Hi-Fi News Yearbook 2020

LOUDSPEAKER

Six-driver, DSP-controlled active speaker/eight-driver sub
Made by: Kii Audio, Bergisch Gladbach Germany
Supplied by: Sound Design Distribution Ltd, Cardiff, UK
Telephone: (0)800 009 6213
Web: www.kiiaudio.com; www.sounddesigndistribution.co.uk
Price: £29,990-£32,290 (with Kii Control)

Kii Audio
THREE BXT

Following in the ‘multi-driver [Howard Shelley, BBC PO/Edward
active speakers with clever Gardner; Chandos] the percussive
DSP control’ path of B&Os attack showed their speed and
Beolab 90 [HFN Dec ’16], definition, and their ability with the

we had the less ambitious Kii THREE microdynamics of the music, with

[HFN Aug ’18]. But what you see the balance between piano and

here is the £29,990 THREE BXT orchestra sounding both entirely

– the Kii THREE atop a ‘bass bin’, natural and insightful.

to put it simply (and a retrofit for Off to a good start, then, yet

existing users at £16,670/pr). Donald Fagen’s title track from

In each THREE BXT there are ten Morph The Cat [Reprise] took us all

Ncore Class D power amplifiers. by surprise, the Kii combo slamming

The THREE itself, which can be into the track with a literal kick

removed from the BXT and used in the drums before the whole kit

independently if required, contains sprang into life, soon joined by a

six – one per drive unit (tweeter, satisfyingly grumbly and tight bass

midrange, two side-firing drivers, and the chiming keyboards, guitar

and two rear-firing drivers) – while and then brass.

the BXT has four driving its eight Fagen’s voice had bags of

drivers (four forward-firing, four character, with no sign of the

side-firing) in pairs, with each sibilance some speakers can elicit,

amplifier rated at 500W/2ohm. and as the track became busier and

the mix denser, the speakers

‘They slammed into just let it do so, with no
the track with a literal confusion or compression.
kick in the drums’
In other words, all the
quality here is subservient
to the main task of making

music rather than technical

Mating the THREE and BXT is showboating, and the same holds

easy, as is decoupling them. The true for soundstaging – broad, deep

THREE slides into position on and focused, it’s just there, a stage

lipped rails, and short electrical where performances are set.

connections for mains power, signal Even with the least complex

and data are made between the music we played, Keith Jarrett’s

rear panel of the THREE and top rear very familiar The Köln Concert

panel of the BXT. These are then [ECM 1064/65; DSD64], the quality

made to the BXT’s lower panel, a of the Kii Audio speaker system

three-pin XLR providing for either was evident in the luminous piano

analogue or AES/EBU digital inputs. sound and ambience, the way each

USB, Toslink optical and coaxial note decayed into space, Jarrett’s

S/PDIF inputs are available via the exertions and the thud of the pedals

optional Kii Control wired remote, laid out for inspection, as was the ABOVE: You can have the THREE BXT in a range of colours,
including the THREEs in one shade and the BXTs in another!
which also provides volume and beauty of the tumbling musical

access to tone controls, etc. expression. Via these speakers it was HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

once again mesmerising.

INSTANT INTEGRATION Frequency response error (300Hz–20kHz) ±2.1dB / ±1.7dB
Pair matching (300Hz–20kHz) ±1.0dB
It’s laudable that the first impression VERDICT LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) <20Hz / >40kHz/>40kHz
THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.5% / 0.1% / 0.3%
the Kii THREE BXT creates is that This THREE BXT is visually striking, Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1200x200x400mm / 51kg

the package hangs together as if it offering effortless soundstaging

was designed as a single speaker. and focus, remarkable levels of

Right from the sparkling opening detail, power and dynamics, and

notes of Britten’s Piano Concerto breathtaking musicality. Fabulous!

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 101

LOUDSPEAKER

Floorstanding two-way loudspeaker/active crossover/pre & power amps
Made by: Kudos Audio, County Durham & Exposure Electronics, Lancing, UK

Supplied by: Kudos Audio & Exposure Electronics
Telephone: 0845 458 6698 & 01273 423877

Web: www.kudosaudio.com & www.exposurehifi.com
Prices: £13,000 (loudspeaker); £2540 (VXN crossover); £11,100 (amplifiers)

Kudos Audio
Titan 707

Exposure has made a foray the cabinet. This vents through a
into active drive here, in fixed boundary bass reflex port at
partnership with speaker the bottom of the speaker.
brand Kudos, with a VXN-
series crossover box tuned to the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

needs of the speakers, and inserted In total we had no fewer than

between pre and power amps [not seven (Exposure) boxes between

shown here]. The Kudos Titan 707 source and speakers, comprising

model (£13,000) offers the ability the preamp, crossover and power

to bypass their internal passive supply, and four monoblocks –

crossovers, and so it’s easy to switch though only two were needed for

them from passive to active status. the passive listening session.

The VXN active crossover itself Initial impressions when running

is a simple, all-analogue device the system thus were good, the

designed to mimic the existing set-up delivering a rather persuasive

passive crossover in the Kudos soundstage focus with Claire

speakers, rather than tune, improve Martin’s ‘tangofied’ take on the

or otherwise iron-out any wrinkles in ‘The Man Who Sold The World’,

the drivers’ performance. [Time & Place; Linn]. True, Martin’s

Dual mono, it is powered by its voice sounded a little brash, and the

own offboard PSU in a matching piano perhaps rather too jangly at

half-width enclosure, again with times, but the accompanying cellos

and percussion were well

‘Cellos and percussion delineated and certainly had
good attack and drive.
were well delineated
Switching over to active

and had good attack’ working, the benefits should
have been obvious – better

drive for each unit, no

separate feeds for each channel. It intermodulation between the

comes in a choice of two- or three- drivers, and the small matter of

way versions, at £1545 and £1795, having an extra couple of power

with the power supply at £995. amps in harness, each of them now

Internal dip-switches allow output handling a specific frequency band.

levels for treble and midrange (if And you know what? All those

applicable) to be adjusted. gains were up there on the

The speakers, meanwhile, stand soundstage, not only grabbing the

105cm tall in a choice of four wood Titan 707s and whipping them into

veneers, gloss black or satin white, shape, but making it immediately ABOVE: Seen in wood veneer finish (four choices), the speaker
has a base plinth fitted with polished adjustable spikes
and are a two-way design using apparent where all the money was

drive units developed in conjunction channelled. With Claire Martin and

with specialists SEAS. The tweeter her cellos, inner details of the track HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

employs a 29mm fabric dome, and were now revealed, interweaving Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 87.6dB / 86.9dB / 86.6dB

is customised for use in the Titan tango rhythms slinking behind her

loudspeakers, while the mid/bass piano and voice to winning effect. Impedance modulus: minimum 3.8ohm @ 144Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 27.5ohm @ 2.4kHz
units have a 220mm double-coated
Impedance phase: minimum –34o @ 73Hz
paper cone driven via a 39mm voice VERDICT & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 54o @ 1.2kHz

coil, with copper shorting ring and Crisper, clearer, faster and more Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) ±1.0dB/ ±2.5dB/±2.9dB

aluminium phase plug. detailed: that sums up the gains

Although the 707 seems only to on offer when taking this Exposure/ LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 45Hz / 33.2kHz/34.1kHz

have a single low-frequency driver Kudos system active, the set-up THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.3% / 0.1% / 0.8%

in fact it’s an isobaric design, with a gaining in control and losing some Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1050x298x370mm / 50kg

second driver coupled behind inside of the restraints in passive mode.

