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Audo Aero LaFontaine Designed in Aix en Provence, La Fontaine is heavily based on Audioaero's award winning flagship, "La Source", a music controller universally praised by critics worldwide. Complete with stunning design and audiophile sonic performance almost comparable to La Source, La Fontaine is an extraordinary integrated pre-amplifier / digital analogue converter and CD/SACD player being offered at a fraction of the price it costs to own a La Source. La Fontaine is a compelling combination of stunning beauty "a la française", cutting-edge patented technology and exquisite three dimensional sounds. |
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MODULUS 3B FULL-FUNCTION STEREO PREAMPLIFIER In 1981 Audible Illusions began production of the first Modulus preamplifier. Almost instantly, it became known as a breakthrough component setting new standards for sonic performance and reliability. Four years later, Audible Illusions introduced the Modulus 2 which carried the promise even further, quickly becoming one of the best-selling tube preamplifiers ever made. With the introduction of the Modulus 3 in 1992 the M3A in 1995 and the Modulus 3B in 2008 our Modulus preamplifiers have continued to earn a reputation for sonic excellence, construction quality and reliability. To date over 20,000 Modulus preamps have been manufactured with over 150 excellent product reviews from audio critics around the world. Adhering to our circuit design philosophy that "Simple is Better" and based on the proven superiority of single-ended, triode-tube designs our engineers continue to refine the preamplifier. Some of our innovations include the elimination of cathode followers, buffers, and negative feedback. The Modulus was also the first preamplifier to parallel tube output stages, and to design high performance Teflon capacitors. These are but a few innovations that have made our company a pioneer in modern-day tube technology. The M3B is the natural evolution of the M3A. It remains one of the few full-function preamplifiers made and is built for vinyl and digital enthusiasts alike. Our goal was to retain the sonic signature of our previous design while improving on fundamentals that simply, let the music flow. The result is a preamplifier with a further simplified the signal path, improved switching, and reduced vibration. These improvements are elegant and results great sonic benefits. The M3B is the finest full-function preamplifier we have ever made and continues to be the benchmark by which many others are compared. |
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Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC "My outboard converter of choice for both CD and high-resolution sources, regardless of price" - Robert Harley, The Absolute Sound. The Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC is arguably the best and most versatile DAC available at any price in high end audio. If you are in the market for an outboard Digital to Analog Converter, the Alpha DAC should be at the top of your list! Testimonials "There is a very valid reason why Berkeley Audio Design is selling Alpha DACs as fast as it can produce them. The Alpha DAC is simply stunning. The Berkeley Audio Design team is one of the most respected in the industry. They have succeeded in their goal of making a very high level of fidelity available to music lovers everywhere... At $5,000 the Alpha DAC is a high-end audio bargain. This level of quality and features could honestly sell for twice or three times the price. Every Alpha DAC owner and audiophile I've talked to who has heard the DAC has been very impressed. In a recent DAC shootout for the Bay Area Audio Society the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC took first place hands down. I would not be surprised to see the Alpha DAC ascend to the top of many lists and receive much deserved accolades in the weeks and months ahead. Whether I'm using Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows the Alpha DAC from Berkeley Audio Design is my reference DAC for the foreseeable future." |
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Enter the Spin-Clean Record Washer System ! "...It's cheap and it really, really works...I cleaned some dirty, fingerprint-encrusted records, and when I removed them from the vat, all dirt and fingerprints were gone...not everyone wants to spend hundreds of bucks on a vacuum machine, and the Spin Clean got the job done." "...To me, the most important part of the system is the Spin-Clean Washer fluid, which has already become my favorite solution for cleaning vinyl...The unit is bright yellow for a reason: it allows one to see the amount of crud that has been removed from the grooves, as the dirt will rest at the bottom of the Spin-Clean unit...The Spin-Clean system works exactly as advertised. There was no denying it...the Spin-Clean Record Washer system is the best $80 one can spend to care for their LPs and enrich their listening environment...an insane value. It gets my heartiest recommendation." |
