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MSI Aegis RS 11th Review: A Potent Rocket Lake Pre-Built

Our Verdict

The MSI Aegis RS 11th is a powerful gaming desktop with the latest parts from Intel and Nvidia and off-the-shelf components that allow for easy upgrades.

For

+ Off the shelf parts
+ Powerful gaming performance
+ Decent pack-in peripherals

Against

– MSI Center software is clunky
– Middling file transfer speeds

It’s hard to build a computer right now, because many of the key parts are sold out everywhere you look . If you can get a quality desktop prebuilt, it may be worth springing for it just to get the components you want. The MSI Aegis RS11th ($1,999 to start, $2,499) as tested, delivers the latest with Intel’s 11th Gen Rocket Lake and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. If those are the parts you’re looking for, this PC should be in your consideration.

MSI isn’t using a weird, proprietary

chassis

that’s hard to open; This is made of standardized parts, just mostly MSI-branded ones. That does mean that when parts are easier to buy, this is a PC you’ll be able to upgrade and grow with.

The MSI Aegis RS 11th’s gaming performance is strong, which makes one of the

best gaming PCs

, but Rocket Lake’s modest core count holds it back in productivity workloads.

Design of the MSI Aegis RS 11th

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How much you like the design of the Aegis RS will rely heavily on how much you like one of MSI’s existing PC cases, the MPG Gungnir 110R, s a mid-tower chassis with both tempered glass and black aluminum.The front is split between the two, making it look like the

Two-Face

of computer cases. Considering our review unit had three RGB fans up front, I didn’t love that they were half covered up. It’s a weird design choice.

The rest of it, however, is far more conservatve. The left side panel is tempered glass, which lets you see your components, while the right side is opaque and covers up the cable management. There are two dust filters: a magnetic one on top of the case, and a second one in front of the intake fans.

There are three 120mm intake fans on the front. There’s another on the rear, as exhaust, but it also cools the radiator on the MSI Coreliquid 120 liquid cooler for the CPU. I would like to see the radiator mounted up top, where there is room for one up to the 240mm in size, and have a regular exhaust fan in the back, since there is no obstacle to that with this case. (In fact, I wouldn’t mind a beefier cooler for this processor, too.) Still, unlike many custom chassis we’ve seen lately, this one doesn’t seem to have particular issues with where to put fans.

The front three fans and CPU cooler have RGB lighting, which can be controlled with a button labeled “LED” on the top of the case, or with a module in the MSI Center software.

At 17.72 x 16.93 x 8.46 inches, the Aegis RS is smaller than the Alienware Aurora R11 (18.9 x 17 x 8.8) and iBuypower Gaming RDY IWBG207 (18.9 x 19.2 x 8.5 inches). The HP Omen 30L, however, is slightly smaller at 17.7 x 16.8 x 6.6 inches.

MSI Aegis RS 11th Specifications

Processor	Intel Core i7-11700K
Motherboard	MSI Z590 Pro Wi-Fi (ATX)
Memory	16GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4-3000
Graphics	MSI RTX 3080 Ventus 3X OC (10GB)
Storage	1TB XPG Gammix S70 PCIe Gen 4, 2TB Seagate Barracuda (7,200 RPM)
Case	MSI MPG Gungnir 110R
Networking	Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210, Bluetooth 5.2
Front Ports	2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks
Rear Ports (Motherboard)	4x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, PS/2, DisplayPort, HDMI, audio connectors
Video Output (GPU)	3x Displayport 1.4a, HDMI 2.1
Power Supply	MSI MPG A750GF – 750W
Cooling	MSI Coreliquid 120R liquid cooler, 3x 120mm case fans
Operating System	Windows 10 Home
Dimensions	17.72 x 16.93 x 8.46 inches
Price as Configured	$2,499

Ports and Upgradeability on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

There are five ports on the top of the Aegis RS chassis: a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and separate 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks.

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The rear ports are from the MSI Z590 Pro Wi-Fi motherboard, and include four USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C, as well as audio connectors and PS/2 for legacy peripherals. There’s also DisplayPort and HDMI, though you’ll likely use the options on the graphics card.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Internally, the Aegis is easy to update or repair, because it’s built just like a PC you might put together yourself. There aren’t any weird custom chassis tricks or hidden parts. MSI makes the case, power supply, graphics card, motherboard and liquid cooler as separate components. There’s nothing proprietary about this that you couldn’t change or update later.

You can get to most of the parts by removing the tempered glass side panel. It’s held into the back of the chassis with two thumb screws, so no tools are needed. There’s a handle to pull it straight back from the case. One highlight here is a sled for a 2.5-inch drive for easy extra storage. The RAM and M.2 SSD are easy enough to access without moving anything.

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The right side panel comes off the same way as the glass door, and it’s the easiest (only, really) way to access the HDD and the PSU, which are hidden beneath a shroud. The case’s RGB controller is also back here, and there’s another 2.5-inch drive sled.

I’m not going to say the cable management is beautiful compared to some other prebuilts, but it’s functional enough (I honestly probably don’t have the patience to do any better) and, unlike some cases, you can easily access it.

Gaming and Graphics on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and Intel Core i7-11700K proved potent for gaming.

I played a bit of Control on the Aegis RS, which I like to try because of how well it integrates ray tracing and stresses even the most powerful components. I ran it at 4K with the high preset and medium ray tracing.

In the beginning of the game, which features exploration sequences, combat with hiss guards in the Oldest House and fights on the Astral Plane, the game typically ran at around 57 frames per second. During fights inside the house, the rate dropped as low as 37 fps when I used lots of Jesse’s melee attacks, which bring about large telekinetic explosions with lots of objects moving. In the Astral Plane, which is rendered on a largely white background, it often stayed in the low 70’s, even during combat. With a slightly lower resolution or a few tweaks, you could be at a steady 60 fps fairly easily.

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On the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark (highest settings), the game ran at 147 fps in 1080p and 57 fps at 4K. It was beat in both only by the Alienware Aurora R11 (149 fps at 1080p, 64 fps at 4K) with an RTX 3090.

In Grand Theft Auto V (very high settings), the Aegis RS had superior 1080p performance at 163 fps and ran in 4K at 54 fps. The Aurora won out in 4K, while the Omen and iBuypower both had identical 4K performance to the Aegis.

On the Far Cry New Dawn benchmark, The Aegis dominated again at FHD, running at 134 fps. In 4K, it ran at 94 fps, behind the iBuypower and the Aurora by a few frames but tied with the Omen.

The Aegis came just behind the Alienware in Red Dead Redemption 2 (medium settings) at 113 fps, but had the highest 4K score at 40 fps. It beat the Omen by 10 frames, though the iBuypower was closer.

