09 / 23 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com
now offers an online world premier of the October
edition of The Absolute Sound (Issue 185) that
features 41 pages of every product we recommend at every price level, as we
offer the complete table of contents and editorial! This edition is filled
with many equipment reviews including the Clearaudio Maestro MM cartridge, Koetsu Onyx Platinum
MC, Analogue Productions' Ultimate Analogue Test LP, Simaudio Moon i-1
integrated amplifier and Moon CD-1 CD player, Pass Labs XA100.5 power
amplifier, Hansen Audio's "The Prince" V2 loudspeaker and HP bestows his 2008 Editors' Choice Awards.
The October editorial titled Audio Fundamentalism by Robert Harley says,
"Judging from the reaction to last issue's editorial on double-blind listening tests — see the posts on the Forum at avguide.com under "Evaluation, Testing, Measurement, and Perception" —
there's no more polarizing topic in audio. Of course, I knew this going in; I've been writing on this subject for nearly 20 years, and didn't expect to change anyone's mind."
You can see the table of contents and read the complete editorial by clicking
here.
09 / 22 / 08
DaVinci Audio
Labs' newly released turntable, named In UniSon (CHF 24,200), is
said to use the same physical principles as that of a mastering studio's cutting machine and
stylus. The In UniSon has a a highly stable basis, while the platter rides on a
specially-designed and completely silent magnetic bearings. The platter itself is made from a carefully formulated special
aluminum alloy, the same type as DaVinci Audio Labs AAS-Gabriel turntable. For speed stability, they also employed the same unit as that within the AAS-Gabriel. The power supply is designed to ensure extremely stable power to the motor, thereby keeping the platter turning at a constant rate. The feet are height adjustable for leveling purposes. A second tonearm base and special colors are available on
request.
At the 125th AES Convention, held from October 2 through 5 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, the
House Ear Institute (HEI) is returning for its' 12th year to provide hearing conservation education and screenings to thousands of Audio Engineering Society (AES) members at no
charge. The screenings are part of the institute's Sound Partners hearing conservation education program.
Shure Incorporated is the exclusive sponsor of the House Ear Institute's hearing screenings at AES, and are a part of Shure's Listen Safe program. The Listen Safe program is dedicated to educating musicians, audio professionals and consumers about how to enjoy sound responsibly. Last year, almost 700 people took advantage of the free screenings, an increase of more than 200 people over 2006. In addition, over 7,000 pairs of ear plugs along with hearing health materials were distributed to convention attendees.
"Every year we see bigger crowds taking advantage of our free screenings and hearing health educational
services," said Marilee Potthoff, House Ear Institute marketing director.
"The level of appreciation for good hearing health that we see among audio engineers today is certainly testimony to the success of our educational outreach endeavors over the
years." Licensed audiologists, from the House Ear Institute and Clinic will be available to counsel participants on their hearing screening results, which are kept confidential. The institute's outreach staff will offer additional hearing health education, literature and free hearing protection.
09 / 19 / 08
Vinyl enthusiasts know about the legendary Keith Monks cleaning machine. In early 1969 Keith Monks set up a company to sell the unique Record Cleaning Machine to the BBC. Today,
Keith Monks Audio is celebrating their 40th Anniversary with a company relaunch of several new products including the RCM model - the Mk.VII Omni - which features a built in wash system fully adjustable for all sizes of record, a feature not found on any other
cleaner. The new Omni (£2995), entry level Sovereign (£1995) and all the way through the MK.II Classic RCM (£2495, seen here) will be available. Cabinets are finished in Classic White or Royal Blue, with an option to upgrade to the new superb golden English Oak cabinet costing an additional £100 for all models. Unique features include genuinely professional custom-made industrial components used throughout. A unique suction nozzle with automatic
motorized buffering for ultimate drying and disc protection, plus the discOvery Precision Record Cleaning brush with its unique custom formed bristle tips hallmark the company's designs. A unique built-in wash system with options for fixed or adjustable on-deck fluid application of one or more different cleaning fluids provide effortless cleaning. Also new is their Keith Monks discOvery Natural Precision Record Cleaning
Fluids.
In related news,
MVD Entertainment Group (MVD) has announced plans to issue several releases on vinyl, including new and previously unreleased tracks by Devo and the Dwarves, plus reissues by G.G. Allin, Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics, and
more. MVD and Big Daddy have deep access to a great amount of quality content from some very collectible artists. These new offerings are in response to a resurgence of fans, collectors, and true audiophiles who prefer the warm sound of vinyl. According to a July 2008 article in Billboard,
"Indie retail started the party, but now some of the chains are carrying vinyl too. In addition to Fred Meyer and Borders, Best Buy has said publicly that it will experiment with carrying
LPs." Since retailers are becoming increasingly supportive, it was a no-brainer for MVD. Upcoming releases include DEVO
Watch Us Work It, GG Allin Freaks, Faggots, Drunks and Junkies, Plasmatics
Beyond the Valley of 1984, and a Dwarves limited 10 inch record.
