samples and studio and co. cut for Warp subsidiary manipulation to achieve its Gift back in the luscious, hazy sonics. early nineties. Second studio album Geogaddi emerged in 2002, Chris Morris featuring lengthier pieces that Blue Jam Essential 2001 were darker in tone than its compilation of predecessor. Two covers of sinister comedy Boards of Canada compositions sketches taken from the infamous by Bibio and Mira Calyx also BBC radio series of appeared on the label’s Warp20 the same name. (Recreated) compilation.

96 JULY 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.

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/ClarityAlliance @clarityalliance clarityalliance.co.uk 100 James Taylor 101 Haydn 101 Mahler Before This World Paris Symphonies Symphony No.9

The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers Deluxe two-CD/Super Deluxe three-CD box set Universal

BY THE START of the seventies the Stones had hit unveiled for the first time on the disc’s inner label. 1969). The second, featuring Clapton, was recorded their pomp. Only a couple of years earlier, their Now remastered and expanded in a variety of in London a year later at Keith Richards’ birthday future had looked uncertain. They’d given up formats, the original album is augmented with party and rolls with a filthy British decadence amid touring, lost their way and nobody was calling previously unheard bonus material, including five potent interplay between the three lead guitars. them “the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world”. studio out takes, pre-eminent among them a A previously unreleased acoustic version of Wild Then they embarked on a potent trilogy of version of Brown Sugar with Eric Clapton on guitar, Horses makes a similarly intriguing contrast. Of the ‘comeback’ albums that began with 1968’s Beggars’ and live material recorded at London’s Roundhouse other bonus tracks, the extended version of Bitch Banquet, continued with Let It Bleed and peaked and at Leeds University. is an explosion of pure lust and the loose, joyous on 1971’s Sticky Fingers. They were tumultuous, Dirty, dissipated and debauched, rock music has country-rock of Dead Flowers is a delight. The live ominous times, punctuated by Brian Jones’ death never sounded as lascivious and alternative as the material, particularly from the Roundhouse gig in and the horrors of Altamont, but once their mojo Stones made it seem back then. The opener Brown March 1971, is mostly a potent revisitation of earlier had been restored it seemed that nothing could Sugar set the tone with its supercharged guitar and material, including Midnight Rambler and Honky stop them. horns maelstrom and Jagger’s slurred vocal, which Tonk Women. The next album, Exile On Main Street, Sticky Fingers found the band at the high tide you instinctively knew was thoroughly nasty even recorded a year later, was a one off , a unique record of their macho, edgy, showboating pageantry. without deciphering the words. It’s instructive to with a mythical quality unlike anything else in their Everything about the record had a cocksure compare the two versions here – the first, the catalogue. But it was on Sticky Fingers that the swagger, down to the Andy Warhol cover with its famous single, is full of lowdown southern funk (it Stones defined what would remain their trademark

Picture credit: Peter Webb Peter credit: Picture metal jeans zipper and the tongue & lips logo, was recorded at Muscle Shoals in Alabama in late sound for the next 40-plus years. NW

JULY 2015 99 MUSICREVIEWS

Leon Bridges Death And Coming Home Vanilla Where The Wild Things Are

CD Columbia CD Fire Records

JUST TWO YEARS ago, the 27 year-old Bridges THE SWEDISH ELECTRO pop duo of Marleen was washing dishes in a Texas restaurant with no Nilsson and Anders Hansson take the retro futurist thought of becoming a singer. Then he heard the thing of the likes of Stereolab and Broadcast, add a vintage recordings of Sam Cooke and – by his own smidgeon of St Etienne meets The Radiophonic admission – became obsessed with recreating the Workshop and produce a sound that is hauntingly sound of the King of Soul. spooky, shimmeringly lovely and challengingly weird. The result is a richly nostalgic album of retro Marleen’s ethereal voice floats in and around the soul-pop that’s been smartly produced to combine chugging electronic soundscapes, composed digital sharpness with classic analogue warmth. using vintage synths, vibraphone, organ, mellotron, Bridges’ voice sounds uncannily like his hero and tremolo guitar and Moog. The final swansong of his songs ooze with the same felicitous mix of Something Unknown You Need To Know shifts smooch and soul. It’s almost enough to make between images of pastoral calm and industrial you believe in reincarnation. NW chaos in a shifting kaleidoscope of moods. DO

Sarah Cracknell James Taylor Red Kite Before This World

CD Cherry Red CD Concord THE ST ETIENNE chanteuse returns with her first AS THE ARCHETYPE of the sensitive solo album since 1997’s Lipslide and lo and behold, singer-songwriter, Taylor can be it sounds more or less like a St Etienne album – permitted to take his time at 67 years which is a very good thing. It leans heavily towards old. His last collection of compositions the sixties pop end of the Etienne canon, with a few lush Ennio Morricone soundtracks thrown in. was way back in 2002, but his welcome Using live instruments for the most part, she return belies the passage of the years: delivers that big, open, spacious sound associated “I feel the same inside as when I first with those sixties trail blazers. There are great tunes aplenty. Underneath The caught this ride”, he sings on the Do you agree with our reviewers? Stars floats along on a gentle organ theme with opener Today Today Today. The good Decide for yourself and listen to tubular bells ringing out across the choruses while news is that he sounds pretty much some of this month’s tunes at Nothing Left To Talk About is about as fine a slice of the same, his melodic and lyrical www.hifichoice.co.uk sixties dreampop as you’ll taste. DO sensibilities as sharply focussed as ever. “I feel the same inside AUDIOFILE VINYL as when I first caught Fairport Convention this ride” he sings, Myths And Heroes and he sounds it too 180g vinyl Matty Grooves FAIRPORT’S FIRST tub thumper in fully folk rocked-out style that Gentle folk-rock arrangements VINYL release since starts off in measured tones but gets going once dominated by Taylor’s distinctive the late eighties (when the electric bass kicks in. It’s not quite Give Me acoustic guitar picking and his plaintive the digital rot really set Back My Bullets (Lynyrd Skynyrd), but it’s pretty vocals are augmented by Yo-Yo Ma’s in) finds the current close under the circumstances. graceful cello on several tracks, lineup in fine fettle. In Sound quality-wise this is a warm and friendly a band that has seen recording, much like the band members including the title song on which Sting numerous personnel themselves one suspects. It has decent also adds some lovely harmonies. His changes since its debut in 1967, only two out of bandwidth and dynamics if limited image scale, subject matter remains – as it always the five men standing have stayed the course. but it’s good and clean and could be happily was – the bittersweet nature of the Myths And Heroes features a song by Chris Leslie wound up to 11 if you want to get down with your human condition; but if the treatment (vocals, guitar, mandolin) and Ric Sanders air mandolin. It’s still unusual to hear electric bass is now more ripe and seasoned, its (electric violin), but the majority are by other and drums alongside traditional folk instruments, writers, most notably Ralph McTell’s Clear Water. but this album should ensure that it’s a combo we resonance remains timeless. NW The stand out is Bring Me Back My Feathers, a real get to hear for many years to come. JK James Taylor picture courtesy of Timothy White of Timothy courtesy picture James Taylor

100 JULY 2015 MUSICREVIEWS

HIGH RESOLUTION DOWNLOADS DEMO DISCS Simon Powell, technical Kuniko Big Screen and marketing services Xenakis: IX Take One manager at Henley Designs, reveals some of the music used to develop products

FLAC 24-bit/192kHz Linn Records ALAC/FLAC 24-bit/96kHz Linn Records

JAPANESE PERCUSSIONIST KUNIKO takes PIANIST DAVID NEWTON leads this jazz trio on the infamously diff icult works of composer in a joyful interpretation of tunes from films. Iannis Xenakis. Pléïades is the dominant piece Stepping outside the usual canon, the set opens in four parts, including a range of percussive with a playful interpretation of the theme from textures courtesy of marimba, vibraphone, Bewitched and follows with gems like On The Hugh Laurie John Mayer xylophone and the ‘sixxen’, an instrument Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady and St. James Neon designed by Xenakis and customised by Hello Young Lovers from The King And I. Upbeat Infirmary The live atmosphere Kuniko. Each takes its turn in the spotlight, to for the most part, the album finds its forte in the It’s all about the piano is completely create a sound that stays just on the right side slower tunes, especially Randy Newman’s When opening. It’s brilliantly encompassing, and of the line between music and cacophony. DO She Loved Me from Toy Story 2. DO performed and the extended blues always grabs a solo before the main listener’s attention track kicks in really Haydn on a good CD player draws you into the or turntable. whole album. The Paris symphonies Zurich Chamber Orchestra

3 CDs Sony Classical

IN THIS NEW set of the six Paris symphonies, Roger Norrington directs a group of about 30 musicians playing on modern instruments. The result is historically informed, without sounding acerbic in terms of sonority. The playing has the sort of rich Herbie Santana lively brilliance and vivacity we used to enjoy from Hancock Black Magic bands like the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Wiggle Waggle Woman/ The execution is superlative; so good, I’m tempted (Mr Scruff Remix) Gypsy Queen to say these works have never been played better A great early track The shifts in tempo on record – I can’t think of a superior set. The tweaked in all the and transition from Three discs on offer recordings are superb too; clear, open, and lively, right places and soft to hard rock for the price of one, with plenty of attack, yet clean despite sounding given more presence make this track a what’s not to like? crisp and immediate. The three CDs are off ered for in a way that only Mr real journey that the cost of one, making this a real bargain. JH Scruff can achieve. pushes any system.

