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.

We tested the Arcam Muso speakers back in 2014 but the company has been in touch regarding their latest generation of Musos, as well as the Solo sub-woofer.

The new, all metal, Solo Muso speaker and the Solo Sub have been designed to complement Arcam’s Solo Movie and Music systems.,

At the forefront of the company’s mind were ease of placement and effortless, high quality sound.

Arcam Solo Muso

The construction of the new Muso uses the very latest techniques. These include dual-layer aluminium and steel enclosures and ultra-modern driver technology.

Boasting bass performance far beyond that of a typical small speaker enables it to be used as a simple stereo pair in most rooms. This will be interesting to hear as the originals did lack a little in the lows.

With the addition of the Solo sub-woofer, a full range system can be configured for stereo music or movie systems.

In full 5.1 or 7.2 systems the Muso / Solo combo, according to Arcam, offers a dynamic performance that puts many ‘big box’ speakers to shame.

Drivers

The main drive unit utilises a proprietary paper-pulp and fibre sandwich cone. This, we are told, results in an optimally light yet stiff cone. Everyone loves that, don’t they?

The drive unit’s chassis is die-cast. This has been used over the more common and cheaper steel chassis as it allows for thinner supporting structures. Using the method allows sound to pass from the back of the speaker cone to the inside of the cabinet more easily and reduces reflected sound back towards the cone, which would add distortion.

Within the cabinet, speaker wadding and other damping materials have been used to greatly reduce and sound being radiated from the cabinet.

The Muso’s tweeter is a pure aluminium dome tweeter. As with the main driver, sound passes from the tweeter both forwards and backwards.

By employing a front-facing port, the Muso speaker can be used close to walls without interfering with the port response.

To achieve bass extension without “chuffing” a long port of large cross sectional area is needed. As the Muso cabinet is not large enough to accommodate a long port, the port is bent internally and is custom moulded. It also has thick side walls to support itself with minimal vibration even when the speaker is playing at loud volumes.

Arcam Solo Sub

The Solo sub features a 300 watt amplifier and a downward firing 10-inch woofer.

It can be connected wirelessly or wired.

With exceptionally flexible crossover controls, the Solo sub also can be used in association with more complex AV systems, soundbars and other AV speakers. This will enable you to enhance bass and replace or upgrade poor-quality subs.

Price and availability

The Arcam Muso and Solo Sub are available now.

• Muso – high-performance “Metal Mini Monitor” Speakers £398 a pair or sold singly at £199
• Solo Sub – high-performance universal subwoofer £499 each
• Muso Solo 2.1 speaker system – 2 x Muso speakers with Solo Sub £897

Also available are matching wall brackets and stands.

More details at Arcam’s site.

The post New Arcam Solo Muso and Sub speakers 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.

Gareth and I are back with another glorious Tech Addicts episode.

Due to life, illness, and bank holidays, we took last week ‘off’. Never fear though, you can’t escape us for too long.

In this week’s episode, we bring you news of an elusive Pixel, feel at home with Google and chat about the Note 7’s return.

As well as all that gadgety goodness, we’ll go through the tech we’ve been playing with as well as try to save you some money.

What more could you possibly wish for?

News

• Trio of Google Pixel phones spotted loaded with Snapdragon 835
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 making a comeback?

Reviews

• Monitor Audio Airstream S150
• Arcam rHead headphone amp
• A Look At The SoundPEATS Q16
• A Look At Google Home in the UK

Bargain basement

• Sim Free Sony Xperia X Mobile Phone – £269.95

Get involved

• Main Show URL: http://www.techaddicts.uk
• Email: contact@techaddicts.uk
• Twitter: @techaddictsuk ; @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani  ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett ; @swanny ; @girlsngadgets ; @wildlime
• Facebook: Tech Addicts
• Web: http://gavinsgadgets.com ; http://GadgetyNews.com ; http://swanny.me/
• Google Plus: +Techaddicts; +garethmyles ; +gavinfabiani-laymond; +JayGarrett

Other ways to listen

• RSS Link: http://mobiletechaddicts.libsyn.com/rss
• Direct Download.
• iTunes
• Stitcher
• Tunein

The post Tech Addicts podcast #29 – at Home with Google appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Arcam will be an audio brand most are familiar with. I have been given the opportunity to live with the rHead headphone amplifier for a few weeks.

I have owned a variety of Arcam products in my time. The most recent being the irDAC that has sat in my system for the last three years.

Arcam have been around since 1976 when they were known as A&R Cambridge (ARCam).

Today I shall be looking at the headphone amp from their rSeries of components.

The rHead is designed to work with just about any headphone, from high-performance over ear models to tiny, highly efficient balanced armature earbuds.

Arcam miniBlink review

Arcam rHead design

Arcam’s rHead looks and feels as solid as a very solid thing.

Built like a tank and shaped like a very sexy brick.

These are all supposed to be compliments by the way.

The rHead’s cast aluminium case is compact at 194 x 44 x 135mm (WxHxD). However, it does tip the scales at 0.71kg. The little chunkster.

On the front panel is a large chrome knob that switches the amp on and off, as well as acting as the volume dial. At the other end of the fascia are a 3.5 and 6.35mm input for your cans. No need to go scrabbling for adapters here.

