Presented with the PD-191A turntable (VUmètre FR #50/EN #8; Remarkable), the Luxman LTA-710 arm is now available separately. Developed by SAEC exclusively for the Japanese electronics manufacturer, this 10-inch arm in chrome-plated brass and S-shaped design, with knife-edge bearings, has the advantage of a separate 7N aluminum shell (coded OPPD-SH3). It can be adapted to Luxman PD171A and PD171AL turntables thanks to a new base plate (OPPD-AB7), or to many other turntables capable of handling a 10″ arm.
Weighing 713g including anti-staking, base and counterweight (suitable for 10 to 19g cells), this 22mm height-adjustable (VTA) LTA-710 arm costs €3 590/$5 875 separately, to which some users will need to add the €685 baseplate and a 5-pin output cable, including Luxman ones with RCA (JPR-15000PH; €820) or XLR (JPC-15000PH; €850) plugs. Recommended by the manufacturer, the Luxman LMC-5 cell can be fitted as standard to the arm shell, still available at the product price of €2 290/$3 775.
Founded in Switzerland in 2007, Daniel Hertz is today the company that employs the brilliant brain of Mark Levinson, long since retired from his eponymous brand acquired by Harman Kardon, but still very present on multiple projects in the hi-fi world. With the Maria 350 and 800 amplifiers (€12 000 and €30 000) and five loudspeakers, from the compact Eva (€7 000) to the massive M1 (€200 000; including a Maria 800), Daniel Hertz has developed, under Mark Levinson’s direction, a new audio format called C-Wave, accepted since January 2024 by the US Patent Office.
Explained in detail on the brand’s website (https://danielhertz.com), the aim of this technology is to smooth the dips in the PCM signal to recreate a curve as close as possible to analog and real sound. With an analysis of encephalograms in response to different listening, Mark Levinson attempts to demonstrate factually that this new format is much better integrated by the human ear and therefore tends to greatly improve the quality of listening to digital files, including those in streaming. We willl be happy to try it out for ourselves!
The Erco from Polish manufacturer Ferrum Audio is now in its second generation. At once a headphone amplifier (with 6.35 and 4.4mm jack inputs), digital-to-analog converter and digital preamplifier, the Erco 2 sees the conversion stage completely renewed and inside the DSP a new DDF (Dynamic Digital Filtering), with conversion now possible up to 768kHz (PCM) or DSD512 sampling levels. Still priced at €1,795/$1,795/£2,395, the Erco 2 can be rebuilt from an initial Erco for €198/$198, to gain the same improvements and bring even more dynamics to a device in its range. With RCA and XLR interconnect outputs and toslink optical, SPDIF coaxial and USB-C digital inputs, it remains upgradeable on the electrical input side thanks to the addition of the separate Hypsos power supply.
The Austrian Audio Full Score one is a very low noise power amplifier that can handle both low-impedance headphones down to 10 Ohms and high impedance, low sensitivity headphones with over 300 Ohms. The main amplifiercomprises a wide band, fully symmetrical voltage feedback circuit with a triple emitter follower output stagebiased in class B, a high-speed complementary push-pull gain stage, and a cascoded parallel differential input stage. This results in the lowest THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) at every output level and frequency range, so you can enjoy every nuance of your favorite recordings, even with less sensitive headphones that need more amplification.
Made in Austria the Full Score one features our unique „True Transient Technology“ (TTT). This technologyensures that the amplifier delivers even the steepest transients unaltered to the listener. The amplifier‘s short output voltage invariant rise time, combined with a high maximum slew rate, ensures that the full bandwidth and finest subtleties of the recording become accessible.
Fully discrete, analogue Amplifier Design
No ICs in the signal path• Only high-end or military-grade components used
True Transient Technology (TTT button) enables to transmit even extreme transient signals
High Voltage design enables higher dynamic range
Only 6 dBA SPL noise floor when used with The Composer (very sensitive headphone)
Power Bandwidth: 5 Hz – 2 MHz THD (@ 1kHz): 0.0005% @ 10 Ω, 1.0 W Selfnoise: EIN 136 dB(A)Max slew rate: 200 V/μs Inputs: 2x XLR and 2x RCA (parallel) Outputs: 2x 6.35 mm jack and 1x XLR 4pin Recommended input voltage: 0 dBV, 1 Vrms Recommended max load (5 Hz – 20 kHz): 10 Ω – 600 Ω, max. 150 nF Max output voltage (5 Hz – 20 kHz): 19 dBV, 9 Vrms @ 0,01% THD Output power: 1 W @10 Ω, 0.313 W @32 Ω (1 Vrms input) Power rating: 220 – 240 V~ / 50 Hz and 100 – 120 V~ / 60 Hz Power consumption: 10 W idle, max. 25 W Dimensions: 265 x 220 x 65 mm Weight: 2.8 kg
Four years after launching the passive twenty5i, PMC returns to the Bristol show in 2024 with active versions. Initially limited to the four two-way loudspeakers in the series, i.e. the two compacts twenty5.21i and 5.22i and the two floorstandings twenty5.23i and 5.24i, this integrated amplification uses a 100W module per loudspeaker, which can also be integrated into the passive versions, for customers already in possession of one of the aforementioned models.
Adapted to each model with a precise adjustment of the crossover according to the loudspeakers and drivers, the amplification revitalizes a range with a conventional design and highly recognized performances in the music world, adapting to new consumption patterns and new generations, as active loudspeakers allow to limit cables and boxes. Based solely on amplification, this module does not yet integrate a converter or network card, and therefore requires an upstream source, to be connected either via RCA or XLR terminals.
Priced at £1,795 if you already own a pair of passive twenty5i, the amplification module is otherwise included directly in the new Active twenty5i range, whose prices initially presented only for the UK are £3,975 (5.21i), £5,275 (5.22i), £5,975 (5.23i) and £7,975 (5.24i).
