01442 820580

Hi-Fi+ Issue 174 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

9THE TRUTH ABOUT HIGH‑RESOLUTION

Is CD quality really all we need?

69RMAF 2019

Why a change of scene was needed

EQUIPMENT+

13NEAT ACOUSTICS EKSTRA

floorstanding loudspeaker

21WILSON AUDIO SASHA DAW

floorstanding loudspeaker

29ATC SCM100SE

floorstanding loudspeaker

37HARMAN KARDON CITATION TOWERS

wireless active floorstanding loudspeaker system

43SUGDEN MASTERCLASS ANV-50

integrated amplifier

51KANTO TUK

bluetooth-enabled active standmount loudspeaker

57THE FUNK FIRM RAGE 1

upgrades for Rega turntables

61ISOTEK SYSTEMS SYNCHRO UNI

DC offset blocking device

65TELLURIUM Q ULTRA BLACK II

analogue interconnect and loudspeaker cables

MUSIC

71CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

81Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

83Show Report: Personal Audio at Munich High-End 2019

86Incoming: We answer your personal audio questions

88Monolith-Cavalli Liquid Spark headphone amplifier

90Astell&Kern ACTIVO CT10 digital audio player

921MORE Triple Driver BT earphones

94Campfire Audio Solaris hybrid dynamic/balanced armature earphones

Hi-Fi+ Issue 173 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8MUNICH HIGH-END 2019

The most important audio show in the world today

17AXPONA 2019: PERSONAL AUDIO

Personal Audio finds a Sweet Home (in) Chicago!

EQUIPMENT+

21CONRAD-JOHNSON ART300

mono valve power amplifiers

29TECHDAS AIR FORCE V

turntable

39MOON BY SIMAUDIO 700i v2/780D v2

integrated amplifier and digital converter

47HEGEL AUDIO SYSTEMS H390

integrated amplifier/DAC

53CYRUS 82 DAC/QXR

integrated amplifier/DAC upgrade

59TOTEM ACOUSTIC TRIBE TOWER

floorstanding loudspeaker

65SONNER AUDIO LEGATO DUO

floorstanding loudspeaker

71BURMESTER 175, 111, 948, 159, BC350

Complete top-of-the-range system

77LATERAL LAS-4 INTEGRAL

equipment support table

81WIRE ON WIRE EXPERIENCE 880

tuneable interconnect cables

MUSIC

89CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

70COMPETITION!

Win! Audiodesk Systeme’s Vinyl Cleaner PRO worth £2,525 must be won... and borrowed!

109COMPETITION!

Win! MrSpeakers Ether2 Planar Magnetic headphones worth £1,900!

84SUBSCRIPTIONS

95ADVERTISER INDEX

112NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

97Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

99Incoming: We answer your personal audio questions

102Sony IER-Z1R custom-fit in-ear monitors

104Stax SR-009S electrostatic headphones

107Empire Ears Phantom universal-fit earphones

110Woo Audio WA11 Topaz portable, balanced solid‑state headphone amp/DAC

COMMENT

• 4INCOMING!
• Your views on all things audio
• 8AXPONA 2019
• The most important audio show in the USA today
• 87MEET YOUR MAKER
• Costa Koulisakis of Moon by Simaudio
• 92STREAMING – WHAT’S BEST FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC?
• Primephonic surveys the classical music landscape

EQUIPMENT+

• 17MAGICO A3
• floorstanding loudspeakers
• 25VON GAYLORD AUDIO SYSTEM
• amplifiers, cables, and loudspeakers
• 35dCS BARTÒK
• network digital converter
• 43VIENNA ACOUSTICS HAYDN JUBILEE
• stand-mount loudspeakers
• 49DiDiT DAC21/AMP212
• digital converter and power amplifier
• 57PRIMARE I25 PRISMA
• network integrated amplifier
• 63ARCAYDIS EB2S
• stand-mount loudspeaker
• 69HANA MH/ML
• high and low output MC cartridges
• 73AUDIODESK SYSTEME VINYL CLEANER PRO
• ultrasonic record cleaning machine
• 77TURNTABLE ACCESSORIES
• LP and stylus cleaners, tracking force gauges, record brushes, destatic treatments, hole re-boring drills

MUSIC

• 98CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

Hi-Fi+ Issue 171 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8CANJAM NYC 2019

Personal Audio in the Big Apple

87THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Last month’s top 99 products should have been a top 100!

