Tests

In March 2022, we presented – admittedly a little late – the extremely fascinating Raidho XT-1 compact speaker (price: 6,400 euros), which is so small and yet so full-featured. At the HIGH END of the same year, the Raidho people received a lot of applause for their gigantic flagship RD6 …

In this test, the Acoustic Signature Tornado Neo is not only intended to provide pleasure. Because it provides a base for up to three tonearms, it will also help answer an old analog question: What exactly is the benefit of a twelve-inch tonearm compared to one that is only nine …

These days, Berlin’s flagship high-end manufacturer Burmester is always good for a surprise. On the electronics side, they present power amplifiers and amplifiers (e.g. 218 and 232) that make the competition pale with envy, and on the loudspeaker side, with the B28, a representative of the 15,000 euro league that …

I have been following the history of Piega since its beginnings. And of course, as a proven ribbon fan, I was very pleased that the Swiss (at least in the tweeter) consistently applied this principle. I was almost electrified when company co-founder and developer Kurt Scheuch came around the corner …

The mighty Burmester 175 turntable made a big impression on us. Now there is a model from Berlin that is half as heavy and half as expensive, the Burmester 217. Visually, it shines like its big brother. But how much of its tonal authority remains? There is no need to …

Excuse me? Bluetooth headphones from the Herford-based high-end manufacturer T+A? And then for a whopping 1,300 euros? Oh please! That can only backfire. Man, what a mistake I made. I tested the T+A Solitaire T for a few weeks and can only congratulate the Herford company. You have just created …

When we had the Lyravox Karlsson in our listening room for a few weeks, the small active monitor (now called Karlsson Monolith) instantly won the hearts of all LowBeats ‘ colleagues. So much precision, resolution and joy of playing is rare, especially when packaged so attractively – in noble, rock-hard …

Fully automatic car washes are a matter of course for cars. Wouldn’t that also be a good solution for your record collection? Yes, it is. There is such a thing. Simply put, you insert the LP at the top, press the button and when it beeps, you can remove the …

The loudspeaker specialist German Physiks from Maintal in Hesse was not previously known for its amplifiers. How could you? There were none until recently. But now the manufacturer of extravagant sound transducers has developed equally extravagant amplifier electronics. Normally we at LowBeats stay away from such sinfully expensive stuff. But …

A test that was long overdue. The SPL Director Mk2 has been in the editorial office for a good six months now and has proven itself in the shadow of the impressive SPL mono power amp blocks called Performer m1000 has quietly earned the position of a preamp reference. Even …

Quiz question: What do the British loudspeaker manufacturers Rogers, Spendor, Harbeth, KEF, Chartwell; RAM, Goodmans, Stirling Broadcast and Falcon Acoustics have in common? Answer: They all manufactured (or still manufacture) the BBC compact speaker legend LS 3/5a under license. The number of current successors is almost unmanageable. And now, with …

The studio professional SPL Labs is currently shaking up the hi-fi scene. Its components from the so-called Professional Fidelity (ProFi) line combine high hi-fi ambitions with decades of experience in the studio sector. However, while the Rhinelanders have so far occupied niches with their professional components, they are now challenging …

Can an integrated amplifier for 20,000 euros excite many HIFi fans? You would think: no. But wrong. The Westend Audio Monaco is currently enjoying an astonishing triumph. Its secret: amazingly precise tube sound plus an individual, perfect surface finish. LowBeats tested the dream amplifier – and probably won’t be giving …