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Hi Fi

All articles tagged with #hi fi

hi-fi4 days ago•137 min saved

iFi iDSD GR 2: a premium portable DAC delivering poised, detail-rich sound

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.

via What Hi-Fi?|

#dac #hi-fi #idsd-gr-2

technology5 days ago•5 min saved

New Gear Roundup: Flagship Earbuds, Luxe Turntables, and Fresh Hi-Fi Picks

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.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #earbuds #hi-fi

hi-fi6 days ago•129 min saved

Esoteric’s T-01 Turntable Combines MagneDrive Precision with Silent, Master-Audio Focus

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.

via What Hi-Fi?|

#esoteric #grandioso-t1 #hi-fi

technology12 days ago•6 min saved

This Week's Standout Gadgets: Turntables, Pixel Upgrades and Pro Audio

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.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #cameras #gadgets

technology19 days ago•7 min saved

Radar Roundup: Bose, Marantz, Klipsch Lead This Week's Hot Audio Gear

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.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #headphones #hi-fi

technology22 days ago•8 min saved

PSB iQ2 Blends Hi‑Fi Sound With Smart-Home Simplicity

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.

via Engadget|

#bluos #hi-fi #iq2

hi-fi25 days ago•103 min saved

Astell & Kern PD5 debuts with eight DACs and 28-hour battery life

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.

via What Hi-Fi?|

#astell-and-kern #battery-life-28h #eight-dacs

technology26 days ago•6 min saved

Flagship KEF Speakers Lead This Week’s Hot-Gear Roundup

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.

via Gear Patrol|

#amplifiers #audio-gear #hi-fi

hi-fi27 days ago•109 min saved

KEF's LS Luxe: A curved, active wireless system targeting hi‑fi supremacy

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.

via What Hi-Fi?|

#active-speakers #hi-fi #kef

technology1 month ago•109 min saved

KEF LS Luxe: mature, feature-rich premium wireless hi‑fi

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.

via whathifi.com|

#hi-fi #kef #ls-luxe

technology1 month ago•6 min saved

EC35 Leads a Galaxy of Fresh Gadget Announcements

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.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #cameras #foldables

speakers1 month ago•122 min saved

Quad launches Elegan speakers: high-end sound, approachable price

Quad has unveiled two Elegan Series loudspeakers—Elegan 1 (standmount) and Elegan 2 (floorstanding)—featuring woven Kevlar drivers in two-way and three-way designs, with high-density cabinets, internal bracing and waveguides for wide dispersion and improved midrange clarity. The Elegan 1 is priced at £749 / $995 / AU$1,699 per pair, while the Elegan 2 costs £1,499 / $1,995 / AU$3,499 per pair. Finishes are deep matte black or walnut veneers, and weights are 8.9 kg per Elegan 1 and 27.8 kg per Elegan 2. Quad positions them as spiritual successors to the L Series from the early 2000s.

via What Hi-Fi?|

#elegan #hi-fi #kevlar

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

Cayin CP6 Elevates the Comeback of CDs with Premium Portability

CDs are surging in popularity and premium portable CD players are returning, led by Cayin’s CP6. Priced at $699, the CP6 combines a high‑end design with vacuum-tube-based timbre modes (classic, modern, solid-state), a high‑res DAC, Class A headphone amplification, and both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs, plus Bluetooth with LDAC and CD ripping capability for a versatile audiophile experience.

via Gear Patrol|

#cayin-cp6 #hi-fi #ldac

technology1 month ago•87 min saved

Half‑Year Tech & Hi‑Fi Roundup: Fresh Gear From Marantz to Sony

Mid‑2026 tech and hi‑fi roundup: a rolling list of new gear across audio, video and imaging—from entry‑level CD players and flagship AV processors to high‑end headphones, loudspeakers, cameras and streaming accessories—highlighting flagship upgrades, limited editions and cross‑brand innovation.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #gadgets #headphones

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

This Week's Notable Gadget Roundup: AI Cameras, Dual-Driver Audio, and Portable Hi‑Fi

A roundup of eight notable new releases across cameras, audio gear and portable hi‑fi, including Sony's RX10 V with AI autofocus and 4K/120fps video, Final Audio's flagship DX10000 CL headphones, Ruark's R410 Anniversary Edition speaker, Fiio FG3 gaming headset, Shanling M0 Pura compact hi‑fi player, Andover Audio's FreePlay portable Bluetooth speaker, Nothing Ear (3a) with built‑in storage, and Marshall's Acton IV and Stanmore IV with Auracast Bluetooth.

via Gear Patrol|

#audio #cameras #gadgets