High-End Audio Industry News

 

06 / 29 / 06

  Magix has released Audio Cleaning Lab 11 ($40) deluxe software for audio and music restoration. The software includes a 'SmartDesign' and one click functionality to restore and digitizes music. With 40 studio effects, including surround sound, surround reverb, transition effects, and advanced MP3 surround sound, the integrated AudioID technology makes recognizing songs easy by automatically assigning title, artist, and album information to tracks. Audio filters include MAGIX DeEsser to remove sibilants, DeClipper to ensure the volume level does not exceed known limitations, and Para4X Equalizer to shape the sound.

 

06 / 28 / 06

  Boulder Amplifier's new 810 Stereo Preamplifier ($6,900) features balanced operation, dual-mono input section, plus Boulder’s proprietary 0.5dB stepped volume control. The power supply consist of a fully filtered and regulated dual torroid linear power supply to ensure clean electricity to various circuitry. Analog input controls are programmable, there are two pairs of fully balanced XLR output connections, balanced record outputs, a dimmable and programmable alpha-numeric front panel display, and a fully machined metal IR remote control. Total Boulderlink communication capability and IR/IR Repeater connections are present on the 810 Stereo Preamplifier and will be standard on all 800 Series products.

 

06 / 27 / 06

  Naim Audio announced the company's new NaimNet system and utilization of StreamNet technology to connect and operate products via the Internet. Benefits of NaimNet include the use of no audio compression for true bit-for-bit data delivery without lossy compression or content degradation. other advantages include the system's scalability, as there is virtually no limit to the number of rooms that can be accommodated with NaimNet and operated via wall panels, PDAs, Tablets, a PC or a stand alone control interface. "Naim will enter the IP-Based Multi-Room Audio market with a suite of products we call NaimNet, featuring very high quality audio performance and functionality – incorporating NetStreams' StreamNet technology," said Alan Ainslie, VP Business Development for Naim Audio. "The NaimNet networked entertainment products will incorporate the most advanced means of distributing and controlling music and its meta-data, while delivering a rich user experience. The NaimNet family of products will also include music servers for lossless storage of digital music with the most advanced database features and ease of use available."

 

06 / 26 / 06

  VTL has announced their new auto-biased Signature MB-450 amplifier ($13500) and TP6.5 phono preamplifier ($7500), plus major upgrade for critically acclaimed TL-7.5 Reference linestage ($15,000, pictured right). Four years after introducing the TL-7.5, the new design is now known as the TL-7.5 Series II and adapts current gain technology developed for the new TP-6.5 Signature Phono Stage. Improvements are said to be lower overall gain (20dB-balanced, 14dB single ended) as well as a dramatically lower noise floor. Also included in the upgrade are new parts to enhance resolution, speed and presence in the critical midrange and highs. VTL's MB-450 Signature Monoblock Amplifier includes the 'smart-tube' technology derived from the company's flagship Siegfried amplifier. Other features include auto bias and fault-sensing technology. Rounding things up, the TP-6.5 Signature Phono Stage complements the TL-6.5 and TL7.5 Linestage Preamplifiers in sonic performance, user interface and cosmetics. The new phono stage employs hybrid JFET/tube circuitry, multiple low-noise cascaded regulators and shielded power supplies, accurate 4-corner passive RIAA equalization and 69dB of gain from the balanced outputs. Adjustments are via front panel and remote control: Power on/off, MC/MM input select, cartridge load adjust, gain setting, phase reversal, IEC RIAA rumble filter, mono, and mute, with a low-noise sleep microprocessor function.

 

06 / 22 / 06

  Nola by Accent Speaker Technology Ltd. has announced the availability of their new Pegasus Reference Xtreme ($55,000) floorstanding loudspeaker. Bringing over thirty years of loudspeaker design and engineering experience to bear upon this project, designer Carl Marchisotto has built the Pegasus Reference Xtreme in two sections that are stacked one on top of the other. The upper section contains all the drivers except the four bass drivers that are located in the lower section. The upper section consists of a high gloss, black acrylic sub baffle to reduce unwanted coloration. Two newly designed 110mm tri-laminate cone midrange drivers use Alnico magnets and operate in open baffle dipole mode, said to eliminate coloration due to cabinet resonances, air chamber standing wave resonances and delayed through-the-cone resonances. The magnesium / aluminum alloy high frequency dome drivers with dual Alnico magnets operate in the dipole mode to eliminate the slowing of the response and resultant slight mechanical sound typical of sealed-back domes. Impedance is a smooth 8 Ohms, sensitivity is 88dB/W/m, and frequency response is from 20Hz to 25kHz.