On Borderlands 3 (badass settings), the Aegis RS hit 136 fps at FHD and 58 fps in 4K. That’s the worst of the 4K showings, but on par with the HP Omen 30L for 1080p. The Aurora, with its RTX 3090, did the heavy lifting, winning at both resolutions.

Productivity Performance of the MSI Aegis RS 11th

This is the first pre-built desktop we’ve reviewed with the Intel Core i7-11700K. MSI has paired it with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and a 2TB HDD. The CPU has 8 cores and 16 threads. Its competitors, though, pose a threat, as many high-end PCs come with Core i9 processors that have more cores. It should be noted that even the Core i9 Rocket Lake has just 8 cores, so this isn’t a limitation of testing the Core i7.

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On Geekbench 5, an overall performance benchmark, the Aegis RS 11th notched a single-core score of 1,676 and a multi-core score of 10,102. While that was the highest single-core score, the other three desktops had higher multi-core scores. All of those used Intel Core i9-10900K chips, which have 10 cores rather than the 8 cores in the 11700K.

The PCIe Gen 4 SSD in the Aegis didn’t show off. It transferred 25GB of files at a rate of 635.3 MBps, just edging past the iBuypower and falling far short of the Omen (978 MBps) and Aurora (1,201.87 MBps).

On our Handbrake video editing test, the MSI Aegis RS 11th transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in 5 minutes and 19 seconds. That’s faster than the iBuypower, but the Aurora and Omen both beat the Aegis’ time by five seconds.

MSI Vigor GK30 Keyboard and Clutch GM08 Mouse

MSI includes a keyboard and mouse in the box, which are good enough to use if you don’t have a lot else lying around, but that you may want to replace if you already have favorite peripherals.

The mouse, the Clutch GM08, has rubberized grips on the side, though it felt a bit narrow for my wide claw grip. Still, there are some higher-end features here, including adjustable weights (two 3-gram weights and one 5-gram weight) to make the mouse lighter or heavier. It has a PixArt PAW351 sensor that goes up to 4,200 DPI. The mouse has a DPI switch button that lets you adjust sensitivity, and has two buttons on the left side of the mouse, but they aren’t programmable in MSI Center. It typically

sells separately for around $20

, so don’t get your hopes up too much, but it gets the job done in a pinch. The red LED light can’t be changed in MSI’s software, either.

The keyboard, the Vigor GK30, is the same one that came with the MSI Aegis Ti5 I recently reviewed. It’s just OK. The keyboard, which MSI suggests is “mechanical-like” has keys that are stiff and not quite clicky. There’s perhaps too much RGB lighting in a sea around the keys. They can’t be controlled in MSI’s software, either, but can be customized with buttons on the keyboard.

MSI Center, Software and Warranty on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

This is the first MSI PC that’s crossed my desk with MSI Center, the company’s replacement for its two previous swiss army-knife applications, Dragon Center (for gaming) and Creator Center (for, well, creating).

MSI Center, though, seems barebones. Sure, it has an optional light/dark mode switcher, which is nice, and you can still see CPU and GPU temperatures and usage, and there are still different usage scenarios to choose from, though they’re buried behind menus. But some features from Dragon Center are nowhere to be found, including one-click optimization for games, Mystic Light and the LAN manager are optional modules to add on. This feels like it’s in beta; there’s an area to “downlaod, update or uninstall” (MSI’s typo, not mine).

But MSI still includes its share of bloat, including MSI App Player, its version of BlueStacks, which runs Android apps, as well as LinkedIn. It notably doesn’t have the Cyberlink suite that I’ve complained about on previous systems, though no one can escape the bloat that comes with

Windows 10

, like Facebook Messenger, Hulu and Roblox.

MSI sells the Aegis RS 11th with a one-year warranty.

MSI Aegis RS 11th Configurations

We reviewed the Aegis RS with a new Intel Core i7-11700K “Rocket Lake” processor, 16GB of RAM, and MSI RTX 3080 Ventus 3X OC GPU, a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and a 2TB, 7,200-rpm HDD. When the system becomes widely available in mid-April, it will run for $2,499.

When we were reviewing this model, MSI told us that the RS 11th series would start at $1,999. It didn’t have completely finalized specs, but suggested the base model would have an RTX 3070 and 650W GPU and ditch the HDD. Several configurations may continue to utilize a Z490 motherboard and then transition to Z590 as supply levels out. The Aegis RS series is expected to top out at a Core i9-11900K, RTX 3090, 32GB of RAM, an 850W power supply and a 240mm CPU cooler, going possibly as high as $3,899.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest, the MSI Aegis RS 11th delivers you the most recent parts from Intel and Nvidia (at least, as long as it’s in stock).

Unlike some other prebuilts, there’s nothing proprietary here. It’s all standardized parts, mostly from MSI, that you can easily upgrade down the line.

Intel’s Core i7 Rocket Lake and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 in our review configuration worked potently together. In productivity, though, Rocket Lake’s limited core count didn’t stand up to some competition, which affects some workloads.

MSI needs to add polish to its MSI Center utility.. If you use the app to monitor CPU usage, check temperatures or change RGB colors, it will feel a bit like beta. If you prefer other applications, you may not notice.

As a whole package, the Aegis RS 11th is a powerful gaming rig with few frills. If you need a PC to play games, this will stand up, even in 4K with the right settings.

Sony PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset

Our Verdict

Pretty much the only wireless headset you should consider if you’re a PS5 gamer

For

Punchy and exciting sound
Convincing 3D audio
Comfortable over long sessions

Against

Mic picks up background noise
Extravagant design

One of the best features of the Sony PlayStation 5 is its support for 3D audio. Sony’s so-called Tempest Engine does all of the hard work so that any standard pair of wired headphones can deliver immersive 3D sound when plugged into the DualSense controller.

But what if you want to go fully wireless? Currently, the only wireless headset compatible with the PS5’s 3D audio feature is this, the official PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset.

Having just one option is rarely a good thing, but the Pulse 3D headset comes from good stock – its predecessor on the PS4 combined excellent core sound quality, excellent comfort and (limited) 3D audio to the tune of a five-star rating.

Comfort

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony has decided to visually tie the Pulse 3D headset to the controversial design of the PS5, opting for the same white finish for the headband as on the faceplates of the console. It is instantly clear that the two products are related, but the headset’s design may be too attention-grabbing to consider using it as a standard pair of headphones when out of the house.

The plastic band also feels a bit cheaper than the brushed metal of the Platinum Wireless Headset, but that can be forgiven because the Pulse 3D headset genuinely is cheaper by some margin. Besides, having now used the headset for several months, there’s no sign of the slightly cheap feel translating into flimsiness. We have no reason to believe that the headset won’t last for many years.

It feels comfortable, too. The earcups are firmer than some headphones, but they create a good seal around the ears and the headband provides just the right amount of pressure. There’s no obvious heat generated around the ears in use, either.

