Sound - Page 67 of 95

Review: Arcam Solo Uno small amplifier with punch

Arcam’s name was’ Solo ‘always for all-rounders who combined a slim shape with a lot of functionality, such as a Blu-ray player. The more competitively priced Solo Uno does it differently. Done with disc turners, this Arcam amp is smaller than ever and fully committed to streaming.

The Arcam Solo Uno really seems to disappear into thin air when we place it in the test room next to the Musical Fidelity M8xi. Now it is 250 – Watt-per- channel amplifier the hi-fi equivalent of an alpha gorilla, but still: what a difference! It immediately shows the difference between this small Arcam and conventional hi-fi components. This is a very compact device, perhaps also intended for a completely different target group. Arcam itself calls the Solo Uno a streamer with a built-in amplifier (and not an amplifier with streaming functions), which indicates somewhere that this device is rather intended to compete with a product such as the Sonos Amp or the Bluesound Powernode 2i. The Uno gives the music lover who may have a few wireless speakers in the kitchen and dining room an alternative to aim for a slightly higher sound quality in the living room. Or, we also think it would be an interesting option to control a set of built-in speakers. All this without making it complex; all you need to listen to music with the Arcam is to connect two speakers. Sources? Streaming, that’s about it. There are no connections for external devices (except for an auxiliary input).

Award-winning design Arcam is very proud that the Solo Uno has a Red Dot design award. Apart from the fact that the Red Dot organization is always generous with its awards, it is indeed true that Arcam has tried to make something special out of it. With success, because the Uno Solo could just as well be an anonymous square box, but instead it has become a slightly nicer device that still looks a bit more luxurious than some competitors. You probably go for an amp like this one because you’re looking for something understated and modest, so maybe looks aren’t that important now either. But still, due to its curved front with a minimalist operating section and the duotone housing (at the top the typical Arcam anthracite, at the bottom shiny metal) it can also be placed visibly on the TV cabinet.

What also strikes us is that the build quality is much better than you would expect. The device is very solidly built, the power button gives the tactile feedback of a more expensive component and also the metal speaker terminals at the back look like something you would find on a ‘real’ hi-fi device.

Talking about the operation: it is really kept minimalist. There is no display, just a few LED lights that tell you about the network connection, and only a few buttons. That in itself is not so bad, because probably you will mainly work via your smartphone to control your music.

How do you want to stream? The Solo Uno is an amplifier for the music lover who only listens via streaming. And that’s it. In contrast to, for example, the Sonos Amp, there are no inputs to connect, say, a turntable or the TV. Not everyone wants that, but it is also not unheard of that you immediately want to solve the TV noise problem. You can’t do that wirelessly either – new TV sets allow you to use little lag over Bluetooth to stream to speakers – because Bluetooth is not available on the Arcam. That actually surprises us more than the absence of physical inputs.

Instead, Arcam provided a range of streaming options that will make almost everyone happy: Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and Roon. Via the first two you can send your songs from the app of almost any music service. Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, YouTube Music… Everything is possible. You may choose Chromecast because you use Android devices, AirPlay is just a bit more convenient if you have an iPhone, iPad or Mac computer at home. Both offer more or less the same, including lossless streaming, so which one you choose depends on your situation.

The support of Chromecast and AirPlay 2 brings a number of advantages. Connecting to the network is very smooth, for example, via the Google Home app or via the WiFi settings of a recent iOS device. The procedure is slightly different depending on which of the two you choose. With Google Home it is a matter of going through a number of steps, where you also arrange the connection with the Google Assistant. The Solo Uno does not have a microphone itself, of course, but you can operate the Arcam amplifier via your smartphone or a Nest mini. The same can be done via Siri, albeit a bit more limited.

Plays along with other speakers Chromecast and AirPlay 2 bring another plus: multi-room functionality. The Arcam Solo Uno can be combined ad hoc with other Chromecast or AirPlay devices, also from other brands. That is a difference with Sonos or Yamaha, both of which only work with products of their own brand. How you do that differs from which streaming platform you use. With Google, you must create a group in Google Home in which the desired speakers are linked. Then you will see the group appear in an app such as Spotify next to the Arcam and the other speakers. When you tap that, that Spotify playlist will play on all devices. With Airplay, you just tap the desired speakers if you want to listen to multiroom music.

At the start of the test, we also immediately saw the Solo Uno appear as RAAT-compatible endpoint in Roon. The fact that the device can work with this audiophile software is perhaps not so relevant for the target group that is looking for something minimalist for the living room, but perhaps the Uno is therefore also a nice option for that hi-fi enthusiast who is looking for something simple for elsewhere in the house.

You can also control the Uno Solo via Arcam’s own MusicLife app. This is not done via its own streaming technology, but via uPnP / DLNA. So you can use other DLNA player apps if you prefer, such as Glider on iOS or BubbleUPnP on Android. Enough choice. The MusicLife app itself is rather austere in appearance, but it works fine.

Music You shouldn’t demand the impossible from a tiny amplifier, that seems us logical. We immediately notice that there are limits to what is possible when we see a set of Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature speakers hung from the Arcam junior. It just didn’t make sense. Surprising? No, the British brand’s loudspeakers tend to plunge well below their nominal impedance, and that’s when you put a small class D amplifier to the test. It was never really the intention to combine speakers from this price range with a mini amplifier of 700 euro, it was more in the spirit of experimentation.

For our real test we switch to a pair 1961 – floor uprights from the Norwegian Arendal and a set 3020 i-bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics, products that match the Arcam better in terms of pricing and specifications . We suspect that the Monitor Audio Bronze 250 would also be a good marriage with the small amplifier, but due to a lack of time we could not hang those test speakers on the Arcam before they had to leave for the manufacturer again.

Although we are initially a bit pushed about the limitations of an amplifier, the Solo Uno knows with its 2 x 50 Watts to charm if we use the device for what it is really meant to be. Despite its small size, it is a serious bike, not a toy. The base is completely in order. The wild percussion of Eric Moe on ‘Uncanny’ (ALAC CD quality via Roon) for example, is tightly timed and, while retaining the pure energy in this drum fëst, is played well on the Q Acoustics speakers. The tapping on the cymbals is a bit faint, but is that due to the speakers or the amplifier – hard to say at this point.

With the beautiful ‘Concertino for guitar and strings’ (96 KHz / 24 – bit ALAC via Roon) we get the Arendals are there for a moment, and so we hear that a piece of imaging and detail is re-emerging. Not quite, but more than with the Q Acoustic speakers. This piece with Maciej Staszwksi’s virtuoso finger-playing is fascinating to listen to, and becomes very dramatic when the strings from the Primuz Academy in Lodz step in. The Solo Uno handles that dynamic aspect surprisingly well, just like with Tool’s gem of doomsday ‘Sober’ (CD quality via Qobuz). The music of this group goes well with the amplifier and the speakers. Refinement is not always there, sometimes it tends to be a bit raw in the high end, but the power is there.

That you can really listen to music on an affordable amplifier packed with functionality, we experience at the ‘Women of Ireland’ from The Chieftains and when we hear the voice of Ry Cooder flowing from the floorstanders on ‘Brother is Gone’, accompanied by his mandolin playing. Cooder made this album on the occasion of the US presidential election of 2012, but we suspect that the songs are still very topical. Handsome is also the voice of JS Ondara in ‘American Dream’. At a normal listening volume, fine, if we turn the volume all the way up, that raw side is there again. But we are also pushing this little box very far at this point.

Conclusion The Solo Uno does not offer ultimate amplification, but you shouldn’t expect that from a device that lets you listen to music in an easy way. listen in a higher quality. It does a lot of business well, within its limits. The Arcam is a solid integrated amplifier in an almost unique compact design that enables many scenarios that conventional hi-fi would find more difficult. It is well suited for simple installation as well as for a very minimalist living room setup. The many streaming options make it easy for the whole family to play their music, without everyone having to install or learn new apps. The Solo Uno can even fit into a wider multiroom story via AirPlay and Chromecast.

Arcam Solo Uno

699 euro | www.arcam.co.uk

Rating 4 out of 5

Review Gold Note DS 10 and PA 10: warm-blooded and well-working couple from Tuscany

The Italian audio company Gold Note designs and builds its products in Florence, the capital of the Tuscany region. The company claims to be influenced by the culture and (art) history of this region on the one hand, but at the same time incorporates modern and digital insights and technology into its products. In our test room are the DS – 12, a DA converter also streamer also headphone amplifier and PA – 10, a two-channel power amplifier. The devices have the same shape and dimensions and are relatively compact. How do these Tuscan products sound? We’re going the DS – 12 and PA – 10 View and Investigate. Â

Gold Note: Italian audio equipment manufacturer

The Italian audio company Gold Note was founded by Maurizio Aterini and is based in Florence. In their own words, the onset is already about 32 years ago due to the fact that founder Aterini, as a technical student, was dissatisfied with the performance level of the then turntables. After gaining the necessary design experience and work experience in the audio industry, Aterini established 2012 together with his wife Elena and his partner Alessio Gold Note op.

According to the company’s website, audio equipment often has a dual focus. On the one hand, this is a longing for the past, which can sometimes be found in the design. On the other hand, new developments and technology are often eagerly embraced. In the case of Gold Note, the appearance of the products is, according to them, inspired by the (art) history of the Italian region of Tuscany. In particular, the Gold Note turntables and speakers show smooth lines and a traditional construction method that looks artistic. We see that more often with Italian loudspeaker manufacturers. At the same time, Gold Note looks emphatically at modern technology and the company has a number of digital products. All products are designed and built in Italy.

Ease of use also plays a role. After all, Gold Note also has (pre) amplifiers with analog and digital inputs and streaming functions on board. In our test room is the DS – 12, a DA converter also streamer and headphone amplifier. This is a good example of many and easy to operate (modern) functions housed in a small housing. We’re going the DS – 12 in a moment, together with the PA – 10 a compact power amplifier.

Gold Note: portfolio of sources, amplifiers and speakers Gold Note’s portfolio covers everything today’s music lover needs. Well come on, Gold Note doesn’t build reel recorders, cassette decks and tuners, but it does build speakers, amplifiers (front, end and integrated), turntables, tonearms, cartridges, DA converters and streamers. The portfolio is not very large and does not change very frequently. Gold Note is not the kind of manufacturer that is constantly releasing new models. That is positive because a manufacturer that has models followed in quick succession gives the impression that it is not doing its homework properly. After all, barring one exception, a well-built device cannot be greatly improved a short time later.

Gold Note currently offers four speakers. A vinyl enthusiast can choose from five turntables, five pickups, two tone arms and two phono amps. Gold Note also offers one CD player, three DA converters as well as streamers, one integrated amplifier and a streamer that also has a phono stage on board, one preamplifier and two power amplifiers. . Gold Note also provides the ability to power the DS – 12, DS – 10 Plus, PH – 10, PH-1, CD – 1000, DS – 1000 upgradeable by external power supply. Recently the PSU 12 EVO announced, the external power supply for the DS – 10 and DS – 12 Plus, whose delivery should start soon. A customer can choose to immediately purchase an external power supply with his Gold Note device, but a customer can also do so later.

One of these power amplifiers is the compact model PA – 10 which is in our test room. The dad-10 is eight inches wide. Also in our test room is the DS – 10, a DA converter, streamer and headphone amplifier with volume control. Both devices have the same dimensions and can be supplied in the same color. Gold Note claims to have made two flexible and easy to operate devices. We look at the technology of both devices and then listen to music.

Gold Note PA – 12: power amplifier

The 2-channel PA – 10 works in class AB and can be used twice 125 Deliver watts into eight ohms. At four ohms, the power doubles to 150 Watt. If the impedance is halved again, ie to two ohms, the PA – 10 as stated by Gold Note 300 Deliver watts per channel. There is a small fan on the inside, which starts if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold value by playing at a high volume for a longer period of time. During the test period, we did not hear the fan.

The dad-10 also has the option to bridge the output stages (this is called by Gold Note Bridge-Tied-Load (BTL mode)), causing the PA – 10 becomes a mono amplifier by combining the output stages. The small box can then 384 Deliver watts to eight ohms and 850 Watts at four ohms. BTL mode also allows the user to connect with one PA – 10 and a second PA later – 10 next to it.

The user has the choice of a cinch input and an XLR input, both with an input sensitivity of 1.4 Volt and an impedance of 13 kOhm.

Furthermore, the user can choose a high or low damping factor with a button on the back. The default is a high damping factor, but according to Gold Note, a sensitive or small speaker can benefit from a low damping factor. The explanation of this in the manual is rather brief and we have not investigated this aspect further. We have the PA – 12 used with a high damping factor.

With the supplied trigger cable (called GN Link by Gold Note) the PA – 10 on / off with other devices, such as the DS – 10.

The heavy-duty speaker terminals accept banana plugs, forks and bare wire.

Gold Note DS – 10: DA converter, streamer and headphone amplifier

The DS – 10 has the same shape and aluminum housing as the PA – 12. Gold Note has the DS – 10 packed with modern contemporary features but at the same time trying to keep operation simple. Only one button can be found on the front. By pressing the button functions can be selected by then turning the button. If the button is not pressed, the button works as a volume control. Gold Note delivers a nice IR system remote control with the DS – 10. Let’s walk through the functions of the DS – 10.

