Karma-AV is back at the Hifi Show Live with three exhibition rooms, hosting new product arrivals.

The Griffith room hosts the world premiere of Primare’s new PRE35/A35.2 pre-power amp team, featuring fully modular architecture and Primare’s Prisma connectivity platform, lately enhanced by Roon and Chromecast built-in.

The Primare ensemble will be driving a further UK show exclusive: Falcon’s flagship GC6500R Reference speaker. The new three-way design incorporates a number of proprietary technical advances including the breakthrough Falcon Sonaweave Graphene Enhanced Nano-Platelet Cone deployed in the bass driver design. The use of Graphene allows the diaphragm to be 60% lighter and thinner than those of conventional drivers.

The Primare Prisma range makes a return at the Buckingham 3 venue, supported by Falcon Acoustics speakers. The Falcon line-up features Falcon’s authentic LS3/5A mini-monitors, hand-built exclusively to the original 1976 BBC spec, and its new Reference Audio Monitor (RAM) range (pictured).

Buckingham 4 is the stage for a partnership of the Emotiva and GoldenEar brands The Emotiva XSP-1 and XPA-DR2 will fill the space through the Goldenear’s Triton 5 Tower speakers. Karma’s other Buck 4 demos include pairings of Emotiva’s entry-level TA100 or PT100 and A300 pre/power ensembles, and Primare’s EISA Award-winning I15 amplifier, partnered by SVS and Falcon speakers.

The Hi-Fi Show Live 2018 is being held at the Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor, Berkshire, November 10^th -11^th.

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KEF has announced LSX, a compact two-speaker wireless music system . LSX is fully wireless, both from source and between the speakers and will feature Apple AirPlay 2 technology enabling multi-room streaming from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac in early 2019.

LSX follows the LS50 Wireless, and shares much of the same acoustic engineering such as KEF’s Uni-Q® driver array. This combines with KEF’s highly advanced trademark-pending Music Integrity Engine, a collection of bespoke Digital Signal Processing algorithms that ensures accurate time alignment and phase coherence. The result is that while LSX is small enough to sit on shelves, desktops or flank a TV, it offers, say KEF,  “a massive and deep sound field which completely belies its size”.

LSX’s gently curved cabinet was designed with extensive use of Finite Element Analysis and is extensively braced, as well as featuring constrained layer damping as found in KEF’s high-end products. Continuing KEF’s long tradition of design collaboration, LSX was overseen by designer Michael Young. LSX comes in a choice of five colours, Black, Blue, Maroon and Olive, which are clad in a luxury fabric by Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat, and a  Gloss White.

LSX integrates with Spotify®, Apple Music® (via AirPlay 2, January 2019) and Tidal® and can also access music stored on a networked hard drive or PC via DLNA®. It also features Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. Plus it features both TOSLINK® optical and Auxiliary inputs and has 2 x 30W + 2 x 70W Class D amplifiers.

LSX can be set-up using the KEF’s Control app, which also manages feature updates via simple over-the-air downloads. With Spotify Connect built in, music lovers can stream Spotify’s entire library directly from the cloud. Streaming is never interrupted, so users can watch videos, play games, answer phone calls and more, all without causing pauses or interruptions to the music, even as the listener leaves the room or goes out of range. SRP is £1000.

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Karma-AV is introducing the new SVS Prime Wireless Speaker System and SoundBase Wireless Bridge to the UK.

Equipped with both WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone/device control, the SVS Prime Wireless Speaker System is a smart active/passive speaker pair  with 200 Watts (50 watts x 4) amplification, a high-resolution 192KHz/24-bit DAC and a tuned digital crossover.

Control is via smart device over WiFi through the DTS Play-Fi app, direct over WiFi from preset via the front panel display or through Amazon Alexa. In addition, optical and line level inputs allow the Prime Wireless system to boost the audio experience of PC/NAS based music files, TVs and gaming consoles. The Play-Fi app provides access to music streaming services and playlists, Internet radio and local storage from any smartphone or tablet as well as the ability to control audio from as many as 32 compatible products across 16 zones. For the most discerning audiophiles, the platform features a “Critical Listening Mode” designed for high resolution 24bit/192kHz playback. Available in a piano gloss black finish, the SVS Prime Wireless Speaker System also offers a standard subwoofer line output, while a USB port accepts SVS’s SoundPath Wireless Audio Adaptor for wireless sub connection. The USB port can also be used for charging mobile devices.

Add high-resolution wireless audio streaming, connectivity and smart speaker control to existing loudspeakers and systems through the Prime Wireless SoundBase wireless bridge. The Prime Wireless SoundBase is DTS Play-Fi enabled for multi-room/multi-zone wireless audio streaming and control from any smartphone/tablet. A line level output also allows the Prime Wireless SoundBase to operate as a wireless streaming source for any two-channel or home theatre system.

Typical retail prices (inc VAT): Prime Wireless Speaker pair £699.00 and Prime Wireless SoundBase £549.00.

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This weekend sees the Hifi Show Live hold it’s last show in Windsor before it moves the new premises at Royal Ascot for the 2019 show.  Absolute Sounds, the high end UK distributor is taking loads of great gear and will be in three rooms in the Windsor Suites area.

Below is a selection of products set to demonstrated in Absolute Sounds’ three rooms, from some of the world’s most prestigious high-end audio brands. This is the only major UK hifi show at which these brands can be experienced.

In Windsor 4 there will be new dCS Bartók upsampling network DAC (pictured).

Also the new EAT Prelude turntable (pictured)  and EAT E-Glo Petit Valve Phono Amplifier.

The new Sonus faber Sonetto VIII loudspeakers with be there along with the new Krell K300i integrated amplifier (pictured).

The new Wilson Audio Sasha DAW loudspeakers (pictured) that have just been released in honour of Dave Wilson, are making their appearance in Windsor room 5.

They are joined by the new dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, Audio Research Reference 10 valve preamplifier and Audio Research Reference 160M valve power amplifier, along with the Dan D’Agostino Momentum M400 solid-state power amplifier.

Over in the Windsor Lounge will be the new Kalista DreamPlay One CD Player (pictured). Alongside will be the new TechDAS Air Force V turntable, ReQuest Audio The Beast music server and Constellation Audio Virgo III preamplifier. Magico’s M6 loudspeakers will also be in action.

There will be loads more gear on demo and display, too much to list! Plus, brand representatives are flying in from Europe and America to run demonstrations and answer questions, including:

Raveen Bawa (dCS)

Irv Gross (Constellation Audio)

Jozefina Lichtenegger (EAT)

Peter Mackay (Magico)

Peter McGrath (Wilson Audio)

Bill McKiegan (Dan D’Agostino)

The Hi-Fi Show Live 2018 is scheduled to run over two days from Saturday 10th to Sunday 11th of November at the Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor, Berkshire. The doors will open at 9.30am and close at 5:30pm.

The Fyne Audio F3 Series subwoofers combine innovative DDX Direct Digital amplification, advanced DSP and Fyne Audio’s know-how in driver and cabinet design.

The F3 cabinets are heavyweight and extensively braced, with large diameter ports using a mathematical derived flare profile at both ends for low turbulence. The black oak finish cabinets are fitted with large, compliant feet that are kinder to your floors and offer better room coupling than spikes. The F3 Series use Direct Digital Amplification (DDX®) throughout. DDX builds on Class D technology with higher power, better efficiency, lower RFI output and enhanced sonic characteristics.

The F3 Series advanced DSP engine has enabled control features normally only found in much more expensive subs. In addition to switchable LFE / Normal input, phase reverse and signal sensing power on, all F3 subs have automatic dynamic range management, overload protection and Fyne’s Bass Boost function. This feature gives a +3dB lift through critical movie LFE frequencies to deliver an immersive home theatre experience.

F3-8                8″ bass driver / 425 Watt DDX power       £299.99 each

F3-10              10″ bass driver / 475 Watt DDX power    £399.99 each

F3-12              12″ bass driver / 520 Watt DDX power    £599.99 each

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We are getting very excited about the Audio Video Show Warsaw 2018, which kicks off on Friday 16th November and runs all weekend. It’s the second biggest European show after High End Munich and is packed full off some amazing Hifi, some of which you will not find elsewhere.

Fink Team launched their Borg loudspeaker at High End Munich 2018, you can read all about it here.

Now they make their Polish debut and Kark-Heinz Fink the chief designer and main man will be talking about the design. Karl-Heinz as you may know is one of the world’s most renown loudspeaker designers, with clients ranging from small high-end brands to major multi-nationals and international automotive brands. Fink Team will be in the Golden Tulip Hotel (just over the road from the main Sobieski Hotel) in the Krokus room. The Golden Tulip is a short walk from the Sobieski Hotel plus free shuttle buses run all through the show, from the Sobieski to the National Stadium which is the third show venue.

There will be loads of coverage of the Warsaw Show 2018, keep watching our show section here.

McIntosh have announced the XRT1.1K Loudspeaker. Following in the footsteps of the XRT2.1K is the more accessibly sized XRT1.1K Loudspeaker. Featuring a 1,200 Watt power rating, the full range XRT1.1K has a more user-friendly size that is 14” (35 cm) shorter and 173 lbs (78 kg) lighter than the XRT2.1K

The ported, 4-way XRT1.1K uses McIntosh’s line array design with a total of 70 individual drivers consisting of (4) 6.5” woofers, (2) 6.5” low frequency midranges, (24) 2” upper frequency midranges, and (40) ¾” tweeters.

The woofer and low frequency midrange drivers that were first designed for the XRT2.1K have been incorporated into the XRT1.1K. They are housed in the large bass enclosure cabinet located behind the line array. Their diaphragms are extremely stiff yet lightweight. In front of the bass cabinet is the line array where the upper frequency midranges and tweeters, which were also first developed for the XRT2.1K, are found.

Utilising capacitors and inductors with low loss and high current capacity, the crossover network is engineered to ensure an even frequency response over the entire audible range. The type of inductor used in each section of the network has been chosen for high linearity, even at high power levels. The network also employs self-resetting high current PTC type fuses to provide an extra measure of protection for the drivers.

The bass cabinet is finished with 7 layers of high gloss piano black paint and has touches of brushed and black aluminium. The line array features hints of the classic McIntosh front panel with a black centre section and silver trim. It is suspended in front of the bass cabinet via steel spiders that are inspired by modern skyscraper construction; they are capped with magnetic covers that mimic the look of McIntosh control knobs. The speaker grilles feature black knit cloth with high gloss trim; the grilles are easily removed via their magnetic fasteners to expose the drivers. The base plate is made of machined aluminium and glass. It has 4 adjustable feet .The speaker cables are securely attached via gold-plated Solid Cinch speaker binding posts that prevent the cables from coming loose. Separate pairs of binding posts are available for the mid/high, low and subwoofer frequencies to allow for tri-amping or tri-wiring.

The McIntosh logo on the base can be illuminated with the use of McIntosh’s Power Control technology found in their amplifiers, preamplifiers, integrated amplifiers and other products. SRP in the USA is  $60,000 USD and £59,995 in the UK.

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Natural Sound will have two systems at the Warsaw Audio Show 2018, at the Golden Tulip Hotel, room Azalia 2. They will be exhibiting on 17th and 18th of November only!