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PUCCINI CD/SACD PLAYER Puccini is a revelation - a high end system in one box - combining the aesthetics of the Paganini with all of our upsampling, DAC, clocking and CD/SACD player technology in a single, easy to set up unit which delivers unbeatable performance. Built to the highest specifications, Puccini features a sleek solid aluminium fascia, high grade aluminium casing, all metal buttons and a smooth transport mechanism. CD or SACD, Puccini will extract every last bit of detail from your discs, bringing a reality to your music that you never heard before. In common with our Scarlatti and Paganini ranges, Puccini uses our proprietary DSD signal processing and patented dCS Ring DAC, which oversamples all incoming data to 5 bits at 2.822 or 3.07 MS/s. Puccini uses an enhanced version of our dCS Ring DAC, improved through increased processing power, faster FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), improved power supplies and a quieter electrical environment. When playing a CD, Puccini can also upsample conventional PCM encoded CDs to DSD sample rates and offers the choice between PCM or DSD playback. Puccini U-Clock The Puccini range now features a patent pending (GB0817141.5) Puccini U-Clock which is separate grade 1 system clock to further reduce jitter and improve performance. Puccini U-Clock also features a USB to SPDIF converter, which enables Puccini owners to present sound files from a PC or Mac to the legendary dCS Ring DAC inside the Puccini. |
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Luxman M800 Pure Class A Amplifier Luxman's emphasis is on reproducing natural music, with lots of warmth, detail; not frightening it into scaring up non-existent detail, which is sometimes described as etched. Luxman's engineer's are fanatical in their attention to detail; while they spend a lot of time analyzing how components perform on their test equipment, the final arbiter is the listening evaluations. Is the product able to play music, convey the emotion, reproduce the ambience of the venue as well as the timbre of each instrument, distinctly. This is where Luxman shines. Beneath the elegant shell of a Luxman amplifier, lies innovative circuitry, meticulous attention to detail and plain common sense. Using trickle down technology from the flagship B-1000f, comes this stereo Class A power-house amplifier, with pure A 60W x 2 per channel, into 8Ω. It is stable driving any loudspeaker, even 1Ω loads, with 480 watts to spare. |
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Luxman Control Amplifier C800f We have acquired a great number of technologies for improvement of sound quality through the development of our flagship model, C-1000f. Such technologies have been integrated into newly appeared C-800f, a masterpiece of control amplifier. Our original feedback circuit, ODNF, is introduced into C-800f, which is version 2.4 as the same as used in C-1000f. In the attenuator section that is integrated into the amplification circuit, 4 pieces of "LECUA1000-WM" that has been newly developed for improved efficiency with the signal path are mounted. Various gorgeous specifications are inherited from our flagship model including full-balanced transmission circuit, power supply equipped with current supply source comparable to a power amplifier, and bi-amplification output mode. C-800f can fully exercises its unlimited dynamism and richness of music essence when a high-performance power amplifier such as M-800A is driven. |
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NAGRA System At left from top to bottom: Precision Compact Disk Concept player The CDC is a top of the range CD player. This unit is equipped with a built-in digital to analogue converter, remote control and pre-amplifier stage and can be connected directly to a power amplifier. The front-loading mechanism is designed with aviation technology giving an excellent stability to the transport and reliability second-to-none. Battery operated tube pre-amplifier with phono stage The PL-P vacuum tube pre-amplifier is a high quality pure class A tube based pre-amplifier including a high precision phono stage for vinyl records. With its unique internal rechargeable battery power supply, the highly sensitive phono stage, features individually hand-wound NAGRA built transformers, is entirely isolated from the mains power supply and hence avoids any form of hum loop. Able to handle both moving coil and moving magnet cartridges and up to 4 independent sources the PL-P is an extremely flexible preamplifier. The MSA is a stereo power amplifier giving 60 Watts per channel into an 8 Ohm load. Its physical footprint is identical to the compact Nagra range, of CDC, VPS, PL-L and PL-P. |
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NAGRA BPS (Bi-polar Phono Stage) What's remarkable about the Nagra BPS phono stage is not its small size, although that's certainly attention-grabbing. instead, it's the circuitry and well-considered features that are squeezed into this hand-sized chassis that make the BPS noteworthy. The BPS uses essentially the same circuit as Nagra's VPS phono stage, but it omits the VPS's tubes. Like the VPS, it uses custom Nagra step-up transformers to derive its gain -- 45 to 60dB, making it suitable for use with moving-coil cartridges. It runs on a nine-volt battery, although wall power is also an option. The reduced size of the Nagra BPS phono preamplifier is the result of using completely solid-state technology, less costly to implement than Nagra's valve phonostage