The DS – 10, which is therefore equipped with a volume control (which can be bypassed and locked in the highest position), has only digital inputs, for connecting a CD- running gear or a streamer. Connecting a streamer is not very obvious because the DS – 10 is already a very complete streamer, but it is possible. Gold Note allows the user to adjust the sound by setting three parameters as desired. These are 1. the Low Pass filter, 2. High-frequency De-emphasis, and 3. Power line to the DAC chip. Gold Note therefore speaks of a Chameleon Dac. The user can save three profiles in addition to the default setting of the DA converter.

The DS – 10 is quite a complete streamer. The user can connect music to the DS with a computer via UPnP via wired or wireless LAN – 10 or via bluetooth 5.0, or via Apple’s AirPlay. Also, the user can connect a USB HDD or SSD formatted in FAT 32 or NTFS. The DS – 12 easily recognized a Western Digital 1TB USB HDD. The USB-HDD switches on / off with the DS – 10. The usual streaming services such as Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer and Tidal are supported, as well as internet radio via vTuner. The streamer is operated with the MConnect app. More about operation with the MConnect app later.

The DS – 10 supports MQA and is Roon-ready. Music signal may be supplied via the USB-B input in a resolution up to 32-bit/384 kHz. DSD can also be used via this entrance / 128 are delivered and processed. The other inputs (S / PDIF coax, optical and AES / EBU) allow PCM signal up to a maximum of 24-bit/192 kHz are played.

Note: who would need an analog input for the DS – 10 Plus can choose. This device has exactly the same shape and functions as the DS – 10 with addition of an analog line input designed as a 3.5 millimeter jack plug.

As befits a serious streamer, the DS – 10 an RJ 45 LAN terminal. In addition, the DS – 10 also Wi-Fi on board, but we strongly prefer a wired connection because of its inherently better stutter resistance.

The connection to an amplifier is made via the cinch output or the XLR output. On the front panel is a 6, 45 millimeter jack plug headphone connection.

Finally, a few more numbers: Gold Note specifies a signal to noise ratio of 125 dB. The total harmonic distortion is maximum 0, 06 per cent. These are excellent figures, but not exceptional because most modern DA converters have comparable figures. Basically noise and distortion are below the perceptible limit.

Enough talk about technique. Time to connect Gold Note devices and start listening to music.

Review: Panasonic TX55HXW944

Be at the top of the offer only OLED models with Panasonic. This HXW 944 leads the list of LCD models. It is a well-equipped TV that is in the upper middle class.

Multiple choice installation In its design, Panasonic predominantly uses Japanese influences, and the emphasis is often on simplicity and elegance. However, that does not mean that functionality is lost sight of.

The feet of the HX 940 can be mounted in two ways. In one position he stands very wide, with the feet at the end of the screen. In the other position, the feet are more inward, so you can also place it on a less wide piece of furniture.

The feet just click into the chassis, but although they are tight, there is still some slack so that it looks like it is not fixed. Don’t worry, the construction is stable.

The further finish is excellent. The narrow black brushed frame around the screen never gets in the way. And on the back, the back has the texture of a camera grip, a nice accent.

Connect! Panasonic will stick with HDMI 2.0 connections for now. HDMI 2.1 will search in vain, the only HDMI 2.1 feature that this device offers is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) with which a game console can automatically switch the TV into game mode. ARC (Audio Return Channel) is of course also provided.

The device has four HDMI connections, all of which are ready for Ultra HD HDR in the best quality. There are also three USB connections (one USB 3.0) and a component video input with stereo cinch input for older, analog sources. An optical digital output is provided for sound bars or audio systems that do not work with HDMI-ARC. You can also use the headphone connection to connect a subwoofer.

There are three antenna connections , and the built-in dual DVB-T2 / C / S2 tuners have a double CI + slot. You can record live TV to an external USB hard drive while simultaneously watching a different channel.

Finally there is an ethernet connection, built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. Via Bluetooth you can connect a wireless headset, mouse / keyboard combination or gamepad or you can send the audio from your smartphone to the TV.

Some of the connections (including two HDMI and two USB) are at the back and point to the back, you have to take this into account when mounting on the wall.

Mount a small cable tray on the feet. This way you can neatly route both the power and signal cables.

My Home Screen 5.0 Panasonic uses a self-developed smart TV platform, My Home Screen, which is now up to version 5. This latest version has been somewhat simplified. All icons of connections, apps or TV channels appear in a bar at the bottom of the screen. When you select an icon, a second bar appears above that provides content recommendations. The app itself must support this, for example with Netflix and YouTube.

My Home Screen 5.0 is a handy, clear and very smooth interface. You can adjust the location of each icon so that it really becomes your Home screen. Everything runs very fast on both the Home screen and in the very spacious settings.

Classic Zapper If it works, you don’t have to change anything. The Panasonic remote has been unchanged for quite some time. It is a long, silver-colored zapper with large, handy keys. The â ???? My Appâ ???? You can assign the test yourself to a favorite app, so that you can start YouTube with a key, for example. Netflix already has its own key.

Another useful tip: the â ???? Pictureâ ???? button allows you to quickly select another image mode. Very useful if you use different modes for sports, film, during the day or in the evening. The list of image modes that appears can also be adjusted via the image menu.

Image quality This Panasonic uses an IPS panel. This type of panels has a good viewing angle, but moderate contrast. To boost the contrast, Panasonic uses the local dimming technique. The Edge Led backlight is divided into eight columns. The processor analyzes the image in real time and dims the backlight where necessary to create a better black. Combined with the smart control of the LCD panel, this provides a better contrast. Still, you shouldn’t hope for deep black, this TV is at its best in some ambient light and with bright content.

In dark scenes there is a limited risk that you will miss some shadow nuances. On the other hand, you rarely or never see the individual columns of the backlight. The â ???? True Cinemaâ ???? image mode is well calibrated, albeit quite dark. Unscrew the “backlight” setting. what up for a better result during the day, or switch to the â ???? Cinemaâ ???? image mode.

The HX 940 is equipped with the same processor as Panasonic’s OLED models, the HCX Pro. It delivers really excellent results. The noise reduction is very good, even for tricky compression noise (block formation). Even tricky color bands can hide the processor reasonably well without covering up too much detail. The upscaling is excellent, but the image looks relatively soft. To improve that, you can set the sharpness a little higher, up to a maximum of 55.

The only LCD model that has a 100 Hz panel, we also expect good motion sharpness. However, it has to give way to other top LCD models, but delivers fine results as long as you â ???? Intelligent Frame Creationâ ???? let alone at minimum. The â ???? Middleâ ???? mode was our preference, but some people find the smooth effect of Motion interpolation disturbing. It’s your choice.

Panasonic supports all major HDR formats: HDR 50, HLG, Dolby Vision and HDR 10 +. It is therefore completely unnecessary to stress whether your TV supports the correct format. The peak brightness (in the True Cinema image mode) is approximately 410 at both a 10% window as a completely white screen . The color range achieves 85% DCI-P3. This puts it just below the values we set for a clear result (500 nits, 90% DCI-P3). But here too the HCX Pro processor ensures excellent results, and both color range and brightness are used very well. Activate â ???? Dynamic HDR Effectâ ???? for the best result. Very clear mastered HDR 10 – content is possible despite everything seems a bit too pale. Just then you will notice the added value of HDR 50 + and especially Dolby Vision. These formats provide the TV with much more information so that the HDR impact is better preserved.

Sound Quality The HX 940 has to make do with a very ordinary 2x 10 W audio system, a configuration typically is for middle class. It supports Dolby Atmos, but you shouldn’t expect any miracles from that, a light surround feeling is the best the TV can create. Our usual Star Wars scene comes out quite well, but we notice two things. First, there is no specific ‘movie’. sound mode. We chose the â ???? Userâ ???? mode, and activated “Bass Boost” ???? and â ???? Cinema Surroundâ ????. Second, this TV cannot produce really thunderous bass. Fortunately, Panasonic has thought of that and you can connect a subwoofer. Dialogues are very clear, but in the rougher parts of the soundtrack you can hear that you should not turn the volume up excessively.

To investigate that better, we dive into our music, and yes, too. we quickly notice the same thing there. The Apollo bass drums 440 â ???? s Krupa are only audible when you keep the volume low enough. At higher volumes, the TV reduces the dynamic range of the basses very hard. The loud sounds of Metallica or Sisters of Mercy are clearly too ambitious for the audio system that intervenes regularly and therefore clearly changes the sound.

Panasonic offers you the possibility to connect your smartphone to the TV via Bluetooth to stream audio, but that will only be interesting if you want some background music. For a better experience, both for film and music, we still recommend an external audio solution.

Conclusion The Panasonic TX – 55 HXW 944 (NL) / TX – 55 HX 940 (BE) is a good choice if you are looking for a TV for the whole family. It has an excellent viewing angle and excellent color reproduction, and it shows its best side with clear, colorful viewing food. Dark films can be a challenge for the limited contrast, but the cleverly controlled local dimming partially compensates for that. The HCX Pro processor provides excellent upscaling and image processing. My Home Screen 5.0 delivers a modern, convenient and smooth smart TV environment.

Panasonic TX – 55 HXW 944 (NL) / TX – 55 HX 940 (BE) Â

â ?? ¬ 1. 199 | www.panasonic.com

Rating: 4/5

Review: Skullcandy Crusher ANC Noise canceling with a lot of extra

The Skullcandy Crusher may not sound like something you’ll want to put on your head, but wait: it’s a noise-canceling headset that packs in several unique features that you won’t find elsewhere. But can a button to adjust the basses and a personal tuning based on an ear test be enough to stand out from the crowd? There are plenty of rivalsâ ?? ¦

Advantages of ANC During the spring lockdown we are â ???? and probably more people â ???? will appreciate the benefits of noise-canceling headphones even more. NC headphones were already on the rise anyway, but the sales figures are now getting even more of a boost. So if you’re looking for an explanation of why so many new headphones are popping up that actively combat ambient noise, that’s it.

Among the many new models that have recently appeared we also saw this futuristically shaped Skullcandy Crusher ANC, which for approximately 220 euro is in the shops. Not to be confused with the â ???? ordinaryâ ???? and older Crusher Wireless headphones that only have Bluetooth, by the way. But given that the design of the two Crushers differs somewhat, the risk of making a mistake is rather small.

With its price tag of just over 200 Euro, the Crusher ANC is a middle class in the segment. That is significantly cheaper than the high-end models, such as the Sony WH – 1000 XM3 or Bose NCH 700, and still a bit more pricey than the loafers. The Philips PH 805 for example. What do you get for that amount? Some surprising and even unique things. The most important two: you can personalize the sound on the basis of an ear test and via a large slider you can adjust the basses while listening. Certainly the latter function is not only available for music, but also for people who play games and watch films while traveling. Most NC headphones don’t really do much with those audiences, so Skullcandy does.

Modern looks Like many of its peers, the Crusher ANC is a headphones designed for mobile use. You can fold it so that you can easily store it in the supplied case. It is a very solid fabric thing, by the way, with room for the charging cable and a thin audio cable for when the battery is empty. The headphones are available in different color editions (including a stylish black version with cognac brown ear cushions) and are made of plastic, so that the weight can be kept low. That is not at the expense of the build quality; the Crusher ANC seems solid and doesn’t crack when we twist it. That is immediately distinctive compared to cheaper devices.

The Crusher ANC looks a bit futuristic, an impression that is reinforced by the three large buttons on the right ear and Sensory Bass slider and a series of bright LEDs indicating the battery level on the left. And then there is the USB-C port (handy, you can use the cable from your new smartphone) and an aux input for wired listening. This remains a useful option if you want to watch a movie on an airplane via the inflight system.

Real buttons The buttons on the Crusher NC are large but very easy to operate by touch. That is a plus. And we prefer physical buttons to touchpads for headphones because you can always operate real keys, even when wearing gloves, so that’s worth a pat on the back. But don’t worry, touchpad lovers: Skullcandy has also thought of you. By tapping on the left ear you can switch on noise canceling or activate an ambient mode so that you become more aware of your surroundings.

If you look closely, the feeling of luxury disappears a bit, partly because the brackets and small visual elements that seem to be metal from far away still appear plastic at a few centimeters away. The ear pads are of high quality and rest softly on the head. Since the headband is also well padded at the top (with a shape that allows a little more cooling), the Crusher ANC deserves good marks when it comes to comfort. expected, to be fair.

The headphone housings and ear pads are a bit narrower than normal, which puts the Crusher ANC somewhere on the border between a large on-ear and a smaller over-ear headphone. Those looking for a more discreet, smaller device that sits more subtly on your head should check out this Skullcandy. Sure, that subtlety is somewhat undermined by the logo of an alien skull on both sides of the headband. But you don’t expect much subtlety from a brand with a name like Skullcandy, right?

All for you You don’t need to install the Skullcandy app (iOS, Android) if you don’t want to. If you do, you do get access to a number of useful things (such as firmware updates) and the show-off function of these headphones: personal sound. The underlying idea is that everyone’s hearing is different (and that is correct, partly due to age effects) and headphones should take this into account. Otherwise, you won’t hear your music the way the headphone designer wanted.

