Author Archives: realspin
Yamaha NS-5000
If you’ve been paying attention over the past few decades, you’ll know about Yamaha’s iconic NS-1000M loudspeaker, launched back in 1978. Sporting highly innovative Beryllium midrange and treble dome drivers – which were a fraction of the weight of conventional designs
Yamaha NS-5000
If you’ve been paying attention over the past few decades, you’ll know about Yamaha’s iconic NS-1000M loudspeaker, launched back in 1978. Sporting highly innovative Beryllium midrange and treble dome drivers – which were a fraction of the weight of conventional designs
Sony TA-F55
By 1979, Sony amplifiers had abandoned their exotic but unreliable V-FET output transistors, and were innovating in different ways – the challenge was to add an interesting twist to a conventional design. So from the middle of the new TA-F
Sony TA-F55
By 1979, Sony amplifiers had abandoned their exotic but unreliable V-FET output transistors, and were innovating in different ways – the challenge was to add an interesting twist to a conventional design. So from the middle of the new TA-F
Audio-Technica AT-VM530EN
After what feels like decades of waiting, Audio-Technica introduced a range of nine new cartridges in 2017, comprising 500, 600 and 700 Series bodies with seven different versions of styli, including special line contact, Shibata, MicroLine, elliptical and conical types. All
Audio-Technica AT-VM530EN
After what feels like decades of waiting, Audio-Technica introduced a range of nine new cartridges in 2017, comprising 500, 600 and 700 Series bodies with seven different versions of styli, including special line contact, Shibata, MicroLine, elliptical and conical types. All
Wharfedale Glendale 3XP
Wharfedale is an iconic British loudspeaker brand whose heyday was arguably the nineteen seventies, at the peak of the British hi-fi boom when it was owned by the Rank Organisation. Founded by Gilbert Arthur Briggs in his Ilkley home in the
Wharfedale Glendale 3XP
Wharfedale is an iconic British loudspeaker brand whose heyday was arguably the nineteen seventies, at the peak of the British hi-fi boom when it was owned by the Rank Organisation. Founded by Gilbert Arthur Briggs in his Ilkley home in the
4hero – Two Pages
It was twenty years ago that Mark ‘Marc Mac’ Clair and Dennis ‘Dego’ McFarlane released their third studio album, 4hero’s Two Pages – and soon achieved wide critical acclaim, going on to become nominated for that year’s Mercury Music Prize. Straight
4hero – Two Pages
It was twenty years ago that Mark ‘Marc Mac’ Clair and Dennis ‘Dego’ McFarlane released their third studio album, 4hero’s Two Pages – and soon achieved wide critical acclaim, going on to become nominated for that year’s Mercury Music Prize. Straight
Croft Vita
Warp back to 1995, and the world was quite a different place. In hi-fi, we were besieged by a welter of black pressed steel-cased transistor amplifiers and CD players; Audiolab’s 8000a reigned supreme on the showroom floor, and the talk was
Croft Vita
Warp back to 1995, and the world was quite a different place. In hi-fi, we were besieged by a welter of black pressed steel-cased transistor amplifiers and CD players; Audiolab’s 8000a reigned supreme on the showroom floor, and the talk was
MEL Audio Rechav II
Even back in 2004, it felt like CD players were reaching the autumn of their lives. The onslaught from DVD-Audio, SACD and indeed universal machines was such that fewer and fewer folk wanted old, unreconstructed CD separates anymore. Those who
MEL Audio Rechav II
Even back in 2004, it felt like CD players were reaching the autumn of their lives. The onslaught from DVD-Audio, SACD and indeed universal machines was such that fewer and fewer folk wanted old, unreconstructed CD separates anymore. Those who
Marantz DV-12S1
By 2002, the DVD-Audio versus SACD war was raging. Many manufacturers first nailed their colours to one format’s mast, but soon realised they needed to cater for both new hi-res disc types. This was before the era of so-called ‘universal’
Marantz DV-12S1
By 2002, the DVD-Audio versus SACD war was raging. Many manufacturers first nailed their colours to one format’s mast, but soon realised they needed to cater for both new hi-res disc types. This was before the era of so-called ‘universal’
UB40 – Signing Off
Two months into the nineteen eighties, and British popular music was enjoying a particularly purple period, with brilliant post-punk bands like The Undertones and The Jam electrifying the singles charts. There was also a full-blown ska revival going on, with
UB40 – Signing Off
Two months into the nineteen eighties, and British popular music was enjoying a particularly purple period, with brilliant post-punk bands like The Undertones and The Jam electrifying the singles charts. There was also a full-blown ska revival going on, with
Revealed: The Greatest Speaker of the Nineteen Seventies
In 1977, in a small office inside Wharfedale’s new production facility in Highfield Road, Bradford, a group of four young design engineers decided to do something very special to commemorate the company’s forty-fifth anniversary. The iconic Yorkshire loudspeaker marque was
Revealed: The Greatest Speaker of the Nineteen Seventies
