Up to 37% in savings when you subscribe to hi-fi+
Subscribe
hi-fi-white-logo hi-fi-white-logo
hifi-logo-footer

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Archives: Articles

Articles

First Listen: Focal Bathys Headphones With Mimi Adaptive Response System

I will be doing a full review on the hi-fi+ YouTube channel of the new $699 (£699) Focal Bathys headphones very soon, because today a new version was released with the Mimi hearing adaptation system. Essentially, Mimi tests your left and right ear frequency sensitivity and then prepares a (partially) compensating response curve for the Bathys. Since age-related hearing loss can begin in your 30s, this is a feature that addresses a large swath of audiophiles. In addition, hearing damage is quite common and can lead to frequency response issues at earlier ages. Mimi customizes the FocalBathys for you, based on actual hearing tests, not on guesses.

First, a brief aside, which is that all this tweaking would be irrelevant if the basic Bathys were a mediocre headphone. But that is not the case. At all. The Bathys has a bevy of strengths which I believe make it the headphone of choice for many listeners. It starts with solid, well-defined bass and continues to clear, smooth mid-range. There is an audible low treble dip (more on that in a moment), but this dip may be an enhancement to some modern hot recordings. I haven’t heard a headphone below $699 that can do these things as well. Not only that, but the Bathys offers both Bluetooth and wired connections (and the wired connection can be digital in to an onboard DAC, not reliant on your phone’s DAC/amp).  I cover this in detail when I do the full review.

Now, today’s question should be “does Mimi work?” I’ll be honest, these compensatory schemes usually leave me cold, but in early listening, Mimi seemed to work quite well. Mimi is subtle, which I think helps (Mimi doesn’t try to create a fully flat response, but rather splits the difference between your hearing rolloff and level response). What is nice is that Mimi recovers some of the treble that the Bathys leaves on the table when set to flat (you can also address this with the Bathys EQ, so you can choose between that and the Mimi auto-adjustment). With Mimi on, some vocal recordings I know well had the details and air I’m accustomed to on my main in-room rig or with top-end headphones (I use the HiFiMan Susvara as a reference).

Focal has a great, high-value headphone in the Bathys, and now they’ve added a desirable feature that noticeably sweetens the deal.

September 15, 2023 – Since their unveiling in October 2022, the Bathys headphones from Focal have continued to grow in popularity among customers and the international press alike. Never a brand to rest on its laurels, this leading light in the French sound sector is now enhancing its first Bluetooth® noise cancelling headphones, with the launch of its new Dune finish as well as introducing an extra feature allowing users to adapt Bathys sound to their hearing.

BATHYS DUNE: STEP INTO THE LIGHT

Focal has designed a luminous finish to join the Bathys collection, in contrast with the existing Black Silver finish and catering to its customers’ differing tastes. Applied to the headphones in their entirety, the carrying case and the cables, the Dune finish is inspired by quarry minerals, Greek landscapes and desert sands – in short, delicate spaces flooded with light. It combines a beige color with silver details (grilles, rings, etc.) for an elegant, mellow and harmonious finish. The neutral beige shade is easy to pair with any color of outfit. Replicating the approach taken in the Black Silver version, Bathys Dune combines refined materials (magnesium on the yokes, genuine leather on the headband, etc.), delivers impressive comfort and features an optional backlit flame in the center of the earcups.

NEW: HEADPHONES SOUND THAT ADAPTS TO THE USER’S HEARING

In its quest to offer its customers the very best, the Focal teams have incorporated a new feature into the headphones: the Mimi hearing test. Available via the Focal & Naim app, this allows users to configure the sound delivered by Bathys according to their hearing, thereby allowing them to enjoy the Focal sound regardless of their test results. In other words: Bathys adapts to everyone’s hearing. Those with the Black Silver version now also have access to this test, by simply updating the Focal & Naim app.

PURE HIGH-FIDELITY SOUND & FEATURES

Behind the Dune and Black Silver finishes lie the same performance and features: outstanding sound for a pair of wireless headphones. Benefiting from Focal’s expertise in sound and high-end headphone production, Bathys delivers pure Hi-Fi sound, via a Bluetooth® 5.1 multi-point or wired connection thanks to the integrated USB-DAC mode and its resolution reaching 24bits/192kHz. Made in France, the speaker drivers comprise an aluminum/magnesium dome for deep bass, mellow treble and crystal-clear vocals. This Hi-Fi sound is enhanced by perfect soundproofing: the noise-cancelling technology includes an optimized ‘Silent’ mode for journeys in noisy environments (planes, trains, etc.) and a ‘Soft’ mode to help users concentrate at home. There is no shortage of other features, either: voice assistants, adjustable EQ, connectivity (Bluetooth®, Jack, USB), 30-hour battery life (5 extra hours available in 15 minutes thanks to its fast-charging function), and much more.

Focal Bathys in Dune now available at $699.

For more information visit: https://www.focal.com/en/bathys.

IsoTek Name SCV as UK Distributor

September 2023 – Today SCV are thrilled to announce a new partnership with revered English power conditioning and cable manufacturing heavyweights IsoTek Systems.

“We are excited to be working with and represented by SCV Distribution, an organisation with almost four decades in both Pro and Consumer Audio. We are confident that together we can bring the topic of clean power technology and enhanced audio and video playback to a wider audience.”

Keith Martin – Managing Director, IsoTek

Products for Pure Sound

Duly recognised as a leader in clean-power technology, IsoTek’s mission is to provide better solutions for the poor mains power quality that affects and limits the performance of countless home audio and audiovisual systems.

Through meticulous research and multiple groundbreaking innovations, IsoTek now boasts a product range of power-cleaning tools capable of providing optimised power to a wide range of audio and AV components with enhanced performance and hugely improved electrical protection.

Enjoyed by over 100 thousand customers across more than 50 countries, IsoTek’s portfolio of products features award winning solutions to suit any audio system at any price point.

Meet the Range

From the entry-level Discovery range all the way to Ultimate, IsoTek’s products are each manufactured in Europe to an incredibly high standard with longevity at the core of their design.

Discovery Series

Designed to improve, enhance and protect the cherished audio components, the Discovery Series offers award winning power conditioning products all at an attractively affordable price point.

Products include the Initium and Premier power cables, Corvus and Polaris distribution blocks, Elektra mains conditioner and the ingenious IsoPlug noise reducer.

Performance Series

IsoTek’s Performance Series seeks to realise the true capabilities of audio equipment by achieving improved sound quality, greater levels of detail and a widened dynamic range.

Explore the newly released V5 Aquarius and Sirius mains distribution blocks or Syncro cables featuring inline DC blocking capsule technology.

Select Series

The Select Series shoots for maximum musical enjoyment. Some of IsoTek’s most innovative technological advances in clean-power serve to deliver incredible performance, acknowledged as some of the best clean-power tech available on the market internationally.

Mosaic Series

Mosaic from IsoTek is a range of compact power cleaning systems that are half or full width rack-mountable. Each Mosaic Genesis offers pristine mains conditioning, voltage stabilisation and sine wave generation for impressively optimised results.

Ultimate Series

IsoTek’s flagship range of high-end power cleaning components utilising revolutionary technologies to full transform the performance of top-tier audio systems and AV systems alike.

Among the Ultimate ranks are IsoTek’s EVO3 SuperNova, Genesis and SuperTitan power conditioners, along with the groundbreaking EVO3 Ascension cable range.

Unrivalled Protection

Across each of IsoTek’s comprehensive product ranges, protection plays a continuous and important role. Lightning strikes and power surges can often diminish or even cut short the life of a home audio component, and for the upper echelons of audiophile equipment this can result in undesirable future costs.

IsoTek products offer unrivalled protection from these occurrences along with differential mode and common mode noise reduction at every turn. Grain is reduced and clarity is boosted, resulting in an immediate and profound improvement to the sound quality for any home audio or AV component.

B.audio Introduces Alpha One

September 2023 – Specialist of high end audio electronics, the French manufacturer introduces its new streaming integrated amplifier. Alpha One is the outcome of the experience acquired during the development of the Reference Series electronics, and represents a synthesis of B.audio’s technological know-how.