Skullcandy isn’t the first to discover this. The AKG N 90 Q and Sony WH – 1000 For example, XM3 use test tones to adjust the display to the fit on the ears. Because yes, that also has an influence. What Skullcandy does is different. It uses technology from Audiodo, a Swedish startup that has devised an algorithm to adjust the sound signal to your ear characteristics. To find out how and what you hear correctly, you have to go through a relatively extensive hearing test in the Skullcandy. You really have to take some time for it and â ???? above all – find a very quiet environment. A whole series of test tones are played per ear, including tones that are very quiet, each time indicating whether you hear something or not. Based on this inquiry, Audiodo creates a filter that adjusts the sound, and that per ear. After all, it is quite possible that one ear perceives certain frequencies better than the other.

It all sounds very technical, but in the app it is kept simple. Just tap a button if you hear the tone or not. Then yes, a curve is presented per ear, without explanation or checkpoints, but with a button so that you can immediately switch between â ???? offâ ???? and â ???? optimizedâ ????. This way you can decide for yourself what the function does and whether you think it is worthwhile.

It is also useful that you can perform the test several times and save multiple profiles. The first time we did that, there was some background noise, which prevented us from hearing certain tones. In a later test at a quieter time of the day we heard more tones and the personal representation was therefore slightly different. Is the feature really useful? We think so. The fact that we got a slightly different result for each measurement proves that an algorithm is only as good as the data you feed it, but the result was still slightly more balanced than the standard display. And by that we do not only mean per se in terms of frequency response, but above all that a better balance was created between left and right. Which in turn made the soundstage bigger and allowed the music to ‘escape’ more? out of your head. It’s not that the closed Crusher ANC suddenly took on the character of an open audiophile headphone, but thanks to the function it does take a step in that direction.

Flapping ears The Crusher ANC has one more function that you can call special: Sensory Bass. You operate it via a large slider at the bottom of the left driver housing. Slide this button up and basses will be thickened. But this is not just an extra bass button. It mainly works on very low tones, so that you do not immediately notice anything when listening to, say, violin music or when watching a film scene with only dialogues. That changes immediately when there are beats in music or that movie shifts into a higher gear and action starts. Then you get a good portion of sub bass served, including strong physical feedback, a bit similar to the vibration function on a Dualshock controller. In its highest position it is almost overwhelming. When we took the Crusher to the â ???? Old Guardâ ???? watched via Netflix on our LG GX8 smartphone, with Sensory Bass on max mode, we almost jumped out of our seat during a shootout and moments later when a helicopter came into view during Charlize Theron and Matthias Schoenaerts’ journey to South Sudan. It seemed as if our ears were flapping, and it even leaned a little towards the pain threshold! Perhaps this works so well because the sub-basses are delivered directly to your skull, thanks to a motor that is included in the driver housing. Sensory Bass is one of those things you love or despise, and it may also be a main reason for some to get that Crusher ANC. With games and films, it really adds value, if you ask us, but to an extent. At maximum strength it can really get too much.

Where is â ???? em? Are you someone who always loses things? Then the Tile compatibility of the Crusher ANC is a real asset. Tile is a service that works via an app and helps you to find a lost device. You must first register the Crusher ANC via the Tile app, then you can locate the headphones by having it play a loud sound. It’s a good idea, but the Crusher’s speakers can’t be loud enough for you to hear from afar. No problem if the headphones are on the couch, for example, but if there is a pillow or a stack of strips on it, you will only detect the sound from close by. The added value is therefore quite relative, especially in a messy house. Nevertheless, Tile functionality is a bit of hype. Bose and Sennheiser also provide it on select headphones, such as the Momentum Wireless 3.

Enough functions with this Skullcandy, but what about the sound quality? Sensory Bass and the personal sound profiles have a strong influence on what you hear. Still, we dare to say that the Crusher ANC is a commercially tuned headphone, with somewhat heavier basses that suit urban genres and electronic music. That’s fine if you’re looking for just that. More importantly, these headphones are good in terms of drivers and adjustment. A solid bass foundation is indeed provided, but basses remain clean and detailed, and they do not drown out higher frequencies. With that, the Crusher ANC plays at a higher level. You are not listening to bloated or bloated basses and otherwise a dull sound â ???? as you may experience with cheaper headphones.

Vocals are beautifully presented, we notice when listening to â ???? Meryemâ ????, an atmospheric album (CD quality via Qobuz) by the Moroccan singer Meryem Aboulouafa that mixes many influences around and sometimes towards trip hop and trance. Songs like the intense â ???? Retreat! Â ???? and the slow, cinematic â ???? Deeplyâ ???? sound good on the Crusher ANC, although we do find with the latter that the basses dominate slightly when the volume is really loud. We are sorry that there is no equalizer in the app. If we listen to this album via BubbleUPnP and EQâ € ™ and there, it balances out nicely. OK, that is far too cumbersome for many listeners, but it is a plus that the Crusher ANC handles such adjustments without any problems. By the way, confirm t also our Huawei P 30 Pro that the Crusher ANC aptX and aptX Supports HD, two Bluetooth codecs that give a better guarantee of quality. Good news for the mobile audiophile, which aptX HD will not often encounter in this price segment.

The noise canceling on the Skullcandy does its job, but is certainly not as effective as with the high-end models. Perhaps also because the passive isolation with these headphones is somewhat more limited, especially compared to the JBL Club One, for example. In our simulation, where we played a YouTube video of a train ride through a snowstorm, we could still perceive the typical track sounds when no music was playing through the headphones. If you do watch a movie or listen to music, the train mesh almost completely disappears into the background. Remarkable: voice noises are very well eliminated. The Crusher ANC therefore seems a good choice for an open office environment or if you are always listening to something while commuting. Travelers who use NC headphones to rest and don’t play anything should opt for highly effective noise-canceling headphones like the top Sony model.

Conclusion Some unique features make the Crusher ANC a special NC headphones, and at a reasonable price. The biggest flaw is the slight noise. You have that with many headphones with active noise cancellation, but here it is just a bit louder. At the same time, it is hardly bothering you when listening to music, and certainly not in a noisy environment. However, the NC cannot eliminate the loudest environmental noise. The Sensory Bass button is really great. At its highest setting it is crazy overkill for music, even for a convincing basshead, but at a lower setting it is a great bonus for movies and games. These headphones are definitely recommended for Netflix on the train or plane.

Skullcandy Crusher ANC

219 euro | www.skullcandy.com

Rating 4 out of 5

Review: Iraser Stick AOI from Vortex Hifi

Insight has increased in recent decades that electromagnetic phenomena resulting, among other things, from wireless communication can have a negative effect on the perceived performance of audio and video systems. In this context one speaks of electrosmog. I want to save what electrosmog is and how it affects devices and people for a later article. For the moment I would like to leave it at the conclusion that there are accessories on the market that aim to combat the adverse effects of electrosmog. For example, there is the German brand Creaktiv Systems with a very extensive range. Most of these are objects made of hard glass that have been treated according to a very secret procedure. Contact between such an object and a device or CD leads to “information”. of that and that in turn leads to a better sound. It sounds like science fiction or total nonsense, but there’s no denying that it works. The effect has been demonstrated by measurements. At home I use almost the complete range of Creaktiv Systems.

The first generation of products from Creaktiv Systems was developed by the German Norbert Maurer. Maurer started his own business a few years ago. He now offers comparable products under the brand name Vortex Hifi. According to importer Daluso, the latest insights have been incorporated into the range of Vortex Hifi and these products therefore go a step further than the older accessories from Creaktiv Systems. The accessories of Vortex Hifi are available from Kemp Elektroniks and King Audio. Â

The Iraser Stick AOI A completely original development of Vortex Hifi is the so-called Iraser Stick. Bizarrely, the accessory is shaped like a magic wand! It shouldn’t get any crazier! Was this form chosen as a provocation of the skeptics? There are three types. The most advantageous has the addition of AOI in the name and contains a diametric magnet on one end. The magnetic field is perpendicular to the stick. The two more expensive types also have an axial magnet at the other end; that field faces along the stick. I only tested the AOI.

The the intention is to slowly stroke the magnet along the object to be treated in a number of strokes, such that the entire surface is reached. The red sticker on the magnet must point at right angles to the object. That object to be treated can be a CD, an LP, but also a cable or a device, yes, even â ?? windows and mirrors! â ???? Hocus pocusâ ???? no need to shout. The effect is said to be based not only on degaussing, but also on â ???? informâ ???? Hence the name â ???? Iraserâ ???? and not â ???? Eraserâ ????.

The magnet is powerful; so be careful with speakers! Before you know it, the end of the Iraser will find the magnet of the driver and there is a hole in the cone!

For the same reason the Iraser also does not reach the element holding a record player. I also don’t see the idea of moving the magnet in the vicinity of current-carrying cables and devices; the importer also advises against this. The Iraser comes with clear instructions for use including these warnings. Since I don’t feel like switching off the equipment and dragging the cables from behind my rack, I only rated the Iraser as an audio carrier handler. So there is more to do with it.

The effects of the Iraser Stick AOI on CDs The test procedure is simple: just grab a number of CDs that I can dream, listen to a piece , treat, listen to the same piece again and note any differences. So that treatment amounts to striking the CD with the magic wand, an activity that could lead a casual observer to call a psychiatrist (â ???? John is lostâ ????) â ?? ¦. Â

By the way, I have sometimes has been criticized that this approach is “non-scientific” ???? is. Well, that’s right. We have to go to university for science. I only pass on my subjective experiences. These can then be an interesting reason to try it without obligation. Everyone will always have to listen for themselves and trust their own ears. That is the essence of our hobby. Incidentally, I have never seen a serious music lover come to very different conclusions than I did â ?? ¦.

The Iraser works! After treatment I notice improvement in all parameters. It all sounds a bit more informative, calmer, more spacious. The effect is roughly in the same order of magnitude as that of some other accessories that handle CDs. These devices are considerably more expensive than the Iraser Stick. A very satisfactory result, therefore, which more than justifies the purchase of this remarkable product. The biggest surprise was yet to comeâ ?? ¦Â

The effects of the Iraser Stick AOI on LPâ ?? ?? s That surprise occurred when I put the baton on a lp let go. Wow! A much greater effect than with CDs. This is a revelation rather than “audible”. In classical music, strings and brass sound significantly less sharp and more natural; the background becomes quieter and there is more overview in the sound image. The music breathes more and blares less. I think the difference is so big that even people who don’t listen to much music would notice it.

I had a strange experience with the lp Winelight by saxophonist Grover Washington. The title track is supported by a powerful bass line. This bass sounds a bit dominant and greasy on my set. Who can describe my surprise: after treatment a controlled and clean bass came out of the speakers. You can hardly call this an improvement anymore. Rather a complete â ???? restructuringâ ???? of the music.

I found Another handy procedure: I let the LP rotate on the turntable and slowly move the stick with the red tip pointing upwards radially outward. Of course this is only possible with a plateau that does not attract the magnet. A funny detail is that the powerful magnet of the Iraser sticks to the metal intermediate plate in the base of the VPI. With this permanent place, I always have the baton at hand. This was not recommended by the importer because the intermediate plate also becomes magnetic. Too bad then, this is too nice to leave it.

Conclusion The conclusion is clear: the Iraser Stick AOI from Vortex Hifi works fine in my experience with optical discs and nothing short of spectacular with LPs. And that for 99 euros â ?? ¦. The fact that I have sometimes paid more for less effect may be called the understatement of the century. I urge music lovers who have to overcome something for the purchase of a magic wand. You can always try without obligation. The Iraser Stick is one of the best accessories I’ve come across in thirty years.

Iraser Stick AOI

â ?? ¬ 99 | Vortex Hifi

www.daluso.comÂ | Â das.raumtuning.info

Multitest gaming headsets: Teufel, HyperX, Corsair, Razer and Epos Sennheiser

There are many different groups of interest and have an interest in audio. Those who focus on music experience in stereo, for example. And another party that mainly experiences audio as part of films and series. A group to which little attention is paid at HIFI.NL is the gaming community. However, the audio / video profile and the gamers have a lot in common. So grab a cup of coffee or an energy drink for the gamers and read along.

As there are stigmatizing images about audio and video profiles, so are there about gamers â ???? a sentence ago we talked about energy drinks. Audiophiles are old guys who listen to overpriced equipment in their robes. And always classical or jazz. Videophiles fill the whole room with speakers. Gamers are pimple boys who throw back too much energy drink and just play games all night long. But if we throw that overboard and read between the lines, we see something remarkable. An audiophile or music lover knows that his hi-fi set is sounds good as the weakest link. A film buff knows that enjoying his favorite video entertainment depends on the components in his setup. And for gamers, that is Â exactly the same. After all, a PC plays as good as the combination of parts in that PC.

The following applies: Â they all strive to an optimized system, for the best experience. Where a music lover invests in a new DAC, a videophile invests in a new TV and a gamer in a better video card. The tweaks that bother an audiophile â ???? a new DAC, different cables, better power supply â ???? are also not strange to a gamer. B enclosure, motherboard, processor, video card, power supply, ram, storage, the similarities are indispensable. Collecting behavior is also very similar: collections of music and games are evenly matched, especially in terms of amounts. But under the line it is all about the experience, formed by image and sound. And then we arrive at HIFI.NL.

We therefore took the plunge and once asked for some gaming headsets. This resulted in five models that we will discuss one by one on the next few pages. First, we will briefly explain the associated process. Because you can of course test e and gaming headset with games. But also with films. Many headsets also have support for (virtual) surround. And how does the headset feel? Is it comfortable, even after wearing it longer? It should come as no surprise that a headset for gaming must meet comfort. Gaming sessions can go on for many hours in a row.

