Model makeover: Kudos Cardea C10 standmount upgrade
PASSION FOR SOUND
GROUP TEST: High-end pick-up sextet in an all-vinyl spin-off
September 2021
Issue No. 479
DYNAMIC DUO Music in the air with KEF’s active LS50 Wireless II loudspeakers
BUYING GUI 100+ es DE sential compon en p109 ts
POWER UP Naim’s new Uniti Atom headphone amp’s a blast
NEWS EXTRA:
Launches from Klipsch, Primare, Ausounds, Melco, Tivoli, Ruark, Jays and more...
RAPTUROUS! Blondie’s Debbie Harry picks a trio of inspirational LPs
SPARKLER Wharfedale’s Diamond 12.2 standmount shines
Sensational?
Is Spatial Audio destined to be your immersive listening future?
SIMPLY THE BEST! We celebrate the incredible career of Tina Turner
MAD FOR IT!
OLD SCHOOL
Pick of the bunch: stunning HiFi Rose RS201E streamer
Oasis Knebworth ‘96 comes to the big screen
Sennheiser IE 300 earphone is a purist’s dream
PRINTED IN THE UK
SEPTEMBER 2021
£5.25
IN BLOOM
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. 479 September 2021
46 VAC Sigma 170i
66
Picture credit: Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com
Copland CSA150
93 Debbie Harry Cool Collection
BADGES EXPLAINED
“Spending a grand on something a few centimetres long, a few grams in weight and that, by the simple expedient of how it works, will eventually wear out, is something that needs a little mental fortitude to do.” That’s a quote from Ed Selley’s Group Test, which pits half a dozen high-end phono cartridges against one another to discover – if you are minded to shell out on the grooviest ‘cart’ your money can buy – what’s your very best bet? Quite apart from having to get over the ‘never mind the quality, feel the width’ mindset of handing over a four-figure sum for something so small, your choice is also likely to depend on the type of vinyl you prefer spinning on your platter. Some believe that nothing south of 180g will deliver a satisfactory sonic experience. Others swear that what they call the ‘new stuff’ can’t hold a candle to the richness and ‘soul’ of original pressings and even eulogise the character emanating from the fizzes, pops and crackles they hear issuing forth from a well-loved ‘used’ LP. Me? I lurk somewhere between the two, so Ed’s Group Test is a welcome guide to where my next cartridge upgrade ought to take me. Elsewhere in the issue you’ll find an investigation into Spatial Audio and the story of a new recording buried deep in the soil on the Isle of Orkney. Enjoy!
OUR AWARDS
Steve Sutherland Editor 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
GROUP TEST WINNER: Comparative tests can only have one winner, and this badge says it all!
twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk hifichoicemagazine
SUITE 25, EDEN HOUSE, ENTERPRISE WAY, EDENBRIDGE, KENT TN8 6HF SEPTEMBER 2021
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Contents
BUYING GUI 100+ es DE sential compon en p109 ts
hifichoice.com Issue No. 479 September 2021
NEWS & OPINION
GROUP TEST
6 Audiofile The latest news on the hottest products from the world of hi-fi coming your way
70 Letters Put your points of view and queries on audio matters to our team of experts
81 Opinion 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 52 You’re Surrounded! Could Spatial Audio be about to take off?
60 Bring the concert home How L-Acoustics Creations is bringing a ‘live’ experience into the living room
30 Six four-figure cartridges are put through their paces to see which is the king of spin
98 Music Legends How Tina Turner, became simply the best
104 Destination: Stratford-Upon-Avon HFC hunts down the vinyl treasure in an antique centre with links to Hollywood
127 Reasons To Be Cheerful Our pick of the most exciting things coming your way this month 4
SEPTEMBER 2021
6 Audiofile: Klipsch Forte IV
90 Music Reviews: Chvrches
CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2021
“She had gone almost overnight from living on welfare to being the biggest solo star of the decade”
64 KEF LS50 Wireless II
Music Legends: Tina Turner p98
TESTED THIS MONTH
46 VAC Sigma 170i
24 Naim Audio Uniti Atom Headphone Edition
56 HiFi Rose RS201E
REVIEWS
CHOICE EXTRAS
Kit testing
106 Tellurium Q
24 Naim Audio
Black II RCA interconnect
Uniti Atom Headphone Edition
106 Atlas Cables
headphone amplifier
Ailsa Achromatic RCA interconnect
46 VAC Sigma 170i integrated amplifier (Exotica)
GROUP TEST
55 Sennheiser
Cartridges £900-£1,275
IE 300 wired in-ear headphones
32 EAT Jo N 5 35 Grado Master3 36 Michell Cusis S 38 Rega Apheta 3 40 Soundsmith Carmen mk II 42 Sumiko Songbird Low
56 HiFi Rose RS201E network streaming all-in-one system
58 Kudos Cardea C10 two-way
o
standmount loudspeaker
64 KEF LS50 Wireless II wireless active loudspeaker
66 Copland CSA150 integrated amplifier
68 Wharfedale
58 Kudos Cardea C10
Diamond 12.2 two-way standmount loudspeaker
106 Atlas Ailsa Achromatic
Never miss an issue – turn to p88 for our latest subs offer SEPTEMBER 2021
5
T H E
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N E W S…
May the fourth be with you New iteration of an American classic speaker PRICE: £5,100 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: HENLEYAUDIO.CO.UK INDIANAPOLIS-BASED KLIPSCH IS relaunching a new version of its Forte speaker, one of its best-selling of all time. The Forte IV is a member of the Heritage series, the original Forte having made its debut in 1985. The company ceased production of the model in 1996, reintroduced a third iteration in 2017 and now here’s the 2021 model, which features: “updated cosmetics and the latest advancements in acoustic engineering, while maintaining the elegant design and powerful performance.” The Klipsch Forte IV hosts a three-way design utilising a 305mm bass driver and a
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new K-702 midrange compression driver mated to a modified proprietary Tractrix horn with patented Mumps technology. It also comes with a new wide-dispersion high-frequency phase plug to ensure the last octave matches the coverage pattern of the midrange and high-frequency horns.
Bass power Klipsch claims: “the rear-mounted 380mm passive radiator produces greater bass output and extension and the Forte IV has been completely revoiced from its predecessor, utilising premium componentry in an all-new high-fidelity
network for truer to life sound with best-in-class efficiency and power handling. “Premium aluminium input panels accommodate large, high-quality loudspeaker cables, while strong binding posts allow for bi-wiring or bi-amping. At just 330mm deep, the Klipsch Forte IV solves space issues with its narrow, shallow footprint, while still delivering room-filling, quality sound.” Each pair of Forte IV loudspeakers is grain-matched using wood veneer panels and they’re available in four standard finish options – American Walnut, Natural Cherry, Black Ash and Distressed Oak.
AUDIOFILE
SEPTEMBER 2021
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AUDIOFILE
Get the Blues Limited edition radio from Ruark Audio PRICE: £230 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: RUARKAUDIO.COM RUARK AUDIO IS releasing a 1,000 copy limited edition R1 Mk4 colourway for Summer 2021, in the shape of the Beach Hut Blue radio. With an enclosure creating an acoustically inert housing for Ruark’s Class A-B amplifier with adaptive equalisation and NS+ driver, the company claims the BHB provides: “a highly listenable sound at all volume levels.” It features an OLED display to show time and programme information, which automatically adjusts to suit light levels. It receives both digital and analogue transmissions and FM parameters can be set to suit both US and Japanese requirements. The R1 also supports most languages and its real-time clock, time and date are kept live when power is disconnected or when transmitted data is not available. Other features include a Bluetooth receiver, USB-C charge and playback port, switchable auxiliary input and headphone output. The company explains that: “Ruark’s trademark RotoDial makes the R1 easy to operate and for those seeking distant operation, there is a compact remote control available as an optional extra.” The Beach Hut Blue measures 130 x 175 x 135mm (WxHxD) and weighs in at 1.5kg.
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Fidelio L3
Get inside the music. Everywhere. What if you could always be in the perfect place to listen to the music you love? Exquisitely tuned drivers, excellent Active Noise Canceling, and the right fit combine to create the perfect listening environment. Wherever you are.
Hey Google Active Noise Pro+
philips.com/fidelio
AUDIOFILE
This much is True Affordable new true wireless earphone from Sennheiser PRICE: £120 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: SENNHEISER.COM SENNHEISER HAS RELEASED its new CX True Wireless earphones featuring its proprietary TrueResponse transducer designed and manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Germany. Developed for Sennheiser’s premium earphones, the company claims: “this bespoke acoustic system delivers high-fidelity stereo sound with deep basses, natural mids and clear, detailed treble.” The Sennheiser Smart Control App and built-in EQ allow for custom tailoring of the listening experience and it’s compatible with Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC and aptX audio codec support. The CX offers a claimed nine hours of battery life with up to 27 hours available when charging on-the-go with the supplied case. Ear adapters are provided in four sizes and the earphones are IPX4-rated splash resistant. The CX True Wireless features a touch interface which, via a firmware update, means the user can make the touch controls customisable,
letting the listener define their preferred way of controlling audio, calls or accessing voice assistants such as Google Assistant or Siri. The charging case is similarly intuitive, with the earbuds automatically powering on when taken out of the case and powering down to save energy when replaced. Using dual microphones on each earphone for voice pick-up, the CX True Wireless optimises speech for calls and voice assistant access and a ‘role switching’ feature allows either earbud to be used on its own for added versatility. The Sidetone feature, which the company says: “makes phone calls more comfortable by letting the user hear their own voice during calls,” is adjustable via a slider setting in the Smart Control app. The CX True Wireless is available in a choice of matte black or matte white finishes.
All fired up! PRICE: £550 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: PRIMARE.NET A revised version of its NP5 Prisma network player, Sweden’s Primare has unveiled the NP5 Prisma MK2. Development of the new model was necessitated primarily by a fire at the AKM factory, causing long-term disruption of the supply of the critical re-clocking chip that’s at the heart of the NP5 Prisma and allowed for the selection of output sampling frequencies. In order to continue to make the model available, Primare has sourced a readily available chip and redesigned the circuit to maintain the performance of the original NP5 Prisma, while allowing for MQA pass-through – something that was not possible with the original chipset. All features and functionality remain the same, with Spotify HiFi and Tidal Connect expected to join the list of connection and control features already available – AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Chromecast built-in and Roon Ready – later this summer. 10
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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
…Clarity begins *all these items available for our Covid-busting, RISK-FREE
Electrocompaniet EMC 1 MKV reference cd player
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AUDIOFILE
Stonehenged! First ever limited-edition turntable from Naim PRICE: £1,600 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: NAIMAUDIO.COM NAIM AUDIO, BASED in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has released its first ever turntable in its 50-year history. Named the Solstice, it comes partnered with a next-generation version of the iconic Naim Aro tonearm, an Equinox MC cartridge, Solstice Series phono stage, power supply and bespoke accessory set. A special-edition package, limited to just 500 units, the Naim Solstice Turntable NVS TT comes equipped with a magnetic bearing supporting a high-mass aluminium platter, with a self-calibrating motor drive system. The tonearm boasts improved materials including tungsten and carbon-fibre with an all-new, no-compromise bias, arm height and azimuth adjustment. The Naim Equinox MC Cartridge features a microline stylus shape – designed to be closer to the original cutting lathe head to enable the retrieval of accurate high-frequency information – and a boron cantilever, a stiff-but-light design that transfers the stylus movements to the moving coils.
The Naim Solstice Series Phono Stage NVC TT is the first from the company to employ DR technology, initially used on the flagship Statement amplifier, while the Naim Solstice Series Power Supply NPX powers both the turntable and the phono stage. The Solstice Accessories Set includes a digital stylus gauge, bubble spirit level, three hex drivers, a vinyl adjustment tool, dust protector and a cleaning cloth.
Sweet streams PRICE: £1,950 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: HENLEYAUDIO.CO.UK HiFi Rose, a division of Korean software company Citech, is releasing its RS250 network streamer, DAC and preamplifier via Henley Audio. A more affordable alternative to the flagship RS150 (HFC 477) it boasts the same broad set of features with some reduction in connectivity and housed in a smaller chassis inspired by the RS201E design that’s on test on p56. The company claims its key features are an 8.8in multi-touch touchscreen, support for digital audio playback up to 32-bit/768kHz (PCM) and
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DSD512 (Native DSD), the ability to stream music from your network or attached devices through the built-in Rose OS Music app and it comes Roon Ready with Airplay and Spotify Connect streaming included. There are integrated apps for Qobuz and Tidal services, bespoke Rose OS apps for access to video services, podcasts and radio playback, and it will play or rip CDs from external optical drives, connected by USB, (drive not included). The RS250 also allows you to manually adjust output settings and comes
equipped with a special linear power supply configuration that the company claims minimises electrical noise. There are additional inputs for line or digital devices, an HDMI for 4K video output to a connected TV (via Tidal, Rose Tube or Video apps), wi-fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, space for built-in SATA, Micro SD or USB storage devices. A full-feature app is available for iOS and Android devices, while Bluetooth remote control is included. It all comes in a premium aluminium enclosure.
VOTED THE WORLD’S BEST LOUDSPEAKER
SVS has been awarded Best Loudspeaker by EISA, the Expert Imaging & Sound Association of 55 AV magazines from around the world...
OOR by Ferrum a star is born
Ferrum OOR, the only headphone amplifier with a soul We tasked our most talented engineer with an impossible goal: create the perfect headphone amplifier. The result is an alchemical masterstroke with part of his soul forged right into it, and it blew us away. OOR is a ground-up design without precedent, created from a profound exploration of analogue audio in its purest form. In true Ferrum style, OOR marries understated looks with sophisticated power delivery and amplifier technologies, delivering ultra-low distortion, huge dynamics and unrivaled detail. For those who want to go even further in unleashing unheard musicality, OOR is, of course, designed to pair perfectly with the HYPSOS Hybrid Power System.
Ferrum OOR Headphone Amplifier • Truly balanced design • > 8W into 60Ω (bal. mode) output power • • headphone impedance < 0,3 Ω • 21,7 x 20,6 x 5,0 cm •
Ferrum HYPSOS Hybrid Power System • Linear/switching PSU design • 100 ~ 240V AC in • • 5 ~ 30V DC out • 6A/80W • 21,7 x 20,6 x 5,0 cm •
30-day Free Trial • Free Support • Free Extended 3-year Warranty
More info on www.ferrum.audio
AUDIOFILE
Over-ear at last High-quality headphone imports from USA PRICE: £200 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: AUSOUNDS.COM LOS ANGELES COMPANY Ausounds has introduced its first over-ear headphone to the UK, the AU-XT ANC. Building on the audio quality and bespoke Active Noise Cancelling technology found in Ausounds’ in-ear models, the company claims: “the AU-XT ANC adds premium sound, thanks to its 40mm graphene drivers and tuned ear cup enclosure”. The AU-XT ANC offers aptX HD Bluetooth, features onboard music controls and fast charging via USB-C. To achieve the highest driver performance for the AU-XT ANC, the company says its engineers looked to cutting-edge material technology and developed a graphene-based driver diaphragm. Ausounds claims this 40mm membrane: “leverages the inherent strength-to-weight ratio of graphene’s honeycomb lattice carbon structure, creating an incredibly light but very stiff driver structure. The result is a driver with improved transient response, lower distortion and lower power required for higher volumes output than traditional polymer headphone drivers.” With 30 hours of music playback on a single charge, Ausounds claims that even with ANC turned on, the AU-XT offers up to 14 hours of runtime while a 15-minute top-up using the USB-C connection delivers a quoted hour and a half’s playback. The AU-XT ANC has been designed with a soft silicon headband and the ear cup materials integrate synthetic protein leather, covering a memory foam core. The silicone band and ear pads are sweat and moisture resistant for comfort during longer listening sessions. The AU-XT ANC features onboard controls with tactile feedback, allowing the user to skip tracks, play/pause music and adjust volume levels. Connected phone features include a microphone and buttons to answer, end or switch between calls. The microphone is also used for the AU-XT ANC’s AI voice assistant technology. The headphones come bundled with a travel case, cables and an aircraft adapter.
Mini with the most PRICE: £45 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: JAYSHEADPHONES.COM Jays is releasing a new portable speaker, the s-Go Mini. It’s the third such Bluetooth-product the Swedish audio product developer has released and this model boasts true wireless connection and IPX7-rating – which makes it both water resistant and dust proof. The s-Go Mini offers 12 hours of playtime and comes in two colours, graphite black and concrete white, with a protective travelling pouch. The s-Go Mini is available to buy now from the company’s website. SEPTEMBER 2021
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AUDIOFILE
Stream of the crop iFi Audio adds to its Zen range with a new ‘wi-fi audio transport’ PRICE: £400 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: IFI-AUDIO.COM IFI AUDIO HAS launched its Zen Stream, the latest addition to the company’s Zen Series of compact and affordable audio devices: “designed to deliver flexible, high-quality network streaming to any audio environment.” A ‘wi-fi audio transport’, the Zen Stream acts as a bridge between your wi-fi network and audio system. It connects to a router via wi-fi or Ethernet cable and outputs to an external DAC (or an amp with digital inputs) via USB or coaxial The Stream’s open-source architecture allows the user to select their preferred streaming platforms and apps without restriction and it claims to support up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 over both wi-fi and Ethernet. Users can stream directly from Tidal and Spotify apps while Airplay is included and Chromecast will be added as a free firmware update later this year. The Zen Stream is also compatible with Roon Bridge software; full Roon Ready certification apparently in the pipeline. The component is encased in the company’s usual dark grey aluminium and its
Rack ‘em up! PRICE: £1,000 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: CYRUSAUDIO.COM Cyrus Audio has introduced a new rack system, the HARK III, designed for its latest XR series of amplifiers, preamps, CD players and more. The HARK III is designed as a vertical column with built-in cable management and features fully adjustable shelf heights, making multiple product configurations possible. HARK III comes shipped complete with four shelving units, but is able to accommodate up to eight shelves per rack. Additional pairs of shelves are available separately. In producing the racks, Cyrus says it has employed a brand-new synthetic material called Cyruthane. Designed to suppress and absorb micro-vibrations, the rack measures 450 x 960 x 370mm (WxHxD), weighs 18kg and comes in a choice of black or silver finishes. Priced at £1,000 for the entire HARK III system, additional shelves are available for £150 per pair. 18
SEPTEMBER 2021
silver-coloured aluminium faceplate sports two multi-colour LEDs – one to indicate internet connection and speed; the other to show the incoming audio format and sample rate. There are just two buttons: the power switch and a ‘hotspot’ button. Connectivity incorporates two digital outputs – asynchronous USB and coaxial for hook up to an external DAC or amplifier. There’s also a USB-A input, giving the option of playing music from HDD and solid-state storage devices and a USB-C for firmware updates. The coaxial output incorporates iFi’s iPurifier technology. The company explains that the Stream’s circuit design has been engineered: “to deliver superb sound, with processing muscle supplied by a quad-core ARM Cortex microprocessor. This is accompanied by carefully chosen circuit components including discrete, high-grade surface-mounted devices such as TDK C0G multi-layer ceramic capacitors and inductors from Taiyo Yuden and Murata.”
AUDIOFILE
Music in store Upgraded Japanese entry-level digital music library PRICE: £2,500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: MELCO-AUDIO-MASTERS.COM JAPANESE COMPANY MELCO Audio has upgraded its entry-level N100-H20 digital music library, creating a new high-capacity HDD variant, the N100-H50, which more than doubles the original device’s music storage capability. The updated N100-H50 capacity increases from the standard 2TB of the N100-H20 to 5TB – the same as that featured in the N100-H50’s upmarket sibling, the £7,500 N10 45th Anniversary limited edition digital music library. The N100-H50 is based on an easy-to-place 215mm-wide chassis – about half the width of most full-size components. It uses the same low-noise, high-precision digital music dataflow in the existing Melco series while a low-profile mainboard uses the exact same RISC processor and architecture as the flagship N1Z series, which Melco says ensures very low noise with precise data management. It benefits from twin Ethernet ports: a dedicated Ethernet ‘player’ port connects directly to network streamers without an intervening data switch to ensure timing is maintained.
The new model can be used as a self-contained local hi-res digital music player when connected via a USB DAC; data rates of up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD512 are claimed, along with gapless and Melco markerless DSD. The N100-H50 is also Roon Ready following a recent firmware upgrade. Control comes via the Melco Music HD app, from the front panel or from approved third-party RF remote handsets. The N100-H50 will operate with both USB DACs and Ethernet-connected players even without connection to a data network in standalone Isolated Mode. Storage is expandable, either with a standard USB hard drive or, to maintain sound quality, the Melco E100 2TB expansion drive. CD importing is covered, with either the Melco D100 external CD loader or an IT-grade optical drive. Music backup is achieved by plugging in a USB hard drive and pressing a button, while a front-panel USB port offers importing from USB sources as well as direct playback from drives without importing. The N100-H50 comes in a choice of black or silver finishes. SEPTEMBER 2021
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AUDIOFILE
Sunny side up A&K and Campfire collaborate on new high-end in-ear PRICE: £1,500 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: ASTELLKERN.CO.UK ASTELL&KERN HAS PARTNERED with Campfire Audio to create the AK Solaris X in-ear monitor. Based on Campfire Audio’s Solaris 2020, the companies say that the X model is: “designed and tuned especially for Astell&Kern products, re-imagining the original’s sonics to faithfully convey a deep, rich but natural sound.” Hand-assembled in Portland, Oregon, USA the AK Solaris X features a custom-made balance armature (BA) driver and a dynamic driver hybrid system, alongside patented Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber (TAEC) technology and a 3D-printed acoustic chamber. The BA driver, designed specifically for the model, is smaller than its predecessor, but the companies explain that it still: “offers a wideband performance that extends high-frequencies without sibilance or fatigue.” Working in tandem with Campfire Audio’s TAEC technology, the driver performance is optimised by adjusting the volume of space available in front of the driver providing a direct passage from the driver to the ear. Another BA driver provides delivery of the midrange frequencies, while the custom 10mm dynamic driver is optimised for the Polarity Tuned Chamber. The companies claim that: “by deploying particular
volume cavities, both in front and behind the dynamic driver, bigger sounds can be drawn from smaller drivers. In the case of this hybrid design it can also specifically target the X’s driver performance resulting in a deeper and more refined mid-to-low frequency.” Each earphone integrates a 3D-printed, acoustically optimised interior chamber to enable the drivers to deliver the high audio quality and create: “a natural and accurate sound.” The AK Solaris X comes with a balanced 2.5mm pure silver Litz cable (a 3.5mm adapter is also supplied) consisting of four 4N (99.99 percent purity) conductors wrapped in a soft-touch jacket for flexibility and durability. The X additionally comes with a case made from eco-friendly cork material for long-lasting protection.
Passion for fashion PRICE: £5,225 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: YSL.COM If there’s one thing you can definitely say about Bang & Olufsen it’s that it loves a collaboration. This month, apart from the Factory Records Beoplay A9 (see p129), it’s partnering with fashion brand Saint Laurent Rive Droite to release the limited edition Beosound Edge, a: “compact and powerful” wireless speaker offering what’s described as: “timeless design, cutting-edge acoustic innovation and unparalleled interaction for a listening experience that inspires the imagination.” The Beosound Edge has been styled with a minimal design and perfectly circular aluminium frame exterior. B&O explains: “it’s calibrated to detect the force of your touch when adjusting the volume as you roll the speaker back and forth. As you approach Beosound Edge, it comes to life, lighting up the interface thanks to proximity sensors. The touch sensitive aluminium surface allows you to start, stop and change tracks with a simple tap.” The home speaker offers a choice of three directional sound settings for different listening experiences, including the True360 omnidirectional mode, while B&O says its Active Bass Port design allows it to deliver: “an outstandingly potent bass.” The Beosound Edge comes in a marble print with a matt black aluminium finish. 20
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ÅRETS ÅRE RETS TS PRODUKT PRO PR ODU DUKT KTT
Stereo+ PRIMARE PRIM R35
Phono Preamps of the Year! Prestigious awards and great reviews keep coming for our R15 and R35 phono preamplifiers. Visit primare.net for more information and to read the reviews.
karma a
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Authorized United Kingdom Distributor
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karma-av.co.uk info@karma-av.co.uk
V10 Phono Preamplifier
/ gr
The Hegel V10 is a brand-new take on an old technology. With 30 years’ experience designing state-of-the-art discrete transistor circuits, we have built a phono preamplifier like no other. It is neutral, dynamic, and exceptionally revealing. We have used all our knowledge
in amplification and applied it to one goal - To reach down into the record and reveal every bit of information. The V10 is designed to capture the sound To get you closer to the music To get you into the groove
MM and MC || Subsonic Filter || System matching || Auto standby || Balanced (XLR) output
www.hegel.com
AUDIOFILE
Radio activity Three new models from Boston, Mass PRICE: £219-£800 AVAILABLE: NOW WEB: TIVOLIAUDIO.CO.UK
TIVOLI AUDIO FROM Boston, Massachusetts, is launching a trio of new models: the Generation 2 Music System Home, the Gen 2 Model One Digital and the Model One+ DAB radio. The Generation 2 Music System Home is a portable all-in-one stereo music system styled in eco-friendly fabric, sealed furniture-grade wood cabinet (available in Black Ash/Black; Walnut/Grey; White/Grey) and aluminium panels front and back. The company describes it as: “a stylish and easy way to stream favourite music and podcasts, play peer-to-peer through Bluetooth or browse DAB/FM radio.”
Stream engine Equipped with a four-driver configuration of two 89mm mid/bass drivers and two 19mm tweeters driven by four dedicated amplifiers (two 8W and two 20W), it allows you to play, pause, skip tracks or change station with a one push/rotary dial and select a source and adjust the volume with another. When streaming app-based services via wi-fi you can use your phone as a remote control, and everything else works by pressing the nav controls and presets on the remote handset supplied. An optical input or wi-fi options support video, the 3.5mm aux input will connect wired audio devices and the Ethernet port allows connection to a wired home network. The Generation 2 Music System Home is priced at £800. The Model One Digital Generation 2 is a smart radio that the company describes as offering: “the latest in music services from all
the popular smartphone apps,” with built-in support for Chromecast and Airplay, as well as Bluetooth and a choice of FM/DAB radio. Like the aforementioned Music System Home, it’s designed in eco-friendly fabric with a sealed furniture-grade wood cabinet (in the same three real-wood finishes) and aluminium front fascia/controls. It uses a Class A-B amp driving a single long-throw 89mm full-range driver and is operated via push/rotary controls, smartphone or the system remote handset. A 3.5mm aux input will connect wired audio devices. The Model One Digital Generation 2 is priced at £300. For both the Gen 2 Music System Home and Model One Digital designs, Tivoli is adding Google Chromecast and Apple Airplay 2 to allow access to built-in supported apps such as Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora, TuneIn etc. Finally, the Model One+ radio comes encased within Tivoli’s signature handmade ported wood cabinet with a single large tuning dial joining source-select and volume controls on the front fascia, along with five preset buttons and a scan button. It features a single top-firing, long-throw, DSP controlled driver and is supplied with a full function remote, which allows access to additional features, such as alarm clock and display settings. The Model One+ offers DAB/DAB+/FM radio as well as Bluetooth connectivity. For wired listening, there is an auxiliary line input and headphone output. The finishes are available in a choice of Walnut/ Beige; Grey/White; Oak/Black finishes and it’s priced at £219. SEPTEMBER 2021
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AUDIO MAIN TEST NAIM UNITI ATOM HEADPHONE EDITION £2,400
DETAILS PRODUCT Naim Audio Uniti Atom Headphone Edition ORIGIN UK TYPE Headphone amp WEIGHT 7kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 245 x 95 x 265mm FEATURES ● Rated headphone output: 1,500mW (16ohm) ● Chromecast builtin; Apple Airplay 2; Tidal; Spotify Connect; Bluetooth aptX HD; internet radio; Roon ready DISTRIBUTOR Naim Audio WEBSITE naimaudio.com
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All hail the mighty Atom! The ever-reliable Uniti Atom all-in-one platform, complete with custom streaming solution, is now adapted to service the demands of the most fastidious headphone users otwithstanding the fact that the constant upgrading, development and introduction of new components is the absolute lifeblood of HFC, how these upgrades are often named can quite frankly be a copy editor’s nightmare. In this issue alone you’ll find KEF up-naming its LS50 to the LS50 Wireless II, Primare’s NP5 Prisma being promoted to the NP5 Prisma II, Klipsch relaunching its Forte in the guise of the Klipsch Forte IV, HiFi Rose
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running out a freshened-up version of its RS150 as the RS201E, Sennheiser adding to its dizzying array of headphones with a new model called the IE 300, not to mention iFi which as a company is seemingly prone to releasing DACs with new names like there’s really no tomorrow. Quite the headache, then, for fact-checkers, meaning that any prospective buyer looking to enjoy the advantages and innovations offered by these upgrades would be advised to pay forensic attention to
the fine details lest a number or letter slip means that they end up with some predecessor of their desired just-on-the-market model. Which brings us rather neatly to Naim Audio’s Uniti Atom. In the 12 years since the company launched its network audio all-in-one, to which the buyer need only add speakers, its title has grown from the simple NaimUniti of the initial model, all the way to this, the £2,400 Naim Audio Uniti Atom Headphone Edition. And yet amazingly, less is more.
