So you want an amplifier? Should it be for hi-fi or home cinema? Although both applications should, in principle, be about good sound, the lines are drawn very clearly. So much so that in many hi-fi forums, mentioning the word “surround” can be cause for banishment. The Marantz Stereo 70s may be a bridge between …
Argon Audio calls the turntable a Special Edition, but the changes are quite subtle and they come at a price. The TT-4 Special Edition costs quite a bit more than the player it’s based on, and apart from the fact that it comes in five layers of high-gloss black lacquer, you can’t tell the difference …
Wipe dust off the record. Pour a glass of wine. Alphabetise your record collection. But don’t sit and stare at the LED lights in the front. That will only frustrate you. When switching on the Copland amplifier, you will need a saint’s patience. Because it takes a while for the sound to become smooth. But …
The sound of the piano is crystal clear. As if carved out with a scalpel. At the same time, the notes float weightlessly into space, creating a warm, almost organic atmosphere. Jan Gunnar Hoff’s otherworldly piano playing rarely sounds as good on vinyl as it does right now. Interestingly, it’s not because I’ve set up …
A glowing blue light and a red-hot amplifier sounds like an upcoming emergency, but the little amplifier blazed through the test without a hitch. It wasn’t always like this. The tiny Musical Fidelity A1 was once known for its beautiful sound, but the first amplifiers launched in 1985 gained a reputation for frying the output …
New CD players are not commonplace, but surprisingly, there is a demand for CDs that makes it necessary to offer players. Add to that the millions of CDs sold since 1982, and it starts to make sense to offer your customers a CD player or two. Hegel’s decision to do so doesn’t seem so strange …
At one point in Autumn Leaves, Jack DeJohnette hits the snare drum as a warning. Then one more time. You sense what’s coming. A few bars later, an interplay starts with Keith Jarrett behind the piano, and the two of them take off at a breakneck pace before everything calms down and the drumsticks gently …
The Hegel H590 was perhaps the best integrated I’d heard when I tested it back in 2018. But things move fast, especially in electronics and digital processing, so a lot has happened in the last five years. Let’s not forget that Hegel recently launched its two-part amplifier set P30A and H30A, which beats its predecessors …
Bluesound Node is a small family of streaming receivers. We tested the fourth edition two years ago. But now the fifth incarnation has arrived, and it’s not called Node 5, but Node X. This is to mark the 10th anniversary of Bluesound. The Bluesound Node X has exactly the same dimensions and connections as its …
Many newbies get a surprise the first time they buy a turntable. When they plug it into their amplifier, they realise there’s something strange about the sound. What many don’t realise is that all turntables need to be connected to a special input, often called phono stage, RIAA stage or simply turntable input. Many amplifiers …
iFi Audio NEO Stream is a thin and nifty little streamer, only half the width of a standard rack. It can be placed horizontally, but if you want to use it on your desk, it comes with a stand for vertical placement. Despite its modest dimensions, the streamer has everything you need for your audio …
Danish company Tangent Audio doesn’t do things the same way as the majority. In a time when only the most expensive and heavy gear is available as separate components, they offer preamp and power amplifier sets at budget prices – and in mini format. We have previously tested the Tangent Preamp II / PowerAmpster II …
With the DNP-2000NE, Denon has a solution for anyone who wants better sound with streaming than you get from a Bluesound Node or a Wiim Pro. The Denon streamer also features a DA converter, HDMI input, headphone output and volume control. This means it can also be used as a pre-amplifier. Which makes it just …
It almost makes one feel a bit stupid. When I’ve tested an amplifier with both power and resolution, I often use the words: “Can drive any speaker“. And I often add: “with conviction“. But what are these words really worth? There’s no doubt that you can have a lot of fun with a 120-150 watt …
With increasing opportunities to stream music in the highest quality, it’s more important than ever that every link maintains the same high quality. That’s why the market for amplifiers with built-in streaming is growing. For the record, we’re not talking about Bluetooth, but streaming over your home network. While Bluetooth is practical in headphones, earbuds …