version. The BPS electronics consumes so little power that it operates for approximately 100 hours on a single 9-volt battery. Due to using a battery power supply, there is no need for a costly external power supply that is complex to manufacture. The Nagra BPS enjoys an attractive positioning thanks to a simplified approach as regards functions. Nagra however retained the popular load adaptation found on the VPS model, which uses small plug-in modules to attain the desired matching between the phono preamplifier and the specific cartridge. Nagra's BPS supports either moving-coils (MC) or moving-magnet cartridges (MM) by means of appropriate switching. Assembled on a single motherboard, the electronics use exclusively discrete and military-type components (JAN standard). The amplification is provided by selected and matched bipolar transistors. The capacitors on the signal path are of audiophile quality and the precision resistors are MELF (Metal Electrode Leadless Face). The MC input transformers are designed and wound by Nagra. All components are housed within a Nagra style brushed aluminum case. |
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Transfiguration Cartridges What an exciting time it is for analog playback! At a time when people thought it would be long-since dead, LP playback, like the legendary Phoenix, rises far above the digital domain. This is truly its golden age. LP playback technology has never been more vital. One might be grateful that digital playback has improved drastically since the time it was pronounced "perfect music, forever..." In fact, it was dreadful. Now, it almost sounds like music and is beginning to approach the realm where analog playback was back then. A huge improvement. However, in that same space of time, analog playback of the LP has seen far more drastic and rapid improvements. Thanks to dedicated, passionate and innovative designers, like Seiji Yoshioka of Immutable Music, producers of the Transfiguration cartridges, and Armando Conti of Basis Audio, LP playback has achieved heights never imagined back in the days that bit-counters and bean-counters were pronouncing it dead. With his groundbreaking utilization of the yokeless ring-magnet construction, Mr. Yoshioka presented the LP world with a new window into the music buried in the black grooves of the vinyl LP. His first product, the Transfiguration AF-1, set completely new standards of transparency, naturalness and neutrality for phono cartridges of its day. Since that time, he has constantly striven to bring the listener ever closer to the sounds and emotions of the live event. Constantly improving materials and construction techniques, he has since set the pace and defined the state-of-the-art for natural-sounding LP reproduction. His Transfiguration cartridges, using live, unamplified music as their benchmark, do not take LP reproduction into the realm of the hyper-real, with sizzling technicolors, exaggerated leading-edge transients, "enormous soundstaging," "pinpoint imaging," or "lush warmth." Instead, they deliver a very natural and alive-sounding reproduction of what the recording engineer heard, as he or she sat in the recording booth, listening to the master tapes. Audiophile language does not seem to apply, rather, musical language seems more apt. "Rhythm, flow, emotion..." are the kinds of words that come to mind, as one notices a foot is tapping and the head is bobbing and maybe even a few goosebumps are rising... but, as always, the magic is in the midrange. Human voices take on a you-are-there sense of reality that raises those goosebumps. When you hear things you have never heard from your records before, you can be sure they will help to complete the musical picture, rather than distract with meaningless detail or artificial "air." The transparency of these cartridges extends from the deepest bass notes to the heights of inaudibility. More than ever, they are able to track the micro-dynamic ebb and flow of the music like no other cartridge. The result is a sense of musical anticipation and excitement one normally experiences only at the live event. Listening to jazz, you can almost smell the cigar smoke and single-malt whiskey in the air; a classical LP calls forth images of rich velvet curtains and wisps of fine perfume; rock and roll brings back the moisture of the grass seeping through your jeans and the smell of sweat and something sweet upon the breeze… |
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LSA Statement Amplifier “Alice went down a rabbit hole. Neo took the red pill. LSA made a Statement. |
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Thorens TD 550 "There's no doubt (...) that the new Thorens TD 550 turntable is one of the very best at the price, offering a commandingly stable rendition of the music with smoothness, sweetness and insight in equal measure. It is also beautiful built, sumptuously finished and surprisingly easy to set up. As such it's a worthy modern flagship for this illustrious company." |
