High-End Audio / Audiophile & Music Industry News

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02 / 28 / 20

HIGH END 2020 In Munich Has Been Cancelled
We just received the following brief news from the Society:
"The HIGH END 2020, planned for May 14th to 17th, has been cancelled due to the current intensified development regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus. We will keep you in the loop." Enjoy the Music.com will post more information on our HIGH END 2020 show report page at this link.

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Wynn Audio At FLAX 2020
Featuring Metronome, Thales, EMT, Karan Acoustics, Kiso Acoustic, Entreq, and Crystal Cable.
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Wynn Audio was at the Florida Audio Expo 2020 with a wide variety of glorious gear! Starting at the top and working down down the rack, Thales Slim II turntable ($6750) with Thales Simplicity II tonearm ($9450) were joined by the glorious EMT HSD 006 photo cartridge ($1760). The cartridge is a lovely red moving coil (MC) with aluminum cantilever, nickel-plated AlNiCo magnet, and a frequency response from 20Hz to 25kHz. Going classic, the EMT STX 5/10 silver wired step-up transformer ($9280) made its first appearance at a USA event....
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02 / 27 / 20

Extreme Hi-Fi
Ecumenical Style
Article by Jeff Rabin, The Ecumenical Audiophile
Some readers expressed confusion at what I meant in my last column when I wrote: And I also dismiss the, to me anyway, implausible idea of perfectly recreating a past acoustical event in the comfort of my lounge, though I still believe it is a goal worth aiming for even if it cannot be achieved. This is not quite the bald contradiction it would appear. To explain what is meant, it is worthwhile to bring the existentialist Dane Soren Kierkegaard's (b. 1813, d. 1855) concept of the Knight of Infinite Faith to the table.
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02 / 26 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Muraudio SP1 Speakers And Simaudio Moon 340iX
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Muraudio was at Florida Audio Expo 2020 with their SP1 electrostatic speakers (ESL, $16,400). Muraudio seeks to pushed ESL technology to new heights. Their SP1 has a very special 120-degree array of Continuous Curve ESL panels with 1650 square cm of surface area. This provides good volume output with coherence, plus more surface means you can achieve higher volume output without unwanted distortion.
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ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid Improves Signal Transfer
Four years in development and 500 prototypes later, Chord Company is proud to announce its long-awaited ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid (£20 for 10 ml). This highly advanced liquid polymer solution is specifically designed to maximize the surface area of a variety of plug connections, thus improving their performance. Developed by an acclaimed industrial chemist and Andante Largo in Japan, the new ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid works by deploying polymers to fill pits and imperfections on the surfaces of connections. This, in turn, creates a greater contact area and improves the performance of connections. Benefits include lower the resistance and higher current (signal).

Chord Company's ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid is distinguished from other enhancing products, suck as Caig's highly-acclaimed ProGold and DeoxIt, as the formula starts to work at very low voltage thresholds. When applied carefully, CHord's fluid has a very long operational life. ChordOhmic Transmission Fluid can be applied to all metal contacts, from speaker cable connections and interconnect cable plugs, to power cables and more. Being water- rather than oil-based, its non-toxic formula is not harmful to the environment.

02 / 25 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Endow Audio
Plus VAC, Hegel, iFi Audio, Audio Envy, and Qobuz.
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Stepping into the Endow Audio room at Florida Audio Expo 2020 I was warmly greeted by Tim Strunk. His innovative speakers are far from those typically seen, as they feature a multi-driver array for midrange and highs. Their motto is "The Sound Of Live Performance", and when one considers that when enjoying live music the sound is bounced and reflected from the hall's surfaces....
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Gingko Audio And DanaCable
Also featuring Lampizator, Salk, Sennheiser, Pro-Ject, Focal, and Furman.
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
It's always a good day when I meet-up Vinh Vu during a show. There's always a smile on his face and good music playing too. During the Florida Audio Expo 2020 Vinh was going all head-fi with an abundance of stereo headphones, plus of course his line of DanaCables and Ginko Audio tweaks. Sennheiser's incredible HDV 820 digital headphone amplifier provided plenty of drive for virtually and set of cans. Of course all headphone cables were, as you guessed it, but DanaCables.
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Music Hall: Everything But The Kitchen Sink
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
When Roy wasn't busy on Friday night getting drunk at Enjoy the Music.com's exclusive, and private, event at MAYORS Jewellers, he sat within his room of what appeared to be every type of audio tweak and component (but the kitchen sink). Too much to list, so here's some picks for you viewing pleasure plus their show price list.
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Fyne Audio F700 Speaker Series Adds Three Models
Fyne Audio's UK-made F700 Series expands top and bottom with compact F700 bookshelf, F701 standmount and the F704 large floorstander with its two 12" drivers. This move brings the popular series to five strong and now includes the optional FS8 dedicated speakers stands for the smaller models. Designed to fill larger rooms, the near 150 pound F704 boasts the dynamics, power handling and efficiency to recreate "an incredibly realistic live music experience at home" says the company. Featuring Fyne's IsoFlare point source driver at 12", augmented with a supplementary 12" bass driver, the F704 boasts 96dB/W/m efficiency and 600 Watt peak power handling to deliver ~120dB SPL. A coaxially-mounted 75mm titanium dome compression tweeter produces upper frequencies.

Fyne Audio's small F700 is just 348mm tall yet offers true point source articulation and engaging dynamics from its single 6" IsoFlare driver. This unit uses a 25mm magnesium dome compression tweeter with a compact, high power neodymium magnet motor system. The larger F701 steps up to an 8" IsoFlare driver in a 465mm tall cabinet delivering point source accuracy at 91dB/W/m efficiency and handling peaks over 350 Watts. All models have hand built crossovers that are Deep Cryogenically Treated, thus relieving micro stresses in components, conductors, and solder joints of the crossover circuit. The new F700, F701, and F704 are available in piano gloss black, piano gloss white and the sumptuous piano gloss walnut veneer. Fyne Audio has also announced the dedicated FS8 loudspeaker stand.

ZYLIA Studio 3D Audio Recording Software
Zylia, an industry leader in the field of 3D audio recording and production, today released a new version of ZYLIA Studio. The iconic software supporting ZM-1 one-mic band recording process gained a lot of new features and became even more user friendly. ​To support the creativity of musicians who are our current and future users, Zylia simplifies the recording process even more. Thanks to that, musicians from now on can focus on recording the music instead of setting up the recording gear and figuring out what to do with recorded tracks from multiple microphones. This new version save more time thanks to a new workflow and automatic calibration. Instead of manual calibration, musicians need only to place their instruments in a correct zone around the microphone and the dynamic energy map will help them to track their position. Additionally, the waveform of the current recording is generated in real-time.

