Articles Archive - Page 32 of 265

Lyngdorf Audio introduces the FR-2, a floor standing speaker specially designed and tuned to be placed against the wall

Skive, Denmark – 25 October 2024 – Lyngdorf Audio launches the new FR-2, a high-performance floor standing loudspeaker that has been designed for placement against the wall to ensure a visually and acoustically ideal room integration. The speaker has been tuned for best sound performance close to a wall, while the very shallow cabinet shape and the choice of colors and fabric covers allow a space-saving integration in modern homes.

Lyngdorf Audio from Denmark is known for its digital amplifiers, multichannel processors, and RoomPerfect™ calibration. The FR-2 is the company’s 18^th model in its current speaker and woofer portfolio. FR stands for Full Range, and the FR-2 is the second full-range on-wall speaker model, joining the FR-1. The FR-2 also marks a new era for establishing Lyngdorf Audio’s new in-house cabinet production and lacquering in Denmark.

The FR-2 has its premiere at the Audio Video Show 2024 in Warsaw, Poland.

Best sound performance through wall placement
The FR-2’s drive units are integrated into an unusually shallow speaker design that takes advantage of room acoustics instead of working against them. The FR-2 has been specifically tuned for wall placement, with the woofers located as close as possible to the wall behind the speaker. This leads to an ideal impulse response in the low frequencies and results in a surprisingly tight and powerful bass, unheard of with most freestanding speakers.

High-performance woofers and tweeters
The FR-2’s two high-performance 6.5” / 18cm woofers are equipped with a rigid, vented die-cast basket, an extra-strong and large magnet, and a very light aluminum cone, while the soft-dome tweeter also uses an extra powerful magnet. This provides the highest efficiency and a high maximum volume level while keeping the distortion low. The very linear impedance (around 4 ohm) allows any amplifier to perform at its best. The bass reflex port is placed downward facing, which hides it from view and acoustically always keeps the same ideal distance to the floor boundary and wall corner.

Modern colors and exchangeable fabric covers
The FR-2 is not only tuned for the best sound performance close to a wall, but also shaped for this purpose. The speaker is unusually shallow, while the smooth, rounded edges, the front baffle merging into the top, three modern satin-matte color options, and two optional exchangeable fabric covers from Danish specialist Gabriel let the FR-2 blend into every living room. The speaker can either stand on the floor or use the optional wall mount for the smallest footprint. The FR-2 enclosure is made and lacquered in-house at Lyngdorf Audio’s new cabinet factory in Denmark.

The FR-2 production will start in November 2024 at Lyngdorf Audio in Skive, Denmark.

Statements from the team

“With the Lyngdorf FR-2, we expand our portfolio of floor standing speakers. Last year, we introduced the Cue-100, with no compromises in design or technology. Now we elevate the on-wall concept to a floor standing Lyngdorf product. We know this concept well from our Steinway & Sons range, and we are confident that our sales channels and customers will embrace this solution for its acoustic advantages and space saving room placement benefits.” Anker Haldan, CCO

“When looking at today’s loudspeaker market, it is surprising how many conventional hifi box speakers there are, and how few loudspeakers are made for living rooms in a modern and elegant way. The new Lyngdorf FR-2 is unusually shallow, specially designed and tuned to be placed right against the wall. It works with the room acoustics rather than against them, and it also features modern colors and fabric covers.” Roland Hoffmann, Product Marketing Director

“The basic shape of any on-wall speaker is very rectangular and flat against the wall, so we gave the middle part of the FR-2 an extra shape, which also covers all screws and driver baskets. With this design element, the speaker looks much more elegant and slimmer. The fabric grill is placed instead of the baffle, so it is totally flush with the speaker front.” Brian Nielsen, Mechanical Designer

VPI INTRODUCES NEW MODEL ONE TURNTABLE

25 October 2024 – VPI is pleased to unveil Model One, the first turntable in its new Forever Series. Drawing on over 45 years of experience in high-end audio manufacturing, VPI’s design and engineering team has crafted this stunning new turntable. The Forever Series ushers in a new era of performance and modularity, offering products that can evolve with the user.

At the heart of the Model One is the new motor drive and platter module. This module is mounted on a thick aluminium plate and features resonance-cancelling damping to reduce vibrations and enhance sound clarity. The belt-driven motor operates at 500 rpm and features a two-speed pulley for precise speed control. Its inverted bearing minimises surface area contact between the platter and bearing, reducing friction and boosting performance.

