31 March 2025 – New Zealand high-end audio manufacturer, JAVA Hi-Fi, is introducing six new models to its award-winning amplifier range in the coming months. Additionally, from May it will be updating its Single Shot and Double Shot LDR GaN FET integrated amplifiers with a new high-performance R2R ladder DAC.
JAVA Hi-Fi Founder and CEO Martin Bell says its CARBON edition integrated amplifiers have become the best-selling products in its line-up, even though they only launched in January 2024. The global interest from customers prompted JAVA to look at how it could apply this material to other products.
“A number of customers have asked whether we were planning to produce a CARBON version of our pre-amplifiers and power amplifiers. They spoke and we listened!”, says Bell.
Like the CARBON editions of the integrated amplifiers, the JAVA CARBON pre-amplifiers and power amplifiers feature several notable innovations that elevate the JAVA listening experience to new heights. These include:
Carbon fibre outer casework (9mm thick) for superior vibration damping and to mitigate the influence of RFI and EMI on circuitry
ETI Research Silver RCA connectors
ETI Research Kryo speaker binding posts (both models of GaN FET Power Amplifier)
Revised and upgraded circuit design on both models of the LDR Pre-Amplifier
IsoAcoustics Gaia IV feet for improved vibration isolation of circuit boards and other internal components
The new models are an extension of JAVA’s current amplifier range and will include:
JAVA CARBON Single Shot LDR Pre-Amplifier (MSRP US$8,495)
JAVA CARBON Single Shot GaN FET Power Amplifier (MSRP US$9,995)
JAVA CARBON Double Shot GaN FET Power Amplifier (MSRP US$11,995)
The CARBON editions of the pre-amplifier and power amplifier will begin shipping in June this year.
Range Expansion
Also new from JAVA Hi-Fi are several additions to its integrated amplifier range.
The JAVA Single Shot 400 doubles the power of the current Single Shot integrated amplifier from 200W/8ohms to 400W/8ohms. Meanwhile the Double Shot 200 keeps the fully-balanced configuration of the Double Shot integrated, but delivers 200W/8ohms (compared to 400W/8ohms for the existing Double Shot) at a lower price point.
Pricing for the expanded 8-strong integrated amplifier starts at US$8,995 for the JAVA Single Shot 200 and is rounded out by the flagship JAVA CARBON Double Shot 400 at US$16,995.
“These new models plug an important gap in our amplifier range and provide customers with the ultimate flexibility in terms of input options, power and price”, says Bell.
The other notable feature of the refreshed integrated amplifier range is a new high-performance R2R ladder DAC driven by its own dedicated linear power regulator.
Replacing the current Burr-Brown-based DAC, the new USB DAC features dual AD1865 chips from Analog Devices. These 18-bit non-oversampling chips can play files up to 768kHz and are renowned for their natural, organic and non-fatiguing sound. Digital glare, begone!
MSB adjustment is handled natively on the AD1865 DAC, fine-tuning the most significant bit (MSB) to improve the DAC’s linearity, particularly around the zero-crossing point. This ensures smooth transitions and allows any residual distortion error to be eliminated.The Double Shot models feature a dedicated DAC board for each channel in a fully balanced configuration to eliminate cross-talk and further improve measured performance.
The complete integrated amplifier line-up comprises:
JAVA Single Shot 200 (MSRP from US$8,995 in standard finishes)
JAVA Double Shot 200 (MSRP from US$9,995 in standard finishes)
JAVA Single Shot 400 (MSRP from US$11,995 in standard finishes)
JAVA Double Shot 400 (MSRP from US$12,995 in standard finishes)
JAVA CARBON Single Shot 200 (MSRP US$12,995)
JAVA CARBON Double Shot 200 (MSRP US$13,995)
JAVA CARBON Single Shot 400 (MSRP US$15,995)
JAVA CARBON Double Shot 400 (MSRP US$16,995)
The new and updated models begin shipping in May and will be on demonstration in the Playback Distribution rooms at AXPONA, 11 – 13 April 2025.
Audio Show Deluxe is fast becoming the friendly face of high-end audio. The annual show – a collaborative event between the company that brought you the North West Audio Show in Cranage, Cheshire and the online audio e-zine Hifi Pig – is a deliberately small, curated event with some of the finest names in high-end and high-performance audio.
Sandwiched between the significantly larger Bristol Hi-Fi Show in late February, AXPONA in April, and High-End Munich in May, Audio Show Deluxe might not be the primary place to find new products, but there are first showings to the UK public and carefully built systems put together with some of the finest components. Where possible, we have focused on the new products, but this gives us an ideal opportunity to focus on ‘what’s good’ as well as ‘what’s new’!
As ever, we have broken this event over two weeks, and this is a very personal selection of some of the best – and most interesting – products at the show:
Audio Group Denmark
It’s challenging to keep up with Audio Group Denmark’s prodigious rate of product launches. The brand, encompassing Aavik and Axxess audio electronics, Ansuz ancillaries and Børresen loudspeakers, has a substantial portfolio of products in each category. Last year, it went big with one of the most expensive systems in the show. This year, it chose a smaller room and a more affordable system to show the scope of the brands, highlighting the U-288 integrated amplifier, streamer and DAC from the Aavik brand, being fed an Ethernet signal from the Ansuz PowerSwitch D3, a C3 power distributor, and D3 level cables throughout. Even the equipment support and cable lifters were from Ansuz’s extensive catalogue.
The system culminated in a pair of Børresen C1 standmount loudspeakers, the entry point in the brand’s three model C series and part of the company’s 37-strong loudspeaker lineup (39 if you include the two new models under the Axxess brand, also designed by Michael Børresen). And yet, despite a huge line-up, the key is consistency, and this system showed off a lot of the fun, fast and impressive sound. This was the first time these loudspeakers were given a public airing at a UK show.
Absolute Sounds
The UK’s leading high-end distributor Absolute Sounds took the lion’s share of rooms at Audio Show Deluxe, with three rooms showcasing its extensive portfolio of the best in high-end from around the room. In addition, companies like Symmetry also used Wilson Audio loudspeakers from the Absolute Sound range. The show featured the first UK public outing for the remarkable Magico M5 three-way, four-driver floorstanding loudspeaker. Played through a Döhmann turntable (with Reed arm and Analog Relax cartridge) and Constellation Audio phono stage for analogue, and an Antipodes Audio server (with Network Acoustics Ethernet products) feeding a dCS Vivaldi digital front-end, all into Robert Koda amplifiers and Transparent cable, this was one of the most expensive systems at the show. It had scale and dynamics to match, and the loudspeakers are a significant step up on the M5 predecessors.
In a smaller room, Absolute Sounds showed off one of its newcomers to the family; Thiele turntables. The TT-01 turntable and TA-01 arm were joined by the company’s ADB-01 active damping base. In a room that featured almost exactly the same models last year (including Trafomatic Audio Rhapsody integrated amplifier and DeVore Fidelity loudspeakers) this created an effortless, roomful of enjoyable sound.
Auden Distribution
Auden Distribution took two rooms at the show, featuring Hegel electronics and Egglestonworks loudspeakers. In addition, Hegel’s electronics were seen in several rooms around the show (including KEF, below). But the new Luphonic R3-12 turntable and arm caught many people’s eyes. In the context of Hegel’s new DAC (first shown at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show), preamp, mono power amplifiers and phono stage, a pair of Egglestonworks Viginti floorstanding loudspeakers, all rigged with Audiomeca cables and MusicWorks power ancillaries, the R3-12 (with an Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI cartridge) could have been significantly outclassed. But it shone out in a very well-received system that played everything well.
Boyer Audio
Last year, Boyer Audio wowed show-goers with a system featuring Wadax, Engström, Kroma Atelier and Shunyata Research. This year, the distributor did the same with a system also featuring Wadax, Engström, Kroma Atelier and Shunyata Research. However, this was the first public UK outing for the new Wadax Studio • Player running directly into Engström Lars mono power amps (seen last year) and Kroma Atelier’s Jovita loudspeakers. An Orpheus Labs Absolute Integrated amp was also used. The system featured Shunyata Research cables and power products throughout, with the new Altaira grounding hub from the brand. Lastly, a Network Acoustics Tempus Ethernet Switch was used, to deliver a sound that was commonly considered one of – if not the – best at the show.
