Amplifiers/Processors

Here's something I wasn't expecting. Musical Fidelity, the audio brand known for its high-end hi-fi products, and association with turntable maker Pro-Ject, which acquired the company in 2018, has launched a seven-channel power amplifier. And it's a big old beast of an amp too.

Anthem's AVM 90 has been a long time coming, but it heralds the completion of the Canadian manufacturer's upgraded AV lineup. And while first announced in October 2020, the delayed arrival of this top-of-the-range processor hasn't seemed to harm it. Rather, it means Anthem has been able to offer HDMI 2.1 compatibility out of the box, certainly a demanded feature when a product sells for a cool £6,749.

Those who admired NAD's M10 two-channel, do-it-all streaming amplifier but were put off by the £2,200 price tag (see HCC #304) are clearly the target audience for the Canadian manufacturer's new C 700. Like the costlier Masters Series model, this compact component promises to drag your music playback into the 21st century via its hi-res capable BluOS streaming module, while chucking in a range of physical inputs for good measure, and then giving connected speakers a healthy punch of Class D amplification. Unlike the M10, however, it sells for £1,300.

US audio brand Emotiva set itself the laudable goal of building high-end products 'at prices that more people could afford'. It aims to achieve this by keeping operations lean and focusing on relatively few product lines, and using a modular approach that lends itself to certain economies of scale. It also designs and assembles its entire range in its homeland – something of a rarity these days.

Steve Withers dabbles in astral sound projection with Focal’s 16-channel home cinema processor and amplifier