Mahler BLU-RAY DVD HI-RES HIGHLIGHTS Symphony No.9 Various Artists Seoul Philharmonic Our pick of the best hi-res downloads A Musicares Tribute released over the past month... Orchestra To Paul McCartney Myun-Whun Chung DVD Eagle vision Iron Maiden fans should check out Onkyo Music A charity event from 2012 (onkyomusic.com) where all CD DG featuring Macca himself 15 studio albums, two best alongside Coldplay, Norah of compilations and two live DG IS, WITHOUT question, the label of great Jones, Sergio Mendes, Joe albums are available to Mahler nines. Guilini, Karajan, Bernstein and Walsh and Duane Eddy. download in all their 24-bit glory. Linn Records Abbado left big footsteps in which to follow. But Each plays a McCartney (linnrecords.com) debuts John Butt’s version of JS even in such exalted company, Chung ‘s reading tune and the choices aren’t Bach’s Sonatas for violin and harpsichord and the stands its ground. His performance sounds always predictable, Alison Krauss makes No Royal Academy of Music’s Mahler’s Lieder Eines expansive without feeling slow. It has some of the More Lonely Nights her own, while Neil Young Fahrenden Gesellen. HD Tracks (hdtracks.co.uk) fiery energy of Abbado’s Vienna recording, rather and Crazy Horse blast through I Saw Her has Blur’s The Magic Whip, Bill Withers’ Still Bill and than the sovereign weighty depth of Guilini or Standing There. The sound isn’t totally Leonard Cohen’s Death Of A Ladies’ Man and High Karajan. He shapes the work with great sensitivity smoothed over, it’s heavily compressed but this Res Audio (highresaudio.com) has Lionel Richie’s and DG’s live recording sounds clear and spacious, doesn’t stop Diana Krall finding the heart in For Dancing On The Ceiling, The Essential Elvis Presley with a wide dynamic range. It successfully conveys No One. A four Les Paul finalé with Walsh and and The Clash’s eponymous album. a natural ‘concert hall’ sound, while allowing lots of Dave Grohl sends it off nicely. JK subtle inner detail to be heard. JH

JULY 2015 101 BLUETOOTH STEREO SPEAKERS £250-£300 Rhapsody in Bluetooth The speaker dock is dead and as Adrian Justins discovers, Bluetooth is here to give AirPlay a serious run for its money

ot so long ago docks for of AirPlay, which eliminated the need the development of near-CD quality portable music devices for wired connections. At the time streaming using the aptX protocol. N (most notably the iPod) Bluetooth was considered suitable Bluetooth is now the more popular were all the rage and only for use with communication wireless connection method, and pretty much every manufacturer had devices such as earpieces linked to there are plenty of Bluetooth speaker one in their range. Speaker docks a phone. But while AirPlay ruled the models scrambling for every single came to prominence because active wireless roost, Bluetooth was busy bit of desktop or shelf space available loudspeakers were few and far getting its act together. around the home. A legacy of the between, and those that existed Now, there are more Bluetooth docking days, single speaker units are lacked the necessary connectivity speakers out there than AirPlay ones, more popular, but discerning listeners to work with phones and iPods. partly because all AirPlay products are more inclined to want a stereo But speaker docks were relatively also have Bluetooth on board, but pair, four of which we have on test short lived, thanks in part to the rise mostly thanks to improved sonics and here. Let’s see how they perform.

Clint Freya BT

PRICE: £288 (pair) TELEPHONE: 01732 765105 WEBSITE: clintdigital.com

DETAILS CLINT IS THE new name in they respond. Aside from Bluetooth speakers, although the powering on/off and for PRODUCT Clint Freya Danish brand is already known pairing the left and right ORIGIN elsewhere in Europe for its DAB units, you can also use China radios. Unlike the other three models your playback device to DIMENSIONS on test here, the Freya (named after a alter volume, change (WxHxD) mythological Norse goddess) is a track, etc. 100 x 215 x 100mm portable rechargeable mono speaker WEIGHT 0.9kg per speaker (priced individually at £144). A stereo Stay close SOCKETS pair is formed by buying two separate Power output claims to USB for software speakers, which are then connected give 7W per speaker and upgrade/charging wirelessly. This gives you the fl exibility when combined as a pair mobile devices; 3.5mm aux line in of unpairing them temporarily should they do an impressive job FEATURES you wish to take one off on a picnic or considering their dimensions. Clint what you have is nice and tight, and Quoted power into a different room, for example. says the speakers can be placed up to evenly spread across the soundstage. output: 2x 7W; aptX The build quality of the speakers is 8m apart, however I experience a fair It might not be the last word in Bluetooth 3.1; wall/ stand mount; bass decent, with a durable metal grille amount of drop out when using them refi nement and the Freya’s sound is reflex; rechargeable wrapped round a weighty cylinder. At as a pair just 2m apart. That aside, a tad routine, but the new to the UK DISTRIBUTOR the rear is a 3.5mm aux line in and performance is pleasing with a lively, brand delivers a musical coherency Sygnifi Ltd on the front are a row of LED lights, energetic playback of Isn’t She Lovely that’s reassuring and easy to enjoy ● which change colour and fl ash to by Livingston Taylor. The whistling at telegraph the unit’s status. the start is nicely honed and the vocals VERDICT There’s no remote control, but there are crisp and defi ned. The lower Freya makes an impressively versatile solution are some large buttons on the top of register piano notes and double bass that’s good for occasional outdoor use too one unit. These are plasticky affairs in Cyrus Chestnut’s Grandma’s Blues and require a substantial press before fall short in terms of extension, but

102 JULY 2015 BLUETOOTH STEREO SPEAKERS £250-£300 MINITEST

Blue Aura x30

PRICE: £259 TELEPHONE: 01480 4777738 WEBSITE: blueaura.co.uk

DETAILS AS THE SOLE UK participant, Blue Aura is a fairly new speaker name but PRODUCT Blue Aura x30 we saw its fl oorstanding x40 in HFC ORIGIN 397. Like its sibling the x30 comes China with a faux leather exterior and adds DIMENSIONS additional colours and build quality is (WxHxD) reassuringly good, with a removable 112 x 175 x 145mm metal grille hiding two drivers. WEIGHT 1.5kg per speaker Its Bluetooth implementation is the SOCKETS latest 4.0 version with aptX. The left RCA stereo phono speaker is a slave unit and is tethered in; digital optical in; to the right by a proprietary cable. handset, which is a nice size and mid-range and higher frequencies but subwoofer line out; USB (for wi-fi The latter has a wealth of connectivity weight and has six decent quality bass hounds will, inevitably for extender only) with RCA stereo phono and digital rubber buttons that allow you to select speakers of such compact cabinets, FEATURES optical inputs, plus a subwoofer line source inputs, change or mute the feel a little short changed at the Quoted power out. There’s also a USB, for use with volume and power on/off. Bluetooth bottom end. Nonetheless Cyrus output: 2x 30W; aptX Bluetooth 4.0; Blue Aura’s optional 2.4GHz wireless pairing is done using a button on the Chestnut’s Grandma’s Blues comes NFC; wall/stand dongle, which provides extended rear or by NFC. across as smooth and well rounded, mount; remote range and multi-source setup. with a pleasingly light touch to the control Each two-way speaker has an Power house upper registers of the piano ● DISTRIBUTOR Blue Aura individually amplifi ed 20mm soft Considering its dinky dimensions, the dome tweeter and 87mm paper cone, x30 is much more powerful than it has VERDICT which are fed by a 30W Class D amp. any right to be and listening to Isn’t Well built with plenty of input options. A really Setting up and using the x30 is an She Lovely it delivers a dynamic sound good sound that’s balanced and powerful absolute doddle, with the unit being that has plenty of energy. Clarity is operated using a neat remote control particularly impressive in the

