The best high-end components of the last decade, according to What Hi-Fi?

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Every issue of What Hi-Fi? in recent years has included a Temptations section, which reviews two or three high-end models. It includes devices that are at a higher level (in other words, truly luxurious and often outrageously expensive) than the bulk of the hi-fi and AV products reviewed on the other pages.

To celebrate High End Week, we've rounded up 15 of our favorite Temptations, showcasing the highlights of the High End world from 2010 to 2022.

This selection features many of the world's most coveted hi-fi components, from turntables and speakers to amplifiers and even in-ear headphones.

Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable, Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge (2010)

Price as tested £12,900

We once wrote about the Clearaudio kit: “Even if we take into account the space standards of this price category, it differs from all the others.” The astronomical price seemed to us “almost justified” by the excellent sound quality and impeccable design.

The Clearaudio Innovation Wood, which joins the even more expensive Masters Innovation and Statement models, consists of a non-suspension Innovation Wood deck, a durable Universal tonearm with carbon fiber tube - a true marvel of engineering - and a DaVinci V2 cartridge; It's based on the company's famous Goldfinger model, but its body is made of aluminum with a 30-micron ceramic coating, which increases rigidity and reduces resonances.

The sheer transparency and masterful sonic organization of the Innovation Wood blew us away from the moment we first encountered it ten years ago (it served as a reference player in our test lab for many years) – and continues to amaze us to this day.

CD player Wadia S7i (2011)

Price as tested £14,000

Wadia is a well-known name in the world of digital high-end technology; The Minnesota-based company has a reputation for making the largest, heaviest, and greatest-sounding CD/SACD players, and the S7i further enhances its reputation.

The S7i's design is typical of Wadia models: the body is made of thick metal panels, connected by many long hex bolts and mounted on four round corner posts. It weighs a whopping 25 kilograms - about the same as a high-end power amplifier.

The impressive looks come with even more impressive sound. “No matter how complex or dynamically demanding the music is, he maintains complete control, placing every instrumental line in the right place. Only the very best high-end models manage this as convincingly,” we noted in our 2011 review.

Links

• [www.stereophile.com/asweseeit/1082awsi/ The Truth About High End By J. Gordon Holt • Published: Oct 9, 1982]
• Branch, John D. (2007-05-23). "Postmodern Consumption and the High-Fidelity Audio Microculture". In Russell Belk, Russell Belk Jr., John Sherry (eds.). Consumer Culture Theory, Volume 11 (Research in Consumer Behavior) (1 ed.). JAI Press. pp. 79–99. ISBN 0-7623-1446-X.

K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (type: not specified)

Network music player Naim NDS/555 PS (2012)

Price as tested £12,600

“Powerful, majestic, delicate, dynamic, emotional, large-scale and absolutely captivating,” is how we described the sound of one of the first network players.

At that time it was Naim's reference network player, and after some time it gave up this position to the magnificent ND555 - the undisputed leader of the class. NDS combined outstanding design concepts (such as vibration decoupling and a powerful digital signal processor) with fanatical attention to detail, as well as rare dynamic and rhythmic talents.

Speakers B&W 800 Diamond (2012)

Price as tested £18,000

Since the late seventies, the 800 series has been Bowers & Wilkins' most popular speaker line, ranking just below the flagship Nautilus model. At the time of testing in 2012, this was already the sixth generation of Diamond 800 (now the seventh is on sale). We declared that these were not only the company's best speakers, but also some of the best in the world - we were so impressed by the amazingly elastic and controlled bass, the highest detail and an enviable dynamic range.

As we wrote at the time, "The 800 Diamond's sound quality is so high compared to its rivals that they could be even more expensive - and would be worth the money" - not the most trivial compliment for an £18,000 pair.

According to sister magazine What Hi-Fi? Australian publication Australian Hi-Fi, a new version of the 800 D3, created to commemorate B&W's 50th anniversary, turned out to be even more perfect. “As soon as you start getting acquainted with a couple of these speakers, they will talk to you and say: “We are the best thing you have ever heard in your life!” – our colleagues write.

Technical parameters (how to choose)

The main thing you need to study when choosing Hi Fi, Hi End class acoustics is the graphs of amplitude-frequency characteristics. They evaluate the following indicators:

• bandwidth of reproduced frequencies. The optimal value is in the range from 20 to 42000 Hz. But it is better for the strip to be as wide as possible. For example, 15-45000 Hz;
• the nature of the frequency response graph. It should be as smooth as possible. There is no way to avoid drops at the border of the range. However, throughout the entire frequency band the line should be smooth, preferably horizontal;
• The choice of power is purely individual. You can use recommendations for average indicators for a certain volume of the room.

When selecting an active system, no amplifier power analysis is performed. But often when choosing passive acoustics, a signal preparation device is purchased at the same time. The rule for choosing an amplifier is quite simple. Its power must be at least 1.5 times the rated acoustics. It is desirable that the amplifier can ensure the operation of the speaker at the maximum level. To do this, its power indicator must exceed the corresponding maximum acoustics.

