On Test: iFi Zen Phono, Orchard Audio Starkrimson, Audio Research REF80S
PASSION FOR SOUND
EXCLUSIVE REVIEW: W: Philips Fidelio L3 wireless headphones es
Issue No. 476
June 2021 21
G BUYIN IDnEtial GU + esse 100 ponents com 111 p
NEWS SPECIAL:
Launches from Naim, Panasonic, Cambridge Audio, Bang & Olufsen...
Super collectable vinyl from The Cure, Pearl Jam, Prince, The Doors and more...
“AMERICA’S MOZART”
TOP SPINNER
Auralic’s Vega G2.1 streaming DAC preamp
Celebrating the maverick genius of Kanye West
Thorens TD 148A automatic belt-drive turntable
PRINTED IN THE UK
VIVA LAS VEGA!
£5.25
The pros and cons of NFTs
RECORD STORE DAY 2021 FIRST DROPS!
JUNE 2021
Musical revolution or intangible asset?
Located at Roskilde, the music city of Denmark, System Audio has received more than 150 awards for sound, design and innovation since 1984.
Legend 5.2 silverback
Awesome Sound, Style and Simplicity “...delivers a melding of bandwidth, resolution and attack that beggars belief!” Hi Fi Choice April 2021
INTRODUCTION
Welcome
PASSION FOR SOUND
www.hifichoice.com Issue No. 476 June 2021
42 Audio Research Reference 80S
62 Wing Acoustics Zerø
93 Cool Collection Adele
BADGES EXPLAINED
As Paul McCartney once remarked: it’s an ever-changing world in which we live in. Take NFTs. Up until a couple of months ago, most of us thought these letters stood for the National Film Theatre. But then, suddenly, literally out of the ether – kaboom! – there are these thingummybobs called Non-Fungible Tokens, which everyone’s talking about but hardly anyone appears to understand. They exist and yet… they don’t really. You can own them if you pay tons of money, sometimes millions, and yet… you don’t really ever actually possess them. On the one hand, there are those who claim NFTs are going to completely revolutionise the music industry while there are others who insist they are (I quote): “the most disgusting thing on the planet right now”. One thing’s for sure, this NFT malarkey is a whole new business paradigm. Check out Nigel Williamson’s excellent piece, unboggle your brain and make up your own mind if we’re witnessing an amazing game-changer or the emperor’s new clothes on p87. Somewhat less dramatic, but also definitely worth clocking, is this year’s first Record Store Day drop of collectable vinyl. You can see our pick of the best releases starting on p16. There’s shed-loads to look forward to. Catch you at the record racks!
Steve Sutherland Editor
OUR AWARDS
Follow us: EDITOR’S CHOICE: Awarded to those products that are judged to deliver outstanding performance
RECOMMENDED: Products that we feel meet a high standard of performance
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Contents
BUYING GUIDE 100+ es sential compon en p109 ts
hifichoice.com Issue No. 476 June 2021
NEWS & OPINION
GROUP TEST
The latest news on the hottest products from the world of hi-fi coming your way
26
6 Audiofile 73 Letters
Put your points of view and queries on audio matters to our team of experts
83 Opinion
What difference does it make spending a bit more on a standmount? Six of the best duke it out...
The Hi-Fi Choice team say it as they see it as they discuss the issues of the day
90 Music Reviews The month’s essential new CD, vinyl and hi-res releases given a work out
READER SERVICES 109 Buying Guide
Our hottest hi-fi component picks
122 Reader Classifieds Sell your unwanted hi-fi for FREE here
130 Next Issue The sonic treats to look out for next month
FEATURES
16 RSD 2021 – First Drop As the releases are announced for Record Store Day, here’s our pick of the pops
87
50 Beautiful System MoFi, Primare and System Audio come together in this stunning setup
87 A Token Gesture? NFTs are the latest money spinner for musicians, but what the hell are they?
98 Music Legends The self-proclaimed Black Jesus and saviour of hip-hop, all hail Kanye West
128 Reasons To Be Cheerful Our pick of the most exciting things coming your way this month 4
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6 Audiofile: Cambridge Audio Evo 150
90 Music Reviews: St Vincent
CONTENTS JUNE 2021
“In fusing hip-hop with prog, art-pop, electronica, soul ballads, gospel and orchestral music, West has changed the image of hip-hop”
57 Sonos Roam
Music Legends: Kanye West p98
TESTED THIS MONTH
42 Audio Research Reference 80S
20 Thorens TD 148A
REVIEWS
CHOICE EXTRAS
20 Thorens
AK USB-C Dual DAC Cable
TD 148A automatic belt-drive turntable
106 Russ Andrews
42 Audio Research
Spring Clip Adapters
Reference 80S stereo tube power amplifier (Exotica)
106 Black Rhodium
Kit testing
48 Auralic Vega G2.1
48 Auralic Vega G2.1 streaming DAC
57 Sonos Roam portable Bluetooth/wi-fi speaker
59 Philips Fidelio L3 over-ear wireless headphone
62 Wing Acoustics Zerø standmount loudspeaker
66 iFi Audio Zen Phono MM/MC phono stage
62
68 Orchard Audio Starkrimson mono power amplifiers
105 Astell&Kern
Foxtrot S speaker cable
GROUP TEST
Standmount loudspeakers £1,500-£3,000
29 Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature
31 Fyne Audio F1.5 32 JBL HDI-1600 35 PMC twenty5.21i 36 Q Acoustics Concept 300 38 Spendor Classic 3/1
Picture credit: Zachery Michael (St Vincent)
Wing Acoustics Zerø
66 iFi Audio Zen Phono
68 Orchard Audio Starkrimson
Never miss an issue – turn to p70 for our latest subs offer JUNE 2021
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T H E
L AT E ST
I N D U ST RY
N E W S…
Audio Evo-lution Cambridge Audio launches its new all-in-one music player PRICE: £650-£2,250 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: CAMBRIDGEAUDIO.COM CAMBRIDGE AUDIO HAS launched Evo, its all-in-one music player which the company says: “gives you instant access to all the music in the world,” and “represents an evolution in hi-À: an all-in-one music player that combines timeless design, cutting-edge technology, streaming smarts and incredible audio performance into one streamlined and compact box. You simply need to add speakers to start enjoying music.” Designed in London, the Evo sports walnut wood side panels to complement the black anodised aluminium cabinet and comes with a choice of formed black side panels made from Richlite, a new material that’s produced primarily from recycled paper. The side panels can be switched out according to each customer’s preference. Completing Evo’s design is a dual-concentric rotary dial and large 6.8in LCD display panel that shows off album artwork in full colour. Evo is powered by Hypex NCore Class D ampliÀcation and there are two models: the 6
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Evo 150, rated at 150W per channel, and Evo 75, rated at – you guessed it – 75W. At the system’s heart is Cambridge’s StreamMagic platform and both models use ESS Sabre DACs to ensure all music is converted to analogue with, the company claims: “every ounce of detail, precision and dynamics intact.” Cambridge continues: “Whether you use Roon to organise your digital library or stream high-resolution MQA tracks using Tidal Connect, Evo can play it all. And StreamMagic will ensure you hear your music in the best possible sound quality, no matter where you’re playing it from and in whatever source quality.” Evo supports music streaming using a variety of different methods, including AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Chromecast built-in, Qobuz, Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and internet radio. Evo also boasts a wide array of digital and analogue connections, so you can add any
source from your existing turntable to your CD player, and it comes with a 3.5mm headphone output. You can also connect your wireless turntable and wireless headphones using Evo’s built-in aptX HD Bluetooth. The Evo 150 additionally boasts a built-in moving-magnet phono stage, asynchronous USB audio input, balanced XLR inputs and two sets of speaker terminals for running two pairs of different loudspeakers. For those that want ‘plug-and-play’, Cambridge Audio has developed a pair of Evo S speakers to create a complete system. There’s also the option of adding on a dedicated Evo CD transport. Both are scheduled for release later in the year. Both additional units are aesthetically and sonically designed to match perfectly with the all-in-one player. The Evo S speakers will be available exclusively at cambridgeaudio.com The Evo 150 is priced at £2,250, the Evo 75 will cost you £1,800, the Evo CD is £800 and the Evo S speaker £650.
AUDIOFILE The front fascia is dominated by that distinctive rotary dial and a 6.8in LCD screen
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AUDIOFILE
Good lux! New luxury headphones from Bang & Olufsen PRICE: £500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: BANG-OLUFSEN.COM BANG & OLUFSEN has launched a new headphone, the Beoplay HX, which offers digital ANC and up to 35 hours of play time. Featuring two custom-designed 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports to ensure optimal bass performance, the Beoplay HX uses four mics for calls and the sound is further enhanced due to improved speech delivery, while the listening experience is immersive thanks to the introduction of Digital Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, which blocks out unwanted interference without compromising on sound quality.
Lightweight (285g), measuring 195 x 200 x 53mm (WxHxD) and designed for durability, the HX boasts an ergonomic design with a revamped headband that has a centre-relief zone for long-time wear. The earpads are made from soft lambskin with memory foam that adapts to the shape and curves of the user’s ear. The upper headband is made from cow hide with a smooth grain, while the lower headband is covered in a knitted fabric. Beoplay HX includes a fabric case. It also offers connectivity via Bluetooth 5.1, Microsoft Swift Pair, Google
Fast Pair and Made for iPhone (MFi). The product set-up process complies with both Android and Apple devices. The arm sliders are made of anodised, pearl-blasted recycled aluminium with a light brushed detail in the upper part. The disc is crafted from aluminium with a diamond spin Ànish, which is nestled within a polymerpainted recycled plastic structure. Available in Black Anthracite, Beoplay HX has a three-year warranty upon registration and the company says Sand and Timber colourways will be available at a later date.
Tape that and party PRICE: $239 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: RXREELS.COM If you’re into your reel-to-reel and fancy a spruce-up, American company RX Reels has just the treat for you. Produced using upcycled aviation-grade carbon fibre for superior strength, durability and weight, RX Reels has launched a new range of 10.5in tape reels with quarter-inch spools, which it says: “will not warp or bend and will allow your tape deck to look just as good as it sounds”. The brainchild of RX’s Kevin Root, the range was created when: “It occurred to me that the tape deck was the focal point of my system and the reels were the focal point of my tape deck. But since a typical reel is either plastic or aluminium, they weren’t quite giving me the same visual wow factor as the rest of the system. 8
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“It took seven months to find the combination we were looking for. A way to not only make the reels look better, but to be better. We wanted a flange that was rigid, but not too heavy. Carbon fibre provided the perfect balance of strength to weight: it’s twice as stiff as steel and five times stronger.” Carbon fibre comes in many grades, the highest quality being aviation grade. This is what goes into RX Reels’ flanges. Normally the cost would be prohibitive, however Root’s location in the USA’s Pacific North-west provided a lucky break. “There’s a lot of new, high-grade raw carbon fibre material discarded by local military and aviation manufacturing industries. We upcycle that and turn it into our reels,”” Root explains.
At the centre of each reel is a custom-made, NAB hub. Most commercially available hubs are designed to be inexpensive to produce and are typically joined to the flanges by just three screws. RX Reels’ solid aluminium hubs are precision made to tolerances below two thousands of an inch, and each 2.3mm-thick flange is held to the hub with six screws (so twelve screws in all) for a secure fit. The hub also features a nano-machined surface designed to grip the end of the tape to make it less prone to slipping. Each RX Reel is handmade and individually numbered. Their proprietary construction process allows the finished reels to display a carbon fibre weave, rich wood grain or marble finish, resulting in a range of six designs.
HYPSOS by Ferrum Revolutionary power supply
We all strive for the most natural sound in our trusted hifi systems. The engineers of Ferrum have been designing and building high fidelity equipment for decades, before they decided to begin anew, starting at the very base. Entering the next level of affordable superior fidelity audio systems, Ferrum introduces the HYPSOS hybrid power system, designed to get the most out of your audio gear. It’s new, it’s a beauty and very easy to operate with just the turn of a knob. Literally a revolution. You’ll love it! More info on www.ferrum.audio Linear/switching hybrid design l 100 ~ 240V AC in l 5 ~ 30V DC out l 6A/80W l 21,7 x 20,6 x 5,0 cm
30-day Free Trial l Free Support I Free Extended 3-year Warranty
AUDIOFILE
Wood tidings PRICE: £1,600 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: NAIMAUDIO.COM NAIM AUDIO HAS introduced a new premium Wood Edition of its Mu-so 2nd Generation wireless speaker system. Available alongside existing models, the new Mu-so Wood Edition is designed in sustainable Ayous hardwood, treated and lacquered to give the appearance of a Light Oak Ànish. The Mu-so heatsink also has a new anodised aluminium tint, with the speaker Ànished by a neutral-toned, woven front grille. Mu-so Wood Edition offers wireless streaming controlled from the Naim App or direct from your devices to Spotify
Connect, Tidal and Qobuz, while Chromecast Built-in gives access to Deezer, Google Play Music and more, including Google Assistant compatibility. AirPlay 2 adds Apple Music streaming and Apple Home integration, including Siri voice control potential. It also works as a Bluetooth speaker. The Mu-so Wood Edition measures (WxHxD) 628 x 122 x 264mm, weighs in at 11.2kg and its multi-room capability lets you stream the same song in sync or play different music in different rooms.
Sonic boom! PRICE: £550 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: PANASONIC.COM Panasonic has unveiled its new SC-PMX802 system and network player incorporating Technics JENO Engine amplifier. The system’s three-way speakers feature silk dome tweeters, which the company claims are capable of reaching frequencies as high as 50kHz, while their wooden cabinets come with a black finish on the front. Another feature of the new system is CD High-Res Re-Master processing, while similar technology is employed to re-master music streamed via Bluetooth or MP3 files from a USB source. “We recognise that many consumers have CD collections that they don’t want to replace. CD High-Res Re-Master lets them hear those songs with a fresh feel,” explains Masaaki Suna, General Manager Home AV Group, Panasonic Marketing Europe. “The changing ways listeners want to hear music are addressed by the SC-PMX802. They’ve the freedom to explore new music with hi-res streaming or to listen to favourite CDs.” The USB socket on the SC-PMX802’s front panel allows you to play music from a USB drive and the company explains that the system is compatible with many hi-res audio standards, including FLAC, while lower-res types – such as MP3s –will be digitally re-mastered. The SC-PMX802 follows the blueprint laid out by the familiar design of Panasonic’s PMX Series systems with stylish metal casing trimmed with an aluminium front panel and volume control. 10
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Fidelio X3
Crafted for serious listeners Be there. From the singer’s breath to fingers squeaking on a fretboard, these audiophile-grade open-back headphones match feather-light comfort with pristine tuning. Discover new layers of transparency and detail every time you slip them on.
Philips Fidelio X3 Best Headphone Under £500
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2020
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AUDIOFILE
Power up! Merason’s new PSU for its frérot DAC PRICE: £600 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: WHOLENOTEDISTRIBUTION.CO.UK ALL THE WAY from Switzerland comes the pow1, a regulated linear PSU especially designed by Merason exclusively for its £1,000 frérot DAC. The pow1 is a linear, regulated power supply that generates -12V and +12V, both regulated in two ways: the second regulation having been designed to be low noise and discrete. The employed rectiÀer diodes built into the pow1 are special types, which the company claims: “in contrast to usual rectiÀer diodes, do not produce any spikes and therefore no interference in the supply.” The reference voltage for the regulation of the +/- 12V supply is generated by a precise IC instead of using the usual Zener diodes, which Merason says: “gives the advantage of a supply that is exactly matched to the needs of the frérot: by using the pow1, the output stage of the frérot is powered directly by the pow1. In addition, the pow1 is robustly constructed with a toroidal transformer manufactured according to Merason’s speciÀcations and incorporates a metal housing with a Swiss-made shielding cover.
Gold standard PRICE: €9,600/€13,500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: GOLDNOTE.IT
Italian specialist Gold Note has launched its new premium phono stage – the PH-1000 – which the company claims can play back any LP ever pressed with the correct equalisation. Further to that, the PH-1000 allows the user to adjust or modify the equalisation curve on the go. Gold Note refers to the PH-1000 as: “an ultra-low noise phono stage with high gain and no audio filters designed to be easy to use and easy to love in a way that will change how you think about your analogue setup… (It) combines a digital interface with a Class-A discrete component design, offering the widest range of equalisations, gain, load and capacitance adjustments to correctly match any cartridge. It doesn’t just come with 18 EQ curves available for
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stereo, mono and 78rpm records – it allows you to adjust the equalisation to virtually recreate any EQ curve ever used to press a record.” The PH-1000 also boasts a headphone output with dedicated volume control, three independent inputs (RCA and XLR) and a single-knob rotary control that allows you to navigate the menu on the display to change settings while playing music. It is available in two varieties – the PH-1000 and the PH-1000 LINE – the latter of which features a Class A line preamp stage. The PH-1000 has 12 load options (from 10ohm to 100Kohm), 14 gain levels (from 31dB to 74dB) and seven options to adjust the capacitance (from off to 1000pF). There are three RCA and
two XLR inputs, which can also be used for external load plugs and a dedicated connector for the external power supply. It also has a rumble filter, which can be turned on or off (it’s a 10Hz/36dB octave filter) and the Stereo/Mono control allows for five different settings (Stereo, Stereo 180°, Mono, Mono 180°, Mono L). In addition there are four EQ curve setups, which can be manually adjusted by acting on three main parameters (turnover bass, bass shelf and treble cut) using exclusively analogue technology. Each curve can also be further customised using a proprietary ‘Enhanced’ function. The PH-1000 is priced at €9,600 and the PH-1000 LINE at €13,500.
AUDIOFILE
Table’s turning PRICE: £400 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: TALKELECTRONICS.COM TALK ELECTRONICS HAS introduced its new Edwards Audio TT4 turntable. Hand-built in Surrey, the TT4 features the company’s new constrained layer damping technology, which it explains is typically associated with the aerospace industry to dissipate fractional vibrations and noise.
The TT4 also features the TALK A4 captive uni-pivot tonearm, which boasts a 12.7mm high-grade aluminium arm tube and is terminated with a fully machined black anodised headshell mount. The TT4 comes in black, white, red or grey and is supplied with a Àtted Edwards Audio C100 cartridge and a colour-matching Z-Type dust cover.
Frequent flier PRICE: £130 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: AUSOUNDS.COM LA-based company Ausounds has launched a third ANC True Wireless earbud-style in-ear to its UK range, the AU-Frequency ANC. Featuring Ausounds’ 10mm AU PEEK+PU driver – designed to reproduce a full-range frequency response without the added weight and complexity of multi-driver or hybrid technologies (the AU-Frequency weighs just 5.5g per bud) – the company says its advanced ANC system has been designed to have the minimum impact on music reproduction and sound quality. “While many ANC systems have a marked influence on the headphone/earphone’s frequency response, the AU-Frequency remains faithful to the source music whether the ANC is switched on or off. With low-frequency reproduction down to a class-leading 20Hz, the AU-Frequency is ideal for a wide range of music.” The AU-Frequency uses Bluetooth 5.0 with four times the range and twice the data speed of the previous Bluetooth generation. This gives a claimed solid connectivity up to 10m range in free space and the capability of streaming at up to 2mpbs. Its low-energy design gives the AU-Frequency battery life of up to five hours of music playback. The USB-Ccompatible charge case allows the earbuds to be powered up three times without needing to recharge the case itself. The case will recharge to full capacity in around 90 minutes. Catering for a wide range of shapes and sizes, three sizes of silicone eartips come supplied to create a comfortable seal. The standard tip fitting on the metal-bodied earpiece opens the option of third-party tips and the AU-Frequency ANC is IPX4 waterproof. Touch controls on the earbuds offer playback controls and access to any Voice Assistant that’s supported by your playback device. JUNE 2021
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AUDIOFILE
AS REPORTED IN the April issue, this year’s Record Store Day will follow last year’s pattern and take place internationally on more than one occasion. RSD decided on the multi-date scenario in the hope that it will aid independent record stores who may be struggling to re-open after so long shuttered by the COVID lockdown restrictions. The drops will be on 12 June and 17 July and, as always, there are tons of ace vinyl exclusives on offer. Here we have selected a few of our favourite forthcoming RSD releases from the Àrst drop to help you add to your collection and put some much-needed funds in the coffers of your local indie vinyl retailer. We’ll chose a few more to recommend from the July drop in next month’s AudioÀle so watch out for that. In the meantime, you can catch up with all the latest RSD release news and Ànd out which indie stores near you are participating at recordstoreday.co.uk Ready for a browse? Let’s go…
The Amorphous Androgynous: The World Is Full Of Plankton Amorphous is the psychedelic pseudonym of The Future Sound Of London and these tracks are taken from the Alice In Ultraland album, originally released in 2005 on Harvest. Label fsoldigital.com says this 10in is a precursor to the re-release of the original full-length album later in the year. FSOL are also releasing a reimagined RSD version of their 1996 hit We Have Explosive on 12in vinyl. Animal Collective: Prospect Hummer This long out-of-print pressing of the Baltimore experimental band’s EP from May 2005 is a gem. Three of the EP’s four tracks feature cult Sixties singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan who hadn’t recorded anything for nigh-on 30 years. Prospect Hummer was recorded for Fat Cat by the band’s friend Rusty Santos (co-producer of 16
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2004’s Sung Tongs) and features all four band members. Domino is re-releasing it for RSD on green and yellow starburst vinyl. Beastie Boys: Aglio E Olio First released as an overflow hardcore EP from the sessions for Hello Nasty in 1995 on Grand Royal, Aglio E Olio featured eight songs in 10 minutes! This new vinyl reissue on UME features two bonus tracks, Soba Violence and a rare cover of Light My Fire. Belle And Sebastian: The Boy With The Arab Strap This is a green vinyl repress of Stuart Murdoch and co’s indie classic third album from 1998.
THE SELECTER'S COVENTRY ’79 IS FINALLY MAKING ITS VINYL DEBUT
Belly: Bees Rhode Island indie royalty Belly celebrate their 30th anniversary with Bees, a compilation of 19 tracks comprising B-sides, covers and oddities that didn’t appear on any of their albums. It’s released as a double on honey-coloured vinyl by 4AD. Black Francis: Abbabubba This is a rarity. Originally released in the USA in 2011 via The Bureau, Abbabubba is a collection of remixes, reworkings and B-sides from legendary Pixies’ frontman Black Francis. The Demon reissue comes as a 180g double, split between black and white vinyl. Blackbeard: I Wah Dub This is the great producer Dennis Bovell working under his early non de plume Blackbeard. I Wah Dub was originally released in 1980 on More Cut/EMI and has long since been out of print on vinyl although it was remastered and reissued on CD and released on Zonophone in 2003. This black vinyl reissue comes via PLG UK Catalog. Chapterhouse: Rownderbowt A treat for shoegazers everywhere, Rownderbowt is a compilation spanning the Reading band’s short but stunning career, including rare tracks, B-sides, demos and a remix of We Are Beautiful by Spooky. It was originally released on CD-only by Dedicated in 1996 and comes now via Music On Vinyl as a limited edition vinyl release for the first time in the shape of four blue and white marbled discs.
The Cure: Faith This re-release of Robert Smith and co’s third album originally came out in 1981 on Fiction. This new UMC version celebrates its 40th anniversary in picture disc form and comes in a die-cut sleeve with a download card. Desmond Dekker: The King Of Ska Live At Dingwalls and King Of Ska, The Ska Singles Collection The reggae great is remembered by two releases. Live At Dingwalls has never been released on vinyl before and comes as a double LP via Burning Sound. The Ska Singles Collection, is released by BMG/ Trojan to celebrate what would have been Dekker’s 80th birthday as a box set of 10 7in singles. Devo: Somewhere With Devo The Somewhere With Devo suite was performed live, one night only, as the encore of the band’s Total Devo concert at The Palace in Hollywood, CA on 9 December, 1988. The Devo re-mix set by DJ Kinky from 2010, also included on this vinyl LP via Wienerworld, was never released previously. The Dirty Three: Ocean Songs – Deluxe Boxset In March 1998 Australian trio The Dirty Three released their Ocean Songs album. In 2005 the band were joined on stage by Nick Cave to play the album in its entirety at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in New York. For RSD, both of these recordings will be made available by Bella Union in a deluxe
AUDIOFILE
boxset featuring four LPs pressed on coloured vinyl – the original album on ocean blue and the live album on violet. In addition the band’s guitarist Mick Turner has created new artwork including a giant eight panel pull out poster with words from the band on the recording and performance. The Doors: Morrison Hotel Sessions Marking the 51st anniversary of the original Elektra album, The Morrison Hotel Sessions are released by Rhino Atlantic as a 180g numbered double LP with rare rehearsal performances. It was mixed and assembled by The Doors original engineer Bruce Botnick and is limited to 16,000 copies. Echo & The Bunnymen: Live In Liverpool Recorded in 2001 at the Paul McCartney Institute of Performing Arts, Live In Liverpool is released by the first time for RSD, as a double on 180g clear vinyl. Elastica: Singles Previous years have seen Britpop heroes Elastica re-release their eponymous first album and a BBC sessions album and this boxset, released via Rough Trade, is a reissue of their first four UK 7in singles plus a bonus single. Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin (Companion Disc) When Wayne Coyne’s Flaming Lips released their ninth LP The Soft Bulletin in 1999 via Warner Brothers, they also released a promo featuring outtakes, alternate mixes. Somewhat of a collectable rarity, it’s now being made available for RSD as a double release on silver vinyl. Fontaines DC: Live At Kilmainham Gaol Last July, Dublin band Fontaines DC played a selection of songs from their Dogrel and A Hero’s Death albums live at Kilmainham
Jail as part of the Other Voices Courage Series. Now the set’s released for RSD by Partisan Records on 180g black vinyl in a gatefold jacket featuring an essay on the gaol by Dublin historian Donal Fallon. Joe Strummer: Junco Partner (Acoustic) A blues song first recorded by James Waynes in 1951, it was a favourite of Joe Strummer’s who recorded it with The 101’ers and then with The Clash for the 1980 triple LP, Sandanista. This special 12in picture disc finds Strummer doing an acoustic version and it’s released by BMG with a previously unreleased live version of the track by his Mescaleros recorded at Brixton Academy in 2001. Joey Ramone: Don’t Worry About Me Originally released posthumously by Sanctuary in 2002, less than a year after his untimely death, Joey Ramone’s debut solo LP is being re-released by BMG on pink and black splatter vinyl to celebrate what would have been the great man’s 70th birthday. Johnny Thunders: Live In Los Angeles 1987 To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of another punk hero, ex-New York Dolls’ Johnny Thunders: Live In Los Angeles is released for the first time on vinyl by Secret Records. Jonathan Richman: Having A Party With Jonathan Richman This is a 30th anniversary reissue of Jonathan Richman’s splendid third solo album. Featuring intimate live and studio solo performances, it’s released by Concord/Craft pressed on ‘Bermuda Seafoam vinyl’.
broadcasts from 1963-1967 and is limited to 15,000 copies. Keith Richards: Wicked As It Seems/Gimme Shelter (Live) Richards’ traditional RSD offering comes in the shape of Wicked As It Seems/Gimme Shelter (Live), a 7in red vinyl single on BMG featuring unreleased versions performed live by his X-Pensive Winos. The Kinks: Percy This is a limited edition, 50th anniversary reissue of the 1971 British comedy film soundtrack album, originally released by The Kinks as their ninth studio album and last on the PYE label. The new version, via BMG, comes as a picture disc in replicated, textured original sleeve and is remastered from the original analogue tapes. Kristin Hersh: Wyatt At The Coyote Palace Released for the first time on vinyl by Fire Records as a gold disc double with a DL card, Wyatt At The Coyote Palace is a reissue of the Throwing Muses’ mainstay’s 2016 CD and essay book, which sees her perform on guitar, bass, drums, piano, horns and cello. Lady Gaga: Chromatica This special RSD release of Gaga’s sixth LP, 2020’s Chromatica comes in deluxe packaging with a trifold vinyl jacket, 28-page LP-sized
book, and 40-page fanzine. The album’s pressed on highlighter yellow coloured vinyl. Linton Kwesi Johnson: Making History Out of print for many years and originally released in 1984 on Island, the mighty dub poet’s Making History is remastered and re-issued on yellow heavyweight vinyl by UMC with three bonus tracks and a bespoke gatefold sleeve with enhanced artwork. Mudhoney/Meat Puppets: Warning/One Of These Days This limited-edition split 7in single by legendary punk/rock bands Mudhoney and Meat Puppets features two exclusive cover songs: Warning performed by Mudhoney and One Of These Days performed by Meat Puppets. This release is a Record Store Day 2021 exclusive from Seattle’s famous Sub Pop label. Notorious BIG: The Duets: The Final Chapter The second posthumous Biggie album features a collection of orchestrated duets between Smalls and hip-hop heavyweights Jay-Z, Faith Evans, Missy Elliot, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, P Diddy, Eminem and many more. The album will be made available on vinyl as a double by Rhino Atlantic for the first time since its original
Joni Mitchell: Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1 Released via Rhino, this black 180g vinyl covers rare home recordings, live performances and radio JUNE 2021
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Old’s cool. The new Dynaudio Heritage Special. Classic premium hi-fi, handmade with love in Denmark.
Listen to craftsmanship. Listen to real wood. Listen to true, state-of-the-art, hand-built tweeters and woofers. To more than 2000 hours of devoted R&D. To the depths of your record collection. Listen to what you love. ‘Heritage Special’ isn’t just a name. It’s a salute to traditional high-performance Danish audio design, featuring Dynaudio’s now-legendary materials, technologies and performance.
Each of the 2500 limited-edition pairs is unique. And they’re brimming with the spirit (and flødebolle-fuelled boldness) that made the Dynaudio name. Run your fingers over the handfinished American Walnut veneer. Pause at the groove around the baffle (you’ll remember it from our speakers that you coveted years ago). Then play some music and rock your socks off. It isn’t for everyone. But that’s OK. We made it for you.
Heritage Special www.dynaudio.com/heritage
AUDIOFILE
release on Bad Boy in 2005. It’s pressed on red and black vinyl, accompanied by a 7in showcasing two previous unreleased bonus cuts and limited to 10,000 copies. Pearl Jam: Alive Marking the 30th anniversary of Pearl Jam’s iconic debut album Ten, the first single off the LP, Alive, is being reissued on 12in vinyl by CMG featuring the original promo version plus three rare B-sides: Wash, Dirty Frank, and The Beatles’ cover I’ve Got A Feeling, which is currently not available anywhere else. All four tracks are included on side A while side B contains an etching of the band’s stick man logo. Poly Styrene: Translucence The first solo album from the late great leader of X-Ray Spex and riot grrrl inspiration Poly Styrene, released on United Artists Records in 1980. Unavailable on vinyl for nearly 30 years, it’s reissued by PLG UK Catalog on crystal clear vinyl. Prince: The Truth This stripped-down bluesy album is being released by CMG for the first time on vinyl. Boasting 12 tracks, it was originally released as an accompaniment to the 1998 triple album Crystal Ball, which marked the first time that Prince had released an album totally independently. The Truth was also the first Prince album to be labelled “acoustic,” though it contains electronic instruments.
Rage Against The Machine: The Battle Of Mexico City Recorded at RATM’s show at Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes in 1999, this was the band’s first ever show in Mexico. Previously released on VHS and DVD, it comes courtesy of CMG as a double on red and green coloured vinyl with white label as a tribute to the Mexican flag.
BELLY’S BEES COMPRISES 19 B-SIDES, COVERS AND ODDITIES heavyweight vinyl with metallic and spot gloss cover finishes.
The Selecter: Live In Coventry ‘79 This early skatastic Selecter gig is released by Two Tone on clear vinyl. It featured in the recently released Deluxe Edition CD Box Set of the band’s Too Much Pressure album, but is making its vinyl debut here.
Supergrass: Going Out To mark its 25th anniversary, BMG/ Echo are reissuing a limited edition six-track, burgundy vinyl 12in single version of the classic 1996 Britpop hit. It includes original Parlophone A and B-sides plus live versions of Strange Ones, Where Have All The Good Times Gone, Melanie Davis and Going Out.