Around the rear you will find both RCA and balanced XLR inputs. You switch between these using a… err.. switch.

On the bottom of the unit is a vibration damped non-slip rubber base.

Arcam really appear to be masters of simplicity.

Arcam rHead performance

Outside might be uncluttered and straightforward but that’s because all the clever stuff is happening inside.

Amplifier

Here you’ll find fully discrete class A amplification. Maximum output is 2 full Watts per channel at 16 ohms, and 1.1 Watts into a 32 ohm load. A 300 ohm loads sees 0.13W.

Output impedance is less than 0.5 Ohms for maximum compatibility with various headphones and in-ear monitors.

Are you with me so far?

Volume

The volume control is silky smooth and there’s good reason for this. Arcam has lifted it from their A49 integrated, which is pricey.

This is an “ultra-linear analogue resistive ladder” volume control. To the listener this all means that you can expect perfect channel matching even at low levels, along with very low distortion and crosstalk.

Volume goes up and down in precise 1db steps and during my time with the rHead I have had no noise from the control at all.

Sound quality

Unplugging in my Oppo PM-1 headphones from my little V90 HPA and inserting them in to the Arcam rHEad I was hoping to be wowed.

I wasn’t.

Stay with me folks.

It’s not that I wasn’t impressed, I just wasn’t thrown back in to my seat with excitement. Nor should I have been.

You see, the rHead is able to deliver such a natural, dare I say, neutral performance that you almost don’t notice it.

It performs with such a relaxed air of confidence that you just take it for granted. You know that workmate that has to shout about every little task they complete? Well, this is the other one that just gets things done, and does them well. No shouting, no seeking praise. Just quiet awesomeness.

Power and control

When I said “quiet awesomeness” don’t think that this amp hasn’t got it where it counts. It drives my PM-1, PM-3 and the Noble Savana plenty loud enough.

As we all know, power is nothing without out control.

The soundstage and imaging from the Arcam really left my little Musical Fidelity behind. The sense of depth and scale is amazing.

I love the fact that the rHead doesn’t seem to be fatiguing at all. The more I listened to it, the more I wanted to listen to it.

Musicality

Bass comes through defined, weighty and potent. The rHead doesn’t artificially warm the low end, which is how I like it.

At the other end of the range treble and the upper mids are clear and nuanced.

Finally, the mid range has plenty of rich detail. What makes all of this more meaningful is that the backdrop to your music is a velvety, rich black.

There is no unwanted, unnecessary background noise. This is something that I have only ever really experienced when listening through expensive, really expensive, headphones and amps.

Here I was enjoying that same experience through an headphone amp that I could actually afford!

No matter the source; vinyl, CD, tape or NAS, the detail and expression I was getting from the rHead just urged me to play more music.

I really haven’t been this enamoured by a headphone amp since I tested the Prism Callia DAC/Pre/Headphone amp. That was £1800 worth of loveliness though.

Arcam rHead review conclusion

The Arcam rHead headphone amp is marvelous for the money.

It’s a clean, articulate and neutral. The rHead comes in to do a job and it does it without fuss, over-complicating things or messing with your audio.

Furthermore, the Arcam rHead should be the benchmark other brands should be using at this price point.

Arcam rHead price and availability

You can treat yourself to the rHead now for £399 from most good Hi-Fi stores.

Amazon currently has it for £319 with free delivery if you have Prime.

The post Arcam rHead headphone amplifier review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I am a new-comer to NuForce products. So I was very much intrigued by the offer to review their HEM4 IEMs.

The NuForce HEM4 appear to be good value, looking at the spec sheet. They are kitted out with Knowles balanced armature drivers, encased in resonant free Lexan bodies.

They certainly look the part. But, the proof is always in the listening.

NuForce HEM4 design

Let me start at the packaging. This really makes you feel that you’ve bought something a step above your usual earphones.

Not unlike another certain IEM brand that I’ve reviewed here before, the NuForce HEM4 comes with a range of bits and pieces.

In the tough, water resistant storage box you will find no less than 14 ear tips – two pairs of which are Comply editions.

There is also a cleaning tool, a jack adapter and two cables – one aimed at home listening and the other for when you’re out an about.

Those accessories are, in turn, stuffed inside a small zipped travel pouch. Handy for lint-free earpieces.

The metallic blue finish to the earpieces looks good and the left and right sides are clearly marked. The colours of the letters correspond to the connecting ends of the cables.

Lexan is the polycarbonate used for the bodies. Apparently this thermoplastic is characterised by outstanding mechanical, optical, electrical and thermal properties. According to NuForce it also cuts down on unwanted resonance.

NuForce HEM4 performance

Cables

The twisted cable is primarily designed for home listening. It emits very little touch noise, which is good.

The other one sports a mic, as well as a play/pause toggle. Handy for hands-free calling and those other things you might need when out and about.

The latter one does emit some touch noise but does feel more up to the rigours of commuting than the twisted pair.

Both sets lock in to the earpiece connectors tightly. They might be a tad fiddly for some but I found them reassuringly snug.