102 | www.hifinews.co.uk | YEARBOOK 2020

LOUDSPEAKER

Desktop/bookshelf/standmount two-way loudspeaker
Made by: Magico Loudspeakers LLC, Hayward CA, USA
Supplied by: Absolute Sounds Ltd
Telephone: 0208 971 3909
Web: www.magico.net; www.absolutesounds.com
Price: £9998

Magico A1

No-one who has carbon fibre layers in front
experienced Magico’s and a single layer behind,
now discontinued separated by a vibration-
Ultimate horn speaker will killing Rohacell filling. A layer

easily forget it. But, arguably closer of ‘XG Nanographene’ is

to Magico’s core design ideals, at embedded into the surface

395x216x268mm (hwd), the £10k of the laminate, contributing

A1 is somewhat more practical to significantly to its stiffness.

unpack, install and enjoy!

All Magico designs are infinite A LITTLE MAGIC

baffle/sealed box types, but the As the sound of Carman

absence of a reflex port in this Lundy’s voice filled the

compact enclosure not only room [Self Portrait; JVC] we

improves its transient behaviour knew we were in for a treat.

but also ensures it’s all but Piano, percussion and strings

agnostic about room positioning. blended both insightfully and

Furthermore, while the A1 is the subtly, every little twist of

most affordable Magico, it’s not vocal and splash or brush of

lacking in sophistication or stripped cymbal punctuated by ivory

of all the brand’s signature features. to exquisite effect.

The A1’s cabinet comprises six As a rule, the A1s will

machined aluminium panels bolted vividly open up the music

together from within – 9.5mm-thick at hand, including what are

slabs of 6061 T6 ‘aircraft grade’ ostensibly dense mixes like

aluminium braced and reinforced Mike Oldfield’s ‘Taurus II’ [Five

by additional aluminium alloy Miles Out; Universal]. The

sound of the Uilleann

‘The bass had slick pipes and Maggie Reilly’s
atmospheric vocals

attack and no artifical can sound stunning on
a half-decent system
bloom or boom’ but, as Oldfield spasms

between splices of jazz-

sections connected to the top and rock, fusion and ye olde Robin

bottom panels and midway up the Hood music through this side-long VERDICT ABOVE: The
all-black A1’s
enclosure. It is remarkably inert! saga, there are backing sequences For the A1 Magico has leveraged sealed aluminium
its years of engineering know-how, cabinet hosts a
Drivers and crossover are all that can thicken the clarity of the made sensible concessions to the 28mm beryllium
bill of materials, and condensed dome tweeter
culled from Magico’s development multi-tracked mix. Here, however, the lot into a remarkable little allied to an ‘XG
speaker. Its design allows for great Nanographene’
of its costlier ranges. The extremely the A1s exposed a level of detail, of flexibility in placement, in-room or layered 165mm
shelf mounted, while its sound is mid/bass unit
lightweight and rigid beryllium structured edginess and complexity, smoothly extended.

tweeter uses the same 28mm that typically escapes many larger

dome as the high-frequency drivers but no less costly loudspeakers.

in its M-series, albeit without the And how do the A1s fare with

‘diamond coating’. The motor demanding dynamics and bass that

system is simpler, but still based on goes way down deep? The short

a neodymium magnet assembly and answer ‘in their stride’. We cued HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

28mm voice coil, and the driver up the 2009 remix of Yello’s ‘Oh Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 81.6dB / 82.4dB / 82.3dB

is now loaded into an improved Yeah’ [The Race; Mercury] and were

absorptive rear chamber. positively startled by the attack of Impedance modulus: minimum 2.7ohm @ 20kHz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 39.4ohm @ 56Hz
The 165mm bass/mid driver, the synthesised percussion as it
Impedance phase: minimum –62o @ 2.1kHz
however, is specific to the A1. It rattled right through Dieter Mieir’s & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 53o @ 46Hz

employs an overhanging 39mm deep and rumbling vocals. Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) ±0.8dB/ ±2.4dB/±2.4dB

titanium voice coil equipped with a All the elements of the set were

copper shorting ring (reducing coil in balance, the bass delivered with LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 400Hz/10kHz) 47Hz / >40kHz/>40kHz

inductance at HF), within a double- slick attack and no artificial bloom THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.7% / 0.1% / 0.1%

ferrite magnet system. Its ‘multi- or boom. Its bass just descends Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 395x216x268mm / 20kg

wall’ cone is a sandwich of two very smoothly and quietly exits…

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 103

How deep is OUR BRANDS LIST:
your LOVE?
Acoustic Signature
Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature Metrum Acoustics AMBRE Acoustic Solid
3UHDPSOLĆ HU (ROON Digital Bridge) Antipodes Audio
£16,995 £1099 Aqua Acoustic
Audia Flight
Antipodes Audio K50 Audio Physic
Music Server Audiolab
£15000 Audiophilleo
Audiotricity
terms & conditions apply—please ask AudioValve
bFly-Audio
love your music, your way Boenicke
Burson
[email protected] Charisma Audio
Crayon Audio
01334 570666 Cyrus
eliteaudiouk.com Densen Audio
Erzetich
Fidelizer
Focal
Furutech
Gato
Grado
HiDiamond
Innuos
Isotek
JBL
LessLoss
Luxman
Lyngdorf
Manley Labs
Mark Levinson
Metrum Acoustics
MIT Cables
ModWright
Mytek
Octave
Ortofon
Perreaux
Pro-Ject
Puritan
Quad
REL Acoustics
Revel
Roon Labs
Sennheiser
SOtM
SST Audio
Sumiko
Tannoy
Titan Audio
Triangle
Ultrasone
Unison Research
Verity Audio
Vinnie Rossi
Wharfedale
Wyred 4 Sound
X-ODOS

BUDGET ESOTERICA – LOUDSPEAKER

Two-way bookshelf/standmount loudspeaker
Made by: Monitor Audio Ltd, Rayleigh, Essex
Supplied by: Monitor Audio Ltd
Telephone: 01268 740580
Web: www.monitoraudio.com
Price: £325

Monitor Audio
Bronze 100

For its ‘sixth generation’ Protecting the 25mm
release, Monitor Audio dome tweeter is a grille
has overhauled the entire with an acoustically
Bronze series, describing transparent ‘hexagonal

the Bronze 100 as a bookshelf/ dispersion pattern’.

standmount model. Yet its actual Set flush to the baffle,

size might make this speaker a little this adds a slice of

tricky to use as the former. contemporary appeal.

The manual recommends placing

it between 15cm and 30cm from BEAT THIS...

the rear wall, at least 1m from These Bronze 100s provide

side walls, and 1.8m to 3m apart a level of enjoyment that’s

to create an equilateral triangle over and above their

with your listening position. Where down-to-earth asking

this is not possible, Monitor Audio price. While the 200mm

provides two foam bungs to plug bass/mid drivers catch your

the speakers’ rear-facing HiVe II eye (and ear), there’s a

reflex ports should the speakers be thrillingly unfettered treble

parked too close to a rear wall. here that adds sparkle and

The 200mm bass/mid driver is openness to recordings,

made from the company’s bespoke joined by a midband

C-CAM composite and also debuts performance that’s both

expressive and

‘An unfettered treble nicely attacking. rimshot rhythms of The Bee Gees’ ABOVE: Finishes
Mounting the ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ [Tidal, are Walnut, Black,
44.1kHz/16-bit]. Monitor Audio’s White or Urban
adds both sparkle and loudspeakers on a stand and duo perfectly sets the mood here, Grey with two
openness to the music’ giving them room to breathe being just the right side of bright grille colours to
results in a performance at and not too ponderous. suit. Chunky, gold-
plated binding
its most refined, with an even VERDICT posts support
bi-wiring/amping
its Damped Concentric Mode (DCM) handling of bass notes providing a Admirable performers whatever
you throw at them, Monitor Audio’s
technology. This is an FEA-optimised strong foundation to the music. Bronze 100s are always fun thanks
to a killer combination of bass
architecture of driver cone and With Queen’s ‘These Are The weight and delectable highs, while
their easy-to-drive nature will find
surround said to improve linearity Days Of Our Lives’ [Innuendo; them plenty of fans.

