HEADLINES The Newsletter of Len Wallis Audio
Autumn 2011
IN THIS ISSUE Marantz KI Pearl ’Lite’ JVC’s 3D projectors Arcam’s amazing rCube iPod docks done digitally B&W’s latest floorstanders and much more...
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DAB+ Digital Radio Internet Radio Media Streaming Bluetooth connectivity Direct iPhone/iPod connection iTunes playback via Airplay
T H E P E R F ECT A D D - O N TO Y O U R EXIST IN G H O ME T HE AT R E O R ST E R EO S Y ST EM Extra USB input for uncompressed files
Optical and Coaxial inputs
The NA7004 is armed with an extensive list of cutting-edge features including Network Streaming, Internet Radio, a high-end Tuner with DAB+ Digital Radio (as well as AM/FM), a USB input with high-quality D/A conversion, iPhone/iPod direct access … all reflecting the same 57-year musical heritage as a Marantz’s award-winning stable of CD players. This is a no-compromise audio component with extensive use of audiophilegrade components, including high-speed voltage HDAMSA2 circuitry, a doublelayered bottom plate for extra chassis strength … and the fabulous CS4398 stereo DAC found in the $5,000 SA-KI Pearl SACD Player. Get the best from your music … whatever the format … and wherever it is … with the new Marantz NA7004.
RX101
FM / AM Radio
For more product information, please visit: www.marantz.com.au/product/NA7004 Distributed in Australia by QualiFi Pty Ltd (03) 8542 1111 • info@marantz.com.au • www.marantz.com.au
Available from QLF520
EDITED BY GEOFF FORGIE
CONTENTS
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LEN WALLIS NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2011
Sphäron Excalibur
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Plasma tweeters on $495k horn speakers – these high-end speakers are demonstrating in store now!
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JVC’s 3D Projectors Even if you don’t want 3D, the latest projector models from JVC offer superb value
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Marantz KI Pearl Lite The award-winning KI Pearl CD player and amplifier now have ‘Lite’ versions. Plus new AV separates...
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Olive O6HD Music Server At the top of Olive’s tree, this music server has touchscreen control and space for 6000 uncompressed CDs
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Latest Loewes Discover the personalised perfection of Loewe’s ‘Individual’ LCD televisions
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B&W’s CM8 Floorstanders The CM Series goes from strength to strength with the arrival of the $2799 CM8 floorstanders
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Orpheus Rising All-new Orpheus loudspeakers combine traditional strengths with new drivers and impressive pricing
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Electrocompaniet DACs A new DAC expands Electrocompaniet’s digital offerings, with an optional wireless Media Streamer as well
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Arcam Cubed The British hi-fi maker of renown debuts the rCube, a powered iPod dock that joins the “must audition” list
Fibre Through The Home This beautiful home (above) is fully fitted with fibre-optic to 16 entertainment zones – including a pool area with 8.1-channel surround sound!
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Acoustic Room Treatment Customised acoustic treatments just got a whole lot easier – and prettier – thanks to Vicoustic
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Peachtree Audio Decco2 A new integrated amp/DAC from the Peachtree team keeps a foot each in digital and analogue camps
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Don’t Miss These Specials! Sennheiser headphones, Audioquest cables, Era speakers and a selection of Musical Fidelity electronics
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Yamaha’s Smallest Soundbar The YHT-S400 keeps its soundbar small by locating a subwoofer within the separate receiver unit
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Docks Done Digitally With more docks now extracting a digital signal rather than analogue, hi-fi sound from your iPod is a reality
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Apple AirPlay Having revolutionised music storage, Apple is out to standardise music streaming with its AirPlay system
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News Briefs B&W’s new Zeppelin variant, a new Stax ‘Earspeaker’, plus Sonos price drops and Len Wallis website news!
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Variety Club of Australia Your old hi-fi could help young lives...
64 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove NSW 2066 Telephone 02 9427 6755 sales@lenwallisaudio.com.au TRADING HOURS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Friday: 9 to 5.30 Thursday: 9 to 8; Saturday: 9 to 5; Sunday: 10 to 4 www.lenwallisaudio.com.au
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2/03/2011 10:11:16 AM
ACAPELLA
Newsletter Autumn 2011 The exotic doesn’t end there. The tweeters are plasma – nothing to do with TV. The plasma tweeter uses the excitation of ionized gases around a conductor to generate high frequency vibrations. They do this very quickly and efficiently, and produce incredible detail, all the way to dog-whistle frequencies and beyond – typically up to 50kHz. There are very few (if any) other manufacturers who make these zero-mass high speed tweeters. Deep bass is handled by 15” woofers – three of them in that large cabinet. So everything is covered more than adequately by this varied array of drivers. One of the challenges for the builders of loudspeakers like these is to integrate this group of drivers in such a way that you get a seamless, balanced total picture. Acapella do this to perfection, and have had a solid following for some years. Here’s an extract from a review of one of their models which sits a little lower in the range, just to give you a taste of the character of Acapella’s progeny: “Lenny’s solo acoustic guitar on “What Is This Thing Called Love?” lunges out of the speakers with all its raw nylon-string sounds and guitar-body resonance eerily intact. Timbral accuracy and image solidity were such that I had the impression I could see into the guitar well enough to make out the label on the inside. About halfway through, Lenny steps out of the changes and goes double time with a kind of cadenza founded on a driving, repetitive bass line. Largely because of the speed
ACAPELLA SPHÄRON EXCALIBUR
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hat’s an exotic name for a very exotic speaker. But perhaps with an RRP of $495k in Australia it would want to be! You only need look at it to know it is something special. Large horn speakers are fairly rare in this country, but take pride of place in the Japanese and European high-
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end, often partnered with valve amplifiers. You can do that with these ones, as they’re 100dB efficient! That means you produce 100dB with one watt of amplifier power. The horns cover principally the midrange and upper bass, and give the speakers a distinctive appearance, rather like outsized flowers from an animated film.
of the Acapellas – which is somewhere between that of a Lamborghini Countach and the Saturn V rocket – the rhythmic energy of this section rocked so hard it left me gasping for breath.”
Ross Mantle of UltraAudio.com on the High Violon speaker
We will have the Sphäron Excaliburs on show in our high-end room by the time you get this issue of Headlines, so a visit to the store will have an added attraction. As always, we are happy to give you a demo, even if you’re not about to buy. As often happens, the demo could change your mind.
lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:19:22 AM
JVC
Newsletter Autumn 2011
JVC DOES 3D – BUT ALSO GREAT 2D
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ince the introduction of full HD projectors, JVC have been one of the leading exponents of an amazing technology known as D-ILA or ‘digital image light amplification’. It is a form of LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) which sounds like but is not the same as LCD. Nor is it a micro-mirror system like DLP, although there are reflective aspects to the image formation. It is not an easy technology to master, but JVC have been so successful that their HD projectors have been the template for companies like Meridian to work on and develop further – at a much higher price. Price is certainly not a concern with the new series of JVC full HD D-ILA projectors! Starting from $4399 for the DLA-HD250, and running up to $9999 for the DLAX9 which sports a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, there is something in this range for everyone who is looking to install a projection system. The contrast ratio is one of the most vital things in producing a convincing image, regardless whether you are using a plasma or LCD (however backlit) display, or front projection. Plasma has the edge over LCD, even with LED backlighting. Projection has always had the same limitation, made worse by ambient light.
