High-Performance Audio Reviews
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Celebrating 29 Years Of Service To Music Lovers
High-End Audio, High Fidelity Audiophile Industry News
04 / 30 / 15
Onkyo Music Exclusively Offers
Iron Maiden In 24-Bit FLAC Online music exclusives are heating up as
Onkyo Music has announced the exclusive release via their Hi-Res Audio download service of 19 Iron Maiden catalog albums encoded from 24-bit high resolution FLAC masters. Delivering the music to listeners exactly the way the artist and recording engineer intended, these are brand new re-masters from their original analog and digital sources. All 15 studio albums, two Best Of compilations and two live albums were personally selected by Maiden's founder member Steve Harris for this superior mastering technique. "The hi-res mastering procedure allows the listener to experience the music as close as possible to the way the artist intended it to be heard," said Steve Harris. "So of course I was very keen for the Maiden albums to be mastered in this way. The records have been available digitally before, when this medium first became a platform for music distribution but that was mastered with CDs in mind. The hi-res mastering process involves a different approach and it's great to finally deliver the music to our fans in as close to a pure and accurate sound as we could possibly achieve. For example, as most people know, I was never really happy with the sound on the first Maiden album but listening to it now, the guitars are louder, the drums more substantial and the overall tone is so very much improved in my opinion. Tony Newton and Ade Emsley who worked closely with me on the project did a terrific job recapturing everything from the original masters and together we've re- mastered them all digitally and I'm really happy with the results." All of the band's hi-res releases are available exclusively from
Onkyo Music and
e-Onkyo music (Japan only).
Headphones
Growing By 8.5% In 2014 To 309.5 Million Units Worth $9.4 Billion Headphone brands celebrate impressive growth according to a new report by
Futuresource Consulting, with worldwide shipments of headphones growing by 8.5% in 2014 to 309.5 million units. The report also found that, despite average retail price only growing by 4% in 2014, less than the growth in 2013, the trade value of shipments grew by 12%. This generated revenues worth $9.4 billion. Despite increasing fragmentation in the headphones market, Sony, Philips, and JVC continue to secure the top three market positions, accounting for 31% of worldwide shipments. There is growing competition, notably from Apple Earpods, with a 5% worldwide volume share, and Beats by Dre, which has grown in volume by leveraging Apple's strong distribution networks. Futuresource Consulting also analysed the different features and types of headphones emerging on the market within this new report. It notes that microphones have become a common feature across all types of headphones, especially as the ownership of mobile devices continues to grow. In 2014, headphones with microphones grew by 58%, to account for 36% of worldwide shipments. In-ear headphones accounted for the lion share, 60% of worldwide shipments, with the inclusion of new features helping to drive growth in this segment. During 2014, many brands introduced Bluetooth headphones to meet the growing demand of music on the go. This segment is forecast to increase over the coming years, with wireless headphones likely to account for 21% of worldwide shipments by 2018. Sport headphones was another big area, with many headphone vendors introducing different designs for comfortable grip around the ears. We are seeing strong competition from specialist headphone manufacturers in this area, including Yurbuds, Jaybird, Jabra, and Parrot. "The demand for headphones is increasing, especially as consumers are using their mobile devices for a plethora of content on the go, whether that's whilst commuting to work, running, cycling, or simply walking into town," Simon Bryant , Associate Director Consumer Electronics , Futuresource Consulting. "We are also seeing an increase in demand for more sophisticated features, which is increasing value and driving more sales for the vendors. In the coming months, we will likely see an increased presence from specialist vendors, which can add unique features."
04 / 29 / 15
AXPONA Live Broadcast Videos
Are Now Online Enjoy the Music.com
is busy mastering and posting approximately 30 videos recorded during our exclusive
live broadcast! As the official live broadcast of AXPONA 2015, we feature some
of the best exhibitors during this event. All videos are now online in true
hi-resolution 1080 with crystal clear audio. Our great videos have key information you need to
know from AXPONA 2015. Our
live videos from AXPONA 2015 are available at this link.
Hi-Fi World's
Latest Issue Is Now Available Enjoy the Music.com just posted
Hi-Fi World's June 2015
issue. This issue features reviews of the Blue Aura X40 Bluetooth speaker, Neat SX3 speaker, Leema Elements CD player, Sony NWZ-A15 digital music player PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP
amplifier, Teac AI-301DA amplifier, coverage of the Wigwam Show and much more.
Within his editorial, Noel Keywood says, "I should know what's going on here, but sometimes – no, quite often – events have a way of leaving me
non-plussed. As I pored over reader David Lord's impressively thorough look at the balanced connection of pick-up cartridges, why we need it and how to do it – see page 90 – an e-mail slid into my in-box from ex-contributor and hi-fi expert extraordinaire Richard Brice. Richard's role in this tale might not be obvious until you start to delve into what he has to offer in his software programme Stereo Sauce, which I review on page 22. In the end both these men seek to get the best from LP through, ultimately, the moving coil cartridge. What I haven't told you yet is that in Part II of David Lord's article next month we will be publishing a super-quiet phono stage design he has built successfully and from Richard Brice I hope we will get another super-quiet phono stage – but this one has a digital output. The poor man is desperately trying to get a pre-production sample completed for us, so fingers crossed."
You can see what's within the June issue of Hi-Fi
World at this link.
04 / 28 / 15
Astell&Kern Entry-Level AK Jr. Astell&Kern
has announced their entry-level AK Jr. ($499). The Astell&Kern AK Jr features 64GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot, supporting a 64GB microSD card for a total capacity of 128GB of music storage. The AK Jr features a single Wolfson WM8740 DAC and an unbalanced 3.5mm headphone jack with an output impedance of 2 Ohms, which the company feels is powerful enough to drive a wide range of high-end headphones and in-ear monitors. A front-facing 3.1" LCD touchscreen displays your music information. The AK Jr supports a wide range of digital audio files, including 24-bit/192kHz and single-rate DSD (converted to PCM) plus the most popular Apple lossless formats in addition to many other lossy music formats users may currently have. You may also employ the AK Jr as a USB DAC to connect the player to a computer as a way to improve the sound over a computer's stock internal sound card from a PC / Mac desktop or laptop. "The success of the entire line of Astell&Kern portable music players has proven that audiophiles everywhere want the best possible sound at home and when they travel," said Henry Park, CEO of iriver, which is the parent company of Astell&Kern. "The product reviews have been outstanding and we want to thank all of our supporters for their honest evaluations. We hope that the introduction of the AK Jr will successfully reach a new demographic which is just as passionate about true quality sound. The AK Jr is going to change the demands of what's acceptable in the quality of portable music for the masses. We feel that when additional music lovers hear our sound, they will be committed to this level of
quality." Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed
the Astell&Kern AK120 and AK240
portable media players.
Pangea Audio HP201 Hybrid Headphone Amplifier With 24-bit/192kHz USB DAC Pangea Audio
just introduced their HP201 hybrid vacuum tube headphone amplifier with 24-bit/192kHz USB DAC ($299.99). The Pangea Audio HP201 combines Class A solid-state circuitry featuring MOSFET output devices with a premium vacuum tube to create "the smooth, authentic headphone playback characteristics that music enthusiasts crave" says the company. The Pangea engineering team, led by engineer/designer Jay Victor, selected MOSFETS rather than more affordable Op-Amp devices because of their performance advantages. "I tested a variety of solid state output devices and vacuum tubes in the design process of the HP201, selecting the combination I thought delivered the best performance despite their substantially higher cost," says Jay Victor. The 12AX7 vacuum tube is protected by an easily removable shield, making it a simple task to swap in compatible tubes from different manufacturers for enthusiasts interested in experimenting with the sound. Built upon a sturdy all-steel chassis featuring a 10mm machined metal face plate, the HP201 is designed to deliver long-lasting high-performance audio. A robust output amplification stage within the Pangea Audio HP201 is compatible with a wide range of headphone makes and models, and the analog stereo outputs can be connected directly to a power amplifier and controlled using the large, precision-machined aluminum volume control. The HP201 also features a pair of auxiliary RCA inputs for additional flexibility. The internal linear power supply provides an upgradeable rear panel IEC connector, enabling the use of a premium Pangea power cable or those offered by other manufacturers. The HP201's USB DAC lets you play high-resolution digital audio files directly from your Windows or Mac computer. Conversion is managed by the highly regarded Cirrus Logic CS4344 24-bit/192-kHz DAC chipset.
04 / 24 – 26 / 2015
AXPONA Audio Con 2015 Show Live Stream –
Audio Expo North America AXPONA (Audio Expo North
America) Audio Con 2015 takes place April 24th through 26th at the Westin
O'Hare in Chicago. At AXPONA 2015 you'll be able to experience top quality
high-end home audiophile gear, portable audio players and enjoy the best high
resolution music on digital and vinyl LP formats. See
Enjoy the Music.com's official AXPONA live broadcast at this link.
Note: Enjoy the Music.com will soon be publishing on-demand videos recorded during our AXPONA 2015 live broadcast.
All should be online within the next few days so check our AXPONA
2015 show report page in the next day or two as we begin to post them.
04 / 22 / 15
Jim Smith's Breaking Through The Sound Barrier If you're looking for some great Podcasts, Jim Smith's series Breaking Through The Sound Barrier (TTSB) provides excellent ideas for music lovers and audiophiles alike who want to achieve the very best from their audio system. In Episode Nine: Out of the Hot Seat, Jim provides the customary update on the Through the Sound Barrier project, including changes to the CD, status of the books and DVD, and a tentative shipping timeframe. Then it's on to discussing a recent RoomPlay Reference session with a client who hears things differently. Jim talks a bit about shared listening as yet another way that music can move you, reference room or not.