and combat breakup modes. Parlophone], there’s a bump to

C-CAM is used again for the John Deacon’s bass-lines that can

‘Gold Dome’ high-frequency drivers, make them unduly dominant when

while a new refinement here is the speakers and rear wall are ignoring

Uniform Dispersion Waveguide, social distancing guidelines. But the

which aims to better control off-axis supplied port bungs tempered this

output from the slightly recessed effectively, and in doing so revealed

dome tweeter while fine-tuning more subtlety to his playing.

time alignment with the bass/mid. Even with a modestly powered HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

Furthermore, it also allows for a amp, they sparked into life and Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC) 87.7dB / 87.6dB / 85.2dB

lower crossover frequency: 2.2kHz. delivered an upbeat performance. Impedance modulus: minimum 4.6ohm @ 37Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 28.4ohm @ 75Hz
The speakers use 15mm MDF Conga-drum hits were precisely Impedance phase: minimum –49o @ 86Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 45o @ 63Hz
enclosures internally braced to located within the soundstage, just Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) 0.9dB/ ±1.8dB/±1.6dB

limit vibration, with additional as Brian May’s lead guitar playing LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 51Hz / 23.9kHz/43.8kHz

rigidity coming from the bass/mid deftly hung in the middle. THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 1.3% / 0.45% / 0.3%

driver installation itself, which sees As for that open treble, it’s Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 376x231x325mm / 7.8kg

it anchored via a large bolt that everywhere, giving air to the

connects to the cabinet rear. This synth motifs and hi-hats in Patti

system also works to decouple the LaBelle’s disco anthem ‘Stir It Up’

driver from the front baffle. [Beverly Hills Cop; MCA], and the

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 105

LOUDSPEAKER

Three-and-a-half way floorstanding speaker with active bass
Made by: Paradigm Electronics Inc., Canada
Supplied by: Pulse Cinemas Ltd, Essex, UK
Telephone: 01279 647 039

Web: www.paradigm.com; www.pulsecinemas.com
Price: £34,000 (inc. ARC Genesis)

Paradigm
Persona 9H

A hybrid combination of crossover for the bass, operating
a conventional passive from 400Hz downwards. All the
midband and treble with electronic room correction activity
an active bass section, is confined to the bass, and is thus

the £34k 9H sits at the top of the able to compensate for sub-optimal

Canadian company’s Persona range. positioning, the speakers each

The bass department is fully having a USB port to connect to the

integrated into the design of owner’s or installer’s PC running the

the speaker, which only has a Anthem Room Correction software.

mains input to show it differs

from an entirely passive design, SPINE-TINGLING

and is connected to an amplifier Playing Kate & Anna McGarrigle’s

conventionally using bi-wirable ‘Be My Baby’ [Dancer With Bruised

terminals. Bass extension is claimed Knees; Warner] we were captivated

at 15Hz, an on-axis response flat to by the vitality with which this track

within ±2dB, a sensitivity of 93dB was presented. The sisters’ voices

and a benign 8ohm impedance. had a lovely fragility, with the tight

While Paradigm specifies an amp harmonies crisply defined, while

compatibility of 15W-500W, we there was a broad, deep sense of

wouldn’t be tempted to hook them the soundstage they occupied.

up to a low-powered valve amplifier, And if that wasn’t spine-tingling

and we drove them to the max enough, a switch to the NYP/Boulez

recording of Ravel’s La

‘The sheer power of the Valse [Sony] showed the
Persona 9H loudspeakers’

percussion just explodes way with the fluidity of
the orchestra, and then
into the listening room’ their ability to make the

listener jump with the

using the Constellation Inspiration sheer power of the percussion on

Monos [HFN Oct ’19]. the recording, which just explodes

Beryllium is used for both the into the listening room.

25mm tweeter and the 178mm These speakers seem capable

midrange unit, the former sitting of delivering any level one might

behind a ‘Perforated Phase Aligning require without stress or restriction

Tweeter Lens’, while the latter uses – they can be sweet and light on

a similar PPA assembly, powered their feet with Copland’s own

by an ‘Inverse Differential Drive’ recording of ‘Billy The Kid’ [Sony]

neodymium magnet assembly. and then deploy their immense ABOVE: Enclosure colours are Harmony White, Vanta Black,
Carbon Black gloss, Aria Blue (pictured above) or Sonic Silver
As to the bass, four 215mm power and speed with Frankie Goes

‘Ultra high-excursion X-PAL’ drivers To Hollywood’s ‘Welcome To The

are used in each speaker, held in Pleasuredome’ [Rage Hard; ZTT]. We HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

place with a ‘Shock-Mount Isolation don’t think we’ve ever heard that as Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 94.1dB / 93.3dB / 92.8dB

System’ and driven in pairs by clean and hard-hitting as here.

DSP-controlled 700W amplifiers. Impedance modulus: minimum 2.4ohm @ 12.2kHz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 148ohm @ 20Hz
Two are rear-mounted operating in VERDICT
Impedance phase: minimum –83o @ 36Hz
vibration-cancelling opposition, and Paradigm’s Persona 9H speakers are & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 11o @ 1.1kHz

vented through vertical grilles in the outstanding in every respect, from Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) ±1.1dB/ ±4.5dB/±4.4dB

tapered back of the cabinet. So they the superb quality of build and finish

need ample space behind them. to their scintillating sound. Partner LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 400Hz/10kHz) <20Hz / 19.4kHz/19.1kHz

The speaker uses conventional them with a high-quality amp and THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.1% / 0.1% / 0.1%

passive crossover technology for the prepare to be dazzled by a design Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1320x300x520mm / 86kg

midrange and treble, and an active fully justifying its flagship status.

106 | www.hifinews.co.uk | YEARBOOK 2020

LOUDSPEAKER

Three-way reflex-loaded floorstanding loudspeaker
Made by: The Professional Monitor Company Ltd
Supplied by: PMC Ltd
Telephone: 01767 686300
Web: www.pmc-speakers.com
Price: £8495-£8995

PMC twenty5.26i

Outwardly unchanged This clarity and timing was RIGHT: Across
from its twenty5.26 there to savour on the Queen track the twenty5i
predecessor, the ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ [The series, buyers get
£8495 ’26i, says PMC, Game; Tidal Hi-Fi 44.1kHz/16-bit], a quartet of finish
options: Walnut,
is ‘substantial re-engineered’, one of the band’s most disco- Oak and White
Silk. Choosing
improving performance without infused moments. The big PMC Diamond Black
adds a £500
moving away from the signature speaker conveyed the tight-as-a-nut premium. The
Twenty5.26i has
sound of its forbear. production and work of musicians a full-height grille
that’s attached
New here is the 19mm tweeter, at the top of their game. magnetically

designed in conjunction with SEAS, The punchy drum pattern and

having a soft dome within a 34mm rhythm of the bassline were locked

roll surround. It’s mounted in a in perfect unison, while Freddie

curved, fibre-glass ‘HF dispersion Mercury’s rapid-fire verses fizzed

plate’ and protected by a grille, from the centre stage yet retained a

while the crossover point is 1.7kHz. delicate reverb. Interplay between

Both the 50mm soft dome mid vocals and chorus was scintillating.