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Rossner & Sohn - Canofer Phono Amplifier For our Canofer we exclusively applied the best components of well-known German and Suisse manufacturers like Mundorf, ELMA and WBT. The connectors Nextgen by WBT take care of a perfect integration to your phono equipment. Mundorf tin-foil-condensers create vital signals without loss of sound. The board's concrete dual-mono-structure and the perfectly attuned hand-selected transistors and components are adjusted to your MM- or MC-system with absolute precision by noise-free ELMA-switches. A special suspension-mechanism completely decouples board and enclosure. The board is totally shed and extra shielded to eliminate all sonic and electromagnetic faults. For MM-systems there are 300, for MC-systems 1836 possible settings you surely will find the right one for your system. Turn-switches
at the enclosure's front allow an extremely comfortable setting! is equipped with Mundorf Mcap Supreme and Mcap Supreme Silver/Oil
foil condensers. |
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Luxman L-550A II, Pure Class A, Integrated Amplifier Luxman produced the world's first Class A integrated amplifier in 1981 - L-550. Luxman introduced the L-550A and L-590A in 2005, since then we have celebrated our 80th anniversary with commemorative components that have reaffirmed Luxman's status at the pinnacle of high-end audio. In these latest integrated models, the gorgeous texture and three-dimensional performance of our original Class A amplifiers has been retained and further refined. For example, the amplifiers feature a new electronic selector switch, adopted from the input section of the C-1000f control amplifier; the internal circuitry has been revised to include customised OFC wiring and a high-speed Schottky barrier diode has been selected for the power source section; improvements that have notably enhanced the sound quality for greater musical enjoyment. Chassis bases have superb vibration absorption in order to supress
noise levels. The power transformer, electrolytic capacitors and
amplifer output stage (see amp block below) are laid out so as
not to interefere with each other. To reduce intereference further,
the block construction isolates each section using shielding panels,
and extensive internal filtering to reject magnetic flux interference. Luxman holds many patents for audio engineering, amongst them
is the application of Global Negative Feedback to the output stage,
which while widely used throughout the audio industry, they no
longer use themselves.
Both the L-590AII and L-550AII, feature the new high quality electronic selector switch, which is the heart of the C-1000f pre-amp (one of Luxman’s 80th anniversary commemoration models). The sound quality deterioration using the new electronic input switch is now minimal, while channel separation and crosstalk efficiency were raised substantially in comparison with the previous L-550A / L-590A. In addition the illuminated position indicator around the input selector knob, makes it much easier to view the selected position even from afar. |
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Foundation Research LC10 The next generation! Based on our own criteria, RFI/EFI suppression has come down to one single product that has had the largest impact, Foundation Research. The FR line up includes the LC1 & LC2 which currently have been superseded by the new LC10, LC25 and the LC100. The main reason why these products have been so effective in addressing or eliminating RFI/EFI problems is that the technology that resides within has not been designed specifically for Audio. In fact, it was designed to be used in Ultra Sound Testing Equipment for military applications. |
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EAR Yoshino Acute CD Player The CD player acute has true balanced outputs with a tube line amp
using transformers. Peak level is 5 volts. |
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GM 50 Integrated Amplifier
GM-50 is the most recent GRAAF creation, an integrated amplifier born to complete our production of the highest class. GM-50 includes in a single frame the features and the level of performance that in the past were an exclusive of GRAAF preamplifiers and power amplifiers. Construction qualities, sound performance and the highest finishing level are joined with the lower cost and the ease of use of an integrated amplifier. The "GM" monogram on the front panel is a synonimous of the greatest sound quality, until now exclusive for top level electronics like GRAAF GM-200 power amplifier and GM- 13.5 B preamplifier. The goal of GM-50 is to establish new quality standards between top class integrated amplifiers. As usual for GRAAF electronics, GM-50 aestethics are very accurate even in the slightest details. They rely on the coupling of a massive 15 mm aluminium panel with a transparent crystal that allows the vision of the internal circuit. Led indicators show through the crystal the source selected by the user, making the front panel even more attractive. Large rotary knobs give a comfortable access to listening level control and source selection. They look solid and sturdy; the pleasant feeling given by their use is quite what the most demanding audiophile can expect of a GRAAF electronic.The careful manifacturing and the plentiful sizing of the most critical components are suggested by a frame depth of almost 50 centimetres. GM-50 has also a remote control for on/off switching, source selection, listening level control and mute switching. The amplifier can manage up to six line sources: two of them with balanced outputs, the