What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision

200 Pages·2015·15.68 MB·English

NOVEMBER 2015 (cid:5)150
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10 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
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T H E Y E A R ’ S M O S T A M A Z I N G K I T

WELCOME
Hello/11/15
Ground floor, Podar Centre, 85, Parel Post Office Lane,
Off Dr. B Ambedkar Road, Parel East, Mumbai 400 012.
email us [email protected]
Call us 022-43021000 fax us 022-43021050 A decade of indulgence. We could be accused of such
EDITORIAL impeachments but the honest truth is, we have never
Editor Nishant Padhiar
Deputy Editor Yatish Suvarna felt more in love with hi-fi than we have after 10 years
Editor (Web) Farhan Kapadia
Editor-Special Projects Vaibhav Sharma of working on What Hi-Fi? (India). From a bi-monthly
Sr. Correspondent Kaizad S Billimoria
Staff Writer (Web) Karan Lohan to a monthly and now bi-annual live shows, the brand
Sub Editor Shanth Swaroop
Deputy Art Editors Kritika Dayal and indeed our supporters have come a long way since
Sr. Designers Sahaya Johnson, Sukhdeep Singh
Head Business Solutions Debolin Sen the winter of 2005. A clear reminder of that can be found inside in our
Sr. Manager Special Project Amlan Mukerjee
Listening Room (p44) feature where we look at two of the newest
Marketing
Sr. Manager Kunal Marjadi AV showrooms to have opened its doors for enthusiasts and one of
Executive Preeti Wadhwa
ADVERTISING them being in Rajkot again says a lot about the evolution of the market.
Group Head Harvinder Pal Singh
National Manager Preeti Sinha Previously, only the domain of a select distributors and dealers from
Regional Head Amjad Khan (West), Amit Ahlawat (North)
Sr. Managers Santhosh Kumar (Bengaluru) Mumbai, New Delhi and perhaps Bengaluru, the explosion of home-
Managers Nackeeran (Chennai), Kanika Sood (Delhi),
Prasad Brid (Mumbai) theatre and the revival of two-channel audio has been a major shot in
Asst. Manager Ratan Deb (Mumbai), Neha Singh (Delhi)
Advertising Co-ordinator Sonal Jain the arm for us too, pushing us to cover ever more products and explore
PRODUCTION latent metros with our live shows.
Sr. Manager Sanjeev Govekar
Deputy Manager Prasad Gangurde More than 30 different product categories also help us celebrate our
CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION 10th anniversary in style. The Best products of the year (p56) picked
General Manager Gilbert D’Souza
Head-Circulation Satish Kumar (North) by our global team of reviewers ensures that no matter what you buy
Regional Manager P Vijayakumar (South)
Asst. Manager Saravana D, Vimal Sharma from the list, is bound to bring a smile. We’re committed to bring newer
Sr. Executive Ashok More (West)
Executives Tapan H, Yogesh S, Anil Raghav
experiences and material to our readers and the industry at large.
Manager Subscription Mahesh Malusare
Co-ordinator Rajesh Salian
Here’s hoping to spend another decade with the friends, family and
INTERNATIONAL
Managing Editor Jonathan Evans gurus of the trade!
Brand Editor Andy Clough
Managing Director David Prasher
Chief Operating Officer Brian Freeman Nishant Padhiar, Editor
Chief Executive Kevin Costello
Chairman Rupert Heseltine
Licensing Account Manager Isla Friend
CONTACT
Mumbai Ground floor, Podar Centre, 85, Parel Post Office Lane,
Off Dr. B Ambedkar Road, Parel East, Mumbai 400 012.
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]
New Delhi A2/9, Lower Ground Floor, Safdarjung Enclave,
Africa Avenue Road, New Delhi - 110029
Tel : [phone] Fax: [phone]
Chennai M H V Pinnacle, First Floor 8/27 Govindu Street, T Nagar
Chennai 600 017. Tel: [phone] Telefax: 044-4212 3230
Bengaluru No. 811, ‘A’ Wing, 8th Floor, Mittal Towers, M.G. Road,
Bengaluru - 560001. Tel: [phone]
Secundrabad No. 6-1-144, Nirmal Bhavan, Ground Floor, Why we’re No.1!