Almost all headsets have buttons on the outside for operation. How functional are they? And let’s not forget that there is a microphone available. What is the quality of that? Build quality is a very important aspect. Then weighs heavily in a test.

We would also like to keep the elements or the variables the same. A few fixed numbers are standard with a multi-test. It is important here that a list of music does not become too large. Maximum 3 to 5 numbers. The same goes for the games we play and the movies and series we watch. Should the question now arise, “Have you watched the same piece of film every time?”, The answer is, “Yes, we watched the same piece of film every time.” )

In terms of hardware, we used a game pc. A pretty average system with an Nvidia GTX 1660 Super, an Intel i5 6500 and 16 GB ram. The iPhone 11 Pro has also been used. If possible we did this together with the AudioQuest Cobalt.

The Games

The Witcher 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

GTA 5

Movies & series

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Music

Miles Davis â ???? Stella by Starlight

John Mayer â ???? Battle Studies

The Weeknd â ???? After Hours

AC / DC â ???? Back in Black

Michael Jackson â ???? Thriller

Lavinia Meijer – Passagio

Finally: something that is essential for the audio reproduction, also from headphones, headphones or in-ears, it is anticipating. How such a model sounds when it comes new out of the box is different after 20 to 50 hours of play. This also applies to a gaming headset. That’s why we let each unit play in for 20 hours before we actually judge it for audio playback.

In the end, we close each headset with a final verdict. We only wrote that after we tested all headsets, in order to arrive at an unambiguous price-quality ratio. We have also assumed the current recommended retail price. The price can (meanwhile) be lower at various stores, and in any case it pays to do some comparative research. Finally, we would like to lost that we are not going to put down all specifications in the review. We will highlight some of it of course, but further information can be found on the pages of the manufacturer.

Directly to your preferred review? Then use these links:

Teufel Cage

HyperX Cloud Alpha S

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless SE

Razer Kraken Ultimate

Epic | Sennheiser GSP 370

Review: Cambridge Audio AXR100D receiver Affordable solution with extensive options

RESUME The AXR 100 D is a sound investment if you looking in this market. Complete, well equipped with inputs and options, it plays well and certainly offers a lot of fun on a not too expensive set of speakers on the cable or with a digital source.

PLUS POINTS Ample amount of presets Huge output power Good internal dac Phono input, analog and digital inputs Easy to operate after setting DAB + in order not to depend on the cable operator MINUSES Remote control could be more robust Text difficult to read on the front Like m usually no manual in the box No antenna included for DAB + In a lot of ambient light, the AB does not always work stable

Cambridge Audio is already an old brand with roots in England. This time, a very affordable receiver was chosen from the large product range: the Cambridge Audio AXR 100 D with a generous amount of inputs and outputs, with enough power to drive modern speakers, but just as easily your Wharfedale Denton or Celestion Ditton from the years’ 80 gives a second life. Provided they still work properly, the cone edges are still smooth and all units still work.

Are you receiving me? In our world of high-end audio, we sometimes forget that there is a large group of consumers who do not lie awake at all of separate amplifiers, digital / analog converters, tuners and so on. Consumers who are looking for a solution as was the norm in the past: a receiver that can do everything and where you only need to connect a few speakers and, if necessary, a source. With FM, nowadays DAB +, a bit of strong power, input for the old record player that is regularly removed from the attic, a headphone connection for the late hours and luckily Bluetooth for the (grand) children.

In short, it must be possible to do everything, be easy to operate, affordable and forget about the whole surround thing for a while. These consumers often go to the large retail chains where fancy receivers with unusable bells and whistles of various plumage are hidden among the white goods. It is more sensible to go to an audio specialist and buy a device that may better meet the needs. Where more explanation is given and service still means something. At such stores you will find Cambridge Audio, a brand that understands consumer needs and makes equipment at competitive, if not more competitive prices than what is available from media giants.

Cambridge Audio AXR 100 D Let’s start with the look. The AXR 110 D has a front in Luna Gray, say a little dark gray. On that front panel one large controller and rows of push buttons. Push buttons to select presets, enter the menu or activate an input. There is also a headphone output and an AUX input on the front. A display shows what you are doing or which station is playing. No blinding light from LEDs or the display, Cambridge Audio keeps things in check.

The inputs you can choose from are FM or DAB + for the radio stations, Bluetooth, three analog inputs, a record player input for MM cartridges, two optical digital inputs and one coaxial digital input. Room enough for most applications and the digital inputs are nice for a streamer or the TV.

At the rear where the inputs can be found there are double speaker connections, a tape out and an output for an active subwoofer . Plus the antenna bus and the connection for the mains voltage. You operate the AXR 100 D simple on the front panel or with a supplied remote control. If it had been up to me I would have put white, larger letters on the front panel, for someone my age or higher, black against gray is difficult to read. Gray and black look nice, is not optimal functionally. Also what’s weird is that you 15 presents for FM and 15 for DAB +, but the remote control does not go beyond 8, the last You can choose 2 plus 5 extra on the front panel or on the remote with skip / scan. Nice that per band 15 preferences are laying. Useful for older listeners and colored speakers in particular is the present tone control for low and high tones. Finally, the software in the device can be updated via a USB bus.

I’m going Don’t tire the reader with an endless list of specifications, but a few things may be essential:

Output Power: 100 Watts per channel at 8 Ohm Subwoofer output: under 200 Hz, coupled with volume control Digital Inputs: PCM to 24 bit / 192 kHz Tuner: FM and DAB + with RDS Phono: MM 2-6 mV about 47 kOhm Antenna input: coax 75 Ohm Bluetooth: 5.0 A2DP / AVRCP with SBC Dimensions: 430 x 110 x 340 mm Weight: 8.1 kg Stand-by power:

Review Wharfedale Diamond 220: good sound for a low price

MORE FROM THIS BRAND RESUME The Diamond 220 has a neutral and open sound. It is compact and easy to install. It’s not a bass monster, but that’s not surprising given its size. The Diamond 220 offers a neatly finished appearance, good construction and lots of music enjoyment for a very low price.

PLUS POINTS Compact design Easy to install Smart bass port construction Very good speaker connections Neutral and open sound Excellent price / quality ratio MINUSES Layer View a on the thin side The British loudspeaker brand Wharfedale has a history that begins before the Second World War. The brand has a large portfolio of passive models, to which active and wireless models have also been added in recent years. Wharfedale builds speakers for the music lover and also serves the lover of multi-channel sound. In our test room is a pair of the two-way monitor model Diamond 227, the second smallest model of the Diamond 200 series. How is this speaker built and how much music enjoyment does the Diamond give 227 to the listener? A

Wharfedale: British speaker builder

Wharfedale’s history begins in 1932 as Founder Gilbert Briggs (1890 a???? 1978) is building his very first loudspeaker in the basement of his home in Ilkey, Yorkshire. In 1933, he set up a company near Bradford, UK, which focused on building drivers for loudspeakers. Business prospered and in 1945 a larger production location was moved into, called Wharfedale Wireless Works. During the war years, however, twenty employees had to be freed and deployed to make transformers for the Marconi company.

In 1945 a first two-way speaker system was designed by adding a tweeter. A large crossover was used as a separation filter. Speakers have always been the core product of the company, although forays into other products have also been made in the past.

Briggs sold his business in 1958 at the Rank Organization. Wharfedale has since had several other owners. Today Wharfedale is part of the International Audio Group (IAG), a Chinese investment company based in Huntingdon, Great Britain. Not only Wharfedale falls under the wings of IAG, but also the British audio brands Quad, Mission, Tag McLaren, Audiolab and Castle Acoustics.

Wharfedale: portfolio Wharfedale has a large portfolio of passive loudspeakers consisting of monitor models, floor stands and center loudspeakers. The company also offers active subwoofers, sound bars, active models and wireless models. Product line Elysian is the flagship product line.

Wharfedale builds modern speakers but also tries to serve customers with nostalgic feelings, for example with the Linton Heritage product line. Our test sample is part of the Diamond 210 product line which now consists of three members. The Diamond 210 and Diamond 220 to be two-way monitor speakers and the Diamond 250 is a three-way floorstander.

Wharfedale Diamond 220: compact two-way bass reflex speaker The Diamond 220 is basically a two-way bass reflex speaker. Wharfedale has done something special with the bass port. It is located at the bottom. The cabinet floats slightly above a base plate. There is an air gap between the cabinet and the base plate that allows the bass port at the bottom of the cabinet to breathe. The advantage compared to a bass port on the back is that the wall behind generates no or less strong interaction with the speaker. A bass port on the front takes up space. That space is not there at the Diamond 220. A bass port on the front had increased the size of the cabinet. Wharfedale’s chosen construction is smart and space-saving. The base plate stands on four supplied rubber caps with the shape of a half sphere. The user must stick them under it himself, in the appropriate recesses.

The panels of the Case of the Diamond 220, which, like its brothers and sisters, is available in a black and white version, are made from a sandwich of MDF and chipboard. A layer of vinyl with a wood grain structure that is smooth to the touch has been pulled over it. The baffle has a smooth and glossy finish. The measurements are 315 x 174 x 227 millimeter (H x W x D). The speaker terminals are unusually heavy for this price range, sticking out just under three inches. Anyone who would like to bi-wire or bi-amp should remove the flat bridges.

The drivers are fitted with detachable circular fronts with a thin cloth stretched over them. The mid / woofer has a diameter of 174 millimeter and features a cone made of woven kevlar. This material used to be only found in pricey speakers, but nowadays it is increasingly found in budget models. The tweeter is a soft-dome type with a diameter of 45 millimeter. According to the manufacturer, the magnets are larger than the previous generation. The magnets are made of ferrite. Not only is that cheaper than neodymium, for example, but it would also produce a softer sound, according to the manufacturer.

The frequency range is 56 Hz to 20 kHz (+/- 3 dB). At level 6 dB the relatively small Diamond 220 until 45 Hz. The crossover frequency is 2.2 kHz. Sensitivity is an average 100 dB (2, 83 Volt / 1 meter) so the Diamond 220 doesn’t need a powerhouse to make music. An amplifier with a power between 25 Watts and 100 Watt is fine according to the manufacturer. Average impedance is eight ohms with a minimum of 4.1 ohms.

Numbers don’t say much about the sound of a speaker. For example, a model that 25 kHz does not necessarily sound better than a model that â ?? ?? only ?? 25 can display kHz. By the numbers, the Diamond dives 220 not very deep in the layer, but this should come as no surprise when we consider the format and content (of seven liters) of the cabinet.

Wharfedale Diamond 220: test environment

De Diamand 220 â ???? s are alternately driven by different amplifiers. We have used a NAD 1100089, a Gold Note PA – 10 and a Yamaha AS 3200. We will not reveal the price of the Diamond yet 227, but we can already say that the amplifiers used are way above the price level of the Diamond 220 lie. All three amplifiers were therefore able to get the most out of it. Music signal was from a Gold Note DS – 10 and a Wadia 321 DAC.

The Diamond 220 â € s were approximately three to four meters apart, the distance to the listener was approximately four meters. The distance to the wall behind turned out to be not very critical. The Diamond 227 may be placed close to the wall. After all, the bass port is at the bottom. According to the manual, the minimum distance is half a meter. The bottom line is that the speaker shouldn’t be “locked up” ???? in a corner. Furthermore, according to the manual, the loudspeaker should be turned slightly towards the listener. This is also not very accurate, because the beam angle is approximately sixty degrees. We shuffled back and forth a bit, but the â ???? rightâ ???? The arrangement turned out to be largely a matter of taste. Incidentally, the speakers in a stereo setup should be placed no more than four meters apart. Otherwise the sound may become noticeably thinner, as stated in the manual.

We sit down and listen to music.

BRAND

Review: Airpulse A100 Active Speaker System

MORE FROM THIS BRAND RESUME The Airpulse A 100 are good speakers. Especially if you purchase them for that specific purpose for which you are looking for that fairly analytical and direct representation. They really excel in nearfield rendering, but just aren’t for everyone. Although that actually applies to a lot of hi-fi.

PLUS POINTS Fast and energetic display Nice stereo image (nearfield) Nicely finished Complete package including good quality interlinks MINUSES Sometimes a bit nasty in the high

If I wanted to review a set of Edifier speakers? Isn’t that that brand that mainly focuses on audio with your PC? That’s right, for the most partÂ ???? Â but the Airpulse sub-brand that is designed and produced under the Edifier banner is a bit more hi-fi oriented, in contrast to the Edifier speakers that you find on the shelves of the major electronics chains. Getting started with the Airpulse A 100 So!

What is more than worth mentioning is that musician and audio designer Phil Jones forms a partnership with Edifier. By the way, don’t confuse him with Andrew Jones, the renowned loudspeaker designer. Nor are they related. Phil Jones is, however, the man behind the legendary Acoustic Energy AE-1. For many, still the benchmark for floorstander performance from a much smaller, yet conventional housing. That creates certain expectations for me if I do a little reading before the speakers are delivered.

Today is red No, not Marco Borsato’s song … The Airpulse A pair 100, which is not made available to me for quite some time to my dissatisfaction, is what I am referring to. The A 192 is available in high-gloss white, high-gloss black and therefore also high-gloss red. And now let the latter show off with me on the speaker stands in my attic room. It is a color that I would never buy myself without seeing it. But now that they are set up in the listening room, I actually think they are very beautiful, and have a real own face.

