INSIDER TOP FIVE LAUNCHES

Five products to look out for this month

1

T+A DAC 200

£4990

The high-end German brand has released the new Series 200, which is built on the HA 200 inaugural headphone pre-amplifier it launched last year. The DAC 200 Dac/preamp (joined by the MP 200 multi-source player and A 200 output stage in the new range) is built around T+A’S in-house Modular High-end Architecture and is capable of converting DSD1024 and 32-bit/768 khz PCM files. whf.cm/tanda200

2

Elipson Music Centre Connect HD

£899

Elipson’s all-in-one, just-add-speakers music system has come of age with the addition of wi-fi and, therefore, network streaming. Very much a product of the here and now, it offers access to networked music as well as online music services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer. And you can add a DAB/FM tuner, CD player, aptx HD Bluetooth and a few analogue and digital connections to that esteemed list too. whf.cm/musiccentreconnecthd

3

Audeze LCD-5

£3999 As you might expect from Audeze’s reference headphones, the LCD-5 are open-back planar magnetic over-ears. Thanks to a flurry of new design and tech features, they weigh just 420g, making them a third lighter than the previous LCD-4 model. The Californiabased headphone specialist says the LCD-5 sets a new standard for accuracy, thanks in part to a new driver design featuring the firm’s patent-pending voice coils and magnet assembly. Completing the luxurious package are those familiarly sloped leather earpads, an improved carbon fibre headband, and a redesigned magnesium housing. whf.cm/audeze_lcd-5

4

Sonos Beam Gen 2

£449

Our favourite mid-range soundbar has been Atmos-fied! The next generation of Beam adds support for Dolby Atmos, as well as enhanced processing power and EARC connectivity. Rather than using upward-facing drivers, as is the norm for an Atmos soundbar, the new Beam uses psycho-acoustic techniques, employing new software made possible by a CPU that is 40 per cent faster than that of the original model. Two of the soundbar’s five-speaker arrays are dedicated to reproducing overhead and surround sounds, albeit from a forward-facing position. Sonos is also adding support for Amazon Music’s Ultra HD, which will allow listeners to stream tracks in lossless 24bit/48khz. whf.cm/beam_gen_2

5

Chord Anni

£1195

Chord has packaged its proprietary Ultima amplifier technology (as found in its high-end mono and stereo amps) into its most diminutive design yet. The Anni is the company’s first-ever desktop integrated amp, capable of delivering 10 watts of amplification to headphones and speakers through its 3.5mm, 6.35mm and banana-type speaker outputs. It forms part of the Qutest range alongside the Qutest DAC and Huei phono stage – which together Chord says forms “an unrivalled desktop audio solution”. whf.cm/chord_anni