NAIM AUDIO UNITI ATOM HEADPHONE EDITION £2,400
This new arrival, despite being the same price as the existing Atom, (which continues in the range), has shed the power amplification of what is the company’s most compact streaming system, slotting in below the full-width Nova and Star (HFC 433) models. Here the unit is re-purposed as a dedicated device for followers of the ‘head-fi’ trend, complete with a choice of conventional and balanced headphone outputs. Well, that’s almost the whole story… This is the latest evolution of Naim’s in-house streaming platform first unveiled with the arrival of the current Uniti models, and which has gone on to underpin not only the Uniti range, but also both the Mu-so lineup and its latest-gen ND series of network players. The intention of futureproofing has been borne out, not least with the inclusion of Chromecast built-in, along with both Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay 2. Just about anything you want to stream from your computer, phone or tablet is accommodated here, along with a hi-res UPnP/DLNA interface able to handle files up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD128. There’s also Roon ready capability for those who are taken with it. But back to the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition. It’s actually not the company’s first foray into headphone listening – that was the Headline headphone amp. Also, the DAC-V1 was designed in part as a bridge between PCs and ’phones. Similarly, much play was made of the
HOW IT COMPARES This latest Uniti Atom finds itself pitched into a very competitive market with numerous headphone amp/ DAC solutions to tempt audiophiles. Matrix Audio’s £2,800 ElementX is another highly specified networkattached DAC/ headphone amp/ preamp that’s not only hugely flexible, but also offers a sound performance that’s never short of thrilling. Then there’s the £2,500 SPL Phonitor xe – something of a ‘purist’ device offering an unashamedly ‘pro’ specification together with a striking red finish! Built like a tank, whether revealing the fine detail in a recording or pounding out rock at very serious levels, it proves to be a captivating musical companion.
quality of the Supernait 3’s (HFC 456) integral headphone amp a couple of years back – but the Atom HE is definitely Naim’s most complete offering for fans of personal listening. Not only can it stream music from the user’s own collection, be it located on network storage or USB devices, it can also deliver online services including Spotify Connect, Qobuz and Tidal, not to mention the ‘hi-res’ 320kbps AAC BBC radio streams as part of its internet radio capability. All these services are best accessed via the Naim app, although the unit also comes with an RF remote handset. In addition there are both optical and coaxial digital inputs, as well as a single set of analogue ins, the latter digitised at 48kHz.
Even the most lush of headphones are kept under the strictest control It would be remiss not to note that none of the gains made in the development of the current Naim platform include greatly improved wi-fi capability. Despite the absence of any external antennae for this or its other wireless modes, the Atom HE is fully capable of handling hi-res PCM or even DSD given a reasonable home network signal strength, although many will want the reassurance of the wired Ethernet connection located on the rear of the unit. Regardless of the input selected, all signals pass through Naim’s
MAIN TEST
long-refined SHARC-based digital signal processing, and the company’s favoured TI PCM1791 DAC, and thence to the output stage – which is something Technical Director Steve Sells and his team have reportedly spent much time fettling. Yes, this is a headphone amplifier, with both 6.35mm unbalanced and 4.3mm Pentaconn balanced sockets on the front panel, plus a four-pin XLR balanced headphone output to the rear, but it can also be used as a preamp – thanks to both RCAs and XLRs round the back. This is actually rather interesting, as there’s no sign of Naim’s usual DIN connectivity here, although the company is at pains to emphasise that the current Uniti models have never offered such provision. However, balanced XLR preouts – and matching power amp inputs – are only currently found on the company’s flagship Statement pre/power, alongside the familiar DINs used for unbalanced working. So it will be interesting to see whether Naim launches more mainstream power amps (and indeed preamps) equipped with balanced XLRs going forward.
Sound quality Most of the session listening is carried out using a variety of headphones, but it is also tested running as a preamp into a main system. As it turns out, the Atom HE acquits itself well in both roles, though a fixed output option on the preamp sockets – enabling it to be used as a source as well as a streaming pre – would have been welcome. It’s also worth noting
IN SIGHT 1 Ethernet port for wired internet 2
USB-A port
3 2x optical and 1x coaxial inputs
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NAIM AUDIO UNITI ATOM HEADPHONE EDITION £2,400
MAIN TEST
IN SIGHT Large toroidal transformer feeds separately regulated PSUs for the digital and analogue circuits 1
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2 Screened wi-fi receiver unit 3 Atmel microbased USB and Network inputs
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communication of music. And that means just about every style of music you choose to throw at this streaming headphone amp, including really raw recordings like Motörhead’s No Sleep ’Til Hammersmith sound suitably driving and thrilling, for all its abrasive edge. Similarly, a characterful vocal such as Sonja Kristina’s cover of Emerson Lake & Palmer’s Still… You Turn Me On is beautifully resolved and has superb character throughout. The sound here is never less than entirely focused on the performance, as is clear with American Quilt, the rootsy Paula Cole set of standards across a variety of genres. The singer’s voice is revealed with all its textures intact to glowing effect, while the accompanying musicians are exceptionally placed, for example on the stomping Black Mountain Blues.
Conclusion
STILL GOING STRONG “I have long felt and still believe that the specialist hi-fi press adversely affects the long-term stability of the industry. It sets a ‘flavour of the month’ type of agenda, and this strongly influences a lot of dealers, who simply take the line of least resistance. Today you’ll find a lot of people saying it’s all multi-room and/or A/V, but that’s just not true. There are still swathes of people out there that just want to listen to and enjoy music. One current challenge is finding how to get through to our
that Naim says all three headphone outputs can be connected simultaneously, which could be handy given that rear-panel XLR output, but for optimum performance it proves best to use just the one output at a time. Incidentally, the front headphone outputs will mute the
This is Naim’s most complete offering to date for fans of personal listening preouts when ’phones are connected, while a button located above them switches the rear output on and off. It’s worth sticking to that ‘one headphone at a time’ suggestion because, while the Atom HE doesn’t sound laboured even if you do use all the outputs simultaneously, there’s a useful gain in impact and clarity to be had, whether or not balanced cans are being used. And that ‘useful gain’ in quality is sufficient to take the Atom HE from excellent to superb.
particular customers: keeping them, making them feel wanted and cared for, and working to make the products they’re going to want in the future.” That’s a quote from the last ever interview given by Naim Audio founder Julian Vereker, courtesy of the Naim Users’ Tom Tom Club website, just before he sadly passed away, aged only 54, in 2000. His company is still going strong and so are we, so surely it’s salut all round.
In fact whichever kind of headphone output you use, this is a device able to bring out the very best in a wide range of accompanying models, from easy-going moving-coil types to demanding planar magnetic designs such as the balanced and much-lamented Oppo PM-1. But whichever you opt for, the essence of the Atom Headphone Edition is that it manages to drive headphones with both ease and conviction, while at the same time maintaining those Naim-esque qualities of detail and rhythmic acuity. Even relatively lush headphones such as the B&W P9 Signature (HFC 421) are kept under strict control and made to work for their living, while more obvious ‘monitor’ designs including the original Focal Spirit Pro sound fast, wide open and thrilling, never straying into harshness. Without resorting to the complexities and ‘fiddle factor’ of designs such as SPL’s Phonitor xe, Naim has managed to design a headphone amp all about the most important sonic trait – the direct
Without recourse to any obvious signal-manipulation, the Naim Atom HE seems to do a fine job of dispelling that ‘shut-in’ effect that sometimes afflicts headphone listening, even when powering closed-back designs such as the Focal Stellia (HFC 452). And the Uniti Atom HE puts in a good showing with the scale and drama of classical music, too. The gentle, small-scale scoring of Michala Petri, Marilyn Mazur and Daniel Murray's Brazilian Landscapes album is lucid and beautifully measured. It doesn’t shy away from the majestic weight of the Budapest Festival Orchestra/Iván Fischer recording of Brahms’ Third Symphony either. The Atom HE, driving Oppo’s PM-1 in this case, delivers a performance of real drama and impact, with a delicious sense of the orchestra ranged before the listener. In short, the wide-ranging ability of this compact but substantial streaming headphone amplifier is never really in any doubt ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Compact chassis; easy to use; supremely convincing delivery
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Nothing of any note
BUILD QUALITY
WE SAY: Brilliant focus on delivering the music
FEATURES
OVERALL
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R E V E A L I N G E V E RY D E TA I L
The new Spendor D-Line loudspeakers reveal every nuance of the performance with absolute clarity and realism. With their transparent, superbly natural sound and extraordinary resolution, they create an airy, spacious soundscape, then invite you in to explore it, uncovering new depths, textures and definition in your music.
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.
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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
TALK TALK Talk Talk The Party’s Over
Our Group Tests are supported by rigorous and exhaustive listening tests carried out by experts CARTRIDGES GROUP TEST THE MOST SIGNIFICANT obstacle to an effective cartridge test is the interval between listening to each one, which can affect the audio memory that makes standard a-b comparisons effective. To minimise the changeover time the test turntable is a twin-armed AVID Ingenium (HFC 379) with one side used with an SME M2-9 tonearm, which offers a detachable headshell to speed up transfers. With six headshells for testing, each cartridge can be pre-mounted in a headshell and the changeover reduced to around two minutes. A Rega Atlas (HFC 426) stylus force gauge is used to set tracking force and a Dr Feickert protractor (HFC 335) the alignment. All cartridges arrive with enough time to meet or
exceed the manufacturers’ recommended running-in time prior to serious listening. The phono stage used for testing is a Cyrus Phono Signature (HFC 408). This has suitable gain and loading to handle all six cartridges optimally and allows those settings to be easily selected via the front panel. This runs via XLR into a Chord Electronics 2800MkII integrated amp powering Kudos Titan 505 (HFC 451) loudspeakers. Levels are set using a Clearaudio test record playing a pink noise tone and by measuring the voltage at the speaker terminals. As well as the test programme, the cartridges all see more general use with a variety of different material during extended listening.
FINK Berlin Sunrise Fink Meets the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
BILL FAY Human Hands Countless Branches
EMILY KING Forgiveness Scenery
REFERENCE SYSTEM LOUDSPEAKER:
PHONO STAGE:
TURNTABLE:
Kudos Titan 505 £7,000 HFC 451
Cyrus Phono Signature £1,500 HFC 408
AVID Ingenium £1,015 HFC 379
The Kudos is incredibly revealing, able to find nuances and details that even very capable rivals can miss, making it an exceptional reviewing tool. It somehow manages to combine this with being usefully forgiving and enormously enjoyable to listen to while it does so. Just because we’re working doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun at the same time, right?
Still one of the very finest and most flexible phono stages on the market, the Cyrus is a perfect tool for review work as it’s able to handle a wide selection of impedance, gain and capacitance requirements and make those adjustments via the front panel rather than resorting to dip switches. It matches this with a wonderfully neutral presentation that again ensures that even very small differences in presentation can be picked up on easily.
Now superseded by the more cost-effective Ingenium Plug & Play (HFC 466), the older Ingenium could be ordered with different arm mountings, which enables an SME M2-9 (also no longer available individually) to be mounted. The result is an ideal test bed as swapping cartridges is simple and the turntable itself is extremely neutral, highlighting the differences between test subjects.
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CARTRIDGES £900-£1,275
Grand designs Spending four figures on a cartridge is a serious undertaking. Ed Selley considers six designs that straddle the price point DESPITE THE BEST efforts of inflation, £1,000 is still a significant psychological break point in audio. Once an item commands a four-figure price we expect more from it. It becomes a more considered purchase and one that we tacitly expect to give a superior performance than rivals priced below this level. With phono cartridges, this effect is amplified by their very nature. Spending a grand on something that is a few centimetres long, a few grams in weight and that, by the simple expedient of how it works, will eventually wear out, is something that needs a little mental fortitude to do. Even the most transcendently talented and beautiful designs do elicit a slight ‘is that it?’ feeling when you unbox them and realise how small they are. Whatever expectations we might have for an amplifier or pair of speakers with a four-figure price tag are going to be heightened by spending so much money on something quite so small.
The effect a cartridge can have on a system’s performance is very significant, though. By the time you reach this price point advanced stylus profiles, clever cantilevers and innovative materials all feature. All of the designs tested here put considerable effort towards the task of extracting the most information possible from the grooves of a record. There is considerable variation in approach too. Among the six designs here, there’s some very different thinking going on. We’ll cover these in due course, but by way of a simple example the lightest design is less than half the weight of the heaviest one. As much by accident as design, we have an interesting means of studying the effects of the £1,000 break point too. One model comes in well under a grand, one sits within a pound of it and four exist in the rarefied clear air above it. But which one is right for you, your system and your turntable? Read on to find out.
ON TEST
EAT Jo No5 £1,098 p32 The most affordable member of the EAT cartridge family, this is a low-output moving-coil design with aluminium cantilever and fine line stylus and it’s also the largest in the group.
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Grado Master3 £1,079 p35 Part of the company’s Timbre series, the Grado is made from Australian Jarrah wood with a boron cantilever and elliptical stylus profile. This is the low output version – a high output one is also available.
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Michell Cusis S £1,275 p36 The middle of three MC carts that Michell launched last year, the Cusis S is a low-output moving-coil and partners a shibata profile stylus with a boron cantilever, set in an openbottomed acetyl chassis.
Rega Apheta 3 £1,250 p38 The third generation of Apheta takes Rega’s unique suspension-free cartridge and refines the process further, adding a unique stylus profile mounted on the end of an aluminium cantilever.
Soundsmith Carmen mk II £999 p40 The only high-output design here, the Carmen mk II uses Soundsmith’s fixed-coil principle and employs an elliptical stylus in an aluminium cantilever that actually tracks at an unusually low 1.5g.
Sumiko Songbird Low £900 p42 Also available in a high output model, this is the only nude design in the group, with the generator, aluminium cantilever and elliptical diamond stylus being unprotected by any form of bodywork.
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£900-£1,275 GROUPTEST CARTRIDGES
These remain detailed, tonally rich and effortlessly distinct from the supporting instrumentation from start to finish. This ability to keep individual strands of the performance distinct from one another is no less useful with Fink’s Berlin Sunrise. The scale of the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra is well conveyed and, while there are fine details that the EAT doesn’t quite make as clear as some of the other cartridges in the group, it delivers Fin Greenall’s vocals with assurance and richness, all the time successfully conveying his relationship to the orchestra. As the piece builds, the EAT maintains its cohesion and sense of order and it never sounds congested or confused.
EAT Jo No5 £1,098 EAT’s jolly green giant might be the largest offering of the group, but it’s extremely musical with it DETAILS PRODUCT EAT Jo No5 ORIGIN Austria/Czech Republic TYPE Moving-coil cartridge WEIGHT 15g FEATURES ● Line contact stylus ● Aluminium alloy cantilever ● Polyamide body formed from laser sintering DISTRIBUTOR Absolute Sounds
uropean Audio Team’s family of products includes, turntables, tonearms, phono stages and a selection of different phono cartridges. The Jo No5 is the most affordable of three such models and is a low-output moving-coil design. The specification of the EAT is entirely in keeping with what might be expected from the group with a line contact stylus mounted on the end of an aluminium cantilever. The coils are made from 4N copper and the output is a claimed 0.33mV; low but far from unusably so for most moving-coil phono stages. The body of the Jo No5 is made from Polyamide. This shape of the body is formed by a process called laser sintering that forms the shape layer by layer. The result is a very robust feeling cartridge that has the benefit of a well-designed stylus guard to
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help with fitting and general care. Even though the sides are nonparallel – meaning there’s no straight edge you can see – ensuring that the EAT is correctly aligned is a fairly straightforward process, too. The caveat to this is that this is both the largest and, at no less than 15g, heaviest cartridge in the group and indeed one of the biggest designs I can remember testing, full stop. Depending on what turntable you own, it won’t matter how much you like the sound of the EAT if it doesn’t fit – both in physical terms at the headshell or getting the arm to balance. Even with the quoted 2.4g recommended tracking weight – also the heaviest in the group – the counterweight of the SME is right off the back of the arm. The EAT does look rather smart, however. The mint green finish is visually appealing and the design and packaging conveys a definite feeling of quality that is entirely commensurate with the price.
Sound quality While it looks enormous parked on the end of the tonearm, the EAT quickly goes about demonstrating some commendable virtues. It’s dead silent when sat in the run-in groove of the first test record, which helps everything sound impressively vivid. It delivers Talk Talk’s eponymous track from The Party’s Over with a welcome level of propulsive energy without affecting its reproduction of Mark Hollis’ vocals over the top. 32
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A welcome level of propulsive energy without affecting vocal reproduction With the much smaller and more intimate performance of Human Hands, it’s slightly less assured. The piano sounds a little recessed and some of the details of Bill Fay’s playing are harder to discern. Fay himself sounds good, but there’s a slight hardness to the Jo No5 at times that isn’t present elsewhere. On Emily King’s rather larger and smoother recording of Forgiveness, the EAT is on much happier ground. The weight of the electronic low notes is impressive, but not achieved at the expense of control and King’s wonderful vocal turn is rich and emotive. Once again, she is clearly part of the same recording but never subsumed by it. As the track reaches a crescendo, the cartridge still maintains an easy sense of effortlessness that ensures the performance remains enjoyable and easy to follow ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
LIKE: Spacious but lively presentation; plenty of richness and engagement DISLIKE: Very large; limited fine detail
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: A large but likeable cartridge that consistently delivers a big, full-bodied and engaging sound
20 YEARS
UNRIVALLED twenty year warranty
THE BEST, iMPROVED Everything that made the twenty5 series legendary, with even greater realism, transparency and musicality. Find a local retailer to hear more at www.pmc-speakers.com
twenty5i series - Oct 20
twenty5.21i -May 20
twenty5.21i - May 21
twenty5.22i -June 20
twenty5.23i - March 21
twenty5.26i - Oct 20
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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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CARTRIDGES £900-£1,275
Something else that the Fink piece in particular makes plain is that the Master3 is very effective at the portrayal of space. It does a fine job of unpicking the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra into the sizeable body of individuals that it comprises. As the scale of the piece increases, this space is effortlessly filled to become something nearly cinematic in scope. Fink’s performance is then placed centre stage and delivered with the same cosseting balance of warmth and richness. Compared with some of the other designs here, there are little details that are harder to discern, but the overall listening experience is nonetheless very engaging. That forgiving edge to the upper registers helps the Master3 to turn in
Grado Master3 £1,079 Look after the specific requirements of the Grado and it will most assuredly look after you in return DETAILS PRODUCT Grado Master3 ORIGIN USA TYPE Moving-iron cartridge WEIGHT 10g FEATURES ● Elliptical stylus ● Boron cantilever ● Body made from matured Jarrah wood DISTRIBUTOR TONAR International BV
he Master3 sits within Grado’s Timbre series of cartridges that represents the US company’s middle tier of models, above the longrunning Prestige family but below the out-and-out high-end of the Lineage range. The Master3 is the second most expensive Timbre model, which encompasses an unusually broad spread of over £1,000. This is the only wooden-bodied cartridge in the group. The entire body is made of distinctive Australian Jarrah wood into which the generator assembly is mounted via the underside. This generator is available in both high-output (4mV) and 1mV low-output versions (as seen here). While indisputably lower than 4mV, this is a slightly odd output level leaving the Master3 prone to overloading a 60dB gain phono stage, but requiring a fair bit of amplifier
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GROUPTEST
power to hit the test level on the 50dB setting used for critical listening with all carts in the group. The Master3 has a five-piece boron cantilever mounting an elliptical type stylus produced specifically for Grado. It tracks at a relatively light 1.75g and with an all-up weight of 10g, it should work well across a wide spread of different tonearms. This is the second largest cartridge in the group behind the EAT, but in this case the mass is forward of the mounting screws so it shouldn’t interfere with most arms even if it looks a little odd. The nature of how the Grado is constructed means it feels a little different to the other designs here, but it’s indisputably well made. There are a few operational quirks; the wooden stylus guard protects the stylus very effectively, but is rather fiddly to fit and remove while Grado’s continued insistence on not colourmarking the connecting pins makes installation marginally more difficult than it really needs to be.
Sound quality If you can make the appropriate arrangements for the Grado’s output voltage, it’s capable of keeping the very best in the test honest. It does a fine job with Talk Talk, balancing an impressive sense of urgency and rhythmic drive with a pleasing warmth across the upper registers. Vocals sound rich and engaging without losing any of their realism or dominating the performance.
Vocals sound rich and engaging without losing any of their realism a fine performance with Human Hands too. Bill Fay’s unique vocals are the centre of attention and they have a sweetness that staves off any of the slight hardness that can be present in the recording. Importantly, while the performance still sounds airy and spacious, it isn’t adding unwanted scale to the recording itself. With the rather larger and more enveloping Forgiveness, the Grado is in its element. It uses its stereo width to generate an enveloping presentation. It manages to sound encouragingly flowing and lucid too. With the very low electronic notes that underpin the track, the Master3 has to cede some absolute bass weight compared with some of the other cartridges here, but there is still an appreciable force to them. As with the other test material, though, King herself is delivered with a gloriously vivid and compelling edge to her vocals ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Rich and spacious presentation; commendable timing
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Partnering equipment requires care; quirky to install
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
WE SAY: A talented cartridge that flatters without glossing over while delivering excellent musicality
OVERALL
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while ensuring that the upper registers remain rich and detailed throughout. The top end in particular combines exceptional detail retrieval with overall refinement that ensures nothing ever comes across as especially hard edged. This ability to extract fine detail is something that really benefits Fink’s Berlin Sunrise. There are nuances to the orchestral performance that no other cartridge in the group is able to make so readily apparent and the manner in which it stitches this detail into the overall performance makes it part of a natural and engaging sound. Greenall is positioned right at the centre of attention once he begins singing, but he’s never artificially detached from the supporting
Michell Cusis S £1,275 Beneath the unassuming exterior of the Michell beats the heart of a natural-born champion DETAILS PRODUCT Michell Cusis S ORIGIN UK TYPE Moving-coil cartridge WEIGHT 8.9g FEATURES ● Shibata stylus ● Boron cantilever ● Body made from acetyl DISTRIBUTOR Michell Engineering
his is the middle offering of three cartridges from Michell; something of an unexpected addition to the company’s inventory, but one that impressed us when we tested the Cusis E back in HFC 469. The S takes many of the same themes as the simpler cartridge. It’s a moving-coil design with output creeping up slightly from 0.35mV in the E to 0.4mV here. In practise this still works well into a 60dB gain input. Where the S differs from its more affordable sibling is that it dispenses with the aluminium cantilever and elliptical stylus and instead opts for a boron cantilever mounting a Shibata-type tip. Channel separation and frequency response improve as a result and ensure that the Cusis S is specified in keeping with the price. The body is still made from acetyl, which keeps the weight at 8.9g and
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this, together with a recommended tracking weight of 2g, makes this an extremely simple cartridge to fit and balance in most tonearms. The flat front is also a bonus when it comes to alignment. It could be easier still, though. The Michell has an open bottom to the body so the generator is visible when the cartridge is inverted. It’s not as vulnerable as it is on the nude Sumiko, but, unlike any other cartridge in the group it has no form of stylus guard. I would still regard this as a fairly simple cartridge to fit to most arms, but it can be more nerve wracking because the stylus remains exposed throughout. In better news, the Cusis is solidly made and comes with a useful selection of bolts and tools to help get it up and running. There are more spectacular designs in this group but the build quality certainly oozes competence.
The Cusis S sounds neutral, but without being dull or matter of fact at any stage musicians. The Michell highlights the subtle difference between scale and width in that, while it doesn’t push information as wide as some other models in the group, it’s hard to argue that the weight and presence it gives the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra sounds in any way small. With Human Hands its ability to deliver the intimacy and humanity of this simple recording is the best in the group. Little details from both the piano and Fay’s playing are woven into a presentation that sounds gloriously real and avoids any trace of hardness. It completes an emphatic demonstration with a rendition of Emily King’s Forgiveness that makes full use of the superb low-end extension to sound rich and vivid in a way that has you ignoring the mechanics of how the performance is being created and simply focussing on the music itself ●
Sound quality The packaging proudly informs its would-be owner that a cartridge should sound neutral; nothing more, nothing less. The Cusis S does abide by this mantra, but does so without being dull or matter of fact at any stage. It also manages this while being the quietest cartridge in a group of very quiet designs. The first attribute of real note, however, is that it has sensational bass extension. It’s able to reveal a weight and potency from Talk Talk that no other offering here can come close to. It does this 36
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OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
LIKE: Wonderfully refined but potent performance; superb bass; user-friendly measurements DISLIKE: Really needs a stylus guard WE SAY: Delivers a superb performance with a variety of types of music and setups
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£900-£1,275 GROUPTEST CARTRIDGES
is extremely hard to provoke. It achieves all this while delivering on the promise of articulation and agility that the elimination of the suspension promised to convey. Where it perhaps isn’t quite so assured is in the way it sometimes feels a little lightweight. The swell of the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra in Berlin Sunrise is undoubtedly superbly controlled, but there simply isn’t the weight that some other models in the group manage to create. Where the Rega pulls some points back is the way it’s able to reproduce fine details buried among the individual performers and work them into the wider performance – which feels spacious without ever being diffuse. Greenall sounds rich, smooth and entirely believable.
Rega Apheta 3 £1,250 Taken out of its ecosystem, the latest version of Rega’s innovative Apheta still has some impressive attributes DETAILS PRODUCT Rega Apheta 3 ORIGIN UK TYPE Moving-coil cartridge WEIGHT 6g FEATURES ● Bespoke line contact stylus ● Aluminium cantilever ● Body made from aluminium and perspex DISTRIBUTOR Rega
s the name suggests, the Apheta 3 is the third generation of Rega’s first moving-coil cartridge – one that introduced some genuinely innovative thinking to the category when originally released. Unlike all the others in the group, it has no rubber suspension. This requires the magnet and coil assembly to be as light as possible, something that Rega has worked to reduce over the various iterations. The key improvement to the 3 is the stylus. This is now a line contact profile that has been specially developed by the Southend-based company, originally for the flagship Aphelion 2. This is mounted in an aluminium cantilever shaped in such a way as to allow the stylus to mount at a 90° angle through it. The Apheta 3 tracks at a fairly conventional 2g recommended weight and the quoted
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output of 0.35mV is low but far from unusably so. At 6g this, is the lightest model in the group and might be more of a challenge to balance in tonearms designed for heavy cartridges. For everyone else, though, the neat design and widely spaced pins make it easy to fit. It’s important to note that, more than any other cartridge in the group, this is designed to be used on the company’s own turntables. Mounted via three screws in a Rega tonearm, the Apheta 3 will automatically align and it’s a doddle to fit in such circumstances. No less significant is that if you order an Apheta 3 pre-fitted to a Rega turntable, the price drops to the equivalent of £900 – which makes it fine value. Even at £1,250, it’s very well made and the industrial design, with the perspex cover protecting the vitals, looks extremely smart. The stylus guard is clever too, protecting the more delicate parts of the cartridge while being small and easy to fit.