High End by Oz
A comparative newcomer to the UK audio scene, High End by Oz is the distributor for the Latvian audio brand Viva, as well as Albedo Silver cables, the Greek high-end amplifier brand Ypsilon (not seen here) and Raal Requisite headphones (also not at the show). Viva had its Numerico DAC (being driven by the Innuos Zen Next Gen server), into the Solista Mk II integrated amplifier…
…with a new hybrid tube/solid-state power amplifier specifically for the bass of the new Verticale horn loudspeakers, which features four ten-inch bass drivers, a compression driver and comes in at an impressive £120,000! See more on our YouTube video coverage.
Linn/House of Linn
House of Linn doesn’t just sell Linn products, but as run by two ex-Linn staff, the Manchester-based dealer does showcase the Glasgow brand. This was the first public outing of the new Bedrok plinth for the Linn’s iconic LP12 turntable. From a company known for offering a range of improvements to the evergreen vinyl spinner, it might surprise many that Bedrok is the first plinth upgrade in the LP12’s more than half-century history.
KEF
KEF showed its still-remarkable Blade concept loudspeaker, this time in its special Lotus livery. This finish is reminiscent of the livery of classic Lotus loudspeakers on the Post-War racetrack. This is not simply a racing stripe added to the Blade One Meta to ‘Lotusify’ an existing model; this unique finish – one of only four pairs in existence – is part of an ongoing collaboration that brings KEF sound to the car marque. The Blade One Meta played excellently through Innuos network products, Hegel amplifiers, and Chord Company cables.
Kog Audio
Kog Audio has recently added legendary German turntable brand Transrotor to its portfolio, and was making a great sound from the company’s Bellini TMD turntable and arm, going into a Soulnote E-2 phono equaliser, with a S-3 Reference CD/SACD player and A-3 integrated amplifier, all connected by Tellurium Q cable into a pair of FinkTeam Borg loudspeakers. This was one of those classic ‘never puts a foot wrong’ system that was a joy to listen to.
Definitive Audio
Definitive Audio is more dedicated toward complete systems than individual components; consequently, the company provides products in carefully and successfully curated systems rarely seen elsewhere. So, a system comprising two Kuzma Stabi R and Stabi M turntables, Consolidated Audio step-up transformers, SJS electroacoustics amplification and Living Voice R80 loudspeakers is a unique system that is only publicly heard at Audio Show Deluxe and Munich High-End. Kevin Scott’s eclectic taste in music includes playing a jazz version of ‘War Pigs’ by the London-based band Jazz Sabbath.
Luxman and DALI
The finest Japanese audio meets some of Denmark’s finest loudspeakers. Japanese audio electronics master Luxman is celebrating its 100th year in business. With the brand’s top PD-191A turntable with LMC-5 cartridge, E-07 phono stage, NT-07 network transport and DA-07 DAC, all into a C-10X control amplifier, and M-10X stereo power amplifier, this is almost the same system as last year. The only difference is this year, a second M-10X makes bridged mono power amplifiers. These feed, via Chord Company cables, into a pair of DALI Epikore 9 floorstanding loudspeakers
Karl-Heinz Fink has a lot to answer for. Not only has he designed some very impressive loudspeakers over the last few decades for all sorts of brands but he has put Epos back in the limelight where it belongs. He has also influenced a few of my reviewing choices and some actual purchases, the latter are rare things I can assure you. It was he who suggested that the SPL Diamond is a very capable DAC for its asking price and it turns out that once again he’s not wrong.
SPL is one of those rare companies that makes electronics for both the studio and home markets, in fact the vast majority of what the German company makes is for professional use. If you have visited a big studio the chances are that there will have been some SPL compressors, equalisers etc in the racks. They are distinguished by anodised alloy facias but this is not unique to the brand, it does however make them stand out from the flat black and silver front panels found on most pro gear.
Only standalone
The Diamond is SPL’s only standalone D/A converter in what it terms the professional fidelity range, a euphemism for domestic audio. It offers digital inputs of all the usual varieties with four S/PDIF options alongside AES and USB and these are selectable with a front panel knob that is a lot more straightforward than usual. The only omission input wise is of a BNC coaxial option, which are rare things today but offer the best connection for S/PDIF sources that have a matching output.
The analogue outputs of the SPL Diamond DAC are of the usual single ended RCA and balanced XLR varieties. The only unusual features on the back panel are a word clock input which reflects the brand’s professional background, and dip switches to change output from fixed to variable. Another pro feature is the option to have fixed output from one pair of outputs and variable from the other. In a situation where you have active speakers and a headphone amp, the Diamond can control volume via the speakers but let the headphone amp do the attenuation. The one feature that would have been nice is a remote control for changing volume but that isn’t apparently an option.
This is a compact piece of kit in height terms. Without its feet the Diamond is only a little over 4cm thick yet the onboard power supply is based around a toroidal transformer; a very slim example of the art presumably but one that offers linear conversion to DC at an unusually high voltage.
High voltage
The Diamond runs an AKM AK4493 DAC chip which converts PCM with a resolution of 32-bits and up to 768kHz, DSD is supported at up to four times or DSD256. Unusually this converter incorporates a low pass filter in the analogue output stage which SPL dub SLP 120 (Super Low Pass). The figure refers to the brand’s Voltair technology which involves running the converter at 120 Volts, which equates to plus or minus 60V as opposed to the plus or minus 15V found in the majority of DACs. They claim that this results in greater dynamic range, better signal to noise and greater headroom.
There is no lock light on the SPL Diamond DAC but the display shows the sample rate available from the connected source. This is effectively the same thing with knobs on, when there’s no signal source the display is blank. It also shows the selected input but there is no option to change this to reveal output level nor to dim or defeat the display. The Diamond’s toggle switches and selector have a solid feel and relays click when sample rate changes, it looks and feels reliable and built to last and in some ways sounds the same.
Tuned for maximum neutrality
The sound is direct and powerful, it‘s as if it has been tuned for maximum neutrality with no tweaking to make the highs sweeter or the mid more colourful. In every piece of electronics decisions have to be made about components, capacitors of the same value have different characters and those differences may not be measurable, but they are audible. This is particularly true in analogue output stages and hi-fi brands tend to build products with a more obvious character than can be heard with this SPL Diamond DAC.
I suspect that the major influence on the Diamond’s character is the high DC voltage that the circuit runs at, it has a much stronger sound than a lot of DACs, with bass that has real power and weight. I found that this combined better with the USB output of a Melco N10 server/streamer than with the Lumin streamer that is usually placed between it and the DAC. In most instances a direct connection like this results in a soft, dynamically challenged and unengaging sound, here the no-nonsense balance of the DAC perfectly matched the relaxed output of the streaming output on the Melco. With the firmer grip of the Lumin the result was slightly too solid and tight; two yins do not a perfect circle make.
Reflex action
Back with the Melco the results were precise and fluent, the SPL Diamond DAC may seem a little straight laced in balance but this makes all forms of music highly engaging. Even well played review staples like the Locrian Ensemble’s Mendelssohn Octets managed to transcend their aesthetic form and get the musical message across. This recording is very good for assessing instrument tone and three dimensionality of soundstage but all too often these elements can obscure the charm of the music, but not here. Here the tone is not as lavish as it might be but you are drawn into the piece very effectively.
With the electric ‘Non Zero Number’ by The God in Hackney (The World in Air Quotes) the tension in the piece is palpable and when the drums and guitar ramp up the dynamics it gets positively visceral. It was particularly interesting to hear the way in which the drum kit has been limited in the recording, this is not usually so obvious and the fact that the SPL could do this whilst also delivering the power and dynamics was rather a treat.
What word would
I have a Mutec Ref 10 Nano word clock in my armoury and took the opportunity to see what this would bring to the performance of the SPL DAC. What it did was calm down the presentation by reducing low level noise which also opened up the soundstage, the change wasn’t night and day but there was a clear increase in precision and a refinement of the overall result.