09 / 18 / 08
Paradigm Electronics has introduced its most powerful and intelligent subwoofer ever: the Signature SUB 25 ($3999). The unit comes
standard with universal voltage (120 V or 230 V) handling and has Power Factor Correction technology, which shapes the AC line input current to be sinusoidal and continuous in time. The SUB 25's new high-power 15-inch driver with three-inch peak-to-peak cone travel, improved high-efficiency motor assembly, massive shorting ring and all new FEA-optimized elliptical surround offer high linearity, excellent excursion, and greater effective cone area. An optional add-on for the SUB 25 is Paradigm's Perfect Bass Kit ($299) interface, a state-of-the-art room correction system derived from sister company Anthem Electronics' acclaimed ARC-1 system. PBK-1 uses proprietary processing to compute in-room frequency response of up to four different SUB 25s before computing a target frequency response for each, yielding optimized in-room reproduction of low frequencies. Paradigm's Sub 25 has L/R RCA audio inputs, subwoofer input, balanced XLR input, independently adjustable output level, bandwidth and phase. The unit is reconfigurable via USB
port.
Rotel has introduced their new 15 Series home audio
components. Seen here is their RSX 1550 ($1999), which is a 7.1 channel surround sound receiver with HDMI v1.3 connectivity and full compatibility with the high-resolution audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master, and the forthcoming video enhancements Deep Color (enhanced color depth) and xvYCC (extended color gamut). Tis top-of-the-range receiver uses ultra-efficient Class D amplifier topology. Audiophile seeking external amplification might enjoy Rotel's new RMB-1575, which is a compact Class D design that delivers five channels at 250 watts each. Rotel's new RMB-1565 power amp packages five channels at 100 wpc, the RB-1572 is a 250 wpc stereo unit, and the RB-1562 is a 100 wpc stereo unit ($1299, $1299 and $799 respectively).
09 / 17 / 08
Chord
Electronics' new QBD76 ($6,495, with an introductory special of $5,995) is the company's most technically advanced DAC. Building on the success of the award winning DAC64, the QBD76 now takes
D/A conversion to a new level of performance not available in any other product. In addition a unique Bluetooth digital audio receiver allows users to stream high quality music wirelessly from a Bluetooth enabled phone, PDA or PC. Instead of using an off the shelf DAC chip, Chord designed their own using the
newest Xilinx field programmable gate arrays. This state-of-the-art development platform provided Chord engineers with a staggering 1,250,000 logic gates with which to design their DAC, something not obtainable only a few years ago. Of note is that most DACs today employ only 30,000 logic gates. Thus, with over 40 times the development power, Chord engineers were able to control every aspect of their DAC's design and performance. The result is said to be a resolving power of 40dB more data than DACs using the best off the shelf chips. With its new design and updated WTA algorithm, the QBD76 achieves a signal to noise ratio greater than 120 dB, a dynamic range of 122dB, and less than 3pS clock jitter cycle to cycle.
Furthermore, usability has been improved with the addition of a display and control via a microcontroller circuit. Input selection, phase and RAM buffer settings can all be changed using three buttons on the top panel. Configuration is clearly visible via the magnified display. There are two coax, two AES, two optical,
one USB and one Bluetooth A2DP input.
09 / 16 / 08
TEAC's
Esoteric division, a manufacturer of high end consumer electronics, has demonstrated their new G-03x ($4000) master clock generator that can be employed
for 'WORD SYNC' among compatible digital devices. An external master clock generator re-times the synchronization between disc transports (or disc players), and digital to analog converters. This re-timing process achieves advanced three-dimensional imaging and exceptional acoustical transparency for playback of source material from CD, SACD, DVD-Audio and DVD-Video. The G-03x has an oven controlled crystal oscillator circuit (OCXO), which is is a small thermostatic chamber used to heat the combination oscillator core and control circuits at a fixed, high thermal level. This provides stability to the crystal and greatly reduces unwanted variations in the signal. As a result, the G-03x is exceptionally stable and outputs a clock signal accurate to +/- 0.1 ppm, even within severe thermal environments ranging from -20° to over 70°. The G-03x can be used simultaneously with up to six digital source components including Esoteric and other brands accepting an external WORD clock input
signal.
Teac's Esoteric division is also now shipping their
A-100 three stage
stereo tube amplifier that doubles as a line level amplifier ($19,000). The A-100 incorporates extensive proprietary circuitry and newly developed technology in two of the three output stages. Esoteric's new amplifier provides a minimum of 45
w/channel from KT-88 tubes in ultra-linear-push/pull operation driven with a directly coupled cathode follower. The cathode follower and voltage amplification stage is directly coupled to form a triple stage, combining a variable self-biasing system and a zero voltage control system. Variable bias provides compensation for fluctuations in bias voltage as supplied to the output stage by detecting cathode current and output level demand. The A-100 features a custom and proprietary output transformer designed to achieve highly delicate and precise musicality. The amplifier uses specially treated, solid copper 'solid' foil as the 2nd order coil. This design maintains very tight coupling properties between the 1st order coil. The A-100 is designed for pure 2 channel power amplification but also works as a line level amplifier by selection from an operating switch on the rear panel. Users can select a DIRECT or LINE IN mode. DIRECT mode is used for operation with an external pre-amplifier. LINE IN mode activates an input selector (RCA x3 / XLR x1), and also a high quality volume attenuator. For line level amplifier operation an illuminated remote control is also included.
Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Teac Esoteric SA-60 audio disc player (click
here) and the Esoteric P-05 transport and D-05 converter (click
here).
09 / 15 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com's September
midmonth update of the
Review Magazine is now available! This
update features the manufacturer article Subwoofer In A Listening Room by y HiFi Selbstau and XTZ.
This excellent article concerns using digital signal processing to help cure
room anomalies in the lowermost frequency range. See the September midmonth
update by clicking here.
