Arcam rblink

As you’d expect from Arcam, the rBlink DAC is a very well-built little unit, with a small, discrete design, comprising a solid aluminium case with a rubberised bottom panel. Having the outputs one end (a coaxial and stereo RCA) and the power, aerial & Bluetooth sync button the other makes it easy to slip into most systems without getting in the way, unless you are syncing multiple devices to it on a regular basis.

Performance

Set up really couldn’t be simpler and takes about 5 minutes to unbox, connect and get music playing. Having tried the rBlink on my home system, I found the sound performance to be great from a Bluetooth device running 128khz (which I have always found to be a little flat in the past). Just picking out a few random tracks, a little lack of detail and pace was the only thing I could criticise, but nothing to upset me understanding the source.

Wiring into the Arcam A19, you can lose the separate power supply and run directly from the amp. Now using the aptX at 320kps was a different revelation; the sound running from a pair of KEF R300s was excellent. No jitter or lack of detail was noticeable; the depth of sound was remarkable for Bluetooth and as good as hard-wiring in any similar device.

With rich low tones, detailed mid-range and clear high tones, the rBlink delivers sound remarkably, and even when using a 128kHz source - the bass is still solid with just a minor drop off of detail.

Verdict

If you use the rBlink to its full capabilities you will be nothing but blown away. The quality when used on a decent set up is exceptional, offering everything you’d want and more from a wireless option. When using a standard Bluetooth signal the sound still impresses and holds together well. So if you are looking for a Bluetooth adaptor for any system, you cannot go far wrong with this smart addition to the Arcam family.

Whether you’re looking for something to fit your home cinema needs, or two-channel requirements – Hifi Gear will surely have the product to fit the bill, as well as the experience and knowledge to guide you in the right direction.

To book a demonstration, contact us.

]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 18:11:01 +0000 Onkyo TX-NR3010 Review
Onkyo have good a habit of producing award winning AV Receivers in the past few years and have a range to rival any of their competitors.

Onkyo TX-NR3010 internals

In the high end series of AV Receivers you have 3 potential options, the TXNR1010, 3010 or 5010 - I chose the mid-range 3010 to trial for a few weeks and to see what performance you get for £2499.

Design & Construction
Now for the boring part - as you would expect the Onkyo TXNR3010 comes with a host of connections and no less than 9 HDMI inputs and two outputs, so you shouldn’t have problems wiring in your multiple high definition source devices. The speaker options are many with the main system being a 9.2 channel amp (& for all you people who don’t think that’s enough you have an 11.4 analogue output to fulfil your entire home cinema needs) & 160 watts per-channel will be more than ample to power your speakers.

Onkyo TXNR3010 rear panel

As with most AV receiver’s you have a range of networking options to make it the hub of your entertainment such as internet radio, last.fm & Spotify & with the ability to play all of your Flac & Apple lossless files quality music is just a fingertip away.

Performance
When it came to giving this a good I try out I decided to attack it on three fronts, 1-Bluray 2-Gaming & 3 music streaming.
BLU-RAY
On the blu-ray front I went with Star Trek and from the opening volley of shots I was blown away with the power, the bass was hard but but with no loss detail dealing exceptionally well with a difficult start. Where the amp really came into it’s on was the first warp jump the dynamics were mind blowing, I was expecting to lose a little of the detail but it was composed & controlled.
GAMING
On the gaming front I went with my favourite game Mass effect 3, this has the feel of summer blockbuster with massive movie sequences & intense game play , from the sharpness of the dialog in the attack on earth to the massive base drops of the reaper attack the Onkyo dealt with the dynamics beautifully. In solid game play the separation of gun fire & vocals was tight & clear with a layer of depth I hadn’t heard on my previous high-end Sony AV Receiver.
MUSIC/2 CHANNEL
When it came to music I listened to Linkin Parks ‘a thousand suns’  this was a little more experimental and cutting edge and used numerous genres but I find it really does test most systems. In the track ‘waiting for the end’ the receiver makes the most of the rip soaring ballad, the verses are subtle with great depth & explode with chester’s massive chorus. When it comes to the harsher ‘wretches & kings’ again the amp deals with harshness and power with confidence.

Conclusion
As I said in the beginning there are many high end AV Receivers on the market, and at this price point you would expect a lot for your money and I’m happy to say at the Onkyo delivers on almost everything. The amp has no problem with power, but it’s how it controls that power that really impresses, no matter what the input. Detail is not the sharpest out there but with the right speakers and set up its no issue.

The HD700 headphones from Sennheiser are beautifully built, (as one would expect from such a highly prestigious manufacturer) and are an excellent choice for any home-audio enthusiast looking for a pure high fidelity sound.

