Monthly Archives: July 2016

Focal have long been regarded highly for their proficiency with drivers: their most recent releases in the loudspeaker department are a testament to that. Well, since the astonishingly well received Utopia range, they have taken some of the lessons learned and crafted something special for those who prefer their hi-fi in headphone form.

Combining over 35 years of driver and loudspeaker innovation, may I introduce...

Focal's new high-end headphones: Focal Elear and Focal Utopia. Elear sit in

Every brand has their very own icon. The thing that propelled them into the mainstream, the unit that shaped their philosophy or technology or perhaps the thing that garnered so much commercial and critical acclaim that it became synonymous with the brand as a whole.

Well, the turntable at the epicentre of this particular piece manages to be all three of those things, rolled into one - almost literally - timeless package.

The Linn Sondek LP12 is Linn’s very own icon that manages to redefine the term

Any high end pair of headphones needs a headphone amplifier to match, otherwise you're not getting your money's worth from the sound. But seldom are you able to match the warmth and lushness associated with valves in anything head-orientated. Unless, of course, you know where to look.

This is the Icon Audio HP8 MkII Valve Headphone Amplifier, a miniaturised valve amplifier that allows you to enjoy your headphones in a new and beautiful way.  It isn't new, but it is classic, and something that

If you are a fan of Chord's exquisite Chameleon range, this may be of interest to you. The range has been retired and replaced with something that sits at the same mid-price point, but with a fresh new take influenced by some of the other design and technological advances which took place during Chord's entire range revision of mid-2016.

Where Chameleon once sat, we now have...

Chord Shawline. A range consisting of four different cables which sit comfortably between the entry-level "C-Line" and

Much like their namesake, Dali have never been one to go quietly. Their entire brand is full of funky, fresh shapes and even funkier colours, designed to catch your eye just as much as they catch your ear. It was only a matter of time before they joined the soundbar market and added their own unique twist on an already unique concept. And, as the headline suggests, it's available in a whole host of lovely colours.

See?

Those are Dali Kubik One Soundbars One soundbar, many colours. It may well

Hi-fi is slowly but surely getting smaller, surer and more convenient. The one-box solution is the ultimate testament to that fact, with more and more big brands throwing their best brains together... all into one box. And with each one, the quality just keeps getting better.

Which leads us onto...

That's Arcam's third generation contribution. The Arcam Solo Music All-In-One Hi-fi System. We're excited - and if you know anything (anything at all) about Arcam, you will understand why.

"Over the

I have been writing about hi-fi and AV for a few years. When I first started doing so, I would have to explain - at great length - what a soundbar was whenever one came up. Now, they have become such a staple, I no longer need to do so. And they get better and better all the time.

Case and point...

The new Yamaha YSP-2700 Soundbar - a soundbar so advanced and refined, it's being regarded as a new benchmark in the niche.

This sleek model replaces the hugely popular YSP-2500, a soundbar which really