2022-07-01 Best Buys - Audio & AV

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

This driver’s visible frame is matched Audio speakers. We could feel the size and plenty of slow roll-off in the octave below,
in size by the new large waveguide for weight of their presentation while we were certainly into the 30s of hertz, as the
the tweeter, which is a beryllium-domed still angling down the IsoAcoustics stands speakers had no problem whatsoever
‘Satori’ model from SB Acoustics. The new and toeing the speakers in. reproducing the bass notes Neil Young
waveguide not only matches the Purifi is thrumming over Walk With Me on ‘Le
mid-bass unit aesthetically, it ensures that The Sonituvas arrived at a time when Noise’, and that’s a slackened E string
directivity for the tweeter matches the we were repeat-binge playing a new Alex playing around 38Hz. All three bass
mid-bass driver at the crossover point The Astronaut single, Haircut, so we started notes underlining Björk’s HyperBallad?
(“we very much follow the design rules our critical listening with that. It’s a track No problem here. A bass sweep had
outlined by Floyd Toole’s research”, that can sound a tad congested on hi-fi the speakers responding respectfully
says Alan March, pleasingly), while the unable to fully open its layers, but the even below 30Hz, quite something for a
crossover filter employs high quality Sointuvas were not of that ilk, absolutely standmount. Colleagues at Australian Hi-Fi
components including Jantzen capacitors ripping things up with a taut and powerful are currently measuring them to confirm
and low-loss air-core inductors. presentation. The vocal was kept solid things technically.
and true while the combo of drivers and
As for finish, March Audio has some radiators delivered an underlying bass Take this into some serious rock-n’roll,
beautiful Australian solid-wood finishes to the chorus that we hadn’t previously and the Sointuvas made us very happy
using sustainably-sourced marri, jarrah, realised was even on the recording. indeed. The jangling guitars of Do You
blackbutt, Tasmanian oak and more. Realise? by The Flaming Lips were spread
Paint finishes are also available in any Solid bass, taut delivery — this wide; the moving kick drum in Black
colour from the RAL colour system — and encouraged us to move to the Steve Wilson Sabbath’s Iron Man didn’t phase the
currently all of these are impressively remixes of classic Yes albums. Here we Sointuvas physically or metaphorically;
available at the standard price. discovered that the Sointuvas not only and we don’t recall ever hearing such
deliver a delicious balance, they continue punch behind the opening stomps of Rory
Performance to do so as you turn them up. The first Gallagher’s live Bullfrog Blues from a pair
gentle vocal section in Perpetual Change of standmounters, even largish ones.
We listened in two different ways: with encouraged us to advance our amplifica-
the Sointuvas on solid stands so that we tion to better enjoy the silky Jon Anderson Just occasionally, as on this last track,
could move them into the room, but also vocal and the soft but tight harmonies we wondered if the effusive bass delivery
flanking our TV on a solid bench, and behind it, so that when the main dual was masking midrange clarity somewhat,
given the bonus benefit of popping them piano-guitar riff returned with Chris whether by Doppler distortion (something
on a pair of IsoAcoustics Aperta 200 stands, Squire and Bill Bruford grinding away which Purifi plays down) or sheer lower-
which allowed us a position where their beneath, the effect was borderline brutal frequency activity affecting the ability to
rear radiators were a little closer to the in its power, yet entirely devoid of audible fully open up a mix at the same time as
rear wall. March Audio says there is no distortion through the Sointuvas. enjoying that prodigious low-end.
‘ideal’ distance from the rear wall (Alan
March uses his own some 40cm from the How low are they going? March Audio’s But the midrange itself is also worthy
wall), noting that the subjective result specifications put frequency response at of praise when appearing under less
will depend upon the room construction, 60Hz to 18kHz ±1.5dB, but that leaves frenetic circumstances. With the dynamic
dimensions and final speaker position — challenge of Chick Corea’s Australia jazz
and the individual’s taste for how much concerto, for example, every element was
they want the bass re-inforced! We ended cleanly separated across the soundstage
up listening primarily with the speakers and rendered with its individual tone and
30cm out into the room, toed in. dynamics. Folk guitars were deliciously
metallic as they jangled; listen to the
Their curves and the very high quality weight of the right-channel drum and the
wood of our review pair tempered the contrasting lightness of Bruce Cockburn’s
effect of their size so that they by no means slack C-tuned steel-string guitar in the left
presented intrusive tech, especially in their channel on Soul Of A Man; rarely have
TV-side position, and not much more so we heard this song sounding so right and
when out in the room. They were accepted true. Or for pure vocal, crank up Clannad’s
and praised for their looks by others. Macalla on the Sointuvas and try not to
drown in the endless reverb they uncover.
In the TV-flanking position they
directly replaced a pair of German The top-end from that SB Acoustics
standmounts we’ve been using as our tweeter is extremely refined. Occasionally
standard reference for years. Their RRP we felt the very highest highs could be
(way back when) was around $4500, and more open, so that the strings of Mozart’s
we regularly swap them out for visiting Symphony #25 (Marriner) were smooth
review speakers and soundbars. Most rather than slicing. But we’d sooner that
visitors don’t match our references; some than be irritated by brightness, and the
few outperform them. But we recall none Sointuvas conquered even our torture
doing so with the immediacy of the March test in that regard, playing Dion’s I Read

51

LOUDSPEAKERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

It (in the Rolling Stone) without the vocal The softness of this McCartney vocal Conclusion
sounding peaky (an almost unprecedented was a rare underachievement, however,
success with this track). Our caveat torture with nearly all our testing tracks sounding There are a number of directions in which
test is Paul McCartney’s My Valentine, the either excellent or very very good under March Audio might take their speaker
vocal as soft as Dion’s is edgy, and here the handling of these powerful speakers. designs in the future. Purifi now has
yes, Macca sounded rather rolled off and eight-inch drivers available, so March
stodgy, though thankfully not as gratingly And if you want to start a party, just Audio could build bigger. Or it could build
aged as he did at Glastonbury this year. play some dance through the Sointuvas: smarter, adding Purifi amplification into
they nail big beats big time, though their the speaker to create an active model.
The Sointuvas had no sensitivity is quite low at 83dB/W/m, so Either direction would excite us.
problem reproducing the they will thank you for plenty of high-
bass notes Neil Young quality power when you do so. Having But for now, there’s more than enough
thrums over 'Walk said that, they played well from 50W excitement to be enjoyed from the
With Me', and that’s Musical Fidelity power amps as well as Sointuva WG standmounts just as they are:
a slackened E string the heavier grunt of our reference Classé a powerful and especially deep delivery
playing around 37Hz. amplification; we just needed the volume that brings all manner of music to life.
knob a little further advanced than usual, One of the best recommendations we
and indeed then further still, as they so can give these speakers is this. We work
encouraged us into high-level listening. with music playing nearly all the time,
whether reviewing or not. But with the
March Audio Sointuvas playing, we were
constantly interrupted from our workflow
by this or that track sounding just so
damned good. We had to stop and listen.
We remember only two occasions in the
past this happened so continuously —
a large studio monitor design from JBL,
and Audio Note’s AN-E. March Audio’s
Sointuvas are more affordable, more
room-friendly in both aesthetics and size,
and far more Australian than either of
those. You really should hear them.

MARCH AUDIO
SOINTUVA WG

• Huge sound from a standmount

• Irresistible enthusiasm for musi

• Gorgeous finishes

• Midrange occasionally affected
by bass

Price: $6000

Drivers: 1 x 29mm SB Acoustics
Satori TW29BNWG beryllium-
dome tweeter, 1 x 165mm Purifi
PTT6.5X04-NFA-01 mid/bass,
2 x 165mm Purifi PTT6.5PR-NF1-01
passive radiators
Quoted frequency response:
60Hz-18kHz ±1.5dB
(43Hz at -3dB, 32Hz at -10dB)
Sensitivity: 83dB/2.83V/1m
Nominal impedance: 6 ohms
(min. 3.3 ohms at 168Hz)
Dimensions: 440 x 237 x 220mm
Weight: 13kg

Contact: March Audio
Telephone: 0436 295 215
Web: www.marchaudio.com

52

A NEW ERA IN HOME CINEMA
PROJECTORS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN

Newly developed innovative technologies to deliver a more immersive true
native 4K viewing experience. The new Sony 4K laser models give extreme

picture clarity, no matter what you’re watching.

VPL-XW7000ES VPL-XW5000ES

Laser | 4K HDR | 3,200lm Laser | 4K HDR | 2,000lm

Sony Projectors and TVs distributed by Audio Active Australia Only available through
www.audioactive.com.au Phone: (03) 9699 8900 Sony Home Theatre

specialist dealers.
Find a dealer

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS

CYRUS i7-XR

STEREO AMPLIFIER

Behind the neat frontage of the British-designed and built
Cyrus i7-XR lies a high-quality full-sized amplifier that comes
with the benefit of capable DAC and phono sections.

The XR Series is a complete new Pre-XR preamp, another higher-powered matchbox. To be exact, it’s just 73mm high.
range for Cyrus, one that’s integrated amplifier (i9-XR) and an It’s also remarkably narrow, at 215mm
designed to complement this external power supply unit, the PSU-XR. wide. It does, however, extend rearwards
famous British manufacturer’s The last of these, the external power somewhat when it comes to depth, being
existing 6 Series and 8 Series components. supply, can be used to upgrade the power 360mm deep.
And note that when we say ‘British to any model in the XR Series.
manufacturer’, we should emphasise The apparently small size of the Cyrus
that Cyrus is one of the very few British All of which means, of course, that i7-XR might tempt you to think it has a
brands that is still manufacturing its if you like all your components to look Class-D or a monolithic output stage, and
products in Britain. Most of the others similar, and maybe even stacked on your maybe a switch-mode power supply, but
have shifted their production to the EU, table, floor or equipment rack, you’ve no. It’s a straight-ahead analogue design
Taiwan, China or Korea. come to the right place. throughout, with a Class A/B output stage
that uses just two output transistors
Equipment If you like your hi-fi to be compact, per channel, and just a single pair of
you’re also in exactly the right place, electrolytic smoothing/storage capacitors
The Cyrus i7-XR is built on exactly the because although the photographs in the power supply, following on from
same chassis that Cyrus uses to build accompanying this review don’t show it, a multi-tapped toroidal transformer
its CDi-XR CD player, CDt-XR transport, the Cyrus i7-XR doesn’t stand all that much designed specifically for Cyrus.
higher than the proverbial upstanding

