I’m a recent and evangelical user of Roon, and couldn’t imagine an audio life without it. However, I wanted to explore the possibility of getting Roon connectivity using the ridiculously cheap Raspberry Pi computer – a route I’d been very wary of in the past.
The SL-G700 network, CD and SACD player from audio giant Technics is, as the title would suggest, a wired or wireless network player, CD player and SACD player in one heavyweight box costing £2350. Stuart Smith gives it a spin. More »
Hifi Pig first reviewed the LEEMA LIBRA DAC way back in August 2016. In this update to
that review, Stuart Smith takes a slightly different viewpoint and makes very different conclusions, but based on very similar findings, to the initial review.
LAB12 are an Athens, Greece based manufacturer that feature valves in all their designs other than mains conditioners. In this review Stuart Smith takes a listen to their dac 1 REFERENCE Non-Oversampling DAC costing €2900. More »
The Auralic Altair G1 Streamer/DAC is a well-featured box of tricks to which you need only add an amp and loudspeakers. Stuart Smith checks out this €2399/£1999 unit. More »
Costing £1399 the iFi Aurora Music System is an all-in-one streaming music system that boasts a plethora of features and innovative touches. It’s also striking in its aesthetics and design. Stuart Smith takes a listen. More »
Cabasse Pearl Akoya is a powered speaker with onboard streaming capability and costs £1499. Janine Elliot takes a listen for Hifi Pig. More »
John Scott wonders if the new version of Stack Audio’s £725 network streamer with optional £400 power supply is the missing link he has been searching for. More »
Bricasti Design is a brand more associated with the pro-audio market, but that could all set to change given Dan Worths enthusiastic review of their £5399 M3 DAC, with options to add a network player and headphone amp.
The Novafidelity X45 boasts a host of features and costs £2099 and is distributed in the UK by SCV. In this review, Stuart Smith takes a look at this massively specified unit. More »
Hailing from Norway the Electrocompaniet ECI 6 DX MKII is an integrated amplifier and streaming solution costing £5999 (a version without streaming capabilities is available at £4999), Alan McIntosh plugs it into his system for Hifi Pig
The iFi ZEN Blue is a wireless Bluetooth DAC costing just £129. Janine Elliot gives it a whirl.
Janine Elliot takes a listen to the iFi Zen DAC that boasts a whole load of features in a diminutive package and is priced at just £129. More »
Leema Acoustics’ Elements High-Resolution Streamer is the Welsh brand’s mid-level streamer. Here Alan Mcintosh puts it through its paces.
Fresh out of Florence, Gold Note’s new Streamer/DAC aims to bring versatility and sophistication to your digital setup. John Scott sets out to see if it succeeds in this, the first English language review of this product. More »
Auralic’s Aries G1 Wireless Streaming Transport costs £1899 in the UK and is, surprisingly enough, a wireless (and wired) streamer, Stuart Smith puts it into the Hifi Pig mid-priced reference system and gives it a listen. More »
iFi’s xCan at £299 offers a portable headphone amp with Bluetooth connectivity, whereas their £399 xDSD focuses on DAC duties with a headphone amp, Bluetooth and lots of digital inputs. Janine Elliot puts them head to head for this in-depth review.
Hifi Pig’s Millennial Scribbler Harry Smith takes a look at American brand Russound’s MBX-Amp, a one-box streamer and amplifier costing £599 in the UK. More »
In which John Scott confronts a philosophical pachyderm, feeds it a bun, pats it gently on its trunk and sends it on its way. Or John Scott takes delivery of the Micromega M150 Integrated amp/DAC/streamer costing £5499.
Dan Worth takes a listen to the catchily named x-odos – xo|one CD Ripping Streamer costing £7500 and hailing from Germany. More »
French company Metronome Technologies make a whole host of kit for the digital domain, here Stuart Smith tries out their AQWO CD/SACD player and DAC with valve output stage costing £13,870 Euros as tested.
The Roon Nucleus + is essentially a Roon specific dedicated network streamer costing £2500, but what does it bring to the whole Roon experience sonically? John Scott finds out. 
More »
Italian brands Gold Note IS-1000 Streamer and Integrated Amplifier does what it says on the tin and has an impressive range of connectivity, high power output and even has a built in MM/MC phonostage. It costs £3820 (around $5000) as tested in the UK (a version with an updated DAC is available for £4500) but does it all add up to a great deal in the final analysis? Stuart Smith finds out. More »
The Cyrus OneHD is an integrated amp and DAC with a whole host of connectivity for what looks to be a very reasonable £999. Alan McIntosh takes a listen. More »
