Audioreview Blog

What are the differences between RF, IR and Bluetooth wireless headphones?

adam — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:47:38 +0000

”

Rf headphones are using a stereo frequency modulation system when transmitting sound from transmitter to the headphones. It is pretty much like having a mini radio station in your house. These kinds of headphones are perfect for TV, computers, games consoles when you don’t want to disturb people around you. The range of an rf signal can be affected by other sources and some materials used in building construction. The newer headphones are a lot less sensible for interference from example microwaves and other devices then the earlier ones. Radio waves are the best choice if you’re looking for total freedom.

There are also wireless headphones that use light to transmit the sound. This technology is called ir, ir stands for infrared. The disadvantage using ir headphones are that they only work when the light is visible. That means that you have to make sure that it’s always open air between the transmitter and the headphones to get a clear signal.

read the rest and more about wireless headphones at buyingwirelessheadphones.com…

WHOIS buyingwirelessheapdhones.com “I live for music and audio! I love to record audio and I’ve been studying music/sound production in Sweden. My mission is to guide people and teach them how to discover the best wireless headphones for them. A lot of people think that wireless headphones have a crappy quality and sound quality, some guys are affriad to get cancer when using wireless headphones. How many people are using wireless?? not many! why? I don’t know! It’s 2009:)”

3-D TVs heading for masses in 2010

newspress — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:28:53 +0000

The next frontier in television technology is here and heading to retail outlets next year.

Just don’t forget your glasses.

Sony and Panasonic say they will release home 3-D television systems in 2010; JVC is not far behind. All of Mitsubishi’s current model Home Theater TVs are 3-D ready and are offered in screen sizes from 60 inches to 73 inches. A 3-D standard format does not currently exist for Blu-ray or DVD prepackaged media, however.

Some analysts compare the 3-D transition to the switch from black-and-white to color television and the shift from standard- to high-definition images. It won’t happen overnight, but the new technology will take hold, they agree, and could give electronics retailers, manufacturers and distributors a boost akin to when flat-panel televisions really took flight five or so years ago.

source: rtohq.org

Boston Acoustics Adds Reflection Series

newspress — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:41:34 +0000

Peabody, Mass. - Boston Acoustics replaced the middle series in its three-series component-speaker selection, shipping a six-SKU Reflection series designed to complement flat-panel displays and to bring select flagship-series technologies to lower price points.

The RS 334 floor-standing speaker at $699 (street price) each tops out the Reflection series of component speakers with rounded edges and scratch-resistant piano-black finish.

The company also launched a co-promotion with sister brand Denon, offering consumers up to 25 percent off a combined purchase of any six Boston Acoustics speakers and select Denon electronics.

With Reflection’s launch, Boston Acoustics turned over all three of its component-speaker series over an 18-month period, said Joe Stinziano, sales and marketing senior VP.

source: Twice.com

www.bostonacoustics.com

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Wireless PC Speaker System

newspress — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:45:36 +0000

Conveniently brings better sound to laptop users (and anyone else who hates wires.)

Today Klipsch hass added wireless technology to its ProMedia 2.1 computer speakers. The original ProMedia 2.1 system was introduced in 2000, and over the years it has become one of the highest praised, best-selling products Klipsch has ever produced. But given the increase in laptop and notebook usage, company officials decided to put a fresh spin on the classic setup by introducing a wireless version.

The new ProMedia 2.1 Wireless looks and sounds like the THX®-certified original, only the Klipsch logos are silver instead of copper. “The ProMedia is still the defacto 2.1 standard for computer speakers. It’s been known to put some home stereo systems to shame, and we want to keep it that way–with or without wires,” said Don Inmon, Klipsch director of product development for personal audio.

The real difference between the two designs lies within a USB wireless transmitter that plugs into the computer’s USB port. “Only a few simple steps are required to get the ProMedia Wireless up and running. Just plug, play and enjoy the full sonic impact of your music, movies and games without being tied down,” said Inmon. “No router or installation software is needed.”

Inmon, however, notes the misconception that many consumers have about wireless audio. Often times, when people see the words “wireless” and “speakers” together, they assume the entire sound system is wire and cable free. However, no such speaker system exists–unless it runs off of batteries. “Speakers need a power source to drive them and that source needs to connect to electricity,” he says.

more info and photos on eCoustics.com…

source: eCoustics.com

www.klipsch.com

Lowther’s DX-65 driver in the Teresonic Magus XR Review

dagogo — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:53:25 +0000

Amplifiers Recalled by Krell Industries Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

newspress — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:06:24 +0000

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Amplifiers

Units: About 2,300

Distributor: Krell Industries LLC, of Orange, Conn.

Hazard: The amplifiers were designed to operate at a temperature warm to the touch. However, a component input device can fail and cause the amplifiers to overheat, posing burn and fire hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Krell has received 50 reports of the amplifiers overheating including reports of smoke and electrical fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Krell power amplifiers with model numbers KAV-250a, KAV-250a/3, KAV-500i and KAV-1500. The amplifiers are used to provide power to a loudspeaker in a home audio playback system. The Krell logo is printed on the front of the amplifier.

Sold by: Authorized dealers and distributors of audio equipment nationwide from January 1997 through February 2001 for between $3,000 and $8,000.

Manufactured in: USA

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the amplifiers, and contact Krell to schedule the free installation of replacement fuses.

Customer Contact: For additional information contact Krell at (888) 436-6055 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.krellonline.com. Consumers can also email the firm at service@krellonline.com.

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (888) 436-6055
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
via: audioREVIEW forums

Monster’s Miles Davis Tribute In-Ear Headphones

newspress — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:24:40 +0000

Limited Edition Earphones Are World’s First Audio Hardware To Bear Official Miles Davis Name

* Created in Conjunction with the Miles Davis Family
* Feature Sleek Styling Designed to Capture the Essence of the Man and His Music
* Engineered to the Most Demanding Sonic Specifications

Monster Miles Davis Tribute In-Ear Headphones
Monster, renowned for its many advanced consumer electronics accessories and fast becoming one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-performance headphones, is proud to announce the upcoming introduction of the world’s first audio hardware product to bear the official name and signature of legendary trumpeter Miles Davis — the new “Miles Davis Tribute” high-performance in-ear headphones. Created in conjunction with Miles Davis Properties, LLC, the new headphones are being offered in a individually numbered limited edition. Adding value to this limited edition release, purchasers of the Miles Davis Tribute headphones will also be able to enjoy free of charge the official 50th Anniversary boxed set of the artist’s seminal album Kind of Blue, featuring two music CDs, a DVD and a 24-page booklet.

