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REVIEWS / REAL HI FI

Rock On With V-Moda Headphones
V-Moda’s Crossfade LP is a solid pair of headphones that comes with a lot of extras to help you enjoy music on your iPod, PC, and other audio devices.


Plum Audio Tuner For Easy Digital Radio Upgrade
The new DAB+ tuner from Plum Audio allows a user to give their existing Hi-Fi systems an inexpensive upgrade. It may not have a lot of features, but this device is perfect for those who just want to listen to digital radio.


LG Micro Hi-Fi System Does It All
The LG FB164DAB is mini hi-fi system that offers digital and analogue radio, USB playback and direct recording, iPod connectivity, as well as DVD and CD playback.


A Tuner That Upgrades Your Hi-Fi System
The Maximum MR-2000 will give your existing Hi-Fi system a technology boost thanks to its digital radio, Internet radio, and audio streaming capabilities. It is easy to install, quick to set-up, and will give you access to thousands of songs instantly.


Revo Digital Radio Packed With Features
The Revo Ikon is more than just a digital radio: it can play music from your iPod, receive Internet radio, and even acts as a remote streaming device for your music. The question is: Are you willing to spend a fair bit for it?


New Aktimate iPod Speakers Bigger And Better
The Aktimate Mini blew us away in 2008 with its powerful and articulate sound. Two years on, Epoz has released the Aktimate Maxi—powerful iPod speakers packed with features that will let you enjoy music from almost any source.


Enjoy Your Music In Peace With Audio-Technica
The Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7b headphones sounds better, is more comfortable, and offers better noise cancellation than its predecessor, the ANC7. Unfortunately, this headphone suffers from a couple of problems that may put off users.


Kaiser Baas Simplifies Digital Radio
The new radio from Kaiser Baas is an affordable way to get acquainted with DAB+. It is small, portable, easy to use, and delivers very basic functions.


New RS180 Sennheiser Wireless Headphones The Best Ever
Every so often we come across a product that is a redesign of an existing product and in the case of the new RS 180 wireless headphone from Sennheiser, the upgrade is a dramatic improvement on what was previously a great product.


Teac Tallboy A Versatile iPod Dock
The new i-Tallboy from Teac not only plays audio on your iPod, MP3 player, CD player, USB drive, or SD memory card, but it also comes with an FM tuner in case you get sick and tired listening to your music.


Altec Lansing Speakers Perfect For Small Rooms
The Altec Lansing MX6021 is a good speaker system for your computer, MP3 player, or video game console.


Wireless Oxx Digital Radio Connects To The Internet
The Oxx Digital Classic DAB+ not only allows a user to listen to digital radio stations, it can also connect to Internet radio stations, stream audio from your computer, and even play music from your MP3 player. At $299, this DAB+ enabled radio is definitely a must have in every household.


Rip Music Play MP3 With Samsung Micro HiFi
In the age of MP3, iPods and portable music we sometimes forget about the humble HiFi. The Samsung MM-G25 is a low budget Micro HiFi with a great deal of features including MP3 playback via USB and CD ripping.


B&O Beosound 5 Still Has A Long Way To Go
The new Beosound 5 sound system from Bang & Olufsen has been a long time coming and is primarily designed to move B&O into the world of digital content management and while the system looks the part at $9,200 I think I would prefer a simple iPod touch.


Cubic Clock Misses Out On Digital Radio
The alarm clock radio from Sonoro is a solid device that sounds great. Users can use the device to listen to AM/FM, CD tracks, or even music streamed from an MP3 player. Unfortunately, its asking price is what may set users back, especially since this clock radio does not support digital radio in any way.


Reviewed: The Best iPod Speakers For Your Money
The Aktimate Mini is a simple speaker system that can blow anyone away. It has a lot to offer despite its not so affordable price tag, making it one of the best iPod speakers we have seen and heard to date.


Affordable Studio Quality iPod Speakers
If you are looking for a speaker system that is designed for your iPod, then you might as well invest in one that sounds good. The AudioEngine 5 may not have the brand cache, or the made-in-China price tag, but it is one of those iPod speakers that will surely satisfy even the keen audio listener.


Affordable Noise Cancelling Headphones That Work
The big brands in noise-cancelling headphones such as Sennheiser and Bose offer high quality solutions - but with a price tag to match. SmartHouse listens to a cheaper alternative: Audio-Technica’s Quietpoint ATH-ANC7 headphones to see how they measure up.


Sony Amp Gets Its Groove Back
This Sony receiver ditches digital amplification in favour of traditional analogue - and it sounds good to us. We look at the STR DA5200ES.


