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REVIEW

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Stuart Smith

Dan Worth

Janine Elliot

Ian Ringstead

Dominic Marsh

Linette Smith

John Scott

James Fleming

Stuart Smith

Lauren Coombes

Linette Smith

www.hifipig.com

[email protected]

+33(0) 297237078

WELCOMEWelcome to the latest edition of Hifi Pig Magazine where you’ll finda whole load of Hifi News, reviews and lots of interesting music newsand reviews.

We’re now in the run up to what we believe will become the premierHifi and lifestyle show in the UK, The Indulgence Show, where HifiPig will be doing its usual in-depth coverage and this year, as a bit ofa departure from the norm we will be hosting our own room…with atwist.

Between 3.30 and 6pm on the Saturday 30th September everyoneattending the show is invited to join us in the Cognac Suite where wewill be hosting what we hope will be a fabulous event. There will be alive DJ (The incredible Fray Bentos who has a residency at thefamous Dogstar in Brixton) playing through a world class Hifi set up,plus goodie bags for you to take away and the chance to win somereally great prizes. We’re also planning to stream the event live sodon’t miss out on this great event at what is already lining up to be atruly memorable show.

See you there!

Hifi Pig is part of Big Pig Media LLP

Partnership No OC397825

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Leading publications, What Hi-Fi?, Hi-Fi+, Hi-Fi Worldand HiFi Pig have all confirmed their involvement withThe Indulgence Show – the UK’s newest andbrightest event, that brings quality audio to London.

Hi-Fi+, Hi-Fi World and HiFi Pig are each presenting afloor of the Audio London zone, plus there’ll besubscription offers, events and features presented bysome of the magazines to provide additional andcompelling reasons for their readers to visit to theshow.

As part of the ‘event that presents three shows inone’, Audio London occupies the Mezzanine, Secondand Third floors of the Novotel London WestConference Centre, running alongside the headroomand Pure Pleasure zones. HiFi Pig will be focused onthe Mezzanine Floor, where brands such as Naim,AudioQuest, Cabasse and The Chord Company areexhibiting. The second floor, with exhibitors includingPMC, Chord Electronics, Monitor Audio and Arcam,sees Hi-Fi+ as the media presenter. On the third floor,Hi-Fi World will be in attendance alongside Michell,ProAc, Longdog Audio and Innuos.

What Hi-Fi? has also confirmed its attendance at the2017 Indulgence Show, with a presence that includesa hi-fi help area and subscription offers.

What Hi-Fi? will be taking an area on the Champagnelevel near the headroom zone. The editorial andreview team will be on hand to answer show visitors’questions on all things hi-fi, be it streaming, high-res,turntables or system matching.

Vernon Hamblin, show organiser, says, “We aredelighted by the commitment of the media to TheIndulgence Show’s second year and are very pleasedthat they were encouraged by the success of the firstyear’s show, which brought a quality audio show backto London for the first time in around a decade.” Hecontinues, “With a combined readership that reachesinto the tens of thousands in print and millions online,it is a tremendous boost for the event and we lookforward to welcoming the readers of these excellentpublications to Hammersmith at the end ofSeptember. For potential exhibitors, it’s another verygood reason to book space at the show.”

PMC is marking a significantexpansion in its U.S. operation withopening a new office and demofacility in Nashville, a city renownedfor its musical heritage.

With a client roster that alreadyincludes acclaimed music and filmindustry luminaries such as GrammyAward winners Thomas Newman(Skyfall), Tommy Vicari (FindingDory), Tony Maserati (Beyonce, LadyGaga), Pete Lyman (Ben Harper,Dandy Warhols) and David Reitzas(Madonna, Elton John), PMC is keento improve access for the musicmakers in Nashville to its extensiverange of professional monitorproducts, including the larger modelssuch as the IB2S-XBD-A and the newMB3-XBD and BB6 monitors.

Dave Cobb, Nashville based doubleGrammy award–winning record

producer and Pete Lyman, co-ownerand head mastering engineer of LAbased vinyl mastering studio,Infrasonic Sound, cut the ribbon toopen the Nashville office. Inside,visitors will be able to demonstratethe entire spectrum of PMC monitors,from compact to the large systems,and even use the facility to mix theirown projects in a fully operationalstudio.

“We want to expose as many peopleas possible to the power and clarity ofPMC products, especially our flagshipmodels that are best heard in anacoustically accurate studioenvironment,” says Maurice Patist,PMC USA’s President of Sales andMarketing. “We hope that recordingprofessionals will come in and reallyput our monitors to the test by mixingtheir own projects through them. We

will also be running eventswith local music technologycolleges so that the nextgeneration of audioengineers can experiencePMC quality forthemselves.”

The new Nashville officeand studio will be headedby PMC USA productmanager Jordan Shirks,who joined the company’sUS team in 2015 afterspending six years withconsole manufacturer API.A Nashville native, Shirkshas extensive musicindustry contacts and iswidely respected as a

producer and engineer.

Peter Thomas, owner of PMC addshis thoughts, on the new office,“Nashville isn’t just country music anymore, it’s one of the most importantand influential places in the world forthe development of new music. It isaptly called ‘Music City’, as it is acentre for pop, rock, bluegrass, jazz,classical and pretty well every othergenre of music. That’s why wedecided to open our new US office inthe city, where a new generation ofstudio owners, producers, engineers,composers and singer/songwritersare flocking, making it one of themost vibrant scenes in the USA. PMCis delighted to be part of this growthand we’re looking forward to anexciting future in this exciting city.”

PMC Opens SalesOffice In Nashville USA

Sib Evo is the second generation ofFocal’s Sib line. With this new linefeaturing Dolby Atmos technology,Focal say that they are “once againsparking a revolution in the homecinema market”.

The strict minimum for Dolby Atmosis a 5.1.2 system, and Focal wantedto integrate this technology into thenew generation of Sib & Coloudspeakers, the Home Cinemarange they launched in 2002.The5.1.2 pack is composed of twoloudspeakers equipped with anadditional speaker driver on the topfeaturing Dolby Atmos® technology.

This new-generation “enabledloudspeaker” was designed toreproduce both horizontal and verticalwaves (towards the ceiling). Themajor innovation of this technologylies in the reflection of sound wavesoff the ceiling towards the listenerusing an extra speaker driver on topof the loudspeaker.

FocalLaunchesSib Evo ForHomeCinema

KODA ReleaseNew Loudspeakers

KODA, the Polish producer ofloudspeakers and audio equipment,has introduced four new speakers inits: floorstanding AK-48F, center AK-48C and surround AK-48S and theKODA EX-569F which drawsinspiration from the EX line, theirrange that was popular in the early90’s.

All models are sold separately whichgives an option to build a stereosystem and expand it to multi-channelat any time.

Construction Details and Features

> Rigid enclosures made of high-density MDF boards: 18mm for thefront baffle and 12mm for the otherwalls;

> Vinyl coating with wood-like texture;

> Center and surround speakersequipped with wall mounts.

KODA AK-48F only

> Pure titanium tweeter is able toreach up to 30kHz

> Utilises a low-turbulence bassreflexport on the front to allow placing thespeakers nearer to the back wall;

> Two 8” woofers;

> Equipped with adjustable spikes toprovide isolate the speakers from thefloor

> Provides bi-wiring / bi-ampingconnectivity

James Loudspeaker, designers andmanufacturers of entertainmentproducts for both residential andcommercial applications, hasannounced the introduction of theQ-Series floor-standingloudspeakers, a built-to-suit array ofthree models.

In addition to three standard models,Q-Series speakers can be customsized and finished to meet the exactneeds of any environment.Leveraging the technology in James’flagship BE-Series in-wall speakers,all three Q-Series models employ arigid, reinforced MDF enclosure, agrille made from coated aluminiumbar stock and the signature JamesLoudspeaker 1-inch Beryllium quad

tweeter array. Aesthetically they areinspired by the shape of beautifulQuartz crystals found in nature.

Q60: The Q60 has been engineeredto use two amplifiers (bi-amplification), one for the full-rangeportion of the speaker and another forthe internal 12-inch down-firingaluminium cone subwoofer. Abovethe 12-inch subwoofer, whichfeatures a 3-inch voice coil capable ofhandling 1000+ watts of power, theQ60 utilises a 3-way systemcomprised of two 8-inch woofers, two6.5-inch midranges and the Berylliumquad tweeter array. MSRP $15,000US (each)

Q48: The Q48 implements the samebi-amped system and 12-inch

subwoofer as the Q60, utilising a pairof 8 inch woofers, two 5.25-inchmidrange drivers and the Berylliumquad tweeter array. Like the Q60, theQ48 is fully customizable in terms offinish and even physical dimensions ifnecessary. MSRP $10,000 US (each)

Q30: Like the Q60 and Q48, the Q30features the Beryllium quad tweeterarray. The 8-inch midrange and 8-inch long-excursion woofer all featurealuminium cones with Santoprene™rubber surrounds. MSRP $6,000 US(each)

All Q-Series speakers are built inJames Loudspeaker’s Napa, CA USAfactory.

James Loudspeaker Unveils Q-SeriesFloor-Standing Speakers

Bluesound Now ShippingRT100 Wireless Speaker

Bluesound who make a wirelessmulti-room music system thatsupports hi-res audio, haveannounced the immediate availabilityof the RT100 Wireless Speaker Link.The RT100 is an accessory thatallows for the addition of a non-wireless active subwoofer to almostany system without the hassle ofcabling. It is available now with arecommended retail price of €129 EUand £99 GBP.

Using point-to-point technology, theRT100 allows users to wirelessly pairany active subwoofer with theBluesound Pulse Soundbar. To pairwith a Bluesound Pulse Soundbar,simply connect the RT100 to asubwoofer via analogue, press thepairing button, and then complete theprocess using a smartphone or tablet.For users of the Pulse Soundbar andPulse Sub the process is built-in andthe RT100 is not required.

The Bluesound SUB can be pairedwith any Bluesound Player with the

addition of one RT100 WirelessSpeaker Link. As a full-range devicewith both transmitter and receiverfunctions, users can connect oneRT100 to any Gen 2 BluesoundPlayer or an existing stereo systemwith a USB (transmit only) oranalogue input, and a second RT100to any active subwoofer to wirelesslystream audio with added bass whileeliminating cables.

“The RT100 Wireless Speaker Link isthe perfect solution for adding a non-wireless subwoofer to theirBluesound music system.”,commented Greg Stidsen, Director ofTechnology and Product Planning forBluesound. “Customers can also usemultiple RT100’s to connect theirstereo and powered speakers withoutthe need for messy cabling. Eitherway, the RT100 Wireless SpeakerLink will provide a great benefit for amodest investment.”

*Availability and retail price may varyby countries.

The AAD2 is Audio Nec’s lateststereo amplifier operating in class D,with discrete components and with anoversized 2P4P linear power supply.It also incorporates R2R DACs,requiring no modulation cables,allowing for the musical signal toremain digital up to amplificationstages.

Audio Nec told us “By placing thedigital / analogue conversion in theamplifier, the only analogueconnections are the speaker cables.Radio frequency and electromagneticdisturbances are thus limited to aminimum. Its totally balanced design,with a discrete components topologyand with an oversized power supply,give a very lively and warm hearingwithout any feeling of limiting poweror stress. Every detail, every microinformation is reproduced with highprecision and exceptional harmony”.

Functioning in Class D, the AAD2’sefficiency is close to 95% andproduces very little heat as it isenergy efficient both at rest or duringintense use. The AAD2 amplifier hasa touch screen on the front panel forall controls. It is also available as anintegrated version with the AAD2ithat has exactly the samecharacteristics. The AAD2i alsoincorporates a volume control stage.

Audio NecAAD2Amplifier

Russ Andrews Introduce The Supplier Power Supply

Russ Andrews is introducing TheSupplier, a replacement DC powersupply to upgrade a large selection ofpopular hifi products, and, claim RussAndrews, “improve the musicalperformance of the connecteddevice”.

The Supplier has been developed towork with a variety of differentproducts and is ordered direct fromRuss Andrews by specifying whichthird-party product it is to be usedwith. An ever growing list of products,for which a model of The Supplier ismade, can be found on the RussAndrews website and customers canalso contact the company withrequests for a unit compatible withtheir product if it is not listed. Thecorrect DC voltage output, with acorrectly terminated linking cable,which fits into the high quality XLRoutput socket, will be supplied. The0.25m standard length link cable may

also be ordered in additional lengthsto accommodate individual systemset ups.

Based around a heavily modifiedSwitch Mode Power Supply, that hasbeen rewired with Kimber cabling andfitted with Kimber Kap and Panasonicaudio-grade capacitors, The Supplier,which is also fitted with thecompany’s Silencer mains filter, isavailable in 5v, 9v, 12v, 15v, 19v and25v variants and has a 60W rating. Itcan be used with any AC mains inputfrom 90V to 260V, ensuringworldwide operation is possible.

Russ Andrews, chairman andtechnical director, says, “Somepeople are surprised when they learnwe use a switch mode power supply,thinking them inferior to the traditionallinear supplies. I’ve done extensiveevaluations of both types and, while itis true that linear is often better, it’snot always the case and the switch

mode unit specified for The Supplieris one such example – it soundsconsiderably better than many linearsupplies.” He continues, “With themodifications we’ve made to it, thisunit provides a very powerful upgradefor users of the popular DACs,headphone amps, phono stages,streamers and turntables for which itis designed.”

The compact enclosure, 150 x 53 x210mm, features UL approvedcustom-casework, a high-glossacrylic faceplate with hidden LEDindicator and a substantial IECconnector on the rear panel for usewith a mains lead of the user’schoosing.

The Supplier is available now andcosts £449. It comes with a two-yearwarranty and is part of the RussAndrews 60 day money backguarantee programme.

PS AUDIOReleaseDirectStreamUpdate ForMQA And Tidal

PS Audio has announced an updatewhich provides Bridge II-equippedDirectStream, DSJ, and PerfectWaveDACs with full unfold of MQA up to192 kHz/24 bit, and provides accessto the streaming service Tidal.

Last year, PS released the TorreysOS upgrade which created a RoonEndpoint in the Bridge II, makingDACs with the Bridge II fully RoonReady. Last month, PS released theHuron OS upgrade, providingimprovements in sound quality andfunctionality for the DirectStream andDSJ DACs, and laying thegroundwork for this release of newBridge II code.

As always, these updates wereprovided to owners of PS Audio DACsat no charge. All PS Audio DACs arefuture-proof, offering owners theopportunity to download upgradeswhich will improve sound quality andfunctionality, and provide newfeatures.

Bridge II updates can be initiated fromthe front panel of the DirectStream,DSJ and PerfectWave DACs. Noexternal data cards or sticks arerequired; once initiated, the updatedownloads automatically over theuser’s network.

IsoTek Builds OnPolaris With EVO3Corvus

IsoTek, provider of powerconditioning solutions for hi-fi andhome cinema systems, has launchedthe next generation of the DiscoverySeries : the EVO3 Corvus mainconditioning block.

The EVO3 Corvus is an evolution ofIsoTek’s award-winning Polarisdesign, reconfigured to feature nineoutput sockets with an upgradedamperage rating to allow 3680W ofcontinuous power. Also included aspart of the price is a 1.5m Premierpower cable. The EVO3 Corvus has aunique delta filter topology ensuresclass-leading filtration of bothCommon Mode and Differential Modemains noise, delivering super-cleanpower to nine outlets – each oneindependently isolated to preventcross-contamination. In addition,13,500Amps of instantaneousprotection in provided, safeguarding

valuable equipment via IsoTek’sunique sequential and repeatableprotection system. Priced at £695.00,the Corvus aims to be a cost-effectiveupgrade to any audio or audio-visualsystem, with the goal of improvedperformance, protection as well asbeing great value for money.

The EVO3 Corvus is a compactpower distribution strip measuring363mm in length, 146.5mm wide andjust 45mm high. It features nineindividual outlets which referenceback to the central PCB. Most powercleaners of this style join outputsockets together, running each inseries, this is an error as DifferentialMode Noise created by yourconnected electronics will crosscontaminate from one output to thenext. Corvus wiring schematicprevents this.

iFi adds to its flagship ‘Pro’ range ofcompact audio components with thePro iESL headphone energiser adevice designed to “make the most ofelectrostatic headphones”.

Electrostatic headphones, such asthose made by Stax, are notoriouslytricky to drive. They need more powerthan regular dynamic headphones,delivered in the right way to ensuretheir electrostatic plates are properly‘energised’. Most amps deliver neitherthe EHT (Extra High Tension) voltagenor the required audio voltage toenable electrostatic headphones toperform at their best.

The iFi Pro iESL can be driven by anyhigh-quality integrated amp or poweramp, or paired with iFi’s Pro iCANheadphone amp, to deliver audiosignals that are fully optimised forelectrostatic headphones such asthose from Stax or KingSound, or

Sennheiser’s Orpheus. It can also beused to ‘transformer-couple’ high-enddynamic headphones – FocalUtopias, for example – to enhancesound quality.

Key features

Hand-wound permalloy coretransformers

Bias voltage generator delivers fullyoptimised output signal

Capacitive battery power supplyensures a perfect bias voltage source

Qquality circuit componentsthroughout, including WIMAcapacitors and Vishay MELFresistors, plus gold-plated silver andsealed-silver contact relays

Impedance, bias and terminationmatched to the connectedheadphones

iFi Pro iESLHeadphoneEnergiser

Cary Audio has announced theirpartnership with Roon Labs. As ofnow, both Cary’s DMS-500 referencenetwork audio player and AiOS all-in-one network receiver are certifiedRoon Ready.

All units now shipping will have RoonReady pre-installed and all currentDMS-500 and AiOS owners canupdate their firmware free of chargeto bring it up to Roon Readyspecifications. Additionally, all newunits will come with a 60-day freesubscription to Roon. Current ownerscan also contact Cary Audio to takeadvantage of the 60-day freesubscription to Roon.

Cary Audio told us: “The DMS-500and AiOS products live up to ourpromise of continually adding majorenhancements and features to ourcustomers at no additional charge.Roon Ready is the latest of theseenhancements following our MQAcertification as well as other addedstreaming services. We will announceanother new fantastic streamingservice soon”.

Cary AudioPartnersWith RoonLabs

Loudspeaker manufacturerAvantgarde Acoustic has beenawarded Gold in the German BrandAward 2017.

The high end manufacturer from theOdenwald has made it into “the eliteof the German brand world”. On June16th they attended the awards inBerlin. It is one of the leading awardsfor successful brand management inGermany. Avantgarde Acoustic wonin the category of ‘Industry

Excellence in Branding’, the awardbeing given by an independent jury ofrenowned market experts. “A greathonour,” commented ManagingDirector Holger Fromme (picturedbelow with his wife Beate) after theawards ceremony in the DRIVE.Volkswagen Group Forum. Themanufacturer of luxury loudspeakershas been providing directional hornsystems for over 25 years. Now thehfi company has been recognisedoutside of it’s own industry. This

allows the small family company tofinally measure itself with the bigplayers.

The Jury released the followingstatement: “Avantgarde Acoustic isregarded as the world’s mostimportant manufacturer of hornspeakers, simple, straightforward andabsolutely precise – as is the case,the functional, extremely high-qualityproduct design is derived from theintended use Are presented perfectlyand harmoniously by the puristic,powerful and sensual aesthetics ofthe brand design. This is pureperformance on a whole level”.

Innovative brands, consistent brandmanagement and sustainable brandcommunication: The German BrandAward is one of the most importantawards for excellent brandcompetence. “We understand theGerman Brand Award as animportant acknowledgement of ourcommitment to building the bestloudspeakers in the world,” saidHolger Fromme after the awardceremony with over 200 invitedguests from the worlds of business,politics and the media. Previously,Andrej Kupetz, Chief Executive,emphasized the high standard of thecompetition: “Our aim: to discover,present and award award-winningbrands and brands.”

Avantgarde Acoustic has won severalimportant awards in a very short time.In addition to the Plus X Award andthe IF Gold Award, AvantgardeAcoustic has received the EISAAward (Product of the Year) and theRed Dot Award. In 2016 the GermanDesign Award Special for “excellentproduct design” of the ZERO 1 modelfollowed, plus Avantgarde Acoustichas been accepted as a member ofthe German Design Council. Underthe title “Unique. Valuable.”

Avantgarde Acoustic Win German Brand Award 2017

Japanese cable and accessoriesmanufacturer Furutech continue theirassault on the various unwanted‘intruders’ that can get in the way ofpeak hifi performance. The newdestat III aims to eliminate dust andstatic from analogue and digitalmedia, from audio and videocomponents and, claim Furutech,from pretty much anything.

The destat III is the third generationmodel of Furutech’s original destat.Furutach say “it removes dust andstatic charge from any and all audioand video media in just one 15-second treatment”. Hold Furutech’sdestat III over your chosen media andpress one button. In just 15 seconds,the fan removes dust while abalanced ion flow generator releasesa balance of positive and negativeions to eliminate static.

As any fan of high-performance audioknows, static charge builds up onanalogue and digital discs. Whethervinyl, CD or DVD, this chargeconstitutes unwanted electricalinterference as well as attracting dust,both of which can lead to distractingnoise and compromised sonicperformance. The new destat IIIdelivers about 30% more “zapping

power” that its predecessor, thedestat II. It has also been restyledwith a more ergonomic design andnow runs on AA batteries. A safetycircuit prevents any small electricshocks from the balanced ion flowgenerator.

So, say Furutech, why stop at justyour media? “Almost everycomponent in a hifi or AV system willbenefit from eliminating its staticcharge (best to switch them off duringtreatment). You can also use thedestat III on power cords, speakercables, interconnects and any and allaccessories that include metalcomponents such as record clamps”.

The Furutech destat III is availablenow priced at £299 (including VAT).

Furutech’s AVID

New DestatIII Released

AVID has purchased a new site inKimbolton, Cambridgeshire close toits existing factory.

In business for over 20 years, thecompany has recently experienced aperiod of significant growth,registering its best trading year in2016 and expects this trend tocontinue.

Conrad Mas commented “Withexpansion into new markets and astrong distribution network the timewas right to increase our capacity.The new property allows our presentbuilding to become whollymanufacturing, whilst the newbuilding gives us a dedicated trainingand demonstration facility, allowing usto show our expanding productrange.”

