Displaying items by tag: france - StereoLife Magazine

On the occasion of the 2023 edition of the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Octavio, the Lille-based start-up specializing in the democratization of audio systems, announces Maestro, its connected speaker, at the cutting edge of innovation. Thanks to the Wi-Fi sound technology developed by Octavio, this new speaker offers a high-fidelity soundstage, without any coloration, for daily listening without auditory fatigue. Octavio Maestro completes Octavio's Hi-Fi offer, already composed of the Octavio Stream, the high-fidelity audio streamer, and the Octavio AMP, the compact and connected amplifier.

The French brand Focal expands its collection of loudspeakers for Home with Vestia. This line comprises five models and has been designed for high-quality music enjoyment and Home Cinema experiences delivered by Focal's renowned savoir-faire in acoustic. The brand which is recognised by the French government as a French “Living Heritage Company” chose its exclusive Slatefiber cone for Vestia range.

Among lovers of audio equipment, there is no shortage of people who believe that the greatest improvement of sound quality can be achieved by replacing cables, buying a power conditioner, or an anti-vibration rack. Sometimes, however, it's worth coming down to earth and reminding ourselves of the basic rules that govern this world. If we want to build a decent stereo system, we should first choose loudspeakers that match the size and sound of our listening room and then select a suitable amplifier and source. Everything else can be taken care of later, choosing cables and accessories to spice up the effect. Unfortunately, many music lovers trying to buy hi-fi equipment stumble at the first stage, ending up with too large speakers or positioning them so as not to disturb the rest of the household rather than achieve a balanced and spacious sound. It's believed that monitors are the optimal solution, especially in smaller rooms, but are they? In many cases, they have to be placed on stands anyway, so they take up as much space as medium-sized floorstanders. And where's the upside? That we won't experience any problems with a booming bass? Perhaps a better solution would be to buy small floorstanding speakers which, if wisely designed, will offer an equally healthy but a bit more powerful sound? It's a very tempting prospect, only where to find such speakers? One interesting suggestion came from a distributor of Davis Acoustics.

Focal presents its first wireless headphones with Active noise cancellation. Benefiting from the brand's savoir-faire in sound and high-end headphones prowess, Bathys delivers a pure hi-fi sound, via 5.1 Bluetooth multipoint or wired connection thanks to its USB-DAC mode. The headphones boast Focal speaker drivers made in France, high-performance noise cancelling technology, over 30 hours of battery life, high-grade materials and a number of attractive features. Bathys is the new must-have Bluetooth headphone set to enhance all your travels.

First launched in 2016, Focal's Utopia headphones rank amongst the best headphones in the world. Under constant renewal, the French brand with a unique savoir-faire in acoustics, has given its iconic product a new design while adding acoustic enhancements (new voice coil, 'M'-shaped grilles inside the earcups). All the exclusive, high-end technologies that make the Utopia headphones so successful are still to be found in this new edition, continuing to bring sensational listening experiences with even more sophistication and elegance.

Designed from the ground up, featuring several new audio innovations, the new range of speakers from the renowned French manufacturer is limited to 500 pairs per model. The Magellan 40th Anniversary range comprises two floor-standing speakers, the Quatuor 40th and Cello 40th, the Duetto 40th bookshelf speakers; and the Voce 40th center speaker. The new S08 and S08-C speaker stands compliment this new line-up.

Audiophiles love beautiful, original, and, unfortunately, very expensive electronic devices. Turntables made with incredible precision, powerful tube amplifiers, huge loudspeakers, thick cables - we associate all this with a sophisticated, engaging sound, but there is no doubt that above a certain level all this fun begins to smell of madness. This is perfectly evident at exhibitions, where one can taste the sound of stereo systems worth millions of dollars. Some visitors get the impression of participating in a sick experiment. The degree of complexity of such extreme systems, as well as their dimensions and prices, have a repulsive effect on music lovers. Besides, let's be honest, when visiting a showroom with such equipment, didn't you ever think to yourself that at such prices you'd better start looking elsewhere? Didn't you come to the conclusion that even if you got such a set for free, you wouldn't have anywhere to put it? Some companies have recognized this problem, but their solution is most often to put the dream of owning a decent stereo completely out of your head. Don't have lots of cash to spend on your hi-fi? Then get some small network speakers or a soundbar and sod off. And that's not exactly the point, is it?

French company Octavio has created a compact network amplifier built for audiophiles and music lovers who appreciate modern solutions at an affordable price. The founders of the young manufactory say they wanted to democratize hi-fi and simplify the stereo system and the process of using it. The company was born in two student apartments in Lille. Its founders, David and Victor, owned vintage audio systems whose sound they greatly appreciated, but which were not compatible with new formats, digital sources, or streaming services. So they both faced the same problem - how to preserve the quality of their hi-fi setup while easily taking advantage of the latest innovations? The idea of parting with their existing system was unimaginable to them. What if the solution was simply to upgrade it rather than replace it? After months of designing and testing, they created a device that made their dream come true. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, Octavio was born.

Boasting a worldwide success, the Borea range now includes two new active and connected models in bookshelf format. The Borea Active speakers are genuine high-fidelity systems. Compact and all-in-one, they provide a rich audio and video experience - stream your music in high resolution with Bluetooth aptX, reproduce the warm sound of a vinyl turntable, link your TV, or create a fuller experience with the addition of a subwoofer. The Borea Active BR02 BT and Borea Active BR03 BT speakers create a compact and powerful all-in-one Hi-Fi system with multiple features. These active speakers have been designed for modern and versatile use.

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.