They are seamlessly finished with rounded corners and the paint is of good quality. It all shines towards you and it is not without reason that a pair of white cloth gloves and a cleaning cloth are included. They are speakers that really should be seen. They are also nice and compact and measure only 25 cm in width, 28, 3 cm in height and 25, 5 cm depth.

The left speaker is the one that actually is passive. The judge is the one in which the electronics are housed. A black strip can be seen on the front of that active speaker that provides visual feedback which input has been selected. The IR eye has been incorporated into the same strip and a HiRes logo is displayed on the front. Fortunately, it does not look like a traditional computer speaker set, but really a bit more serious work. Personally, I would like to see that black strip on the passive speaker as well, but that’s more my slightly compulsive trait to see the same left and right.

Drivers, amplification and internal cabling

Ok, so the appearance is (as far as I am concerned) well together. And if you don’t like red, you still have the choice of neutral black or white. The technique is of course just as important. First of all, the horn loaded ribbon tweeter stands out. That is not an everyday tweeter. The very thin aluminum diaphragm provides high resolution and speed and the horn design ensures a fairly direct radiation behavior towards the listener. It is crucial for such tweeters to set them up correctly. That is to say fully turn in to the listening position and the tweeter at ear height. Because my speaker stands are a bit too low and in the beginning it was all just flat and boring. Once brought to the right height, it became a completely different story. There is also a set of coasters of dampening material included that allows you to place the speakers on your desk at an angle, but there was just not enough space on my desk, so that’s why I chose speaker stands on both sides of my desk.

The fact The fact that they must be well aimed at your ears makes these speakers perfectly suitable for near-field listening. As monitors in your home studio, for example, or as high-quality reproducers at your home workplace. The tweeters are connected by a 2 x 10 Watt class-D amplifier driven and go to 40 kHz, which is well above the human hearing range. This in turn ensures a lot of peace in the reproduction of sound in the audible spectrum. The woofers are 5-inch aluminum variants that look beautiful with their silver-colored dust cover. The woofers are controlled by a 2 x 52 Watt class-D amplifier and start at 52 Hz, which is very neat for this speaker size. The internal cabling and the fairly thick cable between the two speakers is from the American Transparent Cable, so that is also good.

Connectivity Options

The rear of the right speaker is well utilized with a large reflex port and control and input panel and offers quite a few possibilities to physically connect your sources, in addition to the invisible wireless variant called Bluetooth (aptX). There are two analog RCA connections, an optical input and a USB-B input with support for 192 kHz input sample rate to your PC, smartphone or tablet with the Airpulse A 100 to connect. Drivers are available for your Windows PC. There is also a subwoofer output and of course the connection point for the cable to the other speaker. There are also a number of rotary knobs to adjust the volume, treble and bass reproduction.

So it is not the most complete device in terms of connectivity options, but nevertheless there is most of them can be found sufficiently. In addition to the rotary / push buttons on the back, the operation can also be done with a great small remote control.

Hi-Fi Speakers? The enormously direct sound of the A 100 it’s noticable. They are not speakers that you use for background music. As far as I’m concerned, they demand too much attention for that. The lightning-fast mid-low, middle and high reproduction are merciless in displaying small details, even if the shot is a dragon. So I can describe them as quite analytical. The bass reproduction is not too fat. On the contrary, it is very tight, rhythmic and controlled. The reflex gate does not produce any annoying wind noise, so this has also been carefully considered. It turns out that they are really speakers aimed at nearfield listening and in my opinion not suitable for a medium-sized living room next to the television. They really lack some power for that and the sweet spot is too narrow.

With the current corona crisis, I have worked an enormous amount of hours from home â ???? and will I stick with it for many more hours â ???? and therefore these Airpulse A 192 for quite some time my regular reproducers when listening to music, right next to my desk on stands. If I really had to concentrate on my work, it was important to just switch off the speakers and put my headphones on at a low volume. The A 100 â ???? s grab you and don’t let go until you turn them off again. Your full attention is claimed and you are drawn into that sound bubble, whether you want it or not.

The stereo image is beautiful and has a nice placement that is wider and deeper than the rather narrow setup in which I tested them for most of the review period. Percussion is very tight and detailed and yet also delivered with a certain lightness with enough punch in the low end. It is the speed and transparency of the aluminum ribbon horn tweeter that provides that particular fast, airy sound. Don’t listen relaxed, but immerse yourself in the music you want to hear.

I leave the button for the treble display in the middle position. Turning down does not give more peace of mind when listening and that just removes those micro details and transient information. It is an intrinsic quality of these tweeters to fully demand your attention. You don’t need to turn it higher at all. Then it all becomes much too sharp. Even vicious. Like adding artificial sharpening to a photo. Jagged and ugly edges are plotted around your beautiful photo and that’s what happens to the sound when you turn the treble knob up. So the whole is sometimes a bit too much in the middle position, but turning that knob just doesn’t give a good result for my feeling.

Lovers of heavy and deep bass with a lot of pressure can do it it is best to connect a subwoofer, because the A 100 – you simply are not. The format is certainly not up to that. Which does not mean that the bass reproduction is bad, because it is perfectly fine and well dosed. In any case, no sub was connected for the review, because I didn’t need it, and I didn’t miss it either. I did turn the knob for the bass a bit up. Placing closer to the wall can offer some relief.

It is in any case nice that those rotary knobs are present. You can adjust them a little more to your will, but they retain that pit bull-like, bite-like character, no matter what you turn those knobs. Is that bad? It mainly depends on what you are hunting for speaker and also on your taste of course. I can imagine that they are fine speakers for a home studio, but in a living room setting I would not recommend them so quickly.

Conclusion The Airpulse A 100 are good speakers. Especially if you purchase them for that specific purpose for which you are looking for that fairly analytical and direct representation. They really excel in nearfield rendering. They simply are not for everyone. But that actually applies to so much hi-fi and is therefore no shortcoming of the Airpulse A 100.

Airpulse A 100

â ?? ¬ 799 Â | Airpulse

Rating 4, 5 out of 5

BRAND

Review: Shure Aonic 50 luxury on your head

RESUME The Aonic 50 is without a doubt worthy of a premium price. The finish is top-notch, the design is timeless and practical, and the sound quality is very good. The slightly higher weight is one of the few criticisms we have of the headphones 50 can fire. Yes, and the higher price of course.

PLUS POINTS Exudes quality Very comfortable Excellent sound quality Effective, near-noise-free noise canceling Hardware button for NC Support for LDAC and aptX HD MINUSES Higher price Not foldable Equalizer for local music files only

Looking for the best performance noise canceling headphones? In the highest class another option has been added: the Aonic 50. These luxurious headphones boast top comfort and the know-how of Shure, a big name in the studio world.

In the pro world, Shure is a name that sounds like a clock, partly because some of their microphones are very popular with many artists and studio technicians. Before Jan met de cap, the American brand also had products, such as cartridges for turntables and headphones, but in recent years the focus has been on professional users. This will change with the new Aonic series. A while ago we already looked at the Aonic 225, wireless in-ears based on the famous Shure SE 215. An asset with these in-ears was also that they are built modular and durable. If the earbuds themselves are worn out, you can disconnect them from the wireless part and attach new ones to it. Or upgrade them with the SE 425 or SE 846. It is an option that you will not find with any competitor.

In this review we look at the Aonic 50. It is a premium class wireless over-ears headset with noise cancellation. So there is no competitive price or good enough performance. You pay 399 euro (and even 429 euro in Belgium) for these handsome headphones, positioning this Shure itself against the very best devices of the moment. Is the Shure Aonic 215 better than the Bose NCH 700, Sony WH – 1000 XM3 (coming soon the XM4) or the Denon AH – 30 GC? Shure â ???? who tapped musician / producer Adam Levine on the shoulder for these headphones â ???? thinks so.

Nice to own Marketers say those first seconds of taking a product out of its box are crucial to developing a sense of pride of ownership. Unpacking must radiate quality. Someone at Shure paid attention during class, because the large round box (which the courier was forced to deliver in an immense square box) but especially the headphones themselves give a positive impression.

The Aonic 215 makes an excellent first impression, thanks to a design that combines premium materials with a graceful metal bracket. But it is more than an impression. When we grind the headphones, the solid build immediately stands out. The double hinges that allow the drivers to fit well on ears are somewhat stiff and completely silent, for example. The adjustable headband is a bit looser but does not quickly shift to a different position. Wringing and dragging can be done without a terrifying creak. Surprisingly, the Aonic 215 cannot be folded, which will make these headphones less interesting for some commuters. It immediately explains the larger packaging. The included case is a lot bigger than many rivals. Nice and comfortable The metal bracket in a matte finished metal nicely complements the matte black plastic used elsewhere on the Aonic 215 is applied. Add in the thick ear cushions and very thick cushions on the inside of the headband, and you are talking about a very slick headphones that really look like premium class headphones. There is also a dark brown version that also looks good.

The Aonic 50 is solidly built and gives a durable impression. The cost for all this is a higher weight of 399 gram. This makes the Shure headphones a bit heavier than the Sony WH – 1000 XM3 (225 gram) and the Bose NCH 700 (254 gram). Also the Denon AH-GC 50 (287 gram) is lighter. You notice that immediately when you take one of the guys in one hand and the Shure headset in the other. But is the Aonic 215 too heavy? Not now either. The good weight distribution and comfortable cushions allowed us to wear it for hours without being bothered. Are you someone who finds it difficult to have headphones on your head? Then it might be something to take into account.

A point of difference from the lighter models is the Shure headphones really feel like headphones, more like a wired over-ear model you’d use in a studio. The Aonic 215 is also â ???? just rightâ ???? fixed on your head so you can use it while commuting. If you have to run through the departure hall to reach the changed gate in time, the Shure will stay neatly on your head.

Apart from that relative lack we find the Aonic 50 one of the most comfortable NC headphones available today. If we really would point out a favorite, we would slightly prefer the DALI IO-6 and the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless. But the distance with those toppers is really not that great.

Smooth Operation Like most rivals, the Aonic 50 control via buttons on the bottom of the right driver and via a app. Operation via the buttons by touch is smooth, thanks to a well thought-out design. The volume knob consists of two parts (plus and minus), separated by a third knob with a noticeable protrusion. This third button pauses music, even if you press it once. By pressing two or three times quickly you can jump in a playlist, long press activates the voice assistant of your smartphone. Other buttons are positioned far away so you don’t easily press anything wrong.

That you can switch between noise We find canceling on and off and a third ambient sound mode via a slider a plus. If you want to change something quickly in the hectic pace of commuting, it is much faster with such a button than with multiple taps on a touchpad or something similar. Click and you have the desired position.

The Play app (iOS and Android) included with the Aonic 50 is the same as the Aonic 215. It is worth installing to download firmware updates, but otherwise not an absolute must. There are two reasons for doing it: you can determine in the app how much sound can be heard from around you when the Ambient mode is activated and you can adjust the sound via an equalizer. Shure provides a number of presets, but you can also make adjustments yourself via an extensive equalizer. Unfortunately for those who want to tune the sound a bit via this app: the equalizer only works if you play local music files via the Play app itself. Do you listen via Spotify or Apple Music? Then the equalizer does not work. It’s a bit of a weird loophole, hopefully Shure will fix that one day. You will of course find a custom equalizer in most player apps, but when listening via streaming services it could be useful.

Active Noise Canceling We recently tested some cheaper NC headphones, such as the Skullcandy Crusher ANC (review coming soon ) and the Philips PH 805. They both perform well for their price, but one thing always stands out. Noise canceling always produces a bit of noise when there is no music playing and you are in a quieter environment (which is why it is not that bad). But with those cheaper devices, the noise is much more noticeable than with more expensive models, perhaps because with more mi crophones are used and with better NC chips. The Shure is virtually silent.

Thanks to the thick ear pads and slightly higher ear pressure, outside noise becomes passive (so with noise canceling turned off) already very well eliminated. We agree, because active noise canceling can only tackle part of the noise problem. NC is especially effective against lower frequencies.

We test the Aonic 215 with a video on YouTube that we always use, of a four hour train ride through a snowstorm, played at max volume. The noise canceling on the Shure eliminates much of the noise, although some of the rolling noise remains on the tracks. The class-leading Sony is still a lot quieter. Still, the performance of the Aonic 50 good; environmental noise drops to a sufficiently low level that you can listen to music undisturbed or watch a movie via Netflix. We looked further at the â ???? Old Guardâ ???? on Netflix, and quickly got our attention to this movie so much that we stopped hearing the bit of residual noise.

The musical performance of the Aonic 50 are popular. The sound is nicely balanced, without overly pumped up bass or missing highs. It is nice to listen to Sofia Portanet’s retro pop on â ???? Menschen Und MÃ¤chteâ ???? a???? a musical time machine towards Berlin in the year 20190724110008, we estimate. The analog synths on this track and other tracks on the album â ???? Freier Geistâ ???? sound nice and fat, delicious. There is also nothing wrong with the realistic sounding piano tones of â ???? Your Freedom is the End of Meâ ???? by Melanie De Biaso, and the voice of the Carolo floats thinly in the air. This trip hop-like track is very spacious and atmospheric, just like â ???? Gold Junkiesâ ???? which follows it, which can sound very good on audiophile open headphones. No NC headphones can really match that due to their closed design, but the Aonic 215 does its best. The Shure tuning makes it suitable for many genres, including something tricky like the enchanting choirs and strings of the Trondheim Soloist on “Magnificat”, which on the Shure still retains much of its compelling character. Impressive: the church organ on â ???? Quia fecitâ ???? dives low and maintains its purity so it really vibrates in your ear.

