07 / 15 / 03
Linn
has announced their new Kisto system controller that is said to be the most complex products ever manufactured by the company. Featuring more than six thousand individual components on eleven circuit boards and with over one hundred rear panel sockets, the Kisto system controller is designed to enable very complex systems to be configured precisely to suit the end-user and combine unprecedented flexibility and performance with ease of use. While all this may sound
intimidating, the unit has a clear and easy user interface for ease of use. The wide choice of high quality audio and video format are all easily controlled by the Kisto at Linns highest performance level. The Kisto system controller features Linn-designed user interface for simple set-up, control and storage of
customizable profiles. A large front panel display for set-up without connection to an external display device. The front panel also has access to 'quick connection' sockets for occasionally used sources while a keyboard connection option assists for fast set-up of sources and profiles. Being web savvy, Linn provides multi-lingual 'Help' utility at every stage of set-up via Internet website browser. The Kisto system controller is available in a black and silver reversible sleeve for stand alone or rack-mounting and comes complete with a programmable remote handset.
Main details of the Kisto are as follows:
|
Type
|
Audio Video pre-amplifier and System Controller
|
|
Size
|
(H) 140mm (with feet)/(3U high without feet) x (W)
381mm x (D) 384mm
|
|
Weight
|
7.5kg (unpacked)
|
|
Function
|
Quality analogue and digital audio pre-amplifier,
surround sound decoding, digital and analogue audio conversion and
video switching.
|
|
Control Interfaces
|
Remote IR input
|
|
|
RC5 input and output
|
|
|
Knekt Interface
|
|
|
RCU Interface
|
|
|
2 independent RS232 ports
|
|
|
Ethernet terminal
|
|
|
IR flasher outputs
|
|
|
4 independent +12v trigger outputs
|
|
|
1 PS/2 Keyboard Interface (front panel)
|
|
|
17 button keypad interface
|
|
|
256 x 64 Front Panel VFD Graphical Monochromatic
Display
|
|
Digital Audio Inputs
|
6 x TOSLINK™ Inputs
|
|
|
6 x SPDIF phono socket Inputs
|
|
|
1 x TOSLINK™ Input (front panel)
|
|
Analogue Audio Inputs
|
1 pair XLR Balanced Audio Outputs
|
|
|
Knekt Interface Input
|
|
|
10 pairs of phono socket inputs (configurable as
surround groups)
|
|
|
1 pair of phono socket Inputs (front panel)
|
|
Analogue Video Inputs
|
12 x Composite / 4 x component configurable phono
socket inputs
|
|
|
6 x S-Video Mini-Din socket Inputs
|
|
|
1 x component (plus horizontal & Vertical
sync) BNC Inputs
|
|
|
2 x Scart Input/Output sockets
|
|
|
1 x Composite phono socket Input (front panel)
|
|
|
1 x S-Video Mini-Din socket Input (front panel)
|
|
Analogue Video Outputs
|
3 x Composite / 1 x component configurable phono
socket Watch Outputs
|
|
|
3 x Composite / 1 x component configurable phono
socket Record Outputs
|
|
|
2 x S-Video Mini-Din socket Watch Outputs
|
|
|
2 x S-Video Mini-Din socket Record Outputs
|
|
|
1 x component (plus horizontal & Vertical
sync) BNC Outputs
|
|
Digital Audio Outputs
|
2 x TOSLINK™ Record Outputs (44.1 / 48 / 88.2 /
96kHz sample rate)
|
|
|
1 x TOSLINK™ Record Output (front panel) (44.1 /
48 / 88.2 / 96kHz sample rate)
|
|
|
2 x SPDIF phono socket Record Outputs (44.1 / 48 /
88.2 / 96kHz sample rate)
|
|
Analogue Audio Outputs
|
7.1 Phono socket outputs
|
|
|
7.1 XLR Balanced Audio Outputs
|
|
|
1 pair of phono socket Record Output
|
|
|
1 pair of phono socket Record / 2 x SUB Output
(configurable)
|
|
|
1 x ¼” Stereo Headphone Socket (front panel)
|
|
Front Panel Interfaces
|
1 x TOSLINK™ Input
|
|
|
1 x TOSLINK™ Record Output
|
|
|
1 pair of Analogue phono socket Inputs
|
|
|
1 x component phono socket Input
|
|
|
1 x S-Video Mini-Din socket Input
|
|
|
1 x PS/2 Keyboard Interface
|
|
|
1 x ¼” Stereo Headphone Socket
|
|
Audio Decoding
|
PCM Input 96kHz up sample compatible.
