• April 12, 2025

  • [Listening test]: despite HiFi streaming being the master of the market, many enthusiasts still listen to old CDs. Here's our listening test of the Exposure XM CD player (P. Canova)

  • [Editorial]: tired of listening with headphones? Let's discover together the Audible Enclaves, sound “bubbles” invented by researchers at Penn State University! (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: a new, amazing, album by Mike Scott's The Waterboys, entitled Life, Death And Dennis Hopper, enriched by famous featurings such as Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, Sugarfoot and Fiona Apple, as in this poignant Letter From An Unknown Girlfriend, just piano and voice.

  • Easter holidays: as usual, we take two weeks off around Easter, our usual weekly updates will be back on May, 3. Stay in touch with us on our Facebook Page for news, music and humour from hilarious Marketplace ads!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• April 5, 2025

  • [DIY]: here is the first episode of a mini-course in four parts dedicated to the construction and modification of a single ended tube amplifier, with 6080 triodes. The original project bears the signature of the late Tim de Paravicini, designer of Luxman, Michaelson & Austin and EAR Yoshino amplifiers (M. Wheeler)

  • [Editorial]: we've just launched a new support campaign on our Facebook page! Less than €/$1 per month for supporting your favourite, free and proudly independent HiFi magazine. The monthly support, that can be cancelled anytime, can be paid via Paypal or Google Play credits (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: a new, unusual album from Bryan Ferry (ex Roxy Music), entitled Loose Talk, narrated by Amelia Barratt, who also wrote the lyrics. A fascinating marriage of Ferry's refined music and Barratt's elegant narration. This is Florist, just one of the many pearls of this work.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• March 29, 2025

  • [Listening test]: reviewing HiFi products is a truly entertaining activity when you discover hidden treasures like these Indiana Line Tesi 2, tiny, inexpensive two-way bookshelf speakers that amaze with their mature sound, with plenty of scale and balance (L. Cadeddu)

  • [DIY]: hate having homeless headshells? Here's home-made help: Handy Holo Headshell Holders! (D. Hoehl)

  • [Album of the week]: the French label Alpha Classics has just released Mahler's Fifth Symphony, performed by the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich under the baton of Paavo Järvi. This is the opening Trauermarsch
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• March 22, 2025

  • [Listening test]: how much sound quality can you get from a mid-priced Bluetooth headset today? Let's find out in this unusual test of the Sony WH CH 720N. A dialogue with ChatGPT is included! (M. L. Gneier)

  • [Editorial]: a new era (perhaps?) for headphone listening opens, the first cartilage conduction headphones are here. Let's free those auditory canals!!! (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: new album for The Loft, an English band with an extremely singular history: formed in 1984 and split up while playing live that same year, they had never released a full-length album. This Everything Changes Everything Stays The Same arrives 40 years after the stormy split and is in fact their debut album. This Machine is one of the best tracks on the album.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• March 15, 2025

  • [Listening test]: on the market since March 1994, the Rega Elex integrated amplifier attains its fourth version, called mk4: an internal DAC and a headphone output are added (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Editorial]: we know you were eager for a new format for spatialized audio! Google and Samsung team up to launch the new Eclipsa Audio (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: the new album by Bob Mould, ex-Husker Du, has been just released and it's pure rock'n'roll again! The album is titled Here we go crazy and this is the beautiful title-track. Short, as per Husker Du tradition, but intense.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• March 8, 2025

  • [Listening test]: after the small P3 tubed preamp that didn't excite us, Fosi Audio tries again with a completely new solid state preamplifier, so here's the P4: three line inputs, adjustable gain, subwoofer output, bypassable tone controls and remote control (P. Canova)

  • [Listening test/Vintage Corner]: here's Part III of our detailed comparison test of different Edison reproducers with video, so you can actually listen to how they perform with electric dance music (D. Hoehl)

  • [Album of the week]: the new album by French jazz guitarist Romain Pilon, entitled Open Roads, will be released on April 11. Here's the new single “Long Story Short”.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• March 1, 2025

  • [Listening test]: although music streaming rules nowadays, there are companies that still believe in the old “Red Book” CD. Here's the Audio Note CD 2.1x II CD player (G. Budd)

