Elac’s Discovery DS-S101-G may not have the snappiest name, but does the diminutive music server have the chops?

I have admired the offerings from Elac for a while now. I mean, who wouldn’t give house room to their gorgeous Miracord 90 turntable? To be honest, I’d be happy with the Miracord 70 that was unveiled at Bristol earlier this year.

Whilst at Bristol, I noticed an unassuming little box. Upon further investigation, I was told that this was the Discovery Music Server.

Well, I’ve lived with the device for a few weeks so it’s now time to share my thoughts about it.

Discovery DS-S101-G design

The Discovery measures (WxHxD): 21cm x 4.5cm x 11cm and weighs just 2lbs. This enables it to slip in to most systems easily.

Its case is crafted from solid aluminium. It has a large rubber foot on the bottom which keeps it sat snugly on your stand.

The only indication you have that it is on is a small white LED on the front panel that glows when the server is in use.

Audio connections on the back include two pairs of stereo analogue RCA outputs and both coaxial and optical digital outs.

Data connections include a gigabit Ethernet port for linking to a wired network (a requirement for using the Discovery) and a USB 2.0 port for storage.

Overall, it is a smart and well-designed little thing. It certainly looks like a quality item.

Discovery DS-S101-G performance

Before I wade in any further, there may be some here that are unsure just as to what a music server is or does.

Music server

There was a point where a music server would be purely a standalone device that would contain a built-in hard disk, or disks. This would store and play ripped CDs while connecting to the internet to fetch metadata.

Naturally, you can still purchase such machines and there are some great ones out there. However, the DS-S101-G is slightly different.

Here we have no built-in storage. Instead, Elac’s Discovery links to either external USB storage or a NAS device for its locally sourced material. It can also stream from the likes of Tidal.

All of this cleverness is, of course, controlled by an app. In this case the software that runs the show is from Roon Labs. This music library and discovery platform has earned acclaim for its advanced user interface and sophisticated handling of metadata. The Elac Discovery utilises a scaled-down version called Roon Essentials which is included for free.

The full version is available for monthly or lifetime subscription. The main difference between  full-fat Roon and the Essentials version is that Essentials is limited to a still substantial 30,000 tracks. You will have to be a little bit careful as that 30,000 tracks is the combination of personal and Tidal tracks.

Also, please be aware that the Discovery is not compatible with the full PC version of Roon. I do find that this is a bit odd. However, it is good that you get Essentials with a perpetual license that stays with the device.

Compatibility

The Discovery’s built-in DAC supports uncompressed WAV, AIFF, FLAC, and ALAC files with up to 192 kHz/24-bit resolution, along with the compressed MP3, AAC, and OGG formats.

Along with single-zone operation, the Discovery can be configured for synchronised multiroom playback via its dual analogue outputs.

Wireless multiroom streaming is also possible when using AirPlay speakers, Roon ready Wi-Fi speakers from Bluesound, Sonos products and, of course, Elac’s own Discovery Z3 speakers.

However, from what I gather, wireless speakers that use different protocols (e.g., AirPlay and Sonos) can’t be grouped together for synchronised multiroom playback.

Setup

The Discovery Music Server came with an Ethernet cable and power supply. No audio cables were supplied.

Setup was painless: Connect to network via Ethernet (there’s no provision for Wi-Fi), download the free Roon Essentials app (Android/iOS/Windows/OS X), open it and follow the prompts.

The Discovery was quickly detected as the “Roon Core” on my network. The final steps were to enter my Tidal login credentials and point the app to my QNAP NAS.

The latter does require some network knowledge as you can’t simply browse your network devices through the Roon software. Instead, you need to know the actual network path of your music library in order to integrate it. If your Google-fu is up to snuff, you shouldn’t have too many problems.

If you do run both the digital and analogue outputs, you can set these up as separate zones in the Audio Settings panel of the Roon Essentials app.

Sound quality

Being able to run the Discovery into my amp via the analogue and digital outs is handy way of hearing how good its on-board DAC is just by flicking back and forth between the amp sources. The DACs in the amps I currently have at my disposal (Perreaux Audiant 80i 40th anniversary and Musical Fidelity M6si) and my little Arcam irDAC did add a little more insight, nuance and depth but the Disco is easily adept enough to fly solo.

I kicked things off with ‘Fisher Body Party’ by Sylvain Daniel / Palimpseste in FLAC (44.1 kHz/24bit) from my NAS. This is a track that my friend and fellow journo, David, turned me on to. Listed as Jazz/Electro this track really throws everything at you which makes it a great test track. Everything sits right with the Discovery. Percussion is tight and the many layers never appeared messy or unclear.

Keeping things jazz, well this is going out on International Jazz Day after all, I turned to one of my favourite artists – Joni Mitchell. I selected the Tidal Masters version of ‘Blue Motel Room’ from her Hejira album, to be precise. The opening guitar shimmers before Mitchell’s vocals come in just ahead of the bass and, finally, the drums. The lazy strokes of the high-hat along with the bass harmonics slink through fluidly. Joni lays her contrasting vocals over the top with her spoken parts presented realistically. The ethereal echoed vocal section gave me chills. Even with the Discovery plugged direct via RCA, the little Elac unit managed to convey a sense of spaciousness.

Roon Essentials

I couldn’t really leave this review without mentioning Roon Essentials a little more; especially as this is the interface between you and the Discovery. I found it a very intuitive piece of software although my only minor grumble is that hooking up your networked storage could be made simpler. Being technically minded I managed to fumble my way through; however, many music fans are not bound to be as patient or comfortable with such behaviour. If there could be a ‘browse network’ wizard or similar, then Roon would be perfect.

However, as it stands, it is really slick. I love the layout of the playlist browser and the speed that each screen appears. The extra information about the artist you are listening to is neat. Furthermore, controlling your zones once set up is super easy.

Additionally, Discovery will stream to RAAT endpoints (Roon Ready) in 24/192. Airplay is limited due to the technology.

Discovery DS-S101-G review conclusion

The Elac DS-S101-G is an unassuming piece of kit. Attractive, yet unassuming. There are no physical controls, no banks of LEDs, just a subtle brushed-aluminium finish.

It is endowed with enough outputs for most and being buddied up with a slightly trimmed Roon, it does exactly what it promises to do.

I have really enjoyed my time with this little music server. If your digital music library is 30,000 tracks or less and you’re yet to take the plunge with Roon, the Elac DS-S101-G should really be on your audition list.

Price and availability

You can by the Elac Discovery DS-S101-G music server right now for around £950. That price includes a lifetime license for Roon Essentials.

The post Elac Discovery DS-S101-G music server review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

The Australian company, Audeara, has now announced that their Audeara A-01 headphones are available. 

Audeara was created by a group of Brisbane-based doctors and the A-01 headphones promise to actually prevent hearing loss.

Originally revealed in March 2017 through a Kickstarter campaign, the world’s first full fidelity headphones with an in-built hearing test can be yours.