The first, bigger system will feature:

– SoulSonic Hologramm-X speakers (below)

– MSB Select DAC

– Audio Tekne TFA8675

– Audio TekneYamamoto monoblocks

– Tellurium Q Statement cables

The second, smaller system has:

– The Natural Sound Samurai speakers (below)

– Vertere SG-1 Standard Groove record player

– Audio Tekne TFM2000 integrated amplifier

– Audio Tekne TEA2000 phonostage

SVS has announced the new 3000 Series subwoofers. Each new model has a completely new high-excursion SVS driver and an 800 watts RMS, 2,500+ watts peak power Sledge amplifier with discrete MOSFET output. They also come loaded with technology from the flagship 16-Ultra models.

Comprised of the SB-3000 sealed cabinet subwoofer and PB-3000 ported cabinet subwoofer, each new SVS model has advancements to the driver, amplifier and cabinet.

Onboard is a 50 MHz Analog Devices Audio DSP with 56bit filtering for tuning the subs to your living space.

Drivers in the 3000 Series subwoofers are completely new designs. The proprietary SVS design features a dual ferrite magnet motor assembly weighing over 25 lbs. and delivering its magnetic force to a 13-inch drive unit with long-throw parabolic surround. A lightweight and rigid aluminium venter cone finishes the driver.

Another SVS 3000 Series driver innovation is the flat edge wound split-wind voice coil within the motor assembly. The design creates a gap within the voice coil, while reducing mass and improving overall driver efficiency.

Launched originally with the flagship SVS 16-Ultra subwoofers, the 3000 Series also feature convenient control and custom presets via the SVS subwoofer DSP smartphone app for Apple, Android and Amazon devices. The SVS app allows for control of volume, access  DSP functions and program custom presets for one-touch tuning optimised for music, movies, gaming, and more. Uses can also adjust crossover frequencies, a three-band parametric EQ, polarity, room gain and more. The SVS subwoofer app also allows customisation so you can name your subwoofer for easy preset switching, choose the subwoofer standby mode and reset the subwoofer to factory settings. Bluetooth connectivity allows full control, even when the subwoofer is out of sight and bi-directional feedback shows adjustments in real time on both the app and rear panel subwoofer interface.

The 3000 Series are built with a double-thick MDF front baffle and rigid internal bracing to support the drive unit. 

“SVS is further asserting its dominance in the home subwoofer market by deploying the most advanced technology and achieving unrivaled performance at a lower price range than ever before with the 3000 Series,” said Gary Yacoubian, SVS President and Managing Partner. “Our engineering team challenged themselves to bring reference subwoofer performance to new lows so more people could enjoy chest-thumping output, subterranean deep bass extension, pinpoint accuracy and all the benefits of a world-class subwoofer. I’m proud to say, mission accomplished. The 3000 Series are unmatched in performance for the price and well beyond.”

SVS 3000 Series subwoofer models include:

SB-3000: Sealed Cabinet Subwoofer

PB-3000: Ported Cabinet Subwoofer

Pricing for the 3000 Series Subwoofers is below and both models are available now:
SB-3000 (Premium Black Ash) – $999.99
SB-3000 (Piano Gloss Black) – $1099.99
PB-3000 (Premium Black Ash) – $1,399.99

Linette Smith guides you through the Audio Video Show Warsaw 2018.  If you were not the show this year, then you should consider it for next year!  Read on for, more on why this is such a great show, trends from the show, tips to get the most from your visit and of course, Linette’s favourite rooms of the show.

Warsaw, what to expect when you visit

This is the third time that we have made the journey East to Warsaw in November.  If you are planning on making this trip next year, then I heartily advise wrapping up very warmly.  It is very cold, starts getting dark at about three in the afternoon and, if you decide to take a walk around the city, you will spend a lot of time stood at pedestrian crossings.  It is not, despite all of the above, a grim place to be at all…in fact, it is rather lovely. For a start it is very cheap to go out.  Taxis are not a bad price, expect to pay around £8 to £10 for the half hour drive in from the Chopin Airport (yes, you read that right).  Ubers are even cheaper and there is always one a couple of minutes away, so if the weather is too cold for you, you can easily navigate the city for very little money. Food and drink again are very reasonable and there is so much to choose from.  There are loads of vegetarian and vegan places to eat and we found lots of lovely restaurants with a diverse range of cuisines. People are very friendly and most, especially in restaurants, speak English and are happy to translate the menu if they don’t have it in English (though most do).  This is very helpful as the extent of my Polish language skill is minimal…I can say hello, thank you and then various random hifi related words!

The Show – tips to make the most of it!

We arrived at the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel on the Thursday night.  Getting through the airport is a breeze, having landed at Chopin around 4.30pm, we were checked in and heading for our room in less than an hour.  The Sobieski is one of the three show venues. It has a whopping eight floors of show, which is laid out so as not to impact on other hotel guests, even using separate stairs and lifts. There is a nice bar/restaurant and it is a bit of a hub for press and exhibitors alike. The other venues are the Golden Tulip Hotel, which is over the (very busy) road, and then the National Stadium which is just across the Vistula river that splits the city into east and west. To get to the stadium, there are regular, free shuttle coaches that run from the Sobieski and back. You can also get a taxi there (there are usually plenty of taxis outside the Sobieski) but be aware that when you come out of the stadium, there is not a taxi rank. Your best bet is to call an Uber to get back to the hotel, which costs around £4.

If you have never been to the Warsaw Hifi Show then you do need to plan how you will get around it as you will probably not be prepared for just how busy it is.  The show starts on the Friday afternoon, giving you a morning to go sightseeing if you like. We always try to get around most of the Sobieski that first day. Though it is open to the public, it has the feel of a press/trade day and it is easier to get into rooms for a listen. We apply our usual ‘top down’ approach and start on the seventh floor.  The show is open until 8pm the first two days giving it a lovely, unhurried feel. With most of the Sobieski covered on the first day, we spend the Saturday morning covering the last three floors. This is the busiest day of the show with people queuing in enormous lines to get in. I suggest going out for lunch on the Saturday and then come back via the Golden Tulip. Although there are only eight rooms of show at this venue, they are high quality conferencing rooms featuring very high end equipment and some fantastic sounds. We save the National Stadium until the Sunday. Being a stadium rather than a hotel it is built for crowds of people, so even though it is busy you can get around. You will find most of AV rooms at the stadium, plus there is a huge headphones room that is a show within a show for headfi lovers. Throughout all of the show venues though, you will find that there are times when you just can’t get into the rooms because the demand is so high at the weekend, I would suggest that you get to anything that you really want to see and hear on the Friday.

It has to be said that the organisation of the show is phenomenal. Adam and his team work year-round to make sure that it all runs smoothly. Exhibitors, press and visitors are all in agreement that this is one of the best and most enjoyable shows on the calendar.  In size it is second only to Munich out of the European hifi shows, but it has a very different feel.  Whereas Munich does have that corporate edge to it and is a place based on hifi as a business, Warsaw has a super family feel with more young people, teens, families with little kids and couples than any other show we have been to. There is a wide variety of music played, much of which is Polish and that you probably haven’t heard before.  Jazz is very popular in Poland so expect to hear lots, some of it a bit ‘challenging’ for me but whatever, it is good to hear different stuff played at a hifi show.

This is also a show where you will get to experience equipment and brands that you haven’t come across before. Many eastern European brands choose to exhibit here so be prepared to discover some new and different brands and products.  Of course many of the big, well know global names in hifi choose Munich for their product launches, however, Polish hifi enthusiasts love their British brands so expects to see names that you know like Chord Electronics, PMC and Harbeth and many more, put together by dealers and distributors into systems in combination with different brands than you may not have heard them with  before.  This gives you a different perspective on what goes well with what and opens your eyes and ears to new and exciting possibilities. We heard some very nice combinations that we had not heard before. The local dealers and distributers are very well supported by the brands that they represent with people that we know from all over the world there to help with set up and running the rooms and demonstrations.  The show has a very international feel to it with press also making long journeys from all over the globe to cover the show…it shows just how important it is.

One thing you must do is get your head around the prices.  The local currency is the zloty, which, at the moment, is worth just over 20p in sterling. (I did say things were cheap). Whilst there are some mega bucks prices on really high end home grown Polish gear, you will find yourself looking at the price of say a pair of speakers, and thinking that they are very reasonably priced at just under £4,000…then you realise that you are looking at the price in zloty and those lovely speakers are just over £800! Selling products (other than music at the various record shops) is not allowed at the show, however, it is a great place to do some virtual shopping and make contacts to buy from later on. Likewise, if you are a distributer or dealer after new brands then this is a great place to come, many of the local brands are looking for distributers and dealers in different markets.

Personally, I always look forward to coming to the Warsaw hifi show, everything about it makes it a pleasure to attend…I already can’t wait for the Audio Video Show 2019!

Trends – what’s on the up?

Of course, hifi shows are great places to look at what trends are coming through the market.  The big thing that we have noticed recently at shows, Warsaw included is the growth in fully active speakers and systems that just need a source, whether that is streaming from a phone or other device.  These range from cheaper systems to the very high quality and high end, offering something for every taste. The ability to also connect turntables or CD transports offers more flexibility for people who have their music collections across a variety of formats, which, let’s face it, is many of us.

Side firing bass drivers, seem to be a ‘bit of a thing’ at the moment, they are everywhere, on all sizes of speakers. Also noticing a trend of tripod speaker stands, which are rather elegant and give a fresh look, perfect for modern homes.

Something else that we picked up on at Warsaw, and have seen recently at Munich and Cranage too, there are a lot of new brands coming onto the market that are run by much younger people.  They are producing cleverly thought out, well designed, attractive products that people of all ages will want to buy.  I think that this is a particularly healthy trend for the hifi industry as a whole.  New people coming into the industry with fresh ideas, approaches to technology and new ways of working is to be highly encouraged.

My favourite rooms

Hifi Pig coverage of all the rooms is coming from Stuart, but, as I usually do with shows, I picked out my personal favourites from each venue. here, I cover the first part of the show at the Sobieski, with more to come from the Golden Tulip and the National Stadium. It has to be said that the quality was so high that this was a very difficult task. Basically, a special room that I really liked went on my shortlist. These rooms were overall well planned, well put together, looked great, had enthusiastic and helpful staff and sounded fantastic…they made me happy to be there. I found it impossible to pick just one ‘Best in Show’ room as I liked many for different reasons, whether that was sound quality, music choice or general ambiance.  These rooms, with just that extra thing that gave me goose bumps and made me want to stay for much longer than I should, got a ‘star’…it seemed to be the fairest way of doing it. The very best sounding rooms had high quality rather than high volume.  I think the best test of a system is how it sounds at a volume that you can still speak over.  These top systems sounded unforced, well balanced and did not need pushing to the limit.

The Sobieski

Starting from the top floor and working down, to beat the crowds, gave us the best experience of the ‘traditional’ hotel hifi show at the Radisson Blu Sobieski.  Most of the rooms are bedrooms with some larger ones down on the ground floor. The Sobieski is a whole show on its own, here are my highlights!

Floor 7

Cube Audio/Artisan Audio Devices

Cube Audio always impress us with their full range speakers and drivers. They are no fuss, modern looking and great sounding. The system with other Polish brands, Artisan Audio Devices and Lampizator, was a great sound and an interesting system…Polish hifi fans are very fond of their valves!

