05 / 31 / 04
Dutch company Daluso has launched their first loudspeaker models, called Dutch Basic XL and XXL. The Dutch Basics are 100
percent made of aluminum, employ coaxial drivers, and first order crossover filtering via high-end crossover components. This combination is touted by Daluso to produce "a very accurate and detailed sound." Daluso will soon be offering their smaller size units including a center channel loudspeaker for home theater/surround sound.
Cabinet finishes include natural aluminum, wood grain, artwork, and custom
painted designs to match nearly any decor.
05 / 28 / 04
Enjoy the Music.com now
offers coverage of Germany's High End Society show.
Our 2004 show coverage marks our fifth consecutive year offering unprecedented
information and photographs of this European event. In fact this show is the
largest European event, now taking place in Munich instead of Frankfurt due to
needing more exhibition locations! See out High End Society show covering by clicking
here.
French manufacturer Kora
has released their new remote control Crescendo modular stereo tube
pre-amplifier. The Crescendo is a fully balanced stereo pre-amplifier using a single stage 12BH7 triode per channel. It also employs Kora's exclusive CSC and XTL designs, said to provide extremely low distortion (THD < 0.05%) and output impedance at all levels. There are two available slots on the rear panel for expansion possibilities such as Kora's phono stage. Four single ended (RCA) inputs, a monitor loop, and unity gain apear on the rear of the unit. Both single ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) are provided for output.
05 / 27 / 04
Peak Consulting
has announced the availability of the Princess monitor loudspeaker ($7,500/pair including matching wood stands). With it's
diminutive size, measuring only 14.5 x 8.2 x 12.2 (HxWxD in inches), the Princess features
an Audiotechnology 5-inch midwoofer and a 1-inch silk-dome tweeter. This combination is
claimed to produce a frequency response from 40Hz to 30kHz with an 88dB/W/m sensitivity. As for the cabinet, the Princess is hewn from laminations of HDF and then finished with 1-inch thick hardwood cabinetry (or
highly-lacquered black gloss HDF). The crossover network has been designed to optimize
performance while the Princess is internally wired with Stereovox SET Ag.
05 / 26 / 04
Linn is now shipping their new Unidisk
SC. This new unit employs Linn's Silver Disc Engine that identifies source material and outputs signals in their native format. This mean that CD, SACD, DVD-Video and DVD-Audio are handled independently and optimized with the precise decoding solution for which they were designed. The Unidisk SC also has digital inputs to decode external source components -- both stereo and surround sound -- while both fixed and variable analog audio outputs allow the Unidisk SC to be directly connected to amplification without the need of a pre-amplifier. The Unidisk SC player incorporates a comprehensive range of video outputs including progressive scan, component, S-Video and composite. "Unidisk SC is simply the most significant integrated product from Linn. Our unique expertise in the fields of universal disc playback, integration and control has helped create the best integrated home entertainment product available. Unidisk SC is a complete pitch-accurate AV source and control product offering by far the highest standards of performance and easily the best value product on the market. A new generation of Linn multi-channel product, Unidisk SC provides all you need to access and control music and movies across all quality audio and video formats. Only Linn's integrated design and manufacturing capability can deliver such advanced technology."
UK Retail (inc VAT) GBP 2,995
US Retail (ex Tax) USD 4,995
Canadian Retail (Ex Tax) CAD 6,500
Europe (Ex tax) EUR 3,995
Sweden (inc tax) SEK 45,500
Norway (inc tax) NOK 41,000
Denmark (inc tax) DKK 36,850
05 / 25 / 04
Siltech's
new The Abyss cable is part of the company's Signature line and is specifically engineered for use with powered subwoofers systems. The Abyss employs ultra high-quality materials including solid core silver-gold conductors utilizing Siltech's sixth generation metallurgy and Kapton as the dielectric. Extra attention to reducing EMI/RFI was designed is as the cable was designed with long lengths. According to Siltech's
press release, "The special ultra low noise Micro Technology construction used in The Abyss keeps this noise away from the LFE signal. This construction also makes the cable particularly immune to RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) that can interfere with low frequency signals." The Abyss contains a passive filter to keep out the broadband noise that is being generated by the digital crossovers used in most surround processors and receivers.
05 / 19 to
05 / 24
Enjoy the Music.com
now has many photos of PRIMEDIA's Home Entertainment 2004
show! We will soon be posting more show reports and photos of Joan
Osborne, Tom Scott & The New York All Stars, Carla Lother, and Nicole Henry,
all of which performed during the event. See what we have online to date by clicking here.
