Innholdsfortegnelse for September - October 2017 i Australian HiFi

I have written in this space previously about the dangers of crowd-funding, with a focus on audio products. Since then, many more crowd-funded audio products have not been delivered, or delivery has been substantially delayed, sometimes by up to two years. The most recent crowd-funded venture to fail to deliver is Kanoa, which took audiophiles’ money ($149 each) for a pair of wireless in-ears. At the time of writing, the company’s position was outlined on its website as: ‘At this time, we are in negotiations with investors for funding … without that investment, we do not have enough capital to stay operational … as a backer you have played an integral role in the development of the Kanoa product and company …which makes it even more difficult to say that…

A self-titled ‘proverbial dilettante of the arts’ has created a website of cartoons that take a satirical look into the audiophile lifestyle. The artist, who once worked for MAD Magazine, is an award-winning songwriter and a prize-winning photographer, but prefers to remain anonymous. ‘My website is strictly for fun; does not have advertising or pay-per-clicks, and I publish a new cartoon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday,’ he says. ‘It was conceived as a satirical look into the life of an audiophile, with maybe a small taste on the video side as well,’ he writes on his website, which is located at www.wooferandtweet.com If a cartoon features a photograph of a hi-fi component, links are provided to the manufacturer of that component, but this is for convenience only according to Woofer…

Canohm is now distributing WireWorld products in Australia, having taken over sole distribution from the previous distributor, QualiFi. Michael Henriksen, the managing director of Qualifi, told Australian Hi-FI Magazine: ‘We have enjoyed working with Wireworld over the past four years since taking over distribution from the previous distributor, Audio Products Group. Canohm is a long-standing and highly-respected distributor, with whom we have always had a fine working relationship. We transferred our entire stock of Wireworld to Canohm on July 1st, so all Wireworld enquiries should now be directed to Canohm.’ Robert Costello, of Canohm, said that he was particularly excited that his company would have the opportunity to promote Wireworld’s newest CAT8 cable, the Chroma Cat8 and Platinum Starlight Cat8. ‘People are discovering that music streamed over wired Ethernet sounds…

Sony has released its waterproof wearable WS623 Walkman, which has Bluetooth Wireless Technology2 with NFC. The inclusion of Bluetooth means that in addition to playing back music stored in the WS623’s 4GB of on-board memory, you can also stream music to it from your smartphone. The inclusion of Sony’s ‘Ambient Sound Mode’ means you can choose to block out external sounds or choose between three settings that enable you to be aware of external sounds. This function uses in-built microphones to pick up external voices and sounds. The WS623s have an IP65/IP68 rating which Sony says means you can swim with them on for 30 minutes at depths of up to two metres—and you can use them in salt water provided that you wash the headphones in fresh water immediately…

Convoy International, which distributes Music Hall in Australia, has released Music Hall’s new entry-level turntable, the mmf1.3. ‘This new model introduces Music Hall to a new audience thanks to its very competitive pricing, while those familiar with the brand’s existing, superbly engineered, high-performance line-up will immediately recognise the brand’s DNA in the mmf1.3, which has been developed on an all-new platform, different to any previous model,’ said Geoff Matthews, of Convoy. ‘The mmf1.3 continues the Music Hall tradition of purist design featuring belt drive, manual operation, solid MDF plinth construction, superb isolation and high-quality components throughout. A d.c. motor maintains speed stability while an aluminium tonearm with precision bearings and removable headshell and a high-quality, pre-mounted Audio-Technica cartridge ensures fidelity that is unrivalled in its class.’ The Music Hall mmf1.3…

I was pleased to find that the Audia Flight FL Three S has a sophisticated electronic protection system built in… This year seemed like a good year to review Audia Flight’s FL Three S integrated amplifier, because it’s exactly twenty years since this Italian company released its first product, the Flight 100 power amplifier (released 1997) and I wasn’t about to wait around until the twentieth anniversary of Audia Flight’s first integrated amplifier (the Flight One) because otherwise you would have been waiting until 2021 for this review. THE EQUIPMENT With so many manufacturers trying to build in added value to their products these days by offering ‘features’ that most audiophiles actually don’t want (built in DACs, phono amplifiers and suchlike), it was truly refreshing to find that Audia Flight’s…

