After developing isodynamic panel technologies inspired by Magnepan, first with the DP77 and DP107, then with another design for the DP140 and DP160, where the tweeter protruded from the central panel and was embedded in the wooden side structure, the two Montalbanais...
Developed over more than three years by Jacek Grodecki, the two Closer Acoustics Ogy speakers stand out from the Polish brand’s larger models, while retaining the distinctive characteristics of a full-range driver from Catherine Fertin’s French workshops. With their highly distinctive sound, the Ogy speakers are charming companions for natural music, especially intimate music.
Released at the end of September, the Px8 S2 incorporates the structural and component improvements of the Px7 S3, including a refined design, better microphones, a carbon membrane that is better integrated into the ear cups, and Bluetooth aptX Lossless based on a latest-generation Qualcomm 5.3 chip. But as a higher-end model, it once again stands out from the Px7 and almost all of its competitors thanks to its excellent tone reproduction and high precision, with a sound that also gives pride of place to the bass
Priority to hearing is the motto of Japanese designer of high-end audiophile equipment SoulNote. Prioritising ‘feel’ and musicality over raw, indisputable but cold figures has always been its guiding principle. Its SoulNote A1 integrated amplifier, which caught our attention, is no exception to this rule and benefits from the years of research and development that SoulNote has devoted to developing systems capable of fully exploiting and expressing the liveliness of a sound source.
A little black box, admittedly very heavy, priced at over €6,000 can be a real eye-opener for anyone who loves sound reproduction. However, after several months of intensive and varied testing, we can testify that British manufacturer Chord Co has not gone over to the dark side… On the contrary, with the Chord Co PowerARAY Professional, it delivers the quintessence of its ARAY philosophy. And with this atypical product, we are not at the end of our surprises…
Founded in 1988, Solen is a company based in Grenoble that has long specialised in amplifiers, notably the Tigre hybrid integrated amplifiers, which are sold more widely abroad under the Ensemble brand than in France under their original name. Entering a new era a decade ago, the Alpine manufacturer recently began manufacturing loudspeakers, with two models already available in its catalogue, both based on HEL bass diffusion technology. Rather than the smaller metal HELya, we chose to start by exploring the more imposing the Solen HELios, a large 48 cm tall bookshelf speaker, whose Scan-Speak drivers are complemented by attractive cherry wood side panels and a dual-filter system.
Two years after the excellent DAC 1, Swiss manufacturer Niedal Audio Lab is offering a new version of its flagship converter with the Merason Reuss. Far from following the latest trends, this unconventional device adopts principles that have long proven their worth in delivering timeless musicality.
Following our article on the brand’s new E4000 amplifier (VUmètre 46), some people asked us why choose a class A/B amplifier from this range when the famous Japanese brand has a pure class A E650 in its catalogue. So we came up with the idea of producing a comparison – to our knowledge unavailable in any other magazine at the moment – between the manufacturer’s two biggest integrated amplifiers, the Accuphase E5000, rated at 240W under 8 ohms in class A/B, and the Accuphase E800, capable of reaching 50W under 8 ohms in class A.
Newcomer to the hi-fi market, German brand Luphonic Labs offers a range of turntables that stand out for their original design and ease of use, combined with meticulous, rigorous manufacturing in pursuit of great musicality. Presented at High End Munich in 2022, these turntables caught our attention and piqued our curiosity, until we were finally able to test the H2 model in this issue, equipped with the cartridge with which it is available as a package, the Audio Technica VM760SLC. Let’s discover the Luphonic H2.
