Hi Fi News

Since its launch in June 1956 - two years before the commercial realisation of stereo - Hi-Fi News & Record Review has been delivering insightful reviews of the key products and technologies that lie behind our shared hobby... the passion of listening to music on the very best equipment available to the enthusiast. Every issue, Hi-Fi News delivers uniquely in-depth reviews of high-end audio equipment, including the best in vinyl replay and iconic vintage gear from the early days of audio. It is essential reading for all music enthusiasts.

JUL/21

Rogers AB3a

Kind of Bluesound

HI-FI NEWS’ NUGGETS

Atomic for’phones

Armour-plated JitterBug

Rotel’s trio now in mkII

Plug’n play portable

HI-FI NEWS? JUST ASK…

Record breakers… • Steve Sutherland brings news of the key 2021 Record Store Day ‘drops’

Under the covers… • Johnny Sharp on the creation of the artwork for Roxy Music, the band’s debut album

INVESTIGATION

INVESTIGATION

Magico A5 • Flagship A series model from California’s premier speaker brand is its most advanced ‘affordable’ floorstander yet

GRAPPLING WITH GRAPHENE

LAB REPORT

Thorens TD 124 DD • An homage to the legendary TD 124 that reigned supreme from 1957-67, this latterday derivative looks the part but trades an idler-drive for a custom direct-drive motor

THORENS SPU 124

GUNTER KÜRTEN

LAB REPORT

Pegaso Audio P50A • Described as the ‘sister brand’ of solid-state stalwarts Audio Analogue, Pegaso has just one product and it’s an all-tube integrated amplifier that claims Class A, all the way…

HOT BOTTLES

LAB REPORT

T+A Caruso R • Having nailed the whole ‘one box system with built-in speakers’ category, T+A now shifts tack to a ‘just add speakers’ unit. It’s on-trend, and with substance to match the style

THE MUSIC CENTRE

LAB REPORT

Paradigm Founder 100F • Top passive floorstander in Paradigm’s new Founder series is keenly, but not ambitiously priced. A high-end bargain?

RETURN TO FOUNDER

LAB REPORT

Rotel Michi X5 • Top integrated in Rotel’s flagship Michi series leverages much of the P5 preamp and S5 power amp technology to realise a taller, heavier amp that aims to upstage the X3

THE X FACTOR

LAB REPORT

Bryston BR-20 • This flagship, fully balanced preamplifier comes with Bryston’s BDA-3-inspired DAC plus updated BDP streaming platform and full network control. It’s busier than it looks!

MOOSE ON THE LOOSE

LAB REPORT

SPL Phonitor xe • With deep roots in ‘professional audio’ and a novel discrete op-amp module as a key driving force, SPL is looking to bring a splash of colour to our audiophile universe

PROFESSIONAL FIDELITY

LAB REPORT • SPL PHONITOR XE

Astell&Kern KANN Alpha • The third portable player in A&K’s ‘alloy brick’ KANN series boasts extended battery life, a higher powered headphone amplifier and compatibility with Bluetooth 5.0

ALPHA CLASS

LAB REPORT

Schubert ‘Trout’ Quintet • Music among friends, written by a young genius at one of the happiest times in his troubled life… Peter Quantrill explores the history on disc of a feel-good masterpiece

ESSENTIAL RECORDINGS

Tim Buckley Tim Buckley • This month’s 180g album reissue takes Steve Sutherland back to the ’70s when, after a Knebworth concert, he’d become a Buckley fan and was passing the message on

Springsteen Born To Run • It took over a year to create and when ‘The Boss’ first heard it, he threw the reference disc into a hotel pool. But the album went on to sell six million copies in the US and reach No 3 in the Billboard 200 chart, catapulting the singer from cult act...