LEN WALLIS AUDIO Headlines Autumn 2019

The Newsletter of Len Wallis Audio

Autumn 2019

RETURN OF THE CLASSICS lenwallisaudio.com

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(02) 9427 6755

/lenwallisaudio

Celebrating 40 Years of Skill and Passion.

The KI Ruby Series.

When skill and passion work together, expect a masterpiece. Introducing the PM-KI Ruby Integrated Amplifier and the SA-KI Ruby Super Audio CD-Player with DAC. For his 40 years ruby anniversary at Marantz, Ken Ishiwata and his daring team crafted these two new audiophile gemstones with hand-selected and custom-made components to carry all the emotions of music. The KI Ruby Series is precision-made and virtuously tuned to deliver the most enjoyable sound to amplify your senses. Each component is strictly limited to an edition of 1,000. Save yours now. Because music matters - and value remains.

available at

www.marantz.com.au

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Inside...

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04 From the desk of Len, on the joys of networking.

06 Musical Fidelity is reborn, with an expanding range 10 Krell’s new K-300i amplifier pays homage to the classic KAV-300i

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MoFi’s audiophile LPs

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The Sonos ‘Amp’ brings a useful power upgrade

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Tivoli radio specials!

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Linn upgrades the Majik LP12’s tone arm

14 Germany’s Inakustik cables reach new levels with the Referenz Air range 16 Custom installation A huge 184-inch screen and B&W sound system takes our Signature Cinema to a new level

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23 High-quality streaming and network playback from the Marantz NA6006 24 The Australian Duntech Senator – $20,000 the pair, and a remarkable speaker for the price 26 Meet Stax’s new SRM-D50 driver for their Earspeakers 27 Don’t miss these special upgrades to the Pro-ject 2Xperience SB turntable!

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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: closed THE LATEST IS ONLINE! – www.lenwallisaudio.com

28 Some very special offers on Triangle loudspeakers 29 Audio essentials Top accessories, tweaks and specials to take your system to the next level

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Editorial

From thE dEsk oF lEn Wallis

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hen we opened the doors in 1978 this was a much simpler industry.

All our customers required was a turntable, amplifier and a pair of speakers, with the occasional cassette deck for good measure.

It’s a very different scenario today, with vision, streaming, wireless, multi-room and more all thrown into the mix. Add issues such as handshake incompatibility between brands and unreliable networks, and you can understand why some clients feel that it is all too difficult.

Firstly, whatever the hurdles, the outcome will be worth it. The access to music and video today is unprecedented

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– and at a quality level never available in the past. As I am writing this I am listening, via Tidal, to the Philip Sayce Group, a blues band I had never heard of 30 minutes ago. And you can access all of this entertainment from anywhere in your home (or at work).

If you are like most of our clients, all you want is to have everything at your fingertips; you are not interested in the nuts and bolts of the set-up. You simply want it to work, as simply as possible.

That is where we come in. Our job is to design a system that will fulfil your requirements, install that system, ensure it works as promised, show you how to use it, and then offer support if required.

Handshake problems and network issues should be our responsibility.

We have been designing and installing systems for over 40 years. Today our installation and support staff outnumber sales staff by more than two to one. A considerable proportion of our business is still over-the-counter sales to those who are technically comfortable installing it themselves. However, we are finding an increasing number of our clients are leaving the installation and configuration part of the transaction in our hands.

Having your system professionally installed can have many benefits – the most obvious being that it is configured correctly, and is usually money well spent.

DB Series Subwoofers

BONUS INAKUSTIK CABLE Len Wallis Audio Exclusive* DB3D subwoofer with 805D3 speaker and FS-805D3 stand

Precision. Accuracy. Power.

The ALL-NEW DB Series is our most advanced range of subwoofers yet. The four-strong range incorporates new digital technology and material advances direct from the award-winning 800 D3 Aerofoil cone

Series. The DB1D, DB2D and DB3D subwoofers have huge power, Aerofoil cones plus dual-opposed drive units (DB4S features a single, forward-firing drive unit) and an incredibly rigid cabinet that reduces distortion for deep, agile bass. An intuitive app makes them simple to configure and use in a stereo or multi-channel system, a home installation or to complement the flagship 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers, or the latest 700 Series. Quite simply, the new DB Series is the best-sounding subwoofer range in its class.

Balanced configuration

Dedicated App

DB1D

DB2D

DB3D

DB4S

For more information visit www.bowers-wilkins.com or contact Bowers & Wilkins Australia on (02) 9196 8990 * Optimise your new Bowers & Wilkins subwoofer. Offer ends 31st May or while stocks last. Conditions apply. See in store for details

Musical Fidelity

In our last newsletter we mentioned that Musical Fidelity were about to expand their range. They have achieved this by revisiting some of the earlier models for which the previous owner, Antony Michaelson, had ceased production as he wound down his stock in preparation for selling the company.

With the company’s rejuvenation under its new ownership, we are enjoying the return to our shelves of a couple of models that had only just been discontinued, notably the fabulous NuVista 600 and 800 (above) integrated amplifiers, along with their matching CD player. But other models had been missing for the range for some time, and are also now reinstated. Here are some of the highlights!