It also seemed worthwhile to try out the onboard volume control, even if this meant jumping up and down to get the level right (just like the old days). Here the results were a bit less clear and well defined, as if the leading edges were being blurred and the low level detail becoming masked. That however is in comparison with a Townshend Allegri Reference preamplifier at over four times the price, something was going to give. There wasn’t the sense of compression or loss of scale that often happens with the volume controls included on DACs and streamers so this was a strong result.
The Pachanko effect
Another digital source turned up during the review period that proved to be a rather good partner for the Diamond DAC, this was a Pachanko Labs Constellation Mini server/streamer with a linear power supply and silver SATA cable upgrade (£5,850). This is clearly a fine digital source and one that also worked well here, the DAC delivering some very engaging results with excellent low level resolution. The combo is more precise than the Melco which makes for tremendous insight into familiar pieces of music.
I was particularly taken with the drumming on Esperanza Spalding’s ‘Ebony & Ivy’ (Emily’s D+Evolution), the SPL manages to separate out the various elements but keep them totally coherent and this allows the power of the drums to shine through even though they aren’t high in the mix. The acoustic nature of the instrument gives it a dynamic advantage over the voices and other instruments in the band and this makes it nigh on impossible to keep the air drumming under control.
The SPL Diamond DAC will not be to all tastes. Some will prefer a softer and more relaxed sound. I suspect that it is more real and transparent to the source than many of its peers. If you enjoy the power of good bass it should be very high on your list. Likewise, if you want to be carried away by the sheer brilliance of your favourite music, it warrants more attention than its compact and competitively priced form might suggest.
Technical specifications
Type: Solid-state high-resolution PCM and DSD-capable digital-to-analogue converter/preamplifier.
Digital Inputs: One AES/EBU, two Coaxial, two Toslink, and one USB.
• DSD supported through USB only.
Analogue Outputs: One stereo single-ended (via RCA jacks), one balanced (via XLR connectors). Both outputs are configurable for fixed or variable level operation.
DAC Resolution/Supported Digital Formats: All PCM from 44.1KS/s to 768KS/s with word lengths up to 32-bit, DSD64 (2.8224MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz) & DSD256 (11.2MHz). The following format restrictions apply:
• Sample rates above 192kHz are supported through USB only.
The Ideon Audio Absolute ε range of products is an unparalleled collection of digital audio products. The full range (tested here) can stand toe-to-toe with the best of them. The Absolute ε DAC (itself tested here) has recently received a ‘Meta’ upgrade. This will be the subject of a review later. But, as the name suggests, ‘Absolute’ has a large price tag. For those who can’t quite reach Absolute levels, there’s Ideon Audio IΩN+. The IΩN DAC (with optional preamp, which is known as the ‘IΩN+’) shares much with the Absolute model. However, it is priced at a considerably more attainable level.
Like its bigger brother, the IΩN DAC uses an ESS chip. It uses the ES9028A PRO converter chip, with the ES9038 PRO in the Absolute ε. Both use dedicated software written in-house at Ideon Audio’s Athens design studio. This software is firmware-upgradable should the need arise. The USB audio input module features another ESS chip from the PRO family. Again, this chip is subject to a lot of custom coding in-house. Both Ideon DACs process PCM signals up to 32 bit/384 kHz, plus DSD64 to DSD512 natively.
No bristling
The IΩN does not bristle with digital inputs. It has USB Type B and coaxial S/PDIF via BNC or RCA. However, the inputs sport galvanic isolation. It outputs to XLR and RCA. The IΩN+ adds two analogue inputs (XLR and RCA), with one stereo set of XLR and RCA outputs. Idion uses a fully balanced circuit topology.
Ideon Audio can change the IΩN from a high-performance DAC to a high-performance DAC-meets-preamp. That change gives a heavy clue about the internal architecture of the product. It uses a discrete, low-noise, low-interference linear power supply, not a switch mode. Lots of high-quality capacitors flank the toroidal transformer. That transformer announces its presence when you try to lift the IΩN+ out of its flight case.
Ideon implemented a ‘true zero’ signal path on IΩN+ preamp stage. Less than half a millimetre separates the tracks of the internal DAC chip from the preamp stage. This short signal path minimises noise and harmonic distortion while maximising transparency and dynamic range.
The Ideon Audio IΩN+ also features a digitally (software) controlled analogue attenuator. Once again, this helps to reduce noise and distortion while increasing overall accuracy. Ideon eschews the more commonplace ‘bit chopping’ approach to digital attenuation. Instead, it designed the preamp stage as a separate device. However, this architecture requires the highest-grade components and a refreshing absence of compromises.
No compromise
Ideon Audio does not compromise component quality elsewhere, either. The IΩN and IΩN+ use the same high-precision femto clocks as their big brother. They also share an extremely low jitter power supply. Two of these clocks sit on the USB board (one for multiples of 44.1kHz sampling frequency and one for multiples of 48 kHz) and another on the actual converter board.
Even before the digital stream is tied to that clock, if it passes through USB, the signal is fed through the company’s proprietary three-stage noise-busting circuit, which is – once more – a technology drawn down from the Absolute ε. The data stream is fed through that HyperStream eight-channel digital architecture into Ideon’s own capacitors output stage… and it all seems remarkably familiar to anyone who has seen the Absolute ε design.
It invites a question: So much has trickled down from the top line, what remains to justify the big-hitter DAC? The chunky Absolute ε has a larger multistage power supply that dwarfs that of the Ideon Audio IΩN+, it runs a more selected range of chips and components, and that gives a still greater signal-to-noise ratio, and it’s even more tank-like in build!
Having heard both (albeit with some time between them and not the latest ‘Meta’ version of the Absolute ε), I can confidently say that you get what you pay for in the bigger DAC, but the IΩN comes exceptionally close in outright performance terms. Moreover, unless you are playing at the absolute (pun intended) pinnacle of audio performance, the IΩN is more than good enough.
Bass – now with added grip
They share an incredibly bold, powerful and organically ‘grippy’ bass. The Ideon Audio IΩN+ grabs hold of your speaker cones like a happy terrier and won’t let go of them until it’s satisfied with a spot of Rammstein or Infected Mushroom. That stupid smile breaks out across your face at that moment as you realise just how much precision the Ideon Audio is putting into that bass, and just how rewarding that sounds.
For non-bassheads, this also has a boon. It underpins the music in a way that gives instant solidity and authority to a piece of music. The final movement of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony [Solti, Decca] is delivered with such force that you start to wonder if the music should come with minimum safe distance recommendations. Hell, the DAC unleashes such powerful bass energy into your system you could get a suntan from Pablo Cazals playing a few Bach Cello suites [Archiv].
Listen to the title track to Night Train by Oscar Peterson [Verve] or, better yet, ‘Straight, No Chaser’ from Genius of Modern Music Vol 2 by Thelonious Monk [Blue Note]. In the former case, Peterson might play very laid back, but his vast hands were working that piano surprisingly hard. And Monk, well… he was just 20 years ahead of everyone and remains so today, but his power and control over the instrument just shines here.
Good foundations
Good bass alone does not make a DAC. Fortunately, that solid foundation underpins the rest of the performance. It is a joy to sit in front of. The level of detail and precision to that sound is only matched by its sheer musicality, very much in line with the IΩN’s bigger brother’s handling of music. Play something small, lithe and acoustic, or big, syrupy and electronic, and it just extracts the best from the performance, adding none of its character or influence. I went from Anna B Savage [in|FLUX, City Slang] to The Orb [UFOrb, Big Life] via everything from Albinoni to ZZ Top, and it just brings out those little details (like finger squeaks on nylon-stringed guitars) without losing sight of the intent of the musicians.
Few DACs in the field are equally comfortable with expansive soundstaging and an orderly sense of rhythm. It’s a mission statement of Ideon Audio because the IΩN nails both exceptionally well. I think this is the balance point, as other DACs in its class tip one way or another, even slightly.
More lobsters
We went with the DAC with the optional preamplifier. Mixing two things can either produce great things (like the guy who saw a steak and said, “I know what this needs… lobsters!”) or terrible things (like the guy who saw a steak and said, “I know what this needs… Nutella!”). Adding a preamp section to a DAC has typically delivered ‘variable’ results. The skills required to make a good DAC differ from those that produce a great preamp. The Ideon Audio IΩN+ is one of the exceptions, and the preamp is more than just some afterthought or a convenient way to cut down on some shelf space.
