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Following our IAG Insider Feature in the October issue of Hi-Fi Choice we are pleased to give news of a special Quad event to be held at KJ West One. Peter J. Comeau, head of Acoustic Design at IAG, the owner of Quad, will be presenting the Quad family of audio electronics and speakers in a unique opportunity to get up close and hear the current generation of components. On show will be the Platinum series electronics, the Elite range that offers such exceptional value and the classic valve-based components, as well as the chance to examine and audition the Vena – see the November 390 issue for the world's first review of this new model – played through the 11 L loudspeakers.

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.

Quad continues to mark its 79th anniversary with the launch of the new Artera range, which includes the Artera Play CD player DAC and preamp, alongside the Artera Stereo power amplifier, which is available in a choice of either black or silver finishes. At the heart of the Artera Play, is the ESS Sabre32 9018 32-bit, eight-channel digital-to-analogue converter. This is Quad’s first component to utilise this hybrid multi-bit chipset and external digital sources can, claims Quad, benefit from its exceptional quality via a range of digital inputs. These include USB, with support for up to 32/384 PCM and also DSD64/128/256.

Iconic Audio Brand Quadhas been making valve amplifiers since the forties, and its first mono valve amplifier set the audio standards of the day that saw it receive one of the highest accolades of the time when it was adopted by the BBC for its outstanding sound quality. The audio landscape has evolved considerably in the company's 80-plus year history since it first started out, but has continued with its valve-based audio expertiseto this day and the VA-One joins the PA-One headphone preamp in the current One Series line of valve-based components, fusing Quad's considerable tube know-how with modern digital technology and facilities inside one of the smallest integrated amplifiers. With a footprint measuring just 180 x 330mm, the VA-One is a remarkably compact stereo valve amplifier that boasts seven valves in all. The preamp section incorporates an ECC83 high-impedance triode, feeding an ECC82 twin triode driver and phase splitter stage.

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.

When approaching its latest turntable, Rega’s designers were tasked with making their most successful model yet even easier to use and more accessible to a wider audience. The result is the Planar 1 Plus, which ditches the USB interface for digitising music in favour of a built-in moving-magnet stage based on Rega’s Fono Mini. Like the Planar 1 on which it is based, the Plus additionally boasts Rega’s RB110 tonearm, which rather handily includes automatic bias adjustment, making setup easier for beginners. Rega’s Carbon moving-magnet cartridge is supplied, as is a new ‘Plug and Play’ balance weight and redesigned feet to increase stability while minimising vibration transfer.

From the moment Rega revived its Planar name with the introduction of the Planar 1, Planar 2 (HFC 415) and Planar 3 (HFC 411) turntables in 2016, it was just a matter of time before an RP6 successor would become a reality. Rumours had been circulating for some time after the Planar 3 debuted well over a year ago, and anticipation was finally broken with the official announcement of the release of the new Planar 6 in mid-July. The good news is that it was well worth the wait. So much more than just a beefed-up version of its Planar 3 sibling, the Planar 6 boasts a new lightweight, single-piece plinth, improved two-piece platter and superior power supply design that borrows from Rega’s flagship RP10 turntable.