For Hi Fi, Hi End systems the following are also analyzed:

• body characteristics. It must be made of wood or wood-containing materials of considerable thickness (MDF, plywood, chipboard);
• presence of bass reflex circuits. They help acoustics sound richer and are often present even in expensive, exclusive models;
• shape of the legs. Conical - help reduce vibration transmission to the floor covering;
• nature of column stabilization. A weighted bottom is a practical and quite effective option.

Hi-End acoustics use separate inputs for different speaker bands. To operate such systems you need a special amplifier. It must have Bi-Wiring, Bi-Amping class outputs. The use of such equipment guarantees not only crystal clear authentic sound, but also an expansion of the frequency range and stable operation of the acoustics in any mode.

Audio Research Reference 75 power amplifier (2013)

Next generation Audio Research Reference 75SE
Price as tested £8,495

Audio Research is one of the most respected brands in the high-end amplifier segment, so the nearly five-figure price tag for the low-end 75-watt-per-channel model is not at all surprising.

The Reference 75, which since the publication of the review has grown to a special edition and acquired the suffix “SE” (pictured), demonstrates all the qualities that allowed the American company to gain its brilliant reputation. “The new benchmark for this type of model,” as we once described it, offers a strikingly transparent and convincing presentation, perfectly suited to almost any music.

Two service-ready dial indicators displaying output power and bias current, plus a solid, durable chassis make this incredibly talented and sought-after amplifier a lasting experience.

Rating

Based on consumer preferences, expressed in sales volumes and the number of positive reviews, a 2021 rating was compiled for high-end acoustics. It includes models with an affordable price, high-quality sound and undoubted ease of use.

Heco Ascada 600 Tower

pros

• stylish design
• floor installation
• high quality built-in amplifier
• great build
• wireless connection

Minuses

• The wireless communication channel may experience failures due to external interference
• medium quality connecting cables included
• modest total power

From 79190 ₽

This audio system is an ideal choice for an apartment. It does not need external amplifiers or frequency filters. Wireless connection of devices is supported. The rather modest power, however, is sufficient for an apartment, and does not reveal shortcomings in the reproduction of extremely low frequencies. The acoustics sound rich and will bring a lot of pleasure.

Jamo S 805 HCS

pros

• good sound
• high-quality assembly
• well-thought-out leg system
• two-way audio systems
• good power output

Minuses

• without subwoofer
• The installation for the rear speakers is not thought out
• no built-in amplifier

From 41990 ₽

Designed for use with an external amplifier, this set of acoustics can be a convenient option for those who want to build a system with ideal sound. By connecting the Jamo S 805 HCS to a special amplifier, you can get a high-quality, three-dimensional sound picture. However, it will not be authentic without the use of a subwoofer, which will need to be coordinated with the parameters of the main speaker system.

Monitor Audio MR6

pros

• The optimum ratio of price and quality
• bass reflex system with the ability to close the output
• stylish classic
• clever floor design
• support for Bi-wiring, bi-amping inputs

Minuses

• it is impossible to close both bass reflex holes to obtain a closed enclosure
• the sound is utilitarian, dry, with a limited frequency band
• made in China, does not meet brand specifications

From 21500 ₽

This acoustics is the best choice for those who want to get good sound for reasonable money. There are no comments on the operation of the system. However, bragging to your friends won't work. The system is rather utilitarian, simple, sounds without nuances, and simply reproduces the supplied signal with high quality. An undoubted advantage is the support for Bi-wiring / bi-amping Hi End class inputs.

Vector HX100

pros

• compact ceiling mount housing
• good sound, 2 bands with a large woofer
• bass reflex
• availability of separate Bi-wiring input for LF and HF signals
• gold plated contacts

Minuses

• passive, complex wiring
• narrow frequency range
• No connection cables included
• relatively thin case walls made of MDF

From 15015 ₽

This acoustics can only be used as an additional sound source. It is convenient as rear speakers, also due to the nature of the mounting. An undoubted advantage is the presence of gold-plated separate inputs for frequency signals. However, the narrow range of reproduced frequencies does not allow these speakers to be used as the main sound source.

Preamplifier Burmester 808 Mk5 (2013)

Price as tested £22,242

The 808 Mk5 is the preamp for those who live and breathe hi-fi. Burmester's almost flagship model represents a major technical achievement. First, it comes fully loaded with multiple balanced/unbalanced and adjustable connection options, with each interchangeable input and output module featuring separate gain controls for the left and right channels.

In addition, it is impeccable in terms of design, the design promises decades of trouble-free operation, and the appearance cannot be confused with anyone else.

“This preamplifier is one of those models that you can spend your whole life next to; what more could you want? – we are still ready to sign our earlier conclusion.

Dan D'Agostino Momentum Integrated Amplifier (2015)

Price as tested £44,000

We started our review of the Dan D'Agostino Momentum integrated amplifier, one of the company's top of the line, with compliments on its volume control. Before you blame us for it, take a look at it. However, Momentum is not only good on the outside; its delightful sound remains in the memory for a long time.

The highest quality of work is noticeable from the first second of acquaintance: the amplifier is characterized by the most meticulous design and expressive dynamics. Smoothness, rhythm, impeccable accuracy and impressive scale allow us to undoubtedly classify it as one of the best.