unit and 170mm ‘g-weave’ (woven With Faithless’s dance tune ‘We

glass fibre composite) bass driver Come 1’ [Outrospective; BMG] we

– which cross over at 400Hz – are got more of an impression of how

continuations from PMC’s previous much that 170mm bass driver

range. Once again, the latter feeds punches above its weight, ranging

into PMC’s take on transmission line impressively deep but still sounding

bass-loading, with its ‘ATL’ chamber lightning-fast and responsive.

terminating in two front-facing We could have happily fed the

Laminair vents [see facing pic]. twenty5.26i a diet of electro-pop

and dance music to savour

‘The interplay between its adroit handling of up-
tempo music, and the slick

the vocals and chorus manner in which it dots
musical flourishes across its
was just scintillating’ soundstage. But we changed

the pace with Philip Glass’s

Much of the twenty5.26i’s ‘I. Opening’ [Glassworks; Tidal Hi-Fi,

boosted performance, claims PMC, 44.1kHz/16-bit]. Almost entirely a

comes from a new crossover with piano instrumental, with an unusual

4th-order filters in each arm of the triple-note construction that gives it

network. This uses hand-selected the air of falling forward, this let the

components mounted on ‘military- delicacy of the twenty5.26i’s mid

grade’ fibre-glass boards, all and treble come to the fore, and

connected via pure copper tracks. its talent for dynamics as the music

The redesigned vibration-reducing ranged from soft to forte.

plinth stand, says PMC, also offers There’s a cohesive nature to the

‘radically improved performance’. twenty5.26i’s performance that’s

addictive. The effect is that you

TIGHT AS A NUT can lose the sense you’re listening

Realism, transparency and true to a set of speakers, the six drivers HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

musicality. This is the three-pronged instead forming a balanced, even Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC) 86.2dB / 85.7dB / 84.0dB

mission statement of the twenty5i whole, from pure-sounding bass at Impedance modulus: minimum 3.9ohm @ 116Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 30ohm @ 48Hz
series and with that in mind it’s the bottom to grit-free highs. Impedance phase: minimum –69o @ 60Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 34o @ 3.8kHz
hard to consider the twenty5.26i as Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) 0.7dB/ ±5.1dB/±4.6dB

anything other than a success. VERDICT LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 38Hz / 28.2kHz/29.9kHz

This new-breed floorstander picks Those seeking a speaker that works THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 1.2% / 0.8% / 0.6%

up the baton from previous PMC with the music, rather than unduly Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1040x192x439mm / 25kg

speakers, impressing with the clean, adding to it, will cherish PMC’s

nuanced delivery, precise sense of premium-priced floorstander. Free

rhythm and top-to-bottom balance of bluster, it’s dynamic, transparent

the company’s fans expect. and detailed-sounding.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 107

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DQG TXDOLW\ ÀUVW products to shame.
Amir – Founder Amir - Founder

High Resolution Audio at it’s best.

mini-i Pro 3

Matrix Audio has created a highly affordable range of high end music streamers, dacs,
headphone amps and accessory products. Matrix Audio is enjoying glowing reviews,
advocates within the industry and some very happy product owners .
Isn’t it time that you took a look at www.matrix-digi.com

AUDIO SYSTEMS
DEALER ENQUIRIES WELCOME
Distributed by Signature Audio Systems, T: 01959 569842 M: 07738 – 007776
or by e-mail to: [email protected] web: www.matrix-digi.com

LOUDSPEAKER

Two-and-a-half-way floorstanding loudspeaker
Made by: Dantax Radio A/S, Denmark
Supplied by: Decent Audio, Stockton-on-Tees
Telephone: 05602 054669
Web: http://scansonichd.dk; www.decentaudio.co.uk
Price: £6249

Scansonic MB5 B

Looking identical to the and thoroughly charming Kate & RIGHT: Cabinet
Scansonic MB5 loudspeaker Anna McGarrigle’s French Record finishes are
[HFN Aug ’17] the £6249 [Hannibal] was mired in low black or white
MB5 B has been reworked frequency fluff until the speakers silk. The 115mm
carbon-fibre mid
by chief designer Benno Baun were pulled forwards. The MB5 Bs units and 115mm
bass drivers look
Meldgård to provide, he says, then made more than a passing identical to those
in the MB5 but
‘an all embracing upgrade’. The gesture at unravelling ‘Entre now feature
new suspension
midrange and bass drivers – four Lajeunesse et la Sagesse’, which systems. The
ribbon/planar
115mm units, between which mid boasts a spicy folk instrumentation tweeter is
retained as are
and bass duties are split – use a die- that should raise a smile. the stabilising
alloy outriggers
cast aluminium basket for rigidity We also experienced more than

and retain their carbon cones, but a few moments of startling reality,

feature a new low-loss spider in Christian McBride’s double-bass

their suspension. These features, affording a magnificently deep and

plus the powerful magnets, thunderously resonant foundation

combine to offer a claimed for the opener to Diana Krall’s Love

improvement in both dynamic Scenes [Universal Music/Verve]. Such

handling and bass response. is the grip and sheer power of the

Of equal significance is the MB5 B’s delivery you’d be tempted

redesigned crossover, better to turn up the volume and wallow

integrating the drivers that are also in the atmosphere in what might

‘time-aligned’ by the gently angled otherwise have been background,

baffle. Meanwhile, a version of sister late-night listening.

company Raidho’s ribbon planar Frankly, this speaker system

tweeter is retained without revision. can reproduce a visceral weight,

This bespoke driver uses a Kapton/ power and sheer musical presence

that eludes many far bigger

‘We also experienced floorstanders. The unchanged
ribbon-esque treble unit sounds

quite a few moments deliciously open and extended
without a hint of brightness.
of startling reality’ There is still plenty of ‘air’ but

absolutely no coarseness or

alloy sandwich membrane just brittleness, qualities that feed all

20 microns thick, weighs just one the way down through the mid and

gram, and is sandwiched between bass to ensure the MB5 B creates

powerful neodymium magnets. large and unforced soundscapes.

To improve the ease with which Stravinsky’s The Firebird

the speaker can be set up, a trio of [Bergen SO/Andrew Litton; BIS] is

ports sits above the single set of appropriately fleet of foot and the

speaker terminals sculpted into the MB5 B expresses this very fluid-

narrow ‘spine’ of the cabinet. sounding recording with a light

A sleek-looking, internally braced touch. The pianissimo strings in the

enclosure, in ‘high density MDF’, has ‘Berceuse’ are realistically feathery

been modified to optimise air-flow, just as the appearance of Kastchei’s

allowing a reduction in the internal monster guardians is accompanied HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

damping. Also in the quest for by an appropriately menacing Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 87.7dB / 86.1dB / 85.9dB

‘better coherence’, the cabinet is onslaught of percussion.

shaped to avoid internal reflections Impedance modulus: minimum 2.8ohm @ 29Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 12.5ohm @ 2.0kHz
and standing waves. VERDICT
Impedance phase: minimum –33o @ 3.1kHz
Slide these slimline floorstanders & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 34o @ 20Hz

LOCATION, LOCATION... into just the right spot and their Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) ±3.2dB/ ±4.8dB/±4.1dB

Scansonic is very particular about profile diminishes entirely, leaving

the placement of its MB5 B a wonderfully unfettered and LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 54Hz / >40kHz/>40kHz

floorstanders, which we found captivating musical performance. THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 2.7% / 0.3% / 0.7%

happiest 1m+ into the room. For Once the MB5 Bs are on song, you’ll Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1185x178x319mm / 24kg

example, the deceptively simple be hooked and listening for hours.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 109

