A design can be exactly right on occasion. When a designer adds just the right amount of features and quality, then wraps it all up in a properly styled package, he or she has achieved perfection. The Sony TC-229SD cassette deck from 1977 was a perfect example of this. The TC-229SD was a fine recorder […]
Sony TC-229SD Review Read More »
In the grand scheme of things, this tuner is famed for its superior design and ergonomics. It features classic aesthetics that Yamaha has lately reintroduced for their hi-fi separates; only a small patina of age on a CT-7000 indicates that it was designed in 1973 rather than 2013. It’s regular size at 436x144x352mm, but it’s
Yamaha CT-7000 Review Read More »
Many abroad audiophiles must have been praying for us in our darkness when it came to the late 1970s British hi-fi scene. Linn’s Sondek LP12 captivated the UK hi-fi press. This deck was (is) unquestionably excellent, however contrary to popular belief, it was not the only ace black vinyl spinner available at the time. In
Sony TT-S8000 Review Read More »
Small-scale specialty producers have a lot to offer. Their products are frequently more innovative, concentrated, and tailored to the demands of a fast changing market. However, big businesses can perform just as well, if not better, in other areas. Consider the enormous engineering resources available to the large international Yamaha brand, which is responsible for
Yamaha Soavo-1 Review Read More »
The original Spendor SA1 loudspeaker was released soon before the BBC LS3/5a in the early 1970s, and many people thought it sounded better than its more popular competitor. The SA1 you see here, on the other hand, is a distant cousin that has evolved much since then. Only the dimensions (305x165x190mm) and the usage of
Spendor SA1 Review Read More »
This was one of the swankiest British turntables at the time, having been released in 1978. The STD 305D was an attempt to bring comfort and ease of use to the high end – without sacrificing the beautiful sonics of the finest British decks – in a sea of Japanese direct drives that worked with
STD 305D Turntable Review Read More »
Pioneer is one of the more intriguing Japanese brands, as well as one of the most impressive in terms of product quality over time. It has never failed to innovate in consumer electronics since it was founded in 1937 by Japanese engineer Nozomu Matsumoto. The golden years of hi-fi, according to neutral observers, were from
Pioneer SA-9500 Review Read More »
This turntable was a breath of fresh air in the turntable industry when it was released a decade and a half ago, giving genuinely great performance in a small size. It also provided the option of purchasing it as the 10A, which contained the superb SME Series V tonearm, rather than the armless Model 10.
SME Model 10A Review Read More »
Until the 1983 release of the Naim NAIT, integrated amplifiers were thought to be something you bought before you could afford a ‘real’ preamplifier/power amplifier combo. It’s fair to assume that the breed was not well-liked. Instead of presenting low-cost circuitry in a costly cabinet adorned with acres of brushed aluminium and bouncing power meters,
This is a fascinating story. Karl Heinz Fink of Fink Audio Consulting in Essen, Germany, and Steve Reichert of Armour Group in Cambridge, England, are the two main protagonists. The former is one of his generation’s top speaker designers, while the latter is a pleasant chap with a good ear and an Arcam sales and
Q Acoustics 2050 Review Read More »