OpenNewDesignandTrainingFacility

British music and sound specialists,Meters Music, have announced thelaunch of the new M-Ears in-earheadphones, created in collaborationwith U2 bassist Adam Clayton.

The M-Ears’ sound performance wasdeveloped in close collaboration withClayton. Speaking of his creativepartnership with the Meters team, hesaid, “I love the Ashdown team’sapproach to sound. I’ve been usingtheir bass amps in the studio and ontour with U2 for years now, and thesound I get from them is superb. So, Iwas very happy to work with them onthe development and tuning of theirnew ‘M-Ears’ headphones.”

The M-Ears are the latest addition tothe Meters’ 2017 audio range – whichbegan with the OV-1 headphones.The Meters Music team also trades inthe pro audio/musical instrumentsector: in its guise as parent

company, Ashdown Engineering, theteam creates bass and guitaramplifiers for many popularmusicians, such as Sir PaulMcCartney, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro,System of a Down and, of course,U2.

Speaking of the development of theM-Ears, Meters CEO Mark Goodaycommented, “We collaborate closelyon sound with the world’s finestmusicians, so we know Adam well.When we decided to develop the M-Ear headphones, I knew the quality ofhis musicianship, and trusted his earscompletely, so I asked him to adviseand help determine the sound of thefinal design. The results are every bitas good as I’d hoped.”

The Meters team created aconsiderable number of samples,each tuned differently and withvarying performance characteristics.

Having tested them all at home andwhile on tour with U2, Adam Claytonpicked the final version which isavailable now as the Meters M-Ears.He says, “I listened to a whole rangeof samples they gave me for testing,and eventually chose the version nowlaunched as the MEars, because ithad everything you want: precision,clarity and musicality.”

The M-Ears feature leather styling,which comes in three colours – Black,Tan and Red. They utilise magnetsthat clip the two earbuds togetherwhen you’re not using them. Thesemagnets are strong enough to hangon the back of your neck while not inuse, for a completely tangle-freeheadphones experience.

Costing just £49.99, the M-Ears aimto temper value for money with aprofessionally endorsed sound.

Meters Music Introduces the ‘M-Ears’ Earbuds

Lindy Electronics, a Europeanproducer of IT and AV connectivitysolutions has released a 50m 4KFibre Optic HDMI Hybrid Cable –combining the advantages of a fibreoptic cable with slimline coppercabling. Its robust design allows it totransmit UHD HDMI signals with nointerruption – for optimal high speedperformance.

The Lindy Fibre Optic Hybrid HDMICable is designed for both home andprofessional use. Thanks to fibreoptic technology, the cables cantransmit up to 4K resolution signalsover extended distances. With nocompression or signal degradation,pure digital signals are sent directlyfrom the source – for maximum audio

and visual output. Whilst standardcopper only cables limit the distanceof digital signals, the HDMI Hybridcable features H-PCD (Hard-PolymerClad Fibre) glass fibres for longdistance, high resolutiontransmission.

This cable supports both 3D 1080pand 4K resolutions – allowing for upto four times greater resolution thanthe 1080p standard. For those whoopt for AV excellence, the cable alsosupports Dolby True HD and DTS-HDMaster Audio for up to 32 channels.

The Lindy 4K Fibre Optic HDMIHybrid Cable Range Begins At£209.99

Lindy Electronics Release 4K Fibre Optic HDMI Hybrid Cable

PureAudioProject Quintet15 Wall of Sound OpenBaffle SpeakersPureAudioProject say that their 7′ X21″ Quinitet15 “takes the clarity,realism, and the emotional impact ofmusic to a true ‘wall of sound’musical experience”. They boasteight audiophile­grade 15″ woofersand a selection of wide range drivers.

PureAudioProject’s Modular OpenBaffle Concept also ensures an easyupgrade path to Quintet15 for anyTrio15 owner. A new frame, fourmore woofers and baffles, the sameor upgraded main drivers and a fewchanges to the Leonidas crossovers,is all that is required for the transition.

With Quintet15 customers canchoose from a variety of world’s top-end wide range drivers such as TBW8-1808, PAP-Horn1, Voxativ AC-1.6 and 2.6, the wood cone AC-PiFe,the Field Coil AC-X, AER BD-1 andmore…

More Features

Modular Aluminium Frame

15″ Woofers: 8 x audiophile gradeopen baffle woofers, OB-A15NEO

Passive Crossover: ‘Leonidas’ XO,configured to the specific maindrivers

Active Crossover: PAP-C1(Analogue) or miniDSP

Baffles: Piano Gloss, GenuineGerman Oak (handcrafted), custom

Size: Hight 7′, Baffle Width 21.26″

Assembly or upgrades do not requiretechnical skills except of a use of ascrewdriver and an Allen Key.

Price starts from $6,990

Shipping within 4 weeks.

15% off on Pre-Order

PMC has invested in advanced lasermeasuring equipment for its researchand development department, to helpfacilitate a more “holistic approach” tofuture drive unit and cabinet designsfor improved low frequencyperformance.

Known for its ATL (AdvancedTransmission Line) bass loading, theR&D team, headed by OliverThomas, is now equipped with astate-of-the-art tool that will enablethem to refine this further.

Using the recently installed advancedlaser measurement system,manufactured by Klippel in Germany,the development engineers canmeasure the mechanical parametersof the loudspeaker drive units with fargreater accuracy than was previouslypossible. This permits thedevelopment of new drive units, theperformance of which can be tailoredto exactly suit the application in whichthey will be used. PMC take a wholesystem approach to speaker design.In addition to more accuratelydetermining the drive unit’selectromechanical performance,known as the Thiel/SmallParameters, the company can alsomeasure the interaction with the ATL.By mounting a prototype drive unit inthe prototype ATL and using the laserto measure the mechanicalmovement of the drive unit in situ, theR&D team can make adjustments toboth elements in tandem.

As Oliver Thomas explains, “PMC isrenowned for its low frequency

performance through the applicationof the Advanced Transmission Line –and so it’s an area of system designwe obviously spend a lot of time on.Using our new laser measurementpackage, we can accurately measurewhat is happening with the conemovement at very low frequencieswhen mounted in the ATL.” Hecontinues, “From an engineeringperspective this provides knowledgethat we can use to fine tune the driveunit and ATL design in parallel and inreal time. The advantages for us ofthis holistic approach are tremendousin the development of ATLloudspeakers and will enable evenmore accurate and transparentloudspeakers to be developed for ourprofessional and domesticcustomers.”

PMC R&D Dept UsingAdvanced LaserMeasurement System

ECLIPSE, the high-performanceloudspeaker division of Fujitsu Ten,has joined forces with British AVretailer Richer Sounds, making theirTD-508MK3 accessible across itsstore network.

The collaboration has made it easierto experience ECLIPSE’s TD-508MK3 loudspeaker (£960) withselected stores (Southampton,Weybridge, and Chelsea) holdingdemo samples for audition.

There are 3 ways to order the TD-508MK3 :

– From any Richer Sounds store intheir 53-strong retail network.

– Online at Richer Sounds’ website.

– By calling the dedicated telesalescentre.

Richer Sounds ToStart DistributingECLIPSE TD-508MK3Loudspeakers

The preamp/control unit is “the heartof any hi-fi system”. Townshend toldus: “The Allegri+ PassiveAutotransformer preamp is a verysmall control unit with a very bigheart”.

Max Townshend went on to explainfurther:

“The nature of the transformer designeliminates the problems usuallyassociated with resistive passivecontrols. At the zero dB setting theinput signal is directly connected tothe output.This means that the outputimpedance of The Allegri+ is thesame as the output impedance of thesource component”.

“Further, the input impedance of TheAllegri+ is equal to the inputimpedance of the power amplifier at

this setting. At -6dB (output voltagehalf the input voltage), the inputimpedance of The Allegri+ is fourtimes the input impedance of thepower amplifier and the outputimpedance of The Allegri+ is onequarter of the source impedance. At-20dB (10 to 1), the input impedanceof The Allegri+ is one hundred timesthe power amplifier impedance andthe output impedance of The Allegri+is one hundredth of the impedance ofthe source component. It is thus clearthat the interconnect cablecapacitance will have no effect on theperformance of The Allegri+”.

There are no coupling capacitors oractive devices in the signal path inThe Allegri + and there is no powersupply. The Allegri+ PassiveAutotransformer has a six position

input selector, a mute switch and a24 position volume control withintervals chosen to cover a widerange of volume levels in differentsystems. Its autotransformers arewound with Townshend AudioFractal-Wire™ and laminated withultra-thin mU metal laminations.There are six pairs of gold platedstereo phono inputs and two pairs ofoutputs and a 3.5mm input jack onthe front panel. The case is made ofanodized aluminium. Unlike manyconventional passive controllersTownshend say that the Allegri+matches the impedance requirementsof source and amplifier.

DC coupled with no capacitors in thesignal path.

There is a 5 year guarantee.

Townshend Audio Allegri+Preamplifier

Emotiva Audio Corporationannounced today that two newAirmotiv loudspeaker models areavailable through the company’swebsite and authorized Emotivadealers.

New to the lineup are the three-wayAirmotiv T2 ($999/pair), which is thesecond and larger double 8” towermodel in the series; and the AirmotivC2 (SRP: $369), the second andlarger Airmotiv center channel modelwith two 6.5” woven fiber woofers,one 6” woven fiber midrange driver,and two 25mm folded ribbontweeters.

“Since shipping our first Airmotivmodels last year, the line continues tobe one of our most successful seriesto date,” said Dan Laufman, Presidentand Founder, Emotiva Audio Corp. “Ihave no doubt that the T2 and C2 willonly fuel the momentum because, likeall of our Airmotiv models, they cango head-to-head with comparablydesigned speakers costing drasticallymore, let alone competitors at ouraffordable price points.”

The Airmotiv loudspeaker line isengineered and positioned to be acomplete sound solution forcontemporary hi-end audio systems.All models feature modern elegantblack faceted baffles, with criticallybraced high quality MDF cabinets andmagnetically attached grills.

Emotiva ReleasesTwo New AirmotivLoudspeakerModels

The Power Broker is a high-currentpower strip, with 8 NEMA outletshand-wired by WyWires using theirproprietary formula. Housed in anexotic wood box, hand-crafted byDaedelus Audio, who has partneredwith WyWires on this project.

The Power Broker is now available inthree quality levels:

The original Power Broker, whichincludes the Silver Series Juice II HC,a high-current power cord specificallydesigned for this project.

Platinum Series Power Broker,includes a Platinum Series Juice IIHC Power Cord

Diamond Series Power Broker,includes a Diamond Series Juice IIHC Power Cord

For videophiles, WyWires also claimthat “the Power Broker alsodramatically improves performance ofyour big screen monitor”.

Specification:

Available in American Walnut orEastern Rock Maple with a

Fiddleback Maple CNC-machined topplate

8 High Conductivity 20-Amp outlets;each outlet is effectively isolated fromthe others

12 AWG Asymmetrical Litz, cotton-wrapped internal wiring usingWyWires’ proprietary Litz copper wireformula

Main unit is equipped with vibration-damping Isonodes

Separate anti-vibration base unitconstructed of pressure-laminatedAmerican Walnut and Maple with fourspiked feet

Includes a 6-foot Juice HC (HighCurrent) integrated power cord(Silver, Platinum, Diamond)

Diamond Power Broker includesFurutech GTX outlets.

Pricing:

Power Broker AC Distributor with:

Diamond Juice II HC Power Cord:$4495 USD (6 feet, $325 per footadditional)

Platinum Juice II HC Power Cord:$3495 USD (6 feet, $120 per footadditional)

Silver Juice II HC Power Cord: $2499USD (6 feet, $65 per foot additional)

WyWires Are NowShipping Power BrokerDiamond Series WithJuice HC Power Cord

Keith Monks Audio is celebrating therecord UK sales of vinyl with thelaunch of two new Record Cleaningmachines – the new discOveryRedux and the new discOverymicroLight.

The new revised microLight (Picturedbelow) is the smallest ever KeithMonks RCM and is the smallestprecision record cleaning machineever. The new microlight Redux is amodern version of the traditional‘Keith Monks’ which is smaller,lighter, quieter and it includes an autostop function.

Keith Monks told us that theirmachines bring “the original recordcleaning technique developed with

the BBC, the US Library of Congressand the British Library NationalSound Archive in a modern, easierand more affordable package. Cleanfluid for each record and a singlepoint vacuum system for maximumefficiency where contact is via a cleanthread ensuring no crosscontamination”.

Both new models can clean bothsides of an LP in around 3 minutesand are supplied with Keith MonksdiscOvery precision 12” LP washbrush and Pyr/\Mat stay-clean mat.They also use a SuperSilent, superreliable Medical grade suction pumpimported from Germany. ThediscOvery Redux has a new compact

low profile cabinet with a premiumcarbon finish and has everything builtin: hand pump applies fluid straightonto the record through the brushholder, just like on the pro Monksmachines. The Keith MonksmicrOlight is super compact, KeithMonks say it is the world’s smallestever precision Record CleaningMachine – just 16.5” (42cm) wide.

Prices:

Keith Monks discOvery Redux —Retail GBP 1995, Euro 2395, US$2995

Keith Monks micrOlight — Retail GBP1795, Eur 2095, US$ 2495

Keith Monks Launches TwoNew Record Cleaning Machines

McIntosh Group, parent company ofaudio brands McIntosh, AudioResearch and Sonus faber, hasannounced the appointment of JeffPoggi to co-Chief Executive Officerand Board member.

Alongside Charlie Randall, Poggi willlead the strategic development ofMcIntosh Group, in particular the CarAudio segment that is a key growthopportunity for the Group. Poggi willalso lead the development of theLifestyle sector and will directlysupervise the Sonus faber, Sumikoand Audio Research brands.

Prior to joining McIntosh Group,Poggi worked at Bose and Harmanfor 20 years. He is a well-knownfigure in the Car Audio industry: heled the General Motors account atBose and subsequently was Vice-President of Sales and Marketing forthe Car Audio business unit atHarman. Poggi also bringsexperience in the high-end audiospace as he most recently was Vice-President and General Manager forthe Luxury Audio business unit atHarman. Poggi is an Engineer bytrade; he received his Bachelor’sdegree in Mechanical Engineeringfrom Worcester Polytechnic Institute,and his Master’s degree in Industrialand System Engineering fromGeorgia Institute of Technology. Healso received his MBA from Duke.

Poggi has been a key figure in theindustry and instrumental in the

development of the car audiobusiness. He has managed largeglobal teams and is a highly-respected business leader. “Jeff willadd a great deal to the roll out of ourCar Audio strategy,” said McIntoshGroup President & CEO CharlieRandall. “Jeff is a very talented andcharismatic business leader, who willenhance and further structure themanagement team to achieve ourcommon goals,” added DominikZwerger, representative ofshareholders LBO France. “WithCharlie Randall and Jeff Poggi, wehave the perfect mix of managerialskills in order to continuouslysucceed in the Audiophile andLifestyle sectors, as well asdeveloping key shareholder value inthe Car Audio segment,” addedRoberto d’Angelo, representative ofYarpa spa.

McIntosh GroupNames Jeff Poggi AsCo-Chief ExecutiveOfficer

Amare Musica Release New MonoBlock Amplifiers, OctogenusDiamond.

The Octogenus Diamond MonoPower Amplifier is designed aroundRussian DHT GM70 triode, Drivertube is 300B, output power is 80Watts in pure class A.

Amare Musica told us more: “Forvolume regulation we use customsolution, it’s made by a set of relaysand precision non-inductive resistors.All power supply’s including HV arestabilised. Main PCB is hardened andcontains top components like PTFEsockets, WBT speaker terminals,coupling capacitors tin foil/ paper-in-oil/ pure silver leadout made byJensen, Mundorf caps in powersupply, precision non-inductiveresistors, custom made aluminiumchassis with Franc Audio Accessoriesfeet. The feet are anti-vibration,ceramic disc tablets”.

AmareMusicaAnnounceNewAmplifiers,OctogenusDiamond

McIntosh has announced theMA9000 Integrated Amplifier. Theirlargest integrated in both size andpower, it offers 300 Watts perchannel and combines amplifier andpreamplifier into one unit.

McIntosh went on to tell us: “There’senough inputs and outputs on theMA9000 to last a lifetime. The 10analogue connections are comprisedof 2 balanced and 6 unbalancedinputs plus 1 Moving Coil and 1Moving Magnet phono inputs. Bothphono inputs feature adjustableloading for fine tuning of vinylplayback. All unbalanced analogueconnectors are made from premiumgold-plated solid brass for superiorsignal handling and grounding. Onthe digital side, 2 coax, 2 optical, 1USB and 1 MCT input are all housedin our new DA1 Digital Audio Module;the DA1 can be easily replaced byfuture modules to keep the MA9000up to date as new digital audioformats and technologies aredeveloped. The DA1 utilizes apowerful 8-channel, 32-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) used inQuad Balanced mode. Highresolution DSD256 and DXD 384kHzis supported via the USB input while

the coax and optical inputs willdecode music up to 24-bit/192kHz.All inputs can be given customnames for user-friendly systemcontrol and configuration”.

The MA9000 features also featurestheir new McIntosh MonogrammedHeatsinks™ that are made from “highquality materials with excellentthermal conductivity properties”. Theyare “so efficient at dissipating heatthat they warrant bearing theMcIntosh “Mc” logo”. They also havea higher quality finish thanks to a newmanufacturing process. They areconnected to advanced high currentoutput transistors that eliminatethermal equilibrium lag time (orwarm-up time).

New, more powerful controlmicroprocessors have been used inthe MA9000 to improve overallsystem operation. Some of the latestaudio-grade circuit components havealso been utilised. At 300 Watts perchannel, the MA9000 has enoughpower to properly drive “virtually allloudspeakers” and the McIntoshAutoformer guarantees the speakerswill always receive that full 300 Wattsregardless if they have 2, 4 or 8 Ohm

impedance. Other McIntosh featuresincluded in the MA9000 are:

Power Guard® that monitors andadjusts the sound wave to preventharsh sounding distortion andclipping that could damage thespeakers

Sentry Monitor™ is McIntosh’s fuse-less short-circuit protection circuit thatdisengages the output stage beforecurrent exceeds safe operating levelsand then resets automatically whenoperating conditions return to normal

Home Theatre PassThru that allowsfor integration into a home theatresystem

A discrete, eight-band tone controlthat allows for advanced manualanalogue adjustment of favouriterecordings

Power Control to send power on/offsignals to connected McIntoshcomponents for easy system powerup and shutdown

Patented Solid Cinch™ speakerbinding posts that easily but securelyattach the speaker cables to preventthem from coming loose and possiblycausing a short; the binding posts arealso gold-plated

The entire unit is wrapped in theclassic McIntosh aesthetic with bluewatt meters, a black glass frontpanel, control knobs, illuminated logo,aluminium end caps with built-inhandles and a polished stainlesssteel chassis.

Suggested retail price (VAT, shippingand any customs duties related tocurrent standards of individualcountries are excluded): $10,500USD

McIntosh Announces The MA9000 IntegratedAmplifier

PMC has appointed Ian Sutton to theposition of divisional director, to headup a newly formed UK distributionbusiness and bring close focus to thisimportant area of expansion for thecompany. The following is from thePMC press release.

Sutton, who has spent the past 13years working for Bowers & Wilkins,started in the newly created role on3rd July and is based at thecompany’s head office, Holme Court,near Biggleswade.

PMC, which has long held the UKdistribution rights for the Canadianelectronics brand, Bryston, isreorganising its business structure inits home market to facilitate furtherdistribution arrangements. During thefirst half of 2017 the company added

the German high-end electronicsbrand, AVM, to its portfolio andannounced the launch of the firstPMC designed and built domesticamplifier, the cor integrated. Each ofthese product ranges, plus the UKloudspeaker sales, will beincorporated into the new UKdistribution business, operating as aseparate profit centre from the PMCmanufacturing business.

Sutton will report directly to PMC’sowner and managing director, PeterThomas, and will in turn havemanagement responsibilities for theUK sales team, comprising the well-known figures of Tom Barron andCraig Sowerby. It is expected that thedivision will grow in numbers as thecompany is appointed to distributeadditional brands in the UK market.

Commenting on his new role, IanSutton says, “It is very exciting to beappointed to this role within such adynamic and forward thinkingcompany. I have long admired PMCas a brand and as a company that’snot afraid to challenge the norm andthis decision to increase thecomplementary brands on offer, andbuild a separate division, underlinesthat ‘go-getting’ attitude that is somuch a part of PMC.” He continues,“The opportunity to manage theprocess of creating a new audiodistribution business within the UK isone I am relishing. I am also lookingforward to working with the existingteam, which is so well respectedthroughout the country, and I knowthey will be keen for us to all worktogether to make a real success ofthe new venture.”

Adding his thoughts, Peter Thomas,says, “I am delighted that Ian hasagreed to join us to help steer thenew UK distribution business. Histremendous levels of experience andexcellent rapport with the UK retailchannel are sure to be of significantbenefit to the business as we work tofurther increase penetration of theBryston and AVM brands, plus thecore PMC loudspeaker business. Ilook forward very much to workingclosely with Ian over the comingmonths and years as PMC enters thisnext chapter of its development.”

PMC Appoints IanSutton As UKDivisional Director

Good friend of Hifi Pig, Mat Weisfeld,of VPI got in touch to tell us abouttheir new, entry level turntable, theCliffwood: “For 40 years we have builtturntables in American and kept it inthe VPI family. For almost 30 ofthose years we have built ourturntables in Cliffwood, New Jersey”.

“With us reaching a more entry levelmarket we are still able to make ourproducts in Cliffwood, New Jersey.Most companies when making entrylevel products source theircomponents outside their country oforigin. This is why we celebrate ourheritage and our VPI workers bynaming this turntable after the placethey are built”.

“We are also excited to be teamingup with our friends from Brooklyn,Grado Labs! VPI engineered acartridge shell specifically for the

Grado Green stylus to make it easierto mount and contribute to the soundsignature. The VPI/Grado Green willbe the factory standard mountedcartridge on all VPI Cliffwoodturntables”.

The Cliffwood will retail for 900 USDand will initially only be available forthe US market but will later beopened to the global market. Thetonearm is a 9″ machined aluminiumgimbal. Estimated shipping is end ofJuly to early August.