To reflect the well-known microphone techniques Figure 8, Blumlein Stereo, Cardioid, Stereo XY, and Mid-Side presets were added. Whereas, mixing enthusiasts will find more options to play with such as Equalizer, applied on every track, allowing to adjust the frequency response in three bands. In general, your mixes will sound better, because we improved sound quality even more. Now, thanks to new separation filters, your mixes will have a full audio spectrum (up to 20 kHz). A professional version of the software handles far more while also supporting presets for surround standards such as 5.1, 7.1, 5.4.1, 22.2, and more. Read their very interesting technical white paper at this link.

02 / 24 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Integrity Sound
MartinLogan, McIntosh, Pro-Ject, And Auralex
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
My Muse / wife Heather loves McIntosh audio gear. It's a combination of the sound, and glowing blue meters visual styling, that brings love into her warm heart. On the other hand, if you want to make my Muse angry, go ahead and turn of those glorious McIntosh Lab amp's blue lights and get ready to see the other side of her emotions. Integrity Sound brought together some amazing products here at the Florida Audio Expo 2020!
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Audeze, Nagra Audio, And Chord Electronics
Report By Frank Garofalo
It's great to see more headphone exhibitors this year at the 2020 Florida Audio Expo. Audeze made an appearance with their full line of headphones available to listen with a variety of different DAC + headphone amplifier combinations. It's great to have Audeze's full line of headphones all in one place. If you were looking at picking up a pair of headphones from Audeze, like I was but was unsure which can would fit you and your needs, this is the place to make that decision.
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Miles Davis: Birth Of The Cool On PBS Feb 25
American Masters will present Stanley Nelson's Grammy-nominated Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool to be broadcast February 25th on PBS in honor of Black History Month. Featuring new interviews with Ron Carter, Clive Davis, Quincy Jones, Marcus Miller, Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter, family members and others. According to PBS, "American Masters presents the broadcast premiere of award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson's deep dive into the world of a beloved musical giant. American Masters — Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, which earned a Grammy nomination in the "Best Music Film" category, premieres nationwide Tuesday, February 25 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) and the PBS Video app in honor of Black History Month."

PBS continues, "The documentary delves into the six-decade career of the musical genius: from his days as a Julliard student to the development of his signature sound on recordings with his famous quintet, from his collaborations with Gil Evans to his shifts to new musical paradigms in the 1970s and 1980s. As the film tracks Davis's boundary-breaking musical triumphs, the meanderings of his complicated personal life are told with intimate reflections from those closest to him. Previously unseen footage and a soundtrack full of Davis's music are complemented by new interviews with friends, fellow musicians, collaborators and scholars to create a full portrait of the complex man. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and had a successful limited theatrical run, tells the story of a truly singular talent and unpacks the man behind the horn."

RMAF 2020 Exhibitor Registration Is Now Open
Can you believe it's that time already? Exhibitor registration for Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest (RMAF) 2020 for last year's exhibitors is open! RMAF's policy is to offer their 2019 exhibitors the opportunity to book the same exhibit space they occupied last year, and then open all available rooms to new and returning exhibitors in four weeks. RMAF 2020 will continue with all the nine floors on the tower side, Level 3 of the Convention Center for the Breakout Rooms, Headspace, Marketplace and Seminars. RMAF have opened up more space for the Marketplace which will now be in Colorado Ballrooms B and C and the seminars will move to Colorado Ballroom D. The Gaylord has not yet finalized RMAF Registration but we are hoping to move it closer to the action!

RMAF's website gurus are putting the final touches on this year's updates, so they will begin room assignments on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. Room assignments for exhibitors who did not show at RMAF 2019 will begin on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. RMAF received many rave reviews from exhibitors, press members, and attendees alike on their first year at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. There's no doubt the Gaylord is America's most luxurious show venue, with excellent weather too! Interest in participating in RMAF 2020 has been quite high, so we encourage you to make your decision and room selection early so you get one of your top choices.
---> Read more about the Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest 2020 at this link.

02 / 21 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Legacy Audio Features Their New I-V7 Amplifier
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Legacy Audio is one of the truly amazing companies within high-end audio as they do everything from front-end gear to speakers and all-in-between. At the Florida Audio Expo 2020 they were showcasing the company's new i-V7 ($7350), which is their most powerful home theater / multi-channel amplifier to date. It features the latest state-of-the-art ICEedge technology to deliver seven channels at 600 Watts @ 8 Ohms, which if you do the math is 4200 Watts in total!
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High Fidelity Cables, Bafflex Loudspeakers, Luminace Audio And Esoteric
Report By Frank Garofalo
Wow! This must be the coolest looking room at the Florida Audio Expo by far. High Fidelity Cables makes their first appearance at Florida Audio Expo with a system fit for a sci-fi supervillain. High Fidelity Cables is not just a cable manufacturer, they offer a wide range of products from cables to power conditioners and speakers. You are probably wondering what the heck those lightsaber looking things are.
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Alcons Pro-Ribbon / Blak Box Immersive Experience
Alcons' Pro-Ribbon speakers aid in Australia's Urban Theatre Projects (UTP), a project dedicated to telling real-life stories which portray the many facets of modern-day Australia through site-specific cultural experiences. Many of its projects are presented in Blak Box, a unique, portable venue that uses Alcons Audio pro-ribbon systems for a fully immersive audio experience. UTP's latest production was Momentum, which was presented in Blak Box at Barangaroo Reserve.

Alcons Audio systems for all Blak Box productions are supplied by David Betterridge of Sydney-based Loud And Clear Audio Pty Ltd. The Momentum system comprised six pro-ribbon VR5 mini versatile monitors and two BF151mkII compact subwoofers, powered and managed by two Sentinel3 amplified loudspeaker controllers. The VR5s were evenly-spaced around the perimeter of the internal wall, with the BF151s placed in opposing corners, between the internal and external walls.

"Each project presented in Blak Box is an individual work created by different teams, with different styles of storytelling, music and soundscapes. It's quite an intimate space, so the quality of the system is paramount," says David. "For Momentum, the brief was to supply a very compact system, because there was very little space for the top boxes, but which would be capable of reproducing a very varied range of speech and musical styles."

Target Releases New VWL Wall Stand For Turntables
Target Audio Products has developed the company's first-ever wall mounted turntable stand in 1983. Since that time, their original VW design that is still sold today, has been the benchmark of the industry. The new VWL stand ($125) was developed to the same high standards and surpasses the previous model. All turntables, from budget to enthusiast designs, benefit from mechanical coupling to control and isolate. Target Audio Products' design isolates by coupling turntables and components to an immovable surface, your wall.

