chario loudspeakers

CHARIO IS ONE OF THE OLDEST ITALIAN SPEAKER MANUFACTURERS,
beginning operations in 1975. Both the quality and styling of
Chario loudspeakers has put the company among the top handful
of European speaker manufacturers.
Chario's reputation is built on two foundations: the highest
sound quality, resulting from superb acoustical engineering, plus
the stunning real wood finishes on all Chario loudspeakers.
Chario offers three loudspeaker ranges. The ACADEMY range is
one of the design achievements of the 1990s. It's four superb speaker models are sculpted from solid walnut. The attractively priced HIPER
Academy - the perfect match
range takes the know-how acquired
between technology and aesthetics from the Academy range, and places it
truly extraordinary loudspeakers
into decidedly original cabinets. It also
includes home theater models. 50 does the 5YNTAR range, which is
a perfect rationalisation of Chario know-how and designed for the
more budget conscious.
Chario loudspeakers are newly available in New Zealand, distributed by an established hi-fi importer with the back-up you
demand. Three ranges, 21 models attractively priced from $699 to
$19,000, all with real
wood finishes.
Listen to these Italian
Low price and exceLLent performance
characterise the Syntar range.
masterpieces today.
The Syntar 200T shown
chario
loudspeakers
The Hiper range includes both superb stereo speakers,
and carefully matched and styled home theatre speakers
PO Box 9174, ewmarker, Auckland
Phone 0-9-524 8032
Fax 0-9-524 8037
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Onkyo TX-DS838 advantages
• Non-negative feedback power
amplifier for the front channels with
dual inverted Darlington circuitry
• Tangible evidence of Onkyo's
commitment to bring you unmatched
home-theatre flexibility. Gold-plated
inputs, eight pre-out outputs, seven
pairs of heavy duty multi-way
speaker binding posts and three
digital inputs (AC-3 RF/optical/
coaxial) to bypass the receivers
analog-to-digital stage
• TX-DS838 on-screen displays define
simplicity. The three main displays
overlap so you don't get lost in a
labyrinth. The intuitive, selfexplanatory menu's lead you by the
hand to help you set up your
surround sound system.
• Unlike receivers that have 20-bit
devices labouring with
24-bit devices, the dual 24-bit
Motorola processors work
harmoniously together
Onkyo's TX-DS838 Integra would have to be one of the most
exciting Dolby Digital AC-3 products released this year.
Hot on the heels of Onkyo's TXD-S939 ("The King of
Hollywood"), this product will impress.
Its ease of use and stunning performance makes it a
must for the Dolby AC-3 connoisseur.
Built for performance, the TX-DS838 is guaranteed to
knock your socks off!
So for an unforgettable experience talk to your local
Onkyo dealer:
Whangarei Barrells 100% • Auckland Soundline • Auckland Mt Albert TV • Hamilton Lakeland
TV' Tauranga jim's Music Room' Gisborne Chris Fenn Hi-Fi' Napier The Hi-Fi Gallery'
Napier The Sony Centre' Wanganui DA Morrisons • Palmerston North Manawatu TV E.
Sound' Palmerston North Savells Sound Centre' Wellington Soundline • Blenheim Herkt
Retravision • Nelson Feedback Audio' Motueka Reliance Retravision • West Coast Ellery's
Home Appliance Centres' Christchurch Soundline • Ashburton Smith E. Church' Dunedin
Selectrix • Central Otago Andersons
Distributed in New Zealand by
Artistry in Sound
BE.W Loudspeakers (NZ) Ltd
PO Box 22-049, Christchurch
Ph 0-3-3655677. Fax 0-3-365 7219
ONKYO
NEWS
All the news...
EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF HI-FI
CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS
JBL'S STYLISH THEATRE CONCEPT
THREATEN HI-FI PRICES
Breaking the hi-fi mould, JBL have come up with a surprisingand stylish - theatre solution, designed as a complete system for
music, TV and movie sound.
The Simply Cinema ESC 550 comprises an electronics unit
called The Source that contains a CD player, tuner and Dolby Pro
LogIC processor (pictured below), five identical small (6 y," high)
speakers (pictured right) and a subwoofer, which also contains 250
watts of amplification for the system.
The Source, the neat control centre, can be mounted on a shelf
or wall mounted with an integrated wall bracket. A credit cardsized remote control completes the package.
Jands 0-9-366 7021
Changes in exchange rates
threaten today's low prices on
hi-fi components, AudioEnz has
been informed by industry
sources.
The lowering value of the
New Zealand dollar, particularly against the UK pound and US
dollar, mean that price increases on a wide range of hi-fi
equipment are imminent.
Questions posed to various
importers suggest that a few
items have already increased in
price, with many hi-fi ranges
likely to increase in price in the
near future. It has been suggested that price rises could be in
the order of ten to fifteen percent.
In recent months the New
Zealand dollar has depreciated
markedly against the UK
pound. Many of the hi-fi specialist components sold in New
Zealand originate in the UK.
The depreciation against the
US dollar has also been large,
falling from .68 to almost .60 in
a few months. Although the
quantities of US-sourced hi-fi
in New Zealand is relatively low,
much of the Japanese hi-fi
equipment imports are purchased in US dollars. The implication - prices for many
Japanese hi-fi components are
likely to rise as weB.
The advise from AudioEnz is
simple: if you were considering
purchasing hi-fi equipment in
the near future, then bring forward you purchases.
Hi-fi prices in New Zealand
have reached historical lows, as
duties have gradually been
removed and competition has
eaten away at margins. Quite
simply, there has never been a
cheaper time to buy quality hifi equipment than today.
4
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DENON'S MICRO COMES WITH JPW SPEAKERS
Denon's latest micro system is, unlike most other small systems,
made up of separate components. The D-M7 has an optional MiniDisc recorder, and comes complete with UK JPW 510 loudspeakers.
Avalon Audio 0-9-638 9000.
Kimber R.ero
Late for the parade but on time
for Summer '97 - Hero will be
Kimbeo top of the line Qopper
interconnect. Performance is close
--00 Silver Streak but doesn t exhibit
quite the high frequency freedom
associated with Silver Streak.
Imaging immunity to EMI and total
accuracy are simply spiffing. The
standard Hero is terminated with
the patented WBT-O 144 RCA
connector. Balanced version with
XLR connection is also available.
I
Kimbert-WBT
::~"""~~;:::::J
Subject to availability Kimber Kable
will soon be available with WBT- terminations. Nothing missing in
action.
WBT
Since August Denco charged err-with:
sole New Zealand distributorship for
WBT - the world's best and precise
cable termination.
Blacklliamond
Racing Pyramid
Cones
Field Marshall Charles !:fil.omson
(Charlie T) the highly respected
audio strategist (read reviewer)
whom has never been known to
wax lyrical over gimmicks, dubious
audio tweakings and black magic
brought our attention to these
·ssiles-.Overseas experience claims pyramid
cones will improve the performance
of any hardware by 50% or morel
We know that proper isolation
structures will give you the
ammunition to allow even modest
componentry to reach its fullest
performance.
AMC
collective brains out of the London
and L.A. trenches and design a
range of vacuum tube products that
rocket ahead of similar- priced
designs and even products costing
many times that of AMC.
-A BLAST
As the electronic giants march ahead
with products that are consigned to
the desert within a wink it is
refreshing to fmEl. a small enthusiastic
manufacturer with their sights on a
product range with a 25 year average
LIFE span. This unique range of
simple yet great sounding products
- that don t light up like an artillery
battle - are sincerely designed and
I
built for people who take their music
and m~vies seriously. AMC have
been audacious enough to poke their
QUARTER MASTERS
Soundline
Lakeland TV Be Stereo
Jim s Music Room
Hi Fi Gallery
Audio House
Soundline
Soundline
Totally Wired
I
Auckland
Hamilton
Tauranga
Napier
New Plymouth
Wellington
Christchurch
Dunedin
(09)
(07)
(07)
(06)
(06)
(04)
(03)
(03)
307
839
578
835
758
471
379
479
1236
5685
1636
2234
8544
0542
5695
0444
DencoAudio
'roll free 0508 800 555
Fax 03-36 6 2272-
The Canadian Paradigm speaker importer has
teamed up with PQ Imports to distribute the range in
ew Zealand. All enquirie to PQ Imports on 0800 334
434.
Mirage have added two new bi-polar active subwoofers to their already large subwoofer range. The
BP 100i incorporates two 6.5" driver with a 100 watt
amplifier, and is $1199. The BPSI50i has two 8" drivers
with a L50 watt amplifier. With its black high gloss finish, the 150i retails for around 1999. Sound Group
Holdings 0-9-415 6680.
Wadia have released a new CD transport. The Wadia
270 replaces the long-standing Wadia 4 transport. It can
produce a 24 bit signal, uses a modified Teac CMK 3.2
disc spinning ystem and a c10cklink master clock to
avoid jitter contamination. The 270 will be available
from December and is cheaper than the model it
replaces. PQ Imports 0800 334 434.
Also from Wadia are the "i" seriesof upgrades available to all Wadia owners, allowing older machines (up
to ten years old) to be upgraded to be competative with
modern units. PQ Imports 0800 334 434.
AudioEnz is pub-
lished by
AudioVideo
Publications
Limited,
PO Box 100-554,
North Shore
Mail Centre,
Auckland 10.
Ph 0-9-309 8709.
Fax 0-9-912 7766.
e-mail editor@
audvid.co.nz.
EPOS TURNS 30
ewest loudspeaker from the recently prolific Epos
stable is the ES30. A refinement of the earlier ES25, the
30 is a three-way, tloorstanding peaker. A new woofer,
midrange driver and crossover are the major changes
from the 25. The E 30 is expected to retail for $6750.
NA Distributors 0-4-385 8353.
6
hudiofnz
Editor is Mike
Jones
All contents are ©
copyright 1997 to
AudioVideo
Publications
Limited.
