Hi-Res Audio Wireless Music Streaming Via Wear OS By Google And Spotify Study after scientific study proves that music moves
people in many ways. Yet accessing your music collection a decade ago generally meant reaching for physical media such as CD and vinyl LP. Imagine having the ability to
stream Hi-Res Audio and controlling it right from your watch! While we're not quite there yet,
and 5G cell phone coverage is only available within a few markets, Spotify now offers an app for
Google OS! Controlling your fave
classical, pop, jazz, and rock from your phone can feel a bit restrictive. According to
Spotify's press release, "Sometimes you need the freedom to dive into any song at any moment. Starting today, Spotify's new app for smartwatches on Wear OS by Google takes the work out of your hands (literally) and puts it on your wrist, leaving you free to run, dance, shop,
socialize and control your music at the same time. We've also partnered with Fossil Group to bring the Spotify experience in a standalone app for Wear OS by Google smartwatches to even more users. Starting in November, Spotify will be auto-installed on all Fossil Gen 4 Smartwatches and Michael Kors Access Runway Smartwatches." Mikael Ericsson, Senior Product Director at Spotify, said "We're excited to bring improved on-the-go-access to your favorite music and podcasts to millions of Spotify users on Wear OS by Google smartwatches. Being able to easily access, control, and connect music directly from your wrist opens up a world of new opportunities. We look forward to continuing to improve the Spotify experience in this space." Their press release continues by saying "With Spotify on your Wear OS by Google smartwatch, you no longer need to reach for your phone to access your Discover Weekly playlist. Imagine a run through the park without fumbling to adjust the smartphone on your armband case to play, pause, or skip to the next track. Switching to a song that matches your mood and the tempo of your jog is now as easy as starting your stopwatch. (Or, if you're a walking-while-podcasting type, easily rewind 15 seconds to catch that detail you missed.) While you may use music to fuel your workout, smartwatches are useful for more than exercising. Enjoying your music while cooking dinner, hosting a party, or playing board games can be made easier with a flick of your wrist. Connect your speakers or home devices through Spotify Connect to effortlessly and seamlessly play DJ from your watch, without interrupting the action.... This new experience will be rolling out to users with smartwatches on Wear OS by Google over the coming week, so make sure that you get the latest version of Spotify on Wear OS on Google Play. Look out for more updates coming soon!"
10 / 17 / 18
Amadeus Releases New Philharmonia Mini Passive Hi-Fi Speakers Amadeus
have announced they are now shipping the new Philharmonia Mini passive two-way loudspeakers (36,000 including VAT), co-designed specifically for the hi-fi market by world-renowned architect Jean Nouvel. Amadeus' new Philharmonia Mini speaker design features include a curved structure that is both simple and complex, consisting of 288 wood veneers accurately machined, aligned and glued, offering a distinctive look and volume. The speaker in itself features a 432mm height with a 353mm depth. The cabinets are custom manufactured from layered Birch and stand 1.23 meters tall. The speaker enclosure features a unique hybrid laminar port using progressive termination inspired by the original Philharmonia. Machined into the wood material along the full height of the speaker system, the very low velocity port yields optimal linearity for the lowest possible distortion. The Philharmonia Mini two-way passive speakers feature the original Philharmonia' 28mm soft-domed tweeter and a custom 170mm woofer, for an amplitude linearity range (+/-2dB) from 54 Hz to 22 kHz, and a cut-off frequency (-6dB) of 44 Hz. The high-frequency driver features very low dielectric losses and high thermal conductivity, loaded behind a fast exponential waveguide machined in wood, which yields exceptional control over spatial dispersion. The pedestal contains passive components inside the lower part of the speaker enclosure, including the custom Amadeus-designed passive crossover. The rear panel of the pedestal features a pair of beautifully finished, top-quality binding posts from Japan-based manufacturer Furutech. These carbon-finished binding posts feature rhodium-plated conductors that are the result of meticulous engineering and careful auditioning of various suitable materials. The FT-816 (R) features an Alpha pure copper conductor material for minimal impedance, extremely non-resonant carbon fiber, non-magnetic stainless steel, and eutectic copper alloy housings. Recommended power is from 50 to 300
Watts @ 8 Ohms and sensitivity is 90dB/W/m.
10 / 16 / 18
Black Cat Cable Launches Their
New Entry Level Coppertone Series Black Cat
Cable's new Coppertone Interconnect ($199.95 @ 1-meter pair, add $50 per additional 0.5-meter) is an air-dielectric coaxial design employing a helically-disposed shield around a thin-walled Teflon tube. Inside the tube is Black Cat Cable's unique Nami-processed bare copper conductor (24awg
solid core). Nami is their process that forms a sinusoidal "wave" shape into the conductor, allowing it to remain substantially suspended in air for exceedingly low capacitance and high velocity. These cables are terminated with REAN unbalanced RCA connectors. Their Coppertone Speaker Cable ($299.95 @ 2.5-meter pair, +/- $50 per 0.5-meter) is a "tube-within-a-tube" according to Black Cat Cable. This coaxial arrangement of tin-plated copper disposed in helically-lain thin tubes separated by a multifilament nylon braided insulator. Each pole consists of 144 strands @ 36 awg/each resulting in a summed conductor area of ca: 1.83mm2 (equivalent to roughly 14.5 AWG). This arrangement allows the Coppertone speaker cable to exhibit low inductance, low skin-effect, low proximity-effect, and low series-resistance.
Loudspeaker cables are terminated with banana plugs. Black Cat Cable's Coppertone USB Cable ($149.95 @ 1-meter, add $50 per additional 0.5-meter) is a traditional USB cable consisting of a
twisted pair of data-lines, a power line, a ground line all within a multi-layered complex of shields to limit leakage and reduce noise. Terminated with USB A + USB B connectors. All Coppertone cables are manufactured from raw materials and fashioned into cable-forms within the company's Cumming, GA workshop using custom machinery, a unique processes, and expert skills.