Apparently, there is an increasing number of 30 year olds with the hearing health usually associated with 60 year olds. Thankfully, the Audeara headphones can be used to test and retest hearing over a lifetime. Furthermore, they will adapt the music to your individual needs. They make music better, not louder, and provide perfect sound, always.

Audeara A-01 headphones

The A-01 makes you complete a hearing test when you first put them on – similar to the Even E1. However, the results are stored in the A-01 themselves. That hearing profile is used to adjust the sound signal as it passes through the cans. Moreover, each side is adjusted independently so that each part of the signal reaches the user’s brain perfectly as intended.

As all the technology is inside the headphones themselves, once you’ve taken that initial test, you don’t need the app again; unless, of course, you want to retake it. This means headphones are no longer simply passive magnets for signal conversion, instead, they’re sophisticated tools for personalised sound reproduction.

Technology inside

Audeara headphones use a software interface from a smartphone application to send Bluetooth commands to the on-board printed circuit board (PCB). This allows the headphones themselves to generate the tones and maintains consistency across all Bluetooth devices.

The headphones are calibrated and the profile is used as the baseline for accurate audiogram testing. After the user performs the audiogram, a modulation table is applied. This adjusts all incoming musical signals to the user’s requirements. Using an attenuation model, rather than increasing gain, ensures maximisation of the overall signal intensity, without distortion.

Finally, the results of the audiogram is displayed to allow for long-term tracking. If the your hearing profile shows significant impairment an alert will be shown. At that point it might be time to book an appointment with your doctor.

Words

Dr James Fielding, CEO of Audeara, commented

The response from people who use the headphones for the first time is amazing. They’re usually overwhelmed at the difference in what they hear – and they wonder why they’ve been using off-the-shelf headphones for so long.”

Price and availability

The Audeara Headphones are available for £299.99 from www.audeara.com

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It seemed that me and Musical Fidelity had lost touch. However, we reconnected at The Bristol Show where they were showing the Nu-Vista Vinyl valve phono stage.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a soft spot for Musical Fidelity. I own most of their v90 range (great for a desktop system) as well as their rather larger M6si integrated amp.

But, once my eyes were drawn to the Nu-Vista Vinyl, I was hooked again.

Nu-Vista Vinyl

The new phono stage from Musical Fidelity, as with the other Nu-Vista components, is powered by Nuvistor tubes.

This new 14.5kg reference phono stage was created “without any practical limits.” Essentially, you cannot overload the input stage or find any practical limitations in the output driving capacity. Single ended or balanced.

The amp boasts five inputs. Each of these can be set for either MM/MC and exact loading. Furthermore, it will remember those settings.

Sound Quality

The true point of any any audio component, is that you don’t know it is there. You completely forget its existence.

That is precisely what Musical Fidelity shot for. Moreover, apparently, that is what they have achieved.

They say that the Vinyl has practically no audible noise, or distortion. They put this down to not being able to overload its input or output. Also that you can load your cartridge perfectly.

I am really gagging to give this a test run and review. Hopefully, I can make that happen.

Price and availability

The Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista Vinyl phono stage is available now at around £3,300.

Nu-Vista Vinyl specifications

MM input

• Frequency response – RIAA or RIAA/IEC (selectable) ±0.2dB
• Input sensitivity – 2.5mV in for 300mV out (at 1 kHz)
• Input impedance – 47Kohms
• Input capacitance – 50-400pF selectable
• THD at 1 kHz – <0.01%
• Overload margin – 31dB
• Signal to noise ratio – >90dB “A”-wtd

MC input

• Frequency response – RIAA or RIAA/IEC (selectable) ±0.2dB
• Input sensitivity – 250?V in for 300mV out (at 1 kHz)
• Input impedance – 10? to 47Kohm selectable
• Input capacitance – 470pF fixed
• THD at 1 kHz – <0.01%
• Overload margin – 31dB
• Signal to noise ratio – >88dB “A”-wtd

Outputs (RCA/XLR)

• 1 pair RCA (phono) – left and right 300mV nom 10V max
• 1 pair XLR (balanced) – left and right 600mV nom 20V max

Power requirement

• Mains voltages – 230V/115V Internally set or 100V optional. AC 50/60Hz
• Consumption – 30 Watts maximum.

Dimensions

• Wide – 482 mm
• High, including feet – 130 mm
• Deep (front to back) including terminals – 385 mm

The post Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista valve phono stage appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Sound and Vision – The Bristol Show is over for another year. But, over the three days (Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th February) there were plenty to see and hear. Furthermore, plenty of firsts.

The Bristol Show, how it has become affectionately known, is when the hi-fi and home cinema industry takes over the rooms (and power sockets) of the Marriott City Centre in Bristol. This year saw well over 200 brands showing their latest and greatest products to the public. Also, it is worth noting that that public not only comes from every corner of the country, but many fly in specially for this show.

So, for a solid two days (I had to fly to Barcelona on the Sunday to cover MWC. I know, you feel my pain) I climbed up and down the stairs in search of the things that make me go hmmm. Oh, thanks Leema for deciding to take three rooms on the tenth floor. I’m not getting any younger, you know!

The Dandy Dozen: Bristol 2018

There were plenty of favourites on show this year. I am always impressed by Ophidian and they brought out their big guns, the Prophet P2s (£3,200) for me to listen too. Remarkable sounding, as expected.

Also, there were some new and interesting devices on show, such as the Orpheus JTR 1 speakers from the same creator that brought you the MiniPod and Blueroom loudpspeakers.

I could easily write something about everything I saw over the Friday and Saturday but, instead, here are my top 12 device debuts at The Bristol Show. Just to add, for the pedants, I am classing it as a debut if it’s the first time I’ve seen it in the flesh.

Righty, let’s get in to it. I’ve decided alphabetical would be the most diplomatic order to put things in.

Amphion

First up is Amphion. I loved this room as it was set up realistically, just how most music consumers would. It was simple yet sounded great.

Having spent many years in single bedroom apartments in London, this rang particularly true to me. Here you had a Hegel Röst networked integrated amp (£2,200) and a pair of £700 Argon speakers with music provided from a tablet using AirPlay. Simple and effective.

Not only did this sound great, but it also looked good too. Amphion managed to get the ‘lifestyle’ system looking as fab as it sounded.

Astell & Kern ACRO L1000

I had to go find this as I really love the design of the ACRO L1000. This is a very cool-looking desktop amplifier, headphone amp and DAC.

Astell & Kern has done everything right here, as far as I’m concerned. The volume wheel dominates the rest of the exquisite aluminium casework. It is such a tactile bit of audio hardware I just couldn’t help myself from groping it.

Priced at £799, the ACRO L1000 can play PCM files up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD11.2MHz, and offers 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 6.5mm and XLR audio outputs. Your office system *needs* this!

Chord Qutest

Having loved the Hugo 2 DAC from Chord I had a feeling I’d fall in love with this cut-down version. Named Qutest, I expected it to have confidence beyond its stature. However, it is well deserved.

The Chord Qutest (£1,195) is essentially a Hugo 2 without the headphone amp and rechargeable battery. This makes it perfect to slot into your hi-fi system.

