Tannoy Prestige Autograph Mini-OW loudspeaker While they looked compact in the photograph, it was not until Tannoy’s Prestige Autograph Mini-OW loudspeakers arrived in the flesh that I appreciated just how compact. They are truly small-scale transducers. Front-on, the cabinet resembles that of an LS3/5A-sized box but their volume is less because of the triangular rather […]
Michell Orbe SE turntable Here’s a question, in which year did England win the World Cup? That’s right, it was 1966. I suspect that the majority of you reading this will have known the answer even though you were as yet not even a gleam in your parents’ eyes when it happened. Similarly, in what […]
Emotiva XDA3 DAC/preamp The marketing line ‘why pay more?’ is as old as retailing itself but, for the longest time, it hasn’t prevented audiophiles answering quite reasonably: ‘above a certain level, small improvements start to cost a lot’. The law of diminishing returns has been a thorny fact of life for hi-fi owning music lovers […]
Chord Ultima Integrated amplifier It is a given that a linear power supply is key to extracting the best results from any hi-fi component, right? Scroll through any forum or dealer’s website, and you will see various upgrade kits involving such devices. I confess to having followed the accepted wisdom and invested in my fair […]
Xact S1 Evo server/streamer Every now and then a component comes along that rearranges expectations to such an extent that its necessary to recalibrate the potential of that particular product category. The Xact S1 Evo has done just that for server/streamers, I now know that there is more, quite a lot more that can be […]
PMC prophecy5 speakers On a wet afternoon in December PMC invited members of the audio press to the one of the less charming parts of Wimbledon, however once inside what appeared to be a warehouse we discovered a state of the art mastering and mixing studios. Wired Masters specialises in making what might generally be […]
Neat Acoustics Momentum J6 speakers Ever since I first reviewed the diminutive, knee-high Iota Alpha floorstander I have long been a fan of Neat Acoustics speakers, subsequent experience of the Explorer and Petite Classic further enhanced my enthusiasm for the brand. I first saw the Momentum J6 floorstander at the North West Audio Show last […]
Cambridge Audio EXN100 streamer/DAC Sometimes a product arrives out of the blue with impeccable timing; so it was with the new network player from Cambridge Audio. The EXN100 is a complex beast, featuring a DAC to handle various digital inputs, comprehensive streaming abilities, internet radio and a preamplifier. Until Qobuz get their act together and […]
The Wand 14-4 Master turntable If rivalry and ambition are key forces driving the hi-fi industry, I’d argue nothing motors harder than the quest to build a better turntable. It’s cat nip for visionary engineers. Rega’s founder Roy Gandy saw the record player ultimately as a machine for measuring vibration and produced a book to […]
Noise-Trap passive mains filter In most countries, high frequency noise on the AC power supply – often worse at certain times of the day – causes audio systems to dip in sonic performance. The high frequency noise seems to have a curious effect on some humans too, causing them to assure us that the variability […]
Quad 33/303 pre/power amplifier Rarely do I receive a press release about a new piece of hi-fi gear that prompts me to contact the sender by return asking for a chance to review said item. However, just such an email arrived heralding the new Quad 33 preamplifier and 303 power amplifier and off went my […]
Rega Brio Mk7 integrated amplifier I have to admit to being surprised when Rega announced a seventh generation Brio, this amplifier has been in their range for quite some time but I didn’t realise that there had been so many versions. The last Brio I reviewed was in 2017 when it was called just Brio, […]