Celebrating 10 Years Of High-End Audio Industry News
Audiophile RSS feed! 
Mobile Daily News For iPhones / Smartphones!
02 / 09 / 10
Advance
Acoustic, created in 1995 and owned by Advance Paris with research and development into consumer electronics, has released their MPP 202 stereo preamplifier and matching MAA 402 stereo power
amplifier. The MPP 202 preamplifier is the first separate element of the new 'Black Line' and incorporates all the company's newest elements and ideas. There are five inputs via RCA plus a PC input via
3.5mm stereo headphone jack for iPod-like devices. An unusual feature called 'Boost EQ' that is specifically aimed at smaller acoustic speakers and their inherent weakness with bass. This function is said to improve the recovery of the low frequencies while reducing the distortion that is inherent to this part of the audio spectrum. A universal remote comes with the MPP 202, frequency
response is from 10 Hz to 70 kHz, distortion is less than 0.04% and SNR is 90dB. The MAA 402 stereo power amplifier uses of an oversized toroidal transformer along with the associated high current bipolar power transistors to deliver 70 watts of power per channel in Class AB mode. The first 15 watts of power are Class A to avoid any switching and ensure high-end audio sound quality. The larger front meters are well lit, though the illumination can be turned off for those who desire enjoying the music in the dark. Input is via RCA jacks and output is via five-way loudspeaker binding posts.
Frequency response is from 10 Hz to 50 kHz with less than 0.1% distortion.
Pangea Audio, a
company with designs by engineer Jay Victor who holds nearly 40 patents for cable geometry and connector design, has announced the introduction of a premium quality high current AC power cable called the AC-9
(0.6 meter cable is $40 and 3 meter cable is $100). The Pangea Audio AC-9 has been designed specifically to deliver the high current required by audiophile devices such as power amplifiers, powered subwoofers and high-current-demanding AC line conditioners. The AC-9's combination of superior materials, advanced geometry, and noise-fighting shields helps to deliver the best possible performance from connected components at a cost far below competitive products. Although the AC-9 uses large-diameter conductors, it has also been designed to offer greater flexibility than other heavy-duty power cables, presenting less strain on the device's chassis while also being easier to work with in confined spaces. The Pangea Audio AC-9 features 99.99% purity OFC copper conductors for maximum conductivity, 9-awg construction facilitates high-current power delivery and a 5-way multi-gauge geometry optimized for 50/60 Hz AC power. Internally, th cable is counter-spiraled and double shielded to provide superior noise rejection and are terminated with special two-shot molded connector bodies with contacts that are 24K gold-plated.
02 / 08 / 10
AXPONA
(Audio Expo North America) is an audiophile show open to the public and will be held from March 5th through the 7th in Jacksonville,
Florida. Held at the Wyndham Riverwalk Hotel in downtown Jacksonville, this venue overlooks the beautiful St. Johns River, which is a 310-mile waterway that offers numerous recreational activities. With partner
Stereophile magazine, this event is a new organization whose mission is to further the faithful reproduction of music. Its outreach, by education and demonstration, is dedicated to the proposition that living with music is different and better than living without music. AXPONA seeks to bring together listeners and consumers, dealers and manufacturers, marketers and
distributors. Headquartered at the Wyndham Riverwalk Hotel, organizers hope this new and exciting exhibition will demonstrate state-of-the-art audio equipment to many people from around the world. A series of seminars is also planned with subjects that will include traditional reproduction technology and techniques plus emerging digital recording and playback methods. Thos who
purchase their tickets in advance will automatically be registered in numerous drawings including equipment, software, and other promotions provided by AXPONA and the
exhibitors.
Teresonic,
with over 20 years by founder and engineer Mike Zivkovic working towards sonic
perfection in loudspeaker design, now offers their new Magus Silver XR ($5985
per pair, customized stands are $295 per pair). This compact loudspeaker said to combine unique acoustic design and
ultra-high efficiency with pure silver coils for lifelike sound quality and
environmentally friendly audio. Silver, while being more expensive than
copper, is a superior at conducting electricity and aid in bringing this new
design to achieve an ultrahigh 100dB/W/m sensitivity. The 5-inch Lowther DX65
full-range driver is operated without a crossover. Magus Silver XR is the
first commercially available speaker to use the new Lowther DX65 speaker
driver with magnetic flux of 22,000 Gauss (or 2.2 Tesla). Specification
include 100dB/W/m sensitivity, a frequency response from 50 Hz to 22 kHz (±3dB)
and power handling of 2 to 100 watts. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed
the Teresonic Ingenium full-range single driver speaker, which can be seen by clicking
here.
02 / 05 / 10
Luxman Corporation, founded in 1925 when radio broadcasting started in Japan and has long offered high quality audio products and is now distributed by
On A Higher Note within the USA, is now selling their L-507u integrated amplifier and D-38u CD player ($6990 and $3990 respectively). Luxman's midrange integrated amplifier model L-507u is equipped with their original high-quality sound feedback circuit
called Only Distortion Negative Feedback (ODNF) in its latest upgraded version 3.0 and delivers Class AB output of 110 wpc @ 8 Ohms (200 wpc @ 4 Ohms). Low impedance is achieved by error detection circuits and
results in a greatly reduced distortion rate and improved signal-to-noise ratio (107dB). Other benefits include a high initial slew rate and ample rated output to drive the speaker system. The unit offers a wide range of functions including a switch for one-touch separation of preamplifier and power sections plus a
frequency response from 20 Hz to 100 kHz. There are four line inputs, a
phonostage, two tape loops plus bass and treble control and outputs for two
pair of loudspeakers. A wireless remote control is included for ease of
operation.