There are hundreds of products designed to isolate turntables through the use of mechanical de-coupling. Target claims that these do not eliminate the effect of mechanical energy, as they only lessen its effect by partially absorbing and redirecting energy. Coupling the component to an immovable surface eliminates the mechanical energy. The sonic benefits of using a wall mounted stand are well known and prove beneficial to any listener. With an attractive and durable matte black appearance with solid performance, there's a cable management port for easy routing and clean installation. An underside mounted rubber absorption pad seeks to eliminate stray vibration. A solid wall-mounted design handles any turntable up to 26 lbs. Dimensions are 17.5" x 17.5" x 5" (WxDxH).

02 / 20 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Acora Acoustics, VAC, Esoteric And TransRotor
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Acora Acoustics has two rooms here at the Florida Audio Expo 2020. Acora speakers use extremely solid granite enclosures to ensure solid build quality, luxurious styling, and a solid foundation for the speaker drivers. Their SRC-1 floorstanders ($28,000 per pair) and SRB monitors ($15,000 per pair) mounted on SRS stands were both smooth and clean sounding. They were bring driven by Valve Amplification Company's (VAC) 450 iQ Monoblock power amplifier....
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RBH Sound, Marani, OPPO, Clarus, And Denon
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
RBH Sound debuted their 45th Anniversary SVTRS Limited Edition speaker system ($44,996) at the 2020 Florida Audio Expo in Tampa. As one of only twenty systems to be produced by RBH Sound, they developed this system for those seeking RBH's reference-grade loudspeaker system with DSP. RBH 6α six channel amplifier and Marani's flagship LPP-480F linear phase DSP speaker management processor includes delivery, setup, and on-site calibration by a member of RBH's staff.
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Prog Legends Gentle Giant Release Four LP Albums
Gentle Giant is happy to announce the release of the first four albums on vinyl April 3rd. After the positive response to the box set Unburied Treasure many fans asked whether the vinyl albums would ever be available. The band has responded and decided to make these albums officially available for the first time in decades. The band's first album Gentle Giant was first released in October 1970. Produced by Tony Visconti it marks the 50th Anniversary of the recording and live appearances of the band. Tony Visconti produced the follow up album Acquiring The Taste in 1971.

The band oversaw the production of the third album Three Friends in 1972 and was the first official release in North America. Strangely the N.A. version featured the artwork from the U.K. Gentle Giant album. This album was followed up with their milestone album Octopus in 1972. Once again the North American artwork was different to the Roger Dean U.K. version and featured a dye cut Octopus in a jar. Released on the Alucard label, the albums will be manufactured in 180 gram vinyl with the original gatefold artwork from the U.K. The band hopes that their friends, followers and fans will enjoy these albums in their original form 50 years later!

Casey Abrams Uncovered Release By Chesky Records
Chesky Records' release of jazz bassist and vocalist Casey Abrams' Uncovered highlights this modern musical chameleon, which seamlessly blends traditional jazz musicianship with contemporary pop sensibilities and uniquely distinct voice. Largely known for his time spent on American Idol and with Postmodern Jukebox, Abrams has also released several successful solo projects, including 2019's Jazz and 2018's Put a Spell On You which peaked at #2 and #5 respectively on the Billboard Jazz Albums charts.

So productive were the recording sessions for these albums that not all of the material could fit on the albums. Not to simply be left on the cutting room floor, these songs are now being made available on Uncovered, the new EP from Casey Abrams, available February 21st, 2020. Abrams will also be going on tour to promote the new project. You owe it to yourself to experience the frenetic musical force that is Casey Abrams.

Manley Labs Absolute Headphone Amplifier
The makings of a legend!
Review By Gary Alan Barker Of Headphone.Guru
Back in the late nineteen eighties I ran a small boutique by appointment only high end Hi-Fi shop, and at that time our preamplifier of choice was the Manley (their first and only product at the time if my memory serves correctly), which we considered to be the finest audio product in the world. Not long after that, Manley moved into pro audio which they quickly took by storm and has remained their primary focus ever since.
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02 / 19 / 20

ModWright Instruments, EgglestonWorks, Wolf Audio System/House of Sound, WyWires, Stillpoints, And VPI Industries
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Daniel Wright of ModWright Instruments is one of the truly bright lights within high-end audio. Cautiously calm, casually cool, and super smart! ModWright's KWH 225i vacuum tube integrated amplifier ($8495) combines the solid-state output stage of the company's Reference KWA 150SE amp with the controls and integration of their KWI 200. A few tweaks here, replacing the SS preamp circuit with a Class A tube design there, and you get 225 Watts of perfectly powerful amp-power.
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Gershman Acoustics, VAC, Exasound, VPI, Nordost... And A Seedie Player?
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
One of my fave couples to see during shows, and the Florida Audio Expo 2020 is no different, is Eli and Ofra Gershman. As one of the cutest Canadian couple who produce lovely loudspeakers, my Muse / wife Heather and I always enjoy investing time learning about their latest offerings. During FLAX 2020 Gershman Acoustics was showcasing their new Grand Studio ll floorstanders ($11,900). A pair of high performance 1" coated silk dome tweeters are centrally featured and flanked top/bottom by 8" extensively vented motor woofers.
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Blue Coast Records Offers Exceptional Acoustic Recordings
Blue Coast Records offers ultra-high quality music for audiophiles and music lovers alike. You can also enjoy Blue Coast Records Radio in Hi-Res Music at Qobuz with more than 20 hours of continuous music! Stream your favorite Blue Coast music while burning in your new gear... or old gear. Also available is an audiophile edition of Long Lost Pal featuring Jenner Fox and Raph Odell Odell Fox is a musical and lyrical collaboration between fan favorite Jenner Fox and Raphael Odell Shapiro. Supported by Jeff Kissell on bass, Lauren Tronick on vocals/violin, and Brain on drums, the Odell Fox chemistry brings the campfire ease to your living room. Their poetry and warm harmonies are relaxed and undemanding. The lead off tune, a Paul Simon classic "You Can Call Me Al", will have you dancing in seconds. Odell Fox takes Jenner's signature style and adds Raph's influence, creating a perfect blend that fans both old and new will love.