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A new era has arrived with the latest series of JVC D-ILA projectors, which can also run in 3D mode when required. The “native” contrast ratio (not the tricked up “dynamic”) rises from 25,000:1 to as much as 100,000:1, depending on the model. That’s going to help a lot – provided you can keep ambient light under control. 3D is achieved by the Frame Sequential method, using special glasses and an emitter for synchronisation. The DLA-X3 at $5499 is a three-device projector, full HD of course. Contrast ratio is 50,000:1, and lamp life 3000 hours; it has twin HDMI 1.4a inputs plus component; and there is motorised zoom (2x) and focus adjustment. It also uses JVC’s new Clear Motion Drive, and boasts a very fine, large-diameter all-glass lens system with 17 elements in 15 groups, including 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses – so important to good performance in projectors as with cameras. The DLA-X7 ($7999) increases the contrast ratio to 70,000:1 and builds the specifications further with lens shift (±80% vertical, ±34% horizontal). It also has a raft of colour management processes to give improved colour balance and to adapt to various original
colour tones in film stock over the years – aficionados will love it! The DLA-X9 ($9999) has the full 100,000:1 contrast ratio – and remember that’s native not dynamic – plus the other advanced features mentioned so far. At the same time, JVC are not forgetting those customers with a tighter budget. The DLA-HD250 ($4399) has 25,000:1 contrast (still good!), full HD resolution of 1920x1080 (up to 1080p), V-stretch for CinemaScope; vertical and horizontal lens shift, 2x zoom, 2 x HDMI 1.3 inputs (yes, that means no 3D) and component video. If you are going to the trouble of installing projection for that big cinema feel, you owe it to yourself to at least go for this model if you can’t make it to the others above. But remember, each step up will yield visible improvements!
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23/02/2011 10:21:03 AM
MARANTZ
Newsletter Autumn 2011
MARANTZ AV SEPARATES
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he latest AV separates products from Marantz deliver top-line performance for very competitive prices. This is where you go as a step up from surround receivers. The 7.2-channel AV7005 (above, $2399) gives you superb audio quality thanks partially to the company’s own HDAM modules and renowned Marantz design. The audio signal is passed to the XLR outputs and the separate power amp. In addition, all audio signals enter the DSP in a variety of ways to ensure that all channels are kept completely separate, thus eliminating interfering ‘channel crosstalk’. For example, you can route
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the audio signal via the network jack for streaming music from your PC or Internet radio. Alternatively, you can route it via one of the six HDMI 1.4a inputs, one of which is hidden behind the front flap for easy access. Here you can also find the iPod-digital-compatible USB input and a second double line display, which complements the famous elegant circular display with more detailed information. The AV7005 also takes supreme care of 3D video signals, even in stand-by mode, and sends them to the two HDMI 1.4a output sockets. And there is even a Phono MM input – ideal for those precious vinyl collections. The AV7005
supports all the latest sound formats including Audyssey DSX by using the Sharc 32-bit signal processor from Analog Devices, also for handling the MultEQ XT auto calibration. It’s all there, just waiting to perform. The Marantz Wizz App transfers control of the AV7005 into the palms of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. A beautifully designed GUI combines with an intuitive layout enabling a superbly easy way to control Marantz products via a home network. Apple’s Airplay can be added (for a fee) to the features of this and other Marantz products. With the incorporation of AirPlay on Marantz products, you can now open up your iTunes to a whole new experience, enjoying not only the ability to stream iTunes music from your PC or Mac on a home network, but access to artist information, album art and elapsed and remaining time. The inclusion of AirPlay capability on this Marantz product has been made possible through the advanced networking technologies applied. AirPlay has previously only been available on products such as the Apple AirPort Express.
lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:23:44 AM
MARANTZ
The new MM7005 (below left, $2299) is the five-channel option in this year’s extended line-up of main amplifiers. Based on the technology in the MM8003 and using the exact same chassis, it delivers a thumping 140W RMS into 8 ohm to each of the channels, while the ultra-wide bandwidth current feedback technology easily handles the highest SACD frequencies – this also makes it ideal for the high definition DTS Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD formats. The result? Totally precise tonal and image balance, speed and dynamics. And on top of all that, you also get XLR audio inputs, DC triggers and a Marantz control bus system for remote on/off. There’s even a stylish new display screen showing the actual output power. This is power and convenience to take your breath away.
MM7005 MAIN FEATURES •
5 x 140W RMS 8 ohm
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Current feedback circuitry
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Balanced inputs
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Gold-plated speaker terminals
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DC trigger control inputs
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Marantz remote bus
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Available in black
KI PEARL LITE
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hen the magnificent KI Pearl amplifier and CD player ($4999 each) appeared in celebration of Ken Ishiwata’s 30 years at Marantz, I guess it was on the cards that there’d be a follow-on issue of more affordable models. Well, there is now – the PM-KI Pearl Lite amplifier (below) and SA-KI Pearl Lite CD player (above), at half the price of the original KI Pearls! Marantz have taken the template that Ken created for the Pearls and applied it to the Lites. The PM-KI Pearl Lite is a current feedback design using high-quality components (including HDAM-S3), a copper-plated chassis, enhanced transformer circuitry (shielded) for wide bandwidth and, at 70w RMS x 2, enough power to drive most speakers. There are six audio
inputs, a phono stage (MM & MC) included, pre-outs, and custombuilt speaker terminals. Many of the Marantz Special Edition products gained legendary status, and the KI Pearl Lites will do the same. The SA-KI Pearl Lite CD/SACD player is also built to a very high standard, and handles both of those major formats plus MP3, WMA and MP4 from iPhone/iPod. It has optical and coaxial inputs, so can be used as a DAC, and when connected to your computer via the rear USB it will be seen as an audio card. Once again it uses a copper-plated chassis and toroidal transformer, HDAM and HDAM-S2 componentry, a Xyron loader mechanism and goldplated outputs. Both KI Pearl Lite items come with a remote control. These high-fidelity components each have a rrp of $2499.
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23/02/2011 10:23:47 AM
OLIVE
Newsletter Autumn 2011
HIGHEST BRANCH IN THE OLIVE TREE
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s we have observed before, digital storage and replay of music has reached the highest quality level with 24bit/192kHz processing, low jitter and ultra-stable hard-disk drives. It is now possible to replay recordings at Studio Master quality, and there are companies such as Linn Records and HD Tracks (the latter run by David Chesky) retailing album and track downloads at the highest quality possible – all direct from the studio masters. To get the full benefit of this new level of replay, you need to reconstruct the music via a high quality DAC. That’s one
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of the things that the Olive O6HD does so well, but the other is storing, cataloguing and replaying your CD collection at the best standard possible. If you want to be able to store a large library of CDs (up to 6000 of them, in uncompressed form) at the best possible quality, the new Olive O6HD has been specified to an exacting standard which ensures no loss of quality, combined with easy access via a large touch-screen interface. The O6HD is hand-built by the company’s factory in San Francisco, and every detail has been attended to in
making it an audiophile product. Using fully-balanced differential Burr-Brown DACs (24bit/192kHz) and reducing jitter to below 10 picoseconds is a good start. Then some ultra-fast, low slew-rate op amps come into play, together with highorder algorithms in the filter system. Distortion is vanishingly small (less than 0.0007%) and the signal-to-noise ratio of 124dB means the noise floor is way, way down, so the sound emerges from a totally quiet background. Add in a separate dedicated headphone circuit, fanless cooling, a 25cm glass touch screen and a casing construction standard second to none, and you’ll understand that $6499 is entirely appropriate – in fact cheaper than any comparable product. Once again, as with other Olive servers, control via iPad, iPhone or iPod touch is also possible using the free app from Olive via the Apple iTunes Store.