Also new from
Luxman Corporation
is their D-38u CD player that combines modern technology with vacuum tube
amplification. Wrapped within a classic wooden enclosure, the D-38u uses the Burr-Brown 24-bit/192kHz compatible PCM1754 D/A converter to upsample the signal and provide low-noise. An ECC82 (12AU7) within the analog output stage amplified the signal to line level to feed a preamplifier or integrated amplifier. The D-38u is the company's first in a series of CD players bearing the Luxman legacy golden number "38". The front panel has a full display plus headphone jack with its own volume control while the rear panel has digital output via S/PDIF on RCA or optical TosLink while analog output is via a pair of standard gold-plated RCA
jacks. A wireless remote control is included for ease of operation.
02 / 04 / 10
Organic
Acoustics offers a variety of acoustic panels (£149
to . The company wanted to promote fair-trade and the use of environmentally friendly materials so they use hemp in the making of their acoustic panels. The canvas used for the cover is 100% organic hemp, made in Europe using traditional methods to avoid pesticides and chemicals. The insulation is made with 80% hemp and 20% recycled cotton and it's density is 35kg/m3, which gives good absorption in the area of 150Hz and up.
Each Organic Acoustics panels will dampen both reverb and pre-echoes.
According to the company these panels "make the room sound smoother and calmer, it will mitigate ear fatigue and unmask any audio - music or speech."
The natural, untreated canvas cover has been designed so it’s easily removed from the frame and gives users the option to make it more
personalized if they so wish. Each panel was designed and are handmade by textile artist Emelie Fras.
Magnepan, an innovative manufacturer of world class
planar speakers since 1969, has announced their new MG 1.7 full-range quasi-ribbon design ($1995 per pair). The MG 1.7 is a departure from Magnepan's 40 year history of using planar magnetic drivers for the
bass or lower midrange. The use of quasi ribbon technology down into the lower midrange and bass will provide a new level of coherence. The MG 1.7 also boasts a quasi ribbon super tweeter with a wider "sweet spot" and one step closer to the delicacy and detail of Magnepan's true ribbon design. A new styling with wrap-around aluminum trim on the MG 1.7 is also a departure from Magnepan's more conservative cosmetic styling. The standard wood trims of the MG 1.6 are available upon special order. The total design concept for the MG 1.7 results in a speaker that measures exceptionally well on all the
standard criteria, but more important, sounds even better according to the company. Magnepan and their friends at Bryston
had another "Magnepan-Bryston Magic Show" at THE Show during CES 2010 in the Flamingo's Bryce Boardroom. Magnepan
demonstrated the new 1.7, CCR (along with the CC Speaker Stand), Magileplanar DW 1 Woofer, motorized MMC 2 on-wall system and the Mini Maggie with the new matching Mini Maggie
Woofer. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Magnepan MG 3.6 (click
here) and senior editor Dick Olsher recommended the popular model MG1.6
within his Y2K Audio System article (click
here).
02 / 03 / 10
Telarc International and
Heads Up International, divisions of
Concord Music
Group, have been honored with two Grammy Awards by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
(NARAS). The awards are for their excellence in performance and production and
engineering with a Best Contemporary Jazz Album by Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate
plus Best Surround Sound Album with Transmigration. Other important awards
the company has won include the French Grand Prix du Disque and Diapason d'Or; Japan's Record of the Year; Germany's Audiophile CD of the Year; and Gramophone Magazine's 2004 Label of the Year. Although it began as a classical-only label, Telarc now boasts a catalog of more than 1000
recordings ranging from classical and classical-crossover to jazz, contemporary jazz, Americana, pop and blues.
For nearly 20 years Heads Up International has been successfully carving its niche in the world of contemporary instrumental music. Heads Up artists and releases have consistently landed on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz, Traditional Jazz and World Music charts, and have garnered numerous industry awards, including Billboard's Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year, the AFIM's Independent Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year, seven Grammy Awards and numerous nominations. Heads Up was also the winner of
Jazz Week's Radio Programmers Album of the Year Award for two consecutive years, and Gibson Guitar's Best Female Jazz Guitarist. In addition to the awards and accolades, Heads Up artists have regularly captured the #1 slot in national radio
airplay.