Suede: Love And Poison The soundtrack to the band’s first concert video, recorded at Brixton Academy on 16th May 1993, only a month after the release of their Mercury Prize-winning debut album, L&P is issued on vinyl for the first time by Demon. The concert setlist includes versions of nine album tracks, including Animal Nitrate, Metal Mickey, The Drowners and To The Birds, and it’s a double, pressed on 180g clear vinyl.
Television Personalities: Another Kind Of Trip Released for the first time on vinyl by Fire, this double black vinyl album captures Dan Treacy and co at their most erratically exciting live. There are 21 tracks, including one that never made it to any studio. A side apiece come from Thames Poly in 1985, East Berlin in ’89, New York in ’92 and Bremen in ’93. Limited to 1,000 copies, Another Kind Of Trip comes in a gatefold sleeve with a DL card granting access to seven more tracks from the intimate Kim’s Underground Show in New York.
Super Furry Animals: Ice Hockey Hair All the way from Cardiff, via BMG, comes this 12in limited edition, remastered re-issue of the 1998 Creation Records EP, with cover illustration by legendary SFA artist Pete Fowler. The new version’s on
WAR: Give Me Five! The War Albums (1971-1975) Released to celebrate the funk maestros’ 50th anniversary, this boxset features the first five classic albums following the departure of lead-singer Eric Burdon – WAR, All Day Music, The World Is A Ghetto,
Deliver The Word and Why Can’t We Be Friends? Each is pressed on vinyl for the first time since its original release and the collection is limited to 5,000 copies. The discs are coloured green for the first release, silver the second, blue the third, orange the fourth and white the fifth. Warpaint: The Fool (Andrew Weatherall Sessions) In 2010, when Warpaint finished their debut album The Fool for Rough Trade, the late, lamented producer Andrew Weatherall was given access to the master tapes to work on mixes for the finished record. The track Baby, along with Warpaint’s iconic Undertow single were both mixed by the Guv’nor and appeared on the finished album that was released in 2010. For the first time ever, this Record Store Day double LP brings together all the mixes Weatherall created while working on the project, including a never released finished version of Jubilee. Various Artists: HELP EPs The HELP EP and Come Together single were originally put out by Go! Discs around the iconic HELP LP in 1995, to help children affected by the Yugoslavian civil war. Now they’re being remastered and issued on 12in vinyl for the first time. Side A features Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Guru and Portishead. Side B features The Smokin’ Mojos (Paul McCartney, Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher), The Beautiful South, Dodgy and Black Grape. The cover art is by 3D of Massive Attack and Stone Roses’ John Squire. It’s limited to 1,000 copies.
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MAIN TEST THORENS TD 148A £1,500
DETAILS PRODUCT Thorens TD 148A ORIGIN Germany TYPE Automatic beltdrive turntable WEIGHT 7.9kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 430 x 140 x 370mm FEATURES O 33/45/78rpm O TP95 tonearm O Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge DISTRIBUTOR Signature Audio Systems TELEPHONE 07738 007776 WEBSITE signaturesystems. co.uk thorens.com
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Automatic for the people Who wants the inconvenience of having to get up and lift the needle out of the groove at the end of every LP? Thankfully, Thorens has a retro solution to an age-old problem ooking back to the Seventies, you’d be forgiven for not being disappointed about the number of innovations that the turn of the Millennium actually delivered. From a Jetsons-like fantasy where everything is automated, Áying cars are the norm and every house has a robot butler, the reality comes across as something of an anti-climax. And it’s easy to understand why. Back then you could be woken by a teasmaid that had prepared your brew for you or could sit back and listen to music as your turntable of choice did all the heavy lifting so you could listen from
L
the comfort of your sofa. Arguably the pick of the automated turntables was Thorens TD-224, which Àrst appeared on the scene in 1962. Like something from a Doctor Who episode, it gave a tantalising vision of the future by picking a new record from a stack alongside the platter every time the previous LP reached the end in order to keep the music Áowing. While music streaming solutions are undoubtedly the current day equivalent, they lack the HeathRobinson charm of automatic vinyl spinners, and so it is something of a retro thrill to reveal that the TD 148A that sits before us here is Thorens
latest addition to its current range of fully automatic turntables. As the Áagship offering from the German company’s fully automatic models, the TD 148A bears more than a passing resemblance to the semi-automatic TD 1601 (HFC 470) with its TP92 tonearm. However, the new TP95 cold drawn tube with its rubber/alloy damper collar Àtted halfway along its length takes over proceedings here. It comes, of course, with a counterweight and springloaded downforce adjustment. Its bearing housing has also been given an update so that it now is more in line with other Thorens offerings as
THORENS TD 148A £1,500
HOW IT COMPARES
well as not looking too dissimilar from what we’ve seen from fellow compatriot Dual. Otherwise, the Thorens DNA running through the TD 148A is unmistakable. The plinth comes in a choice of walnut and gloss black Ànishes and the belt-drive system at its heart is powered by a 12V DC motor run from an external PSU. Providing plenty of torque, start-up time is impressively speedy, though it’s not the quietest motor you’ll ever see. The Thorens branded belt is looped around a plastic sub-platter
When it comes to fully automatic decks, Thorens really has the ‘serious’ end of the business fully covered off. Yes, there are a number of relatively lightweight, lower cost plug-and-play ‘USB turntables’ available via the online mass market retailers, but these are not always what we might call ‘proper hi-fi’. For that you should revisit Thorens’ comprehensive semi- and full-auto ranges, from the TD 190-2 right up to the high-end suspended subchassis TD 1601 with its electrical lift and auto shut off (HFC 470).
onto which a 2.3kg glass platter rests. A bundled felt mat sits on top of this and a choice of three speed settings (33, 45 and 78rpm) is provided by a switch on the left of the chassis. Setup is suitably simple and even vinyl virgins should find that they’ll be up and running with little in the way of stress. Simply remove the transportation locks, fit the belt, place the platter guide over the spindle and add the mat. Tracking force and anti-skating are easily adjusted, thanks to dials on and around the base of the tonearm’s gimbal housing. Placement on a level and solid surface is essential as the feet are not adjustable and, for that matter, not especially convincing when it comes to absorbing the turntable from external vibrations. Ortofon’s 2M Blue
Bass remains firm, fairly detailed and decently tactile throughout testing moving-magnet cart comes supplied, while a hinged dust cover that easily attaches to the back is also bundled. Though not especially heavy, there’s a reassuring robustness to the chassis and an impressive build quality that ensures that the controls are light, but convincing in action. Look under the hood inside the plinth and the machinery that makes the magic happen in terms of automation is a marvel of miniature engineering. Operation continues the theme of simplicity. Choose your speed, set the record size lever to the appropriate position (30cm for a 12in and 17cm for a 7in) and then press Start – it’s
MAIN TEST
that easy. The TD 148A now takes over, spinning the platter up to speed before elegantly lifting the tonearm and gently placing the stylus into the lead-in groove. Once the record reaches the end (or the control lever is moved into the Stop position), the mechanism reverses the process, gently lifting the arm and returning it to its resting position before switching off the platter. Should you wish to do so, you can ignore the auto system and operate things manually in the traditional way, but why would you want to? The only minor niggle is that there is no auto-start setting for 10in discs, which considering that 78rpm is available feels like a bit of an – admittedly minor – oversight.
Sound quality
In much the same way that the automatic controls enable the listener to forget about returning the tonearm to its resting place, the performance similarly makes it easy to ignore the hi-À capabilities and just enjoy the music. Partnered with PMC’s twenty5.24 Áoorstanding speaker, consistency is the key takeaway here: the TD 148A handling treble, mid and bass with equal sensitivity and control. Arguably the main reason behind this is the Ortofon 2M Blue, which although typically adds some sparkle to proceedings here sounds neutral – suggesting that the deck itself has a slightly soft disposition. The top-end is both sweet and clean, with plenty of detail easy to pick out. This is all presented with an appealing sense of poise and polish so that cymbals and high percussion are reproduced with no hint of hardness. Kicking things off with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, it seems apposite to put the
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INTRODUCING THE:
M3 SI Great-looking, superb-sounding hi-fi doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Our M3s range offers an elegance of design, quality of build and standard of finish you’d associate with products costing twice as much. Performance is equally impressive at the price, with a natural, highly musical delivery that shames many more costly rivals. The M3si integrated of
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: HenleyAudio
THORENS TD 148A £1,500
IN SIGHT 1
45, 33 and 78rpm speed selector
3 2
4 5 6
2 2.3kg quartz glass platter 3 Earthing post and RCA outputs 4 Tonearm counterweight 5 Tracking force adjuster 6 Lift lever for tonearm
7 8
1
7
TP95 tonearm
8 Ortofon 2M Blue moving-magnet cart
CHANGING SIDES The desire for automatic turntables dates back to the early days of vinyl when the four to five minutes of music per side offered by 78rpm discs necessitated frequent visits to the record player to flip sides. The Victor 10-50 from 1927 was perhaps the most popular domestic offering. However, as long players superseded 78s in the Fifties the need became less of an issue, although automation still remained popular. In the Sixties, the likes of Garrard and Thorens ensured that just because a turntable was automatic it needn't eschew hi-fi sensibilities, and the LAB80 and TD-184 respectively proved to be enormously popular among the more discerning audio enthusiasts that liked to stay in their armchairs.
Thorens through its paces with the Spring movement. As the chorus of violins soars out into the room it’s difficult to escape the feeling that though the Ortofon 2M Blue is a great performer, it is at heart an affordable design with a tendency to occasionally over step the mark. The result is that while there is an appropriately thrilling sense of energy to the performance it is very much at the expense of any sense of subtlety. Pleasingly, switching to music with a more electronic or acoustic lilt sees some of the finer nuances reappear. For example the accompanying piano on Runrig’s The Story displays the sort of warmth and richness that’s more commonly associated with far costlier rivals. There is just the right amount of overhang to every note to evoke the impression that you’re listening to a real instrument in a believable acoustic. From the same album, Rise And Fall delivers superbly focused central images with the vocals of Bruce Guthro and Rory Macdonald locked bang in the centre of the soundstage as they belt out their
And the trend continued into the next decade as Japanese innovation ensured that automation became the go-to feature as prices increased. Arguably the Eighties saw the last hurrah for the feature as lineartracking tonearms became the norm, making the sci-fi vision of fully automated playback a reality. The Nineties witnessed the decline in popularity of vinyl full stop, so it was no surprise that as interest in the format waned the outlay required for diminishing sales no longer added up and manual operation became the order of the day. The more recent vinyl revival has seen add-on options such as the Little Fwend Automatic Tonearm Lifter (£180, HFC 447) introduced and useful though it no doubt is, it’s no substitute for the real thing.
parts. The flipside of this, however, is that there’s a slight dilution to the action taking place in the far flung boundaries of the soundstage. And so it proves here, with the stereo images convincingly marshalled to the fore resulting in the focus being on specific hotpsots across the width of the stage,
There’s a reassuring robustness to the chassis and the build quality is impressive rather than painting a big and uniform musical picture. With the main vocals located in the centre of the soundstage, both the backing instruments and vocals appear more tied down to the left and right speakers. As a result, the backing vocals on Rise And Fall are too easily drowned out by the main protagonists, rather than complementing them. It’s like listening to a three-channel setup (left, right and centre speakers)
MAIN TEST
where there is little in the way of overlap between the three. And it’s not just vocals. Ordinarily, the solo piano on Elegy reveals some distinctive background effects as the pedals are used, however here these are once again squeezed out into the background leaving the energy of the performance to dominate. While all of this is going on the lower registers are pretty well represented. Throughout the testing period the bass remains firm, fairly detailed and decently tactile. While it won’t offer the sort of thump to the sternum that the very best can when fed a pounding dance beat, its typically taut handling of rock and pop music is more than up to the job. Correctly sited on a level surface, the turntable never flounders or booms and is able to pick out deeper bass elements with apparent ease. Upper bass is more vividly detailed still as the TD 148A’s excellent speed stability blesses it with an impressively secure sense of tunefulness. The bass guitar starts and stops with clean precision, while the woody resonance and richness of acoustic bass sounds entirely believable – very much as we’ve come to expect from Thorens.
Conclusion
Easy to setup for beginners and seasoned audiophiles alike, the TD 148A is beautifully built, user friendly and offers the sort of convenience in use that is ideal for those that don’t want to have to leave the comfort of their armchair. Admittedly, it does fall a little short of the high standards that are set by Thorens’ manual turntables – particularly when it comes to soundstaging – but the inclusion of the Ortofon 2M Blue is a worthy addition. Whether or not you’re willing to make the compromise for the sake of convenience is something you’ll have to decide for yourself O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Build quality; convenience; bass performance
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Soundstage shortcomings; lacks subtlety
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
WE SAY: Easy setup, great convenience and a solid performance, but the soundstage is rather curtailed at times
OVERALL
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Hi-Fi Choice employs the most methodical test and measurement regime in the business. Here’s how we do it...
Unique group tests
LABI SIFFRE The Vulture Remember My Song (16/44.1 FLAC)
Our Group Tests are supported by rigorous and exhaustive listening tests carried out by experts STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS GROUP TEST ALL SIX OF this month’s contenders are given a few hours of general running-in time before testing begins in earnest to discern toe-in and proximity to the rear wall, and those speakers that have bungs are tested both with and without them in place. The speakers are placed on a pair of Partington Dreadnought stands (the exception to this being the Q Acoustics, which is tested on its own stand in the manner of how it is sold) before levels are set with a pink noise test tone and by checking the voltage at the speaker terminals with a meter. The real-world sensitivity differences between the six cabinets here is sufÀciently small that only relatively Àne adjustment is required
With this done, the test programme is played from a Melco N1A (HFC 397) controlled via Roon Nucleus (HFC 439) and wired directly to Chord Electronics’s 2Go (HFC 465). The six speakers are tested back to back before a process of returning to speciÀc models playing certain tracks to identify initially noted strengths and weaknesses. With this done, the cabinets also enjoy a few hours of more general listening to help further identify their overall character and performance traits. As with all our Group Tests, as well as their out-and-out performance, the design, build, price and overall feel of the contenders is taken into consideration when establishing the Ànal placing.
AGNES OBEL Fuel to Fire Aventine (24/48 FLAC)
GREGORY PORTER Revival All Rise (Deluxe) (24/96 FLAC)
HAYLEY WILLIAMS Simmer Petals For Armour (24/96 FLAC)
REFERENCE SYSTEM NETWORK STREAMER:
Chord Electronics Hugo 2/2Go £1,800/£1,000 HFC 428/465 The addition of the 2Go to the Hugo 2 results in a compact and extremely capable network streamer that has the added bonus of an additional volume control to make fine level matching in the test as simple as possible. The exceptionally transparent performance of the Hugo 2 also makes for an excellent piece of test equipment.
INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER:
PLAYBACK SOFTWARE:
Naim Supernait 3 £3,500 HFC 456
Roon £119 per year HFC 448
Naim’s largest integrated is ideal for testing as the 80W of claimed output is more than up to driving any of the speakers here and the latest refinements to the circuit improve the soundstage without impinging on the traditional Naim virtues, making this an amp that balances grunt and refinement to excellent effect.
Roon remains the gold standard of music software. It’s easy to quickly browse through a sizeable library and select the material you need, including being able to pick content from streaming services, assemble it into a playlist and have it ready to go as many times as you need it.
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STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000
Stand the test of time The contest to deliver the best-sounding premium standmount has never been tougher and Ed Selley has been looking at six keen contenders THE RISE AND rise of the standmount speaker has been one of the more notable phenomena of the last 30 years. These smaller models – often labelled as ‘bookshelf’ speakers, in part to emphasise how simple they are to accommodate – were for many years a conÀguration used only by more affordable designs and regarded as a stepping stone to owning larger, Áoorstanding models when budget allowed. Now, it is perfectly possible to select two-way standmount designs all the way up to prices some way north of ten grand. What’s changed? Firstly and perhaps most signiÀcantly, the space available to people
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has diminished even when their budget has held up well. Where it was once an automatic assumption that a three grand speaker would be fairly hefty, there is now a requirement for less bulky solutions as well – in the group the most expensive model is also the smallest. This has been helped by technology improving too. Historically, there were limits to the power handling and scale of smaller speakers that precluded charging signiÀcant sums for them. Now, thanks to careful design and use of these higher quality materials, the scale and impact on offer has increased signiÀcantly. This has been achieved without losing the cohesion and energy that a well
sorted two-way speaker can deliver to a selection of different music. The six speakers you see here bring some interesting and diverse technical thinking to the business of delivering great sound from a small, two-way box. We have transmission lines, dual concentric drivers and tweeters Àtted in separate enclosures. Their cabinets encompass everything from one intended to ‘breathe’ fractionally with the music, to one that is made from multiple layers of constrained layer damping designed to do the exact opposite. Which one of these very different approaches delivers the best sound for your pound? Read on to Ànd out.
ON TEST
Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature £2,700 p29 A tweaked and beautified version of the existing 705 S2, the 705 Signature boasts an updated crossover with specially selected components, all wrapped in a special ‘Datuk’ ebony gloss finish.
Fyne Audio F1.5 £3,000 p31 The smallest member of the flagship F Series (and the smallest in the test), the F1.5 uses a 125mm mid/ bass driver with a 19mm magnesium dome tweeter with a unique downward firing port arrangement.
JBL HDI-1600 £1,500 p32 The most affordable and largest speaker here uses JBL’s classic horn-loaded tweeter – designed to give the most even dispersion possible – mated with a 165mm aluminium matrix mid/bass driver.
PMC twenty5.21i £2,200 p35 The smallest member of the twenty5i range, the 21i’s tweeter crosses over to the 140mm mid/bass at an extremely low 1.7kHz. Bass is augmented by a 168cm transmission line in the classic PMC tradition.
Q Acoustics Concept 300 £2,500 p36 The standmount version of the flagship Concept Series combines a radical constrained layer damping cabinet with enhanced versions of the company’s famed soft dome tweeter and doped paper driver.
Spendor Classic 3/1 £2,730 p38 The second smallest member of the Spendor Classic range employs a rolled surround tweeter and EP77 mid/bass driver in a cabinet that is designed in the manner of Spendor designs of old.
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: HenleyAudioUK |
: HenleyAudio
STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000
GROUPTEST
Signature demonstrates is the low-end weight it possesses and the dexterity with which it wields it. Its performance of The Vulture is potent but extremely entertaining. Siffre’s vocals are clear and tonally believable and the supporting instrumentation is also well delivered. The presentation conveys the snap and togetherness of the band extremely well. The more reÀned and minimal performance of Fuel To Fire is also handled extremely well. Agnes Obel herself is the star of the show as she should be, but the 705 Signature does a Àne job with the piano leveraging the weight and bass extension it possesses to ensure that it has the scale and presence that it needs to convince. There is a
The Datuk Ebony gloss is the smartest finish of any of the speakers in the group
Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature £2,700 The Signature updates to B&W’s 705 have created a very compelling standmount indeed DETAILS PRODUCT Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature ORIGIN UK/China TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 9.3kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 285 x 407 x 301mm FEATURES O 25mm carbon dome tweeter O 165mm Continuum mid/bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 88dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Bowers & Wilkins
s the smaller of the two 700 Series models to gain the Signature treatment, the 705 Signature keeps the combination of a 165mm mid/ bass driver made from the company’s own Continuum woven Àbre and a 25mm carbon and aluminium dome tweeter. This is mounted in its own enclosure on top of the main cabinet in the manner of the more expensive B&W designs. Bass is augmented by a single large rear port supplied with a two-piece foam bung to help regulate the Áow when used close to a rear wall. It also supports bi-wiring. To create the Signature variant, the key sonic modiÀcation is the crossover. This doesn’t change any of the posted speciÀcations of the normal 705 S2, but features specially selected components from Mundorf and a larger heatsink. Bowers & Wilkins claims that the use of this crossover in combination with the ‘tweeter on top’ conÀguration results in an exceptionally spacious and coherent presentation. The quoted
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speciÀcations are not particularly remarkable, but the claimed frequency response of 50Hz-28kHz at +/-3dB is entirely respectable. The other signiÀcant change of Signature speciÀcation is cosmetic. The Datuk Ebony gloss is unique to the 700 Signatures and is quite convincingly the smartest Ànish of any cabinet in the group. It is the only Ànish in which the Signature models are available, though, so if you don’t like it your options are limited. The overall build quality is immaculate and while the tweeter housing looks a little curious (and due to the mounting itself being slightly Áexible, it feels a little odd too) this remains a handsome and very wellproportioned standmount.
small sense of the presentation itself being slightly left/right with both speakers being perceivable in the soundstage, but it is not too pronounced or distracting. With the full-bore Revival, the 705 Signature reveals the closest thing to a weakness. Once again, the weight and scale is excellent and it does a very Àne job digging out little details that rivals sometimes miss, but Gregory Porter’s vocals have just a hint of a hard edge to them. The superbly mastered Simmer on the other hand shows no such issue and the complex range of intonations and sounds that Hayley Williams makes at the start of the track are beautifully deÀned. As the bassline begins, the Bowers & Wilkins does a superb job of balancing scale and impact with a wholly satisfying turn of speed that serves to engage at an emotional level as well as a technical one O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Detailed, spacious presentation; excellent aesthetics
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Can sound fractionally hard edged
BUILD QUALITY
Sound quality
The changes that Bowers & Wilkins has implemented over the standard 705 S2 to create the Signature are relatively minor, but it has created an extremely impressive loudspeaker. The most notable attribute that the
EASE OF DRIVE
WE SAY: A superb update on the standard 705 S2 that delivers an accurate and spacious sound with plenty of joy
OVERALL
JUNE 2021
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STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000
GROUPTEST
Labi Siffre sounds absolutely fantastic and the supporting brass elements have an extremely appealing rasp and energy to them. With Fuel To Fire, the Fyne is in its absolute element. So long as a little care has been taken in terms of placing it, it effortlessly disappears into a soundstage that is rather larger and more three dimensional than the cabinet’s stature might suggest. This also ensures that Agnes Obel’s almost ephemeral quality is preserved and the tonality of the supporting piano and bass is also extremely good. The limitations of scale do make themselves felt, though, as the weight of some of the lower notes is reduced over some of the other speakers here.
The only speaker here with a 19mm magnesium dome concentric tweeter
Fyne Audio F1.5 £3,000 The Fyne is small in stature, but much bigger in terms of charm and capability DETAILS PRODUCT Fyne Audio F1.5 ORIGIN UK TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 5.7kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 186 x 321 x 289mm FEATURES O 19mm magnesium compression dome O 125mm Iso Flare bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Fyne Audio
ith the distinction of being both the smallest and most expensive (taking into account the fact a stand will be needed), the F1.5 is also the smallest member of the F Series that – as the company Áagship – extends up to the F1.12 at £28,000. In miniature, the F1.5 has much of the same design thinking. Chief among this is the driver arrangement. This is the only speaker in the group with a concentric tweeter; a 19mm magnesium dome compression unit surrounded by a 125mm ‘Iso Flare’ driver that makes use of a distinctive ‘FyneFlute’ rubber surround. This is augmented by a port but instead of being at the front or back, it is downward Àring and works against the integrated plinth. This offers the potential for fuss-free placement in spaces that other speakers here might struggle in. You can also adjust the output of the F1.5, thanks to the ‘Presence’ control that adjusts the 2.5-5kHz part of the frequency response between +/- 3dB.
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The quoted frequency response of 48Hz-38kHz (albeit at +/- 6dB) is impressive too as are the benign input and sensitivity measurements that suggest the F1.5 won’t be too challenging to drive. The aesthetic of the F1.5 is likely to divide opinion somewhat. This is a small speaker with a lot going on in terms of detailing, so it feels a little fussy compared with some of the more conventional options in the test. The walnut Ànish is the only option for the F Series and it is attractive in a traditional sort of way, but possibly works better on the larger models in the range. It is very well made.
Sound Quality
Absolutely integral to the overall performance of the F1.5 is that despite its size, it certainly doesn’t sound small. It delivers The Vulture with a sufÀcient amount of low-end heft so that it sounds convincing, although it is one of the less potent speakers in the group. The upper registers are a different story, though.
This same fractional lack of low-end heft is perceivable with Revival too, but the Fyne does a better job of hiding this than you might expect. Part of this comes down to how good the upper registers are with vocals and instruments once again being exceptionally well handled. The balance between ‘well-lit’ and ‘bright’ is one that the Fyne treads very effectively and it is likely that, so long as a modicum of care is taken with equipment partnering, it will likely retain these traits. Only with the greater heft of Simmer does the Fyne’s admirable Àght against physics start to come undone a little. Where some rivals in the group can manage a thud you feel in the chest, the F1.5 has little choice but to pull its punches a little. Further up the registers, however, it is business as usual with another detailed and tonally convincing performance in a spacious and well-deÀned soundstage O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Tonal realism; effortless soundstage; placement; good build
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Some limits to absolute scale and extension; looks
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
WE SAY: With some impressive attributes, if used carefully the Fyne can delight across a range of music
OVERALL
JUNE 2021
31
LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000 GROUPTEST STANDMOUNT
is one of the more characterful performers in the group and if you like what it does, it could well be that very little else here will do. It reproduces Labi Siffre’s vocals with a vibrancy and spaciousness that is extremely impressive. Listening to Fuel To Fire makes more sense of what the HDI-1600 is good, and indeed less good, at. The upper registers are spacious and there is very little sense of the location of the cabinets. The tonality is good too, but – in direct comparison with other speakers here – some Àne detail is being missed. The lower registers are more perceivably tied to the cabinet and the feeling of this being a big-picture rather than a micro-detail event is present here too.
More domestically conventional looking, it still retains JBL’s distinctive identity
JBL HDI-1600 £1,500 It might be comfortably the most affordable speaker, but it more than holds its own in impressive company DETAILS PRODUCT JBL HDI-1600 ORIGIN USA/China TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 9.96kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 230 x 370 x 289mm FEATURES O Horn loaded polymer tweeter O 165mm aluminium mid/bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 85dB/1W/1m (4ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Harman International
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JUNE 2021
he HDI Series represents JBL’s latest attempt to take engineering characteristics from its more expensive (and larger) models and introduce them to both a more affordable price point and practical form factor. The HDI-1600 is the entry-level member of the family and it’s a testament to just how successful the efforts to reduce its size have been that it slots into this group nicely. The key feature is, of course, the tweeter. This is a compression driver made from polymer and placed inside a horn-type mounting. JBL says it’s derived from its professional D2 series and the idea is that the horn helps with dispersion while keeping sensitivity relatively high. It’s partnered with a 165mm ‘Aluminium Matrix’ mid/bass driver that is augmented by a fairly large rear bass port. The quoted frequency response of 40Hz-30kHz is a +/- 6dB Àgure, but is still entirely in keeping with the group average. The HDI-1600 is also one of the designs here that supports
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bi-wiring via two sets of small but nonetheless sturdy terminals. The aesthetic is unsurprisingly dominated by the tweeter, but the company has done a commendable job of making the HDI-1600 more domestically conventional while retaining that distinctive JBL visual identity. It is well made too, with the cabinet both solid and carefully assembled. The curved edges help to reduce the perceived mass of the cabinet. My only real point of contention is the choice of Ànishes. The ‘satin grey oak’ of the review sample is probably my favourite of the three options available, but it doesn’t feel as effortlessly furniture grade as some of its – admittedly more expensive – rivals here.
The other aspect of the presentation that needs to be taken into account is that this isn’t a speaker that really seeks to deliver the foot-tapping, head-nodding urgency that some people will be looking for. Its reproduction of Revival is accurate and never sounds sluggish, but some of the energy of the recording seems to go missing. It does a Àne job of handing the slightly forward nature of the top end, though, with Gregory Porter coming across as rich and full rather than a little hard edged. This excellent tonal balance continues into Simmer. Hayley Williams sounds immediate and very lifelike and the supporting electronic notes have a useful weight and heft to them. Again, when compared with some other speakers here, there is a slight lack of Àne detail, but the way the HDI-1600 makes music and handles different recordings is very likeable O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Spacious and lively top end, well made; price
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Lack of fine detail and urgency
BUILD QUALITY
Sound Quality
Absolutely key to any description of the JBL’s performance is that, despite giving away £700 to the next more affordable speaker in the test, the overall sound quality is largely competitive. The horn-loaded tweeter
EASE OF DRIVE
OVERALL
WE SAY: A more user-friendly way of enjoying the JBL sound that has some very likeable traits, but some quirks too
2020-2021 2020 0-22021
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STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000
GROUPTEST
presence to it. That low crossover point is impossible to discern too. The tweeter might be working harder than some other speakers in the group, but it is consistently reÀned without sounding dull. Also worthy of note is just how effectively the 21i manages to create a compelling stereo image. Some older PMC designs require a fair amount of care with their positioning to do this, but here the standmount manages to place Agnes Obel and the piano between the two speakers rather than perceivably coming from them. Something else it does extremely effectively is stitch micro details into the overall mix without ever being a distraction from the wider piece. Little sounds like Obel’s
Key to the 21i is the transmission line that’s behind the mid/bass driver
PMC twenty5.21i £2,200 PMC tweaks its recipe to deliver a compact but seriously capable speaker in the form of the 21i DETAILS PRODUCT PMC twenty5.21i ORIGIN UK TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 6kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 162 x 340 x 284mm FEATURES O 19mm soft dome tweeter with 34mm rolled surround O 140mm Woven ‘G weave’ mid/bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 86.5dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR PMC Ltd.
s the smallest speaker in the twenty5i range that replaced the earlier twenty5 models last year, the 21i features an all-new tweeter using a combination of a small inner dome to deliver high frequencies with an outer ring surround that improves dispersion and improves midrange performance. This means that the crossover to the 140mm mid/bass driver happens at 1.7kHz, which is extremely low. This is carried out via a revised crossover featuring an upgraded PCB. Key to the 21i (and every other PMC speaker) is the inclusion of a transmission line behind the mid/bass driver. 168cm long, it terminates in a forward-Àring ‘Laminair’ port designed so that air leaves the transmission line in a linear way, avoiding eddies and vortices that can conspire to leave rivals sounding fractionally sluggish. This contributes to a claimed low-frequency roll-off of 46Hz. The port itself is not the most attractive piece of design going, but its location
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on the front of the speaker cabinet makes the 21i commendably easy to place near a wall. The rest of the design and aesthetics of the PMC are understated, but smart. The slim, angled cabinet is extremely well made and the rear section with its brushed metal plate and bespoke speaker terminals (that are extremely easy to use with a wide selection of cables) helps to impart a feeling of quality. You can reasonably contend that some other designs in the group are a little more showy than the 21i, but it’s rather harder to argue that any of them are signiÀcantly better made.
Sound Quality
If you’re expecting the transmission line of the twenty5.21 to impart signiÀcantly lower bass than the other speakers here, you are likely to wind up rather disappointed. Instead, what the PMC does very effectively is Àll out the lower midrange and down in a way that ensures that the bass in The Vulture has some weight and
keystrokes on the piano and her breathwork is readily apparent and extremely impressive as a result. With the brighter and more forward mastering of Revival, the PMC shows that it’s more reÀned than older designs, but there’s still a slightly hard edge to Gregory Porter’s vocals that suggests a little care ought to be taken with partnering electronics. Where the 21i is on rather Àrmer ground is that it really delivers on the energy and life of the recording. It’s an effortlessly foot-tapping sort of device and this is also apparent with Simmer. The complex bass sequence stops and starts with impressive immediacy that draws you into the performance. The PMC then goes on to do a Àne job with Hayley Williams herself, using the excellent detail retrieval to ensure that she is the centre of attention and possesses convincing presence and scale O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Detailed and rhythmically engaging; easy to place
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Has a fractionally hard edge; looks a little prosaic
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
WE SAY: A talented and entertaining performer across a wide selection of different material
OVERALL
JUNE 2021
35
LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000 GROUPTEST STANDMOUNT
scale and the supporting instruments are no less believable. The true party piece of the Concept 300, however, is how it conspires to vanish from the soundstage. So long as a modicum of care is taken when placing the cabinet, it is virtually impossible to pick it out from the stereo image it creates. This ensures that Agnes Obel’s Fuel To Fire sounds absolutely sensational. The Concept 300 does a better job than any other speaker here of deÀning the relationship between Obel and the piano and the same accurate tonality ensures that both of them sound believable, the piano in particular being helped by the considerable low-end extension that’s on offer.
