With two integrated amplifiers in standard format, Exposure’s catalogue is strengthened with the 5510.
More powerful than the 2510 (2 x 75 W into 8 ohms) and the 3510 (2 x 110 W into 8 ohms), the new 5510 delivers 120 watts per channel into 8 ohms, with no details currently available on power ratings into 4 or 2 ohms.
The minimalist black aluminum front panel features a small OLED screen, framed by two classic input and volume selection knobs. Interestingly, a phono module can be selected as an option to accommodate not only MM or MC cartridges, but also DS Audio’s optical cartridges. A DAC can also be selected as an option, which allows files up to PCM 768 kHz/32-bit or DSD256 (via DoP) to be played.
The 5510, the British manufacturer’s new benchmark, has been particularly well designed in terms of its power supply, thanks to a customized toroidal transformer with hum shield and a specially designed filter to reduce noise. Six analogue inputs are available, as well as two pairs of pre-outs and two pairs of speaker terminals, the latter allowing you to bi-wire your speakers.
With a 3-year warranty, the new Exposure 5510 is expected in November at a European price of around 5 300 €, excluding the aforementioned digital and phono options.
Very compact, the new Neodio measures just 21 cm high, 15.4 cm wide, and 27 cm deep.
Despite its very small size, the weight of 5 kg per unit proves the quality of Lilli’s construction. Its MDF cabinet is dampened on the sides by a stainless-steel disc and viscoelastic material. Manufactured to specifications by the French company Kartesian, the two transducers are placed very close to each other and cover a bandwidth from 50 Hz to over 20 kHz.
A 2-way bass reflex design with a rear vent, the Lilli uses a 100 mm diameter mid-bass driver with high elongation and a carbon-aluminum cone. The soft dome tweeter is powered by a neodymium motor, while the internal wiring uses one of the manufacturer’s models, the Fractal 8, to connect the transducers to the in-house filter, designed using varnished air coils and polypropylene capacitors.
Presented in gray, the Lilli can be customized in many other colors on request. It is available now at 4 500 € per pair, plus 800 € if you want the dedicated feet, and another 600 € to perfectly maintain the bass by adding three Neodio Harmonie supports under each foot.
FiiO is now adding the ultra-compact Snowsky TINY to its already extensive range of portable DACs, which includes the MELODY and its wooden case, the larger KA17, and the KA15 with its cassette tape design on the top.
Designed like a T and barely three times the width of a USB-C port (29 x 10 x 22 mm), the TINY is designed to be connected to a smartphone, computer, or even a Nintendo Switch. Capable of supporting PCM files up to 384 kHz and DSD in DSD256, this small DAC headphone amplifier is compatible with iOS, Windows, and Android.
Available in two versions, it charges and connects via USB-C and can be integrated with:
– on version A: another USB-C connection on one side and an unbalanced 3.5 mm jack on the other;
– on version B: a 3.5 mm jack on one side and a balanced 4.4 mm jack on the other.
This small, compact DAC headphone amplifier still boasts a signal-to-noise ratio of 105 dB on its 3.5 mm output (100 dB on the 4.4 mm output) and a total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of 0.0032%. Its control app allows you to adjust frequencies across 10 bands, as well as gain and several other settings.
Currently only available in US dollars, its price seems unbeatable, as it retails for less than 40$.
The Fractal 32 line now tops the Neodio cable range.
Having worked on these products for over a year, Stéphane Even had two motivations for this project. On the one hand, he wanted to improve on the Fractal 16; on the other, he wanted to offer a credible alternative to very high-end competing products, while remaining committed to the concept of value for money.
According to the designer, the high performance of Fractal 32 cables means they can be compared to much more expensive products. To achieve this goal, Stéphane Even started with the wire used in the Fractal 16, obtained through an iterative process (hence the name Fractal), to which he added two new materials. To a new conductor, he added an insulator and a vibration damping technique with a piezoelectric component. His research on water molecules for the Neodio B2 obviously fueled this development, which led to many tests before achieving the transparency, sound image, and natural dynamics of these new high-end cables.
Three products are now available: The Fractal 32 P power cord at 1 800 € for 1.8 m; the Fractal 32 I modulation cable at 1 800 € for 1.2 m (equipped as standard with excellent KLE Innovations RCA plugs, but an XLR version is also available); the Fractal 32 L speaker cable at 2 800 € for 2×3 meters with banana plugs or spades. We’ll tell you more as soon as we receive them!
In the storms that have been raging in the world of hi-fi for many years, bad winds alternate with promising new breezes. Take Auralic, founded in 2009 by Xuanqian Wang, whose announcement of his departure at the beginning of this year was not a good sign, especially as it came just before the release of the new flagship product, the Aquila X3. This week, we learned through a press release that the company was ceasing operations immediately, citing an 80% drop in sales in 20251. The reasons given were a price war and music lovers’ supposed interest in much cheaper streaming devices. Despite these explanations, there are several contradictory reports, as some suppliers are said to have excess stock of the brand, while other countries have announced that they have been unable to obtain adequate supplies of certain models for several months. We called two French retailers, who admitted that sales of the brand had been sluggish since the beginning of the year, but not as drastic as the overall decline announced. A note for Auralic device owners: as almost all of them are UPnP, even if the excellent proprietary app were to disappear, most devices will still be usable for many years thanks to third-party apps, starting with Qobuz Connect, for example. Without specifying the amount of its liabilities, the company has announced that it is putting the brand up for sale for $2 million. Let’s hope that we will hear about a takeover in the coming weeks.
MBL
And since we are talking about takeovers, it is precisely a large Chinese luxury consortium, Chow Tai Seng, that has just bought and, at the same time, breathed new life into the German high-end brand MBL International GmbH. With 4,200 employees and 4,700 stores in China, the company is injecting the necessary cash to allow MBL to continue its activities and development for the time being, with around 50 staffs according to our sources. Although most of the buyer group’s stores are not in the hi-fi sector, it should be noted that it also owns United Audio, which already distributes many German brands on the Chinese market. With this good news, MBL, headquartered in Berlin and assembled entirely in Germany, is back on track, with more ambition than ever to conquer the international market! 2
1 « …effective immediately, the company will no longer continue operations due to a significant decline in sales performance. Sales have dropped by 80% this year due to the tariff war, increasing competition from cheaper streaming products and challenging economic conditions worldwide.”
2 « We are convinced that MBL is in excellent hands with MBL International GmbH, backed by Chow Tai Seng. The owner himself is a passionate music lover and a long-standing user of our products. Our location in Berlin, our production in Germany, our team, and our core values remain unchanged,” says Christian Hermeling, CEO of MBL. “Equally important, our strong international distribution network is recognized as one of our greatest strengths and will be further developed under the new ownership. »