Sound quality The Apheta 3 is impressively quiet sat in the run-in groove of a record and from the opening bars of Talk Talk it very quickly becomes clear just how impressive the evolution of the design since the original Apheta has been. Where it could be a little hard-edged from time to time, the third-generation offering is a tremendously refined proposition. Mark Hollis takes on an almost liquid quality and the top end 38
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Vocals take on an almost liquid quality and the top end is hard to provoke It also manages the same feat with the Bill Fay track, but that fractional lightness to the bottom end is enough to leave the piano feeling a little thin. However, the effortless refinement that the Apheta 3 possesses keeps everything sounding smooth even when the recording itself tends to harden up a little. Moving to Forgiveness, it doubles down on its strengths while showing some limitations. Emily King sounds glorious; emotive and sultry, effortlessly supported by her backing vocals and instrumentation. There’s no trace of sluggishness or overhang to the low electronic notes that underpin the track, but some of the heft that they possess elsewhere feels reduced here. The presentation is refined and detailed, but lacks some of the punch and drive that really helps to bring it to life ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Refined and articulate; well made and easy to fit
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Can sound a little lightweight and lacking in punch
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: A supreme performer on Rega turntables, the Apheta 3 is good away from them but not perfect
November 2020
Distributed by Henley Audio T: +44 (0) 1235 511 166 | E: sales@henleyaudio.co.uk | W: www.henleyaudio.co.uk |
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: HenleyAudio
£900-£1,275 GROUPTEST CARTRIDGES
Soundsmith Carmen mk II £999 The Soundsmith is technically fascinating and possesses some potentially very useful attributes. DETAILS PRODUCT Soundsmith Carmen mk II ORIGIN USA TYPE Fixed-coil cartridge WEIGHT 9.2g FEATURES ● Elliptical stylus ● Aluminium cantilever ● Body made from aluminium with a resonance control system DISTRIBUTOR Signature Audio Systems
oundsmith seemingly works on the philosophy of having a cartridge in its wide-ranging portfolio for absolutely every occasion, with some models occupying similar price points but offering different features and outputs. And it is output that marks out the Carmen mk II as being different from any other in our group. With 2.12mV available, it’s the only cartridge here that can be used into a moving-magnet phono stage; indeed it also benefits from the 47kohm loading of such a setup. If you have the option to do so, though, a 50dB gain setting tends to work a little more effectively and consequently is employed for testing here. This voltage is generated by Soundsmith’s own fixed-coil system. This uses a permeable flux moderator on the end of the cantilever rather than a coil and this acts on the coil
S
itself, which is in turn attached to the chassis. Soundsmith claims that the reduction in mass helps with transient response, accuracy and reduces strain on the internals of the cartridge. And this isn’t the only unique feature. In the top of the Carmen mk II’s body is a series of grooves called Dynamic Energy Management System (DEMS). A pair of foam inserts can be used singularly or as a pair to better control resonance and hum. The business end is an elliptical stylus mounted in an aluminium cantilever. Unusually, the Soundsmith tracks at a very light 1.5g and is designed to do its best work in medium compliance-type tonearms. Mounting the Carmen mk II is simple enough. It’s a relatively long cartridge, but at 9.2g not an especially heavy one and it’s simple enough to align as well. The design is distinctive, but it’s well made and finished and also benefits from a protective and easy-to-fit stylus guard.
Sound quality Sat in the run-in groove of a record, the Carmen mk II is, by a small margin admittedly, the noisiest cartridge in the group. It makes little appreciable difference once music is playing, however, save for potentially having an effect on fine detail retrieval. Something that the Soundsmith makes good on from the outset is the promise of improved response and speed. It absolutely powers its way through Talk Talk, 40
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sounding lively and energetic. It might lack a little of the clout of some of the other designs in this group, but what bass it does possess is impressively fast. This transient speed is present in the upper frequency response, too. The Royal Concertgebouw’s instruments start and stop during the gentle build of Berlin Sunrise with an urgency that never comes across as forced, but feels slightly different to anything else here. Fink himself sounds good too. He’s clear and easy to follow, but the Carmen mk II doesn’t sound quite as tonally rich as it could and while the presentation has a useful degree of stereo width, the placement of performers within it is not as unambiguous as I know it can be.
It makes good on the promise of improved response and speed from the outset This isn’t so readily apparent on the rather simpler recording of Human Hands and the Soundsmith does a fine job of sounding refined without feeling smoothed over. Bill Fay’s vocals are clear and well-defined against the supporting piano. The fractional lack of low-end weight makes itself more felt with Emily King’s Forgiveness however. The low electronic pulses have blistering speed and articulation, but they’re heard rather than felt. This is a bit of a shame because the coherence of the Soundsmith is consistently impressive. It might not be able to dig out every last detail that’s buried in the recording, but the flow and timing it delivers is very compelling. As the track builds to its crescendo, some of the same slight ambiguity of placement makes itself felt, but it never seriously impinges on the overall enjoyment of the music ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Agile and rhythmic performance; works in an MM input
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Lack of bass extension; congestion in complex passages
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: If you need a high-output design, this is very impressive, but low-output rivals can out-perform it
Sound
investment
NEW GroundARAY
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£900-£1,275 GROUPTEST CARTRIDGES
Sumiko Songbird Low £900 The most affordable cartridge in the group is more than capable of keeping expensive rivals honest DETAILS PRODUCT Sumiko Songbird Low ORIGIN USA/Japan TYPE High-output moving-coil cartridge WEIGHT 8.5g FEATURES ● Elliptical stylus ● Aluminium alloy cantilever ● Aluminium top plate with exposed generator DISTRIBUTOR Henley Audio Ltd.
s the first new Sumiko moving-coil in a number of years the Songbird can be ordered in both high and low-output versions (we tested the high-output option in HFC 465). Both are moving-coil designs, but where the high-output version musters 2.5mV and will work into a movingmagnet input, the low produces 0.5mV, which makes it a reasonably benign partner for most moving-coil phono stages. The Songbird uses the same elliptical stylus as employed in other Sumiko models, mounted in an aluminium cantilever. This is attached to the generator via a newly developed synthetic rubber suspension system. Where the Songbird differs from any other cartridge in the group is that the generator assembly is completely exposed; something the company has done with other designs in the past.
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The generator is attached to a relatively thick section of aluminium that gives the cartridge its rigidity and mass; although at 8.5g it’s still one of the lighter offerings here. The nude design of the Sumiko doesn’t actually have any negative effects on fitment. The company supplies an excellent guard that completely encases the vulnerable section and makes it fairly stress free to get up and running. Where you will need to be careful is day-to-day use. The Songbird is naturally more vulnerable than enclosed designs, so this will need to be taken into account in a house with pets and children. If you don’t feel this will be an issue, the dimensions and weight of the Songbird make it a good match for a variety of different tonearms. It’s finished to a very high standard and, while this is of course a subjective opinion, I think this is the bestlooking model in the test.
Sound quality A word that appears frequently in the Sumiko’s listening notes is ‘balance’. From the top to the bottom of Talk Talk, it feels extremely even handed. The company’s promotional material states the Songbird: “excels at delivering rich vocals” and Hollis is indeed in fine voice here. What’s notable, however, is that they never feel over emphasised or disembodied from the rest of the performance. Something else worthy of note is the bass response. The Songbird delivers 42
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an impressively deep and controlled low end that never loses the speed and urgency of the track itself. This weight and refinement ensures that its take on Berlin Sunrise is very compelling. This is not the most detailed performance here, but the Royal Concertgebouw orchestra sounds weighty and real with a wonderful tonal richness. Meanwhile, Fink feels like an organic part of the presentation and the Songbird does a fine job of making sense of the track as a whole. There are some limits to the overall amount of perceived space, but it never sounds congested in any way. This more intimate presentation ensures that Human Hands sounds absolutely fabulous. The relationship
The nude design of the Sumiko doesn’t have any negative effects on fitment between Bill Fay and his piano is utterly self-explanatory and the Sumiko captures the emotion of the piece beautifully. The fractionally hard edge that this record can present is dealt with effectively too. The Sumiko continues to deliver its emotional content with Emily King’s Forgiveness, despite the considerable change in musical style. The low electronic notes are deep and controlled, felt as much as heard and beautifully integrated into the wider performance. The track flows with a compelling energy and drive, drawing the listener into the music and ensuring you listen to that rather than the hardware. King herself sounds sublime and the Songbird does a fine job of handling the building scale of the track, making sense of the supporting vocals and keeping everything sounding tremendously engaging from start to finish ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Even-handed but engaging sound; flexible mounting and output
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Vulnerable generator; slight lack of fine detail
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: An extremely accomplished cart at a relatively affordable price that will work in a wide variety of systems
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GROUPTEST
CARTRIDGES £900-£1,275
Group test verdict Six talented carts vying for your attention, but there can only be one winner. Pick-up artist Ed Selley breaks down the runners and riders ALL OF THESE cartridges have virtues that are worthy of praise. In the case of the Soundsmith and Rega those virtues come with more conditions to consider. The former can work into a moving-magnet phono stage and delivers a fast and articulate sound, but it can sound a little lightweight and congested. The latter is superb for Rega turntable owners and represents brilliant value at the reduced price it’s offered at pre-fitted, but it’s a more considered purchase for non Rega owners. The EAT and the Grado tie for third, in part because their performance is
Make/model EAT Price
outstanding, but they do have some conditions that need to be met to enjoy them. The EAT sounds very good with a richness and propulsive energy that will win it many fans, but you’ll need to ensure your tonearm can accommodate and balance its heft to unlock that performance. The Grado is easier to accommodate in physical terms, but the unusual output voltage won’t suit every phono stage on the market. If you can, though, this is an exceptionally open and tonally believable performer. The Sumiko Songbird Low is able to equal or better the performance of
both of those two cartridges and it does so while being lighter and more conventionally shaped and also delivering an output voltage more in keeping with what a conventional moving-coil phono stage will work well with. The result is a fabulously accomplished pick-up that comes in at the lowest price in the group. So long as you are confident that the exposed generator is not going to come to grief from small children with wandering hands or inquisitive pets, this is a veritable bargain that comes incredibly close to winning.
WINNER The Michell Cusis S is very accomplished. Its balance of tonal realism, three dimensionality, superb low-end extension and emotional engagement is something that no other design stitches together as effectively. It’s a stylus guard away from perfection.
Jo No5
Grado Master3
Michell Cusis S
Rega Apheta 3
Soundsmith Carmen mk II
Sumiko Songbird Low
£1,098
£1,079
£1,275
£1,250
£999
£900
A large but likeable cartridge that consistently delivers a full-bodied sound
Flatters without glossing over and delivers superb musicality
Superb performance with a variety of different types of music and setups
Superb on Rega turntables and good, but not perfect, on other decks
If you need a highoutput cart this is superb, otherwise rivals outperform it
Highly impressive and great value, this cart will work well in a variety of systems
Sound Value Build Features Overall
,
Website
europeanaudioteam.com gradolabs.com
michell-engineering.co.uk rega.co.uk
sound-smith.com
sumikophonocartridges.com
Moving-coil
Moving-iron
Moving-coil
Moving-coil
Fixed-coil
Moving-coil
0.33mV
1.0mV
0.4mV
2.35mV
2.25mV
0.5mV
Line contact
Elliptical
Shibata
Rega
Elliptical
Elliptical
Key features Type Output Stylus Cantilever Tracking force
Aluminium
Boron
Boron
Aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium
2.4g
1.75g
2g
2g
1.5g
2g
TRY WITH THESE
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TURNTABLE:
PHONO STAGE:
TONEARM:
Michell GyroDec SE £2,090 HFC 345
Chord Electronics Huei £995 HFC 459
Vertere SG-1 MkII £1,950 HFC 465
Coming up to its 40th anniversary, the GyroDec remains a superlative performer with a flexible upgrade path, exceptional build and those beautiful looks. An undisputed modern classic.
The Huei is an exceptionally flexible phono stage that will exactly partner the loading requirements of the Cusis S and deliver a performance that is detailed, incisive and punchy, really delivering on the promise of vinyl as a format.
The SG-1 is a heady combination of accuracy, neutrality and genuine good fun. The innovative main bearing design gives it the airiness of a unipivot with the ability to deliver low-end shove like a captive bearing arm.
SEPTEMBER 2021
SIGMA 170I £10,000 EXOTICA VAC
Let’s take the tube A single-chassis alternative to its Signature stack, VAC’s Sigma 170i delivers both marvellous grace and hefty grunt f there’s one golden rule in hi-fi circles, it’s surely: ‘Always read the owner’s manual first’. For instance, you could spend ages trying to illuminate the VAC Sigma 170i’s iQ warning lights when a swift squint at the manual will let you know that in this application – the £10,000 single-chassis alternative to the company’s Signature stack – they don’t light up at switch-on. They actually only kick into action when something is amiss, so chances are you’ll never see them doing their stuff because this ‘baby’ VAC integrated never misses a beat during testing. If anything, you’ll likely spend a fair bit of time marvelling at the mix of grace and grunt, for this compact unit defies the potential of its valve
I
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complement, a ‘mere’ quartet of KT88s. Not quite a ‘beast’, perhaps, but the cautious quoted factory rating of 85W per channel is more than met. Though, let’s face it, at £10k, any amplifier should be a powerhouse, save for single-ended triodes of the sub-10W variety. Our black-metal-flake-painted review sample (silver is also available) comes fully loaded, allowing us to exploit a couple of sources in balanced mode. The optional extras add an extra £3,700 to the price tag; they include the balanced XLR input for £800, the MM/MC £1,500 phono stage and – wholly an aesthetic choice, but worth the added peace of mind of the glassware – the cool protective glass/metal cage – a snip at £1,400.
DETAILS PRODUCT VAC Sigma 170i ORIGIN USA TYPE Integrated tube amplifier WEIGHT 32kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 457 x 203 x 440mm FEATURES ● Quoted power output: 2x 85W ● 4 line level inputs with an option for one to be an MM/ MC phono input ● Speaker outputs for 2-4, 4-8 and 8-16ohm ● 3x 12AX7 (inc phono stage), 5x 12AU7 triodes and 4x KT88 o/p tubes DISTRIBUTOR Signature Audio Systems, UK WEBSITE vac-amps.com signatureaudio.co.uk
Back to the iQ ‘Continuous Automatic Bias System’. It operates at all times, keeping an ‘i’ on the valves with one LED per tube. The lights glow green for a weak tube, red for a failed one or if it detects any potentially terminal issue, operating in advance to protect the unit. Green merely suggests you replace the valve at your convenience; red calls for turning off the Sigma 170i and replacing the duff tube when it cools down completely.
Probably the most telling element of the VAC is the sense of space and air Why should this matter? Those weaned on valves during the dark old years of 1970-1985, when replacements were hard to get, will value anything that provides peace of mind. Valve aficionados circa 2021? Consider yourselves blessed, as tubes are no longer as rare as Beluga. VAC opts for octal-based KT88s, but tweakers shouldn’t be tempted to fiddle with others of that fitting. Founder and CEO Kevin Hayes explains that he chose the KT88 as a tried-and-tested tube of true merit, and he’s not one to be easily swayed by trends.
EXOTICA
VAC SIGMA 170I £10,000
With feeds from various open-reel tape decks, we wallow in the assorted tracks from Tchaikovsky’s Greatest Hits and even at 3¾ips, the sound is gorgeous. Though there are no artists’ credits on the compilation, via the 170i the delivery is lush and cosseting even when compared with other amps in triode mode. Strings are extended, detailed and fast as lightning, and also utterly free of any ‘screech’ or unwanted edginess. But probably the most telling element is the sense of space and air, which remains from speaker to speaker, including the juxtaposition of changing from the big Wilsons to wee Tannoy Autograph Minis. The Sigma 170i perfectly reflects its two primary virtues: convenience and compactness. Less critical for many will be the need for one less AC outlet, or one less pair of interconnects (between preamp and power amp). Space-saving alone, though, is a worthwhile reason to consider an integrated. The Sigma 170i is less complicated to setup than its more expensive sibling, with no confusing, dedicated inputs. Blessedly, it provides multiple taps for speakers and we are able to try all three during testing, enjoying a perfect match for Falcon Acoustics’ 15ohm LS3/5A standmount, a cluster of nominally 8ohm models and the 4ohm Wilson Sasha DAW. The back panel is self-explanatory, but note that the optional phono module takes over Input 1 – with controls fitted to the top plate rather than the front fascia. Here you’ll find
The protective glass/metal cage is an elegant £1,400 addition
toggles to select MM or MC, the latter with three possible settings of 100, 200 and 470ohm. Around the back there are also ‘cine’ throughput sockets and preamp output RCAs next to the XLR balanced inputs. The front panel, too, is self-explanatory and while the supplied remote control handset only operates mute and level via a motorised analogue pot, how often do you have two sources running concurrently?
Sound quality Up-and-running in mere minutes, the VAC Sigma 170i – even before any lengthy warm-up – reveals itself to be a thoroughbred of classic valve sound. Hayes favours ultralinear over triode, and while hands-on perfectionists might prefer having the facility to access both, at no point do we feel the need for any added warmth or whatever else is attributed to pure triode operation.
The Sigma 170i’s two primary virtues are its convenience and compactness Moving to a more highly pedigreed tape, in that it’s twice the speed and not anonymous, the grandeur of Handel’s Messiah, with Stokowski conducting the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is beautifully captured and the vocal elements perfectly defined while the recreation of a concert hall defies the constraints of our listening room. A switch to vinyl raises a thorny question, which is a subset of the integrated-vs-separates debate, and we’d be remiss not to address it. The sum of £1,500 will pay for any one of a number of astounding standalone valve phono stages, most with a far greater choice of settings, eg, models
CONNECTIONS 1
‘Cine’ throughput
2 2-4ohm speaker output (left channel) 3 4-8ohm speaker output (left channel) 4 8-16ohm speaker output (left channel) 5
Preamp outputs
Balanced XLR inputs 6
7 2x single-ended RCA inputs 8 MM/MC singleended RCA inputs 9
1
2 3 4
5
6
7
8
Grounding post
9
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SIGMA 170I £10,000 EXOTICA VAC
IN SIGHT 1
1 VAC is a staunch advocate of handsoldered, point-topoint wiring inside its amplifiers 2 Optional MM/MC tube phono board
5
2
3 Localised mechanical input selection and volume control 4 Lundahl transformers are used for the MC input and the balanced (XLR) line input
3
5 Underside of main audio boards (left and right channels are separated)
3
4
from Pro-Ject, Icon Audio, EARYoshino, EAT and far too many others to list here. And who can even begin to count the exceptional solid-state phono stages, from Rega, Thorens, MoFi, ad infinitum? And yet the entire matter of justifying an integrated phono section, encompassing convenience/ space-saving/one less set of cables, as well as 100 percent compatibility cannot be ignored. It’s precisely the same rationale for buying an integrated amp per se. Luckily, VAC’s optional phono stage is exceptional. Not that one should expect anything less from the 47kohm MM stage, which is perfectly accommodating of an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. But what proves a blessed relief is how the three MC settings handle the TechDAS TDC01 Ti Kiseki Blue, Denon DL103GW and EAT Jo No5 (see p32) pick-ups. A tried and true go-to bass tester, Tony Joe White’s Homemade Ice Cream, proves revelatory in the truest sense of the word, in that it exposes something previously unseen (or heard). It is to be expected that the Sasha DAW provides prodigious bass, 48
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but the VAC mates so well with it that from the opening cut, Saturday Night, In Grove, Louisiana, the experience takes on a new dimension. Those of you who read liner notes will appreciate what it means when a band includes the cream of Nashville: the late Reggie Young on guitar, David Briggs providing piano and organ, Norbert Putnam on bass and Kenny Malone on drums. They’re among the reasons why Chad Kassem chose this LP for Acoustic Sounds’ deluxe 45rpm treatment. Any who harbour the notion that no tube amp can provide lowest-octave solidity like a transistor amp need to hear this via VAC’s 170i. Whether it’s the bass guitar lines or the percussion work, the foundation this amplifier creates is one of weight, presence and almost-scary realism. Better still is the handling of White’s distinctive, rich, swampy vocals.
Conclusion This prowess, however, isn’t entirely dependent on the superior pressing at higher speed. With the 2014 reissue of Etta James’ sublime Tell Mama on Bear Family, (not exactly known as a label of the audiophile
HOW IT COMPARES If you are tempted by tubes but cannot resist solid-state power, there is a host of hybrid tube/ transistor amps from which to choose. Start by listening to the £5,000 Copland CSA150 (p66) and awesome £12,000 VK-3500 from BAT. Both amps are rated at 150W/8ohm and offer an imperious blend of lush looks, audiophile build and stellar sound. But for ‘pure tubes’, VAC’s immediate competition includes the gorgeous £9,500 EAT E-Glo i – also equipped with a pair of KT88s per channel. To hear it is to love it!
tendency), the otherwise average recording does nothing to hold back one iota of James’ peerless, powerful vocals on this milestone LP. You want emotion? Here Etta James rips out your heart, and the Sigma 170i ensures that every dynamic moment is treated with the respect it so thoroughly deserves. With performers like this, even when recordings are not necessarily of the highest merit, the Sigma 170i does the business beautifully. Damn, this is one fine integrated ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Compact, convenient, uncomplicated
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Nothing of any real note
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
OVERALL
WE SAY: Absolutely splendid all-rounder
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ROKSAN
MONITOR AUDIO
PRO-JECT
ATTESSA • £1495
SILVER 50 7G • £575
DEBUT PRO • £699
Streaming Amplifier
Speakers
Turntable
All the power of Roksan’s integrated amplifier, with all the control of BluOS multi-room audio technology. The Attessa Streaming Amplifier gives you easy, one-touch access to all your devices, from TVs to turntables, from consoles to CD transports. Best of all, it gives you high-end audio capability with the kind of simple, smartphone-based control that we’ve come to expect in every area of our lives. The technology is complex, but using it couldn’t be simpler. So now, you can have hi-res audio in every room of your house – all at the touch of a button.
Ultra-compact. Ultra-lifelike. The Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G gives you surprisingly clear, room-filling sound, redefining what a bookshelf speaker can be. The performance of a large speaker, now in a much smaller package. The Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G brings studio precision to your living room, in a design optimised to the acoustics of an ordinary home. For you, that means deep bass and stunning sound in a compact shape.
The Debut PRO takes the basic Debut design and improves on every aspect, with each component re- engineered for a more high-end performance. It is the first Debut model to feature Pro-Ject’s coveted Carbon-Aluminium one-piece tonearm technology. Supplied with the Pick-IT Pro cartridge pre-installed, all of the accessories you need, a dust cover and a Connect-IT E phono cable in the box, the Debut PRO is ready to play once it’s connected to a hi-fi system with a moving magnet phono stage.
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£279
£2899
£299 NAD • C 538 / C 316BEE V2 • CD / AMPLIFIER This combination has everything necessary for musical enjoyment. Includes six inputs (including a MM phono input), one set of speakers, a headphone jack, and remote control.
£449
MARANTZ • SACD 30N • SACD PLAYER/STREAMER
AUDIOLAB • 6000N PLAY • STREAMER
A master-tuned, elegantly designed SACD / CD player with integrated digital streaming supporting HEOS technology.
Audiolab’s 6000N Play is the ideal way to add highperformance wireless streaming to any home audio system.
£1199
£1499
£449
ARCAM • ST60 • MUSIC STREAMER
NAD • C 658 • BLUOS 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.
£2199
£799
£549 MARANTZ • CD6007 / PM6007 • CD / AMPLIFIER
NAIM • NAIT XS 3 • AMPLIFER
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.
£2399
NEW £3999
£2199
LEAK • STEREO 130 • AMPLIFIER
NAD • M10 • BLUOS STREAMING SYSTEM
NAIM • UNITI ATOM • ALL-IN-ONE STREAMING SYSTEM
NAD • M33 • BLUOS STREAMING AMPLIFIER
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.
NEW £449
£699
£899 TECHNICS • SL-1500C • TURNTABLE
NAD • C 588 • TURNTABLE
PRO-JECT • DEBUT CARBON EVO • TURNTABLE
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.
A premium turntable designed to deliver a first-class audio performance with true high-end credentials.
FOCAL CELESTEE HEADPHONES
SR25 £649
UNITI ATOM HE £2399
Hi-res Portable Music Player
Streaming Headphone Amplifier
The Astell & Kern SR25 is the second model in the Astell&Kern A&norma standard line of Portable Music Players. The SR25 is the latest answer to the never-ending question of “How do we get closer to the original sound the artist intended?”
With the Uniti Atom Headphone Edition 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. It 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.
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GRADO SR325X HEADPHONES
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£999
£329
BEYERDYNAMIC AMIRON HOME HEADPHONES
SENNHEISER HD 800 S HEADPHONES
£499
£1399
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PMC • TWENTY5.23i
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.
£4999
£3850
MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE 200 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.
£625
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
even more appealing to even more music lovers.
FOCAL • KANTA NO.1
KEF • R3
This bookshelf loudspeaker will discreetly blend into any unit or stand: it is the perfect solution for rooms under 270 ft2 (25 m²). Entirely dedicated to acoustic performance and with a resolutely personal aesthetic: that, in a nutshell, is the Kanta DNA!
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.
£599 Price excludes speaker stands
£4599
£1299
Price excludes speaker stands
Price excludes speaker stands
Q ACOUSTICS • 3030i
WHARFEDALE LINTON HERITAGE
Engineered to offer a wonderfully balanced sound from a lightweight, discreet and gorgeously built cabinet, packed with the latest technological advances from Q Acoustics.
The new Wharfedale LINTON balances fine craftsmanship, natural sound quality and affordability inside a beautifully proportioned loudspeaker.
£SSAV
The first loudspeaker to employ Metamaterial Absorption Technology. Once again demonstrating KEF’s unrelenting passion for developing new technologies to improve your listening experience.
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£999
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KEF • LS50 META
£999
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LS50 Wireless II Wireless Speakers
£2499 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.
MU-SO WOOD EDITION Wireless Speaker
£1399 • SAVE £200
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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Bluesound is an award-winning wireless hi-res sound ecosystem that lets you play music in any and everyroom throughout your home.
NEW NODE £549 Hi-Res Wireless Music Streamer
NEW POWERNODE £849 Hi-Res Music Streamer / Amplifier
VAULT 2i £1099 Hi-Res Music Server / CD Ripper
NEW The Sonos smart home sound system delivers all the music on earth, in every room, with warm, full-bodied sound that’s crystal clear at any volume. Sonos can fill your home with music by combining Hi-Fi sound and rock-solid wireless in a smart system that is easy to set-up, control and expand. PRICES FROM £159
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SPRING 2021 Unobtrusive cabinet conceals a massive 120W of amplification, audiophile sound quality and incredible surround decoding capability
plus there’s eARC, a multiroom system, the Soundbar+ and thanks to a pair Apple’s AirPlay 2, Alexa. You can This is possible two we believe works with Amazon of high-fidelity speakers, HERE AT SEVENOAKS when it for added depth, even build a wireless passive radiators you shouldn’t compromise n. SOUNDBAR a soundbar. surround sound and 120W of amplificatio comes to choosing Bluesound performance • Audiophile-grade system by adding The result is a muscular For example, music, integration SMARTE STtheilll not only and that’s perfect for the Pulse Sub+ • Seamless multi-room audio PORTABL Pulse Soundbar+w with movies ESAtmos (via software soundbar a pair of rear channel Dolby and equally adept FOR decode • Dolby Atmos immersive GETTING delivers signal processing. Pulse Flex speakers. in July), but also thanks to digital update supports with e app OUT • Dimensions (WxHxD): & FREE performanc The BluOS controller audiophile-grade Audio and MQA. 1073 x 141 x 70mm TO ROAM REVIEWED support for Hi-Res • TOO NEW TO BE
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EVERYTHING TVs, WIREL
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INSIDER FEATURE SPATIAL AUDIO
E R ’ U ! d e O d Y n u o r r su
Spatial audio has been around for years, but Apple’s new interest in highquality audio could finally bring it into the mainstream, reckons Cliff Joseph ell, that’s hi-res audio taken care of. With Apple finally adding support for lossless and hi-res audio to its Music streaming service, hi-fi sound quality is effectively the new standard for digital audio (let’s take a moment to roll our eyes at Spotify, which has been running trials of a ‘HiFi’ service for years, still with no release date in sight). Shortly before it announced lossless support for Apple Music, the company introduced a new ‘spatial audio’ technology that was available with its latest AirPod headphones, including the madly expensive AirPods Max. Initially, it seemed as though spatial audio was primarily designed for watching video, but since its launch of lossless music it’s becoming clear that Apple sees spatial
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Apple’s focus is on using spatial audio to enhance music through headphones audio as a key feature for its music streaming service as well. In fact, Apple seems convinced that spatial audio will be more important than lossless audio as a way of enhancing the musical experience (for grammar addicts, it seems that ‘spatial audio’ is a technology, while ‘Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos’ refers specifically to the feature on the Apple Music service). Apple Senior Vice President, Eddy Cue, who oversees Apple Music, recently gave an interview with Billboard magazine, where he discussed the importance of this new technology. When it comes to lossless audio, Cue is firmly on the ‘no-one can really tell the difference’ side of the argument. But, in contrast, he believes that Dolby Atmos is: “a real game-changer,” because it provides a more immersive audio experience that anyone can appreciate. “It doesn’t matter if you’re eight years old or 80 years old,” he says. “Everyone can tell the difference and know that 52
SEPTEMBER 2021
INSIDER FEATURE SPATIAL AUDIO
this one [track] is better than the other one.” Dolby Atmos and surround sound speaker systems have been available for many years, of course, but Apple is taking a slightly different approach with its use of spatial audio. Instead of concentrating on Hollywood blockbusters and expensive speakers and soundbars, Apple’s focus is on using spatial audio to enhance music through your existing headphones.