There’s the option to add a 3dB midrange boost via a jumper bar on the back
Q Acoustics Concept 300 £2,500 When is a standmount not a standmount? Q Acoustics pushes the concept to its limits with the Concept 300 DETAILS PRODUCT Q Acoustics Concept 300 ORIGIN UK/China TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 16.6kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 200 x 355 x 400mm FEATURES O 28mm soft dome tweeter O 165mm Doped paper mid/bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 84dB/1W/1m (6ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Armour Home Electronics
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JUNE 2021
s a standmount evolution of the Concept 500 Áoorstander (HFC 426), the 300 embodies precisely the same design priorities. These concentrate on the cabinet, which uses a process called Gelcore to create constrained layer damping. Sections of MDF sandwich a layer of gel that acts to dissipate resonances. This is doubled up (three layers of MDF and two of gel) on all sides of the cabinet. To make this very solid structure more inert, computer calculated point-topoint bracing is used to stiffen it. The drivers that are placed inside the cabinet are relatively conventional and comprise a 165mm doped paper mid/bass and 28mm soft dome tweeter. These result in a claimed frequency response of 55Hz-30kHz and relatively low 84dB sensitivity. The Concept 300 gives owners the option of being able to add a 3dB midrange boost via a jumper bar on the back. Bi-wiring terminals are also located here. The most notable aspect of the Concept 300 is that, as far as Q
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Acoustics is concerned, it should only be used with the matching ‘tensegrity’ tripod stand. This is designed to offer excellent energy dissipation, but raises the price to £3,000 in the process and, while the stands themselves look magniÀcent, gives the Concept 300 an overall footprint that is larger than the Áoorstander equivalent. The levels of build and Ànish are excellent, however, and the Concept 300 certainly feels worth the asking price.
Sound Quality
In the test space, the Concept 300 doesn’t seem to be appreciably less sensitive than any of the other speakers in the group and there is no shortage of bass extension either. The complex percussion of Labi Siffre’s The Vulture is reproduced with commendable weight and without sounding slow or congested in any way. The Q Acoustics feels accurate and unembellished in how it presents the upper registers. Siffre is wholly convincing in terms of both tone and
The limitation of the Concept 300 is largely subjective, but in comparison with some of the other speakers here it doesn’t always turn this accuracy and spaciousness into something truly exciting. Gregory Porter’s Revival is technically accomplished with the main man and his supporting musicians sounding unfailingly real. However, some of the snap and engagement that this track so effortlessly possesses elsewhere isn’t as present here. Likewise, the Concept 300 powers its way through Simmer very effectively, doing its disappearing act to leave Hayley Williams very much the centre of attention. Some of the energy and immediacy is less obvious, though. It would be incorrect to describe the performance as dull because it really isn’t. It is more that, when some speakers here ‘kick on’ with some tracks, the Concept 300 always feels a little more matter of fact O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Accurate and refined performance; superb stereo image
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Can lack excitement; huge compulsory stand
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
OVERALL
WE SAY: Exceptionally talented with many positive qualities, it just lacks the last ounce of excitement
33 Revelations Per Minute
STUDIODECK + From nowhere to easing past one of the greats is no mean achievement, but the StudioDeck+ package really is that good, displaying an open, lucid, style that’s thoroughly addictive and an almost magical ability to make music come alive in a way only the best can. Hi Fi Choice, September 2020
ULTRAPHONO The MoFi UltraPhono redefines what you get for £500, even if you don’t factor in what is a mighty fine headphone section. HiFi News, March 2020
Ashby-de-la-Zouch Bacup AV Online Zouche Audio 01706 878 444 01530 414 128
Billingshurst Audiologica 07901 833 128
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Cinderford Ceritech Audio 01594 540 268
Edinburgh Hi Fi Corner 0131 556 7901 Norwich Basically Sound 01362 820 800
Glasgow The Music Room 0141 333 9700
Harrow Harrow Audio 020 8930 9933
Ipswich Signals 01394 672 464
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01423 358 846 karma-av.co.uk
LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000 GROUPTEST STANDMOUNT
impressive and it underpins a midrange that manages to balance reÀnement, accuracy and engagement to excellent effect. What is notable is that this same engagement is still present with the very different requirements of Fuel To Fire as well. Beyond the superb presentation of the piano – again leveraging tonality and weight to excellent effect – there’s an emotional content to Obel’s performance that’s something a little more than the sum of its parts. The haunting quality to her vocal is better expressed here than elsewhere and helps to maintain the suspension of disbelief. This is underpinned by a consistently wellrendered soundstage that extends well beyond the cabinets. It’s slightly
The 180mm EP77 mid/bass driver and the cabinet are the largest in the group
Spendor Classic 3/1 £2,730 The aesthetics might be a little ‘pipe and slippers’ for some. The performance is anything but DETAILS PRODUCT Spendor Classic 3/1 ORIGIN UK TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 10kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 220 x 395 x 285mm FEATURES O 22mm polyamide dome tweeter O 180mm polymer mid/bass driver O Quoted sensitivity: 88dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Spendor Audio Systems Ltd.
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JUNE 2021
ntroducing the second smallest member of the Classic range, which runs alongside the more contemporary D Series. As the name suggests, Classic models are designed to employ some of the thinking and materials that Spendor has employed since day one. The most signiÀcant area for this is the cabinet. Where most other speakers have gone to rigorous lengths to make the cabinet as rigid as possible, the 3/1 allows for a degree of movement you can physically feel when it’s running hard. The tweeter is the same 22mm-wide surround unit used in the Classic 4/5 (HFC 470) and the rest of the range. It’s partnered with a 180mm mid/ bass driver made from the ‘EP77’ polymer that Spendor is particularly fond of, crossing over between the two at a relatively high 3.7kHz. This is the largest driver here and it’s further augmented by a fairly large rear bass port. This makes the claimed ‘in room’ frequency response of 40Hz-25kHz feel entirely believable
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in use as does the relatively benign 88dB claimed sensitivity. The Classic 3/1 supports bi-wiring via two pairs of sturdy terminals. Sturdy is a useful word in general when describing the Spendor. It isn’t as showy as some here, but it is as well made as any in the group. The appearance is entirely traditional and does little to hide its large dimensions, but there’s something in the Spendor’s absolute lack of artiÀce that is either extremely cool or heroically uncool depending on your outlook. Brief mention must also be made of the matching stand, which isn’t used for critical listening but complements the 3/1 brilliantly.
easier to perceive the location of each speaker than some rivals here, but it’s still usefully cohesive. No less impressive is the amount of Àne detail that is woven into the performance. It never distracts from the main musical message, but the Spendor Ànds little fragments of information that other speakers here miss. This means that Revival crackles with energy and captures the vigour of Gregory Porter and the supporting musicians in a way that is enormously entertaining. Porter himself is free of any top-end hardness and it seems to be extremely hard to provoke the 3/1 under any circumstances. These qualities mean that Simmer is also very well handled with Hayley Williams sounding rich and detailed as the little breaths and intonations she makes leap out of the presentation so it manages to hit that bit harder than any other standmount here O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Slight limit to soundstage
Sound Quality
A signiÀcant positive aspect of the Spendor’s performance is the simple expedient of having the largest driver and cabinet in the test and using them to demonstrate a heft that other speakers here struggle to match. The opening drumming of The Vulture has a weight and force that is genuinely
LIKE: Superb combination of impact, detail and emotional engagement
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
OVERALL
WE SAY: Benign and easy to use, it delivers a consistently brilliant performance across a wide range of music
GROUPTEST
STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS £1,500-£3,000
Group test verdict An exceptionally capable selection of standmount speakers, all with some singular talents. Ed Selley picks his winner THE LEVEL OF ability on display in this group is unusually high and results in some unique scoring as a result. Pointing out that the JBL has the most apparent limitations in its performance has to be done at the same time as noting it costs at least £700 less than any other speaker in the group and that its treble is near the top of the pack. After much deliberation, I Ànd myself unable to split the Fyne Audio, PMC and Q Acoustics. These are three very different speakers, but their capabilities are all worthy of note. The Fyne’s superb spaciousness,
Make/model Bowers & Wilkins
three-dimensionality and excellent tonality is tempered by the slight lack of scale, but it’s a very engaging speaker. The Q Acoustics on the other hand wants for nothing in terms of weight and impact and it also creates a Àne stereo image, although the slight lack of emotional involvement might be an issue for some. The PMC, on the other hand, is rather more fun and hits very hard for such a compact speaker, but care needs to be taken to ensure it doesn’t come across as a little too forward with poorer-quality recordings. All three of these speakers, if partnered with any
degree of care, though, should be able to delight. The Bowers & Wilkins is a very successful amalgam of all of these different abilities into a single, hugely impressive speaker. It manages to combine accuracy, scale and spaciousness without losing the sense of engagement that has you wanting to keep listening and it’s also beautifully made. Only a fractional hardness to the top end and some limitations to the stereo image prevent it from taking the top spot, but it’s a superb performer nonetheless.
WINNER The Spendor Classic 3/1 isn’t as pretty as the B&W, but the performance is a truly sensational blend of accuracy, scale, refinement and sheer unadulterated fun. It’s also beautifully made and admirably unfussy about placement and partnering equipment.
705 Signature
Fyne Audio F1.5
JBL HDI-1600
PMC twenty5.21i
Q Acoustics Concept 300
Spendor Classic 3/1
£2,700
£3,000
£1,500
£2,200
£2,500
£2,730
Beautifully finished and superbly capable, this works well in most systems
Small but impressive performer capable of exceptional imaging and fluency
An impressive performance that’s not without some quirks
Entertaining and potent, it rewards with a sensibly matched system
Extremely detailed and spacious, lacks a touch of excitement, but looks fascinating
The traditional looks hide a superbly talented and engaging speaker
bowerswilkins.com
fyneaudio.com
jblsynthesis.com
pmc-speakers.com
qacoustics.co.uk
spendoraudio.com
25mm carbon dome
19mm Magnesium compression
25mm Teonex compression
19mm Sonoflex with 34mm surround
28mm soft dome
22mm polyamide
165mm Continuum weave
125mm Iso Flare
165mm Aluminium matrix
140mm G-Weave
165mm doped paper
189mm EP77 Polymer
8ohm (min 3.7)
8ohm
4ohm
8ohm
6ohm
8ohm (min 5.9)
Yes, rear
Yes, lower
Yes, rear
Yes, front
Yes, rear
Yes, rear
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Price Sound Value Build Features Overall
,
Website
Key features Tweeter Mid/bass Impedance Ported Bi-wireable
TRY WITH THESE INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER:
40
Cyrus i7-XR £2,300 HFC 473
Vertere DG-1 £2,900 HFC 463
TURNTABLE:
MAINS CONDITIONER:
The i7-XR is an impressive step forward for Cyrus, taking everything that the company has traditionally done well, ironing out some of the rough edges and offering a package with a superbly comprehensive specification.
The Vertere looks unusual, but it’s a superb set of technical solutions to the business of building an affordable (by Vertere standards anyway) turntable that delivers sensational performance in an easy-to-use package.
The PowerStation is an excellent mains conditioner. It delivers a meaningful improvement over more conventional mains devices and combines this with some useful and wellimplemented additional features.
JUNE 2021
iFi Audio PowerStation £500 HFC 464
SONGBIRD
Songbird Line The Songbird line represents the penultimate step in SUMIKO’S cartridge series, elevating overall WLYMVYTHUJL HUK L_WLJ[H[PVU ÄYTS` PU[V [OL OPNO end arena. From the Songbird with its exceptional tracking
The sophisticated and smart Songbird design with its open architecture construction, new aluminium mounting body, low mass elliptical stylus and Alu coated cantilever results in a high end cartridge that lives up to its name.
BLACKBIRD The classic Blackbird design has a level of performance and clarity that competes with cartridges twice its price. Its been designed for exceedingly low noise levels exceptionally wide dynamic YHUNL HUK [OL OPNOLZ[ WVZZPISL ÄKLSP[`
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STARLING No aspect of the Starling’s design ^HZ SLM[ [V JOHUJL 6\Y ÅHNZOPW VWLU architecture cartridge renders the grandeur of an orchestra while still preserving air and space, also delivering responsive dynamics and deep silences.
Distributed by Henley Audio T: +44 (0) 1235 511 166 | E: sales@henleyaudio.co.uk | W: www.henleyaudio.co.uk |
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RESEARCH REFERENCE 80S £15,000 EXOTICA AUDIO
Bottle rocket Back under its own steam ARC lays out a blueprint for a thrilling future with the superb Reference 80S hen William Zane (Bill) Johnson opened Electronic Industries as a speciality audio store in Minneapolis back in 1951, little did he know the journey that his custom-built ampliÀers would go on. By 1968 he had sold all the patents, the business and himself to another Minneapolis company, before buying everything back two years later to start the Audio Research Corporation that is still in existence today. And so started a cycle of ownership that has seen ARC
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swapping hands numerous times since the Seventies – being sold to Fine Sounds in 2008, moving under the umbrella of The McIntosh Group in 2016 – before a buyout was Ànally agreed last September, returning the company to its original independent status and leaving it free to concentrate its efforts on what it does best: producing exceptional tube ampliÀers. Throughout this long journey the American concern has resolutely stuck to a couple of core principals.
DETAILS PRODUCT Audio Research Reference 80S ORIGIN USA TYPE Stereo tube power amplifier WEIGHT 28kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 470 x 260 x 470mm FEATURES O Quoted power output: 70W O Single-ended RCA; balanced XLR inputs O 4, 8 and 16ohm output speaker taps DISTRIBUTOR Absolute Sounds Ltd. TELEPHONE 0208 9713909 WEBSITE audioresearch.com absolutesounds.com
Firstly, its transformers are produced in North America, care of a thirdparty agreement that ensures it retains decisive control over the sound and consistency of its tube ampliÀers. Secondly, everything is hand assembled, hand wired and hand soldered – on which subject, it’s worth noting that despite the use of modern quad-layer boards Áow soldering of any kind is avoided at all costs in the Minnesota production facility. And since the buyout, an increasing part of the assembly process has been brought back in-house, or at least kept local. Impressively some staff that had moved on to pastures new have once again returned to the fold, making ARC’s ambition to provide full service for every tube product it has ever made much more achievable. The latest addition to the company’s Reference series is the 80S you see before you. Though there are clear similarities with other siblings in the range, the genetics of this power ampliÀer can actually be traced back through a few generations of Audio Research philosophy. Dominated by
AUDIO RESEARCH REFERENCE 80S £15,000
the etched-onto-acrylic ‘GhostMeters’, the front fascia and footprint of the 80S is clearly in debt to the larger Reference 160M from 2018 and the more recent Reference 160S. These hefty tube amp behemoths also incorporate 6H30 double triodes as phase splitters/drivers alongside bulbous KT150 output tubes – though admittedly twice as many as we have here. They also boast switchable UltraLinear and Triode tube conÀgurations, a theme that’s resolutely carried over into the Reference 80S. Additional company traits include the four-layer PCBs that Àrst appeared on the Reference 160M/S, although many of the core features that actually inform the sound of the 80S owe much more to the earlier 6H30/KT120-equipped VT80. This was not only the Àrst Audio Research ampliÀer to employ an auto-bias regime that adjusts for tube age and powerline voltage swings, but its
The overhang that you might expect to hear from a tube amp is completely absent custom-built output transformer went on to become the blueprint for the one that’s currently taking up most of the space in the rear of the Reference 80S before us here. Like every Reference ampliÀer before it, the 80S is a fully balanced differential design as ARC believes it provides the highest performance and lowest distortion available. Created for the music lover who does not require the output power of its larger 160S stereo and 160M mono siblings, it’s rated at 70W and the feature set is the same as the 160S. Connectivity includes single-ended RCA and balanced XLR inputs (a switch lets you toggle between the two), RS-232 and 12V trigger control ports plus 4, 8 and 16ohm speaker output taps. Last but by means least, a small tube hour meter – like an odometer, but for you ampliÀer –
highlights how many hours use the tubes have had.
Sound quality
Initially when the Reference 80S starts up its output is muted for a couple of minutes as the PSU and KT150s cycle up and back down again in order to stabilise the tubes’ temperature and biasing. The Àrst decision you’ll need to consider is hooking up your speakers of choice to the rear 16, 8 and 4ohm speaker taps. This isn’t necessarily straightforward. In Triode mode the best results are achieved with 4ohm nominal speakers connected to the 4ohm tap (circa 40W), however, the same is not true in UltraLinear mode. Here the KT150’s screen grids are connected to an additional transformer winding – the ‘feedback’ squeezing down tube distortion – this conÀguration enabling the Reference 80S to deliver more power into tougher 4ohm loads from its 8ohm output (~80W) than via its 4ohm tap (~45W). The same feature was noted in sister magazine Hi-Fi News’ review of the company’s VT80 stereo ampliÀer. Here, as was the case back then, our reference Bowers & Wilkins’ 800 D3 Áoorstander purrs most conÀdently via the Reference 80S’ 8ohm outputs. Nonetheless, the power ampliÀer
Lifting the perforated alloy cover fully exposes the 6H30 driver triodes and pairs of KT150 output tubes – one set per channel
EXOTICA
commands the necessary presence, and down-to-earth grunt to marshal tremendous sonic forces. Which is good news for our starter test track, a 24-bit/192kHz download of Wagner’s Ring Cycle played by the Duisburger Philharmonic under the baton of Jonathan Darlington. All of the instruments – from violins to oboes and tympani to harps – are sharply drawn so that their union comes across as a richly coloured tapestry rather than a contrasty black-and-white sketch. The result is that the panoramic richness of the 105 players – yep, you read that right – is revealed across a gloriously wide soundscape that brings new meaning to the term panoramic. Meanwhile the chimes and other percussion that make up the Nibelungs’ forging of the ring section of the cycle sound spectacularly vivid. The hollow metallic ringing delivers an incredibly realistic sense of height to the orchestral drama. If you like your classics packing the sort of magnitude that’s ordinarily measured on the Richter scale, the Reference 80S makes for a bombastic choice. But as we all know, power is nothing without precision and if it can’t replicate those Àner details without breaking into a sweat, it becomes just another also-ran. Happily there are JUNE 2021
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RESEARCH REFERENCE 80S £15,000 EXOTICA AUDIO
IN SIGHT 1 Balanced XLR input (right channel) 2 Single-ended RCA input (right channel) 3 Auto-shut off (signal sensing) switch 4
Fan speed switch
5 Balanced or singleended input switch
2
3
4
5
6 RS-232 and 2x 12V trigger ports
6
7 4mm speaker cable binding posts with 4, 8 and 16ohm taps
1 7
8 Tube hour usage indicator
8
no such concerns as the intimacy of Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez’s gorgeous Sweet Tequila Blues adequately demonstrates. Taken from their Let’s Leave This Town long player, this undemanding but sensitively played track shows an entirely different side to the Audio Research.
Our B&W 800 D3 floorstander purrs most confidently via the Reference 80S The deft combination of Taylor’s world-weary lament juxtaposed by the punchier quality of his more youthful Àddler and vocalist companion caresses the ears, not so much inviting as compelling the listener to drum their Àngers and tap their feet as they’re wrapped in the close, but never cloying, acoustic of this glorious, stripped-back recording. So far so good, but can the
Reference 80S rock with the big boys when called upon to do so? You bet it can. Cranking up the volume on the 96kHz remix of Rush’s one-hit wonder The Spirit Of Radio, it’s almost possible to see raw electricity crackling from the speakers as Alex Lifeson’s opening riff sears across the soundstage. Underneath it all Neil Peart’s crashing drums and the backing sequencer unleash the sort of impact and energy you’d expect to have seen if you were lucky enough to have caught the boys live in their heyday. There’s a genuine slam that delivers bass with impressive richness, texture and speed, and – arguably more importantly – the laziness or overhang that you might reasonably expect to hear from a more traditional tube amp is completely absent.
Conclusion
Impressive though Audio Research’s Reference 80S undoubtedly is, there’s a sizeable elephant in the room that should perhaps be put to one side
HOW IT COMPARES Audio Research, once gain an autonomous company, remains one of the big beasts of the audiophile jungle – a name that is truly synonymous with ‘tubes’. But this apex predator does not have the field entirely to itself with the likes of McIntosh snapping at its heels with the £14,000 MC1502. This massive amplifier boasts two pairs of KT88 tubes per channel and is rated at a full 150W into all loads from 2-8ohm. Fancy something slightly leftfield? Then the super-silky sound of VTL’s ST150 tube power amp will fit the bill, all courtesy of its four 6550 tubes, per channel.
before we go any further. With a £15k price tag, this absolutely isn’t typical HFC fare, which almost immediately puts it out reach of most wallets. Which is a real shame as this is a quite stunning power ampliÀer that does the easy bit of delivering the power, while handling the more challenging side of subtlety and Àne detail with absolute aplomb. In the highly unlikely event that you inadvertently stumble across that lost winning lottery ticket or a rich relative that you never knew about leaves you stacks of cash only on the understanding that you spend them on hi-À exotica, this is an absolute must-have. For the rest of us it’ll have to remain a dream to aim towards. Regardless, there’s no disputing that the way the Reference 80S delivers the sort of precision that’s more commonly the realm of solid-state rivals from glass tubes is nothing short of miraculous O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Supreme power; impressive handling of finer details
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: It’s not exactly cheap
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
Auto-biasing means it can accommodate lower output 6550, KT88 or KT120 tubes
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OVERALL
WE SAY: The power should be a given, but the solid-state challenging precision is a real surprise
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True Wireless In-Ear Headphones
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Streaming Headphone Amplifier
Advanced noise-cancelling that automatically adapts to your surroundings and perfect sound and call performance no matter where you are with two separate microphones per earbud. Every part of the PI7s has been created at the highest performance levels for the best audio experience. Even the case is intelligent, offering industry-first audio retransmission plus quick and wireless charging. Because once you start enjoying the freedom of True Wireless, you should never have to plug back in.
Bluesound’s best-selling hi-res music streamer just keeps getting better! The Bluesound NODE has opened the eyes and ears of audiophiles all over the world to hi-resolution streaming, quickly becoming the HiFi industry standard of a modern, digital music source. The NODE is the perfect ‘just add streaming’ component for the quality-conscious music lover. Add it to any audio system – an amplifier, an AVR, or a pair of active loudspeakers – to unlock the endless possibilities of hi-res music streaming.
Now you don’t need to sacrifice sound quality if you don’t have the space or lifestyle for a more traditional, speaker-based music system. The Uniti Atom Headphone Edition offers all the features and performance of the award-winning Uniti Atom system, but optimised for headphones rather than speakers. It can transform any space into your own audio cocoon. From living room to bedroom, desk to den, you can enjoy the music, radio and podcasts you love, without life disturbing you – or your sounds disturbing others!
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£399 ROTEL • A11 TRIBUTE / CD11 TRIBUTE • AMPLIFIER / CD Engineered with hands-on support from audio legend Ken Ishiwata utilizing a custom selection of acoustically tuned components to deliver a higher level of acoustic clarity.
£429
MARANTZ • PM7000N • STREAMING AMPLIFIER
AUDIOLAB • 6000N PLAY • STREAMER
Discover the PM7000N, the first Marantz Current Feedback integrated Hi-Fi amplifier with HEOS Built-in technology.
Audiolab’s 6000N Play is the ideal way to add highperformance wireless streaming to any home audio system.
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NAD • C 658 • STREAMER/DAC/PRE AMPLIFIER
Enables audio streaming from all of the major services and works with Air Play 2, Google Cast, fully decodes MQA and is Roon ready.
Features Dirac Live room correction, MQA decoding and a Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth transmitter for wireless headphones.
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This combination is an ideal choice for those ready to take the next step in their 2-channel Hi-Fi system. Includes digital and analogue inputs (including a MM phono input).
Offers much of the performance of Naim’s reference quality SUPERNAIT 3 in a simpler, slimmer package combining a 70W power amplifier with five analogue inputs plus a phono stage.
With its diversity of inputs, the STEREO 130 is the perfect match for a wide variety of both analogue and digital sources.
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The new NAD Masters M10 combines hi-res music streaming with state-of-the-art amplification to make it an all-in-one solution that will transport you to your favourite musical destination.
Uniti Atom is a beautiful, compact multi-source music player that that is perfect as a high-end main system or for use in the kitchen or study, where space is at a premium.
This 200W streaming amplifier features Purifi’s Ultra-Quiet Amplification Technology, BluOS multi-room streaming, a 32-bit DAC, full MQA decoding and Dirac room correction.
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£899
£699 TECHNICS • SL-1500C • TURNTABLE
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Direct drive turntable with integrated MM phono amp for easy connectivity. Highly acclaimed Ortofon 2M Red cartridge fitted.
Two speed belt driven turntable featuring a Carbon Fibre tonearm. Supplied with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge pre-installed.
Features an incredibly light, 8.6” tonearm design, coupled with an Pro-Ject Pick it S2 MM cartridge for outstanding performance.
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BOWERS & WILKINS 702 SIGNATURE Combines state-of-the-art engineering with the highest possible standards of design, finish and quality, crafted with care, honed by experience and perfected with passion.
Discreet and elegant floorstanding speaker, perfect for filling mediumsized rooms with transparent, authentic dynamics and effortlessly extended bass. It will make the best of both affordable and high-end electronics and amplification.
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BOWERS & WILKINS 606 S2 ANNIVERSARY EDITION Takes the award-winning 606 formula and improves upon it with an enhanced crossover design and a beautiful new finish. 606 is now
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KEF • R3 A true three-way speaker, the 165mm bass driver pushes bass performance to new extremes. The 125mm midrange driver and 25mm aluminium dome tweeter creates a Uni-Q array that defies the expectations from the most compact main speaker in the range.
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Engineered to offer a wonderfully balanced sound from a lightweight, discreet and gorgeously built cabinet, packed with the latest technological advances from Q Acoustics.
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The result of three years intensive research and development, the new KEF LS50 Wireless II is a fully active wireless stereo speaker system that delivers pristine, KEF signature sound coupled with great usability and high-performance wireless capability.
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The beautifully proportioned Bronze 200 floorstanding speakers deliver a surprisingly large sound. Replete with class-leading Monitor Audio technology they offer the perfect ratio of performance to size.
Features B&W’s Diamond dome tweeter, isolated in its own solid-body tweeter assembly for precise imaging and clarity. Voices and instruments are delivered with purity and precision, thanks to the smooth, accurate Continuum™ cone mid/bass driver.
£599 Price excludes speaker stands
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Features expertly lacquered, sustainable Ayous hardwood and a unique woven speaker grille; ideal for homes with classic or contemporary interiors and easy playback from all your devices – for a better class experience.
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REVIEWS AURALIC VEGA G2.1 £6,000
Viva las Vega Auralic’s Vega G2.1 is a highly capable single-box streaming DAC preamp, says a suitably impressed David Price i-À is nothing if not Áuid. A decade ago, few would have imagined we’d have abandoned physical media so quickly. CD sales are plummeting in most major western markets, especially the USA and UK – and the world is moving to streamed media. That’s perfectly understandable as it’s so convenient – in theory at least – and brings a huge choice of content. The result is we now have a brave new world of streaming DACs, which form the heart of modern day systems. To this esteemed company we should now add Auralic’s latest DAC. The Vega G2.1 is particularly interesting for two reasons. First, the company was very early to streaming – and has watched the hi-À world move towards it, rather than others that have belatedly decided to ‘do a streamer’. This means it has its own streaming platform and technology; it hasn’t bought in someone else’s. Secondly, the Vega G2.1 is but one member of a family that together forms a full high-end streaming DAC preampliÀer solution. This means you can start off with this box and your existing CD player and NAS drive to get going, and then add the matching £4,200 Aries G2.1 transport (HFC
H
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469) for better disc-based digital sound. Then there’s the £8,000 Leo GX.1 reference clock and £6,000 Sirius G2.1 upsampling processor. You end up with an expensive dCS Rossini-level digital front end, but you don’t have to shell out for all the bits at once. As a prospective purchasing proposition, that’s hard to argue against if you’re serious about high-end digital. The Àrst thing that strikes any newcomer to the brand is the compactness and neatness of the product. It doesn’t need to be full width, so it isn’t. That’s not to say that build quality has been skimped on; it has the feel of a solid aluminium and copper ingot, rather than a pressed steel box with a brushed aluminium fascia added for visual effect. It’s heavy for its size and very nicely Ànished. Then there’s the ease of use. It’s easy to get up and running, and works seamlessly via its Ethernet port. Auralic’s own Lightning streaming hardware and software platform is very good; the app doesn’t look quite as swish as some, but does the job without any drama. It has multiroom, gapless playback, on-device playlists and memory caching to make the user experience smoother.
DETAILS PRODUCT Auralic Vega G2.1 ORIGIN US/China TYPE Streaming DAC WEIGHT 9.5kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 340 x 96 x 320mm FEATURES O Streaming, preamp functionality O AES; USB; optical; coaxial digital inputs O RCA phono line input; unbalanced RCA; balanced XLR outputs DISTRIBUTOR Auralic WEBSITE auralic.com
The Vega G2.1 DAC crunches all the numbers it needs to – up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD512. At its heart is a specially modiÀed version of the latest ESS Sabre DAC; this isn’t as exotic as the custom silicon in some rivals, but certainly isn’t shabby. Jitter gets a good seeing to from Auralic’s dual 72fs Femto clock, and galvanic isolation is used between digital and analogue sections to keep noise down. The Vega hooks up to the matching Aries G2.1 transport via Auralic’s Lightning Link, with a two-way communication protocol for high-speed data transfer. As beÀts a thoroughly modern preampliÀer, care has been taken to shield the electronics by Àtting a copper sub-enclosure. A large toroidal transformer is used, kept well away from the Orfeo passive volume controls. This all sits on Auralic’s so-called Unity chassis; a heavy metal base anchored by four tuned sprung feet. Round the back you get a choice of RCA phono or balanced XLR analogue outputs and a single RCA stereo analogue input alongside AES (XLR), optical, coaxial and USB digital inputs.
