Auralic Altair G1 Streamer and DAC
The Auralic Altair G1 Streamer/DAC is a well-featured box of tricks to which you need only add an amp and loudspeakers. Stuart Smith checks out this €2399/£1999 unit.
Computer audio and Streaming
iFi Aurora Music System
Costing £1399 the iFi Aurora Music System is an all-in-one streaming music system that boasts a plethora of features and innovative touches. It’s also striking in its aesthetics and design. Stuart Smith takes a listen.
Cabasse Pearl Akoya
Cabasse Pearl Akoya is a powered speaker with onboard streaming capability and costs £1499. Janine Elliot takes a listen for Hifi Pig.
Stack Audio Link II Streamer
John Scott wonders if the new version of Stack Audio’s £725 network streamer with optional £400 power supply is the missing link he has been searching for.
Bricasti Design M3 DAC
Bricasti Design is a brand more associated with the pro-audio market, but that could all set to change given Dan Worth’s enthusiastic review of their £5399 M3 DAC, with options to add a network player and headphone amp.
Novafidelity X45 Ripper and Streamer
The Novafidelity X45 boasts a host of features and costs £2099 and is distributed in the UK by SCV. In this review, Stuart Smith takes a look at this massively specified unit.
Electrocompaniet ECI 6 DX MKII Amplifier and Streamer
Hailing from Norway the Electrocompaniet ECI 6 DX MKII is an integrated amplifier and streaming solution costing £5999 (a version without streaming capabilities is available at £4999), Alan McIntosh plugs it into his system for Hifi Pig
iFi Audio ZEN Blue Wireless Bluetooth DAC
The iFi ZEN Blue is a wireless Bluetooth DAC costing just £129. Janine Elliot gives it a whirl.
iFi Zen DAC
Janine Elliot takes a listen to the iFi Zen DAC that boasts a whole load of features in a diminutive package and is priced at just £129.
Leema Acoustics – Elements High Resolution Streamer
Leema Acoustics’ Elements High-Resolution Streamer is the Welsh brand’s mid-level streamer. Here Alan Mcintosh puts it through its paces.
Gold Note DS10 Streamer/DAC/Pre-amplifier/Headphone Amp
Fresh out of Florence, Gold Note’s new Streamer/DAC aims to bring versatility and sophistication to your digital setup. John Scott sets out to see if it succeeds in this, the first English language review of this product.
Auralic Aries G1 Wireless Streaming Transport
Auralic’s Aries G1 Wireless Streaming Transport costs £1899 in the UK and is, surprisingly enough, a wireless (and wired) streamer, Stuart Smith puts it into the Hifi Pig mid-priced reference system and gives it a listen.
iFi xCan and xDSD Shootout
iFi’s xCan at £299 offers a portable headphone amp with Bluetooth connectivity, whereas their £399 xDSD focuses on DAC duties with a headphone amp, Bluetooth and lots of digital inputs. Janine Elliot puts them head to head for this in-depth review.
Russound MBX-Amp Streaming Amplifier
Hifi Pig’s Millennial Scribbler Harry Smith takes a look at American brand Russound’s MBX-Amp, a one-box streamer and amplifier costing £599 in the UK.
Micromega M150 Integrated Amplifier, DAC and Streamer
In which John Scott confronts a philosophical pachyderm, feeds it a bun, pats it gently on its trunk and sends it on its way. Or John Scott takes delivery of the Micromega M150 Integrated amp/DAC/streamer costing £5499.
x-odos – xo|one CD Ripping Streamer
Dan Worth takes a listen to the catchily named x-odos – xo|one CD Ripping Streamer costing £7500 and hailing from Germany.