Articles Archive

Erland Cooper: Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence

Music as conceptual art can leave many people cold – I may even be one of those people. However, Erland Cooper has an impressive track record of creating interesting and engaging music, and it’s worth giving his latest project, Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence, a fair crack of the whip. It is a fascinating exploration of sound and silence.

Cooper hails from the Orkney Islands, a remote archipelago in northern Scotland. His work is deeply influenced by the landscapes, nature, and heritage of his homeland. He first gained recognition as part of the band The Magnetic North. This band released albums inspired by British locations and folklore.

As a solo artist, Cooper began exploring the connection between music and nature with a trilogy of albums, each focusing on a different element of Orkney’s environment. Erland Cooper’s work culminated in Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence, demonstrating his artistic evolution.

The first, Solan Goose (2018), is an ambient, neoclassical album inspired by local birdlife. It was followed by Sule Skerry (2019), which focuses on the sea and maritime culture. It blends orchestral arrangements with field recordings.

The final album in the trilogy, Hether Blether (2020), is a tribute to the land. It incorporates spoken word and elements of folk music to evoke a sense of homecoming and personal memory. In addition to this trilogy, Cooper has worked on several experimental projects, including Music for Growing Flowers (2021), which came complete with seeds.

Cooper’s work blends classical, electronic, and natural soundscapes. His music reflects his deep connection to place and the natural world. For Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence, we see Erland Cooper’s first composition for solo violin and string ensemble. It’s also a celebration of Orkney poet George Mackay Brown. Cooper decided to attempt a more intense collaboration with the landscape.

In 2021, the centenary of the poet’s birth, Cooper and the Studio Collective string ensemble recorded the work onto tape. The ensemble was led by solo violinist Daniel Piaro. Cooper then buried the recording, with no protection, in a secret location on Orkney – at the same time, he DELETED all digital files. Later, he provided clues in a treasure hunt for those interested in finding it. This encouraged exploration of the land.

The plan was always to dig it up in 2024. In 2022, they started selling tickets for a reveal at the Barbican – your reviewer was lucky enough to get a ticket. The idea was that he would then play the tape for the first time. The string ensemble would play it EXACTLY as it came out of the ground – warts and all! If there were nothing left on the tape, it would have made for an excruciating evening of silence.

As an aside, what is it with musical performance art and Scotland? For example, the KLF burned a million pounds on the island of Jura in 1995… is it the whisky?

In the end, Cooper’s tape only stayed in the ground for a year. A couple following the clues dug it up, remarkably unscathed. There are moments of wear – the level sometimes drops down a little on one channel or another. This is particularly noticeable when listening to the album on headphones. However, don’t let this put you off a fantastic piece of music. View it as patina rather than a fault.

Set across three movements, Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence has a joy and verve that carry you along on a wave of enthusiasm. The recordings of George Mackay Brown, which are interspersed throughout the work, are incredibly engaging. They perfectly complement the music, and the musicians’ performance is first-rate.

The question about whether Erland Cooper’s Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence is a piece of conceptual art or an album of music is null and void – it is both, and all the more enjoyable because of that.

Back to Music

Acoustic Energy AE309²

There was a time, not too long ago, when affordable floorstanders were ubiquitous. Any speaker company that produced an affordable range would have at least one model in the lineup. There would often be room for more than one. In more recent years, however, the number of these speakers available has diminished considerably. The Acoustic Energy AE309² stands out as a product that reflects a notable pedigree in this area. It is one of the companies that has maintained its commitment to the concept.

The 300² Series is the second tier of speakers produced by the company. The 100² models are even more affordable. It also marks the first product range to incorporate design thinking and insights gained from the creation of the flagship Corinium. This is most evident in the range-topping AE320². This features the same driver configuration as the Corinium. However, all 300 models have benefited from the expertise acquired during the development process. Acoustic Energy AE309² represents a significant reworking of the previous AE309, rather than a completely new design. This is logical, given that there wasn’t much wrong with it.

Speed selector

The tweeter is a new soft-dome unit that Acoustic Energy has selected for its speed, clarity, and low distortion. It is a more conventional material than the unique device used in Corinium. However, the principles of reducing mass without compromising stiffness remain intact. Behind the dome is a neodymium ring magnet, which allows for a large vent in the copper-shielded pole. This, in turn, allows unwanted energy to radiate backwards rather than out the front of the dome.

The mid-bass drivers have undergone a significant rework. This latest generation of drivers is reinforced with coconut fibres. This is a material I have not seen used in audio applications before now. The 120mm cones incorporate a substantial amount of these fibres. They offer improved stiffness and reduced breakup modes. The motor structure features an extended copper pole shield to minimise midrange distortion. Meanwhile, a non-conducting voice coil former enhances extension and dynamic range. Upon examining the drivers, there are no obvious visual clues that this material is in use.

These drivers are housed in a cabinet that operates on principles similar to those of other recent Acoustic Energy speakers. The company remains a strong advocate for enhancing cabinets with stiffening material, and the Acoustic Energy AE309² is no exception. Like the 500 Series, the cabinet utilises RSC (Resonance Suppression Composite) to minimise unwanted vibrations and losses within the enclosure. It feels impressively inert considering the price point. A slot port on the rear, which is rapidly becoming a hallmark of Acoustic Energy, vents the cabinet, and the crossover supports a single set of connections.

Sober and attractive

Aesthetically, the AE309² is appealing in a subtly sober manner. The company has diligently preserved sufficient styling elements from its past to provide the new speakers with a distinct visual identity, resulting in a fundamentally modern and tidy appearance. Additional details, such as the pointed dust caps, evoke specific Acoustic Energy themes. The curved front panel and right-angled edges are both distinctive and compelling. They contribute to proportions that are elegant and suitable for any room.

Colour options include a ‘Walnut’ finish, which I feel might be a touch too dark for some tastes, but it’s well-executed and supported by black and white, both in a sheen rather than a high-gloss finish. I like the grey, almost tweed effect grilles, which are a nice touch. The unboxing is painless, and I appreciate the details, such as the included spike shoes, which allow the spikes to do the job without damaging a wood or laminate floor.

The standout feature of the Acoustic Energy AE309² is the low-end extension it offers. The lower roll-off is specified at 33 Hz, without a quoted ± dB figure. However, even considering it can be achieved within a 3dB tolerance, it still provides a noticeable 10Hz of additional low-end punch over any comparably priced stand-mount. It is stated to have a six-ohm impedance with a sensitivity of 89dB/w, meaning it should pair well with the wide range of £600 to £1,000 amplifiers currently available on the market without exerting undue strain on them.

Three days in Bristol

The samples that arrived for testing were the same units that had been on display for three days at the 2025 Bristol Show, where they were played at ‘lively’ volumes throughout. This led me to give them the benefit of the doubt regarding whether they were run-in, so I connected them to a Rega Brio Mk7, which had recently passed through the review process, and began to listen.

What resulted was impressive from the outset. Under the guidance of Designer and Managing Director Mat Spandl, the company has walked a careful and well-judged line between bringing a level of accuracy and control to modern Acoustic Energy products without losing the slightly ballistic nature of the speaker that encourages you to nudge the volume up and nod along to the music. The utterly lovely Hallucinating Love by Maribou State [Ninja Tune] demonstrates this in fine style. The AE309² effortlessly captures the infectiously groovy nature of the material. Still, it does so with a grasp of tonal realism that, and I say this as a fan of old school Acoustic Energy, wasn’t always the brand’s forte.

Focal point

This means that Holly Walker’s brilliant vocal performance in ‘Otherside’ becomes the track’s focal point, supported by the deliberately simple backing material. The efforts Acoustic Energy has invested in its tweeters have also reaped rewards. There is abundant treble energy, yet it is complemented by a degree of refinement and forgiveness that older models would have struggled to achieve. The stereo image is spacious without being hazy; it radiates from the cabinets themselves while never creating any noticeable gap in the centre. It’s a seamless handling of scale that very few similarly priced stand-mounts can approach, and, equally importantly, it’s something that adapts effortlessly to the material being played.

That promised bass extension is realised in fine style as well. The Acoustic Energy AE309² reaches areas that smaller speakers simply cannot, and it does so impressively, with nuanced sound. The huge low note at the beginning of ‘Song of the Stars’ on Dead Can Dance’s Spiritchaser [4AD] is delivered in a manner that is felt as much as heard; however, the control and definition of what the Acoustic Energy is doing ensure that it never feels like a blunt instrument.

The bass integrates exceptionally well into the lower midrange, leaving the speaker sounding usefully balanced. Even when you ask for something genuinely complex like Cheb Runner’s Jawgana [Rebel Up], which has a time signature quite unlike… well, anything else I’ve ever heard, the Acoustic Energy can make sense of it and deliver the frenetic energy of the track in the manner needed for it to shine.

