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Trilogy 914 preamp and 994 mono power amplifiers

Trilogy has a small but growing range of amplifier products. Two integrated amplifiers, three line-only preamplifiers, a stereo and two mono power amplifiers, two headphone amplifiers (one dedicated for use with electrostatic designs) and a phono stage. The 914 preamplifier and 994 mono power amplifiers are the latest in a long line of understated amplifier excellence.

The founder and designer Nic Poulson made his audio bones in the BBC’s broadcast engineering department. The excellence-driven goals of the BBC of the 1980s never left him. They have been at the core of Trilogy since the brand started in 1990.

Drive to excellence

This drive to excellence is why Trilogy amplifiers are not bristling with streamers or on-board DACs. That’s not a fear of digital; Nic’s amps have extremely sophisticated digital control options. It’s that convenience often comes at a cost. Placing a DAC, a streamer, a phono stage and a line preamplifier in one box costs sound quality. And, for Nic, that’s too high a price to pay. Even though we are in a convenience-led world, and many want the same name on everything, that resolute ‘do what you know best’ approach is worth its weight in gold.

The 914 preamplifier is a fully balanced, zero-feedback design. It has three balanced and three single-ended inputs and one balanced and single-ended output. Switching between inputs is performed by relay, so you get a little ‘click-clack’ rather than a selector switch (the sort of ‘belt and braces’ approach the BBC instilled in Nic; relays won’t wear out after a decade or so).

In a way, this is a trickle-down version of Trilogy’s 915R flagship preamplifier. You might also consider the 914 as a logic-controlled set of power supplies designed to drive 6H6P high-transconductance tubes. Inside the chassis, there are three transformers (one for valve heaters, one for high-tension supplies, and one for ancillary control electronics), along with four shunt-regulated power supplies.

The amp is passcode protected, and the logic circuit allows many adjustments, including labelling devices, gain trimming, display brightness, sleep countdown, timed switch on, and more. The rotary switch and buttons on the front panel control all of this. There’s also a spiffy metal remote.

Mini-Me

If the 914 is a ‘Mini-Me’ of the 915R, then the 994 monos are a slimmer version of the larger 995R monos. Not really ‘slimmed down’ in that it can run at 140W in Class AB into an eight-ohm loudspeaker load. However, physically it’s a slimline design, with each one about the size of a large toaster. In an audio industry that seems to judge performance by physical size and weight, you need to set those preconceptions aside with the Trilogy 991 and 994 mono amps. These are big hitters, just not in a big box.

Like the bigger 995R, the zero feedback 994 can operate in Class A, providing a 20W output. There’s also a ‘tweener’ ecoA mode that behaves like Class A during music playback but reduces the bias when there’s no signal. I’m sure there’s a difference between Class A and ecoA, but it’s sonically minor. The LED on the panel displays status, and you can toggle between the classes by pressing buttons. Trilogy enhances heat dissipation by making the heatsink a feature of the front panel, and I think it looks pretty good. Once again, this hybrid amplifier uses the 6H6P ‘supertube’ in a grounded grid configuration to drive the compound output stage.

Chocolate

There’s something infinitely captivating and enjoyable about the sound of Trilogy’s 914 and 994, especially when used together. Curiously, they both deliver a similarly refined, rich, deep and warm tone that one might expect to yield something excessively soft and lush. Instead, the combination produces an engaging and musically adept sound— a kind of dark, chocolatey richness.

Sounds are beautifully placed within a deep, naturally layered soundstage. It doesn’t matter whether that soundstage is a small jazz club or a large orchestral space; the size and scale of that space are very accurate, and there in the room with you. Each sound on that stage has its own shape and tonality. This may seem like no big deal, but the more you listen to the Trilogy combination, the more you appreciate it.

The amplifiers deliver the sort of deft, harmonically well-structured, textured sound you expect from the absolute pinnacle products. I overuse the Joyce DiDonato album Stella Di Napoli [Erato] but for a reason; it highlights everything mentioned above. It’s a layered, spatially precise piece of music and – while it never sounds bad – it can be thrown off by DiDonato’s powerful mezzo-soprano obscuring the subtlety and elegance of the other musicians. Here, the interplay is rendered beautifully and perfectly; ‘beautiful’ is entirely apt here as it’s a sound of such grace and scale you find yourself drawn into the elegance of the music itself.

Well-balanced

It’s a remarkably well-balanced sound, with no accent on any part of the sonic signature and just a hint of richness. That means that when you get out of Bel canto mode and want to play something with a bit of a beat, the Trilogy 914 and 994 rises (or, in the case of playing ‘Baddadan’ by Chase & Status [2 RUFF, Vol.1, EMI] sinks) to the occasion perfectly. I quickly stopped taking notes and started taking in music. There’s a good, weighty bass to the sound when called for, that gives anything from big band to choral music a sense of weight and rootedness that’s extremely attractive.

However, it’s only when called upon; there’s no point giving ‘Laura’ by Natasha Khan/Bat For Lashes [The Haunted Man, Parlophone] too much bass, at least until the strings kick in. And that’s exactly what the Trilogy duo do so well; her voice and piano playing are exceptionally well rendered, but when the strings join in, they come as a surprise. Normally it’s just ‘oh, they threw in a string section’, but the freedom of dynamic expression coupled with the open and spatial qualities of the amps make that happen beautifully.

Class A or AB

These conclusions were drawn up in Class A mode, played through my regular loudspeakers. Switching to Class AB traded some of the effortlessness for slightly more dynamism and some added heft to the bass. However, it wasn’t that the Class A operation had less slam and impact or that the Class AB version lacked fluidity. It was simply that there was slight perceptual shift in performance between the modes.

In truth, most people need never move out of Class A (or ecoA) unless they are into playing Mogwai albums at concert levels in the home. All of which makes you wonder; if the Trilogy 914 and 994 combination is this good, what do you get when you go up to Trilogy’s 915R preamp and 995R amps apart from balanced input in the power amp?

Consistent similarity

While comparisons are odious, there’s a consistent similarity in sound that I feel needs to be addressed here. There is a striking similarity in performance between the 994 and the Robert Koda Takumi K-160. Both amps possess excellent transparency, good imaging and image solidity, a high degree of refinement and grace in the sound, and a great sense of rhythm. In Class A operation, the Trilogy 994s come extremely close in most of these key performance aspects.

The difference is the Trilogy are hybrid designs, aren’t as richly finished and you won’t face an 18-month-long waiting list to own a pair of Trilogy 994s. The Trilogy 994s also cost one-eighth as much as a pair of K-160s. Over 95% of the performance for 12.5% of the price sounds like a pretty good deal. They meet the same target audience: those who think most modern audio systems are too brash and forward. And if you think most modern audio isn’t pitched forward and a little bright, you’ll still respect Trilogy’s refined sound, even if that isn’t your preference. If something’s good enough that those who aren’t in its sonic wheelhouse still appreciate what it does, you know that’s a bit of a winner.

No hair shirts

Good preamplifiers are often the most ‘hair-shirt’ in approach. The Trilogy 914 is a rare exception: a tremendous sounding preamplifier that allows a lot of user control. But even the 914 pales compared to the 994s. These are some of the best-sounding power amplifiers I have ever heard, irrespective of price. The combination works exceptionally well, too.

I’m usually pretty good at second-guessing the price of a product based on its performance, build, weight and so on. I’m generally correct within a ±10% margin. So, here’s a perfectly good £25,000 preamp paired with a pair of £40,000 per channel mono power amps (which sound like £160,000 per channel mono amps with the wind in the right direction)… that happens to be £13,000 and £10,750, respectively. The Trilogy 914 and 994 amplifiers are the best little secret in the audio world.

Technical specifications

914 preamplifier

Inputs: 3x XLR pair (balanced), 3x RCA pair (single-ended)
Input impedance: > 40kΩ (balanced), > 24kΩ (single-ended)
Outputs: 1x XLR pair (balanced), 1x RCA pair (single-ended), 1x RCA pair for send/tape output
Output Impedance: 400Ω
Output Gain (to main output): 24dB
Frequency Response: 10Hz-150kHz ±0.5dB
Dimensions (WxHxD): 46.5×11.5x37cm
Weight: 12.4kg
Price: £13,000, $15,500, €16,900

994 mono power amplifiers

Inputs: 1x RCA (single-ended only)
Input impedance: 200kΩ
Input sensitivity: 1.1V RMS for rated output
Gain: 31dB
Power output (Class AB): 140W into 8Ω/200W into 4Ω
Power output (Class A): 20W into 8Ω (usable power, 30W into 8Ω, 55W into 4Ω)
Recommended load impedance: 2-16Ω
Frequency Response: 2Hz-100kHz ±0.5dB
Distortion: Less than 1% A-weighted at rated output into 8Ω
Dimensions (WxHxD, including connectors): 19×31.2x40cm per channel
Weight: 25kg per channel
Price: £10,750, $14,000, €14,000 per channel

Manufacturer

Trilogy Audio Systems

Homepage: https://www.trilogyaudio.com

Products

914: https://www.trilogyaudio.com/preamplifiers

944: https://www.trilogyaudio.com/poweramplifiers

Where to buy: https://www.trilogyaudio.com/in-the-uk

https://www.trilogyaudio.com/in-the-world

+44(0)1789 641 186

Music Interview: Engelbert Humperdinck

2024 was a big year for Engelbert Humperdinck – the legendary British singer, who turned 89 earlier this month.

Decca Records launched a major reissue campaign of his back catalogue, including his ‘60s albums, Release Me and A Man Without Love, and his Last Waltz Farewell Tour continues in the US, ending in December, 2025.

hi-fi+ spoke to him over Zoom – he was in L.A – and got him to reflect on his impressive career, which has lasted more than 60 years, seen him sell over 140 million records worldwide, embrace a range of styles, including Easy Listening, pop, dance, gospel and country, and, in 2022, receive an MBE for services to music.