The IΩN+ preamp stage perfectly matches the DAC, with that outstanding bass presentation, authoritative dynamic range and superb detail shining through. It also has excellent soundstaging properties. It’s not the most feature-packed or input-laden preamp on the market. It has just two line XLR/RCA inputs and one XLR/RCA pair of preamp outputs alongside the DAC outputs. However, in sonic terms, it’s no slouch.
More inputs?
Shortcomings are very thin on the ground. Its rotary control knob takes some getting used to. The RCA, BNC, and USB digital inputs should be joined by AES/EBU and other connections at this price. Some might also expect a clock input on a DAC at this level. And that’s about it.
The Ideon Audio IΩN DAC (and IΩN+ with preamplifier) are a welcome addition. They are made for those after some proper high-end performance without the Absolute costs. Unless you are in the market for a pinnacle digital statement piece, the IΩN really stands out among its rivals. That bass is so intrinsically ‘right’ that it single-handedly justifies the price of admission, in my opinion. Set aside the sleek advertising and fancy front panels of some of the better-known big hitters. Instead, concentrate on what sounds fantastic. And then, the Ideon Audio IΩN DAC is the one to beat.
Technical specifications
Type: DAC with optional preamplifier stage
Digital inputs: 1x RCA S/PDIF, 1x BNC S/PDIF. 1x USB Type B
Analogue inputs (IΩN+ only) 2x RCA stereo line level input, 2x XLR line level inputs
Supported formats: 44.1kHZ-384kHz PCM, up to 32 bits. Native DSD up to 8x DSD
Born in 1937 in Kharkov (now Kharkiv) Ukraine, and now living in Tampere Finland, Fridrich Bruk was a mere 61 years old when he began writing symphonies. He’s since written a symphony pretty much every year, starting in 1998 – finishing his 23rd in 2021. Not bad… This recording covers Fridrich Bruk’s Symphonies 13 and 14.
His 13th symphony titled The Artist Kazimir Malevich (1878-1935) was completed in 2014 when Bruk was about 77 years old. In three movements lasting around 34m, it calls for an orchestra of medium-size – pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, three horns, percussion, and strings.
I can’t say I formed an exact idea of Kazimir Malevich’s personality, it seems clear he did have strong uncompromising views, a formidable intellect, and (probably) didn’t suffer fools gladly! Bruk’s score itself does not ingratiate itself to the hearer. Yet it holds your attention. If you like music that takes you on a long and winding journey, this could be for you. The journey itself is a bit discursive, but the work only lasts 42m. So, it’s hardly a feat of endurance to play the entire thing. While there are no stand-out tunes, Bruk’s score is surprisingly listenable. While a tough, demanding work, its knotty spiky mien is not unpleasant.
His Symphony 14 depicts ‘The Scream’ by Edvard Munch. Bruk himself saw the painting in 2015 and said of it “For me, this painting is above all a portrayal of the individual’s inner turmoil, and less a description of the physical aspect of suffering. How then does this cris de Coeur manifest itself?”
The 14th symphony calls for larger forces than its predecessor – woodwinds in pairs, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones and tuba, plus a large percussion section, celesta, and strings.
Does Bruk’s 14th symphony convey Munch’s Scream in sound? That’s hard to say… For me, when I look at the painting, I don’t feel or sense sound. The Scream is something internal. It’s more an inner cry of pain than an outward expression of agony or discomfort. A silent Scream.
Purely as music, Bruk’s 14th symphony is perhaps less listenable than his 13th. A 30-minute orchestral work based on Munch’s Scream is duty-bound to be uncomfortable and disquieting. It’s not intended to be a relaxing enjoyable experience. If it is, then the composer has surely failed in his task…
The recordings were made in June 2014 (symphony 13) and June 2015 (symphony 14) in Congress-hall, Vilnius, Lithuania – with producer/engineer Laura Jurgelionyte. I feel the sound is better in the 13th symphony, but perhaps this is down to the scoring of each work.
In the 13th symphony, the sound seems clearer and more integrated. Often the textures are fairly dense, but clarity is good and you can usually hear what’s going on. The 14th symphony is a louder more volatile work – indeed, it’s a tad more impressive-sounding at times. The Lithuanian orchestra under Imants Resnis plays well, but perhaps you need Berlin Philharmonic levels of refinement for a piece like this! However, music like this shouldn’t sound diplomatic and civil.
The recordings of Fridrich Bruk’s Symphonies 13 and 14 themselves are clear and well-balanced. It sounds like a fairly simple microphone technique was used, and there’s no obvious spotlighting of instruments. Listening, I half wondered if the recordings might be analogue rather than digital. Unlikely, but not impossible…
There’s a slight suggestion of analogue tape compression during climaxes, and also a mild barely-audible hint of tape hiss from time to time. But I could be completely wrong about the recording being analogue. The sound is perfectly-fine for the most part, with nothing to worry about.
Toccata Classics is definitely a very interesting label – full of unusual high-quality music by mostly-unfamiliar composers. The music they cover might not be well-known, but – on virtually all the releases I’ve sampled – it’s always been worth listening to.
20 March 2025 – Today, Ruark is delighted to introduce the latest addition to the R1 Mk4’s iconic colour collection: Pistachio Green. This serene new hue reflects the calming essence of nature, bringing a subtle yet refreshing update to interiors, perfectly timed for the arrival of spring.
The new smooth Pistachio Green lacquer exterior is designed to effortlessly complement a wide range of home décors, offering a natural contrast against neutral tones. Whether nestled on a bedside table or positioned as a stylish accent in a kitchen, the Pistachio Green finish brings a sense of calm and renewal to any space.
The R1 Mk4 is not just a visual delight but also a perfect companion for slow mornings and relaxed afternoons. Its OLED display clearly shows time, alarm settings, and radio information, automatically adjusting to ambient light for ease of use. Paired with Ruark’s iconic RotoDial controller, this beautifully crafted radio is intuitive and joyful to operate.
Beyond its elegant aesthetics, the R1 Mk4 is engineered for unparalleled audio performance. With DAB, DAB+, FM tuners, and high-quality Bluetooth streaming, it delivers endless music, radio, and podcasts with exceptional clarity and warmth. Ruark’s decades of audio expertise ensure the R1 Mk4 produces a room-filling sound that belies its compact form.
Additional features include a USB-C charging and playback port, switchable auxiliary input, and a stereo headphone output, making the R1 Mk4 Pistachio Green as versatile as it is beautiful.
R1 Mk4 Pistachio Green is available exclusively at John Lewis.
20 March 2025 (Montreal, Canada) – One of the highlights of the year for MOON is its home show, Montreal Audiofest. The show gets busier each year and 2025 is set to be the best one yet. MOON will be demonstrating a stunning system with its 641 integrated amplifier and the 681 networkplayer/DACatitsheart.
The 641 and 681 are models from MOON’s award-winning North Collection. The 641 acts as the centrepiece of a system, housing a preamplifier and a power amplifier in a single unit. It will drive even the most demanding of loudspeakers and harnesses exquisitely refined power to deliver a performance that will satisfy the most discerning listener. The 641 is a delight to use with its revolutionary BRM-1 intelligent remote-control that features a luxurious MOON volume knob and ground-breaking touch controls, visual feedback, and lavish refinement.
The feature-rich MOON 681 network player/DAC delivers a seamless experience with the 641. It allows simple and quick access to music libraries and online streaming services through the proprietary MiND2 platform, bringing digital audio to vivid life. A beautiful 4.3’’ screen displays cover art, song and artist names, and MOONLink communication make it a pleasure to operate and integrate within a complete MOON system.
At Montreal Audiofest, the MOON 641 and 681 will play through an exquisite pair of Dynaudio Contour legacy loudspeakers. The floorstanders are handmade in Denmark and their form and driver array guarantees that they will deliver the renowned natural MOON sound. The system will be connected by a full range of Nordost Tyr 2 interconnects, speaker cables and power cords. A Nordost QB8 AC distribution unit will manage the power supply and will enhance the 3D imaging on the soundstage, pulling out tonal richness and sustained decay time in the music, while maintaining a neutral and effortless delivery of the performance. This is a system that must be heard.
