TESTS - VUMETRE (ENGLISH)

ODEON AUDIO TOSCA 2020

LOUDSPEAKERS, MANUFACTURER, ODEON AUDIO, TESTS, TYPES

Featured in our issue no. 43 alongside its larger compact model, the Izumi, German brand Odeon Audio returns to VUmètre with a more substantial offering: the Odeon Audio Tosca 2020. This floorstanding speaker is the most advanced model in its catalog, ahead of the three external horn models. Priced at €8,290, it stands out for the quality of its hand-picked components—from Wima capacitors to Mundorf coils and Scan Speak drivers—in addition to its special compression tweeter from Italy, for a natural and versatile sound.

SOLIDSTEEL SS-7

SOLIDSTEEL, ACCESSORIES, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

In addition to hi-fi furniture, Italian brand Solidsteel also has two ranges of speaker stands in its catalog, including the Solidsteel SS-7, available in three heights. Designed to support a large number of speakers with as little vibration as possible, they offer better bass concentration, refined detail, and improved sound spatialization.

NAD M23

AMPLIFIER, MANUFACTURER, NAD, TESTS, TYPES

With the NAD M23, the brand offers an amplifier with prodigious power in a compact package with an attractive design. To achieve such performance, the Canadian manufacturer opted several months ago to use the new Eigentakt circuits developed by Purifi Audio.

ifi AUDIO NEO STREAM

NETWORK PLAYER, ifi AUDIO, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Following the success of the Neo iDSD, iFi has now treated us to a network variation simply called ifi Audio Neo Stream. This all-in-one device is as comprehensive as it is connected, incorporating almost all of the technologies developed by the brand, and is presented as THE cornerstone of any good system.

LUXMAN LMC5

TESTS, CARTRIDGES, LUXMAN, MANUFACTURER, TYPES

After introducing audiophile-quality cartridges with globally recognized performance more than forty years ago, Luxman has finally announced a new addition to its lineup. Named the Luxman LMC5, this cartridge is the result of two years of research. True to the Luxman spirit, it aims to be one of the most exceptional products on the market and to take over from the famous LMC1 and LMC2 cartridges, which appeared on the market in 1981 and 1982 respectively.

MARANTZ MODEL 40 N

MARANTZ, AMPLIFIER, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

“Our fundamental principle is realistic sound reproduction.” This statement by founder Saul B. Marantz still defines the brand’s philosophy today, as evidenced by this new device, the Marantz Model 40 N, which combines everything the modern music lover could wish for in a single package.

Ferrum Wandla GoldenSound Edition

TESTS, FERRUM, MANUFACTURER

Founded in 2020 and launched with the Hypsos power supply, Ferrum Audio expanded its catalog with a DAC headphone amplifier in 2022, followed by a pure DAC the following year. Called Ferrum Wandla, this digital-to-analog converter won an EISA award in 2023, which did not prevent the Polish brand from further refining its concept with a special edition in partnership with the Internet media outlet GoldenSound. Based on the same components, this version revises and adds numerous sound settings to adjust the music as precisely as possible to the listener’s preferences and desires at any given moment.

DALI RUBIKORE 2

DALI, Hot, LOUDSPEAKERS, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

After the divine Kore and the excellent Epikore, here comes the Rubikore, whose Model Dali Rubikore 2 is the smallest iteration. We listened to it a lot, enjoyed it, and we’ll explain why.

Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3: Road to the Greatest

BOWERS & WILKINS, Hot, LOUDSPEAKERS, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Renewed in 2023 to become S3, the Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series now comprises eight models, to which three Signature versions were added in 2024. Of these eight models, no fewer than three are compact speakers, the largest of which, the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3, stands out with its carbon dome tweeter decoupled from the cabinet. Priced at €2,990 per pair, this 800 Series seed already offers everything that characterizes the Bowers & Wilkins signature, with a racy and highly detailed sound that never overflows, even at the extremes, where this bookshelf speaker is happy to go without fear, even at very high volumes.