Based on the latest Qualcomm 6.1 chip, Questyle’s QCC Dongle Pro 2 builds on the concept of the QCC Dongle and QCC Dongle Pro but takes it a step further. As a reminder, the QCC Dongle provides a reliable Bluetooth audio connection to devices that lack this capability, simply by plugging it into the USB-C port—or into the USB-A port using a small adapter.
With the same compact dimensions (2.52 x 1.01 x 1.53 cm), the Pro 2 version still enables HD Bluetooth Audio for devices that don’t support it natively, such as the Nintendo Switch or even the Sony PS5, which only offers Bluetooth for connecting a controller—not for using headphones. But thanks to its improved power supply, it optimizes signal smoothness and ensures music files are transmitted with higher quality.
For non-gamers, the Questyle QCC Dongle helps ensure a reliable connection even between devices like iPads or iPhones and Bluetooth hi-fi headphones. And the Pro version already goes a step further than the standard model: although it’s based on the same Qualcomm 5.4 chip, it supports the LDAC codec at transfer rates of up to 990 kbps, making it one of the few transmitters with Apple MFi certification.
On the new Pro 2 version, in addition to Bluetooth aptX HD or aptX Adaptive—and thus LDAC—the LHDC (Low Latency and High-Definition Audio Codec, with 48 kHz/24-bit Hi-Res transmission) and LE Audio (LC3) codecs are now also supported. The addition of Auracast compatibility will also allow streaming to multiple sources simultaneously, while the power supply has been optimized to improve signal stability.
The official price of the QCC Dongle Pro 2 has just been announced at 139 €, which is 20 € more than the QCC Dongle Pro, priced at 119 €.
Unveiled soundlessly at the Vienna High End show, the ARTA is set to become the new flagship model from Romanian manufacturer Meze, surpassing both the Empyrean II and the Elite Tungsten.
Its main innovation is a brand-new, high-impedance planar-magnetic transducer developed by Rinaro Isodynamics. Coded MZ5 HΩ, this transducer takes the opposite approach to other planar models: instead of operating at low voltage and high current, it operates at high voltage and low current, resulting in exceptional linearity. Its nominal impedance is approximately 225 ohms.
On the Rinaro Parus ARTA® diaphragm, made of a lightweight composite material, the planar circuit is reported to be 2.5 times longer than on other high-end Meze models, with a cross-sectional area 2.8 times smaller. These specifications—which remain to be verified when we test the headphones—are designed to ensure great sound homogeneity and high sound density. The voice coil is divided into two sections: the longer, curved section handles low frequencies, while the circular section positioned at ear level handles midrange and high frequencies. Thanks to this dual-voice-coil design, the frequency range covered is enormous, as measured by the manufacturer from 3 Hz to 115 kHz.
With its fiberglass and carbon fiber frame reinforced by metal inserts, the ARTA still weighs 495 g. However, it offers exceptional comfort thanks to two pairs of ear pads of varying density and thickness. The first, the “Duo coudé,” is crafted from a blend of perforated lambskin leather and Alcantara®, angled for a more impactful musical presentation. The second, the “Slim Alcantara,” is made from two types of Alcantara® with interior perforations and designed for greater neutrality and a rounder upper frequency range.
Two 2-meter (6.6-foot) cables are included as standard with the ARTA, each consisting of silver-plated linear-crystal oxygen-free copper (LC-OFC) conductors arranged in a dual-strand configuration, with 161 individual conductors per strand and SoftFlex PVC insulation. The first, asymmetrical model features a 6.3 mm jack, while the second, symmetrical model features a 4-pin XLR connector.
The price of this new ARTA matches its musical ambitions, costing twice as much as the Empyrean II (3 000 €) and one-third more than the Elite Tungsten (4 000 €), for a total of 6 000 €. We look forward to getting our hands on a headphone amplifier worthy of it so we can test it and tell you more about its performance.
A naturally evolved version of the N1—which debuted in 2025 on the new Compass turntable—the Clearaudio N2 retains the same design in a 3D-printed upper chassis made of carbon-fiber-reinforced composite (PETG-CF).
