TESTS - VUMETRE (ENGLISH)

LEHMANN Black Cube SE 2 Sven Vath

PHONO PREAMP, LEHMANN, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Since its appearance on the audio market in 1995, Lehmann Audio’s Black Cube phono preamp has become a must-have for all music lovers with a passion for analogue sound. Astonishing in its sonic performance, the Black Cube was widely acclaimed and received rave reviews that contributed to its reputation and success. After an improved version called Black Cube SE in 2006 and then Lehmann Black Cube SE 2, this year Lehmann Audio is offering an even better version, tested to our great delight: the Black Cube SE II Sven Väth. This increasingly sophisticated edition, accompanied by exclusive goodies, is set to become a new benchmark in its range.

LUXMAN D-07X

NETWORK PLAYER, LUXMAN, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Unveiled at the Paris Audio-Video Show, the new Luxman D-07X immediately passed through our hands for its first test outside Japan. We were therefore able to spend more than ten days analysing in detail one of the very first models, the one used for MQA certification, and the brand’s second implementation of the best Rohm conversion chip, currently only available on the larger D-10X. Like the D-10X, the D-07X can read very high-quality files, in addition to offering high-class CD and, above all, SACD playback.

BLUESOUND Node X: The Elegant Hifi System Enhancer

NETWORK PLAYER, BLUESOUND, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

After the first Node, Node 2 and Node 3, here comes the Bluesound Node X, created to celebrate the brand’s tenth anniversary. Offered as a time-limited version, this new opus has plenty of convincing qualities. So give it a listen before you let yourself be seduced!

ESPRIT Aura G9

CABLES, ESPRIT, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Already described with the Beta series (Vumètre 44), the 9th generation of Esprit cables continues to take listeners into the realms of ultra-high fidelity, starting with the polarised Eterna range. Above this, the Aura range further develops the substance and precision of the sound elements, adding above all an impressive notion of presence, notably with the Esprit Aura G9. Thanks to this, the music takes centre stage in the listening room, as demonstrated by the contribution of both loudspeaker cables and interconnect cables on a system.

FOCAL Bathys MG

HEADPHONES, FOCAL

Designed with the same aluminum chassis as the Bathys, the Bathys MG further improves sound performance by incorporating the 100% magnesium membrane from the Clear MG wired headphones. With these new technologies, the new Focal is simply one of the most musical portable headphones on the market.

ENGSTROM Arne: An Exceptional Amplifier

AMPLIFIER, ENGSTROM, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Engstrom has set itself the mission of rediscovering the softness and serenity of the best tube amplifiers. To achieve this, the small Swedish family business set up in 2008 drew its inspiration from radio cabinets and the electronics that went into them in the 1960s and 1970s. This specificity gives this tube amplifier a rather surprising and spectacular design, which immediately sets it apart from the competition – just like its behaviour. What’s more, the Engstrom Arne will delight fans of the famous 300B tube and the exceptional musicality for which it is renowned.

EERA Minuetto: Competitive and Performant

TESTS, DAC, EERA, MANUFACTURER, TYPES

The latest addition to the EERA range, the EERA Minuetto is largely based on its predecessor, the Andante. Its rich connectivity and large display show at all times the input currently in use, along with the specific characteristics of the digital stream being processed. The main change is in the DAC itself.

ACCUPHASE E4000

AMPLIFIER, ACCUPHASE, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

Introduced a year after the E5000 amplifier, the Accuphase E4000 replaces the E480, taking what appears to be the new digital code for the brand’s class A/B integrated amplifiers. Modified using the latest technologies, including those of the recent P7500 stereo block, the E4000 sees its noise reduced still further and its damping factor considerably increased, for unfailingly quiet operation, supported by a still very comfortable power output of 2 x 180 W at 8 ohms, available to fill almost any loudspeaker on the market.

JADIS I300: Prestigious, Simple Tube Warmth

AMPLIFIER, JADIS, MANUFACTURER, TESTS, TYPES

At the time of writing, the prestigious Jadis company will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. Like all the brand’s products, the Jadis I300 is aimed at audiophiles who love the warmth of tube sound ‘à la Jadis’, a unique taste in sound. In keeping with the convictions of the most purist of audiophiles, this amplifier represents a real return to our roots. It’s a choice that argues for simplicity in tube systems using one of the most iconic tubes, the famous 300B power triode. To equip its amplifier, Jadis chose the 300Bs produced by Electro Harmonix for the quality of the sound they produce and their reliability.