Linn LP12 Klimax vinyl player (2017)

Price as tested £18,670

The Linn LP12 has been included in all the lists of "Best Linn Models Ever", "Best Turntables Ever" by What Hi-Fi? and What Hi-Fi Hall of Fame?, so the inclusion of the legendary turntable in this selection is not at all surprising. The Glasgow company has been constantly modifying it since 1972, aiming to maintain its status as the strongest. Earlier - and even first - models can still be brought up to modern levels.

By the early eighties, the LP12 had become the most popular premium turntable in Britain - and is still considered one of the most talented in its segment.

In 2022, we hailed the flagship LP12 package (LP12 Sondek, Ekos SE tonearm, Kandid MC cartridge, Urika phono stage, Radikal power supply and Keel subchassis) as one of the best around. The old man is still capable of setting the heat today.

Types of Hi-Fi acoustics

Both Hi End and Hi Fi acoustics, first of all, differ in design for a particular type of installation in a room.

1. For large halls and rooms, you should choose floor-mounted speakers. Such systems contain components for good air circulation, the so-called pumping of the room. In addition, in floor-standing systems there is no need to minimize dimensions, so the cabinet areas for installing speakers have optimal volumes for optimal operating modes of the emitter.
2. If the potential owner of high-end acoustics has a small apartment, it is recommended to buy speakers with ceiling mounting. They guarantee authentic reproduction of a wide range of frequencies. However, due to the need to minimize the dimensions of the housing, engineers abandon bass reflex circuits. But the speaker is quite capable of efficiently pumping a small room.

It is especially worth noting: among Hi-Fi acoustics you can find a huge number of active-type systems. They are equipped with their own amplifier, which efficiently converts the signal and creates power for the speakers. However, in the Hi End class there are exclusively passive speaker systems. Today you can buy special amplifiers for them that generate separate signals for the operation of low-frequency and high-frequency speakers.

To ensure the maximum level of sound quality from a Hi End or Passive Hi Fi system, it is recommended to use special cables to connect it. They are made of silver-plated, gold-plated conductors and have the same contact groups. Such a product provides minimal distortion and protects against signal loss during transmission. In the presence of an electromagnetic coupling and shielding, the complete absence of interference and interference on the cable from external sources is guaranteed.

Speakers JBL K2 S9900 (2017)

Price as tested £39,990

The key to JBL's superstar speakers is the combination of engineering and customization that makes these monsters some of the most amazing tower speakers we've ever heard.

The integration of the 38cm woofer with the horn-loaded 10cm magnesium compression driver and the horn-loaded 25mm beryllium compression supertweeter is flawless; Despite their size and 500-watt power, these speakers do not create difficulties when installing and selecting an amplifier.

Their endlessly informative and at the same time incredibly fun nature becomes instantly addictive. “You can’t get enough of their sound,” we said at the time. You can imagine our disappointment when the time came for these beauties to leave our testing laboratories.

Focal Utopia monitor headphones (2017)

Price as tested £3,250

The first pair of headphones on this list is not just any ancient model, but one of the best on the planet.

The French company Focal is famous for its talented speakers of different categories. The tweeters of its high-end models often use beryllium domes; The inherent combination of light weight, rigidity and damping properties of this material is ideal for this application. The wonderfully limitless soundstage (thanks to the open design of the headphones) produces beautifully detailed and transparent sound with rich nuances and smooth dynamics.

Looking worthy of its hefty price tag is a challenge for any high-end headphone; Utopia does it brilliantly.

Nagra Classic preamp and power amplifier (2018)

Price as tested £25,500

The signature level indicator, stylized volume control and compact Classic preamp housing (photo above) are reminiscent of the first Nagra model, released for the home Swiss market in 1997, but the “filling” of this device is quite modern.

The tube preamp features only RCA and XLR line inputs, and the use of just two MOSFETs in the 100-watt Class A power amplifier's output stage reduces the instability inherent in such minimalist configurations.

Every sound and every note fits perfectly together, creating an incredibly coherent and musical acoustic canvas. As noted in our review, "This kit brings the music to the fore while silently doing its job behind the scenes."

Household vs studio PC-based equipment

Today we will look at common problems associated with creating a Hi-Fi/Hi-End system on a PC using studio equipment.

Development of serial production Hi-Fi/Hi-End cards

Hi-End means high quality. In each area, products fall under Hi-End according to different parameters. For some products, Hi-End means the maximum number of parrots in the test (for example, video cards, processors), for others it means prohibitive cost and exclusivity, for others it means assembly without compromises from high-quality components.

Every audiophile wants the "best sound card" so it has the best DAC, the best op amp, the best power filtering, etc. Developing and making such a card is not a problem - the problem is to put a price on the card so that it will be bought later. Today, the cost of serial Hi-End sound card for a home system should be within $150-300. Having strict limits, the manufacturer cannot take an uncompromising path, and the presence of test programs such as RMAA does not allow customers to be deceived. Therefore, the manufacturer has to look for compromise solutions.

The stereotypes of dividing household audio equipment into Hi-Fi and Hi-End, primarily based on cost, partly apply to sound cards. Thus, inexpensive serial Hi-End cards conditionally become simply “high-quality”, and exclusive and expensive ones become Hi-End. The actual quality may be at the same level.