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Musical Fidelity

Musical Fidelity M6 500i Integrated Amplifier this is a beast of an integrated amplifier. Rated at 500 watts/channel into 8 ohms. The internal construction is two monoblock power amplifiers with a separate pre-amp. It has 4 line inputs (including a high quality MM/MC phono stage), plus one balanced input. Price $6,895.

Musical Fidelity Roundtable turntable.

When released, the original Roundtable sold for $1,299. It was a very good turntable, and its performance reflected the price. However, there were two drawbacks. The cartridge supplied really was not up to the calibre of the turntable itself, so to realise its full potential it required a cartridge upgrade. It also did not have a cover,

which was a big negative for many people. We have just received the new version of the Roundtable. The arm has been tweaked, it comes with a cover and

the cartridge supplied is an Ortofon 2M Red, valued at $169. And the best news is that it now sells for $1,199. It is available in Black, White and Red.

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Musical Fidelity

Musical Fidelity M8Pre pre-amplifier the M8Pre has a wide array oF inPuts including a low noise MM/MC phono stage, 2 balanced inputs (1 with home theatre bypass option), 3 line inputs (one with home theatre bypass option) and a fully configured tape in/out loop. Price $6,995

Musical Fidelity M8 500s stereo power amplifier Rated at 500 watts/channel. Both balanced and unbalanced inputs.

Price $6,995.

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Musical Fidelity

M8 700m mono-block power amplifier Now you kNow you are serious about your Hi-Fi! These are rated at 700 watts/channel and will drive the most difficult of loudspeakers. They have huge power reserves, producing 1,300 watts into 4 ohms, and delivering massive dynamics. Price $5,995.

The M8 sTory

“We at Musical Fidelity fervently believe that the reason the M8 Series exists is to offer top quality, state of the art performance at an intelligent price. To achieve this, the metalwork, front panels and heatsinks are purely functional.

the desigN philosophy behind Musical Fidelity’s M8 range was to produce audiophile product at relatively affordable prices. This is achieved in part by paying attention to areas that can be expensive but contribute nothing to the performance – mainly the front panel, heatsinks and metalwork. We believe that Musical Fidelity have summed this up perfectly on their website, and we quote:

1. The front panels are nicely finished custom-made extrusions. There is nothing excessive. They are simply well-made, functional, attractive front panels at minimum cost.

2. The heatsinks are custom-made Musical Fidelity extrusions. They are nicely finished but with no excessive design nor any costly surface finishes. They are purely functional.

3. As with the front panels and heatsinks, the metalwork is designed for functionality with no excess.

4. The M8s are almost Puritan in their dedication to delivering performance in a straightforward, nicely finished, honest package.

“If you like fancy-looking Hi-Fi, machined front panels, peak meters, heatsinks machined from exotic materials and all the other vocabulary of high-end excess, then the M8 Series is not for you. Sorry, that’s the way it is.”

At the same time do not think that Musical Fidelity have cut corners when it comes to build quality. While their approach may be, as they say ‘Puritan’, the build quality is first class – in fact there are not many amplifiers on the market built to this exacting level.

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Krell

Krell’s new classic

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t is always risky talking about product we have not received yet, but there is so much hype being generated overseas about Krell’s new products, and we hope to have them by the end of March anyway, so here goes.

K-300i integrated amplifier One of the all-time classics from Krell was the KAV-300 integrated amplifier, released in the dying days of the last century. This amplifier almost singlehandedly created the market for high

XD upDate While developing the K-300i Krell realised that the sonic improvements they were achieving could be implemented into many of their other products, in many cases retrospectively. This has led to the

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quality integrated amplifiers (until that time most consumers opted for separate pre-power combinations).

Krell are paying homage to the KAV-300 with their new K-300i (above).

This promises to be a stunning amplifier. It is rated at 150 watts/channel into 8 ohms, or 300 watts into 4 ohms. Despite its link to a 20-year-old design, the K-300i is a very contemporary product. It is available in two versions, the ‘K-300i’ and the ‘K-300i Digital’, the difference being the addition of a DAC and the associated

streaming capabilities in the latter model.

It is our opinion that the Digital version will be the popular option. This unit plays AAC, ALAC, AIFF, FLAC, WAV, WMA, and DoP files up to 192kHz/24-bit from UPnP music servers or NAS devices. The digital option also provides Spotify, Internet radio, Tidal and Deezer streaming services; it is Roon Ready, and decodes MQA. Both models feature HDMI inputs and outputs supporting 4K UHD resolution and HDR to allow audiophile-grade sound quality integration into Home Cinema

development of their ‘XD’ circuit, which is now incorporated in all new power amplifiers leaving the factory.

Again according to David Goodman of Krell, “The ‘XD’ update to the Chorus/ Duo/Solo amplifiers reduces the output impedance to less than half of its original value. This lower output impedance better damps unwanted speaker vibrational modes. Changing the output impedance also necessitated re-compensating each amplifier stage to achieve optimal critically damped transient response. This ensures

that the amplifier accurately follows the dynamics of the input signal.”

Krell are also releasing the ‘XD’ update as an upgrade to most recent power amps. The cost is $1,500, and the work is undertaken here in our workshop.

Is it worth it? It’s too early to tell, as we have not had the opportunity to try it, but once again all user reports coming out of the US (where it has been available for some weeks) are glowing. Give us a call in late March; we should have formed an opinion by then.