“I’ve had an amazing life – I have no regrets,” he tells us.

SH: You’ve had an incredible career, starting out as Gerry Dorsey in the late ‘50s, before changing your name and then finding fame in the ‘60s. How does it feel to be celebrating more than 60 years in showbiz?

EH: I think I’m one of the oldest pop artists around today – I still consider myself a pop artist… I’ve called this tour The Last Waltz Farewell Tour and I’ve just finished a tour of Australia – it was a sell-out. I did eight shows, and it was unbelievable. The critics were so kind and said wonderful things about me. As the lyrics say, I just hope this last waltz will last forever…

Why has your career endured for so long? Is it because you’ve tried different things? You’re a pop entertainer who’s known for Easy Listening, but you’ve experimented too – you made a dance album in the ‘90s, and you’ve also recorded country and gospel-roots records…

I try to keep up with what’s going on in the world today. The fact that I made a dance album was fantastic – I think it was done very well. The gospel album was kind of underdone – it didn’t show the glossy side of it. It was nominated for a Grammy – it didn’t win, but that’s OK… as long as it was recognised.

I’ve done a lot of different genres – I think it’s important to try everything out.

Although I’m a ballad singer, I love good quality music with good lyrical content and melodies – music that lasts forever.

Some of the songs that I sing in my show today were recorded 58 years ago and they still get the same reaction now as they did when I first recorded them – it’s amazing. People clap their hands and sing along – people want to live by the lyrics and relate to them. That’s the kind of songs I like to deliver.

At the moment, I’m doing a concept album – it’s amazing because it’s out of my comfort zone. Cleopatra Records are doing their best to make it a good project for me. I’ve only recorded five songs so far – I’ve got a long way to go before I finish it.

What’s the concept for the album?

It’s a different type of music to what I’m accustomed to singing. I don’t know whether Cleopatra wants me to talk about it… I just did a song on my last tour by the band Journey – that will give you an idea of the kind of songs I’m going to sing.

Hopefully it will be another stepping stone in my career, which has reached levels that I never thought it would reach. I’m just happy that I’m still making the effort and climbing the stairs to paradise.

What music do you remember hearing at home as a kid?

When I was very young, I didn’t think I was going to be in the music industry – I didn’t go out and buy records.

I couldn’t afford it and I listened to what was on the radio. If you go back 75 or 80 years, that’s a hell of a long time ago… The people that were around then were Bing Crosby and Perry Como… Little did I know when I listened to Bing Crosby on the radio, that one day I would sing with that legend – I sang with him on one of his TV shows. I got to meet legendary people that I never dreamed I’d meet, like Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. – all those guys.

Photo by Greg Gorman

You’re 89 and still touring – how do you keep in shape and look after your voice?

I respect my body – I know that if you don’t, you won’t be able to do the things that you do well.

My voice? As you get older, your vibrato gets slower – mine has almost disappeared, and it’s like I’ve got a new style of singing at the age of 88. It’s just unbelievable that my pipes are in a very contemporary form right now.

What have been some of your career highlights? You received an MBE in 2022 – that must’ve been great…

The MBE was quite something – our late queen gave me the honour and Princess Anne presented it to me. She did an amazing job – I respect her so much for that.

The funny thing about having the name Engelbert Humperdinck… I’ve always wanted something to differentiate me from the guy who wrote Hansel and Gretel – I still get mistaken for him. People don’t know that he died in 1920 or whenever it was! I’m just happy that I can now differentiate myself – Engelbert Humperdinck MBE.

Decca is reissuing several of your albums this year, including Release Me and A Man Without Love. What are your memories of making those records?

All I can tell you is that having the song ‘Release Me’ started off the whole thing in my life… I said to Gordon Mills, who managed me at the time, that I had heard an instrumental by a guy who played soprano sax [Frank Weir] and it had an interesting melody.

I said let’s find the lyric and record the song – it will be good. We found it – Ray Price had had a hit with it. Every time Ray Price – God rest his soul – used to do a show, he’d say to the audience, ‘This song used to belong to me until Engelbert Humperdinck came along, but I’m going to sing it anyway…’

Famously, in 1967, your version of ‘Release Me’ kept The Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’ / ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ off the number one spot in the UK Top 40 – you had the biggest selling single that year. How did that feel?

You don’t really know how to accept an honour like that… It never happened again, but as long as it happened once… It was something to talk about…

Did you get to meet The Beatles?

I met Paul and Ringo – I didn’t meet John or George but I was influenced by George’s work. In the early years, when Gordon Mills was introducing me to record companies, I wrote a song called ‘Stay’ – it had an Indian influence, with a sitar – George was interested in that and I thought, ‘If he can do it, let me do it…’

Gordon took it to a record company, when I had my old name, Gerry Dorsey, before I became Engelbert Humperdinck, but they said I was old hat. I was 20 years old…

Anyway, Gordon took it away, put Engelbert Humperdinck on it, took it back to the record company and saw somebody different… They accepted it, it wasn’t a hit, but the next song was – that was ‘Release Me.’

You’ve worked with some great musicians – Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan both played on ‘Release Me.’ They were the guitarists for the session…

Oh, yeah – a lot of great people played on it. The great part of my life and being in showbusiness in that era was the kind of musicianship that you had to deal with – there were beautiful and amazing arrangers, like Johnny Harris, Johnnie Spence, Arthur Greenslade, Les Reed and Bebu Silvetti, who made your music come to life.

The reason my music is still around today is because they left their fingerprints on it – their great work has kept me in the limelight.

In 1967 you went on a package tour of the UK with Jimi Hendrix…

Yes – he was being introduced to the British market and he was part of our tour. He was just a great guy – I was on tour with a guy who was smashing his guitar… He was an incredible character – he wore amazing jackets.

One time, he was wearing a red one, and I said to him: ‘Jimi – that’s a nice jacket.’ He said, ‘Try it on – if you like it, you can keep it…’

I didn’t ask him for that reason, but I should’ve taken it – wouldn’t that be something? He left behind an image that was just unbelievable.

You worked in Las Vegas – how was that? And you got to know Elvis while you were there…

I went to Vegas in ’68 and I did it for many years. In 1970, when I worked on my television show with major artists, I gained a lot of experience from them – they knew the business like the back of their hand. I was a greenhorn – you need to work with those people to learn from them. I was always learning from them and if there was something I wanted to steal from them, I stole it, because I only steal something from the best people…

A lot of the early rock ‘n’ roll stars stole from Elvis…

Of course – and I told Elvis that. I said to him that when I watched him work, I stole a lot of his ideals – he was very humble but very charismatic. I looked at him and studied him, and thought, ‘That’s a great way to be…’

He never took his image seriously – he always took the mickey out of himself. I thought that was great. So, when I got my funny name, I decided to do the same thing.

Why did it take a while for your career to take off?

It was destiny – you have to wait for your time. Prior to working with Gordon Mills, I tried many times to get off the ground – I was on the old rock ‘n’ roll shows with Larry Parnes’ outfits, like Terry Dene, Johnny Gentle, Duffy Power, Dickie Pride and Marty Wilde… but, do you know what? I’m still around – thank God. I’ve had an amazing life – I have no regrets.

Didn’t you almost record a song with Gorillaz, but, sadly, it didn’t come off?

Yes – that was such a mistake.
I was mismanaged and I never heard about the project until afterwards.
My manager turned it down. I would never turn down a thing like that – never in a million years. That was when I had management that didn’t know what the heck they were doing. Had that been Gordon Mills, he’d have snapped it up. I would have recorded it in a heartbeat.

Would you like to play Glastonbury?

I would like to, and with my new project that’s coming, I might stand a chance.

What can we expect from the new tour?

I’ve got a lot of new material that I’m promoting, but I have to sing the standards – the songs that made it possible for me to travel around the world.

My career has been kept alive in many ways – I have a staunch following that I’m very proud of, but it’s also been kept alive by karaoke. My songs are very good on karaoke machines – everybody sings them.

What would the 89-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck say to the young Gerry Dorsey who’s trying to break into the music industry?

Learn your craft and take care of business.

The reissues of Release Me and A Man Without Love are out now on Decca Records: coloured vinyl, CD and digital.

Engelbert Humperdinck tours the US throughout 2025: tickets are available from
www.engelbert.com/tour

Back to Music

English Electric EE1 network noise isolator

A few years ago, the concept of an audiophile-grade Ethernet noise isolator was unheard of. Today, it’s a prominent feature. The English Electric EE1 stands out as the latest addition to a rapidly expanding range of network accessories. English Electric, a sub-brand of Chord Company, draws its name from a classic British manufacturer of supersonic jet fighters. Chord Company saw the trade name was available and acquired it at, er, Lightning speed. Its first products were network switches, which led to the English Electric EE1.

The English Electric EE1 acts as a bulwark against noise from the outside world, which undermines our inky black silences. It’s meant to be used between your network switch and your music streamer. You can put noisier parts like servers and NAS boxes on the other side of the EE1. You can also add more EE1s, such as placing one between router and switch and another between switch and streamer.

A Good Combination

English Electric combines filtration and galvanic isolation in the EE1. The filtering is ‘targeted’ where network-induced noise is at its peak. It’s a small, inline box, roughly the size of two-thirds of a Mars bar. The filter is classed as ‘self-powered’ rather than fully passive. It has just two RJ45 Ethernet connections, one at either end. Little arrows along the top plate denote the direction from the router to the hi-fi system.