A couple of years ago, demand for high-quality sound cards appeared in the Asian market. The majority of sufferers are audiophiles who have good headphones. Cards with standard operational amplifiers did not provide acceptable quality, forcing us to buy additional headphone amplifiers. Auzentech offered cards with sophisticated hardware. One problem - the cards were based on C-Media with low quality of their built-in DACs, however, the beautiful appearance of the capacitors and op-amps attracted the attention of many.

In response, Onkyo and Audiotrak released the Wavio SE-90PCI and Prodigy7.1 XT. Excellent bindings, screens, beautiful advertising technologies (just look at the vector construction of a signal a la “multifaceted sine” from Wavio), etc., but the use of average quality DACs makes you wonder whether there is any point in buying such cards for expensive complex? The cards may be “cool”, but they are only Hi-Fi level with a bottleneck in the form of a DAC. The calculation was made for owners of headphones ($100-300) and owners of a Hi-Fi amplifier with acoustics (with a similar cost for system components), where a top-end DAC is not needed.

The next stage of development in the sound card market was the release of a specialized high-quality ProdigyHD2 Gold card from Audiotrak, which used a high-quality top-end DAC from AKM with high-quality binding. Before this, top DACs remained in expensive custom studio boards, such as LynxTwo, etc. costing more than $1000. Today Audiotrak offers an equally interesting device Dr.Dac2 on PCM 1798.

It is worth considering the large number of homemade and modified devices. At the same time, the pursuit of uncompromising quality does not always lead to adequate results for home-made workers and “uncompromisingly” a heavy chassis is made of marble (or other stone/metal) to reduce vibrations and accurately read data from the disk. It’s paradoxical, but for some reason such stationary drives have difficulty reading stamped discs and cannot cope with CD-R/RW, but in contrast, there are portable CD players with asynchronous disc reading that cost a penny. This makes you wonder if solving a specific problem should cost a lot? Does using a higher quality component lead to a real improvement in quality? A figurative example: would a calendar poster hang more securely on a high-quality steel nail rather than on a pushpin? These are the questions that confront engineers developing mass-produced products, and as a result, a relatively inexpensive device can “match” the quality of a more expensive exclusive model.

At the same time, with piece production it is easier to put a part with excess quality into a device than to study the dependence of the quality of the device as a whole on this component, because “time = money”. And you can easily throw dust in your eyes - “our device uses the most advanced component X, which will provide the coolest quality.” The main thing is that brilliant ideas and theories are consistent with practice. The lack of measurements, precise characteristics and a ton of talk about the “golden ear of the developer and the magical sound of the device” usually arouse fair suspicion.

The user's task is to choose a device that actually meets his requirements without being deceived by anyone.

Thanks to demand in the Asian market, companies have so far managed to further improve the quality of cards (use higher quality components) for a “standard” price, but there are still very few high-end home models on the global market.

In the Russian market, the undisputed leader is Creative with a consumer X-Fi Elite Pro card for $300 and a professional E-MU1212m for $200, using the top-end CS4398. An alternative manufacturer is Razer with a Barracuda card on the AKM4396. ASUS should come to our market with a XonarD2 card, using one of the top DACs from Burr-Brown PCM1796. The rest of the cards are available only on the Asian market, among which there is OOAOO on the top-end WM8740, Audiotrak ProdigyHD2 Gold on AKM4396 and high-quality packaging.

Many manufacturers are gradually realizing that there is no point in saving on DACs, and it is better to supply something of high quality. After all, the product cannot demonstrate anything else. But the use of a top-end DAC is more of a marketing nature, since both the design of the board and the proper use of other components are important, otherwise the same situation will turn out as with the first revision of the E-MU0404, where a card with the “pre-top” AKM4395 was inferior to [ email protected] “less top-end” DAC AKM AK4358.

The only ones that stand apart are the low-end X-Fi cards with powerful DSPs for games, which in games have an advantage due to high-quality hardware audio processing, where the DAC plays a much smaller role.

It’s not difficult to make a card with a top-end DAC for “cheap”; a good example is the Club3D Theatron DTS, costing less than $100, using four top-end AKMs. The big problem is debugging drivers, introducing specific functions and explaining to the buyer why he should buy such a card, where the obvious sound advantage may be on a path starting from $1000. As a result, the paradox is that the card itself is not very expensive, but it requires an expensive path to unlock its potential.

Cards based on CMI8788 are now actually replacing consumer cards based on ENVY24XX (Revolution5.1, Prodigy7.1/XT/HD2, Aureon Space, DMX6-Fire, etc.). The reason for the displacement is simple - the CMI8788 supports Live DTS, unlike ENVY. Moreover, C-Media provides manufacturers with a reference circuit for top-end AKMs. Manufacturers can only repeat the scheme without investing money in development, while for ENVY24XX everything needs to be developed from scratch. The most cunning Razer and ASUS unanimously relabeled the CMI8788 into RZR35192 and AZ200, only ASUS went further and decided to use another DAC, not from AKM and CS, but from ADI - which none of its competitors have. The decision is sound, with an eye to exclusivity. However, only rare cards have top-end op-amps, or the ability to replace them without a soldering iron. XonarD2 and Barracuda use standard JRC4580, the X-Fi EP has a slightly higher op amp class. ProdigyHD2 Gold offers high-quality op-amp packaging on the stereo line output with “Triple OPAMP” technology: two OPA2134 from Burr-Brown + JRC5532. (The European version of the Prodigy HD2 uses three NE5532s, which can be replaced with other solderless op amps.) The “Hi-End” quality of this card competes only with the new Auzentech cards based on the CMI8788 and the Auzen X-FI Prelude 7.1 planned this year.

