01 / 07 / 09
Enjoy the Music.com now offers an
Internet world premiere of the table of contents to Volume 13 Issue 2 of The
Audiophile Voice. This issue features an exclusive interview with
B.B. King plus reviews of the Acoustic Research AWD210 wireless headphones, C.
Crane's FM transmitter, a roundtable review of CAIG DeoxlT and Axe Wipes, the Zoom H2 digital recorder
plus Stax's SRS-005 II and SR-001 Mk2 earspeakers. See this edition of The
Audiophile Voice by clicking here.
DALI has introduced their LEKTOR LCR (299€) that can fill a satellite subwoofer system or for surround sound
systems. The loudspeaker is intended for on-wall mounting, though can be placed in a bookshelf or on stands and has an integrated wall brackets for either horizontal or vertical positioning. The pair of 5-inch midrange/woofers incorporate wood fiber cones, low-loss suspensions and powerful magnet systems. For the uppermost frequencies, the 1.1-inch soft dome tweeter is based on the same technology platform developed for the company's IKON Series. The tweeter has a powerful neodymium magnet system and a geometrical design optimized for wide dispersion. Crossover components are of the audio-grade variety and optimized for short signal path. The
gold-plated binding posts accept bare cable ends and 4 mm banana plugs. Frequency response is from 52 Hz to 27kHz, has a sensitivity of 87.5dB/W/m and presents an 8 Ohm load. Dimensions are 23.6 x 6.8 x 6.9 (HxWxD in
inches) and the LCR is available in either black ash or light walnut veneer.
01 / 06 / 09
Enjoy the Music.com
now offers a world premiere of the February 2009 edition of The
Absolute Sound (Issue 190) featuring the complete table of contents and
complete editorial! This edition features a report on the 2008 Rocky
Mountain Audio Fest plus equipment reviews that include the Paradigm Mini Monitor, Denon's DRA-CX3 integrated amplifier and DCD-CX3 CD/SACD player, the Harbeth 40.1 loudspeaker, Esoteric's X-05 CD/SACD player, the all-new MartinLogan CLX electrostatic loudspeaker plus many others.
Within this issue's editorial titled A High-End Audio Taxonomy Robert Harley
says "We often talk about the "high-end-audio industry" as though it were a monolithic entity whose component companies share the same motives, perspectives, values, and business models. In fact, the companies making up the industry are wildly divergent. Nonetheless, we can broadly group them in several categories...."
You can see the table of contents and read the complete editorial by clicking
here.
Enjoy the Music.com
has once again updated our Consumer Electronics Show & THE Show 2009 preview
report!
Every few days we have been busy updating our pre-show coverage, which will
continue up to the day of the
event. To see the Enjoy the Music.com CES & THE Show
2009 preview click here.
Durob Audio's Herman van den Dungen, already responsible for the production and distribution of well-known brands PrimaLuna and Mystère,
has purchased Bow Technologies and
Thule Audio. This agreement was finalized only days ago, and now marks two new known companies from Denmark now in the folds of Durob Audio. The intention is to restart production of existing models as an improved version. In the near future, new models will be added to both company's product lines. For those residing within the United States, Upscale Audio is Durob Audio's partner.
Neeper
Acoustics' Perfection One loudspeaker ($20,000 per pair) will now be available for the first time in the United States thanks to Nawrocka
Distribution. The cabinets are hand crafted in Demark by the world-renowned cabinet manufacturer Hornslet using their patented Hornflex technology. Each Perfection One incorporates a total of 60 specially made aluminum parts including a full-machined aluminum front, which the drivers are connected to. This two and a half way design uses the top of the line ScanSpeak 1.5-inch Ring radiator tweeter and two proprietary custom designed ScanSpeak 5.5-inch midrange/woofer drivers. Frequency response is from 30 Hz to 50 kHz with a sensitivity of 87dB/W/m and the unit presents a 4 Ohm load. The Perfection One weighs in at over 66 lbs and includes a ten year warranty.