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23/02/2011 10:25:23 AM
LOEWE
Newsletter Autumn 2011
NEW INDIVIDUAL LOEWES
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he new slimline Individual Loewe LCD TVs are tailored to individuals who are above all seeking premium equipment which can be personalised perfectly, while at the same time prioritising superlative design and optimum quality. Individual offers this and so much more. Consistent further development of the highest standards means that technical details stand out impressively. As a result, all models feature LED backlighting, ensuring outstanding colour reproduction and an improved contrast ratio whilst maintaining a high level of energy efficiency. The Individual is available in two design versions – either as Compose with contrast filter screen, or as Selection with high-gloss front frame. The Compose model offers 400Hz with intelligent backlight control for even greater sharpness of movement on the models sized 40” and over. 24p motion picture display affords perfect playback of Blu-ray discs. The CI+ interface for the reception of encoded channels ensures that the set is future-proof. The excellent sound is created by numerous individually selectable (optional) audio systems. There’s an Individual audio solution to meet every wish, from 2.0, 3.1, 5.1 right up to digital 7.1-channel cinema sound with the new Loewe Sound Projector.
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The Individual also shines in terms of connectivity. With the help of new Media+ technology, all models permit easy access to numerous multimedia functions. Optionally or as standard with the Compose series, WLAN allows rapid access to online content. With the help of the new remote control button MEDIA, there is easy access to all manner of multimedia via the Loewe media portal. With Loewe MediaHome, images, music and videos can be played via USB or the network – and with MediaNet, Internet content such as Internet radio, Internet video or Web TV can be viewed on the Loewe Individual. With MediaUpdate, every customer benefits from the opportunity of receiving new functions via software update – a real boon for future-proofing.
Special Deals! The 80cm Modus L 32 was $2599, but for a limited time will be $1699. It is a highdefinition 1080i screen with HD tuner inbuilt, and also has a HDMI input. Note: At this size the 1366x768 resolution is indistinguishable from 1920x1080 and the result is magnificent picture quality from broadcast or from attached PVR or DVD/ Blu-ray player. This is an ideal main screen for those who do not require a larger TV, or would be a perfect second or third TV for other rooms of the house. It has
very good inbuilt speakers, an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), Electronic Help Manual, and Teletext functions. There are a variety of A/V inputs and outputs, including HDMI, Component, Digital Audio, Euro Scart, and Headphone out. This is a very limited offer in the black colour only. Another special from Loewe is the Loewe Blu-Tech Blu-ray player which is also on special down from $1599 to $799. Put this with the Modus L and you can run them off the one remote.
Free Warranty Extension Register your warranty with the distributor within 14 days and get the LCD warranty extended from 2 to 5 years, and the Blu-ray from 2 to 3 years.
lenwallisaudio.com.au
2/03/2011 10:14:49 AM
B&W
ALL-NEW B&W CM8
B
&W’s CM series replaced the DM700 series, and brought a superior level of detail. The smaller CM1 and CM5 bookshelf models are superb, while the floorstanding CM9 ($4599) delivers a huge performance if partnered with a suitably powerful amp.
The CM8 is a new, smaller floorstanding model which will also reward your investment of $2799 the pair, preferably using a substantial integrated amplifier or pre/power pair. The CM8 is a true three-way loudspeaker, but an incredibly slim, compact one. It is designed for audiophile levels of performance, but in smaller spaces. It is an elegantly proportioned, slimmed-down version of the awardwinning CM9, and will appeal to discerning customers who demand the very best sound quality, but have limited space in which to achieve it. Like all the models in the CM Series, the CM8 uses crossovers of remarkable simplicity and quality, so what you hear is that much closer to the sound of the original recording. In its functional perfection and understated elegance, it’s nothing less than a masterpiece. Pure and simple.
All CM Series speakers come with chrome driver trims. Grilles attach magnetically, so there are no unsightly grille-mounting features to spoil the clean lines of the speaker’s façade. For the finish, you can choose either one of two real-wood veneers in Rosenut or Wengé, the highly polished gloss black, or the new gloss white. SPECIFICATIONS •
3-way vented enclosure, with 1 x 25mm aluminium dome tweeter, 1 x 130mm Kevlar midrange and two 130mm paper/Kevlar bass drivers
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Frequency response 69Hz-22kHz ±3dB
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Recommended power 30-150W
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Sensitivity 88dB
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Impedance 8 ohms
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Dimensions 960 x 165 x 277mm (hwd), base plate 252 x 298mm
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Weight 19.5kg each
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23/02/2011 10:28:00 AM
ORPHEUS
Newsletter Autumn 2011
ORPHEUS RISING
O
rpheus loudspeakers have a new line-up. First off the starting blocks was the Apollo “Model A” floorstander at $1999/ pair. This new design began over a year ago when Orpheus was encountering production difficulties with their Aurora Series 3 curved cabinets – a more competitive format had to be found. The design brief was to come up with a speaker within an affordable price range but with no sacrifice in sound quality. This meant a return to the more conventional rectangular style cabinet of earlier (and very successful) models. A lot of work was done to control and reduce the effects of cabinet colorations, with many months spent researching this aspect. Having achieved a satisfactory cabinet design, they began fine-tuning the allnew Apollo’s electronics. They decided to develop a new driver to replace the Kevlar drivers used in the Aurora range for the last 10 years, going back to a paper cone, as paper offers a warmer sound signature, reminiscent of the models that made the Orpheus name. The tweeter remained a silk-dome type as Orpheus prefers working with softdome tweeters rather than metal ones. A no-compromise approach was made with the bass drive units, which feature a cast aluminium chassis for reduced resonance. The result is a remarkably smooth and neutral-sounding speaker, presenting the warmth and dynamics that had always been a characteristic of the brand. The reduction of cabinet coloration means
that the bass transients are now much clearer; this translates to a perceptibly deeper bass extension where the bass is tight and recovery is extremely fast. The added bonus is a significant reduction in the production cost, enabling Orpheus to pass on the savings in the form of an affordable audiophilegrade loudspeaker. The Apollo A is priced well below its closest competitors. Besides the Apollo, there’ll be a new compact centre speaker named the
Chimera and a compact on-wall (or “in wall” – with optional mounting kit) rear speaker named the Echidna. A subwoofer named Hydra is in the pipeline. The voice-matching between all the new speakers is so close that according to Orpheus they had a hard time telling the difference between the speakers, apart from the bass extension. The Apollo and Chimera will be available in Black Oak or Mahogany finish; the Echidna in white only.
All Len Wallis Audio ‘Apollo’ speakers wired with QED Silver Anniversary cable, at no extra charge! 12
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lenwallisaudio.com.au
2/03/2011 10:18:18 AM
ELECTROCOMPANIET
ELECTROCOMPANIET DACS
E
lectrocompaniet’s high-end DAC, the ECD1, has been around for some years, but is still a superb 24bit/192kHz up-sampling model. Being a fully balanced symmetrical design it has the edge over many less wellbuilt models, even more recent ones. However, moving with the times and also supplementing their Classic line with the more affordable Prelude line, EC have
brought forth a new DAC with some very interesting features. Electrocompaniet’s Prelude series model PD-1 DAC ($2499, pictured top) has USB, coaxial and optical inputs. Analogue outputs are XLR or RCA, and as an extra avenue for music distribution it can be supplemented with a point-topoint wireless Media Streamer module. It supports sampling rates at up to 192kHz/24-bit, so is capable of handling high resolution Master Audio files.
