Hi-Fi Choice

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 18, 2015 | 0 comments

After seven albums as one half of celebrated musical duo Air,Nicolas Godin has finally produced his first solo album,Contrepoint, which is available today. Contrepoint is described asa dazzling experience that conjoins Godin’s former habitual musical fusions with classical forms, taking the listener on multiple adventurous journeys, often within each song, with counterpoint just one of its many landmarks. It’s remarkably varied in tone and rhythm, splicing genres with a bold, punchy and yet sensual and sweeping feel, with a variety of enticing lyrical narratives, and a starry international cast of guests, such as French vocalist Gordon Tracks, Brazilian singerMarcelo Camelo, Italian author Alessandro Barrico, New Zealand guitarist Connan Mockasin and the choir from Macedonia’s F. A.

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Leema Acoustics releases Xen 2 loudspeaker

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 17, 2015 | 0 comments

Originally conceived 17 years ago as a cost-no-object nearfield monitor for use in recording studios and broadcast vehicles, Leema Acoustics’ Xen loudspeaker was the result of a research project to squeeze a BBC-graded monitor into a small standmount cabinet that quickly found favour with music lovers. Unlike the original Xen, which was never designed for domestic use, the new Xen 2 offers a host of improvements over its professional predecessor. With a front baffle that’s the size of an A5 paperback book, the new Xen 2 is ultra compact and boastsa claimed frequency responseof 57Hz-25kHz and an output of between 60W and 150W. It benefits from two bass reflex ports, which extend into the cabinet then fold down behind the bass driver – each measuring 260mm.

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MrSpeakers release new Ether headphones

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 16, 2015 | 0 comments

MrSpeakers has teamed up with headphone designer, Bruce Thigpen (founder of Eminent Technology), to produce the Ether, a new planar-driven open-backed, on-ear headphone. The Ether makes use of patent-pending V-Planar technology that – it’s claimed – can not only push more air at low frequencies, but with greater acceleration also “deliver better dynamics, high-end frequency response and measurably lower distortion”. The 2. 75 x 1.

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Rokan releases new Pug tonearm

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 15, 2015 | 0 comments

Following in the footsteps of high-end tonearms like the Nima, Tabriz and Artemiz, Roksan's latest tonearm the Pug is based around a large, yet light and rigid 22mm diameter carbon fibre arm tube, combined with black chromed anodised aluminium. Users can choose between two adjustable counterweights (depending on the weight and tracking force of the cartridge) to get the perfect balance, while the anti-skate mechanism is the familiar ‘weight and thread’ option. The internal wiring is from Cardas, and Roksan tells us that it was chosen specifically for its speed maintenance and ability to retrieve micro-details. The manufacturer describes the Pug’s sonic performance as being fast and airy with a highly refined level of detail.

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Geneva unveils its fresh approach to wi-fi speakers

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 14, 2015 | 0 comments

Meet AeroSphère, the multi-room audio system that’s designed by Geneva to provide music around the home without looking like a traditional hi-fi setup. The red ‘balls’ (white and black options are also available)you can see in the picture below are actually loudspeakers – in this case the AeroSphère Small. A wireless active mono speaker, the Small is a standmount (an optional stand is available for £150) retailing at around £350. It comprises a 1in tweeter separated in its own chamber from the 4in woofer.

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Quad releases S Series loudspeakers

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 11, 2015 | 0 comments

Quad has unveiled details of its latest speaker range, the S Series. Consisting of five new models (two floorstanders, two standmounts and a centre for home cinema use), the S Series features advanced Kevlar-coned mid/bass drivers and a specially designed ribbon tweeter to supply what Quad describes as “effortless sonic expression to capture all the nuances and passion of the original performance”. The £600 S-1 is a two-way standmount with the new12 x 45mm True Ribbon tweeter, 100mm woven Kevlar midrange and a reflex port. It claims sensitivity of 84dB.

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Queen to release Queen: The Studio Collection vinyl boxset

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 10, 2015 | 0 comments

From Queen and Universal Music comes Queen: The Studio Collection, featuring 15 remastered albums in an 18-disc box set. 24-bit/96kHz digital masters were first made from the original tapes with any speed errors, missing audio, clicks and other unwanted noises rectified in the digital domain, and then the tracks were pressed on heavyweight 180g theme-coloured vinyl. Though it’s not quite Radio Ga Ga, Rega’s latest turntable is sure to be a big hit with Queen fans too. Launched to complement the vinyl release, it features the band’s crest silkscreen printed across the platter and the exclusive ‘Queen by Rega’ logo on the gloss-black plinth.

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Dynaudio shows off new Contour LE loudspeakers

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 09, 2015 | 0 comments

Dynaudio has announced details of its new Contour LE series, consisting of the S 1. 4 LE bookshelf loudspeaker (pictured above) and the S 3. 4LE floorstander. The rigid cabinet design features what Dynaudio describes as a “unique baffle” made up of three layers – including a layer of damping material and a thick metal plate.

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Monitor Audio unleashes Bluetooth loudspeakers

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 08, 2015 | 0 comments

Monitor Audio’s compact S150 Bluetooth loudspeaker (£150) is constructed from a mineral-filled polymer surrounding a cluster of four specialised drivers. These includea proprietary gold dome C-CAM tweeter flanked on angled baffles by dual 3in C-CAM metal cone bass drivers and a rear-firing Auxiliary Bass Radiator (ABR). The C-CAM drivers are powered directly by Class D amplifiers, generating a claimed 40W, and are fed by a hi-res DAC. Frequency range is quoted at 80Hz-25kHz.

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Roksan introduces CD Di CD player

Hi-Fi Choice | Sep 07, 2015 | 0 comments

Big news has reached us from Roksan concerning the latest addition to its K3 Series – the CD Di, which is acombination of CompactDisc player and digital-to-analogue converter that expands the range to a greater choice of input sources, the manufacturer tells us. We loved Roksan's first set of K3 components, launched earlier this year, when we partnered the CD player with matching integrated amplifier and the combo received a well-earned Editor's Choice back in the April issue (HFC 396). Roksan continues: "The idea behind the CD Di is to provide audio enthusiasts with a high-quality digital source that will not only play an existing CD library to the expected audiophile standard, but willalso host an array of other digital sources as one audiophile 'hub'. By incorporating both CD player and DAC into one box, users can save space by avoiding the need for extra boxes and achieve consistent audio performance across digital platforms.

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