You’re probably asking yourself why you’d use a transformer to step up the output from a moving coil cartridge... Lundahl isn’t exactly a household name amongst audiophiles, yet you’ll find the company’s transformers in many of the world’s best-performing high-end audiophile products. Yet despite having been in the transformer and coil winding business since 1958, when the company was established in Sweden by Lars Lundahl, the company only started building consumer products in 2009. Until then, it had built products specifically for other manufacturers, which used its coils and transformers in industrial, electronics, aerospace and professional audio applications. THE EQUIPMENT We initially thought that the sample we were provided for review was a prototype, since all the circuitry was housed in a small (120×80×100mm – HWD) wooden box with a…

Audio veteran Peter Allen is a keen believer in the art of mixing and matching hi-fi components for optimum results. His leafy outer-suburban home has an upstairs loft filled with everything from legendary solid-state amplifiers to old classics such as Quad-57 speakers and Stax F-81 electrostatic headphones—plus lots of new gizmos. Despite his extended audio collection, his Quad 63s and Yamaha NS-1000s still hold pride of place in his living room. ‘I tweak what I have, and keep it together for a long time,’ he says. ‘I have come slowly to realise that there isn’t an ultimate, and I’m basically a satisfied, moderate audiophile. I suffer the occasional audiophile niggle and ask myself: ‘What if I just make one improvement, maybe buy something new yet again? Might it sound better…

Is it too cheeky to include in these august pages a review of a DAC that costs a mere $350? Indeed, a DAC that comes from what is essentially a computer peripheral company? A DAC that’s also an ADC, a microphone pack, a powered headphone amplifier and an audio processor? After running it through its paces, I don’t think it’s too cheeky, because it turns out that you can get some very respectable sound out of this device. THE EQUIPMENT The company is Creative Technology. It didn’t invent computer sound for IBM compatible PCs (this was way before Windows), but brought together the synthesis of sound and digital to analogue conversion in computers with its Sound Blaster cards for computers. That was 1989 and the DAC capabilities were by today’s…

When The Economist magazine presents a story about vinyl records it’s worth reading. If you’re wondering why records are so damn expensive it’s probably because there are so few places in the world that can make them. Another reason is that the places that do make them don’t exactly work fast. Back when CDs caught on and the market for records died, most vinyl manufacturers didn’t just shut the doors, they junked the machinery or sold it for scrap. This meant that when records became popular again the entrepreneurs who wanted to manufacture them had to fight each other over the record-making machinery that was left. But they had to find it first, and that wasn’t easy. Reports of people racing across the world to get their hands on such…

Danish manufacturer B&O puts design above all else, and that’s very evident with its H4 headphones, which it says: ‘have been designed to define a new standard for people who value iconic simplicity.’ The design of the B&O Beoplay H4 headphones is the work of famous Scandinavian designer Jakob Wagner, who has used lambskin, braided textile and aluminium in their construction. Lambskin is used for the ear cushions as well as the headband. The inside of the ear cushion is made of memory foam that adapts to the shapes and curves of the ear. The cord connecting the headphones is encased in braided textile that has been made partially visible between the slider and the headband as a design touch. ‘Their minimalist design expression is an unmistakable link to the…

Pioneer has released its 5.1-channel VSX-832 receiver, its first model to support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X reproduction. Rated by Pioneer with a power output of 80 watts per channel with two channels driven into 8 , the VSX-832 incorporates Pioneer’s MCACC automatic sound adjustment technology and can stream via Chromecast, DTS Play-Fi, Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, and Tune-In via dual-band Wi-Fi. FireConnect powered by Blackfire delivers wireless multi-room audio, allowing network and analog sources connected to the AV receiver to be played on optional speakers. Other features include a 384 kHz/32-bit DAC and video pass-through of Dolby Vision, HDR10, and BT.2020 via HDCP 2.2-compliant HDMI. Pioneer’s MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System), automatically compensates for differences in speaker size, level, and distance, and equalises the frequency response to be correct for your…

Stax has announced a new hybrid headphone amplifier which uses a 6922 twin-triode in the pre-amplifier section and solid-state Class-A circuitry in the power output stage. The Stax SRM-T8000 has the twin triodes mounted on a separate PCB that’s vibrationally isolated and shielded from the chassis to prevent external vibrations and noise from affecting the performance of the valve through microphonics. The SRM-T8000 uses a large, high-current toroidal transformer in its power supply and has a bypass function that removes the volume control from the circuit, so you can instead adjust volume using an external device. It also has a pass-through input (input 1 of the two line-level unbalanced RCA inputs) so you can route a signal through to other components. In addition to the two unbalanced inputs, there’s a…

