AudioEnz Magazine - July 1996

N E W

Z E A L A N D ’ S

H I G H

F I D E L I T Y

M A G A Z I N E

Johnny gets Cello’d in NYC The ultimate reproduction!

July 1996

BA S S The Final Frontier Adventures with subwoofers

S o ny

NAD

Infinity

Energy*

Yamaha*

Denon*

UK

CAL Labs

Krell

Rotel*

Germany

ProAc

WBT

Elegant, accurate speakers superbly built, beautifully musical

USA

Arcam*

Connectors and cables of the highest quality

USA

Sumiko

VTL

Phono cartridges and accessories from only $85

Pure tube amplifiers – simply stunning

w Send for our free newsletter

Ph/Fax 0-7-886 6851 Cnr Logan and Bonaly St Tokoroa

Ph/Fax 0-3-377 7299 151 High Street Christchurch

f UK

QED

USA

Magnan

Interconnect cables from $64.95. Award winning speaker cable from $2.95/m.

Switchboxes from $75. Digit DAC$399.

Vector remote preamp $699. Systemline Multiroom

Audiolab

M&K

First class interconnects and speaker cables USA

UK

Paradigm

Michell

BIC

Connectors, Tenderfeet, Turntables

In wall speakers

Martin Logan

Sota Turntables Pioneer

Plinius

* not all brands available in Christch u rch

Lambert

Project

Theta

From Marantz KI-Signature dealers: Eastern Hi-Fi – Newmarket and Wairau Park Smiths Sound – Mt Eden Manawatu TV & Sound – Palmerston North Absolute Audio and Vision – Wellington The Top Hi-Fi Shop – Christchurch

NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

CAMBRIDGE ARRIVES

Cambridge Au d i o, a UK company that has been receiving rave reviews for their range of affordable components, is now available in New Zealand. The current range includes the A1 amplifier (pictured), CD4 CD player and DACMAGIC 2 D/A convertor.

Peter Gilbert Limited 0-9-302 2271 ALPHA CRYSTAL FROM CELESTION

Continuing their long association with small monitor loudspe a kers, Celestion introduce the Kingston m odel . With an en cl o su re built from a den s e , acoustically inert po lym er material called Al pha Crystal, the Ki n gston is designed as an ultra high perform a n ce t wo - w ay loudspe a ker sys tem. The shape is ef fectively triangular, with curved sides. A 165mm Cobex woofer and 30mm aluminium dome tweeter make up the driver complement. Hi-Fi Marketing 0-9-415 9099

N E W PA R A D I G M S F R O M CA N A D A

There are several new models from Canadian spe a ker manufacturer, Paradigm. The Referen ce Speaker Systems range (pictured above) consist of four models from the Studio/20 at $1299 to the Studio/100 at $3495. All drive units are designed and manufactured by Paradigm.

Paradigm have also released five su bwoofers. Two models – the SB-90 ($499) and SB-110 ($599) – are p a s s ive models requ i ring an ex ternal amplifier. Three models, ranging from $1099 to $1499 have between 110 and 130 watts of built-in amplification. Audio Technologies 0-9-478 2001.

Deflex Acoustic panels, designed for use inside loudspeakers, are distributed in NZ by Sound Creations. In stock are standard panels, foculpods and corner blocks. Sound Creations 0-9-849 8108.

Jim’s Music Room have shifted. Their new ad d ress is 49 Grey Street, Tau ra n ga. The new store has allowed a larger dem onstra ti on room , as well as more room for both hi-fi and their CD range.

More inform a ti on on the forthcoming Rega CD player is now ava i l a bl e .

Ca ll ed the Rega Planet, the player should be available in October. Big Ears Audio 0-9-379 3801.

NAD has alw ays had a good rep ut a ti on for their amplifiers and tuners .

So when you put a 312 amp and 412 tuner in the same chassis, and call it a 712 receiver, it could be very good . The 712 is ra ted at 2x25 watts, fe a tu res six line inputs and includes a rem o te control, for $699. Hi-Fi Ma rketing 0-9-415 9099.

Also new from NAD is the 711 AV receiver, said to be the first AV amp developed in-house by NAD (previous models were ventures with Onkyo).

The 711’s power output is 3x40 watts to the front and 2x15 watts to the rear.

Hi-Fi Marketing 0-9-415 9099.

4

PRISM TECHNOLOGY FROM B&W AUSTRALIAN AMPLIFIERS

Developed by Peter Stein, ME amplifiers are distributed in New Zealand by the Hi-Fi Gall ery. The range includes the ME240 integrated amplifier (pictured above, $2100), four power amplifiers and t h ree preamplifiers. Hi-Fi Gallery 0-6-835 2234

A new bookshelf model from B&W, the DM302, continues an incre a s i n g trend for afford a ble UK spe a kers to use i n j ecti on - m o u l ded plastics for their cabinet con s tructi on . The DM302 incorpora tes a number of tapered wedges to greatly reduce the internal reflecti on s which cause reson a n ce co l o u ration in spe a kers. The injection-moulded front and rear baffles are rigidly held toget h er to form a better cabinet construction. The DM302 has a high sensitivity of 91dB. B&W New Zealand Limited 0-3-0-3-365 5677

AUDIOLAB ADDS AN ‘S’

Audiolab have release a highly f l ex i ble integra ted amplifier. The 8000S of fers 60 watts per channel and comes complete with a remote control that works not only the amplifier, but also any Philipsbased CD players (Ma rantz, Meridian, Naim etc). Sound Group Holdings 0-9-415 6680.

HARMAN KARDON SHOCK!

In a shock move , Ha rman In ternational have removed the Ha rman Kardon agency from longtime distri butor, Hi-Fi Marketing.

AudioEnz understands that this is p a rt of a world-wi de move to align the agencies for HK, and another Harman In ternational com p a ny, JBL. Current JBL distri butor Jands Electronics take over the Ha rman Kardon agency as from Septem ber 1. Jands 0-9-366-7021

SCEPTRE REPLACES SABRE

Ru a rk have a new medium sized, t wo way stand mounted spe a ker called the Sceptre. Big Ears Audio 0-9-379 3801.

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T H E S O N I C G L A D I AT O R

There is a light and it never goes out FA S T C A R S , FA S T W O M E N A N D H I - F I J O U R N A L I S M

“W

ell, it’s not like I’m deaf, or anything. Th a t’s a CD player, I’ve got some CDs. What’s the problem? What’s this knob for? Look at the pretty sparks when I touch these two wires together. Where do babies come from?

Can I go play outside?”

And so it continued. Me, em p l oying l ogic, re a s on , and blu bbing like a sissy, to convince the Editor that I should be let loose on an unsu s pecting piece of ex pensive hi-fi equ i pment, and Mi ke being ut terly irrati onal and unre a s on a bl e , as if I didn’t know what I was doing.

Yes I did, once, poke a screwdriver into the back of a casset te deck wh en it wasn’t playing at the correct speed.

And, yes, I did electrocute myself.

But if qualified technicians are required for everything, why do they sell screwdrivers and soldering irons to the publ i c ?

Answer me that one, Mr. Clever Trousers.

The life of the Hi-fi j o u rnalist is su rely one made in heaven.

Here’s several billion do ll a rs’ worth of stereo equipment. P l ay a few stinky albums capable of forcing the aged and infirm indoors and giving small ch i l d ren the screaming heebies, write a few savage words to establish credibility, make a little l ove, get down ton i ght, mix another martini. Can I have some more free stuff?

Still, the way I see it, you don’t have to be a patronising half-wit with spiked toaster stands to apprec i a te that Luscious Jackson becomes even more luscious, or that Chick-nobody-actually-likes-me-butt h a t - doesn’t - s top-them -pretending-theydo-Corea sounds even more mind-numbingly boring, if the Hi-fi wasn’t purchased f rom “Honest Bob’s Bric-a-brac, and Motorcycle Repair Centre”.