QED have released a new line of interconnect cables.
The Qnect 2 and Qnect 4 feature 99.999% oxygen-free
copper conductors, a double creen to en ure 100%
shield coverage and 24k gold-plated RCA plug. The
Qnect 2 uses a twisted balanced con truction, while the
Qnect 4 uses a twi ted quad-balanced con truction. The
cables start at 80 for the Qnect 2 and 160 for the
Qnect 4. PQ Import 0800334 434.
Also new from QED i the Qudo Silver speaker
cable, constructed from quad bunches of silver plated
oxygen-free copper, formed into a spiral lay. It is priced
from L2 per metre. PQ Import 0800334434.
Osborne speaker, and Australian brand, are now
available in ew Zealand. Three models are available:
the Epitome, the Eclipse and the Titan Floorstander. Lew
Wells 0-9-520 0257
Von Schweikert Research relea e their "Tower of
Power" subwoofer. This upright, slim subwoofer uses
two 10-inch drivers and a 400wpc amplifier for bass
response down to LOHz. Price is 2950. Frontline Audio
0-9-5204434
Theta Digital release the Jade D transport. It utilises a stable platter drive and a buffer for reclocked, jitterfree signal. $4200. Frontline Audio 0-9-520 4434.
Affordable high-end
(brought to you by Intardyn)
RCTEL
THX AC·3 system
RSP980 THX surround processor
RRP $1999
Provides all the performance and flexibility for
a high-performance home theatre system.
Dolby Pro-Logic augmented with THX lets you
hear the movie exactly the way the director
intended you to. High performance audio section for purest sound.
RB985 five-channel THX amplifier
RRP $1599
With five channels each delivering 100 watts,
the RB985 puts plenty of power into a highly
efficient and convenient package. THX
approved.
RDA980 Dolby AC-3 adaptor
RRP $1799
An outboard processor that can easily be connected to the RSP980 to decode Dolby Digital
soundtracks from laserdisc and DVD.
TDL
ELECTRO:,\)CS
TDL
RTL 2 Floor-Standing Speakers RRP $999
"... a very attractive and listenable speaker at a most
attractive price. It is well worth hearing if you are in the
market for a compact, top-notch speaker system that
won't bankrupt you or dominate your home decor"
Stereo Review
RTL 3 Floor-Standing SpeakersRRP $1499
''Their twin bass/mid range drive units and reflex transmission line design, capable of handling 120W, ensure that
bass is retrieved from 20,000 fathoms deep. And it's tight
and controlled. Regardless of how complex the music
becomes, the TDL's agility and fast response means they
What Hi-Fi
always keep abreast of event"
PRO·JECT
Pro-Ject 1.2 Turntable (includes Ortofon
OM10 cartridge)
RRP $499
"Able to suppress surface noise to almost inaudible levels ... will get you re-exploring your record collection, then
reward you by letting you hear plenty you never noticed
before"
What Hi-Fi
Pro-Ject 2 Turntable (includes Ortofon
OM10 cartridge)
RRP $699
"This deck's strongest point is its musical coherence and
the sense of sheer rightness about the sound" Hi-Fi World
Pro-Ject 6.1 Turntable (includes Pro-Ject
4 cartridge)
RRP $999
"... a sparkling performer, digging deep into a records
grooves and bringing out truckloads of detail" What Hi-Fi
Awards
FURTHER RESPONSE FROM
PROAC
ProAc's largest loudspeaker, the
Response Five, stands some 54 inches high in a tall slim cabinet. Each
cabinet houses four "state-of-theart" drive units: two seven-inch carbon fibre bass units, reflex loaded by
twin rear ports; a three inch
midrange soft dome and an entirely
new 'l.!" soft dome tweeter. PQ
Imports 0800 334 434.
CASTLE'S UP
THE SEVERN
Castle has
released the
Series 2 version
of the Severn
loudspeaker. A
larger volume
reflex speaker,
the Severn is an
elegant floorstanding model
with two of castle's own drive
units: a carbonfibre coned
IS0mm
mid/bass driver
and 25mm
polyamide
dome tweeter.
A&V Holdings
0-9-3584100
NTERNEW SPEAKERS FROM TDL
"Reflex transmission line" is how TDL describe the
RTL range, including the new RTL 3 (pictured above) at
$1499. A sensitive (90dB) speaker, the RTL3 is said to be
a perfect partner for a larger room.
Also available from TDL are the larger RTL4, featuring bigger bass drivers in a larger cabinet at $2299. For
home theatre use are the CCSB centre channel ($499)
and SBR subwoofer ($699). International Dynamics
0-9-3608203.
8
L\udiofnz
",.
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ProAc
'P~~
High end aUdiophile sound finds its
culmination in the art of the loudspeaker. And there is no range of loudspeakers
more worthy of the designation "high
end" than that of ProAc.
Long a favourite loudspeaker brand of
the best audio reviewers from the USA
and Europe, each new model conrinues the
longstanding tradition of winning more
glowing reviews and strong sales.
First inrroduced in 1979, the latest incarnations of the Tablette are
"worthy of high acclaim" says What
Hi-Fi? while Hi-Fi News said "their
music-making abilities are beyond
question".
ProAc's speakers range from
diminutive monitors to larger
floor standers. All
- - -..
feature exemplary
sound reproduction
and stunning cabinet
finishes.
distributed by
PQIMPoRTs
PO Box 607, Tokoroa
Phone 0800 33 Hi Fi
(0800 33 44 34)
Fax 07-886 6851
Email listen@xua.co.nz.
Web www.listening.co.nz
Trade and Dealer enquiries
welcome
HAMILTON STORE CHANGES
The Listening Post is taking over the Hamilton store
previously named Owen Miller Audio. Opening on
December 1, the store is located at 67 Victoria Street,
Hamilton. The manager is Romesh Anandaraja and the
phone and fax number is 0-7-839 0135
JPW'S NEW RANGE FOR THE
MILLENNIUM
JPW have released their first new
range for several years - the
Millennium range. Included in the
range is the three-way MLlOI0 (pictured) a large, floor-standing model
at $1799. The 910 ($1299) and 810
($999) are other floor-standing
models. There are also a number of
bookshelf models, including the ML
510 two-way model at $499. Avalon
Audio 0-9-638 9000
Acoustic Energy have relaunched the AEI00 as the
AE100i. The changes are primarily in the crossover, with
the gains said to be a greater transparency and smoother
integration. The price remains at $599. Big Ears Audio
0-9-3793801
REL's new subwoofer, the QI00E, is said to be the
first subwoofer with the ability to control the volume of
two inputs separately. One volume control can allow for
the best integration with your hi-fi, while the second
can maximise bass wallop on movie soundtracks. The
REL QI00E is $1799. Big Ears Audio 0-9-379 3801.
Pass Laboratories have released a number of new
products. A D/A convertor is 96kHz ready and comes
with a volume control to allow the direct driving of an
amplifier. Price is $7500. The Aleph P manual preamplifier has been revised with balanced inputs and outputs and is $4150. The Aleph 4 is a two gain stage, single ended 100watt pure class A power amplifier at $9000.
Frontline Audio 0-9-520 4434.
Many of Wireworld's cables have been upgraded to
Series III status. Most cables below the Equinox have
not changed to Series Ill, as the were already upgraded
last year. PQ Imports 0800 334 434.
Vandersteen's Model lC is a two-way floor-standing
speaker retailing for $1950. Wells Audio 0-9-520 0257.
JBL's ESC 200 is a complete 7-piece home theatre
solution. It combines six channels of amplification,
Dolby Pro-Logic and digital sound effects in one unit,
combined with five small speakers and a ubwoofer.
Jands 0-9-366 7021
Kelly Transducers is an old name in speakers, one
that is being reintroduced by Musical Fidelity. The first
model is the KT3, a very high sensitivity (95dB) loudspeaker. This means that they can be driven to loud levels with very little power, and should be quick in
response. The Kelly Transducer range is distributed in
New Zealand by A&V Holdings 0-9-358 4100
SUPER·DUPER FROM MUSICAL FIDELITY
The A1001 is a "super integrates amplifier" according to Musical
Fidelity. The 200 watt amplifier is biased heavily into cIass-A and is
structured inside as completely separate preamp and dual mono power
amps. The A1001 is retail for $6495. A&V Holdings 0-9-358 4100.
Also new from Musical Fidelity is the latest in their line of "X components. The X-A50 mono power amps are built in a longer version of
the X-series "can", output 50 watts class-A and retail for $1995 a pair.
A&V Holdings 0-9-358 4100.
10
~udiotnz
The Faraday ring may look insignificant. But it's this tiny component that gives the A Series its huge dynamic range.
By counteracting rising impedance in the voice coil, it allows more power into the tweeter. And with more
power going in, you get more power out.
Even the highest frequencies sing out loud and clear, making the A Series the ideal speakers for the faithful
reproduction of today's music and film recordings.
The Faraday ring is just one of many small, but vitally important components that make the new
A Series so special. And there's only one place good enough for it. The beautiful box we put it in.
For more information and details of your nearest dealer, contact
Hi-Fi Marketing Limited. PO Box 302-106, NHPC,Albany. Ph 0-9-415 9099. Fax 0-9-415 6683
C~ELESTIDn
SYSTEMS
by Mike Jones
The Arcam approach
7-UP FROM A PERINEAL UK FAVOURITE
P
HONE CALLS - BOY, DO I GET PHONE
calls (the hi-fi industry is a very talkative one). And of all these phone
calls, many are from AudioEnz readers
wanting advice on buying hi-fi.
I'm always happy to help readers think
through their hi-fi purchases. It's very rare
that I tell someone exactly what to buy life just isn't that simple. Instead I'm try to
ask intelligent (hopefully!) questions
about what the caller is trying to achieve,
based on their listening habits, room size
and layout, musical tastes and budget.
From the questions I ask and the answers
given, most callers are left with a better
idea of what to looks for and a few potential items to listen to.