Audio Anatomy (Auris Audio)

Audio Anatomy of Poland have a very nice selection of high end brands.   Their first room was an Auris system featuring the Russian brand’s Poison 8 speakers with their distinctive valve amplification. The side firing bass of the speakers was a trend that we noticed in many speakers at the show.  The room was big enough to give them room to do their thing and the sound and styling impressed.

Audio Anatomy (Manger/Scheu/Audia Flight)

Audio Anatomy’s second room featured the P2 Manger Audio loudspeakers and Scheu turntables of Germany, alongside Audia Flight electronics from Italy.  As I have come to expect from a Manger room, the sound was elegant and unforced.  Nice to see both Daniella Manger and Ulla Scheu there representing female hifi manufacturers.

Floor 6

STAR ROOM – Super Sound Device

Super Sound Device are a totally new brand to me.  I walked in to the room and immediately thought ‘this sounds amazing’ followed swiftly by, ‘this looks amazing’! In an industry where many electronic components can be put in a black or silver box, it is nice to see a brave brand identity. I’m not talking about over complicating design just for the sake of it, but a bold look can make you stand out from the crowd. Robert and Michal, creators of this Polish hifi brand, both studied in Warsaw and have many years’ experience in both industry and the military.  The combination of high gloss piano black and shiny silver metal had almost an art deco design and would look stunning in the home. The sound had that unforced but detailed and clean sound that I love. The speakers that they were using were unbadged Focals (we spotted the distinctive Focal drivers when we walked in) that they had modded themselves, but I would love to hear their DAC and valve amp with some high-end horns.

Audio Hungary

We know the Qualiton/Audio Hungary brand well, owning one of their valve amps ourselves. Unsurprisingly, they come from Hungary and are another example of an eastern European brand that are putting together great sounding gear that also has a strong brand identity. It was good to hear their new prototype loudspeakers, the room was clear sounding and looked good to.

Nautilus Distribution (Octave/Dynaudio)

Remember what I said earlier about hearing different brand combinations that you may not have heard before? This Octave and Dynaudio combo was a winner, in fact this was probably the best I have ever heard Dynaudio speakers sounding (Contour 30). They were using an Accuphase CD player when we were in the room and the music had such a natural feel to it.

Floor 5

STAR ROOM – Falcon Acoustics

Always a pleasure to see Jerry from British loudspeaker brand Falcon Acoustics.  They have a great, consistent sound.  When we walked in the bigger, reference Graphene GC6500R speakers were playing, which were impressive and were with EAR Yoshino CD/DAC and amplifier, however they then turned the room around and put on the little Falcon Classic BBC LS3/5A speakers for us, running with the Primare Prisma Network CD player and amplifier. We were blown away by both the clarity and the expanse of the sound, they were definitely onto something with this combination. It was not just us that thought so as other people in the room immediately started asking about them…one of those times when small is the most beautiful.

Sotto Voce

We ran the news recently about these new Sotto Voce stereo 3 loudspeakers.  They are made in Valencia, Spain and on paper tick a lot of boxes. Elegant, modern design, active, side firing bass drivers …they did not disappoint with the sound either. Accurate but fun to listen to, would look great in a modern home too.

STAR ROOM – SoundKaos

If you are looking for the perfect example of a hifi brand that is not afraid to stand out then you should check out SoundKaos. Perfectly made, Swiss precision..with a really playful side. I absolutely love their Liberation open baffle loudspeakers, which we have heard at many stages of their development. This time we were in the room when the tiny Vox 3 standmounts that were playing, these now have their ribbon tweeter on the top and of course, side firing bass. The sound was stunning.  The feedback was good from other journalists and visitors alike, with many people we spoke to mentioning SoundKaos. Great sound does not have to come in a boring package!

Floor 4

STAR ROOM – Eryk S Concept

Now, this is where our hyper-organised show routine went a little to pot. Walking past the door to this room, I heard the familiar sound of The Streets ‘Blinded by the lights’, which is one of my favourite tunes ever…and not one often heard at a hifi show. We were greeted by some large white speakers and amp, glowing beautifully with pink LEDs (they must have known we were coming!). The streets was followed by Royksopp’s ‘Poor Leno’, after that more electronica….I could have stopped in there all day.  In fact, I spent some more time in there during the last hour of the show on the Sunday…and they were still just playing excellent tunes, obviously the music they loved too. A star room for me and the best music choices from the whole show. The system featured was Eryk S Concept ‘Wind and Fire’ beautiful stone-white loudspeaker (those side firing bass drivers again) and amplifier combo (Wind are the speakers and Fire is the amp). Very high end, very gorgeous and a sound that I could listen to for hours, the sound was precise but fun and energetic, they made you want to listen more. Eryk S was partnering with Pawel from fellow Polish brand AriniAudio, who were responsible for the cables and power conditioning in the room. The AriniAudio Individual Utlimate speaker cables were designed specifically for the Wind speakers…attention to detail that I really liked.

Block Audio

Block Audio are from the Czech Republic and know how to make an impact.  The first thing was the visual impact of their stylish red and black products. The second was the powerful but well controlled sound. The Mono Block amplifiers were particularly tasty and I like their no-nonsense approach to naming their products, Mono Block, Shelf Block (compact loudspeaker) etc.

Floor 3

Kii

Reinforcing the active speaker trend, Kii are a brand that are rapidly securing themselves a strong place in the market. I have enjoyed them since the first time I heard them, and the German brand continue to impress me. At first glance the Kii Three is a nice looking standmount, but they are actually a very strong sounding system.  For me they have the sound quality of a ‘proper’ hifi system. Their room at the Audio Visual Show 2018 had the size of a room that many people have as their living room.  They worked very well and I liked the fact that they had set up a cool, red leather armchair in the listening position, to create a ‘home’ experience.

STAR ROOM – Deeptime

Deeptime impressed us for several reasons. They are a team of three young guys from the Czech Republic who have created an all-in-one speaker system that looks different and stylish, feels very high quality and sounds a lot bigger than its tiny size.  Their designs come from nature, the Spirula speakers are snail shell shaped and the Thunderstone sub is based on the sea urchin skeletons that you find on the beach.  They are made using modern techniques and are 3D printed with sand.  This makes the little speakers very heavy and solid for their size. They had a very cool, dark and stylish room to match the product and, when we sat down to listen, we were very impressed with the expansive and accurate sound…definitely not a gimmick but a great system for modern life, with Bluetooth connectivity and also analogue and digital inputs.  I also like their pricing of 3141.59€ for the complete system.

Floor 2

Pearl Evolution/Lector Audio

We had a little bit of difficulty in this room owing to us not speaking Italian, the guy from Pearl Evolution not speaking much English and the music being too loud for a conversation…we really wanted to find out more about the speakers, but he wanted to tell us about his very clever levitating hifi podium. Anyway, suffice to say the sound was great, the speakers (which I think were the Mini Ballerina) worked well with the Lector electronics. We gave in and just listened in the end!

RATstudios

Another new, young Polish brand, RATstudios had quite conventional looking speakers that sounded excellent, very detailed and listenable.  The team come from a professional studio background which was evident in the sound. I particularly liked the OSB constructed pair, a really cool industrial look that I haven’t seen on speakers before.

Floor 1

Lucarto Audio

Lucarto Audio handmake all of their products in Poland and both the Songolo SX300 speakers and the electronics were very beautiful in a white and wood finish, right down to the racks. The sound was beautiful, open and airy…however I felt very sorry for them as they were next to one of the few AV rooms that were in the Sobieski. Their neighbours sounded like they had ‘the biggest subs in the world’ and had no consideration for those around them.  I think is anything about the show could be improved on, it would be to send anyone with a big screen and AV set up over to the stadium venue.

STAR ROOM – GMP Tech

Another Polish loudspeaker manufacturer that really impressed me was GMP Tech. I thought that they must be a new company, but they are actually a family run business that have been processing wood since 1983 and then got into manufacturing speakers in the 1990s. They produce their full range FF6 and FF8 loudspeakers which looked and sounded a lot more expensive than their £1400 and £1600 (approx.) price. The speakers were elegant and beautifully made and they were playing much more lively and younger music than a lot of the rooms. Really enjoyed this room.

Taga Harmony

Taga Harmony are one of the most successful Polish brands, we have known them for several years.  They specialise in making great sound affordable and produce their own electronics and speakers under the Taga Harmony name, plus XLO cables and then also distribute brands like Paradigm in Poland. Their system showing off their new Platinum range of speakers was very popular, sounded excellent and was affordable, what’s not to like?

Ground Floor

Struss Audio

Polish brand Struss have been manufacturing hifi amplifiers since 1995, but Zdzisław Hrynkiewicz-Struss has actually been working in the electronics field since 1975 and has worked with big names like Philips and Studer. I was drawn to the very distinctive design of their new amplifiers with a sweeping curve of red across the front of them. Their system, in one of the larger Sobieski rooms, was packed and sounded rather excellent, a brand to check out if you haven’t before.

STAR ROOM – Avantgarde Acoustic

German horn aficionados, Avantgarde Acoustic, were in their usual, big room on the Sobieski ground floor.  However, as with Avantgarde rooms everywhere, it was totally packed out..so please excuse the picture! They were showing the new Duo Mezzo XD, and I was very pleased to have made it in. As you would expect from Avantgarde, the sound was very special, Armin was a brilliant host and the crowds loved it.  I know I am biased, but there is a reason that I love this brand so much. Armin is known for playing music that you might not hear at an audio show, particularly on the last afternoon.  After visiting the Stadium on the Sunday I went back expecting him to be playing either the Wall in its entirety or perhaps some banging dance music (either can be expected). Michael Fremer was in there giving a talk though, so I missed out on an extra Avantgarde fix.

That’s my highlights of the Sobieski, still to come check out my favourite and star rooms at the Golden Tulip and the National Stadium!

Linette Smith

Read more reports from the show here:

Warsaw Audio Video Show 2018 Report Part 1

More from Linette’s coverage of the Audio Video Show Warsaw 2018, here are her favourite and ‘Star’ rooms from the Golden Tulip and the National Stadium.

Hifi Pig coverage of all the rooms is coming from Stuart, but, as I usually do with shows, I picked out my personal favourites from each venue.  It has to be said that the quality was so high that this was a very difficult task. Basically, a special room that I really liked went on my shortlist. These rooms were overall well planned, well put together, looked great, had enthusiastic and helpful staff and sounded fantastic…they made me happy to be there. I found it impossible to pick just one ‘Best in Show’ room as I liked many for different reasons, whether that was sound quality, music choice or general ambiance.  These rooms, with just that extra thing that gave me goose bumps and made me want to stay for much longer than I should, got a ‘star’…it seemed to be the fairest way of doing it. The very best sounding rooms had high quality rather than high volume.  I think the best test of a system is how it sounds at a volume that you can still speak over.  These top systems sounded unforced, well balanced and did not need pushing to the limit…

If you would like to read Part 1 of my report first, then please click here. You will find my favourite rooms from the Sobieski Hotel, along with hints and tips for seeing the show, getting around Warsaw and trends that we picked up on.