LOUDSPEAKER

Three-way floorstanding loudspeaker
Made by: Sonus faber SpA (Fine Sounds Group), Italy

Supplied by: Fine Sounds UK
Telephone: 01592 744710

Web: www.sonusfaber.com; https://finesounds.uk
Price: £14,900

Sonus faber
Olympica Nova V

Part of a range of seven there’ll be little to complain about
loudspeakers, the £14,900 here. Indeed, the Olympica Nova Vs
Olympica Nova V features deliver a deeper and more extended
the company’s ‘Lute’ low-end than might be anticipated

internally ribbed cabinet design, from the list of specifications.

comprising eight layers of real In short, the Nova V prefers to

wood, laminated and shaped paint a broad and colourful canvas

together under pressure. As for the of sound rather than deliver a

cast aluminium cap, this is inset surgically penetrating insight. For

with matching wood example, with Iiro Rantala’s take on

Arguably, the standout feature Gershwin’s ‘Liza’ [My History Of Jazz;

of the Olympica Nova series is the ACT], the music was presented as a

metal ‘Stealth Ultraflex’ vent that slightly smoothed whole, with more

supplements bass output. Running emphasis being given to the weight

full height, these vents are offset of the piano and drums than the

to one side of the cabinet, and metallic hue of the cymbals.

positioning the speakers with their With moderately sparkling

vents inward (which we preferred) recordings like Ravel’s La Valse

should give tighter bass, or set [NYPO/Boulez; Sony Classical], the

outwards greater bass weight. slightly eerie and ominous feel

The in-house drive units of the opening section sounds as

are topped off by a 28mm silk grand as it does dramatic. Again,

these are speakers that

‘The sound of Ravel’s wrap you in the music, nice
and cosy, rather than invite

La Valse was as grand you over for an evening of
technical introspection.
as it was dramatic’ With a change of pace

to ‘Mercy’, from Muse’s

dome tweeter that includes an Drones [Warner; 96kHz/24-bit

aluminium bridge carrying a tiny download] the dense and full-on

pad, in contact with the dome to mix is delivered up with real impact,

apply what Sonus faber calls ‘local driven in particular by the bass and

damping to the apex typically drums but with no abrasive top-

responsible for anti-phase behaviour end forcing you to back off on the

of soft-dome diaphragms’. volume to save your ears. Similarly,

The 150mm midrange driver, playing Sam Cook’s ‘Bring It On

meanwhile, uses a rough-textured Home To Me’ [Portrait Of A Legend;

cone of fibres including Kapok and ABKO] the sound, which can easily ABOVE: Sonus faber’s big floorstander with cast aluminium
outrigger-spiked base comes in a choice of walnut or wenge
Kenaf, said to reduce resonance. appear bright and hard, is gently

The three 180mm bass drivers massaged here into something less

each uses a sandwich cone design fragmented and unforgiving. HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

combining two layers of cellulose Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 91.8dB / 89.9dB / 89.0dB

material and a syntactic foam core, VERDICT

for low mass and high rigidity. The Olympica Nova 5s deliver a Impedance modulus: minimum 2.8ohm @ 14.3kHz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 14.3ohm @ 2.5kHz
cultured, almost velvety view of the
Impedance phase: minimum –48o @ 4.1kHz
NICE AND COSY music, likely to impress with their & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 33o @ 1.2kHz

The sound is big and rich-sounding, sheer scale and absence of any Pair matching/Resp. error (300Hz–20kHz) ±1.7dB/ ±4.8dB/±4.4dB

with masses of orchestral scale and obvious sonic nasties. In so doing

very sonorous solo piano, and for they may relinquish a little of the LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 300Hz/10kHz) 43Hz / >40kHz/>40kHz

those who judge the success of a sparkle and character that some THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.4% / <0.1% / 0.3%

big speaker on its ability to deliver listeners might seek, but these big Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1175x424x530mm / 44kg

warmth and a room-filling sound, floorstanders could never offend.

110 | www.hifinews.co.uk | YEARBOOK 2020

LOUDSPEAKER

Three-way, five-driver floorstanding loudspeaker
Made by: SVS, Ohio, USA
Supplied by: Karma-AV Ltd, York
Telephone: 01423 358846
Web: www.svsound.com; www.karma-av.co.uk
Price: £1795-£1995

SVS Prime Pinnacle

These floorstanders from 25mm thick at the front, features RIGHT: The
SVS vaguely recall the four separate internal enclosures, Prime Pinnacle
monoliths from Stanley plus rigid bracing, in a bid to sports a 25mm
Kubrick’s 2001: A Space combat unwanted resonances. alloy dome
tweeter, 135mm
Odyssey. Bucking current trends, composite fibre-
glass mid unit and
there’s not a curved edge in sight, BIG AND BOLD a trio of 165mm
polypropylene
and they’re available only in a Gloss Given that trio of front-firing bass woofers, all
working into
Black finish (£1995) or a more drivers, you might well think SVS’s their own
acoustic spaces
prosaic Black Ash (£1795). Prime Pinnacle is all about bass

Although the Black Gloss livery brutality. But while low-frequency

is surely worth the premium, and handling is an obvious plus point it’s

a smidgeon of style comes from neither overblown nor unrefined,

the tapered front baffle, these while mids and highs aren’t

are hardly speakers that will make relegated to second fiddle.

visitors to your listening room stop The title track from Michael

and stare. Grilles, which cover Jackson’s Bad [EPC] gives them

roughly three-quarters of the face, a chance to strut their stuff. The

are clip-in rather than magnetic, ascendant bassline that underpins

and suggest that this speaker has each verse is delivered evenly

been built to hit a price point. and fluidly, and is subjectively

SVS says the Prime Pinnacle has uncoloured. Atop this, the

benefited from a more extensive electronic percussion, hand-claps

voicing programme than any other and Jackson’s breathy vocals have a

model in its history. ‘Key parts of crisp edge and believable tonality.

this design were balancing out Switch to the synthetic bass

the tweeter height relative to notes of London Grammar’s ‘Hey

Now’ (If You Wait), and the

‘The Prime Pinnacle speaker shows its ability to drop
deep while maintaining a tight
can drop deep yet
grip. SVS’s expertise in subs

maintain a tight grip’ certainly pays dividends.
A quieter track, such as

Alice In Chains’ semi-acoustic

the listener position’, it says, so ‘No Excuses’ from their Jar Of

development experiments included Flies EP [Columbia], finds the

alternating the position of the mid Prime Pinnacle in fine voice for

unit below and above it. what is arguably an affordable

For the latter, SVS opted for a floorstander. Jerry Cantrell and

135mm glass-fibre cone, a trickle- Layne Staley’s twin-tracked vocals

down design from ones in SVS’s are clearly delineated, and the

premium Ultra Tower speaker, while low-key percussion, which blends

above it is the 25mm aluminium hi-hats and rapid snares with high-

dome tweeter with FEA-optimised pitched toms into a syncopated

diffuser, for ‘a wide dispersion and rhythm, finds its space within

accurate on/off-axis delivery’. the soundstage. And again, the

Beneath this sits the triple Pinnacle’s ability to resolve low HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

stack of bass drivers, all measuring frequencies without coming across Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – Mean/IEC/Music) 89.0dB / 88.2dB / 88.2dB

165mm in diameter and made from as sluggish or boomy, is remarkable.