Tangent Spectrum X5 BT

PRICE: £300 TELEPHONE: 01923 205600 WEBSITE: tangent-audio.com

DETAILS LIKE THE CLINT, the Tangent Spectrum X5 BT hails from Denmark PRODUCT Tangent Spectrum and comes in a choice of white or X5 BT black fi nishes. Although considered ORIGIN a compact bookshelf, it is a sizeable China beast – the height of a large pair of DIMENSIONS wellies – and requires a fair bit of real (WxHxD) 166 x 345 x 205mm estate. Too large to use on a desktop WEIGHT with a computer the Tangents are 4.4kg per speaker well equipped for placement with a SOCKETS mini hi-fi system. In addition to aptX Digital optical in; Bluetooth 4.0 the left speaker has driver, both are protected by retrieval from the piano is peerless. digital coaxial in; 3.5mm analogue in; a good array of wired digital and colour-matched mesh grilles. The whistling in Isn’t She Lovely is RCA stereo phono analogue inputs. There’s also a USB A nicely designed remote is also expertly conveyed as the speaker in; USB charge port; port, sub line out and high-quality provided. It has 27 buttons, adding handles the track’s mix in its stride. subwoofer out binding posts for hooking up the playback control and treble/bass Unsurprisingly, given the larger FEATURES Quoted power passive right speaker. Power output adjustment to the usual suspects. enclosure and superior power output output: 2x 50W; is quoted as 2x 50W. claims, the Spectrum can be driven aptX Bluetooth 4.0; The rear-ported Spectrum exudes High energy louder than the others tested here tabletop/stand ● mount; remote quality in terms of design and Bluetooth performance is highly without sounding hard or strained control construction, with a lustrous satin energetic with an excellent sense of DISTRIBUTOR fi nish and walnut base plinth, one scale, and topped off by well-rounded VERDICT BBG Distribution of which has a single LED status light. delivery that ensures all parts of the The Spectrum is a terrific Bluetooth speaker A wide dispersion 25mm soft fabric dynamic range are treated equally. that delivers the sonic goods with aplomb dome tweeter is complemented by a The double bass in Grandma’s Blues 130mm long-throw paper coned bass is bold and textured, while detail

JULY 2015 103 BLUETOOTH STEREO SPEAKERS MINITEST £250-£300

Audio Pro Addon T8

PRICE: £300 TELEPHONE: 01908 512212 WEBSITE: audiopro.com

DETAILS SWEDEN IS REPRESENTED here by Audio Pro, which has a fi ne PRODUCT Audio Pro Addon T8 heritage in the wireless speaker ORIGIN world with models that use RF as a China transmission standard. Like the Blue DIMENSIONS Aura, the Addon T8 is the height of (WxHxD) a paperback novel and is the perfect soft dome tweeter, which is protected against the double bass, which is tight 104 x 163 x 137mm size for desktop use or alongside by a permanently fi xed grille partnered and fast. Livingston Taylor’s whistling WEIGHT 1.6kg per speaker other hi-fi gear with analogue outputs. with an exposed 89cm mid/bass in Isn’t She Lovely is agile and clean SOCKETS The T8’s Bluetooth incarnation is driver, which will be rather vulnerable and the drivers seem excellently 3.5mm analogue in; aptX-compatible (version 4.0) and to inquisitive, prying fi ngers. matched. Stereo imaging is impressive RCA stereo phono additional connectivity comprises a and not for the fi rst time I’m in; USB for optional Wireless RF receiver subwoofer line out, plus a 3.5mm line Time for T astounded at how polished and dongle; sub out in and RCA stereo phono inputs. USB The right speaker has a single, barely powerful a sound such small speakers FEATURES is also provided for an RF adapter visible LED for status information, and can produce. They can’t quite match Quoted power that lets you use it as part of an setup is effected using a minimalistic the Tangent Spectrums for pure output: 2x 36W; aptX Bluetooth 4.0; Audio Pro multi-room system. brushed aluminium remote that trades airiness or ease of delivery, but in tabletop/wall mount Like all the other speakers here, you comfort for style with hard edges. Still, terms of texture and warmth they (optional bracket); can buy the Addon T8 in a choice of operation is simplicity itself and the T8 have a very desirable sound ● DISTRIBUTOR black or white fi nishes, the latter is no disappointment sonically either, Audio Pro UK option providing a stark contrast with a performance delivery that VERDICT to highlight the well-constructed pretty much matches the Blue Aura Delightful sonic delivery from a stylish, dinky exposed drivers. Each two-way bass x30. The upper registers of the piano speaker that’s well suited for desktop use refl ex cabinet is fashioned from a in Cyrus Chestnut’s Grandma’s Blues durable plastic and has a single 25mm are nicely defi ned and evenly balanced

Proving that size does matter, the Tangent Spectrum X5 BT is the clear winner. Its finely detailed, well Mini test verdict balanced and powerful sound is a delight that makes a superb showcase for aptX. Versatile connectivity WINNER and an excellent remote control seal the deal. DECIDING WHICH OF these is too big for a study, but would models is the best is inevitably certainly enhance a TV, a streamer skewed by the manner in which they or a mini hi-fi system. are to be used because size, method Aside from the Clint Freya’s of operation and connectivity are all speaker-to-speaker fl akiness, factors that have a stronger bearing all models deliver a respectable than say a roundup of cartridges or soundfi eld with no obvious in-ear headphones. The Clint Freya, weaknesses. Unless you’re dead for example, lends itself to occasional keen on a portable model, I would outdoor use thanks to its portability discount the Clint Freya, which lacks and rechargeable battery. And the refi nement or sonic fi nesse of although it has an analogue input, the others on test here. There’s so it is unequivocally a dedicated little to choose between the Blue Bluetooth speaker. Uniquely it can Aura x30 and Audio Pro Addon also be used as a mono speaker or as T8, both of which look and sound a stereo pair as the other models are delightful. The Blue Aura x30’s tethered together and are mains superior connectivity and remote powered. The Blue Aura x30 and control arguably give it the edge, Audio Pro Addon T8 are suited to but it would be wise to audition desktop use and/or soundbar duties them both to see which most suits with a TV. The Tangent Spectrum BT5 your personal taste.

Pairing is usually a case of selecting pairing mode on both source and Bluetooth has been boosted by aptX, which delivers near CD-quality speaker. This should only have to be performed once, with playback taking streaming, and is now common on Bluetooth speakers. If the source device place automatically thereafter whenever both devices are switched on. supports aptX the speaker will automatically use the codec, if not SBC (with NFC (Near Field Communication), as found on the Blue Aura x30, allows its greater compression) is used. With most setups there’s no way to see if HELP & ADVICE simple one-off contactless pairing with many Android phones. The latest aptX is active, but if using an Apple Mac you can press alt and select the iPhone 6 has NFC, but its use is currently restricted to contactless payments. speaker in the Bluetooth drop-down menu to reveal the codec.

104 JULY 2015

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Analogue Studio AS-500 Rolling Cleaner

WE ALL KNOW the importance of that performs the same function, keeping our records clean. It doesn’t but without any of the messy matter how careful you are, dust drawbacks that come with and fl uff can always fi nd their way using an adhesive. What’s more, onto the surface of a disc, even in the event that the roller gets during the short journey from the clogged, it can be washed under a tap sleeve to the turntable platter. You with a little soap to clean it. should, therefore, always give your LPs a quick clean before you play Let the good times roll them and one way to do this is to The AS-500 consists of a roller with a use a record cleaning roller. silicone elastomer surface housed in In days gone by, record cleaning an ergonomically designed handle. rollers used an adhesive coating The grip allows gentle pressure to I fi nd the AS-500 very simple to use on tape wound onto a roller. When be applied to the record to enable and roll the cleaner from the label to DETAILS clogged with dirt after repeated use, the silicone elastomer to deform the edge of the record radially going PRICE the surface layer was removed and suffi ciently to reach into the grooves. around the record before playing. £24 discarded to reveal a fresh one. The record should be cleaned on a Even though the disc looks pristine TELEPHONE Unfortunately, these types of rollers mat rather than on the turntable to before cleaning, I am surprised by the 01733 350878 were prone to leaving traces of eliminate any risk of damage to the amount of debris sticking to the roller WEBSITE analogueseduction. adhesive on the record and the central bearing should undue force after the process. net roller had to be replaced when all be inadvertently applied. A length of This is an effective product at a the layers were used up. Nowadays, protective clear plastic to be wrapped good price and comes recommended OUR VERDICT record cleaning rollers use a silicone around the roller when not in use is for vinylistas everywhere looking to elastomer that has a tacky surface also provided. clean up their collection. NR

