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High-End Audio Industry News
06 / 29 / 11
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Phone 7 app can right now get an exclusive sneak peek of two reviews
scheduled to appear within our July audiophile Review Magazine! The new
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app, then simply click the Review tab to read these exclusive new reviews days
before anyone else! Android users can download the Enjoy
the Music.com
Android app by clicking here. The Enjoy
the Music.com Windows Phone 7 app can be downloaded by clicking here.
06 / 28 / 11
Jaton
is now offering a special model A801 DIY three-way, three-driver floorstanding speaker with with bi-wired cable
connection. This unit incorporates a German-made AMT tweeter plus a 4-inch HT160 mid-range cone and an 8-inch HT200 low bass driver. The crossover network boards, three total, have been precisely designed and assembled into a totally isolated area beneath the bottom of the main enclosure to
ensure unwanted resonances do not interfere with the sound quality. Crossover parts includes those from Mundorf German-made M-Series Oil capacitors and M-Series Coils, plus USA Made Vishay none-inductive resistors. High-end silver-gold and solid-copper wires are used from the jacks to the drivers. Jaton's A801 kit comes with two of A801 speakers with the drivers air-tight installed. A separate carton includes the stands assembly, which is an option for those who desire them. Without stands the units can be used as large bookshelf speakers. Sensitivity is 92dB/W/m, frequency response is from 37 Hz to 40 kHz, and impedance is 4 Ohm via single wire or 8 Ohm via bi-amplification. The drive units are a 4-inch
Mundorf AMT ribbon tweeter, 4-inch midrange and 8-inch woofer. The cabinet finish is real wood with ultra high gloss dark walnut lacquer. Dimensions with base are 37.5 x x 13.5” x 12.2 (HxWxD in inches) and weight is 80 lbs each.
Music Industry News 10 Years Ago
 Commemorating their 35th anniversary of the firm's founding,
B&W is releasing a new Signature line that includes the Signature 800, Signature HTM center channel and Signature SCM
surround. "It incorporates everything we've learned, over more than a third of a century, about superior acoustic design," company founder John Bowers said. The Signature 800, accompanied by the upgraded Signature HTM and Signature SCM
center and surround model, includes both improved components and all-new elements. In place of the original Nautilus 801's single 15-inch bass driver, the Signature 800 employs twin 10-inch units—but each one is driven by the identical "motor" structure from the earlier design's single woofer. This doubling of drive capacity, with the same effective piston-area, is claimed to improved bass dynamics for more natural and lifelike attack while also being more forgiving in-room acoustical interaction.
The midrange retains the familiar spherical head enclosure that holds an improved version of B&W's 6" FST Kevlar driver. The Signature 800 employs a more powerful Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnet structure; combined with a thicker top-plate, is said to lower harmonic distortion and reduces time-domain "smearing" distortions for clearer, more defined vocal and instrumental timbres. The tweeter has been improved to now deliver top-end limit of 50 kHz. Their new
Signature HTM and SCM include the newly refined midrange and tweeter drivers and are designed to
match the Signature 800 for a complete home theater system. The B&W Signature 800,
HTM, and SCM will be available in July, 2001 and priced at: Signature
800 $20,000/pair, Signature HTM $3,000/each, Signature SCM $3,000/pair.
06 / 27 / 11
Deutsche Grammophon & Decca,
longstanding recording labels with decades of historically significant music, is offering free music from their Mahler collection. Users can listen to a wide variety of Symphonies from some of the world's most famous orchestras. Out of print albums are naturally included as offering digitally downloadable music is easy and convenient. Since the CD/DVD/Blu-ray killed the lovely album artwork, it may now make sense to kill the entire physical media once and for all and this is a good start. Hopefully more recording labels will follow suit and begin offering music via FLAC and other lossless formats for free, or nearly free, as audiophiles worldwide modernize their system to physical format-free music replay. Simply login or register with the Web site to listen to Mahler recordings as full track streams for free!
06 / 24 / 11
Enjoy the Music.com
has just posted Hi-Fi World's
Volume 21 Number 6 (August) edition including the complete editorial and table of
contents. This issue includes reviews of the Audiolab 8200CDQ CD player/DAC/preamplifier combo, Cambridge Audio NP30 affordable network music player, Bricasti M1 studio quality DAC,
T.A.C. V-60 tube/transistor integrated amplifier, AMR AM-777 hybrid integrated., Advanced Acoustics MAP306 integrated from France via China...
and more! The
editorial titled Hi-Fi World is packed with some really great bits of
kit by David Price says, "T.A.C.’s V-60 valve integrated amplifier is a curious confection of valves and transistors; it uses the latter to make the former work in a more modern way. It has a distinctive sound that’s down to its unusual approach; read all about it on p20. AMR’s AM-777 integrated (p50) is another tube/transistor hybrid, this time more straightforwardly using glass bottles in its preamp section and solid-state in the power amp; we think it’s a great
package." See the complete August table of contents and editorial of
Hi-Fi World by clicking here.
 HDtracks
is now offering this great 1997 release The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East in
24-bit/96kHz! As one of rock’s greatest live performances, 1971’s At Fillmore East illuminated a virtuosic band at the very height of its power. Produced by legendary engineer Tom Dowd, the double album became one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and was added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. "Whipping Post" is also included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. This high
resolution release puts you in the front row of one of this seminal concert, bringing a new depth and clarity to an already essential recording. Songs on this legendary album include "Statesboro Blues", "Done Somebody Wrong", "Stormy Monday", "Whipping Post" and more.