VPI Cliffwood Turntable Launched

SOtM have officially launched theirbrand-new power supply, the sPS-500. It joins their latest components,the sMS-200Ultra Mini NetworkPlayer and tX-USBUltra USB Huband Regenerator, completing thebrand’s “ultra trio”.

With special noise removingtechnology, the sPS-500 is a fan-lesspower supply specifically designed forhigh-end audio systems. It canhandle a wide range of AC powerinputs, with selectable outputvoltages of 7Vdc, 9Vdc, 12Vdc and

19Vdc. Furtherflexibility is availablethrough the unit’s 50Woutput.

The component’sdesign is similar to thesMS-200Ultra and tX-USBUltra and severalother SOtMcomponents arecompatible with thedevice, including thesMS-1000SQ, sDP-1000EX, and sMS-200.The sPS-500 can alsobe used with any audio

components that fit the powerspecifications.

SOtM’s sPS-500 Power Supply iscurrently available to order in the UKand retails at £550. A bundle packwith an AC power cable will beavailable soon.

Key Features

-7Vdc, 9Vdc, 12Vdc, 19Vdcselectable output voltage

-Eliminate noise generated bypowered devices

-50W output power for NAS, fan-lessaudio PC and others

-Support worldwide AC input voltage

-Output short, over temperatureprotection

SPS-500 Launch Completes SOtM’s Newest Trio

Electro pioneers Kraftwerk recentlyupgraded their PMC monitoringsystem to a 9.1 Dolby Atmos set-upso that they could compile 3-DKraftwerk Concert, an audio/videodocumentary collection that wasreleased at the end of May 2017.

Kraftwerk said that they chose PMCtwotwo monitors “because theyperfectly complement the existingPMC IB2S system, which wasinstalled in Kling Klang Studio in2004”.

Over the last five years the Germanband has toured a selection of itsclassic albums in full, putting onlavish 3D multimedia artperformances in leading museumsand art galleries around the world.Material from these concerts formsthe basis of the new release, which isavailable in six iterations including adeluxe version in a box with four Blu-Ray discs and a 228-page art book, avinyl collection and a CD set.

As long-term PMC users, Kraftwerkalready had a 5-channel PMC IB2Smonitoring system in their Kling KlangStudio in Dusseldorf. To bring thesystem up to 9.1 Atmosspecifications, the band invested in apair of PMC twotwo.6 and a pair oftwotwo.8 speakers, plus a PMCtwotwo Sub2 active subwoofer. Withthis new set-up, Kraftwerk could re-work a huge collection of audiomaterial.

The decision to upgrade to a DolbyAtmos setup using additional PMC

monitors was made by Ralf Hütterand Fritz Hilpert, who wasresponsible for the 3D and 2D audiomixing. The choice was an obviousone, given that they were alreadyvery happy with their existing IB2Ssystem and wanted “monitors thatcomplemented its signal accuracy,excellent dispersion and unparalleledlevel of image integrity”.

Released through Parlophone, 3-DKraftwerk Concert features eightclassic Kraftwerk albums inchronological order. These includeAutobahn(1974),Radio-Activity(1975),TransEuropeExpress(1977),TheMan-Machine(1978),ComputerWorld(1981),TechnoPop(1986),The Mix(1991)andTour DeFrance(2003).

All eight albums were filmed andrecorded between 2012 and 2016 onthe band’s 3-D World Tour inlocations such as MoMA (New York),The Tate Modern Turbine Hall(London), Akasaka Blitz (Tokyo) andthe Sydney Opera House.

Kraftwerk are currently performingtheir acclaimed 3-D live show as partof an extensive European tour thatincludes 17 dates in the UK andIreland. These represent the band’sfirst live UK concerts since the TateModern in 2013.

Kraftwerk Upgrade PMCMonitors To Create 9.1 DolbyAtmos System

Designed for “high demanding audiosystems”, Gold Note’s P-1000 is aClass-A preamplifier born with acompletely new proprietary Six GainStage design with relays and OpticalEncoder volume control.

P-1000 is powered by a Triple LinearTransformer power supply andfeatures 10 independent analoguestereo inputs: 5 balanced XLR + 5RCA. (digital input available ondemand)

The P-1000 belongs to the new era ofGold Note electronics, “combiningperformance and technology”. Thenew design allows the user to quicklyselect any function:

Mono/Stereo

Left/Right channel swap

Absolute phase Swap

Over-boost

Fine Balance tuning

With its large colour display showingall information, P-1000 becomes the“control point of your stereo system”

Gold NoteReleaseFirst Pre-Amplifier,The P-1000 JBL is celebrating 70 years in sound

with the return of its compact three-way monitor design from the 70s…

Karma-AV is delighted to announcethe UK availability of the JBL 4312SEmonitor, an update to the brand’sclassic 3-way 12” compact studiomonitor lineage. Lovers of all thingsretro will adore the rejuvenation of adesign that did so much to establishthe brand in the hearts and minds ofstudio musicians and engineers inthe 1970s. Created as a limitededition by JBL to celebrate its 70thanniversary, the 4312SE reprises thedriver configuration and aesthetics ofthe renowned 4310/4311 studio andL100 ‘Century’ hi-fi monitors from the70s, and 4312 from the 1980s.

Just like its predecessors the4312SE is designed and assembledat the home of JBL in Northridge,California. Supplied in matchedmirror-image pairs to maintain detail,coherence and image quality whetherplaced horizontally or vertically withthe tweeters aligned inside oroutside, the versatile 4312SE isengineered for a wide range ofenvironments and systems inkeeping with its studio heritage.

The 4312SE’s famous 3-wayconfiguration has been refreshedwith JBL’s latest transducersincluding a 12-inch (300mm)1200FE-8 Aqua-Plas®-coated Pure

Pulp cone woofer, 5-inch (125mm)105H-1 Polymer-coated Pure Pulpcone midrange, and 1-inch (25mm)054ALMg-1 Aluminium/MagnesiumAlloy tweeter with waveguide. Frontpanel mid and high frequency trimcontrols, a bass reflex enclosure withfront-firing port, binding post speakerterminals, and a black wood grainfinish with removable black clothgrille complete the system’s ‘iconic’pro-audio character and highperformance specification.

The 4312SE’s Special Edition liveryfeatures 70th anniversary badgesfixed to each speaker and ananniversary certificate recording thespeakers’ serial numbers and thesignatures of the system engineerand factory assembly technician.

The 4312SE will retail for £2500.

JBL Update ClassicStudio Monitor InCelebration Of 70thAnniversary

Technics have released their newamplifier with built-in network playerfor the “new generation of audio”.

Borrowing its design philosophy fromthe Reference Class, Technics saythat: “the SU-G30 deliversuncompromising sound quality for apremium, next-generation listeningexperience. Designed to reproducethe natural and delicate nuances ofmusic, the SU-G30 performsbeautifully with both original digitaland analogue sources”.

They explained further “Jitter is amajor cause of distortion in digitalsystems, and is caused by mis-timingin the master clocks used in digital-to-analogue conversion. To eliminate

the degradation of sound caused byjitter, the SU-G30 utilises an originaljitter reduction circuit, reducing jitteracross the entire frequency range.The JENO (Jitter Elimination andNoise-shaping Optimisation) engineworks with a newly-developed high-precision Pulse Width Modulation(PWM) conversion circuit, whichoptimises the noise-shaping speed,degree and requantysation numberand the PWM gradation, to converthigh-resolution signals to PWMwithout causing any damage to thedynamic range”.

The high-speed GaN FET (galliumnitride) driver device allows the lengthof the large current carrying signalpath to be shortened, thanks to the

construction the amp with a singlepush-pull configuration. The SU-G30’s LAPC (Load Adaptive PhaseCalibration) optimises the impulseresponse and utilises correctionprocessing. The hybrid power supplyreduces switching noise whilemaintaining driving power.

The SU-G30 is also equipped with aBluetooth® function that supportsaptX® and AAC. It also includes theMQA (Master Quality Authenticated)technology, which enables playbackof MQA audio files and streams. Inaddition to DLNA and USB playbackcapability, the SU-G30 supportsTIDAL, Spotify Connect and vTuner.

Technics SU-G30 NetworkAmplifier Launched

Goldring is starting to ship its new ESeries Moving Magnet cartridgeswhich, they say, are “a range of highperformance, premium quality, Britishdesigned products for the resurgentturntable market”.

They went on to explain more; “The ESeries, is a range of three cartridgeswhich are designed to deliver theaccuracy of the original recording, tomaintain the creative nuances, and tocommunicate the musicality andrhythm the artist intended theaudience to hear. The Goldring ESeries are optimised for the mediumto high mass tonearms found on themajority of reasonably pricedturntables”.

“All cartridges in the range useMagnetic Duplex Technology™,which lowers crosstalk and henceincreases stereo separation. Duringthe record mastering process thecutting lathe records stereoinformation as a ‘V’ shaped groovewhich has perpendicular side wallsangled at 45 °. Conventional movingmagnet cartridges use a singlemagnet that interacts with twovertically mounted coils to produce astereo signal from the groove. Thiscan introduce crosstalk and so onlyoffers a modest amount of stereoseparation. The Goldring E Seriescartridges feature a special dualmagnet arrangement. MagneticDuplex Technology™uses two lowmass magnets which interact onlywith their partnering pickup coil,angled at 45 ° to match the cuttinghead arrangement. This enables thecartridges to more accurately tracethe record groove because they

precisely emulate the geometry of thecutting head, making for better stereoseparation and a more accurate,involving and musical soundstage”.

The E Series

Featuring spherical styli with a choiceof cantilevers, the E1 and E2 modelsare intended as an improvedreplacement for any budget, pre-fittedor obsolete cartridge. The E3 modelwith its refined elliptical stylus is “aworthwhile upgrade for those wishingto squeeze even more informationand detail from the record groove”.

The E1

Features a bonded, spherical (0.6mil) stylus with a round shank. Thismakes the cartridge “extremelyforgiving of set-up adjustment”. Alsofeatures a carbon bre reinforced ABScantilever tube, an effectivealternative to more premiumaluminium or boron materials.

Approximate Retail Price £60 €70

The E2

Features the same stylus profile asthe E1 but with the additional benefit

of an upgraded aluminium cantilever.This is both stiff and light weight.

Approximate Retail Price £80 €100

The E3

Utilises the same aluminiumcantilever but benefits from a superiorbonded, super-elliptical (0.3 x 0.7 mil)stylus. This gives it better highfrequency groove detail retrievalability over ordinary elliptical (0.4 x0.7 mil) or spherical (0.6 mil) styli dueto its smaller front to back radius.

Approximate Retail Price £100 €130

The Goldring story began in 1906with the manufacture of clockworkmotors, springs and steel needles.This expertise was utilised in the1920s for the production of GoldringSoundboxes, and later electro-magnetic gramophone pick-ups, andcarried on into the 21st century withthe release of the flagship LegacySeries moving coil phono cartridges,which are still handmade inHertfordshire, UK.

Goldring Release New MMCartridges

Pro-Ject make a huge range ofturntables to suit pretty much allpockets. Today Ian Ringsteadtakes a listen to the £1400 Pro-ject6 Perspex SB Turntable Package.

I have been a huge fan of Pro-Jectturntables ever since their introduction

back in the nineties. As a company, Pro-Jectnever rest on their laurels and are constantlyintroducing new and innovative models to therange. The choice can be daunting at firstglance, but there is logic to it and theycertainly cater for all tastes and pockets.

The Pro-Ject 6 Perspex SB is an update ofthe original Perspex 6 with some radicaldesign improvements. It comes with a newperimeter drive belt mechanism where themotor sits in its own pod in a dedicatedcutout at the back left of the plinth. The cut islined with damping material to cut down onresonance issues. The AC motor is in asmart looking machined metal housing thathas its own speed control incorporated andis controlled by a simple push switch thatactuates speeds of 33 1/3 and 45. You justpush the switch to engage the speed and ifyou press it for a second or so it will changespeed. To stop the motor simply hold theswitch down and the platter will stop rotating.The motor has been designed to offer betterspeed stability through the electronic circuitsincorporated in the motor pod housingallowing for a stable speed unaffected bymains fluctuations.

The plinth is superbly engineered fromPerspex and incorporates the sub-chassis;platter and TPE damped aluminium coned

feet. The sub-chassis is unusual in that it ismade from Corian which I remember fromyears ago being used in a Technicsturntable. The Corian has great isolationproperties and so suits this design very well.The other unique part of the design is thatthe sub-chassis is isolated from the Perspexplinth by using magnets so creating a floatingplatform. The platter is a vinyl/mdf sandwichthat is accurately balanced for excellentspeed accuracy and rotation the same as cartyres and wheels are balanced to runsmoothly.

An inverted bearing is used which has astainless-steel axle with a ceramic ball and isgreased to allow smooth running withminimal wear. Like many of Pro-Ject’sdesigns the platter is topped off with a vinyllayer to act as the interface with the record.Finally, the platter has a threaded spindle soyou can use the supplied screw on recordclamp.

The arm supplied is the excellent Pro-Ject9cc as fitted to my Extension 9 turntable andis a very successful design which I canvouch for. The phono cable supplied isdetachable from the rear of the deck and isthe Connect-IT E, a good quality lead whichcan be upgraded if you so wish. Finally, anice dust cover is supplied to protect the unitwhen not in use.

Straight awayit was obvious

that thisturntable was

a good designas it gave a

very clear andreasonably

deep soundstage

Not only does the 6 perspex SB look great, italso sounds great. After unpacking the deckand setting it up (which took about half anhour) I sat back to enjoy my records.Henley kindly supplied an Ortofon 2MBronze moving magnet cartridge which at£200 is a good starting point. You can buythe deck from Henley Audio as a packagedeal with either the Ortofon Quintet Bronzeor Black moving coil cartridges and savebetween £190 and £254. I can vouch forboth cartridges as a I use a Black and usedthe Bronze recently for another review.

The great thing about the design is that itallows for tweaking if you so desire. Iexperimented with a better arm lead andused my Pro-Ject 9 turntable weight insteadof the screw on clamp. Both of these reapedrewards in performance.

Straight away it was obvious that thisturntable was a good design as it gave avery clear and reasonably deep sound stage.If I had put my Quintet Black on it wouldhave improved again, but I wanted to seewhat a decent moving magnet could offer. Itried the deck through several amps andspeakers varying in price from about £1000to £3600 for the amps and about £800 forthe speakers. The deck worked well with allof them and did not disgrace itself whenpaired with the Densen 150 amp I amcurrently trying out. Speakers were either my

resident Triangle Titus EX or floor standersfrom TAGA.

I tried all genres of music and dug out somerecords I hadn’t listened to for ages. I have alarge collection of vinyl going back 40 yearsand it surprises how well a lot of olderalbums were recorded. Bands from theseventies, Yes, AWB, Led Zeppelin, KingCrimson, etc. all sounded good and it waseasy to hear the interplay of all the musiciansand their individual instruments placed in acoherent and believable sound-stage.

I recently attended a live concert of theMessiah, a favourite choral work of mine andit reminded me how important it is toregularly listen to live music. I was sat on thefront row, not an ideal position you mightthink, literally a few feet away from themusicians and conductor. Normally in aconcert hall I would prefer a seat mid stallsor balcony, but it amazed me how good itsounded even close to and I could clearlyhear all the singers and musicians locatedperfectly. Going back to the Project in mysystem, this did a similar thing like any goodcomponent should do, but not all are equal.As I mentioned earlier I played around withthe deck by putting a much more expensivesilver interconnect on it. This upped thegame in detail and I would recommend thisto anyone if they buy this deck to try. I didthis with my Project 9 and the difference waswell worth it. The record weight alsoimproved the bass and clarity to a degree,but the screw on clamp works well. It just

takes longer to screw and unscrew asopposed to the weight’s simple placing onand off.

The Isolation system worked well andplacing the deck on my rack gave no issues,even when playing music loudly.

Overall the Project 6 Perspex SB offers alovely looking package that is easy to useand allows for improvements to boost itsalready good performance much further.

Audio Files take a standard AudioTechnica AT-LP5 turntable, add anew arm and carry out other modi-fications and offer a stylus upgradeto the standard cartridge. Totalcosts including the stylus upgradeis £835, Ian Ringstead listens tosee if this is a worthwhile route totake over the original AT-LP5,available at time of review availa-ble for £319.

Audio Technica have been known to mefor over 40 years and was a favourite

range of cartridges and accessories I sold inmy retail days. Whilst visiting the StylusShow at Manchester I came across a roomthat was being shared by Audio Technicaand The Audio Files a company new to me.They were eagerly demonstrating thedifferences between a standard AT-LP5 andthere modified AT-LP5 IPT. What’s thedifference you may ask? Well the philosophybehind the AT-LP5 IPT is that the standardAT-LP5 which is highly regarded could beimproved upon without spending a fortune.

Gary Hargreaves of Audio Files explained tome what they had done. Basically, they takethe existing arm off and replace it with anOEM Audio Origami AO202 tonearm basedon a Rega 202. This isn’t just substituted butcarefully mounted with a machined acrylicarm board for accurate alignment and asuperior arm lead supplied made from VanDamme silver plated cable and NeutrikRCAs…a cable and plug combo I have usedmyself, to great effect.

The platter is damped with constrained sublayer materials that control any ringingpresent in the current standard platter veryeffectively. The plinth isn’t touched becausethis would have increased the costs to apoint where the price would have beenuneconomical. A modified design is all welland good but you must know when to drawthe line on the upgrades. Sometimes overkillcan destroy any gains made. The cartridgefitted as standard is the AT95E movingmagnet, a fantastic little budget cartridge, ofwhich I sold hundreds as it is such a gem forthe money.

For £350 the standard AT-LP5 is anexcellent direct drive with the nearest rivalsbeing models from the likes of Technics withtheir SL 1200/1210 DJ turntables. Thesewere the absolute standard by which allother direct drives were measured andcompared. I sold hundreds to aspiringbedroom DJ’s and club DJ’s in the 80’s and90’s and they were bullet proof. The AT-LP5although not as solidly engineered ( it is a lotcheaper) still presents superb value formoney. It even has a built-in phono stage forMM cartridges. You can also digitize yourrecords onto a computer if you so wish viathe USB port.

How does it sound. The standard version isvery competent and easy to use with goodpitch stability, something you would expectfrom a direct drive motor. Compared to beltdrives in this £350 price sector it’s greatvalue and should last for years, with minimalservicing. Set up is a doddle and speedchange between 33 and 45 a cinch. It maynot be the most refined sound I’ve heard, butthere was plenty of detail and sound stagingwas solid and well defined.

Switching to the AT-LP5 IPT was arevelation in terms of improved claritybrought about by the improved arm anddamped platter of course. It was like (excusereviewer clichés) a veil had been lifted fromthe speakers allowing the listener toappreciate the sound far more accurately. Asif this wasn’t enough, next came theinteresting bit; I substituted the standardAT95E stylus for an AT95P paratrace stylus.What’s the difference you might ask?The paratrace stylus, although not a newdesign, is not unlike the Audio Technica’s

Compared tobelt drives in

this £350 pricesector it’s

great valueand should

last for years,with minimal

servicing

SLC special line contact using an ultra-lightweight stylus tip ground to a high level ofprecision, AT have achieved a combinationof low distortion rate with fuller frequencyreproduction during playback. This stylus tipextracts every possible piece of informationfrom the grooves on a record. Unlike AT’sSLC the paratrace is a lot cheaper at £140.When doing the comparison, it took only asecond to realise the amazing difference.The sound stage suddenly grew in depth andwidth with so much more detail on offer. Topto bottom frequencies were faithfullyreproduced and clearly portrayed,comparable to more expensive turntables Ihave heard and used. Yes, my ProjectExtension 9 with Ortofon Quintet Black(which has a shibata stylus) does soundbetter and with more oomph, but it is threetimes the price. I will at some point try theAT95E on my Project and compare it withthe paratrace stylus. An irresistible option.

I love products that don’t require the hearingof a bat to hear differences. After all myyears in hifi I have learned that if a product isany good then it will shine through, and beobvious straight away. It’s like drinking agood wine, you just know when it’s quality. Ican fully empathise with the design behindthe paratrace stylus because it’s obvious thata correctly shaped stylus will track thegroove far better than a cruder profile. The

micro groove of a record is a complexjourney to undertake for any stylus and theparatrace seems to follow it better thanmany. The beauty is that the results can beso easily heard by just changing the stylusassembly, it’s that simple. If you have everseen a highly magnified photo of a stylus in arecord groove you realise what a job it has toundertake traveling at high speed underimmense pressure.

Once heard, like any great product it’s hardto go back to the inferior version. I recentlydiscovered this with speaker cable, namelythe Tellurium Q Black II when substituted forthe original Black. HD video as opposed tostandard definition… no contest. So, therewe have it, not only an audibly superiorturntable upgrade, but also a brilliant stylusupgrade. I heard the AT-LP5 against the AT-LP5 IPT on two occasions and it was thesame both times, a worthwhile andimmediate difference. Whether it wasMichael Jackson, Heaven 17, progressiverock, jazz, etc, I enjoyed the results of theAT-LP5 IPT and especially once theparatrace was fitted.

As a package, the turntable is so easy to useand uncomplicated, so no great skill isrequired to set it up or use. Compared tomany decks out there this will please anyusers without the necessary abilities ordesire to delve deeper. Technophobesrejoice; being a direct drive deck there is no

worry over belt wear or speed stability. Itreally is a fit and forget unit that will give youyears of reliable, low maintenance use andsatisfaction. Isn’t that what we all want?

Dan Worth takes a look at the In-nuos Zenith MK2 an all in onestreamer, CD ripper and SSD stor-age unit costing from £2299 de-pending on storage capacitychosen.

So what is an Innuos Zenith MK2? I hearyou ask? Well, it’s an all in one streamer

for local files and streaming services such asTIDAL, Spotify and Qobuz, Internet Radio aswell as a CD ripper. The ripper itself storesmusic ripped in the FLAC/WAV formats to aninternal solid state hard drive of a sizedesignated during purchase. Availableoptions are 1TB, 2TB and 4TB.

Whilst expecting the Zenith MK2 for review Iwas somewhat sceptical to the benefits of itover the various Vortexboxes which Ibelieved the Innuos Zenith MK2 was basedon. I have previous experience with VBs –having built and tried many, which rangefrom basic installations on standard PCs tomore bespoke hardware installations andmultiple linear power supplies.

