Audio Emporium Newsletter 5-1-2007

So Pretty!

   We’ve had the Rega Apollo and Saturn CD players on demo in black for some time. They look and sound great. Yet the color trend is swinging strongly towards silver these days. We now have them in silver too.

Rogue

Looking especially dashing is the silver stack with the Apollo ($995), Rogue Perseus Preamp ($1800) and Rogue Stereo 90 amp ($2200, 90 w/ch). To be able to throw this array of quality in front of your speakers for only $5k is downright ridiculous!

All three of these products are benchmark quality at their price points. The icing on the cake is that the Rogue Stereo 90 has enough punch to drive the vast array of speakers out there. With other top tube amps you get half as much power for twice as much money! Rogue is built in Pennsylvania!

Both Rega and Rogue are available in silver or black.

Check out the new review of the Stereo 90 in TAS April/May 2007, p 92! “The Rogue has, in addition to the virtues I found in those others, a refinement and clarity, particularly in the midbass and bass, that I haven’t heard in its tube competitors. And its solid-state competitors, while clear and clean, have lacked the Rogue’s harmonic richness and overall ambience. Its soundstage is also superior to most I’ve heard in its class. Best of all is that refined combination of power and subtlety, so vital if recorded music is to feel right.”

A Classic Gets Even Better!

   Of all the big power amps that have ever been made, none have been more successful than the Bryston Model 4. It has earned the ultimate reputation for combining toughness with great sound. It has undergone a number of updates over the years. The current 4B-SST weighs in at 300 w/ch for $3550 with a TWENTY year warranty.

   April’s Stereophile gives the newest version yet another superb review!

   Canada Hi-Fi Magazine: “Its IM distortion is less than 10 parts per million (below 0.0009%). When I played Eagle’s Hell Freezes Over, I was satisfied with what I got: solid bass, clear mid to high range… no problem. Then I played the entire Bill Evans Trio album Exploration, twice, because it sounded great- smooth and aloof like a cat behaves, and how I like my jazz. At the same time it complemented the upper ranges very well. The weight was just right- strong enough that the higher register wasn’t flaking snow in the air, but mild enough not to give me a headache from too much passion. The depth of image was clearly evident. Whatever I threw at the cat was handled with class and ease.”

Rotel RC-1082 Stereo Preamp $1200

   Last month we told you RC-1082 was due in any day. It has landed and lives up to advanced billing. The biggest surprise in the sound of this preamp is its bass extension- it’s through the floor! Check out the April 07 newsletter for details! 

B&W 700 Theater

   We’ve just renovated our B&W 700 Theater. It’s been fun to give a facelift to our classic, high performing 700s!

   We are solicited regularly by a wide array of speaker companies- old and new. They come in with bold claims. We’re better than your stuff. We have this trick or that. Carry our speakers.

   Every so often we invite the solicitor to bring in their speakers and drop the gloves with the B&Ws or Paradigms. This has been the case recently and the 700s have proven again just how good they are!

   The 700s are 90dB efficient and can be driven well by a fine receiver like the Marantz SR-8001 for $2k. They’ll sound better if you use a killer power amp like the Rotel RMB-1077, but even with a fine surround receiver, they’re very impressive. Stop in to hear for yourself!

B&W 700 Theater $6050

L&R Fronts:     B&W 704s, $2200pr

Center:            B&W HTM-7, $750

Surrounds:      B&W DS-7s, $1500pr

Sub:                B&W ASW-750, $1600