Apple’s AirPods Max could be perfect for spatial audio
History lesson It’s not the first company to attempt this. The evolution of modern spatial audio arguably began in 2014, with the development of MPEG-H. This was a 3D version of the MPEG audio format that helped to popularise digital audio in the Nineties. However, this new version of MPEG hasn’t had the same impact, and in recent years it’s the more firmly established Dolby Atmos that has continued to make progress. Tidal and Amazon Music were promoting their own playlists of Atmos tracks for a couple of years before Apple joined the party – although, it must be said, without really making much in the way of impact. However, Apple’s sheer marketing clout, and its strong links with the music industry – including plans to build Atmos support into its popular Logic Pro recording software – could be the game-changer that really brings spatial audio to a mainstream audience. Dolby Atmos is the clear front-runner at the moment, but it’s by no means the only spatial audio format
HOW IT WORKS Traditional surround sound systems are very much focused on the physical hardware of your speaker system, with music, dialogue and sound effects assigned to individual speakers that are located in fixed positions in the room. The current generation of spatial audio technologies, led by Dolby Atmos, take a different approach, sometimes called ‘object-oriented’ sound. Spatial audio treats individual sounds – such as voices, instruments or the flying hover-car in the opening sequence of Blade Runner – as ‘objects’ that can be placed anywhere within a spherical soundstage. This allows the sound to move more freely around the listener – especially if you’re using a Dolby Atmos speaker system that has angled drivers capable of projecting sound overhead. The challenge when using spatial audio for listening to music is to create that sense of three-dimensional space from a simple set of stereo headphones. This is made possible with ‘binaural rendering’ – a technique that uses software and audio filters that effectively trick your ears into thinking that they can hear sound coming from all around you. If you don’t want to cough up for a subscription to Apple Music, Tidal or Amazon Music, then Dolby has some good demo files on its website (dolby.com).
Sony’s 360 Reality speaker supports its 360 Reality format
available right now. Tidal and Amazon are hedging their bets by also supporting Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format, which was launched in 2019 and is based on MPEG-H. Sony states that you can listen with your existing headphones, although it has also released some specialised 360 Reality speakers and headphones in recent months too. And, of course, Sony also owns one of the world’s largest record labels, which gives it the opportunity to promote the format to many highprofile artists and producers. Other rivals attempting to promote their own spatial audio formats include DTS – which made quite a splash with the surround sound release of Queen’s A Night At The Opera back in 2002. Its current DTS:X format hasn’t made the same sort of headlines, though, and the company is now attempting to branch out into gaming and in-car entertainment too. Gaming might be a struggle, as that arena is dominated by Razer, the gaming giant that now owns THX. The THX Spatial Audio format was launched in July 2020, and seemed to promote the idea of spatial audio as a kind of ‘virtual’ substitute for music festivals and clubbing during the era of lockdown. More recently, THX has announced the forthcoming release of ODDfellows, a Spatial Audio album by Information Society, but at the moment the THX format seems to be primarily supported by a selection of gaming laptops and headphones produced by Razer.
Extra dimension Ultimately, though, it’s the experience of listening to the music that will decide the future of spatial audio technology. The Atmos playlists offered by Apple, Amazon and Tidal are very similar – there only seem to be a few thousand tracks available in Atmos, compared with the 70-million offered by most of the big streaming services – with contemporary artists such as The Weeknd rubbing shoulders with classic tracks from Prince and The Beatles. Admittedly, Prince’s When Doves Cry does have more dramatic impact in Atmos, but other old tracks, such as the 2019 remix of Come Together by The Beatles don’t really seem to benefit very much. Simply converting old songs into the three-dimensional Atmos format doesn’t make that much difference if the original stereo recording remains resolutely two-dimensional. It’s newer tracks, such as Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, which was recorded and mixed with Atmos in mind, that really make you sit up and take notice. If you close your eyes, the track’s soundscape
SPATIAL AUDIO MUSIC
APPLE MUSIC £9.99 per month (£4.99 for students) Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos Apple is going all-in with its backing of Dolby Atmos and the strength of Apple’s offering is that you can: “listen on any headphones,” as long as you’re using an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14.6 or on Macs running macOS 11.4. The AppleTV 4K streaming box also supports Dolby Atmos for use with Atmos-compatible speakers and receivers. And, significantly, Apple has also stated that support for Spatial Audio is: “coming soon,” for the Apple Music app on Android smartphones and tablets. TIDAL – WITH HIFI SUBSCRIPTION £19.99 per month Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio Tidal supports both Dolby Atmos and Sony formats, although the requirements for listening to each do vary. It states that music in the Sony 360 Reality format will work with any type of headphone. However, its Dolby Atmos support primarily focuses on the use of Dolbycompatible TVs and speakers, as well as set-top boxes such as the Apple TV 4K. It is possible to listen to Dolby Atmos music via headphones – but only on specific Android smartphones and tablets that also support Dolby Atmos. AMAZON MUSIC HD £9.99 per month (£7.99 for Amazon Prime subscribers) Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio Like Tidal, Amazon Music HD supports both Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio – although it tends to lump them both together under the heading ‘3D audio’. And, as always with Amazon, its real focus is really just on selling other Amazon products and services. The help files on Amazon’s website simply state that 3D audio can be played on Amazon’s own Echo Studio speaker, with no mention of headphones or other types of speaker.
of swirling synths really does feel like your own private dancefloor. The combination of Dolby and Apple will be hard to beat – but, rather than being an overnight revolution, it might be that the adoption of spatial audio is a more gradual process that evolves in years to come as artists and producers learn to make this new technology sing ● SEPTEMBER 2021
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Experience the HV series
Start your journey by scanning the QR code or contact our distributor for the UK KOG Audio info@kogaudio.com
# Audiophile, trend-setting
Engineering Emotion
SENNHEISER IE 300 £259
Going out with a bang The German company goes back to basics with this in-ear and Cliff Joseph reckons that can only be a good thing ow that its consumer division is owned by Sonova, a Swiss company best known for hearing aids, the IE 300 could be one of the last products that’s produced by the traditional family-owned Sennheiser business. In some ways, the IE 300 harks back to the company’s earlier headphones from the pre-Bluetooth era. The in-ear design is more modern, but the IE 300 is a purely wired headphone, with no Bluetooth or active noise-cancelling. I can live without those features, although the lack of an in-line volume control is perhaps a touch more irritating. Even so, the IE 300 still manages to stand out with a distinctive and classy design that starts with the use of a detachable 125cm cable with 3.5mm connectors. This is reinforced with sturdy Kevlar ‘para-aramid’ fibres, and the end that connects to the earpieces acts as a flexible hook that you wrap over your ear to hold them in place. The earpieces have gold-plated MMCX connectors, which rotate freely so that it’s easy to adjust them
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while wearing. And, as the main cable is detachable, Sennheiser also sells optional balanced replacements with either 2.5mm or 4.4mm connectors. Each earpiece houses a 7mm transducer, boasting a claimed frequency response of 6Hz-20kHz, while both silicon and memory foam ear-tips are bundled – in three sizes.
Sound quality Intrigued by the deep frequency response, I kick off with the sombre challenge of Gorecki’s Symphony No.3, The Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs performed by the Polish National Radio Orchestra with a guest vocal from Beth Gibbons formerly of Portishead. The painfully slow, deep introduction on double bass is a challenge for any headphone, yet the IE 300 doesn’t merely manage to reach down to those low notes, it’s precise enough to follow the slow, meandering melody and let it develop at its own pace, and also to give the rich texture of the strings room to breathe. The stately introduction of the remainder of the orchestra is
DETAILS PRODUCT Sennheiser IE 300 ORIGIN Germany/China TYPE Wired in-ear headphones WEIGHT 4g (without cable) FEATURES ● 7mm transducer ● Detachable 3.5mm cable ● Claimed frequency response: 6Hz-20kHz DISTRIBUTOR Sennheiser UK WEBSITE en-uk.sennheiser. com
REVIEWS
wonderfully paced too – so delicate it’s almost imperceptible, until you spot some higher notes that can’t possibly be a double bass. As the strings fall away, the striking of a single piano note rings out like a funeral bell and the IE 300 captures the tremulous tone of Gibbons’ voice with heartbreaking clarity. Slowly easing myself out of this sombre mood, I opt for something a bit more upbeat in the shape of Soldier’s Poem by Muse. The bass drum reverberates with a rich, full sound setting the mood, but the IE 300 allows the lightly brushed percussion to push the song forward as the band launches into full-on Queen mode. There’s detail and warmth in the multi-layered harmonies, gently surging as the band declare: “I would still lay down my life for you”, but then undercutting the mood with a delicate counterpoint: “No, no, no, this is wrong”. Freddie and the boys would be so proud. That crisp, ticking percussion makes another appearance on Sturgill Simpson’s Sing Along. The delirious country/EDM mash-up is all fizzing keyboards and snarling cowboy vocals, but the compact little earbud still manages to create a glorious arm-waving sense of freedom as the warbling synths bounce all over the middle-eight. But the IE 300 knows that the percussion is in charge, drawing the precise tick-tick-tick up into the daylight so that it can lead the way forward.
Conclusion Sennhesier’s IE 300 is, admittedly, fairly expensive for a rather no-frills wired in-ear headphone and omissions such as a microphone and in-line controls might seem like the company is taking the old-school approach a little too far. But the emphasis is clearly on sound quality, and it’s good to know that Sennheiser is going out with a flourish ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
LIKE: Attractive sound quality with deep, precise bass; plenty of bundled ear-tips DISLIKE: Limited features
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
WE SAY: Sennheiser’s old-school approach won’t please everyone, but the sound is great
OVERALL
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ROSE REVIEWS HIFI RS201E £1,750
Flowering beauty HiFi Rose has already shown it can make a fine digital source. Now, Ed Selley sees how it does with an all-in-one system he massive rise in popularity of all-in-one systems has been one of the key characteristics of the last decade and it’s easy to see why. The best of the crop don’t simply offer a range of features that are hard to match for the same price with separates, they can do things that simply cannot be replicated by more conventional equipment. In a keenly contested category, it can be a challenge to stand out, but South Korean company HiFi Rose has done a better job than most with the RS201E. This all-in-one takes many of the features that are present in the recently reviewed RS150 (HFC 477) but where that’s a piece of source equipment, this self-contained component needs only a network connection and a pair of speakers to function. The power available is quoted at 100W available between 4 and 16ohm, which should be sufficient for most speakers that a device of this nature is likely to
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encounter. Output is via a single set of sturdy speaker terminals. The amp is mated to a digital streaming platform that is closely related to the one in the more expensive RS150. PCM is supported to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD to 256. This can access material over UPnP or you can install a hard drive, SD card or external USB drive and have it operate in a more self contained way. MQA is supported too, allowing the RS201E to fully unpack Tidal with no supporting hardware. As you might expect, Tidal is supported natively along with Qobuz and you can also use Spotify Connect. No other services are supported which leaves it a little limited compared with some rivals. The decoding hardware is built around an ESS Sabre DAC. Built on a customised Android 7 operating system, the control interface feels different to most other devices of its type. If you want to, it’s perfectly possible to control the HiFi Rose exclusively via the 8.8in touchscreen that makes up the bulk of
DETAILS PRODUCT HiFi Rose RS201E ORIGIN South Korea TYPE Network streaming all-in-one system WEIGHT 2.3kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 278 x 76 x 202mm FEATURES ● 32-bit/384kHz and DSD256 capable with MQA rendering ● Line in/out and optical in/out ● Android 7-based OS with full-width touchscreen DISTRIBUTOR Henley Audio Ltd. TELEPHONE 01235 511166 WEBSITE eng.hifirose.com
the front panel and, furthermore, it’s actually fairly pleasant to do so. In terms of additional connectivity, it’s a little more limited than some rivals with a single RCA and optical input. AirPlay and Bluetooth are also supported, but the latter is very limited with no extended formats included. What you can also do is play video via the specially curated RoseTube app to both the front panel and at resolutions up to 4k from an HDMI output on the rear panel. For some people, this is the bicycle your fish has always needed but, in a setup
The control interface feels very different than most other devices of its type integrated with a TV, it’s potentially a rather entertaining extra. Something that’s hard to convey in the pictures is quite how pleasant the HiFi Rose is to use. As noted, the display makes it easy to set up on the front panel alone, but what is admirable is just how flexible your other options are. A remote handset (that connects via Bluetooth so isn’t dependent on line of sight) is provided as is a very comprehensive and slick app that closely mirrors the same layout as on the unit itself. The RS201E is also fully Roon compatible. Often, a device with as few hard controls as this one – limited to a power button and volume slider – can feel fiddly and compromised to operate, but that isn’t the case here. The casework is solid and extremely well finished. As an offshoot of a rather larger organisation that
HIFI ROSE RS201E £1,750
produces hardware that works in commercial spaces (where reliability isn’t simply a desirable benefit), the RS201E leverages that experience to feel bespoke but not ‘artisan’ (or any other word politely justifying the odd rough edge here and there). The combination of the streaming front end and internal amplification works like an absolute charm.
Sound quality Everything feels like it was designed to work together and the result is very enjoyable. The power output might struggle with something truly demanding, but a significant amount of testing takes place with the Focal Kanta No1 (HFC 454), which doesn’t prove a challenge for it at any stage. Furthermore, the forensically revealing speaker doesn’t reveal anything significantly amiss with the way that the RS201E makes music. Where this is most apparent is the balance between energy and refinement that the HiFi Rose straddles very effectively. The 24/96 Qobuz stream of The National’s Trouble Will Find Me is wonderfully refined, but the angst and potency of Fireproof is reproduced with impressive intensity. Voices and instruments are entirely convincing and there’s a compelling sense of order and space to how it recreates even fairly large-scale recordings. This isn’t dependent on the naturally spacious Focal either. Using the smaller (and rather more price commensurate) Spendor A1 (HFC 460) sees the RS201E keep pushing information well beyond the confines of the cabinet. It hammers its way through the magnificent Philly Soul of Billy Paul’s Let The Dollar Circulate with an assurance and togetherness that means you stop listening to the critical features of the product and simply listen to the music itself. Some of the speed and agility that is
REVIEWS
HOW IT COMPARES Around the same price are NAD’s M10 (HFC 451) and the DTS Play-equipped Quad Artera Solus (HFC 434) . The RS201E can’t match the connectivity of the Quad or the streaming service support of DTS Play. However, the RS201E is much nicer to control and use than the Quad – it’s streaming platform in particular is a great deal slicker. It also offers the video integration that none of its rivals feature and the unique aesthetic is arguably nicer too.
The casework is solid and extremely well finished
on display here can be associated with a very slight lack of bass heft, but choosing the right partnering speaker should avoid this being a significant issue. That choice should be fairly broad too because it’s hard to provoke into sounding bright or aggressive. Even a serious torture test like Placebo’s eponymously titled debut album is kept listenable. This forgiveness doesn’t seem to have been achieved at the expense of the ability to sound glorious when given suitable material. The exquisite 24-bit/96kHz stream of Three Dots And A Dash by Punch Brothers is something that flows in a gloriously and unambiguously real way from the opening plucked strings to the final crescendo. The RS201E might not look like a more conventional audiophile product, but it knows how to behave like one. It’s also worth noting that, while watching music videos might not be my standard way
of listening, The RS201E can bring all of these sonic qualities to those as well. In fact, other than the Bluetooth input, which really should be considered a choice of last resort, this is admirably source agnostic.
Conclusion This quirky but talented all-in-one does an awful lot more right than it does wrong. If you need to connect vast swathes of equipment to it, the HiFi Rose might be a little limited in terms of inputs, but judged by any other metric this is a tremendously accomplished device that leverages all of the considerable promise of the company’s streaming front end and turns it into something that works very well indeed. This still might not be the most recognisable brand name currently in this category, but the virtues of this innovative little box are considerable and it deserves to be on any shortlist at the price ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Forgiving yet entertaining presentation
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Some operational quirks; rather limited additional connectivity; poor Bluetooth
BUILD QUALITY
WE SAY: An innovative and highly talented all-in-one solution
FEATURES
OVERALL
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REVIEWS KUDOS CARDEA C10 £3,500
Back to basics Kudos has updated its entry-level, long-running Cardea C10. Ed Selley finds out if the revisions are more than skin deep here some companies have a schedule for model changes so that a product will enter the market with a fixed lifespan (and its replacement likely already being sketched out from the moment it launches), others work on the more relaxed philosophy of keeping a product in the range until they have the scope to make something meaningfully better. Kudos Audio is a keen adherent of the latter theory and has been making the Cardea C10 and the partnering floorstanding C20 since the company was founded in 2006. As a testimony to how happy the company is with the basic design, it is only now that the C10 has seen some revisions. The fundamental layout of the C10 remains unchanged. It’s a two-way standmount featuring a 29mm soft dome tweeter and a 180mm doped
W
Unlike the Titan, its driver functions as a single unit rather than an isobaric duo paper mid/bass driver. Kudos enjoys a longstanding relationship with Norwegian driver manufacturer SEAS and both of these units are slightly tweaked to better suit its needs than the standard ‘off-the-peg’ versions. The tweeter is an evolution of the Crescendo K2 – a very high-spec unit that is used in a further evolved form in the fearsomely capable Titan 505 (HFC 451) standmount and indeed the rest of the Titan range. The mid/bass driver is a custom unit that uses a die cast chassis and a 39mm voice coil – making it a fairly large and potent assembly for a speaker this size. A single rear port is fitted to assist air management. More notable, though, is what’s not fitted. Unlike the more sophisticated Titan models, this driver functions as a single unit rather than as an isobaric duo. Something else quite unusual is that the floorstanding C20 uses a similar but not identical driver in 58
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DETAILS PRODUCT Kudos Cardea C10 ORIGIN UK TYPE 2-way standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 9kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 200 x 350 x 270mm FEATURES ● 29mm soft dome tweeter ● 180mm doped paper mid/bass driver ● Quoted sensitivity: 87dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR Kudos Audio TELEPHONE 0138 8417177 WEBSITE kudosaudio.com
KUDOS CARDEA C10 £3,500
this role, keeping the same basic construction but employing a smaller voice coil that Kudos claims works better with the larger cabinet. The major point of revision has been the crossover. Operating with a 2.6kHz handover point between the two drivers, it’s intended to be as simple as possible. Low frequencies are controlled by a first-order arrangement using a zero-distortion low-resistance Mundorf air-core inductor. The high-frequency section is filtered by a second-order electrical circuit using an ICW capacitor and another Mundorf air-core inductor and a Mundorf MOX resistor. The idea is that the number of components in the signal path is as low as practical and those that are included deliver the highest performance possible. This simplicity is further aided by the C10 not having the direct inputs for active use that more expensive Kudos models enjoy. The cabinet that encloses all of this is simple but immensely sturdy. Kudos has elected to use high-density fibreboard rather than the more commonly seen medium-density (although honesty dictates that I am not aware of an official ‘density scale’ by which these things are judged). The theory goes that the principle advantage of this sturdier board is its greater consistency both in each section and batch to batch. One particularly clever idea is how the crossover is added to this cabinet. It’s mounted to its own section of HDF, which is in turn screwed firmly to the back of the cabinet. This means that the crossover can still be accessed for
service, but the cabinet has the effective rigidity of a solid rear panel. The appearance is little changed from the original, but this is no bad thing. It eschews design flourishes to come across as classically handsome. The proportions are elegant and the simplicity of the design gives it a clean and timeless look. It’s also beautifully built, feeling immensely solid while the quality of the veneer is impeccable. This is a speaker that, when you study the on-paper spec relative to the asking price, can leave you wondering where the money has gone. This tends to dissipate when you heave it out of the box. The footprint will work with most stands, while Kudos’ own Titan stand (at £1,000 a pair) works well.
Sound quality Absolutely key to the performance is that the purity of the design has a direct impact on how it sounds and behaves. First up, the claimed sensitivity of 87dB/W and 8ohm impedance feel attainable in practise, ensuring this is not terribly demanding to use. It does respond positively to being driven, however. The Cyrus i7 XR (HFC 473) is not a hugely powerful amp, but its ability to supply current is impressive. It ensures that the Kudos sounds weighty, controlled and engaging. The claimed
The cabinet employs the principle of being very simple but immensely sturdy in-room low-frequency response of 40Hz is entirely achievable in this room, even with the C10 used in something approaching free space. There is also a wholly welcome turn of speed to the performance, too. The way that it gets stuck into the crunching riffs of Royal Blood’s Trouble’s Coming is pure and simple good fun. This is a speaker that works hard to never be the story in itself. In a matter of minutes, you are listening through it to the music rather than the hardware. This means that this dense and potent recording is unpicked into something that becomes a performance when you close your eyes. The C10 finds order without losing the boisterousness. This very useful attribute is further aided by the performance of that customised tweeter. Here the relationship to the Titan 505 is easiest to appreciate as they share the same perfectly judged ability to sound detailed – at times almost forensically so – airy and tonally believable, but without ever sounding hard or forward.
HOW IT COMPARES Focal’s Kanta No1 (HFC 454) is able to pick up behavioural traits that the C10 doesn’t make as obvious and, when you give it a truly sumptuous recording, it has a sense of space and tangibility that the Kudos struggles to replicate. The C10 delivers a far more consistent performance and is more forgiving of less than perfect recordings. It’s also more fun. It can’t scale the absolute performance heights of the more expensive Focal, but its consistency shines through.
REVIEWS
The Cyrus takes few prisoners in this regard, but even with this as the source and playing the deliberately hard-edged Tascam Tapes by DeWolff, it’s civilised without compromising on the ‘raw and real’ feeling of Blood Meridian I. When you give it something with high production values, however, like the beautiful Blue Heron Sessions by Sarah Jarosz, there is a liquid quality to the upper registers that even similarly priced rivals can struggle to recreate. Jarosz’s delicate but distinctive voice is the star of the show and something that is clearly the centre of attention. What’s so joyous about the C10 is that all the other fine details that make this recording as good as it is are present and easy to discern, but never a distraction. This realistically isn’t a monitor in the classic sense of the term, but it is something that consistently makes music an enjoyable event. This is a forgiving speaker in both a measurement and presentation sense, but it will reflect the quality of the equipment driving it. Substituting the Cyrus for a Naim Supernait 3 (HFC 456) – which is over a grand more and does without on-board decoding – does extract more performance from the Kudos and further demonstrates that it responds positively to being driven. When listening to very large-scale material, like the orchestral re-workings on Moby’s Reprise, the C10 creates a soundstage that sits within the confines of the cabinet rather than extending much out beyond it.
Conclusion The C10 is a relatively straightforward design executed with the highest quality materials possible so it manages to combine clarity, detail and tonal realism with a sense of fun that then goes on to have an impressively forgiving edge. It’s survived as long as it has because the fundamentals are so obviously correct. Without losing any of this balance, the latest upgrades make it even better still ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
LIKE: Wonderful balance between impact, realism and tonal sweetness DISLIKE: Slight lack of large-scale space
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
WE SAY: The C10 remains a superbly capable and flexible speaker that will delight many owners
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INSIDER FEATURE L-ACOUSTICS
BRING THE CONCERT
HOME! ring the concert home.” That’s the motto. And here’s why: “Music has always been a part of my life, as has sound,” explains Dr Christian Heil of L-Acoustics Creations. “In the Seventies, I was enjoying live rock shows, especially musicians taking experimental new approaches such as Pink Floyd. Quite by chance, I met some live sound engineers and I became intrigued by what they did. Also, as a scientist whose speciality was quantum physics, some of what I observed fascinated me from the perspective of what I knew about the behaviour of sound waves. It seemed that there were possible areas for improvement based on scientific principles and I became a kind of sound consultant.” Dr Heil is now a world leader in installed and touring audio. Fixed installation venues he’s involved with include the National Theatre in London, The Roundhouse, Hammersmith
B
Audio for live events and touring is in the company’s DNA
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Dr Christian Heil, founder and president of L-Acoustics Creations, is set on bringing a ‘live’ experience into your living room. Daniel Sait explains all...
Apollo, O2 Islington, the Hollywood Bowl, Resorts World Las Vegas and Hï Ibiza. The BBC Proms is entering its third year with L-Acoustics, and the company also counts P!nk, Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Lorde, Billie Eilish, Depeche Mode and Lana Del Rey as regular users of the equipment. Festivals involved with L-Acoustics include Coachella, Lollapalooza, Reading & Leeds, Download and Latitude.
Artisans of the emotional experiences that surround authentic and credible sound “So, chances are you’ve probably enjoyed an L-Acoustics sound system,” explains Dr. Heil. “Professional audio for live events, live music and touring is in our DNA. We are R&D pioneers, having introduced Wavefront Sculpture Technology and the line source array, the basis for the modern-day concert PA. But we are also artisans and creators of sound and the emotional experiences that surround authentic and credible sound. L-Acoustics Creations is part of this mission to elevate the listening experience and aims to bring excellent professional sound into the home, including immersive sound spaces at the pinnacle of what can be achieved from a technical standpoint.” The same tech that’s found in the company’s pro
products is used in the components for the home, however it has assembled the most suitable speakers into packages, tuned for residential use. Purchases include a half day onsite with a specialist for custom calibration and system handover.
Bespoke service Dr. Heil notes: “We have identified and work with qualified home technology integrators for bespoke installations, and we offer modelling in our proprietary Soundvision software, the same way we would plan an installation in a top music venue. “L-Acoustics Creations offers a variety of systems and price points in conventional stereo, surround configurations or bespoke sound designs for any purpose. The systems are configured with desired area of coverage in mind, defining sweetspot and concert level sound areas. Our entry-level Fiji 2.1 (£6,859) system based on our X4i loudspeaker model and paired with a powerful sub is great as a desktop gaming system, TV room system or what we like to call ‘couch headphones’ for listening to music.” Many are surprised by the physical sensation of live music that they can get from such small speakers, about 4in square. The sweetspot of the Fiji 2.1 is 14m2 with a listening area (ie concert sound levels) of 20m2. Fiji also exists in a 5.1 surroundsound configuration. “At the middle price range of our Archipel line of sound systems, Tahiti 2.1 built around elegant Syva speakers (£20,477) has Dr Heil says hi to Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler
A cut above the rest The multi-award-winning Chord Company cables feature our latest shielding and unique ARAY technology, first introduced on our flagship products and now benefitting all ranges. A wide variety of high-performance analogue and digital interconnects are available alongside speaker, tone arm, power and HDMI cables. Proudly designed in England since 1985 by a dedicated team of music, cinema and game lovers. Used and recommended all over the world by a host of professionals, including record producers, studio engineers, musicians and hi-fi manufacturers. Ask your nearest Chord Company retailer for a demonstration. Find out more:
www.chord.co.uk
INSIDER FEATURE L-ACOUSTICS
Dr Heil is involved with the National Theatre, O2 Islington, Hammersmith Apollo, Hollywood Bowl...
Bespoke residential systems with a mix of speaker references
Audiophiles who study sound and dislike compromise
proven popular in larger home spaces or poolside. More powerful yet is Tonga 2.1, (£34,357) the music lover’s dream and the equivalent of an experience in a state-of the-art performing arts centre. “At the very high end, Island Prestige and Ocean immersive sound spaces offer an unparalleled experience, something we invented because they didn’t exist. I sometimes compare these immersive listening experiences to travel. Sound has the power to transport you to another time and place when it’s immersive and hyperreal.”