The Golden Tulip

 The Golden Tulip is a stone’s throw from the Sobieski, however you do need to cross the intersection of two very busy roads, so it may take a little longer than you think to get there. Even though there are only eight rooms of the show there, they are bigger rooms and contain some of the most high end gear that you will find at the show.  It is well worth visiting, we took a late lunch on Saturday and then spent a couple of hours sampling the delights of the Golden Tulip. Normally the Golden Tulip is open for the whole show but this year it didn’t open until the Saturday.

STAR ROOM – Lampizator and Sveda

This room had the same brands in it last year, but I think the sound was even better this year. Something just works with the Lampizator gear and Sveda monitor speakers and the room also looked stunning with a black, red and gold theme. The room was packed, it is always packed, the Polish fans really support Lukasz of Lampizator and they have a big love of valves (Lampy is Polish for valves). On show was the new range topping Golden Gate 2 DAC and one of the Pacific DACs. The sound was exceptionally natural and this is a room I could have sat in for hours.

STAR ROOM – Fink Team

Fink Team were in a good sized room with their Polish distributor, RCM and were showing with Thrax. Fink work as consultants for many big name speaker manufacturers but are now producing speakers under their own time. Borg was launched this year in Munich, see our coverage here for more info, and offers a more domestically friendly speaker than their flagship WM-4. The two way floorstander with ribbon tweeter is a gorgeous, futuristic looking design and the sound is superb. It has complete detail in the tops with a good heft of bass and delivers a very listenable sound. Again, the system did not have to be driven too hard to get the best from it, very impressive.

Boenicke

These Swiss speakers always amaze me, we have had the smaller standmounts in for review and were amazed at how they fill the room.  The W13 SE+ floorstanders looked diminutive in the large room they were in at the Tulip, but again they coped brilliantly, giving an expansive and engaging sound. The system also featured Accuphase (which I like a lot) and Crystal Cable. Whatever they are put with, I have never heard Boenicke not sound impressive.

STAR ROOM – Natural Sound

Miro Krajnc, from Slovenia makes not only his own speakers under the Soulsonic name (the Hologram X speakers, which have what they claim to be the biggest ribbon tweeter in the world, are pictured below) but also works  with Natural Sound to make the simply stunning Samurai speakers. What sets the Samurai apart is the ribbon tweeter sat within a horn.  This just does something wonderful to the sound and music sounds incredibly natural and easy to listen to. This was one of my favourite rooms last year and the Samurai are on my list of speakers that I would like to own. They make a bold statement visually too and Miro had some new finishes, one of which looked very much like a tiger’s skin owing to the grain and the colour of the veneer.… The Natural Sound Samurai Tiger Edition does have a ring to it!

The Samurai were partnered with a Vertere SG-1 Standard Groove record player, Audio Tekne TFM2000 integrated amplifier and Audio Tekne TEA2000 phonostage. The Hologram X were running with an MSB Select DAC,  Audio Tekne TFA8675 and  Audio TekneYamamoto monoblocks. Speaker cable for both systems was the new and very high end, Tellurium Q Statement. I know people sometimes complain that high end hifi is too crazy looking or too expensive, but we need these wonderful creations to keep the industry fun.  Let’s face it we can all look at a Lamborghini or Ferrari and appreciate its qualities but probably drive something much more sensible!

Ayon

I spotted some of my favourite drivers, ceramic Accuton, in the Ayon room, well I was pretty sure that they were.  I did a bit of digging but Ayon don’t name the drivers on their website, though I believe that they are actually Accuton but custom made for Ayon.  For me these drivers with a decent cabinet gives a great sound, they are exceptionally fast.  The Ayon room did not disappoint. A wonderfully huge sound but well controlled.  Not sure of the model of the speakers but they were pretty big and had that ‘Focal’ lean towards the listener.  The electronics were also Ayon.

PGE Narodowy (The National Stadium)

The stadium is yet another hifi show in itself. It is probably the most corporate of the venues and expect to find lots of big, international names there.  Also you will find a lot of AV gear, big screen TVs and projectors, plus there is a large headfi area. We went on Sunday and it was very busy (some rooms we just could not get into they were so full) there are loads of young people, lots of families with young kids and everyone looks like they are really enjoying themselves. A lot of the rooms were run by big, Polish distributors with many well known brands.

STAR ROOM – PMC/Esoteric/Oracle

I think I am falling in love with the PMC Fact fenestrias. We first heard them at their launch in Munich and I love them every time that I hear them. This room was wonderful, the sound was so unforced and the detail incredible.  Even sat so close to them they performed amazingly. And, to be fair, they are not that expensive when you compare them to the flagship speakers of some brands.

Quadral/Unison Research

The combination of these two brands was a good one and they complemented each other giving a clean fast sound, very enjoyable.

Fyne Audio

Fyne Audio are making a big name for themselves both at home and abroad and they are  doing a lot of shows to get their word out there.  I think that they deserve to do very well and they have sounded great when ever we have heard them. Here their top of the range F1 10 loudspeakers were partnered with Synthesis and Oracle Audio, very pleasing sound.

Audiovector/Tellurium Q/Auralic

Audiovector are another speaker brand that I really like.  The Danish company really has something with their design and make very accurate, dynamic loudspeakers.  In the Auralic room the sound was very good indeed. Auralic were showing their Aries G2 streamer, Vega G2 DAC and Leo GX reference clock. The sound was accurate and clean, very nice indeed. Tellurium Q cables were being used here too.

STAR ROOM – Chord Electronics/Audiovector/REL/Cardas

Just to reinforce my feelings about Audiovector, they were also working perfectly with Chord Electronics, who were using them with REL subs and cabling by Cardas of the USA. This room got a Star rating because everything sounded right. Colin from Chord was vey happy with the sound he was getting from the TToby, Hugo 2 and the Hugo M Scaler set up…apparently visitors were pretty shocked at the power they were getting from what are some of the British brands smaller products. One of the things that I like about Chord is that yes, they do make very high end gear but the technologies trickle down to be affordable to audiophiles of all financial levels, without a loss of quality.

STAR ROOM – Gryphon

It was fantastic to see Rune Skov back with the wonderfully high end, Danish brand, Gryphon. As Flemming Rasmussen, the founder  of Gryphon, retired earlier this year it was important that the brand retained its identity with a familiar face at shows. Gryphon gear is unashamedly big, solid, masculine hifi to look at,  but the sound, though powerful, always retains its delicacy. Rune joked that they were running a ‘small Gryphon system’ for the show…I suppose it was compared to some of their gear, however the sound was anything but small. The system consisted of the Diablo 300 integrated Amplifier with the Diablo DAC module and the PS2-photo stage module, Scorpio S CD-player and the Mojo S 2-way Speakers, cabling was Gryphon VIP.

STAR ROOM – hORNS and J Sikora.

A cracking Polish combination.  I make no secret of the fact that I love hORNS speakers, having owned their Mummy for some time. (They only went out of the main system when we got the Avantgarde Acoustic Duo XDs). Sikora had the world premiere of their new 15g Kevlar tonearm which is a12″ unipivot with oil damping, the wand being a Kevlar conical tube. The tonearm cables are monocrystalic silver from Albedo. The turntable was the J Sikora Reference, and what a beast it was too. The big hORNS Symphony speakers filled the room with ease, sounding wonderful.  I am also always impressed with the styling and bold colour combinations of the speakers.

So that’s it from me, there is still much more coverage of loads of other rooms at the Warsaw Hifi Show to come, use these links to read the coverage that we have already posted. I hope to see many of you at the Audio Video Show Warsaw 2019!

Linette Smith

Warsaw Audio Video Show 2018 Report Part 1

Warsaw Audio Video Show 2018 Report Part 2

Warsaw Audio Video Show 2018 Report Part 3

Warsaw Audio Video Show 2018 Report Part 4

Audio Video Show Warsaw 2018 – A Bird’s Eye View Part 1

Eclipse, the Japanese loudspeaker brand, has joined forces with UK A/V retailer Richer Sounds, to bring permanent-demonstration 5.1 systems to a number of select stores in the south of England.

The participating outlets include Richer Sounds’ Chelsea store in London, the Southampton store in Hampshire, plus its Plymouth store in Devon. Chelsea has a permanent 5.1 system featuring TD307MK2As with an ECLIPSE TD520SW subwoofer, the Plymouth store has five TD307MK2As and Southampton, Eclipse’s flagship Richer Sounds store, has seven TD508MK3s in its Dolby Atmos-enabled system. In addition, all three stores have TD508MK3 demonstration pairs available for two-channel listening.

Eclipse is working with Richer Sounds to expand the A/V demonstration scheme beyond the south for 2019, with a growth plan set to move north in targeted geographic areas. Commenting on the 5.1-ready southern stores, Paul Burnip, Eclipse’s Sales Manager said, “With Richer Sounds’ long-standing reputation for high-quality A/V installations we are delighted that these stores have chosen to feature Eclipse speakers in their demonstration rooms. As a result, a much wider audience of film and multi-channel music lovers can experience how Eclipse speakers can deliver the full benefits of an Atmos-based system.”

READ MORE HIFI NEWS WITH HIFI PIG

Entertaining at Christmas can be a daunting prospect, but with DTS Play-Fi technology now built into many household speakers, it’s now easier to set the soundtrack of the evening from your phone.

DTS Play-Fi comes with the ability to stream different music to variety of rooms and devices over Wi-Fi with no loss of quality. The host’s night is  easier with their smartphone acting as the party’s wireless control centre for music: everything from song choice to volume level can be customised on a room-by-room basis. Music lovers can enjoy DTS Play-Fi at no extra cost, as so many audio brands like Pioneer, Klipsch, McIntosh, Onkyo and Wharfedale come with the  technology built in. To start powering a home filled with hifi, you just need to download the free app (available on iOS, Android and Windows).

DTS Play-Fi is part of the DTS family, whose origins lie in Spielberg’s 1994 film Jurassic Park. Spielberg knew that the film’s audio was central to its success, adding a new layer to the theatre experience for ordinary cinema-goers. DTS Play-Fi is now available on more than 200 interoperable speakers, sound bars, set-top boxes, and A/V receivers from audio brands including Aerix, Anthem, Arcam, Definitive Technology, DISH TV, Elite, Integra, Fusion Research, Klipsch, MartinLogan, McIntosh, Onkyo, Paradigm, Phorus, Pioneer, Polk Audio, Rotel, Sonus faber, Soundcast, SVS Sound, THIEL Audio, and Wren Sound.

READ MORE HIFI NEWS WITH HIFI PIG

The Audio Video Show Warsaw is one of the best Hifi shows on the planet, and Hifi Pig was there again this year to bring you the most comprehensive coverage that you will find anywhere. We have brought you 9 show reports with over 18,000 words and hundreds upon hundreds of photos of the most exciting Hifi there is. Click through for links to all of the articles in one place…we are already looking forward to the Audio Video Show Warsaw 2019!

Dynaudio, the Danish loudspeaker manufacturer, has launched Evoke, a new, five-strong family of passive hifi speakers. Evoke has been designed and engineered from the ground-up, and features technology taken directly from Dynaudio’s high-end Contour line and the top-of-the-range Confidence series.

The range consists of two standmounters (Evoke 10 and Evoke 20), two floorstanders (Evoke 30 and Evoke 50) and a dedicated centre-channel (Evoke 25C) that turns the line-up into a full home-cinema system.