But, hell, the Playboy collection, stacked neatly, still makes a brilliant pair of speaker stands.

Alright then, let us surmise that Mi ke has been “given a talking to” by my friends, Cru s h er and Knu ck l e s , and I now have in the back of the Nissan Violet, a smashing new, super-duper, extra good, sounds better than everything in the whole world, compact disc player.

All that remains is to get it home in one piece, and give it a jolly good listen.

6

However! As professionals, we are turns to tragedy, and there is alw ays one expected to return all the great stuff kind- piece left over, with the label: “ In c red i bly ly loaned to us for scathing analysis in Important Piece of Foam – Must Be brand new condition, and everybody Packed First”. knows that is just not po s s i ble to rem ove Now that the offending appliance is a nything from its box without getting exposed to my critical gaze, it has to be put something stuck up your bottom or losing through its paces. Now, I ’ve read about a loved one. No, I this, and feel I have do not know how a pretty solid grasp And so it continued. Me, the remote contro l of what’s required. came to be glued to It is important to employing logic, reason, the side of the box. connect the appliAny more poi n t l e s s ance to anything and blubbing like a sissy, to you can lay your questions?

Yes, it’s all fun hands on, and to convince the Editor that I listen to it in every and games until somebody puts an ssible geogra ph i c should be let loose on an po eye out. locati on in order to Luckily, once the narrow down its unsuspecting piece of box is wrested free applications to a of its contents, it where , unless expensive hi-fi equipment point becomes a nifty fort you move to Ti bet, or pirate ship to sail roger the Dalai in when all your little fri ends come over. Lama, and use gold plated Sherpas as Oh no, the high seas are never safe wh en interconnects, your enti re system will there’s product reviewing to be done. sound like llama poo.

Don’t suppose I could easily explain the Equ a lly vital, is the selection of tortu rskull and crossbones crayoned on the side ous, bad, bad, bad, music which raises on the box. your ex i s tential angst to levels you could Moving right alon g, we have the ubi q- just die for. u i to u s , oddly shaped, bits of polystyrene Obviously, most good hi-fi manufacpacking that give off dangerous fumes tu rers will hunt you down and kill you if when set alight. you attem pt to play anything a bit “rough Better than fizzy drink and crisps. and tumble”, so my advice here is to make I on ce made the most fabulous scale up some fictitious jazz musician, and rot m odel of the Star Wa rs “Death Star” from on, ad nauseam, about the joyous kaleidothe polystyrene around a TV set. It had scope your sad existence has become. laser guns and everything. In cluding my No one will think to doubt the jazz plastic Darth Vader, wh i ch I used to sell- musician’s authenticity, lest they appear otape to the side of the Death Star, (he was ignorant. “Philistines!” we shall cry, and nearly as big as it was, and co u l d n’t fit have them put to de a t h . Oh it’s all so perinside) and hurl at my yo u n ger bro t h ers, fect I could pop. who quickly became disillusioned with And never lose sight of the fact that the being rebel troops. purpose of the avera ge hi-fi arti cle is not Of course it had to end in tears when to be informative or provocative, but to the whole thing mel ted under enemy fire make yourself look great. How’s my hair? on top of the heater one terrible night.

And there you have it. Earn no cash in The wonderful part about the poly- the comfort or your own home by becomstyrene is that when the time comes to re- ing a hi-fi journalist. Must have own pack the box , what was on ce intricately Captain Marvo secret decoder ring. formed to fit the Marvo Really Quite Good Next issue, look out for my review of CD Player, has been cleverly re-designed CD players over three million dollars. The to hold some sort of heat-seeking missile results will surprise you. and a small pocket rad i o. Invariably, this —Darren Knight

INCREDIBLE SOUND, AFFORDABLE PRICE… FOR MUSIC AND MOVIES!

5 year

Now there’s a Polk Audio speaker for everybody!

Over 30 models available – there’s one here for you!

parts and labour

warranty

Matthew Polk Chairman, Polk Audio Polk Audio RT16 – just one of a superb range that includes…

Mini Monitor $399 LS50 Floorstanding $1999 RT3 Bookshelf $499 LS70 Floorstanding $2999 RT5 Bookshelf $699 LS90 Floorstanding $3999 RT7 Bookshelf $899 LSfx Surround Sound $1199 RT8 Floorstanding $999 AB410 In-Wall $399 RT10 Floorstanding $1299 AB610 In-Wall $599 RT12 Floorstanding $1699 AB505 In-Wall $699 RT16 Floorstanding $1999 AB705 In-Wall $899 RTfx Surround Sound $999 AB805 In-Wall $1399 M3 Surround Sound $599 AWM3 All Weather $699

RM2000 Satellite RM3000 Sat/Subwoofer RM5000 Sat/Subwoofer RM7000 Home Theatre CS150 Centre Speaker CS200 Centre Speaker CS250 Centre Speaker CS350 Centre Speaker PSW100 Subwoofer AWM5 Commercial SRT Home Theatre sys.

$999 $1999 $2199 $2799 $399 $499 $599 $899 $1399 $999 $19000

Polk Loudspeakers are available from: Whangarei – Hubands Retravision • Auckland – Eastern Hi-Fi, Link Drive and Newmarket • Thames – Advanced Audio • Hamilton – Lakeland TV and Stereo • Tauranga – Simister Retravision • Whakatane – The Electricity Centre • Rotorua – Eastern Hi-Fi • New Plymouth – Masons Appliances • Palmerston North – Manawatu TV and Sound • Wellington – Absolute Audio and Vision • Nelson – Tasman Energy • Christchurch – The Top Hi-Fi Shop • Dunedin – Good Hi-Fi • Cromwell – Gary Anderson Appliances

Polk Audio was founded in 1972 by Matthew Polk and George Klopher.

Their dream was to make speakers with the performance of the world’s best and costliest speakers, but at a reasonable price.

They did so by applying scientific principles to speaker design and by concentrating solely on the speaker business.That’s why Polk is still known as “The Speaker Specialists”.

Today Polk are one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Home and Car loudspeakers and their research and development has yielded over 20 patents for advances in loudspeaker performance and value.

Polk speakers have earned high praise from the worlds Hi-Fi press as well as dozens of awards for innovative, high quality design.

If you are considering investing in a new pair of speakers or are looking at Home Theatre you really should audition a Polk Audio speaker system. From $399 right up to the $19,000 SRT Home Theatre systems, you won’t find a better speaker for your money.

Distributed by

Pacific Audio PO Box 9171,Auckland.

Phone 0-9-524 8032. Fax 0-9-524 8037

THE SAGACIOUS AUDIOPHILE

The delicate art of subwoofing BASS: THE FINAL FRONTIER

S

o you want more bass from your stereo system? Sounds simple enough, just add a subwoofer. If only life was this easy. The sad truth is that bringing the bottom couple of oct aves into your listening room is expensive and, more often than not, a disappointing experience.

For the purposes of this article, bass range has been taken as being 20Hz to 160Hz (three oct ave s ) . Deep bass: 20–40Hz; mid bass: 40–80Hz and upper bass: 80–160Hz. Ma ny readers will own spe a kers that do a reasonable job in the upper bass region, attempt to make noises in the mid 40-80Hz area, but contribute absolutely nothing below that. “ Ha ha,” s ays you, reaching for the manufacturers specifications that came with your pride and joy – this writer k n ows nix. Clearly the specs state 20Hz– 20kHz. I must be getting deep bass. Sorry

fo l k s , there’s usu a lly a little figure fo ll owing this spec such as -10dB at 20Hz which means that what deep bass is produced will be so low in power relative to the total sound level produ ced by your speakers, it will be completely inaudible. The only answer is to add a subwoofer.

SO WHAT’S TH E PROBLE M?