Sound quality
With its precise, cultured feel to the way it goes about making music, the Vega G2.1 sounds closer to DACs at twice the price than it does to those at half. There’s an alluring mix of smoothness and insight that makes for real listening pleasure. Yet it’s not overly soft and has real speed, which animates everything you play. I kick off with a silver disc of Maximum Style & JB Rose’s Wake Up going into the coaxial digital input
AURALIC VEGA G2.1 £6,000
from my Cyrus CD Xt Signature CD transport (HFC 386). It’s a lovely piece of modern dance and the Vega G2.1 delivers an engaging and enjoyable sound with lots of insight into the mix, plus plenty of life. I am struck by the power of the bottom end, combined with its speed and tunefulness, and how it ties into the Áuid and supple midband. At the same time, the closed-miked female vocals sound earthy yet smooth; there’s no artiÀcial gloss or lack of insight. The overall effect is really satisfying. The DAC proves highly impressive across a number of digital sources and genres; my 24-bit/96kHz DVD Audio disc of Rush’s Subdivisions via a Sony Blu-ray spinner sounds great. The Vega G2.1 really getting into the
REVIEWS
HOW IT COMPARES
Soundstaging is big, wide and bold, there’s sweet treble and a crisp, fluid bass
Naim’s £5,300 NDX 2 is a strong competitor, but a subtly different one. On many levels it offers similar functionality, but with a better display and well-established app. Yet there’s no analogue input and fewer upgrade options aside from Naim’s external XPS DR or 555 PS DR power supplies. It sounds slightly more musically engaging than the subtler Auralic, albeit not quite as detailed and finessed. Both represent excellent value and should give many years of listening pleasure.
groove, eking out copious amounts of low-level detail in a forensic sweep operation of the recording. Yet it doesn’t sacriÀce this for the bigger picture, managing to dig deep but keep the sense of a powerful music event unfolding. This is an unusually dense mix that needs a top-Áight DAC to ‘unpack’, and the Auralic does precisely that. It’s a great streamer too; a range of my favourite tunes Ànd themselves rendered in a very similar way to the digital inputs. The Who’s Baba O’Reilly is a tour de force, with much drama and emotion, while Sade’s When Am I Going to Make A Living is sultry and brooding. Jazz music shows off the spry and clean tonality; it’s not as arid as some ESS-based designs, but doesn’t colour the
An inner copper sub-enclosure is used to shield all the electronics
musical picture to make things sound artiÀcially warm. Dave Brubeck’s Take Five is accurately conveyed, with a brisk musical gait and a faithful rendering of the tonal palette. The analogue input is a super feature, and lets me connect up my Michell GyroDec/TecnoArm/Lyra Dorian via my ANT Audio Kora 3T phono stage. Spinning my Wings London Town LP shows it is very capable as a preamp too. I adore the big, wide, bold soundstaging, sweet treble and crisp, Áuid bass. There’s just a subtle softening of the central image and loss of depth perspective in absolute terms. You’d have to pay a lot for a purpose-designed preamp to better it.
many folk run – all the way up to the high-end where Àve-Àgure sums tend to change hands. It does so much so very well that it offers up seriously stiff competition for those, mostly British companies who have made this section of the market their own. As such, an audition is strongly recommended if you’re in the market for updating your system O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Functionality; build; sonics; upgradeability
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Nothing at the price
BUILD QUALITY
Conclusion
Less of a lowly DAC preamp and more of musical Swiss army knife, Auralic’s Vega G2.1 is seriously classy product. It does an awful lot very well indeed and offers a painless upgrade route out from the £2,500 DACs that
CONNECTIONS
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WE SAY: A digital Swiss army knife with superb sound
FEATURES
OVERALL
1
AES input
2
Coaxial/optical ins
3
Ethernet input
4
RCA inputs
5
XLR/RCA outputs
6
Lightning Links
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BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM MOFI/PRIMARE/SYSTEM AUDIO
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JUNE 2021
BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM MOFI/PRIMARE/SYSTEM AUDIO
Three dimensional henever we encounter the word ‘compromise’ in written English, we subconsciously brace ourselves for a potentially negative connotation. In the audio industry in particular, we place great stock in the phrase ‘no compromise’ to burnish the audiophile credentials of something to the extent that a suggestion that this is not the case is taken to be bad. The reality is that a little bit of give to
W
considerations of real life is not a sign of weakness. Don’t believe me? I present this system by way of a case for the defence. What you see before you here are components that balance the design ideals of the companies that make them with a welcome helping of real-world practicality. In the case of the MoFi Audio StudioDeck+, spotting any sign of compromise can be something of a challenge because
Picture credit: Shutterstock.com (background)
A trifecta of products from three companies in three different countries, tied together by real-world inspiration. Ed Selley explains all...
COMPONENTS
MOFI STUDIODECK+ £1,350
PRIMARE I15 MM £1,150
The more affordable of the two MoFi turntables (the other being the UltraDeck), the StudioDeck+ is a belt-drive, unsuspended turntable that uses a bespoke 10in tonearm for reduced tracking distortion that in + form comes with the Studio Tracker MM cartridge.
This is a 60W integrated amp built around Primare’s Class D engineering that offers four line inputs and a moving magnet phono stage, along with pre and tape outs. As part of the 15 range, external phono stages and digital sources are available too.
SYSTEM AUDIO SAXO 40 £1,000 The smallest floorstander in the Saxo range, the Saxo 40 is a 2.5-way design intended to combine benign measurement characteristics with entirely full-range performance. Black and white finishes are available.
JUNE 2021
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F502SP - February 2021
FYNE AUDIO IS BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL Building on the outstanding sonic performance and aesthetics of the original models, the F501SP and F502SP brings Fyne Audio’s advanced engineering and high-end acoustic design ñôÑã¼ÑñÝÄ÷ çÍ üÐÄ ƻƴƴ HÄôÑÄ÷ Ñãüç üÐÄ ¼Ý°÷÷Ѽ ƹƴƴ HÄôÑÄ÷ ¼°»ÑãÄü ÀÄ÷ÑÎãȩ LÐÑ÷ ÷ÑÎãÑķ¼°ãü use of trickle-down technology delivers unrivalled performance and outstanding value across two stunning Special Production loudspeakers, designed and built in the UK.
M A N U FA C T U R E D I N T H E U K
FY N EAU DIO.CO M
BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM MOFI/PRIMARE/SYSTEM AUDIO The StudioDeck+ and Saxo 40 rejoice in clean lines and sparkling performance
this is a pretty serious piece of analogue hardware. The StudioDeck+ borrows nothing from any other turntable manufacturer in its design and execution and instead brings some features rarely seen at this price. The 10in tonearm, constrained layer plinth and hefty AC motor all point to a turntable that’s been built to get the most out of a record. Look a bit closer, though, and the real-world elements are all there. MoFi has managed to package all of this into a turntable not signiÀcantly bigger than 9in arm rivals and, thanks to cleverly designed feet, it naturally isolates on most surfaces. There’s a lid too for those of us whose attritional war with dust is a losing one. It is also a joy to get up and running. Fitted with a Studio Tracker cartridge, it goes together in a way that many rivals could learn something from.
Cool runnings
The engine room for this system comes in the form of Primare’s I15 integrated amp. Again, at Àrst glance, the Primare is all business. It generates 60W into 8ohm and has the sort of considered minimalism to the speciÀcation that garners the approval of the committed. Consider the spec more closely and the I15 reveals a thoroughly practical side too. The use of a Hypex Class D module for power means it is usefully compact and it runs cool in use. The example here has the MM15 phono module added, ensuring that the turntable connects up with no extra boxes needed. It’s also part of a range that offers everything from CD replay to full
network audio playback depending on what it is you require. Finishing things off is the System Audio Saxo 40. Here the nod to reality is rather easier to spot, but no less useful for that. Standing just 85cm tall, this is an obligingly compact speaker, but one that still features the considered niceties that System Audio has developed for its more expensive speakers including a tweeter with a specially developed lens to aid dispersion and the ability to coax two 140mm drivers into a
This system delivers a magnificent balance of accuracy and sheer, unbridled joy 40Hz roll off at +/- 3dB, which is no mean feat. I’m a huge fan of any speaker that comes out of the box without facial expressions that cause orthopaedic surgeons to grimace, and the Saxo 40 does that with bells on. Once unboxed, it is simplicity itself to correctly position too. As a system this all hangs together rather well. I have to admit to being rather taken with the aesthetic of this trio in a way I wasn’t necessarily expecting. It abounds with lovely but wholly unshowy details like the orange detailing on the StudioDeck+ that brightens it up, the beautifully legible display of the Primare and the lovely integrated plinth on the Saxo 40. This is a system that will sit happily in most spaces without dominating them. It’s also a joy to use JUNE 2021
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BEAUTIFUL SYSTEM MOFI/PRIMARE/SYSTEM AUDIO
The I15 sounds every bit as good as it looks thanks to Primare’s clever amplifier design
with little details like the lovely cueing action of the StudioDeck+ and full remote control of the Primare meaning that there is absolutely no suffering for your art here. Instead, there is the speciÀc and gratifying satisfaction of enjoying a system that is a great deal more than the sum of its parts. The reason for this is simple enough and stems from the slight variation in design philosophy from the different companies involved. For MoFi and, to a slightly lesser extent Primare, the priority is accuracy. If you’ve built a reputation for truly reference-level pressings, it really cannot be any other way and the StudioDeck+ rejoices in this mission statement.
Unforced detail
Present Tense by Wild Beasts in the hands of the MoFi is an armchair in the corner of the studio where they worked their craft. Without once feeling like there is a moment of over emphasis anywhere in the frequency response, the level of unforced detail and three dimensionality on offer here is truly outstanding. The Primare takes this feed and does nothing to affect that ‘straight off the desk’-style presentation. What it does so effectively as well as this, though, is ensure that this is never matter of fact, let alone harsh or aggressive. This means that your studio vantage point is never an uncomfortable one, even if the operatives themselves might not have been having the best day. 54
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The true twist in the tail is the input of the Saxo 40 into this signal path. Again, with a focus on remaining faithful to the recording, voices in particular are seriously impressive in their presence and realism, making everything enormous fun. Some of this stems from technical application – the bass is controlled and cohesive and there’s little perception of the cabinet in the performance. Some of it is purely down to System Audio’s determination to have a good time.
This is a system that will sit happily in most spaces without dominating them What this means is that when you play something with a bit of get up and go to it like Imploding The Mirage by The Killers, this system delivers a truly magniÀcent balance of accuracy and sheer, unbridled joy. Not for the Àrst time, I am happy to point out that timing is a somewhat subjective concept and one that is more than an easily deÀned measurement on a trace. At the same time, I’d be very surprised if you didn’t sit down in front of this system – even if your own regular listen is rather more expensive – and still not be momentarily taken aback by just how astonishingly together it is. With this comes a reminder that timing is not simply a reÁection of
CONTACT DETAILS WEBSITES mofi.com primare.net system-audio.com karma-av.co.uk
speedy rock music being played like the clappers. Pivoting genres to Sorcerer by Miles Davis sees this trio still deliver truly remarkable involvement. Here the ability of the MoFi to unpick this dense and complex recording without any sense of over emphasis or favouritism is complemented by the wonderful even handedness of the Primare and the speed and liveliness of the Saxo 40. It’s not a ‘good cop, good cop, bad cop’ dynamic, more that one third of the partnership is a glass half-full type of personality and it imparts a positivity to everything that they do as a team. I’ve heard systems from one manufacturer that can’t do this – perhaps because this sort of synergy requires more than one take on the way things should be done.
Considered compromise
All of this happens without impinging on the gratifying practicality of this trio. It takes up an entirely sensible amount of space, is a joy to use and it exudes the beauty that comes from good design being well implemented. I had envisaged writing a piece that focused on this real-world usability but, instead I’ve been sideswiped by the sheer joy that it offers. It is a reminder, though, that compromise is not a dirty word in audio. By making some considered compromises in their design thinking, these companies have created a system that brokers no compromise where it matters and the results are outstanding
+44 (0)118 981 9891 www.audioconsultants.co.uk FINE TWO CHANNEL AUDIO SYSTEMS
Loudspeakers of Distinction
LEFT: Eggleston Works Emma Evo. MIDDLE: Amphion Argon 3LS. TOP RIGHT: Kudos Titan 606. BOTTOM RIGHT: Kerr Acoustic K320.
Amphion Designed and made in Finland with a unique controlled dispersion technology enabling their speakers to achieve a high-quality sound repeatable in a variety of rooms. The Argon range is well made and offers exceptional value. They are very natural in tone and timbre with no excessive brightness. Bass is extended, well controlled and without exaggeration. A passive radiator design used from the mid-way up the model range offers excellent room integration.
Kudos Audio A long-established UK company making some of the finest sounding speakers today. Their speakers have a neutral tonal balance, very precise imaging, and are well balanced across all frequencies. High resolution of fine details producing a broad and deep soundstage. Bass is very fast and controlled especially in the Titan range where isobaric technology is employed. Their models use SEAS drive units uniquely designed for Kudos.
Eggleston Works A renowned US company making high quality loudspeakers with curved sided cabinets and facets that reduce resonances, finished with a durable metallic polyester paint. An immediately engaging sound, delivering a large-scale sound, wide beyond the outer edges of the speakers, and layering rearwards for a deep sound stage. Extended high frequencies without being forward, with an authoritative bass resolving good textural detail. Voices are rendered accurately and in correct proportion to the instrumentation. Fast dynamics with excellent timing.
Kerr Acoustics An artisan UK manufacturer using some of the finest drivers including True Ribbon high frequency units, and Scanspeak or Volt units for midrange and bass duties. A birch-ply transmission line cabinet further differentiates them from others. Contrary to many transmission line designs, these speaker have fast and tight bass response that can be placed closer to walls than most dynamic designs. An open and large sound stage, a natural presentation, and an impressive ability to disappear.
info@audioconsultants.co.uk 4 Zephyr House Calleva Park Aldermaston Berkshire RG7 8JN UK
Speakers AC114 V2
CLASSIC 4/5 WALNUT
THE SOUL OF THE PERFORMANCE
Assured and powerful, Classic loudspeakers take you to the very heart of the performance. They’ll send shivers down your spine, bring back fond memories, and encourage you to rediscover the music you love. Above all, they capture the soul of the recording, bringing a new intimacy and intensity to your listening experience.
M A D E F O R M U S I C . D E S I G N E D F O R YO U .
spendoraudio.com
SONOS ROAM £160
When in Roam Cliff Joseph hits the great outdoors and throws another shrimp on the barbie with this compact and versatile portable t’s not all that often that a manufacturer tells you to start testing a new speaker by dunking it into a bowl of water, but that gives you some indication of the thought that Sonos has put into its new Roam portable. A smaller and more convenient alternative to Sonos’ chunky Move (HFC 456), it is very much focused on outdoor use, starting with its impressively compact design. The speaker can stand upright or Áat and is small and light enough to easily carry around in a backpack or even in a jacket pocket like a bottle of water. It’s sturdily built, though, boasting IP67 rating for water resistance, which will allow it to survive in that bowl of water for up to 30 minutes, and Sonos even says you can rinse it under the tap to clean it. It’s packed with features and a quad-core processor to handle the workload. There’s a ‘race-track’ woofer to make the most of the modest dimensions and a separate tweeter, with the two drivers powered
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by two Class-H ampliÀers. The Roam supports Bluetooth (AAC only, there is no aptX) for use out and about and dual-band wi-À and AirPlay 2. Sonos quotes 10 hours of battery life and there’s Qi wireless charging – an optional wireless charging dock will set you back an additional £44.
Sound Quality
I start listening indoors, using wi-À to stream in MQA from Tidal. The compact speaker impresses immediately, with the warm, open tone it brings to Damien Rice’s The Blower’s Daughter. It catches every hesitant breath of Rice’s vocal, almost mumbling at times and projects it with enough volume to Àll the room without distortion. There’s a relaxed, open sound to the acoustic strumming and the Roam brings a delicate touch to the slow cello, allowing it to hang in the air before fading slowly away. In contrast, Queen’s The Millionaire Waltz is a sonic roller coaster, but the Roam isn’t lacking as the song weaves its way through half a dozen
DETAILS PRODUCT Sonos Roam ORIGIN US/China TYPE Portable Bluetooth/ wi-fi speaker WEIGHT 430g DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 62 x 168 x 60mm FEATURES O 1x mid driver; 1x tweeter (size not specified) O Bluetooth; wi-fi O Battery life: 10 hours maximum DISTRIBUTOR Sonos TELEPHONE 0800 0265565 WEBSITE sonos.com
REVIEWS
contrasting styles. There’s a relaxed, lilting rhythm to the piano-and-bass introduction, which veers sharply into rock bombast, delivering the power chords with impressive weight considering its size. There’s another change of pace as Freddie does his best Marlene Dietrich impression, and the Roam catches his breathless whispering. But it’s the Ànal orchestral Áourishes that impress the most, as Brian May’s multi-tracked guitar fanfare and Roger Taylor’s crashing cymbals ring out crisp and clear even at the speaker’s full volume – which is loud enough to make me worry about disturbing the neighbours. The Roam even manages to deliver pretty respectable bass too, and there’s a nice Àrm thud to the drum-and-bass intro of Bad Guy by Billie Eilish. It catches the crisp Ànger-snaps and lightly brushed percussion that drive the song forward with an infectious rhythm, suggesting that it will work a treat getting the mood going at a socially distanced outdoor barbecue when the summer eventually arrives.
Conclusion
Inevitably, switching from a wi-À connection to Bluetooth does make a difference to the sound quality – although it’s impressive that the Roam is able to handle the switch automatically when I venture outdoors with my tablet. That bass intro on Bad Guy isn’t quite as Àrm, and the percussion sounds a little more distant. But, to be fair, Queen’s multi-layered wall of sound holds up very well with Bluetooth, losing only a little of the full-bodied guitar sound in the louder sections. If all you want is a lightweight Bluetooth speaker for outdoor use then there are less expensive options available, but the addition of wi-À streaming makes the Roam a terriÀcally versatile and lightweight option for both indoor and outdoor use O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
LIKE: Portable design; impressive sound DISLIKE: Lacks aptX for Bluetooth; charging dock costs extra WE SAY: A miniature marvel, the Roam provides features and sound quality rarely found in such a compact speaker
OVERALL
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PHILIPS FIDELIO L3 £300
DETAILS PRODUCT Philips Fidelio L3 ORIGIN Netherlands TYPE Over-ear, wireless, ANC headphone WEIGHT 360g FEATURES O 40mm drivers O Bluetooth 5.0; aptX HD O Quoted battery life: up to 38 hours DISTRIBUTOR Philips UK WEBSITE philips.co.uk
REVIEWS
high-end’, an ethos that extends to the choice of materials and build quality as well as a sound that’s rich and reÀned, tuned as much by ear as measurement by the Fidelio team. Bass and midrange performance need to be warm to the point of being enjoyable and not fatiguing, but without becoming coloured. ” Assets include a healthy battery life of 38 hours, which falls to a still generous 32 hours if you keep the active noise cancellation (ANC) switched on. And there’s also a quick charge option. In this case, 15 minutes plugged in gets you a handy six hours of playback wherever you happen to roam. Forget to power down when you take it off and the L3 will do it for you after a few minutes. Wireless connectivity sees support for both Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX HD. Pairing is a breeze, too. A longer, let’s say Àve-second, push on the power-up button sets blue and white LEDs alternately Áashing and your smartphone or tablet acknowledges in the following few seconds. Key play and phone functions can then be controlled with touch gestures to the outer surfaces of
The tonal balance is the warm side of neutral and smooth as polished amber
Dutch master Philips has thrown everything at this wireless ANC headphone, but does it actually sound any good? David Vivian reveals all t’s doubtful if Philips’ Fidelio headphones have ever been bought to wear as a fashion accessory. The company’s latest, the Fidelio L3, is no exception. Colour options? Dark grey. Conspicuous branding? Zippo. Distinguishing features? Pass. All right, the ear cups appear to ‘Áoat’ behind the open aluminium frame that supports them – something of a Fidelio signiÀer for the true head-À aÀcionado. But if you asked an artist to draw a generic pair of over-ear headphones, the result would end up looking a lot like this. Then again, for fans of products that hide a bright light under a nondescript
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bushel, there’s plenty to get excited about here. Following on from the recent launch of the wired, open-back Fidelio X3 (HFC 469), the L3 enters arguably an even tougher and more highly prized sector: that dedicated to premium (yet still reasonably priced) wireless, noise-cancelling headphones. It’s an area traditionally carved up by big hitters Sony, Sennheiser and Bose. Probably the best Philips can hope for, then, is high-achieving outlier and, on paper, the L3’s performance targets are more strategic than go-for-broke. “We’re not chasing spectacular spec-sheet numbers with the L3,”commented a spokesperson. “Rather, the idea is ‘accessible
the left and right ear cups. Google Assistant and Alexa are built-in so pulling up your favourite playlist shouldn’t be a chore. The noise cancellation system uses no fewer than four microphones to minimise outside noise plus a Àfth assigned to bid adios to background sounds when making voice calls. Predictably, there’s a dedicated app. As sober as the appearance of the L3 itself, it’s called ‘Philips Headphone’ and lets you adjust noise cancellation by switching between pre-set modes. Also present is a dedicated equaliser. Additionally, you can use the app to control the music you’re streaming or access song information. The L3’s memory foam and soft leather ear pads do a pretty good job of blocking out unwanted noise on their own. No coincidence, this. Considerable effort went into making it a foundation of the design, the engineers reasoning it’s better to have less noise as a starting point which, in turn, needs less active cancelling. The ear cups have strengthening ribs to add rigidity and minimise vibration. Apparently, many hours were spent JUNE 2021
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FIDELIO L3 £300 REVIEWS PHILIPS
determining their shape and what materials should be used. Different memory foams were tested for comfort and isolation properties. Originally the plan had been to use the same sustainable Muirhead leather as the headband to cover the ear pads, but this was switched to protein leather during development because it was found to give much better sonic results. Sitting a little further back in the ear cups, the bespoke 40mm drivers feature Layer Motion Control (LMC) three-part damping, a sandwich construction consisting of PEEK/PU/ PEEK layers. PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) is a robust, stiff semicrystalline thermoplastic material, renowned for its exceptional mechanical resistance while PU (Polyurethane) is a polymer valued for its elasticity. For the L3 drivers, PU is used as a gel. It’s sandwiched between the two layers of PEEK for its damping properties. By varying the thickness of the layers – and due to the different properties of the materials used – the performance of the driver can be Àne-tuned – particularly with respect to the design of the ear cup enclosure. Naturally, for best ANC performance, the L3 is a closed-back design. And a very intricately thought-out one it is too. Try this for attention to detail. There’s a tiny, tapered tube-cum-waveguide positioned at the back of each driver that’s shaped to allow the back pressure, such as it is, to decay without intruding. It vents close to, and is all but hidden by, the hinge. As well as helping deÀne the L3’s sonic proÀle, it also played a signiÀcant part in the Àne-tuning of the headphone.
HOW IT COMPARES Philips is up against some talented competition in the ANC arena. That being the case, there’s a strong hint it hasn’t been designed to better the best, but to offer a warmer, richer, more relaxed alternative. B&W’s exceptional RX7, at £350, strives for transparency, detail and dynamics that rivals its more expensive wired designs and largely succeeds. Also well worth checking out is Sennheiser’s £350 Momentum Wireless (HFC 455), which is a terrific and stylish all-rounder.
The ear cups have ribs to add rigidity and limit vibration
Sound quality
By no means the lightest in its class, the L3 is supremely comfortable and possesses ear-defender levels of sound isolation even without the ANC switched on. Controlling things by essentially Àngering the sides of your head is initially a little tricky. You get used to it. But what of the luxury sonic ride promised by Philips? It stacks up. I own some pretty spikey, in-your-face recordings and, after experiencing them via the L3, I’m prepared to bet that whatever genre or quality of production it is fed, it will steadfastly refuse to sound in any way bright, brittle, strident or unnaturally sharp. Best say it now: even in wired guise, listening to hi-res
The soft leather ear pads do a pretty good job of blocking out noise on their own Sting belting out Brand New Day, the inevitable softening effects of a Bluetooth/Tidal streaming collaboration removed from the equation, the tonal balance is comfortably the warm side of neutral and smooth as polished amber. Bass is rich, plump and possesses proper timbral texture, power and extension. It also plays tunes very nicely. There’s an underlying, easy-going nature at large here that maybe doesn’t dig down with forensic intent, but is good at keeping complex elements in harmony – not least the gloriously warm, expansive and lushly layered orchestrations delivered by Prefab Sprout’s magniÀcent I Trawl The Megahertz – surely one of the all-time great headphone trips. The simple truth is, the L3 might not trawl the microdetail, but it certainly carries the
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musical message effortlessly with a grasp of Áow and tempo that never defaults to a bland, mechanical rendition. In short, it sounds lovely – slow-burning and seductive rather than stringently analytical. Musically supple and voiced to please, then. There’s nothing wrong with that in my book. And don’t take for granted the spacious, precisely delineated, pleasingly un-boncecentric soundstage and a dynamic compass that captures the loud and soft, highs and lows with such calm conÀdence. There might be more bite, drive and explicit clarity to be had elsewhere, but the L3’s balance, warmth, richness, reÀnement and unÁustered power is hugely appealing. Oh, and the noise cancelling bit? It passes the late night, en suite loo-Áushing test with Áying colours. Couldn’t hear a thing.
Conclusion
Head-À fashionistas, it’s your loss. If you think the Fidelio L3 will only get you noticed because it looks so plain, shame on you. For those happy to don a pair, allow yourself a smug inward smile. Things will probably sound so good, it will be hard to resist. Warmly recommended O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Comfort; build quality; features; warm, inviting sound
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Beats Beats for sound, but not style
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
OVERALL
WE SAY: Easy to live with, comfortable, great sounding wireless ANC headphones for £300
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ACOUSTICS REVIEWS WING ZERØ £4,400
From Zerø to hero David Price is mighty impressed as this hummingbird-inspired standmount hailing from New Zealand takes flight nyone who’s ever lived with a BBC LS3/5a, Linn Kan, Wharfedale Diamond or Acoustic Energy AE1 will totally ‘get’ little loudspeakers. With a good one, what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts – so to speak. This is because they can deftly dodge many of the compromises of Áoorstanders, arising from their costly and often not very rigid cabinet. The new Wing Acoustics Zerø standmount illustrates this point perfectly. This New Zealand-designed
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and manufactured baby box sports an exotic midrange and treble driver, plus a beautiful anodised aluminium cabinet weighing 7.7kg. That’s pretty heavy, considering that it’s no taller than a wine glass. This speaker uses a new type of transducer that its creators – Mike and David Palmer – call acousticWing. It was originally designed over 20 years ago, but has been progressively honed and then productionised into what we see here now. It’s claimed to have excellent transient speed and low
DETAILS PRODUCT Wing Acoustics Zerø ORIGIN New Zealand TYPE Standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 7.7kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 165 x 225 x 225mm FEATURES O 1x acousticWing mid/treble; 75mm bass driver O 100m ‘wave’ passive radiator O Quoted sensitivity: 72dB 1W/1m (4ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Wing Acoustics WEBSITE wingacoustics.com
distortion, and Wing Acoustics backs this up with plenty of technical data on its informative website. This drive unit is said to mimic the action of a hummingbird in Áight, with an ultra-rigid ‘wing’ that moves in a precise arc to create sound waves. It’s totally different to a conventional moving-coil drive unit, being a diaphragm that’s a self-supporting three-dimensional structure. As well as being ultra-light, it’s rigid across almost the entire operating bandwidth. Wing Acoustics’ Chief Executive Christopher Hardy says the Àrst subtle diaphragm resonance mode occurs at 17kHz, which is beyond the upper limit of most people’s hearing. And because it avoids the unstable pistonic action of conventional cones – and their interaction with their rubber surrounds – it’s said to have better transient performance too. These are certainly bold claims, but the design is the subject of over 200 patents. This driver is Àtted inside its own inner enclosure inside the Zerø’s cabinet, which is decoupled both from the driver and the aluminium outer cabinet. Both are braced and damped, and constrained elastomer damping
WING ACOUSTICS ZERØ £4,400
REVIEWS
layers are applied. The outer walls are 7mm-thick extrusions, and the front and rear bafÁes are 1kg each of cast aluminium. There’s a 75mm bass driver below that takes over under 570Hz, plus a 100mm passive radiator. The resulting frequency response is said to be 35Hz to 20kHz, with the bass cut-off at -6dB. Like all small speakers, the Zerø is a prisoner of its diminutive dimensions – this speaker’s tiny internal cabinet volume of 2.6 litres makes for an exceptionally low-efÀciency Àgure of
The midband’s smooth integration with the treble and bass is a delight 72dB according to its maker. That’s 10dB or so worse than the BBC LS3/5a, which is traditionally thought of as an inefÀcient design. Plus, the Zerø isn’t just power-hungry, it’s current-hungry too. The manufacturer quotes a low nominal impedance of 4ohm, which it says drops down in places to 3.2ohm. So, you’ll need an amp that can pump lots of current with a stiff power supply. Wing is perfectly frank about this, describing it as: “Extremely power hungry. Many amps simply do not have enough headroom to drive this speaker, so it requires careful amp selection.” The Zerø is very easy to position, and works great as a near-Àeld monitor – just as its designers intended. It will be lost in a large
IN SIGHT
With its 7mm thick aluminium outer walls, the Zerø has a very distinctive industrial design
room, but small-to-medium-sized ones are Àne if your power ampliÀer is gutsy enough. Sitting on 24in stands, slightly toed-in and about a foot from a boundary wall, you get a fascinating sound.
Sound quality
Initially the Zerø sounds somewhat underwhelming – dull, soft and inoffensive. But rather like a good electrostatic loudspeaker, as you get over the shock of not hearing moving-coil drive units Àght with one another across the bass, mid and treble – you begin to realise just how capable it is. It’s deÀned by the almost total lack of all the things that conventional speakers get wrong.
There’s no nasal midband, clangy treble or Áatulent bass; instead this little box makes an extremely smooth and svelte sound that lets you listen right into the recording. Its smooth tonal balance is one of its most striking facets, allied to its almost complete lack of grit. Cue up some classic pop in the shape of Madonna’s Borderline, and you don’t hear a consciously punchy bass or spitty treble. Instead, the singer’s vocal line is carried with surprising purity. The recording sounds Áat – in the sense that it hasn’t been heavily EQ’d – and open, with lots going on. Bass is enjoyably Áuid, but doesn’t dominate, while the hi-hat sound from the early eighties drum machine
1 D Deep bass pass radiator passive
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2 G Gold-plated bi-w bi-wireable binding posts bind
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ACOUSTICS REVIEWS WING ZERØ £4,400
is clean and crisp. It is well able to let me follow each strand of the mix, without snarling or growling at me. At the same time, it’s not a visceral thrill-giver; in some ways its delights are more of the head than of the body. The bass response won’t shake your room, although it’s still surprisingly effective and extended all the same – and near miraculous from a such a small speaker. Rather, the purity of the midband and its smooth integration with the treble and bass keep coming back to delight. Anita
It’s defined by the lack of things that most conventional speakers get wrong Baker’s soulful Sweet Love is a joy; the speaker opening the recording up and ushering me in. I am struck by the wonderful texture to Baker’s voice and the vivid, shiny timbre of those chiming keyboards. Even with heavier rock music, the Zerø really distinguishes itself – not because of its ability to Áap your Áares or blow your wig off, but thanks to its transient speed. It makes the histrionics of The Who’s Baba O’Reilly a delight; the opening tambourine has a delightfully natural timbre, setting the tone for some amazing sounds 64
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from the keyboard and drum kit – both of which have great speed and dynamism. Despite its tiny dimensions, the Zerø oozes energy, really pushing hard to communicate the power of the performance. Imaging is excellent too, with out-of-the-box rendering of spatial information; not only does it work much better off-axis than most speakers I’ve heard, it conjures up a soundstage that belies the size of the boxes being used. Eighties ambient masterpiece Lazy Calm by Cocteau Twins is a joy; the Zerø pushing the recorded acoustic out far and wide, with more depth than I thought possible from this fairly lo-À recording. This lovely seamlessness complements the speaker’s tonal evenness to give a very similar sound to what Quad’s classic ESL-63 electrostatic delivers, albeit with a more extended and delicate treble. The major downside has already been discussed; you need to put plenty of power into it. Even with the world’s most gutsy ampliÀer though, it can’t change the fact that the Zerø is prone to sitting on dynamics when running towards its maximum output level. That rather goes with the territory, with small cabinets such as this I’m afraid. Also, the bass is nicely supple and has plenty of weight (for the speaker’s size), but doesn’t have the sheer transparency of that high-tech,
HOW IT COMPARES DALI’s £4,300 Epicon 2 is a great small speaker, albeit a very different one to the Wing. It’s a bit bigger than its rival, way more sensitive at 87dB with exactly the same 4ohm nominal impedance. Sonically it’s less detailed, insightful and forensic, but still great fun with a really satisfying musical nature. Tonally that bass cone helps confer a sweet, warm sound, although it has less extension than the Zerø. It’s way less demanding of amps and so has wider general appeal.
mid-treble driver. There’s just a hint of softness, compression and overhang from the low-frequency driver, relative to the stellar performance from its partnering drive unit. Given this speaker’s size and price, it’s hardly crime of the century.