Build

(Image credit: Sony)

The Pulse 3D headset’s controls are located around the edge of the left cup. They include a rocker to adjust the balance between game audio and chat, a switch for turning monitor mode on or off (useful for ensuring you don’t speak too loudly), volume, mute and power on/off. Most button presses are accompanied by an on-screen notification, something you won’t get from third-party headsets.

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset tech specs

(Image credit: Sony)

Compatibility PS5, PS4 and PC (wireless), Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S (wired)

Wired Yes

Wireless Yes

Surround sound Yes

Battery life 12 hours

Weight 295g

There’s no button to enable or disable the 3D audio feature as there was with the Platinum Wireless Headset, but that’s because the tech is built in more at a system level.

Using the headset wirelessly involves plugging a dongle-like USB transmitter into your PS5 (you can use the socket on the front or rear) and from that point, the console will automatically output sound to the headset whenever you switch it on. Battery life is 12 hours, which isn’t huge by Bluetooth headphone standards but should cover even the longest of gaming sessions. Charging is via USB-C.

As well as the PS5, you can also use the Pulse 3D headset wirelessly with a PC or PS4, and there’s also an included 3.5mm cable for when you run out of batteries or want to use the headset with an Xbox, phone or tablet. The microphone works in wired mode, too, but you only get 3D audio when wirelessly connected to a PS5 or PS4.

The microphone picks up and projects your voice clearly, but it’s also prone to picking up background noise more than most, which will be of concern to anyone who plays online while there are others in the room. We understand why Sony would opt for a slick and minimalist appearance, but an optional stalk mic would be a nice touch.

Sound

(Image credit: Sony)

While you probably won’t be using the Pulse 3D headset primarily as a standard pair of wired stereo headphones, there’s value in benchmarking against models in this class to get a sense of the core sound quality of the headset.

Surprisingly, despite all of the additional tech on board, the Pulse 3D headset more than stands its ground against sub-£100 wired headphones in most areas. There’s energy, enthusiasm and a crispness to the delivery that’s foot-tappingly enjoyable. While some go deeper, there’s still more than enough bass here and it’s punchy and tuneful.

The treble, meanwhile, has a sparkle and zing that never veers into brightness, and the midrange is textured and clear, with vocals delivered directly. Dynamics are decent, too, with the headset able to convey subtle shifts as well as epic crescendos, and there’s more than enough detail for a pair of headphones costing this much.

But they fall down slightly on timing. When music tracks become particularly busy, the Pulse 3D headset struggles to maintain a complete grip on each strand, and that can make these sections a little hard to follow. Luckily, though, this timing issue isn’t apparent when gaming and the generally strong core sound quality translates well when you use the Pulse 3D headset for its intended purpose.

(Image credit: Sony)

Of course, the quality of the 3D effect depends on the way it has been implemented into the game, but opt for Spider-Man: Miles Morales or even PS4 game Ghost Of Tsushima and you get not only a sense of the direction that each sound is coming from, but also how far away it is. The sonic presentation becomes all-enveloping and it’s easy to audibly pinpoint effects.

Switch to Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and the 3D audio gives a real sense of the cavernous nature of the CIA safehouse, the distance of each character as they speak and the echo as their voices hit the interior walls of the warehouse. You get none of this when listening in standard stereo.

Though you can get 3D audio by plugging a pair of standard wired headphones into the DualSense controller, the crispness and precision of the Pulse 3D headset makes for a more engaging and exciting experience than is offered by most similarly-priced wired headphones. It feels as though the 3D audio delivery has been tailored for the official headset – there’s every chance that in some cases it has been – which is a benefit of having just one product on the market.

That’s not to say that the Pulse 3D headset is an adequate replacement for your surround sound speaker package. The Pulse headset is surprisingly accomplished at creating a 3D soundfield, but the placement of effects is even better with a properly calibrated home cinema system. Effects placed directly in front of or behind the listening position are a particular struggle for 3D audio via headphones, which is no issue with physical speakers in those positions.

Verdict

The Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is really the only option here, but it’s also particularly good at what it does. Those slight timing issues aside, it boasts an accomplished core audio performance that can take your gaming to new levels when combined with the PS5’s 3D audio processing.

If you don’t have the money, space or circumstances for a home cinema system, this is pretty much the next best thing as far as PS5 gaming is concerned, and that makes it a great buy.

SCORES

Sound 5
Comfort 5
Build 4

MORE:

Read our guide to the best gaming headsets

Read our Sony PlayStation Platinum Wireless Headset review

Bang & Olufsen’s luxurious gaming headset costs as much as an Xbox Series X

Bang & Olufsen has announced Beoplay Portal, its first wireless gaming headset. The product maintains the company’s signature sophisticated look, and it has more features than your average headset.

These were created with the Xbox ecosystem in mind, and with a push of its pairing button, they can connect to the Series X, Series S, Xbox One, or to a PC that has the Xbox Wireless adapter plugged into it. Additionally, they support a concurrent connection via Bluetooth 5.1 for other devices (including other consoles if you supply the Bluetooth adapter). This way, you can take calls without totally detaching from game audio.

Similar to the Bose QC35 gaming headset that released last year, the Beoplay Portal look like high-end wireless headphones (and in many ways, act like them, too), and come with a high-end price. These cost $499 and are available now in the black colorway at Best Buy, the Microsoft Store, and through Bang & Olufsen’s site. Two other colors, gray and navy, will be available starting April 29th.

Made for the contemplative gamer.

Image: Bang & Olufsen

This model has adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) and a gaming audio mode that automatically activates when connected wirelessly to a console or when wired via USB-C to a PC (the port through which the headset also gets its charge). These also have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Bang & Olufsen app for iOS and Android has some new features that the Beoplay Portal benefits from, like microphone optimization and a game / chat audio balance. The company reports that its “Own Voice” feature allows for voice monitoring while keeping out extraneous noises thanks to its adaptive ANC. These have 40mm drivers with Dolby Atmos support for virtualized surround sound.

A peek at the Bang & Olufsen app’s controls for the Beoplay Portal.

Image: Bang & Olufsen

Build quality is another area where Bang & Olufsen is trying to distinguish itself from other gaming headsets. The memory foam ear pads are wrapped in lambskin leather, and it uses bamboo fiber textile to cover the headband padding. Elsewhere, there are a few anodized aluminum details on the Portal, like the touch-sensitive discs on the outside of each ear cup that are used to control them. Impressively, the company says the headphones weigh 282 grams, which is lighter than the mostly plastic Xbox Wireless Headset that, until now, I considered to be lightweight at 312g.

This gaming headset can last up to 12 hours per charge when you’re connected through both Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless protocol, and using the active noise cancellation feature. If you’re just using Bluetooth and noise cancellation, Bang & Olufsen says you can expect up to 24 hours of use.