More power!

Although the partnership with Brio is good, there are clear indicators that the Acoustic Energy AE309² would benefit from additional power if available. I had the opportunity to run with the Roksan Caspian 4G, which provides both enhanced power and improved current delivery. This unlocks a higher level of performance from the AE309². It suggests that some of the more powerful amplifiers on the market, priced just over a grand, might be a better match. This is especially true in larger rooms. I would be hesitant to label the Acoustic Energy as hard to drive. Still, I can understand why the company uses a Rega Aethos for show demonstrations. The extra weight helps the speaker deliver their best.

You won’t need to spend $3,000 to get a tune out of the Acoustic Energy AE309². Even allowing for the dwindling number of affordable floorstanders available, this one should be considered for any shortlist. In the manner of any self-respecting Acoustic Energy device, it is Hi-Fi when you need it to be. But it’s also simply good fun when you want to turn up the volume and be transported from the present. It looks and feels extremely smart while doing so. This is indeed an excellent loudspeaker and one that continues Acoustic Energy’s impressive run of form.

Technical specifications

Type: 2.5-way, bass reflex floorstanding loudspeaker
Drive Unit: 120mm paper cones
Tweeter: 29mm fabric dome
Frequency Range: 33Hz – 29kHz
Sensitivity: 89dB
Peak SPL: 112dB
Power Handling: 120w
Crossover Frequency: 285Hz / 3.8kHz
Impedance: 6 ohms
Grilles: Slim, cloth magnetic fit
Spike Thread Size: M8
Finishes: Walnut, ‘Silk-Touch’ Matte Black or Matte White
Dimensions (mm): 900 x 170 x 270 (HxWxD, 920mm inc. spikes)
Weight: 18.5kg (each)
Price: £1,199, €1,500. $2,199

Manufacturer

Acoustic Energy

Homepage – https://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk

Product – https://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/products/acoustic-energy-300-series/#AE309

Where to buy – https://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/stockists/uk-stockists/

+44(0)1285 654432

Kelly Finnigan: A Lover Was Born

San Francisco-based singer-songwriter, Kelly Finnigan, is a busy man.

Over the past few years, he has made two albums with his retro-soul band Monophonics, a mixtape, his 2019 debut solo record called The Tales People Tell, and a Christmas album, plus he’s found the time to produce other artists – The Ironsides, Alanna Royale and The Sextones. And at the end of last year saw the release of his sophomore solo album, A Lover Was Born.

A Lover Was Born is easily up there with his previous releases when it comes to classy songwriting and rich, cinematic production, and it’s inspired by the likes of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, as well as Northern Soul and early hip-hop.

Things get off to a glorious start with the uplifting ‘Prove My Love’ – a stirring and anthemic song that sits somewhere between Chicago soul and Muscle Shoals, Alabama – its powerful female backing vocals are supplied by long-time collaborators, Kimiko Joy and Viveca Hawkins.

The Northern Soul stomper ‘Get A Hold of Yourself’ is another of the album’s upbeat moments – a red-hot track that rips it up and owes a debt to the songs Isaac Hayes and David Porter wrote for The Soul Children and Sam & Dave.

For this album, Finnigan assembled an impressive list of friends to help him craft his sound, including Max and Joe Ramey (The Ironsides), Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Sergio Rios (Say She She / Orgone), Joey Crispiano (Dap Kings) and Jay Mumford (J-Zone).

“I spent a few days hanging out and writing music with my friend, Joey Crispiano, in New York, at his place in Staten Island – we developed ideas and chord structures and parts,” he explains, adding: “I did the same back home in the Bay Area with my friends The Ramey brothers from The Ironsides.”

He also wrote a few songs on his own, in California and Ohio, telling hi-fi+: “I wanted to make a record that felt like the next natural step after my first solo album in 2019 – a lot can happen in four or five years, and that was the case for me. I experienced some big valleys and peaks during the last few years, and I wanted to wear that on my sleeve.”

The most personal song on the record is the emotional ballad, ‘All That’s Left’, which deals with the death of Finnigan’s musician father in 2021 – it’s stunning, with a delicate and timeless string arrangement, and it sounds like a classic vintage Southern Soul ballad that Otis Redding could’ve sung.

‘Cold World’ is the most political song here – a moody social commentary that tackles the greed and power in contemporary America, while ‘His Love Ain’t Real’, which is the darkest track musically, has lush, dramatic, and brooding orchestration, and was influenced by the productions of Jerry Ragivoy and Thom Bell.

It’s certainly a smouldering moment on the album.

‘(Love) Your Pain Goes Deep ‘and ‘Be Your Own Shelter’ dig into Isaac Hayes’s back catalogue for their inspiration – Finnigan says Hayes is the musician who’s had the most influence on him – while ‘Chosen Few’ has a wickedly funky groove and almost a hip-hop feel, thanks to the beats, bass and horns. The splicing and sampling of hip-hop culture has always been a big part of Finnigan’s musical education.

He is a huge fan of vintage gear – all the basic rhythm tracks and some of the horn parts were recorded on an eight-track, half-inch Otari tape machine that was running at 15 inches per second, and then transferred to Pro Tools, where some overdubbing took place – Finnigan then mixed it down on a console to a two-track, quarter-inch Ampex tape machine.

A Lover Was Born isn’t afraid to put its influences to the fore – it’s in thrall to so many classic soul sounds and vintage recording techniques – but it also comes across as fresh and contemporary, which is a neat trick to pull off.

“I know it sounds like a cliché, but I love what I do, and I feel extremely lucky to be in a position where I get to wake up every day and create music that brings people joy,” says Finnigan.

Well, Hallelujah to that, and long may it continue.

Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II

Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II updates the popular high-end Ultra Silver cables. We have loudspeaker cables and XLR interconnect cables from the original and new ranges to compare. They look similar from the outside, but sound different. The new ones sound even less forced and uncolored than the outgoing models. There’s more about how it sounds and how it compares in terms of its functionality. Otherwise… we’re done!

You see, Tellurium Q is famously gnomic about what goes on inside its cables. Other brands are eager to highlight the rarity of the shielding material, the purity of the conductors, and the intricacy of the layout. Other cable companies will couch these choices in ‘sciencey’ sounding white papers. Tellurium Q does precisely none of this. So Ultra Silver had ‘stuff’ inside, and Ultra Silver II also has ‘stuff’. The configuration of said ‘stuff’ is different between the two, and the difference is because of ‘reasons’.

Arbitrary reasoning

The logic behind being so cagey is simple: people ascribe sonic performance based on arbitrary reasons rather than actual performance. The expectation that a silver-plated copper woven cable will deliver a specific performance is based on its specifications rather than how it sounds. This logic becomes a little shaky when the cable lines have names like ‘Black’ and ‘Silver’. People can latch onto these names and presume that ‘Black’ sounds dark and broody, and ‘Silver’ is bright, fast, and detailed. None of these things relate to the cables themselves.

However, while the ‘how’ of Tellurium Q remains a secret, the ‘what’ it does is public domain. Tellurium Q focuses on reducing any phase distortion in the signal path. This is because it feels this acts as a form of filter. In a way, the impact of that filtration created by a cable varies in line with the performance of the rest of the system. This means that using a cable like Tellurium Q’s Statement in a lower-end system isn’t going to ‘throw open the window’ too wide. However, the benefits the cable bestows on a system won’t be fully realised.

The three families

As a result, Tellurium Q has three distinct ‘families’ alongside Statement. There isn’t a single path of entry, however. ‘Blue’ cables generally sound a little warm and are ideal for counteracting the top end of a brighter system. ‘Black’ is the balanced-sounding cable, while ‘Silver’ is detailed and expressive for systems that have the high-end chops to accept that degree of detail. Each range has a standard version, an ‘Ultra’ version, and a top ‘Diamond’ version. So, in Tellurium Q world, Ultra Silver II is only bettered by Black Diamond and Silver Diamond. And the Statement range. That puts Ultra Silver and Ultra Silver II in very high-end audio territory.

I’m mindful that comparing old with new only benefits those with the outgoing cables. So, in absolute terms, Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II has the perfect high-end coupling of top-end expressiveness without sounding shrill or thin. Yet with full and deep bass and a midrange that is always extremely musical.

The cables ‘shimmer’ in all the right ways. The rolling off of a reverb tail is rendered perfectly through these cables. Voices are expressive and natural. Bass notes are deep, precise and sinuous.

Moving from structurally dense classical music, such as Mahler or Wagner, to the brightly lit sounds of K-Pop and Ultra Silver II tracks, the changes are extremely well captured. Set aside the original cable for the moment and just enjoy Ultra Silver II as a damn good XLR cable. It is also an equally good loudspeaker cable.