Conclusion
The Zerø is an excellent and fascinating speaker that gives mini monitor fans much-needed extra choice. It’s highly talented in its own special way, and in my view a true audiophile bargain. Yet be warned that it won’t be for everyone – it’s not likely to take away any sales from the Klipsch LaScala AL5 (HFC 462), for example. If you’re in the market for a great small speaker, this is an essential audition O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
OVERALL
LIKE: Design; build; sound; size DISLIKE: Needs a seriously powerful amp WE SAY: Superb, but ultra niche standmount
25W Class A
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Distributed by Henley Audio T: +44 (0) 1235 511 166 | E: sales@henleyaudio.co.uk | W: www.henleyaudio.co.uk |
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AUDIO REVIEWS IFI ZEN PHONO £150
Zen master iFi‘s latest phono stage is very ambitious. Ed Selley sees if it lives up to the promise upporting both movingmagnet and coil cartridges and able to generate up to 72dB of gain for low output MC designs, the Zen Phono sits towards the more affordable end of iFi Audio’s extensive range. No less usefully, there is a 50dB setting that caters for high-output moving-coil designs, but the really noteworthy Àgure in the Zen Phono’s spec is the claimed equivalent input noise of -151dBv. This is good going for anything under £1,000, let alone something costing £150 – suggesting the Zen Phono should be exceptionally quiet, regardless of the cartridge you use it with. An unusual Àtment that may help this even further is the presence of a 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced connector on the rear. iFi now sells a cable to connect this to an XLR input and, if you have such a thing, it leaves the Zen Phono with a suite of features beyond most rivals. Power is supplied via a 12V wall-wart, but this runs into a 1.2MHz circuit with noise Àltration. The EQ circuit uses TDK C0G capacitors in parallel to naturally pair match the channels in the manner that hand pairing devices can do, but with less component wastage or time lost. There is no adjustment for impedance or capacitance settings as there are on more expensive iFi phono stages, but this is hardly unusual at the price The Zen Phono is relatively conventional with RCA connections
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for input and outputs, a solid grounding post and a rear panel switch for selecting gain. The front panel has buttons for power and a subsonic Àlter, plus four LEDs to display which gain setting has been selected.
Sound quality
Crucially, the Zen Phono is utterly silent at idle and remains so even with the volume dial of a Cyrus i7 XR (HFC 473) wound around to a Àrmly antisocial level. Connected to an AVID Ingenium Twin (HFC 379), Rega RB330 and Goldring 2500 (HFC 434), the most notable result is that Àne detail that can be hard to place through the perfectly respectable phono stage of the Cyrus is suddenly apparent. Switch cartridges to a Rega Ania Pro (HFC 460) – a considerably more expensive design than the iFi – and the exceptional silence is maintained. Even at the 72dB gain setting, unless you put an ear right up to the speaker, noise is minimal. With the wonderful pressing of Hayden Thorpe’s Diviner, there is much more information about the movement of Thorpe behind the piano evident. This effortless addition of nuance lifts the presentation, while those distinctive vocals are handled with authority and realism. The supporting piano is tonally believable and has the weight and presence needed to be a tangible instrument rather than canned effect. The bass extension that the Zen Phono offers is
DETAILS PRODUCT iFi Audio Zen Phono ORIGIN UK/China TYPE MM/MC phono stage WEIGHT 515g DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 113 x 35 x 160mm FEATURES O Moving-magnet and moving-coil input O 12V power supply with 1.2MHz circuit O Four adjustable gain settings DISTRIBUTOR Armour Home Electronics TELEPHONE 01279 501111 WEBSITE ifi-audio.com
consistently impressive too. The huge low note in the middle of the live performance of Kraftwerk’s Aerodynamik is beautifully reproduced and exceptionally deep. Something also worth noting is that, while the Zen Phono might lack some of the absolute technical mastery of iFi’s more expensive designs, it is arguably more fun. The unabashed bluegrass joy of Sturgill Simpson’s Cuttin’ Grass Vol I Àzzles with energy and the simple joy of great musicians delivering a Àne performance. Via the Zen Phono this enthusiasm radiates out of every note and it does a better job of the suspension of disbelief than any affordable rival I can think of.
Conclusion
This means that the Zen Phono has to be seen as a remarkable bargain. Until you Ànd yourself at the price point where features like adjustable loading and capacitance are possible, the speciÀcation it offers at £150 is truly outstanding. It’s one of a tiny number of designs anywhere near this price that can do justice to pretty much any cartridge under £500 (and realistically more) and for this reason it has to be on any shortlist anywhere near the price point O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
LIKE: Astonishing performance for the money; well made; superbly flexible DISLIKE: Nothing of note at the price
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: An absolutely outstanding affordable phono stage that delivers a performance far in advance of its cost
"...once you've heard it then heard it taken away, you won't want to deny d yourself if yyou can at all avoid it.." "...you "...y .y won't't be able to remain a tweak cynic when you hear this!" th Srajan Ebaen 6moons 6moons.com
NCF Clear Line-EU
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AUDIO REVIEWS ORCHARD STARKRIMSON £1,345
at this price, Class D or otherwise. This design has a really pleasing tonality, one that renders the natural timbre of the instruments being played in a surprisingly natural way. More evidence of this comes from The Smiths’ The Headmaster Ritual, another slightly unusual recording from that decade. This is tonally dry and grey, but the Starkrimson monoblocks don’t dwell on this; instead vocals are cleanly carried, backing instrumentation is tight and well placed in the mix, while the bass guitar line is surprisingly propulsive. No prizes for audiophile
Block busters These mono block power amps will lead you into temptation, says David Price ever let it be said that all hi-À is boring and generic. We’re increasingly seeing innovative and quirky designs appearing on the scene. To this growing list, you can now add Orchard Audio’s Starkrimson monoblock power ampliÀers. The Starkrimson comes either as a 150W monoblock (reviewed here) or 150W stereo power amp; there’s also a choice of ampliÀer modules using the company’s bespoke Gallium nitride Class D technology should you wish to do it yourself. GaN transistors are claimed to be faster than silicon, with increased slew rate, lower ringing and better overload recovery. The switching is done completely in the analogue domain at over 800kHz, which is said to be two to three times faster than traditional Class D designs. This allows the use of a simple LC Àlter, using oxygen-free copper inductors and high-grade Àlm-type capacitors. The Starkrimson comprises two plain-looking power amps and two power supplies; the latter are larger than the former. The pressed steel monoblock cases are decently Ànished but designed to be heard and not seen.
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The idea is to place them behind the speaker and use a very short run of speaker cable (you’ll need to use balanced cables). Apart from a power socket, the only other connector on each amp is an XLR analogue in. It’s completely balanced from input to output. Orchard Audio says this preserves the ampliÀer’s high damping factor (low output impedance) and lets you save money on expensive speaker cables.
Sound quality
Just as Class A and AB amps sound different to one another, so it is with Class D. No one seems to have sent the memo to the Starkrimson that it has to sound Áat, sat-upon, languid and lethargic – unlike many of its contemporaries. It boasts a combination of sophistication and an easy musicality that’s hard not to like. Many Class D designs – especially older ones – can be slow, ponderous, opaque and/or grey tonally, but the Starkrimson is none of these. Anita Baker’s Sweet Love – with its bright digital synthesisers chiming away merrily in the background – sounds far less glassy than many amps I’ve heard
The Starkrimsons boast an easy musicality that’s hard not to like DETAILS PRODUCT Orchard Audio Starkrimson ORIGIN USA TYPE Mono power amplifiers WEIGHT 3.2kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 140 x 122 x 48mm FEATURES O 2x 150W RMS into 8ohm O Gallium nitride (GaN) Class D technology O Fully balanced DISTRIBUTOR VAL Hi-Fi TELEPHONE 0333 5772005 WEBSITE valhifi.co.uk orchardaudio.com
recording of the year for the album from which the track is taken, but it is certainly good fun to hear. And this is the big takeaway from these monoblocks; they’re way more engaging than cynical old me had ever expected and have a lovely, open sound that’s bristling with detail. And on banging dance music like Maximum Style & JB Rose’s Wake Up they pack a seriously big punch. There’s a lot of power on tap and the sense that even at high volumes things don’t harshen up. At the same time, the music comes over in an expressive and Áeet-footed way.
Conclusion
Although arguably not the Ànest looking ampliÀers ever made, this pair of Starkrimson monoblocks offers seriously good value for money – especially if you’re all about getting the best sound per pound, rather than impressing house guests. The design might be a little unconventional, but don’t let that put you off; they are well worth auditioning O
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Powerful, neutral, enjoyable sound
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Functional appearance not for all
BUILD QUALITY
WE SAY: Don’t be fooled by the quirky looks, this pair offers up a superb performance
FEATURES
OVERALL
The valve amplifier your headphones have been waiting for
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A N S W E R E D
THIS MONTH
ED SELLEY
NEVILLE ROBERTS
JASON KENNEDY
DAVID PRICE
CHRIS WARD
EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Active in the industry since 1999, Ed’s first record was Boss Drum by The Shamen. He splits his time between reviewing and protecting hi-fi kit from his son Will.
EXPERTISE: ENGINEER Neville has an eclectic taste for classical baroque and jazz. His wife was forced to marry his transmission line speakers in the eighties and he collects BBC test card music.
EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Editor of HFC from 1998 to 2001, Jason’s first turntable was Rega’s Planar 3 and Elvis’ 40 Greatest Hits was his first vinyl, so don’t go stepping on his blue suede shoes.
EXPERTISE: REVIEWER DP two-finger typed his first hi-fi review 25 years ago. Since then he’s edited Hi-Fi World and HFC. He describes himself as an “unreconstructed analogue addict”.
EXPERTISE: REVIEWER Like his first kiss, Chris will never forget the sound of his first amp – an Aura Evolution VA-100. War Of The Worlds and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours were his first records.
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Stick or twist?
My system includes a SME 20/3 turntable with SME V arm, Benz LP S MC cart, Luxman EQ-500 phono stage, Luxman C/M-900u pre/power amps and MartinLogan Ethos speakers all connected via a PS Audio P10 mains regenerator and wired with Chord balanced interconnects and Signature XL speaker cables with Russ Andrews power cables. Having had a plan for a few years on an upgrade path, I believe have now put together a reasonable setup that delivers what I set out to achieve. Amazing detail and clarity, jaw-dropping bass and an invisible soundstage
WE ASKED... How much of your system budget was spent on cables?
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that Àlls my room. When anything is now played to an audience of sceptics all talking ceases... the highest praise and proof that my aspirations were well founded. So you would think that my upgrading journey has reached it’s goal now being satisÀed with the result. My Ànal upgrade was going to be replacing the speakers with the MartinLogan ESL 11A. My question is: will they make a further improvement? I have no chance of auditioning the speakers with a similar setup to mine and they are a lot of money to take a punt on, only to be disappointed. Your thoughts and opinions will be gratefully
Can Paul’s room handle the extra bass offered by MartinLogan’s ESL 11A speaker?
received and thank you for the magazine during lockdown... it’s been heaven to read something cover to cover not containing the dreaded ‘C word’! Dr. Paul Moxey, by email DP: Can you not get your local MartinLogan agent to do a home demo Paul? If not, it’s time to make an educated guess. All other things being equal, there should be an improvement. But how much, and would it be worth the cost to change? Personally I would say not. That’s down to how deep your pockets go and if you’re satisÀed with the current Ethos speakers. If you are, what’s the point in changing – aside from the JUNE 2021
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Rega’s Aethos has plenty of power for Nigel’s setup
usual ‘the grass is greener’ impulse? In the great scheme of things, both of those MartinLogan loudspeakers are excellent and not likely to be holding things back. For example, the way your turntable is setup, balanced and positioned might be improved for far less trauma – and less cost – than a speaker change and yield a better
Adding anything else to your system could all too easily upset the balance sound. Interconnects could be looked at, and their contacts cleaned with something like Caig DeoxIT (HFC 475). Your speaker cables could be usefully improved perhaps, or indeed your equipment supports – or even the acoustics of your room and/or your speaker placement. My point is that there are already many variables that could be improved on, and my inclination would be to go for the ‘low-hanging upgrade fruit’ Àrst. Either that, or forget about hi-À and just enjoy the music. JK: Glad to hear you have been enjoying our plague-free publication over the last year. I suspect that if you enjoy the MartinLogan Ethos you will love the ESL 11A. It will indeed give you more thrill and bass power for that matter. I guess the only caveat is can your room take more bass? If it’s fairly large and not too square that shouldn’t be an issue, but the ESL 11A has more power – albeit behind the same size bass drivers. I might be inclined to get some decent isolation for your SME, I have a Model 20/3 and Ànd that it delivers a lot more on a Townshend Seismic Platform, these come with spring ratings to suit a variety of
Rocket, Man …
weights, so it’s best to ensure you pick one for the hefty mass of the SME. ES: If you’re happy with the balance of the system I’d urge caution about changing anything. Sometimes knowing when to stand back and buy more music (and, let’s be honest here, the amount of money we’re talking about would buy a lot) is the most important thing to do. If you were serious about changing the speakers, at the minimum, an extended home demo would be a very good idea. CW: With your current setup you may well have alighted on a perfect balance of treble energy versus bass loading and direct versus reÁected sound for your ears in your room. Adding or changing anything more won’t necessarily take you onwards and upwards. To use an analogy, your room is like the chassis of a car and if you just add a more and more powerful engine or bigger tyres this doesn’t mean you’ll go around the track faster. I’d stay put and try to enjoy where you are at for a lot longer.
Stage craft
I’d like to thank Jason and Ed for their replies to my letter in the March issue. Your comments are most helpful, although I am not sure about the amp upgrades you suggested. I Ànd Naim to be bass heavy in presentation and am not sure that the Rega suggestion will be useful as I am not using the 60W output of my Cyrus amp, so what to do with the 125W from the Rega Aethos? I may wait to hear the new Cyrus i7-XR Àrst after the excellent review by Ed in issue 473 before making a decision. I’ve not thought about the Neat Ekstra as a speaker upgrade, but will
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LETTERS
consider it along with Spendor and PMC offerings. Finally, Jason I emailed Tom Evans after the review and he recommends an upgrade for the Groove to the G+SRX – this giving a much greater detail down to 130dB or more. Once again I appreciate the feedback! Nigel Sach, by email JK: You can never have too much power Nigel. Power gives you control and resolution and of course higher playback levels with lower distortion, but it’s not about volume it’s about timing, detail, musicality etc. and in this regard the Rega Aethos will give
If you like Tom Evans’ phono stages, you’ll love what the Groove SRX has to offer you a big upgrade. As a Groove SRX user myself I can only recommend this fabulous phono stage, yes it’s expensive but so are all great phono stages unfortunately. The Rega Aura (HFC 446)is also superb and it really depends on your system and tastes, however if you like the Groove you currently have you’ll love the SRX. I concur with Ed’s advice on the Neat Ekstra by the way, it’s a lovely speaker.
No connection
Can you give me some advice on my wireless setup? I bought Cambridge Audio’s Yoyo (M) Bluetooth speakers and for the most part I am very happy with them. I use them as a secondary system in my lounge, streaming music from my iPod via Bluetooth. Even though the iPod sits on the side within a couple of feet of the speakers, the sound randomly cuts out sometimes from just one speaker, sometimes both. Any idea what is causing this and what I can do to stop it? The speakers and the iPod are plugged into the mains so it can’t be related to low batteries. Ken Wilson, Dartford ES: In the Àrst instance, Ken, does turning off the TV, any laptop or PC or LED lights (yes, really) in the room have any effect? They can emit energy that can interfere with Bluetooth. Having done that it won’t hurt to fully restart the iPod, forget the previous pairing information and re-establish a fresh connection with the speakers. NR: There are so many things that can cause problems with Bluetooth. One is potential interference with your wi-À signal in the home (try changing the channel and/or swapping between 2.4GHz and 5GHz). As Ed suggests, explore re-pairing the iPod and check that you don’t have two active devices paired with the speakers and Àghting each other. I am also aware that Apple users have had issues when Handoff (a facility that allows continuity across Macs, iOS devices and Apple watches) is switched on – try turning this off too.
ES: It’s worth stressing that while the Aethos (HFC 457) is a seriously powerful amp, there’s no need to use any more of the output than is required. Under test, I found myself using very little of the output, but it was never a challenge to set the listening level I wanted (rather than DIY upgrades something close to it). This being LET TER said, the Cyrus is a seriously good OF THE I’m writing with an amp too, although it comes Àtted MONTH update, following your advice in HFC 461. I did with functionality that is effectively a bit of fettling by placing doubling up on equipment you already three Foculpods under my have while the Rega is ‘just’ an amp.
Re-starting and re-pairing the iPod and speakers can help with Bluetooth connection issues
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LETTERS
Inspire/Roksan Xerxes turntable and there was a big improvement. I then cut two pieces of 22mm oak board and placed them on the appropriate grade Vibrapods, under my PMC twenty.23s and also added spike shoes to further decouple them from the Áoor and was rewarded with less exaggerated bass frequencies. The other suggestion was to clean all my contacts with DeoxIT. I have to admit I’m a little cynical about some of these hi-À tweaks, but removed all my leads and cleaned both them and all the fuses. When I put everything back together, there was absolutely no improvement at... err... hang on... Nothing major, but I think the top end is a bit more sparkly and smooth. Oh and maybe the bass is fractionally tighter.... and is the midrange a bit better deÀned?. Hmmmm, and there’s a slightly more three-dimensional soundstage. The silences are darker as well.
Cleaning contacts has resulted in lots of tiny improvements at a very low cost Oh OK! You were right! No dramatic, knock-me-over-with-afeather, gobsmacking stuff, but lots of tiny improvements that have enhanced my listening pleasure considerably, and all for very little expense and a few hours of effort, so many thanks for your expert advice! Adrian Brand, by email DP: That’s the spirit Adrian. The odd thing is that many assume that their factory-fresh ampliÀer or speakers bought in 2005 will sound one hundred percent the same now. That’s not true, and oxidation of terminals, connectors and plugs takes its toll. Just because hi-À is an ‘indoor sport’, doesn’t mean you don’t need to actively maintain your system, as you would a pushbike, motorbike or car. JK: Great work. You have employed creative methods to achieve a tangible difference – a great bit of DIY inventiveness that rewarded with a performance upgrade. I think things like contact cleaners work well and the more transparent your system, the clearer the beneÀts will be. The improvement might only be small, but at the cost it’s more than worthwhile.
Is DeoxIT the best value upgrade going?
CW: For many decades hi-À fans only really had homespun options. Pick up a hi-À magazine from the Sixties or Seventies and you’d regularly Ànd elaborate circuit diagrams to solder your own components or blueprints showing how to pour concrete to fashion vast speaker horns in your withdrawing room. What’s more, those early pioneers went on to create some of the brands we now look up to. Max Townshend used to fashion record platters from plaster and would regularly answer the doorbell with a very pale complexion, accompanied by a Àne white mist, looking like the ghost of Christmas past! The thing that’s great about homespun experiments is they force you to listen with a more critical faculty, to approach hi-À with a scientiÀc ethos of changing one variable. Keep up the good tweaking, but please don’t electrocute yourself! NR: It is so refreshing to hear from someone who is not afraid to say that he’s a converted cynic. So many people insist on sticking to their ‘snake oil’ views, despite what their ears may be telling them. As I’ve said many times before, I often can’t explain why something results in an improvement, and it would be arrogant of me to say that I can explain everything anyway. When you consider the overall cost of an audio system, a few of these relatively low-cost treatments and upgrades can really add up to signiÀcant sonic improvements.
Home-made hacks
Having recently (for now) Ànalised my system with the addition of a pair of stunning Linn Akubariks and an equally impressive Musical Fidelity M6s DAC, my attention turned to tweaking. I remember dreaming about getting to the stage where tweaks were my only preferred upgrade. And that’s precisely what I’ve started to do, starting with experimentation with electronics isolation. More through good fortune than judgement, somehow I have managed to create home-grown versions of CD and DAC isolation. I took a cheap punt on four springy ‘thingy majigs’ off the net (£40) and combined them with a few pieces of black sprayed MDF
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LETTERS
Atacama Audio’s SLX400 speaker stands come highly recommended
separated by some carefully applied screws that sit on three glued 5p pieces. All really crazy, but as a combo something really seems to work. Detail has most deÀnitely improved, those really small background instruments or sound effects have gained much more presence and clarity, separation is more noticeable and there is tangible space around instruments that even my doubting wife said was ‘real’. I have genuinely impressed myself and I’m not saying these changes were subtle, they have really lifted the entire sound quality – which to my ears was already damn good – to a whole new level. Another area I’m interested in exploring is what difference dedicated stands and racks would make to my setup. Is this something you’d ever consider doing as a Group Test? Dave Mayer, by email JK: I have to agree with you Dave, it’s great to have a go at your own tweaks and experiment with making the system sound better. Isolation is one area where this can be done without specialist tools or components and it sounds like your ideas have borne fruit. All you really need to achieve a degree of isolation is a set of springy feet that have the right amount of compliance (springiness) for the weight they are supporting. Foam rubber can be used for this as can squash balls if you can stop them rolling around. The key is to Ànd a spring that suits the mass involved. CW: This is my ethos entirely. Home brewed solutions cause you to listen more deeply and engage with the potential issues you think you are
addressing and the physics of the solutions that might solve them, and most importantly, listening critically to any changes you’ve created. Your homespun support ideas sound great. In some respects your experiments demonstrate how hard it is to review racks and support stands objectively, as every component can sound different depending on the support. This makes ranking them a little unfair, which is why we don’t do Group Tests of them. As an example, I avoided glass
Carrying out your own isolation experiments is simple and great fun supports for turntables, until I found a deck that suddenly sang on glass. Here’s a little starter checklist to help experimenters: What vibrational energy is created somewhere that you can ‘sink’ away from causing onward disruption? What vibrational energy can be stopped before it starts? Is there vibrational energy from the music in your room vibrating your components and cabling in a way that you can reduce? Happy experimenting! NR: It’s also worth exploring what differences power leads and interconnects can make to your setup. As for equipment racks, there are some fantastic designs out there that can result in sonic improvements and are aesthetically pleasing too. We’ve reviewed Hi-Fi Racks products before, such as its Grandstand in HFC 408 and the Omnium8 support in HFC 442. Like the other racks in the range, the Omnium8 is beautifully made and manufactured from solid oak, and is available in a number of standard conÀgurations and wood Ànishes that should cover most requirements and decors. Also worth looking at is Atacama Audio, which does some lovely wood and metal racks and speaker stands for a different look and feel, such as its MOSECO XL600 and SLX400 speaker stands reviewed in HFC 409 and 457 respectively. Like Hi-Fi Racks, it also focuses on audio quality as well as appearance.
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OPINION
Bands on the run Nigel Williamson mourns the lack of camaraderie in this year’s charts as he asks: where have all the bands gone?
t’s not so long ago that my post bag would include so many debut albums by young unknown guitar groups that I used to joke there were more kids forming bands than there were fans buying their records. So I was struck by a recent comment by Maroon 5’s Adam Levine who claimed in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Low that there: “aren’t any bands any more” and that groups of young men and women with guitars and a mission to make a racket and save the world are: “a dying breed”. His comments created something of a Twitter storm with some telling him he needed to get out more and others seeking to prove him wrong by shouting out the names of their favourites such as Fontaines DC and Big Thief. To be fair to Levine, his comments were a little more nuanced than the quote might suggest. He went on to concede that there are still bands out there – it’s just that they aren’t: “in the limelight” so much anymore. Recent issues of HFC have seen Foo Fighters and Kings Of Leon take album of the month and the new Wolf Alice album due in June is already generating considerable excitement, so there are clearly still great bands out there. Yet Levine surely has a point. It’s hard to imagine two new bands enjoying front page national newspaper coverage in the way Blur and Oasis did at the height of Britpop a quarter of a century ago. And as a music critic it is undeniable that fewer new albums by bands are being sent my way for review than ever before and there has been a concomitant increase in albums by solo artists. Nor is Levine the Àrst to notice the apparent decline. “What happened to all the bands?” Rostam Batmanglij asked Àve years ago when he quit Vampire Weekend. “Is it just that bands are corny now?” I was about to test the thesis by analysing the charts when fortunately The Guardian did the maths for me. The paper found only nine groups in the UK Top 100 singles – The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, Glass Animals, Kings Of Leon, Little Mix, the dance groups Rudimental and Clean Bandit and the rap units D-Block Europe and Bad Boy Chiller Crew. If that’s too parochial a snapshot, in Spotify’s Top 50 most globally played songs, there were only three groups – the K-pop boy band BTS, alt-rockers The Neighbourhood and the Internet Money rap collective. One of the most reliable barometers of musical trends is the BBC’s annual longlist of new names tipped for the top.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the attitudes or opinions of Hi-Fi Choice or AVTech Media Ltd. Picture credit: Christian Bertrand/Shutterstock/com
I
Technology has enabled creatives to make their music in isolation
The ‘Sounds Of 2021’ list includes nine solo artists with the Wigan quartet The Lathums the only exception. The last time bands dominated the list was eight years ago. So why are bands on the back foot? Some argue that the music industry has grown increasingly risk averse and labels prefer signing solo artists because searching for the next Ed Sheeran or Adele is cheaper and easier. We also live in an age of individualism in which personal expression may seem more attractive than pooling resources in a band, with the confusing mix of camaraderie and friction that can entail. Social media has enhanced this atomisation and the technology has also enabled creative young minds to make their music in isolation. Who needs to put up with a Áatulent drummer and a spotty bass player when you can download the production software and do it yourself?
Wolf Alice epitomise all that’s good about being in a band
Band of hope At the height of Britpop, there were new bands emerging by the week, while in the noughties the success of The White Stripes and The Strokes created such a glut of identikit groups with guitars that some wag invented the term ‘landÀll indie’ for the likes of Snow Patrol and Keane. It would be a fair assumption that fewer new bands were formed in 2020 than in any year since the Fifties. Perhaps as we come out of lockdown this will change and bands will ride again as a source of pent-up collective creativity. For me bands will always be what music is about, so let us end on a note of optimism from Wolf Alice guitarist Joff Oddie. “A good band creates a community,” he says. “They have an ecosystem that, as a fan, you want to be part of. Despite all that’s been said about individualism, there is still a hunger for that collective feeling.” I hope he’s right O
NIGEL WILLIAMSON Band aid
JUNE 2021
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OPINION
Sound investment Is the purchase of recorded music a wise investment? Neville Roberts certainly thinks so and if the current state of affairs is anything to go by, he isn’t alone
uite apart from the pleasure enthusiasts derive from collecting music, purchasing it is proving to be an excellent investment both for the individual and businesses alike. Record collections that were relegated to the loft 20 or 30 years ago are now being brought down and dusted off as the record deck is once again regaining centre stage in an audio system. Added to this is the fact that people are rediscovering the music that they enjoyed decades previously. It’s true that many classic recordings are being reissued on modern media or remastered to make new reissued LPs. Sadly, many of the reissues lack the wow factor of the originals, but that’s another story. More importantly, there seems to be a growing market for the music of popular artists from the last century, just as there is a continuing demand to hear the music of classical composers. The difference is that recording the actual performances has only been possible since last century, and many of these recordings are commanding higher and higher prices. We are now seeing an increasing number of suppliers who have invested in the master tapes of many original recordings. Moscow-based Zavalinka Records recently released a copy-master tape of a Frank Sinatra album with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Open Reel Records of Italy acquired the rights to several recordings of classical works, such as the famous 1961 recording of ProkoÀev’s Cinderella Suite Op.87 played by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Jean Meylan. Moving forward to more modern music, David Bowie was one of the Àrst artists to give people the opportunity to invest in their music and recordings. In the Nineties he invited the public to invest in ‘Bowie Bonds’ – offered an interest rate of 7.9 percent backed by Bowie’s future royalty earnings from material released prior to 1993. The attractiveness of this was not lost on businesses and Prudential Insurance bought the lot for £42,000,000. More recently HFC reported on how Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited has started offering investors the chance to make money from the royalties of songs by famous artists. CEO and founder of Hipgnosis, Merck Mercuriadis has spent about £700,000,000 amassing the rights to more than 13,000 songs. He cites Bon Jovi’s 34-year-old hit Living On A Prayer as an example of the revenue growth of these recordings. Since 2013 – the year after Spotify’s
Q
Rare mono versions of Sgt Pepper are swapping hands for in excess of £5,600
launch in the US – the song’s annual revenues have increased by 153 percent. It certainly appears to be successful. In fact, names like Aviva, Investec and Schroders are to be found on the shareholder register. Mercuriadis has bought 197 back-catalogue Blondie songs and more than 900 Barry Manilow tunes, including his Seventies hits Mandy, I Write The Songs and Could It Be Magic? Mercuriadis also founded an investment adviser organisation called The Family (Music) Limited, which has an board of highly successful music industry experts who have an in-depth knowledge of music publishing. He favours buying older music rather than current chart hits – a third of the songs bought by Hipgnosis are more than 10 years old, 59 percent are three to 10 years old and less than 10 percent are recent releases.
A third of the songs bought by Hipgnosis are more than 10 years old
For the record For those of us who don’t have millions of pounds to spend on music, there are online databases of physical audio recordings that are for sale you can search through. What is of particular interest is to see how the prices of some have soared over the years. For example, a rare French limited edition version of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon on clear vinyl is currently being advertised for £3,500. A rare mono LP of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Parlophone label in ‘very good’ condition has a price tag in excess of £5,600. It makes me wish I’d bought copies a few years ago when they were a fraction of the price. Oh, for a crystal ball. Clearly, investing in music can be proÀtable. Not only do you have reasonable security that your money is relatively safe, you can also enjoy listening to your investment O
NEVILLE ROBERTS A wise investment
JUNE 2021
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INSIDER FEATURE NFTS
A TOKEN GESTURE? To NFT or to not NFT? That is the question. So is it an art form? Is it a platform? No, it’s a non-fungible token and some are claiming it’s the future of music. Nigel Williams brains it all out ntil a couple of months ago, most of us thought NFT stood for the National Film Theatre on London’s South Bank. Yet suddenly the initials have taken on an entirely new meaning and non-fungible tokens are everywhere. DeÀning exactly what they are requires something of a paradigm shift in conventional thinking as they have no tangible form. Rather, they represent unique digital assets which can be ‘minted’ and traded via specialist marketplaces with names like OpenSea, Rarible and Nifty Gateway in exchange for the cryptocurrency Ethereum and are then stored on a digital ledger called a ‘blockchain’. NFTs can represent digital Àles such as artwork, videos, music or a combination of all three. Although they can be bought and sold, access to copies of the original digital Àle is not restricted to the owner of the token. But although the Àles are inÀnitely reproducible, the NFTs representing the original Àles are tracked on the blockchain, which provides the buyers with veriÀable proof of ownership. First onto the blockchain were visual artists. Mike Winkelmann, who works professionally under the name Beeple, used to sell prints of Picture credits: LuckyStep/Shutterstock.com(graphics), Eli Russell Linnetz (Grimes)
U
Claire Elise Boucher (Grimes) and one of her NFT artworks
his artworks for $100. Yet in March 2021 an NFT of his work Everydays – The First 5000 Days sold for $69 million, positioning him, “among the top-three most valuable living artists,” according to Christie’s. The image is available all over the internet, in the same way that a cheap Ikea print of Van Gogh’s SunÁowers hangs on a million living room walls. But just as the price of an original Van Gogh continues to inÁate in the world’s
Blockchain Ethereum allegedly has a greater energy consumption than Argentina auction houses, the owner of the NFT who paid $69 million for a Beeple ‘original’ is hoping its value will continue to rise. Others making serious amounts of money from visual or video art NFTs include US producer 3LAU, who sold a collection of his work for $11.6 million and the musician/artist Grimes, whose partner Elon Musk vies with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for the title of the
wealthiest person on the planet. She sold a set of her artworks as NFTs with snippets of music attached for $5.8 million.
Gunning for gold
So far, so crazy, you may say. But if we can just about see how NFTs work in the realm of visual art, what’s it got to do with music? As royalties from streaming platforms are so meagre, bands and artists searching for alternative sources of income have spotted an opportunity as cryptocurrencies have gone mainstream and NFTs have become the new 21st-century gold rush. Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda became the Àrst major artist to launch a single via NFT. Ten animated pieces of artwork, accompanied by a 75-second clip of the song, sold for between a few hundred and several thousand dollars each at auction. Kings Of Leon followed when the band’s When You See Yourself became the Àrst major rock album to be released as an NFT. For $50 fans bought a token on the blockchain from which they could download the album and access exclusive artwork. After the initial auction, no more NFTs of the album will be made, creating a scarcity value and a sense of exclusivity among fans who bought into the scheme, even though the same music can be streamed for free and purchased cheaply on CD or vinyl. The band eventually grossed around $2 million from selling NFTs. The Weeknd generated $2.2 million by selling digital artworks with a new track, which will not be released anywhere else. Others who have sold music NFTs include Aphex Twin and Gorillaz. But why would anyone shell out large sums for a digital piece of music they can stream elsewhere for free? Logic says that the idea of digital music as a speculative investment is totally JUNE 2021
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INSIDER FEATURE NFTS
Beeple’s Everydays – The First 5000 Days, a snip at $69 million
Gorillaz have received criticsim for NFT’s environmental impact
counter intuitive. However, the theory is that for the superfan, buying an NFT is a VIP experience which confers ownership of a limited edition with its own value, particularly to other superfans. Like a rare vinyl album, the NFT can be sold to another collector for whatever they’re prepared to pay for it. It’s the digital answer to collectables.