06 / 23 / 11
Russ
Andrews Accessories has expanded the Clarity range of system enhancers, to
bring audible improvements to the performance of hi-fi and home cinema systems.
The Clarity-4 (pictured), Clarity-8 and Clarity-16 filters (£450, £799 and
£1499 respectively) are parallel devices that plug into the mains supply with
a Russ Andrews PowerMax Plus mains cable. The Clarity-4 uses four Coherence
Technology modules; the Clarity-8 uses eight and the Clarity-16 has 16. The
Coherence Technology modules have been developed by a US-based company to
neutralize noise inherent in electrical circuits. The Technology works by
reducing the time and amplitude generated noise in the ground plane resulting
in improvements in the performance qualities of the audio signals. The company
states that this represents a fourth way of improving an electronic circuit
after better design, better materials and improving the ambient conditions in
which the circuit operates. The three units are compact in size at just 80 x
58 x 160mm (the Clarity-4 and Clarity-8) and 158mm x 74mm x 200mm (the
Clarity-16). The Clarity filters should be plugged in to the same mains
extension used for the rest of the system.
06 / 22 / 11
German
Physiks new The Loreley MK III very large
floorstading speaker has two large independent bass enclosures that augments
the upper range drivers. These woofers are mounted one on top of the other
and are held together by an interlocking collar arrangement. This greatly
reduces resonances and also makes the column very difficult to topple. Each
enclosure is fitted with a four DDD drivers, four 10" passive radiators
and two 12 inch subwoofers result is a system with a very extended and very
clean frequency response and very high output levels that can exceed 110dB at
18 Hz! As with all German Physiks loudspeakers, the heart of the Loreley is
the titanium DDD omnidirectional cone driver. The DDD driver’s very low
moving mass enables it to operate linearly over an extremely wide frequency
range and thus covers the entire range from 180 Hz on upwards. A built-in
passive crossover provides a wide range of adjustment to allow the Loreley to
be optimally set up to suit the user’s listening room. The high
frequency level may be adjusted over the range -2dB to +4dB in 4 steps and the
low frequency level may be adjusted over the range +10dB to 0dB in 3 steps.
High quality jumpers on the rear panel make this adjustment quick and easy. A
'no compromise' German Physiks electronic crossover has been designed
specifically for use with their speaker systems. This dual mono design employs
dual mains transformers, rectifiers and capacitor banks. Audiophile grade Burr
Brown and Analog Devices OpAmps are used exclusively along with special low
ESR filter capacitors. Separate high quality potentiometers are provided
for both the high and low pass sections in each channel, and the phase of the
subwoofer is continuously adjustable over the range of ±180 degrees. Both RCA
and XLR connectors are provided for all inputs and outputs. The cabinets are
available in the customer’s choice of select, hand matched hardwood veneers.
These are carefully applied to the MDF panels prior to the construction of the
cabinets. Rated sensitivity is 89.2dB/W/m, impedance is 3 Ohms, frequency
response from 21 Hz to 21.5 kHz, dimensions are 27.6 x 70.9 x 30.4 (WxHxD in
inches) and weight is 924 lbs.
06 / 21 / 11
HDtracks is offering David
Chesky's new album Urbanicity: Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra / The New York Variations in 24-bit/48kHz at 50% off! There have been ambitious attempts in the past at marrying the audacious power of electric guitar and the throbbing rhythms of rock music with a classically-trained, through-composed sensibility. Sixties rock guitar hero Frank Zappa, leader of the irreverent Mothers of Invention, composed large scale symphonic works like 1967's Lumpy Gravy, 1979's Orchestral Favorites and 1983's London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1, though none of those prominently featured the electric guitar. Now we have Grammy-nominated American composer David Chesky on his
Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra. "My feeling is, we live in a contemporary age and we need to treat the electric guitar just like a
violin," says Chesky. "It is part of our vocabulary today. And for the orchestra world to survive, it needs to be contemporary and reflect the world around
it." This is a great album and to get 50% off all you need to do is go to
HDtracks, pick the album and click 'apply discount code' and enter EnjoyTheUrbanicity before checking out. Note that once a discount code is applied you cannot add more items to your cart. This code can only be used once per customer and only applies to any
digital resolution file format of the Urbanicity albums.
06 / 20 / 11
WBT, A German company that specializes in connectors and speaker binding posts, has
announced their new WBT-0703 CuIAg NextGen technology terminal. The WBT-0703 CulAg acts as a vibration damper against the impact of sound from a loudspeaker while achieving a high quality contact. A pressure indicator / torque control secures the wire connectors and the clamping nut. This new eight groves design has various
patents pending and is of a hybrid construction of functional materials. The signal conductor is made with pure copper with surfaces
being gold plated and Ni-free plus being non-ferromagnetic. WBT's 0703 CulAg has an operating characteristics of reliably observed after more than 103 connections. It can handle 30 Ampere
continuously and 200 Ampere peak. Transition resistance is < 0.1 mOhm and contact resistance is <0.14 mOhm (both measured with spade connection). Connection options include solder (optimal for up to 11 AWG) while there is a plug for 6.3 mm flat push-on connectors. Mounting is via chassis drill hole 11.5 (+0.2 mm with slot 2.5x2 mm for twist prevention) for wall thickness from 0.9 to 10 mm. Recommended distance between two terminal centers is 30 mm, tightening torque for the counter nut is 1.8 Nm and recommended fluid nut lock for the counter nut is Loctite
480.