The goal was both simple and demanding: combine a cutting-edge DAC together with a high-end, passively cooled, dual-mono amplifier in a single enclosure. The proprietary EX networking module is also included, offering acoustic correction and advanced streaming capabilities.

TECHNOLOGY

Alpha One benefits from B.audio’s patented SJR “Source Jitter Removal” technology, which eliminates the imperfections affecting the clock signal of any digital source, optimising the digital-to-analogue conversion process. The result is a more realistic, richer and smoother sound.

The fully symmetrical integrated preamp stage features a commutated resistor volume control for perfect channel balance.

Like all B.audio products, the Alpha One incorporates no coupling capacitors and uses multi-pole servo circuits operating outside the signal path to provide a consistent DC reference. The integrity of the signal is thus preserved, ensuring a high level of transparency together with an extreme bandwidth extension, refined highs and abyssal lows.

Directly derived from that of the manufacturer’s power amplifiers, the amplification section uses a sophisticated topology featuring local feedback at the most critical stages, thereby considerably reducing dynamic distortion. As a result, Alpha One benefits from the advantages of a Class AB output stage while providing perfect linearity of operation.

Its dual-mono design features comfortable power handling (200W under 4 Ohm, 120W under 8 Ohm) combined with a large current reserve, enabling it to control the most demanding loudspeakers, even in the most extreme environments.

WORLD PREMIERE IN MUNICH

On show for the first time at the High End 2023 trade fair in Munich, where it was played in rotation with the B.audio reference system, Alpha One was widely praised by the audience.

 

Introducing Devialet Gemini II

Paris, 13 September 2023 – Devialet announces the arrival of its newest product, Devialet Gemini 11, the company’s second generation true wireless earbuds offering state-of-the-art sound, available on September 13th.

Thanks to a suite of enhanced features and brand new technologies, including Devialet Adaptive Noise Cancellation™ and patented AWR (Active Wind Reduction), Devialet Gemini II true wireless earbuds boast extraordinary sound quality, high-end ergonomic design and impeccable user design, raising the bar for audio performance on the go.

TAKING DEVIALET’S SOPHISTICATED SOUND TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Featuring the integration of two pioneering technologies and supported by a host of enhanced innovations, Devialet Gemini II has been engineered to transport you to a realm of extraordinary sound wherever you are.

Developed specifically for the second generation, Devialet Adaptive Noise Cancellation™ dynamically adjusts to the shape of your ear to ensure every ear shape enjoys even better noise cancellation in every environment. It also reduces  audio  artifact  and  white  noise for an improved listening experience with zero compromise on performance and improved battery life, transporting listeners out  of the chaos of everyday life and into a pure soundscape.

Devialet Adaptive Noise Cancellation™ is supported by a hybrid dual-microphone structure and digital filters using existing proprietary IDC® (Internal Delay Compensation) technology. IDC® perfectly compensates for the internal delay generated by a noise cancellation loop, resulting in a significant gain in noise cancellation, especially at higher frequencies, for truly best-in-class noise cancelling earbuds.

A new patent for Devialet Gemini II, AWR (Active Wind Reduction) limits the wind’s impact on your on-the-go listening – each embedded microphone is cradled in a layer of anti-wind material and a cavity shields the microphone membrane from any wind blowing on the surface of the earbud. Turning to software, Devialet’s wind detection algorithms smartly control Adaptive Noise Cancellation and Transparency intensity according to the surrounding environment.

What’s more, AWR combines with re-engineered voice call architecture for cleaner conversations. Thanks to the new bone conduction-sensor with beamforming microphones and anti-wind tech, every phone call sounds clear and smooth.

In addition to these sophisticated proprietary technologies, Devialet Gemini II features a brand-new custom 10mm titanium coated driver and Qualcomm® aptX™ codec, which offer an even deeper acoustic experience. Earbuds in, chaos out.

ELEGANT ERGONOMY, DELICATE DESIGN

Devialet’s ongoing innovation challenge is engineering new ways to embed its cutting-edge proprietary technologies inside increasingly small packages. To achieve this with Devialet Gemini II, Devialet’s expert team carried out comprehensive research into the human auditory experience and structure of the ear, developing a unique capability to incorporate its technologies into  a miniature  package that will fit a wide array of ear shapes, now giving more people than ever the opportunity to hear Devialet sound in action.

With Devialet’s expertise in audio innovation, Devialet Gemini ll’s universal shape offers stability no matter how much you move, and with noise isolation ear tips in four sizes, Devialet Gemini II nestles comfortably into the ear, fitting so well that it’s easy to forget they are there at all.

An embodiment of luxury, Devialet Gemini II is a balance of impeccable design and state-of-the art sound, with a sleeker, thinner charging case that fits easily into your pocket. Launching in Matte Black and Iconic White, customers can now  choose high-end wireless earbuds to suit their style.

And it doesn’t stop there. Devialet Gemini II is also available in an Opera de Paris edition completing Devialet’s full product range in celebration of the company’s five-year partnership with the iconic French institution, built upon a shared vision of excellence and strong ties to France’s rich musical and historical heritage.

With every product in the Opera de Paris collection featuring striking moon gold plating, inspired by the gilded interiors of Paris’ Opera Garnier, customers can now experience the splendour of the Opera in the comfort oftheir ownhome, whether listening to music on Devialet Phantom, watching the latest blockbuster with the Dione all-in-one soundbar, or tuning in outside with Devialet Mania, the company’s first-ever portable smart speaker. Devialet Gemini II completes the collection with 24-carat gold plating, providing listeners with a taste of luxury that is complimented by a nod to the artistic and cultural history of the Opera, delivering perfection in sound and music.

IMPERMEABLE SOUND NOW EASIER TO CARRY, EASIER TO USE

Enjoying music at its finest is easier with Devialet Gemini’s improved connectivity and usability, now delivering Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint connection for up to two devices simultaneously for smoother, speedier transitions.

Devialet Gemini II also offers IPX4 water resistance, new touch control customizations  available  in-app  and  outstanding  battery  life,  with 5 hours on a single charge and 22 hours with the charging case.

Next-generation earbuds, next-level sound. Devialet Gemini II is the proud accumulation of a suite of enhanced technology to take you even deeper into pure, immersive listening.

Retailing at £349/ $449 USD for Matte Black and Iconic White and £549 / $649 USD for the Opera de Paris edition, Devialet Gemini II is available now on Devialet’s website, Devialet’s own stores and retail stores.

 

Chord Company Signature Super ARAY, Tuned ARAY, SignatureXL and SignatureX cables

Signature is the real-world top-of-the-range for most prospective Chord Company owners. While Sarum T and ChordMusic stand above Signature in price and performance terms, many Chord Company users fall into that mid-to-high-end bracket typified by Naim Audio’s Classic Series or Linn’s Akurate line. People who might conceivably spend around £1,050 on a good 1m interconnect but find £2,000 (or more) a step too far on a cable no matter how good it sounds.

Chord Company’s Signature also covers a broad church, with everything from analogue, digital and networked audio interconnects, loudspeaker cables and even power cords. The brand has been building and refining Signature for the longest time; the first cable to carry the name was launched in 1998. From the outset, Signature was the cable that took shielding seriously, investigating the (at the time) largely ignored problems generated by high-frequency interference. Now that we exist in a soup of such interference thanks to Wi‑Fi, the research that gave us Signature was prescient and quickly filtered (pun intended) through the Chord Company’s products ever since.

There’s therefore a sense of completeness in looking at Chord Company’s long-running Signature range of cables. But with that completeness comes many acronyms and neologisms for technologies and configurations relating to different products in the range. The terminology needs a spot of decoding.

The most significant of these neologisms is ‘ARAY’, a form of mechanical tuning at one end of the interconnect, initially developed for digital cables to maintain a consistent impedance. The design began with S/PDIF because keeping a 75-ohm cable at 75-ohm is paramount, but quickly spread to analogue, digital and network cables alike.

An ARAY of cables

The original Tuned ARAY is reserved for interconnects, but even greater – Super ARAY – precision is used in Signature digital because listening tests found the added precision is of greater benefit in digital at this level. ARAYs are also used on the SignatureX power (and above) cables, plus ChordMusic speaker cable. According to Chord Company, the company’s recently incorporated XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) insulation brings similar improvements. All feature silver-plated copper conductors, with the power cord and speaker cable using a braided/twisted pair layout.

