Displaying items by tag: hiend - StereoLife Magazine

Watching the development of companies representing the audio industry can be very interesting. With time, you can make predictions of certain trends, and after many years check whether they turned out to be true. Today's review is not just another description of an interesting product, but also the continuation of my adventure with Auris Audio, which four years ago provided us with one of the first amplifiers in their history - the Adagio 300B. We didn't expect it to be perfect, but in many ways it was. Considering that the company was founded just a year earlier, it was hard to believe. This elegant and very refined amplifier using famous directly heated triodes wasn't made by accident. In the following years, the Serbian company proved it wants to continue making hi-end gear for true audiophiles, or even go a bit further. The latest Fortissimo integrated amplifier is a good case in point.

Naim has previewed three new network players, which includes the ND 555, the first 500 series product in 12 years. The flagship ND 555 is joined by the new NDX 2 and ND 5 XS 2. Naim says it has waited until now as the company hasn't considered the performance of its network players to reach that of the CD 555 CD player. The company says that the ND 555 is its finest sounding source component to date.

Cambridge Audio celebrates its 50th anniversary with the introduction of Edge, a flagship hi-fi system that introduces a new standard for sound and design from the company. The new series builds on Cambridge Audio's driving principles of creating products that bring the 'Great British Sound' - a pure, unfiltered audio experience - into the home, offering the company's most accomplished system to date, says the release.

The new McIntosh MT2 turntable combines the latest in turntable technology and design to deliver both superb performance and accurate playback. A full complement of features allows for all recordings to be reproduced with flawless realism. Its advanced electronic and mechanical design will give many years of smooth, trouble-free operation. A subtle green glow emanates from under the platter and the outside edges of the plinth for a touch of refined ambiance and connection to the McIntosh design aesthetic.

While an increasing number of audio manufacturers are struggling to go 'back to black' with the introduction of components for LP playback, Gryphon Audio Designs of Denmark have never abandoned the LP format, maintaining a consistent commitment to vinyl reproduction from the creation of the company in 1985, right up to the launch of the Gryphon Sonett phono stage.

Focal is confirming its position as an innovative manufacturer of hi-end headphones with the launch of Clear. Benefiting from the research and development that went into developing the Elear and Utopia headphones, the Clear sets the benchmark for open-back headphones.

Technics announces two new additions to its Reference Class Audio line-up. Technics SP-10R and Technics SL-1000R continue the legacy of outstanding vinyl performance. Renowned for its direct drive technology and superior performance, the Technics range has extended its Reference Class line-up of audio components with its newest direct drive turntable and turntable system, the SP10-R, and SL-1000R.

Luxman just released a new flagship class AB integrated amplifier, the L-509X offering the performance of separate amplifiers/pre-amplifier housed in a single chassis. The L-509X is perfect for the discerning audiophile who seeks a high quality, high power multifunctional but simple system. The unit features a newly designed highly specialized chassis. The L-509X delivers not only in terms of extraordinary sonic characteristics but also with top-tier design and second-to-none build quality.

Sennheiser is redefining the limits of audiophile sound - with the new HD 820 which will first be showcased at CES. The closed-back dynamic stereo headphones deliver astonishingly transparent sound, thanks to a unique glass transducer cover that minimizes resonances - an innovation that ensures an incredibly realistic and natural sound field.

Harman International is showcasing the Mark Levinson the No 585.5 Integrated Amplifier with Pure Phono module. The No 585.5 is the second integrated amplifier in the Mark Levinson 500 series range - an upgrade to the award-winning No 585 which adds the brand's Pure Phono capability and other new features while retaining the existing Precision Link DAC and analog inputs. In addition to the Pure Phono module, the No 585.5 also includes an upgraded remote control and new three-piece extruded, machined, and anodized aluminum top cover which replaces the current single-piece top cover of the original No 585 and matches the appearance of all other Mark Levinson 500 Series products.