 Wavecor,
a specialist in driver technology and production, will be offering in August their new TW022WA05 tweeter designed for applications requiring the highest level of performance
plus extended and linear high frequency
response. The TW022WA05 features a separate rear chamber in order to obtain low resonance frequency. This driver has a 22 mm voice coil and wide surround that have been carefully designed for an optimal compromise between on- and off-axis frequency
response from 1 kHz to 30 kHz. The precision-coated textile diaphragm improved consistency and high frequency extension, while the optimized dome shape for ultra high frequency cutoff. A vented voice coil former for reduced distortion and compression, copper-clad
aluminum voice coil wire provides lower moving mass for improved efficiency and transient response, and lastly the flexible lead wires for higher power handling and larger excursion. Gold plated terminals to prevent oxidation and ensure long-term reliable connection.
06 / 17 / 11
HDtracks, founded by David and Norman Chesky who now offer
high resolution music downloads, celebrate Paul McCartney's classic first and second solo recordings as
McCartney and McCartney II get the full deluxe 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution
treatment! Paul McCartney personally supervised all aspects of these two reissues. The remastering work was done at Abbey Road using the same team who recently remastered the complete Beatles' catalog.
McCartney and McCartney II mark the second and third releases from the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, an ambitious reissue program that encompasses 41 years of cherished, classic material from the most successful songwriter and recording artist in music history. In November of 2010, the inaugural title in the Archive Collection, Paul McCartney & Wings' 1973 classic Band on the Run was released to worldwide acclaim. The original remastered album plus seven bonus audio tracks, including a rare live 1979 recording of "Maybe I'm Amazed." HDtracks gives music lovers two choices, one with the original album remastered and the newly remastered album in with
no dynamic range compression. Heralded as one of the most beloved solo debuts of all time, McCartney, the smash # 1 album, originally released April of 1970, yielded the timeless tracks "Every Night" and "Junk" along with the immortal classic "Maybe I'm Amazed." This special edition features the original remastered album plus seven bonus audio tracks, including the previously unreleased outtakes "Suicide" and "Don't Cry Baby" plus a rare live 1979 recording of "Maybe I'm Amazed."
McCartney II was originally issued in May of 1980 was McCartney's return to solo work after nine years touring and having released several massively successful albums with Wings. Reaching #1 in the UK, and #3 in the U.S., the album produced enduring classics such as "Coming Up," "Waterfalls," and "Temporary Secretary." The bonus audio includes the #1 hit "Coming Up (Live At Glasgow, 1979)" and holiday perennial "Wonderful Christmastime."
 Touring
soon is Chick Corea's Return To Forever lineup that now includes legendary musical artists Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Jean-Luc Ponty and Frank Gambale on
their 32 city tour is joined by the eclectic Zappa Plays Zappa! Return To Forever, whose mind-blowing experimentation in jazz and rock transformed the music world, will debut a historic new lineup this summer on a massive tour. Solidifying the tour's once-in-a-lifetime experience, Zappa Plays Zappa, the musical tribute to Frank Zappa, will join the bill alongside
"Return To Forever IV" (RTF IV), the legendary group's fresh incarnation of core members Chick Corea (keys), Stanley Clarke (bass) and Lenny White (drums), along with Mahavishnu Orchestra alum and violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty as well as
guitarist-extraordinaire Frank Gambale. Working together with complete creative compatibility and steeped in the tradition of extreme freedom of expression, these five pillars of jazz and rock have prepared a must-see performance that will please fans new and old. Their ever-evolving set-list encompasses an amalgam of Return To Forever classics, highlights from each member's solo repertoire, and brand-new compositions written for the RTF IV lineup. Zappa Plays Zappa was founded by Dweezil Zappa to bring the music of his late father, Frank Zappa, to contemporary audiences through a series of international performance tours dubbed "Tour De Frank." Dweezil's fellow band members are among the most brilliant and innovative players working in any genre and, collectively, rise to the challenge of bringing the legendary Zappa repertoire alive in concert. The tour dates are as follows:
8/7 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
8/8 - Buffalo NY - UAB Center for the Arts
8/9 - Baltimore, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
8/10 - Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center
8/11 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
8/12 & 13 - New York, NY - The Beacon Theatre
8/16 - Columbus, OH - The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
8/17 - Cleveland, OH - State Theatre
8/18 - Cincinnati, OH - PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
8/19 - Detroit, MI - MeadowBrook Music Festival
8/20 - Hammond, IN - The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino
8/21 - Indianapolis, IN - The Murat
8/22 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
8/24 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
8/25 - St. Louis, MO - Fabulous Fox Theatre
8/26 - Kansas City, MO - The Midland By AMC
8/27 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
8/28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
9/8 - Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
9/9 - Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
9/10 - Boca Raton, FL - Mizner Park Amphitheatre
9/11 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
9/13 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater
