Official Reviews

Real Hifi reviews written by real Hifi enthusiasts.
Mr Underhill
6 min read
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Chord Electronics 2go/2yu - (£1,445) Introduction In May 2023 I wrote a review of the Chord 2go/2yu, you can find that review HERE. The conclusion was positive, I wrote: In my main system, via the Naim SBLs, the journey was initially far more of a roller coaster. Once certain factors had...
Mr Underhill
6 min read
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1,891
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Triangle Comete 40th Anniversary - £1,499 (Premium Finish) Martin Virgo Introduction It is not often that I open a box and find myself thinking, well this is beautiful; but, I have to say that I was bowled over by this pair of speakers. The design and attention to detail really impressed me...
George 47
7 min read
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2,193
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Quiescent T100SPA Stereo Power Amplifier Review by George Sallit Apart from minor changes to amplifier designs, there have been very few radical changes in modern amplifiers. Yes, I know about Class D, but even the nCore is over 10 years old, with new variants being 2 years old and more...
Mr Underhill
10 min read
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4,054
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Denafrips Ares 12th-1 DAC – S$1,549 Denafrips Iris 12th DDC - S$899 Prices inclusive VAT, import duties & taxes in Singapore dollars. Martin Virgo Introduction Denafrips has had a DAC reviewed on the site before, George had bought the Denafrips Terminator and Denafrips Gaia. Since then the...
Mr Underhill
7 min read
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1,520
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NVA Limited Edition AP20 integrated amplifier - £1,200 NVA Cube 3 Speakers - £1,000 Martin Virgo Introduction I have just forced myself from my sickbed as the WAM show is tomorrow. This review was a good idea that became mired in equipment being needed for shows, unmovable diary events and...
Mr Underhill
5 min read
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1,399
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11
The HiFi Gods don’t appear to have been too kind in recent weeks. The Ascot Show was beset with rail strikes and this weekend’s UK Audio Show, at the Staverton Park Hotel, was surrounded by road works and traffic accidents. Fortunately, for me, George was doing the driving! We witnessed the bent...
Mr Underhill
12 min read
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1,374
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Synthesis Roma 69DC DAC (£2,499) Review by Martin Virgo Introduction DACs are an interesting challenge to review, not because they all sound the same, although there are definitely family resemblances, but due to their impact being shaped by the system of which they are a part. Is a DAC a...
Mr Underhill
6 min read
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Meze 109pro Open Back Headphones (£769) Martin Virgo Introduction Meze is a company based in Romania and started in 2011. They carry a rather stellar reputation, with the Meze Empyrean being lusted after by many headphone users, but this is not the apotheosis of their range. I asked the...
Mr Underhill
7 min read
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1,066
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Sound Artist LS3/5a or System Building Review by Martin Virgo Sound Artist LS3/5a = £495 Introduction A few months ago I reviewed the Sound Artist in comparison with the Falcon LS3/5a. I reproduce the near-field system section below, heh re-use is very green! My nearfield system uses a Naim...
Mr Underhill
Updated
6 min read
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1,526
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No Stopping Me This Time, SME By Martin Virgo & George Sallit Trevor of Guildford Audio invited George and I to come back to compare and contrast a number of SME turntables. Frankly, I needed no time to say, ‘Yes please’. Trevor’s listening room is a veritable Alladin’s cave of superb HiFi...
Mr Underhill
7 min read
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3,435
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Harbeth P3-ESR XD (£2,635) by Martin Virgo Introduction This review has again emphasised the subtle borrows and hazards that can affect what you choose to buy. The complexities include: What initially impresses; The differences to your usual listening experience; What you enjoy over a longer...
Mr Underhill
Updated
11 min read
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3,217
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HiFi Rose RS250A £2,349 by Martin Virgo Introduction I was aware of HiFi Rose as a couple of fellow reviewers have had some of their kit through their hands over the last year or so, and so I was curious. HiFi Rose are a South Korean company based in Seoul. They are a subsidiary of Citech...
Mr Underhill
Updated
14 min read
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1,915
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Chord Electronics 2go/2yu Review (£1,445) Martin Virgo Introduction This review has again emphasised to me the subtle borrows and hazards that can affect what you hear from your digital audio. The effects of the hosting, software and grounding can all have a big influence on your musical...
George 47
Updated
5 min read
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3,732
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Luxman D-07X and D-10X CD/SACD Players Luxman 507Z and 509X Integrated Amplifiers Written by George Sallit Luxman D-07X Luxman D-10X Luxman has been rather busy recently and there is more to come. They have added a new CD/SACD player, the D-07X, which is second to their top model the...
George 47
Updated
4 min read
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Synthesis A50 Taurus Integrated Amplifier Review by MusicMan76 Product: Conclusion first I’m going to start this review, by doing what I tend to do with every review that I read myself, and that is to find the short conclusion. In our busy lives, sometimes we just want to cut to the...
Mr Underhill
Updated
8 min read
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Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a (£2,475) vs Sound Artist LS3/5a (£600) Review by Martin Virgo Introduction A couple of years ago I decided that I needed a better pair of speakers for my near-field system and naturally my thoughts turned to the BBC LS3/5a. I then noticed that the Chinese manufacturer...
George 47
Updated
11 min read
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3,313
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Perfect Sound Forever, All Else is Gaslight These phrases greeted the introduction of domestic digital music to consumers in 1982. I immediately went out and bought a Philips CD104 player. I played the sampler disc and WOW. No crackles, no clicks, no pops. An even frequency response with...
Mr Underhill
Updated
17 min read
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Introduction A number of months ago our erstwhile editor, George47, asked me to give Roon ‘a go’ and write my impressions. I agreed and parked it in the to-do pile. Without short-circuiting this write-up that was a mistake. In the following review, I will be examining Roon used in a Nearfield...
Mr Underhill
Updated
9 min read
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1,723
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Introduction Hardly the newest DAC on the block I was enthusiastic to hear the DAC3 as I haven’t heard a Benchmark DAC since the originally released DAC1. At that time, I bought the Benchmark rather than the Chord DAC64, which I felt was equally as good but rather more expensive. The comments...
rabski
Updated
13 min read
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4,180
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A HiFi WigWam review by Richard Bowles Improving on perfection? I had the pleasure of living with Audio Note’s Meishu Tonmeister for some time. From the very first occasion I switched it on in my system here, I knew it was something special, particularly in its uncanny ability to extract the...