News

Highresaudio has announced that customers that use Audirvana Plus (the software player created for the Mac platform) for streaming of their high-resolution music will now be able to take advantage of VirtualVault 2. 0. VirtualVault is designed for users that don’t want to have to download the music that they have already purchased or install any additional peripheral devices such as a NAS drive or home server, and means that they can access their hi-res music collection while away from homeat a friend’s or while on the move (although music from the user’s private collection cannot be accessed). VirtualVault is free for Highresaudio customers and those that own an Audirvana Plus license.

Computer Audio Design has unveiled a refit to its CAD 1543 DAC that now uses proprietary EMI/RFI reduction material, improved circuit boards and refined power supply filtering. The new CAD 1543 MKII retains the key technologies that have made its predecessor popular – namely its use of vintage resistor-ladder DAC chipsets and the removal of the standard digital interpolation filter – and the maker claims that the result is an open and boundless soundstage. The aforementioned resistor-ladder converter chip – the Philips TDA1543/N2 with its 16 selected devices – is now mounted on a revised four-layer circuit board and as well as claiming minimal intrinsic noise, CAD states it allows a native resolution of 192kHz PCM audio. The minimalist design has limited switches and connectors between mains plugs and output sockets.

Originally devised as a project by Kevin Lewandowskiin 2000, Discogs has grown to become an incredible resource for fans of both vinyl and CD. In essence, the site is adatabase of music that has been created by Discogs' dedicated community of users. To date, more than 275,000 people have contributed to help build the site's catalogue of more than 6,900,000 recordings from some 4,300,000 artists. It also provides the ability to catalogue your music collection, wantlist and then share your ratings and reviews.

Building on the success of its Recommended badge-winning Mu-so wireless music system (HFC 391), Naim has unveiled the Mu-so Qb. Described by the manufacturer as combining Naim’s priorities of high-quality, engaging sound and understated design, Mu-so Qb appears in a more compact chassis and boasts a speaker arrangement of five offset and angled drivers (two tweeters, two mids and a woofer), although the bass port of its sibling has been ditched to keep size down. Instead, two tuned pistonic bass radiators work alongside a custom-made woofer driven by the 100W amplifier. The Mu-so Qb can connect to your home wi-fi and can wirelessly stream hi-res music stored on your network or browse and play tracks using Spotify Connect, Tidal, internet radio or Airplay.

Adored by hi-fi fans and DJs alike around the world, it was a sad day in 2010 when Technics finally announced that it would cease production of its iconic SL-1200 direct-drive turntable due to dwindling vinyl sales and the riseof more practical music formats. The SL-1200 was originally built for hi-fi fans when it launched in 1972, but its consistent performance, robust build and unique pitch-shifting ability made it the go-to deck for many DJs, who managed to prolong the deck's life long after many hi-fi fans had sold their record collections to car boot sales. Even so, its departure from the market was a surprise and perhaps even a little premature given the growing interest we've seen in the vinyl market in the last few years. Thankfully though, the legendary vinyl spinner looks set to make a comeback later this year.

The BBC has today unveiled a new music app that pulls together music clips from across the network's TV shows and radio stations into one central searchable location. The new app, which is available on Android and iOS-enabled smartphones and tablets consists of live performances, DJ and presenter curated playlists and interviews with musicians. Users will also be able to search for and play all tracks broadcast on BBC Radio over the past week and add favourites to their own playlist. It's also claimed that the app will learn the personal preferences of users and then deliver a choice of tunes that have been individually tailored to the user's taste.

Welcome to the March 2016 issue of Hi-Fi Choice – the essential guide to getting the best possible sound from your hi-fi, whether you're buying, tuning or tweaking. . . 

 What excites me about editing Hi-Fi Choice is not just getting my hands on all the latest audio components and new technology and sharing the experience with you, but also connecting with artists and bands in our Music Reviews and Labelled With Love features.