09 / 11 / 08
Audio engineer Dr. Floyd E. Toole has received a 2008 CEDIA Lifetime Achievement
Award. Employed by Harman International Industries since 1991,
Dr. Toole has received this award due to his many years within the advancement of residential electronic systems. Dr. Toole studied electrical engineering at the University of New Brunswick, and received a Ph.D. at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London. In 1965, he joined the National Research Council of Canada and in 1991, he was employed by Harman International. He created and directed the Harman Research and Development Group, a central resource for technology development at Harman International. A focus of Dr. Toole's research at Harman International was on the acoustics and psychoacoustics of sound reproduction in smaller rooms, such as those in consumer's homes. Most notably, he established methods for objective and subjective evaluations that have been used to correlate the relationships between technical measurements of audio components and listeners' perceptions. This work was directed toward improving engineering measurements, creating objectives for loudspeaker design and manufacturing, and developing techniques for reducing variability at the loudspeaker/room/listener interface. Also, he has taught and developed curricula for a number of courses at CEDIA, and is a coauthor of the CEDIA publication Recommended Practice for Home Theater Design. He has published several papers and articles, and his new book, Sound Reproduction, was published in July 2008. Among his many additional achievements, Dr. Toole is a Fellow of the ASA and AES, and is a recipient of the AES Silver
Medal.
A
new digital two channel audio recording system
has been co-developed by critically acclaimed mastering engineer Doug Sax
(pictured) and recording engineer Bill Schnee. For Sax and Schnee, who pioneered high-quality, live, direct-to-disc studio recording on the audiophile Sheffield Lab label over three decades ago, the new format is a return to the fidelity of that golden age. "What we're getting is true high-fidelity, true dynamics again, and realism that you haven't heard in thirty years," states Schnee. "The level of true high-fidelity in recorded music has consistently gone down from the LP to the CD of the early 80s, to the overly compressed CD of the last fifteen or so years, and now finally to the mp3. With HDTV being the current state-of-the-art for video, shouldn't we once again have high-definition audio for music?" The new two-track material was recorded live by Bill at Schnee Studio with a variety of ensembles and comprises mainly acoustic instruments which benefit most from the high-resolution recording method and also serve as an excellent demonstration of its fidelity. The recording chain includes Schnee's custom, minimal signal path, analog mixing console with tube microphones, preamps, and summing through JCF Audio 192kHz/24-bit converters, with the mix printed to disc in a Tascam DA-RV1000 high-definition master
recorder.
09 / 10 / 08
Densen's
B-440 (GBP 2500) surpasses the company's B-400XS and now stands as the company's top of the line CD player.
Optimized for performance, the B-440 has a modified CD Transport in such a way that it employs Densen's own clock controller, which is used to avoid jitter by using same clock in both sending and receiving end of the data stream. The clock is calibrated to one ppm precision. The data stream passes trough the advanced pcb layout to the 24-bit DAC, which is based on a four layer PCB which has one layer completely devoted to grounding of the signal planes to avoid noise in the delicate audio signal. The DAC is mounted in a shielded metal box, to further avoid interference, and it has naturally its own separate power supply. The power supplies it one of the key elements of the qualities of the B-440 DAC as it uses extremely low noise voltage references for both DAC, Clock and audio circuits. The analog stages are based on Densen's unique non-feedback Class A topology, and is a true discrete design. For power supply duties, the Densen B-440 is comparable to many power amplifiers with a 300 VA transformer,
40,000 uF storage capacity, and no less than eight individual regulators and four bridges plus four voltage references. On the rear are gold plated RCA outputs for analog output, BNC digital output and Densen's own Digital output format which allows for easy upgrade to separate DAC and Transport. If Densen decides to launch a separate DAC, the internal digital outputs can be switched off. It also has DenLink for easy communication between Densen products and for use in
multi-room systems. The B-440 is available in either albino finish with chrome pushbuttons, or black with either chrome or gold pushbuttons.
Enjoy
the Music.com now offers the table of contents to Volume 13 Issue 1 of The
Audiophile Voice. This issue features a report on the 2008
Consumer Electronics Show (CES), reviews of various music discs including Tab
Benoit Night Train to Nashville, Jimmy Hall Build Your Own Fire and
Gram Parsons The Gram Parsons Archives, Vol. One; Gram Parsons with The
Flying Burrito Bros. Equipment reviews include the Mark & Daniel
Omni-Harmonizer add-on tweeter, Avantone MixCube Mini-Reference Monitor, and a
table radio.
09 / 09 / 08
Bryston, a company that first opened for business in 1962 as a manufacturer of medical analysis equipment and later became an award winning high-end audio manufacturer, has announced their state-of-the-art BDA-1 digital to analog converter (DAC) ($1995). The Bryston BDA-1 is an external stereo DAC using fully discrete Class-A proprietary Bryston analog circuits, two independent linear power supplies and dual Crystal CS-4398 DAC chips. According to bryston, "The key to the BDA-1's inherent flexibility is an impressive array of inputs for USB, COAX, OPTICAL, AES-EBU and BNC equipped digital devices. For audio outputs, the BDA-1 offers both balanced XLR as well as unbalanced RCA stereo connectors on the rear panel. The BDA-1 is RS-232 software upgradeable, making it the most user-friendly high performance DAC on the market." For power supply duties, the Bryston BDA-1 employs two independent power transformers—one each for the digital and analog sections of the device. The CS-4398 DAC operates in one of three oversampling modes based on the input sample rate: Single-speed mode supports input sample rates up to 50 kHz and uses a 128x oversampling ratio, double-speed mode supports input sample rates up to 100 kHz and uses an oversampling ratio of 64x, and quad-speed mode supports input sample rates up to 200 kHz and uses an oversampling ratio of 32x. This allows the CS-4398 DAC to utilize filters that work beyond the audible range. Bryston
carefully chose discrete devices for the critical analog amplification stage (individual transistors, resistors, and capacitors) instead of the commonly used integrated circuits.