91JOHN CHALLENGER

Salisbury Cathedral’s Deputy Director of Music talks about organ music

EQUIPMENT+

15NAIM AUDIO NDX 2/XPS DR

music streamer and power supply

23CONSTELLATION AUDIO PICTOR/TAURUS STEREO

preamp and stereo power amplifier

31CHORD ELECTRONICS HUGO TT 2/M SCALER

digital converter and upscaler

39KEF LSX

active bookshelf loudspeakers

45EXPOSURE XM

CD player

51TRIANGLE AIO 3

active Bluetooth loudspeaker

57NODE AUDIO HYLIXA

stand-mount loudspeaker

65SPENDOR A4

floorstanding loudspeaker

71CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT

direct drive turntable system

77REGA AURA

phono stage

83VOODOO CABLE STRADIVARIUS AMATI/DYNASTY

signal and power cables

MUSIC

98CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

88SUBSCRIPTIONS

101ADVERTISER INDEX

120NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

103Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

105Incoming: We answer your personal audio questions

108Cayin N5iiS portable digital music player

110Sony DMP-Z1 desktop digital music player, headphone amp/DAC

112Meze Empyrean planar magnetic headphones

115Campfire Audio Equinox custom-fit in-ear monitor

117iFi Audio Gemini 3.0 dual-headed USB cable

117Nordost Purple Flare USB

Hi-Fi+ Issue 170 Contents

COMMENT

7INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

9TOP 100

20 years of the finest in hi-fi products

21THE NEXT 20 YEARS

What is the future of audio?

25MEET THE EDITORS

Roy Gregory, Chris Martens, and Alan Sircom discuss 20 years of Hi-Fi+

33THE MANUFACTURER’S PERSPECTIVE

Naim Audio on the past, present, and future of audio

43THE BRISTOL SHOW

The most important show in the UK hi-fi calendar returns!

121MEET YOU MAKER

Pete Thomas of PMC

129MEET YOUR DEALER

Larry Brown of Rayleigh Sound & Vision

COVER DISK

56THE ULTIMATE SYSTEM SET-UP DISC

IsoTek’s 20 best tracks to help set-up, test, and tune your audio system

MUSIC

136CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

GLOSSARY

160AUDIO GLOSSARY

A full introduction to our encyclopaedic jargon buster

161ENCYCLOPAEDIA ANALOGICA

LP terminology explained

172ENCYCLOPAEDIA DIGITONIA

Spun out by S/PDIF? Unsure of USB? Read on

178ENCYCLOPAEDIA HEADPHONIA

What’s an ‘energiser’? Find out here

183LOUDSPEAKER LEXICON

Never say “How many watts in those speakers?” again!