It’s relatively easy to pour on the superlatives when it comes to products like ChordMusic with its innovative Taylon insulation and a price and performance that both cause a sharp intake of breath. Part of the reason hyperbole is easy to get is that these cables are used in cost-no-object settings. Signature has a tougher job; it must sound good and open the sound of a system, but not so wide that it undermines the performance of the components with which it’s likely to be used. You want the ear-opening experience, but not so ear-opening as to highlight the system’s limitations. It’s a task many cable brands get wrong, usually either by making a ‘MiniMe’ of their top cables or applying a touch of ‘The Peter Principle’ to lower-end cables and pimping them too far.

The Middle Ground

Signature, by way of contrast, gets all these things right; it’s a cable designed specifically for really good audio systems in this middle ground, and it does this beautifully. That’s not to say it fails to hit the spot when used with some exotic or humble audio equipment, but when used in the right context it shines like few others. Considering this, a combination of Primare electronics (a fully Prisma’d up I35 and the excellent R35) into a pair of KEF LS50 Meta on their own stands were nigh on perfect partners.

Signature has the right blend of raucous fun and civility regardless of your music. Bass lines are taut, deep, and extremely musically infectious; the midrange is open-sounding and articulate with just the right degree of forwardness to the presentation needed to give such systems a bit of emphasis and a lift. Then the treble was at once clean, extended and almost impassioned sounding. One of those cables clearly defined the two similar voices of Maddy Prior and June Tabor [Burning of Auchindoon, Silly Sisters, Chrysalis] singing harmoniously. This album from 1976 also highlighted the rhythmic and soundstage solidity that Signature brings to a system. It’s a very organic sound; measured, yet not so precise it deadens the music.

While there’s the merest hint of softening at the edges, the effect is not cumulative and works well in the context of electronics used here. But perhaps most of all, the smooth and satisfying performance is extremely true to life, making a sound more than detailed and informative enough for systems at this price point.

One of the two big things that come from Signature is consistency. I initially thought about breaking this review down into the individual performance characteristics of each cable but quickly realised this would be a simple repetition of the same review for each cable. They all do the same uplifting, fun yet solid sound well. That consistency works well in a complete cable system and points you toward a complete Chord Company Signature system if you try one of the cables. And that leads to the second big thing; its sense of balance. This is a perfectly poised cable, regardless of which of the Signature models we are discussing. If it has a sonic intent, it’s one of musical enjoyment rather than stark detailing. But it’s so well balanced in terms of price, performance, partners and probably some other things that don’t begin with the letter ‘P’.

Chord Company’s SignatureX, XL, Super and Tuned ARAY cables come in almost every connection but perform similarly. They are all about making music enjoyable and satisfying and are some of the best all-round bang for your buck you can get in cables today!

Price and Contact Details

  • Signature Super ARAY streaming cable £1,050/1m
  • Signature Super ARAY digital cable £1,050/1m
  • Signature Tuned ARAY RCA interconnect cables £1,050/1m pair
  • SignatureXL speaker cable £800/1m terminated pair
  • SignatureX power cord £1,050/1m

Manufacturer

Chord Company

www.chord.co.uk

+44(0)1980 625700

Back to Reviews

Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker

Danish loudspeaker expert Davone has been making loudspeakers since 2007. The company is the brainchild of designer and owner Paul Schenkel. His first commercial product – the Davone Rithm – established the brand as a company that challenges conventions. The Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker is the company’s new top model, replacing 2013’s Grande.

A high-end loudspeaker with the word ‘Reference’ in its name usually sends red flags to bank accounts. “The ‘Reference’ model, sir? Certainly… and what small island nation would you like to leave as a deposit?” Davone bucks the trend. While the Reference One isn’t cheap, many of its flagship loudspeaker peers put an extra ‘1’ before the price tag.

Davone Reference One

Despite phrases like ‘bucking the trend’, the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker looks like a conventional three-way design. Looks can be deceiving. Yes, it’s a cabinet with three drivers in treble-mid-bass order, but this design hides some intelligent thinking.

Fun with ports

One of the most exciting concepts here is the port. That is a sentence I never expected to write, but bear with me for a while. Where most ports exit to the loudspeaker’s front, rear or base, Reference One’s port is at the top. This is hidden from view thanks to a grill resembling the demisting vents on a car window. It’s also a corner-free port shape with an area equivalent to 30% of the woofer membrane.

If you think about it, the top of a loudspeaker is a perfect spot to place the port. Firing to the rear interacts with the room boundaries, while firing to the front disrupts the sound from radiating drivers. Meanwhile, the characteristics of a port firing into the floor are variable due to the sonic differences between flooring materials. Firing into the ceiling minimises those potential interactions, and the distance from port to ceiling means its construction is immaterial.

Staying with the cabinet, the 25mm form pressed plywood exterior gives a curved shape to the enclosure. That is reinforced by 18mm and 22mm thick plywood bracing throughout. While the Reference One is not at ‘folded horn’ or ‘transmission line’ levels of internal complication, it’s still intricate.

Davone Reference One

The company’s distinctive industrial design extends to the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker. The lower section features quarter-cut walnut veneer, while the upper section is finished in black or soft white European-sourced leather. Note that means hides ‘made in Europe’, not ‘made from Europeans’… hopefully. The loudspeaker is a gentle taper in front and side aspects. It’s also mildly backswept to allow a degree of time alignment. With the gentle curve of the base, it rocks forward and back until the discrete spikes are positioned. This rocking motion does allow some fine-tuning of positioning on carpeted floors, but I’d exercise caution, nonetheless.

Compared to other models in the Davone range, this doesn’t have the same outstanding Scandinavian design. However, in fairness to the Reference One, the physics constrains the design. I would rather have a three-way loudspeaker that sounded excellent than one that looks like an objet d’art. And the Reference One does sound excellent.

A lot of that excellent sound comes down to the choice of drivers. The Reference One uses a 25mm flush-mounted Beryllium dome tweeter for the high frequencies. This is met by a 110mm woven carbon fibre ‘Textreme’ midrange with multimodal cone break-up properties. A 250mm hard paper cone – with a long 22mm deflection and a 75mm voice coil – brings the bass.

Davone Reference One

Davone has made the Reference One moderately easy to drive. The impedance dips to 3.4Ω at 26Hz and stays above four-ohms through most of the frequency range. At 87dB sensitivity, it’s not the loudspeaker for two-watt triode designs but as Davone suggests 100W and beyond is fine. This makes it a good match with amps in its price class. While the Reference One demands quality amplification, it’s not an amp-fussy design.

Neither are the Davone Reference Ones particularly troubling to install. They need to be about 2m apart and at least half a metre from the rear wall. They need some toe-in, but again nothing micrometer-precise. The only exception is level. They do need to be accurately positioned so that the top of the loudspeaker is level. Fortunately, the adjustable spikes are easy to raise and lower.

Gestalt performance

More than pointing to a specific aspect of the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker, however, it’s the gestalt that counts. The loudspeaker is an excellent blend of science and art. Many of the things it does so well happen because of the good engineering execution.

A prime example of this is the excellent imaging. The loudspeakers present an excellent sense of stereo staging, fully three-dimensional but in an unforced manner. And the reason for that is the wide baffle, the rolled edges of the loudspeaker enclosure, and its time alignment. All these elements have been known in audio for decades, and the result is good soundstaging. However, Davone brings all three elements in one speaker, creating an extremely natural-sounding stage as a result. Play anything from simple folk to complex orchestral music and you’ll hear that separation of instruments in space.

This is supported by a good underpinning of bass. Unlike many flagship designs, the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker doesn’t make its bass felt all the time. Just bass when its needed. That solidity is especially good with classical music. Orchestral pieces retain their ‘shape’ thanks to double basses, brass, and percussion instruments, and the Davone expresses that well.