Miles Davis Tribute headphones feature a striking gold/brass finish based on the actual trumpet played by the artist, featuring a Miles Davis silhouette and gold-etched signature on the earpiece. The headphones are complemented by an attractive “kind of blue” cord and uniquely designed “musical instrument” carry case. Designed in every way to capture the essence of the renowned musician’s style, the Miles Davis Tribute headphones are tuned to reproduce the subtle nuances of music, with advanced sonic technologies engineered to deliver reference-quality audio.

find out more on eCoustics.com…

source: eCoustics.com

3D Home Theater! Panasonic to Show Off Prototype!

newspress — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:18:46 +0000

Panasonic to Show Full HD 3D Home Theater, Expanded tru2way(R) Solutions at Cable-Tec Expo 2009 Emphasis on Full HD 3D TV, Growing Interactive Cable TV Applications

DENVER, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ — Panasonic will demonstrate prototype Full HD 1080p 3D televisions and will exhibit an expanded range of tru2way solutions, including tru2way-based broadband cable set-top boxes and its tru2way-intergrated consumer VIERA HDTVs at this year’s Cable-Tec Expo® — the
cable industry’s engineering show of the year — beginning today through October 30 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

In addition to the Panasonic booth (#14053), the company’s presence will be supplemented by a Panasonic Full HD 3D Home Theater-equipped tractor trailer exhibit from its nationwide 3D tour fleet to demonstrate 3D for show goers. The Full HD 3D system, which will reach the market next year, utilizes 1080p Plasma display technology and a modified Blu-ray Disc player to deliver a truly immersive 1080p Full HD 3D experience of entertainment and other programming in the home.

“Panasonic believes that the Cable-Tec Expo, with its more than 10,000 cable industry professional attendees, provides the perfect opportunity for us to highlight the impact of Full HD 3D and to give cable engineering, operations and management leaders the chance to experience first hand the powerful and exciting possibilities of 3D. Full HD 3D is anticipated to be widely deployed in 2010, creating new revenue opportunities for the industry,” said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Panasonic Corp. of North America’s Chief Technology Officer. “It also provides Panasonic with an occasion to demonstrate our commitment to tru2way, including exhibiting our expanded range of interactive cable solutions — both current and next-generation tru2way digital set-top boxes and the design for a new tru2way digital Set-Back Box which converts VIERA TVs into tru2way-capable receivers.”

At Booth #14053, Panasonic will feature a lineup of next-generation tru2way-based broadband cable set-top boxes all of which offer a smaller footprint and are more energy efficient than earlier models. Panasonic will also demonstrate tru2way-enabled VIERA Plasma TVs, their NovaTouch(TM) system, an innovative touch-based remote control designed to navigate next generation cable program guides, and a prototype of Panasonic’s new tru2way Set-Back Box, which can transform Panasonic VIERA HDTVs into tru2way-enabled receivers.

In addition, at Booth #14044 Panasonic will feature its highly acclaimed Toughbook® mobile computers that allow cable technicians, engineers and supervisors in the field or on the workbench to solve problems quickly and efficiently with exceptional reliability.

About Panasonic
Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America markets a broad line of digital and other electronics products for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), and the hub of Panasonic’s U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth’s natural resources and protect our environment through the company’s Eco Ideas programs. Detailed information about Panasonic’s environmental stewardship may be found in its Panasonic Report for Sustainability 2008 (www.panasonic.net/csr/reports) and Environmental Data Book 2008 www.panasonic.net/eco/rpt/. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at
www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

® — tru2way is a trademark of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.

Chris De Maria, Panasonic, +1-201-348-7182, demariac@us.panasonic.com; or
Blayne Murphy, Cohn & Wolfe, +1-212-798-9763, blayne.murphy@cohnwolfe.com

source: PRNewswire

www.panasonic.com

Trends Audio TA-10 Amplifier and PA-10 Preamp Combo

newspress — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:32:07 +0000

ITOK Media Limited, renowned Hong Kong manufacturer of high end but not high priced audio products, has launched its new Trends Hi-Fi product - Trends TA-10 amp and PA-10 Pre-amp Combo. Integrating Trends TA-10.2P SE Power Amplifier, Trends PA-10 SE Tube Pre-Amplifier and Trends Audiophile Audio Cable to bring audiophiles and music lovers the outstanding Hi-Fi Systems in affordable prices.

“As we all know, Trends TA-10.1 is widely considered the best sounding and the best value among Class-T amps! This potent little handful is quickly becoming a global audio phenomenon.” said says David Ho, the marketing director of Trends Audio. “Meanwhile, Trends PA-10 Tube Pre amplifier provides nice dynamic range, and a crisp clear open presentation
favouring the midrange”.

Editor’s Choice Best Floorstanding Speakers Under $1000

adam — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:21:10 +0000

So many to choose from! Lets us boil it down. How to Choose a Floorstanding Speaker that fits you:

What things do I need to consider when buying floorstanding speakers?

There are basically four things you should take into consideration when shopping for floorstanding speakers.

Space - How big is the room you plan to put these in? Floorstanding speakers can be impressive but in a small room sometimes they are too much. And audio quality suffers without a lot of room treatment. If you have a smaller sized room, something less than 8-10ft wide and 10-15ft long you may want to consider bookshelf speakers and a sub set up. Imaging can sometimes be better and room reflections can be mitigated by seating distance from bookshelf speakers. Speaking of sitting distance from floorstanding speakers, you’ll want at least 8-10ft of distance between you and the speaker so that the sound from the tweeter and woofers has enough space to fully meld into one before it enters your ears. Otherwise sound image and quality can suffer. And you’ll also want to make sure the speakers are stuff into corners, but are rather 2-3ft from them so bass doesn’t become BOOMing and overwhelming.

Music Style - What kind of music you listen to can be greatly enhanced or detracted from by your speaker choice. Lucky most speakers under $1000 tend to sounds good across a large variety of music, but some have more bump, thump, or detail than others. Some are laid back, good for jazz or acoustic, while others that thump are better for rock, pop, and rap. Just looking at the speaker specs wont tell you how the speaker sounds, so you’ll want to research, read reviews, pro and user reviews, to get an idea of how the speaker will sound. If you can, it is always best to audition the speaker in person with power and input devices similar to your home set up.