Comfort and isolation

I tried a couple of the eartips and, once sorted, isolation was brilliant. There’s no shortage of choice as there are 5 pairs of soft silicone ear tips, 2 pairs of Comply memory foam ear tips.

I was really impressed by how comfortable the HEM4 were. Also, the fact that they didn’t try to escape should I need to jog for a bus (or last orders at the bar).

The shape and fit really seemed to suit my ears.

Sound quality

I tested the HEM4 through the NuForce uDAC-3 (reviewed soon), the Arcam rHead (review to come), as well as simply plugged in to my Nexus 6P and my loaned Honor 8 Pro.

These are loaded with two Knowels drivers; a larger and smaller diaphragm for low and high frequencies, respectively.

Upon my first listen I was struck by how warm the bass end was. Most impressive was the soundstage that these earphones were able to create. These are definitely punching above their price bracket in that regard.

With a quoted frequency range of 18 – 40,000Hz, I can only say that they do the job.

Ears on

The mids and treble are so clear and defined, one of the benefits of armature drivers, that I found myself selecting more acoustic numbers. Pianos and strings, especially. Upper mids and highs extend wide as well as show good depth.

The high-end gives cymbals a realistic decay whilst giving high strings air and delicacy without siblance.

Needless to say, Rodrigo y Gabriela’s tracks get some hammer for a while. The mids have great bite and attack which allows each note to cut through with scalpel precision.

That is not to say that the HEM4 aren’t handy with more rocky stuff though. What I will say is that those looking for extreme bass, these are not for you.

The low end is focused, tight and punchy. Not over-cooked. It is really articulate and fast.

The atmospherics of the remastered ‘End of the Night’ by the Doors (Master quality on Tidal) are dreamlike. The HEM4s are able to pick out the slightest cymbal hit as well as the delicate keyboards.

Morrison’s vocals come through smooth with instruments placed in wide dark spaces behind him.

‘Moon Rider’ from The Jesus and Mary Chain’s latest, Damage and Joy, is potent and powerful. Where some IEMs might find themselves getting confused by the distorted offerings from the brothers Reid, the HEM4 took it all in its stride.

Optoma NuForce HEM4 review conclusion

The HEM4 gives a clear and detailed presentation. I got a great sense of texture and tonality with an impressive soundstage.

These IEMs produced the kind of accuracy I would expect from more expensive earphones. Classical and acoustic music was handled with warmth and definition, whilst the heavier end of my catalogue had bite and power.

Some may find these lacking in the lows but everything was nicely balanced to these ears.

Optoma NuForce HEM4 price and availability

You can buy the HEM4 direct from the Optoma shop for £249 now.

They are currently £298 on Amazon.co.uk.

The post Optoma NuForce HEM4 IEMs review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I have recently upgraded the cables in my Hi-Fi system. Now every component is connected by items from The Chord Company. Has it made any difference though?

I have been trying to write this review for a couple of months now. “Why has it taken you so long?” I hear you ask over the ether.

Well, it was the ‘angle’ (I believe real journalists call it) that I was approaching this at. The thing is, I realise how contentious the subject of cables can be.

Post anything regarding cables over a certain price on any forum and stand well back. This is a consistent occurrence and a prime way of getting things started if a thread go quiet. But, why is this?

I think most people will agree that there are such things as poor, better, and good cables. Yes, they will all pretty much do the same job but to varying degrees. Just as I can buy cheap sticky tape (Sellotape being a brand), an affordable alternative or one that will actually stick things together and not peel itself back off again.

As a wise man once said “Anything we have between two Hi-Fi components can never add to the quality, but subtract.” So, cables are all about damage limitation, right?

Cablegeddon

The thing that triggers cablegeddon seems to be when the prices go beyond a certain level. But, this stands for most things where we can’t actually ‘see’ where the money is going.

In an expensive Swiss watch there is the ‘craftsmanship’ and hundreds of years of tradition. You’ve the passion poured in to Italian and British sports cars.

According to some of the responses to my Facebook post above the words used to describe the properties of some cables leaves people cold. Yes there might be hyperbole and overly flowery language used and some might even use scientific/pseudo scientific terminology – but so does many industries. Everything from shampoo to yogurt, from video to motoring, will have a marketing campaign based on this.

If a more expensive shampoo makes you feel more confident because you’re convinced your hair looks fab – great. Do you need to know the true science behind it? If your hair looks better to you, and even get some compliments from others, then you’ll be satisfied.

We work, we get by and then die. That is, if we don’t have something to be passionate about. My problem is, I have many interests that generally need feeding with coin. Why should I spend it on cables then?

Quality

My main stipulation for going above my usual price threshold is quality. Well, that’s a rather blanket term isn’t it? Unfortunately, the word has been bandied about so much it has pretty much lost all meaning. Then there’s ‘perceived quality’ and ‘actual quality’. This is getting off-topic and more convoluted than I had planned – and that takes some doing.

All I was intending to outline, before getting in to reviewing these cables, was that even though our goals may be similar, our routes may take us on different journeys.

Chord Company C-series review

Process

This may shock some, disappoint others or be of absolutely no interest to everyone. So, I’ll just come out and say it.

There has been no blind testing. Yeah, I know!