Oracle Audio
now offers their new Delphi MK VI turntable, now in its 30th year of Delphi
production. This latest version was developed around the control of micro vibrations and micro calibration. The micro vibration can be introduced from the inside as well as from the outside. Key features include using the same AC synchronous motor and state-of-the-art drive electronics as for the MK V. By making the MK VI sub-chassis larger, Oracle Audio improved the weight distribution to offer a better overall balance and adaptability for many different tone arms configuration. The sub-chassis's central section is now larger thus the length of the legs going to the suspension towers is shorter. They also increased the rigidity of the tone arm mounting section by widening the tone arm mounting ring support by about 35 percent. The new MK VI bearing system maintained the six-point contact that was developed for the MK V yet the screw material has been replaced by a high performance material for better accuracy. The MK VI bottom trust plate is made of a
polyamide-imide (PAI) high strength plastic with the highest strength and stiffness of any thermoplastic. The net result is a better overall accuracy and an improved back ground silence. The Micro Vibration Stabilizer System is the single most significant and most efficient improvement made to the Oracle turntable since its creation 30 years ago. Oracle Audio's MVSS system represents the newest efforts in the elimination of the micro vibrations. Beside each suspension tower a small reservoir is secured to the acrylic base and they are filled with an extremely low viscosity Silicone fluid. Again, near the suspension housings a threaded stem is mounted to the bottom section of the sub-chassis, those are lining up with the Silicone reservoirs, a threaded lock nut and a tapered shape plunger will complete the mechanism. Adjustable feet are now made of Delrin to further reduce the high frequency energy transfer through the sub-chassis / tone arm / cartridge
combination. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Oracle Delphi MK V turntable with Oracle/SME 345 tonearm
(click
here).
02 / 02 / 10
Esoteric, as a 22 year old member of the TEAC group that has over 50 years of design and engineering expertise in audio products, has announced that in March they
will be offering their D-07 Re-clocker/pre-amplifier with 32 bit DAC and the RZ-1 combination integrated amplifier/CD-SACD player plus phonostage and 32 bit USB, S-PDIF DAC ($4800 and $6000
respectively). The D-07 is a dual mono D/A converter capable of 32 bit resolution throughout the signal path. The D-07 features a variety of digital inputs, including an AES/EBU input that supports Super Audio CD signal from ESOTERIC transports, and USB input for high quality 24-bit/96kHz music file reproduction. The new D-07 features high-definition functions that employ
state-of-the-art technology, such as format conversion for converting PCM digital signals to DSD, PCM up-conversion
(2x and 4x), and two digital filters (Including pre-echo reduction). WORD SYNC allows you to synchronize playback with other digital devices while a second PLL effectively reduces the jitter for digital devices without WORD SYNC function. The D-07 also has an attenuator for controlling the level of analog output. This can be combined with selector functions that are used for a variety of digital inputs, and allow the DAC to serve as a high-end digital preamplifier. The D-07 uses the Asahi Kasei
Microdevices Corporation’s AK4392 DAC device. All 32 bit processing is maintained throughout the unit, from the input I/F and the digital filter, to the Delta-Sigma modulator. Analog outputs include RCA, true fully balanced XLR, digital inputs include coaxial S/PDIF, AES/EBU XLR, TosLink optical and USB. There is a digital BNC input and output for WORD
SYNC.
Esoteric's
new feature-packed RZ-1 ($6000) is an SACD/CD transport, 32 bit DAC, a variety
of digital inputs with high resolution streaming media compatibility plus 100
watt per channel stereo amplification all within an elegant one-box design.
Inside the unit are a specially-designed ultra high-end TEAC Esoteric
transport, AK4392 chipset DAC, audiophile quality parts and a wide variety of
analog stages to handle an external analog line input and MM phono cartridge.
Digital inputs include 24-bit/192 kHz coaxial S/PDIF RCA and TosLink optical
plus the unit has a USB input for computer audio files. Users have choices of
how the digital signal is handled with a selectable 32-bit, 8x digital filters
that include FIR and short delay apodizing filter. There are both treble and
bass controls to shape the sound plus a sleep-timer function. Stereo
amplification produces 100 wpc @ 6 Ohms, frequency response is from 15 Hz to
65 kHz (+1/-3dB) while THD is 0.03%. Loudspeaker output is via five-way gold
plated binding posts and a multi-function wireless remote control is included.
02 / 01 / 10
Enjoy the
Music.com's February edition
includes an update to Superior
Audio with two world premiere equipment reviews plus two North
American premieres! New articles within our Review Magazine
includes four equipment reviews with a World Premiere USB digital audio
interface plus our CES / T.H.E. Show 2010 Top 10 Design Awards!
World Premiere!
Bryston 9B SST2 C-Series Amplifier
Quite simply in a class by itself.
World Premiere!
Oracle Audio Technologies CD 1500 MK III CD Player
Able to extract minuscule detail from my killer resolution test disc.
North American Premiere
Enjoy the Music.com Award Of Excellence
Pass Laboratories XP-15 Phono Preamplifier
I forgot about this phono preamplifier and enjoyed the music.
North American Premiere
Rossner & Sohn Canofer-S Phono Preamplifier
Reveling in the natural timbre of ensembles both large and small.
JH Audio JH13 Pro In Ear Monitors
Having loved and lost.
Pass Labs XA30.5 Stereo Power Amplifier
Won me over and plan to enjoy it for years to come.
See the
February Superior Audio magazine
by clicking
here.
Viewpoint
In This Issue...
Las Vegas Shows And The Audiophile Industry
Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 124: Tweaks
Walker Audio High Definition Links, ER Audio Spatial Harmonizers, Shakti Stones and Caig DeoxIT Gold.
Show Report
CES / T.H.E. Show 2010 Top 10 Design Awards!
Equipment
Reviews
World Premiere!
M2Tech hiFace 24-bit-192kHz USB Digital Audio Interface
A journey into the world of PC audio.
North American
Premiere!
Waterfall Audio Iguascu EVO Loudspeaker
Fine sound and fine craftsmanship with these French beauties.