others with single ended ones. Two tape outputs are provided as well. High quality binding posts allow the connection of a couple of loudspeakers. Elegance and refinement, joined with versatility and ease of use are just a preview for the exclusive GM-50 internal features. They have been considered with the greatest care in the aim to reach new limits for sound and quality in top-class integrated amplifiers. To attain this object some of the solutions typical of the OTL Series electronics, conceived by Giovanni Mariani, are used. The fully balanced configuration from input to output is between them. Its realization concerns the complete doubling of the electronic circuits, the only acceptable solution for the GRAAF quality standards, until now used only for very few electronics of higher cost. At the power switching, GM-50 enters in mute condition, until tubes reach the operating temperature. The project of GM-50 integrated amplifier is based on a lay out of great simpleness, an essential rule to obtain the best sound quality. The first stage, for gain and impedance adjustment, serves the level control, in order to reach the most correct operation. Audio signal then enters a stage made of two differential circuits in cascade, with the second of them that works as the actual driver for the output stage. At this point the signals are compared each other and subject to a further level gain. Output stages are made from a push pull of KT 88 tubes, biased for A-AB Class operation. Each tube has its own automatic bias control system, a choice that allows to obtain the best performance in any operating condition. Another exclusive feature of the output stage regards the use of transformers with ground connected central end in the secondary windings. Such a solution is to have a true balanced configuration for the output stage. Also, this allows to obtain a balanced configuration for the feedback circuit. Usually, in audio amplifiers, the feedback circuit brings back to the input only a part of the output signal, in a point defined as comparison knot. With this solution GRAAF GM-50 has two comparison knots for each channel, allowing to have a balanced feedback net, more linear, precise and stable in its correction purposes. GRAAF GM-50 has a feedback rate limited to 6 dB only. http://www.graaf.it |
Wave Mechanic Power Supply The Wave Mechanic
external power supply, pictured to the left of the Dias at the
bottom of the 'Introducing Nottingham' page, was made especially
for Nottingham Analogue and comes standard with the Dias and Anna
Log tables. |
Nottingham
Dais Nottingham Tonearms and Accessories ACE Space arm
upgrades - June 2006 |
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The
Fatman iTube is a tube
amplifier and docking station designed specifically for iPod. The
iTube allows iPod owners to enjoy true, full-range stereo music from
their iPod.
Unlike the ‘boom-box’ design of typical docking station music players, the iTube is a real, audiophile-class stereo which delivers the highest level of fidelity of any iPod-specific system currently available. Tube amplification makes sense for iPod; the richer, warmer, ‘more analog-like’ sound is the perfect complement for this source which can sometimes sound cold, flat and metallic. iTube gets the listener closer to the excitement and vitality of a live performance than ever before. http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/product/itube_1.htm
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Introducing Nottingham Analogue Supremely Musical World Famous Turntables Nottingham Analogue is a well respected British manufacturer of high quality, specialty audio products. For over 35 years Nottingham engineers have been producing innovative designs which excel at allowing the music to come through in its purest form. Their turntables are known for precision and purity, ultra quiet noise floor, supreme musicality, quality build and remarkable value. "All our products sound the same, the only difference is there is less and less fatigue and you get a little bit closer to the illusion of real live music the higher you go up our product ladder." - Tom Fletcher, engineer/owner, Nottingham Analogue Studios. Space 294 This highly innovative design has all the above mentioned improvements but the '294' also has a 14" platter giving much more rotational stability due to the additional inertia. The turntable is specifically for 12" (294mm) tonearms only and cannot be fitted with a second tonearm. Twelve inch tonearms are nothing new for Nottingham Analogue, the longer arm results in a smaller tracking error, and Nottingham has cleverly eliminated the pitfalls of common 12" tonearms. The new Space 294 will get you closer to the illusion of real music than you ever thought possible at a price that will send you record shopping with a smile on your face. |
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Pro-Ject RPM 10
Manual turntable
with 10" precision tonearm |
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Benz MC Demagnetizer A "Must Have" for Analogue lovers. A vital component to bring out the very best from Phono Cartridges. |
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Foundation Research LC100
- The Reference Standard. Derived from the success of the LC1 & LC2 Line Filters comes the new LC100. Line Filtration has has been taken to a new level yielding incredible results. "The Bar has just been raised" |