The Davone loudspeaker delivers extremely good detail, although it doesn’t make too much of a song and dance about it. You can hear this by playing music with which you are extremely familiar. For me that’s Joyce DiDonato’s Stella di Napoli album on Erato. Her vocal articulation, the intonation of the French horn that accompanies her, and the orchestra are all focused and realistic. So far, I’ve discussed mostly classical works. The Davone’s strengths apply universally. I enjoyed the same excellent detail reproduction playing everything from Art Blakey to ZZ Top.

Davone Reference One

I also really like the excellent tonal balance of the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeakers. There is a tendency with modern loudspeakers to push a specific frequency range. For example, many European loudspeakers are ‘zingy’, with an expressive but toppy treble. On the other hand, some American loudspeakers have a strong bass emphasis and sound ‘dark’ in comparison. Davone remembers that the word ‘balance’ is involved, and that balance or evenness of bass, mid, and treble shines through. Once more relying on known musical references, I played the title track from River: The Joni Letters [Herbie Hancock, Verve]. Due to her own vocal character, Corinne Bailey Rae is a good choice to cover Joni Mitchell tracks. However, without an evenly balanced loudspeaker, that voice can sound like a Joni Mitchell impression or a pastiche. The Davone Reference One is faithful to the original tonal balance of the recording, and Corinne Bailey Rae’s voice shines! If you are used to brighter sounding loudspeakers, the Reference One might seem lacking in ‘sparkle’. However, I’ve always found that sparkle tarnishes fast. The Reference One is in it for the long haul and you’ll love that balanced presentation for years to come!

Another Reference One boon is its ability to play from loud and quiet with equanimity. Plenty of loudspeakers can play at ‘hearing loss’ loudness levels. Others can sing at whisper-quiet levels. But it takes a really good design to sound good across the board, from a whisper to a scream. The Reference One does that, with an ‘honest’ and refreshingly unexaggerated dynamic range in tow. OK, so if you are wanting a loudspeaker that can double up as a PA system, look elsewhere. But in the real world, this is all the loudspeaker most of us will ever need!

Where’s my unicorn hide?

There is a downside to the Reference One; it’s not expensive enough! It also lacks some of the touches that separate the high-end from the rest of the world. It isn’t made from unicorn hide or a veneer from the last tree of its kind. It doesn’t weigh as much as a small planet. It isn’t finished in a piano gloss that could be used to signal aircraft. This is why the Davone doesn’t cost as much as an S-Class Mercedes. Sadly, a lot of the audio world has gone full-on ‘bling’ and this fine performer may get overlooked for all the wrong reasons.

Davone Reference One

That must not happen. In a high-end audio world gone mad, the Davone Reference One floorstanding loudspeaker is a dose of sanity. It’s a great sounding performer for good, solid reasons. It’s also perfect for listeners wanting a true reference-grade sound without draining a bank account. Finally, it’s ideal for real-world listeners not holed up in acoustically perfect man-caves.

Technical specifications

  • Type Three-way, reflex-ported floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Drive Units 1x 25mm beryllium dome tweeter, 111mm Textreme cone midrange, 250mm hard paper cone
  • Frequency Response 29Hz–30kHz, -3dB
  • Impedance 4Ω nominal, 3.4Ω minimum (at 26Hz)
  • Sensitivity 87dB/2.83V/m
  • Finishes black or soft white leather, quarter cut walnut veneer
  • Dimensions (W×H×D) 47 × 97 × 37cm
  • Weight 42kg per loudspeaker
  • Price £15,999 per pair

Manufacturer

Davone Audio

 Homepage – https://www.davoneaudio.com

Review Product – https://www.davoneaudio.com/reference1.html

Contact Us – https://www.davoneaudio.com/contact.html

Tel:  +45 23 88 71 72

Back to Reviews

Gold Note DS-1000 EVO streaming DAC

The Gold Note DS-1000 EVO has been one of the company’s mainstays in its higher-end electronics line. It’s a wireless streaming DAC, making it essentially your complete digital source component in a post-physical digital age. However, given it also has extensive digital connections that a disc-spinner might use, it’s also likely to be a digital hub for CD transports and other traditional digital audio devices. It has an optional XLR and RCA line inputs if you wanted to use the DS-1000 EVO as a line preamplifier (which is called the DS-1000 EVO LINE and is the model tested here), and a 1/4” headphone socket too.

In the past, Gold Note eschewed the notion of discussing its chipset, taking the very admirable line that suggests its a Gold Note product, rather than someone’s chipset in a Gold Note box. Unfortunately, this admirable line is often shouted down, so in the new DS-1000 EVO, Gold Note informs us that it features two dual-mono AKM AK4493 DAC chips. This boosts the resolution of the EVO over its predecessor; where the last topped out at 24/192, the EVO supports PCM files up to 32bit, 384kHz resolution and DSD from DSD64 up to DSD526 (and DSD512 via USB) native now.

Simplified, not simple

The Gold Note interface is one of elegant simplicity, but it is not a simple product. The front panel has a display screen controlled by a multifunction knob and aside from the remote eye, a little blue LED and that headphone socket, that’s it. The 3.5” TFT display is just large enough to read and not so large that you start to think it’s a touch-screen, although I still spent the first day or so uselessly mashing the panel. It’s a colour display but Gold Note’s use of colours is elegant and restrained. There’s that word ‘elegant’ again… get used to it, you are going to see it a lot over the next few pages.

The DS-1000 EVO allows listeners to stream music wired though an Ethernet connection or wirelessly from a home network. It supports all the usual digital subjects (including Airplay), can use a USB drive as host, or take a USB feed from a computer (allowing native DSD streaming of DSD files) and comes with UPnP and DLNA network capabilities to control streaming, internet radio sources via vTuner, Tidal (via Tidal Connect), Spotify (via Spotify Connect), Qobuz, local media servers and so on, from the company’s own app or via the front panel. It is also Roon Ready. It can be bolstered up by the use of an optional external power supply upgrade, but this was not supplied for the test.

The Gold Note DS-1000 EVO also gives you the option of a ‘Tube’ output. This hooks directly to one of two output stages – the TUBE-1006 or 1012, which adds six (or 12 in the 1012) valves in a Class A output stage, which Gold Note says is for added warmth. This too was not supplied for test, but has been a known and popular upgrade for Gold Note’s higher-end products. In total, that would make the DS-1000 EVO take up three shelves, but if you use it as a line preamplifier too, that doesn’t sound too greedy. All three can be finished in Gold Note’s standard and elegant black, gold or silver finish.

The last link in the chain is the GN Control app, for iOS and Android products. This allows you to control all the DS-1000 EVOs functions both in the streaming section and some hands-on control of the DS-1000 EVO. Increasingly, the functionality of a product relies heavily on the quality of the app, and the Gold Note app is on the side of the angels.

The app isn’t as slick as some of the best in breed; I use an Innuos Statement Next Gen as my front end, and if I’m forced to choose between the two, I’ll go with Innuos. But, to its credit, it’s stable and fast, and isn’t overly fussy or busy. The app is backed up by a remote handset, which is itself useful for basic volume control.

In the LINE version, the DS-1000 EVO is equipped with a Class A line preamp stage to control the volume directly in the analogue domain, which can be bypassed when the DS-1000 EVO is set to DAC mode. The headphone amplifier meanwhile is more than just a feed from the line outputs, but a Gold Note developed circuit with high and low output settings to accommodate the widest set of headphone options.

Making your mind up!

I sometimes find that products like the Gold Note DS-1000 EVO seem to have trouble making up their minds. They are often a DAC that ‘does a bit of streaming’ or a streamer ‘that’s also got a DAC’. When you add a line preamp option, all bets are off. But the DS-1000 EVO is different. It has a strong sense of purpose to it; in the DS-1000 EVO it’s a streaming DAC and in the DS-1000 EVO LINE it’s a streaming DAC preamp. There isn’t a weak link in the chain, except maybe that its elegant front panel means a lack of hard buttons and control surfaces people have come to expect from their preamps.

Gold Note makes a big play about the DS-1000 EVO and EVO LINE having what it calls an ‘Italian’ sound. I don’t like this concept, any more than I liked products ‘tuned’ for listeners in a specific country… but Gold Note has a point. Play any piece of music through the DS-1000 EVO and you are instantly reminded that it is made in Florence, thanks to a sumptuous passionate elegance (told you!) about that sound. It makes the kind of music that you feel duty bound to make sweeping hand gestures during the listening session. I could get into some low-rent stereotyping here, but this is a DAC with fire in its belly, passion in its heart and dresses in style!

