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KEF LS60 Wireless Active Speaker System

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 August 2022

Reviewers' ChoiceIn 2012, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, KEF introduced the LS50 two-way minimonitor ($1499.99/pair at launch, all prices in USD), which went on to become one of the landmark audio products of the 2010s. When he reviewed the LS50 on SoundStage! Hi-Fi in 2013, Doug Schneider concluded: “The LS50 is nothing short of a masterpiece of a minimonitor, priced so that anyone serious about audio can buy a pair.” The LS50 later won a 2013 SoundStage! Network Product of the Year award. Four years later, KEF launched an active speaker employing the same Uni-Q driver array as its passive cousin. The LS50 Wireless ($2499.99/system at launch) was named a SoundStage! Network Product of the Year for 2017.

Read more: KEF LS60 Wireless Active Speaker System

Zidoo Neo S 4K UHD Media Player

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 July 2022

Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click this link.

With network entertainment now solidly in the mainstream, we’re seeing more and more products that depart from the traditional source-amp-speaker paradigm. We’ve reviewed scores of such products on Simplifi: active speaker systems with built-in network streamers such as KEF’s LS50 Wireless II and Bang & Olufsen’s Beolab 28, streaming DAC-preamps such as NAD’s C 658 and Bryston’s BR-20, and streaming integrated amplifiers such as Bluesound’s Powernode and Naim Audio’s Uniti Atom.

Read more: Zidoo Neo S 4K UHD Media Player

Q Acoustics M20 HD Powered Wireless Music System

Written by: Kurt Wetzel
Created: 01 June 2022

Q Acoustics, founded in the UK in 2006, produces loudspeakers that range from the inexpensive 3010i compact bookshelf model ($299 per pair, all prices in USD) to the Concept 500 floorstander ($6499/pair), with a plethora of choices in between. These include a myriad of home-theater options, including several subwoofers and an active soundbar.

Read more: Q Acoustics M20 HD Powered Wireless Music System

Sonus Faber Omnia Wireless Music System

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 May 2022

The Italian brand Sonus Faber is known for beautifully crafted passive loudspeakers that use luxurious materials, including exotic wood finishes and front baffles with leather inserts. Earlier this year, Sonus Faber announced its Omnia Wireless Music System ($1999, all prices in USD unless noted otherwise). With flowing lines, five-layer veneered walnut top panel, sculpted base, and textured fabric grilles, the Omnia shares the design aesthetic of Sonus Faber’s passive speakers.

Read more: Sonus Faber Omnia Wireless Music System

Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Speaker

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 April 2022

If I had to name two products that laid the groundwork for Simplifi’d hi-fi, they’d be Apple’s iPod and Bowers & Wilkins’s Zeppelin iPod speaker. Before Apple launched the iPod in 2001, most people listened to their own music on physical media, one disc or tape at a time. The iPod let them store an entire music library on one pocketable device and play tracks at random.

Read more: Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Speaker

NAD Masters M10 V2 Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Written by: Vince Hanada
Created: 15 March 2022

Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click this link.

The original NAD Masters M10 streaming amplifier, introduced in January 2019, is a compact, versatile unit that can form the heart of a modern high-fidelity system. It has everything you can imagine you’d want in an integrated amplifier: NAD’s BluOS streaming function, a two-channel amplifier, Dirac Live room correction, a DAC, digital and analog inputs, and more. The M10 fits NAD’s “just add speakers” philosophy perfectly. Gordon Brockhouse reviewed the M10 on this site in May 2019—it received a Reviewers’ Choice award and was subsequently named a SoundStage! Network Product of the Year.

Read more: NAD Masters M10 V2 Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Mission LX Connect Wireless Active Speakers and Hub

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 March 2022

The British hi-fi brand Mission is best known for its passive loudspeakers; but, late last year, the company introduced a lifestyle music system that combines a wireless hub with a pair of active bookshelf loudspeakers. Priced at $1699.99 (all prices in USD), the LX Connect was designed and engineered in the UK, with acoustic engineering by Mission and electronic design by its sister company Audiolab. Both brands are part of the International Audio Group (IAG), a Chinese company that also owns Castle Acoustics, Leak, Luxman, Quad, and Wharfedale.