Qobuz Studio Launch: The First
Monthly & Unlimited Hi-Res Streaming Service Qobuz launches a brand-new offer in the streaming world: Studio. Thanks to Studio, lossless Hi-Res streaming (FLAC 24-bit from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz) is now available from
24.99 a month, unlimited, with no commitment. For new members, a 1 month free-trial period will be offered. This will allow you to test the Studio offer, without limits, on any device. For those subscribed to the Premium or HiFi offers, now is the time to take it to the next level and try Hi-Res by
changing your
subscription. Qobuz, which has the highest audio streaming quality on the market, already offered a Hi-Res streaming service, but this was only available on a year-long subscription: Sublime+. This offer will continue to exist alongside Studio, but at a reduced price. "Our ambition is to make Hi-Res the reference point on the streaming market," said Yann Miossec, Qobuz Executive CEO. "With Studio we are responding to our users and to all the music lovers who want to join the Hi-Res world, without having to commit to an annual subscription." Sublime+: the most complete offer on the market will also see its price reduced Sublime+, Qobuz's annual Hi-Res streaming and download offer, which offers a discount on downloads, will also so its price lowered from
349.99 to 299.99. Recent subscribers to the Sublime+ offer and those who have recently renewed their subscription can also take advantage of this discount. We will contact these people in order to offer renewals with
personalized discounts. Created in France in 2007, Qobuz is a music streaming and download service dedicated to all music lovers. Specifically, Qobuz offers streaming and download subscriptions at CD and Hi-Res Audio quality, a great variety of genres and exclusive editorial content. Qobuz is partnered with some of the biggest Hi-Fi brands such as Sony, Chromecast, DTS Play-Fi, Sonos, Yamaha and Devialet.
10 / 12 / 18
RMAF 2018 Show Report
-- Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest
Released Today In 24-bit/192kHz:
A Night Of Chesky Jazz Live (2018
Remaster) On June 24th, 1992, a collection of the world's greatest Jazz musicians gathered in New York for a concert at JVC Jazz Festival at Town Hall. This evening, which featured performances from Tom Harrell, Ana Caram, Paquito D'Rivera, Fred Hersch, and Phil Woods, was immortalized on the 1992 release,
A Night of Chesky Jazz Live. We've gone back to the analog tapes to create this 2018
re-mastered version in high resolution to bring you one step closer to the action. Feel as if you're in the audience for this magical evening of Chesky history. Sit back, relax, and take a step back in time. Tracks on this release include:
Journey To The Center - Tom Harrell, Phil Woods
Weaver - Tom Harrell, Phil Woods
Frevo - Paquito D'Rivera
Child's Song/Forward Motion - Fred Hersch
Nostalgia - Fred Hersch
Caminhos Cruzados - Ana Caram
O Quer Vier Eu Traco - Ana Caram
Seresta - Ana Caram
Birk's Works / Estamos Ai' - Paquito D'Rivera, Phil Woods
LAOCAS 25th Anniversary Gala Honoring Michael Fremer Dear Members and Friends,
The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society LAOCAS.COM 25th Anniversary Gala Honoring Michael Fremer has a blockbuster raffle too! Please visit
www.laocas.com/gala.html to come
join in the celebration. This very special raffle includes:
From Bob Carver: A one-of-a-kind "Society 25th Anniversary Edition" $8500 Stereo Amplifier!
Hand built and signed by Bob Carver, just for our Anniversary Gala. 75 Watts per channel with KT 120 tubes!! May use KT 120 or KT 88 output tubes. Comes with KT120 for best sound and max output. Original Design, in bright red, champagne gold, gloss black, and chrome trim. 50 or 75
Watts, depending on the choice of output tubes. Bob Carver will personally present this premiere exclusive stereo amp to the winner.
$8500. Thank you Bob Carver!
From Zesto Audio: Presenting their newest high-end creation, the "Andros Deluxe Phonostage" for vinyl lovers and connoisseurs! Fantastic all-tube design with maximum adjustability!
Both single-ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs! $6900. Thank you, George and Carolyn Counnas. Both LAOCAS officers and award winners, ZESTO is available at Upscale Audio. The Deluxe will premiere at RMAF! Go to the Zesto room and be amazed by the magic!
From Grado Labs: Ultimate Blockbuster Headphones and Cartridge!
Their new Aeon cartridge, the Grado Prince of high-end cartridges! MI, 1 MV output, and gold coils. Handmade by John Grado. $6000. Unique and rare cocobolo wood. STATE OF THE ART. New for 2018, a Grado Headphone Premiere: GS 3000 Headphones for the true personal listening connoisseur! New top wood circumaural model in cocobolo!
$1795. GORGEOUS! Total retail $7795! Thank you John Grado!
From Kubala-Sosna: Custom Designed Society Edition K-S Headphone Extension Cables with Silver/Engraved 25th Anniversary! 2 Meters in Length. Six Cables Produced, $600 Each. There will be six winners today!!! $3600. May be special ordered through Alma Audio in San Diego anytime at $600 each should the best headphone extenders be all that you may require! Thank you Joe Kubala! (Whose contributions to our Society for over 15 years have been immeasurable. Bob Levi)
From Manley Labs: The Absolute Headphone Amplifier. All tubes and more! Magnificent! Brand New design! $3500.
Thank you EveAnna Manley! The most powerful woman in high-end audio! We can hardly wait to see this.
From Kimber Kable: The PK14 Palladian Power Cord and the PK10 Palladian Power Cord. Both 6 feet, $1400 and $1550, respectively. $2950. Fantastic!! Thank you Ray Kimber! Our most honored member!
UMP-USB - Perfect Music Purifier USB Digital Cable 1.0 Meter, X1= $530. IMP-XLR - Perfect Music Purifier Interconnect Cable (XLR Connector) 1.5 Meter, X1= $835.
IAMP - Incredible AC Purifier Power Cord 1.5 Meter, X2=$1300. Total $2665. Thank you UIT and Mitch
Ko!
From Townshend Audio Presents Townshend Audio Allegri+ Autotransformer Preamplifier, Six RCA inputs and Two RCA Outputs plus convenient 3.5mm input in deluxe aluminum case, wired in original unique Fractal Wire, a first. 100% Passive Unique Design. $2995.
Thank you Dan Meinwald! Townshend Distributor; Ear-USA. Consultant to the Society Board for 16 years!
From WyWires Deluxe Cable Set: Interconnects/Speaker Cables/Power Cord (3 total) Incredible performance. Handmade by
WyWires. $2500. Thank you Alex Sventitsky!