Mitchell & Johnson Wave Bluetooth adaptor

FOLLOWING THE REBRANDING of Sansui UK to Mitchell & Johnson, this is the fi rst product to come our way. The Wave is a Bluetooth 3.0 adaptor that can be plugged into an claims to provide up to six hours use. audio system that doesn’t already I fi t the Wave to a pair of unused have the wireless facility built in. inputs on my amplifi er connected The curvy device measures 50 x with male-to-female extension leads 20 x 10mm (WxHxD) and can plug (not supplied) hooked up to the RCA directly into an amplifi er or any audio adaptor and 3.5mm jack-to-jack input socket (including a car stereo cable. Pairing is easy and it connects system) equipped with a 3.5mm instantly to a Samsung Galaxy S3 stereo jack socket. Alternatively, it can Android phone without depressing DETAILS be sited away from the equipment the Bluetooth button on the device Paris Concerto No.2 – both 250kbps PRICE using the supplied 1.4m extension or even having to enter a passcode. MP3 fi les – sound surprisingly £30 lead, and there’s a twin coaxial RCA Sonically, the Wave is a great little captivating. Streaming some jazz via TELEPHONE adaptor supplied for connecting it to performer and produces a pleasingly a 16/44 WAV fi le of Oscar Peterson 0845 6435064 a spare aux input on your amplifi er. full sound that brings to life tunes playing You Look Good To Me to WEBSITE When used with a car audio system accessed via a smartphone or tablet the Wave demonstrates a full bass. mitchellandjohnson. com along with a Bluetooth mobile phone, in a much more engaging way. In hi-fi If you are looking to occasionally the Wave can answer calls and you terms the top end is a little reserved connect a smart device to your hi-fi can talk using its minute microphone. in comparison with a wired digital or wish to hook up Bluetooth to the OUR VERDICT Power comes from the built-in music player, but Concerto Grosso audio system in your car, then the Li-Polymer rechargeable battery that No.1 by Charles Avison and Vivaldi’s low-cost Wave is ideal. NR

JULY 2015 107 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

North West - Brian & Trevors 0161 766 4837. East - Analogue Seduction 01733 350878 / LW Audio 01284 716415. Midlands South EastEast -- GuildfordGuildford Audio Audio 07979 07979 515577 515577 / Audio/ Audio Venue Venue W5 W5 0208 0208 567 567 8703 8703 / Audio / Audio Venue Venue Maidenhead Maidenhead 01628 01628 633995 633995 / / Stereo NowNow 0787007870 192618. 192618 South/ Phase West 3 Audio - Audio 01903 Destination 245577. 01884South 243584 West - Audio Destination 01884 243584 Distributed by:by: Signature Signature Audio Audio Systems Systems 07738 07738 007776 007776 l www.psaudio.com l www.psaudio.com EXTRAS

LP Gear AT95VL cartridge

AUDIO-TECHNICA’S AT95E IS the Honda Civic of cartridges. There are better ones, there are worse ones, but you always know what you’re getting – a quality product that does the job you bought it for. It’s not fl ashy, nor is it particularly fun, but it is capable, surprisingly refi ned and fi ne value for money. For this reason it has been in production for decades, getting fractionally more expensive every year. It now sells for the modest sum of £35. Its bigger brother – the AT110E, now discontinued – was always the better buy, offering a good deal more refi nement for just a few quid more. Its smaller brother – the AT93 became something of a cult. It formed the basis of the Linn Basik cartridge, the main modifi cation being that Linn glued the stylus in place, for extra rigidity. It sounded between 1.5 and 2.5g and at 6.6g much more information; totally like a crude mod, but actually it’s not a diffi cult fi t. I fi nd it tracks unexpected given the relatively improved things noticeably. impeccably at 2g in the arm of my modest (£30+P&P) price difference Rega RP3. between the two. Mods and rockers Before we consider the AT95VL, Now, US-based LP Gear has decided a quick look back at the stock Spot the diff erence to modify the AT95E. The chassis is Audio-Technica AT95E. In a good Tonally, little changes; the AT95 isn’t well able to stand a better stylus, tonearm you get a detailed, smooth the world’s most rich or euphonic and so that is precisely what the and quite musical sound. It has a cartridge, and the new stylus doesn’t company has fi tted. The sum of good turn of speed, has pleasingly do much to change this. There’s still $99.95 (£65 plus carriage) buys crisp and extended treble and a that slightly well-lit midband, which you a ‘Vivid Line Contact’ diamond reasonably supple bass. The downside casts a broad white light across tip with a quoted size of 6/75μm, is that it is too opaque. Everything is drums, vocals and strings, but the that has been exclusively crafted a little out of focus, rather tonally bass seems fractionally fuller and in the cartridge’s native land of homogenous, too vague to be a more impactful; perhaps this is Japan. The new stylus is carefully truly enjoyable cartridge. It’s not mostly the better speed and mounted on a thin wall Zualum a criticism, because you can do a lot dexterity. The treble is a revelation; tubular cantilever. worse at the price; it’s just that it the original cartridge just doesn’t The standard AT95 body is always leaves me yearning for more. have the fi ne fi ligree detail you retained, and there’s nothing wrong More is what the LP Gear version would want and this really detracts with that – at the price. It puts out a gives you. Indeed it’s fascinating to from the overall experience. Not so quoted 3.5mV (@ 1kHz, 5cm/sec), see what the new stylus brings to the with the LP Gear, which seems softer which isn’t as good as some more party, because you soon realise the but more fi nely fi nessed and there’s modern moving magnets but is still difference is quite profound. That a good deal more air and space to perfectly fi ne for today’s moving slightly misty, foggy feel of the proceedings too. This has magnet phono stages. It is said to standard cartridge goes to a great implications for the midband, have a channel balance within 2dB, extent, and suddenly everything bringing a better sense of focus to separation at 1kHz of better than DETAILS becomes a good deal more fi nely the stereo soundstage, and lending 20dB, plus a dynamic compliance of PRICE etched. It seems like the standard more depth. Overall, it’s an all-round 6.5 (x10-6 cm/dyne) and static £65 cartridge ploughs its way through the win for this little cartridge; the compliance of 20. This puts the WEBSITE record groove like a heavy goods modestly priced upgrade pushes it cartridge fi rmly in the middle; it’s lpgear.com vehicle, whereas the Vivid Line forward substantially. Oh, and if you not weird, hard to match or a tricky OUR VERDICT Contact of the AT95VL is more of a have already got an AT95E, you can load (at 47kohm and 100-200pf). sports motorbike, lithely tracing the upgrade it with the LP Gear Most arms will track it happily contours of the highway! There is so ATN95VL for a modest fee. DP

JULY 2015 109 EXTRAS

Epiphany Acoustics Atratus II & III RCA interconnects

FOLLOWING AN EXTENDED (International Annealed Copper period of development, Epiphany Standard) to offer enhanced Acoustics has added to its Atratus electron fl ow compared with more collection of cables. The Atratus II conventional RCA plugs. and III RCA-terminated interconnects aim to embody the company’s Then there were three philosophy of offering great value The Atratus III makes use of twin-core and high performance. UP-OCC (Ultra Pure Ohno Continuous The Atratus II utilises twin-core Cast) copper cable with dual-foil and After running in both cables I try copper cable that is fi tted with a high-density copper-braid shields. them out with a wide range of music, high-coverage braided shield to The UP-OCC wire is drawn in one from full orchestra to vocals and solo protect the internal signal conductor continuous length to remove the instruments. The Atratus II sounds from extraneous noise pick up and crystal boundaries and to increase the really open with excellent imaging. interference. The conductors are purity of the copper. These wires are It’s warm and smooth, but without insulated with a low-loss foam surrounded by a low-loss Tefl on any tendency to gloss over detail. DETAILS high-density polyethylene dielectric dielectric and fi nished in a black and With the Atratus III, there’s an PRICE Atratus II: £65, material. The outer sheath is white woven jacket. The cables are improvement in the clarity and Atratus III: £100 fi nished with a black and white terminated in KLEI Silver Harmony refi nement of the sound. Bass lines for 1m woven jacket. The cables are RCA phono plugs, which feature an are punchier and the instrument WEBSITE terminated in the excellent KLEI earth connection made from solid placement, although good with the II, epiphany-acoustics. Copper Harmony RCA phono plugs. silver and utilise a thick silver plating is more sharply defi ned with the III. co.uk These have signal and earth pins on the copper signal pin. As a result, Both of these cables punch way OUR VERDICT that are silver plated over pure the conductivity of the Silver above their price point and are really copper and >101% IACS Harmony plugs is >106% IACS. high-quality interconnects. NR