 

06 / 21 / 06

  Triode Corporation Ltd. Tri amplifier line feature seven amplifier ($1700 to $6500) and three different Micropure loudspeakers ($1100 to $3100) are now available. Amplification products include the TRV-4SE preamplifier that includes MM phonostage, TRV-35SE push-pull EL34-based amplifier, TRV-A300 8-watt 300B single-ended amplifier, plus their 88 Signature 35-watt triode/70 watt pentode KT88 amplifier. All amplification device feature a very wide frequency response upwards of 10Hz to 100kHz with very low distortion. The Micropure loudspeaker line includes the CZ302ES (Kotaro) with solid maple/mahogany cabinet with MuRata Supertweeter.

 

06 / 20 / 06

  Enjoy the Music.com's $80,000 contest end May 31, 2006 with contest winners being notified via e-mail on June 2. Our announcement of the contests ending had audiophiles all over the world waiting in anticipation in hopes of receiving their share of prizes. There is no doubt the largest audiophile giveaway in history was extremely successful on all levels and many manufacturers have already lined up for our next contest, which will be announced at the appropriate time. We here at Enjoy the Music.com thank everyone for participating. Chosen winners from our Opt-In Mailing List had 15 days to reply to the very special e-mail. A list of the contest winners can be seen by clicking here.

 

06 / 19 / 06

  Linn Records is now offering SACD titles for only $10 each when you purchase 10. The two offers are available until the end of July and include Linn's 10 disc Jazz collection or 10 disc Classical collection. The collection of 10 Jazz SACDs encompass musicians Claire Martin, guitarist Martin Taylor, Barb Jungr, Haftor Medboe Group and legendary vocalist Carol Kidd to name a few. Linn's 10 classical music SACDs feature Pamela Thorby, pianist Artur Pizarro, the choral majesty of Magnificat and much more. All of Linn's SACDs are hybrid discs with both SACD and CD layers.

 

06 / 16 / 06

  Swap your CDs for $1 each and support musical artists, but not the recording label. Website la la claims to have available 1.4 million titles from their collective members and will give back 20 cents of every CD to the musical artists. The site claims "...to reduce overhead in marketing costs across the industry, so artists can make more from selling their music." The site also says, "Every day, lala.com members are adding thousands of new titles, roughly the equivalent of 15 Wal-Mart stores worth of music. This translates into an unparalleled selection of music for lala.com members." Lala is able to work past the usual legalities of copyright and royalty payments by only allowing original CD discs to be traded. The Unites States based RIAA and worldwide IFPI, two organizations who use very strong legal tactics to those who do not pay various royalties, have not chimed in on this new effort.

 

 

The Mobius  loudspeaker ($4538) is a lifestyle oriented loudspeaker that features 360 degree dispersing of sound via the bi-polar design. Mobius' front element is finished in silver grey high gloss piano finish, while the rear enclosure is wrapped in black simulated leather. Driver compliment consists of an 8-inch Talc-filled cone for midrange that has a center-mounted 1-inch silk dome tweeter, both appearing on the front and also the rear of the unit. Bass is produced by an 8-inch driver and aided with a 3-inch tuned port. Frequency response is from 45Hz to 20kHz with a sensitivity of 88.3dB/W/m at 8 Ohms. 

 

06 / 15 / 06

  Big changes are happening at Enjoy the Music.com as our midmonth update includes many new articles plus a new look for the Review Magazine's homepage! Editor Steven R. Rochlin celebrates Mozart's 250^th birthday by going to his hometowns in Austria! Other new articles include Germany's High End Society show report, music reviews Mozart Requiem and Howard Hanson Symphony No. 2, Op. 30, plus four new jazz/folk/bluegrass reviews. To make life easier for you, we have links to all new articles and reviews on the Review Magazines main homepage! Send us e-mail and let us know if you enjoy the new page. See the midmonth issue of our Review Magazine by clicking here.

 

 

Teresonic's Integrum Jazz Legends limited edition ($10,950 and only 10 pairs available) loudspeakers features the likeness of legendary jazz artists detailed on the side of the loudspeaker. Jazz greats include Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan. Each pair also includes one set of 10-foot Clarison Speaker cables, original artwork (framed picture), and free shipping in continental USA. Other features of the Teresonic Integrum JL include a real wood Rosewood/black enclosure type ETQWT transmission line with Helmholtz resonators, an 8-inch Lowther DX3 driver, frequency response from 30Hz to 22kHz (± 3dB) and a very high sensitivity of 101.5 dB/W/m. The loudspeaker requires only 4 Watts and can handle 100, with loudspeaker connection being very high quality WBT posts. Dimensions are 47 x 10.5 x 20 (H x W x D in inches) and each loudspeaker weights 70 lbs.

