Sunday, November 24, 2024
Monday, November 18, 2024
Monday, November 11, 2024
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
InfigoAudio IS-1
The streamer is the culmination of multiple, unique digital source product developments in the classic Infigo style designed enclosure.
There are three versions: Performance, Signature and Cryogen.
Product highlights:
USB audio optimized connection to a DAC for highest possible sample rates of digital music
Built in ultra low noise linear power supply creates very low noise floor, creating a very black music background
Network attached internal local storage of music (up to 4TB) to play music local direct to DAC
Fiber optic isolation of network connection to block network noise creates a separation between the ‘dirty’ network and clean audio chain
Ultra low jitter re-clocking of network audio packets (Signature and Cryogen version) eliminates the need for audiophile grade network gear
Built in local webpage with all control functions easily accessible via a browser in the network
Four different modes of operation to be compatible with 99% of music players in the market: Audirvana, uPnP, Roon, HQPlayer
Powerful Intel Quad Core CPU with one high speed core fully dedicated to music gives optimum sound quality for all modes of operation
Cryogenically treated internal cable model available (Cryogen version)
The new Infigo Audio Streamer IS-1, like all other Infigo products, has a clear top panel cover that shows the blue LED illuminated internals
The blue front panel LEDs can be dimmed via the built in local webpage, which also gives a status information overview panel and a settings menu to change the mode of operation
The internal local music storage presents itself on the network as a network drive and is compatible with most Windows, Mac and Linux systems
The streamer can operate as an Audirvana Server, Roon Endpoint, HQPlayer Network Audio Adapter or Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) music endpoint, which covers 99% of music players in the market
All of these modes of operation run exclusively on a dedicated high speed processor core to make sure nothing interrupts the precious audio process while playing. This streamer will get the best out of any USB DAC
The gigabit fiber optic isolated network connection eliminates network noise and jitter. The optic converters in the unit are powerful enough to bridge a fiber cable more than 10 miles long
The streamer comes standard with an armored fiber optic cable of 3 meters but can be supplied with different lengths on request
The base model, Performance, lists at $3500, the Signature model lists at $5000 and the Cryogen model $7000
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Michael Weidlich Audio K3
The K3 is our reference in the art of loudspeaker construction.
Weidlich & Götzenberger Audioengineering is the development team behind this ambitious project.
The beautiful shape of the housing with its organic and elegantly tapered curves invites the eye to explore. This is an acoustic dream environment for the loudspeaker systems used. Comparable to the aerodynamics of a vehicle, the sound waves of the air can spread along the housing contour without turbulence.
There are no parallel structures in the interior. Reflections and resonances are effectively suppressed by this and the extensive insulation. The sandwich construction of the housing walls with a combination of highly compressed and softer materials ensures unyielding rigidity and quietness. The large crossover chamber behind the concave rear wall offers generous space for accommodating the high-quality Mundorf components.
Tweeters, midrange speakers and mid-woofers are top products of German loudspeaker engineering. ARCOSIA is the name of the top series from the renowned German manufacturer ETON.
The tweeter has a 28 mm magnesium dome coated with ceramic on both sides. Its carefully tuned double chamber volume offers the best conditions for a linear transmission. This tweeter sounds highly musical.
The 4" and 7" cone drivers have membranes made of magnesium composite material. The membrane is provided with spiral holes through which the rear coating protrudes slightly. This not only gives the chassis their characteristic design, but also their radiant, colorful sound.
A 30 cm subwoofer from Scan-Speak ensures noticeable pressure in the K3 down to the deep bass regions. Its aluminum membrane can play cleanly up to the midrange and thus maintains the high transparency of the entire sound.
Since all housing volumes are closed, no noise escapes from openings.
The high-quality piano lacquer gives the shapely K3 an appearance similar to a large concert grand piano and makes it a unique living space object.
The dimensions are:
Height (max) 125.4 cm
Width body (max) 39 cm
Width feet 51.5 cm
Depth (max) 72.4 cm
Sunday, July 7, 2024
Imagination speakers
2-way speaker system in a sealed box
A 25cm woofer and a ceramic dome tweeter
Efficiency 91 dB
Complete weight with stand 100 Kg
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Monday, June 10, 2024
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Spatial Audio Lab Blackbird
Although notoriously difficult to drive, the 300B tubes give unmatched low distortion in the most critical location in the whole amplifier.
The trick with the 300B is that it demands a driver with both very low distortion and significant power into a high capacitance load. Most drivers fail at that task, leading to murky and colored sound. With a powerful enough (and linear!) driver, the full beauty and immediacy of the 300B is revealed.