Klipsch Image S2 In-Ear Headphones
Pluggable buds are a solid value.
Vinylly Yours Virtually
Many Things Vinyl You Need To Know
Music
Reviews
Classical Music
Ludwig Von Beethoven Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61
Reference Recordings exciting performances of Benjamin Britten's early orchestral
music
A historically significant collection from the prime of pianist Shura Cherkassky's career.
Colorful concert-band arrangements from Australian composer Percy Grainger.
An exciting and beautifully sung Messiah.
Inspired Schumann chamber music from Marc-Andre Hamelin and the Takacs Quartet.
Jazz, Folk, Bluegrass, Blues, Etc.
Sam Bush Circles Around Me
Cliff Eberhardt
500 Miles: The Blue Rock Sessions
Trey Hensley It Is What It Is
Steep Canyon Rangers
Deep In The Shade
Various Bluegrass, Blues And Jazz Albums
See the
February Review Magazine by clicking
here.
Creek
Audio, a British company that since 1982 has been offering high-end audio products
deigned by Mike Creek and a team of electronic engineers, will soon be shipping their Evolution 5350 stereo integrated
amplifier. Filling the gap left by the Classic range, between the entry level Evolution 2 and the top of the range Destiny, this new unit borrows technology from both the Evolution 2 and Classic 5350SE and is styled to match the
Evolution 2 CD player and Evolution Tuner. Creek Audio has developed a completely new high current bi-polar power amplifier to enable it to produce 120 wpc @ 8 Ohms and drive low impedance loudspeakers (200 wpc @ 4 Ohms). Each power amplifier is now built as a module, using a high proportion of Surface-Mount components, on a double sided PCB, bolted to a massive 18 fin heatsink. This means both channels are identical and can be fitted and removed easily for servicing if required. The power amp topology includes a
cascode differential voltage amplifier and MOS-FET current drive stage feeding a double Darlington output stage with four high-current bi-polar transistors to produce a very powerful amplifier capable of driving the most demanding of loads, with high resolution and accuracy. DC stability is maintained by a servo amplifier that rejects DC and allows the amplifier to be coupled directly without capacitors. The Evolution 5350 includes an MM and MC phonostage and is operated from the front panel by rotary digital controls for input selection and volume control plus push buttons for Tape and Speaker selection, Mute and Power On/Off. Loudspeakers are connected by up to two sets of high current gold plated binding posts on the rear of the unit while there is a headphone socket on the front panel. Each unit weighs 21 lbs and
dimensions are 17 x 3.5 x 15.5 (WxHxD in inches).
Musical
Fidelity announced their new Antony Michaelson Signature (AMS) series that applies Class-A bias to the Titan circuit to achieve the
audiophile sound quality. Continuing in the Musical Fidelity tradition of innovation, the AMS-series features the new state-of- the-art fourteen tube Primo preamplifier, the 143 pound 50 wpc AMS50 power amplifier, the 35 wpc AMS35i integrated
amplifier and the 24-bit/192kHz Upsampling AMSCD CD player/DAC. With casework machined from solid aluminum, custom-extruded heatsinks, premium-quality parts plus every detail coming together to make the AMS-series the most refined and well-built product ever to be produced by Musical Fidelity. Also new is the M6 and M3 range of products and are
descendants of the mighty Titan. The M6-series features the dual-mono, 200 wpc M6i integrated amplifier, 24-bit/192kHz upsampling M6CD CD player/DAC with USB input (pictured), M6PRE fully-balanced preamplifier and the dual-mono bifilar-choke-regulated 260 wpc M6PRX power amplifier. Later this year Musical Fidelity expects to offer M-series D/A converters and an exclusive Class-A biased headphone amplifier.
01 / 29 / 10
This past week music lovers lost one of the greatest pianists of the modern era, Earl
Wild. To quote David Chesky of Chesky Records, "Candidly, if it were not for Earl Wild, there probably would never have been a Chesky Records or an
HDtracks. There is not another artist who had a more positive effect on my audiophile labels. When I was a young student, I was introduced to Earl Wild by a family friend. Over time, we became friends. Not only was I a young composer, but I was also an avid audiophile and I knew that Earl had done many great LP recordings for Reader's Digest which were then being distributed by a budget label. These had been recorded by the legendary team of Charles Gerhardt and Kenneth Wilkinson, who had produced some of the greatest sounding recordings of the early 1960's. I did not understand why the budget vinyl disc had such poor sound quality, so I asked Earl if he could arrange for us to go to the RCA studios and listen to the master tape of his recording of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. The master tape was nothing less than stunning. The sound was absolutely sensational. It defined the Golden Age of stereophonic recordings. It was right then and there in that room with Earl Wild when I decided that, with my brother Norman, we were going to start a record company that would reissue these magnificent recordings on the best quality vinyl we could obtain and with the best remastering and LP cuttings that could be done with current sonic technology. That was the genesis of Chesky Records. Subsequently, we not only reissued several of Earl Wild's earlier recordings, but also many new ones. Chesky Records was indeed fortunate to work for many years with Earl and his brilliant producer and partner Michael Davis. Earl and Michael later started their own audiophile label Ivory Classics, which is dedicated to recording great pianists and great piano music. Ivory Classics was one of the first labels to join
HDtracks."