Etienne Gautier, MOON CCO, said, “The MOON team will be out in force at this year’s Montreal Audiofest and will be looking to meet both existing and new customers. We always have lots of fun at the show and can’t wait to entertain our guests with our beautiful system. This is one of our favourite places to demonstrate our products and to sit back and enjoy the music.’’
Montreal Audiofest takes place on the 28th to the 30th of March 2025 at the Hotel Bonaventure, 900 Rue De la Gauchetière Ouest, Montréal, QC H5A 1E4
Dana Gillespie’s career has spanned 60 years – the 75-year-old singer-songwriter and actress released a series of singles on Pye Records when she was 15, and then signed to Decca –her 1968 debut LP, Foolish Seasons, featuring Jimmy Page on guitar, is one of the great ‘lost’ albums of British folk-pop.
Since then, she’s had her friend, David Bowie, write a song for her – ‘Andy Warhol’, which she covered on her 1973 album, Weren’t Born A Man, appeared in Hammer horror films, sung backing vocals on ‘It Ain’t Easy’ from Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, been the first actress to play Mary Magdalene in the stage musical Jesus Christ Superstar, supported Bob Dylan on his 1997 UK tour – she first met and befriended him in 1965 – and forged a successful career as a blues musician.
Incredibly, this spring saw the release of her 74th album, First Love, produced by Marc Almond and Tris Penna, and it marks a change of direction for her – moving away from blues to rock and pop, as well as working with outside producers.
Apart from the track ‘First Love, Last Love’, which she co-wrote, it’s an eclectic collection of cover versions, including songs by Green Day (‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’), Morrissey (‘Spent The Day In Bed’),Leonard Cohen (‘Dance Me To The End of Love’ – on which she duets with Almond), Bob Dylan (‘Not Dark Yet’), David Bowie (‘Can You Hear Me?’), Jake Bugg (‘Simple As This’) and Lana Del Rey (‘Gods and Monsters’).
There’s also a stripped-back, piano and vocal version of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ and a song called ‘Brewer Street Blues,’ written by Almond – a haunting ode to ‘60s Soho nightlife, which Gillespie was a part of as a teenager. hi-fi+ got her on the phone to talk about the new album and her colourful career.
SH: I love the new album – it’s great…
DG: Thank you – that’s very nice of you to say so. It’s the first time that I’ve done something that’s not blues for a long time. With blues music, you put an album out and it just trots along nicely, and you sell it at gigs, but you never expect much coverage. The blues market means I can still keep singing when I’m 108, if I live that long.
How did the idea for the album come about and how did you end up working with Marc Almond and Tris Penna on it?
Marc Almond did a version of a song called ‘Stardom Road’ [in 2007] that I did on my 1973 album, Weren’t Born A Man, which also had the Bowie song ‘Andy Warhol’ on it.
I didn’t know Marc then, but he loved the song… I didn’t write it – it was written by two guys who were in a not very well-known band called Third World War.
Tris Penna was producing Marc at that time, so ‘Stardom Road’ was the thing that connected us. Quite a few years went by… I knew Tris and because he was friendly with Marc, I met him, and the three of us used to go and have quite funny lunches together.
photo by Christina Jansen
One time, Tris and Marc were talking to each other, and Marc said, ‘I really think we should take Dana to the next level…’ in other words, away from just the blues. He said, ‘How about I produce a new album with Tris and finance it?’
So, he did it – we chose a third of the songs each. Having Marc’s input meant that on this album I sing a Lana Del Rey song.
I love your version of ‘Gods and Monsters’ – it’s great to hear a 75-year-old woman using the F-word…
I know – we all say ‘Oh, f*** it’, or whatever… Marc found that song and he also found ‘Dance Me To The End of Love.’ I would never have thought of doing a Leonard Cohen song – well, I did in the ‘60s, but that was when I was folky.
I found ‘Boulevard Of Broken Dreams’ – I always liked that song. It was a hit for Green Day – it’s also got the word f*** in it… Marc suggested a song by Jake Bugg [‘Simple As This’] – I’d never even heard of Jake Bugg. Again, it’s got the F-word in it.
I love the song that Marc wrote – ‘Brewer Street Blues.’ Brewer Street is in the red-light district of Soho – that was when it was a red-light district and when it was fun, in the ‘60s. I used to be out at the Marquee Club or the Whisky A Go Go, listening to blues acts.
In those days, you could go out and be safe – you weren’t going to get stabbed – and nobody had guns. Very few people even had passports, because it wasn’t so long after World War II. I was 13, but nobody bothered to ask me why I was going into the Marquee Club to listen to The Yardbirds. I can remember hearing Davy Jones and the Manish Boys – he turned into Bowie… I was so lucky to have been in an era when music was innocent, and life was innocent and lovely. People weren’t in the music business for money – you were in it because it was what you loved more than anything else.
How do you feel seeing Soho now? It’s changed so much…
I just have to accept that everything changes – there’s sod all I can do about it. When I walk down Denmark Street, there is a twinge of sadness. It was there that Bowie, when he was still Jones, and I used to sit, with other various musicians, in the café Gioconda… It has a plaque above it, saying it was where musicians met, but it doesn’t name any names. In the early days, musicians who were writing would meet in there because it was the street of publishers.
Bowie and I both wanted to be known as songwriters – you had to go into the offices and perform your songs. We had kind of parallel lives in the early days – I was signed to Decca for two LPs in the ‘60s and he was on a small subsidiary of Decca called Deram. I had my second album on Decca produced by the fantastic Mike Vernon, who also produced something for Bowie – I think it was ‘The Laughing Gnome.’
Bowie and I used to go to Ready Steady Go [the TV show] and into the green room, where you networked. He was very good at networking – I wasn’t. I’d be down on the dance floor. Bowie and I always remained friends.
There’s a Bowie song on your new album – ‘Can You Hear Me?’ It’s quite a simple, stripped-back arrangement…
It was taken from the demo – I don’t like doing songs where you copy the original, or the one that’s been a success. His version on Young Americans is very different – I thought it would be nice to do it stripped-back.
The first single from the album was a Morrissey song – ‘Spent The Day In Bed.’ He said your version is better than his…
Yes – he’s a friend of Tris’s. I’ve never met him – somebody wrote on my Facebook that he’s got weird eyes…
So did Bowie…
Exactly. The Morrissey song was suggested by Tris, and, as I don’t mind spending the odd day in bed… I used to do it more when I was younger, but I’m now so busy I never get to do it.
I really agree with the sentiments of the chorus, which is, ‘Stop watching the news, because the news contrives to frighten you…’
That’s what attracted me to the song, and because it’s slightly leftfield. Let’s face it, Morrissey has got almost two million followers on whatever it is people follow him on, and that song just seemed to sum things up – especially these days, when the news is totally depressing. I don’t know when you go to print, but somebody might’ve pressed the nuclear button by then!
I love the Dylan song you’ve covered on the album – ‘Not Dark Yet…’
I love it as well, but I’d never ever thought of doing a Dylan song… He did ask me to be his opening act on his British tour in 1997, and I’ve known him since 1965. I was very young then – a couple of weeks past 16, so I was just about legal, but, in those days, nobody cared about what anybody did. There was no social media – you just went and had fun.
In the evening, after he’d been on at the Albert Hall, The Stones and The Beatles came in – I was the youngest person there by far. It was heady stuff – it was eye-opening. Dylan was always a gentleman and extremely nice.
With all the guys I’ve known, in whatever sense (laughs)…. I don’t want to be too graphic, because I don’t know what sort of magazine this is… I’ve always had really good relationships as friends. I think that’s because they were all musicians – musicians function differently…
Jimmy Page, who played all the guitar bits on my first album in 1968… I stayed friends with him through the years.
Through him and The Yardbirds, we used to go and listen to Indian music in the ‘60s – that was when The Beatles were heading off to see the Maharishi. The sitar was a rather exotic thing, and it was really difficult to buy a stick of incense then, which is laughable now.
It’s unusual for you to make an album of songs you haven’t written – although you co-wrote the track, ‘First Love, Last Love…’ You normally produce your own music, so what was it like working with producers?
