09 / 29 / 06
Microsoft
has set November 24th as the date it will bring for sale their Zune digital media player to market
($249). This iPod alternative will have a 30GB hard drive, three-inch LCD screen, works in portrait or landscape mode to view pictures and videos plus has a built-in FM tuner. Initially available in black, brown and white, Zune will let users wirelessly share selected full-length sample tracks, playlists, pictures or self-made content. Microsoft will also have a Zune Marketplace so people can show their favorite content. Using the wireless file sharing, users can listen to any song up to three times in three days. If this is protected content, such as copyrighted music, there is an option to purchase the song. Microsoft claims Zune can store upwards of 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video. Like Apple's iPod, playlists can be programmed and content can be
purchased for download and content subscription service will be available. An interesting twist is that Zune software can automatically import existing music, pictures and videos from iTunes and the Windows Media Player. Various accessories will be available at the time of launch and Microsoft expects many accessory
vendors to also offer a wide range of products.
09 / 28 / 06
The new Naim NAC122x preamplifier ($1500) is based on its larger brother, the NAC202, and features improved performance over previous model and hardwired
motorized Alps volume control. Much care has been taken by Naim in the design of this new model as the casework and PCB are as low-resonance as possible. The NAP122x also features an RCA stereo output that is
optimized for an active subwoofer to support 2.1 systems. Naim's NAC122x can be powered from the preamplifier power outputs of the NAP150x/NAP200 or can be upgraded by powering it from either a Naim FLATCAP2x or HICAP2 power supply.
09 / 27 / 06
Hungary will host the Audio-Visual Creative Fair - ACF
from November 21st through 23rd at the Europa Congress Centre in Budapest. This fair, which exists for over 20 years in Belgium, will open its doors with sixty exhibitors in attendance. During the event will be various lecturers and panel discussions to debate major contemporary audio/visual topics. One of the discussions will be 'Perfect sound in perfect home theatres' from the acoustics point of view will be presented by Istvan Törzsök Acreon Ltd. while another one will be 'Acoustic technology in large events' presented by Zöld Zsold, Manager of Audmax Ltd.
09 / 26 / 06
Rossner & Sohn's GML 30 ($13,500 not including tone arm) continues the family tradition of producing precision instruments including turntables, pick-up arms, phono amplifiers and
loudspeakers. Features of the GML 30 include two spheres of aluminum oxide to bear the extremely heavy platter in fluid. Between the bearings, said to be "made of one of the hardest substances to be found," the turntable has only one microscopic point of contact. The axis is precisely cut and polished to its bearing. Due to different composition, metals have different physical qualities that result in different acoustical qualities. Rossner & Sohn is said to use this knowledge to develop the turntables and optimizes open-sandwich-construction with one layer made of a relatively soft aluminum-magnesium-alloy, the other of austenitic
inconal.
09 / 25 / 06
Our 2006 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA)
Expo coverage is now online! We have two full pages of information by
longtime audiophile and videophile journalist Bill Gaw. His coverage carefully
examines the many facets of the industry and a wide assortment of the new
products and technology that were showcased. To see our CEDIA EXPO 2006 show
coverage click here.
The IDS-25 Stereo Loudspeaker System by R. Russell
($18,900 in standard finish) is a single, wide-range column said to reproduce a wide frequency range and project a stereo
image. There are no crossovers, woofers, mids or tweeters in this multi-patented system. The IDS-25 is designed to be used within a few inches of the wall and incorporates twenty five 3.5-inch drivers arranged in an 88.75-inch high column. Frequency response is from 20Hz to 20kHz when used with required equalizer and this 8 Ohms unit has a sensitivity of 92.5dB/W/m. Internal connections are via Cardas wire and gold plated copper Cardas terminals.
Loudspeaker finishes include black, white, and for an upcharge an assortment
of wood veneers.
ATL New Cable Studio
has announced the availability of their new audio grade Power Box line of
multi-outlet units. Six variations of the units include offering from four to eight outlets can easily handle 15 Amperes at 250 Volts of total power distribution. The line uses UL Nylon and EPDM thermoplastic grounded sockets within the aluminum alloy chassis. The company also offers audiophile-grade
receptacles, male plugs, and wall plates.
DaVinciAudio
Labs' new universal MC transformer called the Grandezza ($7800) features the ability to add gain to
a moving coil turntable cartridge cleanly. The copper chassis, which aids to reduce outside
interference, is colored ivory white. Visually appealing accents are via gold plated knobs and clean
labeling for load selection. A version in black with buttons and Mu-metal cases is also available. The gain is provided via in-house fabricated transformers that feature large cores combined with multiple interlaced coils, oilpaper insulation, and special coupling coils. Gain and impedance can be switched with 26dB and an impedance
choice of 3, 5, 10, or 20 (and Rx). Amplification of 20dB offers impedance choice of 40, 80, 150, or 400 (and Rx). A separate RCA jack labeled Rx provides individual impedance matching of the cartridge’s internal impedance.
09 / 17 / 06
Now in our eighth year covering the stunning show held in Milan,
Italy, Enjoy the Music.com
photojournalist Steven R. Rochlin reports on his joyful journey through Italy's premier
audiophile event. To see the Top Audio & Video 2006 show report click
here.
