When the Naim CDX2 was released in 2003, it appeared that Compact Disc was starting to weaken in the face of competition from SACD and DVD-Audio. So it appeared bold of Naim to launch a new CD player right into the market for high-end universal machines. It seems to be a lot of money to […]
The Honda Civic of cartridges has arrived. There are better ones, there are worse ones, but you always know what you’re getting – a quality product that does the job you bought it for. It’s neither flashy or very entertaining, but it’s competent, surprisingly sophisticated, and excellent value for money. As a result, it has
Audio Technica AT-95E Review Read More »
The world was astonished when Cambridge Audio’s first DACMagic was released in 1995. It was designed by John Westlake, of Pink Triangle DaCapo and Audiolab M-DAC renown, and it put the firm on the map as a real contender for seriously good, affordable digital converters. The business released the redesigned DacMagic in 2009, which boldly
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Over the years, there have been surprisingly few fantastic CD transfers, and you have to ask why. They were pretty much the only method to get digits into your DAC until computers came along, so they played – and continue to play – a crucial role in many people’s lives. TEAC is unquestionably the most
Esoteric P-0 Review Read More »
The AE1 is one of the most legendary hi-fi loudspeakers of the 1980s, with the Celestion SL6 and the Wharfedale Diamond, in the pantheon of boxes that changed the game. Aside from the BBC LS3/5a and the Spendor SA1, tiny speakers in the 1970s were few. Indeed, the breed had not been treated seriously at
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The year is 1987, and Compact Disc is on the rise. Turntables and LPs are rapidly disappearing from high streets and shopping malls, with the new digital silver taking their place. The term “death of vinyl” is being bandied about, and hi-fi journals are warming to the concept. You could assume that now isn’t the
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Cambridge Audio is a British firm that, despite a history of great, inexpensive audiophile goods, receives much too little attention – which is maybe unsurprising given that many of those who have – and/or do – work for the company are talented people themselves. Matthew Bramble, a brilliant tweaky type who was the lynchpin of
Cambridge Audio Sonata DV30 Review Read More »
Every Japanese business has a specialty, something it is particularly proud of. It was always innovation and miniaturization with Sony, and it was always dependability and affordability with Matsushita (just like Honda and Toyota respectively). Pioneer built their fame with LaserDisc, and TEAC went towards optical storage, particularly CD, following a solid start with magnetic
Esoteric X-05 Review Read More »
BSR, a British business, introduced the ADC brand of budget-to-mid-priced turntables in November 1979. Because BSR was a troubled brand, it made natural to adopt the name of the American corporation that controlled it. The Audio Dynamics Corporation had been developing significant vinyl sources for nearly two decades and was a well-known manufacturer of cutting-edge
In its initial iteration, the year 1994 was very much the pinnacle of Audiolab. It appeared as if the firm could do no wrong. The 8000A integrated amplifier had been repeatedly refined, and was now a seriously good sounding device – able to mix it with the highly respected Naim Nait 3 and Mission Cyrus
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