Balancing Act

They manage a careful balancing act throughout, playing high frequencies that are delicate to the point of fragility without any issue. And like their predecessors, the Ultra Silver II are remarkably consistent. The interconnect and speaker cable share a similar sound signature. In performance terms, they match very closely.

However, comparing old with new is interesting. It shows how far Tellurium Q has come in the intervening years. The clean, ultra-detailed sound remains, but the new Ultra Silver II is even cleaner and more direct in its approach. It sounds like everything is just a bit more focused, and there’s less in between you and the music.

There is a caveat here that has also been beefed up between Ultra Silver and Ultra Silver II. These are not cables that suffer audio fools gladly. It demands a detailed and precise system. The Tellurium Q cable will expose any hint of inaccuracy, brightness or dull spots in the presentation. This isn’t unforgiving in performance, but it will show up what your system is doing with effortless precision. I dislike the term “reviewer’s tool” (I had that once, but antibiotics cleared it up quickly). Still, this precision insight is excellent for exposing weaknesses.

Greater insight

Ultra Silver II is better than Ultra Silver. You have more insight into the recording and the system, thanks to greater clarity and differentiation between instruments. And the change comes with no significant price hike between the two.

Should you buy Ultra Silver II? If your system is up to the task! Should you upgrade from Ultra Silver? Actually… yes! They are better enough to justify the expense. If you have a system that allows you to upgrade one cable by trickling the others down through your system, do that rather than making a sweeping change.

But once you hear it, you’ll crave a sweeping change. If Tellurium Q had kept Ultra Silver in the range, introduced Ultra Silver II as ‘Hyper Silver’ and charged half as much again, no one would have batted an eyelid in complaint. That’s how improved this is over its predecessor. Best of all, though, all this performance comes at no price increase over the original.

Make no mistake; Tellurium Q aims squarely at high-end audio with Ultra Silver II. You could spend twice as much and not get as good a sound.

Price and contact details

Tellurium Q Ultra Silver RCA Interconnects: £935/1m pair
Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II XLR interconnects: £1,260/1.5m pair (as tested)
Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II loudspeaker cable: £1,850/3m pair (as tested)

Manufacturer

Tellurium Q

www.telluriumq.com

UK distributor

Kog Audio

www.kogaudio.com

+44(0)24 7722 0650

REL Classic 99

Anyone who has ever considered adding a subwoofer to their system will be familiar with the name REL. When the new REL Classic 99 was released early last year, we made sure to grab one for review.

The REL Classic 99, priced at £1,799, is a development of the Classic 98. It was designed for use with the growing number of small, high-quality retro speakers, such as the LS3/5a. The Classic 99 is specifically designed for larger retro speakers, such as the Wharfedale Linton and JBL L100 Classic, or speakers of a similar size. Additionally, it is approximately 30% larger than the 98. It features a 12-inch downward-firing paper driver, as opposed to the 98’s 10-inch driver. The 99 also features a 450-watt amp, compared to the 98’s 300 watts. Moreover, it is available in any finish as long as it is walnut.

REL started in Bridgend, Wales, in 1990. It was born from Richard Edmund Lord’s dissatisfaction with the subwoofers of the day. He invented REL’s unique ‘High Level’ connection system (more on that shortly). By 2005, he was seeking someone to take the company to the next level. He wanted someone true to his ideas and vision. That person was John Hunter, who owned high-end US distributor Sumiko, along with Donal Brody. As a result, all REL design is now carried out at its US headquarters, with manufacturing in China.

High Level

Although connecting a REL subwoofer is easy, it differs from connecting other subwoofers. Typically, subwoofers receive their input from the preamp or amplifier’s subwoofer output sockets. The REL Classic 99 can also do this. However, it derives its signal from the positive speaker output terminals of the amp (or one or both of the speakers, if that is easier). The cable provided plugs into the Neutrik socket on the rear of the subwoofer. Consequently, the subwoofer receives the same signal as your main speakers. According to UK sales director Rob Hunt, this facilitates integration. REL says you will get the best results using the High-Level connection.

No digital signal processing, often used to achieve a flat response, is used in any REL subwoofer. This is because one of REL’s main design criteria is impulse response. They believe that DSP is too slow. As owner John Hunter told me: “I say to people, ‘Do you know how slow DSP is?’ Our subwoofers are blindingly fast. If we’re not faster than the [main] speakers, then we’re holding the parade up.”

Rob Hunt ran me through the setup process. He first adjusted the phase of the sub (in my system, best at 180º), then gain, which worked best in my room (19ft x 13ft) and system (Audio Note Meishu Tonmeister amp and Russell K Red 120Se speakers) five clicks up from zero. Finally, he adjusted the crossover frequency. REL do not disclose what frequency that is, but for me, two clicks up from zero did the trick. However, don’t worry; your retailer will handle all this for you. If not, there are helpful videos available on the REL website. Every setup and configuration is different, so don’t expect yours to be the same as these settings.

Epiphany

I have to admit that throughout my reviewing career, I took little interest in subwoofers. I thought, “I don’t need more bass.” But when I attended a recent public demo by Rob at my local retailer, I was astonished at how the sub improved the system musically throughout the whole frequency band. It also made it easier to follow delicate cymbal and hi-hat riffs. A subwoofer improving cymbals?! This is why I was so keen to try the REL Classic 99 in my system.

I asked REL owner John Hunter how their subs improve more than just the bass. He said that if you let things roll off from around 40Hz, many fundamentals in the music and all the harmonics that derive from them are lost. All notes, he says, have a low-frequency component.

Proof of the pudding

From the first few notes of every track I played, the inclusion of the subwoofer brought a noticeable improvement. On Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Racing in the Streets’ from Darkness on the Edge of Town, the piano was more real, with more space around it. His voice was cleaner and more emotive. Drum rimshots were crisper and sharper. When the bass line kicked in, it was not only deeper but also tighter and easier to follow.

Next, I deliberately chose Stephen Fearing’s “Fear of Climbing” (from Rega), which features just voice and acoustic guitar, with no bass guitar or bass synth. On ‘Red Lights in the Rain’, his voice was far more open, and you could hear how his voice wavered in places. You could also hear how he pushed specific notes, while his guitar was more open. I could also listen more closely to how the notes were shaped, his fingers moving along the strings, and when he slapped the guitar body. The guitar also had far more body and weight.

Similarly, on Linda Ronstadt’s ‘Lo Siento Mi Vida’, the two guitars on the intro had more presence and space around them. There was more note-shaped detail. Meanwhile, her vocals were more open and natural, revealing the nuances of her delivery and conveying the power when she pushed a note, with less harshness.

On a favourite track from sax legend Dave Koz, I could not only hear more of how he was shaping each note. I could also hear more fine percussion detail. The bass line, of course, had more weight and was tighter, moving along better. That degree of insight into what musicians are playing also shone through on guitarist Peter White’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ (from Groovin’). Fast runs of notes became more precise and better defined.

It’s not just about the bass

If you need to improve your system’s bass quality or quantity, then of course, the REL Classic 99 can do that with ease. However, I suspect most people do not realise that it will also improve the sound as a whole. It lends more insight and presence to the percussion, drum kit, sax, guitar, and vocals on tracks you thought you knew well.

It’s not all about the bass. As John Hunter told me: “We are talking about wholesale improvements of the entire system. Just making deeper bass would be a thousand times easier than what we do.”

The REL Classic 99 does all of this for a remarkable £1,799. You could spend twice that much on cables! If you have not yet discovered what a sub can do for your system, try the Classic 99. I am confident it will not disappoint, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Technical specifications

Type: Sealed box subwoofer with built-in amplifier
Driver complement: 12in amended pulp-on-paper downward-firing woofer with steel chassis and carbon fibre centre cap
Frequency response: -6dB at 24Hz
Input connectors: High Level Neutrik Speakon, low level RCA, LFE RCA
Amplifier: 450 watt Class D
Wireless capability: HT-Air MkII wireless or AirshipII (sold separately)
Dimensions (HxWxD): 534mm x 400mm x 350mm
Weight: 22.4kg
Finishes: Walnut veneer only
Accessories supplied: Mains lead, 10m Neutrik Speakon lead
Price: £1,799, €2,199, $1,899

Manufacturer

REL Acoustics Ltd

https://rel.net

+44(0)1656 768777

Allnic Audio HPA-300B

Integrated amplifiers that incorporate headphone outputs are not uncommon. But with very few exceptions, the head-fi element is strictly secondary, almost an afterthought. One notable exception is the Allnic Audio HPA-300B, which is recognised for offering exceptional audio quality for headphone enthusiasts. According to most of the audio industry, if we want to listen to replay of the highest quality through headphones then we need to buy a dedicated headphone amplifier as well.