From Stein Music: The Deluxe Basic Harmonizer Kit! Includes
newly revised Harmonizer A & B, Blue Sun stones, and COOL stands for the Harmonizers. Winner of Golden Ear Award in TAS! Easy and fun to use. $2295.
Thank you Holger Stein!, our International SVP!
From Roger Skoff: Creator of XLO Cables, presents World Premiere RSX Audio Cables: New best in the world! Available this fall! $2500 Gift Certificate for anything in the line, your choice! Thank you Roger Skoff!
From Bradford Renaissance Portraits: I am thrilled to confirm their participation of in your upcoming raffle. They will donate a family or individual (sorry, no pets) sitting, plus one 16 x 20 wall portrait on canvas richly embellished by our renown artist. This painting like portrait goes for $5000. Thank you Kelsey Nakken, GM Bradford Portraits!
From Kirmuss Audio: KA-RC-1 Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Restoration System $850.
Thank you Dr. Charles Kirmuss!
From Darin Fong Out Of Your Head Experience for Headphones! Out Of Your Head is advanced audio software that replicates the experience of listening to high-end speakers using only headphones. Includes license for system $149 plus ALL additional speaker options at $24.95 each. Total Prize $900. Thank you, Darin Fong!
From Parasound Halo JC3 Junior, designed by genius John Curl, extraordinary phono stage and a sure winner in any system. Number one phono stage bargain in all of audio! Does it all, no kidding! $1495. Most original and flexible under $3000! (In my 55 years as an audiophile, the
Junior is unsurpassed in any musical manner or ergonomic feature at its full retail price. Add Ray Kimber's or Joe Kubala's or UIT Audio and Power Cables and really feel the love. Bob Levi). Thank you, Richard
Schram.
From ESS Loudspeakers: AMT 6 with Heil Drivers. Powerful and efficient room-filling sound! $1850. Exciting!!
Thank you, Ricky Caudillo.
From Shure: SRH1540 Professional closed back headphones, gorgeous! Top of the line! $500. Elegant! Thank you Davida
Rochman!
From The San Diego Music and Audio Guild (SDMAG) and Jan Montana donate a Cambridge Audio ID100 "digital audiophile iPod dock" to the raffle. Digitize direct most iPad devices. $150. Thank you
SDMAG!
From Chesky Records: Chesky CD Gift Package selected by David Chesky, Winner Take All! $500. 25 of his latest creations, one lucky winner! Thank you David
Chesky.
From Schiit Audio: the brand-new Vidar Amplifier, two-channel amplifier for stereo or may be strapped for mono. Class AB design, solid state, into 8 ohms 100 watts per channel, 4 ohms is 200 watts!! Just 22 lbs. with a
five year warranty! Amazing SN 115 dB!! $699. Thank you Jason Stoddard and Denise Martin!
From Acoustic Sounds: Five exclusive rare LP test pressings of QRP Releases! $250 each. $1250. Thank you Chad Kassem! Five winners please!
From Eastwind Import: a special handpicked selection of audiophile LPs in honor of Michael Fremer. $350! Thank you Hajime Sato!
From Revel and Harmon Industries: A pair of Revel M16 Monitors in high gloss black. Editor's Choice Award 2018, TAS. $900. Thank you Kevin
Voecks!
From Reference Recordings: "RR Gala Package- Prof. Johnson's Favorites" Personally selected by Keith Johnson for our 25th Anniversary Gala Raffle!! Thank you Keith Johnson and Marcia Martin!
From RIVA Audio: The Concert One. An amazing all in one stereo speaker system with Alexa built-in. Eliminates the need for two speakers with great full sound. An original and unique musical treasure. $199! Thank you Christine
McKibban!
From Mr. Speaker: World Renowned AEON open back headphones! Built just for the occasion of our Gala. Honored by virtually everyone! $799. Killer cans these! Thank you Dan Clark!
From EAT: brilliant original Jo No. 5 MC phono cartridge! Supplied in limited edition display case. Received rave reviews from Michael Fremer of Analog Planet and Robert H. Levi, Positive Feedback. $1395. Thank you Nancy Weiner, Director-General VANA Distribution.
"Hi Bob, Looking forward to the Gala on Dec 3rd. Please add three of our New Styles Ergo21 Seat Cushions as the giveaway to the list! We are honored! Thank you, Steve Gambhir." We are honored!
Whitledge Designs raffle donation a free system
performance assessment using state-of-the-art computerized measurement equipment.This gift has a value of over
$1000! Thanks Jon Whitledge.
This very special raffle is only available to those that attend! We look forward to seeing you at our 25th Annual Gala!
Bob Levi
President and CEO
Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society
Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary! Now with over 2600 Members!
8144 E Bailey Way
Anaheim, CA 92808
(714) 281-5850
10 / 10 / 18
McIntosh MC312 Stereo Power Amplifier With 300 Watts Per Channel McIntosh, with over 65 years of expertise, is proud to announce their MC312 stereo power amplifier ($7000). Like the MC302 that it replaces, the MC312 is a 300 Watts per channel stereo amplifier and is a great choice to power virtually any home audio system. The full 300 Watts can be delivered to almost any speakers regardless if they have 2, 4, or 8 Ohm impedance thanks to McIntosh's unique Autoformer technology. The MC312 has received numerous improvements over the previous model including a filter capacity that has been doubled, which increases dynamic headroom an impressive 27% from 1.8dB to 2.3dB. This increase means the MC312 will be even better suited to handle wide dynamic swings in music. Distortion prevention and bass performance also benefit from the increased filter capacity. Direct LED backlighting now illuminates the front panel for improved color accuracy. The audio output Autoformers still straddle the power transformer, yet are now located in new enclosures that are capped by a single cover containing glass inserts that show the wiring diagram for each transformer. Other updates include the addition of our Monogrammed Heatsinks and McIntosh's eco-friendly power management system. Numerous circuit components and internal wiring have also been upgraded. Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs have been added to enable
bi-amp'ing or tri-amp'ing speakers; they can also be used to connect to a secondary system if the preamplifier doesn't have enough connections, or to connect a powered subwoofer. The MC312 is packed full of other exclusive McIntosh technologies including: Power Guard, Sentry Monitor, Power Control, and our patented Solid Cinch speaker binding posts.