“This consistency is achieved through an iterative R&D process involving objective measurements of defined data points, field observation and repeatability. Hence while our loudspeakers may differ in terms of coverage, throw, power, size, and price point, our sonic signature remains consistent, allowing us to assemble bespoke residential systems with a mix of loudspeaker references.” So, does he have a target market in mind? “I guess you could say we designed these products with customers like ourselves in mind – audiophiles who understand sound and Bringing the dislike compromise where concert home sound is concerned. From As the Island Prestige and there, we envisaged a Ocean are bespoke built, variety of residential prices are available on use scenarios, both enquiry and dependent indoor and outdoor on the specifics of each and typical living spaces, individual project. which vary in size and Using L-Acoustics Syva coverage needs.” loudspeakers and compact The company has a large Music in impactful X4i speakers, Ocean can be demo space in Highgate, and spectacular configured from 9.1.8 up to the North London. conditions company’s own 18-channel surround “Pre-confinement, we used to host sound technology ‘BluSpace’ which works by monthly events and open house on Friday offering 13 frontal channels placed every 15° afternoons which we have unfortunately had and five rear channels every 30°. The maker to put on hold. Nevertheless, we are constantly says this is the highest resolution audio format booked with private appointments,from available today. The Island Prestige places the potential clients, home technology integrators, listener in a bespoke built circular modular corporate clients, and music professionals. seating area which has surround sound “The immersive sound space is very special. speakers built into the structure. The room’s equipped with an 18.1.8 Syva So what’s the aim of the experience? sound system - a very powerful colinear source “We say, ‘Bring the concert home’ and we loudspeaker system with the same properties mean it in a very literal sense. Live music is our as our larger line on a different scale. The lifeblood and we know that music is not only curving form factor is elegant and a favourite meant to be heard, but felt. The L-Acoustics for luxury fashion shows. At L-Acoustics sonic signature has become the benchmark Creations, our visitors can also experience for live sound. Our sonic signature can be Island Prestige, a personal immersive described as natural, dynamic, precise, plug-and-play auditorium which plays a generous and consistent across our full range. unique format called a Bubble, mixed in our
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proprietary standard BluSpace. It spatially maps to the ability of human hearing and produces the full dynamics and frequency of live music. Visitors are usually surprised in the best possible way and leave with a smile on their faces. The Instagram posts by visitors which follow often use the words ‘mind blown’ or ‘I’ve never heard anything like it’.” So, what’s the next step? “Well, everyone’s talking about spatial audio. This has accelerated with announcements by companies such as Dolby partnering with streaming services, or with Apple Music’s recent lossless audio announcement.
Special delivery “We’ve been developing ecosystems capable of producing and delivering high-definition, truly lossless and spatially accurate audio for the last 10 years. As a result, we are in the right place at the right time. Our next phase is to continue to interact with artists and sonic creators to make them aware of the tools and technologies that exist. Their beautiful minds and creativity will find applications that we hadn’t necessarily thought of and they will ask for more tools and we will work with them to iterate and provide what they need to paint and sculpt in sound. With AR, VR, XR, gaming, the metaverse, all on a backdrop of AI… multimedia creation is entering a new era. “Video quality has improved. Spatial audio, when done well – audio that is true, natural, enveloping and believable – is the next big leap and we are ready to help enable artists to achieve their vision and ensure that vision gets heard in optimal, impactful and spectacular conditions” ●
CONTACT DETAILS
You can learn more about the live experience in your home at l-acoustics-creations.com
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REVIEWS KEF LS50 WIRELESS II £2,250
Google Cast and Bluetooth 4.2. KEF has also ensured that it’s Roon Ready. Connections are fitted to one speaker, which then communicates with the other via either an RJ45 umbilical or – new for the Wireless II – via wireless at a 24-bit/96kHz sample rate. I have some minor dropout issues with wireless pairing, so opt to use the tether while testing. Control options are usefully flexible. The master speaker has a selection of hard controls on a touchpad on the top and comes supplied with a remote handset that allows for day-to-day requirements; volume, input selection, play/pause etc. to be made without having to open an app. This is beneficial because the app itself has some limitations. On the plus side it’s considerably better than the older version used by the original LS50
Big hitters KEF has revised its innovative wireless active speaker system and Ed Selley gets to put it through its paces EF has traditionally focused on more conventional passive speakers for the bulk of its product lines. Its decision to create an active version of the LS50 was shaped not so much as a challenger to more conventional active rivals, but to create a self-contained system built around one of its most successful recent designs. With the passive LS50 receiving a selection of enhancements, KEF has applied these to the active version, creating the LS50 Wireless II. The Wireless II takes the same raw ingredients as the passive LS50 Meta. It uses a single 150mm Uni-Q driver in each cabinet. Now in its 12th generation, the process of mounting a 25mm tweeter in the centre of the mid/bass driver improves the dispersion, imaging and phase characteristics of both drivers and, thanks to KEF’s ongoing work with waveguides, surrounds and bracing, the bulk of these notional benefits are now largely realised. This latest generation of Uni-Q makes use of what the company calls Metamaterial Absorption Technology. This consists
K
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of a circular plate of metamaterials that reduces unwanted reflections coming back through the driver. To make the LS50 active, KEF fits no less than 380W of amplification per speaker, with 100W allocated to the tweeter and 280W to the mid/bass driver. The design is a true active, with a DSP-based crossover called a Music Integrity Engine that allows for user adjustment to fit the space and position that the speaker is being used in. This hardware is mounted in the same cabinet as the passive version. This is designed around the principle of a massively stiff glass fibre and polyester front baffle that curves away from the driver itself to assist its already excellent dispersion characteristics. Key to the KEF’s operation is that while it has a solitary analogue connection via a 3.5mm input, it should be seen more like an all-in-one system. It’s fitted with a 24-bit/384kHz-capable UPnP streamer combined with a coaxial digital, optical and HDMI ARC connection. You can wirelessly stream to the LS50 Wireless II via AirPlay 2,
DETAILS PRODUCT KEF LS50 Wireless II ORIGIN UK/China TYPE Wireless active loudspeaker WEIGHT 20kg (boxed) DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 200 x 305 x 311mm FEATURES ● 380W internal amplification ● 24-bit/384kHz and DSD128 compatible ● Inputs: coaxial; optical; analogue ● AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Bluetooth ● Roon Ready DISTRIBUTOR KEF WEBSITE uk.kef.com
The clear gains over its passive relative are the tonality and richness it offers Wireless and LSX (HFC 446), but it’s not without its foibles; somewhat limited browsing of a library on the same network being the main one. On the plus side, streaming service access is comprehensive (and for Tidal users, the Wireless II is MQA compatible) and the app itself is stable and logically laid out. It isn’t terribly pretty, though, feeling a generation behind some more mainstream rivals in this regard. It gives away rather less in terms of design and build, however. The striking and distinctive design of the LS50 is unchanged and this means it will be seen as a bit of a Marmite product by a few would-be owners, but the decent choice of different colour finishes goes a long way to
KEF LS50 WIRELESS II £2,250
alleviating that. The build quality is also outstanding. The cabinet feels incredibly solid and the implementation of details like the touch panel on the master speaker are also done to a very high standard. This isn’t a cheap product by any means, but you can see where the money has gone.
Sound quality With the cabinets running wired both to my network and to each other and making use of Roon as a control point, the most obviously immediate impression is one of effortlessness. The passive LS50 Meta benefits from being used with a reasonably powerful amplifier and the 380W on hand to drive the active version never feels too much. Pushed very hard indeed, the KEF can harden up a little but any volume levels you’ll be hitting at this point will be seriously anti-social anyway. Used within its considerable operating envelope, the LS50 Wireless II delivers on the design
HOW IT COMPARES The KEF is roughly £1,000 more than Naim’s Mu-So 2nd Generation (HFC 452). The Naim has a superior native control app and is part of a much wider family of products that can be controlled via the same software. In performance terms, the KEF justifies the price gap. The Naim is superlative for a single chassis device, but the width and separation the LS50 Wireless II brings to its performance is a step forward over any more conventional rival.
premise of both the driver and mounting. So long as your position relative to it forms a rough triangle, it images in a way that is beyond many rival stereo systems and leaves any one-box rival standing. The 24-bit/96kHz Qobuz stream of Dead Sea by Paris Jackson sees her vocals pushed forward and to the centre while the supporting instrumentation is arrayed around her in a space that extends both up and out from the cabinets themselves. Where the active speaker makes clear gains over its passive relative is the tonality and richness it offers.
The KEF LS50 Wireless II never fails to deliver bass you feel as much as hear While I am left feeling that some care will need to be taken with any partnering equipment with the LS50 Meta, the tonal balance of the Wireless II is extremely well judged. The sumptuous 24-bit/96kHz download of Star’s Losing To You is well controlled and believable and leaves Torquil Campbell’s lovely vocal turn sounding rich and emotional. But even when you change tack entirely and move to the crunching aggression of Royal Blood’s Boilermaker, things remain civilised without losing the all-important boisterous energy of the track. Something else that Royal Blood demonstrates is that the LS50 has phenomenal bass extension for a relatively small cabinet. The grunt of that on-board amplification is enough to ensure that the KEF never fails to deliver bass you can feel as much as hear. No less importantly, this bass is fast, controlled and detailed. I have best results telling the Music Integrity engine the speakers are closer to the wall than they actually are. This sees a fractional drop in low-end extension but tightens things up to the point
REVIEWS
where no time signature I listen to throws it off. Something else the KEF does very effectively is to ensure that all its functionality feels usable and usefully equivalent in performance terms. Sure, streaming Deezer over AirPlay lacks some of the definition and richness of Qobuz over UPnP, but the experience is more than listenable. The only real note of caution I’d extend with the wired functionality is practical rather than performative. With the inputs on the back of the speaker, some thought is going to have to be given to ensuring that your sources can reach it in a tidy fashion. Features like the HDMI ARC work well under test, though.
Conclusion It’s this strength in depth that makes the KEF so convincing. I still feel that a few little tweaks to the software would reap benefits, but I can’t argue with the way it combines an extensive and practical specification that makes it an ideal one-stop shop with a level of overall performance that is truly outstanding. When you listen to the LS50 Wireless II it’s easy to forget about the convenience angle and concentrate instead on the sensational level of sonic performance. It isn’t cheap, but it’s unquestionably a superb all-in-one system that should be on anyone’s shortlist at or near the price ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Superb sonic performance; build; practical and flexible
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Some minor control foibles
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
WE SAY: A talented and impressively flexible system that delivers superb performance across its many features
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REVIEWS COPLAND CSA150 £4,988
A bit of what you fancy Copland’s CSA150 integrated is a tube/ transistor hybrid that’s more than the sum of its parts, says David Price here’s a lot to like about hybrids. In the past three decades I’ve tried valve, Class A solid-state, Class AB solid-state, and a combination of the first and last. Going totally thermionic is a big commitment because you have to pick your speakers carefully; they need to be efficient and/or generally horn or reflex loaded. If not, you can hear the output transformers straining at higher volumes. And lovely as valves can sound, they can be high maintenance. In my experience, a valve preamp – or indeed a solid-state pre with valve buffering – plus a solidstate power amp is a good place to be. And it’s something that Copland has been doing since long before it became fashionable. Since the mid-Eighties, this Danish company has been going its own way. Founder Ole Møller is still overseeing the design and development of Copland amplifiers, and the CSA150 attempts to be a bit of everything.
T
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Inside, a single 6922 double triode acts as the voltage driver for the line stage, after which chunky MOSFETs take over to deliver a claimed 150W RMS per channel of Class AB power. As well as touching both valve and solid-state bases, the CSA150 offers a bit of analogue and a bit of digital too. Inside is an ESS Sabre 9018 DAC working in quad mode mono configuration, which offers PCM decoding up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD. It has standard optical and coaxial inputs, plus a USB in and aptX Bluetooth – although there’s no streaming functionality. You also get four analogue inputs, a movingmagnet phono stage, tape loop and a Bluetooth aerial socket. There’s a pair of balanced XLR inputs, plus fixed and variable RCA line outs. Up front is a full-size headphone jack that works with the built-in headphone amp. The central circle of LED source indicators does the job, but doesn’t look beautiful. That’s a shame, because the volume and source
DETAILS PRODUCT Copland CSA150 ORIGIN Denmark TYPE Integrated amplifier WEIGHT 15kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 435 x 165 x 370mm FEATURES ● Quoted output power: 2x 150W RMS (8ohm) ● 6922 double triode line stage voltage driver ● ESS Sabre 9018 DAC ● Moving-magnet phono stage DISTRIBUTOR Absolute Sounds TELEPHONE 0208 9713909 WEBSITE copland.dk
selector knobs are works of art, with a silky smooth, precise action. Overall build quality is really good, with only high-end Marantz products feeling more luxurious at this price point. High-quality components are used throughout, such as the ALPS Blue Velvet volume potentiometer.
Sound quality Pretty much from switch-on, the CSA150 is everything I want from an amplifier. It sounds big, powerful, clean and open, and is totally devoid of any conspicuous faults. Unlike some solely solid-state stuff I’ve heard, it doesn’t have any sense of grain or ‘chrome plating’ to its tonality; the Copland is buttery-smooth. However, in no way does this mean it’s soft, dull or lifeless – that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rather, it hits the sonic sweet spot and offers much of the best of both worlds. Through my reference Yamaha NS-1000M loudspeakers – still among the most neutral speakers around – the CSA150 is ever so slightly on the sweet side of neutral. It would be wrong to call it tonally warm outright and it’s certainly not ‘valve-like’ in its character. Yet, as befitting its hybrid design, nor is it obviously transistor-y. Cue up a classic Seventies rock recording like Lido Shuffle by Boz Scaggs, and you’re instantly warped back to the characteristic studio sound of that time. It’s a little soft around the edges, with smidges of colour, but the recording is essentially quite dry. It sounded modern at that time, tighter and tauter than pop stuff coming out just a few years earlier. Showing its fundamental neutrality
CSA150 CSA150 £4,988
and transparency, the Copland reproduces this perfectly. Along with its fine tonality, another instantly recognisable facet of this integrated is its power and punch. The CSA150 is made of stout stuff, with a barrel-chested feel to the way it goes about the job of making music. The bassline on the Boz Scaggs track is firm and solid yet wonderfully propulsive. It doesn’t have any obvious overhang, yet there is muscle aplenty. The same goes for some thumping techno from Manix; You Held My Hand absolutely blasts my room with vast tracts of sub bass. The CSA150’s general demeanour of not being scared of hard work extends to its stereo imaging abilities. Lesser amplifiers make Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill an underwhelming experience. Yet the Copland takes it on with all the confidence of a great stadium rock band, loving the chance to perform in the limelight. The percussive beat thunders out,
The CSA150 is made of stout stuff, with a barrel-chested feel to making music underpinning a vast recorded acoustic. On some equipment this sounds dowdy and leaden, but here it was vast and visceral with images pushing far left and right, and there is decent depth perspective too. Another really impressive aspect to this amplifier’s performance is its midband clarity and openness. That’s in no way to suggest that the CSA150 sounds analytical and forensic; it’s so much more than that. Give it a mediocre recording such as The Association’s Along Comes Mary, and it will tell you that it’s not perfect
– yet it never dwells on this. Instead, it gets down to the job of diverting your attention from its relatively lo-fi origins. This song is warm, compressed, a little harsh on the vocals and lacks a really wide bandwidth. Yet the Copland doesn’t care. It clearly sets out all the aspects of the recording and lets them play along in a really spirited way together. Rather than zeroing in on the mediocre technical quality, it let the music’s energy and passion flood out. In absolute terms, compared with cost-no-object designs, of course the CSA150 sounds a tad opaque in the midband, isn’t quite as three dimensional as it could be and doesn’t have the superb spatiality of the finest kit on sale. Yet the point is that it does so much so well that it’s hard not to be charmed, regardless of cost. The CSA150’s analogue inputs are superb, and the RCAs are excellent too. The digital inputs are hugely convenient, but don’t quite do the rest of the amp justice; you’ll get an even better sound if you invest a couple of grand in a good standalone DAC. The built-in digital converter is classy and in no way a token gesture, but it can’t compete with my reference Chord
The selector knobs are a work of art, with a smooth, precise action
REVIEWS
Hugo TT2 (HFC 468). The Copland’s DAC lacks the depth perspective, midband delicacy and bass grip of the former. Still, it’s perfectly good and a major improvement on the sort of thing you’re likely to encounter in a £1,000 stream. The built-in moving-magnet phono stage is better than expected. You’ll get more from a mid-price offboard phono stage, but I prefer its sound to the built-in DAC. It plays to the amp’s aforementioned strengths via its line-level analogue inputs – meaning it serves up an expansive, punchy and engaging sound. An original vinyl pressing of AC/DC’s Back In Black is a riot, the Copland reproducing all that dramatic guitar riffery with a singular enthusiasm. It harnesses the recording’s great power and drama to create something that is suitably monumental.
Conclusion It doesn’t have any sense of grain or ‘chrome plating’ to its tonality
I really rate Copland’s CSA150 integrated amplifier. It’s not just a fine all-rounder, it excels sonically with a big, strong, engaging and musical performance that’s also surprisingly subtle and detailed for such a muscular thing. Well worth an audition, it’s a bargain at its price considering all that it does ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
LIKE: Superb sound; fine build; impressive feature count
VALUE FOR MONEY
DISLIKE: Nothing at the price
BUILD QUALITY
WE SAY: A highly capable high-end integrated amplifier
FEATURES
OVERALL
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REVIEWS WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 12.2 £300
bobbin that the voice coil is wound on is epoxy rather than aluminium, which is unusual at the price. The tweeter has more in common with the preceding Diamond 11 range. It’s a 25mm soft-dome design and unlike many rivals, the dome is not mounted in a significant waveguide and there’s no form of rolled outer surround to help dispersion and low-frequency roll-off. The crossover is 2kHz; largely in keeping with rivals. The crossover has some other nods to Fink’s preferred design theories. It has a 24dB slope and uses air-core inductors. These are another unusual fitment at the price and have been selected because their noise and distortion levels are extremely low – particularly when the drivers have been designed with their use in mind, as is the case here. Fairly unusually at the price, the Diamond 12.2 can be bi-wired.
The most immediate impression of the Diamond 12.2 is one of propulsive energy
Shine on you crazy... The latest member of the long-running series makes some significant revisions over its predecessor. Ed Selley adds polish or any product line to have survived a dozen model revisions is notable in itself. The Diamond series, Wharfedale’s premier range of affordable speakers, has managed this feat while competing in one of the most keenly contested product categories going, making the achievement more impressive still. The twelfth generation comprises three standmounts, two floorstanders and one centre. The 12.2 here is the largest of the standmounts. The biggest difference between the latest Diamonds and their predecessors is the mid/bass drivers. The previous three generations used a woven Kevlar cone for this, but the 12.2 features a
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150mm unit made from a material called Klarity. This is a combination of polypropylene and mica – used in small but unspecified amounts to increase the stiffness of the mid/bass driver. Then, to augment this process even further, it has 15 ribs added in a spoke patten arranged in three groups of five. This interest in driver stiffness is partly down to the surround. Wharfedale has worked with leading designer Karl-Heinz Fink and he’s been keen to avoid the slightly ‘overdamped’ sound that results from polypropylene drivers. By increasing the stiffness, it’s possible to reduce the damping effect of the surround. Another technically interesting feature of the driver is the
DETAILS PRODUCT Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 ORIGIN UK/China TYPE 2-way standmount loudspeaker WEIGHT 4.1kg DIMENSIONS (WxHxD) 200 x 335 x 285mm FEATURES ● 25mm soft dome tweeter ● 150mm ‘Klarity’ mid/bass driver ● Quoted sensitivity: 88dB/1W/1m (8ohm) DISTRIBUTOR IAG WEBSITE wharfedale.co.uk
Although the staggered V profile of the terminal panel looks interesting, it is harder to connect cables to than a more conventional arrangement. The cabinet that houses all this is extensively braced using a computer modelled ‘spot brace’ technique that applies specific bracing to the points measured to require it rather than simply applying larger braces in a more routine fashion. One interesting change from older models is the reversion to a more conventional cylindrical port over the slot used in the past. Wharfedale says this improves the relationship between port and drivers, although it is possible that more care will need to be taken when placing the 12.2 than might have been the case before. In the time they’ve been around, Diamond speakers have managed to be among the very best and worst-looking cabinets at the price. This latest generation finds itself towards the upper end of the looks table. The use of a gloss front panel is a nice touch and leaves the 12.2 looking smarter than many similarly priced rivals. Quite how smart will depend slightly on the finish you choose. The review samples come in the white/light oak, which looks a little incongruous with the black drivers and the supplied black grille. The darker finishes are better, but there’s no questioning the way in which the Diamond 12.2 is bolted together. It has become something of a cliché to say it, but there really aren’t many companies
WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 12.2 £300
that touch IAG when it comes to the level of fit and finish it can achieve at affordable price points – and this is another fine example of that.
Sound quality Connecting the Diamond 12.2 to a Rega io (HFC 464) and the recently updated iFi Zen DAC, the most immediate impression is one of propulsive energy. The 12.2 gets stuck into the gloriously nostalgic stadium rock of Mammoth WVH with enormous enthusiasm. The Wharfedale combines two different attributes to fine effect to do this. The first is that the bass extension is excellent. The quoted frequency response of 50Hz to 20kHz at +/- 3dB is bettered in this room and the 12.2 feels weighty and hard-hitting as a result, with the low end something you can feel as well as hear. This is combined with a turn of speed that ensures that the thunderous opener Mr. Ed is a head nodding joy. Whatever efforts have been taken to ensure that the Wharfedale doesn’t feel
HOW IT COMPARES The Diamond 12.2 and Q Acoustics 3030i (HFC 472) both have areas of strength. The Wharfedale is more propulsive and engaging with higher tempo material. It feels better damped and controlled and is also fractionally easier to drive. The Q Acoustics has a startling ability to disappear into the soundstage it creates. Both designs have admirably little colouration, but the 3030i really is a class apart in this regard. It also manages to be nearly as forgiving as the Wharfedale, but feels fractionally more energetic at the top end as well.
overdamped have not been bought at the expense of control. The upper registers are very nearly as accomplished. There is a perception when listening to the 12.2 with something really gloriously recorded like Sarah Jarosz’s Blue Heron Sessions that this standmount has been designed to flatter poorer, more aggressivesounding material. This can leave something superb like this sounding fractionally lacking in sparkle, but this is as much the result of the partnering
Fairly unusually at this price point, the Diamond 12.2 can be bi-wired electronics also avoiding unwanted brightness. With a rather hotter recording like Dreams Come True by Brandon Flowers, the Wharfedale stays civilised until you really push it, by which point your listening levels will be firmly antisocial anyway. The combination of these attributes and the commendable tonality that the 12.2 demonstrates is that – while it’s not absolutely transparent – it’s easier to discern where the cabinets are placed than with arch rival Q Acoustics 3030i (HFC 472). But the Wharfedale still does a fine job of creating a believable soundstage. The effortless modern jazz of Burn Out by The Cinematic Orchestra is reproduced in a way that creates a believable dynamic between the performers and ensures that they’re easy to follow as individuals and intelligible as a group. Little details like the vibrating fretboard from the plucked strings are worked effortlessly into the performance and the result is consistently good enough to ensure the suspension of disbelief. Something else I find interesting is that this relatively affordable speaker is capable of reflecting changes further up
REVIEWS
the audio chain better than you might expect. Substituting the pricecomparative Rega and iFi with the rather pricier Naim Supernait 3 (HFC 456) and Chord Hugo2/2Go (HFC 465) combination sees the 12.2 make small but noticeable gains in bass extension and demonstrate a greater three dimensionality at the top end. I’m not suggesting that this is a natural partner for several thousand pounds of equipment, but it does have more stretch in it than you might reasonably expect a speaker of this price to possess, which means it’ll likely hold its own as you upgrade your equipment.
Conclusion What this all adds up to is a speaker with undoubted star quality. The Diamond range has always been about demonstrating ‘hi-fi ability’ at a sensible price without losing the ability to work happily with less than pristine material. This latest version meets that brief with aplomb; putting in a performance with commendable realism, space and detail without losing the fun factor. When you consider the superb build quality, reasonable good looks and competitive price point, the result is a very fine speaker indeed. The Diamond Series might be 12 generations in, but it still has plenty more to give ●
OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
LIKE: Lively yet forgiving performance with plenty of scale and depth DISLIKE: Fractionally rolled-off top-end
BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF DRIVE
WE SAY: A tremendous combination of musicality and user friendliness that sounds consistently excellent
OVERALL
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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.
Email us at: letters@hifichoice.co.uk or write to: Hi-Fi Choice Letters, AVTech Media Ltd, Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6HF. Your letters may be edited before publication and we cannot enter into personal correspondence
More ways to get in touch: You can also send your questions to us via social media: twitter.com@HiFiChoiceMag facebook.com/hifichoice.co.uk
Match of the day I read your most informative recent standmount Group Test (HFC 476), among them the PMC twenty5.21i. You recommend a sensibly matched system, because it can sound a bit hard edged. I plan to match this speaker with a Rega Elicit-R integrated amplifier. What are your thoughts on this or is there something else that’s slightly better suited? Claudio Struck, by email JK: Hi Claudio, it really depends on the room and the rest of the system. Put a lean or edgy-sounding source in front of this pairing in a minimally furnished room and you’ll get a hard
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sound. But if you have a well-balanced source in a room with a bit of furnishing – carpets, curtains and sofas – it’ll sound as sweet as a nut. Neither the Elicit-R nor the PMC bookshelf are intrinsically hard or forward, but both are revealing, immediate and musically thrilling when partnered with the right ancillaries. ES: I can’t see this being a bad pairing, but it might still demonstrate an ‘edge’ with some more aggressive material when played hard. Ultimately, it’s a lot of money to spend on something blind and a demonstration would be the best way of ensuring that the pairing works for you.
PMC twenty5.2i – sweet as a nut
Bi-wire or bi-amp? Many thanks for your excellent magazine, which I have read religiously since the lateEighties. I have been in the enviable position this year to do some serious upgrading to my system. This now consists of a Luxman L-590AXII (many thanks to Ed Selley for the review in HFC 457, which encouraged me to audition the amp), PMC Fact 8 speakers, Marantz SA-10 and Pro-Ject Xtension 12. Mains cables are Russ Andrews Evolution and X Block. I recently upgraded my interconnect to Russ Andrews’ Kimber Hero-HB XLRs from SEPTEMBER 2021
70
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LETTERS
Luxman’s L-590AXII comes highly recommended
AudioQuest Red River XLRs and was very surprised to hear the bass had even better definition and control plus more background detailing. This then led me to consider upgrading my speaker cables, currently Chord Clearway to Russ Andrews Kimber 12TC or 12TC Bi-Wire – the PMCs have two sets of binding posts. Furthermore, the Luxman has two sets of speaker terminals, so one of my questions is whether I
Don’t assume that double anything means it must be twice as good should bi-amp and run two sets of the 12TC to each speaker? The Luxman can be switched to speakers A or B or both. The manual notes the impedance of the speakers attached at both outputs should be no lower than 4ohm – PMC quotes the Fact 8 at 8ohm, so am I right in thinking this would be acceptable? I understand speaker impedance isn’t necessarily linear and can dip below the quoted figures, so would I be pushing my luck? Sound quality is my over-riding aim, so sonically where would I get the most benefit, to bi-wire or if it is prudent, to bi-amp the speakers? Jon Clough, Altrincham DP: Running a second set of cables to your speakers from the Speaker B outputs of your stereo amplifier, in addition to running cables from your Speaker A outputs, is not bi-amping it
Jon. This is because the speaker selector on the amp simply doubles up the left and right outputs from the internal power amp and puts them through a switch. Real bi-amping is having two separate stereo power amps and splitting each so they drive the treble and mid/bass respectively via separate cables – not what you seem to be proposing here. My advice would be, for now, simply bi-wire the speakers, relax and enjoy the music. Loudspeaker manufacturers usually quote the so-called ‘nominal’ impedance of their designs, which is an average, real-world general figure rather than the lowest that the speaker gets down to in extreme circumstances. So if your amplifier says it’s fine with 4ohm loads, a speaker of 8ohm nominal impedance will pose it no problem at all. Such a speaker is likely to drop down to 4 or 5ohm occasionally, on challenging programme material. We’re now well past those notorious Seventies and Eighties speakers, which could often dip down to 2 or so ohm, giving the amp a real headache.