The EE1 is supplied with a 0.75m run of C-Stream CAT7 network cable from Chord Company. C-Stream is an excellent cable and – at £62 – sets the price level where the EE1 shines.

Considering its compact size and affordable price, the English Electric EE1 is a perfect entry point for network-ready audiophiles. It’s not designed to overhaul a well-established network but to bridge the gap between a switch and a server. It can even be used with a standard router from your service provider. This means saying goodbye to the typical high-end switches and welcoming back a reliable but basic Netgear eight-port model. I also used a generic CAT6 Ethernet cable.

I also think the EE1 noise isolator isn’t going to feature in super-high-end systems, so I used it between said Netgear switch and a Primare I35 Prisma. This network DAC, included as part of a well-respected integrated amp, is of similar performance grade to the EE1. In other words, it’s no slouch.

Proof of Concept

Because of its ‘entry-point’ nature, the EE1 is a de facto ‘proof of concept’ introduction to audiophile network architecture. Get it right, and the EE1 unlocks audio-dedicated network products. If you get it wrong, generic network equipment becomes the listener’s fallback position. The EE1 is also small enough and simple enough to be a ‘loaner’ for dealers.

I expect many of those EE1 boxes will never return. The difference the EE1 brought to that system was marked in all the right ways. There was a sharper focus to the sound across the board. Bass notes had more ‘shape’ and definition. The midrange was more precise and articulate. Treble had more ‘snap’ and directness; just the right side of bright without sounding too forward or etched. I expected to roll out the ‘lowering the noise floor’ cliché, but this wasn’t a primary benefit of the EE1. Instead, the sound was ‘bigger’ and more detailed. Yes, it was quieter, making music more ‘in the room’. Where some isolators just cut noise, the EE1 had more cards up its sleeve.

The English Electric EE1 is a little marvel. It makes a lot of sense, and it makes sense of your music. If this is your first step into upgrading your network, the EE1 ensures it won’t be your last!

Price and contact details

Price: £250, $295, €299

Manufacturer

The Chord Company

www.englishelectric.uk

+44(0)1980 625700

Heed Audio Lagrange S integrated amplifier

Not long ago I hosted the Heed Audio Elixir integrated amplifier and was thoroughly beguiled by its musicality and was astonished that such a diminutive enclosure could produce such a full sound. Fast forward to a little earlier this year and an approach from the UK distributor for the Hungarian brand, TFT Distribution, to see if I was interested in test driving the Elixir’s bigger sibling, the Lagrange S integrated amplifier. No second invitation was required, and the Lagrange S was delivered in person by TFT Distribution’s founder, Toby Allen.

At the heart of Heed Audio’s amplifier design philosophy sits something which they call Transcap, or in its long form, tuned non-direct coupled amplifier technology. I am neither an electronic engineer nor a physicist, but there is a very readable explanation of what Transcap is on Heed Audio’s website. It also explains why it is so influential on the sound generated through a Heed amplifier.

Meanwhile, let me describe what lies within and without the elegant full-width metal enclosure. First of all, upon unboxing, one finds a reasonably hefty 15kg machine, with dimensions of 43x9x36cm. The fascia is beautifully symmetrical, with large dials to the left and right of a central monochrome display taking care of volume and source selection, respectively. To the right of the selector dial is a full-size headphone jack.

The top of the casework has a series of vents along the centre line to help keep the unit cool. The rear panel sports an array of RCA terminals. On the left-hand side is a grounding post and pair of terminals giving access to the Moving Magnet phono stage, then four pairs of analogue inputs are available. Next is a pair marked HT, allowing the Lagrange S to be integrated into a home theatre system. The next two RCA pairs are marked Line Out and Pre Out. Adjacent to those are two pairs of multiway speaker binding posts, and last but not least the IEC power input socket with an on/off rocker switch above it.

Heed Audio rates the output of the Lagrange S as 60Watts into 8 Ohms and 100Watts into 4 Ohms.

Options? Not yet!

There is an optional DAC module available for Lagrange S, fitted with inputs for USB, Coaxial and Tousling optical connections, but the review copy was an all analogue affair, which allowed me to concentrate on vinyl replay from my Linn Sondek LP12 with the Vermeer Dark Sabre moving magnet cartridge fitted into its Ittok arm, and analogue replay from my Yamaha CD-S3000 SACD/CD player and DAC. Our television was connected to the Yamaha via optical cable and my AURALiC ARIES Mini streamer (with some Network Acoustic enhancements) via coaxial.

During the review period I switched between my different Harbeth Audio loudspeaker set-ups. I have my P3ESRs sitting atop the new Harbeth Nelson stands-cum-bass enhancement units, and my larger Compact7ESXDs on their Hi-Fi Racks Fortis stands.

I used AudioQuest Robin Hood loudspeaker cables and Pegasus RCAs to connect the Yamaha, and the Linn tone-arm cables to access the phono stage.

Listening to the Lagrange S

As the Lagrange S already had a good few hours of use prior to its arrival, I started as I often do with Dave Alvin’s excellent album Eleven Eleven streamed in HiRes from Qobuz. As the opening track unfolded, Alvin’s gruff baritone and wonderful Stratocaster sound filled the room. This recording has a very live feel to it and the Lagrange S recreated that atmosphere with a spine-tingling sense of realism. The Lagrange S encourages the listener to edge the volume ever higher and I only realised just how loud I had been listening when I had sat through the entire expanded album. I was immersed in music.

From that first introduction the Lagrange S gave me no cause to allow my mind to wander – it commands the listener’s attention every time it is in use.

I played several more albums from my Qobuz ‘My Favorites’ section, starting with the rather more raucous tones of the Struts and their 2020 Strange Days album. I should here disclose a certain parochial pride in this band hereabouts, as their frontman Luke Spiller is from this area and comes back whenever his busy schedule and LA domicile permit. This is great rousing arena rock stuff, and young Mr Spiller leads his band with great panache. Inevitably those of us of a certain age will hear echoes of the Faces and even the Rolling Stones in the Struts but this no pastiche. These guys really rock and through the Lagrange S and my Harbeths they were invigorating – raunchy and energetic but with a real sense of both melody and rhythm. Once again the Lagrange S urges the listener to nudge up the volume, and it would have been churlish to refuse.

After warming things up via streaming I switched to the moving magnet phono input and having been put in a Stones riff frame of mind cued up my original copy of the Rolling Stones classic live set Get Yer YaYas Out! This was the Stones golden era and through the Dark Sabre/Ittok/LP12 I was catapulted back through time somewhere near the front of the crowd in Madison Square Garden to be carried away in that intoxicating mix of the twin guitars of Keith Richards and Mick Taylor, underpinned by the exemplary bass of Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts’ drumming. “Charlie’s good tonight” quipped the mesmerising high priest of all front men, Michael Philip Jagger. The nine minutes of ‘Midnight Rambler’ pass by in no time, the menace feels real and that change of tempo still has the power to make me smile. I think we can safely say that the Lagrange S can rock even through loudspeakers not noted for their rock and roll cred. (If anyone ever tells you that Harbeth are “pipe and slippers” sounding, refer them to me!).

The question then became whether the Lagrange S could do subtle as well as they do headbanging rock? To find out, I assembled a small stack of SACDs, starting Yevgeny Sudbin’s wonderful version of Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the Finnish conductor Sakari Oromo. This is one of those pieces that even those with only a passing interest in classical music may be familiar. In this version the light and shade, the contrast between moods in the three movements are handled with a wonderful deftness. It is moving without being maudlin. I sat spellbound through all 32 minutes of it. The piano is a notoriously tricky instrument to reproduce accurately but I felt that through my system of relatively modestly priced components I was being treated to a musical feast. The Lagrange S passed that unscientific but real world test with flying colours.

Next up was another mood changer in the shape of Lyn Stanley’s Interludes from 2015. Now becoming much more well known by music lovers and audiophiles, this was her third album release but the first one where she stepped up as producer as well as chanteuse. She always assembles the cream of Los Angeles fine musical community to play on her albums, and her attention to sound quality and her innate perfectionism mean that you can pick up any of her recordings and be sure that your holding something very special. This is an album of superb vocals (of course!) coupled with wonderful musicianship. Not many singers would have the chutzpah to offer a jazz version of Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, but on track six the smokey-voiced intimacy created by Ms Stanley carries it off wonderfully well. The Lagrange S is as at home with this intimate night club vibe as it was the braggadocio of the Struts and the Stones.

Knowing my time with the Lagrange S was drawing to a close I spent my last few days in its company feeding it with a healthy balanced diet of my musical taste on vinyl, encompassing everything from the Allman Brothers Band to ZZ Top. In fact I chose to close our time together with the blindingly obvious and subtle choice of ZZ Top’s very wonderful ‘La Grange’, an every day story of a Texas house of ill-repute. For many years a hifi buddy and I haunted various hifi shows with a CD version the Tres Hombres album which we would ask to be played by anyone whose room had caught our fancy. We were listening for that moment where Frank Beard’s drums thunder into action after the first verse of Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill’s great riffing and down and dirty vocals. Through the Lagrange S-centred system here the effect was impressive – there was real air movement as sticks met drumheads, and a solid reminder that the Top were worthy successors to the power trios of yore, like Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was a fitting end to what had been a real aural treat with the Lagrange S in the room.

The very last part of my test was done using my AudioQuest Nighthawk earphones plugged into the Class A headphone amplifier. I cued up my SACD of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here and what a sonic treat that turned out to be! Just occasionally I like to use the headphones and I suspect if owned a Lagrange S that would be a more frequent occurrence. This is no afterthought; it is every bit as accomplished as the rest of this wonderful machine.