Episode seven covers topics including dynamics, presence, and tone, whilst episode four brings you knowledge concerning clean power.
Jim Smith's episode nine of him Podcast closes with a reminder for all those TTSB backers who have yet to schedule their sessions with
Jim to do so as soon as possible. You can hear all nine of Jim's
Podcasts at this link. Jim Smith has also published Get Better
Sound, a book that educates audiophiles on correct system set up, tips to clean power, and much more.
Get Better Sound put Jim the golden ear spotlight with his matter of fact tips, useful diagrams, and sound advice.
Get Better Sound is also
available on three DVD disc. You can purchase these through Jim
Smith's online store.Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed
Get Better Sound at this link.
04 / 21 / 15
Buddy Rich Birdland On
CD And Vinyl LP Lightyear Entertainment
and Lobitos Creek Ranch, in association with
Scabeba Entertainment
and the Buddy Rich Estate, have announced the release of a new live album featuring Buddy Rich and his Killer Force Band at the peak of their performing years. This rare, previously unreleased, and all original production was recorded with Buddy's permission by bandmate Alan Gauvin. Alan has personally mixed and edited the project together to create this new album, which is mastered by Tom Swift. This new Buddy Rich
album titled Birdland will be released on May 26 through Caroline
Distribution, the independent distribution arm of
Universal Music Group, on the Lightyear/Lobitos Creek label. The
Birdland album is seen in the Academy Award winning film Whiplash, in the hands of the young star Miles Teller, who plays an extraordinary drummer who idolizes Buddy Rich. The digital version of
Birdland was rush released worldwide on February 24 to coincide with the Oscars airing and is already the most downloaded Buddy Rich album in recent history after just a few weeks. A vinyl LP of
Birdland is scheduled for a June 23rd release. "Birdland is probably the best Buddy Rich album we've released," said Arnie Holland, CEO of Lightyear. "We are grateful to Whiplash for stimulating so much interest in Buddy and big-band jazz drumming in general." Distribution of the CD and
vinyl LP of Birdland in the UK and Europe will be through Wienerworld Ltd.
Industry News 10 Years Ago The UK's
Creative Archive Licence Group
that includes the BBC, Channel 4, British Film Institute
(BFI) and Open University (OU) and hoping to allow free access to "give the public access to footage and sound from some of the largest film, television and radio archives in the UK, as well as specially commissioned material" according to the press release. While the Creative Archive Group is hoping other organizations will join, the combined content of the BBC and BFI alone is immense and spans decades. This new
initiative will provide Internet users legal access to material completely free of charge. The main rules for using content are that it be used for
non-commercial purposes, to share your content freely with others, to provide credit to your content source, to not
endorse nor use content for derogatory purposes, and of interesting note is that the Creative Archive content is made available to broadband users within the UK for use [primarily] within the UK. Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC, said "The Creative Archive Licence provides a unique solution to one of the key challenges of rights in the digital age, allowing us to increase the public value of our archives by giving people the chance to use video and audio material for their own non-commercial purposes. All four partners in the Creative Archive Licence Group feel this is a fantastic opportunity for other broadcasters and rights holders, and we would urge them to join us."
04 / 20 / 15
Last Chance Reminder: Schedule Your Live Appearance
Within Our AXPONA Broadcast Enjoy the Music.com will be
live broadcasting from AXPONA
2015 and we have only a few time slots available. Instead of passive broadcasting or
after-the-fact video streaming,
which has been done for many years, our live stream features chat so enthusiasts
worldwide can ask questions for those we are featuring live online in real time
plus we provide Twitter integration too! Exhibitors should join our manufacturer / distributor e-mail
list at www.eepurl.com/S3xtn. A
special invitation e-mail was sent out weeks ago for you to schedule your special time
slot to appear within our live broadcast. It is no secret that streaming online
was the hottest technology at this year's SXSW, and Enjoy the Music.com is at
the forefront of this technology with the industry's best gear. As a fully independent
site catering to the high-end audio industry, we plan to feature manufacturers, distributors,
a variety of magazine personalities and much more. We look forward to
seeing everyone in Chicago and streaming live from our mobile TV studio at
AXPONA 2015 from April 24th through 26th at the Westin O'Hare. AXPONA exhibitors
should contact
us today as there are only a small handful of time slots remaining!
The Best Of The Doors
On Multi-Channel Hybrid SACD Doors fans rejoice as Marshall Blonstein's
Audio Fidelity will be releasing
The Best Of The Doors - 1973 on quadraphonic 4.0 multi-channel hybrid SACD. The two-channel stereo and DSD layers of the hybrid SACD were remastered from the original two-track tapes, which are available for the first time since 1970. The 4.0 quadraphonic layer mirrors the earlier CD-4 QuadraDisc format, Quadraphonic 8-Track and reel-to-reel tape.
The Best of The Doors - 1973 compilation album was also released in standard stereo and is the two-channel CD layer of this hybrid SACD. There is no doubt that the Doors were among the most controversial, influential and unique rock acts of the 1960's and beyond. After the death of Jim Morrison in 1971, the remaining members, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger continued as a trio until disbanding in 1973. Each of the tracks on
The Best Of The Doors - 1973 have been taken primarily from the original two-track masters of the eight albums recorded by the band between 1967 and 1971. Three of the band's studio albums,
The Doors (1967), L.A. Woman (1971), and Strange Days (1967), were featured in the
Rolling Stone list of The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. The popular rock magazine also listed The Doors as
"One of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time!" As a matter of fact, The Doors have been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines and in 1993 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Track listing is as follows:
1 Who Do You Love
2 Soul Kitchen
3 Hello, I Love You
4 People Are Strange
5 Riders On The Storm
6 Touch Me
7 Love Her Madly
8 Love Me Two Times
9 Take It As It Comes
10 Moonlight Drive
11 Light My Fire
Double Helix Cables 3D Printed
Precious Metals Option Double Helix Cables
(DHC) is now offering 3D printed precious metal parts as an option for their line of
specialized high-fidelity audio cables. Double Helix Cables is first to market with a complete options package of 3D printed decorative parts for audio cables, including in-ear monitors
(IEM) and headphones. DHC prides itself on providing a completely custom design experience for their customers and utilizing exciting new 3D printing technology to maximize cable aesthetics. Inspired by the fast-growing world of 3D printing and its diverse possibilities, DHC began developing a line of 3D model parts to fit a variety of cables and work with various audio connectors. Initially, DHC exclusively developed custom 'Y'
splitters / covers for the part of the headphone cable where the cable forks to the left and right ears. After noting the outstanding beauty and unique customization opportunities offered by 3D printing,
Double Helix Cables expanded the project to offer a complete, matching package. Double Helix Cables' customers now have the opportunity to change the models at
whim. As an example, one client opted for a logo for a local sports team embossed onto the metal of his 3D-printed splitter.
Today's state-of-the-art printing technology allows 3D models to be turned into a variety of different metals and plastics. The highly custom nature of this endeavor is made possible by the fact that DHC does its 3D modeling in-house. As such, these designs can be adapted to allow
one's personal style to be reflected in any audio cable. DHC owner Peter Bradstock has made 3D printing part
hobby and part business, as designing 3D models is a new passion of his. A world premiere first 3D printed
precious metals parts review will make their appearance within an upcoming review of DHC's flagship IEM
cable. Specifically, DHC's top-of-the-line 8-conductor pure OCC silver Litz "Symbiote SP"
CIEM cable in a special balanced configuration for the Noble K10 CIEM for Enjoy the
Music.com's Editor and Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin. Pictured here is the actual cable in for review and features silver Litz wire and rose gold 3D printed parts.
Today Is The Annual Record Store
Day Record Store
Day, conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees, is a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding many hundreds of independently owned record stores worldwide. This is the one day of the year that all independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Over the years there have been special vinyl releases and various promotional products made exclusively for Record Store Day. Around the globe hundreds of artists also may make special appearances and performances to celebrate this day.
While every day should be music day no matter what format you so choose or which store is your favorite to find hidden gems, April
18 is officially Record Store Day during 2015. Special vinyl/CD/DVD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for this day. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, and DJs spinning
records. You can see
a list of special Record Store Day releases at this link.
04 / 17 / 15
Universal Music Group Settles Class Action Lawsuit For $11.2 Million Universal Music Group
(UMG), on behalf of UMG Recordings Inc. and Capitol Records LLC, and plaintiffs' attorneys representing approximately 7,500 artists/clients in Class Action lawsuit, have reached a settlement
regarding digital download royalties. The lawsuit is due to UMG failing to pay proper royalties to certain artists when consumers bought MP3 files from digital music retailers. UMG called
purchases as sales instead of licenses, which means UMG was able to pay a far lower rate to
musical artists. As we all know, you are not buying an MP3, FLAC or other digital music downloads as you can not freely sell them
within the marketplace. Consumers are merely licensing the ability to hear the music that have purchased. Digital downloads also save record labels vast sums of money to to virtually zero cost for distribution and zero cost to produce copies as compared to CD, LP and other physical formats. UMG will contribute $11.5 million to supplement payments to Class Action members for past digital download activity, cover attorneys' fees and administrative costs, and also increase digital download royalties by approximately 10% going forward. In a statement, UMG commented, "Although we are confident we appropriately paid royalties on digital downloads and adhered to the terms of contracts, we are pleased to amicably resolve this matter and avoid continued legal costs." Len Simon, one of the lead plaintiffs' attorneys, said, "This settlement is a fair resolution of this controversy over how to compensate artists for their valuable work in a new medium which we believe was not contemplated by their contracts, many drafted in the 1970s or 1980s. And it compensates these artists now, rather than after additional years of litigation and uncertainty."