09 / 13 / 06
Legendary rock band The Who,
whose last world tour was decades ago, had their opening night in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania (USA). This multi-hour concert launched their new world tour
to a sold out crowd. The concert was a huge success with both legendary hits
and many new songs from their upcoming album release. Audiophile equipment and
music retailer The Music will be
the exclusive merchant offering official bootleg DVD copies of this concert,
with proceeds going to various charities. Enjoy the Music.com
editor Steven R. Rochlin attended this historic event and will be reporting on
it within his October editorial within the Review
Magazine.
09 / 11 / 06
Handmade in Denmark, Acoustic
Reality has announced three new solid-state amplifiers that includes their model eAR 1001-REF, eAR 502-REF and eAR 202-REF
($1,250/each, $1800, and $800 respectively). The eAR 1001-REF is the company's reference monoblock and produces 500 Watt RMS @ 8 ohm (1000 @ 4 ohm). A dynamic range of 119dB is claimed, massive 40
Ampere output peak, and frequency response from 5Hz to 60kHz. Both Single end and balanced inputs are provided Acoustic Reality's eAR 502-REF is a stereo amplifier producing 250 Watt into each channel while the eAR 202-REF is also stereo and produces 100 Watt per channel.
Enjoy
the Music.com's midmonth edition of our
audiophile Review Magazine
features the conclusion of reviewer A. Colin Flood's five cable shootout.
We unravel the tangled web of cables and compare DH Labs Silver Sonic Air
Matrix, Dynamic Design Lotus Whites, DACT Dual Connect Precious Metal Audio
Cables, and My Audio Cables (MAC) Silver Sound Pipes plus their UltraSilver.
Please see the mid-September issue of our Review Magazine by clicking
here.
09 / 08 / 06
ITOK Media Limited's hi-fi brand Trends Audio
has launched their new audiophile mini palm-top amplifier called the Trends TA-10 Class-T Amp
($110). This unit integrates Class-D digital audio signal processing technique (PWM) with the Class-AB power amplification into a small IC. Trends Audio carefully designed this unit and uses proprietary techniques into the circuit design, components matching, sound tuning and even the case grounding and shielding. Additionally, they applied audiophile electronic components, aluminum case, gold-plated sockets, and high-quality AC power supply. Materials include double-sided PCB, all 1 percent metal film resistors, Thomson & EVOX small film capacitors, ELNA (brown/gold) electrolyte capacitors as power filter, ERO MKT capacitors as input coupling, and large air-core inductors x 4 as low-pass-filters.
09 / 07 / 06
After years of woofer surround parts for the KEF 102/2, 103/3, 104/2 and 107 / 107/2 being
unavailable, Florida store and KEF dealer Sound
Ideas is now offering newly manufactured to OEM specification
surrounds. Neither KEF USA or KEF UK sell the inner surrounds for quite
some time, with the factory asking dealers to substitute the original 3-point mount woofers with four-point replacements plus an adapter at a cost of approximately $550. Naturally this places the unit out of original specification. Sound Ideas has begun offering inner surrounds for the KEF series after a year of
research and development. Pricing is around $75 per woofer, with a minimum of four woofers at a time. Quantities of three or less are $95
each. Dealers are welcome to enquire about purchasing the new
surround part for their customer's woofers.
09 / 06 / 06
As we are preparing to attend the Top Audio & Video show in Milan, news from Italy includes
HiDiamond who has introduced their new
cables. After winning awards and with over 6 years of research and development, the new Diamond Li series is made with high-purity copper and wrapped with an aesthetically pleasing design. Gold plated contacts help round out this Italian design.
09 / 05 / 06
Top
Audio & Video show in Milan Italy will take place at the Quark Hotel
from September 14 through 17, 2006. This spectacular show will feature
hundreds of products from many leading manufacturers. Naturally Italian
designed products take center stage and show coverage will be featured once
again within Enjoy the Music.com.
See out 2005 coverage by clicking here.
The Brussels Hifi & Home Cinema Show 2006 takes place at the Brussels Sheraton Hotel from Saturday September 30 through Sunday October
1. Entry is free and visitors can enjoy hearing and seeing audio, video, new technologies, high-end audio, home cinema, plus various software will be for sale. The show includes nearly 50 exhibitors that will display 200 brands of equipment.
See our 2005 Belgium show coverage by clicking
here.
09 / 01 / 06
Enjoy the Music.com's September edition of our audiophile
Review Magazine includes reviews of the Devore Gibbon Super 8, Sound Dead Steel, and the impressive $10k Teresonic Ingenium. Some people are saying high-end audio is dead, so editor Steven R. Rochlin writes about this and also Xposes audiophiles to shows around the world. All this and many other articles are featured within the September issue of our
Review Magazine and can be seen by clicking
here.
Enjoy the
Music.com is awarding over $23,000 in audiophile products to music
enthusiasts worldwide! The company's very first Audiophile Equipment Contest
ended in May 2006 and reached in excess of $80,000 in prizes. Naturally this produced
a huge buzz throughout the audiophile community. In conjunction with many high-end audio manufacturers from around the world,
we are once again awarding prizes to members of our opt-in Mailing List. While many manufacturers are in discussions with providing
prizes, as of this date leading high-end companies are participating and
include Aperion Audio, Audience, Environmental Potentials, Green Mountain Audio, Hagerman, LAT International, The Lotus Group, ModWright, Reference Recordings and Ultimate Ears. To learn more about the contest please
click here.
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