01 / 05 / 09
TACET
now offers two new audiophile-quality recordings, the Auryn Series Volume XVII and Louis
Spohr (pictured). The Auryn is a two CD set with Opus 33. Matthias Lingenfelder (first violin) explains that during the recording why the parts for the first violin of Haydn's string quartets are all so much trickier than the other parts. The reason was that Haydn was having an affair with the wife of the first violinist of the quartet which performed his works, and in order to keep him busy for longer, so that he had less opportunity to check up on his wife, Haydn built extra challenges into his part. While many are not sure to believe Matthias or not, but in any case, he has no problem at all with his violin part, as this new release will clearly demonstrate. The second new release, Louis Spohr, includes the String Sextet in C
Major Op. 140 and Nonet in F Major Op. 31. There is a shortage of literature for some larger chamber music ensembles, so that it can sometimes seem hardly worth the trouble to found a special ensemble. This is why the existing works for large chamber music ensemble are performed less frequently, and often by musicians who have met up briefly just for the purpose. The camerata freden concentrates on such pieces, which is what makes this ensemble of the Freden Music Festival so interesting for TACET. After making recordings of Beethoven's Septet and Octet, they followed with Schubert's and Mendelssohn's Octets, Tchaikovsky's Sextet, and works by living composers (C. Jost, B. Günes and H. Huyssen).
01 / 03 / 09
For the 28th time in succession, connoisseurs of high-quality home entertainment electronics have the opportunity to admire
the latest developments at the HIGH END show in Munich,
Germany. The HIGH END is Europe's leading provider for their consumer home entertainment electronics exhibit, with many manufacturers and distributors in attendance. The HIGH END started
their event in 1982 at Düsseldorf, then subsequently took place in Frankfurt for 21 years and relocated to Munich in 2004. These moves have been due to great expansion as the show continues to be the most popular European event. The very large Munich Operation Center (M.O.C.) in the North of Munich has played host to
the oldest trade fair of this kind in Europe. Their 2009 event details are as follows:
Location: M.O.C. Munich Lilienthalallee 40 80939
München-Freimann
Duration: 21st through 24th of May 2009
Trade Day: Thursday, May 21st 2009 (only by pre-registration)
Open: From 10am to 6pm
Entrance fee:
Trade visitors: 20€ with pre-registration (the badge is valid for all days)
Public: 10€ / day
20€ family ticket (for 2 adults and up to 3 children)
Enjoy the Music.com has reported on this show for the past nine
consecutive years. See our report of each year's show: 2008,
2007, 2006,
2005, 2004,
2003, 2002, 2001,
and 2000.
Shuguang, the premier Chinese vacuum tube manufacturer with 50 years of history in designing, manufacturing and distributing high fidelity audio tubes, has just released their
'50-Year-Anniversary Treasure Series' of vacuum tubes. Grant
Fidelity, as Shuguang's North American distributor, is the first one and so far the only one to bring these "Treasure Series" tubes into North America. According to Shuguang, the "Treasure Series" has adopted quite a few new technologies in the design - such as "High Polymer Compound Carbon (HPCC)" coating inside the glass enclosure to reduce the tube's internally generated noises and stabilize electron current. In addition, "Super Alloy" has been for the first time used on audio vacuum tubes construction to improve electron emission - before such type of material has only been used in aerospace industry and military application. Shuguang Treasure Series vacuum tubes production includes over 100 processes, which are nearly 60 more processes than those for manufacturing the Shuguang clear glass generic series. All parts go through 30+ screening and matching procedures to insure quality, accuracy and consistency. Production is done only by technicians with 30+ years of experience. The newly released Shuguang Treasure Series of vacuum tubes include the following model at the time being: 300B-Z, KT88-Z, KT66-Z, 6CA7-Z (interchangeable with EL34) and CV181-Z (interchangeable with 6SN7GT, 6N8P).
01 / 02 / 09
SEAS
of Norway launches their new DESIGN Series 10-inch subwoofer. The company's L26ROY subwoofer driver is designed to combine large excursion with low distortion and wide frequency range. Accomplishing this task required technologies not found in the company's standard subwoofer designs. The powerful magnet system uses a copper cap over the pole piece to reduce non-linear distortion and flux modulation. The stiff
aluminum cone is matched to a proprietary design natural rubber surround. The spider employs lead-out wires that are woven into the material to eliminate noise and improve reliability. A 2-layer voice coil, resulting in low inductance and reduced mass. In combination, this all results in low distortion of the sound this driver produces. Mr. Håvard Sollien, R&D Engineer at SEAS, says "Having worked extensively in the development of this driver, I am very pleased with the
result and I am confident the customers will feel the same. The unique features of this driver make it a versatile choice for powered subwoofers – or even passive 3 way designs."
01 / 01 / 09
Enjoy the Music.com's
January 2009 edition of the Review
Magazine plus our CES / THE Show
2009 Preview are now available! Within this
month's Review Magazine we feature three world premiere not to be missed!
