Supertest

savvy shopper

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JARG

ON

BUST

ER

the

con

ten

der

s s

tere

o s

peak

ersWhether you’re upgrading

your micro system’s speakers (great idea) or building your first hi-fi (even better), these budget stereo speakers give stunning quality and value

the uk’s ultimate comparative review no.362

september 2006 32

Blazing budget speakers help keep hi-fi hotWhat’s new?We’ve something of everything here: some new speaker models (from Q Acoustics) and some established favour-ites (Mordaunt-Short, Wharfedale), from manufacturers regularly found in our magazine (M-S, Tannoy, Wharfe-dale), and other companies that have been too-long absent (Eltax, Gale). And even a loudspeaker as familiar as Mission’s m31i is a fresh prospect, when you discover that the latest units are built under the aegis of a new owner.

What do you get for your money? Expect an introduction to real hi-fi at a budget price. Each of these firms (with the understandable exception of Q Acoustics) has a pedigree in this market, so there’s some history and tradition to be bought into, too. You deserve solid build quality, even at this price-point.

RATiNGS ExplAiNEdOnly five-star speakers manage great all-round performance with matching looks and build quality. Don’t discount four-star products, though – they may not be con-summate all-rounders but might excel just where you need them to. Three stars should guarantee a lack of offence, but you should be able to do better. Two- and one-star speakers aren’t worth the effort

★★★★★Excellent

★★★★★Very good

★★★★★Average

★★★★★Below par

★★★★★Don't bother

“Expect your speakers to give you an introduction to real hi-fi at a budget price”

1 don’t spend every penny Hunt down the best deal you can, because there’s a little more spending to be done afterwards. These are mostly biwirable designs, and will sound their best attached to double lengths of decent speaker cable. Stands, too – you didn’t think we weren’t going to bring them up, did you?

2 don’t rush to judge Many – in fact, most – loudspeakers sound less-than-impressive straight out of the box and benefit from an extended running-in period. Make sure you audition speakers that aren’t box-fresh and, when you get yours home, don’t let their initial sound drive you straight back to the shop

3 How big is your room? Even properly sited on dedicated stands, these designs will struggle to fill a large (say, 4m sq) room so, if you’ve any concerns about your listening space, try to audition speakers at home if possible

Dali Concept 1 £180Page 34

Eltax Symphony 4.4 £150Page 34

Gale 4020£150Page 35

Mission m31i£140Page 35

Mordaunt-Short Avant 902i £150Page 37

Q Acoustics 1020 £130Page 37

Tannoy Mercury F2 £150Page 39

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 £180Page 39

Standmount: These speakers are designed to sit on dedic-ated stands, which anchor the speaker properly and improve sound massively

september 2006 34 september 2006

By the standards of the recent Dali loudspeakers we’ve reviewed, the Concept 1s are a remarkably tradi-tional-looking proposition. None of your ‘loft-extension’ twin-tweeter arrangement here; aside from a little upper-box chamfer-ing, the Dalis are a bog-standard enclosure featuring a 25mm soft-dome tweeter, 13cm driver and a promising pair of forward-firing reflex ports.

The Concept 1s differentiate them-selves a little, in as much as they feature just one pair of binding posts per speaker (pre-cluding biwiring) and are supplied with wall brackets – Dali is confi-dent the 1s don’t mind being hard against a rear surface.

35

Superficially, there’s plenty to enjoy in the Dali’s performance. Quantic Soul Orchestra’s West Pier Getdown is a breezy, open affair, delivered with obvious relish and no little attack. Timing is super-efficient, and the Concept 1s integrate frequencies skilfully. It’s not all good news, however.

devil is in the detailsYes, there’s a lack of detail that bedevils these Dalis. At the top end, the 1s miss the ribbon tweeter some relatives enjoy – treble fre-quencies are vaguely monotonal and certainly lacking in sparkle.