9/14 - Grand Prairie, TX - Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
9/15 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
9/17 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center
9/19 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's By the Bay
9/20 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
9/21 - Davis, CA - Mondavi Center
9/22 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
9/23 - Eugene, OR - Silva Concert Hall, Hult Center
9/24 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
06 / 16 / 11
Aaudio Imports
has officially introduced the Balanced Music Concept
(B.M.C.) Audio BDCD1 belt-driven CD player/transport ($5790 complete or $4790 as simply a transport only unit). The top loading BDCD1 includes the company's Superlink interface, CD stabilizer, and precision bearing plus a variety of inputs and outputs. B.M.C. Audio's BDCD1 features a belt drive instead of the more common direct drive. The drive has been custom designed to better manage the slow, continuous speed changes a CD player employs to deliver a constant data stream as the disc rotates. As a result, the drive is more than just a belt. It decouples motor vibration from the CD and helps the CD rotate silently on a special precision bearing with a 50-micron tolerance. It also works with a flywheel-like CD stabilizer that fits over the CD to remove vibrations and resonances from the CD, thus ensuring rotation is smooth and quiet. The Superlink connection is claimed "to yield a wider, more realistic sound stage, more details, and a more intense link to the music". Superlink relies on four impedance-matched 75 Ohm BNC cables to transmit digital audio signals as four separate streams of information, avoiding the usual practice of a S/PDIF interface that merges the digital streams into a single flow then separates them again after their reception by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). A clock synchronization circuit optimizes the digital signal performance in front of the DAC, and two 24-Bit/192kHz PCM1792 chips with current output by Texas Instruments and Burr-Brown retime the digital signals to the local master clock. Additional BDCD1 features include a modular design that makes future upgrades easy to install. The BDCD1 can be operated by an aluminum remote available as an option for $270. Rear-panel connections include the digital Superlink with four 75-Ohm BNC cable outputs, a balanced XLR terminal, RCA and BNC terminals for coaxial cable connections, AES/EBU and TosLink outputs, and an AC power connection. A set of analog outputs can be added optionally for
both unbalanced via RCA and balanced via XLR.
Music Industry News 10 Years Ago
Enjoy the Music.com
publishes Professor Edward Felten's scientific paper
as online music service Listen.com will remove some of the features within their website and also withdraw from the lawsuit being waged against the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Of course the RIAA is enjoying great revenue through
royalty payments and is glad to see Listen.com remove themselves from the upcoming royalty rate-setting legal debate during the Copyright Office's rate-setting proceeding being held on July
30th within a California federal court. The RIAA has recently decided to sue webcasters Xact Radio, MusicMatch and MTVi to consolidate those cases.
Meanwhile, as seen on our June 7th, 2001 news report, Princeton Researcher
Edward Felten is continuing his fight to publish his scientific papers concerning defeating the Secure Digital Music Initiative
(SDMI) and Verance protection schemes. Strangely, while the RIAA had an official
response on their website as seen on our June 7th news report, that response has now
disappeared from the RIAA's website. Furthermore, we here at Enjoy the
Music.com believe in the Freedom of Speech act and now
present to our readership the Professor Felten paper in it's entirety. Please click
here to see the official scientific paper that is causing this lawsuit.
Click here to see the letters
Professor Felten received from the RIAA and also the SDMI.
06 / 15 / 11
 Enjoy the Music.com
just published our June midmonth audiophile Review Magazine
update.
Midmonth
Update Includes:
The B A S Speaker
Lies, Damn Lies, And Specifications
Article By David J. Weinberg
Sound Practices
The Core Issues: Choosing A Power Transformer
Article By Michael S. LaFevre Of MagneQuest Transformer Company
VALVE Magazine
The Venerable Dynaco Stereo 70
Article By Dan Schmalle
T.H.E. Show Newport Beach 2011 (The Home Entertainment Show)
Show Coverage By Steven R. Rochlin
See the June midmonth update of the Review Magazine by clicking
here.
 Ortofon, founded in 1918 as the Electrical Phono Film Company by Axel Petersen and Arnold Poulsen and then later
becoming named Ortophon as derives from the Greek words 'orto' (meaning "correct") and 'fon' (meaning "sound"), has announced their new MC Anna phono
cartridge. The housing and the body of the cartridge are made in Titanium with SLM technique. The Selective Laser Melting technique was pioneered by Ortofon for manufacturing of the MC A90, SPU 90th Anniversary and Xpression cartridges. Ortofon has a long tradition paying tribute to the persons who had been a feature of the High-End culture, Ortofon culture and Music culture and history. The MC Anna is dedicated to the virtuoso opera singer Anna Netrebko and her commitment and devotion to the music, pure musicality and the power it possesses. Ortofon's MC Anna features a new improved magnet system which Ortofon has patent pending, with a high performance iron-cobalt alloy being applied for some parts of the magnet system The new armature damping system provides complete elimination of unwanted resonance. Lastly, Ortofon's Replicant 100 diamond is thin and light, with an extraordinarily large contact surface and is said to have a tracing accuracy unparalleled by any other needle in existence. Ortofon claims that the special polished Nude Ortofon Replicant 100 on Boron cantilever provides more responsive and transparent sound
reproduction.