Cardas Audio 4181US And 4181EU
Power Outlets Cardas Audio
will soon be offering their 4181US and 4181EU power outlets. The 4181US is for those within the United States and other countries with the same power outlet configuration, whilst the 4181EU if for the European style power outlet configuration. For the US version, the two jacks can be completely isolated from each other, or joined like a standard US duplex. Screws can be removed to isolate each side's ground, thus you can use one, both or neither depending on your desired optimum
configuration. Featuring copper contact surfaces, these surfaces are plated with rhodium over silver. The 4181EU is a single Schuko
outlet, which also has copper plated with rhodium over silver connectors. Both outlets offer strong grip tension, and make excellent electrical contact. See the larger image for more details.
Click the image on the right (or
here) to see more details of this design.
04 / 16 / 15
Reminder:
PBS To Broadcast Jascha Heifetz: God's
Fiddler This Evening PBS
will be broadcasting Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, which is a one-hour documentary within their American Masters series.
Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler premieres nationwide Thursday, April 16 at 8pm and Friday, April 17 at 9pm on PBS (check your local listings to ensure
day/time). Emmy- and Peabody-winning filmmaker Peter Rosen uncovers the story of legendary musician
Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987), who is widely considered the first truly modern violin virtuoso. PBS says, "Setting the standard in violin playing for nearly a century,
Heifetz' name became shorthand for excellence for everyone from Jack Benny to The Muppets to Woody Allen. Through vintage performances and master classes,
God's Fiddler portrays an artist for whom only perfection would do. New interviews include other great violinists influenced by Heifetz, including Itzhak
Perlman, Ivry Gitlis and Ida Haendel, former student, accompanist and longtime companion Ayke
Agus, former student and master assistant in charge of his world-renowned violin class at the University of Southern California Sherry
Kloss, and biographers John Anthony Maltese and Arthur Vered. They reveal how Heifetz was a mysterious, idiosyncratic, solitary figure who embodied the paradox of artistic genius: a dedication to his craft at all costs, including two failed marriages, estrangement from his children and very few friends. Characterized as serious and intense while performing and teaching, his students describe him as generous and playful when socializing. Filmed in
Heifetz' native Vilnius, Lithuania; Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he studied with the influential Leopold Auer; and in his rebuilt studio in Los Angeles, Calif., American Masters
Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler also features Heifetz' previously unseen 16mm footage from 1917-1985, which Rosen discovered at the Colburn Music School in Los Angeles. A self-professed
"camera fiend," Heifetz' home movies show scenes from his apartment in Saint Petersburg just months before the Russian Revolution, his immigration to America, his early social life in New York City, his family life, his travels through Europe, the Middle East and Japan, and his later years in Los Angeles. Tony-nominated actor Danny Burstein (Boardwalk Empire, Cabaret, Follies) narrates, reading from
Heifetz' personal letters." American Masters' Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler is a production of Peter Rosen Productions, Inc. Peter Rosen is producer and director. Sara Lukinson is co-producer. Josh Waletzky and Peter Rosen are editors. Peter Rosen is photographer. Barry Markowitz is photographer of The Heifetz Studio at The Colburn School. Michael Kantor is executive producer for American Masters. Major funding for
Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler is provided by the Colburn School. Additional funding for this program is provided by The National Endowment for the Arts, and Kitty Hawks and Larry
Lederman. American Masters is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Rosalind P. Walter, The Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation, Rhoda Herrick, Vital Projects Fund, Michael & Helen Schaffer Foundation, Rolf and Elizabeth Rosenthal, Jack
Rudin, The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation and public television viewers.
IFPI Digital Music Report 2015 The
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry
(IFPI), a not-for-profit organization that represents the interests of 1300 record companies from across the globe, has released their Digital Music Report 2015. According to this report, physical media is being overtaken by non-physical digital formats first time in recoded music history. Global industry revenues are down 0.4 per cent to $14.97 billion in 2014. Digital revenues rose 6.9% to $6.9 billion, which represents 46% of all global music sales and underlining the deep transformation of the global music industry over recent years. There was a massive increase in subscription revenues (+39%) that offset declining download sales (-8%) as paying users of subscription services rose 46.4% to an estimated 41 million. According to the IFPI, "Subscription services are now at the heart of the music industry's portfolio of businesses, representing 23% of the digital market and generating $1.6 billion in trade revenues. The industry sees substantial further growth potential in the subscription sector, with new services advancing in 2015 led by three major global players: YouTube's Music Key, Jay Z's TIDAL and Apple's expected subscription service." Frances Moore, Chief Executive of IFPI, says "The recorded music business has always led the way for creative industries in the digital world. That leadership continues today as the music industry's digital revolution continues through new phases, driven by the consumer's desire for access to, rather than ownership of, music. It is a reflection of how much we have adapted that digital revenues today are, for the first time, on a par with physical. The headline statistics of 2014 speak for themselves, with overall revenues still largely flat, down by 0.4 per cent. Music companies are charting a path to sustainable year-on-year growth. That path was never going to be straight, but we are making great strides along it, embracing new models, licensing, investing and improving consumer choice." Vinyl sales continue to grow from their
once longtime leadership up until the 1980's as CD took over, with 2014 revenues increasing 54.7%
as compared to 2013 yet accounts for only 2% of overall global revenues. You can view the full report in PDF form by
clicking
here.
Australian Hi-Fi's
Latest Issue Is Now Available Enjoy the Music.com just posted
Australian Hi-Fi's March/April 2015
issue. Think pieces include a weird experience in the Blueys caused Greg Borrowman to ponder, Stephen Dawson explores what happens when you drop from
16 bits down to just 8 plus equipment reviews of the Hegel H160 integrated amplifier, Marantz CD6005 CD player, Richter Thor series V DSP Subwoofer, Yamaha NS-F901 loudspeakers, AURALiC Vega digital audio processor, and AVM Inspiration CS2.2 streaming AV receiver.
Within his editorial, Greg Borrowman says, "For a start, it's rare for me to hear classical music played in any shop, café or restaurant. And supermarkets, which have done exhaustive research into consumer listening habits, not only don't classical music... they don't even play jazz. So far as I can recall, the background music played in supermarkets, shopping malls and department stores is all middle-of-the-road. I also puzzled as to why I was lingering and listening to a sub-par sound system when I could have gone home and listened to exactly the same music in the very highest fidelity. I have no answers to any of these questions."
You can see what's within the March / April edition of
Australian Hi-Fi at this link.
04 / 15 / 15
Salon Son & Image 2014 Montreal High-End Audio Show Report! Enjoy the Music.com has just posted part 4, Rick Becker's final update to our Salon Son & Image show
coverage. In total, we have over 12 pages filled with more than 150
photos plus we name our Best Of rooms and more! Our Salon Son & Image
2015 report is now complete and, humbly said, is the industry's most extensive coverage
anywhere in the world. Come see part 4 By Rick Becker Now
Online by clicking here.
Google Offers An Interactive
Experience Inside Abbey Road Studios Google is now using their interactive technology to showcase the legendary
Abbey Road studios.
Google's blog today says "On a leafy street in north London, next to a popular zebra crossing, is one of the
world's most celebrated music landmarks: Abbey Road Studios. Most people probably associate Abbey Road with the Beatles album of the same name. In fact, the studios have played a role in music history: if you can hum the theme to
Star Wars, Harry Potter or Indiana Jones, or you've sung along to tracks by Pink Floyd or Oasis, or even if you own a pair of stereo headphones, then
you've been impacted by the work of Abbey Road. Since opening in 1931, the studios have pushed the boundaries of music and sound, reinventing the recording process at every step. But until now, the famous crossing was as close as most of us could get to the studios. Now, for the first time, the doors at Abbey Road are open to everyone. In partnership with Abbey Road Studios,
we've created Inside Abbey Road, an experience that lets fans around the world step inside the studios and explore this renowned institution. Accessible via desktop, tablet and phone, you can explore every nook and cranny of Abbey Road with more than 150 different 360-degree panoramic images. As you walk through the studios,
you'll see YouTube videos and archival images from Abbey Road's history—right where they originally happened. You can also play with pioneering equipment in specially designed interactive gadgets, such as the J37 4-track recorder that was used to record the
Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Throughout the studios
you'll find more than 30 stories, full of anecdotes and facts about the studios, like the story of Abbey Road engineer Alan Blumlein. Alan was annoyed after a trip to the movies, because the sound in early cinemas only came from one side of the screen. He went on to invent the concept of stereo audio—and sound and screen have matched ever since. Or, if you feel like being guided around the studios, there's an audio tour you can join in every studio. Narrated by producer Giles Martin, engineer and Head of Audio Products Mirek Stiles, and broadcaster Lauren Laverne, the audio tours let you see the studios through their eyes. Think of it as your own personal tour. Inside Abbey Road is part of our broader effort to help people experience worldwide culture and places from wherever they are, whether
it's visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Google Maps or getting up close to the brush strokes of Van Gogh in the Google Art Project. Now,
we're taking you behind the doors of one of the most famous music studios in the world.
Take a step Inside Abbey Road and see for
yourself."
HIGH END 2015 In Munich Begins
May 14th At The M.O.C. Enjoy
the Music.com's 15th year covering HIGH
END 2015 Munich audiophile
event begins May 14th. Promoted by the prestigious High End Society in
Germany, the HIGH END show is the international key exhibition for the high-quality consumer electronics industry. The
HIGH END event has been held an impressive 34 times in succession; and 2015
marks the 12th time at the MOC Munich. This year, more than
400 exhibitors with about 900 brands from all over the world
are presenting their products and services. A wide variety of lectures
will be held during this event to educate and answer attendee's questions.