The all-new Cerotar tweeter makes its debut in Evoke. It’s a brand-new design based on Dynaudio’s Esotar Forty anniversary tweeter and the Esotar3 found in the new Confidence. Underneath the 28mm soft-dome diaphragm sits the new Hexis inner dome (something you’ll currently only find in Confidence). This optimises the airflow behind the playing surface to smooth-out the tweeter’s frequency response and eliminate unwanted resonances. The new motor has strontium carbonate Ferrite+ ceramic magnets to further increase sensitivity.

The new Esotec+ woofers feature Dynaudio’s proprietary MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) in their diaphragms – just like all the company’s home, professional studio and automotive speakers have done for decades. The 14cm versions in Evoke 10, 30 and 25C have new surrounds and improved Ferrite+ magnet systems to extend their throw, their frequency response and their low-frequency dynamics – all while maintaining stellar midrange performance. The 18cm drivers in Evoke 20 and 50 borrow technology from Contour and Confidence to deliver eyebrow-raising low-frequency dynamics and timing. The Evoke 50’s midrange driver is directly derived from the one in the much-loved Contour 60. It has a powerful neodymium magnet, plus lightweight materials (including an aluminium voice-coil) specifically optimised for midrange duties. All Evoke speakers feature high-grade crossovers fitted with select components for the very best performance. Each of the cabinets is available in four finishes: Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut Wood and Blonde Wood. New lacquering techniques mean the gloss versions have an, almost glass-like finish, while the wood versions have open veneers for a warm, natural feeling.

“We created Evoke because we want everyone to be able to enjoy genuine hifi – the thing we all aspire to – without having to rearrange rooms, throw out much-loved equipment, or agonise over the price. We created Evoke for the people who agonise over what to listen to next,” says product manager Otto Jørgensen.

Evoke 10 (£1250) is a compact two-way standmounter with a 14cm long-throw woofer. Like all new Evoke models, it features Dynaudio’s new 28mm Cerotar tweeter with the new Hexis inner dome.

Evoke 20 (£1800) is the larger of the two Evoke standmounters. This two-way design pairs the 28mm Cerotar tweeter and Hexis with an 18cm long-throw woofer.

Evoke 30 (£2900) is a compact 2.5-way floorstander. Under one metre tall, it has two 14cm long-throw woofers and the 28mm Cerotar tweeter (complete with the ingenious Hexis inner dome) to make for some serious presence.

Evoke 50 (pictured) (£3900) is a large three-way floor-standing loudspeaker. The biggest loudspeaker of the Evoke line, it combines a single 15cm midrange driver with a pair of 18cm long-throw woofers and the Cerotar tweeter, fitted with the Hexis.

Evoke 25C (pictured) (£1100) is a 2.5-way centre channel speaker comprising two 14cm long-throw woofers, as well as the range’s Cerotar tweeter (and Hexis), ensuring sonic parity in Evoke multi-channel systems.

READ MORE HIFI NEWS WITH HIFI PIG

Designed by speaker engineer Phil Jones, the all new A100 compact desktop or stand-mount speakers features a custom made 5” aluminium cone woofer.

The A100 has a piano lacquer finish and inherits the sound characteristics of Phil Jones’ benchmark Acoustic Energy AE-1. The A100 uses the same XMOS core as its bigger brother A300. The A100 continues to use AirPulse’s horn-loaded 2.5″ aluminium ribbon tweeter and a proprietary 5” aluminium chassis low-distortion bass / mid-range driver. They are housed in an 18-mm thick high-strength MDF cabinet finished with piano black or red lacquer. The cabinet is well-damped and braced to eliminate resonance and vibration. TRANSPARENT cable is used in the A100 for internal connections. The active speaker’s power amplification part is built with two TAS5754 Class-D amplifiers from Texas Instruments, with a digital signal processing (DSP) system, powered by an efficient power supply.

The system in the A100 supports multiple inputs, including Bluetooth, Analog RCA, Digital Coaxial, Optical, USB and RCA Subwoofer outputs. Frequency response ranges from 52 Hz to 40 KHz. It supports Hi-Res high-quality audio playback and has obtained a Hi-Res official certification. The entire digital system is built on a multi-core signal processor XMOS XU216, a 16-core audio processor based on XMOS xCore 200 architect, which has up to 2000 MIPS processing horse-power. With its parallel structure, it is made for timing-sensitive signal process like audio, especially audio with high sample rate. The dual clock structure at the output stage effectively avoids signal modification between different sample rates, and can further reduce signal distortion. Price is $799.99.

READ MORE HIFI NEWS WITH HIFI PIG

Magico, of the USA, has announced the M2 three way (four driver) floorstanding loudspeaker, which expands the M-Series product lineup and features many engineering designs from the M6 and M3.

Magico’s materials science research into the properties and applications of carbon allows the M2 to feature a new monocoque enclosure. Similar in construction technique introduced in the M6, it is formed using multiple layers of carbon fibre adding up to a 3/8” thickness. Similar to the external shell of an F-35 fighter jet, this enclosure construction compared to machined or extruded aluminium parts increases the structural strength-to-weight ratio by a factor of 60, while reducing overall weight by 50% and yielding outer dimensions that are 30% smaller without compromising internal volume.

The M2 incorporates a 28-mm Diamond coated Beryllium dome tweeter. The Diamond coating on the Beryllium dome increases the stiffness without adding the extra weight of a pure Diamond dome. This tweeter design provides extra-long excursion movement and uses a customised neodymium based motor system. Magico has used graphene in the loudspeaker cone design. Graphene has many properties and is rated to be 100 times stronger than the strongest steel. The newly designed Magico six-inch midrange driver and seven inch bass driver cones found in the M2 are both manufactured using Multi-Wall carbon XG Nanographene with a new ultra-stiff proprietary carbon weave which is 20% lighter and 300% stiffer than cone materials used in previous Magico product offerings. The midrange driver features an underhung neodymium-based motor system that uses two extra-large magnets which provide a stabilised magnetic field for the pure Titanium voice coil to operate within.A purpose built sub-enclosure formed of a proprietary polymer houses the midrange driver. The dual bass drivers in the M2 are vertically aligned.

An internal three-axis matrix framework along with three tension rods running front to back internally, contribute to a rigid enclosure. All four drivers in the M2 are acoustically integrated using Magico’s exclusive Elliptical Symmetry Crossover topology that includes components from Mundorf of Germany.  The MPOD 3-Pt stand contributes to the overall sonic performance by converting mechanical energy to heat through the science of constrained layer damping, while providing coupling to the floor.

Driver Complement

1”        MBD5D Tweeter (x1)

6”        MAG60004RTC Graphene Nano-Tec Midrange (x1)

7”        MAG70008RT Graphene Nano-Tec Bass (x2)

Specifications

Sensitivity:                             88dB

Impedance:                          4 Ohms

Frequency Response:         26 Hz – 50 kHz

Recommended Power:       Minimum 50W rms

Dimensions:                        18” x 17.5” x 45” (w/ MPod Stand)

Weight:                                165 lbs. (w/ MPod Stand)

Price is $ 56,000 per pair with the optional M2 MPOD 3-Pt Stand at  $ 7,600 per pair, available in the first quarter of 2019. Distributed in the UK by Absolute Sounds.

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ADVERTISING PROMOTION

Christmas 2018 is fast approaching, so if you need some audiophile gift inspiration…or just fancy treating yourself, take a look at what the following brands suggest for you! You will find everything from stocking fillers for music lovers, to Hifi purchases that you will make you very popular this Christmas.

Click on the title links or images to find out more and do some Christmas shopping…!

PMC fact fenestria

Elegant design and advanced engineering come together to produce the ultimate musical listening experience. The top-of-the-range fact model, fenestria, combines new materials, innovative aerodynamic engineering, ground-breaking vibration-cancelling design, cutting-edge cabinets and drivers, PMC’s patented Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) bass-loading technology and state-of-the-art looks to create a loudspeaker which adds no sound of its own to the music it reproduces.

This is why we call it…  … the loudspeaker you’ll never hear

Other loudspeakers produce unwanted vibrations in the drivers and cabinet that colour the sound. Just as a shaky camera cannot produce a clearly focused image, these unwanted vibrations reduce the clarity and precision of the sonic imaging. With fenestria, such unwanted resonances and unnatural colouration are engineered out of the design, leaving nothing but music.

The nest’s minimal, sculpted form is decoupled from the cabinet, connecting with it minimally via four isolation mounts. This excludes vibrations that might colour the treble and mid-range, while the baffle-less design excludes reflections that degrade the imaging in traditional cabinet loudspeakers, creating the sonic impression that the drivers are suspended freely in space.

The source of PMC’s legendary natural, realistic sound is the Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) bass-loading technology, professionally proven all around the world. ATL uses energy generated by the bass unit in a much more intelligent, efficient way than speaker designs based on ported or sealed boxes. In ATL loudspeakers, the highly braced cabinet is lined with a multitude of custom-designed acoustic materials that absorb all but the very lowest frequencies. These exit from a front-panel vent, extending the low-frequency response, and creating the impression of a far larger speaker with an extra, ultra-high quality bass unit.

For more information about the PMC fact fenestria, including where to buy, visit our website.

PMC cor integrated amplifier

PMC’s cor electronics offer the ultimate pure analogue experience. Cor deliver reassuring levels of power with refinement and transparency, yet remaining neutral, imparting no character of their own. They faithfully reproduce a vivid, dynamic performance with soul: all the magic of music.

The cor integrated is an amplifier that adds no sonic character of its own to the music. It follows exactly the same design ethos for high resolution playback as used in the creation of all PMC’s loudspeakers, namely musicality, transparency and neutrality, where nothing is added and nothing is taken away. The role of the amplifier, like the company’s speakers, is to reproduce the music exactly as it is meant to be heard.

Designed and hand-built by PMC in the UK, the cor – the dictionary definition of which is: (anatomy) heart; (figuratively) soul, mind – is an integrated amplifier that works entirely in the analogue domain.

PMC twenty5.23

Arguably the most elegant model in the PMC twenty5 range, the twenty5.23 takes the speed, transparency and sophistication of the twenty5.21 and adds greater bass extension and power. And yet its slim-line form doesn’t mean it can’t move you. No matter what type of music you love, the twenty5.23 will let you absorb the quietest and most dramatic moments without missing a beat, and its realism with vocals puts you in the best seat in the house.

PureAudioProject Trio15 Heil AMT

The legendary Heil AMT is a ‘classic’ and it is so well known for its natural and full body ‘highs’, a sonic experience that is rare to find among tweeter drivers. The Heil AMT1 is also a dipole driver and this makes it a perfect match with the PureAudioProject Trio15. This Christmas offer is not only a great model and deal to start 2019, but it is also an opportunity to enter the PureAudioProject unique Modular Open Baffle Speakers Architecture. Once having the Trio15 HeilAMT, you can experience any the other Trio15 configurations by simply swapping the middle baffle and the crossover/components.

