Atacama Genesis 7.0 review

Marking a new era for Atacama in terms of both price and construction, the Genesis 7.0 has a great sound, but some niggling quality issues Tested at £1200

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The Genesis 7.0 is an amazing performer - if you can get past the price

Pros

  • +

    Good looks

  • +

    results in smooth, well-balanced sound

Cons

  • -

    The price and some finish issues

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

The Genesis 7.0 is Atacama’s first step into the high-end hi-fi bracket. Considerably deeper than previous designs, the four-shelf wooden Genesis has shelves that ‘float’ on isolation pads, which in turn rest on a bevelled surface cut into the modular frame. We think it’s a bit

of a head-turner, too – as it should be at the price.

Premium perch delivers best performance

Of all these racks, putting our kit on the Genesis 7.0 sees it produce the best sound. Everything is smooth and well-balanced, with a confident delivery that’s responsive and packed with subtlety, timing and detail. So why four stars? Despite all the pluses, we felt the internal finish and some of the fittings didn’t befit the price, while £300 per shelf is a fair whack

to pay. But if price is no problem, this is the rack for you.

The Genesis 7.0 is Atacama’s first step into the high-end hi-fi bracket.

Considerably deeper than previous designs, the four-tier wooden Genesis has shelves that ‘float’ on isolation pads, which in turn rest on a bevelled surface cut into the modular frame.

We think it’s a bit of a head-turner, too – as it should be at the price.

Premium perch delivers best performance
Putting our kit on the Genesis 7.0 sees it produce a top-notch performance.

Everything is smooth and well-balanced, with our test kit producing a confident delivery that’s responsive and packed with subtlety, timing and detail. So why four stars?

Despite all the pluses, we felt the internal finish and some of the fittings didn’t befit the price, while £300 per shelf is a fair whack to pay.

But if price is no problem, this is the rack for you.

See all our kit rack reviews

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


Read more about how we test