Viewed as a thoroughly redesigned version of the xDSD Gryphon -at which it is priced 100 € lower- the iDSD GR2 retains the same enclosure design but clearly adds a modern touch.
With its 2.3-inch (58 mm) color OLED touchscreen, iFi Audio’s new portable headphone DAC already offers significantly improved usability compared to its predecessor and many competitors. It is now also fully balanced and differential—from the preamp stage to the headphone amplification and volume control—resulting in a significantly lower distortion rate.
Furthermore, its output power is reported to be 50% higher than that of the xDSD Gryphon, at 1,513 mW RMS peak, compared to 1,000 mW previously. As for the DAC, it now features the Burr Brown PCM1795 chip, still capable of playing files up to PCM 768 kHz and DSD512, but with greater overall processing power thanks to the integration of the XU316 microprocessor.
The Bluetooth module is also an improvement over the previous version, as it now features the Qualcomm 5.4 chip (up from 5.1), which supports the aptX Lossless codec in addition to aptX Adaptive, the high-quality LDAC/LHCD codecs, and the standard AAC and SBC codecs. K2 HD harmonic enhancement technology (read our recent review of the iDSD Phantom; VU#66 FR) is now also included.
As for inputs, the device retains a USB-C port, a coaxial and optical S/PDIF port, and two analog inputs (3.5 mm or 4.4 mm), with the latter redesigned using a new, purely balanced configuration. For the headphone outputs, they benefit from the TRPA6120 amplification module for extra power, featuring one unbalanced 3.5 mm jack and one balanced 4.4 mm jack, both positioned next to a very handy volume knob. The lithium-polymer battery capacity has been increased to 4,900 mAh.
As we mentioned, the price is going down and it’s now €549! We’ll be receiving the product next week and will share more details with you very soon.
The British brand AVID continues to expand its lineup with new models and recently unveiled the OPUS PRE & POWER preamp and power amp, showcased at the 2026 Hong Kong Hi-Fi Show.
In a year already marked by new releases (Velsonic Phono Stage; Ingenium SE Turntable; Pellar II Phono Stage; Pulsus II Phono Stage), AVID is now adding two new models to its brand-new OPUS series, which is more affordable than the CELSUS -and therefore than the REFERENCE series. These two products also appear to fit into the chassis of the INTEGRATED models, with the PRE adopting the chassis of the ACCENT and the POWER using that of the more imposing SIGSUM.
OPUS PRE
Designed to be more affordable than the CELSUS PRE, the OPUS PRE does away with the separate power supply unit, instead integrating a modified version of it directly into its main chassis, this time featuring a 500 VA toroidal transformer. On the 20-mm-thick aluminum front panel, two knobs stand out; the larger one is none other than the ALPS RK50 volume control module. Next to it is a smaller knob for selecting inputs, the ports for which are neatly separated on the rear panel: 2 pairs of XLR, 2 pairs of RCA, and one pair of RCA Phono.
The phono input comes directly from the Pulsus II phono preamp and can be calibrated using a set of switches next to the terminal blocks and ground. This allows you to adjust the gain (48 dB – 60 dB – 70 dB), the input impedance for MC cartridges (100 Ω – 300 Ω – 500 Ω – 1 kΩ – 5 kΩ – 10 kΩ – 47 kΩ) and the capacitance for MM cartridges (100 pF – 200 pF – 500 pF).
This new preamplifier comes with a small, three-button aluminum remote control and allows the signal to be sent to a power amplifier via either a pair of RCA outputs or a balanced XLR pair. Like the other models in the lineup, the OPUS PRE is available exclusively in black and is priced at 24 995 € (£15 995; $29 995).
OPUS POWER
Compared to the CELSUS POWER, which delivers 150 W into 8 Ω and is powered by a 1,500 VA transformer filtered by capacitors totaling 188,000 µF, the OPUS POWER is a slightly more modest stereo amplifier.
Its power output remains ample at 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms; this Class AB amplifier module is powered by a 1,100 VA transformer, filtered by polypropylene capacitors custom-designed to AVID’s specifications, offering a total filtering capacity of 132,000 µF.
On its aluminum front panel, only a large “A” stands out, with a small blue LED in the center indicating that the unit is powered on. The rear panel features clearly separated sections between the inputs (one pair of RCA and one pair of XLR, selectable via a switch above) and the speaker terminals—of which there are four, making it suitable for a single pair of speakers. The OPUS POWER is also available exclusively in black, priced at 22 995 € (£14 995 ; $27 995).