Despite many believing that “bits are bits”,unfortunately there’s a whole world of“nasties” that go with them that influence thesound quality throughout the Hifi chain suchas power noise, jitter and high-frequencyEMI. Many think that a simple galvanicisolator would just turn any computer into theperfect digital source…if it was only thatsimple.

Innuos say that a digital source shouldremain as transparent as possible, allowingthe amplifier and speakers to imprint theirown signature as per the end user’s tastes.In order to achieve this, Innuos first target forthe Zenith is the power supply. They designthe Zenith so that rather than producing a lotof power noise and then trying to clean it up,they implement critically chosen parts for atriple linear psu design that is inherentlyclean to begin with and specificallyimplemented.

“We had to go through a very detailedoscilloscope for measurements. We haveliterally tested dozens of system boards andthe noise patterns you get vary wildlybetween them. Some are absolutely dreadfuland should never be used for audio. The keyinnovation here is our triple-linear powersupply, designed and manufactured in-house. By providing three independent linearpower supplies that separately power keycomponents of the system, they prevent thepower noise those components produce fromcontaminating the power circuits for theoutputs, both USB and Ethernet. The triple-linear power supply design contains ultra-lownoise regulators (40uV) and specialisedaudio capacitors (Nichicon MUSE) thatfurther help maintaining the transparencyand realism of the Zenith. This is thencomplemented by using medical-grademains filters, that both filter the Common andDifferential Mode noise coming into theZenith from mains as well as preventing anynoise produced by the Zenith itself tocontaminate the remaining Hifi chain.”This approach would inevitably clean theUSB and Ethernet channels providing veryclean digital outputs. Isolation transformerson the Ethernet ports also help keep some ofthe noise traveling through the Ethernetcables at bay. Connecting a streamer as Idid with the Aurelic Aries Mini using a shortEthernet cable to the ‘Streamer’ port on theZenith provided better sound quality thanconnecting the streamer to a my router orswitch, even though both are already onlinear supplies, the quality of the Zenith 2’sin-built psu, onboard single routed Ethernetswitch and linear NAS function made for abetter all round performance feeding filesdirectly from the internal SSD and cleanpass-through of internet ensuring a cleanersignal from the supported streamingservices.

Innuos saythat a digital

source shouldremain as

transparent aspossible,

allowing theamplifier andspeakers toimprint their

own signatureas per the end

user’s tastes

These benefits, along with the extensiveinternal vibration control and isolation wouldall be worthless if it wasn’t for the expertiseof Innuos when it comes to softwareimplementation. From the motherboard BIOSto the Operating System kernel and audiosub-systems, they have optimised settings toextract as much musical performance asthey can. One key feature in this area is the4Gb RAM buffer available for memoryplayback on the Zenith 2. This means whenthe user plays a track, it gets loaded almostinstantly to the system memory from theSSD and then played directly from there.This is another advantage of using the SSDon the Zenith as it makes this transitionimperceptible – playback is instantaneous.The onboard TEAC drive is a more bespokeversion with unlocked firmware, ready forInnuOS’ tweaks to enable more efficient andeffective ripping with less errors.

Moving on to the software installed on theZenith MK2. I had initially mistaken this for atweaked version of the Vortexbox platformuntil having an in depth conversation withManaging Director Nuno Vitorino. Thecomplexity and intelligence of the operatingsystem is presented in the most classy anduser friendly manner, which deserves its ownin-depth look here. The software is anabsolute breeze to use and each feature hasself explanatory options, leaving the unitwithout the need of an operating manual.There is also a lengthy video on YouTubeshowing off the InnuOS platform, posted onthe Innuos channel with Innuos saying:“One of our key values is listening to ourcustomers and providing them a great userexperience. Through direct contact withcustomers with our Zen Mk.I systems, whichwere based on Vortexbox, we noticed anumber of shortcomings:

Users required a PC/Mac to manage theirmusic library (adding, deleting or changingmusic data). The applications to do this canbe quite cumbersome for those who are nottechnology-oriented and we needed frequentremote support sessions to help ourcustomers do this. They were very slow tosave changes as users generally did thisfrom Wi-Fi connected laptops.

More and more customers don’t have a PCanymore, only a tablet. This made itimpossible for them to manage the musiclibrary.

Every time the server could not recognise aCD, it created an Unknown Album that was a

real pain to identify later. This required theabove tools to do the change itself.

Customers with Classical music were oftenaffected with missing metadata and theycould only make changes after the CD hadbeen ripped. They then needed a PC to dosuch changes.

When copying files ripped on Mac systems,particularly Classical music, they could havevery long filenames.

People had very disorganised musiclibraries as essentially they just copied filesand folder to the Music folder. This meantduplicates and lots of incomplete metadata.

If customers didn’t realise their Internetconnection is off, the system would create awhole lot of Unknown Albums. One of ourcustomer ripped 150 discs before he realisedthe server was offline. This meant deletingeverything and ripping again.

Different network settings made sometimesdifficult to find the systems on the network,leading to a lot of frustration.

The User Interface was very technical andmost people did not understand the optionsavailable and we’re displeased with how itlooked.

I can relate to these customers concerns as Ihave had a lot of experience withVortexboxes and like using any PC, peoplehave to perform constant maintenance andcoercion in order to keep the system workingwell whilst waiting for the next tantrum.

Rather than telling their customers to brushup on their technological abilities and or offercontinued support for what they considered asomewhat fragile environment to useconsistently, the company who have a greatteam of software developers and techniciansgive birth to the Innuos.

What InnuOS has achieved is an operatingsystem that sits lightly on the systemhardware and over its two and half yeardevelopment has been refined extensively tobe as comprehensive as possible, integratingfeatures such as TIDAL, Spotify, Qobuz, CDripping, album management, networkintegration and more, with the most straightforward of GUIs that I have ever had thepleasure of using. Calculating all nerdy typeprocesses and individual key strokes firmly inthe background, with the end user visualisingonly the key component task features onscreen.

Currently – typing ‘my InnuOS’ in on agoogle search brings the user to the control

This is anotheradvantage ofusing the SSDon the Zenith –playback isinstantaneous

software, which can be accessed by anyPC/Mac, tablet or phone connected to thesame network as the player. InnuOS are inthe process of producing an app to replacethis function on portable devices forcompleteness but the operations of thesoftware will remain consistent.

Once loaded the software sees the player onthe network immediately and the user canbegin to utilise all the functionality of:Assisted Ripping mode – In this mode, ratherthan the system ripping a CD immediatelywith whatever metadata it found, the user ispresented with the metadata and is able tochange all of it, including cover art, beforethe CD rips. This is particularly useful forClassical or World music

Rip to WAV or FLAC – Ripping to both WAVuncompressed format and FLAC with zerocompression depending on user’srequirements (FLAC is more compatible)Quarantine – Whenever there is an issuewith either a CD or music being imported, itgoes into the Quarantine section rather thanthe Music Library, so that the Music Libraryis kept nice and tidy. This way, the userknows which music needs some attention. Ifthe ripping mode is Automatic and the servercan’t find metadata for it, it shows as anUnknown Album. The user can then play themusic directly on the tablet to help itrecognise the album and edit the informationdirectly. Once saved, it’s then moved to theMusic Library. If a CD is ripped twice, it’smarked as a duplicate. If the server is offlinewhen ripping, then it’s marked as offline andthe user can simply click a button to retrieveall the metadata again.

Import – This is one of the most complexengines on the system. TheImport engineallows users to import music from USB,NAS, another music folder or music placed in

the Auto-Import shared folder on the server.The Import engine then as a number of(growing) rules to apply to the files as itimports. These are just a small number ofrules applied:

Organise based on the file quality(compressed, CD Quality or High –Resolution) and structure them in differentfolders accordingly.

Automatically create a consistentArtist/Album folder structure.

Import files contained on a zip or tar file(which is usual with downloads from high-resolution music stores such as Qobuz orLinn Records).

Shortens potentially long filenames andremoves problematic characters that cancause problems.

Detects if the album already exists with thesame quality on the music library. If you havean album in CD Quality and add the album inHigh-Resolution, the system knows and addsthe respective tag to the album such as[HD96] for a 24bit/96KHz high-res file

Music Library – Allow to browse and changethe metadata for the music already stored inthe Music Library from any tablet,smartphone or PC/Mac Backup – Allow tobackup the music library to either an externalUSB drive or to a NAS automatically. Theautomatic backup is actually based onstorage rather than time. So instead ofbacking up once a week, for example, itbacks up every time you add the equivalentof 50 CDs. This way, it will do frequentbackups when you are adding a lot of musicand them do it a lot less often when the useris adding only a couple of albums per month.

Intricacies ofguitar strings

across the twoalbums and

thecomplexities of

DerrinNuendorf’sguitar was

very much atreat to listen

to

The casework to the unit is very nice, with acontoured front fascia and simplisticapproach, a single CD slot and power buttonwith indicator LED (which can be changed toany colour on a software level to match otherequipment) are the only pieces of hardwareadorning the front panel. To the rear thereare two LAN sockets for Ethernet connectionfrom the router and to route in a separatestreamer, rather than connecting that directto the router.There are two USB sockets,one for the audio output and another for aUSB backup drive for safe storage of aduplicate library containing all ripped filesthat reside on the internal SSD.Internally the main board sports a powerfulprocessor and plenty of memory for quickoperation of all remote app functions andboot up speeds, along with a TEAC rippingdrive and a solid state hard drive. The multi-rail power supply on board runs from a largetoroidal transformer with multiple layers ofregulation and a large bank of smoothingcaps in order to keep things ultra quiet andprecise.

Setup is just so simple with the Zenith 2. TheSqueezelite embedded software (which sitsinside InnuOS) for audio playbackpiggybacks two main control apps (separateto the My InnuOS Software which is forsystem management), Orange Squeeze forAndroid users and iPeng for iOS customers.These apps are the current best way forcontrolling playback and integrate allplayback features into one handy remoteapp. I used the iPeng app on my iPad and Imust say it’s brilliant, version 9 is much moreintuitive than older versions I had previouslyused in a past life with Squeezelite.

If you have a NAS drive already, this is theeasiest way to get up and running bytransferring files across the network to theinternal storage. Ripping CDs is done intoeither FLAC or WAV.

The setup of TIDAL, Spotify and Qobuz iseasy, clicking on the apps side tray allows forthe installation of the apps and simplyentering the user account name andpassword gains access to all pre-savedplaylists and the full experience of searchingfor music, with all other menu functionalityavailable by simply going back to the mainmenu leaving the current playlist (in iPeng)visible on the right hand pane of the screenfor track skipping and pausing etc. Theinterface itself is so comprehensive yet sosimple to use and all features and functionsare literally idiot proof and self explanatory,

which is a god send in this day and age forthe technophobe.

A fixed volume output or variable (maxvolume is bit perfect according to Innuos),along with designated parameters for bitdepth, sample rate, album, artist and genreoptions along with many more lesssignificant features, all to be configured witha few touches proved to be extremely quickwith no lag to the system, even duringplayback due to the Zenith MK2’s powerfulCPU and memory abilities. To boot – Internetradio stations on average took less than asecond to begin playing, which from a friendsperspective is much faster than his MK1version although we are in differing parts ofthe country and with bandwidthconsiderations, still worth noting.When choosing music the app offersfantastic visuals with artwork showing for allradio stations as well as InnuOS rippedalbums with all accompanied metadata.InnuOS will also tag non previously taggedalbums that the user sent over to theInnuOS’ storage folder from another drive.With a three cable setup (power, USB andEthernet) alongside the downloading of thecorresponding app for either Apple orAndroid, setting up the Innuos Zenith MK2was an absolute breeze.

On first inspection the sound of the Zenith 2was surprisingly good as mentioned above, Iripped a couple albums and played musicfrom my NAS and TIDAL, I compared thesound with my modified Mac Mini which hasbeen a reference source of mine forsometime now, outperforming many otherfront end gear during the time I’ve owned it. Ifound the two to be different in character butstruggled to find big performance differencesbetween the two through either the DiDiT212 SE or Mytek Brooklyn DACs. There wasa touch more refinement and depth to theMac than that of the Zenith 2 which provideda soundstage of fantastic separation, clarityand body to the music, presenting a firmcontrolled weight and good raw timbralqualities.

Chris Jones’ ‘Long After Your Gone’ had awonderfully controlled fluid bassperformance allowing for vocals to stand ingood height within a central focus whichmade sense musically and gave greatbandwidth of the vocals. The lovely way theZenith 2 does separation gave air to guitarstrings and decays, which were obtainablethrough the player in a very clear non-artificial manner, giving insight into theacoustic arena and mic setup.

The interfaceitself is socomprehensive yet sosimple to useand allfeatures andfunctions areliterally idiotproof and selfexplanatory

The same was very apparent on Fink’s livealbums, where in fact over my usual setup Iwas more taken by the vocals, especially fortheir strong positioning within thesoundstage, the lesser amount of depthseemed to allow the singer to stand moreproud so to speak, never dominating theperformance but simply stated a morecommanding role rather than forwardness.Intricacies of guitar strings across the twoalbums and the complexities of DerrinNuendorf’s guitar was very much a treat tolisten to, masking of micro details was verylittle and almost came up to spec with myMac setup during my initial listening tests,the smaller details in recordings generallyhave a way of flavouring a performance astheir ability to shine controls micro tempos,which add to a sense of overall flow.

Masculinity in tone and or delicaciescontained within the vocal palette portrayingmuch of the emotional quality of aperformance along with the intensity of gooddynamics kept the music interesting andexplorative. Although the micro details werevery cleanly and clearly expressed theirdynamics (micro dynamics) were not asstrong as say the Mac, but then the addedrefinement of the whole picture may be whythey are easily or easier to determine, theZenith 2’s raw and honest quality isinfectious and again, neither worse norbetter, just a little different and I am splitting

hairs and doing some very critical listeningbetween it and the highly specced one of akind Mac.

Micro details and micro dynamics really donot necessarily go hand in hand, manypeople mention both in sentences as if theydo but in my experience they don’t, a microdetail can be present and just like any othermore defined detail can be either dynamic ornot. I would say that the smallest of details inthe Zenith 2 were very marginally masked bythe foreground, although I haven’t heardanything that stands out to me that I can saydoes a far better job for around about the£2k mark, so I feel that my own personalcomparisons to the one of a kind Mac needsto end here. For my own personalinformation though the test was veryinformative, proving that areas of the Zenith’ssound lit a chord with me that I feel was verybeneficial indeed.

Bass performance with the Zenith 2 isequally very interesting, I adore the way thebass doesn’t feel as if it’s been crumpled intoa heap at the bottom of the soundstage, akick drum hit has a realistic height and adensity of tone, then after you here the roominteraction within a split second and anylower frequency or accompanied drum strikelower its position in the soundstage toconvey a more exacting frequency – theroom becomes quickly filled with great

Setup is justso simple with

the Zenith 2

rhythm, as if the tone and frequency is withinan artificial three dimensional grid, allowingfor each beat to be considered relative to itsnatural aural take and physical feel of thenote.

Playing some electronic music showed thatimmediacy of a strike and flow of deep rollingnotes were timed terrifically without anyunwanted sag or looseness.

Loreena McKennitt, one of my favouritefemale vocalists has a ‘Live At TheAlhambra’ album and one of my mostfavourite tracks is ‘Raglan Road’. In order tonail this one a system has to be able tocontrol the upper midrange peaks especiallyand deliver subtleties which allow her voiceto retain its beautiful yet powerful tone. I’vehad the Zenith 2 running for a little while nowand it’s really coming on well, maybe in itsinitial days of listening its refinement couldbe called into question and possibly someremarks I made earlier in this review couldhave been slightly tweaked to the morefavourable side, but that’s the nature of thereview process and it’s progression.

Now the unit has settled into its stride a littlemore – what I appreciate is how it doesn’tmollycoddle the music much, allowing for alittle more rawness or truthfulness, which inturn characterises individual pieces of musicvery well – essentially very transparently. Inthis case Loreena’s vocal, so proud it stoodin the centre stage that I felt the true realismand honesty of the piece, which with the littleadded refinement that came on after acouple weeks of playback, aligned thecharacteristics of the unit further.

I must admit, I am sitting here a littleconfused as to how Innuos have managedthis, being similar in functionality andimplementation as a Vortexbox basedsystems essentially and also running thecommon Squeezelite software on ahardware package that to me doesn’t havefancy clocks, TCXO’s, separate USB cards,SATA filters, RAM filters or pure silverinternal power wiring, leads me to believethat what Innuos achieve hardware-wise withsynergy, noise control, the implementation ofa very nice linear power supply and their owncustom designed software and firmware isnothing short of impressive. It’s not theindividual parts that make the difference butthe combination of the whole.

I turned to TIDAL next and went throughsome of my playlists and took a few journeysexploring new music into the small hours andI must say I was captivated. At low listeninglevels, resolution remains strong, I’d imaginesome decibel decreases in dynamic abilities

at the lower volumes but everything stillseemed really quite relative. The presence ofthe vocal at these lower levels was great, Ireally can state that the ability to conveysome emotion and tangible feeling when thelights are down low and everybody is in bedis fantastic.

All too often have I listened to equipment thatdoes well during the day, struggling at nightat much lower levels (not just speakers butelectronics also). Complex passages tend tosmear, with under dynamic and bluntededges, causing many others, along withmyself to turn to the headphones, well nothere folks, I can still even depict real spacearound instruments.

Note: make sure in settings that volume levelis set to fixed output in iPeng or turned up full(bit perfect) in order to achieve greater lowervolume listening pleasure.

Before submitting this review to the Oracle(Stu) I had the opportunity to get a goodlisten to the Zen MK1 with a Teddy Pardoand Paul Haynes power supply. The PaulHynes supply sounded better but was moreexpensive and surprised I was at how muchmore aligned the sound was with a bettersupply, giving better timing and noise floorthan standard. Both Zen and Zenith have thesame feature rich abilities, it’s just the levelsof performance that vary. The Zen is a verycapable unit but the Zenith is a true leaderfor the brand delivering a level ofperformance that Innuos can be proud ofcalling their flagship model.

Note: both units worked out of the box withan Audiobyte Hydra Z and Gustard U12SPDIF converters, giving better control,focus and timing.

If anyone wants to say, it’s just a Vortexboxthen please do, as I did, then get one, thenplug it in then turn it on, then listen to it andthen repeat the first statement – if you can! IfI felt that this piece of equipment was just ahyped up and rebranded commodity, I wouldsay to just send the unit back with anaccompanying note to express my feelings. Ichose to except the Zenith MK2 for review asI had instant scepticism and the best way todeal with scepticism is to be open mindedand try things out – there’s nothing worsethan an uneducated know-it-all!

The Zenith isn’t just another streamer, it hasits own personality and that’s Important.Innuos have designed a complete fuss freedigital front end, that combines carefullychosen hardware and sophisticated software

What Iappreciate ishow it doesn’tmollycoddlethe musicmuch, allowingfor a little morerawness ortruthfulness,which in turncharacterisesindividualpieces ofmusic verywell

into an easy to use product which hashonesty and transparency at its heart.The sound of a Zenith 2 is transparent,honest and truthful and any system thatreflects a balance that the user is happy withwill benefit from its implementation. Setupand usage is easy and playback and librarymanagement is straightforward and intuitive.What I adore about the Zenith MK2‘susability from Innuos is that it’s not acelebration of what can be achieved in thefuture, it’s a celebration of what can beachieved right now.

The Zenithisn’t justanother

streamer, ithas its ownpersonalityand that’sImportant

If you have experience in pro au-dio then the name Prism Soundmay not be unfamiliar, but now thecompany are taking their profes-sional credentials into the homeaudio marketplace. Janine Elliottakes a listen to their £1795 CalliaDAC.

Prism Sound is a company I didn’t knowmuch about, though actually I have been

using some of their gear for many years.Initially a professional audio companyspecialising in DACs that grace many studiosaround the world, this company also bought(on April Fool’s day in 2008) a digital editingsystem called SADiE that I had been using atthe BBC since the Noughties, a system bothloved and hated by Studio Managers.

Prism Sound was set up in 1987 by twoelectronics engineers; Graham Boswell andIan Dennis. The pair met in 1981 whileworking on digital signal processing (DSP)technology at British mixing deskmanufacturer Rupert Neve & Company.Their work on DACs has not gone unnoticed,winning the Queen’s Award for InternationalTrade in 2011 and it is good to see that theyare now extending their knowledge into thedomestic hifi fraternity. The Callia is theirlatest offering for the home, though usingtechnology taken from their professionalproducts. This curvy 2/3 pint-pot sized unitonly lacks a remote control to get me reallyexcited, although it does allow automaticselection of input type. Only the large andsmall potentiometers for line and headphoneoutput respectively meant you occasionallyneeded to lean forward to turn a dial. Thedesign goal for CALLIA was to provideexcellent audio in a sophisticated but easy touse box for home use, and they certainlyhave succeeded in this respect, and all for avery reasonable sum of money.

The supplied instruction manual doesn’t letyou know much about the product, though itgets you up and running quickly, but the unitcomes complete with probably the bestlooking USB stick containing comprehensivemanual and more importantly the driversrequired for operating from your PC or Mac,plus updates. Coax and optical inputs allowup to 24bits and 192kHz plus DSD64. Whilstthe USB input allows PCM up to32bit/384kHz and DSD64 and DSD128 anysampling rates higher than 192 are reducedto levels at or below this using a highperformance decimation filter. So for a384kHz source, for example, it will beconverted to 192kHz. In addition to theDSD64 (5.6448 Mbit/s) and DSD128

(11.2896 Mbit/s) bit rates, the Callia alsosupports the 48kHz-derived rates of 6.144Mbit/s and 12.288 Mbit/s. The Callia uses anAMD Cortex processor for the USB side ofthings, and rather than today’s addiction andconvenience of ESS Sabre or TexasIndustries DSP chips, it uses the Cirrus LogicCS4398, though all bit different from Boswelland Dennis’s early days in digital work atNeve when everything was designed fromthe box up. The design is fully-balancedthroughout with an excellent headphoneamplifier.