A standout feature of the Model One is the new VPI S-Tonearm Module, which offers enhanced precision and build quality. This 10-inch, S-shaped, statically balanced tonearm features solid aluminium architecture to eliminate tube resonances, ensuring pure sound reproduction. Vertical Tracking Adjustment in the arm base allows for precise height adjustments, while Azimuth adjustment is available in the headshell. ABEC 5 bearings provide ultra-low friction, eliminating chatter and ensuring long life. One continuous length of VPI high-purity copper wire runs from the headshell to the RCA connection, delivering a pure signal.

The Model One also introduces VPI’s new 3-Point Floating Suspension system, designed for superior isolation from external vibrations. This advanced 3D isolation system stabilises the turntable, minimising motor noise and reducing both external and internal vibrations.

The turntable retains VPI’s classic aesthetic, with a black ash veneer offering a timeless appearance, while a hinged clear dust cover protects the platter.

The modular design of the Motor Drive and Platter Module allows users to easily service, adjust, package, replace, or upgrade the system. Future upgrades or new models will seamlessly integrate with this platform. This flexible upgrade path will allow the owner to upgrade their Model One to Model Two or Model Three specifications as they become available. The Model One comes with a 10-year warranty, ensuring that VPI’s customers can trust their investment, knowing their turntable is built to last. These features are what give the Forever Series its name.

Renaissance distributes VPI products in the UK and Ireland. Its Managing Director, John Carroll, said: “To create the new Forever Series, VPI asked its customers what they wanted from a premium turntable, as well as how they would like it to look and sound. This feedback, combined with the company’s expertise in audio craftsmanship, has resulted in three incredibly special turntables. I was thrilled when I first heard Model One and immediately knew it would be extremely popular. The sound reproduction is detailed and accurate, showcasing all of VPI’s best qualities. In fact, its performance is reminiscent of the VPI Signature turntable – which costs almost twice as much.”

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP): £4,990 inc. VAT, US$5,250 exc. sales tax.
For more information, visit: www.renaissanceaudio.co.uk/vpi

Musical Fidelity A1

Dame Shirley Bassey’s catchy collaboration with the Propellerheads, ‘History Repeating,’ could be the soundtrack to recent developments in two-channel audio. Mining your heritage for something that makes us hark back to a time when things were less awful (or at least, the passage of time and some judicious rose tinting convince us it was less awful) is big business. The latest company to feel the pull of the past is Musical Fidelity. It has resurrected the Musical Fidelity A1 integrated amplifier.

The A1 integrated amplifier wasn’t entirely ‘normal’ when launched. Designed by the late Tim de Paravicini, it was a solid-state amplifier that owed more than a little to his more widely known work with valve designs. The Musical Fidelity A1 operates in Class A for a significant portion of its operating envelope. It then ‘slides’ rather than ‘switches’ into Class AB operation at high outputs. However, combining not-inconsequential operating temperatures and cost-effective components gave it a reputation for fragility it never truly deserved.

The relaunched version has the same basic design as the original. However, a selection of detail (and one reasonably significant) alterations achieve the level of performance that the basic design was capable of. The significant difference is that the new model is slightly larger. The extra size allows the casework to radiate the heat better away from the electronics. This is relative, though. A hot surface warning is the first thing that greets you when you open the A1 box. It’s not there for a laugh. The review sample ran at around sixty degrees after an hour, meaning it will need its shelf in any setup.

Detail changes

The detail changes are more interesting. Revising the internal layout and upgrading components like the volume pot result in higher performance and reliability. It is also motorised. This allows adding a small but nicely finished remote to adjust the volume and mute the Musical Fidelity A1. What once was the tape monitor button on the front panel was repurposed into a gain switch. The gain switch lets you bypass the gain stage built into the preamp. This is less crucial in a world where source equipment routinely pumps out 3v.

Tape monitor aside, connectivity remains the same as before. Bluetooth or digital inputs are far too 21st century for the Musical Fidelity A1. Instead, you get four line inputs, a phono stage that supports both MM and MC operation, and the tape loop mentioned above. This makes connecting a headphone amp a little easier, as the A1 doesn’t have one. At a price where many rivals hover near the point where they can be described as an all-in-one system, the A1 is an old-school amplifier.

1980s aesthetics

This impression only deepens when the aesthetics are taken into account. The A1 didn’t look like anything else on the market when it came out. Intervening decades have done nothing to change this. The A1 is still governed by its need to dissipate heat, giving it a functionally brutal air with a whiff of retro-futurism. I like it, but this comes with the caveat that I am something of a sucker for eighties things which means I’m probably not a wholly impartial judge. The overall build standard is excellent, though, and while this relaunched A1 is pricier than its ancestor, it feels like solid value.