PureAudioProject Trio10 Voxativ

“…To hear speakers this great in their price range is a rare thing…”

Don’t let its size to mislead you! Only 16.5″ / 42cm wide, and here is what reviewers and customers say about PureAudioProject Trio10 Open Baffle Speakers:

“superb soundstage, perfect tonality, super open spacious sound that just destroys the walls in the room, all things that great open baffle speakers give you… plus BASS SLAM…”

“Trio10 Voxativ is smart, superbly sounding, highly recommended and – as a complete package – one of the best ways known to yours truly to spend €5’500 in the audio game. This one’s not a gamble, but the very real deal. Highly recommended…“

“Just finished assembly my Trio 10 Voxativ. Can’t stop listening to music now…”

“BTW. The Trio 10 Voxativ is really amazing. Once completed the assembly, I wanted to compare the performance with my current speaker. However after listened to Trio 10 for 10 minutes, I knew no need to do the comparison. The Trio 10 won hands down.”

iFi xDSD portable DAC/headphone amp

£399

Anyone who invests in a good pair of headphones and connects them directly to a smartphone, tablet or computer is wasting their potential – the audio processing and amplification in these devices is perfunctory at best, resulting in a flat and lifeless sound. That’s where iFi’s award-winning xDSD portable DAC/headphone amp comes in, winning a plethora of plaudits in the global consumer tech press in the few months since launch. It combines high-resolution DAC and amplification technology with a raft of useful features and connects to your phone – or any other digital audio device – via USB or Bluetooth, able to handle hi-res PCM and DSD files up to 32-bit/784kHz and DSD512 respectively. The experts agree: this is the best portable DAC/headphone amp of 2018.

iFi xCAN portable headphone amp

£299

iFi’s latest, just-launched portable audio device is a pocket-sized analogue headphone amp with balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs, plus the added convenience of Bluetooth streaming from smartphones, TVs and so on. Able to drive even the trickiest headphone loads thanks to its impressive 1000mW per channel output alongside iFi’s latest sound tailoring options, the xCAN is a brilliant way to boost headphone sound at home or on the go, delivering lashings of power and detail. All this is packed into iFi’s compact ‘x series’ chassis, encased in strong yet lightweight magnesium-aluminium alloy and ion-plated with a dark titanium finish.

iFi nano iDSD Black Label portable DAC/headphone amp

£199

Anyone seeking a small, portable DAC/headphone amp with USB connectivity, excellent hi-res sound and class-leading facilities at a super-affordable price should park their ears here! With support for PCM/DXD audio files (up to 32-bit/384kHz), DSD (up to DSD256) and MQA, no other DAC/headphone amp under £200 offers comparable levels of flexibility, specification and performance. It even includes iFi’s iEMatch output attenuation on one of its two headphones outputs, lowering noise and increasing definition when used with high-sensitivity headphones/earphones.

iFi Ear Buddy earphone attenuator

£20

This low-cost plug-in headphone optimiser attenuates the output signal to better suit headphones with high sensitivity, thereby lowering background noise, improving dynamic range and increasing useable volume range (allowing for finer adjustment). In doing so, it counters the negative effect of digital volume controls, which virtually all of today’s handheld devices contain. It is particularly effective with high-sensitivity in-ear headphones, as well as noise-cancelling headphones and in-flight audio systems.

iFi AC iPurifier power filter

£99

Mains conditioning devices for audio systems have existed for many years, but few solutions are as neat and convenient as this. It combines active noise cancellation and passive filtration to filter out RFI/EMI interference across the entire audio spectrum, thus allowing your treasured audio system to unleash its full sonic potential. Simply plug it into a spare sonic in the mains outlet or extension bar that supplies power to your system and the sonic improvements are instantaneous – the sound becomes more spacious and better defined, without adversely affecting dynamics in the manner of inferior mains filters. It provides amble protection for your treasured audio gear against spikes and surges in the mains supply, too!

Airpulse 100

The A100 has a piano lacquer appearance, inheriting the appearance and sound characters of our flagship model 7001 near-field monitor speakers designed by Phil Jones. Using the same XMOS core as its bigger brother A300, this unassumingly small cabinet delivers outstanding performance beyond your expectation.

The A100 continues to use AIRPULSE’s unique horn-loaded aluminium ribbon tweeter and a proprietarily-designed 5” aluminium chassis low-distortion bass and mid-range driver. They are housed in an 18-mm thick high-strength MDF cabinet finished with attractive piano black (or red) lacquer.

The well-known American TRANSPARENT cable is used in the A100 for internal connection to ensure minimum signal loss. The active speaker has a high efficiency Class D amplifier with digital signal processing (DSP) system, powered by an also efficient power supply.

The system in the A100 supports multiple inputs, including Bluetooth, AUX, PC, USB and fibre optic. Frequency response ranges from 52Hz to 40KHz. It supports Hi-Res high-quality audio playback, and has obtained a Hi-Res official certification.

Features:

• Active HiFi speakers with Hi Res audio and versatile connections; AUX RCA, PC, USB, Optical and Bluetooth
• Proprietary horn loaded aluminium ribbon tweet
• Phil Jones signature 5″ cast frame under-hung coil woofer with hard anodized aluminium cone
• XMOS processor and USB audio connector
• Signal-Noise Ratio L/R:≥90dB(A) Frequency Response: 52Hz-40KHz Power: L/R(Treble) 10W + 10W L/R(Mid-range and Woofer) 40W + 40W

Airpulse 200

Continuing the legacy of speaker designer, Phil Jones, the new Airpulse A200 Active Speaker System that combines reference monitor sound quality with timeless retro styling.

Features:

• Active Audiophile speakers system with versatile connections; AUX RCA, Balance input XLRUSB, Optical, Coaxial & Bluetooth
• Phase correction horn loaded ribbon tweeter
• Phil Jones signature 5.5″ aluminium cone, neo power, low distortion mid-woofer
• The A200 amplifier was designed to work precisely with the components of this remarkable speaker.
• Signal-Noise Ratio L/R:≥90dB(A) Frequency Response: 46Hz-20KHz Power: L/R(Treble) 10W + 10W L/R(Mid-range and Woofer) 55W + 55W

Airpulse 300

The top of the range Airpulse A300 Active Speaker System packs a punch delivering 70+70watts at mid-woofer & 10+10 watts of treble in a 25mm MDF enclosure with cherry wood veneer.

Feature rich and designed to optimum specifications, this Phil Jones creation legacy speaker is ahead of its time and competition.

Features:

• Active HiFi speakers with Hi Res audio and versatile connections; AUX RCA, Balance input XLR, PC, USB, Optical and Bluetooth
• Proprietary horn loaded aluminium ribbon tweet
• 6.5″ Phil Jones signature woofer cast frame under-hung coil woofer with hard anodized aluminium cone
• Digital amplifier with Xmos processor
• Signal-Noise Ratio L/R:≥90dB(A) Frequency Response: 40Hz-40KHz Power: L/R(Treble) 10W + 10W L/R(Mid-range and Woofer) 70W + 70W

S350DB

Features:

• Bluetooth v4.1 APTX Wireless Sound – True lossless sound from phones, tablets, laptops, and more
• 8 inch subwoofer Achieve massive booming sound with the 8-inch subwoofer
• Available inputs- Plug into multiple sources of audio including AUX, RCA, optical and coaxial
• Wireless remote control- Control your sound remotely with the included wireless remote
• Signal-Noise Ratio L/R:≥80dB(A); SW:≥85dB(A) Frequency Response: R/L: 160Hz-20kHz; SW: 40Hz-160Hz Power: 15W X 2 (Treble), 25W X 2(Mid-range and Bass) + 70W (Subwoofer)

£249.99

S880DB

Introducing the S880DB the first Hi-Res Audio certified speakers from Edifier. These speakers are compact desktop bookshelf speakers designed to connect to computers, gaming consoles, and all types of devices. With a 19mm dome treble tweeter driver made from a highly polished titanium-laminate. The S880DB provides a highly sensitive and optimal resolution with a bright and clean performance. The S880DB uses a 3.75-inch metal diaphragm mid-range bass speaker unit. The aluminium frame allows for higher power and minimal vibration for crossover. This leads to exceptional sharp dynamics for the S880DB. The XMOS processor used is to add the addition of USB audio as an option.

Features:

• BLUETOOTH WIRELESS – Popular classic bookshelf speakers now can be enjoyed without the hassle of wires. Simply connection to an iPhone, Android, Tablet, PC or Mac.
• STUDIO SOUND QUALITY – Naturally fine-tuned sound reproduction from 3.75 inch bass and 19mm titanium treble speaker unit
• DIGITAL / ANALOG INPUTS – RCA/Aux for PC, turntables, etc.; Optical/Coaxial for lossless connection; Bluetooth for convenience
• REMOTE CONTROL – switch input sources and control the volume at your figure tips.
• Signal-Noise Ratio L/R:≥85dB(A) Frequency Response: R/L: 55Hz-20kHz Power: 12W X 2 (Treble) + 32W X 2(Mid-range and Bass)

£259.99

Scott Wainwright ‘Talking Backwoods’

‘Talking Backwoods’ is the latest album from Yorkshire Based Musician Scott Wainwright and is an album that brings together a transcendental mix of American Pre WWII blues, ragtime, raga, electronica, ambient and incidental soundtrack music.

Available on CD here.

REL Serie S 3

S/3 SHO (Super High Output) derives from the flagship S/5 SHO offering a more compact footprint while retaining much of S/5 SHO’s performance, making it an ideal pairing for slightly more modest systems and rooms. In quality it is the equal of S/5 SHO using the same Continuous CastTM Alloy Cone Driver and carbon passive radiator, only in a slightly reduced size, paired with a 400W NexGen2 digital amplifier. Beautifully balanced, S/3 SHO offers powerful, incisive performance for both 2-channel and theatre systems. See if the S/3 SHO is right for you by using REL Acoustic’s subwoofer/speaker pairing tool.

REL HT 1003

For when there is simply neither the space nor the need for all the output of a larger HT model. HT/1003 applies the same approach as its impressive stable mate and scales it down by just a little. 10” high-powered, long throw driver and 300W means it has plenty of power on demand. This unit is intended primarily for high powered home theatre applications, immersive gaming set-ups, and pairs nicely with active powered loudspeakers. Scaled down design, up-sized performance. See if the HT/1003 is right for you by using REL Acoustic’s subwoofer/speaker pairing tool.

REL T/9i

T/9i represents the most of T/i that we can deliver, and if sheer output alone is a primary requirement for your theatre or music system then read no further. The combination of a lightweight, composite 10” driver coupled to a matching 10” T/i passive delivers speed, slam and attack when called upon but also is capable of tracing more delicate passages when necessary. Large in sonic scale, the T/9i is ideal for mating up with floor standing speakers and rooms that are on the medium-to-large size. Powerful, concussive, yet beautiful. See if the T/9i is right for you by using REL Acoustic’s subwoofer/speaker pairing tool.

REL HT Air

We’ve stripped back the High-Level feature from the Arrow wireless to provide a wireless system dedicated for Home Theatre buffs. Though HT-Air is affordable, it retains our single-minded focus on delivering zero compression and maximum dynamics. Big, rich sounding bass, not the thin, dry sound most wireless systems supply. Zero compression means that, unlike common Bluetooth-based wireless subs, REL transmits in real time, with no digital compression that can add significant amounts of delay to the signal. Delay that, when trying to mate up to conventionally wired speakers means many subwoofer’s wireless offerings are hopelessly behind the loudspeakers.

