Hi Fi News October 2017

‘The phenomenon became known as “generation gain”’ So much of the enjoyment of listening to music with our hi-fi systems remains, well, subjective. I’m not just referring to personal taste – or why some enthusiasts love triode tube amp/horn speaker combos while others gravitate towards monster solid-state amps and Magicos, Wilsons or high-tech B&W 800 D3s. No. The ‘subjective’ I’m talking about here is what we enthusiasts all know about, but are typically obliged to take on trust – like cables sounding different or mains filters working with one amp but not another. But then, on very rare occasions, a consensus of subjective opinion receives a very reassuring objective explanation. I was reminded of just such an example that occurred a full 25 years ago, when reading Barry Fox’s Opinion page, about…

B&W 700 Series LONGSTANDING CM LOUDSPEAKER RANGE REPLACED BY TRICKLE-DOWN 800 SERIES TECH With a wealth of new design expertise already under its belt courtesy of the 800 Series, it comes as little surprise that B&W’s other longstanding loudspeaker range – the CM Series – was next in line for a thorough revamp. In fact the upgrades are sufficiently significant to warrant an entirely new designation, with six new stereo loudspeakers – three standmounts and three floorstanders – included in this appropriately-named 700 Series. Much of the 800 Series technology is recognisable here, including its Continuum midrange cone, although the stiffened alloy basket, magnet assembly and decoupling system are specific to these 700 models. The very stiff, variable-thickness Aerofoil bass cone is also inspired by the 800 Series models although the driver ‘skin’…

Digital diva, Métronome Technologie, regularly graces the pages of HI-FI NEWS but only at the Hi-Fi Show Live will you get to experience the new top-loading Kalista DreamPlay ‘CD Turntable’ with partnering Kalista DAC. We can’t wait! Tickets On Sale Now Regular readers will have enjoyed our review of DS Audio’s ‘entry level’ DS 002 optical pick-up [HFN Jun ’17] but importer, Sound Fowndations, is preparing to blow our minds at the Hi-Fi Show Live with the £20,000 Master 1 flagship ‘High Voltage’ performance comes as standard as T+A returns to The Hi-Fi Show Live with its complete HV series of separates – including the lusty PA 3100 HV/PS 3000 HV integrated amp/ outboard PSU combo [HFN May ’17] Courtesy of importer Decent Audio, visitors to The Hi-Fi Show Live will get the chance…

Home to the event since 2008, Belgrade’s Holiday Inn hotel threw open its doors once again to visitors to the Hi-Fi les Show, which has become the leading showcase in the Balkan region for all things crucial in the worlds of hi-fi, home cinema, photo, video and mobile technologies. Numbers of both exhibitors and visitors were up on last year, again proving that these markets are highly resilient, the crowds drawn not only by the established global brands, but by the often lively and inventive offerings of small and local manufacturers. Every year, Hi-Fi les magazine, which runs the event, selects an emerging small manufacturer whose products have received acclaim from the local audiophile community and spotlights the company. This year’s choice was Acoustic Invader [first picture]. Hi-Fi les editor, Ljubiša…

Three-and-a-half way floorstanding loudspeaker Made by: Sonus faber SpA (Fine Sounds Group), Italy Supplied by: Absolute Sounds Ltd Telephone: 0208 971 3909 Web: www.sonusfaber.com; www.absolutesounds.com Price: £23,500 ‘The Amati is a perfect showcase for the newlyforged Pepper’ Fashion is an amorphous concept, and I’m at a loss to explain why hi-fi brands go in and out of it. One year, everyone wants Amp X or Speaker Y – a year later, you can’t give ’em away. I’m not for a second suggesting that Sonus faber ever suffered the ignominy of a loss of popularity, but let’s be blunt: it has yet to return to the glory days of the Franco Serblin era. That should change with the Amati Tradition. SUPREME STYLE Post-Serblin, the speakers have been uniformly wonderful save for a few wellmeaning attempts at delivering budget models with…

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the Guarneri, and thus the birth of the Homage line. I opened my review of the speaker [HFN Dec ’93] with ‘It was Franco Serblin’s burning desire to thank the great violin makers of Cremona. He chose to do it with a range of speakers bearing their names’. He managed to honour each one of those giants appropriately, small Guarneri followed by the Amati and the Stradivari – my all-time favourite Serblin design. Fortunately, the company chose to continue the series with revised models, though the fate of the Stradivari is not yet known. The line now consists of the Guarneri Tradition, Amati Tradition and – in between – the new Serafino named after one of Amati’s trainees. All exhibit refinement, elegance and…