HDtracks is
featuring Earl Wild's Beethoven Sonatas Opus 10 Number 3, Opus 57 Appassionata And Symphony Number
1. This newly remastered album was carefully done with 24-bit state-of-the-art technology to ensure the best sound quality from the master tape to your home audio system. Beethoven's sonatas are milestones in piano literature. And when two masters meet in profound rapport - a composer second to none and a pianist whose temperament is so totally suited to the music - the results are a melding of reverence and passion. As the living dean of American pianists, Earl Wild has been performing Beethoven's music for 75 years. Wild is the kindred soul and perfect spokesman who divulges the musical secrets of the master. In Wild's interpretations the sonatas abound in the vitality and irresistible urgency. The recital of masterpieces is made even more delectable with the inclusion of Franz Liszt exceptional piano transcription of Beethoven's First Symphony. Virtuoso music, full of emotion, energy, performed
unforgettably!
Jaton
is now offering factory direct pricing for a limited time for their United States
customers. Music lovers all over the USA States will be able to buy their favorite Jaton's amplifiers, preamplifiers and loudspeakers at factory direct price. To find out more about this new savings offer, users will need to contact their local Jaton dealer for details. If no dealers are available in their area, users will need to contact Jaton directly and the company will redirect them to the closest dealer available to them. Inventory is limited and this sale will be on first come first served bases until all specially-priced units are gone.
01 / 28 / 10
Capital
Audiofest is a unique audiophile event open to the public and will be held from June 11th through the 13th in the Washington DC area at the historic Glenview
Mansion. Located on the grounds of the Rockville Civic Center the Glenview Mansion is a charming historic structure constructed in the 19th century and is surrounded by lovely parkland and well groomed grounds. The Capital Audiofest is set to be a casual fun-filled event for audiophiles, music lovers, music and audio gear collectors, hobbyists, DIYers, dealers and manufacturers. This event is expected to attract those interested in high quality vacuum tube and transistor audio equipment, analog and digital playback sources, buying and selling of LP records and CDs, and manufacturers of audio accessories from the Baltimore - Washington DC Metropolitan Area and beyond. The event will be catered by quality food and beverage vendors and plan to have live musical performances on two evenings as well as an indoor audio swap meet on Sunday
morning.
Bastanis
is now shipping their latest DIY creation, the Firebird loudspeaker with
ribbon tweeter and open baffle midrange design (2000€). These high sensitivity units are 93dB/W/m and feature and open baffle midrange, ribbon tweeter and specially designed woofer arrangement. The open baffle midrange features a 25 cm broadband driver that is said to help provide a three-dimensional soundspace that is clear and capable of
representing the finest details. A ribbon tweeter ensures fast and clan uppermost frequencies and have a minimal crossover in the signal's path. For bass duties, a large diameter 18-inch woofers is specially loaded so that its output fires into a controlled enclosure and then into the listening room. This new DIY design is very easy to assemble and requires no soldering skills. Owners can choose to lave the wood natural or stain it any color they wish. Interior designers may choose to paint the cabinet a
special color to accent the style. Bastanis plans to offer a center and rear channel
designs for those seeking multi-channel audio. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Bastanis Prometheus mkII
(click
here) and the company's larger Atlas open baffle loudspeakers (click
here).
01 / 27 / 10
TransAudio
Group, a United States distributor of high-end pro audio gear, is now handling
Lehmann Audio's Black Cube Linear headphone amplifier ($1100). Award-winning audiophile company Lehmann Audio employs top quality components within their designs and seeks to
optimize the signal's path. The Black Cube Linear is ideal for computer mixing, live monitoring, studio recording, or any application where accurate listening is paramount. Its circuitry and adjustable maximum output gain optimizes performance for any headphone impedance or sensitivity. The Black Cube Linear's specifications include a frequency response from 10 Hz to 35 kHz (-1dB), SNR better than 95 dB and greater than 70 dB channel separation. Total harmonic distortion is less than 0.001% at 6 mW and 300 Ohms. Selectable gain (0, 10, or 20 dB) effectively optimizes the output level of the zero global feedback Class A output
stage. Many of the other popular Lehmann Audio products including their
phonostages and amplification are available from Jerry
Raskin's Need Doctor.
IFPI, an organization that represents the recording industry worldwide with a membership comprising some 1400 record companies in around 70 countries, has repotted that new licensing deals help push digital music sales to 27%
of global
revenues. Global digital music trade revenues reach $4.2 billion, which marks a 12%
increase in 2009 sales as compared to 2008. More than a quarter of all recorded music industry revenues worldwide are now coming from digital channels, as music companies license music in partnership with ISPs and mobile operators, subscription services, streaming sites and hundreds of download stores. Single track download sales increased by an estimated 10%, while digital albums rose an estimated 20%
in 2009. Recent innovations in this sector include the introduction of variable pricing, which has increased the conversion of track purchases to album sales, as well as the launch of the iTunes LP and the rollout of DRM-free downloads internationally. In the last year, music companies have partnered with advertising-supported services such as Spotify, Deezer, MySpace Music and We7; ISPs such as TDC in Denmark, Terra in Brazil and Sky in the UK; mobile operators such as Vodafone; handset makers such as Nokia and Sony Ericsson; and online video channels such as Hulu and VEVO. In the US, only 18%
of internet users aged 13 and over regularly buy digital music (NPD Group, 2009). In Europe, digital adoption is even less widespread - only 8% of internet users in the top five EU markets frequently buy music digitally (Jupiter Research, 2009).
