Thursday, May 29, 2014

Aurorasound Preda line stage preamplifier













































£8000

Preda is a solid state preamplifier with analog IN/OUT employing state-of-the-art transformer-type volume control system.

The transformer uses super-reliable lead relays with 54-step, permitting precise setting with perfect Infrared remote control. Unlike conventional resister-type attenuator, the transformer system has no loss of signals, as heat, enabling precision volume control settings.

Aurorasound’s newly developed discrete amp-module, having achieved ultra wideband and low distortion, balances input signal sources and adopt any type of output power amplifiers with excellent signal control.

Preda is developed with a completely new concept by adopting independent block for power supply, amplifiers, input and output modules for each L/R channels. A heavy duty solid aluminum chassis, extruded knobs, anti-vibration foot insulators are employed to achieve the highest-level musical performance, operation and aesthetics.

Gain select switch is added on the bottom of chassis. This function is more minus 16 step down foe mid-night listening.

Specs

Input
RCA line level unbalanced x4, XLR balance x2

Output
RCA unbalanced x1, XLR x1 balanced

Gain
10dB, Low Gain mode-6dB

Frequency characteristic
5Hz. 100kHz-1.5dB

Total harmonic distortion
0.008% A weighted

Input and output impedance
Input 56kΩ / Output 47Ω

Function
54 Step Volume Control, more -16 step at Low Gain mode, L/R Balance Control, Mute, Display On/Off, Input Selector x6, Global Phase Reverse, Remote Control for those Functions

Size, weight
W 420 x D 330 x H 90mm, 10.8 kg

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

CH Precision L1 preamplifer























































€22000

ATC Special Edition S50






























































































To celebrate ATC turning 40 years old, we have manufactured a limited run of 10 pairs of Special Edition S50 Loudspeakers.

The S50 was the first ever ATC HiFi Loudspeaker. The 2014 edition uses a 9″ SL Bass driver, a Super Midrange Dome and the new ATC S Tweeter.

It comes in either active (P6 powered) or passive form. All metalwork is finished in dull nickel and the baffle is covered in real leather.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Goldmund Apologue 25th Anniversary at Bristol Hotel in Paris
















































The components was powered with Argento Flow Master Reference cables and Flow Power Distributor.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

VdH The CNT















€7150 - 1m Rca or Xlr version

Friday, May 23, 2014

Engstrom & Engstrom Monica















€30000

Blackwood Speakers










From right - Six, Five, Three, One/2 and One.























As flagship of our product line, model One offers highest level of perfection in every conceivable way.

It is the pinnacle of loudspeaker design and craftsmanship.

Diamond dome tweeter (1 x Accuton BD25)
Diamond dome midrange (1 x Accuton BD51)
Aluminium sandwich dome bass midrange (1 x Accuton AS190)
Aluminium sandwich dome subwoofers (2 x Accuton AS250)
Vented box with double front-firing ports
Class D monoblock per each driver
Digital crossover
CNC machined aluminium housing


Info

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Zellaton Reference with Analog Domain Iris, Sperling, Allnic, Loit and Schnerzinger




























External crossover with Duelund parts










































Comments:

"Zellaton Reference with Sperling Turntable as its source produces one of the quietest musical presentation at the MOC."

Stereophile:

The three-way, five-driver Zellaton Reference loudspeakers ($99,750/pair) fronted a very clear-sounding system that drew me in not so much with sheer impact, but by following, tenaciously and non-mechanically, every melody that the source and electronics threw their way.

TAS - by JV

I’ve been impressed by Zellaton loudspeakers at previous trade shows, but in Munich in 2014 the sound of the company’s flagship—the three-way, five-driver (three cone woofers, one cone tweeter, and one cone midrange that covers the entire critical band between 100Hz and 8kHz), $99,750 Reference, driven by an Analog Domain Audio Isis integrated amplifier and an Allnic H-3000 phonostage and sourced by a Sperling L-1 turntable—came very close to being the most lifelike I’ve ever heard at a trade show. Indeed, with one big proviso, it came very close to being the most lifelike I’ve heard period.

Here is what the Zellaton Reference does better than any other cone speaker I’ve auditioned: Reproduce LPs and digital media with simply unparalleled speed, openness, and resolution. Everything from entire vocal and instrumental lines in large ensembles to the tiny timbral and textural details that characterize (and humanize) the performances of soloists is reproduced with such newfound clarity and realism (and with such a complete absence of the usual metal, plastic, paper, ceramic, diamond, or carbon-fiber cone/membrane sonic signature) it is as if the recordings themselves have been remade—remixed and remastered by the world’s greatest mastering engineer. And the Zellaton References do this utterly astonishing trick without ever sounding “analytical.” Indeed, on this day in this venue their tone color was well nigh perfectly natural from top to bottom, and their “disappearing act” nearly complete. Not without reason does their U.S. importer, Gideon Schwartz of Audio Arts, call them “Quad 57s with meat on their bones.”