At the bottom, despite the brace of ports, and even when sited directly in front of a wall, bass inform-ation is loose, poorly defined, and under-nourished. So, as a result, the Dalis can’t

translate their winningly open presentation into one of real scale or authority. Like a service-station sandwich, the Dalis give you the basics of what you need but, ultimately, they don’t satisfy.

m for

Energetic and expansive sound; nicely compact

against

m

Lack resolution and detail

verdict

m

Many plus points, but bigger demerits – the Dalis are only halfway there

Dali Concept 1★★★★★ £180

supertest

stereo speakers

Eltax Symphony 4.4★★★★★ £150

“Like a service station sarnie, these give you something, but

not enough”

a quick peek at the Buyer’s Guide in the back of this magazine reveals that it’s been quite some time since we reviewed speakers by Danish specialist Eltax.

Better late than never, though, and at least Eltax has had time to hone its act – the .4 in this model’s name indi-cates that it’s the fourth version of the venerable Symphony standmounter.

Housing a 25mm soft-dome tweeter and unusually shaped 16.5cm driver in a solid, substantial cabinet, the Sym-phony 4.4s feel purposeful as they’re hoisted from the box, and look the part when parked on a

stand. Left alone to run in for a day or so, the Eltaxes initially sound as businesslike as they look.

The 4.4s sing with a highly enthusiastic voice, brimming with up-and-at-’em attitude. A spin of Primal Scream’s We’re Gonna Boogie reveals significant low-end presence – the 4.4s carry as much bass weight as any here, though it’s not the most rigorously defined.

treble and mid both flawedAt the top end, treble information is given good tonal variation and the regulation confidence – but that self-assurance can easily

spill over into tiring boorishness. The midrange, mean-while, is undeniably coloured – voices have a slight but definite mike affectation.

If every night is party night at your

place, then the Eltaxes could be just the ticket. If you’re looking for a more considered, better-differ-entiated sound that values nuance and detail as much as drive and attack, there are better speakers.

m for

Peppy, purposeful presentation; look and feel the money

against

m

Precision and composure is sacrificed to blood and thunder

verdict

m

If you value refinement, look elsewhere; if you value full-on, kick-off attack, these could be just the thing

“if every night is a party round your place, they

could be your speakers”

GaLe, Like eLtax, has been absent from these pages for too long. The company has always specialised in small, modestly-priced loud-speakers – but we doubt that the competition has ever been stiffer. Unfortunately, it seems that rivals have moved their game out of Gale’s immediate reach.

There are positive noises to be made about the 4020s, so that’s where we’ll start. The speaker cabinets are tidily proportioned, reason-ably finished and the woven composite cone gives an impression of modernity. Also, the Gales don’t take an eternity to warm up before they’re running at full speed – however, that’s where the good news grinds to a halt.

Running from a soft, ill-defined low end to a strangely monotonal treble, the 4020s comprehensively lack detail, dynamics and punch. There’s simply no drive or urgency to the presentation, rendering even the most gung-ho pieces of music pedestrian and weary.

your music should inspirePlaying Cat Stevens’ cleanly recorded The First Cut is the Deepest, the Gales neuter drum rolls until they sound like some-one rolling spuds down the stairs. The 4020s can’t resolve fine details and the song’s vocal, usually so intimate and immediate, sounds

matter-of-fact and disengaged.

No aspect of the Gales’ performance is actively unpleasant, it’s simply tedious – even the soundstage the 4020s present is hazy and ill-defined.

There’s no anima here, no spark, no soul. One reviewer likened their sound to a painting by num-bers – the colours are correct, and they appear where they should, but of inspiration, there’s none.

m for

Agreeable proportions, reasonable build

against

m

Lazy, disinterested sound

verdict

m

Nothing like good enough – every other speaker here will have these for breakfast

Gale 4020★★★★★ £150

Mission m31i★★★★★ £140

“no aspect of the speaker performance is unpleasant, it’s simply tedious”

Strangely, Mission finds itself in an unexpected period of calm and stability. Now sheltered under the wing of the giant IAG group, the company looks as secure and viable as it has in a little while. The change of parent has resulted in a change of manu-facturing facility, though, so the time is right to look again at the small-but-per-fectly-formed m31is.

The relatively deep cabinet means the Missions are less comfortable than some on a shelf, but beyond that they’re the same likable, engaging devices we so fondly recall.