When connected to a PC via USB the PD-1 can (a) stream music and (b) control media players via the supplied remote control. Output volume can also be controlled if using powered speakers or going directly to a power amplifier. Point-to-point wireless capability can be added via the optional EMS-1 Media Streamer, which can be connected via USB to a remote computer to allow streaming at 16bit/48kHz without the need for any local wireless network.
SYDNEY’S NEW SOURCE FOR SACDs... Birdland Records in Sydney (Level 4 at 428 George Street – Dymocks Building), have started importing SHM-SACD discs from Japan, and there are a growing number of titles becoming available. SHM-SACD (Super High Material SACD) is the ultimate Super Audio CD, using materials and technologies developed for the SHM-CD to further enhance the audio resolution. These discs are made with polycarbonate developed for LCD screens — its higher transparency allows players to read the signal more faithfully. What works wonders for a low-resolution format such as CD offers even greater sonic improvements in the real high-resolution format of SHM SACD.
These discs have a two-channel SACD layer only, to ensure enough reflectance and avoiding any compression of the DSD file. The disc labels are printed with a special green ink called ‘Onsho Shiyou,’ which minimises diffuse reflection. And of course carefully-selected master audio is used, from existing DSD files to newly converted from analog tapes. Current artists include Police, Sonny Rollins, Caravan, Steely Dan, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Oscar Peterson, The Rolling Stones, Diana Krall, Elton John, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, The Who etc. Their site address is www.birdland.com.au and if you type SACD in the search window you will come up with a complete list.
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23/02/2011 10:29:27 AM
ARCAM
Newsletter Autumn 2011
ARCAM CUBED
W
ith all the powered iPod docks on the market these days, you might ask what’s special about the Arcam rCube? The answer is: quite a lot! But first and foremost, it is particularly good audio for an item of this type. There’s a 100mm bass/midrange driver which has its own dedicated amplifier module, then two angled 25mm tweeters driven by a stereo amplifier. There’s a total of 90w available, and the rCube is notable for its clarity and wide dispersion of sound. As always, the quality you’ll get is also dependent on the quality you record or rip your tracks at. It’s also fair to say that most powered docks excel at particular music styles but not all of them. However, the rCube has passed
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muster with a lot of different music, so is recommendable to all comers. With some additional dongles (at extra cost) you can enable high-quality lossless streaming from your player to the rCube. Then, up to eight rCubes can be joined in unison for a houseful of Party-mode. Combined with the streaming direct from anyone’s iPod/ iPhone, this should make for an eclectic music mix and lots of fun. Add video output just in case you want to watch video with soundtrack provided by the rCube, and then add long battery life (up to eight hours) and you have a pretty convincing package. It’s not cheap at $998, up with other superior systems like the Zeppelin and Genevas. But with all that it has to offer, it joins the “must audition” shortlist.
lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:30:20 AM
Bring yourself into the 21st century with cutting edge home audio visual integration from some of the world’s leading brands.
soundchoices.com.au Give yourself a reason to visit.
CUSTOM INSTALLATION
Newsletter Autumn 2011
FIBRE THROUGH THE HOME By Peter Greentree
F
utureproofing was the main focus of the infrastructure and equipment configuration in this project. The client request was that where possible all the equipment should remain in a single location and be distributed from there. The solution was what we believe to be the first domestic Crestron fibreoptic installation in Australia. Our scope was firstly to produce the detailed drawings and documents enabling construction to begin. This
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project was to utilise a Crestron fibreoptic network to distribute sound, vision, control and network/internet access all around the house. After this backbone was in place we consulted with the client to work out the types of sources to be distributed. We came to the conclusion that a Crestron 8x8 DigitalMedia (DM) system would do the job, but the decision was made to proceed with a 16x16 DM solution, so allowing for any future expansion.
By using the Crestron DigitalMedia system we were able to distribute HDMI signals from a variety of sources to multiple displays. Most importantly, they could all be switched and controlled by multiple users, all at the same time, with no drop-outs or HDCP issues. From the Crestron DM 16x16 fibre matrix switcher, signals are sent via two strands of multimode laser fibre to the various room locations. In each room there is a small enclosure that decodes the signal to
lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:31:34 AM
CUSTOM INSTALLATION
provide HDMI, Ethernet and control signals to and from the equipment. In most situations the Crestron room box is small enough to be placed behind the display on the wall. All locations have a fibre link back to the head-end where the sources are located. In the main equipment rack we located (amongst other things) 12 terabytes of storage and two separate Apple TV units. These Apple TVs are then distributed like all other sources to any or all locations in the house – quite an inexpensive HD movie server and web streamer! Traditional audio distribution was also added to the mix; again this was done with Crestron products, traditional power
amplifiers and a total of 50 speakers. One such location to mention is the pool area, with its 8.1-channel speaker system by James Audio and a waterproof remote from Crestron: it produces a truly full range outdoor audio experience. In all locations there is some form of Crestron control; in fact there are a total of 346 individual custom-designed GUI pages. In all display locations we provided handheld touch screens and for various house locations we provided multiple 12-inch fixed on-wall touch screens for whole house control. All up there are 16 areas of entertainment, with four of these being 5.1-channel surround zones, the other
12 being stereo zones. We are also controlling eight zones of floor heating, and 65 motorised devices – blinds, curtains, awnings and motorised skylight windows. The C-Bus system looks after the energy management of lighting, while the Crestron touch screen provides the user with an easy-to-operate interface.
Expanding the design This project started as a ‘Design & Specification only’ project, so that construction could continue without committing to any audio-visual equipment that had not been released into the marketplace as yet. After completing the ‘D & S’ phase of the project, we were then
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CUSTOM INSTALLATION
Newsletter Autumn 2011
engaged to perform the detailed design and installation of all the equipment. We anticipated a degree of learning and fault-finding throughout the process, and highlighted this to the client at the time. In reality it was completely the opposite. The installation, termination, commissioning and programming of the system actually proved easier and less time consuming than a traditional copper project. The actual install process was quite straightforward — we provided all equipment details to the designers and architects so that they could be carefully placed and installed into the home.
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One challenge on this project was the expertise and equipment required to handle and terminate fibre-optic cables. We ensured all our technicians and people involved in the project had the regulation fibre endorsements and were fully trained, and we needed to purchase the necessary termination and test equipment. After six weeks of use the displays and projector were also calibrated by an ISF-, CEDIA- and HAA-certified technician and instructor – who commented that the “picture quality from the distribution system was amazing”. Many times we read the words “futureproof” or “smart home”. For the very first
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CUSTOM INSTALLATION
time we feel that this may actually be an appropriate description of this project. With the looming promise of a highspeed fibre network rollout in Australia and the increasing audio and video content becoming available online, we believe we have delivered a truly digital home that futureproofs the owners for all the changes to come. It doesn’t suffer from any of those annoying HDMI/HDCP issues we had a few years back when the industry was coming to grips with protected content. It also has the bandwidth and hardware expansion available to deal with whatever is on the horizon for many years to come.