Another great album is Jenna Mammina and Alex de Grassi Walk The Sky. The first concert streamed live in DSD from the US, Live in the Studio captures a historic concert from vocalist Jenna Mammina and guitarist Alex de Grassi. Both extremely talented musicians in their own right, together Jenna and Alex created something more than just the sum of their parts. Alex's fingers effortlessly blend dense jazz harmonies with rugged blues licks on "It Ain't Necessarily So," and Jenna channels her own pain (from learning of Prince's death hours before we went live) into a cover of "King of Pain" by The Police. Originally broadcast in DSD128, Live in the Studio was recorded to DSD256 at Skywalker Sound by Leslie Ann Jones and Cookie Marenco then mixed using our proprietary analog stage methods at Blue Coast Studios to DSD256.

02 / 18 / 20

Valve Amplification Company, Von Schweikert Audio, Esoteric, Kronos, Masterbuilt, Critical Mass And The Audio Company
Welcome to the Big Room!
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Welcome to the BIG ROOM! You've read about it, perhaps you've been fortunate enough to have heard the astounding VAC / Von Schweikert combo at one of the many shows around the world. The mating of the big arse Von Schweikert speakers with an abundance of VAC amplifiers. If you missed it, you're reeeeeally missed out... and should have been at the Florida Audio Expo 2020. This was the very last time to hear a truly amazing sound system, since Von Schweikert will no longer be bringing their insanely heavy and very large Von Schweikert Ultra 11 loudspeaker system ($325,000 per pair) to shows.
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MBL North America, United Home Audio, And Wireworld Cable
Report By Frank Garofalo
MBL North America makes a return to the Florida Audio Expo with almost the same system as last year. MBL brought out their 101 E MK II Radialstrahier omni-directional loudspeakers ($70,500) that were fed by MBL's Noble Line electronics. This time around sporting all white electronics and speakers in lieu of last year's black and white panda color scheme.
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The Audio Company
VAC, Von Schweikert Audio, Esoteric, Kronos, AirTight, Critical Mass, Masterbuilt, Acoustic Sciences
Report By Frank Garofalo
The Audio Company nailed it this year with their massive Von Schweikert Ultra 11 loudspeakers ($325,000) powered by four VAC Statement 452iQ power amplifiers ($75,000), preamplifier duties carried out by the VAC Statement line preamplifier ($80,000) which was fed by Esoteric digital front end consisting of their Grandioso D1x monoblock DACs ($50,000) with the GI Grandioso clock ($26,000), Grandioso P1x CD transport ($50,000). Streaming from the Esoteric N-01 ($22,000) and the Aurender W2OSE ($22,000).
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Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Mc Audiotech, Linear Tube Audio, Audience, Wolf Audio Systems, And Symposium
Enjoy music all day and night long....
Within Mark Conti's MC Audiotech room at Florida Audio Expo 2020 was their innovative Forty-10 loudspeaker ($35,000 per pair) that includes an electronic crossover to ensure precise frequency split between the drivers. With each enclosure of this two-way being independent, the stylish upper frequency array is loaded with proprietary transducers (drivers).
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02 / 17 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

PureAudioProject, Pass Labs, VPI And Luminous Audio
Big sound and luxurious style at reasonable pricing.
It's always a joy to be greeted by the always-happy Ze'ev Schlik of PureAudioProject speakers, and here at the Florida Audio 202 is no exception. As one of the very first magazines to review their speakers, the Trio 15 TB open baffle back in April 2015, our reviewer Rick Becker said, " I'm hedging my bet on buying the review sample of the PureAudioProject Trio 15 TB speaker. Not because it is not a great speaker, especially for its price (only $3750!), but because I'm in awe of the potential of the design...."
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Rave'in' 'Bout Raven Audio At Florida Audio Expo 2020
Silky smooth sound meets great resolution.
With an incredibly smooth and musical sound, Raven Audio was at the Florida Audio Expo 2020 with two systems. One featured a Mytek Digital Brooklyn DAC+ ($2199), Raven Audio Blackhawk / Nighthawk MK3 vacuum tube integrated amplifier, Ce'Lest tower speakers, and Soniquil cabling throughout. System two has a pair of Raven Audio Silhouette MK2 Reference preamplifier and Silhouette MK2 monoblock amplifiers ($15,995) driving the Corvus Reference loudspeakers. Once again Soniquil cabling was used throughout.
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Bryston And Audeze Rooms Plus Nagra Audio Too
With little info to go on...
Sometimes you forget to take notes, or your smartly ask the exhibitor(s) to help by e-mailing you a gear list. Alas, sometimes when covering rooms things simply 'fall apart'. No worries, as these things happen from time to time. Bryston had their typical solid-state gear, while Audeze has truly amazing Nagra Audio gear with their extra-special planar magnetic headphones!
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Musical Surrounding At Florida Audio Expo 2020
DS-E1 optical cart. and Rogue Audio's impressive Cronus Magnum III!
Garth Leerer of Musical Surroundings fame is always very welcoming and informative, with his room at Florida Audio Expo 2020 being most impressive too! A highlight of this room is the DS Audio, a division of Digital Stream Corporation, E1 Optical Cartridge System ($2750). Before i get more into the other bits, lemme spit at ya some cool things about this photo cartridge. It dices, it slices, it makes thousands of Julienne fries. Oh, wait, please allow me to start again.
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64 Audio Tia Fourte And U18t In-Ear Monitors
Serving an audiophile well in their personal audio journeys.
Review By Smit Patel Of Positive Feedback
With just a decade of experience, 64 Audio have quickly grown to become a tour de force in the world of portable audio. Part of their ascension has stemmed from their firm desire to challenge traditional audio standards with innovations and ground-breaking technologies. The pinnacle of their knowledge has culminated in the Tubeless In-Ear Audio (tia) technology that comprises open balanced armatures within acoustic chambers, and a single bore design to give incredible levels of transparency and resolution.
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Win Bottlehead Crack 1.1 OTL Headphone Amp Kit
Win an OTL vacuum tube headamp valued at $315!
Bottlehead and Enjoy the Music.com are giving away their easy-to-build Crack 1.1 OTL vacuum tube headphone amplifier kit ($315 on up depending on options). For decades, Bottlehead has been providing wonderful DIY kits, usually based around vacuum tubes (hence company's name Bottlehead), and with kit naming being a bit, ummm, edgy. From Wikipedia: "Crack affects the brain chemistry of the user causing euphoria, supreme confidence, alertness, increased energy – and a craving for more crack."
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STEREO Magazine's English Edition Going 100% Website
As the second magazine to go pure web play during 2020, Canadian magazine NOVO High-End being announced on January 14th (2020), the English language version of Germany's highly popular STEREO Magazine is going from PDF to pure website starting immediately. As the second magazine, and surely not the last, to go 100% online for easy reading, Enjoy the Music.com continues our partnership with STEREO Magazine and we look forward to reading their excellent articles and reviews online.