Given the high asking price, I’m skeptical that these will be worth the cost for most people — especially those who intend to use them exclusively for gaming. It seems like a better value if you want to use them as your everyday headphones, too.

The gray colorway shown here won’t release until late April.

Image: Bang & Olufsen

I’m also skeptical about the “virtual boom arm” the Beoplay Portal employs instead of a traditional articulating boom mic. It says its beamforming microphones allow for “crystal clear” conversations, and help to amplify your voice while filtering out sounds in the background. This is something I’ll need to test to see if it’s as good as Bang & Olufsen claims.

Do you need a $500 gaming headset? Probably not. While there are plenty of differences in terms of features and build quality, most people should be suited well by Microsoft’s $100 Xbox Wireless headset. But I’ll be reviewing these to see for myself what five times that amount can get you in a gaming peripheral.

Cleer Audio Enduro ANC headphones boast 60 hours of noise-cancelling playback

(Image credit: Cleer)

Cleer Audio has announced the follow up to last year’s super long life Enduro 100 over-ear headphones. The San Diego-based company’s new Enduro ANC headphones claim an impressive 60 hours of playback with noise-cancelling and Bluetooth engaged – around two to three times more than is typically offered by the class leaders.

And if you make it through 60 hours of listening and still want more, a quick five minutes of charging via USB-C should give you two further hours of battery life.

Cleer says the new model has been designed in response to customer frustration at not being able to use power-draining features like noise-cancelling for long haul journeys without keeping a charging cable handy.

The company has achieved this feat of power management courtesy of a close industry relationship with Qualcomm, allowing it to become one of the first brands to implement Qualcomm’s new QCC5126 chip.

In addition, to blocking out noise up to 30dB, Cleer’s Enduro ANC offers customizable noise cancelling levels based on your ambient surroundings to optimise the balance between limiting unwanted noise and audio performance. Using Cleer’s ‘Connect’ app, users can adjust settings for specific situations, such as travelling by aeroplane, working in a cafe or walking outdoors.

Designed with long listening sessions in mind, the Enduro over-ears are made from lightweight, high grade moulded plastic with a flexible headband and memory foam earpads.

The headphones feature Google Fast Pair 2.0, Bluetooth AAC and aptX HD, while the 40mm drivers utilise Cleer’s patented Ironless technology, which promises a bold and articulate sound.

The Enduro ANC comes in navy or light grey and are available now for £149/$149.

MORE

Best noise-cancelling headphones 2021

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Linn’s next-gen Klimax DSM flagship streamer introduces Organik DAC

(Image credit: Linn)

Linn has taken the wraps off its next-generation flagship Klimax DSM music streamer, the original of which kickstarted the British company’s successful journey into hi-fi streaming way back in 2007.

According to Linn, the all-new Klimax DSM represents “a complete reimagining” of its top of the line streamer. That’s largely down to its Organik DAC, the first ever all-Linn digital to analogue converter, manufactured entirely in-house. Organik combines FPGA processing (which uses custom algorithms to increase upsampling and ensure precise volume control) with a discrete conversion stage that benefits from a new ultra-low jitter oscillator and clock distribution network. This combination – implemented in a double-sided circuit design to reduce signal paths – has allowed Linn to have control over every stage of the conversion process.

Linn says Organik measures better than anything the company has achieved before, offering significantly lower noise and distortion and its “most natural sound ever”.

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

(Image credit: Linn)

It feeds a plethora of digital inputs – USB-typeB (24-bit/384khz, DSD256), optical and coaxial. They are complemented by analogue RCA and XLR inputs, which should benefit from an all-new ADC design that has its own circuit board with dedicated power supply, as well as wi-fi, Bluetooth and Airplay for a range of streaming needs. Linn’s dedicated Exakt Link ports enable direct hook-up of an LP12 turntable with Urika II phono stage, too.

A home cinema variant of the streamer, the Klimax DSM (AV), expands that connectivity list with HDMI socketry (four ins, one eARC-compatible out).

Both versions are housed in a new chassis, which is machined from solid, special-grade aluminium and takes on an aesthetic that’s in line with both the latest Majik DSM and Selekt DSM as well as the Klimax DS heritage.

To that end, you’ll find diamond-cut circles on the upper surface, stainless steel buttons and a mirror-screen frontage, not forgetting the beautiful, custom designed, precision-cut glass control dial with 100 status lights. Each unit will also be signed by the Linn engineer who built it from start to finish.

(Image credit: Linn)

The sheer weight of the machine, coupled with internal damping, helps isolate the Klimax DSM from vibration in the room, while a number of pockets and partitions separate the analogue, digital and power stages in an effort to reduce interference.

The Linn Klimax DSM (either the ‘Audio’ or ‘AV’ variant) costs £30,000.

Linn is also taking this opportunity to offer an Organik DAC upgrade for its Klimax 350 speakers and Klimax Exaktbox, costing £10,800 and £5400 respectively. New orders of the 350 and Exactbox, priced £57,500 and £15,000, will come with Organik as standard.

(Image credit: Linn)

Finally, there’s the Klimax System Hub (£15,000), which is for anyone “seeking the highest performance from a complete Linn system”. Designed for use in a Linn system with Exakt technology, the System Hub is housed in the same new enclosure as the Klimax DSM. It also uses the company’s latest ADC design, and features the same inputs as the Klimax DSM (AV) variant – including the option to upgrade with surround 7.1-channel capability.

The pinnacle pairing is, Linn says, between the Klimax System Hub and the Klimax 350 speakers or Klimax Exaktbox, both with the new Organik DAC onboard. An impressive system, no doubt.

MORE:

Read our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

See our pick of the best Linn products of all time

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We ask the industry: is there such thing as ‘British hi-fi sound’?

Bose Frames Tempo review: the specs to beat

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It’s still fair to call audio sunglasses a niche category, but with Bose offering several models, Amazon in the game, and counting recent announcements from Razer and JLab, it’s certainly a growing one. There are people out there who just aren’t particularly fond of earbuds — often because they dislike the feeling of silicone tips plugging up their ears. Open-style products like the standard AirPods and Galaxy Buds Live are one alternative, but then you still face the possibility of losing them. If you’re running on a trail or out for an intense bike ride, it’s not an insignificant risk.

For those people, I can absolutely see the appeal of the Bose Frames Tempo, which have speakers built right into their frame and will stay planted on their face no matter how strenuous outdoor activity gets. The Tempo glasses are the sportiest model of Bose’s Frames family, clearly geared at hikers, runners, cyclists, and anyone else who spends a good chunk of their time outside. Bose says they’ve also got the best sound performance of the bunch.