It was such a relief, but I knew that Tris and Marc both know music very well… I was there for the mixing, but I could sit back and let the reins be held by other people – what a joy! I offered up my musicians – they did fabulously. The whole thing was recorded quite quickly – we took a couple of days to rehearse… blues musicians don’t rehearse much… Both Marc and Tris were really impressed with them – it was just great.
It was thanks to Tris that we did ‘Dreams’, which was written by Stevie Nicks – everyone knows it from the Fleetwood Mac album, Rumours.
Fleetwood Mac and I had the same management agency in the ‘60s. Tris suggested the song, and it’s so different to the one on Rumours – some people don’t realise it’s the same song until we get into the chorus.
It’s been lovely to do an album without any responsibilities on my shoulders on the production side, and it was great to have some songs chosen for me. Obviously, if I hadn’t have liked them, they’d have been slung out – there were a couple that never made it. All in all, I’m extremely happy.
The photographer who took the front cover, Gered Mankowitz, who also photographed The Stones and Jimi Hendrix, has been photographing me for 60 years, since I was 15.
This year was my 75th birthday – I’ve made 74 albums. I’ve included the show albums, like when I was in Jesus Christ Superstar, and I ran the Mustique Blues Festival in the Caribbean for 20 years – I made an album every year. Although I’m not on every track, they’re my albums.
I also made albums of Indian music – bhajans – which were released in India. If I’m lucky enough to make another album by the end of this year, it will be 75 – I can say one for every year.
First Love is out now on Fretsore Records. It’s available on CD and vinyl – black or limited edition, translucent red.
The hi-fi industry might tail the automotive sector in enthusiasm for a special edition but some companies do seem keen to make good on that deficit. Bowers & Wilkins has used ‘Signature’ models for quite a while now but, in recent years, has significantly increased the rate at which they appear. The preceding S2 family of 700 Series speakers saw Signature versions arrive a year or so after the ‘cooking’ versions, and the 800D4 models followed the same pattern. Sure enough, twelve months after the S3 range of 700 models launched, the 705 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature have arrived for our edification.
The choice of these two models is not accidental. During the launch event, it was revealed that Bowers & Wilkins feels that only designs that use the company’s ‘Tweeter on Top’ design principle can be tweaked to Signature status (which suggests we will never see a 600 Series Sig model). The 705 and 702 are among the 700 models so equipped (along with the 703), making them the logical choices as the largest of each type of speaker.
Other Signatures
In keeping with other recent Signatures, the fundamentals of the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature are unchanged from the standard 702 S3. It’s still a 3.5-way floorstanding speaker with a downward firing port and plinth arrangement closer in design to the 800 Series models than its smaller brethren. The carbon-domed tweeter is placed in its own torpedo-shaped housing at the top of the cabinet, leaving the cabinet itself to house a 150mm woven ‘Continuum’ midrange and three 165mm aerofoil bass drivers.
Turning the standard speaker into a Signature is a series of incremental changes rather than a major modification. The changes to the tweeter are limited to the use of the same mesh that is featured in the 800 Series Signature models.
A detailed change
It’s a detailed change, but Bowers & Wilkins says that it helps high-frequency dispersion. Both the midrange driver and the bass units receive uprated motor systems that focus on the ‘spider’ part of the rear mount and benefitting from data collected in the creation and production of the 800 Series drivers.
In keeping with other Signature models in recent years, a significant amount of effort has been expended on the crossover that ties everything together. Something quite interesting about this is that the standard 700 models, in turn, benefitted from lessons learned in the creation of the S2 Signatures, which means that this S3 Signature crossover is- very loosely- tweaking existing tweaks. The board is heavily revised without changing any of the crossover points or the basic behaviour of the crossover itself. These changes included doubling the polypropylene caps controlling signal to the tweeter and using Mundorf Angelique wiring where appropriate. The bass drivers gain massive new inductors that further help the Signature’s bass extension over the standard 702 S3. Connection is made via a set of upgraded speaker terminals.
Specific finishes
Two specific finishes are offered to ensure that people know a Signature when they see one. The first is the same Midnight Blue Metallic that first appeared on the 800 Signatures, and that could well wind up becoming ‘Bowers & Wilkins Signature Blue’ used on all Signature models going forward, but at the time of the formal unveiling, this had not been decided. This is partnered with the same Datuk Gloss Ebony used on the S2 Signature. In this regard, the 700 Series gets a better deal than the 800s as the Datuk is a truly lovely finish and rather more subtle than the Burr wood option on the more expensive range. One detail change I like more than I thought I would is the use of gold trim rings on the drivers, which combines nicely with both finishes.
Given that the standard 700s are immaculately made, it should not be a huge surprise to find that the Signatures are no less flawlessly bolted together. The size and quality of finish evident on the 702 S3 Signature had me fairly convinced it was more than £7,000 and while I’m guarded about describing any object of the nature as ‘good value’, it looks entirely competitive judged against rivals. My only real bugbear with how the Signature is presented is that the end opening packaging requires higher ceilings than many would-be owners possess.
Impresses from the beginning
Shorn of their boxes, though, the 702 S3 Signature impresses from the very beginning. Placement is hassle-free, partly down to the downward firing port and fixed boundary arrangement that this generation of 702 moved to, and they haven’t presented a significant challenge to the resident Cambridge Audio Edge A. This is very firmly a device that doesn’t require you to suffer for your art, and so long as they aren’t jammed into a corner, they will function effectively, although they will do their best work in a larger space.
With this done, though, the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature builds on an ability that the normal 702 already does well. This speaker delivers scale with an imperious ability that borders on the addictive, but it is an oversimplification to say that they make everything sound big. Paul Brady’s The World is What you Make It on Spirits Colliding [Fontana] is a perfect example. Brady himself sounds entirely correct; a believable human adult placed just off-centre. The kick drum that supports the opening bars, though, has effortless heft and scale. It’s more than bass (although be under no illusion, there’s plenty of that); it’s an ability to take a large instrument and give it that genuine sense of scale and impact.
There’s also a consistently impressive presence to the upper registers that has consistently impressed me during testing. Emily Wolfe’s sultry vocals in Medusa on her eponymously titled debut album [self released] grab and hold your attention thanks to a heady combination of scale, tonal realism and out and out energy.
Seamless relationship
The relationship between the tweeter and midrange was already seamless in the standard speaker but here they cease to be two drivers at all. Everything from 500Hz and up simply happens with a cohesiveness that seems to bely anything so base as a mechanical process happening internally.
There’s a large green fly in the ointment here in the form of the Acoustic Energy Corinium that passed through directly before the Bowers & Wilkins. With something built around hooks and engagement like Fields by Junip [City Slang], the Corinium has the upper hand at making the fast flowing Howl something that stops the rational part of your brain listening to the music objectively and simply has you stop taking notes and listen instead. Across a selection of high tempo material, the Acoustic Energy has the edge over the Bowers.
This challenge wilts under the sheer scale and impact that the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature can deliver though. The Sunday punch of that trio of bass drivers asks questions that the Acoustic Energy; and indeed most other floorstanders at the price, cannot answer. Whether you are seeking to replicate the swell of a full orchestra or some entirely synthetic electronic bass note, the 702 S3 Signature is able to make good on reproducing it with a combination of clout and control that is borderline addictive at times. No less impressive is that this palpable low end is also something that doesn’t require deeply antisocial levels to achieve. At almost any listening level this is a speaker that will handle the demands of whatever you play on it.
Final part
The final constituent part of the Signature models I’ve tested in recent years is that they also offer a level of fun that their more conventional siblings don’t always manage. The 702 has its work cut out here because the standard model is perfectly capable of being extremely entertaining but there’s still a fluency when you press on with Regina Spektor’s fabulous Live in London [Sire] that appeals as much to the heart as it does the head. This is a superb live album; spacious and able to give a sense of the crowd and venue but above all, it’s joyous and the Bowers & Wilkins captures that joy with every note.
This latest Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signaturee might not have the price point to itself, such is the strength of the competition, but it makes a very compelling argument for itself. This is not a wholesale reinvention of the speaker it’s based on, instead it takes a seriously capable speaker and makes it that little bit better. The result is a heady blend of competence and emotional engagement that is sure to win many friends.