NuForce DAC3 headphone amp and DAC

DESPITE ITS AFFORDABLE price the rear are the other and dinky proportions (think Tic-Tac outputs and micro box) the μDAC3 has an eyebrow- USB input (a lead raising spec that includes a variable comes supplied). The gain headphone amplifi er and a μDAC3 is compatible 32-bit DAC with support for 96kHz with Windows and hi-res fi les of most common types Mac computers and including DSD. That in itself would you need to set the make it a viable rival to the likes of Audio MIDI utility Cambridge Audio’s DACMagic XS to output at your (HFC 382) and the Audioquest preferred resolution. ALAC download, is equally engaging Dragonfl y (HFC 370), but it ups the as the DAC reveals the subtlety of ante with RCA phono outputs and a Winging it the layering with the gentle tapping coaxial digital output. The latter Using the μDAC3 principally as an of the cymbals at the start DETAILS allows it to be used simply as a asynchronous USB source with an underpinning the scintillating PRICE USB-to-S/PDIF convertor in iMac I fi nd it to really enjoyable to chords of the lead guitar. Some may £90 conjunction with a beefi er amplifi er. operate and to listen to. The cellos fi nd its presentation a mite too dry TELEPHONE It is solidly built from brushed in Brandenburg’s Concerto No. 3 or too analytical, but performance- 01923 691800 aluminium and durable plastic with (ALAC) are fi nely textured and there’s wise it’s a close run thing with WEBSITE a nicely weighted rotary volume plenty of sparkle and detail to the Cambridge Audio’s DACMagic XS. optoma.co.uk control. There’s a 3.5mm headphone midrange and upper registers of the The latter is smaller, but the μDAC3’s jack alongside a single LED, which violins. Overall, it confi dently serves volume control makes it nicer to use OUR VERDICT glows when the USB connection is up a lively, well imaged soundstage. and the additional outputs make it drawing power from a computer. To Wings’ Band On The Run, a 24/96 much more versatile. AJ

110 JULY 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 HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOUND & VISION

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Audio Origami UniArm tonearm

ON THE FACE of it, the UniArm looks like the love child of a Naim Aro and Audio Origami’s legendary PU7. The arm tube and headshell certainly pay homage to the PU7, and also the company’s RB7. In common with all of the AO arms, each UniArm is made to order by arm designer and maker, John ‘Johnnie 7’ Nilsen. You can opt to have any custom colour and fi nish that you want for an additional cost. However, the standard fi nish of bead-blasted matt silver looks very elegant and will be a perfect match for most turntables. Other optional upgrades include a 12in model and a titanium armtube instead of the standard aluminium one. Most of the cost of the UniArm arises from the use of an expensive sapphire bearing for the pivot inside a double cup arrangement (to accommodate the damping fl uid) and a special hardened tungsten-tipped spike. UniArm is fi tted with an arm clip and a robust, full and open sound with A comprehensive set of accessories arm cueing device, both of which plenty of width and depth. The is bundled, including alignment are integrated into the design, so soundstage extends well beyond gauges, headshell spirit level and no additional holes are required to the area between the loudspeakers. silicone damping oil for the unipivot. be drilled into the deck. There is also lots of detail in the Extending from the rear of the arm, upper registers and I am drawn into Head of the class the counterbalance weight is supported the excitement and energy of the The headshell is essentially a PU7 on an adjustable pillar. This is fi tted piece that Derek Solomons conveys braced model with slots for attaching below the height of the armtube on with his performance on the violin. and adjusting the cartridge. If the unipivot housing to lower the Another CBS recording of Barbra any alteration to the azimuth is centre of gravity and provide the Streisand singing Tomorrow certainly required, it can be set by moving necessary stability for the unipivot has the wow factor. Streisand’s voice a small weight on the side of the design. My review sample is fi tted is out in front of the orchestral bearing housing. The thick design of with a single Rega mount, but other backing, sparkling and clear. The the armtube is also that of the PU7. mounts, such as the Rega 3-point and crisp and punchy bass line is really It contains resilient OFC wire with Linn, are available upon request. tight with a great tonal clarity. silk insulation and the tube is foam The effective mass of the arm is A direct-to-disc recording of fi lled. At the cartridge end, the wires about 11g, so it should work well Mozart’s Divertimento No.11 K251 are fi tted with four Cardas gold PPC with moving magnet and moving played by the Toronto Chamber E cartridge tags. The other ends of coil mid-compliance cartridges. I fi t Orchestra is captivating, exciting, the wires are fed through the top a Lyra Clavis DC MC cartridge to the full and musical. I am struck by the of the pivot housing and descend UniArm and apply a small bead of sense of reality and the feeling of a gracefully to terminate in a Cardas the silicone damping oil to the centre live performance in my sitting room. tonearm DIN connector. The female pivot. After setting it up, I fi rst check part of the connector is fi tted with the resonance using a copy of the Call to arms Audio Origami’s super OFC external Vinyl Essentials test record. The The UniArm allows my cartridge to cable and terminated in gold DETAILS actual resonance is very subtle perform at its very best with superb Neutrik/Rean RCA plugs. As a PRICE (showing the silicone damping is detail and excellent imaging, result of the unipivot design and £1,300 plus delivery doing its job well) and is very close coupled with a silky-smooth top this method of connection, the WEBSITE to 10Hz. This is where it should be end. The arm also provides a tight, whole arm wand can be removed audioorigami.co.uk and promises great bass control. punchy and well-controlled bass and replaced with another, which OUR VERDICT A splendid CBS recording of response. This is a really high- may be of interest for people with Haydn’s Symphony No. 59 performed performance prospect at an more than one cartridge. The by L’estro Armonico is presented with extremely competitive price. NR

JULY 2015 113 +44 (0)118 981 9891 www.audioconsultants.co.uk FINE TWO CHANNEL AUDIO SYSTEMS German Physiks Omnidirectional Loudspeakers

Unique DDD design produces a very wide frequency range from a single driver Large, deep soundstages well beyond the speaker boundaries Exceptionally coherent and natural sound closely mimicing the live event Realistic stereo image more like that experienced in a concert hall Focused images and correct tonal balance in almost all positions in the room Contemporary sculptural styling – priced from £8900

[email protected] 4 Zephyr House Calleva Park Aldermaston Berkshire RG7 8JN UK AC/HFC/86

+44 (0)118 981 9891 www.audioconsultants.co.uk FINE TWO CHANNEL AUDIO SYSTEMS Model 15 – The New Turntable from SME

Inspired by the Model 10 but emulating technology within the Model 20/3 and 30/2 Sub-Chassis suspended with fluid damping to eliminate any bounce High density construction resulting in freedom from colouration Compact footprint, simplicity of operation, understated styling

Model 15 with matching SME 309 precision tone arm £6884

[email protected] 4 Zephyr House Calleva Park Aldermaston Berkshire RG7 8JN UK AC/HFC/85 EXTRAS