AES NYC Holds Facebook 360 Immersive Media Production Workshop The 145th AES International Convention in New York City will host a number of exciting educational events. One of the most intriguing is a half-day training session in immersive media production using the Facebook 360 platform. The workshop will cover the end-to-end workflow for spatial audio design and asset preparation of 360 and 180 immersive videos using Facebook 360 Spatial Workstation tools. This workshop is the result of a unique partnership between Facebook and the AES to provide hands-on training in 360 audio and video development during AES New York 2018.
The workshop, led by Abesh Thakur of Facebook 360, and Latin Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer and AES Past President Andres Mayo, will be held at the Jacob Javits Center on Friday, October 19. There will be identical morning and afternoon sessions with enrollment limited to 35 attendees for each session. The workshops complement the immersive audio content in the four-day AES New York 2018 Technical Program, taking place October 17th through 20th. The workshop will cover the end-to-end workflow for spatial audio design and asset preparation of 360 and 180 immersive videos using the Facebook 360 Spatial Workstation tools. The content will address the following:
What is spatial audio? Why is it important for Immersive videos?
Devialet Phantom Reactor
Brings Big Sound And 900W Within A Small Package Meet the new, smaller than previous models, Devialet Phantom Reactor ($999, 990, and ฃ990). This new breed of wireless speaker is said to bring life the company's only ultra-compact home sound system capable of delivering high fidelity and physical impact, whatever volume you listen at. Insanely powerful at upwards of 900 Watts, producing 18Hz to 21kHz frequency response, yet is a compact 219mm wide by 168mm deep package. A Devialet-patented technology, Analog Digital Hybrid (ADH) gives you all the sophistication of audiophile-grade analog with all the power and compactness of Class D digital. Devialet invented SAM mathematical model to ensure immaculate fidelity all throughout playback. Whether you're dealing with transients or steady-state signal, the degree of information processed by SAM surpasses what you may have felt is possible from such a small package. This enables Phantom to reproduce the
intricate rhythm and tempo of your music with precision so you can feel every last emotion, true to the original master tape. Devialet's HBI is a one-of-a-kind system, designed to take you deeper into sound. For the first time, an ultra-compact home speaker is able to reproduce ridiculously low bass that resonates beyond the limits of the
human ear, throughout your entire body. Unleash your music's full potential all the way down to 18Hz. All those audiophile keywords and technologies are there including 24-bits/192kHz DAC,
AirPlay, Spotify Connect, UPnP, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), plus stereo analog and TosLink optical.
10 / 09 / 18
RMAF 2018 Show Report
-- Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest
Stream Hi-Res Audio Via Next Generation Wi-Fi Connectivity
802.11ax Streaming Hi-Res Music to your Hi-Res Audio system will soon be easier as Wi-Fi 6, based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard, enables next generation Wi-Fi connectivity with upwards of 10.53 Gbps data speed. Wi-Fi 6 will provide the capacity, coverage, and performance required by
users -- even in dense environments such as stadiums and other public venues. Wi-Fi 6 networks enable lower battery consumption in Wi-Fi 6 devices, making it a solid choice for any environment, including smart home and IoT uses. Key benefits of Wi-Fi 6 technology include higher data rates (current 802.11ac, Wi-Fi 5, is 3.46 Gbps), increased capacity, good performance in dense environments, and improved power efficiency. Wi-Fi 6 provides the foundation for a host of existing and emerging uses from streaming ultra high-definition movies at home or on the go, to mission-critical business applications requiring high bandwidth and low latency, to staying connected and productive while traversing large, congested networks in airports and train stations. Uplink and downlink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) increases efficiency and lowers latency for high demand environments.
A new 1024 quadrature amplitude modulation mode (1024-QAM) enables peak gigabit speeds for emerging, bandwidth-intensive use cases. There's improved medium access control (MAC) control signaling increases throughput and capacity while reducing latency. Increased symbol durations make outdoor network operations more robust.
Pro-Ject's 2Xperience The Beatles White Album Limited Edition Turntable Pro-Ject is filled with great honor and pleasure as they announce their partnership with The Universal Music Group and The Beatles to bring out another Beatles themed turntable (1499 including VAT). The White album was the most anticipated Beatles record of all. Released November 22nd, 1968 it contained hits like "Dear Prudence", "Back in the USSR" or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Now it's time to celebrate its 50th anniversary in style! In celebration of the 50th jubilee of the Beatles classic White Album, Universal Music Group is releasing the iconic album again. Everything has been
re-mastered from the original four track and eight track session tapes by an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists in the Abbey Road Studios in London. On November 9th, 2018, The Beatles will release a suite of lavishly presented 'White Album' packages, including
180 gram DLP Vinyl. These 'White Album' sets also contain never released material and studio outtakes from the original recording sessions, as well as a 5.1 audio Blu-ray disc and a total of six CDs (White Album, Esher Demos, Sessions). Pro-Ject's 2Xperience The Beatles White Album
Limited edition turntable is strictly limited in numbers and features electronic speed control with 33/45 rpm speed change. A heavy acrylic platter bring solidity while the diamond-cut drive pulley and record clamp tightens record to platter. A
resonance-optimized MDF chassis is in white mat, as is the included audiophile-grade 9" CC Evo tonearm with
inverted tonearm bearings (ABEC). Act fast as this very limited edition of only 500 pieces worldwide may sell out quickly.
Boston Audio Society: Vintage Analogue Meets Modern DSP The Boston Audio Society (BAS), founded in 1972 as an independent non-profit member supported organization promoting the highest quality of music reproduction and home theater plus high standards in recording and transmission, will be featuring Dirac Live Digital Room Correction, JBL 4344Mk2 speakers, and Berning Siegfried amplification on Sunday October 21 @ 6PM in Lexington-Note place. BAS member Ken Schwarz will demonstrate what can be achieved by combining vintage high-end audio gear with modern digital correction. Large-format, horn-driven speakers of the 1970s-1990s produce an effortless and full-range sound, but can be difficult to position and adjust for low coloration. Ken's using an inexpensive MiniDSP-based Dirac Live processor to judiciously clean up residual amplitude and phase errors as well as to provide a line-level crossover into
bi-amp'ed JBL 4344Mk2 speakers. Bass is driven by a Crown PS-400 solid-state amp, and mid/HF/UHF is driven by a Berning Siegfried amp, an unusual 10W, single-ended triode, output transformerless (OTL) design. Attendees are encouraged to bring CDs, SACDs, LPs, or Mp3s of music they'd like to hear in the system. Refreshments will be provided at 6PM. You may
contact BAS for directions from their website.
