THIS MONTH

VINYL & RECORD REVIEWS

Vinyl Release
Following its reissue on 180g limited edition vinyl. ex NME Editor Steve Sutherland celebrates the 25th Anniversary of U2’s 1984 Brian Eno-produced album, The Unforgettable Fire

Vinyl Icons
Featuring classic songs such as ‘Father And Son’ and ‘Wild World’, music expert Johnny Black reveals how Cat Stevens’ 1970 sophomore album, Tea For Tillerman, has matured into a much-loved masterpiece

Album reviews
Our pick of the month’s audiophile LP and digital rock, jazz and classical releases.

HARDWARE REVIEWS

Cabasse la Spehere
Do these loudspeakers sound as striking as they look?
Musical Life Jazz II Ref
This Teutonic turntable loves acoustic recordings
Mark Levinson No512
Spacious and vivid sounding SACD player
Consonance Cyber 880A
This Chinese valve amp delivers an engaging performance
Sonus faber Luito Tower
An Italian thoroughbred that likes to rock
Lehmann Black Cube SEII
A phono stage for the true audiophile
Furutech Evolution II
These cables from Japan feature Samurai-like precision engineering
Group test
12 speaker cables priced between £80-£250 get a thorough going over

VINTAGE

Audio Milestones
Available in kit form, the Dynaco Stereo 70 amplifier introduced thousands of audiophiles to the world of true hi-fi. Ken Kessler assembles the eulogy...

Vintage Hi-Fi
Lowther’s horn-loaded Acousta speakers were classics in their day. But how do they stack
up in 2010?

NEWS AND OPINION

News
Audio Research showcase its first-ever solid state new Class D integrated amp, Denon reveals its new SACD player and amp components while Iconic Audio rolls out no fewer than three new valve amps.

Show Blog
Ken Kessler reports back from the Top Audio Show in Milan where turntables and vinyl were in abundance

Investigation
Just who was behind the mysterious messages found in your record run-out grooves?

Opinion
Editor Paul Miller asks did CD reach its peak in the 1990s? Barry Fox goes back to live unamplified music to sharpen his ears. Steve Harris assesses the vinyl re-issue boom while Barry Willis dons a bright-yellow T-shirt to become concert security for the day.

Last Word
Ken Kessler, the outspoken voice of HFN, is finally let off the leash. The target of his verbal attack this month? Cables.

Sound Off
Letters from this month's HFN mailbox

HI-FI PEOPLE

Hi-fi @ Home
Danish manufacturer Bang & Olufsen is forever associated with lifestyle AV. Well, think again. We visit a reader who has a restored its1967 classic B&O ‘professional’ audio system.