High-End Audio Industry News

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01 / 18 / 11

   After well over 15 years online, with nearly 12 years of industry news that far and away eclipses any other audiophile website, Enjoy the Music.com will be on a much needed holiday until February 7th. This time off will be used to refresh, rethink and come back with new ideas plus many more reviews and show reports during 2011. This coming year we have many items already planned plus are the only website to have partnered with all the major American high-end shows including AXPONA and T.H.E. Show Newport Beach. My deepest thanks for your understanding as this is the first time after 15 years that this site will be on holiday. Please note we are seeking talented reviewers during our upcoming planned changes (e-mail us for details). For those who have enjoyed our free content over these many years and want to show their appreciation, we do accept donations via PayPal.

 

01 / 17 / 11

  Enjoy the Music.com just published our January midmonth audiophile Review Magazine update.

Midmonth Update Includes:
VALVE Magazine
Rare Birds
Listening impressions of some collectible equipment.

Sound Practices
What About Horns
Article By Greg Boynton

CES 2011 Product Reports Including T.H.E. Show
Report of the International Consumer Electronic event and The Home Entertainment Show.

See the January midmonth update of the Review Magazine by clicking here.

 

McIntosh Laboratory, a longstanding home audio manufacturer for over 60 years, just debuted their new MC601 monoblock amplifier. The new MC601 replaces McIntosh's popular MC501 amplifier and joins the company's new MC302 and MC452. Distinguished by its rock-solid, new larger sized chassis of mirror polished stainless steel, the MC601 features the premium cosmetic design that has always distinguished McIntosh components, including a backlit glass faceplate. The newly designed 8-inch wide True Wattmeter, featuring elegant "McIntosh Blue" LED lighting, is a special larger size last used by McIntosh on its acclaimed MC1000 amplifier. The MC601's custom machined and anodized aluminum trim handles complete the iconic McIntosh look and styling. Among its many leading edge feature capabilities is Power Guard, a McIntosh circuit innovation that maximizes sound quality at high power levels. Additionally, the unit's advanced "Sentry Monitor" feature provides continuous short circuit protection of the amplifier and connected loudspeakers. In addition to its higher power rating of 600 watts, the MC601 features Thermal Track output transistors that allow for cooler, more efficient operation. Other new features are specially designed speaker binding posts, Quad Balanced circuit design for highest audio performance, and input and output jacks that allow bi or tri-amping with multiple MC601s. The MC601 delivers power into speaker loads of 2, 4, or 8 Ohms.

 

01 / 14 / 11

  HDtracks is now offering Jazz in the Key of Blue by Jimmy Cobb in ultra-high resolution 24-bit/192kHz! This Chesky Records 2009 release is of a superb, mostly self-taught musician. Jimmy Cobb is the elder statesman of all the incredible Miles Davis bands. Cobb's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly and Co. spanned 1957 until 1963 and included the masterpiece Kind of Blue, the most popular jazz recording in history. On this new Chesky Records recording, Jazz In the Key of Blue, Jimmy Cobb pairs up once again with 36-year old, Grammy Award winning trumpeter, Roy Hargrove. who has firmly established him-self as among the premier players in jazz and beyond. The tried and true pair are joined, this time around, by guitarist Russell Malone and bassist John Webber. Malone, an Albany, Georgia native, built his chops in his twenties as sideman to none other than jazz organ icon Jimmy Smith. And Webber, from the American midwest, is more than an able torch bearer for past alumni of the region, among them Jimmy Blanton and Ron Carter. Jazz In the Key of Blue continues to prove Jimmy Cobb's mettle as a band leader, his imperturbable, rock-steady swing, paving the way for the rhythms and sounds of yet another generation of jazzmen. You can buy this album by clicking here.