It’s not just marketing at play here. Speakers and headphones present amplifiers with different technical challenges due to their respective impedances and power requirements. Things begin to look a little different, though, if we put efficient speakers with benign phase angles into the mix. Might a headphone amplifier that outputs just eight Watts into eight Ohms be sufficient to drive headphones and speakers to a high standard? Korean audio engineer Kang Su Park says yes, and as evidence, he offers his newly launched HPA-300B integrated headphone amplifier.

Gimme

Allnic Audio products are a visual riot. They sport an unmistakable design language that some might call industro-skeletal. Others might describe it as steampunk. The Allnic Audio HPA-300B is true to type; all chunky, satin-aluminium, hulking transformers and chokes under matt-grey shields, perforated tube cooling towers, stout handles, and glowing amber analogue meters. It’s a gimme for those who buy their audio with their eyes, but the HPA-300B’s appeal is more than skin-deep.

It weighs a stout 23.6 kg, and as might be expected, most of that heft is in the output transformers. It is also a substantial price. However, while the RRP of £12,600 might be towards the top end for a headphone amplifier, Park wants us to regard it as a fully-fledged high-end integrated amplifier as well. The obvious question is whether the attempt to meet the somewhat divergent demands of both headphones and loudspeakers has resulted in an amplifier that is too hobbled by technical compromise. One that does both with a degree of competence, but no more than that.

The HPA-300B certainly offers the right mix of inputs and outputs to be taken seriously as a dual-purpose amplifier. On the back we find three sets of RCA and two sets of XLR inputs, plus banana output sockets for speakers.

Sockets

On the front are two four-pin XLR headphone sockets and two 6.3mm single-ended sockets. A mute button turns off the speaker output for headphone listening. A small rotary knob allows source selection, chosen inputs indicated by an annotated line of LEDs. The extensive rotary volume control is motorised. Behind it sits Allnic’s Constant Impedance Attenuator, which maintains a steady 10kω resistance throughout. The two analogue meters, left and right channel, show the auto-bias status. Deflection gives warning that a tube requires replacement.

The rectifier, driver and output tubes each sit inside their clear polycarbonate towers, capped with perforated aluminium disks. The 300Bs have tube locators, stamped from what looks to be Teflon, slid over their narrow tops. All the tube sockets sit in a semi-liquid rubber compound. This is one of several design features intended to make the amplifier more resistant to microphonic feedback.

I fed the Allnic Audio HPA-300B the balanced output of a Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC, set to 2V. I also switched between a Grimm MU1 network player and a Jay’s CDT3 MK3 CD transport as sources. An icOn5 Balanced did passive line stage duties. Allnic claims a signal-to-noise ratio of -90dB, a test result distinctly on the good side for tubes. I think we can believe it. Park’s attention to suppressing the transfer of vibration, coupled with a comprehensive and practical approach to circuit grounding. This results in the HPA-300B being the quietest tube amplifier I have encountered in the last two decades.

Sweet return

It’s said that we should never go back, but I’ve owned three different amplifiers that used 300B output tubes. The last of these was some nine years ago, and the Allnic proved to be a sweet return in some ways. The 300B is a tube praised for its rich, liquid mid-range. Still, I think the worship is somewhat overdone, partly because, in reality, its sonic qualities can be equalled by alternative tubes and even particularly well-implemented solid-state designs, and partly because in pretty much every implementation that I have heard, the 300B lacks energy at both ends of the frequency spectrum. Me, I’d take the more capable VT-4C/211 over the 300B anytime.

However, the realised performance of the 300B – indeed any output tube – is significantly at the mercy of the quality of the circuitry driving it, as well as that of the output transformers it feeds into. Park designs all the transformers and chokes used in Allnic products, and based on the evidence of the Allnic Audio HPA-300B, he is still right at the top of his game.

Fast and energetic

The amplifier sounds fast and energetic, both through headphones and speakers. It is less a typical 300B amplifier, if such an animal exists, more a modern-sounding amplifier that happens to use tubes.

Unusually – perhaps even uniquely for the sector – Park’s design doesn’t have a fixed output impedance but is auto-adaptive to work optimally with any load. I listened to a wide range of recordings via the headphone outputs, using a Sennheiser HD650, an Audeze LCD5 and a HiFiMAN Susvara headphone. The results with the Sennheiser and Audeze headphones were satisfactory in different ways. The 300 Ohm Sennheiser in particular seemed to appreciate the quality of voltage delivered by the Allnic and exhibited better soundstaging abilities than I had heard it achieve with some other amplifiers. Its un-EQd balance, smooth and on the warm side, and with a mid-range standing slightly proud of the bandwidth extremes, made it feel as if the headphone was working with the Allnic rather than being bossed by it, resulting in a presentation that invited ‘kick back and relax’ listening.

Spotlight

The 14 Ohm LCD5 sounded altogether more analytical and detailed. It’s natively richer and more weighty bass response provides some compensation for the Allnic Audio HPA-300B’s disinclination to dig particularly deep. The Audeze’s mid-range is even more prominent than that of the Sennheiser, and it casts quite a spotlight on the character of the 300B driver tubes. I found the combination able to deliver simpler, primarily vocal tracks, to a notably high standard. Through the Allnic, Amy Lee’s voice on Synthesis by Evanescence, particularly on the track ‘Never Go Back,’ where her ability to convey emotional vulnerability and then, almost within the exact millisecond, turn on an astonishing degree of feminine power, triggered multiple hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck moments.

I did wonder if it might be a little unfair to note the Allnic’s relatively modest low-end extension. However, a quick check of the same tracks through the same headphones driven by two solid-state alternatives confirmed the verdict. The Allnic is enjoyable enough, but a deeper and more textured low-end is available elsewhere if that’s what we crave. In defence of the Allnic Audio HPA-300BB, it should be noted that both of the alternatives tried are dedicated headphone-only amplifiers. The HPA-300 B doesn’t compromise loudspeaker or headphone output at all. However, those who will never use loudspeakers have the option of the HPL-5000XL and HPA-10000 dedicated headphone amplifiers.

Household reference

Into the household’s PMC MB2se reference speakers (90dB/eight Ohm nominal), the Allnic HPA-300B brought a smile to faces at the rediscovery of the uncanny way in which tube Watts sound differently to solid-state Watts; somehow more powerful. Marcus Miller’s track ‘Boomerang’ from the 2001 album M2 thundered through the PMCs’ 12-inch woofers, entertainingly, if not with the ultimate in extension or grip. More suitable material was found on the Canadian finger-style guitarist Antoine Dufour’s 2020 album Reflect. The Allnic rendered his Mario Beauregard guitar in all its organic sonic beauty. It was simply dripping with glowing, limpid tonal quality and a beguiling spatial airiness.

Context here, as with so much in audio, is everything. There’s a reason why almost all manufacturers, including Allnic, produce dedicated headphone and speaker amplifiers. However, Kang Su Park spies a particular cohort of buyers who demand excellent performance from headphones and loudspeakers. They also demand compactness and affordability. The Allnic Audio HPA-300B is for them.

Technical specifications

Type: valve headphone/loudspeaker amplifier
Tubes: 1x 6DR7/13DR7 (gain and driver stage), 1x 5U4GB (rectifier), 2x 300BX (output)
Inputs: 3x pairs RCA unbalanced inputs, 2x pairs XLR balanced inputs
Headphone output: Two quarter-inch jack sockets, two four-pin XLR balanced
Loudspeaker output: 4Ω, 8Ω
Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz (±0.5dB)
Voltage Gain: +28dN
Optimum headphone impedance: 10Ω-600Ω
Output: 8W per channel
Maximum input voltage: 3W RMS
THD: < 0.1% (1kHz, 1V)
S/N Ratio: -90dB (CCIR, 1kHz)
Power consumption: 168W
Dimensions (WxHxD): 43x42x24cm
Weight: 23.6kg
Price: £12,600

Manufacturer

Allnic Audio

www.allnicaudio.com

UK distributor

BOBUSIAN (HIFISTAY UK)

www.bobusian.com

+44(0)7922 27 7944

John Giolas Joins CH Precision as Global Director of Marketing

16 July 2025 –Mr. Giolas brings over three decades of experience in high-end audio marketing, with a background that blends strategic planning with hands-on creative execution. Since November 2024, he has directed marketing at Wattson Audio—a wholly owned subsidiary of CH Precision—where he helped shape the company’s communications through refined messaging, compelling visual identity, and integrated media strategies.

Before joining Wattson, Mr. Giolas served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at dCS (Data Conversion Systems, Ltd.), where he directed global sales activity in tandem with brand communications and product launch strategies. His earlier tenure at Wilson Audio included the authorship and design of The Wilson Way, the company’s official history, and the development of in-house media capabilities that supported a shift toward more self-directed, narrative-rich marketing initiatives.

