Hi-fi guru and brand ambassador Ken Ishiwata passed away on November 25th. Renowned for the KI Signature models he tuned for Marantz over forty years Ken started out working for Pioneer, Japan in the sixties where his speciality was loudspeaker design. When he went to work with Marantz, Netherlands to sort out issues with incoming […]
ATC’s new C1 Sub Mk 2 is a compact real wood veneered design, incorporating a hand-built 12” (314mm) ATC bass driver and a fully discrete ATC 200W MOSFET power amplifier with a £1,650 asking price. Built to provide a dynamic low-distortion bass foundation for ATC’s Entry Series speakers, its C1C and C3C centre speakers, HTS […]
Elipson’s new Planet W35 wireless speaker is the culmination of a three year research and development programme into omni-directional audio from a spherical shaped loudspeaker. The result it’s claimed “sets new standards in loudspeaker performance, functionality and aesthetic design”. The £799 W35 embeds the latest HD wireless audio technologies including Bluetooth and provides stereo sound […]
Rotel has returned to its 90s roots and relaunched its high end Michi amplifiers. These take the form of the P5 preamplifier (£3,299) and two power amps, the S5 stereo and M8 monoblock, which both cost £5,399 each. Build quality is in the substantial class with the power amps weighing 60kg per chassis with a […]
Russ Andrews has upgraded its Torlyte Platforms to further enhance the musical performance benefits when used to support hi-fi components. Careful analysis of the fundamental operation of Torlyte and the application of new materials and manufacturing techniques has resulted in a redesign of this well-respected component support solution. The driving principle behind Torlyte, namely the […]
Townshend Audio has unveiled the new Allegri Reference, a passive preamp which “sets a new standard in volume control performance”. The reed relay switched auto-transformer volume control (AVC) has 129 half decibel steps volume steps, more than twice that of the Allegri+ that we use as a reference on the Ear. The Allegri Reference is remote-controlled, wired with […]
Rega have finally announced the launch of the Aethos integrated amplifier first seen at Bristol Sound and Vision this year. The time, effort and money has apparently been spent on developing the circuit and construction utilizing the highest specification of components throughout. As part of the design we have included useful features such as a […]
Chord Electronics’ next-generation phono stage, Huei (£990), is now available following its international launch in May. The new phono preamp, which shares design features and a form factor with the Qutest DAC, distils three decades of UK amplifier design and manufacturing know-how into its space-saving chassis. Entirely conceived, engineered and manufactured in Great Britain and […]
Chord Electronics will be demonstrating its new Ultima 3 mono power amplifiers for the first time in the UK at The UK Hi-Fi Show Live 2019. “Ultima-technology amplifiers distil 30 years of UK amplifier design, engineering and manufacturing into a range boasting unprecedented resolution, transparency and dynamics” it says here. First unveiled in October 2018, Ultima amplifier […]
Karma-AV has unleashed Primare’s bijou NP5 network player (£450) in the UK, bringing the Swedish brand’s Prisma network tech to any system with a digital input. Incorporating all the functionality found in their latest award winning Prisma enabled models, including AirPlay 2*, Bluetooth, Chromecast built-in, Roon Ready* and Spotify Connect, in addition to network connected […]
The Wharfedale EVO4 Series, developed concurrently with the flagship Elysian project, benefits from the same extensive R&D processes. Much engineering and technology is shared between these speakers and the family resemblance is obvious, from the substantial cabinets with their curved sides to the driver array. With prices starting at £449 per pair, the EVO4 Series […]
Vertere Acoustics has added a new range of analogue cables to its portfolio. Redline is designed to preserve “all the dynamics, harmonic structure and detail of the music, throughout the system. All too often, it is the connecting cables that corrupt the delicate audio signal. Vertere has fundamentally addressed this issue with its unique conductor […]