July 2019
Great Gear Reviews Within This Issue
Editorial By Noel Keywood

  Not many people are going to be able or perhaps willing to spend £25k on a valve amplifier. But all the same we couldn't resist reviewing McIntosh's fabulous – even monstrous – MC2152 valve power amplifier, together with its accompanying C70 preamplifier. Massively powerful, it moves their heritage forward in fascinating fashion, complete with engaging light displays. Using a unique circuit design pioneered by Frank McIntosh back in the late 1940s, this amplifier uses modern parts to wring fantastic results from valves. Don't miss our exclusive review on p10 to see what McIntosh have achieved and where top-end amplification is alive today.

In Wharfedale's Denton 80th Anniversary loudspeaker, released 2012 our old Press Release shows, the company sought to re-create the basic balance of the past, if with modern parts for a better sound. Now Wharfedale have re-visited the historic Denton, five years later, to again re-interpret and update old values. Read our review on p29 to see what they offer in the new Denton 85th Anniversary loudspeaker.

Only a 'Universal disc player', a machine able to play all silver discs, can retrieve the audio from any disc in your collection, perhaps a DVD-A with hi-resolution digital on it. OPPO made the glorious BDP-205D that achieved this and sounded wonderful – but is no more. Pioneer recently released their UDP-LX500 Universal player that they think is a suitable replacement. Martin Pipe tells us what he thinks on p46.

Loudspeakers have been eclipsed by headphones – the market for them is enormous. Jon Myles looks and listens to Cowon's top quality X30 in-ear 'phones on p62 and Martin Pipe enjoys Focal's high-end all-enveloping Focal Stellias on p18 to bring you up to date on where this trend is heading. Quality – it's all in your head!

There's some re-visiting of the past in this issue, courtesy of McIntosh and Wharfedale, whilst headphones are strictly today. I hope you enjoy our coverage of 'old' and new.

--- Noel Keywood, editor.

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