Mcintosh MA352 HYBRID VALVE AMPLIFIER 10 Transistor Power but with Valve Sound

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chordco-ad-HFW-MAR19-MASTER-002a.indd 1 07/05/2019 13:57:32 welcome EDITOR alves can be a bit troublesome. If you’re lucky big ones responsible Noel Keywood for producing power will last a few thousand hours, but then need e-mail: [email protected] replacing. However, small ones that don’t dissipate power will sol- dier on past 10,000 hours – and what’s more they cost little, in the DESIGN EDITOR £10-£20 region. No wonder then that manufacturers nowadays use Faiza Chunara transistors to produce power, but use small valves elsewhere in a tel: +44 (0) 20 8206 6018 hybrid amplifier. The sound is a bit of a compromise, but one worth making, e-mail: [email protected] V especially since transistors give tighter sounding bass. A lot PRODUCTION EDITOR of advantages then, explaining why McIntosh of the US went down this route David Noble with their new MA352 hybrid amplifier reviewed in this issue – see p10. Our tel: +44 (0) 20 8206 6017 pictures show just how visually arresting a hybrid can be, especially with a little e-mail: [email protected] help from LED up-lighters and illuminated power meters. Another US brand, Klipsch, have a different take on traditional style. Their SALES MANAGER Heritage Series The Sixes we review on p43 hark back to Klipsch speakers Louise Palfrey of yesteryear, are compact yet fully powered and accept just about any signal mob: +44 (0) 7917 047 548 source you may have, from old tuner to modern turntable – not to mention e-mail: [email protected] digital sources including a computer, or portable phone with Bluetooth wireless. ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE As reviewer Jon Myles notes, at the price this all-in-one is remarkable – and Joanna Holmes was admired by all who heard it at our offices. mob: + 44 (0) 7958 602 347 Today we tend to take digital for granted, but not so long ago the e-mail: [email protected] technology was challenging, as Martin Pipe makes clear in his in-depth look at Aiwa’s HD-S1 digital audio tape (DAT) machine on p50. The analogue-to-digital PUBLISHER Noel Keywood convertor (ADC) was an extra, it was so complex and expensive, early digital e-mail: [email protected] recordings made for CD being equally challenged in cost and capability. We tend to forget how quickly and comprehensively electronics has developed over the FREE READERS CLASSIFIEDS last 30 years or so; what lies under the bonnet nowadays is a lot slicker than tel: +44 (0) 20 8 206 6017 Aiwa could have imagined back then, bringing great improvements in sound e-mail: [email protected] quality – especially to digital recordings. Anything that can improve digital sound is welcome, and there have been some remarkable SUBSCRIPTIONS innovations such as the million-tap digital filter within Chord Electronics M-Scaler. Another tel: + 44 (0) 1442 820 580 approach is to re-clock in order to remove jitter and noise from a digital stream and this is what fax: + 44 (0) 1442 827 912 you can read about on p34 with Mutech’s MC3+USB. It is a tad technical as hi-fi goes but anyone e-mail: [email protected] able to read the handbook’s dense text should get it and can then be entertained by the benefits PHOTOGRAPHY of re-clocking. And they are quite obvious, even with digital in decent condition I found. David Noble Old and new vie with one another nowadays, to bring improved sound – often with olde- tel: +44 (0) 20 8206 6017 worlde appearance. You can read about both in this great issue of Hi-Fi World. I hope you enjoy it.

WRITERS Noel Keywood Paul Rigby, Jon Myles, Martin Pipe, Editor David Tutt.

testing (see www.hi-fiworld.co.uk for full explanations of all our tests) hi-fi world To ensure the upmost accuracy in our product reviews, analyser, using pulsed and gated sinewaves, in a large Audio Web Publishing Hi-Fi World has extremely comprehensive in-house test room to eliminate the room’s influence. Pickup arm Studio 204, facilities, and our test equipment - from big names like vibration is measured with a Bruel & Kjaer accelerometer. Buspace Studio, Conlan Street, Rohde & Schwarz and Hewlett Packard - is amongst the No other UK hi-fi magazine has in-house testing, and London W10 5AP most advanced in the world. none has access to such advanced tests across all types www.hi-fiworld.co.uk Loudspeakers are measured using a calibrated Bruel of equipment. That's why you can depend on Hi-Fi World & Kjaer microphone feeding a Clio-based computer reviews. verdicts OUTSTANDING amongst the best EXCELLENT extremely capable GOOD worth auditioning MEDIOCRE unremarkable POOR flawed £ VALUE keenly priced

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www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 3 contents AMPLIFICATION McINTOSH MA352 HYBRID VALVE AMPLIFIER 10 Transistor power but with valve sound. Noel Keywood checks out a new hybrid amplifier from McIntosh

.LOUDSPEAKERS ACOUSTIC ENERGY AE500 STANDMOUNTS 16 Jon Myles auditions new quality standmount loudspeakers from Acoustic Energy. ACOUSTIC ENERGY AE500 STANDMOUNTS 16 KLIPSCH HERITAGE THE SIXES WIRELESS POWERED SPEAKERS 43 All-in-one loudspeakers that need nothing other than a source – and can even be LP. Jon Myles is impressed.

DIGITAL FIIO M11 PRO HI-RESOLUTION PLAYER 23 Portable hi-res audio players don't come much more sophisticated than this affordable little marvel. Noel Keywood listens.

MUTECH MC3+USB SMART CLOCK 34 MUTECH MC3+USB SMART CLOCK A neat little box of tricks for cleaning up digital. Technically 34 challenging, but does the job Noel Keywood finds. AUDIO DIRECT BEAM PORTABLE USB/DAC 55 Martin Pipe checks out a new mini-Dac.

TECHNICS SL-G700 NETWORK/SACD PLAYER 75 A complex new digital player that plays SACD, CD and most other digital sources. Noel Keywood investigates.

TECHNICS SL-G700 NETWORK/ 75 SACD PLAYER

83 CHORD ELECTRONICS HUEI PHONOSTAGE 10 McINTOSH MA352 HYBRID VALVE AMPLIFIER 4 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 29 : NO. 12

DIGITAL (cont.) 79 MELCO N10 EX SERIES Jon Myles looks closely at the latest update to Melco's N10 audiophile network storage drive.

OLDE WORLDE 50 AIWA DAT HD-S1 Martin Pipe looks in detail at what lay behind one of the earliest digital recorders to hit the audio market. VINYL 43 KLIPSCH HERITAGE THE SIXES 80 NEWS All the latest and greatest vinyl releases for you, from the pen of HEADPHONES Paul Rigby. 39 B&W PX7 WIRELESS NC HEADPHONES Headphone expert Martin Pipe goes wireless with the latest 'phones from B&W. 83 CHORD ELECTRONICS HUEI PHONOSTAGE A glitzy new MM/MC phono stage with Rumble filter gets Noel Keywood's attention. REGULARS 86 PRO-JECT VINYL CLEANER 7 NEWS Martin Pipe comes clean about vinyl. Words from the world...

87 PRO-JECT SWEEP BRUSH CLEANER 15 COMPETITION Your chance to win an Audio Technica OC9X SL cartridge worth Sweep dirt and fluff away, Martin Pipe says. £660.

93 AUDIOPHILE BOOK 20 SUBSCRIPTIONS Paul Rigby reviews The Beatles Get Back to Abbey Road. Ensure your copy every month and save money too!

27 MAIL Five pages of your views, wonderful as always...

56 WORLD STANDARDS Updated guide to the latest and greatest hi-fi hardware on sale.

62 AUDIOPHILE CD Paul Rigby rounds up the latest audiophile CD releases.

65,67,69,71,73 OPINION The team get to grips with matters music, hi-fi and life!

88 DIAL-A-DEALER A comprehensive guide to UK hi-fi retailers.

95 CLASSIFIEDS Second-hand bargains.

96 NEXT MONTH What we hope to bring you in the next sizzling issue...

97 ADVERTISERS' INDEX

98 CLASSIC CUTS Dire Straits first album, 'Dire Straits', reviewed by Paul Rigby.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 5 ��

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P6.indd 6 6/11/19 09:46:09 NEWS newsemail:[email protected] ZX SPECTRUM Claimed by Mission to be its “finest-ever” loudspeakers, the flagship ZX Series joins the entry-level LX and mid-level QX models, completing the Huntingdon firm’s current lineup. Drawing on the science of laser interferometry, the fabric diaphragm of the ZX ring-dome tweeter is formed into two rings with the voice-coil in the centre. Doing so, reckons Mission, improves efficiency, accuracy and transient handling. Bass and midrange, meanwhile, are handled by the latest incarnations of Mission’s ‘DiaDrive’ woofers. Their seamless diaphragms, that replace the traditional ‘cone and dust-cap’ arrangement, are fashioned from an aluminium matrix and feature a special inverted surround to deal with travelling waves and ensure a “clear and accurate midrange output to beyond 3kHz”. The cabinets incorporate “special bracing systems” and slot-shaped reflex ports, while the crossovers were fine-tuned by ear. There are no fewer than eight ZX models, two standmounts (£599 ZX-1 and £749 ZX-2), three floorstanders (£1,099 ZX-3, £1,299 ZX-4 and £1,599 ZX-5), two home-cinema centre speakers (£499 ZX-C1 and £599 ZX-C2) and a surround-speaker intended for on-wall siting (£599 ZX-S). As with other Missions of recent vintage, the woofer is sited above the tweeter to improve time-alignment; bigger modules locate the tweeter between two bass-mids in a classic d’Appolito configuration. There's a choice of gloss-lacquered black or white. Further details: www.mission.co.uk

KEN ISHIWATA, 1947 - 2019 Sad to report that legendary Ken Ishiwata passed away on November 25th, following a period of illness. Until May and retirement, the renowned Japanese audio engineer was ‘brand ambassador’ for Marantz, over four decades. Modest, enthusiastic and in possession of a unique sense of style he lived and breathed hi-fi and music. Listening intently for hours at a time to different varieties of electronic component, he built up an appreciation of the subtle differences they could make to the presentation of music. He saw the potential of CD early on, recorded live music (notably jazz) and throughout his career campaigned vigorously for the ‘true’ hi-fi cause. Over the years, he earned the respect and admiration of the industry and would himself introduce ranges of products; one of his final public appearances was to launch Marantz’s celebratory KI-Ruby series of products at last year’s Festival of Sound. Ken was known to the many thousands of audiophiles around the world who bought Marantz products - mostly amps and CD players - bearing the distinctive ‘Ki-Signature’ badge, indicating that he had played a key role in their fine-tuning. Such products performed exceptionally well, bringing accurate and engaging reproduction of music within reach of modest budgets. Ken was a true original who will be missed. We’ll leave the last words to the great man himself: “Music is the highest form of art. It is also the most noble. It is human emotion, captured, crystallised, encased...and then passed on to others”.

MOVING COIL MYSTICISM There’s now a high-end cartridge to go with high-end Vertere Acoustics vinyl spinners like the RG- 1 turntable and Reference tonearm. The London-based firm is refreshingly-honest about the £2000 Mystic, a moving coil design, admitting that it’s “not revolutionary...no wheels have been reinvented”. The 9.1g Mystic is instead, we are told, a combination of “experience, common sense, science...and a little art”. Its blue anodised ‘mass-tuned’ body, machined from aluminium, hosts a low-mass generator with samarium-cobalt magnet and “virgin copper” cross-coils. These are coupled via a telescopic aluminium-tube cantilever to a micro-elliptical diamond stylus. Characteristics of the Mystic, which is designed to track at 2gm, include a frequency response of <10Hz-40kHz, a 0.5mV output for “lifelike dynamic range with depth and precision”, and a maximum imbalance of 1dB between channels. For best results a load of between 680 and 1500 ohms is needed, with capacitance of 220pF to 470pF. Contact: Vertere Acoustics, 0203 176 4888 vertereacoustics.com

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 7 NEWS

A HELL OF A CONCEPT German vinyl specialist Clearaudio’s Concept, acknowledged as one of the best turntable packages for under £1,500, now has an ‘active’ guise. The incorporation of a phono stage enhances still further the neat ‘ready-to-play’ nature of the three-speed belt-driven deck. Phono stages built into turntables tend to be lacklustre affairs. Not so the one fitted to the Concept Active that will accommodate MC as well as MM cartridges. A series of toggle switches select mode, configure gain, engage a subsonic filter and switch in or out a volume- control thumbwheel. Great for those feeding power amps directly from the Concept Active’s high-grade phono sockets, but most will use it with the deck’s side-mounted headphone socket. The Concept Active’s tonearm, featuring magnetic bearings, can be pre-fitted with a Concept V2 MM or Concept MC cartridge. The Concept Active is available in black, black and silver or two shades of Baltic birch, with prices ranging from £2,000 to £3,000 depending on the configuration. Also announced is the £630 Smart Power 12V, a supply unit with internal rechargeable batteries. Its sole purpose in life is to deliver “pure, clean power” to Clearaudio’s Concept and Performance DC turntables. UK distributor: Sound Fowndations, (01189) 814238. www.soundfowndations.co.uk, clearaudio.de

TAKING THE MIC The Lyra Ultra-HD is a new stereo condenser microphone from AKG - now a Harman brand. Aimed at the modern-day user who creates content on a laptop, it can be yours for a mere £139. There’s no need to worry about preamps, mixers and analogue-to-digital converters; the Lyra, which plugs into a USB port, has those built in. Working at 192/24, the Lyra has four ‘capture’ modes - front, front/back, ‘tight’ stereo and ‘wide’ stereo - enabling it to be used for a variety of tasks including streaming, podcasts, blogging, music-making, field-recording and videoconferencing. Contact: Sound Technology (UK distributor), (01462) 480000. www.soundtech.co.uk

DOWN TO THE WIRE New from American interconnect specialist Nordost is a range of tonearm cables. Such cables should be “purpose-built, low- capacitance” cables in order to protect the vulnerable signals from “loss and image-smearing” they say. Nordost’s new offerings run from tonearm to phono stage. Needless to say, your turntable or tonearm must have provision for removable cables. Connectivity options are RCA, XLR or a base-mounted 240-degree 5-pin DIN socket; gold-plated 5mm spades, meanwhile, terminate the ground wires. The cables are built around silver-plated, solid-core OFC wires arranged as separate twisted-pairs for the left and right channels, shielded by silver braid to eliminate inter-channel crosstalk and covered in Nordost’s proprietary “Micro” or “Dual Mono-Filament” material (depending on specific model). 1.25m lengths will respectively cost you $600, $800, $1,400 and $2,750. Further details: www.nordost.com

8 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk NEWS

SYMPHONY OF A (14) THOUSAND... Saint-Etienne based Focal is marking its 40th anniversary with a “special and limited collection” of products - among them the Spectral 40th and Scala 40th floorstanders, Solo6 Be 40th studio monitors and F40th car-audio package. Joining them is the Symphonie 40th, a luxurious macassar-ebony veneered storage trunk in which there are two pairs of Focal headphones, the Utopias and Stellias. They can be driven by another part of the Symphonie 40th package, the Arche DAC and amplifier. The resulting combination is claimed by Focal to offer the “very best home audio listening experience”. You also get a Questyle QPM high-definition audio player - an ideal partner for the closed-back Stellias. Accessories include a selection of super high-quality interconnects “for each listening type” and a “sumptuously-designed” headphone carrying-case. The Symphonie 40th is exquisite and desirable, but then again it should be for £13,999... Further details: Focal, www.focal.com/uk

MEN WITH THE ALL BAR DENON Soundbars - horizontal DSP-powered speaker arrays MONOCLE typically mounted underneath the TV - are a popular low- Forming a bridge between profile choice. One of the latest is £199 DHT-S216, from Kimber’s traditional woven Denon. Buried in this 60mm-tall unit are dual downfiring cables (such as the 4PR 75mm subwoofers, a pair of 45mm x 90mm twinned mid- and 12TC) and the more range drivers and two 25mm tweeters. technically-advanced Select The DSP behind them is capable of supporting DTS range, the new Monocle- Virtual:X, said to “realistically-simulate” multi-channel XL employs a surround. 24-wire braid of Other features include two UHD-ready HDMI ports US-sourced with audio return channel (ARC) for easy TV sound, TC and VS digital optical and analogue 3.5mm inputs, Dolby Digital pure-copper and DTS decoding, three ‘presets’ (movie, night, and conductors music), ‘Pure’ mode for music playback, 3-step dialogue- woven around Kimber’s own “X38R stabilizing core”. enhancer and remote control. The DHT-S216 also boasts The use of VariStrand copper and the “best of both TC Bluetooth for music play from a similarly equipped and VS attributes” will, claims UK importer Russ Andrews, 'phone. ensure “a lower noise-floor” and that “no particular Contact: Denon, (0208) 103 4770. www.denon.co.uk frequency-range dominates”. Beyond the newly-designed aluminium end-caps at either end - hard-anodised for scratch-resistance - are WBT-0610 banana or spade ‘NextGen’ connectors. With the banana variety you can choose between ‘CU’ (gold-plated copper) and ‘AG’ (platinum-plated silver). A 2.5m pair of Monocle- XLs, terminated with WBT-0610 CU banana plugs, will set you back £2,095. Contact: Russ Andrews, 01539 797300. russandrews.com

A FYNE LINE Proudly-Scottish speaker manufacturer Fyne Audio is now tackling the home install market with two ranges of 8 Ohm in-ceiling/in-wall loudspeakers that are based on the brand’s traditional budget and mid-range propositions. The FA300iC (entry-level) and FA500iC (premium) line-ups have been developed from, respectively, Fyne’s F300 and F500 ranges. To ensure a compact installation footprint, the FA300iC series is a coaxial design featuring a multi-fibre woofer and centrally-positioned 25mm poly- ester-dome tweeter with adjustable tilt for “point-source accuracy” and purpose-designed crossover. Currently, the FA300iC is available in 6in. (FA301iC, £100) and 8in. (FA302iC, £150) versions. The premium FA500iC series switches to Fyne’s ‘IsoFlare’ drivers for a “performance advantage”. These too are available in 6in. (FA501iC, £150) and 8in. (FA502iC, £200) variants, but there’s also an 8in. model (FA502iC LCR, £225) with the driver set at 15 degrees for off-axis applications like home cinema. Power-handling of the new models, supplied with paintable magnetic grilles, ranges from 100W to 200W. Fyne includes cut-out templates and simple dog-leg clamps suitable for plas- terboard. Contact: Fyne Audio, (0141) 428 4008. www.fyneaudio.com

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 9 REVIEW Solid Power McIntosh release a powerful hybrid amplifier with solid-sate output, fronted by valves. Noel Keywood enjoys.

ith a history that sinks either side. control circuitry inside though, as starts back in 1949, What the MA352 offers is valve our internal shot shows; this is one kicked off by a valve sound and romance with transistor complex amplifier in control terms, amplifier of legend- power, no less than 200 Watts having a remote control as well as ary ability, McIntosh claimed – but we measured more external bus control. remain in touch with (see Measured Performance). The When I pressed the volume Wthe valve today – although perhaps MA352 is an integrated amplifier control at right to switch on, the I should use the term ‘tube’ for this with RCA phono-socket unbalanced amplifier lit up immediately, LEDs U.S. company, based in New York. Line inputs, as well as XLR socketed beneath the valves glowing bright Explaining the ornately protected balanced inputs. There’s also a Phono orange. The big power meters light tubes that front up their new MA352 stage for a turntable fitted with blue and on came a dot matrix amplifier I am reviewing here. It’s a an MM cartridge, but there are no display panel showing status. There’s hybrid though: the power amplifier is digital inputs. That’s not to say it a small delay of 15 seconds as the transistor – just look at those heat- lacks microprocessors for digital valves warm up and when they do

10 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

the LEDs switch to bright green. This display can be switched off however, leaving the less obvious glow of the 12AT7 and 12AX7 heaters. Unexpectedly, under test when the amplifier was driven into overload the LEDs reverted to orange, warning of overload – but somehow I don’t think many people will be seeing this happen. An unusual addition is the line of five tone controls you can see at centre, that can be switched in or out by remote control so comparisons can be made. The controls must be set manually and all have a zero-position indicated on the control knob and physically by a centre click-stop. Measurement showed each of these controls offers massive boost and cut values of 15dB (+/-12dB quoted), but they have sufficient resolution to make the small tonal changes that may be needed. Centre frequencies are 30Hz, 125Hz, 500Hz, 2kHz, 10kHz, the first An underview, with front panel at right. McIntosh use a complex altering low bass, the second upper robotically manufactured board with surface mount compo- bass/warmth, 500Hz alters presence nents, including a microprocessor (just below centre). of singers, 2kHz affects treble (detail) and 10kHz tweaks upper treble (the upper mid-band and presence, whilst The styling is trad. Americana, hissy bit). lowering high treble. straight out of the fifties/sixties with Switching in the EQ system It took two of us to lift the 30kg all that brightwork – totally opposite also introduces a sharp bass roll-off (66lbs) MA352, largely because it to the bland black box common filter at 15Hz to prevent the 30Hz has a massive mains transformer today, that makes hi-fi products control from subsonically over-driving and power supply – explaining huge look so utilitarian. McIntosh work loudspeakers. It can be used as an LP power output. The chassis is well up valve-visuals nicely, pumping up warp filter, something McIntosh don’t finished in polished stainless steel light display to its ultimate: this is mention in their literature. but exposed edges from the folded an amplifier to be seen, not tucked Which brings me to the Phono (unwelded) chassis at front were not away. Idiomatic I guess, but I found stage. It’s designed for moving magnet so nice. Width is 445mm so it will the MA352 easy and sweet to use. cartridges, but is sensitive enough fit a 19in (482mm) rack but with a It has no foibles: the controls moved – with input trim set to +6dB height of 251mm demands space smoothly and the remote switches – to work with moving coils having between shelves. Depth is 440mm inputs and controls volume, as well as strong output. Capacitive loading so again within 19in rack dimensions. selecting a wealth of pre-set options can be varied in 50pF steps from McIntosh say 521mm deep including displayed large in the dot matrix 50pF (minimal) up to 800pF (large). cables but this appears to include US screen. Amongst them are labelling of Increasing capacitance raises the only banana plugs we did not use. the inputs (CD, TUNER etc), mono/ stereo pass through to rear phono- socket outputs. An external remote sensor can be used and there is external trigger control. Auto power off to the preamplifier occurs after 30 minutes, but can be switched out. The loudspeakers (Output 1) can be switched off for headphone listening, a 1/4in (6.3mm) jack being sited on the front panel. SOUND QUALITY I connected the MA352 to our Martin Logan ESL-X hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers and fed in CD from our Oppo BDP-205D universal player connected via Chord Loudspeaker terminals sit high up, just behind the power amplifier Company Epic balanced cables. boards. Below are Line inputs, a Phono stage with earth terminal For LP our Timestep Evo (centre) and balanced XLR inputs at right. modified Technics SL-1210 Mk2

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 11 REVIEW

the drum kit shimmered and had filigree detail; the MA352 drew out their presence in the mix, capitalising upon the resolution of the Shibata stylus. Opening kick drum strikes in Hugh Masekela’s Uptownship, from his Hope LP (180gm), had powerful slam and hand drums snap in their timing. His trumpet blared out clearly centre stage, sounding brassy. There was a sense of pure clarity here, yet without sharpness. It was a sound that any listener would gurgle at as supreme high fidelity, aided by sheer dynamic thrust. Spectacular, but palatable too. For classical I turned to a selection of hi-res files on our Astell&Kern AK120 portable player, connected by short optical digital cable into the Oppo player acting as a DAC. Both scale and depth of the With top cover removed the screened mains transformer can be Minnesota Orchestra playing Dance seen, with power amplifier boards mounted in heatsinks either of the Tumblers from Korsakov’s side. Convention cooling only (no fan) with thermal cutout; ours Snow Maiden (24/96) was strongly ran just warm. established between and beyond the X-Stat electrostatic panels, with Direct Drive turntable with SME309 imposes. You get good, solid and smooth yet vivacious strings and big arm was used, carrying an Audio tuneful bass, held in an iron grip. kettle drum strikes at the end. This Technica VM750 SH (Shibata tip) With Nils Lofgren and Keith amplifier finds visceral power in an moving magnet cartridge. Don’t Go (CD) his guitar strings orchestra and conveys it with some Playing LP and then CD the cut out vividly, being starkly clear. force. overall quality of this amplifier soon Lofgren’s vocals were became apparent. It is quite dry, placed in front of super clean and dynamically powerful. me with stone-solid And it imposed these qualities on outlining. There was little both LP and CD equally, bringing sense of valve warmth them close to each other. as such, but at the same Spinning uncompressed CD time a lovely sense of and John Campbell singing Down easy clarity, with good body to the sound. And it was the body in the sound that the valves were responsible for I suspect, plus a broad sound stage with a good sense of space. This all became Safety covers over the valves lift off. The bright clearer with LP, especially orange glow comes from underside LEDs, with our Mobile Fidelity orange indicating warm up or overload. re-issue of Love Over Gold from Dire Straits (45rpm, 180gm). Your Latest Trick The closely recorded and often was as clean, clear and composed as bright sounding violin of Marianne CD but had more body and believ- Thorsen playing Mozart’s Violin ability. It was a stunner: the MA352 Concerto in G Major, backed by the When running the valves glow green, but this dis- conspired with our Direct Drive Trondheim Soloists (24/96) came play can be switched off if desired. turntable and insightful Shibata over as solid and clear, and the tipped cartridge to deliver stabbingly edginess I occasionally hear with In the Hole, there were enormous powerful dynamics held in place this piece was absent. Cool and levels of detail and a great sense time-wise to give a great sense of forward – yet smooth and svelte at of atmosphere coming in from his pace. Mark Knopfler’s vocals had the same time, and with fantastic microphone. This made the MA352 weight and presence, again with stony internal detailing to the strings of the forensically insightful. Bass was tight solidity. The bass line was weighty but violin. This is a riveting piece and the and clean, if not overly heavy – but rigidly timed, driving this track along MA352 did a fine job with it. this is what high electrical damping with assured pace. Ride cymbals on The tone controls added usefully

12 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

information from the meters was discernible 12ft away, as was volume level as a percentage and all settings on the large dot matrix display. All of which made driving the MA352 by remote control and getting feedback from it a no-problem The remote experience. McIntosh do selects inputs, a fine job with the whole alters volume user interface, courtesy and can change of much digital control operating condi- circuitry. tions like gain Trim. CONCLUSION In the MA352 McIntosh offer an integrated amplifier with massive power – 350 Watts into Big power meters give clear indication of output. They are elec- a 6 Ohm loudspeaker. Whilst the tronically driven to capture peaks accurately. Centre scale is 2 power amplifier has grip and insight, Watts. the valve stages add in body and dimensionality to the sound stage. subtle changes, but I did not feel they The meter needles swung around Result: an awesome sound. The were especially necessary – at least 2 Watts at centre scale, hitting 20 Phono stage was no after thought with our well honed sources. I heard Watts only on occasion when playing either, LP sounding better than digital. no discernible difference between EQ loud. From previous tests I know It’s grippy and powerful, rather than (set flat) on or off, but I played flat, that McIntosh use meter driver warmly romantic, yet there was heavy 180gm LPs without warps so circuits that ensure an accurate body in the sound that eludes most this is to be expected. Good though peak reading; it was nice to see yet others. With an easy and engaging that the EQ circuits do not affect again that 20 Watts is about it, even user interface as well, this is a fine sound quality when switched in. in our large 6550 cu ft room. This amplifier.