Read more: Mission LX Connect Wireless Active Speakers and Hub

Linn Series 3 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 February 2022

When Linn Products announced its Series 3 active loudspeaker in October 2019, the Scottish company called it “the world’s best-sounding wireless speaker.” Given that bold claim, Linn chose an appropriate launch venue for the speaker. For several months, the Series 3 was available exclusively at Linn’s flagship showroom in Harrods department store in London, England. In 2020, Linn rolled out the Series 3 to its worldwide dealer network.

Read more: Linn Series 3 Active Loudspeakers

Bang & Olufsen Beolab 28 Active Loudspeakers

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 January 2022

Reviewers' ChoiceIs there an audio manufacturer whose products exemplify Simplifi’d hi-fi more than Denmark’s Bang & Olufsen? I doubt it. Formed in 1925, B&O started offering “convenient, lifestyle-oriented hi-fi” components not long after the word “lifestyle” had been coined.

Read more: Bang & Olufsen Beolab 28 Active Loudspeakers

KEF KC62 Powered Subwoofer

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 15 December 2021

Reviewers' ChoiceHere’s a bit of audio trivia for your holiday enjoyment: Who was J.A. Hofmann? If you’ve been into audio as long as I have, you’ll know him as the H in the loudspeaker brand KLH. Along with Henry Kloss and Malcolm S. Low, Hofmann was a founding partner of KLH Research and Development Corporation, which was formed in 1957, and has recently been revived as KLH Audio.

Read more: KEF KC62 Powered Subwoofer

NAD C 700 Streaming Integrated Amplifier

Written by: Gordon Brockhouse
Created: 01 December 2021

Note: for the full suite of measurements from the SoundStage! Audio-Electronics Lab, click this link.

The fall of 2021 has been a busy time for NAD Electronics. In the past few months, the Pickering, Canada–based company has announced three new integrated amplifiers, all of them with intriguing feature sets.