Arriving in a posh cardboard box that wouldput any Apple presentation carton to shame,the important electronics are no lessattractive; a curvy grey coloured front panel(reminding me of an Arcam of old) withenough blue LEDs to light up a Christmastree, that either illustrate the digitalcredentials of your chosen source, or holdhands around the volume controls for bothline out and headphones. For the line outputthe number of lights depends on how highyou set the controls; this is a functioningwork of art that makes the unit disappointingto look at when it is switched off. The powerswitch on the right also acts as a selector foryour digital source. Sources include theusual choice of Toslink optical, S/PDif coaxand USB. The first four LEDs indicate thethree sources with the first LED showingwhether selection is automatic. The last 6LEDs on the front will indicate digital formatand bit rate specifically showing “DSD”, “x2”,“x4”, “44.1”, “48” and “24bit”. So, for 24 bit192kHz it would indicate “x4”,”48” and “24b”.Whilst this may look very pretty it’s a bittrying to work out the time on a binary watch.A simple 2-line display would be much easierin my opinion. Interestingly the DSD signalsare internally converted to PCM beforedecoding to analogue (DoP; ‘DSD overPCM’). Prism Sound Chief TechnologyOfficer Ian Dennis writes much about theirchoice of decoding in the Callia, and hintsthat most DACs will convert from DSD toPCM before decoding to analogue,something I had suspected when reviewinganother DAC a while back. Certainly thedesign of this DAC made all inputs I triedwork well, with the sound quality and designshowing their background in professional

Arriving in aposh cardboardbox that wouldput any Apple

presentationcarton to

shame, theimportant

electronics areno less

attractive; acurvy grey

coloured frontpanel with

enough blueLEDs to light up

a Christmastree

audio, as well it should. That includes thefour dip switches on the rear. The first switchdisables the front volume control and setsthe unit to a fixed output level. I personallyliked this as the unit is not acting as apreamplifier. Switch 2 controls the amount ofhead-room when in DSD playback mode.When this switch is set to “on” the output is+3.1dB, meaning that any peaks of outputwon’t be clipped, though noise floor is thatmuch less. The last two switches are foroptimising the headphone impedance.

Usually the line output will be muted whenconnecting headphones, but even that canbe disabled if you wish on one of the 4permutations of the last two dip switches.Trying both 40ohm and 300ohm headphonesI found the headphone amp worked well. Theunit accepts any mains voltage between 90Vand 250V, so no mains voltage selection isrequired.

The word Callia is Greek for “very beautiful”and I hoped that all I heard would bebeautiful. Indeed I was instantly drawn to themusic it decoded, but I personally wouldhave chosen a name Timios, meaning“honest”. The DAC is very honest, withplenty of attack and detail, not addinganything or taking anything from the music. Idid feel, however, that the vocals were thedefinitive point on whether this unit was‘beautiful’, and on a number of times I feltthat midrange frequencies – particularlyvocal range – seemed very slightly weak andmade my own new album ‘Boxed In’ ratherlight in the vocal range; quite surprising meand making me sound even worse than Ialready think I am! Violins – within thisfrequency range – were extremely clear andentertaining and soundstage was capturedas honestly as a professional soundengineer in a studio using Prism Soundprofessional gear would expect. Theheadphone output is surprisingly good andthe balanced architecture means that the unitworks well as a preamplifier in its own rights,if only it had a remote control.

Playing the Binaural Chasing the Dragon“Espana – A Tribute to Spain” album gave asense of three-dimensionality that I hadn’theard from other DAC/headphone amplifiers.The clarity in all frequencies and quick speedfrom the instruments, particularly pizzicato

strings and percussion just gave a betterbinaural experience through my closed-back43 ohm Audio Technica W1000 headphonesthan I have heard to date. Those cans havea clear and open mid and top, though somemight find them slightly recessed in the bassline, though it does mean that bass is crispand clear. The headphone section might mean add-on for the Callia, but to be honest itsurpasses many headphone amplifiers Ihave had the pleasure of listening to over theyears. As musicians turned the page at theend of each piece of music it allowed me togain a closer relationship with all that wasgoing on around my head. Clarity in the highfrequency region was excellent. Only lowestbass seemed economical at times.

Dire Straits “Telegraph Road” from ‘Loveover Gold’ is one of those tracks anyprospective hifi purchaser in the latter yearsof the last century would have used toaudition separates in Lasky’s or Comet. Thetrack has ‘pin-sharp’ guitars and cymbals,and deep bass drum bursts that would testany woofer. The Callia’s clarity meant theinfamous bad edit at 3’37” with a shift acrossthe soundstage mid verse was even moreannoying than it was when I first heard it.Turning to the +14dBu XLR output into mybalanced Krell gave for an even greatersense of clarity and power. This miniatureunit was not anorexic when it came toengagement, detail and speed. This unitensured nothing was added or taken away.The decaying long “A” on the strings linkingthe second half of the 14 minute movementwas not an afterthought in the music. I couldhear and understand why Mark Knopfler putit there, though wish I had the patience toplay a single note on the violins for over 6minutes. This sound bite was separated fromthe rest of the music as if I had my own 48track studio in my living room to pre-fadeeach nuance individually. I could focus in onall the individual sounds, rather than justhearing a ‘mix’ like many a DAC.Handel Organ Concertos Opus 4 (Academyof Ancient Music Richard Egarr, HarmoniaMundi 24/88.2) have many a conversationbetween the light flute organ melody and theheavy strings, giving an enchanting andrelaxing performance, only hinderedoccasionally by the harmonics betweensome notes on the organ that resonate on anancient organ that has perhaps seen betterdays. This work from around 1733 mighthave been aimed as interlude entertainment

I was instantlydrawn to themusic itdecoded, but Ipersonallywould havechosen aname Timios,meaning“honest”

between acts in Handel’s popular series oforatorios, but this recording makes themcentre stage as works in their own right.Whilst Egarr might have trained as aharpsichordist, his playing is beautifullypoetic and detailed. The close mic’ing at StJude’s Church in London of the Englishportable or ‘chamber’ organ with its fourstops and characteristically sweet tone, itcould be perhaps described as just a box oftreble and bass recorders. Its delicacy ofperformance is particularly clearly heardthrough the Callia, though not putting me offlistening. This is no Westminster Cathedralorgan, and the Callia is honest enough tomaintain it that way, with a speed and claritythat makes it easy to pick out tonal andmechanical errors of that organ. Only thenoise of passing traffic outside the venuewhere it was all recorded was not as audibleas I had heard in my choice headphoneamplifier. Bass was perhaps not quite asgenerous as I would have liked, though one’sattention to the mid and high frequency detailand clarity meant that I didn’t really miss it.The accuracy and ease of production of themusic was something I heard in all that Iplayed. Much of this can be down to the lackof jitter. In order to help create that perfectionin digital conversion the unit employs theirCleverClox hybrid digital phase-locked loop(DPLL) clock circuitry, which I rememberfrom their Atlas USB multi-track audiointerface. Indeed, much of the circuitry istaken from their Atlas, Lyra and Titanprofessional products.

At £1,795 this is an excellent price for acombined DAC and headphone amplifier,even passing well as a preamplifier, and withbalanced and coax output. A repeatingobservation as I reviewed this unit was of asound that crystal clear and fast with nothingadded or taken away from the music,meaning imperfections in the recordings canalways be heard, which can be a bitannoying if you want just to be entertained,

but ideal if you are a sound engineer. I muststress that this didn’t make the soundclinical, rather that it is detailed and accurate.Only vocals could have been a little moreforthright.

If you want a slower, more relaxed andcoloured sound then you need to goelsewhere, but for something that soundsthis good and looks stunning as well,particularly with all the blue lights, then thismay well be your best choice to decorate themusic room.

I must stressthat this didn’t

make thesound clinical,rather that it is

detailed andaccurate

Auralic refer to the Aries as a “bridge”;basically a digital device which refers to anetworked music library from the likes ofa NAS drive, or by use of an externalUSB hard drive, connected directly to theAries. What we have come to know morelovingly as a streamer – although youcould argue that they are usually an all inone device, often with an on-board harddrive and with analogue outputs from it’son-board DAC. Dan Worth takes this£1495 box of tricks for a whirl.

The difference between the Aries and astandard build streamer is that it has only

the ability to output a digital signal – bridgingthe gap between library and DAC. The Ariesboasts dual FemtoClocks, for the USB audioinput and the digital outputs, a low noiseinternal design to eliminate jitter and AuralicPurer-Power™ based 10uV low noiseexternal linear PSU. A whole host ofsupported music services are available and afully featured and easy to use App forAndroid and iOS devices – necessary foroperation of the Aries as opposed to theincluded remote, which controls more basicfeatures of playback.

Aries is powered by Auralic’s own Teslahardware platform that includes a Quad-CoreARM Coretex-A9 processor running at1GHz, 1GB DDR3 onboard memory and4GB internal storage…for those who areinterested. For the workload that the Arieshas on its plate the specifications are overkilland the system runs very smoothly, althoughstartup is fairly lengthy, allowing the ARIESto simply go to sleep when not in use is themost sensible way to use it day to day andwith extremely low power consumption…sonot a worry as far as energy bills areconcerned.

The Tesla platform has a calculation ability of25,000 MIPS, more than enough to decode avast spectrum of audio formats, includingAAC, AIFF, AlAC, APE, DIFF, DSF, FlAC,MP3, OGG, WAV, WV and WMA. Auralichas chose this platform for a long termsupporting consideration, the featureplanned include DSD upsampling, roomacoustic treatment and other acoustic DSPfunction.

By using OpenHome structure which isadopted by UK-based streaming solutionmanufacturer linn, ARIES, as well as allother lightning based products, supportsseveral advanced functions such as on-device playlist that allow control software toturn off during play and the completesupporting of a multi-room system.

local uPnP/DLNA library content from NASor PC/MACTIDAl, Qobuz and WiMPonline streamingInternet RadioAirPlay and SongcastUSB hard drive filesRoonReady

Built-in lightning ServerMinimserver, Twonky, Asset UPnP, JRiverDlNA/uPNP compatible server software

I

RJ45 Gigabit EthernetDual-Band WiFi connectionUSB 2.0 High-Speed for external disk

USB 2.0 High-Speed for compatible DAC**AES/EBU, Coaxial, TOSlINK

Though larger than its little brother (the ‘AriesMini) Aries is still a wonderfully compactdevice at 25cm x 20cm x 7cm and weighs amere 0.8kg (in no small part due to the off-board linear power supply), this allowsARIES to be easily implemented into anysystem. Pop it in a cupboard, under a rack,behind another piece of equipment or simplythrow a towel over it, many options areavailable – so you don’t have to look at it!Now I’m not saying that it’s going to makeyou cry when you open the packaging, butbeware, it’s not going to win a ‘sexiest atshow’ award (although we have given Auralicthe ‘Hifi Pig loves You’ award at Bristol thisyear).

Removing the Aries from it’s packaging andfeeling it’s sumptuous plastic body won’t getthe juices flowing either. The half router, halffreeview box design has a lot to live up to ifyou shop with your eyes but be patient, thebest is yet to come, this Hunchback ofAuralic has a generous heart.

The soundof the Aries

isremarkably

clean,remarkably

detailed andremarkably

sincere

The sound of the Aries is remarkably clean,remarkably detailed and remarkably sincere.From the outset with the already well run inreview circular, the Aries will grab you, seatyou and firmly glue you to your listening chairfor substantial amounts of time.

Its musicality has an honesty about it. Withthe noiseless, grainless and clean sound,poorer recordings won’t get the benefit of acoloured glow to round the rough edges, butanything better than adequate will engagethe listener wholeheartedly.

listening to Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ gave me anotion of complete envelopment, far moreaccomplished than the already musicallysatisfying Aries Mini I reviewed a while backand during any out of phase, widelydispersed tones and layers the centre stagemaintained incredible focus. Front spreadwas also very good and promoted excellentdynamics to the boundaries of the room,which my speakers are around four to fivefoot on each side away from the walls.Bass response is equally as satisfying, infact I am scratching my head as to how thelightweight, plastic, adorable only from acertain angle in the correct light, Aries canreally sound this good. Given that Auralicpurposely used a plastic enclosure in orderto use a high powered aerial, I’m forgivingthe exterior due to its endearing soundquality. If first impressions can be deceptivethen the Aries is the epitome of the popularphrase.

The bottom end received by the listener isintuitive, controlled and very detailed. Playingeither london Grammar’s ‘Hey Now’ or UrbanSpecies’ ‘Blanket’ allowed me to easilydiscern each and every subtle change innote. Good extension with tempo driving themusic along combines this detail with goodflow and bounciness.

Delving up into the midrange, the tighterdetailed upper mids pave way for vocalextension to be beautifully pure, conveying agood representation of natural range. A veryslight forwardness in the midrange allows forthese vocals to be very well pronounced.Well tuned and versed, the Aries issomewhat of an accomplishment at its price.

Whilst vocals stand true, the other elementsof the midrange behave as I would haveliked from a unit of this price. Transparencyin the midrange gave good structure anddepth to live performances, involving medeeply into the music.

Climbing up the frequency ladder the uppermidrange only ever became rough andetched when listening to a few badrecordings, which I enjoy very much for theirlyrics and am happy to accept. Overall a veryclean and open upper midrange, withenough control to keep the vixens of vocalstamed and busy music well separated.Top end air is wonderfully apparent in theAries, I remember the top end of the AriesMini being a tasty plate; if not refined or asairy, it had personality. The Aries has bags ofpersonality, along with the additionalrefinement and inner details that two properlyimplemented Femto clocks should produce.A more accurate display up top gives thelistener the experience of hearing all the finedelicacies and acoustics in their music. Morecan be obtained in higher-end products, butunlike some other high-end productssometimes more is less, leaning towards amore stringent and analytical performance.The Aries gives enough detail that thelistener feels well fed and at the same timethe music is tastier and easier to digest.

I’ve been using an Innuos Zenith 2 for somemonths now after producing a review for itwhich will be live in conjunction with thisreview. My reasons for mentioning this is thatone feature of the Innuos is that it has anonboard ‘Streamer’ lAN Output. Basically anEthernet internet connection output whichallowed me to plug the Aries into and use theInnuos as the router, switch, internetpassthrough for my streaming services and adirectly link to my music library saved on theZenith’s internal SSD. All of this covered byInnuos’ triple linear PSU offers an incrediblystrong platform for the Aries to work with.Coincidently Auralic UK set the Aries uppiggybacked off the same Zenith indemonstrations, at shows and dealershipsand the combination of the two takes eachunit to the next level with a combined price of£4000. So how does the Aries sound now?Even more accomplished!

The bottomendreceived bythe listeneris intuitive,controlledand verydetailed

I’m now hearing more detail, with a farblacker background. Taking all the noise outof the chain of command with standardrouting options gives a confidence to theAries whether playing Qobuz or Tidal – andfrom the direct onboard library of the Zenith,this is where things really get serious. Thesound gains more resolution and basspremise, the tightness of the Aries alonegains a little more weight with it’sumbilicalled partner and dynamics get a nicehelping hand also. But for me the most standout attribute of the combination was thesoundstage.

Everything is more easily discernible andvocals become more expressive, adding anice touch of emotion along with standingmore confident in the mix. What reallyengaged me was the additional structure ofthe soundstage, where depth was goodbefore it was now more complex. DuringFleetwood Mac’s live version of ‘Big love’ theway the guitar moved throughout the left rearof the stage and forward again during thesolo was incredibly smooth and concise, sortof in film where there is a higher frame ratewhich allows the viewer to to see more ofwhat’s going on in a more detailed and fluidmanner.

Studio mixed Pop Music and Electronicmusic is always a fine test for how well anitem can stage around the listener and intothe rear of the room simply due to the wayit’s recorded. The Aries already showedgood detail encapsulation in this area andwith the addition of the Innuos this areagained additional strengths… it’s a shamethat Auralic don’t build a Universal Playerbecause music and films would workexceptionally well with their digital expertisein a 2 channel system, which for most of uswho prioritise Hifi look towards in mostsituations where a theatre system cannot beaccommodated or wanted. I could imaginesitting here watching some of my favouritemovies with a 2 Channel sound quality sostrong.

Auralic seem to be creating a bit of a trendhere – they are producing some digitalequipment which is just so well voiced thatwherever in the range your budget gets youfeel assured that what you will receive is amusical piece of equipment that won’tdisappoint for the price.

Retaining musicality whilst extracting moreaccuracy and detail retrieval is not theeasiest of tasks. Reducing jitter, laying outcircuitry, planning out PSUs, choosingcomponents etc all have dramatic effects ona digital signal which is not as robust assome people may believe. Approaching thiswithout care and plenty of R&D could makefor the cleanest sound ever, but withoutpersonality it’s nothing short of a flop.The charisma the Auralic products seem toobtain speak volumes about their designersand how measurements alone cannotproduce music with heart and soul, so to theAuralic team I salute you for never puttingthe music second.

Everything ismore easilydiscernibleand vocals

become moreexpressive,

adding a nicetouch of

emotion alongwith standing

more confidentin the mix

The Russ Andrews Power Purifieris a modular power conditionerthat you can have fully loaded fromthe off or choose the base unit andadd to as and when you feel theneed. Janine Elliot pops it on herrack and experiments with the£329 (base unit) £1107 (fully load-ed) box.

Mains noise can sometimes be thebiggest destroyer of sound quality in a

system, and equally, some mainsconditioners can do the same; altering EQ,reducing dynamic range, and narrowingsoundstage. Where I might get excited aboutnew hifi products, these are usually exoticturntables or honest sounding amplifiers ofone form or another. Mains conditioners arelikely to be last on my list, despite me havingdesigned and regularly using them. TheRuss Andrews Power Purifier is different toanything I have seen before and raised morethan a few sparks of interest by me at arecent hifi show, so I requested to review theproduct.This is not a “one size fits all” product, butrather it is one that you can tailor to your ownfinances and audio-visual needs and ‘add-to’when necessary. This single box has spaceto accumulate different mains calmingdevices that you simply plug in yourself andstick down to the base of the unit withdouble-sided tape, that when joined togetherare there to combat the three major areas ofmains contamination; spikes and surges,mains noise and Wi-Fi interference. All in asingle 226mm x 68mm x 243mm plastic boxwith a high-gloss acrylic face panel withcentral blue indicator just so you know it isdoing its job. Costing £329 it comes asstandard with the Russ AndrewsUltraPurifier™ filter and SuperClamp™ surgeprotection. You can tailor your PowerPurifierby adding extra filtering as and when yourbudget and needs allows, meaning aMegaClamp, a mains Zapperator and up tofour ClarityMains can be fitted to thePowerPurifier. The review sample camecomplete with all options carefully attached.Russ Andrews will even connect all theadditional filters you buy for free, justcharging for the postage, though the Allenkey supplied allows you to easily and quickly

open the box to do all the work yourself,should you so wish.

Having recently celebrated their 30thanniversary, Russ Andrews is a name mosthifi audiophiles will be aware of, from ahumble small cabin in 1986 to their presentempire and major presence at hifi shows. Aswell as a growing range of accessories tocater for most audio needs, they haveparticularly specialised in mainsimprovement products, all with great namesand equally great claims.

Each element you attach has different uses.The PowerPurifier itself comes complete withtwo components; their UltraPurifier™, abasic broadband power conditioner, and theirSuperClamp™. This part provides very rapidreaction to over-voltage spikes on the mains.RA recommends you replace this every fiveyears to maintain its effectiveness. From thebasic set up you can also add the followingcomponents;

The MegaClamp (at £180) which offersenhanced spike and surge protection, whichis many times more effective than theSuperClamp. This unit will also lastindefinitely.

The Mains Zapperator is a mains conditionerthat deals with very high frequency noise thatis particularly caused by wireless computernetworks. At £142 extra this can be added toyour Purifier.

The Clarity Mains is a mains conditioner thatutilises “Coherence Technology”, and up tofour of these boxes can be added to thePowerPurifier, with each one costing you afurther £114. The “Coherence Technology”was introduced by Russ after he wasapproached back in 2007 by a US designer

The RussAndrews

Power Purifieris different to

anything Ihave seenbefore and

raised morethan a few

sparks ofinterest by meat a recent hifi

show

who had an audio device that claimed to helpto reduce noise in signals. The Clarity Mainshelps to reduce noise of the mains supply.Whichever boxes you decide to add to yourPurifier, each one comes with its owncoloured connector, and which can only fitinto its respective coloured socket, meaningthat assembly is easy. Just remember thatwhen you stick the boxes using the double-sided tape, you cannot re-position them later!Their UltraPurifier™ filter also appears in theRA catalogue as a separate unit or built intoproducts such as their 8-way Power blocks,largely due to its clever ‘shunt’ filter design,meaning that there are no componentsbetween the supply and the hifi or videoequipment. It can simply be added whereyou want it to work. As a result I have foundthese designs have a much more manneredresult than many a “conventional” mainsconditioner that can change the audiofrequency response or dynamic range,resulting in them sounding far different –even if at times that might make the soundmore ‘exciting’ and therefore temporallymore desirable. What actually set this unitmore desirable for me was that the dynamicrange didn’t shrink, moreover that itexpanded, and using with video madecolours clearer but not unreal as they canwhen you press the “dynamic” option on yourTV or projector.

When I first saw their £301 mains plug withMiniPurifier and MegaClamp, and felt thatwhile it might work well, its small size andplastic body wouldn’t inspire me to part withthat sort of money. So whilst this unit underreview now might be over 3 times size itsbasic setup only £18 more, this is amazingvalue and still a reasonable £1107 when fullycharged with all the extras. Its design is more

advanced and for me much more tempting,particularly as you can configure your ownspecification. Since it was not built into a 4or 6 way mains extension lead it meant thattesting the unit was far easier for me, as Icould plug it in or not to hear the differences,without switching on and off all my hifi.Being based on the use of shunt-connectedmains filters, it meant the devices couldeffectively ‘suck’ the interference out of themains without actually coming betweenmains and audio equipment, thus less likelyto turn into a glorified tone control.

For the review I had all the ingredients at mydisposal, including 4 Clarity Mains blocks,and I tried different recipes to see howeffective each part was, making a meal ofassessing whether there were differences. Iused my Slee power amplifiers withTownshend Rock 7 turntable and the PrismAudo Callia DAC as one of my systems, andPre Audio turntable into Manley phonostageand modified vintage Leak Stereo20 poweramplifier as the other.