186ENCYCLOPAEDIA CABLEXICON

Why wire works

EQUIPMENT+

51TECHNICS SL-1200GEG-S, SU-G700E, SB-G90E

turntable, integrated amplifier, and floorstanding loudspeakers

59SOULUTION 325, 311

solid-state preamplifier and stereo power amplifier

67BOWERS & WILKINS 603

floorstanding loudspeakers

73EAT PRELUDE

turntable, arm, and cartridge package

81LEEMA SIRIUS

digital music streamer/server

87MONITOR AUDIO GOLD 200

floorstanding loudspeakers

93MARANTZ PM-KI RUBY

integrated amplifier

101NAD D3045

hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier

107STIRLING BROADCAST LS3/5a V3

stand-mount loudspeaker

113GOLDRING ETHOS

moving coil phono cartridge

117GUTWIRE SV-12, SV-16, SV-22

power cords

119QUADRASPIRE Qplus REFERENCE

acoustic interface feet

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

143INCOMING

Readers pose questions about Personal Audio, and we provide answers

146MrSPEAKERS VOCE

electrostatic headphones

148HiFiMAN ANANDA

planar magnetic headphones

152BEYERDYNAMIC AVENTHO WIRELESS

Wireless headphones

155ULTRASONE PRO 900i

headphones

158FiiO M7

digital audio player

Hi-Fi+ Issue 169 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO

Porsche meets Burmester for in-car audio excellence

85AUDIOPHILE HEAVEN

An audio newcomer goes under the wing of Hi-Fi+ in Denver

89MEET YOUR DEALER

A Tale of Two Cities with Loud & Clear in Edinburgh and Glasgow

EQUIPMENT+

16YAR Y-DER, B-YOND, FEELD, CABLES

audio system

23WILSON AUDIO TUNE TOTS

bookshelf loudspeakers

31LUMIN X1

network streamer

41AUDIOVECTOR QR5

floorstanding loudspeakers

47CONRAD-JOHNSON ET6SE

hybrid valve/solid-state preamplifier

53ARCAM SA20

integrated amplifier

59MERRILL AUDIO ELEMENT 118

solid-state mono power amplifiers

67MELCO N10/D100

music server and CD ripper

75RUSSELL K RED 120

floorstanding loudspeakers

81GRAND PRIX AUDIO APEX XL

isolation footers

MUSIC

96CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

14COMPETITION

Win! A Gold Note Valore 425 Plus turntable worth over £1,400!

82SUBSCRIPTIONS

99ADVERTISER INDEX

120NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

101Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

103Incoming: We answer your personal audio questions

106Campfire Audio Atlas universal-fit earphones

108Audeze LCD-4z headphones

112Advanced GT3 universal-fit earphones

115Massdrop x Noble Kaiser 10 universal-fit earphones

118EarSonics EM10 custom-fit in-ear monitors

-Fi+ Issue 168 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

9TOKYO INTERNATIONAL AUDIO SHOW 2018

The best of audio from the other side of the world

91MEET YOUR DEALER

It’s A Family Affair at Cloney Audio in Ireland

EQUIPMENT+

17AURALiC VEGA G1

network streaming DAC

25INNUOS STATEMENT

music server

35FOCAL MAESTRO UTOPIA EVO

floorstanding loudspeakers

43AUDIO RESEARCH REFERENCE 10

hybrid line preamplifier

49BOULDER AMPLIFIERS 508

phono preamplifier

55CHORD ELECTRONICS ÉTUDE

solid-state stereo power amplifier

63REVEL PERFORMA M126Be

stand-mount loudspeakers

69MARANTZ SA-KI RUBY

CD/SACD player and DAC

75GOLD NOTE VALORE 425 PLUS

turntable and tonearm combination

81AUDIOQUEST NIAGARA 7000

power conditioner

MUSIC

98CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

61COMPETITION

Win! A VIP trip to see Linn in Glasgow

88SUBSCRIPTIONS

101ADVERTISER INDEX

120NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

103Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

105Incoming: We answer your personal audio questions

107HiFiMAN Shangri-La Jr. electrostatic headphone system

110Final E5000 universal-fit earphones

112Westone WX1 universal-fit earphones with Bluetooth dongle

115Acoustic Research AR-M20 digital audio player

118Brainwavz B400 universal-fit earphones

Hi-Fi+ Issue 167 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8WARSAW AUDIO VIDEO SHOW 2018

Cold, wet, Warsaw never sounded so attractive!