Furthermore, it enjoys Chord’s typically extensive file support, with the USB-typeB input, for example, supporting 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. I am crossing my fingers for an opportunity to review one.

DALI Callisto 6

I’d lost touch with DALI so it was great to catch-up and get reacquainted. It also seems timely as the Danish speaker company has teamed up with Lenbrook International aka Bluesound to create two wireless speakers – Callisto. These, naturally, use Lenbrook’s BluOS hi-res multi-room platform.

The speakers communicate with the DALI Sound Hub, via a 24 bit/96 kHz connection. A multitude of standard inputs – all with auto detect – ensures that any audio device can be connected; be it via Bluetooth, optical, analogue or coax.

The DALI Callisto 6 being being demoed at the Bristol Show are pre-production models. However, they sounded impressive.

Keep your eyes and ears open for these as they should be hitting stores in the next few months.

Elac Miracord 70

Spotted in the Elac room was the brand new Miracord 70 turntable. This, as you have already worked out, comes in just below the highly recommended Miracord 90.

The glossy black MDF plinth is typically understated. The belt drive is powered by a Premotec synchronous motor.

The platter is a 2.6Kg glass plate with a ceramic sphere as a central element on the shaft. This design achieves a smooth operation and a very high resilience to external influences.

The new arm guarantees a minimum tracking error and is fitted with an Audio-Technica AT95 cartridge.

It wasn’t in use when I visited so I just gawped at the Miracord 90 looking and sounding fabulous.

Although, I did like the look of the little box of tricks known as the Discovery DS-S101-G Music Server (£950). This nifty device uses a lite version of Roon and will play nice with 192kHz 24-Bit Audio Formats: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC. It will sniff out all the audio you have stored on your network and then push it out through your system. I am really interested in this.

Fyne Audio

It is always special to see something beautifully crafted coming out of the UK. This time it was the gorgeousness that is the F1-10 from new Scottish speaker brand, Fyne Audio.

Fyne Audio had some rather fine (sorry) speakers on display on the ground floor, but upstairs is where the main event was.

Their flagship loudspeakers, the F1-10 looked and sound awesome. They were being simply fed by Rega Apollo CD transport and Osiris amp.

Imposing, until someone mentioned “Minions” to me, the £18k Tannoy meets Sonus Faber design nevertheless left most with slack jaws. Oh, there is an ex-Tannoy link from what I gather.

The sound was amazingly balanced even though they appeared to be too large for the room.

But, it is that deep and lustrous finish that makes you want to stroke them.

iFi Pro iDSD

iFi’s new flagship DAC isn’t being officially launched until next month, but that didn’t stop this gang of rebels from showing it off in Bristol.

The Pro iDSD (£2500) supports PCM files up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512 with DSD1024 upsampling. Additionally, it has a selectable tube and solid state analogue stage, and works over the LinkPlay hi-res Wi-Fi platform.

It certainly looks and sounds the part. The full rig is more than eye-candy, but it never hurts to look good, does it?

iFi was also teasing visitors with a pre-production version of the xDSD, the latest addition to its mobile headphone amp/DAC range. This should be available in April and slips in above the extremely impressive nano iDSD Black Label. The xDSD also boasts full PCM and DSD support. Furthermore is will have six to eight hours battery life and aptX Bluetooth streaming.

Jamo Studio 8

Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, Jamo is back in the UK and armed with the latest generation of its long-standing Studio series speakers.

The comprehensive (ten-strong) Studio 8 series comprises three floorstanders (S 809, S 807 and S 805), two standmounting designs (S 803 and S 801), two centre speakers (S 83 CEN and S 81 CEN), two subwoofers (S 810 SUB and S 808 SUB) and, finally, one Dolby Atmos-certified upward-firing design (the S 8 ATM).

The floorstanding Jamo S 805 speakers (£349 per pair) were on show for the first time at the Bristol Show.

The Studio 8 range employs soft dome tweeters with WaveGuide technology, as well as aluminium/polyfibre woofers plus reflex ports. And all models are available in your choice of white (with grey grilles), black or walnut (with darker grey grilles) matte vinyl finishes with wood-grain accents.

Some models also benefit from Atmos speaker integration features too.

Optoma UHZ65

I have already covered the launch of this rather competitively-priced 4K UHD home cinema projector in more detail here.

However, as a quick overview, the flagship UHZ65 is based on Optoma’s Award-winning lamp-sourced UHD65. Furthermore, at just coins under £5000, it is still considerably more affordable most other similarly equipped projectors.

Whilst in this room, I also learned to appreciate 4K projector screens a lot more thanks to the guys from Grandview.

Ophidian

Ophidian never cease to amaze me. What they can get out of their diminutive Minimos and Mojos is tantamount to witchcraft.

However, I was lucky enough for them to bring out the big guns, the Prophet P2 (£3,200).

The Prophet P2 is a 2.5-way floorstander featuring dual 180mm aluminium midbass drivers and a 27mm Sonolex coated fabric tweeter.

These speakers still mange to sound bigger than they really are and produce and effortless, lifelike sound and exceptional dynamics.

Quad Artera Solus

This all-in-one system was at the very heart of Quad’s award-winning demo room this weekend. The fresh-faced Quad Artera Solus (£1500) is a CD transport, DAC, preamp and power amp combo.

Also, it just happens to be the first Artera product to offer Bluetooth connectivity using the aptX codec. This promises ‘CD-like’ 16-bit/44.1kHz audio. Furthermore, its 32-bit, eight-channel DAC (capable of playing PCM files up to a 32-bit/384kHz) feeds five digital inputs. Tasty.

Technics SP-10R

The SP-10R was doing its thing in Bristol ahead of its official summer launch. This was definitely a must see.

A couple of times the doors were shut due to timed listening slots but I was actually recognised and allowed in at one point. Now, I am not saying who they must’ve thought I was, as that doesn’t really matter, does it?

The SP-10R has no pressure, other than being described as the brand’s “most premium turntable ever.”

Also, there’s the fact that it will likely have a $10,000 starting price, it had better have the chops.

That said, it does seem to have most bases covered. The new deck features a newly-developed ‘noise reduction circuit’, and a coreless direct-drive motor that Technics claims has enough force to rotate the platter with very low-speed irregularities.

Additionally, those looking for the complete system variant should check out the Technics SL-1000R, which adds the triple-layered base and S-shaped tonearm.

Oh, you will need even deeper pockets for that one too.

Von Gaylord

OK, stop giggling at the back. Seriously!

Everything in this room was chunky. The neatly laid cables running from the Nirvana monoblocs up to the Legend speakers had plenty of girth… really?

Schoolboy humour aside, Von Gaylord are an outfit out of West Sacramento, California and the build some impressive kit.

The trapezoidal standmounted Return of the Legend loudspeakers ($9,995.00) were bi-wired and connected to the Nirvana tube monos ($8,495.00).

This was a really enjoyable system. I actually loved the fact that it didn’t have that somewhat bloomy warmth that lovers of tube amps seem to dig. Instead, this was more assured, detailed and dynamic.

