Author Archives: realspin
John Westlake
One of the most respected digital designers around, in some ways John Westlake is the archetypal definition of a geek – but is highly creative and amazingly fluent talking about his specialist area of knowledge. From Pink Triangle and Cambridge
John Westlake
One of the most respected digital designers around, in some ways John Westlake is the archetypal definition of a geek – but is highly creative and amazingly fluent talking about his specialist area of knowledge. From Pink Triangle and Cambridge
Icon Audio Stereo 845PP
The famous 845 power triode started life as a radio transmitting vacuum tube – physically large and with an impressive anode dissipation of 75 watts, it ran 1,250V on the anode no less. The thoriated tungsten filament – which glowed
Icon Audio Stereo 845PP
The famous 845 power triode started life as a radio transmitting vacuum tube – physically large and with an impressive anode dissipation of 75 watts, it ran 1,250V on the anode no less. The thoriated tungsten filament – which glowed
ATC
The Acoustic Transducer Company was founded by Australian Billy Woodman in England in 1974. As its name suggests, the company started off by making loudspeaker drive units – specifically the 12″ PA75-314 bass driver, which was widely recognised for its
QUAD
“Peter Walker had it in his mind that technology really was there to be used to achieve a result – low distortion and tonal accuracy – hence the slogan, ‘the closest approach to the original sound’”, says Quad’s Peter Comeau.
Naim DAC
Released at the end of the first decade of the new millennium, eyebrows were raised when Naim Audio gave us its first ever standalone digital-to-analogue converter. The company said it wasn’t worth doing one until it could make something that
Walker CJ58
By the time that Compact Disc arrived in 1983, Britain had a surfeit of fine belt drive turntables on sale. From the Rega Planar 3 and Ariston RD80 to the Strathclyde 305, Dunlop Systemdek and Linn Sondek LP12, there were
Walker CJ58
By the time that Compact Disc arrived in 1983, Britain had a surfeit of fine belt drive turntables on sale. From the Rega Planar 3 and Ariston RD80 to the Strathclyde 305, Dunlop Systemdek and Linn Sondek LP12, there were
Happy Christmas!
Thanks to everyone who has frequented this little internet enclave in the past year, with several hundred thousand visits from all around the world! This site is about buying, selling, owning and enjoying classic hi-fi – with some of the
Happy Christmas!
Thanks to everyone who has frequented this little internet enclave in the past year, with several hundred thousand visits from all around the world! This site is about buying, selling, owning and enjoying classic hi-fi – with some of the
Sony TC-K55/II
Sony made cassette decks from 1974 to nearly 2004. During those three decades, the machines changed enormously; they started as top-loading designs with small VU meters with slow ballistics, Dolby B and Chrome tape functionality, and little else. By the
Sony TC-K55/II
Sony made cassette decks from 1974 to nearly 2004. During those three decades, the machines changed enormously; they started as top-loading designs with small VU meters with slow ballistics, Dolby B and Chrome tape functionality, and little else. By the
Audiolab Q-DAC
Launched in 2013, the £400 Q-DAC was designed to capitalise on the success of the award-winning M-DAC of a year or so earlier. It’s effectively a ‘low calorie’ M-DAC, with much of the same good stuff under the hood, but cost-cut
Audiolab Q-DAC
Launched in 2013, the £400 Q-DAC was designed to capitalise on the success of the award-winning M-DAC of a year or so earlier. It’s effectively a ‘low calorie’ M-DAC, with much of the same good stuff under the hood, but cost-cut
Sony MDS-JA333ES
In 2003, MiniDisc was well on the way out. Sales were plummeting, and the spurt that the format enjoyed between 1998 and 1999 looked like ancient history. Of course, it was precisely at this stage in its sales cycle that
Sony MDS-JA333ES
In 2003, MiniDisc was well on the way out. Sales were plummeting, and the spurt that the format enjoyed between 1998 and 1999 looked like ancient history. Of course, it was precisely at this stage in its sales cycle that
Leema Xen 2
Prior to starting Leema, Lee Taylor was the recipient of BAFTA and Palme d’Or awards for his work in recording and mixing for television, music and film, while Mallory Nichols had previously been involved in the manufacturing of MAGTRAX monitors