Like the original, the Musical Fidelity A1 disposes of 25 watts per channel, available to a single pair of binding posts. Just like the original, this goes somewhat further than you might expect. I have done considerable listening with the Neat Petite Classic, whose six-ohm impedance and 87dB/w sensitivity might suggest a challenge, but the results have been outstanding. Scratch that. The results have been an unadulterated joy. With a Chord Electronics Qutest tipped on its side at one end of the A1 (rather than being gradually baked on the top) serving as a source, the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

Exceptionally unmechanical

The key to what made the Musical Fidelity A1 such a favourite was its exceptionally unmechanical sense of power delivery, which is replicated perfectly in the new version. The volume control feels more like a regulator that allows more flow from a supply of boundless musical energy. The spellbinding ‘Mining For Gold’ that opens The Trinity Sessions by The Cowboy Junkies [RCA] arrives at the ear with nothing so base as the mechanical process being present at any stage. Give the A1 a good recording, and it’s an astonishingly natural performer. Margo Timmins never feels embellished or enhanced. She’s just there in a way that I don’t always experience with somewhat more expensive amps.

You can frequently replicate these attributes with a well-engineered EL84 amp, but the A1 kicks on because it has a potency and sheer grunt that can sometimes be a genuine surprise. Listening to Love by The Cult [Beggars Banquet] on the A1 delivers an unlikely performance for a 25-watt amplifier. ‘Big Neon Glitter’ pounds along with a level of bite and attack that would keep even the most flat-earth adherent listener happy.

Fast and dextrous

This is a fast and dextrous amp with much more out-and-out punch than you might give it credit for. Listen through the eighties sheen, though, and Ian Astbury still sounds natural and engaging, and the soundstage, while not genuinely enormous, gives the music space to breathe.

I enjoyed digital audio played through the Musical Fidelity A1, but the phono stage is realistically the best way to enjoy the performance. I have found that all but the lowest output MC carts have not required me to use the preamp gain stage in this listening space, and the result feels very much like an organic extension of the main amplifier. Crucially, it gets all the basics right. There is little to no background noise and sufficient gain for most applications. I feel that the developments in moving magnet cartridges that have occurred since the A1 launched mean that the MM side is the more logical choice for most owners, but having the option is welcome.

Compelling naturalness

The performance has the same compelling naturalness as the rest of the amp. Listening to To Dream is to Forget by Hidden Orchestra [Lone Figures], the A1 is a good amp without caveats. Tonal realism is impressive. That same infectious energy ensures you are not simply a spectator to what the Musical Fidelity A1 does. You are an engaged participant. Change tack entirely and go for a spirited blast through the riotous Electricity by Ibibio Sound Machine [Merge]. The A1 captures the energy and power of the piece in a wholly convincing way.

Musical Fidelity’s A1 was on hand simultaneously with the beautiful DeVore Fidelity O/Baby. The results of running the two together were wholly and wonderfully enjoyable. The A1 has slightly rolled-off frequency extremes and won’t supply you with the last ounce of fine detail. However, the A1 does a great job of ensuring you ignore these aspects of your overall performance.

The Musical Fidelity A1 isn’t a no-brainer choice in 2024, but it wasn’t in the 1980s. This is a curious-looking, minimally specified device that runs like a hotplate. It would bring tears to anyone engaged in energy efficiency certification. However, the performance is sufficiently arresting that many people won’t care. The A1 remains an absurdly talented amp that will beguile a new generation of listeners. History repeating indeed.

Technical specifications

Type: Integrated Amplifier with phono input

Inputs: Four line RCA inputs, one MM/MC phono stage

Outputs: Tape out

Rated power output: 25w into 8 ohms

Dimensions: 68.3 × 440 × 283mm

Weight: £0.5kg

Price: £1,499/$1,699

Manufacturer

Musical Fidelity

www.musicalfidelity.com

UK distributor

Henley Audio

www.henleyaudio.co.uk

+44(0)1235 511166

More Musical Fidelity Reviews

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Introducing the Marantz Horizon and Marantz Grand Horizon: A New Statement in Wireless Speaker Design

22 October 2024 | New York: For over 70 years, Marantz has led the way in high-performance audio products that combine innovative technology and effortless musicality with beautiful, luxurious and intuitive design. Now, the brand is bringing its unique expertise to the wireless speaker category thanks to two radically advanced new models that will transform customer expectations in the market.