My other half, as long as there is sound coming out of the speakers, really could not care less about what connects the Hi-Fi together; or what the components are. She has even less interest in how everything is connected.

One of the things I have been pacing up and down about is what kind of review this should be.

Review approach

You know what? If you are looking for a break down of the benefits of each cable there are places to go. Don’t get me wrong, I am not being mean here. I love you all. But, there are sites that can give scientific readings regarding phase, resistance, noise floor and so on. For each and every site that will instill the virtues of a certain cable, you can guarantee there’ll be another ‘debunking’ those very claims.

I am not an ‘audiophile’. However, for the past 29 years I have been writing, performing and recording in many bands of different genres at different levels. I have a decent ear, two even, and that’s all I am going by. After all, that’s also how I buy my kit. If it sounds better than what’s being replaced to me. Then I will buy it.

So, instead of following the Hi-Fi review standard protocol, I am going to do this wholesale. If you want more insight in to the individual aspects of the cables mentioned, Hifi Pig could well be an ideal start.

Kit

I have some nice stuff, some average stuff and some basic stuff in my Hi-Fi. This is not me intentionally over- or under-selling what I have. I am pleased with what I have been able to put together thus far. My plans this year is to pick up some new (to me) speakers in the not too distant future.

What I have plugged the Chord Company interconnects and speaker cables in to is as follows:

• Musical Fidelity M6si amp
• Musical Fidelity V90 HPA headphone amp
• Musical Fidelity V90 Blu Bluetooth receiver
• Arcam irDAC
• TEAC V-395CHX cassette player
• Oppo BDP-93EU disc player
• Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro laptop streaming audio from a QNAP TS-251 NAS loaded with 8TB of WD Red
• Tannoy Mercury V1i speakers

Cable legacy

What the C-line, C-lite, and C-USB are replacing is truly a variety of legacy cables and upgrades spanning a number of years.

I am sure there are brands that most will recognise here.

Cambridge Audio (bought when I had to buy a new system when I split from my ex), Fisual Pro Install (I needed some quickly and because Amazon Prime), Audioquest Evergreen (to replace some bundled RCAs I was using).

Yes, they all still function. But most of these did replace the kind of nondescript RCAs that come free with some gear. Surely a company wouldn’t throw in any old rubbish with the component you’ve bought? If that is the case, is everyone reading this still using their freebies? If you are, and you’re happy with them. That’s cool.

If you’re not and you’ve replaced them with something else, well that’s cool too.

Chord Company cables

As well as the C- cables there is also a Shawline RCA pair and a Power Chord power line cable in there. Joining my kit to the speakers are some Epic Speaker Cables.

I have reviewed the C-line before when I just replaced one set of RCAs with the Chord Company cable.

I did notice a difference back then but would exchanging all the other cables in my system make any difference at all?

I am a very busy guy so it is rare that I can enjoy more than a couple of hours at a time listening to music. I might manage an album or two whilst cooking and perhaps grab time before bed.

So, over a month or two I reckon these cables are all nicely burned/bedded in. I have also set aside some quality listening time.

The review

So, all the cables are ‘used’ now. I have some quiet time alone with no distractions and I can also pull the Hi-Fi rack out and generally make the living-room a mess without being berated for it.

CD

I start off with a quick blast of ‘The Grudge’ by Tool with the cables I have been using for the past couple of years. Everything sounded good to me, I will freely admit. The intro comes through with purpose. The breakdown, with the guitar drone whilst the bass and drums push through, is tense. Then, building through the initial vocals and crescendo before the solo bass takes over. Personally this album opening track still gives me tingles.

With that locked in to my brain I swiftly replaced the interconnects between my disc spinner, DAC and amp, as well as the speaker cables, for the Chord Company ones. That means the optical cable to the DAC is now the C-lite, from the DAC to the amp is the C-line and the speaker cables are the Epics.

The opening sound of the lift (elevator, if you prefer) is slightly more pronounced now. The rhythm also seems to come in more cleanly. More distinct. I go back to the ‘legacy’ cables but leaving the Epics in. I’m not certain now but I also don’t want to force myself to have an opinion.

I try ‘Frosti’ by Bjork. Again, all seems well with my trusty old cables. After the twinkly little instrumental has finished it’s all change again. Once more the Chord cables appear to be sharper and more defined.

Keeping them in I try another Bjork track. This time ‘Pagan Poetry’ glides through my speakers. The sound is wide and clear even though the track is quite sparse.

Switching back to the older set of cables, the backing vocals seem to be further back. Also the beats aren’t quite as angular.

Streaming

In order to test out the C-USB (I can sense the anticipation from the “does it make your zeros rounder and ones straighter?” snark brigade), I move to my NAS.

The C-USB is a good looking and quality feeling cable. One end is plugged in to my Yoga 2 Pro and the other in to the Arcam irDAC.

The opening chords of ‘Ziggy Stardust’ (FLAC) by Bowie fill the room. It sounds, well, it sounds like Bowie’s Ziggy. It’s clear and defined and just as I remember it. I swap out the Chord Company USB for my usual one and press play again.