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23/02/2011 10:31:41 AM
CUSTOM INSTALLATION
PRODUCT LIST MASTER BEDROOM • 1 x Panasonic TH-P50V10AV Series 50” Plasma Display • 1 x Vogel SLT800B Mount Ultra Slim Bracket • 1 x Marantz SR-6004 AV Receiver • 1 x Sony BDPS-760 Blu-ray Player • 2 x SpeakerCraft AIM8-Two Aimable In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron 3X Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) TOP FLOOR HALLWAY • 1 x Crestron TPS12LW 12” Wall Mount Touchpanel • 1 x Crestron BB12L Back Box ENSUITE • 1 x SpeakerCraft DT8-Zero 8” Dual Tweeter In-Ceiling Speaker • 1 x Crestron C2NDB12W 12-Button Decorator Keypad BATHROOM • 1 x SpeakerCraft DT8-Zero 8” Dual Tweeter In-Ceiling Speaker • 1 x Crestron C2NDB12W 12-Button Decorator Keypad STUDY / OFFICE • 1 x Panasonic TH-37G10A 37” LCD TV • 1 x Vogel SLT400B Ultra Slim Bracket • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Crestron TPS4LW 36” touch screen • 1 x Crestron Xpannel software running on PC KITCHEN • 1 x Panasonic THL37G10A 37” LCD TV • 1 x Vogel SLT400B Ultra Slim Bracket • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron TPS12LW 12” Wall Mount Touchpanel REAR TERRACE • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers LIVING ROOM • 1 x Panasonic TH-P50V10AV 50” Plasma Display
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Newsletter Autumn 2011 • 1 x Ultralift Wallbracket with Swivel • 5 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Three 8” In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Velodyne SPLU1200 12” Subwoofer • 1 x Marantz SR-7002 AV Receiver • 1 x Marantz CC4001 5 Disc CD Player • 1 x Sony BDPS-760 Blu-ray Player • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron 3X Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) • 1 x Crestron IDOCV iPod Dock with Video Output KIDS ENTERTAINMENT ROOM • 1 x Panasonic TH-P50V10A V series 50” Plasma Display • 5 x SpeakerCraft AIM8-Two Aimable In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Velodyne SPLU1200 12” Subwoofer • 1 x Marantz SR-7002 AV Receiver • 1 x Sony BDPS-760 Blu-ray Player • 1 x Pro-Ject DEBUTIIIUSB Turntable with USB Output • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron 3X Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) • 1 x Crestron IDOCV iPod Docking Station with Video Output FORMAL LOUNGE ROOM • 1 x Panasonic TH-P50V10A V series 50” Plasma Display • 1 x Vogel SLT800B EzyMount Ultra Slim Bracket • 5 x SpeakerCraft AIM8-Two Aimable In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Velodyne SPL800i 8” Mini V Subwoofer • 1 x Marantz 6004 AV Receiver • 1 x Sony BDPS-760 Blu-ray Player • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron 3X Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) POOL AND CABANA AREA • 8 x James Audio 2” Landscape Satellite Speakers • 1 x James Audio “subterranean” 10” Long-throw Subwoofer • 1 x Crestron Waterproof 1-way RF/IR Handheld Remote • 1 x Creston Remote Gateway for WPRI48
GYM • 1 x Panasonic TH-P50V10AV Series 50” Plasma Display • 1 x Vogel SLT800B EzyMount Ultra Slim Bracket • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers • 1 x Crestron Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) • 1 x Crestron 3X Wall Mount for 3X • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box THEATRE • 1 x Marantz VP15s1 High-end DLP Projector • 1 x Ultralift PRO-LIFT 28-1 Projector Lift • 1 x Stewart 110” HDTV Format Visionary Electriscreen with Grey Hawke surface • 1 x Panasonic TH65VX100 65” Premier HD Plasma Display • 1 x Omnimount ULPTXA Bracket System • 1 x B&W CWM LCR8 3way In-Wall Centre Speaker • 2 x B&W 803D Nautilus Floorstanding Speakers • 2 x SpeakerCraft AIM8-Two Aimable In-Ceiling speakers • 1 x Velodyne SPLU1200 12” Subwoofer • 1 x Marantz AV8003 Theatre Pre Amplifier lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:31:43 AM
CUSTOM INSTALLATION
• 1 x Marantz MM8003 8 x 140watt Power Amplifier • 1 x Marantz BD5004 Blu-ray Player • 1 x Crestron DMRMC100F Digital Media Room Solution Box • 1 x Crestron CP2E Control System inc Power Supply • 1 x Crestron 3X Handheld Controller (TPMC-3X-BTP) BEDROOM 2 (LOCAL SYSTEM) • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers BEDROOM 3 (LOCAL SYSTEM) • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers BEDROOM 4 (LOCAL SYSTEM) • 2 x SpeakerCraft CRS8-Two 8” In-Ceiling Speakers SYSTEM LOCATION • 2 x Argent 46RU Equipment Racks • 1 x Crestron AV2 Control Processor with Ethernet KIT • 1 x Crestron CNAMPXI12X60 12-channel X 60W intelligent amplifier • 1 x Crestron CNPWSI75 External Power Supply • 3 x Crestron CNTBLOCK Terminal Block • 2 x Crestron CNXBIPAD8A 16 source/8 room Stereo Audio Distribution Processor
• 1 x Crestron DMMD16X16 Digital Media Matrix 16 x 16 with Card Slots • 7 x Crestron DMCHDDSP Digital Media HDMI IP Card • 1 x Crestron DMCO1111 Digital Media Fibre O/P Card For DM16X16 • 3 x Crestron DMCVID4 4-channel Composite Video Input Card • 1 x QSC CX302V Power Amplifier for James Audio Speaker System • 2 x Netgear 6TB GB ReadyNas Pro • 2 x Arcam T32 DAB+/FM/AM Tuner • 2 x Apple TV (160GB) • 2 x Apple iPod Classic (160GB) • 2 x Crestron Ceniiserver Audio Server/ iPod Interface • 2 x Tivo Digital Set Top Box 320GB Hard Drive Recorder • 3 x FOXTEL IQII HD Pay TV satellite receivers CCTV SYSTEM • 6 x Ness Ultimate V2 Varif IR Tube Cameras • 2 x Ness Pro-IR V2 Rugged Dome • 1 x Ness Power Supply • 1 x Kramer Multichannel video distribution amplifier • 1 x Crestron Camera Distribution Matrix DATA PATCHBAY • 5 x Krone C6 24 Port Ptchpnl CW
• 1 x Linksys SRW2024P 24-Port Gigabit PoE Switch • 1 x Linksys SLM2024 Gigabit Smart Switch • 5 x Krone Patch cord Minder POWER & UPS EQUIPMENT • 2 x MGE M 3000RT • 2 x MGE Back Up Battery Pack, EXB RT3U • 11 x Thor A12 Power Board, Eight Way With Filtering • 2 x Thor A145 Power Board, Seven Way C-BUS LIGHTING EQUIPMENT • 5 x Clipsal 5750WPL Occupancy sensor, infra-red, IP66, outdoor, learn enabled • 5 x Clipsal 5751L Indoor sensor • 7 x Clipsal L5512RVF 12 Channel Relay • Clipsal L5504RVF 4 Channel Relay Din Learn • 66 x Clipsal L5501RBCP Shut Relay • 6 x Clipsal L5508D1A Channel Dimmer • 4 x Clipsal L5504D2A 4-Channel Dimmer Unit • 1 x Clipsal 5500PC PC Interface • 1 x Clipsal L5508DSI Learn Enabled DSI Gateway • 2 x Clipsal L5504AUX C-Bus Aux Input Unit • 2 x Clipsal 5500NB Network Bridge • 1 x Clipsal 5104BCL 4-Channel BUS Coupler • 1 x Clipsal 5500CN DIN Rail Mounted Ethernet Network Interface • 1 x CBus 5500PSCA Pascal Automation Controller • 1 x Clipsal R5061NL Key Input 1 Gang Learn Enabled • 5 x Clipsal R5062VNLKey Input 2 Gang Learn Enabled • 7 x Clipsal R5063NL Key Input 3 Gang Learn Enabled • 16 x Clipsal R5064VNL Key Input 4 Gang Learn Enabled • 7 x Clipsal R5066NL Key Input 6 Gang Learn Enabled • 7 x Clipsal R5068 8 Key Refection Series Key Pad • 4 x Clipsal 5058 5K Stainless, DLT • 1 x Clipsal C5031NL Clipsal Classic Series 1 key • 1 x Clipsal C5032NL Clipsal Classic Series 2 keys • 2 x Clipsal C5034NL Clipsal 4K Classic • 2 x Clipsal C-Bus 30 Ser Mech Master
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VICOUSTIC
Newsletter Autumn 2011
ACOUSTIC ROOM TREATMENT Give your room a fresh start!