Introducing the Marantz Horizon and its larger sibling, the Marantz Grand Horizon; two luxurious new wireless speakers crafted for passionatke, discerning listeners who demand both exceptional sound and timeless elegance.

A new statement in audio design

The embodiment of modern luxury statement audio, both Horizon and Grand Horizon elevate and seamlessly integrate the timeless elements of Marantz’s design ethos into their design DNA, incorporating instantly recognizable elements such as the brand’s iconic circular porthole motif. Here, the porthole is reimagined as the core element of each speaker’s unique circular form.

Combined with carefully arranged lighting and elevated trim materials that highlight Marantz’s characteristic architectural symmetry, the result is a tactile audio experience you can see, hear, and feel.

Wrapped in style

Both Horizon and Grand Horizon use thoughtfully conceived materials throughout. Each model is wrapped in Marantz RadianceTM 360o Seamless Ecofiber, a bespoke, sustainable fabric made from recycled ocean plastics. The three-color fabrics have a glowing, luxurious feel thanks to embedded gold lurex elements, further enhancing the unique warmth of Marantz’s design and sound.

Three finishes are available: classically dark Midnight Sky, subtly bright Moon Ray and iconically warm Marantz Champagne. Each is complemented by a beautifully finished natural marble base that is color-matched to accentuate the elegance of each design. For users who prefer alternative solutions to incorporating wireless speakers into their home, Marantz also offers a beautifully

finished American walnut tripod floor stand as an optional accessory for Horizon, while wall brackets will also be available for both models if desired. Even the unboxing experience has been carefully considered, including an elegant protective case that cocoons each product in its box.

The new shape of sound

Both Horizon and Grand Horizon are powerful single-speaker wireless solutions able to fill even substantial rooms with full-range sound. Each model is designed around a unique configuration of high-frequency and midrange drive units that radiate outwardly from a single central subwoofer, ensuring a spacious listening experience.

Key to this powerful sound is proprietary Marantz RiseTM amplification, based around highly responsive and thermally efficient GaN FET technology and offering a prodigious 310W of output in Horizon and 370W in Grand Horizon (FTC power output rating). This muscular core propels an array of high-quality Marantz GravityTM drive units, each of which employs powerful neodymium magnets for the ultimate combination of accuracy, responsiveness and low distortion. At the heart of Horizon is a 165mm (6.5in) subwoofer, which is complemented by two 25mm (1in) silk-dome tweeters and three 50mm (2in) full range drive units. Grand Horizon, as the larger speaker in the line-up, scales that to a 200mm (8in) subwoofer, three 25mm (1in) tweeters and four 76mm (3in) midrange drive units.

Uniquely, the sonic characteristics of this sophisticated acoustic platform can be optimised to suit both your mood and your music using the powerful on-board Marantz MirageTM DSP. Accessible via the HEOS® app, the Mirage digital signal processing allows for a customisable listening experience, with selectable options that can tailor the clarity, spaciousness and warmth of the sound to each user’s tastes. There’s even the option to select Sound Master mode, allowing listeners the chance to experience the sound of Horizon or Grand Horizon exactly as Yoshinori Ogata, the Marantz Sound Master, intended it to be heard.

Magical and intuitive user experience

Horizon and Grand Horizon have both been designed to reward the senses in more ways than one. Simply approach either product and its unique on-board proximity sensors will magically bring the speaker to life. Marantz AuraControlTM user interaction combines 100 carefully concealed LEDs with proximity and ambient light sensors to create a seamless symphony of light and sound. Just touch the illuminated ring around the central subwoofer to indicate your preferred volume and AuraControl will instantly bring the speaker up to the point you have chosen, clearly indicating the volume level with markings that reference the classic Marantz Star logo.

Fully featured, completely connected

Both Horizon and Grand Horizon have been designed as contemporary and completely connected wireless speakers able to meet the needs of every modern luxury consumer. Built around Marantz’s HEOS® wireless music platform, they can access music content from a wide range of supported streaming providers including Amazon Music, Deezer, Spotify and TIDAL, with more services planned to follow. For added convenience with mobile devices, Apple AirPlay2 and Bluetooth are also included, and even physical connected sources are well catered for. Horizon and Grand Horizon include analog, optical and even HDMI inputs, and can also access music from locally connected USB-C music drives. Onboard Dolby decoding ensures full compatibility with Dolby Atmos supplied via HDMI, too.