Conclusion

There is no shortage of fine integrated amplifiers available in the same general price bracket as the Heed Audio Lagrange S, and it would be easy to overlook it when compiling a shortlist of units to audition. That would be to miss out on hearing what may just be the pick of the crop of sub-£5k solid state amplifiers. It feels really well built, with a non-attention seeking appearance but a most definitely attention-grabbing sound.

You may feel that 60watts is a modest output for your outlay, but in practice the thing feels unburstable and yet never feels strained, even at volumes which no sentient being can withstand for more than short periods of time.

In keeping with most modern amplifiers, the Heed Audio Lagrange S has no bass and treble controls, nor even a balance control. However, the designer who voiced this amplifier knew their business, for it is tonally just right. The phono stage is very well-executed, and my £1,500 (give or take) Vertere Dark Sabre sounded as good as it has through my regular stand alone phono stage, and that is no slouch.

My time with the Heed Audio Lagrange S was over far too soon. In this reviewing malarkey I have had countless components come and go in my system. For the most part I have enjoyed having them here, given them a good hearing and sent them back, pleased to have had them here but with no sadness at the farewell. The Heed Audio Lagrange S won my head and my heart, and is already on my shortlist for a new amplifier when the time comes. I can give it no higher praise.

Technical specifications

Inputs: 4x analogue / 1x MM phono / 1x HT bypass / BT wireless
Optional inputs: 1x USB / 1x RCA coaxial / 1x Toslink optical
Outputs: 1x stereo speaker / 1x Tape out / 1x Pre out / 1/4” headphones
Input impedance: 10 kΩ
Power (8 / 4 Ω): min. 60 / 100 W / channel
Max. consumption: 600 W
Weight: 15 kg
Dimensions (WxHxD): 43 x 9 x 36 cm
Price: £5,000, $6,369, €5,750

Manufacturer

Heed Audio

www.heedaudio.com

UK distributor

TFT Distribution Ltd

www.tftdistribution.co.uk

+44(0)7841 419439

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AXPONA 2025 Show Report

The annual AXPONA (Audio Expo North America) show took place April 11-13, 2025, at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Schaumberg, Illinois, in the suburbs of Chicago. What a show it was. It took place during mild Spring weather, and the attendance was again record-breaking! Nearly 11,000 people, an increase of 5% over 2024, came to see the show’s largest number of rooms and vendors ever offered. There were 213 rooms representing over 700 companies and covering 12 floors as well as the convention center.

In addition to two-channel audio, the Ear Gear area offered the largest number of Headphone vendors ever at this show, as well as a first for AXPONA, the new Car Audio Showcase featuring the Worldwide IASCA Car Audio competition occupied a large area on the convention floor. The something-for-everyone approach proved to be a hit with attendees from all over the world. All prices are in US dollars unless specified.

Nirvana A – Joseph Audio, Doshi Audio and Sikora room.

Heading to the Convention Center, my first stop was the Joseph Audio room. Jeff Joseph and Nick Doshi were busy tweaking the setup that, as usual, already sounded great. Well-placed imaging and a solid low-end complemented the stunning midrange. The system was using the Joseph Audio Pearl Graphene Ultra speaker ($51,999) paired with the Doshi Audio Evolution series Monoblocks ($45,999), Preamp ($22,999) and Phonostage ($22,999). The analogue front end was a J. Sikora Reference SE Turntable ($49,250) that used a KV 12 Max Tonearm ($14,500) and an Aidas True Stone Violet Limited cartridge ($6,500). Digital was supplied by the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference 3P ($34,000) fed by an Aurender N30SA 8T ($25,000). Cardas Clear Beyond Cables provided all cables and interconnects. HRS provides all racks and platforms.

Schaumberg 1 – PS Audio introduced a new Flagship line, the Paul McGowan Signature Series.

PS Audio introduced its new PMG Signature Series of electronics including the new PMG Signature PureStream DAC, the PMG Signature Preamplifier, The PMG Signature SACD Player and the PMG Signature Phono Preamplifier (All priced at $8499 US) Shown here paired with the Aspen FR-20 Speakers ($18,999 per pair) and the BHK 600 Monoblock amplifiers ($29,999 per pair) The sound was precise and powerful—an auspicious debut for the new flagship series.

Connection Room – Quintessence Audio with Sonus Faber and Audio Research

Quintessence Audio had their usual multiple-room setups. The Connection room featured a pair of Sonus Faber Stradivari speakers ($50,000 per pair), powered by the new Audio Research Ref 330 Mono power amps ($90,000 per pair) and the Ref 10 preamp ($42,000) and Ref 10 phono pre ($42,000). The analogue source was the Clearaudio Master Jubilee Turntable ($60,000), which had the new Unity tonearm sporting the Goldfinger Statement MC cartridge ($17,500). A full dCS Vivaldi digital stack ($100,000) sourced from an Innuos Zenith NG and Phoenix Net ($18,900 and $4,349). Cables were Kubala-Sosna Realization ($164,300), all being isolated by Critical Mass Maxuum-Ultra Racks. ($50,500). This was one of my top show sounds. The soundstage was wide and precise. The system allowed the music to speak clearly at all volume levels and with the timbre and care needed for each passage. A delightful presentation.

Perfection Room – Quintessence Audio Wilson Audio and Boulder

Next door in the Perfection room was another outstanding Quintessence Audio system. Featuring the new (Reborn?) Wilson WATT/Puppy speakers ($39,500 per pair) powered by Boulder’s 1110 Preamp ($24,000), 1108 Phono pre ($21,000) and the all-new 1151 Mono power amps ($48,000 per pair). Analogue source was a Clearaudio Reference Jubilee turntable ($30,000) with a HANA Umami Red MC cartridge ($3,950). Digital source was a dCS Rossini Apex streaming DAC ($32,800) with Master Clock ($11,500) streaming via an Innuos Zen NG and PhoenixNet ($16,349). The cables were Transparent Reference cables ($44,480), all housed on Critical Mass Ultra Q equipment racks. ($20,810). This room was another outstanding listening experience. This system delivered a considerable performance measure for about half the system cost of their other room. Quintessence understands how to curate a system with complementary gear.

Room 490 – O Audio Norwegian Loudspeakers

I am always looking for a new company, and I found one in O Audio from Norway. They were demonstrating their new Audio ICON 12 speakers in Piano Walnut ($23,400 per pair) and fronting them with a Boulder 1110 Preamp ($24,000) and 1162 Stereo power amp ($45,000). Sourcing the system was the dCS Rossini APEX DAC and Master Clock ($32,800 & $11,500) streaming via an Innuos Zenith mk3 ($6,300). Thanks to Quintessence Audio for the system gear assist! These new Audio ICON 12’s were terrific. Taking advantage of a Quad Vertex Sound Field Constant Directivity Horn, the Audio ICON 12’s have a 92 db sensitivity into 8 Ohms and specs from 28Hz to 20kHz. Specs aside, the sound was full and engaging. An excellent start for a new company!

Walking into the Zesto Audio room, I was pleased to see the small palm trees in the back framing the YG Acoustics Hailey 3 speakers ($63,400 USD). For me, Zesto’s room has always been an oasis at any show. Outstanding sound quality and a beautiful style that is uniquely their own. They offer an inviting, relaxed setting, and regardless of the music being played, the sound never disappoints. The big news for this show is the new Athena tube DAC ($15,000) that offers up 32/384 with DSD 512 decoding. A full complement of inputs including I2S, AES, USB, Optical and COAX with both Single Ended and Balanced outputs. The system also included the Andros Deluxe II Phono Stage ($8,300 USD), the Leto II Ultra Preamplifier ($11,900 USD) and the Eros 500 Select Class-A Monoblocks ($35,000 USD). Analogue source was the Dr. Feikert Blackbird with linear power supply ($9,900 USD) Tri-Planar Mk VII U2 9.8” tonearm ($7,500 USD), and an Ortofon 90X MC Cartridge ($3,600 USD). Isolation was compliments of Stillpoints, with the Ultra 6 V2 feet and the ESS 42-24-4 equipment rack and Aperture acoustic panels. All cabling was Cardas Clear, Clear Beyond and Beyond. A Nautilus power strip added additional outlets.

Luxury Audio Group and Scott Walker Audio presented Estelon, Vitus Audio and Crystal Cable

One of the best-sounding rooms was in the “If you have to ask how much….” category. Coming in all together at a formidable $1.4 million, The Luxury Audio Group and Scott Walker Audio curated a fantastic system featuring the exceptional Estelon Extreme MK II speakers, Four Vitus SM-103 amplifiers, Vitus SM-103 Preamplifier, the Vitus SD-025 DAC sourced from a pair of Sonorus Reel to Reel decks (Because you need one to play and the other to change the tape!) all powered and connected via Crystal Cables ART series Da Vinci and Van Gogh cables plus the limited edition Infinity power cables. Playing a live session of Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy, the sound was nearly lifelike. Imaging was life-size within the fabulous soundstage. Hearing a price-no-object system deliver on its promises is a special treat. A truly special presentation!

The Sound Organisation presents REGA, Chord and Proac

The Sound Organisation was flying the Union flag high at AXPONA. The new Rega Planar 3 RS (Special Edition) and Neo MKII PSU fitted with the classic RB330 tonearm and the latest and award-winning ND5 moving magnet cartridge ($1,795) sourced a system using the new Rega Mercury Preamplifier and Solis Amplifier (Price TBD). The DAC was the Chord DAVE ($14,400), and all were fronting the Proac K3 speakers ($15,495). This was a lovely system that would work great in my listening room. Full bass with an outstanding midrange and excellent imaging. You spent more time in this room than your schedule wanted you to. I spent the extra time gladly!