 

TACET's new The Auryn Series Volume XXXI consists of Auryn's Haydn: op. 77, 103, 42, String Quartets · Vol. 14 of 14 op. 77, 103, 42 as performed by the Auryn Quartet. According to TACET, " In English you could say "mission accomplished." 68 quartets, 75 recording days within a period of two years -- does a greater challenge for a string quartet exist... Haydn stops the way he began. He writes each note cantabile, experiments right up to the end and always remains original. The slow movement from the unfinished Op. 103, for example, effortlessly wanders through all the half-steps and almost the entire cycle of fifths. Despite such instances of boldness, everything fits together organically - the arrangement always sounds perfectly balanced. Our last issue presents Op. 77 (2 quartets), Op. 103 as well as the earlier single Quartet Op. 42 that doesn't fit into any "six-pack." Although composed much earlier, I added it onto the fragmentary Op. 103 as a kind of encore after a somewhat longer-than-usual break. The effect it makes in its general tone is as if someone were dreaming about the beautiful past."

 

01 / 13 / 11

  MartinLogan's Motion LX26 small floorstanders and Motion LX16 bookshelf speaker show a change to cone drivers for the company that once insisted on using planer technology for all frequencies but the very lowermost bass. The Motion LX26 tower speaker achieves low frequency performance with dual 5.25-inch high-excursion woofers and rear bass port. MartinLogan's signature perforated steel grille appears at the front of the unit, thus it is not an acoustically transparent front grill, which mounts to the 0.75-inch thick MDF cabinets. The drivers are secured by a black-anodized brushed aluminum baffle that sits flush with the cabinet. For upper frequencies, a Folded Motion tweeter is used. MartinLogan's Motion LX16 bookshelf speaker ($800 per pair) features the Folded Motion tweeter and a single 5.25-inch high-excursion midrange/woofer. The 0.75-inch thick MDF cabinet is rear ported.

 

Music Industry News 10 Years Ago
NAD's new C660 CD Recorder ($999) is a dual-tray CD-R/CD-RW deck that combines NAD sound quality with the convenience of the CD-R format plus the ability to replay MP3 CD-ROMs discs. With the additional benefit of sophisticated built-in MP3 decoding capability, the C660 can deliver more than 20 hours of background music (10 hours per disc) without interruption when playing MP3 encoded CD-R’s at near CD sound quality. CD Recording (at up to 4X normal speed), the dual-tray C660 can make fast and accurate copies of CDs and MP3 discs. The C660 employs a separate Digital Signal Processing (DSP) IC to run the highly regarded "Fraunhofer" MP3 algorithm. There is also the ability to play the two transport sections either simultaneously (two zones) or sequentially, for extended playing time.

 

01 / 12 / 11

  Stealth Acoustics, a premier systems integration firm based in Washington State with over 37 years of experience, is now selling their Model 255R rack mountable 250 Watt monophonic subwoofer amplifier. The 255R incorporates all of the features found in a conventional powered subwoofer and puts them in a package that can be installed in a standard 19" equipment rack or stacked with other non-rack mounted stereo equipment. Features include fixed high pass filter, variable low pass filter (50 to 150 Hz with 30dB/octave), phase control, standby LED (red) blue when active, auto on/standby function and output monitor LEDs. There are line level inputs and outputs, balanced line input and outputs.

 

Stealth Acoustics has also introduced their high-performance, grill-less, loudspeakers called the Monolith. This unique form-factor is intended for critical listeners, or those who want a truly unique and customizable visual experience from a loudspeaker. Unlike other free-standing speakers, the Monolith has no exposed drivers, nor grill covering. Instead, the speaker has a flat front radiating surface which may be finished with real hardwood of various species, custom graphics, or painted for true architectural integration. "We have taken our latest invisible speaker technology and placed it in a free-standing enclosure," said Paul Hagman, president of Stealth Acoustics and Monolith inventor. " I felt that since our new invisibles sounded so good, the same technology married to a great-looking box speaker would bring Stealth's impressive sound performance to critical two-channel listeners, all while creating unprecedented artistic design opportunities."