Associated Equipment - You’ll want to make sure that your amp and input sources characteristics match your speaker characteristics for a desired result. For instance, if your amp is known to be bright, and you get speakers that are also known to be bright, the combo of the two can be over bearing and make listening unpleasant. If your pre-amp or tuner has high and low controls you can adjust for this. If they don’t, than it is a major part of pairing your equipment.

Home Theater or Stereo Only - If you plan to build up a home theater system at some point it is good to consider if the speakers you are purchasing have associated surrounds, center, and sub speakers paired with the floorstanding. In a surround sound system having matching sounding speakers is very important.

Experts may all agree on the advantages or shortcomings of any product they review but, at AudioReview.com, we believe that the average consumer can best summarize all the details a product has to offer… So read what users have to says!

Editor’s Note: Some of the speakers below can be had at amazing deals right now. Some are year older models, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t great speakers. It does mean the prices are a lot lower than MSRP.

Monitor Audio Silver RS6 ~ $900

Stereophile - Robert J. Reina - Normally, any review of a $1000/pair loudspeaker would include a discussion of its flaws—the compromises necessary to meet that relatively low price point. But after several weeks of listening to dozens of recordings through the Silver RS6, I could find not a single shortcoming—no deviation from neutrality, or any other compromise that I would normally expect to find in a cost-constrained design.

AudioReview - 22 Reviews 4.42 of 5 - saymir writes - Very good value for money.It does everything what company says,tight extended punchy bass,sweet treble,decent midrange if connected to smooth sounding amps-such as Technics.I was using Technics su-a700mk2.Simply amazing match.Relaxing sound.If connected to entry level hi-end gear,(krell kav500i)these speakers are capable of amazing 3D imaging and soundstage and dynamics

goodsound.com - Philip Beaudette - Monitor Audio’s Silver RS6 — a relatively inexpensive, exceptionally well-built floorstanding speaker that provides considerable insight into what the best has to offer.

Editor’s Note: The RS6 has been replaced by the RX6 which is supposed to sound better, but is more expensive. RS6 speakers are still easy to find in Monitor Audio dealer shops and online. You might want to snatch up a pair before they are gone.

Featured Merchants

		BrandNamez.com
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Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 ~ $800

AudioEnz - Michael Wong - The Diamonds are the kind of product expected from a long time manufacturer dedicated to making music accessible. With it’s canny balance of abilities the Diamonds do a very good job of disappearing and do not get between the listener and the music. With no major flaws, they are a steal, solid proof that the art of building good value stereo equipment survives.

AudioReview - 8 Reviews 4.88 of 5 - sburken writes - all four drivers blend together for a warm sound that can be played to exceptionally loud levels without being fatigueing. however, these speakers do not shine when played with very harsh material (IE metal), they shine beautifully when tasked with rock through classical though

Energy Loudspeakers C-500 ~ $400

Canada HIFI - Through my test, I discovered that the Energy C-Series are a set of very musical speakers with a sweet tooth for the home theatre. With their modest size, they can be easily accommodated into a smaller room, although their sound can effortlessly fill an average sized listening space.

AudioReview - 5 Reviews 5.00 of 5 - mastermind717 writes - For the price these are the best speakers I have ever heard. Highs, lows and midrange are tight and accurate. The sound stage is full and pleasant to listen to for hours no matter what your taste in music. I am running the C-500’s without a sub though I’m certain a mid size velodyne would compliment these nicely, especially for movies.

Magnepan Magneplanar MMG ~ $600

Goodsound.com - They’re so good that they’ll make you look like an audio wunderkind and make your system sing as never before. They do need to be driven by a good, strong receiver or amp — no 25W weaklings need apply — and they’ll expose weaknesses upstream from them (if you have a cheap, tinny-sounding CD player, for instance). They’ll also expose the intricate layers of beauty that might be hidden by your current speakers, so if you’re tempted to give ‘em a try, you can have these Maggies in your home for a 60-day, money-back trial.

AudioReview - 283 Reviews 4.72 of 5 - stuartson writes - First off, The MMGs are amazing! Not simply “amazing for the money”, but flat out amazing. The soundstage is open and expansive, the tonal reproduction is exceptional, the speed and detail are mind-boggling at times. They truly have the ability to reproduce certain types of music with a scary accuracy and realism.

AudioReview - DPS writes -I have had a pair of MMG’s for about six months and will most likely quit searching for the elusive audio nirvana I’ve been chasing since the mid 70’s. The simple fact is these speakers provide a window into my music tastes that cannot be duplicated by any other available speaker any where near this price.

Featured Merchants

Magnepan

Paradigm Reference Monitor 7 ~ $800

hometheaterreview.com - Soundstaging and imaging are both superb with the Monitor 7s. The Monitor 7s’ soundstage is as deep as it is wide and very nicely detailed and natural in its presentation. In terms of imaging, especially center focus, the Monitor 7s react much more like mini monitors than floor-standing loudspeakers.

AudioReview - 98 Reviews 4.55 of 5 Spock1234 writes - This is especially obvious when listening to Jazz and Blues recordings which contain male voices and acoustic guitar segments. The bass extension is low enough to ‘feel’ the music, but it never sounds ‘boomy’. The single best thing about these speakers is that they are ‘Neutral’. If you are used to listening to other speakers that make the music sound ‘shrill’ or ‘boomy’, the Monitor 7s may sound a little ‘flat’ initially. But after you listen to them for a day or two, you will appreciate of the neutrality the Monitors.

reviews.digitaltrends.com writes - The highs are sweet, the mids are richly detailed, and the bass is tight and accurate. Our only complaint is that the midrange could be a little richer on some vocal recordings. Additionally, the finish on these speakers left little to be desired in terms of a luxury finish – but now knowing their true price, we feel this is almost an uncalled for assessment.

Polk Audio TSi500 ~ $800

Bestcovery.com - Polk’s TSi500 floorstanding speakers are well designed with excellent build quality and finish for the money. The sound quality and especially the bass are very good. Music is lively with clean detail and highs. These speakers have a whopping four 6.5” drivers that deliver strong bass. The frequency range is rated at 28Hz-25kHz. They work well for both home theater and music listening.

AudioReview - 2 Reviews 5.00 of 5 - pvsat writes - the best performance in the upper entry segment. I moved from a set of polk R300s to these and yes they make a huge difference in the sound. I feel the room shake during explosion and low bass sequences. They image very well..the image size increased about 2-3 times from the r300s when listening in 2 channel.

