Saturday, April 30, 2016

Raidho D-4.1
































































Release at Highend 2016

Meet Your Maker – Zellaton
















Read it here

Magico M3

















Here is the official release about the all new Magico M3 loudspeakers, new State of the Art Loudspeaker, Floor standing, 3-way (Five Driver) Design...

Magico, the leader in high performance loudspeaker design and manufacture, is pleased to announce the new M3.

The 2014 release of the M-Project provided a glimpse of the innovative designs and advanced technologies that were being developed at Magico. Since then, we have continued to develop and refine the concepts and vision introduced by the M-Project. The new Magico M3, picks up where the M-Project left off, and not only builds upon its legacy, but takes it several steps further. A new Carbon-fiber side panel design, an all- graphene midrange and bass driver design, a new driver coupling system and the phenomenal 28mm diamond coated beryllium tweeter, previously found only in the M-Project, all come together in what is the most sophisticated loudspeaker we have ever created.

 Magico is the world’s first manufacturer to utilize graphene in the development of a leading-edge loudspeaker cone design. Graphene has many extraordinary properties and is approximately 100 times stronger than the toughest steel. The newly designed Magico six-inch midrange and seven-inch bass driver cones found in the M3 are both manufactured from Multi-Wall carbon XG Nanographene and a new proprietary ultra-stiff carbon weave which is 20% lighter and 300% stiffer than the cone material used in previous Magico loudspeaker offerings. The underhung neodymium base motor system provides an ultra-stabilized magnetic field for the pure Titanium voice coil to operate within. This radical new driver design offers the lowest THD in the industry and sets the performance benchmark for others to aspire to.

The M3 midrange driver operates in a purpose built sub-enclosure made of a proprietary polymer that enhances midrange control and articulation. This sub-enclosure concept was first used in the S3 and is now applied to our more recent 3-way speaker designs. Three seven-inch M3 bass drivers are vertically aligned to achieve ideal room integration and reproduce the lowest registers of bass frequency with speed and accuracy. A solid copper gasket is applied between the driver’s chassis and enclosure to maximize the coupling effect and diffuse resonances between the two surfaces. The M3 bass drivers are optimized for minimal music related distortions in the frequency and time domain using the latest state-of-the-art FEA simulation of acoustics, mechanics, electromagnetic and thermal behavior. The testing process is now completed on a single platform allowing optimization levels to be taken to a higher level.

The M3 incorporates the diamond coated beryllium diaphragm tweeter (28-mm) used in the M-Project. The optimized geometry and the diamond coating on the beryllium aligns the acoustical properties closer to perfection without adding the extra weight of a full Diamond dome. This revolutionary tweeter design offers a near perfect weight to stiffness ratio that is unmatched in the industry. The new tweeter provides extra-long excursion movement and uses a neodymium based motor system that is customized to match the sensitivity and power handling capabilities of the M3 while maintaining ultra- wide dispersion characteristics and ultra-low distortion measurements.

An internal three-axis matrix framework encapsulated in a sandwich Carbon-fiber skin, contributes to an extremely rigid yet damped enclosure and eliminates unwanted resonances and colorations, allowing all drivers to perform with stunning resolution and dynamics. All five drivers in the M3 are acoustically integrated using Magico’s exclusive Elliptical Symmetry Crossover topology.

Driver Complement

1 1” MBD28 Tweeter
1 6” MAG6004RTC Graphene Nano-Tec Midrange
3 7” MAG7012RTC Graphene Nano-Tec Bass

Specifications

Sensitivity: 91dB
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Frequency Response: 24 Hz – 50 KHz
Recommended Power: 20–500 Watts
Dimensions: 48”H x 19”D x 13”W (120cm x 49cm x 34cm)
Weight: 320 lbs. (145Kg)

SRP US $ 75,000.00 /pair. Ship date – 3rd Quarter 2016

Friday, April 29, 2016

Trafomatic Audio LARA line level preamplifier

























































































Release at Highend 2016


€9300

LARA is fully balanced, remotely controlled Class A line stage with outputs transformers, custom made chokes, separate power supply and 20dB gain. LARA implements 6N30P tubes for best linearity, transparency and musical impact. LARA line preamplifier follows the Trafomatic Audio ultimate pursue for the highest musical reproduction, but at more affordable price, that open up the doors of pure musical enjoyment to wider audience.


