Displaying items by tag: amplifier - StereoLife Magazine

Michi is Rotel's luxury sub-brand, positioned from the outset as the more ambitious and more overtly audiophile branch of the company's catalogue. Its components have typically stood out for their carefully judged industrial design, high power output, refined internal architecture and a strong emphasis on build quality, so the arrival of the new Prestige Series feels like a logical next step in the brand's development. With this new range, Michi appears to be opening the door to a broader group of listeners. Two components join the portfolio at launch - the X430 integrated amplifier and the Q430 CD player. Both are presented as products that bring together the engineering discipline, visual sophistication and key technologies associated with more expensive Michi designs, but at a lower entry point. That sends a fairly clear message about where the brand wants to go next - preserving its high-end identity while creating a more realistic way in for listeners who may previously have admired the Michi catalogue from a distance rather than from a buying position.

Questyle is expanding its range of portable audio devices with two new models, Sigma and Sigma Pro. The company positions them as mobile solutions intended to deliver a level of performance closer to full-size desktop systems, aimed at users who want genuine high-fidelity playback from a computer, smartphone or tablet. Both devices are built around Questyle's proprietary Current Mode Amplification, or CMA, technology, which is designed to combine very low distortion, strong dynamic performance and substantial output power within a compact form factor.

Canor is expanding its catalog with two new components designed to become the heart of a modern stereo system. The Verto D4S digital-to-analogue converter and Virtus I4S solid-state integrated amplifier have been conceived as a matching duo in terms of sound, functionality and industrial design, while remaining flexible enough to work in other system configurations. Both models focus on a minimalist aesthetic, refined ergonomics and circuit solutions derived from Canor's higher series. As a result, the Foundation line is no longer just an entry point into the brand's portfolio, but a fully fledged proposition for discerning listeners who want to build a system around a single, coherent concept.

Pro-Ject Audio Systems is expanding its compact electronics portfolio with two new fully balanced headphone amplifiers that mark the beginning of a new generation of the brand's Box Design series. The Head Box S3 B and Head Box DS3 B arrive as modern successors to the original Micro and Mini components first launched in the early 2000s, bringing updated circuitry, more refinement and far more power while preserving the philosophy that made Pro-Ject's small-form-factor devices a reference for affordable high-end audio. Built in Europe and housed in full aluminium enclosures, the two amplifiers are designed for listeners who want serious clarity, true balanced architecture and well-controlled power in a footprint suited to desktop or small hi-fi systems.

iFi Audio is launching the iDSD Phantom as the most advanced product in its history, a single-box flagship that combines a reference DAC, network streamer and powerful headphone amplifier. The new model is aimed at listeners who want a system voiced as close as possible to studio monitoring, but wrapped in a form that integrates into a domestic setup. Rather than a minor upgrade to the earlier Pro iDSD, the Phantom is built on a substantially reworked platform that revisits everything from the digital core and streaming engine to the analogue output stages, power supply and user interface, with the stated goal of delivering the most refined listening experience the company has created so far.

Cambridge Audio is entering a new territory, bringing its experience in building amplifiers, streamers and all-in-one systems into the world of active loudspeaker sets. The British brand has unveiled the L/R Series, a family of advanced active stereo systems designed to replace a traditional separates system and combine loudspeakers, amplification and streaming in a single, tidy package. The three models, L/R X, L/R M and L/R S, target the same part of the market that has so far been strongly represented by brands such as KEF and Sonos, offering users a fully fledged stereo system with built-in amplification, straightforward wireless connectivity and sound that is intended to work equally well for nearfield listening, in a larger living room and even as part of a setup for film soundtracks and immersive Dolby Atmos material.

EVE Audio has introduced a new generation of nearfield monitors with the EXO Series, a family of compact loudspeakers designed to combine advanced acoustic engineering with straightforward, hands-on control. Consisting of the EXO 24, EXO 25, EXO 27 and EXO 28, the range is intended to bring EVE's trademark precision and translation to a wide spectrum of users, from home producers and musicians to engineers working in more demanding project and professional studios. The focus is on monitors that sound honest, integrate naturally into modern hybrid workflows and are easy to set up and tune in a variety of rooms.

When Fezz Audio, then a small, unknown domestic manufacturer, unveiled its first amplifier ten years ago, very few people believed it stood a chance. Yes, the company was connected to a respected producer of transformers used by prestigious audio brands, but as its own label it simply did not exist in the consciousness of audiophiles. At launch, Fezz brought only a single product to market. It was not a compact digital-to-analog converter, not a lavishly equipped solid-state integrated, but a modest tube integrated that, from the customer's perspective, distinguished itself mainly with its reasonable price and a handful of available color finishes. How was this oddity ever supposed to shake up the tightly sealed hi-fi world? And yet, within just a few months, Silver Luna was on everyone's lips. Reviewers and music lovers quickly took to it, drawn by its honest, fully tube-based sound and its raw, minimalist, slightly industrial styling. It was a straightforward, sensible piece of gear with no gimmicks, no cosmetic frills, no wooden ornaments - just engineering focused on doing one job well. It turned out you really could build tube amplifiers in Europe that didn't cost as much as a new car.

Perlisten entered the hi-fi market in a way that surprised many - suddenly, yet with clear ambition. Its debut was far from accidental, led by seasoned engineers and managers with decades of experience in transducers, measurement systems, and loudspeaker design. Co-founder and president Dan Roemer brings over 25 years of industry expertise, including work with the NHT research group, MITek Corporation, and projects in the automotive and aerospace sectors. Lars Johansen, with more than 30 years in audio, has contributed to brands like JBL, Harman Kardon, Klipsch, and Jamo, and later served as partner and president of Miller & Kreisel, supplying solutions for recording studios and premium home theatres. Since its formal launch in 2016, Perlisten has aimed to deliver top-tier products, reflected in its pricing. The introduction of the more accessible A-Series marked a shift, opening the brand to a wider audience. Interest continues to grow, yet many enthusiasts remain unaware of the company's origins, the people behind it, and its long-term objectives. This is why I decided to speak with someone who has been with Perlisten from the start and understands every stage of its development - from early concepts and factory selection to launches and subsequent product lines. Erik Wiederholtz, Perlisten's Technical Director, is an acoustics specialist with experience in transducer modelling, dynamic speakers, MEMS digital microphones, hearing aids, headphones, and small speakers. Our conversation, I believe, will shed light on the company's foundations and help readers understand what Perlisten represents.

Hegel has announced the launch of the H150 streaming amplifier - an all-in-one hi-fi solution designed to combine versatility, musical refinement and ease of use in a compact, elegantly built chassis. Positioned as the successor to the H120, the H150 bridges the gap between affordability and audiophile performance, offering much of the same technology found in Hegel's flagship models, including the company's advanced streaming platform, app control and patented SoundEngine 2 amplification. Nicknamed 'The Prodigy', the H150 embodies Hegel's philosophy that true excellence should be accessible. While sitting at the entry point of the Norwegian manufacturer's integrated range, it demonstrates the sonic maturity and control more often associated with far costlier components. Delivering 2 x 75 watts into 8 ohms, it is capable of driving demanding loudspeakers with confidence, combining precision, scale and authority that far exceed expectations for its size and price.