The song, not the numbers

I can be inwardly curmudgeonly about piling on the ever higher-resolution formats. Sometimes they are more about the numbers than the song. And the recordings that suffer the most aren’t the high-resolution ones; they are the ones we listen to time and again, in and around CD quality. But here, the CD quality sings beautifully, and the higher-resolution sounds just add to the performance.

I can’t help but describe this (once again) as elegant. The sound has good imagery, excellent detail and dynamic shading and can scale well from a simple aria to a powerful orchestral tutti. The elegance is such that it’s difficult for the Gold Note DS-1000 EVO to make a bad noise.

If that makes you think the DS-1000 EVO softens its transients or somehow rolls off the sound; guess again. Playing some harsh 1980s post-punk (Joy Division’s Closer… I felt like I could do with cheering up!) and the hard, angular sound of late 1970s Manchester studios is portrayed properly. It’s just that despite it all, the sound is likeable rather than an ear-bleed.

Refined without over-refinement. Elegance without rococo frills and finery. Detail without sounding etched. Good soundstaging without sounding too dissolute. A dynamic range that can slam as much as it can burble along with the music. These are all elements that cannot be dismissed without sacrificing a lot of musical performance.

Even that English obsession of Pace Rhythm and Timing is well handled here. No, the rhythm kings and the timing obsessives will show how their foot tapping is 1% less direct, but the rarely see a bigger picture of wonderful coherence, across the board refinement… and my elegance meter is going off again. I played the Bach Trios by Yo Yo Ma, Chris Thile and Edgar Mayer. This is an extremely refined piece of music, but one with an edge caused by the presence of the mandolin. It is all about the microdynamic subtleties of the musicians, the portrayal of space and dimensionality around the music and both the sublime playing and the interpretation of Bach’s masterpieces. Get it wrong and it sounds fake and brittle, but here it places you in the recording suite, with a sense of overall musical beauty and (here it comes again) elegance that simply draws you deeper into the music. I would rather this than have this wonderful recording force-fed through an artificially beaty sound.

Even music that has a strong sense of beat fares well with the Gold Note DS-1000 EVO. Play something that you will nod along to – ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath for example, or more contemporaneously ‘Dirty Rat’ by Sleaford Mods and Orbital or even some Techno – and you can’t help but nod, foot tap, do the whole ‘big fish, little fish, cardboard box’ thing. A lot of this comes down to the combination of excellent separation and great dynamic range, but the DS-1000 EVO is no rhythmic slouch.

I’ve saved the best until last, though. It’s the way the soundstage just envelops you that really sets the DS-1000 EVO apart. This shows the sound is leveraging at once the richer, warmer sound of Gold Note and a more direct, upbeat sound more common today. This is a delicate trade-off; too much warmth and the soundstage can appear soft and diffuse but too much top end energy and the staging becomes two dimensional. The balance is excellent here, and that comes across best when playing my benchmark Joyce DiDonato tracks from Stella Di Napoli {Erato]. Her voice sits perfectly between the loudspeakers, with rock solid stability, while the orchestra rise up to meet her voice, then falls away just leaving the French horn. It’s one of those recordings that can raise the hairs on the back of your neck, and it does wonders here. It might not look good, but goose-flesh is a very positive sign here.

I’ve mentioned just how good the DS-1000 EVO is as a team, but what are the individual aspects of performance like? OK, it’s difficult to separate out the streamer because there is no digital output to by-pass the DAC. However, as a DAC, it’s an excellent performer; perhaps not as detailed as a similarly priced Chord Electronics model, but certainly sophisticated enough and more than dynamic enough to hold its own. Similarly the line preamplifier is a fine performer, but there are standalone models (including standalone models in Gold Note’s 1000 series range) that will add greater flexibility, more inputs and a touch more transparency across the mids and high frequencies.  Finally, the streamer (as separated as it can get here) works well in its own right, but is outpaced by dedicated standalones like AURALiC.

This is getting away from the point of the DS-1000 EVO. It’s a proper digital audio hub (plus preamp if you go down the LINE route) that is a great sounding and convenient way to get that degree of musical elegance with minimal effort. No, it’s not the Lazy Man’s way to good sound, but it allows you to create a fine and sophisticated performance without the need for several boxes… unless you want the power supply and tube output stage. Even the headphone amplifier sounds – you guessed it – elegant!

Early sample

Ours was one of the first samples out of the Gold Note factory and bugs were expected, met and overcome. Typically in such cases, the end result is even better than the last models out of the designers test bench. But, even if not, the Gold Note DS-1000 EVO is a fine example of the Streamer/DAC and preamp breed and a worthy addition to the pantheon of high-performance digital audio. It’s the antithesis of that strident, aggressive digital sound, and yet it doesn’t deliver that more effortless sound through softening its presentation. In other words, it’s a gold star!

Technical specifications

  • Type Solid-state stereo DAC with streaming and digital inputs
  • D/A Converter 2x AKM AK4493 giving PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and DSD512
  • Supported audio formats AIFF (.aif, .aiff, .aifc), ALAC, WAV (.wav) packed/unpacked, FLAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, OGG, Monkey’s
  • Supported Media Servers all UPnP, DLNA, Roon
  • Supported streaming services Roon Ready, Airplay, MQA, Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Tidal Connect,  vTuner
  • Frequency response 20Hz to 20kHz (+/-0.1dB)
  • Total Harmonic Distortion 0.001% max
  • Signal to Noise ratio -125dB
  • Dynamic Response 129dB
  • Output Impedance 50 Ohm (RCA), 100 Ohm (XLR)
  • Network Connectivity LAN/WLAN (WiFi) 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Dual Band (10/433Mbps), Bluetooth High Definition 5.0 (44/16)
  • Dimensions (W×H×D) 43 × 13.5 × 37.5cm
  • Weight 10 kg
  • Price £5,559 (DS-1000 EVO); £7,269 (DS-1000 EVO LINE)

Manufacturer

Gold Note

Homepage – www.goldnote.it

Review Product – https://www.goldnote.it/electronics/ds-1000_evo/

UK distributor

Airt Audio

www.airtaudio.com

+44(0)754 879 6382

Back to Reviews

Java Hi-Fi Single Shot integrated amplifier

Coffee machines are a malarkey, very whimsical beasts that are always after attention, if it’s not run out of water then the grounds need emptying, then before you’ve had half a dozen cups it needs cleaning. Gaggia have a lot to answer for but the results are worth the effort, most of the time.

I’m guessing that coffee may have been the reason why Java electronics are so named, or perhaps it’s the relative proximity of New Zealand to that part of Indonesia. Either way they are stylish bits of kit with more colour and finish variations than all but the most imaginative of loudspeaker designs. The high end audio market is notoriously conservative so this is a bold move and one that is presumably aimed at bringing more music lovers into the fold, an admirable approach that more brands need to consider if this niche within a niche is to have a future.

Java is a relatively young company that developed its first product, the LDR passive preamplifier, in 2016 and brought them to market the following year on the Kickstarter crowd funding platform. Six years later they have preamps, power amps and integrated models at two different levels which share the same basic appearance and amplification technology. Both models of Java integrated amplifiers use GaN FET transistors in Class D circuits, while the preamplifier sections use LDR or light dependent resistors in a passive circuit. I have not come across this technology before but Java founder Martin Bell explains: “It works by varying current to alter the intensity of an internal LED, which in turn varies resistance to adjust the volume level, creating the purest possible path for the delicate audio signal.”

One shot or two

Class D GaN FET amplifiers are likewise high efficiency designs which makes the Java Single Shot almost green by the standards of 200 Watt integrated designs, those heat sinks are not there for looks alone however, they do get warm when the amp has been running for half an hour or so. The Single Shot appellation indicates that this is the more affordable of Java’s integrated designs with single ended connections and half the output power of the 400W Double Shot variant. The Single Shot is just over £9,000 while the Double Shot is nearly £2,000 more, so there is a worthwhile saving and the product looks the same albeit with only two RCA line inputs rather than four balanced ones.

