Gracing the cover of US audio magazine The Absolute Sound’s January issue are Californian electronics specialists Aesthetix’ new Pallene and Dione hybrid preamp and power amp duo. Reviewer Wayne Garcia takes a deep dive into this price / performance barrier-breaking pair, and lines up a conversation with designer Jim White.
Soulines’ ‘affordable high-end’ arrives in the UK with new tt9 turntable and KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm
PRESS RELEASE: Serbian audio brand Soulines’ new tt9 turntable and KiVi M3 unipivot tonearm are now available to vinyl lovers in the UK seeking affordable high-end performance, thanks to a new distribution agreement with Sound Fowndations.
Optical cartridges meet valve / tube amplification: DS Audio launches new TB-100 phono equalizer
PRESS RELEASE: DS Audio promises “a new era of analogue sound” with the launch the TB-100, a vacuum valve / tube phono equalizer designed to partner with the company’s pioneering optical cartridges.
Kerr Acoustic appoints Symphony Distribution
PRESS RELEASE: Kerr Acoustic, creator of high-performance loudspeakers for both professional studios and home audiophiles, has joined forces with Symphony Distribution, appointing them as their new distribution partner in the UK.
Continue reading Kerr Acoustic appoints Symphony Distribution
“The light fantastic”: Hi-Fi Plus reviews DS Audio’s entry-level DS-E3 optical cartridge and equalizer
Launched in summer 2024, DS Audio’s new entry-level optical cartridge and equalizer borrows ‘third generation’ optical technology from the company’s flagship Grand Master model, aiming to deliver superb performance at a remarkably accessible price point. Chris Frankland puts it to the test in the latest issue of Hi-Fi Plus. Continue reading “The light fantastic”: Hi-Fi Plus reviews DS Audio’s entry-level DS-E3 optical cartridge and equalizer
Two Editors’ Choice Awards from The Absolute Sound for Furutech’s noise reduction innovations
Japanese hi-fi cable and accessories experts Furutech have spent decades on research, development and ongoing innovation to enable discerning listeners to get ever-closer to their favorite music, using their ‘pure transmission’ technologies to allow the delicate musical signal to remain as unimpeded and as crystal-clear as possible. Neil Gader at US magazine The Absolute Sound finds them “difficult to part with”.
“A shoo-in”: MBL C41 network player wins The Absolute Sound’s Product of the Year Award 2025
How do you sum up MBL’s new C41 network player in one succinct sentence? US audio magazine The Absolute Sound puts it like this: “A technological marvel at a ridiculously low price” – for which MBL receives a coveted Product of the Year Award. Continue reading “A shoo-in”: MBL C41 network player wins The Absolute Sound’s Product of the Year Award 2025
“Astonishing”: DS Audio’s Grand Master Extreme wins The Absolute Sound’s Product of the Year Award 2025, while the DS-003 takes an Editors’ Choice Award
Is there an award that hasn’t been won by one or more of DS Audio’s pioneering optical cartridges? The brand and its products continue to wow reviewers and customers alike – and with good reason, given designer Tetsuaki Aoyagi’srelentless commitment to further advancing his innovative technologies and designs, and equally to bringing the benefits of optical technology to ever-more accessible price points, thanks to his judicious use of trickle-down technology.
“Silky stereo”: Hi-Fi News reviews MBL’s C41 network player
“MBL’s C41 takes gold!” announces the headline on the cover of the latest issue of Hi-Fi News, as Andrew Everard reviews the German brand’s newest addition to its Cadenza line, with editor Paul Miller providing lab reports. Continue reading “Silky stereo”: Hi-Fi News reviews MBL’s C41 network player
“The little things that matter”: The Absolute Sound reviews Furutech’s NCF Clear Line RCA and XLR signal line optimizers
“Electrical noise is everywhere,” writes Neil Gader in his recent ‘Short Takes Equipment Report’ for US audio magazine The Absolute Sound, “and it bombards our electronics.” Fortunately, Japanese cable and accessories experts Furutech are ever on the case, with a raft of proprietary solutions – and they work! Continue reading “The little things that matter”: The Absolute Sound reviews Furutech’s NCF Clear Line RCA and XLR signal line optimizers
David Denyer PR | The hi-fi specialist 