Store Name	Store Rating	Price	Notes	Buy Now
		$799.90	New
		$798.00
		$399.95	POLK AUDIO Authorized Dealer and WARRANTY! Award-winning customer service and price guarantee!
		$399.95	Order Today, Ships Today
		$400.00	New
More Prices >>

Fluance ES-1 ~ $400

Amazon.com reviewer Richard Hebbourn - Although I’ve heard quite a few good things about the ES1 speakers, I was still surprised by the amount of bass that comes through them. The highs are even better - each note is crisp and defined, and the sound fills my entire house.

AudioReview - 9 Reviews 4.11 of 5 - Joseph writes - My lucky day! Awesome speakers when coupled with a sub for frequencies below 70Hz. I power them with a 120 watt per channel HK Stereo (yes I said stereo) reciever and run them through a 15 band equalizer just to tweak them ever so slightly. Add a 12 inch 150 watt sub and CD’s, Movies, and Concert DVD’s rock! Don’t let the fact they won’t cost ya an arm and a leg fool you, these may be the best deal in HiFi to be had in a long time!

AudioReview - Chris writes - First few weeks, these speakers were breaking in. They sounded distinctly harsh. After the break-in period, however, they REALLY smoothed out. I would highly recommend them as excellent value. They look good (my wife likes them) and they sound very good.

Featured Merchants

Fluance

Klipsch RF-52 ~ $660

AVguide.com - Few affordable systems offer a more compelling blend of detail, finesse, and dynamic clout plus an almost magically vibrant quality that brings music and movies alive. Bravo, Klipsch.

AudioReview - 1 Reviews 5.00 of 5 - boorat writes - Amazing, crisp sound! Will wake the neighbors with no distortion. Crystal clear highs and smooth, tight punchy bass. I can hear every instrument on it’s own. My sound dream come true! Highly recommend these!! Not too big, not too small. My receiver is the DENON AVR 5700 (140 watts per channel).

Featured Merchants

	Get Free Shipping on orders $199 or more!	Crutchfield.com
		Acoustic Sound Design

Infinity Systems Primus P252 ~ $230

soundstageav.com - … was so blown away by the experience of listening to them that I felt almost compelled to purchase a pair. In these recessionary times, it’s good to know that an audiophile who doesn’t have much cash on hand can still upgrade his or her audio system without going bankrupt

Featured Merchants

	Get Free Shipping on orders $199 or more!	Crutchfield
		OneCall.com

More Floorstanding speakers on AudioREVIEW.

If you think we left a great sub $1000 speaker out, comment. Let us and others know why you think it should be included.

Used Gear Wednesday - Don’t Pass It Up!

adam — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:53 +0000

Did you know that audioREVIEW has a classifieds section? Well, we do.

Classifieds are located here: http://classifieds.audioreview.com/index.php

We wanted to let you all know about it and we want to highlight good deals and gear from it.

Every Wednesday we’ll select classifieds to highlight all over the site.

- audioREVIEW

NAD 218THX

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For Sale By	Views	Date Posted
kengulo	22	Mon October 19, 2009

Asking Price	Condition	Distance from you
$450.00	Great

Description:

Great condition, everything works and looks great. PayPal additional 3% fee charge. Shipping charge additional depending on location. NAD 116 PreAmp sold separately on another listing. Local pickup preferred.

Rabco ST-7 Turntable

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For Sale By	Views	Date Posted
miuliano	6	Mon October 26, 2009

Asking Price	Condition
$200.00	Great

Description:

Harman Kardon Rabco ST-7 Straight Line Tracking System Turntable in Excellent Condition. includes the owners manual. Cartridge is a Grado Signiture Series in good shape. Cosmetically the Turntable is excellent, Other than that it is very clean and is 100% operational. A very stable and excellent sounding Turntable!

Rare Phase Linear Andromeda Speakers

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For Sale By	Views	Date Posted
miuliano	36	Thu October 15, 2009

Asking Price	Condition
$650.00	Good

Description:

Rare Vintage Phase Linaer Andromeda Speakers.These are the flat pannel speakers designed by the ledgendary Bob Carver. With a list price of $1349 when introduced, it amazed listeners when played in Phase Linear dealer listening rooms.*The ability of this speaker system to duplicate the actual listening environment for virtually any type of music was an audio breakthrough.*Its reputation spread to Europe; there are numerous original owners who to this day will not part with it, and those who did sell theirs regret having done so.*The Andromeda and Phase III reputation endures decades later.The Pannels are made up of two large, 24inch x 63inch x 5inch; speaker panels,*The speaker panels each held two 8 inch midbass drivers, two 4inch midrange drivers four 2 inch cone tweeters and a 1inch soft dome tweeter.*frequency response was 24Hz to 20K Hz.*The woofers were refoamed about 2 yrs ago. The midrange drivers were just refoamed. All the grills are in excellent condition with no tears in the cloth, and the original Phase Linear emblems are all still on the grill cloths. extremely nice sounding speakers

Mark Levinson CD Transport No 36 and DAC No 37

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For Sale By	Views	Date Posted
ua100k	33	Wed October 7, 2009

Asking Price	Condition
$3,000.00	Excellent

Description:

Original Boxes, Manual and Free Madrigal Digital Cable MDC-1 XLR to XLR 1m. Mark Levinson No 37 CD Transport for sale to match this.Visa/Mastercard add 3%. The Levinson No. 36 D/A is a world class DAC. Used with a high quality transport, produces gorgeous, smooth, correct sound. With 6 inputs, including two balanced XLR, and dual outputs, including RCA and Balanced XLR, this device will surprise even the most critical audiophiles. Technical details available at the Mark Levinson website.This is the sweetest DAC I have had in my system. Smooth sounding almost tube like. It is as close to LP sound as I have found.

