Audiograde

Marantz has introduced its next generation of entry-level hifi components with the Model 70 Integrated Amplifier and the CD 70 player. Building upon its award-winning PM6007 and CD6007, the MODEL 70 and CD 70 are said to combine the brand’s celebrated sound signature and craftsmanship with a performance tailored to contemporary listening habits, says Marantz. Features include analogue and digital inputs (with an in-built moving-magnet phono stage for the former) plus HDMI ARC connectivity.

When was the first time you heard good solid-state Class A amplification? For me it was in the early 1990s, following owning a series of Class AB amps. At that time, my gear included Naim’s 32.5, HiCap and NAP 250 amplifier stack, and I thought I had a grip on what good audio sounded like. Class A changed my mind. Is it better? Yes, in some ways. Like most worthwhile things in life, it’s more nuanced.

Noble Audio has announced not one but two new in-ear monitor (IEM) headphones, which look packed with the brand’s hallmarks of quality and finish. Both models expand the brand’s wired IEM lineup, while being distinctly different, appealing to music lovers and dedicated hifi fans alike. The Vanguard follows in the successful footsteps of Noble’s best selling Knight IEM and introduces a three-driver hybrid design that combines a 10mm dynamic driver with dual custom balanced armatures.

New brand Accuvoice Systems is making its UK debut with the launch of its Stream S3 integrated music playback system. Blending digital and analogue sources with sophisticated room correction, the Stream S3 is a fully active speaker that builds on the established track record of Swedish designer Anders Wijk of Audio Pro fame.

It’s not all late-night espressos, component swaps and beard stroking in hifi review land. Sometimes thoughts must be consigned to the page, with the office chair replacing the comfort of the listening room sofa with the midnight oil lit, as another deadline looms.

Focal has unveiled its Scala Utopia Evo M, marking the latest evolution of one of its most iconic high-end loudspeakers that brings the brand’s latest acoustic innovations to its flagship range. Designed and manufactured in France, the Scala Utopia Evo M builds on the Scala Utopia Evo with major engineering upgrades aimed at delivering greater precision and control.

With estimated annual sales of £100 million across both professional and consumer markets, Bowers & Wilkins is arguably the UK’s largest loudspeaker manufacturer. Its products can be found in some of the world’s most prestigious recording facilities, including Abbey Road Studios, which installed its first models in 1980, with artists from Pink Floyd to Radiohead and John Williams all recording there.

Nothing like working on a Saturday, unless you love what you do. Passion, you see, is a persuasive audio mistress, and a word that is going to get a frequent outing in this report. And the blame lies at the feet of Reference Audio, based in Witham, just off the high street (blink and you’ll miss the driveway, as our Editor did…twice 🙄).

French loudspeaker specialist, Triangle, is introducing its new Solstice speaker series. Designed to succeed its long-running Esprit range, each speaker is designed and manufactured in Soissons on a new technical platform. This means a new horn tweeter, new driver architecture, revised cabinet construction and an original integrated base design.

Hailing from Devon, D’Von Audio Ltd has announced its new Aurora loudspeaker series. Designed and handcrafted in Exeter, the range combines premium craftsmanship with D’Von’s own acoustic tuning for performance that’s designed to connect people emotionally to the music, says D’Von. The range is comprised of four models, starting with the SQ-10 bookshelf speaker (£1,700 – £1,800) and SQ-20 standmount speaker (£2,500 – £2,650).