breaking news
Marantz Releases Its New Compact All-in-One MCR 60n DAB
In today’s hi-fi market, requests are diverse and still call for devices with CD players, even when they need to be compact and include all modern streaming options. It is precisely for this type of use that Marantz is now responding with the new MCR 60n DAB. Although...
Esoteric Expands Its Turntable range with the T-01
The specialist in CD and SACD mechanics Esoteric surprised the audiophile community in 2022 by introducing the Grandioso T1 turntable. This year, it’s back at it with a more affordable but high-end model, the T-01, which may be even more refined. Although the chassis...
Tech Gate Wien 2026: Wattson Audio Madison Phono
Following CH Precision’s acquisition of Wattson Audio, the Madison range saw the Streamer undergo a minor update (review VU#59 FR), before the power amplifier (Madison Amp) and a separate power supply (Power S; review VU#63 FR) were introduced. At the same time, we...
NEWS
TAD Labs’ integrated amplifier now includes a DAC in its TAD-A1000D model
While in the mid-range of the hi-fi market, the question of removing the DAC from certain integrated amplifiers remains –as seen recently with Hegel’s purely analog version (A200) of its new H200– in the ultra-high-end segment, the opposite approach is being...
Thrax Switches to GaN-FET with the D-Mono
After having attracted many audio engineers in recent years, Gallium nitride (GaN-FET) transistor technology could be the long-awaited breakthrough that propels Class D amplifiers into the ranks of music lovers’ favorites. Following the launch of a brand like Ixycore...
MkII Generation for the Hana EL & EH
After 16 years of excellent and very loyal service, the Hana EL has been modified to join the SL in the MkII generation. Available in both the entry-level MC EL version and the high-end MC EH version, the new MkII chassis features several enhancements derived from the...
Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Upgrades to D5
The British manufacturer has recently set to work upgrading its 800 Series speakers from D4 to D5. This 5th generation of diamond-dome tweeter speakers still consists of seven models, ranging from the compact 805 D5 to the four floorstanding models—the 804 D5, 803 D5,...
New CS7500 Streamer from McIntosh
The launch momentum shows no signs of slowing down at McIntosh. Following the new MA2375 tube integrated amplifier (previewed in VUmètre No. 67 FR) and the MX124 13.4-channel audio-video processor, the American brand has announced the new CS7500 preamp-streamer. With...
Naim Releases the Uniti Star Lite
Housed in a chassis similar to the Uniti Nova’s, the Uniti Star Lite incorporates much of the same technology, but at a lower price. Overall, this new model retains the Uniti Nova’s amplifier-streamer functions, as well as the 5-inch LCD screen on the front panel and...
TESTS
B.Audio Alpha One
Founded in 2016, B.Audio is still run from Saint-Hippolyte by Sébastien and Cédric Bermann. After making a name for itself with its very first DAC, the Haut-Rhin-based manufacturer expanded its product line by creating a more affordable series called One, which included a DAC that could be paired with a preamp section and a network card, followed by a power amplifier. Today, the combination of these devices makes it possible to introduce a groundbreaking all-in-one unit—a combination of a DAC, preamplifier, and network player with an amplification section—to create the B.Audio Alpha One. Self-contained, this device simply needs to be connected to a pair of speakers to enjoy its full finesse and purity of sound.
WATTSON AUDIO EMERSON DIGITAL
Recently acquired by CH Precision, Wattson Audio had not yet been tested by us. But rather than starting with the new Madison LE Amplifier power amplifier, unveiled last May in Munich, we decided to go back to the company’s basics: its streamers. The smaller of the two ranges and available in analog or digital versions, the Wattson Audio Emerson Digital, despite its compact case, demonstrates all the finesse and purity of reproduction that have made the Swiss brand’s reputation.
MEZE Alba
A regular on our test benches, Meze returns this year not with headphones but with in-ear headphones: the Meze Alba. A model presented as more accessible than its big brother, the Advar, aimed at both novice music lovers and demanding audiophiles looking for affordable, stylish, and high-performance headphones. No small feat. A new gem from the Romanian manufacturer?
