Naim is not like other hi-f manufacturers. The discreet products look harmless, and the amplifiers here have a very moderately stated effect on the paper. You are therefore excused if you dismiss it as arch-conservative British hi-fi: “Good sound, but lacks power, control and fun”. That is, until you hear it. If you have first …
Hi-fi has a (not entirely undeserved) reputation for being an expensive hobby for middle aged males to squander insane sums on gear in an obsessive quest to perfect the final, miniscule details. This demographic is hardly the one Argon Audio is aiming for with this integrated SA1 amplifier. Rather, their aim is to attract new …
Strap yourself in the armrest, because this amplifier happily blows you out of the sofa, and it does so in style. As McIntosh amplifiers are used to doing. The MA7200 is a bit overshadowed by the powerful flagship amplifier MA9000, which with its 300 W power can revive the dead, and kickstart a 747 at …
The modern version of the all-in-one system is significantly better than the system you remembered your uncle had in the 80’s. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, it is possible to pack both good sound and all the sound sources you need in one box. Just look at the Naim Uniti Star. Here you get both …
Most people use their cell phone as a source when listening to music on headphones. It is convenient and it is always available. However, if you have wired headphones, this is not the best solution. If at all possible – and the headphone output has not been dropped as an extra service. What we are …
What are the characteristics of the perfect hi-fi equipment? When we test products at the highest level of the scale, ostentatious design usually goes hand in hand with impressive sound. And usually also price. But not everyone is equally lavish. The Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 almost looks like a piece of laboratory equipment designed by Philippe …
NAD’s Masters series are the products where engineers are given free rein to make the best equipment they can. We have tested a number of products from the series, among them the integrated amplifier M32 and the media server M50.2. The newest member of the family, the NAD M10, does not look like his older …
Italian Gold Note is a brand that we have not tested before, but we have seen them at hi-fi fairs, where they piqued our curiosity. The company is based in Florence, and the people behind it have been designing hi-fi for 25 years. In the first years as an OEM supplier to other brands, but …
The sound from my records sounded freshly washed and revitalized. It did not matter which pickup I used. An affordable Audio-Technica delivered sound quality I associate with more expensive pickups, and with an expensive Rega pickup it opened up even more, and a Ortofon pickup kicked open the door to a higher analog sky. All …
In the space of just a few years, French manufacturer Devialet has gone from being an obscure producer to being a name on all hi-fi enthusiasts’ lips. As a sort of hi-fi answer to Tesla, they’ve challenged accepted truths and sought new, intelligent ways of making great hi-fi. Their advanced SAM technique that adapts the …
If you look at what people do on social media, it looks like many have dumped the CD collection a long time ago. It is more convenient to use your mobile phone when playing music. It’s almost free, the music is always available, and the sound is perfectly fine. With the music in your pocket, …
It is big, powerful and has endless powers. It is perhaps the most useful amplifier they make, regardless of whether you need all the power. For McIntosh’s most powerful stereo power amplifier, it has no flaws whatsoever. Apart from being quite expensive, there is nothing to fault on the McIntosh MC462. Of course, it does …
The reason why Hegel has ranked high with us regarding their amplifiers is due to their understanding of what creates high quality sound. Namely, the absence of noise and distortion. The amplifier’s task is simply to amplify the electrical music signal coming from the audio source, neither more nor less. This is much harder to …
People generally don’t favour a lot of bulky crates for their amp solution, but this doesn’t mean there’s any less interest in the really good stuff. On the contrary! It’s just that the market seems to be gradually moving away from separate solutions with pre and power amps towards a single hefty integrated amplifier. It’s …
American Emotiva is known for its often very large and massive amplifiers at surprisingly affordable prices. Here we have embarked on the Emotiva BasX TA-100, which in terms of weight and power is in the lighter layer of the company’s product line. This is something as rare as a stereo receiver – ie amplifier and …