Letters: You write 'em and we reply.
Boston Audio Society
New Balanced-Line Receiver Circuit And IC- Part 3
Sound Practices
More Than Meets The EYE
Manufacturer Article
Content Insider - Visions for 2009
A Year of Realignment, Reassessment And Repositioning
Viewpoint
More World Premiere Reviews In 2009!
Speeding along to bring you a first look at audiophile products.
Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 111: Predilections
Are You On The Road To... Audio Hell?
CES / THE Show 2009 Preview Report
Audiophile
Equipment Reviews
World Premiere
fo.Q Audio Damping Accessories
Impressive anti-vibration devices for your high-end audio system.
World Premiere
Juicy Music's Peach II Linestage Tube Preamplifier
A hand-built tube preamplifier with some unique functions.
World Premiere
TJ Full Music Carbon Plate 300B
Getting to the heart and soul of the performance.
Cables Galore: Part 3 = Power Cords
The MIT Oracle AC1, Furutech's Piezo Powerflux, Nordost Magus, Dynamic Design Lotus, the Dynamic Design Spirit Digital And A Generic Power Cord
Marantz SA8003 SACD Player
Lackluster user interface and minimal niceties yet delivers good sound.
THIEL SCS4 Monitors With SS1 SmartSub Subwoofer
A beautiful combination that achieves outstanding realism.
Music
Reviews
Classical Music
American composer Elliott Carter's complete piano music, by leading interpreters.
Sir Colin Davis and the LSO offer concert performances of familiar Elgar.
Jazz, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Etc.
Cadillac Sky Gravity's Our Enemy
Drew Emmitt Long Road
Vance Gilbert Up On Rockfield
Marco Granados Music Of Venezuela
Donna Lee Quartet Mellow
Bill Monroe Father Of Bluegrass
Darrell Scott Modern Hymns
Various Bluegrass, Blues And Jazz Albums
Rock, Pop, Funk, Techno, Punk, Metal, Etc.
Ayreon Timeline
Freddy V Easier Than It Looks
See the
January 2009 Review Magazine by clicking
here.
12 / 31 / 08
Get ready for high resolution streaming music to your mobile device as Taiwan's
VMAX system could deliver 2.5GHz speed to users. In concert with investment from various
sources including that from from Intel Capital, the global investment organization of Intel Corporation, Taiwan's wireless network operator VMAX Telecom will help deploy Taiwan's first mobile
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network. WiMAX is a data telecommunications standard for notebook computers, mobile phones and other portable devices that can transmit data five times faster than current technology. The wireless transmission technology uses a variety of transmission modes from point-to-point links to full mobile access. The technology, which enables broadband speeds without the need for cables, is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. As one of the world's leading technology manufacturers, Taiwan has been a key innovator of WiMAX devices. "The deployment of WiMAX networks and the integration of WiMAX into mobile devices will create a truly mobile and personalized Internet experience," VMAX Chairman Dr. C.K. Liu said. Over 260 operators currently deployed WiMAX services, with expectation of that number rising to 538 in the coming year or so. "As the Internet evolves, the industry has an opportunity to deliver what consumers are seeking - a fast, seamless and personal mobile Internet experience, regardless of device or location," Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini said
at an event in Taiwan. Intel is the world's biggest chipmaker. "Intel and Taiwan will continue to collaborate to create growth opportunities for the industry."
Hmm, looks like this Internet thing so many people mocked and laughed at me over
a decade ago seems to be catching on :)
The
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the trade group that represents the United States recording industry with members consisting of members that create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90 percent of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the country, has finally decided to wake up and stop suing people who download/share music
online. Since 2003, the RIAA has been on the rampage seeking to possibly sue approximately 35,000 Internet users under the accusation of music piracy. While their new strategy to combat music sharing is not 100 percent
sorted out, we can hope they stop their strong-arm tactics in 2009. "We think this is going to be a different form of stick, but we absolutely think this will be a meaningful alternative approach that will have a significant impact," said Cara Duckworth, who is a spokesperson for the RIAA. So far the RIAA has
fostered agreements with Internet Service Providers (ISP), who will send notices to their users if they find illegal activities from their user base. "I'd give them credit for stopping what they've already been doing because it's been so destructive," said Brian Toder, who represents a Minnesota mother that is involved in a high-profile file-sharing case. In the meantime, the RIAA is
heralding that Tennessee state Governor Phil Bredesen signed into law a bill aimed at curbing the disproportionate amount of music theft occurring on state campus networks via peer-to-peer (P2P)
services. RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol, along with several other members of the music community, participated in the signing ceremony and welcomed the enactment of the legislation, SB 3794, which passed the state legislature earlier this year. This new bill requires that Tennessee public and private colleges and universities exercise appropriate means to ensure that computers connected to their campus network are not being abused for the purpose of illegally downloading and distributing copyrighted material through P2P file-sharing programs. Upon a proper analysis of the network, those institutions are required to implement technological support and develop and enforce a computer network usage policy to effectively limit the number of unauthorized transmissions of copyrighted works.