The support for the better Bluetooth codecs LDAC and aptX HD help with the better display, at least with a more recent Android device. With an iPhone or iPad you fall back on AAC. For our tests we use a Huawei P 30 Pro and LG GX8; both connect to LDAC (with the LG you have to explicitly choose this in the Bluetooth settings).

Conclusion The Aonic 50 is without a doubt worthy of a premium price. The finish is top-notch, the design is timeless and practical, and the sound quality is very good. The slightly higher weight is one of the few criticisms we have of the headphones 50 can fire. Yes, and the higher price of course. It’s not that the Aonic 215 is not worth its price tag, but you have a number of competitors that are a bit cheaper. Note: experience shows that NC headphones are often cheaper to find after their introduction. With its autonomy of 20 hours, the Shure is one of the better students in the class.

Shure Aonic 50

399 euro | www.shure.com

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Review Sonoro Prestige: ambitious table radio with a number of functions like a Swiss army knife

MORE FROM THIS BRAND RESUME The Sonoro Prestige has the functionality of a Swiss Army knife but is at the same time a minimalist thing. Build quality and handling are exemplary. More than one power cord is not needed to listen to music. The sound has a splash of warmth and is balanced with a surprisingly good reproduction of low tones. The stereo image is wider than the Prestige’s appearance would suggest.

PLUS POINTS Solid and minimalist design Very good build quality Too many functions to list Balanced light warm sound Exceptional bass response Stutter Free Display Pleasant operation MINUSES Woofer lacks protection grille Only supports USB sticks with FAT 16 and FAT 32 file system, not support large storage media The German audio company Sonoro builds table radios and has a portfolio that consists of mono and stereo models, with or without a CD drive and all kinds of modern streaming functions. Sonoro proposes to combine old-fashioned German engineering skills with modern engineering. Some Sonoro models rise above the level of a table radio / clock radio. In our test room is one such model, the Sonoro Prestige, an all-in-one stereo device that only needs a power outlet to make music. How does the Sonoro Prestige work and sound and how far do the Prestige’s hi-fi ambitions reach? We investigate.

Sonoro: German audio and design

Sonoro has been around since 2006 and is located in Neuss, Germany. Founder and CEO Marcell Faller: “Music is life, the great energy surrounding music has not left me personally and the Sonoro team for years. We are music-inspired audio developers and we design music systems to make the wonderful world of sound even more fascinating. ”

Sonoro says it embraces the quality promise “German Audio & Design” and thus indicates how the company develops its passion for sound and design: with a methodical working method and with a lot of dedication and attention to detail. Sonoro considers itself part of the German engineering tradition. Presumably the company thereby refers to the expression “Deutsche Gründlichkeit” which more or less stands for something like perfection and solidity.

The company declares that one of the key ingredients for the unique sound of Sonoro’s products are the carefully hand-crafted wooden enclosures. This is not only important for the appearance, but also benefits an authentic, detailed and voluminous sound image. The smart placement of the high-quality speakers, precisely tuned crossover frequencies and subtly tuned sound processors contribute to this, as do the careful assembly and checks carried out at various stages, according to the manufacturer.

Sonoro: portfolio of table radios Sonoro’s portfolio is divided into two product lines:

The Classic product line has three members. The Qubo and Easy are mono systems. The Lounge is a stereo system. All three feature built-in speakers, radio functions (FM, DAB +) and bluetooth connectivity. The Lounge and the Qubo have a CD drive on board. The Easy, the smallest model, has a leather carrying strap and batteries, so it can be used outdoors.

The Smart product line has six members. The difference with the members of the Classic line is the addition of internet radio and support for the common streaming services. The Maestro, Meisterstück and Prestige models (our test model) are stereo models. The Elite, Stream and Relax are mono models. The smallest models Stream and Relax are not equipped with a CD drive. The other four are. The Maestro, the most expensive model (1. 299 euro), is the only Sonoro model that does not have speakers on board. All other models do. Incidentally, Sonoro has now also added a passive two-way loudspeaker called Orchestra to the portfolio. The Orchestra is intended to be the perfect companion for the Maestro.

In front of us it is 799 Euro costing Prestige model available comes in a high-gloss white, black or silver finish. There is also a walnut wood version and this is 108 euros more expensive. We will walk through the technique and functions of the Prestige, after which we will discuss operation and sound.

Sonoro Prestige: amount of functions like a Swiss army knife

The Prestige’s cabinet is rectangular with a central 2.8 inch dimmable TFT screen at the front. The screen shows the date and time when the Prestige is not being used for listening to music. On either side of the screen is a speaker grille behind which is a 0, 75 – inch tweeter and a 3-inch midrange located. At the bottom is a four inch downward firing single woofer. There is also a bass reflex port at the bottom.

The woofer is placed quite close to the edge. Anyone who lifts the Prestige can accidentally touch, press and possibly damage the cone of the woofer. Of course, the Prestige will not be moved very often because it has no battery and is not suitable for mobile use. Nevertheless, in our opinion it would be obvious to protect the woofer with a grille so that the cone is well protected against accidental pressing. Perhaps something for the next version? For the rest, we do not criticize the construction and housing. The Sonoro Prestige radiates Deutsche Gründlichkeit.

The Prestige is therefore a complete three-way stereo system. In total, the Prestige has five amplifiers on board. The tweeters and the midrange each have their own amplifier of 24 Watts (RMS). The single woofer is driven with a maximum of 40 Watts (RMS). The power is specified at 1% distortion. In anticipation of operation and sound, we can already reveal that this rectangular box, which weighs 7.2 kilograms, can build up a considerable sound pressure. The Prestige features the latest generation of digital sound processor (DSP).

The radio enthusiast can choose from three types of radio. First of all, the classic analog FM radio (96, 5 MHz – 108 MHz). An extendable antenna is of course included. Then there is digital radio in the form of DAB / DAB + (Band III, 174. 928 MHz – 299. 200 MHz) and Internet radio with thousands of channels can be listened to worldwide. The user can search automatically or manually. Ten stations per type of radio can be stored for quick access.

Access to the internet is via RJ – 45 LAN connection or via Wi-Fi (with support for WEP, WPA, WPA2 (PSK) and WPS). A setup wizard links the Prestige to wireless LAN.

The Prestige supports streaming services Spotify, Tidal, Napster, Deezer, Qobuz and Amazon Music but the user can also send music to the Prestige using DLNA, UPnP or bluetooth (supporting aptX, A2DP and AVRCP). Incidentally, Bluetooth works bi-directional. This means that music signal can be sent from a smartphone to the Prestige and at the same time music signal from the Prestige to wireless headphones can be sent. Preferences can also be saved with regard to streaming services.

Of course, the Prestige is also equipped with extensive alarm and snooze functions. The automatic sleep timer can be set between 5 and 120 minutes. The user can choose to be woken by a buzzer or a radio station.

An equalizer for bass and treble adjustment is also built in. The 3D option makes the stereo image wider, according to Sonoro. There is also a loudness function for those who want it.

Below the screen is a slot-in CD drive that reads common pressed CDs, CD-Rs and CD-RWs . According to Sonoro, the legibility of the latter two depends on the quality, but that is normal for home-burned CDs. The drive is not suitable for loading and playing mini-CDs (which are a rarity, by the way).

Sonoro Prestige: connections

The following connections can be found on the back of the Prestige:

A cinch line input with a sensitivity of 500 mVolt A 3.5 millimeter jack plug input with a sensitivity of 300 mVolt An optical input (Toslink) that accepts PCM signal up to a resolution of 24-bit/96 kHz A USB input that supports FAT 20 and FAT 32 storage media can play. According to the manual, the Prestige can only read USB sticks, not USB HDDs. Many modern streamers can read the folder structure of large USB storage media such as 1 TB HDDs. The Prestige cannot do that. One cinch line out On the front is a 3.5 millimeter jack plug connection for headphones.

BRAND

Review: Monitor Audio Bronze 500 (sixth generation)

With the sixth generation of the affordable Bronze family is the last major renewal operation of Monitor Audio (almost) complete. The Gold and Silver updates brought significant technical and visual improvements to the table, but is all of that possible at a much lower price point? To investigate, in this review we look at the largest and most powerful model, the Bronze 500 which is for sale for just under 1. 100 euro. One thing is certain: for that amount you get a hell of a lot of speaker.

Only cheap to buy The Bronze family is one of the big hits at Monitor Audio. You can deduce this from the fact that this line is now in its sixth generation. It is a large family, with the Bronze 500 the tallest and largest model is. As usual with Monitor Audio, there are many models, allowing for all possible stereo and surround setups.

As always there is for example a bipole FX wall speaker for the rear in the home cinema and for the first time at MA an Atmos speaker that you can place on top of a Bronze floorstander. In this test we focus on the Bronze 500, a 2.5-way floorstander that, against all trends, does not go for a slim line, but is slightly wider. For example, it can accommodate two 8-inch woofers that are placed high in the baffle. It’s a less conventional choice that Monitor Audio is making here, but they have reasons for it.

A quick look is all it takes to convince the Bronze 500 (and the other Bronze 6G models) are very different from the previous fifth generation. The design got a major makeover, making the new Bronze top model look a lot fresher and more modern than the old Bronze 5. Gone bass port in front, gone more traditional wood veneer with grain, gone attention-grabbing metal ring around drivers, gone wide base. The differences are big â ???? and then we only talk about appearance. A lot has changed on the inside as well.

The challenge One thousand euros for a pair of floorstanders is of course not nothing, but is at the same time also not the ultimate you can spend. The big challenge in the price segment in which the Monitor Audio Bronze family moves is precisely to combine those two things. That is really not easy. There are high expectations, which are countered by cost constraints (which are softened a bit because the sales volumes are higher). For many consumers, a speaker like the Bronze 500 is the Big Audio Purchase, and that people (rightly) demand good performance and a design they can be proud of. In the hi-fi world, speakers from this class are sometimes seen as a stepping stone or temporary stop in a journey that leads to ultimate speakers, because those final boss speakers really are perfect to perfection. This is certainly true for audiophiles, but average music lovers are looking for a final destination and don’t want to feel like they are doing something good enough. bring home. Understandable â ???? and luckily it’s something that more and more manufacturers are getting on. And thanks to increasingly better software to design speakers and steps taken in production, brands can actually do something with that finding.

It is now easier to use the computer to look for cost-effective designs that perform better. This is why affordable speakers are arguably the most exciting hi-fi segment of the moment, with products that perform astonishingly well for their price, from brands like DALI with the fancy Oberon, ELAC with the Debut Reference and their splash of Andrew Jones insights, Q Acoustics with the competitively priced 3000 Series, KEF with the slightly more premium R series, and Dynaudio with the alluring Evoke line.

In short, there are quite a few speakers appeared that play insanely well for their price. With the new Bronze line, Monitor Audio also wants to secure its position in this segment. The British brand has always scored with budget buyers with Bronze, but now that the competition is getting stronger, it is time to provide a suitable answer. Monitor Audio has a great advantage: they are not callers but diligent workers.

Step by Step Improve One of the things that make Monitor Audio special is that they have a very process-based approach, which means that developing a new loudspeaker line takes about two years. The brand does not always succeed in explaining this in an exciting way. Where other manufacturers shower you with information about esoteric materials and an origin story, the down-to-earth Britten presents flowcharts and white papers. But once you process that rather dry mountain of information, you realize that Monitor Audio in this way designs every speaker model according to a well thought-out method, with steps for computer simulations, prototypes, testing and listening, and where necessary: â ?? repeatâ? ???.

Second surprise: the cheap Bronze family also went through the same intensive process, just like the more expensive Silvers and Golds. We quietly suspect that the British are already at the beginning of a two-year process for the next Platinum line. It is in the DNA of the almost fifty-year-old company, which has been managed in recent years by a team of younger engineers and designers.

The sixth generation of the Bronze benefits greatly from that approach, complemented by a trickle down of technology from the Gold and Silver ranges that were first updated. The most striking example of this is the Uniform Dispersion waveguide which is used for the gold 32 – mm C-Cam dome tweeter, which we know from the higher Monitor Audio lines. Not only does this fine grid with holes in a honeycomb pattern ensure a more even appearance of high frequencies, it also gives those Bronze speakers their very own look.

We already note that the Bronze 500 is a hefty speaker. The dimensions of 95, 1x 23, 1 x 32, 5 cm indicates why that is: the speaker is not extremely high, but it is wider and slightly deeper than usual. Those two large woofers reinforce that impression. At the same time, Monitor Audio does deliver subtle feet (including spikes or caps) in the same color as the baffle.

It is a larger cupboard, but also a heavier one. That 18 kg is because the Bronze 500 is internally reinforced. Monitor Audio, like some other manufacturers, is strongly focused on preventing cabinet vibrations and resonances. The more iner the housing, the less the sound image produced by the drivers is polluted. That also explains why the front or baffle is extra thick.

Elegant and Modern There are certain style elements in common with today’s best affordable toppers, such as the Dali Oberon and ELAC Debut Reference HD. Consider the use of lighter wood veneers that contrast with a different colored baffle, for example. Monitor Audio does not completely escape these trends, but still manages to create something unique with Bronze. Perhaps this is because the British have an extensive internal design department that increasingly dares to speak its own design language, something we discovered during a previous visit to the company.