54

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

As for the digital circuitry, that’s based either using the front panel control or the to a language you can’t read. It will be
around the new second-generation version rocker switch on the remote control. The difficult to reset to your local language
of Cyrus’s original QXR DAC, which it amplifier sensibly does not allow you to if you can’t read the display.”
developed in 2019 and offered as a adjust volume upwards while it’s muted,
DAC module upgrade to its amplifiers, to avoid loud accidents, though it would The real-estate on the rear panel of
preamplifiers and DACs of the previous be useful if you could adjust downwards the i7-XR is almost entirely given over to
decade. The new version has ‘ground-up’ whilst the muting is still engaged. the connectors required to service this
designs for both the power supplies that integrated amplifier’s myriad built-in
drive it and the reconstruction filters that The balance switch operates in features. Eight of these are exceedingly
follow it, according to the company. conjunction with the volume control, unusual — at least here in Australia —
which switches its operational mode because rather than provide the usual
Cyrus’s design team has also drawn on whenever the balance switch is activated, convention multi-way threaded speaker
its own existing engineering for the i7-XR’s displaying triangles that gradually ‘fill’ binding posts, Cyrus has provided sockets
phono stage, which it says “takes thinking as you turn the volume control. Cute and that accept only 4mm banana plugs… and
and technology from the Phono Signature”. artsy, though a numeric display would not just any 4mm banana plugs, but a
have allowed higher precision. special kind with a hollow core.
It may not be immediately obvious
from the photographs, but the eight The ‘Filter’ button lets you select which Hollow-cored banana plugs are
rectangular controls on the front panel are filter you wish to use when utilising one of extremely difficult to obtain in Australia,
not buttons but touch-sensitive switches, the digital inputs, again using the volume but can be purchased from Farnell (Deltron
with all except the power button on a control to switch between the seven 595-0100 [Black] and Deltron 595-0500
slight slope where the front panel angles available: ‘Steep Linear’, ‘Gentle Linear’, [Red]). Cyrus purchasers won’t need to
outwards and downwards at its very ‘Steep Minimum’, ‘Gentle Minimum’, source and buy them yourself, however,
bottom. Impressively the i7-XR’s switches ‘Apodising’, ‘Hybrid’, and ‘Brick Wall’. because Cyrus supplies a set of two in red
can be adjusted through different levels and two in black. These are gold-plated but
of sensitivity, calibrated to match your The ‘Menu’ button allows you to not as well-made as the Deltron plugs and
specific environment and, indeed, your customise various of the Cyrus i7-XR’s have bare ends, whereas the aftermarket
skin conductivity. features, rotating the volume dial through Deltron connectors are fully insulated.
the available customisable options, and
Pressing the right-most of the two input then pressing it inwards to select them. The Cyrus-branded hollow-core banana
switches cycles the inputs through the You can rename inputs (from a pre- plugs supplied with our review units had
four available line-level analogue inputs, populated list, not your own), customise threaded holes to allow you to use screws
the phono input, two optical digital inputs, sensitivities for each of them, maximum to fasten speaker wires to the connectors,
two coaxial inputs, and finally a USB-B volumes for each input, and select whether though the all-essential grub screws were
input for computer connection (there is, the amplifier automatically switches to missing (and standard M4 grub screws
unusually, no USB-A slot for stick and drive headphone mode whenever headphones don’t match the thread). We’d advise you
playback). Pressing the left-most button are plugged in, or not. to get your dealer to terminate the speaker
cycles back through the inputs in the cable you plan to use, prior to purchase.
opposite direction, which is good because You can also customise the front panel
once you are familiar with the sequence as light text on a dark background or vice All the RCA terminals on the rear panel
you may access the input you need faster versa, also tweaking the contrast between are gold-plated; the turntable ground
going in the shorter of the two directions. the two, and the overall brightness. You screw is nickel-plated. The headphone
can also choose the language you’d like to socket is both a minijack and on the rear
The operation of the mute button is be displayed. To which end the manual of the amplifier, so therefore not easily
obvious, but it’s only on and off and does very sensibly (but likely a bit tongue-in- accessible; you might connect a headphone
not un-mute when you adjust volume, cheek) notes: “Avoid changing the language extension cable to the rear with your

55

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

preferred socket at the other end, so you channel), the Cyrus i7-XR was still able range whilst still enjoying extremely
can have the socket available in a place to drive all the speakers we used when low distortion and a massively extended
that’s more convenient. evaluating it for this review to sound frequency response. Selecting those
pressure levels more than adequate to different digital filters can be an enjoyable
Also on the rear panel is a USB-B deliver high-fidelity reproduction at experiment, but if you just want to get on
input for digital audio, a USB-A input realistic levels in a typical Australian room. with the music, we’d suggest sticking with
for software upgrades, and two optical the ‘Apodising’ option.
digital inputs as well as two coaxial During listening sessions, we found the
S/PDIF inputs. A plate on the rear can be sound quality at all auditioning levels to Conclusion
removed if you wish to upgrade the i7-XR’s remain crystal-clear, effortlessly articulate
own internal power supply by instead and natural. By way of example, Eminem’s The Cyrus i7-XR is an excellent performer
using the PSU-XR external power supply biting vocal on Killshot cut through the in its own right, yet it offers further
mentioned previously. middle of the soundstage with such improved performance by adding the
intensity and focus that it was as if he optional Cyrus PSU-XR. Despite our
Don’t be intimidated by the 39 were spitting the lyrics just centimetres comments about power output being
buttons on the rather complex and hefty from our face during a rap battle. This sufficient for the intended purpose,
oversized infra-red remote control that track is fast and lively, and the Cyrus we would still suggest you match this
Cyrus supplies as standard with the i7-XR, easily kept up with the pace. amplifier with loudspeakers of above-
because 15 of them are reserved for use average efficiency if you wish to extract
with other Cyrus components and have Listening to Ludovico Einaudi’s the best performance from it.
no effect on the amplifier’s operation. Oltremare, the music was so precisely
drawn and dynamically varied that we Relating performance to recommended
Performance were able to stay interested throughout retail price, the Cyrus i7-XR integrated
the entirety of the composition, which is obviously makes most sense if you do not
Despite its low-ish stated power output more than we could say for some of the already own a good phono stage or DAC,
(Cyrus claims 52W per channel into blancmange-sounding amps out there, so not least because you are going to be more
6 ohms, which might put its output there’s plenty to like in the Cyrus i7-XR’s than happy with the performance of the
into 8-ohm loads at a bit over 40W per delivery of musical subtleties. ones built in, but also because then you’re
getting not just an integrated amplifier
“Eminem’s biting vocal cut Although most listening was done using for your money, but also a fine DAC and
through the soundstage the analogue inputs (both line-level and phono stage, all wrapped in the one
with such intensity and phono), we performed our due diligence narrow-fronted performer.
focus that it was as if he by spending a lot of time with the i7-XR’s
were spitting the lyrics digital inputs as well, both coaxial and CYRUS
just centimetres from our USB, and we are pleased to report that i7-XR
face during a rap battle...” Cyrus’s second-generation QXR DAC is
rather quieter than the original, so that • Excellent sound quality
we enjoyed an even greater dynamic
• Great aesthetic design

• Flexible on-board DAC

• Uncommon speaker terminals

• Rear minijack h/phone socket

• Lowish power output

Price: $4499

Inputs: 4 x RCA line-level analogue,
1 x phono MM, 2 x optical digital, 2 x
coaxial digital, 1 x USB-B, 1 x MC Bus
Outputs: preamp out, line out,
headphone (minijack rear), MC bus
Power: 2 x 52W into 6 Ω /
twin speaker outputs
File support: to 32-bit/384kHz,
DSD256 (USB)
Dimensions (whd): 215 x 73 x 360mm
Weight: 4.9kg

Contact: Indi Imports
Telephone: 03 9416 7037
Web: www.indimports.com.au

56



HI-FI AMPLIFIERS

Denon’s goal for this PMA-900HNE of those higher amplifiers have (or will impressive than this one: $1449 for 100W
was well-defined — an upper have) a matching CD player — SACD into 8 ohms, also HEOS inside, and inputs
midrange hi-fi integrated players indeed. (“We appreciate the that extend to HDMI, no fewer than five,
amplifier that is network CD format and will always continue to indeed. An HDMI ARC input for playing
connected, so able to integrate streaming support it,” said Denon during a recent from a TV does seem a directional trend
as easily as conventional sources. To that presentation to EISA editors.) for amplifiers today, and so during Denon’s
end it incorporates the HEOS streaming presentation to EISA we asked why the
and multiroom platform which has This 900 Series also has an associated PMA-900HNE doesn’t have one. Denon’s
appeared in a good many Denon and CD player, the DCD-900NE, less substantial answer was doubly revealing: firstly the
Marantz products, as well as those which than the higher models and not compatible DRA-800H is not a pure hi-fi product,
were initially branded to HEOS itself. with SACD, but with a USB-A slot from they said; it is derived from Denon’s AV
which it can play FLAC up to 24-bit/192kHz platforms (as its appearance also suggests)
The surprise here, perhaps, is that or DSD to 5.6 MHz. The CD player also and has compromises on its amplification
Denon says this is the first time HEOS features Denon’s Alpha processing in and its power supply quality. As for why
has been incorporated into something it its 32-bit Advanced AL32 Processing there’s no HDMI on this new model, it’s
considers to be a ‘pure hi-fi’ amplifier. form, something shared by the amplifier simply the cost of licensing, we were told
when handling digital signals, including HDMI would add an estimated 200 to 300
New 900 Series those from the HEOS module. This Alpha euros (~$450) to the final retail price.
processing operates at the end of the
That differentiation of ‘pure hi-fi’ is an digital-to-analogue conversion process, So having established the basis of the
interesting stepping off point for the smoothing the final analogue waveform ‘pure hi-fi’ credentials here, what does the
design of the PMA-900HNE. This new 900 beyond the ‘steps’ of a digital signal into PMA-900HNE amplifier offer?
Series ranks right in the middle of Denon’s something more truly analogue.
hi-fi solutions, below the range-topping Equipment
premium PMA-A110 (introduced to mark There’s one amplifier below the 900
Denon’s recent 110th anniversary), and Series in Denon’s range that is also worth Out of the carton the 900HNE certainly
below the incoming PMA-1700NE. Both mentioning, as on paper it appears more feels solid and substantial; its ventilated

58

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

top is a thinner construction, albeit with support in other markets but which aren’t Denon has taken its hi-fi
embossed lines for strength, but all its available here. Some rival platforms don’t amplifier expertise and
sides are metal, the bottom section shaped do this; HEOS is perhaps advantaged in added streaming to the
for improved rigidity and the sturdy front this by much of its software development front of it. Most people
panel being made of aluminium. taking place in Sydney. will be able to carry on
using whatever source
Round the back the amp’s hi-fi status There are two sets of speaker outputs and apps they prefer...
is confirmed by high-quality sockets and (note that ‘Speakers A’ is unusually the
speaker terminals, while the front is bottom set of the two), and these can be remote control, it allows you to teach the
extremely traditional. There’s a very small used for biwiring if you select ‘Speakers Denon amp your TV remote commands.
‘low-noise OLED display’ that is all of 4cm A+B’ from the front-panel switch.
across; still, it does its job of indicating the All set up, we just started playing music,
volume, controlled by the big left knob, Finally there’s voice control available, from vinyl. The sound instantly revealed
and source selection, made using the up to a point and with varying degrees that crucial differentiation Denon made
smaller right knob which is continuously of utility, from Alexa, Google or, via your between its AV platform level of sound and
tapered so relatively hard to grasp, also iPhone, Siri. the sound of one of its ‘pure hi-fi’ products.
requiring a firm if pleasing turn to clunk Through our reference speakers it opened
it through the various input selections. Performance wide a classic mix like The Temptations’
Just My Imagination, each track clear in its
The PMA-900HNE is fairly well We had no problems setting up the panning, with several interweaving string
provisioned for physical inputs, even PMA-900HNE; only those twin speaker parts, lead and harmony vocals, harp and
without any HDMI. There are three outputs confused us, as we connected drums kept hard left, and the combination
line-level analogue inputs plus a phono to ‘Speakers B’ initially and wondered of it all dripping with smooth musicality.
input for a turntable which is switchable why we could only hear our subwoofer
between moving-magnet and moving-coil. mumbling away to itself. That corrected we We moved to digital music from our
There are a generous three optical digital gave the amp an Ethernet cable and turned computer, playing via a high-quality DAC
inputs and one coaxial digital input, plus to the HEOS app; once signed in, the amp into one of the Denon’s analogue inputs
a USB-A slot which can play from sticks was quickly found by and was able to be One extraordinary bit of soundstaging
and drives, handling MP3, AAC and WMA, controlled from the app, including source came when playing a live Michelle
plus FLAC, WAV and Apple Lossless to selection, music selection and volume. We Shocked track from the bonus ‘Short
24-bit/192kHz, or DSD to 5.6MHz. There were pleased to have a full-size remote Sharp Shocked’ disc with the album’s 2003
is no USB-B socket here to allow direct control as well as an app to control the rerelease. Yamboree Queen is a camp-fire
playback from computer. music, and this has a ‘Source Direct’ button recording which sounds like a simple
which clarifies the sound by removing two-channel recording: it blows out with
There are two little screw-in antennas unnecessary processing. plosive pops every now and then. But what
which allow both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi impressed us when we listened through
connection, but there’s also an Ethernet Another bonus we came across in the the Denon was the soundfield created of
socket on the rear panel, the preferred HEOS menus (not all of which are available the atmosphere and audience around her,
connection if you’re able to give it the via the HEOS app) — the PMA-900HNE can so wide and deep we almost felt ourselves
benefits of a wired network connection. learn IR controls from any old remote you huddling in towards the fire pit.
have lying around, at least for volume up/
The Bluetooth spec is SBC only and down and power toggling. Not only is this
doesn’t include aptX, not even stretching handy should you ever lose or break your
to AAC, so Apple users will be best to use
HEOS or the included AirPlay 2 for direct
streaming, while Android users should
just head straight to the HEOS app. The
AirPlay 2 also allows Roon to stream to the
Denon, which is labelled as ‘Roon Tested’.