Reading advertisements for subwoofers would lead one to think that all you do after buying one is stick it behind the co u ch (or any other inconspicuous place of your ch oi ce), hook it up to your syereo system and behold bass notes so powerf u l your trousers legs flap, what hair you have left on your head is blown straight back and the poor old budgerigar – who has never done anyone any harm – is stunned into a unconscious state.

Your face has a smug, self satisfied smile. The guy that said “the more bass the

better” sure knew a thing or two. Sorry again folks! You’ ll soon tire of the ex perience. It’s over the top, unnatural and definitely not music. Even the most fanatical home theatre buff tires of these bangs and crashes eventually, but usually not before he realises the family have all left home.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not anti bass, quite the opposite – but quality not quantity is paramount. I do not just want the physical feeling that bass provi de s ; I want to hear precise pitch , lack of colourati on , and the sharp attack of plucked aco u s tic bass. I want to ex perien ce the power and majesty from thirty two foot organ pipes and the sense of being pre s ent in a large cathedral or hall. I want to hear every note and nuance in fast, intricate bass playing – not a muffled roar and thump session.

Unfortu n a tely this degree of bass qu a l i ty is difficult for spe a kers to reproduce and is further confounded by the size and materials from wh i ch our listening rooms are built.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Over the years I have tried around seven subwoofers with my system, never with much success. Only two of them produced the quality of bass I was seeking, but even these have the unfortu n a te abi l i ty to impose their voi ce on the all important midrange of my own spe a kers. In other words, they did not integrate with the rest of my system.

For everything they added, they took twi ce as mu ch away. For example, hu m a n voi ces became indistinct, it was harder, if not impossible to hear the words being sung.

L i kewise, instruments such piano and guitar lost clarity and attack up to about 440Hz (that’s the A above middle C. It’s also the pitch to which modern symphony orchestras tune their instruments.)

When a REL Stadium su bwoofer arrived for review my hopes were not all that high that here at last was the answer.

Designed by one Rich a rd E Lord, this 29Kg box measures 575x520x352mm (WxHxD) and is beautifully finished in Rosenut. It certainly looked the part – but would they perform up to my expectations?

8

Quite Simply

NEW ZEALAND’S FINEST AMPLIFICATION An arrogant claim perhaps, but to our ears the Genesis, at a mere $1299, is by far the finest amplifier available in New Zealand for the money.

It’s as simple as that.

Call (025) 854 989 for more information or an obligation free home trial

DIY – Yes! Build your own loudspeakers and get great performance at a great price. Axent Hi-Fi kits start from $190. They feature Axent computer optimised crossovers and drive units from Vifa, Philips or Axent.

• Axent Advance Speakers • Subwoofers • Custom speaker design • Repairs and restoration

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25 Portage Road, New Lynn, Auckland Ph 0-9-827 1220. Fax 0-9-826 0302

Quality The Definition Never Changes

ALTO: Where design innovation meets sonic excellence!

Exceptional both visually and sonically the Alto amplifier successfully handles many different musical styles with ease. This charismatic amplifier (and the matching CD player) are destined to be collectors pieces beyond 2000!

Available now in both black and chrome finish.

ALTO Amplifier (black) $1299 ALTO Amplifier (chrome) $1499 ALTO CD Player (black) $1299 ALTO CD Player (chrome) $1499 ALTO amplifiers and CD players are available from: Auckland Eastern Hi-Fi Hamilton Lakeland TV and Stereo Tauranga Simister Retravision New Plymouth Masons Appliances Wellington Absolute Audio and Vision Christchurch The Top Hi-Fi Shop Dunedin Good Hi-Fi

Distributed by

Pacific Audio PO Box 9174, Auckland.

Phone 0-9-524 8032.

Fax 0-9-524 8037

Dynaco CDV-1 Vacuum Tube CD Player $1299 – 1 year warranty Dynaco solid-state amplifiers from $1299–2100 Valve amps from $3495–$4200 Preamps from $1199–$1995 In stock now Stereo 160 75wpc tube amplifier $3995

Distributed and serviced by Feedback Enterprises Ltd Ph/Fax 0-3-548 4068 or Ph/Fax 0-3-547 6012 Auckland Charisma Audio Ph 0-9-478 6448 Nelson Feedback Audio Ph 0-3-548 4068 9

SETTING UP

Earlier I mentioned the idea people have that subs can be stuck any where in the room – prefera bly out of sight. Now, your listening may allow this, but the ch a n ces are about the same as winning Lotto.

My method for finding the best locati on is to place the su bwoofer at my normal listening position (no problem with the REL as it comes with a three or four metre interconnect), playing a 20Hz test tone or a recording with plenty of deep bass and moving around the room l i s tening for the point wh ere bass appe a rs loudest.

If ever you try this, you will be amazed h ow at some points, bass com p l etely disappears and comes back again only centimetres away. At these locations, the shape and size of your room has cre a ted standing waves which cancel one another out.

No use installing your new sub where this occurs as you aren’t going to hear any bass at your normal listening positi on when playing music or watching movies.

So where was best in my room? Ha rd against the wall behind my spe a kers and slightly to the left of centre. Initially this seemed a contradicti on . A subwoofer located cl o s er to where violins and violas come from ra t h er than the other speaker REL subwoofers offer a number of connection options and control over the subwoofer/main system interface, as shown on the Strata model

10

where one hears double basses (in symphonic music). Later experimenting by shifting the REL only confirmed the original choice of location.

Connecting the REL is simple. It is biwired from your amplifier’s speaker terminals. The advantage of this approach is the REL is wi red in parallel with the main speakers instead of in series – thus there is no compromising crossover muddying up the midrange as in other subwoofers.

I N T E G R AT I O N

This is just one area where the REL Stadium excelled. First it has its own built in 100 watt amplifier which has been optimised for bass, therefore there is no power drain on your own stereo amp. Then with the aid of a 40dB gain con trol plus coa rs e and fine filters, obtaining correct levels is a bree ze . It proved easy to set up by “ear.”

Ch ecking later with an SPL meter proved I had managed to get it right within one click of the fine filter.

In effect the REL is “brought up” beneath your main spe a kers to the point where their acoustic output is falling away.

This will vary from speaker to speaker and room to room. In my case the cro s s over point was around 47Hz. Installing the REL Stadium in two other systems proved equally simple.

T H E R E S U LT

Never in my experien ce has one compon en t , ei t h er ad ded to or su b s ti tuted for another in my system, had such an immed i a te and positive effect. What stru ck me first was not deep bass notes but a sense of space. Large recording venues were just that – large. Yet studio recordings were obviously made in a much smaller area.

Ba l a n ce between instruments of varying sizes was bro u ght correctly into perspective, no better example than the Proprius recording Antiphone Blues. This CD, recorded in a cathedral, fe a tu res pipe organ and saxophone. To me, this disc has always given the impression that the saxophone was a larger, more powerful instrument than the organ. Now the roles were reversed. It wasn’t heaps of loud, h e av y bass notes from the organ, more a sense of audible power coming from the pipes and a feeling you were in the presence of a truly majestic instrument. You were there.

You were part of the performance. An awesome experience.

Every disc listened to was a new experience. Sound was underpinned by rock

solid, tight, rhythmic bass. Discs which contained true low bass just seemed to keep going down and down allowing for a total performance.

Perhaps the greatest benefit was improved midrange performance from my speakers. They seemed more able to get on and do what they were re a lly best at. So great was this improvement, a ny idea of upgrading the spe a kers (I had been considering this for the past twelve months) was forgo t ten. The other two systems, in different homes, with wh i ch the REL was tried showed the same effect.

Used in conjunction with home theatre / surround sound, the REL proved its worth once again. It not only produced all the requisite bumps, thumps, roars and crashes deemed necessary for this medium, but added subtlety to visual/audio scenes which I had not experienced before.