In talking with these callers the name
Arcam kept cropping up - either from
myself or the caller. So I decided that it was
time I reacquainted myself with what has
long been one of my favourite hi-fi brands.
Around a year ago Arcam released an
all-new Alpha range of electronics. Three
CD players (one - the Alpha 9 - still to be
released), three integrated amplifiers, two
tuners and two power amps, all in Arcam's
new curvaceous style.
For this system column I decided to
look at the bottom of the range: the Alpha
7 CD player, tuner and amplifier.
pIe of extras. A set of preamp-out sockets
Arcam include two ways of enabling
allow for upgrading via biamping your
the Alpha 7 to be upgraded. The first is a
coaxial digital output on the rear panel,
speakers with the addition of an Arcam
allowing an external digital-to-analog
power amplifier.
The
speaker
convertor (DAC) to
connections are a
be added. The secIn talking with these
little different as
ond is by an interwell. The powersnal board swap,
callers the name Arcam
that-be
at
the
converting
the
European Union
Alpha 7 into an
kept cropping up
have decreed that
Alpha 8 or 9 (when
banana plugs (stanthe Alpha 9 is evendard on most UK amplifiers and speakers)
tually released). The cost for the upgrades
are dangerous, as the plugs could be
is the same as the retail price between the
inserted into European power sockets.
players.
Arcam have come up with an alternative
socket, which are included on the Alpha 7
AMPLIFIER
amp.
The front panel of the Alpha 7 amplifier ($1099) is dominated by a large rotary
TUNER
volume control at the centre left. Also on
Arcam produce two tuners which are
the front panel are bass and treble tone
exactly the same - except for remote concontrols (along with a "defeat" switch to
CD PLAYER
The Alpha 7 CD player ($1399) comes
with all of the normal features that would
be expected at this price. The front panel
strikes a nice balance between the minimalist "fewer buttons are better" school of
thought and the "all singing and dancing"
overkill that still infects some CD players.
This means that you can easily drive the
CD player if you choose to live without the
remote control (or if you've lost it!)
The remote control adds in a numeric
keypad for track selection, plus a volume
control. This volume control doesn't work
the output of the CD player (placing a volume pot in this position can adversely
affect the sound quality). Instead, it drives
the volume control on remote-controlled
Arcam amplifiers, such as the Alpha 8 and
Alpha 9 integrated amps. Sadly, the Alpha
7 amp (the one I had in this system) cannot be remote controlled.
12
Audiofnz
From top to bottom: the Alpha 7 amplifier, tuner and CD player
remove the tone controls from the audio
circuit); a switch for powering a second set
of speakers; and a head phone socket.
The rear panel includes all the normal
inputs and outputs expected, plus a cou-
trol. The Alpha 8 adds remote operation,
plus a remote control which also works
most Arcam CD players and remote controllable amplifiers. But as part of this system I have the Alpha 7 ($999).
FUTUREPROOF
YOURSELF
TODAY
DDI DOLBY r
DIGITAL
Why look at buying an "AC-3" ready home theatre receiver when, for a
similar price, the Pioneer VSX-D606S comes complete with Dolby Digital
AC-3 built-in! Sound is all digital and discrete, channel by channel, to give
you the most realistic and dynamic home theatre possible. Pioneer's
Accurate Imaging System of five x 100 watts high power output is
absolutely necessary with Dolby Digital, as Dolby Digital features five
discrete full-range channels for the most effective surround sound.
Available at your Pioneer dealer for less than $2000.
{V} PIONEER®
The Art of Entertainment
Monaco Corporation. PO Box 4399 Auckland. Telephone 0-9-415 7444. Fax 0-9-415 7400
The Alpha 7 tuner can store up to16
FM preset stations and 8 AM presets - useful for station hoppers in today's radio
scene. The tuning itself is accomplished by
up and down tuning buttons, with a green
light showing on the Alpha's display to
indicate the correct tuning.
Unlike some modern tuners, the Alpha
7 includes both FM and AM (it also
includes long wave - useful in Europe but
useless here in New Zild.)
On the rear of the tuner are the standard FM and AM aerial connectors. Also
on the back are two audio outputs. Arcam
include a second set for use in multi-room
systems.
The manual for the Alpha 7 tuner is
particularly good, with plenty of excellent
advice on both FM and AM aerials.
SOUND
I had the Arcam Alpha 7 system at
home for a few weeks, enabling a good
examination of the products and sound by
myself and various visitors.
Listening to the Alpha 7 system was
undertaken primarily with the Epos ES14
loudspeakers. I did try the Alpha system
with a pair of Thiel 1.5's that were inhouse, but that was an unsuccessful experiment (the Thiels like a rather more substantial amplifier than the Alpha 7).
The Alpha 7 CD player presents a big,
bold and lively sound - this is no shrinking violet of a CD player!
This CD player shows its strengths in
musical communication - portraying the
bounce, rhythm and drive of the music.
You'll find that there are players in a similar price range that can sound a little
smoother and refined, but without the life
of the Alpha 7 CD player.
Probably the pick of the three components is the Alpha 7 integrated amplifier.
This is a wonderful amplifier - far better
than its price would suggest.
As an example, one day I plugged my
Meridian 508 CD player into the Alpha 7
(that's a $5000 CD player going into a
$1099 amplifier). The improvement in the
sound of the system was startling - showing that the Alpha 7 amplifier can easily
portray quality sources without the compromise you'd expect at this price level.
Drawbacks? Only that it clips easily
when driven hard, so pair it with an efficient pair of speakers.
Many people overlook tuners, which is
a pity as they can be a great source of
music and information. And at its $999
14
Audiofnz
NO MORE DEAD END STREET
.
What can you do with a piece of old hi-fi besides trying to get a pittance for it second hand? Given the very public upgradability of computers (I'm contemplating a
new processor card for my Macintosh 7500 - the very machine on which this magazine is produced), it was inevitable that someone would produce upgradable hi-fi.
And they did: Micromega introduced the concept of upgrading CD players by swapping the internals a couple of years back.
Now Arcam have gone one better. With the current Alpha CD players, you can
upgrade from the Alpha 7 to the Alpha 8 to the Alpha 9 (assuming that this longannounced CD player ever appears!) Your hi-fi dealer can do the board swap instore, or have it sent back to the distributor to be done. Currently the cost of going
from one CD player to another is the difference in their retail prices.
Arcam have offered CD upgrades in the past, but this time everything works out
nicely. Now Arcam include the badge for the new player in the upgrade box, so your
CD player truly looks like the next model up.
Arcam have also introduced the concept of upgradability in their Alpha amplifiers. Upgrading an amplifier can be more difficult than with a CD player. Often a
major difference between the various amplifiers in a range is the size of the power
supply - transformer and smoothing capacitors. In theory, these could be changed
along with a board swap, but in practice it's normally not financially viable.
Instead Arcam offer an upgrade through bi-amping. For the past several years,
most speakers aimed at the hi-fi market have included a split crossover, which can
be used for bi-wiring (running two sets of speaker cables from the amplifier to both
the bass and treble sections of the speaker crossover). With many hi-fi systems, biwiring can improve the sound quality.
Bi-amping (or more correctly, passive bi-amping) takes bi-wiring to the next
stage. Instead of just running separate cables to each section of the crossover, why
not used separate amplifiers to power each section. Each of the Arcam integrated
amplifiers has "pre-out" sockets to achieve just this.
With the Alpha 7 amplifier, you can buy an Alpha 8 power amplifier (plus a cable)
and hook the 8 up to the pre-out sockets on the back of the Alpha 7 amp. run one
set of speaker cables from the Alpha 8 power amp to the woofer terminals, another
from the Alpha 7 to the tweeter terminals, and there you have it - a passively biamped hi-fi system.
I've never tried passive bi-amping, but Arcam have been pushing the concept
among the UK hi-fi press over the past year. I've read a fair bit of copy on bi-amping using Arcam amplifiers in the UK press, all of it positive.
And in case you were wondering, active bi-amping requires the use of an external
crossover - a line level device that splits the music signal between the woof and the
tweet before sending the split signal along to the required power amps. But that's
whole new story.-Mike lones
price, I suspect that many people will overlook the Alpha 7 tuner for som~thing
cheaper - and much worse.
My in-home radio listening is mainly
to the Concert Programme (FM) and
National Radio (AM). So I demand that a
tuner not only sound good on FM, but
also have an excellent sounding AM stage.
The latter is hard to find. Almost all
modern day tuners have a cheap and nasty
AM stage, which can simply be unpleasant
to listen to. No wonder AM has got a reputation of sounding awful!
The Alpha 7 tuner's AM stage is more
than listenable. It is articulate and free of
the "nasties" that plague the "cheap'n'nasty" tuners. Voices on National Radio
display the inflexions that real voices have
- and many cheap tuners bulldoze away.
(Don't laugh at this emphasis on AM more than a quarter of a million people
listen to Brian Edwards' National Radio
show on Saturday mornings.
The FM stage was also good. I found I
could listen to the Concert Programme
with great delight.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
After living with the Arcam 7 system for
a few weeks, it's easy to see and hear why
Arcam is so popular with hi-fi purchasers
and hi-fi dealers.
And I see that I'll still be talking Arcam
to many callers in the future.
WE HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE OF HI-FI
Dynaco's new CDY-2's lavish use of custom-made polypropylene signal
capacitors and close tolerance resistors suggest extraordinary parrs quality,
while a rear panel switch enables the user to bypass the laboratory-grade
ALPS volume control, assuring maximum sonic purity with a wider variety
of audio systems. Of course, we've retained those features which made the
COY-I a perennial best-se.ller. A pair of American-made, industrial quality
tubes deliver sweet-yet-detailed treble response, tight, powerful bass and
midrange performance th.at approaches perfection. The CDY-2 will convey
your favourite music with a sound so palpable, so three-dimensional, you'll
actually believe you can reach out and touch the artists! - all for only $1495.