Technical specifications
Type: Type: three-way vented-box floorstander
Drive units:
1x 25mm Decoupled Carbon Dome high-frequency
1x 150mm Continuum cone FST midrange
3x 165mm Aerofoil Profile bass
Frequency range: -6dB 28Hz – 33kHz
Frequency response: 46Hz – 28kHz ±3dB
Nominal impedance: 8Ω (minimum 3.1Ω)
Recommended amplifier power: 30W – 300W into 8Ω on unclipped programme
Sensitivity: 90dB spl (2.83Vrms, 1m)
Cabinet finishes: Datuk Gloss, Midnight Blue Metallic
Founded in Switzerland by ex-Studer legend Robert Huber in 1987, HSE makes a small but extraordinary range of audio electronics, of which the Masterline 7 phono preamplifier is arguably the most famous. HSE (or HSE Audio, or even HSE Swiss: names are not important when you are this far up the mountain) used to make both professional and domestic equipment, and the company’s EQ1 four-band parametric equaliser and M4000 microphone preamp for SSL 4000 desks are still highly prized among well-heeled studio owners, engineers and producers.
HSE still makes pro audio equipment to order, but the lessons learned in making uncompromising equalisers for studio use could be ported into making uncompromising phono equalisers for home use. The rest is solidly built history, albeit a history that is 24-carat gold plated in its most important areas.
A small range
The company is not one to flesh out its line with dozens of products. It’s a small range of ultra-fi. Alongside the Masterline 7 (or ML-7), there’s a matching Masterline 8 line preamplifier (which lists a Weiss DAC as one of its available options; such is the degree of finesse we are at here). There is also a Referenceline 7 two-box, dual mono phono preamp for those whose criteria – or bank balance – doesn’t quite reach the peak of the ML-7.
There is also a variant of the HSE ML-7 called the Masterline 7 VAREQ. Either specified as the ML-7 is built for you or available as an upgrade (for a premium), VAREQ gives you control over EQ curves other than RIAA. The four controls for these EQ settings are built into the top panel of the phono stage.
More than switch-flipping
As the name suggests, this is more than simply flipping a switch from ‘RIAA’ to ‘Decca’. There are 12 settings for roll-off (the amount of damping at 10kHz) and the turnover frequency for the high-pass filter. The 16dB and 500Hz settings for the RIAA curve are highlighted in red on the four rotary controls.
However, the model tested was the standard HSE Masterline 7, and it’s said that the RIAA-only version outsells the VAREQ curve model by about 5:1. Doubtless, people who want to shout about the importance of additional EQ curves (or lack thereof) will have something to say about this, and will likely say it loud, but that ratio says a lot.
There is an additional option. The existing external AC70 power supply can be boosted to the AC300. As the name suggests, this adds 300VA of additional toroidal transformer ‘beef’ alongside the line DC filter and soft start (inrush limiter) found in the standard AC70. This can be used with all three Masterline products.
Necessary complexity
The phono preamplifier has 37 different gain settings, 24 impedance settings and 12 capacitance settings, although these are set to match popular cartridge designs like Ortofon, Lyra, and ZYX. The ML-7 can be built with higher gain on request if you are trying to link the HSE phono preamplifier to some impossi-load (such as some of the Audio Note Io models). As this is a truly dual mono design, these settings are not ‘commoned’ so you have to set them individually on each channel.
However, far from being unnecessarily obtuse, this is a necessary complexity in action. At this level, the phono stage is so precise that tiny differences in cartridge coil winding between the left and right channels can be resolved, and small variations between the left and right settings are more than just fine-tuning. There are also those purists who will use the gain setting as a volume control and do without a preamp. They can gain-ride the central VU meters like a boss. I don’t think turning those two gain knobs like a safe cracker while playing a record does it for me, but your mileage may vary.
Not scratching the surface
We’ve barely scratched the – beautifully made – surface of the HSE Masterline 7. The three balanced-only XLR inputs are built to a high grade and matched by the single XLR output per channel. All have an independent ground-lift switch at the rear in case of hum loops. Eight mini-toggle switches on the front panel control everything from the choice of input through activating the passive 15Hz subsonic filter to the brightness and scale of the VU meters.
If the connections and controls are comprehensive, the internals take it to a new level. The HSE ML-7 has an Equivalent Input Noise of -144dB across the frequency range. EIN is a figure used in the pro-world to determine the noise of a microphone preamp. In phono preamp terms, the HSE is quieter than the noise floor of many good DACs. This was easy to demonstrate. It was unbelievably quiet.
The HSE Masterline 7 features twelve discrete Class A gain stages and two low-noise zero-ohm Class A head amplifiers. Built to last (HSE claims at least a 30-year life expectancy), the phono preamp is built into a milled-from-solid aluminium block with 20mm thick walls. This not only makes the ML-7 free from any transmitted vibration, but it also aids EMC shielding. The ML-7 sits on its own ‘Vibfree’ support platform.
Hand made
It’s all built using the highest quality hand-made Swiss components, and the Bill Of Materials reads like a Who’s Who of audiophile top-grade components: ELMA, Goldpoint, NKK, Panasonic, WIMA, Neutrik, and Schurter, as well as HSE Audio self-wrapped coils are used. All these electronic components are hand-selected to an impossibly tight 0.2% tolerance. Even the internal wiring is the patented silver-Teflon wiring developed by HSE. Finally, the heavy toroidal transformer in the external power supply chassis has the best static and magnetic shielding.
HSE says the ML-7 is “When highest Swiss quality engineering meets Italian design.” The champagne gold front panel with 24-carat gold knobs and details, the two central VU meters and overall styling are not one for ‘understatement’ as befits the country that bought us the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, but in the flesh, it has a timeless elegance that is hard to get from the pictures. It’s no shrinking violet, but neither is it garish.
A phono preamp of this gravitas and resolution isn’t going to be used with an entry-level Rega or Pro-Ject, but the ML-7 doesn’t automatically require ‘back of the wine list’ products. It should be ‘intelligently’ – and not simply ‘expensively’ – partnered. For example, it’s surprising – and probably completely academic – just how much music you can get from a good upper middle tier cartridge costing about £5k when it’s used a £70k phono preamplifier.
Imposter syndrome
I’m dancing around the sound quality for a reason. I’m thoroughly lost here. Not just lost; lost in music. The HSE Masterline 7 is beyond what I thought possible from LP, and I feel like I have a bad dose of Imposter Syndrome. I may be close to hitting my two millionth word written about audio, but I need someone who’s done more audio reviews than me to finish my sentences here. This one is above my pay grade… Figuratively and literally.
Take ‘Murmuration’ from Go Go Penguin’s V2.0 album [Gondwana]. I’m used to the extremely fast and detailed drum work, often blurring to the point where it almost sounds better in a digital format. But here, that extremely detailed drum work was super-fast, coming out of absolute silence and extremely dynamic and precise. It also conveyed the excitement of a first listen and the track’s energy.
It’s almost academic pulling out different types of music to describe the HSE Masterline 7 because it’s so far ahead of the pack. But the two towers upon which high-end audio was originally built – classical and jazz – are played with gusto and passion here. There is so much information on tap that you almost absorb the liner notes of an album through osmosis. But the ML-7 is so revealing that you hear different musicians’ individual playing styles, and not necessarily on instruments you know well. It’s easy to pick out the playing style of Ray Brown on This One’s for Blanton! [Pablo] but it’s just as easy to pick out how carefully he’s channelling the playing style of the late Jimmie Blanton, which rarely comes through.
Classical dynamism
Similarly, in classical pieces like the Maazel/Vienna Phil rendition of Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 [Decca], the dynamism and flow of the music are perfectly played. Around this time, the HSE makes you wonder if we didn’t take an almighty wrong turn in choosing a digital audio future. Classical listeners were the first to adopt CDs because of the absence of surface noise; they might be shocked at how much music they get playing, even crispy records from the 1960s, and how much of that music never makes it to digital. This astonishing phono stage brings out so much information in all aspects that your normal vocabulary is suspended.
I could play Duke Ellington back-to-back with Taylor Swift and Niels Frahm up against Willy DeVille. Each record was perfectly rendered, sometimes small and close-knit, other times expansive and energetic.
You want it darker?
The music got dark with Frahm and brightened up fast with Taylor Swift. This last wasn’t the best recording, but the HSE ML-7 makes the best of a bad job, and ‘Anti-Hero’ is enjoyably punchy, if way too close mic’d.