From the front, they look like your typical pair of Oakley, Nike, or Under Armour sunglasses. Bose is clearly going after that same market with the $250 Tempos. If you’re more fashion-forward or looking for a pair of audio sunglasses that don’t give the impression you’re in the middle of a triathlon, you’ll want to stick with the Tenor or Soprano styles of Frames. These come with black mirrored lenses in the box, but Bose also sells a couple of other pairs of $40 lenses that you can swap in to let different amounts of light pass through. The oversized temples are where it becomes more obvious that these are audio sunglasses.

But there’s a benefit to that chunky design: unlike the Tenor and Soprano Frames, which use a proprietary charger, the Tempo model has a regular USB-C connector on the left temple. Bose says the frame is made from “TR-90 nylon.” There’s not much give, but they feel rugged to me, and they’ve got an IPX4 water and sweat resistance rating, so if you get caught running or biking in the rain, they’ll survive.

The large temples are the obvious tell that these are audio sunglasses.

For the first couple of days wearing the Tempos, I felt a slight squeeze at the sides of my head that got uncomfortable. Now, I’ve got an extremely large dome — they used to have to bring out a special-sized helmet in Little League, friends — but thankfully, the fit loosened up a bit because this pressure went away by the end of the first week. The sunglasses didn’t get loose enough to where they started bobbing on my head or anything; they still felt nice and secure. (My friend Theresa, who has a normal-sized head, never mentioned any headache-inducing tightness.) Bose includes three sizes of nose tips in the box, and I found the large to be the right match. Even if my face was covered in sweat from a long run, the nose tips helped ensure the sunglasses didn’t slide around.

The frames have an IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance.

The controls that Bose came up with are wonderfully foolproof, which is crucial when you’re trying to stay focused on other things. You swipe across the right temple to raise or lower the volume, and on the underside of that temple is a small circular button that you can press to play / pause, double-tap to skip tracks, or triple-tap to go back. In no time at all, these controls felt so natural and easy. Powering off the Frames Tempo just takes holding down the button for a few seconds. Or you can flip them over and lay them down with the top of the frame on a surface. After two seconds in that orientation, they shut off. (You can disable this in settings, but I found it really convenient and, again, natural.) Battery life is listed as eight hours, and that’s lined up with my experience so far. The sunglasses take roughly an hour to charge back to 100 percent. Bose’s mobile app lets you update the sunglasses’ firmware, but there aren’t any EQ controls or other options that adjust their performance.

The sunglasses stay firmly in place through all sorts of outdoor activities.

Describing the sound quality of audio sunglasses can be tricky. They’re nothing like headphones or earbuds since these are essentially down-firing speakers pointed at your ears. But Bose stepped up its game compared to the first-generation Frames, which I’ve tried on occasion. These have more life to them across the whole EQ range.

There’s a surprising amount of separation between vocals and instrumentation, and the Frames Tempo have a nice clarity and even-handed balance. There’s more bass than before, but this is where I think it’s most important to set reasonable expectations: the low end you get from any decent pair of in-ear buds will blow these out of the water. No contest. That said, Bose has at least reached a place where the bass no longer sounds anemic or flat, which is a legitimate improvement over the first-gen Frames. It’s there and perceptible.

Sound bleed is easily canceled out by everyday street noise, but if you’re inside with the volume turned up, people nearby will be able to tell that you’re listening to music. These are sunglasses, after all, so I imagine those situations will be few and far between. The Bluetooth connection has held stable throughout the vast majority of my time with the Frames Tempo so far. No complaints there.

Voice calls while wearing the Tempos have also been a joy. Callers say I sound nearly as good as when speaking directly into my phone, and something about taking calls with your ears totally open just feels very cool.

Bose sells additional $40 pairs of lenses that let in different amounts of light.

Even after a relatively short time using the Frames Tempo, I get this audio glasses thing. I really get it. It’s like Dieter recently wrote: “Not having to put in or take out headphones changes your relationship to audio — it’s just always available, always there when you want it.” Do I wish I could pop clear lenses into them and wear them everywhere? In theory, you bet. But this style wouldn’t really work for that, nor is it what the Tempos are meant to be at the end of the day. So I can’t knock Bose for the disappointment I feel when switching back to my normal glasses, which now seem so very primitive.

The Bose Frames Tempo let you hear the world around you with no obstructions — with a soundtrack playing over everything, while at the same time giving your ears a bit of a break compared to normal earbuds. At $250, they will be a tough sell for some. But I’ve come to realize that audio sunglasses are the exact sort of thing you won’t ever realize you needed. Until you put ‘em on — and all of a sudden, you do.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

Panasonic Soundslayer soundbar review: Does it truly ‘slay’ gaming audio?

(Pocket-lint) – If you want to make a worthwhile difference to the sound of your TV, you’re spoilt for choice where soundbars at the lower end of the budget scale are concerned. Equally, if you feel your games console experience requires a sonic rocket, there are numerous LED-happy gaming soundbars ready to do a job for you.

But what if you want both – and you want something small and discreet enough to cause minimal disruption to your viewing and/or gaming environment(s) at the same time? Your shortlist has suddenly become quite a lot shorter.

You can now add the Panasonic SC-HTB01 – or Soundslayer, as it’s also rather excitably known – to your shortlist, though. It may be physically small, but it’s big on performance.

Design

Ports: 1x HDMI input, 1x HDMI output, 1x optical input
Dimensions: 52 x 431 x 132mm / Weight: 1.8kg
Finish: Matte Black only

Obviously, the big news is how small the Panasonic is. It’s perfectly proportioned to sit discreetly underneath your TV or games monitor, and at this weight it’s hardly a burden to move it from one position to another. But it’s still big enough to be fitted with reasonably sized speaker drivers.

‘Design’ doesn’t really seem to be something that’s happened to the SC-HTB01 – rather, its drivers and accompanying electronics have been put into a housing which has then been mostly covered with acoustic cloth. Its plastics feel ordinary. It’s basically not much to look at – although it’s easy to imagine Panasonic thinking that’s entirely the point.

‘Bland’ isn’t the same as ‘badly made’ though – this, after all, is Panasonic we’re talking about. The Soundslayer may not be visually stimulating, but it’s properly screwed together and feels made to last.

Features

Decoding: Dolby Atmos & DTS:X supported
Modes: Game, Standard, Music, Cinema
4K HDR passthrough supported

There is a brief suite of physical connections on the rear of the soundbar. A couple of HDMI sockets – one input, one ARC-enabled output – a digital optical input, and a USB socket (for updates only).

Panasonic

Via HDMI, the Soundslayer can handle 4K HDR content as well as multi-channel audio up to a hefty 24bit/192kHz standard – so Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X soundtracks present no problems. Wirelessly connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 2.1 – hands up who remembers when that was the cutting edge of wireless streaming technology?

