REVIEW

WELCOME EDITOR Stuart Smith Welcome to the latest edition of Hifi Pig Magazine where you’ll find a whole load of Hifi News, reviews and lots of interesting music news HIFI REVIEWS Dan Worth and reviews.

Janine Elliot We’re now in the run up to what we believe will become the premier Hifi and lifestyle show in the UK, The Indulgence Show, where Hifi Ian Ringstead Pig will be doing its usual in-depth coverage and this year, as a bit of a departure from the norm we will be hosting our own room…with a Dominic Marsh twist.

Linette Smith Between 3.30 and 6pm on the Saturday 30th September everyone attending the show is invited to join us in the Cognac Suite where we MUSIC REVIEWS John Scott will be hosting what we hope will be a fabulous event. There will be a live DJ (The incredible Fray Bentos who has a residency at the James Fleming famous Dogstar in Brixton) playing through a world class Hifi set up, plus goodie bags for you to take away and the chance to win some Stuart Smith really great prizes. We’re also planning to stream the event live so don’t miss out on this great event at what is already lining up to be a Lauren Coombes truly memorable show.

ADVERTISING SALES Linette Smith See you there!

WEBSITE www.hifipig.com

E.MAIL [email protected]

TELEPHONE +33(0) 297237078

www.gadgetynews.com E mail: [email protected]

Hifi Pig is part of Big Pig Media LLP Partnership No OC397825 INDULGENCE ADVERT CLICK & GO CONTENTS

Click And Go

Hifi News Hifi Reviews

Pro-Ject 6 Perspex SB Turntable Package

The Audio Files AT-LP5 1PT Turntable and Cartridge Package

Innuos Zenith MK2

Prism Sound Callia Dac/Preamplifier

Auralic Aries

Russ Andrews Power Purifier Music News and Reviews Gadgety Reviews

Vodafone Smart V8

STM Kings Backpack

Ben Q BL2706HT

Pioneer XDP-30R DAP

Hohem HG5 Pro Action Cam Gimbal

AOC Agon AG272FCX Monitor

F-Secure Sense Secure Router

Leading publications, What Hi-Fi?, Hi-Fi+, Hi-Fi World What Hi-Fi? has also confirmed its attendance at the and HiFi Pig have all confirmed their involvement with 2017 Indulgence Show, with a presence that includes The Indulgence Show – the UK’s newest and a hi-fi help area and subscription offers. brightest event, that brings quality audio to London. What Hi-Fi? will be taking an area on the Champagne Hi-Fi+, Hi-Fi World and HiFi Pig are each presenting a level near the headroom zone. The editorial and floor of the Audio London zone, plus there’ll be review team will be on hand to answer show visitors’ subscription offers, events and features presented by questions on all things hi-fi, be it streaming, high-res, some of the magazines to provide additional and turntables or system matching. compelling reasons for their readers to visit to the show. Vernon Hamblin, show organiser, says, “We are delighted by the commitment of the media to The As part of the ‘event that presents three shows in Indulgence Show’s second year and are very pleased one’, Audio London occupies the Mezzanine, Second that they were encouraged by the success of the first and Third floors of the Novotel London West year’s show, which brought a quality audio show back Conference Centre, running alongside the headroom to London for the first time in around a decade.” He and Pure Pleasure zones. HiFi Pig will be focused on continues, “With a combined readership that reaches the Mezzanine Floor, where brands such as Naim, into the tens of thousands in print and millions online, AudioQuest, Cabasse and The Chord Company are it is a tremendous boost for the event and we look exhibiting. The second floor, with exhibitors including forward to welcoming the readers of these excellent PMC, Chord Electronics, Monitor Audio and Arcam, publications to Hammersmith at the end of sees Hi-Fi+ as the media presenter. On the third floor, September. For potential exhibitors, it’s another very Hi-Fi World will be in attendance alongside Michell, good reason to book space at the show.” ProAc, Longdog Audio and Innuos.

PMC Opens Sales Office In Nashville USA

will also be running events with local music technology colleges so that the next generation of audio engineers can experience PMC quality for themselves.” The new Nashville office and studio will be headed by PMC USA product manager Jordan Shirks, who joined the company’s US team in 2015 after spending six years with console manufacturer API. A Nashville native, Shirks has extensive music industry contacts and is PMC is marking a significant producer and Pete Lyman, co-owner widely respected as a expansion in its U.S. operation with and head mastering engineer of LA producer and engineer. opening a new office and demo based vinyl mastering studio, Peter Thomas, owner of PMC adds facility in Nashville, a city renowned Infrasonic Sound, cut the ribbon to his thoughts, on the new office, for its musical heritage. open the Nashville office. Inside, “Nashville isn’t just country music any visitors will be able to demonstrate more, it’s one of the most important With a client roster that already the entire spectrum of PMC monitors, and influential places in the world for includes acclaimed music and film from compact to the large systems, the development of new music. It is industry luminaries such as Grammy and even use the facility to mix their aptly called ‘Music City’, as it is a Award winners Thomas Newman own projects in a fully operational centre for pop, rock, bluegrass, jazz, (Skyfall), Tommy Vicari (Finding studio. Dory), Tony Maserati (Beyonce, Lady classical and pretty well every other Gaga), Pete Lyman (Ben Harper, “We want to expose as many people genre of music. That’s why we Dandy Warhols) and David Reitzas as possible to the power and clarity of decided to open our new US office in (Madonna, Elton John), PMC is keen PMC products, especially our flagship the city, where a new generation of to improve access for the music models that are best heard in an studio owners, producers, engineers, makers in Nashville to its extensive acoustically accurate studio composers and singer/songwriters range of professional monitor environment,” says Maurice Patist, are flocking, making it one of the products, including the larger models PMC USA’s President of Sales and most vibrant scenes in the USA. PMC such as the IB2S-XBD-A and the new Marketing. “We hope that recording is delighted to be part of this growth MB3-XBD and BB6 monitors. professionals will come in and really and we’re looking forward to an put our monitors to the test by mixing exciting future in this exciting city.” Dave Cobb, Nashville based double their own projects through them. We Grammy award–winning record

Focal KODA Release Launches Sib Evo For New Loudspeakers Home Cinema

Sib Evo is the second generation of Focal’s Sib line. With this new line featuring Dolby Atmos technology, Focal say that they are “once again sparking a revolution in the home cinema market”. The strict minimum for Dolby Atmos KODA, the Polish producer of > Vinyl coating with wood-like texture; is a 5.1.2 system, and Focal wanted loudspeakers and audio equipment, has introduced four new speakers in > Center and surround speakers to integrate this technology into the equipped with wall mounts. new generation of Sib & Co its: floorstanding AK-48F, center AK- 48C and surround AK-48S and the loudspeakers, the Home Cinema KODA AK-48F only range they launched in 2002.The KODA EX-569F which draws 5.1.2 pack is composed of two inspiration from the EX line, their > Pure titanium tweeter is able to loudspeakers equipped with an range that was popular in the early reach up to 30kHz additional speaker driver on the top 90’s. > Utilises a low-turbulence bassreflex featuring Dolby Atmos® technology. All models are sold separately which port on the front to allow placing the This new-generation “enabled gives an option to build a stereo speakers nearer to the back wall; loudspeaker” was designed to system and expand it to multi-channel > Two 8” woofers; reproduce both horizontal and vertical at any time. waves (towards the ceiling). The Construction Details and Features > Equipped with adjustable spikes to major innovation of this technology provide isolate the speakers from the lies in the reflection of sound waves > Rigid enclosures made of high- floor off the ceiling towards the listener density MDF boards: 18mm for the using an extra speaker driver on top front baffle and 12mm for the other > Provides bi-wiring / bi-amping of the loudspeaker. walls; connectivity

James Loudspeaker Unveils Q-Series Floor-Standing Speakers James Loudspeaker, designers and tweeter array. Aesthetically they are subwoofer as the Q60, utilising a pair manufacturers of entertainment inspired by the shape of beautiful of 8 inch woofers, two 5.25-inch products for both residential and Quartz crystals found in nature. midrange drivers and the Beryllium commercial applications, has quad tweeter array. Like the Q60, the announced the introduction of the Q60: The Q60 has been engineered Q48 is fully customizable in terms of Q-Series floor-standing to use two amplifiers (bi- finish and even physical dimensions if loudspeakers, a built-to-suit array of amplification), one for the full-range necessary. MSRP $10,000 US (each) three models. portion of the speaker and another for the internal 12-inch down-firing Q30: Like the Q60 and Q48, the Q30 In addition to three standard models, aluminium cone subwoofer. Above features the Beryllium quad tweeter Q-Series speakers can be custom the 12-inch subwoofer, which array. The 8-inch midrange and 8- sized and finished to meet the exact features a 3-inch voice coil capable of inch long-excursion woofer all feature needs of any environment. handling 1000+ watts of power, the aluminium cones with Santoprene™ Leveraging the technology in James’ Q60 utilises a 3-way system rubber surrounds. MSRP $6,000 US flagship BE-Series in-wall speakers, comprised of two 8-inch woofers, two (each) all three Q-Series models employ a 6.5-inch midranges and the Beryllium rigid, reinforced MDF enclosure, a quad tweeter array. MSRP $15,000 All Q-Series speakers are built in grille made from coated aluminium US (each) James Loudspeaker’s Napa, CA USA bar stock and the signature James factory. Loudspeaker 1-inch Beryllium quad Q48: The Q48 implements the same bi-amped system and 12-inch

Bluesound Now Shipping Audio Nec RT100 Wireless Speaker AAD2 Amplifier

The AAD2 is Audio Nec’s latest stereo amplifier operating in class D, with discrete components and with an oversized 2P4P linear power supply. It also incorporates R2R DACs, requiring no modulation cables, allowing for the musical signal to remain digital up to amplification Bluesound who make a wireless addition of one RT100 Wireless stages. multi-room music system that Speaker Link. As a full-range device supports hi-res audio, have with both transmitter and receiver Audio Nec told us “By placing the announced the immediate availability functions, users can connect one digital / analogue conversion in the of the RT100 Wireless Speaker Link. RT100 to any Gen 2 Bluesound amplifier, the only analogue The RT100 is an accessory that Player or an existing stereo system connections are the speaker cables. allows for the addition of a non- with a USB (transmit only) or Radio frequency and electromagnetic wireless active subwoofer to almost analogue input, and a second RT100 disturbances are thus limited to a any system without the hassle of to any active subwoofer to wirelessly minimum. Its totally balanced design, cabling. It is available now with a stream audio with added bass while with a discrete components topology recommended retail price of €129 EU eliminating cables. and with an oversized power supply, and £99 GBP. give a very lively and warm hearing “The RT100 Wireless Speaker Link is without any feeling of limiting power Using point-to-point technology, the the perfect solution for adding a non- or stress. Every detail, every micro RT100 allows users to wirelessly pair wireless subwoofer to their information is reproduced with high any active subwoofer with the Bluesound music system.”, precision and exceptional harmony”. Bluesound Pulse Soundbar. To pair commented Greg Stidsen, Director of with a Bluesound Pulse Soundbar, Technology and Product Planning for Functioning in Class D, the AAD2’s simply connect the RT100 to a Bluesound. “Customers can also use efficiency is close to 95% and subwoofer via analogue, press the multiple RT100’s to connect their produces very little heat as it is pairing button, and then complete the stereo and powered speakers without energy efficient both at rest or during process using a smartphone or tablet. the need for messy cabling. Either intense use. The AAD2 amplifier has For users of the Pulse Soundbar and way, the RT100 Wireless Speaker a touch screen on the front panel for Pulse Sub the process is built-in and Link will provide a great benefit for a all controls. It is also available as an the RT100 is not required. modest investment.” integrated version with the AAD2i that has exactly the same The Bluesound SUB can be paired *Availability and retail price may vary characteristics. The AAD2i also with any Bluesound Player with the by countries. incorporates a volume control stage.

Russ Andrews Introduce The Supplier Power Supply

Russ Andrews is introducing The also be ordered in additional lengths mode unit specified for The Supplier Supplier, a replacement DC power to accommodate individual system is one such example – it sounds supply to upgrade a large selection of set ups. considerably better than many linear popular hifi products, and, claim Russ supplies.” He continues, “With the Andrews, “improve the musical Based around a heavily modified modifications we’ve made to it, this performance of the connected Switch Mode Power Supply, that has unit provides a very powerful upgrade device”. been rewired with Kimber cabling and for users of the popular DACs, fitted with Kimber Kap and Panasonic headphone amps, phono stages, The Supplier has been developed to audio-grade capacitors, The Supplier, streamers and turntables for which it work with a variety of different which is also fitted with the is designed.” products and is ordered direct from company’s Silencer mains filter, is Russ Andrews by specifying which available in 5v, 9v, 12v, 15v, 19v and The compact enclosure, 150 x 53 x third-party product it is to be used 25v variants and has a 60W rating. It 210mm, features UL approved with. An ever growing list of products, can be used with any AC mains input custom-casework, a high-gloss for which a model of The Supplier is from 90V to 260V, ensuring acrylic faceplate with hidden LED made, can be found on the Russ worldwide operation is possible. indicator and a substantial IEC Andrews website and customers can connector on the rear panel for use also contact the company with Russ Andrews, chairman and with a mains lead of the user’s requests for a unit compatible with technical director, says, “Some choosing. their product if it is not listed. The people are surprised when they learn correct DC voltage output, with a we use a switch mode power supply, The Supplier is available now and correctly terminated linking cable, thinking them inferior to the traditional costs £449. It comes with a two-year which fits into the high quality XLR linear supplies. I’ve done extensive warranty and is part of the Russ output socket, will be supplied. The evaluations of both types and, while it Andrews 60 day money back 0.25m standard length link cable may is true that linear is often better, it’s guarantee programme. not always the case and the switch

PS AUDIO Release IsoTek Builds On DirectStream Polaris With EVO3 Update For MQA And Tidal Corvus

PS Audio has announced an update which provides Bridge II-equipped DirectStream, DSJ, and PerfectWave DACs with full unfold of MQA up to 192 kHz/24 bit, and provides access to the streaming service Tidal. Last year, PS released the Torreys OS upgrade which created a Roon Endpoint in the Bridge II, making DACs with the Bridge II fully Roon Ready. Last month, PS released the Huron OS upgrade, providing improvements in sound quality and IsoTek, provider of power valuable equipment via IsoTek’s functionality for the DirectStream and conditioning solutions for hi-fi and unique sequential and repeatable DSJ DACs, and laying the home cinema systems, has launched protection system. Priced at £695.00, groundwork for this release of new the next generation of the Discovery the Corvus aims to be a cost-effective Bridge II code. Series : the EVO3 Corvus main upgrade to any audio or audio-visual conditioning block. system, with the goal of improved performance, protection as well as The EVO3 Corvus is an evolution of being great value for money. As always, these updates were IsoTek’s award-winning Polaris provided to owners of PS Audio DACs design, reconfigured to feature nine The EVO3 Corvus is a compact at no charge. All PS Audio DACs are output sockets with an upgraded power distribution strip measuring future-proof, offering owners the amperage rating to allow 3680W of 363mm in length, 146.5mm wide and opportunity to download upgrades continuous power. Also included as just 45mm high. It features nine which will improve sound quality and part of the price is a 1.5m Premier individual outlets which reference functionality, and provide new power cable. The EVO3 Corvus has a back to the central PCB. Most power features. unique delta filter topology ensures cleaners of this style join output class-leading filtration of both sockets together, running each in Bridge II updates can be initiated from Common Mode and Differential Mode series, this is an error as Differential the front panel of the DirectStream, mains noise, delivering super-clean Mode Noise created by your DSJ and PerfectWave DACs. No power to nine outlets – each one connected electronics will cross external data cards or sticks are independently isolated to prevent contaminate from one output to the required; once initiated, the update cross-contamination. In addition, next. Corvus wiring schematic downloads automatically over the 13,500Amps of instantaneous prevents this. user’s network. protection in provided, safeguarding

iFi Pro iESL Cary Audio Partners Headphone With Roon Energiser Labs

Cary Audio has announced their partnership with Roon Labs. As of now, both Cary’s DMS-500 reference network audio player and AiOS all-in- one network receiver are certified Roon Ready. iFi adds to its flagship ‘Pro’ range of Sennheiser’s Orpheus. It can also be All units now shipping will have Roon compact audio components with the used to ‘transformer-couple’ high-end Ready pre-installed and all current Pro iESL headphone energiser a dynamic headphones – Focal DMS-500 and AiOS owners can device designed to “make the most of Utopias, for example – to enhance update their firmware free of charge electrostatic headphones”. sound quality. to bring it up to Roon Ready specifications. Additionally, all new Electrostatic headphones, such as Key features units will come with a 60-day free those made by Stax, are notoriously subscription to Roon. Current owners tricky to drive. They need more power Hand-wound permalloy core transformers can also contact Cary Audio to take than regular dynamic headphones, advantage of the 60-day free delivered in the right way to ensure Bias voltage generator delivers fully subscription to Roon. their electrostatic plates are properly optimised output signal ‘energised’. Most amps deliver neither the EHT (Extra High Tension) voltage Capacitive battery power supply nor the required audio voltage to ensures a perfect bias voltage source Cary Audio told us: “The DMS-500 enable electrostatic headphones to and AiOS products live up to our perform at their best. Qquality circuit components promise of continually adding major throughout, including WIMA enhancements and features to our The iFi Pro iESL can be driven by any capacitors and Vishay MELF customers at no additional charge. high-quality integrated amp or power resistors, plus gold-plated silver and Roon Ready is the latest of these amp, or paired with iFi’s Pro iCAN sealed-silver contact relays enhancements following our MQA headphone amp, to deliver audio certification as well as other added signals that are fully optimised for Impedance, bias and termination streaming services. We will announce electrostatic headphones such as matched to the connected another new fantastic streaming those from Stax or KingSound, or headphones service soon”.

Avantgarde Acoustic Win German Brand Award 2017

allows the small family company to finally measure itself with the big players. The Jury released the following statement: “Avantgarde Acoustic is regarded as the world’s most important manufacturer of horn speakers, simple, straightforward and absolutely precise – as is the case, the functional, extremely high-quality product design is derived from the intended use Are presented perfectly and harmoniously by the puristic, powerful and sensual aesthetics of the brand design. This is pure performance on a whole level”. Innovative brands, consistent brand management and sustainable brand communication: The German Brand Award is one of the most important awards for excellent brand competence. “We understand the German Brand Award as an important acknowledgement of our commitment to building the best loudspeakers in the world,” said Holger Fromme after the award ceremony with over 200 invited guests from the worlds of business, politics and the media. Previously, Andrej Kupetz, Chief Executive, emphasized the high standard of the competition: “Our aim: to discover, present and award award-winning brands and brands.” Avantgarde Acoustic has won several Loudspeaker manufacturer Excellence in Branding’, the award important awards in a very short time. Avantgarde Acoustic has been being given by an independent jury of In addition to the Plus X Award and awarded Gold in the German Brand renowned market experts. “A great the IF Gold Award, Avantgarde Award 2017. honour,” commented Managing Acoustic has received the EISA Director Holger Fromme (pictured Award (Product of the Year) and the The high end manufacturer from the below with his wife Beate) after the Red Dot Award. In 2016 the German Odenwald has made it into “the elite awards ceremony in the DRIVE. Design Award Special for “excellent of the German brand world”. On June Volkswagen Group Forum. The product design” of the ZERO 1 model 16th they attended the awards in manufacturer of luxury loudspeakers followed, plus Avantgarde Acoustic Berlin. It is one of the leading awards has been providing directional horn has been accepted as a member of for successful brand management in systems for over 25 years. Now the the German Design Council. Under Germany. Avantgarde Acoustic won hfi company has been recognised the title “Unique. Valuable.” in the category of ‘Industry outside of it’s own industry. This

AVID Furutech’s Open New New Destat Design III Released and Japanese cable and accessories power” that its predecessor, the Training manufacturer Furutech continue their destat II. It has also been restyled assault on the various unwanted with a more ergonomic design and ‘intruders’ that can get in the way of now runs on AA batteries. A safety peak hifi performance. The new circuit prevents any small electric Facility destat III aims to eliminate dust and shocks from the balanced ion flow static from analogue and digital generator. media, from audio and video components and, claim Furutech, So, say Furutech, why stop at just from pretty much anything. your media? “Almost every component in a hifi or AV system will The destat III is the third generation benefit from eliminating its static model of Furutech’s original destat. charge (best to switch them off during AVID has purchased a new site in Furutach say “it removes dust and treatment). You can also use the Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire close to static charge from any and all audio destat III on power cords, speaker its existing factory. and video media in just one 15- cables, interconnects and any and all second treatment”. Hold Furutech’s accessories that include metal In business for over 20 years, the destat III over your chosen media and components such as record clamps”. company has recently experienced a press one button. In just 15 seconds, period of significant growth, the fan removes dust while a The Furutech destat III is available registering its best trading year in balanced ion flow generator releases now priced at £299 (including VAT). 2016 and expects this trend to a balance of positive and negative continue. ions to eliminate static. Conrad Mas commented “With As any fan of high-performance audio expansion into new markets and a knows, static charge builds up on strong distribution network the time analogue and digital discs. Whether was right to increase our capacity. vinyl, CD or DVD, this charge The new property allows our present constitutes unwanted electrical building to become wholly interference as well as attracting dust, manufacturing, whilst the new both of which can lead to distracting building gives us a dedicated training noise and compromised sonic and demonstration facility, allowing us performance. The new destat III to show our expanding product delivers about 30% more “zapping range.”