10 / 08 / 18
RMAF 2018 Show Report
-- Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest
Hi-Fi World's
November 2018 Issue Features Great Articles And Reviews
Hi-Fi
World's November 2018 issue features your chance to win a Evo 3 Corvus mains distribution box worth ฃ500! Reviews within this issue includes PMC twenty5.26 speakers, Onkyo TX-RZ830 AV receiver, Chord Qutest DAC, NAD C328 digital hybrid amplifier, Jays m-Six wireless in-ear headphones, IsoTek EVO3 Ascension mains cable, Linn Selekt DSM, ARCAM Solo Movie 5.1, Scheu Cello Classic Evolution turntable, Longdog Audio MCj3 hybrid phonostage, Sugarcube SC-1 Hi-Res click remover and more!
Within his editorial
Noel Keywood says "Large studio monitor loudspeakers have always been objects
of awe. Both JBL and Tannoy are names to be reckoned with, making products few of us can afford or fit in the home.
These days B&W are popular in many studios, their big 801s being a common sight. I know Abbey Road studios in St John's
Wood, North London and a mile or so distant from our offices, use them from my visits there to carry out
interviews, attend press receptions and what have you. Meanwhile, down at Metropolis Studios in
Chiswick, West London, who also hold press events and host small shows, they use looming PMC professional studio monitors
the MB2S with its distinctive inverted basket bass drivers. This little beastie has a 75mm fabric dome midrange to
deliver crucial vocals a common studio practice where they demand to hear every part of what is being sung. With this
in mind we were pleased to be able to bring in PMC's twenty5.26 loudspeakers for review this month, their only
domestic product with a midrange dome. Would they bring the studio into our listening room we wondered? You can find out
on p10."
See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi World and read the complete editorial at this link.
Hi-Fi+'s
October Magazine
Features Many High-End Audio Reviews Hi-Fi+ magazine's
October 2018 issue features coverage of CanJam London 2018 plus reviews of the Kuzma Stabi R modular turntable, AURALiC Vega G2 with LEO GX
streamer / DAC and clock, Linn Selekt DSM integrated streaming amplifier, Grand Prix Audio Parabolica turntable, Exogal Comet and Ion digital converter and power DAC, iFi Audio Pro iDSD headphone amp/DAC, Gold Note Pianosa turntable, Cayin Faber iHA-6, iDAC-6, iDAP-6 headphone amp / digital converter / digital audio player, PMC COR integrated amplifier, Sonus Faber Sonetto V floorstanding loudspeaker, Aurender S5W wireless active loudspeaker, AKG N5005 universal fit earphone, and Audioquest Niagara 1000 power conditioner.
Within his editorial Alan Sircom says
"This edition of Hi-Fi+ is something of a landmark for me. It's my 100th attempt at trying to edit an audio magazine! I took over the reins in Issue 64 and about nine-and-a-half years and around a million words later we're both still here. Between then and now, we've seen economies rise and fall, technologies undergo radical shifts, and the way we all acquire, listen, and enjoy our music has changed beyond all recognition, but audio has not been counted out just yet.
Back in early 2009, although both downloading and networked streaming had been an intrinsic part of the audio experience for some time, had yet to take off in many serious high-end circles. Similarly, although vinyl was still selling, sales had slowed to a crawl and LPs could be had for next to nothing! What a difference a decade makes." See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi+ Magazine at this
link.
Tencent Music Entertainment Group Files
F-1 For Upcoming IPO According to Music Business Worldwide,
"Tencent Music Entertainment Group
(TME), the largest music streaming company in China and the owner of QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo and WeSing has officially filed to float in the US. In an
F-1
filing uploaded today to the Securities and Exchange Commission (October 2), TME listed a placeholder registration for $1bn and applied to list on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Global Market." Tencent plans to raise $4 billion from this new venture and is still seeking another $2 billion. Tencent Music Entertainment Group is a company that develops music streaming services for the Chinese market. Their apps, including QQ Music, Kugou, and Kuwo, have more than 700 million active users and 120 million paying subscribers. As of July 2016, Tencent Music's three services held an estimated 56% market share of music streaming services in China. As of the past six months ending June 30 (2018), their revenue grew to $1.3 billion. Unlike many Internet music sites that operate at a loss, gross profit in H1 2018 was $526 million and is a 151.7% growth rate as compared to the same period a year ago. Tencent owns 58.1% in TME, Spotify owns 9.1% due to a stock swap in 2017. TME's IPO is being underwritten by big banks including Allen & Co.,
Bank Of America Merrill Lynch, BOCI, CICC, China Renaissance, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs (Asia), J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, HSBC, KeyBanc Capital Markets and
Stifel.
10 / 02 / 18
Von Schweikert Audio To Premiere ULTRA 9 Loudspeaker At RMAF 2018 Von Schweikert Audio
will premier our newest ULTRA 9 flagship reference loudspeaker ($200,000 per
pair) within the Maroon Peak ballroom at this year's
Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest this weekend. As the company's second loudspeaker in this flagship reference series, its technology and performance are essentially identical to the critically acclaimed and award-winning ULTRA 11 yet in a form factor that is far more adaptable to a greater number of sound rooms given its smaller footprint and overall height. By leveraging more than 40 years of research and development in the creation of this revolutionary new model, Von Schweikert ensures that each channel features all exotic drivers including two 9" reinforced ceramic woofers, one 7" reinforced ceramic midrange, one Beryllium tweeter, two ribbon super tweeters (one front, one rear), one magnesium horn loaded tweeter (rear) and one 15" compound woven subwoofer (rear) with dedicated 1000 Watt amplifier. MasterBuilt Audio ULTRA wire is used exclusively for all signal paths, the ULTRA 9 benefits from point to point hand-built networks with isolated architecture that protects crossover parts and wiring from electrical noise contamination. Version 2.0 Aktive Cabinet Vibration Control, eliminating cabinet noise with new materials and layering techniques. Time Alignment, Phase Consistency, and adjustable bi-polar sound radiation pattern for room-filling sound. Von Schweikert's ULTRA 9 achieves full-range response from 10Hz to
45kHz.