 

06 / 14 / 06

  Dark Matter Audio's new STONA (£39.95) for Windows 2000/XP is said to be ideal for audiophiles who wants to accurately measure the responses and dynamics of their set up in situ. Of interesting note is the company's claim that their technology is "based on revolutionary theory into the biomechanics of the ear and neural perception of sound. The algorithm at the core of STONA, enables 100 percent accuracy in analyzing audio signals in real time, and more importantly re-synthesizes the signal modeled on the human ear. In this sense it is now possible to see the cochlear hairs ‘firing’ in real time, in response to an audio signal." Other features of STONA include real time 3D display, loudspeaker/room setup, and frequency analysis.

 

06 / 13 / 06

 Classic Records has announced their collaboration with EMI Music Group and will begin remastering from the original mater tapes many legendary titles. The fall 2006 vinyl releases will be on 200 gram Super Vinyl Profile and covers will be "authentic UK gatefold jacket and label artwork." Dubbed The Classic Records Impulse Signature LP Series, to the right is a listing of all the upcoming releases.

 

 

Highland Audio's Dord 165 powered subwoofer is said to combine unusual modern lines, high performance and value for money. The 6.5-inch driver is enclosed in a black cabinet measuring 7.8 x 12.6 x 15 (WxDxH) and mates well with small to middle size rooms/systems. Frequency response is from 38Hz to 150Hz and the driver is powered by a 100 Watt 'Class AB' amplifier. Also included is an adjustable crossover, from 40Hz to 150Hz, and a 0° / 180° phase adjustment. Inputs include both line level and loudspeaker.

 

06 / 12 / 06

  USA distributor www.tmh audio has introduced two new tube amplifiers by Italian manufacturer New Audio Frontiers. The Stereo Supreme 300B SET and Integrated Stereo Supreme 300B SET with remote ($16,000 and $18,000 respectively) feature custom, high quality custom LITZ transformers for ultra-wide 10Hz to 60kHz bandwidth with the unit producing 18 watts per channel. Internal circuitry features zero negative feedback and output tubes are self-biased. Tube rectification is via a 5U4 with other tubes being ECC83, 5687, and 300B. Dimensions are 14 x 10 x 23 (WxHxD in inches) and each unit weight an impressive 110 lbs.

 

06 / 09 / 06

  Onkyo has introduced their high-end stereo A-9555 integrated amplifier and DX-7555 compact disc player ($699.99 and $599.99 respectively). The integrated amplifier showcases Onkyo's 4th generation VL Digital power hybrid 'Class D' amplifier technology that will soon be within many other Onkyo products. Features in the A-9555 include 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms (200 watts into 4 ohms), seven stereo inputs including two tape/MD record loops, and a high quality phono preamplifier circuit with discrete RIAA equalization. The Onkyo DX-7555 CD player is compatible with CD, CD-R/RW, and MP3-encoded discs and includes a "super-precision clock circuit," which has a tolerance of just +/- 1.5 ppm for low jitter. Other features include a Wolfson Microelectronics DAC circuit with user-selectable profiles for either "sharp" (flat up to 20 kHz) or "slow" (gradual) high frequency rolloff.

 

06 / 08 / 06

  AcuHorn's latest design, the Rosso Superiore175 ($10,000), features a full range single driver design to produce sound from a point source. Audiophiles have long known that point source sound can perhaps achieve the most accurate time and phase signal, thereby produce the most realistic music reproduction. AcuHorn's Rosso Superiore175 uses a double driver dipole arrangement, with one full range driver at the front and the other on the rear of the cabinet. The driver is a Tesla SR200 with neodymium magnet system and overall system impedance is 4 Ohms at a sensitivity of 97dB/W/m. Because of the very high sensitivity, a mere 3 Watts can achieve very good listening levels in most rooms. Internal silver cable is the Siltech G5 series while loudspeaker binding posts are by WBT. Each tower measures 21 x 40 x 175 (WxDxH in cm) and weighs 35 kg.