I wasn’t able to create any audible spikeswhen testing; even after playing about withmy fridge and other ‘noise’ creating artefacts.After many years of trying to create theperfect audio listening space that part of mymains is thankfully house-trained. However,my mains isn’t the cleanest, thoughthankfully modern power engines built intohifi separates can improve things, as doesmy own mains conditioner. Removing myown conditioner to try another product waslike weaning my children off their favouritefood to try another brand. Initially I needed toremove all conditioning completely to get

ThePowerPurifierworkspassively,meaning that itdoesn’t havethe drawbacksof some othermains filters –things like lossof musicalityand reduceddynamic range

used to that sound and then try the RA.Playing music I knew well, includingrecordings I had made or been in the studiowhen they were produced helped me toknow what I should be listening for.

The PowerPurifier works passively, meaningthat it doesn’t have the drawbacks of someother mains filters – things like loss ofmusicality and reduced dynamic range. Thelatter degradation is something I havenoticed with many conditioners I have testedover the years. In some respects this type ofunit is harder to review, because you don’tactually want to hear any audio changes,rather you want the audio to be cleaner andnot affected by external influence. Listeningto my aged Dire Straits ‘Brothers In Arms’illustrated to me straight away just how goodthis device was at showing detail in thesource material; through my brilliantPreAudio Tangential tonearm the space andclarity of the brilliantly engineered albumshowed me just how well this device wasworking in the background; no extra bass,extra mid or treble, or compressed audio,just a pin-sharp clarity made even moreapparent by the improved signal to noiseratio. The soundstage didn’t seem over-enlarged, just more realistic. The bird noisesand the punchy drum influxes in “Ride acrossthe River” were well placed precisely acrossthe 10 foot stage that is my living room.Compared with no audio taming devices Inoticed an improvement in the focus of the

audio. For example, David Gilmour’s “Then IClose My Eyes” (from ‘On an Island’), Inoticed improved position in the landscapebetween the ride cymbals, muted trumpet,cello, acoustic guitar and backing vocals; thisis a thickly textured but very laid back track,and I could easily close my eyes andimagine I was indeed on some desertedisland with no infestation of audio snow orhail. Interestingly I didn’t find the unit addedany tonal character of its own, as somemains conditioners can do. In an ideal worldyou want the unit to be tonally transparentand allow the equipment to work as well as itdid in the designers’ laboratory.

Listening to FLAC and DSD files can oftenstill come across as brittle or clinicalcompared to my choice vinyl or reel to reel,but even listening to albums such as the SirSimon Rattle Sibelius Symphonies fromBerliner Philharmoniker or the 24/192remaster of Eagles Hotel California, soundedsurprisingly transparent and lifelike via themains conditioner.

On to Mike Valentine’s Big-BandSpectacular, an album performed with suchprecision in terms of both performance andsound quality, available in vinyl and digitaland now reel to reel formats. The massivesoundstage at the Air Studio’s was broughtinto my own living room, and the Leak Stereo20 just opened up in a way I hadn’t expectedit would. The aged ECC83/EL84 unit gave of

What actuallyset this unit

more desirablefor me was

that thedynamic range

didn’t shrink,moreover that

it expanded

itself in a way that even Harold would besmiling, with great speed and cleanliness,and even more focus and musicality. Thesound was as realistic as I remembered inthe studio. Nothing was added or taken awayfrom the music. That was great news to me.But I could hear a greater noise floor than Ihad imagined the Leak could give, andimproved space and depth betweeninstruments. This was like getting a new setof glasses; the images were clearer andcleaner, though I was still looking at all thesame objects.

Turning appropriately to video, I found thePurifier produced cleaner colours anddefinition, but not like turning on the“dynamic” button on your television orprojector, as some mains conditioners might.Honesty was the name of the game here,with a noticeable reduction in “noise” in thepicture.

Even fully loaded with all the units at justover £1000 this mains purifier is highlyrecommended for the price, and even betterthat it comes with a 60-day trial, so if you arenot convinced then you can return it. Whereso many conditioners fail by changing the

audio or video this unit just tidies it up.Tackling three areas within a single box is ahighly favourable aid to taming your mains.Honesty was

the name ofthe gamehere, with anoticeablereduction in“noise”

EU/UK Tour DatesFrom Prawn!Following on from the release of theircritically acclaimed album,‘Kingfisher’ (released 12th August2014 via Topshelf Records), and twosuccessful EU/UK tours withGnarwolves and Brighter &Hindsights respectively. Prawn areset to come back to the EU/UK withThe Flatliners. The spring tour is setto start on 21st September in Europeand will hit the UK from 12th October.

New Jersey based emo rock quintet,Prawn, formed in 2007 and after self-releasing their estimable full length‘You Can Just Leave It All’ in 2011,had the album re-released byTopshelf Records (home to the likesof: Braid, Field Mouse, DiamondYouth and more). The band havesince released two more LPs, mostnotably their last album ‘Kingfisher’,which entered the Billboard‘Heatseekers Chart’ at No.16 uponrelease.

‘Kingfisher’ calls to mind bands suchas The Appleseed Cast, Brand Newand American Football, but neversound like they are replicating onespecific sound. Prawn excel atproducing songs that are extremelyrecognisable, but more importantlythey still exhibit masses of originality.This is what made ‘Kingfisher’ one ofthe most extolled releases to comeout of the so called ‘emo revival’scene in 2014. However, Prawn arefar more than just another emo band;They imbue their emotive and exigentvocal style with ambient post-rockinfused instrumentation, and in doingso Prawn have invigorated a genrewhich is, more often than not,plagiarised from the seminal 90’sfounders of the scene that the bandtake influence from.

Since their formation Prawn haveextensively toured across the USplaying with the likes of A Great Big

Pile Of Leaves, Into It. Over It.,Foxing, The Hotelier, Dikembe, andThe Jazz June. Similarly, the bandhave previously made three visits tothe EU and UK where they haveconsistently made a huge impact oneager audiences, acquiring new fanswith every show by exhibiting theirunique flavour of plaintive yet urgentemo rock.

The band also have recently been inthe studio with Will Yip (Title Fight,Pianos Become The Teeth, Whirr),hinting at the possibility of newmaterial on the horizon. Prawn havebeen moving from strength-to-strength with every release and thistour will provide an opportunity topotentially hear new material and tofinally see why they are presently oneof the most talked about bands in thescene.

TOUR DATES:

Thu 21 Sep France Paris @ Le Gibus

Fri 22 Sep Belgium Diest @ JH Tijl

Sat 23 Sep Holland Amsterdam @Sugarfactory

Sun 24 Sep Germany Hamburg @Hafenklang

Mon 25 Sep Germany Berlin @Cassiopeia

Wed 27 Sep Germany Dresden @Scheune

Thu 28 Sep Germany Hannover @Bei Chez Heinz

Fri 29 Sep Germany Nurnberg @Desi

Sat 30 Sep Czech Prague @ OO7

Sun 01 Oct Austria Vienna @ Arena

Mon 02 Oct Hungary Budapest @Durer Kert

Wed 04 Oct Slovenia Ljubljana @Gala Hala

Thu 05 Oct Italy Seregno @ HonkyTonky

Fri 06 Oct Switzerland Lucerne @Sedel

Sun 08 Oct Germany Munich @Kranhalle

Mon 09 Oct Germany Stuttgart @Keller Klub

Tue 10 Oct Germany Cologne @MTC

Thu 12 Oct England Brighton @ TheHope

Fri 13 Oct England Southampton @Joiners

Sat 14 Oct England Bristol @ TheExchange

Sun 15 Oct England Manchester @Rebellion

Tue 17 Oct England Newcastle @Think Tank

Wed 18 Oct Scotland Glasgow @Stereo

Thu 19 Oct England Leeds @Brudenell Social Club

Fri 20 Oct England Nottingham @Bodega

Sat 21 Oct England London @ TheDome

Sun 22 Oct England Kingston @

Penetration AnnounceUK Tour Dates!First generation punk act Penetrationcelebrate 40 years as a touring andrecording band with an autumn UKtour. Having played their first Londonshow at the legendary Roxy club inApril 1977 before releasing ’Don’tDictate’ as their debut single thatNovember, the group deem 2017 tobe not only their own 40thanniversary, but also that of whenpunk hit the provinces.

A dozen dates in October/Novemberwill feature a set that traces themusical path taken by the band fromits origins, including early demosongs, right up to 2015’s triumphantcomeback album, ‘Resolution’. It willwork through their repertoire inchronological order.

The show will be road-tested with aperformance at The Exchange inNorth Shields on 25th August, part ofa two day Punk In The Provincesextravaganza during the Whitley BayFilm Festival.

Autumn tour dates:

21.10.17 LIVERPOOL O2 Academy

22.10.17 GLASGOW Broadcast

26.10.17 LONDON O2 AcademyIslington

27.10.17 BRIGHTON Lewes ConClub

28.10.17 BRISTOL The Fleece

03.11.17 EDINBURGH Mash House

04.11.17 NEWCASTLE Cluny

09.11.17 SHEFFIELD O2 Academy2

10.11.17 PRESTON The Continental

11.11.17 DERBY The Hairy Dog

16.11.17 BIRMINGHAM O2Academy 3

18.11.17 STOCKTON GeorgianTheatre

The Birthday Massacre have

announced a UK tour to promote theirnew album, ‘Under Your Spell’. Theitinerary is as follows:

24.10.17 LONDON O2 AcademyIslington

25.10.17 MANCHESTER RubyLounge

27.10.17 EDINBURGH Opium

28.10.17 WHITBY Goth Festival

29.10.17 GLASGOW Ivory Blacks

31.10.17 BRISTOL Fleece

01.11.17 READING Sub 89

02.11.17 SOUTHAMPTON EngineRooms

03.11.17 WOLVERHAMPTON SladeRooms

‘Under Your Spell’ was released on

9th June by Metropolis Records.

‘Under Your Spell’ is the 7th album bythe Birthday Massacre, and with itcomes eleven songs that reveal aside of the Canadian band thataudiences may not be familiar with.Driven with the band’s signature,unique blend of spiralling synthmelodies, walls of guitar andevocative vocals, the new songsrange from dark, aggressive anthemsto danceable, pretty pop and hit allthe bases that audiences have cometo expect. However, there is also arawness to the emotion expressed,an openness and vulnerability thatfeels new.

One thing that is clearer than ever,however, is the tight bond that existsbetween the band members and theirwillingness to explore heartbreak andloss together. With these songs, theyhave entered the darkness of theirmost fragile emotions and returnedwith a cohesive and detailed musicalportrait that captures both the angerand hope that exist within a momentin time.

The Birthday Massacre continue tomake music that is unique to them,once again managing to create analbum that somehow feels so familiar,yet challenges the listener to continuealongside them on their ever-changing, ever-growing journey.

The BirthdayMassacre AnnounceUK Tour!

White Reaper’s DeepPurple Cover!Following on from the April release oftheir new album ‘The World’s BestAmerican Band’ on PolyvinylRecords, Louisville indie/garage bandWhite Reaper have announced ashort run of EU/UK tour dates for thisOctober. The band will be playing thefollowing dates:

23-Oct-17 / UK / Brighton – ThePrince Albert

24-Oct-17 / UK / London – SebrightArms

25-Oct-17 / UK / London – Old BlueLast

29-Oct-17 / Germany / Hamburg –Nochtwach

30-Oct-17 / Germany / Berlin – Musik& Frieden

31-Oct-17 / Germany / Cologne –MTC

More dates TBA

A video for the latest track “TheWorld’s Best American Band” hasjust emerged too. One of the album’scentrepieces, the Simon Young-animated video for the title trackpremiered recently with Funny or Die.

Make sure to come out and see whypeople are singing the praises aboutthis band, like when NPR caught

them at this year’s SXSW… “WhiteReaper’s latest single is called ‘TheWorld’s Best American Band,’ whichmight seem a little hyperbolic untilyou’ve seen it live.”

The Black Angels have shared avideo for their latest single ‘I’d Kill ForHer’, at Consequence of Sound.Produced by Phil Ek (Father JohnMisty, Fleet Foxes, The Shins), theband’s new album ‘Death Song’features some of the heaviest musicthese psych-rockers have ever put towax – slow-burning, menacing fuzzmeditating on the realities of societyand devotion. On “I’d Kill For Her,’lead singer Alex Maas steps inside ofthe mind of a man driven by the beliefthat there’s beauty in brutality.

See The Black Angels live in the EU /UK this September

(Supported by A Place to BuryStrangers)

6 Sept – Piraeus Academy – Athens,Greece

7 Sept – Principal Club– Thessalonik,Greece

9 Sept – Tavastia – Helsinki, Finland

11 Sept – Debaser Strand –Stockholm, Sweden

12 Sept – Parkteatret – Oslo, Norway

13 Sept – Pumpehuset –Copenhagen, Denmark

15 Sept – Muziekgieterij – Massricht,Netherlands

18 Sept – Les Docks, Lausanne,Switzerland

19 Sept – AB Ballroom – Brussels,Belgium

20 Sept – Paradiso – Amsterdam,Netherlands

22 Sept – Forum – London, UK

23 Sept – Liverpool InternationalFestival of Psychedelia – Liverpool,UK

25 Sept – SWG3 – Glasgow, UK

26 Sept – Institute 2 – Birmingham,UK

27 Sept – Trinity – Bristol, UK

29 Sept – La Cigale – Paris, France

30 Sept – Luxor – Cologne, Germany

01 Oct – Colombiatheatre – Berlin,Germany

The Black Angels’New Video And TourDates!

Album Review:Theatre Of Hate’s ‘HeWho Dares Wins’An irony of ironies: since the adventof punk rock, a movement rooted indestabilising the establishment, it hasbecome established that virtuosity ≠authenticity + quality. Though it mustbe said, even without the Sex Pistols,Clash et al, Yes, Emerson Lake &Palmer, and their ilk were doing anexcellent job of making that point…

There’s a school of music fan though,as uniform and oppressive as anyeducational institution, that believesamateurism = authenticity + quality.

He Who Dares Wins, spanning 5discs and over 30 years, chartsTheatre Of Hate’s rise from charmingand ambitiousamateurs, to powerfulpurveyors of gothicmight. And proves thatamateurism does notnecessarily equate tohigher calibre music.

Even the space of just 8months between theJanuary 1981 show thatmakes up disc 1 and theSeptember show of thatyear that is disc 2makes all the difference.Where vocalist KirkBrandon struggles toconvincingly hit the highnotes on Original Sin ondisc 1, just a few shortmonths later his voicehas stepped up to theplate admirably.

And a generation later,on 2007’s disc 3,cloaked in ghostlyreverb, Brandon’s voiceis hitting those noteswith all the powerfulease of a dictator

commanding his troops. His open-throated bellow a far cry from ’81’scomparatively weedy attempt.

But the later shows of 2007 and 2012represented here aren’t all spit andpolish. The bass retains all the punk-inflected rattle of the earlier shows.And Brandon’s guitar keeps its treblypiercing quality, while sacrificing noneof its clarity.

Theatre Of Hate’s music carries allthe majesty of a gothic cathedral’ssteeple. Where many an indie bandof their time wallowed in their ownineptitude, Theatre Of Hate strived tofurther themselves. Not just asmusicians, but as creators.

Virtuosity ≠ creativity. There’sscarcely a lick across He Who DaresWins 5 discs that falls into the YngwieMalmsteen category of virtuosity. And

if there were, the record would havesuffered for it.

It’s what you do with what you’ve gotthat counts. It must be conceded thatless is not always more. Just like itmust be conceded that more is notalways better. Theatre Of Hate aremasters of leaving space, letting theirimpeccable rhythm section carry thetunes and utilising the guitar andsaxophone as tools to alter thedynamics of their music.

Rarely is there a band that is thisgood so far into their career. Onethinks of Swans and their run ofexcellent albums in recent years.Theatre Of Hate have proventhemselves on this boxset that, at thevery least, they’re an incredible nightout.

by James Fleming

Album Review: PereUbu’s ’20 Years In AMontana Missile Silo’If Marvel Comics’ Man-Thing made arecord it would sound dangerouslyclose to 20 Years In A MontanaMissile Silo. Sci-fi synths swirl andsoar over Creedence ClearwaterRevival-style swamp rock, topped offwith David Thomas’ idiosyncraticwarbling yelp. Pere Ubu are one ofthose rare bands who are – as JohnPeel put it when referring to The Fall– “always different, always the same.”

Ubu coined the term “avant-garage”to describe their welding of twoseemingly disparate strands of weirdinto their own iconic sound. And it’sthrough the push and pull of thosepolar genres, upping the avant-gardeon one record or, as on 20 Years In AMontana Missile Silo, bringing thegarage-rock to the fore, that PereUbu have succeeded in the nighimpossible – always sounding likethemselves, but never repeating pastsuccesses/failures.

Unorthodox is the word. Weird is tooeasy a dismissal of the music on 20Years In A Montana Missile Silo,alternative too dull a term. Thismelding of that most grassroots agenre as garage-rock with theintelligence of the avant-garde andmusique concréte is anUNORTHODOX use of both styles.

Monkey Bizness opens the record ina decidedly The Modern Dancefashion. Eerie synths slime over a riffthat’d put the rawest of garage-dwellers to shame, and Thomas’voice sounds as thrillingly alien asever.

But, there’s age in his voice now.Thomas is on the wrong side of sixtythese days, and the cracks arestarting to show. Making the recordall the more compelling. This is the

sound of a veteran. A veteran withexperience to pass on to the youngwhippersnappers trying to usurp hiscrown of unorthodoxy.

Where the likes of Black Keys havebrought garage-rock to theEnormodomes and Radiohead havedragged the alternative into thestadiums, Pere Ubu have reined bothin and rather than smooth out theedges, they have sharpened theedges’ serrated teeth.

There are softer moments, TheHealer’s strummed acoustic guitarand Thomas’ twisted croon of “oh andI see too much,” betray 20 Years In AMontana Missile Silo’s maturity whileventuring out into uncharacteristicwaters for Pere Ubu. It’s juxtaposedon either side by Toe To Toe andSwampland, two of the record’shardest hitting tracks. Both tracksshort-sharp-shocks running undertwo minutes each.

It’s in the second half of the albumthat things wander off deeper into the

marshland. Plan From Frag 9’sdrums forsake the beat in favour ofatmospheric tom-toms. Howl’srepetitive, bluesy riff combined withThomas’ desperate, echoing ‘I’mgonna howl for ya baby!’ invokes thesouls of passed on garage-rockvocalists like Lux Interior. Before RedEye Blues’ synthesiser freak-outhalfway through it’s 1:52 running timesends us from the swamp into thestratosphere.

As Thomas’ ghostly voice fades outrepeating “hold me close…” on 20Years In A Montana Missile Silo’sclosing track Cold Sweat, a starkcontrast with the rollicking startingpoint of the aforementioned MonkeyBizness, we have passed through theswamp to the stratosphere and allpoints in between in the space of asingle rock n’ roll record. Long mayPere Ubu continue to bring us onsuch wondrous journeys.

by James Fleming

Procol Harum – TheQueen’s Hall,EdinburghIt doesn’t seem that long ago that theidea of rock stars in their seventiesseemed ridiculous; rock and roll wasa young man’s (and occasionalwoman’s) game. The boring old fartsthat punk had come to blow away in1976 were barely in their thirties, andthe punks themselves are nowpensioners. Over the last few yearsI’ve seen some tremendous gigs fromseptuagenarian rockers: Daevid Allenand Gilli Smyth in Gong, Bryan Ferry,Roy Harper, Al Stewart – all turning inperformances that belie their years.

As Gary Brooker shuffles on stage, itseems at first as if he he is carryinghis own years a little more heavilythan any of those mentioned above.I’d read that he had injured his headin a fall during the interval at anearlier gig at The Royal Festival Hall,reappearing for the second half withhis head in bandages. There are nobandages tonight, but he does seema little frail. Arranging some lyricsheets on his piano, Brooker explainsthat he needs these for the materialfrom the new album, Novum, astonight will be the first time that hehas played them since they wererecorded. This is not strictly true as acouple of the songs got an airing atthat Royal Festival Hall gig buttonight will be the debut for most ofthem.

As Brooker is the only original ProcolHarum member in the band’s line upthese days, it would be tempting todismiss the others as mere hiredhands but guitarist Geoff Whitehornand bassist Matt Pegg have beenwith the band since the early 1990sand keyboard player Josh Phillipshas also served time since 1993,leaving then rejoining in 2004. Evennew boy drummer, Geoff Dunn has

more than ten years service. So, this“new” version of Procol Harem isactually more established than theoriginal.

The set opens with the first song fromthe new album. I Told On You is adriving rocker, led by crunchy guitarriff from Whitehorn. Brooker’s voiceis perhaps a little more fragile than indays gone by but it is stillunmistakably his own. Next up, weare taken back to 1967 and theband’s second single, Homburg withits distinctive Hammond organ lines.The remainder of the first set focuseson the new album, on the whole afine selection of songs, written byBrooker and former Cream lyricist,Pete Brown. Brooker mentions thatJosh Phillips has a wonderful newYamaha keyboard which can makejust about any sound you canimagine. Puzzlingly, Phillips haschosen to make it sound like aparticularly horrible 1980s’ digitalpiano which, in my opinion at least,detracts from many of the songs onthe new album. The songsthemselves though are fine and thefirst half of the gig serves as ashowcase for them. Highlightsinclude the weary tale of Last ChanceMotel and Image Of The Beast. Onlythe subpar Chas And Dave knees upof Neighbour lets the quality slide alittle. The first set ends with one ofProcol Harem’s most enduring songs,A Salty Dog. Brooker’s openingpiano chords are slightly stilted butGeof Dunn captures original drummerBJ Wilson’s distinctively lop sideddrum fills perfectly.

The second half of the show minesthe band’s back catalogue for gems,Wall Street Blues featuring Phillips’Hammond organ. “We used to playthe big place down the road andarrive in limousines” says Brookerbefore launching into Grand Hotel.This time he arrived on the shuttlebus from the airport; the hedonisticexploits told in Grand Hotel are a

distant memory. All to soon we arriveat the final trio of songs: WhiskyTrain, Conquistador and The OnlyOne. The encore is, of course,inevitable. Perhaps no other bandhas been associated with a singlesong like Procul Harum have with AWhiter Shade Of Pale. It’s anassociation that I’m sure Brooker isperfectly happy with – his wife walkedup the aisle to it when they weremarried. Classics are classics for areason and the song retains all itsmagic, even after fifty years. On theevidence of tonight’s performance itlooks like Brooker and the band havea good few years left in them yet.