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Belkin SurgeMaster Surge Protectors Product Recall

newspress — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:12:46 +0000

Units Sold During 2003 to 2007 May Cause Shock Hazard

Belkin SurgeMaster Surge Protector
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

* Name of Product: SurgeMaster™ Surge Protectors
* Units: About 68,700
* Importer: Belkin International Inc., of Compton, Calif.
* Hazard: The molding of the plastic 360 degree rotating plug, which allows for easy cord movement, can crack or detach from the plug assembly, posing a shock hazard to consumers.
* Incidents/Injuries: Belkin has received seven consumer complaints about cracking of the plug molding. No injuries were reported.
* Description: This recall involves the SurgeMaster™ Surge Protector, models F9G930-10, F9G930v10, F9G930-10-W and F9G930-10-SN, all manufactured in 2003. The model number and date of manufacture are located on the underside of the unit. Grey models F9G930-10-GRY and F9G930fc10G-CL are not a part of this recall.
* Sold by: Independent distributors nationwide and the internet by belkin.com from September 2003 through December 2007 for about $50.
* Manufactured in: China
* Remedy: Consumers should stop using these power strips immediately and contact Belkin for a new replacement unit.
* Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Belkin toll-free at 800-952-1465 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.belkin.com/recall.

source: eCoustics.com

Monitor Audio ‘Innovation Timeline’ 6 country specific websites.

newspress — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:03:16 +0000

Monitor Audio, the UK owned and managed global specialist in hi-fi loudspeaker design & engineering has enhanced its web service with a host of new features and six territory specific websites. http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk

Feature highlights include a fascinating historical timeline which charts the growth of the company from launch in 1972 to the strong global brand that it is today. The timeline also shows the huge number of technical innovations originating from Monitor Audio over the last 37 years. It can be viewed here
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/biography/timeline

The timeline follows the release of the revolutionary MA3 speaker
in1974 which firmly established Monitor Audio’s audiophile credibility into the present day with the groundbreaking & critically acclaimed Airstream 10 DAB/internet radio.

Another new feature is designed to help customers visualise the range of award winning products before they buy. Customers can now view products with 360 degree rotational imagery. The Airstream
10 360 degree view can be seen here http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/products/airstream/airstream-10/360-view

Six country specific websites are now available for the USA http://www.monitoraudiousa.com Canada, http://www.monitoraudio.ca France, http://www.monitoraudio.fr Germany, http://www.monitoraudio.de Poland, http://www.monitoraudio.pl and the Netherlands, http://www.monitoraudio.nl
with more planned over the next six months. Each has been specifically designed to engage the local audience & feature the most relevant product ranges.

Michael Johnson, the Marketing Manager for Monitor Audio is clear about the need to
keep the company ahead of the field as the company widens their worldwide appeal.

“Effective communication is key, it’ll open any door to new opportunities and with our ever growing global presence, the websites are quite often the first port of call for would-be customers. It is our obligation to make our websites as accessible, interesting and informative as possible. I believe we deliver on this, and the results prove it”, he said.

About Monitor Audio
Monitor Audio is a wholly British owned designer and manufacturer of high quality and award winning range of loudspeakers.

Since 1972 Monitor Audio has been world’s leading exponent and innovator of metal driver technologies. It is world-renowned for exemplary performance, construction and finish.
Whatever your taste and budget, you’ll discover a Monitor Audio product that, with a combination of superior design and build, answers your desire for great sound. Since hi-fi was in its infancy, Monitor Audio has dedicated all their technical expertise, innovation and craftsmanship to the creation of world-class loudspeakers, which says everything about the brand and the people who own it.
For more information on the complete range of Monitor Audio loudspeakers,
contact Monitor Audio Ltd, 24 Brook Road, Rayleigh, Essex. SS6 7XL. Tel: +44 (0) 1268 740580, Fax: +44 (0) 1268 740589,

E-mail: info@monitoraudio.co.uk, www.monitoraudio.co.uk
For more press information, contact Mick Thorburn on 0034950 453340 or contact him by email mick@thorburnmedia.co.uk

source: pr-inside.com

Indepth User Review of the High End but Money Saving Ohm MicroWalsh Talls

userreview — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:17:46 +0000

MSRP: $ 1000.00
Description:

frequency response is 47-20,000 Hz +/- 3.5 dB for towers; 80-20,000 Hz +/- 3.5 dB for center

Recommended amplifier 20-150 watts per channel

Subwoofer recommended in home theater systems, optional in music only systems.

14 Reviews 0 Quick Ratings 4.93 of 5
Rate it! 1 - worst 2 3 4 5 - best

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Reviewed by:SoundBoiler (Audio Enthusiast)
Review Date October 22, 2009
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for More than 1 year

Nobody I know of who heard the original Ohm A speakers thirty five years ago ever forgets the experience.

They were tall, bulky and expensive. But when they were allowed to speak, they vanished—leaving behind a wide, deep sound field with an articulated and detailed midrange, highs without a hint of grit or sibilance, and lows with neither hollowness nor resonance at any level they were driven and in any octave anyone could hear.

And whether the music was played by a symphony orchestra, a jazz ensemble, or single human voice and whether you walked left or right or even through the middle of the pair of Ohms, the stereo image stayed solidly in place. It was as if in disappearing they took the room with them, leaving behind the concert hall or club or chamber that the music had been played in.

They sounded so well because of their remarkable down-firing single driver, invented by Lincoln Walsh and developed by Marty Gersten to produce the entire audible range seamlessly and without any crossover components. But the driver’s mass and orientation required both powerful magnetic assemblies and equally powerful amplifiers. Inevitably, the drivers had to fail.

I thought the company itself had failed; but when I learned that Ohm Acoustics had reinvented itself as an enterprise that dealt directly with consumers via the internet and after I read some very favorable reviews of the MicroWalshes, I talked with the Ohm folks and bought a pair of MicroWalsh Talls and their SB-5.2 subwoofer. That was six or seven years ago.

They arrived quickly and safely; but though they sounded good initially—smooth, clear, and spacious—they were a little thin. Maybe with good reason: because my listening room is large (24 by 24 feet), oddly shaped (5-foot knee walls supporting a gabled roof 15 feet high), and very live (the floors and ceiling of bare wood, the gable walls of bare plaster and glass with nary a rug or drape to cover them) because of my allergies,.
I called Ohm and talked with John Strohbeen, the engineer who heads the company. I asked whether I should consider trading up to a bigger model. John said wait a month or two for them to break in (the Ohms come with a 120-day money back guarantee).

He was right. Their range, clarity, and sound stage expanded significantly—much like the original Ohms I had heard decades ago, even though they and their subwoofer cost less than half that of the originals.

I drove them for years with an NAD 30-watt stereo receiver which played larger than its spec. Somewhere along the way I turned off the subwoofer. It just wasn’t needed for the music I liked—jazz ensembles and an occasional orchestral classic. The MicroWalshes have surprising bass extension all by themselves, essentially flat down to the 40-something Hertz range, when they are well broken in.

A month ago I replaced the NAD with a considerably more powerful and versatile pair of separates, a Sherwood Newcastle P-965 Preamp/Tuner and A-965 Amplifier—the latter capable of 200 watts per channel at 4 ohms with two channels driven; and then I fired up the Ohms with the Sherwoods set to a jazz channel on XM radio that happened to have a1950’s vintage Ella Fitzgerald number playing.