SPECIFICATIONS:

Full balanced  Class A with line output transformers
Separate power supply
Volume Remote controlled
Gain : 20dB
Input transformers : LL1592 high level line input mu metal core based transformers
S/N  :- 80dB
Inputs : 3x RCA , 1x XLR
Outputs: 1xRCA, 1xXLR
Output Impedance:  1KOhms, XLR and RCA
Frequency Response : 10Hz- 57KHz (-1dB)
Vacuum Tube Complement 2x 6N30P
Power supply : Low Induction toroid transformer by Trafomatic Audio
High Inductivity custom made chokes , Mundorf MLytic HV type
Requirements 100, 117 or 240 Volts / 50-60 Hz, 60 watts
Weight 10 kg
Dimensions 400x 310 x 85mm (two separate chassis)

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

XTZ Divine Alpha





















































€7500


Release at Highend 2016

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Metrum Acoustics Adagio


















What more can you do after launching one of the best dacs available today?

We are aware that our current flagship Pavane is hard to beat but at least one idea was not realized yet. The idea of having a decent volume control to prevent a necessary pre-amplifier could improves performance dramatically. However, we also know that the way of introducing such device in the signal chain can also have a negative effect.

Experiments were made and as result the best sound was coming directly from our Transient™ modules. Even the digital approach did not convinced us but still one idea was not tried yet. Especially in case of R2R ladder dacs it is quite easy to change the output voltage of the dac by changing its reference voltage but to realize this, dedicated dac boards were designed to get the best regulation possible.

Like our Pavane, “forward correction” techniques are used to drive both mono dac boards. The result of this process is an extremely high linearity, right down to -140 dB, which gives the Adagio a realistic 24 bit dynamic range.

The Adagio is a step forwards as it omits a pre-amplifier. It is musical, honors the Non-oversampling principle and simultaneously incorporating the technological progress that has been made over the years.

Recommended retail price € 6950,00 The Dac preamplifier will be available end of June this year

Soulution Audio 511 Stereo Power Amplifier























CHF 24500


Key Features

Switched Mode power supply(4 x 600VA ) optimized for use in audio amplifiers
More than 500'000 µFarad of storage capacitance in the power supply
Peak current rating of more than 60A
Versatile: stereo-, mono- und dual-mode
Impuls power rating> 3'000 Watt (stereo/dual), > 6'000 Watt (mono)


Operating modes
The 511 stereo-amplifier can be used in three different setups:
Stereo-mode: 150W @ 8Ω, 300W @ 4Ω, 600W @ 2Ω per channel
Dual-mode: 150W @ 8Ω, 300W @ 4Ω, 600W @ 2Ω per channel
Mono-mode: 600W @ 8Ω, 1'200W @ 4Ω, 2'000W @ 2Ω


Info

Monday, April 25, 2016

Stenheim Alumine 5 Speakers
























Release at Highend 2016

Fischer & Fischer SN 1000.1 AMT























The new reference loudspeaker SN 1000.1 AMT from Fischer & Fischer makes its debut at this year's High End from 5th to 8th May at MOC Munich, Atrium 4, 1st Floor, Room F104.

TransVinyl Phono Music Server TVL1













Release at Highend 2016

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Gold Note XS-85 speakers






















































































CABINET
Unique Gold Note XS Curved panels ultra rigid modular design. Super dampened case made by reinforced wooden multilayers to control resonances improving sound quality. The Cabinets are conveniently separated for bass and mid/highs to enhance perfect tuning.  The bass drivers cabinet is vented while the mid/highs is sealed with a second open chamber featuring an aluminium ultra thick grille to improve rigidity reducing internal reflections. The Cabinets are interfaced each other with 3mm thick aluminium laser shaped layers increasing rigidity and helps module assembling. The loudspeaker features an integrated massive wooden & steel 2° lean backward stand with hidden adjustable spikes.

TWEETER
28 mm custom ultra linear extra thin and light soft dome neodymium magnet featuring an aluminium big machined dampened rear chamber and hexagon copper conductor coil. Custom cooling coil radiator with no-oil cotton damping design reduce resonance increasing extension linearity up to 45° out of axis.

