Articles and Reviews – page 2

We're starting with a comprehensive photo report from the Hi Fi & High End Show 2025 – the eleventh floor of the hotel, where the show was held, and it held many surprises. So, here's part one – from Hi Fi to true High-End!

The Italian company Grandinote recently made a splash with its series of amplifiers, which successfully combined the advantages of vacuum tube and solid-state technology. The company's new speakers, the Grandinote MACH 8 XL, also have the potential to become a landmark product – combining beloved audiophile designs and offering the highest level of engineering, they could very well become trendsetters in the speaker market using driver arrays.

In our new editorial selection, we compile a rating of the newest and most impressive stereo power amplifiers. A component system in which preamplification and power amplification are separated is traditionally considered an axiom of high-quality audio. And in order not to drown in a sea of new products, we offer you this expert list of the best power amplifiers.

Choosing a preamplifier and its precise pairing with the rest of the path and, above all, the power amplifier is not an easy task. Especially when new models of components are constantly entering the market. Our editorial rating was compiled specifically to facilitate the choice and includes seven ultra-modern preamplifiers for every taste and budget.

We continue our series of publications about truly extraordinary audio systems – and next up is a system that will surprise even seasoned audiophiles. Systems of this caliber are rare in the world, but its owner isn't resting on his laurels and is now eagerly awaiting new loudspeakers.

As usual, in the fall - there is a flurry of new audio equipment on the market. Choosing an integrated amplifier, the heart of any audio system, is not very easy in such a situation - your eyes run wide, Therefore, we have compiled for you an expert rating of the most important for the industry and excellent-sounding amplifiers in almost all price categories - meet the editorial hit parade.

Choosing floorstanding loudspeakers is now akin to looking through a kaleidoscope – your eyes run wild from the abundance of choice. That’s why we’ve put together an editorial expert rating of the seven most impressive new speakers for you – as usual, the list is sorted in ascending order of cost.

Our new expert selection of acoustics is dedicated to modern bookshelf speakers – there are quite a few new models on the market in 2025, so the editors have compiled a rating of the most impressive loudspeakers for you. Those that sound vibrant, gentle and natural – regardless of the price range.

The compact disc seems to be experiencing a rebirth – a little late in comparison with vinyl. Huge accumulated CD collections, excellent playback quality guaranteed by modern technologies and keen interest of audiophiles have moved the ice – new models of CD players are constantly appearing on the market. The editors have compiled an expert rating and selected for you the most interesting new models of this class of audio components.

Choosing a vinyl cartridge is a responsible matter, but our new rating will make the choice easier. The editors have collected for you seven of the most interesting and new models of sound cartridges – for every taste and budget.

Our new editorial rating of the best modern tonearms covers almost all price groups - so vinyl fans will have plenty to choose from. A good tonearm is the key to high-quality playback of records, so we hope the new selection will dot the "i's".

Choosing a phono preamplifier for vinyl is always a difficult task. It is not for nothing that they say that even a high-quality turntable, tonearm and cartridge can be ruined by the wrong selection of a correction module. Well, we have selected for you a rating and hit parade of new products on the phono preamplifier market.

So, we choose the newest and most modern digital-to-analog converters. The rating of the seven most interesting models for "digital", as usual, is sorted in order of increasing cost, so that everyone can find a DAC to their taste and wallet.

The summer season of 2025 pleased us with a sufficient number of new audio equipment – especially in the turntable market. So, the editors have prepared for you a rating of the seven most interesting models for playing records

WADAX Studio • Player is a unique product in every sense. A digital-to-analog converter built on a proprietary topology and using 620 custom machined parts and a total of 14 different materials and alloys in its design. A top-class network streamer with embedded Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz clients and certified Audirvana and Roon. And also a multi-format disc player supporting CD and SACD. Well, let's hold our breath and move on to testing!

By resuming the introduction of 300B tubes, Western Electric has created a full-scale storm on the audiophile market. Well, the American manufacturer has many more things in its arsenal that can surprise fans of good sound – for example, the Western Electric 91E integrated single-ended amplifier, which we are testing today.

Choosing new floorstanding loudspeakers is not an easy task, but our new guide will help you navigate the flurry of new products. Acoustic systems with high-class sound have become much more affordable – which makes market research even more interesting.

Our new buyer's guide and equipment rating is visited by full (with a digital-to-analog converter) streamers or network players. The number of these components is growing day by day, which is why the selection turned out to be interesting - from inexpensive models to High-End class mastodons.

Extra-class floorstanding acoustic systems, Wilson Benesch Omnium – the culmination of 30 years of development experience from the famous British company. The model was created in collaboration after long and thorough research work of the SSUCHY project. The second from the top in the company's range, loudspeakers embodied the most advanced, bold and new sound solutions.

The culmination of decades of research by the renowned Acapella – the complete system (with electronics) Acapella HYPERSPHERE costs 5 million euros, and the speaker systems themselves can be purchased for “only” 3.2 million euros. Well, let’s study the true pinnacle of uncompromising Ultra High-End design.