12 / 30 / 08
Accustic Arts new Drive II is the culmination of over a decade of experience in research and
development. The Drive II is a CD transport and works according to the top-loader principle. The unit is designed exclusively to play CD, CD-R and CD-RWs in uncompromising quality. The core of the DRIVE II is the internationally renowned high-end CD module CDPro2LF. Contrary to most other conventional designs, this module is equipped with a
very solid diecast chassis in metal and not – as is otherwise the case – with a simpler chassis made from sheet metal and plastic. The diecast chassis has excellent damping characteristics and simultaneously offers high stability and rigidity. The CD module with its 3-beam laser is fitted in the DRIVE II using an elaborate construction with mechanical decoupling (subchassis design principle) and is integrated in its own solid
aluminum housing. Accustic Art's Drive II has a pair of generously dimensioned and magnetically shielded transformers of the highest quality to provide voltage feed. These transformers are produced especially for the Drive II and are made in Germany. To ensure the
correct function of the individual power units, a high reservoir capacity (in total approximately 61,000 uF) was selected. The Drive II has polarity selection, a switchable mains filter, and three digital outputs (XLR, RCA and BNC).
12 / 29 / 08
Tweek Geek
now manufactures a custom version Bybee Supercord ($2,999). This audiophile-quality power cord improves upon the Bybee SE Ultra Power Cord in several ways, with the end result claiming to be "an even more organic, extended, layered, and relaxed presentation that is simply more like real music." Tweek Geek has licensed the use of some very special wire through Kaplan Cables, which employ 10 awg conductors. After careful experimentation, Tweek Geek chose to use a solid, unplated copper plug and IEC from China. Finally, custom made Acme Ebony AC clamps appear on the round plug shells ends as well as a custom shell to house the SE Bybee Purifiers. Each unit is handcrafted and made to
order. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Bybee Technologies Quantum Purifier
(click here), their Slipstream RCA Magic Bullets
and Speaker Charger (click
here) and the Bybee Golden Goddess 'Super Effect' Speaker Bullets (click
here).
Pragmatic Communications has announced their HideAway Series
stereo audio digital amplifier that is said to produce "big luxurious sound, yet fits inside a very small box." This unit is actually two separate monoblock amplifiers in a single chassis and produces 48 wpc. Pragmatic
Communications also offers a 24 and 36 wpc version for those desiring less power. This new unit accepts any volume controlled line level stereo input and uses a super quiet 15 VDC
power supply. Advanced protection circuitry guards against system damage from overload,
over temperature, or short circuits. Users can choose options including a rotary volume control, multiple amplifiers in a standard rack mount unit, and even an in-wall
version that fits nicely in a single junction box. The unit's dynamic range is over 100dB with a SNR of greater than 100dB with an overall frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This tiny unit measures a mere 2 x 3.5 x 3 (WxHxD in inches) and weights 12 ounces.
12 / 26 / 08
HDtracks is offering
20 percent off their high resolution digital music downloads! Many titles
are 24-bit/96kHz, so this is truly high-resolution music and not your basic CD
quality or less as found on other sites. The music they sell is from many
popular recording labels and includes liner notes and other goodies not
normally found from music download sites, plus many titles are available in
lossless AIFF and FLAC plus lossy 320kbps MP3 file. Simply enter the promotional code
hdtHD08 during check out. This special promotion ends December 31, 2008 so hurry and get some great music from many audiophile labels by
clicking
here.
12 / 24 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com
has updated our Consumer Electronics Show & THE Show 2009 preview report!
Every few days we have been busy updating our pre-show coverage, which will
continue up to the day of the
event. If we judge from past previews, our report will be larger than most
magazines full show coverage! Check back ever few days to see what will be
appear in Las Vegas. To see the Enjoy the Music.com CES & THE Show
2009 preview click here.