MIDRANGE DRIVERS

Two 150mm ultra linear horn loaded super light driver featuring an aluminum elliptical phaser. Nextel treated paper enhancing highest rigidity for fast natural audio response. Featuring adaptive rubber surround provides an ideal match to the cone over the total frequency range.
Extra large magnet system, with very long and light weight CCAW voice coil allowing perfect coil excursion, low distortion having excellent transient response.
Giant copper rings mounted above and below the T-shaped pole piece reduce non linear and modulation distortion and increase overload margin.
Extremely stiff and stable very thick skeleton aluminium/magnesium increase rigidity and lightness while avoiding airflow noise.

WOOFERS
Two 220 mm, ultra linear horn loaded super light driver featuring an aluminum elliptical big phaser. Nextel treated paper enhancing highest rigidity for fast natural audio response. The bass drivers feature large magnet design with a bumped back plate, a large dampened platform on the back of the magnet improves stiffness that features a very long and light weight CCAW voice coil, allow extreme coil excursion with low distortion and excellent transient response.

Giant copper rings mounted above and below the T-shaped pole piece reduce non linear and modulation distortion and increase overload margin. A chrome plated brass phase plug reduces compression due to temperature variations in the voice coil, increase long term power handling capacity eliminating resonances in the cavity inside the voice coil former. Extremely stiff and stable very thick skeleton aluminium/magnesium increase rigidity and lightness while avoiding airflow noise.

CROSS-OVER
Passive Crossover Low-High Dual-Slop with cut at 200Hz & 2200Hz featuring a resistive design enables ultra linear load to let amplifier working without stressing its power supply even at a nominal impedance of 4Ω.

Anti-resonance thick glass-fibre board featuring a very sophisticated triple crossover network featuring a summing midrange multi slope design to perfectly integrate the drivers of the Array enabling a close field ultra smooth audio experience. Air winding hand made coils and super selected audio grade capacitors and resistor completing a deluxe crossover.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Marten Mingus Quintet

























Release at Highend 2016

Monday, April 11, 2016

A customer review about Schnerzinger Technologies
































































As a long time music lover and audiophile pursuing the most possible original reproduction of music performance is not an easy matter in domestic environment, changing hardware, software and accessory of all kinds are common practice in our pursue, however, never in our experiences or understanding that passive devices designed to clean up unclean environment, whether sources of dirtiness are from equipment, electricity or from the atmosphere, can achieve results to an extend like changing a core active component in our system.

We are some of those who don't like unnecessary components or accessories that get into the signal / music reproduction path, these SCHNERZINGER analog, digital, speaker cleaners and power grid protector just don't, they are only hooked up to the unused analog/digital RCA/XLR input (output), speaker binding post and plug into any available power socket in our home.

You don't need to sit tight and straight at all to appreciate these cleaners' positive effects, the only doubt you may have (like us) is, how could passive components can bring to music reproduction such an all-around improvement without any discernible negatives? Analytically, these cleaners and protectors give us unmistakable larger and deeper, true-to-life three dimensional sound-stage with superb instrument, voice and image separation, they can miraculously retrieve more micro details and dynamic from the recordings with natural tonal balance which we were not aware of previously in a wide variety of hardware we owned. You can use all sort of fancy audiophile terms or beautiful language to describe the improvements, but simply put, they give music more lively and natural presentation, and make it more enjoyable to listener.

As music lovers we listen to music not HiFi hardware, the ultimate test of how good a system can reproduce music, is whether it can bring you in tune with the music and the performers. It is this critical aspect that these SCHNERZINGER cleaners and protectors are real treasure to us. They work by removing unwanted interference of some kinds, if I have to make a guess, such as radio frequency interference (RFI) or electro-magnetic interference (EMI) from the environment and beautifully release the least interfered music signal to our systems. After living with these SCHNERZINGER products in our systems for more than three months, it consistently brought us much closer to the music and performance. In the past we enjoyed listen to very good reproduction of music from our systems but now with these cleaners and protectors, we were like literally transported right into the concert hall or recording venue to enjoy the music and performance, as music lovers, what else can we ask for?