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Krell / Mobile Fidelity

systems. A single USB port is available on the front panel with other USB ports on the rear for user-friendly options to stream music from any computer, and there is also a Bluetooth receiver with aptX technology.

The K-300i has an internal web server that is optimised for tablets and provides a remote graphical user interface for convenient and intuitive control.

However, it is the sound quality that promises to be the K-300i’s greatest asset. There has been a long gestation period for this product; it was initially slated for release in the latter part of last year. During this period there have been several changes implemented around the circuitry design (more on this later).

David Goodman, who has been Director of Product Development at Krell for over 30 years comments: “We discovered that with modifications to the output stage, we could vastly improve sound quality, across the board, to all of our amplifiers.

The result is a deeper, darker, blacker background that provided significantly better macro and micro dynamics, more

MoFi Vinyl We are finding a growing market for MoFi vinyl. MoFi (Mobile Fidelity) have been producing audiophile versions of hit albums since 1977, and they are now enjoying their second turn in the spotlight.

silence between the notes. Vocals and midrange took on an organic, yet more vibrant tone, enabling us to hear much more body, and even though our amps were great before, there was a very significant improvement.”

One of the benefits of this new circuitry is that the amplifier takes on the sonic benefits of Class A operation without the downside of excessive heat and power consumption.

Third-party evaluations are still rare, but those that have come through are unanimously positive.

TED: Trends, Electronics & Design says: “The surprising Krell K-300i amplifier is rock solid and drives the Gershman Studio 2 with an iron fist. The sound filled the room with a jazz tune with an excellent

sense of rhythm and I actually caught my foot accompanying the tempo.”

Dave Lalin from Audio Doctor writes: “All I can say is WOW! I have never, and I repeat never, in over 30 years of professional audio sales and system design, heard a solid state product like this before. The phrase ‘tube like’ has been bandied about for years when you have a solid state product that strives to recreate some of the magic of modern tube electronics, however, with the new K-300i, which I understand was the inspiration for the XD upgraded Duo, Chorus and Solo amplifiers series, you have actually done it! There is an organic wholeness and lack of grain to the sound which once you experience it, you know in an instant, this is not your typical solid state Hifi gear.”

MoFi only use first-generation original master recordings as source material for their releases. These tapes are played back at half-speed to produce the lacquer from which the stampers are produced, limiting any loss of sonic information. This process is referred to as half-speed mastering.

MoFi then have several options at their disposal for the final production of the LP. Like many companies MoFi makes good use of 180-gram vinyl. Where they differ is in using a product called Supervinyl, which was initially developed by JVC in the 1970s to cope with the demands of Quadraphonic, and which has since been refined by Neotech. Supervinyl is more durable than regular vinyl, it has lower surface noise, and fewer clicks and pops.

Many MoFi releases are cut at 45rpm, allowing greater dynamics – the albums run over two LPs. And MoFi’s ultimate

recording technique is called Ultradisc One-Step, where the industry-standard three-step lacquer production process is reduced down to a single step. The threestep process is designed for optimum yield and efficiency, while the UD1S is created for the ultimate in sound quality. By skipping the usual three-step process, MoFi produces an LP with the lowest noise floor possible, with additional musical detail and dynamics.

All MoFi vinyl LPs are limited editions, although at times they may re-release an album in a different format. For example an album previously released as a 180-gram 45rpm may at a later date be re-issued as a Ultradisc one-step.

Prices vary according to the technology used on the particular recording, ranging from $65 for a single LP, through to $260 for a Ultradisc one-step.

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SONOS

SonoS AMP T

he Sonos Connect:Amp and its predecessor the ZonePlayer 100 have been around for many years, so arguably the new model from Sonos, simply known as ‘AMP’, was a long overdue and welcome update. If you’re not familiar with this kind of device, the Sonos Amp is designed to offer all of Sonos’s streaming smarts in a unit to which you can simply add hi-fi speakers.

The AMP’s headline act is more power over the popular previous Connect:Amp model, with a welcome increase from 55W to 125W. This makes it far more

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capable of powering bigger, more demanding speakers. Dimensionally, AMP has a slightly larger footprint yet marginally lower profile, making it well suited to concealment in a hi-fi rack.

You can also stack multiple AMPS on top of one another in a central rack location for multi-room configurations, a deliberate change to its form that Sonos included after acknowledging how popular the previous Connect model had become in the custom installation market.

AMP features all of the connections of the Connect:Amp – speaker terminals, a subwoofer output, two Ethernet sockets

and a stereo analogue input. But there’s one important addition: an HDMI socket.

This gives the Amp handy TV-syncing capabilities, including automatic switching to TV audio when required, and volume control via your TV’s original remote.

The AMP also has all of the music streaming capabilities of every other Sonos device, in that the AMP uses the Sonos App for control. Still one of the best in the industry, the App gives you access to music from practically every service and makes it extremely easy to control different Sonos devices in one interface.

In addition Sonos is making advances towards making the system increasingly hands-free. The AMP doesn’t have an in-built microphone, but it does respond to voice commands issued to Amazon Alexa and Siri-powered devices including, naturally, the Sonos One and Beam. For those that use it, AirPlay 2 is also available.

AMP offers some welcome upgrades over the previously popular Connect:Amp model and if you’re a current Sonos user, you will almost certainly appreciate an upgrade to the new AMP. Price $999.

