10/14/05: AAA-Audio: Bostonian
IT specialist Mr. Ping Gong has, in his own words, "watched the
North American high-end market and Chinese high-end manufacturing
for several years. We have been to China several times to visit the
factories, talk with the management teams and evaluate their
products. We have also visited many Chinese high-end dealers to
gather customer feedback and repair data. After several years of
careful selection, we are positive that we are now presenting the
highest quality Chinese high-end audio/video products available to
the North American audiophiles."
The lineup
presently includes Dussun, a brand headed by the former chief
designer for Korsun (made famous in the US for his OEM work for a
high-profile American brand). Original specializes in
digital front-end components but also makes a headphone amp.
XLH makes a horn speaker and an ambitious pre/power combo
that Mr. Gong feels competes with "anything" built and designed in
the US or Europe. oSound provides furniture and accessories
for audio and video.
Unlike most
present US importers for Chinese products, AAA-Audio deliberately
avoids valved components and focuses exclusively on solid-state gear
to compete with the best from the West. Mr. Gong feels strongly that
AAA-Audio represents "The Best From China". The three electronics
manufacturers he has signed up do not engage in any OEM or
rebadging work for other brands. This insures that their
products are original and exclusive just as one expects from
equivalent small US or European high-end brands. |
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| 10/8/05: NYC goes Tubulous: Or does
Tubulous go NYC? Either way, our review prediction that this speaker
would lend itself to unusual customizations has already come true.
Interested parties should contact the manufacturer for available
options. |
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| 10/7/05: Running Springs Audio Jaco: "The new
RSA JACO which is named after the famed fusion bassist Jaco
Pastorius, is a 20-amp, 8-outlet power device capable of 2400 watts
of uncompressed power. The JACO ($2195) includes the RSA Mongoose 20
power cord, a $550 value. It has the flexibility and power for a
complete system solution for your front-end and amplifiers in one
chassis. So, power up with JACO." |
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| 10/6/05: Audion's new US distributor:
Ray Lombardi of Ray of Sound, the Ensemble importer, now
adds this British valve brand to his roster of products. |
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| 10/5/05: Trinity
DAC: "GTE-Audio TRINITY® DAC represents the next
quantum leap into a new era of music reproduction. It revolutionizes
the world of audio systems by achieving absolutely pure sound. To
remain true to the motto of "Stereo is dead - long live Stereo", GTE
Audio has developed LIANOTEC®. A 20kHz sinusoidal signal with
eightfold digital oversampling and a sampling rate of 48kHz in the
output signal shows the familiar coarse sampling steps of other
multibit DACs which require smoothing by an analog filter. By
comparison, the LIANOTEC® circuit design produces a perfect sine
wave. This means there is no need for an active filter that would
impair signal quality. This is a global innovation and the heart of
an ingenious new technology in the field of digital to analog
converters. The result is a peerless premium product. Its benchmarks
in all music reproduction parameters are so far unbeatable. TRINITY®
DAC is a new experience in music listening, so true to life that the
home hi-fi room becomes a concert hall – pure listening
pleasure." |
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10/5/05:
Canton's redesigned Ergo Series:
"The Ergo line has long represented the most conservative aspects of
Canton's design philosophy," remarked Canton's head designer Frank
Göbl. "This marks the most significant evolution the line has seen
in the past 20 years, incorporating the lessons learned and new
techniques we have developed over the past decade in all aspects of
loudspeaker design. The result is the embodiment of classic Ergo
sensibilities – just better."
All of the full range models in
the Ergo line employ the newest evolution of the company's highly
regarded ADT-25 aluminum-manganese dome tweeter. The most
significant change to the driver from previous versions is the new
flared transmission front plate, which delivers improved high
frequency dispersion and off-axis linearity, and increases driver
efficiency by 2- to 3dB overall. The end result of all of these
refinements is to extend the tweeter's effective operating range all
the way out to 40 kHz while simultaneously decreasing
distortion.
