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HIFICRITIC Vol 12 No 3

July to September 2018

Major product releases and reviews, including Arcam the SA10 and from Pioneer the A-40AE; mains conditioning Isol-8 Substation LC, Isotek Aquarius EVO3, Nordost Q-Base 6 Mk II and QX4 Quantum Mains Purifier, Shunyata Research VENOM UK6, Vertex AQ (now Quiescent) HiRez Taga & Balanced HiRez Taga; Townshend passive volume control now in ‘Allegri Plus’ form; EAT E-GLO all-triode universal phono equaliser; Q Acoustics Concept 500 loudspeaker; Naim streamer, the NDX 2, additionally assessed with the augmentation of the 555PS DR power supply; ultra HD Audio venture, DSD and analogue tape recording; Mytek Liberty and the new Cambridge Audio CXN V2 streamer/DAC; DSD file handling, including DXD; PMC twenty5.23; iFi Audio Nano iOne; Quiescent (Vertex AQ) interconnect cable with silver conductors; Russell K Red 120; Tellurium Q speaker cable the Black, now in MK II form; Heco Direct high efficiency series, this time the Einklang; a new product from MANA; two miniature Audience loudspeakers 1+1 V2+, The ONE V2+. We explore the SinC function with ultra long digital filters and celebrate the life of Wilson Audio founder David Wilson. We complete with Rock, pop, classical, and jazz record reviews.

Download cover, contents and excerpts from this issue below.

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About this issue...

While HIFICRITIC is a quarterly magazine, our total annual product review workload is largely the equal of the monthlies, and we very likely publish more features and music reviews per year than the monthlies. We have the advantage that we do not need to sell our pages to advertisers so we can commission and publish what we like, and offer varied content including serious feature articles that we hope our readers will enjoy. We even publish reviews where product gets no editorial recommendation.

Our new summer-autumn edition is a case in point where six contenders were found wanting out of some 23 entrants.

Andrew Everard arranged a standoff between two new classic integrated amplifiers from Arcam the SA10 and from Pioneer the A-40AE, and there is a winner.

The fearless freelance audio critic Julian Musgrave has dissected a number of mains conditioning products including, Isol-8 Substation LC, Isotek Aquarius EVO3, Nordost Q-Base 6 Mk II and QX4 Quantum Mains Purifier, Shunyata Research VENOM UK6, Vertex AQ (now Quiescent) HiRez Taga & Balanced HiRez Taga, and with surprising results in the circumstances. He also discusses mains supply and sound quality in general. In PASSING NOTES NO4 Julian Musgrave also asks why so many music formats, chooses a cartridge, and then criticises vinyl pricing.

The redoubtable San Curtis pens wisdom on advanced record player design while Martin Colloms revisits the Townshend passive volume control now in ‘Allegri Plus’ form.  Colloms also covers, belatedly as it happens, the still inspiring EAT E-GLO all-triode universal phono equaliser. He has also been waiting to get his hands and ears on the flagship Q Acoustics Concept 500 loudspeaker and finds that it handsomely survives an in-depth exploration. Having heard a larger 300 RAM –Falcon at the last Bristol show, Colloms also reviewed the 200 stand mount as a full technical feature.

Andrew Everard and  Martin share the honours for a timely review of the  new Naim streamer, the NDX 2, additionally assessed with the augmentation of the 555PS DR power supply.

Andrew Everard has been busy for this issue, visiting Holland to report on a new ultra HD Audio venture, DSD and analogue tape recording.

Andrew Harrison has also been well occupied with streamer reviews, including the Mytek Liberty  and the  new Cambridge Audio CXN V2 streamer/DAC. Harrison also provides a detailed run down on DSD file handling,  including DXD.   Andrew  also contributes a PMC loudspeaker review, here the twenty5.23,  featured on our front cover.   After an unplanned hiatus Chris Bryant assesses the iFi Audio Nano iOne while Kevin Fiske relates the joys of moving house, and resulting tribulations with his carefully calibrated audio system: Kevin also tries a Quiescent (Vertex AQ) interconnect cable with silver conductors, and met with a surprise.

Paul Messenger reviews yet another Russell K loudspeaker system, this time the Red 120 and he also revisits a Tellurium Q speaker cable the Black, now in MK II form. Paul  gets his teeth in to the third of the Heco Direct high efficiency series, this time the Einklang which has a single full range driver. If that was not enough he samples a new product from MANA, of historic equipment stands fame, and then tries out tries out the two miniature Audience loudspeakers 1+1 V2+, The ONE V2+.

Keith Howard has researched a remarkable story on ultra-long digital filters, as exemplified by designer Roberts Watts of Chord Electronics.

We also celebrate the life of Wilson Audio founder David Wilson. 1944-2018.

Finally we complete the new issue with our thoughtful and informative Rock, pop, classical, and jazz record reviews.

Download cover and contents for a closer look...

Cover-201809-pdfimg

Cover

Contents-201809-pdfimg

Contents

Excerpt-201809-1-Editorial-pdfimg

Editorial

Download excerpts...

Excerpt-201809-2-Naim NDX 2 Review-pdfimg
Andrew Everard thinks that this second-generation of NAIM’s NDX network audio player has the potential for greatness
Excerpt-201809-3-Stans Safari 43-Comment-pdfimg
Stan examines record player design and asks why nobody has come up with radical solutions to some inherent problems

Have a look at Reviews and Features from HIFICRITIC available for download for free

Postage and Packing

Added at the checkout.

Country
Method
First Magazine
Each Additional
UK
UK 2nd class
£1.85
£0.46
USA
International Standard
£5.85
£2.93
Canada
International Standard
£5.70
£2.85
Australia
International Standard
£6.80
£3.40
New Zealand
International Standard
£6.80
£3.40

UK (2nd class)

£1.85 first magazine, £0.45 each additonal

USA (International Standard)

£5.85 first magazine, £2.93 each additional

Canada (International Standard)

£5.70 first magazine, £2.86 each additional

Australia (International Standard)

£6.80 first magazine, £3.40 each additional

New Zealand (International Standard)

£6.80 first magazine, £3.40 each additional

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