|
|
|
DTS 96:24
|
|
|
Dolby Pro-Logic 2
|
|
|
Dolby Headphone
|
|
|
Dolby Digital EX
|
|
|
MPEG-2 / AAC
|
|
|
Limbik Party mode
|
|
|
PCM
|
|
|
MPEG-2
|
|
|
5.1 & 7.1 downmix
|
|
|
Adjustable Lip Sync Delay
|
|
Video Decoding
|
PAL and NTSC signal operation
|
|
User Interface
|
Menu driven OSG
|
|
|
Full Color OSG
|
|
|
Down/up-loadable configurations via RS-232
terminal
|
|
|
Internal Help screens
|
| Power Supply |
switching power supply
with auto-ranging (90v to 240v a.c. 50-60Hz |
|
Price
|
UK £7,995
USA $12,995
Canada $20,350
Sweden Kr121,000
Norway Kr94,995
Denmark Kr99,165
|
07 / 14 / 03
According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), "Global sales of pirate CDs have more than doubled in the last three years and now generate an illegal international business more than US$4.5
billion..." While they claim sales of pirate CDs are estimated to have risen by 14
percent (exceeding 1 billion units), the total value of the pirate music market including cassettes is estimated at $4.6 billion. This would be an
increase of approximately 7 percent over the previous year. A report has been released by the IFPI called Commercial Music Piracy 2003 offers
details concerning global piracy and lists the top ten offending countries. You can see the Commercial Music Piracy 2003 report by
clicking here (Adobe
Acrobat) . According to the IFPI, "The priority countries are: Brazil, China, Mexico, Paraguay, Poland, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Ukraine. Top of the list in terms of its piracy rate is China, where more than
90 percent of all recordings are pirate, worth over $530 million, despite the country's accession to the World Trade
Organization." IFPI Chairman and CEO Jay Berman said "Commercial piracy proliferated in many countries in 2002, and we have named ten priority countries where action is most needed. Our industry invests substantial resources in fighting piracy, but our self-help strategies critically depend on help from Governments. First, we need modern copyright laws and proper enforcement; second, the huge overcapacity of CD plants needs to be reined in by Optical Disc plant regulations; and third, we need deterrence - music piracy is serious organized crime that can only be tackled when courts deliver serious deterrent penalties".
07 / 11 / 03
Classic Records
is now shipping Simon and Garfunkel Bridge Over Trouble Water (KCS-9914, $30), Kenny Dorham
Afro - Cuban (BLP-1535, $33) Crosby, Stills and Nash (SD-8229, $33), and both stereo and monophonic versions of Roy Orbison -
Cryin' (M4007 mono and SM-14007 stereo, $33). All releases are pressed on their 200 gram QUIEX SV-P audiophile grade vinyl. Simon and Garfunkel's
Bridge Over Troubled Water was one of the biggest selling albums of its decade
as a quietly reassuring album; at other times, it was personal yet soothing. A great album no matter what Generation you were born into. Roy Orbison's second album,
Cryin', features swooping strings and full vocal choruses. With such tracks as "Love Hurts" and hit "Running Scared," most of the cuts lean towards Orbinson's more sentimental side.
07 / 10 / 03
All members of
the Enjoy the Music.com Mailing List are
eligible to win a wonderfully recorded Chesky Records CD! Featuring an
eclectic array of original compositions and unique interpretations from the
archives Three Guitars delivers by highlighting some of the finest
musicians and recorded using Chesky's audiophile quality technology. Featuring
Larry Coryell, Badi Assad, and John Abercrombie, Three Guitars
represents an eclectic mix of three original styles and creative personalities
that fuse together to make one "unforgettable experience." Click
here to learn more and enter to win!
D. Klimo's
Kent Gold + monoblock amplifier uses two ECC83 for input and two EL34 output tubes to produce 40 watts. This version of the Kent is a culmination of over two
decades of fine tuning as the original Kent amplifier was released back in 1983. The stainless steel and black metacrylate housing provides visual
beauty and insures solid construction. High-quality components are hand selected while the printed circuit board is gold plated.
