Hi Fi News

When talking ‘hi-fi’ with seasoned enthusiasts, how long is it before lingering dogmas – dare I say prejudices – bubble to the surface? Some of these beliefs about the inherent ‘sounds’ of different technologies have become so ingrained that I wonder if an equitable audition is even possible. Perhaps the only way to completely eliminate the impact of brand reputation, industrial design or engineering on our impression of a product’s sound is to audition blind. That was our approach when, decades ago, I was managing the huge CD and amplifier group tests for sister title Hi-Fi Choice. We got repeatable and accurate results, if judged by the useful correlation with our lab tests at the time. Problem was, our ‘uncontaminated’ listening did not always concur with the lived experience of…

Momentum gains HIGH-END PREAMP REBORN WITH CONTROL, CIRCUIT AND CONNECTION UPGRADES… PLUS STREAMING OPTION Serving as the successor to its Momentum HD preamp [HFN Apr ’20], and said to leverage technological and ‘sonic’ attributes of the flagship Relentless design [HFN Mar ’22], is Dan D’Agostino’s new Momentum C2 Preamplifier. Improvements over the Momentum HD are both internal and external, the latter including an LED info display that can be mirrored by the display on the unit’s Bluetooth remote [pictured, inset]. Connectivity has also been overhauled, the C2 going further than its predecessor with the addition of an unbalanced RCA input, headphone out, and optional integration of D’Agostino’s Digital Stream Module (DSM). This supports 384kHz/32-bit PCM and DSD256 media via USB-B, coax, optical and Wi-Fi/Ethernet. A twin-chassis design, the C2’s new…

Now scheduled for just one event per year instead of two, the result has been a busier Audiojumble at the Angel Centre in Tonbridge. This year’s fair was reminiscent of the first to follow the Covid lockdown in 2022, all that pent-up hunger for vintage gear and bargains ensuring good crowds for the vendors, who had been stocking up on turntables and assorted electronics. If there’s been a trend, it’s the increasing rarity of what were the most coveted items. Radford amps were notably absent and there were fewer LS3/5As for sale, but equally the number of open-reel decks increased – a direct response to the cult revival of reel-to-reel. There was also an increase in used vinyl on display. Don’t miss the next one, on Sunday, March 2nd 2025.…

Paraphrasing Mark Twain when he read his obituary, reports of the death of surround sound are greatly exaggerated. The ascent of decent soundbars and reticence among normal people to house five or more speakers have taken their toll, but – undaunted – 2L in Norway and Dutton-Vocalion in the UK have been producing surround sound discs for years, as have some Japanese labels. Last year, the Rhino division of major label Atlantic joined the club with its Quadio range. For those so equipped, the riches of multichannel sound are worth exploiting. Here are 20 brand-new SACDs, DVDs and Blu-rays offering a mix of DTS and Dolby formats. Aside from 2L’s and Squeeze’s recordings, nearly all date from the original ‘quadraphonic’ era of the 1970s. DOLBY VS DTS Quadio releases are…

You hold in your hands the world’s oldest and most respected hi-fi magazine – Hi-Fi News – where heavyweight audio engineering is our stock in trade. All our review products are typically subject to a one-month test process from shipping, unpacking, installation, photography, lab work, extended listening, disassembly/packing and collection. This practice was maintained right through the pandemic period, with full Covid biosecurity adding to the logistical complexity of our four-week issue schedule. But we did it… never missing one issue of the magazine or compromising the ‘Hi-Fi News Pledge’: 1. Our hardware reviews are never brief ‘hands on’ experiences of a product from a press conference, brand-led demo or distributor’s back room spun up into a four or five page article. 2. Products reviewed in Hi-Fi News already have…

If anyone doubts we are treated to as much, if not more novelty than back in the day when LPs ruled, EAT’s Fortissimo turntable and F-Note tonearm will put paid to that. Like TechDAS’s vacuum hold-down and air bearing [HFN Jun ’19], or the Reed deck [HFN Apr ’24] available in idler- and belt-drive versions, this EAT combination bursts with clever features. Before you look at the possibilities, the base Fortissimo/F-Note combination retails for £13,499, but the options are such that you can customise it any way you like. Rather like specifying a new car, you’ll need to sit down with your EAT dealer and tick myriad boxes, with prices on application. In addition to leather, wood or lacquered finishes – I’ve even seen it in lime green-and-white – there…