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Naim Audio Ships the NaimUniti All-In-One Player June 26, 2009
"It combines a ten-input, 50Wpc integrated amplifier based on the award-winning NAIT 5i, a CD player based on the similarly acclaimed CD5i, and a digital-to-analog converter with an output filter derived from that developed for the stunning CD5x. To all that, NaimUniti adds a high-quality DAB/FM tuner, the ability to play streamed audio files wirelessly from UPnP servers or Internet radio stations, and separate interface inputs for USB memory sticks carrying audio files, iPods and MP3 players." With all that going for it, the NaimUniti should find its way into office systems or into environments where functionality is key, but small size and convenience are paramount. Just add speakers and speaker cable you’re up and running. The NaimUniti retails for $3750 USD. Paradigm's New Hybrid Millenia 10 and 20 Mount In and On the Wall June 16, 2009
"Conventional on-wall speakers jut out four to five inches, dwarfing the depth of most wall-mounted flat-panel displays. Although great sound is paramount, floor space and visual appeal (or discretion) are important secondary factors in the purchase of speakers. Paradigm’s new models are slim enough to visually complement ever-slimming flat panels for years to come, even with the grilles on. By partially recessing a Millenia Hybrid into the wall, the speaker gains a deeper, more stable enclosure with inherent performance advantages over traditional on-wall mounting techniques. "Each Paradigm hybrid speaker is engineered to incorporate the predictable effects of a wall on the speaker’s frequency response. The speaker’s pre-attached glass-reinforced injection-molded polymer (GRIP™) bracket is optimized to exploit maximum wall area for a complete absence of vibration, even when performing at maximum output." The Hybrid Millenia 10 is a three-driver, two-way design priced at $379 each. The Hybrid Millenia 20 is a five-driver, 2 ½-way design that's $529. Both speakers can be mounted on the wall vertically or horizontally. Aperion Audio's New 6-LCR In-Wall Speaker June 11, 2009
The 6-LCR comes with a 10-year warranty, Aperion's "30-Day No-Risk In-Home Audition™" and free shipping. The 6-LCR is priced at $225 USD and is available now. MartinLogan's Encore TF June 8, 2009
2000 Watts of PurePower May 18, 2009
PurePower also makes lower-power, lower-cost units, including the Model 1050, which outputs 1500 watts ($2495), and the entry-level Model 700, which produces 1000 watts ($1795). Potis Family Relief Fund Established May 7, 2009
Potis Family Relief Fund Contributions can also be sent through PayPal to ID john.potis@comcast.net. Donations in kind can be made by contacting: Eric Luebehusen Donations in kind will be auctioned on Audiogon and the entire proceeds will go to the Potis Family Relief Fund. Two New Preamps from Lamm May 4, 2009
On the other end of the price spectrum is the LL2.1, the upgraded version of a previously released preamp. Its power supply features full-wave tube rectification. There are two versions of the LL2.1: Regular ($5690) and Deluxe ($5990), which differ in their power-supply energy storage (the Deluxe has approximately twice that of the standard version) and the use of film capacitors in critical paths (in the Deluxe version; they are paralleled by polystyrene types). Sasha W/P Debuts May 15 April 23, 2009
Wilson Audio has posted a short movie about the Sasha W/P. DAC, Headphone Amp and Preamp from Benchmark Media April 17, 2009
A Musical Titan April 10, 2009
Mark Your Calendar: Record Store Day is April 18 April 2, 2009
Among the bands directly promoting the event is Wilco, which plans to release its upcoming DVD exclusively to indie music stores and on the band’s website on April 18. The group’s Jeff Tweedy told Billboard Magazine in a recent interview, "Even if I wasn't in a band, I'd still support Record Store Day. It's a great thing and I'm glad we could do something special with them for our DVD." "Digital Phono Preamp" from NAD March 25, 2009
Hanss Acoustics Does Analog -- and More March 19, 2009
All Hanss Acoustics products are distributed in the US by The Lotus Group, which also handles products from Oyaide, Acoustic Revive, Acrolink and other makers. The SoundStage! Network Unveils "TWBAS 2009" March 11, 2009
"TWBAS is already being written about on Ultra Audio. Currently, you will find articles leading up to the event. Following this weekend's event, there will be more articles on Ultra Audio as well as SoundStage!, in addition to videos that will be featured on SoundStage! V. "The World's Best Audio System" started solely as a feature that has become an event featuring six of the world's top high-end-audio brands. In 2010, the SoundStage! Network plans to hold TWBAS 2010 at a luxury mansion and feature more than 20 companies. Ayre Introduces Custom Digital Filter, Updates for Existing Digital Players March 4, 2009
The Minimum Phase digital filter is incorporated into the new C-5xeMP universal player and CX-7eMP CD player and will also be used in Ayre's soon-to-be-released QB-9 USB DAC. In keeping with Ayre's commitment to updating its existing products, current owners of Ayre digital players can have their units upgraded. The C-5xe costs $200, while the CX-7 costs from $250 to $900 depending on the unit's age. NHT "Going Quiet" February 25, 2009
Best known for its large Model 3.3 loudspeaker as well as the Xd system with DSP-based crossovers, NHT has a rich history of producing innovative speakers whose technical proficiency has always been apparent. "Remember," Byrne offers, "this isn't goodbye; it's just 'see you on the other side.'"