Specifications are as follows:
Power: 40 Watt (4/8/16 ohm)
Frequency Response: 8Hz to 55KHz (-3dB)
Input Impedance: 220Kohm
Sensitivity: 0.7V
Valves: two EL34 and two ECC83
Dimensions: 24 x 17 x 41 (WxHxD in cm)
Overall Weight: 18 Kg.
07 / 09 / 03
Silver Audio
is now offering their Hush-Linear fully shielded, low capacitance cable ($210.00 for 1 meter). Made with solid silver, the Hush-Linear is terminated with solid silver connectors, though WBT 0108 solderless RCA connectors are an available option for an additional $75. Based on the coaxial cable design as employed by commercial cables, the thick PVC jacket used on commercial versions of this cable type has been omitted leaving quite a bit of room to extend the internal dielectric insulation outward, thus pushing the shield substantially further away from the signal core of the cable. When used in conjunction with low density Teflon based dielectric material, this is claimed by Silver Audio to reduce capacitance from 40% to 60% as compared to other cables. Standard termination employs the innovative new silver Bullet Plug from Eichmann Technologies of Australia.
07 / 08 / 03
The Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) is doubly happy as a Chicago Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's preliminary injunction against
Aimster/Madster. This shutting down of the peer to peer (P2P) service is allegedly involved in allowing copyrighted material to be illegally distributed through the Internet. Aimster's software simply works in concert with AOL's Instant Messenger (IM) service so others on the network can exchange files.
On another legal front, the RIAA was vindicated as Sharman Networks (parent company of P2P software
KaZaA) attempted to cite that the music labels conspired in not creating a legal alternative to music
sharing. United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson ruled that if the Sharman Networks allegations were true, they would not be entitled to damages because the KaZaA is for software and file sharing and not for online entertainment. Matthew Oppenheim of the Recording Industry Association of America said "Sharman Networks was grasping at straws to distract the court from their own improper behavior. We are pleased that the court recognized what we have said all along — that these claims lacked any merit."
Bob Dylan's
Masked And Anonymous soundtrack, to be released on July 22, will include fourteen Bob Dylan songs and a
bonus SACD for those who pony up for the limited edition version. Available as both a standard package and as a limited edition digi-pak, the special limited-edition version will include a hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) featuring seven tracks from a newly remastered catalog in standard audio, super audio, and 5.1 surround sound. This special disc is playable on any CD player as well as on an SACD compatible player.
The SACD sampler will include:
1. All I Really Want To Do
2. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
3. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
4. Tangled Up In Blue
5. Gotta Serve Somebody
6. Moonlight
7. Cold Irons Bound
07 / 07 / 03
Loudspeaker manufacturer Vince Christian is now offering their new E5 "lifestyle" loudspeaker ($3,500 per pair) that can be mounted on a wall or
ceiling. Unlike the typical recessed mounting of typical types of speakers, the E5 is designed to be both visually artistic and musically pleasing. According to their website, "While the look is cool and restrained, the E5s lean confidently into the room, like a classic hitter at the plate; they challenge you to pay close attention, yet, discreetly warn you to step back to a respectful distance". The E5 features hand built, high density polyvinyl chloride enclosure, independently mounted drivers with no reflective front baffles, while the cylindrical mid frequency chamber is tuned and lined with polymer damping panels. The E5 includes a three dimensional rotational mounting with the epoxy glass and steel reinforced, copolymer ball mounting assembly for ease of placement. The drive units for the E5 include a 110mm woven carbon fiber midrange and 28mm soft dome tweeter. Frequency response i from 65Hz to 22kHz
(-3dB) with a rated sensitivity of 90dB. Overall dimensions are 21.125 x 6.625 x 20.75 (HxWxD in inches) and a weight of 15.25 lbs.
07 / 04 / 03
Paradigm Electronics has announced their Stylus indoor/outdoor loudspeaker systems that are highly weather resistant and also
magnetically shielded. Designed with stainless steel brass hardware, anti-rust aluminum grills and highly durable injection-molded polymer enclosures, Paradigm’s Stylus speakers can be safely installed and left outside all year long. Consisting of the Stylus 100 ($240/pr.), Stylus 150 ($349/pr.), Stylus 250 ($449/pr.), Stylus 350 ($549/pr., pictured here) and the Stylus CC ($179) center channel, each unit features pure-titanium dome tweeters and a mineral filled polypropylene midrange driver. The Stylus 350 seen here is a
two-driver, two-way acoustic suspension design with third order crossover at 1.8kHz.