Every other month we will be sharing one of their reviews within Enjoy the Music.com's longstanding Review Magazine. The big question is, which print magazine will be next during 2020 to go pure web, as we have some hints yet can't say for now. We welcome more magazines to the web as Enjoy the Music.com celebrates our 25th Anniversary as a pure internet website; thus predating both Google and Yahoo(!).

Rickie Lee Jones Concert During AXPONA 2020
Rickie Lee Jones, scheduled to perform at AXPONA 2020 show, is an longtime classic audiophile favorite as she spent a lifetime dancing with her muse. She is said to be, especially by elderly audiophiles, the most iconic American female singer-songwriter of her most popular time during the late 1970s and very early 1980s. A seasoned humility brings her performances an authenticity that only long-enduring musicians achieve. Her artistry is brilliantly underlined with her new 2019 album Kicks. The album spans two decades (1950s to 1970s) of pop, rock and jazz, presenting her unique and sophisticated interpretations of songs that were pivotal to her musical journey.

In Jones' voice and songs, we saw smoky stocking seams, love being everything but requited. And it was during these years that Rickie Lee's song, "Easy Money" (1979) caught the attention of one musician and then the music industry. The song was recorded by Lowell George, the founder of the band, Little Feat. He used it on his solo album Thanks, I'll Eat It Here. Shortly thereafter, Warner Brothers auditioned Jones and quickly signed her to the label. Her AXPONA 2020 performance is scheduled for Saturday evening from 8pm to 9:30pm and you can buy tickets here.

02 / 13 / 20

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Suncoast Audio Room 12-13
Suncoast Audio store with MORE SUNnsational gear!
Florida Audio Expo 2020 had local dealer Suncoast Audio, located at 7353 International Place, Unit 309, within SUNsational Sarasota (Florida), with Fyne Audio F-702 speakers in Piano Gloss Walnut ($8995 per pair) being powered by the prestigious Pass Labs INT-60 integrated amplifier ($9000). As in their other 12th floor room, digital front-end was Aurender yet this time their W20SE music server / streamer ($22,000) feeding Hi-Res Music to the LaScala MkII Optologic DAC ($7700).
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Suncoast Audio Stenheim Room 12-12
Sunny Sarasota store with SUNsational gear!
As with many high-end audio shows, and the Florida Audio Expo 2020 is no different, as there were local dealers who also showcased gear. Suncoast Audio is located at 7353 International Place, Unit 309, within sunny Sarasota (Florida) and had three exhibit rooms. Within Stenheim Room 12-12 during the very, very beginning of the show i stopped by and say a truly lovely setup!
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Chord Electronics 2go And 2yu Hi-Res Music Streamers
Chord Electronics has announced 2go (£995), a high-performance streamer/server designed to transform Hugo 2 into a fully featured Wi-Fi and Ethernet-enabled device. In addition to Hi-Res music streaming, 2go also benefits from 2x 2 TB-rated SD card slots for digital storage and playback, enabling Hugo 2 as a high-capacity solid-state digital music server (using MPD), all from a compact, space-saving and highly portable device. 2go is more than just an enabling device for Hugo 2, however. Chord Electronics has also developed 2yu (£449), a digital interface that connects to 2go to provide four digital outputs (USB, TosLink optical, S/PDIF coaxial and BNC), effectively making 2go and 2yu a standalone Chord Electronics streamer/server, to be used with any compatible DAC or digital-input device. The 2go/2yu duo can also benefit from the Hugo M Scaler's 768kHz upscaling.

2go brings the benefits of both wireless convenience (2.4GHz Wi-Fi and A2DP Bluetooth) plus the stability and performance of wired (Gigabit) Ethernet connectivity, the latter offering set-up-free plug and play operation. 2go also benefits from comprehensive audio interfacing and offers Tidal, Qobuz and Internet radio playback with Spotify (and others) earmarked for the future. 2go is also Roon Ready, offers gapless audio and DoP/Bit Perfect support, as well as being fully DLNA-compliant (server/renderer) and AirPlay-ready.

A key feature of 2go is its auto-switching input function: every audio interface is always on, therefore switching between inputs is as easy as hitting ‘play' on the chosen control point app; 2go convenience-switches between all its inputs automatically, giving a seamless user experience when playing music from different sources or even streaming services. Based around a powerful triple-core audio processor, 2go's proprietary streaming circuit has been skilfully engineered into a slender chassis which offers Micro USB charging of the internal batteries, a power on/status/battery/network indicator, 2x 2 TB-rated SD card slots, a Gigabit Ethernet port and an IR window; an internal voice engine also allows for audible status information.

2yu is a designed-for-2go digital interface enabling 2go as a fully-fledged standalone streamer, independent of Hugo 2. 2yu boasts 2,000 MIPS (million instructions per second) of processing power, an integrated sample rate converter, plus a low-jitter audio phase lock loop. 2yu connects directly to 2go to add TosLink optical S/PDIF, coaxial and BNC (both 75 Ohms) digital outputs, plus a cleverly integrated USB-A output. Like the Hugo 2, 2yu features four polychromatic spherical controls governing output selection, power, mute and dim functions.

Sonus Faber Gravis III Active DSP Subwoofer
Sonus faber has launched their new Gravis III ($2750) active subwoofer system. This is the latest addition to the Sonus faber Gravis collection of active subwoofers dedicated to the reproduction of low frequency, designed to match all Sonus faber full-range loudspeakers collections. Aesthetically, Gravis III follows the style of its predeceasing products, with the body enriched by a black leather covering and discreet Piano black wooden finish. However, the subwoofer's top finishes of Wengè and Walnut matte create the connection to the newer Olympica Nova collection. The removable fabric grille with metal pins covers a powerful 10" ultra-long throw driver including a Tri-laminated sandwich cone diaphragm with a layer of honeycomb in between, managing the driver's excursion and resistance flexing. The stiffness of the cone merged with its extreme lightness allows the subwoofer to produce the tightest and most accurate bass reproduction possible.

An internal Class AB amplifier produces 600 Watts into an 8 Ohms and is aided by further linearized due to a specially designed Digital Signal Processor, implemented in the input preamp stage, that allows adjustments in order to optimize dynamic impact and sonic reproduction depth, satisfying every application need. Many input options are available at the Gravis III subwoofer backplate. Both high speaker and low-level RCA / XLR signals are accepted. The LFE signal can be fed to the subwoofer through the shared XLR or RCA. If avoiding cables back to the receiver/preamp/processor, Gravis III integrates a wireless receiver to pair with the optional transmitter, allowing complete connectivity without long wiring runs. The Gravis III is fully controllable by means of a dedicated, user-friendly app. The user can choose among four presets or modify the cutoff frequency and the acoustical output phase for seamless integration with the main loudspeakers. Delay, parametric filters and limiters are also available for the most accurate sonic performance calibration. A simple self-calibration procedure is also available to achieve ideal subwoofer performance in relation to the acoustic of the listening room.