12 / 22 / 08
After two years in development, Audia Flight
now offers their two chassis PHONO preamplifier ($6,100). A separate power supply module on the right keeps the noise away from the larger left side chassis that holds the analog stage, which has upwards of 74dB of gain. Within the power supply is a very low noise MOSFET power supply for the second gain stage and another power supply for the first gain stage. In fact there are a total of six power supplies! The Audia Flight PHONO can be configured with moving magnet (MM) and a moving coil (MC) stage, or both stages can be MM or MC. On both input boards, the impedance selectors are very close to the input stage as changes are made by professional gold jumpers from the rear panel. Custom resistors can also be used for precise cartridge
matching.
The Grammy Foundation announced that 30 talented high school students from across the United States have been selected for positions in the 2009 Grammy Jazz
Ensembles. Their selection launches them into the spotlight surrounding the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, and will provide them with unparalleled opportunities to perform in front of some of music's biggest names. The students, representing 23 cities and 13 states, will travel to Los Angeles for a weeklong musical adventure under the direction of Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music and Dr. Ron McCurdy of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. The Ensembles will perform at various events and public performances. The program was launched in 1993 by the Grammy Foundation and selectees are eligible for more than $2 million in college scholarships made possible through college partners. The students selected to the 2009
Grammy Jazz Ensembles are:
2009 Grammy Jazz Choir
Andre Brown (tenor), Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh CAPA High School Taylor Daniel (tenor), Germantown, Tenn., Germantown High School Olivia Harris (soprano), Dallas, Booker T. Washington HSPVA Jazzmeia Horn (alto), Dallas, Booker T. Washington HSPVA Amanda Kunz (alto), Renton, Wash., homeschooled Ben Lusher (bass), Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., the Masters School Michael Mayo (bass), Van Nuys, Calif., Los Angeles County High School for the Arts McKenna Whisler (soprano), Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh CAPA High School
2009 Grammy Jazz Combo
Kate Davis (bass), West Linn, Ore., West Linn High School Armand Hirsch (guitar), New York, Trevor Day School Noah Kellman (piano), Fayetteville, N.Y., Manlius Pebble Hill High School Alex Nash (drums), San Francisco, San Francisco School of the Arts
2009 Grammy Jazz Band
William Aukstik (trumpet), Lombard, Ill., Benet Academy Benny Benack (trumpet), Pittsburgh, Upper St. Clair High School Luke Celenza (piano), Bedford, N.Y., Fox Lane High School Braxton Cook (alto sax), Silver Spring, Md., Springbrook High School Natalie Cressman (trombone), San Francisco, San Francisco School of the Arts Sam Crowe (tenor sax 1), Denver, Denver School of the Arts Nick Frenay (trumpet), Syracuse, N.Y., Manlius Pebble Hill High School Joshua Gawel (trumpet), Douglassville, Pa., Daniel Boone Area High School Tyler Ginsberg (trombone 2), Metairie, La., New Orleans Center for Creative Arts Alden Harris-McCoy (guitar), Portland, Ore., Lincoln High School Josh Holcomb (trombone 1), Woodhaven, N.Y., Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Aaron Johnson (alto sax), Portland, Ore., homeschooled Matt Knoegel(tenor sax 2), Southington, Conn., Southington High School Ethan Kogan (drums), Wilmette, Ill., New Trier Township High School Jacob Kraft (bass trombone), Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Los Osos High School Raviv Markowitz (bass), Lexington, Mass., Lexington High School Leonardo Pellegrino (baritone sax), Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh CAPA High School Ivan Rosenberg (trumpet), New York, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
12 / 19 / 08
Trends
Audio now offers their PA-10 tubed headphone/preamplifier ($225) with innovative low-voltage hybrid (tube/transistor) circuit design that provides audiophile-quality sound in a compact
size. The amplification stage is pure Class A and supports both 6DJ8/6922 and 12AU7 series of tubes. There is a single 6DJ8/6922 or 12AU7 tube as voltage amplification and a pair of
MOSfets act as output drivers. There are two sets of switching audio inputs that include CD input plus a higher gain phono input. Tube biasing has been made easy plus a specially designed outboard AC to 24VAC adapter with extra low ripple & noise ensure clean power and minimizes power supply noise from affecting the critical analog stage. For those looking for something extra, they can employ the SLA battery power unit. Like all Trends Audio products, high-end parts are used throughout and the main unit is encased in non-magnetic aluminum that provides shielding and grounding
capability. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Trend Audio TA-10.1 Class-T
amplifier, which can be seen by clicking
here.