Comfortable

The first thing to note about the Sennheiser HD700 headphones is the exceptional amount of comfort they provide. I was sat in the demo room for just short of four hours and I experienced no discomfort; this impeccable comfort almost leads you to forget that you’re even wearing them. This comfort, combined with exceptionally clear sound quality makes it sound as though the artist you’re listening to is in the room with you, performing exclusively for your amusement.

"Impeccable comfort"

Performance

This is evident by how clearly pronounced vocal sounds are through the HD700’s; in some instances, the moisture and airflow of words being sung by the artist is felt as though they were whispering into your ear, and really provides the illusion that you’re having a one-on-one session with that artist.

Switching to a dubstep song showed that the HD700’s handle frequency shifts without a stitch, high frequency synthesiser riffs in conjunction with deep and distorted bass notes were no issue for these headphones, both sides of the spectrum are audibly displayed brilliantly without one over-powering the other.

To test the headphones the best I could, I decided to play one of my own songs, having had a major input in the production, mixing, engineering and performing of the recording – I knew what to look for. I was immediately surprised at how clear the HD700s made the rain-fall sample we used, to the point that it actually brought a an even more emotional and atmospheric feel to the song than I’d previously noticed using a pair of HD25-1’s during the production process. The HD700s simply brought a clarity and definition to my song that I had not previously experienced.

Leakage

The headphones do leak an immense amount of audio (as is expected from a pair of open-back headphones) and are not recommended for use in public places; unless you wish the entire train or bus to listen to your music with you. This leakage enables the drivers within the headphones to move airflow more freely however, assisting in providing a more accurate sound. The headphones also use a 6.3mm connection, and no 3.5mm adapter is included. This makes the temptation to annoy people on the train slightly harder, as you’d have to either purchase an adapter or lug your amplifier with you. These headphones are certainly not meant to be portable, and are designed for the home-audio enthusiast, as opposed to the on-the-go commuter.

Conclusion

The HD700s are exceptional, and although they don’t quite present an accurate sound recreation to the degree of the HD800s, these headphones do produce an impressive clarity and detail that is otherwise hard to come-by with other headphone makes and models.

Sennheiser HD700 Headphones, available at Hifi Gear

When Jamie (Hifi Gear Manager ) asked me to review the B&W Z2, I was more than delighted; having been a Zep fan for quite some time and have been itching to get my hands on the Z2.

B&W Z2 airplay speaker in black finish

The Z2 is similar in design to its original iPod 30-pin connected cousin, the Zeppelin Mini. However, sonically it takes the B&W docking station range to an entirely new level. In the few ways the Zeppelin Mini slacked, the Z2 has made up for it.

Ben Howard - Call Me Maybe

I first decided to assess the Z2 using Ben Howard’s ‘Call Me Maybe’ cover for Radio 1 Live Lounge, I wanted to see how the system handled songs with a more ‘human’ feel, as the majority of the instruments used for this performance were traditional (guitar, cello, drum kit, etc). As soon as the introductory cello began to play, the atmosphere of the demo room where I was listening changed instantly. The Z2 filled the room with a big and ambient low-end bass sound that almost seems impossible to achieve from such a small machine. The Z2 brings a bright and delicate amount of high-end to Ben’s voice, and handles the blend between the low frequency cello/bass sounds. At one point during the performance, the artist lets out a sly chuckle; this, along with the sound of moisture on his lips at harsh sounding letters, and the breaths between these points is brought across almost flawlessly by the B&W Z2. I briefly forgot I was listening to a live recording (albeit a very well recorded live recording).

Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober

Next in my playlist is a slightly more up-beat song by Paloma Faith, titled “Stone Cold Sober”. Again, the Z2’s delicate and bright vocal response is evident, almost giving the illusion that you’re actually in the vocal booth with her. The kick drum is thick and punchy, and (in my opinion) is a carrying element for the entire song. The Z2 clearly agrees with me on this and brings it forward with just the right amount of low end for it to be audible, but not excessive/too loud. The remaining instruments (including harmonised vocal) are easily audible too, right down to the tambourine in the background of the chorus, which I had not noticed until writing this review! The Z2 takes this energetic and excited song, and gives it a shot of pure metaphorical caffeine.