John’s background includes hands-on work in copywriting, photography, graphic design, as well as writing manuals and supporting IP-related efforts. Over the years, he has contributed to press relations, distributor communications, and the coordination of product launches. He has often focused on conveying a brand’s culture and values through multimedia storytelling—using words, images, and video to create a cohesive and engaging narrative around the products and the people behind them.

CH Precision is widely recognized for its precision design, grounded in sound engineering principles and driven by purpose-built technical solutions—all in service of the musical experience. The company’s meticulous attention to detail, commitment to quality, and culture of integrity and mutual respect extend across both its product development and its relationships throughout the industry. Mr. Giolas’s appointment reflects CH Precision’s dedication to communicating these values with the same clarity, depth, and purpose that define its engineering.

“I’m thrilled to be joining CH Precision,” said Mr. Giolas. “This is an extraordinary company—defined not just by its unparalleled engineering and execution, but by the warmth, trust, and sense of shared purpose that define its team dynamic. It’s a privilege to be part of such a visionary organization.”

Florian Cossy
CEO, CH Precision Sàrl
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ch-precision.com

Gillian Welch/David Rawlings: Woodland

Gillian Welch is both a person and a duet. The majority of the albums released by Gillian Welch and partner David Rawlings have been in her name. This, their seventh album in nearly thirty years, is the first to give credit to both artists, and it’s also one of the finest. The style remains their trademark plaintive Americana, but with a rarely heard piquancy and nuance.

It’s also the first that they have recorded in their Woodland studio since it was nearly destroyed in the tornadoes that devastated parts of Nashville in 2020. Welch has said, “We were so relieved that the studio still existed, so we had an amplified desire to use it.”

While the ten songs retain the quiet, pared-back beauty of previous releases, they are imbued with a richness of feeling that hasn’t been so comprehensively presented since 2011’s The Harrow & The Harvest, or possibly even career highlight Time (The Revelator) from 2001. There appears to be a decade-long cycle between this duo’s finest works, studio rebuilding notwithstanding.

Woodland opens with ‘Empty Trainload of Sky’ which is typical of their oeuvre, one that continues a tradition that goes back as far as you can find recordings but gained a clear foothold with Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joni Mitchell et al in the sixties and has been revived and quietly evolved through the likes of Tom Petty, John Hiatt, Ryan Adams and Ryley Walker to name but a few. In this instance, it’s a combination of beautifully harmonised voices and perfectly plucked guitars, the sound of which opens up with a good system and inhabits the room. I was quite surprised to hear one track sounding fairly shut in during a recent demo of some relatively affordable equipment. Although this result cannot be guaranteed, it is well worth looking for with future upgrades.

‘What We Had’ is augmented rather beautifully with strings and pedal steel; both are restrained rather than lavish examples of the form, but provide enrichment by Gillian Welch standards that contrasts with Rawlings’ lead vocal. This is naturally a love song, a lament that’s full of yearning with a basic melody and rhythm whose central refrain is “Now I only want what we had”. On ‘Lawman,’ the guitars are particularly crisp, and the picking is good enough to listen to alone, but it’s the vocal harmonies that always stand out. They are what make Welch and Rawlings such a potent musical force on this, and most of the songs on Woodland, here the “Lawman gonna kill my honey” sums up a bleak situation without wallowing in pathos.

‘The Bells and Whistles’ is a standout thanks to the guitar harmonics that shine and ring out from the fretboard; they form a chamber work alone of high-pitched reverberation that is as open as the sky. The title is better reflected by the guitars than the song itself, but “listen how the birds are singing in the evening, what do they say to you, my love” is almost optimistic by Woodland standards.

‘North Country’ sees Welch and Rawlings back in the familiar lament territory that they do so well, here pedal steel is joined by bass and drums but not in any demonstrative fashion, because once again your ear is captivated by the way that the two voices weave such a finely etched tapestry. If Gillian Welch can teach the rest of the musical world anything, it is that less is more. ‘Hashtag’ is a tribute to Guy Clark, whose songs were recorded by a Who’s Who of country artists and inspired Welch and Rawlings. The chorus here is particularly mournful and enhanced by strings and French horns. Ketch Secor’s fiddle brings colour to ‘The Day the Mississippi Died’, an ode to ‘The Day the Music Died’ perhaps with the lines “I’m thinking that this melody has lasted long enough, The subject’s entertaining, but the rhymes are pretty rough” just to prove that Welch and Rawlings are not as po-faced as they sometimes seem.

‘Here Stands a Woman’, “where there once was a girl” is a lovely, slow number about the travails of ageing in an image-oriented world. Woodland is rounded off with the duet ‘Howdy Howdy’ and its banjo accompaniment, a song that leaves you wanting more by the mere fact of it giving you just enough.

Back to Music

Triangle Capella

The Triangle Capella is an active loudspeaker. Recent years have seen the active speaker transcend its ‘respected but fundamentally niche’ perception and become a more significant part of the broader market. The key development that has prompted this shift is the advancement of wireless communications and compact streaming modules, which enable active speakers to become self-contained systems with streamlined wiring arrangements. Suddenly, speaker companies have seen the scope to become the sole provider of the only piece of equipment needed, and they are not going to let this opportunity slip away.

Triangle has done rather well for itself with powered versions of the Borea speakers that form its entry-level range. The Capella represents a move to the next segment up, and it is a true active speaker with powered line-level crossovers and an amplifier per driver. These amplifiers are 50-watt class D units, a figure that leaves the Capella notionally down in power compared to some similarly priced rivals, such as the KEF LS50 Wireless II, but has been entirely sufficient during testing.

Spirit of Esprit

The drivers themselves have been taken wholesale from the Esprit range of speakers. The 160mm treated cellulose midbass unit is also used in the Borea models, but the tweeter —a magnesium, horn-loaded device — is specific to the Esprit models. This combination of high sensitivity and good dispersion characteristics makes it a notable feature of the Triangle Capella. Combining it with an amplifier of Triangle’s choosing also ensures that it should avoid sounding in any way forward, which it has a (slightly undeserved) reputation for in some cases.

The Triangle Capella augments the midbass with a lower firing port, which gains the required clearance from the surface it is placed on via a metal frame at the bottom of the cabinet. This works well and ensures the speakers work well on shelves and sideboards, but also gives each speaker a significant footprint that is likely to need a dedicated stand to accommodate. As I didn’t request this, I used a pair of stands supplied for the Mission 700, which are fractionally low but have a suitably large top plate.

Separate box

Triangle has decided to place Capella’s inputs in a separate media box. This means that space (and a third mains socket) will be required, but it also means that cabling doesn’t need to drape off to one speaker and that more inputs are supported than would likely be the case if the input board were located in a speaker cabinet. The box offers Chromecast and Bluetooth, supported by HDMI ARC, one USB-B, one coax, three optical, one analogue RCA, and one 3.5mm connection. This is supported by UPnP streaming as well, but now, at least, the Triangle has no app and interface of its own. Third-party apps have generally performed as well as they do in these situations, but Capella is also Roon-certified, and this works brilliantly if you have it.

The Capella also offers another interesting option. The Triangle offers an optional microphone that can be used in conjunction with the control app to measure the in-room response of the speakers and allow for manual adjustments to be made for optimal performance. Compared to automated systems like Dirac, it’s more labour-intensive, but it’s potentially beneficial and gives scope to get the Capella sounding good in spaces where rivals might struggle.

Basic styling

The basic styling of the Triangle is similar to that of the passive Esprit models, but not identical, featuring rounded edges and different proportions. There are four available finishes, one of which is a relatively conventional gloss white. From here, things get rather wackier. The other three finishes all have a print in them, which is somewhere between wood burl and big cat markings. It’s subtle in black, but when combined with the blue and brown options, the result is rather more striking. On the understanding that I’m rarely looked to as a style icon, I love it, but I suspect it won’t appeal to everyone. Cloth grilles with magnetic trim tabs are supplied but weren’t used during testing. Overall fit and finish are perfect. The media box is less appealing, but there is little real need to have a line of sight to it.

What is arguably even more impressive is the stability that the Triangle Capella has demonstrated under test. The system utilises the WiSA standard for communication and features Triangle pairs of boxes and speakers before sale. In use, the review samples have been consistently stable, reconnecting each time they’ve been unplugged and moved, with a reliability that some rivals haven’t achieved in the same test space. Barring some instances where the volume adjusted via HDMI ARC has been at odds with the volume set in Roon, and an audible hum when the amps are powered up but not in use, the Triangle has been flawless.