05 / 18 / 04
BMG Music, BMG Songs, Careers-BMG Music Publishing, EMI Music Publishing, the Harry
Fox Agency, Sony ATV Music Publishing, Sony ATV Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, and the Warner Music Group have agreed to pay in total $75 million dollars of so-called "unclaimed" royalties to artists the
aforementioned companies claimed they simply lost track of. New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer gave his verdict after a lengthy two year investigation again the music industry. "The Recording Academy was pleased to join with the attorney general at today's important announcement," said Recording Academy President Neil Portnow. "The Academy and our thousands of members who will benefit from this settlement thank Mr. Spitzer for his diligence, and we look forward to working with him to ensure that artists receive all of their well-earned royalties."
05 / 17 / 04
Enjoy the Music.com will soon
begin our exclusive live coverage of the PRIMEDIA Home Entertainment 2004
show! Live music during the event include Joan Osborne, Tom Scott & The New York All Stars, Carla Lother, and Nicole Henry on Friday evening. Other musical performances during the event include
harpsichordist Peter Sykes, blues legend Honeyboy Edwards, and latin-jazz The Mario Rodriguez Group. To learn more about this show please
click here.
05 / 14 / 04
DIY audio lovers rejoice as Audio Consulting has released their first amplifier kit, the "Mains Compatible Tube Amplifier" (MCTA. CHF 4,200 without chassis/tubes included). This 10 Watt push-pull tube amplifier is said to be less sensitive to electrical power distortion as compared to a
single-ended design (!). The transformers are oversized using air-gap to prevent the iron from saturation. The MCTA's simple design employs high quality components , there are no capacitors in the signal path, a transformer input to a
push-pull ECC 99 input/driver stage and another for the EL 84 output stage are included. This DIY tube amplifier kit also includes oil capacitors in power supply and a pseudo choke input supply. Various
optional upgrades are offered by Audio Consulting.
05 / 13 / 04
The House Ear Institute researchers recently presented compiled hearing screenings information from musicians and those within the audio/video/recording industry (dating back to 1997). The
finally results show, on average, a definite high-frequency hearing loss from noise-induced inner ear damage due to constant exposure to high sound pressure levels. In fact all groups tested are said to share a
phenomenon called "noise-notch," a loss of hearing sensitivity from 4kHz to 6kHz. "This is the first study of this scope to assess hearing loss among professionals in the music and audio industries," says Rachel Cruz, M.A., CCC-A/FAAA, a research audiologist at the House Ear Institute. "Study results confirm what we've suspected for a long time. These groups not only have high-frequency hearing damage from over-exposure to loud sounds, they also acquire it earlier than individuals in the general population, who may experience a high-frequency hearing loss as they age."
05 / 12 / 04
Linn
has done it again with a successful partnership with critically acclaimed automobile manufacturer Aston Martin to offer audio systems within their
vehicles. First came the Linn entertainment system within the V12 Vanquish approximately a year
ago, and today they extend their products to be offered as standard within Aston Martin's new DB9. While it may not be
the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti with 540bhp from a
6-liter V12 engine, the Aston Martin DB9 does produce a mere 450bhp from their
6-liter V12 engine. Fitted as standard in the DB9 includes Linn's 128W Audio System that consists of a 5-channel stereo amplification and loudspeaker solution. Four
22 wpc. amplifiers, developed from Linn's latest ultra-linear CHAKRA technology, drive two loudspeakers situated in stereo configuration in the vehicle's doors. Each of these active loudspeakers contains a 4-inch mid-range drive unit and a 1-inch tweeter. An additional 40-watt amplifier drives the 8-inch bass reinforcement loudspeaker which is situated between the rear seats. The Linn 260W Audio System is the mid-level option in the range, offering greater power and the addition of LIMBIK-powered surround sound, delivering superior sound and tuneful performance that is simply totally involving. Surround sound processing in the Linn 260W System is handled by Linn's proprietary Limbik software algorithm which converts a normal stereo signal into 6 discrete channels of pitch-accurate sound, immersing the driver in the performance. Those seeking the best package available will opt for Linn's 950W Audio System with reference quality CHAKRA amplification powered by Linn's proprietary Switch Mode Power Supply technology resulting in substantially greater power output and improved sound quality with ten channels of 75W driving the active full-range loudspeakers and an additional 200W driving the active bass reinforcement loudspeaker. This system also has servo-controlled bass reinforcement loudspeakers using an accelerometer to provide the correct feedback required for pitch accurate performance down to the lowest frequencies.
05 / 11 / 04
Furman Sound
now offers their economically-priced PowerFactor Pro Power Conditioner ($299.95). With maintenance free Series Mode Protection (SMP), voltage spikes that can severely damage or destroy amplifiers is virtually eliminated. Also included is Furman Sound's Clear Tone technology that lowers the AC line impedance supplied by the wall outlet, while storing in excess of 45
Amps of instantaneous reserve energy for peak current demands. Additionally, Linear Filtering Technology (LiFT) dramatically lowers AC line noise to
vanishing low levels in the critical audio frequency band. The Power Factor Pro has a generous 12-Amp R.M.S. capacity, a convenient multi-segment AC voltmeter, detachable-locking AC cord, and 4 AC outlets.
