Australian Hi-Fi Magazine January / February 2021

Home \| High-End Audio Reviews \| Audiophile Show Reports \| Partner Mags \| Hi-Fi / Music News
	High-Performance Audio Reviews Music News, Show Reports, And More! Celebrating 29 Years Of Service To Music Lovers

Australian Hi-Fi Magazine January / February 2021

Since 1969, Australian Hi-Fi Magazine has kept audiophiles up to date on all the latest advances in audio technology and the hi-fi components available to enjoy music. All equipment reviews and music reviews are written by professionals who are experts in their respective fields, and are checked for accuracy by experienced sub-editors. Every audio component reviewed in Australian Hi-Fi Magazine is also independently tested by a NATA-certified test laboratory, whose test results and graphs are published with each review, together with a detailed technical analysis of those results. Australian Hi-Fi Magazine also maintains a complete database of all Australian and New Zealand distributors of hi-fi equipment, along with updated listings of the brands they distribute. Australian Hi-Fi Magazine is published six times a year and on sale at thousands of news agencies throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as being available in selected audio stores across the country plus International mail and online via digital download.

Features
3 Editor's Lead-In
CES is no longer the essential show on the hi-fi calendar, which is actually a great thing for most audiophiles, including here in Australia.

Equipment Reviews
16 Gryphon Essence Preamplifier & Essence Stereo Power Amplifier
Class-A amplifiers deliver the best sound quality, but they're also very large, very expensive and run very hot. Gryphon's unique 'Green Bias' solves one of these issues.

28 B&W PX-7 ANC Headphones
Bowers & Wilkins, best-known for its loudspeakers, has been playing catch-up with its headphones for more than a decade. With the PX-7s, it's finally crept ahead of the pack.

32 Harbeth Compact 7ES-XD Loudspeakers
UK designer Alan Shaw says he now has a "higher power sonic microscope" that has enabled him to improve every one of the models in his range to 'XD' status.

42 Pilium Elektra DAC
This is not only the heaviest DAC we've ever tested, it's also the only one that's been made in Greece, and this despite the company that makes it being registered in Bulgaria.

50 Silent Angel Rhein V2 Music Server
Thunder Data's Silent Angel Rhein is not only silent, it also gives you access to your music in many different ways. Stephen Dawson explains what it does and how you use it.

54 Richter Harlequin S6 Loudspeakers
A floor-standing two-way design has many advantages over a stand-mount and our in-depth review lists all of them — as well as the disadvantages!

62 Q Acoustics QB12 Subwoofer
What can we say? We're in awe of its performance, particularly given its relatively compact dimensions and its modest — retail price.

Features
6 Sound Bites
B&W 600 Series Anniversary Editions, DS Audio Grand Master Optical Cartridge, Artnovion back at Cogworks, Sonus faber's Maxima Amator, 'Intelligent' headphones from Yamaha, Audiolab 6000A Play, Astell&Kern Kann Alpha, Denon 110th Anniversary models, Moon 680D DAC and 600i Integrated, Ishiwata tribute integrated and CD player from Rotel, plus new models from Keith Monks and Copland.

58 Podcasting For Fun and Profit
Whether you're doing it for fun, or profit — or both — podcasting is easy and cheap to do. We look at what you'll need to get started.

40 Obituary
Brian Russell, Bryston

68 Class-D Feature
Is Eigentakt, developed by the famous Bruno Putzeys at Purifi, a version of which is used by NAD in its brilliant M33 amplifier, the ultimate Class-D amplifier topology?

Music
72 Old Turns
Tears For Fears' new box set contains outstanding versions of their classic hits, along with a wealth of unreleased material. We also review box sets from two very under-rated bands, Trees and Rhinoceros.

73 Top Picks
Our very own Powderfinger has released an album of unreleased tracks that's so good it feels like a 'Greatest Hits' CD from a parallel universe. Whatever were they thinking not to release them?

74 Jazz Track
Harry Beckett's trumpet tone was astonishing and you can hear it at its best on Joy Unlimited. You can also hear another side of Chick Corea on his album Plays, and blow your mind with Tomato Brain.

82 Rock On
This month we highlight a debut album from New Zealand's Grumblewood and look back in time to Tangerine Dreams recordings from the early 1980s, which have just been re-mastered. Plus Mark Kelly, Lykantropi, Avandra and Katatonia.

Subscribe To Australian Hi-Fi Magazine
Get this issue of Australian Hi-Fi Magazine by clicking here.