hifi review

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Chord Electronics Choral Etude Review Chord Electronics Choral Etude £4,500 150W into 4 ohms 33.3 (W) x 7.1 (H) x 15.4 (D) cm 230VAC 3.45kg Black or Silver Inputs: 2xXLR (balanced); 2xRCA (single ended) Outputs: Pair WBT speaker terminals Chord Electronics: https://chordelectronics.co.uk/...

Sonus faber Lumina 1 (£799) Speakers Reviewed by Mr Underhill Introduction What wonderfully dinky little speakers. Love the look and the sound, but can they defeat the devil that is physics? These made in Italy speakers come nicely packed with a layer of thin foam between the face and...

HIFI ROSE RS150(B) There are three words that spring to mind on initial impressions when listening to the Hifi Rose RS150(B). Focus, transparency and finesse. Those initial impressions are still correct over a lengthy review period. After having the baby brother of this unit, the RS250 in...

Teams or individuals? Designing audio is unusual in that some products are designed by gifted individuals and others by a large team who pool their skills. Examples of gifted individuals include Naim Audio started by Julian Vereker who designed their amplifiers, Nelson Pass who designs Pass...

I am fascinated by passive preamplifiers (Control Units?) and have been for a few years. One of the advantages of digital analogue convertors DACs (the only one?) is they have a healthy output of 2V. With power amplifiers giving full output from an input of 0.7-1.5V that in effect means the need...

icOn PRO 4 Balanced Preamp George Sallit icOn 4 PRO Unbalanced icOn 4 PRO Balanced (Taller Preamp) Earlier this year I wrote a review about the icOn4 control unit https://www.hifiwigwam.com/blog/icon-4-passive-preamplifier.30/ and right at the end I mentioned there would be a further...

And n’er the twain will meet. Pro audio and domestic audio. With both groups aiming for the best sound quality for the money, you would think there would be a lot of crossover products but that does not seem to happen. Pro Audio is seen as a group of people interested only in measurements...