STAX SR-L500 mk2 & SRM-D10 II
While the reputation of headphones designed around electrostatic transducers is based on the finesse of their sound reproduction and the sharpness of the sound image they deliver, this technology remains particularly difficult to implement. Very few manufacturers venture into this field, even among the most expert in the world of headphones. Japanese headphone designer Stax has over 70 years of expertise and mastery of this technology. Today, it presents a unique combination of electrostatic headphones and a dedicated portable headphone amplifier. A first in this field!
SOULINES KUBRICK DCX & SORANE SA-1.2
Inspired by the spacecraft in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Soulines Kubrick DCX features an all-aluminum base designed around the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence. Adaptable to a wide range of tonearms thanks to three interchangeable bases, this Serbian-made turntable is available in France with a Japanese tonearm that is particularly well suited, both in terms of its modern design and innovative technology: the Sorane SA-1.2, also made entirely of aluminum, giving it a fast and tight sound that is as neutral as possible in its tones.
YG Acoustics Peak Ascent
At the start of this year, it is taking advantage of a new distribution network to regain the upper hand, especially as it now offers a new range that is more affordable than the Reference. Named YG Acoustics Peak Ascent in homage to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, this new series of six models starts with two compact speakers, a subwoofer, and three floorstanding speakers, of which we are testing the mid-range, a magnificent three-way model called Ascent.
INTERVIEWS
MATTHEW WEBSTER – YG ACOUSTICS
Present in Munich with most of his staff, Matthew Webster, YG Acoustic CEO, answered our questions about the launch of a new Ultimate range, which includes the Gemini project. Definitively named Titan for its commercial release, the new pair of ultimate speakers was recently heard again in excellent acoustic conditions in Tokyo and will also be presented in France at the Paris Audio Video Show at the end of October.
ACCUPHASE INTERVIEW 2023
After attending the High End trade show in Munich, Accuphase’s management team headed for Paris, where they visited Music Hall, one of the most important resellers for the company in France. On this occasion, we had the privilege of meeting one of the brand’s founders, Jim S. Saito, surrounded by his team of engineers and sales staff.
BEGÜM TOMRUK – MARANTZ
As the new design director in charge of the Horizon project upon her arrival in 2023, Begüm Tomruk tells us how and why she chose a position in hi-fi, then explains where she wants to take Marantz to continue to interest audiophiles, while also reaching other audiences attracted by music.
REPORTS
HIGH END VIENNA 2026 – NEWS
As you know, the major international hi-fi exhibition, the High End Show, is moving from Munich to Vienna in 2026. With this change, we observed a new dynamic this year, where the loss of familiar landmarks meant many exhibitors had to rethink their approach....
THE BRISTOL HI-FI SHOW 2026
Among the world’s major hi-fi shows, the one in Bristol is the most famous in the United Kingdom. Held in a large downtown hotel, it occupies a long ground floor, a terrace, a basement, and four mezzanine levels, each with about fifteen rooms. At the 2026 show, we...
Report: Provence Audio Show in Aix, 15 & 16 November 2025
Three weekends after the Paris Audio Video Show, the Provence Audio Show was held on the other side of France. Like last year at the Mariott Renaissance Hotel in Aix-en-Provence, the second edition of this show allowed more than a thousand enthusiasts and...
MUSICS
JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ – AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT
Gentleness and inspiration form the foundation of José González’s 5th album, on which he needs nothing more than his acoustic guitar and his voice to showcase his talent.
VINCENT PEIRANI – LIVING BEING IV (TIME REFLECTIONS)
Inspired by many styles, accordionist Vincent Peirani brings them together with his quintet in Living Being IV (Time Reflections), a jazz album that is both accessible and invigorating.
TORO Y MOI – UNERTHED: HOLE ERTH UNPLUGGED
Accustomed to regularly changing styles, Toro Y Mio delivers Unerthed: Hole Erth Unplugged, a tender folk version of the previous album, which was much more electronic-oriented.