Of course, as part of the HEOS® ecosystem, Horizon and Grand Horizon can join other HEOS-enabled products to create an extensive whole-home multiroom music system. Listeners can also choose to pair Horizons and Grand Horizons together to create a substantial two-speaker system for the ultimate music-listening experience in very large spaces.

The Marantz Horizon and Marantz Grand Horizon will be available from January 14th 2025. Experience the iconic design and transformative sound of the Marantz Horizon and Marantz Grand Horizon from select retailers and Marantz.com.

Marantz Horizon – Wireless streaming speaker – $3500 | £3250 | €3800

310W amplification (FTC Power Output Rating), 745W peak (This rating was not tested under the FTC standard)
2x 25mm (1in) tweeters, 3x 50mm (2in) full-range drivers, 1x 165mm (6.5in) subwoofer
Stereo RCA in x1, Optical in x1, HDMI eARC x1, USB-C x1
HEOS Built-in including Bluetooth, AirPlay2, Spotify Connect and support for numerous streaming services
364 x 210 x 5mm, 14.33 x 8.27 x 15.26in (H x W x D)

Marantz Grand Horizon – Wireless streaming speaker – $5500 | £5250 | €6000

370W amplification (FTC Power Output Rating), 860W peak (This rating was not tested under the FTC standard)
3x 25mm (1in) tweeters, 4x 76mm (3in) full-range drivers, 1x 200mm (8in) subwoofer
Stereo RCA in x1, Optical in x1, HDMI eARC x1, USB-C x1
HEOS Built-in including Bluetooth, AirPlay2, Spotify Connect and support for numerous streaming services
493 x 255 x 2mm, 19.41 x 10.04 x 20.83in (H x W x D)

Dan Clark Audio Corina

Unlike the slow-moving hi‑fi stream, the personal audio world is a place of movement and energy. Electrostatic headphones are the perfect example of this. A dozen years ago, ‘electrostatics’ meant Stax and nothing more. Today, myriad companies are adding their take to the electrostatic headphone concept. Amid that proliferation, the Dan Clark Audio Corina electrostatic headphones stand out.

This is not Dan Clark Audio’s first electrostatic rodeo. That honour goes to the Voce of 2018. Voce arrived with all the pomp and circumstance expected from the first electrostatic headphones from the brand. Corina that replaces it launched with little fanfare. That might make people think Corina is little more than a redressed Voce. It’s a thought only reinforced by the Corina using the same 88mm electrostatic panel as its predecessor. However, that’s like saying that because two cars share the same size alloy wheels, they are the same car.

Added tension

That 88mm driver is now subject to a new tensioning system. This first appeared in Dan Clark’s planar magnetic headphones and now reaches the electrostatic panel. It has a more uniform tension across the panel, which makes for a more linear sound. Although the large stator is like the Voce before it, the Corina is less efficient than some of its rivals. Therefore, it needs a more muscular amplifier behind it.

Also resulting from Dan Clark Audio’s latest planar magnetic designs, Corina benefits from the company’s Advanced Metametal Tuning System (AMTS). This makes the Corina better damped and gives it a slick look and feel. AMTS is the honeycomb-like pad that sits between the stator panel and the outer pattern of the Corina ear cup. This clever and sophisticated wave-guide system can act as a Helmholtz resonator at specific frequencies. This is tuned – and therefore different – for each drive unit.

Good Damping

There is plenty of damping in the higher frequencies in Corina’s place. This shows in the listening… in a good way! The circular ear cup is retained, but the new protective guard no longer needs to protect the stator. As a result, it looks a lot more elegant and refined, whereas the Voce just looked like another high-end electrostatic headphone.

If you look at the headband, the Corina shares similar design concepts seen in the Expanse and Stealth planar magnetics and losing the adjuster blocks. It’s also changed from a silver and black finish to a richer and more luxurious black and gunmetal, with a very comfy leather headband and hybrid cups.

It is a slightly heavier design than its predecessor, and at 465g it’s still one of the lightest electrostatic headphones on the market. The Dan Clark Audio Corina is also extremely comfortable and great for long listening sessions. The headband auto-adjusts to your head and the pads seem more breathable than many similar designs. I had no problems settling in for hours of listening without the least discomfort. The way the headband works makes it feel far light on the ears.

Amp matching

As discussed earlier, the 88mm electrostatic driver means the Dan Clark Audio Corina is less efficient than many designs. This isn’t too big a deal, but it slightly limits the choice of amplifiers. Then again, if you are thinking of spending almost five grand on a pair of headphones, you will probably not be searching for discount energisers and amplifiers. Stax is a good starting place.