The Dynaco COY Pro adds HDCD processing and is only $1995.
Reviews of these are other Dynaco hi-fi components are available by
request. And hire purchase of Dynaco hi-fi is available.
If music is an important part of your life, you owe yourself a CD player
this good.
AND IT'S LOOKING RATHER GOOD
Distributed and serviced by Feedback Enterprises Ltd
Ph/Fax 0-3-548 4068 or Ph/Fax 0-3-547 6012.
web: www.audiobroker.net
Auckland Charisma Audio Ph 0-9-478 6448 ~llington 0-4-388 2347
Nelson Feedback Audio Ph 0-3-548 4068
You've thought long and hard about choosing the right
sound system. You think you've found what you're
looking for. It looks great. It sounds even bener. And it's
within your budget. So how come you still have that
niggling doubt in the back of your mind?
Simple. Before you make your final decision, you
want
going
to
to
be sure that a few years down the line, you're not
regret it.
Unlike most hi-fi manufacturers, we understand
completely. We've already set the standard by offering
legendary sound quality in every price category.
Now we've completely rewrinen the rules. Because
practically every piece of Arcam equipment comes with
something that will radically change the way you buy
hi-fi. A set of pre-defined upgrade paths that allow you
to
upgrade your sound system just as soon as technology
(or your wallet) allows.
Pictured: Arcam's Alpha 7 system, comprISIng the Alpha 7
amplifier, Alpha 7 tuner and Alpha 7 compact disc player. Both
the amplifier and CD player have upgrade options.
ARCAM
Proudly distributed by Avalon Audio, 634 Mt Eden Road, Auckland.
Ph 0-9-638 9000. Fax 0-9-638 8888
Audiofnz
15
EUPHONIC EUPHORIA
by John Paul
The Celestion A3
AU NATUREL ACCURACY WITH AUTHORITY
~
INTERESTING
THING
ABOUT
experienced speaker outfits with
Irm roots in the PA sector is that
they can all make respectable home hi-fi
speakers if they decide to.
To my thinking, that immediate first
hand experience with the live music makers separates the men from the boys in the
world of speaker design and manufacturing. In situ reality, not a sterile development lab where every little note and fart
on a tired "reference" disc/tape has been
heard a thousand times before.
The concert PA and recording studio is
the real world where judgemental musicians, engineers, and producers are all quite
attuned to what the speaker system mayor
may not be doing to the very present and
real original sound. It's a demanding environment for loudspeaker designs which
can bring the music home for us.
On the Yank side there's JBL and the
Electro-Voice affiliates including Altec and
University Sound who have demonstrated
in many variations, that when they feel like
it, and are not too worried about costs,
they can provide seriously fine studio and
domestic systems.
On the "home" side of the globe there's
good old Tannoy with a very solid PA and
studio heritage. You must salute them for
their fame from scripts in many old Bgrade British naval war movies. Who can
forget worried Captain Sternjaw commanding the sonar operator to "Put it on
the Tannoy".
Wharfedale for decades supplied high
quality speech and music re-inforcement
for auditoriums throughout the UK.
Long time speaker maker (established
1926) Celestion is probably more world
famous for supplying very high power drivers to king of the rock guitar amp makers
Marshall than their breakthrough domestic metal domed tweeter SL-6 and its later
derivatives.
Must be nice to be the maker of anything that musicians and concert fans
"absolutely" demand such as "Marshalls
full width across backstage and stacked up
full to the ceiling".
ENGINEERING A LEVELS
Daydreaming about a BIG sound, how
about a comparably powerful hi-fi set-up
via a huge wall of SL-6's? Or how about a
realistic speaker as good and refined as an
SL-6 with real bass that can cleanly reach
near rock band levels? Yes, that can, and
has been done by Celestion with their new
A3 model. Though it doesn't take up very
much stage space with its tall trim 113 x
28 x 40 cm (hwd) inert cabinet.
What designer Bob Smith of SL-6 fame
has engineered for very reasonable money
is simply amazing. His team has assembled
English small refined "mini-monitor"
detail and accuracy qualities with serious
power handling and prodigious bass belting abilities.
Most importantly to me is the
midrange - the polypropylene doped with
flaked mica mid-range cone has been cleverly developed to offer optimum stiffness
to break-up. It also behaves more as a pis-
ton of varying diameter in response to sig-
nal frequency. Laser interferometry vibrational analysis treatment for all drivers and
the dense, rigid cabinet has everything
tightly controlled to perfectly serve only
the music au nature/.
LISTENING IN
They haven't forgotten dynamics either.
I quickly found this out about three minutes after hooking them up and forming
my initial impressions. Smooth, very clean
and easy sounding, kind of like my lovely
old Spendor SP-1 's. Then something on
the Concert Programme walloped into a
nice loud fortisimo section and the speakers perfectly popped this through giving
me an unexpected shock with a rambunctious delivery of some solid dynamic
splashes in what I think was a
Rachmaninoff piece. I chuckled as I quickly turned down a bit and re-considered my
first impression as "maybe not quite like
the polite Spendors".
A lively 92dB per watt sensitivity obviously helped that introductory "Rach-on"
treat for me. This efficiency also means a
huge amp is not required unless you're
pursuing extreme dynamic clarity.
I love acoustic instruments reproduced
at realistic volume. A classic jazz quintet
happily "playing right here" in my lounge
is basically my idealised notion of "good
hi-fi". That's why I like myoid Tannoy
Golds, because they can reasonably get
some air moving, and not seem like they're
that loud till you try to talk over them. Eh?
What's that? I said the Celestions A3's easily get the realistic volume aspect correct
for un-amplified instruments!
For my money, the best part of this system is the mid-range which is very electrostatic like in it's clarity, detail and definition. And as mentioned it goes loud, but
never gets muddled. Matter of fact it's so
good it's probably the main reason that I
predict this speaker will eventually become
a true hi-fi classic. No dome hardness, no
rubbery richness, no plastic "quack", and
only a very, very slight hint of 'dryness' on
rare segments.
Unlike most horns and mid-domes, the
Celestion 7" mid-cone works lower to
about 350 Hz in the A3. Whatever reason,
introducing
HT1.......
If you still think there are movies you simply
have to see in a theatre - and you'd still travel
miles to see those movies in a THX-equipped
theatre - then we don't have to convince you
of the effect of that awesome sound adds to
the movie-going experience. This makes you a
perfect candidate for JBL's newest homecinema speaker system.
Drawing on the innovative technology of
JBL's universally acclaimed Synthesis home
media systems, the new HTlMKII THX-certified
speaker system combines three HT1F front
speakers with two HTl D dipole surrounds and
the powerful new HT PS300 subwoofer. It's the
home equivalent of experiencing a film at the
Ziegfield in New York or Mann's Chinese in Los
Angeles.
With two 5-inch midrange transducers and
a pair of jBL's famous 1-inch pure titaniumdome tweeters per speaker, the three videoshielded front speakers are optimised for
unsurpassing imaging - as well as for distinct
center-channel dialogue. The dipole sur-
sound. Add to this the new jBL dual 12", 200-Watt powered subwoofer, and you get the
rounds feature dual midranges and tweeters,
serious bass that today's most exciting movies require.
and are matched acoustically to the front
speakers for cinema like, enveloping surround
With jBL's HTlMKII THX-certified system, you may never leave home for a movie again.
The question is: Will you have to start charging your friends admission?
THX®-certified, Dolby DigitarM-ready home cinema speaker from the
company that invented cinema sound
---------------------------------------------------------------~~iC]
L..!! ••
••
SEND me more information on JBL Speakers
NAME:
.
ADDRESS:
.
Have you heard of jBL before?
(Y)
If (Y) where:
)AN DS Electronics PO Box 8799 Symonds St, Auckland. Ph (09) 366 7021 or Fax (09) 366 7023
(N)
LUCASFILM
voices or instruments in baritone, tenor,
and alto regions, no matter how complex
or layered, just simply float out of this driver and confidently waltz into your aural
consciousness. I mentioned I liked the ASeries when I heard them at Hi-Fi '97 in
San Francisco last May. And it's probably
this mid band natural quality that captured my fancy there in spite of some very
flash (and mega-buck) good sounds in
many other rooms. There is some audio
magic happening here. I know after a few
hours with some very familiar material
through the A3's I just couldn't stop thinking that I just may have to retire my homely Tannoy Golds. Damn!
SOME NATURAL MUSIC
A nice demonstration piece for some of
this mid band glory is Nicolai
Miaskovsky's Cello Concerto (DG 449-8212, which also includes Prokofiev's Sinfonia
Concertante for Cello) played by Mischa
Maisky. Reportedly a neglected masterpiece, it is a beautiful melancholy, rich and
stirring work. The sombre long melody
lines soar around those white winter string
moods, and you can just taste the longing
for a better life, or at least a full stomach,
in emotional musical scenes. The cello
coming through the A3's just naturally
seems to have tonnes of subtle tonal textures. And significantly the A3's correctly
present what individual instrumental
body and scale is all about. Sometimes little and tender and sweet, then big, bold
and powerful.
Piano from an old Keith Jarrett vinyl
(My Song, ECM 1115) came through the
A3's with fine weight and dynamics. Their
splendid mid-range definition also let
Jarrett's annoying high pitch halfsinging/grunting over himself become
more easily naturally separated from his
playing. His piano notes were clearly
always present no matter what weird
sinus/gutturals were coming out of him.
This "European quartet" LP on my Oracle
Alexandria IIIAudio Technica OC-9 was
much more enjoyable now than a zillion
times before.
Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter hit all
the right notes in their '66 recording ESP
(Columbia CS9150 (black) or 467899 2
(silver)) which certainly defines the mental magic within their creative sphere happening then. On either the vinyl or CD the
unison playing of trumpet and tenor on
Ron Carter's Eighty-One through the A3's
offered some new embouchre textures that
18
audiofnz
the creators subtly made while playing on
the same notes through the lead line.
