It’s going to be an awesome yr for hi-fi. I can really feel it in my bones.
After a handful of years blighted for numerous causes, there’s a sudden inflow of recent hi-fi separates from quite a few audio manufacturers coming to the market this yr. And I couldn’t be happier.
Whereas the previous couple of years noticed many hi-fi producers transfer in direction of extra lifestyle-friendly all-in-one designs (and rightly so), 2023 began with an enormous splash for followers of separate packing containers for every hi-fi aspect: Naim and JBL each introduced a complete new vary of hi-fi electronics at CES 2023 in January.
For Naim, that was the premium-priced NSC 222 streaming preamp, NAP 250 energy amp and NPX 300 energy provide. The NAP 250 specifically has been a very long time coming – it’s the sixth era of Naim’s long-running amplifier that’s by no means been out of manufacturing since 1975, and one which has been acquired favourably and to very large success in each era (we gave it 5 stars in 2008). For JBL, it was a model new step into the world of separates, with its Basic Collection consisting of the SA550 built-in amp, MP350 hi-res music streamer, its first-ever turntable TT350, and a CD participant, CD350. With a silver-walnut wooden retro design, they appear moderately sensible too.
JBL will little doubt have seen the contemporary curiosity in classic audio system getting revived with a contemporary twist – Mission and Wharfedale are key gamers right here, together with JBL’s personal L100 Basic audio system – to not point out the continued vinyl recognition. However to go all-in on a full vary of electronics speaks of a confidence within the hi-fi client market that has been lacking in recent times.
They usually’re not alone. Audiolab introduced its flagship 9000 collection (£1999 built-in amplifier and £999 CD transport) on the finish of 2022 to be on sale in 2023, adopted very swiftly with the announcement of the mid-tier 7000 collection (£1099 built-in amplifier, £549 CD transport and music streamer) in January – each of which I noticed on the Bristol Hello-Fi Present final weekend. Publicity additionally introduced a brand new 3510 collection of separates (built-in amp, pre/energy and monoblocks), Cyrus stated will probably be reviving the favored Basic collection (Basic PRE preamp £2595, Basic AMP built-in £1995 and a proposed BluOS-supported music streamer), and Musical Constancy launched a re-engineered high-end NuVista vary (all separates, all upwards of £20,000).
And Leema Acoustics is again: the Welsh firm piped up after a quiet few years to disclose its new The quantum vary of electronics, consisting of the Electron CD participant, Positron music streamer, Neutron DAC/preamp and Graviton energy amplifier (roughly £1500 – £1750 every, I’m instructed). And there are much more that I can’t match into this listing.
Talking of comebacks, the Bristol Hello-Fi Present was again on our calendar after a three-year absence and regardless of trepidation that the general public won’t be too eager to come back again to the outdated present (now in its thirty fourth yr), it was a buzzing, extraordinarily well-attended weekend. The primary two days have been completely rammed, with some demo rooms full to the brink and folks making an attempt to tiptoe above heads to see what was being performed inside. Producers I spoke to on the present (Dali, Leema, PMC, Rega, Wharfedale and extra) have been stunned and relieved on the reception, and happy to see hi-fi followers again of their droves.
2023 additionally marks the fiftieth anniversary of among the most well-respected, commemorated British hi-fi manufacturers: Naim, Rega and Linn. Cable makers QED can also be celebrating their fiftieth birthday, whereas Leema Acoustics is celebrating its twenty fifth. No surprise everyone seems to be bringing their A-game this yr.
Why is all this thrilling? As a result of as handy and satisfying as all-in-one methods, wi-fi audio system and the like are – in pure efficiency phrases, they’re nonetheless not a patch on a set of excellent high quality hi-fi separates. Fairly merely, merchandise which are devoted to doing only one factor have a bonus over those juggling a number of duties directly. And contemplating the pedigree of hi-fi manufacturers concerned in 2023’s launches, it’s unattainable to not eagerly anticipate the standard of efficiency I’d hear. I’ve solely gotten into hi-fi (correctly) over the previous decade, however the stream of separate merchandise – whether or not that’s a stereo amplifier, a pre/energy stack, or only a CD participant – I’ve heard throughout my time at What Hello-Fi? have stayed with me greater than a wi-fi speaker ever might.
In the course of the UK launch of the Basic collection, Naim’s Jason Gould stated: “We expect if individuals have gotten higher music of their homes, it is good for you. And what, it’ll broaden your musical horizons such as you would not think about – since you’re listening to issues correctly. You may begin listening to music you’ve got by no means heard or bothered to spend the time and a spotlight with.”
Now, doesn’t that sound great? When you love music and actually care about listening to it in the highest quality you presumably can (and what your finances will permit) a system made from hi-fi separates will carry out in a method that’s no getting back from.
However now it’s time to handle the massive elephant within the room: price. There’s no getting across the excessive expense of a few of these merchandise. Naim’s new merchandise begin at £5700. JBL’s separates are between £799 to £1599, whereas Audiolab and Cyrus’ merchandise are across the £1000 to £2000 mark every. That’s fairly a bit to spend on one part and all of it provides up – we nonetheless need to think about supply, audio system and cabling. When you’re beginning in your hi-fi journey for the primary time, it may be fairly daunting in your financial institution steadiness.
Fortunately, there are a handful of finances merchandise on the horizon providing a extra worth proposition, that I’m extremely enthusiastic about. First up is the Mission 778X amplifier – the model’s first amplifier in almost 40 years! Not solely is it thrilling to have a brand new stereo amplifier from a longtime model after so lengthy, nevertheless it’s additionally set to retail at a really interesting £549.
Cambridge Audio’s new MXN10 streamer has additionally caught my eye with its smaller footprint and £449 price ticket. House-saving and wallet-friendly – that’s two packing containers ticked already. Professional-Ject additionally launched a petite stereo amplifier with Bluetooth powers at £349, the Stereo Field S3 BTthat I’m eager to get my arms on, whereas Tangent’s workplace bearer finances vary presents separates as little as £200. There’s a dearth of high quality merchandise being launched at round £500 and under, so these finances merchandise are talked about with as a lot enthusiasm because the higher-end fashions within the What Hello-Fi? workplace.
Hello-fi remains to be very a lot a luxurious for a lot of, however in contrast to the broader tech world that strikes far too shortly, hi-fi tends to take its time to get it proper. And it appears to be like like manufacturers have taken their rightful time with these new separates merchandise. Hello-fi merchandise are designed to final an excellent few years, too, and grow to be a part of your on a regular basis life, letting you take pleasure in music in the highest quality attainable. Why wouldn’t you wish to put money into that?
My colleague Becky surmised that 2023 is perhaps the yr of higher however smaller hi-fi and audioand I largely assume she’s proper (honestly, even I can solely realistically match half-width merchandise in my house). Hello-fi separates will seemingly by no means attain the heyday of its 70s and 80s – however I believe there’s each probability that we might see a blip – an excellent blip – this yr, with full-size separates taking centre stage in our nook of the market. Tech giants like Apple and Sonos could also be grabbing headlines, however I’m satisfied that hi-fi separates may have an excellent go at it this yr.
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