Wired UK - 11.2019

(Darren Dugan) #1
ONE FOR ALL _
McIntosh RS200

Getting in on the burgeoning
high-end, all-in-one sector,
McIntosh’s new RS200 is
taking on the likes of Naim
and Devialet with its own
one-box streaming system.
The 650W amp delivers
power to two bass drivers,
four midrange units and two
tweeters, while streaming
comes via your choice of
AAC and aptX HS Bluetooth
support, DLNA for networked

files from a NAS drive, AirPlay
2 and DTS Play-Fi. It’ll work
with Alexa and, if you’re
in need of beefing up your
surround-sound set-up, it has
a dedicated soundbar output
and can link to the McIntosh
RS100 wireless surround
speakers. Deep-pocketed
audiophiles will appreciate
that this new addition
matches their other McIntosh
kit. £3,495 mcintoshlabs.com

by Android Oreo. There’s
also Freeview HD, Google
Assistant and Alexa, plus a
quad-core processor, 16GB
onboard memory and 25W
2.1 audio system – all for a
price that seems a lot more
department store than
designer. £1,200 philips.co.uk

ROCK THE BLOCK_ <
Airsound Air D1

It’s a brave brand that goes
from £200 soundbars to
a £12,000 speaker, but
Orbitsound – or Airsound as
they’ll soon be rebranded


  • has pulled it off with the
    room-filling sounds of the
    50kg Air D1. Obviously, it can’t
    do actual stereo, but its pair
    of ten-inch custom designed
    neodymium woofers, five-inch
    mid, two four-inch drivers and
    a surface mounted one-inch
    textile dome tweeter powered
    by three class A/B amps –
    150W, 100W and 70W – offer a
    dynamic but precise delivery,
    whether you’re listening over
    Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (aptX) or
    plugged in for serious hi-res.
    £12,000 orbitsound.com


SLEEK SOUNDS_
Beyerdynamic LAGOON ANC

Beyerdynamic has crammed
active noise cancellation,
great sound quality and
long-haul battery life (24.5hr
battery life with ANC) into
these smart cans – but
it’s the extras that really
impress. As well as a built-in
EQ-adjusting hearing test to
tune the sound to your own
ears, they’ve ditched external
LEDs in favour of tiny lights
inside the ear cups that
highlight when it’s synching,
and to show left and right and
battery level. Given you rarely
need to know this info when
the headphones are on your
head, it makes perfect sense


  • and keeps the exterior sleek.
    €399 beyerdynamic.com


ROYAL RADIO_
Ruark Tempo

Luxury furniture designer
Linley makes exclusive
and intricate wood items,
and while the firm is more
used to working with royal
households than hi-fi brands,
their special collaboration
with Ruark is a thing of rare
beauty. Hand-crafted in the
UK, the Tempo (a limited-
edition version of the R1 DAB/
Bluetooth radio) features
an exquisite marquetry
case in tones of Submarine,
Monday, Norwegian and
Beret colourways in four
different veneers, with a solid
sycamore chamfer, embossed
Linley brand stamp and a soft
goatskin-clad front panel.
£1,295 ruarkaudio.com

SILVER SCREEN_
Philips PUS9104

Collaborative tech often
misses the mark, but with
the launch of the PUS9104,
Philips and celebrated Danish
design firm Georg Jensen
have scored a bullseye. The
55in 4K UHD LED Ambilight
TV sports a sleek aluminium
bezel on three sides, with
a polished steel front edge
matching the two Georg
Jensen-branded steel-blade
feet. Philips’ Ambilight spills
coloured lighting outside
the frame to make images
feel more immersive, while
inside, the brains are supplied

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WORDS: CHRIS HASLAM. ILLUSTRATION: NEASDEN CONTROL CENTRE

11-19-GEgearoftheyear.indd 57 18/09/2019 14:18

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