Starting with the most linear tubes for each power range, we choose the most linear possible circuit: fully balanced, and transformer coupled at each stage. No power is wasted in load resistors, as in conventional Golden Age vacuum tube amplifiers. All of the power is made available to the following grids, not just a fraction. The audio signal goes straight from plate to grid, with no detours or side channels.
The signal path is copper, transformers, and vacuum tubes. Nothing else. No coupling caps, no dynamic loads, no phase splitters, no secondary paths, no feedback loops. Just a straight shot from input to output. And it sounds like it; the absence of secondary paths, and various types of signal processing like phase splitters, is immediately evident. You will hear it right away, on any type of music you prefer.
The power amplifiers have a special feature for balanced preamps like the Raven: they take advantage of the balanced, isolated signal and feed it directly to the matched 6SN7 input-tube grids. If a conventional preamp is used, there's a dedicated input transformer that isolates and balances the signal, but using a Raven preamp gives an end-to-end signal chain using fully balanced tubes, with each transformer coupled for maximum signal transfer, with no side chains, feedback, or dynamic loads. Nothing but copper, transformers, and vacuum tubes.
Specs
Input Tubes: (x1) 6SN7
Driver Tubes: (x2) KT88
Output Tubes: (x2) 300B
VR Tubes: (x2) VR105
Zero feedback, fully balanced design
Frequency Response: @2W 18Hz - 30kHz +/- 0.5dB@24W 26Hz - 30kHz +/- 0.5 dB
Power Output: 24W
Dimensions: 10” x 18.25” x 16.25” 53lbs
Inputs: XLR / RCA
3.5mm 12v Input Trigger
Spatial Audio Lab Raven
Part of the Revelation series, the Raven linestage preamplifier brings Western Electric technology into the 21st Century.
Like the classic WE line drivers of the 1930's, it is transformer coupled throughout, input and output, and fully balanced for minimum distortion.
The 21st Century enters the picture with ultra low noise power supplies for B+ high voltage and heater supplies, and the state-of-the-art Khozmo volume control, with remote control (standard) and 0.5 dB left-to-right balancing ... on the remote, so you don't need to get up to make precise corrections while you listen.
For maximum flexibility, the preamp has both RCA single-ended and XLR balanced inputs, so it matches a wide variety of phono preamps, DACs, SACD players, and analog tape decks. Similarly, the output is both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA (at the same time). For maximum convenience, there's also a 1/4" headphone jack for high-impedance headphones (300 ohms or greater).
Unlike other vacuum-tube preamps, there's a custom designed wideband output transformer with a 1:4.5 stepdown ratio. As the ratio implies, this multiplies the signal current from the 6SN7 more than four times, making the Raven preamp a tiny power amplifier as much as it is a preamplifier.
The input transformer might seem unnecessary with its 1:1 ratio, but it breaks any possible ground loops between multiple sources and the rest of the system. All of the inputs "float" so there is no electrical connection between the inputs and the sensitive circuits of the Raven. The only connection is the magnetic link between primary and secondary of the transformer. Transformer isolation has been the professional solution in telephone, radio, television, and recording studios since the 1930's, and applies just as well to home audio with multiple sources.
The Raven is a completely different approach than the "Golden Age" circuits of the 1950's and 1960's. It reaches back to the Western Electric of the 1930's and embraces the future with advanced power supplies and modern volume controls.
Specs
Tubes: (x2) 6SN7, (x2) VR150, (x2) 6AX4
Dual-Mono 64-step with Remote Control 4-Source Sequential Selector
Zero feedback, fully balanced design
Frequency Response: 18Hz - 30kHz +/- 0.5dB
Power Draw: 45W
Dimensions: 9” x 18” x 12” 30lbs
XLR: 2 Input (pair) / 1 output (pair)
RCA: 2input (pair) / 1 output (pair)
Headphone Jack: 6.35mm Front Panel
Monday, May 13, 2024
Zellaton Stage Ultra
3-Way Floorstanding Speaker System
Drive Units
High 1x 33 mm (1,3”) full-cone tweeter
Mid 1x 180 mm (7”) full-cone mid woofer
Low 1x 220 mm (9”) full-cone woofer
Impedance 4 Ohms
Frequency Response 24 Hz - 40 kHz
Sensitivity 89 dB/1W/m
Dimensions H x W x D 118 x 45 x 64 cm (46” x 18” x 25”)
Net Weight ~100 kg (220 lbs)
