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EXCLUSIVE Great start Mojo magic Audio-TechnicaA deck packs Chord’s pocket-sized built-inb phono stage & USB headphone amp & DACC PASSION FOR SOUND Issue No. 405 January 2016 WIN! MunroSonic EGG100, DAC & cans Big Bang worth BeoLabL b 9090 milestoneil Play it £2,000 Terrific tweaks smart Four easy upgrades Sonos multi-room speakers: intelligent wireless audio WALK OF LIFE Sony’s versatile hi-res Walkman PRODUCTS28 ON TEST: Focal, Heed, Marantz, Naim, Pioneer & Rega PRINTED IN THE UK US$13.99 US$13.99 PRINTED IN THE UK £4.50 2016 JANUARY JANU ARY 2016 2016 ARY Silence GROUP TEST is golden USB DACs £4. AKG’s flagship N90Q Six digital converters 50 noise-cancelling cans for 24/192 & DSD audio Criterion Audio is a new, premium hi-fi dealer in Cambridge. From vinyl and valves to the latest in streaming and head- phones, we can help you find the perfect audio system to suit your budget and needs. We have a wide range of carefully selected products: from familiar brands to amazing manufacturers you will not find anywhere else in the UK. Come visit us and listen in one of our purpose-built demo rooms or relax in our dedicated headphone lounge. www.criterionaudio.com [email protected] 01223 233730 clearaudio INTRODUCTION PASSION FOR SOUND Welcome www.hifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 405 January 2016 Sonos may not be a brand that many readers will associate with what we as audio fans term ‘high fidelity’, so why is its latest Play:5 speaker on the cover of Hi-Fi Choice magazine? I am sure most of us would agree that streaming speakers are not something we’d swap our setup of carefully 60 considered hi-fi separates for, but I can easily see a Fostex place for this kind of streaming speaker system in other PX-5HS rooms around the house. Sonos is almost synonymous with multi-room audio and has captured the market thanks to its seamless control and integration, and has pretty much managed to set the benchmark for affordable music streaming around the home. Despite the company’s resistance to hi-res audio, its newly launched Play:5 raises the sound quality bar and 54 whether you’re a newbie or hardcore quality-audio fan Heed with a separates hi-fi setup, the Play:5 – reviewed on Elixir page 52 – sure makes the music sound sweet, thanks to its innovative room-tuning tech. For those interested in a more traditional hi-fi brand, turn to page 64 where we visit hi-fi stalwart Bang & Olufsen in Denmark as it celebrates its 90th anniversary with the launch of its BeoLab 90 speaker that creates 3600 sound. The distinctive-looking speaker breaks with design convention, and like the Sonos also utilises 100 sophisticated sound-tuning tech to compensate for Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Segal placement and room acoustics. It just goes to show Musique De Nuit that not all speakers are built the same. BADGES EXPLAINED Lee Dunkley Editor OUR AWARDS Follow us: EDITOR’S RECOMMENDED: GROUP TEST twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk CHOICE: Products that WINNER: Awarded to those we feel meet a Comparative tests products that are high standard of can only have one judged to deliver performance winner, and this outstanding badge says it all! ENTERPRISE HOUSE, ENTERPRISE WAY, performance Ballaké & Vincent picture credit: Claude Gassian credit: picture & Vincent Ballaké EDENBRIDGE, KENT TN8 6HF JANUARY 2016 3 Contentshifichoice.co.uk Issue No. 405 January 2016 NEWS & OPINION GROUP TEST WIN! MunroSonic 6 Audiofile Six digital-to-analogue EGG100, DAC The latest news on the hottest products and headphone from the world of hi-fi coming your way 28 converters are put to 18 Webwatch the test to see which page 120! Essential websites to direct your browser will reveal itself to be towards for all your hi-fi requirements the next hi-res hero 69 Letters Put your points of view and queries on audio matters to our team of experts 79 Opinion The Hi-Fi Choice team say it as they see it as they discuss the issues of the day 99 Music Reviews The month’s essential new CD, vinyl and hi-res releases given a work out READER SERVICES 122 Reader Classifieds Sell your unwanted hi-fi for FREE here 124 Back Issues Get your hands on old copies you missed 130 Next Issue The sonic treats to look out for next month FEATURES 12 Show Report See what you missed out on when The Hi-Fi Show Live opened its doors 64 64 Bang & Olufsen We pay a visit to B&O’s Danish HQ to find out all about the new BeoLab 90 speaker 90 Beautiful System Naim and Focal combine for a setup that’s both convenient and sounds amazing 94 Labelled With Love Tune into the far-our