LATEST ADDITIONS

Classical Companion
Mel Bonis Sepia Postcards In Sound
Peter Quantrill  |  Jun 26, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025

A life story that would make a movie and a catalogue of over 300 works... this forgotten musical heroine of Belle Epoque Paris is explored on record by Peter Quantrill

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Turntables, Arms & Cartridges
Pioneer PL-12D turntable
Review: Tim Jarman,  |  Jun 26, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnvintageWith its floating suspension, decent tonearm and hassle-free two-speed operation, Pioneer’s PL-12D was the deck of choice for budding audiophiles in the early/mid-’70s

Many Hi-Fi News readers will have fond memories of Pioneer’s PL-12D turntable. A best seller when new and one of the models that has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity with the vinyl revival, generations of audiophiles have, at one time or another, had one of these decks in their systems. Introduced in 1973, it came at just the right time to benefit from the rapidly increasing growth in affordable hi-fi, setting music lovers on a path to better and (usually) more expensive things.

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Disc PlayersFrom the Vault
Bow Wizard CD player
Review: Ken Kessler  |  Jun 25, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnvintage

Ken Kessler admires the luxurious design of a top-loading CD player with upgrade potential. But will its performance also leave him spellbound?

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Vinyl Release
Yes: Tales From Topographic Oceans
Steve Sutherland  |  Jun 22, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
A double LP, with one epic song per side, recorded in a studio decorated as a farmyard... Steve Sutherland tells the tale of this 1973 Yes release, reissued on 180g vinyl
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Disc PlayersIntegrated Amplifiers
Marantz SACD 10/Model 10
Review: Mark Craven,  |  Jun 22, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingMarantz returns to the premium hi-fi sector with a trio of heavyweight flagship models including an SACD player/DAC, integrated amplifier and network-attached preamplifier

At the tail end of 2020, when Marantz released its Model 30 amplifier [HFN Jan ’21], the name paid homage to the brand’s Model 1 preamp of 1954 while the chassis styling nodded at past Marantz designs from hi-fi’s ‘golden age’. However, this was not a case of the New York-born (but now Japan/California-based) company jumping headfirst into the so-called ‘nostalgia economy’ with a retro/vintage-inspired product, more the first step in a complete overhaul of its brand image. Since then, there have been various additions to the new-look Model catalogue, but all have sat below the Model 30. Until now...

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Hi-Res Downloads
Hi-Res Downloads, June 2025
Review: Andrew Everard,  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
This month we review and test releases from: Colin Vallon, Patrice Moret, and Julian Sartorius; Lucian Ban & Mat Maneri; Lux Quartet; Rondi Charleston/Fred Hersch; and John Hollenbeck
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Opinion
SACD and DSD
Steve Harris  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
Steve Harris on SACD’s journey from proposed CD replacement to niche, audiophile favourite, plus where to go for DSD and PCM downloads that’ll give your DAC a challenge
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Opinion
Lessons from Kurtág
Peter Quantrill  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
An encounter with the Hungarian composer gets Peter Quantrill thinking about how we respond to music... and whether it’s the music that we’re responding to, or our own feelings
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Opinion
Classic speakers compared
Jim Lesurf  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
Inspired by a new amp purchase, Jim Lesurf discusses the sonic signatures of two iconic speakers, and wonders what his love of Quad ESLs and the BBC LS3/5As says about his taste in music
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Opinion
Record cleaners
Christopher Breunig  |  Jun 19, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
If you collect LPs, a vinyl record cleaner might be considered as much a part of your system as a tonearm or cartridge. Christopher Breunig has recently put three different methods to the test
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