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Opera
- Callas Series
With the new
loudspeakers of the Callas Series, Opera’s intention is
to recreate, within the To achieve this goal, every single technical aspect of the design was subjected to intense musical listening tests at Opera. The new loudspeakers of the Callas Series use techniques and components which reflect the state-of-the-art in electroacoustic design, including controlled-diffraction cabinets, drive units and crossovers. Every type of distortion has been analyzed, quantified and reduced. The sonic result is tonally correct, convincing, involving and most of all, enjoyable to listen to. The Callas Series loudspeakers are elegant and beautifully finished, and will discreetly enhance any room. The Project The aim of the Callas series is to recreate a precise soundstage which is stable and correct in its proportions and in the dimensions and weight of each instrument or voice. The choice of multiple small diameter drive units offers a number of advantages of a mechanical, electrical and thermal nature, and if employed correctly can greatly improve the acoustic quality of the loudspeaker. Controlled-Dispersion Cabinets Regarding the suspended column cabinet, the structure is made of a mix of medite and plywood, with teardrop-section curved sides, veneered and finely lacquered in the best Italian tradition. The front baffle is finished in quality leather. This, along with the benefit of appearance, also serves to reduce diffraction. The cabinet is divided into two independent chambers. The two woofers are reflex loaded with a double chamber tuned system. The port radiating the lower frequencies faces the floor to increase the air loading, producing great depth of bass. |
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Audio Aero Prestige CD/SACD Player Step into
High-end |
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S.A.P. Relaxa Isolation Platform Announcing the Relaxa Magnetic Isolation Platforms!The Relaxa line of Magnetic Isolation Platforms is the ultimate in audio and video component isolation solutions. Vertical vibrations have a surprisingly large, negative impact on the performance of audio components. Isolating your component via a Relaxa isolation stand will bring a clearly audible and often dramatic improvement in performance. Designed in Italy, the Relaxa is a gorgeous piece of audio sculpture, but more than just eye wash, the Relaxa is a great performer. Relaxa is precision manufactured by S.A.P. audio s.r.l of Salerno Italy. (S.A.P. = Strumenti Acustici di Precisione, "Acoustic Instruments of Precision).
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A New Purist Tube Line Pre
Amplifier
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Artemis Labs PH-1 Phono Pre AmpThe Artemis Labs PH-1 Phono Pre Amp is the result of several years of perfecting a simple yet extremely high quality tube-type preamp. High quality parts are used throughout and the design is rugged and reliable. The sonic qualities: tonality, detail, smoothness, and presence are outstanding. The PH-1 is optimized for medium- to high-output cartridges, either moving coil or moving magnet. http://www.artemislabs.com/PH-1-vacuum-tube-phono-preamp.html |
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Van Den Hul Frog Cartridge A custom handbuilt moving coil cartridge with the coil of a GRASSHOPPER
III and the frontpole and suspension of the GRASSHOPPER IV: the best
cartridge available for its price. |
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EAR912 Professional Tube Control Centre Once again, EAR redefines expectations of amplifier performance with the new 912 studio-grade preamplifier. Building on our existing range of admired preamps including the unique 312 Control Centre (transistor-based), it offers an unusually wide range of features in a tube-based package which will appeal equally to the professional and the discerning audiophile. Two phono inputs are provided, both with switchable gain and input impedance - moving coil signals are, of course, pre-boosted by designer Tim de Paravicini’s noted input transformers, and his approach to RIAA equalisation ensures massive headroom and freedom from low-frequency instability. The low distortion, low noise line stage is coupled to the outside world via transformers, giving the option of balanced or unbalanced connection. Two balanced line inputs are also featured, plus three unbalanced and a tape loop. Selection is achieved by reed relays, keeping signal paths short and delicate signals intact. Meters connected upstream of the volume control give useful visual correlation of levels and help ensure that phono gain settings are optimal. As with all EAR products reliability and practicality are key priorities and to this end all components have been selected and rated for long and trouble-free service. All five tubes are PCC88s, a type noted for good performance and which will be around for servicing in the long-distant future. And unlike many of our competitors’ phono preamps there is no separate power supply box to deal with - careful design ensures that hum is kept at bay despite the inclusion of a high capacity power supply. If we haven’t even mentioned the sound yet, it’s only because you already know that our reputation assures its excellence.... |