Russ
Andrews' Crystal-24 loudspeaker cable (£525 on up depending on configuration) uses the latest high specification banana plugs from leading connections manufacturer
WBT. The Crystal-24 cable is manufactured with the same hyper pure copper and Teflon insulation as the respected Kimber Kable 8TC product, but with a total of 24 individual wires rather than the 16 used in 8TC. Each woven conductor contains seven strands of copper, with each one a different diameter. This VariStrand technology is designed to spread the skin effect more easily, resulting in a cable that doesn't
favor any particular frequency. The weave that is characteristic of Kimber's 8TC speaker cable is enhanced in Crystal-24 thanks to the additional conductors effecting a steeper weave angle and the extra mass of conductors result in a cable with lower resistance. The WBT-0610 banana plugs employs the nextgen principle of low mass and an insulation of
Makrolon. Utilizing an expanding inner spike the plug provides a very secure connection to the speakers for optimum signal transfer. Both pure copper (WBT-0610Cu) and pure silver (WBT-0610Ag) versions are available on the Crystal-24, giving the user choice of their preferred connection material.
12 / 18 / 08
The new Plinius
Audio Hiato stereo integrated amplifier is now available and comes in standard and optional phonostage versions (£5900 and £6,700 respectively). Hiato means "to gather together" and implies "harmony" in the native Maori language of Te Reo. It also explains the philosophy behind the creation of the 300 wpc Hiato, which brings together elements of the Plinius design principles used in some of the company's most prestigious products. The power supply, preamplifier stage and power amplifiers are carefully designed to integrate with each other to deliver a synergy of high-end audio performance. There are four stereo inputs plus an optional user adjustable phonostage input. On the rear of the unit are high quality WBT RCA connectors and balanced XLR inputs for Line 1 and CD. Home cinema integration is possible via the HT bypass input, remote IR and 12v trigger
function. Users of portable media products can connect these via an unobtrusive 3.5mm jack on the front panel of the amplifier.
Plinius Audio's Hiato is built into a solid aluminum wrap enclosure and available in black or silver.
The iPod may be finding itself settling in as
Apple will no longer be exhibiting at the prestigious
Macworld Expo, with this year being the last time an Apple executive being there to deliver the opening keynote address. On another interesting note is that
Governor David Paterson of New York State, hoping to find some way to add revenue to the state's dwindling tax money, may be launching a new iPod tax. With a staggering $121 billion budget for New York, with $15.4 billion of it being
unfulfilled, Paterson called for 88 new fees and a host of other taxes that include an iPod tax plus a tax on downloaded music and other
"digitally delivered entertainment services."
If New York can somehow pull this off, Americans might expect many other states
to follow as they are in need of enhancing their revenue stream to make up for a
shortfall in revenue.
12 / 17 / 08
Canadian electronics manufacturer Bryston
has announced the introduction of the SST² (SST Squared) series amplifiers that incorporate several upgrades to all eight models of the hand-built award-winning Bryston SST² amplifier
topology. Bryston's SST² amplifier line begins with the 2B SST², which produces 100 watts per channel into 8-ohms (180 per channel 4-ohms, priced at $2650). The new 28B SST ($8000) can drive virtually any loudspeaker with its 1000 watts mono into 8-ohms. The balanced input stage has been redesigned, thereby providing superior electromagnetic
interference (EMI) and radio frequency (RF) noise rejection. This results in an improved signal with lower noise performance. The
SST²'s power supply circuit board incorporates zero point-to-point wiring, as all components plug directly into the circuit board. Each
SST² model employs output chokes specifically designed for these new models, with
Bryston claiming it extends the high frequency bandwidth. Bryston amplifiers require an enormous supply of AC power when activated, so the new soft-start circuitry in the SST² amplifiers ramp up power demand gradually to present less strain on the AC supply utilizing a
micro-controller. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Bryston 7B ST,
which can be seen by clicking
here.