01 / 26 / 10
Enjoy
the Music.com has a world premiere of Hi-Fi
World's Volume 20 Number 1 (March 2010) including the compete
editorial and table of contents. This issue includes David Prices' sampling of Revo's new Heritage DAB/FM/Internet radio, Arcam's irDock and Cambridge Audio's DV30. Other equipment reviews include the DPA CA1/SA1 pre-power amplifier combination, Musical Fidelity AMS50 solid-state power amplifier, CYRUS FM6, Usher V-604 floorstanding loudspeaker, Q Acoustics 2020 budget mini-monitors and much
more... and much more.
The editorial by David Price says, "My own feelings towards DAB are of
general indifference; it's a mediocre technology that's already (in my home)
largely been replaced by internet radio. Where it hasn't, I still listen to FM
for sonic reasons or those of poor DAB reception. So by suddenly taking away
the option of FM, the government would significantly impede my ability to
listen to decent sound radio at home, or any radio out and about. I was
crestfallen; how could this happen?" To see the entire table
of contents and read the complete editorial click
here.
Bowers & Wilkins
800 Series has experienced five generations of their award winning 800 Series. The new 800 Series Diamond builds on that legacy, with improved performance and, for the first time, the inclusion of a diamond dome tweeter in every speaker in the seven-model range. Advances in audio-critical areas provide the entire range with a leap forward in terms of audio quality compared to the outgoing 800 Series. The diamond dome tweeter is now a quad-magnet design, which increases efficiency and improves the dynamic range of the top-end performance. A new surround material aids dispersion characteristics, and provides a more stable stereo image while increasing openness. At the other end of the tonal scale, bass performance has also improved with the introduction of a new dual magnet motor system, which
utilizes powerful neodymium magnets. This innovative design improves the linearity of the bass drivers' performance, therefore reducing harmonic distortion. New Bowers & Wilkins-designed oxygen-free-copper speaker terminals and links ensure the signal quality into the speaker is the best possible. All models' crossovers feature a new design of capacitor using a unique silver, gold and oil construction. Proprietary Bowers & Wilkins technologies such as Kevlar FST mid-range drivers, Nautilus tube-loaded tweeters, Matrix enclosures and the unique sphere/tube heads on the two largest speakers in the range.
Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Bowers & Wilkins DM602 Series 2
(click here), Nautilus 800 large
floorstanders (click
here) and their reference 800D floorstanding studio/home speakers (click
here). Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond is available from February 2010 and priced as follows:
800 Diamond $24,000 per pair
802 Diamond $15,000 per pair
803 Diamond $10,000 per pair
804 Diamond $7500 per pair
805 Diamond $5000 per pair
HTM2 Diamond $5000 each
HTM4 Diamond $2500 each
Music Industry
News 10 Years Ago
As Harman Corporation is
trying to achieve a more prestigious positioning for themselves in the car
audio industry, they just announced the development of a Mark
Levinson OEM sound system which is currently under evaluation by
Lexus. Lexus is the more luxury division of Toyota Motor Sales, USA.
Currently in prototype form, the "Mark Levinson Premium Sound
System" was first shown in a Lexus sports coupe concept car at the Tokyo
Motor Show in October 1999. "We have an exciting opportunity to expand
the appreciation and awareness of Mark Levinson to an important new group of
highly qualified luxury buyers," said Phil Muzio, CEO of Madrigal. "No
path could have existed without the two crucial ingredients: the right vehicle
and the right partners - Lexus, Mark Levinson and Harman's OEM Group."
Madrigal claims in their press release that "only Lexus could supply a
passenger cabin quiet enough to showcase the spectacular sound which is the
hallmark of Mark Levinson home products" (!).
01 / 25 / 10
Enjoy the Music.com
has just posted the February 2010 edition of The
Absolute Sound (Issue 200) featuring the complete table of contents and
editorial! This edition of The Absolute Sound features a celebration of TAS' 200th issue! Equipment reviews include the Cambridge Audio Azur 550A integrated amplifier and 550C CD player, the SuperNova 2 phonostage, Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 3 and Overdrive DAC, Bel Canto S300iU integrated amplifier and USB DAC, the Reference 3A Episode loudspeakers and much more.
JVC (Victor Company of Japan, Limited)
, a worldwide development and manufacturer of sophisticated audio and video hardware and technologies founded in 1927, is offering their new birch HA-FX700 IEMs ($330). As an updated version of JVC's HA-FX500, the new HA-FX700 features a 10mm cone driver per ear that produces frequencies from 6 Hz to 26 kHz and presents a 16 Ohms load. Specially chosen birch wood provides a "wood dome unit" that Victor JVC feels has the acoustic quality which is superior to plastic as used in many other IEMs. The driver takes advantage of thin film process technology in order to reduce distortion and resonance of the diaphragm. A new development "dual hybrid structure" adds the big brass ring is said to decrease vibrational loss. Each unit comes with small, medium and large inserts to fit various sized ear canals. The 0.8 meter cord is made with OFC while the 3.5mm male plus is plated with 24 karat gold.
