LATEST ADDITIONS

Inside the November 2017 issue we take anIn-depthlook at Exposure’s cute XM7/XM9 pre/power amps, plusExoticatakes a look at Sennheiser’s Audiophile HDV 820 headphone amplifier, while our regular reviews section features Rotel’s RCD-1572 sliver disc spinner, Spendor’s compact A2 floorstander as well as Wharfedale’s 11. 1 standmount and Emotiva’s bargain BasX PT-100/BasX A-300 pre/power amp combo. Plus,Beautiful Systempartners a stunning streaming system in the form of Auralic’s Polaris with Spendor’s D9 floorstander, whileMusic Legendscharts super-producer Nile Rodgers and our six-wayGroup Testlooks at noise-cancelling headphones from AKG, Audio-Technica, Bose, Denon, Libratone and Sennheiser. Check out the November issue on sale now.

With similarities to its high-end Cadenza Series, Ortofon’s new MC Windfeld Ti moving-coil cartridge uses titanium to increase the rigidity of the body, eliminate unwanted vibrations and increase its dynamic capability. It uses “the finest diamond in the world” – the Ortofon Replicant 100 – which boasts a thin and light profile, with a long vertical contact surface making it as close as possible to an original record cutting stylus. By specially polishing the stylus and then mounting it onto a boron cantilever, Ortofon claims that it offers remarkable transparency, speed and responsiveness beyond that of any other combination. It weighs 11g and is available to buy now for £3,100 and is distributed in the UK by Henley Audio.

Are music systems getting smaller? In terms of physical dimensions, audio components are definitely shrinking in my setup. A quick flick through this month’s issue is testament to the audio industry’s move towards compact design and practical portability – and I don’t mean the kind of shrinkage that leaves you feeling short changed as you do with unscrupulous food brands reducing their pack sizes. Technology is a wonderful thing and a move to downsize a hi-fi product doesn’t have to mean a sacrifice in audio quality or resolving power, as our reviews of Chord Electronics’ Hugo 2 and Audiolab’s M-DAC Mini demonstrate. Even the briefest audition of the all-new Hugo 2 DAC and headphone amplifier will leave you in no doubt that this is a tremendously mighty and flexible device that builds on the success of its quirky predecessor and redefines what we can realistically expect from something that’s not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes.

Two years in development, Talk Electronics has unveiled its latest Edwards Audio integrated amplifier. The IA3-R boasts a new MOSFET output stage, RF filtering, improved small signal transistors and a new custom-wound toroidal transformer. It claims power output of 2x 90W into 8ohm and a signal-to-noise ratio of 85dB at 1W. Completely designed and manufactured in the UK, it hasa blue backlit display and comes equipped with a remote control handset.