Ta ke for example the scene from the film The Priest. Caught in a traffic jam in an Italian city, sounds from cars and people all around you became uncomfortably claustrophobic.

A SAD NOTE

There is a down side to this report. I had to give the REL Stadium back. After d i s con n ecting it, my sys tem sounded lifeless and small by comparison. Gone was the invo lvement I had experien ced in so mu ch music over the past seven weeks. It is said “time is the great healer” – well, I h ave re ad ju s ted to life without a REL but as soon as house renovations are complete, one is coming back into our lounge for keeps. On second thoughts make that two.

Exce s s ive you say? Surely low bass is non directional. Well that’s another story and I’ve run out of space.

The sum of $3550 is a considerable amount to pay for the privilege of obtaining a couple of oct aves. Considering the total cost of many systems I believe adding a REL subwoofer is still the most co s t effective upgrade you can make . It is cheaper and far more effective than replacing your existing speakers with something supposedly “full range”.

The good news is REL have three smaller models, The Storm at around $2650, the Strata for around $1950 and the new Stealth (known as the Q-Bass in Britain) for around $1400. If money is no object and you want the ultimate, a couple of Studio’s for $11,000 each may well be the answer.

—Charles Thomson

T H E

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E L E M E N T S

O F

B E T T E R

S P E A K E R

D E S I G N

And the winner is…

In the latest, world-acclaimed AudioVideo International’s 17th annual “Hi-Fi Grand Prix Awards”, PARADIGM won Grand Prix awards for 1. Full-size speakers of the year PARADIGM Eclipse / Bipolars 2. Mid-size floorstanding speakers of the year PARADIGM Espirit / Bipolars 3. Sub/Sat speaker systems of the year PARADIGM Atom and SB110 4. Bookshelf speakers of the Year PARADIGM Titan 6. Rear surround speakers of the year PARADIGM ADP-150 dipoles 6. Subwoofer (12'' and over) of the year PARADIGM PS-1200 7. Special recognition award for centre channel speakers of the year category PARADIGM CC-300 centre channel speaker Since 1990 PARADIGM have won over 70 awards including numerous Sound & Vision Critics Choice awards, the USA Consumer Digest Best Buy awards, AudioVideo International’s Product of the Year Grand Prix awards, Stereophile recommended components as well as being voted by USA retail watchdog Inside Track as the best price/value loudspeaker brand for an outstanding five years in a row. …and the winner is PARADIGM – now showing at an audio outlet close to you.

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PO Box 65-028 Auckland 10 Ph 0-9-478 2001, Fax 0-9-478 2010

PARADIGM is one of the most highly acclaimed speaker brands with countless rave reviews and awards.

PARADIGM are backed up in New Zealand by Audio Technologies NZ Ltd with a five-year warranty.

So if you’ve always dreamed of owning a truly great audiophile speaker, don’t lower your expectations. Just lower your payment.

Listen to PARADIGM. Imported exclusively by Audio Technologies NZ Ltd, PO Box 65-028 Auckland. Phone Doug Thomas on 0-9-478 2001 or 025-723 989 or fax him on 09-478 2010.

EUPHONIC EUPHORIA

The DIY’er who reigns supreme JP MEETS MARK LEVINSON AND GETS “CELLO’D”

I

n the last issue of Au d i o En z I mentioned if you want something done right, then do it yourself. Of co u rse deciding ex actly wh a t’s right or not right inspires some intere s ting and amusing deliberations. But there is one man whose do - i t - right, do-it-yo u rs elf dedication has practically redefined music reproducti on standards in both recording studios and serious home listening.

From a point twenty five years ago with basement manufacturing of his original no com prom i s e , su perb audio electronics to tod ay in his posh New York and LA showrooms. Hi ghly re s pected recording engineers, s erious musicians, artists, ri ch and famous, and sensible keen listeners, all come to Mark Levinson where he actually delivers reproduced music heaven.

Last September while visiting New York City, I chased up dear editor’s pre-faxed request for a guided visit around Ma rk Levinson’s new 62nd Street Cello Headqu a rters . With a gracious wel com e , it was shoes-off (plush white carpet), and upstairs to the breathtaking sight of the Cello Reference System. Magnificent 2.2m tall Stradivari Grand Master speakers with 18 drivers per side, and between them

12

eight serious chassis in bridged pairs of two box Performance Amps which provide roughly 2.5+ real kilowatts per side.

In this tastefully decora ted big studio lounge room other notable odds and ends in a rear sidewall rack were two Nagra 20bit digital recorders, a Forsell with Graham Arm vinyl deck, and other audiophile and s tudio desirables su ch as the Cello Audio Su i te modular contro ller, Apogee Aco u s tics digital boxes etc . In front of the prime listening sofa, situated for easy twi d dling on a cool plexi-glass trolley was the legen d a ry Cello Audio Palette equ a l i ser- con tro ll er. There was also an old, dark mahogany red do u ble bass lying near the left speaker.

Ca tching my breath and poorly trying to be NYC cool, I re a l i s ed this visit was definitely not going to be a typical sniff and snarl around the local hi-fi shop.

Espec i a lly since it was the obvi o u s ly bu s y, yet very personable ML himself who was quickly telling me about the installed RPG diffusers in response to my feeble “n i ce room” gasp. Until I could stop gawking and get my jaw cl o s ed I figured it best to chill out thro u gh first talking music by greasing-up ML and telling him that I was

a big fan of his bass playing. He verified my appreciati on and picked up his lovely old (c. 1680) Italian double bass and began plu cking a warm-up blues exercise cre a ting a particularly gorgeous, deep, harmonically rich sound. For a non-musical comparison it sounded like Rich a rd Burton (on a good day) reading a dramatically worded inheritance noti ce that your ridiculously rich uncle Charley has just croa ked and left you 100 zillion bucks.

Sweet, sweet sounds, more than just “a record to die for”. Quite something you could listen to for days on end without interrupting to eat. Yes – that ri ch and satisfying.

ML then poi n ted out that part of the great sound I was hearing was due to this specially prep a red room. Standing between the big spe a kers he rubbed his fingertips together and asked me, while seated about five metres aw ay, if I could hear him sof t ly scratch i n g. I said ye s , c a lluses and the smooth parts as if he were at arm’s length. This, he pointed out was “Part two of the Cello approach to quality listening enjoyment. Not only optimally match ed sys tem com pon ents as part on e , but total integration of architecture, lighting, and acoustic preparation in support of ideal listening condition s”. Actually, I twigged, the sensible path to listening excellence.

ML con tinued: “The NYC Cello bu i l ding is a $US6 million investment that provides two options to properly hear and see highest quality music and video reproduction. It provides and proves the solution to getting off the high-end merry goround and being happy with your music system”.

Before I could discuss high-end audioph i l e - n ervosa he said, “l i s ten to this” and put what looked like a CD-R on a Marantz player that I think had extra leads coming out of it. I immediately identified trumpet su premo Wy n ton Ma rsalis and a vaguely familiar bass player doing a straight ahead blues. I commented that Wynton was typically crowding the microphone, but the bass playing sounded gre a t , then re a l i s ed it was him (just like Homer, “doh!”) setting up the foundations for Wynton’s bre a t hy moist blasts. Not exactly a pol-

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ished release product, but definitely something to consider that he (ML) knows what making music with “big guys” is a bo ut . And most import a n t ly he can capture and reprodu ce that sound amazingly close to the original in the correct acoustic environment with his excellent gear.

T H E B A N D P L AY S O N

ML then put on an unedited master of his just released recording of pianist Jacky Terrasson’s tri o, and instantly there were these guys talking and shuffling paper ac ross the room just as realisti c a lly as ML was chatting to me about this being part of an upcoming Blue No te records “Cello Series”. When the trio started it really wasn’t reprodu cti on, it was a nice six foo t “dark” smooth Stei nw ay, a clean unamplified bass, and a small drum kit unden i a bly spatially “t h ere” making won derful jazz trio music for us. No matter hard I tried, it was qu i te impo s s i ble to not vi sualise them being in there with us.