  • [Editorial]: even Marshall, the legendary company that built the history of rock, changes hands. The Chinese group HSG acquires 80% of Marshall Group. It's a silent war, without weapons and bloodshed, which is slowly dismantling the industrial heritage of the West (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: the new album by Youth Lagoon, aka Trevor Powers, entitled Rarely Do I Dream has been just released. Between electro-pop echoes, experimental music and refined rock-pop this album is full of amazingly sweet surprises. This is Neighborhood Scene, with echoes of Trevor's childhood.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• February 22, 2025

  • [Listening test]: under test a new, sophisticated and expensive single-point/spike anti-vibration base with magnets, this is the innovative EsseCi Relaxa Aequilibrium (P. Canova)

  • [Editorial]: do you remember the QUARdisc, the (new?) audio media half LP and half USB stick? After two years we take stock of the situation. Spoiler: we were right as hell! (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: new album for the American duo The Lumineers, entitled Automatic. Simplicity and freshness in spades: piano, guitar and voice for short songs (3 minutes or less) that already strike you at first listen. It seems easy, but it's not. This is Automatic, the amazingly simple title track.
    

    
    
    
    
    

  

• February 14, 2025

  • [Listening test]: how to transform a smartphone, tablet or notebook into a portable audiophile source? Here is the second episode of our mini-course on OTG connection, with the test of the DAC and portable headphone amp iFi GO link Max: double ESS Saber ES9219 DAC to manage high resolution audio up to PCM 24bit/384kHz and DSD 256, and even an S-Balanced output! (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Editorial]: even companies with an important history behind them can go through very difficult times. After the production stop in June 2024, we try to understand what happened and what Krell's future could be (L. Cadeddu)

  • [Album of the week]: a bit of jazz from the new single by Daniel Herskedal, entitled The Olive Branch, which anticipates the new album Movements of Air, with Eyolf Dale on piano and Helge Andreas Norbakken on percussion. As expected, Herskedal's tuba bass reigns supreme, giving the track a pretty unique flavour.
    

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• February 7, 2025

  • [Listening test/Vintage Corner]: here's Part II of our detailed comparison test of different Edison reproducers with video, so you can actually listen to how they perform with acoustic dance music (D. Hoehl)

  • [HiFi Show Reportage]: we visited Scotland and paid a visit to the Edimburgh HI/AV Show (M. Wheeler & M. Stewart)

  • [Album of the week]: new album for the multifaceted artist known as John Zorn! With his string quartet “Jack Quartet” he has released The Complete String Quartets, from which we choose the track Memento Mori. Warning: it is not music for all palates.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• January 31, 2025

  • Listening test: an exclusive World's first review of the Fosi Audio K7, a rather unusual headphone amp with balanced and single-ended outputs, four digital inputs, a good in-board DAC with adjustable output level and even a noise-cancelling microphone input! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Books: this is a jolly good read with great pictures! If you have any interest in the social and cultural role of the vinyl LP, this book is a must. If you like looking at old album cover designs this book is jolly entertaining: Designed For Hi-Fi Living: The Vinyl Lp In Midcentury America (M. Wheeler)

  • Album of the week: the Manic Street Preachers are back with their new album Critical Thinking, over 30 years after the legendary debut of Generation Terrorists and it is still great rock'n'roll. This is the single Decline and Fall.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• January 25, 2025

  • Listening test: from “bottom” to “top”! Last week we reviewed the least expensive speaker of the Indiana Line range, this week it's the time for their top of the range, namely the Indiana Line Diva 6 floorstanders (P. Canova)

  • Editorial: tired of old 2-channel stereophonic sound? Then you're probably ready for DeepStereo! Their motto is “The Stereo is Dead, Long Live DeepStereo!” (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week: just released the new album of the Scottish quartet Mogway, entitled The Bad Fire. Usual post-rock and electronic atmospheres, in an alternation of light and dark, as in this God Gets You Back, a suite of nearly 7 minutes, based on the successive stratification of many different sound patterns.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• January 18, 2025

  • Listening test: another small and inexpensive bookshelf loudspeaker for a starter system or for a secondary desktop set-up, here's the Indiana Line Nota 240 X (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: discover our most popular articles and reviews during the 2024! Surprisingly, it seems audiophiles continue to prefer amplifiers. Here's our 2024 Top Ten (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week: let's usher in the new year with the new album by Ringo Starr, the legendary drummer of the Fab Four, who continues to create music with enthusiasm despite the fact that he is about to blow out 85 candles. The country-inspired album is called Look up and this is the title-track, with Molly Tuttle as guest star.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• December 20, 2024
  • Listening test: a small bookshelf loudspeaker that should be perfect for setting up a “starter” system with a low budget, gifted with an elegant design that can be easily inserted into our living rooms, here is the Argon Audio Forus 4. Unfortunately, the goal has been only partially achieved! (L. Cadeddu)