Once networked the whole HEOS
offering becomes available, with app-
controlled access to streaming services. For
paid services HEOS links directly to Spotify
(free and paid), Amazon Music, Deezer,
and Tidal, plus free services TuneIn and
iHeart internet radio, and also SoundCloud.
Other services, of course, can be sent point-
to-point from a smart device using AirPlay
or the limited-quality Bluetooth.

We should note and applaud that the
HEOS app is properly regionalised for
Australia, so we don’t see services like
Pandora and XM Music which HEOS may

59

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

The Denon skillfully sliced through push-pull circuit (though not the MOS legendary ‘666’ on Dean-labelled Vertigo
the dense layers of Alex The Astronaut’s power transistors that Denon reserves for vinyl, where wide-panned drums spanned
Haircut to fully follow the climbing curve its higher level amps). some fizzy bass synth on Aegian Sea
to its cathartic chorus, and made bouncy and the subsequent Seven Bowls rather
and well-separated fun of the bubbly The digital section, meanwhile, is freaked us out. We could select ‘Source
electronica through her watery single extensively shielded, and uses Denon’s DAC Direct’ for the phono input (and doing so
Octopus. Wet Leg’s Chaise Longue also gave Master Clock design and an ESS 9018K2M nicely sharpened the timing and clarified
more than an inkling of the high-quality DAC (replacing a TI PCM1795 because of the edges of the frenetic piano on The
power here; this is no streamer running parts shortages) with that AL32 processing Marching Beast); in this mode the tone
into a token power circuit. Even with the to smooth the way. All this supports the controls are inaccessible, but we don’t
track up and cranking, the gear shift to the HEOS sources available here, given that think you’ll be needing them.
chorus was all growth, no compression. the HEOS module delivers a digital output
which can benefit from the superior digital Conclusion
Given the shots and cracks of Jim and analogue circuits on offer. Open the
Keltner’s track on ‘The Sheffield Drum & HEOS app and choose a service, or just It’s interesting to compare this Denon
Track Disc’, there was no doubting the open Spotify if you prefer, and select the smart amp with the NAD elsewhere in
Denon’s ability to let forth a crack-whip of Denon as the ‘speaker’. We were doing these pages. They both do the same thing,
intense power at full transient speed and this with Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al, but from different starting points. The
with impressive weight. Even a recording thinking it sounded good enough via a free NAD puts the smart stuff at the front and
like John Lennon’s (Just Like) Starting Over, Spotify stream, but when we upped the builds an amp behind it. Denon has taken
which can emerge fairly thinly from less file quality by streaming from Apple Music its hi-fi amplifier expertise and added
discerning equipment, here was given a losslessly and throwing it to the Denon via streaming to the front of it, with the merit
real solidity of thwack to to the kick drum AirPlay, this path was far more solid, bright that most people will be able to carry on
work of Andy Newmark, amid a sound mix and expansive in every way. It’s worth using whatever source and apps they
that was accurately delivered as lean, but considering the different routes you have currently prefer, simply using the Denon
never mean. to playback, picking the optimum one to as the output, instead of headphones.
enjoy the best possible quality. And that’s surely the right way — to have
For what do we thank this strong hi-fi sound quality at the heart of your hi-fi, and
performance? A good dose of Denon’s suite We closed with another listen to the the facilities more backgrounded. It most
of hi-fi technologies, we think, including phono stage, or more accurately to the certainly works with the PMA-900HNE.
a high-current main transformer on a music which the Denon sent through,
1.6mm-thick metal base, with separate whether the smooth sound of Miles DENON PMA-900HNE
windings for audio and control circuits, Davis bringing in the melody of Autumn
and customised block capacitors. Electrical Flowers to ground the expansive version STEREO NETWORKED AMPLIFIER
volume and tone controls allow shorter on Cannonball Adderley’s ‘Somethin’ Else’,
signal paths, while Denon uses advanced or the rocky prog of the late Vangelis • Real hi-fi sound
high-current transistors in a single under side two of Aphrodite’s Child’s
• HEOS streaming & smarts

• Solid build

• Teeny front display

• Tapered knobs

• Lower models offer more
(but don’t sound as good)

Price: $1799

Inputs: 3 x RCA line-level analogue,
1 x RCA phono mc/mm, 3 x optical
digital, 1 x coaxial optical, USB-A,
Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HEOS
Outputs: 2 x speaker outs, record out,
subwoofer preout (mono), headphone
out
Power: 2 x 50W into 8 ohms
(20Hz-20kHz, THD 0.07%)
Dimensions: 434 x131 x 376mm
Weight: 8.3kg

Contact: Sound United
Telephone: 03 8542 1111
Web: www.denon.com/en-au

60



HI-FI AMPLIFIERS

MUSICAL FIDELITY M6x VINYL

MM/MC PHONO AMPLIFIER

The delicate signals from vinyl deserve a special breed of hi-fi amplifier:
a dedicated phono stage to raise the signals to line-level playback. Musical
Fidelity’s M6x not only does so brilliantly, it’s wildly versatile in what it offers.

Musical Fidelity’s new M6x etc.) rather than op-amp chips. The buttons allow load capacitance of 50pF,
Vinyl MM/MC phono stage reason, according to Heinz Lichtenegger: 100pF, 200pF, 300pF 350pF or 400pF.
is a game-changer for many “Countless hours of listening tests have Whichever of these load capacitance
reasons. It’s one of the few shown us that even the very best op-amps values you select, the value of the load
phono stages to feature balanced inputs. do not tend to be so neutral, natural, impedance will remain fixed at 47kŵ. The
It’s one of the few that offers multiple dynamic or vivid — all of which are char- gain of the MM section is fixed at 40dB.
phono inputs — three to be precise — acteristics of the Musical Fidelity sound.”
and one of the very few multi-input phono When you are using a moving-coil
stages that allows different loadings for The M6x Vinyl is also unusual in cartridge, six push-buttons further to the
each input, applying them automatically offering both balanced and unbalanced right of the front panel allow you to choose
whenever a particular input is selected. inputs. This review is not the place for a the load impedance that will be presented
full explanation of the differences between to your cartridge: 25ŵ, 80ŵ, 100ŵ, 400ŵ
Equipment unbalanced and balanced operation or 800ŵ or 1.2kŵ. The gain of the MC section
the advantages and disadvantages of is fixed at 60dB.
So the M6x Vinyl’s purpose is to take the each mode, and in fact an explanation is
low-level signal from a turntable cartridge, unnecessary because the M6x Vinyl has Between the MM and MC load-setting
either moving magnet or moving coil, both options available, so you can try buttons are two buttons, the left-most of
and raise it to the line-level of a normal both of them, and use the one that works which is labelled ‘IEC’ and the rightmost
amplifier input, providing a dedicated best in your system. ‘+6dB’. The ‘IEC’ button switches the
optimised environment to do so. It’s M6x Vinyl’s equalisation curve from a
unusual in using discrete components The front panel, meanwhile, is standard RIAA curve to the IEC-RIAA
(individual resistors, capacitors, transistors, stacked with more buttons and LEDs curve introduced in 1976, its replay curve
than most, because these indicate the modified to reduce (attenuate) frequencies
Gillan’s singing (and level of switchable gain, switchable IEC/ below 20Hz. Which to use? Depends on the
his screaming!) on this IEC-RIAA circuitry and the adjustable input album, so experiment!
track is a standout for impedances and capacitances. All these
his amazing range and are thus pleasingly settable via front panel The ‘+6dB’ switch is easier to explain;
versatility, and the M6x controls, rather than the common but far it just introduces an additional amplifier
Vinyl was able to reveal more involved system of DIP switches or stage that adds an extra 6dB of gain at the
it to us effortlessly... (worse!) jumper connectors. output terminals; moving-coil cartridge
output voltages will be boosted by a total
When you are using a using a moving- of 46dB (40dB + 6dB) and moving-coil
magnet cartridge, the six push-buttons cartridges by 66dB (60dB + 6dB). It’s
to the right of the two MM/MC selector useful to cope with extremely low-output

