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DALI IO-8

Although best known as a loudspeaker maker, the DALI IO-8 is not the brand’s first headphone rodeo. That honour goes to the IO-6, a travel headphone that hit the market when everyone stopped going anywhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The excellent IO-12 flagship followed in 2023. However, launching at £999 put the IO-12 beyond the price ceiling of many wireless ANC (active noise cancellation) headphone users. But the DALI IO-8 is third-time lucky. Three is the magic number, and it’s in the Goldilocks spot.

The IO-8 feels more substantial and expensive than the IO-6. It isn’t as large or opulent as the IO-12. Although using genuine leather might deter vegans, it lends the IO-8 a luxury appeal. Moreover, it is undeniably comfortable for long-haul listening. On that subject, it has an impressive 35-hour battery life. It also features a Sony-esque backbone, including a good spread of inputs and codecs. Additionally, it offers excellent ANC. 

However, the drivers are all DALI. The DALI IO-8 use 50mm dynamic diaphragms in a closed-back, circumaural design, with a 25-ohm impedance when run passively. They weigh in at 325g. This makes them heavier than the Bose and Sony wireless ANC designs that dominate European airspace. Yet, they’re lighter than the Apple AirPod Max models popular on U.S. flights. The supplied case has a 3.5mm mini jack and a USB-C charging cable. You can also use the USB cable to connect directly to a laptop.

Ease of use

The DALI IO-8’s haptics stress ease of use. Everything you need to control the headphones – from answering calls to dialling in noise cancellation – happens by touching the right ear cup. There’s a little film overlay to point out functions, but you quickly internalise their operation. Power on/Bluetooth pairing, toggling between ‘Hi-Fi’ and ‘Bass’ modes, and a three-way ANC control are all accessible via hard buttons around the ear cup. Meanwhile, volume is controlled by pressing the top or bottom of the outer ring on the right headphone. Track and call handling are all controlled by one, two or three taps of the centre button. I find these physical buttons more intuitive than touch panels.

What’s missing from this picture is an app to control any further functionality. DALI argues that navigating to an app on your smartphone and another app to access your media is a misstep. While I’d like the improved functionality that an app can bring – greater tone shaping, for example – the DALI IO-8’s simplicity of operation has a siren’s call. That call is loudest in the middle of a long-haul flight. The last thing you need to do when you want to watch Kaos (Netflix… give it a second season, please!) after a few hours in the air is mash a few app buttons for no good reason.

Binge business

As a ‘binge business flyer’ (sometimes no flights for months, then one flight seemingly every few days during audio’s busy months), I invested in a set of Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless ANC headphones. My wife, who doesn’t travel as much but commutes more than I do, owns a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultras. Among us, we have what are commonly considered to be the best-sounding headphones and the ones with the best noise cancellation. About five minutes into listening to the DALI IO-8, I started to regret pulling the trigger on the Sony headphones. While the Bose noise cancellation still outperforms both DALI and Sony, the difference is negligible in absolute terms. The QC Ultras are still remarkably good at cutting back sounds. However, sometimes the less ‘floaty head’ feeling you get from the IO-8’s ANC is preferable.

The tonality of the DALI IO-8 is excellent. High frequencies are evenly balanced, with the right degree of ‘shimmer’ and ‘extension’ to make them great for well-manicured recordings. They are neither ‘dull’ nor ‘peaky’ if you play something a little thin and compressed. The bass is deep and hefty, yet not slow or stodgy. It’s excellent for giving dance music a bit more ‘whomp’ without blurring or exaggerating the sounds of timpani or double basses in an orchestra. Between these is a supple and articulate midrange, able to present vocals with as much clarity and intelligibility as was in the recording.

Shining through

The company’s loudspeaker heritage shines through in soundstaging terms; it’s got a large and ‘out of the ears’ soundstage that has virtually none of the lateralisation (in-head sounds) that plagued older wireless designs and instead made it sound like you are listening to a pair of headphones.

Here’s a tip. The ‘bass’ setting might be slightly
thick set for audiophiles… unless you wear glasses. Because the arms of your glasses break the seal around your ears, the ‘bass’ setting goes some way to compensate for any low-frequency loss. If I were engrossed in listening and my glasses came off, I would switch back to ‘hi-fi’ but use the ‘bass’ setting when sound and vision were needed. As mentioned earlier, if you need to change, it’s easy. A well-spoken male voice tells you which setting you’ve chosen anyway.

The perils of seat 14C

In absolute terms, compared to similarly priced domestic headphones, the IO-8 falls short in terms of detail resolution, clarity, and tonal accuracy. But equally, those likely open-backed headphones will sound dreadful when played in seat 14C. The lone downside doesn’t apply on this side of the Pond. I suspect the US price puts them in the same category as the larger IO-12, beyond the price ceiling of current wireless ANC headphone buyers. 

The DALI IO-8 wireless ANC headphones are comfortable, easy to use, have long battery life, and excellent noise cancellation. Better still, they deliver a performance that brings your home system to life, just like on that long-haul flight. Good wireless ANC headphones are all about balance. I can’t help but think the IO-8 has perhaps the best balance of price, performance and practicality out there. For the next long-haul flight, or even the next screeching London Underground journey, the Sony XM5s will stay in the box. I’ll wear a pair of DALI IO-8s. 

Price and Contact Details

Price: £499, $899, €599

Manufacturer

DALI A/S

www.dali-speakers.com

+44(0)203 815 8608

More from DALI

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Music Interview: Thompson Twins

Last year, Into The Gap, the fourth album by ‘80s British pop trio Thompson Twins (Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway), celebrated its 40th birthday.

Seen as the band’s crowning achievement, the 1984 record, which was recorded in The Bahamas at Compass Point Studios with producer, Alex Sadkin (Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, Bob Marley and The Wailers), was a multi-platinum seller on both sides of the Atlantic, and included four hit singles: ‘Hold Me Now,’ ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘You Take Me Up’ and ‘Sister Of Mercy.’

To celebrate the anniversary, Into The Gap has been remastered at Abbey Road by engineer Frank Arkwright and reissued as a three-CD set, a limited edition red vinyl LP, a digital deluxe version and a Dolby Atmos Blu-Ray.

hi-fi+ spoke to Bailey and Currie about the making of the album, what it means to them 40 years on, and why Thompson Twins were about so much more than just writing catchy pop tunes…

SH: It’s 40 years since Into The Gap. How does that make you feel?

AC: It makes me feel very old, but, listening to the tracks again, it’s quite poignant and sad, because it’s lost youth, isn’t it? 

When you think of all the fantastic dreams and ideas that you had then, and now that’s diminishing, rapidly (Laughs).

At least you got to achieve some of them…

AC: Yes – it’s brilliant, but it’s very reminiscent of a time and it’s very of its time – it’s very much in context and of its place. You knew where it came from and what came after… It feels like another lifetime. I think I’ve had quite a few lifetimes in between. 

TB: I’m feeling very good about it – it’s come as a slow surprise, because, 40 years ago, I never expected to be having conversations like this, but now that it’s here, it feels good. 

When I look back at all the records we’ve made, for me it was a high point, and it still is. 

Last year, I was doing some live performances of the album and I thought, ‘Oh, does that mean there are going to be some songs that don’t really deserve to be up there with the rest?’ 

But, actually, it’s a very good and consistent album of high-quality songwriting. And when you listen to it, it was also very well made – it sounds special to me. To put that in context, I don’t feel that way about every record I’ve made… 

Is it nice to have it out there in a new deluxe edition? How do you feel about using modern tech like Dolby Atmos to tinker with an album from 40 years ago?

AC: It’s interesting, because we had such a terrible deal with our record company previously – we got no money from digital at all. 

We hadn’t been involved with any of the previous releases that the record companies who owned our work had done. This is the first time we’ve been involved. 

We haven’t had a lot of input, but we’ve had a bit. I had to hunt through all my photographs – it took me weeks and weeks to find things. I’ve really listened to stuff and heard the remixes. 

For me, sound-wise, the new mixes are interesting, but audio is a very different thing these days… I can remember a lot of how we made those tracks and constructed them, and the nuances, the depth, and the amount of work that we put in… 

In a way, you don’t hear that so much in the new mixes, and, also, I don’t trust my own ears… I’ve got constant tinnitus… I’ve got old ears. 

TB: I didn’t know much about Dolby Atmos, so I went along to the remixing and threw in my comments and criticisms. Whether I was right or wrong in doing that, at least it has had some input from the artist. 

Image by Peter Ashworth

Now we’re back in close contact with BMG and we’ve done this very closely with them, so I’m happy with that.

Since 40 years ago, the way that we consume music has been so split up into all sorts of different platforms and formats. 

That fragmentation of the experience means nothing’s more valid than anything else – I don’t think streaming’s more valid than Dolby Atmos, for example… It’s just different ways of consuming music.

When you made Into The Gap, you were using cutting-edge tech, like synths and drum machines…

AC: We’d all been in a rough and ready band before – I was on the fringes of it, rather than an intrinsic part – but I was very much going to see bands, and into instruments and playing percussion – the tactile and real nature of it – and then we got a drum machine and a synthesizer, which suddenly gave us the freedom to leave that old band, become a three-piece and go and write songs in the front room of our squat and make these amazing records which had very big sounds, but with just three of us in a studio. 

It was trying to marry that tech thing that we’d embraced wholeheartedly with really funky and very real sounds – I used to play fire extinguishers in the studio for God’s sake!

Alex Sadkin was a big part of that – he was a brilliant producer. We were three dirty little squatters in Clapham, but we sent off our tape to him in The Bahamas because we loved the Nightclubbing album that he’d done with Grace Jones. 

You made Into The Gap and the album before it, Quick Step & Side Kick, at Compass Point Studios in Nassau. How was it suddenly going from a squat in Clapham to jetting off to The Bahamas?

AC: It was unreal. I remember arriving there for the first time when we did Quick Step… We were still in our cut-off leather jackets and with our smelly little dreadlocks – we probably chain-smoked on the plane the whole way there. When we got out, Grace Jones was there… it was unbelievable, and it was exciting. 

TB: When we did the first record there, it really was a shock – we were naïve idiots and turned up in the 99% humidity of The Bahamas in punk outfits (laughs). It was completely inappropriate. 

It’s a joke now, but it shows that we didn’t know what we were getting into, whereas the second time we were already familiar with the way of working there.

Any memories of making Into The Gap?

TB: We enjoyed it – it was a good and healthy thing to get away from all the partying and concentrate mostly on cutting the tracks. We brought them back to the UK and finished off the overdubs and mixing at RAK Studios in St John’s Wood [North London]. 

AC: We had a great time doing it – we took a lot of instruments out there in flight cases. I think Sly Dunbar was around… I can remember Sly & Robbie coming in and playing with the drum machine – they were fascinated. 

Into The Gap was a huge album – your most commercially successful record…

AC: It was our peak – I suppose everybody has one peak album, don’t they? Very few seem to have two… That was our big one and everything just synced, from the time we started songwriting to making the record… We had enough experience of making records to know what was good and we had the craft of songwriting down. 

I think we felt more confident on that album to expose ourselves more emotionally – we wouldn’t have written something like ‘Hold Me Now’ before because it was a love song between Tom and me. It was something very personal and to make it public… We were trying to pretend we didn’t even have a relationship publicly… (Laughs). It was quite an emotional album.

TB: We’d come up with a way of working on the previous album, but with very strict constraints – we were headlong into the pure synth sound, and we didn’t allow any guitars, and the songwriting was at an industrial level.

With Into The Gap, we suddenly matured as songwriters and thought, ‘Yeah – we can actually deal with emotional subjects a bit more’, and openly and powerfully.

That coincided with widening the musical palette as well – we had a few more acoustic instruments and guitars and pianos on there. Those two albums are like brother and sister. 

