Audio Emporium Newsletter 05-1-2010

Naim Uniti, Now on Display!

        The Naim Uniti is a unique combination product. On board one chassis is a gutsy 50 w/ch integrated amp, Single play CD player, DAC, FM & Internet tuners. For $3850 it’s an incredible array of goodies! Click here for more details.

B&W Computer Speakers $500pr

         We won’t confuse B&W’s new MM-1 computer speakers with the 802D for $15k pr. But if you want to muscle up the sound on your computer for near field enjoyment, the MM-1 does a remarkable job.

         Each speaker has one, 1” Nautilus tweeter, and one, 3” fiberglass woofer, each driver is powered by a dedicated 18w amp. 6 3/4h, 3 7/8w, 3 7/8d. Comes with remote which is vital due to the wide variation of web source material. Click here for review. Click here for more details.

B&W P-5 Headphones $300pr

         B&W has released its first set of headphones. The P-5 is meant for Ipod or computer use and comes with mini jack. The fit and feel are luxurious. Click here for review. Click here for more details.

Rotel Stereo Power Amps Muscle Up

        Rotel is now shipping its full line of 15 Series power amps. Rotel builds its own amps, in its own factory. They do not design these- and then have them built by some third party we’ve never heard of! Most competitors DO and their reliability doesn’t compare with Rotel. Also, when you get a sourced amp and it breaks, you have someone in the US with a soldering iron trying to fix it. You don’t have factory trained and hired people! Rotel amps come with a five year warranty.

          These amps are good for a lot of different applications. Do you just want great stereo sound? Connect one with a preamp. Do you want to run a home theater? You can buy a multi-channel amp, or run a stereo amp to give your fronts a kick in the tail. Do you want to run multiple rooms? Rotel’s zone amps are ideal.

RB-1582 $1500 (200x2)

          RB-1582 is Rotel’s big “classic” amp. It is an A-B design that delivers wonderful meat and potatoes performance. It has brass kahunas for solid bass. It has a warm, powerful delivery for everything else. Prior versions of this model have been dubbed “Krell Killers” and various derivatives of the sort. In short, it’s an audiophile amp with a lot of thunder at a fair price!

RB-1572 $1300 (250x2)

          RB-1572 is Rotel’s Class D big boy amp. It is smaller and lighter than the RB-1582. It has equal push and perhaps even superior speed. Its bass “weight” is a shade leaner. Its big upside is that it runs cool as a cucumber, even under stress. If you have a home theater system and want to light up your right and left fronts- this is the ideal answer! It’ll clobber whatever is in your surround receiver, so bypass the front channels and control your speakers properly. You won’t believe the difference!

RB-1552 $900 (120x2)

         RB-1552 is the little brother of RB-1582. This is a class A-B amp, most appropriate for good stereo sound. It doesn’t have the barbells of either of the two amps above, but for under a grand it’s a great choice.

RB-1562 $800 (100x2)

          RB-1562 is a Class D amp like RB-1572 above. It runs cool as can be, even under assault. It has proven to be very reliable and sounds better than any amp we’ve found in any receiver. For a moderate price you can improve your right & left fronts dramatically by using this instead of your surround receiver. In stereo operation with matching RC-1550 preamp ($700), it’s a great mate too.

RB-1510 $600 (65x2)

          RB-1510 is a nice Class D zone amp. You can use it with a pair of speakers as a clean, cool stereo performer. Or, you can use it in a multi-room hookup where you run up to four rooms off of it with volume controls in line. It’s an affordable, stabile, versatile amp!

RMB-1506 $1300 (100x5)

          RMB-1506 is a five channel, Class D amp (think 5ch of RB-1562 above) for home theater. You can config the 5ch as you like. 100x5 with five speakers. Or, perhaps 100w for center, bi-amp two 100w amps for R&L front.

RMB-1575 $2800 (250x5)

          It’s tough to beat RMB-1575 as an edge of the art, Class D surround amp. If price doesn’t matter, sure, buy the Bryston for $7300. But if you need to be this side of that, RMB-1575 is untouched in terms of speed, cool operation and solidity.

RMB-1506 $1000 (50x6)

          Here you find 50w times six channels in an A-B amp for any number of applications!

RMB-1512 $3000 (100x12)

          Twelve Channels of Class D power can be used in a variety of configs- usually this guy is a whole house amp.

How To Treat A Composer With Respect!

          French conductor Louis Antoine Jullien (1812-1860) had such reverence for Beethoven’s works that he insisted on a ritual before going to work. He went to the podium and awaited someone to bring him a silver platter with a pair of white gloves. While the audience waited he would put these gloves on with great ceremony. He would conduct the music with a special jeweled baton. Jullien knew style!