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TIVOLI / LINN

TIVOLI SPECIALS! PAL+ BT SAVE $120!

Take Tivoli’s wildly popular PAL radio and futureproof it with a sensitive DAB+/FM RDS digital tuner, and add Bluetooth wireless technology, and you’re looking at one of the best compact portable audio devices available. Normally priced at $399, for a limited time Tivoli’s PAL+ BT is on special for $279.

Music System 3+ SAVE $150!

Tivoli have released some great products over the years, and the Music System 3+ is one of their best. This stereo unit features FM and DAB+ radio, Bluetooth, an auxiliary input for external source devices, dual alarms with sleep timer, snooze and auto time set, and best of all it is portable, thanks to the in-built lithium battery pack.

We have a limited number of Music System 3+ units (black and white finishes only) to sell for $349, a saving of $150.

Linn’s Majik upgrade The Linn LP12 turntable does not need any introduction.

The Majik LP12 has been a staple part of our turntable offering for many years. This unit has just been upgraded with a new Linn-designed and manufactured tonearm, simply called the Majik tonearm.

The upside is performance, since this is a better arm than the Pro-Ject 9CC that Linn has used until now. The downside – none, as the price has not changed, at $5,695.

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In-akustIk

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In-akustIk

In-akustik Air Cables

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e have been singing the praises of In-akustik cables and accessories for a couple of years now.

It is astounding that a company such as this could fly under the radar for so long – the brand was launched in Germany in 1977, but is only now being recognised in this country.

All In-akustik speaker cables and a high percentage of their interconnect cables are still produced in Germany, from copper sourced from smelting plants in North

Germany, which is then further processed through an electrolysis bath.

While In-akustik is renowned for high-performance, well-made and very affordable cables, they have recently been building a portfolio of higher quality (and higher priced) products. The most notable is their ‘Air’ series, taking cable design to a new level.

Their Air Helix Construction is based on a series of moulded clips through which conductors pass in a twisted fashion, ensuring air insulation that is as close to perfection as possible.

However, this is only one of the

advanced technologies used in this extraordinary range of cables. The highest currents in the audio chain of any system flows through the speaker cables. The transmission of any audio signal is subject to many types of interference, be it resistance, inductance, capacitance, conductance of the insulation and skin effect. In-akustik have addressed each of these issues with a range of unique solutions. If you would like to explore this further I would suggest that you visit their site: www.in-akustik.de/en/cablesand-accessories/reference-selection.

There are currently three Referenz Air speaker cables available. In their standard 3-metre variants (single ended, banana to banana) they sell for:

LS-1204

LS-2404

LS-4004

(4 conductors per cable)

(8 conductors per cable)

(16 conductors per cable)

$2,999 pair.

$5,799 pair.

$9,999 pair.

Please call us for pricing on custom lengths.

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CUSTOM INSTALLATION

SignaTure Cinema

Taken To The nexT level 16

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CUSTOM INSTALLATION

T This view from the back of the cinema shows the equipment in the custom cabinetry, and the B&W wall speakers without their grilles. in use, the equipoment is concealed and the speakers grilled (see image overleaf).

his client was fortunate to experience our previous cinema project by invitation (which was featured in the previous edition of Headlines magazine). He was so impressed with it that he was inspired to create the same space for his own house.

However, rather than simply replicating the design, it was imperative to visit the site to further tailor the design for the specific client. Our senior Sales Consultant Alberto Vangi from the Len Wallis Audio team was eager to enliven the client’s inspiration and make it happen by working closely with them to understand the accurate requirements from the site.

We were also delighted to have Innovative Building Services working with us again. We knew from our last

cooperation on a cinema that the build quality and attention to detail we could achieve together would deliver the quality we both strive for.

Inner space One outstanding feature from this project was the large cinema size, which gave us additional capacity to deliver an enhanced audio visual experience across many aspects of the design. The room was nine metres long, six wide and an average 2.9 metres high. With the higher ceiling, we were able to fit in three tiered seating rows, and by working with the builder, the LWA team was able to design a raised back section which helped with the sound by keeping the distance and listening angles consistent. This also

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achieved a sense of spaciousness, with each elevated row having an unimpeded view of the screen yet with the rear row not positioned too close to the ceiling.

Shaun Peffer of LWA created a drawing in AutoCAD for the technical specifications.

Less conducive to the sound was the fact that the room had one wall made of glass, and to accommodate for this constructed pillars were used for the in-wall side speakers, as well as custom-made heavy acoustically-designed curtains to prevent any outside light from entering the room, as well as to improve the acoustics.

4K and Atmos Once the main structure of the cinema was in place and cabling commenced, it was critical to ensure that all cables were able to transfer the high data rates necessary for 4K video transmission, especially to the projector where longer cable runs are typically required.

Cables that fail to meet the necessary

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specifications cause HDMI handshake issues which can result in video and audio drop-outs. An important piece of advice to take from this is to minimise any shortcuts in your cabling from either a technical or cost perspective, as many hours may be spent endeavouring to trace faults as to why there are signal losses and drop-outs.

The purpose of the speaker configuration is to make full use of the latest cutting-edge Dolby Atmos and other immersive audio formats which enhance the experience by drawing out every possible nuance of the audio soundtrack. With today’s technology, it is possible to achieve a superior cinematic experience at home to that of most commercial cinemas.