Denon
Electronics now offers their DVD-A1UDCI ($3800) universal Blu-ray and DVD
player. Audio/Video player. The DVD-A1UDCI joins Denon's AVP-A1HDCI A/V preamplifier and the POA-A1HDCI 10-channel power amplifier ($7,500 each unit) in the company's flagship HD home entertainment system. This is the first Blu-ray player to feature both DVD-Audio and SACD playback with native digital audio output via the HDMI/DENON LINK or PCM conversion with full bass management. With the combination of the proprietary DENON LINK 4th and HDMI transmission technology, digital signals from optical discs can now be transmitted virtually "jitter-free" to produce high-end images and sound quality. Of note is that this is the world's first fully-balanced stereo transmission in a Blu-ray player for analog signals. Denon re-engineered its original Advanced S.V.H. Mechanism to acive higher performance. Denon's DVD-A1UDCI features the acclaimed 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset for the highest resolution high-definition video available today via HDMI connection, with upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p. For audio performance, the DVD-A1UDCI features all-new Advanced AL32 Processing, allowing digital upsampling of 16- and 24-bit digital signals to 32-bits. The player offers full on-board HD Audio decoding from Denon's DDSC-HD branded circuitry, as well as allowing for Bit Stream Bypass to HDMI for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio digital transmission to an AVR/AVP for
decoding. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Denon 2900 combination player (click
here), the DVD-9000 DVD Audio/Video player (click
here), the DVD-5900 universal player with Underwood/Parts ConneXion Level 2
mods (click here)
and Denon's Professional DN-C640 network CD player (click
here).
12 / 16 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com
now offers a world premiere of the January 2009 edition of The
Absolute Sound (Issue 189) featuring the complete table of contents and
complete editorial! This edition features Product of the Year Awards as TAS honors the very best high-end products of
2008, Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC, the PSB Imagine T and Imagine B loudspeakers, Mystère's IA21 integrated amplifier, the Sonus Faber Cremona loudspeaker, MBL's 101 X-Treme loudspeaker
plus much more. Within this issue's editorial titled The Future Is Now,
Robert Harley says "I'm pleased to report that our Web site, theabsolutesound.com, has been completely redesigned from the ground up and is now live. I recently took a preview tour of the new site and am thrilled by what our Web development team has created.
The Absolute Sound's new site is not only much more visually appealing, it's vastly easier to find exactly what you're looking for on it. While we continue to add content daily, there are already more than 700 product reviews from the past ten years available free (with information on several thousand more), along with major features such as show reports, Editors' Choice, Golden Ear, and Product of the Year Awards. The site also includes content from our sister magazines,
Playback and Hi-Fi+."
You can see the table of contents and read the complete editorial by clicking
here.
John Marks Records
(JMR) is giving away free music! Editor of Enjoy the Music.com, Steven R.
Rochlin, has personally met John at a wonderful classical music concert plus has
heard quite a few of JMR's recordings. They are very highly recommend for music
to enjoy during this festive holiday season! "Of the three Christmas string-quartet volumes, the second is my favorite, and of all the tracks I have produced, this little gem is among my top
favorites" said John Marks. "Over and above the usual hi-fi stuff about imaging and soundstage and ambience, the players play so wonderfully together and with such open-hearted expression. Special credit goes to violinists Arturo Delmoni and Nina Bodnar, who play like twins separated at
birth." You can buy the albums in hard copy form directly from JMR records
or in mp3 form from Arkiv Music. For now, feel free to download the free mp3
song titled
"Ave Maria" by clicking
here.
12 / 15 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com
's Review Magazine midmonth update includes the
announcement of our CES
/ THE Show 2009 preview report, an updated letters page plus a new
manufacturer article! The manufacturer article titled Content Insider - Visions for 2009: A Year of Realignment, Reassessment, Repositioning
is by Andy Marken of Marken Communications and discusses content and delivery in
the upcoming marketplace. We also now offer many equipment previews to
what will be seen at the upcoming Las Vegas shows. Check back every few days as
we will continually be adding to the report until the first day of the show in
January. Enjoy the Music.com will have many writers at both events and
will be reporting back extensively. Again, check back every few days as we add
more to our CES / THE Show 2009 preview report.
Ultrasone
announces the very last of their Edition 9
headphones ($1799) are available in the United States. The Edition 9 headphones utilize Ultrasone's finest 40 mm titanium-plated Mylar drivers said to "deliver astounding sonic clarity and transparency". The Edition 9 headphones aesthetic is due in large part to the use of the black chrome in both the ear cups and nameplates. The attention to detail in the design of the headphones is partially due to use of Ethiopian sheep leather in ear pads and headband pad, ensuring the listener maximum listening comfort. The headphones come in a sleek, metal
attaché case for safe storage and transportation. These closed-back headphones feature S-Logic Natural Surround Sound and have a frequency range from 8 Hz to 35 kHz. Impedance is 30 Ohms and the headphones can reach a sound pressure level of 96 dB. Weight is just over a
pound and the headphones come with a five year warranty.