The SC-HTB01’s equaliser (EQ) presets let you know where it thinks it belongs. Presets for ‘music’, ‘cinema’ and ‘standard’ attest to its flexibility – but within the ‘game’ preset there are sub-settings for ‘RPG’, ‘FPS’ and ‘enhanced voices’ (which is excellent when listening at very low volume levels).

Interface

Included remote control

It’s not a problem, in and of itself, that the Panasonic has no voice assistant or control app. It’s not a problem that everything, from subwoofer level and overall volume level to EQ preset and Bluetooth pairing, is taken care of by a full-function remote control handset.

Panasonic

No, the problem is that the remote control seems to have been selected on the basis that there were no more affordable options available. It’s small, hard, thin, unpleasant to hold, and very nearly as unpleasant to use.

But at least there is one included, we suppose.

Sound quality

Drivers: 2x 4cm full-range, 2x 1.4cm tweeters, 1x 8cm woofer, 1x passive radiators
Configuration: ‘2.1’ channel output
80W of Class D power

Behind that mild-mannered exterior, two 40mm full-range drivers and two 14mm tweeters face forwards. On the top of the ‘bar there’s an upward-firing 80mm bass driver, alongside passive low-frequency radiators. Panasonic is striving for a ‘2.1’ channel effect with this five-driver layout, and has fitted the SC-HTB01 with 80 Watts of power with which to make it happen.

Panasonic

There’s also a bass reflex slot at the front of the cabinet, just in case that passive radiator doesn’t quite pull its weight. Naturally, this upward-firing configuration means the Panasonic shouldn’t be positioned with surfaces directly above it.

So how does all that come across? Well, if you’ve been using the audio system integrated into your TV or your monitor up until now, the SC-HTB01 will thrill you with the scale and drive of its sound.

The combination of judicious speaker driver placement and careful EQs means the Panasonic sounds bigger – and in every direction – than seems likely from a soundbar this tiny. There’s no mistaking its presentation for that of a dedicated Dolby Atmos soundbar, naturally, but the Soundslayer’s soundstage is taller, deeper and (especially) wider than it would seem to have any right to be.

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At the top of the frequency range it carries plenty of detail, and gives treble sound lots of substance to go along with their considerable bite. Further down, the midrange is nicely shaped and projects forward well – even without the intervention of the EQ presets.

It’s down at the bottom of the frequency range, though, that the Panasonic both triumphs and fails. This isn’t the first soundbar to have mistaken ‘overconfident bass’ for ‘excitement’ – and, to be absolutely fair, the SC-HTB01 controls the low-end stuff pretty well. It certainly doesn’t drone and doesn’t blossom into the midrange, either. But it definitely overplays its hand where bass is concerned – ‘punchy’ is one thing, but being repeatedly punched while trying to watch TV or concentrate on a game is quite another.

Panasonic

The big, bassy emphasis doesn’t help the Panasonic’s overall detail retrieval, which is a pity. It’s possible to independently adjust the ‘subwoofer’ level using the remote control, but the effect is not so much to reduce the soundbar’s outright wallop as to rob it of its dynamism.

That’s unfortunate, because the Soundslayer ordinarily has more than enough dynamism to maximise any game soundtrack you care to mention. It can put a huge amount of distance between ‘stealth’ and ‘assault’, which adds a lot to the gaming experience.

It works well for movies, too – when the soundtrack demands a shift from ‘quiet and contemplative’ to ‘massive attack’, the Panasonic relishes the opportunity. It’s so much more accomplished than the sound of your average TV, and consequently far more involving.

The temptation, naturally, is to go all-in on the volume – but that would be a mistake. The Soundslayer’s tonal balance, which at moderate volume levels is pretty well judged, takes a definite turn for the ‘hard and unforgiving’ if you decide to press on. Treble sounds get edgy and thin, and the bass stops punching and starts slapping. Stick to reasonable levels, in other words – it’s not only your neighbours who will thank you.

Verdict

Keep its limitations in mind and there’s lots to like about the Panasonic SC-HTB01. It may not quite be the ‘soundslayer’ it purports to be, but it’s a convenient and capable way of giving your games and movies a bit more sonic oomph. As long as you don’t get carried away with volume, anyhow.

Also consider

Yamaha

Yamaha SR-C20A

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Slightly bigger than the Panasonic, slightly less expensive too, but designed to do much the same job. It is similarly unruly when the volume get big, too, but overall is probably a marginally better bet.

Read our review

Writing by Simon Lucas.

Feature Packed Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Squeezed Into A Seven Inch Display

(Image credit: Chipsee)

The Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 was made to be embedded into custom applications. Chipsee, a Chinese industrial electronics company, has integrated the Compute Module 4 into an industrial display designed to be added to your own chassis. As reported by CNX Software, the Industrial Pi CM4-70-EM is dominated by a 7-inch screen, but there’s plenty of features packed in around the back.

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For $199, we get a 7 inch 1024×600 capacitive touch panel with 500 nits of brightness, a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 with 2GB DDR4 RAM and 16GB eMMC, but no onboard WiFi or Bluetooth. The Compute Module 4 is mounted to a custom carrier board, designed to be embedded into the customer’s project. The carrier board is packed with extras geared towards industrial applications.

2 x Micro SD card readers
Opto-isolated GPIO with four inputs, four outputs
2 x RS232 channels
RS485
DC power 6 – 36V
3.5mm Audio out
2 x USB host ports
USB OTG
Gigabit Ethernet
Zigbee wireless
Buzzer / Speaker
Raspberry Pi official camera connector (CSI)
Optional 4G/LTE via M.2 slot

The M.2 slot is most likely a PCIe interface, opening up the possibility of using an NVMe SSD or other devices designed for that interface. The included Raspberry Pi Compute Module can easily be swapped out for a model with more RAM, greater storage, or with WiFi and Bluetooth.

Should you wish, the Industrial Pi CM4-70-EM can be purchased without a Compute Module 4, but you will need to contact Chipsee for pricing. The Industrial Pi CM4-70-EM is compatible with Raspberry Pi OS, and the Chipsee software engineers have written drivers for all of the components on the board, so you are ready to drop this board into your projects.

(Image credit: Cambridge)

In the early 1960s, before it became known as ‘Silicon Fen’, the small university city of Cambridge, long a magnet for scientists and engineers, started to attract a new breed of technologically minded entrepreneurs.

It was in this stimulating environment, with networks of like-minded people, that a group of young graduates decided to establish an R&D prototyping business at the old Enderby’s Mill in St. Ives, Cambridge: Cambridge Consultants.

By 1968, the company had grown to include a sub-division, Cambridge Audio. The small team led by Gordon Edge, a scientist with a head for a business who would go on to become a key figure in the Cambridge technology sector, was tasked with addressing a particular problem – how to create a hi-fi that could deliver the ‘Great British Sound’ into people’s homes.