Alpha Design Labs GT40a DAC/ADC

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE many devices on the market that you can use to digitally record analogue audio, they mostly only support resolutions close to CD quality at 16-bit/44.1kHz. Devices that support hi-res analogue-to-digital conversion at 24-bit/192kHz seem to be as rare as hen’s teeth. At last, Alpha Design Labs has released the GT40a DAC and ADC that supports 24/192 as an upgraded version of the original GT40 by doubling the 96kHz sampling rate. The GT40a is supplied with a 15V DC ‘wall-wart’ power supply and a USB-A-to- USB-B interface cable for connecting to your PC (Windows 7 or later, Mac OS10 or later). It measures 150 x 57 x 111mm (WxHxD) and only weighs 650g, but is a real heavyweight when it installing the driver, I set it as the performed by the Scottish Chamber comes to features. Apart from being default playback and recording device Orchestra. The opening blast is a DAC that can support up to in the Windows control panel and I superbly balanced with excellent 24/192 from its USB interface to also set the default recording format spatial imaging and is in a produce an analogue signal at its to “2 channel, 24-bit, 192000Hz completely different league to RCA output sockets, it can also (Studio Quality)”. By setting the plugging the headphones into the digitise up to 24/192 from its RCA GT40a as the default device, computer’s sound card. Next up is a inputs to the USB output – ideal for Windows will automatically switch 24/96 recording of James Vincent digitising your record collection at over to it whenever it’s plugged in. McMorrow singing Cavalier. The the highest resolution that vinyl As all of the adjustment of recording performance is crystal clear and deserves. The input is switchable levels is done by software, there is no captivating. The GT40a copes well from being either a line or a phono way to alter the settings apart from a with the solo vocals and doesn’t shy in that uses a built-in phono preamp switchable attenuator to reduce the away when the music livens up. with RIAA equalisation. The phono signal by either 6 or 12dB if a red stage is also switchable to support ‘clipping’ LED on the front panel The vinyl countdown MM or MC cartridges. And if that’s warns of an overload. Finally, I set up the GT40a to digitise not enough, it can function as a Considering it fi rst as a headphone some vinyl at 24/192 using Audacity standalone headphone amp using amp, I connect it to my hi-fi and listen and saving it as a FLAC fi le. I play any of the analogue or digital to some vinyl on my Sennheiser the result on a Cambridge Audio signals fed to it. HD600 headphones. Playing Elgar’s Stream Magic 2 DMP (HFC Issue Enigma Variations demonstrates a 393). I specifi cally choose something Up and running very pleasing sound that is refi ned that I had previously recorded at In order to support the higher and easy to listen to. I fi nd I need to 16/44 on a Xitel INport ADC – data rates, the GT40a requires turn the volume control up to the two Branford Marsalis playing Romances the computer to have an ASIO o’clock position for normal listening, For Saxophone. The result is (Asynchronous Input/Output) so it is not the most powerful staggering. Although the Xitel does a driver installed. Macs have this built DETAILS headphone amp, but it is more than pretty decent job, the GT40a yields a in, but Windows PCs will require a adequate for monitoring and general sound that is so much closer to the PRICE driver to be installed. This is very £395 listening. Connecting the GT40a original vinyl. Branford’s rendition straightforward and the instruction TELEPHONE directly to my moving coil cartridge of Satie’s Gymnopédie No.3 is manual contains the link where the 01189 814238 results in a similarly great sound with mournful and hugely emotional driver can be downloaded. Digital WEBSITE excellent imaging, showing that the – something that is missing from the recording is all done by software soundfowndations. internal phono stage is also no slouch. 16/44 copy. and Audacity is an excellent free co.uk Next, I move over to my PC and The GT40a is outstanding value for program that works brilliantly with connect it to a USB port and play a money. It does many things really OUR VERDICT the GT40a. I use it with my PC 24/192 FLAC of Beethoven’s Piano well but when it comes to digitising running Windows 8.1 and after Concerto No.5 – The Emperor vinyl, it does extraordinarily well. NR

JULY 2015 115 GUIDE TO...

CABLES PART 1: Digital and networking This month, we take a close look at digital cables and how they can have a significant eff ect on the sound quality of audio systems

igital cables only have to digits consisting of ones and zeros. a voltage followed by no voltage, such convey ones and zeros so A ‘one’ can be represented by the as you’d get by turning a switch on D don’t need to be anything presence of a voltage, for example 5V, and off very rapidly. To do their job special – right? Well, as and a ‘zero’ as 0V. The binary number well, digital cables have to be able to with most things to do with hi-fi , it’s that can be used to represent the transmit frequencies in the megahertz not quite as simple as that. amplitude of an analogue signal is, region, rather than the hundreds of Many audiophiles now appreciate therefore, a stream of binary digits, or kilohertz that analogue cables are that the quality of the sound from ones and zeros, sent down the cable. required to handle. their system is infl uenced by many As the old joke goes: “There are 10 factors – not only within the analogue sorts of people who know about Getting it right Sampling an domain, but also within the digital binary numbers – those who do and Digital coaxial cables are required analogue waveform and one. Although the factors affecting those who don’t” This is, of course, to have a 75ohm characteristic assigning a analogue and digital signals are saying that the binary number ‘10’ is impedance and, although such cables number to different, their impact on the sound actually decimal ‘2’ and this nicely can work well for analogue audio each sample quality is just as signifi cant. It is, illustrates what a digital cable has therefore, important not to neglect the to carry in terms of binary digits. quality of the digital interconnect However, to accurately represent an cables that you use to connect up the analogue signal, it has to carry an digital parts of your hi-fi . However, awful lot of these binary digits in a before considering the cables, we’ll very short period of time – at least fi rst take a look at the signals that they 706,000 every second in theory. have to transmit. Therefore, to carry this data, we are already looking at a cable that can Ones and zeros handle signals of around 1MHz, but it In a nutshell, the digital signal that is doesn’t stop there. carried by digital interconnects and Electrically, this stream of binary networking cables is binary data, that data is a pulse wave (a non- is to say a serial stream of binary symmetrical square wave) comprising

116 JULY 2015 GUIDE TO...

signals, the reverse is not true as internal design local area network. These are called standard analogue cables are not and layout of Ethernet cables – Ethernet is a local really suitable for use as digital the conductors. area network standard that was interconnects as their bandwidth is Optical cables do commercially introduced in 1980 and not great enough. If a cable with a not suffer from this, standardised in 1983. Since then, it poor high-frequency characteristic is but they do have has been refi ned to support higher used as a digital interconnect this can issues of their own, bitrates and longer link distances. result in timing errors in the digital which we will look at later. In the early days of Ethernet speeds signal, which manifests itself as the of 10Mbps via Cat3 cables were dreaded jitter. Furthermore, a cable Well connected satisfactory. Nowadays, with LANS with the wrong characteristic Connectors are a necessary evil for running at 100Mbps and 1,000Mbps impedance will result in unwanted cables as they need to have the ability (Gigabit), higher-quality cables and refl ections of the digital signal and to be plugged into equipment. A Chord connectors are required to support this can potentially cause more errors. poor contact can result in resistance Company’s these speeds. It stands to reason C-Stream The digital processor in the audio occurring between plug and socket. Ethernet cable that using a lower-grade cable will equipment then has to manage these This resistance can cause degradation degrade performance of the network errors and this can all result in a of the all-important edges of the and this can manifest itself in a degraded audio signal. digital pulses in much the same way number of ways, including poor as a low-grade cable damages the spatial positioning of instruments and Keeping out the riff -raff digital signal. Furthermore, the other subtle effects that can make the Another requirement for digital cables resistance can be intermittent and sound less real. is that they are well shielded from result in noise being generated at the interference from external sources point of contact. This noise will add Optical cables are and also do not transmit interference spurious pulses to the digital data from the very high frequencies that and once again, the equipment will not susceptible to they are carrying. This can be have to use its error-correcting electrical problems achieved by the cable employing circuitry to do its best to regenerate proper screening and also by the the original data. High-quality such as earth loops connectors are therefore an essential PROBLEMS WITH BINARY DATA requirement of a digital cable. Then there are the USB interconnect cables that are often required to link Digital audio recording makes use of Pulse Beam me up your PC with your audio system. Code Modulation (PCM). PCM uses a digital number (as binary data made up from In 1983, Toshiba designed an optical These cables are also high-speed a group of ones and zeros or bits) to system for the transmission of digital digital cables and your audio system determine the amplitude of a signal at data between consumer audio will defi nitely benefi t from a high- a point in time. Any integer number can be represented provided that there are equipment called Toslink. The data quality audio-grade USB cable to link enough binary digits, eg 16 binary digits is carried on a beam of red light with your PC-based music collection to (bits) can represent decimal numbers from a peak wavelength of 650nm and your hi-fi DAC. 0 to 216 (or 65,536), or from −32,768 to 32,767. This is the standard used by CDs transmitted through optical cables. The other aspect to consider is how often These optical cables usually consist Choosing the right cable you define the amplitude of the analogue of an inexpensive 1mm plastic optical Fortunately, there is a wealth of signal and this is called the sampling fi bre or bundles of plastic optical good-quality solutions out there to frequency. This frequency has to be at least twice the maximum frequency of the fi bres in higher-quality designs. cater for all your digital connection analogue signal you are trying to define Optical cables are not susceptible to requirements. Starting off with digital (this is also know as the Nyquist frequency) electrical problems, such as earth coax cables, a great example is the and for CDs, it is 44.1kHz. Transmitting 16-bits down a serial cable at 44.1kHz loops and RF interference, but have a Atratus II RCA digital interconnect (without parity or other error-correcting limited range of around 5-10m due to from Epiphany Acoustics (on test on information) is a data rate of 705,600-bits the relatively high attenuation of light page 110). This coaxial cable is a per second and the cable has to support many times this frequency to transmit through a cable, especially one with 75ohm, low-capacitance, heavy-duty decent quality pulses. plastic fi bres. They can also be digital cable with a large-sized OCC The problems start if the cable has a poor damaged permanently if tightly bent. Russ Andrews’ copper central conductor and a high-frequency response. This causes the Poor quality fi bre-optic cable is prone Kimber D60 low-loss foam polyethylene dielectric. edges of the pulses to become curved, so Digital RCA it is difficult for the electronics to decide to spurious internal refl ections, which cable – in a It uses high-quality gold-plated exactly when the pulse starts and stops, will cause imperfections in the digital fancy case crimped connectors to offer a resulting in an error in time when the signal data that in turn results in jitter that crosses the threshold. As with all great comedy, it’s all down to good timing and if the DAC then has to cope with. the edges are not steep, the equipment will One of the main issues with Toslink have to use its error-correcting circuitry to cables is with the connectors. If a attempt to regenerate the data stream. The better the cable, the less correction your poorly designed connector is used, DAC will have to do to recreate the original this can result in end the points analogue signal and the more accurate this not lining up properly with the resulting analogue signal will be. optoelectronic devices in the Reflections of the signal can occur with a cable operating at digital frequencies if the equipment, which in extreme cases cable’s characteristic impedance doesn’t results in a complete loss of the signal. match that of the circuits to which it is Furthermore, low-quality connectors connected. These reflections can result in spurious pulses, albeit at a smaller can sometimes fail to fi t into the amplitude, that can confuse the poor DAC sockets and can fall out during use. when it is trying to regenerate the original Equally as important are the cables analogue signal. that connect your streamer to your