Through my kit (I went back and forth a couple of times) I really couldn’t discern a noticeable and consistent difference. Again, I am not wanting to force or will a difference either way. Pair the cable with the amazing Prism Callia and some other speakers, you might hear a difference between cables. Not here though.

Cassette

Yes, I still have tapes and a cassette player. I never got rid of my LPs and Singles, I still have Mini Discs and I still have tapes. I am not a hipster, I’m more of a hoarder!

The C-line is going from my TEAC and in to the M6si. Thomas Dolby’s ‘The Golden Age of Wireless’ is the first tape to go in. As ‘She Blinded me with Science’ (quite apt) starts it takes me right back. The sound is warmer than the CD version I have on a compilation but still good.

I swap out the C-line for the general black RCAs I’ve had in the back of the deck previously. Rewind. Play. There is instantly a noticeable loss in the mid range. Going back to the white cables and everything is how it should be once more.

On goes Tesla’s ‘Mechanical Resonance’ – this tape got a lot of hammer as it was rarely out of my van. I have listened to the LP version recently and the tape didn’t sound as urgent. I tried the Chord cables and there was an improvement but still not as lively as my record. My tape player might need some servicing.

Vinyl

I have not upgraded the phonos from my turntable. Part of the reason is that I am toying with the idea of either buying a new (to me) deck or possibly updating what I have (platter, cartridge, etc).

So, the only difference in my record chain are the speaker cables.

Bowie again, this time ‘Blackstar’. I start with my original speaker cable (12 gauge twisted OFC – 294 Strands Tinned Oxygen Free Copper per conductor) and I am already lost in the album. Vocals are clear and the timing taught.

I replace the speaker cable with the Epic and, again, the album seems fuller. Moments of silence seem… more so. Yes, I can hear you saying that bell wire is perfectly good for speakers but this is what I am noticing. By myself. Listening.

My original speaker wire is 7 meters either side (that’s what I needed in the previous flat as I was limited where I could put the speakers). The Epic is 2 meters a side. Does 5 meters either side make an audible difference? I don’t know as my friend wants the long cables for his studio.

Bonus round

Why the heck not. In for a penny…

My final bit of testing has another item that will no doubt set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Shawline

Before that though, I removed the C-line RCA from between my DAC and Amp and replaced it with another Chord Company cable – the Shawline.

Again, this is a rather handsome looking cable and it really does feel like I had imagined ‘audiophile’ cables will feel like.

I played a selection of CDs through both the Shawline and C-line cables (the C-lite stayed attached between disc player and DAC) and there was another incremental improvement with the Shawline. Not the kind that will have me standing on street corners preaching about it, but one that is noticable enough to me in my rig.

Needless to say, I have left it in and will do so until asked for it to be returned.

Power Chord cable

When I visited the Bristol Show a few weeks ago I was handed one of these to try out. I know physics (it was the only O Level I got) enough to understand what the nay-sayers are saying.

My Hi-Fi is plugged in to a ‘Mains Conditioner’ from a company that I have out of curiosity. I never reviewed it as, other than feeling like a quality item, it didn’t seem to bring anything else to the party. I admit, it was less than £40 and, as far as I know, no longer available.

But, I plugged this Chord Company cable in to my amp and the special trailing socket expecting the same result as the mains conditioner.

To my surprise, my Hi-Fi sounded brighter. I actually exclaimed this on Facebook to which someone responded that a few people have said the high end does cut through more before they settle in. News to me.

I have had it plugged in since coming back from Bristol and I am happy with it. Is it bringing something mind-blowing to my system? Not to my ears. Is there an improvement over my standard ‘kettle plug’? I actually do believe so.

Chord Company cable review conclusion

I still maintain that components and speakers will bring you the best upgrades for your money. Offer me the Callia DAC or the equivalent in cables and there will be a new DAC in my system. £2k on cables or a voucher to spend at a speaker or turntable manufacturer of my choice… you get the idea.

That is not to say that I don’t believe that cables can make a difference. I have been to enough demonstrations (not always controlled by a member of staff from the cable company) where I have heard the difference between cables that I can’t deny it any longer. Some are minor improvements and some so noticeable I’ve actually questioned my own ears.

Compared to a lot of systems I know mine not be that fancy. To others it might be a step or two above. I am more than happy with what I have and do not take any of it for granted.

Do I think that the Chord Company cables have made an improvement to my system? I am sorry to say – yes. Yes, I do.

It’s not an earth-shattering, OMG moment but I can certainly hear a difference. I am really looking forward to picking up my next speakers to hear if the differences are any more pronounced.

If you have a system that you have taken to as far as you can, I recommend you at least try a cable upgrade in your own home. You might hear an improvement. Just don’t take my, or anyone else’s for that matter, word for it. At around £35 for the C-line, it’s not going to bankrupt you either.

Chord Company cable prices

C-series

• C-line RCA – from £35
• C-lite Optical – from £35
• C-USB USB – from £50

Bonus cables

• Shawline RCA – from £180
• Power Chord mains cable – from £200

The post The Chord Company C-series interconnects and Epic speaker cable review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Do you dig state-of-the-art Home Theatre? Treat yourself at The Bristol Show by checking out the Arcam Reference Cinema.