 Meitner Audio MA-1 ($6750) is the first
DAC product from Ed Meitner's new company. Audiophiles are very
familiar with the expertise of Ed Meitner and his longstanding efforts in the digital audio
field. The Meitner MA-1 utilizing the award-winning technologies Ed Meitner developed for the EMM Labs line of products. The Meitner MA-1 supports sampling rates from 44.1 to
192 kHz at word lengths up to 24 bits through all six digital inputs and it complies with the USB Class 2 audio interface standard. MFAST (Meitner Frequency Acquisition System) high-speed asynchronous technology decouples input from output to ensure the incoming data stream is pure. Meitner Digital Audio Translator (MDAT) upsamples digital audio to 5.6 MHz, double the SACD standard sampling rate. Standard-setting MDAC dual differential discrete D-to-A and MCLK high-purity master clock modules and included in this design. Digital inputs include USB, AES/EBU via XLR, two optical TosLink, and two S/PDIF on RCA jacks. Stereo analog outputs
include stereo balanced via XLR and unbalanced via RCA. Output impedance is 300 Ohms balanced and 150 Ohms unbalanced. Dimensions are 435 x 400 x 92 (WxDxH in mm) and the unit weighs 16.39 lbs net with remote control.
06 / 14 / 11
The British Audio/Video Dealers Association
(BADA), established in 1984 to monitor and maintain standards for the sale of hi-fi separates, is sowing the seeds of a new industry trade association with Project
Grass. At a meeting to be held in London on 4th July, the proposals for Project Grass, the working title of the plans to create a new, industry wide, trade association to serve the specialist hi-fi and home cinema sectors, will be presented to interested members of the industry. Following the closure of the manufacturer based BFA (British Federation of Audio) at the end of 2011, the industry was left with one trade association, BADA, which is primarily a retail focused body with manufacturers as Associate members. BADA has warmly welcomed the membership of progressively increasing numbers of manufacturers over the past few years, and these members have been very active in supporting the Association's aims and objectives to raise standards across retail. The inclusion of many of the industry's leading manufacturers and members of the media has naturally moved BADA towards more of an industry-wide role over the past four or five years. However, it is constrained from developing any further in this direction by its constitution and membership criteria. Project Grass is the process by which the constitution, membership criteria, financing, management and aims and objectives of the new association will be drawn up. As the only current trade association for the specialist industry, BADA is taking the lead in working on the plans. At the end of the process a new trade association will exist, which will serve the interests of manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consultants and the media working in specialist hi-fi and home cinema. All members will have equal membership status and will work together for the good of the industry as a whole. All members of the industry, who are interested in working for its future prosperity, are invited to attend the Project Grass meeting on 4th July at the Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD. The meeting will commence at 1pm with a light lunch and should conclude by 4.30pm. It will include a broad ranging discussion, following the presentation of the outline ideas, to aid the formation of the new association.
Music Industry News 10 Years Ago
 Adcom has released two new high-end units capable of handling the new industry standard DVD-Audio format. The GTP-830 digital processor is a full featured pre-amplifier that also includes a AM/FM tuner. The GRP-830 is Adcom's first 7.1 channel home theater processor and provides decoding of Dolby Digital and DTS decoding with 7.1 output channels and also 5.1 analog pass-through for DVD Audio or SACD. The tuner section includes the RDS radio data system so that radio station's call letters and other information will be viewable from the front display. The digital decoding section of the GTP-830 employs 24-bit/96KHz DACs for better than CD sound capability. High-precision electronic parts inside this new unit include 1% metal film resistors, an oversized toroidal power transformer and multiple, highly regulated power supply stages. Inputs and
outputs include four S-video inputs, two S-video outputs, five composite-video inputs, three composite-video outputs, seven analog stereo audio inputs, four analog stereo audio outputs; three digital audio inputs (2 coax & 1
TosLink), 5.1 channel analog pass-through DVD audio/SACD inputs, as well as the pre-amp outputs for all 7.1 channels of information.
Adcom's new GTP-760 (pictured) offers less features within a pre-amplifier than the GTP-830 yet still provides home theater capabilities and AM/FM tuner capabilities. This new Adcom pre-amplifier can also replay DVD-Audio in both 5.1 channel and 2-channel modes. Three "state-of-the-art" Motorola DSP devices in combination provide the GTP-760 with true 24-bit digital signal processing. Four different surround modes such as DTS, Dolby Digital, Digital Dolby Pro-Logic and Cinema Pro-Logic are also offered. Input and output connections for nine audio (six analog and three digital) and six video sources including a full complement of S-Video connectors in addition to the standard composite video jacks are included.
As reported within Enjoy
the Music.com's our April
27th, 2001
article concerning threats from the music industry to Princeton
professor Edward Felten, he decided to not present his scientific paper detailing various methods of cracking digital watermarks as used within the DVD-Audio platform. Yesterday
this Princeton Researcher is now suing the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Secure Digital Music Initiative
(SDMI), and Verance for the right to publish his findings under the
freedom of speech act. This now puts the American federal court into the hot seat to decide if Edward Felten's right's to publish scientific findings will be
upheld. Furthermore, this lawsuit is also asking the courts to closely scrutinize the constitutionality of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
In a prepared statement by the RIAA's Cary Sherman on Felten Lawsuit, Cary said "Professor Felten’s decision to sue the RIAA and the SDMI Foundation is inexplicable. We have unequivocally and repeatedly stated that we have no intention of bringing a lawsuit against Professor Felten or his colleagues. It seems that the professor, or the Electronic Frontier Foundation, would have preferred that we sue in order to keep their publicity machine running. Since we've said we have no issue with the publication of the Felten paper, they now resort to suing us to keep this issue alive."
