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Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 28, 2015  |  0 comments
Abbey Road Studios will host a new series of public lectures from November entitled ‘Sleeve Notes: From Mono to Infinity,’ and presented by acclaimed and influential music producer and recording engineerAlan Parsons. Parsons – who is indelibly linked to Abbey Road for his work with Pink Floyd, The Beatles and his own music with The Alan Parsons Project – willchart the development of his own skills and experience as an engineer, producer and recording artist alongside the developments in music technology at Abbey Road that enabled the creative envelope to be continuously pushed, resulting in groundbreaking, inspirational and timeless recordings. He will share his first-hand experiences – both anecdotal and educational – of his time working with the artists who passed through the iconic studios’ doors. The talks will incorporate audio recordings, video footage, photos and vintage studio equipment used to create classic tracks.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 25, 2015  |  0 comments
Bose's latest headphone release – the SoundLink around-ear wireless headphones II – is described by the company as "Offering the best sound quality of any wireless headphone available with a whole new kind of wireless experience". Built for use out and about, the headphones have 'multi-point' for hook up to two devices, boast quick-pairing with NFC technology and claim a15 hour battery life. The SoundLink®around-ear wireless headphones II use proprietary technologies, including active equalisation and new volume-optimised equalisation, so that music should retain detail no matter what the volume. There are no manufactured boosts because they’re not needed for impact.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 24, 2015  |  0 comments
Pure has announced details of its new line of digital and internet radios with Bluetooth connectivity. The new line up includes: theEvoke F3digital and internet radio with Bluetooth and Spotify Connect; the third generation of the One Mini, Midi and Maxi digital radiosand theEvoke C series – a range of all-in-one home audio systems. The Evoke F3 (pictured above) is a compact digital and internet table-top radio with with instant access to over 25,000 stations worldwide. It offersBluetooth connectivity and also has Spotify Connect for simple music streaming.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 23, 2015  |  0 comments
Wires, huh yeah, what are they good for?Absolutely nothing!” So goes the classic Edwin Starr song. Okay, so maybe we’re a little confused about the actual words to Starr’s classic slice of soul, but the point remains – having a mass of cables trailing from your hi-fito your speakers can be a unnecessarily messy business. Of course, wireless technology has been around for some time, but its been decidedly shaky to say the least, until now that is. .
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 22, 2015  |  0 comments
It’s just over 12 months since we looked at luxury headphones in a Group Test, but the market has grown so rapidly in the past year that we felt it was time to revisit this increasingly popular sector once again to compare six of the most significant home-use designs that are grabbing the headlines today. The rise of the once humble headphone has been well documented in these pages, and has been fuelled partly by a passion for music on the move and fashionistas wearing trendsetting cans. But there are several other reasons closer to home for the expanding headphone market, that has seen it reach audio fans who are turning to a pair of quality ear speakers as their transducer of choice. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need headphones for home listening at all.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 22, 2015  |  0 comments
DETAILS PRODUCT:Sonus faber Chameleon B Origin:Italy Type:2-way standmount loudspeaker Weight:6. 7kg Dimensions(WxHxD):185 x 315 x 283mm FEATURES 29mm fabric dome tweeter 150mm polypropylenemid/bass driver Quoted sensitivity 87dB/1W/1m DISTRIBUTOR:Absolute Sounds Ltd TELEPHONE:0208 9713909 WEBSITE:absolutesounds. com Read full reveiw in issue 402 . .