Meters Music Introduces the ‘M-Ears’ Earbuds

British music and sound specialists, company, Ashdown Engineering, the Having tested them all at home and Meters Music, have announced the team creates bass and guitar while on tour with U2, Adam Clayton launch of the new M-Ears in-ear amplifiers for many popular picked the final version which is headphones, created in collaboration musicians, such as Sir Paul available now as the Meters M-Ears. with U2 bassist Adam Clayton. McCartney, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, He says, “I listened to a whole range System of a Down and, of course, of samples they gave me for testing, The M-Ears’ sound performance was U2. and eventually chose the version now developed in close collaboration with launched as the MEars, because it Clayton. Speaking of his creative Speaking of the development of the had everything you want: precision, partnership with the Meters team, he M-Ears, Meters CEO Mark Gooday clarity and musicality.” said, “I love the Ashdown team’s commented, “We collaborate closely approach to sound. I’ve been using on sound with the world’s finest The M-Ears feature leather styling, their bass amps in the studio and on musicians, so we know Adam well. which comes in three colours – Black, tour with U2 for years now, and the When we decided to develop the M- Tan and Red. They utilise magnets sound I get from them is superb. So, I Ear headphones, I knew the quality of that clip the two earbuds together was very happy to work with them on his musicianship, and trusted his ears when you’re not using them. These the development and tuning of their completely, so I asked him to advise magnets are strong enough to hang new ‘M-Ears’ headphones.” and help determine the sound of the on the back of your neck while not in final design. The results are every bit use, for a completely tangle-free The M-Ears are the latest addition to as good as I’d hoped.” headphones experience. the Meters’ 2017 audio range – which began with the OV-1 headphones. The Meters team created a Costing just £49.99, the M-Ears aim The Meters Music team also trades in considerable number of samples, to temper value for money with a the pro audio/musical instrument each tuned differently and with professionally endorsed sound. sector: in its guise as parent varying performance characteristics.

Lindy Electronics Release 4K Fibre Optic HDMI Hybrid Cable Lindy Electronics, a European and visual output. Whilst standard producer of IT and AV connectivity copper only cables limit the distance solutions has released a 50m 4K of digital signals, the HDMI Hybrid Fibre Optic HDMI Hybrid Cable – cable features H-PCD (Hard-Polymer combining the advantages of a fibre Clad Fibre) glass fibres for long optic cable with slimline copper distance, high resolution cabling. Its robust design allows it to transmission. transmit UHD HDMI signals with no interruption – for optimal high speed This cable supports both 3D 1080p performance. and 4K resolutions – allowing for up to four times greater resolution than The Lindy Fibre Optic Hybrid HDMI the 1080p standard. For those who Cable is designed for both home and opt for AV excellence, the cable also professional use. Thanks to fibre supports Dolby True HD and DTS-HD optic technology, the cables can Master Audio for up to 32 channels. transmit up to 4K resolution signals over extended distances. With no The Lindy 4K Fibre Optic HDMI compression or signal degradation, Hybrid Cable Range Begins At pure digital signals are sent directly £209.99 from the source – for maximum audio PureAudioProject Quintet15 Wall of Sound Open Baffle Speakers PureAudioProject say that their 7′ X Modular Aluminium Frame 21″ Quinitet15 “takes the clarity, realism, and the emotional impact of 15″ Woofers: 8 x audiophile grade music to a true ‘wall of sound’ open baffle woofers, OB-A15NEO musical experience”. They boast Passive Crossover: ‘Leonidas’ XO, eight audiophile­grade 15″ woofers configured to the specific main and a selection of wide range drivers. drivers PureAudioProject’s Modular Open Active Crossover: PAP-C1 Baffle Concept also ensures an easy (Analogue) or miniDSP upgrade path to Quintet15 for any Trio15 owner. A new frame, four Baffles: Piano Gloss, Genuine more woofers and baffles, the same German Oak (handcrafted), custom or upgraded main drivers and a few changes to the Leonidas crossovers, Size: Hight 7′, Baffle Width 21.26″ is all that is required for the transition. Assembly or upgrades do not require With Quintet15 customers can technical skills except of a use of a choose from a variety of world’s top- screwdriver and an Allen Key. end wide range drivers such as TB W8-1808, PAP-Horn1, Voxativ AC- Price starts from $6,990 1.6 and 2.6, the wood cone AC-PiFe, Shipping within 4 weeks. the Field Coil AC-X, AER BD-1 and more… 15% off on Pre-Order More Features

Richer Sounds To Start Distributing PMC R&D Dept Using ECLIPSE TD- Advanced Laser 508MK3 Loudspeakers Measurement System

PMC has invested in advanced laser measuring equipment for its research and development department, to help facilitate a more “holistic approach” to future drive unit and cabinet designs for improved low frequency performance. Known for its ATL (Advanced Transmission Line) bass loading, the R&D team, headed by Oliver Thomas, is now equipped with a state-of-the-art tool that will enable them to refine this further. Using the recently installed advanced laser measurement system, manufactured by Klippel in Germany, the development engineers can measure the mechanical parameters ECLIPSE, the high-performance performance through the application of the loudspeaker drive units with far loudspeaker division of Fujitsu Ten, of the Advanced Transmission Line – greater accuracy than was previously has joined forces with British AV and so it’s an area of system design possible. This permits the retailer Richer Sounds, making their we obviously spend a lot of time on. development of new drive units, the TD-508MK3 accessible across its Using our new laser measurement performance of which can be tailored store network. package, we can accurately measure to exactly suit the application in which what is happening with the cone The collaboration has made it easier they will be used. PMC take a whole movement at very low frequencies to experience ECLIPSE’s TD- system approach to speaker design. when mounted in the ATL.” He 508MK3 loudspeaker (£960) with In addition to more accurately continues, “From an engineering selected stores (Southampton, determining the drive unit’s perspective this provides knowledge Weybridge, and Chelsea) holding electromechanical performance, that we can use to fine tune the drive demo samples for audition. known as the Thiel/Small unit and ATL design in parallel and in Parameters, the company can also real time. The advantages for us of There are 3 ways to order the TD- measure the interaction with the ATL. this holistic approach are tremendous 508MK3 : By mounting a prototype drive unit in in the development of ATL the prototype ATL and using the laser – From any Richer Sounds store in loudspeakers and will enable even to measure the mechanical their 53-strong retail network. more accurate and transparent movement of the drive unit in situ, the loudspeakers to be developed for our R&D team can make adjustments to – Online at Richer Sounds’ website. professional and domestic both elements in tandem. – By calling the dedicated telesales customers.” centre. As Oliver Thomas explains, “PMC is renowned for its low frequency

Townshend Audio Allegri+ Preamplifier

The preamp/control unit is “the heart this setting. At -6dB (output voltage input selector, a mute switch and a of any hi-fi system”. Townshend told half the input voltage), the input 24 position volume control with us: “The Allegri+ Passive impedance of The Allegri+ is four intervals chosen to cover a wide Autotransformer preamp is a very times the input impedance of the range of volume levels in different small control unit with a very big power amplifier and the output systems. Its autotransformers are heart”. impedance of The Allegri+ is one wound with Townshend Audio quarter of the source impedance. At Fractal-Wire™ and laminated with Max Townshend went on to explain -20dB (10 to 1), the input impedance ultra-thin mU metal laminations. further: of The Allegri+ is one hundred times There are six pairs of gold plated the power amplifier impedance and stereo phono inputs and two pairs of “The nature of the transformer design the output impedance of The Allegri+ outputs and a 3.5mm input jack on eliminates the problems usually is one hundredth of the impedance of the front panel. The case is made of associated with resistive passive the source component. It is thus clear anodized aluminium. Unlike many controls. At the zero dB setting the that the interconnect cable conventional passive controllers input signal is directly connected to capacitance will have no effect on the Townshend say that the Allegri+ the output.This means that the output performance of The Allegri+”. matches the impedance requirements impedance of The Allegri+ is the of source and amplifier. same as the output impedance of the There are no coupling capacitors or source component”. active devices in the signal path in DC coupled with no capacitors in the The Allegri + and there is no power signal path. “Further, the input impedance of The supply. The Allegri+ Passive Allegri+ is equal to the input Autotransformer has a six position There is a 5 year guarantee. impedance of the power amplifier at

Emotiva Releases WyWires Are Now Two New Airmotiv Shipping Power Broker Loudspeaker Models Diamond Series With Juice HC Power Cord Fiddleback Maple CNC-machined top plate Emotiva Audio Corporation 8 High Conductivity 20-Amp outlets; announced today that two new each outlet is effectively isolated from Airmotiv loudspeaker models are the others available through the company’s 12 AWG Asymmetrical Litz, cotton- website and authorized Emotiva wrapped internal wiring using dealers. WyWires’ proprietary Litz copper wire The Power Broker is a high-current New to the lineup are the three-way formula power strip, with 8 NEMA outlets Airmotiv T2 ($999/pair), which is the hand-wired by WyWires using their Main unit is equipped with vibration- second and larger double 8” tower proprietary formula. Housed in an damping Isonodes model in the series; and the Airmotiv exotic wood box, hand-crafted by C2 (SRP: $369), the second and Daedelus Audio, who has partnered Separate anti-vibration base unit larger Airmotiv center channel model with WyWires on this project. constructed of pressure-laminated with two 6.5” woven fiber woofers, American Walnut and Maple with four one 6” woven fiber midrange driver, The Power Broker is now available in spiked feet and two 25mm folded ribbon three quality levels: tweeters. Includes a 6-foot Juice HC (High The original Power Broker, which Current) integrated power cord “Since shipping our first Airmotiv includes the Silver Series Juice II HC, (Silver, Platinum, Diamond) models last year, the line continues to a high-current power cord specifically be one of our most successful series designed for this project. Diamond Power Broker includes to date,” said Dan Laufman, President Furutech GTX outlets. and Founder, Emotiva Audio Corp. “I Platinum Series Power Broker, have no doubt that the T2 and C2 will Pricing: includes a Platinum Series Juice II only fuel the momentum because, like HC Power Cord Power Broker AC Distributor with: all of our Airmotiv models, they can Diamond Series Power Broker, go head-to-head with comparably includes a Diamond Series Juice II Diamond Juice II HC Power Cord: designed speakers costing drastically HC Power Cord $4495 USD (6 feet, $325 per foot more, let alone competitors at our additional) affordable price points.” For videophiles, WyWires also claim that “the Power Broker also Platinum Juice II HC Power Cord: The Airmotiv loudspeaker line is dramatically improves performance of $3495 USD (6 feet, $120 per foot engineered and positioned to be a your big screen monitor”. additional) complete sound solution for contemporary hi-end audio systems. Specification: Silver Juice II HC Power Cord: $2499 All models feature modern elegant USD (6 feet, $65 per foot additional) black faceted baffles, with critically Available in American Walnut or braced high quality MDF cabinets and Eastern Rock Maple with a magnetically attached grills.

Keith Monks Launches Two New Record Cleaning Machines

Keith Monks Audio is celebrating the the BBC, the US Library of Congress low profile cabinet with a premium record UK sales of vinyl with the and the British Library National carbon finish and has everything built launch of two new Record Cleaning Sound Archive in a modern, easier in: hand pump applies fluid straight machines – the new discOvery and more affordable package. Clean onto the record through the brush Redux and the new discOvery fluid for each record and a single holder, just like on the pro Monks microLight. point vacuum system for maximum machines. The Keith Monks efficiency where contact is via a clean micrOlight is super compact, Keith The new revised microLight (Pictured thread ensuring no cross Monks say it is the world’s smallest below) is the smallest ever Keith contamination”. ever precision Record Cleaning Monks RCM and is the smallest Machine – just 16.5” (42cm) wide. precision record cleaning machine Both new models can clean both ever. The new microlight Redux is a sides of an LP in around 3 minutes Prices: modern version of the traditional and are supplied with Keith Monks ‘Keith Monks’ which is smaller, discOvery precision 12” LP wash Keith Monks discOvery Redux — lighter, quieter and it includes an auto brush and Pyr/\Mat stay-clean mat. Retail GBP 1995, Euro 2395, US$ stop function. They also use a SuperSilent, super 2995 reliable Medical grade suction pump Keith Monks micrOlight — Retail GBP Keith Monks told us that their imported from Germany. The 1795, Eur 2095, US$ 2495 machines bring “the original record discOvery Redux has a new compact cleaning technique developed with

Amare McIntosh Group Musica Names Jeff Poggi As Announce New Co-Chief Executive Amplifiers, Officer McIntosh Group, parent company of development of the car audio audio brands McIntosh, Audio business. He has managed large Octogenus Research and Sonus faber, has global teams and is a highly- announced the appointment of Jeff respected business leader. “Jeff will Poggi to co-Chief Executive Officer add a great deal to the roll out of our Diamond and Board member. Car Audio strategy,” said McIntosh Group President & CEO Charlie Alongside Charlie Randall, Poggi will Randall. “Jeff is a very talented and lead the strategic development of charismatic business leader, who will McIntosh Group, in particular the Car enhance and further structure the Audio segment that is a key growth management team to achieve our opportunity for the Group. Poggi will common goals,” added Dominik also lead the development of the Zwerger, representative of Lifestyle sector and will directly shareholders LBO France. “With supervise the Sonus faber, Sumiko Charlie Randall and Jeff Poggi, we Amare Musica Release New Mono and Audio Research brands. Block Amplifiers, Octogenus have the perfect mix of managerial skills in order to continuously Diamond. Prior to joining McIntosh Group, succeed in the Audiophile and Poggi worked at Bose and Harman Lifestyle sectors, as well as The Octogenus Diamond Mono for 20 years. He is a well-known developing key shareholder value in Power Amplifier is designed around figure in the Car Audio industry: he the Car Audio segment,” added Russian DHT GM70 triode, Driver led the General Motors account at Roberto d’Angelo, representative of tube is 300B, output power is 80 Bose and subsequently was Vice- Yarpa spa. Watts in pure class A. President of Sales and Marketing for Amare Musica told us more: “For the Car Audio business unit at volume regulation we use custom Harman. Poggi also brings solution, it’s made by a set of relays experience in the high-end audio and precision non-inductive resistors. space as he most recently was Vice- All power supply’s including HV are President and General Manager for stabilised. Main PCB is hardened and the Luxury Audio business unit at contains top components like PTFE Harman. Poggi is an Engineer by sockets, WBT speaker terminals, trade; he received his Bachelor’s coupling capacitors tin foil/ paper-in- degree in Mechanical Engineering oil/ pure silver leadout made by from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Jensen, Mundorf caps in power and his Master’s degree in Industrial supply, precision non-inductive and System Engineering from resistors, custom made aluminium Georgia Institute of Technology. He chassis with Franc Audio Accessories also received his MBA from Duke. feet. The feet are anti-vibration, Poggi has been a key figure in the ceramic disc tablets”. industry and instrumental in the

McIntosh Announces The MA9000 Integrated Amplifier impedance. Other McIntosh features included in the MA9000 are: Power Guard® that monitors and adjusts the sound wave to prevent harsh sounding distortion and clipping that could damage the speakers Sentry Monitor™ is McIntosh’s fuse- less short-circuit protection circuit that disengages the output stage before current exceeds safe operating levels and then resets automatically when operating conditions return to normal Home Theatre PassThru that allows for integration into a home theatre McIntosh has announced the the coax and optical inputs will system MA9000 Integrated Amplifier. Their decode music up to 24-bit/192kHz. largest integrated in both size and All inputs can be given custom A discrete, eight-band tone control power, it offers 300 Watts per names for user-friendly system that allows for advanced manual channel and combines amplifier and control and configuration”. analogue adjustment of favourite preamplifier into one unit. recordings The MA9000 features also features McIntosh went on to tell us: “There’s their new McIntosh Monogrammed Power Control to send power on/off enough inputs and outputs on the Heatsinks™ that are made from “high signals to connected McIntosh MA9000 to last a lifetime. The 10 quality materials with excellent components for easy system power analogue connections are comprised thermal conductivity properties”. They up and shutdown of 2 balanced and 6 unbalanced are “so efficient at dissipating heat inputs plus 1 Moving Coil and 1 that they warrant bearing the Patented Solid Cinch™ speaker Moving Magnet phono inputs. Both McIntosh “Mc” logo”. They also have binding posts that easily but securely phono inputs feature adjustable a higher quality finish thanks to a new attach the speaker cables to prevent loading for fine tuning of vinyl manufacturing process. They are them from coming loose and possibly playback. All unbalanced analogue connected to advanced high current causing a short; the binding posts are connectors are made from premium output transistors that eliminate also gold-plated gold-plated solid brass for superior thermal equilibrium lag time (or The entire unit is wrapped in the signal handling and grounding. On warm-up time). classic McIntosh aesthetic with blue the digital side, 2 coax, 2 optical, 1 watt meters, a black glass front USB and 1 MCT input are all housed New, more powerful control microprocessors have been used in panel, control knobs, illuminated logo, in our new DA1 Digital Audio Module; aluminium end caps with built-in the DA1 can be easily replaced by the MA9000 to improve overall system operation. Some of the latest handles and a polished stainless future modules to keep the MA9000 steel chassis. up to date as new digital audio audio-grade circuit components have formats and technologies are also been utilised. At 300 Watts per Suggested retail price (VAT, shipping developed. The DA1 utilizes a channel, the MA9000 has enough and any customs duties related to powerful 8-channel, 32-bit Digital-to- power to properly drive “virtually all current standards of individual Analog Converter (DAC) used in loudspeakers” and the McIntosh countries are excluded): $10,500 Quad Balanced mode. High Autoformer guarantees the speakers USD resolution DSD256 and DXD 384kHz will always receive that full 300 Watts is supported via the USB input while regardless if they have 2, 4 or 8 Ohm

PMC Appoints Ian Sutton As UK Divisional Director PMC has appointed Ian Sutton to the the German high-end electronics Commenting on his new role, Ian position of divisional director, to head brand, AVM, to its portfolio and Sutton says, “It is very exciting to be up a newly formed UK distribution announced the launch of the first appointed to this role within such a business and bring close focus to this PMC designed and built domestic dynamic and forward thinking important area of expansion for the amplifier, the cor integrated. Each of company. I have long admired PMC company. The following is from the these product ranges, plus the UK as a brand and as a company that’s PMC press release. loudspeaker sales, will be not afraid to challenge the norm and incorporated into the new UK this decision to increase the Sutton, who has spent the past 13 distribution business, operating as a complementary brands on offer, and years working for Bowers & Wilkins, separate profit centre from the PMC build a separate division, underlines started in the newly created role on manufacturing business. that ‘go-getting’ attitude that is so 3rd July and is based at the much a part of PMC.” He continues, company’s head office, Holme Court, Sutton will report directly to PMC’s “The opportunity to manage the near Biggleswade. owner and managing director, Peter process of creating a new audio Thomas, and will in turn have distribution business within the UK is PMC, which has long held the UK management responsibilities for the one I am relishing. I am also looking distribution rights for the Canadian UK sales team, comprising the well- forward to working with the existing electronics brand, Bryston, is known figures of Tom Barron and team, which is so well respected reorganising its business structure in Craig Sowerby. It is expected that the throughout the country, and I know its home market to facilitate further division will grow in numbers as the they will be keen for us to all work distribution arrangements. During the company is appointed to distribute together to make a real success of first half of 2017 the company added additional brands in the UK market. the new venture.” Adding his thoughts, Peter Thomas, says, “I am delighted that Ian has agreed to join us to help steer the new UK distribution business. His tremendous levels of experience and excellent rapport with the UK retail channel are sure to be of significant benefit to the business as we work to further increase penetration of the Bryston and AVM brands, plus the core PMC loudspeaker business. I look forward very much to working closely with Ian over the coming months and years as PMC enters this next chapter of its development.”

