Hi-Fi Choice

Turntables, Arms & Cartridges
Rega Planar 6 with Ania MC cartridge
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  0 comments
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 logical that the RP6 would be in line to join the new order. Rumours of an RP6 successor have been circulating for some time since the Planar 3 arrived over a year ago and anticipation was finally broken with the official announcement of the imminent release of the new Planar 6 in mid- July, much to the excitement of both dealers and Rega enthusiasts alike. On the face of it, the similarities between the Planar 6 and the more affordable models in Rega’s range look to outweigh the differences, but rest assured that the £998 (without cartridge) Planar 6 is rather more than a beefed-up version of its Planar 3 sibling. The new turntable is still an unsuspended, belt-driven design that uses a single-piece plinth instead of the distinctive two-piece design of the continuing RP8 and RP10 flagship decks.
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Turntables, Arms & Cartridges
Technics SL-1200/1210GR
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  0 comments
Few symbols of vinyl’s resurgence are quite as potent as last year’s timely introduction of Technics’ Grand Class SL-1200G (HFC 418) flagship and limited edition SL-1200GAE turntables. Based on the DJ-friendly decks that first appeared in the seventies, the original SL-1200 ceased production due to financial pressures back in 2010, and sparked protests from loyal fans around the world. It seems Panasonic was paying attention because the iconic SL-1200 returned in redesigned form last year and was widely recognised as a significant jump up from the original classic – but then with an asking price of £3,000 it really ought to be. Apart from the obvious cosmetic differences, the silver SL-1200GR and black SL-1210GR are essentially the same.
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All-In-One Systems
Devialet Gold Phantom
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  0 comments
“A whole new thing”. That’s what a car magazine colleague called McLaren’s P1 hybrid hypercar when he experienced it for the first time. In fact, so frequently were his usual ‘supercar’ frames of reference being pulled out of shape or simply blown apart as he drove it round the Yas Marina Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi, he couldn’t stop saying it (he was being filmed). It would make an apt strap line for Devialet, the Paris-based high-end audio brand.
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Loudspeakers
Q Acoustics Concept 500 floorstanding speakers
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Nov 15, 2017  |  0 comments
It is hard to believe that it is now over a decade since Q Acoustics first began selling speakers. As a brand developed under the banner of Armour Home Electronics in 2006, it has successfully managed to swiftly migrate from newcomer to become the new benchmark for entry-level speakers (see our Group Test starting on p24). Even when it pushed its designs slightly upmarket with the arrival of its first Concept models in 2014, it delivered speakers that remain some of the best at their price points today. With barely any speaker markets left to conquer under £1,000, it was inevitable that eventually the brand would move more upmarket.
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Outboard DACs
Chord Electronics Hugo 2 DAC headphone amplifier
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.
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News
VPI introduces Player turntable
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.
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News
Onkyo unveils new TX stereo receivers
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.
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News
Focal unveils new Kanta No2 loudspeaker
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.
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News
December issue on sale now!
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.
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News
Lehmannaudio releases new Drachenfels headphone amp
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.
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