Category Archives: DS Audio

Aesthetix Mimas integrated amp and DS Audio’s DS-E1 optical phono cartridge in Hi-Fi News Yearbook 2019

Every issue, Hi-Fi News delivers in-depth reviews of high-end audio equipment. And every December, the magazine’s Yearbook showcases the best of the best products reviewed throughout the year. It’s the music enthusiast’s go-to guide for the world’s most outstanding hi-fi.

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“Exemplary”: Hi-Fi Critic reviews the DS Audio 002 optical phono cartridge

Are optical cartridges new? Well, yes and no. They originally surfaced in the 1960s and were lauded for their high fidelity, but quickly disappeared again as they had a heat problem caused by the light source used at the time. By the time the requisite technology had sufficiently advanced (in the form of light-emitting diodes which produce little heat), audio was dominated by the rise of the CD and there was little interest in vinyl replay. But in 2013, Japanese company DS Audio began to revisit the technology.

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Keeping it clean: Hi-Fi Plus reviews the key accessories a vinyl lover needs to keep records and decks in tip-top nick and performing at their best

“Record cleaning only scratches the surface (pun intended),” writes Hi-Fi Plus’ Andrew Harrison. “Every aspect of vinyl replay can come in for scrutiny.” A good part of this comes down to the nature of the technology itself: “dragging a rock through a groove and translating these movements into electrical signals” is naturally prone to errors from rotation, geometry, mechanical movements, the ingress of dust and dirt, etc etc. Thankfully there’s “a vibrant world of vinyl beyond the turntable and the record itself” to help keep everything running smoothly, and Harrison has chosen a selection of some of the best.

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“Maximise your potential”: Hi-Fi Choice gives DS Audio’s ST-50 stylus cleaner the full five stars

“Making adjustments to your system to release previously unheard excellence needn’t break the bank,” says Hi-Fi Choice. DS Audio’s ST-50 stylus cleaner is among the magazine’s top six picks for maximising audio performance.

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A “game-changer” and “a multitude of triumphs”: Ken Kessler celebrates the arrival of DS Audio’s DS-E1 affordable optical phono cartridge

Audiophile and hi-fi journalist Ken Kessler has been a fan of DS Audio’s pioneering optical cartridges since they first appeared on the world hi-fi market four years ago, and has enthusiastically reviewed most of the company’s models. But the new DS-E1 has presented him with something of a dilemma. “It is actually too good… I’m still shaking my head in disbelief.”

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Optical cartridge pioneer DS Audio launches new HS-001 solid headshell

PRESS RELEASE

Firmly at the forefront of “creating the future of analogue music”, Japanese DS Audio has gained a worldwide reputation for its pioneering optical photo cartridges, with rave reviews for their superlative sound. At the same time, the company is also applying its intelligently innovative approach to a number of related audio accessories – first, the excellent ST-50 stylus cleaner, and now, the new HS-001 solid headshell.

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Another Hi-Fi News ‘outstanding product’ from DS Audio: the “reference grade” DS-W2 phono cartridge

Replacing the inaugural DS-W1, DS Audio’s DS-W2 optical phono cartridge features a raft of trickle-down technology from the brand’s flagship Master 1 model. Ken Kessler puts it to the test for Hi-Fi News.

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“The best at its job”: Hi-Fi World is impressed by DS Audio’s ST-50 stylus cleaner

Keeping your stylus as clean as possible is important if you to want to protect your investment in this delicate piece of kit and to enjoy the full sound quality of your vinyl. But how do you know which is best tool for the job?

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Optical cartridge pioneer DS Audio launches new entry level DS-E1

PRESS RELEASE

In 2013, Japanese DS Audio unveiled the world’s only optical phono cartridge, the DS-W1. A series of even further advanced models soon followed, ranging from the flagship DS Master 1 to the (then) entry level DS 002, each attracting rave reviews from the worldwide audiophile press. Now, the new DS-E1 makes the superlative sound of the optical cartridge more accessible still, at half the price of the DS 002.

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