New ABYSS Diana Phi Planar
Magnetic Headphone To Appear At RMAF 2018 The ABYSS
Diana luxury line of headphones was launched in early 2018, with their new model
being launched at the Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest this
weekend. Touted by the company as the world's thinnest boutique headphone, it has since changed longstanding perceptions of headphone physics by easily comparing to and in many cases besting the highest performance headphones. ABYSS has since worked toward furthering this success, producing a second higher performance Diana version that's 'bigger on the inside' by incorporating the Phi planar speakers from their
flagship AB-1266 Phi CC. The new Diana Phi ($3995) is said to have world-class dynamics, resolution,
a sound never before heard in such a compact package. As with any ABYSS, she's quite capable of playing any genre of music to an extreme level of enjoyment, limited only by the electronics and recording. The goosebump inducing 'you are there' sound is to die for. ABYSS has also created a new ear pad to better match the acoustics of the new Phi drivers. Also bigger on the inside, the new pads further expand on soundscape and comfort. Color is Titanium Gray (custom colors available) and the headphone is sculpted from aircraft grade aluminum for incredible strength. The earpads are sporty leathers and soft Alcantara, while the large 63mm patent-pending Phi planar drivers have a ultra-low mass diaphragm for extremely fast bass impact and subtle lifelike details to music.
Emotion headband magnetically adjusts and contours your head for a comfortable fit. A dual zipper canvas carry case with leather accents and accessory pockets for easy travel is also included. Weight is 350 grams, impedance is 32 Ohms, and sensitivity 91dB/mw. Also included are cables by JPS Labs, length 1.5 meter with choice of 3.5 mm, 2.5 mm balanced, 4 pin XLR or 4.4 mm balanced plug (additional cables may be purchased separately).
10 / 01 / 18
Enjoy the Music.com's
October Review Magazine Is Now Available Online Enjoy the
Music.com's October Review
Magazine features five world premiere reviews! We're also gearing up
for Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) and
CanJam in Denver, with many
reports coming soon! If you're attending RMAF / CanJam, come on by
Thursday night as we're sponsoring the Industry / Press Party and look
forward to meeting you. We're also sponsoring all seminars too! Am sure
you want to get directly to the many articles and reviews within this
edition of our Review Magazine, so without further delay....
You can see everything within this month's edition of Enjoy
the Music.com's Review Magazine at this link.
As always, in the end what really
matters is that you...
Note:
Due to our ongoing growth and to keep this industry news posting relatively short in
length, below are just a sampling of the many articles and reviews
within the October issue.
Parasound To Introduce New Halo P 6 2.1-Channel Preamp And DAC Parasound
will introduce its new Halo P 6 ($1495), which is a 2.1-channel audio preamplifier and DAC, at the
Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2018 in Denver from October 5th through 7th. The Parasound Halo P 6 replaces the five-year-old P 5, as this new unit improves upon its predecessor with a premium ESS DAC, ladder-style volume control, many internal audio refinements, and subtle new gold highlights. Parasound's Halo P 6 provides control over multiple audio source components ranging from high-end turntables to the latest high-resolution digital music sources. A 2.1-channel crossover allows interfacing with both stereo and subwoofer/satellite speaker systems. Parasound is using the ESS Sabre32 Reference DAC and asynchronous USB input that supports PCM up to 384kHz/32-bit and decodes native DSD256 and DoP DSD. The coaxial and now two optical inputs accept PCM up to 192kHz/24-bit. The upgraded USB receiver provides plug and play operation with Windows 10 as well as Mac OS. A new Burr Brown analog resistor ladder volume control and dimmable front-panel volume display provides ease of use as a resistor ladder provides greater accuracy, resolution, and it eliminates mechanical contacts in the signal path. It also allows the user to program turn-on volume and favorite volume settings, with access from the included back-lit remote control. There is phono input for both MM or MC phono cartridges with switchable 100 Ohm or 47 kOhm loads.
Zesto Audio Andros Deluxe Vacuum
Tube Phonostage Zesto Audio
is pleased to announce the world premiere of their newest product, the Andros Deluxe Phonostage ($6900). This product will debut at the annual
Rocky Mountain Audio Fest (RMAF) in Denver from October 5th through 7th. Zesto's Andros Deluxe Phonostage is a blend of taking the very best attributes from their previous models. It's developed from the same footprint of the Andros 1.2 Phonostage and many of the internal features of the Andros T่ssera Phonostage, yet maintaining its own unique sonic personality. One of the unique features is an entirely new output circuit design that is based on the 12DW7 vacuum tube to drive the balanced output transformers. The main printed circuit board is dual-mono for better stereo separation. The input circuit incorporates the large, high quality built in MC step-up transformers that are used in the T่ssera. The Andros Deluxe is built with a passion for Analog, designed with 100% tube circuitry and no solid-state devices anywhere
within the signal's path. Tube compliment is a pair of gold pin high gain, low noise, 12AX7 tubes and a pair of gold pin high current, low noise, 12DW7's. Other features are the 10 position MC loading on the fly, two gain settings for both MM and MC, plus ground switches to eliminate hum. The 10 position MC load impedance is 1000, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100,
and 50 Ohms. Dimensions of the main chassis is 17" x 12" x 5" (WxDxH) and the unit weighs 21 lbs.