The song ‘The Gap’ has a Middle Eastern feel, and ‘You Take Me Up’ has a bluesy harmonica and a spiritual-gospel influence, but with a big, soaring pop chorus. You were embracing world music, but mixing it with contemporary sounds…

TB: Yeah – for sure, my interest in world music meant that we weren’t just copying the band next door. We were looking for ideas and fascinated by ideas that came from further afield. 

‘The Gap’ kind of lays that down as a manifesto – that whole notion that East and West can’t meet is false, because it’s where they meet that the interesting stuff happens. 

We all have ideas that we bring to the mix of cultures. I’ve always been interested in Indian music specifically, but also Middle Eastern and African. 

Were you anti-rock and roll?

AC: It seemed like a silly old form, and we’d all had experiences of being in a drums and guitar band… A lot of our songwriting came from storytelling and creating atmospheres, so when we didn’t have to do the rock and roll thing, it was suddenly a wide-open space – you could do anything, and that’s what was really exciting. 

We were living on the borders of Clapham and Brixton – we were hanging around Brixton, so there was a lot of reggae and dub…

You also did a lot of club remixes of your music…

TB: That’s right – at that time, nightclubs had become important again. It was where the hip people were hanging out, and so the interesting and new ideas were being traded in that environment.

It was the emergence of DJs as the co-conspirators and curators of ideas. 

That happened to coincide with my interest in Jamaican dub remixing – I thought when you made a record, that wasn’t the end of it, as you could do an instrumental version or a dub version, or an extended dance version… 

All of those things I was fascinated by became part of our output – when we released an album on cassette, we put extra mixes on the B-side and that became something that fans expected of us.

‘Sister of Mercy’ was inspired by a real-life story of domestic abuse, wasn’t it?

AC: Yes – it was interesting… I was a woman in a band and I didn’t want to write, ‘C’mon, let’s get down…’ 

‘Sister of Mercy’ was sort of personal because my mother hated my father and she used to say she wanted to kill him.

It was the idea of crimes of passion and that quiet domestic abuse that goes on. 

It was sort of an achievement to get something so political and strong as a subject for a pop record, but it went over most people’s heads. 

My own sister listened to it and went, ‘Oh, great – it’s a song about me…’ I was like, ‘Hang on a minute…

’We were trying to do something that was different, and we were older than a lot of our peers. 

We had all sorts of subjects that we were interested in, and we wanted to look at – to somehow engage people with them by getting them into a track. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. 

TB: Pop music has the right to be frivolous when it wants to be, but it should also take on something more… 

Back in the day, we thought that being in a band was about making the world a better place – it had a social activism agenda as well, and we took that very seriously. 

In fact, one of the reasons we were in the band together was that we wanted to make waves. It wasn’t just about pretty songs, although the ‘Saturday night in the disco’ thing was important to us, it was also about telling big stories with curious twists and turns to them. 

The 40th anniversary edition of Into The Gap by Thompson Twins is out now on BMG. 

Back to Music

Roksan Caspian 4G

Roksan Audio has been on a journey in recent years. It has been almost a decade since Monitor Audio purchased the company. It has been evolving its product line to support better the range of speakers designed and built alongside their offerings. The key to making Roksan products more accessible (or less unusual, your mileage may vary) was securing a license to use the BluOS platform, developed by Lenbrook Group, as their streaming front end. The result is the Roksan Caspian 4G.

Roksan differs from fellow UK brand Cyrus, which has also adopted the BluOS route, because Roksan has integrated it into its own integrated amplifiers. This effectively turns them into all-in-one systems. This process was first employed in the relatively affordable Attessa amplifier. If this were a proof of concept, it would have been successful because it is the turn of the longstanding Caspian to receive the same treatment. Like the Attessa, you can buy a Caspian integrated amplifier with a selection of analogue and digital inputs for £3,000. However, you can opt for the Streaming Amplifier variant for an extra grand, which effectively requires nothing more than a pair of speakers to function. 

Core fitness

BluOS notwithstanding, the Roksan Caspian 4G’s amplifier core is impressive. It’s a class AB device that utilises the company’s Euphoria amplifier system, which employs individual power supplies for the current and voltage amplifiers to target intermodulation distortion. This system can deliver 105 watts into 8 ohms, which almost, but not quite, doubles to 200 watts into 4 ohms. It is controlled via a fully balanced preamp with a single XLR input and a pair of RCA inputs supported by a moving magnet phono stage. 

The digital section of the Caspian comprises two optical and two coaxial inputs, supported by both an HDMI ARC connection (not fitted to the ‘normal’ Caspian) and Apt-X capable Bluetooth.  This is decoded via the company’s ‘Rapture’ DAC technology, which utilises a differential current-conveyor topology rather than op-amp ICs. Roksan argues that the technology allows for greater detail retrieval. 

BluOS

The principal addition to the streaming amp is the BluOS streaming module. This is precisely as you would find it in other BluOS devices, which means it supports PCM up to 24/192kHz (and has the means to convert DSD to PCM in your library so it can be played), along with nearly every music streaming service, except Apple Music. It will happily join a complete household (of up to 63 other devices) and provides a user experience that is one of the most stable and logical out there. As we went to press, the Caspian joined the Attessa in becoming Roon Ready. 

Another intriguing feature is the MaestroUnite app. This works independently of the BluOS section, allowing you to set up and configure the Caspian with standby settings, internal tone controls, and bass management, all of which are accessible. While I found this a challenge to get up and running, it has remained stable since then. Roksan is sensible enough to supply a conventional remote handset as well. 

Well-finished casework

All of this comes in casework that, even judged at four grand, feels solid and highly well-finished. The Roksan Caspian 4G has several touches that would have me running a mile if they weren’t as well implemented as they are. The combined volume control and input selector could have been an absolute disaster were it not for the fact that it works well. I also like the little animated input display (even if I mistook the ‘disc’ emblem of the coax one for the phono stage, which is denoted by ‘MM’, and did a fair amount of troubleshooting to work out why there was no sound). While this amp is a world away from the original Caspian, it manages to maintain a visual identity that is identifiable as Roksan. Black and silver finishes are available, and a matching power amplifier is expected to be released later this year. 

I used the Roksan with a pair of Focal Kanta No1 speakers as a rough price comparative option that is usefully revealing. What they demonstrated from the outset was interesting. When I tested the Attessa streaming amp a few years ago, I found much to admire in its functionality. However, it needed to sound more confident to resemble a Roksan product; it could have worn many badges and still been wholly acceptable with all of them.

Novel, yet familiar

Even though the Caspian has some entirely new and novel elements to the design, it sounds like a Roksan and, more importantly, like an amplifier from the Caspian line. 

This manifests itself in a sense of consistently unforced music flow that is sufficiently propulsive, so that more exciting and dynamic material doesn’t sound languid or stifled. Listening to the live version of Us on Regina Spektor’s Live in London [Sire], the Caspian is effortlessly able to keep Spektor’s frenzied piano work understandable, and the high-speed changes to her tone and inflexion are easy to follow and utterly convincing. Without ever slowing things down, there is time and space to appreciate a musician giving the piece their all and the space and energy of the venue in which they are performing. 

Changing pace

Change the pace and ask for the remarkable Eyelids on Paris Jackson’s Wilted [Dragonflower], and the Roksan never forces the almost funereal pace of the track. It almost revels in Jackson’s duet with Andy Hull, turning both into tangible figures in an open and expansive presentation. The bass on offer is good, too. The Caspian contests a market segment occupied by the Naim Supernait 3 and Rega Aethos. Both deliver seismic low end, which the Roksan doesn’t quite manage, but it still finds more bass shove from the Focal than is often the case. 

The good news is that none of the digital cleverness gets in the way of the analogue amp section of the Roksan Caspian 4G being decent. Connecting a Rega Planar 10 with an Nd7 moving magnet cartridge up to the phono stage lets the amp maintain the same admirable qualities as the digital section. It handles Poppy Ackroyd’s Resolve [One Little Indian] with the same flow and fluency as the BluOS module.

Realism

Detail retrieval and tonal realism are genuinely good, and plenty of gain is also on offer. Crucially, it would be good enough to preclude you from using a standalone phono stage for a turntable of roughly equivalent value. 

The only blot on the copybook isn’t even Roksan’s fault; the HDMI eARC connection lacks a power on/off function. However, this is a function of BluOS, as it includes commands for volume up and down and mute only, deliberately ignoring the power on/off option. According to BluOS, the power-on/power-off function can be confusing when using multiple sources (not necessarily HDMI-based sources), so the command has been redacted. That said, the jury is still out on whether audiophiles accept HDMI as an audio source. Therefore, turning off a function that few of its core customers will use is no big deal. Everything else on the Caspian is flawlessly implemented; you might feel that Bluetooth has no place on a four-grand amp, but the Roksan Caspian 4G sounds genuinely good via it, and the coax input does a fine job with a Pro-Ject CD Box E acting as a transport. 

Dynamic bass

There’s another rather clever technology behind the scenes, too. Lurking in the app is a dynamic bass setting that augments the low end when the amp is used at low levels. You might feel this is artificial (and if you do, it’s easy to turn it off), but it means the Roksan is excellent for use late at night. Similarly, suppose you use a 2.1 speaker configuration for listening. In that case, the bass management (while still using a power amp if you wish) on the Caspian is considerably ahead of most rivals. 

What results is indisputably very clever, but no less importantly, very likeable. The Roksan Caspian 4G boasts specifications that compare favourably with both integrated amplifiers and all-in-one systems at its price point. No less importantly, it does this while sounding enough like its ancestors to warrant wearing the Caspian badge. This latest generation of Roksan amplifiers strikes a delicate balance between the brand’s past and the needs of the present, resulting in a very likeable amplifier indeed. 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Streaming Amplifier 
  • Analogue Inputs: 2x RCA Stereo 1 x Balanced XLR 
  • Digital Inputs: 2x Coax  2x Optical Bluetooth Audio, BluOS, HDMI eARC
  • Analogue Outputs: 1x Balanced XLR  1x RCA Stereo (1x RCA Stereo 
  • Amplifier Output: 1x Pair of Speaker binding posts 
  • Other Inputs / Outputs: Gigabit Ethernet RJ45, W-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 4, BLE, 12V Trigger, Wired IR
  • Power Amplifier Technology: Dual Mono Euphoria Amplifier
  • Amplifier Class: AB
  • Output Power, 8 0hms (235VAC @ 1% THD, both channels driven) 105W
  • Output Power, 4 0hms (235VAC @ 1% THD, both channels driven) 200W
  • THD+N (1W @ 1kHz Both Channels driven): <0.007%
  • Available Finishes: Silver, Black
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 93 x 432 x 378mm
  • Weight: 15.5 kg
  • Price: £4,000, $5,000, €4,750

Manufacturer

Roksan

www.roksan.com

+44(0)1268 740580

More from Roksan

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conrad-johnson ART150

It seems like yesterday, but we reviewed the Conrad-Johnson ART300 mono power amplifiers in issue 173 (published online here). We liked them so much that we awarded them a Highly Commended in our 2019 awards. A follow-up review of the conrad-johnson ART150 stereo power amplifier was planned in 2020, but… well, you know. Other products followed from the brand, but the stereo chassis slipped through the net until now.

The ART150 and ART300 are conceptually very similar. Although the first samples of these amplifiers hit the shelves six years ago, they show no signs of age. Maturity of concept and design, yes. But age? Not a chance.

A good break

Placing a few years between the mono and stereo amplifiers is beneficial because the two designs share many similarities. Looking at one after a few years effectively highlights the other. Those who don’t want to trawl through an issue from six years ago… virtually everything about the conrad-johnson ART150 stereo power amplifier applies to the conrad-johnson ART300 mono power amplifiers. We’ll point out any differences along the way.