VPI Cliffwood Turntable Launched Good friend of Hifi Pig, Mat Weisfeld, Grado Green stylus to make it easier The Cliffwood will retail for 900 USD of VPI got in touch to tell us about to mount and contribute to the sound and will initially only be available for their new, entry level turntable, the signature. The VPI/Grado Green will the US market but will later be Cliffwood: “For 40 years we have built be the factory standard mounted opened to the global market. The turntables in American and kept it in cartridge on all VPI Cliffwood tonearm is a 9″ machined aluminium the VPI family. For almost 30 of turntables”. gimbal. Estimated shipping is end of those years we have built our July to early August. turntables in Cliffwood, New Jersey”. “With us reaching a more entry level market we are still able to make our products in Cliffwood, New Jersey. Most companies when making entry level products source their components outside their country of origin. This is why we celebrate our heritage and our VPI workers by naming this turntable after the place they are built”. “We are also excited to be teaming up with our friends from Brooklyn, Grado Labs! VPI engineered a cartridge shell specifically for the SPS-500 Launch Completes SOtM’s Newest Trio SOtM have officially launched their With special noise removing components that fit the power brand-new power supply, the sPS- technology, the sPS-500 is a fan-less specifications. 500. It joins their latest components, power supply specifically designed for the sMS-200Ultra Mini Network high-end audio systems. It can SOtM’s sPS-500 Power Supply is Player and tX-USBUltra USB Hub handle a wide range of AC power currently available to order in the UK and Regenerator, completing the inputs, with selectable output and retails at £550. A bundle pack brand’s “ultra trio”. voltages of 7Vdc, 9Vdc, 12Vdc and with an AC power cable will be 19Vdc. Further available soon. flexibility is available Key Features through the unit’s 50W output. -7Vdc, 9Vdc, 12Vdc, 19Vdc selectable output voltage The component’s design is similar to the -Eliminate noise generated by sMS-200Ultra and tX- powered devices USBUltra and several other SOtM -50W output power for NAS, fan-less components are audio PC and others compatible with the device, including the -Support worldwide AC input voltage sMS-1000SQ, sDP- -Output short, over temperature 1000EX, and sMS-200. protection The sPS-500 can also be used with any audio

Kraftwerk Upgrade PMC Monitors To Create 9.1 Dolby Atmos System Electro pioneers Kraftwerk recently monitors was made by Ralf Hütter All eight albums were filmed and upgraded their PMC monitoring and Fritz Hilpert, who was recorded between 2012 and 2016 on system to a 9.1 Dolby Atmos set-up responsible for the 3D and 2D audio the band’s 3-D World Tour in so that they could compile 3-D mixing. The choice was an obvious locations such as MoMA (New York), Kraftwerk Concert, an audio/video one, given that they were already The Tate Modern Turbine Hall documentary collection that was very happy with their existing IB2S (London), Akasaka Blitz (Tokyo) and released at the end of May 2017. system and wanted “monitors that the Sydney Opera House. complemented its signal accuracy, Kraftwerk said that they chose PMC excellent dispersion and unparalleled Kraftwerk are currently performing twotwo monitors “because they level of image integrity”. their acclaimed 3-D live show as part perfectly complement the existing of an extensive European tour that PMC IB2S system, which was Released through Parlophone, 3-D includes 17 dates in the UK and installed in Kling Klang Studio in Kraftwerk Concert features eight Ireland. These represent the band’s 2004”. classic Kraftwerk albums in first live UK concerts since the Tate chronological order. These include Modern in 2013. Over the last five years the German Autob band has toured a selection of its ahn classic albums in full, putting on (1974), lavish 3D multimedia art Radio- performances in leading museums Activity and art galleries around the world. (1975), Material from these concerts forms Trans the basis of the new release, which is Europe available in six iterations including a Express deluxe version in a box with four Blu- (1977), Ray discs and a 228-page art book, a The vinyl collection and a CD set. Man- Machine As long-term PMC users, Kraftwerk (1978), already had a 5-channel PMC IB2S Compu monitoring system in their Kling Klang ter Studio in Dusseldorf. To bring the World system up to 9.1 Atmos (1981), specifications, the band invested in a Techno pair of PMC twotwo.6 and a pair of Pop twotwo.8 speakers, plus a PMC (1986), twotwo Sub2 active subwoofer. With The Mix this new set-up, Kraftwerk could re- (1991) work a huge collection of audio and material. Tour De The decision to upgrade to a Dolby France Atmos setup using additional PMC (2003).

Gold Note JBL Update Classic Release Studio Monitor In First Pre- Celebration Of 70th Amplifier, Anniversary The P-1000 JBL is celebrating 70 years in sound Pulp cone woofer, 5-inch (125mm) with the return of its compact three- 105H-1 Polymer-coated Pure Pulp way monitor design from the 70s… cone midrange, and 1-inch (25mm) 054ALMg-1 Aluminium/Magnesium Karma-AV is delighted to announce Alloy tweeter with waveguide. Front the UK availability of the JBL 4312SE panel mid and high frequency trim monitor, an update to the brand’s controls, a bass reflex enclosure with classic 3-way 12” compact studio front-firing port, binding post speaker monitor lineage. Lovers of all things terminals, and a black wood grain Designed for “high demanding audio retro will adore the rejuvenation of a finish with removable black cloth systems”, Gold Note’s P-1000 is a design that did so much to establish grille complete the system’s ‘iconic’ Class-A preamplifier born with a the brand in the hearts and minds of pro-audio character and high completely new proprietary Six Gain studio musicians and engineers in performance specification. Stage design with relays and Optical the 1970s. Created as a limited Encoder volume control. edition by JBL to celebrate its 70th The 4312SE’s Special Edition livery anniversary, the 4312SE reprises the features 70th anniversary badges P-1000 is powered by a Triple Linear driver configuration and aesthetics of fixed to each speaker and an Transformer power supply and the renowned 4310/4311 studio and anniversary certificate recording the features 10 independent analogue L100 ‘Century’ hi-fi monitors from the speakers’ serial numbers and the stereo inputs: 5 balanced XLR + 5 70s, and 4312 from the 1980s. signatures of the system engineer RCA. (digital input available on and factory assembly technician. demand) The 4312SE will retail for £2500. The P-1000 belongs to the new era of Just like its predecessors the Gold Note electronics, “combining 4312SE is designed and assembled performance and technology”. The at the home of JBL in Northridge, new design allows the user to quickly California. Supplied in matched select any function: mirror-image pairs to maintain detail, coherence and image quality whether Mono/Stereo placed horizontally or vertically with the tweeters aligned inside or Left/Right channel swap outside, the versatile 4312SE is engineered for a wide range of Absolute phase Swap environments and systems in Over-boost keeping with its studio heritage. Fine Balance tuning The 4312SE’s famous 3-way configuration has been refreshed With its large colour display showing with JBL’s latest transducers all information, P-1000 becomes the including a 12-inch (300mm) “control point of your stereo system” 1200FE-8 Aqua-Plas®-coated Pure Technics SU-G30 Network Amplifier Launched

Technics have released their new the degradation of sound caused by construction the amp with a single amplifier with built-in network player jitter, the SU-G30 utilises an original push-pull configuration. The SU- for the “new generation of audio”. jitter reduction circuit, reducing jitter G30’s LAPC (Load Adaptive Phase across the entire frequency range. Calibration) optimises the impulse Borrowing its design philosophy from The JENO (Jitter Elimination and response and utilises correction the Reference Class, Technics say Noise-shaping Optimisation) engine processing. The hybrid power supply that: “the SU-G30 delivers works with a newly-developed high- reduces switching noise while uncompromising sound quality for a precision Pulse Width Modulation maintaining driving power. premium, next-generation listening (PWM) conversion circuit, which experience. Designed to reproduce optimises the noise-shaping speed, The SU-G30 is also equipped with a the natural and delicate nuances of degree and requantysation number Bluetooth® function that supports music, the SU-G30 performs and the PWM gradation, to convert aptX® and AAC. It also includes the beautifully with both original digital high-resolution signals to PWM MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) and analogue sources”. without causing any damage to the technology, which enables playback dynamic range”. of MQA audio files and streams. In They explained further “Jitter is a addition to DLNA and USB playback major cause of distortion in digital The high-speed GaN FET (gallium capability, the SU-G30 supports systems, and is caused by mis-timing nitride) driver device allows the length TIDAL, Spotify Connect and vTuner. in the master clocks used in digital-to- of the large current carrying signal analogue conversion. To eliminate path to be shortened, thanks to the Goldring Release New MM Cartridges Goldring is starting to ship its new E precisely emulate the geometry of the of an upgraded aluminium cantilever. Series Moving Magnet cartridges cutting head, making for better stereo This is both stiff and light weight. which, they say, are “a range of high separation and a more accurate, performance, premium quality, British involving and musical soundstage”. Approximate Retail Price £80 €100 designed products for the resurgent The E3 turntable market”. The E Series They went on to explain more; “The E Featuring spherical styli with a choice Series, is a range of three cartridges of cantilevers, the E1 and E2 models which are designed to deliver the are intended as an improved accuracy of the original recording, to replacement for any budget, pre-fitted maintain the creative nuances, and to or obsolete cartridge. The E3 model communicate the musicality and with its refined elliptical stylus is “a rhythm the artist intended the worthwhile upgrade for those wishing audience to hear. The Goldring E to squeeze even more information Series are optimised for the medium and detail from the record groove”. to high mass tonearms found on the The E1 majority of reasonably priced turntables”. Features a bonded, spherical (0.6 mil) stylus with a round shank. This “All cartridges in the range use Utilises the same aluminium makes the cartridge “extremely Magnetic Duplex Technology™, cantilever but benefits from a superior forgiving of set-up adjustment”. Also which lowers crosstalk and hence bonded, super-elliptical (0.3 x 0.7 mil) features a carbon bre reinforced ABS increases stereo separation. During stylus. This gives it better high cantilever tube, an effective the record mastering process the frequency groove detail retrieval alternative to more premium cutting lathe records stereo ability over ordinary elliptical (0.4 x aluminium or boron materials. information as a ‘V’ shaped groove 0.7 mil) or spherical (0.6 mil) styli due to its smaller front to back radius. which has perpendicular side walls Approximate Retail Price £60 €70 angled at 45 °. Conventional moving Approximate Retail Price £100 €130 magnet cartridges use a single The E2 magnet that interacts with two The Goldring story began in 1906 vertically mounted coils to produce a with the manufacture of clockwork stereo signal from the groove. This motors, springs and steel needles. can introduce crosstalk and so only This expertise was utilised in the offers a modest amount of stereo 1920s for the production of Goldring separation. The Goldring E Series Soundboxes, and later electro- cartridges feature a special dual magnetic gramophone pick-ups, and magnet arrangement. Magnetic carried on into the 21st century with Duplex Technology™uses two low the release of the flagship Legacy mass magnets which interact only Series moving coil phono cartridges, with their partnering pickup coil, which are still handmade in angled at 45 ° to match the cutting Hertfordshire, UK. head arrangement. This enables the cartridges to more accurately trace the record groove because they Features the same stylus profile as the E1 but with the additional benefit Pro-Ject make a huge range of turntables to suit pretty much all pockets. Today Ian Ringstead takes a listen to the £1400 Pro-ject 6 Perspex SB Turntable Package. Straight away it was obvious that this turntable was a good design as it gave a very clear and reasonably deep sound stage

have been a huge fan of Pro-Ject feet. The sub-chassis is unusual in that it is Iturntables ever since their introduction made from Corian which I remember from back in the nineties. As a company, Pro-Ject years ago being used in a Technics never rest on their laurels and are constantly turntable. The Corian has great isolation introducing new and innovative models to the properties and so suits this design very well. range. The choice can be daunting at first The other unique part of the design is that glance, but there is logic to it and they the sub-chassis is isolated from the Perspex certainly cater for all tastes and pockets. plinth by using magnets so creating a floating platform. The platter is a vinyl/mdf sandwich The Pro-Ject 6 Perspex SB is an update of that is accurately balanced for excellent the original Perspex 6 with some radical speed accuracy and rotation the same as car design improvements. It comes with a new tyres and wheels are balanced to run perimeter drive belt mechanism where the smoothly. motor sits in its own pod in a dedicated cutout at the back left of the plinth. The cut is An inverted bearing is used which has a lined with damping material to cut down on stainless-steel axle with a ceramic ball and is resonance issues. The AC motor is in a greased to allow smooth running with smart looking machined metal housing that minimal wear. Like many of Pro-Ject’s has its own speed control incorporated and designs the platter is topped off with a vinyl is controlled by a simple push switch that layer to act as the interface with the record. actuates speeds of 33 1/3 and 45. You just Finally, the platter has a threaded spindle so push the switch to engage the speed and if you can use the supplied screw on record you press it for a second or so it will change clamp. speed. To stop the motor simply hold the switch down and the platter will stop rotating. The arm supplied is the excellent Pro-Ject The motor has been designed to offer better 9cc as fitted to my Extension 9 turntable and speed stability through the electronic circuits is a very successful design which I can incorporated in the motor pod housing vouch for. The phono cable supplied is allowing for a stable speed unaffected by detachable from the rear of the deck and is mains fluctuations. the Connect-IT E, a good quality lead which can be upgraded if you so wish. Finally, a The plinth is superbly engineered from nice dust cover is supplied to protect the unit Perspex and incorporates the sub-chassis; when not in use. platter and TPE damped aluminium coned Not only does the 6 perspex SB look great, it resident Triangle Titus EX or floor standers takes longer to screw and unscrew as also sounds great. After unpacking the deck from TAGA. opposed to the weight’s simple placing on and setting it up (which took about half an and off. hour) I sat back to enjoy my records. I tried all genres of music and dug out some Henley kindly supplied an Ortofon 2M records I hadn’t listened to for ages. I have a The Isolation system worked well and Bronze moving magnet cartridge which at large collection of vinyl going back 40 years placing the deck on my rack gave no issues, £200 is a good starting point. You can buy and it surprises how well a lot of older even when playing music loudly. the deck from Henley Audio as a package albums were recorded. Bands from the deal with either the Ortofon Quintet Bronze seventies, Yes, AWB, Led Zeppelin, King Overall the Project 6 Perspex SB offers a or Black moving coil cartridges and save Crimson, etc. all sounded good and it was lovely looking package that is easy to use between £190 and £254. I can vouch for easy to hear the interplay of all the musicians and allows for improvements to boost its both cartridges as a I use a Black and used and their individual instruments placed in a already good performance much further. the Bronze recently for another review. coherent and believable sound-stage.

The great thing about the design is that it I recently attended a live concert of the allows for tweaking if you so desire. I Messiah, a favourite choral work of mine and experimented with a better arm lead and it reminded me how important it is to used my Pro-Ject 9 turntable weight instead regularly listen to live music. I was sat on the of the screw on clamp. Both of these reaped front row, not an ideal position you might rewards in performance. think, literally a few feet away from the musicians and conductor. Normally in a concert hall I would prefer a seat mid stalls or balcony, but it amazed me how good it Straight away it was obvious that this sounded even close to and I could clearly turntable was a good design as it gave a hear all the singers and musicians located very clear and reasonably deep sound stage. perfectly. Going back to the Project in my If I had put my Quintet Black on it would system, this did a similar thing like any good have improved again, but I wanted to see component should do, but not all are equal. what a decent moving magnet could offer. I As I mentioned earlier I played around with tried the deck through several amps and the deck by putting a much more expensive speakers varying in price from about £1000 silver interconnect on it. This upped the to £3600 for the amps and about £800 for game in detail and I would recommend this the speakers. The deck worked well with all to anyone if they buy this deck to try. I did of them and did not disgrace itself when this with my Project 9 and the difference was paired with the Densen 150 amp I am well worth it. The record weight also currently trying out. Speakers were either my improved the bass and clarity to a degree, but the screw on clamp works well. It just Audio Files take a standard Audio Technica AT-LP5 turntable, add a new arm and carry out other modi- fications and offer a stylus upgrade to the standard cartridge. Total costs including the stylus upgrade is £835, Ian Ringstead listens to see if this is a worthwhile route to take over the original AT-LP5, available at time of review availa- ble for £319. Compared to belt drives in this £350 price sector it’s great value and should last for years,

udio Technica have been known to me For £350 the standard AT-LP5 is an Afor over 40 years and was a favourite excellent direct drive with the nearest rivals with minimal range of cartridges and accessories I sold in being models from the likes of Technics with my retail days. Whilst visiting the Stylus their SL 1200/1210 DJ turntables. These Show at Manchester I came across a room were the absolute standard by which all servicing that was being shared by Audio Technica other direct drives were measured and and The Audio Files a company new to me. compared. I sold hundreds to aspiring They were eagerly demonstrating the bedroom DJ’s and club DJ’s in the 80’s and differences between a standard AT-LP5 and 90’s and they were bullet proof. The AT-LP5 there modified AT-LP5 IPT. What’s the although not as solidly engineered ( it is a lot difference you may ask? Well the philosophy cheaper) still presents superb value for behind the AT-LP5 IPT is that the standard money. It even has a built-in phono stage for AT-LP5 which is highly regarded could be MM cartridges. You can also digitize your improved upon without spending a fortune. records onto a computer if you so wish via the USB port. Gary Hargreaves of Audio Files explained to me what they had done. Basically, they take the existing arm off and replace it with an OEM Audio Origami AO202 tonearm based How does it sound. The standard version is on a Rega 202. This isn’t just substituted but very competent and easy to use with good carefully mounted with a machined acrylic pitch stability, something you would expect arm board for accurate alignment and a from a direct drive motor. Compared to belt superior arm lead supplied made from Van drives in this £350 price sector it’s great Damme silver plated cable and Neutrik value and should last for years, with minimal RCAs…a cable and plug combo I have used servicing. Set up is a doddle and speed myself, to great effect. change between 33 and 45 a cinch. It may not be the most refined sound I’ve heard, but The platter is damped with constrained sub there was plenty of detail and sound staging layer materials that control any ringing was solid and well defined. present in the current standard platter very effectively. The plinth isn’t touched because Switching to the AT-LP5 IPT was a this would have increased the costs to a revelation in terms of improved clarity point where the price would have been brought about by the improved arm and uneconomical. A modified design is all well damped platter of course. It was like (excuse and good but you must know when to draw reviewer clichés) a veil had been lifted from the line on the upgrades. Sometimes overkill the speakers allowing the listener to can destroy any gains made. The cartridge appreciate the sound far more accurately. As fitted as standard is the AT95E moving if this wasn’t enough, next came the magnet, a fantastic little budget cartridge, of interesting bit; I substituted the standard which I sold hundreds as it is such a gem for AT95E stylus for an AT95P paratrace stylus. the money. What’s the difference you might ask? The paratrace stylus, although not a new design, is not unlike the Audio Technica’s SLC special line contact using an ultra- micro groove of a record is a complex worry over belt wear or speed stability. It lightweight stylus tip ground to a high level of journey to undertake for any stylus and the really is a fit and forget unit that will give you precision, AT have achieved a combination paratrace seems to follow it better than years of reliable, low maintenance use and of low distortion rate with fuller frequency many. The beauty is that the results can be satisfaction. Isn’t that what we all want? reproduction during playback. This stylus tip so easily heard by just changing the stylus extracts every possible piece of information assembly, it’s that simple. If you have ever from the grooves on a record. Unlike AT’s seen a highly magnified photo of a stylus in a SLC the paratrace is a lot cheaper at £140. record groove you realise what a job it has to When doing the comparison, it took only a undertake traveling at high speed under second to realise the amazing difference. immense pressure. The sound stage suddenly grew in depth and width with so much more detail on offer. Top Once heard, like any great product it’s hard to bottom frequencies were faithfully to go back to the inferior version. I recently reproduced and clearly portrayed, discovered this with speaker cable, namely comparable to more expensive turntables I the Tellurium Q Black II when substituted for have heard and used. Yes, my Project the original Black. HD video as opposed to Extension 9 with Ortofon Quintet Black standard definition… no contest. So, there (which has a shibata stylus) does sound we have it, not only an audibly superior better and with more oomph, but it is three turntable upgrade, but also a brilliant stylus times the price. I will at some point try the upgrade. I heard the AT-LP5 against the AT- AT95E on my Project and compare it with LP5 IPT on two occasions and it was the the paratrace stylus. An irresistible option. same both times, a worthwhile and immediate difference. Whether it was Michael Jackson, Heaven 17, progressive rock, jazz, etc, I enjoyed the results of the I love products that don’t require the hearing AT-LP5 IPT and especially once the of a bat to hear differences. After all my paratrace was fitted. years in hifi I have learned that if a product is any good then it will shine through, and be As a package, the turntable is so easy to use obvious straight away. It’s like drinking a and uncomplicated, so no great skill is good wine, you just know when it’s quality. I required to set it up or use. Compared to can fully empathise with the design behind many decks out there this will please any the paratrace stylus because it’s obvious that users without the necessary abilities or a correctly shaped stylus will track the desire to delve deeper. Technophobes groove far better than a cruder profile. The rejoice; being a direct drive deck there is no Dan Worth takes a look at the In- nuos Zenith MK2 an all in one streamer, CD ripper and SSD stor- age unit costing from £2299 de- pending on storage capacity chosen. Innuos say that a digital source should remain as transparent as possible, allowing the o what is an Innuos Zenith MK2? I hear “We had to go through a very detailed Syou ask? Well, it’s an all in one streamer oscilloscope for measurements. We have for local files and streaming services such as literally tested dozens of system boards and amplifier and TIDAL, Spotify and Qobuz, Internet Radio as the noise patterns you get vary wildly well as a CD ripper. The ripper itself stores between them. Some are absolutely dreadful music ripped in the FLAC/WAV formats to an and should never be used for audio. The key speakers to internal solid state hard drive of a size innovation here is our triple-linear power designated during purchase. Available supply, designed and manufactured in- options are 1TB, 2TB and 4TB. house. By providing three independent linear imprint their power supplies that separately power key Whilst expecting the Zenith MK2 for review I components of the system, they prevent the was somewhat sceptical to the benefits of it power noise those components produce from own signature over the various Vortexboxes which I contaminating the power circuits for the believed the Innuos Zenith MK2 was based outputs, both USB and Ethernet. The triple- on. I have previous experience with VBs – linear power supply design contains ultra-low as per the end having built and tried many, which range noise regulators (40uV) and specialised from basic installations on standard PCs to audio capacitors (Nichicon MUSE) that more bespoke hardware installations and further help maintaining the transparency user’s tastes multiple linear power supplies. and realism of the Zenith. This is then complemented by using medical-grade Despite many believing that “bits are bits”, mains filters, that both filter the Common and unfortunately there’s a whole world of Differential Mode noise coming into the “nasties” that go with them that influence the Zenith from mains as well as preventing any sound quality throughout the Hifi chain such noise produced by the Zenith itself to as power noise, jitter and high-frequency contaminate the remaining Hifi chain.” EMI. Many think that a simple galvanic This approach would inevitably clean the isolator would just turn any computer into the USB and Ethernet channels providing very perfect digital source…if it was only that clean digital outputs. Isolation transformers simple. on the Ethernet ports also help keep some of the noise traveling through the Ethernet Innuos say that a digital source should cables at bay. Connecting a streamer as I remain as transparent as possible, allowing did with the Aurelic Aries Mini using a short the amplifier and speakers to imprint their Ethernet cable to the ‘Streamer’ port on the own signature as per the end user’s tastes. Zenith provided better sound quality than In order to achieve this, Innuos first target for connecting the streamer to a my router or the Zenith is the power supply. They design switch, even though both are already on the Zenith so that rather than producing a lot linear supplies, the quality of the Zenith 2’s of power noise and then trying to clean it up, in-built psu, onboard single routed Ethernet they implement critically chosen parts for a switch and linear NAS function made for a triple linear psu design that is inherently better all round performance feeding files clean to begin with and specifically directly from the internal SSD and clean implemented. pass-through of internet ensuring a cleaner signal from the supported streaming services. real pain to identify later. This required the These benefits, along with the extensive above tools to do the change itself. This is another internal vibration control and isolation would Customers with Classical music were often all be worthless if it wasn’t for the expertise affected with missing metadata and they of Innuos when it comes to software could only make changes after the CD had advantage of implementation. From the motherboard BIOS been ripped. They then needed a PC to do to the Operating System kernel and audio such changes. sub-systems, they have optimised settings to using the SSD extract as much musical performance as When copying files ripped on Mac systems, they can. One key feature in this area is the particularly Classical music, they could have 4Gb RAM buffer available for memory very long filenames. on the Zenith – playback on the Zenith 2. This means when the user plays a track, it gets loaded almost People had very disorganised music instantly to the system memory from the libraries as essentially they just copied files playback is SSD and then played directly from there. and folder to the Music folder. This meant This is another advantage of using the SSD duplicates and lots of incomplete metadata. on the Zenith as it makes this transition instantaneous imperceptible – playback is instantaneous. If customers didn’t realise their Internet The onboard TEAC drive is a more bespoke connection is off, the system would create a version with unlocked firmware, ready for whole lot of Unknown Albums. One of our InnuOS’ tweaks to enable more efficient and customer ripped 150 discs before he realised effective ripping with less errors. the server was offline. This meant deleting everything and ripping again.

