Author Archives: realspin
Audio Icons
This limited edition print project is created by loudspeaker designer, writer and musician Phil Ward, and inspired by classic British hi-fi products of the nineteen seventies and eighties. The first series show six iconic amplifiers and nine iconic loudspeakers, while turntables,
Audio Icons
This limited edition print project is created by loudspeaker designer, writer and musician Phil Ward, and inspired by classic British hi-fi products of the nineteen seventies and eighties. The first series show six iconic amplifiers and nine iconic loudspeakers, while turntables,
Ortofon VMS20E MkII
There were times in the mid nineteen seventies when Ortofon cartridges were everywhere. Practically every new sub-£100 turntable seemed to come sold with an FF15E – a fine sounding £15 budget design – whereas your Rega Planar 3s, Ariston RD40s and
Ortofon VMS20E MkII
There were times in the mid nineteen seventies when Ortofon cartridges were everywhere. Practically every new sub-£100 turntable seemed to come sold with an FF15E – a fine sounding £15 budget design – whereas your Rega Planar 3s, Ariston RD40s and
Rega R100
Launched in 1978, this moving magnet cartridge sold for the princely sum of £37, which was a lot of money in those days for a phono cartridge. Indeed in a world where an Ortofon VMS20E at £25 was considered extravagant,
Rega R100
Launched in 1978, this moving magnet cartridge sold for the princely sum of £37, which was a lot of money in those days for a phono cartridge. Indeed in a world where an Ortofon VMS20E at £25 was considered extravagant,
Cambridge Audio Sonata DV30
One British company that gets far too little recognition is Cambridge Audio, despite having a history of impressive, affordable audiophile products – and that is perhaps not surprising considering that so many who have – and/or do – work for
Cambridge Audio Sonata DV30
One British company that gets far too little recognition is Cambridge Audio, despite having a history of impressive, affordable audiophile products – and that is perhaps not surprising considering that so many who have – and/or do – work for
Design Build Listen Wand
A wonderful country for sure, but not the first place you would associate with hi-fi pickup arms. But then New Zealand is full of surprises, and the Design Build Listen Wand tonearm is one of them. Designer Simon Brown has come up
Design Build Listen Wand
A wonderful country for sure, but not the first place you would associate with hi-fi pickup arms. But then New Zealand is full of surprises, and the Design Build Listen Wand tonearm is one of them. Designer Simon Brown has come up
Sonab C 500
The depth and breadth of nineteen seventies hi-fi was considerable. We all know about the rise of the major Japanese marques, but there were plenty of other continental European brands growing too, alongside the last gasps of British manufacturers like Garrard and Leak. Bang & Olufsen arguably
Sonab C 500
The depth and breadth of nineteen seventies hi-fi was considerable. We all know about the rise of the major Japanese marques, but there were plenty of other continental European brands growing too, alongside the last gasps of British manufacturers like Garrard and Leak. Bang & Olufsen arguably
profile: Hideo Matsushita
The Japanese founder of Audio-Technica first moved to Tokyo aged 32, and went to work for the Bridgestone Museum of Art in 1951. The museum’s director urged him to run what he called ‘LP concerts’, and, “these were much more
profile: Hideo Matsushita
The Japanese founder of Audio-Technica first moved to Tokyo aged 32, and went to work for the Bridgestone Museum of Art in 1951. The museum’s director urged him to run what he called ‘LP concerts’, and, “these were much more
Aura Note Music Center
I first encountered April Music at Las Vegas CES in 2004. A young South Korean company, the people behind it struck me as interesting and imaginative. Under the Stello brand name, it made some fine sounding hi-fi separates, much in the
Aura Note Music Center
I first encountered April Music at Las Vegas CES in 2004. A young South Korean company, the people behind it struck me as interesting and imaginative. Under the Stello brand name, it made some fine sounding hi-fi separates, much in the
Pioneer D-07A
As its name suggests, Pioneer has often played a leading role in new formats and technologies. In the nineteen seventies, it came up with some cracking turntables, from 1974’s PL-12D budget deck right up to 1978’s PL-L1000 high end parallel tracker. Its
Pioneer D-07A
As its name suggests, Pioneer has often played a leading role in new formats and technologies. In the nineteen seventies, it came up with some cracking turntables, from 1974’s PL-12D budget deck right up to 1978’s PL-L1000 high end parallel tracker. Its
Trio Lo-7D
Surely the most complete Japanese turntable of its time, the design team at Trio/Kenwood was the first to take a fully rounded look at the acoustic properties of materials used in turntable construction. By the standards of its late nineties seventies
Trio Lo-7D
Surely the most complete Japanese turntable of its time, the design team at Trio/Kenwood was the first to take a fully rounded look at the acoustic properties of materials used in turntable construction. By the standards of its late nineties seventies
