Alan Sircom

Malaysia

Editor at Hi-Fi+

Chartered and certifiable journalist with no interest in ironing whatsoever

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Articles

WK Audio TheRay

3 weeks ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

We’ve been watching the growth of Polish cable brand WK Audio for some time. The brand seriously impressed us with its TheRed power cords (tested in Issue 221), loudspeaker cables (tested in Issue 227) and interconnect cables (tested in Issue 237) and looks like doing the same with its more affordable and practical TheRay power cord. The original Red is a hand-made cable that features individually shielded conductors.
Munich High-End 2025: Systems and everything else!

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

So far, we’ve focused on new hardware launches at Munich High-End 2025. This is for everything else; the products and technologies that don’t conveniently fit into one of the usual audio silos. It’s also the systems, built specifically for the show; not to show off a new device, but just as a flex for a manufacturer or distributor. Some of these companies see Munich High-End 2025 as a flourish or a sign-off.
Munich High-End 2025: Loudspeakers

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

There were hundreds of new speaker designs on show at Munich High-End 2025. Beyond all other categories in audio, the loudspeaker ‘beat’ is one of the hardest at the show. This is due to the sheer diversity of products and prices available. You are always going to miss dozens of good speakers. This is why ‘loudspeakers’ are always the largest category in the show report. Michael Børresen of Audio Group Denmark is one of the busiest designers in the industry.
Munich High-End 2025: Amplifiers

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

Arguably more than any other category in audio, amplifiers show the widest diversity in technology and form factor. The term encompasses various audio components, including integrated amps, pre- and power amps, solid-state and ‘hollow-state’ designs of various classes, hybrids, DSP-driven designs, and more. Here are some of the most exciting newcomers at Munich High-End 2025.
Munich High-End 2025: A New Era for Audio

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

The last-ever Munich High-End saw several significant launches in the digital domain. This is a crucial time for digital audio. The transition from physical disc to stored and streamed digital files gains greater momentum. This is part born out of necessity; the ongoing availability of magneto-optical mechanisms is becoming ‘patchy’ at best. However, it also comes down to significant improvements in both hardware and software, beyond physical digital media.
Munich High-End 2025: A Grand Finale

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

Munich High-End 2025 was a fitting sign-off. Next stop: Vienna!The halls, atria, and rooms of the MOC exhibition space, the Motorworld event hall and hotel, and the Hi-Fi Deluxe show in the Marriott Hotel, five kilometres away in Schwabing, all rang out for the last time with the sound of high-end audio. According to the High-End Society, 22,818 visitors from 92 countries attended to see nearly 1,000 brands showcased by 501 exhibitors.
Gryphon PowerZone 3 power optimiser

1 month ago | theabsolutesound.com | Alan Sircom

Let’s take a step back and look at the typical power conditioner. For the sake of discussion, let’s take regenerators and their kin out of the equation, as they do a very different thing; we’re concentrating on those devices that take the juice from the wall and give it a gentle massage on the way to the audio electronics. The trouble with many power conditioners is that massage isn’t so gentle after all.
Benchmark DAC3 B

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

Benchmark Media Systems’ no-nonsense approach to all things audio is rare today. The company doesn’t make products with mind-bogglingly heavy chassis. It doesn’t use components made by the Capacitor Ancients or circuit boards resting on magic pads made from panda eyelashes. It doesn’t charge its customers like a wounded buffalo. And it doesn’t opt for rare file formats that no one has ever used, despite enthusiasts thinking they sound clever.
Trilogy 914 preamp and 994 mono power amplifiers

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

Trilogy has a small but growing range of amplifier products. Two integrated amplifiers, three line-only preamplifiers, a stereo and two mono power amplifiers, two headphone amplifiers (one dedicated for use with electrostatic designs) and a phono stage. The 914 preamplifier and 994 mono power amplifiers are the latest in a long line of understated amplifier excellence. The founder and designer Nic Poulson made his audio bones in the BBC’s broadcast engineering department.
English Electric EE1 network noise isolator

1 month ago | hifiplus.com | Alan Sircom

Afew years ago, the concept of an audiophile-grade Ethernet noise isolator was unheard of. Today, it’s a prominent feature. The English Electric EE1 stands out as the latest addition to a rapidly expanding range of network accessories. English Electric, a sub-brand of Chord Company, draws its name from a classic British manufacturer of supersonic jet fighters. Chord Company saw the trade name was available and acquired it at, er, Lightning speed.