A listen to Bonobo’s Days to Come shows off the M31i’s bottom

end heft and accuracy, nicely offset by good bite and crunch to strings in the midrange. Upper frequencies are deft and well-defined, and the entire frequency range knits together in fine style. The soundstage, too, is plausible and easy to understand, and voices – so critical if speakers are to truly engage – are sweet and natural. The difficulty for the Missions is that rivals have raised the bar.

competition has raised barAll three five-star products here are newer designs than the m31i, and all three are able to better

resolve complex passages of music and to extract fine details.

All this doesn’t prevent the Missions from being worthy of thorough investig-ation – we’ve seen

very decent deals around, and anyone with a half-decent midi- or micro-system should shortlist them immediately. Ultimately, though, there are better pound-for-pound speakers around.

m for

Fine integration, an engaging voice and open soundstage; good build

against

m

Not the last word in detail retrieval or resolution

verdict

m

Though they’ve slipped off the pace over time, the m31is are fine speakers, well worth hunting out a deal on

“all three of the five-star products

here are newer designs than the

Missions”

How do they sound?Frankly, they sound like they can’t be bothered. There’s little wrong with the actual information they offer, or the order they serve it up in, but the Gales don’t seem bothered either way

Are they built to last?They’re not as indulg­ently finished as some, but nothing in the Gales’ fit and finish suggests that they won’t be around for a good while. Like that’s a good thing…

Are they easy to site?Not tall or wide, but surprisingly deep, the Missions may struggle to sit comfortably on a bookshelf. Much better to isolate them on a stand, the better to enjoy their infectious sound

Are they good value?At the price we’re quoting they’re outperformed, but the intrepid consumer won’t have to look too long or too far to find a better deal. Don’t be afraid to haggle hard

How do they look?Strangely conventional by Dali standards, with no trick tweeters in evidence. They’re usefully compact, though, so positioning isn’t the headache it could have been

How do they sound?Disappointingly ill­disciplined. The low end is baggy and the top end doesn’t shine – there’s plenty of attack on tap, mind you, and an infectious affection for tempo

What do they offer?Bags of sonic potency and attack, a chunky, smoothly finished cabinet and a vivid voice. Mainly, though, it’s the enless enthu­siasm for attack and drive you’ll notice

easy to position?The Eltaxes are among the least discreet cabinets here and, as such, are a little fussier than some about their position in your room. Keep them away from rear walls

total system £3600

★

new this month

televisionsPhilips £3500Page 8Panasonic £3450Page 9Bush £600Page 9jvc £2800Page 11

sPeakersDynaudio £850Page 13B&W £3900Page 15Q acoustics £500Page 21

DvD Players & recorDerstoshiba £40Page 13Denon £130Page 16

amPlifierPathos £1455Page 14

hanDhelD tvarchos £500Page 15

suBWooferrel £795Page 20

Tasty eggs are a treat with filmsWhen it Was introduced over five years ago, KEF’s KHT2005 (also known as the ‘eggs’) redefined the compact sub/sat speaker

class with its great looks, superb build and top-class sound. It took years for rivals to challenge it, but eventually, B&W’s MT packages took over the class leadership.

evolution of a successful packageClearly, KEF was never going to take that lying down. The original pack-age morphed into a MkII version, and then dropped to £600, a price it still sells at today. Its place at the top of the egg range has been taken by this, the new KHT3005.

The ’3005 still uses KEF’s Uni-Q driver technology, where the tweet-er sits in the centre of the midrange

Packed with exclusive reviews of hot new kit

76 sePtember 2006 sePtember 2006

multichannel sPeakerskef kht3005

★★★★★£ 1000

m for

refinement and composure when pushed hard; good integration between sats and subwoofer; smart styling, especially the subwoofer

against

m

not the most invigorating listen; timing could be better

verdict

m

make no mistake, this new kef is a fine package. however, it doesn’t have quite enough sonic sparkle to truly thrill

resplendent in gloss black, the kht3005 is undeniably stylish: it feels classy, too

cD Playerrotel £350Page 20Denon £250Page 23

mP3 Playersjvc £100Page 18sony £79Page

now add these

max poWer 100wLoWest sensitivity 88dB/w/msystem LoWest impedance 8 ohmsdimensions (hWd)front 25 x 12 x 15cmcentre 13 x 30 x 18cmrear 25 x 12 x 15cmsub 39 x 44 x 19cmfinishes Black, silver

sub/sat: a blend of small, bass-limited ‘satellite’ speakers and a subwoofer, dedicated to bass

viDeo caBlesecosse £70Page 17oehlbach £100Page 17 Profigold £90Page 17 QeD £90Page 17supra £90Page 17tci £100Page 17

