Gear of the year '23.
Technics SL-1200GR2 and SL-1210GR2 Turntables
Technics SL-1200GR2 and SL-1210GR2 turntables cater to both DJs and audiophiles
Being the manufacturer of what is possibly the most recognisable turntable in history poses a unique set of considerations when it comes to launching new product in 2023. How does one stay true to the legacy of such a revered product line while also simultaneously bringing something fresh and exciting (and technologically cutting edge) to the table?
For Technics, the answer came by casting their sights further afield, taking the longstanding goodwill and reputation for bomb-proof build quality the brand had enjoyed in the DJ market and translating it into the ever growing world of audiophile Hi-Fi, concentrating their efforts on increasingly high-grade audiophile turntables with the aptly titled and regarded GR Grand Class.
The new SL-1200GR2 and 1210GR2 models make use of a low-noise, low-voltage variation power circuit through the combination of a switching power supply – using the expertise developed from Technics Grand Class amps and players – and a proprietary noise cancelling circuit giving the listener an exceptional signal-to-noise ratio.
One particularly cutting edge feature that separates the SL-1200GR2 and 1210GR2 from the pack is the manner in which the high-precision Motor Control uses Sine waves stored in the ROM to keep the control waveforms at constant speed, which achieves smoother and more stable rotation compared with using the simple sine wave generation with an external coil as in the conventional SL-1200MK5.
All in all, the Technics SL-1200GR2 and SL-1210GR2 breathe new life into an old favourite, employing a lot of groundbreaking tech and modern stylistic nous into a turntable that is both easy on the eye and sublime to the ear.
Yamaha R-N2000A Network Receiver
High Fidelity: We review the Yamaha R-N2000a Network Receiver
2023 was a big year for Yamaha, with the Japanese powerhouse launching an abundance of incredibly sleek new products across their Hi-Fi and Home Audio range. The YH-5000SE open back headphones in particular jump out as a highlight for the brand, but for the team here at Beat: High Fidelity, it was the R-N2000A Network Receiver that really captured our imagination, with it’s throwback Yammy aesthetics and modern connectivity making it a perfect centrepiece for any modern listening environment.
In contrast to the classic minimalism hinted at by its looks, the R-N2000A’s wealth of connectivity is steeped very much in the now. Phono, CD and audio line inputs are all included and of course there is an FM tuner, but where things get really interesting in in its high-resolution streaming connectivity and HDMI (with ARC), rounding out the potential of the R-N2000A being the centrepiece of a 2.1 home theatre system. For those wanting to enjoy the highest quality of digital playback, DSD file formatting is also supported as well as the usual formats like .WAV, AIFF, FLAC and MP3. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay connectivity are all supported as well as USB and Ethernet in turn making it a perfect centre of operations for all your entertainment needs, but the masterstroke is really in the aesthetics of the unit and how tastefully it has been executed.
Having created some of the most iconic products in the space, it’s no surprise that the brand’s R-N2000A is a perfect blend of Yamaha’s ‘True Sound’ ethos, but with all the convenience afforded by digital circuitry and modern networking capabilities. Also, we love VU meters. You can never have enough VU meters.
REVIVAL AUDIO Atalante 3 Bookshelf Speaker
It’s always nice to have some fresh blood amongst the industry stalwarts that tend to fill these kinds of lists and this year, it was French upstarts Revival Audio that provided us with that.
With a tight knit team that boasts decades of top tier industry experience, technological innovation, product design, development and deployment, you would expect the relatively new French company to come launching out of the gate and you’d be right. Having recently released two flagship models, the 2-way Atalante 3 and 3-way Atalante 5 pinned for the highest listening experience possible (and all at a more than accessible price point for a speaker of this quality) – there is certainly a buzz in the Hi-Fi world for Revival Audio and for good reason.
With the Atalante family of speakers all being designed, engineered and assembled in France, an immediate and genuine European connection oozes from these speakers and it’s undeniable. The Atalante 3 aesthetic seems to strike the perfect balance of retro styling with the elegance of modern French design resulting in a timeless look, sure to catch even the most critical eye.
This same artisanal quality also extends to the inner workings of the speakers themselves. The offset 28mm soft-dome tweeters with ARID (Anti-Reflection Inner Dome) technology and 7” Revival Audio BSC (Basalt Sandwich Construction) woofer are, like all of Revival Audio’s components, made in-house, specifically with Revival’s small but refined product range in mind, resulting in an excellent sounding speaker of the bookshelf variety. If the quality of the Atalante 3 is anything to go by, expect to hear the name Revival Audio more and more in the coming years.
Dyson Zone Headphones
One of the biggest surprises of the year was the news that Home Tech/Air purification giants Dyson would be entering the Consumer Audio market by way of their Dyson Zone Headphones, a high quality over ear option with what can only be described as a reflective, detachable mouthpiece at the front- designed to combat the modern issue of air pollution.
Looking like something directly off the set of a science fiction movie, needless to say these were perfect for the internet-but to dismiss them as a gimmick would be doing them a grave disservice, particularly as it pertains to their performance as a listening headphone.
In terms of audio quality, the Zone’s 40mm neodymium drivers provide some seriously impressive low end extension (all the way down to 6Hz) and the quality of these sub frequencies is particularly noticeable across classic sonic film tropes like depth charges and big budget explosions. Dyson’s emphasis on providing minimal distortion at the drive stage also has the added upside of giving the Zone headphones some lightning fast dynamic recoil properties, with transient information being reproduced accurately and efficiently across the frequency spectrum.