In 1977, in a small office inside Wharfedale’s new production facility in Highfield Road, Bradford, a group of four young design engineers decided to do something very special to commemorate the company’s forty-fifth anniversary. The iconic Yorkshire loudspeaker marque was
Weiss DAC202
Daniel Weiss cut his engineering teeth working for Studer-Revox, specialising in the design of sampling frequency convertors. He left to form Weiss Engineering Ltd in 1985. His company is certainly better known in pro circles than domestic hi-fi, with clients
Weiss DAC202
Daniel Weiss cut his engineering teeth working for Studer-Revox, specialising in the design of sampling frequency convertors. He left to form Weiss Engineering Ltd in 1985. His company is certainly better known in pro circles than domestic hi-fi, with clients
Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
When the ‘Rite of Spring’ was first performed in Paris in May 1913, there were boos after the first few bars of the Bassoon solo, degenerating into public arguments in the subsequent bars and by the end of the work,
Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
When the ‘Rite of Spring’ was first performed in Paris in May 1913, there were boos after the first few bars of the Bassoon solo, degenerating into public arguments in the subsequent bars and by the end of the work,
Japan – Quiet Life
When Japan formed in 1974, the band had a long way to go to reach the brilliance of its third studio album, Quiet Life. Still, the signs were encouraging – although a little too obsessed with the style and sound
Japan – Quiet Life
When Japan formed in 1974, the band had a long way to go to reach the brilliance of its third studio album, Quiet Life. Still, the signs were encouraging – although a little too obsessed with the style and sound
ARCAM airDAC
If you’re an audiophile fed up with all those pesky wires, or a normal human being put off by the prospect of them in the first place, then this is for you. Essentially it’s a high quality digital-to-analogue converter which
ARCAM airDAC
If you’re an audiophile fed up with all those pesky wires, or a normal human being put off by the prospect of them in the first place, then this is for you. Essentially it’s a high quality digital-to-analogue converter which
Origin Live Aurora Mk3
Launched in 2014 for a whisker under £1,000, the Aurora was the baby in the company’s four-strong range of turntables. Like the original which appeared back in 2003, it’s a high quality skeletal belt drive design hewn from black acrylic
Origin Live Aurora Mk3
Launched in 2014 for a whisker under £1,000, the Aurora was the baby in the company’s four-strong range of turntables. Like the original which appeared back in 2003, it’s a high quality skeletal belt drive design hewn from black acrylic
Dynavector DV-20X H
Any analogue addict worth his record collection will remember the old Ultimo 10X, a high output moving coil designed and manufactured by Dynavector of Japan. Back in the late nineteen seventies it was one of the most musical budget pickups
Dynavector DV-20X H
Any analogue addict worth his record collection will remember the old Ultimo 10X, a high output moving coil designed and manufactured by Dynavector of Japan. Back in the late nineteen seventies it was one of the most musical budget pickups
Ortofon MC Kontrapunkt b
Back at the turn of the new millennium, Ortofon launched three new Kontrapunkt moving coil cartridges to commemorate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the death of Johan Sebastian Bach. The a and b comfortably outsold the c, with all
Ortofon MC Kontrapunkt b
Back at the turn of the new millennium, Ortofon launched three new Kontrapunkt moving coil cartridges to commemorate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the death of Johan Sebastian Bach. The a and b comfortably outsold the c, with all
Rega Planet 2000
Rega’s first Planet CD player – not to be confused by the original Planet turntable – was the company’s entry-level silver disc spinner of the mid nineteen nineties. This, as its name suggests, was the 2000-model year update, and an
Rega Planet 2000
Rega’s first Planet CD player – not to be confused by the original Planet turntable – was the company’s entry-level silver disc spinner of the mid nineteen nineties. This, as its name suggests, was the 2000-model year update, and an
AMC CVT3030
If NAD had made a tube amplifier, then this would have been it. Designed by Peter Bath (who worked for Dolby, AR and indeed NAD), and manufactured by IEEE in Taipei (one-time makers of Cambridge Audio, Luxman, Proton and NAD
AMC CVT3030
If NAD had made a tube amplifier, then this would have been it. Designed by Peter Bath (who worked for Dolby, AR and indeed NAD), and manufactured by IEEE in Taipei (one-time makers of Cambridge Audio, Luxman, Proton and NAD
Whest Audio PS.30RDT
Launched in 2009 as close descendent of the company’s flagship MC REF V, Whest Audio’s PS.30RDT cost a hefty £2,799 when new. It comes in a single 430x280x72mm box, inside which is an ultra low noise bipolar opamp DIP8 chip heavily biased into
Whest Audio PS.30RDT
Launched in 2009 as close descendent of the company’s flagship MC REF V, Whest Audio’s PS.30RDT cost a hefty £2,799 when new. It comes in a single 430x280x72mm box, inside which is an ultra low noise bipolar opamp DIP8 chip heavily biased into
zStereo 