“the sound is seamless, and gives the impression of a much larger package”

This Denon is still a top-class DVD player for the money, combining a fine, stable picture with a musical presentation. This player will really show what the speakers can do, and it also plays DVD-A/SACD.

DvD PlayerDenon DvD-1920

★★★★★£ 250

Winner of our Supertest back in the August 2006 issue, this screen has a great picture in all respects: colours look natural, and contrast performance is top-class for the money.

37in Plasma televisionPanasonic th37PX60

★★★★★£ 1850

uP close subwooferKef’s htb2 subWoofer is a lovely-looking unit that, visually at least, puts most rivals to shame. It can be used both vertically and horizontally, and isn’t overly sensitive to orientation. the shape minimises internal standing waves, which helps produce a cleaner sound.

delivers bags of bassthe combination of a 25cm drive unit with a matching passive radiator delivers a sizeable chunk of bass without any of the unwanted noises reflex

★

tech

spec

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The most complete multi-channel amplifier we know for the money: strong dynamics, and very detailed.

surrounD amPlifieryamaha DsP-aX757se

★★★★★£ 500

inside an htB2: a passive radiator takes the place of a reflex port

one-BoX hi-fiPrimare £1200Page 22

heaDPhoneskoss £45Page 22

ports usually generate. a hefty 250-watt Class D amplifier provides the muscle, but without generating too much heat.

the optional £125 floorstands are solid, and include neat cable ducts

to aid dispersion, but the engineers have done a ground-up revamp. The cone is a new, more rigid ‘ribbed’ design, which improves resolution and dynamics, while the unit now incorporates a seal to close the gap between the tweeter and mid-range, so reducing sonic leakage.

There’s evidence of new thinking else-where, too. Unlike most rivals, KEF has developed a dedicated centre speaker, a larger, but still compact unit that uses a pair of 7.5cm drivers to augment its Uni-Q, adding extra weight and power.

Set-up is easy: the subwoofer has no controls to adjust, leaving the user with just the mains and AV amp to connect. Even the satellites aren’t fussy about positioning, because their dispersion is

so good. There are dedicated floorstands as options, but as standard, the sats have a clever bracket that serves as a pedestal stand or a wall mount, as needed.

Up and running, the acoustic join between the sats and sub is seamless, giving the impression of a much larger package. Watch the likes of The Return of

the King, and the KHT3005 copes well with the demands of keeping dialogue clear and crisp, while giving the film the scale it deserves. Play loudly – and believe us, this package will go loud – and it remains composed and refined.

However, the KHT 3005 isn’t perfect. Dynamics are restrained, so when things really get going, the KEFs round off some of the extremes, making the result more comfortable than it should be. Low-end rumbles are a little vague,

too, lacking the definition we’d expect. And, switching to music, the KEFs are a bit reticent about clocking a beat with conviction, with both classical and rock.

a more grown-up system, but…There’s no doubt the KHT3005 is KEF’s best ‘style speaker’ package yet. It sounds mature and insightful, and it looks great, too. However, it’s up against formidable rivals at the £1000 price point, and compared to them, these eggs are a little undercooked.

rock £700Page 14mogen £250Page 16goodmans £1200Page 18toshiba £4000Page 23

47in lcd • cd player

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47in LCD TVToshiba 47WLT66★★★★★£ 4000

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CD pLayerDenon CD-700ae★★★★★£ 250

Primare system turns on the style

one-box hi-fiprimare CDi10 ★★★★★£ 1200

m for

Chunky, yet sleek, looks; dynamic, open and punchy sound quality

against

m

Startlingly upfront sound by Primare standards

verdict

m

Not perfect, but the classy Primare has much to recommend it

Most headphones are designed to feel snug on your bonce, so we can’t help but feel perturbed by the way these Koss headphones feel so flop-py and, well, cheap, in our hands.