CH Precision had a more modest room that showcased their I1 Integrated amplifier ($38,000 to $55,000) and D1.5 CD/SACD/MQA Transport ($38,000). The turntable was a Dr. Feickert Woodpecker with Acoustical Systems Aquilar 10” tonearm and Archon cartridge. Speakers were the Magico S3’s ($45,500 – $52,500). Also available for a listen were the smaller siblings from Wattson Audio, the Madison LE Streamer/Preamplifier ($4,995) and Madison Amplifier ($6,495). Cables were all Nordost Blue Heaven and Red Dawn. I have been a fan of CH Precision for some time. A full-on CH system offers high-end performance but can be expensive. The exciting thing about the Wattson Audio gear is that it shares the same DNA as CH gear, as many of the engineers from each firm have worked together over the years. Playing through the excellent Magico S3’s, the Wattson Audio gear was one of the show’s surprises, offering up a strong percentage of the CH Precision performance for a small percentage of the price. Well worth a listen for any value-conscious audio fan.

Computer Audio Design, Stenheim and Aesthetix

Scott Berry and Isabel Whitley were on hand from Computer Audio Design to showcase their newly updated CAD 1543 DAC MK III. Playing through a system using an Aesthetix Integrated amp and featuring CAD ground controls and filters to manage excessive high frequencies, the system offered full-bodied, fatigue-free listening through the Stenheim Model 2.0 stand mount speakers. Once again, finding a smaller system that could provide full and precise playback and not require a ballroom to fit it in was exciting. Another longer listen than expected. Something that for me was always a show highlight. Thanks again to Scott and Isabel, and congratulations on their continued sonic success!

Bel Canto, YG Acoustics and Pure Fidelity

Bel Canto and YG Acoustics have developed quite a pairing over the last few years. Their collaboration on the Vantage 3 Live active speaker system has been a revelation in sound. At AXPONA 2025 they showed a classic but simple passive speaker system featuring the YG Acoustics Hailey 3’s ($63,400) sourced by the Bel Canto Black ACI600 Integrated/DAC/Streamer/Preamplifier with Phono Pre ($30,000) and a Pure Fidelity Harmony turntable in quilted Maple with a Savant tonearm ($13,995) and Stratos cartridge ($1,995). Cables were Cardas Clear Beyond with a Nautilus power conditioner using Harmonic Resolution Systems stand. Simple, elegant and stunning both in looks and sound. The ACI600 has the chops to tune a room, and the YG Hailey’s tweeter waveguide delivers incredible imaging and sound staging. Bring your favourite listening chair and stay awhile.

Sonner Audio Allegro speakers with Audion Black Shadow 2 MKII Amplifiers

Ten years ago, at AXPONA, I walked into the Sonner Audio room for the first time and was blown away by a modest pair of standmounts. It was their first show and their coming-out party for the industry. Ten productive years later, they are back with their Flagship Allegro MKII speakers ($12,000) and Allegro Reference stands ($4,000). Powered by the Audion Black Shadow 2 MKII 845 Single Ended Triode tube mono amplifiers ($13,500 per pair) and fronted by an Ayre QX5 Twenty Full2 DAC-Digital Preamplifier ($15,000). All cables are by Atlas. This was my small system, best of show. Half an hour of genre-switching deep listening revealed a system for true audio connoisseurs. A physics-defying low end that was tight and controlled, a mid-range of silk and highs that soared. Gunny Surya of Sonner Audio was a knowledgeable and gracious audio host of the show. A truly exceptional experience.

ampsandsound Yellowstone Preamplifier and Black Pearl Amplifier with Sasquatch Speaker

ampsandsound (yes, a lower-case ‘a’) is a Southern California audio company focusing on bespoke handmade tube equipment and horn speakers. Justin Weber, owner and chief engineer, began his designs in the headphone space, where we met fifteen years ago. Today, he offers some of the finest two-channel gear for any tube and low-watt fans (his headphone amps are also exceptional and could be heard at the Ear Gear experience in the convention centre). His Sasquatch three-way horn speakers ($17,000 per pair) were fronted by his ampsandsound Yellowstone preamplifier ($25,000) and the Black Pearl amplifier ($19,000). The turntable was the Denon DP-3000NE ($2,499) with a Denon OJAS Dl103o MM cartridge ($549). Digital was via the ANK dac 4.1x (3,500). Cables were all Cardas Clear. Rack by Butcher Block Acoustics ($2,300). Russ Stratton was spinning vinyl, and we rode a nice ’70s-early ’80s ride. Perhaps the highlight was ‘Riders on the Storm’ from the Doors off the 1971 L.A. Woman album. I needed a towel after the rain; the soundstage was so enveloping. Meticulous craftsmanship meets quality sound. These are heirloom products to be treasured.

A note about equipment racks throughout the show: A couple of years ago, I saw a couple of rooms with Lateral Audio Stands. This year, many rooms were using them. The room owners universally praised them when I asked about them, including the Counterpoint 1.0 – 1.1 reference series ($4,200 – $15,000). It’s nice to see a newer company in this critical space earning a strong reputation as it grows. Bravo!

Audio Group Denmark was showing the new Bass Module

Lars Kristensen from Borresen and Audio Group Denmark was showcasing their first subwoofer, currently called Bass Module (Price TBD). They were paired with the new flagship Borresen M2 Speakers ($190,000 per pair) and fronted by a rack of flagship Aavik gear, including the C-880 Preamp ($70,000), P-880 Amplifier ($70,000), and Aavik R-880 Optical Phono Pre ($70,000). The new Bass Modules are designed to perform with exact timing to the music, allowing perfect signal extension between the speakers and sub with no lag or latency, just broader and deeper signal extension for a time-accurate and complete sound field. The with and without demo was impressive, the Bass Modules added measurably to the presentation without attracting specific attention to themselves. They provided, as they say, MOAR! And it was a good thing.

Nirvana B – EMM Labs/Meitner and Credo Audio

Michael Kraske of Credo Audio and Amadeus Meitner from EMM Labs hosted a fantastic room in the convention centre, highlighting the flagship gear from each firm. The Credo Cinema LTM speakers ($200,000 per pair) were joined by the EMM Labs MTRX/2 V2 Mono amplifiers, EMM Labs PRE and DA2i DAC/Streamer. A Dr. Feickert Blackbird turntable supplied with an analogue with a DS Audio Grand Master optical phono cartridge running through the EMM Labs DS-EQ1 V2 Optical cartridge equaliser. The system presented a big and bold sound in a large ballroom, energising the space with authority. A big space needs a big soundstage, which is what we got. It was a thrilling demonstration and a successful pairing for these two high-end companies.

AXPONA is the largest audio show in North America. It offers three days of exploration into various products and system combinations. 2025’s show was the most successful in attendance, vendor rooms and implementation of audio devices. It is also almost impossible to cover everything. These rooms were some of the highlights I experienced throughout the 3 day weekend. Having covered AXPONA for over a decade, the AXPONA team strives to make the show more diverse in new areas of the audio universe. The public appreciates their efforts. Should you get a chance to make it to the Chicago area next year on April 10-12, 2026, I highly recommend the trip!

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Sonic sensations mark Luxman’s centenary celebrations

9 May 2025: As Luxman celebrates 100 years of sonic excellence, a trio of new launches from Japan’s most venerable high-end audio brand hits the UK.

First of several special Centennial models arriving in 2025, the P-100 Centennial (pictured above) is Luxman’s finest-ever headphone amplifier – and unquestionably one of the best in the world at any price. Key features include fully balanced architecture with four independent amplifier blocks utilising Luxman’s latest LIFES feedback engine and LECUA-EX volume control.

Also landing in the UK this month is the E-07 (pictured below) – an exceptional MM/MC phono preamplifier for the most passionate collectors of vinyl records, replacing the now discontinued EQ-500 which was widely considered among the most accomplished and versatile phono stages ever made.

The third new arrival is a Centennial Black Edition finish for four of Luxman’s most esteemed current products – the L-509Z integrated amplifier, D-07X CD/SACD player, NT-07 network transport and PD-151 MkII turntable. Usually only available in ‘blasted white’ and silver, all four products are receiving a strictly limited production run of 100 units in this special all-black finish. These 100th anniversary celebratory editions cannot be purchased separately, only as a four-piece system.

RENAISSANCE ANNOUNCES SUMMER SPECIALS

May 8th, 2025 – Renaissance, distributor of high-end hi-fi brands, is set to brighten up the summer with a series of special offers on selected award-winning products. Huge savings and free accessories ensure that this is Renaissance’s best value promotion ever.

Selected deals include:

Save £900 on the award-winning MOON ACE all-in-one music system.

Simply hook up a pair of speakers, connect to the internet and sit back to enjoy the music. A built-in moving magnet phono stage allows the ACE to bring the best out of any vinyl record. Featuring MOON’s renowned sonic signature of visceral tight bass, transparent midrange, precise natural highs and lifelike sound, the ACE delivers an unforgettable performance every time.

A saving of £650 on MOON’s MiND 2 network player.

The MOON Intelligent Network Device music streamer gives access to leading streaming services such as Tidal, Spotify, and Quobuz. It is Roon Ready, offers multi-room synchronised playback and streams MQA audio files.

Free Audiovector speaker stands.

Buy a pair of Audiovector R1 Arreté loudspeakers in any standard finish and receive a free pair of specially designed Audiovector stands, worth £1,150, completely free. The compact loudspeakers deliver a precise soundstage with a sense of power and punch that defies their size. Their intelligent design handles percussion and bass notes in a clean, nimble and natural way.

All the Summer Specials are valid until the 31^st of August 2025.