A 1-inch pure-titanium dome ferro-fluid damped tweeter is mated with a
6.5-inch mineral-filled polypropylene cone midrange/woofer. Overall frequency response
is 70Hz to 18kHz with a sensitivity of 90dB. Dimensions are 12.75 x 9 x 9
(HxWxD in inches).
07 / 03 / 03
Under the "Why we hate petty, unverified gossip in the audiophile sewing circles" comes
Harmon Specialty Group, manufacturer of such brands as
Mark Levinson, Revel, and Lexicon, was
rumored to have gone out of business. This gossip spread across the Internet
in record time on audiophile forums... apparently without anyone simply picking up the phone and calling the company. Had someone taken the time to make a call, they would have learned that only
the
Madrigal Audio Laboratories' Middlesex County manufacturing location was closing since
that particular brand name was being eliminated and other operations at that
location were being moved to
Harmon Specialty Group's Bedford, MA facility where Lexicon's headquarters resides. This
gossiping situation is precisely why we here at Enjoy the Music.com
actively discourage
such activities as the truth can be far from the rumor, and may also negatively affect the person/company being gossiped about. In the future we here at
Enjoy the Music.com wish such activities would be solved by contacting the person/company directly before further spreading such information. The difference between what is rumored and what is fact can be very different.
Ok online discussion board class, lesson learned?
07 / 02 / 03
Music lovers rejoice as EMI
will soon be releasing many great music titles this summer. From the Blues to
Duran Duran to Bob Hope... The list of upcoming releases is as follows:
7/8/2003
Bob Hope: Best of Bob Hope
Vinnie Vincent: Invasion
Peter Tosh: Best of Peter Tosh
The O'Jays - Anthology
Teddy Pendergrass - Anthology
7/22/2003
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds DVD-Audio
Various Artists: United We Stand Vol. 2
Various Artists: Harley Davidson Road Songs
Cabaret Voltaire - Conform To Deform 82-90 Archives
8/5/2003
Duran Duran- Duran Duran
Duran Duran - Seven And The Ragged Tiger
Poison - Best of The Ballads and The Blues
Blues Kingpins Series - Fats Domino
Blues Kingpins Series - Ike Turner
Blues Kingpins Series - John Lee Hooker
Blues Kingpins Series - Lightnin' Hopkins
Blues Kingpins Series - James Elmore
Blues Kingpins Series - BB King
8/19/2003
Jessi Colter - Collection
9/2/2003
Raspberries - Best of
9/30/2003
Bobby Womack - Anthology
The Beach Boys - 40 Top 40's
07 / 01 / 03
Enjoy the
Music.com has released
the July edition of their Review Magazine...
and there is quite a stir within the audiophile community about our recent
issue! This new edition heralds the announcement of our Superior
Audio section! We at
Enjoy the Music.com are proud to bring this
resource into our fold with a great cast of characters. Articles within the July 2003 edition of our
Review Magazine include not one, not two, but four World Premieres:
* Steven R. Rochlin: The Ultimate In Audio
* Bill Gaw AA Chapter 46: Audiology And Ear Exams Plus Denon's 2900 Combination Player
* The Old Timers Corner... Meeting Ella Fitzgerald
* !World Premiere! Halcro dm10 Pre-Amplifier And dm68 Power Amplifier
* !World Premiere! Manley Labs Mahi Monoblock Amplifier
* !World Premiere! Acarian Systems Alón Loudspeakers The Napoleon System
* !World Premiere! High Quality Without High Price - Sophia Electric's Baby Amplifier
* Simply Stunning! The Sophia Mesh Plate 300 Tube
* Avantgarde Acoustics Uno Hornspeaker
* Novus... Cleans, Protects and Revitalizes Discs
We have also updated our Letters page, added many music reviews, plus have completed both our Frankfurt Germany High End Society show and also the PRIMEDIA Specialty Group
(Stereophile) Hi-Fi and Home Theater Event. Add to that the launching of our
Ultimate Audio section and you can tell we have been very busy here at
Enjoy the Music.com™ during the past month. Please see complete details of all the above
by clicking here.
High-Performance Audio Reviews