The ART power amp concept is one of the most straightforward concepts. It’s like Occam’s razor of circuit design. It has just a single 6922 double-triode tube as a voltage gain amplifier, a second 6922 per channel acting as a cathode-coupled phase inverter, and then the comparatively new KT150 power tubes. There are two KT150s per channel in the stereo amplifier. There are four per chassis in the mono amp. Aside from the ‘ART150’ on the front panel and the second RCA input and loudspeaker terminal block on the rear, the only visible differentiation between the two is that the ART150 has three 6922 double-triode tubes on the top plate. Meanwhile, the ART300 has two. They have identical-sized chassis, and the ART150 weighs a little over 3kg more than each of the 33kg ART300 mono amps.

Fit and Finish

Everything else, from the fit, finish, and circuit, is the same. Both have a low (about 12dB) amount of loop negative feedback to reduce distortion and increase the damping factor. The two amplifiers bristle with CJD Teflon dielectric capacitors and laser-trimmed metal foil resistors. The design features c-j’s LED bias system because it thinks auto-bias circuits get in the way of the music. CJD Teflons bypass the larger power supply polypropylene capacitors. Separate low-impedance discrete supply regulators isolate the 6922s in each stage to keep the input and phase-inverter clear of the power demands of the output stage.

The single-ended ART150 delivers 150W per channel and has an ideal 100kΩ input impedance. This means that it can use long cable runs. Of course, the preamp must have a suitably low output impedance and gain. While that naturally points the conrad-johnson ART150 toward its ART88 stablemate, it does afford the power amplifier some flexibility in selecting a preamp.

There has been a recent change in the aesthetics of the ART150 over the intervening years; a shift has occurred from an acrylic top plate and grille to a metal top plate with a slatted grille. The images provided are of the older design.  

The end of the rose

It’s worth reiterating a finding familiar to all recent c-j reviews. This is not the past! Whenever you mention conrad-johnson to audiophiles, they have a rose-tinted view of a rose-tinted sound. “Aaah,” they enthuse “, I remember that lush, soft sound.” And that lush, soft sound is the c-j sound of two or more generations ago. The ART series has a distinctly different sonic signature. It retains just enough of that tube-like warmth to be appealing. However, it is far faster, more upbeat, and even more forward-sounding than before. No, it’s not a screaming amplifier that barks its music at you, but neither is the over-rich, satiny, soft presentation of the Premier power amps. Yes, they sound lovely… but they sound 20th-century lovely. We’ve moved on, and so has c-j.

I mentioned this in the ART300 review, and because it’s not so much a family resemblance as ‘identical twins’, it’s worth restating here. It’s also worth noting that the findings of the mono amps apply equally here in a more manageable form. Twice the power isn’t quite the ‘flex’ it once was because so few loudspeakers now require a 300W power amplifier.

Like its bigger brother, the conrad-johnson ART150 excels at unforced delivery. It has an effortless sound that is unconstrained by dynamic or soundstaging limitations. The amplifier breathes life into any music it touches. It’s a sublimely transparent amplifier, especially in the midrange and when human voices are involved. Joyce DiDonato’s weapon of a mezzo-soprano is wonderfully rendered with clarity and articulation. It’s not so analytical that you can visualise what she had for breakfast. However, it is detailed enough to render every note, breath, and intonation with great ease.

Expansive

The soundstaging is similarly expansive, with a good balance of image width and depth and great solidity and presence. While c-j amplifiers project into the room well, it never feels artificial. You are simply sitting in the same space as the musicians, and it’s a beguiling experience. The combination of the two – soundstage and midrange detail – leads to a ‘you are there’ sense. It makes you feel as if you could reach out and touch the instruments being played. This is all the truer as you move from the electric to the acoustic. 

The ART150’s centre of excellence is its ability to resolve music in a fluid, detailed yet intensely musical manner. Its dynamic range and soundstaging skills all combine to transport you beyond the music and into the minds of the musicians. You even feel connected to the composer. It has all the stability to resolve a single instrument in a three-dimensional space. It has enough in reserve to play huge orchestral pieces in the correct scale. Yes, this is one of the few times you might find the ART300 sounds sweeter, especially when playing a lot of significant orchestral works at ‘gutsy’ levels.

Powerful bass

Bass heads and rhythm nuts have always shied away from c-j tube amps, but that should remain in the past. The conrad-johnson ART150 is no longer that amplifier. Its bass is powerful and profound. It gives an excellent rendition of Trentmøller’s ‘Chameleon’ with great bass force and energy. It also has a great sense of rhythm. Maybe it’s not so fast and frantic to cope with full-on techno or drum ‘n’ bass, but I’m very likely the only person who will ever play such music through a c-j power amp! In fact, the ART150 acquits itself well even with such high-speed bass transients. But, unlike every other performance aspect, a fast, deep, pounding clubby bass line is not c-j’s area of expertise.

The ART150 is not immune to criticism, but much of that criticism is more about its place in the world than its outright performance. Tonally, it’s not a super-fast, low-power design, but if you want that, conrad-johnson has got you covered with the ART27A tested in issue 190. Due to its lack of balanced circuitry and inputs, the conrad-johnson range probably needs to align more with modern audiophile ideas. However, single-ended has no sonic demerits unless you are trying to cover dozens of metres between preamp and power amp. And some will never be satisfied with anything apart from giant mono amps. However, I’m not even convinced these criticisms hold water; conrad-johnson stands out for the same reasons it has always stood out. It’s iconic, iconoclastic, and sounds excellent.

250 not out!

Conrad-johnson will make just 250 ART150 stereo power amplifiers. Unless you have a loudspeaker that requires a 300W power amplifier or cannot tolerate the idea of not having mono power amps, I don’t see a good reason to buy bigger. This stereo chassis is more than capable of showcasing what the ART88 preamplifier tested in issue 215 can do. It is equally adept with other makes of preamp, as long as they offer sufficient performance. 

The sublime grace and charm of the conrad-johnson ART150 stereo power amplifier wins you over. It’s like the ART300 writ smaller. In a world full of silver-fronted amplifiers, maybe it’s time to go for gold! 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Single-ended tube stereo power amplifier
  • Inputs: 1x pair single-ended RCA stereo line-level inputs
  • Outputs: 1x pair multi-way loudspeaker terminals 
  • Tube complement: 3x 6922, 4x KT150
  • Power output: 150W rms per channel from 30Hz to 15kHz at no more than 1.5 % THD into 4Ω (also available connected for 16Ω loads) 
  • Sensitivity: 1.0V rms to rated power
  • Frequency Response (at 10 watts): 20Hz-20 kHz, ±0.25 dB
  • Hum and Noise: 108 dB below rated power
  • Input Impedance: 100kΩ
  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 48.3×41.4×22.2cm
  • Weight: 36.3kg
  • Price: £23,995, $21,000, €22,000 (excl. VAT)

Manufacturer

conrad-johnson design, inc.

www.conradjohnson.com

UK distributor

Audiofreaks

www.audiofreaks.co.uk

+44(0)208 948 4153

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Eversolo Officially Launches the T8 Professional-Grade Streaming Transport, Leading the Art of Sound

August 2025: As a pioneering brand in the audio industry, Eversolo has always upheld the philosophy of “faithfully reproducing pure sound,” continuously redefining the Hi-Fi experience through its innovative product architecture. From the widely acclaimed DMP-A6 to the flagship DMP-A10, Eversolo has earned global recognition for its precision in technology and sound. At this year’s Munich High-End Show, Eversolo unveiled four highly anticipated products, capturing the attention of audiophiles worldwide. Among them, the most eagerly awaited professional-grade streaming transport—the Eversolo T8—has now officially launched.

Built on a solid technical foundation, the Eversolo T8 is all about one thing: delivering clean, precise digital audio to your system. Its fully isolated outputs and proprietary software ecosystem offer unparalleled performance for users seeking both purity and versatility, making it the key link in your high-end Hi-Fi setup.

“Eversolo T8 represents our unwavering commitment to pure sound. Every detail—from the femtosecond clock to evotune room correction—has been engineered to ensure that music lovers experience every nuance exactly as the artist intended,” said Spring Meng, CTO at Eversolo.

The T8 continues Eversolo’s legacy of high-quality craftsmanship and modern design. Its CNC-machined aluminum chassis offers strength and visual elegance while effectively shielding against electromagnetic interference. The front panel adopts a shielding design that physically isolates it from the internal circuitry, further ensuring clean and pure sound transmission. On the front, a vibrant 6-inch touchscreen paired with virtual button controls delivers intuitive, fluid operation. Moreover, the user interface is fully upgraded, ensuring faster response times and a more natural, engaging way to interact with your music.

In an audio system, the clock is responsible for managing the timing of every audio sample. Any inaccuracy or excessive jitter can cause blurred sound and a loss of detail. Therefore, the T8 incorporates an ultra-high precision femtosecond clock system—controlling timing with accuracy—delivering focused sound, well-defined imaging, rich detail, and natural dynamics.

The T8’s super-silent linear power supply reduces noise to as low as 30μV. A custom 4N oxygen-free copper toroidal transformer ensures smooth signal transmission, while Teflon-insulated primary and secondary connections provide high-temperature resistance, superior anti-interference shielding, and ultra-quiet music background, preserving natural dynamics and crystal-clear detail.

Supporting up to eight IIS output modes, the T8 ensures compatibility with a wide range of DAC brands and models, allowing true plug-and-play operation. Its isolated design blocks power noise and ground loop interference from upstream devices, transmitting only clean, pure audio signals.

Eversolo news 8.2025.2

When connecting an external DAC via USB, power noise and ground potential differences can affect the signal, especially if not properly managed. To ensure authentic audio transmission. The T8’s professional USB Audio isolated output creates a protective barrier, fully separating power from audio and transmitting only clean signals for a pure, natural sound.

In professional audio environments such as studios and monitoring setups, long-distance digital signal transmission is prone to ground loop currents and electromagnetic interference, causing noise and jitter that affect sound quality. While the T8 features a studio-grade AES/EBU isolated output, providing strong interference resistance and stable signals. Its electrical isolation design prevents noise and jitter, ensuring precise sound reproduction over long distances.

Meanwhile, the T8 employs coaxial isolated transmission up to 24bit/192kHz, effectively blocking interference and ensuring accurate signal delivery. With broad compatibility across DACs and high-end Hi-Fi systems, coaxial transmission has also become the preferred output for many audiophiles.

Equipped with SFP network communication module and  RJ45 gigabit port, the T8 delivers stable, high-speed audio transmission. SFP module features inherent electrical isolation to shield against electromagnetic interference, fully meeting the demands of Hi-Fi systems.

Dual SSD slots support up to 16TB of storage (8TB × 2), enabling gapless playback of large, high-resolution audio files and effortless management of extensive music collections.

Additional hardware highlights include Wi-Fi 6, a high-performance quad-core ARM processor, and 4GB DDR RAM with 64GB eMMC storage for smooth multitasking and efficient data management.

Eversolo news 8.2025.3

For music lovers, access to multiple streaming services should be easy and convenient. The T8 integrates mainstream music services like TIDAL, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer, TuneIn Radio, and more, catering to all your hi-res listening needs. It also supports TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, and Roon Ready, enabling direct playback from your preferred device for a smooth music experience.

With the Eversolo T8, audiophiles can enjoy high-fidelity formats including DSD, PCM, FLAC, APE, and WAV, supporting up to DSD512 and PCM 768kHz/32Bit. The T8 can be combined with an external DAC, reproducing music with full detail, dynamic range, and amazing accuracy.