British bands and recording studios had become a dominating force in music, and Cambridge Audio wanted to deliver a ‘neutrally British’, uncoloured and balanced sound that let the original recordings shine. And that ethos continues today. The company’s designs have always been minimalist and necessity driven: from the upside-down labels on the back panels for easy reading when setting up, to a rule limiting one switch per function, the customer at home is always considered.

Cambridge Audio has a policy of continuous improvement, whether it’s for high-end or budget equipment, and being relatively small has allowed it to adapt and innovate quickly. The company has a history of upgrading its hardware far more frequently than other UK brands (sometimes to its customers’ frustration). Many of the products featured on this list are the results of this culture of research, refinement and frankly borderline obsessive ‘Great British’ tinkering.

Read all our British Hi-Fi Week reviews and features

Cambridge Audio P40 Amplifier (1968)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

Like many long-established audio firms, Cambridge made its name by releasing the most crucial piece of any hi-fi system: a quality stereo amplifier.

The P40 integrated amp was the company’s first-ever product, developed by Gordon Edge and Peter Lee, who took a simple approach with just a few transistor stages. But they were also willing to take chances, and the P40 became the first-ever amplifier to use toroidal transformers, a nascent technology that just happened to be being manufactured by another local company at the time.

The risk paid off, and these days, toroidal transformers are a standard component inside high-end amplifiers.

While the P50 and P60 amps that followed quickly on its heels offered greater reliability and efficiency (as well as sales), it’s the P40 with its elegant low-contour case from Woodhuysen Design, boldness and longstanding influence that makes it the first of six Cambridge amps on this list.

Old amplifier vs new amplifier: which is better?

Cambridge Audio C75 preamp and A75 power amp (1984)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

The C75 pre-amplifier and A75 power amplifier were the first of a new generation of Cambridge amps split into two units that could be combined using end panels. The idea was to shield the sensitive input circuitry from the electrically noisy power amplifier, improving the sound and giving better performance.

And the separation didn’t stop there. The C75 implemented a phono stage that used a new technique called ‘segmented equalisation’ whereby the signal current would pass through discrete stages of passive EQ and amplification.

Passive EQ was preferable to an active circuit, as it kept negative feedback consistent across all frequencies and tracked the required RIAA equalisation to very high frequencies. However, it was also prone to increased noise interference and degradation of the dynamic range. By alternating EQ and amplification circuits, Curtis overcame this issue and produced a superb sound in the process.

The A75, for its part, kept Cambridge’s trademark toroidal transformer, but added a power supply for each channel, resulting in an impressively high output current capability.

While the C75/A75 combination was costly to build, the level of detail taken in developing the circuitry and careful choice of components ensure its status as one of the best Cambridge products of all time.

9 debut stereo amplifiers from iconic hi-fi brands

Cambridge Audio CD1 (1985)

(Image credit: Cambridge)

When Cambridge released the CD1, it was the first player to be split into 2 boxes; the upper deck carried the power supply and disc tray while the lower housed the DAC circuitry. A third box was soon added with a quality assurance module that corrected for inaccuracies on the disc.

The DAC section cleverly used three matched 14-bit DACs per channel to cancel out errors; this resulted in a linear performance to -120 dB, an incredible feat at the time. The transport mechanism was mounted on a lead beam to increase isolation, and there were separate power supplies for the digital and analogue circuits.

Another novel feature of the CD1 was the inclusion of playback filters. Different studios were using different pre-conversion filters at the time as there wasn’t yet a standardisation for digitising analogue master tapes to CD. Cambridge recognised that to get true fidelity to the original recording, the digital to analogue conversion performed by a CD player needed to have an accurate mirror image of whichever filter process had occurred to begin with. The company came up with nine filter options for the CD1 meaning that almost every CD could be played back faithfully.

Unfortunately, this idea increased the manufacturing cost, which in turn meant that the CD1 cost a small fortune – at £1500 – double the cost of most other players at the time. Still, despite the price, its ability to read the fine detail on discs accurately made it hugely popular with music lovers and CD manufacturers alike.

12 of the best British CD players of all time

Cambridge Audio A1 Amplifier (1995)

(Image credit: Richer sounds)

The A1 was the company’s first product after being bought in 1994 by James Johnson-Flint and Julian Richer. Keen to make their mark, they hired the prodigious designer Mike Creek and tasked him with delivering the A1 in only one month.

A true classic budget design, costing £80, the Cambridge Audio A1 integrated amplifier brought low-priced high performance to the masses. Even a more premium upgraded version with improved circuitry and toroidal transformers cost a mere £20 more.

The A1 maintained Cambridge’s principle of simplicity while bringing a new definition of quality to an affordable price range. It went on to become one of their best selling products ever.

Best stereo amplifiers 2021

Cambridge Audio DacMagic (1996)

(Image credit: Future)

The DacMagic was one of the last of the original generation of DACs. Unassuming to look at it had a lot to show for its £150 price point, raising the standard for the amount of functionality that could be packed into a stand-alone DAC.

By the mid-90s, manufacturing for Cambridge took place primarily in China, which designer John Westlake described as an electronics “candy store”, offering him the flexibility to upgrade to high-end components without the cost becoming prohibitive. As a result, the DacMagic boasted three separate transformers feeding 19 independent power supplies, BNC inputs and outputs, as well as balanced outputs on two gold-plated XLR connections.

Sonically superb, direct and detailed, the DacMagic earned comparisons to much more expensive equipment, coming out at a time when a CD player with balanced outputs could cost you in the region of £1000. And it gave Cambridge its first outright What Hi-Fi? Award win.

DACs – everything you need to know

Cambridge Audio CD4SE CD player (1998)

(Image credit: Future)

Sometimes an upgrade can feel as though a few stripes have simply been drawn on; on other occasions it takes a good product and elevates it way beyond its original brief.

The latter was the case for the CD4SE. Originally intended to be a special edition of the CD4, it instead became a total revamp. Circuitry was simplified, and the transport functions sharpened up, while the engineers casually deployed a few innovations at the same time.

Cambridge became the first manufacturer to use dual Crystal DACs, which oversampled, offering 20-bit performance. This enhanced the player’s dynamic range while reducing distortion and giving a truly musical performance.

Refinement at this level for the low price of £200 bags the CD4SE a place on our list.

Best CD players 2021: CD players for every budget

Cambridge Audio Azur 640A Amplifier (2003)

(Image credit: Future)

The Azur range epitomised Cambridge’s commitment to high-quality budget equipment, and the formidable 640A integrated amplifier was no exception. When we gave it five stars back in 2003, we described it as “good enough to strike fear in the heart of the establishment”; and it did just that.

Dynamically vivid, the 640A delivered a polished sound, full of fluidity and precision, lacking any hint of the gentle compression that other amps at this price level were prone to employ.