Managing Director of Renaissance, John Carroll, said, “Renaissance was established to inject new life in the UK Hi-Fi market. Our carefully selected portfolio of privately owned and operated manufacturers allows us to work closely with them to tailor the performance, options and price range of their products to create wonderful audio systems. With our Summer Specials, we are offering even better value than ever before. These deals are not to be missed.’

For more information, visit: www.renaissanceaudio.co.uk/summer-2025-specials

To discover your local retailer, visit: www.renaissanceaudio.co.uk/where-to-buy

Introducing Lina DAC X: The new network music player from dCS

9 May 2025: Lina DAC X is the latest addition to the dCS product range: a full featured music player that delivers a natural and immersive listening experience, combined with effortless hi-res streaming and playback.

Lina DAC X is designed for listeners who want the convenience of digital playback combined with a deeply natural and immersive listening experience. It delivers the same range of features as the award-winning Lina Network DAC, along with some additional benefits, including a physical volume dial and IR Remote Control.

A full featured network player, Lina DAC X supports hi-res streaming from all major platforms including TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify and QQ Music, as well as music management software such as Roon, Audirvana and JPLAY. It also features a range of physical inputs to support playback from numerous sources, including TVs (via TOSLINK), computers, CD transports, dCS SACD Transports, and servers. The DAC X can be connected to any amplifier, including directly to power amplifiers or active speakers, to create a complete music playback system.

Its flexible architecture provides huge scope for future upgrades, allowing us to enhance performance and add new features over time. This is a core part of the dCS experience, with listeners receiving free of charge product upgrades through simple internet updates.

Sonically, it offers exceptional clarity and detail retrieval, bringing listeners a profoundly natural and deeply musical sound. This is made possible with unique dCS technologies including the Ring DAC – our bespoke Digital-to-Analogue conversion system – and Digital Processing Platform.

The DAC X is encased in a full-width chassis machined from solid billet aluminium, which serves to further enhance performance, and uses flex-rigid circuitry for optimal audio quality and reliability. Its understated aesthetic complements all manner of spaces and setups, from family living areas to dedicated listening rooms, whilst its superb build quality and meticulous craftsmanship reflects our uncompromising attention to detail.

As with all dCS products, Lina DAC X is hand-assembled and tested at our Cambridgeshire headquarters, so we can ensure it is built to exacting standards and performs to the highest specifications. Lina DAC X provides a new addition to a product range that has won numerous awards worldwide for its sound, design and performance.

The DAC X builds on our vision with Lina to create a versatile range of separates that can be used alone or together, allowing listeners to build the system and setup that best suits their needs.

Lina DAC X is available to order from dCS retailers and distributors worldwide, with shipping to commence in June 2025.

Chord Electronics set to unveil new flagship analogue showstopper at the final Munich High End

6 May 2025, Kent, England: British analogue and digital audio innovator Chord Electronics will mark the historic final Munich High End show with the global unveiling of a groundbreaking new reference-level analogue device.

Designed by Chord Electronics’ founder and owner, John Franks, the device will become the new flagship within its product category. The debut will take place on the opening day of the show, Thursday, May 15th, offering attendees an exclusive first look ahead of its official launch later in 2025.

The state-of-the-art analogue newcomer will expand Chord Electronics’ prestigious ULTIMA Reference range, joining the ranks of the acclaimed ULTIMA PRE preamplifier and the powerful ULTIMA MONO power amplifiers. This expansion underscores Chord Electronics’ commitment to analogue innovation for hi-fi enthusiasts, while simultaneously enhancing performance for its pro audio clientele, including numerous leading global studios.

Chord Electronics’ founder, John Franks, will be personally present at this significant final Munich High End event and will be on hand to support the unveiling, offering unique and invaluable insights into the core technologies and innovations that define the product.

Chord Electronics at High End: Atrium 3.1, C122

Bill Frisell: Orchestras

Bill Frisell is a prolific American jazz guitarist who does not restrict himself to jazz. Orchestras finds Frisell in the company of his long-standing trio with bass player Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston, plus, as the title alludes, orchestras plural.

Orchestras is a recording of two concert hall performances with arrangements by long time Frisell collaborator Michael Gibbs, the 87 year old composer who has worked with a number of ECM artists including Kenny Wheeler and Eberhard Weber. The first of these live recordings is with the Brussels Philharmonic, a near 60 piece ensemble conducted by Alexander Hanson, the second is with the much smaller Umbria Jazz Orchestra under the musical direction of Manuele Morbidini.

I have to admit that while I have no problem with orchestral arrangements of music that was composed for such ensembles the combination of orchestra and jazz or rock band has never seemed to work that well. It just seems to be asking too much to bring a string section together with electric guitar in particular, there must have been some successful collaborations along such lines in the past but none come to mind. All of which meant that when I put on the first set with the Brussels Philharmonic the effect was not very appealing and I decided not to listen further. However sometime later I tried the second disc, with the Umbria Jazz Orchestra and had a quite a surprise, this smaller band which is notably devoid of a string section, seemed to gel with Frisell’s trio extremely well and encouraged investigation of the whole three part production.

Both sets include some common titles including Frisell’s jauntily titled ‘Doom’, with the Philharmonic this makes for a slightly jarring contrast between strings and guitar, bass and drums albeit the rhythm section are not high in the mix. With Umbria Jazz the same piece has a film noire feel, the relatively big band creating a cinematic backing to the trio. Frisell’s artful noodling works superbly thanks to the the arrangement, and the vibe does little to reflect the title. Another original number, ‘Electricity’, works a bit better with the strings behind some freeform playing from Frisell, the latter gets atonal in places however and this makes the electric/acoustic string contrast less successful. With the Italian orchestra there is a much greater sense of a band playing as one, the smaller scale (11 musicians) must help here as must the fact that this is a jazz band not a symphonic orchestra. Here Frisell gets to improvise while the backing lays down a richly textured, flowing groove and the effect is very engaging.

The highlights of this release are largely with the Umbrian Jazz Orchestra, with whom Frisell delivers some classic playing on ‘Levees’ and ‘Lookout for Hope’ where the guitar is in total harmony with the Orchestra, the use of mute trumpet being particularly effective in this latter piece. All seven of the Umbria ensemble’s pieces are good but it turns out that there is more if you get to hear the third disc (available when purchased on vinyl from Blue Note direct), here the performances are defined as Live or Live/Brussells Philharmonic, the Live only ones being the trio alone. Here we find the most interesting piece that Frisell played with the Belgians in ‘Monroe’ which has a cello intro that remains small scale with a second bowed cello and Frisell’s electric guitar playing beautifully together until the full Orchestra joins the fray and expands the soundstage to deliver scale and dynamics.

The most charming piece on Orchestras is the trio’s rendition of ‘Moon River’, this is a standard that Frisell and co know inside out and it sounds as if the guitarist has a real affection for the Henry Mancini tune. It’s one of those simple sounding compositions that can easily sound cloying or affected but Frisell brings out its beauty superbly. The album ends with another classic in Burt Bacharach’s ‘What the World Needs Now is Love’ which works nearly as well and shows that for all his virtuosity Frisell is a softy at heart.

Bill Frisell: Orchestras

Back to Music

AVID Accent integrated amplifier

Although British hi-fi specialist AVID has been around since 1995, the Accent integrated amplifier is my first exposure to the brand. AVID started when CEO and founder Conrad Mas was 16 and was inspired “to produce a genuinely flawless turntable” on seeing a friend’s homemade design.

Mas says he soon realised turntable manufacturers were concentrating on rumble, wow, and flutter and ignoring what he considers the true problem: vibration. His first product, the Acutus turntable, was released in 1999, and the company now offers models ranging from £1,500 to £38,000.

Having started out with turntables, it was only natural that the company’s first electronics products should be phono stages. The Pulsare model debuted in 2010, and the Pellar phono stage, which is also used in the Accent integrated amp, came along in 2012.

Once Upon a time

Conrad Mas told me: “Once upon a time, every amplifier came equipped with a phono input. As a turntable manufacturer who expanded into designing amplifiers, we prioritised our customers’ needs by including a high-quality phono stage. This seemed like the logical step given the resurgence in vinyl sales.”

AVID’s first amplifiers were the Reference preamp and power amp, which sell for around £170,000 for a set. These were intended as no-compromise products, and many of the ideas and practices incorporated in them have trickled down to the range, including the Accent.

Mas explained: “Our design philosophy follows a cascading principle, where the advanced technology found in our Reference products is systematically integrated into our lower-priced products. When placed side by side, the vitally shared componentry, such as volume control and custom-made capacitors, becomes immediately apparent. Smaller amplifiers require a reduced power supply, which lessens cost. However, we meticulously maintain a PSU/output ratio to ensure ample current delivery, which is crucial for driving speakers across their frequency spectrum with varying impedances.”

AVID Entry

The Accent integrated amplifier reviewed here was introduced in 2023. At £4,500, it is their entry-level model and is a fully discrete 70watt Class AB design deliberately kept simple. It has four line inputs, a moving magnet/moving coil phono input, a mono switch (unusual these days), a mute switch, and a headphone amplifier.

In line with AVID’s core philosophy, it has a beefy 617VA main transformer with 40,000µF of reservoir capacitance and a high-quality ALPS volume pot. It also uses its own custom polypropylene capacitors in all critical signal paths.

It does not have a DAC or streamer. As Mas says on AVID’s website, “We avoid the digital world.” He told me, “Our products have always prioritised sound quality above all else, steering clear of digital components that could compromise the purity of the analogue signal. By eschewing built-in digital features, we ensure our amplifiers remain timeless investments.”

The casework is solid, and the front panel has a distinctive letter A machined into it, which I think adds a touch of class. It is also reassuringly weighty, tipping the scales at 14.5kg.

