Hi-Fi Choice

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 21, 2017 | 0 comments

Thanks to the large number of you that shared pictures with us of your vinyl setups in response to last month’s Twitter poll asking whether or not you own a record player. The result of the poll shows that 65 percent of respondents do indeed have a turntable, with a further 10 percent looking to discover or return to the format soon. Receiving the pics of your systems on our Facebook and Twitter feeds was very enlightening and provided a clear demonstration of the level of equipment owned along with the care and attention lavished upon turntables. With this in mind, we felt it was a perfect time to look more closely at moving-coil cartridges, and this month’s Group Test compares six upmarket MC pick-ups (£650-£1,000), designed to make a significant upgrade to your vinyl replay.

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Destination: Gothenburg

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 10, 2017 | 0 comments

Move over Stockholm: when it comes to coolness, Gothenburg has all boxes ticked. Sweden’s laidback second city is a cultural oasis, so it’s little surprise that there are plenty of compelling reasons for vinyl tourists to head over and dig Göteborg’s bulging crates. This beautiful, compact city is easy to navigate by bus, tram or as a pedestrian. Don’t worry about the language barrier, either: just like the inhabitants of relaxed Scandinavian neighbour Copenhagen (see HFC 417), Göteborgare are friendly people capable of largely flawless English.

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Onkyo unveils new DP-S1

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 10, 2017 | 0 comments

Considerably smaller than its first digital audio player, the new DP-S1 follow-up model from Onkyo is milled from a solid block of black aluminium and boasts 16GB of built-in memory, which can be expanded to 416GB thanks to its twin MicroSD card slots. Underthe hood there are dual ES9018C2M ESS SABRE DAC chipsets, ensuring that the player can support DSD 2. 8MHz and 5. 6MHz, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF (up to a maximum of 32-bit/192kHz), AAC and MP3.

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Sennheiser unveils HDVD 820 headphone amplifier

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 06, 2017 | 0 comments

Building on the success of its first ever digital headphone amplifier (the HDVD 800), Sennheiser has showcased its successor at the Tokyo Headphone Festival. The HDV 820 has an all-new digital section, which is powered by an ESS SABRE32 digital-to-analogue converter in a completely balanced topology. The DAC operates at up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM resolution and up to 12. 3MHz DSD and is claimed to provide unequalled dynamic range, ultra-low distortion and unmatched audio clarity.

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New all-in-one sonoroHIFI

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 05, 2017 | 0 comments

German manufacturer sonoro has unveiled the sonoroHIFI flagship audio system. Costing £1,299, the new all-in-one incorporates a CD player, FM/DAB/DAB+ tuner and aptX-capable Bluetooth so that it can stream music from mobile devices. Additional connections include RCA, optical and a 3. 5mm aux input for hooking up other sources such as a TV or portable media player.

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Acoustic Energy AE109 introduces classic AE100 Series

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 02, 2017 | 0 comments

Originally launched back in 1996, the first AE109 set new standards for what was expected from an entry-level speaker, and now it’s set to return in the form of the new AE100 Series, consisting of the AE100 standmount, AE109 floorstander, AE108 subwoofer and AE107 centre speaker for home cinema setups. The AE100 standmount (£199) utilises a 110mm drive unit complimented by a 28mm soft dome tweeter featuring AE’s Wide Dispersion Technology, there’s also a slot-shaped bass duct port. Aiming to replicate the same effortless room-filling ability of its namesake from 20 years ago, the new AE109 is a slimline floorstander with a 2. 5-way driver configuration.

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Tivoli Audio updates Model One radio

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 01, 2017 | 0 comments

Refreshing the design of its Model One – and adding streaming and multi-room capability in the process – Tivoli Audio has unveiled what it describes as its “table-top radio for the music streaming age”. The result is a stylish single-box solution that can be utilised for listening to DAB or FM radio, connecting to suitably equipped mobile devices using Bluetooth or streaming from services like Spotify via wi-fi. The Model One Digital’s high-resolution screen and multi-operational dial combine to make music selection a breeze, while the specially designed app allows the sharing of Spotify Connect, Tidal, Deezer, QQ and TuneIn playlists or selections alongside local audio content on devices like smartphones, tablets and NAS drives. There’s also a 3.

Loudspeakers

Acoustic Energy, AE1 Active loudspeaker

Hi-Fi Choice | Jun 01, 2017 | 0 comments

Having set up shop 30 years ago, the first speaker that Acoustic Energy made has gone on to become its most famous and enduring. The original AE1 was the little speaker that could. What it could do was largely defined by what the considerably older granddaddy of classy compact monitors, the BBC-designed LS3/5A, couldn’t. In other words, it excelled where the seductively mid-neutral old-timer was most obviously compromised – namely in its bass power and extension, loudness and dynamic range.

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McIntosh unveils MXA80 mini system

Hi-Fi Choice | May 30, 2017 | 0 comments

Designed for those that are short on space but don’t want to compromise when it comes to sound, McIntosh’s MXA80 is the ultimate in unashamedly luxurious home audio. The setup features a miniaturised 50W (into 8ohm) stereo amplifier, plus a pair of specially designed aluminium chassis two-way desktop loudspeakers. There is a choice of four digital inputs (optical, coaxial, DIN and USB) – with the former three capable of handlingup to 24/192 resolution music files and the latter 32/384 – while the onboard DAC also supports DSD and DXD. Two additional analogue inputs cater for existing equipment.

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June 2017 issue on sale now

Hi-Fi Choice | May 30, 2017 | 0 comments

Is it just me, or is there something about turning 50 this year? It’s true, 1967 is indeed my birth year and as I look around at who and what else marks its golden anniversary in 2017, I realise I am in very good company with numerous culturally significant movies, albums, TV shows, books, and people all joining me to chalk up their half century. Looking back through the events of the year 1967, it’s astonishing to note that it gave us not only Pringles snacks and Twix bars, but also saw the arrival of The Doors’ seminal album; The Jungle Book and The Graduate movies in cinemas; Fleetwood Mac forming while Jimi Hendrix gave his first major performance at the legendary Monterey music festival in California. But perhaps most significantly, 1967 is the year that the world’s biggest band released the most iconic album of all time as The Beatles’ immeasurably influential Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band went on sale.

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