62

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

cartridges, but if you can achieve adequate switch on the rear panel whereby you the increased volume adding no additional
volume levels from your loudspeakers can choose to have the signal ground distortion at all, and the frequency balance
without using it, leave this switch in its connected to chassis ground or discon- unaffected as well. Transient performance
‘off’ position. nected from it, or you can connect the two was outstandingly good. The unmistake-
grounds via a filter that blocks both mains able riff that permeates this track was
At the far right of the front panel are hum and radio frequency interference. super-crisp, with the ‘bass ‘n’ drums’
three input selectors that allow you to This is unusual, and very clever, as it will stabbing through with unrivalled authen-
choose which of the three available help eliminate background noise from ticity. Richie Blackmore’s lead break came
inputs you’d like to use at any time — your entire system. screaming in like an F-15 fighter jet.
the balanced input or either of the two
unbalanced inputs. This enables you to use Performance On Strange Kind of Woman (also a
up to three turntables, or a single turntable single, one year after Black Night) Ian
fitted with multiple tonearms, really useful We have said it before and we will say Paice’s drumming is unusually inventive,
if you want to use one cartridge for non- it again: If you use a high-quality phono particularly in the intro, and his stick-work
critical playback situations and another cartridge, it is absolutely essential to also and pedal-work were handled better
for a ‘special’ situation (such as archiving use a high-quality external phono stage if than we could have hoped for by the M6x
new vinyl to a digital format). you want to extract the best performance Vinyl. Child in Time, which follows, is a
from that cartridge. The phono stages built much better song, and Jon Lord’s achingly
If you are switching back and forth into even the best high-end pre-amplifiers beautiful organ-playing on this track
between different cartridges, we will and integrated amplifiers simply won’t do was reproduced perfectly by the Musical
re-iterate what we said at the beginning it justice, most particularly if you’re using a Fidelity M6x Vinyl. Ian Gillan’s singing
of this review, which is that the M6x Vinyl moving-coil cartridge. (and, it must be said, his screaming!)
is one of the very, very few phono stages on this track is also a standout, not only
with multiple inputs that not only allows The first LP we listened to will seem to because he gets to show his amazing range
you to have different loadings for each of many readers a strange choice, because it and versatility, but also because the M6x
those three inputs, and also automatically was ‘Deepest Purple’, the ‘Best Of’ album Vinyl was able to reveal it to us so effort-
selects the correct loading whenever you that Deep Purple released in 1980. It’s lessly. Actually, the entire band got to show
make the switch. Fabulous! certainly not a strange choice because their chops on this track, individually and
of the music on it, but all the tracks on it working together as a band.
As for the final button on the front are differently EQ’ed than they were on
panel, the ‘Power’ button, when you press their original LP releases, and the levels Flipping the album over revealed
it, the very first thing that happens is that on the album are also very low, due to the Highway Star in all its raw glory and once
all the blue LEDs on the front panel light fact that Warner (Parlophone) wanted to again the Musical Fidelity M6x excelled.
up in sequence one after the other, so they squeeze 30 minutes of music on each side, Boogie at its best, and if you want to hear
appear to ‘chase’ each other around the making it the longest-playing ‘Long Play’ what rhythm, pace and timing really mean,
panel. It looks very cool! record ever released. there’s no better track to demonstrate it to
you. And just listen to Lord’s fingers fly!
After this, the ‘Mute’ light stays on until We used the album not only because On Space Truckin’ which follows, we had
the circuitry has completely stabilised, we’re Deep Purple fans, but also to try out to admire the way the M6x was able to
after which it automatically disengages the effectiveness of the Musical Fidelity deliver the bass depths while at the same
and you can start an LP playing. Then, M6x Vinyl’s +6dB setting, because of course time differentiating the hi-hats, yet leaving
whenever you change any of the front although it was designed to help with the snare and toms in their own private
panel options (such as the impedance or low-output phono cartridges, it’s also very acoustic spaces. Superb!
capacitance or gain settings) the Mute useful when replaying albums that have
circuit will instantly activate until the low recorded levels. The next album we played via the
circuitry has stabilised on the new setting, Musical Fidelity M6x has level to burn,
after which it will un-mute. Right from the lead-in track, Black Night, and one of the reasons we chose to listen
originally a 1970 single, we could hear the to it was to check out the overload margin
There is also a unique set of grounding magic of introducing the extra 6dB of gain,
options available to you via a three-way

63

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

on the M6x’s inputs, both moving coil and ran close to overloading the input, so remember that flashy cases can cost more
moving magnet, since we’d had the good there’s margin to burn. than the circuitry they contain!)
sense to take advantage of the M6x’s dual
inputs to connect two identical turntables, All these technical and sonic attributes So to conclude, we’d ask that you go
fitted with different phono cartridges. But were reprised when we listened to Billie back and re-read the introduction to this
we don’t audition using music we don’t Jean, which also served to show how the review, which pretty much says it all.
like, which is why that album was the late M6x maintained the tonality of Jackson’s
Michael Jackson’s masterpiece ‘Thriller’. voice across his impressive vocal range MUSICAL FIDELITY
(here tenor to low falsetto) and even in M6x VINYL
We committed the mortal sin of his scat singing. The Musical Fidelity
advancing the stylus past the first three also delivered the incredibly pacey and • Excellent sound
tracks so that we needle-dropped straight insistent rhythm of the song with a • Three unbalanced/balanced MM/MC
down onto the squeaking door, howling panache that eludes most phono stages.
wind and footsteps that kick off the track inputs
from which the album took its name. A real test for any phono stage is the • Highly versatile settings
Anyone who’s ever wondered why Jackson magical soundscape presented by The
didn’t use Thriller to kick off Side A might Alan Parsons Project’s album ‘I Robot’, so • Plain-looker
be interested in our theory, which is that it’s one that we regularly use as a tester.
Jackson’s ego was so large that he didn’t The wordless lead vocal on this (was it Price: $3600
want the intro track to be one that he had Jaki Whitren?) had our collective jaws
not written himself (Thriller having been dropped a few degrees lower than MM Input:
written by Rod Temperton) so he started it usually is when listening to this Frequency response:
off with Wanna Be Startin’ Something, masterpiece of sound, so the M6x Vinyl RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0 .2dB
which he did write. was obviously delivering the goods… and Input sensitivity:
then some! 5mV in for 500mV out (@1kHz)
Obvious right from the outset of Thriller Input impedance: 47kΩ
kicking off was that both the channel Parsons also engineered ‘The Dark Side Input capacitance:
separation and the stereo imaging of the of the Moon’, another go-to tester when 50–400pF (selectable)
M6x were superb. The movement of the evaluating phono stages, and the realism THD at 1kHz: <0.005%
footsteps from right to left, the isolation of as those ‘heart-beats’ (though they’re not!)
the wolf howl, then the perfect centering pulsing from our speakers launched us MC Input:
of the bass. The silence inherent in Vincent straight into that magical place where it Frequency response:
Price’s cameo proved that the Musical seems that time has stopped, and all that RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0.25dB
Fidelity’s noise floor is more than low remains is the music. Input sensitivity:
enough and, throughout, we never even 500μV in for 500mV out (@1kHz)
Conclusion Input impedance:
Those ‘heart-beats’ from 25Ω to 1.2kΩ (selectable)
our speakers launched There is so much to recommend about Input capacitance: 470pF fixed
us straight into that the Musical Fidelity M6x Vinyl phono THD at 1kHz: <0.02%
magical place where stage’s performance, sound quality and
it seems that time has features that we started to go the opposite Dimensions (whd): 440×100×385mm
stopped, and all that way and instead look for negatives. Weight: 5.5kg
remains is the music... The only thing we could draw your
attention to is that its exterior is a tad Contact: Audio Marketing
ordinary, but in reality this just means Telephone: 02 9882 3877
that Musical Fidelity is not asking you Web: www.audiomarketing.com.au
to subsidise the cost of that exterior —

64

Great Sound for All

Bonus Cash Back
on Polk Audio
Signature Elite
and Reserve Series*

up to $200 in cash back

*Excludes Reserve 400 and Signature S10e. T&Cs apply. See website for details.

Contact us for your nearest Polk Audio Dealer:
[email protected] | 03 8542 1111 | /PolkAudioAustralia | polkaudio.com

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS

NAD C 700

BLUOS STREAMING AMPLIFIER

A big smart display, loads of streaming options thanks to the inclusion of
Bluesound’s BluOS platform, and of course the amplification for which NAD
has been renowned for decades. Is the C 700 as good as it looks on paper?

NAD has been a legend in Masters series, which pioneered the use And right in the middle of NAD’s
affordable amplification for of so-called digital amplification, working current range is this smart amplifier, or
decades, ever since its 1975 with a number of developers before to give it the full description favoured by
catalogue declared ‘New settling on technologies adapted from those NAD, the C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier.
Acoustic Dimension’ as “a new design invented by Hypex and recently also Purifi.
philosophy to develop equipment which Equipment
will reproduce music as close to the At the same time NAD has become
original as the state of modern technology adept at developing ‘smart’ amplifiers, The C 700 sits just outside NAD’s Masters
permits, in a price class which sets new designed for streaming as much as playing series, the entry level of which is the M10
international standards for performance.” music from traditional connected sources, v2, in many ways comparable to the more
and fronted by large full-colour displays. affordable C 700 here — roughly the same
This proved no idle promise, with In this it is rather usefully assisted by size and weight, with a larger screen but
the company delivering understated Bluesound, its sister company under no knob, yet priced at $4495 compared
affordable power ever since, becoming Lenbrook, creator of one of the leading with the C 700’s $2699.
known as no-nonsense NAD, creators of wireless streaming and multiroom
the legendary “people’s amplifier” in the platforms. Merging Bluesound’s BluOS One key difference is the level of
classic 3020 and its ongoing variants. platform with NAD’s expanding range of amplifier technology within. The C 700
amplification was a no-brainer recipe for uses HybridDigital UcD (Universal Class-D),
In 2005 the company, now part success, with the combination winning a switching analogue amplifier technology
of Canada’s Lenbrook Group, took a awards for both Bluesound and NAD. by Hypex in which each driver and output
deliberate step up the ladder with a new stage has such low open-loop distortion

66

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

that the whole circuit is able to achieve including Amazon Music HD, Deezer, On top of the unit is an illuminated NAD
self-regulation. A subsequent development Qobuz, and Tidal, this last including full logo, the colour and flashing of which can
added high levels of control feedback, MQA decoding and rendering. Both Spotify denote various states, such as rebooting,
the basis of the higher-level Hypex Ncore Connect and Tidal Connect are included, indexing, or connecting to network.
technology used in the original M10. so that you can use those native apps and
just select the NAD for playback. And there We always check the supplied manual
NAD is also renowned for understating are a host of other free or paid streaming when setting up gear, here just a sheet of
rather than exaggerating power ratings. and internet radio services — TuneIn, diagrams showing how you can connect
Here things are fully specified at a solid iHeartRadio, a slot specially for Neil Young sources and speakers. Nowhere does
80W per channel into 8 ohms across the Archives, and many more. it even say ‘download the BluOS app’.
20Hz-20kHz audible frequency band at Of course there’s a full online manual
the rated THD+N of 0.04%, both channels It’s not all web streaming, though: files available, which is more comprehensive.
driven, rising to 100W into 4 ohms. on the network can be found and played Interestingly, although the C 700 is not part
through the Music Library settings, as can of the Masters range, the unit came with a
We’ve rarely seen a rear panel so well- files from a connected USB stick or drive, ‘Masters Series Warranty’ card.
organised as the back of the C 700 (see handling files up to 24-bit/192kHz and
below), except perhaps the M10, which building a library of these tracks which We always prefer a dedicated physical
is nearly identical, although interestingly makes future browsing a whole lot easier remote control (you can buy the Bluesound
the power section has shifted across the than wading through folder structures. BC1 remote for $150 extra; thanks for
chassis. The traditional ‘non-smart’ inputs that), but the C 700 can at least learn to be
are lined up neatly, starting with a 12V There’s direct streaming available too, controlled from any remote you have. The
trigger out and an infra-red input so you with support for Apple AirPlay 2 and BluOS app walks you through allocating
can operate the amp when it’s hidden Bluetooth with aptX. The amp can also the keys to control volume, mute, play/
away (though you could use the BluOS app broadcast Bluetooth with aptX out, so pause and a whole lot more, with up
to control it via your network, and hey, you can listen wirelessly on headphones to 23 commands to be allocated in this
who would want to hide this display?). (there’s no physical headphone socket here way, including direct input access and
for wired headphones). direct preset access. The problem with
There are two pairs of line-level
analogue inputs on RCA sockets, one each The app also allows far easier
of optical and coaxial digital inputs, and a integration than usual with Google
USB-A slot for connecting an external drive Assistant or Alexa (Siri can be used via
or stick of music files. AirPlay). You just enter your Google or
Amazon details and it’s done. The syntax
There is a very useful HDMI-eARC input, for voice control remains torturous,
which makes the NAD C 700 well-suited to however — for example “OK Google, tell
providing TV sound as well as hi-fi music. BluVoice to play preset 2 on the NAD”.
With good speakers you can bank on it
putting any standard soundbar to shame. Performance

There’s one pair of pre-out sockets and The C 700 looks surprisingly basic when
a single subwoofer output (the M10 v2 you unbox it, although it has a solid
has a pair), with filter settings controllable enough aluminium body and a glass-
from the BluOS app. covered front panel, behind which sits a
5-inch colour information display. This so
So what’s missing here is any phono often displays monochrome (it defaults
input for a turntable to be plugged in to a graphic of VU meters, subject to your
directly, or a USB-B connection for direct preference in settings) that you may not
playback from a computer. Nor is there realise it’s full colour until it bursts into life
any use of NAD’s MDC slot-in modules with your album art during playback.
which can expand capabilities either
now or in the future, as on the company’s
higher-end products. But in recompense
the C 700 does bring you all the streaming
and multiroom abilities of BluOS.