Australian loudspeaker manufacturer Richter Audio (previously Richter Acoustics) has released a range of DAB+ Digital Radios. ‘Our Digital Essential radios deliver quality, design and performance and provide an affordable entry into the Digital Radio DAB+ market segment,’ said Brian Rodgers, of Richter. ‘Radio is a big part of people’s lives and, now that so many digital-only radio services are catering for different genres, Richter is set to play an important role in this exciting audio category.’ Two of the first models are the Richter Audio Core and Richter Audio Wake. The Core is finished in grey/platinum and its display shows not only the station playing but can also show scrolling text as well as the time and date. It has a headphone socket and can be battery-powered or mains-powered. The…

Magico has released its M6, a three-way, five-driver floor-standing loudspeaker it says establishes a new pinnacle of engineering and design vision at Magico. The Magico M6’s cabinet is a monocoque enclosure made from 12.5mm carbon-fibre, a construction technique that Alon Wolf, of Magico, says increases the structural strength-to-weight ratio by a factor of 60, while reducing overall weight by 50 per cent and yielding outer dimensions that are 30 per cent smaller without compromising internal volume. Also, the curved interior and exterior walls minimise internal standing waves and external diffraction. The front baffle is made from aluminium and braced by ten aluminium tension rods. The tweeter in the M6 has a 28mm diamond-coated beryllium diaphragm and is claimed to be more efficient than the tweeter used in Magico’s M-Project model.…

Questyle has released the successor to its QP1R. The new QP2R portable hi-res player features Questyle’s newest current mode amplifiers and has four of them—two more than the QP1R. Questyle says the four current mode amplifier circuits are located on opposite sides of the PCB in order to significantly shorten the signal paths to improve the audio performance, such that the QP2R’s total harmonic distortion is specified at 0.0005 per cent. The new QP2R also reportedly uses a bias control system that ensures that all amplifiers remain in Pure Class A mode, irrespective of load impedance. The output impedance is said to be less than 0.1 . The QP2R uses AKM’s flagship 32-bit DAC, the AK4490—which can support up to DSD256 and PCM384—in combination with Questyle’s own ‘True DSD’ and…

J.A. Michell turntables, tonearms and accessories are now available in Australia from NSW-based distributor Radiance Audio Visual, which took over distribution from Amber Technology on July 1, 2017. Richard Neale, General Manager of Amber Technology said: ‘After a long association with J.A. Michell, we decided the brand no longer suited our evolving brand portfolio. We wish Michell and Radiance success in the future.’ Chris Strom, Operations Manager at Radiance Audio Visual, told Australian Hi-Fi Magazine: ‘We’re very pleased and excited about the opportunity to be able to distribute J.A. Michell in Australia through our extensive network of dealers. It’s an iconic brand, for which we will keep all stock locally. We will soon announce a new price list, as well.’ John Michell started J.A. Michell in Britain nearly 40 years…

German high-end manufacturer has resurrected a very old idea. Its new ‘Concept Active’ turntable, which comes fitted with a Satisfy Kardan tonearm or Clearaudio’s own magnetic bearing tonearm (either of which can be fitted with one of Clearaudio’s own moving-magnet or moving-coil cartridges) has a built-in headphone amplifier so that the turntable and a pair of headphones are all you need in order to listen to your LPs. But if you’d prefer to listen through loudspeakers (instead or as well), Clearaudio has you covered here too, because it contains an RIAA stage and a preamplifier with its own volume control, so it can be connected directly to a power amplifier if required (though of course you can also connect it to any integrated amplifier). ‘Essentially, this is Clearaudio’s all-in-one-system, ready…

I’d be the first to say that having your music stored on a network makes a great deal of sense, and also gives enormous flexibility Check the capabilities, features—and specifications!—of Marantz’s NA 6005 Network player and you’ll find it hard to reconcile them with the recommended retail price, let alone the ‘haggle’ price. THE EQUIPMENT Marantz’s NA 6005 is definitely a ‘network’ player, in that if you connect it to your computer network (via Ethernet or WiFi), it’ll give you access to any music you have stored on the hard drive of your computer or on standalone attached storage (a NAS drive). And it really doesn’t matter how that music is stored, the NA 6005 will find all your albums (and/or tracks) and play them for you: WAV, FLAC, MP3……

