Hi-Fi Choice

Committed to vinyl replay long before the current popularity of the medium, Creek Audio’s OBH range of phono stages has been around for 25 years. The OBH-8mk2 is the latest iteration of the design and is the entry-level model in the range, sitting just below the long-running £300 OBH-15mk2 (HFC 407). The OBH-8mk2 is a straightforward moving-magnet phono stage with fixed loading and no user adjustments. The new design uses an integrated circuit for the gain stage powered by a 24V supply, which is something that has been present on OBH designs since their inception.

Has hi-fi got better in the past few decades? Take loudspeakers for example; low-cost designs from the seventies were somewhere between dreadful and dire, but improvements in design and manufacturing now make it possible to do so much better. This point is beautifully illustrated by the new Monitor 300. To be frank, the price has you wondering if the company has inadvertently left off a zero. From a distance it looks like a swanky high-end floorstander – indeed, you could say the same from moderately close up.

A clue might be in the name, but to be honest, it isn’t much of a clue. Fyne Audio. Considerable pun potential apart, a manufacturer with a Scottish HQ seems a fair bet – not unlike legendary Scottish loudspeaker maker, Tannoy. More than just a coincidence? Absolutely.

The arrival of a new high-end solid-state amplifier from this renowned US audio brand is a major event and the K-300i is no exception – especially as it’s the most affordable way to taste Krell’s craftsmanship. Available in a choice of stylish black and silver (pictured) finishes, this amp is available in two variants – an analogue-only design (£4,698) with RCA/XLR inputs and a version with added digital inputs and streaming (£5,698). Unsurprisingly, under the stunning minimal-look chassis, there’s a technological feast: for starters, the K-300i incorporates a newly developed amplifier circuit design with the latest version of iBias. The manufacturer boasts that this tech provides the sonic purity of Class A operation without the excessive heat and power consumption that’s associated with it.