A good listen

Moreover, it has been a very enjoyable listen. One thing that Triangle has done very effectively is to keep the character of their passive designs intact with the move to active. Listening to Blues Funeral by the Mark Lanegan Band [4AD] reveals Capella to have an immediacy and agility that I’ve long associated with the brand. The Triangle Capella sets about ‘Ode to Sad Disco’ in a way that captures the driving intensity of the track while doing justice to its dark and brooding tonality.

Here, that horn-loaded tweeter comes into its own. Lanegan was captured in all his gravel-eating intensity, but it’s the space and airiness around him that are genuinely impressive for a relatively small cabinet. The Triangle Capella can image in a way that will have Triangle aficionados welcoming it to the fold. Without ever feeling diffuse or artificially expanded, the Triangle Capella consistently makes music in large, believable images.

Impressive bass

I’ve also been impressed by the bass response on offer (something that is perhaps well-suited, given that the media box has no means of adding a wired sub). The low end that it manages to create is deep, impressively so for a relatively small cabinet, but it never assumes that synthetic ‘pumped full of DSP’ quality that can bedevil designs like this. The lower port has remained silent throughout testing, and the combination of low-end heft and the standard Triangle articulation has meant that even fairly demanding pieces, like Sunda Arc’s Night Lands [Gondwana], are still highly entertaining, visceral experiences that you feel as much as hear.

The most critical element of the Triangle Capella’s performance, though, is that you quickly stop paying attention to the absence of signal cables and listen to the performance for what it is. Neither is this the preserve of the digital inputs. I used the RCA input connected to a Rega Planar 10 turntable and Cyrus Classic Phono phono stage, and when I sat and listened to Remain in Light by Talking Heads [Sire], the effect was still very much one of listening to vinyl. As ‘Houses in Motion’ reached its crescendo, I wasn’t thinking ‘That’s not bad for a re-digitised wireless signal’, I was enjoying it for what it was. While there has been a notable step change in the capabilities of wireless transmission systems in recent years, the Capella remains one of the most fuss-free and affordable devices to own.

Enjoyment agnostic

It’s this enjoyment and how seemingly agnostic it is regarding your input choices that have marked the Triangle Capella out as rather special. Using it via the HDMI ARC connection sees it handle standard TV duties with the same sort of ‘it just works’ reliability as a soundbar, but when you turn it off and decide on an evening of music, it is utterly convincing used as one. Moreover, it has achieved this while maintaining its identity as a Triangle.

The result is compelling. The Triangle Capella isn’t perfect; it needs an in-house way of accessing stored network content (or for you to accept that one of those optical connections could benefit from having one of the WiiM family attached to it). Still, everything else Triangle has set out to do with it has been done with an assurance and adroitness that makes this a very compelling offering indeed. The Capella is a fine example of how, with a bit of lateral thinking, speaker companies can make a convincing grab for the complete system market, and I suspect that many rivals will be watching its arrival with considerable interest.

Technical specifications

Type: Active loudspeaker, WiSA wireless transmitter / Preamplifier / Streamer
Drive units: 24mm horn-loaded magnesium alloy dome tweeter, 160mm paper cone mid-bass
Inputs: 3 x Optical, 1x Coaxial S/PDIF digital, 1x USB-B, 1x stereo pair RCA line input, 1x Aux/optical 3.5mm input, 1x ARC, Wi-Fi (WiSA, Bluetooth)
Power: 2x50W per speaker, biamplified (2x100W total)
Max file resolution: 24-bit/192kHz
Streaming features: AirPlay, Chromecast built-in, Bluetooth
Frequency Response: 42 Hz – 22 kHz (± 3db )
Finish: Black Star, Astral Blue, Space White, Brown Nebula
Dimensions (WxHxD): Speaker, 20x38x31.5cm. Stereo Hub, 7×4.5x10cm
Weight: Speaker, 8.5 kg. Hub 0.5kg
System Price: £2,499, $2,999, €2,499

Manufacturer

Triangle

www.trianglehifi.fr

UK distributor

SCV Distribution

www.scvdistribution.co.uk

+44(0)330 122 2500

CAD Ethernet Control

It was perhaps inevitable that the Computer Audio Design company’s focused attention would be directed toward the thorny issue of improving Ethernet connections. Thorny because, as far as most of the world outside the audiophile bubble is concerned, there is absolutely nothing to fix. The CAD Ethernet Control is designed to address this issue.

Digital audio is far from perfect, with opportunities to reduce transmission errors, for example, in bitstreams sent over S/PDIF and even USB audio. However, Ethernet is effectively immune to errors in its bit fidelity. This applies at least when using the most common TCP/IP protocol, which transports data across the internet and within our homes.

Healthy Scepticism

As with my encounters with high-end Ethernet cables, I approached the new CAD Ethernet Control device with a bit of healthy scepticism. This scepticism was tempered by the revelatory experience of hearing previous CAD digital audio products. If anyone could fix what ain’t broke, it would likely be Computer Audio Design.

The CAD Ethernet Control is a small in-line adaptor designed to be inserted preferentially in the final connection at a network streamer’s Ethernet port. Its aim is not to reduce errors or eliminate jitter through some hand-wavy technology. Instead, it aims to reduce unwanted high-frequency noise on the line. In doing so, it improves a system’s overall sound quality. This is not new territory for CAD, of course. Moreover, its Ground Control earthing boxes and USB Control dongle are similarly positioned to provide a passive sink for circulating RF noise.

Larger than thumbs

Larger than a familiar USB thumb drive, at approximately 54 mm long, 36 mm wide, and 19 mm high, it may present a problem with some products that have other connections. For example, it wouldn’t fit into my reference Mac mini or Mac Pro without using a small extension cable. Scott Berry of CAD explained that this is not an optimal setup, even using high-quality Cat 6/7 adaptors. These adaptors carry the plug chassis ground from end to end. One workaround is to install the Ethernet Control (EC) on the ‘sending’ side of the cable. This is typically on the router or Ethernet switch.

Another operational issue, at the time of review, is that the CAD Ethernet Control’s plug is 12mm long. This is longer than the minimum length specified in the ANSI standards, which is 11.8618mm. Therefore, it struggles to ‘click’ when mating with some hardware, such as an Apple Airport router. I was assured that this would be addressed during future production.

It did fit a Cambridge CXN V2 streamer, which is a relatively budget device. This has sound quality comparable to that of a Mac running Audirvana software. However, to gain a better understanding of the CAD effect with a more representative mid- to high-end streamer, Innuos kindly loaned me a Zen Mini Mk3 with LPSU. Here, the CAD unit would fit one of Zen’s two Ethernet ports, provided that access to the second is blocked.

Sophisticated circuit

The reason for the bulk is a sophisticated circuit board hidden inside the hermetically glued acrylic body. The Ethernet standard already mandates that all transceiver hardware must be galvanically isolated, even the most budget of network switches. However, Scott told me that the Ethernet Control includes several additional custom-made pulse transformers. Each EC device has 127 components per unit. Without divulging much of the circuit for obvious IP reasons, Scott explained that the CAD Ethernet Control employs similar techniques for choke-based noise filtering. This filtering occurs on differential and signal ground lines. It is found in the patented CAD USB Cable, and further refinements have been learned since that original innovation.

Two further technical points are worth noting. While Cat 5, 5e, and even Cat 6 cables are specified to work with unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) wiring, there has been increased use of shielding in modern network cables. This shielding can be individual over pairs or overall over the bundle, or both. Often, these shields are grounded to metal 8P8C (‘RJ45’) plugs. The EC unit appears to lift the plug chassis ground. Accordingly, this may be beneficial in preventing firewall-induced noise. Such noise can originate from the cable shield or an upstream router/switch, consequently reaching the audio product.

Slow and steady wins the race

Secondly, the EC ‘downgrades’ gigabit 1000BASE-T to the 100BASE-TX standard. This is part of the CAD philosophy aimed at reducing RF noise around the audio system. It aims to reduce a PC system’s extremely high clock rates where appropriate. As a result, it reduces other potential sources of high radio-frequency switching noise.

Working with a 100 Mb/s performance is acceptable for high-resolution audio. Stereo 24-bit/384 kHz DXD has a raw data rate of less than 20 Mb/s. However, it may be frustrating if you need to copy terabytes of music files through the device. Fortunately, it can be temporarily removed for such tasks.

The presence of the CAD Ethernet Control was found to bring subtle but tangible changes. It was less obvious than the tonal shading changes that occur when swapping around different cables, for example. However, it presented a more overall relaxing effect on the sound. This can be particularly challenging to pinpoint in any aspect of performance, such as bass weight, dynamics, or timing. Although fine shifts in soundstaging were apparent.

Changes were so pervasively positive yet so elusive that I found myself wondering about the concept of confirmation bias. To objectify the tests, I enlisted the help of an assistant to run single-blind listening tests. With some relief, I found I could spot the presence of the device unsighted in 80% of test runs. This was even when words failed me to explain how I felt, I was experiencing a more natural sound.