12 / 12 / 08
The new ADM9.1 system by AVI And Speaker Techniques
(£1124) features a pair of monitors and subwoofer that powers the entire system. These new fully active, two-way monitors comprise of 9
liter enclosures each with high performance Wolfson 24-bit/192kHz DAC (via optical Toslink digital input),
a remote controlled two input preamplifier (one USB DAC and one analog) and 4th order electronic crossovers. For amplification, a pair of high speed, linear, bipolar power amplifiers (250 and
75 watts respectively) are located within the subwoofer enclosure. The subwoofer features a 10-inch driver with 3-inch voice coil and total discursion of 2-inches. An
included low-pass filter can be set for 20, 30, 40, 60, 80 or 100 Hz while the gain is also adjustable to suit room acoustics. The minimonitors have a 6.5-inch paper cone drive unit and the tweeter is of the 1-inch silk dome variety. Inputs include low-level stereo via RCA jacks on optical
Toslink. According to the company's website, "We're very much a purist audiophile company (albeit one coated liberally with BS repellent!) and
we're anxious to be amongst the first to get the very best sound quality that these new Studio Master Downloads and Reference Recordings will allow and to that end,
we've completely redesigned almost every part of the original ADM9."
12 / 11 / 08
Tivoli Audio just
released their NetWorks radio available as a basic unit or one with AM/FM radio ($599.99 and $649.99 respectively, with a paired unit being upwards of $749). This
Wi-Fi NetWorks unit can tune in Internet radio stations from around the world, plus allows music stored on a linked PC to be played back from any room in a home. NetWorks can be expanded with a stereo speaker, CD player, or subwoofer. Accessing AM and FM stations via a Wi-Fi or Ethernet broadband connection can be made without a computer on radio models, while the NetWorks connects to thousands of free Internet radio stations worldwide. Users can enter the company's Global Portal to add any radio station, chat with a NetWorks community, get the latest NetWorks news, and receive technical help electronically or from live audio experts.
12 / 10 / 08
Naim Classical
label launches with high-resolution audio and CD releases. The first two releases:
Mozart Wind Serenades with the Chamber Soloists of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and
Hands on Heart, a live concert in memory of the brother of cellist Tim Hugh, were both recorded in hi-res digital (24-bit/88.2kHz) by Grammy award-winning Tony Faulkner. Enthusiasts with Naim HDX hard disc players, NaimNet Music Servers and many other brands of Internet audio enabled devices will be able to hear these performances as Tony Faulkner recorded them. The pack includes a CD for compatibility with traditional CD players and a DVD Data disc containing the hi-res audio files in the highest quality wav format. Naim and the Naim Label do not consider the compromise of compression of audio files to be worthwhile, considering the ever decreasing price of hard disc
space.
Paradigm Electronics
is now shipping their most powerful and intelligent subwoofer ever: the Signature SUB 25 ($3999). Paradigm has designed the SUB 25 to effectively harness and optimize AC line current for optimal performance, with all AC line voltages operating intuitively on a 120 V or 230 V circuit. This unit's high-efficiency Ultra-Class D amplifier, rated at 3,000 watts sustained RMS, drives a 15-inch driver with three-inch peak-to-peak cone travel. The driver has an improved high-efficiency motor assembly, massive shorting ring and all new FEA-optimized elliptical surround offer high linearity. An optional add-on for the
Signature SUB 25 is Paradigm's Perfect Bass Kit (PBK-1 priced at $299) interface, which is a state-of-the-art room correction system derived from sister company Anthem Electronics' acclaimed ARC-1.
Additional Features of the Paradigm Reference Signature SUB 25
include:
— L/R RCA Audio inputs
— Subwoofer Input
— Balanced XLR input
— Independently adjustable output level, bandwidth and phase
— Power modes: Off, Trigger and Auto
— External Trigger input
— Reconfigurable via USB port
Newform Research
claims to have taken loudspeaker design a step forward with their new line of Ribbon tweeters to complement the existing "R"
series. The New Oval series is built around a powerful neodymium magnet structure housed in an Oval shaped oak sheathing. Why Oval? Besides a very attractive look, the Oval profile is claimed to "allows the new Ribbons to be used in one of the most significant loudspeaker design advances in many years - Newform Research's Coaxial Ribbon LineSource design (patent applied for)." The Newform Research Ribbon LineSource loudspeakers provide a larger sweetspot and reduce degrading room interference better than the company's previous loudspeaker configuration.
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