As my logical and sensory systems became somewhat muddled-up I involuntarily got big shivers up my spine and sprouted goose-flesh. This wonderful realism was practically spooky! Realising the importance of my primal response, I fumbled thro u gh my ditty bag and hastily offered up my classic Leica M-3 two-stroke camera in down payment to ML. He wouldn’t accept it, rats!

Getting on with listening to available material, I got out a newly purchased u n p l ayed 20-bit JVC Ti ger Okoshi CD recorded by my old fri end Jim An ders on .

Yipes! Was I ever embarrassed because the produ cer (A Takuchi) app a rently wanted some nasty coloured reverb added to Ti ger’s trumpet. I told ML that Jim Anderson would never do that himself and he just laughed and said “ w a tch this”. He Cello’s Audio Pallette

did one or two quick fiddles on the Audio Palette and magically the trumpet became mu ch more to l erable. It still had tone and bite with a proper ed ge , but som ehow the Palette toned down the nasty bit but left all the music intact. Bouncing eq in and out with the Palette showed me that it works miracles in correcting recorded anomalies.

ML next had me tweak just a bit of upper mids and top treble into an old alto saxophonist Paul Desmond qu a rtet RC A re - release that was dread f u lly dry and flat sounding. Am a z i n gly, it too came to life, and fantastically just like the above new discs, those guys on the old disc were also “really” in the room making music for us.

This absolutely flabbergasted me. “How the hell”, I asked, “can that happen so naturally”? He replied that “the Audio Palette works in broad bands where the ear is most sensitive to natural musical response a berra ti on s , and it also works around the most frequent studio mon i tor dis-linearities. We are heavily working on getting The Cello Reference Sys tem into as many studios as po s s i ble to get things stabi l i s ed in the industry”. I commented, “good luck, it can’t be soon enough”. He then mentioned “Sony Music, G a tew ay Music, Ma s terd i s k (Bob Ludwig), and several others are installing the Cello Reference System”.

Af ter trying a couple more discs and a few more little Audio Palette tweaks I was seriously converted and sold. ML then had to rush out som ewhere and I knew I had to leave before I started begging and crying like any good audio dweeb, I want it, I want it, I want it!

musical waveform with true accuracy and dynamics takes lots and lots of clean grunt. Within the Cello Referen ce Sys tem there is more than enough transducer and amplification available to fully present every subtle and dynamic element in any record i n g. And in using the Palette, t h ere is honest “real world” correcti on available for recorded faults such as overly close m i c’ing on perc u s s i on, some digital glare, lu m py bass and so forth. This means a Cello System can be analytical and mu s ical in the extreme! Having your cake and eating it, with ice cream, f u d ge sauce and cherries too!

THE REAL THING

Th a t’s it, no splendiferous verbalisations. The real thing comes from the Cello Referen ce Sys tem. Si m p ly without trying or forcing your imagination, there “really” are people with instruments just a few metres away making real music. The musical message, the feel, the mood, the groove, whatever you sense is there in the musical offering comes through in an instinctively correct way. The gear quickly vanishes and the musicians naturally appear in your minds eye. The high-end promise fulfiled, wi t h o ut any hys teria or app a rent com p l ications. The honest to God, wonderful real thing.

It’s nice to know pioneer physicist Heinrich Hertz (as in 20Hz to 20kHz etc.) actually has a modern de s cendant in ML who has musical talent, great ears, business skill, and a stubborn do - i t - yo u rs elf, do-it-right perfectionism to realise the dream of truly realistic music reproduction.

WHY SO GOOD

Was I just overwhelmed by what superficially could be taken as a typical American heavy horsepower, brute force approach? Not really, because real music m oves a lot of air, and reproducing any

THE GOAL

I love my Bryston and Plinius electronics and my old Tannoys , but they’re re a lly just nice hi-fi toys and light-years from the Real Thing Cello. Life’s short, i s o l a te and insulate your listening room, forget the yacht, forget the Porsche, forget the big fancy OE. Get something that can give you and yo u rs splendid thrills and ch i lls every single day for years and years to come.

Anybody want to buy a classic nice old Leica M-3?

—John Paul Note: The Ma rk Levinson brand name is now owned by Madrigal Audio Labora tories.

Readers should note that there is no conn ecti on bet ween Mark Levi n s on produ ct s and Cello products.

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THE SHORTEST PATH BETWEEN YOU AND THE MUSIC

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…AND NOW TO THE LEFT

A music lover’s best friend WE MUSTN’T LOSE TOUCH WITH OUR HI-FI AS A SYSTEM

L

ike most of you, my own hi-fi system has not come about as a one-off purchase but as a carefully con s i dered, usually expensive , string of building blocks over some years. And like everyone, I have made blunders in my selection of components.

Nevertheless, we all feel the urge to make changes to our hi-fi. The driving reasons or excuses that lead us to quit a CD player here , an amplifier or casset te deck t h ere, are of course nu m erous. Put simply though, we make changes because we wish to enjoy a better quality of sound than we presently have.

Not wishing to remove any of the sport in the hunt for that right component (hopefully as your hi-fi moves from

strength to strength), you would agree that a fair amount of h om ework is essen tial if we are to end up with the right ch oi ce for our wall et s , our ears and even the healthy future of our hi-fi systems. The homework I refer to usually invo lves hours of ph on e calls, retailer visits, conversations with friends and heaps and heaps of listening.

Based loosely around the premise that we would all listen to more music if we had good systems to listen to it with I’ve launched into a running commentary that should be useful next time we contemplate any oustings, re s hufflings or promotions among the ranks of our own hi-fi cabinet.

DETERMINE THE WEAKEST LINK

As The Sonic Glad i a tor will tell you

A LT E R N AT I V E C H O I C E S TH OSE PE RE NNIA L REA SONS F OR MA KI NG CH AN GES TO OU R SYSTEMS

We feel the need to upgrade because we want to hear (and own) a bet ter sound.

Is it that we grow too used to our existing systems and their inherent sound?

Quite often, we just feel the time has come for a change. We take steps to improve our hi-fi and there are endless examples of the steps we take (or the excuses we come up with) in getting that bet ter sound. See if any of the following justifications ring any bells!

M O R E B E E F, A N YO N E

More power, I gotta have more power!

And quite often this excuse is a valid one.

For instance , you have a small amp in a large room. Or, a small amp driving ineff i c i ent speakers. Power is one thing, but unfortunately a lot of amps with heaps more grunt are weaklings in current delivery to the spe a kers and invariably sound ro u gh and re ady around the edges. I guess that’s why some 60 watt power amplifiers cost $600 and others $6000. As we all know, but so often overlook, we should be thinking qu a l i ty not quantity.

SNAZZIER SPEAKERS

The most obvious difference in sound quality is often attributed solely to the changing of spe a kers. Better spe a kers,

16

bet ter sound, su rely? If on ly it were that easy! Agreed, we hear obvious differences in sound through the spe a kers, but always consider the other components in the chain first. Are we better off improving our source component (CD, turntable, tuner) or even amplifier before looking at improvements speaker i m provem ents? Rem em ber, the spe a kers a re at the end of the chain. You may be surprised at just how much better they can sound with improvements further closer to source in the hi-fi chain.

JUMBO SPEAKERS

Recently, fellow writer and best buddy Sonic Gladiator auditioned a large pair of L a m bert floors t a n ders in his small i s h listening room. The verd i ct was “n i ce spe a ker, but too big for the room!”.

Bigger spe a kers over his JPW Sonatas would sure fill his room better but although the Lamberts sounded much better, they were visibly and audibly overwhelming the Glad i a tor’s lounge.