Gentle shift

That relaxation can be exemplified by a gentle shift toward a less busy rendering of music. It is a nod toward the creaminess of analogue. More specifically, and without resorting to the ‘darker silences’ trope, it was easier in some cases to hear, for example, the halo of reverberation around a lead vocal.

In continuing to optimise computer audio, CAD has another winner: Ethernet Control. Found to benefit a range of music sources from PCs to dedicated streamers, it’s set to become a highly covetable accessory in the quest to refine high-end digital sound further.

Price and contact details

Price: £1,250, $1,250, €1,450

Manufacturer

Computer Audio Design

www.computeraudiodesign.com

+44(0)20 3397 0334

NAD M66

When it comes to moving in somewhat confounding directions, the audio industry rarely misses a trick. On the one hand, we have devices that refine their roles into ever-narrower niches. We have digital front ends that require four or more devices and external power supplies. These do increase the box count, should you wish to do so. At the other end of things, we have devices like the NAD M66. Here, you idly study the features list and realise that it could replace most of a conventional audio system.

So comprehensive is this list that the M66 defies easy description. It’s a streaming preamplifier, which in itself is not too unusual. However, additional flourishes enhance the experience. Its closest relative in the Master’s range is the M33 all-in-one system, which has broadly similar functionality. However, the M66 removes the onboard amplification and further boosts the specification.

Kind of Blu

The core of the NAD’s functionality is a BluOS-based streaming platform. Like every other device that uses the platform, the M66 makes informed decisions regarding functionality and stability. BluOS can make a reasonable claim to being bulletproof in general use. It combines extensive support for streaming services with the ability to scale effortlessly across a whole house of devices. (And, thanks to the success they’ve had licensing the software to others, they don’t need to come from NAD exclusively.) I’ve run six zones at once in the past, and up to 42 is technically possible. From a user and convenience angle, the M66 makes most premium rivals look masochistic in their simplicity.

This stability comes at the expense of some format handling. Upon examining your library during installation, BluOS will identify DSD content. It will then offer to convert it to PCM, but only up to a maximum of 192 kHz.

No DSD, no problem?

Higher sample rates and native DSD are not part of the offering. I don’t think this matters hugely at the more terrestrial end of things. However, it puts the M66 at a disadvantage compared to devices such as Naim’s superb NSC222. How much it matters to you is something you’ll have to decide for yourself.

Two optical, two coaxial, and an AES digital input power the NAD M66’s streaming front end. These are all capable of receiving the same PCM to 24/192 kHz. You will also find HDMI eARC for a simplified connection to your TV. This is not simply a streaming DAC, though. It also features two RCA analogue inputs, an XLR input and separate inputs for MM and MC phono cartridges. These phono inputs act independently of one another. NAD has made mixing digital and analogue inputs a speciality. Most use an analogue-to-digital stage to digitise the analogue inputs before the level is adjusted. Having used a fair number of these various products, I’ve never found it an issue. However, some potential owners may be less keen.

Top of the food chain

The NAD M66, being at the top of the company food chain, takes a different approach. As it finds itself up against some excellent analogue preamps, it has the means to act as one. It is possible to select ‘Analogue Direct’ and have the volume control function exclusively as an analogue resistor ladder. However, I don’t think that many actual owners will make frequent use of it. This is because the M66 requires the volume to operate in the digital domain for Dirac EQ.

NAD has been offering products with Dirac EQ and correction for several years now. It typically concentrates on the bass section of the frequency response, where most gremlins are likely to manifest themselves. The M66 offers full-range EQ (20Hz-20kHz) as standard for the first time. To use Dirac, download the software onto a PC or Mac. The Dirac auto-detects the NAD M66 on the same network. You can then proceed to run the required tests using the supplied (and perfectly respectable) setup microphone.

And there’s more…

The NAD M66 is its first device to include Dirac Live Bass EQ. This provides real-time management of low frequencies in the room for up to four subwoofers. Lest you think this is hyperbole, NAD fits the M66 with four subwoofer outputs on both RCA and XLR. There is very little anywhere near the price of the NAD that has more resources to coax a less-than-perfect room into behaving itself.

Using the Dirac EQ is straightforward. I took a decent set of measurements. Remember to connect the mic to the Mac before opening Dirac. Dirac proceeded to eliminate a 40Hz room node and make other corrections further up the frequency response. BluOS can save and implement multiple profiles. This contributes to a broader perception that, despite the impressive sophistication of the M66, it is a fundamentally approachable and user-friendly device.

Masters Series masterstroke

With the Masters Series, NAD shed its reputation as a maker of battleship grey econoboxes, and the NAD M66 does nothing to dent this perception. The fit and finish are immaculate. The vivid front colour screen is responsive and logical. There is also an attractive (if slightly limited) IR handset supplied to work alongside the control app. You can argue that the two-tone casework steers you into buying matching components, but I don’t feel that it looks jarringly out of place with products from other manufacturers.

I unwittingly tested this hypothesis in terms of how the NAD was partnered up for testing. A matching M23 power amplifier was supplied with the NAD M66. Still, I ignored it in favour of a Chord Electronics TToby power amp, with which I am considerably more familiar, and paired this duo with the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature, which had been in place for some weeks by that point and with which I was comfortably dialled in. To begin with, I ignored the Dirac options and listened to the M66 ‘as is.’

Formidable

Doing so shows that, even without the extra bells and whistles engaged, the NAD M66 is a formidable preamp. As the entire streaming range utilises the same interface, it can be easy to believe that they all sound the same, but the M66 refutes this entirely. Give it the high-res download of The Phosphorescent Blues by The Punch Brothers [Nonesuch], and the M66 demonstrates a lightness of touch in how it decodes things that eschews any initial sense of shock and awe in favour of a presentation that is comfortably ‘right’ in how it reaches you. With and without the beautiful harmonisation that the group is so adept at, Chris Thile’s distinctive voice is perfectly defined against the lush instrumental backgrounds, but without any sense of overemphasis.

The M66 also differs from more affordable NAD digital tiers because there is no sense of less ballistic material being forced or given a slightly unnatural sense of urgency. When you do want a bit of get-up-and-go, though, such as with the newly released rework of Orbital’s Orbital [London Records], the NAD M66 is agile and engaging in how it goes about its business. Compared to Naim’s NSC222, it’s not quite as potent and hard-hitting, but you’d have to be using some unusual speakers before it felt in any way lightweight. It’s arguably happier when listening to less propulsive material.

Admirably transparent

On a more basic level, the NAD M66 is admirably transparent. The fundamental character of the TToby and the 702 S3 Signature isn’t lost when the M66 is handling the decoding and gain in the system. With the volume control being handled by the more flexible digital pathway, there is no indication in terms of use or behaviour that this is how the signal is being handled, except for the perfectly linear volume gain, which tends to elude fully analogue devices. Briefly running my resident Hugo TT2 and Mscaler combo through the XLR input of the NAD, sees the heftier bass extension and greater scale and width of the Chord duo effortlessly stitched into the performance. I cannot see many owners electing not to use the onboard streaming, but the M66 can display the overall transparency you would reasonably expect at this price.

In contrast to this ability with digital, the phono stages are fractionally less adept. I found myself preferring the moving magnet side, which featured an AVID Ingenium Twin, SME M2-9, and Vertere DarkSabre, over the moving coil inputs with the Audio Note Arm III and Goldring Ethos side of the same turntable. The lower gain of the moving magnet section sounds happier and more fluid when listening to Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain [Mute] than the moving coil. The latter has a slightly harsher tone.

Analogue pathways

Switching the volume control to its analogue pathway does not make any significant change to this behaviour. I don’t personally feel that this is either unexpected or a detriment; NAD’s A-D experience is enough to ensure that it was always unlikely to be decisively different. This probably isn’t the natural choice for the person who regards digital audio as a backstop, but I suspect NAD knows this.

I also suspect that most owners’ experiences with Dirac will be enough to keep them operating in the digital domain. During the time I have been using products equipped with Dirac technology, they have all demonstrated the refinements that Dirac has been incorporating into their software, and the M66 is a further refinement of this. In the past, I felt that NAD’s decision to concentrate on the bass frequencies over the full frequency range made sense because I found that on a few occasions, Dirac’s corrections often affected the character of the speaker itself. It is time-consuming to correct this manually.

Dirac Profile

Here, I don’t have any worries. The 702 S3 Signature remains the speaker it was before the Dirac Profile was loaded. However, with the 40Hz node corrected and a slight dip at 3kHz ironed out, the effect is cleaner and more amenable to being driven more demanding than it was before. The massed band that supports Gregory Porter’s All Rise [Blue Note] is slightly less congested, and it’s easier to discern fine details that make them sound like a group of individual musicians rather than a backing track.