February 16, 2009 The AT-PEQ3 ($119) is the matching phono stage for Audio-Technica's budget-priced moving-magnet cartridges. It provides 36dB of gain, and its impedance is a standard 47k ohms. Measuring just 2 3/4"W x 1 1/8"H x 3 1/2"D and weighing a mere 5 1/2 ounces, it is easy to place near a turntable or preamp. It utilizes high-quality integrated circuits, internal parts and connectors, providing low-noise operation. It derives its power from an included 18V DC adapter, and it also comes with a one-meter pair of interconnects.
A New Summit
MartinLogan's new Summit X speaker ($13,995 per pair) is a hybrid design that mates an electrostatic panel at approximately 160Hz to a dynamic-driver bass section for the lowest frequencies. It is the first MartinLogan speaker to benefit from the research done for the CLX, a full-range electrostatic loudspeaker that was released last year. The bass section uses Controlled Dispersion PoweredForce woofers that are said to shift smoothly the woofer phasing as it reaches the crossover point, better integrating the woofer with the electrostatic panel. According to the company, "This innovation brings with it all the requisite advantages of a controlled-dispersion radiation pattern and uniform wave launch while still retaining the efficiency and dynamics that cone woofers provide at the lowest frequencies."
HeadRoom Drops Prices January 28, 2009
Internet Radio Coming to Automobiles January 27, 2009
miRoamer
website "All-Out" Digital Separates from Esoteric January 20, 2009
Owners of the P-01 and D-01 can upgrade through the Esoteric factory in Japan. Upgrading the P-01 to the VU version costs $3000, while each D-01 mono DAC costs $1500. These prices do not include shipping to and from Japan. The Best Gets Even Better January 6, 2009
To see our coverage, visit the Las Vegas 2009 show site every day of the CES -- January 9-12. Best of 2008
The SoundStage! Network has announced its award winners for 2008, and as usual staff will be making presentations in conjunction with the CES in Las Vegas. The winners are: Edge of the Art - Wilson Audio Specialties Alexandria X-2
Series 2 Loudspeakers Products of the Year - Reference 3A Grand Veena Loudspeakers, Weiss Minerva Digital-to-Analog Converter Product of the Year: Speakers - Hsu Research HB-1 Mk.2 /
HC-1 Mk.2 / VTF-3 Mk.3 Home-Theater Speaker System Products of the Year - Audioengine A2 Powered Loudspeakers, Blue Circle Audio USB Thingee Digital Converter |
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British
high-end-audio manufacturer Naim Audio introduced the Uniti all-in-one audio player at
Munich’s High End 2009. We just got word that the NaimUniti is now shipping to North
American dealers. Its impressive list of features makes it perhaps the most complete
single-chassis audio component in all of high-end audio. The company's description of the
NaimUniti leaves little to be desired:
Paradigm has
introduced the Hybrid Millenia 10 and 20 speakers that mount in and on the wall in order
to complement the depth of new flat-panel displays. According to the company's press
release:
Aperion Audio is
best known for their high-value floorstanding and stand-mounted speakers that they sell
factory direct. They've recently added to their lineup the 6-LCR in-wall speaker that
features a 1" silk-dome tweeter that can be aimed toward the listening position.
Flanking the tweeter are two 6.5” long-throw, woven-fiberglass, dual-voice-coil
woofers. The 6-LCR can be mounted in the wall vertically or horizontally and has switches
for bass and treble control.