  • DIY: an article about choosing or making art to decorate the listening room. Well off-the-wall Christmas activities for audiophiles and their families! (M. Wheeler)

  • Author's Bio: after 20 years of being our resident “Old Scribe” Mark re-introduces himself to our readers (M. Wheeler)

  • Song of the week: on a Christmas theme, here's a beautiful cover (for harp) of an immortal classic by Ryuichi Sakamoto: “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”, performed by Lara Somogyi.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• December 13, 2024
  • Listening test: a small, versatile Chinese DAC, with remote and volume control, here is the Fosi Audio ZD3 designed after a widespread audiophile brainstorming on forums and YouTube (L. Cadeddu)

  • Theory: in our section Things Mom warned you about! we try to help you minimizing mistakes when listening to HiFi components - Part III (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week: new solo album for David Pajo, under the pseudonym of Papa M. Pajo, now with the new Gang of Four, previously with Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins in the ambitious Swan project (album “Mary Star of the Sea”) has always ventured in not very easy territories, between alternative rock and experimental. This album entitled Ballads of Harry Houdini contains completely instrumental tracks, such as this lysergic Thank You For Talking To Me (When I Was Fat), eight minutes of incredible guitar experimentation. The album also contains three ballads in pure Corgan/Cave/Waits style.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• December 6, 2024
  • Listening test: a small, versatile Italian DAC, with remote and volume control, here is the Manunta Audio by M2Tech EVO 3.1. In other words the sound of the M2Tech components in a compact and affordable version (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: brands that purchase other brands, now Bose buys McIntosh and Sonus Faber! Good plan or worst idea since Junior Eurovision? (G. Budd)

  • Album of the week: new album for the unlikely jazz trio called Jazz Sabbath, which reinterprets Black Sabbath songs in a jazz key. The new album is titled The 1968 Tapes and the trio claims to have composed the famous songs of the metal band, who copied them. Here's an almost unrecognizable version of War Pigs.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• November 29, 2024
  • Listening test: here's the second part of Mark's review of a very expensive titanium tonearm, the Audio Origami PU7 (M. Wheeler)

  • Theory: what do you hear? Mark explores whether it is ever possible to hear the same or even to know what you are hearing. Some readers may need a strong drink to cope with reading Part II (M. Wheeler)

  • Album of the week: out now a new album for Joan Armtrading, entitled How Did This Happen and What Does It Now Mean, entirely composed, arranged, produced, played and engineered by Joan herself. This is 25 Kisses.

    
    
    
    
    
    

  

• November 23, 2024
  • Listening test/Vintage Corner: a detailed comparison test of different Edison reproducers with video, so you can actually listen to how they perform with orchestral music (D. Hoehl)

  • Theory: in our section Things Mom warned you about! we try to help you minimizing mistakes when listening to HiFi components...outdoors (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week: Linkin Park come back after 7 years and the death of Chester Bennington with a new album titled From Zero. This is The Emptyness Machine. Now Mike Shinoda is aided by Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara. No revolution in the band's sound, it seems like we've gone back to the early years, but the creative vein is still good.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• November 16, 2024
  • Listening test/tweaking: listening room acoustics is still the biggest problem to deal with to obtain good sound at home, here are the innovative “mobile” acoustic treatments P:VAD by the Narrowband Absorber Company (M. Wheeler)

  • Editorial: a new kind of striptease show meant exclusively for audiophiles is here! What is “unboxing” and why it's quickly becoming popolar among HiFi nuts. And yes, we are doomed to extinction. (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week: after 8 years of waiting, the Primal Scream new album is finally out and it is a big comeback. Not since the days of Screamadelica have we heard beautiful songs as these contained in Come Ahead. It's difficult to pick up one, but Love Insurrection is such an irresistible instant hit.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• November 9, 2024
  • Theory/Tweaks: Mark explores the boundaries of tweaking and audio mythology...do flourescent displays, LEDs and neon indicators influence sound quality? (M. Wheeler)