JULY 2015 117 GUIDE TO...

gas-tight and robust connection. It JITTER also benefi ts from dual shielding, Jitter is error in the time base (clock) of a utilising both a 100 percent coverage digital signal, or to put it another way, the foil shield as well as a very dense undesired deviation of a periodic signal from the ideal timing. All digital audio is copper braid. based on a clock of some sort, such as Another fi ne example of an RCA the one used to accurately sample the digital cable is the Kimber D60 (HFC analogue signal at a regular interval. One of the most common causes of jitter is 391) from Russ Andrews. This 75ohm the result of waveform distortion due to cable has a pure silver conductor mismatched impedances, reflections in surrounded by two helically wound the signal path and items with limited frequency responses in the system – all shields separated by air-articulated of which can be the result of using poor- Tefl on insulation. It is terminated with quality digital cables. The outcome is that Kimber Ultraplate RCA phono plugs. distortion is introduced into the waveform Kimber also makes the OPT-1 Toslink that we’re trying to record and reproduce. The process of converting an analogue cable (HFC 384) that incorporates a waveform to numbers is called analogue- medical-grade light conducting to-digital conversion (ADC) and the fi bre-optic cable made from an process of converting the digital signal back to analogue is digital-to-analogue advanced polymer to reduce signal conversion (DAC). If jitter gets into the ADC distortion and minimise light losses process (the recording), those errors are a even produced a detailed technical Atlas’ Element permanent feature of the digital data and USB cable there is no way to recover the original If a cable with a poor paper explaining why digital cables waveform. However, if jitter gets into the are as important as analogue ones for DAC process, it degrades the playback, but high-frequency is high-quality audio reproduction. In the original digital recording is preserved. used this can result the paper, the company points out that Small amounts of jitter tend to blur the poorly designed cables and connectors stereo image and the result is you find that you can’t pinpoint instruments in in timing errors can result in unwanted refl ections and the soundstage as clearly. As the jitter timing issues that give rise to jitter and worsens, the stereo image starts to shrink within the cable. This cable is also other errors in the digital signal. The and the soundstage becomes constrained between your loudspeakers. In extreme fracture-resistant both within the Element USB is also designed to reject cases, worsening jitter can change the cable and at the terminations, which interference. The cable is fi tted with a whole tonal character of the sound. improve longevity and decrease gold-plated Type A connector (the fl at Error-correcting circuitry in the DAC can impedance refl ections. The dual-layer USB plug) at one end and a gold- help, but it is never going to be perfect. Also, it takes a finite amount of time to do thermal and mechanical outer jacket plated Type B connector (the square any signal processing, so it is far better to is fl exible and also protects the cable USB plug) at the other. avoid introducing jitter in the first place. from external environmental infl uences as well as against warping Diff erent strokes of the fi bre-optic polymer. Something a bit more exotic, but nevertheless still affordable, is the Ethernet excellence BMC (Balanced Music Concept) You’re not going to go far wrong if Audio PureUSB1 (HFC 387) cable you invest in the C-stream (HFC 386) that is distributed in the UK by Colab entry-level Ethernet cable from Audio. This cable, like the Atlas, is Chord. It features 24ct. gold-plated fi tted with a high-quality, gold-plated signal contacts with an over-moulded Type A fl at-section USB plug at one plug surround that comes with a end and a gold-plated Type B non-compression cable strain relief. square-section at the other. However, Inside the cable are OFC conductors while many audiophile USB cables and low-density polyethylene attempt to limit transmission losses insulation. Each set of C-stream’s twin and noise by material tuning, the Russ Andrews’ Kimber D60 conductors is precisely twisted with PureUSB 1 provides an active digital RCA (top) and the Atratus each pair featuring an overwrapped electronic circuit connected in the II RCA digital interconnect from foil shield. The four pairs are then cable itself near the DAC plug end. Epiphany Acoustics (below) overwrapped with a further foil This circuit takes advantage of the 5V shield. The C-stream is available from DC power available in a USB cable to 0.75m to 20m off the shelf, so there power the active circuit that restores should be a suitable length for you and reshapes the digital signal just to connect your streamer to your before entering the DAC. The circuit network hub. Another great value also fi lters the noise on the USB audio-grade cable is the German power supply. Another advantage Meicord Opal Ethernet cable from of this approach is the reduction MCRU that is also available in lengths of length sensitivity; the active up to 20m. circuit allows for the cable to be There is a great range of USB cables longer without causing losses, so to choose from that are a serious step a 5m cable sounds virtually the same up from the cheap ones supplied. An as the 2m length. excellent value cable is Scottish-based So there you have it – a quick run Atlas’ Element USB (HFC 371). Atlas down of digital cables. Next month, has taken the whole issue of quality we will turn our attention to analogue digital interconnects seriously and has interconnects and mains leads ●

118 JULY 2015 by “Compared to many high-end cables whose bulk and rigidity (or fragility) seem contrived to make their installation as arduous as possible, Black Rhodium’s Duet DCT++ CS is a positive joy to hook up. But while the cable is unusually ‘bendable’ its sound has real spine – its bass powerful and robust while the treble is smooth rather than incisive or biting. Certainly one for the shortlist, the Duet’s warm quality is suited to sharp-sounding systems.” Paul Miller, Hi-Fi News, March 2015


 


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HFC_A4_Ad_blank.indd 1 4/12/14 14:22:01 COMPETITION

WIN: AKG K511 over-ear headphones We’ve got 24 sets of cans to give away for your listening pleasure

ake a look around you the next And, continuing with the theme of headphone is a great choice for that time you get on a bus, train or comparing today’s models with those of old, personal listening experience. Its T walk down a busy high street. the choice appears to have gone through the lightweight, fl exible design means that it What’s the one piece of hi-fi roof. Ever since hip hop moguls made combines a comfortable fi t to go along with candy that everyone – young and old – billions of dollars from producing over- the fi rst-class audio performance you’ve seems to have on their person? Yep, it’s priced, bass-heavy celebrity-endorsed head come to expect from the AKG brand. headphones. As much as we’d all like to walk candy, everyone wants in on the act and the The K511 includes a self-adjusting along with our favourite tunes blaring out at choice of headphones has grown way more headband, a convenient single-sided cable top volume, sometimes (by which we mean, than anyone could ever have predicted. and 6.3mm jack adapter. The closed-back pretty much all the time), it’s simply not design allows you to enjoy your music in possible – at least not if you don’t want to Take your pick peace without disturbing those that are be public enemy number one. And so the But how do you separate the wheat from the around you, while the high sensitivity headphone has grown to become the chaff – or to put it another way, the Beats confers great audio device compatibility. de facto device that everyone has on their from the fl uff? Happily help is at hand as This month we’ve got 24 sets of AKG’s person pretty much all the time. But the we’ve once again done all the hard work for K511 to giveaway to lucky readers. To be in good news is that we seem to have moved you and made it about as easy as it gets to with a chance of winning a pair all for on from the fl imsy foam-covered cans of the lay your hands on some high-quality hi-fi yourself, answer the ridiculously simple eighties when personal audio fi rst became a headgear for just the price of a stamp. question opposite and post it to us at the ‘thing’, to more robust models capable not Designed for music lovers seeking the best usual address. Before you know it you’ll be only of producing stunning sound, but also value for their money while refusing to nodding along with everyone else on your that will withstand being roughed up. compromise on quality, AKG’s K511 morning commute. Good luck!

