Hi-Fi Choice

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September issue on sale now!
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Aug 09, 2018  |  0 comments
Ten years ago, few of us could have predicted the major shift that would take place in the way we consume music and that we’d be able to stream CD-quality and hi-res music files straight into our homes via robust broadband services. To my mind, this is still the stuff of science-fiction fantasy and in a relatively short time, music fans like myself have gone from buying CDs from a high-street record store to streaming content directly to our home music systems with just the tap of a touchscreen. I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember the last time I purchased any physical digital media, although I know I am listening and discovering more music than ever. Streaming services have undoubtedly revolutionised the way we experience music, and several now offer better-than-CD sound quality, while others are still serving something close to MP3-quality.
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Audiolab unleashes M-EAR 2D and M-EAR 4D in-ears
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 27, 2018  |  0 comments
Another headphone first comes from Audiolab – best known for its DACs and amplifiers – which pulls back the curtain on two sets of in-ear designs with the M-EAR 2D (£430) and M-EAR 4D (£700). Both available now, the former is a two-driver design, with one driver handling mid/high frequencies and the other dedicated to bass. The M-EAR 4D is a three-way design sporting four drivers – one for high frequencies, another for midrange and two for bass. Both come with a tangle-resistant detachable 1.
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Falcon Acoustics takes flight as it launches RAM Studio series
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 26, 2018  |  0 comments
Putting in an appearance for the first time at The Bristol Hi-Fi Show back in February, British speaker brand Falcon Acoustics has partnered with UK distributor Karma-AV. The first fruit of this team up is the introduction of the Reference Audio Monitor (RAM) Studio series with three models: Studio 10, 20 and 30. The first and smallest in the range, the Studio 10 (from £1,395), is a two-way ported standmount loudspeaker with a 150mm mid/bass driver and custom 25mm soft dome tweeter. Falcon says it’s designed to deliver a smooth and detailed response, precise imaging and an extended soundstage and is rated at 89dB sensitivity into 8ohm.
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Quad unveils ERA-1 headphones
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 25, 2018  |  0 comments
Expectations are high for Quad’s debut headphone – this is the company behind the legendary ESL loudspeaker and whose philosophy is “the closest approach to the original sound”, after all. According to Quad, the ERA-1 combines high sensitivity with low impedance to enable excellent performance with a range of partnering devices – from portable players to top-of-the-range amps. To create this flagship design, it developed a planar magnetic driver, which aims to deliver a more natural and accurate sound – allowing the listener to immerse themselves in every musical nuance. The headphone incorporates a strong, ultra-thin, electrically active diaphragm fused with a magnet system designed to maximise sensitivity and consistency over the driver area.
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AudioQuest launches new Rockets
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 24, 2018  |  0 comments
By its own admission, AudioQuest is a tweaker – and the latest modifications to its Rocket cable range are on the launch pad. The affordable Rocket 11 (£12. 50/m pictured above) and 22 (£20/m) speaker cables are suitable for bi-wiring applications, and AudioQuest is confident ofthe improvement they’ll bring to any home audio setup. Both cables feature what itcalls “semi-solid true-concentric conductors” for the first time.
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Spendor introduces A-Line upgrade
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 23, 2018  |  0 comments
Spendor introduced its new two-way A7 floorstanding loudspeaker at The Bristol Show back in February. It’s described by the British speaker brand as a major revision of the acclaimed A6R, which impressed us when we reviewed it back in HFC 381. The A7 has a slim and contemporary-looking cabinet, available in black ash, dark walnut, natural oak and satin white finishes. The base of the plinth has four machined steel stabiliser inserts, secured directly into the main cabinet structure.
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August issue 439 on sale
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 23, 2018  |  0 comments
Just like the summer weather, the British floorstanding loudspeaker market is hotting up. We’ve seen several impressive high value for money floorstanding designs of late that offer serious hi-fi clout for a relatively low outlay. Regular readers will have marvelled at the 3050i from Q Acoustics that we reviewed last month, which received a coveted Editor’s Choice award and is the hottest, value floorstander we’ve seen so far. But contenders are already lining up to take its crown – including this month’s £600 cover star, Fyne Audio’s F303 (p46), and Monitor Audio’s Monitor 300 (p60), priced at just £550.
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Primare’s Prisma debut
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 20, 2018  |  0 comments
The latest network components from Primare – the I35 Prisma integrated amplifier and CD35 Prisma CD player – are the first outing for the Swedish manufacturer’s whole-home, high-fidelity control and connectivity platform. According to marketing director Terry Medalen, Prisma “provides a complete spectrum of system management from a single point of control”. The platform not only allows network playback from both stored and streamed media, wi-fi and Bluetooth connection, but also multi-zone control – all managed from any mobile device through a dedicated system control app. Rated at 2x 150W (8ohm), the I35 Prisma is the first integrated to use a reworking of Primare’s Class D amplification tech, and includes a DAC stage with support for up to PCM 768kHz and DSD256 formats.
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Wilson Audio unveils TuneTot loudspeaker
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 19, 2018  |  0 comments
Wilson Audio is perhaps best known for its high-end floorstanding loudspeaker designs with their uncompromising levels of performance and money-no-object designs. We've been lucky enough to experience some of the brand's extraordinary models at The Hi-Fi Show Live showcases runby our sister title Hi-Fi News, and the brand is sure to draw eager crowds once again to its UK distributor Absolute Sounds' listening rooms at this year's event running from 10-11 November – advanced tickets on sale now through eventbrite. co. uk.
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Webwatch August
Hi-Fi Choice  |  Jul 19, 2018  |  0 comments
Flat’s all folks! Warped vinyl can be the bane of the record collector, but help is at hand in this excellent guide to restoring your beloved music to pristine condition again, along with some top tips to ensure that it doesn’t happen in the first place. Click here to learn more. This is the end “The end of owning music” screams Rolling Stone magazine in this alarmist, but admittedly rather thought-provoking piece on what the future holds for physical music, featuring insight from industry insiders, record label owners and Jack White. read it for yourself here and see if you agree.
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