The PortaPro design stems from headphones introduced way back in 1984. While we’re sure for some, that heritage (and the Koss name) will be enough, we’re not too con-vinced by their build.

Happily, these ’phones do feel comfortable on, which is, of course, a

When does iMitation stop being flattering and become a bit aggravating? Perhaps we should ask Arcam, because since the Cambridge-based manufacturer launched its alluring Solo CD/DAB receiver at the start of last year, it has inspired something of a band-wagon. Here’s the latest one-box, style-orientated solution from a credible manufacturer, bent on giving Arcam some competition.

sound is full of attackThe CDI10 is recognisably a Primare product: the fascia is a chunky, single piece of brushed steel, broken only by the CD tray

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arcaM solo★★★★★£1000march 2005Unflappable sound and fuss-free oper-ation from a reigning Product of the Year

audio analogue enigMa★★★★★£850april 2006Looks a little bland, sounds anything but – valve technology effectively employed, too

heaDphonesKoss porTapro★★★★★£ 45

m for

Lively, dynamic sound; decent timing and integration

against

m

Uninspiring design and build; flabby bass; lack overall clarity

verdict

m

Despite their history, these are only worthy of mid-table mediocrity

key point. There’s a soft or firm option, the latter pressing the PortaPros closer to your ears, but it’s a bit fiddly to change.

Sonically, the PortaPros deliver plenty of life, time well enough, and uncover a decent amount of detail. They do, however, suffer from a boomy bass that affects overall clarity, and gives them a sound that errs too much on the side of warm and fuzzy.

All told, we expected more. There are better designed and bet-ter-sounding headphones available at this price-point.

Koss ’phones lack gloss

and display, and it looks the part. It operates like a Primare, too: it’s not to be hurried, and responds to either the recessed buttons on top of the machine or the remote con-trol in its own sweet time. Saying

that, the remote itself is logical, and the display is easy to read.

Load a CD, though, and the CDI10 steps a long way wide of what we’ve come to expect from Primare two-channel equipment.

Sleek Sony puts MP3s in the palm of your hand

?

also

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goldring dr100★★★★★£40 may 2006More substantial over-

ear headphones than the PortaPros, but offer superior sound, and save you a fiver

sennheiser pX100★★★★★£35 may 2005still the daddy of portable headphones, the px100s remain the automatic choice of budget upgrade for all portable music needs

one-box hi-fi • headphones • mp3 player

first tests

september 2006 22

While the firm’s CD players and amps have won our admiration thanks to their clean, subtle and winningly understated sound, the CDI10 ignores the niceties and goes straight for the jugular – even a tune as laidback and considered as Lambchop’s Nashville Parent is ren-dered upfront and antagonistic. For all its undeniable ability to manage tempos, its well-judged weight at the low end and its broad, believ-able soundstage, the CDI10’s relentlessly forward voice can prove wearing over time.

If you need a swish all-in-one, this is a plausible contender, but we still think Arcam’s Solo is just a bit better.

arcam’s solo started a trend for sleek but effective one-box hi-fi, like this from primare

This player slots straight into a pC or mac Usb slots

first tests

panasonic th50pX600★★★★★£3450september 2006big, smooth 50in image confirms panasonic can deliver skilful screens, large and small

pioneer pdp-506Xde★★★★★£3800april 2006pioneer’s 50in plasma delivers a gorgeous picture, and external tuner box design suits screen wall-mounting

m for

Mainly stable picture; performs well with off-air TV; high resolution screen looks good with high defini-tion; smart looks

against

m

A touch of screen door effect; colours could be punchier; bit of a chassis heavyweight

verdict

m

Get this TV at a discount and it’s a great buy – not so great at £4k though

figures, meaning the Toshiba can readily cope with the likes of Sky’s 1080i High Def signal, and the visual results are significantly better than regular off-air, easing motion blur and toning down screen noise.

