The Audio Appraisal reference system. This post will be updated to reflect future changes and kept as a historic reference to log the equipment used to create these reviews.
iFi ZEN Air Blue Bluetooth DAC Reviewed
A basic bluetooth DAC offering support for the latest codecs in a neat package, with potential for future upgrades in software as new codecs become available. Neutral performance from an ESS DAC.
Qlearsoul One-S All-In-One Turntable Reviewed
Another excellent all-in-one turntable from Qlearsoul, let down only by the lack of anti-skate. Still, better than a Crosley
Glasshouse Speaker Kit No. 1 Full Build & Review
Little sealed speakers with a big sound and some-assembly required. Satisfying to build resulting in a true hi-fi bargain. THey punch well above their weight and are worth the effort.
Spartan 20 Phono Stage By Michael Fidler Reviewed
Fidler’s first combined unit, bucking audio industry trends and providing real performance for modest money. Upholds Michael’s unsurpassed record for offering objectively the finest, and subjectively the most uncoloured, phono stages you can buy at the moment.
QlearSoul SoulBox S1 All-In-One Turntable System Reviewed
a stylish package that’s well-built and offers a lot of performance for the price. It’s a great first step into vinyl and a good choice for those who want an integrated system to fit a smaller space.
FiiO SR11 Streamer Reviewed
If FiiO developed the software to the standard of a WiiM Mini, but kept to the streaming transport format (I.E a simple bridging device with no DAC of its own) they’d have the kind of streaming transport that many are looking for at a far more sensible price than the current streaming bridges on the market. At the moment, it’s held back by its limitations.
QlearSoul One-Q All-In-One Turntable Reviewed
the One-Q is an excellent Bluetooth speaker and a perfectly acceptable turntable for occasional playback, and is easy to recommend over any of the typical alternatives currently on the market.
Cambridge Audio Azur 350A Amplifier Repair And Review
A 2010s amplifier that is normally very reliable, providing a dealer’s incompetent technician doesn’t carry out unnecessary ‘service’ work. Fortunately an easy fix had this one making music again. Fantastic amplifiers from an era where they were simple, analogue and well built.
Acoustic Research Drawings Archive
These drawings were released by Acoustic Research into the public domain in 1990. An index of the archive was made available on the Classic speaker Pages website in an Adobe flash format. The demise of flash meant the archive was impossible to access and though some work was done to index the drawings in a…… Continue reading Acoustic Research Drawings Archive
Aiyima A08 PRO Bluetooth Amplifier Reviewed
a cracking little desktop amp with high-res bluetooth for about £120. It has plenty of power to drive sensible loudspeakers and appears to be well built. Some of its internal components are running close to their ratings, especially with a 48V power supply.
Aiyima A07 MAX Amplifier Reviewed
Aiyima’s A07 Max is a fantastic budget (around £100) amp if you want to assemble a tiny system with plenty of power. The flexibility to use it as a stereo amplifier or to pair them up as monoblocks in stereo, bi-amped or even tri-amped configurations is a tremendous advantage for the money.
Magnat Signature Edelstein Loudspeakers Reviewed
wonderful loudspeakers that deserve to be front and centre of a two-channel system. These are mini speakers with a massive sound and which represent something unusual in audio – genuine value for money.
WiiM Pro Plus Streamer Review
the best combination of hardware and software I’ve seen in the hi-fi streaming sector to date, and represents the kind of value for money that is never given the recognition it deserves by the industry, especially the press. If you want to stream audio to a hi-fi, this is the little box you should buy.
Spartan 30 Headphone / Line Preamplifier By Michael Fidler Reviewed
A small desktop headphone amp with line preamplifier, ideal for miniaturised systems with active speakers. What it lacks in modern conveniences it makes up for in linearity, power and low distortion.
Acoustic Research AR48S Restoration Part 1
Dodgy drivers thwart my attempt to restore these classic Acoustic Research AR48S speakers, for now.
Technics RS-B11W Cassette Deck Thoughts & Repairs
Technics proved that doubling the decks didn’t mean halving the performance and the results speak for themselves. Probably one of the best bargains in cassette decks at the moment.
Sony TC-WR645S Cassette Deck Repairs
A well-featured machine even if it wasn’t Sony’s finest in terms of its construction quality. These make decent recordings, and are fine playback decks especially if you want the convenience of autoreverse. I’d probably still go for the more modern TC-WE475 or TC-WE675 for its simpler mechanics and better build quality
MM Pro By Michael Fidler Phono Stage Reviewed
As far as I can determine, £600 is enough to buy you the finest moving magnet phono stage currently in production. And that phono stage is the MM Pro by Michael Fidler. I will stand by that statement until someone shows me verifiable scientific data, not just audiophile hyperbole, to prove otherwise.
Edifier MR4 Active Studio Monitors Reviewed
a quality speaker for media consumption and perfectly suited to on the go use with portable interfaces. If you’re starting out in production, content creation, recording your band or trying to build a bedroom setup on a budget, you could do a lot worse.
Technics RS-M225 & RS-M17 Cassette Decks Overview & Belt Replacement
Two successive generations of Technics cassette deck, entirely different yet strikingly similar at the same time.