Hi Fi News August 2022

At the time of writing, the sun most certainly ‘has his hat on’ and, ‘hip-hip-hip hooray’, hi-fi enthusiasts are coming out to play. As a group, it really does seem that we’re relishing the opportunity to see, touch and hear all the new gear at hi-fi shows from as far afield as AXPONA in Chicago and High End in Munich. Emboldened by these successes, other big international events including the Warsaw Audio Show and the general consumer extravaganza, IFA Berlin, are full steam ahead for the end of October and very beginning of September, respectively. You can keep tabs on the top shows via our ‘Events Diary’ at the end of News [p25]. Naturally, we’re all very excited at the prospect of meeting so many of you again at our…

British manufacturer Monitor Audio says it hopes to begin production of a new ‘Concept 50’ floorstander later this year, following a prototype unveiling at the Munich High End [see p35]. Although the name may change, and pricing is still to be confirmed, much of the model’s specification appears to be finalised. This includes a central mid/treble array (called ‘The Array’) that positions six 50mm RDT III cone midrange drivers around what MA says is the ‘definitive’ version of its Micro Pleated Diaphragm (MPD) tweeter, previously developed for its Platinum II series. Further contributing to the loudspeaker’s ‘single point source’ design goal are anchored pairs of 200mm bass drivers mounted in opposed cabinets, firing inwards in a force-cancelling configuration. These down-ported bass reflex enclosures are made of thermoformed mineral/acrylic ‘stone’, while…

Pro-Ject’s MaiA (My Audiophile Integrated Amplifier) has been reborn in S3 status, joining recent S3 updates of the company’s Phono Box and CD Box. Available in black or silver finish for £539, it follows the design template of the original 2014 model with a compact 206mmwide aluminium chassis with uncluttered fascia. The rear panel is much busier, with three line ins on RCAs, an MM phono input, digital optical (x2) and coaxial connections, plus speaker binding posts fed by Pro-Ject’s 2x23W/8ohm-rated output stage. Another source option for this just-add-speakers amp is Bluetooth (with aptX HD) while headphone listening is also supported via a front-panel 6.35mm socket. File playback supporting up to 192kHz/24-bit is handled by a Cirrus Logic CS4344 DAC. Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Austria, 01235 511166; www.project-audio.com; www.henleyaudio.co.uk…

CONCENTRIC ELAC Featuring its iconic JET 5c tweeter, incorporated here into the centre of an alloy-coned midrange unit, ELAC has trickled-down the coincident driver technology premiered in its flagship Concentro floorstander into a compact, three-way standmount. The Concentro S 503 also uses exchangeable DCRs (Directivity Control Ring) around the mid unit to manipulate the speaker’s dispersion and best suit the listening area. The trapezoidal cabinet also hosts an alloy-sandwich ‘Crystal Membrane’ bass unit and is available in gloss white or black (£6499) or gloss Walnut (£6999) with optional LS 100 stands (£999). www.elac.com; www.hifi-network.com MOVES AT MCINTOSH Highlander Partners, L.P., a private US investment firm, has announced the acquisition of the McIntosh Group to serve as the anchor for its new Highlander luxury technology platform. See https://highlanderpartners.com/news-posts/…

To mark its 35th anniversary, Japan’s Esoteric has unveiled its first turntable, slotting into the brand’s flagship Grandioso range with a price tag of £58,830. Featuring a triple-layer aluminium main chassis with damped isolation feet, the Grandioso T1 also debuts a patented ‘contact-free’ magnetically-driven motor/platter. This supports 15kg of the platter’s 19kg mass, greatly reducing loading on the bearing spindle – the magnetic force being ‘tunable’ by users via a micrometer knob on the front panel. Supplied with a substantial (18kg) outboard PSU and TA-9D dynamically-balanced tonearm, the Grandioso T1 is released alongside an upgraded ‘X’ Edition of the company’s M1 monoblock amp (M1X, £29,899), which features a redesigned power transformer and driver stage, plus ‘an inordinate number of new materials’. Esoteric Company, Tama-shi, Tokyo, Japan; https://www.esoteric.jp/en/…

Network-connected speakers are arriving thick and fast from KEF. Following hard on the heels of the LS60 Wireless [HFN Sep ’22] comes a sequel to 2018’s LSX bookshelf model. Priced £1139 and available in five finishes including Cobalt Blue [pictured above], KEF’s LSX II sees an 11th-generation Uni-Q array mounted into a compact rear-ported cabinet, with Class D system amplification a claimed 200W. Leveraging technologies from the larger LS50 Wireless II, file support covers DSD, MQA and PCM to 384kHz/24-bit. The LSX II has also gained USB and HDMI ARC inputs alongside Ethernet, Wi-Fi (incl. AirPlay and Chromecast), BT and optical. Control, including room EQ, is managed by KEF’s ‘Musical Integrity Engine’ DSP, and delivered by the brand’s Connect app for iOS and Android. Stand, wall bracket and ‘desk pad’…