High-End 2001

Thursday Page 2

Past Audio C-9 Super ($4,000 USD) is a dual-mono preamplifier using four 6B4G for the output stage, two 6N30PDR (a "super tube" from Russia) for input and voltage regulation. Past Audio also offers their M-7B monoblock amplifier ($7,000/pr USD) that employs two KT88 are for current while two 300B tubes operate in parallel single-end to produce 25 watts. The output transformer are autoformers. An autoformer is like a "shock absorber" and has no secondary winding. This helps to produce bass frequencies and keeps the amplifier running stable according to the Past Audio representative. All circuit board on their units are high quality Teflon.

 

Transparent Audio's new Opus MM loudspeaker wire (50,000DM for eight foot pair). The built-in network is covered in carbon fibre. This is large as you can see my approximately 12" long HP Jornada 720 HPC above the Transparent audio box for scale.

 

Seen here is the Musix loudspeaker in their f*i line... this speaker is the Duud (pronounced dude... dude :-) ). Priced at 5000DM/pr and they are seen here in a lovely Makassa Ebony. A 20mm silk soft dome tweeter is mated to a 165mm coated paper woofer. Frequency response is 50Hz to 22kHz (+-2dB).  Dude!

 

Clearaudio record cleaner (3000DM).

 

Einstein makes a tubed CD player called "The Last Record Player" (8,00 DM) and features both single-ended via RCA and balanced output via XLR. It uses four E88CC tubes. Their The Tube preamplifier (15,000 DM, as seen below) uses a grand total of nineteen tubes SEE LIT.

 

 

Top most in the above photo is Naim's CD5 CD player (3,500 DM) and below is their NAC 112 preamplifier (2,398DM) and it offers five inputs and a tape monitor. Each input has adjustable level programmability so if your CD player provides a louder signal than, say, your turntable, the unit can be programmed to level the differences.

 

Nordost, makers of the Flatline Cable, Blue Heaven loudspeaker cables and much more were showing their complete line of cables.

 

Vienna Acoustics room was showing many of their loudspeakers... including the Mahler (17,000 DM/pr) that Myles Astor of Ultimate Audio seems to thoroughly enjoy.

 

The complete MBL system including their mbl 111B loudspeakers (33,600DM), 1511D digital to analog converter (top, left of center... 23,990 DM), 8011 monoblock amplifiers (below the 1511D... 6,890DM) and 1521 CD transport (9,980DM). Seen below is mbl's smaller system.

 

ELAC flat panel loudspeakers 50cm by 70cm (3,400/pr DM). Can you see them? Well, take a look at the three pictures hanging on the wall... that's the loudspeakers. Of course you can choose from many other pictures, but they did not have my fave Dogs Playing Poker and Smoking Cigars...

 

An impressive selection of Cardas connectors and wire were on display.

 

Tube Technology Synergy integrated amplifier uses six Tesla EL34L tubes per channel and provides inputs for five devices.

 

The Solid Edition by Acoustic Solid (3,000 DM, add 300 DM for chrome polishing). Mounted to the table is the 12" long Ortofon RMA 309i (4,500DM). Using a blued platter (below) is the Solid Round (3,500DM) and they also were showing their Solid One to One turntable (6,550 DM).

 

 

 

Ortofon SPU Royal cartridge (2,800DM).

 

Who is King of the Castle? Why it's Castle loudspeakers of course! Their new Warwick 3 (£550/pr) loudspeakers are two-way 6" vented enclosure offered in nine different fine wood finishes. Also new are their Durham 3 (£399/pr, seen below) bookshelf loudspeakers feature a 4" woven Kevlar fiber midrange/woofer mated to a 0.75" soft-dome tweeter. A rear firing reflex port assists in extending the lowermost frequency response.

 

 

Electrocompaniet complete system with their new EMC-1/UPCC1 24-but/192kHz CD player (available around August £2,750 and seen on top). The new ECI-4 stereo integrated amplifier (£1,899, second to the top) produces 120 watts per channel with two balanced inputs and five single-ended via RCA. Stereo balanced outputs is also offered to accommodate a second amplifier if desired.

 

Acoustic Signature was showing their complete line of turntables. The dedicated photo showcases their Analog One MK.II (5,950 DM). This 43kg unit includes an outboard power supply to insure top quality, stable and consistent speed.

 

JJ Electronics model JJ828 integrated stereo amplifier.

 

Avantgarde Acoustic hornspeakers (9,600 DM in standard black, colors add 700 DM more) were promoting their Solo loudspeaker. see lit.

 

Burmester room. Got cash to burn, here's one way to do it.

 

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