Overall, there are few negatives to this TV: it works well, is avail-able for far less than the list price, and it’s very big. It's worth a look.

for an LCD of its size, this problem is fairly common. The Tosh also has a slightly washed-out palette, lack-ing the punchy colours of the best.

high def is displayed better On the plus side, you get a largely stable picture, with above-average contrast and detail. You also get impressive 1920 x 1080 resolution

Look for deals on mammoth TV

caMbridge azur 640c v2 ★★★★★£250september 2005This is quite simply a fabulous machine for the money. Has no significant weaknesses.

nad c521bee ★★★★★£200 february 2006a fine, well balanced rival to the Cambridge – the build could be more impres-sive, though

m for

Fine finish; decent all-round performance

against

m

Could do with a touch more trans-parency and stronger dynamics

verdict

m

This Denon is a fine machine, but is edged out by some very talented rivals

denon’s dvd players and receivers are so dominant nowadays, it’s easy to forget the brand’s rich stereo heritage. The DCD-700E CD player, along with its matching amp, is the entry point of a whole new range of dedicated two-channel equipment, which stretches all the way up to serious high-end territory.

slot it in our reference systemTaken on its own terms, Denon’s new budget disc-spinner is a good machine. Even when feeding our reference system of Krell amplifica-tion and ATC speakers (not much change from £20k) the Denon isn’t

disgraced. With this ruthlessly revealing light on the player’s per-formance, you hear it’s a decently detailed machine, one which is fine-ly balanced tonally, too. There’s still

a hint of the company’s traditional smoothness, but that’s a plus in this case, because refinement isn’t always plentiful with budget kit.

Play something like the Streets’ The Hardest Way to Make an Easy

The entry-level player in Denon’s new stereo range has plenty of pros

“even with a ruthlessly revealing light on the performance, it shines”

Denon back to its hi-fi rootsLiving, and the player displays a firm grip of rhythms – something not always true of Denon products – and delivers basslines with decent articulation and drive. Put it all together, and there’s no doubt this is a capable and talented unit. It even looks smart, making the likes of Cambridge’s Azur 640C look a little too budget, though we suspect there’s not much in it when it comes to actual build.

Why not five stars, then? This kind of money buys greater trans-parency and stronger dynamics (the Cambridge again). It’s a fine all-rounder, but it won't worry the best.

23september 2006

mp3 pLayersony nW-e003★★★★★£ 79

m for

Good sound; cute looks; simple design; S-Video output

against

m

Small display doesn’t help its usability

verdict

m

A neat design from Sony: a simple, plug-straight-in player that fits in the smallest of pockets and sounds good, too

sony’s latest ultraportable is pleasingly sleek and small, fitting easily in the smallest pocket or purse. It comes in a range of attrac-tive colours, making it an appealing accessory from the outside.

Inside, it packs 1GB of Flash memory – 512MB (£59) and 2GB (£99) versions are also available, as well as a 1GB version that includes an FM radio tuner, costing £89.

There’s an impressive 28-hour battery life, and a three-minute charge gives three hours’ playback.

The display is small, and is therefore not a patch on some rivals in terms of usability, but the sound is pun-chy, reasonably solid of bass, and at times quite attractively airy and dynamic.

The NW-E003 is a neat and stylish little player: it’s no class-leader, but it’s still solid, tiny and – above all – cute.

“the primare ignores the niceties, and goes straight for the jugular’’

a long heritage doesn’t neces-sarily make for a quality product

“the toshiba handles even sports with only a smidgen of smudge’’

this 47in toshiba is an LCD design, but it’s no slip of a thing. It tips the scales at a kilo for every screen inch, though in the flesh, helped by its discreet frame and skinny speakers, it doesn’t look its weight or 36cm depth (including stand). Neverthe-less, we still recommend proud owners should keep the set in a large room: viewed from upwards of 3.5m away, the Toshiba delivers a highly competent picture.

The price includes a built-in digital tuner, and it’s a solid perfor-mer. Standard definition TV can look pretty awful on screens of this size – it’s less informative than DVD or HD – but the Tosh handles even sports broadcasts with only a smidgen of smudging.

Our viewing also exposed the Toshiba’s occasional screen door effect (the picture looks as if it’s covered with a gauzy cover), but