I
t’s a fact of life that no room is acoustically ideal, and yet the room is arguably the most influential part of your sound system. Poor acoustics can detract substantially from the delivery
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of good sound, making it unbalanced – sometimes too much treble, sometimes too much bass. Every room has its own character, and arriving at the correct types of surface treatment and the correct positioning of them has always been a bit of a challenge. Short of employing a qualified acoustic engineer to visit your home and measure the room, testing it with various frequencies and prescribing the paneling you’ll need,
most of us would be just guessing as to the best form of treatment to apply. Echo from hard surfaces is a primary cause of problems, so a primary approach of acoustic treatments is to break up those hard surfaces with a mixture of absorbing and reflecting panels. Egg cartons on the walls might do for an impoverished garage band, but acoustic treatment in modern homes needs to have higher aspirations in a décor sense! This has long been a difficulty – but from now on, all that is going to change. Vicoustic are unleashing an incredible range of panels with a range of forms, functions and finishes. You’ll be able to choose the appearance that suits your
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23/02/2011 10:33:10 AM
VICOUSTIC room, be it plain beige fabric on a flat or slightly curved panel, or warm timbertoned panels with grooves, perforations or square sections. To make it even better, Vicoustic offer a specification service from their experts in Europe, via the internet. We send them the dimensions and layout of your room, noting features like windows, doors, ceiling height and so on. They run this through their computer-modelling and come up with a CAD drawing of the room with the recommended panelling configuration in the finishes you want. Cost is also taken care of, since Vicoustic panels are the best-priced offering we have seen in all our years in the business. Ultimate costs will be a factor of room size and how many panels you need, but in terms of price per square metre, their products are the best value we have seen. On these pages you can see some of the variety of panels on offer. There’s also a bass trap model, the Vari Bass, which telescopes
in or out to change the bass frequency being absorbed – many rooms have a 40Hz peak, but this will vary, so a tunable trap is useful. Another clever idea is the facings used over the foam panels. Whether made from wood veneer or specially-coloured polyurethane tiles, these give a range of decorator finishes while dressing up the foam to a high standard and avoiding the inevitable colour change that undressed foam would suffer. For rooms where appearances are not as critical, such as home studio, rumpus, gym, or even a theatre, the Pulsar Panel can be arranged in various geometric forms, with the ribbing organised to add interest to the visual setting while keeping echo to a minimum. This is an extremely cost-effective solution at around $90/square metre. Vicoustic signals a fresh start for acoustic treatment of rooms, and will find favour with a huge range of clients from domestic to commercial installations, regardless of scale. Never before has such a comprehensive solution been so readily available.
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Grande Utopia EM
Electra 1000 Be 2. Small details, great effect How do you improve a range that has been as successful as the Electra 1000 Be? These, after-all are the speakers that brought the benefits of beryllium to the audiophile masses. With over 30 years of expertise in loudspeaker and drive unit design, Focal have always been aware that attention to detail is paramount, and a fine example of that resolve is here in the new tweeter diaphragms of the Electra 1000 Be 2. Only 2 millimetres larger, and artfully re-profiled, this remarkable dome (identical to that used in our flagship Grande Utopia) is a large contributor to the greatly improved performance. Simply put, you’ll hear more music, and less loudspeaker. And for movie fans, the matching centre, subwoofer and surround speakers provideHow a cinematic nuance producers intended.as the Electra 1000 Be? do yourevelation improve -aevery range that that has the been as successful Focal Electra 1000 Be 2 . Experience every emotion. These, after-all are the speakers that brought the benefits of beryllium to the audiophile masses. WithSince over 30 years of expertise loudspeaker unitworld design,leaders Focal haveofalways been aware that loudspeaker design. 1979, Focal hasinexcelled as and onedrive of the high-end acoustic attention to detail is(pictured), paramount,Basalt and a fine of that resolve is here in the new tweeter diaphragms of Available in three standard finishes - Champagne andexample Slate Grey the 30 Electra 1000fiBe 2. Onlyfor 2 millimetres larger, artfully thisin remarkable (identical years ghting our values, toand keep ourre-profiled, production France dome and to stand toup for the idea of thatluxury used in our Grande Utopia) is a large contributor thebe greatly Simply we create for “a flagship la Francaise”. Innovation, tradition to - to the improved world’s performance. best in everything put, you’ll hear more music, and less loudspeaker. And for movie fans, the matching centre, subwoofer your pleasure. and surround speakers provide a cinematic revelation - every nuance that the producers intended.
Electra 1000 Be 2. Small details, great effect
Focal Electra 1000 Be 2 . Experience every emotion. That is our philosophy: Spirit Focal® is distributed by Audio Marketing - T. 02 “The 9882 3877 - F.of02Sound” 9882 3944 - E. info@audiomarketing.com.au - www.audiomarketing.com.au Available in three standard finishes - Champagne (pictured), Basalt and Slate Grey
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Focal® is distributed by Audio Marketing - T. 02 9882 3877 - F. 02 9882 3944 - E. info@audiomarketing.com.au - www.audiomarketing.com.au
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22/02/2011 10:44:13 AM
15/03/1
PEACHTREE
Newsletter Autumn 2011
DECCO2 SPECIFICATIONS: • Rated power: 2 x 40w • Inputs: coaxial, optical, USB, analogue stereo x 2 • Outputs: line out, pre-out, headphones, speakers • Dimensions: 375 x 127 x 355mm (whd) • Weight: 11.5kg
FRESH FRUIT
T
he Peachtree Decco2 (above, with a Special Price of $999) is a versatile integrated amplifier with a foot very firmly in both the analogue and digital music camps. With its high-quality built-in ESS Sabre DAC, it is designed for those who use any digital source for music, including computers, Sonos, Airport Express, Apple TV. It also has two analogue inputs for the more traditional analogue components. In addition it includes Class ‘A’ outputs for a pre-amp output, a high quality headphone output, and fixed line outputs. DIGITAL TO ANALOGUE CONVERTER: The heart of the Decco2 is the SS Sabre D/A converter. This ESS 9006 Sabre DAC was two years in design, and uses a multi-layer DAC board with more than 450 components and 11 regulated power supplies. The Sabre patented jitterreduction circuit re-clocks the digital signal before passing it through a high resolution 24/96 up-sampling processor. This is perfect for computers and most streaming or hard-drive based music servers, as most of them have high levels of jitter. Jitter, simply put, is digital timing error between the source and the DAC. The lower the jitter, the better the DAC sounds. This DAC takes the re-clocked signal and resamples it to achieve 24/96 resolution. This transforms your iPod or just about any digital source to the performance of a high-end CD player.
isn’t quite enough power you can connect a separate more powerful power amplifier. The pre-amp maintains a high level of detail while also taming harsh compressed digital music and allowing exceptional reproduction when listening to high resolution files. INPUTS. The Decco2 has a USB input for your computer, and one each of co-ax and optical digital inputs for other digital sources like Squeezebox, Apple TV or Airport Express, Sonos or digital tuners. It also has two stereo analogue inputs for a tape deck or phono stage. VALVE HEADPHONE STAGE. For the headphone user the Decco2 has a Class ‘A’ valve headphone section that rivals some of the best headphone amps available today. A great deal of time was spent on the headphone section and no detail regarding quality was left to chance. The signal passes through the DAC, the preamp and then the valve buffer, giving you an extended yet addictive sound.