The bass was surprisingly taut and deep and vocals were presented with subtlety and expression. Great stuff and definitely ones to check out.

Honorable mentions

Of course, there were many others out there. For instance, AVM launched their AVM 30 range – always tasty kit. Same can be said of Melco and Leema, too. But, it wasn’t only the new stuff that I enjoyed. TAD, Iota, Goldnote, Prism, and Musical Fidelity never let me down.

Til next year, then, Bristol!

Bristol Show 2018 gallery

Click image to enlarge

Acoustic Energy – Chord

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Clear Audio – Funk Firm

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Fyne Audio – IsoAcoustics

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Klipsch – Michell

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Mission – Origin Live

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Orpheus – Ruark

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Sennheiser – XTZ

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The post Sound and Vision – The Bristol Show 2018: Top 12 debuts appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Here we have the first Hifi Pig and Gadgety Reviews e-zine of 2018. New year, new look, same quality contents and still all of that for FREE!

Where most people take time over the festive season to relax, the Hifi Pig crew have been snuffling around the magazine layout.

The result is a clean new look in an easier-to-read format. Furthermore, we think you will find that it will look better on even more devices.

So, grab a brew and break out your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop or holographic projector and enjoy.

Please do let me know what you think of the new layout in the comments below.

Download the magazine now!

In this month’s Hifi Pig and Gadgety Reviews

Interview

Kostas Metaxas: The creative powerhouse behind high-end brand Metaxas & Sins. As well as his wonderfully inventive “High-end audio sculptures”, he has an extensive collection of concert recordings from some of the top names in the music world.

Not limiting his imagination to the audio world, Kostas also designs for some of the most well-known luxury brands in the world.

Life through a screen. A modern day addiction?

Our obsession with screens shows no signs of slowing down but what does this mean for the future of high quality music in the home and on the go?

Stu’s Views

It’s all well and good having a thousand and one records in your collection, but how do you go about organising them and making sure you can put your hands on specific recording you want to play?

In recent weeks this very subject has been to the fore of Stuart’s thoughts given his burgeoning record collection and here he shares some possible solutions to deal with this perennial problem.

Bird’s Eye View

Linette was browsing through Facebook earlier, flicking through some of the Hifi and audio related groups that I am a member of, and something caught my eye. The cover photo for this one group was a close-up of a loudspeaker driver, instantly recognisable, without any branding or names visible, it was the KEF Uni-Q driver.

Serial Bowl Records

So, you want to launch your own record label but don’t have the funds, don’t have the know-how and frankly haven’t a clue where to start?

Hifi Pig has a chat with Serial Bowl Records, a label collective based in Sunderland in the North East of England to get the low down.

David Blumenstein takes a look at how 2018 is starting out musically.

Music Interview

Dale Jonathan Perkins “Voice Without Words Parts 1-3 (Ishikawa) plus Interview with this innovative and somewhat avant-garde musician

Live Music

Slalom D and The Damned by Fiona Duncan

Book Review

Lou Reed: A Life by Anthony DeCurtis

Living the HiFi Life

A Behind the scenes glimpse of life on the road with Rune Skov of Raidho whilst he visits the US.

Gadgety Reviews

• iFi NANO iDSD BLACK LABEL PORTABLE DAC/AMP
• KZ ZS6 LOW COST HYBRID QUAD DRIVER EARPHONES
• NINETY7 VAUX SPEAKER FOR ECHO DOT
• HONOR 7X – FLAGSHIP LOOKS, MID-RANGE PRICE
• BRAINWAVZ B200 DUAL BALANCED ARMATURE EARPHONES
• WiZ SMART LIGHTS – VOICE CONTROLLED ILLUMINATION
• FOOBOT SMART AIR QUALITY MONITOR
• TiBAG COMPACT LAPTOP BAG
• ROCCAT KHAN PRO GAMING HEADSET

Hifi Reviews

• MUSICAL FIDELITY M6 ENCORE CONNECT
• LINN KLIMAX DS STREAMER
• AVID HIFI REFERENCE FOUR LOUDSPEAKERS
• ALBEDO MONOLITH REFERENCE SPEAKER AND INTERCONNECT CABLES
• FLARE AUDIO PRO IN EAR MONITORS
• ATC HDA-DP20

Download the magazine now!

The post Hifi Pig and Gadgety Reviews – February 2018 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Technics has announced a pair of new turntables that joins their industry-leading Reference Class audio lineup for 2018: The SP-10R High-End Direct Drive Turntable and SL-1000R Direct Drive Turntable.

Both of the new models encompass next gen Coreless Direct Drive motors, most recently seen in the SL-1200G. This builds upon technology first seen in 1970 when Technics produced a world’s first in Direct Drive Turntables. Those decks are still highly thought of by many of today’s audiophiles.

Technics direct drive

The legendary SP-10 Series of Direct Drive Turntables and their accompanying Direct Drive Turntable Systems have become synonymous with direct drive technology. This makes them fitting symbols of the Technics brand name that continues to inspire the loyalty of audiophiles worldwide.

Building upon their impressive heritage, the SP10-R and SL-1000R promise to continue to provide a reference point for modern high-fidelity turntable tech.

Technics SP10-R

The SP-10R has been developed to be completely interchangeable with previous SP-10 Series models, such as the SP-10MK2 and SP-10MK3.

In order for users to continue using the turntable base and turntable of these previous systems, the shape and screw positions have been designed to allow for complete backward compatibility.

The control unit is also the same shape and size as the SP-10MK2 power unit for trouble-free replacement.

The SP10-R includes a double coil twin rotor-type coreless direct-drive motor. This is equipped with coils on both sides for 12-pole, 18-coil drive, and high enough torque to drive the heavyweight-class platter with ultimate sovereignty.

The result is a stable rotation of 0.015% wow & flutter or less. This is considered to be the measurement limit.

The turntable also features an impressive turntable platter with a 10-mm-thick brass weight. This is further enhanced with tungsten weights on the outer periphery.

The brass weight is laminated onto the aluminium die-cast, giving the platter a total weight of approximately 7.9 kg and an inertial mass of approximately 1 ton?cm.

A deadening rubber for eliminating unwanted vibration is attached to the rear surface to form a three-layer construction. This achieves an even higher rigidity and provides excellent vibration-damping characteristics.

Also, to achieve further noise reduction, the control unit is separated from the main unit. Its switching power supply is equipped with unique technology that provides a voltage supply with minimal noise via a newly-developed ‘unwanted noise reduction circuit’.

Additionally, the communication between the main unit and the control unit are engineered to resist the effects of external noise whilst increasing reliability.

These noise-reduction measures enable the SP-10R to achieve the World’s highest level S/N.

Technics SL-1000R

The Technics SL-1000R system features an S-type universal tonearm with a lightweight, high damping magnesium tonearm pipe.

The gimbal suspension construction tonearm uses high-precision bearings. Highly-skilled Japanese craftsmen handle all assembly and adjustments to achieve a high initial-motion sensitivity to precisely trace the grooves cut into the records.