Mid-Priced Loudspeakers: HEAD TO HEAD
If you are looking for some decent loudspeakers and have a little bit more to spend, look no further than this group test of some of the best mid-range loudspeakers around. Tested here are models from the likes of B&W, Focal, Triangle, Nbien and ALR.


Cool Fatman Exposed
This is one Fatman you will definitely want in your house - we take a look at a solid amplifier that comes with an iPod dock as well - this is the Fatman iTube 182.


Rega Budget Turntable Makes A Comeback
It left us for a while, but now Rega’s classic budget turntable is back new and improved form.


Linn Exotik Pre Amp
A high-quality analogue preamp with top-notch digital processing to boot? Oh yes, this is the Linn Exotik.


Heavenly Moon Amplifier
The SmartHouse team trains its telescope on a high-end integrated amplifier from Moon.


Impressive Flying Mole Amplifier
Flying Mole’s new stereo integrated takes digital hi-fi amplification to new heights.


CD Players: HEAD TO HEAD
Resist the download generation with a top-notch CD player. We put three contenders from Arcam, Cambridge and Naim head to head.


Affordable McIntosh Amp
This integrated amp brings McIntosh’s distinctive, big-boned retro style to a new, lower price point


A REL Classy Subwoofer
The SmartHouse Team hooks up a small but beefy subwoofer from REL; the T1...and it looks like a golden egg for the company.


Mighty Primare Power Amp
Primare’s mighty new power amp is a terrific partner for the company’s excellent preamp


HEAD TO HEAD: High-End Loudspeakers
As you near the high end of hi-fi, speakers become a diverse bunch. We put three beauties hailing from Dali, Focal, JAS Audio head to head to see which is best.


Beautiful System By Rega
This Rega CD player, amp and speaker combo delivers dynamite performance for sparklers money – ‘high-end’ sound has reached its lowest price point...


Rocking Rotel Amp
The top amp in Rotel’s starter range is bigger than its peers... but is it powerful enough to rock? The SmartHouse team investigates...


Musical Fidelity Has The X Factor
The Musical Fidelity X-Series CD player and amplifier components share two things: the first is a power supply, the second is great sound.


Canton Speaker Makes Music For Our Ears
German speaker brand Canton has tuned this 5.1 speaker system.


Pro-Ject Delivers Smooth Vinyl Sound
Have Pro-Ject’s Xpression updates put it ahead of the competition?


Yamaha Amp Is Real HiFi
Yamaha returns from home cinema to its real hifi stereo roots with this stereo amplifier; the AX-497.


Slick Ortofon MC Cartridge For Turntables
The Salsa phono cartridge from Ortofon is a good choice for getting good sound for a range of musical genres from your turntable.


Lyngdorf Amp Delivers Room Perfect Sound
This digital amp from Danish amp specialist Lyngdorf helps you get the perfect sound for any room size or type.


HEAD TO HEAD: Hot Stereo Amplifiers
The latest batch of stereo integrated amplifiers hailing from Arcam, Creek, Marantz, NAD, Onkyo and Rotel - around the $1500 mark goes head-to-head. And it's not easy to choose a winner...


Top End HiFi Cable Comes At A Price
The van den Hul ultra-high-end interconnect cable sounds fantastic, but the price tag may leave a few hifi enthusiasts a great deal poorer.


Beautiful System By Meridian
Almost from the outset, Meridian has been at CD’s cutting edge. This super-neat, three-piece system shows just how far the format has come.


Cutting Edge Ruark Speakers
Ruark has slashed the size of its classic Sabre standmount and the result is a highly emotional, musically talented speaker.


Champion Cyrus Pre/ Power Amp Duo
This Cyrus pre/power amp combination is not only affordable, it’s almost without equal.


Chord Co Speaker Cables Sound Good
Using decent cable with your hi-fi gear is a must. We look at a possible candidate - the Chord Company Epic Twin speaker cables.


Vincent CD Player Delivers Good Clean Sound
Vincent combines visible valves with tiny transistors in a CD player that’s big on bling.


Naim Entry-Level Amp Impresses
This Naim entry-level pre/power amp pairing is a confident performer.


Focal Chorus Speaker: Affordable Luxury
The Focal revamped Chorus V range takes its appearance as seriously as it sounds.


Brilliant Value For Money Hi Fi Speakers
Every so often one comes across a pair of speakers that leaves one wondering as to how they got such good quality at an affordable price. The Gale series of Hi Fi speakers is one such example.


First Classé Universal Player
This Classé top-of-the-Delta-range CD and DVD player is not your average high-end spinner. We investigate the classy CDP-202.


Powerful PrimaLuna Valve Amplifier
With great build quality and a competitive price, we investigate whether the PrimaLuna ProLogue Six valve amps deliver a sound to match.



 



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