When ordering a Java amp you get to choose from eight casework finish options and three shades of anodising for the front panel, with Copper alongside the more familiar black and silver. There are veneer and satin or gloss paintwork options for the case including ebony and walnut, I received a Single Shot with Dark Walnut Satin casework and Copper anodised metalwork, which includes the heatsinks. Apparently the walnut is a real wood veneer, it looks so slick that I presumed otherwise so Java have clearly got their quality control in hand.

The bases

The RCA sockets are made by ETI Research as are the speaker binding posts. Alongside two pairs of inputs are a pre-output pair and inputs for an MM phono stage, there are also digital connections in the form of a USB B socket and a connector for a Bluetooth antenna. Java are clearly thinking about those wanting to get good sound out of all likely sources. There’s a headphone socket on the front too, it has all the obvious bases covered with the exception of AV, there’s no optical or HDMI connection for a TV.

Operationally the Java Single Shot is pretty straightforward once you have popped the magnetic panel out of the remote handset and engaged the battery. Volume level is indicated by backlit blocks with each one covering a range of levels rather than a step, the remote gives step like changes while the knob is more progressive. Typically, this can cause some concerns with playing music at low levels. However, the volume control is deliberately dialled back slightly at lower listening levels, allowing additional steps between the volume settings displayed as ‘zero’ and ‘one’. This gives the Jave Single Shot greater nuance for late-night listening levels.

Even with casual listening it was clear that the Java has some rather appealing characteristics, prime amongst which is an immediacy that makes everything sound more alive and exciting. This amp shares a common Class D trait which is an absence of what Metallica referred to (positively) as ‘thickener’, but what’s good for music creation is not necessarily beneficial to its reproduction. Class AB amps sound a bit heavy and thick compared to this Java, it’s not unappealing but neither is it necessarily a reflection of what’s in the signal. This amp makes it clear that this fullness may well be a characteristic of that mode of operation and without it the sound becomes faster and more vivid.

Light touch

The counterpoint to this is that if not done well Class D can sound hollow and thin, lacking the body that a good Class AB brings to the party. The Single Shot manages to avoid this with a degree of richness that is unusual for its class, there is a depth of tone that while not in the same league as a tube amplifier is sufficient to give notes plenty of timbral depth. In some ways the Java sounds like a single ended triode, it has that nimbleness and absence of overhang, notes stop and start quickly but without any sense of ringing. Here however the highs do not have the smoothness of a triode, they are more extended and there is more power behind them albeit only lightly felt.

Most of my listening was via the onboard DAC using the USB input connected to variously an Innuos Pulsar, Lumin U2 Mini (with a Network Acoustics and LDA PSU) and a Melco N5. Each of these streaming sources sounded distinctive, the Pulsar being the most timely while the Melco was beautifully rounded and relaxed and the Lumin somewhere between the two. The DAC in this amplifier is clearly quite capable albeit not so keen on very high sample rates, eg those above 192kHz. The DAC/amp combo times very well and produces highly engaging results regardless of whether the music is Cian Nugent’s ‘Siamese Sharks’ sounding very polished and three dimensional, or Steely Dan’s ‘Babylon Sisters’ which sounded crude by comparison despite being musically superior IMHO. It also revelled in the detail and tonal richness of John Martyn’s rendition of ‘Glory Box’ which had serious low end extension and a sense of control without grip that few Class AB integrateds at this price can match.

The above observations were experienced with Sonus faber Amati G5 speakers that are very capable beasts indeed. Moving to the more affordable PMC twenty5.26i floorstanders ushered in a lighter, crisper sound that while it lacked the bass power of the former speakers made up for it by delivering the life and energy of everything that was played. Acoustic pieces really worked well, the absence of time smear allowing the attack and decay of each note to be rendered clearly such that it gelled with the musical whole in a highly transparent fashion. This is a very clean sounding amplifier via its line inputs as well, I connected my phono stage to these and spent a highly engaging evening playing vinyl old and new. You get all the snap and visceral excitement of a dynamic piece of music along with the vibe from the band behind it, so Michael Franks’ ‘Popsicle Toes’ has a joi de vivre while on Frank Zappa’s ‘Pygmy Twilight’ (Roxy and Elsewhere) it feels like you have a window onto the concert as the band vamps in the background while Patrick Simmonds, Napoleon Murphy Brock and Zappa go through their routine. This was one of several occasions where electric guitar stood out so well that I had to wonder if the system was emphasising this part of the spectrum, but in truth it was more likely down to the mix.

If you like the styling and enjoy the energy and vitality of music, the Java Single Shot is a great amplifier for the asking price. Its take on Class D is more rounded and substantial than most and this combined with a strong feature set make it a worthy contender for those looking to combine several functions in a single unit. It’s hard to say how much of the sound is due to the GaN side of the equation but that clearly isn’t doing any harm.

Technical specifications

  • Type Class D, two-channel integrated amplifier with built-in DAC and phonostage
  • Analogue inputs One MM phono input (via RCA jacks), two single-ended line-level inputs (via RCA jacks)
  • Digital inputs One USB port, one Bluetooth receiver
  • Analogue outputs One pre-out (via RCA jacks), one 6.3mm headphone jack
  • Supported sample rates PCM up to 24/192 inc DSD
  • Input impedance 100kΩ
  • Output impedance (preamp) Not specified
  • Power Output 200Wpc @ 8 Ohms, 400Wpc @ 4 Ohms
  • Bandwidth 10Hz–20kHz (+/- 0.5dB)
  • Distortion < 0.01% THD+N (8Ω, 1W, 20Hz to 20kHz); 0.02 % THD+N (8Ω, 25W, 1kHz)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio 108dB
  • Dimensions (H×W×D) 130 × 440 × 415mm
  • Weight 10.6kg
  • Price £9,290

Manufacturer

Java Hi-Fi

Homepage –  https://www.javahifi.com/home

Review Product –  https://www.javahifi.com/review-product/integrated-amp-single

Where to buy –  https://www.javahifi.com/where-to-buy

UK distributor

Audio Emotion

www.audioemotion.co.uk

+44(0)1333 425 999

Back to Reviews

PS Audio Is Now Shipping Its AirLens Music Streamer

Boulder, Colorado, September 12, 2023 – PS Audio is now shipping its AirLens music streamer, designed to deliver the ultimate in sound quality from streaming audio sources. The new AirLens (SRP: US $1,999.00) offers high-resolution streaming via Roon and services such as TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, JRiver, and Audirvana, as well as from an NAS storage device or any DLNA-compatible server.

“The secret of the AirLens’ exceptional sound quality is its galvanic isolation,” noted Paul McGowan, PS Audio CEO. “Removing the physical connection between input and output stages eliminates the unwanted noise that can be introduced by USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The AirLens also perfectly re-clocks the digital signal. The result is a remarkable improvement in resolution, timbral realism, and dynamics.”

The PS Audio AirLens connects to a network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and provides I2S and coaxial digital outputs to connect to a DAC. Typically, noise from any number of sources including a computer, long runs of Ethernet cable, EMI interference via Wi-Fi, and modems and routers all contribute to increased jitter and a loss of fidelity. PS Audio’s galvanic isolation removes this sonic degradation by eliminating the electrical connection between the input and output stages, using only air as the interface. This ensures 100 percent isolation and noise-free delivery of the digital audio signals. In addition, the signal is re-clocked at the output stage for jitter-free, pure digital audio.

Available in silver and black, the AirLens offers PCM decoding up to 352.8 kHz, and DSD to 256 (4x). Its compact size (10 by 7 by 1.5 inches) and sleek design make it easy to integrate into any audio system. Like every PS Audio product, the AirLens is manufactured using premium-quality parts and construction.

AirLens Features at a Glance:

  • Galvanically isolated from input to output to eliminate network and Wi-Fi noise and offer extraordinary signal purity and sound quality
  • Connects to a network via 10/100/1000 Ethernet or 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
  • I2S and coaxial digital outputs
  • Offers PCM up to 352.8 kHz/32-bit and native DSD up to 256 (4x, up to DSD 128 via coax output)
  • DoP (DSD over PCM) operation
  • Roon-ready
  • DLNA-ready
  • Compatible with TIDAL Connect (via Roon), Spotify Connect, mconnect, Qobuz (via Roon and mconnect), Dropbox (via Roon), MQA, DLNA 1.5 and UPnP A/V 1.0 Digital Media Renderer
  • Available in silver or black
  • 10″ x 7″ x 1.5″, 4.8 lbs.