BDA-1 Features:
• Dual 192K/24Bit Crystal DAC's
• Independent dual power Supplies
• Discrete Class A analog output stage
• Synchronous upsampling (176.4K/192K)
• Independent analog and digital signal paths
• USB (1), COAX (2), OPTICAL (2), AES-EBU (1) BNC (2) inputs
• 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192K sampling
• 16-24Bit PCM, 16Bit 32K-48K USB
• Fully differential balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA stereo outputs
• Transformer coupled SPDIF and AES EBU digital inputs
• SPDIF COAX bypass loop output
• RS-232 software upgrade
• Optional remote control
• Remote 12 Volt Trigger
• Compatible with CD drives, sound cards, computers, music servers
09 / 08 / 08
Consonance
just announced their Reference50MKII tube line stage / preamplifier that includes four
stereo inputs and two pairs of outputs for bi-amplification.
The company has enabled the new R50MKII with a 20dB gain line stage pre-amplifier using improved SRPP circuit with no global negative feedback. The capacitors used for signal coupling is the exotic US AuriCap and all connections are point-to-point wiring using high purity copper hook up wire. The circuit board acts as a support frame for the tubes and other components and actual point to point wirings are done beneath the circuit board. The power transformer and choke are shielded from the circuit board. A special silicon steel EI type power transformer and choke with good high frequency response is used together with large Solen MKP
metalized polypropylene filtering capacitor. The two tubes used in the main circuit has been changed to the 12AU7.
Controls include volume left/right, Input Select and Power On/Off. Frequency response is from 3Hz to 150kHz (-1dB), SNR is 90dB and dimensions are 440 x 320 x 210(LxWxH in mm).
The
SubwooferTestPattern.net website is a group of audio files ideal for confirming the correct setup of and optimizing
loudspeakers. There are two versions of Subwoofer Test Pattern: a Basic version ($11), which includes 52 pure tone audio files that test from 10 Hz to 20 kHz, and a Premium version ($17) that adds other tests including audio spectrum sweeps, equalizer tests, noise tracks and a clap track. Both versions are available for instant download as WAV files, plus the Premium version is also available as a download plus two CDs mailed to the user ($22). Detailed instructions are also provided on the site including how to test connections, flatten the equalization for optimal sound and adjust for variations in the listening room.
09 / 04 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com now offers their
Hong Kong AV show report by Wong Kok Chieat! This event is Hong Kong's premier audio / visual exhibition and was held from August 8th through the 10th. To quote Mr. Chieat, "If all the audio exhibitions are as fun as the one recently held in Hong Kong, I am sure this is one reason worth quitting your fulltime job for. Pardon my ignorance as the Hong Kong exhibition has always been the largest one I have attended." See part 1 of his report, with part 2 coming soon, by
clicking here.
09 / 03 / 08
Trends Audio launched their UD-10.1 Lite USB audio converter ($99) as a high-value for low cost way for audiophiles or computer users to play music from their computers!
Users simply plug the unit in via USB cable and the UD-10.1 Lite acts as an outboard high-quality DAC. Analog output plus digital via optical and coaxial ate provided. Trends Audio UD-10.1 Lite USB
audio converter can be a natural match for the company's popular TA-10.1 Class
T amplifier (reviewed
here). "As all we know, the increasing popularity of digital audio and video downloads has resulted in the PC/Mac being used more and more as a home entertainment
center" said
09 / 02 / 08
British loudspeaker manufacturer
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) has added a subwoofer to the company's popular 600
Series. The new ASW 610XP ($1,200) utilizes a single 10-inch driver in a specially-designed sealed enclosure and 500-watt amplification. B&W's ASW 610XP is rated as having a frequency
response down to 25Hz (-3dB), with useful bass extension to 18Hz (-6dB). A unique very long-throw 10-inch driver has dual, high-current voice-coils and extremely strong paper/Kevlar cone. An audiophile-grade Class D
amplifier delivers 500 watts. The new sub includes B&W's three-position EQ switching, which can maximize extension (setting "A") or SPL ("C"), or compromise between the two ("B"). Additional controls include line-in level, low-pass frequency with bypass, bass rolloff alignment, and phase, plus auto-on/off/standby. The ASW 610XP includes both line-level (RCA) and speaker-level (binding posts) inputs, and a 12-volt on/off trigger. Measuring just 13x13x15 (WxHxD in inches), the newest B&W ASW 610XP is available in Black Ash, Red Cherry or Wenge
vinyl-woodgrain finishes.
B&W also now offer four new CM Series loudspeakers including the CM5, CMC2, CM9 and ASW 10CM ($750, $1250, $1500 and $1500 each respectively). Placed between the company's 600 and 800, the CM Series delivers impressive performance and cabinets made with real wood veneers.The CM5 is a two-way stand-mount speaker featuring a 25mm aluminum dome tweeter and 165mm Kevlar bass/midrange driver. The CM9 is a three-way floorstanding speaker with 25mm aluminum dome tweeter, a 150mm Kevlar FST midrange driver and twin 165mm paper/Kevlar bass drivers. B&W's CM Center 2 includes the FST midrange driver for tonally matching the other Series models. The ASW 10CM subwoofer has a 25cm paper/Kevlar cone bass unit coupled to a massive 500-watt amplifier.