The acoustic environment of a room greatly affects sound; for example, reflections and standing waves can make audio unnatural. The T8 addresses this with professional-grade room correction via Eversolo’s evotune system. Using advanced FIR algorithms, it analyzes room acoustics and optimizes system output. Room correction can be done easily with the Eversolo EM-01 microphone or a smartphone microphone. Evotune overcomes the traditional “equipment depends on the room” challenge, making high-quality sound accessible to all music lovers and audiophiles.

When it comes to sound tuning, the T8 supports a 10-band PEQ module, FIR filter import, and loudness adjustment, allowing users to fine-tune the audio to their liking—emphasizing lows, controlling highs, and achieving the ideal sonic signature.

Other features including:

  • Support for WOL (Wake-on-LAN), allowing the device to respond at any time.
  • Global quick search, making your favorite song available by one click.
  • Multi-dimensional music management, automatically extracting and organizing metadata to keep the library tidy, with support for various sorting and browsing options.
  • “Listen at will” mode, mixing local and online streaming content for a delightful, surprise-filled music journey.
  • Cross-platform playlists, combining your favorite tracks from different music services into one list.
  • Easy access to local computers and NAS devices over the LAN.
  • Compatibility with popular cloud services such as Dropbox and WebDAV.
  • Gapless playback function for your convenience

And many more features waiting to be discovered…

Eversolo Control lets the T8 be easily operated from Android/iPhone, iPad, or M-series MacBooks. The intuitive interface is easy to use and supports real-time screen interaction, so any action performed on the T8 is instantly reflected on these devices, making control seamless and flexible.

Besides that, the T8 also preserves the premium remote-control experience. Each unit comes standard with a dual-mode Bluetooth/IR remote, ensuring stable operation in line-of-sight conditions while also enabling precise control even when obstacles are present—seamlessly blending convenience with modern functionality.

With minimalist design, premium construction, and a pure internal architecture, the T8 transcends the traditional “streamer” concept. As a professional-grade streaming transport, it adapts to various DACs, providing flexibility, depth, and a high-end audio experience for music lovers and audiophiles alike.

Pricing

MSRP: 1380 USD / 1380 EUR

Piega Coax 611

Alongside one of the most fabulous record shops on the planet (Bongo Joe’s), Geneva was once home to Piega loudspeakers, makers of the Coax 611. The Swiss company has an affinity for lakes. It relocated from the Lake Geneva shoreline nearly 200 miles northeast to the municipality of Horgen. This is situated on the shores of Lake Zürich. However, regardless of which lake it chooses to build beside, the company has been producing distinctive loudspeakers designed for housing for 35 years. Founded by engineers Kurt Scheuch and Leo Greiner, it’s now operated by Manuel Scheuch and Alexander Greiner. The brand remains a family affair.

The Piega trademarks are extruded aluminium cabinets, along with that rare thing: a coaxial ribbon mid and treble driver, a design unique to the brand and necessarily made in-house. I reviewed a Piega floorstander of similar dimensions to the latest Coax 611 about 15 years ago. It was highly detailed and revealing, but not to my taste. I was trepidatious about trying this new Gen2 Coax model. It turns out that I needn’t have been; the developments at Piega and within my own system over that time have resulted in a pairing that proved highly engaging and entertaining.

The Coax Gen2 series comprises two floorstanding speakers, the sturdy 811 and the stylish 611, as well as a 411 bookshelf speaker. There is also a matching 211 centre channel. The updates for Gen2 are significant, featuring additional cross-bracing, more neodymium magnets above the tweeter, and a newly developed coating on the ribbon foil.

Push pull

Being essentially a large aluminium tube, the 611 would be prone to bell-like resonances if the metalwork were not adequately controlled. As a result, Piega employs substantial aluminium braces between each of the drivers, creating a central web within the cabinet using tensile stress. The earlier system pushed the casework outward, but this new approach has been judged superior. A slim loudspeaker made from a material generally considered lightweight turns out to be somewhat different due to its internal support structure. The Coax 611 weighs 45 kilos, which isn’t excessive for a 117cm (about four feet with spikes) loudspeaker, but it is a lot for something so slender.

This speaker lacks a reflex port but uses three passive radiators to balance the compression from two bass drivers. All these cones have the same 160mm diameter, so it’s hard to tell which ones are doing the heavy lifting; however, it’s an impressive driver array, considering the most crucial part of the design. That is the coaxial ribbon, whose name, C112, relates to its width; however, this doesn’t indicate its frequency range of 450Hz to 50kHz. Piega states that the ‘magnetic rods’ inside are now mechanically decoupled.

Magnetic attraction

Presumably, this means the bar magnets controlling the diaphragms of the two drivers are no longer rigidly attached to the chassis. They are therefore less likely to vibrate when in-cabinet energy levels reach specific frequencies. Some manufacturers try to decouple the entire driver from the chassis, but as mentioned, this is a unique case.

There is also an optional Coax Bottom Plate available for an additional £900. This is a beautifully machined, broadly X-shaped plinth that bolts to the base of the speaker to provide a more secure footing on carpets. All I needed to do was manoeuvre the speaker into a position reasonably close to the rear boundary, as my room is bass-light. Since this speaker has no ports, I had to toe them in to achieve the desired balance, with the speakers on axis, pointing straight at me. I also noticed that the bi-wire terminals are connected by very short pieces of copper wire instead of the usual flat jumpers. This is a nice detail because, although the plate solution looks great, it rarely sounds as good as proper cables.

Not so cool

With its sleek silver design and all-metal drivers, I expected the Coax 611 to sound cool and sophisticated but lacking warmth. I am pleased to say that the cover of this book does not reveal its true character. In fact, pinning down any single character is quite difficult as the sound varies with the music played and the equipment used to play it. Generally, this is a very neutral and sensitive speaker that does not seem to have any tonal tendencies or other obvious flaws. It appreciates a great recording, who wouldn’t, but does not amplify the limitations of a lesser one—ditto for ancillary equipment, where characteristics are seen but not exaggerated.

The best results were achieved with my Rega Naia turntable, fitted with an Aphelion 2 cartridge and a Rega Aura phono stage that was under review. This setup is naturally highly synergistic and, in Piega’s hands, pulls out the finest details and the most spectacular timing in a self-effacing way. I played a fancy pressing of Joe Walsh’s masterpiece The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get, and by the third track ‘Wolf’, things became interesting.

Then ‘Midnight Moodies’, whose unusual rhythm line has rarely been so well expressed, and you can hear how the piece evolves into a jam that has to be faded out to make room for the final track on the side. ‘Happy Ways’ starts with a glorious bass tone—fat and juicy, with a hint of burr on the edge—but the entire piece is delightful with its fantastic sound. How a side that begins with the raucous ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ can end so sublimely remains a mystery, but it certainly works.

Absolute Delight

The Piegas have excellent liquidity and ease in the mid and treble ranges, which is an absolute delight. The ribbon drivers are smoother than their domed competitors and capable of revealing the finest nuances. For optimal results, I prefer sources with a bit of leading-edge bite, but some will enjoy the finesse combined with the clarity on offer. With the double bass of Kham Meslien, the Coax 611s deliver the rhythm line with metronomic precision, suggesting that the cabinets are well out of the audible picture. This, and many other examples, show very low coloration from the box and its drivers, with no blurring of leading or trailing edges.

With more expansive productions like Symbolico’s ‘I’m Free,’ the sound escapes the confines of the box in all directions and fills the room engagingly. However, here the choice of DAC proved crucial to the result. The slightly more affordable converter I tested produced a crisp, clear soundscape, while the more expensive option created a more uniform outcome with better timing and greater engagement. This is a slow-burning track, and it’s easy to lose interest in the first half with a lesser converter; the Piegas made this more apparent than usual.

With the more intricate rhythms of Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, and Paul Motian on the recently released The Old Country (ECM), I was impressed by how these musicians opened up the performance without stumbling over the less accessible passages. Many speakers never reach this level, and I wanted to understand why this 1992 recording had been issued. The Piegas showed me the way and placed the musicians in the room.

Being there

Most of the listening was done with my usual Moor Amps Angel 6, a 150W transistor power amplifier, and an iCon Five passive preamplifier. Still, when an enormous Viva Solista Mk2 integrated arrived with its parallel single-ended 845 tubes, it was worth a try. This proved to be a slightly edge-of-the-seat experience. Yet, with a sound recording and some William Eikos Litz cables, it brought a degree of vivacity and live energy to the party that energised the atmosphere. I have rarely heard such dynamics, and I spent an evening seeking out live recordings to capture that authentic being-there feeling.

The Piega Coax 611 is a very aesthetically pleasing loudspeaker. Don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not a serious option. It is as revealing as it is elegant and can deliver highly engaging sounds across a wide range of musical styles and hardware types. This Piega proves that if you develop technology correctly, it can evolve into a tremendously capable device. The fact that it looks great should not work against it.

Technical specifications

  • Type: Three-way, seven-driver, floorstanding speaker with aluminium enclosure.
  • Driver complement: One C112+ coaxial ribbon tweeter/midrange driver; two 160mm UHQD woofers; three 160mm UHQD passive radiators.
  • Crossover frequencies: not specified
  • Frequency response: 32Hz – 50kHz
  • Impedance: 4 Ohms
  • Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m
  • Dimensions (HxWxD): 1170 × 210 × 310mm
  • Weight: 45kg/each
  • Finishes:
    • Aluminium cabinet brushed, silver/speaker grille cloth silver
    • Aluminium cabinet brushed, black anodised / speaker grille cloth black
    • Aluminium cabinet, white-lacquered finish/speaker grille
      cloth white
  • Price per pair: £14,900, $19,995, €15,900

Manufacturer

Piega SA

piega.ch

+41 44 725 90 42

UK distributor

Henley Audio

www.henleyaudio.co.uk

+44(0)1235 511 166

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Hegel Launches the Prodigy

August 2025 – The Hegel H150 succeeds the H120 in our range. Designed as a true all-in-one solution, it offers outstanding audio performance and ease of use—without breaking the bank. It shares the same advanced streaming platform and control app as our flagship H400 and H600 models, and includes a highly capable built-in MM phono stage. For the first time in a Hegel product, we’ve also added a USB Drive input, allowing you to connect a solid-state or traditional hard drive directly to the amplifier. But above all, it’s the performance that stands out. The H150 delivers a level of power, scale, and musicality that continues to surprise even us.

H150 Streaming Amplifier – The Prodigy

The H150 Streaming Amplifier is our most impressive value proposition to date. We have nicknamed it the Prodigy because, while being at the entry level in our range, the H150 displays a level of performance and versatility usually reserved for far more expensive models, showing talent well beyond its price point. The H150 draws inspiration from
the Hegel reference products, but also adds to the user experience with its own unique solutions. With a wealth of connectivity options and a powerful, articulate amplifier section, the H150 is a true all-in-one music solution. It fits seamlessly into a wide variety of spaces and can confidently drive almost any loudspeaker.

Design & Build

While the H150 is a full-width amplifier designed to match standard hi-fi components, its depth of just 35 cm makes it easy to place on or into most shelves and media cabinets. Available in both black and white, the H150’s clean, understated design complements any interior. Its robust construction includes a thick, precision-milled aluminum front panel and control knobs, with a steel top cover perforated with heat vents, adding to its compact, modern look. A central OLED display provides clear readouts from a distance and can be dimmed or turned off entirely to suit your environment.

Amplifier Performance

The H150’s 2x 75 W power rating might seem humble, but do not be fooled. This is no ordinary amplifier. The H150 features a custom class AB amplifier design with Hegel’s patented SoundEngine 2 technology, ensuring a class-leading damping factor of 2000 and stable operation down to 2-ohm loads. SoundEngine 2 preserves musical detail and
dynamics with stunning clarity, offering an engaging and lifelike listening experience. The H150 is powered by a large, ultra-low-noise toroidal transformer and high-speed capacitors, supplying instantaneous current, giving the H150 the grip and punch to control all but the most demanding loudspeakers with ease.

