If you were into hi-fi (or at least aware of it) back in the day when reel-to-reel was considered the way forward – then you may be familiar with the brand Revox… or ReVox as it used to be known. This was a brand best known for producing some of the most highly regarded reel-to-reel players in the industry, the likes of which are still highly sought after in certain circles today.
The reel-to-reel itself is unlikely to make a full commercial comeback anytime soon (although, stranger things have happened!) but the brand has continued to bubble away with new innovations focusing on sound quality, simplicity and an exciting new range has surfaced.
Take, for instance…
The Revox Joy S118, an all in one system that would make its predecessors proud. For an all-in-one, it is indeed simple. With high quality sound reproduction (across all levels) being the most important factor, and features a very close second.
To keep things close to the brand values, Revox have chosen the streaming service tidal as the default for the entire Joy range, although have stressed that it’s possible to play anything and everything through the player using Bluetooth. But one of the best features included on the Joy, is the server. It’s possible to create an enourmous personal music archive. Insert a CD, wait 10 minutes, eject… and that music is stored within an easy-to-access digital archive forever, ready to be accessed at a moments notice.
Speaking of access, each Joy comes equipped with a specially designed remote control. What’s more, this control can be used to control up to 24 different Joys at any one time, or 8 rooms. Making this a veritable multi-room system… or at least a potential multiroom should that be a long term goal. It is worth noting at this point that, while the sound quality genuinely does come first and foremost, you will still get every feature you’re looking for in a high-quality all-in-one. It’s all there, from DAB+ through to a traditional CD player. It boasts an impressive array of connectivity, making it a wonderfully versatile player suitable for pretty much any purpose.
Now, for the sound.
“Revox Joy S118 stereo reproduction offers a 2 x 25 watt sinus. The fully integrated output, in pulse width modulation technology, enables reproduction of the highest level that is clear and transparent and also powerful in the bass range.” – Revox
It’s the kind of sound that should not be wasted – something the makers knew all too well. As such, this is the kind of player that will play nicely with pretty much any speakers you would chose to pair it with. From the cheerful budget ranges through to the deliriously high end, it’s the kind of all-in-one that meets that definition on every level. We have paired it with a number of different speakers currently on demo in our showroom, and it has done serious justice to all of them. the sound is always clean, transparent and lush… and its the player that sits as the common denomiator.
Looking for an all-in-one, but want to avoid the usual paths and focus on sound? The Joy S118 (and the higher level S119 and S120 models – which feature more amplifier power) is something you should consider.
Like what you see? Click here for the full listing, including the tech specs.