Well-known
electrostatic-speaker manufactuer MartinLogan of Kansas, USA, has announced the release of
the Encore TF center-channel speaker. The Encore TF has been designed to work with other
MartinLogan speakers and is intended for on- or off-wall installation. According to the
company's press release, the Encore has been "designed to serve as a high-performance
center-channel for home theaters, the compact Encore TF delivers exceptional detail. An
ATF™ (Advanced Thin Film) driver, long-excursion low-mass woofers, and sophisticated
crossover engineering produce sound with lifelike clarity and openness. Encore TF delivers
compelling center-channel reproduction whether discretely mounted beneath a high
definition flat screen or used with the included tabletop stand. Additionally, the Encore
TF is highly adaptable, working equally well mounted horizontally or vertically in
front-channel and surround applications." The Encore TF is shipping right now and is
priced at $499 USD.
PurePower's new
Model 2000 ($2995) is billed as the most robust power regenerator on the market, providing
up to two kilowatts of "perfect, isolated, battery-reference power." The Model
2000 converts AC from the wall socket to DC, removing all the noise and distortion before
creating brand-new AC. The Model 2000's internal battery system provides complete
isolation from the local power grid, eliminating the deleterious effects of voltage sags,
surges, and transients. The Model 2000 has ten receptacles. Export models use one of a
dozen different kinds of country-specific receptacles.
When former SoundStage!,
Six Moons and Positive Feedback reviewer John Potis (fourth from the
left in picture) died late last year at 49, he left behind his daughters and wife during
especially trying economic times. A Family Relief Fund has been established to help
alleviate financial burden for John's family. Cash contributions can be made by sending a
check or a money order to:
Lamm Industries' all-new
LL1 Signature (shown right, $42,690) is the company's top-of-the-line preamp. It comprises
four separate chassis: a control unit and power supply per channel. It features
single-ended class-A operation with no overall feedback and uses specially selected
high-transconductance dual triode 6N30P-DR tubes in its signal path along with TKD stepped
potentiometers for volume control. The LL1 Signature was created to be the natural mate to
Lamm's ML3 Signature mono amplifiers.
Wilson Audio's newest speaker
is the Sasha W/P ($26,950 per pair), which builds on the two-cabinet platform of the
venerable WATT/Puppy and ultimately replaces that speaker in the company's product lineup.
The Sasha W/P's drivers and crossover are inspired by those of the MAXX 3, and the new
speaker is an integrated system, with crossovers housed in the bass module, whereas the
WATT monitor had always been a fully functional speaker with its own internal crossover.
Another significant difference is the price between the Sasha W/P and the speaker it
replaces, the WATT/Puppy 8, which costs $29,900 per pair. According to Wilson Audio, the
lower price of the new speaker is due to "increased efficiencies resulting from our
factory expansion."
Benchmark
Media's DAC1 HDR ($1895) is the company's new flagship digital/analog preamp,
incorporating the features of the AdvancedUSB computer audio interface, DAC1
digital-to-analog converter, and HPA2 headphone amplifier, along with full preamplifier
functionality featuring a custom-built, motor-driven ALPS volume control. The remote
controls on/off, input selection, volume, soft-mute, and adjustable dim level. The user
can adjust the "dim" and "normal" volume settings independently, and
the DAC1 HDR will remember them. The D-to-A section of the DAC1 HDR is similar to
Benchmark's DAC1 PRE in form, function, and performance. You can connect to a digital
cable box, HDTV, DVD/CD player, computer, music server, satellite radio, FM tuner, phono
stage, or VCR. The DAC1 HDR is available in black or silver.
The
Musical Fidelity Titan ($30,000) is a dual-mono, fully balanced stereo power amplifier
that reportedly delivers a whopping 1000Wpc into 8 ohm, 2000Wpc into 4 ohms, and 4000Wpc
into 2 ohms. It follows Musical Fidelity’s convention of having an external power
supply to ensure that no transformer interacts with the amplifier's signal circuitry.
Thus, the Titan comprises two identically sized boxes, with the audio-signal unit having
balanced and single-ended inputs along with two sets of speaker terminals with 30 microns
gold plating. Billed as "one of the quietest amps in existence," the Titan is
said to offer "huge dynamic range and low-level detail [that is] rendered with
astonishing clarity and accuracy."
Saturday April 18, 2009 marks
the second-annual Record Store Day, when independently owned music stores around the world
will celebrate "the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local
communities and nationally." Participating stores will feature special events,
including live performances, and provide customers with a "goodie bag" of music
and printed material promoting new releases. Sonic Youth, Beck, Bob Dylan, Bruce
Springsteen, and Tom Waits will all release new music specifically to commemorate Record
Store Day. A long list of participating stores is available on the Record Store Day
website.