Taking a cut
The attraction for artists is obvious, too. Unlike the slow trickle of revenue from streaming platforms, the money goes directly to them. Furthermore, NFTs can come with smart contracts that mean the artist gets a cut whenever an NFT is sold on to another collector. Unlike trading rare vinyl records, the change of ownership of an NFT is recorded on thousands of computers via the blockchain, generating the artist an additional royalty. One of the biggest enthusiasts for NFTs is Calvin Harris, who recently collaborated with the music video director Emil Nava on a collection of NFT artworks called TechnoÀsh, which were auctioned online. “I thought: ‘Wow, this is a whole new tool for creativity that isn’t policed by radio or streaming, or someone from the label,’” Harris told Billboard. “It’s a whole new avenue that you can just put out whatever you want, and
that’s how music should be, but it isn’t. We need everyone to do this. I think it can completely revolutionise the music industry.” If the attractions to both artist and consumer of NFTs as: “a means of making music worth something again” are evident, there are problems, too. The Àrst is that if the cryptocurrency frenzy turns out to be a bubble that bursts, then the
Why would anyone shell out large sums for digital music they can stream elsewhere for free? value of NFTs will plummet and the expensively sold virtual pieces of digital content will end up being as worthless as a free stream on Spotify. David Gerard, author of Attack Of The 50-Foot Blockchain, sees NFTs as: “a new form of worthless magic bean.” Former Christie’s auctioneer Charles Allsopp is another who believes the concept makes no sense. “The idea of buying something which isn’t there is just strange. People who invest in it are slight mugs,” he told the BBC after Christie’s had sold the Beeple NFT for $69 million.
Kings Of Leon and Calvin Harris have made huge profits from NFTs
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Another issue is that many cryptocurrencies use so much computing power that the impact on climate change and the environment could be hugely negative. Ethereum allegedly has a greater annual energy consumption than Argentina and as more NFTs proliferate on its blockchain that consumption will only increase. According to one report, ten seconds trading NFTs on the cryptocurrency website Nifty Gateway used up 8.7 megawatts of energy – broadly similar to how much electricity one household uses in a year. Nils Frahm reckons NFTs are: “the most disgusting thing on the planet” and Damon Albarn and Gorillaz have come in for criticism after launching an NFT to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their debut album. One fan launched a petition for Gorillaz to abandon selling NFTs, claiming the practice Áew in the face of the environmental concerns Albarn had explored on the group’s album Plastic Beach. Ultimately, the future of NFTs is likely to rest on the whims of the Ànancial markets rather than the ingenuity of the artists looking to utilise them. Ben Horowitz, a venture capitalist with a stake in NFT marketplaces, told The New York Times those investing in NTFs were: “buying a feeling.” Despite the enthusiasm of people like Calvin Harris, the idea that a digital token is valuable but the inÀnitely replicable artwork itself is not seems to have more to do with commerce than with music. The Àrst iteration of the digital revolution which brought us streaming beneÀtted consumers rather than artists. Perhaps NFTs might restore to musicians the economic clout that free streaming by and large took away. But don’t go betting $69 million dollars on it O
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Picture credit: Zackery Michael
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St Vincent Daddy’s Home CD Loma Vista
ST VINCENT’S FATHER was recently released from prison after serving nine years for his part in a $43 million corporate tax fraud. While he was away the daughter he knew as Annie Clark grew from an indie cult figure who had begun her musical career in The Polyphonic Spree into a bona fide solo star. Her 2014 album St Vincent won her a Grammy award as Best Alternative Music Album and the title track of 2019’s Masseduction won her another Grammy for Best Rock Song. Along the way she also outgrew her indie-rock origins to become a fully fledged celebrity, working with Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa, dating model Cara Delevingne and appearing in ads for the luxury jewellers Tiffany. Meanwhile back in the jailhouse, her father was following the soaring arc of his daughter’s career via press clippings. In turn, as his release date approached, Clark, who takes her stage name from a Nick Cave song, found herself anticipating their 90
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reunion by writing the songs that would go on to become Daddy’s Home. Unsurprisingly there are some fascinating psychological undercurrents going on in these songs. “Hell, where can you run when the outlaw’s inside you?” she sings at one point. But along with the family psychodrama, what’s equally interesting is that, consciously or not, the circumstances surrounding the recording of her sixth solo album led her back to her father’s collection of Seventies vinyl, which formed the soundtrack of her childhood. We’re talking Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell in her jazz phase, and as a set of influences they’re about as rich as any you could mine. There’s even an electric sitar on one track. Co-produced by Jack Antonoff, the result is a collection that is soulful and tender and yet at the same time full of unexpected twists and turns.
At 38 Clark is no longer Daddy’s little girl, but a mature woman singing through hard-earned experience about: “flawed people just doing our best to get by”. The lyrics of the title track find her signing autographs for her father’s fellow prisoners in the visiting room and singing: “Yeah, you did some time, well I did some time, too” over some off-kilter syncopation reminiscent of Steely Dan’s Haitian Divorce. Pay Your Way In Pain is a sweat-soaked dose of funk with a touch of Young Americans-era Bowie and a hint of Kate Bush in the vocals. There are louche ballads (Live In The Dream and Candy Darling) and twisted love songs with synth strings and weeping steel guitars (Somebody Like Me). The raw confessional of the throbbing My Baby Wants A Baby is positively cathartic and At The Holiday Party sounds like Joni Mitchell fronting the Pointer Sisters. Quite some homecoming. NW
MUSICREVIEWS
Bartók
P!OFF?
The Miraculous Mandarin; Suite No 2; Hungarian Peasant Songs Thomas Dausgaard
P!OFF?
CD
Onyx
HUNGARIAN COMPOSER BÉLA Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin is a big, bad and ballsy score that certainly packs one hell of a punch. Play it loud, but first make sure the neighbours are out! Dausgaard doesn’t hold back, yet despite savage onslaughts, the playing of the BBC Scottish Symphony is surprisingly subtle and refined. The fillers are both fairly uncommon works and well worth hearing – each exuding a distinctly Hungarian folk-flavour. The recording is suitably strong and (at times) very powerful, but always clean and well balanced, with excellent clarity and some nice, deep, floor-shaking bass. JH
Rag 'n' Bone Man
CD
Columbia
Sung with a conviction that marks him out as the closest the UK has to a British Springsteen Apple), from the gentle acoustic guitar ballads Fireflies and Breath In Me to full-on stadium rockers such as Crossfire and All You Ever Wanted via the yearning duet with Pink on Anywhere Away From Here, this is an outstanding set of songs from the heartland sung with a conviction that marks out Rag‘n’Bone Man as the closest the UK has to a British Bruce Springsteen. NW
JUNE 2021
THIS IS A pleasant oddity. Don’t be put off by the German lyrics with titles like Mein Walkman Ist Kaput and In Der Nacht as you’ll very quickly get the gist of this Eighties reissue. It’s a product of its time with a similar sonic range as early Tears For Fears or Blancmange, combining with a vaguely metallic mélange of electronic drums and moody keyboards. It has undoubtedly stood the test of time and those in the know will love the retro feel and the ironic Teutonic vibe. So dust down your lederhosen and sing along heartily to the joyous Was Ist Das? – an apt response to this winningly bonkers album. PSH
Symphonies 2 and 4 Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Paavo Järvi
RORY CHARLES GRAHAM started out as a rapper, yet as we discovered from his multi-platinum 2017 debut Human the 30-something from a quiet Sussex market town has developed into a melodic singer-songwriter with a soulful voice and a penchant for big, belting pop choruses, like a ballsier Ed Sheeran. Four years on, his belated follow-up is an even more impressive record than its chart-topping predecessor. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Mike Elizondo (Eminem, 50 Cent, Fiona
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Bureau B
Tchaikovsky
Life By Misadventure
CD
CD
The orchestra loses itself as though discovering this piece for the very first time
Alpha
ESTONIAN-AMERICAN CONDUCTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE Paavo Järvi delivers a bracing freshness and individuality to both scores here. Tempi are keen and the orchestral playing bristles with expectancy and excitement. It’s as though everyone in the orchestra is discovering this music for the very first time – and losing themselves in its Slavic brilliance. How rare to hear Tchaikovsky played with such fire and enthusiasm! Alpha’s recording sounds smooth and natural, lively and detailed, with impressive impact and dynamics. There’s space around the orchestra, but the balance is not too distant. A wonderfully inspiring release – more please! JH
AUDIOFILE VINYL Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra Promises 180g vinyl
SAM ‘FLOATING POINTS’ Shepherd is best known for a sophisticated take on electronica, 2019’s Crush uses strings, synths and beats but doesn’t hint at the soul and drama that’s brought to Promises. Legendary tenor player Pharoah Sanders delivers an intimacy and feeling to this release while the LSO give it emotional impact on a scale that’s rare. The album is made up of nine movements segued together to form a 40-minute plus journey that goes from the sublime to the momentous. Continuity is
Luaka Bop
provided by an arpeggio that Shepherd created on an old, creaky harpsichord overlaid with piano and celeste, this gives it a tonal depth you can’t achieve with synths alone. There are plenty of those, though, and they are often very beautiful, as are the sparkling droplets from vibraphone. Masterpiece is an frequently over used term, but here it seems appropriate. Few musicians of Shepherd’s peers have delivered a work that’s this powerful and affecting. The sound on vinyl is full scale and overflowing with texture and fine detail, making the download sound like a simplified version. The latter is good, but if you want the full effect and the lovely artwork the black stuff is where it’s at. JK
MUSICREVIEWS
Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys T
COOL COLLECTION
T Transit Tapes (For Women Who Move W Furniture Around)
CD
With a fourth LP rumoured to be in the works for release at some point within the next 12 months, what better time to discover a trio of albums which have provided inspiration for our gazillion-selling singer-songwriter, the one and only Adele Adkins...
Unique Records
MUCH AS LUCY Kruger & The Lost Boys sounds like a teenage mystery TV series from the Eighties, the band is in fact headed by South African, Berlin-based singer-songwriter. Kruger. However, her deep, ethereal vocals sound more like a mixture of Nico with Florence Welch and Nick Drake. The 12 songs here are pared back and stripped to the bone, with Kruger’s voice very much front and centre in sparse mixes. Transit Tapes has a pleasing slowburn quality about it, with folk (of the dark, introspective kind) and indie rock sometimes shimmering beautifully in the background. PH
Igor Stravinsky Pétrouchka Le Sacre Du Printemps The Cleveland Orchestra Pierre Boulez Deutsche Grammophon
FINALLY GIVEN THE vinyl release it so richly deserves, Boulez’s crisp lucid performances are the epitome of cool controlled precision and the Cleveland Orchestra plays with an exactitude that few rival outfits could hope to match. Each work is on its own LP, and Deutsche Grammophon’s 1992 digital recording sounds natural and well balanced with plenty of space and impact, plus a wide dynamic range. Pétrouchka has been cut at 33rpm, while the Rite has been cut at 45rpm for extra clout and cleaner side-ends. DG’s lacquer-mastered 180g pressings are clean and quiet and reproduce smoothly and easily. Superb! JH
Pierre Boulez's performances are the epitome of cool and controlled precision
Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell
Yusef Lateef Eastern Sounds
Burn
CD
Atlantic Curve
IN THE EIGHTIES Dead Can Dance produced some beguiling, thoughtful and powerful music that often went against the grain of indie music of the time. Ambient soundscapes, drum machines and chanting all made for a heady, intoxicating brew. Now former members Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell join forces with James Chapman (MAPS) to create something that again defies convention. Throughout its seven compositions, there’s choral, synths, Vangelis vibes and chants… it’s difficult to put your finger on. Beautiful, powerful and epic in its scope, Burn won’t be for everyone, but makes for a deep, powerful listening experience. PH
Vinyl boxset
Craft Recordings
CRAFT’S STUNNING SMALL Batch series returns and, limited to 1,000 numbered boxsets, is well worth hunting down. This time around Lateef’s seminal Eastern Sounds gets the spit and polish treatment from mastering maestro and Grammy Award winner Bernie Grundman. The result is about as perfect a realisation of Lateef’s 1961 recording as you’re likely to find short of stumbling upon the original stereo tapes from which this is mastered. Though some of the mix of hard-bop and oriental elements might sound matter of fact to modern ears, there’s no denying the beauty of this impeccable pressing. JDW
A Alabama Shakes Sound & Color S R Rough Trade (2015) The band’s second and final T aalbum was a chart-topper aand won four Grammys. ““I’m obsessed with Britanny Howard,” gushes Adele. H ““There’s something about Brittany that puts fire in my soul. She reminds me of Etta James, Ann Peebles – she’s so f**ing full of soul... [In] Don’t Wanna Fight Brittany comes in with a scream: ‘YOOOOOOOOW!’ I’d love to experiment more with my own voice like that. She’s exceptional, she blows my mind.”
Karen Dalton In My Own Time P Paramount (1971) Dalton was a stunning folk D ssinger, guitarist and banjo player who received very p llittle attention during her brief career, but is now b rrevered as a patron saint of Americana. Adele purrs: “There’s not a lot of her music out there, she died quite young. But her voice! Something haunting there, even eerie. The tone is amazing – it reminded me a lot of Amy Winehouse. They both have almost a slur in their voice, which is so charismatic.”
Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago J Jagjaguwar (2007) The debut long-player from T JJustin Vernon was recorded while he spent three w months recovering from m various illnesses isolated in v a cabin in western Wisconsin. One critic calling it: “the sound of a man left alone with his memories and a guitar,” to which Adele emotes: “This is thinking music. It makes you want to cry and sit on the end of the bed and ponder stuff. He makes me admit things to myself that I usually wouldn’t.”
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Picture credits: Fiona Garden (Rag ‘n’ Bone Man) and Lucy Hazard (Lucy Kruger)
2x vinyl
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MUSICREVIEWS
STREAMING CHARTS
Billy F Gibbons Hardware
Mahler Symphony No 10 Minnestota Orchestra Osmo Vänskä
qobuz.com’s top-10 most popular albums
CD
3
Fleetwood Mac Rumours
THE ZZ TOP frontman’s third solo offering sees splashy symbols and squealing guitars regaling the ears from the off on My Lucky Card as Gibbons’ rasping voice perfectly reflects the arid California desert the album was recorded in. Many of the songs catch on the first listen, no more so than More More More. Vagabond Man takes things down a notch with a more low-key bluesy reflection over a life of misbehaviour while Desert High closes the album with a Tom Waites-esque spoken vocal that gives way to a crescendo of searing guitars. It’s a classic American rock album from a classic American rocker. PSH
SACD
BIS
OSMO VÄNSKÄ SHOWS an impressive grasp of Mahler 10’s poignant narrative. The outer movements unfold spaciously, shifting between tormented bitter-sweet angst and a rapt zen-like stasis and calm. The terse inner movements are imaginatively shaped, with crisp snappy rhythmicpointing and sharp angular dynamics. BIS’ SACD recording is effortlessly clear, focused and natural, with a wide dynamic range and plenty of space and depth around the individual instruments. Climaxes expand without strain and the sonic picture always remains focused. Arguably, the finest Mahler 10 currently available. JH
Nina Simone
4
The Montreux Years T
Jean-Michel Jarre Amazônia
2x vinyl
BMG DRAWS DEEP from the Swiss jazz festival well to bring a series of live albums, kicking off with Ms Simone and the wondrous Etta James. The double-disc editions see Tony Cousins incorporating MQA as he re-masters the hell out of Nina so that if you close your eyes you’ll be forgiven for thinking she’s belting out My Baby Just Cares For Me smack bang in the middle of your listening room. With simple sparse accompaniment, this gives a tantalising idea of what it would have been like to see the high priestess of soul in her pomp. JDW
Radiohead Augustin Hadelich 5 OK Computer 6 Bach: Sonatas OKNOTOK 1997 2017 & Partitas
Lana Del Rey Eagles 7 Chemtrails Over 8 Hotel California The Country Club (40th Anniversary Expanded Edition) CD
Alela Diane 9 Live At The Map Room
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Buckley 10Jeff Grace
BMG
Ottorino Respighi
Can
Concerto All’antica; Ancient Airs and Dances Davide Alogna Chamber Orchestra of New York
Live in Stuttgart 1975
Naxos
OTTORINO RESPIGHI’S CONCERTO All’antica is an attractive lyrical violin concerto that makes a very favourable impression. It’s beautifully played by Davide Alogna and nicely recorded. But most buyers will choose this disc for the Ancient Airs and Dances, and this receives a buoyant lively performance full of good humour. Tempi are on the fast side and the orchestral playing is excellent. Naxos’ recording sounds tonally sweet, full-bodied and clean. It’s unobtrusively excellent and beautifully clear, with smooth limpid strings – all of which are so important at the end of Suite 3. JH
CD
Mute/Spoon Records
NEW OLD MUSIC from German avant rockers Can is always cause for celebration, so hang out the bunting for the first in a series of live albums which turn bootlegged base metal into official HQ audio gold. Strap yourself in for 90 vibe-heavy minutes of propulsive Landed-era instrumentals, taking in mutant funk, experimental freak-out, repeato-rock and ambient bliss. Often within the same track. The keen-eared will detect traces of Can classics in the five cuts here, but they’re leaves blown about in a psychedelic storm created by musical magicians at their group-mind best. SB
Picture credit: Georges Braunschweig
Mac London 1Fleetwood Live (Deluxe Edition) 2Grammar Californian Soil
Concord Records
MUSICREVIEWS
Mykki Blanco
Handel Messiah Gabrielli Consort and Players Paul McCreesh
Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep
CD
IT’S BEEN FIVE years since gender-hopping rapper, performance artist and poet Blanco made an album, so it’s a welcome return to the fray – and not a moment too soon. Blanco, as ever, has a lot to say, but it’s all encapsulated in fun, soulful, eminently danceable and easily digestible coatings. She ropes in the likes of Kari Faux, Blood Orange, Jamila Woods and Bruno Ribeiro across the nine tracks, and by the end you feel like you’ve been on a journey – there’s a real sense of the theatrical and show(wo)manship here, with exciting creativity bursting from each song. PSH
2x CD and Blu-ray
ORIGINALLY RELEASED BACK in 1997, Archiv’s Messiah For The Millennium is here reissued on a single Blu-ray Audio disc containing hi-res stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos mixes, plus two CDs. The performance is fast lively and joyful, with good singing and playing. Recorded in the spacious acoustic of All Saints, Tooting, the sound is airy, open and highly detailed. The Blu-ray disc sounds tonally sweeter and offers better low-level detail over the CDs, but they sound good too – just a touch drier and more forward. More Blu-ray Audio releases please Universal! JH
Complete Tone Poems SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg François-Xavier Roth
5x CDs
Robert Ames A Change Ringing C
SWR Classic
CD
RECORDED BETWEEN 2012 and 2016, François-Xavier Roth’s complete Strauss tone poems were first issued separately on five discs at full price and are now available as a budget-price boxed set. The SWR orchestra produces a rich burnished sound and the playing is technically first rate. Roth’s keen feisty direction is full of interesting insights, and there are many inspirational moments with never a hint of routine. The recordings are magnificently full and detailed, allowing the big moments
Balances are natural and clarity is excellent without any obvious mic spotlighting to expand impressively – just listen to that awesomely weighty midnight bell in Zarathustra. Balances are natural, and clarity is excellent without obvious microphone spotlighting. With purposeful idiomatic playing and great recorded sound, this has to be the best complete set of Strauss tone poems currently available. At the low asking price, it’s a steal. JH
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DG Archiv
Modern
AS CO-FOUNDER OF The London Contemporary Orchestra, Ames now turns composer. These pieces float in constant flux without beginning or end to form an infinite landscape somewhere between the kosmische of Tangerine Dream and the minimalism of Philip Glass. Combining electronica and Western classical tradition, multiple layers of Ames’ violin and viola are slowed down, treated and re-recorded to create the effect of a full orchestra. The absence of tempos and time signatures gives the music an immersive sense of timelessness. NW
Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, Steve Swallow
Haydn String Quartets Op 76 The London Haydn Quartet
Life Goes On
CD
ECM
PIANIST CARLA BLEY has been playing with bass player Steve Swallow since 1961, so it’s no wonder that they have a repartee that’s so nuanced. In comparison, tenor player Sheppard has only been in the band for a measly quarter century, but he’s got the hang of proceedings and slotted right in. This trio of suites is superbly recorded and eloquently played, the bass is so tactile it could be in the room and the piano has real body and depth. The opener draws you in, while the rest of the album expands your mind with interplay that’s next level in all respects. JK
2x CDs
Hyperion
WITH THIS NEW release, the LHQ’s complete Haydn quartets series is nearly complete. Well played, bracing and without tricks (despite a daringly slow Op 76/II first movement) the performances epitomise today’s historically aware approach. Despite four changes in personnel since the series started in 2007, the LHQ’s ‘house style’ – lean, crisp and vibrato-less, yet expressive and intelligent – has remained consistent. The recordings sound lucid and natural with excellent clarity. Be warned: you’ll definitely want to get the other eight discs in the series once you have heard this one. JH
Picture credit: Holger Talinski (Franz Xavier Roth)
Richard Strauss
Transgressive
MUSIC LEGENDS KANYE WEST
TOUCH
the sky
Nigel Williamson forgets the ego for a moment as he pays homage to the man responsible for changing hip-hop. All hail Yeezy himself, Kanye West
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MUSIC LEGENDS KANYE WEST
n a world that is characterised by ego, narcissism, grandstanding and self-aggrandisement, somehow Kanye West’s megalomania still manages to stand in a class of its own. When he headlined the Glastonbury Festival in 2015, Kanye modestly told the crowd he was: “the greatest living rock star on the planet”. Five years later when he announced his intention to run for the White House, he had set his sights even higher. “I’m here to express why God has chosen me to take this position,” he said. That he was: “undoubtedly the greatest human artist of all time”, he added, “is not even a question at this point. It’s just a fact.” Think Muhammad Ali crossed with Bono and you’re still only half way there. He once posed for the cover of Rolling Stone as Christ, the ultimate manifestation of John Lennon’s infamous remark about pop stars being more popular than Jesus. There was even a song titled I Am A God on his 2013 album Yeezus. There are plenty who will readily agree that West is indeed the messiah of 21st-century music. His work has received canonisation from critics in a manner previously unknown to rap artists. The New York Times hailed his music as: “majestic and thought-provoking and grand-scaled”. In The Atlantic – normally a venerable and sober-sided journal noted for its intellectual rigour – the writer David Samuels declared West to be: “America’s Mozart”. If that was a little over the top, few would deny that West has taken hip-hop – a genre once widely regarded by rock fans as disposable – and turned it into high art, just as Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye did with soul music in the Seventies. West’s braggadocio is backed up by some impressive stats. To date he’s sold more than 30 million albums and 150 million singles and won a total of 22 Grammy Awards. His last nine albums have debuted at number one in the American charts and six of them were included in Rolling Stone’s 2020 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Picture credit: Carl Bjorklund/Shutterstock.com
I
ALBUM BY ALBUM
2004
THE COLLEGE DROPOUT The startling debut with its speeded-up, pitch-shifted ‘chipmunk soul’ samples. Eschewing the traditional hip-hop obsessions with ‘guns and hos’ in favour of lyrics about family, religion, social injustice and inner struggles. West carried it all off with a wit and flair.
Not everyone is quite so convinced of his greatness. Barack Obama called West a: “jackass” and when he was announced as a Glastonbury headliner six years ago,135,000 British music fans signed a petition calling for him to be removed from the bill, echoing the words of Liam Gallagher who denounced West’s music as: “utter sh*t”. It would also be fair to say that West’s erratic behaviour and provocative pronouncements have both given fuel to his enemies and detractors while testing the patience of his more loyal fans and supporters. He claimed that the US government had deliberately spread AIDS and lambasted George Bush for: “not caring about black people” over Hurricane Katrina. He called slavery a: “choice” and wore a red ‘MAGA’ hat, championing Donald Trump as his “brother” with whom he shared a “dragon energy”.
West’s artful eclecticism demands a paradigm shift in precisely how hip-hop is perceived Then he decided he’d make a better POTUS than Trump and announced that he had a: “calling to be the leader of the free world”. He’s attacked Covid vaccination as: “the mark of the beast”, cited a conspiracy: “to put chips inside of us” and claimed that Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Prince were all murdered. He’s dissed his fellow artists from Beck to Taylor Swift and staged one-man protests at award ceremonies when he hasn’t won. When he became ‘born again’ and made the 2019 album Jesus Is King, he established: “lifestyle guidelines” for everyone working on the project, demanding that they fast and abstain from having sex. And let’s not even get drawn into the celebrity blizzard of Kim Kardashian and the soap opera of their marriage and subsequent divorce. The bizarre behaviour has at times seemed in danger of eclipsing West’s art. Yet from Brian Wilson to Wacko Jacko, being batsh*t crazy
2005
LATE REGISTRATION Lush and ornamental cinematic hip-hop soul with an orchestra and production assistance from film composer Jon Brion. Exquisitely detailed, classy samples included the likes of Ray Charles, Etta James, Curtis Mayfield and Otis Redding.
has often marched in lockstep with genius and if we set aside the relentless bragging and the deranged comments, there’s no denying the immensity of West’s musical achievement. When West started as a producer of other artists, rap had just overtaken country music for the Àrst time as the biggest-selling genre in America. But it was West who forced the gates of hip-hop wide open and went on to fully integrate the genre into the pop and rock mainstream. “I’m the number one living and breathing rock star. I am Axl Rose; I am Jim Morrison; I am Jimi Hendrix,” he said. What was revealing is that he did not declare himself to be Grandmaster Flash, Easy-E or Dr Dre.
Flashing lights
West has borrowed or sampled from German kosmische pioneers Can, the art-pop of Steely Dan, the prog of King Crimson and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and the electronica of Daft Punk alongside the soul and R&B of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Curtis MayÀeld. His collaborators have included Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Sir Elton John and indie-folk maven Bon Iver as well as rappers such as Nas, Snoop Dog, Ghostface Killer and Jay-Z. In short he’s trampled the rock/rap divide and ripped up faux notions of what is ephemeral and what is ‘authentic’ to make hip-hop respectable for hipsters. He’s created a new musical universe in which albums such as 808s & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy can sit comfortably in your record collection alongside Bowie’s Low and Radiohead’s Kid A. Along with the hip-hop beats and rap tropes, a Kanye West album can include long instrumental passages, expressive solos, unusual song structures, techy innovations and epic arrangements with choirs and orchestras. You might even call it prog-rap. In fusing hip-hop with prog, art-pop, electronica, soul ballads, gospel fervour and orchestral music, West has changed the image of hip-hop, replacing the misogynistic, homophobic and violent face of gangsta rap with an audacious synthesis of 21st-century
2006
LATE ORCHESTRATION In the autumn of 2005 West travelled to London to record a live album at Abbey Road before 300 invited guests. Backed by a 17 piece all-female string orchestra, the material was drawn from his first two studio albums and represents a unique marriage of hip-hop and neo-classicism.
2007
GRADUATION The final part of the ‘college trilogy’ sees anthemic stadium rock meeting hip-hop. Moving away from sampling and adding synths and electronica to the beats, highlights include the graceful Flashing Lights and the hard-hitting Can’t Tell Me Nothing.
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MUSIC LEGENDS KANYE WEST
Graduation
Kanye Omari West was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on 8 June, 1977 and his upwardly mobile middle-class parents were hardly straight outta Compton. His father, Ray, was a photo-journalist for the Atlanta Journal who in the Sixties had been a political activist in the Black Panthers. His mother Donda was a teacher who became a professor of English at Chicago State University. His parents divorced when he was three and he was raised during term-time by his mother in Chicago. Summers were spent in the Deep South with his father. At the age of 10 he spent a year living in China, where his mother was teaching as part of a university exchange programme. Back in Chicago he wrote his Àrst rap song at the age of 13 and his mother paid for him to record it. By his mid-teens he had become the protégé of the DJ/ producer No ID, who taught him how to sample and programme beats. He scored As and Bs on his school reports, won a scholarship to Chicago’s American Academy of Art and then transferred to Chicago State University to read English, before dropping out to pursue music as a full-time career – an act that would inform the title of his
2008
808S & HEARTBREAK Another dramatic change in direction with West stripped-down and vulnerable on confessional lyrics inspired by the breakup with his fiancé and the death of his mother. Singing about love and loss over minimalist electro backing, he called it: “the first black new wave album”.
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Àrst solo album several years later. Developing a signature style featuring speeded-up samples, which was dubbed ‘chipmunk soul’, West cut his teeth producing local Chicago rappers before he moved to New York and got his big break producing tracks on Jay-Z’s albums Dynasty: Roc La Familia and The Blueprint. Soon he was producing Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Ludacris and working with Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and Beyoncé. But West wanted to be the headline act himself. Signed to Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records as a producer, he pleaded to be allowed to record his own album. However, his bourgeois college background counted against him and the label refused. “We all grew up street guys who had to do whatever we had to do to get by. Then there’s Kanye, who to my knowledge has never hustled a day in his life,” Jay-Z said. “I didn’t see how it could work.” There the matter might have ended, but for a near-fatal accident. Driving home from a recording session in 2002, West was involved in a head-on car collision. With his shattered jaw wired shut following surgery, he wrote and recorded a song about the experience, Through The Wire. While still recuperating he then wrote the rest of what was to become his debut album. Titled The College Dropout, the album was released in
2010
MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY A prog-rap masterpiece, full of long instrumental passages, solos, inventive song structures, techy innovations and epic arrangements with orchestras, choirs and Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Bon Iver, John Legend and Sir Elton John.
2004. Turning his back on the standard posturing of gangsta rap, it made him a star. “They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus/That means guns, sex, lies, videotapes/But if I talk about God, my record won’t get played,” he sang on one track titled Jesus Walks, which earned a Grammy nomination as Best Rap Song.
The college dropout
He followed with 2005’s Late Registration. Two years later came Graduation. Although each of the three albums was radically different, they came to be known as the ‘college trilogy’. While The College Dropout was heavy on pitch-shifted vocal samples from classic R&B records (the so-called ‘chipmunk soul’ style), Late Registration was a grandiose and lush affair that cost $2 million to record and featured a symphony orchestra. West explained he wanted to: “see how far” he
He’s replaced misogyny and homophobia with an audacious synthesis of 21st-century music could expand the horizons of black music and was dubbed: “the Brian Wilson of hip hop”. Graduation was another quantum leap, inÁuenced by electronic music and stadium rock after West had spent 2006 touring the world as support to U2 and the Rolling Stones. Released on the same day as 50 Cent’s album Curtis, much was made of the stylistic battle between West’s preppy ‘bourgeois rap’ and 50 Cent’s ghetto-schooled rhymes. Graduation beat Curtis to number one, sold more than Àve million copies and gangsta rap’s days as hip-hop’s dominant sub-genre were over. His victory was cemented with 2008’s 808s & Heartbreak on which West moved even further away from hip-hop convention in favour of a heavily electronic sound and vocals sung through Auto-Tune with confessional lyrics about love and loss, inspired by the breakup with his Àancé and
2011
WATCH THE THRONE A hip-hop summit meeting between West and Jay-Z on a set initially intended to be a five-track EP that evolved into an album. Full of cocksure boasting and gloating, the self-regard is tempered by plenty of wit and the boldness of West’s production.
2013
YEEZUS And now for something completely different… as we had come to expect by the time of West’s sixth expansive studio album. An eccentric, audacious and intoxicating juxtaposition of avant-garde, industrial and techno innovations with hip-hop romanticism.
Picture credit: Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com
music that transcends race, class and genre and refuses to Àt any one particular mould. It’s not that West has consciously gentriÀed black music. Rather he has set about challenging his audience with an artful eclecticism which demands a paradigm shift in how hip-hop is perceived. As Rolling Stone perceptively put it, he: “doesn’t just set out to create pop music – he wants to be pop music.”