SDD Intros Lumin D3 Network Music Player to UK Audiophile Streaming Fans

September 2023 – Sound Design Distribution, an independent U.K. distribution company specialising in premium quality audio systems is delighted to announce the UK availability of the LUMIN D3 Network Music Player.

Combining new processing hardware/software within a new and compact all-aluminium chassis, the D3 delivers improved features and increased resampling flexibility while retaining all the musicality of its acclaimed D1 and D2 forbears.

With the latest LUMIN processing onboard and sporting the silky chassis surface of LUMIN’s high-end P1 player, the D3’s fully balanced design offers music streaming aficionados arguably the most compatible and comprehensive feature set available at the price, and with LUMIN’s powerful and intuitive app at their fingertips, the easiest and most tactile high quality access to the entire online music universe.

The D3 will support UPnP AV protocol with audio streaming extension (OpenHome); Roon Ready, Plex, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, FLAC Lossless Radio, Tuneln Radio, AirPlay 2, Gapless Playback, On-Device Playlist and Multi-Room (Songcast). Supported audio file formats include DSD Lossless: DSF (DSD), DIFF (DSD), DoP (DSD), PCM Lossless: FLAC, Apple Lossless (ALAC), WAV, AIFF; Compressed (lossy) Audio: MP3, AAC (in M4A container) and MQA.

Powerful new processing feeding a new output stage built around the Sabre DAC ES9028PRO chip, renders PCM up to 384kHz, 32-bit, Stereo, and DSD up to DSD2S6, 1-bit, Stereo, delivering upsampling and downsampling to every supported format up to DSD2S6/PCM384. Inputs include RJ45 1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet and USB, while outputs include XLR balanced, RCA unbalanced analogue, and BNC S/PDIF digital for PCM 44.1kHz-192kHz, 16-24bit and DSD (DoP, DSD over PCM) 2.8MHz, 1bit.

Control over the D3’s feature-rich capabilities is provided by the celebrated LUMIN app, which features native support for TlDAL, MQA, Qobuz and Tuneln Radio, as well as Tidal MQA and Qobuz high-res icons to identify high-res music. A flawlessly easy user experience is optimised with support for high-resolution artwork, artwork caching, search, multiple tag handling, composer tag support, album-grouping in playlist, automatic internet links to artists/album/songs, and the saving and restoring of playlists (including Tidal and Qobuz).

In addition, the most precise control over volume is offered by Leedh processing, a digital volume adjustment algorithm that is designed to eliminate rounding errors now included (at no additional cost) on all LUMIN players.

 

LUMIN D3

Availability in Silver or Black: October 2023

Typical retail price (inc VAT): £2,195.00

LUMIN’s D3 Network Music Player will be on display at the UK Hi Fi Show Live, Ascot Racecourse Sept 29 – Oct 1, 2023. https://hifishowlive.com/

Technics Announces New SL-1200GR2 Turntable

NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Renowned hi-fi brand Technics has released its legendary and widely acclaimed SL-1200/1210GR turntable in a new ‘GR2′ version.

This new model was planned to build on the reputation of our existing design and developed the new GR2 around the iconic iron-coreless direct drive motor with its superior rotational precision. We looked at how we have improved signal precision in our digital audio components, especially at the Reference amplifier SU-R1000, which optimizes vinyl analogue signals using complex digital technology. It’s been our goal to take our direct drive technology and take it to the next level in terms of precision. This was achievable by reducing motor vibration through optimising the driving sine waves via the PWM signal generation using ΔΣ (Delta Sigma) Modulation, as employed in our full-digital amplifiers.

The motor control signal for the new SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 is a huge leap in performance in comparison with earlier versions. Looking back to the 1970s, the motor control sine wave signal was generated by an analogue RF oscillator, the precision of which left room for smoother rotation. After the revival of the Technics SL-1200 turntable in 2016, the new SL-1200GAE – along with the much-improved motor by an iron-coreless stator – inherited a new motor control based on PWM for D/A conversion, using a micro controller including a sine-wave ROM. This added remarkable impact on the whole rotational precision and helped achieving lower motor vibrations. However, despite this approach, the sine wave for motor control was still not 100% accurate.

Therefore, in the new GR2, the motor control signal is generated by the usage of a PWM signal generated by ΔΣ (Delta Sigma) Modulation, a method of high precision 1bit D/A conversion which is part of the signal procession in Technics’ full-digital amplifiers that use our proprietary technology JENO Engine. By this approach, consequently given the name ΔΣ-Drive (Delta Sigma Drive), a perfect sine wave is generated, and motor vibrations are radically reduced. This has a significant impact especially on the frequency range where the motor vibrations overlap with the natural resonance of the tonearm/pickup cartridge combination. Thus, the tracking precision is drastically improved. The result is a stunning signal precision with an accurate sound stage, superb imaging, and a very low noise floor.

In combination with the rotation feedback system based on speed detection by the usage of a frequency generator (FG) which works on magnetic power generation, the rotational speed precision of the new GR2 type is exceptional.

Along with the motor control, the general power supply has also been the focus of engineering. The new Multi-stage Silent Power Supply of the SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 is a combination of a low-noise, high-speed power supply working at over 100kHz and a noise canceling circuit inherited from our reference class turntable SL-1000R, cancelling remaining noise by injecting the reversed-phase current of the actual noise. By this method, a very low noise floor is achieved, enabling exceptional signal-to-noise ratio, improving the overall signal performance.

Most of the mechanical design of the new GR2 type has been retained from its predecessor: Kept were the rock-solid 2-layered bottom chassis made of aluminium and BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound), the combination of which enables high resistance against vibrations, the 2-layered platter made of aluminium and dampened by heavy-weight rubber, the high-sensitivity S-shaped aluminium tonearm and the effective insulator feet.

The overall design has been gently refined: A new colour match of all parts and elements as well as the new body surface touch quality adds even higher desirability to the new GR2 generation of the SL-1200/1210.

To reduce environmental impact of our packaging while ensuring that Technics products are fully protected throughout their journey to our consumers, the new packaging for 1200GR2/1210GR2 is free of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Instead, it is made of smart shaped cardboard, maintaining safe protection of the product, also including a cardboard box for the accessories, allowing ease of removal and storage. Technics is currently working to expand new packaging to other line-ups and integrate more recyclable content into packaging materials in the future.

The new SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 will be available from December 2023 at authorized Technics retailers at MSRP $2,199.99. In the Technics tradition, the silver version will be called SL-1200GR2, whereas the black will be SL-1210GR2.

SOULNOTE D-2 digital converter

Based in Kanagawa Prefecture about 27km (17m) from Tokyo, SOULNOTE is a Japanese-manufacturer of high-end audio components. Part of the CSR group, SOULNOTE divides its products into three levels or tiers. The D-2 DAC is part of their middle range.

The D-2 has the same (43 × 40.5 × 16cm) dimensions as SOULNOTE’s A-2 integrated amplifier tested in Issue 215 – and it needs to be this big. Just peer inside a D-2; you won’t find much empty space. Due to the extensive use of discrete components, the D-2’s circuits take up all-available room. Yet the D-2 is not SOULNOTE’s flagship DAC – that honour belongs to the D-3 model. However, after reading the D-2’s specifications, you might well conclude it’s about as good as it gets in terms of technology and design. It’s certainly a highly advanced, no-compromise product.

For starters, the clock used in the D-2 is claimed to have ultra-low jitter – around 45 femtoseconds. Despite this, further improvements in timing-accuracy are possible when the D-2 is partnered with SOULNOTE’s X-3 10MHz external clock (£4,500). Another key design point worth noting is SOULNOTE’s passionate advocacy for Non-Oversampling (NOS) filtering, though Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filtering is also offered to give users a choice.