09 / 25 / 18
Enjoy the Music.com Sponsors RMAF's Industry
/ Press Party Plus All Seminars Enjoy the Music.com, high-end audio's longtime online industry leader in providing
industry news, gear reviews, and show reports is pleased to announce that we're
sponsoring Rocky Mountain Audio Fest's (RMAF)
Thursday night industry / press party plus all event seminars. For well over 20 years, Enjoy the Music.com has been a major
resource for information about the high-end audio industry and high resolution
/ streaming music on the Internet. We're helping to celebrate Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest's
very special 15th annual exhibition, which is the largest fall season consumer audio and home entertainment show
open to the general public within the United States. Since their very first
event, Enjoy the Music.com has been reporting on RMAF for each of the
past 15 years. We are truly overjoyed with this opportunity to further support
the industry in celebrating RMAF's very special 15th annual event! Read
More
Australian Hi-Fi
Magazine's September / October Issue Features Gear
Reviews This issue of
Australian Hi-Fi features the EISA Award Winners
for 2018 / 2019. As Australian Hi-Fi became the newest member of EISA's Hi-Fi Expert Group,
they also had voting on this year's winners. And here they are! Reviews within
this issue include Hegel H80 Integrated Amplifier/DAC, Parasound JC 3 Jnr Phono Preamplifier,
Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ / phono preamp/ headamp, B&W 702 S2 loudspeakers, Krix Estoterix Altum
loudspeakers and Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBB headphones. Within his editorial
titled Why Cheat On A Listening Test, Greg Borrowman says "It is more than four years since I published an editorial in which I explained why most of the so-called 'hi-res' music available is not 'hi-res' at all, but rather a complete waste of your money and Internet bandwidth. I don't want to re-hash that editorial here, that's what the Internet is for, so you can
read it
at this link if you've forgotten it or didn't read it in the first place. What I'd like to say in this editorial is that, rather disappointingly, nothing has changed in the intervening years: The fact remains that most of the music being sold as 'hi-res' was not recorded at high resolution in the first place, so can have no information in it at all that was beyond the capability of the original recording instrument to capture. The fact also remains that pretty-much all of the so-called 'pure' DSD recordings available spent a considerable amount of their life in PCM format, so anyone who claims that DSD sounds 'better' than PCM is basing that claim on music that was 'degraded' to PCM before being re-encoded as DSD... and in this case you really can't put humpty together again."
See what's within this issue of Australian Hi-Fi at this
link.
09 / 24 / 18
Reference Recordings' New Beethoven / Strauss Plus A QSF Journey Albums First up is Reference
Recordings' Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 "Eroica"; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as directed by Manfred Honeck [FR-728SACD]. Reference Recordings proudly presents these two iconic works in definitive interpretations from Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, in superb audiophile sound. This hybrid SACD release was recorded in beautiful and historic Heinz Hall, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In his fascinating and scholarly music notes, Maestro Honeck gives us insight into the history of both pieces, and describes how he conducts and interprets each. He reminds us that the
"Eroica" was a bold departure from earlier symphonies, a "dance symphony with dramatic inventiveness, full of new elements that had never been heard
before." He quotes Beethoven's student Ferdinand Ries, who wrote "Beethoven played recently for me (the
"Eroica") and I believe both heaven and earth must tremble when it is performed." Honeck puts his own inimitable stamp on this interpretation, giving the listener a chance to experience the novelties of the
"Eroica" as if hearing it for the very first time. William Caballero, Principal Horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and soloist on Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1, provides a thrilling and masterful performance of this youthful Strauss work. Next up is Reference Recordings'
A QSF Journey by the Quartet San Francisco [RR-143]. Founded in 2001 by violinist and composer Jeremy Cohen, Quartet San Francisco expresses itself in its agility and standout virtuosic playing. These crossover specialists excel in multiple styles, from jazz to tango, pop to funk, blues to bluegrass, gypsy swing to big band and beyond. On this new release they invite you to join in their journey into the chamber music of the 21st century. The twelve tracks on the album include nine written or arranged by Cohen. Seven are world premieres, and another three are world premieres in string quartet form! These outstanding performances have been captured in natural, uncompromising audiophile sound by Reference
Recordings' own award-winning engineering team: Keith O. Johnson and Sean Royce Martin.
A QSF Journey was recorded May 2018 at Skywalker Sound in Marin County, California.
AES New York 145th International Pro Audio Convention October
17th To 20th Adding to an already busy 2018 fall show schedule is the
Audio Engineering Society's 145th convention
from October 17th through 20th at the Jacob Javits Center. The AES New York 2018 Technical Program the highlight of the AES's 70th Anniversary year offers the ultimate audio experience, spanning all audio specialties and topics, and digging as deep as it is wide. The AES has posted online its detailed, interactive AES New York 2018 calendar of events for attendees to explore when planning their AES convention experience. The more than 330 presentations and workshops offering an inside look at nearly every facet of the audio engineering industry is available only with All Access registration. There's no better opportunity to listen, learn and connect with audio engineers from around the world. The comprehensive Technical Program content, brought together by the organizing team led by Co-Chairs Paul Gallo, Valerie Tyler and Jonathan Wyner, includes leading-edge topics like audio for virtual, augmented and extended reality; networked audio; spatial and immersive audio; and game audio, along with core topics including broadcast & online
delivery; sound reinforcement; recording & production; audio for cinema; and archiving and restoration. A dedicated track covers product development on the professional level within the product development track, while DIYers can learn and even construct hardware and write code in the new Audio Builders Workshop mini-track. Attendees learn about tomorrow's technology today in the in-depth Papers and Posters sessions, where the latest in research into all areas of audio is presented.
09 / 19 / 18
Music Modernization Act Passes United
States Of America's Senate Under the Music Modernization Act, the digital services would fund a Mechanical Licensing
Collective (MLC), and, in turn, be granted blanket mechanical licenses for interactive streaming or
digital downloads of musical works. The MLC would be governed by publishers and self-published
songwriters. The MLC would address the challenges digital services face today when attempting to
match songwriters and publishers with recordings. The bill would also create business efficiencies for the digital services by providing a transparent and
publicly accessible database housing song ownership information. Additionally, because the
database would publicly identify songs that have not been matched to songwriters and/or publishers,
publishers would also be able to claim the rights to songs and get paid for those songs. Songwriters
and publishers would also be granted an audit right, which they don't currently have under Section
115. The passing of the bipartisan bill, which was co-sponsored by more than 80 Senators, sets into motion an overhaul of music licensing legislation in the US. The comprehensive bill includes the CLASSICS Act, legislation that guarantees artists and labels who recorded music before 1972 a federal right to be paid for those recordings when played by digital radio outlets. "As legendary band the Grateful Dead once said in an iconic pre-1972 song, 'what a long strange trip it's been.' It's been an epic odyssey, and we're thrilled to almost be at our
destination," said Mitch Glazier, President of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "For the modern U.S. Senate to unanimously pass a 185-page bill is a
Herculean feat, only achievable because of the grit, determination and mobilization of thousands of music creators across the
nation," said NMPA President and CEO David Israelite. "Today is a momentous day for songwriters, artists, composers, producers, engineers and the entire industry that revolves around them. The Senate vote marks a true step forward towards fairness for the people at the heart of music who have long been undervalued due to outdated laws." CEO and Chairman of Sony/ATV Martin Bandier said, "The unanimous backing of the MMA by the U.S. Senate shows what can be achieved when a diverse group of parties puts aside its differences and works together for the music industry's greater good. This is a significant victory for all rights holders and we are confident that once the bill goes back to the House it will pass and become law shortly. It will go a long way to ensuring that songwriters and music publishers will be fairly compensated for their contribution to the streaming revolution, which has transformed music into a growth industry once again."