01 / 22 / 10
HDtracks, an online music store that provides true high-resolution digital downloads of music, is now
featuring rock group The Cult. Based on the fiery partnership of vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy, The Cult were blessed with an impressive pedigree. Duffy and Astbury first called themselves Death Cult, before resorting to the snappier and simpler Cult. They immediately leapt to the forefront of what was known as Positive Punk and, though Astbury would vociferously protest at the label, it turned out to be pretty accurate (if a tad limiting). From the outset, The Cult were hard rockers and unashamedly set on their own idiosyncratic path. In Astbury they possessed a spokesman of boundless optimism with a bent for the spiritual heavily marked by the plight of Canada's Native Americans, which he had of course viewed at first hand. Some called Astbury naive, others called him a
visionary.
HDtracks
is also featuring singer, pianist and songwriter Carla Lother. A native of Canada, Carla was a serious award-winning pianist. Growing up, she often traveled to compete in music competitions and spent summers studying at prestigious festivals such as The Banff School of Fine Arts. Carla hitchhiked to New York City and enrolled in graduate school earning a master's degree in piano performance from The Mannes College of Music. Upon graduating, Carla took an administrative position at Mannes and was soon running the Continuing Education Division. She started a successful jazz program at the school, but found herself missing out on playing music and developing artistically. Five years later, she wrote her first song. Featured here is her album
Ephemera, which mixes pop, traditional folk, New Age and classical music into songs that will caress your senses. On Ephemera, she infuses the poetry of William Butler Yeats ("Ephemera," "The Song of Wandering Aengus" and "Sweet Dancer") with her own modern melodies, and turns her own compositions like "The Lake" into cinematic vignettes. Carla's magnificent voice is accompanied by acoustic piano and guitar, modern percussion, lush synthesizers and a string quartet.
01 / 21 / 10
Danley
Sound Labs, a specialist in loudspeaker design and engineering, is now selling their DTS10 do-it-yourself subwoofer kit ($975). This is a limited time offer and is a fraction of the price of a regular Danley home theater subwoofer. The DIY DTS10 delivers bass down to 11 Hz at high SPL levels with "the robust fidelity for which Danley is renowned". With the owner's very hands being responsible for its assembly, pride of ownership is virtually guaranteed. The kit ships with all of the wood pre-cut and pre-drilled plus includes two custom 12-inch drivers as well. Due to flexibility in output porting, the DTS10 can be positioned in almost any orientation with no reduction in frequency response or SPL. "The DTS10 boasts conservative specs that will make any home theater enthusiast drool. We have customers replacing multiple 18-inch extremely long travel drivers with a DTS10," said Mike Hedden, president of Danley Sound Labs. "Outdoors at one meter, one watt of input generates 90 dB at 12 Hz; 99 dB at 20 Hz; and 108 dB at 80 Hz... Most audiophiles will find building their own sub a labor of love, the assembly time is just value added." Dimension of the subwoofer are 45" x 60" x
16".
A new book titled
Current-Driving of Loudspeakers
by Esa Meriläinen ($27.76) demonstrates new process for loudspeaker feeding. Meriläinen
argues that conventional loudspeaker technology is flawed and introduces a new method for loudspeaker feeding called
current-drive. According to Meriläinen, all audio power amplifiers in use today deliver voltage signals despite the fact that electrodynamic speakers respond only to current. Meriläinen argues that virtually all speaker systems have been severely impaired by the diverse electromotive forces induced in the voice coil that corrupt the flow of current. In response, he has developed new design practices and example circuits to operate the loudspeaker by controlled current, eliminating major distortion factors and offering what he feels is a superior listening experience. "Why have the basic laws of electrodynamics been ignored in the design of all loudspeaker operations?"
Esa Meriläinen asks. "These design flaws affect the quality of all sound produced by loudspeakers everywhere and therefore perhaps even the musical preferences and choices of our entire culture." In addition to new concepts for amplifier and speaker design and demonstrative projects, the book also features ideas for modeling, filter design, measurements, and protection and provides a useful tutorial on analog linear
systems. It can be purchased from Amazon.com at this
link.
01 / 20 / 10
The Weber Röhrenverstärker GmbH, with more than seven years
of development and going under the product company names German Tube Amps and Weber Laboratories, have announced their new Skyline preamplifier and matching Skyline
amplifier. The Skyline amplifier (top unit in photo) has a very wide frequency range and enough output power to drive the most difficult loudspeakers. The circuit features a new development with many innovative patents. All amplifiers are handmade with the audiophile-grade customized components. The signal path is short and has few
components to ensure purity. Silver of the 6N variety is also part of the company's Skyline designs as is zero feedback and industrial CNC manufacturing precision. The
Skyline amplifier operates in Class A triode and has separated external power supply (dual mono) with toroidal transformers. The tube compliment is eight KT88 and two 6N1P. Input is via both unbalanced (RCA) and balanced (XLR) as has a sensitivity of 1.24 Volt for full output. Frequency range is from 5 Hz to 220 kHz (+/-3dB) with an SNR of greater than102dB and weight of the Skyline amplifier is 88 lbs. The Skyline preamplifier
(bottom unit in photo) operates in triode mode and input switching is realized with "heater"-switching without contacts in the signal way according to the company. This is done as every input has its own tube and only the tube heater of the used input is on. Volume control is via a 42 step-switch in silver while other parts include Jensen custom-made silver/oil-paper coupling capacitors, Caddock precision resistors and 6N silver wire. Frequency range is from 5 Hz to 280 kHz with a SNR of greater than 98dB. The Skyline and Frontline amplifiers are chrome plated in standard design. Others surfaces, cases or other changes are possible on
request.