polypropylene, a material chosen Impedance modulus: minimum 2.8ohm @ 4.1kHz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 14.6ohm @ 22Hz
for its stiff-but-light properties. By VERDICT
Impedance phase: minimum –51o @ 2.6kHz
opting for these relatively small Svelte enough to slip into all but the & maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 29o @ 10.3kHz

low-frequency units as opposed to smallest rooms, and undemanding Pair matching/Resp. error (300Hz–20kHz) ±0.8dB/ ±3.3dB/±3.6dB

a pair of larger drivers, the width of when it comes to placement, these

the speaker is kept to a minimum. floorstanders have clear all-round LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 45Hz / 30.7kHz/31.8kHz

Each bass driver works out of a appeal. Music driven by bass and THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.1% / 0.1% / 0.1%

rear 50mm-wide port and each is percussion is their bread and butter, Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 1029x203x340mm / 26kg

individually tuned. The MDF cabinet, but there’s a sweeter side too.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 111

M8 Xi

A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR STORY FOR GREAT
MUSICAL FIDELITY

M8 Xi | INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

DUAL MONO INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER WITH UNRIVALLED POWER

Introducing the M8xi, a high quality Musical Fidelity amplifier that combines a separate preamp with two
monobloc power amps. Each Amplifier has its own heat sink and separate transformer. The preamp has
its own dedicated power supply that is mounted close to the input sockets; consequently, PCB tracks
are very short. This elegant idea ensures that both channels experience ultra low impedance the instant

they enter the amplifier.

Finishes Available:

Distributed by Henley Audio : HenleyAudioUK | : HenleyAudio
T: +44 (0) 1235 511 166 | E: [email protected] | W: www.henleyaudio.co.uk |

LOUDSPEAKER

Three-way floorstanding loudspeaker
Made by: System Audio A/S, Denmark
Supplied by: Karma-AV Ltd, York
Telephone: 01423 358846
Web: www.system-audio.com; www.karma-av.co.uk
Price: £2900

System Audio
Legend 40

This Danish company is suited to close-to-boundary RIGHT: The slim,
boasts that ‘A System placement, another string in its user-friendly
Audio speaker is much living-room-friendly bow. Legend 40
faster than a conventional comes in black
loudspeaker’. Time to buckle up, SOUND OF SPEED or white and has
magnetically
then... Its Legend 40 tower tested The use of lightweight driver attached grilles.
It’s sufficiently
here is priced at £2900 and comes materials in the pursuit of ‘speed’ versatile to be
set up close to
in either satin black or white finish. is repeatedly in evidence when room boundaries,
but bi-amping/
Unusually, the speaker has an listening to the Legend 40s. They bi-wiring is not
accommodated
upgrade path from wired passive to seem to relish the rhythms of music

wireless active. System Audio will and quick-fire instrumentation,

retro-fit its rear-mounted amplifier/ resulting in a clear, dynamic

DSP module, effectively turning the presentation. Bass extension is

’40 into its Legend 40 Silverback. pleasingly deep and tracks that

Handbuilt, with one employee demand soundstage width and

working on one speaker from start depth are well-served.

to finish, the Legend 40 sports a Load up ‘Cream’, from Prince’s

25mm tweeter, 135mm midrange, album Diamonds And Pearls

and two 135mm woofers. The mid [Warner] and the Legend 40s

and bass drivers use a woven fibre quickly lock into the funk/pop

cone chosen for its low weight groove. There’s appreciable snap

and high damping, supported by and clarity to bass and drums, and

you get the sense that the

‘These loudspeakers speakers’ driver quartets are
operating in total harmony.

are quick to lock into It’s such a dextrous
the funk/pop groove’ performance that we dug
out Machine Head’s ‘This Is

The End’ [Unto The Locust;

a rubber surround with in-built Roadrunner], which rampages

resonance control rings. at a furious pace and underpins

Meanwhile the two bass units razor-sharp thrash guitar riffs with

work out of a rear-firing port, the kick-drums. It all marches out like a

combination good to a claimed well-oiled regiment.

30Hz. As for the woven silk tweeter, The title track to Norah Jones’

this uses a patented DXT acoustic jazz-tinged debut album Come

lens to combat baffle diffraction, Away With Me [Parlophone]

improve off-axis response, and showcases the loudspeakers’

smooth integration with the ability to resolve subtle detail. Her

midrange at a 2kHz crossover point. midrange is soft but well-rounded;

The cabinet’s MDF front baffle is she’s close-mic’d but with a slight

29mm-thick, set on a 5mm walnut reverb, while soft percussive HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

inlay, while the curved sides use brushing is as eloquently conveyed Sensitivity (SPL/1m/2.83V – 1kHz/Mean/IEC) 87.0dB / 87.4dB / 85.1dB

six layers of pressed 3mm MDF. as the piano accompaniment. Impedance modulus: minimum 2.9ohm @ 130Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 23ohm @ 80Hz
Internally, an 18mm MDF plate Impedance phase: minimum –65o @ 92Hz
& maximum (20Hz–20kHz) 39o @ 28Hz
divides the midrange and bass VERDICT Pair matching/Resp. error (200Hz–20kHz) 2.3dB/ ±2.8dB/±2.6dB

drivers into separate chambers. The Legend 40s yield a performance LF/HF extension (–6dB ref 200Hz/10kHz) 50Hz / 36.7kHz/39.3kHz

System Audio expects its that’s always descriptive of the THD 100Hz/1kHz/10kHz (for 90dB SPL/1m) 0.4% / 0.3% / 0.8%

speakers to appeal to the spatially music, whether it calls for delicate, Dimensions (HWD) / Weight (each) 955x190x265mm / 19kg

challenged, and this is emphasised detailed highs, a midband capable

by a recommended placement of of both softness and steel, or

just 15-35cm from the rear wall. unflustered nuanced bass. There’s

In fact, it suggests the Legend 40 slick imaging here too.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 113

INTERCONNECT CABLE

Factory-terminated interconnect cables
Made by: Atlas (Scotland) Ltd, Kilmarnock

Supplied by: Atlas Cables
Telephone: 01563 572666
Web: www.atlascables.com
Price: £500 (1m stereo set, terminated in XLRs)

Atlas Equator

Given the increased
number of XLR sockets
we’ve seen on hi-fi
separates in recent
years, ‘balanced’ is rapidly

becoming the new black.

Here, we look at a new Atlas

interconnect that illustrates the

industry trend towards XLR-

equipped cable derivatives. In

this particular case Atlas’s new

Equator XLR is a symmetrical/

balanced version of its well-

reviewed and longstanding

Equator Integra RCA interconnect.

Within the Atlas hierarchy

the Equator XLR sits between its

Element XLR, the base model, microphony, and the entire cable ABOVE: Supplied the Equator XLR interconnect
sheathed in an succeeds in taking the edge off
with Hyper XLR at the top of its is jacketed in a soft, white PVC. ivory white soft the liveliest percussion while still
PVC jacket, the retaining the body and ambience
hi-fi range (the Ascent/Mavros/ OCC copper may have Equator XLR of the performance. The cable
features OCC ensured that the band’s Dieter
Asimi cables occupy the ‘high- fewer grain boundaries than an copper in both its Meier and Boris Blank’s energy,
conductors and power and enthusiasm was
end’ range). Prices start from equivalent-purity OF copper but XLR pins retained on their virtual stage,
while avoiding any opportunity
£500 for a 1m stereo set, the 75mohm/m loop resistance for grit and grain to aggravate
what might already be a forward-
increasing by £50 per stereo remains unaffected as does the low sounding amp or loudspeakers.

metre (£600 for a 3m stereo set). capacitance and series inductance The sound remains nimble too,
the bass unmuddied and quick
While Atlas’s Element XLR of 75pF/m and 0.40μH/m, where it needs to be or heavy and
extended where the recording
uses OFC conductors and XLR respectively. This is another Atlas demands. It’s a very realistic
upgrade from the company’s
pins, and a foamed polyethylene cable suitable for long runs. basic XLR interconnects.