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JK: Nice system! I agree with your speaker cable upgrade thinking as Kimber has long been one of the better-sounding options available. As DP suggests, bi-wiring would produce a better result – as would a pair of Townshend Seismic Podiums under your Fact.8s. I used to use this speaker and got great results by isolating it this way. CW: Bi-wiring or bi-amping rarely leads to predictable results. Sometimes it’s a step forward, sometimes a step backwards, sometimes no benefit at all. There shouldn’t be any ‘pushing your luck’, but you need to be confident of making correct connections to avoid any accidental shorts. As with any cabling change, I find it is best to go in with a completely neutral, ambivalent view and listen carefully to any improvements you perceive. Don’t assume that double anything is twice as good. ES: I’m glad you like the amp! In an engineering sense, the Luxman only has two channels of amplification so you aren’t tapping some hitherto unused section of the amp by using the B terminals. The connections are likely to be neater than connecting two sets of cables to one terminal, though. NR: The speaker A and B selection on the Luxman gives you the facility to drive speakers in different rooms, which I don’t think is what you are
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LETTERS
Ernie’s music library is doubling up on his Cambridge CXN
after. If you bi-wire, you want to drive both the bass and treble connections of the PMC Fact 8 speakers together, so you run two pairs of cables to each speaker, such as the Russ Andrews 12TC Bi-Wire that you mention, for either the A or the B outputs.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
Seeing double
I have my music library stored on my Buffalo NAS drive and also on two hard drives as back ups. I stream my library on a Cambridge Audio CXN via the Cambridge app on my tablet, but I have a problem as the CXN brings up two or three copies of each track on some (but not all) albums. This means I have to go to the playlist and put one copy of each track into a queue rather than just playing the album and having to listen to each track two or three times. If I play them on one of my hard drives, of course there is only one copy of each track. If I use the VLC player via Bluetooth on my tablet, that picks up my library from the NAS drive
Keep your back-ups in separate places in case the worst were ever to happen and only finds one copy of each track on every album. I contacted Cambridge Audio some time ago and was told that the streamer must be picking up the extra tracks from somewhere on my system. I have no idea where this might be and I wonder if you can help with this problem? Ernie Long, Essex NR: Hello Ernie – I have a Cambridge Audio Azur 851N and can use both of the Cambridge Audio apps (Cambridge Connect and StreamMagic) on my Android phone to control the streamer. I use Cambridge Connect for listening to my library, which is stored partly on a server and partly on a USB stick permanently plugged into the 851N. I use StreamMagic to setup new radio presets, since Cambridge Audio
removed that facility from the 851N. You could try using the StreamMagic app and see if you have the same problem. The other approach to try is to search by folder, rather than by album, which is my preference as I store all my digital music in structured folders (one folder per album) on the server and I haven’t experienced your multiple instances of a track issue. JK: That’s an unusual one, possibly the control software is getting the copies from your back-up drives if they are on the network. You could check by disconnecting them and seeing if the problem persists. There’s something to be said for keeping your back-ups in separate places, separate building if possible, as one would survive if the worst were ever to happen. ES: Can you prompt the CXN to do a full reset and rescan of the library and also use a free app like MConnect to view the library on another UPnP device to see if the duplication is present there too? Both of these actions together should give a better idea of the location of the issue.
Looks familiar I had to smile when I saw the piece in Choice Extras by David Price about the Yellow Bird turntable mat (HFC 474). Why? Well, last September I bought a Trans-Fi Resomat for £33.50 from Vic Angelo. I was directed towards this for the same isolation reasons cited in David’s review. It was actually Rod Keith of Stands Unique who suggested it because I’d just completed isolating all my Meridian units with his CFIs. It has helped a more transparent sound with tighter bass and I can’t recommend it enough! Mike Locke, Isle of Wight DP: Good spot, Mike! This is similar, but certainly not identical to the Yellow Bird. Almost nothing in vinyl reproduction, or indeed hi-fi in general, is ever truly new. Rather like pop music, we largely get variations and ‘remixes’ of themes from many years ago. Indeed one could argue that the thinking behind both the aforementioned mats is ‘inspired’ by
LETTERS
Hexmat Yellow Bird – devil is in the detail
the original Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference turntable, which had a very similar platter arrangement with individual ‘points’ for support. Of course, the devil is in the detail and the designers would say that their’s is special and the others aren’t. In the end, you’ve just got listen to the product, see if it makes an improvement, and then take a view about its value for money.
Back to vinyl Firstly, thank you for the many nuggets of hi-fi wisdom you provide month on month, I think it’s fair to say it’s a real help for many of us with still a lot to learn, but a keen interest in getting a good system. For me, one of the best bits of buying advice has to be considering going secondhand from a decent dealer, especially with what’s on offer on my doorstep here in the North-East. I now have some ex-demo PMC twenty5.21 speakers in my system and they’re being fed by an Exposure 3010S2 pre and a secondhand Roksan Caspian M2 power amp. I have my digital sources via a Chord Qutest, but after unexpectedly becoming the guardian of about 100 LPs and 12in singles I’m now thinking the unthinkable and considering getting a turntable – I thought I had given up vinyl for good back in the early Nineties! I’m getting a bit lost in the plan and which option is best. I can only spare one mains socket, so I’m thinking of a turntable and perhaps the plug-in phono board for my pre. However, this only comes in either MM or MC and with so many five-star decks out there and a seemingly endless choice of cartridges I’m not sure
what to go for. I keep reading MC is best, but I have no idea how or why. For these purchases I would like to buy brandnew and if possible I’d like to get the whole vinyl revolution completed for about £2,000 initially, but I’m always keen to have one eye on the upgrade path. Please could you help and share where your money would go? Neil Teather, by email DP: My turntable of choice at this price would be a new Rega Planar 6 (HFC 427) with Neo power supply (£1,049). You then have a decent amount of money to invest in a good cartridge. Given that you have one eye on the upgrade path, as you said, I think you should go directly to a moving-coil (and the MC card for your Exposure preamp, which is very good by the way). I’ve played around with MC cartridges in Regas for donkey’s years, and one combination I really like is with the Audio-Technica AT-33PTG/II (£479). This remains one of the best kept mid-price cartridge secrets, although I’m not sure why. It’s a little more on the warm and sweet side than AT’s OC series and matches the dry, precise sound of the Rega better. Yet it’s hugely detailed, super smooth and very musically enjoyable in its way; it’s a
As a general rule, moving-coils usually sound better than moving-magnets kind of ‘poor man’s Lyra’! Take care to position the Planar 6 carefully, well away from vibrations and take the dust cover off for serious listening. This would give you a really nice LP sound at a sensible price, with the minimum of fiddling and faffing around required, and would complement the rest of your system really well. Like everything in hi-fi, there’s always an exception that proves the rule, but generally speaking moving-coils do sound better than moving-magnets. This is because their design means there’s less work for the stylus/ cantilever assembly to do; the two coils that it’s attached to move within the field of a fixed permanent magnet located inside the cartridge body to form the generator. This resulting effective tip mass is lower than it would
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LETTERS
Rega Planar 6 – the experts’ turntable of choice
be, if it had magnets attached – as per a moving-magnet. This makes for more sensitive tracking of the record groove, but the downside is that the coils produce far less voltage going out of the cartridge, so you need a step-up amplifier or transformer. There are some excellent moving-magnets around, like Ortofon’s 2M Black LVB250 (HFC 478) or Nagaoka’s MP-500 (HFC 467), but they’re expensive, and similarly priced moving-coils arguably do better still. JK: Glad to hear you are coming back to the fold, vinyl is a fabulous medium. Like DP, I’d also recommend a Rega Planar 6 turntable, but with Rega’s Ania cartridge (HFC 426) and get the MC phono board for your Roksan amp, that would use a single power outlet and leave you the option of upgrading both cart and phono stage in future. CW: It’s never too late to appreciate the quality of vinyl. I’m not sure you need to limit yourself to one plug socket as an inexpensive hi-fi power block will increase your options. There are, of course, turntables with built-in phono stages, but if you then wish to upgrade in the future, this stage will become redundant. I think your idea of sourcing a phono-stage board for your Exposure preamp could be a smart move to get you rolling for minimal outlay. If you’re uncertain about the merits of MM vs MC, I would suggest you start with MM as the results are more certain and any mistakes or accidents are less expensive. Many people starting their analogue journeys enjoy the direct simplicity of Rega turntables like the Planar 3 (around
£600 new with options of different cartridges fitted), but given you started by praising quality secondhand dealers, maybe you should speak to Simon at 2ndhandhifi in Stocktonon-Tees if he is close by. He might recommend a highly joined-up solution covering turntable, cartridge and separate phono-stage for a fraction of the new price, that you could resell later without much, if any, loss in value. ES: Spending £2,000 will secure a Rega Planar 8 (HFC 443) and Audio-Technica OC9EXN cartridge (HFC 452) and, honestly, I can’t think of anything I’d rather have for the price
A turntable with built-in phono stage limits any future upgrade options as both components are superb and also work very nicely together. The Rega has scope for further upgrades going forward too, although I can’t see you being upset with how that duo sounds out of the box. NR: Ah, the dreaded ‘one mains socket’ dilemma! The problem with a record deck with a built-in phono stage is that they tend to be at the low end of a range and not really suitable for your great setup. You could, of course, use a little of your £2,000 budget to invest in, say, a Russ Andrews X2 Power Block, which would enable you to have a mains-powered free-standing MM/ MC phono stage as well as a turntable. If that doesn’t work for you, then the plug-in phono board for your Exposure 3010S2 would seem to be in order. As for a record deck, you might consider Pro-Ject’s Classic Evo deck (HFC 462) that includes an Ortofon Quintet Red MC cartridge, which would certainly be within your budget.
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SONGBIRD
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HIPSP[` HUK ^PKL JVTWH[PIPSP[` [OYV\NO [V [OL SVUN Z[HUKPUN )SHJRIPYK HUK P[Z L_JLLKPUNS` SV^ UVPZL SL]LSZ HUK ^PKL K`UHTPJ YHUNL \W [V V\Y YLMLYLUJL open architecture design, Starling, with its microridge Z[`S\Z VU H )VYVU JHU[PSL]LY" LHJO TVKLS WYVTPZLZ [V ZPUN HZ ILH\[PM\SS` HZ P[Z UHTL Z\NNLZ[Z
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OPINION
Power to the people! With an ever-increasing number of meaty power amplifiers coming on the market, Neville Roberts wonders why so many people are obsessed with wanting more watts
ust because you can have something bigger doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. With the advent of highly efficient, Class D PWM amplifiers, there seems to be a growing desire to produce an audio amplifier that could probably power a couple of steam irons if fed with a 50Hz sine wave! When I was recently scanning an advertisement for audio equipment, I alighted on an amplifier that boasted 2x 5kW into a 2ohm load – yes, that’s not a typo – 5,000W per channel! The simple truth is that feeding that sort of power to a loudspeaker will cause the drive units to switch into smoke mode if you turn up the wick. In fact, feeding a domestic loudspeaker with 100W of continuous power will invariably destroy it. This is the stuff of science fiction. So, back to reality and I find myself asking the question: why would I want an audio system that contravenes local strategic arms limitation treaties? Sound levels are measured in decibels and an increase in volume of 3dB is achieved by doubling the power. For example, a loudspeaker that has a sensitivity of 87dB equates to 1W of power producing 87dB of sound, 2W producing 90dB and so on. The question then is, what level of volume corresponds to everyday sounds and music? If one sets the reference level of 0dB at the point when someone with normal hearing can just hear something, then a whisper is approximately 20dB. The background hubbub in an office is between 40-60dB, depending on the environment. Standing close to someone speaking in a normal voice produces around 65dB, and an orchestra in a concert hall about 90dB. A loud rock concert can produce 100dB and by the time you get to 130dB, you have reached the pain threshold. Being near a jet aircraft will expose you to at least 140dB. It’s generally considered that, if a sound exceeds 85dB for an extended length of time, it can cause permanent hearing damage. Try feeding an amplifier with a continuous 1kHz sine wave and listen at your normal volume – it will not be pleasant. In the home, you’re probably listening at levels below 1W of continuous power for most of the time. A 20W-per-channel continuously rating amplifier should be powerful enough to reproduce orchestral music at concert hall volume on the aforementioned 87dB sensitivity loudspeaker in a domestic environment and note that an 80W amplifier will only give you an extra theoretical 6dB of volume.
J
Feeding a domestic speaker with 100W of continuous power will destroy it
In my youth, I built a little 5W Class A single-ended triode amp that sounded fantastic. Being Class A, there was no crossover distortion and it was a simple design. It was also very stable and so required no negative feedback. The advantage was it didn’t cost much to make and yet it produced music that sounded remarkably refined and had all of the detail and clarity I was looking for. It was not the most efficient of amps, but the heat it generated helped to keep my bedroom at a comfortable listening temperature. Of course, you need extra power to handle transients, but that can be catered for by a correctly designed power supply.
When choosing an amp, it’s important to consider the speakers you plan to use it with
You cannot change the laws of physics Obviously, when choosing an amp take into account the speakers it will be used with. Modern bookshelf speakers are very good and can sound superb, but the laws of physics dictate that to reproduce very low bass loudly, you need to move a large volume of air. That requires large drivers, large enclosures and will need more power to drive them at those frequencies. If you’re using bookshelf speakers, a modestly powered amplifier will be more than adequate to drive them at loud levels, but the speakers will never be able to reproduce the 16Hz organ note on a recording of Saint-Saens Organ Symphony No.3 at a volume that will cause your trouser legs to flap. For me, it’s very much a case of quality over quantity. When producing amplifiers of great power that have all the qualities of lower-powered designs, the cost goes up exponentially. If you hanker after pure and accurate reproduction first and foremost, then put your money into well-designed lower powered amplifiers. Your ears and your neighbours will thank you in the long term ●
NEVILLE ROBERTS Power corrupts
SEPTEMBER 2021
81
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OPINION
The real man-machine Let’s hear it for electronic music’s great forgotten pioneer… Nigel Williamson marks the passing of an unsung legend
verybody knows the name Robert Moog and most will be familiar with Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. But I suspect even among the most erudite readers of HFC, the name of Peter Zinovieff will be known only to those with the most committed enthusiasm for electronica. On the news of his death in June at the age of 88, I confess that his name meant little to me, too. Then I looked him up and realised that Zinovieff ranks near the very top of the list of electronic music pioneers and was responsible for a sea-change both in the way music is made and in the way it sounds. In the honourable tradition of great English eccentrics (and overlooking the fact that his parents were Russian), Zinovieff invented and built the VCS3 synthesiser in the garden shed of his home in Putney. Moog was at the same time developing similar technology in America, but the VCS3 was every bit as significant. Everyone from The Beatles to Stockhausen turned to Zinovieff to show them how they could expand the sonic possibilities of their music with synthesisers. It’s the VCS3 you hear on Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon and on The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again. It drives Hawkwind’s Silver Machine and Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygene. David Bowie, Brian Eno, King Crimson and Kraftwerk also all used Zinovieff’s invention on their records. Many of them beat a path to his garden shed (which bore the grand name of Electronic Music Studios) for a demonstration of his proto-synths from the inventor himself. Sir Paul McCartney recalled visiting Zinovieff in: “a hut at the bottom of the garden full of tape machines and funny instruments.” It led to a 1967 collaboration at London’s Roundhouse billed as a ‘Sound Rave’ at which the works performed included McCartney’s 14-minute electronic composition Carnival Of Light, which The Beatles recorded but has never been released and remains a Holy Grail among collectors. Deep Purple’s Jon Lord also recalled visiting Zinovieff’s shed and found: “a mad professor type talking to a computer, trying to get it to answer back.” Strangely, Zinovieff wasn’t even a fan of pop music and his personal listening tastes lent towards Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert. It made him particularly proud that his synthesisers insinuated their way into the work of composers such as Harrison Birtwistle, Hans Werner Henze and Karlheinz Stockhausen, although he was unimpressed when the latter
E
Zinovieff invented and built the VCS3 synthesiser in his Putney garden shed
made a visit to the shed. “Very brusque and German,” he recalled. “It was as if he knew everything.” Stockhausen went on to use one of Zinovieff’s synths on his landmark 1977 composition Sirius. Zinovieff also wrote an electronic movement for Henze’s Tristan, premiered by the LSO at the Royal Festival Hall in 1974, and the libretto for Birtwistle’s opera The Mask Of Orpheus, premiered by the English National Opera in 1986. By then he had moved to a Scottish island where his synths were reputedly powered by a windmill. He spent 10 years labouring on the libretto, which was based on a digital voice transmission system he had developed called VOCOM and which was, in effect, the first Vocoder. Another of his claims was that he invented sampling when he and Birtwistle composed Chronometer 71, based around recordings of the ticking of Big Ben and the great clock in Wells Cathedral. Two years later Pink Floyd famously utilised a similar effect on The Dark Side Of The Moon.
Zinovieff was part pioneer, part mad professor
“Think of a sound – now make it” Zinovieff built his first synthesiser from oscillators and amplifiers purchased from a military surplus store and then spent £4,000 (£80,000 in today’s money) on a computer to programme them. It was said to be the first home computer in Britain; they had previously only existed in universities and research laboratories. The setup was: “incredibly cumbersome and primitive,” but he refined it and by 1969 had begun commercially marketing the VCS3 under the slogan: “Think of a sound – now make it.” The selling point of his synth was that it was compact and portable unlike the cumbersome Moog. Although the VCS3 shaped the sound of Seventies popular music, he was no businessman and by the end of the decade his EMS company had gone bust. His studio was sold to the National Theatre which placed the equipment in storage, where it was destroyed by a flood. Period photos of the studio are remarkable and resemble something out of a sci-fi movie. Zinovieff’s garden shed and its contents really deserved to be reassembled and exhibited in a rock and roll museum. In the absence of such a memorial, put on Who’s Next tonight and join me in raising a glass to electronic music’s great forgotten pioneer ●
NIGEL WILLIAMSON Electro-buff
SEPTEMBER 2021
83
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93 Silfur Dustin O'Halloran Siggi String Quartet
94 Villagers Fever Dream
96 Robert Schumann Kinderszenen Op 15; Kreisleriana Op 16 Martha Argerich
Chvrches Screen Violence CD EMI
WHEN IAIN COOK, Martin Doherty and Lauren Mayberry first came together in Glasgow, Screen Violence was one of the names they considered for their band. By the time the trio released their 2013 debut, they had opted for Chvrches. Almost a decade on they’ve revived the name as the title of their fourth album and it seems to fit perfectly for a record made during a pandemic when our concept of reality was shaped by a screen, whether keeping in touch with loved ones we were not allowed to hug, working remotely via Zoom or in the case of Chvrches, being forced to make music apart. At times the last year has felt like we had all become characters in our own TV show. Although they have become a potent live act, from the get-go Chvrches was a band for the internet age. “This band wouldn't exist without the internet,” says lead singer and lyricist Mayberry. “It’s been such a huge part of the band in a really 90
SEPTEMBER 2021
positive way.” Indeed, the singular spelling of the band’s name was chosen to make them distinctive in on-screen searches. Yet, as she tellingly adds, living your life on screen can also be: “the worst, most damaging thing for emotional well-being.” Recorded remotely between Los Angeles and Glasgow and produced and mixed via video calls and internet audio sharing programmes, over these ten songs Chvrches reflect on the violence we witness, commit and hide from behind a screen. “So televise the great disaster, We’re better off inside of the screen sometimes,” Mayberry sings on Lullabies. Yet the gamut of human emotions are still there behind the screen, the loneliness, disillusionment, vulnerability and fear often amplified by the distance between us. Nowhere is this heard more poignantly than on How Not To Drown, which features The Cure’s Robert Smith on guest vocals
and bursts with catharsis as Mayberry sings: “Tell me how it’s better when the sun goes down". Musically the album is cut from the same electro-pop cloth that took Chvrches last three long players into the upper echelons of the charts, the path forged by synth-pop pioneers such as Depeche Mode and New Order smartly reimagined for the internet age. Dark, atmospheric film-noir soundscapes are married to euphoric, adrenalinerush pop hooks and melodies in an epic tumult. Despite the mistakes and regrets Mayberry sings about on Nightmares, ultimately Chvrches has given us an album about purgation, which contains within it our hopes for a better future. That, after all, is the definition of catharsis. As the world slowly emerges from its collective COVID nightmare, let us hope that Screen Violence turns out to be one of the last of the great lockdown albums. NW
MUSICREVIEWS
Sam Mehran
Watchhouse
Cold Brew
Watchhouse
CD
Domino
MEHRAN WAS A talented multi-instrumentalist who passed away in 2018. His influence extended over many musicians and there’s no doubt he’s much missed. So much so, Domino has released a retrospective – recorded in the two years prior to his untimely death – that gives first-time listeners a real flavour of his dextrous musical output. There’s everything from psychedelic dance-punk to funky slow burners, all brilliantly produced with clarity and depth. This collection of 17 instrumental tracks will make you want to shred, dance, throw open the windows and play it loud. A fitting legacy for a talented man who went way before his time. PH
IF YOU LIKE Iron & Wine, The Indigo Girls or pretty much anyone that doesn’t skimp on melody and creates sunny vistas, this is for you. Watchhouse, formerly trading under Mandolin Orange is a duo who describe their music as: “poetic Appalachian folk”. Better Way shimmers like heat haze over a dirt road, its pretty tune culminating in a fiddle, guitar and assorted jingle jangle outro. Things go a bit R.E.M. circa Automatic For The People on New Star and – like all of the songs here – is the best track on the album until you listen to the next one. A lovely bouquet of songs – each individually beautiful, but in their entirety totally beguiling. PSH
6 Concerti Grossi Van Diemen’s Band Martin Gester
Headsoup
SACD
Rocket Recordings
THE MYSTERIOUS COLLECTIVE Goat emerged from Sweden in 2012 with a debut album of thundering psychedelic intensity and an implausible dose of self-mythologising involving witch doctors and voodoo ceremonies. Combined with elaborate face masks that make them look like ancient tribal deities, they became festival favourites. Headsoup is their fourth studio album and combines rare non-album tracks with newly recorded material. Cosmic echoes of psych eccentrics Gong are
Drifting Ethio-jazz vibes, Afrobeat and hypnotic eastern drones abound evident on tracks such as The Sun And Moon, the spirit of the Incredible String Band pervades Union Of Mind And Soul with its hippie flute and lyrics and the kosmische influence of Can permeates Dig My Grave and Queen Of The Underground. Elsewhere drifting Ethio-jazz vibes (The Snake Of Addis Ababa), Afrobeat (It’s Time For Fun) and hypnotic eastern drones (Goatfizz) abound. Weird, but wonderful. NW
92
Tiptoe Tiger Music/Thirty Tigers
GF Handel
Goat CD
CD
SEPTEMBER 2021
The Van Diemen’s band delivers buoyant lively performances
BIS
HANDEL’S OP 3 might well be “little more than a cavalier English publisher’s barely disguised attempt to make some quick money” to quote the booklet notes, but in truth this group of works remains the most engaging, catchy and enjoyable set of six baroque concerti-grossi ever written. The music oozes fun and inspiration. Gester changes Walsh’s running order, starting with Concerto 2 and putting Concerto 1 last. But that aside, there’s nowt to grumble about. Van Dieman’s band, playing on period instruments, deliver buoyant lively performances and the SACD recording sounds bright, clear and transparent – though Concerto 2 seems a mite less clean than the others. JH
AUDIOFILE VINYL Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band Dirty Pool 180g vinyl
THAT MELVIN TAYLOR is a relative unknown outside his hometown of Chicago is an indication of just how hard it is to succeed as a blues musician today. Taylor has been playing electric guitar and singing since the early Eighties under the influence of Chicago legends such as Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, but the opening song on Dirty Pool is Too Sorry and his sound is so reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn that it’s uncanny. Of course, both musicians came under the spell of Jimi Hendrix and Taylor’s playing on
Pure Pleasure
several tracks on this 1996 recording make it clear that he is certainly the equal of his Texan counterpart in this department. Taylor’s playing is both extremely articulate and effortlessly nimble, his vocals full of feeling but delivered in a straight-forward fashion. Highlights include the title track and I Ain’t Superstitious – the Willie Dixon classic beloved of so many blues singers – that’s rarely played with as much intuition as it is here. This album sounds good, with strong bass and a smooth but detailed sound that lets you turn it up without any glare coming through. Recorded on analogue tape at 30ips means that any edge comes from the guitar and not the production. JK
MUSICREVIEWS
S Shirley Collins C
COOL COLLECTION She was born Angela Trimble, but the world knows and loves her as Debbie Harry, the lead singer with Blondie and classy solo star in her own right. A femme icon and inspiration across nearly five decades, here she shares a trio of albums that she clearly holds dear.
Crowlink EP C
Domino
CD
THAT AN 85-YEAR-OLD is making the most avant garde music of her career should come as little surprise to admirers of Collins. The reductive term “folk singer” scarcely does justice on this exquisitely recorded EP: nature recordings, haunting harmonium and strings, and tidal drones dance around the maypole of that one-of-a-kind voice. Not a second of Crowlink outstays its welcome – in its own way, it’s as boundary pushing as the Albion Band’s No Roses. And it's a heart of stone that isn’t moved by the gorgeous and sorrowful The Rose And The Briar. SB
Silfur
Dustin O’Halloran Siggi String Quartet
RECORDED IN ICELAND during lockdown, Dustin O’Halloran describes Silfur as: “an exploration of the music of my past and how it reflects back to me now in the present. Evoking images of different moments, places and periods of my life, and rediscovering the pieces that have stayed with me.” Mostly solo-piano, with the Siggi Quartet on a few tracks, the music is beautifully haunting and gently melancholic without being maudlin. The total effect is soothing, spiritually cleansing and very enjoyable. The recording is clear, open, limpid and spacious, creating the aural impression of a real piano being played in a defined acoustic space. JH
Beautifully haunting and gently melancholic, without being maudlin
SACD
Deutsche Grammophon
Divertissment!
GA-20
Ibert, Bernard, Bartók, Ippolito C/O Chamber Orchestra
Does Hound Dog Taylor
BIS
THE CONDUCTOR-LESS C/O Chamber Orchestra plays with great precision and accuracy. The disc gets off to an inspired start with a riotous performance of Ibert’s Divertissment; full of slapstick moments. Emile Bernard’s Divertissment is very different, like a modern take on Mozart. Bartok’s Divertimento for strings, it's played with great virtuosity and rhythmic dexterity, and the disc ends with Michael Ippolito’s Divertimento – an interesting piece worth hearing. The recording sounds rich, clear and detailed with the players set back in a warm reverberant acoustic that adds a nice ambience without loss of clarity. JH
CD
S Screamin’ JJay Hawkins At Home With A Screamin’ Jay Hawkins S O Okeh/Epic (1958) LLegend has it Hawkins got rrat-faced drunk at the rrecording session, barked it woke up the next day out as only he could and then t with no memory of having done it. Debbie recalls its impact, noting: "he was just terrific. Outrageous, bizarre, eccentric – all of the things you need in a great artist and performer. Elvis and Jerry Lee happened around the same time, but Screamin' Jay was more on the outside, not as commercial.”
T Gossip The Music For Men C Columbia (2009) Beth Ditto and her group’s B ffourth LP was produced by Rick Rubin to sound very, R very loud. On its release, v Pitchfork said: “In a world P of, auto-tuned pop stars o and wispy-voiced indie-chanteuse pinups it’s nice to see an honest-to-god female rock star.” Ms Harry concurs: “I love Beth’s voice. On the record they’ve done overdubs and more tracks but when they opened for us live at a festival, just Beth and two musicians, it was fantastic.”
Colemine Records
THIS IS PRIMAL fare that will need to wipe its mucky feet before you let it in. Designed to showcase the work of legendary bluesman Theodore Roosevelt ‘Hound Dog’ Taylor, it’s a consistently enjoyable album from a band of young bucks. It Hurts Me Too is my-girl-donebroke-my-heart blues of the highest order, while for something more joyful Give Me Back My Wig will raise a smile, get feet taping and fingers clicking. But that’s nothing compared with the mighty Let’s Get Funky, a thrilling romp that, like the album, is played live on vintage instruments by some of today’s finest young players. PSH
T Velvet The Underground White Light/ W White Heat W V Verve (1968) The second offering from T VU. Nico had been sacked V aand John Cale was on his way out, out but described it as: “a very rabid record.” Ms Harry says: “They were one of the first bands that I saw in New York. I was completely flabbergasted and knocked out by it. Actually Nico was singing with them that night and Andy Warhol had designed the stage set and the colours and I think he was responsible for the lights too. It was incredible.”
