STEREOfone model Erda
(meaning the Mother of the Earth from Wagner, €14,900) with the Stuttgart-made AER full-range driver augmented by an 18-inch woofer. This 97dB/W/m sensitive loudspeaker is bi-wireable and sounded quite good.
Linn's Artikulate 350a floorstanding reference loudspeaker ($39,000) includes
the company's enhanced 3K Driver array for the upper frequencies and servo-driven bass drivers to insure low distortion and accuracy.
This active version includes an outstanding 6 amplifiers (one per driver) with each producing up to 200 watts continuously(!). Truly wideband frequency response from 20Hz to 33kHz.
Also at the show was Linn's Artikulate 345 subwoofer ($6,500) that has a single 12-inch driver.
A built-in amplifier has an adjustable crossover, high-wattage amplifier, and can produce from 10Hz to 235Hz. This is a world premier from
Linn. See our review of the Linn Classic here,
their Kan monitor here,
their Sizmik 10.25 subwoofer here,
and 12.45 subwoofer here.
Clearaudio has just released their new Statement turntable (€69,000)
with its upper platter for the record, lower platter for the belt drive, and a longer version of Master TQi linear tracking
tonearm called the Statement TQi . The lower platter is connected to a belt drive motor
and above it floats the top platter on a magnetic bearing. Due to this, there is no physical contact between the lower and upper platters. The entire structure is mated to a
bottom weight to insure level replay. Further resonance control of the structure is via oil dampened centrally located suspension.
Clearaudio also has their new Goldfinger cartridge (€7,500) and yes, the body is 24k
gold. Clearaudio feels that this improves the density, thereby reducing the
cartridge body's resonances. The flower shape of the upper body is said to reduce resonances while internally, a
new arrangement of eight magnets for better focus of the field is claimed to
result in 30 percent raise in the magnetic field.
Ascendo's System C5 loudspeaker (€2,000) has the Seas dual-concentric driver with 1-inch soft dome tweeter centrally located for point source sound reproduction. They are available in any color desired including Ferrari or Porsche colors. A rear switch adjusts the low
frequencies for optimizing either bookshelf for or stand mount placement.
Avantgarde Acoustic now offers a smaller version of the META Primo (€49,000,
seen here in green) called the META Picco (€21,000, seen here in red) that includes a horn tweeter and horn-loaded paper cone midrange driver, yet adds a pair of paper cone 12-inch woofers.
A rear-mounted 500-watt amplifier with adjustable volume and crossover points
drives both woofers. Sensitivity is around 106dB/W/m (16 ohm) with an overall frequency response
of the new META Primo being 18Hz to 20kHz. See the Enjoy the Music.com™
review of the Uno by clicking
here.
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