09 / 01 / 08
Enjoy
the Music.com's September edition of the Review
Magazine is highlighted by our annual Best Of 2008 Blue Note Awards!
Of the many products we have reviewed within the past year only a handful have
earned this prestigious award! Music lovers rejoice as we have also awarded
the very best classical recordings reviewed within 2008.
Regular Reading
Letters: You write 'em and we reply.
BAS Speaker
In Search Of The KEF Corelli
Article By Collins Beagle
Sound Practices
Not Your Father's Dyna... A poor man's SE Amp
Article By Dave McDonald and Matt Kamna
Manufacturer Article
Acoustic Treatment You Can Add To Your Home Studio-Listening Room
Article By Frank Wright, Creative Director At California Sound Studios
Viewpoint
Audiophile
Equipment Awards
Our Best Of 2008 Blue Note Awards!
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 107
Power Director 7 Ultra And Onkyo Integra 9.8 Preamp-Processor
Article By Dr. Bill Gaw
Audiophile Show Coverage
KL International AV Show 2008 Report
Malaysia's the premier audio / visual exhibition!
Report By Wong Kok Chieat
Audiophile Equipment Reviews
Adam A5 Recording Studio Monitors
Are you willing to find the truth in your music collection?
Review By Steven R. Rochlin
Best
Audiophile Equipment Of The Year Awards 2008
As Chosen By The Enjoy the Music.com Staff
Music Reviews
Best Audiophile Music Of The Year Awards 2008
As Chosen By The Enjoy the Music.com Classical Recording Review Staff
See the September 2008 Review Magazine
by clicking here.
08 / 29 / 08
Von
Schweikert's new Unified 3 loudspeaker ($15,000/pr including stands) produces a very wide frequency range
in a small package that rivals much more expensive and larger systems. The heart of the speaker is a unique 5-inch full range driver with a forged aluminum-frame and exotic cone made from five different compounds. Since this driver has response from bass to treble, the
Unified 3 has the tonal signature of a 'one way system', according to the company, with all of the clarity and coherence users expect. Deep bass is provided by a 7-inch magnesium coned subwoofer in a highly damped transmission line. This system produces frequencies down to 32Hz, while the upper frequencies are handled by a ribbon super tweeter with response up to 50kHz. The Von Schweikert Unified 3 is available in high gloss piano black and cherry finish. Sensitivity is 88dB/W/m, impedance rated at 8
Ohm nominal (4 Ohm minimum) and overall system weight is 190 lbs/pr including stands, woofer and midrange/tweeter modules. Dimensions are 40
x 10 wide x 14
(HxWxD in inches when on supplied stands).
China Mobile
has announced that their Limited's M.Music Wireless Music Club now has a staggering 80+ million
subscribers! With all four of the major music labels taking part in this music service, users can download ringtones, songs and videos. To show how
successful this type of service has become in Asia, China Mobile reported that within 26 hours after the Olympic theme song "You and Me" was performed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games there were nearly five million subscribers that downloaded the song. China Mobile has a subscriber base of 421.7 million and is the region's top wireless provider.
08 / 28 / 08
Celebrating their quarter century anniversary is loudspeaker manufacturer
Paradigm, who has introduced their Monitor Series v.6
series. This extensive new series begins with the Atom Monitor two-way bookshelf with 5.5-inch
midrange/woofer and 1-inch H-PTD dome tweeter ($149/ea) and goes all the way up to the series' flagship Monitor 11 (pictured) four-driver 2.5-way floorstanding with a pair of 7.5-inch carbon-infused polypropylene woofers, a 7.5-inch midrange and 1-inch H-PTD dome tweeter ($699/ea). The re-vamped Monitor line retains all of the same technology as the v.5 series while adding updates such as modified phase-coherent crossovers, redesigned magnetic grilles and a luxurious new finish. In response to customer and dealer feedback, Paradigm did a complete re-design of the Monitor v.6 grilles. The new magnetic grilles feature ultra-low diffraction with re-worked, reinforced placement of the magnets to ensure the grilles will stay perfectly centered over the baffle at all times and not move unless removed. Paradigm also added nickel-plated screws to all bookshelf, floorstanding and center-channel speakers to provide a lustrous, high-tech touch. All v.6 models are available in a chic new Wengé (pronounced wen-gay) finish plus the normal black, rosenut and cherry. The new Monitor Series v.6 lineup consists of:
Atom Monitor: Two-driver 2-way
bookshelf/stand-mounted $149/ea
Mini Monitor: Two-driver 2-way bookshelf/stand-mounted $219/ea
Titan Monitor: Two-driver 2-way bookshelf/stand-mounted $279/ea
Monitor 7: Four-driver 2.5-way floorstanding $379/ea
Monitor 9: Four-driver 2-1/2-way floorstanding $499/ea
Monitor 11: Four-driver 2-1/2-way floorstanding $699/ea
CC-190: Four-driver 3-way center channel $299
CC-290: Four-driver 3-way center channel $499
CC-390: Seven-driver 3-way center channel $699
ADP-190: Four-driver 2-way surround/rear $249/ea
ADP-390: Five-driver 3-way surround/rear $429/ea
Acoustic design and engineering firm
SoundSense has revealed their Acoustic Chimney that absorbs, filters, and reduces low frequency sound in
a listening room or living area. A sound generating room is encapsulated within an outer acoustic rated perimeter that contains various openings to one or more acoustic duct(s), or "chimney(s)". The acoustic chimney(s) functions as an acoustic waveguide to the open air, or specific location intended to receive the low frequency wave. The chimney may be tuned to transmit defined frequencies. This allows low frequency sound waves to diffract through the sound generating room (through duct openings), and broadcast through the acoustic chimney. Ultimately, the sound is radiated at a distance outside the source room. The effect is similar to a pressure release valve. The Acoustic Chimney generates effective noise control for the home theater, media room, or any room with excess noise at a reduced cost to standard treatments. The acoustic waveguides may be coupled to tunable passive or active noise mitigation devices such as Helmholtz resonators and low frequency noise sources that utilize phase information.