Studio vs Hi-Fi/Hi-End

The conference often raises the question of the differences between professional and household equipment. There is an opinion that professional equipment gives an “honest” sound, while household equipment gives a “pleasant” sound, and that it is unpleasant to listen to anything on professional equipment, since it deliberately emphasizes jambs and “unnecessary sounds”.

Let's look at the main differences that it is advisable to know about when assembling a high-quality system. Ignorance of basic things often leads users to great disappointment.

There are many sources in the studio - synthesizers, various instruments, microphones, and in addition to them there are many additional signal processing devices. All this is connected to a mixer, which can have several dozen input channels. After the mixer, the signal is sent to ADC converters (to PCs) and monitors. From the PC, through DAC converters, the signal is sent to the mixer, and then to the monitors. In fact, the mixer is a separate switching device that connects all the components in the studio. Due to the wide variety of studio configurations, the layout of the devices resembles a very flexible construction set.

At home there are very few sources, and the switch is often an amplifier. The small number of components and their location in one place place different demands on the components.

Sound cards

If in a home system all the components are nearby, and there are no special requirements for the interconnect cable (we do not touch upon cases of excellent audibility of the cable direction only in sighted tests :). In a studio, there can be ten or more meters between devices. And the longer the wire, the more interference it can pick up. To solve this problem, use balanced wires with a higher signal level. Accordingly, professional equipment has balanced, TRS or XLR inputs and outputs. To connect home appliances to professional ones, adapters and support for an increased signal level are often needed.

The main differences between Prof. cards from “multimedia/household” - this is prof. TRS or XLR connectors, mandatory ASIO support, specific functions in drivers or connectors in the form of a microphone input with phantom power at +12 or +48 V, lack of support for DirectSound3D and OpenAL. As an exception among budget profs. cards you can find cards without a balanced signal level, such as ESI MAYA44, E-MU0404, Infrasonic Quartet, etc., designed specifically for home budget studios.

The main task of Prof. cards - provide ease of use. The sound quality of professional cards varies and is not always superior to “multimedia/consumer” cards.

A figurative example is a universal jeep against a roller, crane, bulldozer, formula 1 car.

More information about ASIO and flexible signal routing options.

Cards with flexible signal routing (DirectWire for ESI/Audiotrak, PatchMixDSP for E-MU, CreationMode for X-Fi, KX DSP + Router for KX Driver, FREE Mixer for Infrasonic Quartet) have the opportunity with the help of prof. software to do almost any signal processing in real-time of any channel when playing from any program. What does this give, besides the use of “improvers,” in terms of building Hi-End systems?

According to the author, cards with flexible routing make it possible to create high-quality Bi-Amp systems. An eight-channel card will allow you to assemble four-way systems. The advantages over analog circuits are as follows:

• you can use filters with a high cutoff slope - this allows you not only to narrow the transition zone, but also to significantly relieve the load on the speakers. So, for the tweeter you can choose a lower crossover frequency, without the risk of distortion
• you can use phase-linear filters
• You can adjust the delays between speakers to compensate for speaker locations
• Additionally, you can do equalization, suppressing resonant frequencies

If you have an inexpensive Midi controller, you can make adjustments very quickly and efficiently, and arrange blind tests between different filter settings.

Blind tests are always important when making better/worse verdicts, but, unfortunately, this is neglected (and sometimes panicked) by fans and Hi-End developers, relying on their “absolute” hearing and keen eyes. There are many possibilities in this approach, but you must have the proper qualifications to work with prof. software.

The cost of a compact PC with the appropriate software is comparable to hardware studio DSPs, and at the same time provides greater capabilities. An example of such solutions is the Helix Legacy Audio system $53,000 using Klark Teknik DN9848 $5,000.

For low-cost studios and concert acoustics, there are many active, customizable analog crossovers. If someone has free time or specific requests for speakers, then you can easily make “boxes”, insert speakers, connect them to amplifiers, and set up a crossover.

It is better to immediately forget about the future use of “improvers” in a high-quality path. The main task of popular plugins, such as Ozone, the built-in processor in the X-fi Cristallizer, is to bypass downstream flaws, similar to flavoring additives in low-quality food. This processing is best left for use in studios when creating music. An exception can only occur with low-quality recorded tracks.

Are there cooler cards than the E-MU1212m, Prodigy HD2, X-Fi Elite Pro, Razer Barracuda, Asus Xonar D2, etc.?

Among professional cards, one step higher are complex solutions - a digital card + an external converter, like LynxAES16 + Aurora16. The cost of such solutions differs by orders of magnitude from those of the cards under consideration. The high cost is dictated by the unit production of devices and specific functions, such as:

• the ability to operate several cards as one (for multi-channel systems), where you need not 5.1 channels for DVD, but 16 or more, it is quite difficult to place them all on a PCI board
• ability to synchronize with external equipment

For home use such functions are not needed. Moreover, the implementation of some functions may come at the expense of “audiophile” ones, for example, in the RME Fireface 400, the ability to finely adjust the reference frequency led to greater jitter in the device, while the absence of this function would allow squeezing out “more quality.”