Built-in DAC

Inside the H150 is a competent, custom-designed, four-layered digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Inspired by the acclaimed Viking CD player, it leverages our latest digital advancements to extract rich, detailed sound from both connected digital sources and the internal streaming section.

Streaming Made Simple

Out of the box, the H150 supports an extensive range of streaming options: Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Google Cast™ Apple AirPlay, and UPnP are all built-in, offering seamless access to your favorite services. The list is ever expanding, and automatic firmware updates keep you at the cutting edge as new services appear. The H150 is a modern performer that effortlessly stays ahead of the curve.

Digital Connectivity

The H150 lets you easily connect your external digital sources. Two optical inputs (one TV-optimized), one coaxial input, a USB-B, and a network port accommodate everything from TVs, streamers, and game consoles to laptops and network nodes. A USB-A socket lets you connect a flash drive or powered hard disk (and even charge a phone or laptop), with library browsing handled by the Hegel Control app. A coaxial digital output can forward signals from the digital inputs to active speakers, a second system, or an external DAC in a DAC-loop mode, upgrading the digital stage without losing the H150’s functionality. It’s a level of flexibility that’s rare in amplifiers at this level.

Analog Connectivity

The H150 isn’t just great with digital sources. Nothing is left to chance on the analog side either. The H150 has an unbalanced analog RCA input and a true electronically balanced XLR analog input. Most notably, the H150 has a high-quality Moving Magnet phono input that will complement any good MM-based turntable with details and dynamics that are usually reserved for dedicated phono preamps. The amplifier also has a good headphone output and a variable line level output, making it easy to add subwoofers or external power amps.

Everyday Ease of Use

The H150 is designed to be as easy to use as possible. Anyone in the household can enjoy the H150 without reading the manual. Input-sensing on digital inputs and streaming wakes the amp and selects the correct source automatically, while the adjustable auto-standby saves energy after you finish listening. Popular TV-remote codes are pre-loaded for seamless volume and power control with your TV remote. Any input can be fixed at a high output level, allowing you to control the volume with any connected device, such as your home cinema receiver or multi-room streamer. Multi-room is of course also offered directly in the amplifier, either via AirPlay, Google Cast, or Roon, and voice commands via Google Home or Apple Home are just a phrase away. Control is also available from the elegant aluminium remote or the free Hegel Control app, which offers full input and volume management, plus built-in internet radio and podcasts powered by airable. The result is an amplifier that makes sophisticated performance accessible to all users.

Talent Beyond Its Size

The H150 Streaming Amplifier proves that greatness doesn’t only come in large or expensive packages. It’s a compact performer whose talent, versatility, and musicality stand out far beyond its peers—a true prodigy.

Availability

Review samples available upon request
Products will begin shipping in late October

Recommended Retail Price

Euro: 2.995
USD: 3.600

The Smile: Wall of Eyes

Wall of Eyes is the second album from The Smile, following 2022’s A Light for Attracting Attention. Despite being released in January this year, a third album, Cutouts, appeared in early October. The Smile features two of Radiohead’s core members – lead singer Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Tom Skinner, hitherto best known as the percussionist from the late, lamented avant-garde jazz band Sons of Kemet. As the last full Radiohead release was 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool and Sons of Kemet went on perma-hiatus in 2022, The Smile is (hopefully) proving more than just a side project.

As Wall Of Eyes by The Smile started, I thought, “This is good!” Feelings rushed back from Radiohead’s legendary OK, Computer. It’s the same feel and the same sound. Thom Yorke’s fragile, high-pitched voice is a simple yet effective instrumentation. Guitars mixed with electronic sounds and incredible indie rock drumming. This is really good! At the end of the first track, their Talk Talk inspiration becomes apparent again, as it was many times with other Radiohead albums. 

One feature inspired by the band Talk Talk that Radiohead has adapted is the interchange between passages of extreme musicality, which transmute into distorting passages that remain musical.

The music on the opening title track, ‘Wall of Eyes,’ is laid-back and minimalist. It evolves into increasingly distorting sounds. The second track, ‘Teleharmonic,’ is similar but more ethereal and still good. It starts quietly but builds with great bass and excellent drumming. 

Things get noisier on the third track, ‘Read the Room’. Thom Yorke’s vocals are great on this track. And there’s more great drumming from Skinner. As with the first tracks, ‘Read the Room’ dissolves into more distorting elements as the song progresses.

After the first three tracks, which could all become indie-rock hits, the album becomes more atmospheric, nuanced, and slightly off-beat. For example, ‘Friend of a Friend’ has an almost Abbey Road feel, like a modern Beatles version of one of the tracks Paul sang on that album, complete with tempo breaks, piano and similar phrasing.

The first part of the album is very appealing from early listening. The second half requires more listening time before it reveals itself, which might appeal to only some listeners. That said, Radiohead and Sons of Kemet fans are the kind of listeners who enjoy taking the time ‘going to work’ on an album, so if Wall of Eyes takes time to parse, that’s a good thing!

Many of the lyrics on Wall of Eyes seem very personal to Yorke, like torn sentences glimpsed from entries into his private diary. The songs feel like he’s expressing disappointment or commenting on the various people and experiences in his interactions with the world as a famous musician. On the quiet and reflective ‘Bending Hectic,’ for example, Yorke seems to slightly echo Lennon’s outlook on ‘Watching the Wheels.’ That track also has a slight later-years Beatles feel to it.

If Radiohead has pressed ‘pause’ on new material releases, then Radiohead and indie-rock fans generally have an excellent new artist to follow. One that seems to be cranking out new material at a healthy pace. Wall of Eyes is more reflective and less ‘flashy’ than early Radiohead albums. 

This is more like a mix of Radiohead’s earlier quiet tracks and later more electronic introspective material. Wall of Eyes is undoubtedly a must-have. 

A final bonus is that the album is recorded rather well for the genre, too. A number of UK audio reviewers – including the editor of this title – have been known to use Wall of Eyes as one of their test records.

Back to Music

Atlas Cables Arran Ultra L RCA Grun

In the dim and distant past that we call ‘the nineties,’ a charming Scotsman named John Carrick distributed a Japanese cable brand, Furukawa. He had a degree of success with these cables, which were made using a technique called Ohno continuous casting (OCC), which involves using heated moulds to draw long single-crystal copper (or silver) conductors. I used some of these cables for a while, but they were inevitably replaced by something better or something that sounded better in the system than it was at that time. 

Last year, I was looking for a cable for a friend and came across a Furukawa interconnect. I went to check that it worked and see how it sounded today. The result was surprisingly appealing; this 25-year-old plus cable had a depth of tone and warmth that is uncommon among many of today’s offerings. The Furukawa didn’t have the detail and speed of modern interconnects but did enough to make me wonder about the technology.

Enter Atlas

When I recalled that John Carrick went on to found Atlas Cables and that this company uses OCC in its cables today, I contacted Kevin Kelly, who runs Atlas, and asked if I could try a modern example of the breed. He sent two pairs of Arran Ultra L RCA Grun interconnects, which have 6N purity (99.9999%) OCC copper conductors. These have a microporous PTFE dielectric, which means the insulation is wrapped rather than extruded to get some air around the conductor. The construction is defined as a twin multi-core, dual drain, which means that it has four cores in two twisted pairs and that two drain wires spiral at 180 degrees to one another beneath the screen, a technique that significantly increases screening efficiency and keeps RFI at bay very effectively.

The Arran Ultra L RCA Grun cables are the penultimate model in Atlas’ extensive range, sitting below the leather-clad Asimi Ultra L RCA Luxe, which also has the Grun earthing system. This element consists of flying leads connected to the shield at one end of the cable and has a silver-plated threaded coupling that you can earth in various ways. Atlas includes a spade-terminated connector in the box with the Arran cables, which can be connected to an earth point or chassis fixing on the component being hooked up. Alternatively, Atlas offers a power adaptor, which is a 13A mains plug (alternative plugs are available for different countries) with three flying leads that can be joined to the Grun earth leads on the Arran cables.

Tangle teasing

Unusually, these interconnects are not marked for directionality; rather, the end with the Grun connection should be at the preamplifier or integrated amp. So, in a pre/power situation, the connection from a source would have the Grun at the pre-end, and the cable to the power amp would likewise be earthed at the same end. This can be slightly impractical if you change components a lot as avoiding cable tangles gets tricky. However, this is more likely to be an issue for reviewers and dealers than end users.

The ‘L’ in the name of Atlas Arran Ultra L RCA Grun relates to the Latik insulation inside the phono plugs on these cables. Latik is a polypropylene sleeve that replaces the usual PTFE found in high-end RCAs; it has two advantages over that material. By 3D printing this part, Atlas can minimise the amount of plastic and maximise air insulation. The other relates to thermal behaviour; PTFE expands when it is heated up, and this changes the resistance of the insulation and, thus, the performance of the cable. Power amplifiers can get warm enough to do this. Latik plugs are far more thermally stable and do not expand or contract with temperature changes, so the impedance remains constant. 

Atlas further increases cable consistency by using a solder-free connection between the conductor and pin. This is achieved by cold welding, which achieves a smooth signal path at this critical junction. The RCA plugs are shiny on the outside but silver-plated on the pin and collar for optimal contact with the socket. In a perfect world, the RCA socket would also be silver-plated, but such things are rare even amongst high-end components.

Golden tone

Did the Atlas Arran live up to the promise of the vintage Furukawa cable, or was that just a case of age annealing that brought a golden tone to an otherwise average cable? I am happy to say that the Atlas cable not only lived up to expectations but greatly exceeded them. I was hoping for a richer sound; Instead, I got a dramatic increase in detail resolution presented in an entirely fluid and distinctly three-dimensional fashion. Moving over from the interconnects that I have been using for over a decade felt like going from a flat to a three-dimensional soundstage, even though the older cable is no slouch when it comes to imaging. I was, frankly, gobsmacked.

Atlas supplied a 13A plug with only an earth pin to connect the ground wires on two pairs of Arran Ultra L interconnects, which may work better than grounding to component casework. But I couldn’t put the sound down to the Grun factor alone; this is an exceptional cable, and the result made me wonder just how much it cost for the first time. The answer is ‘quite a lot’ but not excessive in the context of high-end cables. High-end cables rarely deliver such a night and day result as the one that hit me.

Dropped Arran

I had some rather nice electronics from Bricasti in the system at the time (tested in issue 228) and dropped the Arran in between the M1S2 DAC and M20 preamplifier and was frankly astonished at how much was going on, how much tonal colour, dynamic shading, image depth etc came through. The intro to ‘Wish You Were Here’ is usually excellent; it became truly cosmic with a rich tapestry of sound that is rarely hinted at.

The beautiful blues playing of David Gilmour was savage yet not piercing. The backing vocals were perfectly rendered and totally in proportion, while the saxophone felt like it was in the room.

Juicy

What I particularly like about the Atlas Arran cables is that they deliver mountains of detail in a warm, grain-free fashion. They make a lot of cables sound dry and thin, which is a balance that can be good for delivering immediacy but doesn’t get you the full picture in the way these cables prove can be done. They do immediacy superbly as well, richness of tone does not preclude speed or excitement, far from it. Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder’s Talking Timbuktu is a great recording, but it doesn’t usually sound this rich and juicy, this fluent and vibrant. It’s a better recording than I thought.