BluOS

Give the C 700 either a Wi-Fi connection
or gigabit Ethernet and you can connect
using the BluOS Controller app for iOS
and Android, and also usefully versions
that run on macOS (shown above) and
Windows. This allows you to control the
amp’s BluOS streaming abilities, which
include lossless and high-resolution
streaming from paid subscription services

67

HI-FI AMPLIFIERS BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

this method, of course, is that you have to significantly pop-limited in dynamics for up to 63 zones of Bluesound or BluOS-
remember which key was chosen for what. the chorus and closing sections. compatible gear, or can unite the lot for
one big house party. For this purpose, as
Your other option is just to use the For more realistic judging of dynamic well as other processing, the analogue
BluOS app on your device as the control, abilities we turned to music that required inputs will be sampled, but we enjoyed the
but it can be mightily inconvenient when drastically more volume to be applied sound of vinyl into one analogue input (via
your phone rings to require your phone to (because it has not been pop-limited): Ry a phono stage) and a computer (via a USB
be the remote that turns down the amp. Cooder and VM Bhatt’s ‘A Meeting By The DAC) into the other. Meanwhile the HDMI
River’. From Amazon HD this sounded ARC socket allowed us to pop the NAD amp
But for everything else, we continue cleanly separated, but it nevertheless beside the TV with speakers on either side
to thoroughly recommend the BluOS app. lacked some of the air and ambience that and enjoy a quality of TV and movie audio
It remains one of the very best streaming should surround this fabulous recording. beyond all but the highest level soundbars.
and multiroom apps to use, as well as in Well, more fool us for streaming it when
what it offers. As noted the list of available we have a high-res version. We plugged a Conclusion
music services is long, if not fully region- USB hard drive into the slot on the back of
alised to Australia; we set up Amazon the C 700 and waited around 10 minutes NAD describes the C 700 as a “just
Music HD, Tidal, TuneIn (free internet for BluOS to index its 16,000+ songs for add speakers” product, and with all its
radio) and some others, and enjoyed again display in its app (pretty fast work!). We streaming BluOS sources available, so it
how BluOS presents these apps attractively pulled up the Ry Cooder album, and the can be. But of course you can also add
within its own. A couple of taps, and music listening experience was now transformed, sources to its inputs, and your TV to that
was flowing through our speakers. with massively more immediacy, open and useful HDMI ARC socket. Compact and
high ambience now bouncing between minimalist, or at the heart of a full system,
Our first thought was to remind channels (it was recorded in a church) and the C 700’s BluOS app gives you full control
ourselves that the ‘HybridDigital’ UcD far more in the way of dynamics, so we of a world of music, including your own.
power here is at least the third tier of could revel in each slam of Cooder Jnr’s NAD’s Masters series does go to still higher
NAD amplification — below Eigentakt, dumbek pushing a wave of deep but not levels of amplification quality, but at the
under Ncore — yet despite this the C 700 flabby energy from our speaker cones. price the C 700 has this region of smart
immediately had our speakers singing. amplification nicely and neatly nailed.
Amazon HD launched Harry Styles’ Similarly high-res Holst (LSO/Davis) was
Watermelon Sugar with its vocal solidly treated to a silent backdrop over which the NAD C 700
central and impressively delineated delicious details of the slow-burn Venus
through the verses, although the NAD’s could shine. It’s a useful reminder that for • BluOS streaming/multiroom
clarity revealed the whole mix to be all the convenience of streaming, even
HD streams can sound compromised next • Enjoyable amplification
Merging Bluesound’s to a file played directly from your own
BluOS platform with storage or disc. For lovers of quality, the • Compact form factor
NAD’s expanding ownership versus subscription dilemma is
range of amplification not yet fully resolved. • No remote control
was a no-brainer
recipe for success... Don’t forget the multiroom bonus here • No phono/USB inputs
— this amp can share its inputs with
• No headphone socket (but Bluetooth
aptX available)

Price: $2699

Inputs: 2 x RCA line-level analogue,
1 x optical digital, 1 x coaxial digital,
1 x HDMI eARC, USB-A, DLNA, BluOS
streaming, IR in, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Spo-
tify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2,
Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, aptX HD)
Outputs: speakers out, 12V trigger out,
RCA preout, subwoofer out, Bluetooth
aptX HD
Quoted power: 80W into 8 ohms, 100W
into 4 ohms (20Hz-20kHz at 0.04%
THD+N, both channels driven)
Dimensions: 218 x 96 x 266mm
Weight: 4.8kg

Contact: Convoy International
Telephone: 0) 2 9774 9900
Web: www.nadelectronics.com.au

68



HOW TO

SELECTING THE RIGHT HEADPHONES

No category of audio equipment is so crowded and varied as headphones,
with different sizes, signal paths, controls and overall sound quality.
How on earth do you choose? Consider a few basic questions first,
and the answers should set you on the right path to private listening joy.

The five pairs of headphones that things in your ears for long periods is wireless, closed and open, dumb and smart
follow include ‘true wireless’ buds simply inadvisable, period. designs of every colour under the rainbow,
and larger overear headphones, and more besides. To find the right cans
the larger ones all being the A comfy pair of over-ear headphones for you, then, means thinking through
preferred configuration of the moment will cosset your noggin while you enjoy the your priorities to establish what kind of
— wireless Bluetooth. But even these maximum quality the headphone world headphone you really need, then finding
are not all the same: some include noise- has to offer, but of course they are rather a recommendation. So check the following
cancelling, for example, some don’t. larger to carry around. list to think through the options, then
check our reviews to see which models
Which do you choose? In-ear buds What type, brand and model to choose? were as smart as advertised, and which
are limited in the spatial presention they There is no category of audio product so delivered the sonic goods. And then enjoy
deliver, they can be hard to control, and crowded as headphones, with every brand your private world of music....
have limited battery life. And sticking of repute and many newcomers populating
the headphone market with wired and

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING HEADPHONES

Ä CLOSED OR OPEN? can gift them an open airiness which they’re just so darned convenient. Yet there
closed designs struggle to match. But for are compromises, first among them the
It’s your first choice, and the easiest — anything else, even for listening in the reduced quality of Bluetooth transmission
because the answer is probably ‘closed’. same room as others at home, it’s ‘closed’. compared with cable, also being a slave
Open headphones spill sound into the to battery life, or subject to drop-outs. You
environment, and let sound in as well, so Ä WIRELESS OR WIRED (OR BOTH)? might think that the obvious solution is a
there’s only really one circumstance for wireless headphone that can alternately
which they’re suitable — private listening Wireless headphone sales overtook be used with a cable — but that leaves the
at home, where the lack of a sealed earcup cable-only headphones several years ago;

70

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

engineers with a potential compromise The crucial point is that it’s not enough calls, and putting callers in your ears at
in tuning: do they optimise the wireless to buy headphones with aptX; your phone better quality too.
sound or the wired? These modes can must also support aptX. Only with codec
sound significantly different, as our support at both ends will the music flow at Ä VOICE ASSISTANT
reviews often note. Whereas with a simple high quality.
wired headphone, there is one sound to be If you’re addicted to questioning Siri,
perfected, and the job is done. One other Ä NOISE CANCELLATION Google or Alexa, increasing numbers
wired connection is the charging cable — of headphones now have a button to
some can play as they charge via USB. Useful in certain situations but not all, so summon your phone’s voice assistant.
even if noise cancellation is an essential
Ä BLUETOOTH CODECS requirement for you, make sure it can be Ä COMFORT & FIT
turned off when you don’t need it. We’ve
The battle to achieve better sound grown to appreciate models which offer Absolutely crucial, because you simply
from Bluetooth has seen the creation variable levels of noise cancellation for won’t use your headphones if they’re not
of proprietary Bluetooth codecs — different environments, controlled via... comfortable. But it can be hard to judge
essentially the coding system used to this without trying them on: one reason to
packet up the music between source Ä APP CONTROL buy from a shop rather than online.
(e.g. your phone) and sync (your
headphones). Apple devices benefit from Some of the best headphones have no Ä SOUND QUALITY
AAC, while Android devices may support app at all, but such smarts can be a useful
Qualcomm’s aptX or aptX HD, or Sony’s addition for tweaking EQ, adjusting noise The most important criterion of all, and
LDAC, the last two supporting “near cancellation, even smart extras like ‘find the final focus of our reviews: we’ll give
high-res” audio, in Qualcomm’s case your headphones’. the most intelligent wireless NC tech-fest
meaning up to a slightly lossy 24-bit/ short shrift if it sounds rubbish. Check
48kHz, and in Sony’s case a sound Ä CALL MAKING reviews from established publications
which they consider nearly always indis- (like us) and if you can, especially at higher
tinguishable from 24-bit/96kHz replay. Our reviews focus on sound quality, but levels, find a store when you can audition
some headphones are particularly good your final short-list before investing in
at cancelling external noise when making your perfect headphone!

FULLY IMMERSIVE HEADPHONES
FROM THE CREATORS OF

YH-L700A
• ADVANCED A.N.C • 3D SOUND FIELD
• HEAD TRACKING • LISTENING OPTIMIZER
• 34 HOURS PLAYBACK (ANC ON / 3D OFF)

71

HEADPHONES

AUDIO-TECHNICA primarily strong plastic, supported by an
ATH-M50xBT2 & adjustable steel headband, and with soft
ATH-M20xBT leatherette for the earpads and a full wrap
of the headband.
WIRELESS HEADPHONES
They have oversized 45mm drivers,
Audio-Technica adds wireless playback to mobile-friendly 38-ohm impedance, and
two of its successful studio-style headphones. sensitivity of 99dB/W/m. The frequency
Each offers excellently strong and musical response is quoted from 15Hz up to a
wireless performance at its price level. high-res-capable 28kHz (though no
envelope for this is stated), and a
With Audio-Technica latest variant is a Bluetooth wireless microphone allows call-taking.
currently enjoying 60th version, updating the original M50xBT
anniversary celebrations, that was released in 2018. The provision of Bluetooth codecs for
it’s an easy calculation to music is interesting: the base-level SBC, of
realise that the company’s M50x studio The ongoing wireless success of the course, and the Apple-friendly AAC codec
headphone design has now been around M50x has also persuaded Audio-Technica for something rather better, but the third
for precisely a decade, widely lauded to add wireless abilities to the lower M20x option is not one of the more common
for both personal and studio monitoring studio headphone, making the entry price aptX variants but rather Sony’s LDAC,
use, and with special or limited editions for the company’s wireless headphones which can potentially deliver lossy high-res
arriving regularly with either technical far more affordable. audio wirelessly, if the connection is made
tweaks or some new colour scheme. at LDAC’s maximum 990kbps. If your
Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 connection quality drops, however,
So there have been many versions of so can the LDAC speed — down to 660kbps
the M50, but here the ‘BT2’ at the end of Priced at $379 and currently listed in or 330kbps, the latter two taking you
the model name is unmistakable: this black only, the M50xBT2 headphones below CD quality. If you force the higher
are a closed-back design built solidly of quality, you may get drop-outs.