  • RIP: two of the most important musicians to audiophiles have died recently. Our obituary today is not going to cover the same material as everywhere else because these two giants of the world of music have special significance for audiophiles less covered elsewhere. Philip Chapman Lesh and Quincy Jones are two of the most culturally significant figures of the genus audiophilia, both contributing to cultural shifts in the domestic audio field (M. Wheeler)

  
  
  
  
  
  

• November 2, 2024
  • Listening test: once again, a pre-preamp stage for low output moving coil cartridges, an excellent alternative to step-up transformers, here's the unusual The Audiofiles Tippi (M. Wheeler)

  • Theory: in our section Things Mom warned you about! we try to debunk audiophile myths. It seems anyone can judge a HiFi system or component, even without some minimal testing conditions. Let's clarify how much the listening room, speaker placement and context can influence the final result (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the week A bit of jazz, from the new album by Matt Otto, entitled The Landscape Listens. This album is purely amazing and also nicely recorded. Matt Otto is associate professor of jazz studies at Kansas University. This song opens the album and is titled Shyest Sea.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• October 26, 2024
  • Listening test: here's the first part of Mark's review of a very expensive titanium tonearm, the Audio Origami PU7 (M. Wheeler)

  • Editorial: judging any HiFi component in a HiFi store seems difficult, sometimes it's Mission Impossible! Let's discuss about the infuence of a bad listening room on what we hear, aided by a really bad “real life” example! (L. Cadeddu)

  • RIP At the age of 66, Paul Di'Anno, former Iron Maiden's frontman, passes away. This is a live version of Killers, played with his own band.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• October 19, 2024
  • Listening test: a comparison test between two headphones, the Sennheiser HD 620S and the HD 660S2. A good, old HD600 has been used as reference, and the winner is... (M. L. Gneier)

  • Theory: what do you hear? Mark explores whether it is ever possible to hear the same or even to know what you are hearing. Some readers may need a strong drink to cope with reading this (M. Wheeler)

  • Album of the Week! Out now Supercharged, The Offspring's new album. After 40 years here they are again, on stage, live at the Jimmy Killem Show with the hit Make It All Right.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• October 12, 2024
  • Listening test: finally the quality of the V3 integrated amplifier becomes available, in an improved and corrected version, on two mono amplifiers of simply exuberant power output. Here are the Fosi V3 mono (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: Bluetooth implements the Auracast technology which allows simultaneous streaming to an infinite number of devices: will we attend completely silent live concerts in the future? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the Week! Coldplay's long-awaited new album is out, entitled Moon Music. This is one of the first singles, the sweet ballad All my love.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• October 5, 2024
  • Listening test: from the USA a voltage booster for MC cartridges, a so-called transimpedance headamp, an absolutely minimalist one, as the name itself says, with a small price! Here's the Hagerman Piccolo Zero (M. L. Gneier)

  • Audiophile test discs: here's the first part of a long and commented list of test tracks for evaluating HiFi components and systems (M. Wheeler)

  • Album of the Week! After a very long absence, Robert Smith's The Cure are also back, with the new album release scheduled for November 1st. Titled Songs Of A Lost World it is preceded by the single Alone, a bittersweet ballad of nearly 7 minutes.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• September 28, 2024
  • Listening test/Jurassic (S)Park!: here's the third and last part of a series of three articles dedicated to the most loved and hated (and sold!) loudspeaker in the history of HiFi, from 1968 to 2017. Let's listen to the most controversial legend in HiFi history! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: exploiting UWB (UltraWideBand) transmission, Remora, Sonical and PWB speakers have introduced a new high quality wideband wireless protocol for audio that can replace Bluetooth (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the Week! The new solo album by Thurston Moore, guitarist and leader of the late Sonic Youth, is also out, entitled Flow Critical Lucidity. The cover is amazing, a war helmet with many diapasons stuck in it, a strong message in these crazy times. The atmospheres are those we remembered from Sonic Youth, but they have become more relaxed and introspective. This is the long suite The Diver, eight minutes of dreamlike and, as per tradition, at times dissonant guitar playing.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• September 21, 2024
  • Listening test: from True Point Audio a laminated arm-board for Michell turntables. Is it Arcane Tweakery or next level essentials? (M. Wheeler)