I also used the Arran cables between a Tom Evans Groove+ phono stage and Townshend Allegri Reference preamplifier, then from there onto a Moor Amps Angel 6 power amp, and to be honest, they have remained there ever since. Once you have heard what has been missing from a Rega Naia with Aphelion 2’s amplified and equalised signal, there is no going back. It’s a taste of real sound that is very hard to get in any other way once you have the requisite hardware. What is shocking is that so many cables fail to deliver what sounds like the doubling in data you get with Arran. Everything you play opens up and reveals its riches in a ’never going back’ way.

Odyssey

In the end, I had to request a third Arran Ultra L RCA Grun cable from Atlas, as having two meant switching cables every time I switched sources, hence the tangle of ground wires. I also want to connect the Grun cables to a CAD GC3 Ground Control. There are no 4mm banana options in the Atlas catalogue, but I have requested a couple made up for this purpose.

What started out as intrigue became an odyssey into unheard realms of my music collection with the Atlas Arran Ultra L RCA Grun cables. If you want to get a better idea of just how much musical detail your equipment can resolve, I suggest you try them. Be warned, however, there may be no going back. 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Analogue interconnect with RCA jack terminations
  • Length: 1m pair
  • Conductor: OCC copper
  • Dielectric: Microporous PTFE
  • Shielding: Braid & Mylar, 100% 
  • Capacitance: 71.17 pF/m
  • Resistance: 0.0197 Ohm/m
  • Inductance: 0.332 µH/m
  • Price: £2,450, $3,500, €2,950 per 1m pair

Manufacturer

Atlas Cables

www.atlascables.com

+44 (0) 1563 572666

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Cambridge Audio EXA100 and EXN100

Sometimes, the arrival of a review product can trigger a keen feeling of déjà vu. I was treated to an incredibly potent dose when unboxing the Cambridge Audio EXA100 amp and EXN100 streamer from their boxes. In relatively recent history, I have reviewed both the CXN100 streamer and the CXA81 MkII amplifier from the company and confronted with the EX-devices, it is hard not to jump to the immediate conclusion that the company has sprayed the centre section black and doubled the price of each box. 

Naturally, Cambridge Audio is reasonably insistent that this is not the case. The EX models are best seen as gently enhancing the functionality of the CX devices while adding some of the engineering found in the range-topping Edge models. As the complex and elegant casework of the Edge models accounts for a significant part of their cost, it is logical that Cambridge Audio has elected to beef up the more affordable casework instead of trying to simplify an Edge. 

Similarities

Even allowing for this, the similarities between the EXA100 amp and the CXA81 MkII are more than skin-deep. The significant spread of inputs are identical. You get a single XLR input supported by three RCA inputs and another RCA input shared over input 1 with the XLR connection. There are separate stereo pre-outs and a mono subwoofer out. This is partnered with a digital board built around an ES9018K2M DAC. This further boosts connectivity with two optical, coaxial, and USB B inputs, and it supports Apt X HD Bluetooth. Maximum sample rate handling is via USB and extends to 384kHz PCM and DSD 256. 

The only alteration that the EXA100 makes over the cheaper amp is a good one. An HDMI eARC connection joins the digital board, making integrating it with a TV much more manageable. Moreover, this is an excellent implementation of HDMI ARC too. The EXA100 has fired up every time the TV has synced perfectly, regardless of the input it was powered down in, and then returned to standby when the screen was powered down.

This might sound trivial, but you would be surprised how many devices cannot do it. I also genuinely appreciate that the front panel has a direct input selection for every input mirrored on the remote handset, which controls the streamer. The trend for amps to rely on an input cycle at the point where they are gaining more inputs is a genuinely frustrating one, and this little detail makes the Cambridge Audio much more pleasant to use daily. 

Differences

The differences in the amplifier section itself are not night and day, but they are more apparent. The circuit still adapts the CXA81 MkII, but the power rises to 100 watts into eight ohms and 155 watts into four. This is a similar output to the Edge A integrated but uses an elaborate arrangement of counterwound transformers and can double its output into 4 ohms. Cambridge Audio has gone through the circuit from front to back and improved components where appropriate. Peer through the top panel, and you can see that the internals are altogether burlier than the CXA81 MkII.

The EXN100 follows a similar process. It is an evolved CXN100 and takes the form of a streaming preamp with 100-step volume control that acts in the digital domain instead of the analogue unit in the Edge NQ. Cambridge Audio has a strong track record with this type of streamer, dating back to the original Stream Magic 6 released over a decade ago. Like the CXN100, this uses an ESS ES9028Q2M DAC and, as well as wired and wireless networking, it can connect to external devices via a USB-B, optical and coaxial digital input sample rate handling is 768kHz PCM and DSD512. The sole addition to the connectivity is another HDMI ARC input. This works as well as the one on the amp but instead exemplifies how much connectivity overlap these two devices have.

Unchanged Magic

Something else that is unchanged is the 4th generation Stream Magic control app, but this is rather more of a good thing. Stream Magic eschews widgets for a level of carefully refined real-world usability that makes many other amps feel a bit broken. In addition to rendering a local library, you get Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, and Deezer support, an excellent internet radio implementation and AirPlay2 and Chromecast support to cover getting other content to the streamer. The EXN100 is also fully compatible with Roon as well should you wish. 

The EXN100 does a very reasonable job of justifying its existence as a standalone streamer, and it is perfectly specified to partner up with an entirely analogue integrated amp or connect directly to a power amp or pair of active speakers. What is slightly harder to justify is pairing it with the ‘matching’ amp. The EXA100 only needs a streaming interface to become a completely self-contained device, and I can see a few people baulking at the amount of doubled-up hardware in the matching streamer and choosing something more uncomplicated for the task. 

Looking good together

The two units do look very good together, though. While I will stand by my comments that the EX models look very similar to the CX units, crucially, they feel somewhat different. The casework is rather more substantial, and the points of contact, like the control knobs, have been beefed up and feel nicer as a result. The larger display of the EXN also makes more difference than I thought it might. The black strake on each unit has the unexpected benefit of making the EX models sit more happily with black devices than with the exclusively grey CX and Edge models. The build standard is also entirely in keeping with the competition at the asking price. 

I initially connected the EX devices up as a pair. I employed a pair of DALI Rubikore 2 speakers that I was thoroughly acclimatised to in the listening space and represented a price equivalent option. It didn’t take much time to realise that, in spite of their physical similarity to the CX line, there is rather more Edge in the sound of the new models. I’ve lived with an Edge A as a test amp for many years now, and it has a presentational style that I’d become very fond of at that time. EXA100 brings a significant chunk of it into its performance, too. 

Lively neutrality

This identity might best be summarised as ‘lively neutrality.’ As a duo, the EX units will not immediately grab you with the rhythmic urgency that some other devices at the price can… but no less importantly, you won’t sit there thinking they sound slow or confused. Then, after an hour or so, you can ask them to get stuck into A Certain Ratio’s ACR Loco [Mute], and there isn’t a single rhythm, beat or time signature on the album; and this being ACR, there are plenty, that the Cambridge Audio doesn’t get exactly right.

The phrase that pops up in my notes is ‘unforced intensity’; it is the closest summation I can get to what these two units do. They are perfectly content to go like the clappers. They simply avoid sounding frenetic as they do it.

Rhythmic brilliance

This rhythmic brilliance is partnered with a genuinely excellent tonal balance. When you ask for something that genuinely warrants the term ‘Audiophile’ like Ray LaMontagne’s Monovision [RCA], the experience is as gratifying as you would hope. The EX Duo opens the recordings into a gorgeous, three-dimensional experience anchored by LaMontagne’s lovely vocals, which sound believable and tangible. That same unforced feeling is manifested in the absence of emphasis on any part of the frequency response, which means you can focus on the performance as a whole.

The clever bit is that when you are done playing nice, you can dig out A Happy Medium by Sheafs [Modern Sky], and the result is still tremendously enjoyable. This is a congested, shouty mess of an album (although it still would be even if it were immaculately recorded). Still, the Cambridge Audios apply enough of their ability to soften and open out recordings to make the experience easier to listen to. Crucially, they don’t use so much that the intensity of the music is lost. If your collection is ‘a bit of everything’, there is an ability to make it all sound right that even some costly devices I’ve tested cannot match. With any given corner of that collection, there will always be a rival device that will play it slightly better, but pretty much everything will wilt against the sheer all-around ability of the EX units. 

The catch

The catch is that you can dispense with the EXN100 altogether, select a USB transport for the USB input of the EXA100 and experience much the same thing. Is the EXN better than the digital board in the EXA? Yes… but probably not enough to distract me from the vast amount of money I had just saved in ‘making do’ with the amp on its own. I brought the amp downstairs for another testing phase, connected the USB output from a Roon Nucleus, and ran the duo with a pair of Neat Petite Classics. The sound retained the same easy-going joyfulness that was present in both units. It’s very hard to look past how good the EXA100 is on its own. 

This would be bad news for the EXN100 if precisely the same thing didn’t apply to its solo performance. Shorn of the integrated, I connected up a Chord Electronics TToby power amplifier, and the resulting system was no less satisfying to listen to. The completeness of the digital inputs on the EXN100 that leave it feeling somewhat doubled up when placed with the amplifier is also its saving grace when used on its own. Suppose you have treated yourself to something like a Musical Fidelity A1. In that case, the EXN100 will supply you with every modern connection that the amp lacks while ensuring that nothing of the addictive presentation of the amp is in any way impinged by the Cambridge Audio. The EXN100 is nigh on a perfect digital source… only not perhaps for the ‘matching’ amplifier. 

No accident

The more time I have spent with them, the less I am inclined to believe this is an accident. I’m sure Cambridge Audio and its dealers are aware that amplifiers specified, like the EXA100 do not generally have much in the way of digital sources connected to them. Indeed, not using the EXN via the balanced input freed it up to be tested with the absurdly talented iFI ZEN Phono 3 using that connection with a Technics SL-1300G, and perfect the combination was, too. By specifying the EXN100 as they have, though, they’ve ensured that it is likely to be as successful as a standalone device as the amp. Whether a transport version of the EXN, keeping the aesthetics and interface but only having digital outputs, might be a worthwhile addition is one for Cambridge Audio to mull over in due course.

EXN rear

They don’t need to rush to decide though because whatever my slight reservations about the overlap in functionality, it doesn’t prevent these two products being absolutely phenomenal devices in their respective categories. However much they might look like their more affordable CX brethren, the EX models bring enough of the brilliance of the Edge devices down to a more affordable price as to be very special indeed. The Cambridge Audio EXA100 and EXN100 might still result in a feeling of déjà vu but when you have spent some time with them you might be surprised that feeling comes from above rather than below. 

Technical specifications

EXA100 

  • Power Output 100W RMS into 8 Ohms @ <1%THD+N, 155W RMS into 4 Ohms @ 1kHz <1%THD+N
  • DAC ES9018K2M
  • Frequency Response <3Hz – >40kHz +/-1dB
  • Analogue Inputs 4x RCA 1x XLR
  • Digital Inputs 2x optical, 1 x coax, 1x USB-B, 1x HDMI eARC
  • Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD
  • Headphone Output
  • Subwoofer Output
  • THD (Unweighted) <0.002% 1kHz at 80% of rated power (8 Ohms) | <0.02% 20Hz – 20kHz at 80% of rated power
  • S/N Ratio (REF 1W) >91 dB
  • Crosstalk @1kHz >90
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 115 x 430 x 341mm 
  • Weight: 12.8kg 
  • Price: £1,999, £2,199, €2,199

EXN100 

  • DAC ESS ES9028Q2M
  • Display Screen 4.76” IPS TFT – 1280 x 569
  • Digital inputs 1x optical, 1x coaxial, 1x USB-B 1x HDMI eARC
  • Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD
  • Analogue Outputs 1x RCA 1x XLR
  • Digital outputs 1x coax 1x optical
  • PCM up to 32-bit 768kHz, DSD up to x512 File system support FAT32, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, 
  • Roon Ready
  • Audio Formats ALAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD (x512), WMA, MP3, AAC, HE AAC, AAC+, OGG Vorbis
  • THD @ 1kHz 0dBFs < 0.0005 %
  • Frequency Response 20Hz-20kHz +/- 0.1dB
  • Crosstalk @1kHz < -120dB
  • Signal to Noise Ratio (Ref 1W) > 120dBr
  • Dimensions (W x H x D) 430 x 90 x 305mm
  • Weight 4.1kg
  • Price: £1,599, $1,799, €1,799

Manufacturer

Cambridge Audio

www.cambridgeaudio.com

+44(0)207 940 2200

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Antipodes Audio Oladra

Do you remember that scene from The Shining? The one where the late Shelley Duvall discovers the “All Work and No Play” contents of Jack Nicholson’s ‘novel’? My listening notes for the Antipodes Audio Oladra music server were like those typed pages. They kept returning to one phrase: It’s about time!

