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Disc PlayersOutboard DACs
Canor CD 2.10 CD Player/USB DAC
Review: Mark Craven,  |  May 10, 2021
hfncommendedWhat is the connection between this Slovakian-built CD player/DAC and global turntable giant Pro-Ject, and does its triode tube output stage give it an edge?

In the music business, an eight-year wait between albums might give fans cause for concern and raise fears of 'issues' behind the scenes. But we have no such worries about the similar gap betwewen Canor's latest CD player and its predecessor – it's all par for the course for this Slovakian marque. Since arriving in 1995 with the TP101 amplifier (under the brand name Edgar), this self-proclaimed tube specialist has developed a modest catalogue, always at its own pace and with little apparent attention paid to current hi-fi 'trends'. So the promise of the CD 2.10 is firmly rooted in physical CD playback, and a sound informed by Canor's love of tubes, a well-regarded DAC and its detailed attention to build and finish.

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Turntables, Arms & CartridgesVintage
Sony PS-Q7 Turntable
Review: Tim Jarman,  |  May 07, 2021
hfnvintageMore miniature magic from a brand proud to beat its own path came in 1982 in the form of probably the smallest hi-fi turntable ever made. How does it sound today?

When Technics released its SL-10 turntable in1979 [HFN Apr '19], it was evident that a record player did not have to be large, overly expensive or complicated in use to give top quality results. So compelling was this concept that soon all of the big players in the Japanese hi-fi industry were racing to produce something similar. Well, almost all. Sony, the great master of miniaturisation, was not a company to imitate others.

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LoudspeakersPhono Preamplifiers
Jadis JPL MkII/SE300B & DeVore Fidelity O/96 Tube Amp/Speaker System
Review and Lab: Paul Miller  |  May 06, 2021
hfnoutstandingFirst from a hand-selected portfolio of 'artisan' hi-fi separates, this pairing of low output tubes with high sensitivity speakers boasts a very special synergy... and sound

System matching remains as much an art as it does a science. There's always the easy route – opting for a collection of one-brand separates with the promise of full technical compatibility and the expectation of similar 'voicing' throughout. aSlightly trickier is the pairing of components from brands that have an overlap in their core design philosophies – a route that often leads to the most satisfying musical experience but which requires a depth of knowledge on the part of both enthusiast and friendly hi-fi dealer. The third route – random component selection and a reliance on blind luck is not one we'll be pursuing here!

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Investigation
Under The Covers... The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's
Johnny Black  |  May 04, 2021
Johnny Black on the creation of the iconic artwork for the sleeve of The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's

The real story', said Paul McCartney in 1995, 'is that I was coming back from America on a holiday trip. I was in a very laid-back mode and dreaming away, and I started imagining this idea of The Beatles as another band, to be liberated, as liberated as I felt on this holiday'.

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Turntables, Arms & Cartridges
Thorens TD 148A Turntable
Review: Adam Smith,  |  May 03, 2021
hfncommendedFully auto turntables went out of fashion in the late '70s but Thorens has the history and experience to revive the format. Is the TD 148A in the vanguard of a new trend?

While fully automatic turntables have enjoyed a long history, arguably the daddy of them all was the Thorens TD-224 from 1962. Based on the TD-124, which appeared in 1957, it was able to retrieve LPs one at a time from a stack of discs located alongside the platter.

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Hi-Res Downloads
Hi-Res Downloads, April 2021
Hi-Fi News Staff  |  Apr 30, 2021
This month we review and test releases from: VPO/Riccardo Muti, Carolyn Anderson Surrick & Ronn McFarlane, RPO/Owain Arwel Hughes, Saffronkeira With Paolo Fresu and Rush.
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Audiophile Vinyl
Audiophile: Vinyl, April 2021
Ken Kessler  |  Apr 29, 2021
This month we review: The Butterfield Blues Band, Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones and Elliot Smith.
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Audiophile Digital
Audiophile: Digital, April 2021
Ken Kessler  |  Apr 29, 2021
This month, we review: The Doors, Donald Byrd, John Lennon and Frank Sinatra.
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Rock
Rock, April 2021
Mike Barnes  |  Apr 29, 2021
This month we review: Jane Weaver, Arab Strap, The Hold Steady and Teenage Fanclub.
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Jazz
Jazz, April 2021
Steve Harris  |  Apr 29, 2021
This month we review: Veronica Swift, Dexter Gordon, Enrico Pieranunzi/Bert Joris and Qow Trio.
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