08 / 27 / 08
Next month KEF will release their new C series of entry-level loudspeakers. Their C Series has been on the company's best-seller
list for more than two
decades. While the company's Reference Series models bask in uncompromising high-technology
glamour, the C Series is said to provide maximum performance at a relatively minimum of cost. The C1 bookshelf ($240/pr) has a 4-inch midrange/woofer and 0.75-inch tweeter while the C3 has a larger 5.25-inch midrange/woofer
($300/pr). The C5 floorstander employs the same tweeter and has a pair of 5.25-inch drivers ($650/pr) with the
larger C7
floorstanding loudspeaker (pictured here) has a pair of 6.5-inch drivers ($800/pr).
The KEF C series also includes their 6LCR ($250) R/L/C speaker with a central tweeter flanked on each side by a 5.25-inch midrange/woofer.
For deep bass duties, the C series subwoofer has an 8-inch driver and 200-watt Class D
amplifier with adjustable crossover and phase. The new KEF C series is available in black Ash or European walnut with gloss black
baffle.
In the quest of luxury automobile manufacturers to stand out from their competition,
Bang & Olufsen will supply automotive sound systems for
Mercedes-AMG. AMG is the very high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz
cars. Each AMG will be fitted with a unique sound system specially designed
for music on the go. Bang & Olufsen is considered by some to be among the top-tier of mainstream audio's sound systems and now have entered the car audio market. "Our new partnership with Mercedes-AMG is hugely important to
us," says Karl Kristian Hvidt Nielsen, Bang & Olufsen President & CEO.
"The agreement enables Bang & Olufsen to further utilize the expertise and processes we have built up in order to meet the requirements of the automotive industry." This joins the likes of
Ferrari, with their typical relationship with mainstream brand Bose for
perceived better audio. Meanwhile
Naim Audio, a company that provides true high-end audiophile performance, supplies mobile audio systems for
the legendary Bentley brand of luxury cars. Enjoy the Music.com has a full review of the Bentley/Naim Audio system, which can be seen by
clicking here.
08 / 26 / 08
Enjoy the Music.com now has our KL
International AV Show report by Wong Kok Chieat online! This event is
Malaysia's the premier audio / visual exhibition and was held from July 25th
through the 28th, 2008 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. We have
nearly sixty photos spanning three pages. See our extensive show coverage by clicking
here.
An
interesting e-mail reached my inbox as Allensound Electronic, a Chinese manufacturer of audio equipment, now offers full range drivers including these 12-inch
units. With an FOB NGB price of $25, these may just be something special for the DIY community to
experiment with! From the impedance curve they sent me, it looks to be 9 Ohms at 20Hz, rising to 30 Ohms at 65Hz and then going down to a 12 Ohms average upward. The frequency
response graph looks more to be of a midrange, yet perhaps a creative transmission line box could allow the bass a bit more
oomph. The highs seem good to 12kHz, yet falling off from there. The specific driver (with paper center
cone on the left, not a clue about the right driver) is called the FRS1201 and claims to be 100dB/W/m sensitive from their website and the unit weights 50 ounces. Maximum SPL is said to be a staggering 128dB! When on their website, click speaker system and then
scroll down a bit to see it.
Avoca Semiconductor Inc., a leading designer of voice-enabled user interface solutions, will launch its new VIP Music Edition (starting at $3990) in only a few
days. The new Avoca system is a residential music control system designed for living rooms that turns a CD collection into a fully, immediately accessible digital library through a unique touch-and-talk interface. The VIP Music Edition consists of a VIP Music Player, a wireless VIP Music Companion (MC), and the unique 'Say it-Play it' control interface. The Music Player plays CDs on a slot-loading, front-panel CD Player, stores a copy in lossless digital format in its built-in hard drive, and plugs into any stereo or audio system via RCA or optical cable connections. Once a CD is loaded into the Music Player's disc storage, building a digital library becomes as easy as simply listening to the music. The VIP Music Companion is a wireless handheld controller equipped with Avoca's touch-and-talk interface and a large, bright 3.0 x 2.25-inch touch-screen. The screen provides a portable browsing list of its owner's music library by genre, artist, album, or track. By touch or voice, users can control their audio environments, from anywhere in a home, without depending on a direct line of sight to the Avoca Music Player, or to the TV to see a music list.
08 / 25 / 08
Gryphon Audio, a Denmark-based high-end audio company since 1985 that has earned a worldwide reputation for state-of-the-art performance products, now offers their Mikado Signature CD
player (12,600€) with innovative 32-Bit/192kHz upsampling. Gryphon boldly invested considerable research resources in the further advancement of CD playback with their first upsampling unit, the CDP 1. Gryphon's Mikado Signature furthers these efforts with 32-bit/192kHz
asynchronous sample rate conversion to maintain the integrity of the original signal against a silent background with a noise floor well below that of the recording itself. As a true dual-mono and fully symmetrical balanced design, the Mikado Signature is fully balanced throughout the digital domain as well. There are twin two-channel Digital-to-Analog converters (DAC) per channel in full dual differential mode with separate regulated power supplies to create optimal conditions for digital and analog circuits. This configuration is said to drastically lower the digital noise floor and contribute to an expansive soundstage and sharply focused stereo image. Based on a heavily modified version of the legendary Philips CD-Pro 2 top-loading floating suspension transport with die-cast, all-metal frame, Gryphon Mikado Signature employs specially designed dual master clocks, an ultra-low jitter oscillator near the
DACs and a local master clock to control the transport. Acknowledging the possibility of future advancements digital technology progresses, the digital audio sections of the Gryphon Mikado Signature are removable modular boards for upgrading, thereby future proofing the unit.