Beyond Koolness Man!
conducting
the
Simon
Rattle
Glyndebourne chorus with the London
Philharmonic
complete
show
of
Gershwin's Porgy & Bess (EMI 7 49568 2)
over the A3's was bullet straight transportation to Catfish Row. The thing I most
noticed and appreciated was how easy it
was to understand and follow individual
voices within the chorus. The superb
orchestrations and libretto of the Brothers
G were presented with scale and depth that
was breathtaking, and the storm section
was honestly discomforting. I had to crack
another bottle of wine "to just steady me
nerves" through all that frenzied sonic turbulence! Can't say much about the "proper" Gullah accents from the principles. But
who cares? They were singing their asses
off, and I joined right in there with them!
''I'm on my way, to da promised land!"
CONSIDERATIONS
This speaker makes lots of tight, tuneful controlled bass deep down into the 30
Hz region (36Hz to 20kHz ± 2dB). It takes
very careful placement away from the walls
to stay quick, clean and lean. I don't think
small rooms would easily cope with this
system, even though it really doesn't take
much more floor space than a stand with
little box set-up.
Actually you could probably disconnect
one or two woofs in each one if you got
stuck in a less than say 3x4m room. But
don't say I suggested it 'cause if you get
caught, it's warranty tampering and they'll
tie you up for 10 years and play 24 hour,
105 dB Achey-Breaky Billy-Ray Sinus (sic).
Speaking of excrement, the A3 comes
packed in a box that's just that. It's short
on foam and protection for something
that's 46kg of really beautifully finished
wood and terrific drivers. Then again the
carton is the importer's and the local
shop's worry. Until you shift.
The lovely tweeter is higher than normal so orchestral and band perspectives
are rarely as if you are up in the balcony.
At least the highs don't get soaked up in
the sofa or arm chairs. I actually like the
music coming from a higher up perspective. It's the way you hear it live from a
near stage seat. And if other people are
there you hear it primarily off the ceiling
anyway, so it's a slight ear altitude compensation that's probably better once
accustomed to it. The tweeter's also got
The inside view of the Celestion A3
excellent horizontal and decent vertical
dispersion so Home Theatre can be
enjoyed all around the room.
It's very revealing of everything
upstream. I really went around the twist
trying out different cables. Bi-wiring is
highly recommeded, and I could write
three pages more about whether
AudioQuest Clear, Nairn Speaker Wire,
Kimber 8TC, or JP's Special 0- Twist does
the trick. For the time being, for my tastes,
Naim is best on top, while JP's Special (4x
AQ F-18) best delivers the woof current
from my dear Plinius SA-50.
Overall, they sound as good or better
than much of the really flash US10k plus
systems I've recently heard. 0 speaker at
any price is perfect, but I reckon these are
honestly a steal at 5500. My wife even
think's they're beautiful! I love 'em. What
else can I say?
Open another Bordeaux and let's
boogie to au naturel music!
As with the other best things in life, there is no
skimping with the Denon D-M7.
The CD player is a 3-disc auto changer,
producing a beautifully smooth, distortion-free
sound.
The high powered receiver includes an FM/AM
tuner and produces a high quality sound that rivals
even high-end amplifiers.
The horizontal-loading cassette deck includes
Dolby S, C and HX-Pro for quiet, well balanced
recordings.
Plus an optional Mini-Disc recorder is available,
for high quality digital recording.
One o~ the be&t
thing& in li~e i&
le&& than $2000
A 40 metre yacht in the harbour. Two Ferraris in the garage - in case you feel like driving
the blue one today. A Rolex - just so your good watch won't get damaged while you're
fishing. The best things in life can cost a great deal.
But not the Denon D-M7 Super Micro Component System. Unlike most micro-systems
the Denon D-M7 offers a big, true-to-Iife sound. Unlike most micro-systems, the Denon
D-M7 comprises true separate hi-fi components for superior sound quality. And unlike the
yacht, the Ferrari and the Rolex, the Denon D-M7 is less than $2000.
Just how good is the Denon D-M7 Micro Component System? It was recently named
"Best Buy" in Minis and Micros by a What Hi-Fi?England's most influential hi-fi magazine.
And they come complete with a pair of top English
loudspeakers - the JPW Millennium ML5IO, recently
awarded 5 stars by What Hi-Fi? and a "best buy" award
from Hi-Fi Choice.
So keep the Ferrari, and gain similar performance
from your hi-fi system.
And hey, at this price you can even buy a second
Denon D-M7 for the yacht.
Proudly imported by Avalon AudiO Corporation, 587 Mt Eden Road, Auckland. Ph 0-9-638 9000. Fax 0-9-638 8888
TOT HEM A X
by Max Christoffersen
Some like it hot
DVD BEFORE THE LAUNCH
As with the LaserDisc format that preceded DVD, enthusiasts have to make up
their own mind about which TV format to
choose - American/Japanese based NTSC
or PAL (UK, Australia, NZ).
It's a choice that is being made on the
availability of DVD discs and the likelihood of the technically superior PAL format to offer the same wide range of software as NTSC and at the same time of
release.
Local enthusiasts who have decided to
make the move to DVD are landing
machines for around the $1000-$1200NZ
mark. DVD discs are arriving in NZ for
around $50. People importing DVD
machines risk both compatibility problems with 110 volt players and local 220v
power supplies.
OME THINGS JUST CAN'T WAIT. AND
S
when it comes to waiting for the
hottest home video format to hit
New Zealand, some home theatre buffs
won't take a back seat.
For those in the know, DVD (Digital
Versatile Disc) is the most important
development in home audio since the CD.
It's not overstating the case to say that
DVD may do for home video what CD did
for audio.
DVD
boasts improved sound,
improved picture and special playback features that aren't available on any other
video playback format.
Picture quality is superior even to
LaserDisc, and the convenience of having
a complete film with Dolby Digital soundtrack in a CD sized format speaks for itself.
The development of a truly digital audio
and video format means DVD is the revolution home theatre buffs have been waiting for.
Did I say waiting?
Forget it.
The anticipation of waiting for DVD to
officially arrive in New Zealand is too
much for some keen enthusiasts.
As with LaserDisc, many fans have
opted to import their own players and
hardware from the US. The word from
some Auckland based enthusiasts is that
DVD is gaining a small but dedicated following. They may not be a large enough
group to threaten the local video industry,
but they are informed and dedicated
enthusiasts who want the best from home
audio and video, now.
Most DVD fans are using imported US
NTSC players from Toshiba, Sony and
Pioneer. Some have already upgraded
from first generation DVD players to second generation units, while others are
slowly building extensive libraries of DVD
film titles imported from American-based
mail order companies.
DVD ON SHOW
While the rest of us are still waiting for
the official launch of DVD in NZ, some
local audio retailers aren't waiting either,
with Hamilton based Lakeland one of the
first retailers to put a DVD player on show.
Lakeland's Yamaha DVD unit has been
20
Audiofnz
The" outer" for a Japanese DVD disk
playing The Mask and Twister for a few
months, with Hamilton based enthusiasts
now able make up their own mind about
the actual performance of the DVD format.
There is no doubt that DVD is making
an impact, with
THAT'S THE WAY THE BIKKIE
BREAKS ...
The issue of software being imported
to New Zealand in advance of the local
theatrical release date has long been a
thorn in the side of the video industry not much of one you might think, but a
large enough one for DVD to be the first
format which is pur-
e nth u s i a s t s
Most DVD fans are using posely designed not
impressed with the
to be a single world
picture
quality,
imported US NTSC
standard.
fidelity of the Dolby
Herein lies the
Digital 5.1 surround
players... slowly building rub: DVD films
format and the
released in one
capacity of the DVD
extensive libraries of DVD region are not supdisc to have not one,
posed to be compatbut two different
film titles imported from ible with players
another
versions (letterbox
from
on side one pan and
American-based
region. The world
has been neatly
scan on side two) of
the same film on
mail order companies
divided into several
one disc.
"zones" with softWith the added benefit of interactive
ware only compatible within these zonescamera angles and special outtakes, multitake a DVD disc out of its intended zone
pie languages and sub-texts, DVD has to
and it won't play in another zone's player
be described as the most film-friendly forand vice-versa.
mat to be developed.
DVD's regional coding is a great idea Rock music DVDs are also boasting
for Hollywood, who is intent on controltwo-sided versions with Fleetwood Mac's
ling (and manipulating) the timed release
The Dance featuring a Dolby Digital 5.1
of films and video around the world.
sound track on side one and Dolby
The regional zones are:
Region 1: USA and Canada
Surround on side two.
Sounds good - but what's the catch?
Region 2: Europe and Japan
Region 3: Southeast Asia
Region 4: Australia, New Zealand, South
America and Mexico
Region 5: Africa
Region 6: China
The logic is that Hollywood wants to
control its own product. Nothing wrong
with that, given the growth of mass scale
piracy. And given this is a digital format... well the floodgates could open to
large scale bootlegging - and not just from
China.
The problem is that the enforcement of
policies regarding the sale and therefore
distribution of DVD is already breaking
down.
As a test of the waters, last June, I tried
importing a DVD disc from a well know
California based LaserDisc company. That
company has supplied countless New
Zealanders with LaserDiscs for many
years. My e-mail inquiry was met with a
firm but polite decline of my DVD order
stating that DVD Zone 1 sales were
restricted to USA and Canadian consumers alone.
Recently, while speaking with DVD
fans, I was advised that DVD's were now
being imported directly from this US supplier with no questions asked. But that was
not the case even five months ago.
What happened? It seems that DVD
sales are rising and the "rules" controlling
sales are impossible to enforce. No one will
refuse the sale of a Zone 1 player to a
tourist with a funny accent, much less
refuse the sale of software to an out-ofcountry credit card.
Compounding the issue further is the
--
-
a·
-
53·
rapid development of modified "all zone"
compatible players. With the additional of
a small modification to existing players the
regional code can be bypassed, meaning
that discs from all regions can be played
on the one machine.