Street No 9, Walker Town, Padmarao Nagar, Secundrabad - 500 025
News-stand price (cid:5)150
All prices and content correct at the time of going to press (*denotes indicative pricing) Experience and heritage
All rights reserved. All the data contained in this magazine is based on the information
available with the publisher at the time of going to press. No part of this publication
may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher makes In the AV universe our deep rooted heritage and experience helps us
every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, he can
aincccleupdtin ngo p rheosptoognrsaibpihlisty a fnodr tarnayn sepffaercetnsc fireosm–is e urrsoerds ionr W omHAisTs iHonI-sF.I ?U SnOsoUlNiciDte AdN mDa VteISrIiaOl N– , share a wealth of information, helping you make a sound decision
but is submitted entirely at the owner’s risk, and the publisher accepts no responsibility
for its loss or damage. Advertisements are accepted by us in good faith as correct at
the time of going to press. Dedicated test facilities
Printed and published by Hormazd Sorabjee on behalf of
Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Ground floor, Podar Centre, 85, Parel Post Office Lane, Off Dr. B Ambedkar Road, Our bleeding edge test facilities are stocked with the top of the line
Parel East, Mumbai 400 012.
Printed at Indigo Press (India) Pvt Ltd
Plot No. 1, C/7 16, Off Dadoji Konddeo Cross Road, between Sussex and Retiwala reference systems to put incoming products through their paces
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Published at Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Ground floor, Podar Centre, 85, Parel Post Office Lane, Off Dr. B Ambedkar Road, We spot big trends first
Parel East, Mumbai 400 012.
E ditor: Nishant Padhiar
CIN No. U22120MH1998PTC116780 Don’t blame us for breaking the best stories, it is a habit that ensures
This magazine contains 200 pages including both covers.
you get to learn about tommorow, today
November 2015 | What Hi Fi? | 3
>AWARDS
CONTENTS
Insider p49
“Firstly, I was impressed by the
organization of the What Hi-Fi? show.
Very well planned and managed. Also
the quality of attendees was great. “
Awards 2015 present, and they’re not about to disappear anytime soon

113 Televisions The very best of what 2015 has to offer, from
budget models to 4K behemoths, television has never looked better
08 First tests We kick off with a fantastic line-up of Cambridge
119 Projectors Turn the lights down low and enjoy the show, these
Audio CXU and CXC, Denon M-D40DAB among others
projectors are the ultimate in big-screen cinema fun (at home)
59 Soundbars and bases Bring the noise with these soundbars
123 On-ear headphones Retreat into a world of your favourite
and bases that will give your flatscreen TV the oomph it needs
tracks and artists with these on-ear options
63 In-ear headphones Comfy, good-looking ear buds with
great sound. We don’t ask for much, and these deliver 127 Turntables After a stretch in the wilderness, vinyl is back.