08 / 22 / 08
And now some news about new vinyl releases including Queen with Paul Rogers
The Cosmos Rocks, Metallica Death Magnets, David Gilmour Live In
Gdansk, The Who By Numbers and Sony Legacy titles. If you were like me and saw the ban Queen fronted by singer Paul Rogers you surely know how great a combination this was. As the first new album by Queen in a long time, since front man Freddie Mercury passed away due to HIV, you will be delighted by this new effort. Am hearing some very positive early comments about this new 14 track release. The album will be released in three physical formats: standard CD, deluxe package which includes additional DVD featuring 15 highlight performances by Queen + Paul Rodgers from the band’s Super Live in Japan concert recorded live at Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo on 27th October 2005, along with double gate-fold vinyl release.
Fans of Queen will want to check out this album plus if you have the opportunity,
get tickets and see them live in concert!
Metallica, claimed to be one of the most
influential metal bands in he world, will have their album Death Magnets on vinyl available shortly. As the band's ninth studio album, it is also their very first release in nearly half a decade.
Have seen this band in concert and they are very powerful indeed! David Gilmour
Live In Gdansk was recorded during the last venue of his 2006 summer tour, with 50,000 fans at the shipyards in the Gdansk, Poland venue. Of note is that this was the only time they also
performed with an orchestra, using the 40-strong string section of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zbigniew Preisner. This 5 LP box set will include
"Wot's... Uh The Deal?", which will not be on the CD release. The Who
By Numbers will continue the great releases from audiophile reissue label Classic Records, headed by Mr. Hobson. As the band's seventh album, released in 1975, was during the band's peak on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. Like other
Classic Record offerings, there will be a 200 gram deluxe vinyl release and a normal 150 gram offering.
Lastly, word on the street is that Sony's Legacy division will be releasing many reissued titles on 180 gram vinyl including
Johnny Cash 16 Biggest Hits, Boston Boston, Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um,
Lou Reed Rock n Roll Animal, Blood Sweat & Tears Blood Sweat & Tears,
Earth Wind & Fire Gratitude, Sam Cooke Live At Harlem Square
and many others.
08 / 21 / 08
Parasound, a manufacturer of high-end audio components, now offers their
Halo P 7 stereo and 7.1-channel analog preamplifier ($2000). Designed for sound purists seeking superior low-noise performance from classic stereo sources as well as multi-channel music and movies from Blu-ray, DVD-Audio, and SACD players, the Parasound Halo P 7
provides analog bass management for stereo sources to make subwoofer and small speaker integration easy. There is also a volume control bypass mode for users who wish to employ their home theater receiver to decode digital sources. The Halo P 7 can also switch 1080p HDMI sources when it is linked to the optional Zhd HDMI switcher. "With stereo or surround sound, silence is golden," said Richard
Schram, Parasound's president and founder. The Halo P 7 user can adjust left-right / front-rear balance, make custom input names and match the gain for all 10 inputs, including a front panel MP3 input. Versatility includes balanced XLR connections, a low-noise MM/MC phono input and remote tone control. It provides RS-232 control, discrete IR codes, IR repeater input/loop jacks and three DC triggers invite system integration. The Parasound Halo P 7 has a very simple and elegant front panel operation, with just two buttons and one knob to control most of its functions. There are a pair of multi-channel (7.1) inputs for surround sound movies and music, seven stereo inputs (one balanced XLR input). Vinyl lovers will enjoy the MM/MC phono input, while portable music junkies will like the front panel input. Outs are via RCA or XLR. The built-in software allows for custom input naming for all inputs, a theater bypass mode for connecting a digital surround receiver, input level matching, and headphones level offset. The full featured remote makes it easy to adjust the bass and treble, defeatable tone for pure sound, left/right balance, front/rear balance and subwoofer output plus overall volume adjustment and mute. Frequency response is from 5Hz to 100 kHz (+0/-3dB), THD is less than 0.006% and SNR is greater than 110dB. The Parasound Halo P 7 comes with a 5/10 year warranty and can be rack mounted.
Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the Parasound NewClassic Model 2100 preamplifier & Model 2125
amplifier (click
here) plus their excellent John Curl designed Halo JC 1 monoblock
amplifiers (click
here).
NACSound
has introduced their Kayak ($2,900) single stereo designer loudspeaker. Italian company NACSound hopes of bringing beauty both visually and audibly to music within one's home. The Kayak single stereo loudspeaker is said to reproduce astonishingly natural stereo sound from a single component. This unique design features dual coaxial driver arrays housed in opposed cone enclosures that fire into a central computer-derived acoustic reflector meticulously formed to deliver astonishing stereo imaging from a single unit. The Kayak, which can be suspended vertically or horizontally, utilizes elements of both omnidirectional and multidimensional sound. All materials used to create the Kayak are handcrafted to fine-art standards, including precision machined aluminum housings available in 14 different finishes using a specially developed ceramic-coating process (special-order options cover any remaining spectrum). Finishes include both solid gloss and matte offerings as well as more complex, fine-art effects individually created for each speaker.