Among household cards, “a step higher” there are also complex solutions - a digital card + an external DAC. Any card with an SPDIF output that provides digital data transmission with the required degree of correctness can act as a digital board.

The main advantages of this solution

• organization of external power supply
• galvanic isolation from PC
• Wide selection of external DACs

In some cases, the cost of an external device for non-volume production may be lower for an external device. Making a device on a multilayer board and successfully avoiding a number of problems for the internal device at home is not so easy.

Amplifiers

Studio amplifiers are designed to be rack mounted. Since volume control and source switching are done in the mixer, amplifiers often do not have volume controls and an input selector (not to mention a remote control). This “disadvantage” also applies to active monitors. In most cases there is only a channel-by-channel input sensitivity control, and not necessarily at the front. Another important feature is that most studio amplifiers have active cooling, similar to a computer’s power supply. And the last argument “against” using such an amplifier at home is its unsightly appearance, close to “homemade”

This amplifier from Yamaha is not the worst looking amplifier, but in appearance there is a big difference from the Hi-Fi models from Yamaha.

The development of sound cards and software gives rise to a large number of Home/Project studios where a mixer is not used. HTPC systems are also being developed, where the final path is Hi-Fi speakers. Since the source selector (radio, TV, DVD) is located in the computer, the amplifier does not require an input selector. Low prices for prof. cards + slogans “to prof. the card needs a prof. amplifier”, force manufacturers to produce products that are “prettier” and “more convenient”, close to Hi-Fi. Among inexpensive studio amplifiers ($350~450) we can note Alesis RA300 and Behringer A500 (the models are similar in appearance and characteristics).

Two large channel volume controls and a Power button. There is only one stereo input at the back, but it comes in different form factors: RCA, TRS and XLR, supporting both balanced and household signal levels.

At the same time, there are less attractive amplifiers like the ART SLA-1/2, with formal active cooling, where the fan turns on only when it overheats. According to owners, overheating occurs extremely rarely.

"home" studio amplifier Behringer A500 from the inside

It's funny, in audiophile circles the greatest respect is paid to top-end transformers in studio amplifiers with passive cooling, without taking into account the “other parts” used :). And of course, the lack of tone controls.

Just like in the world of Hi-Fi/Hi-End, the cost of studio components can reach sky-high levels.

Acoustics

First of all, the sound quality is determined by the quality of the speakers used and the optimal design of the cabinet with crossover + amplifier. Competent design of speakers is not cheap, as it requires a lot of development resources. Resources include: time, parts stock and qualified engineers. All this costs money and is included in the cost of the final product.

In the budget acoustics sector, they try to save on everything, including checking the build quality and performance of the speakers. There are often cases when the calculation of filters was made for one speaker, and in the end other speakers are installed without any adjustments to the filters or the acoustic design of the housing. Not only manufacturers of budget active acoustics, but also well-known brands are guilty of this. Regarding studio monitors sold individually and not in pairs, it is necessary to take into account that speakers from different batches may differ in sound due to the use of speakers from different batches.

There is no such thing as perfect acoustics. Any system, of any cost and design, is always a compromise solution. The success of the system depends only on the developer’s ability to squeeze out more advantages than disadvantages. For different purposes, the compromises in creating speakers are different. This is where the difference between hi-fi and studio equipment lies.

Monitors, as you might guess, are intended for use in the studio.

Respectively:

• The dimensions of the speakers will be such that placing the speakers on a console or against a wall in the studio will not cause any problems. Studio floor systems are a rarity.

Deep Recording Studios, England, London

• The connectors for active acoustics will be professional, not household.
• It is assumed that there will be several pairs of monitors in the studio. This allows you to make monitors tailored for specific tasks. For example, only in the line with monitors (ADAM, Dynaudio, etc.) can you see two-way models with 8″ woofers, but in the Hi-Fi line there are no such models, and this is not by chance. Does an 8″ woofer perform better than a 6″? Not at all, its advantage is only in a lower cutoff frequency with worse transmission in the upper range of the reproduced frequency band of the woofer with a low crossover frequency for the tweeter. But this is not a problem for the sound engineer, since the studio has several pairs of speakers, selected so that each has advantages that other models do not have. The sound engineer, working simultaneously with several speakers, carefully listens to the required track parameters on the appropriate monitors. At home we need “universal” speakers.

black speakers are for the studio, silver ones are for the home or “home” studio. There is no analogue of S2.5 for home.

• The sound direction of monitors is narrower. This allows you to get a clearer panorama, but you can only listen to the speakers in a “right triangle”. While on Hi-Fi/Hi-End speakers the directivity can be almost circular, providing less accurate, but surround sound, and which can be listened to from different points.

Is it so important whether there is a “monitor” inscription on the speaker? In the Abbey Road studio you can find high-class acoustics, including “household” ones.

High-end acoustic systems can be found both at home and in the studio, the main thing is that they meet the needs of the owner.