120 JULY 2015 COMPETITION

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 8th July 2015 addressed to: QUESTION: AKG Headphone Competition Hi-Fi Choice, c/o Data Europe Limited, 12 Regent Street, Haslingden, Rossendale, BB4 5HQ What size is the jack adaptor with the AKG K511 headphone? Answer:...... A) 6.3in Initial...... Surname...... B) 6.3mm C) 63cm 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 If you do NOT wish to be contacted by Hi-Fi Choice and My Time Media Ltd please tick prizes 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 For full privacy policy and terms and conditions, visit www.hifichoice.co.uk/terms is final. 7. The closing date is 8th July 2015.

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(West Yorkshire). MERLIN mains cables from sound, 100V transformer inc new. For sale at £575 ono: Alpha 10 power £25. Black Widow etc £70. PIONEER A400 integrated ARCAM in sale £900 ono: 07902 0117 9070947 or email: Missing Link Orbit mains amplifier, recent overhaul amp, perfect, low use £250 494835 or email: rowland. [email protected] cable (£130) £60 each: 01475 £400: 01270 238783 including safe dispatch: [email protected] (Keynsham Bristol). 529216. (Somerset). 01556 680314 (Inverness). (Castle Douglas). MUSICAL FIDELITY MONITOR AUDIO BX 6 CHORD COMPANY MUSICAL FIDELITY floorstanders in black, mint WANTED Celestion Ditton M6i amp with black finish. In Chameleon 1m interconnect pristine condition and little AI CD Pro. Philips Pro 2 condition (RRP £650) £350. 25 speakers, JVC JA-S11G £50, 3m pair Odessa 2 used. Comes fully boxed: mechanism, lead-free version. Buyer to collect: 01942 amplifier, Garrad TA MkII speaker cables with banana £1,200 ono: 07791 529128 24-bit/192kHz DAC, toploader 234713 (Lancashire). turntable in good/excellent plugs, hardly used £50: 0113 or 0207 2528122. + PUC. Buyer collects, FOCAL Electra 1028 BE 2933478 (West Yorkshire). condition please: 01344 excellent condition £700: REL Q100 Sub in great 413719. 07969 531763 condition powder blue. ONKYO ES-HF300S (North London). Variable slope filter and headphones, hardly used volume ensure great MICHEL Tecnoarm aII black, £150. Albarry S508 power integration, high or low-level new, unused £350. Rega amplifier in very good inputs. Infinite baffle design RB300 tonearm modified by condition £250. Musical £120: 07793749178 or Origin Live and extra height Fidelity X-PSU V8 power email: kingjuancho@ adjustment rings, boxed, supply unit, mint condition yahoo.com (London) mint condition £250: 01505 £275: 07708 431963 346791 (Renfrewshire). (Cheshire). MARANTZ CD6000KI signature CD player £100. 250 Hi-Fi magazines for sale. LINN Classik, excellent Arcam Alpha 6 plus amp with Hi-Fi Choice, Hi-Fi News, Hi-Fi condition, can post £250. phones and phono amps World, etc. £80 ono: 01484 Rogers LS55 floorstanders, £100. Cambridge Audio 427426 (Huddersfield). AKG Q701 Quincy Jones Signature Line headphones, in white, tidy. Buyer collects £100: DacMagic £100. KEF Coda ROKSAN Kandy L3 power mint condition, boxed, only light use (£340 RRP) £100: 07905 01233 661556 (Kent). 8 speakers £30. All in lovely amp. Great sounding, 348812 (Watford) EAR 834p phono stage, MM/ condition: 01727 842769 125W per channel 8ohm

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

or 185W 4ohm, little used, VGC £225 (RRP £600). Buyer £800. Soundstyle AV unit, world favourite £250: to collect: 07595701774 Model WG3A/V glass, steel 07793 749178 or email: or email: cawarra@tiscali. and oak. RRP £339, great [email protected] co.uk (Flintshire). condition £100 ono: 01420 (London). AUDIOPHILLEO 2 with 538429 or 07770 601097 BANG & OLUFSEN pure power USB/SPDIF (Hampshire) Beolab 9 active speakers converter £475 (purchased PRO-JECT Tube Box DS for sale. 700W per speaker one year ago for £765): phono stage, black or silver VGC £2,600. Collect and 01202 515474 or email: (will supply the panels/knobs demo:01923 829354 or [email protected] for both colours). Hardly used email: michaelhardy10@ DENON AVR 4308 – perhaps 10 or 20 hours. btinternet (Middlesex). upgraded to 4308a, in silver, Not even run in yet! Like new. MUSICAL FIDELITY immaculate condition, 7x Complete with original box A3.2 RDS tuner: £300. 140W, bought for £2,000, and manual. Will post or can

A308cr 24-bit upsampling bargain at £300. Choice of collect £300: 01482 672866 www.atlascables.com CD player: £500. A308cr two Denon Blu-ray players or email: steve@solwise. dual mono preamplifier: in silver to match, please co.uk (Hull). £600. All are silver models enquire. Please view and and have less than 100 hours collect as very heavy for WORLD AUDIO DESIGN use from new. Immaculate delivery: 01724 853357 or 300B Monoblocs built condition with original boxes, email: stuartwoodstu@ by One-Thing Audio. remote and instructions. hotmail.com (Scunthorpe). Superb condition. Can be auditioned £900 the pair: Happy to demonstrate: ARCAM P49 2x 200W 01202 481386 or email: 07500 804700 or email: stereo power amplifier as rodwaymichael43@ [email protected] brand new, collection only: yahoo.co.uk (Christchurch, (Cheshire). 07956 121013 (London). Dorset). KEF Reference 203 NAIM System. Olive. NAP90, floorstanding speakers. NAC92, CD3.5, Flatcap. Ultra low distortion motor Great condition with boxes systems and stiff, lightweight reinforced diaphragms, Equator deliver deliciously open bass Asymmetrical Integra with incredibly low distortion even at high volume. Immaculate condition with original boxes and grilles. Were £3,000 would like £1,699: 07704 722738 or email: [email protected]. AUDIO INNOVATIONS S800 Mk1 power amp. Service/modded (email for details) £450. Postage possible. Pair Elipson Planet L GARRARD 401 original condition, wooden plinth and arm, standmount speakers, gloss stored for 30+ years. In working order, £500: 07947 067045 black, 3 months old. One grille or email: [email protected] (Oxford). slightly dimpled otherwise 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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VIVE LA REVOLUTION! We take an exclusive first look at Tannoy’s new XT 6F fitted with its latest dual-concentric driver

ALSO: It’s our 400th issue and we celebrate the milestone with a look back at the greatest hi-fi moments of our time PLUS: REVIEWS Naim NAC-N 272 network streamer, REGULARS Destination and Labelled With Love Wadia di122 DAC, Cambridge CXA60 & CXC features, Music Reviews, Dealer Visit, Audiofile amp & CD combo, plus a cartridges mini test news and all your hi-fi questions answered AUGUST ISSUE ON SALE 9 JULY

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 Commercial Sales Manager Rhona Bolger Title First name CONTRIBUTORS Email: [email protected] Chief Executive Owen Davies Simon Berkovitch, Andrew Everard, USA & CANADA – New, Renewals & Enquiries Chairman Peter Harkness Tel: (001) 866 647 9191 Surname Richard Holliss, James Hughes, Adrian Justins, Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd Jason Kennedy, Rob Lane, Dave Oliver, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Address REST OF WORLD – New, Renewals & Enquiries James Parker, David Price, Neville Roberts, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF Ed Selley, Andrew Simpson, David Vivian, Tel: +44 (0) 1689 869896 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.

Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd. All rights reserved, 2015. ISSN 0955-1115. The Publisher’s written consent must be obtained before any part of this publication may be If you can’t always find a copy of this reproduced in any form whatsoever, including photocopiers, and information retrieval systems. All reasonable care is taken in the preparation of the magazine contents, but the publishers cannot be held legally responsible for errors in the contents of this magazine or for any loss however arising from such errors, including loss resulting magazine, help is at hand! Complete this form from negligence of our staff. Reliance placed upon the contents of this magazine is at reader’s own risk. and hand in at your local store, they’ll arrange Hi-Fi Choice, ISSN 0955-1115, is published monthly with an additional issue in July by AVTech Media Ltd, a division of MYTIMEMEDIA Ltd, Enterprise House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF, UK. The US annual subscription price is 65GBP (equivalent to approximately 108USD). Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent for a copy of each issue to be reserved for named Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Hi-Fi Choice, Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are you. Some stores may even be able to arrange maintained at CDS GLOBAL Ltd, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough, Leicester, LE16 9EF. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. for it to be delivered to your home. Just ask! inspire the music

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