The Arcam Cinema apparently “sounds better than 99% of commercial cinemas and sonically outperforms every competing brand of consumer Home Cinema”. Drop in on them at Sound and Vision at The Marriott Hotel, Bristol and hear for yourself.

At ISE, the Hi-Res codec designers and sound engineers told Arcam

you are making the best movie sound we have ever heard”

Don’t miss this year’s demonstration at Bristol.

World first public showing of new rSeries and FMJ components

I am particularly looking forward to getting some ear time with these.

NEW rSeries Modular Hi-Fi components

• rPlay – Audiophile-grade streaming & multi-room 24/192 DAC with DTS Play-fi / Airplay / UPnP £399
• rPhono – Killer phono pre-amp for a sensible price £399

NEW Reference High-End Home Cinema on demonstration

• AV860 – UK Made Limited Edition – Flagship Reference-Class AV Pre-amp/Processor £4000
• Arcam Reference Cinema MK2

Designed to show that Arcam Home Cinema kit can outperform most commercial cinemas and built for the world’s prime Pro Integration show ISE, Arcam’s show-stopping ‘Object Based’ Reference Cinema will be at Bristol.

This will be a world-first opportunity to hear the new High-End FMJ AV860 AV Pre-Processor in action, partnered with around 6000 watts of phenomenal FMJ Class G power.

The Arcam electronics will be driving a complete KEF Reference speaker array in a full Atmos and DTS:X configuration, with video via the very latest Sony 4k projection technology.

Real kicking Bass will be provided by two Arcam Custom 18-inch subs, hand built for the show.

Everything will be EQ’ed and the room corrected using Dirac Live for Arcam, which is built in to all Arcam AV components.

Reference Cinema is no idle claim

At ISE 2017 the engineers who write the Hi-res audio codecs and movie sound designers / mixers who put the soundtracks together said

you are making the best movie sound we have ever heard… I heard things today that I missed when doing the mix”

Cinema Kit List

For those who might want to recreate what you heard over the weekend in Bristol, here are the ingredients:

• 1 x Arcam AV860 processor NEW – Dirac Live for Arcam, EQ and Room Correction
• 3 x Arcam P49 in 1000w mono block mode (front L C R)
• 2 x Arcam P49 in stereo mode for surround and surround back.
• 1 x Arcam P429 4-channel on height channels. NEW
• 2 x Arcam UDP 411 players video sources
• 1 x Arcam rPlay streaming DAC for a kick off 2 channel demo (it’s all about the music) NEW
• 2 x Arcam Custom 18 Subwoofers (Not retail products)
• Full KEF Reference Atmos Speaker System.
• Sony 4K projection

Where to hear Arcam

ROOM: EMPIRE 2 – High-End Home Cinema with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
ROOM: BRISTOL 15 – Solo & rSeries showcase

Sound and Vision – The Bristol Show

The Bristol Show is held at the Marriott City Hotel, Bristol. It will be there from Friday February 24th-Sunday 26th.

See you there!

The post Arcam Reference Atmos Cinema MK2 at Sound and Vision – Bristol 2017 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Elipson launched a range of turntables last year. Recently we’ve been living with the Elipson Alpha 100 RIAA BT turntable.

Up until recently I only really knew Elipson for their rather funky speakers. Then, in February last year, news came by way of our audio partners over at Hifi Pig, that they were unleashing some record players.

The lovely French folk over at Elipson have been kind enough to send over one of their Alpha 100 RIAA BT deck. This not only promises to spin your vinyl but brings things right up to date thanks to the inclusion of a phono preamp, Bluetooth transmitter and a USB port for digitising your analogue tunes.

Elipson Alpha 100 design

The Elipson Alpha 100 does look really nice.

The overall impression is one of understated coolness.

Dressed in black there are minimalist chic flashes of silver: on the tonearm and the rather natty speed selector switch.

The tonearm is an in-house designed OTT (Orbital Torsion Tonearm) type. It is comprised of a brushed aluminium tube and PVC headshell. These two components are fused together.

It is equipped with an antiskating system created by the torque of an internal cable. A wheel, located on top of the antiskating system, can be used to make adjustments when changing the cartridge.

The cutely undersized platter is constructed from pressed steel with a sub-chassis made of PVC. This is driven by an MSD motor. The motor is separated from the rest of the sub-chassis by a mechanical suspension system and is regulated by an ASC (Auto Speed Control) card. The card generates a precise frequency in order to maintain a consistent rotation speed.

You select 33 and 45 rpm via the rather satisfyingly tactile switch. It is also possible to play 78 rpm records.

To do this you have to start the turntable at 45 rpm, and stop the rotation for few seconds before starting playback in 45 rpm mode once again. It is also necessary to change the cartridge.

The turntable comes loaded with an Ortofon OM10 cartridge. The cartridge is pre-installed and set-up at the factory.

All you have to do to start spinning your discs is strap on the drive belt.

Elipson Alpha 100 performance

Set-up

As just mentioned, the Alpha 100 is pretty much ready to go out of the box. Anti-skating, bias weight, tracking, the whole lot is pre-set for you.

Your main decision is how you are going to connect it to your system.