Apple device owners will be listening
below CD quality with AAC; we doubt
they’ll even notice. Android phone users
further benefit from Google Fast Pair.

72

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Important to realise is that there’s no the transition to full chords that follow, Bluetooth either, so that by the time you’re
active noise-cancelling (ANC) here. You’ll with the mix so clear we could follow the head-surfing your way through Green
miss it if you’re used to it, especially on a echo tricks employed on Stipe’s vocal — Nuns of the Revolution’s Plexus Fire it feels
noisy bus journey, and thse headphones medium-length echo for most of it, but like your head’s been to Goa and back.
won’t do the plane-silencing trick. taken out for intimate line-enders. Bass
guitar was rock solid but didn’t bloat up So good was the Bluetooth performance
But in fact there’s much to be said for to impact the rest of the frequency range. here, so lacking in anything to criticise,
not having ANC. Sound quality invariably that we almost forgot to try them with a
alters significantly when you flick a noise- It is a ‘closed’ sound; play classical cable. When we did so, passively (there
cancelling switch, because noise-cancelling pieces and there’s little delivery of seems no option to power them up under
is an inherently destructive process in ambience in a recording, and strings are cabled operation), we didn’t hear the usual
sonic terms. Yet headphone designers often softened rather than made brilliant. Play improved clarity. There was perhaps a little
choose to voice such headphones to sound Keith Jarrett’s ‘Köln Concert’ and the piano more punch and openness, but if anything
best when ANC is engaged, leaving non-NC notes have attack, but the sense of venue we preferred the frequency balance via
modes sounding odd, even though the path is largely absent, losing the space around Bluetooth; cabled bass seemed perhaps a
is more pure. the piano in which his little moans and tad too strong. Preferring Bluetooth over
foot-pedal thumps can be heard on more cabled sound is another great rarity, and
So omitting NC, as here, can potentially revealing systems and headphones. shows how very well tuned the M50xBT2
assist the overall sound quality; there’s headphones are for their primary purpose.
plenty of passive isolation anyway from With most music, however, this doesn’t
the firm but not pressured fit here, while prevent enjoying a good guitar jangle, Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT
omitting NC also, of course, saves money nor does it reduce vocal cut-through; all
on the price, here only $70 over the price these things are enjoyably well balanced. So next it’s the turn of the lesser studio
for the cabled M50x. You get a folded soft Meanwhile there’s that bass — solid sibling, the ATH-M20x — although in value
bag rather than a solid case, and inside and not pushed. A 20-200Hz bass sweep terms the M20x is perhaps not lesser at
that bag a double-ended minijack cable sounded completely flat, not a bump to be all, its lower price making them almost
for wired use, and a USB-C charging cable, heard. Very rare. more prevalent in studios, thanks to a
which we immediately employed to topup combination of reliability plus remarkably
whatever charge they had shipped with. This translates into solid and unbloated accurate, large and spacious sound, at a
Audio-Technica quotes up to 50 hours of performance down low. Youngsters today price which allow studios to bulk buy.
continuous wireless use on a full charge, may think they have the monopoly on
and a useful three hours when given a bonkers bass, but a trip back to 1996’s ‘The The price differential remains
10-minute rapid charge. Chakra Journey’ compilation under Return significant in the consumer Bluetooth
to the Source’s club label will soon put version. They’re just $169, and the non-
The sound here proved big and bold, them right. The depth of the electronica Bluetooth M20x headphones can be found
perhaps surprisingly so for a monitoring here can overwhelm headphones tuned under $100. So what’s missing, what’s
headphone derivative. But there’s also a to boost bass, but the M50xBT2 simply still solid, and how does the Bluetooth
lesson in patience here — do not judge rolled the stuff out, keeping the electronica operation add or detract?
these headphones the first time you plug pulsing deep but tight in support of all
them in. For their first few hours we the rising tribal hands-in-the-air fizziness. Given that Bluetooth operation requires
thought them bass-dominated and rather There’s no shortage of available level via fitting chips, power and batteries inside
thick. We left them running, and the next the headphones, the first surprise is
day merely considered the bass to be
very full. We then left them playing to
themselves for days via cable, to run in.
By the end of the week things had settled
into a general kick-arse attitude, which we
continued to enjoy until we finished.

Their solidity of sound is a tonic
for classic rock, but they also achieve
impressive excellent clarity and openness,
partly thanks to a quality DAC inside,
partly from those oversized 45mm drivers.
Something as well-played as the Steve
Miller Band’s The Joker is opened up
into a wide soundstage, the lead and
harmony vocals well-toned, positioned
and differentiated. Each and every
instrument is enjoyable in its place.

They managed to deliver the metal of
the guitar strings opening REM’s Drive as
wonderfully edgy, and perfectly rendered

73

HEADPHONES BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

how light the new wireless headphones what we must declare to be wonderful The lack of volume, when it occurs,
are, at 216 grams — that’s just 26 grams sound for the money. As with the studio is most notable when on a commute
over the non-wireless version. They do originals their sound is solid and spacious, without noise-cancelling available. The
indeed feel slightly lightweight in the well underpinned by pacy bass but with uncancelled rumble of a bus engine drone
hand; most of the moulding is simple a wide and airy soundstage within which masked their bass to leave us listening only
black plastic, though they still have a solid every instrument gets its due, while vocals to the midrange and upper frequencies,
steel headband adjuster. The earpad and are presented clearly. along with chattering from the back of
headband material seem artificial rather the bus. Turning it up helps, but as noted,
than natural — Audio-Technica calls them How full and rich Horrorshow’s Yours Bluetooth level is limited.
simply “pro-grade materials” chosen for & Mine sounded with a full bass line
durability and comfort. and beats, crisp triple-panned vocals Conclusion
and beautifully clear guitar clicks and
The lightness of weight combines with piano drop-ins. How ethereal were the Otherwise the ATH-M20xBTs offer great
a lightness of touch for very little pressure Oklou auto-tuned vocals on Flume’s value from solid Bluetooth performance
from the M20xBT onto the side of the head, Highest Building, and then how massive a and still better and louder wired sound
so that you barely know you’re wearing mega-phat moment the Audio-Technicas whether at home (where low latency
them. When you drop them around your allowed the stomping bass synth each time works well for videos and games), when
neck there’s no swivel available to flatten it arrived to dominate the track. walking the streets, or for music in the
them in either direction, so they do clutch office, should you ever go back. Meanwhile
your neck there, but only those with very In contrast to the M50xBT2, the sound the larger M50xBT2 headphones raise
small necks should be inconvenienced was significantly clarified if you use the the quality, sounding still more solid,
by that. The buttons added to the left supplied 1.2-metre cable instead of the strong, wonderfully musical, perfectly
headshell are basic but effective — just a wireless connection. (Bluetooth offers and powerfully tuned for wireless
three-way set with volume plus and minus only SBC and AAC, with no higher-quality operation. Which is why they took out
at either side, doubling up for track skip codecs available here to Android users.) a Sound+Image Award as Best Wireless
and restart and call taking, for which a For example, there’s a lot going on in Alex Headphones (without ANC). So clearly
microphone is built in. Power up/down the Astronaut’s latest, Haircut — the busy it’s a big recommendation from us.
uses the central button. rolling drums in particular, and these
soften into slight confusion when played AUDIO-TECHNICA
Despite the lack of heft there’s enough via Bluetooth; they were more punchy ATH-M50XBT2 & ATH-M20XBT
battery in here for 60 hours of use, and and signficiantly better defined when
we were particularly impressed to find listening via cable. There’s also far more • Strong powerful sound
that if you neglect to power them down, level available here than via Bluetooth; • Bluetooth as good as cabled
this doesn’t much seem to drain the power when listening wirelessly we were • Solid build on M50x especially
bank. After three hours of use and being regularly hitting the end stops and still
left on all night, their little internal voice wanting more volume. (The headphones • No noise-cancellation
still announced “battery high”. also announce the end stop with both a
bleep and a momentary drop-out in music, ATH-M50xBT2
The sizable earcups host 40mm drivers neither of which is the least bit necessary.)
with rare-earth magnets, and these deliver Price: $379

Type: active, Bluetooth, overear dynamic
Driver: 45mm
Impedance (cabled): 38 ohms
Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Quoted battery life: 50 hours wireless
Weight: 307g

ATH-M20xBT

Price: $169

Type: active, Bluetooth, overear dynamic
Driver: 40mm
Impedance (cabled): 36 ohms
Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC
Quoted playback time:
60 hours wireless
Weight: 216g

Contact: Technical Audio Group
Telephone: 02 9519 0900
Web: www.audio-technica.com.au

74

SAVE THE DATE

Show SYDNEY 2023
28, 29 & 30 APRIL 2023

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Scan to find out more

HEADPHONES

JBL TOUR ‘Pro Sound’ in any technical way (rather
than woolly marketing terms). We asked
TOUR PRO+ TWS TRUE WIRELESS ANC BUDS for clarification and were assisted by
& TOUR ONE OVEREAR ANC WIRELESS HEADPHONES Amrit Lall, Harman Australia’s product
manager for consumer audio, who tells us
JBL takes all its well-developed headphone tech the curve for Pro Sound isn’t any different;
and loads it into two models designed for the products just use higher component
professional listeners and travellers. quality than ‘Signature Sound’ products.
In other words, the best way to establish
Perhaps reacting to the newfound website we can count 21 different TWS their credentials is to get them playing
holiday spirit and enthusiastic models and options for sale from this inside our waiting lug-holes.
return to longhaul travel, airport single brand, including models with
chaos notwithstanding, Harman similar names: the Live Pro+ TWS buds The Tour Pro+ boasts one of the more
Australia has opened up the JBL Tour range and the Club Pro+ TWS $250 are currently dynamic spec sheets in its category,
to Australia, making available both the Tour $249, the Reflect Flow Pro at $300, while combining smart listening modes with
One overear headphones and the Tour Pro+ these Tour Pro+ TWS were $329.95 when advanced proprietary technologies for
TWS (True Wireless) earbuds that originally we last visited the site (we have also seen intelligible performance, adaptive noise
debuted to some acclaim at CES 2021. them discounted). Set up a comparison of cancellation, sufficient battery life and a
those four models, and it’s not easy to work plethora of features that are accessible
Both the small and large models out where the variations are — the Reflect through the companion app. It is sold in
feature adaptive noise-cancelling that Flow Pro has six microphones and IP68 one colour, black, so looks understated
adjusts the strength of the effect according protection, while the Tour Pro+ reviewed yet classy, with an oval shape and nicely
to your surrounds, also an Adaptive here have only three microphones and minimalist detailing. Build quality is
Ambient Aware mode to pipe some of IPX4 protection, but with ‘JBL Pro Sound’ superb for the price, thanks to a durable
that outside activity in, and TalkThru, compared with the Reflect’s ‘JBL Signature shell that resists scratches well, as well as
which accentuates the voices of people Sound’. (The Live Pro+ has “Legendary JBL IPX4-rated sweat resistance.
around you without turning off your music Pro Sound”, we note.)
—bwhich might be considered a bit rude The charging case appears very similar
during your own conversations, but is What’s the difference? Well JBL once to that for the Club Pro+. That makes it
very handy for listening to other people’s. showed us the curve for its Signature slightly bulkier and larger than the cases
Sound, and we took a picture — it’s got of key Apple and Sony rivals, but still
So two JBL Tours of very dimensions a small bass lift, a large 10dB lift around light enough to carry around and with a
— let’s begin with the small one. 3kHz, and it drops off rapidly above 10kHz. sturdier exterior, with a strong magnet
That’s not as bad as it seems — it’s similar for the flip-top lid to keep the buds secure
JBL Tour Pro+ TWS to the way most consumer-orientated when charging on the go. Small details like
headphones are tuned. Nowhere, however, the flush pairing button at the bottom and
JBL offers what a consumer might consider could we find information describing the the tiny LED below each charging port are
a veritable confusion of true wireless nice touches.
in-ear models. Calling up its Australian
JBL always programs its headphones
and earbuds with a wide variety of
controls, and the Tour Pro+ is no different.
Users receive a full suite of media controls,
including playback, call management,
volume, digital assistance, and listening
mode activation. All of these can be
assigned in the JBL Headphones app and
employed through single, double, and
triple taps or the long-hold gesture.