Read more: NAD C 700 Streaming Integrated Amplifier

  1. iFi Audio Zen Stream Wi-Fi Streamer
  2. System Audio Legend 40.2 Silverback Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  3. Bluesound Node Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
  4. Acoustic Energy AE1 Active Loudspeakers
  5. Q Acoustics Q Active 200 Active Loudspeakers
  6. Bluesound Powernode Multiroom Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  7. Edifier Airpulse A300Pro Active Loudspeakers
  8. KEF LS50 Wireless II Active Loudspeakers
  9. Bryston BR-20 Streaming Preamplifier-DAC
  10. HEDD Type 05 MK2 Active Speakers and Bass 08 Subwoofer
  11. SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer
  12. Sony SA-Z1 Active Nearfield Loudspeakers
  13. Heavenly Soundworks FIVE17 Active Loudspeakers
  14. Marantz SACD 30n SACD/CD Player and Streaming DAC-Preamp
  15. DALI Oberon 1 C Active Loudspeakers and Sound Hub Wireless Transmitter
  16. PSB Alpha AM3 Powered Loudspeakers
  17. iFi Audio Neo iDSD DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier
  18. Bluesound Pulse Sub+ Wireless Subwoofer
  19. PSB Alpha AM5 Powered Loudspeakers
  20. SVS Prime Wireless SoundBase Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  21. Focal Solo6 Be Active Loudspeakers
  22. Buchardt Audio A500 Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  23. Klipsch The Fives Active Loudspeakers
  24. Triangle Elara LN01A Powered Loudspeakers
  25. Volumio Primo Community Edition and Hi-Fi Edition Streaming DACs
  26. System Audio Legend 5 Silverback Active Loudspeakers and Stereo Hub WiSA Transmitter
  27. Andover Audio Model-One Turntable Music System
  28. Elac Alchemy DDP-2 Streaming DAC-Preamp
  29. Focal Shape 65 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  30. HEDD Type 07 Analog Active Loudspeakers
  31. exaSound Audio Design Delta Music Server M100
  32. Bryston BDA-3.14 Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
  33. iFi Audio Pro iDSD Streaming DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amplifier
  34. Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
  35. DALI Rubicon 6 C Hybrid Active Loudspeakers
  36. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Pre Box RS2 Digital DAC-Preamp-Headphone Amp
  37. Klipsch RW-51M Wireless Powered Loudspeakers
  38. iFi Audio Aurora Wireless Music System
  39. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  40. Cambridge Audio CXA81 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  41. Hegel Music Systems H120 Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  42. DALI Katch One Soundbar
  43. NAD Classic C 658 BluOS Streaming DAC
  44. Kanto Audio Tuk Powered Loudspeakers
  45. Lumin T2 Network Music Player
  46. Naim Audio ND5 XS 2 Network Music Player
  47. Elac Navis ARF-51 Active Loudspeakers
  48. Devialet Phantom Reactor 900 Active Loudspeakers
  49. PMC result6 Active Loudspeakers
  50. Bowers & Wilkins Formation Duo Active Loudspeakers
  51. Naim Audio Mu-so 2nd Generation Wireless Music System
  52. McIntosh Laboratory MTI100 Integrated Turntable
  53. Yamaha WXA-50 MusicCast Streaming Amplifier
  54. NAD Masters M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier
  55. Primare SC15 Prisma Streaming DAC-Preamp
  56. Naim Uniti Core CD Ripper/Music Server
  57. Elac Navis ARB-51 Active Loudspeakers
  58. Bluesound Pulse 2i Wireless Speaker
  59. SVS Prime Wireless Active Speakers
  60. Totem Acoustic Kin Play Powered Speakers
  61. KEF LSX Active Loudspeakers
  62. Bluesound Vault 2i CD Ripper-Server-Streamer
  63. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Stream Box S2 Ultra Music Streamer
  64. Kii Audio Three DSP-Controlled Active Loudspeakers
  65. Aurender S5W Battery-Powered Wireless Active Loudspeakers
  66. Cambridge Audio Yoyo (L) Wireless Speaker
  67. DALI Callisto 2 C Active Speaker System
  68. Kanto SYD Bluetooth Speaker
  69. LG G7 ThinQ Smartphone
  70. Pro-Ject Audio Systems Juke Box E Turntable-Integrated Amplifier
  71. NAD D 3020 V2 Bluetooth Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  72. Polk Assist Wi-Fi Smart Speaker
  73. MartinLogan Unison Wireless Preamplifier
  74. Dynaudio Music 7 Wi-Fi Speaker
  75. Musical Fidelity M6 Encore 225 Music System
  76. Cocktail Audio X35 Music System
  77. Peachtree Audio decco125 Sky Integrated Amplifier-DAC
  78. Technics Ottava f SC-C70 Music System
  79. JBL Link 500 Wi-Fi Speaker
  80. Trinnov Amethyst DAC-Preamplifier-Processor
  81. Control4 Triad One Streaming Amplifier
  82. Elac Discovery Z3 Wi-Fi Speaker
  83. Klipsch Heritage Wireless Three Wi-Fi Speaker
  84. Paradigm PW 300 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  85. Thiel Audio Aurora Home Wi-Fi Speaker
  86. Hegel Music Systems H190 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  87. Yamaha R-N803 Network Stereo Receiver
  88. Onkyo TX-8270 Network Stereo Receiver
  89. Dynaudio Focus 20 XD Active Loudspeakers
  90. Riva Audio Festival Wi-Fi Speaker
  91. Naim Audio Uniti Atom Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  92. NAD Masters Series M50.2 Digital Music Player
  93. Bryston BryFi BW-1 Wi-Fi Speaker
  94. Arcam rPlay Music Streamer
  95. Auralic Polaris Wireless Streaming DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  96. Simaudio Moon Neo ACE DAC-Streamer-Integrated Amplifier
  97. NAD C 368 DAC-Integrated Amplifier
  98. Lumin M1 Integrated Amplifier-Network Music Player
  99. Arcam Solo Music DAC-Integrated Amplifier-Universal Player
  100. McIntosh Laboratory RS100 Wi-Fi Loudspeakers
  101. Hegel Music Systems Röst Integrated Amplifier
  102. Naim Audio Mu-so Qb Wi-Fi Speaker
  103. Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 2 Wi-Fi Speaker

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