 

01 / 11 / 11

  Enjoy the Music.com has just posted the February 2011 edition of The Absolute Sound (Issue 210)! This edition of The Absolute Sound features many equipment reviews including the NAD C356BEE integrated amplifier, SOTA Sapphire Series V turntable, Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 DAC, B&W 805 Diamond loudspeakers, David Berning's ZH-230 power amplifier, Classé Audio CA-M600 monoblock amplifier... and much more! Within Robert Harley's editorial Audio's Renaissance Man he writes, "In the year 2076 our descendents will celebrate the 200th anniversary of recorded sound. That occasion will likely inspire audio historians to reflect on those individuals who made the greatest contribution to audio technology in the first 200 years. Those short lists will undoubtedly include Thomas Edison, Emile Berliner, Alan Blumlein, Emory Cook — and Keith Johnson." You can see the complete table of contents and editorial of TAS by clicking here.

 

Esoteric just released their K-01, the flagship model of our all-in-one advanced D/A converter and Super Audio CD/CD player series, capitalizing on Esoteric's state-of-the-art technology and derived from our award winning P-01/D-01 series separates. The design concept of the K series is extremely clear and simple -- a two-channel D/A converter and stereo player that gives a stress-free musical experience, without adding or removing anything from the original source material. All aspects of the design and engineering process for the K series had extremely tough requirements to further advance Esoteric's top technology. Pictured here is the K-03 that is equipped with the new VRDS-NEO VMK-3.5-10 mechanism, which has further advanced substantially beyond existing VRDS models, and a dual mono configuration of 32-bit monaural D/A converters with four parallel/differential DAC circuits per channel. The analog audio circuit has a separate power transformer. The on-board high-precision clocking circuit has also been advanced. Three sets of 24-bit/192kHz digital inputs supporting the most advanced high-sampling digital sources are also built-in. USB driver software supports 24-bit/192kHz asynchronous transmission for connecting with a PC. The high-precision turntable handles SACD and CD media and improves read precision by mechanically correcting for surface run-out. For the D/A converter device itself, ASAHI KASEI Microdevices Corporation's top-end 32-bit AK4399 was adopted, after extended repetitive audio and system reliability auditions. Digital inputs include TosLink optical, USB2 and S/PDIF coax while digital output is via S/PDIF coax. Analog outputs include both balanced via XLR and unbalanced via RCA.

 

EMM Lab PRE2 stereo preamplifier ($15,000) embodies the company's recognition that the analog preamplifier. The reasons is due to it being the heart of every analog music system and it deserves the very best treatment because it handles every sound your system produces. Built on the heritage of the famous PA6i Meitner preamplifier, the PRE2 SE updates Ed Meitner's classic to take a place at the forefront of 21st century preamp performance. The PRE2 features six analog inputs, a recording loop, infrared remote control and excellent transparency. The op-amp free dual-balanced audio path is aided by a sophisticated contactless switching system plus the completely proprietary volume control system. The PRE2 also extensively features EMM Labs' aerospace-grade composite laminate circuit boards. Copper traces are microscopically smooth on top and bottom, making their boards sound more like discrete OFC wiring according to the company. There are two sets XLR balanced inputs, four sets RCA unbalanced inputs, one set RCA unbalanced for recording loop. Output duties are handled by stereo XLR balanced and a set of stereo RCA unbalanced outputs. A front large display with brightness control aids in control plus offers newly designed intuitive control system featuring programmable input naming, settings recall and many additional features. The sculpted brushed aluminum chassis is available in silver or black. SNR is 110dB, THD is <0.01% and frequency range is from 0 Hz to 100 kHz.

 

01 / 10 / 11

  HDtracks is excited to now offer selected titles in full 24-bit/192kHz resolution. The enhanced clarity is remarkable: improvements in dynamic subtlety and shading are the first things you notice, followed by the absolute perfection of the high-frequencies. These new downloads transcend mere hi-fi sonics; they'll transport you back to the original musical event. You are there. One of the titles available is The Jazz Side Of The Moon by musical artist Seamus Blake, Ari Hoenig, Mike Moreno, and Sam Yahel. Returning anew to the original record it's fascinating to re-discover how provocative Pink Floyd's classic remains, and to hear how well this quartet's collective interplay served that music. And how beautifully Sam Yahel's organ-while not the dominant voice, surely a prominent presence-sets the aesthetic tone for these proceedings. Other titles are also available in 24-bit/192kHz, so click here and buy yours today and enjoy the music!