Leema Xen 2
Prior to starting Leema, Lee Taylor was the recipient of BAFTA and Palme d’Or awards for his work in recording and mixing for television, music and film, while Mallory Nichols had previously been involved in the manufacturing of MAGTRAX monitors
Zu Druid IV
Made in Ogden, Utah the Zu Druid is one of the more interesting floorstanding loudspeakers that I have come across. This, the 2006-vintage fourth generation version, is a particular favourite. The one-and-a-half way speaker has a full-range drive unit along with
Zu Druid IV
Made in Ogden, Utah the Zu Druid is one of the more interesting floorstanding loudspeakers that I have come across. This, the 2006-vintage fourth generation version, is a particular favourite. The one-and-a-half way speaker has a full-range drive unit along with
Elite Electronic Industries 700
The late nineteen seventies cartridge market was a vibrant one, as you would expect. This was the height of the vinyl boom, when the format was all-conquering and the only way to play back recorded music in high quality stereo
Elite Electronic Industries 700
The late nineteen seventies cartridge market was a vibrant one, as you would expect. This was the height of the vinyl boom, when the format was all-conquering and the only way to play back recorded music in high quality stereo
Heybrook TT2
By 1980 when the Heybrook TT2 came out, almost every major development in turntable design had already happened. We had got quartz-locked direct drive, but British manufacturers largely eschewed it on cost grounds. So most UK decks were variations on
Heybrook TT2
By 1980 when the Heybrook TT2 came out, almost every major development in turntable design had already happened. We had got quartz-locked direct drive, but British manufacturers largely eschewed it on cost grounds. So most UK decks were variations on
Musical Fidelity CLiC
Launched in 2011 for £1,239, the M1 CLiC was an extremely impressive bit of kit in its day. Described as a preamplifier, DAC and network music player all in one, it seemed wonderfully versatile at the time. Pair it up
Musical Fidelity CLiC
Launched in 2011 for £1,239, the M1 CLiC was an extremely impressive bit of kit in its day. Described as a preamplifier, DAC and network music player all in one, it seemed wonderfully versatile at the time. Pair it up
Meridian
The world was a different place back in 1972. Colour television sets were bleeding-edge technology, quartz digital watches were for millionaires, and computers only appeared in sci-fi films like 2001: A Space Odyssey. “So many things that people have hobbies
Arcam
When classical guitarist John Williams wanted to play Rodrigo’s Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra in Cambridge, back in the early nineteen seventies, he turned to local university student John Dawson [pictured above left]. Having made a number of amplifier modules
Pioneer PL-12D
Back in the early nineteen seventies, the main purveyors of turntables in Britain were Garrard and BSR, with the likes of Lenco, Dual, Philips, Collaro and Balfour also providing some popular designs. Many were auto-changers, and often appeared in then-popular
Pioneer PL-12D
Back in the early nineteen seventies, the main purveyors of turntables in Britain were Garrard and BSR, with the likes of Lenco, Dual, Philips, Collaro and Balfour also providing some popular designs. Many were auto-changers, and often appeared in then-popular
Chord Chordette 2Qute
Four years ago, Chord Electronics announced a new portable DAC going under the quirky name of Hugo. This market sector was – and still is – bristling with such products – with everyone from Cambridge Audio to Oppo doing the
Chord Chordette 2Qute
Four years ago, Chord Electronics announced a new portable DAC going under the quirky name of Hugo. This market sector was – and still is – bristling with such products – with everyone from Cambridge Audio to Oppo doing the
Marantz CD-7
“The first Bitstream players sounded dire”, a senior Marantz engineer once told me. Strictly not for publication you understand, but refreshingly candid all the same. At the time, others couched the phrase in rather more diplomatic language, but it’s worth
Marantz CD-7
“The first Bitstream players sounded dire”, a senior Marantz engineer once told me. Strictly not for publication you understand, but refreshingly candid all the same. At the time, others couched the phrase in rather more diplomatic language, but it’s worth
zStereo 