MEASURED PERFORMANCE The McIntosh MA352 delivered 264 far beyond the maximum of 10dB needed Distortion levels were very low at all Watts into 8 Ohms and doubled this or 12dB quoted. But small amounts of frequencies and outputs. There is no to 530 Watts into 4 Ohms, making it boost and cut can be applied for subtle crossover distortion: at 10kHz, 1 Watt massively powerful. Few loudspeakers variance and they can be switched out by distortion measured a very low 0.01%, can handle such power so it is a tad the remote control for A/B comparison. our analysis shows. academic. The meters are logarithmically The Phono stage was accurately calibrated and show true power use, FREQUENCY RESPONSE equalised to give flat frequency response which means centre scale of 2 Watts from 10Hz to 20kHz. Switching EQ in where the needle hovers; it was difficult introduced a steep subsonic warp filter MCINTOSH MA352 to get to 20 Watts at right, let alone 200 that cut bass below 15Hz, introducing £8,495 Watts at end of scale. The green uplight -20dB attenuation at 4Hz to prevent cone LEDs flash orange at overload. flap with warped records. Sensitivity was OUTSTANDING - amongst Output impedance measured a low high at 3mV (for full output) at 0dB input the best. 0.09 Ohms, giving a very high damping trim, +/-6dB trim being available. Since factor of 88, keeping a good grip on the adding 6dB halves the input sensitivity VERDICT cones in terms of electrical damping at to 1.5mV this is adequate for moving coil A stunning amplifier in sound least. DISTORTION cartridges (as is a 47k MM input load). quality and dynamic thrust. Visually alluring too. Frequency response with Noise was minimal at -81dB. Equalisation switched out measured flat The MA352 measured well in all from 8Hz to 100kHz – wide. Switching FOR areas. It has massive power, almost no - enormous power Equalisation in introduced a low bass distortion and no weak points. NK - insight and clarity filter, sharply reducing gain below 15Hz, - great phono stage with all five tone controls set to flat, so Power (8 Ohms) 264 Watts - ease of use EQ can be used to switch in a subsonic Frequency response (-1dB) filer with LP without affecting frequency 8Hz-100kHz AGAINST - weight response, although this does switch in Separation 70dB - size the EQ circuitry. Noise (IEC A wtd) -98dB Each of the five tone controls Distortion (10kHz, 1W, 4Ω) 0.01% Jordan Acoustics introduced massive lift and cut of 15dB – Sensitivity 0.3V +44 (0)1592 744779 Damping factor 88 www.jordanacoustics.co.uk

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 13 CD BOX S2

Shown with MaiA S2 Available Finishes: IT’S TIME TO MAKE YOUR CD’S SHINE

The CD Box S2 is a compact slot-load CD player, carefully manufactured to an industrial standard utilising aluminium casework and buttons. Designed to match the S2 electronics line, the added benefi t to this design is that its small form-factor allows it to fi t easily near any existing audio system.

• Compact Hi-Fi CD player

• Mini-PC controlled drive

• 32bit/384kHz DAC for precise playback of Audio-CDs

• Two selectable digital fi lters (FIR and IIR)

• Analogue and Digital outputs

• Remote control with volume level adjustment for Pro-Ject amplifi ers

• New all-aluminium case protects against vibration and interference

DistributedDistributed by by Henley Henley Audio Audio T:T: +44 +44+44 (0) (0) 1235 1235 511 511 166 166 | | E: E: [email protected] [email protected]@henleyaudio.co.uk | | W: WW: :w wwww.henleyaudio.co.ukww.henleyaudio.co.ukww.henleyaudio.co.uk | : HHenleyAudioUKenleyAudioUK | : HHenleyAudioenleyAudio

CD Box S2 Advert.indd 1 03/12/2019 10:58 COMPETITION

WIN AN AUDIO TECHNICA OC9X SL CARTRIDGE IN THIS MONTH’S GREAT GIVEAWAY WORTH £660! www.eu.audio-technica.com

ast month we offered an lacks a rondel, tracks high frequencies impossible with mechanical grinding Audio Technica OC9X better but is less resistant to dust processes. Enter the premium SH (Shibata) moving coil and fluff on the LP surface. OC9X SL (£660) with Special cartridge as a prize; this Then come the trio I am Line contact stylus on boron rod month we have an OC9X reviewing here, comprising the cantilever; the SL has a black body. SL (Special Line) moving coil OC9X ML (£480) with MicroLinear All have aluminium bodies for Lcartridge as a prize, reviewed in the stylus on a boron rod cantilever that, light weight and strength. And for QUESTIONS October 2019 issue. Read the review it appears, replaces the outgoing ease of fitting all three have M2.6 excerpt below and answer the ques- OC9 III. It has a red body. tapped and open-ended screw holes [1] What is SL short for - tions. Above the ML comes the OC9X in the body, so even long screws can [a] Super Linear SH (£570) with Shibata profile stylus be used. Screws supplied are 5mm, [b] Special Line [c] Solid Layer "In the new OC9X series you can and brown body. This profile was 8mm, 10mm and 12mm long (gold [d] Strong Lanthanum get an OC9X EB with bonded (on a developed long ago (1970s) by Norio plated), plus two washers to avoid rondel) elliptical stylus and aluminium Shibata for CD-4, a system providing headshell graunch marks". [2] What colour is the OC9X SL body? cantilever for just £280 – they surround-sound from LP. [a] black start cheap. Above it lies the EN Nowadays laser forming has For a chance to win this great prize, [b] blue (£300) with nude elliptical stylus on come onto the scene, enabling new just answer the four easy questions [c] brown [d] banana aluminium cantilever that, because it tip profiles to be created that were at right. Send your entries on a postcard only, by 10th February 2020 [3] What material is the OC9X SL body? RULES AND CONDITIONS OF ENTRY to: [a] cast iron [b] wood - ONLY ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD [c] cardboard [d] aluminium - MULTIPLE ENTRIES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED February 2020 Competition, [4] The washers - PURCHASE OF THE MAGAZINE IS NOT A PRE-CONDITION OF ENTRY Hi-Fi World magazine, Studio 204, avoid - - NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO [a] rust Buspace Studio, [b] theft - THE EDITOR'S DECISION IS FINAL Conlan Street, [c] graunch marks [d] explosion Notting Hill, - NO EMPLOYEES OF AUDIO WEB PUBLISHING LIMITED, OR OF ANY COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION London W10 5AP OF THE PRIZES, MAY ENTER

ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A POSTCARD ONLY PLEASE ENSURE YOU PUT A TELEPHONE CONTACT NUMBER ON YOUR ENTRY

NOVEMBER 2019 WINNER: WORLD DESIGN PRECF AMPLIFIER Mr. Steve Jarvis of South Wales

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 15 REVIEW Pure Energy

Acoustic Energy release a new, high quality stand mount loudspeaker, the AE500. Jon Myles listens in...

tandmount loudspeak- sees spending £999 on a compact the company’s own Resonance ers have a lot going for loudspeaker good value. However Suppression Composite material – them – not least that they Acoustic Energy see it differently. basically constrained layer damping. take up less space than a Hence their new AE500 standmount It features a newly-developed carbon floorstander and, at their – derived from the flagship 500 fibre tweeter and a single mid/bass best, can fill a room with range. driver made from the same material aS clean, precise sound. But – and The 310mm high, 185mm wide that, the company says, is designed it’s a big but – not every buyer and 260mm deep cabinet sports to match the pistonic power and

16 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

accuracy of their ceramic aluminium for a standmount) yet doesn’t dig drivers – but with improved self- exceptionally low. So playing James damping for a smoother, more Blake’s ‘Limit To Your Love’ the sub- transparent sound. At back is a sonics were missing. However the slot-loaded reflex port and a single Acoustic Energys still managed to set of well-finished, gold-plated portray the track in a fulfilling way. loudspeaker binding posts, obviating And what they did do is highlight bi-wiring. Blake’s keening vocals. Finishes are Piano Gloss Black, Moving to Joy Division’s ‘Love Piano Gloss White or American Will Tear Us Apart’ (24/96) with Walnut wood veneer. Our review its punch-driven opening of guitar, pair came in gloss white and were bass and drums, again the Acoustic well constructed with a hefty feel Energys show they don’t just have and no blemishes in the cabinet. detail but are able to handle fast- paced music without missing a beat. SOUND QUALITY Rhythmically they are spot-on. Placing the AE500s on a pair of There was no bass overhang and the sturdy stands and hooking them up two drivers blended seamlessly. They The carbon fibre tweeter has an to a variety of amplifiers, ranging also managed to pick apart dense extended top end, giving the AE500s from a Creek Audio Evolution tracks with ease – not something all strong, clear treble. 100A transistor integrated to an standmounts can do. Icon Audio Stereo 30SE valve unit, With Led Zeppelin’s ‘When the immediate impression was a The Levee Breaks’ there was clear CONCLUSION sense of refinement. Also, the AE50s separation between instruments The AE500s are an excellent pair of went loud without apparent strain despite the heavy mix: I could standmount loudspeakers, combining – impressive for their size. discern the pounding drums, bass detail with a fast and punchy sound. With Nick Cave And The Bad and guitars while Robert Plant’s Build quality is also superb and they Seeds ‘Murder Ballads’ the delivery vocals were easy to follow and the sound a lot bigger than they look, of the whole band was exceptional. harmonica parts stood out firmly although lows are limited. Highly The bass was firm and the drums with ample tonality. It was easy to recommended all the same, being had rasp to them. The mid-range, track each instrument or simply sit suited to smaller rooms where though, is the stand-out. While it back and revel in the sheer power speed and impact are essential, sounds a little smooth there’s plenty of the track. together with tight bass. of detail on offer. So much so that playing ‘Where The Wild Roses Grow’ I could MEASURED PERFORMANCE hear the catch in Kylie Minogue’s Frequency response of the Acoustic would help. Being very high frequency breath. Yet the AEs also captured Energy AE500 was flat from 60Hz this may add subliminal presence to Nick Cave’s growling vocals at the to 8kHz our third-octave analysis of extreme treble in recordings that have same time – moving seamlessly pink noise shows, so it is accurate in such information – poor digital, LP ticks between one and the other to paint fundamental tonal balance, if with some and pops. For the most part it will go a haunting, atmospheric track. variance. unnoticed. The one thing the AE500s don’t The Kevlar woven dome tweeter Bass rolls down below 60Hz provide is a full low-end response. peaks up suddenly above 10kHz, rising and there is no lift in low frequency Yes, the bass is good (especially to +10dB at 20kHz (grille on or off) – an output. The loudspeaker is purposed unusual result, suggesting a phase plate for placement close to a rear wall to ACOUSTIC ENERGY strengthen lower frequencies; this is AE500 £999 FREQUENCY RESPONSE not a bass heavy loudspeaker. The rear slot port exerts broad damping, the red Green - driver output EXCELLENT - extremely Red - port output trace of port output shows, correlated capable. +20 by the impedance trace, suggesting well

+10 controlled bass free from boom. VERDICT dB Sensitivity measured 86dB from A fine standmount from 0 one nominal Watt of input (2.8V), Acoustic Energy. It combines detail with a refined yet -10 good for a small cabinet – especially punchy sound. -20 since impedance measured a high 8 Ohms with broadband pink noise. Our -30 FOR 20 100 Hz 1k 20k impedance analysis confirms this. - build quality Amplifiers of 60 Watts or more will be - smooth midrange IMPEDANCE - refined bass needed. 50 - good treble Acoustic Energy’s AE500 is broadly Ohms accurate and will be revealing. Its lift AGAINST 30 at high frequencies may be heard with - not cheap recordings strong in upper treble. Bass - lack of deep bass output is controlled but restrained. A At rear there is a slot port to 10 Acoustic Energy loudspeaker for smaller rooms where it +44 (0)1285 654432 reinforce bass, plus a single pair 0 10 1k 20k www.acousticenergy.co.uk of loudspeaker terminals. Hz will rein in room boom. NK

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 17 P52-P53.indd 52 13/6/16 15:09:22 P52-P53.indd 53 13/6/16 15:09:24 THE PERFECT VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.hi-fiworld.co.uk A SUBSCRIPTION TO HI-FI WORLD MAKES THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST.

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As a small company with our own manufacturing facility we aim to make the best value in valve amplifiers! From 15 Solar Powered just leave by a window to charge! watts per channel to 80w integrated or 16w to 250w mono blocks. Immerse yourself in our warm easy listening detailed sound. David Shaw has been making innovative highly regarded amplifiers for 19 years which are all leaders in their class, some like the unique ST845 or HP8 (and now HP205D) have no equal, and others like the ST60 and ST40 are “outstanding” in performance and value for money. All our amplifiers are handmade, “point to point” with our 0% APR Interest Free Credit own hand wound transformers in our own factory and finished in Leicester. Built to last and be easily serviced. Purchases over £1120 ask for a quotation* Various upgrades are available including capacitors and valves. As a UK company we offer rapid economical service on all our products both old and new. Come for a listen at our Leicester showroom or order from one of our appointed 50% OFF MFV3 Floor Stand Speakers dealers. For more information see our website, ring or email us, or ask for our latest brochure printed on real paper! When purchased with above amplifiers. Slight seconds Buy direct from us or through one of dealers or worldwide distributors Limited stock subject to availability UK only. Some models show upgraded valves. E&OE normally £1199 std or £1799 super. Limited offer www.iconaudio.com [email protected] (+44) 0116 2440593 351 Aylestone Rd Leicester LE2 8TA UK REVIEW Pro Play Playing FiiO’s M11 Pro portable audio player was a great experience for Noel Keywood.

iiO’s M11 Pro is a chal- But before the technology, let’s SD card – there is one card slot – up lenging technological tech cover the audio. As a high resolution to 2TB. DSD files are large, my test fest that can do it all – if digital audio player (DAP) it can files coming in at 0.3GB (300MB) you know how to do it. handle all the many digital file types, or so, meaning 200 would fill the Chinese FiiO make a wide but there’s quite a lot of emphasis on internal memory so that external range of hi-resolution por- DSD, or Direct Stream Digital. No card is essential. Ftable audio players that have come doubt that DSD sounds good and is But feet on ground. Most of us to dominate the market by offering rightly popular with the cognoscenti, will use CD files, perhaps rips of CDs great performance at low price, our but it remains a minority interest. we own, at around 65MB, or even reviews have shown. The M11 Pro I’m With high data rates and big file sizes scuzzy old MP3s from yesteryear reviewing here (£600) is the pinnacle it is technologically challenging too; that are flea sized and can inhabit – and boy is it complex. What FiiO the M11 Pro has been purposed to this player’s internal memory in their manage to shoehorn into the M11 handle the issues. It has 64GB on- thousands. Just to get the M11 Pro Pro is remarkable. board memory but can read a micro into context music file wise. Playing the music files are two AK4497EQ digital-to-analogue convertors (DACs), one per channel, from Asahi Kasei Microdevices of Japan whom, I suspect, are pedalling hard to challenge EES of California. Their Velvet Sound DACs sound good to me in other products so I expected much here. And then to the outputs. What headphones can you connect and will it drive a hi-fi system? DAPs have got into a knicker-twist with headphone outputs, trying to squeeze best sound through worst connector – the 2.5mm four pole jack. Impractically small and weak, it’s difficult to wire, breaks easily and is unsuited to real- life use on the move. The M11 Pro carries a sturdier 4.4mm four-pole alternative for balanced audio output, retaining 2.5mm balanced and 3.5mm unbalanced three-pole – the one most people use. The M11 Pro can be connected to the balanced or unbalanced analogue inputs of a hi-fi system like a CD player, to act as a hi-res digital player, running from internal battery or external USB power (5V). It has an analogue Line output for this, and electrical S/PDIF digital output. There’s also Bluetooth wireless transmission, with LDAC, aptX and aptX-HD, and SBC protocols, to send music to a hi-fi, and Bluetooth reception so the player can act as wireless headphone amplifier. The USB output will charge,

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 23 REVIEW

The M11 Pro's large, bright screen clearly displays album artworks and play controls, in good visual definition.

The bottom face has a sturdy 4.4mm balanced output (top), and beside it a tiny 2.5mm balanced output. At bottom a 3.5mm headphone socket also acts as a Line output Battery life is quoted as 10.5 hours, high output, USB DAC/storage and (fixed volume) and a digital S/PDIF output the exact figure depending upon much else. Irritating was the need to using a supplied adaptor. screen usage and file size played. manually update the system when Build quality is superb: M11 Pro is music files were loaded. transfer files or photos, or connect massively strong. The music player app screen as a DAC/headphone amp to receive At left is a neat little rotary options were many and poorly a stream from a computer, but it was volume control, track skip buttons ordered I felt. Highest priority not seen as an input by my Mac or and Play/Pause button, but all (default) was Last Played – useful PC, which surprised me; I could not controls are available on the screen only if you want to play recent stream out to them. of course, from FiiO’s music app tracks repeatedly. Another touch- Using two DAC chips optimises performance but increases current consumption. Add in a Samsung Exynos 7872 chip set, THX output amplifiers, wi-fi/Apple Airplay and Bluetooth transmitters, plus a big 125mm high 720p touch-screen – and both battery (4370mAh) and player are sizeable. Weight was 231gm on our scales and dimensions 130mm high, 70mm wide and 17mm deep – pocketable but you’ll know it’s there. This is no flyweight.

The single card slot uses a card carrier, rather than a push-n-click open slot. It's secure and dust proof, but needs a small tool seen here (supplied) to activate. A paper clip will do.

running on an Android 7 operating selection in a top menu is needed to system. Other apps can be loaded access the usual track, artist, album and the internet accessed via wi-fi for and folder listings, of which the music streaming, including MQA files last is what I use, with its individual from Tidal Masters. You get a Google tracks and folders of tracks, but this Chrome web browser too. demands yet another selection to FiiO’s music app was clear and choose the storage used. I prefer text easily legible on the bright, high to see this listing as a priority, as resolution screen. As is common in many players, not way down the with complex players like this there menu stack, available only after are two Settings (gear wheel) menus, repeated selections. one in the basic OS, the other in the There is a Back button but no app. and on the M11 Pro both are Forward button to move through crammed with options, including DoP these menus. Having found a track over S/PDIF which I thought was and pressed play it takes another impossible because of low data rate selection to raise the Play screen A neat little gold rotary volume in this 1980s technology. with track info, but this is not control and black transport In the basic OS there are six available in the default Recently control buttons. low pass filter options, low and Played menu. It takes another four

24 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

selections to raise this screen out through – laborious. I found the app’s user balanced interface hard work, more so than analogue FiiO’s simpler players. outputs of the At left is the The computer interface uses a M11 Pro and filter menu with symmetrical USB C socket and USB2 you have one six options. They protocol, invoking the usual Android amazing sound affect CD file loader on my Mac but linking straight source. playback most, into Windows 10 on my PC, as usual. FiiO Super Slow Roll have even Off giving a SOUND QUALITY addressed warm sound. At Sound quality of the M11 Pro was the difficulty right is the Audio on the warm and full bodied side, of using a Settings menu in with powerful bass. I selected the portable as a the app. ‘Short Delay Fast Roll Off’ filter to stand-alone get energy into high treble. Think: player by a powerful but easy going sound. developing This was in itself not untypical of an app for the AK4497EQ Velvet Sound DAC, control from that mimics the ESS Sabre 32 Series the ‘phone: DACs. remote control in effect so you don’t lots of unnecessary button stabbing. With a wide variety of review have to jump up and down to select But the screen is superbly clear and tracks I know well and use consis- tracks – as I currently do when using bright, easy to visually comprehend tently the M11 Pro sounded strong our Astell&Kern AK120 as a digital and enjoyable. and forthright. The pounding synth file source. Sound quality wise there is drums of Safri Duo’s Samb-Adagio little to say here other than you had both strength and pace, if not CONCLUSION get superb quality from all outputs. quite the grip of Audiolab’s mains A player like the M11 Pro is a FiiO have strong technological grip: powered M-DAC+ that I used as a tech tour-de-force and takes some all their claims were fully supported reference, hooked up to the M11’s understanding. The breadth of options by measurement – and by listening. S/PDIF output – but that is to be makes it quite heavy going and the Making the M11 Pro a remarkable expected. user interface menus were not to tech fest at a price that is almost Sinead O’Connor singing Foggy my liking in sequential arrangement; absurdly low. Dew had The Chieftains behind her sounding large, bodhrans having good slam, pipes and whistles shrill and MEASURED PERFORMANCE vigorous. I fancy the M11 Pro is a Via the 3.5mm headphone output, hi-res little, but with CD the Slow filter tad stronger at the bottom end than frequency response with 192kHz sample rolled down output above 15kHz and many players in my recall, getting rate PCM rolled down above 64kHz Super Slow above 8kHz, the latter being close to M-DAC+ – which is good (-1dB) to the upper theoretical limit of audibly obvious as warmer sound. going. 96kHz (as shown). The six filters affect With 24/96 PCM, distortion at full Not being a great fan of level (0dB FS) measured 0.002% and headphones for ultimate listening, FREQUENCY RESPONSE at -60dB a low 0.02% via the 3.5mm FIIO M11 PRO I connected the balanced output headphone output – an impressive result. £599 into the McIntosh MA352 amplifier Dynamic range (EIAJ), came in at 121dB I review this month and compared – up with the best DACs. CD rips on the M11 with the OUTSTANDING - amongst The balanced output delivered a original CDs spun by an Oppo the best. massive 5V; Line Out 2V the same as a BDP-205 player also connected up CD player. Both gave same low distortion VERDICT through balanced cables – and they and high dynamic range as headphone Challenging in its complexity were reasonably close (through – not for the faint hearted output. Martin Logan ESL-X electrostatic but worth hearing, especially Output from the 3.5mm stereo loudspeakers). There was some slight with DSD. headphone jack (unbalanced) was 1.3V loss of definition and grip from the DISTORTION (Gain at Low) and 2.6V (Gain at High), FOR M11 Pro running from battery but it both more than enough for shattering - sound quality still thundered when necessary – yet volume from headphones. High is for - Bluetooth and wi-fi could capture delicacies in Dadawa - music service streaming, insensitive designs. singing Canton Story. with MQA Measured performance was superb - two balanced analogue I played a full range of music in all areas. The M11 Pro has no weak outputs files types, including massive DSDs points. NK like Cyndee Peters singing House AGAINST of the Rising Sun (DSD128) that - complex Frequency response (192kHz,-1dB) consumes a breathtaking 0.5GB; no - heavy 4Hz-64kHz - no USB streaming out MP3 flea here but a DSD elephant Distortion (-60dB, 24bit) 0.02% – and it sounded as liquidly smooth Dynamic Range (EIAJ) 121dB Advanced Players Ltd as DSD does, which is why the M11 Output (unbalanced/bal) 2.6V/5V +44 (0)343 289 6880 Pro focusses on this file type. Send it www.advancedmp3players.co.uk

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 25 REVEALING EVERY DETAIL Spendor D-Line loudspeakers reveal every nuance of the performance with absolute clarity and realism. With their transparent, superbly natural sound and extraordinary resolution, they create an airy, spacious soundscape, then invite you in to explore it, uncovering new depths, textures and deﬁnition in your music

MADE FOR MUSIC. DESIGNED FOR YOU.

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JoA3254 - Spendor - D-Line_D9 - Hi-Fi World_FULL_PAGE_DAY_AW.indd 1 11/04/2019 12:36 LETTERS & EMAILS

LETTER OF THE MONTH PRIZE

Visit our website at www.hi-fiworld.co.uk Mor send your emailsail to letters@hi-fiworld. co.uk. Letter of the month wins a pair of KEF Q150 bookshelf speaker

Answers by: NK - Noel Keywood; JM - Jon Myles; PR - Paul Rigby; MP - Martin Pipe.

KEF Q150 BOOKSHELF SPEAKER https://uk.kef.com/products/q150-bookshelf-speaker [subject to availability - Satin Black / Satin White]

A PAIR KEF Q150 LOUDSPEAKERS are on their way to STEVE WILLIAMS, Letter of the Month winner in our January 2020 issue.

Letter of the Month

The Beatles hit singles, released as a package we reviewed in the January 2019 issue. "There are a few things wrong with your piece on the latest singles package" says David Prior.