  • Editorial: is this the beginning of the end? Microsoft patents new wearable audio devices. Are speakers and headphones doomed to end anytime soon? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the Week! Right at the end of Summer David Gilmour releases a new solo album, entitled Luck and Strange. This is the beautiful title-track, and it's as if Pink Floyd never ceased to exist. The hope is that fans, at least for a moment, will stop listening to The Dark Side of the Moon, because this new album really deserves a lot of attention ;-)

  
  
  
  
  
  

• September 14, 2024
  • Listening test: a compact, active and versatile loudspeaker, with HDMI ARC, Toslink, phono MM input, remote, DSP, Bluetooth etc. Here's the Argon Audio Forte A5 mk2 (G. Budd)

  • Reportage: here's the third part of our detailed visit from the Munich High End Show 2024, many pics and entertaining news from the largest HiFi event in Europe! (C. Iaccarino)

  • Album of the Week! Many new releases by the end of Summer! After 25 years of absence it is Matt Johnson's turn, a.k.a The The, who releases his new album Ensoulment. The creative streak of the English singer-songwriter seems not to have exhausted itself. This is Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• September 7, 2024
  • Listening test: a surprising remote-controlled passive preamp that we've been looking for years, here's the ZeroZone N-10 preamplifier, for just 100$. Will it be the ideal partner for the ZeroZone Class D monoblocks or for a low-cost pre-power amp combo? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: Warner Music relies on the “Because Sound Matters” project for high-quality vinyl reissues of rock and pop classics, with a process called One Step. Is it music or money that really matters? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the Week! Lots of new record releases at the end of the summer! The new one by Nick Cave is out, entitled Wild God. Having dusted off his Bad Seeds after 5 years, Cave gives us a sort of hymn to happiness, bright and mystical, far from the often dark atmospheres that characterized his previous works. This is Frogs.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• July 20, 2024
  • Listening test/Vintage Corner: could a cylinder revival be in the making? Here's Part III of a review of the Wilson Home Phonograph, a modern audio component for playing that long-defunct format. Listening test with many audio samples! (D. Hoehl)

  • Editorial: after the recycled vinyl LPs printed following a green process, are you ready for the eco-friendly EcoCD from Sonopress? From Ed Sheeran to Coldplay, the green fashion seems here to stay (L. Cadeddu)

  • Album of the Week! Debut album for the British singer-songwriter Griff, titled Vertigo. Nominated many times as pop/R&B revelation of recent years, she is such a talented and gifted artist! This is Tears for Fun.

  • Summer break That time has come for a little break, our ritual weekly updates will be back online on Sept., 7. Follow us on our Facebook page and don't forget to support our truly independent work via a Paypal donation. Enjoy your Summer in music! (Staff)

  
  
  
  
  
  

• July 13, 2024
  • Listening test: a new phono preamp from iFi Audio, here's the ZenPhono 3, an upgraded version of the already excellent ZenPhono (P. Canova)

  • Reportage: here's the second part of our detailed visit from the Munich High End Show 2024, many pics and entertaining news from the largest HiFi event in Europe! (C. Iaccarino)

  • Album of the Week! New album for the Mexico-based Guatemalan experimental cellist Mabe Fratti, titled Sentir Que No Sabes, a mix of contemporary music, electronic music, jazz and classical music. This is Oídos, an amazing track containing musical suggestions from many different genres.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• July 6, 2024
  • Listening test: Andrew Jones' latest and last project for Elac, before leaving the German company, is the ambitious Uni-Fi 6.2 Reference (UBR 62) bookshelf speaker, with concentric midrange and tweeter. A sweet farewell note or a bitter goodbye? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Reportage: here's the first part of our detailed visit from the Northwest Audio Show 2024, many pics and entertaining news at the De Vere Cranage Estate in Cheshire (UK)! (M. Wheeler)

  • Sounds, Old and New! New album for the American jazz/blues singer/songwriter Madeleine Peyroux, entitled Let's Walk. This is the enthralling Please Come On Inside. His way of singing, often compared to the great voices of jazz such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Edith Piaf, takes us on a beautiful journey between vintage and modern sounds. A not to miss record!

