I’ve always been fascinated by valve amplifiers. Although the use of valves in amplifiers is basically an anachronism, there is something about the sound from them that I never cease to be excited by. That’s probably why valve amplifiers are still being made and sold. The sound, that is, that can have some organic qualities …
If I say that you should definitely take the chance to listen to something ineffective that gets very hot and doesn’t deliver much power, you might think that I have totally lost it. If, at the same time, I tell you it’s a valve amplifier, you’ll probably shake your head and smile with condescension. Because …
When we get a new NAD amp in for testing, we usually remark that it has the same grey and unadorned design that NAD has had for decades. This is actually not entirely true. NAD, like its competitors, has continually tweaked its design in line with changing fashions and technologies. Today’s NAD amplifiers may be …
The massive McIntosh powerhouses have always been in the top class of amplifiers. The new MA9500 is no exception, but I wouldn’t have thought it would be audibly better than its predecessor. Not that there’s no precedent. The first really good and powerful integrated amplifier we tested from McIntosh, the MA7000 in 2008 – which …
A good pair of headphones needs an amplifier to drive them. We’re not talking about low-cost headphones for a hundred Euros or so – they’ll probably do fine with the headphone output of your existing amp, and you might even get acceptable quality from the output of a laptop. But more expensive headphones deserve better. …
Danish company Tangent makes hi-fi equipment at prices that everyone can afford. And although the price is on the small side, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the sound quality on several occasions. However, it came as a surprise when Tangent launched the PreAmp II and PowerAmpster II in early summer. Partly because they launched the …
This must be the quietest valve amp ever, I thought. The valves were glowing and reflected in the glossy black surface. The two Lexie valves in the middle told me the volume was 38. Still, it was quiet as the grave. No sound. At all. A quick look at all the connections gave me no …
The Marantz NR1200 is a full-sized network amplifier with more connectivity and features than any other in its class, including five (!) HDMI inputs and an HDMI output with audio return. This is where you connect your TV, so you can include your stereo in your TV entertainment. There are also a couple of digital …
Externally, the new Powernode looks like its predecessor: a black or white plastic box with rounded corners and a control panel on top. The panel is more advanced than before, as there is now a touch field for controlling volume, as well as five presets that can be programmed with internet radio stations or playlists. …
Cabasse Stream Amp came out a few years ago, but we haven’t gotten around to testing it until now. And since it’s still current, it now has to try its hand against a pretty tight field. The Stream Amp doesn’t have Chromecast or AirPlay, but is locked to Cabasse’s own Stream app. The latter supports …
Sonos Amp can turn a pair of old-fashioned speakers into full-fledged Sonos multi-room speakers. As well as the Sonos interface, which lets you stream all your music dreams via the Sonos app, the Amp also has HDMI input and, if you buy an adapter, optical digital input too. If you want, Amp can drive the …
The smallest amp in the test is from NAD and is called Amp1. That doesn’t mean it is less capable. With Chromecast streaming over Wi-Fi, it supports the vast majority of music services, and they’re controlled in the usual way from their native apps. Connecting the amp to the network is super easy: just open …
The Citation family from Harman Kardon consists mainly of wireless speakers and soundbars with built-in streaming, but the Citation Amp is an amplifier designed to drive a set of traditional speakers. That means you can blow the dust off your old favourite speakers and include them in the modern home. Many people think it’s difficult …
You tend to forget that the convenience of streaming music directly from your phone doesn’t have to come at the expense of sound quality. There is no need to settle for a small all-in-one speaker in the living room. Instead, you can put it in another room and dedicate your favourite seating area to a …
NAD has recently had success with small but serious amplifiers, where you only need a pair of speakers to get a complete system. At the more expensive end we have the M10, which has everything you need in one box, including the streaming platform BluOS – which is the same as in Bluesound’s products. Including …