REL Tzero

Tzero is, in many ways, the most difficult design we have ever executed because never before have we delivered so much for so little. 5 coats of lacquer, as in all Serie T/i, next generation Class D amplifiers, High level inputs, .1 separate input stages, rugged 6.5” main driver with exceptional output and low bass extension for its size means Tzero gives up little too much larger units from the competitors. Tzero is a miracle in miniature. See if the Tzero is right for you by using REL Acoustic’s subwoofer/speaker pairing tool.

Auralic Altair Streaming DAC

Feature-rich, wireless digital streaming with high quality DAC, digital inputs and music storage capability with an optional internal drive. Tidal, Qobuz 24bit and Internet Radio streaming services supported. Headphone output. Great value. All driven by Auralic’s own Lightning server and high performance Lighting DS control app.

Auralic Aries G1 Wireless Streaming Transport

Highly acclaimed, 2018 Award Winner and Infused with AURALiC technologies and designs developed for the premier G2 line. the ARIES G1 connects over Wi-Fi, or ethernet, to digital sources such as network attached storage, Internet streaming services like TIDAL and Qobuz 24bit, Internet Radio, and USB drives to bring high performance streaming to your home audio system. Machined aluminium case work and beautiful colour display. All driven by Auralic’s own Lightning server and high performance Lighting DS control app.

Auralic Vega G1 Streaming DAC

The brand new VEGA G1 is a Streaming Pre-amplifier with digital inputs and connects over ethernet to digital sources such as network attached storage, Internet streaming services like TIDAL and Qobuz 24bit, Internet Radio, and network attached storage. Unique Custom DAC architecture. Simply connect to a power amplifier or active loudspeakers. Headphone output. Machined aluminium case work and beautiful colour display. All driven by Auralic’s own high performance Lighting DS control app.

Auralic Aries G2 Wireless Streaming Transport

Peerless performance. The five star rated Aries G2 is a true reference quality streaming transport. Winner of numerous awards. Supports Qobuz 24bit, Tidal, Internet Radio and attached USB drives and/or Network storage. Internal music storage capability with optional internal hard drive. CNC machined case from a solid billet of aluminium. Galvanic isolation. Multiple ultra-linear power supplies. Beautiful colour display. All driven by Auralic’s own Lightning server and high performance Lighting DS control app.

Auralic Vega G2 Streaming DAC

Highly acclaimed, 2018 Award Winning streaming DAC with a fine pedigree. Fully analogue volume control delivers the highest quality music from all sources. Unique Custom DAC architecture. Connect over ethernet and supports Qobuz 24bit, Tidal, Internet Radio and attached Network storage. Galvanic isolation. Multiple ultra-linear power supplies.CNC machined case from a solid billet of aluminium. Headphone output. Beautiful colour display. All driven by Auralic’s own high performance Lighting DS control app. Performance may be further enhanced with addition of the Auralic Leo GX Reference Clock.

Metrum Acoustics Amethyst + Ambre

When Metrum Acoustics introduced the Headphone Amplifier Amethyst, we did not know that we would compliment this amazing Dac/Headphone Amp with a powerful ROON certified digital bridge, the AMBRE. The wave making AMBRE is slowly becoming a household name with many audio and music lovers around the world……

Metrum Acoustics Flint

Metrum Acoustics recently introduced the FLINT, our Baby Dac, small in size, yet powerful and rich in sound!

Metrum Acoustics Adagio

The top line dac from Metrum Acoustics Adagio gives you more weight, body, tonal richness, and a more natural sense of the space of the recording. Or to put it more plainly, it fleshes out your music more!

Metrum Acoustics Pavane

Think clarity. The Pavane does a wonderful job of presenting even the most complex music in a natural and inviting manner with every last ounce of nuance in tact. There’s no artificial sounding edge, no sense of a flat cutout image, basically none of digital’s nastier stuff. In some cases, this can also come with a somewhat dark and muddy sound but that is absolutely not the case with the Pavane; think clarity.

Metrum Acoustics Onyx

With the goal of creating a very affordable, yet superior DAC in mind the designers of Metrum Acoustics have developed a new DAC, the ONYX By Metrum Acoustics. It was an unprecedented challenge, which was eventually solved by using an entirely new chip, which has been exclusively developed by Metrum Acoustics and was first used in the PAVANE.

KEF LSX Wireless Music System 

SRP: £1,000

LSX is the sound system for how we listen to music now: a true two-box wireless music system with Spotify Connect and Tidal built in, engineered to deliver high resolution audio with breath-taking clarity from elegantly compact speakers. LSX uses advanced wireless technology to retain the decades old audio principle that two speakers are better than one. LSX gives music space to breathe in glorious, full-bodied, wide bandwidth stereo.

KEF LS50 Wireless

SRP: £2,000

LS50 Wireless is a complete and fully active music system designed for the way high resolution music is now enjoyed. Based on the award-winning LS50 speakers and sharing the same acoustic features, the LS50 Wireless enables users to easily enjoy exceptional sound quality previously only achieved by an array of sophisticated components.

KEF MUO Portable Wireless Speaker

SRP: £179

Flawless, unfiltered KEF sound wherever you go. Muo is KEF’s portable Bluetooth speaker co-created with British designer Ross Lovegrove. Stunning craftsmanship coupled with breakthrough KEF innovations from driver design to electronics, speakers you can trust to look as good as they sound.

KEF R3 Standmount Speaker

SRP: £1,300

The multi-award winning KEF R3 redefines standmount speaker performance. A true three-way speaker, the 165mm (6.5 in.) bass driver pushes bass performance to new extremes. The 125mm (5 in.) midrange driver and 25mm (1 in.) aluminium dome tweeter creates a Uni-Q array that defies the expectations from the most compact main speaker in the range.

KEF Q350 Bookshelf Speaker

SRP: £500

The remarkable Q Series bookshelf speakers excel when space is limited. Featuring the signature KEF Uni-Q driver array with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) port design, the Q350s deliver detailed natural sound with high clarity and tight bass.

Mojo & Poly 2018/19 gift packs (£990)

The new 2018/19 limited-edition Mojo and Poly Christmas gift packs contains everything the music lover needs to get into high-resolution mobile music streaming: a multi-award-winning Mojo DAC/headphone amplifier, Poly wireless streaming module/SD card player, a protective leather sleeve case, a 64GB micro SD card, plus a dedicated interchangeable charger.

The set offers a highly advanced portable high-resolution music streaming solution straight out of the box and set up is easier than ever, following the recent addition of the Gofigure App for Android, which joins the iOS version, offering compatibility with most smartphones and smart devices. Just add headphones or plug into a home audio system’s AUX inputs.

Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp (£1,800)

Despite its compact dimensions, the Hugo 2 DAC/headphone amp is, in fact, the world’s most advanced transportable DAC. An investment in Hugo 2 is an investment in award-winning class-leading technology (EISA DAC 2018-19 and What Hi-Fi? Best DAC over £1,200), designed to get music lovers closer to the original master recordings than any other portable device on the planet.

Of course, Hugo 2 is not just about music on the move. Supplied with a remote control and RCA outputs, the device can be easily added to any hi-fi system for an instant audio upgrade and is the perfect way to update an ageing source component with the latest and most advanced digital tech.

Hugo M Scaler (£3,495)

The Hugo M Scaler is a highly advanced standalone upscaler capable of redefining sound quality from digital audio. It uses the world’s most advanced filter technology to upscale standard 44.1kHz digital audio up to 705.6kHz (16x CD’s 44.1kHz native resolution), ready to be passed to a suitable DAC.

35 years in the making, the Hugo M Scaler uses Chord Electronics’ ground-breaking FPGA-based technology to benefit streamers, smartphones and smart devices, laptops and computers, CD/DVD players/transports and much more. Hugo M Scaler’s advanced upscaling technology can improve the sound quality of all (digital-source) set-ups, whether headphone or desktop-based, or within conventional hi-fi systems.

Etude (£3,900)

Etude is arguably the best value stereo amplifier in the Chord Electronics’ range. The reason? it uses all-new topology, the company’s first all-new design in 30 years, all developed and implemented by Chief Designer, owner and Managing Director John Franks. Highly advanced, it heralds a new era for powerful, wide bandwidth, low-noise and low-distortion amplifiers.

Designed to both complement and exploit the full potential of Chord Electronics’ award-winning high-resolution DAVE DAC, which has built-in preamp functionality, the amp topology has even faster power delivery than existing Chord Electronics designs, offering unrivalled dynamics, a life-like delivery of transient information, plus effortless control over loudspeaker drive units.

SPM 1050 MkII (£5,450)

The SPM 1050 MkII is a classic Chord Electronics power amplifier: powerful, transparent and fast. Now in MkII guise, the newer version introduces the latest amplifier technology, plus some key aesthetic improvements.

The amp offers both balanced XLR and RCA phono inputs, plus two pairs of loudspeaker outputs with gold-plated connections and the full-width casework is luxuriously Chord Electronics: machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium, it offers a stunning aesthetic plus an enviably rigid environment to house the electronics and dampen unwanted vibration.

Inside, it benefits from low-distortion amplifier circuitry and features four proprietary lateral-structure dual-die MOSFETs per channel (eight in total), enabling even the most demanding loudspeakers to be driven with clarity and precision. As with all Chord Electronics’ amplifiers, it features the company’s proprietary 2KW high-frequency switch-mode power supply, which was originally developed for use in aerospace.

Optoma NuForce BE Free8

With no cables or neckband for unrestricted movement, Optoma’s premium true wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones use Near-Field Magnetic Induction technology to maintain a reliable connection between both earpieces.  They are also equipped with AAC and aptX for superior sound quality. The protective carry case doubles up as a charger.  RRP £149.99

Optoma NuForce BE Free5

These true wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones come with wings for an extra secure fit during exercise.  They are packed with features such as quick charging and IPX5 rated for rain, sweat and dust resistance and are equipped with Bluetooth® and AAC compatibility to provide high-quality audio that outperforms other products in this price range.  RRP £99.99

Optoma NuForce BE Sport4

Equally perfect for the gym or the daily commute, these wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones have graphene coated drivers for enhanced audio quality.  In addition to a ten hour battery life, they incorporate quick charging so just 15 minutes of power gives two hours listening time.  They are rain, sweat and dust resistant (IPX5-rated) and come with multiple eartips including SpinFit TwinBlade for superior stability, noise isolation and secure fit.  RRP £89.99

Optoma NuForce BE Live5

The NEW BE Live5 wireless in-ear headphones are the next evolution of the BE6i, which were awarded HiFi Pig’s Highly Recommended badge. They offer the same high-quality audio performance combined with a smaller, lighter form-factor for a snug and secure fit. The new model is also IPX5 certified making them durable and ensuring protection from rain and sweat.  RRP £89.99

Optoma NuForce BE2

The BE2 wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones with AAC compatibility boast a ten hour play time and IPX5 certification for rain and sweat resistance.  Crafted from metal and polycarbonate, they are tough but lightweight making them suitable for any workout or daily commute. In addition, the magnetic earbuds stick together for convenient tangle-free portability when not in use.  RRP £29.99

Periodic Audio Mg

Periodic Audio Ti

Periodic Audio Be

Periodic Audio Ni

Jern 14 EH Loudspeakers from Denmark are an unusual design both in the way they look and the materials they are made from, Stuart Smith takes a listen to them partnered with REL t5i subs which are vital as the speakers only go down to 90Hz. The Jern 14 EH are €/£3.998 for a pair, the Jern plate for REL T/5i subwoofers are €/£399 each and the REL subs are available at £549 each. Stands for the 14 EH are available, though not tested here, for €/£1198.