  
  
  
  
  
  

• June 29, 2024
  • Listening test/Jurassic (S)Park!: here's the second part of a series of three articles dedicated to the most loved and hated (and sold!) loudspeaker in the history of HiFi, from 1968 to 2017. Room placement, active crossover connection and settings, amp partnership and much more on the original 1st series Bose Direct/Reflecting® 901 (1968-1972). Such a controversial legend! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Reportage: here's the first part of our detailed visit of the Munich High End Show 2024, many pics and entertaining news from the largest HiFi Show in Europe! (C. Iaccarino)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The jazz trio Søren Bebe Trio releases a new album, titled First Song. Refined atmospheres and the usual, stellar audiophile-quality of the recording are guaranteed. This is the sweet Elegy For An Angel

  
  
  
  
  
  

• June 22, 2024
  • Listening test: in this Part II, Mark, our foot fetishist resident guru, tests the Audio Origami IsoPods, for all audio equipment including CD players and tube amplifiers. The IsoPods are a sophisticated design of audio isolator incorporating 3D printed and machined components (M. Wheeler)

  • Music: two new, somehow audiophile, recordings; J. Vitelli's “1. Ambient Corridors” and M. Young/Aspect Radio's “Old Friend” (M. L. Gneier)

  • Sounds, Old and New! At the age of 82 John Cale (ex-Velvet Underground) releases a new album, entitled POPtical Illusion. This is the visionary track titled How We See the Light.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• June 15, 2024
  • Theory: how much power do we really need? Do we necessarily have to buy a bigger amplifier? In our section Things Mom warned you about! we try to debunk some audiophile myth, once and for all: is it true that watts are never enough? (L. Cadeddu)

  • Listening test/Vintage Corner: could a cylinder revival be in the making? Here's Part II of a review of the Wilson Home Phonograph, a modern audio component for playing that long-defunct format (D. Hoehl)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The Eels, a.k.a Mark Oliver Everett (Mr. E), surprising as usual, release the new album EELS TIME! This is Time, two and a half minutes of pure sweetness and simplicity.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• June 8, 2024
  • Listening test: Mark, our foot fetishist resident guru, tests the Audio Origami IsoPods, for all audio equipment including turntables. The IsoPods are a sophisticated design of audio isolator incorporating 3D printed and machined components (M. Wheeler)

  • Editorial: feeling nostalgic for the Sony DiscMan? Here is the Moondrop DiscDream, an audiophile portable CD player (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Julian Lage, multifaceted jazz guitarist, releases his new album entitled Speak to me for Blue Note Records. This is the intense “Nothing Ever Happens”

  
  
  
  
  
  

• June 1, 2024
  • Listening test/Jurassic (S)Park!: here's the first part of a series of three articles dedicated to the most loved and hated (and sold!) loudspeaker in the history of HiFi, from 1968 to 2017. Birth, technical description and much more on the original 1st series Bose Direct/Reflecting® 901 (1968-1972). Such a controversial legend! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Readers' feedback: read some of the selected letters we received last weeks. You can contact us with questions - even weird ones! - and to release your feedback on our reviews and articles.

  • Sounds, Old and New! Paul Weller (ex-Jam and Style Council) releases his new album, titled 66, full of famous featurings including Noel Gallagher, Bobby Gillespie and Dr Robert. This is Ship of Fools.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• May 25, 2024
  • Listening test: from Fosi Audio, again!, another integrated amplifier (will they ever stop?), nothing else than a V3 with balanced inputs, subwoofer output and trigger circuit. Oh yes, it can be put in mono, as well. Will it beat its smaller brother V3? Discover our findings in the Fosi ZA3 test (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: maybe you can't afford a Lamborghini Revuelto with a Sonus Faber car stereo system, but certainly you might be interested in a more affordable Lamborghini-branded Technics SL1200 turntable and a vinyl that contains the sound of six iconic V12 Lambo engines (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The Scottish duo Arab Strap releases their eighth album, entitled I'm Totally Fine with It Don't Give a Fuck Anymore, preceded by the single Bliss. Compared to the essential and post-rock sound of their early years, it seems they have opened up to more modern sounds, contaminated by electronic music.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• May 18, 2024
  • Listening test: once again, an MM cartridge versus an MC one, of the same manufacturer, here are the Gold Note Vasari Gold versus Donatello Gold. Both will be compared to another MC cart, the Benz Glider SL (H. Venema)

  • Editorial: audiophile systems in supercars, again! This time Lamborghini and Sonus Faber team up for a spectacular “sound” (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The three Followill brothers (plus their cousin Matthew Followill) a.k.a the Kings of Leon, after selling over 20 million records, release their ninth album, entitled Can We Please Have Fun. It's difficult to pick up one of the 12 songs that make up the work, but this Split Screen is truly a splendid, long rock ballad.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• May 11, 2024
  • Theory: when house hunting with one's beloved, there are things to watch out for! Is there a solid floor potential listening room? Are there solid masonry (brick, stone, insulation blocks) walls in the potential listening room? Mark tells us the pros & cons of different solutions, debunking some audiophile myths (M. Wheeler)

  • Readers' feedback: read some of the selected letters we received last weeks. You can contact us with questions - even weird ones! - and to release your feedback on our reviews and articles.

