Neil Gader: “Former TAD helmer Andrew Jones, now with Elac, not only wowed audiences at Newport with the impossibly cheap ($229pr) compact Debut B5, but returned to RMAF with its big brother, the F5- a powerhouse 3-way floorstander at a ludicrously paltry $559pr… even jaded audio critics could be seen shaking their heads in disbelief.” “The Elac F5 go beyond just being the rare, good speaker for the money. They’re a veritable gift to budget conscious audiophiles and the younger audience, particularly those looking for a cost effective, room filling alternative to headphones. And keep in mind that the Elac/Jones
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Archives for Newsletters
01.2016
Thorens TD-295 MK IV $1200 Thorens is a Swiss company that makes its turntables in Germany. Thorens continues to have high stakes in the record playing business. The Thorens TD-295 is the company’s first true audiophile table. It does have an auto shutoff mechanism. But there is no linkage between the arm and automation. When the LP is over, TD-295 just stops spinning. Hence it is an auto shut off model. Tempting!! It’s a serious table that you don’t have to tend. TD-295 is a third heavier than lesser Thorens models. It uses a heavy wood base and steel platter
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12.2015
NAD Electronics NAD continues its emphasis on modestly priced, muscular integrated amps. The bass, dynamics and power of NAD integrateds are legendary. The CD players are simple and clean. There are two D products stealing thunder throughout our industry as they interface with computers and other audio gear. As always, the prices are extremely competitive! Integrated Amps: Analog These first three integrateds are classic, thunder and lightning products. They’re analog in design and feature the strongest amp sections in the integrated world for the money. These sound warm on top and thick on the bottom! The designation BEE stands for
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11.2015
GoldenEar SuperSub XXL $2000 (15 3/4h, 18 7/8w, 15 1/4d) With dual opposing 12” drivers and a 1600w amp with DSP, XXL reaches a new level of performance from GoldenEar. While the sound is prodigious, this Dual-Plane technology controls resonance like never before. You can run the sub to strong levels and still see a nickel sit on its edge without tipping over. This is no one note wonder. There’s ample detail and texture in its sound. Yet the output is WAUMPUS! If you want big time power yet control, SuperSub XXL sets new standards. We’ve seen dual-plane subs before
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10.2015
Hegel H-360 Integrated Amp, $5700 (250×2) Is it fair that the best gets better? Hegel’s new H-360 raises the bar from its vaunted predecessor. The power rating is the same, 250×2. The improvement comes in a new, beefed up version of Hegel’s patented Sound Engine technology. Damping factor has been improved to an industry crushing spec of 4000! H-360 has a higher voltage transformer. Noise floor has been lowered due to separate transformer for preamp and DAC. New balanced inputs from the P30 reference preamp are employed for lower noise floor than ever. H-360 uses Apple AirPlay. Hegel’s master clock
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09.2015
Due in any day! Bryston A Series Subwoofer, $2000 (17h, 17.75w, 15.25d) While announced a couple months back, Bryston’s new, A Series sub will ship “any day.” The A Sub is a unique animal configured to be super tight- to do justice to music as well as movies. The A Sub is a rear ported cube. The forward portion of what you see is wood. In the cabinet are dual, opposing ten inch, long throw, vibration canceling subwoofers. Bryston includes a sophisticated crossover and 400w RMS amp with linear power supply. This is a different design from everyone else who
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08.2015
Emotiva Amplifiers Last month we announced that the Emotiva gear was arriving any day. It’s here, in the flesh. What I want to introduce now is the line of power amps. If you’re not familiar with Emo amps… wow! You’re getting so much hardware for your money that it makes “the other guys” look a bit wimpy for the dollar. These brawny amps muscle up in a number of configurations to help you run stereo or home theater. If you’re a two channel guy, you might be running a receiver or integrated amp. It may have all the inputs you
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07.2015
Welcome Emotiva Audio Emotiva of Franklin, Tenn has offered very affordable, high end separate electronics, most notably gutsy power amps, since 2003. You can link to their page for the full offering, but I want to point out a particularly strong Emo product here. XPA-2 Power Amp, $900, 300×2, 73 pounds. 1.2 KVA transformer, 24 output transistors. AND… Emo is running a summer promo, $810. Are you serious?! This is INSANE! Oh, there’s more. You can buy a second one, run them bridged and have 1000w per amp! This is crazy cheap! Spend $1620 and get 1000×2?! These are Class
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06.2015
Visit To Hear Our Dolby Atmos Theater! I can hear you saying, “Atmos, fatmos, who cares? It’s just Dolby with more letters.” I forgive you for that assumption. Sometimes, that is the case, much ado about very little. But this time… the update provides a real benefit. I don’t expect you to take my word for it. I am hopeful you will visit to hear it for yourself. I’m sure you’re going to be impressed, because I am! I’m a music nut. I enjoy concerts more than movies. When I heard about Atmos coming down the pike, I felt as
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05.2015
Bryston Mini T Speakers, $2880pr (Laminate) or $3200pr (Real Wood) Bryston’s Mini T speakers are trending up in a big way these days. The Mini T fills a much overlooked category. That is, a large “bookshelf” speaker. For many years the large bookshelf speaker dominated our industry. That changed in the 80s when everyone and his brother came out with dinky satellites and a subwoofer that was pretty much just a boom box. The mass marketers pitched our wives on aesthetics. You should replace your old Advents or JBLs with our three little trinkets. We have to say, they were
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