Before I replaced the NAD, I might have said that the MicroWalshes’ greatest virtue is that I never tired of them, as I had with a precession of good but conventional closed and vented box speakers. And I would have been wrong—because I was dazzled by what I heard.

The little Ohms had disappeared; and there was Ella in the room she sang from, solidly positioned in the center of the field no matter where I walked. There too was much of the wondrous Ohm A sound stage with just about the sort of the depth, clarity, and range I’d been impressed with decades before. I found myself being drawn into the cliché you hear from anyone who gets a good new audio component—the compulsion to play all one’s old favorites. Sure enough, I discovered not just nuances but whole new layers of musicality I had not heard before–like the three different halls and two different studio venues from a Willie Nelson CD that hadn’t shown them before.

The battle scene early in Master and Commander was a revelation. The thuds, thumps and horrific crack and crash of cannons coming from the Ohms shook my 24 by 24 foot plank floor so well that I had a hard time wiping the smile from my face.

And that was without the subwoofer. The Sherwoods’ power had given the MicroWalshes the “air” to drive my big, live room.

So I turned the volume up; and what happened is what’s supposed to happen when you have a good, tough set of speakers driven hard: the Ohms just got louder.

But I also met the dark side of the cliché: a good sound system inevitably reveals the deficiencies of the media you play. And some of my favorites—the voices of Tierney Sutton, Judy Wexler, and Norah Jones— consistently displayed a hollow, strident segment in the upper midrange that I had not heard much of before.
I remembered that John Atkinson (www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/687ohm/index.html) reviewed a pair of the larger Ohm Walsh 5’s some years ago and was puzzled by the same sort of coloration. He swept the Ohm tweeter range with a 1/3 octave band generator and found them essentially flat. Lacking the test instruments, I played a Blu-Ray setup disc that drives each speaker with a 20 to 20,000 Hertz sweep and heard no resonances in the upper register.Then I jacked a pair of decent headphones (Grado 125’s) into the front panel of the preamp and listened. I heard the identical coloration that I had from the speakers.

So I fed the Ohms a recording with neither electronic nor room acoustic enhancements, Madeleine Peyroux’s Half the Perfect World (Rounder 11661-3252-2). I heard no resonances, no hollowness, no coloration from the Ohms; but I did hear the trumpet breathe on the disc’s last track. I was satisfied that the Ohms weren’t adding coloration.

The opening of 2001, A Space Odyssey taxes the MicroWalshes’ bass range. But with the SB-5.2 sub turned on, the small Ohms played the 20 Hertz or so organ drone at high levels–as they did with other virtuoso organ pieces. In fact, the Ohms have such spaciousness and presence when driven by two-channel mix-down codecs like Dolby VS that I’m not sure I need to supplement them with a couple of extra pairs of channels for HD movie viewing.

Some reviewers of the MicroWalsh Talls recommend them only for rooms a good deal smaller than mine and with a lot more square feet of sound absorbent surfaces. I’m sure that’s good advice, but I found that the little Ohms absolutely glow in a big, live environment.

Verdict:

Impressively smooth, detailed, sound field with great width, depth, and stereo solidity. Surprising bass extension. A bargain entry to high end listening.

Minuses:

• You’re not going to find them at your local big-box store, or even your local high-end dealer.
• You’ll need the better part of a thousand dollars to try them out.
• If you really need the bottom of the lowest octave you’ll want to add a subwoofer.
• Your receiver or amp should be able to provide at least 30 clean watts at 4 ohms for modest-level listening; but 75 honest watts or so will let you hear much more of what the Ohms can say.

Pluses:

• They play what they are fed—no more, no less.
• Unlike the original Ohm A’s, they don’t break easily.
• They don’t mind big, live spaces to live in.
• They project a wide, deep sound field so stable that you can walk around or even between the speakers and the stereo effect stays put.
• Because they don’t sound like boxes, you probably won’t tire of them.
• They’re so small and nicely finished (especially in Rosewood) that they pass the “wife factor” test with flying colors.
• You might not need center or surround channels to enjoy movies.
• They’re made in the USA.
• You can talk to the president of the company, and he’ll give you good advice.

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Amazingly Good Looking 2.1 System from Waterfall

newspress — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Waterfall Audio launches SERIO compact glass 2.1 and 5.1 loudspeaker systems

Glass loudspeaker expert Waterfall Audio has launched a groundbreaking new hi-fi loudspeaker concept that’s set to offer the ultimate in discrete, compact audio. Called SERIO, the diminutive satellite speaker features Waterfall’s striking glass design expertise, whilst offering high-performance sound. SERIO has been carefully crafted for both hi-fi and AV applications and comes with three mounting options: on-wall, tabletop and stand-mount. It is also available in three body colours: black, white and silver with matching grilles;(orange and green ‘fashion’ grilles are also available.)

SERIO is not just about innovative aesthetics, however. Waterfall has incorporated its patented Heatstream technology into the design, which offers incredible levels of power handling from a compact speaker unit. By cleverly coupling the speaker’s voice coil to the unit’s aluminium body, the speaker’s Atohm drive unit can efficiently dissipate enough heat for the high-power demands of high-quality audio and intensive home cinema soundtracks. SERIO is, therefore, the ultimate discreet, high-quality satellite loudspeaker.

source: HiddenWires

image source: avforum

High-Resolution Reference Monitors Designed By Allen Sides

newspress — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:26 +0000

GC Pro, the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users, has announced the introduction of the new Ocean Way Impact Monitor System. Here’s what they have to say in their press release…

In some circles of the audiophile community, the words “professional monitor” have a somewhat negative connotation. The Ocean Way Impact Monitor System bridges the gap, as it’s designed as a high-definition reference point to sonically judge and decide intricate musical balances for final mixes without the loud and harsh characteristics and lack of depth of field found in most professional monitors.

more info on these crazy looking monitors at sonicstate.com….

The Ocean Way Impact Monitor System specifications:

Frequency response ±2dB, 36Hz to 18kHz
Symmetry between channels ± 0.5dB, 1k to 18kHz
Maximum SPL Over 110dB at 6 feet, 36Hz to 18kHz
Maximum Power Handling Capacity: High Frequency Driver Max 50 Watts continuous 650 Hz and up (Note: 1 Watt in at 1k measured at 3 feet produces 106 dB) Bass Woofer max 400 Watts continuous
High Frequency horn has a 400Hz cutoff with 120-degree by 40-degree dispersion
Bass horn has a 36Hz cutoff with a 120-degree by 40-degree dispersion
Crossover point 650Hz and 18dB per octave
Weight: 250lbs
Dimensions: 36″ wide x 27″ deep x 44″ high

source: Sonic State

LINN’s New Sneaky Music DS

newspress — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:39:57 +0000

LINN has created a slim new digital steaming music server that has an onboard pre-amp and 20W power amp. The player can support MP3, WAV, FLAC files up to 24-bit/192kHz.