I can hear you all now. ‘Not another review of a speaker from Dynaudio’s Contour range,’ is what you’re all mumbling under your collected breath. Yes, this IS a review of a model from Dynaudio’s Contour range, but it is a brand spanking new model, never before seen in Australia—much less reviewed—and when I say brand spanking new, ALL the drivers in this Contour 60 are newly designed—except for the tweeter—and have never appeared on any previous Dynaudio loudspeaker. Dynaudio has had a ‘Contour’ range since it first started building loudspeakers forty years ago (yes, 2017 is the company’s 40th anniversary), so it’s the company’s longest-running range. It’s been updated several times over the years, but for the first time this new version is not an ‘update’ as such, but…

Beyerdynamic’s DT 1990 Pro headphones won a 2017 Sound+Image Award but they’re a similar design to the DT 1770 Pro, which has closed headshells rather than the semi-open headshells of the award-winners. ‘Would we like to compare the two models side by side?’, asked Beyerdynamic’s Australian ditributor, Synchronised Technology (aka Syntec). Yes indeed we would—the 1770 builds upon a classic design, and the interesting contrast between similar closed and open designs turned out to be a task made still more pleasurable by their inclusion of a neat little headphone amp with which we could drive them, Beyerdynamic’s own A20, which retails in Australia for $999. An interesting side-effect of ever-pricier consumer headphones is that professional headphones, which used to be rather more expensive, now aren’t. We often like the balance…

The first Gold Note Bellagio Reference turntable has arrived in Australia, and it’s spinning vinyl for prospective buyers down at Sound Gallery’s premiere demo room in Melbourne. ‘This is the very first time this amazing Italian-made turntable has been demonstrated in Australia,’ said John Ong, of Sound Gallery. ‘The Gold Note Reference features five different curved plinths that are interfaced with aluminium spacers of different thicknesses joined together with custom-machined solid blocks of aluminium. We’ve fitted our Bellagio Reference with an Index B-7 Ceramic tonearm that uses high-precision micro-ceramic ball-bearings manufactured in Germany by GRW, and fitted the arm with the new Donatello moving-coil cartridge, which has a Micro Elliptical diamond developed in collaboration with Adamant-Namiki.’ The complete turntable/tonearm/cartridge package can be yours for $22,632… or probably a bit less…

Playback Designs has announced a new ‘Dream Series’ DAC/Transport/SACD/CD/Server system, but despite this announcement, it’s early days yet, as Andreas Koch, Playback Designs’ president and designer, showed only ‘early prototypes’ of the Dream Series components at the recent Munich show. The Dream Series consists of the MPD-8 standalone DAC and MPT-8 transport with CD/SACD drive and optional music server built in. The MPD-8 DAC uses DAC architecture based on Playback Designs’ existing discrete converter design but according to Koch, ‘incorporates significant improvements and new technologies.’ Its digital inputs support all current sample rates and formats up to Quad DSD, and software is provided that allows you to create PCM or DSD music files on a computer from any digital source connected to the MPD-8. The MPT-8 Digital Music Transport uses…

McIntosh has released the biggest integrated amplifier it has ever made, the MA9000. It’s rated at 300-watts per channel, measures 445×240×559mm (WHD) and weighs 45.9kg. As well as using microprocessors to monitor and control all circuit operations, the MA9000’s circuitry includes ‘PowerGuard’, which prevents the amplifier from being driven into clipping, and ‘Sentry Monitor’ which provides protection against short-circuits. The output stage is rated at 300-watts per channel into 8 . It also delivers 300-watts per channel into 4 and 2 loads due to McIntosh using its ‘Autoformer’ transformers on the outputs. ‘McIntosh is using new high-current output transistors in the MA9000 that eliminate thermal equilibrium lag time,’ said Philip Sawyer, of Synergy Audio Visual, which distributes McIntosh in Australia, ‘so unlike most high-end amplifiers, you don’t have to leave…