On the rear panel are two sets of RCA sockets for the phono input; one is used for loading plugs to help cartridge matching. Above them is a ground terminal, and to their right are two DIP switches that adjust the phono stage gain for moving magnet and medium—or low-output moving coil. The manual clearly explains how to set these. It is supplied with 500ohm loading plugs, but other values are available through your retailer. The moving magnet input is fixed at 47k ohms.

E I E Io

I am currently using an Audio Note Io1 cartridge on their TT3 turntable. This has a very low output of 0.04 mV. Typical moving coils are nearer 10 times that. As I have it paired with Audio Note’s S9 transformer, I could simply have played the output from that through the Accent’s MM input, but I was keen to see how it would cope with the Io1 fed straight in.

The Io1 also likes to see a low input impedance, so I got AVID to send me some 30-ohm plugs. The manual advises that if you must advance the volume control beyond halfway, you should select a higher gain setting, which I did. That turned out to be ideal. The Accent proved to have enough gain to cope with any cartridge you will likely throw at it.

A quick comparison of the 500-ohm and 30-ohm plugs showed the latter was preferable. Vocals were cleaner and better defined, while the leading edge and note shape on the guitar or saxophone were crisper. Percussion and cymbals rang out clearer with 30ohms, and I felt that the lowest notes on a bass guitar line were cleaner, tighter, and more tuneful, while body resonances and the lower registers of an acoustic guitar were also better.

Better step up?

A good moving coil input will save you money on a separate step-up device, but will it be better? I had a transformer to hand that sells for around £400 and briefly compared that with the MC input of the Accent. On the track ‘Hello Tomorrow’ from Larry Carlton’s Discovery, I preferred the Accent MC input as it conveyed the note shape and voice of his guitar better, while the bass line was more fluid and tuneful and drum and percussion snappier and more dynamic. The music just flowed better. So clearly, the Accent phono stage is more than good enough to see off many less expensive step-up devices. Which is a bonus. I listened to the amp using an Audio Note CDT Five transport and DAC Five Special converter through Russell K. RED 120Se and Audio Note’s own AN-J LX Hemp loudspeakers.

A complex jazz instrumental track from one of my favourite sax players, Dave Koz, was sure to put the Accent to the test. From the first few bars of The Bright Side from his The Dance album, the amp’s musical integrity, detail, dynamics, and rhythmic grip were clear. Koz’s sax had great bite and presence with good insight into how each note was played, while drums and percussion were animated, dynamic and yet still with the delicate touch needed on some cymbal strikes. The bass line was tuneful and well-controlled, and the rhythmic ebb and flow of the track was nicely captured. I had a similarly priced, well-respected competitor amp to hand, and there is no doubt the Accent was cleaner, more dynamic and more musically coherent.

Female vocals are a true test for any hi-fi component, and next up was the Good to be Back CD from the late Natalie Cole, one of my favourite female vocalists and daughter of the legendary Nat King Cole.

Emotional Impact

On the track ‘I Do’ – a stunning duet with Freddie Jackson and a contender, in my opinion, for one of the best duets of all time – the Accent conveyed the song’s emotional impact and the versatility and range that both signers have. The nuances of their delivery were well presented, and when they turned up the power, the Accent was more than up to the challenge.

The Accent did equally well on Linda Ronstadt’s ballad ‘Lo Siento Mi Vida’ from her Hasten Down the Wind album. It conveyed the sensuality and power of her vocals while vividly separating out the various guitar parts and delivering drum rimshots with a real crack. The Accent conveyed this track’s emotional impact and dynamics very well, eclipsing that competitor I mentioned.

Since the manual states that the Accent has a high-quality headphone amp, I just had to plug in some Focal Clear headphones to check it out. I am pleased to say what the manual claims is not an empty boast, and the built-in headphone amp drove the Clears well. ‘On No One Emotion’ from George Benson’s superb 20/20 album, the sound was detailed, punchy, and clean, and the various strands of the music were separated well. The deep, driving bass line had good energy, and the super-fast tempo of this track was well conveyed. So, the headphone output on the Accent is no afterthought and will keep the user happy when circumstances demand a quieter home environment.

Lots for the money

The AVID Accent is a good amplifier for the money. Others may have DACs and streamers, but their inclusion often takes money away from what matters—the amplifier itself. Including a versatile phono stage capable of handling any cartridge you throw at it is a huge bonus, especially since so many amps don’t have one at all these days.

In use, the Accent was a joy. Its sound was detailed, musical, dynamic, and powerful, and it gave great insights into the music of whatever I chose to play, whether hard rock, jazz, soul, album or CD. At its modest asking price of £4,500, I rate it an excellent buy and recommend it enthusiastically.

Technical specifications

Type: Class AB, 2-channel integrated amplifier
Analogue inputs Four line inputs. One phono input with adjustable gain for MM or MC
Digital inputs: None
Power output: 70Wpc @ 8 ohms
Harmonic distortion: 0.03% at 80% power, 8ohms, at 1kHz
Phono input:
Gain 48dB, 60dB and 70dB
Input resistance 47k ohms (can be adjusted with loading plugs)
Input capacitor 100pF
Distortion Less than 0.03 %
Noise MM -81dB MC -67dB (high setting)
RIAA accuracy +0.5dB, 5Hz-70kHz (Neumann HF correction)
Line input:
Input impedance 82k ohms
Frequency response 5Hz->80kHz ±1dB
Signal-to-noise ratio 97dB at 50watts, A weighted
Headphone load range 20-600 ohms
Headphone maximum output 9V rms into 600 ohms
Dimensions (WxHxD) 470mm x 110mm x 410mm
Weight 14.5kg
Price £4,500, $5,500, €5,200

Manufacturer AVID Hi-Fi Ltd

www.avidhifi.com

+44 (0)1480 869900

More about AVID

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SME Model 60 One of One turntable

The SME Model 60 turntable is not just a product. You don’t purchase an SME to gain bragging rights or to join the turntable-of-the-month club. Instead, the SME Model 60 is your LP zenith, a sign of you reaching the vinyl summit. The SME Model 60 One of One turntable is the ultimate seal of that ‘forever home’ deal.

The SME Model 60 comes in anodised black and silver with contrasting black detailing in its standard guise. But ‘standard’ is the wrong term. It’s exceptional, a mark of quality that transcends the audio world. Even renowned automotive and aerospace companies have sought SME’s expertise for their top projects. This turntable is a testament to British engineering and craftsmanship, exuding confidence and assurance in every detail.

In addition to the standard finishes, the SME Model 60 is also offered in premium machined honeycomb in black, blue, and silver… and the polished aluminium diamond series with a unique cosmetic machined pattern and hand-finished. The blue chassis sparked an idea at SME: what if you could make your turntable even more ‘you’?

One of One

This bespoke colour and pattern concept originated SME’s ‘One of One’ concept. It was mastered by the SME works chemist who developed a unique range of anodised colours. These aren’t just RAL colours to let your turntable match your Lamborghini. The company’s resident Walter White of the pigments has cooked up 75 colours, celebrating three-quarters of a century of SME. Each is unique, and that colour will never be used again; it only features on your turntable.

The bespoke nature of the SME Model 60 One of One turntable extends to the hand-finished chassis. The premium finish models’ diamond and honeycomb patterns are available and inspire more options. Fans, geometric patterns… anything this side of turning your turntable chassis into a Kandinsky composition is up for discussion with SME.

What’s not up for discussion is changing the core of the SME Model 60. I know this seemingly goes against the concept of ‘bespoke’, but let’s work that through. If you buy a bespoke suit from a reputable tailor, it’s made to their design and specifications. It will be made to fit you perfectly, and you will choose the material. However, ask them to add insane lapels or some ornate button arrangement, and they will politely refuse. This isn’t because they lack the skills to make your suit but because they know what does and doesn’t work. It’s the same here; a 12” arm or second armboard will change the dynamic of the Model 60. It would be a different turntable.

Simply the best!

The SME Model 60 is, quite simply, the best turntable the company makes. It synthesises and refines all the lessons learned from designs like the Model 30. While it has the same four suspension tower arrangement from older designs, it’s an entirely new turntable.

The SME Model 60 uses an intelligent suspension system that allows control in both vertical and horizontal planes. In fairness, most suspended turntables get the vertical plane right. However, they often act like jelly trying to skateboard on an ice rink while drunk horizontally. By controlling the horizontal and the vertical, you reach The Outer Limits of suspension effectiveness.

That’s not all! The main bearing uses a clever silicone fluid dampening system, further developed and advanced from the sister turntables Model 20 & Model 15. Add in an acoustically treated main chassis, sub-chassis, and platter. The result is a turntable as isolated from its surroundings as possible.

The main turntable sits on decoupled adjustable feet with multipoint isolation. The outboard independent speed control further decouples the power transformer from the main turntable. It places the two in separate boxes and provides precision speed adjustment for the AC motor.

All precision

The word ‘precision’ is redundant with SME. It’s all ‘precision’. It’s baked into the very fabric of the company. However, it also applies to the Series VA tonearm, which is only available on the Model 60 and Model 60 One of One. Derived from the evergreen gimbal bearing Series V tonearm – which has been in continuous production for 40 years – the ‘A’ suffix stands for ‘advanced’. It uses a non-metallic armtube made from an advanced polymer resin prized for its high density and rigidity.

This material has a significantly reduced resonance signature over the already low-resonance magnesium arm of the regular SME Series V arm. It’s also acoustically inert and capable of being CNC machined. Its properties mean the SME Series VA can be used with a wider range of cartridges than the Series V, which is already an extremely accommodating arm. The arm terminates at the chassis-mounted RCA or XLR outlets so you can select your own cables.

