DESTINATION: LEITH

Welcome to a friendly haven of Californian cool in the creative heart of a former Edinburgh port. Simon Berkovitch samples the sunshine on Leith

Core values

Apple’s revamped HomePod smart speaker off ers attractive sound quality, but its Apple-centric focus remains frustrating for Cliff Joseph

Three for all

The 700 Series receives a helping of tech from the flagship 800 models. Ed Selley sees how the smallest speaker fares

System matching

Why finding the perfect synergy between your chosen integrated amplifier and favourite speakers holds the key to maximising your system’s potential

Game on!

At times the hi-fi and gaming industries might seem like they’re worlds apart, but Cliff Joseph reckons they both share a love of high-quality sound

ENJOY THE SILENCE

From sugary pop to drug-addled stadium fillers, Depeche Mode have seen it all. Music Legends’ own personal Jesus, Nigel Williamson, just can’t get enough

"I WAS A HIGH PRIESTESS IN EGYPT"

It’s May 1989 and Steve Sutherland is meeting up with Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac who is promoting her fourth solo album – The Other Side Of The Mirror. Will either of them remember the encounter?

Stand out

Nick Tate auditions six seriously special standmount speakers

Setting up your turntable

Proper record player installation pays dividends when it comes to performance. It’s time to shine a light on the dark art

Vinyl: the next generation

A 2022 survey has found that, for a variety of reasons, youngsters as well as older generation music collectors are now buying vinyl. Neville Roberts digs into the data

RX Reels

7in Carbon Fibre Tape Reel

FLOWER BOY

From poor-taste shock MC to mainstream super stardom, Tyler The Creator has done a lot of growing up. Nigel Williamson celebrates his genius

Head masters

Cliff Joseph casts his expert eye (and ears) over headphones offering the best mix of audiophile sound quality and versatile connectivity features

Greatest honour

AUDIOFILE:  THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS...

Light fantastic

The first one-box streamer from iFi looks superficially normal, but Ed Selley discovers there's rather more to it than meets the eye

Easy listening

Nick Tate is beguiled by this interesting new mini monitor that sports a little long-lost BBC DNA magic

Back in business

As Oppo makes its audio comeback with an affordable and impressive set of earbuds, Cliff Joseph welcomes it with open ears

Common PEOPLE

Forget Blur and Oasis, when it came to Britpop only one band mattered.

Top five

Brand new speaker range from France

Let's get physical

Shine worn off streaming? Vinyl collection denting the bank balance? It's time to reconnect with the original digital format.

The Missing Link Alaqeia

THIS INTERCONNECT USES The Missing Link's Ultrapure silver-plated oxygen-free copper conductors in a pseudo-balanced construction to offer superior RFI rejection and is insulated with a PTFE dielectric.

Russ Andrews Evolution-300 PowerKord

BUILDING ON THE success of the Evolution-100 PowerKord (HFC 461), the 300 employs twice as many woven conductors.

True Colours Industries Python II

MARKETED AS A no-compromise reference-grade speaker cable, the Python II is available as a standard pre-terminated stereo cable and also as a 4-conductor pre-terminated bi-wire.

Jack White Fear Of The Dawn

IT’S HARD TO think of any artist who has seized DIY control of the entire production, distribution, promotion and marketing of his music as totally as Jack White.

A RECORDING TECHNOLOGY SHOWDOWN

What's the best way to record music? Half-soeed mastering? 33 or 45rom? Analogue or digital? Mike Valentine has produced an audiophile recording that allows you to decide for yourself. Neville Roberts attends the session

Nilufer Yanya Painless

BORN IN LONDON 26 years ago to an IrishBarbadian mother and a Turkish father, Nilufer Yanya may be the embodiment of modern multi-cultural Britain but she’s built her career in the old-fashioned way.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cool It Down

IT’S MORE THAN 20 years since the Yeah Yeah Yeahs emerged as part of a new millennium resurgence in edgy, post-punk alternative American rock. Formed in New York by singer Karen O, drummer Brian Chase and guitarist/ keyboard player Nick Zinner, the trio’s earliest gigs were supporting the Strokes and White Stripes, which provided them with an audience that was already willing and able when the band eventually released its first album, Fever To Tell in 2003.

DESTINATION: HACKNEY

Man about town Simon Berkovitch heads to East London in search of vinyl bliss and finds that heaven is a place on Mare Street

DESTINATION: OXFORD

Simon Berkovitch, takes a punt on Riverman Records – a haven for classics of all kinds

Slipped discs

Back in October 2021 we warned you that a potential vinyl shortage was in the offing. Nigel Williamson confirms our darkest fear could be coming true