LATEST ADDITIONS

Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  1 comments
When Chord’s first Hugo portable DAC/headphone amplifier was launched at CES in January 2014, I instantly knew it was special – it looked, sounded and worked like nothing else, and was so good that many bought it to use as their main domestic digital converter, rather than a mere travelling accessory. That’s not to say it was perfect. Enthusiastic early adopters soon got to know its foibles, but it sounded so superb that we learned to live with them. Much as I loved it, the original Hugo had some niggles.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 14, 2017  |  0 comments
Fresh from updating its Prime family of turntables (Prime Scout HFC 422), VPI has released the Player, its entry-level deck. Builtas a complete solution with a moving-magnet phono stage and headphone amplifier on board, it consists of a non-resonant MDF chassis with an aluminium platter. The 9in tonearm uses bearings rather than the unipivot principle seen on VPI’s more upmarket decks and comes premounted with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge as part of the £1,500 package. The Player leaves the factoryin a pre-configured condition, meaning owners only need to carry out a very simple setup procedure to start playing LPs.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 13, 2017  |  0 comments
The market for stereo receivers is hotting up and Onkyo has launched two new models in the form of the £250 TX-8220 and £530 TX-8250 (pictured). The networkable TX-8250 claims a power output of 2x 135W into 6ohm, six RCA inputs and a moving-magnet phono stage. It has a hefty selection of additional features and sports optical and coaxial digital inputs, a USB audio connection and supports DTS Play-Fi, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and TuneIn. All decoding is handled by an internal AKM DAC, with support for 24/192 and DSD128 files.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 10, 2017  |  0 comments
Beryllium and Flax are not materials usually associated withone another, but that might be set to change with the announcement of Focal's all-new speaker called Kanta. Unveiled at a press conference back in September, the loudspeaker from the French manufacturer slots in neatly between its Aria and Sopra ranges. As with its existing models, it is handmade at Focal's manufacturing plant in Saint-Étienne, and marries concepts seen in both these designs while introducing a few new ones, too. The £6,999 Kanta No2 is a three-way floorstanding speaker.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 09, 2017  |  0 comments
Inside the December 2017 issue we take anexclusiveIn-depthlook at the new 700 loudspeaker series from Bowers & Wilkins with the 705 S2 standmount, while our regular reviews section features Simaudio’s MoonNēo 240i integrated amplifier, Technics’ SC-C70 one-box hi-fi system, Dual’s MTR-75 automatic turntable with USB, Acoustic Energy’s AE100 compact standmount as well as Wharfedale’s 11. 2 ‘big baby’ standmount and Sony’s NW-WM1A portable music player. Plus,Dealer Visitheads to the Nottingham HiFi Centre, whileMusic Legendscharts the songs that touched hearts and minds from singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell and our six-wayGroup Testlooks at floorstanding loudspeakers costing around £1k from KEF, Mission, Monitor Audio, Quadral, SVS, and XTZ. Get your copy here.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Oct 19, 2017  |  0 comments
Introducing Lehmannaudio’s latest headphone amplifier, the £450 Drachenfels. Named after a hill in the North Rhine-Westphalia region in Germany, it can be used as a headphone amp and has twin 6. 35mm jack outputs with gold-plated contacts, or as a single-input preamp for a power amplifier or set of powered speakers. Lehmannaudio claims it provides 12dB of gain, and says that because of its Alps Blue Velvet potentiometer and synchronism with the ultra low-noise circuit, there is no need for a gain switch.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Oct 19, 2017  |  0 comments
Welcome toThe Hi-Fi ShowLive2017, a specialty high-end audio event organised by the passionate audiophiles that bring you our sister titleHi-Fi News & Record Reviewmagazine every month. The world's oldest and most respected hi-fi magazine knows a thing or two about sound quality, so expect to experience some of the very best demonstrations ever attempted in the UK! In a refreshing departure from the conventional hotel show format, visitors will be treated to a series of memorable high-end audio events. Each of our major suites will feature examples of the very best that the high-end can offer with scheduled presentations and demonstrations by a mix of famous designers, engineers and audio personalities. Our other suites offer interactive demonstrations of the best headphones and headphone amplifiers, vinyl and hi-res/networked audio systems.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Oct 19, 2017  |  0 comments
Audio lovers and high-end enthusiasts will be able to share their passion at The Hi-Fi ShowLive2017, held once again at the exclusive Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor over the weekend of 21-22 October. Now in its fifth consecutive year, the two-day hi-fi extravaganza is the UK’s biggest celebration of high-end hi-fi for dedicated fans. Advance Tickets The on-line ticket office is now open, so snap up your guaranteed place for Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd or buy a full weekend pass to theHi-Fi ShowLive. Tickets cost £20 (£30 for a weekend pass) viaeventbrite.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Oct 18, 2017  |  0 comments
Pro-Ject’s Box Design series of compact hi-fi components has been available for over 10 years, but nine new additions havenow been added in the shapeof the DS2 range, while moreare expected before the end of the year. All new models offer improved four-layer PCB boards for shorter signal paths and are available in a choice of either black and eucalyptus or silver and walnut (pictured) finishes. The £785 Pre Box DS2 Digitalis a compact preamp, offeringa built-in MM/MC phono stage, headphone amplifier, 32-bit/ 768kHz PCM and DSD256-capable DAC and aptX Bluetooth. The Amp Box DS2 (top unit) is built around a low-energy Class D amplifier module to provide high output power for demanding speakers and is available in both Stereo (£520) and Mono (£475) guises.
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Oct 18, 2017  |  0 comments
Not content with offering vinyl lovers the ooportunity to pick up the black stuff on Record Store Day, there is now Record Store Day Black Friday and vinylistas should mark down 24 November in their diaries. Rhino is preparing 12 special, limited edition releases especially for 2017’s Record Store Day Black Friday. Fans of Aretha Franklin, Dimebag Darrell, The Doors, Grateful Dead, The Notorious B. I.

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