THE BEATLES SINGLES Have a fab Xmas! Road, after all. Kevin Howlett wrote For a magazine that devotes practically Regards, the accompanying booklet for this whole issues to new Beatles releases, David Prior collection – in effect an historical there are a few things wrong with your record from Abbey Road – and replies piece on the latest singles package in Hi David. Do you stir hornet’s below. NK last month’s issue. nests often :-) Not professing All true fans know “Please Please to be a musicologist I read the This is the old “do you count Please Me” was not their first No1, it was booklet supplied with The Beatles Please Me as a number one or not?” “From Me To You”. They then had a run Singles collection and transcribed controversy. of 11 – not 12 – Number 1 hits, until the words of wisdom therein to Please Please Me was number “Penny Lane” stalled at No 2. I expect my review. There could hardly be a one in every chart except the one better from my fave mag!! more authentic source than Abbey published in Record Retailer, which

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 27 LETTERS & EMAILS

platter, full of beat, vigour and vitality at an acceptable level to allow me to and what’s more it’s different. I shan’t stream old singles and bootlegs – any be in the least surprised to see the albums that were available on CD have charts invaded by Beatles”. probably since been purchased on CD! That prediction proved true. As I have been using a Pro-ject did George Martin’s encouraging Phonobox V as this has a USB output, words spoken at Abbey Road, running this to a laptop with Audacity although an alternative history did software. emerge some years later when the When listening to the records by chart-topping status of Please Please analogue output, the sound is pretty Me was retrospectively downgraded. good and everything is as expected. It was number one in four music Unfortunately when I listen to the papers, but had risen no higher than digitised files they are noticeably worse. number two in the trade paper I am, of course using the maximum rate Record Retailer, the journal selected supported by the Phonobox, but it leads to compile, from 1977 onwards, the me to think that this is the problem. definitive reference book of British Curiously, in the past I used to use A substantial twenty page booklet, written hit singles. a recordable CD player which gave by Kevin Howlett, comes with the singles In 1963, though, when Please significantly better recordings: they were unrecognisable from the original, even collection and catalogues their history in Please Me was certified as a number one by the BBC chart, the many though we are talking early 2000s detail. We quoted from it – but not everyone millions listening on Sunday evenings technology. The Phonobox provides a agrees! were in no doubt that it was. higher sampling rate so I presumed the compilers of the Guinness Book There were no such quibbles that it would be at least as good but of Hit Singles used. The BBC Chart about subsequent singles of the year. probably better? was an aggregate of several music From Me To You was number one I know that there are significantly paper charts. Please Please Me was in the UK for seven weeks during more expensive phono amps with USB number one in the BBC chart and May and June 1963. George Martin available, but they look like overkill for that’s what really counted, because certainly counted it as a number one the turntable that I am using (i.e. most Alan Freeman announced it was on and was not pleased when Please of these amps cost significantly more the radio. Please Me was not regarded as a than the turntable!). I am therefore I explained it all in the booklet. chart topper from 1977 onwards! looking for a relatively simple solution Here are the relevant paragraphs: Kevin Howlett that is price compatible with the “For several decades, the turntable. I do also have an Icon Audio BBC’s weekly chart show drew STREAMING SINGLES headphone amp, so am not particularly the UK’s biggest radio audience, I am looking for advice in digitising my looking for a combined phono and who listened with excitement as vinyl collection. I have a Musical Fidelity headphone stage if possible. the countdown built to the climax M8 Pre/power amp, Focal BE1038s Do you think you have any reached when the number one with Metronome Le Player 2 and suggestions that may help me? Should was revealed. Measured by the Naim ND5xs streamer as my primary I be looking at a different phono amp barometer of chart performance sources. Cables are Chord Signature. and separate A2D converter? With alone, this fabled sequence of singles I have recently bought a Technics the growth in streamers available, I’m has no equal. BBC radio’s Pick of SL-1210GR with Ortofon Blue to hoping that there must be a solution! the Pops announced 18 of them as digitise my extensive vinyl collection. I I really appreciate any thoughts the country’s most popular disc. know that the CD player and amp are that you might have. The Beatles unparalleled strike rate a step up, but the reality is that for Kind regards, included an unbroken string of 12 the vinyl, I am just looking at digitising Adam Curwin chart-toppers”. Here is a bit more background. When The Beatles first played Please Please Me to George Martin, it was in the style of a moody Roy Orbison ballad. Their producer’s reaction was that it needed pepping up. Although taken at a faster pace during the session with Andy White on drums, they decided to do it again on their next visit to Abbey Road in November 1962. With John’s harmonica now a big part of the exciting arrangement, George Martin remembered telling John, Paul, George and Ringo that they had recorded their first number one. Technics SL-1210GR turntable. "I have recently bought a Technics A review in NME was equally SL-1210GR with Ortofon Blue to digitise my extensive vinyl collec- encouraging: “a really enjoyable tion" says Adam Curwin.

28 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk LETTERS & EMAILS

the truth of the physics involved in the design of both loudspeakers and various electronic playback devices. It is interesting that, for the chapter on vented enclosures, he enlists the help of an assistant, Mr. Raymond E Cooke who, as we know, went on to achieve a very particular distinction of his own. There was a good deal of DIY in those days and the audio enthusiast Pro-ject's Phono Box DS2 USB comes with a hi-resolution could have great fun constructing corner analogue-to-digital convertor. horns and other proven designs. Hi Adam. The Pro-ject Phonobox V and you may think again about just It also reminded me that my old is a budget unit (£140) with 16bit spinning old bootlegs and singles. LP Lowther Acoustas remain the most analogue-to-digital convertor (ADC). sound quality has moved ahead and enjoyable loudspeakers I have ever had Undiscussed in the hi-fi press is that more than challenges today’s digital. through my hands. We cannot recreate ADCs are unlike DACs; they are not NK the concert hall in our living room, but mirror image technologies; worse we can have great fun finding the right they give inferior results. I measure WHARFEDALE HISTORY combination of components with which 16bit ADCs as having around 70dB The Wharfedale Anniversary series, to create the sound we are after. The dynamic range due to noise and especially the Linton that, although hi-fi animal is, after all, an end-to-end distortion – and this is what you are nothing like the original model, does creation, every link of which is important. hearing (16bit DACs have around I believe follow in the traditions of Mr Briggs clearly understood this in the Wharfedale and early 50s. reminds me of Mr G.A. How lucky we were to have Briggs and his book companies like Wharfedale and the Sound Reproduction, many others which made up the British the third edition of audio world, as it was then. Ah, and which I have and am we had Lisle Street (but that’s another now re-reading. It was story). published in March Kind regards, 1953 and provides Julian Ashbourn BSc (hons) a wonderful insight into the way we Hi Julian. As you say, Gilbert Briggs, thought about sound founder of Wharfedale, was not just reproduction in the a loudspeaker manufacturer but also home in those days. a man of words, publishing an array Mr Briggs, founder of of books that all make fascinating Furutech's GT40A is another phono stage with Wharfedale, provides reading. They provide a simple(ish) hi-resolution digital convertor. a wealth of detailed way to understand the loudspeaker, drawings, graphs and as he saw it. And just look at all those oscillogram images, graphs and pictures; there’s visual 100dB dynamic range). I hear them to leave the reader in no doubt about content for everyone. Well worth sounding a tad flat and coarse, or ‘grey’ in tonality. In budget convertors of this price you really are looking at basic digital functionality rather than digital excellence. Unfortunately, you have to accept you will need a convertor with a higher quality 24bit ADC chip inside and this will be expensive. A Pro-Ject Phono Box DS2 USB at £440 will give cleaner digital or you may like to consider the excellent Furutech GT40A from Alpha Design Labs. at £520. I think you are underestimating the potential of your new Technics SL-1210GR turntable. It would do justice to a better cartridge than the basic Ortofon 2M Blue. I’d suggest at least a budget moving coil like Ortofon’s Quintet Bronze or Black, or perhaps an Audio-Technica OC- Wharfedale's test laboratory in the 1950s, with Raymond Cooke in 9XSH. Otherwise go for a top MM. background. He went on to found KEF. Picture from Loudspeakers, Then try listening to a few good LPs by Gilbert Briggs.

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grabbing at any audio fair. stereo system; external Lisle Street? In London’s Soho hard drives have there area. I’ve crawled it in the fair share of problems past for all those shops selling WW2 as Noel has eluded to. military surplus. What fun – and sad As I sit listening to that the UK’s last outpost of high Donald Fagen on the street electronics – Maplins – has 401 with an SME V now gone. Curious that the old arm I think that a fifty world that is now the new world year old mechanical has disappeared from sight. Can’t device shouldn’t be help feeling there’s something wrong that good! When I here; we need to retain a grasp on play a disc, the shop electronics in the UK – and visibility in Birmingham where helps. NK I bought it from springs to mind, not Hi Julian. I have, beside me, a so with streaming. I collection of Briggs books that I’ve love physical media, built up over the years, some of particularly the LP. Today's LPs like this live direct cut – Big which are signed by the author, and Martin said that Band Spectacular from the Syd Lawrence I often refer to them. We have to when he went into Orchestra – demonstrate just how good LP remember that, when they were first his local HMV store it can sound. written, the technical background was like going back in to what made loudspeakers sound time 30 years. What I enjoyable on music was still on shaky wish is that the prices would go back in shell out good money for today’s ground and later, revised, editions time 30 years too, but that’s progress I superb LPs that are light years included the latest research of that suppose, some would say inflation. ahead in sound quality, through far period. I have embraced digital, but not better physical quality – quieter vinyl, You refer to Raymond Cooke at the exclusion of analogue which I 180gm and flat, not warped. The best who was brought into the realms of hold in high regard, and I love the ritual modern LPs still stay comfortably Wharfedale when, at a BSRA meeting of playing a disc, which fascinates the ahead of digital when played with in the 50s, Cooke enlightened Briggs young and as the saying goes; what an SME on a 401. As you say, they on how reflex cabinets really worked goes around comes around is certainly “shouldn’t be that good” but – hey! – (based on experiments Cooke had applicable to analogue. they are and still provide a wonderful been doing in his spare time while Mike Bickley. sound that anyone will enjoy. NK working at the BBC). You’re certainly right about DIY. Hi Mike. When I was a student in the THE COST OF MUSIC I started on my own forays into early sixties an LP was so expensive So I did a few things this week, you loudspeaker design after messing it was all but unobtainable. The price might be interested in. The first was around, as a teenager, with various back then was 30 shillings (£1.50) that while running an errand to collect drive units and home-built cabinets as I remember. A pint of beer something for my wife in Cowley, a including a Wharfedale Super 8/RS/ – important to students! – was one suburb of Oxford, I called into Truck DD and, later, a Unit 5 kit. So it has shilling. That’s a x30 multiplier that if Records and was browsing through given me a lot of pleasure to bring used today puts an LP at well over their collection of mostly new LPs – but the traditions of Wharfedale up to £100. Hardly surprising that Britain’s I couldn’t get over the price, single date in the Anniversary Heritage music industry thrived back then. albums at £20-£35 each. It just seemed series and I’m delighted that Gilbert And also why I am happy to so expensive. So expensive in fact that Briggs books are still being read. Peter Comeau Director of Acoustic Design, Wharfedale

GOING BACK As I sit here listening to my FM tuner, whilst I await the Garrard 401 to warm up, I’m reading Martin Pipe’s column in the December issue, with a certain “I was right” expression on my face. Sometime ago I wrote a letter extolling the virtues of another source when I lost the internet for some time – and boy was I glad I had the FM tuner. I bet Martin was in a state of shock when his router crashed, and he couldn’t access his NAS drive! Best to keep the music files on "In 1984 or thereabouts, I paid £5.89" for a cassette, writes Malcolm another drive so you can play them Watts, like the 1985 cassette here from Dire Straits. "The Bank of back through a DAC from a PC into the England inflation calculator gives a number very close to £19 today".

30 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk LETTERS & EMAILS

they seemed to make more money from selling barista style coffee to the Oxford University students beavering away on their laptops at the in-house coffee shop than they did from selling CDs and records. That being said, the environment was much improved on the record shops Supra LoRad 2.5 I used to frequent in the places I lived mains cable. “Just as a youth. But still...over £20 for an LP? tried the Supra The second was that on getting LoRad cable and the home I found that a small package difference is truly had arrived for me from Thakker.EU in startling” says Joe Germany containing new belts for my Starkie. Aiwa AD-S950 tape deck. I have had to sort out my unused hi-fi separates lately and thought I would actually unpack my old tape deck and get it installed so that I can listen to some old tapes. I had been disappointed to discover the belts had perished while in its long banishment in the garage, hence being anything up to £6.99. bands like The PInk Floyd, with their ordering replacements from Thakker. So I plugged the price of that tape into massive stage shows, will ever be I spent 40 minutes or so changing the the Bank of England inflation calculator seen again. Nowadays, we get Taylor belts and cleaning the pinch roller and and got a number very close to £19, not Swift instead. NK capstans. far off what those LPs were priced at in The tape deck repair completed, Truck records, so the real range of prices MAINS ISSUES I started poking around in my tape I paid back then would be £17.50-£33. Over recent months you have reviewed collection and I had fun revisiting music Nowadays, CDs are usually in the Titan Styx and MCRU No 7 mains I only have on tape. It proved to be an the £5-£12 range depending on how cables. These prompted me to try interesting exercise in enjoyment and popular they are, and as I already the Supra LoRad 2.5 I bought for my frustration. I could clearly hear the sonic mentioned, vinyl is in the £20-£35 range. ancient but lovely Onix Bwd1 and Onix signature of the turntable I used to Prices haven’t really changed as much Oa21 set up with last year’s purchase record the tapes, and on the whole they as I thought, and are actually a lot of the Convert Technology Plato A class. sounded pretty good, although I could cheaper if you opt for the CD, somewhat While your magazine influenced have done with increasing the recording ironic when you remember that CDs the decision to audition, Lee Beven gain on some of the older ones to were £15 in the 1980s – that’s over from Strictly Stereo did a home demo reduce tape hiss. £45 today! and weeks’ home loan of it and I was Some of the pre-recorded tapes Clearly, times have changed from amazed how good it was. Lee’s service however were clearly suffering from when I was a lad. My kids listen almost is excellent: anyone in the Manchester overload distortion, and the actual exclusively to music from my Amazon area will find him most helpful. Thus he cassette tape mechanisms were awful, Prime account, but the cost is not so loosened the normally tight grip I have rattling, squealing, and in one case different from the other usual suspects of my wallet. grinding to a halt 3/4 of the way of Spotify, Apple, Tidal, etc. – a tenner a Well, just tried the Supra LoRad through because the cassette housing month, £20 if you want higher quality or with 5amp replacement fuse with was pressing on the reel inside it. more choice. the Plato and the difference is truly The most problematic of the tapes So maybe things are not so bad startling. This got me thinking – how was actually a Jon and Vangelis album on the cost of music front after all. Of far can you go down the upgrade tree (I know, I know...don’t shoot me!), and course, the people bearing the brunt using power cords for less than one I was surprised to find that when I of this plunge in the real cost of music hundred pounds? opened up the box liner to look at are the bands, but that’s the topic of I also was intrigued by the the lyrics, the original receipt fell out another letter I think. What are all your cartridge enabler from Origin Live. My into my lap. In 1984 or thereabouts, I readers prepared to pay for your music I TD124 with Hadcock Cryo SE carries paid £5.89 for this poorly made mass wonder ? a Lyra Dorian on the Cartridge Man’s produced piece of junk from the music Regards, similar device. How does this compare department of W.H. Smiths. It was a Malcolm Watts in your opinion? shame it struggled to play, because I Regards was enjoying the music. Hi Malcolm. Whatever way I Joe Starkie And then a thought struck me. compute it, listening to music has Back in 1984, the only source of become less expensive over the Hi Joe. Interesting to hear how the income for my 16 year old self was years, not more expensive – as you Supra LoRad mains cable gave a from a Saturday job at the local say. Streaming is very low cost and difference that was “truly startling”. Sainsburys, so I would have spent more now with Amazon entering the fray, By whatever means, mains cables frugally than today. What did I actually quality doesn’t have to suffer either. with noise suppression do work. pay for that tape in today’s money? The downside, as you observe, is We have not compared the two I recall chart LPs back in 1984 were there is less money in the industry cartridge mounting dampers you about £5 from Harlequin Records and therefore less income and mention so cannot honestly say how (remember them?), non-chart stuff incentive for artists. I doubt whether they differ. NK

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�� 04/12/2019 12:59 REVIEW Jitter free USB Mutech’s MC-3+USB cleans digital by removing jitter and noise. Noel Keywood listens.

utec’s little box of input, for example. Just to explain the input clock, identified as 1-10.0M. tricks, the MC-3+USB what it does in simplest possible It’s heavy going as a user interface and I am reviewing here, fashion, because the user interface is techno-obscure, demanding a close is semi-pro – digital laden with lights and legends that are read of the user manual, but whatever audio workstations perplexing. The MC-3+USB is purely I input, from PCM to DSD, the LEDs and all that – but has digital, it has no on-board DAC: there did show sample rate correctly. Mapplication in the consumer replay are no analogue outputs. At right on the small front panel arena as a jitter remover that tidies I struggled to understand the are red input LEDs, two vertical rows up digital, and also acts as a format MC-3+USB, mainly because its user of them, one for PCM the other for convertor, changing DSD to PCM for interface relies on arrays of LEDs DSD. The Clock In legend has been example. And that is as simple as I can linked to small obscure legends. positioned below the DSD display explain the complex MC-3+USB. It is Sending in a 192kHz sample rate when it also applies to the rightmost for technos, not technophobes – but signal from my Mac, for example, PCM sample rate column – confusing. does its job well. there’s no 192kHz indicator, instead Third in from right is a status The USB bit will appeal to most 48kHz and 88.2kHz indicators light column that shows when a digital I suspect, since this is for computer up that together mean 192kHz – even stream has been locked and is playing. connection. It will take in a digital if they don’t add up to that figure. Then come four columns of green stream and send it out cleaned up, Peer closely and a little link legend Clock Multiplier LEDs, a Clock Out free of jitter and noise, via S/PDIF says 192 but you have to sort out this column that largely stayed unlit, a to an external DAC having no USB sort of awkward display system for Reference column that most people

34 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

would understand as input source, I linked the USB input to a 2018 to PCM by the Mutech, allowing and finally at left a Mode column. MacMini running Mojave (10.14.6) comparison to be made. This also For setting purposes there are but of course the unit works with makes the point that modern DACs two small black oval buttons at far PCs, in conjunction with a free driver can handle DSD raw (PC only) or as left on the four panel, Menu and download from Mutec. DoP – and also that modern players Select, the former cycling through the The MC-3+USB accepts up to like Audirvana+ can convert DSD various columns sequentially, Setting 192kHz PCM, where my Audiolab to PCM in the computer; external doing the same within each column. M-DAC+ accepts 384kHz and Chord conversion in hardware such as the At rear there are BNC socketed Electronics M-Scaler accepts 768kHz, Mutech is unnecessary. electrical inputs and outputs, one pair both of which the Mac can generate. I However, if you use a simple of AES XLR socketed in/outs, optical can’t see this is of much consequence: non-asynchronous music player in/outs and of course a USB socket 96kHz sample rate seems more like Mac’s Quicktime the situation for computer connection. The only than enough to me, but it is a point changes; output is then determined mains power switch is back there to note – and Rob Watts of Chord by Audio Midi setup on the Mac, not too, recessed and awkward to use; I Electronics states 384kHz as a by Audirvana and the MC-3+USB has suspect the idea is to leave this unit minimum. more influence. switched on. It has an internal switch- The Mutec also accepts DSD64, Conversion from DSD to PCM mode power unit that works from 128 and 256 via USB that, with a is for PCM-only DACs from the past, 85V-264V a.c. and consumes a low 10 Mac, must come in as DoP. I used the where manufacturers did not want Watts maximum. You’ll always know excellent Audirvana+ player to play to implement the DSD function that the unit is on because of its LED DSD 64 and 128 files. most DAC chips possess, for cost arrays. Size wise, the case is small, Connected to the Mutec’s reasons. measuring 198mm wide and 183mm S/PDIF 3 BNC output socket was DSD apart, the Mutech is also a deep and 50mm high, weight stated as my Audiolab M-DAC+. Its input re-clocking device, cleaning up digital 1.35kg. sample rate display showed what from a dirty input, such as a CD Being purposed for USB that’s the Mutec was feeding out. I used player’s digital output, or perhaps how I used the MC-3+USB, although it as a sonic reference too, mainly a streamer. As such it delivers a it does have S/PDIF inputs too, that I with headphones. The Audiolab can clean signal into an external DAC, checked for functionality with a digital accept DSD via DoP – straight from as our tests revealed (see Measured signal generator. the computer without conversion Performance).

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 35

REVIEW

Scary! At left are four BNC clock outputs and beside them two BNC electrical S/PDIF outputs. Also a phono socketed S/PDIF output and below an optical output. At centre lie AES/EBU balanced digital in/outs, and at right are the inputs, USB and S/PDIF optical and electrical (BNC).

SOUND QUALITY direct into the M-DAC+ clearly Playing PCM files from the Mac into captured the laconic ease of Cyndee MC-3+USB then out to M-DAC+ Peters singing House of the Rising via S/PDIF did produce a sharply Sun, Mutech’s transcoded version clean and well delineated sound, sounding a little diffuse in that’s for sure. Using the Mac’s own comparison. But useful for Quicktime player, rather than paid- any PCM-only DAC all the for Audirvana+, there was superb same. clarity and focus. Marianne Thorsen’s violin was pure and concise, playing CONCLUSION Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G Major Mutech’s MC-3+USB is an (24/96), the Trondheim Soloists external jitter removal device being placed with precision on able to clean up digital sources, a wide sound stage around her, such as CD players and streamers, their interjections coming across sending out cleansed digital to an with strength and a great sense of external DAC. It can also convert composure. Steely Dan’s Time Out DSD to PCM. Measurement showed of Mind (24/96) was also super tight it removed jitter effectively. I found and clean, perfectly manicured; the it gave a superb sound with PCM, Mutech again put up a wide sound which most of us use. It works well At left the switch-mode power supply and at right a stage with instruments set hard right and is worth hearing to see what it complex surface mount digital board carrying banks and left, vocal reverbs stretched can achieve in a particular setup. of front panel LEDs. broadly but evenly right through my head when listening on headphones. Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams (24/96) similarly had enormous grip MEASURED PERFORMANCE The Mutec MC-3+USB was measured and purity, as if the track had been Mutech and most others show, where solely in the digital domain with a cleaned and sorted, Stevie Nicks DAC affects the result. The analyser was Rohde&Schwarz UPV applying a heavily sounding clear and stable centre set to see only the jitter modulation (not jittered 1kHz audio signal sent to the unit stage, backing vocals and cymbal audio data) set in the generator at 2kHz as CD (16/44.1) over optical cable and crashes coming in from hard right here. back. Because both our UPV and UPL and left. The Mutech makes stereo Our top trace shows a pass-through analysers operate in the digital domain impressive, that’s for sure. analysis of applied jitter modulation when measuring jitter, the analyses This was in a preened review signal (phase noise) only, applied to the here do not show a simple analogue system with short, high quality leads. Mutech. domain analysis from a DAC (in case you The MC-3+USB is really purposed The lower trace shows what came for – and best judged in – a looser are wondering!) of jitter sidebands, as out the other end as a jitter analysis only MUTEC set-up with longer leads (more jitter) JITTER IN (no audio information) – and crucially and – say – a jittery source such as there is no sign of the 2kHz jitter input. MC-3+USB £875 the digital output of an old CD player. Inevitably some hum gets into the act at Then it will have even greater impact left and there are small noise peaks at EXCELLENT - extremely on sound quality. -80dB, as expected in a 16bit system. capable. Playing DSD via Audirvana+ was Importantly, the MC-3+USB has more a functional test in my system. eliminated all jitter and the noise floor VERDICT Audiolab’s M-DAC+ flagged up is lower than the basic pass-through An effective re-clocking unit that tidies up digital. 88.2kHz PCM and all worked well, analysis (top), meaning the MC-3+USB with good sound quality, but running has reduced noise from the analyser’s FOR DSD over DoP direct from the Mac JITTER OUT signal generator in the re-clocking - purified sound without intermediate conversion to process. Showing it tidies up digital, - broad, precise imaging PCM was more relaxed and fluid. eliminating jitter (severe in our test) and - small DSD-to-PCM conversion worked lowering noise. well enough but nowadays most AGAINST The MC-3+USB was effective - difficult user interface DACs don’t need it, offering direct in removing severe jitter and noise, - poor user manual internal conversion of DSD to measurement in the digital domain analogue (through a low pass filter) showed. It does as claimed, delivering a Nu Nu Distribution + 44 (0) 203 5442338 without transcoding to PCM as an fine result. NK intermediary process. Playing DSD www.nunudistribution.co.uk

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HFW_KEF_222x300mm_LS50W_Titanium.indd 1 16/12/2019 14:16 REVIEW Taking the PX Martin Pipe dons the latest in high-tech headphones from B&W.