Those touch panels are highly
responsive, and operation felt seamless.
On-ear detection is just as reliable, auto-
matically pausing music when removing
the buds from your ears and resuming
playback when placed back on.

Adding to their smart capabilities
is Google Assistant and Alexa voice
activation, giving you hands-free func-
tionality when speaking their respective
wake-work commands: “Hey Google” or
“Alexa.” The feature doesn’t skip a beat
and JBL’s mics are highly intelligible,

76

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

registering verbal commands with screaming children. Overall the quality orchestral recordings or an acoustic
precision and responding to them quickly. of noise-cancellation is effective but not ensemble piece like Ahmad Jamal’s
You can enable the digital assistant range-leading against the likes of similarly- Stolen Moments, where the double bass can
manually when wake-word access doesn’t priced Sony buds or pricier Sennheisers; otherwise suffer excessive reverberation.
oblige, which is rare. Siri also works with indeed we thought that JBL’s own Club Hi-hats here were well pronounced, which
the buds on iOS/Mac OS devices, but not Pro+ offers better ANC. shows that the Tour Pro+ can give highs
the “Hey Siri” function. some attention.
Two features assist, however. Ambient
Performance Aware does exactly what it suggests, The buds’ Bluetooth range proved
allowing us to pick up on people’s reliable over at least 10 metres, and
We had some initial issues with fit, conversations from several feet away, as connectivity is on point, with the buds
although JBL’s app includes an initial well as any fracas coming from across near-instantly pairing to devices. Google
‘Check My Best Fit’ tip fit test that works the street, a useful facility during night Fast Pair also expedites the process for
well to achieve optimal fit. We found that walks or even in airports where you Android phones.
the buds’ bulging form surrounding their need to hear announcements. TalkThru
6.8mm drivers could press uncomfortably can be even more useful on a temporary The Tour Pro+ also proved solid
on the concha (the flat area outside the basis, dropping volume to 10% so you can performers with video content; a ‘Smart
outer ear canal), but that’ll be down to hear people clearly and converse without Audio & Video’ feature lets you prioritise
personal anatomy. They certainly proved actually removing the buds. performance by connectivity or sound,
a good fit in other regards, the sound port with the video option set, presumably, to
inserting easily into the ears, while the Listening with ANC on slightly increases minimise latency, which may be useful
tips created a tight seal around the canal the bass balance of the sound, which is depending on your initial connection —
and the stabilisers holding their 7.5g loads saying something, because even the neutral we were fine for sync even in the quality-
firmly in place. sound profile out of the box unleashes prioritising Audio mode, and the sound
deep, boomy lows below a midrange balance was effective for loud and clear
A key talent justifying the range-topping which can manage to achieve cut-through, YouTube clips, movie trailers, and podcasts.
pricing here is active noise-cancellation. but highs that aren’t emphasised much. Action movies proved a lively listening
This includes a useful ‘Silent Now’ function experience through the JBL in-ears.
which keeps ANC engaged while disabling So while the snares on A Tribe Called
Bluetooth and audio functions, so you Quest’s Check the Rhime knocked hard, Battery life is rated at six hours with
can have the silence without the audio it’s the pounding bass-drum rumble that ANC on, eight hours with ANC off —
at minimal cost to battery life — handy shakes your skull with energetic vibrations. notably higher than the 4.5 hours of
perhaps for sleeping on planes or chilling The vocals take a hit on crispness, with the Apple’s AirPods Pro, say. The charging case
on public transport. With ‘My Alarm’ rappers sounding fuzzy at certain points. holds 24 to 32 hours more, depending on
you can also set a timer for music to play how you use the buds, again more than
before entering ‘Silent Now’. However, we’ve never settled for the AirPods Pro charging case (24 hours).
the default balance on a pair of JBL You can either charge the case via USB-C
As with all ANC, the cancellation here headphones; we always implement the or wirelessly by placing it on a Qi-enabled
works primarily on low frequencies — app’s EQ. There are four presets to select wireless pad. Speed charging is available:
engine rumble, for example — while from, but the Custom option is the one to 10 minutes in the carry case generates an
it’s more the passive isolation which play with. Lifting the treble and optionally extra one hour of use.
dulls higher frequencies like speech and dipping a little from the bass can help
return focus to the default playback of Another useful feature is Find My Buds,
for helping locate misplaced buds.

A solid and well-featured addition to
JBL’s TWS range, then, is the key takeway
from the JBL Tour Pro+, with plenty of
cool features on offer especially via the
Headphone app, which includes custom
EQ to tweak their sound into something
that lifts their performance from what
we thought a slightly tame native balance
dominated by a loud and impactful bass.

JBL Tour One overears

Call 6.8mm a diaphragm? This is a proper
diaphragm — 40mm drivers within a fully
over-ear design. Again the full-size Tour
Ones come in the single Henry Ford colour
of black, in contrast to some JBL models
which come in rainbow options or at least
sport white branding to emphasise the JBL
exclamation mark. But that’s because the

77

HEADPHONES BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

Tour One over-ears, along with the Tour touch-sensitive and reacts quickly with detail in the quieter nuances of the track,
Pro+ TWS, are “designed for business a demure beep to stop playback, start so that again you may wish to invoke
professionals”... even though the ‘Tour’ it, skip tracks or scroll through noise- custom EQ via the app to tilt things more
branding echoes the ‘Live’ street theme. cancelling ambient sound control profiles toward the treble and compensate for
with a long-press — though this can be the lack of subtlety present in the default
With their professional target market, customised in the JBL Headphones app. sound, opening up their slightly closed
JBL’s Tour One headphones aren’t nature to shine a brighter light and achieve
down in the lower echelons occupied The left earcup has just one physical a more natural feel.
by the company’s budget cans. They button, also towards the back edge of the
have adaptive noise cancelling, and earcup, which can be customised either to Conclusion
allow call-making and taking with four access Alexa or Google Assistant, or scroll
microphones, including two adaptive- through ambient sound profiles. It’s a neat Both JBL’s Tour One headphones and the
beamforming mikes for clear voice solution and it works very well indeed. Tour Pro+ TWS look the part with their
detection. They come with a premium sturdy black finish and build, though
moulded black travel case with a useful The Tour Ones charge via USB-C, both are in highly competitive categories
snap-fastener on the zip, and the earcups promising up to 50 hours of playback in containing high achievers for both
rotate 90 degrees to lie flat, with the left Bluetooth mode, up to 25 hours with noise noise-cancelling and audio quality. If
one folded up towards the headband for cancellation on. Thanks to Speed Charging, you’re already a fan of the JBL sound
greater portability. a quick 10-minute stint at the power socket curves used in their headphones, then
should give two hours extra playback. you should be safe here with these pro-
The smell of classy faux leather from fessionally-aimed models, and will enjoy
the padded cups and top portion of the The app lets you select between True the wide versatility available in terms of
headband puts us in mind of pricier studio Adaptive ANC, which monitors your battery life and charging, together with the
over-ears, while the rest of the Tour Ones environment and alters the level of noise- host of features both built-in and activated
are finished in black plastic over a durable cancelling automatically, or ‘everyday using the JBL Headphones app.
metal frame. There’s no IP rating here for mode’. We preferred the latter, because
water or dust ingress, but a high standard we could hear the True Adaptive levels JBL TOUR
of finish has certainly been met. of isolation audibly change, occasionally TWS BUDS & HEADPHONES
creating a disconcerting wind-tunnel effect
The pricing seems well-pitched, then — when out and about. The everyday mode is • Solid build quality
at $369.95 or a little cheaper they undercut easier on our ears, perfectly sufficient for • Excellent features & app
the latest Sonys and of course Apple’s cutting low-level noise, if not class-leading • Powerful bass sound
AirPods Max ($899) considerably. cancellation. You again get the excellent
Ambient Aware and TalkThru options, and • Best sound requires app EQ
Those heading back to the air can you can also decide whether you want • Strong competiton
again use JBL’s ‘SilentNow’ feature here, wearer-detection to stop playback automat-
noise cancellation without Bluetooth ically when you remove the headphones. JBL TOUR PRO+ TWS
for sleeping off the inflight dining or for Price: $329.95
cabled listening to in-flight entertainment At the bottom of the app’s intuitive Driver: 6.8mm dynamic
through the supplied 1.2-metre cable and home screen is an EQ tab, to select from Charging time: 2 hrs from empty
double-pin adapter. five presets, or you can create your own Quoted battery life: 6 hours BT+ANC, 8
unique line on a frequency stave to hours ANC off. Case adds 24/32 hours
When using the cable, the Tour emphasise certain frequencies or lower Weight: 7.5g each (case 57g)
Ones are high-res capable, JBL quoting others — and it works very well. But we
their frequency range out to 40kHz. Via listened to the neutral sound first, all EQ JBL TOUR ONE
Bluetooth this drops to 22kHz, with JBL optimisation off. Price: $349.95
offering a ‘Smart Audio Mode’ selector Driver: 40mm dynamic
to optimise the Bluetooth connection for Streaming Invisible Touch by Genesis Charging time: 2 hrs from empty
‘normal listening’, a higher fidelity ‘music from Apple Music, the Tour Ones certainly Quoted battery life: 25 hours BT+ANC,
mode’ or a low-latency ‘video mode’. gave the track considerable oomph, 50 hours ANC off
Exactly how it is switching codecs or Collins’ driving drum beat and vocals Frequency response: 10Hz-22kHz
changing bit-rates to do this is unclear, delivered with zeal and energy alongside wireless, 10Hz-40kHz cabled
especially as it seems only SBC and AAC the separate and distinct backing vocals. Sensitivity (cabled): 95dBSPL@1kHz
codecs are employed, with no higher- Throughout Land Of Confusion the vocal Impedance (cabled): 32 ohms
quality third-party codecs like aptX or sat centrally alongside a grippy bass. The Weight: 268g
LDAC on board. Tour One seemed at home when handling
rock tracks. Contact: Harman Australia
Fit proved great — the clamping Telephone: 02 9151 0376
force is practically perfect, well weighted Jethro Tull’s Thick As A Brick (Pt. 1) Web: www.jbl.com.au
for stability plus comfort. Controls are requires more in the way of delicacy, and
pleasingly intuitive too. On the right some of this was impressively communi-
earpiece, the power/pairing switch and cated by the JBLs — the flute felt almost
physical volume controls sit on the back three-dimensional and the strummed
edge of the earcup, closest to your neck. guitar emotive, in a cohesive enough
The entire top surface of this earcup is soundstage. But there was a shortfall in