Different network settings made sometimes Moving on to the software installed on the difficult to find the systems on the network, Zenith MK2. I had initially mistaken this for a leading to a lot of frustration. tweaked version of the Vortexbox platform until having an in depth conversation with The User Interface was very technical and Managing Director Nuno Vitorino. The most people did not understand the options complexity and intelligence of the operating available and we’re displeased with how it system is presented in the most classy and looked. user friendly manner, which deserves its own in-depth look here. The software is an I can relate to these customers concerns as I absolute breeze to use and each feature has have had a lot of experience with self explanatory options, leaving the unit Vortexboxes and like using any PC, people without the need of an operating manual. have to perform constant maintenance and There is also a lengthy video on YouTube coercion in order to keep the system working showing off the InnuOS platform, posted on well whilst waiting for the next tantrum. the Innuos channel with Innuos saying: “One of our key values is listening to our Rather than telling their customers to brush customers and providing them a great user up on their technological abilities and or offer experience. Through direct contact with continued support for what they considered a customers with our Zen Mk.I systems, which somewhat fragile environment to use were based on Vortexbox, we noticed a consistently, the company who have a great number of shortcomings: team of software developers and technicians give birth to the Innuos. Users required a PC/Mac to manage their music library (adding, deleting or changing What InnuOS has achieved is an operating music data). The applications to do this can system that sits lightly on the system be quite cumbersome for those who are not hardware and over its two and half year technology-oriented and we needed frequent development has been refined extensively to remote support sessions to help our be as comprehensive as possible, integrating customers do this. They were very slow to features such as TIDAL, Spotify, Qobuz, CD save changes as users generally did this ripping, album management, network from Wi-Fi connected laptops. integration and more, with the most straight forward of GUIs that I have ever had the More and more customers don’t have a PC pleasure of using. Calculating all nerdy type anymore, only a tablet. This made it processes and individual key strokes firmly in impossible for them to manage the music the background, with the end user visualising library. only the key component task features on screen. Every time the server could not recognise a CD, it created an Unknown Album that was a Currently – typing ‘my InnuOS’ in on a google search brings the user to the control software, which can be accessed by any the Auto-Import shared folder on the server. PC/Mac, tablet or phone connected to the The Import engine then as a number of same network as the player. InnuOS are in (growing) rules to apply to the files as it Intricacies of the process of producing an app to replace imports. These are just a small number of this function on portable devices for rules applied: completeness but the operations of the guitar strings software will remain consistent. Organise based on the file quality (compressed, CD Quality or High – Once loaded the software sees the player on Resolution) and structure them in different across the two the network immediately and the user can folders accordingly. begin to utilise all the functionality of: Assisted Ripping mode – In this mode, rather Automatically create a consistent albums and than the system ripping a CD immediately Artist/Album folder structure. with whatever metadata it found, the user is presented with the metadata and is able to Import files contained on a zip or tar file the change all of it, including cover art, before (which is usual with downloads from high- the CD rips. This is particularly useful for resolution music stores such as Qobuz or Classical or World music Linn Records). complexities of

Rip to WAV or FLAC – Ripping to both WAV Shortens potentially long filenames and uncompressed format and FLAC with zero removes problematic characters that can Derrin compression depending on user’s cause problems. requirements (FLAC is more compatible) Quarantine – Whenever there is an issue Detects if the album already exists with the Nuendorf’s with either a CD or music being imported, it same quality on the music library. If you have goes into the Quarantine section rather than an album in CD Quality and add the album in the Music Library, so that the Music Library High-Resolution, the system knows and adds guitar was is kept nice and tidy. This way, the user the respective tag to the album such as knows which music needs some attention. If [HD96] for a 24bit/96KHz high-res file the ripping mode is Automatic and the server very much a can’t find metadata for it, it shows as an Music Library – Allow to browse and change Unknown Album. The user can then play the the metadata for the music already stored in music directly on the tablet to help it the Music Library from any tablet, treat to listen recognise the album and edit the information smartphone or PC/Mac Backup – Allow to directly. Once saved, it’s then moved to the backup the music library to either an external Music Library. If a CD is ripped twice, it’s USB drive or to a NAS automatically. The to marked as a duplicate. If the server is offline automatic backup is actually based on when ripping, then it’s marked as offline and storage rather than time. So instead of the user can simply click a button to retrieve backing up once a week, for example, it all the metadata again. backs up every time you add the equivalent of 50 CDs. This way, it will do frequent Import – This is one of the most complex backups when you are adding a lot of music engines on the system. TheImport engine and them do it a lot less often when the user allows users to import music from USB, is adding only a couple of albums per month. NAS, another music folder or music placed in which is a god send in this day and age for the technophobe. The interface The casework to the unit is very nice, with a contoured front fascia and simplistic A fixed volume output or variable (max approach, a single CD slot and power button volume is bit perfect according to Innuos), itself is so with indicator LED (which can be changed to along with designated parameters for bit any colour on a software level to match other depth, sample rate, album, artist and genre equipment) are the only pieces of hardware options along with many more less comprehens adorning the front panel. To the rear there significant features, all to be configured with are two LAN sockets for Ethernet connection a few touches proved to be extremely quick from the router and to route in a separate with no lag to the system, even during ive yet so streamer, rather than connecting that direct playback due to the Zenith MK2’s powerful to the router.There are two USB sockets, CPU and memory abilities. To boot – Internet one for the audio output and another for a radio stations on average took less than a simple to use USB backup drive for safe storage of a second to begin playing, which from a friends duplicate library containing all ripped files perspective is much faster than his MK1 that reside on the internal SSD. version although we are in differing parts of and all Internally the main board sports a powerful the country and with bandwidth processor and plenty of memory for quick considerations, still worth noting. operation of all remote app functions and When choosing music the app offers features and boot up speeds, along with a TEAC ripping fantastic visuals with artwork showing for all drive and a solid state hard drive. The multi- radio stations as well as InnuOS ripped rail power supply on board runs from a large albums with all accompanied metadata. functions are toroidal transformer with multiple layers of InnuOS will also tag non previously tagged regulation and a large bank of smoothing albums that the user sent over to the caps in order to keep things ultra quiet and InnuOS’ storage folder from another drive. literally idiot precise. With a three cable setup (power, USB and Ethernet) alongside the downloading of the corresponding app for either Apple or proof and self Android, setting up the Innuos Zenith MK2 Setup is just so simple with the Zenith 2. The was an absolute breeze. Squeezelite embedded software (which sits explanatory inside InnuOS) for audio playback piggybacks two main control apps (separate to the My InnuOS Software which is for On first inspection the sound of the Zenith 2 system management), Orange Squeeze for was surprisingly good as mentioned above, I Android users and iPeng for iOS customers. ripped a couple albums and played music These apps are the current best way for from my NAS and TIDAL, I compared the controlling playback and integrate all sound with my modified Mac Mini which has playback features into one handy remote been a reference source of mine for app. I used the iPeng app on my iPad and I sometime now, outperforming many other must say it’s brilliant, version 9 is much more front end gear during the time I’ve owned it. I intuitive than older versions I had previously found the two to be different in character but used in a past life with Squeezelite. struggled to find big performance differences between the two through either the DiDiT If you have a NAS drive already, this is the 212 SE or Mytek Brooklyn DACs. There was easiest way to get up and running by a touch more refinement and depth to the transferring files across the network to the Mac than that of the Zenith 2 which provided internal storage. Ripping CDs is done into a soundstage of fantastic separation, clarity either FLAC or WAV. and body to the music, presenting a firm controlled weight and good raw timbral The setup of TIDAL, Spotify and Qobuz is qualities. easy, clicking on the apps side tray allows for the installation of the apps and simply Chris Jones’ ‘Long After Your Gone’ had a entering the user account name and wonderfully controlled fluid bass password gains access to all pre-saved performance allowing for vocals to stand in playlists and the full experience of searching good height within a central focus which for music, with all other menu functionality made sense musically and gave great available by simply going back to the main bandwidth of the vocals. The lovely way the menu leaving the current playlist (in iPeng) Zenith 2 does separation gave air to guitar visible on the right hand pane of the screen strings and decays, which were obtainable for track skipping and pausing etc. The through the player in a very clear non- interface itself is so comprehensive yet so artificial manner, giving insight into the simple to use and all features and functions acoustic arena and mic setup. are literally idiot proof and self explanatory, The same was very apparent on Fink’s live hairs and doing some very critical listening albums, where in fact over my usual setup I between it and the highly specced one of a was more taken by the vocals, especially for kind Mac. their strong positioning within the soundstage, the lesser amount of depth Micro details and micro dynamics really do Setup is just seemed to allow the singer to stand more not necessarily go hand in hand, many proud so to speak, never dominating the people mention both in sentences as if they performance but simply stated a more do but in my experience they don’t, a micro so simple with commanding role rather than forwardness. detail can be present and just like any other Intricacies of guitar strings across the two more defined detail can be either dynamic or albums and the complexities of Derrin not. I would say that the smallest of details in the Zenith 2 Nuendorf’s guitar was very much a treat to the Zenith 2 were very marginally masked by listen to, masking of micro details was very the foreground, although I haven’t heard little and almost came up to spec with my anything that stands out to me that I can say Mac setup during my initial listening tests, does a far better job for around about the the smaller details in recordings generally £2k mark, so I feel that my own personal have a way of flavouring a performance as comparisons to the one of a kind Mac needs their ability to shine controls micro tempos, to end here. For my own personal which add to a sense of overall flow. information though the test was very informative, proving that areas of the Zenith’s Masculinity in tone and or delicacies sound lit a chord with me that I feel was very contained within the vocal palette portraying beneficial indeed. much of the emotional quality of a performance along with the intensity of good Bass performance with the Zenith 2 is dynamics kept the music interesting and equally very interesting, I adore the way the explorative. Although the micro details were bass doesn’t feel as if it’s been crumpled into very cleanly and clearly expressed their a heap at the bottom of the soundstage, a dynamics (micro dynamics) were not as kick drum hit has a realistic height and a strong as say the Mac, but then the added density of tone, then after you here the room refinement of the whole picture may be why interaction within a split second and any they are easily or easier to determine, the lower frequency or accompanied drum strike Zenith 2’s raw and honest quality is lower its position in the soundstage to infectious and again, neither worse nor convey a more exacting frequency – the better, just a little different and I am splitting room becomes quickly filled with great rhythm, as if the tone and frequency is within at the lower volumes but everything still an artificial three dimensional grid, allowing seemed really quite relative. The presence of What I for each beat to be considered relative to its the vocal at these lower levels was great, I natural aural take and physical feel of the really can state that the ability to convey note. some emotion and tangible feeling when the appreciate is lights are down low and everybody is in bed Playing some electronic music showed that is fantastic. immediacy of a strike and flow of deep rolling how it doesn’t notes were timed terrifically without any All too often have I listened to equipment that unwanted sag or looseness. does well during the day, struggling at night at much lower levels (not just speakers but mollycoddle Loreena McKennitt, one of my favourite electronics also). Complex passages tend to female vocalists has a ‘Live At The smear, with under dynamic and blunted Alhambra’ album and one of my most edges, causing many others, along with the music favourite tracks is ‘Raglan Road’. In order to myself to turn to the headphones, well not nail this one a system has to be able to here folks, I can still even depict real space control the upper midrange peaks especially around instruments. much, allowing and deliver subtleties which allow her voice to retain its beautiful yet powerful tone. I’ve Note: make sure in settings that volume level had the Zenith 2 running for a little while now is set to fixed output in iPeng or turned up full for a little more and it’s really coming on well, maybe in its (bit perfect) in order to achieve greater lower initial days of listening its refinement could volume listening pleasure. be called into question and possibly some rawness or remarks I made earlier in this review could Before submitting this review to the Oracle have been slightly tweaked to the more (Stu) I had the opportunity to get a good favourable side, but that’s the nature of the listen to the Zen MK1 with a Teddy Pardo truthfulness, review process and it’s progression. and Paul Haynes power supply. The Paul Hynes supply sounded better but was more Now the unit has settled into its stride a little expensive and surprised I was at how much which in turn more – what I appreciate is how it doesn’t more aligned the sound was with a better mollycoddle the music much, allowing for a supply, giving better timing and noise floor little more rawness or truthfulness, which in than standard. Both Zen and Zenith have the characterises turn characterises individual pieces of music same feature rich abilities, it’s just the levels very well – essentially very transparently. In of performance that vary. The Zen is a very this case Loreena’s vocal, so proud it stood capable unit but the Zenith is a true leader individual in the centre stage that I felt the true realism for the brand delivering a level of and honesty of the piece, which with the little performance that Innuos can be proud of added refinement that came on after a calling their flagship model. pieces of couple weeks of playback, aligned the characteristics of the unit further. Note: both units worked out of the box with an Audiobyte Hydra Z and Gustard U12 music very I must admit, I am sitting here a little SPDIF converters, giving better control, confused as to how Innuos have managed focus and timing. this, being similar in functionality and well implementation as a Vortexbox based systems essentially and also running the common Squeezelite software on a If anyone wants to say, it’s just a Vortexbox hardware package that to me doesn’t have then please do, as I did, then get one, then fancy clocks, TCXO’s, separate USB cards, plug it in then turn it on, then listen to it and SATA filters, RAM filters or pure silver then repeat the first statement – if you can! If internal power wiring, leads me to believe I felt that this piece of equipment was just a that what Innuos achieve hardware-wise with hyped up and rebranded commodity, I would synergy, noise control, the implementation of say to just send the unit back with an a very nice linear power supply and their own accompanying note to express my feelings. I custom designed software and firmware is chose to except the Zenith MK2 for review as nothing short of impressive. It’s not the I had instant scepticism and the best way to individual parts that make the difference but deal with scepticism is to be open minded the combination of the whole. and try things out – there’s nothing worse than an uneducated know-it-all! I turned to TIDAL next and went through some of my playlists and took a few journeys The Zenith isn’t just another streamer, it has exploring new music into the small hours and its own personality and that’s Important. I must say I was captivated. At low listening Innuos have designed a complete fuss free levels, resolution remains strong, I’d imagine digital front end, that combines carefully some decibel decreases in dynamic abilities chosen hardware and sophisticated software into an easy to use product which has honesty and transparency at its heart. The sound of a Zenith 2 is transparent, The Zenith honest and truthful and any system that reflects a balance that the user is happy with will benefit from its implementation. Setup isn’t just and usage is easy and playback and library management is straightforward and intuitive. What I adore about the Zenith MK2‘s another usability from Innuos is that it’s not a celebration of what can be achieved in the future, it’s a celebration of what can be streamer, it achieved right now. has its own personality and that’s Important If you have experience in pro au- dio then the name Prism Sound may not be unfamiliar, but now the company are taking their profes- sional credentials into the home audio marketplace. Janine Elliot takes a listen to their £1795 Callia DAC. rism Sound is a company I didn’t know (11.2896 Mbit/s) bit rates, the Callia also Pmuch about, though actually I have been supports the 48kHz-derived rates of 6.144 using some of their gear for many years. Mbit/s and 12.288 Mbit/s. The Callia uses an Arriving in a Initially a professional audio company AMD Cortex processor for the USB side of specialising in DACs that grace many studios things, and rather than today’s addiction and around the world, this company also bought convenience of ESS Sabre or Texas posh cardboard (on April Fool’s day in 2008) a digital editing Industries DSP chips, it uses the Cirrus Logic system called SADiE that I had been using at CS4398, though all bit different from Boswell the BBC since the Noughties, a system both and Dennis’s early days in digital work at box that would loved and hated by Studio Managers. Neve when everything was designed from the box up. The design is fully-balanced put any Apple Prism Sound was set up in 1987 by two throughout with an excellent headphone electronics engineers; Graham Boswell and amplifier. Ian Dennis. The pair met in 1981 while presentation working on digital signal processing (DSP) Arriving in a posh cardboard box that would technology at British mixing desk put any Apple presentation carton to shame, manufacturer Rupert Neve & Company. the important electronics are no less carton to Their work on DACs has not gone unnoticed, attractive; a curvy grey coloured front panel winning the Queen’s Award for International (reminding me of an Arcam of old) with Trade in 2011 and it is good to see that they enough blue LEDs to light up a Christmas shame, the are now extending their knowledge into the tree, that either illustrate the digital domestic hifi fraternity. The Callia is their credentials of your chosen source, or hold latest offering for the home, though using hands around the volume controls for both important technology taken from their professional line out and headphones. For the line output products. This curvy 2/3 pint-pot sized unit the number of lights depends on how high electronics are only lacks a remote control to get me really you set the controls; this is a functioning excited, although it does allow automatic work of art that makes the unit disappointing selection of input type. Only the large and to look at when it is switched off. The power no less small potentiometers for line and headphone switch on the right also acts as a selector for output respectively meant you occasionally your digital source. Sources include the needed to lean forward to turn a dial. The usual choice of Toslink optical, S/PDif coax attractive; a design goal for CALLIA was to provide and USB. The first four LEDs indicate the excellent audio in a sophisticated but easy to three sources with the first LED showing use box for home use, and they certainly whether selection is automatic. The last 6 curvy grey have succeeded in this respect, and all for a LEDs on the front will indicate digital format very reasonable sum of money. and bit rate specifically showing “DSD”, “x2”, “x4”, “44.1”, “48” and “24bit”. So, for 24 bit coloured front The supplied instruction manual doesn’t let 192kHz it would indicate “x4”,”48” and “24b”. you know much about the product, though it Whilst this may look very pretty it’s a bit panel with gets you up and running quickly, but the unit trying to work out the time on a binary watch. comes complete with probably the best A simple 2-line display would be much easier looking USB stick containing comprehensive in my opinion. Interestingly the DSD signals enough blue manual and more importantly the drivers are internally converted to PCM before required for operating from your PC or Mac, decoding to analogue (DoP; ‘DSD over plus updates. Coax and optical inputs allow PCM’). Prism Sound Chief Technology LEDs to light up up to 24bits and 192kHz plus DSD64. Whilst Officer Ian Dennis writes much about their the USB input allows PCM up to choice of decoding in the Callia, and hints 32bit/384kHz and DSD64 and DSD128 any that most DACs will convert from DSD to a Christmas sampling rates higher than 192 are reduced PCM before decoding to analogue, to levels at or below this using a high something I had suspected when reviewing performance decimation filter. So for a another DAC a while back. Certainly the tree 384kHz source, for example, it will be design of this DAC made all inputs I tried converted to 192kHz. In addition to the work well, with the sound quality and design DSD64 (5.6448 Mbit/s) and DSD128 showing their background in professional audio, as well it should. That includes the strings and percussion just gave a better four dip switches on the rear. The first switch binaural experience through my closed-back I was instantly disables the front volume control and sets 43 ohm Audio Technica W1000 headphones the unit to a fixed output level. I personally than I have heard to date. Those cans have liked this as the unit is not acting as a a clear and open mid and top, though some drawn to the preamplifier. Switch 2 controls the amount of might find them slightly recessed in the bass head-room when in DSD playback mode. line, though it does mean that bass is crisp When this switch is set to “on” the output is and clear. The headphone section might me music it +3.1dB, meaning that any peaks of output an add-on for the Callia, but to be honest it won’t be clipped, though noise floor is that surpasses many headphone amplifiers I much less. The last two switches are for have had the pleasure of listening to over the decoded, but I optimising the headphone impedance. years. As musicians turned the page at the end of each piece of music it allowed me to Usually the line output will be muted when gain a closer relationship with all that was personally connecting headphones, but even that can going on around my head. Clarity in the high be disabled if you wish on one of the 4 frequency region was excellent. Only lowest permutations of the last two dip switches. bass seemed economical at times. would have Trying both 40ohm and 300ohm headphones I found the headphone amp worked well. The Dire Straits “Telegraph Road” from ‘Love unit accepts any mains voltage between 90V over Gold’ is one of those tracks any chosen a and 250V, so no mains voltage selection is prospective hifi purchaser in the latter years required. of the last century would have used to audition separates in Lasky’s or Comet. The name Timios, track has ‘pin-sharp’ guitars and cymbals, and deep bass drum bursts that would test The word Callia is Greek for “very beautiful” any woofer. The Callia’s clarity meant the meaning and I hoped that all I heard would be infamous bad edit at 3’37” with a shift across beautiful. Indeed I was instantly drawn to the the soundstage mid verse was even more music it decoded, but I personally would annoying than it was when I first heard it. “honest” have chosen a name Timios, meaning Turning to the +14dBu XLR output into my “honest”. The DAC is very honest, with balanced Krell gave for an even greater plenty of attack and detail, not adding sense of clarity and power. This miniature anything or taking anything from the music. I unit was not anorexic when it came to did feel, however, that the vocals were the engagement, detail and speed. This unit definitive point on whether this unit was ensured nothing was added or taken away. ‘beautiful’, and on a number of times I felt The decaying long “A” on the strings linking that midrange frequencies – particularly the second half of the 14 minute movement vocal range – seemed very slightly weak and was not an afterthought in the music. I could made my own new album ‘Boxed In’ rather hear and understand why Mark Knopfler put light in the vocal range; quite surprising me it there, though wish I had the patience to and making me sound even worse than I play a single note on the violins for over 6 already think I am! Violins – within this minutes. This sound bite was separated from frequency range – were extremely clear and the rest of the music as if I had my own 48 entertaining and soundstage was captured track studio in my living room to pre-fade as honestly as a professional sound each nuance individually. I could focus in on engineer in a studio using Prism Sound all the individual sounds, rather than just professional gear would expect. The hearing a ‘mix’ like many a DAC. headphone output is surprisingly good and Handel Organ Concertos Opus 4 (Academy the balanced architecture means that the unit of Ancient Music Richard Egarr, Harmonia works well as a preamplifier in its own rights, Mundi 24/88.2) have many a conversation if only it had a remote control. between the light flute organ melody and the heavy strings, giving an enchanting and Playing the Binaural Chasing the Dragon relaxing performance, only hindered “Espana – A Tribute to Spain” album gave a occasionally by the harmonics between sense of three-dimensionality that I hadn’t some notes on the organ that resonate on an heard from other DAC/headphone amplifiers. ancient organ that has perhaps seen better The clarity in all frequencies and quick speed days. This work from around 1733 might from the instruments, particularly pizzicato have been aimed as interlude entertainment between acts in Handel’s popular series of but ideal if you are a sound engineer. I must oratorios, but this recording makes them stress that this didn’t make the sound centre stage as works in their own right. clinical, rather that it is detailed and accurate. I must stress Whilst Egarr might have trained as a Only vocals could have been a little more harpsichordist, his playing is beautifully forthright. poetic and detailed. The close mic’ing at St that this didn’t Jude’s Church in London of the English If you want a slower, more relaxed and portable or ‘chamber’ organ with its four coloured sound then you need to go stops and characteristically sweet tone, it elsewhere, but for something that sounds make the could be perhaps described as just a box of this good and looks stunning as well, treble and bass recorders. Its delicacy of particularly with all the blue lights, then this performance is particularly clearly heard may well be your best choice to decorate the sound clinical, through the Callia, though not putting me off music room. listening. This is no Westminster Cathedral organ, and the Callia is honest enough to rather that it is maintain it that way, with a speed and clarity that makes it easy to pick out tonal and mechanical errors of that organ. Only the detailed and noise of passing traffic outside the venue where it was all recorded was not as audible as I had heard in my choice headphone accurate amplifier. Bass was perhaps not quite as generous as I would have liked, though one’s attention to the mid and high frequency detail and clarity meant that I didn’t really miss it. The accuracy and ease of production of the music was something I heard in all that I played. Much of this can be down to the lack of jitter. In order to help create that perfection in digital conversion the unit employs their CleverClox hybrid digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) clock circuitry, which I remember from their Atlas USB multi-track audio interface. Indeed, much of the circuitry is taken from their Atlas, Lyra and Titan professional products.