owards the higher end of the optimise communication between The headphones are of the circumaural noise-cancelling Bluetooth device and headphones for prevailing over-ear variety, behind which lurk headphones sector lie the radio conditions, as well as reduce 43.6mm full-range drivers allegedly £350 PX7 from speaker spe- ‘latency’ – the delay between encoding/ capable of a 10Hz-30kHz frequency cialists Bowers and Wilkins. transmission and decoding/reception, response. They are apparently “the Now topping the Worthing which can impair the gaming experience largest in B&W’s headphone collection” wonders’T wireless range, they’re a and affect the ‘lip-sync’ of movies and TV and are “built and tuned by the same development of the previous PX model programmes. Naturally, aptX Adaptive engineers behind the 800 Series – which pioneered the hi-res potential also supports HD – under ideal Diamond speakers” that perform of Qualcomm’s aptX HD technology. circumstances sound quality of its top monitoring duties at Abbey Road. According to B&W the PX7 is (420kbps) mode is said to be indistin- A nice touch is that the inner first to market with something called guishable from 24/96. According to B&W, cloth-grilles of the earpiece are clearly ‘aptX Adaptive’. This innovation is the other codecs supported by the PX7 identified, so that you don’t get your claimed to dynamically- are aptX HD, aptX Classic, AAC and stereo in a twist. SBC. For robustness, the frame to which the cups are attached is of woven carbon-fibre, providing toughness without excess weight – the review PX7 survived being dropped onto stony ground on at least two occasions! There’s plenty of clever tech built into the cups – as the controls ranged around their bases shows. On the left earcup is a button that cycles between the different levels of automatic noise- cancellation. At the highest setting, they can be used without music to greatly- reduce ambient noise – useful on a noisy aircraft or train perhaps. An ‘ambient passthrough’ mode allows some external ambience to get through – sensible on busy streets. Or the DSP-driven noise- cancelling can be turned off altogether. Ambient pickup is from no fewer than four microphones. Two further mikes form the basis of a hands-free talk mode, when you’re using the PX7 with a smartphone. On the other cup are mounted push-buttons that, depending on how they’re pressed, change volume, pause playback, go to the next or previous

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 39

REVIEW

engineering and production techniques that were used to capture the equally-diffuse range of musical styles that made up the DJs’ mix. The PX7 didn't disappoint when it came to albums by a single artist, either. Steve Hackett’s Voyage of the Acolyte benefitted from the detail, clarity and full-bodied tonality that distinguishes these headphones. I was pleasantly-surprised by the insight they offered into Hackett’s guitar playing. Strings of a different kind – those making up Goreki’s melancholy Third Symphony (Polish Radio S.O, Gibbons/Penderecki) – were also adeptly and distinctly conveyed; the A USB port for charging and PC audio, 3.5mm stereo analogue input and various control buttons. tracks and deal with incoming phone polymer battery delivering up to 30 calls – as circumstances dictate. hours of playback. When this runs The PX7 can be customised out, a 15-minute quick-charge will with a free app, but its scope is reward you with five more hours. rather limited (no tone controls, for Another welcome PX7 feature is that example). A slide switch next to the removing the headphones automat- buttons turns the PX7 on or off, and ically-pauses playback; replace them, initiates the simple Bluetooth pairing and the music continues from that process. The profiles supported are point. A2DP v1.3.1, AVRCP v1.6.1, HFP v1.7.1, HSP v1.2 and BLE GATT; with COMFORT AND SOUND QUALITY this widespread codec support the The PX7’s semi-foldable design is PX7 should be able to deal with far from cumbersome. Its adjustable practically anything. Not that you’re headband and weight of 310gm add tied (untied?) to Bluetooth; courtesy up to long-term comfort – even with The detachable pads, made of foam covered of a 3.5mm jack and a 1.2m cable, the modest pressure exerted on the by a synthetic leather material, are soft and the PX7 can be driven from regular ears, necessary to ensure a good seal provide a comfortable ear seal. analogue headphone sockets. with the replaceable soft pads. Since the PX7 has onboard I have to say that the PX7 is piece also demonstrated the PX7’s amplification with a 20k Ohm input probably the best noise-cancelling imaging prowess. impedance, the gear feeding it won’t ‘phone I’ve heard; some of the Although the PX7 is undoubtedly be stressed. Also built into the right previous models I’ve tried are spoilt enjoyable to listen to, I wouldn’t earcup is a USB-C jack. Courtesy by audible artifacts when operating describe its tonal character as BOWERS AND of the 1.2m USB-A cable provided in this mode, thereby compromising neutral. Tight and musical bass is a as part of the package, the PX7 can enjoyment of music. Dynamics and, major contributor to the ‘big’ PX7 WILKINS PX7 £350 be used with computers as USB to a lesser extent, stereo imaging sound, as is a perceptible emphasis £ headphones. The USB-C connector are improved after switching the on the lower midrange that gives it a OUTSTANDING - amongst doubles for charging purposes, a mode off altogether, but it is evident slightly warm character. Furthermore, the best. full charge of the internal lithium- that noise-cancellation adds little I found that the PX7 errs towards appreciable tonal colouration. the bright when it comes to the VALUE - keenly priced. Coupled to a Pixel 3a cymbals of rock drum-kits and 'phone loaded with a wide electronic percussion associated with VERDICT selection of losslessly- the electronic dance genre. Plenty of useful features – and a large-scale sound. A high compressed music the quality Bluetooth contender. B&Ws proved to be CONCLUSION a gutsy and energetic It’s difficult not to like the PX7, which FOR performer, with a sound brings to smartphones and similar - energetic and fulsome that can be summed up as non-hi-fi players a healthy slice of the - noise-cancellation - well-featured ‘big’ without being fatiguing full-bodied sound associated with to listen to. A 2manyDJs dedicated hi-fi products. Sure, the AGAINST The cable with 3.5mm jack plugs allows ‘mash-up’ was given the latter may be more tonally-neutral - some warmth and the PX7 to be driven from any source necessary excitement, yet it and better eke out finest details brightness with an analogue headphone output. was possible to distinguish – but these cordless and sound Bowers and Wilkins With the USB-A cable, the PX7 can be between the widely-varying cancelling 'phones are packed with +44 (0)800 232 1513 used direct with computers. recording environments, features they lack. www.bowerswilkins.com

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 41

REVIEW

Six Appeal Klipsch’s new The Sixes are more than just a loudspeaker – they are a versatile all-in-one system. Jon Myles explains all.

f there’s a big trend in hi-fi the pile – Devialet's Reactor 900 Unbox The Sixes and they at the moment it’s the all-in- that gives you a loudspeaker with look like a typical pair of Klipsch one system. Think of Naim’s a 900 Watts per channel amplifier, loudspeakers. Pride of place Mu-So 2 combining stream- plus superb design. Now American goes to the six-and-a-half inch ing services, amplification and manufacturer Klipsch has joined the mid/bass driver allied to a one- I loudspeakers. Or – king of party – but with a twist. inch aluminium tweeter housed www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 43 Over 150 brands booked with more to come!

21st – 23rd February 2020. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. every day at the Bristol Marriott City Centre Hotel

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For the latest news and a full list of brands exhibiting Organised by In association with please visit our website

Bristol Public ad A4_2020.indd 1 13/11/2019 09:58 REVIEW

in a proprietary horn-loaded enclosure. The difference, though, is that these £800 speakers include amplification and a complete set of inputs – including a phono stage for a turntable. So forget extra boxes - they can accept a variety of sources and handle everything else themselves. Volume can be adjusted up and down by the right loudspeaker’s front-baffle rotary control. The amplification for both loudspeakers has been fitted inside the right-hand cabinet. It includes line-level analogue and TOSLINK/USB digital with a 24bit/192kHz-capable DAC, Bluetooth – plus an MM phonostage. There’s also a subwoofer output for those with a stronger addiction to bass. To call them wireless would be going a bit far. The main (right-hand loudspeaker) needs to be plugged into a power socket while the pair are connected by a supplied cable. That said, afterwards there’s little to worry about. The Klipsch’s have 100 Watts of power on board and will The rear of the main ‘speaker includes digital and analogue accept almost any input. inputs – all you need is a source for a complete system. They also boast a rather attractive mid-1970s retro look with walnut cabinets the controls sit on the right-hand standby mode or choose which accentuated by gold logos at the ‘speaker where you can use a input to use. bottom of each loudspeaker. All toggle switch to put the pair into Alternatively there’s a small remote control that allows you to use everything - including volume, source selection and on/off - from your armchair. The loudspeakers themselves measure 22cm x 43cm x 28cm and feature a rear-ported enclosure to boost bass response. That means they are not small and do benefit from good, substantial stands to bring out their best - but that holds for any loudspeaker of this size. On the back are inputs for the integrated phono pre-amp (more of which later), Bluetooth wireless technology, digital optical, analogue RCA as well as USB. So they are fairly well-equipped and cut down the number of boxes needed to play music. In fact all you need is a source which, at the most basic level, could be an iPhone The front right loudspeaker provides access to all the various or Android device equipped with inputs: Bluetooth reception, Aux, Phono, USB and Digital. Bluetooth.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 45

REVIEW

The only downside is the equipped device it sounds exposed screws on the top of the remarkably smooth. Yes a cabinets which, frankly, look a little standalone device could agricultural. better it - but that would rather negate the whole SOUND QUALITY point of the Klipschs. They With a large horn-loaded tweeter are positioned as an all- and sizable mid/bass driver taking in-one system which are up most of the fascia you’d expect capable of handling any these 'speakers to be big, bold and input you have. Which is brash. But that's far from the case. something they do very Instead they sound accurate and well. The only difficulty well-balanced, fast and with a good here is that the turntable sense of detail. will be close to the With New Order’s ‘Bizarre loudspeaker, signal leads Love Triangle’ via an iPhone on rarely being more one Bluetooth there was a pleasing metre long. sense of poise. Bass was deep and taut without being over-dominant CONCLUSION while the mid-range sounded Klipsch have hit a smooth. Most impressive, however, sweetspot with The Sixes. The tweeter sits in a specially-designed waveguide which works well. "the intricate electronic work Amplification, a DAC and a range of digital and analogue inputs stood out, each keyboard stroke plus a balanced sound make them something of a bargain. Well worth ringing crisp and clear. It made considering if you want a capable all-in-one system that's easy to use the whole track a joy to listen to" and has trad. design. was the detail on offer. The MEASURED PERFORMANCE intricate electronic work stood out, Through analogue Phono input set to here, as our orange trace shows. each keyboard stroke ringing crisp Aux, frequency response of The Sixes Sending in pink noise from an and clear. Put together it made the loudspeaker was flat from 50Hz to 16kHz iPhone file via Bluetooth yielded the whole track a joy to listen to. our third-octave analysis of pink noise same result, so the external inputs Moving forward I switched to shows (green trace), measured on-axis. maintain accuracy. the RCA analogue inputs fed CD Measuring 20 degrees off-axis there The Sixes returned a fine measured from our resident Oppo BDP-205D was some small treble loss of a few dB. performance. They are more accurate universal disc player. Overall then, The Sixes are accurate, than most loudspeakers, which On Elvis Costello’s version lacking the treble lift of so many modern says a lot about the company’s design of ‘What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace KLIPSCH THE designs. In comparison they will sound rationale. NK SIXES £800 Love And Understanding’ his voice less bright but are in fact truthful and will stood out - strong and powerful. be easier to live with in the long term, by £ The guitar work was also brilliantly FREQUENCY RESPONSE not emphasising CD distortion. OUTSTANDING - amongst replayed. Again there was real drive Although treble has not been raised, Green - driver output the best. on offer but without sounding output across the upper mid-band Red - port output coarse or harsh. – above 2kHz – is strong from the wide- +20 VALUE - keenly priced Turning the volume up via flare Tractrix tweeter horn, so there will +10 VERDICT the right loudspeaker showed the be detail in the sound. dB Klipsch’s can happily fill a medium- 0 All-in-one loudspeakers that Klipsch have brought up output include everything you need sized room with ease without below 400Hz (ignoring the floor return -10 to be the heart of a system. collapsing in on themselves. Just add sources and it all dip at 180Hz) to ensure a good sense -20 In fact they stay refined and of body but bass rolls off below 50Hz comes together. -30 well-controlled. That Tractrix horn- – as expected from a small-ish cabinet 20 100 Hz 1k 20k loaded tweeter also means they FOR with internal volume shared by drive FREQUENCY RESPONSE - smooth sound sound larger than they look, the electronics. The port (red trace) is - range of inputs Phono (LP) input sound expanding from each side of tuned to a high 80Hz, rather than below - easy to use +20 the cabinets in a seamless fashion. main driver output as is common, so - powerful for their size +10 - price With Mahler’s epic No 4 I got it supports upper bass rather than low excellent separation between the dB bass. As a result output drops sharply 0 AGAINST instruments - the violins sounding below 40Hz, so no subsonics. -10 - nothing at the price vibrant and complete air between Unusual is the addition of a phono -20 Henley Audio every element of the orchestra. stage. Applying RIAA pre-equalised pink +44 (0)1235 511166 The phonostage is also -30 noise The Sixes were perfectly accurate 20 100 1k 20k www.henleyaudio.co.uk worth a mention. For a sole MM Hz

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DPS - October 2019.indd 1 08/10/2019 10:32:28 DPS - October 2019.indd 2 08/10/2019 10:32:34 OLDE WORLDE DAT’s about the size of it... Martin Pipe revisits Aiwa’s HD-S1, a portable DAT (Digital Audio Tape) recorder launched in 1990.

ne of the earliest digital to intermediate conversion to and top-loading portable DAT recorder recorders aimed at seri- from a video signal? The proposed occupying roughly the same volume ous recording enthusi- format would employ a much smaller as a fat paperback book. asts, musicians, budget cassette. Powered by a rectangular studios and well-heeled The resulting ‘Digital Audio Tape’ lead-acid battery, the sub-kilogram audiophiles was the Sony (DAT) format was too expensive ‘Stasser’ branded HD-X1 also OPCM-F1. This was a battery-powered for the mass market, being internally realised the ‘on the move’ potential PCM adaptor that converted 16-bit complex on account of its VCR-type of DAT. This was maximised by Aiwa’s digital audio into a video signal that mechanism, but high-tech audiophiles decision to build the analogue-to- could be understood by a video cas- and professional users eagerly digital converter and mike preamp sette recorder (VCR). adopted it. into a module that bolted onto the Whilst VCR-based PCM audio A multitude of firms made DAT back of the machine. If analogue recording was gaining acceptance, decks and tapes their business. recording wasn’t needed then this Sony was working on closer Known for its cassette decks was module could be removed. The integration between PCM with VCR Aiwa, by then a subsidiary of Sony. HD-X1 main unit featured a stereo technology. The high effective writing- That’s why it was able to enter the 3.5mm socket that enabled digital speed of the latter’s helically-scanning DAT game early on, its first DAT audio to enter and exit the machine, rotary head-drum was sufficient to product being a clone of the Sony's allowing lossless copies to be made. capture the significant amounts of DTC-1000E. Incredibly the HD-X1, only data associated with 16-bit PCM But Aiwa's next significant officially available in Japan, lacked audio, so why not introduce a format DAT product was to prove more SCMS and it could record at that did so directly – as opposed intriguing. This was 1989’s HD-X1, a 44.1kHz sampling rate. No wonder it

50 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk OLDE WORLDE

contact-based electrical switches of VCRs were notoriously-unreliable over time and yielded strange fault symptoms. The HD-S1’s styling is very much of its time, but there are ergonomic DAT’s about niggles. A large LCD screen for track-time and other information lacks backlighting and is difficult to read from certain angles. It can be switched between a tape-counter (4-digit number) and time-related (hours/minutes/seconds) displays. The latter is only available when playing the size of it... The naked HD-S1, playing a tape. Looks like the business end of back tapes recorded elsewhere, a vintage camcorder – because DAT machines and camcorders as the HD-S1 lacks timecode shared precision-engineered mechanics and principles – a rotat- recording. Underneath the display ing drum with two helical-scanning heads. The empty space at are transport-control tabs, access rear is a compartment for the rechargeable battery pack. to which could be easier, so it’s just

attracted interest; this machine could record CD unrestricted. The following year, an SCMS- equipped version of the HD-X1 – the HD-S1 featured here – was introduced on a worldwide basis. Selling for £600 at launch, the HD- S1 used some of the most advanced electronics then available. The internal DAC, for example, featured one of those wonders of the age – a Philips Bitstream converter. No less sophisticated was the analogue-to- digital converter unit, which was built around an equally-clever Matsushita MASH (multi-stage noise-shaping) Like a camcorder guides lace up the tape around the head drum (vis- sigma-delta chip. ible at the back of the photo). The miniature pinch-roller, spool carri- Taking a peek inside the HD-S1 ers and felt-covered back-tension band may have been lifted from a reveals numerous surface-mounted 8mm camcorder made by Aiwa’s owner Sony. application-specfic integrated circuits and a mechanism that is, hardly a feedback system that confirms the as well that Aiwa supplied a wired surprisingly, very similar to that of current position of various parts remote. a late-1980s camcorder. In some associated with the tape path to The headphone socket and respects, it’s actually better. The the microprocessor, is optoelec- associated volume thumbwheel are mechanism’s ‘mode switch’, part of tronic for reliability. In contrast, the on the side. There are also buttons for manually-adding, deleting and renumbering track ‘index’ markers for subsequent ‘go-to’ playback. An interesting function is ‘AARS’ (Automatic A-Time Record Standby) – a front panel button that, when pressed, seeks out the next ‘blank’ section on the tape. This particular HD-S1 was handed to me by John Howes of Audiojumble fame, as he knew of my interest in such things. Incredibly, it still works to this day although the battery packs had long ceased to be of use. Sometimes, a ‘warning’ symbol flashes on the LCD after a tape is inserted and no further operation is possible, although it eventually disappears. I haven’t had a chance to The main circuit board contains miniature surface-mounted compo- investigate the cause, but it could be nents to keep down size and weight. One of the chips (visible towards the ‘dew’ sensor (remember those the right of the picture) is the HD-S1’s Philips SAA7320GP Bitstream from the VCR days?). I was able to DAC. www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 51 Available in: X2 TURNTABLE ��

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run the machine from the 7.4-volt mains unit. A home made battery pack comprising six series-connected AA Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries totalling 7.2V and plugged into the HD-S1’s DC input socket, allowed me to use the machine on the road. Armed with a decent stereo microphone, I was able to make field recordings that convinced even when played back through a decent hi-fi system and headphones. Dynamics and tonal spread were pretty good for 30 year-old digital. Noise levels did not give cause for concern either, Aiwa having paid at least some attention to the HD-A1’s mic preamps (there’s even a -20dB attenuator switch, which must have come in handy when bootlegging The HD-A1 analogue-to-digital converter and mike preamp rock concerts) although feeding in – together with a second battery compartment – are built into a signals at line-level gives the best module that attaches to the back of the machine. When used for results. reply-only this module could be removed and left at home. Thanks to its rotating head-drum, Inside the module is a Matsushita MASH (multi-stage noise- you should be careful when using shaping) sigma-delta ADC chip – advanced stuff in the late 1980s. a portable DAT in humid or wet conditions – or moving from a cold more ‘forward’ character. I digitally- The headphone output can sound environment into a warm one. That’s copied a DTS 5.1 CD onto DAT with strained and lacks drive; an external why VCRs and camcorders were the HD-S1. The dub was ‘flagged’ headphone amp, fed from the HD-A1 equipped with dew sensors... as DTS by a home-cinema receiver, module’s 3.5mm line output, reveals Recordings of analogue sources and played correctly. Professionally- more of the unit’s potential. are made with a 48kHz sampling recorded DATs containing 5.1 Specialist audio supplier HHB rate. In contrast, many home DAT Dolby-E(mbedded) streams were worked with Aiwa to make a £995 machines could be switched between transferred to a memory card via ruggedised ‘pro’ version of the HD- 48kHz, CD’s 44.1kHz and a 32kHz a digital recorder, and the result S1. Described as the ‘professional DAT recorder that goes easy on your pocket...and in it’ the silver-cased HHB1 Pro featured an onboard timecode-generator so that recordings would be ‘timestamped’, provision for standard connectivity (including AES-EBU digital) and the ability to be powered by standard AA cells as well as Aiwa’s proprietary blocks. Judging by Internet activity, there The HD-S1 ready for action in its carrying case, with the HD-A1 are quite a few HHB1 Pros and module fitted. The digital I/O visible on the side is a stereo 3.5mm HD-S1s still doing the rounds. jack socket – to get standard S/PDIF signals into and out of the This is quite remarkable, given the unit. internal complexity of these units. You can also see the HD-A1’s analogue record level/balance However, they will disappear from controls, track-marker buttons and headphone provisions. A coat- view one by one. HD-S1 spares ing applied to the cabinet goes sticky over time, making it difficult were discontinued a long time to remove from the carrying case. ago, and eventually those complex mechanisms will wear out. ‘long play’ mode. The HD-S1 will decoded fine with PC software. On the plus side, the surface- record in the other two modes, but I encountered few problems mounted capacitors seem to have only from digital sources; a cheap playing audio DATs recorded by better longevity than those fitted to 3.5mm to dual-phono adaptor comes other machines; indeed, this little more recent Japanese kit. in handy here. deck plays some troublesome DATs DAT was rendered obsolete by Dubbing from an Arcam CD more reliably than bigger machines solid-state recorders. Because they player via a coaxial connection to at my disposal. DAT error-correction haven’t been made for nearly fifteen DAT gave results that were more yields an unpleasant hardness that years it may be worth hanging onto than acceptable, although some rock can deteriorate into ‘graunching’ machines like the HD-S1 to digitally- music (Radiohead’s OK Computer, and then silence, when there simply transfer any DAT tapes you may own for example) took on a perceptibly aren’t enough digits to go round! or come across.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 53 HA500H Oct 2019_outlines.indd 1 05/12/2019 15:34 REVIEW I just shrunk the DAC Martin Pipe tries out what must surely be one of the world’s smallest hi-res DACs.

ith measurements screening!) are LEDs that indicate of 56mm x14mm x whether the incoming stream is DSD 6mm, this DAC occu- or PCM. pies less volume than a cigarette lighter. Yet PERFORMANCE the Audirect Beam Most of my listening involved the Wis no slouch in the specs depart- Pixel 3a, running the VLC and ment, thanks to its ES9118 SABRE Synology DS audio apps, and various chip that – its designer ESS proudly pairs of headphones including informs us – is “bringing music to life Sennheiser HD480s and Oppo for the next generation of smart- PM3s. The sound was a considerable phones”. As a result, the Beam can improvement over the Pixel 3a’s deal with PCM-derived audio with own audio system. The guitar lines, resolutions up to 32-bit, and sampling complex percussion, clavichord and rates between the old-school 32kHz panning keyboard hook that play and today’s somewhat over-the-top roles in Talking Head’s Crosseyed 384kHz. Oh, and DSD64 and 128 and Painless (96/24) were all better (with DoP) are supported too. defined than what I heard with the Incredibly, the wee 12gm device headphones plugged directly into also manages to squeeze in a the Pixel 3, which sounded more headphone amplifier, albeit one that’s congested and less musical. From the built into the ESS system-on-a-chip. same Remain in Light album comes The Beam is not a conventional Once in a Lifetime, the synthetic DAC; it makes no provision for rhythmic elements and tremolo-bent guitars and violins of Ultravox’s The S/PDIF sources like CD transports guitar of which emerged clear and Wild, The Beautiful and the Damned. (now about as fashionable as those detailed. Switching to a Dell Windows 10 AUDIRECT BEAM cigarette lighters). It’s a USB widget All this was with volume turned laptop (which recognizes the Beam as PORTABLE DAC through and through and to this end to maximum, needed to coax a ‘hiliDAC’) didn’t however improve £90 Audirect supply no fewer than four acceptable listening levels from the impact even when said machine was stubby little cables (Lightning, Micro high-impedance HD480s. Lack of powered by the mains. Listening in £ USB, USB-C and USB-A) enabling drive tends to be a problem with quiet environments and/or the use EXCELLENT - extremely the Beam to work with a range of tiny devices reliant on the 5V rails of efficient headphones are thus capable different equipment, both fixed and of portable gear, unless some kind of recommended. VALUE - keenly priced portable. Apple, Android or Windows, DC-to-DC conversion is employed Driving an external amp and anything USB should be game. internally to widen the potential speakers from the 3.5mm socket VERDICT A USB-C socket digital input lies voltage swing. By the sound of it, does however show what this micro- Tiny it may be, but the at one end of the Beam. At the other there wasn’t enough room for such DAC is capable of – tonal neutrality, Audirect Beam is surprisingly revealing – but not loud. is a 3.5mm socket for headphones or circuitry in the Beam; bearing this out wide dynamics and a natural perhaps an amplifier. In between is a is the amplifier’s limited spec (2Vrms soundstage even with demanding FOR lever that raises or lowers volume and 49mW output) printed on the music like Britten’s War Requiem - small (it takes over the host device, if carton. (Noseda/LSO/Eltham College Choir/ - great sound my Google Pixel 3a smartphone is Although the distinctive London Symphony Chorus, 24- - plays most digital to be believed) and pauses music. percussion that defines the bit/48kHz). You could feed the Beam’s AGAINST Although it doesn’t seem to be Goodmen’s Give It Up pounded output to a separate headphone- - lacks drive documented, I managed to persuade along nicely, the bass drum frequently amplifier in order to enjoy its musical - fiddly controls (albeit inconsistently) the Beam into ran out of steam. In other respects potential, but that would detract - USB only jumping to the next song of a playlist; - the track’s reverberant keyboards somewhat from its raison d’etre. Yet Advanced Players Ltd I’ll admit defeat when it comes to and whistles, for example – the for all this there is something very +44 (0)343 289 6880 backtracking, though. The only other Beam fared better. Also noteworthy compelling about the Beam, in terms www.advancedmp3players.co.uk feature of the metal casing (good for was the definition bestowed on the of both concept and delivery.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 55 WORLD STANDARDS WORLD

YourSTANDARDS guide to the best products we’ve heard that are currently on sale in the UK...

PRO-JECT ESSENTIAL DIGITAL £300 REGA RB303 £300 TURNTABLES A budget turntable that turns in a great analogue A one piece tapered casting makes this arm’s AVID INGENIUM £800 performance, but also has a hi-res digital output. structure almost unrivalled. Great dynamics and Great bass response and upper midrange detail Send 24/96 across your lounge via optical cable superb imaging, for MM and MC. Reference qual- allied to clarity makes this a must-hear at its to a DAC and get great audio quality. Or record LP ity for peanuts. price-point. to your laptop. SME 312S £1,600 Twelve inch magnesium alloy tapered arm tube plus SME V bearings. An insightful yet smooth and relaxed sound. Superlative build completes the package. Our Editor’s steed.

CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION £6400 Expensive, but offers great results from a finely honed and beautifully finished belt drive turntable, REGA RP3 £550 with servo control from the platter to keep a grip The first of the super-quality Regas, little compro- on tempo like few others. Can be fitted with a mised by price and featuring Rega’s outstanding Clearaudio tangential arm, or any conventional RB303 tonearm, suitable for MM and MC car- design. Awesome. tridges. A standard at the price point. SME 309 £1500 TIMESTEP EVO £2100 A one-piece tapered 9in arm finished like a cam- The famous Technics SL-1210 MkII Direct Drive era and slick to use. Superlative SME quality and but with improved plinth, isolation, main bearing sound at affordable price. and power supply, plus an SME arm (add £1500). DD convenience, rock steady pitch and fab sound SME V £3000 at a great price. Our in-house reference. Offers rapid fire timing and a sense of precision, plus rock solid dynamics. Top dollar for deep pockets. INSPIRE MONARCH £4,350 A rebuilt from the ground up Technics Direct CARTRIDGES Drive, having blistering pace and dynamics allied AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9 MLIII MC £420 with smoothness, sophistication and purity of A fine sounding MC with strong bass and super tone. A true reference. fine treble from a great stylus – yet inexpensive.

TONEARMS ORIGIN LIVE ENCOUNTER MK3C £1,745 Origin Live combines carbon fibre and ebony to marvellous effect in its new 12-inch arm. Creamy AUDIO TECHNICA AT-F3/III MC £150 LINN LP12SE £3,600 and rich in presentation, the Encounter delves Great value entry level moving coil with detail The UK’s most iconic turntable, the legendary deep into the mix for a satisfying listen. and grip you just can’t get from similarly priced Sondek goes from strength to strength. New Keel moving magnets. sub-chassis and Radikal DC motor add precision HADCOCK GH-242 EXPORT £810 and grip to one of the world’s most musical disc Consummately musical, lyrical sounding tonearm, BENZ MICRO ACE SL MC £595 spinners. Expensive though. but needs the right turntable. Smooth, lucid and full-bodied, award-winning, hand-made cartridge from Switzerland. MICHELL GYRO DEC £1700 ORIGIN LIVE ONYX £450 Wonderful styling coupled with great build and Easy, smooth, creamy nature that reminds you BENZ MICRO WOOD SL MC £945 finish make this turntable a delight for friends and why you’re listening to vinyl in the first place. Highly finessed Swiss moving coil that plays family. It has an attractive clear acrylic dust cover, Essential audition at the price. music with riflebolt precision. and you can mount just about any arm. A current design standard. DENON DL-103 £180 A popular and much loved budget MC with big bass, smooth treble and deep sound stage. Fantastic value.

56 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk WORLD STANDARDS

LYRA TITAN I MC £3,500 MF AUDIO CLASSIC SILVER £4,500 Breathtaking speed and dynamics from LP, helped PHONO PREAMPS One of the best preamplifiers we’ve heard at CAMBRIDGE AUDIO 651P £200 by diamond coated, boron rod cantilever. any price, this transformer-coupled marvel does Clean, concise sound from MM and MC cartridges very little wrong. It’s powerful, clean and open, at a very low price. A real bargain. yet delicate. Its sound is unmatched at or near the price. ICON AUDIO PS3 MKII £2,500 All valve MM phono stage with MC transformer MING DA MD7-SE £1,520 option, graced by big, spacious and relaxed A valve preamplifier with an open, effortless sound. sound and a big soundstage. It has plenty of gain

so will accept any source and drive any power amp. A real beauty.

ORTOFON 2M MONO SE MM £80 A mono cartridge purposed for The Beatles in Mono microgroove LPs. Fitted with a top quality Shibata tip. Fab for the four.

LUXMAN EQ-500 PHONOSTAGE £4,495 A fully-equipped phonostage from Japanese manufacturer Luxman that offers comprehensive INTEGRATED AMPLIFIERS cartridge matching allied to superb sound. ARIAND PRO845SE £1,499 Pure single-ended valve magic. Low-powered but immediately gorgeous, easy-going yet forcefully ORTOFON 2M BLACK MM £400 dynamic at the same time. As good as it gets from MM. Fabulous detail and insight from a Shibata stylus, good bass and excellent tracking.

ORTOFON CADENZA BRONZE MC £1,400 A mid-price MC with a slightly livelier presentation than the super smooth Cadenza Black. High- end sound at midband price – great value. LEEMA ACOUSTICS ELEMENTS ULTRA £1,199 Smooth and detailed sound with the ability to accommodate most modern cartridges. Exceptional value for money. AUDIO RESEARCH VSI60 £3,500 Power house sound with enormous pace and punch from traditional U.S. muscle master Audio Research. Breathtaking, but expensive.

ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK MC £1,800 Ultra smooth and dimensional moving coil with bass and punch aplenty. Lovely stylus. PRO-JECT TUBE BOX DS £425 ORTOFON A95 MC £3,750 Compact MM and MC phonostage with valve out- Fast and extremely detailed, this is an MC car- put circuit and a big sound. tridge that sets standards. CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 651A £350 REGA CARBON MM £35 Dual-mono construction and meaty toroidal power Budget price for a competent cartridge with a supply combine to produce a solid and sharp fairly unflappable nature. Ideal for beginners. sound with sonics far beyond its price point.

CREEK EVOLUTION 100A £1,500 Superb build and smooth confident sound make this powerful amplifier a benchmark. QUAD QC24P £995 MM and MC, oodles of gain, a volume control – and valves! Looks superb and sounds even better: smooth, atmospheric and big bass.

TIMESTEP T-01MC £995 New, minimalist phonostage that sonically punch- GOLDRING 1012GX MM £250 es well above its weight. A glorious sounding cartridge with solid bass and strong dynamic punch, plus excellent treble from its Fritz Geiger stylus. Fun and affordable. PREAMPLIFIERS ICON AUDIO LA-4 MKIII £1,400 CYRUS 8DAC £1,400 Uses early 6SN7 triodes for liquid sound. Has Trademark shoebox-sized Cyrus integrated now plenty of gain and a remote control into the offering 88Watts per channel, plus DAC. Svelte bargain. delivery from a dainty case that fits in anywhere – and isn’t Class D!

EXPOSURE 1010 £495 Entry-level integrated from Exposure has excellent upper mid-performance with an almost SHURE M97XE £80 valve-like sound. Big warm sound, but great tracking and bullet proof stylus protection from damped guard. A survivor.

VAN DEN HUL DDT-II SPECIAL MC £995 Long-established cartridge from Holland with an open and dynamic sound.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 57 WORLD STANDARDS

ICON AUDIO STEREO 60 MKIII £2,800 QUAD II-EIGHTY MONOBLOCKS £6,000 PR QUADRAL ORKAN VIII AKTIVS £6,200 Excellent tube integrated with plenty of power Powerful and expansive sound from modern Active loudspeaker with tight, powerful bass, and an expansive soundstage, plus KT150 tube design monoblocks that also look lovely. Superb perfect accuracy and detailed treble from a rib- option and bias meter for easy adjustment. – used by us as a reference. bon tweeter.

NAIM NAIT 5Si £925 Naim’s fabled entry-level integrated amplifier LOUDSPEAKER Q ACOUSTICS 2050i £480 is updated to si status. Demos Naim’s superbly A large floorstander at a budget price. Offers high muscular sound at entry level. FLOORSTANDER sensitivity and big sound and has very few flaws B&W 803 D3 £12,500 for the price. B&W’s updated statement floorstanders deliver SUGDEN A21SE £2,480 depth and definition with breathtaking speed and Class A amp with fantastic sound quality produc- SPENDOR SP100 R2 £6,495 authority, aided by a diamond coated tweeter. ing hard, sculpted images, deep detail and tight Retro looks but a sound that’s hard to match. Expensive – but enormously impressive. bass. Just don’t expect disco-like sound levels! Spendor’s 12” bass unit provides massive low- end grunt with a room-filling sound. CASTLE AVON V £1,600 A big floorstander at a modest price that suits the average room. Refined ribbon treble and deep bass give it a great delivery.

SPENDOR A3 £1,300 POWER AMPLIFIERS Fine little floorstander with a smooth, natural AUDIO RESEARCH VSI75 £7,498 midband and even tonal balance. Ideal for smaller Powerful, fast valve sound that makes everything rooms. else look weak at times. Needs careful matching but well worth the effort. EMINENT TECHNOLOGY LFT-8B £2,500 Excellent U.S. planar magnetic loudspeaker at TANNOY DEFINITION DC10 Ti £6,000 bargain price. Utterly superb - a must hear. Enormous power with great projection. Glorious AUDIO RESEARCH VS115 £5,000 subsonics too. Need little power to go very loud Oodles of power with enormous punch. Rafael and have superb finish into the bargain. Todes said it provided “shock and awe” while EPOS K2 £1,000 retaining incredible smoothness and texture. A fun sound that is tidy all round and very engaging, with solid bass. Music as you hope it to be. ICON AUDIO MB845 MKII £7,600 With 120W from big 845 valves right down to low FOCAL ARIA 926 £1,400 frequencies, this power amplifier has massive Simple, clean, neutral sound – easy going but dynamics and bass swing, yet is easy on the ear. well engineered and affordable.

MARTIN LOGAN SUMMIT X £16,698 Matches Martin Logan’s XStat electrostatic panel to a powerful subwoofer to provide extended, powerful bass. Dramatic sonic purity. Awesome TANNOY KENSINGTON £9,950 – all but unmatched. Big but not overpowering, punchy modern sound from classic cabinetry. Need little power to go very loud and suit a traditional home, or castle.

ICON AUDIO MB81PP £15,000 Big Russian transmitter valves deliver 200W from these massive monoblock amplifiers. Frightening in every sense.

MCINTOSH MC-152 £4,995 Stunningly insightful sound with enormous bass MARTIN LOGAN ELECTROMOTION £2,500 punch from a uniquely designed transistor amp. Martin Logan’s budget baby XStat hybrid electro- LOUDSPEAKERS Amazing audio, a league up, if expensive. static. Fits into any lounge to give electrostatic levels of clarity and imaging. STANDMOUNT ACOUSTIC ENERGY NEO 1 V2 £225 Civilised sounding speaker with fast and tuneful bass.

ACOUSTIC ENERGY AE1 CLASSIC £845 Brilliantly successful remake of an iconic design; not flawless, but surely one of the most musical loudspeakers ever made.

QUAD ELITE QMP MONOBLOCKS £2400 PR QUADRAL CHROMIUM STYLE 8 £1,700 The proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. Plenty of A supremely smooth yet open sounding loud- power but delivered with an assured and confi- speaker. Clean and detailed treble from a fine dent nature. Smooth on top and easy on the ear ribbon tweeter. Accurate yet informative and but can rock out when needed. enjoyable. Pure class.

58 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk WORLD STANDARDS

ELAC BS243 £1,000 WHARFEDALE DENTON £500 OPPO HA-2 £250 More transparent and spacious than they’ve a A beguiling mixture of retro looks with modern, Remarkable performance and sound from ESS right to be at this price, these refined mid-price high-technology drive units. The Denton has an Sabre32 DAC in a slim portable package. standmounters represent top value. easy-going, big-hearted sound with a touch of trad warmth that should appeal to many.

EMINENT TECHNOLOGY LFT-16A £1,200 CD PLAYERS U.S. planar magnetic bookshelf loudspeaker with HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS AUDIOLAB 8200CDQ £949 unrivalled mid-band and treble. Hear it before Inspired CD player and DAC with price-perfor- all else. CREEK OBH11 £150 Designed specifically for low to medium imped- mance ratio like no other. Capable of matching designs costing much more. WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 220 £200 ance (30 Ohm – 300 Ohm) headphones the little Builds on the success of previous Diamond Creek has a marvelously well-judged sound. ranges with better bass, more detail and a greater sense of scale. CHORD MOJO £399 Class leading portable DAC and headphone amp with ability beyond all else. Big, open spacious sound.

CANOR CD2+ £3,100 Musically coherent and tuneful valve-driven CD player from Slovakia. Lovely liquid sound.

KEF LS50 £800 Supremely musical mini-monitors which sound EPIPHANY EHP-O2 £99 much bigger than they look. PP3 battery-powered portable gives great sound quality at an almost giveaway price. Happy with the output from an iPod or CD player, the little epiphany is a true bargain. CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 651C £410 Snappy modern presentation from this budget CD player. Cracking audiophile entry point for any digital fan.

CHORD RED REFERENCE MKIII £16,000 A unique and massive engineering exercise that could well be the best CD player available. MARTIN LOGAN MOTION 35 £1,300 Chord’s Pulse Array DAC technology produces a Folded Air-Motion tweeter gives a taste of Martin musical experience like few others. A true refer- Logan’s electrostatic sound in a standmount. ICON AUDIO HP8 MKII £650 ence player. Different from the standard mini-monitor and all The HP8 MKII valve-based headphone amplifier the better for it. brings the spacious sound of valves to headphones. And it matches ‘em all.

PMC TWENTY.21 £1,575 Transmission line loaded standmount with a big ESOTERIC K-03 £9,495 box sound from a compact cabinet. Punches well FIDELITY AUDIO HPA 100 £350 Superb high-end silver disc spinner that is beyond above its weight. Great little headphone amplifier with a lively yet criticism. Devoid of its own character but has a refined and open sound. flawless presentation.

MUSIC FIRST PHONE BOX £276 Brings a big stage, plenty of detail and rich, deep colours to the sonic spectrum.

Q ACOUSTICS 2020i £165 Great little bargain-priced stand-mounts with a EXPOSURE 101 £395 friendly, fun yet surprisingly refined sound. Hard Detailed player with fine sense of timing should to better for a pair of starter loudspeakers. be an automatic entry on any demo list at this price.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 59 WORLD STANDARDS

ELECTROCOMPANIET EMP-1/S £4,650 TEAC UD-501 £699 Epic in scale, lavish in tone and exuberant in its DACS Feature-packed DAC with benefit of DSD play- AUDIOLAB M-DAC £600 musicality - this is a memorable SACD spinner. back. Superb sound means little to touch it at Excellent sound from ESS Sabre32 DAC and Quirky in operation and modest in finish, though. the price. impressive flexibility with a unique range of filter options make this a stand-out product. Low price is the icing on the cake.

OPPO BDP-105D £1200 Universal player and DAC that makes CD and Blu- ray (+DVD) sound deep, spacious and full bodied. AUDIOLAB Q-DAC £250 RESONESSENCE INVICTA MIRUS £4,499 Reference quality that’s affordable. Stripped-down version of Audiolab’s M-DAC loses One of the most highly spec’d DACs available, some features but retains much of the sound, with a smooth yet enthralling presentation. Few making it a veritable bargain. approach it.

ANTELOPE ZODIAC GOLD/VOLTIKUS £3,095 DAC/preamp/power supply combination majors on detail but has a remarkable un-digital sound. One of the best at its price.

REGA APOLLO-R £550 Rega comes up with a fine CD player again. NETWORK PLAYERS Tremendous detail and an easy, unforced sound CHORD DSX100 £7,500 at all times. Few bells and whistles but made up Chord’s proprietary DAC circuit shines in their for by its superb sonic ability. top-of-the-range streamer. Hear-through clar- CHORD 2QUTE HD £990 ity with a sound rich in detail, dynamics and Superb build quality and exceptional sound from ROKSAN KANDY K2 £900 soundstage. this compact unit. Boasts the ability to handle A charmingly musical performer at the price - this DSD direct via USB and has an exceptional is a surprisingly sophisticated CD player for the soundstage. One of the best DACs you can buy. money.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO NP30 £399 Budget offering from Cambridge offers a great introduction to network streaming. DCS DEBUSSY £8,000 TUNERS CYRUS STREAM X £1,400 DCS’s bespoke ‘Ring DAC’ circuit gives a beauti- CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AZUR 651T £299 Gorgeous sound quality even from compressed fully-fluid, almost analogue sound that encour- Value-packed AM/FM/DAB and DAB+ ready tuner. digital music. New control app makes everyday ages long listening sessions. Not cheap but worth Precise and detailed with excellent resolution of operation a doddle. spoken word. every penny.

NORTHERN FIDELITY DAC £650 Packed full of features, including Bluetooth and USB, this ESS Sabre32 equipped DAC offers crisp, insightful sound at low price.

CREEK DESTINY 2 £550 Creek’s tuner expertise shines through in the CONVERT TECHNOLOGIES PLATO £2999.00 Destiny 2. This AM/FM receiver is wonderfully A network player with amplifier that does it all, three-dimensional and smooth. including turn LP to hi-resolution digital, and add cover artwork from the ‘net.

METRUM OCTAVE £729 Unique two-box digiral-to-anlogue convertor with great sound at a great price. Cuts upper treble, though.

NAIM DAC £2,400 MAGNUM DYNALAB MD-90T £1,900 Superb high-end digital convertor with a probing, Exceptionally able, but commensurately priced, punchy and forensically-detailed sound. audiophile tuner that cannot fail to charm.

NAIM NDX £2,995 Clean, incisive and very detailed sound with Naim’s traditional pace and timing make this one of the best network music players around.

NAIM ND5XS £2,175 Great sound quality with traditional Naim heft. A wonderful DAC with full 24/192 handling. Only the display could be better.

60 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk WORLD STANDARDS

NAIM NAC-N172 XS £1,650 A pre-amp/DAC/streamer package provides a PORTABLE SPEAKERS HEADPHONES BAYAN SOUNDBOOK £149.99 AUDEZE LCD-3 £1,725 taught, rock-solid presentation with a tonally rich Superb design and great sound make for one of A planar magnetic ‘phone that offers monitor midband and a superior sense of rhythm. the best portable Bluetooth speaker/radios on quality. Strong sound with silky, dark quality that the market. Not the cheapest – but worth every others struggle to match. penny.

PRO-JECT STREAM BOX RS £1,095 Unusual valve-based streamer/preamp with variety of inputs and a lovely liquid sound. Not the most detailed but compensates with sheer IRIVER IBA-50 £69 musical verve. Big, warm sound with plenty of volume and clean B&W P3 £170 at high levels. Muscular sound compared to many Beautifully presented headphones from the QUAD PLATINUM DMP £2,500 rivals. loudspeaker specialists. Feed them a good qual- Combined CD/network player has all the usual ity source signal and they reward with excellent Quad elements but with added zest and detail sound. that brings life to everything you care to play. CABLES BLACK RHODIUM TWIST £71/3M JAYS V-JAYS £49 Twisted to fight off radio frequency, the Black Wonderful little budget over-ear portable ‘phones Rhodium speaker cable is easy on the ear with with a clean, clear sound to beat the best of the a fine sense of clarity and focus. A remarkable rest at the price. performer at the price.

DIGITAL SOURCES ASTELL&KERN AK100 MKII £569 Portable high-definition digital player with superb sound quality. Punchy and fast.

MAINS CABLES R US NO.27 £95 NOBLE K10 £1,279 Offers a sprightly pace with a precise nature. Fast INC. FITTING performance enhance frequencies and beautifully Custom fit in-ear phones with 10 drivers deliver etched detail. a sound that is out of this world. Personal and perfect.

FiiO X3 £150 Fabulous value player with nice easy sound and full range of abilities. Small and light. For newbies.

LOTOO PAW GOLD £1,500 Reference quality sound; it’s like carrying your CHORD SIGNATURE REFERENCE £900 OPPO PM-1 £950 hi-fi in your pocket. Equivalently large too, but Majors on timing, detail and openess. Capable of Planar magnetic phones with a warm, easy but stunning headphone quality. getting the best from most systems and a recom- big bodied sound that draws you in. Need a lot of mended upgrade. drive, but deliver superb bass.

TELLURIUM Q BLACK 280/3M NAIM HDX £4,405 A deep, dark, velvety performer that’s neverthe- SENNHEISER HD700 £599 Interesting one-box network-enabled hard-disk less highly musical, it represents excellent value Tremendously fast with a strong, focussed, lower- music system that gives superb sonics together as mid-price cables go. frequency range and a firm bass punch. with impressive ease of use. TELLURIUM Q SILVER DIAMOND £804/M NAIM UNITILITE £1,995 An open, natural and transparent sound that is A 50W amplifier with traditional Naim heft, a CD difficult to beat, from these great loudspeaker player and vhf/fm radio, plus network input and cables. Bluetooth make this a great all-in-one.

YAMAHA HPH-MT220 £150 Purposed for indoor monitoring yet light and comfortable enough to be used on the move. Excellent sound quality marred only by a slight warmth to vocals.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 61 AUDIOPHILE CD

or this funk-rock outfit, time and a place in rock history. both the debut self- The double-tracked vocals/ titled album and the harmonies add layers to the full- second album, ‘Slam’ sounding presentation. Simple (produced by Nile Rodgers, no songs but arranged in a complex less),F have now been reissued with manner. a little bit of remastering attention ‘Slam’ retains the eighties thing applied via Abbey Road. but there’s a more direct route In fact, talking about ‘Slam’, it to the ear on this one. Less fluff, was thirty years ago that this album less posturing and less catwalk was released. and more, well, more rock. Yes, the The band emerged from songs are chart friendly in their Portland, Oregon in 1984 and great delivery and there’s plenty of guitar things were predicted for them, as action to pose alongside – you they supported the likes of Bon can just imagine a tactically angled Jovi and the Rolling Stones but they perm coming into action here never quite hit the very summit. – but the rock message is evident, The group initially formed with because of that, ‘Slam’ is the more Dan Reed himself and a multi-racial entertaining album of the two. DAN REED NETWORK collection of colleagues including In mastering terms, the sonic Dan Pred, Brian Ames Melvin output is quite delicious. There’s a Brannen and Jeff Siri. superb 3D effect around the stereo The debut sounds very eighties image with a depth that not only with that typical percussive, adds layers to the presentation but pointed impact and over-produced a rich substance to the music as a Dan Reed Network/Slam soundstage. Which actually is not whole. Abbey Road need a quick Mercury exactly a criticism but to note a pat on the back for this job. AUDIOPHILE CD

ot the current line more of a group effort. up, I have to say, this The live set, ‘Live From Lyon’ box set of three CDs has been seen on sale before. It includes Chris Squire, was first released in 2010 but this Steve Howe, Alan White, Oliver edition adds the track ‘Second WakemanN and Benoit David. Initial’ which was previously Arriving in a clamshell box, a Japan-only bonus track. The Wakeman has overseen this booklet for 'Live From Lyon' has particular project – and written been re-designed and expanded notes about his time in the band. too. Not many bands ring up and say As for the ‘new’ tracks? Well, “...your Dad is not joining us for firstly, bravo to Oliver Wakeman the 40th Anniversary tour and for injecting much-needed new we’d like to know if you would material into the group’s orbit. consider joining?” Only in prog, While not exactly future classics, eh? they are certainly listenable, It’s an odd mixture of studio enjoyable and sometimes offer a and live work and not wholly new, toe-tapping hookability. either. Four tracks were created The mastering is very good YES in 2010: ‘To The Moment’ (6:09), with no nasty frequencies to spoil ‘Words on a Page’ (6:18), ‘From the party. Output is pretty neutral the Turn of a Card’ (3:24) and with enough space across the ‘The Gift of Love’ (9:52). The soundstage to provide a grand first three tracks are Wakeman presentation. From a Page/In The Present Live From Lyon compositions, explaining his An unusual box set, a bit of involvement in this box set. The an odds and sods release but one Yes 97 LLC fourth, ‘The Gift of Love’, was that fans will lap up, I’m sure.