Forever done

The turntable and arm arrive assembled, and the setup involves lifting the unit out of the box, removing the transit bolts, levelling the turntable and motor, adding more oil to the spindle bearing, fitting the drive belt and mounting the platter. Then, set up the tonearm, adjust the suspension height, connect the LEMO cables between the three devices (power unit, speed control unit and turntable) and you are done. Forever. Periodically clean the belt. Every thousand hours or so, replace the belt. Leave instructions in your will about where your relatives can get new belts. Insist they leave similar instructions for their grandchildren.

The tonearm is a little more involved. However, anyone who has ever fitted a cartridge and set up an SME Series IV or V tonearm over the last 40 years will tell you that its easy. Especially as the tonearm is pre-fitted and not designed to be removed.

Uncompromising

Nothing is left to chance, even the tool kit and parts supplied with an SME product echoes the company’s uncompromising approach. Everything down to the mounting kit is made in-house and designed to fit perfectly. Including the instruction manual, which is as thorough as it is timeless. The only wiggle-room here is the amount of damping fluid applied to the tonearm. The reservoir is filled to the same level regardless, and you can adjust the degree of damping by adjusting the dip-screw to the front and left of the arm base. Otherwise, the arm is so well designed that you can apply VTF by gauge alone and not worry about double-checking with a stylus pressure gauge.

A pinnacle turntable with an equally pinnacle tonearm demands a cartridge of equal gravitas. The joy of the SME Model 60 in all its guises is that it is the universal platform for playing records. Most of the character comes from the cartridge. In our case, that cartridge was the excellent MC A95 from Ortofon. This is a perfect partner because both align in striving to remove the tonal signature from their link in the chain. The SME Model 60 is sonically a minimally intrusive turntable, and the Ortofon MC A95 is a minimally intrusive cartridge. Add some equally minimally intrusive Siltech cable, Nagra HD amplification and passive ATC SCM150 loudspeakers, and you have a system where the record does all the talking.

Cornerstone

That certainly seemed to be the case. The turntable formed the cornerstone of a system so neutral that changing from one LP to another was clearly audible. The pressing quality was immediately identifiable from the run-in groove, and the change of mix, musicians, and team was more abruptly noticeable than most systems. In short, the SME Model 60 One of One let you drill down to the foundations of what was on that vinyl.

The first record played was Lana Del Rey ‘s ‘Norman F*****g Rockwell’ from the album of the same name. This was extremely confident-sounding, with excellent separation of instruments in the mix. It was as solid as a rock, too, but not in a dull way. Voices and instruments sounded visceral and physically ‘there’ in the room, and there was a perfect rendition of reverb tails. Vocal articulation, in particular, was excellent; you get the music’s sarcasm and humour coming through. In short, this first track showed the SME Model 60 as extremely precise and authoritative but not authoritarian.

Bass depth was excellent, and the very low levels of self-noise meant the surface noise of the record was at once in sharper focus and yet not as intrusive as many decks. While this sounds like a paradox, the more you listened, the more you realised this unforced, uncolored presentation meant the surface noise was just absorbed into the music itself. “Life is surface noise” as the late John Peel once said.

Ghosts

Flipping over to ‘Ghosts’ by Anna B Savage [in|Flux] showed this wasn’t a lucky first record. Once again, there was incredible control. It had almost a ‘dry’ presentation but always stayed on the right side of extremely accurate. Her voice is believable and plaintive to the point of despair. This track can so easily run away with itself and sound ‘whiny’ instead of ‘spooky’, and here it’s presented beautifully.

Even her spoken word parts are given the right amount of diction. Normally, when evaluating equipment, I stop there, but I feel the need to keep on listening. Playing ‘I Can Hear the Birds’ further into the album felt mandatory because to stop listening to the album would be rude. This sense became heightened as the SME Model 60 gave an uncanny sense of her being ‘there’ in the room. This turntable unlocks a lot of LP.

A little audiophile

A lot more albums were played. Prince’s ‘Avalanche’ from One Nite Alone initially sounds a little audiophile, with its excellent imaging and tinkly piano extension. And that’s why it’s so useful. In most systems, that’s all you get. Through the SME Model 60 you get the intensity of the voice and the dynamism of his playing. You know he’s not ‘phoning it in’ and singing and playing with passion and so much intensity. You have to give the loudspeakers a rest after this track so they can calm down.

To rest them, out came Penguin Eggs by Nic Jones. My guitar playing days are long behind me, but ‘Canadee-I-O’ still has its original effect; the clock is ticking before you look to your hands and ask ,“How?’ How did he play that, and how come you can’t?” Normally, this takes about a minute or so. I was staring at my fingers five seconds in (hint: the tuning helps, but that’s not it). However, beyond the guitar wrangling, it’s the ability to articulate his voice, which tends to sound a bit too ‘Arran sweater, finger in ear’ folksy. Here, it’s just entertaining and detailed. And that damn guitar playing remains stunning!

Piano torturer

As a sign-off, I played Stravinsky ‘Three Scenes (Petruska), played by Alexander Toradze. Toradze died in 2022, and a million piano keys cried out in relief. The SME is dynamic enough to cover his assault on the keyboard, but it is also subtle enough to show he’s more than just a piano torturer. And that’s excellent. Usually, it’s just all attack, but this shows there’s more to the pieces and the player than just an onslaught. It’s still an unrelenting piece of music – it’s supposed to be – and that explains how good the deck gets. It has the grip to keep Toradze in check but is not so suppressed that it sounds like he’s been physically restrained. And it allows his softer side out, too.

This is a review of two sides; the Model 60 and the Model 60 One of One. Fortunately, they converge in ‘SME beyond parallel’ performance. Put simply, if you like the control and grip any that SME turntable and arm brings to music, you are already in the market for a Model 60; you – and your bank balance – just don’t know it yet. As to the One of One, you already know this is the last turntable you’ll ever buy, so why not give it some unique pizazz? The only downside to the One of One project is if you want a specific colour and it’s already gone… tough! Given how limited these colour schemes are, I’m surprised the price premium over the SME Model 60 is so small, and that means they will be popular. So get your order in quick!

Technical specifications

Turntable Speed Error at 33.33rpm: 33.33rpm (-0.005%)
Time to Audible Stabilisation: 5 – 6 seconds
Peak Wow/Flutter (Peak weighted): 0.01% / 0.02%
Rumble (silent groove, DIN B weighted): -75dB (-75.4 dB
with Clamp)
Rumble (through the bearing, DIN B weighted): -76.5dB
Hum & Noise (unweighted, relative to 5cm/sec): -62.5dB
Power Consumption: 18w (1w standby)
Tonearm Effective Mass: 10g – 11g
Cartridge Balance Range: 5g – 18g
Vertical Tracking Force: 0.0g – 3.0g (30mN)
Maximum Tracking Error: 0.0120/mm
Internal Wiring: Crystal Cable 0.1mm Mono X-Tal

DIMENSIONS:

Turntable Height: 212mm (top of the clamp), Width 557mm, Depth 417mm
Speed Control Unit: Height 87mm, Width 170mm Depth 295mm
Power Unit: Height 83mm Width 190mm Depth 243mm
Platter: 330mm
Spindle to Arm: 215.35mm
Weight: Turntable: 48kg
Speed Control Unit 2kg
Power Unit 4.2kg
Boxed Shipping Weight 86kg

Price: SME Model 60: £55,900, $71,000, €59,900

Premium finish: £59,800, $81,900, €64,900

One of One: £66,300, $88,900, €74,900

Manufacturer

SME Ltd

www.sme.co.uk

Drive to excellence

Mini-Me

Chocolate

Well-balanced

Class A or AB

Consistent similarity

No hair shirts

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

SH: You’ve had an incredible career, starting out as Gerry Dorsey in the late ‘50s, before changing your name and then finding fame in the ‘60s. How does it feel to be celebrating more than 60 years in showbiz?

Why has your career endured for so long? Is it because you’ve tried different things? You’re a pop entertainer who’s known for Easy Listening, but you’ve experimented too – you made a dance album in the ‘90s, and you’ve also recorded country and gospel-roots records…

What’s the concept for the album?

What music do you remember hearing at home as a kid?

You’re 89 and still touring – how do you keep in shape and look after your voice?

What have been some of your career highlights? You received an MBE in 2022 – that must’ve been great…

Decca is reissuing several of your albums this year, including Release Me and A Man Without Love. What are your memories of making those records?

Famously, in 1967, your version of ‘Release Me’ kept The Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’ / ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ off the number one spot in the UK Top 40 – you had the biggest selling single that year. How did that feel?

Did you get to meet The Beatles?

You’ve worked with some great musicians – Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan both played on ‘Release Me.’ They were the guitarists for the session…

In 1967 you went on a package tour of the UK with Jimi Hendrix…

You worked in Las Vegas – how was that? And you got to know Elvis while you were there…

A lot of the early rock ‘n’ roll stars stole from Elvis…

Why did it take a while for your career to take off?

Didn’t you almost record a song with Gorillaz, but, sadly, it didn’t come off?

Would you like to play Glastonbury?

What can we expect from the new tour?

What would the 89-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck say to the young Gerry Dorsey who’s trying to break into the music industry?

A Good Combination

Proof of Concept

Price and contact details

Manufacturer

Options? Not yet!

Listening to the Lagrange S

Conclusion

Technical specifications

Manufacturer

UK distributor

Once Upon a time

AVID Entry

E I E Io

Better step up?

Emotional Impact

Lots for the money

Technical specifications

Manufacturer AVID Hi-Fi Ltd

One of One

Simply the best!

All precision

Forever done

Uncompromising

Cornerstone

Ghosts

A little audiophile

Piano torturer

Technical specifications

The sound of excellence delivered your way