Panasonic is bringing two mini systems to the hi-fi market as the year ends. Or rather four, if we take into account that like its subsidiary brand Technics, the black versions have a different model code than the silver ones.
SC-PM110 & SC-PM112
Very compact, the SC-PM110 (silver) and SC-PM112 (black) measure just 26 cm wide by 11.7 cm high by 25.6 cm deep. Yet they still manage to incorporate a CD player, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect (the only platform listed by the manufacturer), DAB+ and FM radio, a 2.8-inch color LCD screen, and 180 watts per channel of Class AB amplification.
A 3.5 mm headphone jack, a 3.5 mm auxiliary input, and a USB port round out the features, all controllable via the included remote control. And to fill your room with sound, the system comes with a pair of black wooden-cabinet speakers. Each speaker features a 5.25-inch (13 cm) full-range driver handling midrange and bass frequencies, while a 1-inch (25 mm) tweeter handles the highs. The retail price is set at 299 €.
SC-PM300 & SC-PM302
Designed to be more affordable, the SC-PM300 micro system is also slightly taller (11.9 cm) to accommodate a CD mechanism with a less streamlined tray. Nevertheless, this version features a 2.4-inch color LCD screen, as well as Bluetooth, FM, and DAB+ radio capabilities.
With its more basic design, this version ultimately has an early-2000s retro vibe and is very straightforward, displaying only the basic functions on the front panel (play, stop, volume, etc.), while still offering a USB port and a 3.5 mm analog input.
The Class D amplifier delivers 60 watts per channel, designed to pair with the 4-inch (10 cm) full-range speakers. The 1.2-meter cables allow for a maximum distance of 2.4 meters between the two speakers. It’s a shame this model lacks a headphone jack—it could likely have included one while still staying under the 150 € mark. But it’s clear that to achieve the very affordable price of 129 €, Panasonic had to make some trade-offs!
Among the latest developments in Esoteric’s lineup, the XE series is the one that incorporates the new Master Sound Discrete DAC G2 architecture, based on a proprietary 2nd-generation FPGA architecture.
Unveiled for the first time at the 2025 Tokyo Show alongside the new Grandioso N1 (see our show coverage, featuring the two DAC boards displayed side by side), this new DAC –which delivers exceptional sound quality (as we have heard on multiple occasions)– is now being implemented in the N-01 streamer (and the Grandioso K1XE SACD player). The N-01XD SE version is therefore being replaced by the N-01 XE.
In terms of aesthetics, the unit’s front panel has been refined: it no longer includes a USB-A port –which is less and less used for USB flash drives– and its four buttons to the right of the display now form a diamond shape, which is prettier than the previous 3+1 layout. On the back, the layout has also been improved and slightly modified: the digital inputs now include a USB-C port and have lost one of the two RCA coaxial ports.
The clock section retains only a single BNC input for an external 10 MHz module, without yet offering the output port that allowed the internal clock to be synchronized with other devices, as was the case with the N-01XD SE. Most notably, the new N-01 XE features an SFP port to accommodate a fiber-optic connection or a copper cable based on these connections –like the Dela C1– in addition to the RJ45 input. The analog outputs remain as one RCA and one XLR connector on each side, a constant reminder of the unit’s perfectly dual-mono design.
Inside, the circuitry has also been upgraded: the network module has been elevated to the 4th-generation Esoteric Network Engine. As for the power supplies, there are now five of them! The feet have also been optimized to reduce vibration, though the unit has managed to shed a little weight, now coming in at 25.7 kg, compared to 26.3 kg for the previous model.
While we await a potential black version for future, the N-01 XE is initially available only in the classic silver finish, at a European price of 27 500 €.
The Nano Phono V2 was already part of Clearaudio’s catalog; now the brand has added the compact phono.
Housed in an even more condensed chassis measuring 8 cm deep by 11.5 cm wide by 2.6 cm high, this new phono preamp can drive both moving-magnet (MM) and moving-coil (MC) cartridges. For MM cartridges, it is set to the conventional impedance of 47 kΩ; for MC cartridges, it is set to the most common MC impedance of 100 Ω (for both with a capacitance of 100 pF).
Compared to the Nano V2, the Compact Phono offers higher gain at 40 dB (MM) and 60 dB (MC), versus 34 dB and 54 dB, respectively. However, the deviation from the RIAA curve increases slightly to ±0.5 dB, compared to ±0.4 dB. At the same time, total harmonic distortion (THD) drops dramatically, falling below 0.0065% compared to 0.04% on the Nano V2, but the signal-to-noise ratio drops to 76 and 65 dB, compared to 81 and 70 dB.
Weighing just 310 g, the compact phono preamp connects to a small external ±18V DC / 300mA power supply at the rear, next to a pair of unbalanced RCA output jacks and RCA inputs (with a ground terminal). Between them is a selector switch for MM and MC modes. Built-in subsonic and ultrasonic filters allow you to cut very low and very high frequencies.
Available now in gray or black, the Clearaudio compact phono is manufactured in Germany at the brand’s factory and retails for 490 €/$639/£490.
When Accuphase introduced the E-5000 in late 2021, they surprised everyone by adding such a powerful integrated amplifier to the lineup—whereas previously, one would have had to opt for a separate preamp-power amp combination to achieve such performance levels.