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 21, 2015  |  0 comments
Atlas Cables has announced the release of its new updated Ascent Ultra interconnect and Ascent XLR cable. Hand-built at its factory in Kilmarnock, the Ascent Ultra uses a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), which is extruded around the bare OCC copper conductors. This process, says Atlas, allows the required geometry of the conductor within the dielectric to be maintained and offers greater manufacturing consistency and wider bandwidth. The Ultra Plug has a claimed 57 percent reduction in mass over its predecessor and includes solder-free construction, self-cleaning insertion and material consistency that helps, says Atlas, to deliver the best fidelity.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 18, 2015  |  0 comments
After seven albums as one half of celebrated musical duo Air,Nicolas Godin has finally produced his first solo album,Contrepoint, which is available today. Contrepoint is described asa dazzling experience that conjoins Godin’s former habitual musical fusions with classical forms, taking the listener on multiple adventurous journeys, often within each song, with counterpoint just one of its many landmarks. It’s remarkably varied in tone and rhythm, splicing genres with a bold, punchy and yet sensual and sweeping feel, with a variety of enticing lyrical narratives, and a starry international cast of guests, such as French vocalist Gordon Tracks, Brazilian singerMarcelo Camelo, Italian author Alessandro Barrico, New Zealand guitarist Connan Mockasin and the choir from Macedonia’s F. A.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 17, 2015  |  0 comments
Originally conceived 17 years ago as a cost-no-object nearfield monitor for use in recording studios and broadcast vehicles, Leema Acoustics’ Xen loudspeaker was the result of a research project to squeeze a BBC-graded monitor into a small standmount cabinet that quickly found favour with music lovers. Unlike the original Xen, which was never designed for domestic use, the new Xen 2 offers a host of improvements over its professional predecessor. With a front baffle that’s the size of an A5 paperback book, the new Xen 2 is ultra compact and boastsa claimed frequency responseof 57Hz-25kHz and an output of between 60W and 150W. It benefits from two bass reflex ports, which extend into the cabinet then fold down behind the bass driver – each measuring 260mm.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 16, 2015  |  0 comments
MrSpeakers has teamed up with headphone designer, Bruce Thigpen (founder of Eminent Technology), to produce the Ether, a new planar-driven open-backed, on-ear headphone. The Ether makes use of patent-pending V-Planar technology that – it’s claimed – can not only push more air at low frequencies, but with greater acceleration also “deliver better dynamics, high-end frequency response and measurably lower distortion”. The 2. 75 x 1.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 15, 2015  |  0 comments
Following in the footsteps of high-end tonearms like the Nima, Tabriz and Artemiz, Roksan's latest tonearm the Pug is based around a large, yet light and rigid 22mm diameter carbon fibre arm tube, combined with black chromed anodised aluminium. Users can choose between two adjustable counterweights (depending on the weight and tracking force of the cartridge) to get the perfect balance, while the anti-skate mechanism is the familiar ‘weight and thread’ option. The internal wiring is from Cardas, and Roksan tells us that it was chosen specifically for its speed maintenance and ability to retrieve micro-details. The manufacturer describes the Pug’s sonic performance as being fast and airy with a highly refined level of detail.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 14, 2015  |  0 comments
Meet AeroSphère, the multi-room audio system that’s designed by Geneva to provide music around the home without looking like a traditional hi-fi setup. The red ‘balls’ (white and black options are also available)you can see in the picture below are actually loudspeakers – in this case the AeroSphère Small. A wireless active mono speaker, the Small is a standmount (an optional stand is available for £150) retailing at around £350. It comprises a 1in tweeter separated in its own chamber from the 4in woofer.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 11, 2015  |  0 comments
Quad has unveiled details of its latest speaker range, the S Series. Consisting of five new models (two floorstanders, two standmounts and a centre for home cinema use), the S Series features advanced Kevlar-coned mid/bass drivers and a specially designed ribbon tweeter to supply what Quad describes as “effortless sonic expression to capture all the nuances and passion of the original performance”. The £600 S-1 is a two-way standmount with the new12 x 45mm True Ribbon tweeter, 100mm woven Kevlar midrange and a reflex port. It claims sensitivity of 84dB.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 10, 2015  |  0 comments
From Queen and Universal Music comes Queen: The Studio Collection, featuring 15 remastered albums in an 18-disc box set. 24-bit/96kHz digital masters were first made from the original tapes with any speed errors, missing audio, clicks and other unwanted noises rectified in the digital domain, and then the tracks were pressed on heavyweight 180g theme-coloured vinyl. Though it’s not quite Radio Ga Ga, Rega’s latest turntable is sure to be a big hit with Queen fans too. Launched to complement the vinyl release, it features the band’s crest silkscreen printed across the platter and the exclusive ‘Queen by Rega’ logo on the gloss-black plinth.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Sep 09, 2015  |  0 comments
Dynaudio has announced details of its new Contour LE series, consisting of the S 1. 4 LE bookshelf loudspeaker (pictured above) and the S 3. 4LE floorstander. The rigid cabinet design features what Dynaudio describes as a “unique baffle” made up of three layers – including a layer of damping material and a thick metal plate.

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