Bluesound Node Icon streamer A dealer friend recently told me that a streamer’s success is highly dependent on the quality of the control app assigned to it. Looking at the impact made by brands such as Auralic at the higher end and Wiim at the budget end suggests that this theory is a valid one. […]
The Ear’s reviewers pick the best hi-fi of 2024 If you want to know the best hi-fi of 2024, the audio products that really wowed our reviewers this year look no further. These components that made a lasting impression, they are the ones reviewers would have held onto if they could and sometimes did. There […]
Newontech DAC 08, Pre 08, Amp 10 Newontech’s founder, CEO and passionate music lover, Ole Nielsen, is clear about a mission that seems more like a declaration of obsession. It’s all about the sound (well, it always is) but he stresses that many thousands of hours are spent listening and trying out different components before […]
Wiim Ultra streamer DAC preamp Wiim has taken the budget end of the audiophile streaming market by storm since the launch of the Wiim Mini three years ago. Followed by the Wiim Pro and Wiim amp range, these products have formed the basis of many entry-level and secondary streaming systems. The company is a subsidiary […]
Auralic Altair G2.2 streamer DAC preamplifier With their very similar if precisely executed cases you could be forgiven for not noticing differences between Auralic components. The flagship G2.2 models all look very much alike in their two thirds width, black anodised aluminium chassis with a central display, the only differentiation is the presence or otherwise […]
Primare SC15 Mk2 streamer, DAC and preamplifier A few months ago I received a pair of Phonar Match Air WiSA-enabled wireless speakers to review and, on realising that the the supplied streaming units were holding back sound quality, I asked for a Primare SC15 Mk2, purely with the aim of achieving a better sound from […]
Cyrus 40 CD player UK audio manufacturer Cyrus has launched a new family of separates, the 40 Series. It’s a re-think of its existing popular range that at debut comprises just four products, but is likely to grow further. Aesthetically the new look is sleeker, some might say more up-to-date, with dark glass, TFT displays […]
Atoll MS120 streamer Somewhat bizarrely, it was in an Austrian high street dealer, while sheltering from a torrential downpour, that I heard the Atoll MS120 streamer. It was clear that the unit has great qualities and, having enjoyed the brand’s integrated streaming amps, I wanted to try this mini version in my own system. French […]
Soulnote D-2 DAC Soulnote is Japanese brand that has been around for a lot longer than recent events would suggest. They first made an impact on me at the High End show, Munich in 2022 but a quick web search reveals that their products go back considerably further, to 2004 in fact when it was […]
Silent Angel Munich MU streamer The Munich MU is the latest streamer from Silent Angel and aims for higher performance than the entry level Munich M1. To this end it has a double-layer aluminium chassis inspired by their Bonn NX audiophile network switch, for superior structural integrity, enhanced resonance damping and better electromagnetic interference isolation. […]
Network Acoustics eno2 streaming filter system The eno was a lockdown project between Richard Trussell, an ex-IT professional who is a qualified electronics engineer, and Rob Osbourne, who previously worked as a publisher, filmmaker and DJ. Dissatisfied with the sonic results they were hearing from their music streaming systems, they worked together and came up […]
Merason Reuss DAC The name of Merason’s mid price DAC is pronounced royce I am told, but that takes some remembering. I have enjoyed both iterations of the Merason DAC1 which sits at the top of the range, especially the original with its stainless steel and acrylic casework, and the UK distributor is of the […]