Rois Acoustics, in cooperation with Audio4Soul, whose digital amp/DAC we reviewed a while ago, has launched their new Kalypso loudspeaker. Kalypso is an active, one-way loudspeaker, which uses a full range drive unit mounted on a rear horn-loaded cabinet and driven by a built-in true digital amplifier. With a full line of digital inputs (asynchronous […]
Kronos Audio have said that they will be introducing their new turntable, the Sparta at this years CES. The Sparta maintains the company’s patented dual counter-rotating suspended technology but offers it a lower priced package. “We are very excited to offer this performance breakthrough to a wider audience. We have included into Sparta all the […]
Wilson audio have announced the Sasha Series-2 loudspeaker. Wilson say that with the Sasha Series-2 precise time alignment, “so critical to harmonic expression, dynamic clarity and musicality, has reached an unprecedented degree of refinement for a two cabinet loudspeaker”r. The Sasha Series-2 uses a modified version of the company’s Convergent Synergy Tweeter used in the […]
The Stereo 845 features four matched 845 valves, two 6SL7 first stage valves, two 6SN7 output driver valves and a GZ34 driver stage rectifier. The four 845s can be user-calibrated using Icon Audio’s built-in ‘easy bias’ meter and deliver a rated continuous output of 40 watts per channel. While Icon’s MB845 monoblocks achieve around a […]
Following the launch of the Prime Headphone Amplifier, Meridian has announced the introduction of the Prime Power Supply, a reference-quality, high-current design based on the new linear power supplies developed for Meridian’s 800 Reference Series and specifically built for audio applications. The Meridian Prime Power Supply can be used to power a range of Meridian […]
Ted Martin was a VIP guest of honour at Meridian’s Huntingdon HQ on 17th December in an event held to celebrate the fact that Martins Hi-fi is Meridian’s longest serving retail partner. Ted and his brother Mike founded Martins Hi-Fi in January 1968. Sadly Mike died in 1979 leaving Ted to carry on the business […]
Raven Audio’s Nighthawk is an integrated amplifier that is self-biasing so you never have to adjust tubes. The chassis is manufactured of sturdy 14-gauge carbon steel with an aircraft-grade aluminium faceplate and a small-signal tube plate on top. At $1,595 it would seem Raven Audio doesn’t skimp on quality; the handles are made of schedule-20 […]
Resonessence Labs are a Canadian company whose DACs we had reviewed in the past. We’d ben told very good things about their little Herus DAC and headphone amp and so Hifi Pig got Danny Worth to give it a listen. “The presentation of the sound was crisp and clean, with a great openness to the […]
Parasound have introduced a new version of their Halo JC 3 phono preamplifier, the Halo JC 3+. The new version adds independent load adjustment for MC cartridges and improvements to the dual mono phono module circuit boards which have been designed by John Curl. “Six years ago we asked John Curl if he would create […]
Quad has unveiled the 9AS – a pair of compact active speakers complete with an inbuilt DAC (from Quad’s Elite series of CD players) allowing coupling up of desktop and laptop computers, disc players and other digital devices. Preamp functionality allows users to switch between multiple digital and analogue sources, and also adjust volume levels on […]
Young consumer electronics brand i-box unveils Max – big brother to its recently launched portable wireless speaker, Trax. Like its sibling, Max is a Bluetooth, NFC-ready design, clad in i-box’s distinctive orange and black livery and designed to be used with all manner of smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. However, while Trax is small enough […]
Hifi Pig gave you a sneaky peak of the new all in one player from Cyrus Audio way back in September and now the company has officially announced the launch of its Lyric Series – its first ever all-in-one music system range. At launch, two products are available; Lyric 09 and Lyric 05 Lyric 09 […]
iFi have announced the iCAN, a palm sized 167g battery powered, 150mW headphone amplifier. The onboard lithium-polymer 1400mAh battery is said to give over 70 hours of juice and the company’s DirectDrive output with no coupling capacitors is said to offer “smooth, natural sonics and bass slam”. Input is via a either a pair of […]
Kimberly Wyatt of Pussycat Dolls fame was recently announced as the face for the Monster iSport FREEDOM Headphones so we thought the best person to review them was Linette (with a useful addition by Harry our 16 year old and fairly active son) as clearly the other reviewers for Hifi Pig don’t really fall into […]
Audioengine has launched two new products clearly aimed at lovers of computer-based music. First up is the Audioengine D3, a 24-bit USB DAC and headphone amp. It slots into the USB socket of any Mac or PC and “instantly improve the audio output to headphones, powered speakers or any music system”. No additional power supply, […]
The Chord Company’s Epic loudspeaker cable, has been upgraded with the release of Epic Reference. The new upgraded version is said to bring “even greater accuracy across a wider bandwidth than the original and brings all the performance benefits of separately shielded conductor construction”. Epic Reference is based on 2×12 AWG 19-strand silver-plated oxygen-free copper […]
Akiko Audio, whose Tuning Sticks Danny reviewed last month, have introduced a new power block called the Powerbase Quattro. It’s built from high quality aluminium and stabilised with block connections, whereby the Furutech inlets are firmly anchored to the base. Akiko’s Aerostar wires made from eight runs of silver plated copper wire and isolated by […]
Audio cables in Hifi often split the audiophile community into believers and non-believers camps and so with no further ado here’s what Jerry thought about the Isotek EVO3 Premier mains cables. “At £95 or so for a 1.5m length, reasonably flexible and looking very well made and presented, this cable is by no means expensive […]
The Koto is the traditional 13 string Japanese instrument and Kimio Eto is widely regarded as its master. He began training on the instrument at the age of eight and composed his first work aged eleven. Amazingly he was blind from the age of five according to the sleeve notes and this makes this record […]
Van de Leur are a young and innovative Dutch company with just two products to their name for the moment. We had a look at and listen to their 002 preamplifier and the 402 power amplifier. “We first bumped into Pim Van de Leur on the last day of the Munich High end show, but […]
I stopped listening to BBC Radio 1 a long time ago but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy dipping into that totally uncool territory that is the hit parade as I believe it’s called by the younger people. We bought last year’s Live Lounge sessions and enjoyed it a great deal despite my preconceptions […]
Now Sounds have raided the vaults of Hollywood’s Capitol Records to bring us 24 slices of psychedelic pop pie from the late 60s with many of the tunes being on CD for the first time, all sourced from the original master tapes and compiled and produced by Steve Stanley. Needless to say I was a […]
VPI Industries have announced the introduction of the Nomad vinyl playback system. The Nomad is comprised of a 10-inch aluminum tonearm, and 20-pound plinth and platter assembly borrowed from VPI’s Traveler turntable, a pair of Grado headphones and a pre-installed Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge.The Nomad also has an onboard phono pre-amplifier and headphone amplifier […]