Product Reviews.

Comment and features by the world’s audio press.

The Ear: Editors Choice award
The Ear: Editors Choice award

Jason Kennedy succumbs to the pleasures of Sugden’s Masterclass integrated, the IA-4.

“It’s more of a musically enchanting amplifier than most, and that makes you want to use it for longer, to explore new and old releases and fully engage in the results.”

Review
gpa monaco v2.0 and v3.0 comparison
gy8 logo

Roy Gregory explores the latest version (V3.0) of the GPA Monaco turntable.

“But even a single day spent in the company of the v3.0 leaves me in no doubt that it represents a paradigm shift in performance.”

Review
Kuzma Safir 9 tonearm review
the ear

Alan Sircom discovers Kuzma’s Safir 9 is truly the ‘Jewel in the Crown.’

“… But all of that pales into insignificance when you sit down and just listen. That’s when you realise this really is the best arm ever..”

Review
CEC-CD5-DA5
part-time audiophile

Part-Time Audiophile’s Marc Philips gets passionate about CEC’s entry-level combo.

“… Here’s a tip–people are still into playing CDs. And the CEC TL-5, mated to the CEC DAC5, took my CD collection to a whole new level of listenability. If I had the CEC combo in my home, I would stop worrying about what I’m going to do with all these CDs everywhere.”

Review
APL DNP-SR
the ear

The Ear’s Jason Kennedy is rather taken with the APL DNP-SR streamer.

“… it quickly became apparent that this is a very high resolution streamer with incredibly low noise, so much so that it sounds smoother and more relaxed than any of the alternatives that passed through the system over a three month period.”

Review
Kuzma Stabi R system
hifi critic

Martin Colloms discovers the considerable strengths of Kuzma’s Stabi R record-playing system.

Stabi R in combination with the 4 Point 14 tonearm and CAR50 moving coil cartridge – the whole is perhaps even greater than the sum of its parts.

Review
Kuzma SJS Living Voice review.

It’s The System, Stupid…

Roy Gregory’s new publishing venture, and his views on why reviewing complete systems makes more sense than hopefully slotting in components more or less at random. Three systems to start with, and look – one them’s ours.

Kuzma Air wins 'Turntable of the Year.' Review
Kuzma Platis
hifi plus

Kuzma Platis 54 & Dampers. Not just for Christmas turntables.

Alan Sircom discovers Kuzma’s versatile Platis isolation components offer exceptional results in multiple applications beyond the world of vinyl replay.

Review
Kuzma XL Air
hifi plus

Alan Sircom explores, in some depth, the new top of the line Kuzma turntable.

Franc Kuzma’s XL turntable has long been acclaimed as one of the world’s best. As such, it was clear that any attempt to further the performance still further needed to be of an order of magnitude, rather than incremental improvement.

Job done.

Review
CEC TL 2N & DA SL
hifi critic

HiFi Critic‘s Kevin Fiske considers CEC’s assertion that RedBook CD still defines the standard for digital reproduction.

CEC’s newest DAC is essentially a dedicated partner for our favourite TL2N transport, optimised for their proprietary ‘Super Link’ connection.

Review
APL DAC
hifi plus

Alan Sircom’s take on the APL DSD-SR Mk2 DAC.

A well-kept secret, certainly in the UK, but Alex Peychev’s DACs have been essential listening for some time for anyone who typically finds digital a bit too ‘digital.’

Review
LV 300B tube
6 moons

Dawid Grzyb succumbs to the subtle charms of our 300B.

We developed a Living Voice 300B valve in conjunction with KR Audio a couple of years back, with the objective of creating a valve superior to the renowned Western Electric 300B. Being us of course, we’ve rarely publicised them to any great degree, but nervertheless word is spreading…

Review
GPA Monaco
audiobeat-logo

The AudioBeat encounter GPA’s ‘flagship.’

Roy Gregory’s celebration of the Monaco 2.0.

Review