What disappointments can there be for an audiophile who bought a “studio Hi-End”?

Remember, about ten years ago, when watching the film “The Diamond Arm”, did you have any complaints about the color, clarity or contrast of the film recording? Did not have. But now, when watching this film on a monitor or modern large plasma, even from a licensed DVD, the question immediately arises - is this not a “screen” copy? Many people prefer to watch such films through a projector, where such a drop in quality is not very noticeable.

Time passes, the quality of converters increases, but old recordings do not get any better. Usually, when switching from built-in audio to X-Fi, Revolution5.1, Prodigy7.1 and purchasing entry-level acoustics, users notice that mp3 does not sound as good as original CDs. When switching to better technology, it turns out that not all CDs are recorded well. And in the future - that only a few have been recorded with high quality, and the majority of sound engineers are deaf in both ears, and they mix everything to “boomboxes”, not caring about the owners of high-quality equipment (a joke, but with some truth)

This feature must be taken into account and be prepared for it, setting your priorities correctly. If in your music library most of the recordings are old, or your favorite bands are recorded in not the best studios (or in the best, but “as quickly as possible”), then when listening you will hear a lot of imperfections. As practice shows, not everyone likes this result. Discussions about the “analyticity” of Prof. immediately begin. cards and about the “musicality” of the others, including Aureal Vortex2 on an old sigmatel. Therefore, before you buy another component of the system “for a lot of money” or “with the right ideology,” listen to it in advance or buy it with money back. Perhaps what someone considers “correct and of high quality” will not suit you.

Development of top sound cards, be it prof. a card like the E-MU1212m or a high-end multimedia card like the Prodigy HD2 goes the “studio” route, where the goal is to get a signal as close to the original as possible.

Objective tests and quality

Manufacturers additionally focus on synthetic tests during the development process.

There is an opinion in the audiophile community that objective parameters mean nothing and do not show anything. By the way, the RMAA report shows the results of several tests, but in addition to them, if necessary, additional tests can be carried out at other frequencies and signal amplitudes. More meticulous users can generate their own test signals in audio editors, the main thing is that the results are correlated with subjective perception.

Inability to use prof. software, ignorance of many elementary things from psychoacoustics often makes audiophiles look like fools, who call a spade a spade, confusing concepts and definitions, and sometimes cannot prove that what they hear is not a figment of the imagination or self-hypnosis.

A card showing high characteristics will a priori play well, while a card with low characteristics can play “any way.” Another point is that you need to look not at one characteristic or number, but consider many parameters as a whole, understanding which parameter affects what, and to what extent.

Unfortunately, objective tests do not always include all parameters, and some measurements require special equipment or significant time investment. Therefore, one cannot do without the subjective opinion of an expert, and his opinion does not always have to coincide with the objective one.

Bottom line

It is possible to create a high-quality system using studio components, but with this approach the “appearance” may suffer and the ease of control may deteriorate. Regarding monitors, the sound may be less universal and run counter to the ideas of “surround”, “live”, etc. sound

Does it make sense to make a home Hi-End system using studio equipment? Everyone must decide this for themselves, based on their tasks and priorities. If the main source is a PC, with debugged programs and a remote control, convenience and functionality can be at a high level (even superior to conventional component systems). At the same time, do not forget that the PC does not yet support SACD, and there are a number of problems with DVD-Audio.

dCS Rossini DAC/Master Clock (2018)

Price as tested £22,610

The Cambridge high-end digital equipment manufacturer describes its Rossini DAC as an "upsampling network DAC." It includes a networked UPnP music player, as well as innovative proprietary D/A conversion technology for all digital inputs.

However, it is not only a DAC, but also the digital center of the system. The Rossini Master Clock master oscillator takes your sound quality up a class or two, delivering incredible detail. When playing music of any genre, the dCS package never fails to delight, entertain and delight. Which, in truth, is the main purpose of a Hi-Fi system.

Characteristics of acoustic systems

Before purchasing a speaker system, you should be guided by the technical specifications. This mainly concerns the rated power of the speakers, impedance, frequency range and sound pressure. It is better to prefer power with some reserve, with the expectation that the system should not operate at the limit of its capabilities. The resistance is selected in conjunction with the parameters of the amplifier. When paying attention to the frequency range, it is necessary to be guided by the fact that the human ear perceives sound approximately in the region from 20 Hz of the lower threshold to 20 kHz of the upper threshold. Accordingly, the closer the indicators are (or even wider), the better.

Speakers ATC SCM50 (2019)

Price as tested £9,820

The ATC SCM50s have been our reference speakers for over a decade, and it's hard to give a greater compliment.

During this time, we connected them to almost all electronic devices that passed through our laboratories - and they never let us down. Honesty and reliability - without these important qualities it is impossible to evaluate the devices being tested - are combined with a lack of predilection for a particular genre of music.

Over the past decade, we've seen competing speakers (usually more expensive) that were better than the ATC in some way; but we have never been able to find a pair that is as good in every way. Long live SCM50!

