6 The Audio Appraisal Reference Hi-Fi System
The Audio Appraisal reference system. This post will be updated to reflect future changes and kept as a historic reference to log the equipment used to create these reviews.
6 
Majority Oakcastle DAB500 Compact HiFi Stereo System Reviewed
a nicely made and finished bookshelf music system that provides plenty of functions for most casual listeners. A decent CD player, an excellent tuner, Bluetooth streaming, USB audio file playback and an AUX input for your telly or turntable.
Majority Robinson 2DAB DAB Radio Adapter / Tuner Reviewed
A tiny top flight tuner and Bluetooth receiver that offers excellent performance and clever BestTune tech.
Majority Oakcastle HIFI200 Compact HiFi Stereo System Reviewed
Too expensive for what it is, with much better systems even from majority themselves available for similar money. It does have a nice tuner though, useful alarm and timer functions, handy Bluetooth connectivity and USB playback.
1 Classic Audio Spartan 5 Phono Stage Reviewed
A diminutive little box, in which is a simple but objectively and subjectively top-class circuit typology. The Spartan series should be underlined at the top of your shortlist. They represent high-end objective performance and save you a boatload of cash.
Ifi ZEN Stream Network Bridge Reviewed
The objective of hi-fi is to reproduce the source as accurately as possible, and that is pure transparency. That’s what the ZEN stream offers.
Musical Fidelity MX Stream Streaming Transport Reviewed
The MX Stream delivers bit-perfect audio to your DAC of choice and does so without character, noise or fuss.
1 Fosi Audio TB10D Mini Class D Amplifier Reviewed
Have you ever typed “amplifier” in to Amazon or eBay? Do so, and you’ll find a plethora of […]
Edifier STAX Spirit S3 High-Res Bluetooth Headphones Reviewed
Cutting-edge Bluetooth headphones for the wifi generation, packing some of the best tech currently available, supporting the latest wireless codecs, offering outstanding comfort, portability and battery life, and with some of the best planar-magnetic headphone drivers on the market. They may not be pure STAX, but they’re worthy of the STAX name through and through.
1 Edifier MS-50A Bluetooth / Wifi Speaker Review
If you’re buying these primarily to listen to music, I would certainly suggest you buy two to pair them up for proper stereo. But if you’re after a great-looking, well-built streaming speaker, and you don’t want invasive smart tech in your home, The MS-50 may just be for you.
Majority Oakington All-in-One CD / DAB Music System Reviewed
The Majority Oakington is an all-in-one audio system with a CD player, DAB+ radio and Bluetooth. It sounds surprisingly excellent given its compact dimensions, and provides the ideal companion for a compact turntable.
Majority Eddington & Belford Portable Radios Reviewed
The Belford is a highly affordable no-frills radio with the advantage of an AM tuner, something which many radios now lack. The Eddington is the ideal travel companion - an excellent DAB+ radio with added FM, a pocket Bluetooth speaker and a Bluetooth bridge for your old-fashioned headphones.
Majority Fitzwilliam 2 Internet Radio Tuner & Music System Review
the Fitzwilliam packs plenty of useful features and a sound I can’t fault into an aesthetically pleasing chassis of slimline proportions that will fit comfortably with any hi-fi system.
7 Technics RS-B665 Direct Drive Cassette Deck Service
The Technics RS-B665 is a direct-drive cassette deck and roughly the middle of its model range from 1989 to 1991. It's a good performer and a fuss-free, maintenance-free cassette player.
Toshiba PC-G10 Cassette Deck Repair
The Toshiba PC-G10 cassette deck was sold in 1983 as part of a Toshiba ‘Rack system’. These are fine decks and well worth the little they cost to pick up on the second-hand market.
Sony CFD-G50L Boombox Repair
the culmination of the so-called ‘ghettoblaster’ in its best form after decades of refinement. This particular example had a few faults. The CD player didn’t read discs, the tape deck warbled hopelessly off key and FM radio reception wasn’t as good as I thought it should be.
Sony CFS-W318 Cassette Radio Repair Fail
A Sony CFS-W318 radio cassette boombox from the turn of the millennium. Scrapped due to brittle plastic in the tape mechanisms, but an interesting electronic design and a useful source of parts including a nice tuner module.
Philips MC-151/12 Micro System Repair Fail
You can't save 'em all. This is a Philips MC-151 micro 'hi-fi' system, a far cry from the once-great audio division of Philips who produced the first cassette recorders, a myriad of portable and hi-fi turntables, one of the first consumer CD players and even owned Marantz for a time.
Repairing Cassette Capstan & Turntable DC Motors
A basic primer on cassette capstan and turntable DC motors and how to repair them if they become noisy. With due care and a steady hand many can be repaired with success.
Yamaha CRX-M170 DAB CD Receiver Repair
a Yamaha CRX-M170 CD receiver offered on Freecycle recently sparked my interest. It was listed as having a couple of faults - a temperamental CD player and an erratic volume knob. These are plentiful on the second-hand market for little or no cost and are well worth a punt.
How To Fix A Digital Volume Control
If the volume on your stereo randomly turns up by itself, or doesn't work at all, this article is for you.
Sendy Audio / Sivga Aiva Headphones Reviewed
Engaging, fun and emotive, with bags of detail and a pleasant sonic palette that is easy to listen to for hour upon hour.