They also have apps for both iOS and Android devices too! Some of the seminars that are offered during HIGH END 2015 include
'The importance of USB cables for PC hi-fi' presented by Nagra, 'A naturally beautiful voice' presented by Purist Audio Design,
'How sound finds its feet via turntable spikes' presented by Aura/Verity Audio,
and 'How a high-class audiophile compilation is made' presented by MBL. Learn
more about HIGH END 2015 Munich and see our show report at this link.
Audience AV Au24 SE USB Cable
Is Available In Two Configurations Audience
has introduced their Au24 SE USB cable, which is a premium-quality USB interconnect designed to deliver superior sound quality from digital music files and source components with USB connectivity ($945 for a one-meter dual-end with two USB connectors and $895 for a single-end one USB connector). The new Audience Au24 SE USB is engineered for "ultimate timing conveyance of digital signal and highly effective shielding against EMI and RFI. It employs a 'dual-cable' construction, with separated conductors for the data (signal) path and for the power path, a configuration that ensures the best-possible signal integrity and isolation" says the company. The data side of the Au24 SE USB features shielded silver over OCC copper conductors with Teflon insulation. The power side is also shielded and made from OCC copper wire with polypropylene insulation. The USB connector contacts are gold-plated copper. Two versions of the Au24 SE USB are available: one with a single USB-A male connector at the source end and another version with two USB-A male connectors at the source end for use with computers and components where the data and power can be sent from two different USB busses, for the ultimate in signal and power isolation.
04 / 14 / 15
SoundExchange Applauds Fair Play Fair Pay
Act SoundExchange, an independent nonprofit performance rights organization that collects and distributes digital performance royalties to featured artists and copyright holders,
applauds the Fair Play Fair Pay Act. To quote their press release, "In response to today's press conference in New York City, announcing the Fair Play Fair Pay Act by Representatives Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), SoundExchange issued the following statement from Michael
Huppe, President and Chief Executive Officer: "For decades, music services have gotten away with building their business on the backs of hard working musicians, paying unfair rates
– and in the case of the $17.5 billion radio industry, paying nothing at all -– for the music they use. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act introduced today will bring much needed reform to the music industry and addresses many of the issues that plague the recorded music industry. It is time that we properly pay the artists who put so much hard work into creating the music at the core of these services. If it weren't for them, these stations would be broadcasting little more than static. At the nexus of music and technology, SoundExchange is at the very center of the industry, representing the entire record music industry. In June 2014, we testified before Congress and laid out SoundExchange's guiding principle: all creators should receive fair pay, on all platforms and technologies, whenever their music is used. This past February, the Copyright Office put out a comprehensive report that laid out a similar principle and today we have a bipartisan coalition in Congress heeding the same
call." Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) said, "The current system is antiquated and broken. It pits technologies against each other, and allows certain services to get away with paying little or nothing to artists. For decades, AM/FM radio has used whatever music it wants without paying a cent to the musicians, vocalists, and labels that created it. Satellite radio has paid below market royalties for the music it uses, growing into a multi-billion dollar business on the back of an illogical 'grandfathered' royalty standard that is now almost two decades old," said Congressman Nadler. Artists, musicians, producers and radio services alike deserve better. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act fixes this broken and unjust system by making sure all radio services play by the same rules, and all artists are fairly compensated."
As reported on February 6 (2015) on Enjoy the Music.com
's Industry News page, it looks like we are finally getting a new United
States of America Copyright Office ruling as a just-released report
recommends changes to federal music copyright laws. Next up will be the U.S.
Congress to see if these changes should be implemented. New changes to current
law reflect today's environment while also ensuring copyright holders,
musicians, etc get fairly paid for the work. You can read
all 245 pages (PDF) of the report by clicking here. The Fair Play Fair Pay Act would:
– Create a terrestrial performance right so that AM/FM radio competes on equal footing with its Internet and satellite competitors who already pay performance royalties. This would resolve the decades old struggle for performance rights and ensure that – for the first time
–music creators would have the right to fair pay when their performances are broadcast on AM/FM radio.
– Bring true platform parity to radio – so that all forms of radio, regardless of the technology they use – pay fair market value for music performances. This levels the playing field and ends the unfair and illogical distortions caused by the different royalty standards that exist today.
– Ensure terrestrial royalties are affordable capping royalties for stations with less than $1,000,00 in annual revenue at $500 per year (and at $100 a year for non-commercial stations), while protecting religious and incidental uses of music from having to pay any royalties at all.
– Make a clear statement that pre-1972 recordings have value and those who are profiting from them must pay appropriate royalties for their use, while we closely monitor the litigation developments on this issue.
– Protect songwriters and publishers by clearly stating that nothing in this bill can be used to lower songwriting royalties.
– Codify industry practices streamlining the allocation of royalty payments to music producers.
– Ensure that artists receive their fair share from direct licensing of all performances eligible for the statutory license.
Princeton's New Music Building A
Princeton alumnus have given $10 million for the Music Building that is part of the University's arts complex under construction near University Place and Alexander Street. At 23,000 square feet, the new Music Building will meet the urgent need for space and bring student musicians
– and the music they create – to the south edge of the campus. This night rendering of the Music Building illustrates architect Steven Holl's artful use of texture and luminosity to create a building that is both arresting and inviting. The new site, along with an increase in programming, is helping Princeton create an environment where all students can have a meaningful experience in the arts. "This splendid gift will benefit our student musicians and the audiences who come to hear them," said Princeton President Christopher L.
Eisgruber. "The additional space is an essential element in enabling our arts initiative
– launched less than a decade ago – to flourish. We are excited about seeing the arts at Princeton reach their full potential, and we are grateful to our generous alumni and friends for helping to make it possible." The three-story Music Building will contain a performance and rehearsal space, acoustically advanced practice rooms and teaching studios, and a digital recording studio. "Performance
– rehearsing and performing in ensembles, continuing vocal and instrumental instruction
– is at the core of most students' interest in music when they enter Princeton," said Steven Mackey, chair of the Department of Music. "This new facility will be the center of musical performance instruction at Princeton, and as such it represents a monumental step in the music department's commitment toward ensuring that the profound thrill of music making is available to the eager as well as the able among our student body." The 3500-square-foot music performance and rehearsal room, with its flexible configuration, 30-foot ceilings and adjustable acoustics, can be adapted to suit groups as diverse as the Glee Club, Concert Jazz Ensemble and Princeton Laptop Orchestra. "Attending Princeton was a formative experience," said the alumnus who made the gift. "It was there that I developed a deep and lasting interest in the arts. When my wife and I visited campus and witnessed the engagement, curiosity and passion of so many students in so many areas of arts study, the decision to be a part of the team in promoting the arts at Princeton was an easy one. We believe that all students should have access to the arts and to the music program as part of the unique educational experience of Princeton." As a model of sustainable design, the new Music Building complex will be covered with green roofs made of sedum, and geothermal wells will provide energy to heat and cool the complex. It is slated for completion in
2017.
Official Charts UK Shows Vinyl Sales Up 69% In 2015 Official Charts, claiming to be a central part of British popular culture for 60 years, has released their first official vinyl charts launch as sales soar in 2015. Whilst we need to be honest in that vinyl is merely 1.5% of all UK albums sold within the marketplace, sales are up an outstanding 69% so far in 2015. In 2014, vinyl LP sales reached 1.29 million, which is a 20-year high for the format. This continues vinyl's impressive seven years of
continuous growth. Official Charts Company has reported that the first quarter of 2015 revealed this trend is up an impressive 69% versus the same time period in 2014.
Vinyl singles are also up, yet at a slower 23% gain. The reporting agency's official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 40 and Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 40 (combining sales of 7" and 12" singles) now tracks this growth and shows the best selling albums and singles. "We're delighted to launch the UK's first Official Vinyl Albums and Official Vinyl Singles charts on
OfficialCharts.com, to coincide with Record Store Day this coming weekend," said Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of Official Charts Company. "With vinyl album sales up by almost 70% already this year, vinyl junkies could well have snapped up 2 million units by the end of this year – an extraordinary number, if you consider sales were one-tenth of that just six years ago. This growth underlines the continuing resurgence of this much-loved format, whether you're a fan of Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher, Led Zeppelin or David Bowie."
In 1995 vinyl sales were 1,410,905 units and in 2014 they were 1,288,510; and again we
must be realistic that overall vinyl albums are a mere 1.5% of the UK market. To keep this
all in perspective if we include all sales including digital downloads, CDs,
etc, in 2013 Beyoncé's self-titled album by itself sold 617,000 copies in three days and over 1,000,000 within less than a
single month.
NuPrime Audio uDSD DAC With
Headphone Amplifier And Analog Stereo Output NuPrime Audio
has introduced their uDSD ($179) USB-powered portable DAC and headphone amplifier. Supporting the latest high-resolution music formats including up to 24-bit/385kHz and native DSD256, the NuPrime Audio uDD stereo DAC has an output of 140mW @ 32 ohms per channel. The uDSD is equipped with one S/PDIF coaxial output, 1/8" headphone output and a pair of RCA jacks with a maximum of 2V stereo analog output. NuPrime's uDSD headphone circuit is built on a sophisticated balanced design. Since no external power supply is required, audio enthusiasts, musicians and recording engineers can employ the NuPrime uDSD with a laptop for work or enjoyment anywhere. Asynchronous transfer mode
ensures doubled jitter-reduction at data input and over-sampling filter stages. The unit is compatible with Windows 7/8 and Mac OS. Dynamic range is 98dB, signal-to-noise ratio is 112 dB and THD+N is <
0.01%.