62 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk AUDIOPHILE CD

very nicely pre- Sermon’ (1980), ‘Shambelle’ (1981), sented, soft matt- ‘Flexible Strategies’ (1981), ‘Low finished box this Life’ (1981), ‘Murder by Numbers’ is, that lifts up (1983), a very rare remix of ‘Truth and away from its base via a stra- Hits Everybody’ (1983), ‘Someone Ategically positioned ribbon. I like to Talk To’ (1983) and ‘Once Upon these little touches: they show the a Daydream’ (1983). project has been developed with I found the mastering, from thought. star engineer and all-round nice All of the band’s albums have guy Miles Showell, on this set a been offered love and attention joy to behold. Firstly, the general from Abbey Road and are here in noise level was pleasantly low. I full, including ‘Outlandos D’Amour’ say low, the level of my default CD (1978), ‘Reggatta de Blanc’ (1979), listening gain had to be increased ‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ (1980), a few notches on my pre-amp to ‘Ghost in the Machine (1981) and reach the same volume. A very ‘Sychronicity’ (1983). Each album welcome point. Bass was also is presented within a gatefold strong across all of the included sleeve. albums but not enough to close The sixth disk will be of down air and space in the mids. THE POLICE most interest to fans, though. The latter was still vibrant and full This bonus 12-track disc is called of detail. So the lower frequencies ‘Flexible Strategies’ and it features offered weight, power, mass and non-album B-sides. Other tracks a cracking foundation that was include ‘Dead End Job’ (1978), balanced by a neutral clarity. ‘Landlord’ (1979), ‘Visions of the The resultant sound was very Every Move You Make Night’ (1979), ‘Friends’ (1980), ‘A enjoyable indeed. A&M AUDIOPHILE CD

K, I’m a little late on notes from Ruth Underwood and the Halloween thing Ralph Humphrey – band members but I just had to talk who played in the above shows. about this collection. It Oh and I almost forgot, you includes two complete Halloween also get a fourth disc dedicated to Oshows recorded on 31 October, unreleased rehearsals recorded just 1973 in Chicago. Both are previous- before the tour started. ly unreleased. You’ll find music from The concerts were recorded LPs such as ‘Over-Nite Sensation’ on 1⁄2” 4-track analogue tape and then forthcoming ‘Apostrophe’ that was stored in Frank Zappa’s (1974), as well as early arrange- personal vault. The tracks were ments of compositions like ‘Penguin then digitally transferred at In Bondage’ and ‘Village Of The Sun’ 24bit/96kHz from the tapes, in that would appear on later studio 2019, remixed and mastered. and live albums. Live sets are sonic Let’s look at all this in more compromises and are often messy detail. Firstly, it arrives in a tall box in basic sound terms (why hi- measuring 30 x 20 x 13cm with fi is supposed to emulate such a window set in the front which a fractured ‘standard’ is quite shows that you now have a sample beyond me, but still...) but these FRANK ZAPPA of your very own Frank Zappa live recordings don’t suffer as Halloween 1973 mask and – wait much as many other concerts I’ve for it – green monster loves! There heard. They hang together well, are also four CDs containing four are consistent in tone and offer hours and thirty-eight minutes of admirable detail. This is a superb music, a 40-page booklet featuring set both in terms of packaging but Halloween 73 images from the show and liner also content. Franks' fans go get it! Zappa Records

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 63 Bring al l your music to life

Auralic Altair DAC SS 2019 Full AW.indd 1 24/09/2019 11:57 OPINION

"As a whole industry disappears we are all being left in a strange place"

Noel Keywood

t’s like watching a mass connector – ominous. knowing others could enjoy it, but extinction as everyone moves In the house, we still have what as silver discs leave us, the possibility to the ‘net for instant deliv- now look to be sadly archaic disc of easy sharing with silver discs ery by streaming. Blu-ray is players that can just about do it gets shelved. Blu-ray was massively still available but I do not when their boilers have raised steam capable in many areas. see it any more since Tower – all those whirring sounds. But I should perhaps use my TMPG Records,I Virgin and HMV closed should one expire in future then video editor to load AVCHD to their mega-stores in central London. his disc with its historical record YouTube – for streaming! Yes, it’s Googled Harrods who have every- will be unusable, gone for him that horrible word again, the one thing – and nothing. and his children. Samsung recently responsible for creating its own Blu-ray was primarily for video announced they will cease Blu-ray environment by obsoleting the silver of course – but Netflix has eaten its player production even though they disc in the first place. lunch. And as this phenomenon rolls had over 30% of the market, another Then quality will go out of the onward I’m watching with bated ominous sign. Blu-ray is on its way window – and I’m quite sensitive breath to see how it all plays out. out and DVD will likely follow it. about this. High quality camcorder No need for storage discs any more I was surprised he bought a footage is a delight, especially when – LP, CD, DVD or Blu-ray. Give us DVD because also available was a a decent forward facing directional back our living space. I ran a circular video file – but faced with these mono/stereo mic with wind shield is saw through one of my now de- options I did not know which one used to reduce ambient noise – the populated CD racks the other day to buy, so bought neither. bane of live videography. – a symbolic act that seemed to say I should know – but this is Spotify has popularised music it all (the LP racks remain!). beginning to baffle me. Do I choose streaming, now having 75 million Not everyone is happy. A to buy the silver disc that will, accounts. Everyone else is diving reviewer at ZDNet noted that as a physical object like my LPs, in and – most intriguing – Amazon whilst video streaming is fine for notionally last forever, except there Music are offering HD (CD quality) recent movies, on-line catalogues may be no steam driven object to and Ultra HD, meaning up to 24/192. omit much from the past – material play it on, rendering it useless? So – finally – music streaming gets that you could once have found on Or do I buy the digital file serious, able to deliver hi-res audio DVD or Blu-ray and put into storage that I might lose tomorrow when into our homes. for watching on a rainy day. Access the computer goes down? What a The steamroller of streaming is to old films is waning. conundrum. destroying all before it. Music on CD With all this going on I am I did not enquire about the and now Blu-ray are fading away and becoming ever more confused Navy’s digital file format. If it is an DVD will not resist this onslaught – as a dilemma facing me recently exotic format like AVCHD that my either I suspect. As a whole industry illustrated. My son is permanently Panasonic video camera captured disappears – rooted in the physical connected to Netflix – or so it on the day, will it be interpretable world of machines and shops to sell seems. Yet the other day he asked tomorrow? It isn’t only hardware them in – we are all being left in a if I wanted to see the official video that gets obsoleted, but software strange place. The only mechanical of his recent Naval passing out too. AVCHD was purposed for playing device to survive is the ceremony – on a DVD. Blu-ray and I have authored many record player; who would have DVD? Well it sort of makes Blu-rays with it, but as Blu-ray thought it. sense since it can be stored for the disappears, AVCHD will likely Whilst this carnage is going on future – providing you also store a disappear with it, plus any ability to I may well sign up to Amazon HD. DVD player to go with it, because play it on a computer. Everyone else – including Apple – they will be gone in future. And AVCHD comes as a massive seem unwilling to take sound quality then hope that the video output video file so I couldn’t send it to seriously. As Blu-ray and its emphasis will remain usable too; how much family on the ‘net, instead it was on quality – audio as well as video longer will HDMI connectors and posted by snail mail on a flash drive. – fades away, hopefully there will be cables remain in use, for example? Once upon a time I would have streaming services that can replace Thunderbolt from a Mac can handle burnt a Blu-ray from TMPG and sent it, giving us quality audio and video HDMI video through a tiny USB C it in the post, or perhaps a DVD, tomorrow.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 65 BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO THE MUSIC YOU LOVE

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heratage inspired print THE THREE advert.indd 1 19/11/2019 11:29 OPINION

"I thought I was going to ensure Pete’s starvation"

Paul Rigby

uring recent years, we it. I didn’t seriously start to listen loved it. seem to have been to music until I was a teenager and “Kenny was a big, big fan” losing a whole host of then I started to listen to the hit explained Clive. “He was playing well known, national parade in Australia,” said James. it every time he came on the air. figures. I’m writing “The hit parade was very Unfortunately, he got fired that very this at the start of important, we’re talking about week which was a blow to us – as DecemberD 2019 and in November the 1940s and 1950s now, before well as to him. But those were the alone that meant Chef, Gary rock’n’roll, so the emphasis was on breaks”. Rhodes and theatre director the ‘song’ as it were. There were Attachment to RCA didn’t and writer (amongst many other always songs that I was learning: lead to the supposed stardom that activities) Jonathan Miller, who also House Of Singing Bamboo, Talk To may, even should, have followed. passed away. The Trees and so on. I always think The problem was that RCA had As a book lover I was sad to of that wonderful Spike Milligan line difficulty in categorising the pair. see the passing of Clive James, a I talk to the trees/that’s why they Also, single-lead artists garnered superb literary critic, TV celebrity, sent me away". most of the attention so marketing author (his autobiographies are a The creative affair began when support was nil. Clive James even delight) and (not too many people Clive James and Pete Atkin met in found that, whilst on tour, shops knew this but he did confide to me Cambridge University. Atkin would had no records to offer prospective once) a bit of a whizz at the Tango. I lay the music over and sing Clive buyers. bet even fewer realised that he was James’ lyrics. Clive James and Pete Atkin split, also a music star. It’s true, alongside “In Cambridge, Footlights amicably, to pursue new careers his friend and colleague, Pete Atkin (the forum for students to because of a lack of funds and - top ex-BBC Radio producer, perform to a live audience) was no faith in the record industry. responsible for the likes of ‘This very competitive” remembered “I started to feel guilty” declared Spectred Isle’, ‘Week Ending’ and James: “we all did our own stuff. I Clive. “We never made any money ‘Just A Minute’. immediately knew that Pete had a and I thought I was going to ensure Again, how many of you knew musical grip on the words. I figured Pete’s starvation. We both had that some music critics grouped that, if I stepped in with my lyrics, families to feed. The way I saw it, both James and Atkin with I’d stop him writing his. So that’s Pete was staying poor because of contemporary luminaries such as really why I kept the pressure up. I me. We split and went into separate Lennon & McCartney and Elton bombarded him with at least four careers, Pete into radio, me into TV, John and Bernie Taupin and have lyrics or ideas for new lyrics a we flourished and then the music described their work as “poetic” week for about 10 years”. caught up with us”. and “sensitive”? How many knew Within their work, Pete tended Clive James might not have that they created six nationally to do the singing. Clive had been been considered a classic lyricist distributed albums, mostly on the known to talk – in a Telly Savalas but his musical reputation has major label RCA? manner – one or two songs himself. grown steadily over time. Whatever Clive James presented his Pete, however, tended to disagree: his position in musical history, Clive musical ability with honest candour. “I’ll tell you a secret, you’re the first was sure of his feelings towards his I was fortunate enough to talk to to know, they’re not meant to be musical past. “It’s turning out to be the great man. It must have been spoken tracks...I was singing". one of the most important things in around what ten, fifteen years Clive: "I’ve got a bit better my career – but I always thought it ago or so that we chatted? I can’t since, I’ve had a bit of singing was”. really remember exactly when. I training in the last couple of years, If your interest is piqued at all, do remember that he viewed his to improve my breathing. I can you can find recordings from the musical prowess, adding massive practically hold a tune now”. pair right now on Amazon. There’s a amounts of self-deprecation, as, It was on radio that initial host of CDs available. There’s even “...non-existent. I can’t play an public awareness occurred, with a a book called ‘Loose Canon: The instrument and I’m singularly devoid song called ‘Master Of The Rebels’. Extraordinary Songs of Clive James of musical gifts but I always loved Radio1 DJ, the late Kenny Everett, and Pete Atkin’.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 67 68 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk OPINION

“I half wished I’d brought a set of binoculars with me”

Jon Myles

oncert-going has certainly is Wembley Stadium. Sat high up in who loved their performance – this changed. And in a mas- the upper tier after paying £69 for was just after the release of their sive way. I was reminded a ticket could I see the musicians? debut album Boy. of this on a recent trip Heck no! Their next concert was at to Manchester where Half-way through the concert Dublin’s Croke Park stadium many I passed the site of my I half wished I’d brought a set of years on where the size of the Cfirst witnessed live performance binoculars with me just to get stage set-up was so large streets – Hawkwind playing at Trafford’s a glimpse of everyone on stage had to be sealed off to get it Hardrock concert theatre. – although, somehow, that would installed. This time Bono arrived in The ticket price was a mere seem to kill the concert-going a chauffeur-driven limousine and left 50p and the venue – at most experience. the same way. To his credit he did – could hold 3000 people. All the So instead I sat there peering pop in to a local resident’s house to same, it has hosted a veritable litany through my glasses and craning my apologise for all the disruption. of musical giants – including David neck around the various lighting As the Bruce Springsteen's Bowie, Elton John, Paul McCartney and sound towers to take in the Wembley concert I sat in the and Wings, Chuck Berry, Genesis, experience. upper tiers at the U2 Croke Park Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, There was not the thrill of performance and struggled to Status Quo, Bob Marley & The standing next to Hawkwind at actually see any of the musicians Wailers, Rod Stewart, Deep Purple, that first concert and soaking up on stage, only on the large video James Brown, Lou Reed, Al Green, the atmosphere. Nor the intimacy, screens. Ike and Tina Turner, Free, Slade, The excitement and sense of Lemmy’s My partner wryly commented Sweet, Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro, bass power that the Hardrock “We could have just bought a big Fats Domino and Roxy Music. could convey. screen TV and watched this at Led Zeppelin also played Nor did it compare to watching home. It would have been a lot back-to-back performances there The Buzzcocks at Manchester’s cheaper”. I have to admit, she had – which, unfortunately, I couldn’t Apollo Theatre where the fans a point. Especially when you add in attend but I’m told by some good were so animated they started the cost of food, drinks and travel. friends were both stunning and ear- ripping out the seats and holding But that’s the nature of the shattering. them above their heads. What an beast. The more people you can Unfortunately the Hardrock experience! play in front of, the more money didn’t last too long – shutting its The next night a rather heavy- any artist or band is going to make. doors in 1975 after opening in just handed security company from It may sound cynical but it is the 1972. It then became an outlet for Scotland was brought in to ensure truth. the DIY chain B&Q – a sad demise everyone stayed in their seats. However, would I prefer to for a legendary venue. Which everyone did. watch, say, Led Zeppelin at Madison However it also had another Guess which concert remains Square Garden or the Hardrock, claim to fame - being a frequent foremost in my mind as I look back? U2 at a small club in Liverpool or haunt of The Smiths’ lead singer Yes, the first one due to its pure at Croke Park, Bruce Springsteen at Morrissey who lived nearby. Oh, excitement. Mind you, at least the Wembley Stadium or a small bar in and it also housed The Village seats stayed in place which must New Jersey? Discotheque. A special tower, that’s have been a relief to the owners I think the answer is rather still there today, used to be neon of the venue. Although local seat clear. But that’s the way things go. lit to let people know whether it manufacturers may have been upset! The larger the band, the bigger the was a concert or disco night. Now, I’ve also seen U2 twice. The first audience, the less intimacy involved. that’s clever and would be seen as time at a small club in Liverpool So find a smaller venue, with some rather innovative today. – the very same place on which The up-coming bands and enjoy the Fast forward to today, though, Cavern Club where The Beatles vibrancy. If not, then buy a wide- and things are very different with made their name stood. Afterward screen television, get a Netflix live concerts. The last one I saw Bono and the band walked down subscription and dance in your was Bruce Springsteen And The E the street with concert-goers living room. I’m still for the smaller Street Band at the vast bowl that happily chatting away with people venues, as you might guess.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 69 PREMIUM WIRELESS BY PIEGA

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"the ‘Buy British’ campaign of the 1970s and 1980s won’t cut it today"

Martin Pipe

he recent election landslide on service industries, manufacturing UK to compete in most consumer in the UK gives Prime taking a back seat. Yet we have sectors; the ‘Buy British’ campaign of Minister Boris Johnson talent in this area, and our esteemed the 1970s and 1980s just won’t cut it enormous power and can editor Noel is quite passionate today. be attributed to the col- about this issue: “For some never- Even the ‘serious’ hi-fi market we lapse of Labour’s heartland explained reason”, he says “Britain cover, with its expensive low-volume Tsupport. Those voters largely sup- lost its fantastic WW2 ability (stereo products, struggles as things are now. port Brexit too and were persuaded innovator Alan Blumlein’s H2S radar, Mitchell and Johnson failed recently, to switch their allegiance to the for example) and was overwhelmed and most of the gear by Arcam (now Tories. Some hadn’t been ‘blue’ for by imports, notably from Japan”. effectively a division of Samsung) is generations. It helped that the party Why, he asks “could we not design put together in the Far East. That’s announced its intention to deal an audio amplifier when the Japanese not to say there aren’t successes with the lack of investment in the could?”. I think that does UK (Linn, Rega and Chord, amongst region’s infrastructure - or, as they industry a historical injustice; Quad others) but even they have their put it “refurbishing the fabric of our amps did particularly well as exports. problems. Linn, for example, suffered country”. So could we see a resurgence of tremendously after the financial crisis So what else could the Tory manufacturing in the UK? It’s a nice – having said that, it exported much victory mean for voters? They are thought. Just throwing public money of its proudly Scottish-made output. proud to be tax-cutters and although at it won't work, as some might As regards the electronics some of their plans have been put on remember from the 1970s failure industry, there’s another factor. ice, the National Insurance threshold of the Belfast-based Strathearn hi-fi One of the excuses made by James will be raised to £9,500. This, the concern. Dyson for moving vacuum-cleaner party claims, will put “almost £500 Noel hopes that the UK “finally production out of the UK was that, per year in people’s pockets”. develops a fully-fledged and cohesive as the components for his machines Equating to little more than a pound industrial policy like Germany’s, were imported, it made sense to per week, this would pay for a few bringing jobs and wealth back to assemble closer to their source. Take audiophile LPs or a new cartridge. the UK”. Amongst other things, a look inside British hi-fi equipment I’m sure that many would rather he suggests that corporation tax made in the 1950s and 1960s such paltry sums be instead used could be reduced following our – those of the aforementioned Quad, to repair, if only slightly, the damage departure from the EU. This, he for example. The vast majority of done to austerity-ravaged public reckons, will entice businesses to set the components were British-made: services... up shop here. A tax-cut of this sort Mullard valves, Jackson capacitors, The Conservatives are, on the was, funnily enough, one of those Erie resistors and so on. Now, peer whole, a pro-business party. They postponed by the Conservatives. inside a more modern Quad amp... understand that properly-functioning Another possible idea is the Today’s ‘British hi-fi’ may be infrastructure, the elimination of creation of low-tax industrial zones, designed (and even in some cases unnecessary red tape and decent possibly in the once-strong manufac- assembled) here, but nearly all of education are key contributors to turing heartlands that turned blue the electronics components are the health of business, economic so dramatically. The Irish Republic imported because making them growth and job creation. One of did this, with the result that US here is currently uneconomic. At the party’s aspirations is a £3bn corporations set up operations best, the unpopulated circuit boards, “National Skills Fund” that, the there. The EU took a dim view of precision-engineered mechanical party’s election manifesto claims, will this, but now that we’re leaving... components and casework are “ensure that businesses can find and We should however not be subcontracted to UK firms (heavy hire the workers they need”. Brexit, afraid to compete on the strengths and bulky metalwork would be now looking closer than it has for of our abilities, rather than simply expensive to ship). some time, will allow external trade racing to the bottom. Unfortunately These are very interesting times. to be “tailored to...British firms and we live in a global economy where It remains to be seen how British the British economy”. the majority seek out the lowest industry reacts to them, and the The UK has over the past four price, regardless of the ultimate cost. backing they can expect from our decades become more dependent As a result, it will be difficult for the new government.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 71

OPINION

"all that old technology has gone to the recyclers"

Dave Tutt

have finally moved house. This transistor and MOSFET types. to collect 3 years down the line. has been an on-going saga for Fortunately, the incredibly rare Wrong! best part of a year which has Germanium transistors that were And of course there are several involved extensive work on used in the '60s and early '70s don’t PA systems, guitar amps, and the new (old) house, including exist anymore, meaning these pieces speakers, keyboards and pianos and plastering of 70% of the walls of equipment, no matter how good the projects that haven’t quite been andI ceilings, rewiring, new plumbing, you think they might be, are really finished due to lack of time, that are 16 new windows, chimney removed, just ornaments. I was quoted £70 all part of my move. Hence, I now walls taken out, the list just goes on for a single transistor so that really have several weeks of reinstating and I still don’t have a new work- means such equipment is beyond spaces and organising before I am shop... yet! It's still something of a economic repair! going to be anywhere near back to building site. Ahh well... eventually! So what else is in the spares normal. One of the big things that pile? Well, just about every value The learning process that was has caused endless issues has of capacitor in every style and part of my teens and 20s is also all been spare parts for my work. My shape, and the same for resistors. here. I have kept the only source brothers don’t believe I need all Belts, pinch rollers, idler tyres, of electronics knowledge that was this stuff – but having made over brake parts, pulleys, clutches, gears, around in the early '70s onwards 20 trips to the tip I have already motors, solenoids for everything to people like me, thirsty for downsized. from cassette decks, reel to reel knowledge but unlikely to get to If I just repaired one thing, tape decks, Minidisc players, CD and academic enlightenment: magazines say CD players, then you would DVD players, and turntables. All the like Electronics Today International expect a few belts for the transport semiconductors and spare valves, and later, Elektor, as well as my early drawer, a few lasers, a few complete transformers, knobs and all manner TV repair bible, Television magazine. mechanisms, a few bits to repair the of oddities that I keep in boxes just I have no idea how many copies of power supplies – and that would in case. these I have but let's just say they probably be it. Then there are loudspeakers are complete and probably between Thing is, as a repairman, I fix which are probably the most 10 and 20 years worth. Shame I almost anything that has wire in it. difficult to store. Usually they are didn’t keep Practical Wireless (the Such as my oldest true hi-fi that was only purchased for specific jobs but aerial insights in this one would have a 1936 mono unit in a nice cabinet. there are always a few that are here been helpful and are not generally It used inductors with a 'hacksaw and have been here for a while! available on line), Wireless World, blade' running through them, moved All of this doesn’t include the Practical Electronics, the Maplin in and out by a complex rope and things I have for my non-hi-fi repairs, magazine or various others from pulley system to act as a top cut including just about every synth and the same age. They are now more filter. Each coil loaded with the piano key style and type you can valuable than you would expect. hacksaw blade reduced the top imagine. Parts for guitar and bass However, thrown away were frequency. Not something you would amps, including again loudspeakers. most of the computer boards and see today. A nice 6 Watt Class A Finally there are the other odd bits as I really don’t think I will valve amp and Collaro turntable bits for things like generator sets need any of them. You don’t need finished the thing off. or site machinery like compressors video cards or network cards when So starting in 1936 and running or mitre saws. You can therefore playing with a Raspberry Pi nor do through every age of hi-fi since imagine that, having a garage full you need hard disks or floppy drives means that I have to have parts of parts would not be an under so all that old technology has gone that will fix any of them – and that estimate. to the recyclers. includes mechanical parts for the Also, there is the equipment I now have a heap of all sorts turntable, the electronics, even the never collected by the owners. I of things, mostly in those lifetime veneer for the cabinet – they must have given up with some customers shopping bags, all to be sorted into all be in the store. who seem to think I am a appropriate stacks but still leaving HI-FI SERVICE & REPAIR Dave Tutt Then I must have the parts for permanent off-site store and that enough space for the building of the +44 (0)7759 105932 the amplifiers – and this of course I won’t charge storage as well as workshop – which will start as soon [email protected] means all the valve things and the repair costs when they come back as the weather perks up. www.tutt-technology.co.uk

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 73 The 2M Series, named after the abbreviation of Moving Magnet Red Blue A hugely popular all-purpose cartridge �� with a Tipped Elliptical stylus that which adds a greater resolution, �� delivers an open, dynamic sound with dynamics, and detailed sound thanks �� a slight touch of warmth. to the Nude Elliptical stylus. ��

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�� Bronze Black �� picks up even the highest frequency �� information for a rich, detailed and �� a true-to-life sound performance. This �� upgraded with ease. ��

Ortofon 2M *new*.indd 1 19/11/2019 12:13 REVIEW Silver Spinner Technic’s SL-G700 spins silver discs – and a lot more. Noel Keywood tunes in.

hat to do if you have to say there’s an app and remote blocky appearance and lack of colour, an old SACD collec- control for disc replay. I’ll cover silver but bright and legible at a distance. tion you treasure? disc first. Many players do not show track Philips and Sony Aimed at the very top end content but, for example, loading launched SACD in of music replay – in keeping with a Sony SACD of Volodos playing 1999, based on Sony’s Technics tradition – the company Liszt, the small screen scrolled Vallee Wpreferential music archiving format claim to use a highly rigid silver disc d’obermann. More on this... (DSD) of the time. Philips have since drive heavily isolated from external It’s been a bit of time since I left the field and Sony recently ended vibration for maximum read accuracy. have confronted SACD track info their player line. Leaving Yamaha to Even the disc tray – usually flimsy mularkey. Loading Volodos playing support the medium with their CD- plastic – is a die-cast aluminium Schubert, also a Sony SACD, I was S2100 and Arcam with their CDS-50, component that, I found, slid out told it was a CD! No SACD layer recently bolstered by Technics and silently and felt good to use, although was available – and our Oppo the new SL-G700 player I am review- the disc tray simply carries disc to BDP-205D confirmed this. Running ing here (£2350). And some player it motor hub, so contributes nothing through SACDs many were seen is too. to quality. But – hey! – does anyone as CD only – confirmed by our As extraordinary as this player is like a flimsy disc tray? I certainly do Oppo. Most CDs came up with no with CD and SACD it is as much a not and here you get a specialist and track content, but some did, notably high quality digital convertor – able doubtless expensive item that makes our high dynamic range Dali demo to access far more than silver discs. you feel good about spinning silver discs. Technics have given this player In a quick run-down, the SL-G700 discs. track content display ability, but for has digital inputs and can act as a Load up a disc, press Play and the technical/political reasons (bootlegs DAC, it can play music stored on tray slides in. A small monochromatic etc) it does not necessarily display flash drives, internet connection display panel at right then shows, track content – just so you know. enables music streaming services and in bright white text and graphics, At least they’ve tried. And you get a Bluetooth will receive music from a number of tracks. When playing CD/SACD layer option available on Bluetooth equipped ‘phone. Making elapsed time is shown as well as the remote control. it a multipurpose source in effect, track content, if it exists on a disc’s Where CD players once lacked where silver disc playing is an adjunct Table of Contents. As displays go filter options, times have changed, rather than main purpose. Needless it is basic, even a bit dated with its manufacturers now implementing the