Remember, the speakers need to be matched to the room as much as they need to be matched with the system’s other components.

GETTING LAZY?

Multi-disc CD players, who needs

( h e’s a phys i o t h erapist you see) we’re not really making progress until we can put our finger on the root of the problem.

What applies to the human body equally applies to our conglomeration of electronic devices. In the hi-fi chain, we know this root as the weakest link.

Our interest, our focus must lie in seeking out the weakest link in the sound system chain if we are to increase our mu s ical enlightenment. We could tackle this task with the simple and methodical process of elimination.

My own personal background in hi-fi has taught me to start with the source.

Any problems, a ny room for improvement, try at the beginning of the hi-fi chain. By this, I mean listening to each s o u rce com pon ent, in turn, and if nece ssary the comparison of our own compon ents with borrowed ones from fri ends or willing retailers.

The realisation that our recently acqu i red CD player (at a steal, of course) is actu a lly a slow, l i feless and rather saggy messenger of all things musical, is only commendable if we actually admit that we bought a lemon! We’re on the right side of the proverbial humble/pig-headed fence should we own up to this fact.

How many of us have bought a socall ed steal from the paper, from a friend, f rom anywh ere, on ly to have the component taint, torment and damn well asphyxiate the music from your hi-fi! How many of us? Most, I’d say.

Having inve s tigated the cause of concern, with big ears and mu ch trep i d a ti on , now consider the remedial action.

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

If we can con f i dently point our finger at the cause then we’re a long way to effecting a positive change to our hi-fi. Quite of ten , however, the soluti on is not simply the replacement of one component, but two.

A good friend of mine was recen t ly in this exact predicament. His existing amplifier and spe a kers were both get ting a little long in the tooth and he sensed that either (or both) components were letting the side down. The main front end components of CD and turntable were of a higher quality

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Mission 734 speakers are designed to produce clarity and deep, powerful bass resulting in a musically refined speaker which will also deliver room-shaking home theatre. “…lively presentation with a wide range of music, stupendous bass!”

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than that of the amp and spe a kers. Our initial attempts at balancing the system led us (and a local retailer) to focus on the speakers.

The general rule of thumb, that of cons i dering the source firs t , s pe a kers last, was duly app l i ed. However, all of us listening were in agreement that the loudspe a kers should be the first to go. There was an appreciable sound improvement to be had by just improving the speakers. In making ’em! We need one of these because we get sick of having to get up every hour to change discs. Does this sound familiar?

Well, what a bummer. OK, multi-disc players are indisputablely essential for s h ops and restaurants etc , but I’ve yet to hear a multi player sound as good as a single one of the same value. If increasing quality of sound reproduction is sought, then I know where I’d stick my money! It isn’t really that much of an inconvenience to get up, is it?

WORTHIER THAN MOST

In considering amplifiers, I was a classic case of naively believing that two boxes are always better than one. Ma ny moons ago, and at different times, I bought Plinius and Naim pre-power combinations. Both combos were early and not particularly refined models from each respective marque. It didn’t take long to realise that the Creek Audio 4040S2 integrated amp stood head and shoulders above the Plinii in terms of rhythm, i n formation and sheer expre ss i on of the mu s i c . Si m i l a rly, the dy n a mics and tonality of the Creek 4140S2 integra ted outshone the little Naims. I’m always a little su s pect of pre - power amp combos that cost the same pri ce or less as a decent integra ted. Over recent ye a rs the quality of single box amplifiers has improved remarkably, don’t overlook them.

PUMP UP THE POWER

With separa te amps, we may think that we’ve got a superi or sounding amp than an integra ted, not to mention the beginnings of an upgrade a ble sys tem. But we shouldn’t sell ours elves short wh en it’s upgrade time by merely thinking bi gger is bet ter. My ex peri ence is that we get better musical ben efits by moving into a better quality amplifier and not merely a bi gger power amp. That is to say, the upgrade may in fact be the pre (or control) ampli-

18

this dec i s i on , all of us agreed that replacing the spe a kers re su l ted in gre a ter sound i m provem ent than the rep l acem ent of the amplifier.

In time, my friend will look to improving the amplifier as the next upgrade. In this instance , finances dictated the decision to limit hi-fi upgrading to one component.

The final dec i s i on, to make a con s i derable improvement to one component f i er, not the power amp. If we find ours elves left wanting with the ex i s ting amp com bo, do not underestimate the importance of the pre amp and the tri ckle down ef fects it has on the sys tem. We can’t go wrong if we continue to improve the inform a tion to the system before pumping up the power stakes.

M AT C H E S M A D E I N H E AV E N , OR HELL!

I’m talking here about separa te CD transport and DACs. Yes, it’s another two boxes are better than one argument. Just be careful that the two boxes we end up with do in fact sound better than a similarly priced one box alternative . A mism a tch in compon ents is sometimes the h a rdest, most costly, predicament to cure. And then there are the…

LINKS, TENU OU S OR OTHERWISE

Any reputable dealer will have already done their homework on suitably matching cables to complement the components they stock. Unless we’re inquisitive, s tu bborn or fancy ours elves as know-italls we probably just end up wasting precious time in coming up with our own cable con coctions. Con coctions which often just change the sound, and not necessarily make improvements to the quality of the music reproduction.

rather than spread the same money over both amplifier and speakers was the right one. This way, he has an upgrade that should secure its place in his system longer than two lesser grade products wo u l d . A longer tenu re by fewer su peri or products means better sound quality for longer.

TIME

So progress has been made to the extent of narrowing the choice of potential upgrade products we feel could be successors to that we a kest link. Ta ke the time needed to feel happy in our final decision.

I’ve known of more than just a few embarrassed punters returning to retailers, tail between legs, seeking some salvageable trade-in sum on their two month old product.

Why? Well sometimes it has been due to misdirected advi ce . When this comes from a friend it is usually the worst advice!

Other times, we can blame a fist full of magazine reviews chocka block with hyperbole and those spooky star ratings.

But usually, i t’s just that there is not enough time in the day for hi-fi component auditi on i n g, either at the retailer’s store or at home in their own systems. This is unfortunate, as it is more than likely we will be living with a system for five plus years. Su rely, a couple hours spent auditioning now is a good investment to ensure that we don’t have five years of unhappy listening in the future!

We have to get to know what impact the upgrade product has on our own hi-fi.

This can only come about with time i nve s ted in listening. If not fully appreciated, there is every chance our change may not be one for the better at all.

UNION RULES. OK!

On reflection, our hi-fi systems are more than just music messengers. To a lot of us, those bl ack boxes, lights, dials, knobs, bass drivers, what have you, are extensions of our own personality. That’s fine. I wonder though, if we at times don’t get taken over by the hype, the m a rketing and the rave revi ews , rel egating the importance of listening to the music (by ourselve s , for ourselves) to a back seat when considering changes in our systems. Listen up, listen good.

In con s i dering the upgrade of our system, don’t forget this key word: synergy.

Sy n ergy is about the effect of the whole, not the sum of the parts. It is the make or break of good union within the ranks of any hi-fi.

So, we mustn’t forget that feeling of togetherness whenever we find ourselve s in front of that good looking temptress of a CD player, amp, whatever.

Take on board also, the factors of weakest link, time and change for the better.

They are principles rather than specifics which I hope will make us all wiser punters the next time we want to show our love for music.

—Lloyd Macomber

—Lloyd Macomber

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Building upon the success of the acclaimed 8000A amplifier, and drawing upon the design of the 8000C preamp and the Zq technology introduced in the 8000Q, Audiolab’s 8000S offers unrivalled flexibility, remote control and stunning sound quality. said What Hi-Fi? magazine in a recent review. Audition the 8000S today at: Eastern Hi-Fi Newmarket, Auckland;Wairau Park, Auckland; Rotorua. Lakeland TV & Stereo Hamilton.The Listening Post Tokoroa. Jim’s Music Room Tauranga. Hi-Fi Gallery Napier. Sound Expression Wellington.

