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On display for the first time at The Bristol Show in February (seeour full report in the latest issue), the Studio is the latest two-way standmount design from Monitor Audio. Without any kind of grille, Studio's designers tell us that the intention was to make the two metallic-silver RDT II speaker cones the focal point and give it an eye-catching contemporary edge. The dual 102mm drivers are modified versions of those found on its Platinum range flagship PL500 II floorstander. Utilising the same design principles and materials, a micro pleated diaphragm (MPD) is used as the cental high-frequency transducer.

One of the things we love about hi-fi is that it’s continuously evolving. As our systems grow with a mix of carefully chosen components based on our format needs and total synergy with the rest of the setup, it feels like audio art in the making – and it doesn’t stop once all the components are in place either. Years of tinkering has taught me that significant improvements in the sound of my system can often be gained by simply rearranging the furniture in my room or by trying out one of the vast numbers of accessories designed to help prevent interference from external forces or maintain audio signal integrity throughout the chain of components. Not all of them have had a positive effect on the sound of my setup, but many have achieved a nuanced influence, bringing greater rewards to the listening experience.

Built specifically to partner the Class D topology of its half-width ONE amplifier (HFC 417), Cyrus has unveiled the £350 ONElinear; a compact bookshelf loudspeaker that managing director Simon Freethy says: “. . . is designed to showcase the amplifier’s true ability.

For Exposure, 2017 was the year for downsizing, or at least it was as far as its XM series was concerned. A quick recap: back in HFC 424 the XM5 integrated amplifier wowed reviewersby providing an audiophile performance from the sort of sleek half-width dimensions more commonly associated with a lifestyle product. And then it repeated the trick in HFC 429 with the XM7 preamp/DAC and XM9 power amplifier. Now comes the turn of the XM HP headphone amplifier.

According to recent figures from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), music streaming services like Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz account for more than 50 percent of music consumption in the UK. On the face of it, music file streaming in one form or another appears to be the way many of today’s music fans choose to listen, but despite a statistical decline in physical sales, I wouldn’t mind betting that CD remains the music format of choice for the majority of hi-fi owners. Our own online survey clearly shows that there are plenty of us still listening to music via the 12cm silver disc that prematurely promised “perfect sound forever”. Even if the rate we purchase new albums on the format has declined over recent years, our Twitter poll reveals that almost 50 percent of us own at least 500 albums on CD – that’s a quite considerable number of discs and a lifetime of music collecting for many.

Tape that and party In an effort to explore the growing popularity of the humble compact cassette, Radio Four’s The World At One got a selection of DJs, journalists and record label ownersto explain what it is that they still find so enduring about tape. Hear for yourself what they love about the format here. Reel gone kid Our very own Neville Roberts is oneof many music enthusiasts enjoying the re-emergence of reel-to-reel tapes. Is it the new vinyl? Short answer, no.