With a pretty muscular 65 Watts per channel, high-quality circuit enhancements and impressive quality of build, the 640A displayed a level of detail that made it a great all-rounder and set it apart from its rivals.

10 of the world’s most expensive stereo amplifiers

Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 speakers (2013)

(Image credit: Future)

With the introduction of the Aero 5.1 range, Cambridge shifted its focus from making excellent value electronics and sought to become a force in speakers, establishing itself as a serious alternative to the likes of B&W, KEF and Monitor Audio. Going up against such established rivals, the company’s solution was to offer something a bit different – BMR (Balanced Mode Radiator) technology.

BMR drivers work like a traditional piston driver for low frequencies, while higher frequencies are produced using a vibration motion across the surface of the speaker diaphragm. This technology allowed the Aero range to reproduce a wide frequency range using just a single small driver, without the need for a separate tweeter. It also meant it could achieve a near 180-degree dispersion, making the sizable boxes flexible to position within the home.

The result was a cohesive sound field with an articulate, detailed and punchy presentation. It’s no surprise that the Aero 5.1 speaker range went on to win What Hi-Fi? Awards in both 2013 and 2014.

Read our Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 review

Cambridge Audio CXN Music Streamer (2015)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

Cambridge was one of the first of the ‘traditional’ hi-fi brands to embrace digital music wholeheartedly by including streamers as part of its core hi-fi ranges. And 2010s NP30, 2013s Audio Stream Magic 6 and 2014s Audio Stream Magic 6 V2 all won What Hi-Fi? Awards.

By 2016, streaming had most definitely gone mainstream with faster connection speeds and wide adoption of subscription services, and Cambridge’s response to this trend was sonically game-changing. At £700 when we first reviewed it, the CXN was mid-range only in price, with a fantastic, incisive sound and excellent low-end impact.

Offering a full-colour screen for artwork, third party app support and digital inputs capable of playing high-resolution files of up to 24-bit/192kHz (upsampled to 384kHz), the CXN was packed with future-proofed features to keep it relevant in rapidly changing times. So much so that when the updated CXN V2 (yet another award winner) was released, we were relieved to find that the sound we had come to know and love was still intact.

Read our Cambridge Audio CXN review

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (2019)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

After tentatively dipping a toe into headphone production with a pair of wired earbuds in 2017, Cambridge made a splash with their inaugural true wireless offering, 2019’s Melomania 1.

Literally meaning ‘crazy about music’, these minimalist designed in-ears punched well above their weight, offering an expansive listening experience that few other brands achieve at this price.

Forgoing the bells and whistles of many big brands, Cambridge focused on the basics: battery life, connection stability and above all else, the sonic experience. Melomania 1 delivered on all fronts receiving five stars and best wireless in-ears £75-£150 at the What Hi-Fi? Awards. A great win for a headphones newbie and proof that sonic expertise can still prevail even in the smartfeature-centric world of portable audio.

Read our Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 review

Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier (2019)

(Image credit: Future)

Like other products on this list, the CXA81 started as a mere refurb and turned into a renovation. Cambridge engineers took the four-star CX81 amp and upgraded the op-amps, capacitors and DAC, and in doing so made progress in almost every sonic regard.

Adding to that a USB input supporting audio of up to 32-bit/384kHz, an aptX HD Bluetooth receiver and a pair of Toslink optical inputs, the CXA81 set a new baseline for thousand-pound integrated amplifiers bagging a What Hi-Fi? Award in 2020 in the process.

One thing that the CXA81 was missing, however, was the tone controls that Cambridge had continued to include on their amplifiers long after most manufacturers had dismissed them. The company often cited the consumer’s need to adjust the sound to suit their taste, space and playback; but with the CXA81, a new, more purist standard began.

Dominic Baker, technical director at the time, explained the reasoning to the FT saying: “Tone controls came into existence in the days of cassettes, and the very poor sound quality they gave. There’s good reason today to let the music sound how it left the recording studio, which CD and digital allows.”

The CXA81 had a seismic impact on the market, disposing of its rivals with its powerful, dynamic, and astonishingly detailed sound.

Read our Cambridge Audio CXA81 review

Cambridge Audio Edge A amplifier (2019)

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

Timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Cambridge Audio, the Edge series (named after founder Gordon Edge, not Bono’s mate) was the culmination of a three-year process that started with a blank sheet of paper and no time constraints.

Harking back to the P40’s original innovation, the engineers designing the Edge A took toroidal technology one step further by using two opposing transformers to cancel out electromagnetic interference, offering outstanding power and maintaining consistent tonality.

Elsewhere the signal path was shortened as much as possible to reduce significantly the chance of colour or distortion being added to the sound. Capacitors were removed from the signal path, and a DC-coupled topology was introduced to the circuit board.

The result was an impressive sound that won five stars from us. At £4500, the Edge A amplifier is a premium product with a premium price, signalling that, despite its long-term commitment to excellent-quality budget products, Cambridge Audio can still compete at higher price point too.

MORE

Read our Cambridge Audio Edge A review

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Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro
Size:	127 mm x 61.7 mm x 42.7 mm
Size (inches):	5″ x 2.43″ x 1.68″
Ambidextrous:	No
Weight:	87 g
Number of Buttons:	7 (including wheel click)
Main Switches:	Razer Optical
Wheel Encoder:	Mechanical
Sensor:	Razer Focus+ (PAW3399)
Resolution:	100–20,000 CPI
Polling Rate:	125/500/1000 Hz
Cable:	1.80 m, braided
Software:	Yes
Price:	$129.99
Warranty:	2 years

Our Verdict

For

Against

Design of the MSI Aegis RS 11th

MSI Aegis RS 11th Specifications

Ports and Upgradeability on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

Gaming and Graphics on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

Productivity Performance of the MSI Aegis RS 11th

MSI Vigor GK30 Keyboard and Clutch GM08 Mouse

MSI Center, Software and Warranty on the MSI Aegis RS 11th

MSI Aegis RS 11th Configurations

Bottom Line

Our Verdict

For

Against

Comfort

Build

Sound

Verdict

Design

Features

Interface

Sound quality

Also consider

Yamaha SR-C20A

Cambridge Audio P40 Amplifier (1968)

Cambridge Audio C75 preamp and A75 power amp (1984)

Cambridge Audio CD1 (1985)

Cambridge Audio A1 Amplifier (1995)

Cambridge Audio DacMagic (1996)

Cambridge Audio CD4SE CD player (1998)

Cambridge Audio Azur 640A Amplifier (2003)

Cambridge Audio Aero 5.1 speakers (2013)

Cambridge Audio CXN Music Streamer (2015)

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 (2019)

Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier (2019)

Cambridge Audio Edge A amplifier (2019)

Introduction

Specifications