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BP-20 Preamplifier $2799

B-60 Integrated Amplifier $2999

Balancing Art and Science for Musical Integrity Now available from Smiths Sound, 587 Mt Eden Road, Auckland Audio and Vision, 52 High Street, Auckland Lakeland TV & Stereo, 127 Alexandra Street, Hamilton

20 Year Transferable Warranty – A Generation of Music Distributed by: Syntec International. PO Box 68-180, Auckland. Ph/Fax 0-9-358-2525.

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O U R FAV O U R I T E T H I N G S

New Zealand’s top integrateds O U R FAV O U R I T E S – P L U S T H E D E A L E R S P I C K S

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n til a few years ago, if you wanted a great sounding amplifier you had to buy a separate preamp and power amplifier. Over recent ye a rs, however, the quality of integra ted amplifiers has increased to su ch an ex tent that sep arate preamps and power amps are now less l i kely to be purchased until we reach the

NAIM NAIT 3 $1850

over $2000 mark. Ma ny amplifiers are line-level only, so if you run a turntable, your choice is narrowed.

O n ce aga i n , the amplifiers pictu red are those recommended by the Au d i o En z team. To achieve a wider spread of opinion, I asked retailers for their favourites as well.

—Mike Jones

Low in power – though normally yo u’d never guess it – but high in finesse, the Nait 3 boogies!

ARCAM ALPHA 5+ $1000

AUDIOLAB 8000S $2000

As with their CD players, Arcam are a dominant participant in the amplifier mid-market, and a mandatory recommendation. A well made, gre a t sounding amplifier

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Both the older (and still current) 8000A and the new line-level 8000S impress listeners. The 8000S is currently making great sound in the editor’s office system!

PLINIUS 2100i $1595

The 100 watt Plinius powerhouse breathes with the music and is one of the most solid sounding integrated amps available. Su perb construction, line l evel on ly. Pity abo ut the cheaplooking red on the front panel!

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We asked six of New Zealand’s top hi-fi retailers what their amplifier recommendations were – and why

Chris Murphy – The Real Music Company, Wellington has four recommendations for amplifiers that meet his standards. The first is the Rotel 920AX ($450) is “a warm, neutral sounding amplifier with a gutsy power output.” Chris highly recommends it for “budget systems as it combines well with a variety of CD players and turntables” and describes it as “a simple, no-nonsense amp that delivers excellent sound for the money.” The Rega Brio ($900) “comes in a small, elegant box” and is “very smooth, open and insightful”. The Arcam Alpha 5+ ($1000) “is a must-listen” at the $1000 mark says Chris, for its “big open sound with exceptional vocal portrayal. All instruments have a degree of “air” between them”. The Naim Nait 3 ($1850) is Naim’s entry level amp. “It’s delivery is unparalleled and is a starting point on the way Naim present music,” says Chris.

“It is best used with high quality source components.” Mike Ibbotson – Eastern Hi-Fi, Newmarket, Auckland is very taken with the new Sonic Frontiers Anthem integrated ($3500). It “offers substantially the performance of some of the reference models at a reasonable cost” and praised its “recreation of natural timbre and acoustic properties of instruments.”

Another new amplifier is the Audiolab 8000S ($2000). “A very clean amp” with the “capability to drive almost anything,” says Mike. Also praised was the Marantz PM55SE ($1000). Mike describes the Marantz as a “top contender at its price,” and that with the high quality components with which it is built, “achieves a level of performance far above its price bracket.”

Hamish Leys – Manawatu TV and Sound, Pa l m e rston North likes the Plinius 2100i amplifier ($1595), describing it as “very good value for money”, “incredibly musical and very powerful” and that it “stacks up against products that cost $1000 more.” The Marantz PM55SE ($1000) is called a “great little integrated”. Hamish likes its “beautifully /over 20

is finally available in New Zealand, including these award-winning models

Cambridge Audio CD4 A budget compact disc player with CD sound way beyond its price. At the heart of the CD4 is a new Philips filter and digital-to-analogue convertor chip which uses a combination of bitstream and continuous calibration to optimise its performance.

What Hi-Fi? described the CD4 as “weighty, coherent and well-detailed sound” and “superb value” and awarded the CD4 its coveted rating.

Remarkable engineering. Unsurpassed clarity. Exceptional value.

Parasound high-current amplifiers combine innovative circuit design and audiophile-grade components for unparalleled high fidelity sound.

Whether you need a two-channel amp for your listening room, or a multi-channel amp for your Home Theatre, media room or remote zone, there is a Parasound amplifier that will provide a strong, high current foundation that can drive any speaker. All Parasound amplifiers employ independent power supplies for each channel, fully complementary class A/AB1 circuit topology with JFET input transistors, high current/high speed output transistors, direct DC servo, and rear panel gain controls. Gold plated binding posts, tiffany-style RCA jacks, and rack mounting are standard on all models.

HCA2200 250 watts per channel 8 ohms 400 watts per channel 4 ohms 800 watts per channel bridged 8 ohms

only $4699 Other Parasound amplifiers available now include…

HCA600 60w+60w $999 HCA1000 110w+110w THX $1499 HCA1200 205w+205w THX $2499 HCA806 6x80w multich $3199 HCA1206 6x135w THX $4999 HCA2003 3x200w THX $4199

Stereo Pre-amplifiers and Processors

Cambridge Audio A1 A budget integrated amplifier that has received top marks in reviews. A 30 watt per channel amplifier, the A1 incorporates audiophile features such as metal film resistors, a toroidal transformer and switching designed to shorten signal paths.

What Hi-Fi? praised the A1 for its “remarkable weight, sweetness and authority” and said that the A1 “is strong and effortless” and “a bargain” before awarding the A1 its coveted rating.

Cambridge Audio DACMAGIC 2 Uses the new generation filter DAC, uses 2 in a sophisticated dual-differential mode. Completely dual mono with separate mains transformers and regulated power supplies. Will accept any digital source with a sampling frequencies between 30 and 50kHz. What Hi-Fi? praised the DACMAGIC for its “digital flexibility” and “extremely accomplished sound…capable of giving some very good singlebox machines some stiff competition” and awarded the DACMAGIC its coveted rating.

To be released shortly are the new CD6 CD player, A3 power amplifier and CD transport.

PO Box 28-314, Auckland. Ph 0-9-302 2271 Fax 0-9-302 2270

Parasound pre-amplifiers are all built around the philosophy that less is more. We keep the signal path as clean as possible, without any capacitors from input to output, and leave all the other extraneous bells and whistles to the other guys!

PHP850 budget audiophile $999 PLD1100 audiophile remote $2199 PLD2000 balanced audiophile $4999 PSP1000 Dolby Prologic $1999 PSP1500 THX/digital ready TBA

CBD2000 Belt Drive Transport

$3499 Digital has never sounded more analog and less digital than with Parasound’s patented belt drive CD transport. Jitter is virtually eliminated with the silky smooth belt drive mechanism coupled with a massive 3⁄4 lb disc clamp. Built by CEC, known for making the worlds best CD transport.

Other Parasound Digital products CDP1000 audiophile CD player $1199 CDC1500 audiophile 5-disc changer $1499 DAC1100 HDCD D/A Convertor $2699 DAC2000 HDCD D/A Convertor $4499

2YEARWarranty

Parts and Labour

Available from…

Auckland Eastern Hi-Fi Tauranga Simister Retravision Rotorua Eastern Hi-Fi New Plymouth Masons Appliances Palmerston North Manawatu TV and Sound Wellington Absolute Audio and Vision Dunedin Good Hi-Fi

Distributed by

Pacific Audio PO Box 9174, Auckland.

