The Hi-Fi Journal

Buyers Guide

Accessories
Amplifiers
Cd players
Digital media devices
Equipment stands
Interconnects
Loudspeaker cables
Mains cables
Speaker stands
Speakers
Turntables

Track Audio Spikes and Isolation Feet

££295

The quality of the engineering is such that once fitted, levelling the equipment and locking in position is incredibly hassle-free, even when supporting truly massive componentst. £295 for four feet seems quite a lot of money but you do get what you pay for. State-of-the-art engineering quality costs a lot. If one thing within your system is to be truly cost no object then what it sits on is a sensible and relatively affordable place to start.

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abcd

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M2Tech Young DAC

£1195

In summary, the Young is an exceptional performer that truly punches above its weight. Even if you currently have no interest in high resolution music, it would be a mistake to leave this little gem off your list of DACs to audition.

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Olive 03 HD

£899

For not a great deal of money you get a fine CD ripper, very respectable play-back quality, and very decent sounding internet radio – at the higher data rates – thrown in for good measure.

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Furutech ADL GT40

££395

All things considered, the Furutech Alpha Design Labs GT40 USB DAC in conjunction with the GT2 USB interconnect looks to be the inexpensive but nonetheless ideal audiophile quality choice for anyone who wants to digitize their vinyl – at up to 24-bit/96hHz – and then play it back from their computer either though their hi-fi system or a pair of headphones.

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Arcam Solo Neo

££1350

The Solo neo is a very capable performer and would certainly trounce most older separates in many respects but whether it truly competes with today’s competition is a moot point: It rather depends upon the particular makes and models to which it is compared. That statement should not detract from the fact that the neo is a noteworthy achievement for Arcam: a compact and highly attractive, multi-function unit that can take the place of a rack full of boxes and cables if needs be. Certainly for a convenient second system it seems a no-brainer if one is looking for decent performance and versatility.

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Tellurium Q cables

Tellurium Qtm is the first manufacturer to my knowledge to promote the combating phase distortion design of its cables. All I can say is that it seems to be a worthwhile development in cable manufacture and I have now, provided Tellurium Qtm can spare the review samples, adopted the Blue and Ultra Black respectively as my new office system and passive speaker review cables. I would not ask about the six 10-metre lengths I need to wire my reference active system – a £15,180 spend on cables is a little too rich for my tastes at the moment!

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Revolver Music Series 1

££499

In the Music Series 1, Revolver has managed to produce a beautifully balanced speaker that will suit a wide musical repertoire. It manages to combine a good degree of accuracy with excellent musical insight, timing and rhythm. I feel that these qualities far outweigh the compromises. It is a speaker I could quite happily live with and enjoy listening to every day.

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Cambridge Audio Minx Desktop system

£350

All round the hi-tech Cambridge Audio S212 Stereo Minx system is a very accomplished and quite exceptional little speaker package: It sounds good; it looks great; it is ideal for the smaller room or desktop; and its price certainly shouldn’t bankrupt anyone. It is Thoroughly Recommended.

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Cain & Cain Noogi Loudspeakers

£985

Given the disparity in opinions, I strongly counsel you to hear them for yourself before making any purchasing decisions: a course of action we always recommend in any circumstances. They appear to have much in common with Marmite to me: you will either adore them or not. I sincerely doubt that there’ll be many who cannot make up their mind about them near instantly.

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Kudos X2

All round then, the Kudos X2 is a very satisfactory and communicative loudspeaker. It sounds accurate and also presents a respectable sound stage, so avoiding sounding constricted or boxy. Most importantly, though, it makes music fun.

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Edwards Audio TT1

£357

It is well balanced tonally and has a pleasing openness about its sound: it lets you listen beyond the first layer of a mix and enjoy, say, the backing vocalists’ contributions to a song. It is also pleasingly detailed. At this low price it is a tough proposition to beat.

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Group Review

Article is not available

Brubeck, Dave Time Out on Music On Vinyl

The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s Time Out will be known to most music lovers, regardless of whether they are fans of jazz. Time Out is not only The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s most successful album; it is one of the most significant jazz releases of all time.

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Audiophile Vinyl or original pressing

With the plethora of so-called audiophile vinyl LP pressings currently on the market the buyer is faced with a bewildering choice. This spurred me to conduct listening tests between various pressings including modern re-issues and original cuts of various vintages.

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Fugees, The Score, Music On Vinyl

By the mid-nineties hip hop had been creeping in and out of mainstream culture for a decade or two but very few artists had achieved global popularity. Consequently the Fugees’ (short for Refugees - two thirds of the trio hailing from Haiti) meteoric rise to international stardom came as something of a surprise. Their first album, ‘Blunted on Reality’ released in 1994 was not a huge success peaking at number 62 in the American R&B charts, making what happened with The Score even more incredible.

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Kate Bush, Hounds of Love, Audio Fidelity

Kate Bush is one of those artists that is difficult to categorise; other than to say that she is truly an artist. Whatever she does it is not throw-away pop, not someone else’s ideas recycled, but always something genuinely beautiful. “Hounds of Love”, her fifth album, demonstrates, for me at least, Bush at her creative peak.

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The Ram Raid, Pay To Breathe...

There are many unsigned bands that deserve either a bit more, or a heck of lot more, fame than they currently have. The Ram Raid, a crunching power trio from the North Lincolnshire/Grimsby area certainly deserve every success that surely must come their way.

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My top 100 Albums

When the publisher asked me to write down my top 100 albums I thought that would be an easy and fun thing to do. How wrong could I be?

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The Editors Top 100 Review Albums

Do not be surprised if your favourite audiophile “review” albums do not feature here: I am into music rather than sounds. Also, you won’t find any Beatles, Paul Simon, or Pink Floyd or any “reference”-type albums here: if I am not keen on a band I will not use its music for reviewing. Equally, so many “audiophile” albums are way too clinical and sterile, devoid of any soul and emotion. That sort of mechanical noise does nothing for me, so I avoid it.

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Jack White at the HMV Forum, Kentish Town, London, U.K., 23rd April 2012: Review

Jack White added this date at the HMV Forum in London’s Kentish Town to coincide with the release of his first solo album ‘Blunderbuss’ which went on sale the same day, 23rd April 2012.

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Maidstone, Kent

Sony Centre

You may think this is an unusual choice shop for hifi but thousands of people each year buy their hifi from Sony and with their top ES range, putting together a system for £3000 is not a problem.

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Sony Centre

Home Media

If it is possible for a hi-fi shop to characteristics with a musical genre – I would have to describe Maidstone’s Home Media as “Funky”.

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Home Media

B&O

With their reputation of well presented shops, the Maidstone B&O shop, located in King Street, had a very simple window display, which lead straight into the shop with many of B&O’s lifestyle systems pleasantly displayed.

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Maidstone B&O

Richer Sounds

Julian Richer’s hi-fi empire has been supplying the country with low and mid range audio bargains for 30 years, and more power to him: - the functional, no frills approach works, making his stores a major draw for entry level and budgeted buyers. Taking this into account, I adjusted my approach for my visit to the Maidstone branch of Richer Sounds – slashing my budget to £2000.

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Richer Sounds

Sevenoaks Hi-Fi

Toward the station end of Week Street is the Maidstone branch of Sevenoaks Hi-Fi – tucked in a corner, the store frontage isn’t instantly appealing, but the window displays give an indication of the quality and range of product inside.

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Sevenoaks Hifi