Joining the 200 Series launched earlier this year, the New Classic 300 Series elements combine perfectly to create a truly bespoke, high-quality system. Featuring cutting-edge innovation, sleek style and Designed and developed by Naim engineers in exceptional sound quality, the 300 Series products England, the New Classic products are at the forefront of innovation and technology, dedicated to the pursuit of incredible sound.
Naim Audio launched in 1973 with a simple aim - to experience music replayed in its truest and purest possible form. That meant pushing the boundaries of what is viable, applying an obsessive attention to detail in the pursuit of musical authenticity. Half a century on, its end goal still starts with the music that moves us; an unwavering line from the first Naim products to the creation of the New Classic range: the NSC 222 streaming pre-amplifier; an allnew iteration of the iconic NAP 250 power amplifier; the NPX 300 power supply upgrade. Each boasts more features - including balanced connections - without sacrificing sound quality. Designed and engineered by specialists in England, the New Classic range is handcrafted with care and built to last. Sophisticated yet simple to use, these timeless products aim to bring you years of listening pleasure. There are also a range of ways to integrate these new products with existing Naim models.
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.
The P30A preamplifier and the H30A power amplifier replace the P30 and H30 reference amplifiers that have been on the market since 2011. "For several years we have known that the P30 and H30 amplifiers were living on borrowed time because the extremely good transistors they used were being discontinued. This was a problem because they were so good that finding something that could even come close proved to be very hard. So, for years we have been looking for replacements that could not only match but also improve upon the performance of our amplifiers. We have been testing and listening and testing again, and finally, we are able to launch our new reference products." - the Norwegians say, commenting on their new flagship pre/power combo.
NAD Electronics takes value and performance to a whole new level. The M23 Hybrid Digital stereo power amplifier builds on the Purifi Eigentakt amplification technology first introduced in the acclaimed M33 BluOS Streaming Amplifier - a once-in-a-decade amplifier innovation that will define the pinnacle of power and performance in the category for years to come. Continuing NAD's long-standing tradition in identifying and developing cutting-edge amplification technology, Eigentakt nearly eliminates harmonic and intermodulation distortion and noise while its load-invariant frequency response can drive even the most demanding of loudspeakers to their highest performance.
Hegel Music Systems is a perfect example of a company driven by good ideas, rational decisions, and putting the most important thing first - the sound. The Norwegians can boast of many interesting technical solutions, but neither care for selecting the right components for each model, nor hours spent on designing circuit boards or pursuit of functionality distracted them from that universal goal. Although it may seem improbable to those who know the hi-fi market very well, Hegel's team consists of only seven people. We can add professionals working for external subcontractors, but on a daily basis, you'll find four, maybe five people at the company's headquarters in Oslo. Nevertheless, we are talking about a brand that has won probably all the most important awards in the industry and whose actions have been watched closely for many years even by more successful and experienced competitors. What is so special about Hegel then? Maybe it is the simplicity typical for Scandinavian manufacturers? Maybe it's a specific mixture of proprietary technologies, love for music, and business sense, thanks to which the factory founded by Bent Holter got on a roll when all the others were hiding in corners, fearing economic crisis? Maybe the secret is the progressive approach of Norwegian designers, who were introduced to the subject of files and converters ten years ago, and today streaming and connecting audio equipment with smart home systems is something normal for them? Or maybe all these things come together during the listening session, when we place the gear on the table, turn it on, play our favorite music and...
The roots of the Antileon amplifier go back to the very beginnings of concludes the Gryphon company and even beyond. The product that would come to be known as the legendary Gryphon Headamp began as a strictly personal, non-commercial exercise, an exploration into how efficiently electronic topology could be translated into sound with all essential musical values intact. Since there were no commercial aspirations behind the project, nothing was ruled out. Extreme, no-compromise dual-mono construction, ultra-wide bandwidth, zero negative feedback, true Class A operation, huge power supplies, and all-discrete components were all essential ingredients in the recipe.
NAD Electronics announced another high- performance amplifier that uses Purifi Eigentakt amplification technology. The C298 is a two-channel powerhouse that is a perfect partner to high-quality preamplifiers or in any application where additional channels of audiophile amplification are desired. This new NAD classic amp boasts 185 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms and can be bridged to 620W x 1 into 8 Ohms to create a huge Monoblock.
The most recognizable brands in the world of audio equipment are usually the ones that can set trends and focus the attention of the audiophile community and sometimes shock with original ideas or products better and more expensive than anything we've seen before. However, there is a group of companies that do the same, often outperforming the achievements of famous brands, and directing their offer to dedicated music lovers. Classé is just such a manufacturer. The Canadian company has had to deal with many turbulences recently. It was acquired by a big corporation, and it showed the world three hi-end devices made in a completely different factory. It all sounds pretty weird, but when you look at the Delta series, it's hard not to smile. They are wonderful - beautiful, powerful, modern, and made in such a way that it is hard to improve anything in their design. That is why I decided to find out what is going on at Classé.
McIntosh is proud to announce the MC1502 Vacuum Tube Amplifier - a stereo amplifier designed for home audio and home music systems that produces 150 Watts per channel. It is the direct replacement to McIntosh's award-winning MC2152 Limited Edition 70th Anniversary Vacuum Tube Amplifier, which had a limited production run in celebration of their 70th Anniversary that occurred in 2019. The new MC1502 has identical audio specifications and sound reproduction performance of the heralded MC2152 but in a more customary McIntosh design.