Phone 0-9-524 8032.

Fax 0-9-524 8037 21

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Your say…

RUMBLES FROM THE READERS D A N G E R ! W H I T E VA N S !

I read the article in the last Au d i o En z con cerning Linear Phase spe a kers.

Ye s terday I walked out of Ab s o lute Audio in Well i n g ton and abo ut a hu n d red ya rd s down the road, a guy yelled out from a van i n qu i ring if I wanted to buy some speakers. After taking a qu i ck peek, I saw the offending gear and told him no thanks.

After all the initial quick sell talk he ran out of patience and told me to beat it! This is the kind of wanker that we are dealing with. He was an Aussie with a ponytail and had another mate driving the Toyota van, Richard Walter WHAT S HO ULD BE I N 1

Thanks for the copy of AudioEnz, I look forward to further copies. I have been reading your publications since it was Zounds!

Some possible ideas for further issues would be a NZ amp “showdown” – Plinius, Dy n avector, etc . Also of i n terest would be a review of the Creek Audio OBH-10 rem o te con troll ed passive vo lume con trol for non remote amps that fits in tape loop (mention made in Gramophone April 1996 p 151) – does it degrade sound quality? (I am not sure if this is available in

New Zealand) Please bring back the record reviews (or reprint those in your Home Entertainment publ i c a ti on ) . Its hard for us jazz buffs to find good local reviews.

Graham M Penwell The Creek Audio OBH-10 is not brought in by the local Creek distributor.

WHAT SH OU LD BE IN 2

Good to see a homegrown hi-fi mag on the scene again.

I guess what I like to see most is what is not or least available on other, mainly overseas magazines. So top of the list is a review of New Zealand products. I think you should try your hardest to review anything NZ made that is vaguely worth revi ewing. I ’ve got a pair of Boland MM140s, p u rchased in 1990. They are a re asonable pair of speakers for what they cost and I waited long and hard for the review that never came.

After this there may be non-NZ products which don’t get mu ch of a review in other magazines. Whilst it’s fine to have yet a n o t h er review of a rave product like a P i on eer A-400 wh en it was the in thing, I prefer to either not have that revi ew, or a much shorter one, in preference to a more

obscure product.

I think your magazine should be mainly a technical one, so a lot less on music/CD reviews, if a ny at all. I’m not into home theatre but the sound side of THX would be okay. Try to leave out the picture side. Yes, you should have some esoteric stuff, so long as it is balanced by budget and mid-price components. Tube’s great, I’m going to get one some day. An d I still have ambitions to upgrade to a WellTempered Turntable or Townsend Rock someday, so the occasional review of vinyl replay would be welcomed.

Ong Su-Wuen A H O M E PAG E ?

Good to see you guys back on the streets. Put a vote down for Allans in your record store survey. Also how about a [internet] home page for AudioEnz. Welcome back!

Jit Lim CONTROVERSIAL

I ad m i re the statement in AudioEnz re the intended content of the new magazine.

I for one am certainly happy to pay for a different viewpoint from the standard overseas text we receive hear.

detailed” sound, plus its ease of use and the fact it comes with a remote control. One budget amp praised by Hamish was the NAD 310 ($450). “For the money you can’t say anything against it.” Eric Gilliand – Sight and Sound, Dunedin recommended three amplifiers that he feels follow similar philosophies at each price point. Eric likes the Denon 250mk3 ($549). It’s an “extremely good entry-level amplifier” that features “British design input.” The Arcam Alpha 5+ ($1000) is praised for its “lovely musicality… generous current delivery and supreme control.” The Naim Nait 3 ($1850) is a “beautiful, musical amplifier” says Eric, and adds that it offers “extra power and punch over the Nait 2.” Brad Kirkland – Soundline Audio, Christchurch loves the Quad 77 ($2369, or $2995 with controller) amplifier’s “rich, smooth sound with heaps of bottom-end extension” and says that it “whips lots of pre-power combinations”. Brad also likes Quad’s bus-link system, which means that it can be connected to an infinite number of Quad products. The Plinius 2100i ($1599) was praised as a “ballsy, punchy amp” and liked that it could be purchased in either black or silver finishes. The NAD 310 ($450) was praised as a “high current, minimalist” amplifier that enabled a good sounding hi-fi system to be put together for $1500. The Micromega Minium ($1395) gave a “clean, detailed sound” from its “nicely styled metal chassis.” Jim Walker – Jim’s Music Room, Tauranga raves about the Plinius 2100i ($1595). It’s “very powerful” and features the “Plinius family sound.” Jim thinks it is a particularly good buy: “value for money is unsurpassable. We almost always sell it on demonstration, in comparison to other amplifiers.” Another favourite at around the same price is the Mission Cyrus 3 ($1699) with its “full remote control” and “smooth, musical sound.” The Cyrus 3 can also be upgradable with an outboard power supply – “bigger sounding with the PSX” says Jim. At a lower price is the NAD 314 ($750) “our most popular amp below $1000” which offers “value for money.”

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The original In the past I have subscribed to In ternet forums such as rec.hi_end.audio, and have became engro s s ed in some of the rhetoric and debate between the flat earthers and the technocrats.

This particular forum was well modera ted, and the debate was l ively and pretty mu ch en tertaining. Perhaps a couple of con troversial viewpoints such as expre s s ed in this forum to kick start things might be reve a l i n g. A suitable topic might be Mpingo disks?? The use of optical D/A interconnects vs coaxial?? Bi-wiring vs the OCOS (linear impedance) philosophy, also anything around the subjective vs objective state of audio.

I think the music reviews are a mu s t . I enjoyed re ading them , and have made a number of worthwhile inve s tments based on reviews from AudioVideo.

I am a firm believer in the philosophy of a designer leading to a particular sonic sign a tu re for a com pon en t . It would be nice to see profiles on some of the participants in the NZ Audio scene and understand they way they view music. This could also be ex ten ded to performers. Obvi o u s ly this idea depends on the co operation of the subject to speak to an interviewer, but I think most would be pleased to help local initiatives.

As part of trying to broaden my musical understanding I would like to hear more about specific music categories, performers, history etc. Perhaps features on specific genres of music with recommended a discography might be considered.

From an component point of view, I lean towards valve equipm ent for pers onal preferen ce , and run full ra n ge dynamic spe a kers. As I am now into the territory where a com ponent upgrade costs $5K or more I would like to see information on room/speaker interface , twe ak s, capacitor / va lve/PS and other upgrade s . Also the availability high end gear is obviously a key area.

I believe (within re a s on) con troversial op i n i ons will be good for the magazine as for most sensible people, controversy promotes reflection.

As for good music stores, Wellington only has Allans, and perhaps Roy Parsons for classical lovers.

Murray Price WEAKNESS FOR HI-FI

As a pers on with a personal weakness for hi-fi I am del i gh ted to see AudioVideo back in circulati on under the new name of AudioEnz. I have re ad your magazine since 1989 (wh en I moved to New Zealand), and possess almost a complete collection at home.

I always used AudioVideo as a reference for shopping. I got my L a m berts on ly after re ading the review and of co u rse listening to them in my own lounge. I used the same cri teria years later for the rest of my system. I even remember ringing you on your mobile number asking for some advice!

I believe the magazine should concentra te on audio. Please leave hom e - t h e a tre to someone else! Jazz CD reviews will also a key addition. Actually, they are essential to me.

I do en j oy equ i pm ent (including fancy stuff) revi ews . On this matter let me congratulate your writers (Lloyd Macomber, Charles Thomson, John Paul and yourself) for the excellent quality of the articles published in the past. I am sure the trend will continue in AudioEnz. Manuel Pedreschi Have your say. Send your letters to PO Box 100-554, Auckland 10, or e-mail to editor@audvid.co.nz, or fax to 0-9-478 6303

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