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 75 REVIEW

digital filters available in most DAC chips or even, in Audiolab’s case, designing a powerful external filter set. Technics have used the AK4497 DAC chip from Japan’s Asahi Kasei Microdevices here, one per channel, providing three filter options – but curiously they say nothing about them on-line or in the handbook (or perhaps I missed it). Measurement showed Filter 1 and 3 give conventional flat amplitude response to 21kHz, whilst Filter 2 rolls off high treble and gives a better impulse response; I used Filter 1 mostly, for its (very slightly) brighter sound but 2 will de-emphasise CD’s treble graunch when playing old material generated by poor yesteryear ADCs, bringing in a smoother sound. But what about SACDs? Again, Technics say little specific to the format but our measurements showed they have teased out massive The disc drive sits in a rigid vibration free housing for maximum ability from the AK4497 DAC chip, laser read accuracy – seen at centre. At left is an extensive with its DSD convertor. However, screened power supply section, at rear the Bluetooth and wi-fi there are no SACD filter options; the and at right the digital and analogue audio sections. filters apply only to PCM, so Filters 1, 2 & 3 do not affect SACD sound, you need the remote for this, as you outputs, with fixed or variable measurement showed. do to alter headphone volume. The volume options. There are S/PDIF I find playing music from a set-up was protracted as a result digital input and outputs, optical computer compiled flash and the software circuitous but it and electrical, but not USB. With storage drive easy and here all worked in the end – and there is wired LAN connection it saw my the SL-G700 will accept and even a bass/mid/treble tone control PC (Windows 10) but not my Mac read both rear and front USB in the app. (Mojave). A slots, formats WAV, FLAC, Size is 430mm wide, 98mm DSD, AIFF, ALAC, AAC and high and 407mm deep. Weight is SOUND QUALITY MP3. The front slot is for flash a heavy 12.2kg, and the European I connected the Technics to our The remote storage, the rear for a hard version comes with a 220V-240V Creek Evolution 100A amplifier alters volume, disc drive (HDD). power supply (i.e. not universal) that through Chord Epic balanced cables selects inputs Being network connectable consumes 38 Watts. It is a switch- for the most part, driving Martin and menu via wired ethernet or wi-fi mode, Technics say, feeding regulator Logan ESL-X hybrid electrostatic options. It fully – note the two aerials – the circuits for low noise and good loudspeakers, via Chord Company controls disc player can also read a network voltage stability. An “ultra low jitter Signature Reference cables, and replay too. storage drive (NAS) or clock” is battery driven, again for low also listened via Philips Fidelio Windows Media Player 12 on noise and high stability. Interesting headphones. a networked PC, seeing my that Technics use discrete output It was immediately obvious that PC’s (Windows 10) catalogued transistors rather than an IC to get SACD from silver discs and DSD music files – after I had noise right down, so as to achieve from a flash-drive were delivered switched DNLA sharing back the full dynamic range available with extraordinary depth and on after an extensive update from the AKM DAC, even with a smoothness: this really was a silky had switched it off (warning!). CD-standard 2V output – which is sound beyond most else. The SL- On-line, the SL-G700 can low nowadays. Most manufacturers G700 stood out immediately here, access Spotify, Deezer and provide 4V or more via XLR, giving Diana Krall’s recording of Narrow Tidal streaming services with best performance at this socket. Daylight on DSD having a delicious more to come through firmware Output can be fixed or variable easy going quality with sensual updates. It can read MQA files and with volume controllable by the spin depth. Similarly, Arcadi Volodos – a works with Apple Airplay, as well as wheel, remote or app. wonderful pianist – playing Liszt’s Google’s Chromecast. But I had to There is a front 1/4in (6.3mm) Vallee d’obermann was seemingly in download and suffer two apps for headphone socket and volume a pure open space free from hard this: Google home which will “share control operated by remote control delineations, where his piano could your details” and even asks for your or the rotary knob, but only after freely respond to his input, sounding address (optional) – a clunky process Setup has been selected to access large bodied, rich and natural, rather that ended with declared failure even the headphone volume option, the than hard edged and mechanical. though it was working, then Technics app. not working here. AKM’s Velvet sound DACs consis- own Audio Center that is compre- The rear carries balanced (XLR) tently sound silkier than those from hensive but cannot load a silver disc; and unbalanced (phono socket) ESS and Technics have highlighted this

76 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk REVIEW

At rear left are gold plated phono socket (unbalanced) analogue audio outputs, straddling them large XLR (balanced) analogue outputs. At centre is a RJ45 ethernet socket for network connection plus a USB socket for an external hard-drive (HDD) for music storage.

quality with their SL-G700 I found, drum beat, underlining the sense of Zomer had massive presence and whatever I played from a flash-drive, bass heft this player has, even though power centre stage; again the SL- CD or SACD. But as I worked my it was more fulsome than grippy. G700 showed it pushes out hard. way through all my review tracks I Moving on to classical and did have some reservations. The deep Haydn’s Concerto for Horn No CONCLUSION and dark presentation, with analogue 1 (DSD) the sound stage was Technic’s SL-G700 is a complex smoothness, became obvious with expansive. When horn played player. The user interface is a tad Keith Don’t Go (CD), where the unaccompanied it came over as mild challenging and ornate: I found myself usually vivid-to-lacerative steel guitar yet big bodied, enveloping acoustic juggling between remote control and strings of Nils Lofgren’s guitar were echo obvious, fading away naturally app. The display screen could have almost mild here, if pure and sweet. without premature curtailment as been more visually attractive too. But AKM DACs have capitalised on can happen with not-so-good PCM it has massive ability and gloriously the ESS sound, moving it further digital. Accompanying strings were smooth sound, with lots of dynamic into Velvet as they describe it. An lively and sweet, in an analogue punch. opposite would be Chord Electronics sense, lacking congestion. The Not for those who want a DACs, that are vividly fast – just Technics has a smooth DSD-type viscerally fast sound, instead aimed to try and explain sound quality sound in any case so it shone here, at laconic ease – a sweet analogue differences. The word ‘svelte’ comes making the most of this digital simulacrum. As such it will appeal to into mind. format. classical listeners, especially those With Safri Duo’s pounding Samb Much the same with Handel’s with SACD disc collections or Alegreo (CD) there was enormous Love and Madness (DSD), where catalogues of DSD files. Rockers may dynamic power in the synth kick with Lascia Ch’io Pianga, Johannette find it laid back.

MEASURED PERFORMANCE Frequency response with 192kHz digital (2V) as the unbalanced phono sockets (PCM) measured flat to 46kHz (-1dB) in this player. All the same, this player rolling off slowly to the upper 96kHz has massive dynamic range when acting FREQUENCY RESPONSE theoretical limit, as our analysis shows. as a DAC, challenging ESS and Chord Filters 1, 2 & 3 made little difference Electronics DACs. below 20kHz and will have little audible Technics have wrung an extraor- impact. dinary performance from SACD. Where With CD Filter 2 rolled off output EIAJ Dynamic Range typically measures TECHNICS SL-G700 sharply above 15kHz, whilst Filters 1 and 114dB at best, this player managed a £2350 3 had no affect. The filters do not work massive 120dB from our Philips SACD with SACD. test disc – up with top PCM. Distortion EXCELLENT - extremely Distortion was, true to Technics was very low at just 0.02% at -60dB and capable tradition, better than all else, measuring frequency response reached 68kHz (-1dB) a witheringly low 0.01% with a 24bit before rolling away to the 100kHz upper DISTORTION VERDICT input at -60dB. Our analysis shows this limit of our Philips SACD test disc. These Lots of ability and big smooth sound. as a complete absence of both noise and figures put SACD up with the best PCM, distortion artefacts. Dynamic range (EIAJ) not something I have measured before FOR was commensurately high at 126dB, from the medium. Almost bafflingly good. - easy spacious sound with an output of just 2V from both NK - breadth of ability unbalanced phono sockets and balanced - powerful bass XLR. Meaning Technics have managed AGAINST Frequency response (192kHz,-1dB) to lower noise in the output amplifiers - mellow sound beyond all rivals. It’s common to deliver 4Hz-46kHz - complex user interface 4V out from XLR to give this output Distortion (-60dB, 24bit) 0.01% dynamic range advantage, but Technics Dynamic Range (EIAJ) 126dB Technics Output (unbalanced/bal) 2.3V / 2.3V +44 (0)333 222 8777 strangely give XLR the same output www.technics.com/uk

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 77 “Tellurium Q’s Ultra Black II’s can be see as one of “The differences were stunning…..What I can the best loudspeaker cables on the market at state is that the Ultra Black 11 cables are currently their price” the best I have heard in my system.”

– Jon Myles, Hifi World – Ian Ringstead, Hifipig.com

“Tellurium Q Ultra Black II is a remarkably coherent “I have yet to hear a speaker cable which and “well-timed” cable” delivers timing like this one.”

– Jason Kennedy, HiFi + – Chris Kelly, The Ear REVIEW

Get it sorted Jon Myles looks at Melco's new Intelligent Music Library software – and is impressed.

elco’s music servers artist etc), as well as adding album a very easy way to go through your pretty much set the artwork, as easy as possible. Anyone entire music collection. standard for how well who has thousands of files stored will this technology can know how difficult it is to keep this SOUND QUALITY be implemented for consistent. To be honest this upgrade doesn’t storing an entire music Basically, the programme takes really boost the Melco’s sound quality – MELCO Mcollection. samples of each song and uses which is already superb. However, what INTELLIGENT Not a computer, not a basic music them to get a match against an on- it does do is add extra functionally MUSIC LIBRARY jukebox but a machine designed to line database. Using information and bring a welcome way of searching play back files at the highest quality from MusicBrainz and Discogs it through music libraries – whether they £ possible. can download and fill in all relevant be on the Melco itself or housed on a OUTSTANDING - amongst Now the company has moved its information automatically. It will even UPnP server. the best products further forward – with the look for duplicate songs in a library As such it rivals the likes of release of a new software upgrade and give the option to delete them. Naim in terms of ease of use yet VALUE - free entitled Intelligent Music Library. Special attention has been retains Melco’s unique selling point – VERDICT On a basic level this means paid to Classical music, SongKong something built exclusively for storing Works better than you would owners of existing Melco servers will capturing information such as music and nothing else. expect. Moves Melco’s get an automatic update over wi-fi. It composer, conductor, performers Oh, and as it is free that makes it a servers up to a new level. brings the majority up to what is now and even Movement numbers where bargain! FOR Melco’s EX standard. appropriate. - ease of use However the biggest Now, with this new software CONCLUSION - SongKong built-in improvement is the Intelligent Music update SongKong is there at your An impressive piece of software that - Free Library now has SongKong built in. fingertips, via a smartphone or tablet. lifts Melco’s music servers to a new - Superb interface So what’s SongKong? SongKong Clever? Very. It makes searching a large level. Easy to use, intuitive yet powerful AGAINST for Melco is a powerful tool designed music library much easier. in terms of song, album or genre - nothing to make tagging digital music files with Looking for jazz tracks? Just dial searching. Existing Melco users will love metadata (song, album, composer, it in. Pop? Same again. Rock? Yes. It’s it – new buyers will be enthralled. www.melco-audio.com

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 79 VINYL NEWS vinyl section contents FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-ﬁworld.co.uk SIREENA From German audiophile CHORD ELECTRONICS HUEI PHONOSTAGE 83 outfit Sireena (www. A glitzy new MM/MC phono stage with Rumble filter gets Noel Keywood's attention. sireena.de) is In2thesound’s ‘Commotion & Style’. A PRO-JECT VINYL CLEANER 86 live celebration of the Martin Pipe comes clean about vinyl. UK post punk outfit, The Sound, recorded in 2018. PRO-JECT SWEEP BRUSH CLEANER 91 Featuring original drummer Sweep dirt and fluff away, Martin Pipe says. Mike Dudley and Carlo van Putten from White Rose AUDIOPHILE BOOK 93 Transmission, ex- and now Paul Rigby reviews The Beatles Get Back to Abbey Road. late-Sound man, Adrian Borland’s subsequent musical project, plus three extra musicians from Putten’s band, The Convent, this is a fine project of memories. Also look for German news prog outfit, Eyevory’s ‘Aurora’ combining classic prog flavours and more modern metal elements. THIRD MAN From this US-based outfit (thirdmanrecords.com) comes Greek violinist, Alexis Zoumbas and ‘Lament for Epirus 1926-1928’. Released PURE PLEASURE earlier as a Record Store From the UK audiophile outfit (www.pureplea- Day album, it features a surerecords.com) is Pharaoh Sanders’ ‘Izipho Zan’ Ennio Morricone-like tone (1973, initially via Strata East). Partly influenced heaped with sadness, as via his colleague, John Coltrane, this LP broke the title suggests. An EP of out of the jazz genre, although jazz is still part unissued work is included. of the LP. A 13-piece group, there’s a mix of All look out for Japanese avant-garde elements, rich soul crooning and “Psyche Lords” Boris and instrumental innovation. ‘Love & Evil’. Droney, stoney and dreamy.

MUNSTER From this Spanish audiophile outfit (munster-records. com) is Peruvian outfit Traffic Sound’s self-titled 1970 release. And they do sound like UK rock band, Traffic. With Jethro Tull/prog elements. From the Vampi Soul imprint is ‘A Gozar Salsomanos’ from Los Afroins, a 1974 LP that exploited the then fashion for salsa in Colombia. From the following year comes Julian Y Su Combo’s hard salsa outing, the funky ‘Noche de Fiesta’, retaining its New York edge.

80 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL NEWS

ROCK OUT Hellyeah was created as a metal supergroup consisting of members of Mudvayne, Nothingface and Pantera. ‘Welcome Home’ (Eleven Seven; elevensevenmusic.com) is the band’s sixth album. This grungy, Pantera-esque outing combines grit with great songs. A post metal outfit from Sweden, this metal core sounds nothing like krautrockers Faust but they do retain a similar philosophy, successfully mixing the serene with the brutal but, in this case with an underlying melancholy. Startling. From Spinefarm, Necronautical’s ‘Apotheosis’ (necronautical.bandcamp.com/ vinyl section album/apotheosis), two LPs of twisted black metal, soars across your soundstage, laying a shadow like a demon spanning the rays of the moon on a clear light. Innovative? No. Symphonic? Oh yes. Via Music for Nations, the UK death metal group, Cradle of Filth’s ‘Cruelty and the Beast” Re-Mistressed’ sees the original 1998 album remixed which means... superior drums! Plus lots of added portent and dynamism. A massive improvement on the initial production. From Leprous comes ‘Pitfalls’ (Inside Out: www.insideoutmusic.com). A Norwegian prog-metal group, early tracks are dense but not brutish as they explore personal demons, although later songs inject further energy into proceedings. Plenty of light and shade here.

WAH WAH From the excellent Spanish audiophile label (www.wah-wahsupersonic.com) comes Diane Denoir’s 1972 debut, self-titled LP release. Part of the “Conciertos Beat” (Beat Concerts) of sixties’ Montevideo, the LP offers an easy, swaying, Bossa-type, candombe beat, jazz piece. Also check out this private, 1974, UK folk pressing reissue, The Alice Island Band’s ‘Splendid Isolation’ (I saw an original copy shift for £1,600!). The LP is jaunty, lively, sprightly and offers terribly good diction.

...AND FINALLY From Disney comes the soundtrack for the animated Tarzan film, via Phil Collins (including Glenn Close and NSYNC), presented as a picture disc in a die-cut sleeve. Eddy and the Backfires (Bear Family; www.bear- family.com) celebrate twenty years of rock’n’roll with ‘Twenty Fight Years’. Think twangy guitars, aggressive and mean rock. The debut LP from Minor Pieces, ‘The Heavy Steps of Dreaming’ (Fatcat; www.fat-cat.co.uk), is a low-key alt.folk outing that offers harmonies, emotional tone and a patient, pastoral, musical introversion. From Jo Quail comes ‘Exsolve’ (Adderstone; www.joquail.co.uk), an extended version, remastered with an extra track. A neoclassical instrumental double album with avant slices that builds tension featuring a cello that sounds like a Fender guitar. From Canadian electronica man, Jacques Greene comes ‘Dawn Chorus’ (Luckyme; store.luckyme.net). This 2LP pack mines his love for R&B and garage. Dance vibes on a large canvas. Redrago’s self-titled 2LP release (Life and Death; lifeanddeathforever. bandcamp.com) offers a distinct Euro-dance vibe. Light, poppy, chart- friendly. It even includes a scrambled rip off of The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds! Kush Arora aka Only Now’s ‘Captivity’ (SOUK; soukrecords.com) combines dark ambience, black metal and Angolan dance called kuduro. The combination results in a dynamic, wide open, dramatic and often action/cinematic expose. Hang on to your seat! Rachael Dadd’s ‘Flux’ (rachaeldadd.bandcamp.com/album/flux) presents an intriguing, sparse, little-lost-girl-vocal, ages past, in the now, folk-pop blend. Ronin Arkestra’s debut, ‘Sonekei’ (roninarkestra.bandcamp.com) sees Mark de Clive Lowe and members of Japan’s jazz/electronica scene offer a driving, sometime motorik suite of beats blended with complex jazz textures. Highly entertaining.

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 81 TRANSFORM YOUR SYSTEM WITH A MUSIC FIRST AUDIO PREAMPLIFIER

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82 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL SECTION Huei Display A small phono stage with big visuals. Noel Keywood listens.

his little phono stage from illuminated sphere should I say – for sort this out. What I wanted was Chord Electronics is small MM causes the right hand Impedance 100 Ohms without 2.2µF, the latter but bristles with coloured sphere to fall dark. There are no option being shaded yellow. lights and catches the eye loading options, such as capacitance, But why have a 2.2µF option? – not your average black- for MM. Select MC however and the This is something I have never seen box phono stage by any Impedance light comes on, offering before, but understand the thinking. means.T Hewn from a solid billet of no fewer than twelve impedance It rolls down treble from a low aluminium it feels as sturdy as a brick, options for MC, some I have never impedance MC cartridge, its effect albeit a small one. Chord Electronics seen before. So gentlemen, start your depending upon generator impedance products now mostly come similarly MCs! (commonly 10 Ohms resistive). A hewn and intriguing to look at if a Each setting invokes a different 2.2µF capacitor is equally 10 Ohms little more expensive than Huei, that’s button colour and I needed 100 at 7kHz so it will roll off treble (don’t priced at £999. Ohms for our Ortofon Cadenza want to get too technical here!). What you get in this small Bronze moving coil cartridge that, it There are six MC load options from package is a stage that is aimed more turned out, was difficult to be sure 3700 Ohms down to 100 Ohms, each at high quality moving coil cartridges about because some of the colour with 2.2µF accompanying capacitance than ‘lesser’ moving magnets (MM). differences are quite subtle. But they as an option. I say this because pressing the left select in strict sequence and Chord So much for loading. Gain can be hand MM/MC select button – or Electronics provide a chart to help changed and again MM seemed an

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 83 VINYL SECTION

Huei uses a microprocessor (digital!) to select all the many options on offer. Doing so in sensitive low voltage circuits means using high quality sealed miniature relays, seen here as small white rectan- gles, that click as selections are made. Huei uses miniature surface mount components on a densely populated board; the sockets look vast by comparison.

"the orchestra loomed large and Huei cannot drive a power amplifier direct and at £999 and with Chord Electronics skills in such matters, it there was a good sense of grip should have been given this now- common option I feel. on pace" The compact case measures 160mm wide, 72mm deep and 41mm after-thought. High quality MMs can strange is that this option is quite high, weight 657gm. It will slip into a have low-ish output and need at least unlike any other low filter, meaning system easily enough sideways on a x100 gain but via its phono sockets warp filter. Yet by cutting bass in rack, but for all the lights to be visible Huei has x88 – low. As a result, with vertical modulation only, when the needs 160mm lateral clearance. our Creek Evolution 100A amplifier needle is going up and down rather Power comes from a 12V wall- I had to turn volume up. Double this than left and right, it eliminates warps wart. Since this is low voltage d.c. gain is available from Huei’s XLR too, because they go up and down. there is no earth connection, avoiding outputs and I could have used them, The clever bit here is that the filter hum from a hum loop. but for the fact that Huei has no does not affect audible bass, where volume control and nor does the Creek with XLR. The seven gain options were all lower than x88 and of no practical use I am aware of. With MC the seven gain values available usefully straddle what such cartridges produce. The gain value commonly used for MC is x1000 (60dB) and Huei offers x300 – x1600 from its phono socket outputs. Meaning it will match all MCs Huei's rear panel carries RCA phono socket inputs only (no balanced well, including low output (high XLR). However, output is conveyed by phono sockets and XLR, the lat- quality) types from its phono ter giving double gain and output. A tiny mains power rocker switch socket outputs, with even more lies here too, just above the 12V d.c. input. gain available from the XLR socket output. the needle wiggles left-to-right. So in SOUND QUALITY That covers three of the four theory at least, Huei’s Rumble filter I connected Huei to our Timestep illuminated spheres and their eliminates unwanted low bass signals, Evo modified Technics SL-1210 Mk2 functions, the last remaining being whilst retaining wanted low bass Direct Drive turntable with SME309 Rumble. It’s an unusual and odd signals – an intriguing idea I had to arm and Audio Technica’s VM750SH description, because modern check in listening tests of course. MM cartridge, plus Ortofon’s turntables don’t rumble. More Lack of variable output means Cadenza Bronze MC cartridge. It fed

84 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL SECTION

a Creek Evolution 100A amplifier driving Martin Logan hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers. With Ortofon’s Cadenza Bronze moving coil cartridge Huei set up a big wide sound stage in front of me. There was no hiss or hum, just perfect silence until needle hit the groove. Spinning Fanfare for the Common Man, from Two Countries One Heart – an all-analogue and well balanced 180gm LP – kettle drum strikes were fast and clean, having plenty of visceral power. Brass blared with fruity impact and the whole With products from Chord Electronics you get to see inside, performance strode along with good courtesy of a small circular viewing window and internal lighting. pace. Intrigued by the novel Rumble Huei has this and four rotating illuminated spheres for manual filter I pressed it on and off and bass control of gain, loading and filter options. power was unaffected, kettle drum losing no impact. There were small obvious in the performance. attenuated, but LPs are cut with bass clicks when making selections with Spinning Mobile Fidelity’s re- as a mono signal to prevent large music playing however. master of Dire Straits Love Over vertical excursions, which LP cannot With Big Band Spectacular from Gold (180gm, 45rpm) delivered a handle, so the Rumble filter ends the Syd Lawrence Orchestra, a strong, tuneful bass line from Walk of up doing its job but being inaudible recent live recording from Chasing Life, Mark Knopfler’s vocals standing – clever stuff! the Dragon (direct-cut and tape firm and clear centre stage. This transcription), strenuous drumming performance showed that Huei is CONCLUSION in Sing, Sing, Sing had plenty of weight revealing as well as large-scaled; I Huei is a neat little phono stage and again came over as clear and caught every word from Knopfler. with some interesting features. It fast. There wasn’t the depth our Icon The only time I obviously heard is purposed for moving coil (MC) Audio PS3 Mk2 valve phono stage the Rumble filter was when dropping cartridges where it provides more imparts, but Huei has a big sound needle into groove whilst hand gain and loading options than most, nevertheless. With In The Mood, cueing: the thump had less thump. moving magnet (MM) types being the orchestra loomed large and I fancy that at other times it made a side issue. With superb build and there was again a good sense of grip bass sound a bit drier, but it was hard finish, plus a large sound stage and on pace, generous low end power to detect. In theory at least, heavy excellent clarity, it is definitely worth allowing plucked acoustic bass to be bass recorded full left or right will be hearing.

MEASURED PERFORMANCE

Frequency response of the Huei measured 140mV in at full MM gain. flat from a low 4Hz up to 20kHz our Measured gain values for MC were FREQUENCY RESPONSE response analysis shows. The Rumble x302 - x1600 via phono outputs and filter combines the channels below 200Hz double via XLR output. This is a good CHORD to suppress vertical warp and rumble gain range for MC, x1000 (60dB) being ELECTRONICS info by cancelling vertical (out-of-phase) a common value, so Huei’s gain range HUEI PHONOSTAGE components – a different and novel straddles the common value used for MC £989.00 approach to this problem. Cancellation is and it has enough gain for low output introduced by progressively combining types. the two channels to produce mono Noise was low at 0.18µV equivalent EXCELLENT - extremely bass in effect. Measured with vertical input noise A weighted. This works out at capable. modulation from JVC TRS-1007 test disc -67dBV with gain setting at x1000 (dark the filter introduced massive attenuation VERDICT blue) for equivalence to other MC phono DISTORTION Attractive looking phono below 150Hz, measuring -17dB at 50Hz, stages. stage with great MC compat- but this does not affect mono bass so it The Huei measured well in all ibility and sound. will not obviously lighten bass. respects. It has a very broad range for FOR Huei has seven gain settings each matching to MC cartridges. NK for MM and MC. Measured values for - clean sound - broad MC matching MM were x68-x13 (37dB-22dB) from Frequency response 4Hz-20kHz - styling and finish input to phono-socket output. These are Distortion (MC) 0.15% low values for MM: volume will have Separation (1kHz) 68dB AGAINST to be turned up in an accompanying Noise (MM/MC) -81dBV / -67dBV - no volume control amplifier. Around x100 is usual. Gain Max gain - low MM gain doubles via XLR balanced output, giving MM, MC, phono out x68; x1600 MM, MC, XLR out x136; x3200 Chord Electronics x136 (43dB) maximum, so XLR out is +44 (0)1622 721444 O'load (phono/XLR) 9.5V/19V out best used. Huei overloads at a high www.chordelectronics.com

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 85 VINYL SECTION Mister Clean!

