Home Entertainment 2003
Hi-Fi and Home Theater Event

Friday Page 1 By Steven R. Rochlin
Click here to e-mail reviewer.

 

  As seen above are the new Nearfield minimonitors ($4,500 or so) with their "Miracle" tweeter. It has a 170-degree dispersion and reaches frequencies up to 30kHz. The 7-inch woofer is mounted in a ported enclosure and goes down to 40Hz. This appears to be a no expense spared design that has a Corian exterior cabinet for extremely rigidity and WBT Platinum binding posts. The Miracle was being driven by the VAC Avatar that is one of my favorite integrated amplifiers (see review by clicking here).

 

Standing about five feet high (on optional stand) is the Pipedreams Model 9 ($19,500) in 100% Corian cabinet. Nine 4-inch drivers cover the middle frequencies and eighteen 1-inch tweeters for the highs. A pair of Pipedream woofers are also included so the entire system reproduces frequencies from 22kHz to 16Hz with a 96dB/W/m sensitivity at 4 ohm.

 

VAC's Phi Ultriode monoblock tube amplifier ($10,000 each) operates in "Class A1" triode. It has an external power supply to keep noise away from the critical analog stage. Naturally there is zero overall feedback, while the nickel-plated aluminum chassis augmented by glass is visually stunning... to match the music reproduction abilities.

 

Precision Audio, distributors of the Cable Elevators ($160) and Aurios component isolators ($300 for 1.1, the pro version is $600), were seen in many rooms at the show. The Cable Elevators have a "neck" that cradles the cable and in made with a semi-conductive glaze over industrial grade Porcelain. The Aurios isolator employs a precision bearing to reduce both macro and micro external vibrations from adversely affecting the music reproduction abilities of components.

 

Soundstring had a huge room with multiple systems with their products. Looks to be a massive launch in effect.

 

Wisdom Audio's M75 ($42,000) is a planar line source design augmented by a self contained, self-powered dynamic driver woofers.

 

In the Elusive Disc room they were proudly selling audiophile CDs, XRCD, vinyl, and various accessories.

 

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