Hi Fi News September 2022

Every generation is defined by its music, and the special tunes that were the heartbeat of our lives between, typically, 14-20 years of age never leave us. Were you a child of the ’50s and early ’60s, enjoying classical, jazz, and easy listening, including popular singers such as Sinatra… then Elvis, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, soundtracks and stage scores, and big band loungecore like Mantovani? Or were your 1960s defined by the arrival of the rock LP, especially from Dylan, The Beatles, The Stones, etc? Or perhaps the ’70s with Queen, Elton John, Neil Young and heavier rock before punk and New Wave shattered the airwaves? Arguably the 1980s saw the ascendant of ‘corporate rock’, although the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bowie, The Police, U2 and Van Halen all…

Vinyl replay specialist Clearaudio has mixed analogue and digital technologies in the design of its new Reference Jubilee turntable. Intended to provide ‘lifelong synchronised rotational speed’, the deck employs an optical sensor that measures the path of the sub-platter, every three seconds, for automatic correction by a ‘hybrid’ control unit. This uses a 12-bit DAC to generate a reference voltage that feeds the (analogue) motor – speed accuracy is rated at ±0.05% – and claims to offer ‘automatic compensation of friction and temperature changes on the platter bearings and belts’. Available for £17,500 excluding tonearm or cartridge (Clearaudio’s £5000 9in Universal arm is a potential partner), the Reference Jubilee features a CNC-machined chassis, made from a resonance-deadening laminate of wood and aluminium, on adjustable feet. The 50mmthick polyoxymethylene main platter…

McIntosh’s MR89 AM/FM tuner aims to prove that rumours of the death of analogue radio have been greatly exaggerated. Sporting the brand’s traditional black-glass and aluminium aesthetic, plus blue-lit meters to show the output level of each channel, this £6800 unit features a custom RF front-end to better handle both high and low-strength FM transmissions. It also provides variable ‘aggressiveness’ for its high-blend, high-cut and muting facilities to fine-tune performance. Signal-quality monitoring allows for precise positioning of the supplied AM antenna, while the MR89’s display shows FM station/music info. Up to 20 channels (AM and/or FM) can be stored as presets. Outputs are on balanced XLRs and unbalanced RCAs, plus optical and coaxial digital, with RS232 and triggers for system integration. McIntosh Laboratory Inc, 01592 744710; www.mcintoshlabs.com; www.finesounds.uk…

LATEST LEEMA Leema has announced a new Quantum range of separates including the ES9018 DAC-equipped Electron CD player, Positron streamer, Neutron DAC/preamp and 180W/8ohm-rated Graviton power amp. The Electron also features coaxial digital and headphone outputs while the Neutron hosts an MM/MC phono stage, multi-input DAC, plus both RCA and XLR line inputs. Pricing for these Quantum components is anticipated to be in the range of £1500-£1700. www.leema-acoustics.com PIONEER RETURNS Through its parent VOXX, Premium Audio Company established a licensing and distribution agreement with the Pioneer Corp while, in Sept ’21, also acquiring the Onkyo and Integra brands in a joint venture with Sharp. As a result, it is anticipated that Onkyo, Integra and Pioneer AV solutions will soon be available to UK and European customers. See https://investors.voxxintl.com/…

DS Audio, known for its novel optical cartridges including the flagship Grand Master [HFN Feb ’21], has unveiled an addition to its lineup of vinyl accessories. Billed as a ‘world’s first’, the £5500 ES-001 combats the eccentricity in vinyl pressings caused by the punched centre hole being misaligned. Nakamichi’s ‘self-centring’ TX-1000 deck [HFN Aug ’16] addressed the problem by shifting the entire platter, while DS Audio’s ES-001 guides the user into manually repositioning the LP. This ‘Eccentricity Detection Stabiliser’ – an 80mm-diameter alloy/tungsten cylinder with 60mm touchscreen – slots over the spindle and performs an optical measurement while the LP is rotating, updating the user as adjustments are made. Digital Stream Corporation, Japan, 0118 981 4238; www.ds-audio-w.biz; www.soundfowndations.co.uk…

Introduced as a more compact variant of the earlier XLS 15, Elipson’s XLS 11 is the latest loudspeaker from the French manufacturer in its ‘resolutely vintage aesthetic’ Heritage series. A 56cm-tall three-way standmount priced £1499, it features a 250mm iteration of the XLS 15’s 300mm cellulose pulp bass driver, 22mm silk dome tweeter adopted from Elipson’s Prestige range, and new 55mm dome midrange. Adjacent to the speaker’s front-firing bass reflex port are twin dials allowing ±1dB adjustment of mid-and high-frequency level. The matching stands (£249) have a 5o tilt for ‘optimal’ height and angle. Currently only one finish option is offered, with black baffle and grille and walnut veneer. Elipson, France, 01628 857958; www.elipson.com; www.avoke.co.uk…