At £1,795 this is an excellent price for a combined DAC and headphone amplifier, even passing well as a preamplifier, and with balanced and coax output. A repeating observation as I reviewed this unit was of a sound that crystal clear and fast with nothing added or taken away from the music, meaning imperfections in the recordings can always be heard, which can be a bit annoying if you want just to be entertained, Auralic refer to the Aries as a “bridge”; basically a digital device which refers to a networked music library from the likes of a NAS drive, or by use of an external USB hard drive, connected directly to the Aries. What we have come to know more lovingly as a streamer – although you could argue that they are usually an all in one device, often with an on-board hard drive and with analogue outputs from it’s on-board DAC. Dan Worth takes this £1495 box of tricks for a whirl. The sound of the Aries is

he difference between the Aries and a local uPnP/DLNA library content from NAS Tstandard build streamer is that it has only or PC/MAC remarkably the ability to output a digital signal – bridging TIDAl, Qobuz and WiMPonline streaming the gap between library and DAC. The Aries Internet Radio boasts dual FemtoClocks, for the USB audio AirPlay and Songcast input and the digital outputs, a low noise USB hard drive files clean, internal design to eliminate jitter and Auralic RoonReady Purer-Power™ based 10uV low noise external linear PSU. A whole host of remarkably supported music services are available and a fully featured and easy to use App for Built-in lightning Server Android and iOS devices – necessary for Minimserver, Twonky, Asset UPnP, JRiver operation of the Aries as opposed to the DlNA/uPNP compatible server software detailed and included remote, which controls more basic features of playback. I

Aries is powered by Auralic’s own Tesla RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet remarkably hardware platform that includes a Quad-Core Dual-Band WiFi connection ARM Coretex-A9 processor running at USB 2.0 High-Speed for external disk 1GHz, 1GB DDR3 onboard memory and sincere 4GB internal storage…for those who are interested. For the workload that the Aries has on its plate the specifications are overkill USB 2.0 High-Speed for compatible DAC** and the system runs very smoothly, although AES/EBU, Coaxial, TOSlINK startup is fairly lengthy, allowing the ARIES to simply go to sleep when not in use is the Though larger than its little brother (the ‘Aries most sensible way to use it day to day and Mini) Aries is still a wonderfully compact with extremely low power consumption…so device at 25cm x 20cm x 7cm and weighs a not a worry as far as energy bills are mere 0.8kg (in no small part due to the off- concerned. board linear power supply), this allows ARIES to be easily implemented into any The Tesla platform has a calculation ability of system. Pop it in a cupboard, under a rack, 25,000 MIPS, more than enough to decode a behind another piece of equipment or simply vast spectrum of audio formats, including throw a towel over it, many options are AAC, AIFF, AlAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FlAC, available – so you don’t have to look at it! MP3, OGG, WAV, WV and WMA. Auralic Now I’m not saying that it’s going to make has chose this platform for a long term you cry when you open the packaging, but supporting consideration, the feature beware, it’s not going to win a ‘sexiest at planned include DSD upsampling, room show’ award (although we have given Auralic acoustic treatment and other acoustic DSP the ‘Hifi Pig loves You’ award at Bristol this function. year).

By using OpenHome structure which is Removing the Aries from it’s packaging and adopted by UK-based streaming solution feeling it’s sumptuous plastic body won’t get manufacturer linn, ARIES, as well as all the juices flowing either. The half router, half other lightning based products, supports freeview box design has a lot to live up to if several advanced functions such as on- you shop with your eyes but be patient, the device playlist that allow control software to best is yet to come, this Hunchback of turn off during play and the complete Auralic has a generous heart. supporting of a multi-room system. The sound of the Aries is remarkably clean, Whilst vocals stand true, the other elements remarkably detailed and remarkably sincere. of the midrange behave as I would have The bottom From the outset with the already well run in liked from a unit of this price. Transparency review circular, the Aries will grab you, seat in the midrange gave good structure and you and firmly glue you to your listening chair depth to live performances, involving me end for substantial amounts of time. deeply into the music. Its musicality has an honesty about it. With Climbing up the frequency ladder the upper the noiseless, grainless and clean sound, midrange only ever became rough and poorer recordings won’t get the benefit of a etched when listening to a few bad received by coloured glow to round the rough edges, but recordings, which I enjoy very much for their anything better than adequate will engage lyrics and am happy to accept. Overall a very the listener wholeheartedly. clean and open upper midrange, with the listener enough control to keep the vixens of vocals listening to Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ gave me a tamed and busy music well separated. notion of complete envelopment, far more Top end air is wonderfully apparent in the accomplished than the already musically Aries, I remember the top end of the Aries is intuitive, satisfying Aries Mini I reviewed a while back Mini being a tasty plate; if not refined or as and during any out of phase, widely airy, it had personality. The Aries has bags of dispersed tones and layers the centre stage personality, along with the additional controlled maintained incredible focus. Front spread refinement and inner details that two properly was also very good and promoted excellent implemented Femto clocks should produce. dynamics to the boundaries of the room, A more accurate display up top gives the which my speakers are around four to five listener the experience of hearing all the fine and very foot on each side away from the walls. delicacies and acoustics in their music. More Bass response is equally as satisfying, in can be obtained in higher-end products, but fact I am scratching my head as to how the unlike some other high-end products lightweight, plastic, adorable only from a sometimes more is less, leaning towards a detailed certain angle in the correct light, Aries can more stringent and analytical performance. really sound this good. Given that Auralic The Aries gives enough detail that the purposely used a plastic enclosure in order listener feels well fed and at the same time to use a high powered aerial, I’m forgiving the music is tastier and easier to digest. the exterior due to its endearing sound quality. If first impressions can be deceptive I’ve been using an Innuos Zenith 2 for some then the Aries is the epitome of the popular months now after producing a review for it phrase. which will be live in conjunction with this review. My reasons for mentioning this is that The bottom end received by the listener is one feature of the Innuos is that it has an intuitive, controlled and very detailed. Playing onboard ‘Streamer’ lAN Output. Basically an either london Grammar’s ‘Hey Now’ or Urban Ethernet internet connection output which Species’ ‘Blanket’ allowed me to easily allowed me to plug the Aries into and use the discern each and every subtle change in Innuos as the router, switch, internet note. Good extension with tempo driving the passthrough for my streaming services and a music along combines this detail with good directly link to my music library saved on the flow and bounciness. Zenith’s internal SSD. All of this covered by Innuos’ triple linear PSU offers an incredibly Delving up into the midrange, the tighter strong platform for the Aries to work with. detailed upper mids pave way for vocal Coincidently Auralic UK set the Aries up extension to be beautifully pure, conveying a piggybacked off the same Zenith in good representation of natural range. A very demonstrations, at shows and dealerships slight forwardness in the midrange allows for and the combination of the two takes each these vocals to be very well pronounced. unit to the next level with a combined price of Well tuned and versed, the Aries is £4000. So how does the Aries sound now? somewhat of an accomplishment at its price. Even more accomplished! Auralic seem to be creating a bit of a trend I’m now hearing more detail, with a far here – they are producing some digital blacker background. Taking all the noise out equipment which is just so well voiced that Everything is of the chain of command with standard wherever in the range your budget gets you routing options gives a confidence to the feel assured that what you will receive is a Aries whether playing Qobuz or Tidal – and musical piece of equipment that won’t more easily from the direct onboard library of the Zenith, disappoint for the price. this is where things really get serious. The sound gains more resolution and bass Retaining musicality whilst extracting more discernible premise, the tightness of the Aries alone accuracy and detail retrieval is not the gains a little more weight with it’s easiest of tasks. Reducing jitter, laying out umbilicalled partner and dynamics get a nice circuitry, planning out PSUs, choosing and vocals helping hand also. But for me the most stand components etc all have dramatic effects on out attribute of the combination was the a digital signal which is not as robust as soundstage. some people may believe. Approaching this become more without care and plenty of R&D could make Everything is more easily discernible and for the cleanest sound ever, but without vocals become more expressive, adding a personality it’s nothing short of a flop. expressive, nice touch of emotion along with standing The charisma the Auralic products seem to more confident in the mix. What really obtain speak volumes about their designers engaged me was the additional structure of and how measurements alone cannot adding a nice the soundstage, where depth was good produce music with heart and soul, so to the before it was now more complex. During Auralic team I salute you for never putting Fleetwood Mac’s live version of ‘Big love’ the the music second. touch of way the guitar moved throughout the left rear of the stage and forward again during the solo was incredibly smooth and concise, sort emotion along of in film where there is a higher frame rate which allows the viewer to to see more of what’s going on in a more detailed and fluid with standing manner.

Studio mixed Pop Music and Electronic more confident music is always a fine test for how well an item can stage around the listener and into the rear of the room simply due to the way in the mix it’s recorded. The Aries already showed good detail encapsulation in this area and with the addition of the Innuos this area gained additional strengths… it’s a shame that Auralic don’t build a Universal Player because music and films would work exceptionally well with their digital expertise in a 2 channel system, which for most of us who prioritise Hifi look towards in most situations where a theatre system cannot be accommodated or wanted. I could imagine sitting here watching some of my favourite movies with a 2 Channel sound quality so strong. The Russ Andrews Power Purifier is a modular power conditioner that you can have fully loaded from the off or choose the base unit and add to as and when you feel the need. Janine Elliot pops it on her rack and experiments with the £329 (base unit) £1107 (fully load- ed) box. The Russ Andrews Power Purifier is different to anything I have seen before and ains noise can sometimes be the open the box to do all the work yourself, Mbiggest destroyer of sound quality in a should you so wish. system, and equally, some mains raised more conditioners can do the same; altering EQ, Having recently celebrated their 30th reducing dynamic range, and narrowing anniversary, Russ Andrews is a name most soundstage. Where I might get excited about hifi audiophiles will be aware of, from a than a few new hifi products, these are usually exotic humble small cabin in 1986 to their present turntables or honest sounding amplifiers of empire and major presence at hifi shows. As one form or another. Mains conditioners are well as a growing range of accessories to sparks of likely to be last on my list, despite me having cater for most audio needs, they have designed and regularly using them. The particularly specialised in mains Russ Andrews Power Purifier is different to improvement products, all with great names interest by me anything I have seen before and raised more and equally great claims. than a few sparks of interest by me at a recent hifi show, so I requested to review the Each element you attach has different uses. at a recent hifi product. The PowerPurifier itself comes complete with This is not a “one size fits all” product, but two components; their UltraPurifier™, a rather it is one that you can tailor to your own basic broadband power conditioner, and their show finances and audio-visual needs and ‘add-to’ SuperClamp™. This part provides very rapid when necessary. This single box has space reaction to over-voltage spikes on the mains. to accumulate different mains calming RA recommends you replace this every five devices that you simply plug in yourself and years to maintain its effectiveness. From the stick down to the base of the unit with basic set up you can also add the following double-sided tape, that when joined together components; are there to combat the three major areas of mains contamination; spikes and surges, The MegaClamp (at £180) which offers mains noise and Wi-Fi interference. All in a enhanced spike and surge protection, which single 226mm x 68mm x 243mm plastic box is many times more effective than the with a high-gloss acrylic face panel with SuperClamp. This unit will also last central blue indicator just so you know it is indefinitely. doing its job. Costing £329 it comes as standard with the Russ Andrews The Mains Zapperator is a mains conditioner UltraPurifier™ filter and SuperClamp™ surge that deals with very high frequency noise that protection. You can tailor your PowerPurifier is particularly caused by wireless computer by adding extra filtering as and when your networks. At £142 extra this can be added to budget and needs allows, meaning a your Purifier. MegaClamp, a mains Zapperator and up to four ClarityMains can be fitted to the The Clarity Mains is a mains conditioner that PowerPurifier. The review sample came utilises “Coherence Technology”, and up to complete with all options carefully attached. four of these boxes can be added to the Russ Andrews will even connect all the PowerPurifier, with each one costing you a additional filters you buy for free, just further £114. The “Coherence Technology” charging for the postage, though the Allen was introduced by Russ after he was key supplied allows you to easily and quickly approached back in 2007 by a US designer who had an audio device that claimed to help advanced and for me much more tempting, to reduce noise in signals. The Clarity Mains particularly as you can configure your own The helps to reduce noise of the mains supply. specification. Since it was not built into a 4 Whichever boxes you decide to add to your or 6 way mains extension lead it meant that Purifier, each one comes with its own testing the unit was far easier for me, as I PowerPurifier coloured connector, and which can only fit could plug it in or not to hear the differences, into its respective coloured socket, meaning without switching on and off all my hifi. that assembly is easy. Just remember that Being based on the use of shunt-connected works when you stick the boxes using the double- mains filters, it meant the devices could sided tape, you cannot re-position them later! effectively ‘suck’ the interference out of the Their UltraPurifier™ filter also appears in the mains without actually coming between passively, RA catalogue as a separate unit or built into mains and audio equipment, thus less likely products such as their 8-way Power blocks, to turn into a glorified tone control. largely due to its clever ‘shunt’ filter design, meaning that it meaning that there are no components For the review I had all the ingredients at my between the supply and the hifi or video disposal, including 4 Clarity Mains blocks, equipment. It can simply be added where and I tried different recipes to see how doesn’t have you want it to work. As a result I have found effective each part was, making a meal of these designs have a much more mannered assessing whether there were differences. I result than many a “conventional” mains used my Slee power amplifiers with the drawbacks conditioner that can change the audio Townshend Rock 7 turntable and the Prism frequency response or dynamic range, Audo Callia DAC as one of my systems, and resulting in them sounding far different – Pre Audio turntable into Manley phonostage of some other even if at times that might make the sound and modified vintage Leak Stereo20 power more ‘exciting’ and therefore temporally amplifier as the other. more desirable. What actually set this unit mains filters – more desirable for me was that the dynamic range didn’t shrink, moreover that it expanded, and using with video made I wasn’t able to create any audible spikes things like loss colours clearer but not unreal as they can when testing; even after playing about with when you press the “dynamic” option on your my fridge and other ‘noise’ creating artefacts. TV or projector. After many years of trying to create the of musicality perfect audio listening space that part of my When I first saw their £301 mains plug with mains is thankfully house-trained. However, MiniPurifier and MegaClamp, and felt that my mains isn’t the cleanest, though and reduced while it might work well, its small size and thankfully modern power engines built into plastic body wouldn’t inspire me to part with hifi separates can improve things, as does that sort of money. So whilst this unit under my own mains conditioner. Removing my dynamic range review now might be over 3 times size its own conditioner to try another product was basic setup only £18 more, this is amazing like weaning my children off their favourite value and still a reasonable £1107 when fully food to try another brand. Initially I needed to charged with all the extras. Its design is more remove all conditioning completely to get used to that sound and then try the RA. audio. For example, David Gilmour’s “Then I Playing music I knew well, including Close My Eyes” (from ‘On an Island’), I recordings I had made or been in the studio noticed improved position in the landscape What actually when they were produced helped me to between the ride cymbals, muted trumpet, know what I should be listening for. cello, acoustic guitar and backing vocals; this is a thickly textured but very laid back track, set this unit The PowerPurifier works passively, meaning and I could easily close my eyes and that it doesn’t have the drawbacks of some imagine I was indeed on some deserted other mains filters – things like loss of island with no infestation of audio snow or more desirable musicality and reduced dynamic range. The hail. Interestingly I didn’t find the unit added latter degradation is something I have any tonal character of its own, as some noticed with many conditioners I have tested mains conditioners can do. In an ideal world for me was over the years. In some respects this type of you want the unit to be tonally transparent unit is harder to review, because you don’t and allow the equipment to work as well as it actually want to hear any audio changes, did in the designers’ laboratory. that the rather you want the audio to be cleaner and not affected by external influence. Listening Listening to FLAC and DSD files can often to my aged Dire Straits ‘Brothers In Arms’ still come across as brittle or clinical dynamic range illustrated to me straight away just how good compared to my choice vinyl or reel to reel, this device was at showing detail in the but even listening to albums such as the Sir source material; through my brilliant Simon Rattle Sibelius Symphonies from didn’t shrink, PreAudio Tangential tonearm the space and Berliner Philharmoniker or the 24/192 clarity of the brilliantly engineered album remaster of Eagles Hotel California, sounded showed me just how well this device was surprisingly transparent and lifelike via the moreover that working in the background; no extra bass, mains conditioner. extra mid or treble, or compressed audio, just a pin-sharp clarity made even more On to Mike Valentine’s Big-Band it expanded apparent by the improved signal to noise Spectacular, an album performed with such ratio. The soundstage didn’t seem over- precision in terms of both performance and enlarged, just more realistic. The bird noises sound quality, available in vinyl and digital and the punchy drum influxes in “Ride across and now reel to reel formats. The massive the River” were well placed precisely across soundstage at the Air Studio’s was brought the 10 foot stage that is my living room. into my own living room, and the Leak Stereo Compared with no audio taming devices I 20 just opened up in a way I hadn’t expected noticed an improvement in the focus of the it would. The aged ECC83/EL84 unit gave of itself in a way that even Harold would be audio or video this unit just tidies it up. smiling, with great speed and cleanliness, Tackling three areas within a single box is a Honesty was and even more focus and musicality. The highly favourable aid to taming your mains. sound was as realistic as I remembered in the studio. Nothing was added or taken away the name of from the music. That was great news to me. But I could hear a greater noise floor than I had imagined the Leak could give, and the game improved space and depth between instruments. This was like getting a new set of glasses; the images were clearer and here, with a cleaner, though I was still looking at all the same objects. noticeable Turning appropriately to video, I found the Purifier produced cleaner colours and definition, but not like turning on the reduction in “dynamic” button on your television or projector, as some mains conditioners might. Honesty was the name of the game here, “noise” with a noticeable reduction in “noise” in the picture.