09 / 18 / 18
AXPONA Goes Back To Original
Spring Schedule For 2020 And Beyond This e-mail just in.... Dear Audio Industry Friends,
First, please know AXPONA will not be moving to the fall dates as stated last week, but will remain in April for 2020 and beyond.
As stated in our announcement last week, we have been encouraged by many exhibitors in recent years to move far away from Munich, to add a trade day and to make it easier for international vendors to exhibit. When dates became available at The Renaissance in Schaumburg that accommodated all of those elements, we jumped at the opportunity to secure them. We announced the new dates immediately and more than two years in advance. Much positive feedback was received in support of the date change. However, we also received negative feedback regarding the disruption of fall schedules and questions were raised as to the intentions behind the move. We certainly did not intend to cause harm to any other events. Our goal has always been to serve the domestic and the international market, and the initial decision was made to accommodate that goal.
We have not, and will not lose sight of our valued exhibitors, attendees and friends in the audio community, so to best serve the entire industry, we are going to take a step back and hold the show April 17-19, 2020. The AXPONA team is greatly appreciative that so many manufacturers, dealers, distributors, audiophiles and press feel passionately enough to have expressed their opinions to us directly and on social media. AXPONA's vision remains to be the premier North American event for the audio industry. Going forward, AXPONA will be sure to gather more comprehensive input from the entire audio community before making any significant date changes. We also now appreciate how many people like our April timeframe within the audio show calendar.
Please know that we are listening, we hear you and we want to continue receiving your feedback. The most important goal for AXPONA is to serve the audio community and to provide the best possible venue and timing every year for the industry to gather and experience great systems, great products, great music and great
comradery. We look forward to seeing you April 12-14, 2019.
Thank you from Mark, Liz and the AXPONA team.
Dante Domain Manager Software For Complete Network Management Audinate's
Dante Domain Manager is network management software that enables user authentication, role-based security and audit capabilities for Dante networks, while allowing seamless expansion of Dante systems over any network infrastructure. Dante Domain Manager now has new features to bring IT best practices to AV, making audio networking more secure, more scalable and more controllable than ever before. With Dante Domain Manager, you can define specific AV device groupings by room, building and site, allowing for the creation of independent Dante Domains. A single Dante Domain can encompass multiple network subnets, eliminating the need for complex workarounds and enabling the creation of truly enterprise-scaled AV systems. The software makes it easy to deploy your AV network across a WAN, route Dante transparently across subnets, organize devices and route audio independent of network topology, plus there's no need for single subnet VLANs or workarounds. Features added within the latest version of Dante Domain Manager brings support for over 1,000 devices. The automatic device discovery service that customers have grown accustomed to with 4.0 firmware devices, has now been extended to legacy (pre-v4.0) devices. This makes it easier to for products with and without the 4.0 firmware to co-exist in Dante Domain Manager. As for what this means for audiophiles, perhaps nothing, perhaps
everything as a unified, secure, and seamlessly controllable multiple room audio environment is making its way into millions of home worldwide. There is
little doubt that in the future your home network will be far more than just surfing the Internet
via Wi-FI, as music / video plays a key role for home entertainment. Enjoy the Music.com offers an
Industry Point Of View
article concerning IT... IP... Network... AV over IT won't hurt you.
Tokyo International Audio Show 2018 Starts November 16th The International Audio Society of Japan (IASJ,) will be presenting the
Tokyo International Audio
Show from 16th November through 18th . Rich textured analog music to detailed and spacious sound of digital music will be played in 35 rooms. Each exhibiting room is acoustically sealed providing an ideal listening environment for playback demonstration. The world's top-notch 192 brands will be exhibited, portraying the joy of listening. Please visit the show and feel the superb reproduced music through the high-end consumer audio equipment. You will feel "you are in a live music event". The show is set for Friday November 16th through 18th at Tokyo International Forum, 3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Exhibitors include 32 distributors and manufacturers who represent 192 brands. This event started 1983 as the "Import Audio Show" to introduce cutting edge audio technologies and the joy of listening music through such high-end audio equipment. Since 1997 the show has been located at the Tokyo International Forum; it is an annual event. The number of visitors during the show's three day period is over 10,000. Analog players to Hi-Res Audio file music will be demonstrated in acoustically ideal listening environment. Listeners will enjoy quality music in a cozy environment, played on affordable high-end to flagship equipment rarely seen at stores. Exhibitors are planning to have seminars by audio reviewers or engineers in their own exhibit rooms. Please refer to official site of
IASJ.
09 / 17 / 18
VAC To Introduce Their Statement 450i iQ Integrated Amplifier At RMAF 2018 VAC (Valve Amplification Company) will introduce the latest member of its award-winning family of Statement audio components at the
2018 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver from October 5th through 7th. VAC's new Statement 450i iQ Integrated Amplifier ($150,000) is the company's ultimate performance, cost-no-object instrument that establishes a new benchmark for sound quality for high-end audio
vacuum tube integrated amplifiers. Part of the secret of its performance is in the unusual vertical form factor, which allows the optimal placement of circuit elements and purest, most direct routing of signals. The Statement 450i iQ builds upon the prior art of the Statement separate components. Conceptually, the 450i includes a Statement 450S iQ power amplifier, a Statement Line Stage, and phono stage with multiple inputs and adjustable loading. Power supply arrangements are dual mono throughout, with six main power transformers for left & right power amplifier, line stage, and phono stage. VAC's patented iQ Continuous Stable Automatic Bias system keeps the KT88 output tubes set at the intended operating point at all times for optimum sound quality, protection, and automatic indication of when tubes should be replaced. The Statement 450i iQ goes on sale on October
2. See Enjoy the Music.com's World Premiere Review of the VAC Renaissance Preamplifier Mk V with MM/MC phono stage at this link.
