I2S – pronounced eye-squared-ess for those unfamiliar with the term – is a serial digital signal bus scheme originally intended for board-level IC-to-IC transfer (integrated circuit). Now, an increasing number of audio equipment manufacturers are specifying I2S as a digital interconnect for use, for example, between a CD transport or a streamer and an associated […]
Rega Elex Mk4 integrated amplifier Rega Elex Mk4 is the latest and arguably the best value amplifier the company has made. Is there another independent British brand that has been making hi-fi for as long as Rega? I can think of a couple but none which have been making such a wide range of products […]
Kii Three BXT active digital loudspeakers The phrase ‘game changing’ is bandied around a little too liberally, but every now and then a piece of kit comes along that most definitely warrants that definition. The Kii Three BXT active DSP loudspeaker system is such a product. When I reviewed the Kii Three standmount four years […]
Russ Andrews BMU 3000VA balanced mains unit The Russ Andrews BMU 3000VA aims to bring pro standard power to your home. Recording studios and mastering suites have an obvious interest in achieving the cleanest mains possible and that’s why most, if not all of them, power their electronic equipment from balanced mains units. In domestic […]
Origin Live Calypso Mk4 & Illustrious Mk4 turntable & tonearm Turntable makers come and go. Some endure for a variety of reasons, others bite the dust very quickly. But Origin Live is one of a special breed, an enduring, steadily improving must-have breed that gets under the skin of its owners and provides musical satisfaction […]
Townshend DCT Isolda and DCT 300 cables Townshend has been producing the DCT Isolda speaker and interconnect cable since the ’90s. Over that time, changes to the product have been incremental, which suggests they got the basics right in the first place. This review followed a chat between the editor and I regarding cable characteristics. […]
Lumin P1 streamer preamplifier A glance at the Lumin range of network players is initially confusing, why is the Lumin P1 bigger than the more expensive X1 range topper? A quick comparison of the two back panels reveals the reason, the P1 is a streamer, a DAC and an analogue and digital preamplifier whereas the […]
Totem Element Fire V2 loudspeaker The Element Fire V2 marks the beginning of Totem’s top-tier Element range. The V2 badge denotes improvements, most notably to the crossover and both drive units, and is said to have made the speakers easier to drive and position compared to the previous model. Canadian company Totem is a brand […]
Melco N50-H60 music library The freshly launched N50-H60 replaces the NA1/2EX and joins the N50-H38, an SSD variant in the same chassis. Confusingly, the new model uses the same casing and switchgear as its predecessor, the only apparent external change being the upgraded feet which are said to have improved vibration feedback control. It may […]
Network Acoustics Muon USB Cable Network Acoustics made the Muon USB Cable because they are mad about noise, by which I mean they hate it. Their aim is to eliminate the noise from streaming systems and by doing so allow those systems to reveal the full glory of the music. Electrical noise on the AC […]
Triangle Magellan Duetto 40th anniversary loudspeakers The Triangle Magellan Duetto is an example of how different countries around the globe tend, on the whole, to produce loudspeakers of a certain characteristic. And one generally either loves them or loathes them en masse. Usually, the manufacturers will create a sound which appeals to their home audience; […]
Quiescent T500VA How do you like your mains: au-naturel, actively re-generated or passively treated? It’s a question that the Quiescent T500VA answers but one that I first considered some 16 years ago when I attended a listening session with a group of some half a dozen audiophiles. We had gathered to audition and compare assorted […]