An excerpt characterizing Hi-End

Denisov threw both pillows onto the floor. There was no wallet. - What a miracle! - Wait, didn’t you drop it? - said Rostov, lifting the pillows one by one and shaking them out. He threw off and shook off the blanket. There was no wallet. - Have I forgotten? No, I also thought that you were definitely putting a treasure under your head,” said Rostov. - I put my wallet here. Where is he? – he turned to Lavrushka. - I didn’t go in. Where they put it is where it should be. - No... - You just throw it somewhere and forget. Look in your pockets. “No, if only I hadn’t thought about the treasure,” said Rostov, “otherwise I remember what I put in.” Lavrushka rummaged through the entire bed, looked under it, under the table, rummaged through the entire room and stopped in the middle of the room. Denisov silently followed Lavrushka’s movements and, when Lavrushka threw up his hands in surprise, saying that he was nowhere, he looked back at Rostov. - G'ostov, you are not a schoolboy... Rostov felt Denisov's gaze on him, raised his eyes and at the same moment lowered them. All his blood, which was trapped somewhere below his throat, poured into his face and eyes. He couldn't catch his breath. “And there was no one in the room except the lieutenant and yourself.” Here somewhere,” said Lavrushka. “Well, you little doll, move around, look,” Denisov suddenly shouted, turning purple and rushing at the footman with a threatening gesture. - Make sure you have a wallet, otherwise I’ll burn it. I'll kill everyone! Rostov, looking around Denisov, began to button up his jacket, strapped on his saber and put on his cap. “I tell you to have a wallet,” Denisov shouted, shaking the orderly by the shoulders and pushing him against the wall. - Denisov, leave him alone; “I know who took it,” Rostov said, approaching the door and not raising his eyes. Denisov stopped, thought and, apparently understanding what Rostov was hinting at, grabbed his hand. – Gasp! - he shouted so that the veins, like ropes, swelled on his neck and forehead. “I’m telling you, you’re crazy, I won’t allow it.” The wallet is here; I'll take the shit out of this mega-dealer, and it will be here. “I know who took it,” Rostov repeated in a trembling voice and went to the door. “And I’m telling you, don’t you dare do this,” Denisov shouted, rushing to the cadet to hold him back. But Rostov snatched his hand away and with such malice, as if Denisov were his greatest enemy, directly and firmly fixed his eyes on him. - Do you understand what you are saying? - he said in a trembling voice, - there was no one in the room except me. Therefore, if not this, then... He could not finish and ran out of the room. “Oh, what’s wrong with you and with everyone,” were the last words that Rostov heard. Rostov came to Telyanin’s apartment. “The master is not at home, they have left for headquarters,” Telyanin’s orderly told him. - Or what happened? - added the orderly, surprised at the upset face of the cadet. - There is nothing. “We missed it a little,” said the orderly. The headquarters was located three miles from Salzenek. Rostov, without going home, took a horse and rode to headquarters. In the village occupied by the headquarters there was a tavern frequented by officers. Rostov arrived at the tavern; at the porch he saw Telyanin's horse. In the second room of the tavern the lieutenant was sitting with a plate of sausages and a bottle of wine. “Oh, and you’ve stopped by, young man,” he said, smiling and raising his eyebrows high. “Yes,” said Rostov, as if it took a lot of effort to pronounce this word, and sat down at the next table. Both were silent; There were two Germans and one Russian officer sitting in the room. Everyone was silent, and the sounds of knives on plates and the lieutenant’s slurping could be heard. When Telyanin finished breakfast, he took a double wallet out of his pocket, pulled apart the rings with his small white fingers curved upward, took out a gold one and, raising his eyebrows, gave the money to the servant. “Please hurry,” he said. The gold one was new. Rostov stood up and approached Telyanin. “Let me see your wallet,” he said in a quiet, barely audible voice. With darting eyes, but still raised eyebrows, Telyanin handed over the wallet. “Yes, a nice wallet... Yes... yes...” he said and suddenly turned pale. “Look, young man,” he added. Rostov took the wallet in his hands and looked at it, and at the money that was in it, and at Telyanin. The lieutenant looked around, as was his habit, and suddenly seemed to become very cheerful. “If we’re in Vienna, I’ll leave everything there, but now there’s nowhere to put it in these crappy little towns,” he said. - Well, come on, young man, I’ll go. Rostov was silent. - What about you? Should I have breakfast too? “They feed me decently,” Telyanin continued. - Come on. He reached out and grabbed the wallet. Rostov released him. Telyanin took the wallet and began to put it in the pocket of his leggings, and his eyebrows rose casually, and his mouth opened slightly, as if he was saying: “yes, yes, I’m putting my wallet in my pocket, and it’s very simple, and no one cares about it.” .

Shure KSE 1200 In-Ear Headphones (2019)

Price as tested £1,796

It's hard for a pair of earbuds to justify a four-figure price tag, but the Shure electrostatic headphones and accompanying strictly analog amplifier with matching specs look well worth it.

Moreover, their sound is also excellent. As it was written in our review: “We can’t remember any other headphones (except for the KSE1500’s close relatives) with such clear and detailed sound... If you are the kind of music lover who strives to hear every, most microscopic nuance, this model is just for you. you".

The idea of ​​shelling out the cost of a decent used car for a pair of earbuds may seem extreme, but from a true music lover's perspective, not a penny is wasted.