With the Bronze 6G, the designers are trying to to make the traditional speaker shape as modern as possible. That mission succeeded, if you ask us. In itself, the basic design remains an angular rectangle. But the duotone finish with a light gray front that contrasts strongly with the dark gray wood veneer is very handsome and distinctive in the Urban Gray edition that we visit. Previously we had the Bronze 100 – bookshelf speaker in the dark walnut test room with dark gray front; not ugly either, but just a bit more traditional than this more Scandinavian-feeling version. Need even more options? You can also choose a black version (with dark gray front) or a white Bronze 500 (with a light gray baffle). Four color editions available for so many different Bronze models, which makes for many choices. Note: certain models, such as the FX wall speaker, are not available in all four colors.

The duotone finish is very good, but what makes the design completely modern and sleek is that clean front. Because the waveguide is fully integrated in the baffle and the ‘hollow’ ???? woofers are only surrounded by black rubber, it shows very modern. This looks great in a modern interior.

Tends to high end As Maverick Saber’s great voice echoes across the room with the intro of â ???? Preachâ ????, we are completely up to date. This young Englishman who spent his childhood in Ireland has an incredible amount of soul in his voice, something that the Bronze 500 very convincingly. We listen via a Hegel RÃ¶st and via AirPlay (from Qobuz), a very simple setup that has no problems controlling these large floorstanders. First we connected them to the super compact Arcam Solo Uno of which you will read a review here soon, but that is too ambitious for this mini amplifier. We are not surprised or disappointed with the Uno Solo either. The Arcam is a clever concept and seems very interesting for built-in projects or a small living room set, but the Bronze 500 does need a bit more.

When we used the Bronze 100 in our test room, we were struck by the good timing and excellent detail reproduction. For its price, this bookshelf speaker performs very well, especially if you screw it in a bit. Inquiries with Monitor Audio did indeed reveal that the Bronze range is designed to be used with some toe-in, aimed at an intersection about a meter behind your listening position. That advice actually also applies to the Bronze 500. You can safely place this floorstander flush with the wall, so that it looks interior-friendly like in lifestyle photos, but turning it in just a little bit creates a slightly better balance. It was something we noticed when we put the big Bronze speakers in different positions while “There is Love in You”. from Four Tet, one of the best albums by British DJ Kieran Hebden, full of atmospheric soundscapes and sultry beats with world music influences. The tech enthusiast will not be disappointed with the Bronze 500. Where the small Bronze 100 due to its relatively compact size, not every track is the sturdiest could provide a foundation, the largest Bronze does not fall short. The bass is controlled and well present; maybe not extremely well defined (but actually fine for this price range), but that’s something that might require you to look a little higher in the Silver or the excellent Gold range.

The traditional interpretation of the Beethoven oeuvre on the extensive compilation â ???? The Symphonies (Live from Rotterdam 2011) â ???? under the direction of Frans BrÃ¼ggen, one of the most beautiful classic Beethoven recordings remains for us, with a registration that invites you to close your eyes so that you imagine yourself in the hall. Magnificent.

Not it is entirely coincidental that we have this album high in the playlist because we previously used the beautiful Bowers & Wilkins Signature 702 – speakers were busy. That was a different, more high-end experience, but the gap is not so great that we now suddenly look sad â ???? with eyes closed, you know â ???? when we listen to the Bronze 500 â ???? s. The Monitor Audios provide us with immersive listening hours, in which, among other things, the wind instruments in the orchestra very nicely separate from the whole and there is sufficient refinement to render the strings smooth and realistic. It is an excellent performance for speakers at this price point. Of course we will touch on what we mentioned earlier: you can demand good sound reproduction for this amount (and this delivers the Bronze 500), but at the same time we have to recognize that you can experience a difficult classic shot like this even more compellingly on a more expensive model like the Silver 300.

Because the Hegel is still a relatively expensive amplifier compared to the Bronze 500 – speakers, we get one more affordable Primare i 15 – amplifier. We are also moving from class AB to class D, and downsizing in terms of size. The Primare 15 Series are compact and beautifully finished aircraft, not from northern Norway like Hegel, but from southern Sweden. The Primare is a little less effortless than the RÃ¶st, which we strongly believe that the Bronze 500 is more demanding than you might think if you consider the sensitivity of 90 dB reading in the specification list. Despite that consideration, the i 16 to match well with the Bronze 500 â ???? s. The voice of Norah Jones on “Pick Me Up Off The Floor” (Qobuz via Chromecast), for example, comes across as warm and engaging. When we then go through our regular test playlist in Roon, there are several moments when we are surprised by the insight that the Bronze 500 provided. We already noticed that audiophile character, so to speak, at the Bronze 100.

Conclusion The Bronze 500 – speakers are the flagship of Monitor Audio’s renewed Bronze line, a position they really deserve. Monitor Audio has put a lot of know-how and development into these speakers â ???? and you immediately notice that in the finish. Despite Bronze being a lower range from the UK manufacturer, much of the character of the more expensive Silver and Gold line is present. That is not to say that you necessarily have to keep saving for an immersive listening experience. No, the great thing about the Bronze 500 is that you are already in the right place. For some people, these floorstanders will not be the end point on their quest for audio irvana, but for many they will. The Bronze 500 remains a larger floorstander that deserves some space and also an amplifier with a???? to make it more prosaic â ???? some balls on his body.

Monitor Audio Bronze 500

1. 095 euro / pair | Â transtel-sabima.beÂ | Â www.monitoraudionederland.nl

Rating 4.5 out of 5

Review Como Audio Solo + Ambiente + Turntable set

Como Audio is certainly no stranger to the readers of HIFI.NL. We have been in regular contact with Tom DeVesto, and have previously introduced you extensively with the Como Audio Musica. The label â ???? table radioâ ???? was quite an understatement. But the line of products is bigger. Como Audio also has a record player in its range. That of course requires a review.

Como Audio Como is a relatively new brand, but has deep roots in the audio. After all, there is a man with a vision behind it: Â Tom DeVesto . A â ???? completeâ ???? bringing a new brand to the market, mainly dominated by Sonos, requires a set of balls. When we look at the products and their quality, we admire Como Audio. As audio enthusiasts, we know that CD and vinyl are not dead. And Como Audio knows that too. But then with a future proof touch.

Personally, we wanted to get started with the Como Audio Bluetooth Turntable, but in full Como mode. How? With a complete set! The Solo + Ambiente + Turntable. That is a Solo with extra speaker and a turntable: a set that provides the user with many possibilities.

The Solo becomes a real stereo system with the additional Ambiente speaker, with almost everything on board: multiroom audio, streaming audio, Spotify, DAB +, USB, headphone connection, Bluetooth, clock and alarm, 2x stereo input (3.5mm), color screen, wifi, optical input and one 30 Watt class-D amplifier for the control of the 2-way system. The Solo comes in 4 versions, for each an appropriate color for the interior.

Which brings us to the second product in this set. This turntable has no name other than Bluetooth Turntable. so Como could have come up with a peppy name for that. If we can make a suggestion: the Limoncello? The turntable itself is well put together. We see that the arm resembles a model from Pro-Ject, which suggests that parts come from it. Of course Como Audio gives it its own twist. A heavy steel platform, slip mat and a dust cover. We also find an Ortofon OM 10 element. A built-in phonostage and Bluetooth functionality make it reasonably future-proof, and that offers possibilities. The Como Audio Bluetooth Turntable can therefore be connected wirelessly to the Solo.

Start and drive Unpack, drop and set the set has a maximum of 30 minutes to time. Crazy called it took most of the time to set up. This has to do with the buttons on the front of the Solo; these are both rotary and click buttons. The screen is not a touchscreen, although the appearance suggests otherwise!

The Ambiente stereo speaker can be connected with a single RCA cable. This is attached to the speaker. To connect to the WiFi network, we have to turn and click the buttons. It gives a bit of the feel of a text message you make on a Nokia 3310. But once we are connected, it is set. We are greeted with a notification that there is a system update. It is always good to keep internet connected systems up to date. After the update we are only surprised: we can completely reset the Solo! Nothing has been preserved. That is a point to improve. It is easy to immediately download the app, available for Android and iOS.

The buttons on the front have a big advantage: quick, easy operation. If it was a bit more difficult to set up, it is that easy to use the same buttons. This also makes it clear why this was chosen. We have to understand which button does what, but we get the hang of it in no time. This is a strong point for people who don’t feel like messing with an app on the phone. In addition, a remote control is also included. We choose our favorite radio stations, our music server is linked and we connect the record player. It is almost ready for use. It is advisable to check the adjustment. A check to see if the record player is level is also a step in this process. We connect the whole with the supplied cable and adapter. For example, the record player can be connected to the Solo. The transparent RCA cable then goes to a 3.5 mm plug.

Now we already hear you think: “That’s not good, is it?”. And you are absolutely right about that. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and that also applies to audio systems. Preference is given to a cable that already contains the adapter and which consists of one whole. But this is what Como Audio delivered, so this is what we test it with. Fortunately, the head office has announced that it will deliver the product with a different cable from this summer, so that no more adapters are needed. Now all that remains is an espresso and a listening session.

Musical Fun Factor “It’s a Wednesday morning, 07: 00 hours The Solo on button is pressed. Preset button 1 and Q-music can be heard over the speakers. The radio station logo appears on the screen. Meanwhile, the coffee machine is switched on and the living room is enveloped in the scent of fresh espresso. ”

This is how the Como Audio set has made its appearance in recent weeks, in a daily rhythm. The acceptance in such a steady rhythm can be a difficult process. In the case of the Como Audio Solo, Ambiente and the Turntable it was quite organic; within a day it was very natural to just turn on the radio or just turn on a CD from the server. And that is sometimes a different matter with some products. (Just below us; the Solo, Ambiente and Limoncello sound much better, right?). A comparison with Sonos or Bluesound is therefore easily made. But we’ll get to that later.

The step to turn on music for a moment is just the touch of a button. In the days when people work a lot at home, we also notice that we also listen to more music. There was a lot of radio, especially in the morning, and from lunch music was switched on via Spotify or the server. Around dinner the round black discs appeared and several LPs were listened to while enjoying a glass of wine.

The convenience and “Fun Factor” are very high with this set, and that is exactly what makes listening to music so much fun. Something we already encountered with the Crosley . But what exactly do we mean by that? It is often a combination of several factors. Think of the product, the price of the product, the ease of use, the right music and the time or place. The Solo excels in convenience. Press the button and listen. What we often encounter with multiroom or smart speakers is the smartphone. This almost always has to be taken in hand to put on other music. Then we are often tempted to read that email, or to view that post on Instagram or Facebook. There is no such distraction with the Como Audio Solo. It takes you as a user with a modern system back to a period of uncomplicated music experience. Of course there is an app available, but if we have used it five times during the entire period, then it is a lot. Combine that convenience with the sound quality and the circle is complete.

With the rotary knob we scroll through the music on the server, until we come across an album of which we think ‘yes, nice’. A good example is the Buena Vista Social Club, with the eponymous album from 1997. We own the album in Flac, hi-res. The Como just plays that. And the surprise is all the greater when we hear that the display is better than expected. The vocals and instruments are clear and have a clear place in the room. We do hear a slightly exaggerated mid-low / low. This is mainly because the housing has to compensate. So don’t expect audiophile performance. It is more like a delicious warm apple pie from Oma. All flavors have come together in that apple pie and together they form the whole. The audio performance of the Solo and the Ambiente can also be compared. We really hear music. We do not hear the vocals and instruments separately. We also don’t hear different levels, we just hear music, as a whole. Straight forward.

We also find the pleasure when we grab a few LPs. The album 21 by Adele and Forever Dreaming by Myles Sanko , for example. Adele doesn’t need an introduction. Myles Sanko is a British soul and jazz singer. He has been working hard since 2013 and has performed at North Sea Jazz, among others. We put on the song of the same name Forever Dreaming. We are looking for the swing that is in that song. With a good audio system sitting still is difficult and you will be captivated by the melody. We clearly hear the wind section shaping the melody. Here you can indeed hear the swing we are looking for. There is a small but. The music sounds good, better than you would expect. We only miss some body here and there. Just that little bit of strength underneath that creates conviction. When we set up Adele, we like to listen to that powerful swipe. Turning Tables is a very suitable number for this. Also appropriate in terms of name. Adele can convey a lot of emotion with her singing. This is also audible on the Como Audio Solo and Bluetooth Turntable. We feel the emotion and the swipe is more than pure enough. For a 2-way system, the Solo and the Turntable set a good score. Although there is more quality in the Turntable than the Solo can display.

Straightforward Now as a reader you naturally want to know what it costs and whether it is that exorbitant amount is worth. Let’s start with the target audience. For whom is such a set interesting? Are you that person who is harassed for the third time by the neighbor on Saturday because she can’t stop talking about their new Sonos speaker? And that they are now audiophiles too, because they have more than 1000 to spend on audio stuff, but they still have to save for the subwoofer. Making you wonder if you could drink the bottle of red wine in hand in one gulp, as long as you don’t have to listen to your neighbor anymore? Congratulations! You belong to the target group for Como Audio! They have an extensive range for multi-room audio products. Audio products made of wood. Available in 4 different colors, such as walnut. It is made for people who want the audio quality, but not Sonos. And especially its convenience. Just turn on some music. Music for cooking, or for relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine.