  • Sounds, Old and New! The long-awaited new album by jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington has just been released, and is entitled Fearless Movement, a work in which there is no shortage of contamination with other genres. There are many featurings, as well, as this one with Patrice Quinn and Brandon Coleman in Computer Love.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• May 4, 2024
  • Listening test: is a good brand always a guarantee for good sound? During our never-ending quest for low-priced & high perfomance headphones, we've encountered and tested the JBL Tune 110 (L. Cadeddu)

  • Albums review: Graeme listens to two vinyl re-issues of Omar Rodriguez Lopez's albums, released on recycled vinyl by Clouds Hill Records at reasonable prices (G. Budd)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Jazz pianist Ben Sidran releases a new album, titled Rainmaker, and this is the bluesy title-track

  
  
  
  
  
  

• April 27, 2024
  • Listening test/Vintage Corner: could a cylinder revival be in the making? Here's Part I of a review of the Wilson Home Phonograph, a modern audio component for playing that long-defunct format (D. Hoehl)

  • Editorial: the RIAA 2023 year-end report has just been released, and it seems physical media are still on the rise, LPs in particular. Is this true or numbers tell a whole different story? (M. Wheeler)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Bill Frisell, legendary jazz guitarist, ventures into orchestral territories, with his new album Orchestras, with the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra and with the Umbria Jazz Orchestra. This is Throughout.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• April 20, 2024
  • Listening test: a rather disappointing $300 two-way reflex bookshelf loudspeaker, the Vera-Fi/XSA Scout (M. L. Gneier)

  • Editorial: are we facing a new era of music piracy? Discover new CDs, Compact Cassettes and mysterious “LPCDs” on AliExpress (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Eddie Vedder's Pearl Jam long-awaited new album is out, and it's titled Dark Matter. This is the title track. Perhaps it doesn't have the freshness of their previous albums that have remained epic in the hearts of their fans, but it's still good healthy rock'n'roll.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• April 13, 2024
  • Listening test: a dynamic semi-open headphone with an incredibly high quality/performance ratio! Here's the stunning Superlux HD681 (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: a new Class D energy-recycling audio system will be soon available on Ferrari supercars. Discover the details of the Ferrari & Powersoft joint venture (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Just released the debut album, simply titled with her name, of the London singer-songwriter Fabiana Palladino, daughter of the famous bassist Pino Palladino, who played with The Who, Phil Collins, Gary Numan, Paul Simon. Rarefied and sophisticated atmospheres, which sway between Enya, Sade and Lorde for this new star on the international music scene. This is the beautiful track I can't dream anymore.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• March 30, 2024
  • Listening test: a comparison test of two active subwoofers, a pair of Audio Physic Luna VS a single Audiovector R SUB Arreté. Henry also speaks his mind on the pros & cons of adding a subwoofer to an already well tuned system (H. Venema)

  • Editorial: really bad news for HiFi cables enthusiasts! The last of the Cornish Piskie Dust Mines will close on April 1st 2024 (R. Pollo)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Gary Clark Jr., frequently referred as the future of Texas blues, releases his new album titled JPEG RAW, gifted by precious featurings, such as Stevie Wonder, who appears on What About The Children.

  • Easter holidays: as usual, we take two weeks off around Easter, our usual weekly updates will be back on April, 13. Stay in touch with us on our Facebook Page for news, music and humour from hilarious Marketplace ads!
  
