Australian Hi-Fi Magazine September / October 2021

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	High-Performance Audio Reviews Music News, Show Reports, And More! Celebrating 29 Years Of Service To Music Lovers

Australian Hi-Fi Magazine September / October 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.

Editorial
3 Editor's Lead-In
Which is more important to you: music or lyrics? Or is sound quality more important than either? No, just joking. Without music, the vest sound quality in the world is a waste of time. Which doesn't really answer the question posed this issue.

6 Sound Bites
Rega Kyte, Transparent Audio Gen 6, Paradigm Founder Series, Denon AVC-X8500HA, Glanz tonearms, Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode, Elac Solano Series, Loewe Klangers, JBL L52 Classics, Yamaha price reductions, Nordost Odin Gold, Sony HT-A9, NAD M10-V2, and Audio Technica's new M50xBT2. All the news!

32 EISA Award Winners
The world's foremost panels of experts, skilled in audio, video, car sound and photography, have finalised the judging of the EISA Awards 2021–2022 and in this issue we announce winners across all the categories, plus give you the Judge's Citations for the winners in the audio categories.

43 Len Wallis Audio Newsletter
More than just an advertising feature, Len Wallis Audio's regular newsletter is a window into what's happening on the showroom floor, and in the home installation sphere. Covid-19 might have slowed sales, but the store once voted one of the top five in the world just keeps on giving back to its customers.

76 Sound Travels
Being able to travel the world (when that was possible!) meant being able to be exposed to the best audio equipment in the world in its country of origin. This month, Tom Waters interviews an audiophile who made the most of the possibilities on offer.

98 The Spendor Interview
Philip Swift, the owner of iconic British loudspeaker manufacturer Spendor, was a fan of the brand long before he bought the company. His first purchase was a pair of BC1s, and his second was the very first pair of BC3s off the production line. So why did he leave AudioLab, the company he founded? Find out here!

Equipment Reviews
18 SweetVinyl SugarCube SC-2 Mini
Here's a component you've probably never heard of, and never realised you needed. Until now. And possibly its best application is one for which it was not designed. For vinyl-head reviewer Jez Ford, it was the answer to all his prayers. And if you're into vinyl, it'll be the answer to all yours as well.

22 Adcom GFA-585se Stereo Power Amplifier
If you believe the old adage 'they don't build them like they did in the old days' you won't believe the new Adcom GFA-585se, because it looks like it just arrived on a time machine straight from the 1980s. It's a high-powered, low-noise, low-distortion 'muscle' amplifier that's available at a remarkably low price.

80 DALI Oberon 9 Loudspeakers
What's in a name? Quite a lot when it comes to DALI and its new Oberon Series. This very large, very loud, pair of floor-standing loudspeakers leverages DALI's home-grown drivers and technologies to best effect, and their best is very good indeed...

88 Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M DAC
Cambridge Audio's DACs have been winning awards ever since this British company popularised the concept of using stand-alone DACs with the original DacMagic back in the early '90s. This latest iteration is the best yet, yet its price tag still sports only three digits. Winner!

46 RME ADI-2 DAC FS DAC
Unless you're into professional audio, you likely won't have heard of German manufacture RME, and although the ADI-2 is intended for consumer use, the company seems to assume a level of knowledge on a par with professional sound engineers. So you'll need to do a lot of homework to get it working at its best.

Music
101 Classic Rock
Could it get more classic than Chrissie Hynde singing a paean to Bob Dylan? Well it could really, because this issue we also review John Hiatt's new album Leftover Feelings, which have the 68-year-old back in old digs. But the prizes for best releases go to new outfit Lovebreaker and the not-quite-so-new Emily Wolfe.

102 Re-Issues
Re-issues are often a great way to pick up back-catalogue at bargain prices (Joni Mitchell Studio Albums 68–79!) but that's not the case with Rod Stewart's wallet-damaging five-LP box set. Luckily, you'll be able to console yourself with The Complete Sorrows, a 4CD set that proves they deserve to be more than just a footnote in pop history.

104 Top Picks
Billie Eilish, Mackenzie Scott and Courtney Barnett could all have afforded to spend more time polishing their latest releases, but there's still enough magic there to make them Top Picks. But the toppest pick of all is undoubtedly Turnstile's 'Glow On' which is a Master class in heavy music.

114 Rock On
Two of Australia's greatest musicians have joined forces and the result is an album that's bigger than both of them. And Amends has done the same without changing its line-up: their new album is jaw-droppingly good.

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