08 / 20 / 08
Ultimate Ears, a leader in custom in-ear monitors, has been purchased by
Logitech International. With distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide and strategic partnerships with most top-tier PC manufacturers, Logitech
International has agreed to acquire privately held Ultimate Ears for $34 million in cash. The acquisition of Ultimate Ears allows Logitech to expand its portfolio of digital audio products, providing more options for portable music listening.
The company already offers a line of digital music speaker systems for in the home and on the go. Pricing for
Ultimate Ears consumer products begins at $40, while pricing for custom products can be as much as $1200. Their in ear monitoring products are
heralded by audiophiles worldwide for high-end sound quality. "Ultimate Ears is a perfect fit for Logitech and our audio business," said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech president and chief executive officer. "Since its inception, Ultimate Ears has been driven by innovation, close ties to its customers, and the desire to enable an immersive audio experience."
Enjoy the Music.com offers two reviews of Ultimate Ears products including the UE-10 Pro custom fit canal (in ear) monitors
(seen here) and a
shootout of the Shure E4c versus Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5pro (seen
here).
08 / 19 / 08
Audiophiles quickly realize that their room's acoustics, combined with he positioning of their loudspeakers, is perhaps the most important 'single component' in achieving the best music reproduction. As such,
owner of RealTraps, Ethan Winer, has produced a new educational video All About Diffusion as the latest release in their "See and Hear" video lecture
series. Since many people have no way to hear what diffusers do or how they sound in a room, this video explains diffusion in plain terms with no math and then lets you hear an acoustic guitar recorded in close proximity to five different surface types - a QRD
diffuser, a poly diffuser, absorption, a bare wall, and a typical bookcase. The video is 16x9 wide-screen, and the audio is at 256 kbps for highly accurate sound. It's listed about halfway down on the RealTraps Videos
page. Users of RealTraps include Bob Katz, Chesky records, Bösendorfer, Herbie Hancock, NBC,
Telefunken and many others. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the
RealTraps Corner Room devices, which can be been seen by clicking
here.
dynatone, a Swiss company that after three years of research and
development and 30 prototypes, have finally introduced their Topdog loudspeaker
($8245). This two way dipole/waveguide loudspeaker consists of a 10-inch wideband unit and 18-inch woofer. These over 100dB/W/m sensitivity units present a 4
Ohms load and are said to produce a flat frequency response from 30Hz to 21kHz. The crossover network is computerized and fully active.
As such, users can adjust the phase correction, have the liter on/off, stepped
limiting soft or or a hard limiter. Periodically, dynatone releases crossover data through their site that can be download with two
mouse clicks to the system. The TopDog can be bi-wires or bi-amplified with as
little as 1 watt per amplifier or as much as 500 watts per unit. TopDogs are designed as an ecological product with low power requirements, ultra long
product life, use of recycled high-quality-materials and eco-harvested veneers and leathers. These chemically inert materials are for those who desire ensuing their living room is a safer place.
Dimensions are 78 x 52 x 45 (HxWxD in cm) and weight 66 lbs each.
08 / 18 / 08
Gemme Audio
is now shipping their new generation of VFlex loudspeakers that include the Vivace, Tanto and
Katana ($5500, $6100 and $11,200 respectively). Gemme Audio's new generation speakers offer a host of improvements including manufactured ports milled from solid billets of aluminum, which are adjustable to match room acoustics. Binding posts are also much improved with a very innovative and efficient cable pressure system. Katana and Tanto loudspeakers also offer bi-wiring/bi-amplification capabilities, while the top-of-the-range Katana adds high frequencies contour adjustment. Katana loudspeakers also sports a ceramic drivers with Mundorf Supreme capacitors and copper foil inductors. Combined to the company's VFlex Extreme bass loading architecture, the ceramic drivers are
said to perform their very best. The new slanted enclosures adds visual beauty plus built using mortise and tenon construction for optimum rigidity. All models come in piano black high gloss finish. Optional Rosewood and Ebony high gloss finishes are also
available.
Music N
Live Nation, one of the largest concert promoters within the USA, announced a net income of $1.2 million for the second
quarter. This is down from the the $9.9 million from the same quarter last year. Though profits dropped, revenue rose to $1.16 billion, an 18 percent increase from the
same period during the prior year.
Warner Music Group (WMG) had a loss of $9 million for their third quarter that ended June 30. This is
a reduction in shortfall than the same period last year where the company reported a loss of $17 million. Of note is that WMG's revenue increased 5 percent to
$848 million, as digital content revenue was up a staggering 39 percent and accounted for $166 million. Perhaps physical media is getting too costly as many companies realize that online digital delivery of content is more
efficient and reaches more consumers worldwide for far less cost.
Sony Corporation is buying out Bertelsmann AG's 50 percent stake in Sony BMG for $1.2 billion. If this deal passes regulators, Sony Music Entertainment
will include recording labels Arista Records, Columbia Records, Epic Records, J Records, RCA and many others.
EMI is selling their recorded music businesses in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to Chinese partner Typhoon. This new business transaction, worth a reported $12.8 million, allows Typhoon major access to many more customers than in America. Exclusive licensing by Typhoon for physical distribution of EMI Music's international
collection and the non-exclusive licensee for digital product in China and Taiwan is part of this major deal. EMI will maintain digital distribution oversight.
Disc Makers, a popular music producer, has acquired CD Baby. Over 240,000 independent
artists sell their music at CD Baby.
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