User control via Linn GUI (Graphical User Interface) software compatible with PC and UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC).

more info on Linn’s site.

via: avreview.co.uk

NAD’s New T 175 AV Preamplifier Tuner Processor

newspress — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:42:55 +0000

Delivers New Modular Architecture, Audiophile-Quality and Sophisticated, Installer-Friendly Advantages

NAD Electronics, highly regarded as a manufacturer of high-performance audio components, introduces its powerful T 175 Preamp-Tuner-Processor, designed for demanding audiophiles. The T 175 is a high-end, highly refined audio/video control center comparable to components three times its price. Packed with new features and technologies, it fully leverages NAD’s three decades of experience, delivering a breathtakingly advanced component.

At the same time, the T 175 dramatically embodies NAD’s core values of simplicity, performance and value, while reinforcing its Music First design philosophy, which declares that state-of-the-art music recordings are the truest test of any playback system. The T 175 also boasts a more intuitive, less intimidating user interface than is typically seen today, reflecting NAD’s belief that many home-entertainment products have grown too complex and unwieldy.

$1,600 Aural Symphonics Chrono b2 balanced interconnects Reviewed

dagogo — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:44:11 +0000

LSA1 Statement Monitor User Review - Harsh Reality For Best Under $3000

userreview — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:02:33 +0000

MSRP: $ 2500.00

Description:

Finishes: Black Ash, Rosewood Veneer

Connectivity: Bi-wire recommended, jumpers provided

Tweeter: 1″ Silk Dome (Folded Ribbon in Statement)

Mid-bass: 6 1/4″ Treated Paper

Frequency Response: 42 - 20kHz (42 - 40KHz in Statement)

Crossover Point: 3KHz

Impedance: 6O

Efficiency: 88dB

Dimensions (Imperial): 13 1/2″ (H) x 14 1/2″ (D) x 8 3/4″ (W)

Dimensions (Metric) : 34.5 cm (H) x 37 (D) x 22 (W)

Weight: 24lb / 10.88KG

Warranty: 5 years

1 Reviews 0 Quick Ratings 2.00 of 5

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Reviewed by:

peristalsis (AudioPhile)
Review Date October 17, 2009
Overall Rating 2 of 5
Value Rating 1 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months

I had the chance to audition this monitor for over a month while house-sitting for a friend. I haven’t seen any online reviews for the monitor in its “Statement” version with ribbon tweeter, but there have been some blurbs about this version being one of the best two monitors under $3000 (along with the widely reviewed and highly regarded Usher Tiny Dancer). Given that, my expectations were high and so was my disappointment.

I was able to listen to a lot of familiar material over the time I was house-sitting, and on the plus side the monitors did produce very good imaging and reasonable soundstage depth. Any monitor in this price range should do that: it’s one of the primary advantages to getting a small monitor. With that said, they did not provide the sense of hall space that I have heard from other speakers in this price range. For instance, on the Cowboy Junkies album The Trinity Session (which was recorded in a church with a great sense of space) the LSA1 Statements brought the singer’s voice forward and the instruments were clear and detailed but the sense of venue didn’t come through. I’ve heard much better from other speakers (for example from the Taylo Reference Monitors or B+W 805 monitors).

They also provided good low-level detail, but again nothing that seemed to lift them above other monitors in this price range. On Paul Simon’s song “Slip Slidin’ Away” there are some backing vocals that tend to blend with his singing on poorer monitors. The LSA1 Statements did start to separate out those vocals, but it was not fully accomplished. Again, they are par for the course and not up to the standards of the best in the price range (and the over achieving Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1s do a better job at half the price).

So far, the LSA1 Statements were quite listenable, but not distinguishing themselves especially. Where my real disappointment started to kick in, however, was in listening to female vocals. I first noticed the problem listening to the classic duets of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. When Ella would come in on certain songs (such as “Can’t We Be Friends”) I would hear a veneer of distortion over vocals that I am accustomed to hearing as clean and pure (for recordings of that era). I replayed the track, and with my hand on the top of the speaker I could feel cabinet resonance getting particularly strong during her singing. The cabinets are reasonably solid, and the speakers are about 24 lbs. each, so this is not a general issue but particular to certain frequency ranges as far as I could tell. On other female vocal recordings I would periodically hear the same issue–a muddiness or discoloration that increased with the singer’s own volume (e.g. exactly what happens when cabinet resonance or bad crossover design is distorting at a certain frequency). This was repeatable and persistent. A speaker that pretends to be best in its price class (and that retails for $2500) cannot do this. It’s a fatal flaw, on top of the middle-of-the-pack performance in other regards.

Although my opinion of the LSA1 Statement was essentially cemented when I discovered its design flaw in reproducing female vocals, the issue of bass response is something that always comes up in discussions of small monitors. There are basically two approaches here: let the bass roll off as physics dictates (doing the best possible with drivers and porting to extend it as well as can be done) or add in a bass bump that gives the impression of more bass than is there. The LSA1 Statements seem to err on the side of the latter. They do an excellent job of bass reproduction, as many modern drivers and cabinet designs are able to achieve, but they also seem to give a bump to bass at certain frequencies to augment this fundamentally competitive performance. On this point, however, the observation has to be taken with a grain of salt. My friend usually does a careful job of placing his speakers in his listening room, but room interactions with bass are as much a part of the story as the speaker design itself.

The final observation that I had regarding a single aspect of the sound was that the ribbon tweeter can provide a clean and not harsh treble that is nevertheless very detailed and extended flat beyond the realm of human hearing. The LSA1 Statements have turned me on to modern ribbon tweeters, even if the implementation is critically flawed by the vocal distortions noted.