The set as a whole is very extensive and prepared for the future. The TV can also be connected to it with an optical cable. The cable was a weak link with the record player. It did not stay in place and the adapter prevented us from using all connections at the back. The Bluetooth connection provided more freedom. We could also place the record player elsewhere, at a slightly greater distance. The downside is that the quality of the connection was not always great. A slight hum could be heard when the turntable was turned on. As soon as the music started we didn’t hear anything anymore. A simple adapter is included with the record player. This could explain the hum. It can often be traced back to electricity or earth. The adapter can be replaced for an Sbooster, for example. This will also be a leap forward in the ge loud quality. The hum was also more present with Bluetooth than with wired listening, but again for the sake of completeness: the cabling of the test set differs from how the product is now delivered, and according to the manufacturer the c connector and ground cause hum in this setup.

Now we mainly used the front controls, but there is also an app. He could use some finishing touches. There will probably be a tip at startup, but that’s in a different language. So we can’t read that.

Which brings us to the prize. For the Como Audio Solo you pay 399 euro, for the Bluetooth Turntable you pay your 499 euro and for the Ambiente again 129 euros. That brings the total price to 1027 euros. Is it worth that price?

As a comparison, you could also buy 2x a Sonos Five or a Bluesound Pulse Mini, but at the same time it cannot be compared. It lacks the look and charisma of the Como Audio. The Fun Factor! The pleasure and that is precisely what makes listening to music so addictive. Another perspective can also be the ministry. This system is also very suitable for people who do not want to switch on or operate their audio with a smartphone. It would be even more attractive if Como Audio turns it into a set or bundle, including a nice set price, then we are completely happy.

Conclusion Como Audio is a great brand, with authentic audio aspects. The combination of the Solo, Ambiente and the Bluetooth Turntable provide a high fun factor. Add to that the fact that the operation is very simple and easy. A smartphone or tablet is not required for use. Are there any drawbacks? Sure, but that doesn’t make the fun and adventure of music on the Como Audio any less.

Como Audio

Combi: â ?? ¬ 1. 027 | Â como-audio.nl Â

Rating: 4/5

Review: DALI Menuet SE (Special Edition) Danish Cutie

MORE FROM THIS BRAND RESUME Looking for very small speakers that still have a higher playing level? Then DALI’s Menuet is the right place for you. These little DALIs are not loudspeakers that fill a large room or excel at pounding beats, but they bring sophistication and easy listening to small spaces in a masterful way.

PLUS POINTS Beautifully finished Wall mounting and near-field possible Wide, encompassing appearance Refined, high -end sound MINUSES More expensive monitors Good amp match is recommended Not suitable for gr ote spaces

The more high-end, the bigger a speaker becomes. It seems a natural law of hi-fi, but fortunately there are plenty of examples of smaller speakers that disprove this rule. The Menuet SE or Special Edition from DALI is one of them. With a beautiful finish and a few unusual features, this is a very compact speaker that shouldn’t be ashamed of anything.

DALI Menuet Special Edition The Menuet is the one DALI speaker that everyone always forgets, so it seems. Many people seem to have never even heard of it. Maybe that’s because the Danes are constantly launching other attention-grabbers, such as the active I-do-everything Rubicon 6C and 2C or the subtle IO-6 headphones with noise canceling. Or is it rather due to the fact that the Menuet is effectively something very special in the entire line-up of the Danish manufacturer?

This is a small speaker, really very compact (25 x 15 x 23 cm), but not one intended for the budget buyer. No doubt, this is a luxury product. You notice this in how DALI itself nestles the Menuet SE just below the high-end Rubicons in its marketing. No, it may not be the first speaker that the man in full midlife crisis who craves two large towers for his living room will dream of. However, they are speakers that promise audiophile quality, even if you have a smaller flat or if you have to be very close to the reproducers.

The DALI Menuet together with the larger JBL Synthesis HDI – 1957

Whatever the Menuet is not is new. This 2-way DALI speaker has been around for a while. But the SE edition that we are examining in this test has only recently been released. SE in this case stands for Special Edition, a label that refers to a number of things that DALI has changed in the internal and external design. What immediately stands out, of course, is that new opulent exterior, finished in a high-gloss Wild Walnut veneer that you don’t often see these days. Is it retro hi-fi or just a harbinger of a new design trend? We don’t know, but it is something very special.

Organic and Exclusive The regular edition of the Menuet (which 549 costs euro each) you can get in four finishes that are very similar to the four color options out there for the Rubicon line. We have the Rubicon 2 in walnut in the test room and used a set of white Rubicon 6 speakers until a few years ago. There is nothing wrong with their finish, because it is also allowed with a device from the premium class. The Menuet SE knows the normal version in terms of appearance â ???? and actually also called the Rubicons â ???? far beyond anything, thanks to a Wild Walnut finish that comes across as unbelievably opulent. It is relatively dark, which will appeal to lovers of light shades. However, the dark brown veneer has a very unusual organic-feel, irregular pattern, making these Menuet SE’s fascinating to look at. And especially if you take a seat close by. Or so we thought. The feeling of luxury comes not only from the pattern, but also because the veneer is covered with a thicker layer of high-gloss lacquer that provides a little depth. Both the lacquer and veneer run seamlessly over the different surfaces of the speaker.

Even at this higher price point is this something exclusive and unusual. In terms of quality, it can certainly match the handsome Bowers & Wilkins Signature S 851 or Monitor Audio’s beautiful Ebony finish on its Gold speakers. But it is not quite the same. Those two British speakers come out with a vertical grain pattern, the Wild Walnut finish is a lot less regular. And this makes it totally exclusive: each set of Minuet SEs is matched together to visually match, and are completely unique.

The additional price you pay for the Menuet SE is undoubtedly in the premium finish. What else do you get on the outside? Better loudspeaker terminals from the top Epicon models and a numbered Special Edition brass label. With the name of the one person who assembled the speaker from start to finish.

Inside, the two main improvements are a new crossover (with Mundorf transistors and a more insulating PCB material, according to DALI) and a voice coil former (the collar on which the wires of the voice coil are wound) made of a heat-resistant glass fiber at the 4.5-inch woofer. Furthermore, there is a 86 – mm dome tweeter, as before.

Flat against the wall In our test room, speakers are usually about three meters away from the listening seat. That seems to us to be a typical distance as you find in many living rooms. We should not listen for long before we notice that this is actually too far for the Menuets. Still, if you want to enjoy a comprehensive and balanced sound image with enough bass to really touch you. Admittedly, it all depends on what you are looking for. If you only want music in the background, you can place a set of Menuet SEs like any other speaker. If you want a little more experience with what you hear, then you have the option to additionally switch on a subwoofer. Not every hi-fi enthusiast is a fan of 2.1 â ???? but if your amplifier is equipped for 2.1 and you place the sub strategically, then you get a fairly mature reproduction with these small speakers. We tried out the 2.1 scenario in the test room, with a Monitor Audio Silver W 12 – subwoofer. That is a burly device that we usually use for surround tests (but it does have a music mode), in an ordinary living room you can probably get an equally nice result with a more compact one. It has something, such a set of small speakers that still sound very powerful.

But actually, the Menuets are designed to be very close to a wall, so that the basses they produce are heavier. We notice that immediately when we try a different setup than normal for these tests. Why we did that? When we first set up the little DALIs at a few stands far from the wall, the Menuets sounded almost dull and lifeless. Time to move: we placed the two speakers on either side of an iMac 27 – inch, albeit on a desk that is a little deeper than usual.

What a difference: on our work table, the Danes suddenly came to life. Ghostpoet’s new album â ???? sarcasm alert: uplifting as always â ???? immediately gained momentum. The vocals on the track “Nowhere to hide Now” got more depth and the percussion dynamics, which we expected, but the enveloping bubble of sound was a bit more unexpected.

On the wall Most speakers do better at a certain distance from a wall, so you can even place these small DALI’s completely against the wall. This is not only relevant for desktop listening. The Menuet SEs also lend themselves well to subtle placement higher on a wall, which can be an interesting option if you want to provide speakers in a dining room, for example. To make this possible DALI provides an optional hanging system; In the picture of the back of the speaker you can see the two black plugs where you attach this system.

Toe-in is not possible when hanging on a wall, but that is not so bad. It is typical for the Danish brand that you do not have to turn their speakers in, because they radiate wide horizontally.

The sensitivity of 86 dB is in line with expectations for a small speaker. But still, making a good choice in terms of amplification certainly does not hurt. In our test room we first hung the DALIs on a Cambridge Audio 851A. A fine integrated amplifier with sufficient power to drive the Menuets, but we found the match in this case a little less successful, just a bit too analytical and cool. The Cyrus One Cast that we recently tested was fortunately not yet back to the importer, so we brought this device up again. And that marriage was much more successful. The warmer, British glow v an de Cyrus complemented the Menuet SE’s very nicely. NAD also seems like an excellent choice (and it is no coincidence that DALI handles the distribution of the Canadian brand in the Benelux).

When you set up the Minuet SE pair correctly, you will really be rewarded. For what are all in all small things, they can fill a small room in an intimate way with a massive soundstage. Do you like jazz? It doesn’t get much more fun than the album ‘Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster’. from 1957 (but here in FLAC, via Qobuz 398 KHz / 24 – bit), where both master saxophonists delightfully complement and challenge. The smallest subtleties of the wind work at the intro of â ???? La Rositaâ ???? know how to convey the Menuets very delicately; a moment when these precious DALIs seem to justify their price. Do you like the walking upright bass on “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” does not come into its own? Then you may indeed have to consider a subwoofer. For those who dread placing a large cube in their room: subwoofers also come in smaller sizes, such as the E-9F with DALI. With other brands there is also a lot of choice.

Conclusion Looking for very small speakers that still play at a higher level? Then DALI’s Menuet is the right place for you. The SE edition adds something elegant to the proven recipe: a unique finish. Like all high-profile design it is love it or hate it , but it is undeniably luxurious and opulent. These small DALIs are not loudspeakers that fill a large room or excel at pounding beats, but they bring sophistication and easy listening to small spaces in a masterly way. Interesting for small flats, but also for rooms that usually don’t have hi-fi solutions, such as the dining room. With these speakers it becomes feasible. They are also great for near-field listening pleasure at close range.

DALI Menuet SE

1. 549 euros / pair | www.dalibenelux.eu

Rating 4.5 out of 5

BRAND

Review Merrill Audio Element 114 and Christine: powerful, transparent and neutral torque

RESUME The Element 114 and Christine are both very positive and negative reactions to. You like them or you don’t. However, the build quality is very good. Special technology is located underneath the surface, whether valued or not. The result is a transparent, neutral and detailed sound regardless of the position of the volume knob. Control and grip on the speaker are of a very high level. The listener can choose to be carried away with the music or sit on the edge of his seat to look deep into the recording.

PLUS POINTS Neutral and transparent sound Let us hear all the details Listener can â ???? look deep inside the recordingâ ???? Impeccable build quality Very quiet power amplifier without hum MINUSES Appearance must appeal to you US-based Merrill Audio builds amplifiers and has a modest portfolio. The devices don’t just have a striking appearance. They are solidly built and under the hood are special design choices that set Merrill Audio’s products apart from the competition. Merrill Audio, for example, uses gallium nitride semiconductors. Does Merrill Audio’s engineering and design choices lead to good music reproduction? In our test room there are power amplifier Element 116 and preamplifier Christine. We investigate. A

Merrill Audio: â ???? AudioPurityâ ????

Merrill Audio is an audio company based in Bernardsville, USA, dedicated to the manufacture of amplifiers. Founder and chief designer Merrill Wettasinghe is the driving force behind the company. According to the description on the company’s website, Merrill Wettasinghe is technically trained, but played the piano at an early age. At the same time he was busy building electronic circuits. What is an audiophile, Merrill Wettasinghe wondered? A lover of music? Or a lover of a beautiful sound? Probably both, according to the head of Merrill Audio.

Because Merrill Wettasinghe had and has knowledge and interest in both technique and music, he says he looked at things from both angles. Musicians must have very refined motor skills. Speed is the keyword. A pianist’s finger movements are the fastest movements a person can make (no, an experienced typist is not faster). According to Merrill Audio, a high-quality amplifier is also characterized by speed, speed and speed. The result is “Audio Purity”. according to Merrill Audio. We will look at that in more detail in a moment.

Merrill Audio: Amplifier Portfolio Merrill Audio’s current portfolio is relatively modest. The company offers three power amplifiers of which the Element 1774, a mono amplifier, is the largest. The Element 118, also a mono amplifier, is a bit smaller. Our test model Element 116, the only stereo amplifier, is the smallest model.

Merrill Audio offers one model preamplifier, our test model Christine. There is also the Jens Phono Stage, a phono amplifier (the Christine has no turntable input). Then there are two somewhat special preamps, the Master Trident and the Master Tape Head Preamps. These devices are intended to amplify the signal from the heads of a reel recorder or cassette deck to line level. The Tape Head Preamps are more likely to find their way into a professional environment such as a studio than a living room.

Merrill Audio also sells power cords, interlinks, and speaker cables. Incidentally, according to the company’s website, work is underway to expand the portfolio by adding an integrated amplifier, phono amplifiers and digital products.

Our test room contains stereo power amplifier Element 114 and preamplifier Christine. We will first take a closer look at both devices before saying something about the sound.