LATEST ADDITIONS

Hi-Fi Choice  |  Feb 05, 2018  |  0 comments
Cambridge audio has started off its 50th anniversary year by introducing a new pair of dedicated phono stages. The moving-magnet Solo (pictured top) claims 36dB gain (@1kHz) and 10W maximum power consumption. With nominal output of 300mV, it is expected to cost £150. Priced at £100 more, the Duo incorporates both moving-magnet and moving-coil input stages, with 60dB gain claimed for the latter.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Feb 02, 2018  |  0 comments
The Venetian Tower in Las Vegas seemed an appropriately glamorous location for Chord Electronics to unveil the latest addition to its family of DACs to an expectant public at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (see this month's issue for more). Dubbed “The World’s most advanced compact DAC”, Qutest is based on the latest version of Rob Watts famed proprietary FPGA technology – developed for the Hugo 2 (HFC 428) no less. Designed for static use within the home, the new digital-to-analogue converter benefits from being powered via a 5V micro USB port, offering up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512 via its USB Type-B input, 24-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD128 from its coaxial (BNC) and 24-bit/192kHz via optical Toslink. Created by Chief Designer John Franks, the new square-edged, solid aluminium chassis retains the often divisive circular magnifying porthole window seen on Hugo and similarly utilises the coloured spheres to provide the user with information relating to sample frequency and input selection.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Feb 01, 2018  |  0 comments
HFC kick started 2018 by travelling to CES Las Vegas to experience the show that sets the tone for the technology trends in the year ahead, and it looks set to be a great one for hi-fi. Now in its 51st year, it’s true that the expo has evolved to focus more on emerging technologies such as 8K screens, AI assistants, virtual reality and autonomous driving, but there were still plenty of audio highlights to satisfy our hi-fi sensibilities with brands showcasing the latest developments and product launches. Read our CES Show Report to discover what’s in store. One of the highlights of last year’s CES was the opportunity to see Naim’s Uniti series in the flesh.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 31, 2018  |  0 comments
Back in HFC 431 we gave you the opportunity to win a selection of accessories from IsoTek. We can reveal that Chris Corrigan is the lucky winner, while the seven runner’s up prizes go to: Pamela Ratchford, Dan Odling, Peter Weston, Glen Buddery, David Dukes, Kevin Rowley and Robert Whewell. Congratulations to you all! Here's Chris all set to install his IsoTek Evo 3 Corvus nine-way mains distribution block and conditioner clutching a copy of the latestHFC. .
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 30, 2018  |  1 comments
Fine tune like a pro The dark art of subwoofer setup is explained in this fantastic series of videos produced by REL. Corner placement, orientation, phase, crossover and room correction for both two-channel and home cinema are all explored in depth. Click here to find out more. Sonos: Sound Tracks A fascinating series of videos by acclaimed music journalist Joe Levy, Sound Tracks is available to Tidal subscribers and features in-depth chat with producers, engineers and musicians about the tunesthat changed their lives.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 26, 2018  |  0 comments
After the introduction of the analogue-only PM8006 integrated amplifier with phono stage (£1,099)at the end of last year, Marantz kicked off 2018 by unveiling its matching ND8006 – a digital music player that combines network streaming and CD playback, available now for £1,099. Designed by the audio specialist as a high-quality universal music player, it can be used to partnera conventional integrated amplifier (such as the intended PM8006)or connected directly to a power amplifier or active speaker of your choosing, thanks to its built-in digital preamp. HEOS integration also enables it to form part of a multi-room setup – just add HEOS speakers. Disc playback extends to CD and CD-R/RW (MP3/WMA), but unlike other disc players in the Marantz range, SACD isn't supported.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 08, 2018  |  0 comments
Welcome to the AVTech Awards for 2017/18. Here, the UK’s premium AV magazine brands – Hi-Fi Choice, Home Cinema Choice and Hi-Fi News & Record Review – come together to celebrate the very best music and movie hardware you can buy. Every month we test and review more hi-fi, TV and home theatre equipment than any other organisation in the UK, and our annual Awards are informed by this pool of experience. Winning products range from headphones and portable music players to flagship floorstanding loudspeakers; from 4K TVs and projectors to Ultra HD Blu-ray players and AV receivers; from USB DACs and headphone amps to turntables, integrated and pre/power amplifiers and every black box and cable in between.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 02, 2018  |  0 comments
In putting together this special edition, it’s clear to see that it has been another landmark year for audio, with a staggering number of high-performance components emerging to feed our passion for sound in increasingly innovative ways. From the continuing rise in popularity of vinyl to on-demand music streaming services delivering CD-quality sound and higher, the way we access music and the products we listen on is as diverse as ever. Inside this 164-page issue you’ll find our pick of the greatest-sounding audio products to undergo our respected reviewing process in 2017. From hi-res digital players to turntables, loudspeakers and headphones, every product is a covetedHi-Fi Choicebadge winner applauded by our experts for a winning combination of outstanding sound quality and value for money.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 01, 2018  |  0 comments
Despite the burgeoning popularity of the one-stop shop hi-fi component – to which one need only add speakers for a complete system covering all modern, non-physical digital media requirements – not everyone wants that degree of convergence and will happily settle for an integrated amp with on-board DAC and a decent phono stage. Canada’s Moon by Simaudio has, perhaps inevitably, just cracked that particular nut with the introduction of the Moon 240i integrated amp/DAC – essentially the company’s highly regarded Nēo Ace streaming integrated amp minus the streaming bit and a helpful £710 from the Ace’s asking price. As such, the £1,990 240i represents a new entry point for Moon’s neatly tiered integrated amp range, which peaks – via the 340i and 600i – with the 2x 175W 700i. We’re some way from that with the 240i, which quotes a more modest 50 Class A/B Watts per channel but, as ever, this is only a rough guide to speaker-driving ability and no guide at all to sound quality, an area in which Moon amps usually excel.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jan 01, 2018  |  0 comments
Producing a concept unit especially for a show or event is a relatively common practise in the car industry, but rather less so in the world of hi-fi. Most companies tend to consider the business of creating items for production to be work enough, but one noble exception is KEF. Having done exactly this with the Muon floorstander, it repeated the process with the Concept Blade, and then managed to get both speaker prototypes into series production. In the case of the Blade, the result was an extraordinary speaker and one we liked very much.

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