dielectric, the Equator XLR uses

OCC (Ohno Continuous Casting) A ROUNDED VIEW

copper conductors and silver- We had the opportunity to

plated OCC pins, plus the same compare these new balanced

Atlas Equators with the

‘The sound remains brand’s costlier Mavros
nimble, while bass is Ultra cables [HFN Mar
’16] as well as the

unmuddied and quick’ stratospherically-priced
silver/gold Absolute

Dream from Crystal Cable VERDICT

dielectric. There’s no soldering to [HFN Jun ’12] and in no respect These interconnects offer a very
subtle emollient that trades forensic
be found here as the OCC-to-OCC did the Equator XLR come up insight for a sound that is forgiving
and musically compelling. There are
connections are all cold welded. embarrassingly short. ‘brighter sounding’ interconnects to
be had, but don’t read the Equator
The internal geometry is Laced between a dCS Vivaldi XLR’s story as a euphemism for ‘dull’
or recessed for these are shrewdly
very straightforward – both the One player/DAC [HFN Feb ’18] balanced and will reward without
stripping your music to its roots.
signal (L) and return (R) cores and Constellation Inspiration

are a twisted pair, comprising monoblocks [HFN Oct ’19] the

2x60x0.1mm strands, while Equator XLR offered a slightly

the screen (the ‘X’ in XLR) is a more rounded view of musical

combination mylar/aluminium foil events, trading some micro-

plus woven OFC braid, terminated detailing for a smoother balance

at both ends of the cable. that, potentially, will find a very HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

The Equator interconnects sympathetic home in a slightly 0.40μH
75pF
are not marked for directionality brighter-sounding system. Series Inductance (1m loop) 75mohm
Parallel Capacitance (1m) 300Mohm
although slow-drawn OCC copper Yello’s limited edition ‘Virtual Resistance (1m loop)
Leakage
directly embraces the concept. Concert’ DVD-A issue of Touch [no

Either way, a cotton filler holds cat no; 48kHz/24-bit] provided

all the cores in place, reducing a focused example of how

114 | www.hifinews.co.uk | YEARBOOK 2020

DIGITAL CABLE

Factory-terminated USB interconnect cable
Made by: The Chord Company, Wiltshire
Supplied by: The Chord Company
Telephone: 01980 625700
Web: www.chord.co.uk
Price: £400 (1m)

Chord Epic USB player/DAC [HFN Feb ’18] the
influence of Chord’s Epic USB
The last time we ran a geometry deviates slightly from that ABOVE: Inspired
comprehensive USB cable of the USB standard (you’ll notice by the company’s was subtle but nonetheless
group test was over six that few ‘audio USB’ cables carry first-generation engaging, the intimate
years ago [HFN Jul ’13 the official USB trident motif), but Signature cable, setting of Vov Dylan
the Epic USB is and Glenn Amer’s
and ’14] with Chord’s entry-level limited overshoot on the waveshape terminated in self-explanatory
bespoke silver- The Music Of Cole
SilverPlus coming top-of-the-heap. and a fast 9.6nsec risetime – as was plated A- and Porter Without
B-type plugs Words [Elkwood
It has remained in residence ever revealed in our Lab Test – suggest Sony; DSD128]
sounding especially
since as our USB cable of choice. its characteristic impedance is not close without sucking
the air from the room. The
The intervening period has too far under the 90ohm standard.
rosin-rich tone of the violin
seen the SilverPlus morph into the At least that’s the case at these was perfectly pitched against the
gentle percussion of Amer’s piano –
current entry-level C-series while data rates and frequency. Note that the duet, likely as not, sweeping you
along as you sing ‘I Get A Kick Out
our tests also revealed that a Of You’ and ‘I’ve Got You Under My
Skin’ in the hope and anticipation
‘Flashes of percussion 5m length of Epic USB has a that no-one else is listening...
slightly reduced bandwidth Compared directly with our
sparkled in a broad long-term sample of Chord’s
but exactly the same edge SilverPlus, the Epic USB delivered
a slightly darker and, on brief
and deep soundstage’ risetime. A 2m length may audition, fractionally less vibrant
prove to be optimum. sound. Listen longer, however, and
it’s clear the Epic USB is marginally
Finally, a high-density more refined, possessed of great
control and delivering energy and
the costlier Signature ‘Tuned Aray’ double braid provides improved passion when required as slickly as
it will reveal subtle details.
USB cable became the template for RF/EMI rejection, while the cable’s Never more so than in the ‘Ride
Of The Valkyries’ from Wagner’s The
Chord’s more recent, intermediate woven silver-grey jacket brings Symphonic Ring [Duisburger Phil/
Jonathan Darlington; Acousence,
Epic USB model. And, at £400 for added robustness. However, the 192kHz/24-bit] as the stormy strings
swell to meet the thunderous
a terminated 1m set (£160 per Epic USB is not especially flexible energy of the horns and flashes of
percussion that sparkle in a broad
additional metre), the new Epic so care must be taken not to stress and deep soundstage. Much of this
resolution will depend on the scope
USB cable is no costlier than its delicate USB sockets when locating and scale of your system, but if your
kit has the capacity then Chord’s
Signature forefather in 2014. and inserting Chord’s custom silver- Epic USB will surely open the door.

So, the Epic USB employs a plated A- and B-type plugs. VERDICT

similar set of four PTFE-insulated, Just like Chord’s original Signature
‘Tuned Aray’ cable, the current
silver-plated copper conductors AN EPIC SOUND? Epic USB promotes a sound that’s
smooth, richly detailed and very
for the +5V line and ground plus Pressed home – carefully – between expressive. On first exposure it
might appear to lack some ‘bite’,
the differential data pair, which a Melco N1ZS20/2 music library but in practice there’s no lack of
colour or contrast to its richly hued
are also separately shielded. This [HFN Jun ’17] and dCS Vivaldi One performance. Yet this tickled-up
Epic still faces stiff competition
from, er, the more flexible C-USB,
née SilverPlus, available at just
£50/1m. Thinking of 5m runs?
Compare before plunging.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 115

NETWORK DATASWITCH

Network switch with wired and optical ports
Made by: Buffalo Technology, Japan

Supplied by: Audiophile Digital Music Masters Ltd, UK
Telephone: 01252 784525

Web: www.melco-audio.com; www.audiophiledigital.co.uk
Price: £2000

Melco S100 developing story all the more
chilling. What previously sounded
Recently there’s been an a vibration-isolating steel chassis, ABOVE: Melco’s like a trite piece of music theatre
explosion in the availability with shielding provided by external S100 network now came unsettlingly alive.
of switches designed to aluminium casework. switch has no
fit between your Internet more than a How obvious you find the
In practice, the S100 provides single blue LED gains with the S100 in harness
at its front, will depend on the quality – and
connection, your music storage three means of connectivity: there while ten ports in particular the resolution – of
populate the the player you have employed
and your network audio player. are four 100Mb Ethernet ports, rear – four each downstream. In our system it was
of 100Mb and clear-cut, at least when compared
Enthusiasts claim ‘magic properties’ four 1Gb ports, and two SFP ports 1Gb, and two with a basic switch configuration.
optical fibre SFP
for particular existing IT-type to connect fibre optic cables via (small form-factor Playing the excellent Linn
pluggable) compilation A Bach Offering
network switches, and a variety suitable adapter modules at around [Linn Records; 192kHz/24-bit]
the S100 carried the depth,
of companies now offer their own £20 apiece. The 100Mb ports are texture and expression, and well-
captured acoustics of this familiar
‘audiophile-tuned’ products. designed for sound-critical devices performance with aplomb.