NOS or FIR

SOULNOTE explain as follows… ‘In addition to conventional FIR oversampling, the D-2 has adopted the NOS mode which operates without feedback in the digital domain. In this mode, the pre and post-echo observed in the impulse response with FIR oversampling do not occur’. Basically, a short-duration transient pulse reproduces far more cleanly using the NOS filter. The FIR filter introduces noticeable ringing before and after the pulse. While the FIR filter has less distortion and achieves better phase linearity, for SOULNOTE, getting rid of ringing is more important.

SOULNOTE’s D-2 offers 32bit resolution (24bit USB) and is compatible with sampling rates up to 192kHz (768kHz USB) in PCM. DSD (64) is included, operating up to 22.6MHz (USB) and 2.8MHz (Coaxial/AES-EBU).

There are 5 digital inputs – 2 RCA/Coax, 2 XLR/AES-EBU, and 1 USB – with a choice of unbalanced (RCA) and 2.8v output, or Balanced (XLR) analogue and 5.6v output – both higher than average. As outputs are fixed, rather than variable, the D-2 cannot easily be used as a preamp.

The D-2 uses four highly regarded Sabre ES9038PRO DAC chips. According to SOULNOTE, “The ES9038PRO boasts an ultra-strong current output of 120mA. Using two per‑channel in Synchronous mode provides the highest sound quality.”

The balanced analogue outputs sound best in terms of vividness and dynamics, so use these if you can. For USB sources, you can download Microsoft drivers going right back to Windows 7 from SOULNOTE’s website. Macs are already covered.

Simple and Straightforward

Despite its internal complexity, the D-2 is very simple and straightforward to operate. It has five press buttons (plus power on/off) with a single rotary selector for the five digital inputs. The unit draws around 56W from the mains and gets mildly warm during extended use.

As mentioned, the D-2 matches SOULNOTE’s A-2 integrated-amplifier in terms of size. However, you cannot stack the two. This is because they each have floating top-panels. Also the metal support feet have no rubber protection pads. This risks damage to the lower unit.

There’s a visual display to indicate sampling frequency, but this only operates with USB inputs – not coax or AES/EBU – for sound quality reasons.

An intriguing feature is the stereo/mono switch on the back panel. This gives a normal stereo output through both channels, or just left channel through the left output, or right channel through the right output. But – why would anyone want this?

It seems SOULNOTE envisage a situation where two D-2’s are used in a dual-mono arrangement. They say, “In MONO mode, stopping the ES9038PRO on the opposite channel doubles the power margin and makes the channel separation virtually infinite.” So, there you are!

However, a less extreme (and less costly) option for D-2 owners looking to improve performance would be to add an X-3 external clock. Note that SOULNOTE’s flagship D-3 DAC does not have a built-in clock; it is designed to work with the X-3 as standard.

SOULNOTE’s goal is a vibrant vivid sound with explosive dynamics and great tonal brilliance. The D-2 certainly aims that and delivers impressive impact and luminous clarity. The result is vivid and detailed – hopefully, an arresting and intense musical experience.

Attitude

Like driving a fast sports car, the D-2 prioritises speed and excitement over smoothness. It engages your senses and makes you concentrate. SOULNOTE’s D-2 will appeal to those who want music to show attitude – not something that just sounds pleasant and un-assertive.

I got a sense of playing a 1976 jazz album called The Three with Joe Sample (piano) Ray Brown (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums). The recording was originally made direct-to-disc in Los Angeles, with the CD released much later from analogue back-up tapes made at the sessions. Inevitably the CD did not compare to the original direct-cut LP. I recall being disappointed when I first heard it 20 or so years back. But via the A-2/D-2, it was clear, bold, and very dynamic, with notable depth and separation, a big soundstage and excellent transient attack.

I did most of my early listening with the filter set to NOS. This delivers crisper dynamics and a more vivid sound compared to either of the two FIR settings. On most Jazz and Rock/Pop material, I felt very happy with the results using NOS. But, on naturally recorded classical material, I sometimes preferred FIR. If, on choral and solo voice there was a hint of tonal hardness or a slight degree of congestion when using NOS, then switching to FIR reduced this. The sound became fuller and richer/warmer.

But while FIR sounded a tad smoother and less bright than NOS, it was also slightly muted – less vibrant and immediate. On direct comparisons, NOS was always a bit better in terms of vividness. However, long term, FIR seemed slightly more comfortable to listen to.

My preference varied from disc to disc. Some were better with NOS, while others suited FIR. I liked NOS very much. On good Jazz and Pop/Rock recordings it often sounded best; on classical music I was sometimes happier with FIR. How good to have options!

Placement

Both the A-2 and D-2 proved sensitive to placement. I put the D-2 on a spring-suspended wooden shelf, which was fine. But placing the D-2 on a steel equipment rack with tempered glass shelves was not such a good idea.

The D-2’s hard metal feet on glass increased the brightness of the sound, which wasn’t good. Putting it on an old Mission decoupling platform with Sorbothane feet helped reduce treble glare without losing bite or immediacy.

After making this change, I tried the Halle recording of Elgar’s inspiring oratorio The Kingdom, and listened to the whole thing. It sounded great; still bright, but in a nice airy open highly-detailed way. Any hint of glassy-treble was gone, especially with the FIR setting.

There’s some very deep organ pedals throughout The Kingdom, and I was impressed by the sheer heft and power of the bass. The effortless reproduction of deep clean bass is always a litmus test for good digital, and the D-2 passed with flying colours.

Comparing the SOULNOTE D-2 to the DAC in AURALiC’s ALTAIR G2 was interesting. The latter costs £5,299 but includes a Streamer, MM phono stage, an analogue line input, and is usable as a preamp. The D-2 did sound slightly more dynamic, incisive, and detailed – though I had to listen very carefully.

Playing Mozart’s Salzburg symphonies with Trevor Pinnock and the English Concert on DG/Archiv, the D-2 separated the individual sections of the orchestra better, portraying strings, winds, and brass with greater individuality and a clearer portrayal of the hall acoustic.

It wasn’t a massive ‘night and day’ sort of difference, but given how good the Altair G2 DAC is, it’s quite something to better it. The D-2 always sounded that little bit more dynamic and insightful, and made the music sound livelier.

To sum up; SOULNOTE’s D-2 DAC is one hugely-impressive piece of kit that sounds vivid and vibrant. It gets the best from digital sources and is especially good when partnered with a responsive amplifier such as SOULNOTE’s A-2 integrated. So do hear a D-2 yourself and see what you think. I have a sneaking suspicion that you’ll come away impressed, and with a D-2 on order!

Technical specifications

  • Digital input USB (Type B), coaxial ×2 (S/PDIF), AES/EBU ×2
  • Input format (USB) PCM, DSD (DoP v1.1, ASIO native)
  • Input format (Coaxial, AES/EBU) PCM, DSD (DoP v1.1)
  • Supported sampling frequency (USB) Max. 768kHz (PCM)/Max. 22.6MHz (DSD)
  • Supported sampling frequency (Coaxial, AES/EBU) Max. 192kHz (PCM)/Max. 2.8MHz (DSD64 DoP v1.1)
  • PCM quantization bit rate (USB) 16bit, 24bit, 32bit
  • PCM quantization bit rate (Coaxial, AES/EBU) 16bit, 24bit
  • External clock input 10MHz (BNC50 ohm)
  • Analogue output XLR ×1, RCA ×1
  • Analogue output level (XLR) 5.6Vrms
  • Analogue output level (RCA) 2.8Vrms
  • Frequency response 2Hz-120kHz +0/-1dB
  • S/N ratio 110dB
  • Total harmonic distortion  0.008% (NOS/176.4kHz)
  • Analogue filter Two-dimensional passive
  • Power voltage 230V AC 50Hz
  • Power consumption 56W
  • Finish Black or SIlver
  • Dimensions (W×H×D) 43 × 16 × 40.5cm
  • Weight 17kg
  • Price £7,700

Manufacturer

SOULNOTE

www.soulnote.audio/soulnote-en

UK distributor

Kog Audio

www.kogaudio.com

+44(0)2477 220 650

Back to Reviews

The sound of excellence delivered your way

Whether you prefer the feel of print or the convenience of digital, hi-fi+ keeps you connected to the world of high-performance audio.

Print Subscription Digital Subscription