LL

April 2016


Main systems including:

Analog source: Strain Gauge valve phono system, Kondo phono

Digital source: MSB top of the line DAC, Lampizator Golden Gate DAC

Amplification: Kondo pre/power amp, single-ended 300B mono blocks

Speakers: Zellaton, Crystal speakers and Reference 3A Episode

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Thales TTT-Compact II





























The popular reference turntable with battery power source is now featured with a newly developed drive unit.

Basic research in different turntable drive systems allowed the belt drive to be optimized to the utmost. Any unwanted movement of the belt is prevented by two additional flywheels.

The individual speed of the three pulleys is tuned to inharmonic relationship in order to cancel any resonance behaviour. All rotating elements are packed in a massive cast iron block.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

ArtVibes Audio Picasso Loudspeaker












































































Specs

Material used for the cabinet: Russian plywood

Thickness of the front baffle: 38 mm (1.25 inch)

Dimensions and weight of the speaker: W: 228 mm: H: 1016 mm (1066 mm with puck and spike); D: 254 mm

Weight: approx. 25 kg

Frequency response defined by decibel variation: on axis: 25 Hz-30 kHz (+/- 1 dB); off axis : 25 Hz-20 kHz (+/- 1 dB @ 30 degrees)

Frequency range: 30 Hz-25 kHz (in room response)

Impedance: 8 ohms

Sensitivity in decibels: 87 dB @ 2.83 v/1w

Power handling: 100 watts RMS

Recommended power: 20-100 watts

Warranty duration and terms: 10 years manufacturing faults

Price : 9,995$ – 19,995$ CDN depending on finish


Technical White Paper

Friday, April 1, 2016

Avid Reference One Loudspeaker























Our flagship Reference One loudspeaker is by definition the pinnacle of performance. A statement of our limitless passion and resolve to surpass even our own expectations.

By any margin it's a colossal design, capable of exposing every detail in your music.

Revealing a stunning transparent stereo picture, with an immense sense of power and control with real room-filling capabilities, coupled with a vast dynamic range and power handling, mean you can unleash the ferocious power that our amplifiers can deliver.

As with our other products, all metalwork and construction is done within our own factory. Cabinet construction employs aerospace grade aluminium plate up to 40mm thick. Once crafted together, these form a massive and incredibly rigid, low-resonant structure.

Shunning convention, AVID developed a method that sandwiches the drivers between metal plates, resulting in a superior fixture, damping and guiding unwanted resonances to our vibration damping element and offering a stunning fixture-free appearance.

All cabinets are reflex loaded, providing each drive unit with an optimum working enviroment and maximising low frequency performance. Hidden porting also minimizes room positioning issues and thankfully each speaker is fitted with easy-rolling quick release casters and attractive adjustable solid stainless steel spikes for grounding.

Each crafted cabinet houses no less than four 10" Bass drivers, two 6" Midrange units, a natural sounding 28mm soft dome tweeter and all use Titanium voice coil formers. This material offers great thermal stability and minimizes the effects of eddy currents, improving both dynamics and transient response characteristics.

This material choice, along with the massively large diameter voice coils, means the speaker as a whole is able to handle high-power, yet still accurately reproduce subtle detail at the same time. Adding the ultra rigid cabinet ensures a colouration free sound that's sweet and natural, leaving you enjoying music, not listening to your speakers.

Finished in Black, Bronze or Charcoal Silver with contrasting chrome trim panels.


Specifications

Driver Configuration

HF
1 x 28mm (Titanium voice coil former)

MF
2 x 160mm (75mm Titanium voice coil former)

LF
4 x 254mm (130mm Titanium voice coil former)

Frequency Response
24Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB

Sensitivity
89dB 1W@1m

Recommended Power
80 - 1200W

Impedance
4 Ohm

Crossover Topology
3-way, 2nd Order

Cabinet Construction
Aluminium Plate. All internal volumes sealed with O-Ring gaskets

Dimensions
(cabinet)   1970 x 346 x 522 (HxWxD)
(overall)    2055 x 550 x 540 (HxWxD)

Finishes
Black, Bronze or Charcoal Silver with chrome trim, stainless steel feet

Net weight
340 KG