This particular room has six front speakers behind the screen, the main front left, centre and right being supplemented by left, centre and right Auro 3D height speakers. There are eight overhead Dolby Atmos in-ceiling speakers – two above each row, and two placed between the

front row and screen. There are six side in-wall speakers with three on each side with another two at the back wall. This makes up 22 speakers in total.

With this space to fill and to make the most impact we have eight subwoofers.

Four subwoofers were located at the front and four at the back. This provides a total 30 channels of audio.

It was important to select a speaker brand that can produce the sound pressure levels necessary for a room of this size without sounding too harsh or ear-piercing. B&W 700 Series Cinema Range speakers were the perfect choice.

These B&W speakers certainly worth the investment. Being specifically engineered for cinema use they are not designed to be the most attractive products, since you won’t be seeing them — the ceiling and in-wall speakers in this theatre have their grilles painted to blend in with the room (see above). Rather it is all about their sonic performance and being capable of producing higher SPL Like /lenwallisaudio on Facebook

CUSTOM INSTALLATION

levels. Meanwhile the eight subwoofers from Sunfire, when all working at once, are able to deliver fast, tight, controlled, deep and balanced bass which results in an exceptional overall sound.

Processing & power At the heart of the audio system sits a Trinnov Altitude32 processor, which we selected for multiple reasons. First, we wanted to optimise playback for all immersive formats as well as for legacy soundtracks. Beyond its unique 32 discrete channel rendering capability, the Altitude32 gave more flexibility in terms of channel assignment and mapping for each format than any other processor available on the market. That’s critical when you have 22 speakers in the room. For legacy content, the Altitude32 did let us decide which upmixer to use for each input, thereby allowing us to use a specific upmixer for stereo sources and another one for multichannel, ultimately resulting in a unique experience tailored to the client’s preference.

The second reason also relates to flexibility and lies in both the Optimizer technology and the Altitude32’s unrivalled bass management capabilities. With 22 speakers and 8 subwoofers, we had to be able to tune the system to the finest detail, and that’s what the Optimizer enabled us to do. Other room correction systems are more limited and wouldn’t have allowed us to get the best out of this outstanding installation. Last but not least, Trinnov’s support and expertise has been instrumental in getting this challenging system running as smoothly as it does today.

Two Yamaha 11-channel power amps were the driving force behind the speakers, and they deliver clean and stunning power to each of the 22 channels (while the subwoofers are an active design, with their own power).

A dream screen In cinema design, picture quality goes hand in hand with sound quality to maximise the whole experience. It is certainly worthwhile to invest in picture quality as much as the sound quality.

Well-known cinema designer Jeremy Kipnis has said in an interview with Ric Edelman (‘The Truth About Money’), “To put it bluntly, the more money you can spend on the picture as an out of pocket expense the more likely you are to be happy with your home theatre.”

Implementing this theory, we decided to use the custom Stewart Filmscreen 184” microperforated Cine-V, a curved

dual format screen with masking down to 1.78:1 (147”) from its native 2.35:1 (184”) aspect ratio, a notably large image size. The screen surface selected is a 1.5 gain Ultramatte 150, a gain of 1.5 meaning a 50% brighter result than from a matte white surface with a gain of 1.0.

The combination of the higher gain surface, along with curvature of the screen and the German-made Schneider anamorphic glass lens system (to use the full brightness and resolution of the projector) maintains exceptional image brightness and performance for Ultra-HD HDR content as well as for conventional HD content.

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CUSTOM INSTALLATION

Innovative Building Services also provided us with complete walk around access behind the screen for any servicing requirements and increased ventilation.

With every theatre design, it is critical that the products selected are the most suitable for the task at hand. So it was for the projector used, the Sony VPLVW870ES. The high brightness and contrast from the Laser-SXRD, a true 4K image (no pixel shifting), and the edge-toedge crispness of the 18-piece glass lens are just a few of the features that made this Sony the obvious choice for this space.

Just as calibration is a critical part of the sound as mentioned previously with the Trinnov, the same goes for the picture. Mick Peaker from Avical was brought in for the task, being one of only a handful of calibrators in Australia with the necessary skill to accurately calibrate video images to meet exacting industry standards. The combination of multiple factors – the projector, the screen, the

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CUSTOM INSTALLATION

video sources, the cables, the colour of the walls and interior – are all considered in this process. The brightness of the image (which is twice the industry standard) in conjunction with the deep black levels produced by the Laser-SXRD technology serves to increase the perceived depth of the image, and when the black/peak white levels are correctly set, as well as adjusting various elements of colour, it gives picture a more lifelike and three-dimensional look.

The cost of such a service is small compared with the improvement it makes to the picture. The client was amazed at the difference the calibration made, especially with 4K/HDR content. Not calibrating is like buying a Ferrari and not getting it tuned!

And in Mick Peaker’s own words, “I’ve calibrated home cinemas around the country for the last seven years, and I can honestly say that this project has been, overall, one the most enjoyable I’ve experienced.”

Putting it all together Key sources for the cinema are X-Box, PS4, Foxtel, Oppo 205 4K Blu-ray, Apple TV and Kaleidescape. All of the sources are 4K capable. The one source from these that might not be known to everyone is the Kaleidescape. The quality of downloads to their movie server, once you purchase from the Kaleidescape store, is breathtaking. The ability to find and play scenes, the whole movie, favourite directors, the cover art layout and its phenomenal user interface is just a taste

To complete this article we have included below the owner’s comments which talk about the cinema, how it all came together and their experience.