SEPTEMBER 2021
Picture credits: Enda Bowe (Shirley Collins) and Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com (Debbie Harry)
2x LP
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MUSICREVIEWS
STREAMING CHARTS
The Shadracks From Human Like Forms
qobuz.com’s top-10 most popular streaming albums
CD
3
Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part
FRONTED BY THE son of garage punk and Stuckism art legend Billy Childish and featuring Rhys Webb from The Horrors, this is The Shadracks’ sophomore album. And, as you’d expect with such close connections to the Medway garage puke scene, it’s a blaster, with its tongue firmly in its cheek. The 14 tracks rumble along merrily, and there are plenty of raw, unpasteurised punk hooks to sink your teeth into, all underpinned by an indie sensibility that recalls Pixies and The Libertines. However, unlike Childish’s work – he produces this album – production is crystal clear and doesn’t sound like it was recorded in a cellar. PH
In My Voice Chelsea Guo
Orchid Classics
CD
PLAYING A VINTAGE instrument personally built by Theodore Steinway in 1876, Chelsea Guo delivers a measured, lyrical, quietly introspective account of Chopin’s Preludes. The rich warm piano tone is beautifully caught by the recording, and the result sounds intimate and personal. As well as being an excellent pianist, Guo is also a fine singer, and she includes three songs to showcase her vocal talents. The recording sounds natural and clear. Dynamic contrasts are less wide than some high-powered virtuoso performances – there are no thundering fortes. But pianist Guo is no barnstormer – she’s subtle and highly musical. JH
Villagers V
4
London Grammar Californian Soil
Fever Dream
Domino
CD
THE FIFTH STUDIO album from Conor O’Brien and his fellow Dubliners sees no sign of the quirky song-writing losing its edge and variety. There are shades of Prefab Sprout on the pretty So Simpatico while the wonky sonics on First Day offer sounds akin to Thom Yorke breaking in a new Minimoog. Circles In The Firing Line is a belter with an addictive, rousing chorus while the album closer, Deep In My Heart, is a gentle, winsome ode with O’Brien in nostalgic romantic mode. All in all a strong contender for one of 2021’s best works. PSH
Bobby Gillespie The Beatles 5 & Jehnny Beth 6 Abbey Road Utopian Ashes (Super Deluxe Edition)
Joni Mitchell Wolf Alice 7 The Reprise 8 Blue Weekend Albums (1968-1971)
Mozart
Lump
Piano Concertos 9 & 17 Olga Pashchenko Il Gardellino
Animal
(2021 Remaster) CD
Tom Petty & The Ludwig Van Heartbreakers 10Beethoven 9 Angel Dream (Songs Complete Piano And Music From The Motion Picture)
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Concertos, London Symphony Orchestra
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Alpha
THESE ARE ZESTFUL Dionysian performances of two favourite Mozart piano concertos, played with fresh infectious spontaneity by Pashchenko and Il Gardellino. Listening, you sense the soloist and orchestra feel able to perform using period instruments as though the music was still new and contemporary. Whether Mozart would’ve approved – who can say? But he’d have roared his head off with pleasure. The recording is forward and immediate, with a bright tonal balance and vigorous attack. Clarity is excellent and much usually obscured detail is rendered audible. JH
CD
Chrysalis/Partisan
THREE YEARS AGO Laura Marling stepped out of her singer-songwriter comfort zone and teamed up with Mike Lindsay of Tuung to make an album together. The project was so well received that they’re back. Marling describes the recording process as Lindsay saying: “I’ve done this piece of music, can you put something random over the top of it?”. This ad hoc approach works a treat as her melodies and vividly abstract words glide effortlessly over twinkling electronica and, on the title track, a synth hook that Daft Punk would be proud of, making for an unexpected gem. NW
Picture credit: Rich Gilligan
Mac Mvula 1Fleetwood Rumours 2Laura Pink Noise
Damaged Goods
Chopin
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AC114 V4.
MUSICREVIEWS
Ravel and Saint-Saëns
Liars The Apple Drop
Piano Trios Sitkovetsky Trio
BIS
SACD
RAVEL’S IS BY-FAR the better known of these two trios. Written in 1914, it’s a marvellously subtle and finely shaded piece, full of delicate half-lights and broad colourful contrasts. Saint-Saëns penned two piano trios, and his second dates from 1892. It starts with a dark passionate theme like Tchaikovsky’s. Ravel greatly admired Saint-Saëns’ writing for violin, piano and cello, and learnt from it. The Sitkovetsky trio deliver excellent performances and the recording sounds clean, open and effortlessly detailed. The instruments have plenty of space and tonally the result is very natural. JH
WHEN ANGUS ANDREW releases a new album under his Liars moniker it’s worth a listen, if only for the unpredictability. Liars’ 10th album sees a sonic aesthetic that often recalls OMD, The Cure, Underworld and Michael Franks. Andrew ropes in avant-garde jazz drummer Laurence Pike and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Deyell, which gives the record a pleasing diversity and musical nuance. Shot through these impressive, melancholic songs is a woozy psychedelia and sheer enthusiasm to experiment. But that’s no bad thing – this album is impressive in its ambition and listenability. PH
Sibelius
Spiritualized S
Complete Recordings On Deutsche Grammophon Herbert Von Karajan
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space W
5x CDs and Blu-ray
Deutsche Grammophon
CD
KARAJAN CHAMPIONED SIBELIUS in the Fifties and Sixties at a time when much of Europe (UK excepted) seemed hostile or indifferent to his music. These celebrated Sixties DG recordings of symphonies 4-7 combine rich powerful orchestral playing with an impressive grasp of structure. Karajan’s advocacy with the fabled Berlin Philharmonic was pivotal – if the world’s greatest conductor and orchestra played Sibelius’ music, it had to be good. No question, these were historically
The pioneering Sixties analogue recordings are on four CDs with the original LP artwork important releases (and hugely aspirational LPs!) that helped establish Sibelius as an important mainstream composer. The pioneering Sixties analogue recordings are on four CDs with original LP sleeve artwork and a hi-res Blu-ray Audio disc, while his early Eighties digital recordings of orchestral works are on the final CD. The analogue sound is very good; impressively translucent and detailed. JH 96
Mute
CD
SEPTEMBER 2021
Fat Possum
THIS DEFIANTLY SQUARE peg in the round hole of Britpop comes as a welcome release as – say it quietly – the 1997 pressing failed to deliver. This is arguably, more commercial than the buzzing drone-fest of its excellent predecessor – but only by a Rizla paper. From the majestic, weightless opening title track to the free jazz blow out of Cop Shoot Cop, featuring Dr John, it’s a satisfying journey down backroads marked MC5, Brian Wilson, country blues, gospel, avant garde, space rock and pop best experienced in one sitting. SB
180g vinyl
Robert Schumann
Foxfeather
Kinderszenen Op 15; Kreisleriana Op 16 Martha Argerich
The Nature Of Things
Deutsche Grammophon
ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON LP and CD back in 1984, this was Martha Argerich’s last major studio recording as a solo artist. Her playing is mercurial and highly imaginative; even with the passing of almost 40 years it would be difficult to find better versions of these works. This new 180g LP has Kreisleriana split between sides. The original had each work unbroken on its own side, but this meant a very long side for Op 16. Compared with the original, the new LP has slightly higher cutting levels and a piano sound of richer sonority and greater tonaldepth. My copy is very quiet too. JH
CD
Octave Records
FOXFEATHER IS THE latest release from PS Audio’s recording division Octave Audiophile Masters, and reflecting the company’s enthusiasm for 1-bit digital was recorded in DSD. The band is described as alt Americana, a folk inspired female vocal lead ensemble with a good range of acoustic and electric instruments at its disposal. This fine recording captures the luxurious tone and finesse of the playing in a precisely defined soundstage with a very polished sound. This is not hi-fi music for its own sake, the playing and song-writing are easily strong enough to transcend that label. JK
MUSIC LEGENDS TINA TURNER
BORN SURVIVOR Tina Turner’s dramatic life reads like a Hollywood movie script. Which is exactly what it became. Nigel Williamson hails the Acid Queen of R&B ne day in 1976, Tina Turner walked out on both her abusive husband Ike and her career with just 36 cents in her purse. A human whirlwind who combined a ferociously powerful voice with a raw sexual energy, with Ike she had made some of the most potent R&B recordings of the Sixties, recorded arguably the greatest single ever in River Deep – Mountain High and followed with the funk-fuelled pop hits Proud Mary and Nutbush City Limits. Yet for years she had put up with her husband’s manipulative behaviour and violence – until he delivered one beating too many. When she walked out with her face bloodied and bruised and one eye so swollen it wouldn’t open, she didn’t even own her own name for Ike had bagged the copyright on it. Divorce left her not only penniless, but heavily in debt. As part of the settlement she got to keep her stage name, but Ike loaded her with a vast tax bill owed on their earnings and Tina and her children were reduced to living on food stamps.
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Seldom can a chart-topping artist have been brought so low. Yet her pride and self-respect were intact and she not only rebuilt her life, but staged one of the most extraordinary comebacks in show business history. With no recording contract she began to reinvent herself as a solo artist on the low-rent cabaret circuit. Then she called on the help of some heavyweight celebrity fans. The Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart booked her as their support act and David Bowie got her a record deal, telling executives at his label EMI that she was his: “all-time favourite singer.”
Let’s stay together The label paid Turner little attention. As far as they were concerned, she was there only to keep one of their biggest stars happy, and when her 1984 single What’s Love Got To Do With It went to number one, the label was caught unprepared. It had been five years since her previous album and EMI had not bothered to record another one. She was rushed into the studio and two weeks later emerged with Private Dancer. The
album sold 14-million copies and won three Grammy awards. The washed-up has-been had gone almost overnight from living on welfare to rivalling Michael Jackson and Madonna as the biggest-selling solo star of the decade. Proudly she refused to call Private Dancer her comeback album. “It’s Tina’s debut,” she insisted. Her second coming continued with a film role in 1985’s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome alongside Mel Gibson. The film gave her another hit single with its theme song, We Don’t Need Another Hero. That same year her raunchy duet with Mick Jagger was one of the highlights of Live Aid, and there were further multi-million selling, chart-topping albums with Break Every Rule (1986) and Foreign Affair (1989). Each new release was accompanied by record-breaking world tours and a 1988 concert in Rio de Janeiro attended by 180,000 fans earned her a place in the Guinness Book Of Records. Such a triumphal tale of resilience in the face of adversity was tailor-made for Hollywood and her autobiography I, Tina was turned into
MUSIC LEGENDS TINA TURNER
the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got To Do With It? starring Angela Bassett as Tina and Laurence Fishburne as Ike. She finally retired in 2008 after a tour to mark the 50th anniversary of her debut as a recording artist, still wearing her trademark micro-skirts in her seventieth year. “You can’t dance in a long dress,” she explained. Born Annie Mae Bullock in 1938 in Nutbush, near Brownsville, Tennessee, she memorably described the rural poverty of her birthplace in the 1973 hit single Nutbush City Limits, a backwoods town that consisted of little more than: “Church house, gin house, school-house, out-house”. And it was in the aforementioned church house that she learned to sing.
When Ike Turner passed away in 2007, his ex-wife Tina did not attend his funeral
Simply the best Her father was a sharecropper and she recalled picking cotton as a child. Her mother Zelma already had two daughters and did not want another so “little Annie”, as she was known, was passed around the family, living with grandparents and other relatives. At school she was a cheerleader and played in the girls’ basketball team and a high school yearbook found her confidently predicting that she was going to be an “entertainer”. Reunited with her mother in St. Louis, Missouri when she was 16, she took a job as a hospital orderly and by night frequented the local R&B clubs. One evening at a club where Ike Turner was playing, she asked if she could get up and sing with his band, The Kings Of Rhythm. Ike was already a formidable music industry figure as a guitarist, session musician, producer, talent scout, disc jockey and songwriter and had been the man behind Jackie Brenston’s 1951 recording Rocket 88, frequently cited as the first rock and roll record. She was just 17 and Ike refused to allow her on stage. A few nights later she was back and during the band’s intermission grabbed
AS IKE & TINA TURNER
1961
THE SOUL OF IKE & TINA TURNER A raw-sounding debut of unrestrained R&B backed by Ike’s Kings Of Rhythm, containing Tina’s debut recording A Fool In Love and the follow-up singles I Idolize You and I’m Jealous.
She retired in 2008 still wearing her trademark micro-skirts in her seventieth year the microphone and started belting out a BB King song. Her impromptu performance tore the house down and Turner made her a part of his revue, initially billing her as ‘Little Ann’, before he changed her name to Tina , modelled on the wild Sheena The Jungle Queen in a popular television series of the time. At 19 she fell pregnant by the band’s saxophonist who abandoned her, leaving her as a single mother. Ike invited her to move into his house and she got pregnant again. “I didn’t know how to say no because I needed the work,” she said. “I mean, I could do two things – work in a hospital or sing in Ike’s band. I didn’t know anything else.” They married in 1962 and the relationship was abusive from the outset. On stage, Tina was an indomitable force of nature. Off stage, she was enslaved. “Busted lips, black eyes, dislocated joints, broken bones and psychological torment became a part of everyday life,” she wrote in her 1986 memoir I,
1962
DYNAMITE! A hastily recorded followup, four of the dozen tracks were repeated from the previous album, augmented with the likes of It’s Gonna Work Out Fine and Tra La La La La, which had appeared as 45s.
Tina. She attempted to conceal the bruises he inflicted with layers of make-up and once sang on stage with a broken jaw. She also revealed that his cruelty had led her to attempt suicide when she took 50 sleeping pills before a concert in 1968. Ike went to his grave insisting that the stories of his abuse were exaggerated. “Sure, I’ve slapped Tina. There have been times when I punched her to the ground,” he admitted. “But I never beat her.” It was an arcane distinction lost on all but him. One of the things that got her through was that she did not turn to substance abuse as an escape. “When Ike started to do drugs, I realised he had no control, and I felt I needed all the control I could get, living in that environment,” she noted. Instead, in 1973 she became a Buddhist. She practiced chanting and mediation, but still found forgiveness hard. On Ike’s death in 2007 she issued a terse statement saying she hadn’t had any contact with him for 30 years and would not be making any further comment. She did not attend his funeral. Yet there is not denying that it was Ike who made Tina Turner a star and that without him Annie Mae Bullock would in all probability have remained unknown. Her first hit with Ike came by chance. He had booked a male vocalist to record a song called A Fool In Love and when the singer failed to show, Ike asked Tina to step in. The song made number two on the R&B chart and crossed over to the mainstream pop chart, pushing her to the forefront of the group and prompting a name change to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. “She really was young. She had no ambition to be a superstar,” said Jimmy Thomas, a backing singer with the revue. “But when she sang, she just had it. And Ike exploited it.” A string of further R&B hits followed, including I Idolize You, It’s Gonna Work Out Fine, Poor Fool and Tra La La La La, sung by Tina with a visceral frenzy. While the revue became one of the most dynamic live shows on the circuit, Tina’s gyrating was complemented
1963
1963
1966
DON’T PLAY ME CHEAP A somewhat ironic title given that the album clocks in at a meagre 26 minutes. Tina belts it all out with characteristic fireball energy, but she’d never get away today with the fur coat she’s wearing on the cover.
IT’S GONNA WORK OUT FINE The title track earned Ike & Tina their first Grammy nomination, but had already appeared on an earlier album, as had Poor Fool. Although the 10 new tracks were classic belters, Ike was indeed playing us cheap.
RIVER DEEP – MOUNTAIN HIGH Six tracks produced by Phil Spector, including ‘wall of sound’ covers of songs by The Drifters and Martha & The Vandellas and six produced by Ike, mostly remakes of the duo’s R&B hits.
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MUSIC LEGENDS TINA TURNER
1968
SO FINE A set mostly of covers, including the Johnny Otis track Shake A Tail Feather, which could have been written for Tina and three songs by Mack Rice, who wrote Mustang Sally for Wilson Pickett.
1969
OUTTA SEASON Some great blues standards including Honest I Do, My Babe, Rock Me Baby and Dust My Broom – but the cover of them both in whiteface eating watermelon, presumably intended to be ironic, was a serious error.
by an equally leggy group of b backing acki ac k ng n singers dubbed the Ikettes. s.
Steamy windows s Yet by the mid-Sixties the hits had dried up, mostly due to a lack of suitable material as the duo drifted d between various small independent nt g outlets rather than signing ul with one of the major soul labels such as Motown or Stax, where teams of professional songwriters were employed to ensure that the hits kept on coming. Their fortunes took an upturn again in 1966 when Phil Spector ng some came calling. After making arlier in the pioneering pop records earlier uch as The decade with girl groups such s, Spector’s Crystals and The Ronettes, ine, his sound own star was also in decline, he more having been eclipsed by the ues which The advanced production values oys were Beatles and The Beach Boys perfecting on Rubber Soull and Pet Sounds. He saw the big, dramatic voice of ct vehicle for his Tina Turner as the perfect
1972
FEEL GOOD Tina emerges for the first time as a potent songwriter, nine of the 10 songs coming from her with a cover of The Beatles’ She Came In Through The Bathroom Window the one exception.
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1969
1970
1970
THE HUNTER Another raucous bluesoriented set, led by the Albert King title track. Bluesman Albert Collins guests on guitar and Tina’s version of the old Barbara George hit I Know is a real tour de force.
COME TOGETHER After touring with The Rolling Stones, the duo re-emerge as a rock act withy funky covers of The Beatles’ title track, Honky Tonk Women and Sly Stone’s Woodstock classic I Want To Take You Higher.
WORKIN’ TOGETHER More of the same as Tina storms through Creedence’s Proud Mary and The Beatles’ Let It Be and Get Back. A special mention, too, for Funkier Than A Mosquito’s Tweeter, written by Tina’s sister Aillene.
ow wn rena aissa anc nce on o a song he own renaissance comm mis issi sioned fro si r commissioned from Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Greenw Gr n and mag gn cently bombastic With its magn magnifi symphonic back backing, River Deep – Mountain High w was Spector’s masterpiece a as he laid Tina’s vocals on top of h his “wall of sound” to create a ttrack so thrilling that half a ccentury later she claimed “it still gives me claimed: shivers” In Britain the record shivers”. made the top three, but to Spector’s chagr chagrin, in America it struggled only to number 88 – a failure that left him so disillusioned effectiv retired from that he effectively produc record production. Tina enjoyed working with Spector. “Ike would always have me screami screaming and shouting on his songs to se sell them,” she said. “Phil Spec Spector just asked me to stick to th the melody and to use my voice to tell the story.” Howev Ike was delighted However, by the p producer’s withdrawal. m were control Both men
1973
LET ME TOUCH YOUR MIND Blues, R&B, rock and soul with Tina in prime form on songs previously made famous by Stevie Wonder, The Drifters and Little Richard. She even manages to make Matt Monro’s Born Free sound sexy.
freaks and he had not enjoyed being frozen out by Spector, although the pill was sweetened by the $20,000 he was allegedly paid to stay out of the studio. With Ike back in charge, the duo reverted to low-budget recordings for small independent labels with a conspicuous lack of success, before the duo’s career revived once more when Mick Jagger invited them on the road as The Rolling Stones’ support act on the band’s return to touring.
The Rolling Stones booked her as a support act and David Bowie got her a record deal Ike astutely adjusted their R&B tropes to appeal to white rock audiences and the following year, the duo signed with Liberty/ United Artists, and returned to the charts with funk-rock covers of The Beatles’ Come Together and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary, the latter giving the duo their first American top-ten hit in 1971. But the end of their partnership was near and their
1973
1974
1977
NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS The title track is one of five Tina compositions on the album, augmented by covers of Drift Away and You Are My Sunshine alongside a Spector-free remake of smash hit River Deep – Mountain High.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO IKE & TINA Ten sanctified standards including Amazing Grace and When The Saints Go Marching In given soulful new arrangements and sung with righteous fervour, while Ike experiments with synths .
DELILAH’S POWER Released after the duo had separated, a somewhat bizarre selection of covers includes Stormy Weather and The Archies’ bubblegum hit Sugar Sugar – which at least proves Tina’s ability to sing the hell out of anything.
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MUSIC LEGENDS TINA TURNER SOLO ALBUMS
1974
Picture credit: Vicki L Miller/Shutterstock.com
TINA TURNS THE COUNTRY ON! The solo debut, recorded when she was still with Ike and featuring songs by Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Dolly Parton. Despite the material, the album still won her a Grammy nomination.
1975
ACID QUEEN Side one consists of a series of covers of rock songs by the likes of the Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin, while despite being billed as a Tina solo album, side two was all written and produced by Ike.
1978
1979
1984
ROUGH The first post-break up album, consisting of covers of blues, disco and rock songs including Elton John’s The Bitch Is Back. It sold zilch and contained little to suggest the remarkable comeback that was to come.
LOVE EXPLOSION Posing as a disco diva on the cover, Tina seemed lost for direction. United Artists thought so, too. When the record bombed they dropped her and it was another five years before we heard from her again.
PRIVATE DANCER One of the greatest comeback albums of all time and a complete makeover, mixing rock ballads, up-tempo pop and smooth jazz on mega hits including What’s Love Got To Do With It and the title track.
final hit as a duo came two years later with Nutbush City Limits. Away from her husband, Tina played the Acid Queen in Ken Russell’s 1975 film of The Who’s Tommy and to the surprise of no one, she left Ike for good the following year. Asked why she had put up with his violence for so long, she replied: “Maybe I was brainwashed. I was afraid of him, and I knew that if I left, there was no one to sing.” Like so many victims of domestic abuse before her, she blamed herself and said she had felt: “ashamed”. Ike begged her to complete a scheduled tour with him to prevent the promoter suing for loss of earnings, but she knew she had to make a clean break and refused.
What’s love got to do with it As she rebuilt her career away from Ike, she also found personal contentment. “I have not received love almost ever in my life. I did not have it with my mother and my father from the beginning of birth, and I survived,” she said. “Why did I get so far without love? I have had not one love affair that was genuine and sustained itself. Not one.” Soon after the book was published she met
1986
BREAK EVERY RULE Backed by the cream of English rockers including Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Steve Winwood and Mark Knopfler, the material included Girls, written for her by David Bowie, and the hit single Typical Male.
1989
FOREIGN AFFAIR Another blockbuster in Britain and Europe – although oddly it failed to make the top 30 in the US, despite much of the material being written by the American songwriter Tony Joe White and the US-based Albert Hammond.
The Acid Queen
Erwin Bach, a German music executive that was 16 years her junior, who’d been sent by her record label to meet her at Düsseldorf Airport. “He was just so different,” she said. “So laid back, so comfortable, so unpretentious, and I needed love.” They set up home together in Zurich and formally married in 2013, when Turner also took Swiss citizenship. Shortly after, she suffered a stroke and had to learn to walk and talk again. Three years later she was diagnosed with intestinal cancer. Kidney failure followed and she considered assisted suicide until Bach offered to donate one of his kidneys. She underwent a transplant in 2017 and her resilience in the face of adversity had won out yet again. Throughout her illness she worked with the director Phyllida Lloyd on a stage musical based on her life story, which opened in London’s West End in 2018 and transferred to Broadway the following year. “People think my life has been tough, but I think it has been a wonderful journey,” she said. “The older you get, the more you realise it’s not what happens, but how you deal with it” ●
1993
1996
1999
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT The soundtrack album for the biopic of the same name, consisting of new versions of material from her years with Ike, plus a handful of new tracks including the top-ten hit I Don’t Wanna Fight.
WILDEST DREAMS Another smash hit, led by the James Bond theme for GoldenEye written for her by Bono and The Edge, and including a duet with Sting and songs by Pet Shop Boys, Sheryl Crow and Massive Attack.
TWENTY FOUR SEVEN Recorded in her sixtieth year, the final full-length studio album was all glossy pop sheen and made for a dignified exit with fans still hoping for more rather than asking why she was still hanging round.
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DESTINATION:
STRATFORD UPON AVON cott Jackson isn’t your usual record store owner. In fact, he has no real previous experience in retail and no past connections to the music industry at all. His career’s way more fascinating than that. A native Californian, his mother was a model for a well-known agency in Hollywood, often hired as a photo double for Marilyn Monroe. “She would tell me stories of all the movie stars of the Fifties she’d met and worked with,” says Scott, “and it got me interested in the business from a young age. I was a stand-in, extra and actor. I worked on films and TV shows such as The Bodyguard, Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Naked Gun, Dallas, Columbo, Cheers, Murder She Wrote etc. “One of my favourite experiences was doing a car commercial with Ringo Starr for two days. He was one of the nicest people I ever met in the movie business!” Scott’s father was in the LAPD. “In the Hollywood division for 20 years. He was a
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detective during the Charles Manson murders and involved in the Sharon Tate and Leno LaBianca cases. I never got much more information out of him as he never liked to talk about it, for obvious reasons.” And now Scott’s over here, in Stratford Upon Avon of all places, running SJ Records, his very
Like all great record stores, SJ’s prides itself on turning on customers to new discoveries own record store. The obvious question: why? “Well, my first experience selling records was in the mid-Seventies when I was in the army. My friend was being discharged the next day and couldn’t take his 200 albums with him. I bought them for $50 because that was all I had to my name at the time, and in order to have some spending money in my pocket, I sold
them out of my locker until I was discharged, six months later. “Since then I always wanted to sell records and when I moved to England in 1993, I decided to give it a proper go.” Why Stratford? “I ran a shop in Swindon for most of the Nineties and me and my wife used to visit here quite often because of the rich history. We thought it would be a nice town to have a business in and it turns out that it is…” Run by Scott and his son Ben, SJ’s is crammed into two small rooms, situated on the first floor of the Henley Street Antiques Centre in amongst all the jewellery and art. “We’re right across the street from Shakespeare’s birthplace, so it attracts a lot of tourists all year round, which is great for business.” SJ’s stock is mostly pre-owned albums with a few new, sealed LPs, the wares ranging right across the board from rock and pop, through jazz to classical. Recent arrivals include an
Picture credit: Mark Williamson
Steve Sutherland explores the vinyl treasures in a shop hidden in an antique centre with a thrilling Hollywood connection
STRATFORD UPON AVON
incredible funk and soul collection, mostly mint, boasting all the Parliament and Funkadelic releases, some prime reggae in the shape of albums by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Black Uhuru and Burning Spear, a monster batch of hip-hop and electronica including hard-to-find stuff from Public Enemy, Sabres Of Paradise and The Orb, and a lovely lot of late Eighties, early Nineties indie with original pressings of Pixies, Lush and Dinosaur Jr. Stratford not being a college town but a famous magnet for tourists, SJ’s clientele is varied: “It’s everybody and anybody these days,” says Scott, “from kids just starting out to the older generation buying back the collections they got rid of back when CDs came in.”
to add to a new collection!” says Scott’s trusty co-worker Ben. I’ve been turned on too. A couple of weeks back Ben was playing this amazing garage psychedelic album I’d never heard before. Turns out it was The Bob Seger System’s Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man from 1968. That one’s on the deck at home now. There’s other stuff besides the albums: “Ben loves 45s,” says Scott. “We recently acquired a great collection of hard-to-find punk singles ffrom X-Ray Spex, Slaughter & T The Dogs, Siouxsie & The B Banshees, The Lurkers, Eater and Wire etc.” There’s a rack o of tasty T-shirts too, some ccool ones like Dead K Kennedys alongside the more common Nirvanas. Like all businesses, SJ’s Can’t get enough h had to lock down a couple Rumours o of times due to the COVID His best sellers? “All the p pandemic and is now classics – The Beatles, Stones, innovating to keep Rare funk beauties at SJ’s David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led shoppers safe. “We’ve Zeppelin, Queen, Fleetwood been OK,” says Scott. “We weren’t sure Mac… You can never have what to expect coming back, but we’ve been enough copies of Rumours!” surprisingly busy. The footfall isn’t up, but the Aside from the regular staples, SJ’s often customers are spending more. I think it’s down unearths real treasures. There’s an original to the cancelled gigs, festivals, etc. People are copy of Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain that I have thinking: ‘If I have to stay home with this spare my eye on (sadly a budget-breaker right now) money, I may as well buy records with it!’. and an out-of-this-world 1977 first press of “We only had one small room which we are Games, Dames And Guitar Thangs by Eddie still limiting to three people at a time, so that’s Hazel on display (I wanted that one, too but been slightly challenging. Regulating the someone else snaffled it). amount of time customers are spending in Ask him about his greatest discovery and, the room was difficult, but most people have after some debate, he nominates Led been good at knowing when somebody else Zeppelin’s debut album with the turquoise is waiting to come in. Obviously, the hand lettering on the sleeve, which books at nearly sanitiser provided has to be used when two grand these days. entering/leaving the room and masks have Pop in and there’s invariably something to be worn. unexpected on the hi-fi – an Audio Technica “We opened the second room, just across the AT-LP120 with Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge/ hallway, a few weeks ago to alleviate the stylus, Technics A700MK3 amplifier (“which situation and make more room for the singles, I’ve had since the Nineties”) and Mission LX-2 the cheaper albums, the jazz and dance LPs speakers. “Nothing too exciting,” says Scott, and CDs. Now people can see the stock more “but it’s very reliable and sounds great!” easily, we’re selling even more.” Like all great record stores, SJ’s prides itself The last time I left SJ’s, I came away with an on turning on customers to new discoveries. original 1970 pressing of Trees’ On The Shore “Just recently a lady was in the shop. She’s and a seldom seen copy of Gloria Jones’ Vixen relatively new to collecting records and was produced by Marc Bolan, which put me back looking for Joni Mitchell. I was playing Gil at least a month or so’s beer money. Scott-Heron’s Pieces Of A Man and, not Enter at your peril: it can be one heck of a knowing who he was, as soon as she heard it, dangerous place to be ● she wanted to buy it. What a wonderful record
SCOTT’S TOP 10 LPS 1 Vashti Bunyan Just Another Diamond Day 2 Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac (The White Album) 3 Nic Jones Penguin Eggs 4 John Golding Discarded Verse 5 Dick Gaughan Gaughan 6 Neil Young Harvest 7 Joni Mitchell Clouds 8 Jim Croce You Don’t Mess Around With Jim 9 Johnny Cash Ride This Train 10 Marty Robbins Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
BEN’S TOP 10 LPS 1 Mark Fry Dreaming With Alice 2 Florist Emily Alone 3 Jackson C Frank Jackson C Frank 4 Anne Briggs Anne Briggs 5 Sun Kil Moon Ghosts Of The Great Highway 6 John Fahey Dance Of Death And Other Plantation Favourites 7 William Basinski The Disintegration Loops 8 Brian Eno Music For Airports 9 Robbie Basho Visions Of The Country 10 David Kauffman & Eric Caboor Songs From Suicide Bridge
A SAMPLE OF RECENT SALES Parliament Osmium Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart Bongo Fury Lee Morgan The Sidewinder Thin Lizzy Shades Of A Blue Orphanage Wu Tang Clan Wu Tang Forever Robert Johnson King Of The Delta Blues Singers Donald Byrd Places And Spaces Millie Jackson It Hurts So Good Toots And The Maytals Funky Kingston The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East
CONTACT DETAILS
SJ Records Upstairs At Henley Street Antiques Centre, 80 Henley Street, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6QW Facebook: @sjrecordsstratford (they don’t sell online) Email: sjrecordsstratford@gmail.com
in Columbo, Scott as a movie extra Cheers & Die Hard, Naked Gun,
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EXTRAS
Tellurium Q Black II RCA interconnect WHEN CREATING ITS cables Tellurium Q prioritises research that focuses on the nature of electric signals, physical phenomena and choice of materials. The Black II is an evolution of the Black interconnect and features a number of design changes, the details of which the company is keeping under its belt as it wants the performance to speak for itself. The price remains unchanged from its predecessor and for review purposes, we have both the original Black and new Black II. After connecting the original Black interconnect between my valve phono stage and valve preamp, I start off with some cool jazz music from German harpist Jonny Teupen. His version of Handel’s Harp Concerto In B Flat Major starts conventionally enough, but when the double bass, drums and scat female vocals join in the music soon transforms into
energetic jazz. Each instrument occupies its own well-defined position within the spacious soundstage. I then swap to the Black II and immediately sense an increase in the size of the soundstage with a feeling of more space around each player, which really contributes to the realism of the performance. The music is reproduced with superb clarity and precision.