Experience it with one of these great turntables
69 Systems A selection of music systems that are jack of all
trades and a master of delivering high quality performance 130 Streamers Who needs wires and discs when you can go
wireless? These streamers put their case foward
73 Multi-room systems Orchestrate your own symphony of
sound with these two cracking multi-room set-ups
77 Blu-ray players Still haven’t upgraded to HD? This disc spinner
is just the ticket to cure your standard-definition blues
79 Smartphones They’re not just phones anymore, they now
offer a dazzling mix of cutting-edge audiovisual technology
81 DACs With digital music on the rise, a DAC is a surefire way
to hear your music collection at its most brilliant
Insider Listening room p44
85 Wireless speakers As they inch towards their wired cousins
“When you’re spending crores on an audio system, no
in quality, it’s never made more sense to invest in wireless speakers compromise will do and Steinway Lyngdorf is based
on this principle”
89 Speaker packages If a big, immersive sound is what you’re
looking for, you’ve found it in these five performers
93 Tablets Simple, intuitive and a pleasure to use, these
two tablets mix great design with stunning performance
95 Home cinema amplifiers Recreate the thrills and spills of the
cinema without leaving the comfort of your sofa
97 Speakers Big, small or just sitting on your desk – whatever
your needs, you’re bound to have a blast with these speakers
105 Stereo amplifiers An amp sits at the heart of any good stereo
set-up – these efforts will help your music sound great
How to... Build your audio network p143
“The way we listen to music is evolving and so it’s
108 CD players Digital may be the future but CD players are the
essential that you evolve with it too”
OOuurr pprroodduuccttss ooff tthhee yyeeaarr
Cambridge Audio CXU Acer V7500 Mark Levinson 326s/532H
First test p08 Off the shelf p163 Temptations p150
“The CXU isn’t just a Blu-ray/DVD “There is a new projector in “The 326s/532H combination is
player. It’s a Blu-ray player, CD player, the budget range that aims to a massively capable pairing that
DAC and network streamer all built impress, so we decided to delivers a refined, controlled yet
into one sleek machine” take it for a spin “ hugely enetertaining sound”
4 | What Hi Fi? | November 2015
1500 TEST VERDICTS

B UYING GUIDE
Canton DM55
“This soundbase has a rich and
meaty character”
KEF Egg
Denon AVR-X2200W “These speakers excel when it
“Denon has pulled out all the stops” comes to agility and clarity”
Bluesound Generation 2
“It’s as expressive as it is subtle,
able to pick out fine detail”
Our ratings explained
We test products as a team, in dedicated facilities,
TEST WINNER and compare them with their peers. That’s why our
ratings are the most authoritative in the industry.
★★★★★
One of the best
★★★★
A serious contender
Apple iPhone 6S
★★★
Worth a look
Disappointing ★★ “Top picture, top sound, and a
★
Awful clever way to operate what is
If it’s one of our winners, you know it’s top quality already a very shiny device”
November 2015 | What Hi Fi? | 5

Exclusive reviews of the latest kit
FIRST TESTS
MORE
FIRST TESTS
Denon M-D40DAB
(cid:5)49,900 Page 13
A micro system with
detail and dynamics
that packs a punch
Roth Oli RA1
(cid:5)16,800 Page 18
A tiny and dandy
bookshelf speaker
that sings rather well EXCLUSIVE
C ambridge gets
Dali Opticon 1 the universal acclaim
(cid:5)57,900 Page 27
Small and enthusiastic
book shelves with
great detail Cambridge Audio CXU | Universal disc player | (cid:5)1,25,600
Cambridge Audio is on a roll. Its new CX streamer all built into one sleek machine. slow panning shot. The CXU handles
series line has proved hugely popular in The CXU also supports high-resolution Birdman’s dizzyingly choppy edits and
our testing rooms, with the CXC CD audio, whether it’s in SACD or camera swings with confidence and control.
transport, CXA60 amplifier and CXN 24-bit/192kHz form. Oh, and it will also A glossier film like Guardians of the
network music streamer all receiving five charge your smartphone. Galaxy bursts with punchy colours, rich
star reviews for combining great design and Suddenly, the price seems pretty detail and strong contrast. Objects are
superb performance. reasonable. But it’s the CXU’s performance drawn crisply, but it never looks overly
The Cambridge CXU is the latest to join that makes its high-end status worth it. sharp or unnatural, even when dealing with
that illustrious list of five-star products. The CGI spaceships and MacGuffin magic gems.
CXU is a multi-talented universal disc Clean and intense The CXU resolutely holds on to its
player that is packed with features and With the Birdman Blu-ray playing, we’re punchy contrast and natural colour balance
connections, and is an impressive player of treated to an image that looks natural, even when we take a step down in quality
both films and music. crystal clear, and full of subtlety and and put on a DVD. There’s the usual dip in
The display is simple
and clear, and easy to Although (cid:5)1,25,600 may seem steep for dynamism. It’s a gorgeous picture. Colours resolution when playing Stoker on DVD, but
read from afar. It is a disc player, the ‘universal’ part of the CXU are faithfully portrayed, with skin-tones there aren’t any intrusive blotches of noise.