You see, you have a few options of how to integrate the turntable in to your Hi-Fi rig. You could take the RCA cables from the deck and plug it in to your amplifier.

Remember, there’s no need for a phono stage. In fact, expect a highly overdriven noise-fest if you shove it in to your amp’s phono input. Pretty standard stuff, really.

Or, you can flick on your Bluetooth receiver (in my case the Musical Fidelity V90 Blu) and pair it with the Alpha 100. Yup – you are playing records wirelessly through your Hi-Fi!

If you are just starting out then you can, of course, link the turntable with any Bluetooth speaker. I had it running in to the Allocacoc audioCube as well as the Monitor Audio Airstream (gold version review to follow soon foks!).

Operation

It is nice to have a switch to select the speed instead of having to lift the platter off and alter the belt (as on my Pro-ject 1 Xpression).

The trade-off though is that there is no lowering lever. This did, however, take me back to my first record players that were part of 80s and 90s Midi systems.

Review kit

Just in case you wanted to know, this is what the Elipson Alpha 100 was connected to for this review.

Wireless

Alpha 100 –> Musical Fidelity V90 Blu –> Chord C-series RCA cable –> Arcam irDAC –> Chord Shawline RCA –> Musical Fidelity M6si –> Chord Epic Twin speaker cable –> Tannoy Mercury V1i speakers

Wired

Alpha 100 –> supplied phono cable –> Musical Fidelity M6si –> Chord Epic Twin speaker cable –> Tannoy Mercury V1i speakers

Sound quality

I kicked things off with Metallica’s latest offering, ‘Hardwired to Self-Destruct’. This has all the hallmark traits of what has kept me a fan even through their less… impressive moments.

Lars’ kicks power through and the percussion has depth. Guitars cut through convincingly and the vocals are clear and edgy. There is no hint at the sound being over-clinical, even when streaming via Bluetooth. In fact, the only major difference is that Bluetooth comes through a little louder when A/B-ing between channels on the M6si.

Moving on to Marillion’s ‘Season’s End’ displayed how clean and open the sound is. Details from the synthesisers, and clean guitars weave around in their own space allowing the bass line to work its magic.

Steve Hogarth’s vocals come through with plenty of expression. The instruments are nicely textured with a liveliness I was not expecting from this TT.

I enjoyed the overall transparency that the Alpha presented. Even through Bluetooth there was no noticeable attempt to fake the characteristics associated with classic decks with this modern turntable. I am sure it must have been tempting to use modelling software to mimic, say, Thorens, Rega or even Michell.

The mids and bass range are handled nicely and even the top-end comes through clearly without any harshness. It is not analytical or clinical but a rather pleasantly warm sound.

I was receiving a nicely balanced performance with most of my records. I did notice that some sparkle was lost from singer/songwriter performances such as Joe Gideon’s ‘Vice Versa’. Saying that, I am comparing this with how I heard the album played on my Pro-ject loaded with an Ortofon higher up the ladder.

Ripping

An added bonus that the Alpha 100 RIAA BT has is its ability to digitise your records.

Simply by connecting my laptop to the turntable via USB I was able to record albums straight to MP3. The quality is good, but will ultimately depend on what software you use and rate you copy at.

I really do like having this option to archive records, especially the ones I’ve owned for a while. Most new LPs will come with download codes.

Elipson Alpha 100 review conclusion

The Elipson Alpha 100 has a clean and elegant design. Let’s face it, the French do have a penchant for stylishness.

There is a little volume bump going from analogue connection to Bluetooth, but that might be down to the boxes in my chain.

It was that sense of timing and dynamics that set the AT-LP5 apart when first we heard it, and which shows up the slight weakness in the Elipson Alpha 100 RIAA.

Yes, there are cheaper Bluetooth turntables as well as those with USB ports. But I dare say that the Elipson performs better than many as a stand-alone deck.

Add in to the mix that all you really need to get started is the Alpha and a Bluetooth speaker, that has to be a bonus for some!

I was amazed by the detailed and honest sound. The Alpha 100 looks great, is ready to use out of the box and I am sure will please anyone that buys one. I am happy to recommend the Elipson Alpha 100 RIAA BT to everyone, especially those looking to get (back) in to vinyl.

Elipson Alpha 100 price and availability

There are a range of Alpha 100 turntables. The one reviewed here is the Alpha 100 RIAA BT which comes in at £399 from Amazon and Hi-Fi retailers.

The post Elipson Alpha 100 RIAA BT turntable review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

It looks like Amazon’s Alexa is set to be heard in many areas around the home. Is Alexa the missing link that smart homes and internet of things (IoT) has been waiting for?

CES 2017 presented loads of gadgets that can be controlled using voice commands via Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant. I found the variety amazing. Everything from table lamps and home stereos to domestic robots, fridges as well as the wider IoT.

What is Alexa?

If you’re not up with what Alexa is, she is a virtual personal assistant that’s been available for two years in the states. She landed in the UK last year with the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. Think an Amazon version of Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana and Google Assistant. You can ask it for the weather forecast, set alarms, check and update your calendar, read the news, and perform various tasks including controlling some smart devices around the home.

