Welcome to the latest Newsletter, #6, keeping you up to date with Hifiandmusicsource.com.  This newsletter is on nirvana…. not that Nirvana.

Hifiandmusicsource.com was initially conceived as a way for me to search for my HiFi nirvana, defined as follows;

nirvana, /nɪəˈvɑːnə/, an ideal or idyllic state or place

In my case an ideal or idyllic HiFi state or place!

The Rega Planar 10 was a work of art

I have come close to this nirvana, notably when I had the incredible Moon 780D streaming DAC with the 175W/ch Moon 700i amplifier with the beryllium led Paradigm Persona 3F loudspeakers. I briefly had the top of the range Planar 10 with these astounding products and I was truly at peace with my music at the time.

I have come to learn in these nine years that HiFi systems are synergistic, each element is dependent on the other. I also now subscribe to the idea that they should be focused on one job being done as effectively as possible for these elements to come together. For example, CD transport to DAC, to a preamplifier to a power amplifier to loudspeakers.

I also assumed that the key to nirvana was finding the best source, but I feel recently that if you can’t translate the source through to the speakers effectively, it really does not matter how good your source is. Having recently said goodbye to the Chord Étude power amplifier, nearly £4,000 worth of pure emotion, I am feeling the amplification, notably, the power amplification is the key to a great system. I found it exceedingly difficult to part with the Étude, notably because it formed such a wonderful partnership with the Kudos Cardea C10s. That system, with an Auralic Vega G1 streaming DAC source, was as close to nirvana as one could hope to get to.

I will add that things have taken a further upturn with my recent exposure to Tellurium Qs range of stunning Black II XLR and Ultra Black II speaker cables, the review of the speaker cables will be next week, don’t be surprised by the outcome!

What do you think of my journey?

Do Comment and discuss below, I’m happy to be persuaded by a friendly argument!

Upcoming Reviews

Hifiandmusicsource.com will be reviewing the new Meze RAI Penta in-ear-monitors in the coming weeks, these are the 5 driver, big brothers, to the Highly Recommended Meze RAI Solo. Also coming up on HF&MS will be reviews of the new T+A Caruso R which is an all-in-one style system, just add speakers.

Coming up soon, my review of the Tellurium Q Ultra Black II speaker cable, we can also look forward to a look at the new Paradigm Founder speakers that are being run in, as we speak. I am also expecting to be looking at the new Cyrus XR range in the coming months. To start this process off I am expecting the new Cyrus Pre2DAC QXR to arrive shortly.

I am still on target for a pair of JBL L82s, as JBL continue to celebrate their 75th Anniversary.

Recent Reviews

Don’t forget the review published this week of the tube based synthesis Roma DC96+ amplifier. Reviews you may have missed since last time include the Leema Acoustics Pulse IV, the Tellurium Q Black II XLR cables and the first UK Review of the brilliant HiFi Rose RS250 Streaming DAC that was launched last month and was such a surprise.

Music

In music at HF&MS we have been listening to some old favourites in the Qobuz box, including the 20th Anniversary re-release of White Blood Cells (deluxe) (24bit/192kHz) by The White Stripes, Blondie’s Parallel Lines (16bit/44.1kHz), and Bowie’s Hunky Dory (24bit/96kHz), not to mention new music from Emma-Jean Thackery (Spectre EP), Kurt Elling (Sassy EP), Toby Lee (Aquarius LP) and Haitus Kaiyote’s Mood Valiant.

I cannot say I’m enjoying Modest Mouse’s electronic-tinged Golden Casket as much as their older offerings but that is progress, I guess.

If you have any suggestions for new music, do put them in the comments below.

Review Playlists

As I go along with reviews, I often use similar and familiar music, here are a couple of my recent playlists on Tidal when I was reviewing the B&W 603 S2 Anniversary Speakers and the wonderful PMC Twenty5 24i loudspeakers.

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