“Our high end residential home builder is one of the fussiest builders you’ll come across, and is very wise with his choices.

So that’s how we came across Alberto.

When Alberto introduced himself to us, all my husband and I can say is that he approached us like we’d known him

of Kaleidescape’s capability. And to bring it all together in terms of control and ease of use, RTI control was incorporated via their app, processor and an Apple iPad. Alex Rosas carried out the programming and made the cinema easy to use even for the least experienced user. For example, if you select Kaleidescape, it will turn on the system which will include the Kaleidescape, Trinnov, Sony projector and Yamaha power amps, and then display the Kaleidescape movie covers across the screen in Cinemascope. If you want to watch 1.78:1 (more common for concerts), the press of a button will remove the Schneider lens from in front of the Sony projector and bring down the side masking to present a perfectly formatted 1.78:1 image.

Also this format 1.78:1 (also known as 16:9) is typically used for free-to-air programs and for many Foxtel channels, while Cinemascope (2.35:1) is the most common format for movies. Another reason why a cinema with a Cinemascope screen is so much better than buying the biggest of TVs (which only come in 1.78:1) is that you will not get those black bars across the top and bottom with most movies commonly filmed in 2.35:1.

Choosing between these formats requires just a single press of the RTI panel.

In summary everyone wants things to work as easily as possible, and RTI control does exactly that.

This cinema project was taken to the next level by putting together all aspects, each having their place in creating a

Signature Cinema. We proudly achieved this through site visit, consulting, specifying, design, drawings, planning, project management, installation, calibrating and programming, all delivered through a professional handover. It is now the most used room in the house by the entire family. To put it simply, the better the room, the more it will be enjoyed.

for years. We already felt a sense of being comfortable from his exceptional responses to his duties and he was able to interpret even the most complex instructions. He is already a resource for the people in his line of work, he acts like it’s his own cinema room being built.

Like all things there are always some little hiccups, but Alberto went far and beyond our expectations where he has spent evenings and late nights with no extra costs, and would not leave until he

resolved and followed everything through to its fine details. Through the time of installation he’s shown such a high quality and integrity, sense of responsibility and ambition. He is a leader and is able to organise his team to a high level of service. I guarantee and promise anyone who is in doubt, just have a look at his work, it says it all. We highly recommend Alberto Vangi and the LWA team and I guarantee you won’t be sorry – if anything you’ll just gain a friendship.”

PrOdUCT LISTINg

(key ITeMS)

Sony VPL-VW870ES 4K SXRD Laser Projector FlexiMount Heavy Duty Adjustable Projector Bracket & Cradle Stewart Filmscreen Custom 184” Cine-V with THX 2 Ultra Microperforated Ultramatte 150 surface Schneider CDA 1.33x Medium Anamorphic Lens System on Automated Schneider Torsion System B&W CT7.3 x 6 Three Way Vented Speakers B&W CWM 7.3 x 8 Three Way Reference In Wall Speakers B&W CCM 7.3 x 8 Reference Ceiling Speaker Sunfire HRS12 Active Subwoofer x 8 Trinnov Altitude 32/32 Surround Sound Processor yamaha MX-A5000 x 2 11-channel Power Amp kaleidescape Strato Movie Server Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray Player rTI XP6 Processor

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Marantz

NEW MaraNtz Na6006 MidstrEaMEr

T

he Marantz NA6006 streamer is derived from the well-received NA8006 higher-end model, and retains great audio quality and access to most online services like Tidal, Deezer, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Marantz use their unique HDAM circuitry which guarantees fast signal amplification with wide bandwidth to great advantage with this player and, when combined with high quality D/A conversion, solid mechanical construction and a clean power supply, you have the best ingredients for quality reproduction.

It offers high-quality playback from home network sources, local USB storage, online streaming services and Internet radio, as well as Bluetooth and AirPlay 2.

Stream from Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, Amazon Music and more, and listen to playback of DSD (2.8/5.6MHz), WAV, MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC and ALAC files with ease.

Furthermore if you download the HEOS home entertainment skill and have Amazon Alexa on hand, you can simply ask to seamlessly control volume, play, pause or to stop the music. On top of this the NA6006 can seamlessly integrate

with an existing HEOS multi-room system, making it a versatile choice.

An optical digital input is also available for an external input (a TV, for example), and output is via optical and coaxial digital outputs or usefully via either fixed or variable analogue outputs. Variable outputs mean that instead of pairing the NA6006 with a suitable integrated amplifier like the PM6006 pictured below, you could equally easily directly drive a power amplifier for a clean minimalist system, controlling volume via remote or app. Price of the NA6006 is $1,360.

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Duntech

Duntech Senator

D

untech holds a very special place in the heart of many Australian audiophiles. Not only were they undisputedly one of the finest speakers ever built, they were designed and manufactured here in Australia.

Unfortunately the company folded late last century and the name languished for some time. Then local speaker manufacturer Kiat Low from Orpheus Loudspeakers acquired the company in 2008, and has spent many years improving on the original design.

Following reports coming out of both the recent Hong Kong and Guangzhou (China) audio shows it became apparent that Kiat had produced something special with his new Senator. We have since had the opportunity to try the speaker in our showrooms, which confirmed this.