Set List

I Told on YouHomburg

Image of the Beast

Don’t Get Caught

Neighbour

Last Chance Motel

Sunday Morning

Can’t Say That

A Salty Dog

Wall Street Blues

Pandora’s Box

An Old English Dream

Grand Hotel

As Strong as Samson

Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of)

Whisky Train

Conquistador

The Only One

Encore

A Whiter Shade of Pale

John Scott

Live Review: Grand &Cúla Búla @ TheQuaysBathed in blue stage lights, with theageing pipes of an old church organlooming impressively over them, CúlaBúla towered over the crowd upstairsat The Quays on a stage built at leastseven feet off the ground.

But never did they give theimpression they were looking downupon us. No delusions of grandeurhere, barely even aperformer/audience barrier. Clad inripped jeans and a grubby jumper,vocalist and tin whistle-ist BisckitsMusicman – through audiencemanipulation that would makeEnormodome veterans green withenvy – had the crowd stomping allover the fine line between traditionalIrish dancing and moshing.

Bassist Luke Longarms hoppeddown from his perch stage right todemonstrate the finer points of ceilídancing with Musicman. Dancesteps that were an enthralling crossbetween drunken frog-lurching andwaltzing, kept in time by TadhgKelly, who’s impeccable drumminglead the band through rhythmicvariations of trad, through punk, toreggae-inflected grooves.

And the crowd moved with Cúla Búlathrough these off-kilter shifts, flingingbodies and limbs in time with theever-changing beat. A sweat-soakedmass of flying hair and ravagedlivers.

The times they have a-changed.Ergo, therefore, and hence, the folkmusic of the people has to havechanged with it. Cúla Búla are here toplay that music.

Celebrating in plainspoken, humbleterms the virtues of Cans At Dawnand the reinvention of the traditional

as something modern. WhenMusicman played Cliff Burton’s iconicbass riff from Metallica’s For WhomThe Bell Tolls on his tin whistle, aroar of recognition/approval rose fromthe congregation. Living, singing,dancing proof that the lines betweensub-cultures have become so blurredas to be almost indistinct.

It has been noted that the future ofmusic lies in the fusion of seeminglydisparate genres together intosomething simultaneously futuristicand classic, just like Cúla Búla’s tradremix of Metallica. Or their ruggedfolk-punk reimagining of House OfThe Rising Sun. The future of the folkis in Cúla Búla’s safe, virtuoso hands.

Grand exceeded all the expectationsthat their self-deprecating name set.Melding everything wonderful aboutroots music into a sound crisp andclear as an un-muddied lake, theseven instrumentalists on stagesucceeded in perfectlycomplementing each other’s playing,rather than descending into acacophonous wall of mushy sound.

They didn’t take to the stage until thewitching hour and their party ragedon into the wee hours of the morning.And though the floor was slick withbeer-sweat and packed to capacitywith bodies who had long sinceabandoned dancing in favour ofrhythmic thrashing, still we shoutedfor more.

Grooving loose as a pack of wildanimals, Grand tore through a setlistof some of the finest original roots-music material on the Emerald Isle.They delivered the pure, rawadrenaline thrill of the finest rock n’roll without an electric instrumenthaving to grace the stage.

Larynxes were shredded shouting“HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HI-DEE-HO!” duringa storming rendition of CabCalloway’s Minnie The Moocher. Feetmoved so fast on the floor it’s awonder someone didn’t tear aligament. All the while, Grand’sirresistible groove carried theaudience along on a cloud of purejoy.

“Move me, move me!” imploredvocalist Phil on one of Grand’soriginal songs. And how anyonecould not be moved by theimmediate and intense bondbetween Grand and the crowd isbeyond comprehension. For whocan resist the sexual sound of amuted trumpet, hoisted into thestratosphere by the pure sound of adouble bass?

Well, no one bothered to try and findout if they could resist it. We soaredthrough the night in a haze of dance

and song. A real sense of communitypervaded the venue throughout thenight. That wonderful synergy whereeveryone knows that everyone else issimply out for a good time and noone’s going to fuck it up for anyoneelse. ’Twas a beautiful thing tobehold.

But it wouldn’t have happenedwithout the bands. Without them andtheir arsenal of finely-honed tunes,there would have been no night at all.Just that horrible feeling of theabsence of craic.

by James Fleming

Martha Wainwright –The Caves, EdinburghMartha Wainwright is a songwriter.Her father, Loudon Wainwright is asongwriter. Her mother, KateMcGarrigle was a songwriter. Herbrother, Rufus Wainwright and half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche aresongwriters. Her aunts, AnnaMcGarrigle and Sloane Wainwrightare songwriters. Her cousin LilyLankin is a songwriter. There is apicture developing here; although notso much a picture as a family album.The Wainwright family have, in fact,recorded several family albums;writing songs with, and about, eachother – often with a devastatinghonesty, sometimes using words asweapons to wound. Her parents’marriage and divorce is well-documented in song. When Marthaspent a year living with her father, ata time when she was a self-confessed difficult teenager, he wrotea song called I’d Rather Be Lonely.Martha responded with a song of herown entitled Bloody Mother FuckingAsshole. And yet, it has been saidthat the the only offence that can becaused in the Wainwright family is towrite a poor-quality song.Songwriting is in Martha’s bones andshe is clearly her father’s daughter;she shares his smile and she doesthat weird kicky leg thing when shesings, just like he does. Fortunately,she hasn’t inherited that other weirdthing he does with his tongue; Rufusgot that particular gene.

Martha opens tonight with a song ofher mother’s, I Am A Diamond. Itslines “I am a woman, I aim toachieve, I’ll eat the apple that wasoffered to Eve” seem a fitting missionstatement for tonight’s performance.Next up from Martha’s new albumGoodnight City is the opening trackAround The Bend. When I first sawone of her father’s gigs, he had justrecorded a song, Five Year’s Old,

about Martha’s fifth birthday party. Itseems unlikely that her line “I’ve beendoing too much blow” is a reflectionon the increased effort required toextinguish the growing number ofcandles on her birthday cakes as shegets older, but it is a song aboutgetting older and wiser. “I’ve beendoing too much blow, but now I onlydo the show. I just want to get paid, Inever get laid, they’re too afraid”.

Traveller is a beautiful, uplifting songabout a friend dying from cancer, ofhis journey carrying on after hepasses. Franci is, as Martha tells us“ written for a child that I can hearright now”; her kids, seven year oldArc (short for Arcangelo) and threeyear old Francis, have arrived todayfrom New York and are peeking outfrom a little doorway at the rear of thestage. Backing singer Robin rushesoff for a quick spot of babysittingwhile Martha and the rest of the bandcarry on with Breathing All Over Youfrom her second album I Know You’reMarried, But I Have Feelings Too.

A slight amount of confusion breaksout when the kids seem unwilling toallow Robin to return to the stage andso they are brought out onstage foran unplanned performance of a songcalled Maybe by Arc – after the show,Martha is keen to scribble theaddition onto the set list I’ve stolenfrom the stage. Arc is a naturalperformer, perhaps one day he willextend the arc of the Wainwrightdynasty even further and I’ll write areview that starts: “Arc Wainwright isa songwriter. His mother, MarthaWainwright is a songwriter…” Franci,meanwhile, is content to roll aroundthe stage and climb on the monitors,which was good enough for JimMorrison so is perfectly fitting for athree year old.

Show well and truly stolen (andMartha clearly wouldn’t want it anyother way, although she tells the kidsto get back in the dungeon and playwith the shackles), we get back to

business with a selection of songsfrom throughout Martha’s catalogue.Her band, Robin Dann on vocals,Thom Gill on keyboards and guitar,Phil Melanson on drums and JoshCole on bass provide a subtle,understated backing for most of theshow before getting a little more grittyon the last few numbers.

Franci gets another song dedicatedto him, the gorgeous Francis writtenby Rufus. Martha tells us later that ithad not escaped Arc’s attention thathis brother had two songs written forhim on her new album, so Windowwas written for him. The band leavethe stage for a couple of solonumbers and a duet with Thom Gill ofa song that Martha wrote with EdHarcourt. It is the highlight of theshow, but unfortunately goesunnamed and doesn’t appear on theset list.

A powerful version of LeonardCohen’s Chelsea Hotel #2, followedby Martha’s own Window and Factorybring a cracking set to a close.Martha has come a long way sinceshe was five years old and I can’twait to hear where she’s going next.

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Vodafone Smart V8 smartphoneThe Vodafone Smart V8. Is thenew smartphone from the rednetwork . I was there at itslaunch and it felt pretty decent.How does it fare when I’m soberthough?The Vodafone Smart V8 is morelike the Ultra’s than the Platinum.In fact, it fits rather nicely betweenthe Ultra 7 and Platinum 7.Thankfully, for those looking forsmartphone with big specs andsmall price tag, theV8 edges moretowards Ultrapricing than thepremium Platinum.How does itperform?

VodafoneSmart V8build qualityBefore I was givenone to run awaywith (and return) Iwas reallyimpressed when myTech Addict buddy,Gareth, slapped theV8 in my hand.It really feels like anexpensive phone.The front face ismade fromtoughened 2.5DDragontrail glass.Its rounded edges are pleasing tothe digits and makes for enjoyabletouchscreen swiping.The ZTE-cobbled Smart V8 has adiamond cut full metal body whichgives it a good weight.The rear composite shell has abrushed effect finish and isembellished by textured plastic top

and bottom panels. It looks goodand feels good.The official colour is Cold Metal.I’m sure that I saw them play mylocal back in the 80s…Below its 16MP camera sits afingerprint scanner. I really lovethis positioning.The 5.5-inch screen sits in a fairlyslim and light body, measuringjust 7.99mm thin and weighing inat 166g.

That display boasts Full HDresolution (1080 x 1920 pixels) at401 pixels per inch, which ispretty decent to be honest.Above the screen sits the 8MPfront facing selfie snapper.On the sides you get a volumerocker on one, and the powerbutton on the other.

The bottom has a microUSB(oddly, not USB-C) flanked byspeaker grilles.The top edge keeps the home firesburning for the standard 3.5mmheadphone jack.

Vodafone Smart V8performanceIn engine bay of this smartphoneis a Ford Flathead V8 which givesthe phone its name.

Actually, that wouldbe silly. The V8 ismuch morerealisticallypowered by theSnapdragon 435SoC (1.4GHz Octa-core). This is matedwith 3GB of RAMand 32GB ofinternal storage.There’s also amemory card slotjust in case thingsget snug over therein appsville.Keeping everythingpowered up is anon-removable3,000mAh battery.

DisplayThe phone’s full-HD display issurprisingly crispand detailed. I even

convinced friends that it wasQuad-HD for quite a while.It’s good and bright. Not only that,the colours really pop more thanthe keyONE which has been mydaily driver since picking it up.I very much doubt that there’s aphone in this price bracket with amuch better screen.

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Vodafone Smart V8 smartphone

SoftwareThe Vodafone Smart V8 is loadedwith Android 7.1.1 Nougatoperating system. It will getAndroid O when it is released laterthis year. However, I wasn’t ableto ascertain how soon after release.Nougat is good though. You get tobe able to respond to notificationsfrom within the notification panelitself, as well as multi-apping inSplit Screen mode.Further features include GoogleVoice Typing, Glide Typing, Tapand Pay, Message+, Duo videocalling and the Google Fit app.I love the fact that Vodafone haveleft the user interface pretty wellalone. It looks and feels like stockAndroid which, for me, is brilliant.Of course, there are somecustomisations with things like thecamera app (taking a leaf out ofthe iOS style book) and thelauncher.

The latter, brings up handy tips ifyou swipe right. This could beconfusing for the likes of me whowas expecting Google Now.Swiping left fromthe homescreenbrings you a pagewith a littleVodafone hubwidget alreadyplaced. This hasshortcuts to yourMy Vodafoneaccount,Vodafone Wallet(if installed), etc.

FingerprintSensorThe fingerprintsensor worksreally well.You are able toadd up to fivefingerprints –handy if you letyour kids playgames on your

phone, for instance.The fingerprint reader can also beused to access your Private Space,lock apps, answer calls, takephotos or to drag down thenotification panel.If you don’t use the fingerprintsensor then you can activate theDouble Tap to Wake feature.The Smart Lock can be activatedin order to keep the phoneunlocked in trusted places, whentrusted devices are connected to itor when a trusted face or voice isrecognised.

CamerasThe main camera is veryresponsive and has a large numberof settings and filters, including anautomatic HDR mode, super night,slow exposure, multi-exposure,time lapse, slow motion, slowexposure (for capturing water

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Vodafone Smart V8 smartphoneflow, car trails or star trails) andpanorama.To be honest, I’ve only rattled offa few shots in fully automaticmode. However, I have a feelingthat this is how most people willuse the camera on the V8.Focus occurs quickly with PhaseDetection Auto Focus technologyand there is a dual flash.A quick launch feature (double tapthe volume key) gets you ready toshoot quickly.You can get pro results by makinguse of the level guide and meteringfeatures if you are so inclined. TheGIF Maker (using up to 50 photos)is fun for your socials. I can alsosee the Collage Maker being awinner for Facebookers,Instagrammers and Tweeters alike.Video recording is limited to1080p. You were really expecting4K at this price point?When shooting selfies, you canmake use of the wide selfie mode,smile detection, V gesture andbeauty face features.I have been kind to you all and notposted any of my narcissisticgurning on here.

BatteryThe Vodafone Smart V8’s3,000mAh battery is a goodcapacity in all. You should be ableto reach the end of the day beforeit needs a recharge.However, if things start looking abit sketchy on the charging front,you can make the most of thepower reserves by the using thePower Manager feature.The Smart V8 is QualcommQuickCharge 2.0 compatible. Thisis great news, although you willneed to purchase a quick charger

separately to make useof that particular feature.

VodafoneSmart V8reviewconclusionThe V8 feels nice andthat screen is somethingto behold.The camera isimpressive too, even inauto mode. Those thatget caught up inSpecification TopTrumps might be sniffyabout the Snapdragon435. In the end, it’s theirloss.Yes, it is pretty entrylevel but it still performswell and gives youeasily a day from a fullbattery charge. Peoplehave sniggered at the635 chip in the keyONEbut most days I don’thave to recharge when I go to bed.This is really handy for folk likeme that are almost constantlyupdating their social networks.True, if you like your mobilegames graphically intensive thismight seem the one for you.However, friends have tested itand it actually booted games fasterthan the Nexus 6P – and playedthem!Additionally, what if I told youthat the V8 on Pay As You Goplus a Nintendo Switch still comesin at under £450?Just one question though,Vodafone. Why microUSB andnot USB-C?That aside, I really think thatVodafone might well have a

contender for best budget blowerfor 2017.

Vodafone Smart V8price and availabilityThe Smart V8 retails for £160 onPAYG. Told you it was a bargain.Alternatively, opt for the £19 permonth contract and get unlimitedtexts, 500 minutes and 500MB ofdata.

Overall score 8.3Build quality 8/10

Design 8/10

Ease of use 8.5/10

Performance 8/10

Value 9/10

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STM Kings backpackSTM make awesome bags. Iactually own two. So, when theyasked if I wanted to take a lookat one of their latest, I jumped atthe chance.I have been using an STM Drifterfor the last 18 months and love thething. When I need to look a littlemore professional I also own anSTM Trust messenger bag. Thatone is coming up to being a yearold soon.Neither of the bags I have inregular use (the Drifter is used atleast 5 days a week) look anyworse for the wear.What I like about STM bags arethe many pockets, and the littledetails.How does the Kings laptopbackpack stack up?

STM Kings designThis laptop backpack has beendesigned to accommodate 15-inchlaptops plus cables, a tablet andother stuff that you might need.Being gadgety, we need to takelots of stuff. So, we need manypockets. The Kings does notdisappoint.

Pockets aplentyOn the front, there are two pockets– one smaller pocket at the top andanother pocket with the zipperfacing off to the right.This larger pocket can perhapstake a couple of shorthand pads orpaperback books. There are alsopen slots in there. You could evenslip in a slender tracking device into the smaller internal pocket.After using the Kings for a fewdays I discovered a further twoside pockets. These are angledtowards the wearer. Handy forsunglasses and the like.

Moving onto the bigger pockets,STM really thought about yourtech when it came to the Kings.There are two pockets that willtake tablets or notebooks.The main pocket will be the homefor your laptop.This features the new SlingTechprotection.What this means is that, instead ofyour laptop resting against thebottom of the bag, it’s actuallysuspended. So, no more clunkingyour laptop down against the floorwhen you put your bag down.But wait, there’s more!If you look at the inside of thismain pocket, you may notice someorange cable clips that followalongside the edges of that pocket.Following this cabling path downto the bottom of the bag and you’llfind a smaller pocket nestledagainst the left side.

This pouch is designed to houseyour portable charger, making iteasy for you to charge your mobiledevices.My recently acquired charger is abeast though so I made use of the“Stash” bag. If you have a morecompact power bank, the Stashbag would happily look aftercables and the like instead.Oh, there are also little metalgrommets that allow you to passcables from your charger to thepocket where your devices willlive. Yup, charging on the gowithout having to just bundleeverything in the main section.In all, there are 12 pockets!

ConstructionThe outer water-resistant polyestershell has a canvas-y feel to it. Itfeels purposeful, without being tooutilitarian.

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STM Kings backpackThe Kings features “breathableAirmesh fabric” which helps toensure that your back andshoulders won’t get sweaty.As you would expect, the armstraps are padded and don’t causeany issues from rubbing.The main tech compartmentbenefits from extra padding on thecorners, as well as having thatclever SlingTech.The curvy straps,including an adjustablesternum strap makes forcomfy lugging.

STM KingsperformanceThe front main pocketis typically cavernous.Great for picking upsome last minutegroceries or for stowingyour gym kit, if you arethat way inclined.The cable routing is agenius idea. I had myUSB-C cable threadedto the front top outerpocket so I can charge one of myphones. The other output from mypower bank was used for amicroUSB-ended cable. This wasthreaded to the rear to supply juiceto my Shield tablet. Neat.I really do like the suspendedSlingTech of this backpack. Toomany times have I misjudged howfar away the floor is, or how heavymy bag is, only to crunch myYoga 2 Pro to the deck.STM really do put a lot of thoughtin to their designs. Although, onething my Drifter can do that theKings can’t, even though theKings is technically bigger, is fit a12-inch record (vinyl to you crazy

kids) in its mailer box. Yeah, Itend to get records delivered towork instead of home since thetime I came home to see one‘posted’. By that I mean onecorner of it was shoved in to theletter box leaving the other 90% ofit hanging out in the elements.The Drifter can take a recordeasily, but this is mainly due to it

having just one large maincompartment. The Kings has two.Is the Kings perfect? Well, notquite. I am now used to having alittle external pouch for a bottleand another for a brolly. Are thesedeal breakers? Hell no! The Kingsmore than makes up for those littleniggles.

ComfortI have had the Kings loaded withlaptop, tablet, DSLR camera,action cam and gimbal, pens,cables, charger, notepad, jacketand brolly and happily walked fora couple of hours across town.

The straps are comfy and welladjustable. The Kings is alsoslightly curved which also helpswith the comfort rating.The side pockets will take a waterbottle. I am guessing that thedesigners just didn’t want anunsightly plastic bottle outsidetheir lovely bag.

STM KingsreviewconclusionWhen/if my Drifterfinally decides to retire Iwould gladly have aKings.It looks great, feels greatand takes a great deal ofstuff. Stuff That Matters(STM).If only it could take anLP that’s in its cardmailer, then it would beperfect.

STM Kingsprice and availabilityThe Kings pack comes inbotanical green, china blue,tornado grey, and desert brown.You can grab one now fromAmazon UK for £99.

Overall score 8.8Build quality 9/10

Design 8.5/10

Comfort 9/10

Performance 9/10

Value 8.5/10

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BenQ BL2706HT business monitorWhen BenQasked if I’d takea look at theirBL2706HTbusiness monitorI said yes, andthen almostimmediatelyregretted it.Now, that’s not tosay I don’t rateBenQ’s monitors.Far from it. Youjust have to lookat the previouspanels we’ve hadthrough here.Most, if not all, doexactly as theypromise.But, and be honest now, howmany of you would get excited bywaiting for a “business monitor”to arrive? Perxactly.So, was it worth the wait or asbland as it sounded?Read on gadgety faithful.

BenQ BL2706HTdesignThe BL2706HT is a 27-inchmonitor. Even though it has beendesigned with offices in mind, itlooks pretty good.You have a “frameless” design –so extremely skinny bezels onthree sides and a neat lookingstand.The edge-to-edge full HD IPSpanel saves you around 40mm ofreal estate. That’s got to be worthsomething, right?The stand gives you all manner ofadjustments, not to mention theoption to spin it to portrait. Input-wise you get the standard HDMI,VGA and DVI. Remember, thishas been built with work in mind.

It might not be white-knuckle ridemind-blowing, but it is a decentlooking monitor. I am digging thecoloured highlights in the standcut-out and hook at the rear.

BenQ BL2706HTperformanceThe 16:9 ratio 27-inch full HD(1920×1080) IPSpanel isequippedwith ananti-glarematte finishthatactuallyworks.Even in fullview ofsunlight,the screenremainsviewable.Contrast isimpressiveand colourscome

through crisp andclear.

ErgonomicsAs alluded toearly, the standallows for140mm of heightadjustment, 45-degrees of swivelin either directionand 20-degrees ofbackwards and5-degreesforwards.Frankly, that’ssomething I onlyexpect from moreexpensivemonitors. Add in

to that the option of having itportrait or landscape orientations,then the BL2706HT is alreadylooking good.Furthermore, you are also given a178-degree viewing angle. Now, Ihaven’t measured this myself, butyou could easily get a bunch offolk around this to show off yourlatest PowerPoint presentation and

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BenQ BL2706HT business monitorall will be able to be amazed by its BL2706HT reviewglory.