Furthermore, to ensure the production of highly-vivid sounds, OFC is used for internal wiring. This guarantees that the music signal relayed from the cartridge is not dampened and the musical energy cut into the record is not lost.

The tonearm base, to which the tonearm is mounted, is strongly integrated with the turntable.

To ensure exceptional tonearm performance, the tonearm bearings, turntable bearings and needle position remain constant.

This provides a structure in which the vibration caused by the rigidity of the turntable base materials has minimal effect.

Why direct drive?

The great appeal of direct drive technology is its ability to eliminate degradation in sound quality caused by rotation fluctuation and minute vibrations between the motor and transmission mechanism.

The SP-10R and the SL-1000R are part of a long and successful line of reference case turntable technologies. Technics released the SP-10 as the World’s first Direct Drive Turntable in 1970 and its superb performance and reliability quickly made the SP series both the go-to turntable for broadcast stations and the holy grail of audiophiles worldwide.

Technics says:

Committed to creating an emotionally-engaging experience and delivering the power of music to all, Technics has been at the heart of music performance for decades. From the emergence to success of hip hop, enabling the fast rise of celebrity DJs, and allowing audiophiles to hear music exactly as the creators wished, it has been and shall remain the brand that leaders in their field turn to for exceptional performance and reliability.”

More information

You can view the brochures here.

The post New Technics SP-10R and SL-1000R turntables – CES 2018 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Podspeakers aim to bring some flare and design to the usual boxy Hi-Fi kit that we have come to expect. I have been using the MiniPods for a few weeks. Do they sound as good as they look though?

The Podspeaker brand might not sound familiar, but it’s been around since the early 90s. Its life starts with Danish manufacturer Scandyna and a collaboration with Hi-Fi veterans Bowers & Wilkins. In fact, it was Simon Ghahary and Lawrence Dickie, who were behind their design. Incidentally, these just happen to be the same guys who were also instrumental in the development of the well-known Nautilus series by Bowers & Wilkins.

The striking design really does catch the eye. If you agree, then you are in very good company as the MiniPod Podspeakers have even appeared in the New York MoMA Design Stores.

Podspeakers MiniPod design

The voluptuous shape is formed from injection molded ABS and is available in three colours. The ones I have been sent to review are matte red, but you can also get satin white or matte black.

I really do love how these look. Although they are modern they have a timeless classic style about them.

They are not as small as I thought they would be. However, measuring 210mm x 340mm x 200mm (WxHxD), they are about average for bookshelf speakers.

At the top you will find a 1-inch cloth cone tweeter with a 5.25-inch kevlar main driver taking up the mids and bass. Further low-end is produced by the front-firing air port.

Weight of the speakers are different as I have here one passive and one active with Bluetooth. The passive MiniPod tips the scales at 4.9kgs whereas the active speaker hits 5.6kgs.

Both speakers are fitted with regular speaker posts and, when sat on your desk or shelf are indistinguishable from each other. However, flip the MiniPod Bluetooth over and you’ll find an array of connectivity options.

Here you have AC Power input, USB input port, AUX-In (analogue, mini-jack) and OPT-In (toslink).

The Bluetooth active speaker also has a status light just below the bass port. This shows when it is on and which  connectivity option has been selected.

The passive speaker is fitted with the standard tripod thread for mounting that way if you fancied.

Input source and volume is all controlled by the neat, bundled remote.

Furthermore, the Minipods are customisable. You can swap out the feet and the change the hoop around the bass driver in order to mix and match to suit their surroundings.

Podspeakers MiniPod BT and Passive performance

As well as their unusual styling, they also have different abilities depending on the combination of MiniPods you have. This actually makes them more flexible than standard loudspeakers.

For example, you can run two passive loudspeakers from your Hi-Fi amplifier. However you could also link a Bluetooth and a passive variant together in order to create a self-sufficient system. This is possible as the active loudspeaker has two 25 watt power stages. Furthermore, it even packs a subwoofer output for 2.1 shenanigans!

What if you want to go completely wireless though? Well, grab a pair of the MiniPod Bluetooth speakers and connect the two active MiniPods wirelessly. Nice.

I initially tested the MiniPod Bluetooth MK II and MiniPod MK IV pairing with my main system. These things are actually quite loud and love to be driven. The matte red fitted well with my living room’s red and white decor too. They would have looked even better there on some of the optional ‘Spikes’.

Audio is also clearer and better presented than I was expecting. However, it was with my PC system that these speakers were going to be tested most.

MiniPods in office system

My PC system is what I spend a great deal of my life sat in front. Here are a pair of Q Acoustic 1010 speakers hooked up to a Musical Fidelity V90 stack of the amp, DAC and headphone amp.

I also have a pair of the Roth VA4 Bluetooth speakers which are used with the Elipson Alpha 100 RIAA BT turntable. My plan was/is to hook the Roths up to the MF stack but, I’ve actually had the 2 pairs stacked up on my desk.

The thing is that I get quite antsy about cable management. Also, having some good looking and sounding speakers that could take audio from my PC as well as Bluetooth-packing deck, would clear some desk space too.

Most of the time I’ll just select a Tidal playlist and hit shuffle. This enables me to get on with my work and know that, chances are, I won’t have to skip any tracks as these are playlists I’ve created.

If I’m feeling particularly saucy I might select albums from my NAS to play. The only downside is that some album tracks can be a tad, meh.

Music test

The first track to play on one of my randomised playlists was Chris Jones live playing ‘Soul Storm Comin’. Electro-acoustic guitar, vocals and harmonica. A great first track to test out the MiniPods.

At low volume it was a bit lackluster. But a few taps on the little black remote control and the song came alive. I have to add here that the speakers are connected to my PC directly by optical cable. There is no other DAC in the chain other than what’s in the MK II.

The harmonics played on the guitar are so lifelike. Also when the vocals go lower, the presentation is so rich.

Grover Washington Jr’s ‘Winelight’ was up next and the instrument placement, even when using these speakers as near field monitors, is impressive. The groovy bassline sits near the back until the slap funk break where it steps up. Grover’s sax remains the star of the show though. However, it’s the keys, subtle guitar and percussion that are speaking to me the most.

A bit of David Bowie came up next. ‘Girl Who Loves Me’ from Bowie’s final album can prove taxing to poorly equipped speakers as there’s quite a lot going on. The claustrophobic mix of this track didn’t seem to confuse the MiniPods though.

To round things of, the ‘Young Dr Kirk’ from Boris Blank’s Electrified album and then The Prodigy’s ‘Diesel Power’. The electronica of Blank’s track is so well mixed that it really showed how good a range the MiniPods has. However, it was the dirty b-line of ‘Diesel Power’ that perhaps showed that, although taught and controlled, the MiniPods might lack a little bit of weight in the low end.

[amazon_link asins=’B01N2TTNRZ’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’gadgnews-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=”]So, hastily to one of my favourite bass test tracks, ‘The Package’ from A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step album. Sure enough, the warm roundness of the bass line seems to have been removed. There does still seem to be some sub bass (the pictures on the wall rattled) but the audible thickness of the bass was not there. Perhaps this is why they have a sub out?
 
