News | Darko.Audio

Gold Note announces CD-5 CD player

John Darko — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:10:35 +0000

Compact disc sales might be down but 1) the silver discs still outnumber vinyl and 2) new CD players continue to come thick and fast. Fresh from Gold Note this week comes news of the CD-5, the latest entry in the Italian company’s 5 Series of half-width components: 20cm wide […]

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Focal’s Diva Utopia is Future-Fi for cashed-up listeners

John Darko — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 17:58:43 +0000

Got a large, acoustically-treated listening room but don’t wish to line one wall with hi-fi racks full of electronics to feed a pair of passive loudspeakers? Focal wants to pull on your coat about the Diva Utopia — a pair of exceedingly expensive streaming active loudspeakers. And it isn’t the […]

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DALI introduces EPIKORE 3, 7 and 9 loudspeakers

John Darko — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:40:17 +0000

DALI has added three new models to its EPIKORE series. The EPIKORE 3 standmount and the EPIKORE 7 and 9 floorstanders join the already announced EPIKORE 11 floorstander. Common to all four models – and borrowed from the flagship KORE – is the Danish company’s EVO-K™ Hybrid ‘two-fer’ Tweeter module: […]

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Luxman’s L-505Z integrated amplifier looks the business

John Darko — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 08:21:35 +0000

Just ahead of its 100th anniversary, Luxman has announced the final member of its Z Series of integrated amplifiers. The L-505Z replaces the L-505uXII to feature an improved MM/MC phono stage, a better-sounding volume control, headphone outputs that now include a balanced 4.4mm Pentaconn socket and – the star of […]

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KEF adds Metamaterials (and more) to its entry-level Q Series

John Darko — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 22:01:26 +0000

KEF has announced the first revamping of its entry-level Q Series since 2017. The incoming Q Series Meta comprises two 3-way floorstanders (Q7 Meta & Q 11 Meta), two 2-way standmounts (Q1 Meta & Q3 Meta), a 3-way standmount (Q Concerto Meta), a 3-way centre channel (Q6 Meta), a 2-way […]

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FiiO’s KA15 is a $109 ‘cassette tape’ dongle DAC

John Darko — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:34:09 +0000

New from FiiO, a fully-reworked KA15 — a dongle DAC that’s unlike other dongle DACs. USB in, analogue out. A pair of Cirrus Logic CS43198 chips takes care of the D/A conversion for PCM support up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD up to DSD256. The dual op-amps that power wired headphones […]

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Rotel introduces Michi Q5 CD player, CD transport & DAC

John Darko — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 06:14:22 +0000

Rotel is expanding its line-up of Michi-branded high-end electronics. The incoming Q5 is a large CD player/transport and DAC whose disc mechanism is spring-mounted. But it isn’t a slot-loader or a drawer. It’s a top-loader. From the press release: “The bespoke, top-loading CD mechanism is constructed with precision optical laser […]

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Shanling’s CR60 is a $269 CD transport + CD ripper

John Darko — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 14:20:48 +0000

New from Shanling: the CR60 is an all-new affordable CD transport with a TOSLINK, coaxial and – less common – USB-A digital output. The latter means two things: 1) the CR60 can send the CD’s digital stream out to a DAC kitted out with only a USB input, including many […]

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Marantz launches MODEL 60n ‘network integrated amplifier’

John Darko — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:28:28 +0000

“Feature-laden versatility and warm musicality” — that’s how Marantz has headlined the announcement of its latest streaming amplifier, the MODEL 60n. As one might surmise from the model number, the newbie promises 60wpc of Class A/B power into 8 Ohms and features the latest iteration of Marantz’s all-discrete HDAM modules. […]

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Bang & Olufsen announces Beoplay H100 ANC headphones

John Darko — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 09:42:31 +0000

Bang & Olufsen has announced the Beoplay H100: the successor to its Beoplay H95 active noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones. The new model puts 4cm titanium drivers sitting behind aluminium grilles over our ears to echo the design language of the Danish company’s Beolab 90 loudspeakers. Perhaps this is why the press […]

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Technics announces SC-CX700 ‘Future-Fi’ speakers

John Darko — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 07:41:08 +0000

From the floor of IFA in Berlin, Technics has announced a pair of streaming active standmount loudspeakers. Details are sketchy at the time of writing* [see footnote] but the SC-CX700 reportedly support Bluetooth, Google Cast, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect with Tidal, Amazon Music and Deezer folded into the […]

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Marantz unveils Model 10 ‘Reference Integrated Amplifier’

John Darko — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:04:13 +0000

Marantz has today pulled the covers off its all-new Model 10 ‘Reference Integrated Amplifier’ that will eventually be joined by the SACD 10 ‘Reference SACD player’ and the LINK 10n ‘Reference Network Audio Player’ to form the company’s first new range of high-end electronics since 2016. Each unit is to […]

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FiiO’s BTR13 is a $64 Bluetooth/USB DAC & headphone amp

John Darko — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 07:59:37 +0000

New from FiiO: the BTR13 is a thumb-sized DAC and headphone amplifier with three possible use cases: a USB DAC for PCs/Macs or streaming devices with a USB output (e.g. WiiM, Bluesound) a dongle DAC for smartphones an AAC / aptX HD / LDAC Bluetooth DAC for smartphones and PCs/Macs […]

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Bowers & Wilkins launches Pi6, Pi8 true wireless IEMs

John Darko — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:33:08 +0000

Bowers & Wilkins has announced two new ANC-loaded true wireless IEMs. The Pi6 – which reportedly matches the performance of the previous Pi7 S2 flagship – and the Pi8 – which reportedly exceeds it. From the press release: “The Pi6 is built around the same noise-rejection platform used in the […]

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Bluesound teases Dirac-ready NODE Icon, 2024 NODE + NODE Nano

John Darko — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 14:25:32 +0000

“Good. Better, Best.”. Bluesound’s press notice doesn’t say those three words exactly (I’ve added them to the image above) but it’s how one might reasonably interpret today’s announcement of three new streaming DACs: the NODE Nano, the (2024) NODE and the NODE Icon. The Canadian company’s BluOS platform powers each […]

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At $279, Schiit’s Saga 2 pre-amplifier looks like a stonkingly good deal

John Darko — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 13:40:58 +0000

The same for less – it’s marketing’s oldest tactic. Entire Internet pillars have been built on the concept. What audiophile wouldn’t want to think that his/her new US$279 pre-amplifier might offer the audible performance of a $2790 model? Schiit Audio isn’t making that claim about its new Saga 2 preamplifier […]

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