I first came across the Jern speakers a year or two ago at Munich High-End whilst Linette was off doing her Women In Hifi meeting and was mesmerised by their unusual design and the materials used to build them. I was somewhat taken aback by them in the less than ideal listening booth, noting that they imaged really well. When the opportunity came to have a listen to a pair at home I jumped at it. They arrived whilst we were at the Warsaw show and so helpfully the delivery driver forged my signature and left them in our open barn, which is right next to a main road (well, as main a road as you get in rural Brittany) for all to see and help themselves. By some small miracle, they were there when we got back and we found them.

In Danish, Jern translates into English as Iron, which is apt as the cabinets of these diminutive loudspeakers are made out of cast Iron. It’s something I don’t think I’ve ever encountered before and so I was pretty excited to get the chance to review these speakers. The cast Iron used is a special grey cast Iron (Vibrakill^®), with a high amount of Graphite (Carbon) mixed in the Iron with the intention being that the Graphite dampens the cabinet’s vibrations “100 times better than Aluminium, and much better than MDF and wood”. Needless to say, the speakers weigh a fair old bit, 12.5Kg to be exact, which is pretty significant for a speaker that measures just 30 cm tall, 19,5 cm deep and 21 cm wide. I spoke to a few people about the speakers and as soon as I mentioned the fact that they were cast iron I got, from two people at least, “Don’t they ring like a bell?” but the answers is a simple “No they don’t”.

The cabinet shape is interesting in itself in that it is rounded and looks not unlike BabaPapa, the cartoon character. This is a sealed box design with a five and a quarter inch Scan-Speak woofer in a  1/4 inch 149 mm frame and with a SBR Rubber Surround. The cone is a coated NRSC Fibre Glass Cone in a die-cast Aluminium chassis. The tweeter is a Hiquphon 20 mm textile and gold dust dome tweeter with an excursion of +-0,9 mm. You even get a signed off spec’ sheet specific to each tweeter in the package. When talking to the designer of the Jerns, Ole Lund Chrstensen, he claims these tweeters are as good as it gets and that the guy who has developed them has made them his life’s work. The phase linear 6dB/octave custom-made crossover uses a Mundorf polypropylene capacitor and an air core coils. The speakers are designed to work with subwoofers as their frequency response is 90Hz to 30 000Hz and in this case they were supplied with the REL t5/is. A pair of Jern cast Iron subwoofer stands was also supplied. Round the back is a nice quality pair of speaker binding posts. Packaging is excellent and despite the courier managing to quite badly damage one box, the speakers arrived perfectly safe and sound. Finish is a sort of matt black and they look very well finished. The magnetic driver covers are removable and, particularly when removing the tweeter cover, there was an opening up of the sound and so they were left off for the duration of the review period.

The RELs have an onboard 125 watt Class A/B amplifier and have an 8” downward firing cone are finished in black gloss and connect to the power amp via a pair of supplied cables that are terminated with Speakon connectors on one end and bare wires on the other. You get to dial in the crossover frequency and volume of the sub. I’ve not set up subs before as I’ve never had to, but this was a doddle and within a quarter an hour or so we had a sound that we were happy with. Speaking to the Ole, he thinks the supplied cast iron “stands” for the RELs are the best solution to integrate the MDF cabs of the RELS with the Jerns…that is until the Jern sub is in production. The stands are an extra £500 but adding them does make for a somewhat tighter sound in the bass department and yes, there does seem to be better integration – I was expecting nothing to be honest.

Set up of the main speakers was a doddle as a rubber ring is included which sits atop your speaker stand and the Jerns, in turn, sit in it. Point the speakers at the listening position, do all the usual faffing making sure they are the same distance from the back wall (a metre or so) and off we go. This “room” has been set up specifically to mimic a typically sized listening room and is part of a bigger space with the space being treated with GIK acoustic panels. The associated system has been put together to echo what someone looking to get a great sounding system for around 10K night put together themselves.

SOUND

Needless to say, I jumped right in without reading anything about the speakers’, their frequency response or anything for that matter – I never do, I usually just set stuff up and then sit down and have a read. My thoughts were that imaging was very good but there was nothing in the bass registers and so THEN I popped over to the Jern site and then the penny dropped as to why a pair of subs were included in the review package. I really ought to start to read about products before I jump right in and set them up.

Anyway, the subs were set up and the crossover dialed in, the level set and all was right with the world. Setting the subs up is relatively painless and a case of trial and error – initially I had them set a little too loud and they sounded boomy, dial that back a bit and they integrated beautifully with the Jerns. I was happy with the RELs placed directly in front of the Jerns and placed on their Jern stands which are solid cast iron and bloody heavy.

The first thing that you will notice about the Jerns is how well they image. I love this about small standmounters and point source loudspeakers, but I’ve never experienced such an accurate rendition of the stereo image in terms of how solidly instruments sit in their place in the mix – it really is something to behold and it’s a really addictive character of these speakers. Reviewers often talk of loudspeakers disappearing and I’ve often taken that with a pinch of salt, but with the Jerns this is as close to a pair of speakers doing a vanishing act as I’ve heard. I don’t know if it is the weight of the speakers compared to their size, the wonderful tweeter or what that is doing this but I do like it.

First on is a CD called Songs For A Better World from the 2 Meter Sessies series of recordings. The first track on this album is If I Had Rocket Launcher by Canadian Bruce Cockburn, it’s recorded in a radio studio with just two microphones and is just Cockburn and his guitar and the detail the Jerns bring out is nothing short of astonishing. Every nuance of his guitar playing is brought to the fore in wonderful detail. There are a few parts where Cockburn clearly moves away from the vocal microphone slightly and the mic picks up more ambiance from the room – it’s very subtle and ordinarily, I don’t think I would have noticed it, but the Jerns make it so obvious without you feeling the detail is being over-exaggerated. I’ve heard some loudspeakers that boost the top-end to make them appear to be more detailed than they actually are and that makes for a fatiguing listen and an unreal presentation, but the Jerns just feel natural and unforced in the upper registers. That is not to say they are in anyway rolled off, they are not at all, and everything is there. Now, this level of detail is often only apparent on some speakers when they are cranked up, and I do tend to listen pretty loud, but with this set of speakers, I have found myself to be listening at lower levels without losing any enjoyment. Ian McNabb’s version of Working Class Hero from the same 2 Meter Sessies CD is almost whispered in parts and then belted out in others but the Jerns are unruffled, super-fast and articulate dealing with dynamic changes wonderfully.

All well and good but so far we’ve played relatively simple tunes through the Jern/REL combo but what happens if we throw something a bit more hectic at them and so I did out a copy of LFOs We’re Back” and the volume goes up. This track goes LOW and I found myself dialing the subs back a little – great to have this flexibility. This is music meant to be played on big sound systems and was made at a time when sound systems of the day were all about the bass but look beyond the bass and the Jerns are bringing out so much more by way of detail which in this case may not be such a great thing. This is about as far away from audiophile music as you are likely to get and in parts it is rough, with the Jerns hiding nothing, warts and all. Popping on Logic’s classic house tune The Warning which is a cleaner kind of record rather than an all-out assault on the e’d upped senses of LFO track. The beats skip along are fast (in a stop-start sense) as you could hope for and remain steadfast in the mix, locking you in to the beats and drawing you into other textures and sounds in the mix. So yeh, this partnership can do well-recorded techno and house which is good as I’m going to be throwing a lot more of this program at them for my own enjoyment whilst they are here. Be warned though, a record that is dirty, for want of a better word, like the LFO tune has no place to hide.

As you continue to listen to the Jerns and the RELS it becomes apparent, or it did in my case, that you do need to fiddle with the bass somewhat to get them properly integrated. I said at the start of this review that setting the bass up was a doddle and that they integrated from the off, and they do, but I found the need to refine and fine-tune the RELs to get the very best from them integration-wise.

Royksopps’ Poor Leno from 2001 (wow, it seems like yesterday) sounds huge on this set up with the mix, particularly the vocal, projecting well out into the room. Percussion hits towards the start of the track fly about the room and the whole thing is, and I know this is a reviewers’ cliché, somewhat holographic. There is no harshness in the top-end and, as I ‘ve mentioned before, and there is just a feeling of things being right in a natural kind of sense. I am liking these loudspeakers a lot it has to be said.

Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours often gets rolled out for reviews. It’s a great record of which I have several copies and it’s a useful tool for review purposes. Songbird, recorded in an empty auditorium is useful to get a sense of how the recording space is presented and here I’m certainly not disappointed – close your eyes and you could be in the room about halfway back in the stalls. Decay on the piano and the softer after-touches are all there by the bucket-load. The dry kick on The Chain which follows opens the track and here I’m made to sit up and really take notice, particularly when the bass line comes in; really you could be in the studio listening to the final mixdown -only with less cocaine. Hard panned guitar stands out and again it is the stereo image that has me hooked with me being able to almost look at (and into) the mix. Ordinarily I’ll often jump from tune to tune when I’m reviewing a new bit of kit but unconsciously I’ve not done that with the Jerns, I’ve gone to my chosen test track and then let the record play out – this is a good sign.

CONCLUSION

It’s easy to be beguiled by a new product and what it does well whilst overlooking what it doesn’t do so well. I tend to take a listen to a product, go “yeh, yeh all very good but let’s take a step back and listen more critically”, I did this with the Jern/REL combo too but when I went back with fresh ears I was getting the same excitement and utter joy at listening to different tunes – and that’s all different genres.

Where these speakers score very highly is, if you have read the review you will know what’s coming, their imaging and level of detail. I was expecting to be disappointed with the bass and thought it would be slow and dragging, one of my pet hates, but adjust the bass throughout the period of a day or longer and you’ll find that it is fast and not at all overblown once you get them dialed in right.

OK, I like these speakers, I like them a lot. They are my kind of speakers – fast, accurate, detailed without being harsh and they image wonderfully.

AT A GLANCE

Build Quality: Impeccable. Solid and reassuringly heavy as they are cast in one piece.

Sound Quality: Detail and imaging are what these speakers are all about. The tweeter is a work of art and deserves special mention.

Value For Money: With the need for subs adding a further £1100 to the equation and their associated “plates” another £800 we are into the realms of serious outlay. With that said, you are getting a unique product that looks as good as it sounds and will certainly be a talking point.

Pros: Stunning imaging and detail to mid and tops. An almost reach out and touch sense with good recordings

Cons: Brutally unforgiving of poor material. The need to integrate subs. Price will be a deterrent for some given their size.

Price:

As tested £5894

Jern 14 EH loudspeakers – €/£3.998 /pair

Jern plate for REL T/5i subwoofers – €/£399 each

REL subs – £549 each

Stands for the 14 EH are available, though not tested here, for €/£1198.

SPECIFICATION

Stuart Smith

Review Equipment: Leema Acoustics Elements CD player, LAB 12 valve preamplifier, Nord Acoustics ICE Power amplifier, Chord Speaker Cables, Tellurium Q Ultra Black interconnects. Racks by Hifi Racks.