As the name suggests, Antipodes Audio is from the other side of the planet. The company comes from Otaki on the North Island of New Zealand. This is some 45 miles from the capital, Wellington. Antipodes Audio is an overnight sensation in the high-end audio world. And, as with any overnight sensation, that’s based on more than 20 years of hard work. The brand has been working on computer audio since 2009 and made its first commercially available server two years later. It also operates a high-end distribution agency – Emotion Audio – and an on-site demonstration facility. This is not just a side hustle for a manufacturer. Antipodes Audio exposes itself constantly to the crucible of real-world listeners. No ivory tower for this brand.

Two houses…

Forgive the skewering of English grammar, but the Oladra is Antipodes Audio’s flagship servers. The singular/plural clash is deliberate because the Oladra is two music server-side products in one elegant box. The machined alloy case houses a server computer and a player computer. Chassis aside, these computers share little more than a power inlet. Both run on a Linux computer platform, but with custom code for their task. This means the Antipodes Audio Oladra performs its server duties fast and reliably. Meanwhile, the player presents the rest of your system with the best possible music source. 

‘Music server’ is not a high-pressure activity for a computer. There’s no call for an enterprise-grade device receiving thousands of file requests every second. But ‘music server’ is a specialist activity. Separating tasks this way takes some heavy lifting from the player section, moving the needle from ‘worrying about the occasional drop-out’ to ‘maximising sonic performance’.

You want options?

A music server – especially one that neatly divides between ‘server’ and ‘player’ – needs to be flexible. This is where the Emotion Audio part comes in very handy. Distributing DACs from brands such as Aavik, Ideon, and MSB (and others) means Antipodes Audio knows – first-hand – that a case-by-case installation will outperform a more uniform approach. For Oladra, Antipodes Audio features both Server (core) and Player (endpoint) applications for Squeeze (now known as ‘Lyrion’), Roon and HQPlayer. It also includes a range of DLNA-type music servers, such as MinimServer, and MiniDLNA and Lyrion Media Server, which can be paired with MPD (a DLNA player). Oladra is JPlay certified. Any of these server apps can be streamed to compatible third-party endpoints. There’s even support for SONOS or PLEX.

All these options are accessible and configurable through the ‘AMS Orchestration layer’, an online dashboard for Antipodes Audio products on that local network. This flexibility of ‘back office’ core and endpoint options mean you can tailor your Oladra to suit your system perfectly. For example, someone using a Linn DS product might gravitate toward MinimServer, or a combination of MinimServer and MPD, while a dCS user might opt for LMS/Squeezeserver with Roon or Jplay (and maybe dCS Mosaic, which works exceptionally well with the Antipodes Audio system).

An advantage to the two-computer concept begins to emerge here. Sometimes, the one-hit solution isn’t the best way of doing things. For example, while there is near-universal love for Roon’s endpoint software, some prefer it with another server software. That’s hard to do when using a combination of server and player. By using two hardware platforms, Oladra is fine-tuned for you and your system. 

Rip and store

The AMS dashboard also allows provision for bit-perfect ripping of discs. Using a third-party USB-based drive plugged into the player’s rear, the server will do all the usual tasks of cover trawling and metadata population. As a bit-perfect ripper, this doesn’t allow real-time disc replay. It can take a long time to work through a disc too, but the results are worth the effort. Yes, many think that the ship has sailed and that Qobuz and Tidal are the way forward. And yes, most server users who claim Qobuz and Tidal are the way forward came to that conclusion after ripping about a dozen discs and deciding life is too short to carry on. But the Antipodes Audio Oladra is not most servers. Playing back those ripped discs is such a joy, you find yourself seeking out CDs to rip. 

Secret pleasures

This is one of Oladra’s secret pleasures. CDs are in the same place LPs were just before the start of the vinyl revival. Back in the late 2000s, LPs were cheap. If you could get one, the LP could be bought for peanuts, and the CD would still command premium prices. Now, things are very different. CDs are remaindered, sold at a discount and fill up the shelves of charity shops and thrift stores worldwide. You can come home with a suitcase full of CDs for less than the cost of a decent dinner. Today, that same ‘decent dinner’ would net you a handful of LPs. CD is so cheap because streaming has ‘replaced’ CD… except when you rip them to your Oladra and discover just how much music CD replay left hidden in the shadows.

Storing those tracks gives you a choice of NAS drives on your local network or three rear slots for SSD storage. These narrow 2.5” SATA slots allow the user to hold up to 24TB of music across the trio of enterprise-grade solid-state drives. They are not hot-swappable, meaning if, in the unlikely event that one fails or 24TB isn’t enough, you must power down the Oladra and change drives. On the other hand, having 24TB of storage in the best possible performance means a whole music collection for most people, even if stored in uncompressed WAV files. It’s only if you have more than 5,700 SACD albums stored in uncompressed form that you might begin to need to consider other options.

It’s about time

In listening to the Antipodes Audio Oladra, it exposed a part of music that we used to take for granted when LP and tape were uppermost; timing. While the Oladra is excellent at all the usual things we come to expect from digital audio (detail, dynamic range, tonal accuracy), it’s the ability to present the music in a temporally-ordered fashion that was something more akin to good analogue than the best in digital… until now. And that hits you seconds into the first piece of music you play. It’s a ‘hang on a moment’ part, as that track gets under your skin.

You don’t just hear the recording on a cerebral level; you feel it as if it it’s there with you, temporally precise and focused the way nothing else can. That degree of precision to timing is more atavistic that descriptive; it’s like the difference between hearing a live band and a recording; you know instinctively that it’s a guitar, not a recording of a guitar… and the Oladra gets you closer to the original than most.

The hardest part of dealing with the Antipodes Audio Oladra is defining why it’s so good. It’s not simply about the usual audio bits; those test recordings came and went perfectly, but they were quickly proving uninformative; everything you want the music to do from an audiophile perspective, it does well, sending an uncolored, detailed, articulate and precise sound to your DAC. Your DAC becoming the main arbiter of performance given what its fed is as good as it gets. But you soon abandon those tracks just to play things for sheer enjoyment. Whether it was Chase & Status banging out some drum ‘n’ bass or Louis Armstrong playing cornet almost a century ago, it’s all about the feels, and that – above all things – is what Oladra does that others don’t!

No, it’s about time

The ability to set aside what we thought were intrinsic limitations of digital makes the Antipodes Audio Oladra something more than a music server. It makes it a time machine. You play those records from your past as if it’s the first time you heard them. You then start to appreciate music from other people’s pasts in the same way. I got more out of 1950s do-wop bands from the Antipodes Audio Oladra than I have experienced before, and they weren’t my memories, because I wasn’t around when they happened. But tracks you dig up from the past sound fresh and new. Even your own well-worn tracks like ‘Hurricane’ by Bob Dylan sound like the first time you heard them. And that makes you remember what you were doing then, too. It’s an uncanny experience.

I risk being burned at the stake for saying this, but the Oladra makes the need to play LP become more of an ‘option’ and less of a ‘mandatory requirement.’ You don’t get the same physical contact with a digital file as with an LP. Still, in sheer musical terms, the experience of extracting musical enjoyment is at least on par with the best you can get from LP, digital discs, or even open-reel tape. I won’t labour this point as I can already hear an angry mob forming, and I’m allergic to pitchforks. Regardless, it shows how far things have moved forward with the Antipodes Audio Oladra.

The price of admission – even if you look to the Kala products rather than the Oladra – is steep until you hear what it can do. But that throws down a gauntlet for other server-side companies. How close to the Antipodes Audio Oladra’s performance can you attain at lower price points? For now, this is a question left out in the open, but the challenge is there. I doubt Oladra’s performance will be easy to replicate without the result having a similar price tag, simply because this is a lot more than a couple of computers and some SSDs in a box. But good digital audio at all levels needs a game-raiser, and the Antipodes Audio Oladra is just that.

Finally, there’s a nod to be made to Ivor Tiefenbrun of Linn Products. Half a century ago, he tore up the rule book. He ignored the received wisdom to stress the importance of the source component. To use a computing term, “garbage in, garbage out”. In hi-fi terms, the quality of the source is the defining and limiting factor in a good audio system. Over the years, that message has been diluted somewhat thanks to outstanding audio electronics and loudspeakers. However, the Antipodes Audio Oladra proves Ivor was on to something. It still holds to this day. 

Put it this way: I would rather have Oladra running a more modest system than have absolute top-end audio driven by a more off-the-shelf server. Little wonder then that the makers of those top-end components have been quietly shifting to the Oladra as part of their front-end electronics.

No, really, it’s about time

If I repeat that ‘it’s about time’ phrase, it’s for a reason. Three reasons in fact; two of which have been explained. But it is about time that the high-end took streaming seriously. And the Antipodes Audio Oladra takes high-end streaming seriously. It delivers the performance that uncompromising high-enders demand of their other formats. This means online, especially locally stored computer-based music, finally stands for something more than ‘music discovery’.

Let’s not ignore the importance of Qobuz, Tidal, and even Spotify in helping us find new music. Roon’s functionality makes that great, too. But once we’ve ‘discovered’ a piece of music, genre or musician, that’s the time when the Antipodes Audio Oladra steps up. You will want to dive deep into that music. You’ll also want to do it from local storage because it sounds so genuinely fantastic. It’s also one of the few servers that deserves to be on show because it looks as good as it sounds.

Quad Electrostatics, Linn LP12s, Krell KSA-50s, Wilson WATT/Puppys and Nordost Odin. A select group of products that came to define audio performance. They were—and in many cases, still are—a standard by which musical performance in the home is measured. The Antipodes Audio Oladra joins that select group. Audio has taken a big step forward here. 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Dedicated music server player
  • Inputs: 2x Ethernet (RJ45), 2x USB-A
  • Outputs: 1x USB-A, Coaxial/RCA S/PDIF, Coaxial/BNC S/PDIF, optical S/PDIF, 1x AES3 XLR, 2x I2S (HDMI, RJ45)
  • Storage: 3-Bay SSD user-installable SSD Slide-Ins up to 24TB
  • Formats supported: 
  • Ethernet, USB 2.0; PCM to 32/768, DoP to DSD256, native DSD to DSD512. 
  • AES3; PCM to 24/192 and DoP to DSD64
  • S/PDIF; PCM to 24/192 and DoP to DSD64
  • I2S; PCM to 32/384, DoP to DSD256, and Native DSD to DSD512. 
  • Finish: anodised silver or black, with polished stainless steel and chrome highlights
  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 44.5x8x40cm
  • Weight: 21kg
  • Price: £28,888

Manufacturer

Antipodes Audio

www.antipodes.audio

UK distributor

Absolute Sounds

www.absolutesounds.com

+44(0)20 8971 3909

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Thrax Audio Sirens

Quietly, Bulgarian hi-fi company Thrax Audio has transformed. No longer just a maker of high-end audio electronics, Thrax has become a company providing complete audiophile solutions. The brand focuses on outstanding preamps, power amplifiers, and integrated amplifiers. And models like the Thrax Audio Sirens stand-mount loudspeaker show its adeptness in the audio builder’s art.

