Displaying items by tag: stereo - StereoLife Magazine

Dual's beginnings can be traced back to 1900 when brothers Christian and Joseph Steidinger began manufacturing watches and turntable parts. Ten years later, the Gebrüder Steidinger company began manufacturing power supplies to allow turntables to operate using mains electricity. It was not long before Dual started making their turntables. After the war, they became the largest manufacturer of this type of equipment in Europe, employing over 3,000 people in several factories. Later the brand expanded to offer customers complete hi-fi systems with amplifiers, tuners, cassette players, and speakers.

Bryston is one of the companies that use a very logical naming scheme for their products. Thus, amplifier symbols usually contain the letter "B", DACs start with "BDA", network players - "BDP", home theater processors - "SP" and preamplifiers - "BP". They are supplemented with numbers, which may indicate their output power (the B135² integrated amplifier delivers 135W per channel into 8 ohms) or inform us which generation of a given model we are dealing with (the BHA-1 is the first headphone amplifier from the Canadian factory, and the BDP-3 already had two predecessors - BDP-1 and BDP-2). Devices that cannot be assigned to any of the existing categories are scarce. So when Bryston decided to break the current pattern and release a preamplifier that should have been called the BP-18³ (because it is the successor to the BP-17³) but was given the BR-20 symbol, it was clear that this was no accident. The reason for this sudden change turned out to be, unfortunately, very sad. The Canadians wanted to honor their colleague and long-time company president, Brian Russel, who died in his sleep of a heart attack last year. At the time, Bryston's team was putting the finishing touches on the device, which was to be named BP-18³. Members of the design team and executives knew that this model could be a real revelation to many audiophiles - even those using very elaborate, expensive stereo systems. Thus, at the end of 2020, Bryston revealed the new two-channel preamplifier - BR-20.

The history of Norma Audio began in 1987 in Cremona - the hometown of famous composers, such as Ponchielli and Monteverdi, and great violin masters - Stradivari, Amati, and Guarneri. It was a man with an equally Italian-sounding name - Enrico Rossi - who created the apparatus on which you can listen to such wonderful music in the comfort of your living room. The first device manufactured under the Norma Audio brand was the NS 123 amplifier. It was not a spectacular commercial success, but nobody expected that. A completely new chapter in the company's history began when it was acquired by Opal Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic measuring devices. In 1991, Norma's owner started a research project to understand how audio equipment can degrade sound and how this can be avoided. Seven years later, he found what he was looking for. It was certainly not one brilliant solution but rather a collection of rules and general guidelines. Unlike manufacturers who have built their reputation on a particular technical solution, Norma doesn't base its entire business on a single patent. But if you would like to know what you can expect from this gear, Enrico Rossi makes it clear - the sound should be natural, dynamic, and succinct with a very realistic midrange.

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, the world's largest guitar manufacturer, and foremost audio technology company, Mobile Fidelity Electronics, announced today a partnership to develop, produce, and release Fender's first-ever turntable. The Fender x MoFi PrecisionDeck, is a high-performance turntable in every way, with gorgeous looks that resonate with decades of music history. With a shape designed by Principal Master Builder Yuriy Shishkov of the Fender Custom Shop (FCS), the PrecisionDeck utilizes the same wood, swamp ash, as the famed Fender Precision Bass guitar.

Chord Electronics has launched its first-ever small desktop integrated amplifier, Anni. Capable of driving both headphones and compact loudspeakers, the Qutest-sized Anni benefits from the company's proprietary Ultima circuit topology and is perfectly positioned to exploit the full potential of today's high-performance headphones, desktop monitors, and high-resolution audio sources. The new Anni desktop integrated amplifier forms part of the Qutest range and seamlessly complements the resolving abilities of the multi-award-winning Qutest standalone DAC and Huei phono stage. As a system, the Qutest components provide an unrivaled desktop audio solution, offering class-leading digital and analog technologies for the modern music lover. The company's compact QSS (Qutest Stand System) modular equipment rack provides the perfect support, too.

Focal is adding a bookshelf model and a center speaker to the Aria K2 family, allowing for a range of thrilling hi-fi and home cinema set-ups, alongside the Aria K2 936 floor-standing speaker launched last year. Aria K2 is a special edition of the original high-performance Aria 900 range, first launched by Focal in 2013. The Aria K2 906 and Aria K2 Center join the Aria K2 936 in offering an exceptional listening experience, enabled by a range of Focal innovations, including a next-generation K2 cone.

NAD Electronics announced the new and improved Masters M10 V2 BluOS Streaming Amplifier, which continues its "just add speakers" revolution of Hi-Fi. The M10 V2 features 100 watts per channel of amplification and BluOS streaming capabilities and adds the capability to expand with Dolby Digital Surround decoding, an enclosed IR remote control, and updated gain algorithms. "The original M10 caught the industry off-guard and made audiophiles and non-audiophiles reimagine what hi-fi can and should be. The M10 V2 continues where the first left off and adds even more versatility as a two-channel or potentially a wireless home theatre system." - stated Cas Oostvogel, Product Manager for NAD Electronics. 

Bang & Olufsen presents Beoplay EQ, the first true wireless earphones with Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation, effectively eliminating surrounding noise and allowing total immersion in Bang & Olufsen's signature sound. Crafted for luxurious everyday use, the earphones combine cutting-edge technology, comfort, and durability, as well as first-class call clarity thanks to beamforming technology. Whether working from home, commuting into the office, or traveling for pleasure, Beoplay EQ is the perfect, pocketable companion for escaping the noise of everyday life.

Audiomica Laboratory has updated its product line with two models that belong to their reference Red series. The current Audiomica Labs catalog includes over 60 proprietary cables, and the existing models are successively modified and updated after extensive testing. The latest cables are the Red Reference series which have been recognized by demanding music lovers around the world for their great value for money.

Pro-Ject offer high-quality hi-fi products at a reasonable price for discerning music lovers since 1991. They started with turntables because they are the first choice for the most natural and affordable music reproduction. The company's focus has always been on materials and technology. Functionality always dictated the shape and design of their turntables. To this day, Pro-Ject's designs are clean and functional in the spirit of the first Pro-Ject made of the highest quality materials - MDF, steel, aluminum, glass, and carbon. The result is always a simple-looking but high-quality, great-sounding product at a low price.