However, I have a well-behaved room. It also has speakers positioned optimally. In a space that isn’t a neat rectangle and where considerations other than ‘earning a living by listening to audio equipment’ have to play a role, I suspect that the M66 is going to open up more of a gap over most rivals. It fell outside the scope of the hardware here to try the Live Bass EQ, but I suspect it will only enhance this perception for subwoofer owners.

The choice for a new generation

All this processing wizardry will leave some readers cold. When you have control over speaker placement and general room behaviour, it can feel like a blow dealt for nothing. NAD knows what it’s doing, though. There is a generation of customers who grew up using auto calibration systems for multichannel amplifiers. To them, the pared-back traditional approach will feel rather restrictive. What the M66 does superbly is retain that functionality while providing a delight-delivering level of performance and outright musicality. This is an exceptional device, one that looks to the future of how we might build audio systems. I’m genuinely enthused about tomorrow, if the NAD M66 is the future.

Technical specifications

Type: Streaming preamplifier
Analogue inputs: 2x pair RCA and earth terminal for MM/MC phono, 2x pair RCA line, 1x pair XLR balanced line
Digital inputs: 2x coaxial, 2x optical S/PDIF, AES/EBU, USB Type A, HDMI eARC, Ethernet RJ45, Gigabit 1000 Mbps
Wi-Fi Built In: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD
Outputs: 4x mono RCA, 4x mono XLR line outputs, 1x pair RCA, 1x pair XLR preamp outputs
Comms connections: RS232, 2x in, 1x out 12V triggers, micro HDMI service connection, IR input
Streaming cloud services: Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify, Amazon Music HD, SiriusXM, LiveOne, HighResAudio, JUKE, Napster, Pandora, Presto Music.
Internet radio: TuneIn Radio, iHeartRadio, Calm Radio, Radio Paradise
Supported audio file formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WMA-L, OGG, ALAC, OPUS
Supported high-res audio file formats: FLAC, MQA, WAV, AIFF, MPEG-4 SLS
Sampling rate: up to 2bit, 192 kHz PCM
Free BluOS Controller App for download Apple iOS. macOS, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows
Dimensions (HxWxD): 57x52x26cm
Weight: 16.25kg
Price: £3,999, $4,999, €5,799

Manufacturer

NAD electronics

www.nadelectronics.com

Stack Audio AUVA EQ

Mechanical gremlins! They randomly bounce in and around our audio systems, disrupting the electricity we need to reproduce music faithfully. We know the role of isolation products is to deal with gremlins. If you are beginning your journey trying isolation products for your audio components, I’ve realised that the Stack Audio AUVA EQ System Isolators are a great place to start. They offer high value for money and make it easy to extract optimum performance. Whether your front-end equipment sits on a shelf, table, or rack, the difference it makes is far from subtle. Let me explain more.

True creativity

I had a great phone call with the company’s managing director, Theo Stack, about how he visualised ideas for vibration control towards more faithful musical reproduction. He explained that it was a creative process. Theo Stack did not constrain himself with any financial considerations when finding a solution. He knew he wanted to avoid using mass, which led him to vibration control techniques used in aerospace. Heavy planes are not a good idea!

In general engineering, silicon is effective at absorbing vibrations. An inverted ’cup’ of silicon forms the lower section of the AUVA EQ. Ingeniously, the silicon cup creates an air pocket simultaneously and once loaded. Four small holes further damp the system, creating an ‘air bag’ spring/damper suspension system. This is called the Custom Silicon Absorber (CSA). Sandwiched between the aluminium body and the CSA is the AUVA chamber, which contains the Particle Impact Damping technology.

Theo Stack has a beautifully simple explanation describing the absorption of vibration and dissipation of energy. He likens it to a golf ball coming to a complete stop when it lands in a sand pit. PhD-level Dynamics experts with laboratory-standard vibration measurement equipment tested his ideas. They checked the effect of the isolators (compared to baseline inputs) in multiple axes. That’s when he knew he was on to something. And he is.

Selection

The AUVA EQ System Isolators are specifically for your front-end audio equipment. They are available in sets of three and four. There are three versions. The CSA 1 is rated for loads of up to 4 kg, the CSA 2 is rated for loads between 4 and 10 kg, and the CSA 3 is rated for loads between 10 and 15 kg, respectively, per isolator. Therefore, you can support components up to 60kg. I tried the CSA 1 and CSA 2 versions.

Stack Audio AUVA EQ System Isolators must be in contact with the chassis of your equipment. Stack Audio recommend the vicinity of existing feet. They are height-adjustable (up to 3mm) with a fine-pitched thread, making perfect levelling precise and easy.

Weigh it!

You must use the correct version based on the weight of the component to be supported. That hit me right between the ears when I put the wrong ones under my dCS Rossini APEX and found the sound a bit bright and fatiguing. However, conversely and positively, it proved the AUVA EQ System Isolators are precisely tuned for your equipment. I did use the perfectly titled (for the music) track ‘Going to School’ by John Williams from the album Memoirs of a Geisha: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Sony Classical]. It’s a dynamic, melodically playful, and full-frequency-spectrum sonic experience, all at the same time! I have found it can be borderline fatiguing if the planets don’t align concerning the system and room setup. Given that it takes no time or effort to experiment with the positioning of the isolators, do move them to find your just-right, Goldilocks sonic zone.

Elsewhere, I used four CS1s under my David Berning Pre-One preamplifier, four CSA 1s under a vintage Yamaha receiver, and three CSA 2s under a Project X2B turntable.

The first time

I took the opportunity to try the Stack Audio AUVA EQs in a friend’s system that had never been exposed to modern specialist isolation products. The turntable and the amplifier were on a classic vintage Sound Organisation rack. I had the urge to listen to ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ by Stan Getz from the album Getz/Gilberto [Verve Reissues]. Listening without the AUVA EQs, I craved the sound to be more open and spatial. I desired this change without any sense of listening to a pair of box speakers. I wanted more texture and definition to bass notes, all in balance, especially when the giant saxophone arrives.

With that baseline, I introduced the AUVA EQs under the Yamaha receiver. I made sure I had direct contact with the chassis. I was pleasantly surprised that what I was craving arrived in a way that added sophistication and authenticity to the music. The AUVA EQs turned the Yamaha receiver into a rather lovely, modern-sounding amplifier. Importantly, this transformation did not sacrifice its wonderful, old-school analogue attributes.

Turntables

Stack Audio advises against using the feet on a turntable with suspension, such as the Linn Sondek LP12. That made the Project X2B turntable an irresistible candidate. Once the AUVA EQs were introduced and perfectly levelled, the performance of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ transcended into a live performance. My brain had to do far less processing and could appreciate a special, intimate musical event. The sound transcended what felt like an even more authentic experience to me.
I appreciated the improvement in soundstage, the space between musicians and performers, diction, and annunciation. These improvements came without any sense of clinical dissection. Music became very easy to listen to and non-fatiguing. It lets you relax knowing that you can sit there and enjoy music for hours.

Brilliant value for money

In the world of audio vibration isolation devices, the cost of the AUVA EQs is very accessible. The benefits they bring are instant and all good. The result? The AUVA EQ delivers a high-quality, high-value solution for audio equipment vibration control. You really should try the Stack Audio AUVA EQs. Mechanical gremlins beware!

Price and contact details

Price: AUVA EQ from £54 (single AUVA EQ) to £198 (four-pack AUVA EQ)
Available in CSA 1, 2, or 3 (depending on load)

Manufacturer

Stack Audio

www.stackaudio.co.uk
+44(0)1626 249005

Speed selector

Sober and attractive

Three days in Bristol

Focal point

More power!

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

Arbitrary reasoning

The three families

Balancing Act

Greater insight

Price and contact details

Manufacturer

UK distributor

High Level

Epiphany

Proof of the pudding

It’s not just about the bass

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

Gimme

Sockets

Sweet return

Fast and energetic

Spotlight

Household reference

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

UK distributor

Spirit of Esprit

Separate box

Basic styling

A good listen

Impressive bass

Enjoyment agnostic

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

UK distributor

Healthy Scepticism

Larger than thumbs

Sophisticated circuit

Slow and steady wins the race

Gentle shift

Price and contact details

Manufacturer

Kind of Blu

No DSD, no problem?

Top of the food chain

And there’s more…

Masters Series masterstroke

Formidable

Admirably transparent

Analogue pathways

Dirac Profile

The choice for a new generation

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

True creativity

Selection

Weigh it!

The first time

Turntables

Brilliant value for money

Price and contact details

Manufacturer

The sound of excellence delivered your way