Displaying items by tag: stereo - StereoLife Magazine

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.

Meze Audio announces its first pair of dynamic open-back headphones - the 109 PRO. Made from carefully curated and responsibly sourced materials, including walnut wood, zinc, manganese steel, and vegan leather, the 109 PRO is a comfortable, lightweight, yet highly durable headphone capable of producing a natural, emotionally engaging listening experience. "Our obsession with art, exceptional sound, and timeless design drives us. We only create what we love, and the 109 PRO is no exception to that. We poured our soul into every aspect of its design - from the premium materials used to its intricate engineering. And because we don’t follow trends, nor do we let them influence us, the 109 PRO is built to sound, look and feel great for years to come." - said Antonio Meze, lead designer and founder, Meze Audio.

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.

The Swiss speaker specialist expands its successful Coax series with four brand new models and, at the same time, presents a technically refined limited edition of the already well-known Coax floor-standing and bookshelf speakers. "Noble aluminum enclosures and ribbon loudspeakers" would probably be the answer of most hi-fi fans if you were to ask them about the most important features of Piegaloudspeakers. The four brand-new models, Coax 811, 611, 411, and Center 211 feature these characteristics and offer numerous technical innovations that significantly enhance the sound quality of the quartet.

Auralic announced an update for its Aries G1 and Altair G1 to the G1.1 version. Reflecting company's drive to innovate and lead the music streaming market, this update provides exciting improvements for both models. Engineered to exacting standards, the Aries G1.1 and Altair G1.1 excel in today's demanding environment of high-resolution music streaming. Designed and consistently updated in-house, the Lightning streaming platform has led the industry since its release in 2014.

Marantz introduced the CD 60 high-performance CD player, engineered to provide superior sound quality through the application of highly advanced circuitry and premium internal components. The CD 60 features a striking industrial design and exceptional build quality to give warmth, richness, and dimensionality to the music only Marantz brings to digital audio. "With so much attention devoted to the burgeoning vinyl market plus the popularity of streaming content, we sometimes forget that an entire generation of music lovers built sizable collections of beloved compact discs. Marantz was present at the dawn of CD technology with our original player, the CD 63. Now, the CD 60 reminds us why we fell in love with the format 40 years ago - delivering more warmth, musicality, and detail than any player in its class." - said Joel Sietsema, Marantz brand president.

Denon announced three new models - PMA-1700NE, PMA-900HNE, and DCD-900NE. New products include two new integrated amplifiers - one with HEOS Built-In network-based connected features, and a high-performance CD player. "Denon engineers have designed these components to achieve the perfect balance between outstanding performance for both digital and analogue sources with connectivity for a vast array of devices and media - providing music enthusiasts with the ultimate home entertainment solutions built with the care and attention to detail consumers expect from Denon. We are very proud of the new PMA-900HNE as the first standard size HEOS-Built-In 2 channels integrated Denon amplifier, it is the perfect starting building block for the new generation of music enthusiasts giving access to digital music and streaming with the superb Denon sound at an affordable price." - said Trip Randall, Denon Brand President.

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.