16MEET YOUR MAKER

The changes at YG Acoustics

83MEET YOUR DEALER

Steve Hitch of Sonority Design

91MUSIC INTERVIEW

Musical polymath Wes Berwise

EQUIPMENT+

21GOLDMUND TELOS 590

integrated amplifier

29CAMBRIDGE AUDIO EDGE A

integrated amplifier

39CEC TL5

CD transport

47XTZ DIVINE DELTA

stand-mount loudspeakers

53SWISSTONE/GRAHAM AUDIO LS3

stand-mount loudspeakers

59EAT JO No.5

moving-coil cartridge

67ELIPSON PRESTIGE FACET 24

floorstanding loudspeakers

75ISOTEK EVO3 NOVA

12-way power conditioner/filter

79FINITE ELEMENTE CERABASE, CERAPUC, CERAPOD

isolation feet

MUSIC

98CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

82COMPETITION

Win! Two Shunyata Research Delta NR power cords worth £1,540!

88SUBSCRIPTIONS

101ADVERTISER INDEX

120NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

ULTIMATE HEADPHONE GUIDE

103Hi-Fi+’s Ultimate Headphone Guide

105Incoming: we answer your personal audio questions

108Quad ERA-1 planar magnetic headphones

110Stax T-8000 electrostatic energiser

112Benchmark Media Systems HPA4 headphone amplifier

115Personal Audio Cable Survey, Part 2

115Effect Audio Janus ‘D’ headphone cables

116Kimber Axios AG headphone cables

116Moon Audio Bronze & Silver Dragon IEM cables

117 Vertere Pulse D-Fi V3 headphone cables

117 Wireworld Nano-Eclipse headphone cables

118Wireworld Nano-Platinum Eclipse headphone cables

118WyWires Platinum headphone cables

Hi-Fi+ Issue 166 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8RMAF 2018

The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver

17COPENHAGEN AUDIO SHOW 2018

The little show with big potential

117MEET YOUR MAKER

Kazutoshi Yamada of Zanden Audio Systems

123MEET YOUR DEALER

Nick Beasley of Imperial Hi-Fi, Hampton Wick

AWARDS

25THE 2018 HI-FI+ AWARDS

The finest audio products of the year in 30 categories!

EQUIPMENT+

95DEVIALET PRO 140 EXPERT

integrated amplifier

103REL ACOUSTICS T-ZERO V2

active subwoofer

109TELLURIUM Q STATEMENT

interconnect, loudspeaker, and power cables

113SHUNYATA RESEARCH DELTA NR/EF

power cords

MUSIC

132CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

78COMPETITION

Win! Neat Acoustics Momentum SX3i speakers worth £2,635!

98COMPETITION

Win! An AURALiC ARIES G1 streamer worth £1,899!

128SUBSCRIPTIONS

135ADVERTISER INDEX

160NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!

Hi-Fi+ Issue 165 Contents

COMMENT

4INCOMING!

Your views on all things audio

8FESTIVAL OF SOUND 2018

Suppose they gave a show and nobody came?

103MEET YOUR DEALER

Aseem Hussain of HiFonix in Sutton Coldfield

110MEET YOUR MAKER

Dave Gordon of Audio Research

EQUIPMENT+

16AUDIOVECTOR R8

floorstanding loudspeaker

23RAIDHO XT-5

floorstanding loudspeaker

31NEAT ACOUSTICS ULTIMATUM XL6

floorstanding loudspeaker

41BOWERS & WILKINS 606

stand-mount loudspeaker

47DYNAUDIO XEO 20

active stand-mount loudspeaker

53ELAC VELA BS 403

active stand-mount loudspeaker

59DUTCH & DUTCH 8c

active stand-mount loudspeaker

67MOON 390/400M

digital preamplifier and mono power amplifiers

75VITUS RI-101

integrated amplifier

83RME ADE-2 DAC

DAC/headphone amplifier

89SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM MULTIBIT

DAC/headphone amplifier

95TRANSPARENT REFERENCE POWERISOLATOR

power conditioner

99ISOACOUSTICS GAIA I, II, III

loudspeaker isolation feet

MUSIC

116CONTEMPORARY AND AUDIOPHILE MUSIC

+

108SUBSCRIPTIONS

119ADVERTISER INDEX

120NEXT MONTH

Find out what’s happening next month!