All of the models in the Ergo line are currently
available in the company's silver lacquer finish, or in real wood
veneers of beech, cherry, or black ash. Grills are made of
acoustically transparent perforated metal in either black or silver,
depending on cabinet finish. |
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| 10/4/05: Bocchino's new RCA connector:
Carmine Bocchino announces immediate availability of his new Brenda
2 premium RCA connector. |
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| 10/4/05: Tidal Audio's new US
distributor: Daniel R. Barnum of Half Note Audio now
makes this German high-end brand of loudspeakers available to
discerning American audiophiles. |
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| 9/28/05: Bel Canto Design: Launched at
CEDIA 2005, Bel Canto Design introduces its 4th generation of
analog switching amplifiers dubbed e.One based around a new
architecture and housed in half-width chassis. The new e.One
S300 [$1,600] outputs 300 watts into 4 ohms while the
Ref1000 [$2,100/ea.] delivers 1000 mono watts into a 4-ohm
load. Both offer selectable RCA and XLR inputs, switch mode
power supplies and comprehensive circuit protection. 6moons' John
Potis is slated to do the review honors when a review loaner becomes
available. |
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| 9/27/05: Music First Audio lands in the
US: Harbeth importer Walter Swanborn of Fidelis
AV announces the immediate availability of the Music
First Audio passive magnetic preamp which just won HiFi News' Preamplifier of the Year award,
displacing some highly regarded, far more expensive active preamps.
This passive sports 2 balanced and three single-ended inputs and
XLR and RCA outputs as well as a 6dB gain provision.
Attenuation is via premium Stevens & Billington autoformers.
Introductory US retail will be $2,495 and 6moons has been promised a
review sample right after the RMAF show in Denver. |
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| 9/24/05: Cary digital amp: Gasp - Cary Audio
follows Audio Research by going Class D with their new A 306
stereo amp rated at 600wpc into 8 ohms and 1,100 into 4. Coincident
with the amplifier launch are two more products in the new
Designer Series - the C 306 preamp and the CD 306 SACD
dual-format player with stereo mixdown from multi-channel discs. A
new Concept Series of solid-state components is on the
drawing board as well to augment the Cinema and
Classic product lines. |
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| 9/23/05: Pacific Valve: Another Chinese valve
company with 1-year warranties and 30-day return priviledges enters
the market. Shown is the Sheng-Yi Music Angel XD-SE
integrated with 4 x KT88, 2 x 12AU7 and 2 x 12AX7 for 50 watts of
output power. |
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| 9/23/05: Vacuum Tube Amps: Mike Burrows is a
single owner/operator who currently sells his amp, preamps and
headphone amp direct in the US only. The 80-watt 845 mono amp
shown sports user-adjustable bias controls and a 49 lbs outboard
power supply, gold-plated Yamamoto tube sockets and two ball-bearing
fans for self-cooling, a welded 10-gauge steel chassis and solid oak
cheeks. Onset of clipping is claimed to occur at 92 watts. The tube
complement, per 60 lbs mono block, consists of 1 x 12AU7, 1 x 6CG7,
2 x 6SN7 and 2 x 845. All orders are hand-crafted and delivery times
are 4-6 weeks. |
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| 9/23/05: Machina Dynamica's Clever Little Clock:
Hot on the heels of the now infamous Intelligent Chip, Geoff
Kait introduces a treated alarm clock that is said to not interact
with the audio signal in any way, shape or form but to significantly
improve music playback nonetheless. Cost is $149. |
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9/22/05: New Carolina Audio Site: "Carolina
Audio - The Home of Transmission Line Speakers has refreshed
and relaunched its website. This coincides with the release of a new
entry level model - the JLM/2, a small floorstanding 1/4 wave
transmission line speaker available in a black or white finish
featuring the Jordan JX92s full range driver at an introductory
level price of just $999/pr."
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| 9/21/05: Signals-Superfi website launches:
Chris Sommovigo's import branch just got its own website. First
brands represented are Peak-Consult speakers and
Continuum Audio Labs analog components. |
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| 9/21/05: Teresonic: The Ingenium©
[$9,975/pr] is a Lowther DX-3 based one-way 8-inch speaker of
claimed 101.5dB efficiency and 4-100w power handling. Dimensions are
73" H x 10.3" W x 20" D and shipping weight is 185 lbs per pair.
Teresonic states that their speakers sound best with tube amps and
have been specifically designed for low-power variants. |
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| 9/21/05: Euphya Alliance 270 Integrated:
Jonathan Halpern's latest acqusition for his Tone Imports
distribution business, this 40wpc transistor integrated from France
includes an MM phono stage and four line-level inputs and has
garnered rave reviews in Europe. Now available in the US. |
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