NAD's PP-3 ($199) is called a
"digital phono preamplifier" because it combines a MM/MC phono stage with an
analog-to-digital converter, a USB interface, and easy-to-use software. It allows LPs and
other audio sources to be copied directly to a PC or Mac, an iPod, or another MP3 player.
The phono stage provides 35dB of gain for moving-magnet cartridges and 60dB for
moving-coil. The included CD-R VinylStudio Lite software lets users copy LPs directly to a
PC in WAV or MP3 file formats. An additional line-level input allows other analog sources
such as an FM tuner or CD player to be converted to digital, and it adds back the input
used by the PP-3.
Hanss Acoustics turntables
are manufactured from of layers of machined anodized aluminum and acrylic, and they can
accommodate multiple tonearms. Their thick platters are magnetically supported on
high-precision bearings, and the company's speed controllers can be used with multiple
motors for greater torque and speed stability. The T-60 (shown right, $6200 without
tonearm) features magnetic-suspension feet and a built-in digital level meter.
Surprisingly, the lower-priced T-30 ($4600) and T-20 ($3080) offer the same advanced
features. Hanss also makes phono preamps that range in price from $380 to $5000, a CD
player ($2200) and a record cleaner ($920).
"The World's
Best Audio System" has been a longstanding feature on 
Ayre Acoustics' new Minimum
Phase digital filter was designed to provide minimum phase shift and slow frequency
roll-off in order to eliminate pre-echo as well as pre- and post-ringing in the digital
signal. According to Ayre president Charles Hansen, "The technological improvements
[of the MP filter] translate into a more vivid and spatial soundstage, a richer and more
complex tonal presentation and the sense of ease of a live acoustic event."
March 31, 2009 will be the
last day of regular business, "at least for now," for speaker maker NHT.
According to a press release from company president Chris Byrne, the company will be
"rethinking" its future amidst a selloff, over the next 60 days, of its
remaining professional and consumer inventory. "However, you should know that we are
not bankrupt," the press release points out. "Everybody here is fine and no, the
car didn't get hit by a train. In a way this difficult economy provided the right
opportunity for the change in strategy we felt has been necessary for some time."
Small,
Inexpensive Phono Stage from Audio-Technica
February 4, 2009
Perhaps in the
spirit of traditional post-holiday sales, TEAC's Esoteric division reduced the list price
of its speakers in the US by 50% as 2009 began. Now HeadRoom Corporation has reduced the
prices of its Micro Amp and Micro DAC from $399 to $333, and the prices of its Ultra Micro
Amp and Ultra Micro DAC from $699 to $599 -- about a 15% reduction in all cases.
HeadRoom's rationale? "In these especially tough times, we've decided it's the
perfect opportunity to take some strain off your pocketbook by offering all our popular
Micro Line products at even lower prices -- without cutting any corners." Will other
companies follow suit under these tough economic conditions? Time will tell.
Auto-sound
specialist Blaupunkt and Internet radio innovator miRoamer will introduce the world’s
first Internet car radio in the second half of 2009, giving drivers access to a large and
diverse selection of online radio content in their automobiles. The first two models will
be the Blaupunkt Hamburg 600i and New Jersey 600i (shown right), which will sell for
$300-$400 each. With these units, users will be able to choose and arrange information on
a large display. Via miRoamer.com, users will have the added ability to browse genres or
stations and customize preferences, providers and search options. The website also allows
users to add media that is not currently offered by simply providing the URL and adding it
to their favorites.
Esoteric's
digital products are well known among audiophiles for their robust build quality and
refined, detailed sound. The company has introduced upgraded versions of its very best
products, the P-01 VU transport ($32,000) and D-01 VU mono digital-to-analog converter
($16,000 each), Esoteric's all-out attack on state-of-the-art CD and SACD playback.
Enhancements include higher-grade wiring in the P-01 VU along with parts upgrades to the
unit's power supply and optimization of the digital circuit. The D-01 VU boasts of
higher-grade parts throughout as well as fine-tuning of the audio circuit.
For more than a decade, we at
the SoundStage! Network have been covering the CES in the most demanding way possible --
on the spot -- in order to bring readers around the globe the most important
consumer-electronics information as quickly as possible. Starting on January 8, we will
commence our coverage of CES 2009 and produce our largest and most comprehensive show
report ever. Look for more -- and larger -- pictures, more information on new products,
and more insightful commentary on what we see and hear in Las Vegas.
January 1, 2009