Even fully loaded with all the units at just over £1000 this mains purifier is highly recommended for the price, and even better that it comes with a 60-day trial, so if you are not convinced then you can return it. Where so many conditioners fail by changing the Pile Of Leaves, Into It. Over It., Thu 28 Sep Germany Hannover @ EU/UK Tour Dates Foxing, The Hotelier, Dikembe, and Bei Chez Heinz From Prawn! The Jazz June. Similarly, the band have previously made three visits to Fri 29 Sep Germany Nurnberg @ Following on from the release of their the EU and UK where they have Desi critically acclaimed album, consistently made a huge impact on Sat 30 Sep Czech Prague @ OO7 ‘Kingfisher’ (released 12th August eager audiences, acquiring new fans 2014 via Topshelf Records), and two with every show by exhibiting their Sun 01 Oct Austria Vienna @ Arena successful EU/UK tours with unique flavour of plaintive yet urgent Gnarwolves and Brighter & emo rock. Mon 02 Oct Hungary Budapest @ Hindsights respectively. Prawn are Durer Kert set to come back to the EU/UK with The band also have recently been in The Flatliners. The spring tour is set the studio with Will Yip (Title Fight, Wed 04 Oct Slovenia Ljubljana @ to start on 21st September in Europe Pianos Become The Teeth, Whirr), Gala Hala and will hit the UK from 12th October. hinting at the possibility of new material on the horizon. Prawn have Thu 05 Oct Italy Seregno @ Honky New Jersey based emo rock quintet, been moving from strength-to- Tonky Prawn, formed in 2007 and after self- strength with every release and this Fri 06 Oct Switzerland Lucerne @ releasing their estimable full length tour will provide an opportunity to Sedel ‘You Can Just Leave It All’ in 2011, potentially hear new material and to had the album re-released by finally see why they are presently one Sun 08 Oct Germany Munich @ Topshelf Records (home to the likes of the most talked about bands in the Kranhalle of: Braid, Field Mouse, Diamond scene. Youth and more). The band have Mon 09 Oct Germany Stuttgart @ since released two more LPs, most Keller Klub notably their last album ‘Kingfisher’, Tue 10 Oct Germany Cologne @ which entered the Billboard MTC ‘Heatseekers Chart’ at No.16 upon release. Thu 12 Oct England Brighton @ The Hope ‘Kingfisher’ calls to mind bands such as The Appleseed Cast, Brand New Fri 13 Oct England Southampton @ and American Football, but never Joiners sound like they are replicating one specific sound. Prawn excel at Sat 14 Oct England Bristol @ The producing songs that are extremely Exchange recognisable, but more importantly they still exhibit masses of originality. TOUR DATES: Sun 15 Oct England Manchester @ This is what made ‘Kingfisher’ one of Rebellion Thu 21 Sep France Paris @ Le Gibus the most extolled releases to come Tue 17 Oct England Newcastle @ out of the so called ‘emo revival’ Fri 22 Sep Belgium Diest @ JH Tijl Think Tank scene in 2014. However, Prawn are far more than just another emo band; Sat 23 Sep Holland Amsterdam @ Wed 18 Oct Scotland Glasgow @ They imbue their emotive and exigent Sugarfactory Stereo vocal style with ambient post-rock infused instrumentation, and in doing Sun 24 Sep Germany Hamburg @ Thu 19 Oct England Leeds @ so Prawn have invigorated a genre Hafenklang Brudenell Social Club which is, more often than not, plagiarised from the seminal 90’s Mon 25 Sep Germany Berlin @ Fri 20 Oct England Nottingham @ founders of the scene that the band Cassiopeia Bodega take influence from. Wed 27 Sep Germany Dresden @ Sat 21 Oct England London @ The Since their formation Prawn have Scheune Dome extensively toured across the US Sun 22 Oct England Kingston @ playing with the likes of A Great Big 26.10.17 LONDON O2 Academy 9th June by Metropolis Records. Penetration Announce Islington UK Tour Dates! 27.10.17 BRIGHTON Lewes Con First generation punk act Penetration Club celebrate 40 years as a touring and 28.10.17 BRISTOL The Fleece recording band with an autumn UK tour. Having played their first London 03.11.17 EDINBURGH Mash House show at the legendary Roxy club in April 1977 before releasing ’Don’t 04.11.17 NEWCASTLE Cluny Dictate’ as their debut single that November, the group deem 2017 to 09.11.17 SHEFFIELD O2 Academy be not only their own 40th 2 anniversary, but also that of when 10.11.17 PRESTON The Continental punk hit the provinces. 11.11.17 DERBY The Hairy Dog 16.11.17 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy 3 ‘Under Your Spell’ is the 7th album by 18.11.17 STOCKTON Georgian the Birthday Massacre, and with it Theatre comes eleven songs that reveal a side of the Canadian band that The Birthday Massacre have audiences may not be familiar with. Driven with the band’s signature, The Birthday unique blend of spiralling synth Massacre Announce melodies, walls of guitar and evocative vocals, the new songs UK Tour! range from dark, aggressive anthems to danceable, pretty pop and hit all announced a UK tour to promote their the bases that audiences have come new album, ‘Under Your Spell’. The to expect. However, there is also a itinerary is as follows: rawness to the emotion expressed, 24.10.17 LONDON O2 Academy an openness and vulnerability that A dozen dates in October/November Islington feels new. will feature a set that traces the musical path taken by the band from 25.10.17 MANCHESTER Ruby One thing that is clearer than ever, its origins, including early demo Lounge however, is the tight bond that exists songs, right up to 2015’s triumphant between the band members and their comeback album, ‘Resolution’. It will 27.10.17 EDINBURGH Opium willingness to explore heartbreak and loss together. With these songs, they work through their repertoire in 28.10.17 WHITBY Goth Festival chronological order. have entered the darkness of their 29.10.17 GLASGOW Ivory Blacks most fragile emotions and returned The show will be road-tested with a with a cohesive and detailed musical performance at The Exchange in 31.10.17 BRISTOL Fleece portrait that captures both the anger North Shields on 25th August, part of and hope that exist within a moment a two day Punk In The Provinces 01.11.17 READING Sub 89 in time. extravaganza during the Whitley Bay Film Festival. 02.11.17 SOUTHAMPTON Engine The Birthday Massacre continue to Rooms make music that is unique to them, Autumn tour dates: once again managing to create an 03.11.17 WOLVERHAMPTON Slade album that somehow feels so familiar, 21.10.17 LIVERPOOL O2 Academy Rooms yet challenges the listener to continue alongside them on their ever- 22.10.17 GLASGOW Broadcast ‘Under Your Spell’ was released on changing, ever-growing journey. them at this year’s SXSW… “White 9 Sept – Tavastia – Helsinki, Finland White Reaper’s Deep Reaper’s latest single is called ‘The Purple Cover! World’s Best American Band,’ which 11 Sept – Debaser Strand – might seem a little hyperbolic until Stockholm, Sweden Following on from the April release of you’ve seen it live.” 12 Sept – Parkteatret – Oslo, Norway their new album ‘The World’s Best American Band’ on Polyvinyl The Black Angels’ 13 Sept – Pumpehuset – Records, Louisville indie/garage band Copenhagen, Denmark White Reaper have announced a New Video And Tour short run of EU/UK tour dates for this 15 Sept – Muziekgieterij – Massricht, October. The band will be playing the Dates! Netherlands following dates: The Black Angels have shared a 18 Sept – Les Docks, Lausanne, video for their latest single ‘I’d Kill For Switzerland Her’, at Consequence of Sound. Produced by Phil Ek (Father John 19 Sept – AB Ballroom – Brussels, Misty, Fleet Foxes, The Shins), the Belgium band’s new album ‘Death Song’ 20 Sept – Paradiso – Amsterdam, features some of the heaviest music Netherlands these psych-rockers have ever put to wax – slow-burning, menacing fuzz 22 Sept – Forum – London, UK meditating on the realities of society and devotion. On “I’d Kill For Her,’ 23 Sept – Liverpool International lead singer Alex Maas steps inside of Festival of Psychedelia – Liverpool, the mind of a man driven by the belief UK that there’s beauty in brutality. 25 Sept – SWG3 – Glasgow, UK 23-Oct-17 / UK / Brighton – The See The Black Angels live in the EU / Prince Albert 26 Sept – Institute 2 – Birmingham, UK this September UK 24-Oct-17 / UK / London – Sebright (Supported by A Place to Bury Arms 27 Sept – Trinity – Bristol, UK Strangers) 25-Oct-17 / UK / London – Old Blue 29 Sept – La Cigale – Paris, France Last 6 Sept – Piraeus Academy – Athens, Greece 30 Sept – Luxor – Cologne, Germany 29-Oct-17 / Germany / Hamburg – Nochtwach 7 Sept – Principal Club– Thessalonik, 01 Oct – Colombiatheatre – Berlin, Greece Germany 30-Oct-17 / Germany / Berlin – Musik & Frieden 31-Oct-17 / Germany / Cologne – MTC More dates TBA A video for the latest track “The World’s Best American Band” has just emerged too. One of the album’s centrepieces, the Simon Young- animated video for the title track premiered recently with Funny or Die. Make sure to come out and see why people are singing the praises about this band, like when NPR caught commanding his troops. His open- if there were, the record would have Album Review: throated bellow a far cry from ’81’s suffered for it. Theatre Of Hate’s ‘He comparatively weedy attempt. It’s what you do with what you’ve got Who Dares Wins’ But the later shows of 2007 and 2012 that counts. It must be conceded that represented here aren’t all spit and less is not always more. Just like it An irony of ironies: since the advent polish. The bass retains all the punk- must be conceded that more is not of punk rock, a movement rooted in inflected rattle of the earlier shows. always better. Theatre Of Hate are destabilising the establishment, it has And Brandon’s guitar keeps its trebly masters of leaving space, letting their become established that virtuosity ≠ piercing quality, while sacrificing none impeccable rhythm section carry the authenticity + quality. Though it must of its clarity. tunes and utilising the guitar and be said, even without the Sex Pistols, saxophone as tools to alter the Theatre Of Hate’s music carries all Clash et al, Yes, Emerson Lake & dynamics of their music. the majesty of a gothic cathedral’s Palmer, and their ilk were doing an steeple. Where many an indie band Rarely is there a band that is this excellent job of making that point… of their time wallowed in their own good so far into their career. One There’s a school of music fan though, ineptitude, Theatre Of Hate strived to thinks of Swans and their run of as uniform and oppressive as any further themselves. Not just as excellent albums in recent years. educational institution, that believes musicians, but as creators. Theatre Of Hate have proven amateurism = authenticity + quality. themselves on this boxset that, at the Virtuosity ≠ creativity. There’s very least, they’re an incredible night He Who Dares Wins, spanning 5 scarcely a lick across He Who Dares out. discs and over 30 years, charts Wins 5 discs that falls into the Yngwie Theatre Of Hate’s rise from charming Malmsteen category of virtuosity. And by James Fleming and ambitious amateurs, to powerful purveyors of gothic might. And proves that amateurism does not necessarily equate to higher calibre music. Even the space of just 8 months between the January 1981 show that makes up disc 1 and the September show of that year that is disc 2 makes all the difference. Where vocalist Kirk Brandon struggles to convincingly hit the high notes on Original Sin on disc 1, just a few short months later his voice has stepped up to the plate admirably. And a generation later, on 2007’s disc 3, cloaked in ghostly reverb, Brandon’s voice is hitting those notes with all the powerful ease of a dictator Album Review: Pere Ubu’s ’20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo’