Regarding overall sound, there are two additional things that I look for in a top quality speaker: 1) are they fatiguing (a combination of subtle factors affects this) and 2) do they choke at high volume (e.g. playing a full orchestral piece without getting congested)? I found the LSA1 Statements to be more fatiguing than I would have expected. I think this has to do with their propensity to move things forward, more in-your-face, on recordings where this is not meant to be the case. I often got the impression that these speakers were pushing the music at me in a way that was jarring. I am used to highly detailed speakers that do not hide flaws or harshness in the original recording, but the LSA1 Statements go beyond “revealing.” I guess I would say that they are “aggressive” for lack of a better word. Regarding their ability to play at concert volumes, I found that they didn’t respond as well as other monitors I’ve heard in this regard. The Taylo Reference Monitors that I mentioned earlier (and that I owned for a good while) behaved like a top-notch monitor should: as the volume went up the soundstage expanded and opened but the sound did not become strained. The LSA1 Statements don’t have anything near the aplomb to stay coherent at higher volumes. Again, they don’t do badly but just average for a small, relatively pricey monitor. As the volume goes up, congestion creeps in and their artificially forward presentation makes you want to turn the volume down again. It was sad to me.

I found myself turning the volume down a lot when auditioning the LSA1 Statements, and this is usually a sign to me that a number of things are wrong.

The final observation that I would make is that in looking for information about these online I found the same speaker being offered under another branding label. The speakers are completely made in China, and it seems that the same speaker is sold under a couple of brand names. The LSA Group website claims that they modify the crossover and add lambs wool as a dampening material to make this a “statement” loudspeaker. I didn’t open my buddy’s speakers up to look for the Auricaps in the crossover circuit, but I did look into the rear port and it does seem that the stuffing is wool (or at least not the poly-fiber that I’m used to seeing). So, LSA may be tweaking the generic Chinese product, but the overall fit and finish definitely has the feel of something coming out of China rather than many other speakers in this price range that are made to a higher degree of polish.

In conclusion, given all of the deficiencies and no aspects of superiority above the best in this price range, I would strongly recommend against buying these and give them two stars for sound quality (again, in the very competitive market segment that they are in).

AudioREVIEW works best with your help. Write a review for others. It might be a highlight!

www.thelsagroup.com

Marantz MA-9S2 Reference Series Power Amplifiers Review

adam — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:44:51 +0000

It is the holiday season and I am going to give you a present. This is the culmination of a long and winding and interesting and frustrating and expensive journey from that first audio component to hearing one that had me saying, “That’s the one!” It is the story of developing specific ideas about good sound reproduction, validating or replacing those concepts, and finding that some of these tenets no longer applied. Some of these tenets include:

* Only low powered amplifiers, preferably single ended tube amplifiers, can sound really good.
* High powered amplifiers can reproduce the full dynamic range of music.
* Only tubes can produce the full harmonic envelope of acoustic music.
* High bias, Class A operation is necessary for solid-state amplifiers to sound good.
* Tube amplifiers are best at creating the illusion of a real acoustic sound stage.

Each of the above has been true at certain times in the past and with certain associated components and loudspeakers. We can generally agree that most early solid-state gear was not an advance in sound quality over the tube-based components that they attempted to replace. It was a case of “one step forward and two steps back”. We gained features and possibly reliability, but the trade-off was too great: those early transistor products often sounded like fingernails on a blackboard. Having mostly lived with tube amplifiers for about 20 years and, over the last year, performed a listening survey of some of the better solid-state amplifiers, I can state with some certainty that each technology has sonic advantages. The quest is, and has always been, to find the perfect marriage of the best sonic characteristics of the different technologies.

Tube sound is typically more dynamic – both large scale (macro) and small scale (micro). It is harmonically richer, revealing far more of the fine and delicate structure of every voice and sound, without any sense of grain or harshness. Solid-state sound is usually described as having deep and tight bass and extended high frequencies, with sound that is often marred by a somewhat flat soundstage and usually rendered painfully with grainy and harmonically thin higher frequencies. The better solid-state amplifiers have a wonderful sense of focus that renders an instrument in a very specific point in space and keeps that image intact. The better tube amplifiers have far superior harmonic development and warmth in the upper frequencies. Over the last few years, the better amplifiers of each technology have begun to sound more and more alike. My preference has been to have the much more satisfying realistic harmonic resolution of tubes and simply accept their maintenance costs and relative sonic deficiency in the bass, however small.

Marantz MA-9S2 Power AmplifierThe list above has one tenet that I continue to hold true: high powered amplifiers are necessary to reproduce the full dynamic range of music with most speakers. This became apparent when I changed from the 100 Watt per channel Bella Extreme 100 to the 250 Watt Manley Neo-Classic 250s. Both models are monophonic tube amps. While the “Bellas” are sonically excellent, early in the audition of the Manleys it was apparent that the latter’s extra power was indeed sonically significant. Most of my listening is in the 10-30 Watt range with speakers of average efficiency. When you realize that a 10 dB peak pushes that power requirement from 30 Watts to 300 Watts, the need for lots of amplifier headroom becomes obvious. My personal “must have” list for the perfect amplifier includes deep, powerful and high resolution bass, an enormous and accurate spatial environment, richly detailed midrange, and high frequencies that are smooth and absolutely grain-free while preserving the life-like micro detail of such instruments as cymbals, flutes and piccolos, bells, and soprano voices. Add in high power, low maintenance requirements and also, in these “green” times, low heat output. This is where the Marantz MA-9S2, a 300 watt monophonic golden beauty, weighing 82 pounds with a list price of $7499.99 each, entered the listening room and life of this writer.

Review continued on 10Audio.com

next….

# power output:

* 300 watts into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.01% THD
* 600 watts into 4 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.01% THD

# frequency response 3-150,000 Hz (-3dB)
# signal-to-noise ratio (IHF-A): 123dB
# front-panel level meter indicates output power
# preamp-level RCA and balanced 3-pin XLR inputs
# rear-panel attenuation dial (0, -3, -6, -9, -12, -∞ dB)
# full current feedback amplifier stage
# fully balanced amplifier design
# double-shielded, low-noise toroidal transformer
# all copper-plated chassis and double layered bottom plate
# WBT® speaker terminals
# 2 sets of speaker terminals for biwiring
# detachable AC power cord
# champagne finish
# weight: 82.4 lbs
# 18-1/16″W x 7-13/16″H x 18-11/16″D
# two MA-9S2 amplifiers are required for stereo operation

www.marantz.com

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10Audio content is shared with the consent of 10Audio. Don’t know about 10Audio? Check them out. Here is 10Audio’s hi-fi philosophy. “This site is by audiophiles for audiophiles. Our experience includes more than 30 years of audio sales, DIY, and consulting services. So if you are interested in another “qualified” opinion, please read on.You won’t find any advertising so impartiality is assured. Sometimes it takes a while to post a review. Thank you for your patience. This site is BS-free, which, as you know, is an entirely relative statement.” www.10Audio.com