7RAY Featuring Triple Ace Jazzy Zoetrope LP
For nearly 30 years, Pro-Ject has been known for offering the best in luxury audio listening equipment, but now the brand is excited to extend its listening offerings with a new audiophile vinyl LP created under the Pro-Ject label! This first-of-its-kind record boasts different recording styles beautifully blended in collaboration with Austrian musician and audiophile 7RAY featuring Triple Ace Jazzy Zoetrope. Carefully crafted as Pro-Ject's debut in recording, the vinyl is available as an audiophile 180 gram double LP and a direct master tape copy. The record is easy listen with great atmosphere, an instant Jazz classic.

This special concept live studio album (recorded at Pro-Ject's HQ in Austria) offers the ability to hear a direct comparison of recording styles. The production used the top analogue recording equipment with reduced and thoughtful mic'ing techniques to capture the essence of what Pro-Ject's mission and commitment to quality sound. This is a landmark case in Pro-Jects recording capabilities, using real analog tape with reduced microphony, capturing live in true stereo with no compression or extensive editing – truly recreating a live performance.

World Premiere Review!
Stromtank S2500 Battery Power Supply
The joys of a pure sine wave with battery power.
Review By Tom Lyle
I've been stricken with something I like to call an "audiophile illusion of grandeur" for quite some time. It started long ago, when I first discovered that the AC power supplied to my stereo system was less than adequate. This wasn't too difficult to figure out, because in the daytime my system sounded lousy, at least compared to how it sounded at night. This continues to this day. This is because my home shares the power my electric company provides with many customers, including commercial establishments, homes, and more. As a result, the sound of my system suffers.
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02 / 12 / 20

StereoPravda SPearphone SB-3.5
Audiophile in-ear monitors reviewed.
Review By Alan Gary Barker Of Headphone.Guru
The SPearphone SB-3.5 is the latest product of Russian manufacturer StereoPravda, one of the more unique IEM manufacturers I have come in contact with. Their no-compromise, no-holds-barred approach to audio has made them unique in several ways. For one, their IEMs are not jewelry, they are not even pretty, if that is what you are looking for, then look elsewhere. Also, since they are designed to fit deep into your ear canal, along with their almost comically large speaker cables, they are not exactly comfortable, and I, for one, would be hesitant to wear them out jogging.
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Florida Audio Expo 2020 Show Report

Synergistic Research
A tweak here, an improvement there....
Oh... my... goodness! There were so many diverse bits of gear and tweaks within the Synergistic Research room at the Florida Audio Expo 2020 that I'm not sure where to begin! Ted Denny was running a wonderful A/B comparo where you could hear the gains within a system made by using their products. A tweak here, another one there and it really all adds up to musical delights!
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Benchmark Media Systems
Plus Audeze, Focal, Grado, HiFiMAN, MEZE and Sennheiser.
A highlight of many shows is visiting Benchmark Media Systems. This year during the Florida Audio Expo 2020 they were headphone city as a ROON server was streaming Tidal with their lossy MQA files and true lossless Qobuz too. Yes, they were really streaming! As you'd expect, a variety of headphones were available to listen to Benchmark's DAC3 B ($1699) Hi-Res Audio DAC and HPA4 ($2999) stereo headphone amplifier.
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AGD And Ocean Way Audio
Alberto Guerra of AGD was at the Florida Audio Expo 2020 with his just reviewed by us amplifier and a slew of other great gear. Frankly, was truly curious if Rick Becker's review within this month's Review Magazine was spot on. You know I'm always curious to double-check things, plus Rick bought the review samples so that served to make me that much more curious.
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Enjoy the Music.com And MAYORS Celebrates Luxury Timepieces During Florida Audio Expo 2020
In 2020 Enjoy the Music.com is celebrating our 25th Anniversary and wanted to do something extra special. During the Florida Audio Expo we worked closely with MAYORS Jewellers, the Southeast's leading multi-brand retailer of jewelry and luxury timepieces retailer, for an exciting evening devoted to mechanical timepieces. For those unfamiliar, MAYORS has 17 stores within Florida and Georgia and is owned by Watches Of Switzerland, a leading luxury timepiece and jewelry company for over 50 (!) years, and so it took a bit of doing to make this event happen>
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<-- No Pic Here: Read Why... -->
Editorial: FLAX 2020: Fantastic Fun In Florida!
And as my final show report....
A Heartfelt Editorial By Steven R. Rochlin

Qobuz Streaming Music Celebrates One Year In USA
Qobuz, the certified Hi-Res Music streaming and download service, is celebrating the one year anniversary of its US launch. By serving the audiophile community with in-depth exclusive editorial content, personalized customer service, and a carefully curated catalog that includes not only all mainstream music but also deep representation of jazz, classical and other specialist genres, Qobuz has become the unquestionable choice of the American audio enthusiasts.

Since arriving in the US from France in February 2019, Qobuz has staked its claim on music and sound connoisseurs by ditching lossy, unnecessarily low-quality MP3s in favor of a fully lossless, high-quality catalog (files are up to 24-bit/192kHz), forging more high-end hardware partnerships than anyone else, and maintaining a download store that allows listeners to support creators by buying their music to own.

02 / 11 / 20

Chord Electronics ULTIMA PRE 2 Stereo Preamplifier
Chord Electronics has launched its second ULTIMA stereo preamplifier following the introduction of the flagship model in 2018. The new ULTIMA PRE 2 (£12,500) directly replaces its predecessor, the CPA 5000. Modernized to complement the new Chord ULTIMA mono power amplifiers, the new ULTIMA PRE 2 uses the company's striking new aesthetic, which benefits from a redesigned bolt-less fascia, featuring a 28mm-thick aircraft-grade aluminum front panel. Forming part of the company's flagship Reference range, this unit features the latest proprietary ultra-high-frequency power supply and ultra-low-noise circuitry, delivering an incredible noise floor performance of below -130dB. With highly flexible for today's high-end audio systems, the new ULTIMA PRE 2 preamplifier offers four pairs of fully balanced XLR inputs, four pairs of unbalanced RCA inputs, plus two completely independent record loops. Each input has six levels of gain which can be individually selected to prevent large changes in volume when switching between inputs; all settings are microprocessor-stored, even when the power is removed.