Sirens follow the successful Lyra two-way, three-driver rear-ported stand-mount, the first loudspeaker from Thrax Audio. The plan was to make the Sirens behave entirely consistent with the D’Appolito-based mid-tweeter-mid Lyra, but in a smaller, more conventional two-driver, two-way rear-ported design. That plan could only be achieved due to developments in drive unit technology. It worked, and the Sirens’ one mid-bass unit delivers virtually the same performance as a pair of custom magnesium cone mid-woofers. That development is the introduction of the PuriFi drive units, which are transforming the performance of many high-end loudspeakers worldwide.

Sultry and moistened

Calling your loudspeakers ‘Sirens’ is a tough call. It calls up images of half-woman, half-bird creatures that lured Ancient Greek seafarers to their deaths with their alluring voices. Conversely, you are reminded of emergency alarm systems, blaring warnings of impending air raids or tsunamis. I prefer to think of them as the sultry and moistened washerwomen from the Coen brothers’ movie from 2000, O Brother, Where Art Thou? Their siren song – ‘Go To Sleep You Little Baby’ written for the film and performed by Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss – was one of the high points in a movie filled with high points. And like that lullaby, the Sirens call – the Thrax one – stays with you. 

Like the Thrax Audio Sirens’ bigger, older Lyra brother, the tweeter is a 25mm ring-diaphragm high-frequency unit. It is developed by the German professional audio brand BMS. This comparatively unusual design features a neodymium magnet in a deep, elliptical, solid aluminium horn. This horn is not an arbitrary shape but results from years of research in Thrax’s native Bulgaria. 

The driver choice inside that horn is also the result of extensive listening tests by Thrax’s founder and chief designer, Rumen Artarski. In developing the Lyra, Artarski auditioned all other types of tweeters in various materials. He found that most fail to deliver at the lower end of their spectrum. This is a significant issue in a two-way design where the tweeter is expected to handle at least some midrange component. Artarski gets a tweeter that works well with mid/bass drivers – without adding a midrange – by using a compression tweeter with a ring diaphragm. Also, the unique waveguide shape gets over the quacking, shouty sound of horns of the past.

Win-win

A tweeter system with this degree of sophistication is only a win-win if matched with a suitably adept mid-bass. In the Lyra, that’s a pair of SEAS Excel units. These are state-of-the-art drivers… from the mid-2010s. However, driver technology has moved on, and the Siren features a single 170mm Ushindi mid-woofer from newcomer PuriFi. Launched in 2019, the PuriFi project is the brainchild of Bruno Putzeys and Lars Risbo – the brightest people in any room not containing Nobel laureates – and makes Class D amplifier modules and Ushindi transducers. While the most visible difference between PuriFi drivers and others is the unusual ‘inny-outy’ corrugated surround, it’s a tabula rasa design intended to improve linearity and lower distortion at any volume level. The result is a long-throw cone with a large, innovative, and extraordinarily linear motor system. It, too, is the product of years of research.

The PuriFi driver has become a panacea in European high-end loudspeaker circles. However, it cannot be a direct swap for an existing drive unit. A driver with significantly lower distortion, superior linearity and power handling will show up even the most minor idiosyncrasies elsewhere in the loudspeaker design. Such a ‘no quarter’ drive unit tests the mettle of design and designer alike; many are found wanting. Thrax wasn’t! The Thrax Audio Sirens’ thick aluminium baffles front and rear, which can also be seen in the Lyra, greatly help. However, the rest of the cabinet is now cross-braced birch ply, wrapped in leather. At the rear are a small, slightly flared rear port, a single pair of multi-way Aeco binding posts, and 14 large Allen bolts to hold the loudspeaker together.

Well constructed

Inside the Thrax Audio Sirens is a well-constructed crossover network using some of the best components. However, as these are sealed and potted (to limit the adverse effects of vibration), we have to assume that the crossover does feature wax-impregnated foil-wound inductors and silver foil capacitors on the tweeter. Its internal wiring is all custom OCC copper.

The Thrax Audio Sirens are best used on high-mass 24” stands, rigidly floor-coupled, kept away from walls, and with a mild-toe-in. They also need to be very well-fed. Since Thrax Audio offers several amplifiers capable of handling that task, it’s a good starting point. Beyond that, however, the loudspeaker is an 87dB efficient design with a pleasingly flat four-ohm impedance and 250W power handling. In other words, you could use everything from a low-power single-ended triode design to a powerhouse of an amplifier without a problem. Thanks to its headroom, the amp slightly favours the meatier end of the market, so quality and quantity would be a good choice. They aren’t unduly fussy, though.

This sounds like the worst kind of faint praise, but it isn’t. The Thrax Audio Sirens are some of the most benign-sounding loudspeakers in their category. Everything has great poise and balance. They make music sound effortless and – fed by a large amplifier – far more dynamic than you would expect from a loudspeaker of this size and volume. They fill out a room far more significantly than similarly-sized stand-mounts – they give many floorstanders a good run for the money – and are surprisingly ‘volume agnostic’ – you can play them at Whispering Around Midnight levels or at head-in-the-bass-bin-at-a-Mogwai-gig levels (well, almost; the Mogwai thing would end in severe hearing damage, but you get my drift).

Benign

This benign nature is its greatest boon, but listeners must be entirely new to audio or willing to reset their standards. Over the years, those who have become accustomed to the distortions, colorations, and limitations of conventional ‘cone and dome’ loudspeakers might find them hard to overcome. This is especially true for those of us who listen to a lot of live music through public address systems – even excellent ones. There will be a few minutes of wondering where all the fireworks went before they realise they are precisely where they should be. They are on the recording.

I noticed this by playing two of my regular test recordings back-to-back: ‘Polly Ann’s Hammer’ by Our Native Daughters from Songs of Our Native Daughters [Smithsonian Folkways] and ‘Chameleon’ from Trentemøller [The Last Resort, Poker Flat]. I tend not to mention the Our Native Daughters album too much because I use the first track, ‘Black Myself,’ mainly as a ‘palette cleanser’ to re-orient myself to the speakers in the room. However, it stayed on this time, and the bluegrass-esque track six is all-acoustic; the only electronics are in the recording chain. The Trentemøller track is a total contrast; every sound is synthesised and processed. 

Distinct differences

On the Thrax Audio Sirens, it wasn’t just that the differences between the two were distinct; the intellectual and even philosophical differences between them were more marked. The acoustic Our Native Daughters track didn’t come with any extra padding or added warmth; it just sounded like a blend of blues, spiritual, and bluegrass, with all the intensity and power that track has. Trentemøller lost none of its drive and energy – and had the sort of bass depth unexpected from a box this size – but the absence of speaker distortion and lack of the cabinet joining in for a spot of bass boost took longer to parse than the acoustic track.

That said, the acclimatisation process took about a minute or so, by which time the atavistic fear of ‘big things about to eat you’ took hold. This is – and should be – a scary track, full of deep noises that hit you in the ‘fight or flight’ part of your brainstem. However, having played it so many times, most of the digits have worn flat, and that feeling is held in check. Not this time, and as it now only comes out to scare with huge, full-range loudspeakers, that is one hell of a feat of clarity on the Sirens’ part.

Song to the Siren

I couldn’t resist playing Larry Beckett and Tim Buckley’s ‘Song to the Siren’ but chose the This Mortal Coil version [It’ll End In Tears, 4AD] from 1983 rather than the Tim Buckley original from 1970. That one hit me in the feels; Elizabeth Fraser’s swooping, soaring vocals and Robin Guthrie’s guitar wizardry are atmospheric and brooding. The whole track takes on an ethereal quality that the Thrax Audio Sirens revel in.

You are immersed in a rich, dense soundstage like the musical equivalent of a dreamlike, floating world. You do feel like you are being drawn toward your fate on this track, and the Thrax loudspeakers brought that out perfectly, thanks to their absence of coloration and outstanding imagery. Notably, the track avoids the syrupy sound, a trap it often falls into. The sound is rich and sensual, but it lacks the cloudiness and stodginess that usually plague it when played on small speakers with too much upper-midrange bloom.

Not a showcase

This wasn’t the track to showcase dynamic range, although it is surprisingly good at teasing out the subtleties of phrasing and changes in instrument dynamics within a track. There’s so much going on in the mix that it’s easy to get lost in it, but you become aware of those remarkable changes in dynamics that Elizabeth Fraser is capable of. What often sounds like ‘warbling’ in many loudspeakers is presented here as an uncanny simultaneous pitch, tone, and intensity vibrato.

In more immediate dynamic range terms, I went to Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances [Zinman, Baltimore SO, Telarc] and the force of the orchestra is presented exceptionally well. The Thrax Audio Sirens cope with the pianissimo woodwinds, and the fortissimo percussion-led orchestra swells with equal aplomb. Once again, this gets close to being a magic trick when played from a loudspeaker of this size; close your eyes and there’s a three-way floorstander in the room.

Everything, everywhere, all at once

I felt like I had to cram as much music as possible into the Thrax Audio Sirens. Partly, that was to test them, but mostly because I wanted to hear my music unimpeded by the loudspeakers. Of course, it’s possible to get loudspeakers that do something similar and even loudspeakers that do more than the Sirens. But you’ll pay handsomely in both size and price. And in that cramming music into the Sirens, I found a final joy to them; they are remarkably adept at playing recordings at the level they should be played. This is long forgotten in audio, but some pieces of music are best played loud [I’m looking at you, Infected Mushroom], and some are best played quietly [Bill Evans]. You’ll find each recording’s Goldilocks point quickly with the Sirens.

Of course, that also requires a loudspeaker that can play loudly and quietly without strain or changes in tonality. That’s where the joy of the Sirens shines through. I can play ‘End of the Road’ by said fungal band [Legend of the Black Shawarma, Infected Mushroom, Perfecto] at ear-splitting levels without the loudspeaker straining, or I could play it so quietly I could whisper over it and enjoy the track. Similarly, if I put on ‘The Pan Piper’ from Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain [Columbia] – or especially ‘Peace Piece’ by Bill Evans [Everybody Digs Bill Evans, Riverside], I could play it at talk-over levels or a full-throated roar. However, why anyone would want to play ‘Peace Piece’ at anything beyond ‘reflective’ levels is beyond me, because the Sirens find the volume sweet spot for each record fast.

Important

The Thrax Audio Siren is an important loudspeaker. It shows what can be done with a relatively small two-way stand-mount design when the gloves are off. The effortless compression driver digs well into the midrange, and the PuriFi driver reduces distortion across the band. This combination sets the standard for this type and size of loudspeaker. It makes many of its rivals sound small and colored, and to get something better, you need a bigger loudspeaker and a bigger wallet. 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Two-way, bass-reflex stand-mount loudspeaker
  • Drivers: 1x 25mm ring-diaphragm compression tweeter, 1x 170mm PuriFi mid-woofer
  • Frequency Response: 36Hz-20kHz
  • Sensitivity: 87dB/1m/2.83V
  • Impedance: 4Ω
  • Maximum power handling: 250W
  • Finish: Anodised aluminium front and rear panels, red or black leather-wrapped cabinet
  • Dimensions (WxDxH): 21x34x34cm
  • Weight: 20kg

Price: £10,500, $13,600, €12,480 per pair

Manufacturer

Thrax Audio

www.thraxaudio.com

UK distributor

Lotus Hi-Fi

www.lotushifi.co.uk

+44(0)7887 852513

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