Displaying items by tag: digital - StereoLife Magazine

More and more listeners are happy to stream music from a smartphone, laptop or games console, but do not necessarily want to accept a step down in quality compared with a full-sized hi-fi system. It is this group that Astell&Kern is targeting with the AK HC5, a compact USB digital to analogue converter that brings the flagship DAC architecture from the Korean brand's top portable players into a highly portable dongle format. The new device is intended as a natural companion for smartphones, notebooks and gaming hardware in situations where convenience matters as much as sound quality and where users would like to get closer to the performance associated with high end portable players.

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.

The latest cable from the Polish brand Melodika is now available for sale. The high-quality USB cable enables a secure and reliable connection between two devices equipped with USB A and USB C sockets. By replacing the factory-supplied cable of your audio equipment, such as a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with the Melodika MDUAC cable, you can easily and quickly improve the quality of the transmitted signal. Correct impedance results in low jitter, eliminates timing faults, and distortions in digital signal that might otherwise have occurred.

Bluesound announced the launch of a special limited-run Anniversary Edition Node X streamer created in celebration of its 10th anniversary. The Node X, in a unique silver finish, takes the brand's iconic Node hi-res player and, yet again, sets a new standard for audio performance and functionality with upgraded componentry. With the venerable ESS 9028Q2M Sabre DAC, a favorite of audiophiles for its amazing musicality, near-zero levels of clock jitter, ultra-low noise, and a wide dynamic range. A truly high-end headphone amplifier is driven by cutting edge THX AAA (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) technology with patented feed-forward error correction resulting in infinitesimally low levels of noise, distortion, and power consumption. Along with the headphone jack, the Node X delivers a no-compromise headphone listening experience.

Bluesound, makers of the award-winning hi-res wireless multi-room line of audio players, announces the HUB, a game-changing network accessory that connects to a variety of analog and digital audio sources, bringing them into the Bluesound ecosystem for multi-room streaming. Streaming audio is more flexible than ever with the HUB. Easily add a Bluesound HUB to any non-BluOS enabled audio source and transmit music to one or many Bluesound players around the home. Audio sources like a turntable or CD player instantly become network-connected and are new sources from which your Bluesound system can play music. The HUB unlocks the problem of geography in letting users stream vinyl wirelessly for the first time.

The cadence of new Roon Ready certifications has increased tenfold since the start of the pandemic. In 2020, just a handful of new products were certified each month, and in the first half of this year Roon Labs is already announcing over 100 new Roon Ready and Roon Tested devices. Forty new brands have submitted products for certification in that timeframe. This includes key product ranges and new launches from notable audio manufacturers, including Arcam, Astell & Kern, Cambridge Audio, and JBL.

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.

McIntosh introduced the MA12000 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier. This fully loaded, hybrid integrated amplifier is a product of uncompromising audio engineering and expert craftsmanship. McIntosh's most powerful integrated amplifier ever, the feature-rich MA12000 offers 350 Watts per channel of clean, high-performance power that produces a breathtaking home audio experience. You will think your favorite musicians are playing a live, in-person performance in your house.

It has been a while since I had a brush with Tellurium Q products, however, I regularly receive questions from audiophiles who ask which of their cables will be the most suitable with this or another system. I even get the impression that some music lovers try to solve this puzzle in the worst possible way - not based on the listening but rather the reviews, users' comments, and comparing weird figures found online. Yet, they are still convinced that they should buy Tellurium Q cables. They just wonder whether they should choose Blue, Black, Black Diamond, or Ultra Silver series, even though there are lots of other very interesting cables on the market. Why these, then?

Moonriver Audio is proud to announce a new model, the 404 Reference integrated amplifier which is the improved version of the Standard model. Following the runaway success of the standard Moonriver Model 404 the Reference version moves further, by improving on the already excellent design platform of the Standard 404 model.