a shame it doesn’t needs to be considered here. The CXU isn’t and daylight scenes having a realistic It’s a stable, detailed picture.
show more additional just a Blu-ray/DVD player. It’s a Blu-ray touch, while also brimming with vibrancy The CXU’s immediate rival, the excellent
information though player, CD player, DAC and network and crisp detail. and class-leading Oppo BDP-105D
The interplay of light and shadow is ((cid:5)1,00,000), is similarly adept at delivering
expertly done. The sunlight coming a natural and lively picture. However, the
through the windows is clean and intense Cambridge is slightly crisper and subtler
(but never glaring), while the gradient of with detail. It’s enough to keep us further
shadows in gloomy hallways is deftly glued to what we’re watching on the screen.
conveyed. Dark scenes are pleasingly deep,
but without swallowing up finer details or Musical talents
robbing the scene of depth and drama. As enjoyable as its picture performance is,
it’s with sound that the Cambridge CXU
Stable and detailed picture really lets its true colours shine through. It’s
Motion is handled smoothly, whether superb with music.
you’re watching a fast action scene or a With a natural proclivity for well-timed
8 | What Hi Fi? | November 2015
The Cambridge Audio
CXU follows in the
footsteps of the
CX family, with a
premium-quality build
and elegant chassis
Although (cid:5)1,25,600 may seem steep, the ‘universal’ part of the CXU
needs to be considered. It isn’t just a Blu-ray/DVD player, it’s a Blu-ray
player, CD player, DAC and network streamer all built into one sleek machine
rhythms and a fluid, musical presentation, file type or recording quality, with Marcy but only through the USB inputs.
it makes film soundtracks arresting, Playground’s grungy tones on Comin’ Up All four HDMI ports on the CXU – two for
immersive and full of impact. From Behind given the same amount of input, two for output – can play Full HD
With two-channel music, its talents are enthusiasm and insight as with high- resolution. Both HDMI outputs feature ARC
even more obvious. With Leonard Cohen’s resolution tracks. However, play a pristine (Audio Return Channel), while the front
Popular Problems spinning on CD, the CXU recording like Popular Problems and the HDMI port supports Mobile High-Link
delivers a richly detailed, spacious and CXU shines. Definition (MHL) so you can directly play
melodic performance. The bouncy, Once again, the comparison with the HD content from Android smartphones.
seductively deep and rumbling bassline on Oppo player proves telling. While rich and You’ll also find coaxial and optical inputs
Almost Like The Blues is stunningly taut and full-bodied, the Oppo’s low-end on the CXU’s back panel, as well as a pair of
controlled. The top end is clean and notes performance isn’t as grippy or precise as the analogue stereo outputs and a 7.1
soar without ever sounding bright. Vocals Cambridge’s. The CXU is also a livelier, multichannel output.
are clear and expressive: the smoky, more enthusiastic and insightful player. If your music and video collection is
growling texture of Cohen’s deep baritone is stored on hard drives or USB sticks, simply
conveyed with insight and clarity. All popular file formats plug them into any of the three USB ports.
The CXU supports a wide range of disc One of the CXU’s bonus features – and a
No fuss about recording quality formats, including 3D Blu-ray, CD, SACD, very useful one at that – is that all three
Each instrument is easily identifiable on DVD-A, and even the rare HDCD and ports can also charge your smartphone,
the spacious soundstage. Notes stop and AVCHD. In case you’re wondering, no it whether it’s Apple or Android.
start with precision, but the Cambridge doesn’t play HD-DVD.
never sounds too analytical. It’s too busy It supports playback of all popular file Easiest way to stream
delivering a musically cohesive and formats too, from MP3 to ALAC, WAV and As we mentioned before, the talented CXU
engaging sound – and it’s a joy to listen to. FLAC, and up to 24-bit/192kHz high is also a network streamer. You can connect
>
The CXU doesn’t make a fuss about the resolution. You can also play DSD64 files, it to your home network using the ethernet
November 2015 | What Hi Fi? | 9