We are not sure what impresses us most about this speaker. Firstly they are very, very good, in every way worthy of carrying the Duntech badge.

Just as impressive is the price – the Duntech Senator sells in Australia for $20,000 the pair, and this is a remarkable speaker for the price. In fact when you compare them to many ‘name’ speakers at the same price the difference is more than considerable.

To top it off the build quality and finish of the Senator would be one of the best we have seen at any price.

The only downside is availability.

The first two (sizeable) production runs were sold out to overseas markets.

Hopefully by the time you receive this, the third production run will be available – if not there could be short delay in supply. We have been promised a pair for our floor though, so feel free to come in and have a listen.

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THOR

Series 6

FASTER & MORE POWERFUL PORT TUNING ROOM BASS ADJUSTMENT NEW TRI-MODE DSP CONNECTIONS FOR HI FI & HOME THEATRE SYSTEMS

Year e h t f o r e f o Subwo 00) (under $5,0

It’s Black & White, Thor Series 6 Faster & More Powerful than ever before!

Designed for today’s Entertainment demands the Thor Series 6 has been totally redesigned to look great and sound even better.

Smaller than before yet faster and more Powerful delivering accurate, fast deep bass for a powerful Musical or Home Theatre Experience.

For more information and to find a dealer visit www.richter.com.au

Stax

Stax D50

We have just received our (very small) shipment of the SRM-D50 headphone drivers from Stax. For a company that has just celebrated its 80th anniversary Stax have taken on a whole new lease on life. Suddenly the brand has been ‘rediscovered’, as other high-end headphone companies come and go.

There appears to be a race as to who can produce the most expensive ’phones on the market – yet Stax have dropped in price over the last decade, and the brand still stands above the rest.

The new SRM-D50 is a welcome addition to their range. Stax headphones (or ‘Earspeakers’ as Stax prefers to call

T

he current popularity of high-performance headphone listening shows no sign of waning. The general rule of thumb is that a good pair of headphones will give the equivalent performance of speakers costing 10 times the amount, while they are unaffected by room acoustics etc, and provide a more compact solution for personal listening.

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PRO-JECT

them) are electrostatic and require a separate amplifier or driver. The SRM-D50 is a high-performance driver, with the addition of a high-quality DAC. It supports various inputs, including USB, Optical, Coax and analogue RCA. It is compatible with all recent model Stax Earspeakers.

Price is $1,999.

We believe Stax headphones to be the best money can buy. The SRM-D50 with a pair of Stax Earspeakers, particularly one of their top models, is a delight to hear – drop in and have a listen.

Also don’t forget the recently released SRM-D10 portable driver, priced at $1,499 – this means you can now take your Stax Earspeakers with you!

MORE FROM STAX Stax also offer complete systems, which include both the driver and the Earspeakers in a single package. This can not only provide value, you know you’re getting a match that will deliver the remarkable electrostatic sound for which Stax earspeakers are renowned.

Xperience your vinyl Pro-ject 2Xperience SB special!

We currently have a very attractive special on the Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB turntable. This is an excellent turntable, featuring electronic speed control, which gives you better speed stability and eliminates the need to change the belt position on the pulley when changing from 33 to 45rpm. It also includes their $1,400 9CC Evolution tonearm, as used

by Linn on the LP12 Majik turntable.

The chassis uses a non-resonant MDF construction and the platter is built with heavy, non-resonant materials

in a precisely balanced sandwich configuration. Plus it comes standard with a quality record clamp.

All told this is an impressive turntable offering great value at $1,995.

For a limited time we are fitting, free of charge, an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, valued at $1,000, with every 2Xperience sold. This Pro-ject/ Ortofon pairing works extremely well, and at $1,995 the combination represents fantastic value. Call us if you are interested in this remarkable deal.

Stax SRS-5100 Classic Electrostatic System

Stax SRS-3100 Classic Electrostatic System

The first SR-Lambda series was introduced 36 years ago and it has further developed into a new-generation SR-Lambda with its newly designed enclosure – the new SR-L500 advanced Lambda series Earspeaker. The system includes SRM-353X driver and SR-L500 Earspeakers. Price $2,699.

Includes SR-L300 earspeakers and class-A amplification via the SRM-252S driver for rich deep bass response, delicate high frequency and soothing mid-range. Price $1,199.

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Triangle

Triangle Speaker Specials French speaker manufacturer Triangle have announced specials on a limited number of speakers.

Triangle Antal 902 floor-standing speakers These are a sizable speaker, perfect for someone who loves a big sound (and who doesn’t?) and excellent value for money. What hi-Fi summed them up perfectly: “...rarely do we encounter something with the power to make us grin uncontrollably, and that has to count for something. We highly recommend a test drive of the Triangle Antal 902 loudspeakers – you might just love ’em.”

Cognac finish only. Was $2,499 a pair.

Now $1,699.

Triangle Comete 902 bookshelf speakers Two-way design with a 1” dome tweeter and 6.5” mid-bass driver.

Available in black or cognac (pictured).

Was $1,099 a pair. Now $899.

Triangle outdoor Secret EXT7

Triangle Plaisir Kari This was one of the best speaker buys around even at their original price! The Plaisir Kari is a very dynamic and lively three-way floor-standing speaker. Available in black or white. Was $1,199 a pair. Now $899.