Such modified players are already on
offer in Hong Kong and the demand for
them is likely to increase. However, the
benefit of such players is dubious. There is
little if any software to play on the
machines (unless they are Zone 1) and the
standard warranty on these machines will
be immediately voided.
[Reputably there are instructions on an
internet web site for an easy modification
to Sony's first DVD player. Once modified,
the player will play DVD discs from all
regions-Editor]
Confused? Well you should be - and we
haven't even talked about MPEG-2 soundtracks and DVD in Europe.
At this point probably all you need to
know is DVD is an exciting format. It does
deliver the best picture I have seen from
any playback source and the Dolby Digital
As Max has pointed out, the early adopters of DVD in New Zealand have opted for
Zone 1 (USA and Canada) players and discs.
In some ways this is not surprising - Zone 4 players and discs (New Zealand's
zone) are not yet available. Add to this the fact that many of the early DVD adopters
are LaserDisc enthusiasts who are used to importing discs (and often players) from
the USA.
But there is a good case for waiting until the official launch of DVD players and
discs in New Zealand next year. AudioEnz understands that at least one video distributor is planning to release DVD discs from January, with many equipment distributors planning to launch between February and April 1998.
As Peter Tilsley, product manager for Pioneer hi-fi distributor Monaco points
out, when DVD is launched in New Zealand, all of the available players for purchase
and DVD discs for purchase will be in zone 4. These discs will not play on a zone 1
player.
And when the installed base of DVD players reaches the "critical mass" for videotape rental outlets to purchase DVD discs for rental, they will all be in zone 4 format. Again, these discs will not be able to play on zone 1 (USA and Canada) players,
only on zone 4 players-Mike lones
Audio£nz
-
-
;)
.
One possible solution for anyone with a collection of LaserDiscs could be a combination LD/DVD player,
such as this unit from Pioneer
THE CASE FOR ZONE 4
22
-1iW
ana
soundtrack is spectacular.
So, the issue remains, not only which
broadcast format, NTSC or PAL, but
which zone and most importantly when to
buy?
There are some simple answers in this
complex issue. Going on the preference of
the NZ DVD fans, there seems to be little
debate - Zone 1 (USA) players and software is the only way to go. The logic is the
same as it was for LaserDisc; there will be
more up-to-date software available and
despite the often criticised "inferior" TV
replay system (NTSC), DVD is more likely
to be affected by mastering faults than the
problems associated with NTSC. The
problem of when to buy is going to be dictated by your drive to have the latest and
greatest first or your need to wait until the
dust settles.
Others are waiting for DVD to offer a
recordable feature. It's possible, but not
foreseeable in the near future.
So where does that leave home theatre
enthusiasts who want the best, have the
money and want to take the leap?
Well, check out alt:video.dvd newsgroup on the internet and ask local fans
who have made the step into DVD. There
is a growing bank of local knowledge
about DVD and some are changing their
spots from being die-hard LaserDisc fans
to becoming die-hard DVD fans.
In fact LD fans may be the ones who
benefit the most as bargain basement second hand LDs come into the market as
DVD fans trade up.
Whatever your view, this is an exciting
time to be a home theatre fan. No other
area of Hi-Fi has progressed with such
huge advances in performance in such a
shot time.
And me? Well, I'm keeping my LDs and
I've already bought my first DVD (Zone
1) - and I'm keen to get my hardware settled for winter viewing next year.
Any local fans want to trade up to a 3rd
The X-Factor
MusiaJl Fideaty brings the ·X·Factar
back into yolIlOOsic !
Musiai Fidelity X-A50 is a 50 wait
monobIoc power amplifier, already
acdlimed by many UK ht-fi magazines
os III exceptianally musical and
powerful amplifier.
Musiai Fidelity X·Pre is 0 Class·A
singIHnded mode tube preamplifier,
giviIg hi;ttnd valve preamplifier
_ .,DIy at 0 Iow-end price.
MusiclI/ fideNty XIO-O is the missing
link in CD saund. Apure Class·A triode
valve line stage that gives dramatically
impraved performance hom your CD
player.
The E-Factor
,.)
The Casde Severn
2. -
winner of
1997's Best Buy Award &om
Musical Fidelity Ell is a 60 wolt integrated amplifier in the Musical Fidelity traditian.
The Class A/B output stage combines the benefits of Class A(Musical Fidelity's famous
smooth saund) with those of CIoss B(efficient use of power supply).
Musical Fidelity E61 is aremote-<ontrollable compoct disc player. The bitstream
convertor offers increased sound quality in the smooth Musical Fidelity tradition, while
digital outputs allows for future upgrading.
What Hi-Fi? magazine. "What fabulous
2.S are an
speakers these are! ... The Severn
outstanding winner in a category that sees tougher
competition every year." said the What Hi-Fi? judges.
The slim, Boor-standing columns, available in nine real wood
veneers, will make a fabulously elegant addition in both sight
and sound
to
your home.
b'''III
See and hear the Severn
m"" ,imply m,
MUSICAL FIDELITY
Distributed by A&VHoldings
PO Box 40-160, Auckland 10. Ph 0-9-358 4100. Fax 0-9·358 4900.
email avision@cannected.co.nz
2.S
today. You'll quickly agree that
CASTLE
Distributed by A&V Holdings
PO Box 40-160, Auckland IQ. Ph 0-9-358 4100. Fax 0-9-358 49°°.
email avision@connected.co.nz
audiofnz 23
MIKE ON THE PODIUM
by Mike Jones
'Til Daddy takes the t-bird away
AMC'S VALVE AMPLIFIER IS FUN FUN FUN!
I
'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO
has found that hi-fi just doesn't seem
as interesting as it did a few years back.
The oddball products have been replaced
by more carefully styled, better built and
(often) well-designed CD players, amplifiers and speakers.
It might make for better equipment for
the buyer, but (sob) the hi-fi writer is left
with a never-ending stream of (almost)
blandness.
So when offered the chance to look at a
valve integrated amplifier that retailed at a
mere $1699, I jumped at the opportunity.
I GET AROUND
There's a good chance you haven't
heard of AMC before. Even I, a devourer
of written material on hi-fi, had but rarely
come across the name.
But AMC have been quietly expanding
their product range and distribution,
while keeping a low profile. Reputedly
founded by the owner of one of the factories that once contract-manufactured
NAD, many of AMC's range have a NADlook about them.
But not the valve products.
The two EL34s on each side are soldered to a small circuit board module
which simply slides in. This allows replacement modules ($199) of matched pairs.
Also inside were two "silent" fans to
cool the interior. On my sample they
weren't that silent, with a noticeable
"whoosh". Check yours carefully.
GOOD VIBRATIONS
IN MY ROOM
The 3030a is the entry item in AMC's
small valve range. The rest of the range
consists of a valve preamp, a 30-watt and
80-watt valve power amp and (newly
released) a CD player with a valve analogue output stage.
Pick up the 3030a and you quickly
realise that it's not an Arcam or a NAD. For
a start it's heavy! Pick up the AMC and
you'll strain your wrists on the nearly 12kg
weight!
You can also tell it's not a run-of-themill modern amplifier because - well, it's
not that pretty. It's big and boxy, with the
controls on an curiously indented fascia.
But the 3030a is fully-featured. There
are plenty of inputs (including a phono
stage), tone controls for those who need
them, and a "direct" switch for those who
don't. There's also a headphone output.
The interior is dominated by three large
(and heavy!) transformers. All of the circuitry is solid state, except for the glowing
EL34 valves.
24
hudiofnz
A traditional old valve amplifier from
the golden age of valves reputedly sounds
soft and flabby, sweet but lacking in detail,
rotund rather than forceful in the bass.
The AMC 3030a didn't sound like this.
'Cause the 3030a sounds like fun!
This is a really enjoyable amplifier for
listening to music. The music comes alive
in a way that helps you forget about hi-fi.
There's a vibrancy to the sound that's
fully in-line with modern tastes, but without the forward, aggressive sound so prized
by the What Hi-Pi? crowd. There is no false
aggression or edge to the sound - unless of
course it's in the music or recording.
I CAN HEAR MUSIC
A good example of the 3030a's abilities
were with Joshua Redman's Moodswingone of the jazz albums of the 90s. This
quartet recording captures - as the title
suggests - a number of moods, portrayed
by the superb playing of Redman (sax),
ace bassman Christian McBride, drummer
Brian Blade and pianist Brad Mehdlu.
The emotions set up by the music come
across really well, while the instrumental
tones created by these four fine musicians
helped set up an extraordinarily enjoyable
hour of listening.
Valve amps have a bit of a reputation
for falling down in the bass department.
On Moodswing McBride's double bass was
rich and full, yet full of the subtle intonations that make the bass such a wonderful
instrument. Where the AMC did lack was
with the ultimate bass "slam". For that,
you'll need a much heftier solid state monster.
Perhaps the biggest difference between
the 30-watt 3030a and other amplifiers of
around the same power is how the AMC
behaves when pushed. A typical solid state
amplifier can turn very nasty when clipping (running out of steam) - sounding
harsh and potentially damaging your
tweeters.
In contrast, when playing Mahler's second symphony at loudish volumes, the
3030a gently reigned in the dynamics, as if
a gentle compressor was operating.
Of course, using more sensitive speakers than my 87dB Epos ES14s would help
increase the loudness capabilities.
DO IT AGAIN
Let me repeat this: the AMC 3030a is
fun, fun, fun! When you listen through the
3030a, you'll want to - as the Beach Boys
once sang - Do It Again!
W HAT'S T HIS I HE A R ?
by Owen Young
Does audio have style?
HOW HI-FI CAN BE USEFUL ... OR BORING AND SEXIST
Record Lady
Record Lady
She's got the cutest little cartridge
That you've ever seen
She's a phonographic dream
from Lyle Lovett's 1994 album I Love
Everybody
Lyle Lovett grows on you. Not because
Nouveau Country is cool, or because he's
a natty dresser, or even because he married Julia Roberts, but because he writes
with humour and wry wit. .. and not
always about women. On this album,
among other things, he writes about penguins, as well as about babies and children.