Industry News 10 Years Ago The
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a trade group that represents manufacturers and distributors of approximately 90 percent of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States, has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 405 students at 18 different colleges across the United
States. Claiming there has been "egregious abusers of Internet2," an advanced high speed network created by participating colleges and universities for important academic research with file sharing i2hub software, the RIAA says over 1.5 million files have been
shared including over 930,000 songs. The RIAA press releases also states "In addition to the 18 campuses whose students are being sued, the RIAA has evidence of i2hub infringement at another 140 schools in 41 states. While these schools were not included in the initial round of lawsuits, letters are being sent to each university president alerting them to the illegal activity occurring on their campuses." The schools included
in this recent lawsuit are Boston University, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Drexel University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, New York University, Ohio State University, Princeton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of California - Berkeley, University of California - San Diego, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, University of Pittsburgh and University of Southern California.
04 / 13 / 15
Amazon Prime Stations Ad-Free
Streaming Music Service Today
Amazon has launched their free Prime
Stations streaming music service for all desktop and mobile OS platforms, which is free for Prime members.
While Prime Stations has been available for a few months, the addition of Apple
iOS and Android support is now complete. Prime Music provides unlimited, ad-free access to Prime Playlists and more than a million songs and albums at no additional cost for active Amazon Prime members within the United States of America. Prime members can play Prime Music on compatible devices that support Amazon Music, including Fire phone, Fire Tablets, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Amazon Echo, iOS devices, Android smartphones and tablets
(v.4.0 and above), PC, Mac, and the Amazon.com website. On phones and tablets with the Amazon Music app installed, Prime members can also download Prime Music for offline playback. Downloaded Prime Music can only be accessed within the Amazon Music app and cannot be exported. The selection of songs and albums available with Prime Music is always changing, with new titles being added to the Prime Music catalog and occasionally titles removed. Prime Music is included with annual Prime memberships, 30-day Amazon Prime free trials, annual Amazon Mom memberships, 30-day Amazon Mom free trials, and annual Amazon Student memberships. It is not included during the free trial period for Amazon Student memberships, or for invited household members on a shared Prime account. Like other online streaming music services, if you like the currently playing song, you can use the Thumbs Up icon in the playback controls to tell the station to play more songs like it. Use the Thumbs Down icon to skip the currently playing song and remove it from the station's rotation. You can also use the + Add button in the playback controls to add the currently playing song to your music library, yet it is not
downloadable from your library.
Johnnie Walker's The Boldest
Glass Employs Bone Conduction Technology Looking to use sounds and music in a new way to affect humans,
Johnnie Walker Red Label has just released their new 'The Boldest Glass' design that transmits sounds through a drinking glass. Using decades old bone conduction technology, Johnny Walkers seeks to improve a human's perceptions of the flavor within their product. The Boldest Glass is being released at the same time as Johnny Walker's Ginger Ale blend. So how does this all work? Basically, vibrations are transmitted from the glass through the drinker's lower jaw (bone conductivity) which reaches their inner ear. This allows the vibrations (sound) to be heard with the goal of enhancing the brain's perception of flavors. After quite a bit of
research and development, Johnnie Walker chose a selection of vibrations to target an
exciter concealed behind the glass' red label, which in turn causes the drinking glass' surface to act as a speaker for bone
conductivity. As these vibrations touch the human mouth they are transferred to the inner ear that produces the drinker to experience "an intense sound sensation that brings the audio track – beamed from an AM/FM transmitter to an amplifier in the base of the glass – to life". "Johnnie Walker is known for inspiring progression which is why we wanted to create a true piece of technology innovation within the bar environment to enhance the Johnnie & Ginger experience" says Johnnie Walker brand director Oscar
Ocaña. "This could potentially be a revolution within a culture that hasn't changed in decades. The glass is set to give drinkers a glimpse of what bar culture could be like in the future and we're so excited for drinkers to experience the boldest version ever of a Johnnie & Ginger. The glass' track has been designed to enhance the
flavors of the serve, bringing out the spicy and warm tones. As a result, the drinker is ultimately more connected to the drink, making for an exciting experience that combines
flavor with sound." Of note is that this new development was co-developed by sensory scientists Condiment Junkie, which also designed the complementary audio track. "The sound was created specifically to highlight the warm and spicy notes in the drink, after research showed that angular sounds dial up the heat of the ginger, resulting in an even bolder serve" says Condiment Junkie's Creative Director Russell Jones. You can see their promotional video below.
Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB DC Turntable
Includes Tonearm And Ortofon 2M Silver Cartridge Pro-Ject Audio Systems
has announced the release of new line turntables with real wood satin surfaces that may seamlessly integrate with the latest furniture designs. The 2Xperience SB DC turntable
($1399) is based on the 2Xperience belt-drive concept, which incorporates over 20 years of turntable design experience. The addition of precision motor control with electronic speed changing and a
high-end 9cc Evolution carbon fiber tonearm are a few of the highlights of Pro-Ject's latest design. The heavy chassis is made from MDF using a non-resonant construction technique. The turntable platter is built with heavy, non-resonant materials in a precisely balanced sandwich configuration. A vinyl layer acts as the turntable mat whilst a
screw-down light-weight record clamp helps to virtually eliminate unwanted record vibration and rumbling of the main platter bearing. Pro-Ject's 2Xperience SB DC turntable comes equipped with a high-end tonearm with pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Silver magnetic cartridge, which makes use of silver voice coils. An acrylic dust cover is also included. Finishes are available in four satin real wood veneer options (eucalyptus, olive, walnut and palisander) as well as classic high-gloss black.
DTS:X Object-Based
Multi-Channel Sound And DTS Headphone:X Announced DTS
has just unveiled information about their new DTS:X
for movie theaters, home theater and headphones. This open, next-generation, object-based, multi-dimensional audio technology aims to replicate a real-world sound environments in hopes of aurally transporting the audience into a new dimension of sound immersion within the movie theater,
home environments and headphones. There are numerous customization options as well. According to the press release, "DTS:X is not tied to prescribed speaker configurations or a specific number of audio channels. DTS:X adapts to the viewing environment, allowing for a flexible speaker configuration that best fits the viewing space. DTS:X more accurately conveys the fluid movement of sound to create a richer entertainment soundscape than has previously been possible by moving sound objects to and through specific locations within - in front of, behind, above and beside the audience, precisely where the mixer placed them." The foundation of DTS:X is their MDA, which is DTS' license fee-free and open platform for creation of object-based immersive audio. MDA provides movie studios control over the specific placement, movement and volume of sound objects. The platform also enables sound engineers to "mix once" for both immersive and conventional cinemas in a combined object- and channel-based audio format. This allows audio content to be easily distributed beyond the theater for streaming, broadcast, optical media and more. DTS:X is a complete end-to-end workflow from content creation to playback. A licensing program for movie theaters offer owners the opportunity to provide their audience this latest DTS technology
implementation and room configuration by installing DTS:X-approved equipment and working with the recommended speaker installation guidelines. To
achieve this, DTS has partnered with GDC Technology, QSC and USL. GDC Technology develops, manufactures and sells digital cinema servers and provides a comprehensive suite of digital cinema products, services and solutions for exhibitors and distributors. QSC designs and manufactures professional audio systems and solutions for professional installed, portable, production and cinema sound customers worldwide. USL designs, manufactures, and sells motion picture audio equipment and sound processors. Initial partners for integrating DTS:X into theaters are GDC Technology and Carmike Cinemas. Of note is that GDC will make MDA firmware updates available to theater owners over to its existing installed server base of more than 40,000 servers starting in May 2015, whilst also providing DTS:X installation and certification for approximately 350 screens throughout Asia beginning in May 2015. To ensure content, DTS is presently working with several major studios and mixing stages in Los Angeles, Northern California and Canada that are currently evaluating DTS:X. On the home theater front, manufacturers representing nearly 90% of the home AVR and surround processor market will launch DTS:X-enabled products beginning in early Summer 2015, with additional manufacturer and model announcements to follow in the coming months. Confirmed partners soon to release DTS:X gear include Denon, Integra, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, Steinway Lyngdorf, Theta Digital, Trinnov Audio, and Yamaha. DTS:X is
backwards compatible with existing DTS-HD Master Audio with existing DTS bitstreams and speaker layouts. The DTS:X decoder supports DVD, Blu-ray Disc and streaming media file formats and can spatially reformat stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 content. DTS:X AVRs for consumers can support up to 11.2 speaker output channels, with the ability to remap content created for a specific speaker layout for a
different speaker setup. There is the ability to support 32 speaker locations, which is subject to each manufacturer's product capabilities. Object mixes are supported up to 96kHz sampling rate, with up to 192kHz for stereo and multi-channel mixes. If that were not enough,
DTS Headphone:X, seeks to enhance headphones with fully immersive surround sound.