If Marvel Comics’ Man-Thing made a record it would sound dangerously close to 20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo. Sci-fi synths swirl and soar over Creedence Clearwater Revival-style swamp rock, topped off with David Thomas’ idiosyncratic warbling yelp. Pere Ubu are one of those rare bands who are – as John Peel put it when referring to The Fall – “always different, always the same.” Ubu coined the term “avant-garage” to describe their welding of two seemingly disparate strands of weird into their own iconic sound. And it’s through the push and pull of those polar genres, upping the avant-garde on one record or, as on 20 Years In A Montana Missile Silo, bringing the garage-rock to the fore, that Pere sound of a veteran. A veteran with marshland. Plan From Frag 9’s Ubu have succeeded in the nigh experience to pass on to the young drums forsake the beat in favour of impossible – always sounding like whippersnappers trying to usurp his atmospheric tom-toms. Howl’s themselves, but never repeating past crown of unorthodoxy. repetitive, bluesy riff combined with successes/failures. Thomas’ desperate, echoing ‘I’m Where the likes of Black Keys have gonna howl for ya baby!’ invokes the Unorthodox is the word. Weird is too brought garage-rock to the souls of passed on garage-rock easy a dismissal of the music on 20 Enormodomes and Radiohead have vocalists like Lux Interior. Before Red Years In A Montana Missile Silo, dragged the alternative into the Eye Blues’ synthesiser freak-out alternative too dull a term. This stadiums, Pere Ubu have reined both halfway through it’s 1:52 running time melding of that most grassroots a in and rather than smooth out the sends us from the swamp into the genre as garage-rock with the edges, they have sharpened the stratosphere. intelligence of the avant-garde and edges’ serrated teeth. musique concréte is an As Thomas’ ghostly voice fades out UNORTHODOX use of both styles. There are softer moments, The repeating “hold me close…” on 20 Healer’s strummed acoustic guitar Years In A Montana Missile Silo’s Monkey Bizness opens the record in and Thomas’ twisted croon of “oh and closing track Cold Sweat, a stark a decidedly The Modern Dance I see too much,” betray 20 Years In A contrast with the rollicking starting fashion. Eerie synths slime over a riff Montana Missile Silo’s maturity while point of the aforementioned Monkey that’d put the rawest of garage- venturing out into uncharacteristic Bizness, we have passed through the dwellers to shame, and Thomas’ waters for Pere Ubu. It’s juxtaposed swamp to the stratosphere and all voice sounds as thrillingly alien as on either side by Toe To Toe and points in between in the space of a ever. Swampland, two of the record’s single rock n’ roll record. Long may hardest hitting tracks. Both tracks But, there’s age in his voice now. Pere Ubu continue to bring us on short-sharp-shocks running under Thomas is on the wrong side of sixty such wondrous journeys. two minutes each. these days, and the cracks are by James Fleming starting to show. Making the record It’s in the second half of the album all the more compelling. This is the that things wander off deeper into the more than ten years service. So, this distant memory. All to soon we arrive Procol Harum – The “new” version of Procol Harem is at the final trio of songs: Whisky Queen’s Hall, actually more established than the Train, Conquistador and The Only original. One. The encore is, of course, Edinburgh inevitable. Perhaps no other band The set opens with the first song from has been associated with a single It doesn’t seem that long ago that the the new album. I Told On You is a song like Procul Harum have with A idea of rock stars in their seventies driving rocker, led by crunchy guitar Whiter Shade Of Pale. It’s an seemed ridiculous; rock and roll was riff from Whitehorn. Brooker’s voice association that I’m sure Brooker is a young man’s (and occasional is perhaps a little more fragile than in perfectly happy with – his wife walked woman’s) game. The boring old farts days gone by but it is still up the aisle to it when they were that punk had come to blow away in unmistakably his own. Next up, we married. Classics are classics for a 1976 were barely in their thirties, and are taken back to 1967 and the reason and the song retains all its the punks themselves are now band’s second single, Homburg with magic, even after fifty years. On the pensioners. Over the last few years its distinctive Hammond organ lines. evidence of tonight’s performance it I’ve seen some tremendous gigs from The remainder of the first set focuses looks like Brooker and the band have septuagenarian rockers: Daevid Allen on the new album, on the whole a a good few years left in them yet. and Gilli Smyth in Gong, Bryan Ferry, fine selection of songs, written by Roy Harper, Al Stewart – all turning in Brooker and former Cream lyricist, Set List performances that belie their years. Pete Brown. Brooker mentions that Josh Phillips has a wonderful new I Told on YouHomburg As Gary Brooker shuffles on stage, it Yamaha keyboard which can make Image of the Beast seems at first as if he he is carrying just about any sound you can his own years a little more heavily imagine. Puzzlingly, Phillips has Don’t Get Caught than any of those mentioned above. chosen to make it sound like a I’d read that he had injured his head particularly horrible 1980s’ digital Neighbour in a fall during the interval at an piano which, in my opinion at least, earlier gig at The Royal Festival Hall, detracts from many of the songs on Last Chance Motel reappearing for the second half with the new album. The songs Sunday Morning his head in bandages. There are no themselves though are fine and the bandages tonight, but he does seem first half of the gig serves as a Can’t Say That a little frail. Arranging some lyric showcase for them. Highlights sheets on his piano, Brooker explains include the weary tale of Last Chance A Salty Dog that he needs these for the material Motel and Image Of The Beast. Only Wall Street Blues from the new album, Novum, as the subpar Chas And Dave knees up tonight will be the first time that he of Neighbour lets the quality slide a Pandora’s Box has played them since they were little. The first set ends with one of recorded. This is not strictly true as a Procol Harem’s most enduring songs, An Old English Dream couple of the songs got an airing at A Salty Dog. Brooker’s opening that Royal Festival Hall gig but piano chords are slightly stilted but Grand Hotel tonight will be the debut for most of Geof Dunn captures original drummer As Strong as Samson them. BJ Wilson’s distinctively lop sided drum fills perfectly. Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of) As Brooker is the only original Procol Harum member in the band’s line up The second half of the show mines Whisky Train these days, it would be tempting to the band’s back catalogue for gems, dismiss the others as mere hired Wall Street Blues featuring Phillips’ Conquistador hands but guitarist Geoff Whitehorn Hammond organ. “We used to play and bassist Matt Pegg have been the big place down the road and The Only One with the band since the early 1990s arrive in limousines” says Brooker Encore and keyboard player Josh Phillips before launching into Grand Hotel. has also served time since 1993, This time he arrived on the shuttle A Whiter Shade of Pale leaving then rejoining in 2004. Even bus from the airport; the hedonistic new boy drummer, Geoff Dunn has exploits told in Grand Hotel are a John Scott as something modern. When Grooving loose as a pack of wild Live Review: Grand & Musicman played Cliff Burton’s iconic animals, Grand tore through a setlist Cúla Búla @ The bass riff from Metallica’s For Whom of some of the finest original roots- The Bell Tolls on his tin whistle, a music material on the Emerald Isle. Quays roar of recognition/approval rose from They delivered the pure, raw the congregation. Living, singing, adrenaline thrill of the finest rock n’ Bathed in blue stage lights, with the dancing proof that the lines between roll without an electric instrument ageing pipes of an old church organ sub-cultures have become so blurred having to grace the stage. looming impressively over them, Cúla as to be almost indistinct. Búla towered over the crowd upstairs Larynxes were shredded shouting at The Quays on a stage built at least It has been noted that the future of “HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HO!” during seven feet off the ground. music lies in the fusion of seemingly a storming rendition of Cab disparate genres together into Calloway’s Minnie The Moocher. Feet But never did they give the something simultaneously futuristic moved so fast on the floor it’s a impression they were looking down and classic, just like Cúla Búla’s trad wonder someone didn’t tear a upon us. No delusions of grandeur remix of Metallica. Or their rugged ligament. All the while, Grand’s here, barely even a folk-punk reimagining of House Of irresistible groove carried the performer/audience barrier. Clad in The Rising Sun. The future of the folk audience along on a cloud of pure ripped jeans and a grubby jumper, is in Cúla Búla’s safe, virtuoso hands. joy. vocalist and tin whistle-ist Bisckits Musicman – through audience “Move me, move me!” implored manipulation that would make vocalist Phil on one of Grand’s Enormodome veterans green with original songs. And how anyone envy – had the crowd stomping all could not be moved by the over the fine line between traditional immediate and intense bond Irish dancing and moshing. between Grand and the crowd is beyond comprehension. For who Bassist Luke Longarms hopped can resist the sexual sound of a down from his perch stage right to muted trumpet, hoisted into the demonstrate the finer points of ceilí stratosphere by the pure sound of a dancing with Musicman. Dance double bass? steps that were an enthralling cross between drunken frog-lurching and Well, no one bothered to try and find waltzing, kept in time by Tadhg out if they could resist it. We soared Kelly, who’s impeccable drumming through the night in a haze of dance lead the band through rhythmic Grand exceeded all the expectations and song. A real sense of community variations of trad, through punk, to that their self-deprecating name set. pervaded the venue throughout the reggae-inflected grooves. Melding everything wonderful about night. That wonderful synergy where roots music into a sound crisp and everyone knows that everyone else is And the crowd moved with Cúla Búla clear as an un-muddied lake, the simply out for a good time and no through these off-kilter shifts, flinging seven instrumentalists on stage one’s going to fuck it up for anyone bodies and limbs in time with the succeeded in perfectly else. ’Twas a beautiful thing to ever-changing beat. A sweat-soaked complementing each other’s playing, behold. mass of flying hair and ravaged rather than descending into a But it wouldn’t have happened livers. cacophonous wall of mushy sound. without the bands. Without them and The times they have a-changed. They didn’t take to the stage until the their arsenal of finely-honed tunes, Ergo, therefore, and hence, the folk witching hour and their party raged there would have been no night at all. music of the people has to have on into the wee hours of the morning. Just that horrible feeling of the changed with it. Cúla Búla are here to And though the floor was slick with absence of craic. play that music. beer-sweat and packed to capacity by James Fleming with bodies who had long since Celebrating in plainspoken, humble abandoned dancing in favour of terms the virtues of Cans At Dawn rhythmic thrashing, still we shouted and the reinvention of the traditional for more. about Martha’s fifth birthday party. It business with a selection of songs Martha Wainwright – seems unlikely that her line “I’ve been from throughout Martha’s catalogue. The Caves, Edinburgh doing too much blow” is a reflection Her band, Robin Dann on vocals, on the increased effort required to Thom Gill on keyboards and guitar, Martha Wainwright is a songwriter. extinguish the growing number of Phil Melanson on drums and Josh Her father, Loudon Wainwright is a candles on her birthday cakes as she Cole on bass provide a subtle, songwriter. Her mother, Kate gets older, but it is a song about understated backing for most of the McGarrigle was a songwriter. Her getting older and wiser. “I’ve been show before getting a little more gritty brother, Rufus Wainwright and half- doing too much blow, but now I only on the last few numbers. sister Lucy Wainwright Roche are do the show. I just want to get paid, I songwriters. Her aunts, Anna never get laid, they’re too afraid”. Franci gets another song dedicated McGarrigle and Sloane Wainwright to him, the gorgeous Francis written are songwriters. Her cousin Lily Traveller is a beautiful, uplifting song by Rufus. Martha tells us later that it Lankin is a songwriter. There is a about a friend dying from cancer, of had not escaped Arc’s attention that picture developing here; although not his journey carrying on after he his brother had two songs written for so much a picture as a family album. passes. Franci is, as Martha tells us him on her new album, so Window The Wainwright family have, in fact, “ written for a child that I can hear was written for him. The band leave recorded several family albums; right now”; her kids, seven year old the stage for a couple of solo writing songs with, and about, each Arc (short for Arcangelo) and three numbers and a duet with Thom Gill of other – often with a devastating year old Francis, have arrived today a song that Martha wrote with Ed honesty, sometimes using words as from New York and are peeking out Harcourt. It is the highlight of the weapons to wound. Her parents’ from a little doorway at the rear of the show, but unfortunately goes marriage and divorce is well- stage. Backing singer Robin rushes unnamed and doesn’t appear on the documented in song. When Martha off for a quick spot of babysitting set list. spent a year living with her father, at while Martha and the rest of the band A powerful version of Leonard a time when she was a self- carry on with Breathing All Over You Cohen’s Chelsea Hotel #2, followed confessed difficult teenager, he wrote from her second album I Know You’re by Martha’s own Window and Factory a song called I’d Rather Be Lonely. Married, But I Have Feelings Too. bring a cracking set to a close. Martha responded with a song of her A slight amount of confusion breaks Martha has come a long way since own entitled Bloody Mother Fucking out when the kids seem unwilling to she was five years old and I can’t Asshole. And yet, it has been said allow Robin to return to the stage and wait to hear where she’s going next. that the the only offence that can be so they are brought out onstage for caused in the Wainwright family is to an unplanned performance of a song write a poor-quality song. called Maybe by Arc – after the show, Songwriting is in Martha’s bones and Keep Up to Martha is keen to scribble the she is clearly her father’s daughter; addition onto the set list I’ve stolen she shares his smile and she does from the stage. Arc is a natural date with all that weird kicky leg thing when she performer, perhaps one day he will sings, just like he does. Fortunately, extend the arc of the Wainwright she hasn’t inherited that other weird the latest dynasty even further and I’ll write a thing he does with his tongue; Rufus review that starts: “Arc Wainwright is got that particular gene. a songwriter. His mother, Martha music news Martha opens tonight with a song of Wainwright is a songwriter…” Franci, her mother’s, I Am A Diamond. Its meanwhile, is content to roll around updated daily lines “I am a woman, I aim to the stage and climb on the monitors, achieve, I’ll eat the apple that was which was good enough for Jim offered to Eve” seem a fitting mission Morrison so is perfectly fitting for a on the Hifi Pig statement for tonight’s performance. three year old. Next up from Martha’s new album Show well and truly stolen (and Goodnight City is the opening track Website Martha clearly wouldn’t want it any Around The Bend. When I first saw other way, although she tells the kids one of her father’s gigs, he had just to get back in the dungeon and play recorded a song, Five Year’s Old, with the shackles), we get back to Click Here http://GadgetyNews.com Vodafone Smart V8 smartphone

The Vodafone Smart V8. Is the and bottom panels. It looks good The bottom has a microUSB new smartphone from the red and feels good. (oddly, not USB-C) flanked by network . I was there at its The official colour is Cold Metal. speaker grilles. launch and it felt pretty decent. I’m sure that I saw them play my The top edge keeps the home fires How does it fare when I’m sober local back in the 80s… burning for the standard 3.5mm though? Below its 16MP camera sits a headphone jack. The Vodafone Smart V8 is more fingerprint scanner. I really love Vodafone Smart V8 like the Ultra’s than the Platinum. this positioning. In fact, it fits rather nicely between performance the Ultra 7 and Platinum 7. The 5.5-inch screen sits in a fairly slim and light body, measuring In engine bay of this smartphone Thankfully, for those looking for just 7.99mm thin and weighing in is a Ford Flathead V8 which gives smartphone with big specs and at 166g. the phone its name. small price tag, the V8 edges more Actually, that would towards Ultra be silly. The V8 is pricing than the much more premium Platinum. realistically powered by the How does it Snapdragon 435 perform? SoC (1.4GHz Octa- Vodafone core). This is mated with 3GB of RAM Smart V8 and 32GB of build quality internal storage. There’s also a Before I was given memory card slot one to run away just in case things with (and return) I get snug over there was really in appsville. impressed when my Tech Addict buddy, Keeping everything Gareth, slapped the powered up is a V8 in my hand. non-removable 3,000mAh battery. It really feels like an expensive phone. Display The front face is The phone’s full- made from HD display is toughened 2.5D surprisingly crisp Dragontrail glass. That display boasts Full HD and detailed. I even Its rounded edges are pleasing to resolution (1080 x 1920 pixels) at convinced friends that it was the digits and makes for enjoyable 401 pixels per inch, which is Quad-HD for quite a while. touchscreen swiping. pretty decent to be honest. It’s good and bright. Not only that, The ZTE-cobbled Smart V8 has a Above the screen sits the 8MP the colours really pop more than diamond cut full metal body which front facing selfie snapper. the keyONE which has been my gives it a good weight. daily driver since picking it up. On the sides you get a volume The rear composite shell has a rocker on one, and the power I very much doubt that there’s a brushed effect finish and is button on the other. phone in this price bracket with a embellished by textured plastic top much better screen. http://GadgetyNews.com Vodafone Smart V8 smartphone

phone, for instance. The fingerprint reader can also be used to access your Private Space, lock apps, answer calls, take photos or to drag down the notification panel. If you don’t use the fingerprint sensor then you can activate the Double Tap to Wake feature. The Smart Lock can be activated in order to keep the phone unlocked in trusted places, when trusted devices are connected to it or when a trusted face or voice is recognised. Cameras The main camera is very responsive and has a large number of settings and filters, including an automatic HDR mode, super night, The latter, brings up handy tips if slow exposure, multi-exposure, Software you swipe right. This could be time lapse, slow motion, slow The Vodafone Smart V8 is loaded confusing for the likes of me who exposure (for capturing water with Android 7.1.1 Nougat was expecting Google Now. operating system. It will get Swiping left from Android O when it is released later the homescreen this year. However, I wasn’t able brings you a page to ascertain how soon after release. with a little Nougat is good though. You get to Vodafone hub be able to respond to notifications widget already from within the notification panel placed. This has itself, as well as multi-apping in shortcuts to your Split Screen mode. My Vodafone Further features include Google account, Voice Typing, Glide Typing, Tap Vodafone Wallet and Pay, Message+, Duo video (if installed), etc. calling and the Google Fit app. Fingerprint I love the fact that Vodafone have Sensor left the user interface pretty well The fingerprint alone. It looks and feels like stock sensor works Android which, for me, is brilliant. really well. Of course, there are some You are able to customisations with things like the add up to five camera app (taking a leaf out of fingerprints – the iOS style book) and the handy if you let launcher. your kids play games on your http://GadgetyNews.com Vodafone Smart V8 smartphone flow, car trails or star trails) and separately to make use panorama. of that particular feature. To be honest, I’ve only rattled off Vodafone a few shots in fully automatic mode. However, I have a feeling Smart V8 that this is how most people will review use the camera on the V8. Focus occurs quickly with Phase conclusion Detection Auto Focus technology The V8 feels nice and and there is a dual flash. that screen is something A quick launch feature (double tap to behold. the volume key) gets you ready to The camera is shoot quickly. impressive too, even in You can get pro results by making auto mode. Those that use of the level guide and metering get caught up in features if you are so inclined. The Specification Top GIF Maker (using up to 50 photos) Trumps might be sniffy is fun for your socials. I can also about the Snapdragon see the Collage Maker being a 435. In the end, it’s their winner for Facebookers, loss. Instagrammers and Tweeters alike. Yes, it is pretty entry Video recording is limited to level but it still performs 1080p. You were really expecting well and gives you 4K at this price point? easily a day from a full battery charge. People When shooting selfies, you can have sniggered at the make use of the wide selfie mode, 635 chip in the keyONE smile detection, V gesture and but most days I don’t contender for best budget blower beauty face features. have to recharge when I go to bed. for 2017. I have been kind to you all and not This is really handy for folk like posted any of my narcissistic me that are almost constantly Vodafone Smart V8 updating their social networks. gurning on here. price and availability Battery True, if you like your mobile games graphically intensive this The Smart V8 retails for £160 on The Vodafone Smart V8’s might seem the one for you. PAYG. Told you it was a bargain. 3,000mAh battery is a good However, friends have tested it capacity in all. You should be able Alternatively, opt for the £19 per and it actually booted games faster month contract and get unlimited to reach the end of the day before than the Nexus 6P – and played it needs a recharge. texts, 500 minutes and 500MB of them! data. However, if things start looking a Additionally, what if I told you Overall score 8.3 bit sketchy on the charging front, that the V8 on Pay As You Go you can make the most of the plus a Nintendo Switch still comes Build quality 8/10 power reserves by the using the in at under £450? Power Manager feature. Design 8/10 Just one question though, Ease of use 8.5/10 The Smart V8 is Qualcomm Vodafone. Why microUSB and QuickCharge 2.0 compatible. This not USB-C? Performance 8/10 is great news, although you will need to purchase a quick charger That aside, I really think that Value 9/10 Vodafone might well have a http://GadgetyNews.com STM Kings backpack

STM make awesome bags. I actually own two. So, when they asked if I wanted to take a look at one of their latest, I jumped at the chance. I have been using an STM Drifter for the last 18 months and love the thing. When I need to look a little more professional I also own an STM Trust messenger bag. That one is coming up to being a year old soon. Neither of the bags I have in regular use (the Drifter is used at least 5 days a week) look any worse for the wear. What I like about STM bags are the many pockets, and the little details. How does the Kings laptop backpack stack up? STM Kings design This laptop backpack has been Moving onto the bigger pockets, This pouch is designed to house designed to accommodate 15-inch STM really thought about your your portable charger, making it laptops plus cables, a tablet and tech when it came to the Kings. easy for you to charge your mobile other stuff that you might need. There are two pockets that will devices. Being gadgety, we need to take take tablets or notebooks. My recently acquired charger is a lots of stuff. So, we need many beast though so I made use of the pockets. The Kings does not The main pocket will be the home for your laptop. “Stash” bag. If you have a more disappoint. compact power bank, the Stash Pockets aplenty This features the new SlingTech bag would happily look after protection. cables and the like instead. On the front, there are two pockets What this means is that, instead of – one smaller pocket at the top and Oh, there are also little metal your laptop resting against the another pocket with the zipper grommets that allow you to pass bottom of the bag, it’s actually facing off to the right. cables from your charger to the suspended. So, no more clunking pocket where your devices will This larger pocket can perhaps your laptop down against the floor live. Yup, charging on the go take a couple of shorthand pads or when you put your bag down. without having to just bundle paperback books. There are also But wait, there’s more! everything in the main section. pen slots in there. You could even slip in a slender tracking device in If you look at the inside of this In all, there are 12 pockets! to the smaller internal pocket. main pocket, you may notice some Construction orange cable clips that follow After using the Kings for a few alongside the edges of that pocket. The outer water-resistant polyester days I discovered a further two shell has a canvas-y feel to it. It side pockets. These are angled Following this cabling path down feels purposeful, without being too towards the wearer. Handy for to the bottom of the bag and you’ll utilitarian. sunglasses and the like. find a smaller pocket nestled against the left side. http://GadgetyNews.com STM Kings backpack

The Kings features “breathable kids) in its mailer box. Yeah, I The straps are comfy and well Airmesh fabric” which helps to tend to get records delivered to adjustable. The Kings is also ensure that your back and work instead of home since the slightly curved which also helps shoulders won’t get sweaty. time I came home to see one with the comfort rating. As you would expect, the arm ‘posted’. By that I mean one The side pockets will take a water straps are padded and don’t cause corner of it was shoved in to the bottle. I am guessing that the any issues from rubbing. letter box leaving the other 90% of designers just didn’t want an it hanging out in the elements. The main tech compartment unsightly plastic bottle outside benefits from extra padding on the The Drifter can take a record their lovely bag. corners, as well as having that easily, but this is mainly due to it clever SlingTech. STM Kings The curvy straps, including an adjustable review sternum strap makes for conclusion comfy lugging. When/if my Drifter finally decides to retire I STM Kings would gladly have a performance Kings. It looks great, feels great The front main pocket and takes a great deal of is typically cavernous. stuff. Stuff That Matters Great for picking up (STM). some last minute If only it could take an groceries or for stowing LP that’s in its card your gym kit, if you are mailer, then it would be that way inclined. perfect. The cable routing is a genius idea. I had my USB-C cable threaded STM Kings to the front top outer pocket so I can charge one of my having just one large main price and availability phones. The other output from my compartment. The Kings has two. The Kings pack comes in power bank was used for a Is the Kings perfect? Well, not botanical green, china blue, microUSB-ended cable. This was quite. I am now used to having a tornado grey, and desert brown. threaded to the rear to supply juice little external pouch for a bottle to my Shield tablet. Neat. You can grab one now from and another for a brolly. Are these Amazon UK for £99. I really do like the suspended deal breakers? Hell no! The Kings SlingTech of this backpack. Too more than makes up for those little many times have I misjudged how niggles. Overall score 8.8 far away the floor is, or how heavy Comfort my bag is, only to crunch my Build quality 9/10 Yoga 2 Pro to the deck. I have had the Kings loaded with Design 8.5/10 laptop, tablet, DSLR camera, STM really do put a lot of thought action cam and gimbal, pens, Comfort 9/10 in to their designs. Although, one cables, charger, notepad, jacket Performance 9/10 thing my Drifter can do that the and brolly and happily walked for Kings can’t, even though the a couple of hours across town. Value 8.5/10 Kings is technically bigger, is fit a 12-inch record (vinyl to you crazy http://GadgetyNews.com BenQ BL2706HT business monitor

When BenQ through crisp and asked if I’d take clear. a look at their Ergonomics BL2706HT business monitor As alluded to I said yes, and early, the stand then almost allows for immediately 140mm of height regretted it. adjustment, 45- degrees of swivel Now, that’s not to in either direction say I don’t rate and 20-degrees of BenQ’s monitors. backwards and Far from it. You 5-degrees just have to look forwards. at the previous panels we’ve had Frankly, that’s through here. something I only Most, if not all, do expect from more exactly as they expensive promise. monitors. Add in to that the option of having it But, and be honest now, how It might not be white-knuckle ride portrait or landscape orientations, many of you would get excited by mind-blowing, but it is a decent then the BL2706HT is already waiting for a “business monitor” looking monitor. I am digging the looking good. to arrive? Perxactly. coloured highlights in the stand Furthermore, you are also given a So, was it worth the wait or as cut-out and hook at the rear. 178-degree viewing angle. Now, I bland as it sounded? BenQ BL2706HT haven’t measured this myself, but Read on gadgety faithful. you could easily get a bunch of performance folk around this to show off your BenQ BL2706HT The 16:9 ratio 27-inch full HD latest PowerPoint presentation and design (1920×1 080) IPS The BL2706HT is a 27-inch panel is monitor. Even though it has been equipped designed with offices in mind, it with an looks pretty good. anti-glare You have a “frameless” design – matte finish so extremely skinny bezels on that three sides and a neat looking actually stand. works. The edge-to-edge full HD IPS Even in full panel saves you around 40mm of view of real estate. That’s got to be worth sunlight, something, right? the screen The stand gives you all manner of remains adjustments, not to mention the viewable. option to spin it to portrait. Input- Contrast is wise you get the standard HDMI, impressive VGA and DVI. Remember, this and colours has been built with work in mind. come http://GadgetyNews.com BenQ BL2706HT business monitor all will be able to be amazed by its BL2706HT review the BL2706HT makes a decent fist glory. at first person shooters. Eye care conclusion All-in-all, I find very little to If this was strapped to my office knock about this office-friendly By now you should be used to the desk, I would be more than happy. display. fact that BenQ tends to pack their screens with stuff that’s kind to The BL2706HT is adjustable and BL2706HT price and your peepers. Well, the possesses excellent viewing BL2706HT is not different. angles. availability Granted, this might be a budget- Editing video and stills on it has Now, this is where everything I’ve friendly office monitor but it still been trouble free. This is partly said comes in to focus. packs a flicker-free display. This due to the decent colour You can buy this monitor now means your boss can get more reproduction and contrast, but also from Amazon UK for £190! hours out of you though, thanks to the anti-glare finish. that pesky steady light source. Yup, 27-inches of Full HD on a It might not be up there with the fully adjustable stand for less than There’s also Low Blue Light. You gaming monitors I’ve tested, but 200 notes. get to choose between Multimedia, Web Surfing or Office. Blue light has been connected to sleep Overall score 8.3 disruption, amongst other things. Build quality 8/10 Gaming Design 8.5/10 With a 6ms typical Ease of use 8.5/10 grey-to-grey response 8/10 time I wasn’t Performance expecting much. Value 8.5/10 However, for jumping on for a quick game at lunch time, it’s not bad. I wouldn’t want to spend hours on it gaming, but those who hop on and off between writing blogs, say, it’s capable. Competitive gamers might want more though. In-game colours are vibrant and the contrast is ok, especially as this is supposed to be something for the office. http://GadgetyNews.com Pioneer XDP-30R DAP