One of the spin-offs from having children in your family is that you do get
opportunities to relive your youth again ...
like dragging out your old Cream or Led
Zeppelin vinyl and trying to show your 12
year old how a Real Loud Band should
sound.
Can this be what they mean when they
say that children keep you young? Trying
to show that you're hip to Prodigy or
Bloodhound Gang. You can go a long way
towards cementing a bond with your son
when you can mutually agree that Spice
Girls suck! Hey dudes, beware the odd bit
of dubious content, but sample some
Bloodhound Gang humour and rhyme for
NEW INDIGENOUS-NESS
Drive time with Bic
So in this densely populated family landscape with a continual backdrop of 96.1FM (and I thought my periodic diet of BFM was loud),
it's a welcome relief to put on a beautiful, languid tempo-ed album
like Bic Runga's. Especially when the kids think she's cool too. It's
always neat to hear local work hitting the Top Tens. Bic is only twenty-one and already signed-up with Sony Music. This Drive album is
so full of non try-hard, confident originality, a promising future beckons, not to mention the notoriously difficult second album. With
marketable good looks, Bic has also earned her "street credibility" by
sharing stage billing with Crowded House and with her own powerful solo live shows. She writes the songs, plays electric guitar and
drums. "My drumming is dumb, in a positive way. Sometimes session musicians can be too cleveri" What impresses me also is the
album's production. Bic has maintained control of what she wanted herself, albeit with overseas assistance, and achieved her aim of
a "sparse and spacious" recorded atmosphere. It is garage-band
edgy enough, however, to suggest the "energy and adrenalin of a
live gig". With Drive spinning in the Arcam 5 Plus (no wussy
Bitstreamers in this household), the system croons and smokes.
The Pacific way
Another Kiwi woman artist I've been playing a bit is Annie
Crummer's Seventh Wave album from last year. Annie's stage personna is always uplifting and full of sensuality. For Seventh Wave
Audiofnz
But why's everybody always pickin' on me?
Cause you're white but got a nose like Bill
Cosby
But why's everybody always pickin' on me?
Cause your only school chum was the lunch
lady
Oh well, it's a long way from the days
of keeping the cartridge stylus, precarious
spikey stands and sharp, hot Class-A
heatsinks away from the baby and the toddler. Now it's fretting over zero-feedback
300Bs and crossover-less Lowthers surviving a Chemical Brothers techno assault.
In technojabber that's: 20,000 Gauss
driver magnets and around 103dB/watt
efficiency, needs only a tickle with 1Y2 watts
to make your ears bleed.
Who needs one of those
::::::---------------l_JJ
she spent two and a half weeks back in the Cook Islands recording the rhythms and ethnic sounds to use in the album. The production overall isn't
as hip '90s or sonically clean as Bic's, but if you really want to leave digititus behind,
get thee smartly to your nearest Triode Amplifier Shop! (Young's Audio Hypothesis
No.35: The ugly distortion signatures of solid state and poorly designed valve electronics, coinciding badly with the peculiar high frequency characteristics of Compact
Disc, is at least partly responsible for the poor reputation of the CD medium.) Artists
like Bic and Annie are typical of the Pacific area ingredient in NZ culture and music
these days. Bic Runga has Malaysian parentage, Annie Crummer, Rarotongan and
Tahitian. Both are also, continuing the strong presence of women in Kiwi music.
26
teenagers:
Bic Runga
pricey, tweaky XLO
System Burn-In CDs when you get to purchase for him the Chemical Brothers' latest, in return for say, washing and vacuuming the car? How can you refuse?
What's worse, keeping kid's fingers and
noses away from those dome tweeters, or
actually now paying to have your expensive speakers thrashed? One forgets of
At Atlantic Technologies we had only one goal in mind when we designed our
System 350 THX. To create a no-compromise THX speaker system that we'd want to
own ourselves. That meant it had to meet some very tough requirements.
_
The System 350 THX had to sound just as good when reproducing
music as it did when playing a motion picture. That's why we created the world's
first 3-way THX speaker system.
_ _ Each speaker had to fit into virtually any living space. So we used
a narrow tower design for the front and surround speakers. This provided for the
mallest footprint possible
_
Unlike most THX centre channel speakers, we wanted ours to lie
horizontally. And it had to have a tiltable base for added flexibility.
~ Compared to other THX speaker systems, it had to be affordable.
So we made the whole system available for under $10,000. Including a pair of
200 watt subwoofers.
Did we meet our goal? Ask your local Atlantic Technology dealer for a demonstration today. We think you'll agree that the System 350 THX is one of the finest home
theatre systems you'll ever hear. It will" ... rock your world on movies and music,
with no apologies and few rivals."*
*."'**
*
PacIfIC AudIO
PO Box 9174, ewmarket, Auckland
Phone 0-9-524 8032
Fax 0-9-524 8037
course, that a dose of your own
Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave or Hoist's
Planets isn't exactly picnic time for loudspeakers. The system can take it, you've got
to tell yourself. Hi-fi can still be a family
pastime.
THE GENDER THING
It's interesting to ponder why there
never seems to be much interest in hi-fi for
women. "Why don't you get a more userfriendly hi-fi system?" often says She Who
Must Be Obeyed.
The computer seems to be emerging as
the most user-friendly home entertainment medium for the family. You can use
a PC to play, listen, write, buy or communicate with the world! With the world
available on-line, books, libraries and
retail shopping must suffer. Home hi-fi is
not the. only victim.
Women usually aren't in the least bit
interested in making a hobby out of audio.
They are certainly interested in the results
but not the boring process. Men, on the
other hand, build obsession out of the
"doing" and often lose sight of the "enjoying".
THE HYPOTHESIS
I have this theory: Men have difficulty.
making decisions. (Kindly refer all letters
to the editor.) Blokes are conditioned
from childhood to always seek "right
answers", to be the decision-maker, weighing up every juncture in life as a life-ordeath crossroads.
This is the "dualistic" or "scientific"
approach to decision-making... you
know, everything must have a black or
white side, a crucial right or wrong path.
The ancient Greek philosphers have a lot
to answer for.
Time for a funny. This reminds me of
the typically sexist story (oh boy, more letters to The Editor) attributed to head
Linnie Ivor Tiefenbrun wherein, if the typical hi-fi reviewer (presumably male) was
presented with the most attractive woman
in the world, together with Ivor's Mum
and asked to make a choice, the hi-fi nut
would have to take them both home for a
week to compare with his "reference" girlfriend. After a week, when asked for a decision, he would say that the choice was still
difficult, but if pressed, would probably go
for Ivor's mum as she weighed a little
more! (Sorry if you've heard that one
before, but you get the point, chaps.)
We do tend to approach our hi-fi like
28
Audiofnz
that. Always trying to find the "right" component before we can sit back and enjoy
music. Result: we get buried in the process,
researching,
consulting
Stereopriest
monthly and refusing to rest until The
Perfect Sound is attained.
Understanding this is an important
step in understanding your audiophile
mate. Knowing that he will never own a
system that he will be happy with.
Knowing that there will always be decisions to be made to hone the hi-fi and that
thus his system will always be in a state of
change.
Women, on the other hand, are intuitively more "lateral", less "linear" thinkers,
more aware of the bigger picture, the
macro-event. Generally, women seem to
see things in a much broader perspective.
Where men have a few, all-consuming
passions, most women do not have the
luxury of devoting large amounts of energy to such a small number of problems in
life.
The in-built ability to deal with many
problems simultaneously is probably why
a recent study (by Canterbury University,
if I recall correctly) found that women
actually make better managers. Women
are better decision-makers, but society
(Western society at least) seems to be
structured around laborious, "linear"
processes, better suited to men.
When asked "What do you think of the
system today?", Audiophile Mate will be
typically decisive: "Sorry, it sounds awful"
or, "What happened to the bass?" There's
no time to split hairs when real important
family management decisions are waiting
to be made. She checks out the forest first,
while he examines the trees with a microscope. That small improvement he spent
all night implementing ain't going to cre-
ate a silk purse. Oh boy, back to earth, back
to the drawing board.
AUDIO AS TEA CEREMONY
To the audiophile partner, hi-fi should
also have style. It's not sufficient for it to
merely sound brilliant, transcendental
even. She understands that any domestic
item must also visually reinforce our
image of ourselves ("lifestyle" is such a
lo-fi, overused term), ie look good.
Ugly metal boxes with handles belong
in a mixing studio rack and un-colour-coordinated wires all over the floor just ain't
going to make for enjoyable listening.
Ugliness detracts from life's experiences.
Audio retailers and designers take note.
She understands that the richness of
enjoying music isn't about being perched
in isolation on the edge of The Hot Seat,
but should be an aesthetically pleasing ritual. Colour, furniture and mood-lighting
all contribute significantly to the intensity
of Audio Enlightenment.
The act of lowering a Koetsu onto a
vinyl LP and listening to Berman play
Tchaikovsky should be accompanied by a
fine red wine and possibly even friends.
(Espresso, of course may be served with
ECM Jazz or Cocteau Twins!)
It's no use explaining that a row of
Tacky Tin Black Boxes is necessary because
"discrete amplifier modules with screened
outboard power supplies improve
crosstalk specs and stereo separation". She
knows that a single good integrated amp
is always better than separate boxes, for the
same price. "And why does a CD Player
have to be in two boxes?" she could legitimately ask? Her intuition tells her, correctly, that long digital links between CD
transport and processor introduce jitter!
(More letters.) ... I rest my case.
TIP OF THE MONTH
There's one of those fortnightly "part-works" magazine-with-attached-CD things
available at the mo' from your newsagent, called Jazz Greats. (Thanks Robert, for
drawing my attention to this one.)
