All articles tagged with #hi fi
Audio-Technica has released its finest turntable yet, the AT-LPA2, a high-end, fully manual belt-drive turntable made mostly of acrylic with anti-resonance properties, designed for serious audiophiles and featuring a premium $400 cartridge and a floating, transparent design.
WiiM has released its most high-end and visually appealing streaming amplifier yet, the Amp Ultra, which offers powerful audio performance, versatile connectivity, and a sleek touchscreen at a competitive price of $529, solidifying its position as a leader in affordable hi-fi audio equipment.
The article highlights the week's notable tech and gadget releases, including Lamborghini-edition speakers, Insta360's first drone with 8K video, vintage-inspired Fender guitars, new KEF speakers, HTC's smart glasses, Harman Kardon soundbar, Fosi's first turntable, a magnetic iPad charger, Campfire's in-ear monitors, and more, showcasing innovations across audio, visual, and wearable tech.
The WiiM Pro Plus music streamer, known for its five-star reviews and What Hi-Fi? Award, is now available for $175 on Amazon US during Prime Day, offering a $44 discount. This deal provides excellent value with extensive streaming features and great sound quality, making it a top choice for budget-conscious hi-fi enthusiasts.
This week's Rewind column covers Sonos unveiling its Ace headphones, a guide on separates vs systems in hi-fi, insights into Dolby Atmos music production, Fiio's new SP3 BT desktop speakers, and Samsung's latest QD-LED display technology. Additionally, there's a hands-on look at TCL's X955 115 Max TV and a review of Luxman's high-end integrated amplifier.
KEF has launched the LSX II LT Wireless Hi-Fi Speakers, a more affordable version of its LSX lineup, priced at $1,000, down from $1,400. The speakers offer pristine sound, diverse wireless connectivity, and a sleek design, with features such as multi-room connectivity, wireless streaming options, and a variety of wired connectivity options. The LSX II LTs cater to digital-loving users and come in new colors. They do not feature wireless connectivity between the speakers and require a physical connection using a specially designed C-Link USB-C PD interspeaker connection cable.
CES 2024 showcased a range of exciting TV and audio products, including LG's transparent OLED TV, Panasonic's Z95A flagship TV with Amazon's Fire OS, TCL's 115-inch QM89 TV with impressive specs, Hisense's ULED X range with high-end screen technology, Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds with improved ANC, Victrola's Stream Sapphire turntable with wireless streaming capabilities, Focal's Aria Evo X speakers with significant improvements, Sonus Faber's Suprema system with a hefty price tag, Audio Pro's C20 all-in-one speaker system, and FiiO's retro CP-13 cassette player. Additionally, Samsung introduced the Music Frame wireless speaker designed for use with soundbars or TVs.
CES 2024 showcased exciting hi-fi announcements, including Sonus Faber's Suprema loudspeaker system, Focal's Aria Evo X speaker range, FiiO's R9 desktop streamer and headphone amp/DAC, Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds, Audio Pro's C20 flagship speaker, McIntosh's MC2.1KW Monoblock Power Amplifier, Victrola's Stream Sapphire turntable, JBL's Xtreme 4 Bluetooth speaker, and Roon's Nucleus Titan server. These products offer impressive features and advancements in hi-fi technology, catering to audiophiles with varying budgets and preferences.
A Raspberry Pi loaded with open source software can be used as a cost-effective solution for streaming vinyl records through a Sonos system. By connecting a Behringer audio interface with an RIAA pre-amp to the Raspberry Pi, users can achieve the required RIAA response curve for vinyl playback. This DIY setup is significantly cheaper than the commercial alternatives offered by Sonos.
Spotify's upcoming premium plan, rumored to offer higher-quality audio, will be called "Spotify Supremium" instead of "Hi-Fi." Priced at $19.99 per month, the plan is expected to include features such as 24-bit lossless audio, advanced playlist mixing tools, AI playlist generation, and Last.fm-style listening stats. The exact release date is still unclear, but it is expected to be available by the end of the year. This announcement comes shortly after Spotify announced that its Premium subscribers would have access to 15 hours of audiobooks per month. However, Spotify's plan does not include features like Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, which is offered by Apple Music at no additional cost.
Linkplay Technology has released the WiiM Pro Plus, an affordable audio streamer designed to modernize existing hi-fi equipment. Priced at $219, the WiiM Pro Plus offers superior audio quality compared to its predecessor, thanks to an improved ADC and premium DAC. It supports various connectivity options and comes bundled with the WiiM Voice Remote for wireless control. The device is compatible with voice assistants and supports popular streaming services.
The DeVore Fidelity O/96 Loudspeakers are a two-way speaker system that offers a direct connection to the humanness of the music being made, those aspects of music’s communicative powers that exist beyond an accumulation of sounds, every single time. The O/96 offer a friendly load, represented by DeVore as 96 dB/W/M, with a higher than typical nominal impedance of 10 Ohms and a claimed frequency response of 26Hz-31kHz. The custom drivers in the two-way O/96 are made to DeVore’s specifications by more than one company, while the cabinets are made in Brooklyn with the in-house designed and made crossovers, veneer, final assembly, testing, and burn-in all done at the DeVore factory in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Munich High-End 2023 will showcase a range of hi-fi components from exhibitors such as Soulution, Alare Labs, Audionec, CH Precision, Lorenzo Audio Labs, Magico, Mårten Design, Rockport Technologies, TAD, and Verity Audio. The event will feature new products such as Soulution's 727 preamplifier, Alare Labs' Remiga 1 speaker, CH Precision's P10 phono stage, Lorenzo Audio Labs' LM3 speaker, and Verity Audio's Florestan 3-way speaker system. Attendees can also expect to see the latest in CD and SACD players, amplifiers, and other audio technology.