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MUSIC LEGENDS KANYE WEST
debuting at number one on both sides of the Atlantic and topping charts around the world. Yet it was becoming increasingly obvious that all was not well in West’s world as three years elapsed before his next album. Announced for release under at least three different titles over a two-year period, it eventually appeared as Life Of Pablo in 2016. Even after the album’s ofÀcial release on the streaming platform Tidal – which West jointly owned – he continued to rework the tracks, declaring that an album was: “a living breathing, changing creative expression” that should never be set in stone. Shortly after its release he had some sort of breakdown, cancelled a tour and was hospitalised for a psychiatric disorder. He later revealed that he had been diagnosed as bipolar.
He’s sold more than 30 million albums and 150 million singles and won 22 Grammy Awards
Picture credit: Ovidu Hrubaru/Shutterstock.com
The soap opera marriage with Kim Kardashian elevated Kanye’s celebrity standing
the death of his mother. West called it: “the Àrst black new wave album.” The backlash following a damaging controversy at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards when West crashed the stage and grabbed the microphone from Taylor Swift leaving her in tears after her video and not his won the award led to the cancellation of a tour with Lady Gaga. Yet there was no stopping his vaulting ambition in the studio. He retreated into exile in Hawaii, where he wrote and recorded 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, on which his synthesis of different styles reached new heights of sonic luxury. It was ‘prog-rap’ in excelsis. NME even called it a “rap opera”.
2016
THE LIFE OF PABLO A little unfocussed, but there are some dazzlingly brilliant moments, from the emotional trauma of FML and the tension of Real Friends to the inspired sampling of Nina Simone on Famous and Johnny Guitar Watson on No More Parties In LA.
On 2013’s Yeezus, West attempted another reinvention with perhaps his most experimental and sonically abrasive work. It found him a new celebrity champion in Lou Reed who reviewed the album shortly before his death and concluded: “He’s really trying to raise the bar. No one’s near doing what he’s doing, it’s not even on the same planet”.
Gold digger
It later emerged that West had deliberately omitted several tracks from the album on the grounds that they were too commercial. “I’m not here to make easy listening, easily programmable music,” he deÀantly explained. It didn’t prevent Yeezus from
2018
YE More focussed than its predecessor, but for once West seemed to be consolidating rather than pushing forward. Nevertheless, he packs more substance into the meagre 24 minutes and seven tracks than most hip-hop artists manage on a double album.
He came back in 2018 with not one but two albums, the solo offering Ye and a collaborative set with fellow MC Kid Cudi, under the group name Kids See Ghosts. He followed with 2019’s Jesus Is King, a gospel hip-hop album that won him a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. It became his ninth consecutive album to debut at number one in the charts. At the time of writing we’re still waiting for West’s new album Donda, named after his late mother. The record was announced in July 2020, but has been delayed, presumably by a combination of lockdown, divorce and the perfectionism that keeps him holed up in the studio for months on end while he endlessly tweaks and tinkers. Whatever his new music sounds like, knowing West the only certainty is that when it is eventually released it is to bound to be surprising, audacious – and will surely divide opinion as hip-hop’s greatest post-modernist has been doing for almost 20 years O
2018
KIDS SEE GHOSTS After numerous collaborations with other artists, West hooks up with Kid Cudi to record a full-length ‘group’ album, crafting a psychedelicised brand of hip-hop full of blistering electronics, rocking crescendos and in places a dreamy spaciousness.
2019
JESUS IS KING West goes gospel and turns hip-hop missionary. Yet titles such as Jesus Is Lord, Follow God and Use This Gospel only tell half the story as the choirs, church organs and soulful ululations are mixed with bravura beats and obscure samples.
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AUDIO SYSTEMS
EXTRAS
Astell&Kern AK USB-C Dual DAC Cable IF YOU’RE LOOKING to use headphones to listen to music on your PC or laptop, bear in mind that the socket only uses the internal sound card and so is unlikely to offer decent quality. The solution is to bypass this by using an external DAC and headphone ampliÀer. If you intend to listen to music on a laptop while out and about, you’ll want a solution that is compact as well. Enter the AK USB-C Dual DAC cable, which is USB-powered and ticks all these boxes. Employing bespoke designed capacitors, the audio circuit has been optimised to suppress power Áuctuations for stable operation under a variety of conditions. There are two Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs, which support up to native DSD256 and 32-bit/384kHz. The output from the DACs feeds an independent analogue amp with a no-load output level of 2V RMS, which is designed to drive a variety of high-impedance headphones. The output is via a 3.5mm stereo socket.
playing much more expressive and emotional. It’s like listening to a completely different recording. Playing a DSD128 Àle of the Allegro from Mozart’s Violin Concerto In D Major is quite a revelation. The sound of the violin has greater reÀnement and the overall performance is far fuller and much more expressive. For a change of genre, I play a 24/192 PCM Àle of Burt Bacharach’s The Look Of Love sung by Dusty
No dice for iOS
The device will work directly from a USB-C connector on an Android smartphone, Windows 10 PC, tablet PC or MacOS computer, but sadly not on iOS-based devices, such as iPhone or iPads. To test the Dual DAC Cable, I connect it the to the USB-C port on my Windows 10 PC and use it to drive a Sennheiser HD 800 dynamic headphone with foobar2000 (HFC 448) handling playback of the audio Àles. I kick off with a 16/192 PCM WAV of a master tape recording from 1960 of Mstislav Rostropovich and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra playing Schumann’s Concerto For Cello And Orchestra. Using the normal PC output the music is pleasant to listen to, but not exceptional and deÀnitely not anywhere near the quality of the original. Switching to the A&K cable the difference is night and day. Suddenly, the soundstage widens, the orchestra is fuller and more dynamic and Rostropovich’s cello
An extraordinary add-on that may well revolutionise on-the-go listening
DETAILS PRICE £109 TELEPHONE 01279 501111 WEBSITE astellkern.co.uk OUR VERDICT
SpringÀeld. From the PC output, SpringÀeld’s vocals seem to merge with the orchestral backing, but swapping to the A&K her voice stands out in front with the orchestra behind. I’m aware of greater clarity in her diction and can hear her breath during the song – something that’s not discernible when listening via the PC sound card. Similarly, a 16/44 PCM Àle of The Velvet Brass playing Charlie Barnet’s Skyliner takes on a whole new dimension. The soundstage
is suddenly signiÀcantly wider and deeper, and there is clearly more air around the individual instruments. The drums also have a noticeably improved top end while the bass kicks are far more evident.
Going live
A recent SACD from Lyn Stanley’s album Live At Studio A highlights how using the USB-C Dual DAC cable gives much greater realism to the sound. The track Pink Cadillac places Stanley’s crystal-clear vocals bang in the centre of the soundstage with the electric guitar close behind her slightly to the left and the piano further back and to the right. As with the Skyliner track, there is deÀnitely more space around the instruments, which also sound far better focused. For an accessory that is hardly bigger than an adapter cable, the A&K USB-C Dual DAC cable is an extraordinary little unit that may well revolutionise music playback on dynamic headphones from your PC. For the price, it represents excellent value for money and it is certainly versatile enough to play many modern audio Àle formats in their native resolution. NR
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EXTRAS
Russ Andrews Spring Clip Adapters ONE OF THE problems associated with some audio ampliÀers, and indeed many home-cinema ampliÀers, is that the speaker connections are spring clip terminals designed to Àt speaker leads that have bare wires. This is especially true of complete system packages that come bundled with speakers. These are often Àtted with an integral lead that has bare wires, meaning that you can’t Àt higher quality speaker cable terminated with banana plugs to either your equipment or speakers. Enter Russ Andrews’ Spring Clip Adapters. Spring clip Àttings limit the size of speaker cable you can use as they are invariably designed for thin twin-wire cable with bare wire terminations. The Spring Clip Adapters provide a simple solution to the problem by converting the terminals to accept a standard 4mm
banana plug. Available in sets of two or four, the adapters are colour-coded in-line banana sockets Àtted with special Kimber cable that employs hyper-pure copper conductors and TeÁon insulation.
Tight fit
When put through their paces with a variety of different ampliÀers, the multi-strand copper wires of the adapter Àt easily into all of the spring clips, which grip very Àrmly and provide a robust Áying socket for then connecting to the banana plugs of my speaker cables. Similarly, the banana sockets, which are clearly good quality, offer a Àrm grip on the banana plugs Àtted to the speaker cables. For loudspeakers that have been Àtted with an integral cable, it is also possible to cut the integral cable off to a short length at the speaker and then solder another set
of adapters to the cable from the speaker, thus enabling the use of a higher quality cable Àtted with banana plugs at each end. These spring clip adaptors from Russ Andrews are extremely well made, great value for money and use high-quality sockets and wire. As such, they provide a perfect solution to the problem of interfacing banana plug cables and spring clip Àttings. NR
DETAILS PRICE £19.50 per pair TELEPHONE 01539 797300 WEBSITE russandrews.com OUR VERDICT
Black Rhodium Foxtrot S speaker cable HAVING REVIEWED THE original Foxtrot in 2016 (HFC 412), I’m keen to try the latest version. The ‘S’ stands for supercharged and incorporates some of the new design techniques and materials that have trickled down from the company’s Charleston cable, which costs considerably more. The cable is available in 3m and 5m lengths.
Black magic
DETAILS PRICE £350 for a 3m pair TELEPHONE 01332 367261 WEBSITE blackrhodium.co.uk OUR VERDICT
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Terminated with gold-plated Z plugs, the Foxtrot S includes a large ferrite core that’s attached near the loudspeaker end to attenuate any RFI picked up by the conductors. The cable is Ànished with a black braid designed to dampen mechanical vibrations. The result, according to Black Rhodium, is a much cleaner and clearer quality of sound. Having connected the Foxtrot S cable between my transmission line loudspeakers and my valve monoblocks,
I commence my listening tests with a fantastic 45rpm audiophile LP of some jazz from Yarlung Records entitled Yuko Mabuchi Plays Miles Davis Volume 2. Listening to the Àrst track of side two, So What really sparkles with energy. While Mabuchi’s interpretation still retains her own style and charm, the music remains true to the Miles Davis original. With the other track, Ikumi’s Lullaby, I get a real sense of Cammilleri Hall in Los Angeles – where it was originally recorded. The stereo imaging in particular is excellent with each of the musicians clearly occupying a deÀned space within the soundstage.
To check out the vocal handling of the Foxtrot S, I opt for some Vivaldi performed by the soprano Mhairi Lawson and La Serenissima. Lawson’s exuberant verbal articulations in Cantata Elvira are both commanding and cheerful. Of particular note is the overall brightness and superb level of clarity that’s brought to the recording, coupled with an excellent tonal balance. As with its predecessor the Foxtrot S is a resounding success, delivering all the sophistication of my setup’s sound combined with excellent imaging, timing and detail. NR
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BUYINGGUIDE
Buying Guide Selecting the components you want to audition is never easy, but help is at hand with our pick p of the best to pass through our respected reviewing process
ds Recommen
HI-FI ESSENTIAL NT YOU’LL WA TO OWN
CD players p110 Amplifiers p111 Pre/power amps p111 Cables p112-113 Network audio players p114 Music servers p114 DACs p115 Loudspeakers p116-118 One-box systems p118 Turntables p119 Cartridges p119 Phono stages p120 Headphones p120-121 Portable DACs p121 JUNE 2021
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BUYINGGUIDE
CD PLAYERS
Audiolab 6000CDT
Cambridge Audio AXC35
Exposure XM CD
PRICE: £380 REVIEWED: HFC 447
PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 454
PRICE: £1,200 REVIEWED: HFC 455
The 6000CDT is exceptional at revealing what’s on your discs to deliver a great big soundstage with plenty of detail inside. It can dig down deep into the mix to eke out the different musical strands while dynamically and rhythmically it’s hard to beat at the price. In short, it’s a super, highly affordable audiophile CD transport.
Something of a budget marvel, you’ll have to work extra hard to get the AXC35 to put a foot wrong. Bass is firm, detailed and blessed with excellent timing; the tonal palette is pleasingly broad and clean; and though the soundstage doesn’t extend much beyond the speakers, there’s great depth perspective.
A highly likeable half-width compact disc player that presents music in an enjoyable yet technically accurate manner, the XM CD might lack the operational slickness and versatility of some rivals, but it more than makes up for it with its energetic, lively sound, dynamic light and shade and charming character.
Métronome Technologie Le Player 2S
Musical Fidelity M3scd
Rotel CD11 Tribute
PRICE: £1,150 REVIEWED: HFC 450
PRICE: £400 REVIEWED: HFC 469
PRICE: £5,100 REVIEWED: HFC 449
Able to string together elements of the mix dextrously for a natural and believable sound, the M3scd’s combination of detail and rhythmic alacrity are highly impressive while its excellent timing and tonal balance leave you wanting more. With its lovely, lyrical sonics oozing detail and subtlety, this is an extremely capable player.
A stunning team up between Marantz legend Ken Ishiwata before his sad passing and hi-fi luminary Karl-Heinz Fink, this is not one of those do-it-all players. Instead, its simple, refined sound and no-nonsense operation combine for a stunningly frill-free approach to superb playback at a great price.
As good as the sweet treble and rich bass are, what really impresses here is how when fed weaker CDs and impoverished MP3s the delivery remains unflappable and composed as layers of detail are locked into sharp focus.
ALSO CONSIDER
Audiolab 8300CDQ £1,100 HFC 448 Taking the winning recipe of the 8200CDQ and adding an upgraded DAC with DSD playback, the accurate and uncoloured sound of the Audiolab is unmistakable. Vast amounts of detail are extracted from the mix, soundstaging is incredible and music flows naturally.
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Leema Acoustics Stream IV £2,300 HFC 456 The latest update to this long-established player feels a considerable step forward. CD playback is highly refined, assured and transparent, bass is rock solid with visceral depth that positively grips your solar plexus and streaming shares all these qualities for the best of both worlds.
Marantz SACD 30n £2,700 HFC 468 While its styling might be a touch divisive, the SACD 30n’s involving, detailed and highly refined sound is beyond dispute whether it be with SACD or CD. Meanwhile, its neat supreme streaming integration ensures a great performance without discs too.
Roksan K3 CD Di £1,300 HFC 403 Offering the relatively rare combination of smooth tonality with a lively and animated way of presenting the music, the K3 CD Di displays a sweet and even tonal balance with a panoramic soundstage. In short, it’s closer to good analogue sound than digital.
BUYINGGUIDE
AMPLIFIERS
Copland CSA 100
Cyrus Audio i7-XR
Hegel H120
PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 465
PRICE: £2,300 REVIEWED: HFC 473
PRICE: £2,200 REVIEWED: HFC 460
Combining a preamp that utilises a valve circuit with a solid-state power amp, this supreme hybrid integrated rarely fails to delight across its many inputs and a very broad spectrum of music. With a sublime performance, excellent spec and rock-solid build, it’s a must-audition at the price.
Cyrus’ engineers have been let off the leash budget-wise and the result is very impressive because while this is still unquestionably a Cyrus integrated amp – it looks like one, feels like one and has all the features we’d expect from the company – everything is ramped up and sounds better than ever before.
The versatile talent that was the Rőst may have left the building, but its star quality lives on in the H120. Upgraded and buffed for the digital delights of a new decade, its mixture of terrific sound quality, supreme build and across-theboard competence ensure that it ticks all the boxes and so comes highly recommended.
NEW ENTRY
Quad Vena II
Rega io
Yamaha A-S3200
PRICE: From £650 REVIEWED: HFC 448
PRICE: £380 REVIEWED: HFC 475
PRICE: £5,000 REVIEWED: HFC 464
With a comprehensive spec that moves Quad’s most compact integrated on and enough weight to bring any type of music so thrillingly to life, the Vena II does a fine job of giving bass natural weight, snap and dynamic ability while delivering a big room-filling sound that belies those tiny dimensions.
It might appear small and rather plain and it might not be over flowing with features or boast a huge amount of Watts, but give the io a talented source and you can’t fail to be impressed by its outrageous musicality and lightness of foot. It’s at one with the music with a supple fluency and rhythmical literacy.
This highly accomplished performer succeeds through its breadth of ability rather than exceeding in one specific area. A highly capable performer, its snappy sound and gutsy demeanour combine with speed, grip versatility and power to create a great-looking beast of an integrated.
PRE/POWER AMPLIFIERS
Cambridge Audio Edge W £2,500 HFC 447 The Edge W power amplifier quotes 2x 100W RMS output and has oodles of power to drive pretty much any speaker. It has a neutral sound with a hint of sweetness and an upbeat nature underwritten by plenty of insight that’s seriously good for the money.
Longdog Audio P6100M £3,500 HFC 469 They may look and feel old-fashioned, but the P6100Ms are one of those rare but happy hi-fi surprises: seriously highend sound for mid-price money. More transparent than they have any right to be, they have a fluid and mellifluous midband and pack one hell of a punch.
Exposure XM7/XM9 £1,240/£1,390 HFC 429 Fast, open and three dimensional, the XM9 pairing is capable of driving more awkward speaker loads to high levels without any complaint. Partnered with the XM7 preamp/DAC, Exposure’s house sound means a fulsome bass, midband detail and a smooth, yet spacious treble.
Rotel Michi P5/S5 £3,300/£5,400 HFC 467 Rotel’s high-end sub-brand might not be the last word in attack and slam, and some might bemoan its lack of detail. But that misses the point: when it comes to weight, scale and a breath-takingly natural approach to making music, few combos come even close to this one.
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BUYINGGUIDE
CABLES – INTERCONNECTS
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Atlas Cables Element Achromatic
Black Rhodium Minuet
Ecosse Cables Master Reference SE
PRICE: £86 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 472
PRICE: £160 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 453
PRICE: £425 for 0.8m REVIEWED: HFC 455
Achromatic means without colour and that’s very much what you get with this affordable offering. Compared with previous Atlas Element cables this has increased OCC copper content on the conductors and a new process for reduced distortion. The result is great spaciousness to the soundstage and imaging plus powerful bass.
Replacing the Prelude, this RCA interconnect is screened and employs silver-plated copper wire to improve clarity and high-frequency performance. The result is remarkably sophisticated for the money with detail, positioning of instruments, imaging and separation absolutely nailed on.
Designed to convey an even greater degree of transparency, detail and three dimensionality than its rival interconnects, the Master Reference SE certainly doesn’t disappoint. Punchy basslines, well-defined positioning, supreme soundstage width and clear focus are very much the order of the day here.
Gekko Cables Red Dusk
Kimber Kable Select USB-Cu
Tellurium Q Blue
PRICE: £250 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: From £563 REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: £186 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 439
A directional unshielded RCA interconnect, the Red Dusk is made of two twisted solidcore OFHC copper conductors clad in silver. Once run-in, the soundstage takes on a more three-dimensional presentation, subtle details come to the fore and the orchestra fills the entire width of the room.
Terminated with hand-made purpleheart and gaboon ebony connector housings, this distinctive USB cable achieves a soundstage that is both wide and deep. The edginess of violins is deeply impressive while instruments are perfectly located across the room revealing a stunning mix of definition and clarity.
The baby brother of TQ’s Black USB cable, the Blue is of the AB configuration for hookup to a DAC and aims to minimise distortion. This it does with consummate ease while adding energetic, pounding bass and superb instrument placement within a broad, realistic soundstage for good measure.
JUNE 2021
BUYINGGUIDE
CABLES – MAINS POWER
Atlas Cables Eos dd
Black Rhodium Stream
Chord Company Shawline
PRICE: £145 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 452
PRICE: £450 for 1.7m REVIEWED: HFC 430
PRICE: £200 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 438
Referring to ‘dual drain’ technology, the Eos dd is designed to act as a filter against incoming contamination. The result is an inky blackness between musical phrases and a supremely low noise floor, while detail and imaging improve as interference is banished.
Black Rhodium has discovered that optimum sound quality is obtained from cables of 1.7m, hence this offering featuring silver-plated copper conductors. And who are we to argue, considering the impressive clarity and focus of instruments combined with a noise floor displaying an impressive lack of interference.
Available at a variety of lengths, the Shawline mains cable is made from three lots of 14 AWG multi-strand conductors. Test highlights include superior front-to-back imaging, with all the tonal complexities of the instruments really coming to life, delivering genuine energy to orchestral performances.
Furutech Roxy
IsoTek Evo3 Initium
Russ Andrews 30th Anniversary YellO
PRICE: £233 for 1.5m REVIEWED: HFC 447
PRICE: £65 for 1.5m REVIEWED: HFC 413
PRICE: £65 for 1m REVIEWED: HFC 423
Connecting the Roxy to a source component immediately removes a layer of glare and ‘glint’ from the sound; tonally it’s darkly translucent instead of shiny white gloss, allowing the listener to hear more into the music and appreciate the space between the notes.
IsoTek’s entry-level power cable has a distinctive opalescent green finish that is flexible and stylish. Once employed, there’s a noticeable step up in the quality of musical instrument focus while clarity improves as the background becomes quieter and bass more extended.
First introduced in the nineties, the YellO benefits from years of research into the effects of mains quality. Employing pure copper conductors, this relaunched cable results in a wider, deeper soundstage and the improvement it brings to instrument focus has to be heard to be believed.
“A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.” - Henry Ford
JUNE 2021
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BUYINGGUIDE
NETWORK AUDIO PLAYERS
Auralic Aries G2.1
Cambridge Audio Edge NQ
Matrix Audio Element X
PRICE: £4,200 REVIEWED: HFC 469
PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 447
PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC 473
This “wireless streaming transport” is designed to sit at the heart of a complex digital music setup to play music from local storage, over network, via a USB device or from online streaming services. Simply add your own DAC and revel in one of the most compelling streaming options available.
Something of a departure from CA’s usual fare, this network music player also combines the additional versatility of a DAC and preamp to serve up a sumptuously wide recorded acoustic, with a hugely expansive sound that partners massive punch with great precision for a clean, direct and enjoyable sound.
Supporting everything from network streaming to 768kHz PCM, DSD1024, MQA and Roon, the Element X can also comfortably drive a variety of headphones. Tardis like it hides a multitude of features in its svelte shell and operationally it proves pretty much impossible to throw off course. Be warned, it goes seriously loud.
NAD M33
Naim ND5 XS 2
Yamaha WXAD-10
PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 466
PRICE: £2,300 REVIEWED: HFC 454
PRICE: £150 REVIEWED: HFC 442
Hot on the heels of 2019’s M10, the M33 has raised the bar even further. In its full-size guise it offers the same style, flexibility and ease of use combined with a performance that’s just as arresting with analogue sources as it is when streaming. Throw in futureproof MDC updating slots, and you’re on to a winner.
Delivering Naim’s distinctive flare and typically impressive sound – superb low-end drive with texture and presence combined with a delicious sweetness – this Roon-compatible network music player is supremely engineered, over flowing with useful features and capable of a sparkling performance.
One of the smallest options around, this MusicCast network audio player might not look like much, but don’t be fooled – it has it where it counts. Tonal balance is neutral; bass is well integrated with good detail; and the space and three dimensionality add to the realism, making it great value for money.
MUSIC SERVERS
Bluesound Vault 2i £1,100 HFC 452 If you see yourself buying into the BluOS ecosystem favoured by the Canadian brand and its cohorts, this 2TB, server, ripper and player compatible with up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM and MQA files, is a great way of starting off in one room and expanding as your system grows.
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JUNE 2021
Innuos Zenith Mk3 From £3,000 HFC 451 With one of the best interfaces going and a potently flexible spec, the 4TB, CD ripping Zenith can be used as a Roon Core and delivers an outstanding performance that inspires confidence even for those starting out. It should be right near the top of any shortlist.
Melco N100 EX £2,000 HFC 462 Following a software update back in December 2019, the N100 became the EX so it’s now powered by the excellent Intelligent Music Library system – the best in the business. The sharp lines of the chassis combined with the crisp, clean sound help seal the deal.
Naim Uniti Core £1,900 HFC 438 Equipped with a CD ripper and 1TB SSD, the Uniti Core takes on an understated role as it handles 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD128 music files impeccably. Presentation is pleasingly neutral and it simply lets whatever network audio player is attached get on with the music.
BUYINGGUIDE
DACS
Alpha Design Labs Stratos
Audiolab M-DAC+
Chord Electronics TT2
PRICE: £1,315 REVIEWED: HFC 455
PRICE: £800 REVIEWED: HFC 449
PRICE: £3,400 REVIEWED: HFC 468
Remarkably flexible at the price, the Stratos offers an impressively wide-reaching range of features without compromising sound quality. The soundstage is wide and open with a refined presentation, delicate details are reproduced with breath-taking accuracy and instrument separation and location are absolutely spot on.
While some DACs can dive deeper into a recording, what’s so likeable about the M-DAC+ is its poise, control and command of the bigger musical picture. With its stunning grasp of flow and tempo, there’s a welcome warmth to its presentation and its solid three dimensional imaging is second to none.
We could talk about dynamic range and noise floor modulation, but the TT2 simply creates a more believable illusion of a physical presence and space than its rivals. Combining superb build, typical design flair and stunning sound quality, this is a DAC that not only believes in the superiority of digital, but goes on to prove it too.
Musical Fidelity M6s DAC
Mytek Brooklyn Bridge
PS Audio DirectStream
PRICE: £1,400 REVIEWED: HFC 449
PRICE: £2,500 REVIEWED: HFC 461
PRICE: £4,860 REVIEWED: HFC 468
Like your DACs big, bold and full of features? Look no further than the M6s, sonically blessed with a wider, more holographic soundstage, pinpoint imaging and a gift for projecting sonics with the finest low-level detail, cementing realism that only the best models can match.
Adding a new network card – with two USB ports, two coaxial and an optical input – so that the Brooklyn DAC effectively becomes a networkcapable music player, the Brooklyn Bridge boasts exceptional bass with a clean and highly detailed sound, impressive features for easy operation and superb clarity.
By converting everything it’s fed to DSD, the DirectStream reveals more from CDs than its rivals for a superlative analogue-like sound that has more in common with master tape than anything digital can usually muster. Lowlevel resolution, refinement and a majestic sense of composure add to the positives.
DRAGONFLY COBALT
DAC + PREAMP + HEADPHONE AMP The award-winning DragonFly Cobalt has the robust 2.1-volt output to drive almost any headphone, uses a bitperfect digital volume control for outstanding signal-to-noise ratio, enables seamless compatibility with Apple and Android devices, and is an exceptionally competent and affordable MQA Renderer. Cobalt’s precedent-setting performance is made possible by: • New ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip with a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter for more natural sound. • New Microchip PIC32MX274 microprocessor reduces current draw and increases processing speed by 33%. • Improved power-supply filtering, specifically designed to reduce WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular noise. • Includes a form-fitting Carbon-level DragonTail USB-A to USB-C adaptor. From MP3 to MQA and Hi-Res, DragonFly Cobalt preserves the body, warmth, and natural color in all your music. Experience more beauty at home and everywhere you listen.
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FLOORSTANDING LOUDSPEAKERS
Acoustic Energy AE509
Bowers & Wilkins 603
DALI Spektor 6
PRICE: £2,300 REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: £1,250 REVIEWED: HFC 448
Employing a carbon tweeter to shun shrill brightness, the AE509 allows you to listen into instruments on your favourite recordings, sounding dazzlingly fast and frenetic without the slightest hint of grain or sibilance. Meanwhile its curious conjunction of tonal grace and transient pace; handling of lower frequencies; and taut bass from the matching carbon mid/bass drivers make this floorstander a worthy flagship.
Regardless of what you play, here’s a speaker with the power, bandwidth and bass heft to do full-scale justice to Muse, Mozart and Motörhead. Its lowdistortion transparency and 3D imaging conjure up the ambience and atmosphere of the most intimate gig with a tonal palette that’s believable rather than manipulative. And all underpinned by a bass performance that delivers presence and vitality.
This Group Test winner positions itself at an extremely competitive price point and while it looks like a £500 loudspeaker, it sounds like it costs way more. It has a lovely natural tone, plus lots of detail and great dynamics. It sounds big, confident and expansive and yet is never overbearing or in anyway in your face. Throw into the mix a devastating combination of finesse and musicality and it’s insatiable appetite for rhythm, and it’s a no-brainer at the price.
PRICE: £500 REVIEWED: HFC 473
Monitor Audio Gold 300
Ophidian P3 Evolution
Spendor D7.2
PRICE: £5,000 REVIEWED: HFC 451
PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 453
The Ophidian projects an expansive soundstage with deep and powerful bass. This is one of those rare speakers that has genuine smoothness and warmth. Its balance and oodles of power paint a picture that’s so natural and coherent that you almost feel you’re breathing the same air as the artist you’re listening to. A stunningly talented floorstander, it makes its £5k price seem a snip. Even if your budget is twice the size, it demands to be heard.
A crisp, open and even-sounding loudspeaker that’s impressively engaging and surprisingly dynamic – especially for a floorstander at this price. There’s more space around vocals and a lighter more spry sound to cymbals, making for a lifelike sound despite its ability to remain smooth and sophisticated. The D7.2 is a modestly sized, highly capable, do-it-all loudspeaker that’s well worth an audition.
The benefits the Gold 300 brings to openness, clarity, fine detail and harmonic structure is very special. Although with vividly produced material it can verge on the ‘hyper real’, this is a consummate crowd pleaser that more than any rival at the price sells an idea of high-end luxury and sonic excellence that’s hard to distinguish from the real thing.
PRICE: £4,500 REVIEWED: HFC 456
LOUDSPEAKER CABLES
Chord Company Epic XL £600 1.5m, terminated HFC 450 Combining elements of Chord’s Signature Reference/XL with its Epic speaker cable, the XL bristles with energy and brings fantastic detail to the fore. Subtle elements are captivatingly clear, soundstage depth is enormous and clarity is supremely enhanced.
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Chord Company Odyssey X £150 1m, terminated HFC 451 Made from the same materials as the Rumour X (HFC 447), the Odyssey X is designed to bring more control to dynamics and definition, and boy does it deliver. Front-to-back imaging is superb, instruments are well focused and clearly positioned while piano is full and rich.
QED XT25 £85 3m HFC 434 Claimed to achieve a lowering of impedance compared with a traditional large cross-sectional area twin-core cable, the XT25 offers up great refinement and engaging musicality. Vocals are clear and full bodied, silence between phrases is eerily quiet and the noise floor is very low.
True Colours Industries Storm £22 1m HFC 453 This flexible ribbon cable is 2mm thick, making it ideal for hiding away under the carpet for tidy bi-wire hook-ups, while its tight and well-controlled performance reveals impressive openness with a spacious sound that’s full and entirely uncluttered, even during crescendos.
BUYINGGUIDE
STANDMOUNT LOUDSPEAKERS
Amphion Helium510
Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary
ELAC Vela BS 403
PRICE: £720 REVIEWED: HFC 454
PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 470
PRICE: £1,750 REVIEWED: HFC 447
Amphion’s stated aim of avoiding a clear sweetspot is achieved with ridiculous ease while its delivery is spacious with wholly convincing tonality and rich and smooth vocals. Piano shows excellent decay and though bass extension isn’t the deepest, it is detailed, fast and superbly integrated with the other frequencies.
More than just a range refresh, this baby box has had new life breathed into it in a rather skilful and expert way. So much more than the sum of its parts, the 607 S2 Anniversary Edition is highly engaging across all types of music, has a super classy treble and is the best B&W entry-level standmount yet.
The Vela BS 403 splits the atom, generating serious power from a tiny package. And rarely does so much dynamism come with such refinement. It’s like a BBC LS3/5a on steroids with an extra high and low octave thrown in. If you’ve ever felt the need for subwoofers and supertweeters, the ELAC covers those bases.
Falcon Acoustics RAM Studio 20
Fyne Audio F1-8
Q Acoustics Concept 300
PRICE: From £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 446
PRICE: £6,000 REVIEWED: HFC 473
PRICE: £3,000 REVIEWED: HFC 448
The RAM Studio 20 clearly favours amps with plenty of grip, especially in the bass. It might not offer forensic levels of detail with which to dissect a recording, but as a wide-bandwidth, high-performance standmount that sounds easy, natural and is dripping with musical finesse, it takes some beating.
If the F1-8 is anything to go by, size really does matter. If you’re short of space, look elsewhere as this is a beast of a standmount that won’t melt into the background. But as a speaker that merges the strengths of the best standmounts and floorstanders, it is dynamic, dextrous and deeply satisfying with all types of music.