Pioneer says its new SE-CH9T in-ear monitors have ‘Hi-Res Audio Certified’ 9.7mm drivers. The Pioneer SE-CH9T is rated to reproduce a frequency range extending from 5Hz to 50kHz and has a double-layer metal structure featuring a brass nozzle and aluminium sleeve that Pioneer says ‘eliminates resonances and vibrations’ and detachable cables with MMCX connectors. ‘These high-quality in-ears have been specially designed for mobile use to enable the best hi-fi music experience,’ said Shelden Walker, of Powermove Distribution, which distributes Pioneer in Australia. ‘They have an exclusive airflow control port that additionally increases the sound definition in the medium- and low-frequency ranges and the in-line remote control and microphone with call answer/end function that’s fitted to the cable makes it ideal for use with smart phones as well as with portable…

This year’s Tokyo International Audio Show (TIAS) will be held on September 29 to October 1st. It’s the 35th anniversary of the show. Sponsored by the International Audio Society of Japan, the Tokyo International Audio Show will be held at the Tokyo International Forum, https://www.t-i-forum.co.jp/en/, a multi-purpose exhibition centre designed by Rafael Viñoly that’s located in Chiyoda-ku, in the centre of Tokyo. Details are as follows: Dates and Times 29th September 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m. 30th September 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m 1st October 10.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Venue Tokyo International Forum, 5-1 Marunouchi 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Nearest Metro Station is Yurakucho) Entrance is free. For more information, visit http://iasj.info/…

Riva Audio’s new WAND (Wireless Audio Network Design) Arena and Festival multi-room wireless loudspeakers are now available in Australia, along with the company’s new Turbo X and Riva S Bluetooth loudspeakers ‘Riva’s WAND Series of Multi-Room ‘+’ wireless speakers represent the next generation of multi-room components,’ said Grant Eveleigh of DLG International, which distributes Riva in Australia. ‘The Riva WAND Series gives you best-in-class audio with the freedom and flexibility to listen to anything you want, however you want and wherever you want… and Wi-Fi is optional!’ Riva’s flagship WAND + model, the Riva Festival, has drivers on three sides—three actively driven bass/midrange drivers, three tweeters, and four passive radiators. Riva claims the unique driver layout can deliver stereo sound using Riva’s patented ‘Trillium’ technology, which the company says: ‘creates…

The Marantz NA 6005’s frequency response was also excellent, being just 0.09dB down at 16Hz, and only 0.32dB down at 8Hz. Newport Test Labs measured the output voltage of the NA 6005 at just over 2 volts, as shown on the tabulated chart, which is more than sufficient to drive any device it might reasonably be expected to be connected to. Channel balance was excellent, at 0.048dB, and the separation between the channels equally so, with a best result of 140dB at 16Hz. Channel phase was outstandingly good, measuring 0.02° at 16Hz, 0.01° at 1kHz and just 0.31° at 20kHz. Group delay was typical at 180° and 5.27°. The Marantz NA6005’s frequency response was also excellent, just 0.09dB down at 16Hz, and only 0.32dB down at 8Hz. At 20kHz response…

ABOUT US Sydney Hi-Fi Castle Hill has been operating in the Hills district for twenty-five years. We specialise in quality Hi-Fi and Home Theatre products and back it up with many years of industry experience. Top quality brands and accessories partnered with our design team and custom installation options give our customers an unparalleled choice in Hi-Fi, home theatre and outdoor systems tailored to your individual requirements. SERVICE & SUPPORT With six dedicated sound lounges, including a custom theatre, a visit to our store is a true experience for the AV enthusiast. Our audio specialists have spent many years putting together music and theatre systems to meet the requirements of discerning listeners and it remains a true passion that we still enjoy today. Come in store today and experience outstanding…

Newport Test Labs’ fourth graph (why not make it the first, guys?) tells the story here most clearly, with the lab having measured the PSB SubSeries 200’s frequency response at a distance of two metres from the subwoofer, using pink noise as a test signal. The captured data was then smoothed to one-third octave via post-processing. The black trace on Graph 4 shows the Sub-Series 200’s response when the crossover is set to 150Hz (its maximum setting) and you can see that it is extremely flat from 35Hz to 125Hz and overall extends from 24Hz to 180Hz ±3dB. This is an outstanding result. When the crossover control is set to its minimum (50Hz) setting, the response is at its most flat across the 25–65Hz region after which it rolls off…