05 / 10 / 04
While Apple's iTunes is
heralding their new "lossless" audio compression, consumers desire more than just
audio and many want higher quality than iTunes offers. Enter Microsoft
(owners of audiophile acclaimed HDCD technology), have unveiled the next version of its Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM)
software. Besides the "usual" lossless technology, Microsoft will have many leading online music and movie services, entertainment companies, consumer electronics manufacturers and chip makers on their side. Like Sony with their ill fated Betamax, Apple has been keeping their technology very exclusive. Microsoft, on the other hand, is more akin to VHS and is allowing many to take advantage of not just audio, but also video technology.
Unlike VHS, Microsoft has technology that car surpass "CD quality"
sound. Microsoft's next generation of Windows Media DRM technology for Windows-based PCs and devices will naturally offer copyright protecting, delivering and playing subscription-based or on-demand digital music and video. Making
implementation easier for hardware manufacturers, Microsoft is providing porting kits that include ANSI C code and other tools to help rapid integration. We may soon see
history repeat itself like VHS versus the failed Betamax... and Microsoft verses
Apple.
05 / 07 / 04
Tacet
has released their new DVD-Audio title Moving Real Surround Sound that features Sergei Prokofiev:
Peter and the Wolf and Camille Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals (DVD D114 or SACD S114). Performed by the Ladies Swing Quartet, Polish Chamber Orchestra as conducted by Wojciech Rajski, Tacet's Moving Real Surround Sound is said to make "the players as well as the notes truly mobile, and enables the listener to "see" completely new things within the orbit of the loudspeakers. Listening becomes a new experience. Peter and the Wolf and the Carnival of the Animals are ideal vehicles to demonstrate this new aesthetic concept, which follows faithfully in the great recording tradition while fully exploiting the latest achievements and capabilities of the modern medium. This TACET DVD includes a complete English version (narrator: Bradley Cole), a German version (Moritz Stöpel) and a third performance with no narration at all."
Other new titles include Franz Schubert: Octet D803 / op. posth. 166 (CD 133) and Ernst Pepping (1901-1981) Heut und Ewig: choral song cycle on poems by Goethe performed by Sächsisches Vocalensemble (CD 123).
05 / 06 / 04
HeadRoom's new BitHead ($199) portable headphone amplifier
incorporates their AirHead analog circuitry with a USB port for computer
integration. The advantage of USB is that a digital signal is directly sent to from the computer to the headphone amplifier. Digital decoding/processing is done with a "good 16-bit" chip. Most systems will easily automatically "recognize" and configure for the BitHead, then use it for the primary audio output. No batteries are required as power is
derived from the computer's USB port, though 4AAA batteries can also be used to insure an "audiophile" external power source.
05 / 05 / 04
Sony's
new QUALIA line has extended to their model 010 headphones ($2,600). Said to offer a frequency
response that extends beyond 100kHz, the 010 is lightweight, comfortable, and can be customized (headband and pad color) by the owner. A wide leather headband and pressure-dispersion ear pads made of natural sheep skin (for soft texture) allow for extended periods of use in comfort. Additional features include a porous baffle that has been adopted for optimum air flow resistance and reduction of unnecessary sound resonance.
Audiophile-grade 6N grade OFC cord is also included. "The audio listening performance of the QUALIA 010 headphones surpasses anything that Sony has created in this category," said Kenichi (Ken) Sugawara, Sony Electronics' QUALIA U.S. executive vice president. "We think these headphones will set new standards for both Sony and the industry for the ultimate personal audiophile experience."
05 / 04 / 04
Netherlands based Crystal Cable
is a new cable company offering both audiophile and home theater products. Handcrafted in Holland, Crystal Cables employ a compact design and are claimed to take advantage of specialized technology that stems from advanced research in aerospace engineering. Their product line ranges from analogue interconnects and loudspeaker cables to DVI and FireWire cables. Crystal Cables claim to feature the strongest shielding on the market to insure the signal is not affected by stray signals and noise from cell phones, lighting, computers, or other electronic devices.
05 / 03 / 04
We are proud to announce the May Edition of both Enjoy
the Music.com™'s Superior
Audio and Review Magazine.
While music lovers will enjoy the 19 new album reviews, those of you seeking
the Holy Grail of equipment will enjoy our new Ed's
Picks. With hundreds of equipment reviews spanning many years to
choose from, editor Steven R. Rochlin proudly reintroduces readers to those
items that are truly exceptional within the equipment review section.
Equipment chosen are not limited to Ferrari-priced items as many, in fact, are
under $2,000!
High-Performance Audio Reviews