At the moment Alexa only speaks English. However, a German version has recently been announced, with other “international” languages, including Chinese, scheduled to follow. More on the Chinese addition later.

As you rightly presume, Alexa can also order things from the Amazon store.

I was impressed by just how good and intuitive Alexa is to use when I had an Echo Dot to review, so much so, I now own one.

Its voice recognition accuracy, as well as integration with services such as Spotify, have really taken the industry by storm. So much so that there has been an almost endless list of Alexa-enabled gadgets at CES this year.

Smart move

Unlike the other personal assistants mentioned, Alexa doesn’t need you to unlock your phone in order to control your gadgets.

Thanks to the Amazon Echo (a hands-free smart speaker) and especially the Echo Dot (a smaller and much more affordable version), you simply have to speak your commands. This could well prove to be the missing link in popularising the smart home.

It must be a surprise even for Amazon to see just how popular Echo and Echo Dot have been.  The CES organiser, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), has predicted that another 4.5 million digital assistant devices will sell in 2017, up 52%.

Amazon isn’t giving away hard facts and figures regarding the Echo but it has said that sales of the Amazon Echo family of devices around Christmas were up more than nine times over the previous year. Also that the Echo Dot was the best-selling, most gifted item on Amazon.com, with “millions” sold worldwide.

With AI and voice control billed to be one of the biggest themes in technology this year, powering everything from fitness trackers to vacuum cleaners, Amazon’s initial edge over its competition could carry it a long way.

Alexa in the home

Smart speakers

Armed with that knowledge it’s perhaps no surprise that companies at CES were announcing gadgets that integrate Alexa.

Sam Vang at Lenovo in the USA, which at the CES launched various Alexa-enabled devices said

Echo sold out during the holiday season … it’s popular, and it’s growing, and that’s where the money is,”

This will explain a raft of new speakers integrating the Alexa Voice Service as well as Lenovo’s Smart Assistant.

This circular 5W tweeter and 1W woofer speaker is powered by an Intel Celeron N3060 processor, and produces 360-degree sound.

According to Vang, the premium version has

the functionality of an Echo, but it has Harman Kardon speakers, which are better for playing music at parties,”

Omaker also attempted to improve upon Amazon’s hardware at the CES, announcing the WoW portable speaker with Alexa. This utilises Linkplay’s tech to create multi-room speaker systems for homes that can stream from the likes of Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, TIDAL, Napster and TuneIn.

With a compatible speaker in each room, the tech essentially allows Alexa to become a whole-home control system; you could ask it to turn on the lights in the living room and even order food, as well as playing music from any of those services. A similar feature is set to come to Sonos devices during 2017.

Smart home

AT&T announced its Starter Kits at CES. These help developers build IoT services and are now compatible with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which includes Alexa Voice Services.

The smart home is one of the very best uses for voice, but it could be used anywhere where humans and machines need to communicate,”

So says Mobeen Khan, associate vice-president for IoT solutions at AT&T.

If I’m an engineer maintaining a machine with voice abilities, I could talk to it and run diagnostics just by speaking to it, but usually voice if used for knowledge augmentation,”

To be honest, that would be pretty awesome. Also something we have all seen in countless sci-fi flicks.

The Vobot Clock (US$35, available in early February 2017) is an interesting addition. This packs features such as “sleep coaching” and customised music alarms. It can be used to switch off lights (such as the popular Philips Hue connected light bulbs), stream music, get updates from Facebook, and even order an Uber.

Belkin’s WeMo Mini smart plug was also launched at the CES, which allows users to tell Alexa to turn whatever is plugged into it on or off. Belkin will also make available an Alexa-capable WeMo dimmer switch.

Blinds, vacs and fridges

On a similar theme, smart home company Netatmo announced a partnership with Velux for windows, blinds and shutters that could be operated via Alexa. GE Lighting launched an LED table lamp for the second quarter of 2017 that embeds Alexa.

Neato had already announced that its rather great Botvacs now play nice with the Amazon service.

LG Fridges are also slipping the tech in. This makes more sense than you might think. You see, fridges are always on and already have a spot in one of the busiest rooms in the home. Just think, if you subscribe to Amazon Fresh, you will be able to replenish stocks as soon as you notice you’re running low.

Hi-Fi

Portable speakers are one thing, but you can expect to see Amazon’s assistant popping up in all manner of A/V equipment.

One famous name who is already integrating the voice service is Arcam. Their rPlay streamer will use Alexa to control music on one or more DTS Play-Fi enabled devices in the home, regardless of brand.

Breaking in to China

Although Amazon has not yet been allowed in China, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down Alexa.

Thanks to a strategic partnership with the huge Huawei, Alexa will make its first appearance on the Mate 9 smartphone.

Not only does this flagship phablet tick all the right boxes for smartphone owners, it is a very clever way of getting the Alexa service in to China. That would also explain the coming Chinese language update mentioned earlier.

In-car

I think it is fair to expect this breaking free of your home and appearing in your car too.

There is already Dashbot, which integrates the service in your car. I am certain that this is the thin edge of the wedge as far as vehicle integration goes.

The post Amazon Alexa was the talk of CES 2017 appeared first on GadgetyNews.