06 / 13 / 11
NAD
Electronics new C 446 digital media tuner acts as a gateway to digital music sources and can access the world's best Internet radio plus normal AM/FM local stations and DAB/DAB+ (where available). The new NAD C 446 can stream music from multiple networked storage devices using DLNA and Universal Plug (UPnP) standards plus includes USB playback, Wi-Fi, an easy-to-use Internet radio portal and support for cloud music services, such as Last.fm. The C 446 utilizes an UPnP client to allow users to play audio files from a local computer, Android phone and Apple too. The C 446 supports all the popular digital formats such as
MP3 and WMA up to 320 kbs, FLAC at 1.5mbs, WAV/PCM at 1.536mbs, and AAC at 320 kbs. Inputs include Ethernet, DAB, FM and AM antenna while outputs include
TosLink and stereo analog via RCA jacks. There is a 12V trigger input for those using
automated systems. Enjoy the Music.com has reviewed the NAD T763 surround sound
receiver and reviewed the NAD L53 DVD receiver.
 Enjoy
the Music.com, an industry leader in consumer electronics information plus
equipment and music reviews for approximately 15 years, is pleased to announce
our Excellent Value 2011 Award! These awards were bestowed to products at T.H.E. Show 2011 in Newport Beach event, where after considering hundreds of products only nine were chosen to receive this prestigious award.
Zu Audio earns this award for their work in modifying the legendary Technics SL-1200 turntables, with a tweaked unit retailing at only $1000.
The AudioEngine A5 small powered monitors, priced at only $350 per pair, sound amazing for the price. When editor Steven R. Rochlin was on holiday for three months he personally chose these speakers due to their ability for compact size, ease of use and impressive sound for the price.
Vincent Audio's PH-8 is well deserving of an award as this $400 MM/MC phonostage includes a substantial external power supply and is an amazing . Internally there are some high quality parts and was recently called 'A $400 wonder' by a
TAS writer too. Napa Acoustics NA-208A tube integrated, priced at $399, combines tubes for preamplification and solid-state for amplification to produce 25 wpc in Class AB. For preamplification a pair of 6N1 tunes is employed and inputs include aux, CD and iPod.
Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio gets an award for selling new old stock (NOS) Telefunken 12AX7 tubes at $225 each. These smooth plate Telefunken 12AX7 tubes might seem costly, yet over a lifetime they can really make a big difference in your tube preamplifier or phonostage.
An obvious choice to earn an award is the Spin Clean vinyl record cleaner, which retails as a package deal at $125. The package includes an extra 32 ounce bottle of fluid, 5 extra drying cloth and an extra pair of brushes.
High-end audio cables need not be expensive as Kimber Kable's TC series is $360 for 8 foot pair of the 8TC, the 4TCF is only $206. Their top line 12TC it is only $566 for 8 foot pair, which is what editor Steven R. Rochlin uses within his current reference system.
The CEntrance DACport combines a 24-bit/96kHz USB DAC with headphone amplification for only $399. Some audiophiles might try it as a USB DAC with built-in preamplifier to feed their amplifier, thus eliminating adding an expensive preamplifier. The unit uses the power off the USB port and is plug n' play for all major computer operating systems.
As the best value of them all is Robert Harley's fourth edition of The Complete Guide To High-End Audio book. Not just due to its low price of under $30, as this book contains a massive quantity of information to educate consumers about audio, how to tweak their room, fine-tune their equipment, etc. While many will choose the print version of this book, there is also a Kindle version and the book is available for download within the Apple app store.
 Red Wine
Audio's new Audez'e Edition headphone amplifier/system ($3590) is a collaboration
between Alex Rosson of Audez'e, Vinnie Rossi of Red Wine Audio and Ken Ball of ALO
Audio. Their goal was to build a truly world-class headphone system and the three worked closely with that goal in mind. The Audez'e Edition
headphone amplifier system includes Audez'e LCD-2 headphones, the Red Wine Audio Audez'e Edition amplifier with DAC, ALO Audio's new Audez'e Cable and a custom carrying case. The Audez'e Edition amplifier/DAC is specification designed and voiced using Audez'e headphones and ALO Audio's new 4-Pin Balanced Audez'e Cable. A new balanced output stage
drives the headphones for optimal performance while the entire unit gets power from an LFP battery. The DAC features the Isabellina Pro DAC with 24-bit/192kHz Wolfson or NOS Red Book 16-bit/44.1kHz
non-oversampling playback at the flip of a switch. The DAC supports three types of digital connections that includes USB, S/PDIF coax via RCA and optical
via TosLink. The USB input converts directly to I2S, eliminating the need for S/PDIF conversion. For the analog amplification, a built-in 6922/E88CC dual triode tube stage feeds rear-panel RCA outputs. And included 12Vdc output jack allows users to select products like Wadia i170, Pure i20 and others off AC power, letting these devices to harness the benefits of LFP battery power. Dimensions are 12 x 9 x 3.5 (WxDxH in inches) and weighs 15 lbs total.