DSD Live Streaming Joins
192kHz/24-bit Online Streaming While
one high-end audio magazine reviewer said at THE
Show Newport 2014 during a seminar in front of a large audience that streaming high resolution audio would never
happen, said reviewer refused a $1000 bet from Enjoy the Music.com's
Editor and Creative Director Steven R. Rochlin who felt that we would indeed
enjoy streaming of high quality digital audio. In January, Enjoy the Music.com
announced Naxos 24-bit/192kHz ClassicsOnline HD*LL
and now Sony is live streaming DSD! A
special website has been setup to stream two live concerts using the DSD 5.6 MHz digital audio format. These free presentations are made possible through the kind cooperation of the
Spring Festival in Tokyo, which is now in its 11th year, and features the world-acclaimed Berliner Philharmoniker. On April 5th they live streamed the Tokyo-HARUSAI Marathon Concert
Vol.5 "Music from the Classical period - Musicians in
Vienna". A concert of the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, to be held at the Philharmonie Berlin at
7pm on April 11 (tomorrow), is also going to be live streamed. If you missed the
earlier live stream, it will be offered once again on April 12 at 24:00 Japan time. Also of note is that in January electronics manufacturer
KORG began offering their 5.6MHz DSD live streaming system in collaboration with Internet Initiative Japan Inc., Saidera Paradiso Ltd., and Sony Corporation. Each company engineered specialized technology to achieve this goal. KORG developed a DSD live stream encoding system based on the company's "Clarity" DSD-DAW prototype and dedicated decoding software based on AudioGate (the software included with KORG's DS-DAC series of DSD
converters). The software
to play these concerts is being distributed for free, thus enabling DSD
DAC owners to enjoy these performances at home and/or on their mobile device.
Salon Son & Image Show
Report Part 3 By Rick Becker Enjoy the
Music.com continues our extensive coverage of the Salon Son & Image
2015 show by Rick Becker! Part 3 adds more photos and some very
important rooms that Rick loved. This part features some of the very best
equipment that was at the Salon Son & Image event. As always, Rick
Becker gives you details about all the great gear seen at this springtime Canadian
event. You
can see Rick Becker's Salon Son & Image 2015 show report part 3 here.
04 / 08 / 15
HIFICRITIC's Latest
Issue Now Available HIFICRITIC's
latest issue features reviews of the Linn Kandid cartridge, PMC Twenty.26, Devialet D200 and SAM software, Musical Fidelity Merlin system, Naim's Statement preamplifier plus many think pieces and music reviews.
Within his editorial, Paul Messenger says, "This issue has proved a serious shoehorn job, and has rather fewer reviews than usual. Indeed a number of items I was planning to do myself had to be held over at the last minute, so that my Subjective Sounds this month has turned into a
'taster' or 'preview' column, giving a brief taste of several devices there
wasn't space to review properly. (Hopefully they will appear in the next issue.)... One of the issues to make the national media recently is the question of advertising influencing editorial coverage. Peter Oborne – a fine and lucid commentator, even if one might not share his political views – recently resigned his position as political editor of The Daily Telegraph newspaper, because of what he considered undue advertiser influence on a particular story."
See this issue of HIFICRITIC at this link.
Get Your Free Issue Of CANADA
HiFi Enjoy the Music.com just posted
CANADA HiFi's April / May 2015
issue. CANADA HiFi, a North American print magazine that also makes available
each issue online for free in PDF form, features many equipment review and think
pieces. This issue includes reviews of the Paradigm Prestige 85F speakers, Spender Audio Classic
SP3/1R2
speakers and the VPI Scout turntable plus think pieces including The Origins of Harder
Rock - Part 1 and Ears of Experience.
Within his editorial, Suave Kajko says, "Inside this issue, we start off with the
'The Origins of Harder Rock (Part 1)' by Douglas Brown as he explores and suggests some of the best albums from Jimi Hendrix, The Who and The MC5. Until now, most of our articles have focused on components rather than on music itself, so let us know if you'd like to see us publish more articles like this. Part 2 of this article will follow in the next issue. I know I certainly enjoyed Douglas' take on the subject."
You can download the entire April / May
edition of CANADA HiFi at this link.
Coachella Live Stream With Steely
Dan, AC/DC, Jack White And More Coachella Valley Music and Arts
Festival, a highly popular annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, will be live streamed on YouTube April 10th through 12th. This year's event will feature AC/DC, Alison Wonderland, Annie Mac, Dave Guetta, Drake, Jack White, Jason Bentley, New World Punx, Steely Dan and many others. Coachella was founded by Paul Tollett in 1999 and is organized by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Live. According to Wikipedia, "The event features many genres of music, including rock, indie, hip hop, and electronic dance music, as well as art installations and sculptures. Across the grounds, several stages continuously host live music. The main stages are: Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, and the Sahara Tent; a smaller Oasis Dome was used in 2006 and 2011, while a new Yuma stage was introduced in 2013. The festival's origins trace back to a 1993 concert that Pearl Jam performed at the Empire Polo Club while boycotting venues controlled by Ticketmaster. The show validated the site's viability for hosting large events, leading to the inaugural Coachella Festival being held in October 1999 over two days, just three months after
the disastrous Woodstock '99." Coachella showcases a wide variety of popular and established musical artists plus those the promoter feels are emerging artists. Coachella
also features reunited musical groups.
Industry News 15 Years Ago Sony and the likes have
(finally) given in to the demand for buying music online as
BMG, through strategic partnerships with InterTrust and Microsoft, will soon be offering their music for sale via secure
Internet download. While BMG is demanding the use of digital-rights management systems offered by Microsoft, InterTrust or IBM, we here at
Enjoy the
Music.com feel that it will take about two days for the protection code to be broken. As you may remember in a
previous news event on our site, we were the first to report about the code breaking of Microsoft's "protected"
media within only one day of its release. "After many months of performing extensive technical and business due diligence on the long list of companies moving into the digital music market, we are pleased to take these important and very exciting steps toward making our artists' music widely available through digital downloading," said Kevin Conroy,
Senior Vice President of BMG Entertainment. While the catalog of music will be fairly small in the
beginning, BMG hopes to drastically ramp up the quantity for the holidays.
Densen DenDAC 50 Combines
A 24-bit/192kHz DAC With Class A Preamplifier The new
Densen Audio Technologies DenDAC 50 (€4500) combines a 24-bit/192kHz digital audio capability with an analog Class A preamplifier stage. The analog stages are based on Densen's famed 6 watt
Class A amplifier with zero negative feedback, which in this lower output form produces a still impressive
output for preamplification duties. A relay driven attenuator is controlled by a microprocessor and offer a resolution of 200 steps. In the digital department, Densen's DenDAC 50 has an internal port to mount a small PCB with a digital input for possible future digital input updates. This also allows the
implementation the company's forthcoming Wi-Fi board. Another option could be a Bluetooth
receiver board, yet Densen does not have that in the pipeline at the moment. Densen's DenDAC 50 contains an USB input, two S/PDIF coax inputs and two TosLink inputs. The DAC itself is mounted under a shielded box to avoid digital interference from reaching the crucial analog stages. DenDAC 50 has a carefully configured the PCB layout using a four-layer approach for
optimizing of the signal path, grounding and shielding of the signals. DenDAC 50 also contains three stereo analog preamplifier inputs. A Tape output is also provided. The Densen DenDAC 50 also has a pair of stereo unbalanced headphone outputs. Within the power supply there are separate transformers for digital and analog stages. As usual for a Densen products, the power supply is carefully optimized. The DenDAC50 contains two custom made
toroidal transformers, each with no less than four power outputs. They feed five rectifier bridges and 50.000 uF of storage capacity. Furthermore, there are 18 individual regulators feeding the internal circuitry.
Astell&Kern Maria Callas - The Complete Studio Recordings (1949 – 1969) Box Set Astell&Kern
has just releases their Maria Callas - The Complete Studio Recordings (1949 – 1969) Box Set in 24-bit high resolution audio ($1200), which joins their previously released
Blue Note 75th Anniversary Box Set: Limited Edition that includes a special version of their AK240 PMP ($5500). Partnering with Warner Music to release the
Maria Callas Remastered – The Complete Studio Recordings (1949 – 1969) Box Set in remastered in 24-bit/96kHz sound, this painstaking process for
remastering took place at at Abbey Road Studios using the original tapes. Conceived as a true collector's edition, the
Maria Callas Remastered Box Set presents each individual opera or recital MQS Album on microSD card with its original artwork. The box set contains a 132–page hardcover book with essays, a biography and chronology, rarely-seen photos and reproductions of revealing letters written by Maria Callas, Walter Legge and other EMI executives. The opera librettos and aria texts are provided on each MQS Album. As previously first mentioned worldwide on
Enjoy the Music.com's Industry
News page in October, Astell&Kern's release of Blue Note Records 75th Anniversary Box Set features their most essential albums newly remastered to the MQS digital format 24-bit/192kHz. Five Blue Note albums make their exclusive
high resolution audio debuts with this release: Art Blakey & The Jazz
Messengers' Mosaic, Tina Brooks' True Blue, Don Cherry's Complete
Communion, Andrew Hill's Point Of Departure, and Bobby Hutcherson's Components. The lavish collection includes the Blue Note branded Astell&Kern AK240 high-resolution portable audio player, a special book filled with original album art (front and back cover) for the 75 titles, as well as Richard
Havers' new book, Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression.
04 / 06 / 15
Salon Son & Image Show
Report Part 2 By Rick Becker Enjoy the
Music.com has just posted Rick Becker's extensive Salon Son & Image
2015 show report part 2 filled with over 40 new photos spanning three
pages. Rick once again shows you a wide variety of incredible new equipment exhibited at
this 2015 Canadian
event. Exhibitors included key manufacturers, important distributors, wonderful retailers and craftsmen from the consumer electronics industry. Attendees had access to a wide range of high-end products plus expert information directly from designers and equipment engineers.
Rick does an excellent job at showcasing key new high-end audio gear you should
know about! You
can see Rick Becker's Salon Son & Image 2015 show report part 2 here.