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EAR890 Parallel Push Pull 8 Valve Power Amplifier The 800 series of amplifiers from EAR has received widespread and consistent acclaim from users and reviewers the world over. However, feedback from some quarters suggested that there was a need for an amplifier with similar sonic prowess but just a little more power. Taking as a starting point the circuits used in the 834 integrated amplifier, Tim de Paravicini has addressed that need by producing the 890 power amplifier. Using the innovative KT90 valve from EI, he has been able to offer 70W of clean Class-A audio from the same chassis as the 834. One of the few new valve designs of the last 30 years, the KT90 draws on the strengths of the EL509 valve (as used in many EAR amplifiers) and is capable of sustained high power operation with great reliability. Two pairs per channel are hardly stressed in the EAR 890. Features include balanced inputs (transformer-coupled) as well as unbalanced, separate level controls for each channel, and the option of flexible mono-block operation to deliver 140W into a wide range of loudspeaker loads. Build quality and finish are to EAR’s usual high standards, with a distinctive touch of luxury in the thick brass front panel, heavily chromed and polished to a mirror finish. Reliability is assured and there are no user adjustments. And the sound? All the EAR trademarks are there: beautifully natural midrange and treble, superb stereo imaging, and of course extended but perfectly proportioned bass, with the extra power raising the roof even further than our earlier models. |
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The Chord Company "Our customers know us for high quality and excellent value, combined with sonic improvements you can hear straight away. Our exhaustive listening tests and obsession with value for money makes Chord products the most effective connector system on the market." |
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The Wilson Benesch CURVE Loudspeaker With Technology drawn from Formula 1, Wilson Benesch continues to grow its shamelessly luxurious range of loudspeakers. The latest development is a new floor standing design. The Curve borrows much of its design elements from the fabulous A.C.T. loudspeaker but is available at almost half the price. In terms of height it is smaller than the diminutive two way Arc but remains capable of achieving 200 watt peak program The A.C.T. and the Curve are the most accurate loudspeakers that the company has ever released. The Structural elements are all drawn from engineering materials more commonly seen in advanced engineering systems and include advanced composite structures, steel, Neodymium Iron Boron Motors and unique polymer diaphragms. The structural integrity of the Curve is another benchmark and provides a clarity and precision that would be impossible to achieve with conventional loudspeaker materials technology. |
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clearaudio SynchroThe clearaudio Synchro allows you to set and maintain exact frequency and control turntable speed. The unit is able to accept both North American and European power. For more information and specifications refer to the manual pages below.
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Mystic MatSpecial Introductory price - $459 We’re not
afraid to boast this, but we believe the Living Voices Mystic Record
Mat will redefine the art (and science) of listening to your cherished
vinyl…forever! Here’s a deceptively simple turntable mat
that embraces the analog-loving listener with a smooth, rich sound
complete with impressive subtleties and detailing that competing
mats can’t touch! Imagine improvements in frequency extension
and low-level resolution without tonal imbalances, increased dynamic
range that’s rich and unrestrained, bass that’s really
there when it needs to be there, and three-dimensionality that’s
so close to being dead-on…need we say more! IT’S THAT
GOOD! |
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EAR - Yoshino V20The V20 is a completely new concept in valve amplifier design. Parallel Push Pull Class “A” circuit, featuring Enchanced Triode Mode. Circuit uses a highly developed Balanced Mode and an ultra-wide-bandwidth output transformer with no overall feedback. 20 output valves. 20 watts per channel output into 4 to 16 ohms. 5 line inputs. Winner of 'Diapason d'or’ Hi-Fi Palmares 1998 (France), and Hi-Fi Review Product of the Year 2000 Award (Hong Kong). |
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Bluenote PiccoloThe Piccolo is the entry level acrylic Turntable sold as a package including the B-5 tonearm and our MM6,5 cartridge. (The picture shows only the U-3 tone arm) It is made with a 15mm thick transparent acrylic board and 20mm thick acrylic platter. The bearing is derived directly from our Bellavista Turntable. Acrylic Dust Cover is offered only as option. The Piccolo can be considered innovative and superior to all its competitors at its price range. It's presentation includes a natural and focused sound with good details and is capable of creating a realistic sound stage. |
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