Hifi Pig

Chord Electronics’ audio streamers, the DSX 1000 (£7,500) and the CodeX from the Choral Series (£4,500), have been given a new free control app, Chord 2 HD. The new app, which is available for both the iPad and iPhone, will initially be available on iOS 8.0 and above, with an Android version to follow.

Chord 2HD brings a number of improvements over Chord’s debut control app (Chord HD), which will remain available for older devices.

The new Chord 2 HD, is a slicker, more ergonomic control app with a wide range of new features, giving improved control and interactivity with streamed audio content. It has been designed with a strong graphical focus with album artwork featuring throughout. A wide range of functionality has been added, including a comprehensive search function plus improved internet radio and media browsing.

Further features include volume control, playlist composition and editing, and a cue-in function. The app also allows users to ‘push’ local content on devices to Chord’s streamers over a network, enabling the playback of visitors’ audio content, for example.

Available for free on iTunes.

This is a sound only interview of Nigel and Alan from The Chord Company discussing their cable designs, music, Hifi and a whole lot more. This should have been a video but the cameras malfunctioned and so the sound quality is also a tad questionable. All that said, they discuss some pretty interesting points, their love of music shines through and so well worth a listen.

More Hifi Interviews and Industry features

In 2007 Linn launched Klimax DS, bringing 24-Bit music into the living room for the first time and revolutionising the way music could be listened to in the home.
Quickly following this, Linn released Akurate DS, Majik DS and Sneaky DS in 2008.
Building on their approach, Linn today introduces “a huge leap forward in audio performance that re-defines the DS category”.
These significant enhancements are delivered in the new Klimax DS, Akurate DS, Majik DS and Majik DSM players by an innovative new approach to clocking architecture and improved audio circuitry layouts, leading to a reduction in the number of components, shorter signal paths and reduced jitter.
SPACE Optimisation for all Linn DS owners

From 16th March, every Linn DS player will feature SPACE Optimisation technology – Speaker, Placement and Custom Environment Optimisation.

Adapted from the optimisation technology developed in their Exakt systems, this technology builds an acoustic model of the complete listening environment based on the choice of loudspeaker, the placement of the speakers and the unique characteristics of the listening room, regardless of the speaker manufacturer and type.

“Using this model, performance is optimised, revealing the true sound of the music and offering an unparalleled level of personalisation” says the company’s press release..

Speakers
Every speaker is unique. The characteristics of the enclosure, drive units, ports and layout all influence the sound that is heard. SPACE Optimisation models the speakers based on all of these elements, to understand how the sound from the speakers interacts with the room.

Whatever speaker a customer chooses to use, their Linn DS player will optimise the sound.

Custom Environment
Every room impacts on the sound of a music system. As sound waves reflect off the walls, ceiling and floor, they interact, leading to peaks of increased energy at specific low frequencies. These peaks sound artificially loud, and because their increased energy takes longer to decay, they mask the music that follows. “SPACE Optimisation enables Linn DS players to optimise the sound for a room by identifying these peaks and reducing their energy to reveal the music that would otherwise be hidden”.

The furnishing and construction of a room also affect the sound. Hard surfaces like glass or concrete reflect more sound energy back into the room than absorbent surfaces like curtains or partition walls. “SPACE Optimisation provides Linn specialists with fine-grained control to optimise the system for a room’s unique characteristics.”

Every Linn DS player is Exakt-ready
All Linn DS and Linn DSM players now have Exakt Links to support future upgrade to the performance of Exakt.
Products and pricing
Available from Monday 16th March, Klimax DS is priced at £13,300, Akurate DS is £4,750, Majik DS is £1,990 and Majik DSM is £2,965.

Now this is not the kind of thing we would normally associate with the Hifi news section of Hifi Pig but we were really taken by what these audiophiles have done with their bed and breakfast in Wales.

We asked Caron, the owner, a few questions about how and why they set up the Llwyn Helyg bed and breakfast in Nantgaredig, Wales.

Read on audiophiles, you’ll love this.

” Music has been such a fundamental part of both myself and  my wife, Fiona’s, lives. Following years of enjoying listening to music collectively with friends at our home, we decided that the world needed a Bed & Breakfast for ‘Music Lovers and Audiophiles’.

And so began a largely tortuous period for the couple between buying a derelict house in 1996, demolishing it, purchasing some adjoining parcels of land and ultimately designing and building Llwyn Helyg between 2001 and 2012.

“We hadn’t planned on taking so long, but things happen in West Wales at a somewhat leisurely pace!”

Llwyn Helyg is a brand new ‘Country House’ with a dedicated room for the HiFi and this is what stands it apart and makes it of interest to us here at Hifi Pig. The room is 10 x 6 mtrs. with a vaulted ceiling and one phase of the ‘three phase’ electric supply purely for that room.

“We have been extremely fortunate in winning a number of prestigious awards in the last year or so – much of it due to the unique music facilities here. Response to ‘The Listening Room’ since we started having guests in Spring 2013 has been overwhelming.  Since over 90% of those who choose to stay here know nothing about the HiFi or indeed music, their reaction has been fascinating as the vast majority of people really like music but have never heard replay on anything much better than what we have on the high-street!” Caron continued.

Commenting on the system Caroin says “As with most audiophiles, our systems are continually being ‘improved’ but we are having enormous pleasure from what we have here, and sharing it with others is such a fantastic feeling. Essentially the main rig is a  Krell Reference / Wilson Audio / Theta / Basis system”.

Looking forward to our visit sometime soon, guys.

The Clarity Alliance, the UK hi-fi industry’s trade body, has announced the membership of new manufacturing company, Kleio Audio Limited to its continually growing number of members.

Kleio Audio, founded by managing director Garry Wise, is a Kent based manufacturer of audio electronics that was founded in April 2012. Since then the company has been involved in an intensive research and development process as it develops its first range of products, the K1 series, which will be launched during the start of the second quarter of 2015.

Commenting on the membership of the company, Laurence Armstrong, chairman of Clarity, says, “The emergence of another British based manufacturing business must be applauded as it is this type of entrepreneurial business which stimulates the UK hi-fi industry and helps ensures is longevity.” He continues, “We are very pleased to welcome Garry and his team into The Clarity Alliance and are looking forward to the unveiling of its products and working with the staff of Kleio as the business grows and develops.”

Garry Wise adds, “Kleio is very pleased to have been accepted as a member of Clarity.  It has been our aim to join the alliance since we began our journey.  We now look forward to networking with others, and working together to promote everything which is great about our industry.” He concludes, “We are a new and exciting company with a fresh approach, and aim to attract a new audience to the industry.  In the future, as we become more established, we hopefully look forward to making a significant contribution to the alliance.”

NuNu Distribution got in touch with us to tell us about the winner of the raffle they held at the recent Bristol Show. They were giving away a pair of  Quadral AREGENTUM 420 speakers and the winner was Mark from Nailsea who you can see in the picture on the right,  accepting his prize from Tony of NuNu.

NuNu will be at the North West Audio Show – Cranage Hall in Cheshire where entry and parking are FREE and all you need to do is register at www.audioshow.co.uk . Hifi Pig are proud to be the exclusive media partners for this event.

It will be a fantastic show and you will have the chance to see and hear all the brands in NuNu’s portfolio as they will be demonstrating in 6 rooms.