Welcome
Welcome to the May edition of the HiFi and Music Source newsletter.
This month has been a whirlwind of activity, bridging the gap between high-end legacy and the cutting edge of digital playback. As the spring hi-fi season hits its stride, we’ve seen everything from the return of legendary names to the introduction of next-generation media solutions.
We kicked off the month by looking back at the highlights from Whittlebury 2026, where the energy was high and the sound rooms—particularly from the likes of Moor Amps and Node Audio—reminded us why we love this hobby. On the review front, Ian has been busy evaluating the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary edition—a fitting tribute to a speaker that changed the landscape of stand-mount monitors. We also evaluated the impressive Wirewound UNITY mains cable from Connected Fidelity.
April has also been a major month for digital enthusiasts, with dorpo making waves through their 8K Smart Media Player and the announcement of the DMP-A1 Digital Music Player. Whether you are looking for pure analogue soul at the recent Ortofon Cartridge Event or seeking a modern AVR upgrade with the new Denon S980H, there is plenty to dive into.
Finally, our music features this month include a high-res deep dive into Noah Kahan’s latest, The Great Divide, proving that great gear is nothing without great music.
We’ve also featured the latest album releases from RAYE and Holly Humberstone
Thank you for being part of our community. Happy listening!
Simon Wilce
Editor, HiFi and Music Source
New Reviews
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary – Review by Ian Ringstead – 16 April 2026
Reviewed by Ian Ringstead, this feature covers the limited edition 40th-anniversary production run of the iconic AE1. The review highlights these passive stand-mount speakers as a standout in the industry’s recent upturn in quality.
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary Edition Highlights
Wirewound UNITY Mains Power Cable – Review by Simon Wilce – April 10, 2026
I explored the construction and performance of this substantial new power cable from Connected Fidelity, noting its larger-than-expected “wirewound” component and its impact on system performance.
Wirewound UNITY Highlights
dorpo X3 – 8K Smart Media Player – Review by Simon Wilce – April 7, 2026
We also have a review of the dorpo X3 media player, focusing on its high-resolution 8K capabilities and its role as a modern digital hub.
New News
Click on the pictures for more details.
Ortofon Cartridge Event – April 24, 2026
This month, I went to an Ortofon event, focusing on their latest cartridge technologies at Oxford Audio’s new demonstration room.
Kerr Acoustic K400 Announced – April 17, 2026
Details on the launch of the new K400 compact loudspeaker from Kerr Acoustic.
DENON AVR S980H Introduced – April 15, 2026
News coverage of Denon’s latest addition to their AVR lineup, the S980H.
dorpo Announces DMP-A1 Digital Music Player – April 15, 2026
Formal announcement of the DMP-A1, expanding dorpo’s digital music offerings.
Paradigm Unveils Premier Series v2 – April 9, 2026
An update on the second generation of Paradigm’s popular Premier Series loudspeakers.
Coming Up on HF&MS
This month, we will review the Edifier M90 compact desktop speakers. Later in May, we will have another chapter in the Naim Upgrade journey I have been on as a Naim Audio Old Classic owner, who has tried many Chord Company Burndy and other upgrades. struggling to aspire to the New Classic Series. Jason Gould from Naim has been to see me and has offered a few upgrades, notably their NACA5 loudspeaker cable, which is impedance-matched to the Old Classic NAP 250 amplifier.
We will also have a review of the new Rega Nd9 moving magnet cartridge on a Michell GYRO SE. And finally, I have a full set of 8 Node Audio SS-1s with spike cups to put under a pair of Kudos Audio Titan 505s.
Ian Ringstead will be looking at the latest Elipson Prestige Facet II 6 Active BT loudspeakers. He will also be looking at a Titanic Audio cartridge stabiliser. Finally, we have a first look at the new Eversolo DMP killer, the dorpo DMP-A1.
New Music
The new album from RAYE, which actually came out on 30 March 2026, is called This Music May Contain Hope. It is very RAYE, and is simply fantastic; it is a cinematic experience on vinyl. This month, I have enjoyed the new release from Holly Humberstone, called Cruel World. Another release this month is Noah Kahan’s The Great Divide. It is described as a reflective and emotional record produced by Gabe Simon and Aaron Dessner. I’ve also seen that The Foo Fighters have a new album out this week, as do The Raconteurs (Jack White, last time I looked). I’ve also enclosed a few Playlist links from this month.
Further Reading