 

Fine Sounds Spa, owner of Sonus Faber Spa and Audio Research Corporation, has now completed the acquisition of of True Wave d/b/a/ Wadia Digital. The acquisition of Wadia Digital, part of Fine Sounds' strategy of becoming a leading multi brand player in the Two Channel High-End Audio sector, brings to Fine Sounds one of the most appreciated High-End Audio Digital brands while offering product extension opportunities in the Digital Lifestyle category. Wadia Digital will extend its reference position in the high end digital sources and Digital to Analog Conversion segment. Through the resources provided by Fine Sounds, Wadia Digital will develop and expand the Series 1 "premium lifestyle" line with a complete product offering. John Schaffer will join the Board of Directors of Fine Sounds and will continue managing the Wadia brand with the full support of Fine Sounds' team.

 

01 / 04    to   01 / 09

  Enjoy the Music.com's CES Preview 2011 and T.H.E. Show audiophile event preview report has just been updated, and will be updated each day though the show! Check back daily as Enjoy the Music.com is updating their CES Preview show and T.H.E. Show preview every day up until the first day of these events. Stay ahead and be the first to learn of all the new gear to appear at the show before others. If you are an exhibitor of either event and want to have your product featured within the preview, click here for details.

 

01 / 03 / 11

  Enjoy the Music.com's January edition of our Review Magazine plus our CES Preview / T.H.E. Show Preview report are now online!

Viewpoint
In This Issue...
Equipment Reviews Pus CES / T.H.E. Show Preview
Article By Steven R. Rochlin

Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 135
Product Of The Year
Article By Dr. Bill Gaw

Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 75
Exact Power
Article By Dr. Bill Gaw

The Nearfield
$200 Per Pair Loudspeakers
Article By Steven Stone

Show Report
CES Preview 2011 and T.H.E. Show Preview
Report of the International Consumer Electronic event and The Home Entertainment Show.
Coverage By Enjoy the Music.com

Audiophile Equipment Reviews
World Premiere!
Bybee Music Rails
Delivering unique and revolutionary quieting technology with power supply noise reduction in A/V components.
Review By Wayne Donnelly

Calyx 500 Monoblock Power Amplifiers
Great audiophile benefits from Class D amplification.
Review By Tom Lyle

Dayton SA1000 Subwoofer Amplifier
A truly fine subwoofer amplifier.
Review By Jeff Poth

Reference 3A MM de Capo i
The latest iteration of a long time favorite.
Review By Phil Gold

Delta Studio 6s33s Tube Amplifier
Review By A. Colin Flood

Decorating For Music Part II
Article By Rick Becker

Music Reviews
Classical Music
Superlative Musicianship in Brendel's Final Concerts.
Review By Phil Gold

A stimulating performance of Britten's neglected masterpiece.
Review By Max Westler

Two great recordings commemorate Bernard Haitink's four years in Chicago; and the late Klaus Tennstedt's intensely emotional Mahler "Resurrection."
Review By Max Westler

Pierre Boulez' intriguing encounter with middle-period Stravinsky.
Review By Joe Milicia

Romantic violin concertos from familiar (Vieuxtemps) and less familiar (David) 19th-century composers.
Review By Joe Milicia 

Jazz, Bluegrass etc.
Gilkyson, Gorka And Kaplansky Red Horse
Review By Steven Stone

Shane Lamb Disengage
Review By Steven Stone

Mike And Ruthy Million To One
Review By Steven Stone

Marty Stuart Ghost Train
Review By Steven Stone

Various Bluegrass, Blues And Jazz Albums
Reviews By Steven Stone

See the January Review Magazine by clicking here.

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