News

For years, globe-trotting musicians including U2, Foo Fighters and Sir Paul McCartney have trusted UK-based Ashdown Engineering to build world-class bass amplifiers for their performances and studio use. Now Ashdown is embarking on its own world tour, bringing its superior audio and innovative product design to the United States market with the launch of its Meters headphones, the audiophile quality headphones that let consumers turn up the volume while they turn the heads of everyone who sees them - thanks to the one-of-a-kind working VU (volume unit) meter on every earcup.

Cambridge Audio has been at the forefront of British audio innovation for over 50 years and Evo represents an evolution in hi-fi - an all-in-one music player that combines timeless design, cutting edge technology, streaming smarts, and incredible audio performance into one streamlined and compact box. Designed in Cambridge Audio's London studio, Evo's minimal and timeless aesthetic will fit into any interior and lifestyle. Lead designer Ged Martin chose premium materials and used industrial design principles to create a product that champions simplicity and will endure for many years. Taking inspiration from the wood trims of the iconic P40, Cambridge Audio's first ever product from 1968, Evo has beautiful walnut wood side panels that complement the sleek, black anodised aluminium cabinet. Evo also comes with a choice of formed black side panels made from Richlite, an innovative new material made primarily from recycled paper. The side panels can be switched out according to each customer's style. Completing Evo's elegant design is a dual-concentric rotary dial and large 6.8in LCD display panel that shows off album artwork in full colour.

Bang & Olufsen announced the launch of Beoplay HX, a powerful and authentic sound experience with digital ANC, up to 35 hours of play time and elevated comfort, exemplifying Bang & Olufsen's expertise in sound, design, and craftsmanship. Beoplay HX offers a powerful listening experience through two custom designed 40mm speaker drivers with neodymium magnets and bass ports which ensures optimal bass performance. Four dedicated microphones create an impressive call quality by utilizing advanced beamforming technology, while the battery optimization ensures up to 35 hours of play time - the equivalent of five working days of listening experience without having to recharge the battery. "Our dedication to create the best audio products has resulted in Beoplay HX which delivers an immersive and accurate sound experience, ultimate comfort and a refined user interface to meet our customers habits, values and needs. Whether working from home, traveling for business or pleasure, escape from the noise of everyday life and revolutionize your listening experience with our new headphones." - says Bang & Olufsen SVP of Product Management Christoffer Poulsen.

Linn launched next-generation Klimax DSM, the ultimate streaming product and the closest you can get to streaming audio perfection. Applying almost five decades of digital technology learnings and expertise, every element has been designed from first principles and is fully optimised for the best musical performance. A complete reimagining of its flagship streamer, the new Klimax DSM introduces an exquisite custom-designed enclosure that provides acoustic isolation along with visual and tactile luxury. Crucially, the enclosure cradles the beating heart of Klimax DSM and its most critical component, Organik DAC - the ground-breaking, first ever, all-Linn digital to analogue converter.

Focal unveils a new reference - Clear Mg. In addition to their sophisticated finishes, the sound reproduction of these open-back headphones is even sharper than that of their Clear predecessor. The luxury of Focal products lies in their performance and the experience they offer, as well as in every detail that enhances the object to make it more than a set of headphones. After four years of research and development, the engineers at Focal have designed a Magnesium dome for the Clear Mg speaker drivers. This new alloy, combined with an M-shaped dome, contributes to even more lightness, rigidity, and damping, the three success factors for a speaker driver. The sound reproduction is fine, precise, and impactful, for a striking sound.

Meze Audio, audio is introducing Empyrean Phoenix, a rare collector's item that celebrates the rebirth of their flagship headphone through a fusion of art and high-end audio technology. This fiery red and black version of the flagship Empyrean features a CNC sculpted aluminum chassis hand-finished with irregular patterns that create contrast and play of light and shadow, making each pair entirely unique. Behind the artfully redesigned frame, Empyrean Phoenix hides the same breakthrough technology of its predecessor - the first Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver, created exclusively for Meze by the Ukrainian audio company Rinaro. The driver delivers a complex, balanced sound signature that allows users to immerse into a pure listening experience while enjoying the comfortable, ergonomic design typical to Meze products.

T+A Elektroakustik expands its successful portfolio of headphones. The Solitaire P-SE shares its heritage with the Solitaire P and delivers the performance audiophiles have come to expect from T+A headphones. The Solitaire P-SE has been designed using the original Solitaire P as the base and has retained key design elements such as chamfered ear cups. T+A have replaced aluminum parts with high-quality synthetic compound to reduce production costs and overall weight. The P-SE features a new transducer unit (the TPM 2500), with new membranes and filters, all of which are new developments. The Solitaire P-SE is hand-made in Herford Germany and is available in the new elegant black matt finish.

DALI launched the Opticon MK2 Series, updating and replacing the Opticon Series. With a continued focus on improved music reproduction, thoughtful design, stylish aesthetics, and the use of the latest technologies, the upscale Opticon MK2 provides a truly immersive listening experience for both music and movie lovers alike. The Opticon MK2 Series is comprised of six models - two bookshelf/stand mount models - Opticon 1 MK2 ($999/pr US MSRP) and Opticon 2 MK2 ($1,499/pr US MSRP), two towers - Opticon 8 MK2 ($3,999/pr US MSRP) and Opticon 6 MK2 ($2,499/pr US MSRP), a center channel - Opticon VOKAL MK2 ($799/ea US MSRP) and a low profile on-wall LCR - Opticon LCR MK2 ($999/ea US MSRP). The DALI Opticon MK2 initial availability varies by model and finish beginning in late February/late March 2021.

McIntosh announces MHA200 vacuum tube headphone amplifier, designed for discerning headphone enthusiasts who demand the most from their headphones. Its versatile set of connectivity options, including balanced inputs and outputs, allows for nearly all headphone types to be connected to enjoy an extraordinary personal listening experience. A pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode vacuum tubes power the compact MHA200. The 12AT7 vacuum tubes amplify the incoming audio signal while the 12BH7A tubes provide the power to drive the output to the headphones with low distortion. The MHA200 uses a pair of McIntosh's Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers to deliver pristine audio. The Unity Coupled Circuit is the same technology McIntosh was founded on in 1949 and is still used in their vaunted full-size home audio vacuum tube amplifiers such as the timeless MC275 and the more recent MC1502. Indeed, the MHA200 shares many physical design traits with the aforementioned vacuum tube amplifiers.

Audio Physic introduces the results of years of research and development. The Cardeas is the first loudspeaker of an entirely new generation that incorporates the brand-new Audio Physic PowerTrain technology. The loudspeaker is designed from scratch to get the most out of the PowerTrain and deliver unparalleled sound performance. This technology includes various innovations and improvements that have not yet seen the light of day.