The headband, cup design and onboard features are all extremely well engineered and executed, particularly for a company so relatively new to the audio space. The advanced active noise cancellation, purity of voicing and the obvious health upside of the filtration apparatus all combine to make a set of headphones that are both enjoyable to listen to and successfully help to introduce the idea of wearable air filtration to a world that so definitely needs it.
Marshall Motif II ANC
The in-ear consumer headphone market is a particularly competitive one. Given the sheer (ahem…) volume of manufacturers and models it can be difficult to gain the trust of a very discerning listenership. This is a particular reality if your brand is primarily synonymous with a very different sector of the Audiosphere, it can be difficult to break through the enduring legacy of your namesake.
All logos and brand histories aside, the Marshall Motif II ANC are an absolutely stellar consumer headphone, offering the very best in audio reproduction and active noise cancellation and with a level of build and component quality that is uncommon for a headphone of this type. Add to that the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and you have something truly special here.
The Motif II’s run on Bluetooth 5.3 LE, providing superior audio quality, stronger connectivity, improved video sync and longer playing time and connection over the 10 metres range is solid as a rock. The active noise cancelling (A.N.C.) provides an impressive amount of cancellation and is easily enabled/disabled via touch sensitive control. This feature has seen improvements from the original model with an increase in wind noise performance which will no doubt be welcomed by users when taking the Motif II outside or when making phone calls via the inbuilt microphone. The transparency mode is also clear and defined and conveniently selectable via touch sensitive controls. I’ve personally become a big fan of this feature in earbuds whilst using them in an interactive environment, alleviating the need to constantly remove earbuds. Both the case and earbuds are water resistant, with a IPX rating of 4 and 5 respectively – fantastic for extensive outdoor use.
With a listed frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz and a driver sensitivity of 108dB with a 16Ohm impedance, the Motif IIs are a high powered affair, with the ability to be driven pretty hard if required and it’s remarkable just how much volume they can pull from such a relatively small drive. The customisable sound is a particularly nice feature to have, allowing users to sculpt the response of the Motif IIs to their personal taste, with plenty of control available via the Marshall Bluetooth app. The expected codecs such as SBC, MPEG-2, AAC and LC3 are all supported, so users can enjoy all manner of streaming platforms without any issues.
Being made of 70% post consumer recycled plastics, Marshall have shown a substantial commitment to a more sustainable product, which is a breath of fresh air. This sustainable initiative doesn’t come at the expense of build quality though, with the Motif IIs oozing the same quality construction one would expect from a brand who made their name manufacturing some of the largest touring amplifier rigs ever built.
Pro-Ject Signature 12 Turntable
Pro-Ject are a company that certainly knows how to celebrate in style and nowhere is this more apparent than in the brand’s flagship Signature 12 turntable.
Honouring “20-years of Pro-Ject Audio Systems” the Signature 12 is a no-compromise, no expense spared, high-end turntable that takes Pro-Ject’s expertise in magnetic-floating platter design and combines it with a flywheel belt drive system to ensure vibration-free operation and elite tracking at the point of contact. Magnetic feet decouple the chassis from surface working in cahoots with the onboard “Sorbothane pillows” resulting in one of the quietest running turntables you are likely to find.
One thing that is immediately apparent on first contact is just how hefty and solid the platter design is for a turntable of this type. At 23 pounds and running on an inverted ceramic ball bearing with magnetic suspension, the inherent stability of the platter and the ease of which it operates is something to behold. This is further optimised with additional damping and decoupling to maximise isolation from room and/or rack vibration.
In practice, this simply makes for a sublime listening experience, Pro-Ject’s patented single-pivot tonearm proving the perfect adornment to the brilliantly designed platter and drive systems found within the Signature 12.
All-in-All the Signature 12 is a tour de force from one of the most visible turntable manufacturers in recent history, further cementing Pro-Ject’s ability to release high quality turntables at every price point.The premium Signature 12, with its excellent drive apparatus and exceptional build quality is a prime example of what the brand are capable of when dwelling in the top shelf.
McIntosh MC275 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Amplifier
Full disclosure here, we at Beat: High Fidelity are longtime fans of McIntosh’s classic Tube amps-none more so than the iconic MC275 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Amplifier.
Originally released in 1961 for an initial ten year run, before falling victim to the rise of 70’s Solid State technology, the MC275 was a cult favourite among discerning listeners and Hi-Fi enthusiasts in the intervening years, before eventually returning to production in 1993 where it has remained ever since.
Largely considered one of the most ‘musical’ amplifiers ever released, recent incarnations of the famed MC275 have taken a good thing and made it even better, optimising performance and allowing for tauter bass control and improved thermoregulation, as well as the widest possible bandwidth output transformer design McIntosh has to offer.
The result is an amplifier that is simultaneously capable of accommodating today’s broad spectrum playback material, whilst also remaining true to the outstanding drive properties to which the MC275’s reputation was built.
Powered by four KT88 vacuum tubes at the output stage, with four 12AT7 and three 12AX7A smaller vacuum tubes for the Input, Voltage, and Driver circuits, the MC275 is a tube enthusiast’s tube amp, eschewing any kind of hybrid, or solid state technology in its topography.
Delivering 75 Watts per channel in stereo (with the option of 150w in Mono), to 4, 8 or 16Ohm speakers, the onboard patented Unity Coupled Circuit output transformer means MC275’s full power can be delivered regardless of impedance. Perfect for getting the most out of bookshelf speakers or smaller setups.
While at this stage, it may almost feel old hat to include McIntosh’s MC275 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Amplifier in a list like this, the simple fact remains that it is still one of the best Tube amps out there. This year, last year and beyond.
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