There is also a chance that the speakers haven’t quite loosened up yet. They have about 30 hours on them so far, I would estimate.
 
Pressing the Bluetooth pair button flicks you between the EQ modes: Optimal->FLAT->Boost. However, during the review, I left it at the default setting, Optimal.
 

Podspeakers MiniPod review conclusion

The MiniPods certainly make a statement in any room they are placed. I really like how they look, but I also realise those that tend to favour boxes but take some convincing.

They sound good, if a little lacking in rich bass, and are really punchy. I reckon pairing these with a decent sub and you’ll have quite a package. That said, listening to them in my office, I really do enjoy them.

MiniPod price and availability

The Podspeakers MiniPods are available to buy now.

The Bluetooth MKII costs €549,00 and the Passive MKIV retails at €369 direct from Podspeakers.co.

Amazon has them at £231 for the passive.

Technical data at a glance

• Shape 2 way reflex, abs cabinet.
• Applications stereo arrangement, AV, 5.1, multi media and web, near field monitoring for studios.
• Frequency Range: (± 3 dB): 58Hz – 22.000Hz
• Frequency Range: (± 6 dB): 48Hz – 22.000Hz
• Sensivity: 86 dB
• Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohm
• Sound compatible with amplifiers from 10w – 100w output.
• Drive units one 5-inch long throw bass/midrange feat. Kevlar piston and 25mm (1-inch) diameter free-mounted high frequency.
   

• Dimensions
• Width: 210mm.
• Height: 340mm, 440mm with spikes.
• Depth: 200mm.

The post Podspeakers Minipods Bluetooth and Passive speakers review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I have been living with the Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player. This is Oppo’s first 4K disc spinner.

When I started to look for a replacement for my aging Cambridge Audio CD player I happened upon a review of an Oppo disc player.

I was intrigued as it was both a CD and DVD player, and yet the general feedback from the audio community was that it was putting many specialist CD players to shame.

I have owned my BDP-93EU for many years now and still enjoy it. Not bad for an eBay bargain.

The Oppo UDP-203 is quite an investment, but is it worth the outlay for this universal disc player?

Oppo UDP-203 design

The UDP-203 is solid. That might even be an understatement.

Measuring in at 430 x 311 x 79mm (WxDxH), it is definitely a full-sized player.

Your shelf will also notice its 4.4kg of weight.

The one I have been sent to review is in a good, heavy duty black brushed-metal finish. The corners are all pretty-much 90-degrees and there is little in the way of frippery.

As a fan of the Brutalist movement, I approve.

Up front, there is a large and high-quality LED screen that provides you with information. It also breaks up the black when it’s on.

On the right of the front panel are the now expected control buttons in a cross-shape. I prefer the ones on the UDP to the flat style ones on the BDP, to be honest.

The remote control is very similar to the BDP’s that I am used to. As well as lighting up when in use, it also contains a motion sensor that illuminates the device so you can find it as you pat the coffee table or chair arm for it.

Oppo really loves the AV enthusiast and this is reciprocated. The main reason for this is the output options.

The UDP-203 comes with speaker outputs for full 7.1 or 5.1 surround built-in.

There are two HDMI outputs on the Oppo: an HDMI 2.0 for video and audio, and an HDMI 1.4 for sending audio signals only for older receivers.

You also get three USB ports for playing media files (they’ll charge your smartphone, too) and two digital inputs (coaxial and optical). Finally, you also have the wired LAN port for firmware updates and slurping content from your network.

Quite an impressive list of connections there I reckon.

Oppo UDP-203 performance

The UDP-203 comes equipped with the latest HDCP2.2 specification, meaning it adheres to the BT.2020 colour gamut standard set by the UHD Alliance.

The player supports the standard HDR format, HDR10 (present in all current 4K Blu-ray discs), as well as Dolby Vision HDR.

In addition to the latest UHD Blu-ray, the UDP-203 supports regular Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, DVD-Audio, SACD, and audio CD.

Inside the Oppo lies a 32-bit/384kHz DAC capable of playing lossless hi-res files up to 24-bit/192kHz and multiple DSD formats.

Set up

Getting hooked up to your network takes no time at all really.

There is more time to spend in the audio and visual menus, if you are that way inclined.

There are a variety of colour space output options (including RGB PC, RGB Video, and YCbCr output at 4:4:4, 4:2:2 and 4:2:0). There’s also the option to choose between 12-bit, 10-bit and even 8-bit colour depth.

Such flexibility is probably more valuable to custom installers but I am sure that there are those amongst you that like getting your hands dirty.

I think where these settings will come in to their own i where compatibility issues between displays, sources and even cables throw up challenges. These are still very early days for UHD so things are yet to settle.

You will also find that the UDP-203 has HDR (High Dynamic Range) options. It has whattady-what now?

What’s HDR?

Before I go on about these options, let’s just take a quick moment to find out about HDR.

High Dynamic Range (HDR) has been bandied around for a while now. These days, however, it’s almost entirely used regarding video metadata.

HDR metadata is simply additional information sent along with the video signal. This information holds the complete colour descriptions that the TV can read and then display precisely.

The easiest way to describe this is if you could use voice control to drive your car (it’s coming, don’t worry!).

With Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) you could command your car to “go flat out” or “go half on the accelerator”.

Now, with High Dynamic Range, the commands would be more like “go 120mph” or “go 60mph”.

Depending on the car, performance may vary. It might not even be able to reach 120mph. The same goes for HDR and televisions.

I hope that goes some way to explaining things.

Back to the review.

HDR settings

The options that Oppo include are an HDR Off setting that converts HDR to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) for displays that can’t handle HDR, and a Strip Metadata option. The latter simply removes the HDR metadata from the video entirely.

So, if you have a 4K-capable TV or projector that aren’t really bright enough to do HDR justice, then the player will just ignore it.

Both the on-screen menus and the UDP-203’s own display are clear and informative. The front display is also dimmable, it turns out.

The buttons on the remote and front panel are firm, positive and responsive.

The disc loader is fast and fairly quiet in operation. The boot-time is noticeably quicker on the UDP when compared with the BDP.

Picture quality

My telly is not 4K so I had to enlist a friend to test that side of things.

I did, however, have a play with standard HD Blu-ray and DVD movies both from disc and streamed from my NAS library.

Action is handled very smoothly and, watching Blade Runner in HD, the colours, textures and sound took me ‘in to’ my favourite film.

All very impressive.

But, when watching the standard 4K test film, Life of Pi, my jaw dropped.

Life of Pi is known for its colours and the Oppo UDP-203 did not disappoint. The blue of the ocean and sky ablaze in sunset is amazingly sharp and lush.

Every ounce of detail of the CGI tiger’s fur looks so tactile that you want to reach out, and just bury your face in him.

Deadpool is also great through the UDP-203.

The colours are unleashed with equal effort spent on contrast and shadow. You find yourself just delving deeper in to the picture.