For late-night and personal listening, the ULTIMA PRE 2 preamplifier also includes two low-distortion low-noise fascia-mounted 6.35mm (1/4") headphone outputs, designed to exploit the full potential of today's high-quality headphones. Fully balanced A/V bypass circuitry for direct connections to A/V processors is also included, plus 12 Volt remote triggering outputs at the rear of the unit, to activate compatible power amplifiers or A/V processors on power-up. Chord Electronics' renowned aircraft-grade aluminum casework, available in Jett Black or Argent Silver finishes, offers a reassuringly high-end and entirely non-resonant enclosure for the electronics.

02 / 10 / 20

AXPONA 2020 High-End Audio Event Feat. Live Music
AXPONA 2020 show is North America's largest event for audiophiles, manufacturers of high-end audio equipment, musicians and music lovers. The three-day experience features over 200 high fidelity listening rooms, providing guests the enviable opportunity to experience the newest technology in high-end consumer audio products. Attendees are encouraged to go from room to room and sit, listen and compare the various systems. The Expo Hall and Ear Gear Experience play host to thousands of products and accessories from cables to headphones to LPs and SACDs. Beyond the exhibits, AXPONA includes live musical performances and educational seminars with industry experts and demonstrations.

During AXPONA 2020 on Friday, April 17th from 8pm to 9:30pm, Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon will defy all expectations. The blistering guitarist, soulful vocalist, singular songwriter and city bus driver fuses his muscular, rock-inspired blues guitar playing with his original, keenly detailed slice-of-life songs, blazing his own blues trail. With the 2016 release of his Alligator Records debut, The Chicago Way, Cannon burst onto the international stage as one the most electrifying bluesmen to emerge from Chicago in decades. You can register for the show here, and learn more about AXPONA 2020 high-end audio show at our report's main page.

02 / 06 / 20

Hi-Fi+ February 2020 High-End Audio Magazine
Hi-Fi+ magazine's February 2020 issue features a fond farewell to our good friend Malcolm Steward. Event coverage this issue is the 019 Tokyo International Audio Show, which is the fast-growing show at the heart of Japan. Gear reviews include the AURALiC Sirus G2 universal upsampling processor, Krell K-300i integrated amplifier, Mark Levinson No. 515 turntable / tonearm / cartridge combo, Triangle Borea BR03 stand-mount loudspeakers, Thorens TD 1601 semi-automatic turntable, Zesto Audio Andros 1.2 phonostage preamplifier, Norma IPA-70B integrated amplifier, Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe integrated amplifier, Etymptoc ER2SE/ER2XR in-ear monitors, Nordost Valhalla 2 Phono Stage + dedicated phono cable, Critical Mass Systems QXK equipment support system, KLH Ultimate One open-back headphones, and Allnic Audio ZL-5000 power cord.

Within this month's editorial, Alan Sircom says, "It's one of the less enjoyable tasks of being an editor, but you do get to write obituaries with alarming regularity. Such is the case this month. As we went to press, we learned of the passing of Malcolm Steward, contributor to this magazine and stalwart of UK audio reviewing from the 1980s until late 2015. Malcolm's writing career came to an end as the result of a serious road traffic accident that he was not expected to survive; in typical Steward fashion, he was too charmingly curmudgeonly to quit that quick." See what's within this issue of Hi-Fi+ magazine at this link.

Florida Audio Expo 2020 Is This Weekend
Florida Audio Expo 2020 happens this weekend, Friday through Sunday, February 7th through 9th, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore. Free admission grants access to 66 exhibitors — up from last year's total of 41. Many of these exhibitors will unveil new products, giving attendees the opportunity of being among the first to experience some of the best high-performance audio equipment — electronics, loudspeakers, turntables, headphones, and more — from all over the world.
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GIK 4A Alpha Panel Diffusors
One of the best values to treating any good listening room.
Review By Rick LaFaver
I have always been a staunch advocate of adding room acoustic devices as an integral part of any high quality sound system. That is unless you listen within an anechoic chamber or a padded cell. There are many different ways to handle standing waves whether it is DSP, diffusion, wide spectrum, or narrow spectrum absorption. GIK 4A Alpha Panel Diffusors are a great way to improve your listening room and here's why: Two of the most important elements in creating the foundation of any great listening room are choosing a world class speaker and an acoustic treatment plan that tames any anomalies in your room of choice.
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02 / 05 / 20

exaSound Audio Design Delta Music Server
exaSound Audio Design will premier their new new Delta Music Server (starting at $2999) at the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa this weekend. Featuring an Intel i9-9900 8-core CPU for heavy-duty DSP processing and upsampling with Roon, this unit operates silently to not interfere with your listening room's noise floor. High-performance hardware and exaOS lightweight operating system facilitate streaming to virtually all USB DACs and Roon-supported audio devices. Roon Core delivers intelligent management of music content stored on hard drives, NAS, and from streaming services Tidal and Qobuz. UPnP server offers bit-perfect Hi-Res Music streaming up to DSD512, PCM 32-bit/768kHz and DXD. A 7" touchscreen offers ease of use and welcome user experience.

Massive, completely silent aluminum hardware means there are no moving parts required. Passive convection cooling ensure silent operation for maximum upsampling and digital processing performance. Audio-optimized, low-latency, high-efficiency, light-weight reliable and unbreakable operating system is what exaOS claims to provide. exaSound Audio Design's Delta Music Server is also completely customizable with your choice for Intel CPUs from i3 to i9-9900. Bit perfect CD ripping also also provided. RAM and SSD storage size is also customizable, and you have a choice of black or silver casing finish. Dimensions are 10.3" x 10.3" x 10.8" and the unit weighs 21 lbs.

02 / 04 / 20

Glass Audio America's Bob Carver 2180i Int. Amp.
Wyred 4 Sound Licenses Bob Carver Corp.; Forms Glass Audio America
EJ Sarmento, President and Founder of Wyred 4 Sound, is pleased to announce the formation of Glass Audio America, LLC for the purposes of manufacturing a complete line of vacuum tube and other products under exclusive license from The Bob Carver Corporation. Production of these new products will be in Mr. Sarmento's newly expanded facilities in Astacadero, California. Frank Malitz will continue his base of operations in Chicago, Illinois. Earning multiple Product of The Year Awards spanning over a decade, Wyred 4 Sound is an innovative company that prioritizes engineering excellence while pinpoint focusing on long-term reliability and class leading value. Seen here is a rendering of the new Glass Audio America Bob Carver 2180i (target price of $4000), which is a 180 Watt per channel integrated amplifier that will be introduced at the Florida Audio Expo February 7th through the 9th in Tampa, Florida.