With unexpectedly large amounts of midband detail, a bouncy bottom end and enjoyable musicality, the Concept 300 conjures up a charming sound that puts the accent on civility and smoothness, but never at the expense of musical enjoyment – making it excellent value for money at the price.
LOUDSPEAKER SUPPORTS
Atacama Audio Apollo Cyclone 6 £100 HFC 455 Available in a choice of three sizes so you can get the height of your cabinets correctly positioned to suit your listening position, this stand removes unwanted vibrations from the performance sharpening imaging and instrument focus for a full, refined sound.
Hi-Fi Racks X50 From £180.48 HFC 453 Solidly built, these elegant yet classy speaker stands are available in a choice of flexible customisation options, removing all colouration from the performance and giving the impression the cabinet is floating in mid-air. Great value for money and a simple upgrade.
IsoAcoustics GAIA II £300 HFC 427 Attaching the GAIA II feet to the underside of your speaker provides a high degree of isolation that gives it the opportunity to breath and display a level of clarity and openness that’s easy to hear. Music just sounds right with them in place and the price is right too.
Townshend Audio Seismic Isolation Podium From £1,400 HFC 426 Placing your loudspeaker on to a Seismic Isolation Podium is a revelation. The way it completely removes its interaction with its surroundings is mind blowing, bringing clarity to the entire frequency range, enabling it to communicate far more effectively.
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WIRELESS LOUDSPEAKERS
Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i
Devialet Phantom Reactor 900
KEF LS50 Wireless
PRICE: £300 REVIEWED: HFC 453
PRICE: £2,580 REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 433
With no shortage of lower frequencies, the Pulse Flex 2i’s bass extension is controlled, pleasantly quick and has an impressive level of clout to it. Used as a pair, the soundstage is large and effortless underpinned by the aforementioned bass while the connections and range of features provide impressive flexibility.
Unlike any other wireless designs, the distinctive Phantom boasts 900W of peak power via its hybrid Class A/D amp and bass that dives down to a barely believable 18Hz. The result is power and extension that defies physics, but more impressive still is how it performs at low volume levels.
Fine clarity and focus, a spacious soundstage with stunning image solidity and unfettered musicality make for immersive and hugely enjoyable listening. Best of all, though, is the sense that every fibre and sinew of this system is pulling in the same direction. Wonderful regardless of music or source.
NEW ENTRY
KEF LSX PRICE: £1,000 REVIEWED: HFC 446
It might not offer the muscle and dynamic reach of the LS50 Wireless, but the LSX is cut from the same sonic cloth. Size, style, flexibility and sound quality all impress, but it’s the active ingredient which enables a performance that similarly priced passive systems will find hard to match that wins the day.
Naim Mu-so 2nd Generation
System Audio Legend 5.2 Silverback
PRICE: £1,300 REVIEWED: HFC 452
A new paradigm that shatters the notion that you need a strapping floorstander for deep, powerful bass, the Legend 5.2 Silverback musters a performance that is as coherent, palpable, tonally true and rhythmically compelling as the very best available rival at many multiples of its price.
PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC 474
A world away from the traditional components Naim is known for, the Mu-so 2nd Generation delivers unfailingly entertaining sonics with hi-fi values and an exceptional musicality. The best one-box speaker system full stop.
ONE-BOX SYSTEMS
NAD M10 £2,200 HFC 451 With its super flexibility, powerful amplifier design, big front panel touchscreen and impressive BluOS platform, this is a supremely stylish offering. Sonically it’s a very powerful and refined system while its definition and precision is in ample supply.
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Naim Uniti Star £3,500 HFC 433 Fast, powerful and grippy with oodles of emotion and a pleasingly expressive tonality, the Uniti Star might not have the forensic detail resolution of some similarly priced rivals, but it isn’t far off. Otherwise it’s practically impossible to find fault at the price.
Novafidelity X14 £690 HFC 446 Deserving of praise for the functionality it manages to squeeze into such a compact and elegant chassis, the X14’s well thought out and practical approach will attract those looking to take their first steps into network audio and it makes a greater second-room setup.
Quad Artera Solus £1,500 HFC 434 Even by Quad’s high standards the Artera Solus is unfeasibly talented. Excelling with immediacy, presence, weight, body, scale and authority, it offers not only looks and feels more expensive than it is, but it sounds it too. It deserves to be paired with a fine set of speakers.
BUYINGGUIDE
TURNTABLES
AnalogueWorks TT Zero
AVID Volvere SP
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
PRICE: £1,500 REVIEWED: HFC 453
PRICE: From £5,500 REVIEWED: HFC 472
PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 468
Pristine without being bright, the TT Zero has fine tonal discrimination and starts and stops precisely where it should. It is able to unpick all the audio strands with ease, sounding, open and airy with plenty of sparkle and bite, a low noise floor, lucid rhythmic gait and impressively clean, controlled and tuneful bass.
With its dynamic, detailed and confident presentation, the Volvere SP delivers all of the thrills hidden in your vinyl's grooves and adds a few more just for good measure. Rock solid, unerringly precise and gloriously natural, it’s a triumph that combines the joys of a belt drive with the accuracy of a direct drive.
Easy to setup and unfussy in use, the Debut Carbon EVO’s extremely well-balanced sonic performance is comfortably the equal of any price rival, while the spaciousness of its soundstage and the unblemished nature of its performance make this one of the best sub-£500 turntable offerings period.
Rega Planar 6
Rega Planar 10
Technics SL-1500C
PRICE: £1,400 REVIEWED: HFC 427
PRICE: £4,500 REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 453
Partnered with Rega’s Ania moving-coil cartridge, the Planar 6 delivers a level of performance that is pretty much untouchable for £1,500. The sense of togetherness is classic Rega, the overall presentation is aided in no small part by the tonal realism while the power and alacrity complete a perfect sonic picture.
A masterpiece that is without doubt one of Rega’s finest achievements, the Planar 10 manages to deliver a performance that is outstanding even at this lofty price point. Utterly unflappable, it offers incredible detail retrieval combined with a naturally low noise floor to dish up captivating vinyl execution.
The built-in phono stage is terrific, while the take-no-prisoners sonic personality sounds joyously lively, enthusiastic and ‘on it’. Thanks to its legendary torque and stability, it locks down timing and rhythm with start-stop precision and its firm, deep and expressive bass adds unrivalled impetus and authority.
CARTRIDGES
Audio-Technica AT-OC9XEN £300 HFC 452 This Group Test-winning moving-coil cart utilises an elliptical nude stylus mated to an assembly using two coils rather than one – which is something of an A-T trademark – and balances excellent performance with a useful boost to user friendliness, thanks to its threaded body.
Hana ML £1,000 HFC 447 With a threaded insert to make fitting easy, the ML is a low-output moving-coil design sat right at the top of Hana’s range. Boasting a performance full of energy, presence and a believable sense of delay, it’s the depth and fine detail of bass that really impresses here.
Nagaoka MP-500 £760 HFC 467 A brilliant MM that even shames some respected MC designs, the MP-500 is tonally warm without going over the top, has a slightly soft but strong and tuneful bass and a delicate yet finely resolved treble. The midband is sweet and supple, with a really good rhythmic flow.
Ortofon MC Anna Diamond £7,250 HFC 463 It’s not exactly cheap, but Ortofon’s flagship moving-coil cart effortlessly shatters all expectations. From its stunning design and impeccable engineering to the way that it drags even the dullest recordings into sharp relief, this is a very special pick-up indeed.
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PHONO STAGES
Chord Electronics Huei
Hegel V10
Lindemann Limetree Phono
PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 459
PRICE: £1,300 REVIEWED: HFC 474
PRICE: £600 REVIEWED: HFC 441
The Huei’s appeal extends from its rocksolid build and playful, sphere-based control system to its impressive knack of extracting the best from a turntable/ cartridge combo without being too painfully honest about the ropier aspects of less-than-pristine recordings.
It might be fiddly to setup and ensuring you pick the best combination of DIP switches for your cartridge isn’t the most of intuitive of processes, but the V10 is effortlessly smooth, gloriously insightful and impeccably voiced for a crystal-clear performance with a wide range of different MM or MC pick-ups.
Offering outstanding levels of performance with moving-magnet cartridges alongside a more than respectable showing with moving-coil options, this engaging performer offers up wonderful tonal richness, propulsive energy and a sense of urgency that engages with upbeat material. And all at a very reasonable price.
NEW ENTRY
Musical Fidelity M6x Vinyl
Rega Aura
Tom Evans MicroGroove+ X mkII
PRICE: £1,700 REVIEWED: HFC 475
PRICE: £4,000 REVIEWED: HFC 446
PRICE: £1,000 REVIEWED: HFC 469
This multi-talented design offers a superb combination of excellent connectivity, versatile loading and gain options, a great user interface and excellent sound. Tonally it’s very neutral with a crisp clean and spacious tone that’s less euphonic than some may like, but nonetheless fun to listen to.
This MC-only preamp combines superb engineering and build quality to create an unashamedly high-end phono stage, but what sets it apart from the pack is its balance of accuracy and realism with the ability to deliver musical joy, making it one of the finest phono stages available.
The closest thing the UK has to a phono stage guru, Evans designed the circuit for this stunning stage in 1989. Unapologetically plain, light and unassuming, the MicroGroove cuts the sonic mustard like nothing else to make even mid-priced turntables sound far higher end than they actually are. Superb.
IN-EAR HEADPHONES
Audeze iSINE 10 £400 HFC 423 A must-have for Apple users, the world’s first planar magnetic in-ear is decent with a regular 3.5mm cable but comes into its own when used with iOS devices connected via Lightning, sounding faster and more cohesive than the best dynamic or multiple armature designs.
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Oriveti OH500 £500 HFC 451 Combining an airiness with low-end extension that most rivals can only dream of, the OH500’s stylish resin enclosures house four Knowles balanced armatures (two for bass and two for the midrange) with an 8mm dynamic bass driver for an enjoyably vivid performance.
Sennheiser IE 80 S BT £440 HFC 456 An impressive combination of excellent performance, comprehensive Bluetooth aptX HD implementation and Sennheiser’s attention to comfort and build make this an exceptionally talented design that is likely to win over many converts to wireless audio.
Shure KSE1200 £1,770 HFC 449 Electrostatic technology might be undeniably costly and not exactly portable, but the KSE1200 compromises on none of the qualities that Shure holds dear to deliver a level of realism, space and involvement that’s beyond all but the most supremely talented loudspeakers.
BUYINGGUIDE
HEADPHONES
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed
PRICE: £180 REVIEWED: HFC 450
PRICE: £350 REVIEWED: HFC 459
PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 462
Taking its M50x and turning it into a very capable wireless design (thanks to Bluetooth v5.0) without altering its sonic character, AudioTechnica has come up trumps here. Balance and refinement join crunching bass, impressive three dimensionality and decent noisecancelling to seal the deal.
Although it’s no match for a high-end wired design, the noise-cancelling abilities of this wireless closed-back model are ideal for music on the move – offering an elevated listening experience amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. An essential audition if you’re serious about enjoying your music out and about.
Available as both open (warmer, fuller tone) and closed options (leaner midrange), the Aeon 2 is a timely update of the Aeon Flow that was so popular back in HFC 435. Its improved planar drivers feature increased damping and conjure up pinpoint detailing, thundering lower frequencies and a deft touch with subtle effects.
Focal Stellia
Fostex TH909
Sennheiser Momentum 3
PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC 452
PRICE: £1,650 REVIEWED: HFC 474
PRICE: £350 REVIEWED: HFC 455
A welcome addition to the hall of high-end headphone fame, the closed-back Stellia rivals the best open-back competition, bringing new meaning to the word forensic. Imparting a benign character on everything it plays, this vice-free design has rhythmic engagement, endless vitality and depth charge-like bass.
The Group Test-winning TH909 combines what is unquestionably a very accurate performance – entirely in keeping with something from a manufacturer of pro audio equipment – with an unbridled level of entertainment. With superlative space, detail and energy, it looks great and is extremely comfortable for longer sessions.
With a Bluetooth performance that makes it hard to believe this is really a wireless offering, the Momentum might just be the most consistently entertaining performer Sennheiser has ever produced. Excellent design, fabulous features, subsonic bass and impeccable noise cancelling complete the package.
PORTABLE DACS
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt £270 HFC 463 With a relatively low 24-bit/96kHz sample rate, expectations for the Cobalt aren′t high until realising it means there′s no need for USB driver software. Native MQA decoding is also supported and the open and richly detailed sound make this the best DragonFly offering yet.
Chord Electronics Hugo 2 £1,800 HFC 428 An essential audition, the Hugo 2 is not just a portable DAC/headphone amp, but the best hi-fi digital converter available at or near the price. Music ebbs and flows along in an organic and unforced way and it images with stunning pinpoint precision.
Chord Electronics Mojo £400 HFC 423 It might be small and have no gain setting adjustment, but the Mojo takes some beating. Its scrupulous accuracy presents what is contained in a recording with no embellishment so that fine detail is extracted with ease, treble energy impresses and stridency remains absent.
iFi Audio xDSD £400 HFC 439 Justifying its inclusion on sound alone, the xDSD delivers a wide variety of musical styles with admirable clarity and precision. It’s engaging, lively sonics and versatile connectivity make it equally adept for mobile or desktop use and the only minor downside is its battery life.
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For sale / Wanted
Reader Classified ads
Reader Classified Welcome to Hi-Fi Choice Reader Classified, a free private ads service for buying and selling second-hand hi-fi components.
These pages are a must-read if you’re thinking about buying used kit, or if you have hi-fi you want to sell. It’s free – simply submit your ad with no more than 50 words (we reserve the right to edit it if not), remembering to include your email, phone
FOR SALE CREEK Wyndsor turntable, RB 300 tonearm, LP1 speed controller, 50mm acrylic platter, belt driven, Ortofon Tango cart. Instructions, various bushes to accept a choice of tonearm £780: email: keithaustin1953@gmail. com
FOCAL Diva Utopia BE floorstanders. Immaculate burr ash cabinets. Double boxed, owned from new. £3,000 07999 645745 or email: cjw65b@gmail. com (Blackpool).
ESOTERIC K-05X SACD player £5,500. Accuphase DAC-40 board with coaxial, optical and USB inputs and install CD £550. Kimber 8TC speaker cable 1x 8m and 1x 4m plus AudioQuest SureGrip banana plugs £750. Technics ST-8080 FM tuner £75 ono. Collection preferred or delivery at cost: 07985 975546 or email stevexsteve@ hotmail.com (Yorkshire) PROAC Tablette
number and county. Simply email your ad to: letters@hifichoice.co.uk. This service is open to private advertisers only. Just one ad per household and please note that images are for illustration only and do not represent what is for sale.
Reference 8 Signature black speakers, little used £595. Musical Fidelity M6 DAC £650 mint condition: 01704 628968 or 07968 769595
REL Storm 5 subwoofer. Perfect working order with remote. Very heavy so MUST collect. Can deliver if resonable distance. £500: 01981 242067 (Monmouthshire). ICON AUDIO MB845 Mk.1 monoblock amplifiers. Upgraded
to SE version with new Mundorf capacitors. New 845 valves on one amp. Boxed. Great powerful sound. Sensible offers: 07717 752288 or email: captain_b99@yahoo. co.uk (Bristol)
MARANTZ PM-Ki Pearl lite amplifier and Ki Pearl lite SACD player. Excellent, clean, working condition, fantastic sounding. £475 each. Prefer to sell together: 01507 824457 (Lincs).
www.hifichoice.com
DYNAVECTOR P75 mk4 phono stage, 2018, as new £640: 07775 441059.
LINN Linto phono preamp, excellent condition, plus Linn RCA-to-5-point DIN interconnect and new power lead. £590: 01245 250375 or email: ruane. hp@blueyonder.co.uk.
NAIM NAC 5, 5x2m pair in white fitted with goldplated locking banana plugs: £160. Can post by registered mail if required: 01732 490492 (Kent).
OKKI NOKKI Mk2 (black) for sale for £300, complete with perspex lid. I’d prefer to deliver if close by otherwise it’s DHL (included in price): 01491 642030 or email: dstockbridge@hotmail. com (Oxfordshire).
CHORD Signature ARAY 1m mains cable, hardly used, as new and boxed £295. 2no sets Naim cups and balls with 2no 455x345x10mm Fraimstyle grey toughened glass £65: 07785 733292 (Chichester, Sussex).
ICON AUDIO Stereo 25, all new valves fitted 2015: £400 (collection only). Michell Iso/Hera phono stage £250. Vermouth Audio RCA interconnect, 4m length £100: 07922 513810 (Nottingham). BLACK RHODIUM
REVEL Concerta 2 M16 loudspeaker in gloss white. As new. Only one month old. With original packaging. Will send free. £550: 0781 1111718 or email: mark.ruth1@ntlworld.com (Nottingham).
Waltz speaker cables, 3m pair with bananas: £400. Polka Classic 3m pair with spades and bananas: £1,000. Polka (original) 3m pair with locking bananas: £800. Quickstep 3m pair spades and bananas:
£250. Plus interconnects: contact for details: 0749 4867084 or email: pete@ peopleandpotentialltd. co.uk
Q ACOUSTICS 3050i floorstanding speakers, two years old, immaculate condition, original packaging recycled so buyer needs to collect, £350: 0740 0006347 or email: Jonathanhurlock375@ icloud.com (Yorkshire).
NAIM Uniti Mk1 serviced by Naim in 2018 and upgraded to 24-bit/192kHz spec, unmarked condition with all supplied accessories and box, £750: 07720 447247 or email: cjmdbeach@mac.com (Aylesbury).
LINN LP12 Lingo, Cirkus Ekos1, Linn Klyde cartridge, Pink Triangle power supply and Linn Trampoline Baseboard, black plinth. Excellent condition, £1,995: 02392 453382 (Portsmouth area).
CREEK Evolution 50A amplifier, black, very good condition, no marks. Recently fitted with sequel MK4 phono module. Original packaging. £425: 07398 642586 or email: johnakeanelangley@ gmail.com (Berkshire).
AUDIOLAB 8000Q preamp, silver, boxed, manual, remote control, works very well, had since new. £150. 01245 473054 (Chelmsford, Essex).
BUYING TIPS BUYING SECOND-HAND can be a great way to pick up a bargain. A formerly expensive second-hand component might well prove a better long-term bet than a brand-new product if the price is right. DO SOME RESEARCH on which brands have a good service back up, so if something does go wrong, you can get it fixed. Unless you purchase from a dealer, you’re unlikely to get any warranty, so it’s up to you to ensure the fitness of any gear that you buy. USUALLY speakers should be less prone to breakdown than amps, and amps should be more reliable than CD players. But any abused component could be trouble – have a proper demo and judge the seller as well as the goods!
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MCRU SLiC Eclipse C MKIII interconnect, 0.8m, as new, boxed, £270. Black Rhodium Stream Power mains lead, 1.7m, £230. 2x Naim Power Line Lite mains leads, £30 each. Chord Power lead, 0.8m, £20. Synergistic Research Black, mains plug, fuse unused, £35: email: stevecousins136@ gmail.com (Dorset).
LINN LP12/ Ittok LVII. Fitted Ortofon Quintet Red cartridge. Recent Hercules power supply and motor. New Cirkus bearing, subchassis and arm board. Afromosia plinth and lid. Serviced by House of Linn. £1,500 with free Sound Organistion wallshelf: 01691 610589 or email: sankast@hotmail.com (Shropshire).
MONARCHY AUDIO Class A SM70PRO power
AUDIOQUEST DiamondBack 1m, £40. HiDiamond Sig 1 1m, £35. Wireworld Luna 7 1m, £35. Atlas Element Superior Integra 0.5m, £35. Will sell separately or bundled: 01483 472650 (Woking, Surrey).
REVOLVER turntable with Linn Basik arm and Goldring cart, very good condition, less dust cover, £130. Five-tier Target hi-fi rack, very good condition, £50. Buyer collects: 0208 2113760 (North London).
NAIM NAP 250 DR power amp. Immaculate condition. Upgraded to DR and fully serviced in August 2020. Naim guarantee until August 2021 £2,850: email: ruane. hp@blueyonder.co.uk. AUDIOLAB 8000S integrated amp, updated serviced summer 2019 with original remote. Good condition £475. Nakamichi CR3 cassette deck serviced 2020. Good condition £495. Collection or your courier:
GOODMANS Module 110 compact with Lenco L-85 turntable and Shure catridge and KEF Coda speackers (teak). BSR. 8-track with 12 tapes. All in VGC. All sensible offers considered: 01303 250149 (Folkestone). FOCAL Chora 826 (black), excellent condition, with grilles and stands, no boxes, cash on collection, £1,000: 07505 583615 (Nottingham). REL Strata 3 Walnut veneer, good condition, a great sub £245. Collection only: 07740 868420 (Southampton).
PROAC Response D20R, latest ribbon tweeter model, black ash finish, mint and boxed £1,199: 07788 975856 or email: tyl590@aol.com (Gloucestershire).
REGA Planar 3 (RB300 arm) June 1984. Motor upgrade, November 2010. In excellent condition and original packaging £125: 01903 787944 or email: petedavey285@ btinternet.com (West Sussex).
MARANTZ CD6000 KI Signature CD player, black: £125. Denon TU-260L II AM-FM stereo tuner, black: £20. Both in excellent condition and boxed: 01670 519156 or email: ken3carmstrong@gmail. com (Northumberland).
Now standard on Element, Equator, Hyper & our new Ailsa cables.
NAIM Nait XS 3 amplifier, mint condition, very little use, all packaging and paperwork present. Cash on collection £1,500: 07505 583615 (Nottingham).
SONUS FABER Amator III speakers with stands £2,250. Meridian 502 preamp £350, Meridian 557 power amp £450, Meridian M33 active centre speaker £100. Audiolab 8000PX power amp with some marks on top: 07741 416584 (Lincolnshire).
nothing taken away – resulting in improved sound quality.
NAIM NAC 72 preamp with SNAIC interconnect for power unit and Chord Chorus CD lead. In fine condition £365 including UK delivery: 01825 722936 (Sussex).
CHORD Sarum T speaker cable, 2m, £1,150. Interconnect RCA, 1m, £1,150. Mains lead, 1m, £990. All original packaging. Townshend Seismic Stella speaker stands. Support 25kg50kg £490 original crates. 2x Townshend seismic platforms. Support 15kg-35kg £240 each: 01772 314151 or email: jamesmckendrick@ btinternet.com
07773 078508 or email: barberbsgoil@ntlworld. com (Brighton).
have minimal impact on the signal – with virtually nothing added,
new £1,050. Russell K Red 50 Piano Black £450 with grilles, minor unseen blemishes, solid stands £150. XTZ Edge A2-300 amplifier like new £370. DacMagic £100. Mission 75C black £80. Onkyo TXSR875 AVR £80. Collect only: 07720 447247 or email: cjmdbeach@mac. com (Aylesbury).
amps £199 each. XTZ Edge A2-300 power amps £199 each. All working order and original packaging. No casework marks: 07483 817584 or email: michael665booth@ btinternet.com
Our high-precision Achromatic RCA and Z plugs are designed to
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CAMBRIDGE AUDIO CXA81 integrated amplifier, less than a year old, in excellent condition and working perfectly £700: 07923 047638 or email: dave.drew@talktalk.net
GTI with Roksan Tabrizzi arm and ATOC5 MC. Exposure VX amp with MC board. Marantz CD63 Mk2 KI. Mission 782 rosewood floorstanders. All owned from new. Sensible offers: 07810 311268 or email: hollingberys@gmail.com (Brighton area).
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PASSION FOR SOUND EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Steve Sutherland Production Editor Jake Day-Williams Art Editor Emily Hammond CONTRIBUTORS Simon Berkovitch, Paul Hirons, Paul Hocker, James Hughes, Cliff Joseph, Jason Kennedy, David Price, Neville Roberts, Ed Selley, David Vivian, Chris Ward, Nigel Williamson PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Prior ADVERTISING Sales Sonia Smart Tel: 020 4522 8220 Mobile: 07972 117331 Email: sonia.smart@hifinews.com SUBSCRIPTIONS UK – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: 0344 243 9023 Email: help@hfc.secureorder.co.uk USA/CANADA – New, Renewals & Enquiries US Toll Free: 001 866 647 9191 REST OF WORLD – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: +44 (0) 1604 828 748
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1
ABOUT BLOODY TIME
After what seems like an eternity, My Bloody Valentine have Ànally allowed their entire back catalogue to be released to streaming services. The band signed to Domino Records back in March when all the tracks became available, and on 21 May new physical editions of each album will be released, Isn’t Anything (1988) and Loveless (1991) being mastered fully from analogue for deluxe LPs and also mastered from new hi-res uncompressed digital sources for standard LPs. Also for the Àrst time, 2013’s m b v will be available on deluxe and standard LPs as will the b-sides and rarity compilation ep’s 1988-1991.
REASONS TO BE 2HAVE MERCY!
On sale from 9 June via Rare Bird Books, Permanent Damage: Memoirs Of An Outrageous Girl is the autobiography of Mercy Fontenot, aka Miss Mercy, the recently deceased member of The GTOs who has been described, pretty accurately as: “a badass gypsy pirate witch.” Written with Lyndsey Parker, music editor at Yahoo, it’s a must for anyone interested in Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Al Green,
CHEERFUL mind, pieces of this world, free to all.” There will also be a paid subscription option that gives access to The Melting, a serial that Smith wrote over the past year in quarantine that she’s described as a: “journal of [her] private pandemic.”
4
HOW HE WROTE ELASTIC MAN
Shuggie Otis, Alice Cooper, The Rolling Stones… the anecdotes are stunners. Don’t take our word for it. Here’s Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama and Shakespear’s Sister: “Miss Mercy was a one-off iconoclast, style and taste-wise. She looked, lived and loved uniquely and was a trailblazer for women in rock ‘n’ roll.”
3
STACKED PATTI
Patti Smith has joined Substack – the online publishing platform – to release a weekly, subscription-based newsletter, which she says will contain 128 28 8
JUNE 202 JUN 2021
BILLS & ACHES & BLUES HAS COVERS OF 18 CLASSIC 4AD RECORDINGS original photos, essays on books and movies and more. “Through Substack I plan to form an inter-connective body of work for a responsive community,” she wrote. “Each week I will post my weekly ruminations, shards of poetry, music and musings on whatever subject Ànds its way from thought to pen, news of the
“A container-sized treasure trove bursting at the hinges with strangeness and wonder,” is how one critic described Excavate!, a new book about Mark E Smith’s Fall by St Etienne’s Bob Stanley and author Tessa Norton . “A fantastic celebration of this nation’s saving grace,” said another. This 360-page tome is a celebration of 40 years of singer, leader and maverick Mark E Smith, which gathers together previously unseen artwork, rare ephemera and handwritten material alongside essays by avid fans. Published by Faber & Faber, Excavate! The Wonderful & Frightening World Of The Fall costs £25 and is available now.
Picture credit: Paul Rider (My Bloody Valentine)
Exciting things coming your way in the month ahead
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
8
STRUMMER OF LOVE
Fender has announced two new signature guitar models in tribute to The Clash’s Joe Strummer. The Joe Strummer CampÀre acoustic (£449) is named after the series of campÀres he regularly hosted at Glastonbury Festival. The Joe Strummer Esquire (£14,150) is described as a “faithful reincarnation” of the guitar he used during the London Calling and Combat Rock eras and was crafted by Fender’s boutique manufacturing brand, Fender Custom Shop. Get your skates on – only 70 copies were created.
5
THIS FEELING
You might know This Feeling from the gigs they promote and their new music stages at The Isle Of Wight, YNoyt and Leeds Festivals, but now they’ve branched out and teamed up with ADA (part of Warner Music Group) to form a record label intent on: “shining new light on the UK’s next wave of vital guitar bands. There are a lot of brilliant new bands struggling for exposure, and This Feeling has always been about providing a platform for emerging young talent,” said label bosses Mikey Jonns and Katie Gwyther in a joint statement. “We’re excited to be able to go a step further with This Feeling Records to offer acts a label with integrity and passion.“The last year was disastrous for the music and arts industry and so we’re aiming to be a lifeline for new talent to be able to prosper.”
6DRUM CLUB
What is about Hollywood and drummers? Back in 2015 Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash depicted the Àery relationship between an ambitious jazz percussionist and his abusive teacher, bagging itself four Oscars. And now comes Sound Of Metal, which tells the story of a drummer in Àctional punkmetal band Blackgammon, it features Riz Ahmed (Four Lions, Nightcrawler) as sticksman
PATTI SMITH HAS LAUNCHED A FREE WEEKLY ONLINE NEWSLETTER Ruben as he embarks on a heart-wrenching battle with hearing loss. Ahmed, who himself is a UK-based rapper and musician is the Àrst Muslim actor to be nominated for the best actor Oscar in this Amazon Prime original. Interestingly, the movie also won an Oscar for its sound design which has been described as: “assaultive and near experimental” in the way it depicts the effects of deafness. Sound Of Metal is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.
MAN 7XUPERMAN
Black-Eyed Peas rapper and Voice judge will.i.am has launched the Xupermask, upermask, able face a Bluetooth-capable ration mask. A collaboration oneywell between will, Honeywell se and designer Jose o created Fernandez – who aceX suits – Elon Musk’s SpaceX the ‘smart mask’’ features dual s, a HEPA three-speed fans, Àltration system,, LED lights, noise-cancelling headphones ble, seven-hour and a rechargeable, battery. It’s also capable of nd taking playing music and phone calls. It’s available for rmask.com. as .c .co . £216 from xupermask.com.
9RICHARD THOMPSON
Orb tells the Àve-decade roller coaster journey of the ambient masters. Co-written with Kris Needs, the book talks about The Orb’s early days as acid house mischief makers, the start of what was to become ambient house and the success and excitement of playing chess during their infamous Top Of The Pop performance. Available from 28 May, Babble On... is published by Omnibus Press and will cost £13.
11SIREN SONGS
Bills & Aches & Blues is a collection of 18 covers of classic 4AD recordings released digitally to celebrate the label’s 41st anniversary. Tracks include US Girls’ version of The Birthday Party’s Junkyard, Grimes’ Oblivion covered by Dry Cleaning, Bing and Ruth doing Gigantic (originally by Pixies)
Founding member of Fairport Convention and experimental guitarist extraordinaire Richard Thompson’s memoir, Beeswing: Losing My Way And Finding My Voice, 1967-1975 has been released by Faber. It: “takes us inside life on the road... crossing paths with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, Jimi Hendrix and more.”
10
BABBLE ON AN’ TING
Taking in a traumatic childhood through punk, Killing Joke, The KLF and the eventual starting of The Orb, Babble On An’ Ting: Alex Paterson’s Incredible Journey Beyond The Ultraworld With The y
and The Breeders’ Cannonball by Tune-Yards. Vinyl and CD editions will follow on 23 July and a deluxe vinyl boxset later in the year. The Àrst 12 months’ proÀts will be donated to The Harmony Project, a Los Angeles-based g after-school p programme for children who lack access to studying the arts or music.
12VINYL SOLUTION SOLUT
Pressing Matters Matters, created by Helium London a and curated by Pavement Licker, is an exhibition w here artists hav where have created unique pieces fro from rare vinyl and test presses w with all proceeds going to grassroo grassroots charity Music Support, who g give mental health support sup to music ind industry workers. Th exhibition The tak place at 5 takes Carlo Carlos Place, London until 2 29 May after which the art will be au auctioned off at heliu e u heliumlondon.com. JUNE 2021 JUN
129
Next Month CAMBRIDGE AUDIO EVO 150 “As convincing and covetable an all-in-one system as we’ve encountered ” We review Cambridge Audio’s brand new one-box streaming system
ALSO: REVIEWS A six-way Group Test of high-end turntables, Sonus faber Lumina One standmount, Cyrus Audio soundBuds2, Edwards Audio TT4 turntable, T+A Solitaire P-SE headphones, the pick of the second Record Store Day drop and much more
FEATURES Music Reviews, Audiophile News, our comprehensive Buyer’s Guide and sharp-as-nails Opinions section, and all your hi-fi questions answered by our team of experts
JULY ISSUE ON SALE 17 JUNE
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