Oppo has obviously opted to impress with colours that pop, but not to the point that they look unnatural.

Watching ‘High Fidelity’ and the ‘normalness’ of it all is what strikes you most. Your attention is drawn to the natural skin tones. Clothing is alive with realistic texture and shading.

There is no fuzzing around the edges of brilliant whites on inky blacks either. The opening text crawl of the Star Wars films is presented stark, sharp and clean.

My friend pointed out that he was seeing more subtle details in shading than his own player (a Panasonic).

Sound quality

The player decodes audio file formats such as AIFF, WAV, ALAC, APE and FLAC. It also directly plays Direct-Stream Digital (DSD) audio files in stereo or multi-channel.

For movies, the UDP-203 is good for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and bitstream output for object-based immersive audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

It’s perhaps needless to say, then, that soundtracks sound epic and dynamic.

The UDP-203 really does love those huge orchestral scores. But it also has time for plain ol’ stereo too.

Sound effects are awesome. Explosions, the meaty squelch of someone being stabbed, right through to the ringing out of gunfire. Sonic detail is crisp and punchy.

Furthermore, amongst the effects and music, dialogue cuts through with rich precision.

However, my BDP gets more work as a CD player so two-channel music is its bread and butter. As expected, the UDP is quite up for this as well.

It has great rhythm and is more refined than the BDP.

Rodrigo y Gabriela’s guitars shimmer and bite throughout their performances. Kate Bush’s vocals colour the room with detail and expression.

I know that the UDP-205 is the more expensive audiophile version but it really has to be something amazing to beat this.

Network streaming

Some of you might look in disbelief as I write this but, hang on.

The UDP-203 doesn’t come with any video streaming apps such as Netflix or YouTube baked-in. There. I’ve said it.

Oppo says this is to ensure the player is fast to boot up (which it does). More’s the point is that your telly or, at least, TV box will already have these.

I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and have not once thought, Ooo… I wish it had YouTube. The BDP does and it’s clunky at best.

If you really need them on your player, then just shove in a Google Chromecast Ultra or Amazon Fire 4K TV box into the Oppo’s only HDMI input. Instant ‘smart’ functionality.

I happen to think using that HDMI in for my NAS is smarter. I already have a range of apps on there, including Plex.

You can, of course, hook the UDP-203 via Wi-Fi but I tend to opt for the extra stability of wired when offered. – and you’ll be able to stream your entire music library from your NAS box and other connected devices.

Streaming tunes from my NAS was painless and enjoyable though.

Oppo UDP-203 4K universal disc player review conclusion

I want one!

The Oppo UDP-203 has impressed me, as well as my friend who has been an early adopter of the 4K UHD format. He really enjoyed the Oppo’s colours and detail. Although he hasn’t exactly thanked me for bringing in a unit that out-performed his 3 month-old player. Sorry.

To be fair, now that I’ve seen it plugged in to a 4K TV I have now got the itch to buy a new telly, as well as the UDP-203. So, I think that my buddy still wins.

I suppose, where price is concerned, you not only have to take in to consideration the richness of detail and subtleties of texture that the UDP-203 is able to present, but also the sheer musicality of the player. This stands whether in 5.1 or 7.1 surround or 2-channel stereo.

Here you have an extremely good CD player as well as an excellent HD and 4K Blu-ray player. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, then add in its networking abilities.

Oppo – you have done it again. In that, I mean, making me spend money

Oppo UDP-203 price and availability

You can buy the UDP-203 now for £650 on Amazon or other authorised dealers, details of which can be found on the Oppo UK site.

The post Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray universal disc player review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I was suitably impressed by the Arcam rHead headphone amp and now I have its streaming stablemate, the Arcam’s rPlay to review.

The rPlay is the latest addition to the brand’s rSeries. I have to admit I was excited about this. I liked the rHead so much I bought it, I already own the company’s iRDAC that I bought about 4 years ago. Needless to say then, but I was expecting good things from Arcam once again.

It shares the same aesthetics as the other r-devices.

It’s compact, black, and heavy. Yet it promises to have the power to transform even the most traditional system into a network streaming, this is 2017, audio set-up.

Arcam rPlay design

The rPlay has the now familiar footprint of 194 x 44 x 124mm. This makes it the same width and height as the rHead but the streamer looses around 15mm in depth.

The rPlay weighs in at 1.12Kg and shares the matte black and chrome styling of the rest of the r-Series.

It also shares its no-nonsense minimalist approach. The front features just a pair of status LEDs with a pair of chromed buttons up top. Those are your volume buttons.

Everything you need is around the back.

Here you have a pair of Fixed and Variable RCA outputs as well as a SPDIF digital out.

You will find a USB port but this is marked as ‘Upgrade’.

There is a Wi-Fi ariel as well as WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Support) button for quick pairing with your network. Next to that is a reset button.

If you have the availability of a wired connection, the rPlay also sports an ethernet port.

Rounding things off back here are the power switch and connection.

The unit sits on an anti-slip, anti-vibration rubber isolation pad.

All-in-all, another very sturdy well-built device from Arcam.

Arcam rPlay performance

Set-up

As I have a dedicated switch for my A/V rig hidden behind my TEAC cassette deck, the easiest option for me was simply grabbing a short ethernet cable and plugging the rPlay in to the switch. Sorted. This will undoubtably be the best, most stable option.

In the interest of this review, I also tested the Wi-Fi as the rPlay is compatible with 802.11 b/g/n bands.

This method is equally simple. I pressed the WPS button at the back of the Arcam streamer and then the WPS button on the front of my D8500 (yeah, I kept it). After some frantic flashing of LEDs, job done.

I opted for the Fixed RCA outputs to plug in the Chord C-Series interconnects which were already plugged in to my Musical Fidelity M6si. The rPlay is taking the place of my Musical Fidelity V90-Blu Bluetooth receiver during this review.

The difference between the Fixed and Variable outputs is that, when using either the Fixed or SPDIF connections your amplifier will control the output volume. If you plug in using the Variable RCA ports, the volume buttons on top of the rPlay will control output levels.

Network streaming

Thanks to the DTS PlayFi streaming platform built into the rPlay, you are abile to stream music wirelessly from smartphones, tablets or laptops to speakers throughout your home, and from a range of music sources.

Just download the dedicated DTS PlayFi app onto your smart device and you’ll be able to simultaneously stream services on up to eight rPlay devices connected to the same network. Instant multi-room goodness.

The DTS PlayFi is consistently stable, as well as intuitive to use.

As soon as I had connected it with the rPlay the player had to update some firmware. This only took around 10 minutes.

My first test was grabbing tracks from my NAS, currently loaded with a 8TB drive.

The app and player worked seamlessly. It also happily slurped up Plex tracks too without issue.

Flicking over to Tidal and all is good here too.

Granted, there is a tinsy-winsy little breath of lag between song selection and hearing it through my system. I very much doubt that this would cause anyone any concern though.

You also have the options of Amazon Music, Spotify, Qobuz, Napster and Deezer, as well as expanding to internet radio, and Apple Airplay.