We liked the Pioneer XDP 100R, even at £500. Can the XDP-30R fill us with similar joy for less money? Digital audio players (DAP), to some, might seem like a regres- sive move. We had portable cas- sette players, portable CD players, portable MiniDisc players and then MP3 players. But then we had smartphones. So, why go back to carrying a It looks nice, feels nice and Line out phone and a music player? doesn’t weigh a tonne, tipping the Some of the more recent phones scales at a mere 120g. If you want to plug the player di- can play high-resolution files and rectly in to an amp, you can. even pack a decent DAC (digital Pioneer XDP-30R You can even bypass the integrat- analogue convertor) or two. performance ed volume control so that the amp becomes the master. The thing is, most specialist DAPs As you would expect from a spe- will leave the average smartphone cialist DAP, the XDP-30R will Just, if you decide to do this, make dead in the water. play PCM files up to 32 sure your headphones are no long- Pioneer XDP-30R bit/192kHz and double speed er plugged in. DSD. Also, thanks to an August De(a)finitely ensure you’re not design update, it will even unpack your wearing the headphones. MQA files and play them too. The angular 2.5- x 3.7- x 0.6-inch You can even hook up the XDP- (WxHxD) aluminium frame is It doesn’t only have to be files 30R to your system wirelessly via reminiscent of other portable stored on the player either. Bluetooth. DAPs, which is no bad thing. Streaming is taken care of by Tid- al, Deezer and Tunein support DACs Along the top you get the option being•built-in. of 2.5mm 4-pole balanced and … and here is where the magic regular 3.5mm headphone jacks as Storage happens. well as the power button. As with the XDP-100R, in-built Under the hood are the tasty twins On the right side you have the vol- storage is a tad stingy at only – SABRE ES9018C2M DACs. ume wheel and lock switch. 16GB. Sling a few FLACs on They are accessorised by a right lovely pair of ES9601 amplifier Over on the left side there’s the there and you’ll soon be out of space. chips. The channel layout is kept play/pause, forward and reverse symmetrical to help stereo imag- buttons and a pair of mini SD However, thanks to those two ing. slots. mini-SD card slots you can boost the capacity by another 400GB of Pioneer obviously cares and has On the bottom edge is a mi- gone to the trouble of specifying croUSB port for charging and memory. That should be enough for most music-lovers on the go. two clocks: one for the 44.1kHz slinging more tunes on the player. family of sampling rates and the The front is dominated by the 2.4- File transfer other for 48kHz and its multiples. inch touchscreen display. Whereas Plug the player in to your PC via According to those in the know, around the rear well, what can I the USB port and it appears as a this reduces jitter errors. For the say? Curiously, they have gone for mass storage device. likes of me, this should result in a white plastic back on the silver Simply copy your album folders better sound. version. The black version is all across to the XDP-30R and Wil- black, except for the gold bits. liam is your mother’s brother. http://GadgetyNews.com Pioneer XDP-30R DAP

Other mention-worthy stuff full cans in the home and IEMs some of the music I listen to. when out and about.• Using the The 1630mAh battery gives I moved between Oppo PM-1 gain enables you to get better around 15 hours of use before (open back full headphones), Op- matching between the XDP-30R needing a recharge. Naturally, this po PM-3 (closed back full head- and your headphones. will be plus or minus depending phones), Noble Savanna IEMs and on headphones and volume levels If you find that the output isn’t the player was able to drive them used. loud enough, head here first. all remarkably well. The amps in this little unit do really well. If you want to keep the Pioneer in Tracks your pocket or bag, there’s an app Pioneer XDP-30R for that. This dedicated app allows ‘Money’ from Pink Floyd was on the unit to be controlled from your first, totally randomly. The cash review conclusion register rang through crisp and phone. I have really enjoyed my time with sharp, but not harsh. Then, Rog- the XDP-30R. Controlling the volume with that er’s bassline slinked in - expres- lovely wheel is precise and enjoy- sive, round with plenty of air It does perform really well, looks able. around it. great and has all the right kit. The player is easy to use and, typing In use Selecting Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The aside, intuitive to navigate. The 2.4-inch touchscreen is big Chain’ and the clear and crisp atti- enough, just about. Its 320 x 240 tude continues.. For me, the XDP-30R might be too nice. Saying that, if clarity, resolution handles song titles and The pocket Pioneer does a great emotion and smooth delivery are the like well. Album art is a little job in retaining detail. The player top essentials, you really should blocky, but it’s not bad enough for has good musicality with instru- check out the XDP30-R it to be a deal-breaker. ments allowed their own space The important thing is that the whilst remaining in concert. keep- Price and availability screen is responsive. It reacts well ing a steady hold of the song’s to scrolling and selecting. various instrumental strands. You can buy the XDP-30R right now for £350. Although, it did take me a few at- Vocals are equally looked after. tempts to punch in my home’s Wi- Whether its Clutch vocalist Neil Overall score 8.3 Fi password. The reason for this is Fallon growling through ‘Blast Build quality 8/10 that the on-screen keyboard has, to Tyrant’ or Kate Bush taking us Design 8.5/10 me, an odd way of flicking be- through a summer’s day in Aerial. tween upper and lower case. Most noticeable in rockier and Ease of use 8.5/10 You see, you have to select the punchier tracks is the XDP-30R’s Performance 8.5/10 letter and then hit the shift key. almost laid-back personality. This Value 8/10 I’m sure it’s in the instructions isn’t always a good somewhere but, I’m a bloke. thing. Sound quality There seems to be an almost lack of urgency The XDP-30R offers a number of in some tracks. I’m not filter and EQ settings to play saying that it doesn’t around with. None of these dra- sound nice. In fact, matically hassle your audio, but that’s exactly how it you may find having a quick play sounds. Nice. worthwhile. At least Pioneer real- ises that we all have slightly dif- It’s not lacking in dy- ferent expectations from our namism, it just seems audio. to smooth the edges a little bit too much for The gain setting is a useful touch, especially if you wear, let’s say, http://GadgetyNews.com Hohem HG5 Pro action cam gimbal

Hohem wasn’t a brand at the unscrews and houses soon get used to it. Even more-so, forefront of my mind, I will be the•2000mAh rechargeable and in fact, you become reliant on it. honest. But their HG5 action removable battery. The 5-way joystick control is a camera gimbal looks pretty The battery is charged via a huge bonus. This allows you to good. microUSB port on the side of the smoothly pan the camera through I’ve been considering buying a handle. They even include a cable 360-degrees as well as being able gimbal to help improve my video in the carrying case. to sweep up or down. capturing. Lucky for me then that I have shot Hohem Tech some test released the video which HG5 Pro you can find handheld gimbal on earlier this year. GadgetyNews It not only .com. The boasts full 360 gimbal pans degree really movement smoothly through 3-axes, using the but an app joystick. remote control. Also, my Let’s see how it usual shaky- handles. cam technique has Hohem almost totally HG5 Pro been removed. design At the base of the handle is a That’s thanks to the gimbal. standard thread to allow the HG5 The HG5 Pro can be used with the to be mounted on a tripod. Modes GoPro Hero 2, 3, 4, 5 models and will work with other cameras of a The whole thing feels substantial You can access three different similar size and weight. and it has prompted a number of modes through a single, double or admiring inquiries when I’ve used triple press of the joystick button. I have been using it with the it. iSAW Edge. · Panning Mode: The action The gimbal is actually presented in Hohem HG5 Pro camera can move to left or a neat semi-hard case. You may performance right smoothly by hand. have noticed that I have removed a The pitch and roll Having never used a gimbal thin section of the padding from directions are fixed. the case. This is so I could squeeze before, it took a few moments to the gimbal in with my camera get to grips with it. Yes, there are · Panning and Pitching mounted. I believe the GoPros are instructions, but where’s the fun in Mode: The action camera a little shorter so this wouldn’t be that? can move to left or right and pitch up and down an issue if you have one of those. It is remarkably easy to use. smoothly by hand. The I have the orange version (as you Firstly, I found its 3-axis rolling direction is fixed. can see) here for review and, stabilisation really impressive. against the black of the rest of the · Lock Mode: The action Being able to move around easily device, looks very cool. camera stays in its current whilst not really having to orientation. The panning, The metal handle is diamond-cut concentrate on keeping everything pitching and rolling and offers decent grip. This steady is unusual at first. But, you directions are all fixed. http://GadgetyNews.com Hohem HG5 Pro action cam gimbal

Hohem Gim Set app What would a piece of gadge be without an app? Well, the Hohem HG5 Pro has one. This app allows you to control the gimbal remotely. Furthermore, it allows you to customise a variety of settings too. The app syncs with the gimbal via Bluetooth. In the app you get a virtual joystick which commands the same movements as the device’s own joystick. It also has a shortcut for 180-degree panning. It also has a shortcut for 180- degree panning. You are also able to access the three modes mentioned earlier. These all really come in to their own if you’re using the HG5 on a These include Follow Speed, videos being smooth, stable and tripod. Joystick Speed, and Follow Dead almost professional looking. Area settings. The latter has Finally, but perhaps more nothing to do with zombies, by- Hohem HG5 Pro importantly, the app also allows the-way. you to personalise a whole raft of price and availability parameters. Hohem HG5 Pro The HG5 Pro is available right now in orange or green from review conclusion Amazon. Impressive. Yes, It is currently priced at £190 with Hohem has free delivery if you’ve got Prime. impressed me with their HG5 Pro gimbal. Overall score 8.6 As soon as I Build quality 8.5/10 unzipped the case I thought that this Design 8.5/10 was going to be a Ease of use 8.5/10 class bit of gear. Performance 8.5/10 Holding it, it feels quality. Value 9/10 In use it is intuitive and does exactly as it promises. However, where the HG5 Pro proves its worth is through your http://GadgetyNews.com AOC AGON AG272FCX curved monitor

We had the 35-inch AG352UCG There’s the option for mounting Making it look more streamlined AOC gaming monitor in using its VESA 100 x 100mm is the AOC “three-side frame- recently. Since then, AOC pattern. less” design. released the Agon AG322QCX As with the 35-incher we had, the Agon AG272FCX and AG272FCX. We have been bottom bezel and the stripes at gaming with the smaller of the back have RGB LED lights that performance two. you can choose to match your rig. The AG272FCX’s MVA panel Both of the new offers monitors landed impressive on the shelves in 178-degree May. The only viewing difference angles. between the two Furthermore, lies in the screen gamers will size and the appreciate the resolution. 4ms response The AOC time and AG272FCX 144Hz refresh features Full HD rate. resolution, a 27- This 27-inch inch screen, AOC display 144Hz refresh is also loaded rate,AdaptiveS with FreeSync ync (FreeSync), tech which is and extensive great news for ergonomic those rocking options as well as compatible numerous AMD exclusive gaming graphics features. They also have three different cards. Agon AG272FCX levels of brightness. Being an Nvidia gamer, I was not design Connectivity comes by way of two able to enjoy the dynamic refresh HDMI, one DisplayPort, and one rate on this occasion. I should The design of the AOC Agon VGA port. There are also two really look in to building an AMD AG272FCX is shared across the USB 3.0 ports, one of which has rig for times like this. current Agon line. This is a good fast charging capacity. The AOC Agon AG272FCX thing. Additionally, there is an audio FreeSync monitor is flicker-free You get the handy flip-out headset line-out, and a microphone line and offers the AOC Low Blue holder. The weighty arched tripod out/in port. Rounding things off is Light Filter which eliminates the stand terminates in a carrying the audio line-in port for the 2x3W harmful blue lights and allows you handle at the top. built-in speakers. to play for hours to an end without straining your eyes. The stand also offers a range of The monitor comes bundled with ergonomic options including 30 one of AOC’s QuickSwitch Image quality degrees of swivel to the left and keypads. This controller allows AOC haven’t let us down yet and right, -5.5, 28 degrees for tilting, you to effortlessly run through the they continue to bring the goods and up to 110mm for height OSD settings and its features. It with the AG272FCX. adjust. also enables you to swiftly switch between the viewing presets. Contrast delivers incredibly deep inky black tones. Colours are http://GadgetyNews.com AOC AGON AG272FCX curved monitor

vibrant and cover 100% of the smooth performer without it. I can for compromises. Saying that, this sRGB gamut. only imagine how much better is a gaming monitor and, as such, Moreover, add in the 4ms FreeSync would make the does a really good job at it. response time•and 144Hz refresh experience. Granted, most pro gamers will still rate and you’ve got all the Some classic Black Ops II action prefer a TN panel monitor due to important boxes ticked. with everything ramped up proved the faster response times but most The AOC Agon AG272FCX, of slickly presented. of us will still get a lot out of this course, packs AOC Shadow Backgrounds whizzed by and display. Even more-so if you have Control, Low Input Lag Mode, rendered quickly. an AMD GPU. and customisable gaming modes. Moving on to Rocket League and If you want some G-Sync action The shadow control feature offers the colours really do pop in this with added 4K in a 27-inch increased visibility in the dark cartoon-y carball game. monitor, check out our review of the AG271UG. scenes of the video games by This is a fast moving title and I brightening up the screen when didn’t notice any nasty tearing, Agon AG272FCX it’s needed. Low input lag mode stuttering or blurring even without further decreases the input lag for the aid of FreeSync. price and availability the most responsive gameplay. Responsiveness was impressive You can buy the AG272FCX now Depending on the genre of the across the board. for £339 from Amazon. game that you’re playing, you can use the already calibrated picture Agon AG272FCX Overall score 8.5 settings for difference scenarios review conclusion such as Racing, FTS, and RTS, or Build quality 8.5/10 you can make your own. The AOC Agon AG272FCX Design 8.5/10 The curvature of the display isn’t offers everything that most players that aggressive either. At only will need for an immersive gaming Ease of use 8.7/10 1800mm it doesn’t distort your experience. Performance 8.5/10 view pleasure but is still enough While the high-contrast and for an improved immersive colour-accurate VA panel ensures Value 8.5/10 gameplay experience. great image quality, the high Gaming refresh rate and FreeSync tech provides a fluid performance. As mentioned earlier, I was not able to enjoy the benefits of The subtle curvature allows the AdaptiveSync. However, the AOC AG272FCX to be used as a AGON AG272FCX proved to be a regular monitor without the need http://GadgetyNews.com F-Secure Sense secure router

I was invited to visit Helsinki, Finland, to learn about F- Secure’s new home security device. This is the first hardware product from the company best known for anti-virus software, and it’s called Sense. The trip wasn’t only enjoyable, but I also felt that I learned quite a bit. Mostly, how unsecure most of our Internet of Things (IoT) are. F-Secure’s Chief Research Officer, Mikko Hypponen, explained that a firewall is the The Wi-Fi specification is good blocked on that device as well as only way to protect the connected but not necessarily class leading any tracking that has been home. with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz, blocked. You know the kind of things; 5GHz, AC 1750. It shows you the basic device smart devices such as alarms, It’s a well-made, good looking details including IP etc, and you cameras, switches, washing wireless router. can block the internet from each machines or pretty much anything device individually. that connects to the internet. Sense set-up There are very limited settings In fact, Mikko believes that every You set Sense up via an iOS or available through the app. Unlike appliance we buy will be online in Android device. other routers, you can’t get to a few years’ time. Simply install the Sense app and further features via a web browser Not only because we’ll expect then follow several easy steps to version. The app is it. I guess it’s everything to have an app, but create the Sense network. more secure that way. because vendors will be able to Once you have downloaded the You can, however, set a few use or sell the analytics. app you need to press the blue network things: IP address, DHCP button on the router. range. There is the option to F-Secure Sense configure port forwarding. design Sense will then display a four-digit code. Just input that code into your You can also set the brightness of The anti-virus Fins obviously were phone. the display, which normally just looking for an original design for shows the time of day. You can rename the Sense Wi-Fi Sense. network name and change the The app is really easy to navigate The white, typically Scandinavian, password. It will be of no surprise and setting Sense up shouldn’t clean design will fit in with most that the suggested password is real really take more than 10 minutes- homes. secure – but hardly memorable. or-so. The front panel even hides a neat The device you use to setup Sense Sense performance display. This usually shows the becomes the sole admin device. time but will also indicate other It’s good to keep that in mind. Sense creates a secure WiFi things too. network within your home Once I was up and running, I network. Simple and effective. started connecting devices to the Sense network. Each device you You get the usual 2.4GHz and Around the rear are 4 Ethernet 5GHz frequency options, which is ports (3xLAN, 1xWAN) and a connect shows up as a protected device in the Sense app. cool. I am using the Sense router USB 3 port. There is also a little purely for my networked cameras, blue button that comes in to its When you click on the device you Echo Dot and anything else in a own during set-up. can see what threats have been Smart Home stylee. http://GadgetyNews.com F-Secure Sense secure router

During use the Sense performs just As you can imagine, while we secure themselves against as you would expect any other were at F-Secure HQ, a number of nefarious techies. router would. these were brought up during the Let’s face it, with the recent news Wireless range is better than I was Q&A. The general response was that many Virgin, BT, Sky and expecting for something with that it was coming soon, but TalkTalk routers have a serious internal aerials, to be honest. without a specific time-frame. security issue, it is obvious that we Testing its ability to detect and The ones that stuck out for me can’t simply put our trust in our block malware, however, is tricky. were: service providers. The main reason being that I am a · The device has a USB port We also have practically daily tad gun shy at exposing myself to but at the moment no USB news of cyber security issues – the malware, funnily enough. host facility like NAS etc. likes of WannaCry and Petya, for Thankfully, F-Secure has two test · Lacks port aggregation for example. It certainly seems like domains unsafe.fstestdomain.com compatible NAS (a shame we need something like the F- and gambling.fstestdomain.info. as they showed how easy it Secure Sense fighting our corner right now. Their URLs are self-explanatory: was to hack a QNAP NAS The gambling one allows a page to like mine!) It might be lacking some things load fine, because Sense doesn’t · No quality of service you’d expect from a top router, but block gambling. However, with (QoS) settings then it packs peace of mind. the unsafe URL, the Sense router · Missing a guest Wi-Fi F-Secure Sense price blocks the URL on all my devices. option and availability Unfortunately, from what I can tell · No WPS – to be fair, this is from the app, there’s no way to most likely a deliberate You can buy the F-Secure Sense whitelist a blocked URL. move as WPS is a major right now direct from F-Secure for You can see all the details in the security risk £169. app but it won’t let you whitelist That price includes a 1 year it. This probably won’t actually be F-Secure Sense subscription (value £102) to all an issue for most, but I think review conclusion security features at home and on having this as an option under an the go. I will admit right now, I am no ‘Advanced’ tab would be a nice Overall score 8.7 touch. cyber security expert. I am, however, aware of the risks our Build quality 9/10 Missing links love of connected devices poses to While the Sense stands as the most the average household. Design 8.5/10 advanced consumer security router At the heart of most new tech, is Ease of use 9/10 you can buy now, there are still that it’s designed to work with Performance 8.5/10 bits missing. Things that we come little or no technical expertise. to expect on our standard routers. Unfortunately, our trust in gadge Value 8.5/10 For a start, just 3 LAN ports is a could leave us bit stingy. open to having these gaps Granted, some of these features exploited. will have been dropped as security risks. Although, some appear to This is where have been left out in order to get the Sense router the product to market to beat comes in. competitors. For instance, I know Again, with BullGuard’s Dojo isn’t the same, little or no but it still is there to protect your firewall IoT. knowledge, homes can