The Melco S100 occupies its such as network players and NAS Similarly, even with the
pounding ‘Bargain’ from The Who’s
own position in this new market. units (or a Melco library) and also Next [Qobuz; 96kHz/24-bit], this
‘audiophile dataswitch’ brought
your Internet router if you’re greater insight into the component
parts of the mix, from the rumbling
‘The Melco S100 using streaming services. bass and frenetic drumming to the
strike and sustain of the lead guitar.

And so it goes on, with the
Melco S100 simply revealing more
of everything we played. That said,
however, we’ll stick to a belief that
one can obtain similar gains for less
with some DIY network fettling,
but if you want a simple plug ’n’
play improvement for a high-end
network music system, the S100
will take some beating.

Meanwhile, the 1Gb ports
simply revealed more are designed for high-traffic
of everything played’ connections to a Roon Core, VERDICT
or for control if you’re not
It’s hard to give an absolute verdict
streaming from online services, on a device where the gains will
depend as much on the rest of your
It’s comfortably the most expensive while the optical connections network as on the ability of your
network player to reveal what it
unit of its kind, at £2000, so what is provided will offer an isolated link does. But if you’ve invested heavily
in network playback, and want
Melco offering here? to compatible players. a simple, easy-to-install upgrade
for your system, the Melco S100
The idea of the S100 is not just can bring major sonic gains to any
Ethernet-based set-up.
to complement the company’s POUNDING BARGAIN

range of digital music libraries, but Inserting the Melco S100 between

also upgrade any network set-up our QNAP servers and Naim ND555

that employs Ethernet connectivity DAC [HFN Apr ’19] in place of a

for audio. Nor is it a modified simple budget Netgear switch,

version of an existing IT-grade the music gained body, detail and HI-FI NEWS SPECIFICATIONS

design, but a new solution that insight – and not in a subtle way. Ethernet Ports (RJ45) 4x100Mb / 4x1Gb
Ethernet Ports (SFP/optical) 2x100Mb
draws on the expertise of its Even with a period recording Digital jitter (Arcam CDS50) 5psec (6psec without S100)
Digital jitter (Mytek Brooklyn Bridge) 5psec (5psec without S100)
parent company’s Buffalo division. such as David Bowie’s Newleyesque Digital jitter (Lumin D2) 10psec (15psec without S100)
Power consumption 6W
This bespoke box includes its ‘Love You Till Tuesday’, from his Dimensions (WHD) / Weight 215x61x269mm / 2.5kg

own processor, a 1.5MB packet self-titled 1967 album [Deram/

buffer, plus audio-grade capacitors Universal], the complexities of

in its PSU, which is fed from an the arrangements became much

offboard power supply ‘brick’, clearer, the thunderstorm of ‘Please

used for isolation and to allow for Mr Gravedigger’ more ominous,

future upgrades. It’s all mounted in and Bowie’s intonation of the

116 | www.hifinews.co.uk | YEARBOOK 2020

MAINS REGENERATOR

Mains regenerator with four outlets
Made by: PS Audio, Boulder, Colorado
Supplied by: Signature Audio Systems
Telephone: 07738 007776
Web: www.psaudio.com; www.signatureaudiosystems.co.uk
Price: £2310

PS Audio Stellar Diana Krall’s ‘Narrow Daylight’
Power Plant 3 from The Girl In The Other Room
[Verve] is not her clearest set but
Back in 1998 PS Audio two outlets, labelled ‘Regenerated’, ABOVE: LEDs relies for its impact on the slightly
introduced its first mains which are not switchable. on the fascia cloudy piano sound being well
regenerator. It was a device show Output, resolved and her vocal being picked
born of the view that if you Via the HC outputs you can MultiWave and out quite separately, in as open a
connect items of equipment, such CleanWave soundstage as possible. All these
status, and also things suffered when our Chord
want the cleanest mains supply as power amplifiers, that would double as fault Qutest DAC [HFN Nov ’18] was
indicators if the plugged into the mains supply
then you will need to synthesise it draw more than the Stellar Power SPP3 detects a rather than the SPP3.
problem. The
from scratch. A mains regenerator Plant 3’s 300W maximum rated unit is available in The stereo image shrank and
silver or black dynamic ease and variety were
is, in essence, a high voltage power output while benefiting, potentially, dialled back, both contributing
to a ‘closed in’ sensation in which
amplifier with an integral sine wave from its inline filtering. the thoughtful, wistful lyric had
less emotional clout.
oscillator at its input. And we’ve The SPP3 is intended to be
Classical music gained too with
often found that a regenerator’s driven via a supplied plastic IR the SPP3 doing its thing. Listening
to Gershwin’s Piano Concerto
largest benefits accrue upstream remote control handset (lose this [Harmonia Mundi], initially with
the Qutest connected just to the
when used to power signal sources at your peril), while three LEDs mains, it was difficult to suppose
that the Rochester Orchestra
and preamplifiers, etc. on the front panel indicate the could sound any more vigorous or
expansive in the opening section,
power being pulled from or Jon Nakamatsu’s piano any more
sonorous when it enters. But with
‘MultiWave added a the regenerated mains the SPP3 in place the stereo image
outlets, ‘MultiWave’ became more obviously layered and
sprinkle of magic dust to selection, or ‘CleanWave’. the entire performance more solid,
what was already good’ The claim for ‘MultiWave’ stable and musically engaging.
– which adds third
With his incomparable voice,
harmonic distortion Nat King Cole’s Welcome To
The Club with the Count Basie
Don’t look down on the Stellar at 150Hz to flat-top the output Orchestra [Audio Fidelity] is an
addictive introduction to the
Power Plant 3 just because, at waveform – is that this increases joys of easy listening jazz having
all the ingredients for a magical
£2310, it’s the cheapest in the power supply conduction time and musical experience. But in order to
realise that potential, our HA-510
company’s latest range. If you’re thereby reduces voltage rail ripple headphone amp [HFN Apr ’14]
needed the Stellar Power Plant 3.
a buyer on a constrained budget in downstream equipment.
Then the sound expanded
looking to achieve the best bang for CleanWave, on the other hand, dynamically as much as spatially.
But the key difference was the
your buck, then it’s a canny choice. is a degaussing function intended sense of being present while these
masters of their craft – now long
It’s a slim unit, although heavy to eliminate any permanent departed – wove their spell.

due to its large toroidal transformer, magnetisation of transformer cores MultiWave just gilded the lily,
adding another small sprinkle of
and has a strip of perforations on in the attached equipment (though magic dust to what was already
outrageously good sound.
its top panel venting an internal this must be powered up in order
VERDICT
heatsink. To the rear, meanwhile, for CleanWave to work).
If you’ve never experienced mains
it has no inputs other than mains regeneration, you’ll find the Stellar
Power Plant 3 can transform – yes,
power, and just four outputs in the CATCH THE WAVE transform – the sound from your
source components, DACs and
form of three-pin UK mains sockets. In our review of the PS Audio P20 headphone amplifiers. Wow!

These sockets are divided into [HFN Apr ’19] we wrote that, ‘The

two groups of two: ‘Filtered High effect of unplugging a Chord Qutest

Current or Regenerated’, with a DAC [HFN Nov ’18] from the P20

switch off to one side that selects and plugging it directly into the

between HC (high current) and mains was extraordinary’. We found

Regen (regenerated) operation; and this all over again with the SPP3.

YEARBOOK 2020 | www.hifinews.co.uk | 117

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TD1 01 £ 000

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