LATEST ADDITIONS

Pre/Power Amplifiers
Audio Research Reference 80S Tube Power Amplifier
Review and Lab: Paul Miller  |  Jun 03, 2021
hfnoutstandingSince last year's management buyout, Audio Research has been very busy reimagining its ranges of the future – the Reference 80S (REF80S) is just the first step on the road

If life is a journey, rather than a destination, then some brands, Audio Research included, have rather more air miles under their corporate belts than others. From a boutique audiophile business to a period swept up in the fast lane of venture capital, Audio Research has now returned to its roots. It's a gloriously niche brand that understands 'what it does' and is now, once again, driven and engineered by a team that is passionate about serving the diehards of the audiophile community.

Continue Reading »
Hi-Res Downloads
Hi-Res Downloads, May 2021
Hi-Fi News Staff  |  May 31, 2021
This month we review and test releases from: Gabriel Mervine, Mirijam Contzen, WDR SO/Reinhard Goebel, Minneapolis SO/OSMO Vänskä, Subheim and Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Continue Reading »
Audiophile Vinyl
Audiophile: Vinyl, May 2021
Ken Kessler  |  May 31, 2021
This month we review: Patricia Barber, Bob Dylan, The J. Geils Band and Party Girl.
Continue Reading »
Audiophile Digital
Audiophile: Digital, May 2021
Ken Kessler  |  May 31, 2021
This month, we review: Norwegian Girls Choir, Grateful Dead, Run-DMC and Casablanca.
Continue Reading »
Rock
Rock, May 2021
Mike Barnes  |  May 31, 2021
This month we review: Foo Fighters, The Antlers, Lost Horizons and Mogwai.
Continue Reading »
Jazz
Jazz, May 2021
Steve Harris  |  May 31, 2021
This month we review: Cameron Graves, Gary Bartz, Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge, Tricotism and Yoko Miwa Trio.
Continue Reading »
Classical
Classical, May 2021
Christopher Breunig  |  May 31, 2021
This month we review: Daniel Lozakovich, Munich PO/Valery Gergiev, Hallé Orch/Sir John Barbirolli, Kristian Bezuidenhout and Tonhalle Orch Zurich/Paavo Järvi.
Continue Reading »
Investigation
Rock 'N' Roll Reads
Barry Fox  |  May 28, 2021
Barry Fox brings you his pick of the books that offer insights into audio

There are enough books about rock and pop music to capsize a cruise liner. So for this third part in my series on good books that connect music to hi-fi I have picked a few of the lesser-known reads. Arguably the best starting point for pop industry insight is George Martin's 1979 biography, All You Need Is Ears in which Martin shares his jaundiced views on the Apple organisation (unrelated to Apple computers, of course), which The Beatles set up in the mid '60s.

Continue Reading »
Integrated Amplifiers
Rotel Michi X3 Integrated Amplifier
Review: Andrew Everard,  |  May 27, 2021
hfnoutstandingThe 'entry-level' model in a range of two new, fully-featured Michi integrateds, the X3 is a distillation of Rotel's award-winning pre/power design with astonishing power on tap

This amplifier is substantial, beautifully designed and finished, powerful (rated at 350W/4ohm) and hefty, at getting on for 30kg – and yet it's the base model of two integrated amplifiers recently added to Rotel's revived Michi range. Following on the heels of the EISA Award-winning P5/S5 pre/power amplifiers [HFN May '20] and the M8 monoblocks [HFN Oct '20], the X3 and bigger X5 all-in-one amplifiers are the next stage in the expansion of this lineup. The £6300 X5 claims 600W/4ohm and while the £4300 X3 model may be 'lower powered' it's still able to deliver quite a wallop when required, offering a very impressive bang for your buck.

Continue Reading »
From the VaultIntegrated Amplifiers
A Fine Line: The BB100
Ken Kessler  |  May 25, 2021  |  First Published: Feb 01, 1990
hfnvintageKen Kessler on Bill Beard's new line-level-only integrated valve amplifier

Manufacturers should not be criticised for responding to changing tastes. CD has forever changed the face of hi-fi, so all you're doing when you mourn the passage of the phono stage is increase the value of shares in sackcloth and ashes. Instead, be thankful that the companies in the high-end are intent on making the best line-stage amplifiers they can design. What you use for a phono section can be either your existing, pre-CD preamp or an outboard phono section. With this in mind. Bill Beard has launched an all-valve, line-level-only integrated amplifier, the first product to bear his new company's name.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X