Producing 180 Watts per channel by employing KT 120 tubes, this integrated amplifier has parallel capability for mono, with optional preamp bypass, so it doubles the power to 360 Watts. The preamplifier vacuum tubes are proudly on display through the front left glass panel. Due to the design of this integrated amplifier, and unlike bridging, the performance will be enhanced if the two channels are paralleled. Each Glass Audio America 2180i stereo integrated amplifier is carefully handmade in California, USA.

02 / 03 / 20

Australian Hi-Fi Magazine January / February 2020
Celebrating 50 Years Of Gear And Music Reviews
This issue of Australian Hi-Fi Magazine features news, reviews, and Tom Waters, of the Sydney Audio Club, tells the story of a well-traveled audiophile who's gone from hi-fi to home theatre... and returned! Hi-Fi Deconstructed has Hugh Grant, of Hugh Grant fame, thinking there's something wrong with movie theatre sound. Rod Easdown disagrees. Gear reviews in this issue includes the Exposure 2010S2 D integrated amplifier, Pro-Ject X-1 turntable, Gold Note DS-10 DAC / network player / headamp, Blue Satellite ANC headphones, Focal Kanta No 3 loudspeakers, and Ayre Acoustics EX-8 integrated hub.

Within his editorial titled The Future Is Future..., Greg Borrowman says, "Keen-eyed readers may have noticed something slightly different about our first issue for 2020. No, it's not that we've updated our '50 Year' anniversary logo — though we're very proud of that logo, as we know of only one other hi-fi magazine in the world that's been able to celebrate a 50th anniversary. No, what you should have noticed is that there's now a 'Future' logo above the barcode. Yes, Future Publishing Overseas, the Australian outpost of the giant UK-based publisher Future plc, is the new owner of Australian Hi-Fi Magazine." See what's within this issue of Australian Hi-Fi Magazine at this link.

HIGH END 2020 Brand Ambassador Alan Parsons
HIGH END 2020 show opens their doors and will welcome exhibitors and visitors from all over the world from May 14th through 17th in Munich, Germany. With exhibitor space already fully booked months in advance, this year's HIGH END show marks it's 39th time and 17th at M.O.C. As during the past 20 years, longer than any other North American magazine, Enjoy the Music.com once again reports on HIGH END in Munich. This internationally renowned exhibition has firmly established itself as a global event over nearly four decades. High End Society is very happy to announce that Alan Parsons will be this year's brand ambassador for their HIGH END 2020 Munich international hi-fi show! For this world renown British musician, sound engineer, and producer, they also brought back a reunion with his predecessor Steven Wilson. Both musical artists know each other from their joint work on Steven Wilson's album The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories). Enjoy the Music.com's HIGH END 2020 show report will be at this web page.

02 / 01 / 20

Enjoy the Music.com's February 2020 Review Magazine
High-End Audio / Audiophile Equipment Reviews And Think Pieces

Win Bottlehead Crack 1.1 OTL Headphone Amp Kit
Win an OTL vacuum tube headamp valued at $315!
Bottlehead and Enjoy the Music.com are giving away their easy-to-build Crack 1.1 OTL vacuum tube headphone amplifier kit ($315 on up depending on options). For decades, Bottlehead has been providing wonderful DIY kits, usually based around vacuum tubes (hence company's name Bottlehead), and with kit naming being a bit, ummm, edgy. From Wikipedia: "Crack affects the brain chemistry of the user causing euphoria, supreme confidence, alertness, increased energy – and a craving for more crack."
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Is Being An Immersivephile^TM The Next Evolution In Musical Bliss?
We live in a world that bathes us in sound from all directions.
Thought For Food (Strike That, Reverse It) By Steven R. Rochlin
Wikipedia says that "Modern stereophonic technology was invented in the 1930s by British engineer Alan Blumlein at EMI, who patented stereo records, stereo films, and also surround sound." Many of us agree going from single channel mono to stereo brought forth many aural / spatial benefits. Two ears, two speakers; seems very simple on the surface doesn't it? It also meant there was a bit more effort involved by the home listener going from mono to stereo in achieving the very best from this new 1930's audio playback format. Naturally the music loving press followed along.
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Cirque pour les Oreilles
Roger Skoff writes about technology and enjoyment.
Article By Roger Skoff
Have you ever seen the Cirque du Soleil? Whether you see it live or in one of its many televised performances, it's a wonder and a glory... and an incredible feat of work. Trained circus performers — already athletes of the highest skill and at the peak of physical fitness — work for months with coaches, choreographers, musicians, and costume and scenic designers to produce a show that's truly remarkable; in many ways, genuinely awesome; and always entertaining.
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CH Precision I1 Universal Integrated Amplifier
A new paradigm for the integrated amplifier platform.
Review By Greg Weaver
CH Precision was founded by Florian Cossy and Thierry Heeb, two alumni of the highly influential and innovative Swiss high-end audio firm Goldmund. Given the wide-reaching acclaim and the host of industry awards they have garnered since their founding, it is hard to believe this company is just rounding out its first decade! For reasons that will become clearer as you get further into this evaluation, I must preface this examination by noting that my experiences with their early offerings had left me somewhat wanting.
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AGD "The Audion" GaNTube Monoblocks
Class D reaches the upper echelon of high-end audio.
Review By Rick Becker
Back at the turn of the millennium you could put together a pretty good audio system for $10,000, and you could listen to many of those components in a local brick & mortar store if you lived in a decent size city. Sure there was some stratospherically priced gear in the $10,000 to $20,000 range you might be able to see if you went to one of the audio shows on the left or right coasts. Then along came "quantitative easing" and the internet. Gear got more expensive, the brick & mortar landscape eroded and major as well as regional audio shows proliferated.
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Pro-Ject X2 Vinyl LP Turntable
Easy to set up and very easy to use. You will not be disappointed.
Review By Tom Lyle
As the technology advances, it's only natural for any decent audio manufacturer to take advantage of this new technology. And so, when Pro-Ject was faced with improving upon their Debut and Xpression series of turntables, which are both very successful designs, they decided to, in their words, "improve on the technologies that had already been established". As a result, Pro-Ject introduced their X1 and X2 turntables. The X2, the subject of this review, besides many other improvements, makes the most of higher quality raw materials to use in its production (even though they are more difficult to source).
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Read All Articles, Reviews, And Show Reports
We have many more reviews, show reports, and think pieces than shown above, so be sure to read this month's edition of Enjoy the Music.com's Review Magazine at this link.

Previous High-End Audio News
For previous high-end audio and music industry news click here.