AUDIO GUIDE
App-athetic
The Klipsch Connect
app doesn’t do all that
much, bar routinely
interfering with your
Bluetooth connection
to the speakers.ALL THE CASH
Marantz Model 30Not for Marantz the dubious
appeal of bleeding-edge tech
dressed in chintzy post-war
design language. Not for
Marantz the cramming-in
of as many functions as
possible. No, the Model 30
is hi-fi in the truest sense:
it’s an integrated amplifier,
massively over-engineered
and ready to accept inputs
from all your traditional
analogue components like
turntables, tuners and, um,
CD players. It’s also packed
with streaming capabilities,
multiroom options and
voice assistant support
for those wishing to keep
at least one foot planted
in the future.
£2699 / marantz.co.ukSOME CASH
Cyrus One CastCyrus always fits products
into half-size boxes like this,
but it’s never squeezed in
as much functionality as
this before. The One Cast
is a streaming amp with
100W per channel of power,
inputs for every digital source
up to and including HDMI ARC,
a phono stage for vinyl, aptX
Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and
Wi-Fi for Chromecast-able
services. You’ll need traditional
speakers, mind. In truth, you
might not feel as though
the One Cast looks like
a grand’s-worth or more,
but it’s built solidly, weighs
a tonne and sounds very
heavy, man.
£1195 /
http://www.cyrusaudio.comLESS CASH
Leak Stereo 130Blasts from the past just
don’t get any more resonant.
Anyone with a parent or
grandparent who took hi-fi
seriously will have distant
memories of Leak, and one
look at the reborn brand’s
Stereo 130 amp/DAC will
bring the memories flooding
back – but those who just
fancy a bit of mid-century
modern in their decor along
with some 21st-century
modern audio quality and
convenience should listen
up too. The Stereo 130 can
handle digital or analogue
sources, has a 32-bit DAC
plus a phono input, is aptX
Bluetooth-ready and packs
45W per channel.
£699 / leak-hifi.co.ukNOW ADD THIS
JBL L82 Classic
Apparently designed
for Mad Men pads, JBL’s
passive L82s are an
unmistakable throwback;
but these 8in bookshelf
speakers pack plenty of
advanced tech, including
titanium-dome tweeters,
front-firing bass ports and
high-frequency L-pad
attenuators to keep the
power, like your marketing
skills, finely tuned.
£1999 / uk.jbl.comALTERNATIVELY
THUNDERCAT
DRUNK
With a guest list
including Kenny
Loggins (of Top
Gun fame) and Wiz
Khalifa, virtuoso
bass player Stephen
Bruner meows, farts
and grooves his way
through 23 tracks
giving a brief insight
into his unique
musical mind.NICK CAVE AND
THE BAD SEEDS
GHOSTEEN
Dear old Nick Cave
still has the power
to surprise.
Shimmering
synths underpin
his trademark vocals
in this dream-like,
lush and absolutely
beautiful exploration
of loss, grief
and despair.MASSIVE
AT TAC K
MEZZANINE
Remastered for its
21st anniversary,
Massive Attack’s
third LP is as near
to painstaking
downtempo
perfection as it gets.
Lusciously layered
with bass, samples
and loops, it’s a test
for any speakers.RADIOHEAD
OK COMPUTER
OKNOTOK
OK Computer turned
20 in 2017 and the
band’s seminal
record received a
nip and tuck for its
birthday, remastered
from the original
analogue tapes with
three unreleased
tracks and eight
B-sides.NOW HEAR THIS DOWNTEMPO DREAMS