Even in the middle of August, Accuphase continues to update its product lineup by introducing a new entry-level CD player, while we also eagerly await the successor to the E-5000 integrated amplifier.
Featuring a front panel design similar to the recent DP-570S, the DP-470 slightly separates the central tray from the two buttons close to it. Mechanically, the tray appears to have been slightly redesigned, notably with a new overhanging reinforcement plate. But it is above all the addition of the ANCC (Accuphase Noise and Distortion Canceling Circuit) to the MDS+ digital-to-analog conversion circuit that will make the difference.
Otherwise, the latter is still based on an ESS ES9026PRO chip used in parallel across its four DACs, a configuration that already delivered very convincing results in the model it replaces. The filtering circuit and certain components—notably the capacitors—have also been modified to achieve a total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) level now below 0.0002% in the conversion stage, with the average output THD+N remaining at 0.0008%.
The same front-panel buttons and rear panel as the DP-450 indicate that the DP-470 has not undergone a major redesign; its weight, moreover, remains at 13.7 kg. But based on one of the best CD players in its class, one can imagine the sonic improvement that ANCC can bring, given how impressive it was on the DP-770 (VU#62 FR “Japan Special” review).
By enlisting Ross Lovegrove to design its new connected speaker, the British company KEF aims to give its LS line a more modern, less “hi-fi” look.
Like the LS50 Wireless II, the LSX II, and the recent Coda W, the LS Luxe takes things a step further with a new 12th-generation Uni-Q driver—a 16.5 cm (6.5-inch) aluminum cone—featuring a 25 mm (1-inch) aluminum dome tweeter at its center, vented using the MAT process.
The amplification in this luxury model follows the same principle as the LS50 Wireless, with treble handled by a Class D module, but a Class AB amplifier for managing midrange and bass frequencies. The frequency response extends from 35 Hz (measured at -6 dB, 85 dB, 1 m) up to 47 kHz, depending on the equalizer settings.
As with the other active models in the KEF lineup, the LS Luxe consists of a primary speaker and a secondary speaker, both of the same dimensions (336 mm x 223 mm x 298 mm) and with a combined weight of 20 kg (44.1 Ibs) for the pair. However, while the secondary speaker offers only an RJ45 port for connecting to the primary speaker and a coaxial subwoofer output, the primary speaker features HDMI eARC, Toslink optical, coaxial, 3.5 mm analog, and, of course, Ethernet connections, as well as USB-C and subwoofer outputs.
Like the LS Series II models, the LS Luxe supports most file formats and “Connect” streaming platforms in addition to AirPlay, Google Chromecast, and UPnP, and features a Qualcomm 5.7 Bluetooth chip, as well as being Roon Ready. However, the resolution of supported files depends on whether the two speakers are connected via a cable—in which case they can handle up to 192 kHz—or if they are paired via Wi-Fi, in which case they are limited to the already excellent sampling rates of 96 kHz; in both cases, support extends up to 24 bits.
With a design that transforms the speaker into a true work of art, this new KEF LS Luxe is available in three finishes: Dusk Titanium, Eclipse Black, and Mineral White. This connected model comes with a C3 remote control and is available now for 3 999 €.
Never short on innovation, the South Korean company Astell & Kern continues to lead the pack against new Chinese entrants in the world of HD digital audio players. And after once again impressing with the SP4000T and its four Raytheon JAN6418 tubes in Vienna last May, it returns this summer with a new, more affordable model in the PD series.
Joining the PD20 and PD10 in the brand’s smallest of its four series, the PD5 features a switchable four- or eight-DAC architecture based on Cirrus Logic CS43198 chips (whereas the other PD models use ESS or AKM chips). It also incorporates EnviroTune technology to analyze ambient noise, delivering sound that’s ideally suited to the listener’s environment, particularly on public transportation or outdoors.
Housed in a compact aluminum enclosure, the PD5 offers up to 28 hours of continuous playback in Quad-DAC mode. But when using Octa-DAC mode, the sound quality is enhanced to deliver even more reliable bit-perfect playback for files up to 384 kHz/32-bit PCM or DSD256 formats.
The PD5’s octa-core processor and Android platform are optimized for most music streaming services. It features dual-band Wi-Fi and a Qualcomm 5.3 Bluetooth chip that supports the high-resolution codecs aptX HD, LDAC, and LHDC. We’ll provide the storage capacity, weight, and price as soon as we have them, but we can already confirm that the battery charge time has been optimized to take 2 hours and 30 minutes, compared to 4 hours for the PD20.