The secret to the Zellatons’ lifelike sound is their incredibly rigid and lightweight drivers, which are hand-made (in a process that takes up to six weeks for each driver) by Manuel Podszus, the grandson of Dr. Emil Podszus, the man who invented the sandwich driver in 1931. Although tools and materials have improved greatly over the years, the basic idea remains the same: Each cone comprises an ultra-thin layer of aluminum foil (six one-thousandth of a millimeter thick in the tweeter), a layer of hard foam, and a tissue-like backing of paper. As the foam is 85% air, the entire “sandwich” is featherweight (0.18 grams in the case of the tweeter), giving the driver the superior transient speed and resolution of a membrane and the superior damping and linearity of a cone.

So where’s that “big proviso” I mentioned earlier? Well, take the famous Turnabout LP of the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, newly reissued (to superb effect) in a 45-rpm, 180-gram, two-disc set by Analogue Productions. Although this recording has always been a bit dry and forward (due, I think, to the narrow, shallow stage that the Dallas Symphony, under conductor Donald Johanos, was recorded on), and the performance itself overly brisk and aggressive, the LP is still a wonder of inner detail and floor-and-wall-shaking power. The Zellaton References reproduced it with more detail (and I mean loads more detail) and greater realism than I’ve ever before experienced—and I’ve been listening to this LP for four decades or more, and my current reference speakers are the highest-resolution transducers I’ve ever had in my home. However, in spite of the Zellaton’s superb speed, color, and resolution (and these qualities extended all the way from the treble to the bass), the Rachmaninoff didn’t have quite the “punch” on big orchestral tuttis I know it should’ve had.

This limitation in large-scale dynamics—which is linked to the very-wide-bandwidth Zellaton midrange driver’s relative skittishness when it comes to power-handling (the References lost one driver to a troublesome amp at the show—and the Ensemble loudspeakers I so adored many years ago, which used a Zellaton midrange, famously had issues when driven overly hard) has always been the knock against Zellatons.

Be this as it may, if you listen to small-scale music (folk, rock, jazz, or classical—vocal or instrumental or both) it may be that you can’t do better than these extraordinary transducers. Even if you favor large-scale music (provided it’s classical or jazz), you may be able to live contentedly with the Zellatons, provided that you don’t regularly push them into the 90-to-100dB SPL range (save on occasional peaks). I’ll find out for sure in the future, as I intend to review the References if and when they are made available to me.






















Best Sound of Show (cost-no-object): Zellaton Reference loudspeaker driven by an Analog Domain Audio Isis integrated amplifier and an Allnic H-3000 phonostage and sourced by a Sperling L-1 turntable.

Best Sound of Show (for-the-money): Avantgarde Acoustics Zero 1 active, digitally optimized horn loudspeaker.

Most Significant Product Introductions: Estelon Extreme loudspeaker, Magico Ultimate III loudspeaker, MartinLogan Neolith loudspeaker, Constellation Inspiration Series electronics, Audio Research Corporation’s retro-looking GS Series electronics.

Most Significant Trends: As at CES, the plethora of analog playback equipment, which was found in virtually every room (Magico, as usual, being a notable exception). In Munich, I’d also have to say that the plethora of cutting-edge designs, both horn and dynamic-driver, was striking, though planars and electrostats were relatively scarce on the ground.

Most Coveted Product: Zellaton Reference loudspeaker.


TAS - by RH

Best Sound (cost no object)
I’m thought three systems were extraordinary: the Zellaton Reference loudspeaker, Rockport Altair loudspeakers driven by Absolare electronics, and the Raidho D-5 (see Jonathan Valin’s report for the system details).

Most Coveted Product
For sheer beauty of sound, nothing in the MOC equaled the Zellaton Reference loudspeaker.

Bob Carver Silver Seven 700












$32000 /pr

Info

FM Acoustics 266IIR & 266IIRC















Finally a great picture of the new 266 IIR preamp at Hifideluxe, thank you Hiifstatement.

Second from left is 266 IIRC with room correction. Both models will have remote control.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Horch Reference Steps 1 & 2 Dac
















Steps 1 - €22000
Steps 2 - €40000

Both uses ladder dac chips with parallelbit technology.
Soon both will be upgraded with new interfaces and accepting 24/192 sampling rate.

Picture shows Steps 1, small compared to Steps 2 which is very big with Horch made 43 farad of special capacitors.

All Horch Reference and Exclusive products uses the patented TRIPS (Triple Isolated Power Supply) technology. TRIPS isolate the incoming AC power from the components completely.

Voxativ Ampeggio Due 2
















.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

Ambitious Audio Design - Ambitious 1


























































































































Until a full presentation of the speaker is presented, some highlights follows:

The enclosure is mainly made of premium anodized aluminum combined with stainless steel and brass.

The advanced enclosure – weighing almost 60 kilos – is machined from 175 kilos of aluminum.

To prevent coloration from the enclosure it is designed with no parallel sides and a new internal design never used before.

The crossover is mounted in the stand to minimize influence from the powerfull magnets.

For aesthetic reasons we wanted to design a speaker without sharp edges and the usual numbers of bolts.

Please note that the binding poles are placed at the bottom.


Info