04 / 05 / 15
Rock Legends Cruise IV Sets Sail
January 21, 2016 Rock Legends Cruise IV
is a floating rock festival for a cause aboard Royal Caribbean International's spectacular, Independence of the Seas. The cruise is from January 21 through 25, 2016 and departs from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Musical acts scheduled for Rock Legends Cruise IV includes Peter Frampton, Gregg Allman, Grand Funk Railroad, America, John Kay & Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band and many
others. "I've heard great things about the Rock Legends Cruise from some close friends," says Gregg Allman. "I look forward to being a part of it next year." Like Rock Legends cruises past, Gregg Allman will be part of another amazing line-up presented by the
Native American Heritage Association
(NAHA) that is expected to feature several other well-known classic rock artists from the 70's and 80's, who will be performing their most popular songs over the four-night excursion. All Rock Legends Cruises have featured over twenty artists, each performing at least two sets, amounting to over 60 performances in all. Tickets In between the concerts, meet & greets, Q&A forums and everything else "Rock Legends," passengers will be able to enjoy such onboard activities as surfing and Boogie-boarding (thanks to the ship's FlowRider surf simulator), basketball (full court), a mini golf course, rock-climbing, cantilevered whirlpools and a variety of gourmet restaurants and casual dining. To date, the full lineup to perform during Rock Legends Cruise IV will be Peter Frampton, Gregg Allman, Grand Funk Railroad, America, John Kay & Steppenwolf, The Marshall Tucker Band, Randy Bachman, Ace Frehley, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Uriah Heep, Foghat, The Outlaws, Rik Emmett, Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown, The Pat Travers Band, The Artimus Pyle Band, The Devon Allman Band, Matthew Curry, Warrior's Pride, Gary Hoey, and Dana Fuchs.
Industry News 15 Years Ago None other than the world's largest internet provider, America Online
(AOL), has formed an agreement to offer their members free live streaming concert from the
House of Blues. In this recent agreement, AOL will have exclusive rights to these live weekly concerts. Furthermore, the House Of Blues has agreed to form an archive of on-demand concerts exclusively for AOL members.
In another recent event concerning AOL, Myplay
Inc. and AOL have joined forces to offer AOL members to store their MP3 files in a "digital locker". What will make the
Recording Industry Association Of America
(RIAA) possibly take legal action in the fact that your "digital locker"
play list can be displayed for others to see and download. Therefore pirated songs can be seen by others and illegally downloaded.
04 / 03 / 15
Auralex
ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform Auralex
is now shipping their ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform ($89.99). Engineered specifically to decouple turntables from the supporting surfaces they rest upon, the ISO-Tone aims to reduce structural vibrations and commonly associated acoustic feedback associated with desktops and DJ cases. Designed for turntablists, mobile DJs, audiophiles, rental houses, and anyone seeking enhanced turntable performance, the ISO-Tone features a functionally inert 0.75" Ozite-covered MDF platform supported by a 1" layer. The goal is to make the ISO-Tone an effective isolation boundary that decouples the turntable from the structure underneath. It seeks to protect turntables from unwanted vibrations from reaching the critical vinyl LP to needle interface. This combination of materials dramatically diminishes structural vibrations and resonances, resulting in reduced coloration with improved clarity and detail. Dimensions are 17.75" x 14.25" x 1.75" (WxDxH) and each one weighs 6.4 lbs.
USA's National Recording Registry
Adds 25 Recordings Under the terms of the United States of America's National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the
Library Of Congress, with advice from the
Library's National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), annually selects 25 recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2014 registry bring the total number of recordings on the registry to 425. Of note is that this is an exceedingly small part of the Library's collection of nearly
three million items. Below is their
recently chosen list of 25 recordings for the National Recording Registry:
1. Vernacular Wax Cylinder Recordings at Univ. of
Calif., Santa Barbara Library (c.1890-1910)
2. The Benjamin Ives Gilman Collection, recorded @ World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago (1893)
3. "The Boys of the Lough"/"The Humours of Ennistymon"—Michael Coleman (1922)
4. "Black Snake Moan" / "Match Box Blues"—Blind Lemon Jefferson (1927)
5. "Sorry, Wrong Number" (episode of Suspense radio series, May 25, 1943)
6. "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"—Johnny Mercer (1944)
7. Radio Coverage of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Funeral—Arthur Godfrey, et al. (April 14, 1945)
8. Kiss Me, Kate—Original cast album (1949)
9. John Brown's Body—Tyrone Power, Judith Anderson, & Raymond Massey;
dir. by Charles Laughton (1953)
10. "My Funny Valentine"—The Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker (1953)
11. "Sixteen Tons"—Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)
12. "Mary Don't You Weep"—The Swan Silvertones (1959)
13. Joan Baez—Joan Baez (1960)
14. "Stand by Me"—Ben E. King (1961)
15. New Orleans' Sweet Emma Barrett and her Preservation Hall Jazz Band—(1964)
16. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"—The Righteous Brothers (1964)
17. The Doors—The Doors (1967)
18. Stand!—Sly and the Family Stone (1969)
19. Lincoln Mayorga and Distinguished Colleagues—Lincoln Mayorga (1968)
20. A Wild and Crazy Guy—Steve Martin (1978)
21. Sesame Street: All-Time Platinum Favorites—Various (1995)
22. OK Computer—Radiohead (1997)
23. Old Regular Baptists: Lined-Out Hymnody from Southeastern Kentucky—Indian Bottom Association (1997)
24. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (album)—Lauryn Hill (1998)
25. Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman—Colorado Symph. Orch., Marin
Alsop cond. & Joan Tower comp. (1999)
iFi Audio's New iCan Pro
Solid-State / Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier With Preamplifier iFi Audio just gave us a teaser to their upcoming iCan Pro (~$1500),
which is part of their new Pro series now in Beta product specifications. "As you know, there is the nano, the micro and the mini series which has now be renamed the 'Pro series', (says the company, "which is the flagship (or helicarrier?) of the iFi range." The Pro series
plans are the iDSD, iCAN, iUSB Power and others. This is going to be iFi Audio's "all out assault at the state-of-the-art and drive every headphone out there". This is said to include notoriously difficult
electrostatic Headphones like Stax, yet it will require a special external and separate
energizer module. As is often the case with iFi Audio, the company gets quite enthusiastic during the design phase and thus instead of making their iCAN+iTUBE, they have chosen to combine the two into
a single unit. Furthermore, within the proposed iCan Pro will also be a preamplifier. Features
of the proposed iFi Audio iCan Pro are selectable tube or solid-state input, a fully discrete Class A design, balanced output options on 3-Pin & 4-Pin XLR plus 6.3mm Jack on front panel. Unbalanced outputs on 6.3mm Jack (direct) and two 3.5mm Jacks with built-in fixed iEMatch attenuation on front panel to drive IEMs etc. There will be a pair of XLR inputs and three pairs of RCA Inputs plus a pair of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs on rear of the unit. Output will be around 20V maximum, 600mW into 600 Ohm headphones, approximately 16,000mW maximum into 16 Ohm, and 6000 mW continuous output into 16 Ohm. An adjustable setting for three levels of gain will be available on the front panel. Volume adjustment
will be via a balanced powered ALPS potentiometer. Of course the iCan Pro will include the company's 3D Holographic for headphones and XBass (each adjustable in three levels plus off setting). Class A operation for all stages up to 500mW/16 Ohm, pure Class A at all levels for Headphones >120 Ohm. Internal circuitry is derived from professional tube-based studio equipment, implemented in a hybrid design mixing tubes or J-FET inputs (selectable) with bipolar transistors and MOSFETS. The iFi Audio iCan Pro will have a true fully balanced dual-mono design including internal power supplies, which are handled by 15V/4A ultra low noise PSU (Generation 2, same as the company's iPOWER). An optional Electrostatic Headphone
Energizer will be contained within a separate box and provide 1700V peak-peak maximum output, plus have selectable bias selectable for Stax HiFi/Pro, Sennheiser and others. The output levels are selectable too. The external power source fo the iFi Audio iCan Pro is 15V/4A DC. Vacuum tubes within the iCan Pro include two GE 5670. X-Bass will be +3dB at 80Hz, 160Hz, 320Hz and 3D Sound is at 30/45/60 degrees virtual speaker angle. User-selectable
gain settings are 0dB, 12dB and 24dB. The iCan Pro is said to have a signal to noise ratio of >117dB(A-Weighted) and a total harmonic distortion of <0.003%. Frequency response is an impressively wide 0.5Hz to 500 kHz (-3dB). Dimensions for the iFi Audio iCan Pro are 220mm x 62mm X 190mm (WxHxD including feet and connectors).
04 / 02 / 15
Mastering Engineer Doug Sax
Passes Away It saddens us to report that
mastering engineer Doug Sax has passed away. Doug Sax has won many awards for his incredible work with audio recordings. Born within Los
Angeles in 1936, his accomplishments include Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album and nominations for Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical and many more.
"If ever there was a title of 'Godfather of Mastering,' Doug Sax has truly earned it as evidenced by the extremely high regard that the industry holds him in" said industry insider
Bobby
Owsinski. "One of the first independent mastering engineers, Doug literally defined the art when he opened his world famous The Mastering Lab in Hollywood in 1967."