 

06 / 07 / 06

  Plinius Audio's new Koru photostage with a single box dual chassis to provide critical physical separation between the power supply and the amplification circuitry. The power supply boasts a virtual battery with over 100,000 micro Farads of capacitance and sophisticated two-stage regulation. This ensures low impedance of power to the amplification stages. Amplification and equalization circuitry specific to the Koru take advanatge of the latest components and can handle both MM and MC cartridges. There is a full range of user adjustments available on the rear panel plus both single ended (RCA) and balanced (XLR) output. Plinus Audio's Koru is available in both black or silver chassis.

 

06 / 06 / 06

  German loudspeaker manufacturer Manger has announced their new MSM c1 self-powered, bi-amplified loudspeaker (€7200 including stands). The Manger sound transducer (MSW) operates using the principle of bending waves and is a broadband sound transducer that reproduces music and other sound events without any delay and without any energy-storing forces. Their driver exhibits extremely fast rise time and provides a single point source from 80Hz to 40kHz. Frequency response is from 30Hz to 40kHz and supplied power amplifiers produce 250W at 8 Ohms for tweeter/midrange single driver and 400W at 4 Ohms (with optional LF-Module). Bass driver is a 200mm fiberglass-polyester sandwich cone with 38mm voice-coil. Various controls include input trim switch (11 positions), polarity, AV-filter for high pass filter (80Hz, 12dB), plus many other level adjustments to contour the sound.

 

06 / 05 / 06

  KEF and Chord Electronics teamed up at the recent High End Society Munich show to demonstrated KEF's technology testbed Austin prototypes. Driven by four Chord electronics SPM14000 amplifiers, KEF's Austin prototypes weigh over 120 kilos each and stand nearly 6.5 feet high. The company allowed the engineers to construct a cost-no-object design that included such advances as the shallowest to date Uni-Q speaker cone that produces the widest audio dispersion of any Uni-Q driver and new two-piece compound dome tweeter design with stronger dome that achieves pistonic motion to achieve higher frequencies than normal production unit so no hyper-tweeter is needed. Lowermost frequencies were produced by four 10-inch woofers with vented neodymium motor systems mounted to what KEF calls their closed box ACE loaded bass section. Low frequency directivity is also via two additional rear mounted 10-inch woofers for achieving a unidirectional or cardioid type radiation pattern.

 

06 / 02 / 06

  Enjoy the Music.com's June issue of both Superior Audio and Review Magazine are now online! This month's Superior Audio marks our second Special Edition. In February we spotlighted Clearaudio and this month we proudly showcase Art Audio. The Review Magazine presents speakers galore as Steven Stone 'Speed Dates' five monitors, Ron Nagle reviews the Reference 3A Veena, and Dick Olsher builds the VISATON NoBox BB loudspeaker kit. See the June issue of our Review Magazine by clicking here and Superior Audio by clicking here.

 

06 / 01 / 06

  Enjoy the Music.com's $80,000+ Equipment Contest, the largest of its kind in the history of the audiophile industry, is a resounding success! Since its inception over six months ago, this site has received thousands of entries from all over the world. Prizes will be awarded by leading high-end companies including AAA-Audio, Aperion Audio, Art Audio, Audience, Audio Note UK, Audio Space, AV123, Axiom Audio, Cardas, Crystal Cable, DEQX Calibrated, Edge Electronics, Etymotic Research, Fidelis, Green Mountain Audio, Hagerman Technology, HeadRoom, Jadis, JPS Labs, KEF, Kimber Kable, Landes Audio, LAT International, Lehmann Audio, Locus Design Group, the Lotus Group, McCormack Audio Corporation, ModWright Instruments, My Audio Cables (MAC), NAT Distribution, Penaudio, Pierre Gabriel Acoustics Incorporated, Redgum Audio, Reference Recordings, Single Power, Sota, Stereovox, TacT Audio, Teresonic, Von Schweikert Audio, and Welborne Labs. "Our efforts will enhance the joy of music to people all around the world," said Enjoy the Music.com^®'s Editor Steven R. Rochlin. "Together with the contributing manufacturers we have raised the public's awareness of our industry. Judging from the staggering amount of e-mails and comments included within entries, there is no doubt of the increased awareness high-end audio has achieved as a direct result. I would like to thank each company for their generous contribution." The contest began October 7, 2005 and ended today with contest winners being notified via e-mail in a few days.

 

 

  Enjoy the Music.com's seventh consecutive year covering Germany's High End Society audiophile and consumer electronics show has begun! Live music, technology stages, and a Software Village are only some of the many exciting events during the show. See our event coverage by clicking here.

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