Hi-Fi Essentials
Hardware and treatment for a system you already own: headphones, DACs, amplifiers, streamers, isolation, racks and grounding. The next purchase after the system exists.
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This is the upgrade section rather than the starting point. It assumes you have a system, know roughly what it does well, and want to work out what to change next.
The order that usually works starts with the mechanical foundation. A rack that resonates undermines everything sitting on it, so proper support and isolation come first. Then the source, because nothing downstream can recover what a poor source has already lost. Then the electronics, and last the treatments that sit around the edges of a system, such as grounding.
Some of what is here is uncontested. Speaker stands, isolation feet and a rigid rack do measurable and audible things. Other categories, grounding in particular, divide opinion sharply, and we say so on the pages where that applies. What we will not do is recommend something we have not heard, or call a component essential when your system does not need it. Tell us what you are running and what you want to improve, and we will give you a straight answer.
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£165.82Ex. VATThe AU-A220 Mini Stereo Amplifier by CYP can manage both digital and analogue audio signals, and distribute the signal to multiple zones. This product is designed for use in a Hi-Fi or home cinema system.
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£101.67Ex. VATThe Grun Coherent Earthing System addresses these issues by providing an ‘independent’ earth for users of Mavros and Asimi cables with the new Grun configuration.
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£832.50Ex. VAT
This sleek and stylish phono stage is designed to enhance your listening experience, providing a super quiet noise floor and precise equalisation.
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£729.17Ex. VATThe Limetree Bridge by Lindemann Audio was a high-quality network adapter designed to digitally transfer music from streaming services and local storage media at studio master quality to existing DACs or other devices with digital inputs. The new Bridge II improves upon the original by updating the hardware and adding features such as an adjustable sample-rate limit. -
£829.17Ex. VATThe Limetree Network by Lindemann Audio was a network player designed to playback music from streaming services or local storage media in studio master quality. The new Network II represents a total revision of the original, with changes made to the features, ease of use and, ultimately the sound produced. -
Tungsten Grooves
Tungsten Grooves W50-H33 Mini Groovers Isolation Feet - Individual FootSKU: Tungsten Grooves W50-H33
£566.67Ex. VATThis series of isolation feet by Tungsten Grooves was created to efficiently absorb vibrations from your audio equipment, relying on the absorptive properties of tungsten to unlock hidden details in your music system. The W50-H33 Mini Groovers are the smallest feet that Tungsten Grooves make, with the same height as the D70 but a narrower profile than either of its two bigger siblings, making it ideal for the smallest of components. -
SALEFrom£612.00 £680.00Inc. VAT ✓ Save £68.00The GroundARAY is Chord Company's latest innovation to combat high-frequency noise in your HiFi and AV equipment. By providing a low-impedance path for high-frequency noise to take, the GroundARAY effectively siphons noise out of the signal ground of its 'host'. Available in 8 different terminations (RCA, BNC, DIN, HDMI, RJ45, USB A, XLR Male & XLR Female), the GroundARAY can be made to fit any of your equipment. The price listed above is for a single unit, for multiple units with different terminations please add them separately to your basket. -
£1,665.83Ex. VATThe Zephyr MIMC is the entry-level low-output cartridge by Soundsmith, but it retains many of the performance features of its more high-end siblings, and features a sapphire cantilever. Also benefitting from Soundsmith's 'Fixed Coil' technology, which results in less stylus 'jitter' and less energy returned to your vinyl record meaning greater clarity of sound. The Zephyr also features a stylus made from pure diamond engineered in 'Line Contact' shape- this shape is very similar to the stylus used to cut vinyl records, and ensures maximum contact with your record.
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£3,332.50Ex. VATThe Paua MKII is an upgrade on the already award-winning Paua, featuring an aluminium cantilever. Like Soundsmith's other Fixed Coil cartridges, the relatively low weight of this product allows it to perform with less 'stylus jitter' and return less noise to your vinyl record, resulting in cleaner sound. It also features a stylus made from pure diamond engineered in the 'Line Contact' shape. This shape is as close as possible to the stylus used to cut vinyl records, which ensures maximum contact with your record.
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Soundsmith
Soundsmith Sussurro MKII Low-Output HiFi Turntable CartridgeSKU: Soundsmith Sussurro MKII
£4,165.83Ex. VATThe Sussurro MKII represents another leap in quality for Soundsmith's range of low-output cartridges, and features a cantilever cut from ruby which ensures constant contact. It also benefits from Soundsmith's Fixed-Coil design, delivering clear and detailed sound with its low 'stylus jitter' and minimal noise being transferred to your vinyl record. Like the other low-output models, the Sussurro features a stylus made from pure diamond engineered in the 'Line Contact' shape. This shape is as close as possible to the stylus used to cut vinyl records, which ensures maximum contact with your record Each Sussurro is handmade by Peter Ledermann, the President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith.
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Soundsmith
Soundsmith Hyperion MKII Low-Output HiFi Turntable CartridgeSKU: Soundsmith Hyperion MKII
£6,665.83Ex. VATThe Hyperion MKII is the top-of-the-line low-output cartridge by Soundsmith. The hand-formed "cactus spine" cantilever ensures constant contact with the record, ensuring maximum clarity and detail. As with the rest of the low-output range, this cartridge also benefits from Soundsmith's Fixed Coil design, minimising noise being returned to your vinyl record and all but eliminating 'stylus jitter'. Like the other low-output models, the Hyperion features a stylus made from pure diamond engineered in the 'Line Contact' shape. This shape is as close as possible to the stylus used to cut vinyl records, which ensures maximum contact with your record. Every Hyperion MKII is handmade in the USA by Peter Ledermann, the President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith.
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£832.50Ex. VATThe Carmen represents a step up in performance from the from Otello, benefitting from an elliptical nude diamond stylus as well as Soundsmith's Fixed Coil design. The Fixed Coil mitigates noise being returned to your vinyl record and reduces 'stylus jitter', boosting clarity and detail in the sound produced.