To quote The Mastering Lab's site, "Doug Sax was fascinated at an early age by the sound of the 78 rpm records in his father's collection. Ironically, trumpet became Sax's instrument of choice; in fact, his main competition in high school came from a fellow native by the name of Herb Alpert. Although he established a career as a symphonic trumpeter, he never lost his interest in the sound of recorded music, and so, with partners Lincoln Mayorga and older brother Sherwood Sax, he opened The Mastering Lab in 1967 – the world's first independent mastering facility. Featuring all hand-built equipment designed by Sherwood, including custom cutting lathes that have become legendary, the studio was soon turning out many of the top hits of the '70s, including
The Wall, Who's Next, Nilsson Schmilsson, the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers and the Eagles' eponymous debut. Sax also established a pioneering set of procedures for testing and evaluating audio components by ear... Doug Sax continued his work with today's (contemporary) music scene, mastering Rod Stewart's GRAMMY nominated
As Time Goes By and the recent surround sound SACD release of Pink Floyd's
Dark Side of the Moon." Doug Sax has work with other engineering industry legends including Bruce
Botnick, Ed Cherney, Val Garay, Nathaniel Kunkle, Kyle Lehning, George
Massenburg, Al Schmitt, and Bill Schnee.
Salon Son & Image Show
Report Part 1 By Rick Becker Enjoy the
Music.com's Salon Son & Image
2015 show report features a wide variety of equipment exhibited at this Canadian
event. Held at the Montreal Hilton Bonaventure, exhibitors included manufacturers, distributors, retailers and craftsmen from the consumer electronics industry. Attendees had access to a wide range of high-end products plus expert information directly from designers and equipment engineers.
We have just posted part 1 of Rick Becker's extensive report, which is always
the most informative and in-depth anywhere in world once completed. You
can see Rick Becker's Salon Son & Image 2015 show report here.
Cary Audio DAC-200ts Balanced
DAC Upsamples To 768kHz As first
announced within Enjoy the Music.com's
CES 2015 report, Cary Audio is now ready to ship their DAC-200ts digital to analog converter ($3995). The DAC-200ts DAC includes such features as TruBit upsampling and utilizes a 128 bit DSP engine that expands native bit depths to 32 bits and upsamples incoming rates to 1 of 7 selectable sample rates up to 768kHz. Cary Audio's DAC-200ts has the digital signal clocked several times with their OSO reclocking, then sent to four independent DACs for eight channels of processing. The analog section of the DAC-200ts uses their Dual Independent Output (DiO) analog topology with separate solid-state output stage and a separate vacuum tube output stage. Not to be confused with a hybrid design, the separate independent analog output stages allow music lovers to tailor the sound of the DAC-200ts to their source material with the simple touch of one button. Cary Audio's DAC-200ts can also be used as a digital preamplifier using its 3.0 volt variable volume output. What's more, a clock input allows for the use of an external master clock, or using the clock output allows the DAC-200ts to function as a master clock for other digital sources capable of a master clock input. The DAC-200ts supports super high resolution Asynchronous USB computer audio including PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz as well as native DSD 64, 128, and 256 audio. Additionally, the DAC-200ts includes; CSR aptX lossless Bluetooth, S/PDIF via coaxial and optical TosLink inputs, AES/EBU input and both fully balanced XLR and RCA outputs. Large VFD display, full function remote control, and Ethernet and Wi-Fi for control systems are also included. The Cary Audio DAC-200ts weighs 28 lbs. and dimensions are 3.75" x 17.25" x 16.25"
(HxWxD).
Hi-Fi+'s April 2015
Issue Is Now Available Online Hi-Fi+
magazine's April 2015 edition is now available online! This issue
features coverage of the Bristol Sound & Vision show plus reviews of the ReQuest Audio The Beast music server, Nagra Audio HD DAC, Digibit Aria Mini music server, AVM Evolution SD5.2 streaming DAC preamplifier, Aurender Flow portable player/DAC/headphone amp, Linn Akurate Exact Akudorik streaming unit, Naim SuperUniti integrated streaming amplifier.
Within his editorial, Alan Sircom says, "Welcome to the first of our new 'themed' issues. Its patently clear that the audio world is undergoing serious change, and what's happening in the next generation of music replay is where change is happening most rapidly. So, instead of our conventional generalised 'round-up', we choose to concentrate on all things computer audio this issue." See
this issue of Hi-Fi+ at this link.
04 / 01 / 15
Schedule Your Live Appearance
Within Our AXPONA Broadcast To
schedule an appointment to appear within our live broadcast, AXPONA
2015 exhibitors can simply join our manufacturer / distributor e-mail
list at www.eepurl.com/S3xtn. A
special invitation e-mail will be sent out on April 7th. We look forward to
seeing everyone in Chicago and streaming live from our mobile TV studio at
AXPONA 2015.
Enjoy the Music.com Releases Their
Ultimate Equipment List Enjoy the Music.com
has one again made our mark in high-end audio history as we release the most
comprehensive and in-depth Ultimate Equipment List! Whilst some
publication might tout 100, or give you very brief snippets concerning 500 bits of audio kit,
Enjoy the Music.com continues
our leadership role by providing our Ultimate Equipment List
featuring
thousands of high-end audio products! Furthermore, we publish
comprehensive and complete reviews for each piece of consumer
electronics, with some being so revolutionary that it merits a follow-up
review. Enjoy the Music.com listens to our readers as each review is on a single page and not spread out over
multiple URLs, which could then falsely skew our website stats. In addition,
because Enjoy the Music.com is the only site to actively support
the industry as a whole for well over a decade, our Ultimate
Equipment List includes over 12 years of synopsis to the truly outstanding
magazine The Absolute
Sound and many years for CANADA
HiFi, Hi-Fi+,
Hi-Fi Media, Hi-Fi World, HIFICRITIC
plus vintage magazines Sound Practices and VALVE. Read
the complete press release here.
April's Review Magazine
Features World Premiere Equipment Reviews And More This
month's Enjoy the Music.com
Review Magazine is filled with very special world premieres, both portable and home audio,
and of course a few surprises along the way including a special press
release. Within this month's Review
Magazine we are happy to report being the first
publication within the world to provide a full review. Wojtek Pacuła
flew 'under the radar' to procure his set and gives you a highly detailed
report on the £155,000 Naim Statement NAC S1 preamplifier and NAP S1 mono
power amplifiers. During the CES 2015, none other
than the inventor of the mainstream portable stereo media player with
their first Walkman announced their next-generation unit. Sony's NW-ZX2
handles Hi-Res Audio, comes with 128GB of storage and is packed with
innovation that virtually no other manufacturer can match. We compare the
$1200 Sony NW-ZX2 to the $2500 Astell&Kern AK240!
Enjoy the Music.com
continues our portable audio coverage with a review of the Fostex TH500RP
planar magnetic headphones and preview of the OPPO PM-3 planar magnetic
headphones plus HA-2 headphone DAC/amp. Of course we haven't forgotten our
home audio enthusiasts and we have great reviews of the Merrill Audio Thor
monoblock amplifiers, which our review feels are nothing short of amazing!
Tom Lyle takes the Merrill Audio Thor to task and conquers this formidable
monoblock. Add to that, we have reviews of the Burson Audio Conductor
Virtuoso DAC, preamplifier and, yes headphone amplifier by Michael Mercer.
Michael's magnificent review gives the Virtuoso an enthusiastic thumbs up
as an all-arounder.
There
is no doubt the Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2 speakers are for home use and
these, albeit expensive, stand-mounted monitors set a new benchmark for
those who desire the very best. Ron Nagle even admits,
"Everywhere we read hyperbolic advertising and empty catch phrases
that really do not explain anything. However, with the Alta Audio $13,000
FRM-2 speakers, this is one of the few occasions where the performance was
equal to the promise." We also report on the Triode Wire Labs cable
family of products too with everything from power to digital cabling and
all between.
For easy to assemble kit
lovers we have PureAudioProject's Trio 15 TB open baffle speaker that is
outstanding. Rick Becker digs deep into this simple-to-build project and
tells you what it all sounds like once completed. While not a DIY
design in the purist sense, it is a kit that you could build within your
home with some simple tools. Oh, and remember kids,
this is the April issue so you never know what else we jolly jokers here
at Enjoy the Music.com
might be up to. Probably something some outrageous that everyone within
the industry from engineers, manufactures, distributors and our reads will
have to break out in a big smile.
Of
course later this month Enjoy the
Music.com will be live streaming AXPONA in Chicago and you can
see our live stream, participate within our live chat and Tweet us to!
AXPONA has expanded their Audio Con with more exhibit space, more
manufactures and an abundance of live music that will surely resonate with
attendees. You can see the show streamed live as we showcase
groundbreaking equipment, interview innovative designers and you can ask
questions in real time to those we are featuring too! Of course it is
always best to attend an audio event, and remember to bring your music to
audition sound systems, yet if you can't be there we are here for you to
not miss out on the festivities.
Soon be publishing Mike Mineo's report on
Spring Break Nations 2015 in Daytona. SBN is without a doubt the world's
most famous soundoff and mobile electronics show. You'd be amazed at the
sound quality that can be achieved within an automobile!
Come join Enjoy the Music.com's fun and informative Facebook,Twitter and
Pinterest
pages. We feature great music, fun photos, and up to the minute updates plus
so much more for you to enjoy We also have a YouTube
channel filled with videos from shows and music concerts.
For previous high-end audio industry news click
here.
High-Performance Audio Reviews
Industry News 10 Years Ago
The UK's
Universal Music Group
A
The
None other than the world's largest internet provider, 
Hi-Fi+
This
month's 
There
is no doubt the Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2 speakers are for home use and
these, albeit expensive, stand-mounted monitors set a new benchmark for
those who desire the very best. Ron Nagle even admits,
"Everywhere we read hyperbolic advertising and empty catch phrases
that really do not explain anything. However, with the Alta Audio $13,000
FRM-2 speakers, this is one of the few occasions where the performance was
equal to the promise." We also report on the Triode Wire Labs cable
family of products too with everything from power to digital cabling and
all between.
