JBL L100 Classic
Back in the spring when the editor asked me if I fancied reviewing the new JBL L100s I didn’t have to think about it long. People of my vintage (not a word I use lightly in this context!) may have fond memories of those days in the early 1970s, when the original JBL L100 first […]
Stack Audio Link
If you want to become an audio equipment manufacturer the easiest part of a system to make would appear to be a loudspeaker. All you need is a nice cabinet, a set of drive units and a crossover, half of which can be bought off the shelf. Making a speaker that you and your mates […]
Diapason Adamantes V
Having visited the Diapason headquarters a couple of years ago I discovered first-hand the commitment involved in each and every pair of hand-made speakers from this renowned Italian brand. So, when the opportunity arose to look closely at the new Adamantes V two-way bookshelf model, I jumped at the chance. After a brief listen at this year’s […]
YBA Heritage A200
One of my very first reviews for the Ear, almost a year ago, was of the YBA Passion IA350 integrated amplifier and the matching CD430 disc player. I was very impressed with them and so when the UK distributor asked if I would like to hear the most recent Heritage amplifier, the A200, it was a pleasure […]
PrimaLuna Evolution EVO 100
With the rise of online music services, the demand for high-quality digital to analogue converters is increasing. The use of Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify streaming services as an addition to home music collections has become indispensable. It’s only logical that a company like PrimaLuna should releases a DAC. An earlier version in the form of […]
Hegel H190
To describe the Norwegian-conceived Hegel H190 as merely an integrated amplifier does it a disservice. Successor to the award-winning H160 it benefits from company founder Bent Holter’s refined SoundEngine2, first seen in the more powerful H360 model and boasting ten-times lower distortion than the first-generation. Added to this the unit’s onboard streaming ability (Tidal, Spotify, […]
Gold Note A6 Evo
2019 is becoming a very Italian year in my audio life. Like many of us immersed in this hobby in the UK I was aware of a few Italian brands but this year I have had the privilege to hear several which were hitherto not on my radar, and the first of them is Gold […]
Bowers & Wilkins 607
Launched last year, the 607 is the smallest and most affordable model in Bowers & Wilkins’ latest 600 Series. The line-up includes seven designs in total, including subwoofers and a centre channel for surround sound set-ups. Straight out of the box and even before they’re wired and fired, the 607s impress. Smartly turned out with […]
Constellation Audio Integrated 1.0
I have always been a sucker for Constellation Audio, before I even heard one I was smitten. There are many ultra fi electronics brands in the high end omniverse but none makes products that look as good as a Constellation. The Integrated 1.0 is the most affordable complete amplifier in the range yet it still […]
Marten Heritage Duke 2
Walk into any British audio retail emporium and ask the people running it what they don’t need any more of, and I’ll wager that at least 8 out of 10 will say “Another loudspeaker brand”. You can see their point. I bet that almost everyone reading this could count into double figures the number of […]
Norma HS-IPA 1
Recently I seem to have had a lot of contact with Italian audio components and the latest to grace my equipment rack is the Norma HS-IPA1. Packed into its diminutive case work there is a solid state amplifier, a phono stage, a headphone amplifier and a DAC, which is really quite remarkable. Norma is based […]
Q Acoustics Concept 300
The Q Acoustics Concept 300 is a revolutionary loudspeaker. Not because of the cabinet or the drivers or even the tripod stand, although that is radical from a design perspective. It’s a game changer because this is the first loudspeaker that incorporates a damped spring isolation system in the world ever. For a decade or […]