Eye careBy now you should be used to thefact that BenQ tends to pack theirscreens with stuff that’s kind toyour peepers. Well, theBL2706HT is not different.Granted, this might be a budget-friendly office monitor but it stillpacks a flicker-free display. Thismeans your boss can get morehours out of you though, thanks tothat pesky steady light source.There’s also Low Blue Light. Youget to choose between Multimedia,Web Surfing or Office.Blue light has beenconnected to sleepdisruption, amongstother things.

GamingWith a 6ms typicalgrey-to-grey responsetime I wasn’texpecting much.However, for jumpingon for a quick game atlunch time, it’s notbad.I wouldn’t want tospend hours on itgaming, but those whohop on and offbetween writing blogs,say, it’s capable.Competitive gamersmight want morethough.In-game colours arevibrant and thecontrast is ok,especially as this issupposed to besomething for theoffice.

conclusionIf this was strapped to my officedesk, I would be more than happy.The BL2706HT is adjustable andpossesses excellent viewingangles.Editing video and stills on it hasbeen trouble free. This is partlydue to the decent colourreproduction and contrast, but alsothe anti-glare finish.It might not be up there with thegaming monitors I’ve tested, but

the BL2706HT makes a decent fistat first person shooters.All-in-all, I find very little toknock about this office-friendlydisplay.

BL2706HT price andavailabilityNow, this is where everything I’vesaid comes in to focus.You can buy this monitor nowfrom Amazon UK for £190!Yup, 27-inches of Full HD on afully adjustable stand for less than200 notes.

Overall score 8.3Build quality 8/10

Design 8.5/10

Ease of use 8.5/10

Performance 8/10

Value 8.5/10

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Pioneer XDP-30R DAPWe liked the Pioneer XDP100R, even at £500. Can theXDP-30R fill us with similar joyfor less money?Digital audio players (DAP), tosome, might seem like a regres-sive move. We had portable cas-sette players, portable CD players,portable MiniDisc players andthen MP3 players. But then wehad smartphones.So, why go back to carrying aphone and a music player?Some of the more recent phonescan play high-resolution files andeven pack a decent DAC (digitalanalogue convertor) or two.The thing is, most specialist DAPswill leave the average smartphonedead in the water.

Pioneer XDP-30RdesignThe angular 2.5- x 3.7- x 0.6-inch(WxHxD) aluminium frame isreminiscent of other portableDAPs, which is no bad thing.Along the top you get the optionof 2.5mm 4-pole balanced andregular 3.5mm headphone jacks aswell as the power button.On the right side you have the vol-ume wheel and lock switch.Over on the left side there’s theplay/pause, forward and reversebuttons and a pair of mini SDslots.On the bottom edge is a mi-croUSB port for charging andslinging more tunes on the player.The front is dominated by the 2.4-inch touchscreen display. Whereasaround the rear well, what can Isay? Curiously, they have gone fora white plastic back on the silverversion. The black version is allblack, except for the gold bits.

It looks nice, feels nice anddoesn’t weigh a tonne, tipping thescales at a mere 120g.

Pioneer XDP-30RperformanceAs you would expect from a spe-cialist DAP, the XDP-30R willplay PCM files up to 32bit/192kHz and double speedDSD. Also, thanks to an Augustupdate, it will even unpack yourMQA files and play them too.It doesn’t only have to be filesstored on the player either.Streaming is taken care of by Tid-al, Deezer and Tunein supportbeing•built-in.

StorageAs with the XDP-100R, in-builtstorage is a tad stingy at only16GB. Sling a few FLACs onthere and you’ll soon be out ofspace.However, thanks to those twomini-SD card slots you can boostthe capacity by another 400GB ofmemory. That should be enoughfor most music-lovers on the go.

File transferPlug the player in to your PC viathe USB port and it appears as amass storage device.Simply copy your album foldersacross to the XDP-30R and Wil-liam is your mother’s brother.

Line outIf you want to plug the player di-rectly in to an amp, you can.You can even bypass the integrat-ed volume control so that the ampbecomes the master.Just, if you decide to do this, makesure your headphones are no long-er plugged in.De(a)finitely ensure you’re notwearing the headphones.You can even hook up the XDP-30R to your system wirelessly viaBluetooth.

DACs… and here is where the magichappens.Under the hood are the tasty twins– SABRE ES9018C2M DACs.They are accessorised by a rightlovely pair of ES9601 amplifierchips. The channel layout is keptsymmetrical to help stereo imag-ing.Pioneer obviously cares and hasgone to the trouble of specifyingtwo clocks: one for the 44.1kHzfamily of sampling rates and theother for 48kHz and its multiples.According to those in the know,this reduces jitter errors. For thelikes of me, this should result inbetter sound.

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Pioneer XDP-30R DAP

Other mention-worthy stuffThe 1630mAh battery givesaround 15 hours of use beforeneeding a recharge. Naturally, thiswill be plus or minus dependingon headphones and volume levelsused.If you want to keep the Pioneer inyour pocket or bag, there’s an appfor that. This dedicated app allowsthe unit to be controlled from yourphone.Controlling the volume with thatlovely wheel is precise and enjoy-able.

In useThe 2.4-inch touchscreen is bigenough, just about. Its 320 x 240resolution handles song titles andthe like well. Album art is a littleblocky, but it’s not bad enough forit to be a deal-breaker.The important thing is that thescreen is responsive. It reacts wellto scrolling and selecting.Although, it did take me a few at-tempts to punch in my home’s Wi-Fi password. The reason for this isthat the on-screen keyboard has, tome, an odd way of flicking be-tween upper and lower case.You see, you have to select theletter and then hit the shift key.I’m sure it’s in the instructionssomewhere but, I’m a bloke.

Sound qualityThe XDP-30R offers a number offilter and EQ settings to playaround with. None of these dra-matically hassle your audio, butyou may find having a quick playworthwhile. At least Pioneer real-ises that we all have slightly dif-ferent expectations from ouraudio.The gain setting is a useful touch,especially if you wear, let’s say,

full cans in the home and IEMswhen out and about.• Using thegain enables you to get bettermatching between the XDP-30Rand your headphones.If you find that the output isn’tloud enough, head here first.

Tracks

‘Money’ from Pink Floyd was onfirst, totally randomly. The cashregister rang through crisp andsharp, but not harsh. Then, Rog-er’s bassline slinked in - expres-sive, round with plenty of airaround it.Selecting Fleetwood Mac’s ‘TheChain’ and the clear and crisp atti-tude continues..The pocket Pioneer does a greatjob in retaining detail. The playerhas good musicality with instru-ments allowed their own spacewhilst remaining in concert. keep-ing a steady hold of the song’svarious instrumental strands.Vocals are equally looked after.Whether its Clutch vocalist NeilFallon growling through ‘BlastTyrant’ or Kate Bush taking usthrough a summer’s day in Aerial.Most noticeable in rockier andpunchier tracks is the XDP-30R’salmost laid-back personality. Thisisn’t always a goodthing.There seems to be analmost lack of urgencyin some tracks. I’m notsaying that it doesn’tsound nice. In fact,that’s exactly how itsounds. Nice.It’s not lacking in dy-namism, it just seemsto smooth the edges alittle bit too much for

some of the music I listen to.I moved between Oppo PM-1(open back full headphones), Op-po PM-3 (closed back full head-phones), Noble Savanna IEMs andthe player was able to drive themall remarkably well. The amps inthis little unit do really well.

Pioneer XDP-30Rreview conclusionI have really enjoyed my time withthe XDP-30R.It does perform really well, looksgreat and has all the right kit. Theplayer is easy to use and, typingaside, intuitive to navigate.For me, the XDP-30R might betoo nice. Saying that, if clarity,emotion and smooth delivery aretop essentials, you really shouldcheck out the XDP30-R

Price and availabilityYou can buy the XDP-30R rightnow for £350.

Overall score 8.3Build quality 8/10Design 8.5/10Ease of use 8.5/10Performance 8.5/10Value 8/10

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Hohem HG5 Pro action cam gimbalHohem wasn’t a brand at theforefront of my mind, I will behonest. But their HG5 actioncamera gimbal looks prettygood.I’ve been considering buying agimbal to help improve my videocapturing. Lucky for me then thatHohem Techreleased theHG5 Prohandheld gimbalearlier this year.It not onlyboasts full 360degreemovementthrough 3-axes,but an appremote control.Let’s see how ithandles.

HohemHG5 ProdesignThe HG5 Pro can be used with theGoPro Hero 2, 3, 4, 5 models andwill work with other cameras of asimilar size and weight.I have been using it with theiSAW Edge.The gimbal is actually presented ina neat semi-hard case. You mayhave noticed that I have removed athin section of the padding fromthe case. This is so I could squeezethe gimbal in with my cameramounted. I believe the GoPros area little shorter so this wouldn’t bean issue if you have one of those.I have the orange version (as youcan see) here for review and,against the black of the rest of thedevice, looks very cool.The metal handle is diamond-cutand offers decent grip. This

unscrews and housesthe•2000mAh rechargeable andremovable battery.The battery is charged via amicroUSB port on the side of thehandle. They even include a cablein the carrying case.

At the base of the handle is astandard thread to allow the HG5to be mounted on a tripod.The whole thing feels substantialand it has prompted a number ofadmiring inquiries when I’ve usedit.

Hohem HG5 ProperformanceHaving never used a gimbalbefore, it took a few moments toget to grips with it. Yes, there areinstructions, but where’s the fun inthat?It is remarkably easy to use.Firstly, I found its 3-axisstabilisation really impressive.Being able to move around easilywhilst not really having toconcentrate on keeping everythingsteady is unusual at first. But, you

soon get used to it. Even more-so,in fact, you become reliant on it.The 5-way joystick control is ahuge bonus. This allows you tosmoothly pan the camera through360-degrees as well as being ableto sweep up or down.

I have shotsome testvideo whichyou can findonGadgetyNews.com. Thegimbal pansreallysmoothlyusing thejoystick.Also, myusual shaky-camtechnique hasalmost totallybeenremoved.

That’s thanks to the gimbal.

ModesYou can access three differentmodes through a single, double ortriple press of the joystick button.

· Panning Mode: The actioncamera can move to left orright smoothly by hand.The pitch and rolldirections are fixed.

· Panning and PitchingMode: The action cameracan move to left or rightand pitch up and downsmoothly by hand. Therolling direction is fixed.

· Lock Mode: The actioncamera stays in its currentorientation. The panning,pitching and rollingdirections are all fixed.

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Hohem HG5 Pro action cam gimbal

Hohem Gim Set appWhat would a piece of gadge bewithout an app?Well, the Hohem HG5 Pro hasone. This app allows you tocontrol the gimbal remotely.Furthermore, it allows you tocustomise a variety of settings too.The app syncs with the gimbal viaBluetooth.In the app you get a virtualjoystick which commands thesame movements as the device’sown joystick. It also has a shortcutfor 180-degree panning.It also has a shortcut for 180-degree panning.You are also able to access thethree modes mentioned earlier.These all really come in to theirown if you’re using the HG5 on atripod.Finally, but perhaps moreimportantly, the app also allowsyou to personalise a whole raft ofparameters.

These include Follow Speed,Joystick Speed, and Follow DeadArea settings. The latter hasnothing to do with zombies, by-the-way.

Hohem HG5 Proreview conclusion

Impressive. Yes,Hohem hasimpressed me withtheir HG5 Progimbal.As soon as Iunzipped the case Ithought that thiswas going to be aclass bit of gear.Holding it, it feelsquality.In use it is intuitiveand does exactly asit promises.However, wherethe HG5 Proproves its worth isthrough your

videos being smooth, stable andalmost professional looking.

Hohem HG5 Proprice and availabilityThe HG5 Pro is available rightnow in orange or green fromAmazon.It is currently priced at £190 withfree delivery if you’ve got Prime.

Overall score 8.6Build quality 8.5/10

Design 8.5/10

Ease of use 8.5/10

Performance 8.5/10

Value 9/10

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AOC AGON AG272FCX curved monitorWe had the 35-inch AG352UCG There’s the option for mountingAOC gaming monitor inrecently. Since then, AOCreleased the Agon AG322QCXand AG272FCX. We have beengaming with the smaller of thetwo.Both of the newmonitors landedon the shelves inMay. The onlydifferencebetween the twolies in the screensize and theresolution.The AOCAG272FCXfeatures Full HDresolution, a 27-inch screen,144Hz refreshrate,AdaptiveSync (FreeSync),and extensiveergonomicoptions as well asnumerousexclusive gamingfeatures.

Agon AG272FCXdesignThe design of the AOC AgonAG272FCX is shared across thecurrent Agon line. This is a goodthing.You get the handy flip-out headsetholder. The weighty arched tripodstand terminates in a carryinghandle at the top.The stand also offers a range ofergonomic options including 30degrees of swivel to the left andright, -5.5, 28 degrees for tilting,and up to 110mm for heightadjust.

using its VESA 100 x 100mmpattern.As with the 35-incher we had, thebottom bezel and the stripes atback have RGB LED lights thatyou can choose to match your rig.

They also have three differentlevels of brightness.Connectivity comes by way of twoHDMI, one DisplayPort, and oneVGA port. There are also twoUSB 3.0 ports, one of which hasfast charging capacity.Additionally, there is an audioline-out, and a microphone lineout/in port. Rounding things off isthe audio line-in port for the 2x3Wbuilt-in speakers.The monitor comes bundled withone of AOC’s QuickSwitchkeypads. This controller allowsyou to effortlessly run through theOSD settings and its features. Italso enables you to swiftly switchbetween the viewing presets.

Making it look more streamlinedis the AOC “three-side frame-less” design.

Agon AG272FCXperformanceThe AG272FCX’s MVA panel

offersimpressive178-degreeviewingangles.Furthermore,gamers willappreciate the4ms responsetime and144Hz refreshrate.This 27-inchAOC displayis also loadedwith FreeSynctech which isgreat news forthose rockingcompatibleAMDgraphics

cards.Being an Nvidia gamer, I was notable to enjoy the dynamic refreshrate on this occasion. I shouldreally look in to building an AMDrig for times like this.The AOC Agon AG272FCXFreeSync monitor is flicker-freeand offers the AOC Low BlueLight Filter which eliminates theharmful blue lights and allows youto play for hours to an end withoutstraining your eyes.

Image qualityAOC haven’t let us down yet andthey continue to bring the goodswith the AG272FCX.Contrast delivers incredibly deepinky black tones. Colours are

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AOC AGON AG272FCX curved monitor

vibrant and cover 100% of thesRGB gamut.Moreover, add in the 4msresponse time•and 144Hz refreshrate and you’ve got all theimportant boxes ticked.The AOC Agon AG272FCX, ofcourse, packs AOC ShadowControl, Low Input Lag Mode,and customisable gaming modes.The shadow control feature offersincreased visibility in the darkscenes of the video games bybrightening up the screen whenit’s needed. Low input lag modefurther decreases the input lag forthe most responsive gameplay.Depending on the genre of thegame that you’re playing, you canuse the already calibrated picturesettings for difference scenariossuch as Racing, FTS, and RTS, oryou can make your own.The curvature of the display isn’tthat aggressive either. At only1800mm it doesn’t distort yourview pleasure but is still enoughfor an improved immersivegameplay experience.

GamingAs mentioned earlier, I was notable to enjoy the benefits ofAdaptiveSync. However, the AOCAGON AG272FCX proved to be a

smooth performer without it. I canonly imagine how much betterFreeSync would make theexperience.Some classic Black Ops II actionwith everything ramped up provedslickly presented.Backgrounds whizzed by andrendered quickly.Moving on to Rocket League andthe colours really do pop in thiscartoon-y carball game.This is a fast moving title and Ididn’t notice any nasty tearing,stuttering or blurring even withoutthe aid of FreeSync.Responsiveness was impressiveacross the board.

Agon AG272FCXreview conclusionThe AOC Agon AG272FCXoffers everything that most playerswill need for an immersive gamingexperience.While the high-contrast andcolour-accurate VA panel ensuresgreat image quality, the highrefresh rate and FreeSync techprovides a fluid performance.The subtle curvature allows theAG272FCX to be used as aregular monitor without the need

for compromises. Saying that, thisis a gaming monitor and, as such,does a really good job at it.Granted, most pro gamers will stillprefer a TN panel monitor due tothe faster response times but mostof us will still get a lot out of thisdisplay. Even more-so if you havean AMD GPU.If you want some G-Sync actionwith added 4K in a 27-inchmonitor, check out our review ofthe AG271UG.

Agon AG272FCXprice and availabilityYou can buy the AG272FCX nowfor £339 from Amazon.

Overall score 8.5Build quality 8.5/10

Design 8.5/10

Ease of use 8.7/10

Performance 8.5/10

Value 8.5/10

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F-Secure Sense secure router

I was invited to visit Helsinki,Finland, to learn about F-Secure’s new home securitydevice. This is the first hardwareproduct from the company bestknown for anti-virus software,and it’s called Sense.The trip wasn’t only enjoyable,but I also felt that I learned quite abit. Mostly, how unsecure most ofour Internet of Things (IoT) are.F-Secure’s Chief ResearchOfficer, Mikko Hypponen,explained that a firewall is theonly way to protect the connectedhome.You know the kind of things;smart devices such as alarms,cameras, switches, washingmachines or pretty much anythingthat connects to the internet.In fact, Mikko believes that everyappliance we buy will be online ina few years’ time.Not only because we’ll expecteverything to have an app, butbecause vendors will be able touse or sell the analytics.

F-Secure SensedesignThe anti-virus Fins obviously werelooking for an original design forSense.The white, typically Scandinavian,clean design will fit in with mosthomes.The front panel even hides a neatdisplay. This usually shows thetime but will also indicate otherthings too.Simple and effective.Around the rear are 4 Ethernetports (3xLAN, 1xWAN) and aUSB 3 port. There is also a littleblue button that comes in to itsown during set-up.

The Wi-Fi specification is goodbut not necessarily class leadingwith 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz,5GHz, AC 1750.It’s a well-made, good lookingwireless router.

Sense set-upYou set Sense up via an iOS orAndroid device.Simply install the Sense app andthen follow several easy steps tocreate the Sense network.Once you have downloaded theapp you need to press the bluebutton on the router.Sense will then display a four-digitcode. Just input that code into yourphone.You can rename the Sense Wi-Finetwork name and change thepassword. It will be of no surprisethat the suggested password is realsecure – but hardly memorable.The device you use to setup Sensebecomes the sole admin device.It’s good to keep that in mind.Once I was up and running, Istarted connecting devices to theSense network. Each device youconnect shows up as a protecteddevice in the Sense app.When you click on the device youcan see what threats have been

blocked on that device as well asany tracking that has beenblocked.It shows you the basic devicedetails including IP etc, and youcan block the internet from eachdevice individually.There are very limited settingsavailable through the app. Unlikeother routers, you can’t get tofurther features via a web browserversion. The app is it. I guess it’smore secure that way.You can, however, set a fewnetwork things: IP address, DHCPrange. There is the option toconfigure port forwarding.You can also set the brightness ofthe display, which normally justshows the time of day.The app is really easy to navigateand setting Sense up shouldn’treally take more than 10 minutes-or-so.

Sense performanceSense creates a secure WiFinetwork within your homenetwork.You get the usual 2.4GHz and5GHz frequency options, which iscool. I am using the Sense routerpurely for my networked cameras,Echo Dot and anything else in aSmart Home stylee.

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F-Secure Sense secure router

During use the Sense performs just As you can imagine, while weas you would expect any otherrouter would.Wireless range is better than I wasexpecting for something withinternal aerials, to be honest.Testing its ability to detect andblock malware, however, is tricky.The main reason being that I am atad gun shy at exposing myself tomalware, funnily enough.Thankfully, F-Secure has two testdomains unsafe.fstestdomain.comand gambling.fstestdomain.info.Their URLs are self-explanatory:The gambling one allows a page toload fine, because Sense doesn’tblock gambling. However, withthe unsafe URL, the Sense routerblocks the URL on all my devices.Unfortunately, from what I can tellfrom the app, there’s no way towhitelist a blocked URL.You can see all the details in theapp but it won’t let you whitelistit. This probably won’t actually bean issue for most, but I thinkhaving this as an option under an‘Advanced’ tab would be a nicetouch.

Missing linksWhile the Sense stands as the mostadvanced consumer security routeryou can buy now, there are stillbits missing. Things that we cometo expect on our standard routers.For a start, just 3 LAN ports is abit stingy.Granted, some of these featureswill have been dropped as securityrisks. Although, some appear tohave been left out in order to getthe product to market to beatcompetitors. For instance, I knowBullGuard’s Dojo isn’t the same,but it still is there to protect yourIoT.

were at F-Secure HQ, a number ofthese were brought up during theQ&A. The general response wasthat it was coming soon, butwithout a specific time-frame.The ones that stuck out for mewere:

· The device has a USB portbut at the moment no USBhost facility like NAS etc.

· Lacks port aggregation forcompatible NAS (a shameas they showed how easy itwas to hack a QNAP NASlike mine!)

· No quality of service(QoS) settings

· Missing a guest Wi-Fioption

· No WPS – to be fair, this ismost likely a deliberatemove as WPS is a majorsecurity risk

F-Secure Sensereview conclusionI will admit right now, I am nocyber security expert. I am,however, aware of the risks ourlove of connected devices poses tothe average household.At the heart of most new tech, isthat it’s designed to work withlittle or no technical expertise.Unfortunately, our trust in gadgecould leave usopen to havingthese gapsexploited.This is wherethe Sense routercomes in.Again, withlittle or nofirewallknowledge,homes can

secure themselves againstnefarious techies.Let’s face it, with the recent newsthat many Virgin, BT, Sky andTalkTalk routers have a serioussecurity issue, it is obvious that wecan’t simply put our trust in ourservice providers.We also have practically dailynews of cyber security issues – thelikes of WannaCry and Petya, forexample. It certainly seems likewe need something like the F-Secure Sense fighting our cornerright now.It might be lacking some thingsyou’d expect from a top router, butthen it packs peace of mind.

F-Secure Sense priceand availabilityYou can buy the F-Secure Senseright now direct from F-Secure for£169.That price includes a 1 yearsubscription (value £102) to allsecurity features at home and onthe go.

Overall score 8.7Build quality 9/10

Design 8.5/10

Ease of use 9/10

Performance 8.5/10

Value 8.5/10

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