Akio - Bytesize

To truly test it’s abilities, the next song to be played from the Z2 is an electronic dance track titled ‘Bytesize’, produced and created by U.K. EDM artist; ‘Akio’. This track possesses a variety of different extremes, ranging from thick and deep, sub-wrenching bass, to pretty and fragile sounding synthesiser riffs. The Z2 doesn’t handle the bass quite as well as an up-market subwoofer would, but it still manages to comfortably juggle these elements with the higher elements without any recognisable noise/distortion. Again, each element of the track is clear and detailed; the video-game samples used in the song are clearly understandable, despite the momentous amount of thick instrumentation below them. The song also features a number of volume dips, in certain elements (namely the crunchy bass/synth riff), these sections of the song show the Z2’s impressive volume range and how easily it handles quick changes in volume and compression.

Kids in Glasshouses

To end the assessment, I played one of my favourite Kids In Glass Houses songs; ‘Artbreaker I’. The song begins with an instrumental introduction, being played through a high-pass filter/EQ, which through some systems can sound distorted/’walkie-talkie-like’ beyond the desired amount. The Z2 is not one of these systems. It handles the effect competently (although, not quite as well as the Zeppelin Air), and aids to create the strong and ‘hyped-up’ drop the band set out to create. During the main parts of the song, instrumentation is again handled well against each other. The song is upbeat and heavy, so a lot of things are going on at once. The Z2 allows you to audibly detect these ‘things’ alongside each other, whether it be the meaty bassline riffs against the shiny and quick electric guitar riffs, or the crisp—clear snares and high hats against the astonishing group vocals.

In conclusion, the Z2 is an extremely competent and musically intellectual piece of kit, and is able to deliver everything you would want from a docking station/airplay device. It does however, marginally lack a proficient sound-stage/stereo-field (especially when compared with the Zeppelin), although considering its neat and compact size – this is both understandable and forgivable.

Musical Fidelity EB-50's

With the headphone market exploding with dozens of different brand names with hundreds of models between them thanks to the popularity of Smartphones as music players, it can be difficult to pick the right one for your needs.  With the history of Musical Fidelity, you can be sure of a professional audio manufacturer who understands music and how to produce a product of real quality and high performance.

Design & Construction

Made from military-spec aluminium body with varying textures, you immediately feel the quality and although not heavy in the hand, the Musical Fidelity EB-50 'phones feel very solidly put together. Driving the headphones is a pair of neodymium magnets, which are encased in an anti-resonant material which helps to reduce internal vibrations for clearer sound quality. The outcome is ruler flat frequency response with excellent range and deep bass.

Musical Fidelity eb50 - sturdy construction

Performance

Now I have to be honest and say that the first time I listened to the EB50s, I thought they felt a little lacking. I couldn’t put my finger on it but decided to give them another chance and I’m glad I did. After having a play with the ear buds (of which the EB50’s come with 7 pairs of different sizes), I managed to discover the right fit for my ears and the difference in the bass was immediately noticeable. While listening to Jamiroquai’s Deeper Underground; I found the bass to be tight and fast, but did not compromise the clarity of Jay Kay’s higher pitched vocals. The sound is equally as clear when listening to Incubus’ acoustic ‘Pardon Me’ in Apple lossless. The clarity and transparency of the guitar work is excellent and gives a really intimate performance. In celebration for The Door’s 40th anniversary of ‘L.A. Woman’, I decided to assess the headphones against the album. After testing them with a few songs, I was considerably impressed and able to pick out audible elements of the album that I felt were exceptionally clear and detailed.  The headphones compliment the production of the album and play back the songs exactly how the producer had intended them.

Musical Fidelity eb50 packaging

Verdict

Having given the EB50 headphones a full and comprehensive trial, I have no doubt that they are among the best I have listened to. Across the range, they offer brilliant detail as well as solid bass authority (you do have to play with the supplied ear buds to find the right ones for your ears, but once you do; it’s worth it) and as with any high-end headphone, the source material is important; a high quality file will really bring them to life, but even when playing back an MP3 file, the sound is tight and energetic. If you are looking for a refined sound and quality build without going silly on price, then the Music Fidelity  EB-50s are certainly worth a personal assessment and an extended listen.

Totem Tribe V on-wall speakers in matte white finish

We were grateful to a recent customer who sent us these images of his new Totem Tribe V on-wall speakers installed in his home, alongside his TV and stereo system, and commented "They are taking a bit of breaking in, but starting to sound pretty good already!"

Sennheiser Momentum and AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC

Being a huge Sennheiser headphone fan, having owned a pair of HD202’s for a considerable amount of time – I was interested to test and try out a pair of Sennheiser headphones in the sub-£300 price level, and the Sennheiser Momentum headphones caught my eye immediately with their stylish appearance, intrigued as to whether or not they sounded as good as they looked, I took a pair to the demo room and began listening. Below is a review of what I personally thought of the headphones overall.

