I reviewed an Auralic Altair back in May 2017 but that was a rather different beast to the Altair G1 you see on this page. Auralic’s early products were a bit piecemeal when it came to casework with the small curvy Aries looking totally different to the larger but still compact Altair. With the G1 and G2 […]
IsoAcoustics isolating stands and pucks have been cropping up in recording studios worldwide since the Canadian manufacturer’s founding in 2012. In the last two years the company has focused its efforts on replicating this success in the consumer audio market and now offers an interesting range of audiophile isolation products. A few months ago I […]
It may have been a rocky year for politics in the UK but that hasn’t stopped hi-fi manufacturers from creating some spectacular pieces of kit to help us hear more of our music and thus gain even greater enjoyment from the most transcendent of artforms. Vinyl continues to grow in popularity with ever more albums […]
I originally heard about this beefy integrated in discussions with Rega’s electronics guru Terry Bateman in mid 2018, but the Aethos didn’t make a public appearance until the Bristol show in February 19, and even then was only at the prototype stage. It took another eight months to go into production, clearly Rega doesn’t like […]
It’s probably best not to wear socks whilst listening to the SCM40s – they’re only going to get blown off each time you fire-up these gorgeous floorstanders. Right from the outset, these hand-built speakers impress even before you get their drivers moving. They’re built using a curved cabinet design that adds a classic elegance, and […]
In a previous review I wrote about the Naim Supernait 3 integrated amplifier, which I thoroughly enjoyed. While it was here I was also lucky enough to have the latest version of Naim’s entry level streamer here as well. I have owned and used a Naim NDX since 2015, I was interested to see and hear whether […]
The Mola Mola or ocean sunfish is quite a substantial beast that can weigh up to a tonne and looks a bit odd. A Tambaqui is a large freshwater fish: clearly something aquatic is afoot. What is also clear is that designer Bruno Putzeys and his colleagues have taken their time in getting this brand […]
There are a few cartridge companies that have mastered their microscopic art so well that they not only produce moving coils and moving magnet designs under their own name but do so for other brands as well. This so-called OEM (original equipment manufacturer) model exists elsewhere in hi-fi of course but rarely does it apply […]
When Kudos launched the original Titan (now dubbed 808) it was a big step for the company. The biggest and most ambitious loudspeaker that Derek Gilligan had designed, it looked like that would remain the brand’s flagship, the only one of its kind. But then it spawned a smaller model, the 707, and then the […]
I have enjoyed reviewing speaker cables and XLR interconnects from Tellurium Q previously for The Ear, so when Geoff Merrigan atTellurium Q, asked if I would like to compare the new Ultra Blue II mains cable with the original version, how could I resist? Geoff and I had previously talked about his philosophy of product […]
The esteemed editor has referred (in our Twitter feed) to the fact that I have been having something of an Italian year, and that theme continues with this review. Let me hasten to say that thus far my Italian adventures have been thoroughly enjoyable perhaps because they were an opportunity to hear great components which […]
A good friend of mine manages a high end audio shop in Central London, and we often chat about system tweaks and other audio trivia. For quite a while now he has been urging me to try Shunyata Research mains cables. He powers his own system (which is worth about the same as my house […]