06 / 10 / 11
HDtracks, founded by David and Norman Chesky of the audiophile-record label Chesky Records who now offer a high-quality music download service offering a diverse catalog of high resolution digital music downloads, is now featuring many titles from Sir Elton
John. This multiple Grammy-winning legend and flamboyant superstar has over 250 million records sold and is considered one of the most enduringly successful singer/songwriter of his generation. Awards include Best British Male Artist Brit Award 1991, inducted into Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, 1994, 5 Grammy Award 1986-2000, Grammy Legend Award, 2001, Kennedy Center Honor, 2004, 11 Ivor Novello Awards, 1973 - 2000.
Sir Elton John's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is listed in
Rolling Stone's "500 greatest albums of all time," Elton John's ninth studio album includes the monster hit "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," debuted at #1 on the United States Pop Albums chart and is certified triple platinum. This audiophile re-release includes three songs not on the original release, including a cover of The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and the single "Philadelphia Freedom," both which hit #1 on the US Billboard Pop Singles chart.
Sir Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is his 1973 best selling masterpiece. This seven times platinum album was also his most brilliantly diverse record. Originally released as a double LP, the album runs a gamut of styles and features some of the greatest singles of 1970s
rock.
 Tacet, a Germany based company that specializes in high resolution music on both disc and digital download, is now offering Johann Sebastian Bach
French Suites BWV 813-817 with Christoph Ullrich on
piano. Christoph Ullrich has a creative mind and has many ideas that he constantly wants to perform. He is well known from the "Ohrwurm" (Catchy Tune) Project, a kind of music workshop for school children that is meanwhile touring the country far beyond Hessen (his home province), making classical music more accessible to all kinds of children. With lots of fun, of course, as it could never be otherwise with Christoph Ullrich! This album
features five French Suites of Bach and fun! Bach is a cosmos, greater than a simple head, and many things have room in this cosmos just so long as they don't limit the power of Bach's tones. As a result, Christoph Ullrich's playing is always organic and natural, as if it had to be done in just that way. You'll be surprised!
06 / 09 / 11
Bowers & Wilkins
has launched their PM-1 compact high performance two-way monitor ($2800 per pair plus $550 for optional stands). The carbon braced metal dome Nautilus tweeter and foam damping cap for the midrange/woofer are some of the driver highlights. The aluminum dome that has been strategically stiffened with a ring made of filament-wound Ultra High Modulus Pitch based carbon fiber. This construction technique pushes the breakup frequency of an aluminum dome up to 40kHz. As for the midrange/woofer unit, unlike the majority of dust caps, the mushroom-shaped device is a tight fit inside the voice coil former. The stiffness and resistance properties of the foam are adjusted to damp down the tendency of the coil former to go out of round under the influence of cone break-up modes. Damp the motion of the former and you also reduce the cone break-up with a commensurate reduction in sound overhang. The Matrix reinforced cabinet and mineral loaded resin baffle reduce unwanted vibration from affecting the sound quality of the unit. Internally, oxygen free copper wire and Mundorf M-Cap supreme oil capacitors can be found within
the crossover network.
 Enjoy the Music.com
has just posted the June edition of Hi-Fi+
(Issue 80)! This issue includes reviews of the Vienna Acoustics The Kiss standmount loudspeaker , David Berning zotl-one/zh-230 preamplifier and power amplifier, Spendor SP100 R2: standmount loudspeaker, Kuzma Stabi S-12/Stogi s-12: 12" turntable and tonearm, ATC SCM100SL AT active floorstanding loudspeaker, Primaluna Prologue Premium: integrated amplifier
and much more.
Within Alan Sircom's editorial he writes, "There's a quiet revolution taking place in audio, and it started last year in a pub in Islington. It's called Classic Album Sundays. Starting in Autumn 2010, DJ Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy took over the top floor of the Hanbury Arms pub one Sunday a month. That seemingly rare combination of music-loving DJ and audiophile, Colleen pitches up with a damn good system (there can't be many DJs that cue up a Koetsu cartridge, or play through Klipshorns) and plays an album as it was originally intended; complete, from first track to last." You
can see the complete table of contents and editorial of Hi-Fi+ by clicking
here.
Music Industry News 10 Years Ago
 Fosgate Audionics has
planned a special vacuum tube surround sound unit, the FAP-V1
($7499), to be available in January of
2002. This is a very limited availability product under the Jim Fosgate Signature series. Using the new Dolby Pro Logic II specification, for now this is the
only tubed unit set to appear in the market. Of course the FAP-V1 will playback normal 2-channel stereo as well as have the ability to decode analog surround sound to a 5.1-cjannel output via the Pro Logic II system. Some of the features within this unit include center width adjustment, bass blend and equalization. The FAP-V1 also includes a three year parts/labor and labor
warranty. Some of the preliminary specifications are:
Model Number: FAP-V1
Description: Vacuum tube Pre-amplifier with 5.1 channel surround sound and Dolby Pro Logic II decoder
Frequency Response: TBA
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): TBA
Cabinet: Copper and Babingga Wood
Dimensions: 10.22" x 19.87" x 15.14" (HxWxD)
Processor Type: Dolby Pro-Logic II
Preamplifier Circuitry: Vacuum Tube
06 / 03 to
06 / 05
T.H.E. Show (The Home Entertainment Show)
in Newport Beach California will bring new advancements and technologies in high-end audio and video to a population of over 24 million
consumers. T.H.E. Show, which has a notable reputation for an exclusively high-end audio industry-related convention every January, is
bringing a whole new concept to Newport Beach, California that is open to consumers and industry insiders alike.