The fascinating thing about the Corina is that it is and isn’t what you would expect from an electrostatic headphone. It’s got that stunning resolution and lightning-fast speed of attack and release that we have come to expect from an electrostatic, but it also has bass. Surprisingly deep, meaty bass. That’s a rare find in electrostatics, whether headphones or loudspeakers. You often find hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers with dynamic bass drivers, and companies like MartinLogan have spent decades trying to integrate the two seamlessly. The Corina does that bass like no other electrostatic I’ve heard. Whether that’s down to the AMTS, the tightened diaphragm or both is immaterial; it makes the bass deeper and more powerful than its rivals.

Tonally, the Corina is darker-sounding than most electrostatics and falls more into line with Dan Clark Audio’s other products, only with significantly greater resolution and detail. That’s a conscious voicing but also a very natural one. I’ll be honest: I’ve backed away from headphone reviews recently partly because I’ve found many to be too treble-accented and bright, but the Corina is exceptionally well-balanced.

Natural Sounding

The treble is extremely natural sounding, without too strong an emphasis to make it artificial. Voices extend organically from midrange to the highest frequencies, sounding detailed and precise, yet not so brightly lit that they aggressively show every flaw in a recording. The information is all there – Joyce DiDonato’s powerful mezzo-soprano is beautiful here, both in clarity and range – but that detail is never presented in a way that undermines the musical intent.

That effortless treble, which combines extension without sounding forward or bright, sets the tone for the entire frequency range of the Dan Clark Audio Corina electrostatic headphones. I tend to overuse the terms ‘natural’ and ‘musical’ for products that I like the sound of, and my listening notes were crammed with those two words on almost every other line. But of particular note was the timbral accuracy of the Corina; it got the ‘shape’ of the voice or instrument just about spot on every time.

This is so important because it doesn’t favour any musical genre. We can never know a synthesiser’s ‘natural’ sound because it’s inherently electronic and infinitely adjustable. Still, we can cross-reference that sound against known acoustic instruments and have an intrinsic way of knowing when something sounds a bit ‘off’. You could feed the Corina the most wubbly-wub three-fat-drifting-Minimoog-oscillator bass line and then swap that for a beautifully recorded Bach cello suite, and the headphone takes both in its stride. That comes from nailing the timbre of the instruments, not simply their tone.

Back wub

I’m going to come back to that bass, though. Because those wubbly-wub synth sounds need some deep reinforcement. When you play something from Trentmøller or Aphex Twin, the bass notes need to hit you on something closer to an atavistic level; these are sounds that, if you heard in nature, would be running away from whatever made those sounds because it will probably eat you. Those sounds typically need to move a lot of air, which means in most electrostatic headphone systems, the scary, rumbles and the monsters they hint at remain just out of reach. However, Corina can hit those lower notes with the same speed and clarity in the midrange and treble. And that’s a very scary experience.

Strangely, and this is the first time I’ve experienced this on any headphone system, our bodies seem to compensate when the bass is that deep, that fast and that well integrated. You get to feel the bass in your stomach, not just between your ears. That’s how good the Corina is!

There’s one last bonus to Corina’s performance: its soundstaging properties. This is where traditional loudspeaker users often score a win because the stage tends to sit around your head rather than fill a virtual room in front of you. The Dan Clark Audio Corina makes for something altogether more expansive and spatially accurate. You feel that the band or the orchestra is ‘out there’, and there’s a sense of space and dimensionality often so lacking in the personal audio space.

Impressed? You bet!

I want to say I’m impressed by the Dan Clark Audio Corina, but that doesn’t go far enough. This is one of the finest personal audio experiences you can get right now, and the headphones combine the benefits of dynamic driver-like bass with electrostatic clarity, speed, and detail across the board. They are worth the price of admission for the bass alone because the speed, depth, and precision it brings to bass is unparalleled. And they do all of these things in style and comfort. The lone trade-off is that a relatively powerful amplifier is needed to drive them.

In making the Corina, Dan Clark Audio has excelled; I didn’t log that many hours with the Voce, but I do recall it being slightly below the performance of the best electrostatic headphones. The Corina is several jumps ahead of that performance in absolute terms. That spookily good bass depth and integration places it at the current apex of what electrostatic headphones are capable of. With the possible exceptions of Sennheiser’s Orpheus and the HiFiMAN Shangri-La, I would struggle to find a pair of headphones that get close to doing what Corina does so well. They set the standard.