The introductory Billy Holiday issue was only $4.95 and Issue 2 was Duke
Ellington with a bonus 70 minute CD on the swing era. Susequent issues are $12.95.
I know these things can be often superficial and poor value, but this one caught
our attention as it was favourably reviewed by Hi-Fi News & Record Review
(September '96) as being well written, informative, and good value with typically 70
minutes of excellently remastered historical material on each CD.
Bear in mind that a lot of the early stuff comes off original 78s. Some surface
noise and occasional distortion remains but the dynamics and clarity are preserved.
Louis Armstrong is followed by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman,
Fats WaIler. Check it if you're into jazz or if, like me, always looking for ways to
widen the window. My only gripe is the tasteless method of double-sided taping the
CD onto the magazine front cover. Aaargh!
Von Schweikert Research Virtual Reality (VR) Speakers
"This [VR-4] must be one of the most comprehensive and most complete speakers on
the market" -HiFi and Music Magazine
Sep96
"These speakers [VR 4.5sJ encourage me
to learn ... about music, about taking joy all
over again in music. I can't imagine a
higher recommendation" -Fi Magazine
Feb 97
"The VR-4s are the finest loudspeakers I
have had the pleasure of hearing ... I'm
buying the review pair" -Positive
Feedback Vol 5 No 6
Hear the full-range VR-4 loudspeaker that
reviewers say outpoints the Wilson
Watt/Puppy 5, yet costs less than one-third
of its price. Bass response flat to 20Hz,
impedance 6 ohms, sensitivity of 90dB. A
rear ambience tweeter ensures true 3D
sound staging and unrivalled imaging.
The full-range VR-3 (flat to 26Hz) about
which SoundStage said" an outright
steal ... seek these speakers out... the best
value in high-end audio today" is also
available for audition.
For further information contact Peter at Frontline Audio.
Ph (09) 520-HIFI (09 5204434) or e-mail peterl@iconz.co.nz
ARC A M
H I - F I
COMPONENTS
Everyone loves an
award winner
---
-
.. ....,.....
~
"
_.-:
...,
-------------.
... 8
-
I
:l ID
.":
-.
-:: -
.
.:.
_.~.
.~...
-.
~
We always knew Arcam hi-fi components were some of the best sounding
on the market and Britain's top hi-fi reviewers agree. Here's a few of the
recent reviews and awards they've won.
Arcam Alpha 7. CD player ($1399) "Best CD Player of the Year" - What
Hi-Fi? Awards issue 96. Arcam Alpha 8 amplifier ($1499) "Best Amplifier
of the Year" What Hi-Fi? Awards issue 96. Arcam Alpha 7. amplifier ($1099)
five star review What Hi-FP Sept 96. Arcam Alpha 9 amplifier ($1999) five
star review What Hi-Fi? Qct 96. Arcam Alpha 8 CD player ($1999) five star
review What Hi-Fi? Sept 96. Arcam Xeta One home theatre amplifier
($3000) "Best home cinema amp" British Federation of Audio 1996. Arcam
AV50 home theatre amp ($2699) five star review What Hi-Fi? Aug 97.
We could continue extolling the virtues of the superb Arcam Alpha amplifiers, CD players and tuners, but suffice to say, if you're looking for a superb
sounding hi-fi or home theatre system, give the Arcam Alpha series a listen and see how they compare with other leading components - because
that's one comparison we know they can win!
SMITHS SOUND
HI-FI HOUSE
587 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, Auckland. Ph 623 2600
ntraducing the new Alpha
range from Arcam - the latest
in a long line of high
performance, British engineered tuners,
CD players and integrated amplifiers.
Sleekly redesigned. More powerful.
Easily upgradable. Give them a listen
and see how they compare with other
leading components. Because that's
one battle we know we can win.
Available now - Arcam's first multi-disc CD player
Proudly imported by Avalon Audio Corporation Limited
587 Mt Eden Road, Auckland. Ph 0-9-638 9000. Fax 0-9-638 8888
Audiofnz 29
EAR WAX
by Simon Brown
Our darkest hour
THE LEAD EARS AWARD
n previous articles" I have celebrated
the best of New Zealand audio manufacture in the past 25 years. Now the
worst.
Introducing the AudioEnz Lead Ears
Audio Awards.
To get a nomination for the Lead Ears
Awards it is not sufficient simply to be
badly made, to look tacky or to sound
indifferent. There are many examples of
these "qualities".
But these award winners have achieved
notable lows in their categories to encourage me to slag them off.
Of course this is a totally biased and
personal selection in these awards ... well
I'm only saying that to stop the Editor getting sued.
The Dear Departed are:
I
THE FRED DAGG AWARD
To get a nomination for
not sufficient simply to be
for services to the agrarian sector:
McLaren Aura amps for agricultural
styling and casework... and a near nomination for a Gnomie for the name (er...
similar to a UK amp).
badly made, to look tacky
THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE
the Lead Ears Awards it is
or to sound indifferent.
There are many examples
of these"qualities".
AWARD
for more knobs than a pinball machine:
Perreaux
5A80
Integrated
amp.
Dishonourable mention to the Avalon Z60
and Sonophone amps.
THE LOOKS AREN'T EVERYTHING
AWARD
HOW THE DECISIONS WERE
MADE:
Roberts 5580 speakers (MkI). Looked
nice ... pity about the sound.
THE UGLY DUCKLING AWARD
Davreid Amplifier Kits - expensive and
murky sounding.
THE DECAPITATED GARDEN
GNOME AWARD
for outrageous plagiarism:
50uthern Acoustics for Bose 901 copy (it
wasn't even a good copy)
2nd Prize: The Plastic Tiki Award to my
fellow Engineering students for making a
large number of Hafler copies. Pity that
my fellow students couldn't get the right
transistors ...
THE BLAM BLAM BLAM AWARD
or Home Sound-Off Award:
Perreaux speakers. Twenty years ahead of
their time. Now there's House Music.
Ginormous and super-loud.
THE UNIVERSITY HOSTEL AWARD
~
for speakers bigger than 50% of a hostel
room:
Richard AlIen (nee Davried). There's nothing beyond 5kHz on worn out cassettes
anyway.
l
THE WATERBED/TlMESHAREI
WATERFILTER BUSINESS AWARD
Gross size
..............................
.
~
!
··
·~
00
t
..
;.
Awful sound
AELlAudiolab(NZ). They looked like real
stereo gear ... straight from the warehouse
to the local land-fill.
THE DENTIST DRILL AWARD
THE KAMIKAZE AWARD
for product reliability.
McLaren 501. Crash and burn. The transistors exhibited a napalm-like quality.
Badly made
for treble reproduction:
Perreaux 5M3. Smooth, natural reproduction ... of a skill saw.
THE BLACK BOX AWARD
THE MAD SCIENTIST AWARD
Craft Logic One preamp which contained
a mind probe to automatically select the
source you didn't want to listen to.
Hard on the eyes
for making the amplifier Darth Vader
would buy:
Plinius Model 9 and Model 10 power amps.
No model indication on front or rear.
THE TREKA AWARD
THE PETER PAN AWARD
for a local bodge job on the cheap:
Nairn 22/120. Locally-built Nairn amps
whose parents quickly disowned them.
the Never Never Land of products that
didn't make it into serious production.
Mega Pre-Power, Reference Point Turntable
Please send your letters complaining
about the unjustness of these awards to the
Editor as he likes getting letters.
Money down the drain
" AudioEnz October 1996
30
J1udiofnz
Exceptional New Products
Osborne no-compromise loudspeakers
J ha e bee
do
SALE SALE
Transline Audio's first-ever sale on ex-demo and
second hand products at unbelievable prices
(X) Ex-demo (5) second-hand
Product
New
Sale
Duntech Marquis loudspeakers (oak)
$12,000
$5500
B&K M200 momo power amplifiers
$5600
$2400
5
$10,000
$6000
X
Papworth MlOO valve mono power amps
friends about the
Papworth PPA6 valve line preamp
le... ere is a speaker I can
recommend without
- magazine, Dec '96
"An American classic'
Stereophile. Also RM-5
RM-l0 power amp.
$3500
50nique 5.5 monitor loudspeakers
$3500
$2500 X
X
Trichord Research Genesis CD player
$2099
$1899
X
Trichord Research Pulsewire interconnects
$595
$495
X
Music Labs silver interconnects 1m pair
$599
$499
X
Available from
SoundPower Hi-Fi, 110 Kitchener Road, Milford, Auckland
ph 0-9-489 3692, or Transline Audio phlfax 0-7-578 5211
Phone Lew We[Js 0-9-520 0257
amp' ers and RAM tubes
Velody
$2600 X
Unison Research 5implyTwo valve amplifier .. $4200
December special: a limited number ofTrichord's
Clock 2 CD modification system at 20% off recommended retail - see last issue of AudioEnz for review
on this superb upgrade.
Music Reference RM·9 midi
Also for Arago
$5200
S
~
- the power behind the F1800RII
The quest at Velodyne was to design the best-sounding subwoofer
ever. Beginning with an all-new 18" driver that results in even less
bass distortion, even before Velodyne's patented servo correction. A
fUlly shielded magnet structure allows for closer placement to
televisions.
A new cool-running 600-watt power amplifier offers greater power
output without the need for heatsinks.
The result is a subwoofer masterpiece. The F-1800RII is the best
sub ever! No other subwoofer on the market can reproduce the
subtle nuances of your favourite musical track with total accuracy,
and still be able to knock the socks off the home theatre crowd with
sheer brute force.
So try it out yourself. You'll agree this is the best sub ever made!
Velodyne subwoofers are available from $895 to $4495. For a
brochure and review pack, please contact Audio Video Designs.
AUDI
VIDEO
o
e s
g n s
PO Box 31-552, Milford, Auckland
Phone 0-9-486 0666. Fax 0-9-486 0660
Mobile 025-769 890 or 021-769 890
Audiofnz
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