Audio news

[Administrator]

Denon HEOS AVR receiver delivers true wireless surround sound


The HEOS AVR communicates wirelessly with Denon's HEOS speakers and wireless subwoofer, giving you 5.1 surround sound without the wires.
If you like the immersion of surround sound but are fed up of tripping over speaker cable, this new Denon device could be for you. Called the Denon HEOS AVR, it's an AVR receiver that enables a truly wireless surround sound set-up.

It talks wirelessly to Denon's HEOS speakers, as well as the soon-to-be-released wireless HEOS subwoofer. That means you can place your speakers wherever you like in the room without cluttering up the place with wires.

Of course, the speakers will need plugging into the mains, so you will need some cables. But you can't have everything (yet).

Denon promises no drop in sound quality either, with true audiophile audio the order of the day.

Four HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 inputs mean you can plug in your Sky Q box, Xbox One and PS4, and only run one HDMI cable from the box to your TV. Which will also help de-clutter the place.

A Class D amplifier comes built in, and its 100W per channel should provide plenty of oomph.

It also plays nice with hi-res audio, including DSD 2.4 and 5.6, FLAC, ALAC, MP3 and AAC, whether played via USB or wirelessly. And, using the HEOS app, you can stream tunes from music services like Tidal, Spotify, Napster and Deezer.

On the movie side of things, it will decode it state-of-the-soundtrack-art Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio codecs.

The HEOS AV should arrive in early April, and will cost ?799. A small price to pay to never trip over your wires again.

[Administrator]

Densen Cast Amp is the company's first streamer

This is the first in the firm's new Dino range of products, and can stream from Tidal using Google Cast audio tech
Densen has released its first streaming device, and it packs some mightily impressive tech.

The Cast Amp uses Google's Cast streaming tech, which means it will be compatible with services like Tidal and Google Home without any hiccups.

It also boasts a unique internal power amplifier. This is a scaled-down version of the upcoming B-390 power amp which will arrive towards the end of this year, and which has apparently been 15 years in the making. Because the internal amp delivers 2 x 60W in 8 ohms and 2 x 120W in 4 ohms, it can also be used as a standalone power amp with a 5V trigger.

The Cast Amp's non-magnetic casing decreases magnetic distortion, while also doubling as a heatsink so the device won't overheat. Densen is so confident it'll last that it includes a lifetime warranty.

The Cast Amp is available now from Elite Audio, and costs ?2,895. Not cheap, certainly, but we're hoping the truism 'you get what you pay for' applies here.

Oh, and it also comes in this slightly sinister woodland design, which can you see above.

[Administrator]

Spinbox is a turntable you build yourself

spinbox_diy.jpg

If Ikea made turntables we imagine they would be something like the Spinbox, which can be assembled in just 20 minutes.
If you like vinyl, and don't mind a bit of DIY, you'll love the Spinbox record player.

It's a turntable you build yourself. You don't need any complicated tools or any technical knowledge whatsoever - the components connect together inside the carboard box in which it comes, then you slot the platter on top. For a full demo, check out the video below.

The whole thing should be up and running in just 18 minutes.

It plays records at 45rpm or 33rpm, and can spin 7in, 10in and 12in vinyl. It's powered by your phone charger, which is pretty convenient, and even has its own built-in amplifier and speakers - though we're guessing the sound quality isn't going to blow us away.

Still, it looks like a fun, portable and - hopefully - affordable deck that's guaranteed to be a talking point. And anything that gets more people listening to vinyl is fine by us. Plus you can always connect your own speakers, if you want to use it as your main player.

It should hit Kickstarter soon so, if you're interested, get ready to pledge.

[Administrator]

Magico M6 floorstanding speakers cost ?130,000 a pair

magico_m6.jpg

These stunning floorstanders don't come cheap, but that's hardly surprising, considering they have a similar shell to an F-35 fighter plane.
If you're selling your flat, and are looking for something to spend the cash on, maybe these awesome floorstanding speakers will take your fancy.

The Magico M6s cost a whopping $172,000 (?134,000) a pair. Why? Well the build quality has something to do with it.

They're encased in a six-sided carbon fibre monocoque enclosure that's similar to the shell of an F-35 fighter plane. Magico says that by using the latest aerospace materials and technologies, it's been able to increase the strength-to-weight ratio by a factor of 60, while reducing the weight by 50 per cent and making them 30 per cent smaller, and all without compromising on the internal volume.
The curved interior and exterior walls also minimise internal standing waves, and eliminate external diffractions, aiding sound quality.

How is this achieved? Four huge aluminium billets have been machined to form a continuously curved exterior with no angles. The drivers are supported by a thick-machined aluminium inner baffle, while the enclosure is further stiffened by 10 aluminium extension rods that extend front to back.

The M6s boast a more efficient version of the tweeter found in the M-Project, which Magico unveiled in 2014. They have a 28mm diamond-coated beryllium diaphragm, while the new 6in midrange driver features Magico's Graphene-based cone material which is 30 per cent lighter and three times stiffer than its predecessor.

[Administrator]

New Como Audio Amico portable wi-fi radio from Tivoli Audio founder

como-audio_amico.jpg

Como Audio Amico streams direct from your home Wi-Fi network, leaving your phone free for other things.
Tom DeVesto, the founder of Tivoli Audio and Cambridge Soundworks, has launched a new Wi-Fi radio. Called Como Audio Amico, it's made of marine plywood and finished in furniture-grade teak veneer.

Not only does it look very swish indeed, it also promises room-filling audio.

It's portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go. You'll need a Wi-Fi network in order to stream tunes from the internet, or you could use the built-in FM or DAB+ tuners to listen to the radio.
Spotify is the only music streaming service it works with though, which seems a little remedial in this day and age. Hopefully more will come onboard soon.

Bluetooth aptX is built in, giving you access to CD-quality audio. NFC also comes as standard, for one-touch pairing.

It also doubles as a multi-room system, letting you play different music in each room if you like, or just piping the same tune all through the house.

The radio comes with a remote control, or you can control it using the official app on your smartphone.

Amico is seeking funding on Kickstarter now, and has passed its goal of $50,000. If you want one, the early birds start at $260 (?202).

[Administrator]

Primare launches I15, I35 amps and CD35 player

primare_cd35-prisma.jpg

All three devices feature Prisma, Primare's new multi-room wireless playback technology and control app.
Primare has announced three new products that feature Prisma, its new wireless way of enabling multi-room listening.

Primare describes Prisma as a "whole-home, high fidelity control and connectivity solution." It offers "network playback from stored and streamed media, wi-fi and Bluetooth connection, as well as multi-room/multi-zone connectivity and control." You can control this through the Prisma app, turning your smartphone into a remote control.

primare_i15-prisma.jpg

So what of the devices themselves? The I35 amp is the first with the new UFPD 2 power system - this is a radical reworking of Primare's UFPD all-analogue Class D technology. It offers 150w at 8 ohms, fully balanced analogue input options and a full-featured DAC stage, enabling PCM 768kHz and DSD 128 conversion.

The I15 is less powerful, delivering 75w per channel along with digital-to-analogue conversion (again, both PCM 768kHz and DSD 128).

The CD35 CD player has an all-new DAC stage with an ESS Sabre chipset for the same PCM 768kHz and DSD 128 conversion.

All three will be available sometime between July and September this year. Prices are yet to be announced.
https://www.whathifi.com/news/primare-l ... d35-player