TEAC AI-501DA-S
As he describes in his brilliant autobiography Made In Japan, Sony boss Akio Morita went to the United States in the early nineteen sixties in an attempt to persuade Americans that they should be listening to small transistor radios. At first,
TEAC AI-501DA-S
As he describes in his brilliant autobiography Made In Japan, Sony boss Akio Morita went to the United States in the early nineteen sixties in an attempt to persuade Americans that they should be listening to small transistor radios. At first,
Kraftwerk – Electric Café
It is hard to underestimate just how desperate Kraftwerk aficionados were getting by the time that Electric Café finally arrived in 1986. The band’s last studio recording – the Tour de France EP – had come out three years earlier,
Kraftwerk – Electric Café
It is hard to underestimate just how desperate Kraftwerk aficionados were getting by the time that Electric Café finally arrived in 1986. The band’s last studio recording – the Tour de France EP – had come out three years earlier,
Shure V15VxMR
In hi-fi, there have been few longer lasting things than the Shure V15. From 1964 to 2005 it was the American company’s flagship pickup cartridge, and went through no less than eight different incarnations. It built up a tremendously loyal fanbase; for
Shure V15VxMR
In hi-fi, there have been few longer lasting things than the Shure V15. From 1964 to 2005 it was the American company’s flagship pickup cartridge, and went through no less than eight different incarnations. It built up a tremendously loyal fanbase; for
NEAT IOTA
North East Audio Traders has long since stopped its retail operations; NEAT Acoustics has been a fully fledged loudspeaker manufacturer for several decades now. Founder Bob Surgeoner is an interesting and highly affable sort of fellow, and a passionate and
NEAT IOTA
North East Audio Traders has long since stopped its retail operations; NEAT Acoustics has been a fully fledged loudspeaker manufacturer for several decades now. Founder Bob Surgeoner is an interesting and highly affable sort of fellow, and a passionate and
Audiolab 8000CDM
Nineteen ninety four was pretty much the high watermark for Audiolab in its original incarnation. It seemed like the company could do no wrong. The 8000A integrated amplifier had been repeatedly refined, and was now a seriously good sounding device –
Audiolab 8000CDM
Nineteen ninety four was pretty much the high watermark for Audiolab in its original incarnation. It seemed like the company could do no wrong. The 8000A integrated amplifier had been repeatedly refined, and was now a seriously good sounding device –
Linn Nexus LS250
Warp back to Glasgow, 1987. Linn Products, which had made its fortune manufacturing the Sondek LP12 turntable, was aware that the new-fangled Compact Disc format was beginning to encroach on its sales. The company’s response was to beef up its
Linn Nexus LS250
Warp back to Glasgow, 1987. Linn Products, which had made its fortune manufacturing the Sondek LP12 turntable, was aware that the new-fangled Compact Disc format was beginning to encroach on its sales. The company’s response was to beef up its
Quad Vena
A strange brew, but likeable too. Inside, Quad’s new Vena is a brand new, high quality, Class AB amplifier with a solid 45W RMS per channel (quoted). It sports a Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC, as used in Quad’s Platinum series CD players,
Quad Vena
A strange brew, but likeable too. Inside, Quad’s new Vena is a brand new, high quality, Class AB amplifier with a solid 45W RMS per channel (quoted). It sports a Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC, as used in Quad’s Platinum series CD players,
Quad 303
In the mid nineteen sixties, Quad could do no wrong. Its recently launched ESL-57 electrostatic loudspeaker was ground-breaking, and considered one of the very best designs in the world. Its Quad II valve power amplifiers were of excellent quality too,
Quad 303
In the mid nineteen sixties, Quad could do no wrong. Its recently launched ESL-57 electrostatic loudspeaker was ground-breaking, and considered one of the very best designs in the world. Its Quad II valve power amplifiers were of excellent quality too,
Sansui AU-317
It’s sad that so many great names have fallen by the wayside, from Leak and Garrard in Great Britain to Micro Seiki and Sansui in Japan. The latter was one of the biggest Nipponese brands around in the nineteen seventies, with a
Sansui AU-317
It’s sad that so many great names have fallen by the wayside, from Leak and Garrard in Great Britain to Micro Seiki and Sansui in Japan. The latter was one of the biggest Nipponese brands around in the nineteen seventies, with a
Micromega MyAmp
The Citroën of the hi-fi world – well, sort of – Micromega is a French company that has always done things differently. Sometimes its products are superb, at others not so special, but you’d never call them boring – at least
Micromega MyAmp
The Citroën of the hi-fi world – well, sort of – Micromega is a French company that has always done things differently. Sometimes its products are superb, at others not so special, but you’d never call them boring – at least
zStereo 