Cardas Audio
has many new products including various cables, jacks, Sennheiser HD800 cable and a new
FLAC music section. Check out the Digital Downloads
section of Cardas Audio's website to download high quality FLAC audio files. Several recent projects from longtime Cardas recording artist Kip Dobler are available, including
Forever Love that is an album Kip recorded with his brother David Dobler. Three other recordings are
correctly available for download. Cardas Audio's new Light interconnect is the latest design from George Cardas. Light brings Clear technology to a more affordable audio cable. The Clear Serial Buss (USB) brings Cardas copper and Golden Ratio stranding to a USB cable. It is available with standard size Type-A and Type-B ends. The new George Cardas designed and manufactured XLRs
(pictured) feature Rhodium contact surfaces and pure, non-magnetic eutectic billet Brass, Gold and Rhodium over Silver
plating. These connectors have a unique end shielding technique that is said to block RF and Clock signals. Lastly, the new Sennheiser HD800 version of the Cardas Headphone Cable brings out the true capabilities of the top of the line Sennheiser headphones.
Music Industry
News 10 Years Ago
Richard
Gray's Power Company by Audio Line Source are claiming to have reinvented
power filtering by delivering high-current-on-demand via a "reactive
electronic interface device". They claim that unlike traditional
power line conditioners, isolation transformers and sine wave regenerators,
their device is wired in parallel to the source of power. Therefore it does
not limit current necessary to satisfy power transients requirements.
According the the press release their power device "serves as an
electronic flywheel, which delivers instantaneous high-current-on-demand to
increase dynamics and performance of analog and digital equipment. It also
provides an invisible yet highly effective surge protection system, which
quenches A/C line noise and cross talk, with no trade-off." Suggested
retail is $700. If we fast-forward to 2010, the company continues to
manufacturer many award-winning power filtration/conditioning devices that
protect electronics from harmful surges and spikes.
01 / 19 / 10
Opera
Audio, an award-wining high-end audio company based in China, just announced their Consonance Reference CD2.2MKIII balanced/RCA tube CD player with volume
control. Opera Audio has been at the forefront of audio playback in China since it started in 1994 by founder Liu Shihui. The updated CD 2.2 MKIII features a digital input and a Wireless Digital Box 1.0 that can transmit songs files on your computer to your audio system. The Reference CD2.2MKIII CD player employs a 24-bit/192kHz multilevel sigma-delta with synchronous upsampling DAC chip with superclock. Over the past seven years the CD2.2 been improved upon to keep up with the current state of audio and is a true balanced direct output design from the DAC chip. Using a 6H30 RCA analog tube stage makes regular playback "very smooth and relaxing"
according to the company. Analog output is via balanced on XLR or unbalance via RCA. Frequency response is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with a SNR of more than 110dB.
Enjoy the Music.com has toured the Opera Audio facility (click
here) and has reviewed their Droplet LP5.0 turntable (click
here), Cyber 10 multifunctional tube amplifier (click
here), Opera Audio Consonance LP6.1 turntable and TP988 tonearm (click
here) and the Cyber 211 monoblock tube amplifier (click
here).
tmh
Audio distributor of New
Audio Frontiers products from Italy, is now offering their Supreme 300B Special Edition ($25,000) integrated
amplifier. This unit operates in pure Class A and produces 25 watts per channel from 20 Hz to 65 kHz with zero global feedback. Internally, this Italian company felt it was best to build a dual-mono design within a single chassis to ensure top quality channel separation with ease of use in a single enclosure. Weighing in at a hefty 120 lbs, custom advanced OPT transformers use silver over copper Litz winding to minimize skin-effect. Special custom power supplies are said to provide for unrestrained dynamics while ultra-high quality parts throughout may produce high-end audio sound quality. Standard is 300B tubes, though other version available include 845 as an amplifier or as an integrated amplifier.
01 / 15 / 10
Enjoy the
Music.com's January midmonth update of our Review
Magazine is now online and includes three new articles plus our
CES / THE Show report. More CES / THE Show reports will be appearing online in
a few days so check back for those.
Daily News: Audiophile news updated each
weekday!
The BAS Speaker
February 2007 Meeting With Jim Thiel Of Thiel Audio
Article By David B. Hadaway
Sound Practices Magazine
Loudspeaker Matching With Single-Ended Amplifiers
Article By Graham Tricker Of GT Audio
VALVE Magazine
October's Meeting Article By Dan Schmalle
Show Report
CES Preview / THE Show 2010 Coverage Now Online!
Reporting By Steven R. Rochlin
See the January 2010 midmonth Review
Magazine by clicking here.
Previous News
20
10
January
20
09
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
20
08
January February
March April
May June
July August September
October November
December
2007
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
2006
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
2005
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
2004
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
2003
January February
March April
May June
July August
September October
November December
2002
January February
March April
May June
July August September
October November
December
2001
January
February
March April
May June
July August September
October November
December
2000
January February
March April
May June
July August
September
October November
December
1999
April May
June July
August
September October
November
December