Black magic Leaving the Black II in place, I play Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 In G Major from Chasing The Dragon’s recently released audiophile boxed JS Bach Cello Suites. Right from the opening bars, the Prelude really grabs my attention. The presence of the cello in my listening room is quite incredible
and all the detail of the instrument, together with the acoustics of the church where the recording was made, are brilliantly conveyed by the Black II interconnect. If I close my eyes, the music is exactly as I remember it when I heard it at the actual recording sessions in person. As a definite step-up from the original Black interconnect, the new and improved Black II really serves up sophisticated performances that are very involving and refined throughout, making this new interconnect even better value for money. NR
DETAILS PRICE £285 for 1m TELEPHONE 01458 251997 WEBSITE telluriumq.com OUR VERDICT
Atlas Cables Ailsa Achromatic RCA interconnect A COAXIAL CABLE, the Ailsa Achromatic uses OCC copper for the signal conductor and high-purity OFC copper and copper Mylar foil for the return and shield. A taped microporous PTFE dielectric is employed for the insulation, as in the Asimi and Mavros ranges. The solderless Achromatic plug is connected to the conductors using a cold-welding process.
New and improved DETAILS PRICE £350 for 1m TELEPHONE 01563 572666 WEBSITE atlascables.com OUR VERDICT
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The Achromatic RCA connector has a low-mass body material using high stability ABS. This is non-conductive to eliminate the detrimental effects of circulating Eddy currents. The plug contact geometry has been improved compared with previous designs to increase the contact area, which reduces contact resistance between the plug and socket. The plug also provides a self-cleaning action, while improved rifling of the centre RCA pin
SEPTEMBER 2021
helps with the alignment during the manufacturing process. Hooking up the interconnect between my valve phono stage and valve preamp, I kick off proceedings with a classic Sheffield Labs direct-to-disc recording of Lincoln Mayorga & Distinguished Colleagues Vol. 3. The first track on the second side, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, is fast, clean and well defined. The bass is both meaty and tight with fantastic control. Next, I audition a newly released audiophile LP from Yarlung Records called Young Beethoven, featuring the Janaki String Trio’s excellent playing of Beethoven’s String Trio In C Minor Op. 9 No.3. The warm and involving atmosphere of the Zipper Hall in Los
Angeles, where the recording was made, is beautifully conveyed by the Ailsa Achromatic. The slightly menacing opening chords of the allegro swiftly flow into an exuberant yet intimate section. The surprisingly complex structure of the music is clear and detailed and poses no problems for the interconnect to handle. The Ailsa is a really classy interconnect and is certainly very much at home in high end systems. 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
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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 SEPTEMBER 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.
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.
SEPTEMBER 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
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BUYINGGUIDE
NETWORK AUDIO PLAYERS
NEW ENTRY
Auralic Vega G2.1
Cambridge Audio Edge NQ
Matrix Audio Element X
PRICE: £6,000 REVIEWED: HFC 476
PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 447
PRICE: £2,800 REVIEWED: HFC 473
Less of a lowly DAC preamp and more of a musical Swiss army knife, this is a seriously classy product that offers a decent upgrade path and a performance that is among the most detailed and finessed in the sector. With supreme functionality, top-notch build and glorious sonics, it demands to be auditioned.
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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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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BUYINGGUIDE
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
Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary
Falcon Acoustics RAM Studio 20
Fyne Audio F1-8
PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 470
PRICE: From £2,000 REVIEWED: HFC 446
PRICE: £6,000 REVIEWED: HFC 473
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 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 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.
NEW ENTRY
Q Acoustics Concept 300
Sonus faber Lumina I
Spendor Classic 3/1
PRICE: £3,000 REVIEWED: HFC 448
PRICE: £800 REVIEWED: HFC 477
PRICE: £2,730 REVIEWED: HFC 476
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.
A worthy entry point into the Sonus faber family and a genuine star in its own right, the Lumina I manages to sound bigger, more self-assured and room filling than you’d expect from looking at it. It does all this while still delivering on the virtues expected from the company and looking and feeling very pleasant at the same time.
The Spendor Classic may not be as modern looking as some rivals at the price, but don’t be fooled: that traditional design hides a superbly talented standmount able to produce a sensational blend of accuracy, scale, refinement and sheer unadulterated fun, and it’s not too fussy about placement.
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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BUYINGGUIDE
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.
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 NEW ENTRY
Cambridge Audio Evo 150 £2,250 HFC 477 In terms of functionality, the Evo 150 offers little over a dedicated streaming amp such as Hegel's H95. As an object of desire, however, it's on a different plane – as lovely to look at as it is to use and to listen to. There will be many takers for it.
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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.
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.
BUYINGGUIDE
TURNTABLES NEW ENTRY
AnalogueWorks TT Zero
AVID Volvere SP
Linn Majik LP12/Krane
PRICE: £1,500 REVIEWED: HFC 453
PRICE: From £5,500 REVIEWED: HFC 472
PRICE: £3,500 REVIEWED: HFC 477
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.
For such an old design, this Group Test winner sounds surprisingly modern. It’s not as soft and rounded as it used to be, but still retains enough of the traditional Sondek character for it to charm listeners. The result is a big, confident and enjoyable sound that’s tonally a little warm but with high levels of technical virtuosity.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Rega Planar 10
Technics SL-1500C
PRICE: £450 REVIEWED: HFC 468
PRICE: £4,500 REVIEWED: HFC 456
PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 453
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.
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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BUYINGGUIDE
PHONO STAGES
Chord Electronics Huei
Hegel V10
iFi Audio Zen Phono
PRICE: £900 REVIEWED: HFC 459
PRICE: £1,300 REVIEWED: HFC 474
PRICE: £150 REVIEWED: HFC 476
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.
An astonishing performance and superb flexibility. Until you find yourself at the price where features like adjustable loading and capacitance are possible, the spec for the asking price is outstanding. This is one of a tiny number of designs anywhere near this price that can do justice to pretty much any cartridge under £500.
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 NEW ENTRY
Audeze LCDi3 £900 HFC 478 Clarity, subtlety and coherence meet scale, air and an utterly compelling sense of dynamic freedom on this stunning Group Test-winning planar magnetic in-ear. With great poise and even handedness, it never gives the impression of trying too hard.
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NEW ENTRY
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 900 £1,100 HFC 478 If dynamic dexterity and resolution that would shame a spy satellite are what you crave, the IE 900 scours the noise floor like few other in-ear offerings at the price. Articulation, separation and drive are equally impressive while treble extension and refinement are superb.
NEW ENTRY
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 £349 HFC 478 The first pair of True wireless in-ears from B&W does a supreme job of capturing fine details and stitching them into a wider whole. Bass extension is deep without being at the expense of speed and noise cancelling works without effecting the tonal balance.
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.
NEW ENTRY
Fostex TH909
Sennheiser Momentum 3
T+A Solitaire P-SE
PRICE: £1,650 REVIEWED: HFC 474
PRICE: £350 REVIEWED: HFC 455
PRICE: £3,000 REVIEWED: HFC 477
This Group Test-winner combines 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.
Shaving as much as 40 percent off the price of its flagship P headphone, while retaining more than 60 percent of the capability, this is a stunning open-back, planar magnetic T+A offering. It might be expensive, but the sheer levels of performance and the quality of the build and design mean it is one of the best.
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 TOWNSHEND Maximum Supertweeters (1 x pair) matt black, 6 months old. VGC, like new, boxed, with instructions and Townshend Piggy back cables: £600.Will pay UK postage. 07940 192313 or 01242 695407 or email: roythrush60@ googlemail.com (Cheltenham).
NAIM Nait 1 with red LED. The front plate has a little wear, otherwise in excellent condition and sounds superb £510 ono: 07833 626984. 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: Email captain_b99@ yahoo.co.uk (Bristol). CHORD ELECTRONICS Hugo TT2, purchased new August 2020, as new
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.
condition, boxed, with all accessories, colour black. I would like £2,995: email: dave.drew@talktalk.net (East Yorkshire).
PMC Wafer 1 ‘on-wall’ speakers in white. Perfect working order and unmarked except that I have whited out the tiny PMC badge on the side of the screens. I have had them and loved them for about five years: £675: 01823 664222 or 07388 088978.
ATC CA2 MK2 preamp and matching ATC P1 power amp. Excellent
condition with original packaging, remotes and manuals: £2,200 ono: 07956 959032 or email: waynebtully@gmail.com (Redhill, Surrey).
RUARK Prelude II speakers, cherry finish in excellent condition, original manual: £175. Alphason AV4/S rack, 1,270 x 395 x 560mm, black, three shelves, castors, good condition: £65. All owned from new. Collection only: 07484 667428 or email: cmart75@btinternet.com (Kent).
www.hifichoice.com
MUSICAL FIDELITY M6 DAC £600, mint condition. ProAc Tablette Reference 8 Signature black speakers, little used £595: 01704 628968 or 07968 769595. SONUS FABER Electa Amator speakers including dedicated wood/stone stands, superb condition: £2,250. Meridian M33 active centre speaker, good condition: £80. Meridian 502 power amp needs attention: £50: 07741 416584.
PROAC Tablette 10 Signature speakers, cherry finish, manufactured in September 2018, excellent condition. Original box and packaging: £875 including UK courier: 028 41764088 or email: peter.houston24@gmail. com (County Down. N.Ireland).
ATC SCM7 v3 speakers, cherry, perfect condition with original box and manual: £495: 07402 299243 or email: frank8ush@ntlworld.com (South Glamorgan). CROFT integrated R amplifier, four line inputs, 50W/ch, dual volume model. As new and boxed: £850 ono, can demo: 07889 807065 (Essex/ Herts border). AUDIO TRANSFORMER
CYRUS Stream Xa streamer/DAC. Owned from new with all original packaging. Just serviced and upgraded by Cyrus. Excellent condition, wonderful sound. £495: 07950 068162 or email: cliffdartnall@mac.com (Kent).
conversion isolation box, bought from Music First Audio 2018. Excellent condition in every respect. Was £660 new, but will accept £370 (or nearest offer): email: ruane.hp@blueyonder. co.uk (Essex).
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).
DYNAVECTOR P75 mk4 phono stage, 2018, as new £640: 07775 441059. 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) REL Storm 5 subwoofer. Perfect working order with remote. Very heavy so MUST collect. Can deliver if resonable distance. £500: 01981 242067 (Monmouthshire). MARANTZ PM-Ki Pearl lite amplifier and Ki
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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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 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
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). QUAD Artera Solus like new £1,050. Russell K Red 50 Piano Black £450 with minor unseen blemishes, solid stands £150. XTZ Edge A2-300 amplifier like new £370. DacMagic £100. Mission 75C black £80. Onkyo TX-SR875 AVR £80: 07720 447247 or email: cjmdbeach@mac.com (Aylesbury). NAIM NAC 72 preamp with SNAIC interconnect for power unit and Chord
MITCHELL Gyro 'SE' turntable, Mitchell Tecnoarm 2 silver tonearm. World Audio WDPhono 3S phono stage, WDHD3S headphone amp, WDPre4 remote controlled valve preamp, power supply, WDKT88 valve amp. Collection only. Genuine offers: 0115 9754070 or 07531 288156 (Nottingham).
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). MONARCHY AUDIO Class A SM70PRO power 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
CHORD Sarum T speaker cable, 2m, £1,150. Interconnect RCA, 1m, £1,150. Mains lead, 1m, £990. Townshend Seismic Stella speaker stands. Support 25kg-50kg £490 original crates. 2x Townshend seismic platforms. Support 15kg-35kg £240 each: 01772 314151 or email: jamesmckendrick@ btinternet.com 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).
Now standard on Element, Equator, Hyper & our new Ailsa cables.
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).
NAIM Nait XS 3 amplifier, mint condition, very little use, all packaging and paperwork present. Cash on collection £1,500: 07505 583615 (Nottingham).
nothing taken away – resulting in improved sound quality.
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.
Chorus CD lead. In fine condition £365 including UK delivery: 01825 722936 (Sussex).
have minimal impact on the signal – with virtually nothing added,
pair spades and bananas: £250. Plus interconnects: contact for details: 0749 4867084 or email: pete@ peopleandpotentialltd. co.uk
Our high-precision Achromatic RCA and Z plugs are designed to
Pearl lite SACD player. Excellent, clean, working condition, fantastic sounding. £475 each. Prefer to sell together: 01507 824457 (Lincs).
Element
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REVOLVER turntable with Linn Basik arm and Goldring cart, VGC, less dust cover, £130. Five-tier Target hi-fi rack, VGC, £50. Buyer collects: 0208 2113760 (North London). NAIM NAP 250 DR power amp. Immaculate condition. Upgraded to DR and fully serviced: £2,850: email: ruane.hp@ blueyonder.co.uk.
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TEL: 01283 702875 ian.harrison@mercian.myzen.co.uk ACAPELLA ACOUSTIC SIGNATURE ACOUSTIC SOLID AIR TIGHT ALPHASON AMAZON AUDIO AMG ATACAMA AUDEZE BENZ MICRO BEYER BLACK RHODIUM BLUESOUND CABASSE CARTRIDGE MAN CREEK CUSTOM DESIGN DECCA LONDON EAR YOSHINO EMT EPOS ERGO FIDELITY GOLDRING GRADO GRAHAM GRAHAM SLEE HANA HARBETH HELIUS HIFI RACKS ICON AUDIO IKEDA INSPIRE IXOS KUBALA-SOSNA LEHMANN LUXMAN MICHELL MOERCH MOTH
MUNARI MUSIC HALL MUSIC TOOLS MY SONIC LAB NAGAOKA NORSTONE OPERA AUDIO ORIGIN LIVE ORTOFON PARASOUND PEERLESS PROJECT PSB PURE SOUND Q ACOUSTICS QED QUADRASPHIRE REED ROKSAN ROTHWELL SENNHEISER SOUNDSMITH SOUNDSTYLE SRM TECH SUGDEN SUMIKO SUPRA T+A TAYLOR ACOUSTICS TECHDAS THORENS TOM EVANS TRACK AUDIO TRICHORD ULTRASONE VALVET VAN DEN HUL WHEST AUDIO WIREWORLD ZENSATI ZYX
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MICHEL ORBE
PASSION FOR SOUND EDITORIAL TEAM Editor Steve Sutherland Production Editor Jake Day-Williams Art Editor Emily Hammond CONTRIBUTORS Paul Hirons, Paul Hocker, James Hughes, Cliff Joseph, Jason Kennedy, David Price, Neville Roberts, Daniel Sait, Ed Selley, David Vivian, Chris Ward, Nigel Williamson
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1HOOKED UP
Peter Hook, ex of New Order, is hosting an exhibition and auction of stuff from across his career, billed as The Peter Hook Signature Collection – New Order. Running from 4-8 October at Omega Auctions in Merseyside, the lots include a number of Hook’s own guitars and instruments, including the Overwater bass guitar originally owned by The Who’s John Entwhistle, and the Prophet 5 synthesiser and sequencer used in the recording of Blue Monday. Other lots include rare vinyl test pressings, tapes, CDs, artwork, plus awards accrued by the bassist including the Blue
REASONS TO BE Exciting things coming your way in the month ahead
Mo Monday M onda nd day Anvil il presented pre rese sent nted ed d tto o th the he band b db by Factory F R Records’ d ’T Tony Wilson to mark 500,000 sales. The auction runs on 8 October, the 400 lots to be sold in support of the Epilepsy Society and The Christie charity. For the full catalogue go to: omegaauctions.shop
Picture credit: Shutterstock.com/Christian Bertrand (Peter Hook)
UPDATES GALORE
2
Arcam has announced its ST60 streamer is now Roon ready, as is JBL’s SA750 integrated amplifier. Meanwhile Harman Luxury Audio Group has released an updated MusicLife app for Android and iOS, enabling integrated control of music streaming services on Arcam models (CDS27, CDS50, HDA AVRs, SA30, Solo Movie/Music/ Uno, the aforementioned ST60 and the UDP411). The updated app also works with the JBL SA750 and JBL’s Synthesis models (SDR-35 and SDR-55),
CHEERFUL
and an d Ma Mark rk kL even ev enso en son n’’s No N o.5 .5 510 01 Levenson’s No.5101 dN 519 Al d d this hi and No.519. Also updated month are models within Q Acoustics’ Q Active wireless speaker range. The Q Active 200 and Q Active 400 are now offering a free-to-download Android and iOS Q Active app.
conta hi-res stereo of the album contains in 5.1 surround sound. The crate also ccontains two books: a 96-page scrapbook designed by Harrison’s scrap w ido Olivia and a 44-page book widow of archival arc interviews with notes from the period. And get this: the set fe features a wooden bookmark made from the oak of a tree felled at Ha Harrison’s Friar Park, 1/6 scale
THE UBER DELUXE ALL THINGS MUST PASS INCLUDES GARDEN GNOMES
replicas of Harrison and some copies of the actual gnomes seen on the original album’s cover. Plus, of course, a copy of Paramahansa Yogananda’s Hindu text Light From The Great Ones and some Rudraksha beads. The reissue will also be released as an eight LP or five CD plus one Blu-ray set, and as more modest triple vinyl and double CD versions. All will be released on 6 August and are available from: georgeharrison.tmstor.es. Oh yeah, the Uber Deluxe edition will set you back an eye-watering £860!
3BY GEORGE
If you’re in the mood for a truly humongous boxset, here’s a reissue of George Harrison’s first post-Beatles solo album, All Things Must Pass. Originally a triple, to mark its 50th anniversary it’s been remixed from the original tapes. There’s even an Uber Deluxe edition for the Harrison completist, which boasts eight 180g vinyl LPs, five CDs and one Blu-ray audio disc, housed in an artisan designed wooden crate. As well as the original album, it contains 47 demos and outtakes (42 of which are previously unreleased). The Blu-ray disc SEPTEMBER 2021
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REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
4FIRE AWAY!
Picture credit: Shutterstock.com/Christian Bertrand (Arcade Fire)
Arcade Fire have launched a new archive series called Past Lives, which will see the band sharing performances online from across their career. “We cannot wait to play live for you all again,” the band wrote to fans in an email newsletter announcing the new series. “But until then… this summer we will be revisiting some of our past live performances. Videos will be posted Wednesdays and Fridays,” they added, sharing a performance of No Cars Go from their headline set at Primavera Sound 2017 in Barcelona to kick things off on: arcadefire.com.
5MAD FOR IT!
Oasis Knebworth 1996 is being released to mark the 25th anniversary of the band’s legendary August 1996 shows. The movie’s made up of never-before-seen archive concert and backstage footage from the gigs, with additional interviews with the band and concert organisers. According to the press release, the Jake Scott-directed film is: “a joyful and at times poignant cinematic celebration of one of the most iconic live concert events of the last 25 years, driven entirely by the music, and the fans’ own experiences of that monumental weekend.” “Knebworth for me was the Woodstock of the Nineties,” said Liam Gallagher. “It was all about the music and the people. I can’t remember much about it, but I’ll never forget it. It was Biblical.” Set to arrive in cinemas on 23 September, tickets for Oasis Knebworth 1996 went on sale from 10 August – marking 25 years to the very day since the first night of the legendary
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SEPTEMBER SE EPTEM MBE ER 2021 202 21
OASIS AT KNEBWORTH WAS: ‘THE WOODSTOCK OF THE NINETIES’
Pimpwalk, Jerry The Mailman, The Cable Guy vs. Kramer Chase and more. Newman, The Soup Nazi and co are available via WaterTower Music and on all major streaming channels.
weekend gigs. For more information you should go to: oasisknebworth1996.com.
7TAKING A BOWIE
JERRY 6SOME GOOD NEWS
The original soundtrack for Seinfeld has been released for the very first time. In addition to the iconic theme tune, the 33-track compilation features composer Jonathan Wolff’s Kramer’s
Just A Gigolo, the 1978 film directed by David Hemmings and starring David Bowie, is getting a long overdue UK release this summer. Digitally remastered with a 54-page booklet and other bonus features, the movie, which also stars the legendary Marlena Dietrich and Kim Novak, is now available from Amazon for £16.99.
8INDIE SWEATS
US indie legends Sonic Youth and Butthole Surfers are being sartorially celebrated in the next few weeks. Sonic Youth are the subject of a new capsule collection of athletic wear from the high-end running gear company Satisfy, the drop including shorts, socks, shirts and headwear. According to Satisfy founder Brice Partouche: “In the late Eighties-early Nineties, I was deeply into skateboarding and punk rock. One day, one of my friends in middle school gave me Daydream Nation on tape
Picture Credits: Shutterstock.com/360b (Goo) and Shutterstock.com/DFP Photographic (Lemmy)
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
cassette. I was 12 years old. I was fascinated by the melodies of their dissonant and strangely tuned guitars. It was punk, it was melodic, it was arty and it was different from everything else I’d ever heard at that point. “Sonic Youth is the seminal and most important indie-rock band in music history. They redefined my creative freedom, inspiring me to think outside the box and bring a DIY ethos into my work. To this day, that defining moment of hearing their music for the first time is still what motivates me to alter the perception of running through a kaleidoscope of innovative product design and a romantic take on performance.” You can eyeball the gear at: satisfyrunning.com/collections/ sonic-youth. Meanwhile Supreme are celebrating Texan psych weirdos Butthole Surfers with a range of co-branded t-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts inspired by the band’s artwork from albums such as Rembrandt Pussyhorse and Locust Abortion Technician. Check the collection at www. streetwearofficial.com
ROW 9DEATH MUSEUM
Death Row Records, home to Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, has launched a virtual museum, The Death Row Experience full of historic photos, stories of the label and its artists and links to NFTs created by designer TillaVision. The museum is soundtracked by a playlist of
some of the label’s most notable tracks and fans can even send in their own submissions, specifically concert footage, ticket stubs and original photos involving Death Row artists. Check it out at: deathrowexperience.com
10FUN FACTORY
Bang & Olufsen has produced a series of Beoplay A9 wireless speakers in honour of Factory Records’ 30th anniversary and Peter Saville’s iconic designs for the label. There are four designs in all, and only 10 copies will be produced of each – the entire limited edition collection of 40 on sale exclusively through Selfridges at £3,500 each.
11BURIED TREASURE
TH ONLY TAPE OF THE COOPER’S ALBUM C IS BURIED IN THE SOIL OF ORKNEY Erland explains: “The material on the tape may erode naturally, disintegrate and create drops of silence or the peaty soil may preserve it perfectly well... Any alterations to the sound and music will be reincorporated into the pages of a new score and live performance.” While you’ll not be able to hear the tape until 2024, Cooper has left a trail for anyone to search and find it if they wish. A map with clues to the location of the planting site is being released via his digital platforms. If the planted tape is found, Erland will invite the discoverer to his studio for the first listen. It will then be released exactly as it sounds from
the earth. There’s a short video about it all here: youtu.be/ iotuCFigcWk. To pre-order the work for 2024 go to mkx.lnk.to/ ErlandCooperWE and updates are here: contentwithsilence.com
12LEMMY AT IT
Motörhead: The Rise Of The Loudest Band In The World is a new graphic novel which will chart the late great Lemmy Kilminster’s life, from his early days in Hawkwind to the recording sessions that produced such classics as Ace Of Spades. The book’s unleashed on 7 September by Simon & Schuster.
Erland Cooper, who has just signed with contemporary, electronic & classical label Mercury KX/Decca, has planted his new album, Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence, deep in the ground of his childhood home in Orkney! The new composition, which celebrates Orcadian poet George Mackay Brown on the centenary of his birth, continues Cooper’s: “collaboration with natural landscapes and ruminating on time, hope, community and patience.” The sole recording of the work – on ¼in magnetic tape, with the digital files permanently deleted – has been planted along with a violin and printed score: “to grow and be nurtured or recomposed by the earth”, before being exhumed and released in three years’ time. SEPTEMBER 2021
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Next Month PIEGA ACE 50 “A harmonious melding of style and sound” – that’s the lovely new slender aluminium three-way floorstanding loudspeaker from the Swiss specialist, reviewed in full
ALSO: REVIEWS Leben’s new phono stage, the Rotel A14 MKII integrated amplifier, Austrian Audio’s Hi-X65 headphones, the Technics SU-R1000 integrated amplifier, a Group Test of sumptuous high-end floorstanders – and much more
FEATURES An examination of what Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is all about, an investigation of Dolby Atmos, Reasons To Be Cheerful’s roundup of stuff to look forward to and all the latest new launches
OCTOBER ISSUE ON SALE 9 SEPTEMBER
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“Driving, potent musicality… I really can’t fault it”
“There are no limitations to digital playback with the Bartók”
Bartók Review - Chris Thomas - HiFi+
Jeff Dorgay – Tone
“The performance of the Bartók is nothing short of breathtaking”
“The Bartók is well-equipped and superbly made, but most importantly, it sounds great”
Marcus The Editor of Headphonics
What HiFi
“The headphone amplifier is state of the art” Bartók Review Frank Iakone – Hedphone Guru
“The first thing that strikes you about the sound of the Bartók is its uncanny sense of realism” David Price – Stereonet
“The dCS Bartók DAC/headphone amp sets a whole new standard of performance for this price range”
“Can play any format of digital music at exceptional quality”
Rafael Todes – HiFi Choice
Bartók Review - The Daily Telegraph
“The Bartók led on density, dynamics, physicality, and a wonderfully natural presentation of instruments” Rajiv Arora - Audiophile Style
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