The Peachtree MusicBox ($999, below) takes the basic approach of their full-size products and applies it to a micro-system. You can connect an iPod/iPhone/iPod touch directly via the dock – and it’s a full digital dock – or you can connect other sources via the USB, coaxial or optical digital inputs on the back panel. There’s an analogue L+R input too, and even a Pre-Out. If you’re playing back video on your iPod etc, you can get the pictures to a screen via component video. As with the other Peachtree amplifiers, the MusicBox has a valve in the preamp section, which also helps to power the headphone amplifier, so you can get superb sound via headphones. The speakers will automatically mute when you plug headphones in. The small matching speakers are part of the deal, cosmetically an exact clone of the high-gloss, curvaceous amplifier. MUSICBOX SPECIFICATIONS: • Rated power: 2 x 25w • Inputs: iPod, USB, optical, aux stereo • Outputs: pre-out, headphone, component video, speakers • Dimensions: 240 x 120 x 285mm (whd)
PRE-AMP SECTION. The pre-amp section employs a Class ‘A’ valve buffer with a 30-ohm output impedance, so if 40 watts lenwallisaudio.com.au
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SPECIALS
Newsletter Autumn 2011
DON’T MISS…
MUSICAL FIDELITY A number of the lovely smaller hi-fi products known as the X-Series are finishing, so there are some very special deals available. Quantities are very limited: • A1008CD (top loader) was $7999, now $2999; • XT100+X-Ray CD+TripleX Power Supply was $5498, now $2999; • X-Plora FM Tuner + TripleX was $2498, now $999; • X-10V3 was $499, now $399; • X-80 Integrated Amp was $999, now $699; • X-Pre, was $1799 now $899. Some may be ex display but will have had minimal use; all will have new warranty.
SENNHEISER HD650 We have secured additional stock of the sensational Sennheiser HD650 headphones which have been clearing through at a great rate. With a reduction from $899 down to $499 a pair, it’s little wonder. Until the HD800 came along, the audiophile HD650 was the ultimate in open, dynamic headphone design, and you’d have to spend a great deal more to improve on the sound quality these provide. Each set comes in a special presentation box. Add $10 for delivery to any state in Australia.
AUDIOQUEST
ERA SPEAKERS
We have received a large consignment of Audioquest cables to clear at very special prices. There are cables at a fraction of normal rrp, many at half price or even lower. By the time you see this, the details will have been up on our website, in the Blog section for a while, but there will still be a list there for you to check. The types of cable represented will include analog stereo pairs, HDMI, Toslink optical, component video, subwoofer cables and mini-plug stereo audio. Quantities are limited, and it will be best to ask whether your chosen item is still available and to place your order (with credit card details) by phone.
These are among the best compact speakers around, beautifully finished in timber, and “simply irresistible” at these prices! The Design 3 satellites (top image) are down from $699/pair to $399, Design 4 (second from top) from $999 to $699, Design 5 (third) from $1399 to $999. There’s also the LCR4, down from $699 to $499 each. A mixture of finishes — Rosewood, Cherry, and Black — check with us for availability. The Era PL24 wall-mountable slim speakers are in black with grey grilles only. These are down from $1599/pair to $799/ pair as an extra special. Ideal for mounting either side, above or below a screen, and are also fine as wall-mounted rear effects.
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23/02/2011 10:34:53 AM
YAMAHA
Newsletter Autumn 2011
NO BAR TO ENJOYMENT
F
or those who do not want anything too large, but want to improve the sound of their TV, the soundbar is an option to consider. Some of them are quite cheap and effective, while others will scale the heights of both performance and price – such as the B&W Panorama and Yamaha’s YSP-4100 & 5100. The YHT-S400 ($999) is Yamaha’s smallest soundbar (at only 5cm high, it’s one of the smallest in the world), but it packs a far greater punch than many may expect from its small design. It is also the most affordable soundbar in Yamaha’s extensive line-up, yet comes packed with the latest technology such as HDMI and iPod connectivity to ensure compatibility with all your music and movie sources. The included receiver with built-in subwoofer can be placed easily in your cabinet keeping the system unobtrusive, while the slim design of the YHT-S400 allows placement in front of any flat-panel television without obscuring the screen. Yamaha has achieved stunning surround effects from a single front unit without the need for reflective surfaces. The exclusive Air Surround Xtreme technology provides dispersive surround
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sound that can truly amaze. We have a natural ability to accurately pinpoint the location and direction of sound sources – this is commonly known as Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTF). Air Surround Extreme utilises this phenomenon to create virtual ‘point sources’ around the
listener, resulting in an accurate and immersive surround experience. Power is 45w for each of the three front speakers and 90w for the subwoofer section. Dimensions of the amp/subwoofer are 435 x 151 x 361mm (whd) and for the speaker bar 800 x 50 x 70mm.
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iPOD DOCKS
Newsletter Autumn 2011 delivered flawlessly. The i-20 again extracts the digital signal but then uses its Cirrus 4353 hi-fi quality DAC and high-precision low-jitter clock to deliver true hi-fi audio performance levels with a -105dB signalto-noise ratio, better than -93dB THD+N and 2V RMS audio output from its 24-bit 192kHz digital audio processor. The i-20 also has video outputs to allow users to view videos stored on their iPhone or iPod on their TV. The i-20 is the only digital iPod dock that supports all popular analogue video formats (component, S-Video and composite). The i-20 comes with a remote control and is part of Apple’s ‘Made for iPod’ and ‘Made for iPhone’ program.
DOCKS DONE DIGITALLY
T
here are so many docks around these days that a measure of confusion is understandable. For those who want the best results, go for docks with the option of a digital output. Below are two very good buys – one at budget price, one more premium – for use with component hi-fi systems. Just in case you think that ‘iPod=rubbish’, keep in mind these facts: these docks now can output the original digital encoding, and if you wish, you can store music at higher levels of resolution than MP3, namely Apple Lossless, WAV or AIFF files.
iPhone and uses PURE Clearsound digital end-to-end technology to produce its digital audio outputs, ensuring that there is no compromise when connected to a quality digital amplifier or hi-fi system. When connected via the analogue output, the i-20’s hi-fi quality DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) ensures that the sound quality from high bit-rate compressed or uncompressed iPod tracks is
Wadia’s 170i ($599, below) is an award-winning dock which we’ve covered previously, capable of both analogue and digital output – its default setting is digital. Run this through a DAC or CD/DAC, or directly into a surround amplifier with a good onboard DAC, and you’ll get excellent results. The 170i was the first component specifically designed to transform the iPod into a high-resolution media server, and this is a dock we can recommend for use with better systems where the Pure i-20 might be underdoing it slightly. The Wadia can be used with systems up to $10k, after which you might think about the Krell KID too. (Note: We have been waiting on the companion Wadia 151PowerDAC Mini to come into stock, but it has been delayed.)