The Show Newport will be held at the Newport Beach Hilton hotel (Irvine) on June 3rd through 5th and is conveniently located across the street from John Wayne/Orange County
(SNA) Airport near Freeways 405 & 55. Expanding on several common "interests" of this high-end crowd, T.H.E. Show will also
include a classic car show in conjunction with Crevier BMW Auto Museum; a Wine-Tasting area courtesy of Southern Wine
and Spirits and Jazz Concerts every evening produced by BluePort Jazz Festival International. Several other local quality
Jazz groups will be featured. An all weekend pass including all events is $35, or a daily pass is only $15.
Enjoy the Music.com's live coverage will begin the very first day of
the event and can be seen at this link.
What: T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach California
Where: Newport Beach Hilton hotel (Irvine)
When: June 3rd through 5th, 2011
06 / 01 / 11
Enjoy the
Music.com's June issue is now online! We have the
Munich High End Society show awards and T.H.E. Show at Newport Beach
(coming soon) plus many new equipment
and music reviews for you to enjoy. See the June issue by clicking
here.
Show Reports
Munich High End Show Awards 2011
High End Society show coverage.
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
T.H.E. Show Newport (The Home Entertainment Show) 2011
Southern California high-end audio event!
Report By Steven R. Rochlin
Viewpoint
In This Issue...
Computer audio, horn speakers, two show reports and much more!
Article By Steven R. Rochlin
Audiolics Anonymous Chapter 139
Oppo BDP-95 Universal Player And The Audiophileo-2 24-bit-192kHz USB Transport.
Article By Dr. Bill Gaw
Manufacturer
iPod, MP3, CD, LP, SACD: What Sounds Better And Why
Article Submitted By John Meyer At Newform Research
Jitter in Digital Audio Data Streams
Article By Steve Nugent Of Empirical Audio
Superior Audio Equipment
Acousticbuoy DAC2488 V3 Digital To Analog Converter
Go hear for yourself how great this component it is.
Review By Tom Lyle
Jungson Audio JA-99D Integrated Amplifier
Producing a very high degree of audio truth.
Review By Todd Warnke
Bryston 9B SST2 C-Series
Quite simply in a class by itself.
Review By Brett Rudolph
Oracle Audio Technologies CD 1500 MK III CD Player
Able to extract minuscule detail from my killer resolution test disc.
Review By Ron Nagle
Audiophile Equipment Reviews
World Premiere!
Grant Fidelity W30GT Integrated Amplifier
Fully featured and revolutionary…not just evolutionary!
Review By Nels Ferre
JAS GP-120CD & Oppo DV-981HD Vs. Mac Book & MHDT Labs DAC
Can a great sounding disc players compete with a computer source?
Review By A. Colin Flood
Specimen Satellite And Subwoofer System
Little horns make big sound.
Review By A. Colin Flood
World Premiere!
Synergistic Research PowerCell And Tesla SE T3 Active Power Cord
Adding far more subtle nuance and tonal color that plus a much deeper emotional connection with the music.
Review By Rick Becker
London Super Gold And Jubilee Cartridges
Taking the direct route and cutting out the mush with a London Cartridge.
Review By Clive Meakins
Trend Audio PA-10 Hybrid Preamplifier And Headphone Amplifier
With the Benchmark DAC1 USB and ASL HB1 thrown into the mix.
Review By A. Colin Flood
D.I.Y. Audio
The Slagle Autoformer Volume Control Modules
Flawless reproduction of ambient clues and amazing spatial impression.
Review By Dick Olsher
Repairing Damaged Speakers / Drivers
Article By Jeff Poth
Merrill DCA 4 And The Zigmahornet
Article By Jeff Poth
Xenover Ver. 2.0
Article By Grey Rollins
Music Reviews
Classical Music
Bach Violin Concertos from Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque.
Review By Phil Gold
Ivan Fischer's breathtaking Pastoral.
Review By Phil Gold
A vibrant, exciting Carmen, live from the
Metropolitan Opera.
Review By Max Westler
A fine-sounding collection for flute lovers.
Review By Joe Milicia
Attractive performances of Hindemith's works for viola and orchestra.
Review By Joe Milicia
Mitsuko Uchida's Passionate Schumann.
Review By Phil Gold
A beautifully directed DVD showcasing the brilliance of pianist Grigory
Sokolov.
Review By Max Westler
Rock, Techno, House, etc.
Boys Noize Boysnoize Presents Super Acid (Vinyl)
Review By Claude Lemaire
The Orb Featuring David Gilmour
Metallic Spheres (Vinyl)
Review By Claude Lemaire
Unkle Where Did the Night Fall &
Another Night Out
Review By Claude Lemaire
See the June Review Magazine by clicking
here.
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