Martin Pipe gives his records a new lease of life with the new VC-E from Pro-Ject.

any years ago, when the LP you borrowed on your library BBC’s) and others with an interest every town had a ticket wouldn’t be spoilt by any in analogue discs kept them going. hi-fi shop and public sticky surprises. One was even pre- Keith Monks retired to Cornwall in libraries stocked LPs, sented to the Queen, to celebrate the early 1990s, but continued to there was a mythi- her Silver Jubilee. Although it was build RCMs on a small scale until his cal device known as amazingly effective, the Keith Monks death. His eldest son Jonathan took Mthe Keith Monks Record Cleaning RCM was expensive, bulky and over, and thanks to the vinyl revival Machine (RCM). For a nominal somewhat industrial in appearance. I those RCMs are now back in “full fee, said retailer would treat your don’t doubt that some RCMs ended factory production”. Indeed there scrunchily-noisy vinyl with the up in the hands of obsessive audio- are now Keith Monks models that RCM - and your records would be philes, but they were never intended will blend into domestic environ- returned to a state approaching as a domestic proposition. RCMs ments, but they ain’t cheap... their previous glory. These wonderful - like turntables - began to fall out Other companies have since RCMs also kept clean the music you of favour when CDs displaced vinyl, recognised the difference that heard on the radio, and ensured that although music archives (notably the record-cleaning can make, and that

86 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL SECTION

many analogue enthusiasts would like bottles are supplied with the unit, replaceable (and indeed a spare set affordable machines of their own. one of which is a 100ml ‘starter’ is included). How long do they last? Among them is Pro-Ject, who are bottle of Wash-IT. The other is used “The felt strips’ lifespan,” Henley well-placed to satisfy this market to mix the concentrate with water, told us, “is a bit like that of a stylus... given that a vinyl-black seam runs and is embossed with markings that it depends on how you treat them”. through the company. Like the Keith will assist you when carrying out the The height of the arm cannot be Monks machines, and indeed some operation. The ratio - somewhere adjusted to accommodate different of Pro-Ject’s previous models, the between 10:1 and 20:1 - depends on record thicknesses; this is instead £299 VC-E is a ‘wet’ cleaner. The the state of the record, and water achieved by raising or lowering the basic idea is that you apply a special solution to the record’s surface; this "If my experiences are anything to go fluid, along with the crud that gives you an earache, is then sucked up by an onboard vacuum cleaner and by, you will be mightily-impressed by deposited in a tank that one must remember to empty periodically. what the VC-E can achieve" The 6.5kg VC-E is, like Pro-Ject’s turntables, a very well-engineered temperature. You can get away with grubscrew-secured lower clamp. As and attractive piece of equipment lower concentrations of Wash-IT supplied, it is suitable for ‘standard’ that occupies not much more if warmer water is used. The type (“80 - 180g”) records. volume than, say, a bread-maker. The of water isn’t specified, but I live The vacuum motor is then build quality inspires confidence, and in a hard-water area and the stuff switched on (with another side- I suspect that it will outlast a fair from the tap was fine; I didn’t try mounted rocker switch) with the few of the turntables that benefit distilled water. 100ml of Wash-IT record still rotating, to suck the from the VC-E’s sole function in life. should be enough, reckons Pro-Ject, solution and contaminants from the Close to the edge of its aluminium to treat 135 12in. records (i.e. 270 record surface. Periodically-changing top-panel is the disc motor, which sides). Another 100ml bottle will set direction can help this process spins at approximately 30rpm. Its you back £15; if you plan to clean too. When the record is dry, the spindle terminates in the bottom-half records on a larger scale, the £45 1- suction power is removed and the of a record clamp, which features litre bottle may be a better buy. arm moved to its rest position. The a rubberised surface. Place the The next part of the VC-E is turntable is then powered down, record over its spindle, and screw an impeccably-constructed suction the upper clamp removed and the on the top clamp - which also has a arm that slots into an aperture on process repeated for the record’s rubberised surface. These surfaces help to prevent the cleaning fluid from contaminating the record label. On which subject, the VC-E is intended for LPs, 12in. singles and 10in. records only. UK importer Henley Designs informed us that it is “not ready for 7in. singles, as their grooves can be nearer the centre hole than the VC-E arm currently reaches”. However, the firm will “soon be releasing a 7in. kit, similar to the one sold for use with the older VC-S Mk. II”. Once a record is clamped into position the turntable is started, and diluted cleaning fluid applied. I find that working outward from the centre of the disc works best; the fine-bristled application brush supplied by Pro-Ject is used to evenly-spread the fluid (a total of 6- 8ml should suffice) over the record surface. A 3-position side-mounted Suction arm height is not adjustable, but the clamp can be raised rocker switch brings the motor to or lowered to accommodate discs of non-standard thickness. life, and make it rotate in either The robust rocker-switches that power up the vacuum-pump direction - the fluid-application and set the disc-clamp motor revolving in either direction, are process benefits from the occasional mounted on the side. reversal. Let’s talk more about the Pro- the opposite end of the top panel. flipside. Ject fluid recommended for use with During use, it is swung onto the What happens to the spent the VC-E. The “Wash-IT” formulation wet record surface; underneath the solution? It is deposited in a is claimed to be safe with all record arm are soft felt pads to prevent reservoir; unfortunately, you can’t materials (including shellac). Two scratching. These are themselves see how full this is - and thus when

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88 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL SECTION

On top of the main unit you can see the pivot for the suction arm, the lower disc-clamp and the reservoir drain hole. Arranged around the base are the upper clamp, the arm (with spare velvet pads) and the brush that’s used to spread diluted cleaning fluid over the record. The latter is prepared by mixing concentrate from the smaller bottle with tap water in the larger one - embossed with horizontal lines to help ensure correct proportions. it needs to be emptied. The latter around in second-hand shops or been deposited on my Valhalla-LP12/ process requires you to, after car-boots for musical treasures of Basik Plus/Ortofon 540. The sound PRO-JECT VC-E removing the suction arm, place the unknown provenance. If the records was, literally, much cleaner – better CLEANER machine into a larger container like you buy have been well looked definition and image-stability a washing-up bowl, and tip it on its after, enclosed in high-grade sleeves thrown into the bargain. Switching £ OUTSTANDING - amongst side so that the accumulated fluid and stored in meticulously clean to a vintage Pioneer quadraphonic the best pours out of the top-mounted drain environments, then the improvement system with Technics SL1200 Mk3/ hole (which doubles for ventilation). is marginal - but tangible AT-440MLb, I found that old CD-4 VALUE - keenly priced I can’t help thinking that some kind nevertheless. albums (the discrete ones that rely of base-mounted tap would be But dirty records, such as 12in. on ultrasonic subcarriers) cleaned VERDICT better. singles that have been abused by with the VC-E were improved to the The VC-E puts effective record-cleaning within the mobile DJs, are transformed beyond extent that the notorious ‘sandpaper budgets of every analogue fan PERFORMANCE AND all recognition. I have an early EMI quad’ effect disappeared completely. CONCLUSION stereo demonstration LP from the Sure, the VC-E won’t remove any FOR The VC-E cleaning process sounds late 1950s. Dirt accumulated over of the clicks and pops that scratches - very well made involved, but it rapidly becomes the years had gradually rendered the are responsible for, but mistreated - easy to use - can transform your records second-nature. You are probably record to the point of unlistenable records can otherwise benefit quite best off experimenting, as I did, with - treble harshness descending into dramatically. This modestly-priced AGAINST some old valueless vinyl to become unbearable distortion, poorly-defined Pro-Ject cleaning machine will help - in current form, familiar with the machine. bass, a muddled stereo image and a you to get the best from your unsuitable for 7in. singles If my experiences are cyclic ‘crunch’ sound as the stylus records, whether you’re digitising - no means of confirming reservoir state anything to go by, you will be negotiated a patch of goodness- them or merely playing them. A few mightily-impressed with what the knows-what on the surface. niggles there may be, but the VC-E is Henley Audio modestly-priced VC-E can achieve After the VC-E treatment, it was built to last a lifetime and performs +44 (0)1235 511166 - especially if you routinely rummage if a completely-different record had impeccably. Recommended. www.henleyaudio.co.uk

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 89 IAN HARRISON HI-FI SALE! HIFI AT DISCOUNT PRICES. FREE NATIONWIDE DELIVERY Email: [email protected] SPECIAL OFFERS!! SALE! UP TO 40% OFF!! CARTRIDGES UP TO 30% OFF PHONOSTAGES UP TO 25% OFF TURNTABLES & TONEARMS UP TO 25% OFF CABLES UP TO 40% OFF VAN DEN HUL MC10S £775, ORTOFON CADENZA BLUE £950,ORTOFON QUINTET BLUE £299 TONEARMS CARTRIDGES PHONOSTAGES TURNTABLES AMG AIR TIGHT EAR YOSHINO ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE CARTRIDGE MAN BENZ MICRO GRAHAM SLEE ACOUSTIC SOLID GRAHAM CARTRIDGE MAN ICON AUDIO AMAZON AUDIO HADCOCK DECCA LONDON LEHMANN INSPIRE HELIUS EMT MUSICAL GOLDRING SURROUNDINGS LUXMAN MICHELL GRADO PARASOUND MICHELL MOERCH HANA PRO-JECT MUSIC HALL MOTH IKEDA PURE SOUND PRO-JECT ORIGIN LIVE KOETSU QUAD REED ORTOFON MY SONIC ROTHWELL ROKSAN PRO-JECT NAGAOKA TOM EVANS ORTOFON SRM TECH REED TRICHORD THORENS ROKSAN SOUNDSMITH WHEST AUDIO SUMIKO TECHDAS HIFI FURNITURE VAN DEN HUL CABLES ALPHASON HEADPHONE AMPS ZYX BLACK RHODIUM ATACAMA CREEK SPEAKERS IXOS CUSTOM DESIGN FIDELITY AUDIO ACAPELLA KUBALA-SOSNA HI FI RACKS GRAHAM SLEE CABASSE PEERLESS MUNARI EPOS PRO-JECT MUSIC TOOLS ICON AUDIO HARBETH NORSTONE LEHMANN ICON AUDIO QED QUADRASPHIRE PRO-JECT OPERA AUDIO SUPRA SOUNDSTYLE SUGDEN Q. ACOUSTICS TRANSPARENT TRACK AUDIO QUAD WIREWORLD AMPLIFIERS TAYLOR ACOUSTICS CREEK ZENSATI HEADPHONES AUDEZE EAR/YOSHINO CD PLAYERS RECORD CLEANING ICON AUDIO CREEK BEYER QUAD EAR/YOSHINO PROJECT ERGO SUGDEN ICON AUDIO MOTH GRADO TOM EVANS QUAD WIRELESS SENNHEISER VALVET SUGDEN BLUESOUND ULTRASONE ACCESSORIES DIGITAL STYLUS GAUGES, RECORD CLEANING MACHINES, CLEANERS, AUDIO CASSETTES * PHONE FOR TERMS. PLEASE PHONE TO CONFIRM PRICE & AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ORDERING. ALL GOODS ARE BRAND NEW & BOXED WITH FULL U.K. GUARANTEES.NO EX. DEM OR EX DISPLAY GOODS. NO GREY IMPORTS. GOODS ARE NOT SUPPLIED ON APPROVAL. SORRY, NO GENERAL CATALOGUES. PLEASE PHONE OR WRITE FOR SPECIFIC REVIEWS, BROCHURES OR PRICES. SUPPLIER OF HIFI PRODUCTS & ACCESSORIES SINCE 1986 MAIL ORDER ONLY FROM; IAN HARRISON, 7 MILL HILL, REPTON, DERBY, DE65 6GQ. TEL: 01283CA_HFW_QuarterPage_Flat.pdf 702875. 9am - 19pm 24/10/2016 INCLUDING 16:41:41 SUNDAYS.

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90 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk VINYL SECTION

Exit planet dust... Martin Pipe re-familiarises himself with a concept whose time has come again, courtesy of the Pro-ject Sweep-IT E.

econd-hand turntables of a Pro-Ject, is more solidly-engineered. Drag is minimal and at no time did certain vintage commonly The base/pivot is in this case a heavy use of the Sweep-IT E audibly affect have a peculiar column with and substantial cylinder, fitted to a the pitch of any deck I tried. spindle attached (by glue), pillar with a soft non-slip felt base. At the end of the record side, on the base=plate - or a The pivot can be raised or lowered the Sweep-IT E arm is lifted off and mark where one would slightly, an Allen bolt securing it at placed on a wire rest protruding PRO-JECT onceS have stood. At some point of the desired height. The base rests from the base - just as you would cue SWEEP-IT E £60 the turntable’s life, this would have on your turntable, and thanks to its up your tonearm and return it to its been topped by a device like the inherent stability doesn’t need to be rest. £ Cecil Watts “Dust Bug”. This was glued to the surface. As a result, it can It's easy to remove the arm and OUTSTANDING - amongst a flat Perspex rod terminated in a be moved between turntables and blow off the matter that has been the best. brush and velvet pad, the purposes – better still – won’t leave a mark. picked up. I found the Sweep-IT E VALUE - keenly priced. of which were to accumulate dust Then we have the cleaning arm very effective – if the amount of dust ahead of the stylus as the record itself. This flat aluminium structure on the hairs was anything to go by. VERDICT played. Dust Bugs, and products of its has a dimple that rests on the spindle When it was active, I encountered no Bust that dust with this easy- ilk, sold well across hi-fi’s golden age of the base (a uni-pivot arrangement). trouble with stylus tips being clogged to-assemble and convenient accessory. but disappeared from the shelves of The other end is fitted with a fine with dust - and the consequences retailers after the majority switched brush that is, importer Henley Audio for sound quality. Combine with a FOR their listening to those silver digital tell us, is “made of natural hair”. The record-cleaner like Pro-Ject’s own - simple but effective discs. Sweep-IT E is, thanks to its simplicity, VC-E, and clean vinyl playback is - well-made The basic Dust Bug concept easy to assemble and looks good on assured. My only gripe is that the AGAINST was a sound one, and it was only a any turntable. It’s easy to use too base is tall, even in its lowest position. - tall base prevents some matter of time before it was revived - simply lower the brush onto the It can foul, when closed, the lids of turntable lids from closing to exploit renewed interest in vinyl. outer grooves of your record just some turntables (e.g., Technics and fully One of the latest contenders is Pro- before you start playing it. The hairs Systemdek) although my LP12’s Ject’s £60 Sweep-IT E. This has the of the brush follow the grooves just yielded sufficient clearance. Still, it Henley Audio +44 (0)1235 511166 same basic elements of the Dust Bug as your stylus does, collecting dust as can be removed after use to allow lid www.henleyaudio.co.uk but, as we’ve come to expect from they progress towards the leadout. closure.

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92 HI-FI WORLD FEBRUARY 2020 www.hi-fiworld.co.uk AUDIOPHILE BOOK Road talk

Yes, it's that road again, this time covered by Bruce Spizer whose book on the famous album – not the tarmac – is reviewed by Paul Rigby.

THE BEATLES GET BACK TO ABBEY ROAD Prices: $30 (hard back) Author: Bruce Spizer 498 Productions

ruce Spizer is a respect- Down’ and ‘The Ballad Of ed Beatles historian and John And Yoko’/‘Old Brown author. In fact, to put Shoe’ plus both celebrity and him into perspective fan memories and photos. album in the famed music magazine for UK readers, he’s up Produced in full colour and filled Rolling Stone. One reviewer there with the likes of with 184 pages, you’ll see how the praised the album, the other article, MarkB Lewisohn. Spizer is one of the album was received in the United written by one Ed Ward, trashed true Beatles big guns. His eleventh States, the UK and Canada, as well it completely describing the LP as book on The Beatles, ‘The Beatles as an overview of the year of the “garbage”. Ward would later admit Get Back to Abbey Road’ is a 50th album’s release plus a detailed, that he was wrong “I was just a Anniversary celebration of the album. song-by-song breakdown including 20 year-old kid who was very full It’s a wee thing in terms of when the song was recorded plus of himself” he said. Proof that you pure physical size, spanning just overdubs and demos and where (i.e. shouldn’t believe everything written 24 x 23.5cm but it does follow a what studio), producer and engineer in the papers, even the music papers. now standardised square format information, who played and what Speaking of Rolling Stone, there’s of Spizer’s recent book releases instruments they used. also an intriguing cover picturing The that include ‘The Beatles and Sgt There are some lovely stories in Fabs standing alongside the headline: Pepper: A Fan’s Perspective’ and ‘The this section. George Harrison was ‘Paul is Not Dead’. This Spizer book Beatles White Album and the Launch struggling to think of a second line does look into the entire Paul Is of Apple’. Unlike Spizer’s earlier, in his song ‘Something’ when Lennon Dead controversy, one that continues exhaustive and highly detailed tomes said “...just say whatever comes into to this day. There’s even current on the group’s record releases, this your head each time...until you get Facebook groups devoted to it, series is more a collaborative effort. the word”. So the song’s actual line would you believe. The story was In fact, on each, Spizer is listed as the “Attracts me like no other lover” brewing in the papers in September compiler rather than the sole author. began a “Attracts me like a caul-i- of 1969 but blew up during a That continues here, on this flower”. WKNR-FM broadcast on Russ Gibb’s Abbey Road-themed book. Hence, I looked at the Collector’s show, on 12 October 1969 when a you’ll see essays by Beatles scholars Edition (limited to 500 copies) which listener, Tom Zarski, called in to say such as Al Sussman, Jude Southerland retails for $100 (including a digital that if the “number nine” lyric in the Kessler, Frank Daniels and Piers edition). This edition also includes the ‘White Album’ song ‘Revolution 9’ Hemmingsen but Spizer doesn’t look book within a cardboard O-case, two was played backwards, it sounded on from afar, lazily drinking coffee posters and a book mark. A more like “Turn me on, dead man”. You can and munching on a sticky bun, oh basic (in presentation) hardcover read more in this book. no. Spizer adds lots of information edition is priced at $30 and the A quite brilliant production, too, such as the complete history of stand-alone digital edition is $20. filled with delicious information and the ‘Abbey Road’ LP, including the Beautifully presented, the book sparkling images, this is a book that stand-alone Beatles singles released is packed full of interesting facts such every Beatles fan should own. in 1969. ‘Get Back’/‘Don’t Let Me as mention of the first reviews of the Contact: www.beatle.net

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NAKAMICHI CR7E, boxed, FOR SALE: Spendor BC WANTED: TOP quality WORLD DESIGN immaculate condition, 1. Restored cabinets, Hi-Fi separates and WDKEL84 Valve amplifier serviced by Nakamichi. UK Matching serial numbers, complete systems, Naim, with upgrades. Mint owned from new. Unused Manufactured 1970’s Linn, Cyrus, PMC, Audio condition, will demonstrate. for last 10 years. £1250 (Redhill). Crossovers re- Research etc, fast, friendly Arcaydis bookshelf ono. Tel: 07970 254 499 or capped with Solen hi spec response and willing to speakers EB1S-Oak (see Email: chrisdebono capacitors. C/W original travel/pay cash. Please call Hi-Fi World May 18 issue) @hotmail.co.uk trolley stands and technical me on 0781 5892458 or Mint/Boxed. Project 'The (Northampton) manual. Call for more Email me at pogsonp Classic' Rosenut Turntable details/offer, Collection. @aol.com with Ortofon Silver TANNOY CHESTER Demo welcome. Tel; 07889 Cartridge. Unused/Boxed. T165 speakers, dark wood CANADIAN GUTWIRE 807 065 (Essex). Pair Speaker Stands 24” finish, excellent condition, Synchrony 3 metre length Acoustics QA3108. Would £450. Tel: 0775 628 9704 speaker cables. Superb - AVID PULSARE II 2 box like to sell as a system. (London/Essex border) totally new condition. £700. phono stage, silver in All in pristine condition. perfect condition. Only (Synchrony Interconnects ROTEL RA 840 BX3 available separately). Email: Please Tel: 01159754070 15 hours use from new, or 07531288156. amplifier, £60. Kenwood boxed, manual and all stephen.adolphus KX9010, 3 head cassette @gmail.com Tel: 07787 (Nottingham) accessories plus a custom deck, auto tape calibration, made tubulus silver 574784. £95. Yamaha MDX 793 MARANTZ PM6006UK umbilical chord. Selling due amplifier in black, as MiniDisc recorder, remote, to downsizing. £2495.00 LEAK TROUGHLINE and new/boxed £200. Tel. £55. Musical Fidelity E50 ovno. Demonstration on Hi-Fi World valve decoder FM tuner, mint, £95. Tel: set up by Tim de Paravicini 07583078744 (Notts/ request. Contact Neil on 01708 457 691 less than a year ago, one of Derby area) 07818 848715 or Email: the finest tuners anywhere! [email protected] MOON AMP 340i, very £700.Tel: 07940 507215 or EPOS M12 M-2 good condition, £2000. Email: [email protected] loudspeakers, cherry, OLSON SOUND Fantastic Moon DAC 280D, very excellent condition, boxed, 4 way mains block good condition, £1000. NEAT MOTIVE 1 plus dedicated ST 12 excellent budget mains Spendor A6R, oak, very Loudspeakers Cherrywood loudspeaker stands, £200. conditioner £50 and Russ good condition, £1500. excellent speakers, Andrews Classic Power Tel: 0786 4034 087 REL Sub, never used, mint, condition and sound £500. Nobsound power Kord with high quality bargain, only £475! Isotek Wattgate connection PMC FB1 loudspeakers. valve amp, mint. never used, London, 07957384795 Light Oak. Excellent £200. Tel: 01273 500 173 £55 or special offer both (Evan) products combined for Condition. Original Boxes. £90. Please phone me on Collection Preferred. £600. CAMBRIDGE DAB 300- FOR SALE: EAR 834L 07814866496 or Email: B tuner with remote. 01484 427426 or Email me line pre-amp by Tim de [email protected] Very good condition. on andrewstringer476 Paravicini. Excellent and (Chester) £65. Tel: 01302 391 030 @yahoo.com. well looked after condition. (Doncaster) £650 ono. Tel: 07505 057 WANTED: VERY late GRYPHON HI-FI system: 414 or Email: zylandaroya REGA P3 with power Mirage preamp, Mikado CD @yahoo.com model 214 F. Serial supply, Apollo Mira3, player, Colosseum stereo numbered Audiolab Maia3 Pure tuner DRX system (with the original WANTED: 1980s/1990s 8000Q. Boxed with 701, Monitor Audio RX2, box) and Atlantis speakers. Sound Organisation record manual. Please does Atacama stands. Sound 6 years old. Beautiful rack In black. Does anyone anyone have for sale Organisation stand, Chord condition. £65,000. Tel: have one for sale in the this Pre amplifier in the cables. All boxes. Bargain. 07974014536 or Email: hi fi community. Tel: Keith Hi Fi community. £950 ono. Tel: 07813 edwards.elena 07919061178 or Email: Email: keijab@ 829 657 (Swadlincote, @hotmail.com [email protected] googlemail.com or Tel: Derbyshire) (London, NW8) (Liverpool) Keith 07919061178

www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 95 NEXT MONTH MARCH 2020 ISSUE REGA PLANAR 10 WITH APHETA 3 CARTRIDGE With a reputation for tonearms and turntables second to none, this new high-end design from Rega promises to be worth reading about. Rega stay with belt-drive, so how does it match up to the many Direct Drives now available? Only we know, having the test equipment to find out. Don't miss our super in-depth review in the next great issue.

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www.hi-fiworld.co.uk FEBRUARY 2020 HI-FI WORLD 97 CLASSIC CUTS DIRE STRAITS

DIRE STRAITS WARNER RECORDS

roup lead singer and consummate thread, theme, concept or over-arching narrative guitarist, Mark Knopfler once told – but this is often the way with debut LPs. Rolling Stone magazine, “Success Debuts tend to be like vomit. That is, debut I adore. It means I can buy 1959 albums tend to be a sudden out-pouring of years Gibson Les Pauls and Triumph of mixed-up ideas, stacked in the mind, bubbling, motorcycles. But I detest fame. It just waiting for a chance to emerge, often all at Ginterferes with what you do and has no redeem- once and in one stream. Without reason but lots ing features at all”. of rhyme. And, by golly, the group would see all But that often makes debuts all the more the colours of that fame when the 1988 hit exciting. They can be like pages of a diary, an single, Money for Nothing seemed to not only accumulation of experiences, thoughts and represent the band in memoriam but also the inspirations, over the years. hot new music marketing phenomenon, MTV This album also contained the seeds to the and – why not say it – the eighties itself. And for future, as it featured all of the group’s essential some, not in a good way, either. facets. That glowing headband, Sting’s backing The album offered superb guitar from vocals, those MTV-esque computer-generated Knopfler, excellent backing from the rest of video graphics... It dated the band terribly the band and Knopfler’s Dylan-esque vocal "This album has because it has been seen as symbolic of them mumbling, which he made all his own but which, and represented, for certain critics, everything nevertheless, exposed tendrils to the mighty Bob a distinct British that was lousy and dreadful about the decade. as Knopfler’s song-writing moved into Dylan Dire indeed. territory too. feel, songs like Which is not the band. The image was unfair This album has a distinct British feel with and smacks of elitist snobbery. I feel rather songs like Down To The Waterline offering an Down To The frustrated, on the band’s behalf, with that image English landscape, but it also presented itself because Dire Straits were a tremendous band, with an American sheen which may explain Waterline offering whose music lives on. partly why the band did so well over there and Way back when, the group were already were so readily accepted. talented and innovative. They played their first Sultans Of Swing is the masterpiece though, an English gig, a pseudo-festival actually, in Deptford of all providing a hook and a relatively fast, massive places – alongside Squeeze. It was back in 1977 hit to provide energy (and cash) for the future. landscape" and they were immediately lumped into the pub “It was probably fast by a lot of other people’s rock circuit. standards but I felt as though I had been working The band’s first demo (using some all my life towards it”, Knopfler said. “I was 28 inheritance cash) included the future single when Sultans broke, when that first album burst ‘Sultans of Swing’. Radio DJ Charlie Gillett open all round the world. We were still living in managed to hear it and recommended the band Deptford and with the record deals back then to Phonogram who signed them immediately. when you first signed, they wouldn’t give you Their debut album, this album, was recorded any money for 18 months. I think they’re still like at Island Records in October 1978. It was that today, actually. So it was No.1 all over the produced by Muff Winwood and, according to world but I didn’t get any money from it for ages Dire Straits manager, Ed Bicknell “He pretty and we were still living there for a good while”. much recorded a live record but without the This classic album has now been reissued audience. It cost £12,500, including the sleeve, by US-based audiophile outfit, Mobile Fidelity. and it sold eight million within nine months of It spans two discs to give those grooves room coming out”. to breath and to maximise sound quality along And a stormer of a release it is, was – and with the fact that it runs of 45rpm. As you might remains. It doesn’t deserve to be placed in the expect, it sounds rather lovely too. shadow of any of the later albums, either. A low-key approach to bluesy rock, Yes, you could say that this album is one restrained, even minimal at times, this is a great of highlights rather then a whole package or a debut and a great album. PR

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