  
  
  
  
  

• March 23, 2024
  • Listening test: we love active multi-amping and active crossovers. What about a fully balanced vacuum tube active crossover, then? Here's the second part of our review of the Marchand XM126-3 Crossover & PS127 power supply (M. Wheeler)

  • Listening test: under test a set of damping feet made of a sandwich of different materials: nylon/stainless steel/viscous polymer/silicone rubber. Here are the Vera-Fi Audio VBH-1 (M. L. Gneier)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The Judas Priest release a new album, titled Invincible Shield, already #1 in Germany, Finland and Sweden, and #2 in the UK! It seems classic heavy metal is still alive (and well!). Let's listen to the powerful track titled Crown of Horns.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• March 16, 2024
  • DIY: an easy step-by-step tutorial on how to fix/replace damaged or crushed woofer dustcaps. It's a ten minutes thing within everyone's reach! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Viewpoint: David updates our crash course on downgrading (i.e. how to make your system worse and live happy) as he gets exercised over some audio relics (D. Hoehl)

  • Sounds, Old and New! shortly after the new releases from the Gallagher brothers, it is about to be released a new album from the Reid brothers, aka, The Jesus and Mary Chain. The new album is titled Glasgow Eyes and contains this pure & simple Girl71.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• March 9, 2024
  • Listening test: we love active multi-amping and active crossovers. What about a fully balanced vacuum tube active crossover, then? Here's the first part of our review of the Marchand XM126-3 Crossover & PS127 power supply (M. Wheeler)

  • Editorial: orange sponge anyone? The obnoxious headphones with orange pads from the Eighties are (sadly) back! Believe it or not, several companies are re-releasing them again. (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! Shortly after Noel Gallagher's new album, even his brother Liam, partnering with John Squire (Stone Roses), has released something new. Here's Just Another Rainbow, an undoubtedly Oasis-style song, that still sounds “new” and unexpected. Welcome back Liam!

  
  
  
  
  
  

• March 2, 2024
  • Listening test: follow-up review of the Hagerman Audio Labs Bugle MC Phono Preamplifier How close to perfect is the world's best Phono pre under $500 with the new OPA2210? (M. L. Gneier)

  • Theory/DIY: books on bookshelves in the listening room can be an asset to sound quality. Books are very on trend right now. You cannot go wrong by encouraging books for domestic harmony (M. Wheeler)

  • Sounds, Old and New! From Mali, Africa, Les Amazones d'Afrique have just released their new album, titled Musow Danse. This is the title track.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• February 24, 2024
  • Theory: here's the first part of our crash course on OTG connection, USB On-The-Go, an easy way to transform any mobile device into an audiophile digital source (L. Cadeddu)

  • Editorial: nearly 10,000 different HiFi components are being regularly distributed and sold in Italy. This huge offer should satisfy the needs of nearly 50,000 audiophiles. Clearly something wrong is happening. Let's discuss this topic on our second February editorial (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! The Irish alternative rock band NewDad has just released their first album, titled Madra. This is the title track, with echoes of The Cure atmospheres.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• February 17, 2024
  • Jurassik (S)Park!: another legend in the history of HiFi, the Fidelity Research FR64S tonearm: history, specs, availability and sound quality (J. Maxson)

  • Editorial: do chickens, audiophiles and classical music have something in common? Discover the latest scientific news about the subject on our February editorial (L. Cadeddu)

  • Sounds, Old and New! [RIP] Seiji Ozawa sadly passes away at 88. Let's celebrate him with this extract from Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• February 10, 2024
  • Listening test: Fosi Audio has just released a tubed line preamp (equipped with Made in USA 2 x GE JAN 5654W), with Bluetooth input, headphone output and tone controls. According to the manufacturer, the P3 should be the natural partner for their V3 integrated amp. Let's find out! (L. Cadeddu)

  • Readers' feedback: read some of the selected letters we received last weeks. You can contact us with questions, and to give us your feedback on our reviews.

  • Sounds, Old and New! Just released Wall of Eyes, The Smile's new album. The Smile are two ex-Radiohead members: Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood. This one is the title track. You might recognize the usual 100% Radiohead fingerprint, albeit with new atmospheres, such as the London Contemporary Orchestra string arrangements.

  
  
  
  
  
  

• February 3, 2024
  • Listening test: a pretty unusual shootout test for three differently priced phono preamps: Lehmann Black Cube SE II, Hagerman Bugle 2 and ART Audio Precision Phono (M. L. Gneier)

  • Vintage Corner: how did competing systems compare a century ago, at the dawn of electric recording? Hear for yourself in Edisonic vs. Orthophonic (D. Hoehl)

  • Sounds, Old and New! A new, amazing soul and R&B album from Sy Smith, Whitney Houston's ex-vocalist and talented singer and songwriter. Among other gems, we've chosen this one: Why do you keep calling me

  
  
  
  
  
  

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