LATEST ADDITIONS

Opinion
From home to hi-fi
Barry Fox  |  Jul 09, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 01, 2025

Before DIY musicians unleash their tracks on streaming platforms, some are having them mastered by pros. Barry Fox goes behind the scenes to learn about ‘smashing’ and ‘sculpting’

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Hi-Res Downloads
Hi-Res Downloads, July 2025
Review: Andrew Everard,  |  Jul 09, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 01, 2025

This month we review and test releases from: Florian Weber, John Escreet, Song Yi Jeon & Vinicius Gomes, Kjetil Bjerkestrand, and Pauline Anna Strom

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Classical Companion
Charles Mackerras A Conductor For All Seasons
Peter Quantrill  |  Jul 09, 2025  |  First Published: Jul 01, 2025
Peter Quantrill pays tribute to a complete musician who drove his colleagues hard, always with the ultimate goal of serving the composer rather than a personal vision
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Network Audio Players/Servers
Roon Nucleus Titan Music library/server
Review: Mark Craven,  |  Jul 02, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingPromising digital audio bliss without the fuss, this second-gen flagship server from the music management maestro combines beefed-up processing with all-new casework

At the UK Hi-Fi Show Live in Sept ’24, during a chat with an industry colleague, our discussion moved on to Roon. His opinion was, ‘you either love it, or you haven’t used it yet’. Such is the passion for this music management system among those who have invested in it. And now Roon is offering the ultimate investment, in the shape of its £3899 Nucleus Titan server.

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Loudspeakers
Q Acoustics 3050c loudspeaker
Review: Jamie Biesemans,  |  Jul 02, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingFlagship floorstander of Q Acoustics’ 3000c series leverages premier-range tech into a sub-£1000 enclosure

Employing a deal of trickle-down technology from its costlier models, the 3050c is the only floorstander in Q Acoustics’ new 3000c range. Following on from its popular 3000i series, the basics remain the same – slim speakers that look and sound good, with price tags that won’t break the bank. The 3050c tower tested here differs from the 3010c, 3020c and 3030c standmount models not only in size, but also with its dual 142mm woofer/mid units, promising bigger bass and more thrills at what seems an extremely generous £849 price tag.

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Pre/Power Amplifiers
Audiolab 9000Q/9000P preamp/DAC & power amp
Review: Jamie Biesemans,  |  Jul 02, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingWith a CD transport, network streamer and integrated amp already launched, Audiolab’s top-tier 9000 series is now made complete with this partnering pre/power amp combo

Since its debut in 2022, and with models introduced on a piecemeal basis, Audiolab’s 9000 series has sought to offer improved performance and specification above the company’s already popular 6000 and 8000 ranges. And now, with the launch of the 9000Q preamplifier/DAC and 9000P power amplifier, the family is truly complete.

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Turntables, Arms & Cartridges
Ortofon MC 90X MC cartridge
Review: Ken Kessler,  |  Jul 01, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingThe Danish pick-up perfectionist has added a new model to its ‘Exclusive’ range of moving-coils – the MC 90X replaces the MC A90 launched over 15 years ago

Is there a more outrageous-looking cartridge than Ortofon’s radical MC 90X? By now we should be used to the shape since the MC 90X’s form was first introduced 15 years ago in Ortofon’s MC A90. This revised version, in a cool blue hue, still has that look of a Bizarro horseshoe from the side. Forgive the Superman reference, but this cartridge turned out to be something of a hero.

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Network Audio Players/ServersPre/Power Amplifiers
Grimm Audio MU2 network player/preamp
Review: Andrew Everard,  |  Jun 30, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingNo off-the-shelf chips for Holland’s Grimm Audio as the networking and custom code of the MU1 music server are joined by a Roon-equipped DAC/preamp in the same chassis

Network players have the potential to be a great leveller for ‘family listening’ outside of the exclusive audiophile world. It’s even possible that younger music fans will discover the joys of sitting and listening via a proper hi-fi system. Of course, that means everyone getting to grips with streaming music from internal storage or Tidal and Qobuz, putting together the odd personal playlist, and even routing the TV sound through the system.

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Phono Preamplifiers
Nagra HD Phono phono preamp
Review: Ken Kessler,  |  Jun 30, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingJoining Nagra’s monoblock power amps, preamp and DAC X separates in its HD (High Definition) line, the two-box HD Phono channels the brand’s 70+ year audio heritage

With the HD Phono, Nagra has joined a rather select group. By my estimation, there are but a half-dozen manufacturers of phono stages costing above £50,000. At a heady £68,500, the all-valve Nagra HD Phono is about as expensive and exclusive as it gets, and for that amount of money you expect to get everything. And you do.

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Pre/Power Amplifiers
BAT VK-90 tube preamp
Review: Mark Craven,  |  Jun 28, 2025  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2025
hfnoutstandingNovel thinking is in generous supply inside this line-only preamp with its high capacity PSU, transformer-coupled four-tube audio circuit and 140-step, remote volume control

Balanced Audio Technology, otherwise known as BAT, doesn’t beat about the bush when it comes to its audio philosophy. The main page on the US manufacturer’s website lists core principles, all of which have an engineering bent: ‘balanced is best’, ‘dual-mono construction maximises performance’, and ‘zero global feedback achieves natural sound’. All three of these are at play in the company’s VK-90 preamp.

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