Featuring a laser-engraved black finish, the N2 weighs just 8.5 g—4 grams less than the aluminum N1. This light weight gives it much broader compatibility with tonearms, especially since installation is simplified by the inclusion of threaded metal inserts—directly integrated into the cartridge body—that allow screws to be tightened from below without a locknut.
The N2 uses the same generator as the N1 but offers improved resonance control thanks to the greater rigidity of its materials, resulting in a more refined sound reproduction. Its aluminum cantilever is connected to an elliptical-shaped diamond stylus. Its compliance is 15 µm/mN, and the recommended tracking force is 2.2 g.
For added convenience, the stylus is interchangeable. In the event of wear or breakage, the stylus can therefore be replaced without having to change the entire cartridge, for just 39 €. The average output voltage of 3.3 mV also allows this cartridge to be paired with many MM phono preamps on the market, all for a price of 250 € including tax.
Founded in 2022 by engineer Audrius Balčiūnas, Silent Pound is now based in Kaunas, Lithuania, and continues to collaborate regularly with Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). The company currently offers two speaker models.
Challenger II
The Challenger II was introduced with a host of innovations, centered around a 3.5-way flat-panel enclosure. Two custom-designed 12-inch woofers are crossed over at two different frequencies to cover a slightly different frequency range starting at 30 Hz. Two 6-inch midrange drivers then take over, positioned around a 1-inch compression tweeter.
This model is available in black or white MDF or oak finishes, but can also be customized to match any interior using RAL colors. The rear-firing design allows the dipole woofers to better control sound waves in most rooms. They are priced at 27 999 € per pair in Europe and $34,999 in the United States.
Bloom
In 2024, the Bloom was added to the lineup, with its appearance reminiscent of a compact speaker to which the stand was directly attached during the cabinet’s design phase. And for good reason: the 8-mm-thick CNC-machined steel chassis runs the entire length of the speaker, leaving only the crossover visible at the top rear.
This time, the design is a pure three-way system, but with a significant innovation in the placement of the two woofers—still the same 12-inch (30 cm) models—which are positioned here in a dipole configuration, angled forward within the speaker cabinet. A coaxial driver completes the setup with an 8-inch midrange, at the center of which is a 1.4-inch compression tweeter.
With a nominal impedance of 4 ohms, the Bloom is also available in several finishes, with the feet reinforced in either oak or ash. All RAL colors are also available for the exterior cabinet, as well as Alcantara, though we do not know if this finish alters the model’s sound.
The price is $18,499 or 14 999 € per pair in Europe. And starting this fall, this model will also be available for listening in France, where the brand has announced it will be distributed by Ana Mighty Sound.
Ten years after releasing its first tube integrated amplifier, McIntosh is back with the MA2375.
Directly inspired by the iconic MC275 power amplifier, the MA2375 features the same KT88 tube push-pull circuit and four 12AT7 driver tubes and also delivers 75 watts per channel into loads ranging from 4 to 16 ohms. Its output tubes are protected by the proprietary Power Guard Screen Grid Sensor® (SGS) technology, designed to dynamically attenuate the signal so that the tubes always operate at a level that is safe for their physical properties.
Weighing 42.2 kilos (93 Ibs), this stunning piece of equipment retains the famous green logo and blue volume meters, visible on a front panel behind which the preamp tubes are housed. For this section, each channel features a 12AT7 triode paired with a 12AX7A. In this respect, the MA2375’s circuit design differs from the C8 preamp (4 x 12AX7A) and aligns more closely with the higher-end C2800 (3 x 12AX7A + 1 x 12AT7).
The connections are exclusively analog and numerous, including 2 pairs of XLR, 3 pairs of RCA, and even a 4th RCA phono input, configurable for either MM or MC cartridges. This phono input also allows you to adjust the gain, capacitance, or impedance to match the cartridge’s specifications as closely as possible. A pair of Sub Out ports and a single additional port enable the connection of two subwoofers.
Configurable with other devices from the brand—notably via its RS232 port—the MA2375 also offers customizable sound characteristics thanks to a 5-band equalizer, which can be easily adjusted using the front-panel knobs. Speaker cables are connected at the rear via the manufacturer’s high-quality Solid Cinch™ terminals. The MA2375 launches this summer at 19 500 €, a price that places it at the top of McIntosh’s integrated amplifier lineup.
