In 2016, Audio Analogue celebrated its twentieth birthday with two bang-up-to-date ‘Anniversary’ editions of the company’s earlier classic integrated amplifiers, the Puccini and the Maestro. Now, the Italian brand has launched its ‘PureAA’ line of products, drawing on key ideas from the Anniversary amps and adding a raft of further features.
Continue reading Audio Analogue kicks off new ‘PureAA’ line with the AAcento integrated amplifier
Launched in 2017, Furutech’s new NCF Booster is a performance-enhancing cable and connector holder. Initially it seemed a tad slow coming to worldwide distribution – because rave reviews in the Japanese press meant that initial production runs sold out to industry insiders before even making it into shops! Fortunately, the company soon increased production and now the NCF Booster is available worldwide and gathering awards.
Continue reading Furutech NCF Booster bags another audiophile award
Launched in 2017, Furutech’s Destat III effectively eliminates dust and static not only from vinyl records but also digital media and audio and video components. Hi-Fi Choice puts it to the test in the magazine’s first issue of 2018.
Continue reading Feeling dusty? Static? Hi-Fi Choice recommends Furutech’s Destat III
Launched in 2017, British brand Exposure’s XM series of amplifiers is cleverly designed to pack a raft of high-performance features into a compact half-width design. Hi-Fi World’s Martin Pipe puts the XM5 integrated amp to the test – and awards it the full five stars.
Each year, the Hi-Fi Choice Yearbook singles out the greatest-sounding audio products reviewed by the magazine’s expert team during the previous 12 months. On news-stands now, the 2017 edition’s chosen few includes no less than three of British brand Exposure’s amplifiers. All three are from the company’s small but brilliantly conceived XM series.
On news-stands now, the Hi-Fi Choice Yearbook 2017 singles out the greatest-sounding audio products reviewed by the magazine’s expert team throughout the year. Every product listed is a coveted Hi-Fi Choice badge winner – hardly an easy accomplishment given the “staggering number of high-performance components emerging to feed our passions in increasingly innovative ways,” writes editor Lee Dunkley. Among the chosen few is the multi award-winning Larsen 8 floorstanding loudspeaker by Swedish brand Larsen.
“For good or ill, when it comes to audio, we live in a time of flagships and statements,” writes Hi-Fi Plus editor Alan Sircom in the magazine’s December issue. For the most part Sircom remains relatively unimpressed, having found that many such bigger-is-better products, while certainly big on size and price, don’t necessarily deliver a commensurate peak in terms of performance. Gamut’s flagship Zodiac loudspeaker, however, “is one of the rare exceptions. A true statement piece….”
Continue reading “The perfect superhero”: Hi-Fi Plus is star-struck by Gamut’s flagship Zodiac loudspeaker
Devon-based Timestep has garnered quite a reputation for its intelligent modifications of various iconic Technics turntables, and the resulting Timestep/Technics decks have earned themselves a canny mantelpiece of awards. The latest of these is the coveted ‘Best Turntable’ Award from Hi-Fi World – just presented to Timestep for an impressive third time.
Continue reading High-end hat-trick: Timestep wins its third Hi-Fi World ‘Best Turntable’ Award
What do you do if you hanker after Magnepan’s soaring (and multi award-winning) flat-panel loudspeakers but you don’t have the largest of listening rooms or budgets? “We’re on it”, said Magnepan, and promptly created the .7 (‘point seven’), a scaled down version of the brand’s acclaimed 1.7 model, and now a Hi-Fi Plus 2017 Award winner.
Continue reading “Almost irresistible”: Magnepan .7 loudspeaker is a Hi-Fi Plus 2017 Award winner
The range of Transfiguration phono cartridges from Japanese Immutable Music is a deliberately limited one, focusing on just three exquisitely innovative models. But there seems to be no limit to the number of awards they’re notching up…
Positive Feedback’s Writers’ Choice Award 2015, Hi-Fi World Product of the Year 2016, The Absolute Sound Editors Choice Award 2017… Transfiguration’s flagship Proteus just keeps on impressing reviewers around the globe. And now it’s the proud winner of the 2017 Hi-Fi Plus Award for the top phono cartridge.
Continue reading Transfiguration Proteus wins Hi-Fi Plus’ 2017 Award for best phono cartridge
David Denyer PR | The hi-fi specialist 