PURE’s i-20 (above, a steal at $149) is a next-generation digital iPod dock which supports all digital audio output compatible iPod models including the iPod touch and iPhone. The i-20 delivers ultimate flexibility and quality by allowing the user to connect to a hi-fi system using digital or analogue outputs. The i-20 extracts the digital signal from the iPod or
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lenwallisaudio.com.au
23/02/2011 10:38:11 AM
APPLE
AIRPLAY’S THE THING...
A
pple’s world domination plans are continuing at full speed. Having made the iPod/iPhone dock an essential part of the hi-fi scene they are now moving right along and insinuating themselves into everything from dock-based small systems to fullsized amplifiers and surround receivers – using AirPlay. If you haven’t come across AirPlay yet, you probably will in the near future. Essentially it is a way of standardising the way you get your gear to access music wirelessly, and the benefits of standardisation are there to be seen in what’s happened with docks so far. For the consumer, it’s great to have things that work as simply as possible, and AirPlay is all about making wireless streaming simple. It’s not that you couldn’t, with some effort, do these things already. It’s really about making it happen with a minimum of fuss. From now on, expect to see theAirPlay logo as an inclusion or an option in everything from B&W’s new Zeppelin Air to high-end surround gear like the Marantz SR7005 receiver and AV7005 pre-amp/processor. In some cases there’ll be a surcharge for activating the AirPlay option, and to make it work you may need the Apple TV black box as well. But here’s a simple scenario to illustrate what is becoming possible. Having an AirPlay-enabled sound system means you can stream directly to it from your iTunes library, even from your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. The AirPlay facility will be appearing in more and more sound systems of all shapes and sizes as we proceed through 2011, further evidence of the genetic engineering that has happened to hi-fi, as computing DNA is spliced into it. These days it’s more than love that’s in the air...
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NEWS BRIEFS
MUSICAL FIDELITY M1 HPA HEADPHONE AMP Musical Fidelity has a long history of making superlative headphone amplifiers. The $999 M1 HPA pure Class A headphone amp claims “exactly the same sonic characteristics with headphones as our pure Class A amplifiers with loudspeakers. The M1 HPA pure Class A headphone amp’s technical performance is outstanding. Distortion is incredibly low (less than .0005% across the band); frequency response is ruler flat. Signal to noise ratio is outstanding.”
Newsletter Autumn 2011
SONOS PRICES DROP Sonos multi-room goes from strength to strength, and they have adjusted their prices downwards by up to $100 per item. The ZP120 is now $799, ZP90 $549, S5 $599, Controller $549, Zonebridge $169 and Dock $189.
STAX EARSPEAKERS SR507 Stax have issued a new headset, using a modified electrostatic oval drive element, a thinner film and a resonance-resisting resin enclosure. Also added are sheepskin leather pads for more comfort, and more precise adjustments to the headband to ensure correct fit. The SR507 can be used with the valve or solid-state Stax drive units (amplifiers) for a sonic treat. Electrostatic headphones (or Earspeakers as Stax prefers) have long held a revered position in the hi-fi pantheon for their speed, fine detail and staging depth.
B&W: NEW ZEPPELIN AIR The Zeppelin has been a top performer in the powered iPod dock stakes, and is now to get a new lease of life with the addition of Apple AirPlay, meaning you can send music to it from your Bluetooth-enabled iPod touch/iPhone/iPad etc. At the same time B&W have updated the drivers and the sound processing for even better results. The Zeppelin has a rich, full sound and excellent dispersion throughout the room.
OUR WEBSITE RENEWED The Len Wallis Audio website has been rebuilt over a couple of years, so if you haven’t been to the website for a while, it’s time for another tour! You’ll find products divided up into Amplifiers, Speakers, Sources, Visual, Packaged Systems, Custom Solutions, Specials, New
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Products and Secondhand. Under Knowledge Base you’ll find our new Blog, which will keep you updated with new products as they appear, and you’ll also be able to see our previous Headlines newsletters in electronic magazine format, which allows you to flip through the pages and enlarge them as needed. We have also started our monthly electronic e-mail newsletter, and you can register for that simply by sending us your email address and asking to be added to the distribution. In order to be thoroughly modern we have also started Twitter and Facebook pages to fill any gaps the other methods of communication might have left! With all these resources now on tap, it’s easier than ever to be kept up-todate on developments at Len Wallis Audio.
VIBRAPODS These have been selling fast, and there’s no mystery as to why: they are cheap and very effective at absorbing vibrations in equipment, and as a result give you clearer, better defined sound. The Vibrapod Feet ($39.95 set of 4) and Cones ($11.90 each) are fully detailed on our website under Products/ Accessories/Tweaks. lenwallisaudio.com.au
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VARIETY CLUB
OLD HI-FI, NEW LIFE
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en Wallis Audio has been a supporter of the Variety Club of Australia for some time now. Variety does marvellous work raising funds for and supporting the underprivileged children of Australia. Variety is unlike most charities, which tend to focus on a single problem or a narrow area. The issues confronting many of our young children can be varied and numerous, as is their needs. Variety provides essential equipment for individual children suffering one, or a multiple of, 74 different conditions. They provide vital organisational equipment for children’s intensive care units, emergency transport services, children’s health services and educational services plus 12-seat and 25-seat Sunshine Coaches, and wheel-chair Liberty Swings
for special needs schools and council parks. They also provide thousands of children with magical experiences through the variety@work program. I have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand some of the work that Variety does. The joy on the faces of these children is something that stays with you for a long time. Many of our clients have unwanted and unused audio equipment gathering
dust in their garage, under the stairs, etc, destined never to see the light of day again. If this is the case, and you feel like supporting Variety, you can donate this product through us. We will test it, clean it up and offer it for sale through our secondhand department with 100% of the funds realised going to the Variety Club. This is a great opportunity for you to have an ‘Audio Spring Clean’ and to help raise money for a very good cause.
beautiful valve “table radios” with tone adjustments and every band – except DAB+!! They sound superb on FM. Valves are still available – often secondhand – but “new-old-stock” of valves in their original packing can still be found. Of course I’m also still using LPs, and
have quite a few of them, although I’ve whittled it down – just a basic collection of 2000 or so. Having started my retail career in secondhand vinyl in 1988, I’ll probably never shake them off entirely. It’s partly about the look of the older gear too, as you can see. Geoff Forgie
LIVING IN THE SIXTIES
GEOFF’S VINTAGE HI-FI COLLECTION
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’m known (and sometimes ribbed mercilessly) for my fondness for old radios in this modern age. Even AM radios! This has led me to acquire a collection – I insist to my wife it is really only a modest collection – of antique valve radios and radiograms. The biggest one is a 90kg Grundig monster radiogram with multi-band radio, Dual 1215 turntable, two large integral speaker enclosures, and connections for external inputs – originally envisaged for reel-to-reel tape, but useful for other things too. There’s a richness, depth and warmth about the sound of a large valve radio or radiogram from the 1960s. The best ones are the German ones. My Nordmende, Philips, Saba (pictured) and Grundig are
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23/02/2011 10:58:42 AM
Fall Back in Love with Music
The Award Winning CM Series - with New CM8
Imagine sound so detailed, so startlingly lifelike, that you feel as though you could reach out and touch it. That’s what happens with a new CM Series speaker. Each is packed with high-performance technologies made famous by our reference-standard 800 Series. And with the addition of the CM8, a 3-way speaker of truly elegant proportions, discerning audiophiles will fall back in love with music all over again. Listen and you’ll see. For more information about the CM Series, including the new CM8 speaker or any of the other great product ranges from Bowers & Wilkins call 1800 817 787 or visit www.bowers-wilkins.com.au
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