78

NEW BOREA ACTIVE

SIMPLE – HIFI

Bluetooth aptX HD Mini-Jack 3.5mm IN Optical IN S/PDIF Phono IN Subwoofer OUT
02 9882 3877
DISTRIBUTED BY

www.audiomarketing.com.au

YAMAHA YH-L700A called a midrange price of $499. But don’t
confuse (though we’d quite understand if
WIRELESS NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES you did) those E700As with the YH-L700A
headphones here. These are at the very top
These high-end headphones from Yamaha come of Yamaha’s headphone tree, priced $699.
loaded with processing designed to deliver So what makes them so special?
customised and environmentally-aware performance,
including a collection of 3D audio soundfields. Equipment

Yamaha’s headphones should get tions lists that are stocked with the more We have already reviewed those $499
way more attention. They’ve common candidates. E700s. Those proved to be conventional
got the cachet of an established enough wireless noise-cancelling
Japanese audio brand, and The latest range may be changing that, headphones which we enjoyed very
they certainly have the track record — since Yamaha has released major wireless much for their sound balance, at least
including a number of Sound+Image noise-cancelling models across the key when the ANC was engaged.
Awards in recent years. Yet they don’t price-points, including the YH-E700A at
often seem to make the recommenda- what can these days (thanks to Apple’s The $699 L700A headphones are also
eye-watering expensive AirPods Max) be wireless noise-cancellers but, in contrast,
they are really weird. They are loaded
with options we’ve never seen or heard
before in a pair of headphones. Some of
these abilities can be used directly from
the headphones themselves; others require
you to download Yamaha’s accompanying
app. To explain, we’ll run through the main
options one at a time, and tell you what
they do and why they do it.

We should say at the start that we like
the sound — the fundamental sound of
these headphones is top-notch even at
this fairy lofty price. The surprise is how
many ways Yamaha offers for you to play
with that sound.

Listening Care. This is an app-only
option; there are no buttons for it on
the headphones themselves. Yamaha’s
description is that it “automatically
adjusts the sound quality according
to the volume”. This addresses both
changing dynamics of music (so is in
effect dynamically compressing your
tunes) but also takes into account
background noise levels, so is balancing
the sound compared to external changes.

It then corrects the sound in real-time,
every 0.7 seconds examining the data
for the past five seconds to calculate an
average volume level across a four-band
EQ. Because it depends on the music and
changing environment, the effect of this
was extremely hard to assess simply by
toggling the setting on and off, but the
laudable goal is to provide a consistent
listening experience customised to your
music and your surroundings.

We should note that the Bluetooth
codecs included here assist this further;
there’s SBC and the Apple-friendly AAC,
while Android users whose phones
support aptX Adaptive can enjoy that

80

BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

codec’s Bluetooth optimisation in heavy headphones, using microphones inside the Yamaha’s RX-A2A and A8A receivers last
RF environments. earcups “to measure the seal and air leakage year we found that we enjoyed some
from different shaped ears every 20 seconds.” of these, even though they go against
Noise Cancelling. Yamaha describes it our usual penchant for purity. Here you
thus in the manual: “This sets the balance Again difficult to test, as we couldn’t can use the button or the app to shuttle
between the playback and ambient sound.” change the shape of our ears; we did try to your stereo through the seven available
Well, kinda. It’s active noise cancelling, fake a bad-fit situation by shoving fingers surround soundfields: Cinema, Drama,
with the offered options of on, off, or under the earcup and waiting for the Music Video, Concert Hall, Outdoor Live,
ambient sound. Yamaha calls it ‘Advanced sound to change, but the Yamaha’s proved Audio ROOM, and Back Ground Music.
ANC’, indeed, claiming a different way too cunning for our tricks, and we couldn’t Yamaha says it “synthesizes binaural audio
of doing things — identifying the ‘noise’ hear any change in the sound over time. and renders the two-channel sound source
using internal microphones “without into a three-dimensional sound space.”
applying any processing to the music signal”, These are, however, headphones which
then “calculating what should be removed vary significantly in tone as you move By default, when selected from the
from the playback music signal so that only the headband forward or back — bass is headphone button, all these also come
noise is erased… This means there is no more full when the headband is vertical, with Head Tracking. This is similar
unnecessary processing of the music signal.” leaner when pushed back, which might be to the head tracking on recent Apple
considered a useful way to quickly adjust headphones; wherever you are facing
This is a bit confusing — the response with different material. when you turn it on, that’s where the
headphones do process the music, after music will remain centred, and if you
saying they didn’t, but the idea is that Auto Power-Off Timer. You set this from turn your head, the music still comes
internal microphones identify non-musical the app, and it’s useful, defining how from that direction (i.e. if you turn right,
changes and cancel those, rather than quickly the headphones will power down all the music moves to your left ear,
external microphones just listening to the after Bluetooth has been disconnected — and vice versa). It works impeccably,
outside world and acting to cancel what five minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or three. apparently with zero latency — terribly
it hears regardless of whether or not that Or no auto power down, in which case clever; we’ve no idea how it’s done.
noise is making its way through to your just remember to turn them off yourself.
side of the earcups. But we have little idea why, either.
3D Sound Field. This is kind of a headline The obvious application for head tracking
In practical terms, the noise cancelling feature for the L700s, accessed from a might be watching a video or TV using
proved nicely effective at removing button on the headphones, and said to headphones; you turn your head and the
external rumble and drones. As with many “switch playback between surround and sound still comes from the TV. Clever? Or
such circuits we did think it was somewhat stereo,” says the manual — not that the not really a problem which needs solving?
musically destructive, especially notably headphones can receive a surround signal, Has it annoyed you until now that the
so when listening to pure and acoustic rather they are claiming to create one from sound doesn’t move like this? We can’t
recordings; these sounded purest played a stereo signal. imagine so. When we asked Yamaha, they
without the noise-cancelling engaged. On suggested that “Sound Positioning means
the road, however, you’ll be grateful for its Big claim. How? The headphones sound that emerges from an image, and
ability to isolate your listening world from draw on Yamaha’s longstanding Cinema this element is indispensable for creating
the noise outside. DSP, as used in its AV receivers to create an immersive feeling.” True, but if you’re
sound fields; traditionally these were looking at an image, then the sound would
Should you need some awareness based on real acoustic measurements be centered there anyway. And if you’re
of that outside world, however, to hear of actual venues, and when reviewing
airport announcements or just to be more looking somewhere else,
aware of traffic, the ‘ambient’ mode on then it really
these Yamaha’s worked very well, and doesn’t matter...
also switched back to something As for the
far closer to the original sound; ‘3D’,
this is a useful additional
listening mode.

Listening optimizer.
This is an option in
the app, and is on by
default. The manual
says this “measures
and analyzes the sound
in real time and auto-
matically adjusts the sound
quality”, but it differs from
‘listening care’ in being more
about the personal fit of the

81

HEADPHONES BEST BUYS AUDIO & AV | 2022#2

the different effects, but ultimately we Listening powered or non-powered use, and if
thought that all the sound fields mushed powered, the ANC remains an option as
up the original sound to some degree, with Processing frivolities aside, let’s have well. If you listen by cable with the headset
(concert hall, outdoor live) a great deal, a listen to the fundamentals of the unpowered, all the residual bass bloat is
or (music room) to a lesser extent. So feel headphones — no 3D Sound Field; no banished, leaving the best balance of all —
free to play on a long commute or lazy Head Tracking; no Listening Care or how powerful yet revealing was the Jupiter
evening at home, but don’t let them govern Optimizer. No ANC, even. recording now; how much clearer Cohen’s
your purchase decision. Ultimately our vocal; even Walk On The Wild Side sounded
preference for best sound was straight What lovely headphones. What a more natural. They’re also high-res capable
stereo, without the 3D engaged. Bear in fine stereo spread, with everything in its when cabled, playing up to 40kHz.
mind also that using this 3D circuit also place. Listen to those dual basses on Walk
more than halves the battery life. On the Wild Side — they sounded full and We’d guess this is how the headphones
forward on the track’s opening, but not were voiced by Yamaha’s engineers —
to any excess; you can hear the rattle of unpowered, with a cable. After that,
the loose bass string on the bottom note. every bit of processing builds on that to
Lou Reed’s voice is perfect: clear, not personalise the experience according to
thin, the vocal reverb audible — very few your choice of modes and fields.
headphones get this quite so right.
Conclusion
Leonard Cohen’s tricky broadband
vocal on the ‘Live in London’ version of Yamaha has proven here — once again —
Tower of Song is a little woofy, betraying a that it can make headphones with the best
bit of bloom from a push way down low, of them. The fundamental sound of the
though it only truly overbalances when YH-L700 is gorgeously rich and powerful
you play it loud (we do tend to listen loud). and open. And there’s a lot of processing
ability built in to thes headphones here
Talking of which, we like the large which aims to offer personalisation and
volume up/down buttons on the outside of environment control, all of which you
the right earshell: big, tactile and effective. can play with, and some of which you
may stick with, although for our money
These Yamahas love a female vocal; kd these are great headphones which we best
lang and Diana Krall emerged meltingly enjoyed simply listening to the way they
rich and true. Switching to Holst’s Jupiter produce fine music just as nature (and
(von Karajan’s 1983 Berlin Philharmonic Yamaha’s sound engineers) intended.
recording, not the 1962) things sounded
dynamic and rich, though there seemed YAMAHA
some bleed from the pushed bass YH-L700A
frequencies masking some of the low level
detail, especially in quieter passages. • Great sound quality

A cable is also provided; this • ANC optimises performance
disconnects the app along with the
Bluetooth, but you have the choice of • Nice awareness mode

• 3D soundfields available

• Best sound is with processing
modes disengaged

Price: $699

Type: overear, closed, dynamic,
wireless with ANC
Driver: 40mm dynamic
Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC,
aptX adaptive
Quoted playback time: 34 hours
with ANC but no 3D; 11 hours with
ANC and 3D
Weight: 330g

Contact: Yamaha Music Australia
Telephone: 1300 739 411
Web: au.yamaha.com

82

¸;OL )V^LYZ
>PSRPUZ 7HUVYHTH ÄUHSS` KLSP]LYZ [OL
PTWYLZZP]L +VSI` ([TVZ ZV\UK [OL OP Ä SLNLUK OHZ
HS^H`Z WYVTPZLK ¶ HUK P[»Z PKLHS MVY T\ZPJ MHUZ [VV¹

T3, April 2022

[email protected] 02 9196 8990 bowerswilkins.com BowersWilkinsAu

SERIES 10

RX-A2A RX-A4A RX-A6A RX-A8A

7.2 Channels 7.2 Channels 9.2 Channels 11.2 Channels
4+1 year warranty* 4+1 year warranty* 4+1 year warranty* 5+5 year warranty*

9001

Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A8A

AV RECEIVER OF THE YEAR OVER $5000

Yamaha’s award-winning AVENTAGE range has
evolved. The 10th generation anniversary series
has been reimagined to deliver the pinnacle of
next-generation home entertainment.

*With online registration