All articles tagged with #hi fi
Fosi Audio has released the DAP Neo, a $80 portable digital audio player designed to mimic the classic Apple iPod. The device features a metal body, tactile control wheel, and Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC for lossless playback. It lacks streaming apps, requiring users to load music via microSD cards. Priced at $80 for 16GB or $120 for 64GB, it targets listeners seeking distraction-free audio without high-end audiophile costs.
Technics has launched the EAH-A1000, its first flagship wireless noise-canceling headphones, priced at $450. The device features a new 40mm magnetic fluid driver and adaptive noise cancellation, positioning it against competitors like Sony and Bose.
FiiO has announced the DP11, a compact CD player that integrates a DAC, pre-amplifier, and digital outputs. Priced at $189 in the US, it features a silent mechanism and supports high-resolution audio formats.
Four services deliver lossless hi‑fi audio up to 24‑bit/192 kHz (Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, Qobuz, and Tidal), while Spotify and Deezer offer hi‑fi options capped at 24‑bit/44.1 kHz (Spotify can do 24‑bit; Deezer up to 16‑bit), and YouTube Music tops out at 256 kbps. Qobuz is the best value at under $11/month, with Apple Music and Tidal at about $12, Amazon Music Unlimited at $13, and YouTube Music Premium at $12; note that Amazon Prime Music does not include these HD tiers.
What Hi-Fi? tests iFi’s premium portable DAC/amp, the iDSD GR 2, which sports a rugged aluminum chassis, wide inputs/outputs (balanced 4.4mm, 3.5mm, USB-C, optical/coax, Bluetooth 5.4), and a Burr-Brown PCM1795 DAC with support for up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. It adds XBass/XSpace, four digital filters, and a hybrid power mode for flexible listening. In use it yields a clear, detailed, and evenly balanced sound with good headroom, though it sacrifices a touch of dynamic drama versus top contenders like the Mojo 2. Battery life is around seven hours; build is solid, but some ports aren’t clearly labeled and the volume knob behavior can be counterintuitive. Priced around £529 / $529 / AU$849, it’s a feature-rich, versatile option for portable listening rather than the most exciting sonic performer.
Gear Patrol’s weekly Best New Gear roundup highlights a mix of audio hardware, from Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 5 earbuds to Fiio CP11, Esoteric T-01 turntable with MagneDrive, Rotel Amora 5 speakers, Technics SL-1200 55th Anniversary Edition, Pro-Ject E1.2 BT turntable with Bluetooth, Monitor Audio Silver Series 8G loudspeakers, and Analogue Pocket Supreme Edition handheld—showcasing premium hi-fi, portable audio, and vinyl-forward gear announced this week.
Esoteric has unveiled the T-01 turntable, a £41,999/$50,000 high-end model (£38,999/$46,000 without arm) that uses a contactless MagneDrive system for ultra-silent, precise playback. It features a Magne-Float platter, a triple-layer aluminium/MDF cabinet, 10MHz external clock synchronization with compatible clocks, 33⅓/45 RPM with +/-12% fine-tuning, and separate power supply for enhanced isolation; shipping starts in September.
Gear Patrol's weekly roundup highlights a wave of notable new releases across hi‑fi audio gear, turntables, a premium 360 cam, and smartphones, including Fiio's vacuum‑tube EA13 amp, Kanto Obi3 Gen 2 turntable with a built‑in speed sensor, Ruka Studio's TD‑1 vertical turntable, Google's Pixel 11 series phones plus Pixel Watch 5 and Pixel Tag, the Goldmund Telos 9800 amp, Insta360 X6 360‑cam with Dolby Vision HDR, Fiio Snowsky Nature budget headphones, LG Xboom Blast speaker, and Soundpeats UU2 open‑ear buds.
Gear Patrol's weekly Best New Gear roundup highlights the past week's notable audio and home‑theater releases, from Bose's QuietComfort 2nd‑gen headphones and Sony XM6 colorways to Marantz's Cinema 50/60/70 Series 2 receivers, Klipsch's Reference Premiere III speakers, and a slate of new hi‑fi players, microphones and computer speakers from Fiio, Astell&Kern, Q Acoustics, Triangle, DJI, Creative and Nothing.
PSB's iQ2 pairs compact, cable-free stereo with a rich input lineup (HDMI eARC, phono/line, optical, USB-C/A) and BluOS-driven multi-room control; it delivers open, room-filling sound for TV and music, but at $1,399 price and with a slightly underwhelming phono preamp (no built-in voice assistants) it targets audiophiles willing to pay for premium connectivity and sound.
The Astell & Kern PD5 is unveiled as a successor to the SR35, offering eight Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs (configurable 4–8), a claimed 28-hour battery life, an Android-based octa‑core platform, and support for native 32‑bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256. It also adds EnviroTune ambient-noise adaptive tuning and wireless codecs (LDAC, aptX HD, LHDC), with PD 3.0 charging (~2.5 hours to full). Price and exact release dates aren’t confirmed, but it will appear at major shows such as HK AV Show, SIAS, and CanJam SoCal.
Gear Patrol’s weekly roundup spotlights KEF’s LS Luxe as the new flagship wireless speaker, alongside PS Audio PMG S200 and S400 power amplifiers and Q Acoustics 3040c, plus a range of other audio gear including Orange’s Baby Terror amp, Twelve South Valet, Beyerdynamic DT 275 Pro headphones, Majority Stylo and Folio turntables, and DJI’s Osmo Pocket 4P gimbal.
KEF’s LS Luxe is its most ambitious wireless active speaker to date, priced around £3500/$4000/AU$6375, and designed to outperform a traditional hi‑fi system of the same total price thanks to built‑in amplification and streaming. It uses KEF’s 12th‑generation Uni‑Q driver array with MAT, plus Velocity Control Technology and bespoke Class D (bass) and Class A/B (treble) amplification. The curved Ross Lovegrove design reduces diffraction and increases internal volume for stronger bass and a more three‑dimensional sound, while prioritising ease of use and room compatibility. KEF’s CTO Dr. Jack Oclee‑Brown emphasizes a consistent KEF tuning philosophy across products and views Luxe as a notable evolution toward high‑end, user‑friendly listening in a single package.
KEF’s LS Luxe is a premium wireless stereo system priced around £3,500 / $4,000 / AU$6,375, delivering a mature, detailed sound with strong bass for its compact standmount form thanks to KEF’s Uni-Q/MAT tech and Velocity Control, plus a comprehensive streaming/connectivity suite and KEF Connect app for room calibration; while sonics and build are exceptional, the bold curved design isn’t for everyone and the optional S-Luxe stands add significant cost.
Gear Patrol’s weekly roundup highlights this week’s notable releases, from Kodak’s $35 EC35 35mm camera to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, Quad’s Elegan 1 and 2 speakers, Cayin CP6 portable CD player, Light Phone Flip, Monitor Audio Hyphn custom editions, Samsung Freestyle+ projector, and Edifier MR4.5 monitors.