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Worthing-based Flare Audio already has a number of low-cost in-ear designs, but the Flares Pro is the first model to grab our attention and is aimed at audio aficionados. It can be connected directly to a player using the supplied cable fitted with a 3. 5mm jack plug or wirelessly using the lightweight clip-on Bluetooth DAC/receiver with aptX support, which claims 12 hours battery life when charged via USB. Everything is supplied inside a multi-layered, cube-shaped box with three sizes (small, medium and large) for each of the Earfoams Everyday, Universal and Audiophile ear-tips, plus there’s a fabric carry case that fits neatly into a pocket for life on the road.

Following its award-winning LS50 Wireless active loudspeaker system introduced in 2017 (HFC 413), respected hi-fi speaker maker KEF looks set to continue to be the go-to-brand in compact music systems with the introduction of its £1,000 LSX wireless stereo speakers. Packing in 200W of Class D amplification (2x 30W + 2x 70W), the smaller two-way standmount design measures 155 x 240 x 180mm (WxHxD). It employs the respected Uni-Q driver array with a 19mm aluminium dome tweeter and 115mm magnesium/aluminium alloy cone mid/bass driver – recognised for its wider stereo imaging over a larger area – and is combined with the company's Music Integrity Engine DSP to ensure accurate time alignment and phase coherence, no matter where the LSX is placed in a room. The twin active stereo speakers support wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity – with Apple AirPlay 2 support expected early in 2019 via a firmware update.

In common with the Rocket 11 loudspeaker cable (HFC 440), the Rocket 22 uses two pairs of conductors per channel, which allows both pairs to be wired in parallel for conventional ‘full range’ wiring, or each pair to be connected separately for bi-wiring. The conductors are made from a combination of the company’s Long-Grain Copper (LGC) and Perfect-Surface Copper (PSC). The LGC and PSC wire is laid out in a ‘true-concentric’ configuration. This means that each layer of strands in a concentric conductor is spiralled in the opposite direction from the one below.

As we all know, looks aren’t everything, and it’s fair to say that some hi-fi brands don’t tend to agonise over the way their output is presented quite as much as others. Despite this, products that don’t stand out for their good looks can very often sound quite special and I would certainly put this Missing Link cable into this category. Designer Mark Sears is a straight-shooting sort of chap with an insatiable interest in engineering and materials science and a stickler for detail. His company’s entry-level interconnect is called Silver Surfer, which isn’t the most inspiring name but shows that money hasn’t been wasted on fancy branding.