Look. No hands!

Alexa is certainly putting herself about a bit. She even will help you with your rPlay.

The thing is, this was announced last year and I still can’t find Play-Fi in the Amazon.co.uk or .com Alexa Skills list.

Sound quality

The rPlay supports PCM files up to 24-bit/192kHz. The DTS PlayFi app has a ‘Critical Listening’ mode that allows native streaming up to 192kHz without downsampling.

The four-layer circuit board reduces interference between components. Add to that the use of multiple low-noise power supplies, this should result in the cleanest signal to the output stage.Musicality is as I have come to expect from Arcam.

CSS’s dancy mix of indie rock and electronica plays fluidly. Tempo is upbeat and the reproduction energenic.

The rhythm section is tight and punchy.

I did not notice any loss in timing through the app, NAS and rPlay.

Streaming via Tidal and Qobuz shows the impressive stability of this system.

I am only just discovering Qobuz with a free trial and this test is making me think about keeping a full subscription.

Flicking through to some Tori Amos and the textures and dynamics are deep and expressive. I did start to get a sense that the soundstage was narrower than I am used to through my normal playing route. You see, playing from my NAS I usually control via my laptop with it plugged in to the iRDAC with a Chord Company C-series USB.

Rock and metal retains its urgency and Mr Big’s debut ‘Addicted to that Rush’ is as frenetic and pacey as it should be.

Bluetooth missing

It is at about this time I noticed that there’s no Bluetooth. This isn’t really a deal breaker as you don’t need it with the DTS Play-Fi app, but it does seem to be a little omission.

Arcam rPlay review conclusion

It looks, or sounds, like Arcam has done it again.

The Cambridge company has managed to produce an audio device that performs well beyond its price tag.

The rPlay is compact, easy to set-up and use, and has impressive sonic qualities.

There may not be Bluetooth and the soundstage is presented a little more enclosed, but the rPlay is one of the most efficient ways of updating your Hi-Fi for networked streaming.

Arcam rPlay price and availability

You can buy the rPlay right now from Amazon for £400.

The post Arcam rPlay network audio streamer review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

As Wharfedale celebrates its 85th birthday, the company has just announced the new Diamond 11 Series, with the promise of budget-friendly quality.

Wharfedale’s famous Diamond speakers have served as the classic entry point to true high-fidelity sound. Since 1981 their exceptional value for money has earned numerous ‘product of the year’ awards in the UK and around the world.

With the introduction of the all-new Diamond 11 Series, Wharfedale has once again raised the bar for affordable, high-performance loudspeakers.

Wharfdale Diamond 11

The new range comprises eight models: three standmount speakers, three floorstanders, and two centre speakers for home cinema systems.

The most obvious change is a return to the elegantly curved cabinet sides. These were made famous by the Diamond 9 and Diamond 10 ranges, which yielded What Hi-Fi? ‘Product of the Year Awards’ in 2005 and 2009 for the Diamond 9.1 and 10.1 respectively.

The end result is an affordable speaker range with a distinctly premium look and sound.

Extensive improvements

• New drive units across the range, designed and built in-house to deliver exceptional performance at this price
• Bass/midrange drivers incorporate massive magnet designs, special ribbed baskets and advanced suspension to complement their woven Kevlar
• High-performance textile-domed tweeter sports an over-sized ceramic magnet and specially shaped rear
• Redesigned crossover network, perfected over thousands of hours of listening
• Cabinet walls made from a sandwich of woods of differing density, ensuring excellent acoustic characteristics and an impeccable standard of
• Curved cabinet walls enhance acoustic performance as well as the speakers’ aesthetic
• Bass loading via an improved version of Wharfedale’s slot-loaded distributed port, enabling deep, articulate and well-integrated bass with an absence of ‘chuffing’.

Advanced driver systems

Instead of designing drive units that are built down to a price, Wharfedale started with the premise that Diamond drivers should be aimed at performance.

This means that the Diamond 11 Series sports advanced driver systems incorporating elements that normally found in high-end loudspeakers.

For example, the bass and midrange drivers use a basket with a network of ribs that maintain the rigidity of the basket while leaving a large open area behind the cone.

These new speakers also feature massive magnet designs to both raise sensitivity and ensure absolute control of cone movement over lower bass frequencies.

In addition, the use of a specially shaped one-part-forged pole piece with copper cap reduces inductance, controls the magnetic flux and ensures low distortion through the critical midrange area.

Naturally, the woven Kevlar cone, a long-time favourite for Diamond designs, has been treated to provide a precise match to the new suspension elements. This avoids the ‘midrange dip’ caused by reflections from the surrounding edge.

High-frequency performance has been similarly enhanced with a sophisticated new tweeter design.

Again, an over-sized ceramic magnet system is used. Here, the pole piece is vented through to a specially shaped rear chamber, damped with a fibre filling.

This provides a low resonant frequency below 800Hz. This not only, ensures excellent linearity throughout the operating bandwidth, it also allows the textile dome to contribute to a lucid midrange performance in addition to precise high-frequency detailing.

Cabinet

For the Diamond 11 Series, Wharfedale’s engineers have refined the multi-layer sandwich of woods to subdue the cabinet ‘sound’. This should let the drive units speak for themselves.

Critical bracing of the cabinet panels, together with the curved cabinet walls, have reduced resonances more than 25dB below the driver outputs.

Furthermore, the cabinet walls are lined with a specially developed fibre chosen for its outstanding absorbent qualities across a wide bandwidth.

The result is that the listener hears the drive unit output unsullied by unwanted colourations caused by panel vibration or internal resonances, revealing more of the detail of the musical performance.

Slot-loaded  distributed port

The slot-loaded distributed port is a recent Diamond innovation. First introduced in the Diamond 100 Series in 2012, the internal port tube opens into a slot formed between the cabinet and the plinth.

This reduces the turbulence and audible ‘chuffing’ suffered by conventional ported systems. A further benefit is to increase the efficiency of energy transfer from the bass reflex tuning to the room.

The result is said to be an entirely natural and low-distortion recreation of the fundamental notes of bass instruments, matching the realistic sound of the midrange and treble characteristics.

The low ‘Q’ (broad tuning) nature of this ported system also allows you to position Diamond 11 speakers close to a rear wall.

Wharfedale Diamond 11 Series prices and availability

The Diamond 11 Series is available from July. All speakers come in a choice of black, white, walnut and rosewood. Recommended retail prices are as follows:

• Bookshelf speakers Diamond 11.0: £159.95 per pair Diamond 11.1: £269.95 per pair Diamond 11.2: £349.95 per pair
• Floorstanding speakers Diamond 11.3: £599.95 per pair Diamond 11.4: £779.95 per pair Diamond 11.5: £999.95 per pair
• Home cinema centre speakers Diamond 11.CC: £149.95 Diamond 11.CS: £229.95

Wharfedale Diamond 11 Series specifications

The post Wharfedale Diamond 11 affordable quality speakers appeared first on GadgetyNews.