Is it possible to get hooked on a look? Absolutely. And, as you might expect, Scandi designers have the knack of tempting us with eye appeal alone. Take integrated amplifiers. Whether it’s Hegel’s stone-cold sober industrial functionalism or the surgically clean lab chic favoured by Primare and Copland, they’re all riffing on a less-is-more theme – spare, cool and tasteful.
But it’s remarkable what subtly tweaked proportions and a sprinkle of bling can do to raise the aesthetic ante. Proof? Norwegian high-end practitioner Electrocompaniet has been stealing the scene for nearly five decades, its fusion of black, gold anda billboard-sized logo serving as an iconic visual constant through a history encompassing massive initial critical acclaim, a reputation for top-drawer sonics bolstered by a thumbs-up from Michael Jackson’s studio engineers, an arguably risky shift of emphasis towards multi-room lifestyle speakers and, latterly, a return to its purist roots as evinced by its current core lineup of ‘Classic Line’ amps, CD players and streamers.
Smitten audiophiles, perhaps hitherto put off by the lofty price tags, will be interested in the company’s new entry-level integrated, the ECI 80D. At £2,990, it sits comfortably outside the budget sector but the promise of a genuine high-end EC goodness, including on-board DAC, in a slimmed-down and less expensively pitched package is certainly enticing and hot competition for Scandi rivals Hegel’s H190 (£3,200), Primare’s I25 Prisma (£3,200, HFC 461) and Copland’s CSA 100 (£3,500 HFC 465).
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Hi-Fi Choice.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Hi-Fi Choice.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Old boys network
As the lineups start to emerge for this summer's festivals, Nigel Williamson investigates where the problem lies for the continuing dearth of female headliners
DESTINATION: LEITH
Welcome to a friendly haven of Californian cool in the creative heart of a former Edinburgh port. Simon Berkovitch samples the sunshine on Leith
Core values
Apple’s revamped HomePod smart speaker off ers attractive sound quality, but its Apple-centric focus remains frustrating for Cliff Joseph
Forty something
Creek Audio is celebrating its big four-o with the release of the new 4040 A integrated. Nick Tate lights the candles and listens in
One for all
German high-ender AVM wants to make top all-in-one performers. David Vivian takes a listen to its all-singing integrated amp
Three for all
The 700 Series receives a helping of tech from the flagship 800 models. Ed Selley sees how the smallest speaker fares
All in one
DAP, DAC, amplifier and streaming device, is there anything A&K’s new Acro can’t do? Cliff Joseph finds out
Wooden wonder
Better known for its speakers, ELAC’s range of electronics now has a new flagship turntable. Ed Selley takes it for a spin
System matching
Why finding the perfect synergy between your chosen integrated amplifier and favourite speakers holds the key to maximising your system’s potential
Game on!
At times the hi-fi and gaming industries might seem like they’re worlds apart, but Cliff Joseph reckons they both share a love of high-quality sound