Sennheiser Momentum in brown leather

The Sennheiser Momentum headphones are stylish in appearance with a smooth steel casing, tempered with bronze-finish cans, topped with a dark brown leather headband - there is also a rather natty black leather finish with red ear cushions for the more fashion conscious listener. The headband sits delicately and is well balanced, whilst the ear-cups themselves offer a cushion of softness so that you almost forget you're wearing them. To truly test the performance of the headphones, I decide to listen to one song from each of my favorite genres through my laptop, which include, hip-hop, rock, electronic and pop.

While listening to "When I Was Young" by Blink-182, I began to notice a number of sonic elements that I'd never previously experienced from the song (previously using my HD202's), namely the degree of panning used on the drums during the introduction of the song, the stereo field of the headphones is precise and extremely detailed. As the song progresses, I continue to discover hidden sounds and underlying riffs and vocal tracks that I had never heard before (despite having previously listened to the song more than 30 times). I found, however, that through the course of the song, the headphones lacked 'oomf', and although the sound was clear and I was discovering new and exciting sounds within the mix, the overall sound was somewhat quiet, despite the volume being at max generally and lacking 'momentum' the name of the headphones suggest.

Packaging for Momentum headphones and Dragonfly DAC

I then proceeded to plug in an AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC whish retails for £215, and immediately retract that opinion. The song sounds full, heavy and loud with an equal (if not greater) degree of clarity of than previously experienced (using the standard headphone socket of my laptop).

AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC

I then began listening to "Warning Shot" by Machine Gun Kelly, and with the Momentums through the Dragonfly, the bass and drums sound thick and nasty as the sound engineer intended, and compliment the vocal and other higher-end frequencies almost perfectly, without drowning them out. When it comes to hip-hop, you expect the vocal to be the most clear and detailed aspect of the song - the Momentums know this so deliver an impeccable clarity against the rest of the instrumentation. The Momentums (with the Dragonfly) really push and emphasise the essential elements of the song and enable you to feel the passion in MGK's voice, you can almost hear the spit leave the rapper's mouth and land on the microphone, which, in my opinion, is awesome.

The Momentums handle the low end of Eliminate's 'Beast Mode' extremely well, and although the artist may have produced the song in a way that more-or-less displays the higher frequency elements in more of a complimentary manner to the bass, rather than focusing on these elements themselves - the Momentums do a great job at keeping the bass tight and detailed, as well as full and deep - without compromising the sound and clarity of the midrange. After quickly swapping to my HD202's and back again to compare, the entire mix almost sounds liquid through the Momentums, and while my HD202's sound great with this song, these headphones really bring it to a new level, and with the Dragonfly behind it - flawless.

Lastly, I switched to "Off to the Races" by Lana Del Rey, and immediately noticed the difference the Dragonfly and Momentums make to the listening experience. The song I used to use for background music in the car or relaxing in the living room is now giving me shivers and making me feel charged and productive. Again, I begin to notice sonic elements that I hadn't before, namely how impressive the snare drum is in the bridge! The headphones juggle the higher vocal notes and deep heavy drums exquisitely, and although a lot of things are going on within the mix, all of them are easy to pick out and listen to individually.

To summarise, the £259 Sennheiser Momentum Headphones are extremely prolific, complimenting a variety of genres, ranging from heavy metal/rock (Bullet For My Valentine's "Waking The Demon" screams are clear and genuinely sound beautiful against the clean vocals) to pop, hip-hop and EDM. Topped with a stylish and classy design, these headphones provide a clear and full listening experience while looking the part. Having listened to a number of headphones within this price range, these are, in my opinion, among the best. The Dragonfly USB DAC from AudioQuest is also flawless in style, bearing a sleek black design with a light-up dragon fly (which changes colours depending on what the device is doing) and even more impressive in performance, giving the Momentums (in this case) that extra boost to sounding as good as they possibly can.

Loewe Individual 40 with stereo speaker in gloss white

The TV looks very much in keeping with the contemporary interior design, which was very pleasing.

Certainly the crisper image quality and 3D viewing capability delighted the family, and they are now planning to add a Loewe 32 Connect ID to two of the larger bedrooms next month.

Loewe 40 Individual gloss white looks classy against the white cabinet and stone walls

The TV is being used as a stand alone TV rather than as part of a separate audio visual system, but nonetheless the sound quality from the Loewe Stereospeaker is excellent, with very good voice clarity.

Top rear view of Loewe 40 Individual, all connections neatly hidden behind cover panel on rear of TV

Three sets of Loewe 3D glasses finished off this installation, which will add further excitement to gaming via XBox and blu-ray movies. We have the complete Loewe TV range on demonstration at our Hereford store, and we encourage you to come and see these extraordinary TV's in action for yourself.