A record that doesn’t get played too often anymore is the 12” Annihilation mix of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Two Tribes’ [ZTT]. But in so many ways, this track is telling and – sadly – probably just as relevant today as it was in the mid-1980s. First, it’s as dynamic as it gets and shuts down lesser mortal phono preamps. Let it rip here, playing at ear-shredding club levels if your system can take it. It also makes you wonder how much of that mix Trevor Horn heard in the studio and if he knows how much is on record. Because until I heard it through the HSE Masterlevel 7 phono preamplifier, I had only guessed. For example, there’s a double-tracked tom-tom mid-way through the ‘Condemn me!’ part of the mix that is inaudible elsewhere and clear as day here.
Unexpected volume
Playing this 12” showed the only issue with the HSE ML-7. We so associate phono stages with self-noise and background hiss that – when there isn’t any – we are unprepared for the volume we get. From the quiet of the run-in groove, I set the level higher than expected, and when that air-raid siren kicked in at the opening of the track, it was loud enough to send people nearby running for long-gone bomb shelters in panic. Fortunately, this was at the end of a listening session, so I could give my ears a well-needed rest.
I’m in awe of what the HSE Masterline 7 can do with your recordings. The absence of noise is remarkable, but it’s backed up by reproduction that moulds itself to the record playing. It’s as detailed, spacious, or rhythmic as the LP allows. You feel like you are listening to your albums anew, and the feeling is sublime. The HSE Masterline 7 might cost a lot of money, but you get a significant amount of phono stage in return. Wow!
Technical specifications
Type: fully balanced class A, dual mono phono preamplifier
Inputs: three XLR balanced pairs
Output: one XLR balanced output (24dBu)
Gain: 0 to 82 dB, 1 kHz (37 positions)
Impedance: 7.5 Ohm to 1.2 kOhm and 47 kOhm (24 positions)
Capacitance: 33pF to 680pF (12 positions)
Floor noise (according to EIN): -144 dB, 22 Hz to 22 kHz (49.8 nV)
RIAA: passively balanced +/- 0.05 dB
Total harmonic distortion: not measurable
Frequency range: 1.5 Hz to 150 kHz
Channel separation: greater than 120 dB
Dynamic space (headroom): greater than 24 dB
Subsonic filter: passively balanced 15 Hz, 18 dB / octave
Oslo, Norway – March, 2025 – Sigberg Audio is proud to announce the upcoming release of the Saranna, a true full-range floorstander that plays down to 20hz in room and is unique in several ways.
Available for pre-order between March 18th and May 1st. Expected to start shipping August 2025.
The Saranna is a 3-way directivity controlled active speaker, delivering tight, rich bass down to 20Hz and exceptional clarity across the midrange and treble. Its discreet design hides twin 8” rear mounted drivers capable of unleashing relentless dynamics! The excellent coaxial driver ensures the Saranna also captures the tender nuances of vocals and individual instruments with breathtaking clarity and a huge soundstage.
Key Features:
Full-Range 8” Coaxial Main Driver: A single, high-performance coaxial driver with powerful neodymium magnets covers almost the entire audible range, ensuring the Saranna functions as a true point source with exceptional imaging and soundstage.
Cardioid Midrange Design: The vented midrange chamber reduces unwanted reflections, resulting in increased clarity and an improved This design ensures that the rhythmic and punchy nature of the upper bass and lower midrange is directed towards the listener, minimizing room-induced muddiness.
Rear-Mounted 8” Subwoofer Drivers: Strategically positioned to maintain a sleek front profile and couple with the rear wall for added headroom, two 8” drivers deliver deep bass without compromising the speaker’s aesthetic appeal.
Designed to work well in real rooms: Saranna can be adjusted to different rooms or positions at the press of a button, and provides tight bass and a large soundstage even when placed close to the wall.
The above combines to a package that can fill even a large room with rich, natural sound and a huge soundstage.
“The Saranna is a paradox,” says Thorbjørn Sigberg of Sigberg Audio. “It offers relentless punch and dynamics to unleash the full barrage of rock and metal at any volume, yet it can turn around and touch your soul with tender nuance, pulling at heartstrings with breathtaking clarity in vocals and individual instruments.”
The Saranna’s soundstage and sound quality threatens to rival even Sigberg Audio’s flagship MANTA speaker system, and that is no small feat!
Pre-orders for the Saranna opens up on March 18th of 2025. For more information and to stay updated on the latest developments, visit the product page on the Sigberg Audio’sofficial website.
The website also features a background article on the Saranna design and development.
Price:
Sigberg Audio Saranna is sold direct to consumer from www.sigbergaudio.com, and retails at 249 995 NOK / pair. This includes shipping, taxes and import fees, as well as free setup support and advice. We currently ship to most countries. There’s a limited pre-order period from March 18th to May 1st where Saranna is available at a 10% introduction discount.
Good Grief is the latest album from singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and former Suede member, Bernard Butler. It’s his best album yet – a very personal, intimate, honest and reflective collection of songs, which, lyrically, tackles subjects including his religious upbringing and Catholic guilt, his teenage years when he was dreaming of a life in music, anxiety, the companionship of solitude, and, how as a young man, he was often shamed for showing his emotions.
Butler produced the album, and plays a lot of the instruments: guitars, drums, bass, piano and violin. He’s also joined by a small amount of guest musicians, including long-time associate Sally Herbert on violin, who arranged the strings, cellist Ian Burdge, and violinist Jo O’Keefe.
Good Grief opens with the cinematic mini-epic and first single, ‘Camber Sands’, which, with its mariachi horns, piano and violin, is a soundtrack to jumping in your car and escaping from London to be beside the sea: ‘We’ll get away from this town where the pavement’s stained – it’s the backstreet of your heart that’s clogging up your veins…’
It’s like a scaled-back version of Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’, but rather than putting the pedal to the metal on Highway 9, Butler is hitting the M20 and heading for the East Sussex coastline.
It’s a striking way to start the album and is followed by the equally stirring ‘Deep Emotions,’ which has a gorgeous, folky, Bert Jansch-like acoustic guitar intro – Butler was a friend of Jansch’s and collaborated with him – but then slips into rock-soul territory, with a big chorus, finger clicks, soaring strings and a superb, liquid, ‘70s-sounding electric guitar solo.
There’s more lush orchestration on the wintry and moody ‘London Snow’, which was partly inspired by the city of London becoming a ghost town during COVID.
‘The Forty Foot,’ has some wonderful, spiralling acoustic guitar patterns and startling electric playing. It’s a shadowy and dramatic song about wrestling with Catholic guilt and it takes its title from the name of a swimming spot in Ireland, near Dún Laoghaire, in Dublin, which is where Butler’s parents are from. He recalls it from childhood holidays.
Not all of the songs on Good Griefare new – ‘Clean’, a sparse, bluesy ballad that was written with Edwyn Collins, first appeared as a B-side in 2001, but Butler re-recorded it for this album.
There’s also another co-write on the record – final song, ‘The Wind’ is a beautiful, stripped-back, country-tinged track, which has opening lines penned by singer and actress, Jessie Buckley, with whom Butler made the 2022, Mercury Prize-nominated album, For All Our Days That Tear The Heart.
During the writing and recording of that record, Butler used certain techniques and processes which then informed the making of Good Grief.
‘Living The Dream’, with its Spanish guitar and whistling solo, mentions Butler’s teenage ambitions of being a musician and has echoes of some of the more epic moments on his debut, ‘People Move On,’ and his work with David McAlmont in the duo McAlmont and Butler.
Talking of old groups, ‘Pretty D’, is partly a love song, but was also written about getting a band back together – it was influenced by the black comedy The League of Gentlemen, in which the character, Les McQueen, former member of glam rockers, Crème Brulee, is left mortified and skint after a reunion doesn’t go quite as planned.
In the lyric, Butler sings: ‘Well, it’s been 20 years since you broke my heart, oh, 20 years, we’ve been falling apart…” Well, it’s been 25 years since Butler’s last solo album, but it’s been well worth the wait.
This is a stunning, powerful and beautifully produced record that’s easily one of the best releases of 2024. Good grief, indeed.