Five years later, with the E-5000 having been out of stock for several months, its successor has arrived. And this time, the E-6000 isn’t revolutionizing anything; it simply aims to do everything even better, starting with its output power, which increases from 240 to 260 W at 8 Ω (+20 W) and from 320 to 350 W at 4 Ω (+30 W). Incidentally, the signal-to-noise ratio has been further improved (from 111 to 112 dB) thanks to redesigned circuits, which incorporate AAVA symmetrical volume control and patented ANCC noise-cancellation technology.
To achieve this increase in power, Accuphase has increased the number of 15-A bipolar transistor pairs in push-pull configuration on each side from 5 to 6, on circuit boards now similar to those of the P-7500 (10 pairs of transistors per channel for 300 W at 8 Ω and, most notably, 600 W at 4 Ω). The damping factor, however, remains at the already excellent value of 1,000 from the E-5000 –a figure that is also equivalent to that of the E-800S and the P-7500. To power this new circuitry, the massive central toroidal transformer has therefore been made even larger, as have the associated filter capacitors, which have increased from 40,000 to 47,000 μF/100 V.
In order to fit all these new components into the chassis, it had to be enlarged. While the width remains the standard 465 mm and the depth is still 502 mm, the height has increased from 211 to 221 mm (+10 mm), bringing it a bit closer to that of the E-800S (239 mm). In fact, the E-6000 features the same LED information bar beneath the glass front panel as the E-800S. Already featured on the latest models, it displays information that was visible in the dark beneath the VU meters on previous versions. The unit’s total weight has also increased, rising from 33.8 kg to 38.6 kg (+4.8 kg), and is now heavier than that of the E-800S (35.7 kg).
Otherwise, nothing has changed regarding the features that have long defined an Accuphase integrated amplifier –which has been so complete for years with its two sets of two pairs of speaker terminals, a plethora of RCA and XLR analog inputs, and two slots for installing a DAC-60 card or an AD-60 MM/MC phono card, for which function buttons are already located in the front panel. The unit also still features bass and treble equalization and balance controls –some features rarely found on high-end integrated amplifiers. The accompanying remote control is now the RC-260 (up from the previous RC-250).
The European price has risen very slightly to 14 490 €. Now we just have to discover the improvements in sound quality as soon as the first units arrive!
It had been nearly 15 years (since 2012) since the Nordost Norse Series had been in the Norse 2 generation. It was therefore time to move on to the Norse 3 version, which features updates across all product lines (Heimdall, Frey, and Tyr), though initially only for speaker cables, signal cables (balanced and unbalanced), and power cables.
For these new cables, the geometry has been optimized and the micro/dual monofilament process improved. As a reminder, this patented technology involves isolating each conductor by precisely covering it with either a single strand (Micro) or a twisted pair (Dual) of monofilaments, then encasing it in a high-quality extruded FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) layer.
Norse 3 Power Chords The new Norse 3 power cables feature shielding optimized for alternating current, with a design based on the Mono-Filament technology described above. The conductors are made of 7N silver-plated OFC copper (99.99999% purity) and, as is always the case with this American manufacturer, the lengths are mechanically adjusted.
These features further neutralize electrical and mechanical influences that could compromise performance, thereby reducing system noise even further. The Heimdall 3 uses 3 x 16 AWG conductors, the Frey 3 uses 5 x 16 AWG, and the Tyr 3 uses 7 x 16 AWG. Prices per meter are currently available only in the United States (excluding tax): Heimdall 3 – $1,000.00; Frey 3 – $2,700.00; and Tyr 3 – $4,500.00. The colors used to distinguish each series remain the same, but a reinforcement ring has been added.
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Norse 3 interconnect RCA & XLR cables These models are constructed from multiple silver-plated 7N OFC conductors arranged in twisted pairs, featuring Dual Mono-Filament technology and full double shielding (97% coverage) to protect analog signals from noise and interference.
The Heimdall 3 Modulation cables are made with 4 x 24 AWG conductors, the Frey 3 with 6 x 24 AWG, and the Tyr 3 with 8 x 24 AWG. Their respective capacitances and inductances are 92.8 F/ft & 0.19 μH/ft, 136.4 pF/ft & 0.13 μH/ft, and 207.1 pF/ft & 0.09 μH/ft. As for prices per meter with XLR like RCA connectors, in the U.S., they are $1,700.00 (Heimdall 3), $2,600.00 (Frey 3), and $4,400.00 (Tyr 3).
Norse 3 Speaker cables The Norse 3 speaker cables retain the flat geometry cherished by Nordost, as well as Micro Mono-Filament technology with FEP insulation. The lengths are mechanically adjusted to ensure maximum signal speed and fidelity. The custom-designed gold-plated beryllium-copper connectors are ultrasonically welded. ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge) materials dissipate static electricity and ensure signal control throughout the entire cable structure.
For these models, the gauges are 18 x 22 AWG with a propagation velocity of 95% for the Heimdall 3, 22 x 22 AWG and 96% for the Frey 3, and 26 x 22 AWG and 97% for the Tyr 3. Available with gold-plated spades or Z-plug bananas, the Norse 3 speaker cables are sold in pairs of 1 meter at U.S. prices of $2,450.00, $4,600.00, and $8,000.00, respectively.
