Top Audio & Video 2003 Milan, Italy

Sunday Part 2

  Looking positively manly is the Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300 integrated amplifier (€6,650) with its oversized volume and selector knobs. This unit provides five stereo inputs and two pairs of sturdy, gold-plated loudspeaker binding posts for assisting in ease of bi-wiring. An outboard power supply insures the purity of the critical analog stage. This is, after all, a dual monophonic design.

 

The proverbial diamond in the rough Dynaudio had what appeared to be their entire line at the Milan Top Audio & Video show including their large floorstanding Confidence C2, C1 monitor, and Special Twenty-Five. In fact you can see our exclusive Dynaudio C2 review by clicking here.

 

Those of you a no-holds-barred budget might consider this staggering system with the top-line VPI turntable/arm, Jeff Roland electronics, and Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) loudspeakers.

 

For those of you old enough to remember the Sid and Marty Croft shoe HR Puff N Stuff... Buttons, buttons, who's got the buttons? Why it is the Rotel RSX-1065 with a grand total of 32 buttons, three knobs, and a power switch! This multi-channel surround sound integrated amplifier has the usual variety of inputs, outputs and decoding capabilities, yet at a very reasonable price with the high-quality Rotel owners know and love.

 

Pioneer had their DV-868AVi digital disc player and digital SVHS HDTV compatible unit at the show. The DV-868AVi has specialized digital outputs, S-Video and composite video outputs, and can play CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, SACD and other formats. Most impressive indeed!

 

Zingali's new Home Monitor series features their legendary Omniray Technology with crafted real wood horn. Seen here is their Home Monitor 215 Mk. II with dual 15-inch woofer (left) and model 212 Mk. II with dual 12-inch woofers. Special midrange adjustments of -3/-1.5/0/+1.5/+3dB are provided for with the bottom located matching wooden knob. Naturally two pairs of sturdy gold plated WBT connectors reside on the rear for bi-wire/amplification.

 

Macatone's M-8V (€30,000) monoblock amplifier has ten output tubes that in total produce 120 watts (at 8 ohms, or 160 watts into a 16 ohm load). Frequency response is from 10Hz to a staggeringly high 120kHz (-1dB).

 

Euro Audio Team (EAT) had their KT88, 300B, and 52B tubes. The KT88 is said to have a more natural sound than the Western Electric and others. The Teflon base holds standard metal pins while each pin is silver soldered to the appropriate internal part.

 

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