If you’re old enough to have partied in the 90s and 00s, this is big news: the very sound of your youth has returned! More precisely, it’s about the media player Winamp, which has just been released in a new version – after four years of total silence from the developers. And a whole nine … Read more
Meze, a well-known Romanian headphone manufacturer, has just launched its latest pair of open headphones. While the flagship Empyrean and Elite are teeth-grindingly expensive, the new 109 Pro model is likely to cost under €1,000, and Meze promises it will offer many of the same qualities, both in terms of sound and craftsmanship. And that … Read more
Over 40 years on, the NAD 3020 stands as one of the most important milestones in hi-fi history. Launched in 1978, Norwegian Bjørn Erik Edvardsen’s simple design surpassed most of what was made in Japan at the time and cost surprisingly little. It really put the new company on the map, and although competitors eventually … Read more
The differences are subtle but significant. That’s how Touraj Moghaddam, founder and CEO of London firm Vertere explains his new version of their multi-award winning turntable amplifier. This is the third version of the amplifier, which now has an “L” on its backplate and goes by the name Vertere Phono-1 MKII L Phono Preamplifier. The … Read more
Let’s just admit it: while you can argue that speakers look good in the living room, TVs are ugly! A big black square taking up a large part of the wall. If you want to hide your huge TV while clearly demonstrating that you’re rolling in money, the C Seed N1 may be the name … Read more
They may not look like speakers, at least not the kind most of us are used to. But Goldmund GAIA are not just a pair of incredibly expensive speakers, they are also wireless with amplifiers and DAC built in. Cécile Barani is behind the design, while Dr Veronique Adam has been in charge of the … Read more
We would hardly believe it until we saw it, but the pictures and the press release are so convincing that we choose to believe that Almira is indeed a new speaker from Lowther. If so, this is the first new model in 30 years. Why has it taken so long? Lowther used to be known … Read more
There’s something liberating about manufacturers who do not release new versions of the same product every year. Usually the updates are barely an upgrade, but of course the press release says the new version is up to par with Jesus’ return. Fortunately, this is not true for everyone, and Japanese TAD, or Technical Audio Devices … Read more
NuraTrue Pro is the name of the brand new hearing plugs from Nura, launched through the crowdfunding channel Kickstarter. NuraPhone gave us the first headphones that adapt to the user’s hearing. Special headphones in the form of a pair of earcups with built-in earbuds. The music comes from the buds, while the bass is transmitted … Read more
They don’t brag about it, but Audio-Technica has been making pickups for 60 years, so the new AT-ART20 can almost be considered an anniversary pickup. The exceptionally beautiful design stands out, but so does the interior. Here you find a rather special way of making pickups, and Hideo Matsushita – Audio-Technica’s founder – would probably … Read more
For many, speakers on the floor are not practical, nor is it even possible in some rooms. That’s why speakers are available for in-wall or in-ceiling installation. They are usually not very expensive and tend to have relatively simple speaker units mounted on a frame, which is mounted in the opening in the wall and … Read more
It’s summer, and music is a must on the beach, at the swimming pool, in the woods and maybe even in the sauna. Because of course a Bluetooth speaker developed in Finland has to be able to survive a sauna, and the new Finnish Zone Bluetooth speaker can do just that, as well as being … Read more
For a long time it existed in only one version. Admittedly, it could be fitted with a better arm and pickup, but the Linn Sondek LP12 was still basically only available in one version. Later, Linn introduced new components, such as better bearings, stiffer bottom plate and a better power supply, which also became popular … Read more
The young Børresen Acoustics has recently become part of Audio Group Denmark, and the upcoming M1 compact speaker is the first product under the new corporate umbrella. The compact M1 was of course started long before Audio Group came into the picture, and Michael Børresen himself describes the M1 as a dream project. The speaker … Read more
A classic in every way. Partly because it delivered sound quality that was almost sensational for its time. And partly because it made history – and created a name for the small speaker company in Tøyengata, Oslo. The little 25-watt amplifier launched one of Norway’s best-known amplifier manufacturers in earnest. Audio Critic in the US … Read more