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 […]
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This monstrous integrated amplifier, which cost £3,499 when it was first released a decade ago, was a Sugden A21a on steroids. The IA-4 set out to provide that crystalline Class A sound to a larger audience, with significantly increased power and additional features. The biggest difference between it and its smaller A21a S2 sibling was
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The story begins with the advent of Linn’s Ittok LVII tonearm toward the end of the 1970s. In an analog scene dominated by the SME 3009S2, which existed on practically every turntable motor unit at the time, it put the cat among the pigeons. There was also the Grace G707, which had been Linn’s preferred
Other manufacturers’ top-of-the-line designs look little and feeble in comparison to one of the most remarkable things ever to make a noise. This device, the monarch of Tannoy’s Prestige Range, is simply amazing in every way. Aside from its intimidating physical presence, Tannoy’s design philosophy is evident in its longevity. While fashions come and go,
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Sony CEO Akio Morita travelled to the United States in the early 1960s in an attempt to persuade Americans to listen to little transistor radios, as he relates in his brilliant autobiography Made In Japan. The consumer electronics business in the United States was initially skeptical that anyone would want to listen to something smaller
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The Technics SP-10 broadcast turntable introduced the technology in 1970, and it blew people’s minds. Without the use of idlers, pulleys, or belts, direct drive accomplished exactly what it stated on the tin: it moved the platter from its center. It had numerous advantages, including the ability to adjust the platter speed to an unusually
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NEAT Acoustics has been a full-fledged loudspeaker producer for several decades, although North East Audio Traders has long since ceased retail operations. Bob Surgeoner, the company’s founder, is a fascinating and amiable individual who is also a talented and prolific musician. It’s no wonder, then, that his speakers are consistently delightful to listen to. This
Quad’s Vena features a totally new, high-quality Class AB amplifier with a strong 45W RMS per channel on the inside (quoted). It features a Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC, which is also used in Quad’s Platinum series CD players, as well as aptX Bluetooth connectivity, making it ideal for users who have music stored on their
California-based The Reference 8 and 9 monoblocs were NuForce’s first Class D amplifiers, which were introduced during the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The £635 Reference 8 single-ended input (RCA) and £700 Reference 8b balanced input (providing a claimed 100W RMS) were available, as well as the £935 Reference 9 having balanced and
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It’s difficult to be a little standmounter at the best of times, but it’s even more difficult when you’re worth £10,900. Who would be Raidho’s C1.1, a small speaker with a price tag that rivals practically every huge one? It can only justify its price by sounding really excellent in a variety of ways –
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