frequencies of maverick Texan label International Artists 118 Jason Bradbury The Gadget Show presenter talks about 6 99 his passion for all things analogue Audiofile: Elac Debut Series loudspeakers Music Reviews: Bob Dylan 4 JANUARY 2016 CONTENTS JANUARY 2016 “Placing a needle on a piece of vintage plastic is so real, 109 it imbues music with a IK Multimedia iLoud speaker warmth and personality” Jason Bradbury Interview p118 TESTED THIS MONTH 58 22 Audio-Technica AT-LP5 turntable package Sony NW-ZX2 Digital Audio Player REVIEWS MINI TEST Kit testing Hi-fi upgrades £10-£195 22 Sony 102 Analogue Studio NW-ZX2 Digital Audio Player Crystal Glass Turntable Platter Mat 46 AKG 103 Lindy N90Q noise-cancelling headphones 6-way AV Mains Conditioner Power Strip (Exotica) 103 Blue Horizon 50 Chord Electronics Sanctum Isolation Platform Mojo headphone amplifier/DAC 104 Avid HiFi 52 Sonos Sieveking Sound RCA End Caps Play:5 wireless multi-room loudspeaker 54 Heed Elixir integrated amplifier CHOICE 58 Audio-Technica AT-LP5 direct-drive turntable package EXTRAS 60 Fostex 107 BK Electronics 46 PX-5HS active standmount loudspeaker P12-300SB subwoofer 88 JBE 109 IK Multimedia AKG N90Q noise-cancelling headphones Series III turntable (Retro) iLoud Bluetooth desktop loudspeaker 110 Analogue Studio GROUP TEST Anti-static Record Cleaning Arm Home USB DACs £500-£800 110 TCI 31 Marantz HD-DAC1 Temple Constrictor Mains Powerlead 33 Musical Fidelity 113 Russ Andrews MX-DAC SilverStreak interconnect 35 Optoma NuForce DAC80 115 Radius 37 Pioneer U-05 NePlayer iOs hi-res player 52 39 Pro-Ject DAC Box RS 115 Chord Company 41 Rega DAC-R Clearway Speaker Cable Sonos Play:5 wireless loudspeaker Never miss an issue – turn to p116 for our latest subs offer JANUARY 2016 5 THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS… Delightful Debut Elac's all-new Debut loudspeaker series got its first UK showing at The Hi-Fi Show Live at the end of October, and it made a big impression on everyone that saw it… PRICE: £250–£599 AVAILABLE: NOW CONTACT: 01285 643088 WEB: ELAC.COM GERMAN SPEAKER BRAND Elac nothing entry-level about the sound of reaction upon hearing the sound from isn't usually associated with the the B5 model we got to hear. The new the baby Debut B5 (shown right) was affordable end of the speaker market, range has eight models, three of promising indeed, and even more so and is perhaps better known in the UK which are aimed at stereo music when listeners realised its £250 tag. for its high-tech drive units – especially listening – plus fi ve models for home The small B5 standmount uses a the celebrated and distinctive JET cinema including centre and Dolby 5.25in mid/bass driver while the ribbon tweeter, now in fi fth-generation Atmos add-on duties and three larger B6 (£299) standmount employs spec – and its unique brand of smartphone-controllable subwoofers a 6.6in mid/bass driver. Both are vorsprung durch technik. But the for multi-channel setups. made of woven aramid fi bre, that Elac Kiel-based company is embracing Designer Andrew Jones told visitors says offers superior stiffness-to-weight changing markets with its new Debut attending his demos at the recent ratio and damping over polypropylene range and looks set to bring the Hi-Fi Show Live event that the speaker or paper cones to achieve a smooth much-respected speaker name to a has been built from a clean-sheet and extended frequency response. whole new audience, and perhaps give design, with custom-made key Both models have a 1in fabric dome itself a little more funk in the process. components and no-off-the-shelf tweeter and claim 6ohm nominal At the price, this new range looks parts. This might sound a little like impedance and sensitivity fi gures like an entry-level lineup, but there's marketing speak, but audience of 85dB and 87dB respectively. 6 JANUARY 2016 COMMENT HERE'S TO NEW A quick glance through the HFC inbox reveals around 10 times more emails about upcoming music releases than we'd get during any other month. And what percentage would you imagine are pushing the work of new undiscovered artists? Yep that's right, about 0.00001. For some reason, the lead up to the yuletide season appears to be all about looking back when it comes to music. The ironic thing about this unfortunate turn of events is that the music labels that push us to buy their wares are trying harder than ever to promote new talent. New artist deals signed by the UK's three big hitters – Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music – topped 156 in 2014, which is a 30 percent improvement on 2013, and the highest annual total since 2009, when 164 new deals were signed.