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Now that the summer heat has started to cool, it’s time to spend some time outdoors before winter sets in. Triangle recently released their first outdoor speaker, the Secret EXT7, and yes, they are as good as their indoor models. Triangle have announced a limited special on this model, making them ever greater value. Was $999 a pair. Now $799.

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accessories and Tweaks! inakustik Carbon Fibre Brush This antistatic carbon-fibre brush, with more than a million extremely fine fibres, is especially effective at removing even the tiniest grains of dust and particles of dirt that can become lodged in record grooves. The result is an audibly improved sound experience and a longer life for your record collection.

Price $19.95

inakustik Gel Absorbers The Reference Hightech Gel Absorbers from inakustik form a solid sound base that is available as a combination set for all weight classes. They have a special gel at their core that absorbs vibrations. This set contains 12 gel pads for various weight classes for the optimum tuning and decoupling of the devices and loudspeakers. Price $399 for a set of 12.

Pre Cut Triangle Speaker Cable French speaker manufacturer Triangle have released two preterminated (banana to banana) speaker cables to complement their range.

Both utilise high purity oxygen-free (minimum 99.99%) copper.

Symphony 25A: $299 for a 2.5-metre pair Opera 25A: $179 for a 2.5-metre pair.

Les Davis Turntable Mat Using the same viscoelastic technology as the smaller 3D2 discs we’ve been stocking for some time, this slipmat is designed to place constrained layer vibration control at the most critical junction, the interface between the vinyl disc, the record platter and the stylus. Price $165.

Special! Peachtree shift –

price reduced from $529 to $399 The shift is a USB Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier housed in a small and portable chassis roughly the size of a deck of playing cards. It is designed to completely bypass the headphone output on your smartphone, tablet or personal computer and provide exceptional sound quality – wherever you happen to be listening. The built-in battery pack provides up to eight hours of playback on a single charge so shift is a perfect for travel.

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ACCESSORIES & ESSENTIALS

Good, good, good Vibra...pods Unwanted vibrations in your system are never welcome and can sonically compromise musical playback.

Vibrapods can fix this by replacing your existing equipment feet (which are often fairly basic) and start soaking up those unwanted vibrations right away.

The improvements they can deliver might well be the most cost-effective HiFi tweak on the market today.

There are five three models to cover differing weights of equipment from 1kg to 3.5kg and up to 13kg so you can get the ones right for your gear!

Priced from $39.95 for a set of four.

Musical Fidelity BHA200B Balanced Headphone Kit This system combines the MF200B headphones and V90-BHA headphone amp, using balanced connections that are normally the reserve of much higher priced systems. The MF200B headphones sport a 40mm driver with the balanced connection and a cable running to both ears, while the V90-BHA headphone amplifier measures a compact 47x117x70mm (HWD) and offers balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs, plus balanced mini XLR and 3.5mm headphone outputs.

Price reduced from $899 to $499.

Meridian Explorer DAC 2

It is now an even better time to get hold of the Meridian Explorer2 DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter). This is a great solution to maximise the quality of sound from your computer, and you can take full advantage of MQA (from the TIDAL streaming service) to get easy access to hi-res audio.

Limited stock reduced to $349.

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Spin Clean Record Washer Mk2 Another option for vinyl fans — the Spin Clean Record Cleaning System is one of the easiest and most affordable solutions for cleaning records, and it’s highly effective.

The Spin Clean Record Washer MK II enables you to clean both sides at once, helping your albums and singles to sound as they were intended to, while also ensuring the cleanliness of your turntable. If you’ve been looking for a well-priced and effective solution for cleaning records, then look no further. Pick one up today and get the grime out of your grooves! Priced at $149.

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ACCESSORIES & ESSENTIALS

AudioQuest DragonFly Red & Black While the original DragonFly defined the market for micro-DACs, its USB power draw made it compatible with computers only. Music lovers have craved a more portable version — one that could be reliably used with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. The DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red do just that.

Convenience and performance are no longer mutually exclusive.

With DragonFly Black and Red, any computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone can be used as a true high-fidelity music player, allowing music lovers to enjoy beautiful sound wherever they go, whenever they please.

The DragonFly Black is priced at $160.

The DragonFly Red is priced at $320.

IsoAcoustics GAIA Sometimes what seems the simplest of tweaks makes all the difference to your sound. IsoAcoustics’ range of GAIA speaker isolators transform your speakers, making them sound better that you thought possible. GAIA provides a high degree of isolation while resisting lateral movement and oscillations to maintain alignment with the listening position.

Musical Fidelity V90 lPs The quality of your phono stage is widely overlooked for new adopters of vinyl, but a great unit can really bring more “life” to your records. This compact unit from Musical Fidelity is a modestly priced, very high performance MM/MC phono stage with superb technical performance. This is a great option for those exploring the capabilities of vinyl and is available in silver for $349.

You will be amazed how the sound ‘opens up’ as vibration is absorbed through IsoAcoustics’ patented design.

Delivered in sets of 4 with alternative thread sizes to fit most speakers, GAIAs come in three sizes depending on the speaker weight– up to 32kg $299, to 54kg $425, to 100kg $999 per speaker.

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Multi-room Source of the Year Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500

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@YamahaAVAU

@YamahaAVAU

au.yamaha.com